New York Jets at New Orleans Saints
Total: 47.0
Line: NO by 15.5
QBs
Bryce Petty: It was sad to watch Josh McCown‘s season end the way it did, but this isn’t a place for feelings. This is where I’ll tell you that you want no part of Petty in fantasy leagues. The Saints got Marshon Lattimore back last week and limited Matt Ryan to just 6.8 fantasy points while at home. This game will take place in New Orleans, meaning it’s a hostile environment, on top of it being a tough matchup for Petty. He’s not even a recommended play in 2QB leagues.
Drew Brees: This is going to be interesting, as the Saints have been able to lean on their run game all season, but were forced to throw a bit more when Alvin Kamara went down last week, when Brees showed you he’s still got it. The Jets have been a stomping ground for opposing quarterbacks, allowing multiple touchdowns to nine different quarterbacks, including four touchdowns to Alex Smith two weeks back. Their run defense has been solid, allowing just two 20-point PPR running backs all season. I’m not insinuating that they’ll stop the run game entirely, but potentially limit it? Sure. Because of that, Brees is in-play as a QB1 who comes with a solid floor. Knowing the Jets will have a hard time scoring points, it’s hard to say that Brees has much tournament appeal, as they shouldn’t be throwing the ball more than 30-35 times.
RBs
Matt Forte and Bilal Powell: We might as well stop trying to predict the Jets backfield, as it’s changed hands so many times, though it appears they finally got it right with Forte as the pass-catcher, while Powell is the better runner. The Saints biggest weakness is against the run, as they’ve allowed four different running backs total more than 100 yards on the ground, and 14 different running backs post double-digit PPR points. The game-script is likely to favor the pass-catcher, which has been Forte over the last seven games, as he’s averaged 4.0 receptions per game in that time, while Powell has averaged just 1.3 receptions in that same time. Because of that, Forte is the preferred option, though both are limited-ceiling RB4’s. Keep an eye on Forte, though, as his knee has been giving him issues. If he misses more practice time this week, he may be held out. If that’s the case, Powell would jump into the low-end RB2 conversation.
Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara: It was a brutal situation for fantasy owners last week when Kamara went down with a concussion early in the first quarter. If you lost your matchup because of that, just know that you aren’t alone and that you wouldn’t have been there without him. It’s one of those things that happens in fantasy, but just know that there was literally nothing you could do. With the extra time in between games, I’m fully expecting Kamara to be back this week. The Jets have held all but four running backs to 12 PPR points or less this year, and have been one of the toughest teams to run the ball against. The four running backs they allowed to finish as top-18 options were LeSean McCoy, Leonard Fournette, Duke Johnson, and Jalen Richard. As you can tell, you likely want to catch passes, something Kamara and Ingram do very well. You are playing both of them as RB1’s this week in a game they’re favored by more than two touchdowns, though Kamara would be the one I’d choose if forced.
WRs
Robby Anderson: This is bad, guys. Not only is he dealing with a hamstring issue that caused him to miss practice last week, but he’s now without McCown, who was one of the most efficient quarterbacks in football this year. As if you needed more bad news, Anderson is going to match-up with Marshon Lattimore this week, the rookie cornerback who is a top-three candidate for rookie of the year. On 43 targets in coverage, he’s allowed just 23 catches for 286 yards and no touchdowns. Anderson did have decent numbers with Petty last year, but this isn’t a week to expect those. He’s just a WR4 for this week and not one that I’d actively target in DFS.
Jermaine Kearse: Going all the way back to the first month of the season, I said that I’d never feel comfortable putting Kearse into my lineups, which is why I never recommended him as a waiver wire pickup on the podcast. To see him finish Week 14 with just one catch for four yards, it should be an easy decision not to play him against the Saints. Ken Crawley has played much better as of late, so it’s not as if he has a great cornerback matchup, either. He’s just a WR5 this week, as you’re hoping to get a garbage-time touchdown if you do play him.
Michael Thomas: It was somewhat of a breakout game for Thomas last week, as he hauled in 10 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown. He was just the second wide receiver to hit 100 yards against the Falcons, so seeing the Jets on the schedule definitely shouldn’t scare you. Since their bye in Week 11, the Jets have allowed these finishes to No. 1 wide receivers: Devin Funchess 7/108/0, Tyreek Hill 6/185/2, and Demaryius Thomas 8/93/1. There have now been 14 wide receivers to total at least six receptions against them. You’re playing him as a WR1 in season-long and don’t shy away in DFS, either.
Ted Ginn: As mentioned here last week, Ginn has been the textbook “boom-or-bust” wide receiver in fantasy. He’s now finished outside the top 70 wide receivers on five occasions, while he’s finished inside the top-36 on seven occasions. The Jets have allowed multiple top-36 wide receivers in 5-of-13 games, so it’s tough to say that Thomas and Ginn will both have the shot to do that. Still, this game is at home inside the dome, which helps a player with the speed of Ginn, so look at him as an upside WR4. He’s not in play for cash, but you can toss him in a few tournament lineups.
TEs
Austin Seferian-Jenkins: Whew boy, was I wrong about Seferian-Jenkins last week. But then again, there were a lot of tight ends who failed to show up, including Jimmy Graham who didn’t record a catch. We know that Seferian-Jenkins isn’t a yardage guy at this point, so relying on touchdowns from Petty is problematic, especially when the Saints have been very good against tight ends, allowing just two top-10 performances. Rob Gronkowski was the only one who finished with more than 8.6 standard points against them this year. Seferian-Jenkins is off fantasy radars.
Josh Hill: Unless you’re in touchdown-only leagues, you aren’t going to be playing Hill in season-long leagues. He’s seen just seven targets over the last five games and hasn’t topped 29 yards all season. He does, however, have a shot at a touchdown.
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills
Total: N/A
Line: N/A
QBs
Jay Cutler: What in the world got into Cutler last week? I mean, I know what did, as I’ve watched him for a long time. There are certain games where everything just slows down for him, and his arm is one of the best in the league. What you saw on Monday night was the quarterback most thought he could be, myself included. However, he’s been horrendously inconsistent throughout his career, which has been the death of his appeal. The Bills had a stretch of their schedule where they looked awful, but have righted the ship over the last seven games, allowing just six passing touchdowns in that time. Their run defense has been the death of them, however. In games where he wasn’t forced to leave with a concussion, Cutler now has 10 touchdowns in his last four games, so he must be in the conversation for 2QB leagues, but that’s about it, knowing the Bills have played solid pass defense. He’s not someone I’d consider in DFS.
Tyrod Taylor: This game has yet to have a line set, and that’s because they don’t know exactly what will happen with the quarterback position, but knowing that Taylor returned to practice on Wednesday, it’s a good sign he’ll start. On top of that, Nathan Peterman is in the concussion protocol. The Dolphins looked mighty good against the Patriots last week, but it was one game. Prior to limiting Brady and Trevor Siemian, this defense had allowed 16 passing scores in their previous six games. It’s hard to say that they’ve completely changed, especially when they lost an important part of their front-seven two weeks ago, in William Hayes. There’s been just one quarterback to rush for more than 16 yards against the Dolphins, and that was Cam Newton who ran for 95 yards, but we have to wonder if Taylor won’t be as mobile as usual with his knee injury. With the Dolphins defense surging and Taylor’s knee limiting him, he’s just a mediocre QB2 for this week. His starting wide receiver corps is going to be Zay Jones, Deonte Thompson, and Andre Holmes. Not great, Bob.
RBs
Kenyan Drake: It was so refreshing to hear Jon Gruden on Monday night football talk about the fact that Drake has made plays that Jay Ajayi wouldn’t have in the same spot. The offensive line isn’t good in Miami, and I don’t think anyone is disputing that, but Drake is making something out of nothing. Here’s his counts since the Dolphins traded Ajayi: 80 carries, 409 rushing yards (5.11 YPC), two touchdowns. 20 receptions, 182 receiving yards, one touchdown. That amounts to 75.1 fantasy points in six games, and keep in mind he was sharing the work with Damien Williams for four of those games. He’s good. It’s unsure if Williams will return for this game, but even if he does, it’d be in a clear backup role. The Bills have now allowed 15 rushing touchdowns on the season to running backs, the most in the league, and 12 of them have come from Week 8-14. They’ve also allowed the second-most yards to them, so it’s not just because they struggle on the goal-line. Drake needs to be in lineups and is in the RB1 conversation. He’s one of the better cash-game plays on the slate and is in-play for tournaments as well.
LeSean McCoy: When I said I loved McCoy last week, I obviously didn’t know that the game would’ve taken place in a snow-storm. That wasn’t a reason to back-off either, as McCoy has shown us in the past that he can run in the snow. The Dolphins haven’t been the best defense against the run this year, allowing 4.4 yards per carry with nine touchdowns to this point, which is slightly below average, and they’ve also struggled against pass-catching running backs, allowing 43.1 yards per game with four touchdowns to them. Given the limited options in the passing-game, McCoy should see plenty of work through the air, especially knowing Taylor may not want to take off running as much. The Dolphins have allowed four running backs total at least 39 yards through the air in the last two games alone, making McCoy a safe RB1 this week. He’s not someone you should avoid in DFS.
WRs
Jarvis Landry: Still averaging over 10 targets per game, Landry continues to produce. There’ve been just four times all season where he’s finished outside the top-36 options in standard leagues, where he’s supposed to stink. In PPR formats, he hasn’t fallen out of the top-36 since way back in Week 3. This is a matchup to worry about, though, as the Bills have allowed just eight wide receivers to finish as top-24 options in PPR against them, and none of them were strictly slot receivers. Looking through their schedule, they haven’t played a stud out of the slot all year. Keenan Allen is a 50/50 mix, so it’s tough to consider him slot anymore. The Bills starting slot cornerback Leonard Johnson missed last week’s game, so it’s worth noting that if he misses another one, Landry would see a lot of Lafayette Pitts, an unrestricted free agent from 2016 who has played 31 career snaps. Knowing the level of competition, I’m not avoiding Landry this week. He’s a WR2 who offers a solid-floor. He’s in-play for cash lineups, though I’d likely avoid in tournaments. I’m not betting on another multi-touchdown game.
DeVante Parker: He was involved in the offense last week, a bit more than Stills, so maybe there’s hope for him again. This week is going to be a bit easier than last week, though it’s not a great matchup. The Bills duo of Tre’Davious White and E.J. Gaines has played well throughout the majority of the season, allowing just five wide receivers to finish with double-digit fantasy points in standard leagues. It’s also important to note that four of the five wide receivers saw 10 or more targets, a number that Parker hasn’t seen since Week 3. In fact, he hasn’t seen more than six targets over the last three weeks. He’s a risky WR4, but one who we know has the potential to sky over defenders for a touchdown. He’s off the table in cash, but he’s in-play for tournaments.
Kenny Stills: As it turns out, Stills’ 13-target game in Week 13 was an outlier, as he returned to just four targets in Week 14. It was a tough matchup, so don’t automatically assume he’s off the radar, though the Bills aren’t the best matchup, either. Of the top six wide receiver performances against the Bills, each wide receiver was at least 6-foot-2, which is two inches taller than Stills. He can always catch a long touchdown, but I’m not betting on that this week, making him a desperation WR4.
Zay Jones: He was someone I liked going into Week 14 as a sleeper-play, that was until we found out he’d be playing in a snow-storm. If you saw the field before the game, you knew there was no way that either team was going to be able to throw the ball. He’s going to see Xavien Howard in coverage this week, the cornerback who’ll likely be named Player of the Week for Week 14. He’s now intercepted four passes over his last two games and has really turned his season around after allowing multiple touchdowns to Devin Funchess in Week 10. Jones is back to his WR5 territory and not one you should be playing in season-long leagues.
TEs
Julius Thomas: It was not the game most fantasy owners were hoping for, as Thomas had been showing signs of life. It didn’t help that the Dolphins had the lead the entire game, limiting the pass attempts. The Bills have allowed just two tight ends to finish better than the TE10 this season, and they were Rob Gronkowski and O.J. Howard, two athletic tight ends, not something we’d say about Thomas at this point in his career. He’s best left on fantasy benches this week.
Charles Clay: Ever since returning to game-action from his knee injury, Clay hasn’t been someone to target in fantasy, as he’s failed to score more than six points in any game, and has failed to top 27 yards in 4-of-5 games. The Dolphins have been a team that’s been extremely giving to tight ends, allowing 8.1 or more PPR points to 11 different tight ends. Knowing that Jordan Matthews is on IR, and that Kelvin Benjamin is likely to join him soon, Clay should see an uptick in targets. Because of that, he’s on the streaming high-end TE2 radar, though he comes with plenty of risk. He’s not someone I’d play in DFS right now.
Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars
Total: 39.0
Line: JAX by 11.5
QBs
T.J. Yates: At this point, it seems unlikely that Tom Savage will be cleared to play, so we have to go forward assuming it’ll be Yates under center. Not that it will matter much, as the Texans have a team implied total of less than 14 points as they head into Jacksonville. The Jaguars have shown some weaknesses as of late, but there’s no reason you should even consider Yates in fantasy leagues, no matter the format. There have been just four quarterbacks who have finished with more than 11 fantasy points against them.
Blake Bortles: Oddly enough, Bortles is very much an option in the fantasy playoffs. He’s now finished with at least 16 fantasy points in six of his last seven games, with the Browns being the only game he didn’t. Now with Marqise Lee, Dede Westbrook, and Keelan Cole at his disposal, Bortles has completed 44 of his last 62 passes (71 percent) for 577 yards and four touchdowns. The Texans have been a team to target with streamers, as they’ve now allowed 23 passing touchdowns in their last 11 games, adding up to more than two per game. The only quarterbacks who failed to finish with more than 15 fantasy points were Kevin Hogan and Joe Flacco. Bortles is a very solid streamer and one who you should consider a low-end QB1 this week. He’s in play for cash, as well as tournaments this week, though cash would be preferred.
RBs
Lamar Miller: Ugh, after putting down Bobby on the podcast for recommending Miller, I went ahead and played him in my cash-game lineup last week. I still won all my cash-games, but Miller’s 60 scoreless yards on 19 carries didn’t help matters. As I’ve said before, Miller is a very boring fantasy option, and this week is no different. He’s finished with at least 58 total yards in every game, but hasn’t totaled more than 75 rushing yards in any game. He’s also likely to have very little scoring opportunities in this game, as the Jaguars have been extremely solid since acquiring Marcel Dareus a little over a month back. They have now gone five straight games without allowing a rushing touchdown, making it unlikely that Miller, who has just three rushing scores on the season, finds the end zone. He’s just a low-end RB2 this week and not one I’d play in DFS.
Leonard Fournette: The first game of his career was against these Texans, when he totaled 124 total yards and a touchdown, which was when both J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus were on the roster. The Texans didn’t allow another rushing touchdown for another nine games, but have now allowed four of them in their last three games as the wheels continue to fall off. When you give someone like Fournette 20-plus carries, big things are bound to happen, so feel free to play him as an RB1. The Chargers and Cardinals were the only teams to hold him below 11.8 standard fantasy points, or 13.8 PPR points. I don’t see the Texans making it onto that list.
WRs
DeAndre Hopkins: It’s unbelievable that Hopkins has done what he has with three different quarterbacks this season, totaling 1,233 yards and 11 touchdowns on 155 targets. It’s really odd, too, because Hopkins dealt with quarterback issues last year, but finished with just 954 yards and four touchdowns on 151 targets. He’s playing with unbelievable confidence, though he’s running into a difficult matchup this week with Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye. Those two combined to “limit” him to 55 yards and a touchdown in their first matchup this year, though it did take 16 targets to get there. The Jaguars secondary has shown some holes recently, allowing touchdowns to T.Y. Hilton, Paul Richardson, Tyler Lockett, and Doug Baldwin over the last two weeks. You are playing him in season-long leagues, though he’s unlikely to return WR1 value. He’s a player I’d fade in DFS this week.
Marqise Lee: He went from the clear-cut No. 1 option in the passing game, to one of three wide receivers who can score at any given time. His targets have become a bit more volatile, though part of it may have had to do with him being shadowed by Patrick Peterson a few weeks back. Still, Westbrook has taken the ceiling off his target potential, though it shouldn’t matter much against the Texans, who have allowed the second-most fantasy points per target this season, behind only the Packers. He’s someone to play as a WR3 this week in season-long leagues. His salary is a bit high for cash-games, but he should still be considered an option. Almost every wide receiver is in play for tournaments against the Texans, and Lee is no different.
Dede Westbrook: He’s seen a team-high 33 targets since joining the team in Week 11 and has also increased his performance every week, going from 35 yards, to 41 yards, to 78 yards, and lastly 81 yards with a touchdown against the Seahawks last week. Granted, they aren’t the same defense they once were, but they’d been keeping things steady before the Jaguars wide receivers picked them apart. The Texans have been getting burned all over the field, allowing six different wide receivers total more than 100 yards, including Marquise Goodwin last week. He should be considered a high-upside WR3/WR4-option this week, with the only concern being a lack of pass attempts from them as a team. The first time they played, Bortles threw the ball just 21 times. He’s not someone I’d use in cash games, but you should have some shares in tournaments.
Keelan Cole: The last of the trio, Cole has produced on very little targets the last two weeks. He’s seen just three targets in each game, but he turned them into 148 yards and two touchdowns. Even if Allen Hurns returns to the lineup, he’s likely coming off the bench behind Cole. He lacks massive upside, as he’s caught just two or three passes in each of the last seven games, but he’s also generated plays of 75 and 52 yards in that span, which means it only takes one. Against the Texans, he’s a desperation WR4/WR5 option, but one who can surprise.
TEs
Stephen Anderson: While most went gaga over Anderson last week, we weren’t one of them. The matchup was tough, and he finished with just two catches for 16 yards. His six targets weren’t bad, but most don’t realize how good the 49ers have been against the position. The Jaguars have been pretty solid against the position as well, allowing just 0.94 standard fantasy points per target, the ninth-lowest mark in the league. Without any chemistry with Yates, Anderson is just a high-volume TE2, though I like him more here than last week.
Marcedes Lewis: Now that there are three legitimate wide receivers on the field, Lewis isn’t going to be someone you want to count on. Not that he ever was, but you know what I mean. It’s why he’s seen just two targets in three of the last four games, failing to record more than 26 yards in all of them. The Texans haven’t just allowed points to wide receivers, as there have been seven tight ends to finish as top-eight options against them, including Garrett Celek and Delanie Walker the last two weeks. The lack of volume is a problem, meaning he’s nothing more than a touchdown-hopeful TE2. Knowing how bad the Texans have been against tight ends, he’s in play for tournaments.
Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks
Total: 48.0
Line: SEA by 2.0
QBs
Jared Goff: So, which of the Seahawks defenses are we going to see this week? They were obviously solid with everyone healthy, then they looked solid Matt Ryan and Carson Wentz without Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor, but then last week they allowed 268 yards and two touchdowns to Blake Bortles. Like I said, which defense is Goff playing this week? He’s only been asked to throw the ball 57 times over the last two weeks, but has remained efficient against the Cardinals and Eagles, throwing for two touchdowns in each game. He’s still thrown just six interceptions on the season, a number that even his biggest supporters coming into the season would’ve been surprised by. He has thrown for 225 yards or less in three of his last four games, but that also coincides with the loss of Robert Woods. He’s supposed to return this week, which should help Goff. In their first meeting of the year, Goff totaled 288 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions, which have turned out to be 33 percent of his yearly total. This game is in Seattle, which is a much tougher place to play, so despite their injuries on defense, let’s consider Goff a high-end QB2.
Russell Wilson: The hottest quarterback in football stayed that way last week despite playing against the Jaguars, totaling 271 yards and three touchdowns, though he did throw three interceptions as well. Coming into that game, there had been just two quarterbacks to throw for two touchdowns against them, let along three. Their run game has taken a step forward with Mike Davis, but Wilson is where the points are made. He’s now scored at least 19 fantasy points in each of his last eight games, and nine of his last 10. The Rams have been a much better pass defense than they have a run defense, as there’ve been just three quarterbacks to turn in a top-12 performance against them, though Carson Wentz was one of them last week when he threw for four touchdowns. Wilson played against them himself back in Week 5 when he finished with just 198 yards and one touchdown, but that game was the turning point where he hasn’t scored less than 19.4 fantasy points. You’re playing him in season-long leagues as a QB1 and you’re not fading him in DFS, either.
RBs
Todd Gurley: He recorded 96 yards on the ground last week, more than he had in any game since Week 7, and against the Eagles nonetheless. He also scored his 9th and 10th touchdowns on the ground, giving you more than enough confidence to start him in any matchup. The Seahawks had his number back in Week 5 when he totaled just 50 total yards and fumbled. It was his only game this season with less than 11.6 standard points. This team doesn’t look the same as the one he played in Week 5, though. We just watched fellow workhorse Leonard Fournette to run for 101 yards and a touchdown against them last week, and he was someone who came into that game struggling a bit. Gurley is a must-play RB1 and one who should bounce back against the Seahawks this time around. It’s too expensive to trust him in cash, but you should have some tournament exposure.
Mike Davis and J.D. McKissic: If someone would’ve told you that Davis and McKissic would be options for the fantasy playoffs back in August, you’d have locked them in an insane asylum. On top of that, when Eddie Lacy and Thomas Rawls are healthy. Davis has turned into a favorite of mine to watch, as he’s just got so much burst to him at this time in the year, when most players are worn down. He’s totaled 31 carries over the last two weeks, turning them into 130 yards (4.19 YPC) against two of the toughest run defenses in the league, the Eagles and Jaguars. So, when you see the Rams on the schedule, you should be excited about the possibilities. They’ve allowed a massive 4.67 yards per carry on the season with 11 touchdowns through 13 games, which is why they’ve allowed seven different running backs to reach 20-plus PPR points. The issue is that they haven’t allowed a lot of yards, but rather a lot of touchdowns, not something Seahawks running backs are prone to getting, as they’ve scored one all season. Still, it’s a plus-matchup, making Davis a solid high-end RB3 in this game with RB1 upside. McKissic is going to be highly involved if they fall behind, something I wouldn’t expect in this game. He’s just an RB4, though he’s somewhat playable in PPR formats.
WRs
Robert Woods: From all we know right now, it seems like Woods may be back in the lineup, but you guys already know how I feel about wide receivers returning from multi-week injuries. I’d prefer to wait and make sure they’re 100 percent before trusting them in my lineup. For those that didn’t listen, Amari Cooper and Chris Hogan really hurt you last week. It’s not as if this matchup is against the Packers or Texans, either. It’s the Seahawks, while in Seattle. In their first matchup, Woods totaled five catches for 66 yards on eight targets, though that was obviously with Richard Sherman. The combination of Byron Maxwell and Shaquill Griffin had played well up until the Jaguars wide receivers combined for 13 catches, 245 yards, and two touchdowns last week. That seemed to open some doorways, but I’d approach with caution this week. He’s a WR3/WR4 who comes with plenty of risk and one that I’d likely avoid in DFS.
Cooper Kupp: He’s the one who’s seen the biggest target increase with Woods out of the lineup, as he’s now seen 24 targets over the last three games, turning them into 18 catches for 302 yards and a touchdown. His matchup in the slot against Justin Coleman isn’t a terrible one, but it’s also not one where he’s playing a backup like Woods and Watkins. Coleman has seen 50 targets in coverage this year, allowing 34 receptions for 351 yards and one touchdown, which is good for a 86.3 QB Rating. He totaled just three catches for 44 yards against them in the first meeting, which did come on a healthy eight targets. Knowing that Woods may be limited, Kupp remains a must-play, but he’s in the WR3 territory.
Sammy Watkins: He’s salvaged his fantasy season as of late, scoring in five of the last six games, though he’s failed to record more than four catches in any of them. His target total on the season sits at just 58 targets through 13 games, which ranks 58th in the league. Luckily for him, he’s about as efficient as they come, and ranks as the No. 29 wide receiver. The odd part is that Watkins has caught just three passes that have been 20-plus yards down the field, something he does as good as anyone in the league. Knowing Woods is back, Watkins is just an upside WR4 who will likely return to his sub-five target ways. He’s definitely not a cash option, but he’s considerable in tournaments.
Doug Baldwin: The emergence of Paul Richardson has limited the target upside for Baldwin, as he’s now seen an average of just 5.6 targets over the last five games, which has limited him to three or less catches in three of those games, something he did just once in the first eight games. I wouldn’t move him out of must-start status or anything, but he does become less cash-game viable in DFS. The Rams have trotted out Nickell Robey-Coleman to cover the slot this year and he’s done a solid job in coverage, allowing just a 66.6 QB Rating when targeted. Baldwin totaled just four catches for 37 yards in the first meeting with him, though Wilson hadn’t hit his stride just yet. This is a divisional game, so both teams know what the other wants to do having played each other already, but Baldwin is still a WR2 on my board. He’s not someone to play in cash lineups, but he’s definitely a tournament consideration.
Paul Richardson: What a surprise against the Jaguars, as Richardson was able to corral three passes for 72 yards, with one of them being a 61-yard touchdown. It was his first score since Week 8, which is surprising with how hot Wilson has been. Some will be worried about Lockett, but he’s been seeing close to the same number of targets as Richardson, just much less efficient. The Rams have allowed just two wide receivers to reach top-12 against them, and both were primarily slot wide receivers (Adam Thielen and Larry Fitzgerald). Richardson will likely see the most of Trumaine Johnson, who is supposed to be their top cornerback. You can’t completely ignore Richardson with the way Wilson is playing, but he’s just a WR4 who can score at any moment. He’s in-play for tournaments, but no cash lineups.
Tyler Lockett: There will be a lot of questions about Lockett now that he’s scored in back-to-back games, though I think you’re chasing a ghost. He’s got just five fewer targets than Richardson on the year, but has 139 fewer yards and four fewer touchdowns. Last week was the first time since Week 8 where he’s recorded a play longer than 16 yards, something that happened a lot more often in previous years, before his brutal leg injury. It may be why Lockett and Wilson have connected on just four of 15 deep balls this year (26.7 percent), while Baldwin and Richardson have combined for 19 receptions on 40 targets (47.5 percent). Knowing that, I’m fading him against the Rams who had kept plays in front of them, allowing just eight wide receivers to score touchdowns. He’s just a WR4/WR5 in season-long leagues and a punt-play in tournaments.
TEs
Gerald Everett: You aren’t playing a Rams tight end anywhere, so feel free to move on.
Jimmy Graham: It was brutal to see Graham drop a donut in the first week of the fantasy playoffs, but hey, there were plenty of other tight ends who flopped, so maybe it didn’t cost you the week. The Rams are coming off a game where they allowed a backup tight end to finish as the TE1 on the week, as Trey Burton destroyed them for 71 yards and two touchdowns. There weren’t many signs of weaknesses coming in, so maybe they just took him for granted? Prior to that performance, they had allowed just two tight ends to reach 50 yards, and just four tight ends to score. Graham was one of those to score against them back in Week 5, so it’s not as if they were unbeatable. When playing Graham, you must understand the risk, as he’s not a yardage guy anymore. In fact, he’s failed to top 72 yards all season, and has failed to top 39 yards in six of his last nine games. Because of that, he’s not cash-game viable, though he is a tournament play. Let’s be real, you’re playing him in season-long leagues.
