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Welcome back to the Rookie Report! The last two weeks have made us rethink everything we thought we knew about the NFL this season, but here’s hoping things get back to normal this week. Week 8 saw unheralded QBs Mike White, Cooper Rush and Trevor Siemian lead their teams to huge upset wins. Week 9 saw the Bills fall to the Jaguars, the Cowboys throttled by Denver, and the Rams look lost against the Derrick Henry-less Titans. It was an eventful week for the rookies too. Ja’Marr Chase posted the worst game of his rookie campaign and Kyle Pitts underwhelmed again, but DeVonta Smith and Elijah Moore had the kind of games we’ve been waiting for from them. Jaylen Waddle topped 80 yards for the 2^nd time this year, and Javonte Williams ran for over 100 for the first time. Hopefully there are more rookie firsts in store for us this weekend, but I’m here still here to walk you through what to expect from the rookies this weekend even if there aren’t. 

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 10…

Rookies to Start:

RB Najee Harris, PIT (Wk. 10: vs. Det.): As usual, you don’t need me to tell you to start Harris this week, but this is an especially good spot for the rookie. Detroit has allowed the 2^nd-most RB points per game and rank 25^th in Football Outsiders run defense DVOA stat. He should be an automatic chalk play in DFS cash games, and not a bad tournament option either. Just be aware that he’s going to be in a LOT of lineups. We’ve seen some baffling performances by clear chalk picks in recent weeks, but Najee is a very strong bet to post a top-12 performance this week, with an RB1 overall ceiling.

WR Jaylen Waddle, MIA (Wk. 10: vs. Bal.): Waddle has very quietly hauled in the 6^th-most receptions in the league so far. He’s had 8+ targets come his way in each of the last 4 games and posted 15+ PPR points in 3 of them. The Ravens are a tough matchup, allowing the 10^th-fewest WR points per game. Slot corner Tavon Young has allowed just a 58.0 passer rating on throws into his coverage. I still expect Waddle’s volume to rule the day. He’s going to get enough work to make up for it. Brissett starting again lowers his overall ceiling, but Waddle is a safe WR3 in PPR formats this week.

TE Kyle Pitts, ATL (Wk. 10: @Dal.): Pitts has topped at least 50 receiving yards in 5 of his last 7 games and gets to face a Dallas defense allowing the 12^th-most TE points per game. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Trevon Diggs cover the rookie a fair amount, but Diggs has been prone to giving up big plays, allowing 15.8 yards per completion into his coverage. We already know Pitts can produce big plays, averaging nearly 20 yards per catch over the last 3 weeks. Pitts remains a top-6 tight end option in this one.

TE Pat Freiermuth, PIT (Wk. 10: vs. Det.): Freiermuth’s run of recent success continued in week 9. He’s now been targeted at least 6 times and caught for over 40 yards in 3 straight games, topping 14 fantasy points in each of the last two, and now gets to face a Detroit defense that ranks 29^th in pass defense DVOA. The Lions have only allowed the 11^th-fewest TE points per game but opposing offenses have been able to pick them apart wherever they choose to, and the Steelers are going to continue to pepper Freiermuth with targets. George Kittle, Mark Andrews and Dallas Goedert all broke 70 receiving yards against this defense. With Chase Claypool potentially sidelined, the Steelers may have to rely on the rookie tight end even more. He’s a top-10 tight end play this week, and a bargain for main slate DFS contests, where top options like Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, Mike Gesicki, George Kittle and Darren Waller are not available.

Borderline Rookies:

QB Trevor Lawrence, JAX (Wk. 10: @Ind.): The Jaguars stunned the football world with a victory over the Bills last weekend, but it was a second straight clunker of a fantasy game for Lawrence, and the second straight game where the Jaguars failed to score 10 points as a team. This week looks much more promising for the #1 overall pick. James Robinson should be back in action, taking some of the offensive burden off the quarterback, and he gets to face a Colts’ defense that has allowed the 3^rd-most points per game to QBs and ranks 26^th in pass defense DVOA. I like Trevor’s chances of accounting for multiple TDs in this game and finishing as a fringe QB1.

RB Javonte Williams, DEN (Wk. 10: vs. Phi.): It was great to see Williams top 100 rushing yards for the first time in his burgeoning career last Sunday, but don’t be fooled into thinking the season-high 17 carries were a sign of things to come for him. Melvin Gordon still carried the ball 21 times in a game that the Broncos controlled throughout. This is still a full-on timeshare, but it’s a full-on timeshare facing a favorable matchup. The Eagles have allowed the 5^th-most RB points per game, and Williams has consistently been the more efficient back of the duo. Philly’s recent shift to a run-heavy game plan could put a dent in the overall number of plays run in this one, so Williams might not have quite the same ceiling in this one that he would’ve a few weeks ago, but he should finish as a top-24 back in week 10.

RB Elijah Mitchell, SF (Wk. 10: vs. LAR): Week 9 was at least a little concerning if you have Mitchell on your roster after he saw his 2^nd-lowest touch total of the season. A lot of that can be chalked up to game script. JaMycal Hasty was operating as the 3^rd-down back, and the 49ers were in catch-up mode for most of the game. The problem is that the 49ers could find themselves in a similar boat on Monday night. The Rams are only favored by 4 but will be looking for a get-right game after stumbling against the Titans. The 49ers also will likely activate Jeff Wilson Jr. for the first time this season, who could siphon playing time from the rookie. For now, I’m operating under the assumption that Mitchell will continue to be the lead back and see him as a low-end RB2 option against a solid Rams’ defense that adds Von Miller into the mix this week. The Rams have had more struggles with receiving backs (D’Andre Swift, Gio Bernard) than pure runners.

RB Michael Carter, NYJ (Wk. 10: vs. Buf.): The matchup here isn’t great, but Carter’s usage has been consistent, and he gets checkdown hero Mike White back under center. The Bills don’t allow much RB receiving production, giving up the fewest RB receptions and 4^th-fewest RB receiving yards in the league, but the ball is still going to find its way to Carter. He’s seen 15+ touches in each of the last 3 weeks and should see similar usage here. The ceiling is low, but Carter should be able to return an RB3-worthy performance in PPR formats.

WR Rashod Bateman, BAL (Wk. 10: @Mia.): Bateman hasn’t played in a game with Sammy Watkins active yet, but it’s hard to imagine the 1^st-round rookie will take a major backseat to the veteran in Watkins’ first game back. Bateman has played more than 60% of the offensive snaps in each game he’s been active for and seen at least 6 targets in each. I expect another 6+ targets tonight. Bateman is an upside WR3 play this week against the Dolphins, who allow the 3^rd-most WR points per game. Don’t let Watkins scare you off firing him up if you were considering starting him when you expected Sammy to sit.

WR DeVonta Smith, PHI (Wk. 10: @Den.): Here’s hoping last Sunday was a sign that Smith and Jalen Hurts are finally on the same page, but I’m not ready yet to declare that they definitely are. Smith has dominated air yards in this passing game all season, but the Eagles’ recent recommitment to the running game has lowered his margin for error. He’s seen 3 of his 4 lowest target totals of the season in the last 4 games and totaled just 107 receiving yards in the 3 games prior to his 5-116-1 breakout last week. The Broncos allow the 14^th-fewest WR points per game. Smith is back to being a boom-or-bust WR3 this week.

WR Elijah Moore, NYJ (Wk. 10: vs. Buf.): Last week was the breakout performance we’ve been waiting for from Moore, with 2 touchdowns, but I wouldn’t count on a repeat performance. Corey Davis should return to the lineup, and the Jets face a Buffalo defense that allows the fewest WR points per game. With Mike White back under center, there’s still a chance at a floor week for Moore, but that likely means closer to 40 yards than the 60+ we’ve seen the last couple weeks. He’s in play as a WR4 in deeper PPR leagues, but I’d probably lean away from him in most leagues.

Rookies to Sit:

QB Mac Jones, NE (Wk. 10: vs. Cle.): Jones faces a Cleveland defense that has allowed the 11^th-most QB points per game, but this defensive unit has been much better than that number implies. They’ve been shredded a few times this season, by star quarterbacks Justin Herbert, Kyler Murray, and Patrick Mahomes. In their other 6 games, they’ve allowed just 11.2 fantasy points per game to opposing QBs. No QB they’ve faced in the last 3 weeks has reached 15. I’d be hesitant to play Mac anywhere this week unless you have to in a superflex or 2-QB league.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson, NE (Wk. 10: vs. Cle.): Stevenson is fighting to get himself cleared from the concussion protocol this week, as is teammate Damien Harris. As of now, I would guess that neither guy gets cleared, but Stevenson should function as the lead back if he gets cleared and Harris doesn’t. Even in that case, he’s no more than a fringe option for deeper leagues. The Browns rank 5^th in run defense DVOA and have allowed the 9^th-fewest RB points per game.

RB Demetric Felton, CLE (Wk. 10: @NE): Felton was placed on the Browns’ Covid-reserve list this week along with Nick Chubb, but since both players are vaccinated there is a chance that one or both could get cleared in time for this game. If Felton gets cleared and Chubb doesn’t, the rookie will play a larger role than usual in this offense, but it still won’t be one worthy of starting in your lineups. In the one game this season where Chubb and Kareem Hunt were both inactive, Felton played a season-high 22 offensive snaps, but he handled just 2 rushing attempts and 3 targets in that game. There’s a glimmer of hope for Felton as the Patriots allow the 3^rd-most RB receiving yards per game and he’s a pass catching specialist, but the upside isn’t great enough to chase here.

RB Kenneth Gainwell, PHI (Wk. 10: @Den.): Gainwell got into the end zone last weekend, but he was on the field for just 11 offensive snaps and handled only 2 offensive touches. He’s a non-factor in this offense right now, and you can’t start him until that changes.

RB Chuba Hubbard, CAR (Wk. 10: @Ari.): The return of Christian McCaffrey sends Hubbard back to being nothing more than a handcuff with little to no standalone value. Chuba played just 10 snaps in week 9, even with McCaffrey playing less than half of the offensive plays. Ameer Abdullah worked as the RB2 ahead of Hubbard. As McCaffrey’s workload gets ramped back up in the coming weeks, Hubbard will have even less of a chance to play a fantasy relevant role.

RB Jermar Jefferson, DET (Wk. 10: @Pit.): Jamaal Williams still isn’t practicing as of Wednesday, and Jefferson posted 12.9 PPR points in week 8 with Williams sidelined, but there is no reason to count on a repeat performance here. The bulk of Jefferson’s points came on a 4^th quarter garbage time drive that he capped with a touchdown. Through the first 3 quarters, D’Andre Swift handled 17 of Detroit’s 22 running back touches, and the leftover touches were split between Jefferson and Godwin Igwebuike. You don’t need me to tell you that spitting less than 25% of the backfield touches against a team allowing the 3^rd-fewest RB points per game isn’t an ideal situation to start a running back.

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET (Wk. 10: @Pit.): ARSB is consistently playing right around 70% of Detroit’s offensive snaps, but it isn’t translating to a ton of fantasy production. He’s fine if you’re looking for 8-10 PPR points without upside for a lot more, but most of us should be looking for a higher ceiling. The Steelers have allowed double-digit PPR games to several slot WRs this year - Cole Beasley, Randall Cobb, Hunter Renfrow, and Tyler Boyd – but St. Brown will likely need to find the end zone to make him a worthwhile start. He’s yet to do that all season.

WR Rondale Moore, ARI (Wk. 10: vs. Car.): It’s a new week, but it’s the same story for Rondale, who just isn’t seeing deep enough targets to put up fantasy points. He’s topped 40 scrimmage yards just once since his breakout game in week 2. The Panthers have allowed the 5^th-fewest yards after catch this season, making this an unlikely spot for a surprise big performance.

WR Anthony Schwartz, CLE (Wk. 10: @NE): Schwartz did see a jump in playing time in week 9 with Odell Beckham Jr. given the boot. He played more than 50% of the offensive snaps but garnered just one target that he hauled in for 15 yards last week. The Browns are likely to use him as a situational deep threat the rest of the way, but the Patriots aren’t especially vulnerable to the deep ball, allowing just 3 completions of 40+ yards this season.

WR Terrace Marshall Jr., CAR (Wk. 10: @Ari.): Marshall returned from a two-week absence to just a 37% snap share and one target despite the Panthers trailing for the majority of the game and needing to throw. Carolina also lost QB Sam Darold for the next 4+ weeks. While that could be a good thing for the Panthers’ passing game given Darnold’s struggles, the biggest beneficiaries are likely to be DJ Moore and Robby Anderson. Backup QB PJ Walker has thrown about 60% of his career pass attempts to those two receivers (42 of 71), and I expect it to be Walker under center this week as Cam gets up to speed. Keep Marshall sidelined until his production gives us a reason not to.

WR D’Wayne Eskridge, SEA (Wk. 10: @GB): I only mention Eskridge this week because he’s officially returned to practice after missing half the season due to a concussion suffered in week 1. Eskridge was being used as part-time gadget player before getting hurt in week 1, but his 2^nd round draft capital speaks to grander plans that the Seahawks may have for him. It’s worth monitoring how the Seahawks utilize him against the Packers if he’s able to return to action.

TE Tommy Tremble, CAR (Wk. 10: @Ari.): I keep waiting for the week where Tremble turns his playing time into production, but he’s now played 45% or more of the offensive snaps in 4 straight games and hasn’t reached even 20 yards in any of them. He remains waiver fodder.

Rookies on bye in week 10: QB Justin Fields, CHI, QB Davis Mills, HOU, RB Khalil Herbert, CHI, RB Chris Evans, CIN, WR Ja’Marr Chase, CIN, WR Kadarius Toney, NYG, WR Nico Collins, HOU, TE Brevin Jordan, HOU

Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:

RB Jaret Patterson, WAS (Wk. 10: vs. TB): It’s easy to forget what a team coming off a bye did in their last game, but it was Patterson that led Washington in rushing attempts and rushing yards in week 8 against Denver, finishing with 11 carries for 46 yards. It was clear Washington was trying to limit Antonio Gibson’s snaps headed into the bye week, but it’s not clear if the bye week fixed the problem for Gibson. His practice schedule this week has mirrored what he was doing in the weeks prior to the bye, and it’s entirely possible Washington continues to severely limit his playing time coming out of it. Washington is sitting at 2-6 and is very likely to fall to 2-7 this week. It’s only a matter of time before they shut Gibson down for the season if his shin isn’t improving. Patterson is unlikely to have much success running against the stout Bucs front this week, but if he leads the backfield in carries again you probably won’t be able to get him for free for much longer in deep leagues. If you’re desperate for RB help down the stretch, Patterson is a worthwhile speculative add.

RB Kene Nwangwu, MIN (Wk. 10: @LAC): None of us like having to talk about what’s going on with Dalvin Cook right now, but there’s no avoiding the fact that it could affect his availability in the second half of the season. As of right now he’s eligible to play, but there’s no way to be certain that won’t change. Obviously, Alexander Mattison would be the biggest beneficiary on the football field if Dalvin were to miss time, but Nwangwu would start finding his way onto the field as well. The rookie is a special teams standout who returned a kick for a score last week. With Ameer Abdullah out of the way, Nwangwu would be the clear RB2 on this team behind Mattison if Dalvin does become ineligible. He’s a speculative add for deep dynasty leagues, especially those that give points for return yards.

WR Jaelon Darden, TB (Wk. 10: @Was.): The Bucs may be without both Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown this week in a matchup against the defense allowing the 2^nd-most WR points per game. Darden likely would see a healthy number of slot snaps playing behind Mike Evans and Tyler Johnson and has some PPR upside in deep leagues. Darden is a guy the Bucs have tried to get the ball to when he’s on the field. He’s seen 5 targets and 1 rushing attempt on just 25 snaps. The floor here is a goose egg, but don’t be surprised if Darden puts up 8-10 PPR points this week.

WR Dyami Brown, WAS (Wk. 10: vs. TB): Brown is only in play in DFS contests this week, but he should be in line for a lot of playing time in a game where game script should keep the Football Team throwing with Tampa favored by nearly 10 points. Brown missed week 5 with injury, and then returned to an 80% snap share and 6 targets in week 6 against Kansas City. The Bucs allow the 11^th-most WR points per game and have allowed the 9^th-most completions of 20+ yards in the league. Assuming he’s able to play, Dyami has reasonable upside and costs just $200 in DraftKings showdown contests for this game.

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 NFL world continued to be upside down in week 10. The Dolphins stunned the Ravens on Thursday night, the 49ers throttled the Rams on Monday night, and the Lions managed to wrestle a tie from the jaws of victory. Mac Jones threw for 3 touchdowns and Rhamondre Stevenson and DeVonta Smith each scored two, but other than that it was a mostly quiet week for the rookies. The usual suspects had reasonable games (Najee, Waddle, Pitts, Carter), and some backups found the end zone, but not a lot to re-hash. I have a feeling week 11 is going to be a little spicier for the rookies, and I’m excited to take a look at what the upcoming weekend holds in store for them.

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 11…

Rookies to Start:

RB Najee Harris, PIT (Wk. 11: @LAC): You were already going to play Najee Harris in all formats this week, but I really want to drive home the point that this is a smash spot for the rookie. The Chargers rank dead last in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA stat and have allowed the 4^th-most RB points per game. Harris was in a similar smash spot a week ago against the Lions, but the Steelers’ entire offense sputtered with Mason Rudolph under center. Najee didn’t have a bad game by any means. He topped 130 scrimmage yards and finished as the RB15 for the week, but he didn’t quite live up to his lofty expectations. If Rudolph is at QB again this week, I’d expect a similar borderline RB1 performance from him. If Big Ben returns, the sky is the limit.

RB Michael Carter, NYJ (Wk. 11: vs. Mia.): The Jets are switching to Joe Flacco at QB this week, but that shouldn’t change things much for Carter. Flacco may not be quite as conservative as Mike White and will take some shots downfield, but he’ll have no issues checking down to Carter and Ty Johnson. Carter has handled at least 13 times in each of the past 6 games, and 19+ times in 3 of the last 4. He should be in line for another solid workload, and the Dolphins aren’t a defense to be afraid of. Miami is a middling RB defense, allowing the 14^th-fewest points per game to the position. Carter is a much more trustworthy option this week than fringe options like Rhamondre Stevenson, D’Ernest Johnson, or D’Onta Foreman. Carter has finished as a top-15 running back in 3 of the last 4 weeks.

WR Ja’Marr Chase, CIN (Wk. 11: @LV): Chase was trending in the wrong direction headed into the bye week after posting 2 of his 3 worst fantasy games of the season in weeks 8 & 9. The Raiders’ defense should fix what’s ailed him. The Raiders haven’t given up a ton of WR points, but they rank 22^nd in pass defense DVOA and are coming off their worst defensive game of the season. Don’t get cute and consider sitting Chase this week. He should be a locked in WR2.

WR Jaylen Waddle, MIA (Wk. 11: @NYJ): In PPR formats, Waddle is now locked in as a weekly upside WR3. He’s going to get plenty of volume in this offense, especially while DeVante Parker and Will Fuller remain sidelined. The Jets are a middling matchup on paper, allowing the 14^th-most WR points per game, but they rank dead last in pass defense DVOA. Jets’ slot corner Michael Carter has allowed a 77% completion percentage and nearly 8 yards per target on throws into his coverage. Waddle should have no problem posting another solid, volume-drive top-30 performance in PPR formats.

TE Kyle Pitts, ATL (Wk. 11: vs. NE): Pitts has been a frustrating player to have rostered this season. The underlying usage (route participation, target share, etc.) has been worthy of an elite TE, but the production hasn’t matched that. Defenses have been able to key on Pitts with Calvin Ridley missing games, and the Falcons’ overall offense has been a mess at times. Pitts still finished as the TE12 and TE15 the last two weeks in two abysmal games. Yes, the Patriots are going to try to take him away Thursday night, but he only needs a handful of catches to return top-10 value at the position and the Falcons don’t have a lot of other options to throw the ball to. I wouldn’t fault you for sitting him if you had another stud tight end to start over him, but if you’re looking at guys like Dan Arnold, Freiermuth, or Zach Ertz to start over him, you shouldn’t be.

Borderline Rookies:

QB Mac Jones, NE (Wk. 11: @Atl.): Jones is coming off the first 3-touchdown performance of his career and gets to face a hapless Atlanta defense that allows the 3^rd-most QB points per game. This is the perfect opportunity to fire up Mac Jones, right? As Lee Corso would say, “not so fast, my friends.” Jones has played the best football of any rookie QB this season, but it’s resulted in just 1 game with 20+ fantasy points. There are 9 QBs that have averaged 21 fantasy points per game or more. In fact, the point total that earned Jones a QB4 finish last week wouldn’t have been better than QB9 in any other week this season, and would only have been a top-12 performance in two other weeks. He does not have the ceiling you want in a starting QB in 1-QB formats, even in a great matchup like this. The Pats don’t throw enough, and they don’t push the ball downfield enough when they do to make Mac a viable top-10 QB option. In superflex leagues, Mac is a great, safe QB2 play this week, but he’s nothing more than a fringe play if you’re looking for a QB1. I expect the Patriots to lean on their run game unless they’re somehow playing from behind and have to throw.

QB Trevor Lawrence, JAX (Wk. 11: vs. SF): Lawrence is coming off two terrible fantasy performances in the last two weeks but has a chance to bounce back against the 49ers. San Francisco looked great on Monday night slowing down Matt Stafford and the Rams, but for the season they’ve allowed the 7^th-most QB points per game and have been especially vulnerable to running quarterbacks. The 49ers have allowed 5 different QBs to run for more than 20 yards against them (including Carson Wentz) and allowed 4 of them to run for a touchdown. Lawrence has run for 20+ yards five times this season, and that rushing upside this week could provide a boost. He’s only in play in superflex leagues, but Trevor is a better play this week than you might think.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson, NE (Wk. 11: @Atl.): It’s hard to not be excited by the game Rhamondre put up last Sunday, rolling to 114 scrimmage yards, a pair of touchdowns, and an RB2 overall finish with Damien Harris sidelined by a concussion. We all want to see more Rhamondre, and the hope is that Bill Belichick rides Stevenson’s hot hand rather than give the job back to Damien Harris. I’m not confident that’s going to happen. Stevenson has played more snaps than Harris just twice all season. One of those games was in week 5 against the Texans, where Harris battled through an injury suffered early in the game and the Patriots battled a negative game script. The other was last week when Harris was inactive. Outside of those two games Harris has functioned as the clear lead back, and I expect that to happen again Thursday night. The good news for Rhamondre is that the Patriots are a touchdown favorite and will probably have ample opportunity to run the ball. He’s also more involved in the passing game than Harris. If you’re considering Stevenson, I expect him to have around a dozen touches operating as the RB2 behind Harris, maybe a bit more if the Pats pull away. He’s an upside flex option.

RB Elijah Mitchell, SF (Wk. 11: @Jax.): Mitchell came away from last week’s win over the Rams with a broken finger that has kept him out of practice this week. Kyle Shanahan still expects him to play this week, but you need to make sure he’s active before plugging him in. It’s worth mentioning that the return of Jeff Wilson Jr. looks like it’s going to be a problem for Mitchell. Elijah played his lowest snap share since week 4, and even gave way to Deebo Samuel for some RB snaps. You could argue the 49ers were resting him due to being way ahead for much of the night, but Mitchell was in the game getting carries on the 49ers final drive. The injury this week just makes it even more likely that he plays less than his usual workload. The Jaguars are not as inviting a matchup as you’d think. Jacksonville ranks 7^th in run defense DVOA and has allowed the 13^th-fewest RB rushing yards per game despite the fact they’re usually playing from behind. I think Mitchell is a dicey flex option this week, especially if your league gives points for receptions. Mitchell should be able to carry the ball with a pin in his broken finger, but catching it? I’m not so sure. He could see even less receiving work than usual.

WR Rashod Bateman, BAL (Wk. 11: @Chi.): Bateman was frustratingly rotated with Sammy Watkins for much of last Thursday’s game, but down the stretch when the Ravens needed to throw, Bateman was heavily involved. Marquise Brown isn’t practicing as of Thursday, and that means Bateman could function as the team’s WR1 this week. He’s averaged 7 targets per game since his return from IR, and the Bears are allowing the 4^th-most WR points per game and rank 19^th in pass defense DVOA. If Brown plays, Bateman is an upside WR3 option again this week, but if Brown sits, it pushes Shoddy B closer to the WR2 range.

WR DeVonta Smith, PHI (Wk. 11: vs. NO): Smith has posted back-to-back 20-point games, but I’d give it some thought before firing him up in lineups this week. The Eagles have shifted their offense drastically toward the running game in recent weeks, averaging just 19 pass attempts per game in their last 3 contests. At some point, negative game script is going to force them back into throwing, but I’m not sure it’ll be this week against the Trevor Siemian-led Saints. If the Eagles don’t throw more, you’re counting on Smith making a big splash on limited volume if you play him, and he gets a tough individual matchup with week with shadow coverage from Marshon Lattimore. Smith is only getting open against man coverage about 32% of the time per PFF’s Arjun Menon. That ranks 122^nd out of 154 qualified pass catchers. Lattimore hasn’t been quite himself this year, allowing nearly 10 yards per target and a 103 passer rating into his coverage, but he’s limited other top options he’s shadowed like Davante Adams (5-56 on 7 targets), Terry McLaurin (4-46 on 11 targets), and Mike Evans (2-48-1 on 4 targets). Smith still has plenty of upside to be started as a WR3, but there is considerable risk that he puts up a clunker. Be aware of it if you’re considering him for lineups.

WR Elijah Moore, NYJ (Wk. 11: vs. Mia.): Week 10 had some positive signs for Moore, and some negative ones. The positive is that he got in the end zone again and he reached double-digit fantasy points for the 3^rd week in a row. He also showed a quick rapport with week 11 starter Joe Flacco, catching two of the three completions Flacco threw, including the TD. The negative is that he played only 56% of the offensive snaps and was ceding playing time to Keelan Cole, Braxton Berrios and Jeff Smith. The return of Corey Davis showed that Davis is still clearly the WR1 in this offense. If the rapport with Flacco carries over, Moore should have no problem overcoming the limited playing time and being a solid WR4 option this week, but that remains to be seen. It is a good matchup. The Dolphins allow the 3^rd-most WR points per game. You just have to ask yourself if you trust Joe Flacco.

TE Pat Freiermuth, PIT (Wk. 11: @LAC): The Steelers are building their game plan for this week as though Mason Rudolph is going to be under center again. That’s not good news for Freiermuth or any other Steelers’ pass-catcher. Freiermuth saw a season-high 9 targets with Rudolph under center but posted his worst fantasy game since prior to JuJu Smith-Schuster’s season ending injury. He’s going to be heavily involved in the offense even with Rudolph at QB, but the volume from Rudolph just doesn’t go as far as volume from Big Ben. The Chargers allow the 4^th-most TE points per game, so the matchup is a good one. I’d treat Freiermuth as a top-15 option with Rudolph at QB, and a top-10 option if Big Ben is able to play.

Rookies to Sit:

QB Justin Fields, CHI (Wk. 11: vs. Bal.): Fields has made strides in recent performances and has had an extra week to prepare for the Ravens, but I don’t like his chances of posting a big fantasy day in this one. Fields was the QB12 from week 6 through week 9, the span of his last 4 games, but 45% of his fantasy output came from his rushing production. He rushed for at least 38 yards in each game. No starting QB facing the Ravens this season has run for more than 12 yards. The Ravens allow the 11^th-most QB points per game, but I’m not counting on Fields to take advantage of this matchup. I view him as a low-end QB2 in week 11.

QB Zach Wilson, NYJ (Wk. 11: vs. Mia.): Wilson was a full participant in practice last Friday before being ultimately being inactive on Sunday. He seemed to be trending toward a week 11 return, but the Jets announced Wednesday that Joe Flacco will get the start instead. It would’ve been a favorable matchup for the rookie against a defense that ranks 30^th in pass defense DVOA, but his only hope to make an impact would be a mid-game substitution like Tua had against the Ravens last week. Hopefully Wilson can return in week 12.

RB Kenneth Gainwell, PHI (Wk. 11: vs. NO): In the absence of Miles Sanders, it’s become obvious that Kenneth Gainwell is going to be limited to being just a receiving down back for the Eagles used mostly in obvious passing situations, and they just haven’t had many obvious passing situations in recent weeks. The Eagles have committed to running the football, and the result has been much better game scripts, which limit Gainwell’s opportunity. He’s touched the ball just 5 times in the last 2 weeks, and I don’t expect the return of Sanders to change the team’s game plan.

RB Chuba Hubbard, CAR (Wk. 11: vs. Was.): Hubbard handled 9 rushing attempts and got into the end zone in week 10, but he did so on just 16 snaps in a blowout win over the Cardinals. 8 of Chuba’s 9 carries came with the Panthers up by at least 3 scores. It’s not impossible that they get way up again this week, but that’s not usage you want to bet on. Chuba remains just a CMC handcuff.

 RB Khalil Herbert, CHI (Wk. 11: vs. Bal.): In David Montgomery’s return to action in week 9, Herbert played just 10 snaps and handled 4 rushing attempts. This is David Montgomery’s backfield.

RB Larry Rountree II, LAC (Wk. 11: vs. Pit.): Like Chuba, Rountree got into the end zone last weekend on limited opportunities. He hasn’t played 10+ snaps since week 4. There’s no need to consider him.

WR Rondale Moore, ARI (Wk. 11: @Sea.): Rondale has now gone 5 consecutive weeks with fewer than 30 scrimmage yards and fewer than 8 PPR points. He’s getting nothing but short targets, no matter who is at QB. With AJ Green’s return last week, Moore’s snap share dropped from 81% in week 9 to 33% in week 10. There is a silver lining for Moore in that the Seahawks allow the 5^th-most yards after catch in the league, but he’s no more than a low-priced dart throw in DFS tournaments.

WR Kadarius Toney, NYG (Wk. 11: @TB): The upside with Toney is tantalizing, but we can’t let ourselves be tricked into chasing fool’s gold. We saw the ceiling in weeks 4 & 5 as Toney totaled 16 catches and 267 yards, but outside of those two games he’s totaled 12 catches for 85 yards the rest of the season. The Giants have consistently proven that they don’t know how to effectively get Toney involved, and I wouldn’t chase the upside with Toney this week. Yes the Giants will have to throw a lot, and yes the Bucs allow the 12^th-most WR points per game, but Toney is still going to end up with something like 4-25 on 5 targets.

WR Terrace Marshall Jr., CAR (Wk. 11: vs. Was): With Cam Newton under center, look for the Panthers’ offense to transition to using significantly more 2-tight end sets to sell the threat of the power run game with Cam. This is going to mean less playing time for Marshall, who functions as the team’s WR3.Thanks to a very positive game script last week, we already got a preview of what that might look like moving forward with Terrace playing just 24% of the offensive snaps. This is a plus matchup for a WR, with Washington allowing the 2^nd-most points per game to the position, but you can’t count on Marshall given the amount of playing time he’s been getting lately. Keep him parked on the bench unless we see a drastic change in his usage in the next couple weeks as Cam gets settled in.

WRs Dyami Brown & Dax Milne, WAS (Wk. 11: @Car.): Brown returned from injury last week, but basically functioned as the team’s WR5, even with Curtis Samuel still sidelined. It looks as though DeAndre Carter has earned that WR2 role opposite Terry McLaurin, and Adam Humphries has manned the slot. Fellow rookie Dax Milne is even playing ahead of Brown at this point. Milne isn’t playing enough to warrant fantasy consideration – he’s tallied just 5 catches for 60 yards in the last 3 weeks, but he’s got more value than Brown at this point.

WR D’Wayne Eskridge, SEA (Wk. 11: vs. Ari.): Eskridge finally got back on the field last week but played a very limited role. Freddie Swain and Penny Hart were each on the field significantly more than Eskridge, but the team did make an effort to get the ball to Eskridge when he was on the field. He was targeted twice on just 5 offensive snaps last week. He’s worth continuing to monitor, but he should be on the waiver wire in most redraft formats.

TE John Bates, WAS (Wk. 11: @Car.): Don’t fall into the trap here. Ricky Seals-Jones isn’t practicing as of Thursday, and Logan Thomas is no sure thing to return either. That leaves Bates as the starting TE if both are out. There isn’t much upside to chase here though. In his last two college seasons, Bates averaged just 2.4 catches and 28 receiving yards per game, and the Panthers have allowed the 13^th-fewest TE points per game. You’d have to be very desperate to use Bates in fantasy lineups this week. The only place I’d look at him is in a Showdown DFS contest for this game.

Rookies on Bye in week 11: RB Javonte Williams, DEN, RB Jake Funk, LAR, WR Tutu Atwell, LAR

Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET (Wk. 11: @Cle.): Amon-Ra hasn’t put up many fantasy performances to be excited about, but he’s averaged nearly 6 targets per game over the last 6 games and gets easily the best individual matchup of any Detroit wide receiver this week. The Lions are double-digit underdogs in Cleveland, so they should be throwing a bunch. Cleveland’s slot corner, Troy Hill, has allowed a whopping 134.4 passer rating on throws into his coverage, and that’s who ARSB will match up with. Detroit may be missing Jared Goff, but I don’t believe Tim Boyle or David Blough will be a notable downgrade at the position given how bad Goff has been. Keep an eye on team updates if considering Amon-Ra. Josh Reynolds may get more involved this week now that he should be up to speed. I don’t expect increased Reynolds snaps to come from St. Brown though. I’d view ARSB as a PPR WR4 consideration, and as a guy to target in DFS Showdown contests for this game.

WR Nico Collins, HOU (Wk. 11: @Ten.): Collins shouldn’t be in consideration in most fantasy formats, but he could be in prime position to post his best game of the season. The Titans are a double-digit favorite, so that should keep the Texans throwing the ball, and Tennessee has allowed more WR catches and receiving yards than any other team in the league. Brandin Cooks is the obvious beneficiary of this matchup, but Collins has functioned as the clear WR2 since his return from IR. He’s no more than a bargain dart throw in DFS tournaments ($3,300 on DraftKings), but he’s got a higher ceiling this week than usual.

TE Tommy Tremble, CAR (Wk. 11: vs. Was.): If you read what I wrote above about Terrace Marshall Jr., you know I think the Panthers utilize the tight end position more going forward. That means more playing time for Tremble. So far, his production has been lackluster with just 39 total receiving yards in the last 4 weeks, but he’s seen nearly double the targets that Ian Thomas has in that span, and Cam Newton likes to utilize the tight end position. Tremble played a season-high 68% of the offensive snaps last week. A spike in production is likely coming soon. Now is the time to stash Tremble in deeper leagues, especially in dynasty formats.

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 and Happy Turkey Day! Hopefully your teams are well positioned for the final playoff push with just 3 weeks remaining before the fantasy playoffs. Week 11 felt like a return to fantasy normalcy after a tumultuous and unpredictable few weeks before it. We still saw a couple big upsets (Texans over the Titans, Colts over the Bills), but for the most part the good fantasy players performed well in week 11, and the rookies were no exception. Ja’Marr Chase and Najee Harris each got back into the end zone after failing to do so in their previous games. DeVonta Smith topped 60 yards for the 3^rd straight game, Elijah Moore topped 10 PPR points for the 5^th straight, and the trio of Kadarius Toney, Jaylen Waddle, and Rondale Moore each had a reception bonanza despite minimal yardage. The rookies should have plenty more in store for us in week 12.

I’m going to try something a little different with the Rookie Report this week. Every week I try to touch on every fantasy relevant rookie, but realistically you don’t need several sentences to tell you not to start Larry Rountree III in your lineups. With that in mind, I’m going to have two brief sections on rookies you already know to start, and rookies you already know to sit, with just a brief stat about each. I’m going to split the ‘Borderline Rookies’ section into guys that I’d lean toward starting, and guys that I’d lean toward sitting, and will finish as always with the ‘Deep League Sleepers.’ Hopefully you find this format a little more useful going forward.

The same usual notes still apply – 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 mentions of points per game and points allowed are in half-PPR scoring unless otherwise noted. Let’s dive into week 12…

Rookies you Already Know you Should Start:

RB Najee Harris, PIT (Wk. 12: @Cin.): Harris’ lightest workload since week 2 still resulted in 17 touches and an RB12 finish last weekend. The Bengals have allowed the 9^th-most points per game to opposing backs.

WR Ja’Marr Chase, CIN (Wk. 12: vs. Pit.): Chase earned his second-lowest target total of the season in the first go-round with the Steelers but finished that game with a 20-point fantasy day. Chase’s overall production has been a little lower in his last 3 games, but he’s still cleared 10 fantasy points in all but one game this season.

WR Jaylen Waddle, MIA (Wk. 12: vs. Car.): Since Tua’s return from injury in week 6, Waddle has garnered 8+ targets in 5 of 6 games, 7+ receptions in 4 of 6, and 60+ yards in 5 of 6. He’s been the PPR WR17 in points per game in that span. The Panthers have allowed the 4^th-fewest WR points per game this season, so I could see being hesitant to get him in the lineup in non-PPR formats, but don’t let the Panthers scare you off in full PPR (and probably not in half-PPR either).

Borderline Rookies I’d Lean Toward Starting:

QB Mac Jones, NE (Wk. 12: vs. Ten.): Please note that I only suggest starting Jones in superflex formats or leagues deeper than 12 teams, but this is a week where he has more upside than usual. The Colts and Texans are the only teams all year to fall short of 270 passing yards against the Titans this season, and this game should have the least favorable game script the Patriots have faced in the last few weeks after 3 straight easy wins. Jones has averaged just 22 pass attempts per game in the last 3 weeks after throwing 30+ times in 7 of his first 8 games. I expect Jones to get back to 30+ attempts in this game, and assuming he’s his usual, efficient self with those attempts, he’s going to likely finish as a high-end QB2.

RB Javonte Williams, DEN (Wk. 12: vs. LAC): Ahead of Denver’s week 11 bye, Javonte played more snaps in a game than teammate Melvin Gordon for just the 2^nd time all season. While I doubt it’s a true changing of the guard, it would be wise for Denver to give Williams more playing time down the stretch as they take their last swings at staying in the playoff chase. Williams has consistently looked like the better back. Week 12 brings one of the best matchups of the season for this backfield. The Chargers have allowed the 4^th-most running back points per game, and rank dead last in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA stat. Even with a split workload, this is a great opportunity for Javonte to post a top-20 performance. If his edge in playing time over Gordon continues, he could push even higher. You may have more trustworthy options than Williams on your roster, but this is a week where Javonte should have one of his best performances of the season.

WR DeVonta Smith, PHI (Wk. 12: @NYG): Smith has continued to produce at a high level over the last 3 weeks even though the Eagles have transitioned to being a run-heavy football team, but his margin for error is smaller in the current version of the offense. Jalen Hurts has attempted just 21 passes per game in the last 3 weeks, but each week 6 of those attempts have gone in Smith’s direction, and he’s been efficient with those targets. Smith has scored 3 TDs in that span and posted 3 of his 4 best single-game yards per target marks of the season. Can he continue to turn limited volume into fantasy gold this week? I wouldn’t consider it automatic, but the matchup isn’t one to be afraid of. The Giants have allowed the 12^th-most WR points per game, and shadow corner James Bradberry hasn’t been the same player in 2021 that he was in 2020. Bradberry is allowing the highest marks he’s allowed on throws into his coverage in passer rating, yards per target, and yards per completion since his rookie year in 2018, and he’s seen his PFF coverage grade drop from 79.9 in 2020 to 64.8 in 2021. He still isn’t a complete pushover, so I wouldn’t pencil in a 5-60-1 line for the rookie just yet, but there aren’t many receivers you’d be considering around Smith’s range that have the kind of ceiling he does.

WR Rashod Bateman, BAL (Wk. 12: vs. Cle.): The return of Lamar Jackson should mean good things for Bateman. The rookie had averaged 70 receiving yards on nearly 5 catches per game in the last 3 games he played with Lamar before putting up a dud with Tyler Huntley under center in week 11. The Browns have allowed the 9^th-most WR points per game and have allowed 10+ fantasy points to 10 different receivers in the last 6 games. If Marquise Brown is out again, Bateman will likely tangle mostly with Browns’ top corner Denzel Ward, but I’d expect the bump in volume that would come along with Brown’s absence to offset the tougher individual matchup. Bateman is a reasonable WR3 option in all formats.

WR Kadarius Toney, PHI (Wk. 12: vs. Phi.): Toney finally looked to be fully healthy on Monday night against the Bucs, and the Giants made an aggressive effort to get him the football, targeting him on more than a third of his offensive snaps. All of those targets resulted in just 40 yards on 7 catches, but he gets a matchup favorable to his skill set this week. The Eagles play a lot of Cover 2 zone defense, which should leave a lot of holes for Toney to settle into underneath the deep safeties. Philly also allows the 14^th-most yards after catch, which means Toney could have some success piling up extra yards with the ball in his hands. If Toney is used the same way he was last week, I think a dozen or more fantasy points are in the offing for him. The biggest wild card here is what kind of offensive changes Freddie Kitchens will implement in his first week as interim OC. Kitchens’ one full season in charge of Cleveland’s play-calling included more than 8 targets per game for Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr., so he knows to get the ball into the hands of his playmakers. Toney is the best playmaker the Giants have at wide receiver.

TE Kyle Pitts, ATL (Wk. 12: @Jax.): It’s getting harder each week to trust Pitts in your lineups with each dud he posts, but I urge you to ride with the rookie for another week. It’s been more than 4 weeks since the last time Pitts scored more than 10 PPR points, but I’m confident he’s going to get there this week. The Jaguars have allowed just the 12^th-most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends, but that number is worse than it looks. They’ve only faced 4 tight ends all season that rank in the top-20 in PPR points per game, and all 4 of them scored at least 13 points against Jacksonville. I fully expect Pitts to make it 5 out of 5.

TE Pat Freiermuth, PIT (Wk. 12: @Cin.): Freiermuth played his lowest snap share since week 5 on Sunday night, but he still saw 7 targets come his way and scored a touchdown again. He now has at least 6 targets and 4 catches in 5 straight games and has gotten into the end zone 4 times in that span. The player who was taking his snaps in week 11, Eric Ebron, is expected to need knee surgery and is out for the foreseeable future. That means the rookie should go back up to a 70%+ snap share going forward. Freiermuth’s week 12 opponents, the Bengals, have given up a tight end touchdown in each of the last 3 games, and Muth himself got in the end zone against them in week 3. Freiermuth looks like a low-end top-10 play this week.

Borderline Rookies I’d Lean Toward Sitting:

QB Trevor Lawrence, JAX (Wk. 12: vs. Atl.): A matchup against the defense allowing the 3^rd-most QB points per game is enough to get any QB consideration in 2-QB leagues, but this Jacksonville offense hasn’t shown enough life to trust Lawrence even in this prime spot. The Jaguars as a team have scored just 36 total points in the last 3 weeks. Trevor has accounted for more than 1 touchdown in just one of his last 9 games and has accounted for zero total touchdowns in the last 3 games combined. His best hope for fantasy production may be his legs. The Falcons have allowed 5 different QBs to run for over 25 yards, and two of them to run for over 60. Lawrence has rushed for 20+ yards 6 times this year. At the end of the day, starting Lawrence as your QB2 means you’re betting on him to post his best game in over a month. An inviting matchup isn’t enough to get me to make that bet.

QB Zach Wilson, NYJ (Wk. 12: @Hou.): You might look at the opponent next to Wilson’s name and be tempted to consider him as a streamer in 2-QB leagues this week, but I’d caution against that. It’s true the Texans allowed 17+ QB points in 7 of their first 8 games and 20+ in 5 of them, but Wilson hasn’t shown that he can take advantage of a matchup like this yet and his floor is very low. Wilson failed to record a touchdown in 3 of the 5 full games he’s played, and you’re playing with fire if you’re counting on a big performance after a 5-week layoff. He’ll be shaking off the rust in this one, and while he may be able to lead his team to a win against the Texans, he’s less likely to lead your fantasy team to the same.

RB Elijah Mitchell, SF (Wk. 12: vs. Min.): If Mitchell can play this week, this isn’t a terrible spot to fire him up as a flex play, but it’s not a great one either. The 49ers offense has looked the best it’s looked all season in the last few weeks, and they face a Minnesota defense that ranks 27^th in run defense DVOA and has allowed the 11^th-most running back points per game. On paper, it looks like a great spot to play a starting running back in a run-first offense. The question is whether Mitchell will see a full starting running back workload. Mitchell played his lowest snap share of the season week 10 in Jeff Wilson Jr.’s first game back from IR, and the 49ers have utilized Deebo Samuel out of the backfield frequently in the last two weeks. Add in that Mitchell is still nursing that finger injury, and it’s easy to see him playing a smaller role than usual. When you also consider that he isn’t used as a pass-catcher, the potential path to a dud performance in this smash spot gets clearer. You could do worse than Mitchell in your lineups, but there’s more risk here than you’d think. Keep on eye on the injury updates from the 49ers if you’re considering using Mitchell.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson, NE (Wk. 12: vs. Ten.): I love what we’ve seen out of Stevenson in recent weeks, but he’s in a full-fledged committee with Damien Harris and Brandon Bolden right now, and the Titans have allowed the 4^th-fewest running back points per game. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the rookie post another impressive game, but he’s likely going to be doing so from my bench unless I have limited options. Stevenson has handled at least a dozen touches and posted 70+ scrimmage yards in 3 straight games, but Damien Harris missed most of 2 of those games, and the other was a blowout win over the Falcons. I’m not counting on another 70-yard day on a dozen touches.

WR Elijah Moore, NYJ (Wk. 12: @Hou.): It will certainly feel counterintuitive to sit Moore given the production he’s put up in recent weeks, but it might be the right play with Zach Wilson getting the start for the Jets. Moore has been targeted at least 6 times in each of the last 5 games. He found the end zone in 4 of them, and topped 60 receiving yards in the other, but Zach Wilson started only one of those games, and he was injured and replaced by Mike White in the first half of it. Moore has totaled just 98 scrimmage yards and 1 TD in the 5 games he’s played that Wilson started. That could turn around going forward. Wilson was drafted 2^nd overall for a reason, and Moore has clearly carved out a big role in this offense, but their shaky connection has me worried for week 12. Houston isn’t an imposing matchup. The Texans allow the 9^th-most WR points per game. Moore is very much in play as a WR3 again this week, but I wouldn’t be plugging him in over other strong options this week.

TE John Bates, WAS (Wk. 12: vs. Sea.): Bates isn’t a guy I would usually give much consideration to, but he played an eye-popping 99% of Washington’s offensive snaps in week 11. He turned all of that playing time into just 3 catches for 23 yards. Logan Thomas did have his practice window opened to return from IR, but it remains to be seen if he’ll be active in week 12. If Thomas sits, Bates is no more than a desperation plug-in this week.

Rookies you Already Know you Should Sit:

QB Justin Fields, CHI (Wk. 12: @Det.): Andy Dalton is getting the start on Turkey Day.

RB Trey Sermon, SF (Wk. 12: vs. Min.): Sermon handled 10 carries and 1 target last Sunday while splitting the backfield with Jeff Wilson Jr. in Elijah Mitchell’s absence. The 49ers opened up a 21-3 lead before Sermon got his 2^nd touch of the game. His work was mostly in garbage time, and Mitchell is expected back this week.

RB Jaret Patterson, WAS (Wk. 12: vs. Sea.): There is a little upside for Patterson this week against a Seattle defense that has allowed the 2^nd-most RB points per game and ranks 25^th in run defense DVOA, but this feels like a JD McKissic week where the Football Team may be chasing points in a get-right game for Seattle’s offense. Patterson has carried the ball 22 times in the last 3 games, but he’s played just 34 offensive snaps. If you think Washington wins this week, Patterson has more upside than I’m giving him credit for.

RB Larry Rountree III, LAC (Wk. 12: @Den.): The Chargers have played musical chairs with their RB2 spot this season, but Rountree hasn’t rushed for more than 11 yards since week 4.

RB Chuba Hubbard, CAR (Wk. 12: @Mia.): In Cam Newton’s first start this season, Hubbard went from change-of-pace back to complete afterthought, playing just one offensive snap. I don’t know if CMC played a higher snap share because he’s a week healthier, or if it was because there were fewer total plays as they played a slower tempo with Cam under center (Panthers ran 51 offensive plays in week 11 after running 75 in week 10). Either way, Hubbard isn’t going to play much this week unless it’s a blowout win.

RB Khalil Herbert, CHI (Wk. 12: @Det.): Since the return of David Montgomery two weeks ago, Herbert has played just 17 offensive snaps and touched the ball 5 times.

RB Jermar Jefferson, DET (Wk. 12: vs. Chi.): In the two games where Jefferson found the end zone, he played a total of just 14 snaps, and Jamaal Williams missed both games. He’s yet to play an offensive snap in a game that Jamaal Williams was active for.

RB Chris Evans, CIN (Wk. 12: vs. Pit.): Samaje Perine has stolen Evans’ pass-catching role behind Joe Mixon, and it was already a small role to begin with.

RB Demetric Felton, CLE (Wk. 12: @Bal.): Felton has handled more than 3 touches in just one game, and both Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt were inactive for it. Both should be active this week.

RB Michael Carter, NYJ (Wk. 12: @Hou.): If you missed the news, Carter is out a couple weeks with injury.

WR Nico Collins, HOU (Wk. 12: vs. NYJ): Over the last 5 games since his return from IR, Collins has seen the following target totals: 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2. He’s still been on the field for over 50% of the offensive snaps each week, but that’s not a trend you want to chase this week, even against a Jets’ defense that is vulnerable pretty much everywhere.

WR Terrace Marshall Jr., CAR (Wk. 12: @Mia.): Much as I expected, the change to Cam Newton didn’t turn things around for Marshall. WR Brandon Zylstra has played nearly double the snaps that Marshall has in the last 2 weeks, and Terrace has just 3 catch-less targets in those games.

WRs Dax Milne & Dyami Brown, WAS (Wk. 12: vs. Sea.): This duo has played fewer combined snaps than Adam Humphries has seen in each of the last two weeks.

WR Anthony Schwartz, CLE (Wk. 12: @Bal.): Schwartz missed last week’s game with a concussion suffered against the Patriots in week 10 and looks likely to miss this week as well. He’s posted fewer scrimmage yards in the last 10 weeks combined than he did in week 1.

TE Tommy Tremble, CAR (Wk. 12: @Mia.): I think there are some spike weeks coming for Tremble, but I’m not ready to bank on this being one of them. It took just 2 targets from Cam Newton for Tremble to post his best yardage day of the season last week, but 2 or 3 targets aren’t likely to get it done against a Miami defense that has only allowed Mark Andrews, Kyle Pitts, and Mo-Alie Cox to reach 10 fantasy points against them at tight end.

TE Brevin Jordan, HOU (Wk. 12: vs. NYJ): Jordan is starting to get more regular playing time, but not enough that he’s a realistic lineup consideration. He’s totaled 6 catches for 57 yards and a score in the 3 games he’s been active for.

Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:

RB Kenneth Gainwell, PHI (Wk. 12: @NYG): Gainwell has kind of been the forgotten man in Philly’s backfield in the last couple weeks. He was a healthy scratch in week 11, but he’s going to be active this week after an injury to Jordan Howard, and I like his chances to be a factor. Gainwell is the most skilled receiving back of the Eagles’ trio, and the Giants allow the 6^th-most running back receiving yards per game. Two of Gainwell’s 3 biggest fantasy days came against the defenses allowing the 5^th and 7^th-most RB receiving yards per game. He hasn’t faced any other teams in the top 8. Gainwell is obviously a risky play given how little he’s been involved in recent weeks, but he costs less than half what Boston Scott does on DraftKings for showdown contests, and I like his odds to outproduce his teammate in this one.

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET (Wk. 12: vs. Chi.): I didn’t think it was possible to believe this, but Detroit’s pass catchers have to be relieved to see Jared Goff is slated to return this week after the performance from Tim Boyle last Sunday. ARSB pulled in all 4 of his targets for just 18 yards. That represented 23.3% of Boyle’s total passing yardage. This week St. Brown gets to face a Bears’ defense that allowed him to post 6 catches for 70 yards in their first meeting, and the Chicago secondary has gone downhill since then. ARSB’s most frequent matchup will be with Chicago slot corner Duke Shelley. Shelley has allowed 9 yards per target and a completion percentage of over 77% on throws into his coverage. I wouldn’t be eager to get any Lion WRs into my season-long lineups, but if you’re looking for a Detroit receiver to target in Thanksgiving DFS contests, Amon-Ra is my favorite option this week.

WR Dez Fitzpatrick, TEN (Wk. 12: @NE): Fitzpatrick has been quite the redemption story in recent weeks. He was a 4^th-round pick last spring but failed to make the Titans’ roster out of training camp, and instead was relegated to the practice squad. He’s worked his way back up to the active roster, and now finds himself in a prominent role in the offense as we head into week 12. Julio Jones and Marcus Johnson are both on injured reserve, and AJ Brown is battling a couple injuries suffered last Sunday. Fitzpatrick stepped in admirably, earning 6 targets and scoring his first career touchdown against the Texans. He’s likely to avoid New England’s top cover corner JC Jackson whether AJ Brown plays or not, and he could be in line for another 6+ targets. He’s an intriguing cheap DFS play and should be rostered in most dynasty formats.

WR D’Wayne Eskridge, SEA (Wk. 12: @Was.): This one is a pure hunch, and one that shouldn’t be tried in any high-stakes contests, but I really like Seattle’s chances to get the offense back on track this week against a Washington defense that ranks 31^st in defense DVOA, ahead of only the Jets. Of course, DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Alex Collins are the most likely beneficiaries if that happens, but this feels like the right week to dial up a couple shot plays for Eskridge on a big stage Monday night. He’ll likely cost close to the minimum for Monday Night showdown slate contests.

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. Be aware of which of your players have a game on Thursday, and make sure you don’t miss out on getting them into your lineup because you were in a turkey coma. Also 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! We’ve arrived at week 13, which means the playoff chase in your leagues is heating up. We’re down to just the final two weeks of the regular season in most leagues and these next two matchups can be critical. The number thirteen is often associated with bad luck, so hopefully you’ve been able to avoid being hit by bad news on your players’ availability this week. Week 12 was a bit of a bummer for some of the elite rookies - Ja’Marr Chase, Najee Harris, DeVonta Smith and Kyle Pitts all had poor weeks – but their rookie slack was picked up by Mac Jones, Elijah Mitchell, Javonte Williams and Jaylen Waddle.

This week I’m going to stick with the format introduced in week 12. You obviously already know the most obvious starts & sits, so I don’t want to waste too much time on them. The bigger focus again is on what to do with the borderline rookies, as each lineup decision can be critical at this point in the season.

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 numbers and points allowed rankings are based on half-PPR scoring unless otherwise noted. Let’s dive into week 13…

Rookies You Already Know You Should Start:

RB Najee Harris, PIT (Wk. 13: vs. Bal.): Harris has finished as a top-12 PPR running back 8 times in 11 games this season. The matchup with Baltimore isn’t an easy one – the Ravens rank 5^th in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA stat and just held Nick Chubb to fewer than 5 fantasy points last week – but the Steelers know that with Big Ben at QB, they need to re-commit to running the football if they want to get their season back on track. I’d count on 20+ touches or close to it for Harris.

WR Jaylen Waddle, MIA (Wk. 13: vs. NYG): Waddle had already proven himself as a weekly auto-start in PPR leagues prior to last week, but he posted his best performance of the season on Sunday with a 9-137-1 line on 10 targets. Miami will get DeVante Parker back from IR this week and should play from ahead against the potentially Mike Glennon-led Giants, but Waddle has posted a 22.5% target share in the games Parker has been active for this season and should continue to see the ball come his way. He’s a locked-in WR3.

WR Ja’Marr Chase, CIN (Wk. 13: vs. LAC): Chase’s status as an automatic weekly start is getting into the danger zone a bit after his 4^th consecutive game with fewer than 50 yards, one where he saw his lowest target total of the season (3). He also faces a tough matchup with the Chargers, who allow the 2^nd-fewest WR points per game. I’d be inclined to ride with Chase another week despite the recent performances. LA has allowed 4 receivers this season to top 90 receiving yards, and all 4 happened in the last 4 weeks. I don’t envision the Bengals being up this week the way they were against Pittsburgh, so they should throw a good amount more. Chase isn’t going to be limited to 3 targets again.

Borderline Rookies I’d Lean Towards Starting:

RB Elijah Mitchell, SF (Wk. 13: @Sea.): Mitchell’s broken finger clearly isn’t going to hold him back going forward after he played his highest snap share of the season and posted his best fantasy game in week 12. He did that despite Deebo Samuel continuing to be used out of the backfield and scoring a rushing TD. Samuel is unlikely to play in week 13, so we should expect even more Mitchell this week. Seattle’s run defense is respectable, ranking 11^th in run defense DVOA, but that hasn’t stopped them from being shredded by opposing backs. They’ve allowed the 2^nd-most RB points per game. Mitchell has top-12 potential in week 13 and should be in lineups everywhere.

RB Javonte Williams, DEN (Wk. 13: @KC): Williams has now played more snaps than Melvin Gordon in 3 games this season, and 2 of them were the team’s last 2 contests. He seems to finally have a slight edge in this committee backfield and faces a Kansas City defense that ranks 28^th in run defense DVOA. If Denver can keep this game from getting out of hand, Williams should see enough rushing volume to return low-end RB2 or flex value. If the Chiefs run away with it (which is possible given the 10-point spread), Williams has been much more involved in the passing game than Gordon, running about twice as many routes as the veteran in the last 2 games. Gordon still hinders Javonte’s ceiling, but not as much as he was a couple weeks ago. I wouldn’t count on another 20-point PPR day for Williams, but he’s got a great shot at finishing as an RB2 this week.

WR DeVonta Smith, PHI (Wk. 13: @NYJ): Smith is coming off a dud performance in week 12, but he gets a great opportunity to get right in week 13 against the Jets. New York looks like a middle-of-the-pack WR defense on paper, allowing the 14^th-most WR points per game, but they rank 31^st in pass defense DVOA. When teams do throw to their receivers against the Jets, good things happen. The two corners Smith will tangle with on Sunday (Javelin Guidry and Bryce Hall) have each allowed a passer rating right around 120 on throws into their coverage. Volume will be a question mark for Smith, as it has been every week since the Eagles decided to switch to a run-heavy approach, but this is a matchup where just a handful of targets could result in a strong fantasy day. I’d treat Smith as an upside WR3.

TE Pat Freiermuth, PIT (Wk. 13: vs. Bal.): It took a garbage time TD to salvage Freiermuth’s fantasy day in week 12, but garbage time scores count the same as any other. He’s now scored a TD in 4 of the last 5 games and hauled in at least 4 receptions in 6 straight. With Eric Ebron sidelined, Freiermuth played more than 75% of the offensive snaps for just the second time this season, and I’d expect that to continue going forward. This week he faces a Baltimore defense that has allowed the 4^th-most TE points per game. 4 catches and 40+ yards should be automatic, and he’s got a great chance to make it 5 games out of 6 with a TD.

TE Kyle Pitts, ATL (Wk. 13: vs. TB): I won’t fault you if you decide not to stick with Pitts for another week. The last two weeks have been rough if you’ve been starting him, but he does get a favorable matchup this weekend. The Bucs have allowed the 8^th-most TE points per game, including a 17-point day to Jack Doyle last week. The Falcons are 11-point underdogs and will have no choice but to throw this week, and Pitts has seen 5+ targets come his way in all but one game this season. The Bucs allow a 74% completion percentage on throws targeting the tight end. I expect Pitts to bounce back to at least 50-60 yards this week with the possibility for more.

Borderline Rookies I’d Lean Towards Sitting:

QB Trevor Lawrence, JAX (Wk. 13: @LAR): Lawrence finally broke through and tallied his first touchdown since Halloween against the Falcons last weekend, and that one score was enough to propel him to a top-10 fantasy finish. He gets a tough matchup with a talented Rams’ defense this week, but it’s a Rams’ defense that has been vulnerable to QBs lately, allowing 15+ points to each of the last 4 QBs they’ve faced (a group that includes Davis Mills and Jimmy Garoppolo). The Jaguars are 13-point underdogs in this game, so Lawrence should be throwing a ton, and you saw last week what kind of impact just 30 or 40 rushing yards can make on his fantasy outlook (he ran for 39 yards against Atlanta). There’s plenty of risk and downside for Lawrence here, and he should probably be viewed as a mid-to-low QB2 this week, but I like his chances to finish as the highest scoring rookie QB this week.

QB Mac Jones, NE (Wk. 13: @Buf.): With 4 byes this week, any starting QB is in consideration for a fantasy start in superflex and 2-QB formats, but I’m not a fan of Jones’ outlook in week 13. The rookie has played great ball in recent weeks, but the Patriots’ conservative offense caps his weekly fantasy upside, and he faces the toughest possible matchup this week. The Bills rank 1^st in pass defense DVOA and have held 6 of their opponents to fewer than 12 QB fantasy points, and that doesn’t include Big Ben putting up 12.02 against them. The 4 QBs who scored more against Buffalo than Big Ben each scored a rushing TD or ran for more than 60 yards. Jones hasn’t rushed for a TD or run for even 30 yards in any game this season. He has a seriously low floor this week, and I’d be looking for other options in 2-QB formats.

QB Justin Fields, ARI (Wk. 13: vs. Ari.): It sounds like Justin Fields is going to get the start this week for the Bears after he missed the Thanksgiving game with a rib injury, but it likely won’t be a very welcoming return. The Cardinals have allowed the 3^rd-fewest QB points per game the Bears are likely to be without Allen Robinson again. Fields isn’t going to produce a useful fantasy day without some rushing production, and after some early struggles containing running QBs this season, the Cardinals have put the clamps on over the last couple months. Arizona allowed 20+ rushing yards to 4 of the first 5 QBs they faced but have given up no more than 14 QB rushing yards (to Cam Newton in week 10) in the 6 games since. Fields is no more than a low-end QB2 this week.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson, NE (Wk. 13: @Buf.): Buffalo has allowed just 4 running backs all season to score more than 7 fantasy points against them. Two of those backs were Jonathan Taylor and Derrick Henry, who each posted monster games. The other two were Antonio Gibson and Michael Carter, who each scored more than 6 points just from receiving production. More than 80% of Gibson’s points in that game came on 1 long TD reception. Those 4 backs are the only ones to find the end zone against Buffalo in any capacity this season. It’s hard to envision Stevenson making a fantasy impact against that defense while sharing the backfield with Damien Harris and Brandon Bolden. Given Bolden’s role as the receiving back, don’t be surprised if he ends up leading the backfield in fantasy points this week.

WR Rashod Bateman, BAL (Wk. 13: @Pit.): Bateman’s playing time took a hit in week 12 with both Marquise Brown and Sammy Watkins healthy. He was in a route on only 60% of the Ravens’ dropbacks last week after being at 82% the week before with Brown sidelined. The Steelers are a worse defense than their reputation would have you believe, ranking 26^th in pass defense DVOA and allowing the 10^th-most WR points per game, but most of their opponents have needed volume to rack up those points. In their last 7 games, only Darnell Mooney reached 10 fantasy points against the Steelers with fewer than 8 targets. I’d expect closer to 5 or 6 targets for Bateman this week. He’s a viable WR3 option, but I’d prefer someone with a similar floor who has more blow-up potential this week.

WR Rondale Moore, ARI (Wk. 13: @Chi.): Moore posted a fun stat line last week if you started him in PPR formats with 11 receptions, but he turned them into just 51 yards. Colt McCoy was not shy about checking down to the rookie against a defense that entered the game with the 2^nd-most yards after catch allowed this season. This week the Cardinals will get Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins back, which likely means a lower target share for Moore, and they face a Bears’ defense that has allowed the 12^th-fewest yards after catch. Even in PPR leagues, it’ll be hard to count on Moore to put up a healthy reception total again if he continues to play fewer than 40% of the offensive snaps, which is likely.

WR Elijah Moore, NYJ (Wk. 13: vs. Phi.): Moore posted his worst fantasy game since before the Jets’ week 6 bye in Zach Wilson’s return to the lineup last Sunday, but with 4 receptions and over 50 scrimmage yards it was still his best fantasy performance in any game that Wilson played from start to finish. Hopefully that bodes well for him going forward. I expect Wilson to keep starting the rest of the way, so Moore needs this connection to get stronger to be useful in fantasy. This week’s matchup is daunting for Moore on paper. The Eagles have allowed the 3^rd-fewest WR points per game and have allowed just 5 receivers all season to score 10+ fantasy points. 4 of those 5 receivers are in the top-17 in the NFL in fantasy points per game, and 3 of them are in the top-5. Moore isn’t quite on that level, especially with Zach Wilson at QB. I’d be happy with anything more than 50 yards out of Elijah in this one.

WR Kadarius Toney, NYG (Wk. 13: @Mia.): Toney’s status for week 13 remains up in the air after he didn’t practice Wednesday or Thursday, but Toney will be hard to rely on this week even if he plays. Daniel Jones is battling a neck injury, so it’s possible that Mike Glennon may end up under center for the Giants. Glennon being under center might not be the worst thing for Kadarius. In Toney’s breakout game against Dallas where he piled up 189 receiving yards, throws from Glennon accounted for 109 of those yards. Toney hasn’t caught for 100+ yards from Daniel Jones in any game this season. The circumstances this week are not the same as they were for that game though. Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard missed that game, and Kenny Golladay left it early with injury. The Giants have also changed offensive coordinators since that game. Expecting a repeat of Toney’s one blow-up game here would be playing with fire, even if he’s able to suit up, and even if Glennon starts.

Rookies You Already Know You Should Sit:

QB Zach Wilson, NYJ (Wk. 13: vs. Phi.): Wilson’s return to the lineup didn’t go as hoped last weekend. He finished outside of the top-24 QBs last week against a defense allowing the 10^th-most QB points per game, and this week gets to face the defense allowing the 18^th-most. The Eagles have been a bit inconsistent on the defensive side, but I’m not willing to bet on Wilson breaking through against them.

RB Jaret Patterson, WAS (Wk. 13: @LV): Patterson played just 3 offensive snaps on Monday night as Antonio Gibson played his biggest snap share of the season, and extended opportunity for Patterson has been put on hold as the Football Team’s recent wins have put them back in the NFC playoff chase for now.

RB Jermar Jefferson, DET (Wk. 13: vs. Min.): The likely absence of D’Andre Swift could mean extended playing time for Jefferson against a bad run defense (the Vikings rank 29^th in run defense DVOA), but he played just 5 snaps last week after Swift exited. You’re basically praying for a TD if you play him.

RB Khalil Herbert, CHI (Wk. 13: vs. Ari.): Herbert has averaged 9 snaps, 3 carries and 7 yards per game since David Montgomery returned from IR.

RB Chris Evans, CIN (Wk. 13: vs. LAC): Evans carried the ball a season-high 5 times last Sunday, but all 5 carries came on one drive with the Bengals ahead 41-3. I don’t foresee a similar blowout this weekend against the Chargers.

RB Larry Rountree III, LAC (Wk. 13: @Cin.): Rountree was inactive last week for the 3^rd time this season. It’s a weekly guessing game to figure out which back will see snaps behind Austin Ekeler, but none of them offer fantasy value unless they score a TD.

RB Trey Sermon, SF (Wk. 13: @Sea.): Sermon played zero offensive snaps last Sunday with Elijah Mitchell back on the field.

WR Nico Collins, HOU (Wk. 13: vs. Ind.): Collins is playing a starter’s share of snaps, but it isn’t translating to fantasy production. He’s topped 30 receiving yards just twice in 6 games since returning from IR despite playing the 2^nd-most WR snaps on the team in each of those games.

WR D’Wayne Eskridge, SEA (Wk. 13: vs. SF): Eskridge saw season-highs in snaps and targets on Monday night, but he’s operating as the WR4 in an offense that has completed just 18 passes per game since Russell Wilson returned from injury in week 10.

WR Josh Palmer, LAC (Wk. 13: @Cin.): Palmer was on the field for a season-high 30 offensive snaps last weekend (42% snap share), but it didn’t lead to a spike in production as he finished with 2 catches and 25 yards. The Chargers were also playing from behind all day, so I wouldn’t expect that playing time bump to continue this week.

WRs Dyami Brown & Dax Milne, WAS (Wk. 13: @LV): The return of Curtis Samuel took away even more of the limited snaps that this duo was already playing. Brown was on the field for just 7 plays, and Milne was a healthy scratch on Monday night.

TE John Bates, WAS (Wk. 13: @LV): Bates continued to play a large portion of the snaps in Logan Thomas’ first game back from injured reserve, but he ran just 8 routes in a game where Taylor Heinicke dropped back to throw 36 times. He’s back to being primarily a blocker.

Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:

RB Kenneth Gainwell, PHI (Wk. 13: @NYJ): As of Thursday, Boston Scott and Jordan Howard are both not practicing for Philly, and the Eagles face as favorable a running back matchup as the league has to offer with the Jets. The Jets have allowed the most running back points per game by a wide margin this season and have allowed double-digit points to multiple backs in 7 different games. Gainwell has fallen out of favor in Philly’s backfield, but he’ll be forced back into a significant role if Howard and Scott both miss this game, and he costs just $200 more than the minimum on DraftKings for the main slate. Keep an eye on the injury report and make sure the others are out before pulling the trigger, but Gainwell could finish as an RB2 this week if both Howard and Scott sit.

RB Kene Nwangwu, MIN (Wk. 13: @Det.): Nwangwu didn’t play much in college and was an afterthought in fantasy after he was placed on IR to open the season, but since his return he has flashed explosive athleticism on special teams with 2 kick return touchdowns in just 8 chances, and he may have an opportunity to play more on offense in the next couple weeks while Dalvin Cook nurses an injury. Alexander Mattison is going to function as the workhorse back, but Detroit has allowed 14+ RB points to role player running backs Damien Williams, Chris Evans, and Jordan Howard this season. Nwangwu is strictly in play for DFS contests or deep leagues that include return yardage points, but the upside is there for a big day.

RB Chuba Hubbard, CAR (Wk. 13: Bye): Chuba is sitting this week with the Panthers on bye, but with Christian McCaffrey done for the year Hubbard steps back into the lead role. It’s true that he’s struggled as a pass catcher this season, and that the Panthers’ schedule down the stretch isn’t a favorable one for RBs after a week 14 meeting with the Falcons, but Hubbard has touched the ball at least 15 times in every game McCaffrey’s missed. I expect that to continue down the stretch, and that makes him worth stashing over the bye week in deeper leagues. He could also give you a valuable spot start in week 14 when he faces Atlanta if you’re unfortunate enough to have one of the backs on a bye that week (Jonathan Taylor, Miles Sanders, Damien Harris, Myles Gaskin).

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET (Wk. 13: vs. Min.): The stat lines haven’t been exciting for St. Brown in the last 2 weeks, but he was on the field for nearly all of Detroit’s offensive snaps on Thanksgiving and had more receptions in that game than all but Jamaal Williams. Jared Goff is another week removed from suffering an oblique injury, and the Vikings allow the 2^nd-most WR points per game. Amon-Ra lines up in the slot on about 70% of his snaps, and Minnesota slot corner Mackensie Alexander is allowing over 15 yards per completion and a 115 passer rating on throws into his coverage. The ceiling isn’t high in this passing offense, but this is a week where the stars are aligned for ARSB to put up over 60 yards.

TE Brevin Jordan, HOU (Wk. 13: vs. Ind.): Brevin Jordan’s climb up the depth chart in recent weeks appears to be very real after the rookie saw a season-high 60% snap share and was in a route on nearly half of Tyrod Taylor’s dropbacks last Sunday. That playing time boost only turned into 3 targets for the rookie, but he did find the end zone with one of them. This week, the Texans are a 9-point underdog and should be throwing the ball more than they have the last couple weeks. If that happens, Jordan is a sneaky upside play against a Colts’ defense that has allowed double-digit points to a tight end in 5 straight games.

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.