It wasn’t a great week for streaming all around. First off, quarterbacks. Derek Carr got 12 points, Teddy Bridgewater got 11 and Jimmy Garoppolo got hurt (again). At the time of writing last week’s column, Dallas Goedert was not intending on playing which put Richard Rodgers in play. Goedert played. Rodgers got nothing. Goedert barely got more. Gerald Everett was serviceable, getting over eight points. Harrison Bryant got less than six because of a lost fumble. It was really my first lackluster performance week since Week 3. It was bound to happen. The run lasted longer than most. Now all of this should put me in a negative mood going forward but I have to say that I do like the options a lot more this week.
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Quarterback Streamer of the Week
Drew Lock (DEN) @ Atlanta Falcons
I have to admit that I haven’t been a huge Drew Lock fan. I’ve never been out of him per se, just haven’t seen enough to gauge whether or not he’s good. Last week was the first time I got excited about him. One attractive quality I associate with good quarterbacks is the ability to come from behind and win. Lock did just that. At the end of the third quarter, the Broncos were losing to the Los Angeles Chargers 24 to 10. Lock and gang stormed back and scored 20 points in the fourth and won against another exciting young quarterback, Justin Herbert. Lock’s numbers were not terrific but were good enough to make him QB7 for the week. He ended up with over 22 fantasy points.
This week, the 9% rostered Lock faces the worst fantasy defense in football versus quarterbacks. And he’s playing Matt Ryan who is starting to ignite his team’s offense. As long as he plays it cool and does not turn into a leftover Halloween pumpkin, Lock could better his output from this past week.
Denver’s pass catchers have all been contributing towards the end goal of winning with no one really standing out. It is a young, exciting corps made up of Jerry Jeudy, Noah Fant, Tim Patrick, K.J. Hamler, DaeSean Hamilton, and old college flame Albert Okwuegbunam.
Lock also has running backs Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay to throw to in case he needs to get rid of it quickly. This is a very important game for him as he needs to take advantage of the matchup. And if he can do this then he will help you win your week. This is also in Atlanta, which means it will be played in a dome. Very important to take the weather into consideration as we move forward.
Alternate Streamer of the Week
Kirk Cousins (MIN) vs Detroit Lions
Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings shocked the Green Bay Packers by beating them in Week 8 by the score of 28-20. Cousins was not prolific, only throwing one touchdown. It was the Dalvin Cook show. But he did play one of the top ten fantasy defenses against quarterbacks. This week, he faces the 11th easiest. This is also in Minnesota, therefore it is another dome game.
Cousins has two incredible wide receivers in Adam Thielen and rookie standout Justin Jefferson. We’ve been waiting patiently for Cousin’s real breakout game. I feel confident that this will finally be the game. This should be a high scoring affair and although the Lions are soft against running backs too, I feel that Cousins needs to be motivated in order to keep his job for the future. Minnesota now has some sort of confidence after beating a playoff team. I see this confidence helping them keep the momentum going.
Dark Horse QB
Nick Mullens (SF) @ Green Bay Packers
Apart from that horrific interception when he played the Philadelphia Eagles about a month ago, Nick Mullens has been a way better quarterback than Jimmy Garoppolo. He’s averaged more passing yards per game, a better completion percentage, and has averaged almost a full yard per passing attempt more than the 49er’s said starter. Jimmy GQ looks to be out indefinitely, which means it could be for the rest of the season.
Mullens could be the player you pick up now and hold on to. This week is not the greatest matchup, however. The Packers are ranked 23rd toughest against quarterbacks in fantasy. However, as bad a San Francisco has been, they still have the pieces to put together a second-half season surge. And in order for that to happen, Mr. Mullens will have to be the catalyst. And if he rewards you this week, he plays an easier matchup next week versus the Saints.
Tight End Streamer of the Week
Eric Ebron (PIT) @ Dallas Cowboys
Eric Ebron is now solidifying himself as one of the most dependable receivers for Big Ben. He has had at least five targets in five out of the seven games he’s played. Currently, heading into this week, Ebron is TE17. That might not sound all that great but he is only about 10 points shy of being a TE1 and has played a game fewer than many. Most importantly, he on the up-and-up. He also found the end zone for which he is famous for, for just the second time all season.
Ebron seems to be one of the more consistent options that will give you around four receptions for around 50 yards with the potential of getting a touchdown. If that transpires then you are looking at around 15 fantasy points. Get him now before he is gobbled up in your league this week since he is 45% rostered already. Oh yeah, he’s also playing the hopeless Dallas Cowboys and is playing in a dome.
Alternate Streamer
Jordan Reed (SF)/Ross Dwelley (SF) @ Green Bay Packers
If Jordan Reed is ready to put on the George Kittle mask and take on two-thirds of Kittle’s production then he would usurp Ebron as my tight end streamer of the week. He looks to be trending that way but it is early as I write this so I am erring on the side of caution. Regardless, he is worth picking up and stashing because of his upside. Whenever Reed is playing he automatically is in the TE1 conversation. The only problem with him is he is in so many ways the Kittle replacement. Both tight ends are great receivers but both are made out of glass. So if he does play and you get him, caress him, handle him with care and enjoy his production because it could be short-lived. However, if Reed isn’t a full-go then Ross Dwelley is an adequate replacement for Week 9. If Reed is two-thirds Kittle, then Dwelley will most likely be two-thirds Reed. He might lack the upside but Mullens likes to target his tight ends so he should be fantasy viable if Reed doesn’t play and could be even more valuable if Reed does not last the rest of the season.
Dark Horse TE
Albert Okwuegbunam (DEN) @ Atlanta Falcons
I’ve liked Albert O ever since he was supposed to come out of college at the same time as T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant. Instead, he decided to return to Missouri and had a diminished year and was drafted rounds later than he was supposed to if he did in fact come out earlier. However, he’s always had the talent and athleticism and was therefore a third-round bargain rookie pick by Denver.
In only three appearances for the Broncos, Okwuegbunam has been excellent. In his first two games, he garnered 13 targets. Last week his usage dwindled but he still had a target that translated into a reception that translated into a touchdown. Talk about efficiency! As a streamer, we are looking more for the Albert O that showed up for the first two weeks. He’s a dark horse for a reason. With Noah Fant in the mix, it seems that he Okwuegbunam is playing second fiddle, even if he’s playing with his old college buddy, Drew Lock.
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Marc Mathyk is a featured writer at FantasyPros and is a member of The Undroppables. For more from Marc, check out his archive and follow him @Masterjune70.
