Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs
Total: 44.0
Line: KC by 10.0
QBs
Jay Cutler: Didn’t I tell you not to trust Cutler for an extended period of time? He looked like the same ol’ Cutler last week, turning the ball over three times, as passes continually sailed over his wide receivers’ heads. Again, there’ll be glimpses of what could be greatness, but you don’t want to put your fantasy hopes and dreams in his hands. Going into Kansas City is difficult for any quarterback, as they’ve allowed just 17.4 points per game at home, which ranks as the fifth-best mark in the league. They’ve held Derek Carr and Philip Rivers to just 438 yards, two touchdowns, and five interceptions over the last two weeks while there, leaving Cutler out of consideration.
Alex Smith: We’re entering Week 16 and Smith has a 5:1 touchdown to interception ratio (25 touchdowns, 5 interceptions), and is averaging 8.02 yards per attempt, yet some still believe he’s the reason the Chiefs have lost six of their last nine games. I’d argue with you that Smith deserves MVP consideration with what he’s done this year, and no, I’m not kidding. He sits as the No. 3 quarterback heading into Week 16, something nobody could’ve expected. The Dolphins have shown major improvement over the last three weeks, allowing just two touchdowns to the combination of Trevor Siemian, Tom Brady, and Tyrod Taylor, though two of them were divisional games. Their defense has allowed 27 points per game on the road, compared to 20 at home, so that favors Smith. They are heavy favorites here, so you have to wonder how much Smith will actually throw the ball, making him just a high-end QB2, but one who comes with more upside than most in that range.
RBs
Kenyan Drake: His assault on opponents continued in Week 15, as Drake smashed the Bills for 113 yards and a touchdown. Let’s take a look at the tally since Jay Ajayi left the team: 704 total yards on 122 touches with four touchdowns. That’s pretty good. The Chiefs have now allowed a rushing touchdown in each of the last three games, and 12 of them on the season, though that’s not where Drake really makes his mark, as he’s got limited scoring opportunities. There’s been just one running back who has topped 93 rushing yards against them (was back in Week 6) and just two running backs to top 78 yards on the ground. If Damien Williams misses another game, you should feel much better about Drake, as he’ll be heavily involved in the passing game (saw 11 targets last week). If Williams plays, it lowers his ceiling in what is a tough matchup. It’s unlikely he singlehandedly wins you a matchup this week, but you still plug him in as an RB2 and hope for the best. The Dolphins implied team total sits at just 16.5 points.
Kareem Hunt: Are you satisfied, Hunt owners? After a lull in production, he’s now totaled 344 yards and three touchdowns over the last two weeks. The matchups were great against the Chargers and Raiders, while the Dolphins matchup will be a bit tougher. They’ve been extremely hit or miss, as there’s been three running backs who have been able to rack up 110 or more rushing yards, but outside of them, no running back has topped 68 yards on the ground. They’re what I’d describe as a middle-of-the-pack run-defense, and one that has played well over the last two weeks, holding the Patriots and Bills running backs to just 99 yards combined on 34 carries, though each of them did score a touchdown. You are starting Hunt as a heavy favorite while at home, but we have to play Devil’s advocate sometimes in order to show the downside. He’s a must-play RB1 who should find his way into the end-zone again. It also helps that he was heavily involved in the passing game last week, totaling a season-high nine targets and seven receptions.
WRs
Jarvis Landry: Here’s the list of players who have more targets than Landry this season: DeAndre Hopkins and Antonio Brown. That’s it. There’s been just three games all season in which he’s seen less than eight targets, and he saw 7, 7, and 6 targets in them. Against the Chiefs, he’ll see Steven Nelson in the slot, who has been pretty average upon returning to the lineup. He’s allowed a 97.6 passer rating when targeted, which is the highest among the starting cornerbacks on the team. Remember when Cole Beasley scored two touchdowns against them? Yep, Nelson was covering the slot. In what appears to be a pass-heavy game-script for the Dolphins, Landry should be started as a low-end WR2 who comes with a high-floor, especially in PPR formats.
Devante Parker: He has apparently worked his way back into the team’s good graces, as he saw a season-high 12 targets against the Bills last week. He finished with a season-high 89 yards, too, which is an accomplishment against the Bills, who had allowed just four wide receivers to reach that total all season. The Chiefs don’t play shadow coverage, so he’ll see a mixture of Darrelle Revis and Marcus Peters, who have been playing better as of late, holding Keenan Allen to just 5/54/0 last week and Michael Crabtree to 7/60/0 the week before. Again, this game being in Kansas City is what limits our optimism, as teams just have trouble scoring while in Arrowhead Stadium. Parker does have a ceiling to chase, but also has a pretty low floor. Consider him a risk/reward WR4 for the championship week, but one I’d probably stay away from if I had a safer option.
Kenny Stills: Similar to Parker, I’m not a huge fan of playing non-elite players in Arrowhead Stadium, as it’s unlikely their team will score multiple touchdowns. Still has fallen back behind Parker on the pecking order, as he’s now seen 10 targets over the last two games while Parker has garnered 18 of them. Stills is just a desperation WR5, and one who hasn’t scored more than 6.7 fantasy points in a game he hasn’t scored.
Tyreek Hill: He finally scored at home last week. We talked about it here last week, that it would take just one big play to pay off, and that’s exactly what happened on his 64-yard touchdown last week. Outside of that play, Hill had just four catches for 24 yards on the day. But we know that’s the type of player he is, and it happens more often with him than most. Against the Dolphins, Hill has the opportunity to pop-off again, as he’ll match-up with Xavien Howard a majority of his snaps. Howard has played better as of late, but really struggles with speed, as he runs a 4.58-second 40-yard dash, which is one of the slowest times among cornerbacks in the league. Hill has world-class speed and it’s a matchup I expect the Chiefs to take full advantage of. He should be played as a high-upside WR2 this week.
TEs
Julius Thomas: (Update: He’s been placed on IR and will not be playing in this game) I cannot state this enough, but Thomas just looks like a 40-year-old man out there running routes. It’s likely why the Dolphins have started to look elsewhere, as he’s now seen just 11 targets over the last three weeks combined. He’s failed to top 20 yards in each of those games, so playing against a Chiefs team that limits tight end production makes him an easy sit candidate. They have allowed just three tight end touchdowns all season, which is tied for the second-lowest in the league. Look elsewhere for a streamer.
Travis Kelce: You don’t need me to tell you to start Kelce. I mean, he’s likely a big part of the reason you are where you are. The Dolphins are the type of opponent you dream of if you’re a tight end, as they’ve allowed eight different tight ends to score at least 11.8 PPR points against them, including two 20-point performances to Jared Cook and Rob Gronkowski. You’re playing Kelce and you might just get a week-winning performance out of him.
Denver Broncos at Washington Redskins
Total: 41.5
Line: WAS by 3.5
QBs
Brock Osweiler: It’s the second week in a row the Redskins will have a west coast team traveling across the country to play on the east coast, giving them an advantage right from the get-go. Osweiler played well in relief of Trevor Siemian last week, though we know better than to trust him right? He’s started three games this year, turning in performances of 254 yards or less and one touchdown in each of them. The Redskins have been a matchup to target for much of the season, as they’ve allowed six quarterbacks to throw for at least 290 yards, and another seven quarterbacks to throw for multiple touchdowns. But here’s the thing – all the quarterbacks they struggled against were great. Seriously, they’ve had a brutal quarterback schedule, playing against Carson Wentz twice, Drew Brees, Case Keenum, Alex Smith, Russell Wilson, Philip Rivers, and Dak Prescott twice. Osweiler isn’t someone you should hinge your season on.
Kirk Cousins: We liked Cousins last week, and the game started out extremely promising, but they took the air out of the ball in the second half. It’s a similar matchup for him this week, though they don’t matchup as well with the Broncos. Josh Doctson and Jamison Crowder have brutal matchups, and Vernon Davis has been non-existent. That’s the concern with this matchup, because Cousins is running out of options to throw to. The Broncos went from the team that allowed the most passing touchdowns through the first 13 weeks, to the that has allowed zero touchdowns the last two weeks. They’ve now allowed the fifth-most touchdowns. I know it’s not great, but they’ve trended in the right direction. Their pass-rush has generated 11 sacks over the last five games, while the Redskins have allowed Cousins to be sacked 15 times in their last five games. Because of the matchups, Cousins is just a mediocre QB2 for this week, though it does help that the Broncos have to travel to the east coast.
RBs
C.J. Anderson: If there was ever a time to feel semi-comfortable playing Anderson, I suppose it’s this week, right? He’s now totaled 67 carries over the last three games, which is a massive number for any running back, let alone a Broncos one. The letdown here is that Osweiler doesn’t target the running backs at all, leaving his ceiling a bit lower than it would be with Siemian. The Redskins have allowed six of the last eight teams to play them total more than 100 yards on the ground (running backs only), including seven rushing touchdowns in that time. This should be one of the lower scoring games of the week, but Anderson should be able to deliver a high-floor RB2/RB3 performance, though he lacks an elite ceiling. There isn’t another running back on the Broncos you should be considering.
Samaje Perine: With the tough matchups facing Crowder and Doctson, Perine should be busy in this game, though it may not amount to much. The Broncos defense has allowed just 3.3 yards per carry on the season with just six rushing touchdowns, making it a matchup to be worried about, especially considering Perine wasn’t been used extensively in the passing game, totaling six catches for 36 yards over the last two weeks combined. He feels like a Frank Gore-type play this week where he’ll get you 50-70 total yards, but not much else. He’s a volume RB3.
WRs
Demaryius Thomas: The move to Osweiler has the biggest impact on Thomas, who has played exceptionally well with him this year, as three of his four touchdowns this season have come from Osweiler. In the three games Osweiler started, here were Thomas’ finishing lines: 8/70/1, 5/44/1, and 5/64/1. He didn’t see less than eight targets in any of those games, making him a relatively safe play this week. The Redskins don’t shadow, but rather play sides, meaning Thomas will see both Bashaud Breeland and Josh Norman, but mostly the former. Breeland has been much better this season than years past, but is still prone to getting beat by better competition. Thomas should be played as a low-end WR2 who should provide some safety in your lineup. If for whatever reason Paxton Lynch plays, downgrade Thomas to the WR3 territory.
Emmanuel Sanders: It would be safe to say that Osweiler prefers Thomas over Sanders looking over their numbers with him under center, though he doesn’t avoid Sanders, who posted 6/137/0 against the Patriots with 11 targets from Osweiler. But outside of that game, Sanders hasn’t scored seven fantasy points since way back in Week 6, which was the week he hurt his ankle. It’s clearly had an impact on his numbers, and he’s going to see a lot of Josh Norman in coverage this week, making him difficult to trust as anything more than a WR4.
Jamison Crowder: In the most important week of the year, Crowder will match-up with the best slot cornerback in the game, Chris Harris Jr. That’s a death-wish for most wide receivers, as Harris has yet to allow more than three catches or 64 yards in his coverage all season. He also hasn’t allowed a touchdown since way back in Week 7. This isn’t the first year that he’s dominated, either, as he’s been one of the best at the position since way back in 2012. Crowder is likely to still get targeted with all the pressure Cousins will be under, but he’s just a WR4 this week and not one that I’d want to play.
Josh Doctson: He won’t match-up with Harris Jr., but he will see a mix of Aqib Talib and Bradley Roby, the duo that’s been one of the best in football over the last two years. They’ve allowed a league-low 1,464 yards to wide receivers, which isn’t really where Doctson does his damage, though. Instead, he relies on the touchdown, which is the only hope for him. The Broncos have allowed 12 touchdowns to wide receivers, which is tied for the 15th-most in the league, so they aren’t untouchable. Doctson is the one who Cousins will throw the ball up to and hope he skies over the defender for the touchdown, so he’s not completely off the radar, though it’s far from an ideal matchup. He’s a touchdown-dependent WR4/WR5 option for this game.
TEs
Austin Traylor: The Broncos have a three-way timeshare going on at tight end, so despite the amazing matchup against the Redskins, you shouldn’t aim to play any of them. Over the last two weeks, Traylor has played 91 snaps, while Virgil Green has played 78, and Jeff Heuerman has played 50. You’ll be able to sleep if one of them scores a touchdown in this game.
Vernon Davis: What in the world happened to Davis? After totaling 58 or more yards in 7-of-8 games from Week 3-11, he’s now failed to record more than two catches or 26 yards over the last four games. His targets have been sporadic, so you have to wonder if there’s an injury that he’s hiding. Production doesn’t just drop-off like that for no reason. The matchup with the Broncos is a good one, too, as they’ve allowed 10-of-14 tight ends to finish as the TE13 or better against them. Knowing the matchups for the other pass-catchers, Davis needs to step-up this game. I’d definitely consider streaming him as a low-end TE1 this week.
Los Angeles Chargers at New York Jets
Total: 42.5
Line: LAC by 7.0
QBs
Philip Rivers: Don’t be scared off by one bad game against the Chiefs, as they’ve been a thorn in Rivers’ side since 2014. If you were here last week, you would’ve known that. The Jets aren’t a matchup to worry about, though him traveling across the country is. The weather in New Jersey will also be a factor when setting lineups, as we’re in late December, so pay attention to the weather reports. Quarterbacks have had a lot of success passing on this team, as 10-of-14 of them have finished as the week’s QB13 or better against them. Those who didn’t were: Blake Bortles (back in Week 4), Trevor Siemian, Jay Cutler, and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Provided the weather isn’t bad, Rivers should be considered a low-end QB1 this week, though it hurts that he’ll be without Hunter Henry.
Bryce Petty: It was kind of what we expected out of Petty last week facing a tough Saints defense, finishing with 179 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Unfortunately for him, this week doesn’t get much easier, as the Chargers are one of the better pass defenses in the league. They’ve allowed just two quarterbacks all season to throw for more than 242 yards against them this season, which should tell you everything you need to know. It’s not as if Petty is going to throw three touchdowns or anything, so we’re talking about an extremely low floor. Just say no, kids.
RBs
Melvin Gordon: With Austin Ekeler on the shelf, Gordon is going to walk back into 4-8 targets per game like he was getting earlier in the season, which puts him back in the elite conversation. The matchup against the Jets isn’t great, as they’ve allowed just 3.67 yards per carry on the season, but we already know that Gordon doesn’t rely on a high yards per carry average. The Jets have allowed at least one running back touchdown in four of their last five games, which is where Gordon makes his money. Just last week against the Chiefs, Gordon saw eight targets and turned them into a season-high 91 yards, raising his fantasy floor. Consider him a low-end RB1 due to the lack of yardage he’ll get, but I’m expecting a touchdown.
Bilal Powell and Matt Forte: After not practicing last week, the Jets still decided that Forte should start for the team, though Powell and Elijah McGuire both outproduced him. We have to assume the same thing will happen in this game, and the game-script favors Forte more than it does Powell. I say that because Forte has been the primary receiver out of the backfield since Week 6, averaging 4.8 targets per game since then, while Powell has averaged just 1.5 targets per game in the same timeframe. Powell now has 20 red zone carries on the year, while Forte has just nine, so that’s where you’re hoping Powell provides value. The Chargers do have some holes in their run defense, especially after losing Denzel Perryman last week, who had been playing great. His exit allowed Kareem Hunt to go nuts for 155 yards and a touchdown last week. Consider Powell a risk/reward high-end RB4, while Forte is just a boring RB4 that I’d prefer not to play. McGuire isn’t someone I’d take a shot on, either.
WRs
Keenan Allen: It was worrisome seeing Allen carted away at the end of the game last week, but it appears that it was just precautionary in a game that was well out of reach. Knowing that Hunter Henry is going to miss this game is huge for Allen, as he’s likely to get targeted a ton. If you’ve followed me for a long time, you already know what happens when Allen gets more than 10 targets. There have been 16 games in his career where he’s eclipsed that number, and in those games, he averages 9.8 receptions for 121.1 yards and 0.7 touchdowns. Against a Jets secondary that has allowed four straight No. 1 wide receivers go bananas, you should get excited to play Allen this week. Here’s the last four wide receivers to play them: Devin Funchess 7/108/0, Tyreek Hill 6/185/2, Demaryius Thomas 8/93/1, and Michael Thomas 9/93/1. Giddy up.
Tyrell Williams: We may see Williams a bit more involved than usual this week with Hunter Henry out, as that clears up 6-8 targets per game. Williams himself has been somewhat of an afterthought in the offense, averaging just 4.2 targets per game on the season. He did see a season-high seven targets last week, though it amounted to just three catches for 31 yards. It was the ninth time in the last 12 games he’d been held below 50 yards receiving. If there was a team that Williams could break a long one against, it’s definitely the Jets, so considering him a very low-floor WR4-type option, but one that can provide more than usual with Henry out.
Robby Anderson: We knew that Anderson would have trouble against Marshon Lattimore last week, but it was encouraging to see him get 12 targets from Petty. Unfortunately, he’s got a matchup that might actually be worse this week. Casey Hayward has shut down some big-name wide receivers this year, as has his counterpart Trevor Williams. No wide receiver has been able to reach the 100-yard mark, and keep in mind there have been four wide receivers to see double-digit targets against them. Even if Anderson sees 12 targets again, there’s no guarantee he’s anything better than a WR4.
Jermaine Kearse: If you’re relying on Kearse at this point in the season, you’re not in the finals. Once Petty was ruled the starting quarterback, all hope died for Kearse, who was extremely hit-or-miss with McCown who had be playing great. Even if Hayward shadows Anderson, that leaves Kearse with Williams, who has been just as impressive. They are a top-three cornerback duo in the league right now, making Kearse unplayable.
TEs
Antonio Gates: Well, well, well… it’s been a long time since we’ve seen his name in The Primer, but now that Henry is out, he’s going to be a full-time player for what is likely the last two regular season games of his career. The Jets are just the team to go out with a bang against, too, as they’ve allowed five different tight ends to post 13.8 or more PPR points against them, and large in-part because of touchdowns, where Gates excels. Now, I’m not going to bench a proven commodity for him, but if you’re in a pinch, Gates may be able to provide some value. He’s played anywhere from 15-25 snaps since Week 7, but that number is likely to jump into the 40’s this week. Consider him a middling TE2 who just might surprise you.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins: He’s totaled just 21 yards over the last three weeks combined and hasn’t scored since way back in Week 7. Did I mention that the Chargers are one of the better teams in the league against tight ends? They’ve allowed just three touchdowns to them on the year, so it’s unlikely that Seferian-Jenkins even sneaks in one of those. There may be hope in the future for the physical specimen, but not now.
Jacksonville Jaguars at San Francisco 49ers
Total: 42.5
Line: JAX by 4.5
QBs
Blake Bortles: Are you willing to play with fire again? Bortles is a quarterback who has, at times, looked like the worst one in the league. Then there are times where Bortles looks like he’s more than competent to support multiple fantasy receivers, as he did in 2015, and as he’s done over the last three games. He’s now completed 65 of his last 91 attempts (71.4 percent) for 903 yards (9.9 YPA), seven touchdowns, and no interceptions. While last week’s game was against the Texans, it was the Seahawks he destroyed the week before. His matchup against the 49ers is among the best in the league. Since the start of Week 3, they have allowed at least 18 fantasy points to 9-of-12 quarterbacks. Those three quarterbacks who didn’t were Carson Palmer, Drew Stanton, and Mitch Trubisky. In those 12 games, they have allowed 302.3 yards, 2.2 touchdowns, and 0.6 interceptions per game. This game is also taking place in San Francisco, so the weather should cooperate. On top of everything, Fournette may be limited or less than 100 percent, so he may not see his normal workload. With all the factors that we have in front of us, Bortles is a QB1 this week.
Jimmy Garoppolo: He’s looked great in his three starts, though two of them were against sub-par opponents. Some will use that as an excuse to say that anyone would’ve done well against them, while others (me) will watch game-film and see that he’s playing extremely well, regardless of who it’s against. He stands tall in the pocket, doesn’t see ghosts, goes through his progressions, doesn’t simply dump off passes, etc. Keep in mind that he’s averaged 8.9 yards per attempt and has thrown three touchdowns while throwing to a No. 1 wide receiver who is 5-foot-9. With that being said, even good quarterbacks are going to struggle against the Jaguars, who have allowed just one top-12 performance all year, and that was to Russell Wilson, who is one of the leading MVP candidates. Outside of Wilson, just one quarterback has thrown for more than 241 yards, and that was Ben Roethlisberger who threw the ball 55 times. Garoppolo is not someone you want to trust in the most important week of the year.
RBs
Leonard Fournette: This is worrisome for fantasy football owners, as we have no idea how much Fournette will play in this game. He sat out last week with a quad injury, though there were reports on Sunday saying that he will for sure be back on the field for Week 16. The Jaguars can clinch the AFC South this week with a win or Titans loss, and the Titans play in the noon slot, while the Jaguars play after them. If the Titans lose, they have less of a reason to play Fournette, though they still have an outside chance at a first-round bye if they win. Approaching this as if he will play, the 49ers make for an interesting opponent, as they play a fast tempo, which allows for their opponents to rack up 65.9 plays per game, which is the fifth-most in the league. That’s also why opponents average 31.2 rushing attempts per game, which ranks as the second-most in the league. They have stepped up their run-defense since their bye week, however, as they’ve allowed just 62.0 yards per game compared to the 117.4 yards per game over the first 10 games of the year. They’ve also failed to allow a rushing touchdown since Week 8, so maybe they aren’t as good of a matchup as people think. Fournette is risky this week, making him more of a risk/reward RB2 than the RB1 we’ve come to know him as.
Carlos Hyde: Since scoring four touchdowns through the first six weeks, Hyde has scored just once since that time. Fortunately, he’s seen at least 14 touches in all but one game this season, holding his fantasy value steady. He’s had a couple tough matchups on his schedule the last few weeks, and it doesn’t lighten up against the Jaguars this week. Since their bye in Week 8, they’ve been a different team against the run, allowing just 493 yards on 135 carries (3.65 YPC) with one rushing touchdown. That amounts to just 70.4 yards per game, and would rank No. 1 in the NFL. Because of that and the fact that Garoppolo hasn’t checked down to him nearly as much in the passing game (8 targets over the last three games – had 50 in the previous six games), it’s hard to say that Hyde is anything more than a low-end RB2. If he finishes better than that, it’s because they used him more in the passing game.
WRs
Dede Westbrook: There are a lot of people upset with Westbrook after his two-catch, 21-yard performance in Week 15, though there were a few plays where he helped the team with pass interference calls. I know that doesn’t help your fantasy team, but that’s going to happen with even the best of players sometimes. Westbrook should be the No. 1 option on the Jaguars this week, as Marqise Lee is sidelined. Don’t forget that previous to last week, Westbrook led the team in targets over the last four weeks, which were his first four games in the NFL. He had 33 targets in that timespan, which was entering top-15 territory. The 49ers secondary has been abused this year, allowing six different wide receivers to total more than 105 yards through the air. The best part is that two of them were speed guys – T.Y. Hilton and Sammy Watkins. The 49ers have played better against the run as of late (see: Fournette paragraph), meaning the Jaguars will lean on the passing game as they did last week. Don’t be shocked if Westbrook has the game Cole did last week, which is why Westbrook is a high-end WR3 and the top Jaguars wide receiver for me this week.
Keelan Cole: There are a lot of fantasy owners out there who’ll disagree with me on this one, but Cole is a much riskier play than Westbrook. Sure, he’s scored in three straight weeks. Yeah, he’s totaled 285 yards over the last two weeks. But expecting that to continue when he saw three targets in each of Week 13 and 14? He saw a bump in Week 15 when Lee went down, but guys, Cole hadn’t totaled more than 64 yards in each of their first 12 games, and he was seeing a healthy number of targets. He’ll be asked to play a bit more perimeter this week, which is where he was playing the majority of his snaps before Allen Hurns went down. The matchup is still good, so he’s not someone I’m running away from, but we should always chase the targets when we have a choice, and Westbrook seems to have the clearer path to them. Cole is still a startable WR3 who is going against a defense that allows the fourth-most fantasy points per target to wide receivers.
Jaydon Mickens: I know some fantasy owners will come here to see if I’m recommending Mickens, but my answer is a definitive “no.” He played just 29-of-70 snaps against the Texans, meaning he’s still just a part-time player. If he does that again, I’ll be able to live with myself not grabbing him off the waiver wire.
Marquise Goodwin: This is going to be tough to swallow for Goodwin owners, but he’s not someone you want to have in lineups this week when the Jaguars come to town. On the year, they’ve allowed just five top-20 wide receivers. They’re allowing just 6.36 yards per target to opposing wide receivers, which is by far the best in the NFL, as the next closest is the Chargers at 6.67 yards per target. The only other brutal matchup he’s had was against Patrick Peterson in Week 9 where he finished with two catches for 68 yards. Don’t get me wrong, he can break one long play and score a touchdown, but the odds of that happening are extremely slim. Why? He’s got just one touchdown on the season, and it’s likely because there are no other viable wide receivers on the team. He’s just a boom-or-bust WR4 this week, and that makes me sad.
TEs
Marcedes Lewis: With Lee going down, you would have thought Lewis would see more targets in that game, right? Nope, he’s seen just four targets over the last two weeks combined. The 49ers aren’t a matchup to play tight ends anyway, as they’ve allowed just one tight end to finish with more than 37 yards against them. He’s not on the streaming radar.
Garrett Celek: He’s now caught touchdowns in back-to-back games and finished with at least 63 yards in each game. The only issue is that he’s relied on the big plays, as the touchdowns were on 41- and 61-yard receptions. He’s seen just 10 targets in the three Garoppolo starts, so it’s not as if he’s seeing a lot of targets. The Jaguars defense seems to stop everyone, and that includes tight ends, as they’ve allowed just two top-10 options all season. Seeing they’ve allowed just three tight ends to eclipse 46 yards and just four touchdowns, you can find better streaming options.
