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Fantasy Football Player Notes

Week 1 Rankings

Justin Jefferson Note
Justin Jefferson photo 9. Justin Jefferson WR - (vs . TB)
In his three seasons in the league, Jefferson has finished WR6, WR4 and WR1 in fantasy scoring. In 50 career regular-season games, Jefferson has averaged 6.5 receptions, 96.5 receiving yards and 0.5 touchdowns per contest. There's not much else to say here. If you were lucky enough to be positioned to draft Jefferson, you're starting him and feeling great about it.
27 weeks ago
Aaron Jones Note
Aaron Jones photo 14. Aaron Jones RB - (vs . TB)
Jones has been seldom used with the first-team offense during the preseason, twice just playing one snap before being taken out of the game entirely. His fantasy value will remain through his uber-efficient rushing effectiveness and his proficiency as one of the league's best RB pass-catchers. He ripped through the Bears defense early last season with 132 yards on 15 carries. Jones followed up with a strong receiving game, catching five targets for 24 yards in the second matchup. With A.J. Dillon taking over red zone duties, Jones settles in the mid-range RB2 territory in a plus-matchup.
27 weeks ago
Cam Akers Note
Cam Akers photo 19. Cam Akers RB - (vs . TB)
I would expect to see more of what we saw of Cam Akers during the latter part of the 2022 Rams' season, when he operated as a full-blown bell cow over the final six weeks of the season leading the NFL in rushing yards (85 yards per game). The matchup versus a questionable Seahawks' run defense - albeit one that should be improved after offseason moves - is one we saw Akers take advantage of last season. He averaged 82 rushing yards, 21 touches and 16.4 points per game in two matchups versus the Seahawks in 2022. And it was the first Seattle game that Akers got back into the good graces of Sean McVay, out-touching Kyren Williams 18 to 3. I'd easily expect double-digit carries for Akers and some solid rushing production with volume on his side. But a ceiling game might not be in the cards if Akers fails to find the end zone or loses work in the receiving game to Williams, who the team has rested as a "starter" along with Akers during the preseason. Akers is a backend RB2, but profiles more as a floor than ceiling play in Week 1. Likely wouldn't FLEX him if I wanted more upside.
27 weeks ago
T.J. Hockenson Note
T.J. Hockenson photo 68. T.J. Hockenson TE - (vs . TB)
After a midseason trade took him from Detroit to Minnesota, Hockenson averaged 8.6 targets, 6.0 catches and 51.9 receiving yards in 10 games with the Vikings. Is Hockenson still the No. 2 target in the Vikings' passing game behind Justin Jefferson, or will Jordan Addison usurp that role and diminish Hock's fantasy value? The guess here is that Hock remains one of the more valuable tight ends in fantasy but sees a noteworthy reduction in targets. Start him this week against a Buccaneers defense that allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to tight ends last year.
27 weeks ago
Jordan Addison Note
Jordan Addison photo 73. Jordan Addison WR - (vs . TB)
The Vikings are currently listing Addison behind K.J. Osborn on their depth chart, but Addison will be on the field in three-receiver sets, and it's possible he'll play with Justin Jefferson in two-receiver sets. The Vikings' first-round draft pick is 5-11, 173 pounds and not especially athletic, but he is a route-running savant a la Keenan Allen. With Justin Jefferson hogging targets for the Vikings, Addison will pose a difficult start/sit dilemma for many of his fantasy managers. Best to play it cautiously and view Addison as a midrange WR4 for Week 1.
27 weeks ago
Ty Chandler Note
Ty Chandler photo 171. Ty Chandler RB - (vs . TB)
The fleet-footed Chandler appears to have earned the Vikings' No. 2 RB job. He didn't have an illustrious college career, but Chandler did run for more than 1,000 yards as a fifth-year senior at North Carolina. Speed is Chandler's calling card, as he clocked a 4.38 at the NFL Scouting Combine. We'll need a prove-it game before regarding Chandler as fantasy viable, but at least he's positioned to give us one.
27 weeks ago
Myles Gaskin Note
Myles Gaskin photo 227. Myles Gaskin RB - (vs . TB)
DeWayne McBride Note
DeWayne McBride photo 232. DeWayne McBride RB - (vs . TB)
Trent Sherfield Note
Trent Sherfield photo 249. Trent Sherfield WR - (vs . TB)
Josh Oliver Note
Josh Oliver photo 265. Josh Oliver TE - (vs . TB)
C.J. Ham Note
C.J. Ham photo 280. C.J. Ham RB - (vs . TB)
Jalen Nailor Note
Jalen Nailor photo 293. Jalen Nailor WR - (vs . TB)
Johnny Mundt Note
Johnny Mundt photo 332. Johnny Mundt TE - (vs . TB)
Brandon Powell Note
Brandon Powell photo 333. Brandon Powell WR - (vs . TB)
N'Keal Harry Note
N'Keal Harry photo 372. N'Keal Harry WR - (vs . TB)
Troy Fumagalli Note
Troy Fumagalli photo 458. Troy Fumagalli TE - (vs . TB)
Trishton Jackson Note
Trishton Jackson photo 492. Trishton Jackson WR - (vs . TB)
Thayer Thomas Note
Thayer Thomas photo 495. Thayer Thomas WR - (vs . TB)