Fantasy Football Player Notes
Week 8 Rankings
|
1.
Derrick Henry
RB - TEN (at CIN)
Henry was able to produce in a tough matchup last week and he now gets to face off against the Bengals defense that is having problems slowing down anyone. Fire up Henry as a top-5 option this week.
|
|
2.
Alvin Kamara
RB - NO (at CHI)
Kamara's matchup proof. He can be started every single week as a top-3 option.
|
|
3.
Kareem Hunt
RB - CLE (vs . LV)
Hunt has a prime matchup this week against a Raiders defense that is currently allowing 25.4 fantasy points per game to the RB position. Hunt has No. 1 overall RB upside in this game.
|
|
4.
Davante Adams
WR - GB (vs . MIN)
Adams is unstoppable with Rodgers throwing him the ball. The Texans refused to adjust their game plan last week to account for Adams and he absolutely torched them. While it's hard to say that Adams has another 200-yard performance in him this week, it's in the realm of possibilities against the Vikings corners. Adams should be viewed as a top-3 option at the WR position yet again.
|
|
5.
Jonathan Taylor
RB - IND (at DET)
Taylor should be plugged right back into your lineup as a solid RB1 in this matchup against the Lions defense that just gave up two touchdowns to Todd Gurley.
|
|
6.
Dalvin Cook
RB - MIN (at GB)
Cook appears to be on track to play in this matchup, which is good news for the Vikings and fantasy managers alike. Cook should produce against the mediocre Packers run defense and can be viewed as a top-5 lock in week eight.
|
|
7.
Mike Davis
RB - CAR (vs . ATL)
Davis disappointed in week seven, but he's still seeing the clear majority of the touches in this backfield. Against the Falcons defense, Davis worth firing up as a low-end RB1 yet again.
|
|
8.
Todd Gurley II
RB - ATL (at CAR)
Gurley was able to find the end zone twice last week - whoops - but put up pedestrian numbers on the ground otherwise. He simply doesn't have the athleticism anymore to beat defenders to the edge. It's probably best to temper your expectations for Gurley if it's a tough matchup, but this is not one of those times. Fire up Gurley as a locked-in RB1 yet again against the Panthers run defense.
|
|
9.
Ezekiel Elliott
RB - DAL (at PHI)
Zeke has been one of the most consistent fantasy options for a long time, but there's no way you can keep him up at the top of your rankings with the offensive situation surrounding him. He's a risky low-end RB1 play that you're hoping gets a ton of volume this week in a tough matchup.
|
|
10.
Josh Jacobs
RB - LV (at CLE)
Jacobs had a rough game last week. However, that was against a defense that is absolutely suffocating opposing RBs. Jacobs should get back to seeing his 15+ carries in this game against a Browns defense that is currently middle-of-the-pack in terms of fantasy points per game. Fire up Jacobs as a solid RB1 with upside in this matchup.
|
|
11.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire
RB - KC (vs . NYJ)
CEH saw the majority of the work on the ground last week, but it wasn't by much. Bell figures to be more of a part of this offense than fantasy managers anticipated and CEH takes a hit because of it. CEH can be viewed as a mid-range RB2 this week that will need to score to crack the top-12.
|
|
12.
Tyreek Hill
WR - KC (vs . NYJ)
Hill was the clear target leader this past week against Denver. Hill saw a total of 10 targets and the next closest was CEH with four. This is a good sign moving forward for fantasy managers that were starting to have concerns over Hill and his usage. He's a locked-in WR1 every single week in this offense that could go off in this matchup against the Jets corners.
|
|
13.
D.K. Metcalf
WR - SEA (vs . SF)
He's totaled 296 yards on passes that have traveled over 20 yards in the air, which ranks as the most in the NFL. His efficiency on those passes is ridiculous, as he's caught 7-of-12 for 296 yards and three touchdowns. Still, it's going to lead to some disappointing performances, like the one he had on Sunday night. The 49ers haven't been a team to actively target with wide receivers, but it's worth noting they've allowed four passes that have gone for 40-plus yards, which is the seventh-most in the league. It's pretty crazy what Jason Verrett has done since re-joining the 49ers defense, as he's allowed just 46 yards on 154 snaps in coverage. That 0.30 yards per snap is the lowest in football. Between Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley, they've allowed just 60.0 PPR points on 40 targets in coverage, or just 1.50 points per target. That would rank second in the NFL to only the Bears defense. All season, the 49ers have allowed just three top-24 receivers, with DeAndre Hopkins being the only No. 1 receiver on that list (others are Preston Williams and Braxton Berrios). Metcalf has game breaking one-play upside, so he can turn into a WR1 at any point, so you're starting him in a game the Seahawks are likely to throw more than normal with their running back health issues. Start him as a high-end WR2 in redraft leagues but reserve him for tournaments in DFS.
|
|
14.
A.J. Brown
WR - TEN (at CIN)
Brown's been on fire ever since he got back into the lineup. He belongs in your starting lineup every week as a low-end WR1 with upside. In this matchup, he could push for a top-5 finish.
|
|
15.
James Conner
RB - PIT (at BAL)
Conner was everywhere for the Steelers last week and ended up touching the ball 23 times. While he didn't find the end zone on the stat sheet, he did lose a score due to an offensive penalty. With all the injuries to the other RBs in fantasy football, Conner's a solid low-end RB1 start this week even in a tough matchup. He's simply going to see too much work to not view him in that light.
|
|
16.
Calvin Ridley
WR - ATL (at CAR)
Ridley continues to tear it up and he's been utterly dominant for fantasy football this season. Even though the Panthers have been tough on opposing WRs, Ridley should have no problem putting up a dominant day.
|
|
17.
Tyler Lockett
WR - SEA (vs . SF)
His 53.0 PPR points in Week 7 were the most since Will Fuller's 53.7 PPR points in Week 5 of last year. He came into Week 7 as the No. 17 wide receiver and left that game as the No. 2 receiver. There are going to be some swings in his performances with Metcalf out there stealing some production, but Lockett should've been a borderline WR1 in lineups regardless of that game. The 49ers have allowed just 7.36 yards per target to wide receivers, which is the lowest number in the league. They've allowed just three receivers to finish with more than 60 yards. There's been just four receivers who've totaled more than four receptions. They've done a good job with slot receivers over the last two weeks on the stat sheet, as Julian Edelman caught just one pass for 13 yards while Cooper Kupp caught three passes for 11 yards. I say stat sheet because we all know about Cam Newton's horrendous game, and if you watched Kupp's game, you'd know that he lost the ball in the lights on what would've been a long touchdown, and then he dropped another end zone target. Believe me when I say that Jamar Taylor is not good, and he's the cornerback who'll be covering Lockett most of the time. He's been on six teams over the last four years. Lockett should remain in lineups as a high-end WR2 despite the tough matchup on paper.
|
|
18.
Julio Jones
WR - ATL (at CAR)
Jones didn't appear to be 100% last week, but he was still out there soaking up targets. As long as Julio's on the field, he belongs in your lineup as a locked-in WR1.
|
|
19.
Kenny Golladay
WR - DET (vs . IND)
Golladay's an amazing NFL receiver. If you haven't seen his catches from last Sunday, please go watch them. Each one is an acrobatic catch that defies logic. Anyway, Golladay continues to produce solid high-end WR2 numbers each week. He's doing this all without finding the end zone the past two weeks either. Golladay brings a safe floor with ridiculous upside if he can get back to scoring touchdowns. In this matchup, he's a solid mid-range WR2.
|
|
20.
Travis Kelce
TE - KC (vs . NYJ)
He's coming off a game where he totaled just three receptions and 31 yards. Sure, it was in the snow, but you know what he did the last time he came off a three-catch performance? He caught eight passes for 108 yards and a touchdown. This is one of those matchups where if you simply look at fantasy points allowed, you'll see the Jets rank 13th against them, which is not great, but also not bad. When you see they've faced the eighth-fewest targets despite playing all seven games, that's the giveaway. From an efficiency standpoint, they've allowed 2.42 PPR points per target to tight ends, which ranks as the third-most in the NFL, behind only the Jaguars and Falcons. Kelce leads the NFL in both red zone targets and targets inside the 10-yard line. Well, the Jets have allowed 5-of-11 red zone targets to tight ends go for touchdowns. Start Kelce as an elite TE1 and expect game-breaking upside.
|
|
21.
Adam Thielen
WR - MIN (at GB)
Thielen's a locked-and-loaded start every single week. He can be viewed as a mid-range WR1 against the Packers corners
|
|
22.
George Kittle
TE - SF (at SEA)
He's now totaled 40 targets in the four full games he's played, which amounts to a ridiculous 10.0 targets per game. He's been a bit up-and-down production-wise, but with all the injuries on the 49ers (Samuel, Mostert, Wilson, Coleman), we should expect a big game out of him this week. If there were a game we could guarantee 10-plus targets for a tight end, it has to be this one, right? However, there are some things I see that just stand out in my research for the week, and one of those things in this game was that teams have targeted their tight ends just 11.5 percent of the time against the Seahawks, which is easily the lowest mark in the league; no other team is under 13.5 percent. That's led to them being one of just four teams who've allowed less than 10 percent of fantasy production to tight ends. It's odd though because they've allowed 8.55 yards per target to the position when targeted, which is the seventh-highest number in the league, and usually most telling when it comes to tight ends. Kittle is going to steal a lot of those 31.3 targets per game that go to wide receivers against the Seahawks. Kittle has seen a 29.0 percent target share since returning to the lineup, and that was with Samuel in the lineup. He's the best tight end on the slate.
|
|
23.
Boston Scott
RB - PHI (vs . DAL)
If Sanders sits, Scott becomes an intriguing option to plug into your lineup as a high-end RB2.
|
|
24.
Mike Evans
WR - TB (at NYG)
Chris Godwin in the lineup, Evans has been an afterthought. In the three games without Godwin, it's been a different story. He's seen 10, 8, and 9 targets in those three games, totaling 19 receptions, 267 yards, and three touchdowns. In case you've missed it, Godwin has been ruled out for this game with a broken finger. The Giants are going to have James Bradberry shadow him, which hasn't been a pleasant experience for Evans throughout the last two years. In case you forgot, Bradberry shadowed him the last two years while in Carolina. The only game that Evans did well was the one he was targeted 17 times in. To be fair, it is a different defense that Bradberry's playing for, and Evans has upgraded from Jameis Winston to Brady, but it's something. Bradberry has done a solid job with No. 1 receivers this year: Travis Fulgham 5/73/0, Terry McLaurin 7/74/0, Amari Cooper 2/23/0, Robert Woods 6/35/0, and Allen Robinson 3/33/0. That's pretty good, right? Still, it's hard to see a scenario where Evans sees less than eight targets this week, so you have to get him back into lineups as a high-end WR2.
|
|
25.
Robby Anderson
WR - CAR (vs . ATL)
He ranks fourth in the league while averaging 2.76 yards per route run, which is typically a great indicator of future success. He's been the opposite of the receiver he was in New York, as he's been as consistent as they come, racking up at least 55 yards in every game, including 74-plus yards in 6-of-7 games. He's a legitimate borderline WR1 with his production this year, which is not something anyone expected to say. Now he heads into a matchup with the Falcons who have allowed 10.55 yards per target to receivers, which is the highest mark in the league, and it's amounted to 223.0 yards per game for them. Anderson will primarily see A.J. Terrell in coverage, a rookie cornerback who's allowed a ridiculous 21-of-24 passing for 287 yards and two touchdowns in his coverage. Anderson hit them up for 8/112/0 in the first game, so there's no hesitation starting him as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 here.
|
|
26.
Keenan Allen
WR - LAC (at DEN)
Despite missing more than half of a game with his back injury and having his bye week, Allen ranks seventh in the NFL in targets since the start of Week 2, which is when Herbert took over. In the four full games Allen has played, he's totaled 10, 19, 11, and 13 targets. That's absolutely ridiculous volume, especially when you consider Herbert is playing at a Pro Bowl level. The matchup with the Broncos isn't the same as it used to be, as Allen and Chris Harris Jr. would duke it out over the middle of the field. Instead, he'll see a combination of the Broncos cornerback trio of Bryce Callahan, Michael Ojemudia, and A.J. Bouye. Considering no teams have had much success running on the Broncos, they're gone to the air, which is why receivers have seen 21.3 targets per game against them. They've been pretty good considering all that's happened (loss of Von Miller and Jurrell Casey, injury to Bouye), allowing just 7.68 yards per target and 1.70 PPR points per target, which are both below the league average. But again, the volume has allowed receivers to score 37.7 PPR points per game against them, which ranks as the 14th-most in the league. They have allowed seven different wide receivers to post top-25 numbers, which is more than a stable enough floor for someone like Allen, who's made his way into the WR1 conversation.
|
|
27.
Stefon Diggs
WR - BUF (vs . NE)
Diggs has come crashing back down to earth, along with the rest of the Bills offense, but he's still commanding a large target share. With Diggs' involvement in the offense, plus his talent, he's always worth rolling into your lineup as a high-end WR2/low-end WR1.
|
|
28.
Myles Gaskin
RB - MIA (vs . LAR)
Gaskin continues to receive enough touches in this offense to be viewed as a safe start every single week. Against this defense, he gets a slight downgrade, but he should still be viewed as a solid RB2 start.
|
|
29.
Ronald Jones II
RB - TB (at NYG)
Jones had been looking terrific on the ground the past several weeks, but his deficiencies in the receiving game reared their ugly head yet again last week. Jones now has four drops on 26 targets this season. With Fournette healthy now and right behind him on the depth chart, he can't afford to continue to drop the football. Jones is hanging on by a thread to this job and one more drop, or missed blitz pickup, and Jones could be riding the bench for a very long time. He's still worth rolling out as a mid-range RB2 due to the other available options, but he absolutely comes with risk.
|
|
30.
David Montgomery
RB - CHI (vs . NO)
Playing Montgomery in fantasy football isn't going to be pretty if you end up watching the game. However, he's getting too many touches in this offense to hurt your fantasy roster. Last week, even though Montgomery did next to nothing, he still finished as the RB24 on the week. With his work in the receiving game, he's a safe option to roll out as a low-end RB2 in this matchup against the Saints defense.
|
|
31.
Giovani Bernard
RB - CIN (vs . TEN)
At this point, it seems unlikely that Mixon suits up as he's dealing with his foot injury. With that being the case, Bernard shoots up to a top-15 option this week. This is a fine matchup for opposing RBs and points should go up on the board in this game. If you've still got Gio on your roster, make sure to get him into your starting lineup.
|
|
32.
D.J. Moore
WR - CAR (vs . ATL)
Moore continues to only see four to six targets when Samuel is in the lineup, but he's producing with his opportunity. Moore should be viewed as a low-end WR2 with upside in this matchup.
|
|
33.
Darrell Henderson
RB - LAR (at MIA)
Henderson put up solid numbers last week and looked great running in between the tackles. While Brown will continue to be involved in this backfield, Henderson has guaranteed touches in this offense with Cam Akers seeing one or two snaps a game. Henderson can be started as a solid RB2 with upside this week against the Dolphins run defense.
|
|
34.
Justin Jefferson
WR - MIN (at GB)
Jefferson has emerged as one of the best fantasy wide receivers this season and he can be viewed as a mid-range WR2 with upside in this matchup that should see points go up on the board.
|
|
35.
D'Andre Swift
RB - DET (vs . IND)
Swift has stepped up nicely into his expanded role in this offense, but he's still second in this backfield to AP. Swift's finding the end zone regularly, which is boosting his fantasy production, but it's extremely unpredictable. With a tough matchup here against the Colts defense, Swift gets downgraded to a low-end RB2 that will need to score to finish much higher.
|
|
36.
Cooper Kupp
WR - LAR (at MIA)
Kupp wasn't exactly heavily targeted last week, but that's sort of been the theme of this entire season for him. He was extremely efficient though and still produced for fantasy managers that plugged him into their starting lineups in a tough matchup. In this game against the Dolphins, Kupp can be started as a low-end WR2 that will need to score to finish much higher than that.
|
|
37.
Travis Fulgham
WR - PHI (vs . DAL)
Since entering the starting lineup, Fulgham has totaled 34 targets in three games. That's elite volume that rivals the best in the game. He's done a lot with those targets, too, racking up 21 receptions for 300 yards and two touchdowns. Keep in mind that two of those games were against the Steelers and Ravens. Meanwhile, the Cowboys defense has been among the most generous in the NFL. The Cowboys' starting cornerback Daryl Worley had allowed 3.43 PPR points per target in his coverage, which is the second-most in the NFL. He's no longer on the team. The only player who's allowed more is his teammate Chidobe Awuzie (who's expected to return this week), so clearly, the Cowboys defensive scheme is not quite working. As a whole, the Cowboys have allowed 2.18 PPR points per target to receivers, which ranks third in the NFL. They have allowed 10 different receivers to pile up 14.5-plus PPR points, which is the mark it took to finish as a WR2 or better last year. Fulgham should be considered a low-end WR2 with upside for this week.
|
|
38.
Melvin Gordon III
RB - DEN (vs . LAC)
Gordon should receive the majority of the touches in this game if Lindsay is not able to suit up. Due to the volume, Gordon should be viewed as a mid-range RB2.
|
|
39.
Robert Woods
WR - LAR (at MIA)
Woods didn't get much done through the air last week, but he was heavily involved as a runner. This was a tough matchup against the Bears defense, which had me downgrading Woods and Kupp all last week anyway. Now, the Rams passing attack should have more room to operate in this one and Woods should be viewed as a solid mid-range WR2.
|
|
40.
Brandon Aiyuk
WR - SF (at SEA)
With Deebo Samuel out of the lineup for a few weeks, Aiyuk has a massive opportunity to make some waves in fantasy. Even with Samuel in the lineup the last few weeks, Aiyuk has averaged 6.6 targets/carries per game, so he's been involved. Coming off a career-high 115 yards against the Patriots, Aiyuk will have what might be the best matchup in the league. Wide receivers have outscored running backs by a massive 37.6 PPR points per game against the Seahawks. They've already allowed 132 receptions to wide receivers through six games, which amounts to 22.0 per game. We know the Seahawks are a matchup to attack, right? Well, it should make you feel better to know that a league-high 65.6 percent of the fantasy production that has gone to skill-position players against them has gone to wide receivers. It surely helps that their opponents' wide receivers have seen a league-high 188 targets despite the Seahawks already having their bye week. It's not just volume, either. They are one of three teams in the league who've allowed a 70-plus percent catch-rate to wide receivers. The other two teams? The Texans and Jets. With the lack of healthy running backs and Samuel out, Aiyuk should be considered a rock-solid WR3 with top-12 upside this week.
|
|
41.
Amari Cooper
WR - DAL (at PHI)
Considering how bad the Cowboys offense has been the last two weeks, Cooper owners should be extremely satisfied with his performances of 7/79/1 and 7/80/0. He's finished as a top-30 wide receiver in 6-of-7 games, which is consistency that's hard to find. The Eagles are surely going to stick Darius Slay on him this week, which hasn't been great for receivers, though it's also not a death wish. He's allowed 27-of-37 passing for 277 yards and one touchdown in his coverage to this point, but the biggest game they've allowed to a No. 1 receiver was Terry McLaurin's five-catch, 61-yard performance back in Week 1, which was with Dwayne Haskins under center. On paper, it shows the Eagles have allowed the 12th-most points per game to receivers, but when you remove the THREE rushing touchdowns and rushing yards, they've allowed the 11th-fewest points to receivers. Cooper should be considered a mediocre WR2 who can be a victim of bad quarterback play at any time.
|
|
42.
Tyler Boyd
WR - CIN (vs . TEN)
Boyd put on a show last week and he should be viewed as a solid low-end WR2 in this matchup with upside.
|
|
43.
Tee Higgins
WR - CIN (vs . TEN)
Higgins continues to get the job done for fantasy and can be viewed as a safe high-end WR3 this week.
|
|
44.
Darren Waller
TE - LV (at CLE)
Through six games, Waller is averaging 9.2 targets per game, which leads all tight ends. Yes, more than Kittle's 9.0 per game and Kelce's 8.0 per game. Waller has delivered for his fantasy managers, too, as he's totaled double-digit PPR points in 5-of-6 games. In fact, going back to last year (span of 22 games), he has just one game with less than 8.0 PPR points. A matchup with the Browns is definitely not a bad thing, either, as they've allowed five different tight ends to score 10.2 or more PPR points against them this year and have allowed at least four receptions to seven different tight ends. When you see the list of tight ends they've played, you'll be even more excited about Waller's prospects this week. Mark Andrews (who went for 5/58/2), Dalton Schultz, C.J. Uzomah, Drew Sample, Trey Burton, Logan Thomas, and Eric Ebron are the tight ends they've played, so hardly a tough schedule. Despite that, they've allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to the tight end position. Knowing their opponents have averaged over 40 pass attempts per game, Waller should be locked and loaded as an elite TE1.
|
|
45.
Mark Andrews
TE - BAL (vs . PIT)
He's been extremely hit-or-miss this year, as he's either totaled 55-plus yards and scored at least one touchdown, or he's totaled fewer than 30 yards with no touchdown. His fantasy finishes in half-PPR formats have been 1, 30, 35, 3, 3, 30. The Steelers have allowed just 48.9 percent of passes directed at tight ends to be completed. That's helped them allow a piddly 4.98 yards per target to the position, and they've allowed just one touchdown on 47 targets. Despite playing against Zach Ertz, Noah Fant, Jonnu Smith, Austin Hooper, Evan Engram, and Jordan Akins, they've yet to allow a tight end record more than 57 yards or finish better than the TE9. When the two teams met last year, he totaled five catches for 45 yards on seven targets. Bottom line is that Andrews is far from a sure thing to produce for his fantasy managers but you're going to play him in redraft leagues due to the upside he presents, which is top-three every week.
|
|
46.
JaMycal Hasty
RB - SF (at SEA)
This backfield is an absolute mystery to try and project week in and week out. However, it gets a bit easier this week with Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman, and Jeff Wilson all out of the picture. Hasty should see the majority of the work on the ground, but this is a tough matchup for opposing RBs. He should be viewed as a high-end RB3.
|
|
47.
Diontae Johnson
WR - PIT (at BAL)
Welcome back to the lineup, Diontae! Johnson immediately jumped back into the leading receiver role for the Steelers offense and he delivered for fantasy managers that took a shot on him in his first week back. Moving forward, Johnson absolutely belongs in your starting lineup as a solid WR2 with upside every single week. With that being said, he does get a slight downgrade in this matchup against the Ravens corners, but his target volume should allow him to finish as a low-end WR2.
|
|
48.
Marquise Brown
WR - BAL (vs . PIT)
Brown has a tough matchup here this week against the Steelers secondary. With Lamar projected to struggle as a passer, Brown's probably best viewed as a low-end WR3 that has a wide range of outcomes. He can always break away a long play, but it's all about determining the probabilities of that happening.
|
|
49.
Jarvis Landry
WR - CLE (vs . LV)
He's now up to 39 targets without a touchdown, which ranks as the second-most in the league without a touchdown. He's quietly averaging 9.4 yards per target, which is actually the highest number of his career. If he starts scoring touchdowns at a reasonable rate, he'll be viewed much differently in fantasy. With Beckham out for the year, we should expect him to get a solid bump in targets, too. He's averaged just 5.6 targets per game to this point, which is typically reserved for those in the WR4/5 range. The Raiders have faced 18.7 targets per game to wide receivers, so given how top-heavy the Browns have been, we should expect Landry to see at least six targets in this game. The Raiders slot cornerback is Lamarcus Joyner, who's been mediocre in coverage, allowing 25-for-34 passing for 256 yards and... no touchdowns. But still, it's not like he won't get out of Joyner's coverage at times. We saw both Chris Godwin and Cole Beasley score against the Raiders, so it's not out of the question. Landry is moving up the rankings moving forward and should be considered a low-end WR3/high-end WR4 who comes with a solid floor.
|
|
50.
Carlos Hyde
RB - SEA (vs . SF)
Hyde was set to take on a large workload if Carson missed this game, but he's also been dealing with some hamstring tightness. With the news that Carson might play, Hyde's nothing more than a mid-range RB3 if he suits up.
|
|
51.
Leonard Fournette
RB - TB (at NYG)
Fournette stepped in last week and was heavily involved in this offense. He was explosive on the ground, averaging 4.5 yards per carry, and was also heavily targeted out of the backfield. Fournette is in strong FLEX consideration this week, or could even be rolled out as a low-end RB2/high-end RB3 if you're in need of a fill-in option. There's also the slim possibility that Fournette just simply outright wins this job sooner than later.
|
|
52.
Justin Jackson
RB - LAC (at DEN)
We assumed that we had clarity on what this backfield was going to look like last week, but both options fell flat in a great matchup. Jackson's a safe bet every single week due to his involvement in the receiving game, but we cannot be confident in how the carry splits are going to break down between the two options in this backfield. Jackson can be viewed as a low-end RB2 this week.
|
|
53.
Rob Gronkowski
TE - TB (at NYG)
It appears we have Gronk back in our lives. He's now totaled at least six targets and 52 yards in each of his last three games and has scored in each of his last two games. He's seen more deep targets (20-plus yards down the field) than any other tight end with seven of them, so even though he's caught just three of them, it leaves the opportunity for one-play upside. With Chris Godwin out of the lineup, it should allow for more targets, too. The Giants have only faced 5.7 tight end targets per game, which is one of the lowest marks in football, and have held tight ends in check for the most part. They have allowed 7.60 yards per target and a solid 65.0 percent completion-rate, but they've allowed just one touchdown to them, keeping the overall numbers down. It's not a great matchup considering just one tight end has caught more than four balls against them, but considering the surge in his play as of late, it's tough to keep him out of lineups, because if Gronk is back, he's matchup-proof.
|
|
54.
Chase Claypool
WR - PIT (at BAL)
Claypool came crashing back down to earth last week after a few solid performances and there are now serious questions about whether or not he can be trusted in your starting lineup. In this matchup, Claypool should be viewed as a FLEX play that will need to find the end zone to finish much higher than that.
|
|
55.
Le'Veon Bell
RB - KC (vs . NYJ)
Bell saw six carries in his first game with the Chiefs and showed some explosiveness that simply hasn't been there for the past few years. However, with CEH still above him on the depth chart, Bell's not worth looking at as anything more than a mid-range RB3.
|
|
56.
Devin Singletary
RB - BUF (vs . NE)
Singletary has been woefully inefficient the past couple of weeks and he's now seeing his snap count decrease as Moss gets acclimated back into the offense after his injury. I'd recommend sitting Singletary if you can this week. He's a risky RB3 play at best.
|
|
57.
DeVante Parker
WR - MIA (vs . LAR)
With the QB change, there's a ton of uncertainty as to what the target share distribution is going to look like in this offense. Parker's still a solid start, based on the assumption that he's still see the majority of the targets, but he gets a slight downgrade in the rankings until we see it happen on the field. He should be viewed as a WR2 this week.
|
|
58.
Darius Slayton
WR - NYG (vs . TB)
He's now seen just four targets in each of his last two games, and it's limited his production. When you add Sterling Shepard back into the lineup, this was always the concern. Knowing the Bucs opponents have thrown the ball 64.1 percent of the time (4th in NFL), the Giants pass catchers should be pretty busy in this one. The Bucs have used Carlton Davis to shadow some No. 1 receivers, but the Giants don't really have that prototypical No. 1, so we shouldn't assume a shadow. The Bucs have allowed the eighth-fewest points per game to wide receivers, as they've limited them to just 1.69 PPR points per target. Sure, they've allowed 11 receivers to hit 10.5-plus PPR points, but seven of them had to see nine-plus targets to get there. The Bucs have allowed four pass plays to go for 40-plus yards, which is what you need to hope for with Slayton, so treat him as a boom-or-bust WR4 this week.
|
|
59.
Joshua Kelley
RB - LAC (at DEN)
Kelley's continuing to see enough work in this backfield to be considered for fantasy football, but it's not amount to much production at all. Kelley's a mid-range RB3 that will need to find the end zone to finish much higher than that.
|
|
60.
Aaron Jones
RB - GB (vs . MIN)
Jones was apparently fighting to play in week seven, but he wasn't 100%. The Packers chose to play it safe and let Jones rest, but his status for this game is still up in the air. If he suits up, Jones is a no-brainer start this week and has No. 1 overall RB upside.
|
|
61.
Allen Robinson II
WR - CHI (vs . NO)
He suffered a head injury at the end of the game Monday night, which could be an issue for his availability on a short week. It's something we need to pay attention to as the week goes on, as he must go through the concussion protocol. Robinson should be the only viable Bears receiver this week, as just 46.7 percent of pass attempts against the Saints have gone to wide receivers, which is the lowest mark in the league. Receivers have accounted for just 10.3 receptions per game against them, which is the lowest mark in the league, though the receptions they have allowed have gone for a lot of production. They're allowing a massive 15.66 yards per reception and have allowed a touchdown every 10.3 targets; both are marks that lead the league. That adds up to 2.29 PPR points per target, which is great for a receiver that's seen at least nine targets in 6-of-7 games. If Robinson is cleared and suits up, he should be considered a low-end WR1, but you should have alternate plans in case he's held out.
|
|
62.
JuJu Smith-Schuster
WR - PIT (at BAL)
Juju jumped back into relevancy in week seven and had a solid fantasy outing. In this matchup, Juju should be viewed as a low-end WR3 though.
|
|
63.
A.J. Green
WR - CIN (vs . TEN)
Green continues to see a ridiculous amount of targets in this offense and he's now producing enough to be viewed as a solid FLEX play with upside every single week.
|
|
64.
Jonnu Smith
TE - TEN (at CIN)
Smith disappointed in week seven, but he came extremely close to hauling in an end zone target. With Davis, Humphries, and Brown all on the field, there's reason to be concerned about Smith's involvement in this offense moving forward, but it's not enough to pull him from your starting lineup. The Titans should look to rectify their mistake from last week and work to get the ball in Jonnu's hands in this plus matchup. Keep plugging Smith into your lineup as a solid mid-range TE1 with upside.
|
|
65.
Jamaal Williams
RB - GB (vs . MIN)
If he sits, Williams would become a must-play option again. Williams has been more involved in the offense recently and he delivered last week in Jones' absence. If Jones suits up this week, Williams should be viewed as a high-end RB3 that will provide more value in Full PPR formats. If Jones sits, Williams moves to a top-12 option.
|
|
66.
Mike Williams
WR - LAC (at DEN)
There have been just two times all season where Williams has seen more than four targets. Week 1, when Tyrod Taylor was under center, and Week 5, when Keenan Allen had to leave the game with back issues. Am I ready to move on? No, not with the way that Herbert has played. We have just too small of a sample size to say he's nothing with Allen in the lineup. He may have the best matchup on the field this week, as he'll play most of his snaps against rookie Michael Ojemudia, a third-rounder who's been bleeding yardage in his coverage. He's allowed 23-of-38 passing for 328 yards and two touchdowns in his coverage to this point, which amounts to a 106.0 QB Rating. That's a massive 14.3 yards per reception, which is perfect for someone like Williams, whose average depth of target is 17.2 yards down the field, which ranks third in the NFL. He's not someone who needs to be played but he is someone who can be plugged in as an upside WR4 considering the Chargers will have trouble moving the ball on the ground. He's a solid leverage play off Allen in tournaments.
|
|
67.
CeeDee Lamb
WR - DAL (at PHI)
After breaking rookie records with five catches and 59-plus yards in each of his first six games, Lamb was held to just one rushing yard in Week 7. He was targeted five times, so it's not like he was completely forgotten about, but the poor quarterback play proved to be too much. His matchup this week is much better than Amari Cooper's, as he'll draw Nickell Robey-Coleman, who's struggled in his new uniform. After being one of the better slot cornerbacks in Los Angeles, he's allowed 19-of-23 passing for 225 yards and a touchdown in his coverage with the Eagles. Still, the Eagles have allowed just five wide receivers to hit 11.2 PPR points against them this year, which was the mark it took to hit a WR3 performance in 2019. Lamb shouldn't be forgotten, but he should definitely be downgraded into the low-end WR3 territory with the poor quarterback play.
|
|
68.
J.K. Dobbins
RB - BAL (vs . PIT)
Dobbins should get the nod here as the lead back with Ingram unlikely to suit up. With this offensive philosophy, it's hard to see Dobbins getting 75% of the touches out of this backfield, which could push him up into top-12 consideration against a very stout run defense. He should be viewed as a low-end RB2 that will need to score, or break away a long run, to finish higher than that.
|
|
69.
Jerick McKinnon
RB - SF (at SEA)
McKinnon should be involved in this offense, but Kyle Shanahan has simply ignored him the past couple of weeks. This makes McKinnon a risky RB3 play. He could receive all of the touches in this one or he could see four total touches. We simply just have no way of knowing what Shanahan is going to do.
|
|
70.
Hunter Henry
TE - LAC (at DEN)
You'd think that with the way Herbert's been playing, that Henry's value would be through the roof. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case. He's now totaled less than 40 yards in three straight games, including terrific matchups against the Jaguars and Saints. The targets are there, as he's seen at least seven targets in 5-of-6 games, so that's not it. Things should even out over time, but he's been extremely inefficient with his targets to this point. Will a matchup with the Broncos change that? They have allowed a 76.2 percent catch-rate to tight ends, which is among the highest in the league, but those receptions have gone for an average of just 9.72 yards, which is the sixth-lowest mark in football. Despite playing against some very good tight ends (Jonnu Smith, Rob Gronkowski, Eric Ebron, and Travis Kelce), there hasn't been a single tight end who's topped 49 yards against them. Just two of those tight ends topped five targets, which is a number that Henry sees regularly, so we can't automatically say he won't produce. His targets will keep him in the TE1 conversation no matter what, but he's more of a mid-to-low TE1 this week in what's a tough matchup.
|
|
71.
Corey Davis
WR - TEN (at CIN)
Davis was able to find the end zone last week, but he's nothing more than a FLEX play. Granted, he has upside in this matchup, but he comes with a wide range of outcomes in this matchup where Tennessee should be able to run the ball all over Cincinnati.
|
|
72.
Cole Beasley
WR - BUF (vs . NE)
Beasley has a consistent floor every single week, but with Brown most likely back in the lineup here, he's only worth looking at as a FLEX option in Full PPR leagues.
|
|
73.
Damien Harris
RB - NE (at BUF)
At this point, none of the Patriots RBs are really worth looking at from a fantasy perspective. With the way this offense is looking right now, scoring opportunities simply are not there. Harris is a fine dart throw, but you need him to score in order to be fantasy relevant.
|
|
74.
Rashard Higgins
WR - CLE (vs . LV)
With Odell Beckham now out for the season, Higgins walks into the starting lineup. He saw six targets in relief of Beckham, catching all of them for 110 yards against a Bengals team that has struggled against wide receivers, but were also without their top cornerback in that game. The concern with Higgins moving forward is the lack of volume out of this offense, as Mayfield has averaged just 28.3 pass attempts per game, and the wide receivers have seen just a 50 percent target share, which amounts to just over 14 targets per game available to them. The good news is that the Raiders are another plus matchup, though there may not be many pass attempts. They've seen just 18.7 targets per game against wide receivers, which is why they've given up the 11th-most fantasy points to receivers. From an efficiency standpoint, they've allowed 2.02 PPR points per target, which ranks as the sixth-highest mark in the league. The Raiders perimeter duo of Trayvon Mullen and Nevin Lawson have combined to allow 39-of-56 passing for 450 yards and five touchdowns in their coverage, so the perimeter is where most of the damage has been done. Higgins may not be an ultra-consistent receiver, but he should offer WR4 value in a pinch this week.
|
|
75.
Malcolm Brown
RB - LAR (at MIA)
Brown was able to find the end zone last week, but Henderson heading to the sidelines temporarily with an injury may have assisted in that opportunity. He's a fine bye week fill-in option for desperate lineups, but otherwise it might be best to leave him on your bench.
|
|
76.
Henry Ruggs III
WR - LV (at CLE)
The Raiders No. 1 receiver, who they selected at No. 12 overall, over Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb, has 14 targets through four games. He's totaled exactly three targets in each of the last three games he's played, which is not nearly enough to be considered a reliable fantasy option. Does this matchup help matters? Well, receivers have totaled 114 receptions against the Browns, which is the second-highest number in the league through seven weeks. That adds up to a massive 16.3 receptions per game. There are teams who don't allow that many targets per game to opposing receivers. They have allowed 327.2 PPR points to receivers, which is second to only the Seahawks. That's allowed a ridiculous 13 wide receivers to finish with 12.3 or more PPR points against them, which is second to... the Seahawks. That's 13 receivers who've been WR3s at minimum through seven games, which is essentially two per game. Five of those receivers saw six or less targets, too, so it doesn't even require tons of volume. Ruggs moves all over the formation but should see the most of Denzel Ward, who's struggled to this point, allowing four touchdowns in his coverage this year. Ruggs is far from a sure thing, but as a boom-or-bust WR4 who could pay off in a big way? Yeah.
|
|
77.
Jared Cook
TE - NO (at CHI)
We figured we could rely on six-plus targets with Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders out of the lineup... but no. Cook has now seen 15 targets over his last four games, which is far from ideal. They have been okay in fantasy because he's scored on three of them, but his yardage leaves something to be desired (32 yards or less in three of those games). There are just five teams who've seen more targets directed at tight ends than the Bears. That's led to 52 yards and/or a touchdown to 6-of-7 tight ends. The only tight end who failed to hit one of those markers was Ian Thomas, who saw one target. It's not that the Bears are a smash spot, as only two of those tight ends were able to hit top-12 numbers. Going back to the start of last year (span of 23 games), they've allowed just three tight ends to top 56 yards against them. But again, with the receivers ailing, we should expect targets for Cook, and that puts him in the TE1 conversation this week.
|
|
78.
T.Y. Hilton
WR - IND (at DET)
Hilton's essentially irrelevant in this offense. He's seeing guys like Marcus Johnson outproduce him, which is never a good sign. Hilton's worth dropping if you're still rostering him.
|
|
79.
Jerry Jeudy
WR - DEN (vs . LAC)
After totaling at least 55 yards in each of his first four games, Jeudy has fallen off the fantasy map, as he's failed to top 32 yards in each of his last two games, though we should give him a pass for the game last week that was played in a blizzard. The Chargers are not a matchup that you should be expecting a wide receiver to get back on track, as they've allowed the 10th-fewest points to the receiver position. It's not just a lack of volume, either, as they've allowed just 1.65 PPR points per target, which is tied for the sixth-lowest mark in the league. He'll see Desmond King in coverage much of the day, the Chargers slot cornerback who's allowed 50-of-61 passing for 531 yards and two touchdowns since the start of last year. That's a ridiculously high 82.0 percent catch-rate, though the receptions have amounted to just 10.6 yards a pop, so he'll need volume to crack out some numbers. If Tim Patrick can't play with his hamstring injury, Jeudy would likely be a candidate for six-plus targets and be considered a decent WR4. If Patrick does play, Jeudy would fall into riskier territory with his recent lack of targets.
|
|
80.
T.J. Hockenson
TE - DET (vs . IND)
His targets have consistently ranged from 4-7 per week, and he's been mighty efficient, as he's totaled at least 53 yards and/or a touchdown in every game. Despite ranking 17th among tight ends in targets, Hockenson is currently the No. 7 tight end in PPR formats. His next challenge is a tough one. The Colts are one of just two teams who've yet to allow a touchdown to tight ends. Of the fantasy production they've allowed to skill-position players, just 8.4 percent has gone to the tight end position, which is the lowest mark in the league. To this point, they've allowed just 3.72 yards per target to them, which ranks No. 1 in the NFL. Through six games, the Colts have allowed 134 yards to tight ends. That's bananas. The 0.84 PPR points per target is easily the lowest mark in the NFL, so it's probably best to be cautious with what you expect out of Hockenson this week. He's still in the low-end TE1 conversation but is far from a lock for top-12 production.
|
|
81.
Michael Gallup
WR - DAL (at PHI)
He's now totaled just 17 targets over his last four games, which is not enough to be a consistent fantasy producer, especially when you factor in the poor quarterback play. Building on that, he's finished with less than 30 yards in three of his last four games. He'll see Avonte Maddox in coverage most of the time, which is not a horrendous matchup by any standards. Over the last two years, he's allowed 59-of-90 passing for 764 yards and four touchdowns in his coverage, which is good for a QB Rating over 105.0. But again, this comes back to his quarterback play and getting consistent targets. It's tough to see the Cowboys having much success on the ground against the Eagles, so we should see increased pass attempts if their defense can get off the field. Gallup has moved well out of must-play territory and should be considered more of a risk/reward WR4/5.
|
|
82.
Sterling Shepard
WR - NYG (vs . TB)
Welcome back to the lineup, Mr. Shepard. Taking away the game he needed to leave against the Bears, Shepard has now seen at least six targets in each of his last 18 games. That's crazy, right? He's the No. 1 receiver for the Giants with that target floor, even if Slayton may have a higher ceiling. The Buccaneers opponents have thrown the ball 64.1 percent of the time, which is the fourth-most in the NFL, and it's allowed for plenty of opportunities for wide receivers. That's led to 11 different receivers finishing with 10.5 or more PPR points, though just four of them have topped 14.3 PPR points. Receivers have been targeted 19.3 times per game against the Bucs, which is enough for Shepard to see his six-plus targets fairly confidently, especially since the run game will have no chance this week. Shepard should be considered a WR4 option who comes with a better floor than most in that range, though his ceiling is a bit limited.
|
|
83.
Zack Moss
RB - BUF (vs . NE)
Moss has started to become more involved in this offense the past couple of weeks as he works his way back from an injury. He's seen his snap counts go from 25% in week six to 46% in week seven. Meanwhile, Singletary's are trending downward. Moss has the opportunity to score in this offense with his work inside the red zone and he should continue to see more opportunity with Singletary struggling mightily. Moss is worth rostering and potentially plugging into your lineup as a bye week fill-in option that could pay off.
|
|
84.
Latavius Murray
RB - NO (at CHI)
Murray continues to see around 11 carries per game and he's putting up fine numbers on the ground. However, he hasn't been finding the end zone recently, which makes him an average fantasy play. He's simply a bye week fill-in option at this point that you're hoping is able to find the end zone. He can be viewed as a mid-range RB3 this week.
|
|
85.
Marvin Jones Jr.
WR - DET (vs . IND)
Jones was able to finally make an impact last week, but the matchup may have played a large role in that. This week, Jones isn't worth considering as anything more than a low-end FLEX play.
|
|
86.
Scotty Miller
WR - TB (at NYG)
It's pretty odd, but Miller has been more of a part of the offense with Chris Godwin in the lineup. Seriously, in three games without him, Miller has seen 3, 0, and 2 targets. In the four games with him, he's seen 6, 5, 2, and 9 targets. Miller did deal with some injuries during that time, which could've contributed to his decreased role, though he was on the field. The Giants are going to have James Bradberry on Evans, which would put Ryan Lewis on Miller. He's allowed 12-of-21 passing for 236 yards in his coverage, which amounts to a massive 19.7 yards per reception. Miller's average depth of target is 16.3 yards down the field, which ranks as the fifth-highest mark in the league. If you're trying to find someone who has value for one more week, Miller should be considered a decent WR4/5 with upside option.
|
|
87.
Tre'Quan Smith
WR - NO (at CHI)
It was certainly a disappointing to watch Smith finish with just four catches for 54 yards against the Panthers, though it wasn't really his fault, as he caught all four of his targets. With Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders out of the lineup, you would've thought he would've had more. That may be the case again this week against the Bears, who've been brutal on opposing receviers. Through seven games, they've allowed just four receivers to top 58 yards against them. They've also allowed just a 57.3 percent catch-rate to receivers, so the targets absolutely need to be there in order for a receiver to succeed. He's moving all over the formation, including the slot almost half the time, which does get him away from Kyle Fuller and Jaylon Johnson. The Bears have Buster Skrine in the slot, and he's allowed 28-of-39 passing for 279 yards and a touchdown in his coverage, so he is the weakest link. Still, it's a brutal matchup. If Thomas and Sanders are out again, Smith should still be in the high-end WR4 conversation, as even backup receiver Marquez Callaway suffered an ankle sprain last week. If Thomas plays, Smith would move down into WR5 territory.
|
|
88.
Gus Edwards
RB - BAL (vs . PIT)
Edwards should see plenty of carries in this game too, but it's hard to trust him as anything more than a bye week fill-in option.
|
|
89.
Mecole Hardman
WR - KC (vs . NYJ)
|
|
90.
Curtis Samuel
WR - CAR (vs . ATL)
Samuel got more involved in the offense this past week and was able to find the end zone as a runner. He was a drop candidate early on in the season, but he's now played his way back into FLEX consideration. He can be viewed as a low-end FLEX play against Atlanta.
|
|
91.
Richard Rodgers
TE - PHI (vs . DAL)
With both Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert out of the lineup, Rodgers played as the primary tight end against the Giants, and he delivered. All in all, he played 69-of-81 snaps, saw eight targets, and netted 6/85/0 on them. We know how important the tight ends are in the Doug Pederson offense, so we shouldn't be all that surprised. The Cowboys have allowed 40 yards and/or a touchdown to six different tight ends this year, including a four-catch, 60-yard, one-touchdown performance to Logan Thomas last week. He did all of that on just four targets. The 2.06 PPR points per target the Cowboys have allowed to tight ends ranks as the ninth-highest mark in the league. They've allowed the 10th-most points per game to tight ends despite seeing just 6.4 targets per game to them. Meanwhile, the Eagles have targeted their tight ends 11.7 times per game. Rodgers is someone you should consider as a low-end TE1/high-end TE2 streamer.
|
|
92.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling
WR - GB (vs . MIN)
MVS failed to bring in any of his four targets last week in a fine matchup. Against the Vikings corners, MVS has low-end FLEX appeal, but he should be avoided if you have the chance.
|
|
93.
Noah Fant
TE - DEN (vs . LAC)
Fant returned to the lineup last week and ran a tight end team-high 26 routes, though they only netted three catches for 38 yards, and he appeared hobbled at times throughout the game. Meanwhile Okwuegbunam ran 18 routes and racked up seven catches for 60 yards. Suddenly, Fant may have competition for targets, as "Albert O" has totaled 13 targets over the last two weeks. Don't forget that him and Drew Lock were teammates at Missouri and connected really well. The Chargers have not been a dominant defense against tight ends, and in fact, they are below average, allowing 2.10 PPR points per target, which ranks as the seventh-highest mark in football. Teams have targeted their tight ends just 6.5 times per game, which is far from ideal, but the Broncos have targeted their tight ends 10.2 times per game, so something has to give. With Tim Patrick looking extremely iffy, there may be even more targets to go around. There have already been three top-seven performances by tight ends against the Chargers, so as long as Fant practices in full at some point this week, he should be considered a top-10 play. If he doesn't, things get a bit dicier, so stay tuned here for updates. As for Okwuegbunam, he'd be a borderline TE1 if Fant were to sit out. If Fant plays and Patrick sits, he moves up into the TE2 with upside category. Clearly, there's a lot to sort out here as the week goes on.
|
|
94.
Nelson Agholor
WR - LV (at CLE)
It's kind of crazy what past relationships with players can do with our perception. Remember when we all didn't want to buy into Robby Anderson because he broke our hearts over and over while in New York? Well, we might be there with Agholor now, too. He's now scored in 4-of-6 games this season despite seeing more than four targets just once. His nine targets against the Bucs last week was more than Tyrell Williams saw in any one game last year, yet everyone viewed him as a WR3/4 option most weeks. It was just one week, but we need to pay attention to him moving forward. He has earned the role he has with the Raiders. Could he find the end zone again? Wide receivers have been targeted 33 times in the red zone against the Browns, which is easily the highest number in the league, as no other team has faced more than 22 red zone targets to wide receivers. The Browns have allowed 13 wide receivers to finish as the WR37 or better, which is kind of remarkable considering we're just seven weeks into the season. Agholor leads the Raiders' wide receivers in routes run over their last two games. He's far from a lock for production, but given the matchup, he's in the WR4 conversation.
|
|
95.
Kendrick Bourne
WR - SF (at SEA)
If you're looking for a last-minute wide receiver to stick into lineups, Bourne might not be a bad option. In the first four games (before Deebo Samuel had a full-time role), Bourne totaled at least five targets in each game. The Seahawks have seen an average of 31.3 wide receiver targets per game. Guys, there are two teams in the NFL who don't see that many pass attempts per game. There have somehow been 10 wide receivers who've totaled 20-plus PPR points against them. While we don't need to expect that, they have allowed 15 wide receivers to hit at least 11.5 PPR points against them. Bourne looks like someone who should deliver a solid WR4/5 floor with upside for more in a great matchup.
|
|
96.
Robert Tonyan
TE - GB (vs . MIN)
Remember when Tonyan was the No. 1 tight end in fantasy coming off his three-touchdown game against the Falcons? Since that time, he's seen six targets and caught five passes for 57 yards. He has been trying to play through a few injuries, so maybe he's getting healthier as the weeks go on? The Vikings don't look so bad on paper against the tight end position, as they've allowed the 14th-fewest fantasy points per game to the position, but when you look at their efficiency numbers, they're likely a top-five matchup for tight ends. They've allowed an 80.0 percent catch-rate (3rd-highest), 15.13 yards per reception (highest in NFL), 12.1 yards per target (most in NFL), and 2.41 PPR points per target (4th-highest). That doesn't seem like such a brutal matchup, does it? We should pay attention to the injury reports because if Tonyan practices in full, he should be a solid low-end TE1/high-end TE2 streamer.
|
|
97.
Preston Williams
WR - MIA (vs . LAR)
Is he rounding into shape now over a year removed from his torn ACL? Some have blamed that as his reason for early season struggles, but his target shares are still nothing to get excited about, as he's seen just 13 targets over the last four games. He's scored in three of those games, propping up his fantasy totals, as he's topped 41 yards just once all season. Of the fantasy production the Rams have allowed to opponents' skill-position players, just 43.8 percent of it has gone to wide receivers, which is the third-lowest mark in football. Williams has generated a league-low 1.7 yards of separation at target, which doesn't provide Tagovailoa with a big window against one of the best secondaries in the league. In fact, Darious Williams has been just as good as Jalen Ramsey, allowing just 14-of-26 passing for 222 yards and one touchdown while intercepting two passes. The Rams have allowed just five top-36 wide receivers through seven games, and all of them have seen at least six targets. Williams is someone I'd fade as a WR5.
|
|
98.
Adrian Peterson
RB - DET (vs . IND)
AP's still receiving a ton of carries in this offense, but he's doing next to nothing with them. Against a stout Colts defense, AP's a sit candidate unless you're in an absolute pinch.
|
|
99.
Demarcus Robinson
WR - KC (vs . NYJ)
Someone asked Watkins on Twitter during last week's game if he'd be back in Week 8 and he said yes, so it seems he's feeling better. The three full games he's played this year have netted 9, 8, and 7 targets, so he's certainly someone who needs to be on the fantasy radar. The Jets have been a decent matchup for receivers to this point, although the 1.81 PPR points per target they've allowed is right near the league average. That's kept them right in the middle of the pack when it comes to fantasy points allowed, as they rank 15th against wide receivers. Watkins primary matchup would be the best on the field, as Pierre Desir has allowed 24-of-33 passing for 299 yards and five touchdowns (most in NFL) in his coverage. We have to see how Watkins is doing in practice before playing him with any confidence, but this matchup isn't one that should cause you to be concerned. If he practices in full, he can be considered an upside WR4. If he doesn't play, Robinson would move into the WR4/5 conversation.
|
|
100.
Lamical Perine
RB - NYJ (at KC)
Perine continues to see his role increase in this offense, but it's not enough to warrant standalone fantasy value. He's a low-end RB3 this week.
|
|
101.
Hayden Hurst
TE - ATL (at CAR)
With the Atlanta offense back to being one of the better units in the NFL, Hurst can be viewed as a solid low-end TE1 every week.
|
|
102.
Mike Gesicki
TE - MIA (vs . LAR)
Over their last two games, Gesicki has totaled eight targets and turned them into 5/91/0. Meanwhile, Adam Shaheen and Durham Smythe have combined for eight targets and turned them into 7/88/3. This is not great news. What is great news is that it's not likely to keep up. In those two games, Gesicki has run 50 routes, while Shaheen has run 14, and Smythe has run just four of them. Still, Gesicki's fantasy finishes have been maddening: 24, 2, 15, 45, 7, 76. That's extremely boom-or-bust, and now having a rookie quarterback under center isn't likely to help his consistency, as they're likely to go a bit more run-heavy. One bit that you should know is that Gesicki has been working with the scout team all year, so he should have chemistry with Tagovailoa from day one. The Rams aren't a team who's been great against tight ends, allowing both George Kittle and Tyler Kroft to finish as top-two options against them. Targets have been funneled to them due to their cornerback talent, and that's led to a league-leading 64 targets against them. They're allowing a pedestrian 1.61 PPR points per target, so it hasn't been a smash spot without a lot of volume, but Gesicki should be in the TE1 conversation this week.
|
|
103.
James White
RB - NE (at BUF)
At this point, none of the Patriots RBs are really worth looking at from a fantasy perspective. With the way this offense is looking right now, scoring opportunities simply are not there. White should be seeing way more targets out of the backfield than what he's been getting, which makes him a risky FLEX play at best in Full PPR leagues.
|
|
104.
Denzel Mims
WR - NYJ (at KC)
The good news is that he saw seven targets in his NFL debut, which is more than most receivers can say on a weekly basis. He caught four of them for 42 yards, which isn't bad when you consider the matchup against the Bills. The Jets receivers have been targeted 22.9 times per game, so there are targets to go around, especially if Jamison Crowder sits out again. The unfortunate part is that the Chiefs are not a matchup to attack with wide receivers, as they've allowed just eight wide receviers to finish as top-48 options (WR4 or better), and five of them needed to score, which is something the Jets receivers have done just four times all season. All in all, the 911 yards the Chiefs have allowed to receivers ranks second in the NFL, though the 130.1 yards per game is the best in the NFL. Mims is someone who should be stashed, but he's nothing more than a WR5 this week.
|
|
105.
Greg Ward
WR - PHI (vs . DAL)
He falls under that category of wide receivers who never feel great to play, though he's delivered 12.6 or more PPR points in three of his last five games. Between DeSean Jackson, Zach Ertz, and Dallas Goedert being out of the lineup and Alshon Jeffery maybe not being a real person at this point, Ward should be in line for five-plus targets in this matchup against the Cowboys, a team that's allowed 2.18 PPR points per target. Tyler Lockett, Russell Gage, and Jarvis Landry all finished as top-24 options against them, though it's worth noting that each of them did see six-plus targets. Even Golden Tate was able to collect four catches for 42 yards against them. Ward is someone you can play as a WR5 in a pinch, especially in PPR formats.
|
|
106.
Jimmy Graham
TE - CHI (vs . NO)
Is Graham suddenly sharing the work with Cole Kmet and Demetrius Harris? He saw a respectable six targets last week but knowing Kmet and Harris combined for five themselves is worrisome. Looking at the routes, we shouldn't be too concerned, as Graham has run 59 routes the last two weeks, while Kmet has run 20, and Harris has run 15 of them. We have another revenge game narrative as Graham will be going against his former team. He's only played them once since his departure, totaling three catches for 34 yards. This year, it's been a good time to attack the Saints with tight ends, as teams have chosen to target their tight ends 27.6 percent of the time, which is the highest percentage in the league. Production has followed, as 24.8 percent of the production they've allowed to running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends has gone to the tight end position. They have already allowed five different tight ends to finish as top-10 options against them, with the only one who didn't was Ian Thomas, who saw one target. All in all, they've allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to tight ends, and Graham is seeing a respectable 15.1 percent target share. He can be considered a low-end TE1 this week, who can't be trusted as more than that with Foles' play as of late.
|
|
107.
Tim Patrick
WR - DEN (vs . LAC)
He suffered a hamstring injury in the Week 7 loss to the Chiefs, which makes him iffy for this game against the Chargers. Make sure you stay tuned to the bottom of the notes, as I'll update them by Friday night/Saturday morning. Prior to Week 7, Patrick had been on a roll, racking up 214 yards in the previous two weeks. The matchup this week against the Chargers is not a great one for him, as the Chargers have been hard on opposing perimeter receivers. There have been just four receivers to score more than 10.5 PPR points against them, and all of them saw at least seven targets, which might be wishful thinking for a receiver coming off a hamstring injury. My advice would be to look elsewhere for a streaming option.
|
|
108.
Evan Engram
TE - NYG (vs . TB)
You can't say the Giants haven't been trying to get him the ball, as he's averaging 6.3 targets per game, and they've even given him multiple carries in two of their last three games. He's totaled at least 9.5 PPR points in 4-of-7 games, which is a bit more stable than most realize, though he's yet to score more than 12.5 PPR points, so the ceiling has been non-existent. The Bucs have been similar to him, honestly. They've allowed the 11th-fewest fantasy points to tight ends, giving up 6.81 yards per target (22nd), a 61.7 percent completion-rate (27th), and a touchdown every 15.7 targets (18th). So, they're a below-average matchup, though there have been five tight ends who've finished as top-15 options against them (Darren Waller was the only one who finished better than TE9). With the lack of run game, we should expect another game of six-plus targets for Engram, which keeps him in the high-end TE2 conversation.
|
|
109.
Zach Pascal
WR - IND (at DET)
Pascal's seeing just enough work to be fantasy relevant. In this matchup, he can be rolled out as a fine FLEX play, but it's going to be hard to trust him as anything more than that.
|
|
110.
Golden Tate
WR - NYG (vs . TB)
He's still yet to reach 50 yards in a game this year. He's caught at least four passes in 4-of-6 games, which provides a floor for PPR leaguers, but the ceiling is extremely limited. He probably has the best matchup on the field this week, as Sean Murphy-Bunting is the weakest link in the Bucs secondary, allowing 32-of-35 passes to be completed for 369 yards and two touchdowns in his coverage, good enough for a 129.6 QB Rating. Opposing teams have moved their receivers around to get them in the mismatch with Murphy-Bunting, but Tate is essentially the full-time slot receiver, so can he deliver? He's had other good matchups that he failed to deliver in this year and has seen just three targets over the last two games, so can we trust him enough to find out? Probably not, making him a WR5 with a limited ceiling.
|
|
111.
Frank Gore
RB - NYJ (at KC)
Gore is now splitting carries with Perine, which limits his fantasy outlook in a terrible offense. Gore's a RB4 this week.
|
|
112.
Eric Ebron
TE - PIT (at BAL)
Despite all the Steelers receivers being healthy last week, Ebron saw a season-high eight targets against the Titans. Sure, it helps that Roethlisberger threw 49 passes, but it's still a good sign for Ebron. The 42 routes he ran last week ranked second among tight ends, which is a great sign for production. The Ravens are a fairly dominant defense against almost all positions, but they're simply average against tight ends, allowing the 14th-most fantasy points to them. The 7.06 yards per target is close to the league average, while the touchdown every 15.7 targets is right there as well. They've allowed four tight ends hit double-digit PPR points against them, though it did require touchdowns for two of them. The concern here is Roethlisberger's struggles in Baltimore over the last five years, but Ebron's role is growing and he seems locked into five-plus targets. Consider him a mid-to-high-end TE2.
|
|
113.
Hunter Renfrow
WR - LV (at CLE)
He's coming onto the field in three wide receiver sets, but that's about it. Because of that, he's run 39 routes over the last two weeks combined, which ranks outside the top-60 wide receivers. He has been targeted at least six times in three of the last four games, so he hasn't been completely forgotten. It doesn't hurt that they're about to play the Browns, a team that's faced 25.0 targets per game to wide receivers alone. The gamescript is important to Renfrow, though, because the Raiders don't run 3WR base sets, so they need to fall behind in order for him to see a big increase in snaps. There are just too many variables in Renfrow's projection to play him with confidence, even though the Browns have been a great matchup for wide receivers, especially those who play heavy slot snaps. If the Raiders fall behind quickly in this game, I wouldn't be surprised if Renfrow has a solid game.
|
|
114.
Darnell Mooney
WR - CHI (vs . NO)
He's playing a full-time role in the offense and has now seen at least five targets in five straight games, which puts him on the fantasy radar. He should've had a very long touchdown on Monday night, but Foles just missed him with no defender in sight. If Allen Robinson were forced to miss this game, Mooney's floor would go up, and he'd need that because just 46.7 percent of the targets against the Saints have been directed at wide receivers. They've seen just 93 targets to the position, which is a league-low, and amounts to just 15.5 per game. When receivers do catch the ball, it goes for A TON. They've allowed 15.7 yards per reception (1st), 10.44 yards per target (2nd), and a touchdown every 10.3 targets (1st). That all amounts to 2.29 PPR points per target. To put things in perspective, if Mooney saw just five targets and was an average receiver against them, he'd score 11.5 PPR points. He's not the worst hail mary play in this game, but he's still a boom-or-bust WR5 due to his lackluster quarterback play. If Robinson were to miss the game, it would bump his floor up a bit.
|
|
115.
Trey Burton
TE - IND (at DET)
Don't look now, but Burton is being used eerily similar to the way Eric Ebron was used with the Colts. Since joining the starting lineup, he's seen at least five targets in each game, and even got a goal-line carry last week. The Lions have been one of the better teams at defending tight ends, but it's an extremely small sample size for a team that was slightly below average against them last year, in the same scheme. Still, teams have chosen to target their tight ends just 14.2 percent of the time against them, which ranks as the third-lowest number in the league. Even worse, just 9.4 percent of fantasy production has gone to tight ends. Still, targets are all you can ask for from a streamer that's available in almost 80 percent of leagues, and Burton is getting them. He appears to be someone who'll be in the streamer conversation more than not, but this isn't a matchup that absolutely needs to be attacked. He should be considered a high-end TE2 with his steady flow of targets.
|
|
116.
Phillip Lindsay
RB - DEN (vs . LAC)
|
|
117.
Alexander Mattison
RB - MIN (at GB)
Mattison failed to deliver in his prime matchup in week six and now goes back to being a backup option behind Cook. He can be avoided this week.
|
|
118.
Wayne Gallman
RB - NYG (vs . TB)
Freeman does not appear like he's on track to play in this matchup, which means that Gallman will get the nod here. However, that doesn't exactly mean that you should be rushing out to start him in an extremely tough matchup. Gallman's a mid-range RB3 that should struggle to get things going on the ground, but could see some work through the receiving game to provide a safe floor. However, you almost certainly have better options available on your roster.
|
|
119.
Harrison Bryant
TE - CLE (vs . LV)
We all thought Njoku would be the starter with Austin Hooper out, but the Browns seem dead set on avoiding Njoku as a full-time player. Still, neither of them played massive roles compared to other tight ends in the league. Bryant ran 17 routes (ranked 26th in Week 7) while Njoku ran 12 routes. Let me be clear: If that remains the case, neither will be a reliable streamer. The Raiders have not been a matchup to avoid with tight ends, as we've seen Travis Kelce, Rob Gronkowski, and Jared Cook all score against them, though Kelce and Gronkowski were the only tight ends who topped 16 yards. Nothing about the matchup screams "must start" against the Raiders, as the 6.90 yards per target ranks 20th, the 61.9 percent completion-rate ranks 25th, and the 1.74 PPR points per target ranks 17th. Bryant would be the preferred option of the two but he's just a middling TE2 while Njoku is a touchdown-or-bust low-end TE2.
|
|
120.
Rex Burkhead
RB - NE (at BUF)
This backfield is a mess, we already knew that. It's only going to get worse if Michel is activated off the IR/COVID list this week, though I'd suspect one of him or Harris would be inactive. But one touch for White last week? What are they doing? White has had a semi-consistent role in the offense, which is why Week 7 was such a surprise. The Bills opponents have run the ball 43.5 percent of the time, which ranks as the 12th-highest mark, but we know Newton will steal some of those carries. The 113.9 fantasy points they've allowed on the ground ranks as the fifth-most in the league, while the 49.1 PPR points they've allowed through the air ranks as the sixth-fewest in the league. Expect the Patriots to try and run the ball quite a bit in this game, as three of the last four opponents the Bills have totaled at least 97 yards on the ground against them with running backs alone. For now, we'll assume that Michel remains out and play Harris as a low-end RB3 option who should net at least a dozen carries. We have to shake off White's big fat zero last week, as he's had a stable role in this offense for a while, but the matchup is not ideal. Consider him a low-end RB3/flex option this week. As for Burkhead, he's had a bigger role than most realize, totaling at least 47 yards in 4-of-6 games, but he's still not someone you should trust more than an emergency RB4 with everyone healthy.
|
|
121.
Adam Humphries
WR - TEN (at CIN)
Humphries is nothing more than a low-end FLEX play in Full PPR formats now with the full allotment of Titans pass-catchers in the lineup.
|
|
122.
Damiere Byrd
WR - NE (at BUF)
At this point, all of the Patriots WRs can be avoided for fantasy football.
|
|
123.
Brian Hill
RB - ATL (at CAR)
|
|
124.
Anthony Miller
WR - CHI (vs . NO)
|
|
125.
Breshad Perriman
WR - NYJ (at KC)
|
|
126.
Josh Reynolds
WR - LAR (at MIA)
Reynolds was featured last week, but his usage has been too sporadic to rely on for fantasy this week. He's a dart throw option for your lineup at best.
|
|
127.
Devonta Freeman
RB - NYG (vs . TB)
|
|
128.
Tony Pollard
RB - DAL (at PHI)
|
|
129.
Nyheim Hines
RB - IND (at DET)
Hines has been seeing just enough work out of the backfield to be in the fantasy football conversation, but he has yet to deliver a solid performance after his week one explosion. Hines is a low-end RB3 this week.
|
|
130.
Russell Gage
WR - ATL (at CAR)
Gage looked to be a solid play last week due to the matchup. He was injured in the first quarter, but he came back in and put up a respectable fantasy outing. However, Gage is still nothing more than a low-end FLEX play.
|
|
131.
James Washington
WR - PIT (at BAL)
|
|
132.
Dalton Schultz
TE - DAL (at PHI)
After looking what might be a solution to tight end problems has turned into... well, another problem. Schultz has totaled just 63 yards over the last three games combined. His targets have dipped as well, which should be expected considering they can't sustain drives on offense and their defense can't get off the field. It is worth noting that the Eagles have been pretty awful at defending tight ends this year, allowing an 81.1 percent catch-rate and 2.29 PPR points per target to them. They've already allowed six different tight ends to finish with at least 9.3 PPR points against them, which is actually a stable floor this year. Included in that bunch is a 39.3-point performance to George Kittle and a 28.4-point performance to Tyler Higbee. Just like the rest of the Cowboys pass catchers, Schultz comes with bad quarterback risk, but this matchup has been one to look forward to with tight ends. He should be considered a middling TE2 who could find his way into the top-10 with some competent quarterback play.
|
|
133.
Danny Amendola
WR - DET (vs . IND)
|
|
134.
Braxton Berrios
WR - NYJ (at KC)
Crowder seems unlikely to suit up in this matchup. With that being the case, Berrios is someone that you can plug into your starting lineup if you're desperate and need a FLEX play. Otherwise, it's probably best just to avoid this receiving corps altogether.
|
|
135.
Marquez Callaway
WR - NO (at CHI)
|
|
136.
Corey Clement
RB - PHI (vs . DAL)
|
|
137.
Tyler Higbee
TE - LAR (at MIA)
With Higbee a late scratch last week, Everett stepped into a slightly bigger role, running 20 routes, which is a number Higbee hasn't hit since Week 1. It's still not a lot of routes, as the Rams essentially let Johnny Mundt run 14 routes as well in Higbee's role. The Dolphins are one of just two teams who've yet to allow a touchdown to tight ends. It's not just that, either, as they've yet to allow a tight end more than 44 yards. It's impressive when you see that George Kittle was one of the tight ends they played when he caught four passes for 44 yards on eight targets, so he wasn't short on volume, either (that was the game Jimmy Garoppolo was benched). This is a Rams tight end group that hasn't had a single player get more than five targets in a game all season, so don't feel the need to play any of them, though Everett is on the TE2 radar if Higbee is out again. If Higbee plays, I wouldn't aim to play either of them.
|
|
138.
N'Keal Harry
WR - NE (at BUF)
|
|
139.
Benny Snell Jr.
RB - PIT (at BAL)
|
|
140.
Jalen Guyton
WR - LAC (at DEN)
|
|
141.
Gabriel Davis
WR - BUF (vs . NE)
|
|
142.
Greg Olsen
TE - SEA (vs . SF)
We're starting to see more of a timeshare between these two tight ends, as we watched Dissly trail Olsen in routes 36-29 last week, which is a very small gap. It's something to monitor, as Dissly hadn't run more than 14 routes in the first five games. Don't forget, he was coming off an Achilles injury, so the recovery was a long one. It's not a shock to see Dissly see a season-high four targets last week. The 49ers have faced an average of just 6.0 targets per game to tight ends, and on those targets, they've allowed just 1.55 PPR points per target, which ranks as the eighth-lowest mark in the league. There have been five tight ends who've seen four-plus targets, but just two of them have topped 22 yards. I'm not big on either of these tight ends until we see one emerge as the clear-cut leader, and from the trend we saw last week, it might be Dissly.
|
|
143.
Marcus Johnson
WR - IND (at DET)
He saw eight targets in Week 6, putting him on the fantasy map. He's run 75 routes over the last three weeks, which isn't a whole lot, as it's less than 75 percent of the routes that Hilton and Pascal are running. He's averaging double the yards per route they are, though his efficiency is unlikely to continue with how unpredictable Rivers has been. The Lions have been a solid matchup for receivers, though they've been better on the perimeter than they have in the slot. The perimeter duo of Amani Oruwariye and Jeff Okudah have combined to allow 38-of-65 passing for 552 yards, but they haven't allowed a touchdown in their coverage. Let's make sure that Johnson wasn't just a flash in the pan for one week, as I'm guessing that Hilton and Pascal are still ahead of him in the pecking order.
|
|
144.
Drew Sample
TE - CIN (vs . TEN)
Sample saw an increased target share last week, but his usage is too unpredictable every single week. You can leave him on your league's waiver wire.
|
|
145.
Gerald Everett
TE - LAR (at MIA)
With Higbee a late scratch last week, Everett stepped into a slightly bigger role, running 20 routes, which is a number Higbee hasn't hit since Week 1. It's still not a lot of routes, as the Rams essentially let Johnny Mundt run 14 routes as well in Higbee's role. The Dolphins are one of just two teams who've yet to allow a touchdown to tight ends. It's not just that, either, as they've yet to allow a tight end more than 44 yards. It's impressive when you see that George Kittle was one of the tight ends they played when he caught four passes for 44 yards on eight targets, so he wasn't short on volume, either (that was the game Jimmy Garoppolo was benched). This is a Rams tight end group that hasn't had a single player get more than five targets in a game all season, so don't feel the need to play any of them, though Everett is on the TE2 radar if Higbee is out again. If Higbee plays, I wouldn't aim to play either of them.
|
|
146.
David Moore
WR - SEA (vs . SF)
|
|
147.
Irv Smith Jr.
TE - MIN (at GB)
He's now seen five targets in back-to-back games, but what you really need to know about is the trends in his playing time. His routes run have gone: 16, 17, 17, 12, 31, 28. It's almost like a lightbulb went off and the Vikings started playing him more. His 59 routes in Weeks 5-6 ranked eighth among tight ends. It's paid off, too, as he's turned those 10 targets into eight receptions for 119 yards. The only concern is that opponents have targeted tight ends just 13.5 percent of the time against the Packers, which ranks as the second-lowest mark in the league. However, when targeted, they have allowed a massive 10.04 yards per target to tight ends on the season, including a 77.8 percent completion-rate. In a game where the Vikings are likely to have 35-plus pass attempts, Smith should be a quality high-end TE2 streamer (and maybe rest of season) option.
|
|
148.
DeeJay Dallas
RB - SEA (vs . SF)
This is certainly a situation to monitor as the week goes on, as we're hearing that Hyde is dealing with a hamstring injury. If he's not able to go, Dallas would have the backfield practically all to himself, as Carson is out for a few weeks and Travis Homer has a bone bruise on his knee. It's not the greatest week to walk into a workhorse role, as the 49ers have allowed a league-low 0.67 PPR points per opportunity to running backs this year. There's been just one running back who's totaled more than 63 yards on the ground against the 49ers, and it was Darrell Henderson, who totaled 88 yards and failed to hit 10 PPR points. They've allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points on the ground to running backs and that's despite not having their bye week out of the way. The 5.70 yards per target is right around the league average, which does benefit Dallas, whose receiving abilities are one of the better parts of his game. There has been just one running back who's finished better than RB17 against the 49ers, so even in a workhorse role, either of these running backs will be nothing more than a low-end RB2. If Hyde is held out, Dallas would be someone to start because he'd be locked into 15-plus touches. I'll be coming back later in the week (by Saturday morning the latest) to update my projections on these two backs as we get more information.
|
|
149.
David Njoku
TE - CLE (vs . LV)
We all thought Njoku would be the starter with Austin Hooper out, but the Browns seem dead set on avoiding Njoku as a full-time player. Still, neither of them played massive roles compared to other tight ends in the league. Bryant ran 17 routes (ranked 26th in Week 7) while Njoku ran 12 routes. Let me be clear: If that remains the case, neither will be a reliable streamer. The Raiders have not been a matchup to avoid with tight ends, as we've seen Travis Kelce, Rob Gronkowski, and Jared Cook all score against them, though Kelce and Gronkowski were the only tight ends who topped 16 yards. Nothing about the matchup screams "must start" against the Raiders, as the 6.90 yards per target ranks 20th, the 61.9 percent completion-rate ranks 25th, and the 1.74 PPR points per target ranks 17th. Bryant would be the preferred option of the two but he's just a middling TE2 while Njoku is a touchdown-or-bust low-end TE2.
|
|
150.
Tyler Johnson
WR - TB (at NYG)
|
|
151.
Matt Breida
RB - MIA (vs . LAR)
With a rookie quarterback making his first NFL start, you'd better expect a run-heavy game plan out of the Dolphins, though that may not last as long as they'd like considering the spread on the game. Going into their bye week, Gaskin ranked 13th among running backs in weighted opportunity, and that's only been rising since they started making Jordan Howard inactive. Over their last two games, Gaskin has totaled 43 total touches, which is obviously great for trust in fantasy lineups. Opponents have averaged 26.0 running back touches per game against the Rams, though they haven't had much success, as they've allowed the 10th-fewest points to the position. There have been three running backs who've been able to crack the top-20 against them, and all of them totaled at least 17 touches. It's also worth noting that all three of those running backs came over the first three weeks of the season, while David Montgomery's 69 scoreless yards for 11.9 PPR points were the best performance against them since Week 3. The area where Gaskin may be able to do some damage is through the air, as he's seen at least four targets in every game, and the Rams have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points through the air to running backs. Gaskin is getting enough touches to get into RB2 territory, though his ceiling isn't very high in this matchup. Breida's role has grown in the two weeks that Howard has been inactive, totaling 18 opportunities in the two games combined, which is enough to consider for desperation RB4 potential, though there are likely better options on your roster.
|
|
152.
KJ Hamler
WR - DEN (vs . LAC)
|
|
153.
Deonte Harris
WR - NO (at CHI)
|
|
154.
Albert Okwuegbunam
TE - DEN (vs . LAC)
Fant returned to the lineup last week and ran a tight end team-high 26 routes, though they only netted three catches for 38 yards, and he appeared hobbled at times throughout the game. Meanwhile Okwuegbunam ran 18 routes and racked up seven catches for 60 yards. Suddenly, Fant may have competition for targets, as "Albert O" has totaled 13 targets over the last two weeks. Don't forget that him and Drew Lock were teammates at Missouri and connected really well. The Chargers have not been a dominant defense against tight ends, and in fact, they are below average, allowing 2.10 PPR points per target, which ranks as the seventh-highest mark in football. Teams have targeted their tight ends just 6.5 times per game, which is far from ideal, but the Broncos have targeted their tight ends 10.2 times per game, so something has to give. With Tim Patrick looking extremely iffy, there may be even more targets to go around. There have already been three top-seven performances by tight ends against the Chargers, so as long as Fant practices in full at some point this week, he should be considered a top-10 play. If he doesn't, things get a bit dicier, so stay tuned here for updates. As for Okwuegbunam, he'd be a borderline TE1 if Fant were to sit out. If Fant plays and Patrick sits, he moves up into the TE2 with upside category. Clearly, there's a lot to sort out here as the week goes on.
|
|
155.
Travis Homer
RB - SEA (vs . SF)
|
|
156.
Cordarrelle Patterson
WR,RB - CHI (vs . NO)
|
|
157.
Jeremy McNichols
RB - TEN (at CIN)
|
|
158.
John Brown
WR - BUF (vs . NE)
Brown should be back for this game and he deserves consideration as a low-end WR3. With him practicing in full on Wednesday, he should be fully recovered from the injury that's plagued him for a few weeks now. We'll need to continue to monitor the practice reports throughout the week, but he's a fine option to plug into your lineup.
|
|
159.
D'Ernest Johnson
RB - CLE (vs . LV)
|
|
160.
Kerryon Johnson
RB - DET (vs . IND)
|
|
161.
Cam Akers
RB - LAR (at MIA)
Fun fact I found while doing research this week: Akers has averaged 4.15 yards after contact, which is one of the best marks in the NFL, though it is a very small sample size (26 carries). Henderson appears to have a stranglehold on the job, though don't get too comfy as a fantasy manager, as continually on a short leash. Still, his weighted opportunity is up there with guys like Jonathan Taylor. Of the production the Dolphins have allowed to skill-position players, 40.4 percent of it has gone to running backs, which is the third-highest mark in the league. But here's one of the craziest stats you might read this week: The Dolphins have faced just one running back all season who's totaled more than 11 carries. That running back was Chris Carson, who went for 80 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Still, the Dolphins have allowed at least 93 rushing yards to running backs in 5-of-6 games this year. If Henderson gets volume, he'll produce like a high-end RB2, as the Dolphins have allowed the third-most fantasy points per opportunity to running backs, behind only the Packers and Raiders. He's totaled at least 14 opportunities in five of the last six games, so we must assume he'll be in that range again, so start him as an RB2 until McVay gives us a reason not to, but I'm not touching him in DFS cash games. After the Week 1 game where Brown had 22 opportunities, he's finished with 11 or less in five of the last six games. He hasn't been forgotten, as he's still received at least seven carries in 6-of-7 games and has 19 targets on the season, so he can be thought of as a last-minute RB4 replacement. Akers hasn't had a touch the last two weeks, so it's hard to recommend him to even be rostered at this point.
|
|
162.
John Hightower
WR - PHI (vs . DAL)
|
|
163.
Tyler Kroft
TE - BUF (vs . NE)
There is not a Bills tight end you can play with any confidence. We're almost halfway through the season, and no Bills tight end has topped five targets in a game. In fact, there have been just two occasions where a tight end has seen more than three targets. Nevermind the fact that the Patriots are one of the best in the league at stopping tight ends.
|
|
164.
Donovan Peoples-Jones
WR - CLE (vs . LV)
|
|
165.
Jeff Smith
WR - NYJ (at KC)
|
|
166.
Will Dissly
TE - SEA (vs . SF)
We're starting to see more of a timeshare between these two tight ends, as we watched Dissly trail Olsen in routes 36-29 last week, which is a very small gap. It's something to monitor, as Dissly hadn't run more than 14 routes in the first five games. Don't forget, he was coming off an Achilles injury, so the recovery was a long one. It's not a shock to see Dissly see a season-high four targets last week. The 49ers have faced an average of just 6.0 targets per game to tight ends, and on those targets, they've allowed just 1.55 PPR points per target, which ranks as the eighth-lowest mark in the league. There have been five tight ends who've seen four-plus targets, but just two of them have topped 22 yards. I'm not big on either of these tight ends until we see one emerge as the clear-cut leader, and from the trend we saw last week, it might be Dissly.
|
|
167.
Devontae Booker
RB - LV (at CLE)
|
|
168.
AJ Dillon
RB - GB (vs . MIN)
|
|
169.
Chris Herndon IV
TE - NYJ (at KC)
Over the last two weeks, the Jets tight ends have combined for five targets (Ryan Griffin 3, Herndon 1, Wesco 1). That's not going to appeal to anyone, especially when they had one of the best matchups in the league last week when they played the Bills. None of them caught a single pass in that game. You cannot start a Jets tight end right now, and it's not like the Chiefs have been extremely giving to them.
|
|
170.
Jalen Richard
RB - LV (at CLE)
|
|
171.
Jakobi Meyers
WR - NE (at BUF)
At this point, all of the Patriots WRs can be avoided for fantasy football.
|
|
172.
Byron Pringle
WR - KC (vs . NYJ)
|
|
173.
Samaje Perine
RB - CIN (vs . TEN)
|
|
174.
Ian Thomas
TE - CAR (vs . ATL)
Even in a plus-matchup with the Saints, Thomas saw one target. He's now seen two or less targets in 6-of-7 games and hasn't topped 16 yards. You're not going to consider him, even against a Falcons team that's allowed more fantasy points to the tight end position than any other team in the league.
|
|
175.
Jordan Wilkins
RB - IND (at DET)
|
|
176.
Anthony McFarland Jr.
RB - PIT (at BAL)
|
|
177.
Anthony Firkser
TE - TEN (at CIN)
|
|
178.
Dion Lewis
RB - NYG (vs . TB)
|
|
179.
Royce Freeman
RB - DEN (vs . LAC)
Freeman gets a slight bump up in touches if Lindsay misses this game, but he shouldn't be someone that you're looking at for fantasy purposes.
|
|
180.
Darrius Shepherd
WR - GB (vs . MIN)
|
|
181.
Mike Thomas
WR - CIN (vs . TEN)
|
|
182.
Freddie Swain
WR - SEA (vs . SF)
|
|
183.
Trent Taylor
WR - SF (at SEA)
|
|
184.
Cedrick Wilson
WR - DAL (at PHI)
|
|
185.
Kyle Juszczyk
RB - SF (at SEA)
|
|
186.
Isaiah Ford
WR - MIA (vs . LAR)
|
|
187.
Isaiah McKenzie
WR - BUF (vs . NE)
|
|
188.
Jack Doyle
TE - IND (at DET)
|
|
189.
Kalif Raymond
WR - TEN (at CIN)
|
|
190.
Cameron Brate
TE - TB (at NYG)
|
|
191.
Kyle Rudolph
TE - MIN (at GB)
|
|
192.
DaeSean Hamilton
WR - DEN (vs . LAC)
|
|
193.
Dontrell Hilliard
RB - CLE (vs . LV)
|
|
194.
Devin Duvernay
WR - BAL (vs . PIT)
|
|
195.
Jason Huntley
RB - PHI (vs . DAL)
|
|
196.
Malik Taylor
WR - GB (vs . MIN)
|
|
197.
Justin Watson
WR - TB (at NYG)
|
|
198.
Jalen Reagor
WR - PHI (vs . DAL)
|
|
199.
Zay Jones
WR - LV (at CLE)
|
|
200.
Jamison Crowder
WR - NYJ (at KC)
|
|
201.
Mark Ingram II
RB - BAL (vs . PIT)
|
|
202.
Van Jefferson
WR - LAR (at MIA)
|
|
203.
Darrel Williams
RB - KC (vs . NYJ)
|
|
204.
LeSean McCoy
RB - TB (at NYG)
|
|
205.
Joe Mixon
RB - CIN (vs . TEN)
|
|
206.
Jakeem Grant
WR - MIA (vs . LAR)
|
|
207.
Richie James Jr.
WR - SF (at SEA)
|
|
208.
Trenton Cannon
RB - CAR (vs . ATL)
|
|
209.
Alec Ingold
RB - LV (at CLE)
|
|
210.
JJ Arcega-Whiteside
WR - PHI (vs . DAL)
|
|
211.
Austin Mack
WR - NYG (vs . TB)
|
|
212.
Ty Johnson
RB - NYJ (at KC)
|
|
213.
Marvin Hall
WR - DET (vs . IND)
|
|
214.
Olamide Zaccheaus
WR - ATL (at CAR)
|
|
215.
Cole Kmet
TE - CHI (vs . NO)
|
|
216.
Trayveon Williams
RB - CIN (vs . TEN)
|
|
217.
Jakob Johnson
RB,TE - NE (at BUF)
|
|
218.
Willie Snead IV
WR - BAL (vs . PIT)
|
|
219.
Alex Armah
RB - CAR (vs . ATL)
|
|
220.
Jaylen Samuels
RB - PIT (at BAL)
|
|
221.
Ryan Nall
RB - CHI (vs . NO)
|
|
222.
Miles Boykin
WR - BAL (vs . PIT)
|
|
223.
Ke'Shawn Vaughn
RB - TB (at NYG)
|
|
224.
Chris Carson
RB - SEA (vs . SF)
At this point, Carson has to be considered superhuman, right? Carson is now considered a game-time decision against the 49ers after reportedly being out for 1-2 weeks. Sound familiar? Carson's a risky RB2 play, especially when you factor in the late afternoon game timing, but he's better than some of the other options in this range. We'll need to see if he practices Thursday or Friday, but this is a situation to keep monitoring.
|
|
225.
Troymaine Pope
RB - LAC (at DEN)
|
|
226.
Michael Burton
RB - NO (at CHI)
|
|
227.
Andy Janovich
RB - CLE (vs . LV)
|
|
228.
Reggie Gilliam
RB,TE - BUF (vs . NE)
|
|
229.
Brandon Powell
WR - ATL (at CAR)
|
|
230.
Nick Boyle
TE - BAL (vs . PIT)
|
|
231.
DeAndre Washington
RB - KC (vs . NYJ)
|
|
232.
Vance McDonald
TE - PIT (at BAL)
|
|
233.
Ray-Ray McCloud
WR - PIT (at BAL)
|
|
234.
Miles Sanders
RB - PHI (vs . DAL)
As of right now, it appears that Sanders is on track to play in this game. He's being listed as day-to-day by the team, but this is a situation that is worth monitoring. If he does play, Sanders is an automatic low-end RB1 with the matchup.
|
|
235.
Rico Dowdle
RB - DAL (at PHI)
|
|
236.
Elijhaa Penny
RB - NYG (vs . TB)
|
|
237.
Dexter Williams
RB - GB (vs . MIN)
|
|
238.
Justice Hill
RB - BAL (vs . PIT)
|
|
239.
Lynn Bowden Jr.
WR,RB - MIA (vs . LAR)
|
|
240.
Darwin Thompson
RB - KC (vs . NYJ)
|
|
241.
Christian Blake
WR - ATL (at CAR)
|
|
242.
Jace Sternberger
TE - GB (vs . MIN)
|
|
243.
T.J. Yeldon
RB - BUF (vs . NE)
|
|
244.
Ty Montgomery
RB - NO (at CHI)
|
|
245.
Mike Boone
RB - MIN (at GB)
|
|
246.
Jason Witten
TE - LV (at CLE)
|
|
247.
Adam Shaheen
TE - MIA (vs . LAR)
|
|
248.
Ryan Griffin
TE - NYJ (at KC)
|
|
249.
Ryan Izzo
TE - NE (at BUF)
If there's a game where you can simply ignore all tight ends, it's this one. The Patriots have played six games, and despite having a lack of receiving threats, no Patriots tight end has seen more than three targets in a game, and no tight end has recorded more than 38 yards or scored a touchdown. Avoid.
|
|
250.
Keith Smith
RB - ATL (at CAR)
|
|
251.
Ameer Abdullah
RB - MIN (at GB)
|
|
252.
Foster Moreau
TE - LV (at CLE)
|
|
253.
Donald Parham Jr.
TE - LAC (at DEN)
|
|
254.
Jason Croom
TE - PHI (vs . DAL)
|
|
255.
Jesse James
TE - DET (vs . IND)
|
|
256.
Josh Adams
RB - NYJ (at KC)
|
|
257.
Nick Vannett
TE - DEN (vs . LAC)
|
|
258.
Tyron Johnson
WR - LAC (at DEN)
|
|
259.
Michael Thomas
WR - NO (at CHI)
He suffered a hamstring injury in practice last week, leading to him missing that game, and is now considered questionable for this game. It's something I'll come back and update by Saturday morning, but for now, we'll expect him back. Returning to a matchup with the Bears would be a tough one, as they've allowed a league-low 1.43 PPR points per target to receivers, which is 8.9 percent lower than the closest team (Rams). It's not due to lack of trying by opponents, as they've faced 20.4 targets per game to receivers alone, yet they've still not allowed a single top-20 wide receiver performance on the year. Keep in mind they've played against Mike Evans (who saw nine targets that game), Calvin Ridley (12 targets), D.J. Moore (11 targets), Robby Anderson, Cooper Kupp, and Robert Woods. That's a diverse collection of receivers. You wouldn't even consider benching Thomas in redraft leagues, but this is not a week to play Thomas in anything outside of tournaments in DFS.
|
|
260.
Kaden Smith
TE - NYG (vs . TB)
|
|
261.
C.J. Ham
RB - MIN (at GB)
|
|
262.
Mo Alie-Cox
TE - IND (at DET)
|
|
263.
Nick Keizer
TE - KC (vs . NYJ)
|
|
264.
Adam Trautman
TE - NO (at CHI)
|
|
265.
Taywan Taylor
WR - CLE (vs . LV)
|
|
266.
KhaDarel Hodge
WR - CLE (vs . LV)
|
|
267.
Chris Manhertz
TE - CAR (vs . ATL)
|
|
268.
Chad Beebe
WR - MIN (at GB)
|
|
269.
Josh Hill
TE - NO (at CHI)
|
|
270.
Tanner Hudson
TE - TB (at NYG)
|
|
271.
Demetrius Harris
TE - CHI (vs . NO)
|
|
272.
Javon Wims
WR - CHI (vs . NO)
|
|
273.
Alshon Jeffery
WR - PHI (vs . DAL)
|
|
274.
Austin Hooper
TE - CLE (vs . LV)
|
|
275.
Olabisi Johnson
WR - MIN (at GB)
|
|
276.
Jacob Hollister
TE - SEA (vs . SF)
|
|
277.
Isaiah Zuber
WR - NE (at BUF)
|
|
278.
Jordan Howard
RB - MIA (vs . LAR)
|
|
279.
Kalen Ballage
RB - LAC (at DEN)
|
|
280.
Johnny Mundt
TE - LAR (at MIA)
|
|
281.
Anthony Sherman
RB - KC (vs . NYJ)
|
|
282.
Auden Tate
WR - CIN (vs . TEN)
|
|
283.
Marcedes Lewis
TE - GB (vs . MIN)
|
|
284.
Blake Bell
TE - DAL (at PHI)
|
|
285.
Bryan Edwards
WR - LV (at CLE)
|
|
286.
Gunner Olszewski
WR - NE (at BUF)
|
|
287.
Austin Carr
WR - NO (at CHI)
|
|
288.
Equanimeous St. Brown
WR - GB (vs . MIN)
|
|
289.
Trevon Wesco
TE - NYJ (at KC)
|
|
290.
Ross Dwelley
TE - SF (at SEA)
|
|
291.
Cam Batson
WR - TEN (at CIN)
|
|
292.
Dalton Keene
TE - NE (at BUF)
|
|
293.
Patrick Laird
RB - MIA (vs . LAR)
|
|
294.
Emmanuel Sanders
WR - NO (at CHI)
|
|
295.
Khari Blasingame
RB - TEN (at CIN)
|
|
296.
Sammy Watkins
WR - KC (vs . NYJ)
Someone asked Watkins on Twitter during last week's game if he'd be back in Week 8 and he said yes, so it seems he's feeling better. The three full games he's played this year have netted 9, 8, and 7 targets, so he's certainly someone who needs to be on the fantasy radar. The Jets have been a decent matchup for receivers to this point, although the 1.81 PPR points per target they've allowed is right near the league average. That's kept them right in the middle of the pack when it comes to fantasy points allowed, as they rank 15th against wide receivers. Watkins primary matchup would be the best on the field, as Pierre Desir has allowed 24-of-33 passing for 299 yards and five touchdowns (most in NFL) in his coverage. We have to see how Watkins is doing in practice before playing him with any confidence, but this matchup isn't one that should cause you to be concerned. If he practices in full, he can be considered an upside WR4. If he doesn't play, Robinson would move into the WR4/5 conversation.
|
|
297.
Ashton Dulin
WR - IND (at DET)
|
|
298.
Deon Yelder
TE - KC (vs . NYJ)
|
|
299.
Mason Schreck
TE - CIN (vs . TEN)
|
|
300.
Stephen Carlson
WR - CLE (vs . LV)
|
|
301.
Luke Stocker
TE - ATL (at CAR)
|
|
302.
Keith Kirkwood
WR - CAR (vs . ATL)
|
|
303.
Taiwan Jones
RB - BUF (vs . NE)
|
|
304.
Geoff Swaim
TE - TEN (at CIN)
|
|
305.
Joe Reed
WR - LAC (at DEN)
|
|
306.
Tyler Conklin
TE - MIN (at GB)
|
|
307.
Noah Brown
WR - DAL (at PHI)
|
|
308.
Tyler Ervin
RB - GB (vs . MIN)
|
|
309.
Pharoh Cooper
WR - CAR (vs . ATL)
|
|
310.
Durham Smythe
TE - MIA (vs . LAR)
|
|
311.
MyCole Pruitt
TE - TEN (at CIN)
|
|
312.
J.J. Taylor
RB - NE (at BUF)
|
|
313.
Patrick Ricard
RB,DT - BAL (vs . PIT)
|
|
314.
K.J. Hill
WR - LAC (at DEN)
|
|
315.
Charlie Woerner
TE - SF (at SEA)
|
|
316.
Marcus Kemp
WR - KC (vs . NYJ)
|
|
317.
Juwan Johnson
WR - NO (at CHI)
|
|
318.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
WR - TEN (at CIN)
|
|
319.
Daurice Fountain
WR - IND (at DET)
|
|
320.
Jaeden Graham
TE - ATL (at CAR)
|
|
321.
Paul Butler
TE - FA (BYE)
|
|
322.
Jaydon Mickens
WR - TB (at NYG)
|
|
323.
Vyncint Smith
WR - NYJ (at KC)
|
|
324.
Qadree Ollison
RB - ATL (at CAR)
|
|
325.
Colin Thompson
TE - CAR (vs . ATL)
|
|
326.
Gabe Nabers
RB - LAC (at DEN)
|
|
327.
Alex Erickson
WR - CIN (vs . TEN)
|
|
328.
Ted Ginn Jr.
WR - CHI (vs . NO)
|
|
329.
Levine Toilolo
TE - NYG (vs . TB)
|
|
330.
John Ross
WR - CIN (vs . TEN)
|
|
331.
Cethan Carter
TE,RB - CIN (vs . TEN)
|
|
332.
Deon Cain
WR - PIT (at BAL)
|
|
333.
Devin Asiasi
TE - NE (at BUF)
|
|
334.
De'Michael Harris
WR - IND (at DET)
|
|
335.
Chandler Cox
FB - MIA (vs . LAR)
|
|
336.
Seth Roberts
WR - FA (BYE)
|
|
337.
Hakeem Butler
WR,TE - PHI (vs . DAL)
|
|
338.
Ricky Seals-Jones
TE - KC (vs . NYJ)
|
|
339.
Stephen Anderson
TE - LAC (at DEN)
|
|
340.
Brandon Zylstra
WR - CAR (vs . ATL)
|
|
341.
Andre Roberts
WR - BUF (vs . NE)
|
|
342.
Tyrie Cleveland
WR - DEN (vs . LAC)
|
|
343.
Lee Smith
TE - BUF (vs . NE)
|
|
|
344.
DeMichael Harris
WR - IND (at DET)
|
|
345.
Isaac Nauta
TE,RB - DET (vs . IND)
|
|
346.
Marken Michel
WR - CAR (vs . ATL)
|
|
347.
James Proche
WR - BAL (vs . PIT)
|
|
348.
Jeremy Cox
RB - DEN (vs . LAC)
|
|
349.
Sean McKeon
TE - DAL (at PHI)
|
|
350.
J.P. Holtz
TE - CHI (vs . NO)
|
|
351.
Deontay Burnett
WR - PHI (vs . DAL)
|
|
352.
Noah Togiai
TE - IND (at DET)
|
|
353.
D'Onta Foreman
RB - TEN (at CIN)
|
|
354.
Derek Watt
RB - PIT (at BAL)
|
|
355.
Dante Pettis
WR - SF (at SEA)
|
|
356.
Luke Willson
TE - SEA (vs . SF)
|
|
357.
Cyril Grayson Jr.
WR - TB (at NYG)
|
|
358.
Tajae Sharpe
WR - MIN (at GB)
|
|
359.
Andrew Beck
TE - DEN (vs . LAC)
|
|
360.
Mack Hollins
WR - MIA (vs . LAR)
|
|
361.
Quintez Cephus
WR - DET (vs . IND)
|
|
362.
Quez Watkins
WR - PHI (vs . DAL)
|
|
363.
Duke Williams
WR - BUF (vs . NE)
|
|
364.
Diontae Spencer
WR - DEN (vs . LAC)
|
