Welcome to Statistically (in)Significant, the place to find great stats that probably only matter at the water cooler (or bar). Each week I'll dig through the stats of the week gone by and deliver you some choice conversation starters. All fantasy stats are standard Yahoo scoring, unless otherwise noted.
36 Fantasy Points, Week 10's Leader
This year's fantasy football juggernaut is perhaps as unexpected as anything in the NFL. Mitchell Trubisky (yes, he gets to be called by his full name) tops the Week 10 leader board with 36 points. For the sake of argument, let's assume that future HoF'er Nick Mullens keeps his total under 36 tonight. This is the second time this season that Trubisky is the highest points scorer in a week. He also achieved this back in week 4, when he set the high water mark for any player this season at 43.46 points. Trubisky is the only QB to lead the league in points in a given week twice this season. The QB group that led the league just once is Patrick Mahomes (Wk 7), Drew Brees (Wk 3), Ben Roethlisberger (Wk 2) and Ryan Fitzpatrick (Wk 1). That's pretty impressive company to beat, considering that a Bears quarterback and high fantasy ceiling have never been discussed together, ever. The only other player to lead the league in two different weeks in fantasy is James Conner, who did so in weeks 5 and 8.
249 Passing Yards
With just 249 passing yards on Sunday, Patrick Mahomes came one game short of tying Drew Brees' record for consecutive 300-yard passing games. Mahomes' streak ended at 8 games, but don't worry, he's still the league leader for passing yards and touchdowns and has a 9.0 touchdown percentage. His numbers were down this week against the Cardinals, but it didn't take a lot to beat them. His best stat from this game is that he did not throw an interception, which he had done in each of the last 5 weeks. Mahomes is still on track to throw over 5000 yards and could still get to 50 touchdowns at his current pace. This is perhaps the most impressive resume for MVP in a season with a few really top notch contenders. Mahomes will have a chance to separate himself if the Chiefs can beat the Rams this Monday in Mexico City - apparently the only good MNF matchup that we're allowed to have this season. I wonder how the crowd will react to the monstrosity that is the Booger-mobile. This is the last streak I was tracking in 2018, so let me know if there's something else out there I should be watching for.
501 Yards on Offense
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers accumulated a whopping 501 offensive yards against the Redskins on Sunday - a team that normally gives up just 324 yards per game. Given those stats, one would assume that Fitzmagic is back in full force - Ryan Fitzpatrick did have over 400 passing yards for the fourth time this year. Of course, we don't bring up stats like this because things went according to plan. The Bucs managed just 3 points, helped along the way by 4 turnovers (three of them to end long drives) and two missed field goals. Give credit, I guess, to the Washington Redskins, who are now 6-3 and are probably going to be hosting a playoff game. I don't even need to guess - just look at the remaining schedule for the Redskins, which features just two teams that have winning records. A final, weird note about the Redskins is that this team has not experienced a single lead change this year. They have either led all game or trailed after the first score, showing that this team is literally devoid of excitement.
21 TD in 6 Games
I'm willing to bet you haven't heard much about Andrew Luck's health since he attempted 121 passes in just 5 days back at the end of in weeks 4 and 5. There's a good reason, and it's that everything finally seems OK with @CaptAndrewLuck (that twitter feed is a must-follow). Andrew Luck has at least 3 TDs in the last 6 games and 21 total over that period of time. He's the 5th best QB over the last 4 weeks in fantasy and has the Colts on a 3-game winning streak. The Colts are just 4-5, but they have a good ground game, haven't given up a sack in the last 4 games and Luck is on track to throw for the most TDs in his career - all of them apparently going to tight ends. Also, nice game, Eric Ebron and your three TDs. Not a nice game, all of us who switched over to Jack Doyle once he returned from injury. The Colts could sneak into the AFC wildcard picture, or even the division picture, with two games against the Titans left to go.
50% More Offensive Touchdowns
The Bills can use this tag line when advertising their team for the rest of the season. They went into Sunday with just 8 offensive touchdowns in 9 games, and increased that total by 50% with an additional 4 against the Jets. Heck, they even added a bonus defensive TD to make it a lucky 13 on the season. This was just the second game this season that the Bills did not have a turnover - the other was their Week 3 shellacking of the Vikings. The Bills also put up 451 yards of offense - their previous high water mark was just 333 - a 35% improvement! The new and improved Matt Barkley led Buffalo Bills (please, please do not give us any more Nathan Peterman) will have a bye this week before playing the Jags in week 12 and oh who cares, it's the Bills and they still stink. This is more of an indictment on the Jets, who have multiple turnovers in 8 of 10 games this year and somehow managed to lose the two games where they did not turn the ball over.
Week 11 got under way on Thursday night with a thrilling game between the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks. This one was back and forth the whole way with the Seahawks eventually squeaking one out after Mike McCarthy decided to punt on fourth and two late in the 4th quarter. The Pack was unable to come up with a stop with their one timeout and never saw the ball again.
The schedule this week is a brutal one for making picks, with many close match ups. Also, you have the Patriots, one of the best teams, on bye as well as 4 of the worst teams in the Bills, Jets, Browns, and 49ers. If I hadn't watched the games last week my pick would have been a slam dunk choosing the Falcons at home against the Cowboys. However I did watch and the Falcons looked pathetic against the Browns, the Cowboys put a beating on the Eagles and the Titans proved they were for real vs the Pats, making the Cowboys loss to them in the previous week not look so bad.
So, facing a tough decision, I've decided to go with the Pittsburgh Steelers in their match up with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Last season the Jags had the Steelers number, but this is a new year and Pitt has been rolling as of late and appear to be peaking at the right time, while the Jags are back to blaming Blake Bortles for all their woes. Only two other teams are bigger favorites than the 5.5 the Steelers are getting on the road in this one. Both of those teams have more dangerous offensive opponents. The Saints are 8.5 point favorites hosting the Eagles, and the Chargers are 7.5 point favorites hosting the Broncos (however Carson isn't a home field advantage for the Chargers).
Cheers,
Drink Five!
Welcome to Statistically (in)Significant, the place to find great stats that probably only matter at the water cooler (or bar). Each week I'll dig through the stats of the week gone by and deliver you some choice conversation starters. All fantasy stats are standard Yahoo scoring, unless otherwise noted.
14 Fantasy Points
Through Sunday, week 11's top TE scored just 14 points, and it's courtesy of old man Antonio Gates - owned in a whopping 3% of leagues. This season's volatility at the tight end position continues week after week. In the top 10 alone, we had Robert Tonyan (0% owned) at TE3, Ed Dickson (4% Owned) at TE7 and Matt Lengel (0% Owned) at TE10. Even top guys aren't guaranteed a respectable floor, as we saw Zach Ertz turn in a 1.5 point performance as the 30th best TE this week. Ertz wasn't alone - Trey Burton, Kyle Rudolph and Jimmy Graham all turned in scores either tied with Ertz or lower than him. I wish I knew how to see stuff like this coming - but the TE position has been so damn chaotic, it's impossible to predict what random guys will do well one week, and which ones will lay an egg. It's a position with a floor of basically nothing, and no players seem to be exempt from this. Perhaps the notion of eliminating the TE as an exclusive position isn't as crazy as it first sounded.
7 Wins in a Row
The Houston Texans started the season 0-3 and have followed it up with 7 wins in a row, becoming the first team since 1970 to go on a roll like that after such a bad start. During that streak, they've only faced two teams that were over .500 going in to the game - Miami in week 8 and Washington yesterday. Needless to say, the Texans have had it easy, and will continue to have an easy time with 4 of their last 6 games at home. Their toughest game remaining will be the Colts in week 14. The Texans are currently giving up the 6th fewest points and 7th fewest yards to opposing offenses, while keeping their offense in the top half of the league in both categories (despite the offense scoring over 23 points just twice this season). Aside from J.J. Watt on defense, there are no real stand-outs on the Texans. Deshaun Watson, who was very impressive in 6 starts last year, has come back down to earth. He does have a few things going for him, however. First, his completion percentage is up, his yards per attempt is the same as last year, and he's throwing interceptions at a much lower rate than he was last year. His touchdown numbers have merely come back to earth - it's hard to keep throwing a TD in 9.3% of your passes, like he did last year.
27 Carries
A player getting 27 carries is usually the sign of a running back dominating the carries on their team, but this time it's a lot different. The Baltimore Ravens went into the bye week and announced that Joe Flacco was hurt - and they emerged with what seems like a completely different offense. Lamar Jackson (27 carries) and UDFA Gus Edwards (17 carries) combined for 232 yards on 44 rushes in a grand display of helping absolutely no one in fantasy football. Jackson's 27 carries broke the old QB record of 22, held by famously "awesome" QB Tim Tebow. Running the ball this many times by a QB is not a recipe for long term success, but it does go a long way to silence the talk about John Harbaugh being on the hot seat in Baltimore. The QB situation is very muddy for the Ravens now, as it seems like Flacco will start if he's healthy, but there's no real indication what his timetable might be. I suppose it's time to abandon all hope, ye owners of Ravens wide receivers. Also, can someone please explain where the hell did Gus Edwards came from?
1-4 When Gaining 500+ Yards
The 2018 Tampa Bay Buccaneers deserve strong consideration for this year's dumpster fire of a team. Since their Fitzmagical start, they've just won one game - an OT game against the Browns in Week 7. Throughout the course of the season, the Bucs have racked up the most yards on offense in the league and they are on pace to throw for 5993 yards, which would be a record if just one person threw all those passes. Instead, they've had a QB shuffle all season, with Jameis Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick combining for 23 picks through 10 games. With all those turnovers, it's no wonder that the Bucs are giving up the most points in the league, averaging nearly 33 points per game. The turnovers are also the reason that they've only won 1 of their 5 games where they gained over 500 yards. The defense is also contributing fuel to the fire, giving up a touchdown on 88.9% of their opponent's red zone trips. This team just has some of the most extreme stats in the league, and clearly can't get their shit together - however it's great fun for those of us who have a Bucs WR on our fantasy team.
604 Points
The Saints are on pace to score over 600 points this season and could approach or even break the 2013 Denver Broncos record of 606. This is all led by Drew Brees having one of his best seasons ever. He currently leads the league in completion percentage at 76.9%, as well as interceptions with just 1. The completion percentage is set to smash his previous record (and NFL record) of 72.0%, which he set just last year. In fact, Brees has 9 of the top 40 NFL passing seasons by completion percentage, including 2018. It's absurd that this man hasn't won an MVP award, but that just goes to show the talent across the rest of the league. As of Monday, before the epic MNF matchup, Patrick Mahomes led the MVP odds at -125, with Brees trailing him closely at +150. That's good money for Brees, if you ask me. I think the voters will give Brees a lifetime achievement award this season, especially if his team can lock up the #1 seed in the NFC, which is a real possibility given their remaining schedule.
Welcome back to the Rookie Report! For most of you…this week is the regular season finale. You should have a really good idea of what you need to do to make the playoffs if you’re fighting for a spot. If you need to win and make up some points, it might be worth taking some swings on some riskier plays. If you just need a win, I wouldn’t get too cute. Make sure you know what you need to do when setting your lineups. Each week there have been more and more rookies becoming fantasy relevant. It’s hard to imagine you’re in a matchup that doesn’t involve any rookies this week. Let’s dive in and look at what to expect this week…
Rookies to Start:
RB Saquon Barkley, NYG (Wk. 13: vs. Chi.): Of course you’re not going to sit Saquon in season-long leagues, but he isn’t exactly the chalk play in DFS cash games. Only New England, Detroit and Miami have managed to tally 20 RB points in a game against the Bears this season (all point totals and rankings are based on PPR scoring). The Bears have been a little vulnerable to receiving backs, allowing the 8th-most receptions to the position on the year, but they’ve given up fewer than 70 RB rushing yards in 8 out of 11 contests on the year. Double-digit points for Barkley are likely a given, but don’t count on a ceiling week from the rookie.
RB Phillip Lindsay, DEN (Wk. 13: @Cin.): How bad are the Bengals against running backs this year? They’ve been burned by both ground and air. Cincy has given up the 4th-most rushing yards and 5th-most TDs on the ground, and the 7th-most receiving yards and are tied for the most TDs allowed by air. They also rank 28th in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA stat. Lindsay has been one of the best fantasy backs in the league this year despite being underutilized, and he should be a locked in RB1 this week.
RB Nick Chubb, CLE (Wk. 13: @Hou.): The Texans are a tough matchup, ranking 2nd in run defense DVOA and allowing the 10th-fewest RB points per game, but Nick Chubb has been red hot since the coaching change in Cleveland. He’s averaged 26.6 points per game in the past 3 contests since the switch. You can’t sit a guy producing like that.
RB Gus Edwards, BAL (Wk. 13: @Atl.): The Falcons have been getting shredded by backs catching passes out of the backfield all year, and lately they’ve started getting beat up by them on the ground as well. Atlanta has given up 151 rushing yards per game to backs over the past 3 games, and they rank 29th in run defense DVOA. Edwards has exploded onto the scene in Baltimore, topping 100 yards on the ground in each of his first 2 outings while averaging a robust 5.8 yards per carry. He hasn’t done anything as a receiver, but he’s a solid RB2 this week in most formats, and a solid flex play even in PPR leagues. He did pop up on the injury report with a missed practice Wednesday, but it’s likely nothing. I’d expect him, to play. If he sits, Ty Montgomery is a sneaky play this week.
RB Josh Adams, PHI (Wk. 13: vs. Was.): Adams looks like he’s for real so far, and the Eagles appear to be treating him as their feature back. He carried the ball 22 times in week 12, and should be in store for a plenty more work this week. Washington has allowed more than 125 RB rush yards in 3 of their past 4 contests, and rank 26th in run defense DVOA. Adams looks like a strong RB2 option this week.
WR DJ Moore, CAR (Wk. 13: @TB): DJ Moore was a bit let down the last time he faced the Buccaneers, but I have faith that he doesn’t repeat that dud this time around. Both Devin Funchess and Curtis Samuel were held out of practice Wednesday with injuries. If both are out, Moore and Christian McCaffrey will likely be the beneficiaries. The Bucs have allowed the 4th-most WR points per game, and Moore has tallied 15-248-1 over the past 2 weeks. He should be a strong WR2 option this week.
Borderline Rookies:
QB Baker Mayfield, CLE (Wk. 13: @Hou.): The Texans allow just the 7th-fewest QB points per game, but Baker has been dealing since the regime change and Houston managed to let Marcus Mariota go 22/23 for 302 yards and 2 scores on Monday night. Mayfield has posted 13 touchdowns and just 2 turnovers in his past 5 starts. He’ll likely finish as a back-end QB1 this week in most leagues.
QB Lamar Jackson, BAL (Wk. 13: @Atl.): The Falcons’ banged up defense has been bad on all levels this season, and they’ve given up the 2nd-most QB points per game on the year. With no byes this week, Lamar’s lack of passing volume likely makes him a low-end QB1 at best this week, but his rushing upside makes him a fun streamer and DFS play.
RB Sony Michel, NE (Wk. 13 vs. Min.): Michel has been fantastic whenever he’s been healthy, but he gets a tough matchup this week. You should still probably start him if you’ve got him, but the Vikings rank 4th in run defense DVOA, have allowed just 3 RB rushing scores all year, and have coughed up 100 rushing yards to the position just once. Volume should carry Michel through, but he’s certainly not an ideal DFS cash game play.
RB Kerryon Johnson, DET (Wk. 13: vs. LAR): Johnson’s status is still very up in the air for this week. I’d struggle to sit him if he’s healthy. Kerryon has tallied 15+ fantasy points in 4 of his last 5 outings, but he could see his volume limited if he isn’t 100% this week. The Lions likely see no need to rush him back with their playoff hopes basically dead. The Rams do rank 29th in run defense DVOA, so there is upside for Kerryon to be a solid flex play, but the Rams are heavy favorites and will probably force Detroit into a negative game script. Make sure you have a backup plan if you’re counting on Kerryon.
WR Calvin Ridley, ATL (Wk. 13: vs. Bal.): Ridley has been a TD or bust option most weeks. He found the end zone and had a big game last week, but this week’s matchup is the polar opposite of what he faced in week 12. The Saints allow the most WR points per game, and the Ravens allow the 3rd-fewest per game, and have allowed just 5 WR touchdowns in their past 9 games. Ridley is still in play as a viable WR3 option, but you’ll likely be disappointed if he doesn’t find the end zone.
WR KekeCoutee, HOU (Wk. 13: vs. Cle.): DeAndre Hopkins has been the only sure thing in this passing game since the trade for Demaryius Thomas. There is upside with the Browns allowing the 7th-most WR points per game, but the addition of DT and the recent emergence of Lamar Miller’s running game have made Coutee a dicey weekly flex option.
WR Anthony Miller, CHI (Wk. 13: @NYG): We’ve seen the upside with Miler over the past few weeks, but the Bears seem to feature a different receiver each week and Mitch Trubisky may be out again. I like Miller more if Trubisky plays, but it feels like each week one of Miller or Taylor Gabriel will be targeted 7+ times. The trick is guessing which one it will be. The Giants allow the 9th-fewest WR points per game. Playing Miller outside of really deep leagues is a roll of the dice this week.
Rookies to Sit:
QB Josh Allen, BUF (Wk. 13: @Mia.): Allen has only managed to be productive when he’s been able to do damage with his legs, and only 5 teams have allowed fewer QB rushing yards than the Miami Dolphins. The Bills threw just 19 times in a competitive game in week 12, and they’d prefer to stay in that range most weeks. Allen does seem to have his best games when least expected (against Minnesota and Jacksonville), but It would be a pretty big risk to try him this week outside of deep 2-QB leagues.
QB Josh Rosen, ARI (Wk. 13: @GB): The Packers’ defense hasn’t been great, but Rosen has remained a low-volume passer even in matchups where they’ve been way behind. Green Bay doesn’t give up a lot of passing yards either. Only Kirk Cousins has thrown for 300 or more yards against the Pack, and they’ve allowed an average of less than 225 yards per game to all the other QBs they’ve faced. Even if he throws for 2 scores, Rosen is likely no better than a mid-level QB2.
QB Sam Darnold, NYJ (Wk. 13: @Ten.): It’s likely that Darnold will stay sidelined this week. If he does play, the Titans’ pass defense isn’t anything to fear but Darnold has averaged just 8.2 points per game in his 5 road starts. He hasn’t topped 13.8 in any of them. Stay away.
RB Ito Smith, ATL (Wk. 13: vs. Bal.): In the last 3 weeks, Ito has posted just 14 carries for 21 yards and 8 catches for 34, and zero total TDs. The Ravens allow the 2nd-fewest RB points per game. There is no reason to have any faith in Ito this week.
RBs Nyheim Hines & Jordan Wilkins, IND (Wk. 13: @Jax.): Both rookies were a little more involved last weekend than they’ve been in a while, but they still combined for just 11.2 fantasy points on 14 touches. The Jaguars allow the fewest RB fantasy points per game.
WR Tre’Quan Smith, NO (Wk. 13: @Dal.): Tre’Quan seems likely to play this Thursday, but I feel a big game coming for the Saints’ usual suspects (Thomas, Kamara, and Ingram) after Brees threw TDs to everyone else last week. The Cowboys do try to shorten the game with a ball control offense, and that’s helped them allow the 2nd-fewest WR fantasy points in the league so far. Smith still has big upside as the WR2 in this offense, but we’ve seen low-floor weeks from him before, and I have a hunch we see another this week. I’d still play Smith over any other receiver listed in the ‘Rookies to Sit’ section.
WR Christian Kirk, ARI (Wk. 13: @GB): As mentioned above, this probably won’t be a big week for Josh Rosen. That doesn’t mean that Kirk can’t have a productive week. The Packers do allow the 6th-most WR points per game. I’d just prefer to play a receiver in a higher upside offense this week.
WRs Marquez Valdes-Scantling & Equanimeous St. Brown, GB (Wk. 13: vs. Ari.): Both receivers are no more than a DFS dart throw this week. St. Brown appears to have moved ahead of MVS on the depth chart for the time being, but I’m not confident that it will continue this week. Both are risky plays in a game that could be over early on. The Packers are 2-touchdown favorites and could be running a lot.
WR Antonio Callaway, CLE (Wk. 13: @Hou.): Callaway’s efficiency has been much better of late after some early season struggles. He’s grabbed 14 receptions on 18 targets in the past 4 games after grabbing just 16 on 42 targets prior to that. He still isn’t seeing enough volume to be productive without a TD, and the Texans have allowed just 1 receiver score in the past 5 games.
WR Courtland Sutton, DEN (Wk. 13: @Cin.): Sutton has flashed big upside at times, but he’s yet to catch more than 3 passes in a game or reach 11 fantasy points. You can’t trust that kind of track record with your season on the line.
WR Trey Quinn, WAS (Wk. 13: @Phi.): Quinn has shown a nice PPR floor with Colt McCoy at QB, and the Eagles have allowed the 2nd-most WR points per game so far, but they’ve been burned by perimeter receivers, not slot guys. With a full slate of games this week, there are likely better options available.
WR Michael Gallup, DAL (Wk. 13: vs. NO): The Saints allow the most WR points per game, but don’t be fooled into thinking Gallup is a sneaky DFS dart throw in this matchup. The Saints have been carved up by number 1 receivers, and in the 3 games since the Amari Cooper trade Gallup has 6 catches for 53 yards on 14 targets.
WR Auden Tate, CIN (Wk. 13: vs. Den.): Tate came out of nowhere last week with 7(!) targets, but he caught just 2 of them for 15 targets. There may be some rapport with new starter Jeff Driskel, but Tate will likely struggle to get on the field with AJ Green back healthy.
TE Chris Herndon, NYJ (Wk. 13: @Ten.): Herndon has become a big part of the Jets’ passing attack, but the Titans have allowed no more than 5 catches and 52 receiving yards to any TE group other than the Eagles and Zach Ertz. They haven’t allowed a tight end score all season. Herndon likely needs to be the first one to find the end zone for a productive week.
TE Dallas Goedert, PHI (Wk. 13: vs. Was.): Washington has given up just 3 tight end scores on the year, and no tight end group has made it to 55 receiving yards. Even Ertz may struggle here. Goedert is just a TD dart throw that isn’t likely to hit.
Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:
RB Royce Freeman, DEN (Wk. 13: @Cin.): The Broncos may finally have a game where they are playing from ahead with the Bengals rolling with Jeff Driskel at QB. That could give Freeman some extra run in garbage time against one of the worst RB defenses in the NFL. He’s got a better than average chance at a TD this week.
RB Rashaad Penny, SEA (Wk. 13: vs. SF): Penny is only an option in DFS tournaments. The Seahawks love to run the ball when they can, and they’re favored by double-digits against the 49ers. Chris Carson is still the lead back, but one of Penny or Mike Davis is likely to have a solid fantasy day in mop-up duty. The hard part will be guessing which one.
RB Justin Jackson, LAC (Wk. 13: @Pit.): Melvin Gordon will be out multiple weeks after aggravating an injury against the Cardinals. I can’t say I understand why the Chargers played Gordon in a week they were likely to win by multiple scores without him, but it’s happened now. Austin Ekeler should be the lead back in his absence, but Justin Jackson will certainly get some extended run as well. He’s worth a stash in deep leagues. He flashed in garbage time last week with 7 carries for 57 yards against the Cardinals. This week’s matchup is tough, but it bears watching to see how Jackson is used since Gordon could be out up to 4 weeks.
WRs Dante Pettis & Richie James, SF (Wk. 13: @Sea.): Marquise Goodwin is still not with the team as of Wednesday dealing with a personal matter, and Pierre Garcon was limited in practice Wednesday and is still no sure bet to play. Mullens has given the 49ers at least a respectable passing game, and the Seahawks’ defense has been middling against WRs. Pettis posted 7 targets a week ago, and could have a similar target share this week if both Goodwin and Garcon are out. James played more snaps that a healthy Trent Taylor for the first time all year. Both he and Pettis are trending up this week. James is more of a stash at this point, but Pettis has real DFS upside if the top 2 WRs are out.
WR Robert Foster, BUF (Wk. 13: @Mia.): Foster is a boom-or-bust option in a lackluster passing attack, but one that has boomed in back-to-back weeks. He’s posted 5-199-1 in the past 2 games, and while he isn’t likely to repeat that production this week, only 3 teams have allowed more than the 9 passes of 40+ yards that the Dolphins have surrendered. With Josh Allen’s big arm, Foster has a chance to post a run similar to the one former Rams’ receiver Chris Givens went on as a rookie back in 2012 where he caught a 50-plus yard pass in 5 straight games.
WR Marcell Ateman, OAK (Wk. 13: vs. KC): Ateman didn’t produce last week, but he saw a ridiculous 10(!) targets. Jordy Nelson is practicing and looks likely to play this week, but the Raiders don’t have a lot of reason to keep featuring the old guys. I’d expect Ateman to continue to see a decent number of targets. Kansas City is just a middling defense against WRs. Ateman should have upside in DFS tournaments this week if the targets keep up.
TE Dan Arnold, NO (Wk. 13: @Dal.): Arnold has slowly started to make an impact for the Saints, and he is starting to look like the successor to Ben Watson as the TE of the future. He won’t get many years of Brees, but he’s still an intriguing dynasty stash. He’s a converted WR who has plenty of upside. Arnold is also a sneaky DFS play this week against a Dallas team that has given up 28-339-3 to TEs in the past 3 weeks.
TE Mark Andrews, BAL (Wk. 13: @Atl.): Hayden Hurst led the Ravens’ tight end group with 4 targets last Sunday, and Andrews had just one, but Andrews is the one I’d take a shot on this week if you’re digging deep for a TE sleeper. Andrews is the best vertical threat the Ravens have at the position, and vertical TEs have given the Falcons and their banged up safety group trouble. They’ve given up solid games to Vernon Davis (5-62), Dan Arnold (4-45-1), OJ Howard (4-62-1) and Ben Watson (5-71).
That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully it helps you with some of your tougher lineup decisions involving rookies in this critical week. Keep a close eye on the injury report throughout the week, and make sure to check for any surprise inactives on Sunday. You’d hate to miss the playoffs because you take an unnecessary zero. If you have any questions or want to yell at me about anything written above, feel free to reach out on twitter and let me know (@Shawn_Foss). As always: Good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It’s just a game.