Breathe a sigh of relief — Week 8 came and went with fewer serious injuries to big-name players than last week. Instead of injuries, the biggest storylines this week are the results of the last week’s trades. Let’s get started and break down what happened on Sunday.
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Top Storylines
How did the Emmanuel Sanders (WR – SF) trade affect the Broncos and the 49ers?
Story: The struggling Denver Broncos sent Sanders over to the 49ers this week, which should mix things up for both teams’ target distributions. Joe Flacco had been targeting Sanders 6.2 times per game before the trade, and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan guaranteed that Sanders is “going to play … a lot.”
Broncos Fallout: Wow, the Broncos almost beat an impressive Colts team without him! Courtland Sutton had a fair first game as the Broncos’ best receiver, turning his six targets into three catches for 72 yards. Tight end Noah Fant led the team in targets with eight, and he caught five of them for 26 yards. DaeSean Hamilton, who some projected as a winner in the Sanders trade, failed to catch his only target. Meanwhile, wide receiver Diontae Spencer caught both of his targets on his way to 18 yards. The biggest winners of the Sanders deal might be Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman, as the Broncos ran the ball 26 times without the wide receiver.
49ers Fallout: Sanders made a statement and scored the 49ers’ first touchdown of the game. San Francisco didn’t need to pass the ball too often in their blowout of the Panthers, so we may need to wait another week to get a better look at Sanders’ role. That said, Jimmy Garoppolo had thrown to Sanders five times before the half, and he caught four of those passes for 25 yards and a score. George Kittle continued to dominate the 49ers’ passing game, as he earned six first-half targets for five receptions and 61 yards. Neither Dante Pettis nor Deebo Samuel saw much use through the air (Samuel’s 20-yard touchdown came on the ground), and I’d expect that trend to continue.
How did the Mohamed Sanu (WR – ATL) trade affect the Falcons and the Patriots?
Story: Atlanta sent Sanu over to the Patriots for a second-round pick this week. Like the Sanders deal, the Sanu trade should lead to some changes in both teams’ target distributions since he was averaging six targets per game.
Falcons Fallout: Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage won this trade. Gage, a 2018 sixth-round pick, finished with nine targets, seven receptions, and 58 yards. The Falcons’ wide receivers coach said Gage would be the next man up, and he put up WR4/5 numbers with Matt Schaub under center. The Falcons are on a bye next week, but Gage might be a smart waiver add for Week 10. Meanwhile, Ridley is being evaluated for a concussion after seeing his workload increase. The Alabama product had turned four targets into just one catch for 13 yards at halftime, but by the end of the game, he’d gotten seven targets for four catches and 70 yards. Both Julio Jones and Austin Hooper came through with big days, too. Julio finished with 10 receptions for 152 yards on 12 targets, while Hooper finished with seven looks for six catches and 65 yards.
Patriots Fallout: The Patriots added Sanu while putting Josh Gordon on injured reserve this week. By the half, Tom Brady had only thrown to four players: Sanu, Julian Edelman, James White, and Phillip Dorsett. Sanu had three targets, but he only caught one of them for four yards. It also looks like Belichick will keep using Dorsett now that Gordon is gone, as the receiver had a whopping six targets by halftime, which he turned into three catches for 43 yards. Sanu and Dorsett should have value as WR3/4 options or as flexes, while Edelman should retain his WR2 value moving forward.
Brandin Cooks (WR – LAR) got concussed, so Cooper Kupp (WR – LAR) and Josh Reynolds (WR – LAR) led the Rams in targets.
Story: Cooks left the Rams game early with a concussion. He had only earned one target before getting forced out. Without Cooks in the lineup, Cooper Kupp caught seven of his 10 looks for a massive 220-yard, one-score performance. Meanwhile, Reynolds caught three passes for 73 yards and a touchdown, but he could have gotten more given his eight targets, the second-highest number on the team. Robert Woods caught both of his targets for 36 yards, while Gerald Everett caught two of his three looks for 15.
Fallout: We got a look at the Rams’ offense without Cooks this week, and it wasn’t what I expected. The two takeaways for me? First, Cooper Kupp cemented himself as the best receiving option on this offense. He gets a massive target share and is talented enough to turn it into points. Second, you can’t predict who the Rams are going to target along with Kupp. Last week, Everett led the team with ten targets. The week before, Woods led the team with seven. Starting any Rams receiver not named Kupp is a risky move, and no, Reynolds’ breakout shouldn’t make him a waiver target. The Rams are on a bye next week, and I’d be surprised if Cooks misses too much time. I will say that Cooks has suffered concussions before, but I’m optimistic that this one won’t keep him out for too long.
Tra Carson (RB – DET) led the Lions in rushing, except they didn’t run a whole lot.
Story: The fantasy industry hyped up Ty Johnson this week, but the Lions decided to roll with Carson instead. Carson got 12 carries, which he only turned into 34 yards. Meanwhile, Johnson ran seven times for 25 yards, and he added one reception for 13 yards. Paul Perkins ran three times for four yards, and J.D. McKissic ran once and lost a yard, but he also caught three passes for two yards.
Fallout: The Lions leaned on Matthew Stafford and the passing game to beat the Giants on Sunday. I think that they’ll continue to do so moving forward, especially given Carson’s inefficiency. Because Matt Patricia did not commit to any of his running backs, I’m not sure I’d want to commit to any of them in fantasy. The lesson from this week isn’t to swap Johnson for Carson; it’s to avoid the Lions’ rushing attack entirely and to buy Kenny Golladay, Danny Amendola, or Marvin Jones. The Lions are going to pass a lot until Kerryon can return. Each receiver will have their on-weeks and their off-weeks, but they’re better fantasy options than whoever Patricia throws out there to run into the opposing defensive line.
Chase Edmonds (RB – ARI) injured his hamstring.
Story: After an unproductive outing against the New Orleans Saints, Edmonds limped off the field and to the locker room. The Cardinals are reporting it as a hamstring injury, which does not bode well for the budding star. These injuries have caused players to miss an average of 2.6 games.
Fallout: Well, I guess David Johnson won’t have as much competition for looks when he returns. The Cardinals don’t have a bye until week 12, so we may see a lot of new addition Zach Zenner until Johnson can come back. Zenner only earned one carry and one target on Sunday, but because the Cardinals kept Alfred Morris and D.J. Foster out for Sunday’s game, I think Zenner is the clear-cut first option behind Edmonds. He could be an excellent speculative waiver add going into next week.
Christian Kirk (WR – ARI) returned from injury to lead the Cardinals in receiving.
Story: After missing three games, Kirk came back and exploded for eight receptions for 79 yards on a team-high 11 targets. No other Arizona receiver got more than six targets: Damiere Byrd got just five, while Larry Fitzgerald got only four.
Fallout: Fitzgerald has been trending down since his impressive start to the season, and Kirk’s return might not be good for his chances to rebound. Sure, the Saints’ defense is tough, but Fitzgerald was averaging more targets per game before Kirk’s injury. Since Week 5, he’s averaged just 5.75 looks per game, which he’s turned into fewer than four receptions. Meanwhile, Kirk has double-digit targets in more than half of his games with Kyler Murray. Buy Kirk, sell Fitz.
Kenyan Drake (RB – MIA) didn’t travel to Pittsburgh with the Dolphins.
Story: Drake won’t play in Week 8 as the Dolphins try to shop the running back before the trade deadline. The word is that they’re looking for a fourth-round pick for Drake, which is what they got for Jay Ajayi in 2017.
Fallout: Drake should be a better fantasy player on another team, so this is good for his long-term value. At least the Detroit Lions and the Tennesee Titans have expressed interest, and they would both be decent landing spots. Drake should seize lead-back duties in Detriot while Kerryon Johnson is still out, and he would probably take over Dion Lewis’ snaps and more in Nashville. This news also boosts Mark Walton’s value, as the ex-Bengal is a lock for more usage without Drake around. He’ll still have to compete with Kalen Ballage, but Walton has become a bigger part of the offense than him. Look for the 14 carries that Walton got last week to keep trending upward.
Dede Westbrook (WR – JAC) left the game against the Jets with neck and shoulder problems.
Story: Westbrook was listed as questionable both this week and the week before with a shoulder injury. He suited up for both games, but he couldn’t do much this week, and he did not play a snap in the second half. He finished with one target and no receptions.
Fallout: I wasn’t taking Westbrook’s shoulder injury that seriously after he played through it last week, but it might be worse than I thought. With Westbrook limited, D.J. Chark, Chris Conley, and Leonard Fournette dominated the passing game. Chark earned 12 targets, while both Conley and Fournette got seven. Because Conley turned his targets into 103 yards and a touchdown, I’d put in a waiver claim for him while keeping an eye on Westbrook’s injury status. He’s the clear next man up without Westbrook. Keelan Cole also scored a touchdown this week, but he only saw two targets, so I don’t think that he’ll be worth a waiver add.
Tevin Coleman (RB – SF) went off while Matt Breida (RB – SF) injured his ankle.
Story: Breida banged up his ankle early the 49ers’ game against the Panthers. He returned to the sideline after the injury but didn’t come back on the field. While that might have been because the 49ers were blowing out Carolina, it allowed Tevin Coleman to go wild for 118 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns. Even if it’s not a severe injury, he could miss time because the 49ers have a short week.
Fallout: It’ll be worth monitoring Breida’s injury status moving forward. Apparently, he tried to get Shanahan to put him back in the game, but the coach “doesn’t know” about his status for Thursday Night Football. Shanahan loves to run the ball, so if Breida can’t suit up for their game in Arizona, Tevin Coleman will be an RB1 while Raheem Mostert should have flex appeal. While the Cardinals haven’t been awful against running backs, as their defense was giving up a ninth-lowest 19.3 Half PPR points per game to the position before Week 8, I’d be confident in whichever 49ers running back you’re throwing out there. Shanahan will likely keep the ball on the ground as San Francisco grinds out a win against Kyler Murray and the beaten-up Cardinals.
Jonnu Smith (TE – TEN) led the Titans in receiving.
Story: Smith, the backup tight end, dominated the other Titans’ receivers in Ryan Tannehill’s second start. Smith put together team-highs in targets (seven), receptions (six), and yards (78), and he added a touchdown. He outplayed Corey Davis, who caught just two of his six targets for 19 yards.
Fallout: I’m not sure why the Titans don’t just stick with Smith when Delanie Walker comes back. The two seem to have a good relationship, as Walker told the press that Smith will be “better than [him]” before the 2017 season. Smith is only 24 years old, so he’s still a young player. But if he can string together multiple performances like the one that he put together on Sunday, I’d look for him to beat out Walker before the end of the year. Smith’s impressive game also highlighted Davis’ inconsistency. While lots of us hoped that the former first-round pick could play well with Tannehill, he may have to compete with Smith for targets if Mike Vrabel decides to play him more often.
The Buccaneers’ backfield is an evenly split committee.
Story: Before their bye week, Ronald Jones and Peyton Barber had gone back and forth with big performances. This week, they split the work pretty evenly. Jones got 11 carries, while Barber got 10. This split extended into the passing game: Jones got four targets, while Barber got three.
Fallout: Yeah, I don’t think either of the Buccaneers’ running backs should be considered anything more than desperation plays. Sure, the Titans’ defense performs acceptably against running backs. Before this week, they had only given up 20.9 Half PPR points per game to the position, good for 15th-fewest. But that’s no excuse for their production: 55 rushing yards combined. While Jones and Barber have had their numbers boosted by short-yardage touchdowns, this week has proven that they’re both touchdown-dependent options. They’re not bad depth, but I wouldn’t want to start either of them as anything more than a bye-week filler.
The Eagles’ backfield demolished Buffalo, but Miles Sanders (RB – PHI) injured his shoulder.
Story: Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders might be the league’s best committee backfield. Howard touched the ball 24 times for 111 yards and one touchdown, while Sanders got six touches for 118 yards and a touchdown. In the second half, Sanders walked to the locker room after he suffered a shoulder injury. Even though Howard dominated Sanders workload-wise, a lot of his work came after Sanders’ injury while the Eagles ran down the clock.
Fallout: The Eagles’ backfield keeps on rolling. Howard’s 24 touches were his most of the season by a wide margin, and I don’t expect the workload to shift much after this week unless Sanders misses time. If he does, expect Jordan Howard to see an increased workload, especially while DeSean Jackson’s absence continues to limit the Eagles’ passing game. That said, the Eagles have a tough schedule ahead. They take on the Bears next week, and they gave up only 56 all-purpose yards to Austin Ekeler and Melvin Gordon this week. Then they’ve got a Week 10 bye and a date with the New England Patriots. I’d sell high on Howard if your team needs to pick up some wins in the next couple of weeks.
Touchdown Celebration of the Week
DJ Chark scores his first touchdown since Week 5 to ice the Jets. Jaguars win at home, 29-15. #CenlaPreps pic.twitter.com/w0qukGQ4Jr
– Mike Cianciolo (@MikeCianciolo) October 27, 2019
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Isaiah Sirois is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Isaiah, check out his archive and follow him @is_sirois.
