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Welcome back to the Rookie Report! Week 8 brought us the coming-out party for David Montgomery, touchdowns for Miles Sanders & Devin Singletary, multiple touchdowns for DK Metcalf and Darius Slayton, and another sparkling Gardner Minshew performance. Week 9 has already brought us the benching of Andy Dalton for rookie Ryan Finley and the games haven’t even started yet. Finley may be worth a speculative add in 2QB leagues despite the Bengals being on a bye in week 9. I expect him to be more of a game manager type in the same vein as Dalton, but he will have some weapons to work with. Dalton was the QB18 on the year and hasn’t had AJ Green on the field for a single snap. Green is expected to return after the bye. We’re approaching the home stretch of the fantasy regular season and hitting some of the biggest bye weeks of the year. Hopefully, you’ve got the depth to withstand the byes, but if not, there are certainly some rookies who might help you survive. Let’s dive into the week 9 outlook.

Rookies to Start:

RB Josh Jacobs, OAK (Wk. 9: vs. Det.): Jacobs had his lowest rushing yardage total since Week 3 and failed to find the end zone last Sunday, but he still posted a passable week with 10.1 PPR points. It’s certainly not the kind of output you hope for from him, but if he’s going to finish as the RB28 when he has a bad game, I’d be more than comfortable firing him up as an RB2 every week. Jacobs gets a favorable matchup against the Lions this week. Detroit has allowed the 3^rd-most RB points per game on the year and ranks 19^th in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA stat which measures defensive efficiency. They’ve given up a league-worst 62 receiving yards per game to opposing backs, and while Jacobs hasn’t been Oakland’s primary receiving back, he does have multiple catches in 3 straight games. Jacobs should be in your lineups if you have him.

WR DK Metcalf, SEA (Wk. 9: vs. TB): Now that Metcalf has finally broken through and had his first top-24 week of the season, he gets a chance to duplicate the feat in about the best possible matchup. The Bucs are what we call a pass funnel defense. They rank 1^st in the league in run defense DVOA, but 26^th in pass defense DVOA. Seattle will undoubtedly be looking to establish the run in a game where they’re a touchdown favorite, but this secondary is too porous to not go after. The Bucs allow the 5^th-most WR points per game and have given up 9 receiving TDs to opposing receivers through 7 games. Metcalf has been Russ’s favorite weapon in close with 11 red zone targets. I like his chances at 50+ yards and a score this week.

Borderline Rookies:

QB Gardner Minshew, JAX (Wk. 9: vs. Hou. (London)): Gardner Minshew continues to make it harder for the Jaguars to go back to Nick Foles whenever he is ready to return. Minshew posted his best fantasy game of the year last week, finishing as the QB5, and gets another favorable matchup in London Sunday morning. Gardner had a passable fantasy day when these teams met in week 2, finishing as the QB15, but the Texans’ pass defense has been trending in the wrong direction since then, and they lost JJ Watt for the year. They’ve given up at least 270 passing yards and 3 TDs through the air in 4 straight games, a stretch that included matchups with Jacoby Brissett and Derek Carr. I wouldn’t just assume Minshew will match that kind of day, but he’s more of a borderline QB1 this week than just the usual solid QB2 play that he typically is. The Texans allow the 6^th-most QB points per game and rank 23^rd in pass defense DVOA.

QB Daniel Jones, NYG (Wk. 9: vs. Dal.): With Jared Goff, Matt Ryan, and Drew Brees all on byes this week, and Brandon Allen and Dwayne Haskins likely to make starts, Jones has to at least be in consideration as a QB2. He posted his best passing day of the year in Detroit last week and finished as the QB1 for the week. The matchup this week is much tougher with Dallas coming to town. The Cowboys have allowed the 4^th-fewest QB points per game, but they have been notably worse on the road, allowing 16+ points to Case Keenum and Sam Darnold in 2 of their 3 road games this year. That’s obviously a small sample and hard to bank on, but Jones is starting to make some strides as his offensive weapons get healthy, and I like his chances of finishing this week as a mid-range QB2 or better. Dallas ranks just a middling 17^th in pass defense DVOA.

RB Miles Sanders, PHI (Wk. 9: vs. Chi.): Sanders has been doing an incredible job of making the most of a less than ideal situation. He’s had to deal with being used as a second fiddle to Jordan Howard in the running game, but in the last 3 weeks, he’s turned 21 touches into 242 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 RB9 finishes. Those top-10 weeks were sandwiched around an RB36 finish in week 7. It appears that the Eagles are figuring out how to best deploy Sanders to maximize his game-breaking ability, but the lack of consistent touches is going to give him a low floor in weeks where he doesn’t cash in a big play. The matchup with the Bears this week is actually better than you might think. Chicago is allowing the 8^th-most running back points per game, and they’ve struggled to slow down pass-catching backs. They’ve allowed the 4^th-most receptions and 6^th-most receiving yards per game to the position. The volume is suspect, but this is a decent spot to use Sanders in your flex and hope his strong performances continue.

RB David Montgomery, CHI (Wk. 9: @Phi.): The difference in Montgomery’s output in week 7 and his output in week 8 is staggering. It really makes you wonder what Matt Nagy was thinking against New Orleans when he only ran Monty 3 times. The ISU product was a revelation in week 8, piling up over 130 rushing yards and a touchdown against one of the worst run defenses in the NFL. In week 9 he’ll face one of the best. The Bears would be wise to continue to feed him the ball given how poorly Mitch Trubisky has played, but success has been hard to come by for running backs against the Eagles. Philly has allowed 5 backs all year to finish as the PPR RB17 or better (only 1 higher than RB15), and every single one of them tallied more than 9 and a half points as a receiver. Monty’s best receiving output of the year was the 5.2 PPR points he put up last Sunday (4 catches for 12 yards). The Eagles rank 6^th in run defense DVOA. Volume alone should keep Monty in consideration this week as an RB2/flex option, but this could be another one of those weeks where you’re cursing his name afterward.

RB Devin Singletary, BUF (Wk. 9: vs. Was.): The final numbers from week 8 are extremely promising for Singletary. He found the end zone for the second time this year and finished as the PPR RB17 despite handling just 7 touches, and more importantly played 68% of the Bills’ offensive snaps while Frank Gore handled just 29%. I’d like to take a moment to tell people with Singletary on their rosters not to get ahead of themselves just yet. Singletary saw just one offensive touch before the Eagles had opened up a two-score lead in the early second half. Frank Gore is still going to be the lead back in this offense when the Bills play from ahead, and they should do that this week as a 9.5-point favorite against Washington. There should still be a good amount of work for Singletary in a pretty favorable matchup, but don’t expect him to play two-thirds of the snaps again this week unless the Bills are playing from behind. Washington allows the 10^th-most RB points per game and ranks 18^th in run defense DVOA. Singletary is an upside flex play this week.

WR Marquise Brown, BAL (Wk. 9: vs. NE): Brown is expected to return this week, and the Ravens have had the bye week to try and come up with a plan to attack the Patriots’ defense. The Pats have been performing at a historic level, but the Ravens’ offense is something different than what they’ve faced this year. Hollywood’s production had dipped a bit prior to his hamstring injury, as he totaled just 9-93-1 on 21 targets in the previous 3 games he’s played, but I’d look for the Ravens to try and get him involved early in this one. New England allows the fewest WR points per game, so this is a dicey spot to get Brown back in your lineups, but he’s an intriguing contrarian play in DFS lineups at just $4,800 on DraftKings. You also are going to be hard pressed to find a player with more upside than Brown if you need a bye week fill-in this week in deeper leagues.

WR Diontae Johnson, PIT (WK. 9: vs. Ind.): With Mason Rudolph at QB, Johnson has ascended to the clear WR2 in the Pittsburgh offense. He’s got almost as many targets from Rudolph as JuJu does, and in the 3 games that Rudolph has started and finished, Johnson has totaled 14-211-3 on 19 targets. The Colts have been worse against the run than the pass, but they’ve been no more than a middling defense against wide receivers. With both James Conner and Benny Snell unlikely to play, the Steelers may be throwing a bit more than usual in this one. Johnson should be right on the cusp of being a WR3 option this week.

Rookies to Sit:

QB Kyler Murray, ARI (Wk. 9: vs. SF): Murray is coming off his two worst fantasy games of the season, and this week runs into an absolute buzzsaw on a short week. The 49ers defense has been playing at an insane level of late. Since their week 4 bye, they haven’t allowed a single passing touchdown or QB rushing yard and have limited their last 4 opponents to 412 passing yards total. It’s true they haven’t faced a real running QB yet this season, so Murray could test them in some ways they haven’t been tested yet, but there’s no way I would trust Murray in fantasy lineups this week.

QB Dwayne Haskins, WAS (Wk. 9: @Buf.): It looks as though Haskins is likely to make his first career start this week if Case Keenum can’t get out of the concussion protocol, but this is a brutal spot to get an opportunity. The Bills allow the 5^th-fewest QB points per game and haven’t allowed any passer to throw for multiple touchdowns against them yet. Nothing we’ve seen from Haskins suggests he’ll be the first guy to do it. Washington looked afraid to throw the football in the second half last Thursday with Haskins in, as he attempted just 5 passes in the second half despite the team trailing for the entire half. I’d be surprised if Haskins throws the ball more than 20 times, and even more surprised if he does anything productive with those throws.

RB Alexander Mattison, MIN (Wk. 9: @KC): Mattison did what I expected him to do last week and thrived in a game the Vikings won easily. Earlier this year you would not have pegged this game at Arrowhead as one the Vikings were likely to win easily, but with Matt Moore at QB it’s a very real possibility. The Chiefs have struggled against opposing backs, allowing the 4^th-most fantasy points per game to the position and ranking 30^th in run defense DVOA. All of this adds up to Mattison having some sleeper appeal, but I would struggle to pull the trigger on that this week. The Chiefs have played better than I would’ve expected with Moore at QB, and Mattison needs the team to be up comfortably to get significant touches. With a price tag of $5,000 on DraftKings, he’s a little too expensive to be a sneaky option in GPP tournaments for me.

RB Benny Snell, PIT (Wk. 9: vs. Ind.): Snell exited Monday night’s game with a knee injury and seems to be at best very questionable for Sunday’s tilt with the Colts. James Conner was hurt as well, but early reports make it sound like Conner has a better chance of suiting up this week than Snell. The guy who should pick up the slack is Jaylen Samuels, who will serve as the lead back if Conner is unable to go. There is some upside here with the Colts ranking 29^th in run defense DVOA, so Snell has some minor sleeper appeal if he plays and Conner doesn’t, but he would still be the change of pace back to Samuels in that case. He’s probably best left on the bench this week even if he does play.

WR Terry McLaurin, WAS (Wk. 9: @Buf.): Some of you might not have the luxury of being able to sit McLaurin and as Washington’s WR1 there is still at least a little upside here, but I list him in the ‘Rookies to Sit’ section to drive home just how unfavorable this spot is for him. If Haskins starts it’ll be hard to justify starting McLaurin. The Bills allow the 5^th-fewest WR points per game and the total passing volume for Washington would be limited. The Bills haven’t allowed a receiver touchdown this season and have only allowed 3 receivers all year to average 15 yards per catch or more: Josh Gordon (3-46), Allen Hurns (3-53) and Alshon Jeffery (4-64). If McLaurin has a limited number of targets, it’s going to be hard to put up big yards or TDs in this one. If Keenum plays, McLaurin becomes more of a low-ceiling borderline play, but this could be a tough week for the F1.

WR AJ Brown, TEN (Wk. 9: @Car.): Ryan Tannehill reminded us last week that he’s still Ryan Tannehill and made any of us who believed in the offensive resurgence the Titans showed in week 7 look like fools. Brown salvaged his fantasy day with a touchdown, but 3 targets isn’t the kind of volume that fantasy winners thrive on. The Panthers have been a better pass defense than you might realize, ranking 3^rd in the league in pass defense DVOA. Look for the Titans to focus on the ground game for much of this one, making Brown more of a TD dart throw again this week.

WR Deebo Samuel, SF (Wk. 9: @Ari.): The 49ers have been scheming the ball into Deebo’s hands, which is exciting to see, but this offense isn’t high-volume enough to have 3 fantasy-viable pass catchers, and the top 2 look to clearly be George Kittle and Emmanuel Sanders. Samuel will have weeks where finds the end zone and/or has nice production, but this is unlikely to be one of those weeks with the Niners favored by double-digits. It should be a lot of Tevin Coleman, Matt Breida, and even some Raheem Mostert this week.

WR Mecole Hardman, KC (Wk. 9: vs. Min.): Hardman managed to produce a long touchdown on Sunday night, but he did so on just 2 targets while splitting WR3 snaps with Demarcus Robinson due to the return of Sammy Watkins. With Matt Moore under center that is about the best performance you can expect from Hardman. He’ll be a TD dart throw once again this week. The Vikings have allowed just 2 pass plays of 40+ yards all year, and if I had to bet on a Chief to put up a 3^rd one it would be Tyreek Hill. There are likely safer options available this week than Hardman.

WR Hunter Renfrow, OAK (Wk. 9: vs. Det.): This isn’t the worst spot to hope for Renfrow to build on what he did last week, but almost all of his production came on one long play that isn’t likely to be repeated this week. The Lions have struggled with slot receivers, but most of the guys they have had those issues with have been much more proven than Renfrow (Golden Tate, Keenan Allen, Larry Fitzgerald). That one TD accounted for more than 30% of Renfrow’s PPR points for the season. Outside of that play he has just 17 catches for 138 yards in 7 games. Don’t chase a repeat performance that isn’t coming.

WR Olabisi Johnson, MIN (Wk. 9: @ KC): All signs point to Adam Thielen returning to the lineup Sunday, so Bisi Johnson should return to your league’s waiver wire. There won’t be a ton of opportunity for him in the pass game with Diggs and Thielen on the field, and this week’s opponent allows the 7^th-fewest WR points per game.

WR Jakobi Meyers, NE (Wk. 9: @Bal.): As expected, the Mohamed Sanu trade has impacted Meyers’ playing time. He saw the field for just 25 offensive snaps last week, the fewest he’s played since week 4, and was targeted just twice. I would expect that number to go down further as Sanu gets more acclimated to the offense. The Ravens haven’t been a pass defense to fear, but they’re getting healthier and Meyers isn’t likely to have a useful fantasy day on just a couple targets.

WR Miles Boykin, BAL (Wk. 9: vs. NE): Boykin posted his best yardage game of the year headed into the bye in week 7 (55 yards against Seattle), but he still hasn’t seen more than 3 targets or 2 catches in any game this season, and the Ravens didn’t have Marquise Brown for 2 of them. He continues to be a complementary player that isn’t getting enough usage to be trusted in fantasy lineups.

WR Parris Campbell, IND (Wk. 9: @Pit.): Campbell returned from his abdominal injury last weekend, but he’s got more work to do to get back into the receiver rotation in Indy. He played just 8 snaps in week 8 and was targeted only once. The Steelers have long been a team to target with slot receivers, but I would need to see Campbell be more involved in the offense before using him in any format.

WRs KeeSean Johnson & Andy Isabella, ARI (Wk. 9: vs. SF): There isn’t a whole lot to say about this duo. With Christian Kirk back this week, Johnson was a healthy scratch and Isabella played just one offensive snap. I’d love to see Isabella to get a chance at some extended run in this offense before the year is out, but there’s no way to be sure that happens at this point.

TE Irv Smith Jr., MIN (Wk. 9: @KC): Smith has seen his snap percentage grow for 4 consecutive weeks and has multiple targets in each of the past 3 games, but his role just isn’t big enough to count on him in fantasy yet. The Chiefs are a decent defense against tight ends. Darren Fells is the only tight end to reach 40 yards against them since week 3, and they have given up just one touchdown to the position all year. Smith should be glued to your bench if you have him anywhere.

TE Noah Fant, DEN (WK. 9: vs. Cle.): Fant set new season highs last week with 8 targets and 5 catches, but he still finished with just 26 yards and was the PPR TE15. This outing still should have been reason for optimism with Fant’s role growing with Emmanuel Sanders gone, but that optimism is dashed by the new man under center. While we may not like Joe Flacco to be the QB for our fantasy players, I don’t believe Brandon Allen will prove to be an upgrade. Allen has never thrown a pass in an NFL regular season game, and over the past two preseasons with the Rams averaged just 5.8 yards per attempt while posting just 1 TD and 5 picks. Until further notice, the only Denver pass catcher worth considering is Courtland Sutton.

TE Foster Moreau, OAK (Wk. 9: vs. Det.): Moreau is no more than a TD dart throw against a defense that has only allowed 2 scores to the tight end position this year. Moreau’s playing time took a small dip last week as the Raiders played more 3 receiver sets. I’d wouldn’t expect that to be the norm moving forward though. The Lions have had issues with backup tight ends this year, allowing Deon Yelder to go 2-43, Marcedes Lewis to go 2-50, and Irv Smith to go 5-60 all within their last 4 team games. I’d still avoid Moreau this week if possible.

TE Dawson Knox, BUF (Wk.9: vs. Was.): With Tyler Kroft healthy for the first time this year, Knox played his lowest snap total of the year (28 snaps) and wasn’t targeted once. This looks like it’ll be a time share moving forward that favors Kroft. I wouldn’t expect Knox to consistently see zero targets, but his volume isn’t a sure enough thing to trust him in lineups.

TE Josh Oliver, JAX (Wk. 9: vs. Hou. (London)): Oliver has been back on the field for two weeks now. In those two weeks he’s played 55 offensive snaps but totaled just 1 catch for 6 yards on 2 targets. His role may expand in the coming weeks but there isn’t enough there right now to consider him in lineups.

Rookies on Byes: QB Ryan Finley, CIN, RB Darrell Henderson, LAR

Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:

QB Brett Rypien, DEN (Wk. 9: vs. Cle.): It sounds as though it will be Rypien, and not 1^st round pick Drew Lock that will be activated to serve as backup to Brandon Allen with Flacco sidelined for the next month plus. I wouldn’t be surprised to see head coach Vic Fangio have a quick hook for Allen if things go poorly, and I think Rypien could potentially thrive in the same ways that Gardner Minshew has. Rypien doesn’t have the arm strength that Drew Lock does, but he was a 4-year starter at Boise State that was a consistently efficient passer and shouldn’t be a deer in headlights if given the chance to play. Allen was a one-year wonder in college, and as I mentioned earlier, he has 1 TD and 5 INTs in the 8 preseason games he’s played in. I liked Rypien more than Lock prior to the draft, and I’m hopeful to see him get a shot here. If you’re in a really deep 2-QB league, Rypien might be worth a stash this week to see if he gets a chance.

RB Ty Johnson, DET (Wk. 9: @Oak.): Johnson’s role in week 8 was a frustrating one for fantasy players who made him a priority on the waiver wire. It was Tra Carson getting the early down work and somehow even Paul Perkins mixed in a bit as Johnson found his way to just 38 scrimmage yards and 4.8 PPR points. There is hope for Johnson this week though. He was easily the most impressive back for Detroit in that game and had 21 yards nixed by penalties. Importantly for this week, Johnson and McKissic are the only Lions RBs getting targets in the passing game. The Raiders allow the 7^th-most catches and 10^th-most receiving yards to the position. There will be opportunities for Johnson to make an impact. I’m not sure he’s worth playing anywhere outside of really deep leagues and possibly a GPP DFS tournament, but I like his chances at a much better performance this week.

RB Tony Pollard, DAL (Wk. 9: @NYG): The Cowboys enter this week as a 7-point favorite and have had an extra week to get ready for the Giants after appearing to get themselves right in a week 7 drubbing of the Eagles. Pollard didn’t find a ton of running room against Philly, totaling just 28 yards on 8 carries, but the Eagles are one of the best run defenses in the league and Pollard played more snaps in that contest than he had in the previous 3 combined. The Giants aren’t a complete pushover against the run, but they are significantly worse than Philadelphia. They rank 12^th in run defense DVOA and have allowed the 13^th-most RB points per game. If Dallas controls this game as expected, Pollard has a good chance at double-digit touches and should be in play in the deepest leagues.

WR Preston Williams, MIA (Wk. 9: vs. NYJ): This isn’t a bad week to take a shot on Preston Williams in deep leagues and GPP tournaments. $4,200 is an extremely reasonable price tag on DraftKings for a guy that is averaging 8 targets per game in his last 5. The Jets rank 21^st in pass defense DVOA and allow the 8^th-most WR points per game. One of these weeks it will be Williams’ turn to find the end zone, but he offers a nice floor this week with upside for people looking for a bye week fill-in in deeper leagues.

WR Darius Slayton, NYG (Wk. 9: vs. Dal.): This will sound a bit like point chasing after Slayton scored 2 TDs last week on just 2 catches, but I think people are going to overlook the rookie with Sterling Shepard returning. Slayton was targeted 5 times the last time both Shepard & Tate played together, and clearly the team likes going to him in the red zone. He’s averaging 17 air yards per target, which means he only needs a few balls thrown his way to post a nice game. I would probably avoid Slayton in season-long leagues, but at just $3,800 on DraftKings, I like him as a guy who will have really low ownership rates in DFS tournaments and has the potential for another strong day.

TE TJ Hockenson, DET (Wk. 9: @Oak.): If there was ever a week to take a shot on Hockenson returning some value, this is it. The Raiders have been beaten up by tight ends this year, giving up 63 yards per game to the position and 6 scores in 7 games. Only the Cardinals and Bucs allow more fantasy points to the position. It’s been rough out there for TJ since putting up 131 yards in the opener. He has just 109 total yards since and hasn’t eclipsed 32 yards in any one game in that span. You’re not playing him expecting big yardage. You’re just hoping he scores a TD.

That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully, it helps you with the toughest decisions you have this week involving the rookies. Keep a close eye on the injury report throughout the week and make sure everyone in your lineups is good to go, and don’t forget that the Jaguars/Texans game this week is at 8:30 AM CT in London, so if you have any players on those teams make sure you are on top of setting your lineup. If you have any specific questions or just want to yell at me about what is written above, feel free to hit me up on twitter and let me know (@Shawn_Foss). As always: Good luck, trust your gut and have fun. It’s just a game.

Welcome to Statistically (in)Significant, the place to find great stats that probably only matter at the water cooler (or bar). Each week I'll dig through the stats of the week gone by and deliver you some choice conversation starters. All fantasy stats are standard Yahoo scoring unless otherwise noted.

3 Allens are 3-0

There are three young QBs with the name Allen that all started (and won) yesterday. Josh Allen, whom we all know, led the Bills to victory over the Redskins yesterday. He threw for one score and got another on his own on the ground on the way to 17.6 fantasy points as the QB12 for this week and the highest scoring Allen. Just behind him was Brandon Allen, making his first NFL appearance at the age of 27 and grabbing a victory in the process. He threw for 193 yards and 2 TDs against the lowly Cleveland Browns and did just enough to win the game. Congrats to Brandon in his first start – though his career as a Bronco is not likely to last very long with his team at 3-7 and a rookie QB almost ready to start. Finally, we have Kyle Allen, one of the more surprising mid-season success stories this year. Allen threw for a couple of TDs, but more importantly, he gave Christian McCaffrey the ball 27 times, which is the most important part of the QB’s role on the Panthers. Allen is now 5-1 as a starter and will continue to hold the job next week when his team travels to Green Bay. Congrats to all the Allens this week!

11 Home Teams are 11-0

Going into Sunday, home teams were 57-65-1 across the NFL. Discounting the London game, where there is no real home team, every home team won on Sunday, going a perfect 11-0. There were some obvious ones here, like the Bills beating the dumpster fire from Washington and the Eagles holding on to beat the dumpster fire from Chicago. (I may not be creative, but I am accurate). There were also a few surprises, such as the Chargers playing like a real football team and running the ball down the Packers throat. The Chargers were in command the entire game and shut down Aaron Rodgers after one of his best two-game stretches of his career. The most impressive home victory came courtesy of the Baltimore Ravens, who put up as many points on the New England defense as they had surrendered in the previous 8 games. It wasn’t all easy for home teams, as the Steelers had to survive a missed FG to win the game, the Chiefs had to make a FG at the end to win and the Seahawks had to win in OT, but the true winners here are the Miami Dolphins, who finally got their first win of the season. Or are the real winners the Bengals, who now have sole possession of the first overall pick in next year’s draft?

25.55 Fantasy Points Per Game

This season, Christian McCaffrey is a fantasy madman. He’s currently averaging 25.55 points per game in standard scoring, which is nearly unheard of. He’s on pace to come very close to the season record in total scrimmage yards and already has 13 TDs. He’s already outpacing the next 4 RBs by a range of 30 to 80 points, and all of those players have played one more game than he has. We’re only halfway through the season here, folks, and McCaffrey is on pace to score over 400 fantasy points this year. The last time we saw that kind of performance was LaDanian Tomlinson in 2006, when he had 31 touchdowns. Since Tomlinson’s 2006 season, only 9 RBs have broken the 300-point mark, most of them just barely. McCaffrey, at his current pace, will reach (and pass) that milestone the very first day of December, while the rest of us are digging in to our Thanksgiving leftovers.

42% - Average Ownership of the Top 10 TEs

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. OK, don’t stop me, because yes, I am a broken record when it comes to pointing this out. This week, we saw another slew of random guys make up the top 10 scoring TEs of the week. This week featured Noah Fant (12% owned) leading the way with 17.5 points, helped along by a 75-yard TD. Jacob Hollister (1%) caught two touchdowns, one of them the game winner. Mike Gesicki (4%) and Nick Boyle (0%) complete the list of players who are owned in very few leagues, but made contributions to their teams. In fact, all 4 of these guys listed helped their team win. Honorable mention goes to Foster Moreau (0%) who caught one pass for a 3-yard TD, good enough to be the TE11 this week. Over the season, the active players in the top 10 at the position are owned in 90%+ of leagues (except Darren Fells, 63%), so I guess people are paying attention. The weekly chaos at the TE position is just begging for a further look and perhaps a change in how we incorporate them into fantasy football leagues.

39.22 Fantasy Points

With his stellar OT performance, Russell Wilson is now the first player this year to repeat as the top fantasy point scorer in a week. He also led the league back in Week 3 with 41.34 points. He now has 5 games (out of 9) with 24 points or more. His floor this season is 14.30 points, and he’s had between 14.3 and 16.6 points 4 times this year – a result of his team having a very strong run game. Despite this up-and-down nature of Wilson’s fantasy performances, he now leads all players in total points on the season with 225.50, though Lamar Jackson and the aforementioned Christian McCaffrey have played one fewer game and retain a higher per-game average. Wilson leads the league with just one interception and one fumble. His two total turnovers on the season is very impressive. The second-best players in turnovers are Aaron Rodgers and Kyler Murray (impressive for anyone, especially a rookie) with 4 total. Wilson has his team at 7-2, and they’re definitely the best looking second place team in the league. For Week 10, the Seahawks go to San Francisco for which is sure to be the best Monday night matchup of the season.

Welcome back to the Rookie Report! While I’m sure most of us are eager for the distraction from the marathon election week, football this week is feeling like a less fun escape than usual as injuries and Covid-19 ravage NFL rosters and fantasy rosters alike. Just among the rookies this week, AJ Dillon and Brandon Aiyuk missed Thursday night due to the coronavirus, and in all more than a third of the league has at least one player on the Reserve/COVID list. Week 8 was a rough one for the rookie class. The top-2 quarterbacks had good weeks, DeeJay Dallas, Zack Moss and JK Dobbins all posted breakout games, and Cam Akers finally got into the mix for the Rams with Darrell Henderson going down with injury, but there were few other bright spots. Brandon Aiyuk topped 90 yards, but top rookies Justin Jefferson, Jonathan Taylor, CEH, and D’Andre Swift all had decidedly disappointing weeks. Is week 9 going to be just as much of a minefield for the rookies? Let’s dive in and take a look at what to expect…

(Notes: All rookies under same header at same position are listed in the order I would play them this week. All fantasy points references are in half-PPR scoring unless otherwise noted)

Rookies to Start:

QB Justin Herbert, LAC (Wk. 9: vs. LV): Herbert is quickly ascending to the point where he is an automatic start in 2-QB formats and a solid option in most 1-QB leagues each week as well. Herbert has thrown for over 260 yards and 3+ touchdowns in 4 straight games, and Vegas has struggled to contain QBs not named Baker Mayfield in the last month. In the 3 games prior to shutting down Mayfield a week ago, the Raiders had given up at least 288 passing yards and 3 total scores to each QB they faced (Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Tom Brady). Of course, the guys who burned them are very good fantasy quarterbacks, but from what we’ve seen, so is Herbert. The Raiders have also given up 20+ rushing yards to 4 different QBs they’ve faced, and Herbert is capable of hurting them with his legs as well. Vegas ranks 27^th in Football Outsiders’ pass defense DVOA stat. Put all of this together and Herbert is easily a top-10 QB this week, and maybe top-5.

RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, KC (Wk. 9: vs. Car.): Edwards-Helaire has seen a drastic drop in his viability as a fantasy starter in recent weeks, but this is a week where he should be fired up with confidence. CEH has played nearly twice as many snaps as Le’Veon Bell in each of the 2 games since the veteran was added. In both games, the duo gave way to a 3^rd-stringer in the 4^th quarter of a blowout. Kansas City remains a heavy favorite this week, so there is a chance that happens again, but Carolina has just one loss by multiple scores on the season. They’ve also ranked 26^th in run defense DVOA and have allowed the 4^th-most RB points per game. Carolina has also allowed 12 rushing scores in 8 games and a league-worst 7.3 receptions per game to opposing backs. Everything stacks up to CEH doing enough damage against this defense before it gets out of hand that he should return an easy RB2 performance even if it does turn into another rout.

RB James Robinson, JAX (Wk. 9: vs. Hou.): Robinson has been a fantasy gem for teams who managed to get him on the wire at the start of the season, and the absence of Gardner Minshew this week may prove to be a positive thing for Robinson. The Jaguars should lean a bit heavier on the run game early on in this one against a team that ranks 27^th in run defense DVOA. The Texans have allowed the 3^rd-most running back points per game on the season, and while Robinson didn’t have a great performance against them the first time around (70 scrimmage yards, 5 catches, and a fumble lost), I like his chances to be better this time. Houston gives up a league-high 151 rushing yards per game to RBs, and Robinson is usually a lock for 4+ targets as well. That shouldn’t change with Luton under center. Luton had a reputation in college for checking down if his initial read wasn’t open rather than going through his progression. That should benefit Robinson in PPR leagues. He should be a safe RB2 this week.

RB Antonio Gibson, WAS (Wk. 9: vs. NYG): Like James Robinson, Gibson gets to face off with a team he’s already played and not produced against this weekend, and like Robinson I expect better results this time around for Gibson. The Giants have been respectable against opposing backs, ranking 9^th in run defense DVOA and allowing the 15^th-most RB points per game. Zeke Elliott is the only back to top 60 rushing yards against them in the last 6 weeks, but Gibson has posted at least 4 catches or 100 rushing yards in each of his last 4 games. His receiving usage has spiked since the QB change from Dwayne Haskins, and that should give him enough floor that any improvement to his rushing effort from the last meeting likely results in an RB2 week. This contest is in Washington, and 3 of the 4 highest rushing yardage totals the Giants have allowed came on the road. I think Gibson finishes with 70+ scrimmage yards, a handful of catches, and a possible score.

WR Justin Jefferson, MIN (Wk. 9: vs. Det.): I was set to list Jefferson as a borderline option this week, but the news that Matt Stafford has been activated from the Covid-19 list changed that. With David Blough or Chase Daniel at QB, this looked like a game where the Vikings would let Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison run roughshod over the Lions in an easy win. It should be much more competitive with Stafford under center. The Lions have allowed the 13^th-most WR points per game, and Jefferson has shown a ceiling that you can’t leave on the bench unless you have a really good reason to do so. Last week was a letdown game for him, but it’s hard to blame the Vikings for leaning on Dalvin Cook with the success he was having. I expect a much better performance from Jefferson this week.

Borderline Rookies:

RB JK Dobbins, BAL (Wk. 9: @Ind.): Dobbins was fantastic in week 8 as the absence of Mark Ingram allowed him to be fully unleashed for the first time this year. Dobbins played two-thirds of the offensive snaps and turned 15 carries into 113 yards against what has been one of the toughest run defenses in the league (Pittsburgh ranks 2^nd in run defense DVOA). He’ll have to duplicate the feat this week to put up another big game. Mark Ingram will be sidelined again, so the opportunity will be there, but the Colts rank 5^th in run defense DVOA and allow the 4^th-fewest RB points per game, so it’s another tough matchup. Dobbins doesn’t get consistent passing game usage, so he’ll have to get his numbers on the ground, and the high-water mark the Colts have allowed for rushing yards was 72 to Kareem Hunt, and he took 20 carries to get there. Dobbins likely sees enough work to not kill you as a flex option just on the merits of his yards, but he has the chance at a very strong week if he manages to get into the end zone. The Colts have only allowed 3 RB rushing scores in their first 7 games though.

RB D’Andre Swift, DET (Wk. 9: @Min.): Swift played his highest snap share of the season in week 8 (62%), but had one of his worst games of the season with just 1 rushing yard and 22 receiving yards on 3 catches. His playing time was likely a result of the Lions playing from a deep hole and the fact that Swift is the only real pass-catching back on the roster. I’d expect him back under 50% this week, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The matchup is much better this week. Minnesota ranks 19^th in run defense DVOA and allows nearly 6 receptions per game to opposing backs. I’d expect Swift to have a bit of a bounce-back game. He may even see a couple of extra targets with Kenny Golladay out of the lineup, but ultimately he’ll be a bit of a volatile RB3. As usual, he’ll be more helpful in PPR formats.

RB Jonathan Taylor, IND (Wk. 9: vs. Bal.): Taylor hasn’t quite lived up to the hype that he had coming into the season, but week 8 was a huge letdown from the rookie in a smash spot. The Colts won in a blowout and ran the ball 39 times, but Taylor carried just 11 times for 22 yards and spent much of the day on the sideline watching Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines combine for 175 scrimmage yards and 3 TDs. He also got to see a 2-yard rushing score by tight end Trey Burton. News came out after the game that Taylor was limited due to an injury, and he is practicing in full late this week, but it’s still troubling to say the least. Taylor hasn’t been that effective as a runner in recent weeks, so it’s a real threat that Wilkins could steal a bigger share of the workload after impressing last Sunday. The matchup with the Ravens this week is not a good one, with Baltimore ranking 1^st in run defense DVOA and allowing the 2^nd-fewest fantasy points per game to backs. Taylor is still going to get some work, but starting him this week is a bet that his talent will overcome both a potentially reduced role and a brutal matchup. I wouldn’t go near him in DFS lineups, but there is enough here that you could consider him for a flex spot depending on what your roster looks like.

RB DeeJay Dallas, SEA (Wk. 9: @Buf.): Dallas had a breakthrough game last week finding the end zone twice against the 49ers as Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde missed the game with an injury and Travis Homer played a limited role due to an injury of his own. Carson and Hyde will be out again this week, but Homer should be healthier and the team has added Alex Collins from the practice squad. That muddies up the water a little bit this week for Dallas, but I expect him to still lead the committee after what he did a week ago. The Bills have a reputation as a tough defense but haven’t exactly lived up to it this year. They rank 24^th in run defense DVOA and Seattle has an implied total of 29 points. Dallas doesn’t have much of a track record, so there is a real risk that Homer and Collins take a sizable chunk out of his workload, but if his role is similar to last week he should be a decent RB3/flex play.

RB Zack Moss, BUF (Wk. 9: vs. Sea.): On the other side of the Bills-Seahawks game, Zack Moss appears to have pulled even with Devin Singletary in the Bills’ backfield depth chart. They’ve played about the same amount of snaps in each of the last two weeks, and Moss got into the end zone twice last Sunday. Both backs ran for over 80 yards in the game, but it was the first time in a few weeks that the Bills have played from ahead and been able to run the ball a lot. I don’t expect that to be the case in what could be a shootout with the Seahawks. Seattle leads the league in points scored per game, and the Bills will probably be throwing to keep pace. Moss will probably see 12 or fewer carries against a defense that ranks 6^th in run defense DVOA and gets back run-stuffing safety Jamal Adams this week. He’ll need to get in the end zone to be helpful. He’s at least worth consideration in deeper leagues, but I’d probably look for a higher-upside option.

RB Joshua Kelley, LAC (Wk. 9: vs. LV): It’s been a roller-coaster fantasy season for Kelley so far. He impressed in the first few weeks of the season as the 1-B running back to Austin Ekeler’s 1-A, but fumbles seemed to send him to the bench when Justin Jackson got healthy. Then Ekeler got hurt, and Kelley worked his way back into the rotation, but his inefficient play seemed to have him on the outs again last week. Troymaine Pope seemed to leapfrog Kelley on the depth chart in the second half last week…but now Pope is likely out this week with a concussion. That should give Kelley one more chance to state his case to keep getting touches. He gets that chance in a good matchup. The Raiders rank 31^st in run defense DVOA and have allowed the 5^th-most RB points per game. For Kelley, the big question is how evenly the workload will be split with Jackson. If you think it’s going to be close to 50/50, then Kelley is in play as a flex option in 12-team and deeper leagues. I think he’ll see a little less than that, so I would probably lean against playing him unless you’re desperate. Kelley has just one game in his last 5 with 10+ PPR points.

WR Jerry Jeudy, DEN (Wk. 9: @Atl.): Jeudy’s usage has been somewhat inconsistent in recent weeks, but his 10 targets last week were a season-high. The Broncos were playing from behind all day and Tim Patrick was sidelined with injury though. They could play from behind again this week, but Patrick is expected to return. I still think this could be a favorable week for Jeudy. In addition to allowing the 5^th-most WR points per game, the Falcons also have allowed more yards after catch than any team in the league, and Jeudy is the Denver WR in the best position to take advantage. He’s averaging nearly 5 yards after catch per reception. Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler each average fewer than 3. The Falcons have also struggled with slot receivers, giving up solid games to Tyler Lockett (8-92), CeeDee Lamb (6-106), Anthony Miller (2-41-1), Danny Amendola (3-62), and Curtis Samuel (4-31-1). If Jeudy sees more than 5 targets in this game, I like his chances of turning in 60+ yards and finishing as a WR3 or close to it.

WR Darnell Mooney, CHI (Wk. 9: @Ten.): Several weeks this season I’ve listed Mooney as a sleeper, and there have been a couple of weeks where he just missed having a solid game, but in week 8 he came through with his best game of the year. He posted 5-69-1 on 6 targets against the Saints, and this week gets a much more favorable matchup with the Titans. Tennessee has allowed the 3^rd-most WR points per game and has given up 50+ receiving yards to 10 different receivers in their last 4 games. Mooney has averaged 6.4 targets per game over the last 5 games, and I’d view 50 yards as his floor in this one if his targets are in that ballpark. I expect they will be. Mooney is in play as a WR3 option this week.

WR Chase Claypool, PIT (Wk. 9: @Dal.): The pattern has become pretty clear with the Steelers that if Diontae Johnson plays, the passing game runs through him, and when he doesn’t it runs through Claypool. Johnson has at least 10 targets in each of the last 3 games he’s played in full and averaged over 20 PPR points per game in those contests. In the last 3 that Diontae has missed or left with injury Claypool has averaged 8 targets and 27.3 PPR points per game. Yes, there was a 4 TD game in there, but Claypool found the end zone in all 3 games. It looks like Diontae is going to play this week, so Claypool returns to being a boom-or-bust WR4 type this week unless something happens to Johnson mid-game. Dallas is a burnable defense, allowing the 6^th-most WR points per game. Claypool has shown the ability to make splash plays, and Dallas has allowed 6 completions of 40+ yards on the year. He’s too expensive for DFS cash games given his volatility this week ($5,700 on DraftKings), but he’s a high-ceiling flex dart throw in deeper leagues.

WR CeeDee Lamb, DAL (Wk. 9: vs. Pit.): Lamb has played 3 games without Dak Prescott now, and in those games, he’s turned 21 targets into just 91 yards and is on track to have the 3^rd different starting QB he’s had in the last 3 weeks. The Steelers have been a stingy pass defense, ranking 6^th in pass defense DVOA, but they have allowed the 8^th-most WR points per game. They’ve had their issues with slot WRs, giving up 4-62 to Jerry Jeudy, 4-95-1 to Randall Cobb, 4-26-1 to Greg Ward, and 5-106 to Willie Snead, but you need to temper expectations here with Garrett Gilbert throwing him the ball. The area where the Steelers have been especially vulnerable has been on downfield throws, allowing 25 completions of 20+ yards on the season, but Michael Gallup is the best deep threat WR on the roster. Lamb is a risky WR4 or flex option this week.

Rookies to Sit:

QB Tua Tagovailoa, MIA (Wk. 9: @Ari.): Tua’s debut didn’t go as swimmingly as it could have from a fantasy standpoint, but the Dolphins rolled to victory against a decent Rams team. Tua benefitted from a defensive TD and a punt return TD, so he wasn’t asked to do much as a passer. He did make a few impressive throws, but the overall numbers weren’t great as he finished with 92 yards and a score on 22 attempts. This week he faces off with a Cardinals team that on paper is a little above average against QBs, allowing the 18th-most points per game to the position and ranking 11^th in pass defense DVOA. They have benefitted, however, from getting to face Andy Dalton, Joe Flacco, and Dwayne Haskins this year. They’ve given up at least 18 QB points in every game that they didn’t face one of that trio. The Dolphins expect to be without both Myles Gaskin and Matt Breida in this game, so moving the ball on the ground could be a struggle. Tua is likely to throw the ball more this week than last week, but given what we saw against the Rams I would take anything above 200 yards and a score as a bonus. I’d view him as a low-end QB2 this week, but there is some upside for more.

QB Jake Luton, JAX (Wk. 9: vs. Hou.): Luton will get the start in place of Gardner Minshew in this one, and although this is a favorable matchup it likely won’t be favorable to your fantasy lineup to have Luton in it. You’re probably unfamiliar with the Oregon State product. He’s got prototype NFL QB size at 6’7”, 230 lbs., but he doesn’t have a cannon arm and didn’t regularly show the ability to go through multiple reads in a play in college. The Texans allow the 8^th-most QB points per game and allowed the last two QBs they faced before the bye to each throw for 4 scores. They’ve had an extra week to get ready for Jacksonville, and I’d expect there to be some wrinkles added to the defensive scheme this week to keep the rookie uncomfortable. We really don’t know what to expect from Luton, but I would expect the Jaguars to lean on James Robinson whenever possible despite reports that they would ‘open up the offense’ with the rookie under center. Joe Flacco might be the only QB that I would start Luton over this week.

RB LaMical Perine, NYJ (Wk. 9: vs. NE): Perine is getting enough playing time that he should be a viable fantasy option, but that just hasn’t been the case. Over the last 3 games, Perine has averaged 15 more snaps per game than Gore, but Gore somehow has out-touched Perine 36-to-32. Perine averaged just over 40 scrimmage yards per game in those contests. Sam Darnold will be out this week, so the Jets will turn back to Joe Flacco. The Jets’ offense totaled 10 points in Flacco’s two starts this year. There is very little upside with this offense this week. New England isn’t a stout run defense, ranking 30^th in run defense DVOA, but with Perine splitting the backfield work in such an inept offense it’s hard to justify playing him in fantasy this week.

WR Laviska Shenault, JAX (Wk. 9: vs. Hou.): Shenault is a player that has been more exciting in theory than in practice in fantasy. He’s shown the ability to be dangerous with the ball in his hands, but the Jaguars haven’t been getting it into his hands often enough. He’s a lock for 3+ catches each week, but he’s reached 50 yards just twice this season and found the end zone just once. This appears to be a plus matchup on paper with the Texans allowing the 7^th-most WR points per game, but when you factor in the uncertainty that a Jake Luton start brings with it, I’d feel better rolling with someone other than Shenault this week.

WR Michael Pittman Jr., IND (Wk. 9: vs. Bal.): Pittman got back on the field last Sunday, but it’s pretty clear he’s got some work to do to get back into a useful role for fantasy. He did play a healthy 58% of the snaps in week 8, and TY Hilton may be out this week with a groin injury, but after seeing just 1 target last week it’ll be tough to trust the rookie. There were some signs for optimism when 7 Ravens’ defensive players were added to the Reserve/COVID list this week, but only Marlon Humphrey hasn’t been removed from the list ahead of the game. I would hesitate to trot Pittman out in anything but DFS lineups. If for some reason Marcus Johnson is out on Sunday (he was listed as ‘Did not practice’ by the team on Thursday but returned to practice Friday), I would move Pittman to the sleeper section.

WR Henry Ruggs, LV (Wk. 9: @LAC): Ruggs is capable of taking any catch to the house, but he needs to start seeing more catches before you can really rely on him to be useful in fantasy. He’s played in 5 games this season and is yet to top 5 targets in a game. Ruggs did have one breakout performance against the Chiefs where he had two long catches and a touchdown, but he’s averaged just 31 scrimmage yards in the other 4 games. The Chargers have allowed 6 catches of 40+ yards on the season, but Ruggs’ individual matchup with Casey Heyward isn’t a favorable one. I don’t like this as a week where he booms again. I would also avoid considering his rookie teammate Bryan Edwards in his first game back from a long layoff.

WR KJ Hamler, DEN (Wk. 9: @Atl.): Hamler may have a little bit of upside this week against a defense that allows the 5^th-most WR points per game, but this matchup favors Jerry Jeudy and the tight ends more than it favors Hamler. Hamler has seen just 6 targets and one rushing attempt in the last 2 weeks in games that the Broncos played mostly from behind. That doesn’t bode well for his chances this week. Everyone in the Denver offense has a little added upside in this matchup, but I wouldn’t bet on Hamler being the guy who capitalizes.

WR Marquez Callaway, NO (Wk. 9: @TB): Callaway should return to the field this week, but so should Emmanuel Sanders and possibly Michael Thomas. The Bucs rank 1^st in the league in pass defense DVOA, and Callaway is going to have an uphill fight to a useful day even if Thomas sits again. If Thomas is out, Callaway could be considered as a bargain basement DFS option or in deep leagues, but if Thomas returns Callaway shouldn’t be under consideration.

WR Denzel Mims, NYJ (Wk. 9: vs. NE): For the 2^nd week in a row last Sunday, the Jets basically took the 2^nd half off. They’ve gained a TOTAL of 67 yards in the 2^nd halves of the last 2 games. If we just combine the first halves, Denzel Mims has totaled 6 catches for 84 yards on 10 targets. That would be a useful fantasy line if he had both of those halves in one game. Early in the week it looked like Mims could be the de-facto WR1 for the Jets in this game, but it looks like both Jamison Crowder and Breshad Perriman will be able to play. He’ll also have Joe Flacco at quarterback. It’ll be impossible to rely on a big game from the rookie this week.

WR Gabriel Davis, BUF (Wk. 9: vs. Sea.): Davis gets a great matchup this week against the Seahawks, who allow the most WR points per game, but he’s pretty unlikely to take advantage of it. In the last 3 Buffalo games, he’s played at least 60% of the offensive snaps each week but totaled just 2 catches for 18 yards on 6 targets. You’d have to be pretty desperate to consider him in any formats this week even with the great matchup.

WR Devin Duvernay, BAL (Wk. 9: @Ind.): Duvernay has been slowly getting more involved in the Baltimore offense, but it’s only translating into a few targets per week right now. He did haul in a 31-yard catch to give the Ravens life late in their game against Pittsburgh last week, but it was his only grab of the day. The Colts rank 4^th in pass-defense DVOA, and I would expect Marquise Brown to get the squeaky wheel treatment this week after complaining about his role in the offense during the week. Brown should see most of the high-value WR targets in this one. With Baltimore promoting Dez Bryant to the active roster this week, there is less chance that Duvernay is heavily involved.

WR Tyler Johnson, TB (Wk. 9: vs. NO): With Antonio Brown being activated this week, Johnson should fade into fantasy irrelevance for now. He was already 4^th among the team’s WRs last week in snap share, playing behind Mike Evans, Scotty Miller, and Jaydon Mickens. Brown will push him down even further. Keep him sidelined.

TE Cole Kmet, CHI (Wk. 9: @Ten.): Kmet played his highest snap share of the season in week 8 but managed to turn 1 target into 2 yards and avoided losing a fumble due to a fortunate ruling by a referee that his forward progress was stopped. The Titans are a middling defense against TEs, allowing the 16^th-most TE points per game. There are higher upside dart throws this week at the position. Kmet may not even play (he didn’t practice on Thursday).

Rookies on Byes: QB Joe Burrow, CIN, RB Cam Akers, LAR, WR Tee Higgins, CIN, WR Jalen Reagor, PHI, WR John Hightower, PHI, WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, CLE, WR Van Jefferson, LAR, TE Harrison Bryant, CLE

Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:

WR Quintez Cephus, DET (Wk. 9: @Min.): Cephus’s outlook got a big boost Saturday when it was announced that Matt Stafford had been activated from the Lions’ Covid-19 list. The Lions will be without Kenny Golladay on Sunday, and when Golladay missed the first two games of the year Cephus played 76% and 66% of the offensive snaps in those games and saw 13 targets come his way. In recent weeks, Marvin Hall has emerged as the WR4 on game days while Cephus has been a healthy scratch, but I would expect Cephus to play a significant role this week. He and Hall will likely split Golladay’s role this week. Hall has the higher ceiling due to his big play ability (He has 6 catches of 40+ yards and 13 catches of 20+ out of 26 career receptions), but I would expect Cephus to have the higher target total and be more of a threat in the red zone. Minnesota has allowed the 2^nd-most WR points per game, and Cephus costs the minimum on DraftKings this week. There is a solid opportunity for a nice day from Quintez.

TE Albert Okwuegbunam, DEN (Wk. 9: @Atl.): Okwuegbunam saw his snap share and target share drop a bit last week with Noah Fant another week healthier, but he still managed to find the end zone. Denver spent much of the game well behind on the scoreboard before rallying to win, and as a result, spent more time with 3+ WRs on the field than they do on average. The Falcons allow the most TE points per game and have coughed up 8 TDs to the position in 8 games. We’ve already seen that Lock likes to look in Albert O’s direction when he’s on the field, and against this defense, he’ll have opportunities to do so. If you’re desperate at TE in deeper leagues or want a cheap DFS play at the position ($2,800 on DraftKings), Okwuegbunam is a worthwhile option with upside.

That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully, it helps you with your toughest lineup decisions involving rookies. Keep a close eye on the injury report this week and the Covid-19 updates. Things have been getting hairy there lately, so make sure you don’t start a sidelined player. If you have any questions or want to yell at me about anything written above, feel free to hit me up on twitter and let me know (@Shawn_Foss). As always: Good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It’s just a game.