Shawn Foss
I'm a college and professional sports nut from the Chicago area. Follow me on Twitter @Shawn_Foss
December
Welcome back to the Rookie Report! We’ve arrived at the first round of the fantasy playoffs for most leagues. Hopefully you’ve managed to secure a first-round bye and don’t have to worry about coming up with a win this week because Covid-19 and injuries are wreaking havoc on the league. Over 100 NFL players have been added to the Covid reserve list this week and many fantasy-relevant players still have statuses that remain up in the air. You need be vigilant this week about staying up to date on the latest Covid news, because new names have been getting added to the list daily, and you don’t want to get stuck taking a zero from a starter in the playoffs. Plenty of rookies are going to see increased opportunity in this crucial week due to players ahead of them being out, and I’m here to walk you through what to expect from those rookies this week.
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 15…
Rookies You Already Know You Should Start:
RB Najee Harris, PIT (Wk. 15: vs. Ten.): Harris had one of his best games of the season last Thursday night, and while the Titans seem like a tough matchup on paper, allowing the 2nd-fewest running back points per game, they also rank just 18th in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA stat. This isn’t a matchup to run away from. He’s not an ideal DFS target this week, but you can’t sit him in season-long leagues.
WR Ja’Marr Chase, CIN (Wk. 15: @Den.): Chase finally posted another ceiling game last Sunday against the 49ers, tallying 83 scrimmage yards and 2 scores. It was his first game over 60 yards since week 7, but it was his fourth 20-point fantasy day of the season. You can’t leave that kind of upside on your bench in the fantasy playoffs. The Broncos are good, but not great at limiting WR points. They allow the 11th-fewest WR points per game, but rank 19th in pass defense DVOA. It’s not a matchup to run away from.
Borderline Rookies I’d Lean Toward Starting:
QB Justin Fields, CHI (Wk. 15: vs. Min.): You might not have noticed it since there was a bye week and an injury absence mixed in, but Fields has finished as a top-10 fantasy QB in each of the last 3 full games he’s played, and there’s no reason he can’t make it 4 straight against the Vikings. He’s been more aggressive running the football in recent weeks, averaging 56 rushing yards per game in his last 5 full games with more than 35 yards in each contest. The Vikings have allowed the 9th-most QB rushing yards per game. Fields also could be in line for a ceiling passing game. In the three games where he’s topped 200 passing yards, he’s connected on downfield throws, averaging 15.7 yards per completion. The Vikings have given up the 4th-most yards per completion on the season and allowed the 3rd-most QB fantasy points per game. There’s always risk with Fields due to low passing volume (only 2 games of 30+ pass attempts), but he’s got a big ceiling this week and should be treated as a top-10 QB play.
QB Mac Jones, NE (Wk. 15: @Ind.): Jones doesn’t have the big ceiling that Justin Fields offers, but this is a week where he should be a very strong QB2 in superflex and 2-quarterback leagues. You know the Patriots’ game plan is going to be conservative like it always is, but the Colts rank 5th in run defense DVOA and have allowed the 3rd-fewest rushing TDs in the league. They’ve also allowed the 2nd-most passing TDs and the 12th-most QB fantasy points per game. I’d be less than stoked to start him as a QB1 this week, but I expect 200+ yards and a pair of scores, which would make him a high-end QB2.
RB Elijah Mitchell, SF (Wk. 15: vs. Atl.): Keep a close eye on the injury report if you’re considering starting Mitchell, and make sure you have a backup plan ready since Mitchell doesn’t play until the late afternoon Sunday, but if Elijah is able to play against the Falcons he should probably be in lineups. The Falcons rank 23rd in run defense DVOA and have allowed the 9th-most RB points per game. In his last 3 games played, Mitchell has averaged 25 carries and 3 targets per game and the 49ers are 9-point favorites against Atlanta. Even if the 49ers limit his workload a bit, he could still post a top-12 performance in this matchup.
RB Javonte Williams, DEN (Wk. 15: vs. Cin.): Vic Fangio wasted no time getting Melvin Gordon back into his normal role upon his return from injury last week, pushing Javonte back into a 50-50 split of the backfield work again. If you have more reliable options this week, don’t be afraid to sit Javonte. I know he’s scored touchdowns in each of the last 3 games, but two of those games came against bottom-5 run defenses, and in the other game he had a workhorse role. The Bengals rank 10th in run defense DVOA and have allowed the 5th-fewest running back rushing yards per game. I only lean towards starting Williams because of how messy the situation is with Covid-19 and injuries this week. You know Williams is a threat for 60+ yards and a score every week, even in tougher matchups, but be aware that his outlook isn’t quite as rosy this week as it’s been. I’d treat Williams as a low-end RB2 at best.
WR DeVonta Smith, PHI (WK. 15: vs. Was.): Smith’s usage has been inconsistent since the Eagles shifted to a run-heavy approach in week 8, and his production bottomed out the last two games with just 4 targets, 2 catches, and fewer than 25 yards for Smith in each game. The Eagles know they have to get the ball to Smith more often, and they may have less of a choice on the matter this week with Quez Watkins on the Covid list. Watkins also saw 8 total targets in those last two games. Jalen Hurts is 50-50 to be able to play this week, and it’s decidedly better for Smith’s outlook if Hurts is able to go, but the matchup this week is a good one. Washington allows the 3rd-most WR points per game and will likely be without starting corner Kendall Fuller and starting safety Kameron Curl. There’s a low floor for Smith, especially if Minshew starts at QB, but this feels more likely to be a ceiling week for the rookie.
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET (Wk. 15: vs. Ari.): The Lions are running very short on pass catchers right now, and St. Brown has done an admirable job of picking up the slack in the last two weeks. ARSB has been targeted 12 times in each of the last two games, posting WR6 and WR27 PPR finishes in those contests. Arizona isn’t an easy matchup. They rank 4th in pass defense DVOA, and slot corner Byron Murphy has allowed a passer rating of just 76.2 on throws into his coverage. The ball is still going to find its way to St. Brown. The Lions will be without TJ Hockenson, and likely without D’Andre Swift as well, and they’re probably going to be playing from behind as usual. St. Brown should be a solid PPR WR3 this week on volume alone. I’d give him a slight downgrade if Swift is able to play, but even then, I’d probably lean towards starting him.
TE Pat Freiermuth, PIT (Wk. 15: vs. Ten.): The Titans have been stingy against tight ends this season, allowing the 6th-fewest fantasy points per game to the position, but Freiermuth has found the end zone in 5 of his last 7 games, including one score last week against a Minnesota defense that allows the 10th-fewest TE points, and 2 scores against a Chicago defense that allows the 7th-fewest TE points. Since JuJu Smith-Schuster went down with injury, Freiermuth has averaged nearly 6 targets per game and has earned a 31% target share in the red zone. His TD upside keeps him in the low-end TE1 range, even in tough matchups.
Borderline Rookies I’d Lean Toward Sitting:
QB Davis Mills, HOU (Wk. 15: @Jax.): Mills was impressive for much of last week’s game against the Seahawks, completing his first 15 passes of the game and finishing with 331 yards and a score. On paper, a matchup with Jacksonville, who ranks 31st in pass defense DVOA, seems like an ideal spot for another strong performance, but Mills has usually done the opposite of what you’d expect on paper. His three best fantasy performances have all come against defenses that rank in the top-8 at limiting fantasy points for QBs. The Jaguars actually allow the 9th-fewest QB points per game, so maybe they fit into that bucket as well, but I’d rather not risk starting Mills as my QB2 with the season at stake. I expect the Jaguars to play inspired football now that they’re no longer cursed with Urban Meyer as their head coach.
RB Michael Carter, NYJ (Wk. 15: @Mia.): Carter is expected to return from IR this week, but he returns to a tough matchup. Carter will likely have a big role for the Jets in this one, but in their last 6 games the Dolphins have only allowed 1 running back to reach 10 fantasy points (Saquon Barkley). You’ll need a big receiving day from Carter for him to even post an RB3 performance with the Jets unlikely to do much running as 8.5-point underdogs. I wouldn’t start Carter in playoff matchups unless you’re desperate.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson, NE (Wk. 15: @Ind.): Stevenson has been very impressive with his opportunities, but Damien Harris is trending in the right direction to play this week and the Colts are a tough matchup. They rank 5th in run defense DVOA and have allowed the 5th-fewest running back points per game. Rhamondre has rushed for 60+ yards in 4 of the last 5 games, but most of those games were blowout wins and New England is a 2-point underdog in this one. You could do worse than Stevenson if you’re desperate, but this feels like it’ll be a floor game for him.
RB Chuba Hubbard, CAR (Wk. 15: @Buf.): Week 14 was a clear illustration that Hubbard’s role as lead back is going to look a bit different with Cam Newton at QB rather than Sam Darnold. Hubbard averaged 20 touches per game in his 5-game stint as the lead back with Darnold under center. He touched the ball just 10 times last Sunday as Cam Newton handled more than a third of the team’s designed rushing attempts and vultured a goal-line score. Hubbard still got into the end zone once himself, but I wouldn’t count on a repeat trip this week against a Buffalo defense that ranks 8th in run defense DVOA. Ameer Abdullah is going to play in passing situations and the Panthers are double-digit underdogs this weekend. Abdullah is the one worth considering this week unless you expect Carolina to play from ahead and have success running the ball.
WR Rashod Bateman, BAL (Wk. 15: vs. GB): Bateman posted the first 100-yard game of his career last week, with all the yards coming from the arm of Tyler Huntley. It’s still up in the air whether Lamar Jackson will be able to return this week or not, but Bateman is a risky starting option in your playoff matchups no matter who is at QB. Much of his week 14 production came during a furious rally with the Ravens trailing by multiple scores. He didn’t see his first target of the game until the Ravens were trailing by 21 points, and 4 of his 7 catches came in the last 3 minutes of the game. He’s been impressive when given chances, but those chances only seem to occur when the team is desperate. Over 71% of his yards have come with the Ravens trailing on the scoreboard. The Ravens may find themselves in more desperation time in week 15 as they’re 4.5-point underdogs, but the Packers are a better pass defense than the Browns and may get Jaire Alexander back this week. I view Bateman as an upside WR4 option in this one.
WR Nico Collins, HOU (Wk. 15: @Jax.): Collins had a breakout game in week 14, garnering a season-high 10 targets, and turning them into 5 catches for 69 yards. It was the kind of week we’ve been waiting for from the rookie, but he had totaled just 6 catches for 62 yards in the previous 4 games. I wouldn’t be willing to bank on Collins repeating his best game of the season in the fantasy playoffs, even in a plus matchup with the Jaguars. If you believe in Davis Mills and the Texans passing game this week, they could be value DFS plays, but I wouldn’t bet on them in playoff matchups.
WR Rondale Moore, ARI (Wk. 15: @Det.): In all honesty, I could probably move Moore down to the rookies you already know to sit, but I want to make sure you aren’t getting any ideas just because DeAndre Hopkins is out, and because the Cardinals are facing the hapless Lions. We’ve already seen that it’s Antoine Wesley who will see increased snaps when Hopkins is out, not Rondale, and Moore’s current usage just isn’t conducive to fantasy production. He’s got an average target depth of just 1.7 yards downfield, and Detroit allows the 6th-fewest yards after catch in the league. Moore’s best hope for production is if James Conner misses this game and he gets used more often as a rusher in what should be a blowout win, but you can’t count on that.
TE Kyle Pitts, ATL (Wk. 15: @SF): I know if you have Pitts, you likely don’t have any better options to play this week than him, but this isn’t a great spot for him. The 49ers have allowed just one tight end to reach 40 receiving yards in their last 12 games, and if you have Pitts on your team, you already know he doesn’t score touchdowns, so the catches and yards are crucial. Pitts has scored just one touchdown all season. If you want to search for a silver lining here, Pitts is still a freakish athlete capable of a big game, and that one tight end who topped 40 yards against San Francisco was CJ Uzomah just last week. Just don’t be surprised if we get another 3-catch, 30-yard type of performance from Pitts again in this one.
Rookies You Already Know You Should Sit:
QB Zach Wilson, NYJ (Wk. 15: @Mia.): The Dolphins have held 3 of the last 5 QBs they’ve faced to fewer than 10 fantasy points, and all 5 to fewer than 18. Wilson has started 9 games this season. He’s posted multiple TDs 3 times, and just 1 TOTAL touchdown in the other 6 starts. I would not expect a ceiling week in this matchup, and I certainly wouldn’t take a chance on it with the season on the line.
RB Kenneth Gainwell, PHI (Wk. 15: vs. Was.): Miles Sanders and Jordan Howard are both practicing in a limited capacity this week and seem to be on track to play. Gainwell hasn’t played more than 20 snaps in any game Howard has been active for this season. Even if one of Sanders or Howard sit, Washington allows the 12th-fewest RB points per game. Gainwell should be left parked on the bench and not in your playoff lineups.
RB Jaret Patterson, WAS (Wk. 15: @Phi.): Patterson hasn’t taken on a bigger role in the last couple weeks, even with JD McKissic sidelined due to a concussion. Instead, he split the backup work with Wendell Smallwood in week 13 and Jonathan Williams in week 14. Antonio Gibson has been seeing his largest snap shares of the season in the past 3 weeks, and there just isn’t enough work leftover for Patterson to have value.
RB Khalil Herbert, CHI (Wk. 15: vs. Min.): Herbert played fewer snaps than Damien Williams in week 14. It was the first time he played fewer snaps than Williams since week 4. He’s off the fantasy radar so long as David Montgomery is healthy.
RB Jermar Jefferson, DET (Wk. 15: vs. Ari.): Jefferson had a golden opportunity last week with D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams both sidelined…and he played just 3 offensive snaps as the unknown Craig Reynolds functioned as the team’s lead back with Godwin Igwebuike playing on passing downs. Jermar isn’t worth a roster spot right now in any redraft format.
RB Demetric Felton, CLE (Wk. 15: vs. LV): Felton could see a few more snaps this week with Kareem Hunt out with an ankle injury, but after 2 muffed punts a week ago it’s hard to see the Browns giving him much of an extended role. He’ll still be playing behind Nick Chubb and D’Ernest Johnson.
RB Chris Evans, CIN (Wk. 15: @Den.): Evans has been inactive in each of the last two weeks with an ankle injury, and he’s logged more than 10 snaps in a game just once all season.
RB Larry Rountree III, LAC (Wk. 15: vs. KC): Rountree has been inactive for each of the last 3 weeks, and even if he were suddenly thrust into the RB2 role this week, I wouldn’t expect much of a workload in a game where the Chargers will need to throw to keep pace with the Chiefs.
WR Ben Skowronek, LAR (Wk. 15: vs. Sea.): Skowronek is worth mentioning because he’ll be forced into a much bigger role in the offense if Odell Beckham Jr. can’t get cleared from the Covid list ahead of the game, but he’ll still be a distant 4th in the target pecking order behind Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson and Tyler Higbee. We’ve seen Skowronek play more than 70% of the offensive snaps once this season, and the result was 1 catch for 8 yards on 5 targets against the 49ers. Seattle allows the 7th-fewest WR points per game. With your season at stake, you can find a better upside option than Skowronek.
WR Josh Palmer, LAC (Wk. 15: vs. KC): Palmer posted a very nice fantasy day last weekend in Keenan Allen’s absence, but don’t count on a repeat performance with Allen back this week. He’ll go back to his usual role on Thursday night, and in that usual role Palmer hasn’t totaled more than 25 yards in a game. Even in a matchup where the Chargers could be throwing a lot, I wouldn’t trust Palmer.
WR Terrace Marshall Jr., CAR (Wk. 15: @Buf.): Marshall was on the field quite a bit in week 14. In fact, his 47% snap share on Sunday was the most he’s played since week 5, but it translated to zero targets in a game where the Panthers threw the ball 35 times. Unless DJ Moore ends up sidelined with his hamstring injury, there’s no reason to consider Marshall even in deep leagues this week. Even if Moore sits, the Bills allow the fewest wide receiver points per game.
WR Jaylen Waddle, MIA (Wk. 15: vs. NYJ): In case you missed the news, Waddle was yet another player added to the Covid reserve list this week, making him unlikely to suit up in a great matchup with the Jets. Albert Wilson is the most likely candidate to fill Waddle’s spot in the lineup, but DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki and the running backs are the places to turn for fantasy options.
WR Kadarius Toney, NYG (Wk. 15: vs. Dal.): Toney’s best game of the season came against the Cowboys in Dallas, with Mike Glennon playing at QB for most of the game. The rookie likely won’t get a chance at a repeat performance. He’s been out with injury the last few weeks and was added to the Covid reserve list this week. His return to the field is very unlikely in week 15.
WR Dez Fitzpatrick, TEN (Wk. 15: @Pit.): Fitzpatrick was inactive last week and was added to the Covid reserve list this week. He’s unlikely to play Sunday and even less likely to produce a fantasy-relevant day.
TE Tommy Tremble, CAR (Wk. 15: @Buf.): Tremble hasn’t seen more than 3 targets in a game since week 8, and the Bills have allowed 1 tight end touchdown since week 6. There’s no reason to roll the dice on Tremble.
Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:
QB Trevor Lawrence, JAX (Wk. 15: vs. Hou.): Urban Meyer is finally out as Jacksonville’s head coach, and for at least this week it should be a big boost for the team. Lawrence has been an abysmal fantasy option in recent weeks, totaling just 1 touchdown in his last 6 games, but this is the week where I expect him to buck that trend. Since 2010, interim head coaches have a record of 14-9 in their first game, and the teams they were stepping in for were a combined 60-164-2 at the time the previous head coach was fired. That’s a winning percentage that’s 34% higher in the first game under an interim coach. This points to the Jaguars being very likely to beat the Texans, and if they win, I like Lawrence’s chances of finishing as a mid-range QB2. Admittedly, this is more of a hunch than a well-reasoned decision. The Texans have actually been decent against QBs and rank 8th in pass defense DVOA, but they’re far from an unbeatable defense.
WR D’Wayne Eskridge, SEA (Wk. 15: @LAR): Eskridge has seen his playing time increase each week since returning from IR, and in week 14 he finally out-snapped Freddie Swain for the first time this season. Tyler Lockett was placed on the Covid reserve list this week, and the Rams have FIVE defensive backs currently on the Covid list as well, including both starting cornerbacks and their starting strong safety. I’d look for the Rams to use the blitz to try and cover for their lack of DB depth, and Eskridge could be a popular outlet option with speed to burn after the catch. If you’re desperate in a deep redraft league, Eskridge is probably available on the waiver wire. The floor is non-existent, but 15+ points is not impossible for Eskridge if Lockett misses this game.
WR Dyami Brown, WAS (Wk. 15: @Phi.): I wouldn’t consider Brown in any fantasy playoff matchups this week, but Terry McLaurin was concussed last weekend and Curtis Samuel is ailing again as well. There’s a clear path to a lot of playing time for Brown if both McLaurin & Samuel are inactive, and Brown costs just $200 for the DraftKings showdown slate. We’ve seen this story play out before. Brown didn’t do much with extended playing time early in the season, and the Eagles have allowed the 3rd-fewest WR points per game, but it’s still hard to ignore a guy with a potential full-time role that costs the minimum in a limited slate contest.
TE Brevin Jordan, HOU (Wk. 15: @Jax.): Since their week 7 bye, the Jaguars have allowed just one tight end touchdown (to George Kittle) and haven’t allowed a single tight end to reach 50 receiving yards against them, but Jordan’s recent spike in usage is impossible to ignore. He was only running a route on about 40% of the Texans’ dropbacks each of the last two weeks, but he was targeted on more than a quarter of his routes. He’s now seen the ball come his way 11 times in the last two weeks, and I think that increased opportunity for him is here to stay with Davis Mills now installed as the starting QB. He’ll need to get in the end zone to be a worthwhile play this week, even as a cheap DFS option, but he’s found the end zone 3 times in the last 6 games and should be a safe bet for 4+ targets on Sunday.
TE John Bates, WAS (Wk. 15: @Phi.): Bates has been mostly an afterthought in this passing game, seeing 4+ targets just once all season, but he played a bigger role than I expected last week with Ricky Seals-Jones back from IR and gets the best possible tight end matchup in week 15. Bates was in a route on 63% of Washington’s dropbacks last Sunday compared to 40% for RSJ, even if Seals-Jones did out-target him 4 to 2. The Eagles allow the most tight end points per game and have allowed a tight end TD in 9 of their last 11 games. I do expect Seals-Jones’ playing time to increase going forward, but RSJ costs $5,400 for the showdown slate for this game on DraftKings while Bates’ costs just $1,000, and backup tight ends have scored against Philly with regularity. I wouldn’t fire up Bates in any fantasy playoff matchups this weekend, but he has DFS upside.
That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully it helps guide you to victory in your leagues this weekend and helps you advance in the fantasy playoffs. 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.
December
Welcome back to the Rookie Report! We’ve finally arrived at the final week of the fantasy regular season for most leagues. This weekend will be your last chance to improve your positioning as we head into the playoffs. Make sure you know your league’s playoff rules – how many teams get in, how those spots are decided, and what tiebreaker rules are – and make sure you know what you need to do to make the playoffs. It’s good to know if you need huge points this week, or just a win. Don’t get too caught up on other matchups that you need to go one way or another to help you into the playoffs. Focus on only what you can control, your team.
Week 13 saw more struggles for a few of the top rookie pass catchers (Ja’Marr Chase, Kyle Pitts and DeVonta Smith), but it was nice to see Najee Harris bounce back to a respectable score and Jaylen Waddle and Elijah Mitchell to each post another productive week. Elijah Moore, Kenneth Gainwell and Amon-Ra St. Brown all found the end zone in impressive performances as well. Zach Wilson stunned us by accounting for 3 TDs in a loss, while Mac Jones only threw 3 passes in a win. It was all in a week’s work for the 2021 rookie crop, and they’ll have plenty more in store for us in week 14.
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 14…
Rookies You Already Know You Should Start:
RB Najee Harris, PIT (Wk. 14: @Min.): Harris was a letdown in week 12, and while he didn’t bounce back with a ceiling game last Sunday, he still posted 15+ PPR points for the 10th time in his last 11 games. This week he faces a Vikings’ defense that allows the 12th-most running back points per game and ranks 29th in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA stat. He should be a safe RB1 as usual.
WR Ja’Marr Chase, CIN (Wk. 14: vs. SF): Chase got back above 50 yards last week for the first time since week 7, but it was hardly a banner day for him. He’s now averaging just under 11 PPR points per game in his last 5 contests, but he’s also averaged 7.8 targets per game in that span. The points are going to come back, and I think this week is a good opportunity for that to start happening. The 49ers allow more points per game to wide receivers than 4 of the last 5 teams the Bengals have faced, and they’ll be missing starting CB Emmanuel Moseley. Keep firing him up.
Borderline Rookies I’d Lean Toward Starting:
RB Javonte Williams, DEN (Wk. 14: vs. Det.): I know Williams feels like he should fall into the auto-start category above after he steamrolled his way to 178 scrimmage yards and a TD last Sunday night, especially heading into a cake matchup with the Lions. I just want to jump in to say pump the brakes just a little bit. Melvin Gordon appears set return this week, and as much as we want Denver to just give the reins of this backfield to Javonte, head coach Vic Fangio was clear after Sunday’s game that they’re going to continue to use both backs when Gordon is healthy. The good news for Javonte is that he was seeing close to 60% of the snaps in the last 2 games Gordon was active, and I’d expect him to be in that range again in this one. Detroit has allowed the 3rd-most RB points per game, and Denver is an 8.5-point favorite, so even 60% of the workload in this matchup puts Williams in a great position to deliver a strong RB2 day. If Gordon somehow is inactive again, Javonte will be in line for another monster day, and would likely be a top-5 play for the week.
RB Elijah Mitchell, SF (Wk. 14: @Cin.): Keep a close watch on the injury report with Mitchell. He’s still not practicing as of Thursday due to a concussion and knee irritation. If he manages to get cleared though, he should probably be in your lineup. Mitchell has topped 15 fantasy points in 4 of his last 6 games and faces a Cincinnati defense that shouldn’t scare you away. The Bengals have allowed the 13th-most RB points per game this season. If Mitchell is active this week, he’s a high-end RB2 or low-end RB1 option.
RB Chuba Hubbard, CAR (Wk. 14: vs. Atl.): With Christian McCaffrey back on the shelf, Hubbard should step back in as the starting RB this week against Atlanta. We’ve already seen how this offense looks with Hubbard as the lead back. In his 5 starts the Panthers have fed him the ball. Hubbard averaged 17.8 carries and 3.6 targets per start, and in a game against these Falcons, and he finished with 91 scrimmage yards and a TD. The Falcons have allowed the 7th-most RB points per game and rank 21st in run defense DVOA, and the Panthers are favored by 2.5 points, so they game script should allow them to stick with the running game. It’s worth noting that Sam Darnold was the starter for all 5 of Hubbard’s prior starts, and things will be a little different with Cam under center. I still expect the game plan to be run-heavy, but Cam is more likely to vulture goal-line rushing attempts than Darnold. Cam already has 3 rushing attempts from inside the 5-yard line in just 3 games on the team. I’d still treat Hubbard as a low-end RB2 this week, but be aware of the Cam vulture possibility if you’re trying to break a tie between Hubbard and another back.
WR Elijah Moore, NYJ (Wk. 14: vs. NO): We finally got what we’ve been waiting for and saw a big-time game out of Moore with Zach Wilson at QB. It took 12 targets for Moore to post a 6-77-1 line, but that kind of volume should keep coming with Corey Davis done for the season. Moore faces a daunting matchup with New Orleans. The Saints give up the 4th-most WR points per game, but Moore should see shadow coverage from Marshon Lattimore, who has made life tough on top WRs like Terry McLaurin, Mike Evans, and Davante Adams this season. Moore’s volume should be enough to get him through to another WR3 day in spite of this tough individual matchup.
TE Pat Freiermuth, PIT (Wk. 14: @Min.): Freiermuth has finished as a top-12 TE in 5 of his last 7 games and was 1.2 points away from making it 6 of 7 last weekend. He did post his lowest reception total of any of those 7 games last week, but he makes his fantasy living by getting into the end zone, and the Vikings have allowed 3 tight end scores in the last 3 weeks despite allowing the 8th-fewest TE points per game. Freiermuth isn’t a slam dunk start this week, but I’d prefer him over most of the available streaming options that’ll be sitting out there on the wire.
Borderline Rookies I’d Lean Toward Sitting:
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET (Wk. 14: @Den.): St. Brown posted his best game as a pro last Sunday, hauling in 10 passes for 86 yards and the game-winning TD that ended the Lions’ long winless streak. He’s clearly a bigger part of the passing game with D’Andre Swift sidelined, and Swift seems likely to miss another game this week. That puts ARSB back on the fantasy radar in PPR formats. He’s got a tougher matchup this week, though. Denver has allowed the 9th-fewest WR points per game, and Amon-Ra’s individual matchup with Kyle Fuller in the slot could be a tall task. Fuller has played well since moving back to the slot when Ronald Darby returned from injury in week 6. He was picked on a bit by Keenan Allen in week 12, but aside from that game, he’s allowed just 2 completions and 13 yards on 10 targets into his coverage since week 6. ARSB may still have success this week, but I think 4-5 catches for 40-50 yards is much more likely than a repeat of what he did last weekend.
WR Rashod Bateman, BAL (Wk. 14: @Cle.): Bateman’s playing time has slowly evaporated since the return of Sammy Watkins, and in week 13 he played behind both Watkins and Devin Duvernay. The Browns allow the 10th-fewest WR points per game, and it’s hard to envision Rashod posting a useful fantasy day while running a route on fewer than 40% of the Ravens’ pass plays.
TE Kyle Pitts, ATL (Wk. 14: @Car.): It’s come to this. I’m advocating for sitting Kyle Pitts in a week where your matchup could be pivotal to making the fantasy playoffs. I’m not saying you should just sit him for anyone, but if you have another reasonable option or can grab a high-end streaming option this week like Tyler Conklin or Jared Cook, I’d think long and hard about it. We’ve already seen how the Panthers will attack Pitts from their first meeting. They’re going to cover him with Stephon Gilmore any time he lines up outside. Gilmore made life miserable for him in the first meeting, as Pitts was limited to just 2 catches for 13 yards on 6 targets. If you’re chasing points in the standings and need more than just a win to make the playoffs, Pitts likely offers a higher ceiling than other comparable options, but the floor here is lower than usual.
Rookies You Already Know You Should Sit:
QB Trevor Lawrence, JAX (Wk. 14: @Ten.): Lawrence did post one of his best fantasy days of the season against this Titans’ team, and they’ve allowed the 3rd-most QB points per game, but they’re not that same defense. The Titans have allowed 20.8 QB fantasy points per game this season. Mac Jones is the only QB to score more than that against them since Josh Allen in week 6, and Jones topped it by less than a point. Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars’ offense have gone in the opposite direction since that game. Lawrence has accounted for just 3 total TDs in 7 games since the first meeting with the Titans, and he’s topped 200 passing yards in just 3 of them (only one above 240). A turnaround could happen, but I wouldn’t bet on it with your season on the line.
QB Zach Wilson, NYJ (Wk. 14: vs. NO): For 3 glorious drives on Sunday, Zach Wilson flashed the tools that made him the 2nd overall pick in the NFL draft, accounting for 2 passing scores and another on the ground on the Jets’ first 3 drives of the game. He then turned back into the Zach Wilson we’ve seen the rest of the season, the one who accounted for just 5 total TDs in his first 7 starts. After those first 3 drives Sunday, Wilson went 12-for-25 for 123 yards, zero scores, and 1 INT the rest of the game. The Saints’ defense has given up some ceiling QB weeks this season, but I don’t see how you can rely on Wilson to put one up this week. Wilson has scored a dozen or more fantasy points just 3 times in 8 starts this season, and 12 is significantly lower than the point total you should be hoping for from a QB2.
QB Davis Mills, HOU (Wk. 14: vs. Sea.): Mills has shown flashes of competence in his limited opportunities this season, tallying over 20 fantasy points in two starts against good defenses (Patriots and Rams), but in his other 4 starts the Texans’ offense has mustered a total of just 15 points and only 1 touchdown. They failed to score a point on any of his 4 drives at the helm last Sunday as well. Seattle’s pass defense ranks just 26th in pass defense DVOA, but they also allow the 8th-fewest QB points per game and have only allowed multiple TDs to the opposing QB twice in their last 8 games. Mills is a bottom of the barrel QB2 option this week. He could surprise as he’s done a couple other times this season, but the floor is nonexistent.
RB Khalil Herbert, CHI (Wk. 14: @GB): I liked Herbert as a sleeper this week before the Thursday news update that David Montgomery has returned to practice. Herbert put up 112 scrimmage yards and a TD in the Bears’ first meeting with Green Bay and would’ve been a solid play if Montgomery was out this week. Instead, he’ll be lucky if he handles 5+ touches.
RB Jermar Jefferson, DET (Wk. 14: @Den.): D’Andre Swift faces long odds to suit up this weekend, but that we saw last weekend that still leaves Jefferson 3rd in line for RB snaps and touches in this offense. Jamaal Williams and Godwin Igwebuike split the bulk of the backfield work with Swift out in Detroit’s first win of the season. Jefferson played just 8 snaps. He’ll still likely see a handful of carries against a Denver defense that ranks 25th in run defense DVOA if Swift is out, but that isn’t enough to warrant fantasy consideration.
RB Jaret Patterson, WAS (Wk. 14: vs. Dal.): With JD McKissic out last weekend, Patterson still played just 4 offensive snaps and handled 1 carry against the Raiders. There’s no reason to count on a lot of usage this weekend.
RB Demetric Felton, CLE (Wk. 14: vs. Bal.): Felton was limited to just 1 offensive snap in week 12 with Kareem Hunt back. He isn’t going to see the field for more than a couple plays when Hunt and Chubb are both active.
RB Chris Evans, CIN (Wk. 14: vs. SF): Evans hasn’t handled more than 1 target in a game since week 6, and he’s only logged rushing attempts in 2 of the 8 games where he’s played offensive snaps.
RB Kene Nwangwu, MIN (Wk. 14: vs. Pit.): It sounds like Dalvin Cook is going to give it a go on Thursday night barring a setback during pregame warmups, and Nwangwu played just 9 snaps and handled 6 touches with Cook out last Sunday. He’s only worth consideration this week if your league starts a return man.
WR Rondale Moore, ARI (Wk. 14: vs. LAR): The return of DeAndre Hopkins last week means even less opportunity for Moore, who has topped 30 scrimmage yards just once in the last 7 games. The Rams do allow a lot of yards after the catch (7th-most in the league), but that really doesn’t matter if Rondale’s only going to get a couple targets.
WR Nico Collins, HOU (Wk. 14: vs. Sea.): Collins hasn’t reached 30 receiving yards since week 8, and the Seahawks allow the 7th-fewest WR points per game.
WR D’Wayne Eskridge, SEA (Wk. 14: @Hou.): Eskridge has seen his snap share increase in each of the last 3 weeks, and he posted his best game of the season last Sunday with 3 catches for 35 yards and a score, but he’s not on the field enough to be anything more than a TD dart throw right now. There isn’t much of a ceiling playing a part-time role in a run first offense, especially in a week where they’re favored by more than a touchdown.
WR Kadarius Toney, NYG (Wk. 14: @LAC): Toney still isn’t practicing as of Wednesday, and he hasn’t topped 40 receiving yards since week 5. Even if he ends up playing, you don’t need me to tell you it’d be wise to sit him with possibly Jake Fromm at QB against the defense allowing the 3rd-fewest WR points per game.
WR Anthony Schwartz, CLE (Wk. 14: vs. Bal.): Schwartz still isn’t practicing as of Thursday after missing the last 2 games with a concussion. If he ends up active, his $200 price tag in DK showdown contests would be tempting. He’s played around half of the offensive snaps in all 3 games he’s been healthy for that OBJ didn’t play in and been used as a situational deep threat in them. The Ravens have allowed the most completions of 20+ yards, and the most completions of 40+ yards in the league. It’s still a long shot that the Browns would install those kind of deep shots to Schwartz into the week’s game plan when he hasn’t practiced in nearly 3 weeks.
WR Dez Fitzpatrick, TEN (Wk. 14: vs. Jax.): Fitzpatrick played behind Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Jacob Hollister, and Chester Rodgers ahead of last week’s bye, and the Titans should have Julio Jones back this week. Dez isn’t a fantasy option.
WRs Terrace Marshall Jr. & Shi Smith, CAR (Wk. 14: vs. Atl.): Marshall was a healthy scratch ahead of last week’s bye, and the Panthers’ firing of Joe Brady probably isn’t a good thing for him. Brady served as OC at LSU during Marshall’s time there and was likely one of his biggest advocates on the coaching staff. Shi Smith stepped in and played 15 snaps in that week 12 game that Marshall sat out, but he wasn’t targeted. Both are off the fantasy radar.
WRs Dyami Brown & Dax Milne, WAS (Wk. 14: vs. Dal.): Milne has been a healthy scratch each of the last two weeks, and Brown has played fewer than 10 snaps in each of the last 4 games.
TE Tommy Tremble, CAR (Wk. 14: vs. Atl.): Don’t be tempted into thinking this is a good spot for Tremble against a defense allowing the 12th-most TE points per game. About 30% of the fantasy points and 57% of the TDs the Falcons have allowed to tight ends were given up to Rob Gronkowski in their two meetings with the Bucs. Only two other tight ends have made it to 7 points against them all year (Gesicki and Goedert).
TE Brevin Jordan, HOU (Wk. 14: vs. Sea.): Jordan is nothing more than a TD dart throw this week, and as mentioned under Davis Mills, Houston likely won’t score more than one touchdown. He’s seen an increased snap share in the last couple of weeks, but he’s still hasn’t been targeted more than 4 times in any game. 4 targets aren’t very useful when you average fewer than 8 yards a catch.
TE John Bates, WAS (Wk. 14: vs. Dal.): Starting TE Logan Thomas suffered what will be a season-ending knee injury in week 13, but it doesn’t open the door for Bates as Ricky Seals-Jones is set to return from IR this week. Bates is only worth consideration if he’s the only available tight end for the Football Team.
Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:
QB Justin Fields, CHI (Wk. 14: @GB): On paper, the Packers are not an easy QB matchup. They allow the 9th-fewest QB points per game and rank 10th in pass defense DVOA, but they’re vulnerable to running QBs. Green Bay has allowed the 5th-most QB rushing yards per game. They’ve given up totals of 37 yards to Jameis Winston, 46 to Jared Goff, 95 to Taylor Heinicke, and 43 to Fields in the first meeting with Chicago. The Bears offense should get a big boost from the return of Allen Robinson as well, even if his main function in this game is to keep Jaire Alexander occupied. Alexander is expected back from IR as well. You’re barking up the wrong tree if you plan to use Fields in a 1-QB league, but with 4 guys who are typically top-20 QB options on byes (Tua, Wentz, Hurts and Mac Jones), I’m very comfortable taking a swing on Fields’ upside if I’m looking for a QB2 this week.
RB Larry Rountree III, LAC (Wk. 14: vs. NYG): The Chargers’ RB2 role behind Austin Ekeler has been a weekly revolving door, but in week 14 the person who ends up in that role could have some relevance. The Chargers enter the week as a 10-point favorite against the Giants, who will be without their starting QB Daniel Jones, and possibly without backup Mike Glennon. It was reported Thursday that Glennon was “moving in the right direction” to be able to play Sunday, but he still needs to clear the concussion protocol. Whether it’s Glennon or 3rd-stringer Jake Fromm at QB, this should be a convincing win for the Chargers, and that means late garbage time carries against a defense that ranks 31st in run defense DVOA and has allowed the 8th-most RB points per game. Rountree, Joshua Kelley, and Justin Jackson have each taken a turn in the role in the last 3 weeks, playing about a quarter of the offensive snaps in that turn, and being a non-factor in the other two games. Whichever of that trio holds the role on Sunday will be a value in showdown DFS contests for this game, especially since Austin Ekeler is battling an ankle injury. Rountree and Kelley each cost just $200 on DraftKings for those contests. Jackson costs $2,800. Keep a close eye on team reports this week to see who is active, but if Rountree manages to get into the RB2 role, a double-digit scoring day isn’t impossible.
WR Josh Palmer, LAC (Wk. 14: vs. NYG): Mike Williams is officially ruled out for Sunday on the Covid reserve list, and Keenan Allen could potentially miss this week as well if he can’t get cleared in time. That bodes well for Palmer facing a defense that allows the 10th-most WR points per game. Palmer and Jalen Guyton will be working as the WR1 and 2 in practice all week as the gameplan is installed, and both will be on the field a lot. To this point of the season, Guyton has typically been on the field twice as often as Palmer, but their target totals are close. In the last 8 games, Guyton has 22 targets to Palmer’s 18. Guyton costs $7,000 on DraftKings for the showdown slate for this game. Palmer costs $200. Both are likely in play as WR4 types this week even if Allen plays and slide up to WR3 options if Allen can’t get cleared in time.
That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully it helps guide you to victory in your leagues this weekend and helps you find your way into the fantasy playoffs. 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.
December
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 5th 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 4th 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 2nd-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 11th in run defense DVOA, but that hasn’t stopped them from being shredded by opposing backs. They’ve allowed the 2nd-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 28th 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 14th-most WR points per game, but they rank 31st 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 4th-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 8th-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 1st 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 3rd-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 26th in pass defense DVOA and allowing the 10th-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 2nd-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 12th-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 3rd-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 10th-most QB points per game, and this week gets to face the defense allowing the 18th-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 29th 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 3rd 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 2nd-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 2nd-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.
November
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 3rd straight game, Elijah Moore topped 10 PPR points for the 5th 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 9th-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 4th-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 2nd 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 4th-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 12th-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 9th-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 14th-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 12th-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 3rd-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 27th in run defense DVOA and has allowed the 11th-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 4th-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 2nd 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 9th-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 2nd 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 2nd-most RB points per game and ranks 25th 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 6th-most running back receiving yards per game. Two of Gainwell’s 3 biggest fantasy days came against the defenses allowing the 5th and 7th-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 4th-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 31st 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.
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