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Welcome back to the Rookie Report! Week 4’s rookie headlines were dominated by the quarterbacks. Mac Jones played a hyper-efficient game and was a missed field goal away from stunning Tom Brady and the Bucs at Foxboro on Sunday night. Trey Lance relieved an injured Jimmy Garoppolo at halftime and posted over 20 fantasy points in a comeback attempt against Seattle. Trevor Lawrence nearly notched his first career win on Thursday (and then his head coach made headlines that overshadowed that performance), and Zach Wilson and Justin Fields did notch their first career victories on Sunday. Fields was much improved from his first start with Bill Lazor calling the plays, and Wilson played arguably his best game to-date. Fields has earned the starting job moving forward in Chicago.

It was a ho-hum week at the other positions. DeVonta Smith posted over 120 receiving yards in Big D while Kenneth Gainwell found the end zone for the second time this season. Ja’Marr Chase and Najee Harris each posted useful performances as well. Kadarius Toney made a big splash with two starters sidelined for Big Blue, and Trey Sermon topped 80 rushing yards for the 49ers. We’ll touch on all of these players and more as we take a look at what to expect from the rookie crop in week 5.

A couple of quick notes for the players listed below – All players listed under the same header at the same position are listed in the order that I would play them this week, and all points per game references and points allowed rankings are based on half-PPR scoring unless otherwise noted. Let’s dive into week 5…

Rookies to Start:

RB Chuba Hubbard, CAR (Wk. 5: vs. Phi.): Keep a close eye on the injury reports for Christian McCaffrey leading up the Panthers’ game Sunday. McCaffrey could be a true game-time decision, and if he plays you should disregard this entirely and keep him benched, but Hubbard is in line for a strong game if CMC’s hamstring injury keeps him sidelined another week. If you only look at the final numbers from last week, you may be concerned that Chuba was on the field for less than half of the offensive snaps. Don’t be. He was the clear lead back for the first 3 quarters and only gave way to Rodney Smith when they fell behind by 3 scores. He still finished the game with 15 touches and was heavily involved in the offense. The Panthers are a 3.5-point favorite this week and are unlikely to find themselves in a similar deep hole. The Eagles are a giving defense to running backs, allowing the 6^th-most points per game to the position and ranking 28^th in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA stat. If Hubbard is the lead guy again this week, he has legit top-12 upside.

RB Najee Harris, PIT (Wk. 5: vs. Den.): I list Najee as a guy to start this week mostly because he’s still going to handle pretty much all of the Steelers’ backfield work. That gives him a weekly floor that’s nearly impossible to sit, but this is not going to be a ceiling week for the rookie. He should probably be left off DFS lineups as the 9^th-highest priced RB on DraftKings. The Broncos have been fortunate to not face many good running backs so far, and to catch Saquon Barkley as he was being eased back into the lineup in week 1, but they still rank 9^th in run defense DVOA and have allowed the fewest RB points per game in the league. Najee’s production is usually buoyed by receiving work, but no back has topped 3 receptions against the Broncos in the first 4 weeks. Harris is more of a volume based RB2 play this week.

WR Ja’Marr Chase, CIN (Wk. 5: vs. GB): Ja’Marr Chase gets the good fortune of facing the Green Bay Packers the week after Jaire Alexander went down with injury. Alexander’s injury will put a strain on the entire Green Bay secondary, and the Pack were already ranked just 20^th in pass defense DVOA with Alexander healthy. Tee Higgins may return this week, but Chase has reached double-digit fantasy points in every game so far, and Cincy will have to throw to keep pace with a Green Bay offense that’s averaging over 30 points scored per game in their last 3. Chase is a top-end WR3 this week with the upside for more.

TE Kyle Pitts, ATL (Wk. 5: vs. NYJ (London)): Look, if you drafted Pitts in redraft leagues, I know you aren’t happy with the production so far, but you kind of have to ride it out for now. In shallower leagues, I wouldn’t have faulted people for toying with the idea of sitting him this week, but the news that Calvin Ridley won’t make the trip to London means you can’t do that. Pitts and Cordarrelle Patterson are the two best weapons the Falcons have for that game, and both will have to be heavily involved if the Falcons want to compete. The Jets aren’t an easy matchup on paper. They’ve allowed the 8^th-fewest TE points per game and rank a middling 19^th in pass defense DVOA, but Pitts is running a route on 80% of the team’s dropbacks and averaging 6.5 targets per game. Don’t be shocked if this game isn’t a coming-out party for the rookie, but he should be a safe bet for 7+ targets. He’s a top-10 option at the position this week.

Borderline Rookies:

QB Zach Wilson, NYJ (Wk. 5: vs. Atl. (London)): Just about everything that could’ve gone wrong for Wilson to start the season did go wrong. He lost his best offensive lineman to injury in week 1 and spent his first 3 games facing a gauntlet of defenses that all currently rank in the top-7 in pass defense DVOA, but he got a reprieve in week 4 against a bad Titans’ secondary, and he made the most of it. Wilson threw for nearly 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the way to his first career victory, and he gets an even more favorable matchup in week 5 against the Falcons in London. Atlanta has pressured the QB at the 3^rd-lowest rate in the league, allowed the highest opposing passer rating, and the 3^rd-most QB points per game. This is a golden opportunity for Wilson to string together back-to-back good games. There’s no reason he can’t match what he did last week, or possibly even exceed it, and I like his chances to finish as a top-15 QB for the week.

QB Trevor Lawrence, JAX (Wk. 5: vs. Ten.): Lawrence played his best game of the season last week, even if his fantasy totals fell a few points short of what he did in week 1. He finally played a turnover-free game and had the Jaguars on the cusp of winning a game. This week he gets to face off with a Tennessee defense that just allowed Zach Wilson to log his best game of the season. Lawrence has an opportunity to push his way into high QB2 territory if the rushing output we’ve seen from the last couple weeks continues. He’s rushed for over 20 yards in each of the last 3 games. The Titans have allowed 3 of the 4 QB’s they’ve faced to put up more than 18 fantasy points, and I like Trevor’s chances to make it 4 of 5.

QB Trey Lance, SF (Wk. 5: @Ari.): It wasn’t always pretty, but Trey Lance’s first extended action of the season showed why he can be an exciting fantasy QB. Lance entered the game at halftime and managed to put up more than 20 fantasy points in just 2 quarters of action. Yes, he did this against a bad Seahawks’ defense that aided his effort by allowing a long, busted coverage TD, but it was still a promising performance for the rookie. It’s still up in the air whether he will start in week 5, but if he does, he should be treated as a mid-level QB2 even in a tougher matchup. The Cardinals have allowed the 9^th-fewest QB points per game and rank 3^rd in pass defense DVOA, but they’ve yet to face a dynamic runner like Lance. The defensive personnel is a little different this year, but the Cardinals allowed more QB rushing yards than any other team in the league a year ago (they’ve allowed the 7^th-most so far this year). Keep a close watch on the injury report throughout the week with Jimmy G, but don’t let the matchup scare you off starting Lance in 2-QB formats if he does get the nod.

RBs Trey Sermon & Elijah Mitchell, SF (Wk. 5: @Ari.): I’m going to be really honest with you…I don’t have a good read on which 49ers’ back will lead the way this week if both are healthy. At this point, we still don’t know if Elijah Mitchell is going to get cleared to play. It makes things much easier if he isn’t. Sermon would be a strong RB3/Flex option in a matchup with a middling run defense in that case. The Cardinals rank 16^th in run defense DVOA and have allowed the 11^th-most RB rushing yards per game. The threat of Lance running the ball could open up even more running lanes for the backs this week. A popular refrain I’ve heard from the fantasy community this week is that the 49ers don’t trust Sermon to play on passing downs, opting to use Kyle Juszczyk instead. I don’t really see that as a problem for Sermon since he isn’t a back that’s going to catch many passes anyway. The same thing applies to Mitchell. Sermon ran for 89 yards on 19 carries against the Seahawks last week and could see similar volume this week if Mitchell is out. If Mitchell is going to play, you’re going to have to pay close attention to the beat writers to get a true sense of which back is going to be the guy. If there is a clear-cut lead guy, he’s going to be an RB3 option in non-PPR formats. If it isn’t clear, both become much more volatile plays. We know the 49ers are going to run the ball. We just need to know which back they’re going to do that with.

RB Javonte Williams, DEN (Wk. 5: @Pit.): Williams saw more snaps than Melvin Gordon for the first time all year in week 4 and logged his lowest touch total of the season in the process. The Broncos were playing from behind for the first time all year, and that limited the RB opportunities to go around. Both Williams and Gordon were efficient with their carries (over 6 ypc each), but they just didn’t get enough of them. The Steelers’ run defense looks tough on paper. They’ve allowed the 5^th-fewest RB points per game and rank 7^th in run defense DVOA, but they’ve also allowed 3 different backs to average 5 or more yards per carry on 10+ carries in the first 4 weeks. They can be run on. I expect Javonte to get back above 10 carries this week, but the big question for the rookie is will his receiving usage continue? He’s pulled in 3 receptions in each of the last two weeks. If he manages to do that again this week, I like his chances to finish as a solid RB3, even in the 50/50 split with Melvin.

RB Michael Carter, NYJ (Wk. 5: vs. Atl. (London)): A matchup with the Falcons has a chance to be the ship that lifts all sails for the Jets’ offense, but I’d view Carter as more of a borderline option this week in deeper leagues. Atlanta is worse at defending the pass than the run, and he’ll still be splitting the backfield work with Ty Johnson. The Falcons have allowed the 11^th-most RB points per game, but Carter’s typical dozen or so touches make him more of an RB4 in this one.

WR Jaylen Waddle, MIA (Wk. 5: @TB): Things were looking up for Waddle in week 3 as he was targeted 13 times, but he came crashing back to earth last Sunday with just 4 targets in a loss to the Colts. The ingredients are in place for a bounce-back this week. Will Fuller is back on the shelf (on IR with a broken finger), and the Dolphins face a matchup where the run game isn’t likely to be successful against a stout Tampa Bay front. Short passes to Waddle should be part of the gameplan to offset their inability to run the ball. Waddle, DeVante Parker and Mike Gesicki have been the top weapons in a limited target tree for Jacoby Brissett, and I’d expect Waddle to see the most opportunities of that trio in this matchup. Tampa Bay has allowed the most fantasy points per game to wide receivers, and Miami should be throwing a lot as a 10-point underdog. Waddle is a solid WR3/Flex option in PPR leagues and could be a bargain in DraftKings lineups with a $4,800 price tag.

WR Kadarius Toney, NYG (Wk. 5: @Dal.): With starters Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton sidelined, Toney ran as the clear WR2 in this offense last weekend, and he made the most of his opportunity, hauling in 6 catches for 78 yards on 9 targets, and flashing his impressive run-after-catch skills. Both Slayton and Shepard are likely to be out again this week, so Toney should be in a similar role this Sunday. He’ll spend most of his time in the slot when the Giants go 3-wide, and he’ll mostly avoid Cowboys’ top corner Trevon Diggs, who has been a menace to QBs and receivers alike through the first four weeks. Jason Garrett hasn’t done a good job of getting Toney involved when everyone else is healthy, but he’s got no choice with others out. Kadarius should have a great chance to top 60 yards again in a matchup where the Giants will need to score to keep pace.

WR DeVonta Smith, PHI (Wk. 5: @Car.): Smith got back on track last weekend, posting his first career 100-yard game, but I think it’s likely he takes a step backward this week. This figures to be a game where the Eagles won’t have to be quite so pass-happy, and the Panthers have allowed the 5^th-fewest WR points per game and rank 5^th in pass defense DVOA. You would think that their aggressive defensive style would allow some opportunities to beat the blitz with a big play, but just 6 teams have allowed fewer completions of 20+ yards than the Panthers. Smith is still going to see enough volume to be considered as a WR3/4 option, but I don’t expect him to be as efficient with that volume this week.

Rookies to Sit:

QB Justin Fields, CHI (Wk. 5: @LV): Fields had a much better outing in his 2^nd turn as a starter than he did in his first, but his fantasy performance was lacking a bit as it was the running backs who put the ball in the end zone. Fields finished with fewer than 9 fantasy points despite a promising overall day. He was still named the full-time starter for the Bears going forward. This week he battles a Raiders’ defense that appears to be improved from last season. Casey Heyward has been a huge upgrade as their CB1, and Justin Herbert is the only QB who has tallied more than 1 TD in a game against them. Fields may be asked to throw a little more this week with David Montgomery sidelined, but I wouldn’t count on a big fantasy day. The Bears have been hesitant to unleash his running ability in his first couple starts, and until we see him use his legs it’s hard to count on those rushing bonus points. I think Fields will post his best fantasy game of the season this week…but it still isn’t enough to get him into realistic consideration for a QB2 spot for most teams.

QB Mac Jones, NE (Wk. 5: @Hou.): Jones is coming off arguably the most effective performance of his young career last week against the Bucs…and he finished the week as the QB20. His style of play and the Patriots’ game plans just do not lend themselves to big fantasy days. Fewer than 30% of his completions on the year have gone for more than 10 yards, and he ranks 26^th in yards per attempt and 30^th in yards per completion among 31 qualified starters. The Texans look like a cake matchup on paper, but this is a matchup that calls for a heavy dose of Damien Harris and the run game. The Texans rank 8^th in pass defense DVOA, and 31^st in run defense DVOA. Houston has allowed the 6^th-most QB points per game so far, but a lot of those points came from Trevor Lawrence in garbage time, Sam Darnold rushing for 2 scores, and a top-4 QB in Josh Allen picking them apart last weekend. I wouldn’t count on Jones matching any of those performances. He should be treated as a low-upside, low-end QB2 this weekend. 

QB Davis Mills, HOU (Wk. 5: vs. NE): Mills ran into a buzzsaw in Buffalo last weekend, finishing with 4 interceptions and fewer than 100 yards against the Bills, and I’m not sure things get much easier for him this week. The Texans may get Danny Amendola back for this one, but he won’t provide enough of a boost against a New England defense that has allowed the 4^th-fewest QB points per game. Tua Tagovailoa finished as the QB22 when he faced the Patriots in week 1. That’s the highest fantasy finish any QB has posted against them. I wouldn’t want to roll out Mills even as a desperation QB2 this week.

RB Kenneth Gainwell, PHI (Wk. 5: @Car.): Gainwell has spent the first month of the season being a thorn in the side of fantasy managers who drafted Miles Sanders. He’s vulture 2 red zone touchdowns and handled the valuable receiving work in the hurry-up offense late in games. I still wouldn’t start him this week. Philly should hang around a little longer in this one (just a 3.5-point underdog on the road) and the Panthers have done a great job of limiting RB production in 3 of their 4 games. The Cowboys’ RBs did get to them last week, but they did so without a single reception. Carolina is allowing just 2 running back catches per game so far, and if Gainwell isn’t seeing any volume in the receiving game, he’s unlikely to provide you much value. You’ll wind up hoping he scores a touchdown against a defense that has given up just 1 rushing score to backs on the season. Only Zeke Elliott has scored 7+ fantasy points against this defense.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson, NE (Wk. 5: @Hou.): Stevenson remained inactive in week 4 despite the season-ending injury to James White the prior week. The Patriots made do with Damien Harris, Brandon Bolden and JJ Taylor on Sunday night, but a fumble by Taylor may have opened the door for Stevenson to be active again this week. This is a week where there could be significant garbage time against the Texans, but in a best-case scenario that probably means just a handful of carries for Rhamondre. The Texans rank 2^nd to last in run defense DVOA, so any opportunity to run against them could be useful, but I don’t see enough work for Stevenson in this one to get him into lineups anywhere.

RB Demetric Felton, CLE (Wk. 5: @LAC): Felton has played just 20 snaps over the last 3 weeks. He’s been targeted with a pass on a ridiculously high 35% of those snaps and has a highlight-reel touchdown to boot, but until that usage comes up there aren’t any formats where Felton can be trusted.

WR Rondale Moore, ARI (Wk. 5: vs. SF): In week 4, for the second straight week, Rondale was in a route on less than 40% of the team dropbacks, had a 10% target share or lower, and finished outside the top-60 fantasy WRs. There are going to be spike weeks where he posts strong games, but they’re going to be hard to predict. The 49ers have been banged up in the secondary but have held up alright. They rank 18^th in pass defense DVOA and have allowed the 18^th-most WR points per game. I don’t see this as a week to take a shot on Moore in season-long leagues, and in DFS I prefer similarly priced options like Jaylen Waddle or Elijah Moore over Rondale this week. If Chase Edmonds is out, Moore might get a little boost in usage, so keep an eye on that situation if you’re still considering using Moore.

WR Terrace Marshall Jr., CAR (Wk. 5: vs. Phi.): Marshall played his highest snap share of the season last Sunday, but it was also the first time all season that the Panthers were playing from behind, and he continues to see fewer snaps and routes run than Robby Anderson. I don’t expect the Panthers to fall significantly behind again this week, so I’d expect Marshall’s snap share to fall back closer to 60%, and his opponent in the slot, Avonte Maddox, has acquitted himself quite well this season in coverage. Maddox has allowed just a 75.2 passer rating on throws into his coverage and 4.8 yards per target. I’d keep Terrace sidelined again.

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET (Wk. 5: @Min.): St. Brown saw a spike in playing time and targets last week, finishing with a 6-70 line on 8 targets as the Lions tried to come from behind in Chicago. I wouldn’t bank on a repeat performance this week. Starting center Frank Ragnow has already been ruled out, and the Lions are also expecting to be without standout rookie Penei Sewell at tackle. Jared Goff will be under fire from a Viking defense that ranks 7^th in the league in pressure rate. It’s going to be tough for the passing game to establish much of a rhythm, and I’d expect most of the receiving success to be had by the running backs and TJ Hockenson. I’d keep ARSB sidelined this week despite his strong performance against Chicago.

WR Dyami Brown, WAS (Wk. 5: vs. NO): Brown suffered a knee injury last week that has kept him out of practice through Wednesday. When he’s been active, he’s totaled just 47 scrimmage yards in 4 games. You can’t play him this week whether he suits up or not.

TE Pat Freiermuth, PIT (Wk. 5: vs. Den.): Freiermuth continues to play about half of the team’s offensive snaps, but his targets have been inconsistent week-to-week. In weeks where the Steelers have their full complement of weapons available, I wouldn’t count on more than a couple targets going the rookie’s way, and you’re basically crossing your fingers that he finds the end zone. Denver has allowed the 4^th-fewest tight end points per game, and although they did let the one quality tight end they’ve faced post a solid week (5 receptions, 67 yards by Mark Andrews last week), Freiermuth isn’t in that ‘quality tight end’ category yet.

TE Tommy Tremble, CAR (Wk. 5: vs. Phi.): Tremble looked to be in line for a spike in opportunities with Dan Arnold shipped off to Jacksonville, but he was on the field significantly less than Ian Thomas and was targeted just once. He isn’t roster-able outside of deeper dynasty leagues right now.

Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:

RB Chris Evans, CIN (Wk. 5: vs. GB): Joe Mixon seems unlikely to suit up this week coming off an ankle injury suffered against the Jaguars. Keep an eye on the injury report here, but Mixon isn’t practicing as of Thursday. If Mixon sits, I’d expect Samaje Perine and Evans to split the backfield work, with Perine taking the early downs and Evans handling most of the passing down opportunities. Green Bay is a 3-point road favorite in this game, so the Bengals may be playing from behind. Green Bay is tied for the 11^th-most RB receptions allowed per game, and they’re one of just 4 teams that have allowed multiple RB receiving TDs so far. Evans has sneaky upside in deep PPR leagues and limited slate DFS tournaments. He’s got a price tag of just $200 in DraftKings showdown tournaments.

RB Khalil Herbert, CHI (Wk. 5: @LV): With the news that Bears’ running back David Montgomery will be sidelined for 4-5 weeks, Herbert becomes an interesting stash for deeper leagues. Damien Williams likely steps into the lead back role, but Williams also handled 14 touches in the first two weeks as the primary backup to Montgomery. A similar workload for Herbert seems likely. He isn’t much of a receiver out of the backfield, catching just 34 passes across 46 college games, so his work is likely going to come on the early downs. He’s a better pickup in non-PPR formats. I wouldn’t start him this week, but I’d monitor how much work he sees behind Williams.

WR Elijah Moore, NYJ (Wk. 5: vs. Atl. (London)): Moore has been cleared to return to action after suffering a concussion in week 3, and he gets a tasty matchup in his return. The Falcons are allowing the 7^th-most WR points per game, and rank 28^th in pass defense DVOA on the season. The Jets move their outside WRs around enough that neither Moore nor Corey Davis will be matched up exclusively with Atlanta’s top corner AJ Terrell, and that gives both an opportunity to post a strong game. Moore is certainly a risky play as the number 2 option in an offense that can be tough to trust, but he should be a WR4 with strong upside in this plus matchup, and his price tag on DraftKings is below $4,000.

WR Rashod Bateman, BAL (Wk. 5: vs. Ind.): I mentioned Bateman as a player you should be stashing last week, and that remains true this week. He didn’t manage to get activated for last Sunday’s contest, but he’s practicing this week and should have the green light for Monday Night Football. I wouldn’t rush to get him in lineups in season-long leagues. It may take a couple weeks for him to get acclimated to the NFL game, but he’s going to have a big role once he’s up to speed. He’ll likely have a very low price tag in showdown contests for MNF this week, and the Colts rank 26^th in pass defense DVOA and have allowed the 12^th-most WR points per game so far. He could be a fun roll of the dice in that format if you’re paying up for other players.

That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully it helps guide you to victory in your leagues this weekend. Feel free to hit me up on Twitter (@Shawn_Foss) if you have any questions or want to yell at me about anything written above. Make sure to keep a close eye on the injury report throughout the week and do a final pre-game check to make sure you don’t start any inactive players. As always: Good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It’s just a game.

It's hard to believe that we're approaching the end of the first month of the NFL season already. We finally have enough games completed to start to pick up on player trends around the league. For now, I'm focused on Quarterbacks and Running Backs, but we will go over all the positions on tonight's podcast. Trending players will have a three-week fantasy performance that is either going up or going down, and we'll examine why that's the case and what we expect out of that player going forward.

Quarterbacks

Sam Darnold (Week 1: 19.06, Week 2: 20.50, Week 3: 25.26) - Darnold has the Panthers rolling with a 3-0 start. He’s only thrown 1 INT so far, and found the end zone three times on the ground, which is always something that you like to see from your fantasy QB. He’s also throwing the ball a decent amount, averaging just over 35 attempts per game with 24 completions per game. Darnold has not played the toughest competition so far, but has plenty of easy matchups coming up with games against PHI, NYG, and ATL all coming up well before his bye week. If you’re streaming QBs, you should love the floor that the QB12 on the season can give you. If you’re in a super flex league, then Darnold is easily an every week starter. Carolina’s strong rushing attack has helped him tremendously. His advanced passing stats are far better this year than they have been in his career.

Justin Herbert (Week 1: 14.38, Week 2: 16.72, Week 3: 30.84) - Herbert had a very slow start to the season after finishing last year as the ROY. He seemed unable to get the Chargers offense going in the first two weeks, scoring only 37 points on offense total. Last week he redeemed himself with 4 touchdowns through the air, one of which was on a game winning 4th quarter drive in their victory over the Chiefs. Herbert is owned in 90% of Fleaflicker leagues, meaning he’s not going to be on the streaming radar. If you drafted him, the urge to push the panic button should be subsiding. Herbert currently sits as the QB13 through three games, but you can safely expect him to finish well inside the top 10 by the end of the season with more performances like he turned in against the Chiefs.

Jared Goff (Week 1: 29.92, Week 2: 19.44, Week 3: 9.08) - Goff has displayed a classic downward trend for the first three weeks of the season. He started off very hot statistically in his first game, getting lots of garbage time points, finishing as the QB3 in Week 1 and providing some hope for Lions fans. But as all good Lions fans know, their hopes were dashed very quickly as the Lions lost the next two games as well. Goff has trended down in completions, attempts, and yardage in each subsequent game, even with plenty of garbage time opportunities in Week 2. While he hasn’t played particularly badly, it’s clear that there just isn’t much talent around him to support big games outside of some fluky garbage time stuff. Goff remains on the streaming radar, but only in great matchups. His floor is probably too low to rely on him and you certainly cannot rely on garbage time points.

Running Backs

Najee Harris (Week 1: 5.40, Week 2: 16.60, Week 3: 21.20) - This one’s for Dave. OK, not really, but I think he likes it when we talk about Steelers players. So, Harris is a rookie, so a slow start was probably to be expected. What I did not expect to see what a stat line like he had last week when he had 14 carries and 19 targets (14 receptions). Harris is lined up to be a PPR monster with action like that. He ramped up from 1 to 5 to 14 receptions, so while you can’t expect numbers like 14 receptions every week, you can assume that he is going to have a relatively high receiving floor. Harris is being used on every down, and with lots of injuries to the receiving corps, it looks like the offense will run through him. There are very few every-down backs in the NFL, and Harris was taken in fantasy drafts with the potential he could be one of those in mind. It looks like everything is going as planned for the Steelers rookie.

David Montgomery (Week 1: 18.30, Week 2: 9.40, Week 3: 6.50) - Montgomery started out the season strong, gaining 108 yards on just 16 carries against the Rams defense, but has really fallen off a cliff along with the rest of the Bears offense since then. On the season, Montgomery is now averaging just 2.0 receptions per game, down from 3.6 last season. His rushing attempts and yards per game are also down from last year. What worries me most is that the Bears appear to have an anemic offense at best and might struggle to move the ball early in games, thus turning them one-dimensional late in games.Until the Bears figure out what they want to do at QB, whether it’s running out a game manager, or developing Justin Fields, Montgomery will be a touchdown dependent RB2/3 with a relatively low floor for a guy that is going to still see a high percentage of snaps.

Ezekiel Elliott (Week 1: 4.90, Week 2: 16.70, Week 3: 25.10) - Zeke has trended up in many stat categories, so he’s the perfect example for this segment. His carries have gone 11, 16, 17. His yardage is 33, 71, 95 and his TDs have gone 0, 1, 2. Zeke was obviously a first round pick and is being started regardless of his slow start, but it’s nice to see that he’s ramped his production up nicely and while Tony Pollard is going to get his share of touches, Zeke is still the primary back and will be in line for 15-20 touches on average every game. The only thing that worries me about Zeke is that the Cowboys have a tendency to go pass-heavy in some games, as evidenced in week 1, thus leaving Zeke with a very low floor for a premier RB. If he was more involved in the passing offense, I would be fine with any game script that the Cowboys are presented with. Unfortunately so far this year, he has 2.3 receptions per game, down from 3.5 just a year ago, and way down from his career high of 5.1 in 2018 when he led the league in touches. 51 touches through 3 games is not what you drafted Zeke for, so you’re going to have to hope he does a lot with the touches he does get.

Welcome back to the Rookie Report! We’ve arrived at the part of the season a lot of fantasy managers dread: the bye weeks. The Saints, 49ers, Falcons and Jets all have the week off, so teams may be reaching a little deeper into the player pool for usable options, and there’s a chance that a rookie could help you fill in for a trusted starter like Deebo Samuel or Cordarrelle Patterson. Week 5 was a wild one for the rookie crop. Davis Mills stunned us all by finishing as the QB6 for the week and posting the best fantasy game by a rookie QB against New England of Bill Belichick’s entire run with the Pats. Trevor Lawrence also finished the week as a QB1, while Trey Lance posted a reasonable debut in which he rushed for 89 yards. The rest of the rookie QBs each posted clunkers, none more disappointing than Zach Wilson against the Falcons in London.

Kadarius Toney, Kyle Pitts and Ja’Marr Chase were the stories of the week among the skill position rookies. Toney and Pitts each posted breakout games that landed them at the WR7 and TE3 spots for the week respectively, while Chase kept doing what he’s been doing all season. Ja’Marr has been doing things that only he and Randy Moss have done to start their careers at such a young age. Can these guys keep it up? What other rookies can step up in week 6? You’ve come to the right place to find out.

A couple of quick notes for the players listed below – All players listed under the same header at the same position are listed in the order that I would play them this week, and all points per game references and points allowed rankings are based on half-PPR scoring unless otherwise noted. Let’s dive into week 6…

Rookies to Start:

RB Najee Harris, PIT (Wk. 6: vs. Sea.): Harris finally had the kind of breakout rushing game that we’ve been waiting for in week 5, torching what had been a good Denver run defense for 122 yards and a score. The usage continues to be elite (89% of the team RB touches to date), and he gets a tasty matchup in week 6. The Seahawks have allowed the 3^rd-most RB points per game so far this season, and Harris has finished as a top-10 back in 4 straight weeks. There’s no need to overthink this one. Harris deserves consideration for the captain spot in showdown lineups for this game.

WR Ja’Marr Chase, CIN (Wk. 6: @Det.): Speaking of not overthinking things, Chase has topped a dozen fantasy points every single week and posted 3 top-15 performances in his first 5 games, and this week he gets to face a Detroit defense that ranks 27^th in Football Outsiders’ pass defense DVOA stat. Chase’s specialty thus far has been pulling in the deep throws, and it’s an area where Detroit has struggled defensively. He has a league leading four receptions of 40+ yards and his average reception comes 14.2 yards downfield, the 4^th highest mark in the league among qualified receivers. The average air yards per completion against the Lions is 9.15 yards. Every other defense in the league has an average below 8. My only concerns for Chase this week are that the Bengals might not have to throw the ball a lot, and that Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd may get some squeaky wheel treatment after both failed to reach 40 yards last week, but those are minor concerns. This week’s matchup really is perfect for Chase. He’s a top-15 option in Detroit.

WR DeVonta Smith, PHI (Wk. 6: vs. TB): Tampa Bay’s defense this year has been the definition of the phrase ‘pass funnel.’ Opposing offenses have abandoned trying to run against the Bucs stout front early in games, dropping back to pass on nearly 71% of their plays (for context, the Bucs have the most pass-heavy offense in the league and drop back to throw on 69.7% of their plays). All of that passing by their opponents has led to some big fantasy days for wide receivers against the Bucs. Tampa has allowed the 2^nd-most WR points per game this season and has coughed up at least 275 passing yards to every team they’ve faced so far. For the season, Smith has commanded 23% of the Eagles’ passing targets and 41% of the air yards. One major area the Bucs have struggled is in allowing yards after the catch, and that isn’t an area where DeVonta has shined, but this game still has blow-up potential for the rookie. He should be treated as a WR2 this week and may be worth paying up for in showdown slates for Thursday night.

Borderline Rookies:

QB Mac Jones, NE (Wk. 6: vs. Dal.): Jones posted another efficient performance in week 5 that doesn’t light up fantasy box scores. He did throw one interception but completed over 76% of his passes and posted his highest yards per attempt mark of the season at 7.7. He’s now completed over 73% of his passes in 4 of his 5 games and thrown for 270+ yards in 3 of them. This week he faces a Dallas defense that has spent a lot of time playing with the lead and has coughed up a lot of passing yards as a result. The Giants were the first team all season to not throw for 300 yards against them…finishing with 294. They’ve given up crooked yardage totals each and every week, but also have 2 interceptions each and every week. It’s created an odd situation where they rank 7^th in pass defense DVOA but have allowed the 4^th-most QB points per game. Jones, like most QBs the Cowboys have faced, will likely have to throw a lot to keep pace. If he can avoid the turnovers that have plagued other QBs to face Dallas, he should finish as a strong QB2 this week.

RB Khalil Herbert, CHI (Wk. 6: vs. GB): With news breaking that Damien Williams was added to the Covid reserve list on Thursday, Herbert suddenly finds himself positioned for a strong opportunity against Green Bay this week. Tarik Cohen isn’t walking through that door any time soon for Chicago, so Herbert likely will play a workhorse role with Ryan Nall mixing in on occasion. Green Bay is a burnable run defense, ranking 29^th in run defense DVOA. They’ve been able to mask that issue with positive game scripts that keep their opponents throwing, but with Bill Lazor calling plays the Bears have had at least 16 RB rush attempts in 8 of 9 games, and 25+ attempts in 6 of 9 since the start of last season. I don’t expect them to put this game on Justin Fields’ shoulders. Herbert’s not much of a pass catcher, but he’s a virtual lock for 15+ carries in a solid matchup. He’s a low-end RB2 this week.

RB Javonte Williams, DEN (Wk. 6: vs. LV): Melvin Gordon had a new ailment pop up on the injury report this week, now dealing with a hip injury in addition to a leg contusion he was dealing with last week, but there’s no reason to think he’s going to miss this game. That likely means he and Williams will continue to split the backfield work evenly, making both uninspiring flex options that you hope get into the end zone. The Raiders do allow the 9^th-most RB points per game, and Williams has been the more impressive Denver back over the past couple weeks, so Williams is at least in play. He could be a very strong option if Denver is able to play from ahead, but it’s worth noting that since 2010 interim head coaches who take over in-season are 13-9 in their first game at the helm. That may not sound like a great winning percentage, but keep in mind that most of those teams were far below .500 for the season. There is a noticeable boost in that first game. Treat Javonte as an RB3 who has a reasonable floor in any case, and RB2 upside this week if the game script is in Denver’s favor.

WR Jaylen Waddle, MIA (Wk. 6: @Jax.): The expected return of Tua Tagovailoa should be a positive development for Waddle this week. Waddle’s season-high receiving mark of 61 yards was set in his only full game with Tua at QB, and that was the only game where he found the end zone as well. With Brissett under center, Waddle’s aDOT was around 4 yards, limiting the damage he could do without big volume. That mark was at 9.8 yards in week 1. It’s a small sample, but Tua showed a willingness to throw down the field that week that we just haven’t seen from Brissett. The matchup is a good one this week. Jacksonville ranks dead last in pass defense DVOA, and DeVante Parker may be sidelined again. That could add up to a lot of volume for Waddle. If Tua doesn’t return this week, treat the rookie as a dicey PPR flex option. If he does, I really like Waddle’s chances to top 60 yards for the second time this year and finish as a WR3 or better.

WR Kadarius Toney, NYG (Wk. 6: vs. LAR): Toney broke out in a big way in week 5, piling up 10 catches and 189 yards on 13 targets with most of New York’s other pass catchers sidelined. It was the kind of performance where you can’t put the genie back in the bottle. Toney, long mocked as a terrible 1^st-round pick by GM Dave Gettleman & the Giants, showed that he’s too good to be sent back to the bench. It remains to be seen how the Giants will divvy up the WR opportunities as the rest of the WRs return, but Toney is going to be involved. This week, the Giants may get Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton back, so I wouldn’t look for Toney to be targeted 13 times again. He also may have to tangle with Jalen Ramsey a bunch in this one, and his starting QB is likely to be Mike Glennon. With the bye weeks hitting, Toney could be considered for a WR3 spot in lineups despite those things working against him, but you should come away happy if he gives you a repeat of what he did two weeks ago (6 catches for 78 yards).

WR Rondale Moore, ARI (Wk. 6: @Cle.): The Cardinals flashed some creativity with Moore last week, getting him 3 rushing attempts to go along with his 6 targets, and Rondale posted his best game since week 2. He still hasn’t played more than 50% of the offensive snaps in any game though, and that additional usage last week could’ve been to help lighten the load on banged up running back Chase Edmonds. Moore may see his snaps increase if the Cards opt to play more 4-WR sets with TE Maxx Williams now out for the year, and speed has burned the Browns secondary this season. Two of the top-3 WR performances against them this year were by Tyreek Hill and Brandin Cooks, and Moore fits a similar size/speed mold. He’s a boom-or-bust WR3 this week in Cleveland.

Rookies to Sit:

QB Trevor Lawrence, JAX (Wk. 6: vs. Mia.): Lawrence has shown signs of improvement in recent weeks after piling up turnovers in his first 3 starts, but he’s not seeing enough volume to be trusted as an auto-start in 2-QB leagues. He threw the ball 51 times in the opener as Jacksonville chased points against the Texans, but he’s attempted fewer than 35 passes in every game since and averaged just 204 passing yards per game in those contests. He’s padded his fantasy production with rushing scores in each of the past two weeks, but those are hard to rely on. Miami isn’t the type of team that I’d expect to blow the Jaguars out, so I’d expect Lawrence’s volume to be modest again. The Dolphins haven’t been a good defense against QBs, allowing the 6^th-most points per game to the position, but only Tom Brady (QB3) and Derek Carr (QB11) have finished higher than the QB20 against Miami in any individual game. I’d treat Lawrence as a low-end QB2 for fantasy this week.

QB Justin Fields, CHI (Wk. 6: vs. GB): Through his first 3 NFL starts, Justin Fields has averaged just 19 passing attempts and 144 passing yards per game. He’s thrown just 1 total touchdown and run for 25 total yards. Those aren’t the kind of numbers you can trust in a fantasy lineup, even though there are things working in his favor this week. The Bears are a 4.5-point underdog, so it’s likely that Fields will have to throw more than we’ve seen in the last 3 weeks, and the Packers are still without top cover man Jaire Alexander. They allowed 20 fantasy points to Joe Burrow last week in their first game without Alexander. It wouldn’t shock me if Fields posts his best fantasy day of the year, but if he’s not going to use his legs and give you a rushing floor, you can’t count on getting enough points from his arm to warrant starting him.

RB Chuba Hubbard, CAR (Wk. 6: vs. Min.): Christian McCaffrey’s absence seems almost certain to end this week, which means Hubbard goes back to handcuff status. There’s a chance the Panthers don’t give CMC a full workload the first game back out there, but I wouldn’t want to start Chuba in a part time role, even against a suspect Vikings defense. Minnesota has allowed the 12^th-most RB points per game and rank 20^th in run defense DVOA. They’re a good matchup for running backs, but not a great one. If CMC is held out another week, treat Hubbard like a borderline RB2/RB3.

RB Demetric Felton, CLE (Wk. 6: vs. Ari.): I only mention Felton at all because Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb aren’t practicing as of Thursday. If by some chance both players sit, I’d expect D’Ernest Johnson to handle the bulk of the backfield work, with Felton mixing in on passing downs. The Cardinals have allowed the 8^th-fewest RB points per game, and fewer than 5 receptions per game to the position. I’d have a hard time convincing myself to get Felton into lineups anywhere unless I were desperate, even if both starters are out.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson, NE (Wk. 6: vs. Dal.): Stevenson went from being a healthy scratch 3 weeks in a row to handling 11 carries in week 5. He didn’t do much with them, logging just 23 yards. One positive to take away for Stevenson is that he, unlike his teammate Damien Harris, did not fumble the ball away at the 1-yard line last week. It was the second fumble of the year at a critical moment by Harris, and there is no way Belichick allows him to continue to get those kinds of carries if that continues to happen. Harris was dealing with chest & rib injuries in that game that may have contributed to Rhamondre’s playing time, but he seems unlikely to miss week 6 despite not practicing Wednesday. It was reported by Ian Rapoport after the game that Harris “checked out ok.” If Harris is active, Stevenson is a bad option against a Dallas defense that has allowed the 7^th-fewest RB points per game and ranks 8^th in run defense DVOA. Devontae Booker is the only running back all year to get into the end zone against them. If Harris is inactive, I would view Rhamondre as more of a desperation flex play in non-PPR leagues. The Patriots should be chasing points against an explosive Dallas offense, so this shapes up to be a Brandon Bolden week.

RB Larry Rountree III, LAC (Wk. 6: @Bal.): After logging 11 carries in week 4, Rountree didn’t play a single offensive snap in week 5. There were no reports of any injury or disciplinary reasons he was sidelined, so it appears that he’s simply lost the backup job to Joshua Kelley for the time being. There’s no reason to hold him as a handcuff in deeper leagues right now.

RB Chris Evans, CIN (Wk. 6: @Det.): Evans did see a season-high number of snaps in week 5 with Joe Mixon on a snap count due to injury, but that amounted to just 7 snaps for the rookie. You can’t start him in any weeks where Mixon is active, no matter how deep the league.

RB Gary Brightwell, NYG (Wk. 6: vs. LAR): I mention Brightwell because Saquon Barkley is expected to be sidelined for at least 1 week, possibly longer. That doesn’t mean Brightwell is worth stashing. He’s arguably still 3^rd on the backfield depth chart behind Devontae Booker and Elijhaa Penny. Leave him on the waiver wire.

WR Rashod Bateman, BAL (Wk. 6: vs. LAC): I’ve mentioned Bateman as a stash each of the last two weeks, so hopefully you’ve already gone ahead and stashed him. If he’s still available in your league, he’s still worth picking up, but this is not a great week to expect a strong debut. The Chargers have allowed the 2^nd-fewest WR points per game and rank 11^th in pass defense DVOA. Bateman still costs the minimum on DraftKings, so if you want to live dangerously in a limited slate DFS tournament, feel free to roll the dice. It’s not something I would do though. I expect he’ll be eased back and faces a tough defense in his first game back.

WR Nico Collins, HOU (Wk. 6: @Ind.): Even if he’s active this week, Nico’s unlikely to be useful for fantasy purposes. I’d expect Houston to ease him back in after he missed the last 3 weeks with injury, and he only played 55% of the offensive snaps and was targeted just 3 times in the 1 full game he did play. Chris Moore played well enough last week that he deserves to continue seeing snaps, and those snaps aren’t coming from Brandin Cooks. The Colts are a plus matchup for wide receivers, allowing the 8^th-most points per game to the position, but Collins shouldn’t be put into lineups against them this week.

WR Terrace Marshall Jr., CAR (Wk. 6: vs. Min.): Marshall has reached 30 receiving yards just once all season despite playing more than half the offensive snaps each week. Minnesota is ranked an impressive 6^th in pass defense DVOA. This isn’t the week to expect Marshall to get on track.

WR Josh Palmer, LAC (Wk. 6: @Bal.): Palmer saw a season-high 3 targets in week 5, but he’s yet to play more than 25% of the offensive snaps in a game. He’s not on the fantasy radar right now.

TE Pat Freiermuth, PIT (Wk. 6: vs. Sea.): Freiermuth and Eric Ebron continue to split the tight work in the Steelers’ offense, minimizing the chance for either player to be useful for fantasy right now. Big Ben is targeting the position on less than 15% of his attempts, and the Freiermuth/Ebron duo has combined for just 4 red zone targets in 5 games. The Seahawks are hardly a formidable defensive matchup, but Freiermuth isn’t seeing consistent enough usage to be trusted as a TE streamer right now. He’s been targeted 3 times in the last 2 weeks.

TE Tommy Tremble, CAR (Wk. 6: vs. Min.): Tremble has found the end zone in 2 of the last 3 weeks, but he’s yet to play 40% of the offensive snaps in any game this season and has seen more than 1 target in a game just once. The Vikings have allowed the 10^th-fewest TE points per game and allowed zero touchdowns to the position. Steer clear of Tremble.

Rookies on bye in week 6: QB Trey Lance, SF, QB Zach Wilson, NYJ, RB Elijah Mitchell, SF, RB Trey Sermon, SF, RB Michael Carter, NYJ, WR Elijah Moore, NYJ, TE Kyle Pitts, ATL

Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:

QB Davis Mills, HOU (Wk. 6: @Ind.): You’re probably playing with fire if you play Mills in fantasy lineups the week after he put up what may end up being his best performance of the season, but he’s in a sneaky spot to have another strong game in week 6. The Colts have allowed the 3^rd-most QB points per game and rank 30^th in pass defense DVOA. They’ve also allowed multiple TD passes to every quarterback they’ve faced so far. No team has allowed a higher passer rating than the Colts, and they may be without standout corner Xavier Rhodes in this game as he’s in the concussion protocol. The Texans may have Nico Collins back as well, giving Mills another weapon to work with. It’ll take some cojones to start Mills; he’s a risky play, but one that could pay off. I wouldn’t start him in 1-QB leagues, but he’s an upside QB2 option this week. I’d be ringing the bell for him a lot harder if there were more prominent QBs on bye this week.

RB Kenneth Gainwell, PHI (Wk. 6: vs. TB): It’s been hard to rely on anything when it comes to the Philadelphia Eagles’ backfield usage so far this season, but this is a nice spot for Gainwell. The Bucs have stifled opposing rushers, allowing fewer than 40 yards on the ground per game, but have allowed the most RB receptions per game and 4^th most RB receiving yards in the league. Gainwell has shared the receiving work with Miles Sanders, but if Philly falls in a hole expect to see a lot of Gainwell. He’s played 93% of the 2-minute offense snaps and has been targeted on more than a quarter of his routes run. If he’s on the field as much as I expect, 5+ receptions seem likely.

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET (Wk. 6: vs. Cin.): St. Brown has emerged over the last two weeks as the most-targeted option in the Lions’ WR room, and the injury to Quintez Cephus last week should strengthen his hold on that role going forward. This week he faces off with the Bengals, who allow the 15^th-most WR points per game. He spends the vast majority of his time in the slot, where he’ll face off with Bengals’ slot corner Mike Hilton. Hilton has allowed a 76% completion percentage and 103.5 passer rating on throws into his coverage. No wide receiver is truly trustworthy in this offense, but St. Brown is in play in PPR leagues as a WR3/Flex option in this one.

WR Dyami Brown, WAS (Wk. 6: vs. KC): If there was ever a time for Brown to get on track, this is it. His early season usage before getting hurt in week 4 left a lot to be desired, but this offense is missing Logan Thomas, Curtis Samuel, and Cam Sims this week, and Brown seems to be on track to return to the lineup. Brown’s targets have been of the downfield variety (14.2-yard aDOT for the season), but those downfield throws haven’t connected. This week he faces off with a Kansas City defense that has allowed a league-high eight 40-yard completions and is coming off a week where they coughed up several deep balls to the Bills. Washington is a touchdown underdog, so passing volume should be plentiful. Brown’s deep ball skills in this matchup make him a quality dart throw in DFS tournaments at just $3,300 on DraftKings. He’s probably not trustworthy enough to use in season-long leagues unless you’re desperate.

TE Kylen Granson, IND (Wk. 6: vs. Hou.): Granson isn’t someone you should be running out to add in season-long leagues. He played just 8 snaps on Monday Night Football against the Ravens in week 6 after seeing 30 snaps the week before. The notable thing here is that he out-targeted Jack Doyle in both games despite playing many fewer snaps this past week. The Colts looked to get the ball into Granson’s hands when he was on the field, and Frank Reich isn’t afraid to use a lot of 2-tight end sets. Houston allows more tight end points per game than any other team in the league and has allowed scores to backups Tommy Tremble & Chris Manhertz, and 40+ receiving yards to James O’Shaughnessy & Harrison Bryant. Granson costs just $800 for the showdown slate on DraftKings, and I have a hunch he surprises in this one.

That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully it helps guide you to victory in your leagues this weekend. Feel free to hit me up on Twitter (@Shawn_Foss) if you have any questions or want to yell at me about anything written above. Make sure to keep a close eye on the injury report throughout the week and do a final pre-game check to make sure you don’t start any inactive players. As always: Good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It’s just a game.

Welcome back to the Rookie Report! The last 7 days around the NFL have been an absolute whirlwind. We’ve seen a potential Hall of Famer get traded (Von Miller), another future Hall of Famer be proven to be dishonest about his vaccination status (Aaron Rodgers), a disgruntled star wide receiver get told to stay away from his team after allegedly orchestrating a social media campaign against his QB (Odell Beckham Jr.), and another star WR step away from football to work on his mental health (Calvin Ridley). The worst news of the week, however, was the arrest of Henry Ruggs, and the tragic circumstances around it. Ruggs was driving faster than 150 MPH while at twice the legal blood alcohol limit and crashed into and killed a young Las Vegas woman. Ruggs’ recklessness likely means the end of his NFL career, but that is the least important part of sorting through the wreckage that his irresponsible decisions caused.

None of these news updates even touch on the action we saw on the field last week, and that action was wild enough on its own. No one saw the Mike White-led Jets or Cooper Rush-led Cowboys picking up upset wins this week, or the ultra-durable Derrick Henry suffering a season-ending foot injury. I also didn’t see disappearing acts coming from Kyle Pitts, Kenneth Gainwell, and DeVonta Smith. Michael Carter, Elijah Mitchell, and Justin Fields pick up the rookie slack. Which rookies are going to step up in week 9 and help you fill in for your byes and injured players? Let’s take a look and find out.

A couple of quick notes for the players listed below – All players listed under the same header at the same position are listed in the order that I would play them this week, and all points per game Let’s dive into week 9…

Rookies to Start:

RB Najee Harris, PIT (Wk. 9: vs. Pit.): You already know to start Harris, but his recent usage has been in the Derrick Henry range. Over the past 3 games, Harris has averaged 24 carries and 5 targets per game, this week he faces a defense that has allowed over 130 rushing yards to opposing backs in each of their last 3 games. The Bears rank 24^th in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA stat. Harris is a locked-in RB1 again this week, even without stellar rushing efficiency.

WR Ja’Marr Chase, CIN (Wk. 9: vs. Cle.): Chase had one of the worst fantasy games we’ve seen from him in his rookie season, with a season-low 32 receiving yards. He still finished the week as the WR27. He’s a must-start, and this week he faces a defense allowing the 15^th-most WR points per game. Keep Chase locked into your lineups.

TE Kyle Pitts, ATL (Wk. 9: @NO): Was week 8 a frustrating one for you if you started Kyle Pitts? You bet it was, but I’m comfortable going back to the well this week. The Falcons didn’t know until Sunday morning that they were going to be without star wide receiver Calvin Ridley and had no film on how the Panthers would deploy CB Stephon Gilmore, as he was making his first appearance for the team. With Ridley out, the Falcons offense was out of sorts, and Gilmore was able to shadow Pitts all game. Pitts’ production was terrible, finishing with just 2 catches for 13 yards on 6 targets, but his usage was a level rarely seen by a tight end. Pitts was in a route on 97% of Matt Ryan’s dropbacks, and those 6 targets still represented a 22% target share as Matt Ryan threw just 27 times. The Falcons will be able to prepare all week knowing they won’t have Ridley. They’re going to be much more creative in finding ways to ensure that Pitts isn’t followed around by Marshon Lattimore all day, and Pitts should be in line for a nice bounce back game. It’s true the Saints allow just the 5^th-fewest TE points per game, but they’ve faced just one tight end all year that’s currently better than the TE20 on the season. Don’t run from the matchup. Pitts should be in your lineup this week unless you have an elite top-5 TE option to start over him.

Borderline Rookies:

QB Mac Jones, NE (Wk. 9: @Car.): If this were last year, the Panthers would be exactly the kind of defense Mac Jones would be licking his chops to face. The 2020 version of the Panthers were content to sit back in zone coverage and let teams pick them apart underneath, but not give up the deep ball. They had the 9^th-lowest blitz rate, and the 12^th-lowest press coverage rate in the league. The 2021 Panthers, on the other hand, have the 4^th-highest rates in both areas. They play aggressive in coverage, and they get after you up front, and the addition of Stephon Gilmore has them back to playing defense at a high level after a few shakier defensive weeks. Jones has been efficient through his first half-season, but it hasn’t come with much fantasy upside, and this week could be a challenging one. The reason I list Mac as a borderline option is because I see him as a borderline QB2 this week. Four teams are sitting the week out on byes, and a few others are without their starting QBs as Aaron Rodgers, Sam Darnold, Kyler Murray, and Jameis Winston could all be out this week. I’d prefer Mac over bottom-of-the-barrel options like PJ Walker, Mike White, Jordan Love, and fellow rookies Trevor Lawrence & Justin Fields this week. He doesn’t have a big ceiling in this matchup, but he should have a reasonable floor.

RB Michael Carter, NYJ (Wk. 9: @Ind.): Carter dazzled in week 8, hauling in 9 receptions and finishing as the overall RB1 for the week. He’s clearly established himself as the lead back in this committee over Ty Johnson, and Mike White at QB has been a huge boost to his receiving production. White has targeted running backs on over 40% of his passes while Zach Wilson was below 20%. This week’s matchup isn’t an ideal one for Carter. The Colts rank 1^st in run defense DVOA and have allowed the 3^rd-fewest RB points per game, and the Jets’ offense is expected to struggle with an implied total of just 18 points. Indy doesn’t give up a ton of receiving production to backs, allowing just 4 receptions and 33 yards per game to the position. With White at QB, the checkdowns are going to keep coming, so I do expect the Jets’ backs to out-pace those receiving averages the Colts have allowed. Carter just doesn’t possess the same ceiling this week that he did against the Bengals. He’s a low-end RB2 option in PPR leagues, and a little lower than that in half-PPR. If I were going to target Jets’ pass catchers in showdown contests, Carter, Jamison Crowder, and Elijah Moore would be my choices.

RB Chuba Hubbard, CAR (Wk. 9: vs. NE): The Panthers might get Christian McCaffrey back this week…or they might not get him back for two more weeks. It’s hard to say with any certainty at this point, but the Panthers did open his practice window to potentially return. If McCaffrey is ready to go this week, don’t play Hubbard. If he sits again, Hubbard should be in good position to post an RB2 week. Of the trio of rookie lead backs who don’t catch many passes (Hubbard/Elijah Mitchell/Khalil Herbert), Chuba has the most favorable matchup this week. The Patriots rank a middling 17^th in run defense DVOA and have allowed the 18^th-most RB points per game. They’re not an inviting matchup, but they aren’t as daunting as those faced by the other rookie backs. Keep an eye on the injury report and make sure CMC sits before locking in Chuba in your lineups.

RB Elijah Mitchell, SF (Wk. 9: vs. Ari.): Mitchell had a big game against the Bears last Sunday, rolling up over 130 yards and a touchdown, but the sledding will be a bit tougher this week. The Cardinals rank 9^th in run defense DVOA and have allowed the 7^th-fewest RB points per game. They’ve also probably seen enough film on Mitchell to know he’s kind of a one-trick pony. He doesn’t catch passes, and he hasn’t had much success running between the tackles. 13 of his 15 rushes of 10+ yards this year have come either off-tackle, or on the outside. The Bears allow the 2^nd-highest yards per rush average on those kinds of carries. The Cardinals allow the 18^th-highest average. Mitchell is still the lead back in an offense that wants to run the ball. He’s got a questionable tag with a rib injury, so keep an eye on his status, but if he plays, he should be a solid flex option with upside this week.

RB Khalil Herbert, CHI (Wk. 9: @Pit.): The Bears have opened the practice window for David Montgomery to return from IR, so this may be your last opportunity to get Herbert into your lineups before he’s relegated to backup duty again. He’s proven to be an outstanding runner in his first few opportunities this year, but he seemed to hit a wall in the second half against the 49ers last Sunday. Khalil tallied just 8 scrimmage yards in the second half on 10 carries and 1 reception. The Steelers are an even better run defense than the 49ers, ranking 6^th in run defense DVOA, and allowing the 6^th-fewest RB points per game. If Montgomery is out again this week, Herbert is still a reasonable RB3 option, but know that it could be tough sledding for him against the Steelers.

RB Javonte Williams, DEN (Wk. 9: @Dal.): This is your weekly ‘Javonte Williams is going to touch the ball about a dozen times and may or may not post a useful fantasy stat-line with them’ update. Dallas has been solid against the run, ranking 11^th in run defense DVOA, and allowing the 7^th-fewest RB points per game. Dallas has given up just 4 running back TDs all year, and you’ll probably need a score to feel good about starting Javonte. He’s an RB3 option if you’re desperate.

WR Jaylen Waddle, MIA (Wk. 9: vs. Hou.): Waddle had a down game against a tough Bills’ defense in week 8, but he should get back on track against the Texans on Sunday. After facing Taron Johnson last week, the Texans’ secondary will be a sight for sore eyes. Waddle has averaged just over 10 targets per game since Tua returned to the lineup, and the Texans are allowing the 13^th-most WR points per game. Waddle should pile up enough catches to post a strong PPR WR3 game.

WR Rashod Bateman, BAL (Wk. 9: vs. Min.): Since returning from IR, Bateman has played more than 60% of the offensive snaps and seen 6 targets in both games he’s been active for. This week he gets to face a Minnesota defense allowing the 6^th-most WR points per game. I expect the Ravens to continue to get their 1^st round pick involved in this good matchup. The Ravens still don’t throw enough to make Bateman a truly safe play along with Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews, but he should be a reasonable WR3/4 option this week in all formats.

WR Kadarius Toney, NYG (Wk. 9: vs. LV): Toney seems likely to play this week despite suffering yet another injury Monday night against the Chiefs. It also appears that Saquon Barkley and Kenny Golladay will return to action as well, so it remains to be seen just how big a target share Toney is going to get. I expect the Giants want him involved after his breakout games a few weeks ago, but his ceiling might not be as high this week against the Raiders. 58% of Toney’s yards on the season have come after the catch, and Vegas has allowed the 2^nd-fewest yards after catch in the league. Toney is still in play as a WR3/4 option, but I’d take a long look at your other available options before pulling the trigger.

WR DeVonta Smith, PHI (Wk. 9: vs. LAC): Smith remains an infuriating player if you have him on your fantasy rosters. He dominates usage in this passing game, still sitting at a 23% target share and nearly 40% air yard share for the season, but he just isn’t converting those things into fantasy points. For the season, he’s scored fewer points than Van Jefferson, Hunter Renfrow, and Kendrick Bourne. He’s much closer to a must-sit than a must-start at this point, but the usage keeps alive the hope of a tantalizing ceiling. The Chargers probably aren’t the team that he’ll reach it against. They’ve allowed the 2^nd-fewest WR points per game, and rank 4^th in pass defense DVOA. Smith is in the ‘only if you’re desperate’ category this week.

TE Pat Freiermuth, PIT (Wk. 9: vs. Chi.): Freiermuth faces a tough matchup on paper this week against a Chicago defense that has allowed the 2^nd-fewest tight end points per game, but his target volume keeps him in the TE streamer discussion this week. The rookie has been targeted 7 times in each game since JuJu Smith-Schuster went down for the season, and that volume should continue going forward. With TJ Hockenson and Gronk on a bye, Noah Fant on the covid list, you may be looking for a replacement this week. There are probably streaming options with higher upside than Freiermuth this week, but the Steelers’ TE should be a safe floor play who should clear 40 yards.

Rookies to Sit:

QB Justin Fields, CHI (Wk. 9: @Pit.): Fields finally posted the kind of game we’ve been waiting for from him last Sunday, but I wouldn’t count on a repeat performance this week against a talented Pittsburgh defense. His big day last week was a result of over 100 yards and a score running the ball, and so far, the Steelers have only allowed 1 quarterback to rush for more than 11 yards against them. Matt Nagy returns to the sideline this week, giving Fields another obstacle to overcome. I would view him as a very tail end QB2 option this week.

QB Trevor Lawrence, JAX (Wk. 9: vs. Buf.): The Bills have only allowed 1 quarterback all season to post a top-12 finish against them, and I don’t like Lawrence’s chances to make it 2. In week 8, Lawrence saw his efficiency levels fall back to where they were in the first few weeks of the season despite facing a burnable Seattle defense. This week he takes on a Buffalo unit that ranks 1^st in pass defense DVOA, has allowed the fewest QB points per game, and has forced 12 QB turnovers in their last 6 games, with at least one in every contest. They’ve been a defensive buzzsaw and are not a great spot to hope for a Lawrence bounce back after his down game last week. Garbage time may give Lawrence more upside this week than Mac Jones, but his floor is lower. I’d keep the rookie parked on my bench.

QB Davis Mills, HOU (Wk. 9: @Mia.): In case you missed the news, Tyrod Taylor will be back from IR and starting at QB for the Texans this week. Across his 6 starts, Mills faced an absolute gauntlet of defenses. The Colts were the only team he started against that doesn’t rank in the top-12 in the league at limiting QB points, and now he goes back to the bench as the Texans prepare to face a Miami team that allows the 3^rd-most points to the position. Sometimes the world just isn’t fair.

RB Kenneth Gainwell, PHI (Wk. 9: vs. LAC): Like everyone else, I too was shocked that the Eagles phased Gainwell out of their offense against the Lions last weekend. I expected a lot of Boston Scott and Gainwell in the backfield with Miles Sanders sidelined, but the Eagles opted to use Jordan Howard as the 2^nd RB instead of the rookie. The final stat sheet actually shows Gainwell led the backfield in touches, but almost all of his opportunities came in the 4^th quarter after the other two backs had each found the end zone twice. I don’t expect Gainwell to only have 1 touch through the first 3 quarters again this week, but I do expect the Eagles to have a similar gameplan against a Chargers’ defense allowing the most RB rushing yards per game. It clearly worked well last week, and I expect a lot of Boston Scott and Jordan Howard again this week. Gainwell may play a bit more, but I’d shy away from using him in any fantasy lineups this week.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson, NE (Wk. 9: @Car.): The Patriots backfield after Damien Harris continues to be a conundrum to sort out each week. Even if Stevenson works as the team RB2 this week, which is far from a certainty, he’s going to see limited opportunity against a defense allowing the 2^nd-fewest RB points per game.

RB Larry Rountree III, LAC (Wk. 9: @Phi.): Rountree may get a bit more run this week against a defense that has allowed the 3^rd-most RB points per game thanks to an injury to Justin Jackson, but it’s hard to know exactly how big that role will be behind Austin Ekeler. He’s gotten additional run in games the Chargers have won easily, so if you think they run away with this game, Rountree may have some desperation flex-appeal in non-PPR leagues. I wouldn’t count on him though.

RB Chris Evans, CIN (Wk. 9: vs. Cle.): Evans should return from injury this week, but the Browns allow the 9^th-fewest RB receptions per game, and we’ve seen Evans be productive exactly 1 time in the 5 games where he saw snaps.

RB Demetric Felton, CLE (Wk. 9: @Cin.): With Nick Chubb back on the field last week, Felton totaled just 1 rushing attempt and 1 target. He’s not worth a roster spot in season-long leagues.

RB Trey Sermon, SF (Wk. 9: vs. Ari.): Sermon hasn’t played an offensive snap since week 5…when he played all of 2 offensive snaps. Nothing to see here.

WR Rondale Moore, ARI (Wk. 9: @SF): Moore could move into a more prominent role this week with AJ Green on the Covid list, but he’ll have to be utilized differently to cash in on the opportunity. The majority of Moore’s work this season has come on short passes behind the line of scrimmage or just a few yards downfield, and the 49ers have allowed the 3^rd-fewest yards after catch in the league this year. Moore could pile up a bunch of short catches to help in PPR formats, but I don’t see him posting a quality fantasy line for you this week.

WR Terrace Marshall Jr., CAR (Wk. 9: vs. NE): Marshall has a good chance to return to action this week as he practiced in full on Wednesday, but he’ll likely be doing so with PJ Walker at quarterback, and Marshall averaged just 2.7 catches and 23 yards per game when things were good in this passing game the first 4 weeks of the season. I can’t see him putting up a productive game his first week back. If you get him into any lineups, you’re just crossing your fingers that he scores a TD.

WR Anthony Schwartz, CLE (Wk. 9: @Cin.): There is a small amount of upside this week for Schwartz with Odell Beckham Jr. essentially booted off the team. In the first two games of the season with OBJ sidelined with injury, Schwartz played right around 50% of the offensive snaps and saw a handful of deep targets. The concern here is that Schwartz still may find himself 4^th on the WR depth chart this week if Donovan Peoples-Jones is able to return from injury. In week 1, Rashard Higgins played just 4 offensive snaps, but he’s been a fixture in 3-WR sets since, and Schwartz isn’t going to play much over Jarvis Landry or Peoples-Jones. If DPJ sits, Schwartz has some dart throw upside in the deepest of leagues and DFS tournaments, but otherwise he should be avoided.

WR Josh Palmer, LAC (Wk. 9: @Phi.): Palmer scored his first career TD last week, but he also played the fewest snaps he’s seen since week 4. Don’t be fooled by the touchdown. There’s no change here for Palmer. He remains waiver fodder.

TE Tommy Tremble, CAR (Wk. 9: vs. NE): Tremble is playing enough to get mentioned every week but isn’t seeing enough usage to warrant lineup consideration. He’s seen 12 targets come his way over the last 4 games but hasn’t topped 20 receiving yards in any game and found the end zone just once. There isn’t any reason to expect that to change against a New England defense that’s allowing the 3^rd-fewest TE points per game.

Rookies on Bye in week 9: RB Jaret Patterson, WAS, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET, WR Dyami Brown, WAS, WR D’Wayne Eskridge, SEA

Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:

WR Elijah Moore, NYJ (Wk. 9: @Ind.): Moore’s playing time in week 8 was less than encouraging (on the field for just 36% of the offensive snaps in a game Corey Davis missed), but what he did with his playing time is worth some attention. The rookie had his best game of the season, catching all 6 of his targets for 67 yards, and throwing in a 4-yard rush for good measure. I’d be surprised if his playing time doesn’t tick up a bit this week, and the Colts have struggled to defend undersized speed receivers who play on the outside. Brandin Cooks posted 9-89 against them. Tyler Lockett put up 4-100-2. Marquise Brown posted 9-125-2. Moore will likely need Mike White to take a few deep shots to cash in this week the way those guys have against the Colts, but the opportunity is there for Moore to improve on what he did a week ago.

WR Nico Collins, HOU (Wk. 9: @Mia.): The return of Tyrod Taylor to the lineup should open up the deeper passing game this week, and the Dolphins allow the 2^nd-most WR points per game and have allowed the 2^nd-most air yards on completed passes this year. Taylor’s return and the matchup are certainly more beneficial for WR1 Brandin Cooks than for Nico, but there is plenty of DFS upside for Collins in a game that has some shootout potential. Collins costs just $3,600 on DraftKings.

TE Brevin Jordan, HOU (Wk. 9: @Mia.): I list Jordan here more as a guy to stash in deeper leagues than to start this week. He was active for the first time all season in week 8 thanks to Pharaoh Brown being out with injury, and he made the most of the opportunity with a 3-41-1 line on 4 targets. The Texans’ season is going nowhere fast, and at some point, it will behoove them to see what they have in the youngster after he caught for 72 yards and nearly a touchdown per game at Miami last year. Jordan does have sneaky DFS appeal this week if Brown misses another game. The Dolphins rank 26^th in pass defense DVOA, and Jordan costs the minimum on DraftKings.

That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully it helps guide you to victory in your leagues this weekend. Feel free to hit me up on Twitter (@Shawn_Foss) if you have any questions or want to yell at me about anything written above. Make sure to keep a close eye on the injury report throughout the week and do a final pre-game check to make sure you don’t start any inactive players. As always: Good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It’s just a game.