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Welcome back to the Rookie Report, and happy Turkey Day! Hopefully, you’ve been able to find a safe, socially distanced way to see family for the holiday and still eat a gluttonous amount of food. There will be a bit less football on Thursday than originally planned with the Baltimore-Pittsburgh game moved to Sunday, but it’ll still be the first week with all 32 teams in action since September. The rookie class won’t be quite at full strength after injuries to Joe Burrow and LaMical Perine, and a positive COVID test for JK Dobbins and a benching for Jake Luton, but most of the rookies will be in action this week. The WR class continued to pace the field in rookie production with strong weeks from Justin Jefferson, Chase Claypool, Michael Pittman Jr., and CeeDee Lamb (who made a spectacular TD catch), but the top of the running back class got back on track too. Clyde Edwards-Helaire scored two touchdowns, Antonio Gibson and JK Dobbins found paydirt as well, and Jonathan Taylor topped 100 scrimmage yards for the first time since week 6. In all, there was 4 rookie running backs in the top-12 RBs for the week. Even Cam Akers got into the end zone for the first time this year. Will the rookies continue to be useful in week 12 as you make your final push for the fantasy playoffs? Let’s dive in and find out…

(Notes: All scoring and points allowed rankings are based on half-PPR scoring unless otherwise noted. Players under the same header at the same position are listed in the order I would play them in this week.)

Rookies to Start:

QB Justin Herbert, LAC (Wk. 12: @Buf.): The beat goes on for Justin Herbert after another stellar performance in week 11 against the hapless Jets. Herbert has accounted for 3+ touchdowns in 6 of his last 7 games and has thrown for more than 260 yards in 8 of his 9 starts. This week he gets to face a Bills’ defense that has numbers that don’t stack up to their reputation of being a tough defense. The Bills have allowed the 5^th-most QB points per game, and the only QBs they’ve held below 20 fantasy points are Sam Darnold (twice) and Cam Newton. The other 7 they’ve faced all hit that mark. Herbert should be locked in as your QB1 unless you have an elite guy like Mahomes or Russ ahead of him.

RB James Robinson, JAX (Wk. 12: vs. Cle.): The Jaguars have made the regrettable decision to turn to Mike Glennon at quarterback this week. While that isn’t an ideal change for the offense as a whole, it shouldn’t be a problem for Robinson, who has shown in recent weeks that he can run effectively with a bum at QB. Defenses focusing on him has not been a problem. Glennon at QB also shouldn’t hurt Robinson’s chances at being productive in the passing game. In his last stint as a starter with the Bears in 2017, Glennon targeted Tarik Cohen and Jordan Howard a combined 44 times in 4 starts (albeit on a team with a bad WR group). Cleveland looks like a tough matchup on paper, allowing the 8^th fewest running back points per game, but that’s mostly a product of a positive game script. The Browns have been leading on the scoreboard for 56% of their defensive snaps. Cleveland ranks just a middling 15^th in run defense DVOA, and just 23^rd in pass defense DVOA on throws to running backs. Robinson has had at least 17 touches every week so far. I’d expect that to continue again in this one, and there is nothing in this matchup to scare me off of treating him like a low-end RB1 this week.

RB Antonio Gibson, WAS (Wk. 12: @Dal.): We finally got a chance to see last Sunday what it looks like for Gibson when Washington plays from ahead. Gibson played more snaps than JD McKissic for just the 3^rd time all season and the first time since week 5, and he finished with 104 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. This week’s matchup with the Cowboys should be close for much of the day, so Gibson should stay heavily involved. Dallas ranks just 25^th in run defense DVOA and allows the 14^th-most RB points per game. Most of the running back production they allow is on the ground, which should favor Gibson over McKissic. Dallas allows the 2^nd-fewest RB receptions and the fewest RB receiving yards per game. I like Gibson’s chances at putting up 80+ yards and finding the end zone for the 5^th-straight game.

RB Salvon Ahmed, MIA (Wk. 12: @NYJ): It looks like Ahmed may get one more week as the Phins’ lead back before Myles Gaskin returns from injury, and the Jets are a good team to get a start against. If Gaskin ends up playing this week, you don’t want to play Ahmed, and the rookie is dealing with a shoulder injury himself so keep an eye on the injury report this week before plugging him in. Assuming Ahmed plays and Gaskin doesn’t, Ahmed should be a strong fantasy play as the Dolphins face a defense that has allowed the 9^th-most running back points per game. They also enter the week as a touchdown favorite, so the game script should be on Ahmed’s side as well. He’s handled 22 and 17 touches in the two games he’s started, and that kind of volume against the Jets probably makes him a high-end RB2. We did get to see him show off some pass-catching ability last week (5-31 on 6 targets), giving him a higher floor in PPR leagues than previously expected.

WR Justin Jefferson, MIN (Wk. 12: vs. Car.): Jefferson posted another strong outing in week 11 with 84 yards and a touchdown, and this week may get to play without Adam Thielen on the field. Thielen tested positive for Covid-19 early in the week, and while there is still a chance it was a false positive, there’s no guarantee he’s able to play on Sunday at this point. The concern with any Viking pass catchers is always that they could have so much success running the ball that there isn’t a lot of passing volume. Cousins has thrown the ball 25 or fewer times in 4 separate games this year, but we’ve seen Jefferson clear 60 yards in two of those 4 games already, and those concerns are pretty much nonexistent if he’s not sharing targets with Thielen. The Panthers are in the bottom-12 of the league in pass defense DVOA, and I’d bank on the rookie’s upside again. I’d view him as a WR1 if Thielen is out, and a WR2 if he plays.

Borderline Rookies:

QB Tua Tagovailoa, MIA (Wk. 12: @NYJ): Despite his week 11 benching, Tua is expected to be under center again in week 12. The matchup this week is much more forgiving. The Jets rank dead last in pass defense DVOA and have allowed the 4^th-most QB points per game. Tua has been a little bit up-and-down so far this season, but I would expect this to be an ‘up’ week. We haven’t seen Tagovailoa show off a top-10 QB ceiling just yet, but he should be a quality QB2 this week for those of you in superflex and 2-QB formats assuming he can mentally shake off the benching.

RB Jonathan Taylor, IND (Wk. 12: vs. Ten.): Taylor had a bit of a resurgence last Sunday, playing 56% of the offensive snaps and handling 26 of the team’s 40 running back touches (65%). It was the second-highest touch number of the season for JT, and his highest snap share since before the team’s week 7 bye. The million-dollar question is – does it carry forward? Will Taylor continue to lead this backfield? I think the answer is yes, at least for this week. The Colts’ backfield is a fluid situation, but I think Taylor has earned another week as the lead back. The matchup could be a little bit of a concern despite the Titans allowing the 7^th-most RB points per game. This is the same defense that held Taylor to 12 yards on 7 rushes just a couple of weeks ago, and the backs they’ve had the most trouble with have been the smaller and more agile backs. The 5 best running back fantasy performances they’ve allowed this year came from Dalvin Cook, Nyheim Hines, Giovani Bernard, JK Dobbins, and James Robinson. None of that group is all that similar to Taylor stylistically. Despite that, I expect Taylor to get a dozen or more touches this week and get the chance to prove that last week’s bounce-back wasn’t a fluke. Hines will be involved again, but I think Taylor will be a borderline RB2 in this one and keep Jordan Wilkins at bay.

RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, KC (Wk. 12: @TB): CEH posted his best game in weeks last Sunday, but playing against the Raiders was a predictable smash spot for the rookie. This week’s matchup with the Bucs should be much tougher. Tampa allows the 4^th fewest RB points per game and ranks 1^st in run defense DVOA. There will still be a decent amount of rushing work for Clyde, but the saving grace for Edwards-Helaire is that Tampa has allowed more running back receptions than any team in the league, and the rookie has pulled in 3+ catches in 7 of the last 9 games. Tampa boasts one of the best secondaries in the league, so I think you’ll see more of CEH catching the football out of the backfield than we’re used to. He should finish the week as a solid RB2 in PPR leagues, but more of a flex play in non-PPR formats.

RB Zack Moss, BUF (Wk. 12: vs. LAC): We’ve now seen Moss out-snap Devin Singletary for 3 weeks running, and he’s out-touched him 19-10 in the last two weeks. We haven’t seen big yardage totals out of either back most weeks, but Moss has found the end zone 3 times in the last 3 games while Singletary hasn’t scored in that span. Both backs ran well against New England totaling over 80 rushing yards each in that contest, but the duo has combined for just 115 scrimmage yards in the last two games. The Chargers allow the 10^th-most RB points per game but allow the 16^th-most scrimmage yards to the position, so getting back on track with the yardage may not be in the offing. Moss will need to get into the end zone to be worth playing this week. The Chargers might be willing to oblige. They’ve coughed up 7 running back rushing scores in the last 5 games.

WR Chase Claypool, PIT (Wk. 12: vs. Bal.): It was another productive day for Claypool last Sunday, posting 4-59-1 on 8 targets in a blowout win over the Jaguars. It was his 4^th consecutive game with 8+ targets and 50+ yards, and he’s scored 4 touchdowns in those games as well. It appears that James Washington has eaten into Claypool’s snap share a bit in each of the last two weeks, but that doesn’t really concern me. Claypool continues to be a featured part of the offense. What concerns me this week is the matchup with Baltimore. The Ravens’ secondary has gotten healthy, so that means a tough matchup for all 3 Pittsburgh receivers. Big Ben threw for just 182 yards in the first meeting with the Ravens, and only JuJu Smith-Schuster reached 50 receiving yards on the team. Ben threw into the coverage of one of those top three corners (Jimmy Smith, Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters) 18 times in that game, and completed just 10 of those throws for 63 yards. Claypool still has his usual upside in this one, but it will probably be more of a floor game. I would treat him as a WR3 this week.

WR Michael Pittman Jr., IND (Wk. 12: vs. Ten.): Pittman may be in the process of dethroning TY Hilton as the Colts’ WR1. He’s played 80%+ of the snaps in 3 straight contests and averaged 6 targets and 81 scrimmage yards per game in that span. He also scored his first TD of the season last weekend. No other Indy WR has played more than 67% of the snaps in either of the last 2 weeks. Tennessee is an opponent to target for wide receivers. They rank 25^th in pass-defense DVOA and have allowed the 6^th-most WR points per game. With that snap share and this matchup, Pittman should be a solid WR3 option this week in most formats.

WR Jerry Jeudy, DEN (Wk. 12: vs. NO): Jeudy had a bit of a down game in week 11, totaling just 3 catches for 37 yards, but he was still targeted 8 times in the contest. It was the 4^th straight game he’s seen at least 8 targets, and that kind of volume will keep him in consideration for a WR3 spot most weeks. This week he faces a Saints defense that ranks an impressive 5^th in pass defense DVOA, but has allowed the 14^th-most WR points per game, and the receivers they’ve been most vulnerable to play on the perimeter. They’ve allowed 6 different receivers to tally 15 fantasy points against them this season, and all of them play primarily on the outside. If Jeudy is targeted 8+ times again this week (and I think he will be), there is a great chance of him getting back up to 60+ yards and finishing as a useful fantasy starter.

WR Jalen Reagor, PHI (Wk. 12: vs. Sea.): If there was ever a golden opportunity for a blowup game from Reagor, this is it. Carson Wentz has been struggling to get himself right, but Reagor has been a full-time player and seen at least 5 targets and 3 catches in each game since his return, and this week he gets the matchup of all matchups for wide receivers. The Seahawks have given up by far the most WR points per game. The defense right behind them in that category, the Cowboys, are closer in average points allowed to the 13^th-ranked Raiders than they are to Seattle. Wentz’s poor play keeps me from getting too optimistic here, but there is a big ceiling if the Eagles can get their passing game just a little more on-track. I’d treat Reagor like a WR4 with a big upside. His floor is probably in the ballpark of 4 catches for 40 yards.

WR Brandon Aiyuk, SF (Wk. 12: @LAR): The situation for Aiyuk this week remains in flux as of Wednesday. He was placed on the Covid list for the 2^nd time this season early in the week, but it was just as a close contact and he may still get cleared. Teammate Deebo Samuel returned to practice this week and may also suit up on Sunday, but could be a game-time decision. If Aiyuk plays and Samuel is out, we know he’ll see enough volume to be in play as a WR3. He’d have the unfortunate circumstance of matching up with Jalen Ramsey, one of the truly elite cover corners in the league, to take away any real ceiling he’d have, but he’d have volume. If Deebo and Aiyuk both play, Samuel would more likely be the receiver chased around by Ramsey, which could free up Aiyuk for a productive day on less volume. In either case, he’s still facing the defense that allows the fewest WR points per game. With the 49ers playing in the late afternoon Sunday, I’d probably look for another option this week. If you’re planning on playing Aiyuk, make sure you have a backup plan that plays in the late afternoon or later in case Aiyuk ends up inactive.

WR CeeDee Lamb, DAL (Wk. 12: vs. Was.): Lamb made one of the catches of the week last Sunday against the Vikings, contorting his body on his way to the ground in the end zone. CeeDee has done an admirable job of keeping himself fantasy viable despite a revolving door at QB since Dak Prescott went down. He’s finished with 13+ PPR points in 3 of the 5 games since Dak was injured. This week’s matchup is a tough one though. Washington allows 2^nd-fewest WR points per game and held Lamb to zero catches on 5 targets in the first meeting between the two teams. I wouldn’t count on Lamb being blanked again, but I also think it will be an uphill fight to get to 13 PPR points in this one. I’d probably look for other options unless you have to play Lamb, and I wouldn’t target him in Thanksgiving DFS lineups.  

WR Tee Higgins, CIN (Wk. 12: vs. NYG): Higgins has several factors working against him this week. The Bengals will be without Joe Burrow after he was knocked out for the season last week, and instead, it will be former Bronco Brandon Allen under center. There’s also a chance he is going to spend most of his day tangling with James Bradberry, who has shown himself to be a true shutdown corner this year. The Giants have given up some receiver production, allowing the 15^th-most WR points per game, but the guy matching up with Bradberry usually isn’t putting up much of it. There are some glimmers of hope for Higgins. It’s possible the Bengals could move him around to try and get him away from Bradberry at times since this might not be a true shadow situation. Also, if you look at Brandon Allen’s performances in his 3 starts last year, you see a willingness to force the ball to his #1 WR. Allen targeted Courtland Sutton at least 8 times in all 3 of his starts last season. If that volume finds its way to Higgins this week, he could wind up with a respectable game even in the tough matchup. Just know that the ceiling probably isn’t going to be there this week, and you’re just hoping that he manages to put up 10 PPR points if you play him.

Rookies to Sit:

RB Cam Akers, LAR (Wk. 12: vs. SF): Akers did find the end zone for the first time on Monday night, but don’t be fooled into thinking it makes him fantasy viable yet. He was still a distant 3^rd in snap share behind Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown in the game, and he only posted 19 scrimmage yards on 6 touches. The 49ers allow the 7^th-fewest RB points per game, and Akers is third in line among the guys trying to score those points against them. I’d look elsewhere if desperate at RB this week.

RB Joshua Kelley, LAC (Wk. 12: @Buf.): With Troymaine Pope back from his concussion, Kelley was limited to a season-low 11 offensive snaps last week. Kalen Ballage has established himself as the clear lead back with Pope and Kelley splitting the work that’s leftover, at least until Austin Ekeler returns. Considering that Ekeler’s return is probably coming within the next week or 2, there’s no reason to hold on to Kelley in season-long leagues at this point.

RB Anthony McFarland, PIT (Wk. 12: vs. Bal.): You likely don’t need me to tell you to avoid McFarland this week, but he’s played a total of just 19 offensive snaps in the last 4 games he’s been active for. Baltimore is a tough matchup for running backs, ranking 4^th in run defense DVOA, but it’s even tougher to produce against that defense if you aren’t getting onto the field.

WR Denzel Mims, NYJ (Wk. 12: vs. Mia.): Mims has been solid since getting healthy, drawing an average of 6.5 targets per game, and many of them downfield. He’s posted 217 yards on 13 catches over the 4 games he’s played, but the bulk of that production has come with Joe Flacco at QB. Sam Darnold has returned to practice this week and may start on Sunday. If Darnold starts, I’d expect him to have tunnel vision for Jamison Crowder. Crowder has been targeted at least 10 times in each game he played with Darnold this season and just 5 total targets in the last two games with Flacco at QB. He also draws the easiest CB matchup this week. While Mims and Breshad Perrriman deal with Xavien Howard and Byron Jones on the outside, Crowder gets to tangle with Nik Needham in the slot, who he should have no problem with. The Dolphins rank 11^th in pass defense DVOA, so this isn’t an easy matchup to begin with. I’d give Mims a bit of a bump if it’s Flacco at QB again, but if it’s Darnold as expected I would lean against playing Mims.

WR KJ Hamler, DEN (Wk. 12: vs. NO): Drew Lock’s injury and the positive game script may have had a negative impact on Hamler’s playing time in week 11. The Broncos leaned on the running game and played a lot more 2-tight end sets against Miami than we typically see from them. Some of that may have been to protect Lock, who has been dealing with a rib injury, but more likely it was the result of a positive game script. Denver didn’t lead much in the 3 games prior to the tilt with the Dolphins but led for nearly 3 full quarters last Sunday. That run-heavy game script limited Hamler to just 58% of the offensive snaps. He did see 6 targets and turned them into 4 catches for 35 yards, but he had been targeted 10 times in each of the two games before that. The Broncos could go back to playing from behind this week, but I’m not sure it will result in a boost in production for Hamler. New Orleans has allowed the 14^th-most WR points per game, but they have been good at limiting slot production. Of the 13 wide receivers who have put up 10 fantasy points or more against the Saints, only 3 of them play primarily in the slot, and none of those 3 were among the 6 receivers that reached 15 points against them. Hamler is best avoided this week.

WR Laviska Shenault, JAX (Wk. 12: vs. Cle.): Shenault has missed the last two games with an injury, and now he’s in line to come back to a game with Mike Glennon at QB. Throughout his career, Glennon has heavily targeted tight ends and big outside receivers like Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans. Almost a quarter of his career targets were aimed at V-Jax. I’d expect DJ Chark to be the most useable receiver in this offense while Glennon is under center, but even he would be tough to trust. Volume from a bad QB doesn’t always lead to fantasy production. The Browns are a decent matchup. They allow the 11^th-most WR points per game and will be without their top CB Denzel Ward, but Glennon may render that a moot point. Keep Shenault sidelined this week.

WR Henry Ruggs, LV (Wk. 12: @Atl.): Is this the week that Ruggs finally has a blowup game again? It could be. The Falcons have allowed a league-high 47 pass plays of 20+ yards on the year, and the Seahawks are the only other team to give up 40 or more of them so far, but I wouldn’t count on a strong day from Ruggs. He’s got just 67 scrimmage yards on 9 touches over his last 4 games and played under 60% of the snaps last week for the first time all season (in games he’s been active for). He’s got a little more upside than usual in this game, but I wouldn’t take the chance. He’s a little pricier than I’d like in DFS where his price tag is $1,300 above the minimum on DraftKings. I also wouldn’t go near Bryan Edwards in any lineups after he played just 9 snaps last weekend in his 3^rd game since returning to the field.

WR Austin Mack, NYG (Wk. 12: @Cin.): I was tempted to list Mack as a sleeper this week but can’t really imagine where it’s feasible to play him. Most of his value comes from the volatility of the relationship between the Giants and Golden Tate. Mack was the beneficiary in week 9 when Tate was benched for complaining about his usage, serving as the team’s WR3 and posting a 4-72 line on 5 targets. The interesting thing was that Mack didn’t go completely to the bench in week 10 when Tate was re-inserted. Instead, the two split the WR3 role. Mack wasn’t heavily utilized, catching his only target for just 9 yards in that game, but this week’s matchup is an interesting one if Mack continues to see time on the field. The Bengals allow the 9^th-most WR points per game and rank 31^st in pass defense DVOA on throws to ancillary wide receivers (not the team’s WR1 or 2). If Mack does see some time on the field again this week, he could potentially make the most of the opportunity. That opportunity would probably be just 3 or 4 targets though.

WR Quintez Cephus, DET (Wk. 12: vs. Hou.): This is a week where there should be some sneaky upside for Cephus, but I’m not buying that he’ll make good on it. The Lions will be without Kenny Golladay and Danny Amendola on Thursday, but that was also the case last Sunday and Quintez played his lowest snap total of the 3 games that Golladay has missed. The signing of Mohamed Sanu has Cephus splitting the WR3 role behind Marvin Jones & Marvin Hall. Houston is a pretty good matchup, allowing the 10^th-most WR points per game, but Cephus hasn’t been targeted more than twice in a game since week 2. I wouldn’t consider playing him as anything more than a cheap dart throw in a Thanksgiving slate DFS tournament.

WR Gabriel Davis, BUF (Wk. 12: vs. LAC): Davis’s playing time has been pretty steady this year. He’s been on the field for more than 30 offensive snaps in all but one game on the season, but his production has been anything but steady. He’s topped 9 PPR points 4 different times this year…and come up short of 2 points 3 different times. I wouldn’t bank on this being a week where he tops 9 again. The Chargers rank 6^th in pass defense DVOA on throws to ancillary wide receivers. This isn’t a week to roll the dice on Davis being productive.

WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, CLE (Wk. 12: @Jax): Since his breakout game against the Bengals in week 7 where he scored a game-winning touchdown, DPJ has played an average of just 9 snaps per game and seen 2 total targets across 3 games. He doesn’t play enough to warrant consideration even in a plus matchup like this one.

WR Marquez Callaway, NO (Wk. 12: @Den.): Now that Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders are back to health, Callaway has been on the field for just 14 snaps in the last 2 weeks. With Taysom Hill at QB, there isn’t enough passing volume to justify considering any pass-catchers on this team outside of Thomas and Sanders. Hill threw just 23 times in his first start, and 17 of those throws targeted the top 2 receivers. Brees was averaging nearly 36 attempts per game in the 8 full games he played.

WR Van Jefferson, LAR (Wk. 12: vs. SF): Jefferson did score a touchdown last Monday, but like with his teammate Akers, don’t be fooled into thinking his role is growing. He was on the field for just 4 of the team’s 72 offensive snaps and was targeted just the one time. He’s still a distant 4^th on this WR depth chart.

TE Cole Kmet, CHI (Wk. 12: @GB): The playing time has been increasing for Kmet, but the fantasy production has not. Kmet played more snaps than Jimmy Graham in week 10 before the last week’s bye, but he turned that into just 1 catch for 7 yards, and I wouldn’t expect him to continue playing more than Graham going forward. It was likely a product of a game plan that called for better blocking tight ends in front of the backup running backs since David Montgomery was sidelined. Green Bay allows the 4^th-fewest tight end points per game, and if any Bear tight end is going to put up production against them my money is on Graham.

TE Harrison Bryant, CLE (Wk. 12: @Jax.): Bryant went without a target last Sunday for the 2^nd straight game since Austin Hooper’s return to the lineup. The weather has played a role with both games being played in downpour conditions, but it’s never a good sign to put up back-to-back goose eggs. We also saw David Njoku play over 50% of the offensive snaps in a game with Austin Hooper on the field for the first time all season. The Jaguars do allow the 4^th-most points per game to tight ends, so I doubt Bryant gets completely skunked again, but if Njoku is more involved the rookie has even less upside than usual. Bryant has had more than one catch just once in a game that Hooper played.

Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:

QB Jalen Hurts, PHI (Wk. 12: vs. Sea.): Carson Wentz’s play is starting to make it difficult for the Eagles to keep running him out there. Sitting at 3-6-1, it’s hard to believe they’d be in the playoffs if the season ended today, but they may start looking for a spark if they want to stay in that position. Hurts could get the call eventually, and his running ability would give him instant upside even if he isn’t very productive as a passer. Hurts made strides throwing the ball in his last year in college after transferring to Oklahoma, but obviously, there is a difference between Big 12 defenses and NFL defenses. He had 3 separate college seasons with over 850 rushing yards, including nearly 1,300 yards and 20 TDs on the ground in 14 games as a senior. We all know that running QBs can be a cheat code in fantasy. If you have the bench space in a 2-QB league, especially a dynasty league, it would make some sense to stash the Eagles’ rookie QB.

RB Malcolm Perry, MIA (Wk. 12: @NYJ): Perry has been quietly becoming more involved in the Dolphins’ offense in recent weeks, playing regularly at wide receiver since Preston Williams went down a few weeks ago. Perry saw season-highs of 5 targets and a 78% snap share in week 11. If he’s on the field a similar amount this week, he’ll have some upside against a Jets’ defense that allows the 5^th-most WR points per game. Perry has RB eligibility, so if you’re hard-pressed for a running back in a deeper PPR league, Perry could fit that bill this week, and he’s an interesting stash in those same deep PPR leagues in case his role grows going forward. Perry was an option QB at Navy, running for over 2,000 yards and throwing for over 1,000 as a senior, so there may be some trick play potential here as well. It’s normally a good sign for a player learning a new position to get on the field this much as a rookie.

RB DeeJay Dallas, SEA (Wk. 12: @Phi.): Dallas will likely return to the bench this week as Chris Carson is expected to return on Monday in Philly, but Dallas does intrigue me for the Monday night showdown slate DFS tournaments. Backup Carlos Hyde was splitting the backup work with Travis Homer in the early part of the season when Chris Carson was healthy and even spent a couple of weeks as a healthy scratch. In recent weeks, Dallas has sort of moved into Homer’s 3^rd-down specialist role, and he may get the opportunity to spell Carson a bit, especially if the Seahawks decide not to overwork Carson in his first game back. The Eagles rank 30^th in pass defense DVOA on throws that target the running backs, so there is some sneaky upside if Dallas plays more than expected.

WR Darnell Mooney, CHI (Wk. 12: @GB): It’ll be an interesting week for the Bears with Mitch Trubisky back at quarterback. He was inefficient early in the year, leading to his benching, but the change back likely won’t be a big downgrade for Mooney. Trubisky targeted Mooney 6 times in the first two weeks of the season, when he was still behind Ted Ginn on the depth chart, and connected with him for one of the two TDs the rookie has scored. This week, I’d expect Jaire Alexander to shadow Allen Robinson, which could open things up for Mooney. Alexander has the highest coverage grade of any cornerback from Pro Football Focus this season, and the Packers rank 27^th in pass defense DVOA on throws to a team’s WR2. Chicago is an 8.5-point underdog, so they’re likely to be playing from behind and throwing. If Trubisky provides any kind of spark at all, I’d expect a surprisingly good showing from Mooney.

WR Devin Duvernay, BAL (Wk. @Pit.): The Ravens will be without JK Dobbins and Mark Ingram this week, and Duvernay is a track star who played running back in high school before converting to wide receiver in college. He lost snaps at wide receiver last week with Dez Bryant activated, but I’d expect Baltimore to get creative this week in trying to get the ball into the explosive rookie’s hands. The Steelers rank 1^st in the league in pass defense DVOA, but they’ve still managed to give up the 16^th-most WR points per game. I don’t think the Ravens feel entirely comfortable going into the week with just Gus Edwards and Justice Hill at running back, and I’d look for them to manufacture a few extra touches for Duvernay. I’m not sure what format you’d be able to play him in, but don’t be surprised if he leaves the week with 60+ scrimmage yards.

That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully, it helps you with your toughest lineup decisions involving rookies. Make sure to check the active/inactive updates before kickoff, and make sure you don’t start a sidelined player. If you have any questions or want to yell at me about anything written above, feel free to hit me up on Twitter and let me know (@Shawn_Foss). As always: Good luck, trust your gut and have fun. It’s just a game.

(Editor's note: This was completed before the start of Thursday Night Football, but posted shortly after kickoff.)

Welcome back to the Rookie Report! There are now just 3 weeks remaining before the fantasy playoffs. You should have a good picture of where you stand in the playoff chase. Week 11 is the last week of the season with more than 2 teams on a bye (Tampa and Carolina in week 13 are the only byes left after this week). This may be the last week that you’re scrounging for a fill-in in your lineups, and with how productive the rookie crop has been this year there’s likely to be someone listed below that can help you. So far this season, the rookie class accounts for 2 of the top-14 QBs, 5 of the top-20 RBs, and 6 of the top-30 WRs. Which of those players are going to be useful in week 11? Let’s dive in and find out…

(Notes: All scoring and points allowed rankings are based on half-PPR scoring unless otherwise noted. Players under same header at same position are listed in the order I would play them in this week.)

Rookies to Start:

QB Justin Herbert, LAC (Wk. 11: vs. NYJ): Herbert hit a bit of a speed bump last week against the Dolphins, but I’d expect him to get back on track against the Jets this week. Against the lowly Jets, a blowout is always a possibility (the Chargers are an 8.5-point favorite this week), but the Jets have given up big fantasy days in blowout losses to Kyler Murray, Josh Allen & Patrick Mahomes this year. The Chargers also don’t play in a lot of blowout games. They’ve played just 1 game that was decided by more than 8 points this season, so this might not get too out of hand. The Jets rank dead last in Football Outsiders’ pass defense DVOA stat, and even including last week’s clunker Herbert has at least 2 touchdowns in 6 straight games and 260+ passing yards in 7 of his 8 starts. He’s back to being a safe low-end QB1 this week. 

RB D’Andre Swift, DET (Wk. 11: @Car.): Swift has clearly established himself as the Lions’ lead back in recent weeks. He’s led the backfield in snaps for 5 straight weeks since the team’s bye and was on the field for a whopping 73% of the snaps in week 10 despite the Lions playing from ahead for most of the game. Detroit usually deploys Adrian Peterson a lot more in that scenario, but things seem to have changed. Swift has been making the most of his opportunity, finishing as a top-16 RB in 4 of the last 5 weeks, and a top-5 back in two of them. This week he gets to face off with Carolina, who allows the 4^th-most running back points per game and could be without starting QB Teddy Bridgewater this week. If Teddy sits, the Lions are more likely to play from ahead and could give Swift more rushing work. In any case, Swift should be a strong RB2 this week with top-5 upside once again. There is some concern about Swift’s availability for this week as it was announced Thursday that he went into the concussion protocol, so watch the injury updates closely. If he’s unable to play, Kerryon Johnson could be a sneaky upside play this week. He’s more likely to pick up Swift’s receiving work than Adrian Peterson.

RB Antonio Gibson, WAS (Wk. 11: vs. Cin.): JD McKissic continues to play an outsized portion of the snaps and see an absurd number of targets each week (15(!) in week 10), but Gibson continues to make do with his limited early-down role. He did actually see his second and third 3^rd-down touches of the year last Sunday in the loss to Detroit. The key for Gibson is that the game has to stay competitive. When Washington falls behind and gets into a pass-happy mode, McKissic plays the bulk of the snaps. The Football Team isn’t very good, so that’s happened often. This week, Washington is actually favored by a point & a half. That could bode well for Gibson if the game plays out that way. The Bengals rank just 21^st in run defense DVOA and have allowed the 7^th-most rushing yards in the league. Expect Gibson to play a bit more in this game than he has in recent weeks, and with a lot of top backs banged up around the league he should be a safe RB2 in a reasonable matchup.

RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, KC (Wk. 11: @LV): Keep an eye on the injury report for CEH. He was held out of practice on Thursday unexpectedly, but if that proves to not be a significant issue, I actually like Edwards-Helaire as an RB2 this week. He’s been playing about twice as many snaps as Le’Veon Bell since the veteran was acquired, and the Raiders' offense is good enough to keep this game competitive into the second half. Las Vegas has a piss-poor run defense, ranking 26^th in run defense DVOA and allowing the 5^th-most running back points per game. This looks like a perfect spot for the rookie to get back on track after 3 straight floor games. He totaled 80 scrimmage yards on 13 touches in the first meeting with the Raiders in a game where the Chiefs just didn’t look like themselves. I expect they’ll look much better this time around, and that Edwards-Helaire will be part of the reason why. It’ll take a bit of a leap of faith to trust him even if he’s healthy, but I expect a strong outing from CEH on Sunday.

WR Chase Claypool, PIT (Wk. 11: @Jax.): I talked last week in this space about Claypool turning the corner and starting to see a significant target share even in weeks when Diontae Johnson stayed on the field, and that continued in week 10. Claypool finished with 4-56-2 on 10 targets against the Bengals in a game that the Steelers led most of the way. This week’s game script should be similar with Pittsburgh a 10-point favorite. Claypool has 32 targets over the last 3 weeks, so anything short of 8 in this one would be a disappointment even if the Steelers play from ahead. With the big-play ability Claypool has shown, 8+ targets against a defense allowing the 9^th-most WR points per game isn’t something you can leave on the bench.

WR Justin Jefferson, MIN (Wk. 11: vs. Dal.): Jefferson flashed again in a big way on Monday night, possibly helping Kirk Cousins break his Monday night curse along the way. Jefferson posted 8 catches and 135 yards as Kirk Cousins got his first win as a starter on Monday Night Football in his 10^th try. It also continued a strange pattern with Jefferson, who has put up blowup games every third game. In team games 3, 6, and 9, Jefferson has had at least 9 targets and 135 yards receiving in each one, averaging 8-159-1 on 10 targets in those games. In the team’s other 6 games, he hasn’t seen more than 5 targets in any of them and has only reached 50 receiving yards twice. I’m not going to read too much into this trend just yet. I think it’s mostly coincidence, but I thought it was interesting to note. This week’s matchup with the Cowboys is a good one. Dallas allows the 3^rd-most WR points per game, and while Minnesota may play from ahead and lean on the run game, I’d have a hard time leaving Jefferson’s upside on the bench in such a favorable matchup. He’s a solid WR3 this week with the upside for a lot more.

Borderline Rookies:

QB Tua Tagovailoa, MIA (Wk. 11: @Den.): Tua has looked sharp in his last two starts, but hasn’t reached QB1 levels as he finished as the QB16 and QB15 in those two games. Denver isn’t a pushover defense, but they also aren’t a very daunting one either. The Broncos rank 12^th in pass defense DVOA but allow the 14^th-most QB points per game. They gave up 3 passing scores in 2 of their last 3 games, and the only reason they held Derek Carr in check last weekend was that the Raiders ran all over them in a blowout win. I don’t expect this game to be as lopsided. Tua probably finishes somewhere in that high-to-mid QB2 range again. He’s worth consideration if you’re missing your starter in a 1-QB league, and he’s a solid QB2 in superflex and 2-QB formats.

QB Joe Burrow, CIN (Wk. 11: @Was.): Burrow finished last week with his 2^nd-lowest fantasy scoring game of the season in a daunting matchup with the Steelers, and this week he gets another matchup that looks tough on paper. Despite their poor record, Washington ranks 5^th in pass defense DVOA and allows the 11^th-fewest QB points per game. When you dig a little deeper, it looks like Washington’s numbers were built in a 3-game stretch where they got to face off with Daniel Jones (twice) and Andy Dalton, and gave up fewer than 15 QB points in each game. In the 3 games around that stretch, they gave up 23+ points to Matt Stafford, Jared Goff, and Lamar Jackson. I think Burrow is closer to that second group than the first one. I’d still tread a little carefully here with Burrow and view him more as a QB2 than a QB1 in what is still not a plus-matchup.

RB James Robinson, JAX (Wk. 11: vs. Pit.): I’m not going to pretend that you might sit James Robinson if you have him, but it’s worth noting that you should temper your expectations for him this week and probably shouldn’t be targeting him in DFS formats. The Steelers allow the 2^nd-fewest RB points per game and rank 6^th in run defense DVOA. Pittsburgh is also a 10-point favorite, so game script could be working against Robinson. Throughout the season Robinson has had a pretty safe built-in floor with his receiving usage, averaging about 4 catches and 32 receiving yards per game, but that hasn’t carried over to Luton’s starts. In the last two weeks with Minshew out, Robinson has just 2 catches for 3 yards on 7 targets. The Steelers allow a league-low 3 running back catches per game. Robinson is likely going to have to earn his points on the ground this week, and as a 2-score underdog, it could be a more uphill fight than we’re used to. Robinson will be a low-floor RB2 against the Steelers.

RB Salvon Ahmed, MIA (Wk. 11: @Den.): Ahmed had an impressive day last Sunday putting up 85 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers. He seems to have a pretty firm grasp on the early-down role until Myles Gaskin returns from injury, and the matchup this week isn’t much tougher than the one he just faced. Denver allows the 14^th-most RB points per game, and in the last 3 weeks they’ve allowed 2 pairs of teammates to run for over 150 combined yards against them (Devontae Booker/Josh Jacobs last week, and Justin Jackson/Troymaine Pope in week 8). There’s plenty of upside for Ahmed to run the ball well again in this one. He doesn’t get much receiving usage – just 1 target in the last 2 games, so the cap that puts on his ceiling makes him more of a flex play than a solid RB2.

RB Jonathan Taylor, IND (Wk. 11: vs. GB): It’s been a precipitous fall from grace for Jonathan Taylor over the last few weeks, at least among fantasy players. Since the Colts’ bye in week 7, Taylor has played less than 35% of the snaps in each game and seen that share drop each week since that bye. He did find the end zone once in those games, but also lost a fumble and averaged just 34 scrimmage yards per game. With the way that Frank Reich uses his running backs, there’s always a chance that Taylor gets the hot hand and gets some extended usage, but it’s hard to count on that given the way he’s played in recent weeks. The matchup with Green Bay is a good one. The Packers allow the 3^rd-most RB points per game, but this could be more of a Nyheim Hines week as Green Bay gives up the 2^nd-most RB receiving yardage per game. Even in his diminished role, Taylor has averaged 8 carries and 2 catches per game since the bye, so you could talk yourself into using him if you’re desperate for a running back.

RB JK Dobbins, BAL (Wk. 11: vs. Ten.): The Ravens’ offense hasn’t been quite right in the last few weeks, with 3 of their 4 lowest team point totals coming in the last 3 games, and the return of Mark Ingram isn’t going to benefit Dobbins. In Ingram’s first game back, Dobbins handled just 6 touches and gained 14 scrimmage yards. He averaged 15 touches per game in the 2 games Ingram missed. The matchup this week is favorable with the Titans allowing the 8^th-most RB points per game, but it’s uncertain that Dobbins will see enough work to take advantage. The Ravens are a 6.5-point favorite, so game script should be in their favor, but given the workload split in Baltimore, Dobbins is no more than a desperation flex option in deeper leagues.

WR Tee Higgins, CIN (Wk. 11: @Was.): Higgins continued his impressive rookie campaign last week with a 7-115-1 line against the Steelers. It was his 6^th-straight game with 60+ yards and his best fantasy day of the season. He’s very likely to reach that 60-yard minimum again this week, but this probably won’t be a ceiling week for him. Washington allows the 2^nd-fewest WR points per game, largely on their ability to limit wide receiver touchdowns. They’ve given up just 5 TDs to the position all year and are the only defense in the league that hasn’t allowed a 100-yard day to an opposing wideout. You know what kind of floor you get with Higgins, and he should be fine as a WR3, but if you have another option with more upside this might be a week to consider them. Higgins missed practice with an illness late in the week, so there is even more uncertainty thrown in. Make sure to monitor his status if you plan to play him.

WR CeeDee Lamb, DAL (Wk. 11: @Min.): Lamb actually managed to post a solid day against Pittsburgh going into the bye with Garrett Gilbert under center. It sounds like Andy Dalton will be back at QB this week, but it’s unclear if that will be an upgrade or not. Lamb has the highest target share of any receiver on the team when Dalton is in (22.3%), but he’s turned 19 targets from Dalton into just 9 catches for 85 yards. The Vikings are a plus matchup for receivers, allowing the 5^th-most WR points per game, but with the inconsistency of this offense since Dak’s season ended I’d view Lamb as a volatile WR3 option.

WR Michael Pittman Jr., IND (Wk. 11: vs. GB): Pittman was one of the stars of the Colts’ victory last Thursday, posting his first career 100-yard game. He looks to be fully recovered from his compartment leg syndrome and may be pulling ahead of TY Hilton for the team’s WR1 role. I’d still expect the Packers’ top corner Jaire Alexander to be matched up on Hilton, which should mean Pittman is in line for another decent day. The Packers have the offensive firepower to keep the Colts throwing, and while Green Bay does a decent job of limiting WR production (they allow the 9^th-fewest WR points per game), they rank just a middling 16^th in pass-defense DVOA and have been burned by Keelan Cole and Richie James in recent weeks. Those guys may be closer stylistically to Hilton, but I’d still view Pittman as an upside WR3 in this matchup.

WR Jerry Jeudy, DEN (Wk. 11: vs. Mia.): Jeudy came back down to earth a little bit last week after his breakout week 9 performance, but he still posted his 3^rd straight game with double-digit PPR points and more than 65 receiving yards. He’ll face a tough individual matchup this week against Byron Jones, but he’s been peppered with targets in recent weeks (32 total in the last 3 games). I’d be a little nervous for him if Lock is out and Brett Rypien starts. In Rypien’s one previous start, Jeudy was targeted just 4 times, but it’s a small enough sample that I wouldn’t overreact to it. The week before that game when Rypien came on in relief of Jeff Driskel, he targeted Jeudy 3 times in just 9 attempts. Jeudy is a reasonable WR3 or flex option this week, but don’t expect a ceiling game against Jones.

WR Jalen Reagor, PHI (Wk. 11: @Cle.): Reagor was on the field for a season-high 88% of the offensive snaps last week and targeted a season-high 7 times in that game despite Alshon Jeffery’s return. He’s now seen 13 targets in 2 games since returning and is basically neck & neck with Travis Fulgham for WR1 status on the team. This week he faces off with a Cleveland defense that allows the 6^th-most WR points per game and ranks 20^th in pass defense DVOA. He does draw the toughest individual matchup with Denzel Ward, but against this defense, he’s still got room to post a nice day if he sees another 7+ targets. Carson Wentz has been up & down this year, so there is some volatility here, but if you believe Reagor’s WR1 role is for real, he’s an upside WR4 this week.

Rookies to Sit:

QB Jake Luton, JAX (Wk. 11: vs. Pit.): Luton came back down to earth a bit in his second NFL start against Green Bay. The Jaguars hung around in the game, but the rookie finished as the QB22 with fewer than 10 fantasy points. He gets an even tougher matchup this week. Pittsburgh ranks 2^nd in pass defense DVOA and allows the 5^th-fewest QB points per game. Luton should get Laviska Shenault back this week, but that likely won’t be enough help to push him into being a useful option against the Steelers. He’s probably not worth considering even as a QB2.

RB Joshua Kelley, LAC (Wk. 11: vs. NYJ): Week after week I’ve been listing Kelley as a borderline option as part of the backfield committee in LA, and week after week he fails to produce a quality stat line. His ceiling games have been around 10 PPR points, and that just isn’t the kind of upside you’re hoping for from him. He hasn’t found the end zone since week 1, and at the moment this backfield looks like the Kalen Ballage show. Kelley played just 27% of the offensive snaps last week while Ballage played the other 73%. The matchup this week is good. The Jets are the worst team in the league and allow the 7^th-most RB points per game, but we’ve been burned by Kelley time and again. I wouldn’t want to use him even in this plus matchup unless I was pretty desperate. This probably means he’s going to have his best game of the season.

RB DeeJay Dallas, SEA (Wk. 11: vs. Ari.): Carlos Hyde will be active tonight, and will likely slot in as the lead back for Seattle on early downs with Chris Carson sidelined again and Alex Collins back on the practice squad. Travis Homer will be out tonight as well, so Dallas will serve as the 3^rd-down back against a Cardinals team that doesn’t give up a lot of receptions to the opposing backfields (just 4.4 per game). Only Raheem Mostert, Ezekiel Elliott, and Mike Davis have caught more than 3 passes in a game from the running back position against Arizona. With Hyde back, and Bo Scarbrough active as the 3^rd-string running back, it’s hard to imagine Dallas getting any opportunities at the goal line. Without a touchdown or a significant number of catches, there isn’t much upside for Dallas.

RB Cam Akers, LAR (Wk. 11: @TB): Akers has started to become a bigger part of the backfield committee for the Rams, but the role he’s carved out doesn’t have a lot of fantasy upside. For starters, he has struggled in pass protection and as a result, hasn’t been getting many opportunities in passing situations. He has just 1 target in the last 2 games. He also isn’t getting the ball at the goal line. The Rams ran for 3 short scores last week, and it was Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson doing the scoring. The increased playing time is a good sign for Akers, but until he cleans up the pass blocking or starts run the ball effectively enough to make it hard for Sean McVay to keep him off the field, he’s not going to be seeing the high-value touches. Against a Tampa defense that ranks 2^nd in run defense DVOA, you don’t want to bet on Akers producing in that limited role.

WR Laviska Shenault, JAX (Wk. 11: vs. Pit.): As I mentioned with Jake Luton, the Jacksonville passing game as a whole is going to be shaky this week. The Steelers have been vulnerable to wide receivers, allowing the 11^th-most points per game to the position, but the guys who have made them pay have been bigger perimeter wide receivers. The 4 highest point totals they’ve allowed to receivers this year were put up by Darius Slayton, AJ Brown, Travis Fulgham, and Tee Higgins. Shenault is not that kind of receiver. If he finds his way to 60 yards and a score in this one it would be a wildly successful game for him.

WRs Henry Ruggs & Bryan Edwards, LV (Wk. 11: vs. KC): Ruggs is a guy that I always view as a boom-or-bust kind of player, but he has consistently busted since his breakout performance against the Chiefs back in week 5. He totaled 118 yards and a touchdown in that game but has a total of just 7 catches for 74 yards on 14 targets in the 4 games since. Are the Chiefs the opponent to get him booming again? I probably wouldn’t bet on it. The Chiefs allow the 5^th-fewest WR points per game, and Ruggs’ 2 catches of 40+ yards in the first meeting make up half of the 40+ yard completions Kansas City has allowed all year. Keep him sidelined. His teammate Bryan Edwards took a step forward last week, playing 20 snaps in his first extended action since week 3. I wouldn’t consider him this week, but if his snap share keeps trending in the right direction, he should be a better weekly fantasy play than Ruggs before long.

WR Devin Duvernay, BAL (Wk. 11: vs. Ten.): Duvernay’s time may be coming, but the recent resurgence of Willie Snead in the slot for the Ravens hurts Duvernay’s upside. He’d be best suited to stretching the seam from the slot, and Snead seems to have that role pretty well locked down right now. Duvernay has moved ahead of Miles Boykin on the depth chart and played at least 40% of the offensive snaps in each of the last 3 weeks (a season-high 55% last weekend), but until that starts turning into more consistent targets he’s going to be a low-floor dart throw for fantasy. He’s been targeted just 6 times in those last 3 games. The Titans are burnable. They allow the 4^th-most WR points per game and Duvernay has splash play abilities, so if you want to take a swing in a DFS tournament be my guest. He only costs the minimum on DraftKings, but this passing game is too volatile for me to roll the dice on Duvernay right now.

WR Quintez Cephus, DET (Wk. 11: @Car.): There is some potential upside for Cephus this week with Kenny Golladay and Danny Amendola both missing practice on Thursday, but it’s been clear in the past couple of weeks that the Marvins – Hall & Jones – are the ones who will benefit most from their absence. The Lions’ QB Matt Stafford will be playing through a torn ligament in his throwing hand, which throws a little additional uncertainty into how effective the Detroit passing game will be, and there’s always a chance that they call up Mohamed Sanu from the practice squad and that he siphons snaps from Cephus. Add in the fact that Carolina allows the 12^th-fewest WR points per game, and a possible expanded role for the rookie just isn’t all that exciting in this one. If you’re scrounging this far down the WR ranks, I’d take a swing on a higher ceiling than Cephus has this week.

WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, CLE (Wk. 11: vs. Phi.): Peoples-Jones did play a handful more snaps last week than he did in week 10, even hauling in a couple of catches for 16 yards, but he’s still playing as the WR4 in this offense…an offense that ran the ball on about two-thirds of their offensive plays a week ago now that Nick Chubb is back. There isn’t a reason to start DPJ in any formats this week.

TE Harrison Bryant, CLE (Wk. 11: vs. Phi.): After posting a goose egg last week, you probably don’t need me to tell you to sit Bryant. It’s ugly enough at tight end this week that a lot of folks playing on ESPN are using Taysom Hill as a tight end streamer, so you may be looking pretty far down the ranks for help. The Eagles do allow the 6^th-most tight end points per game, but as I mentioned under Peoples-Jones, with Nick Chubb back last week the Browns ran the ball on about two-thirds of their offensive snaps in a close game. With Austin Hooper back, Bryant’s snap share is down to just over 50%, so he’ll likely be limited to less than 20 routes run. You’re counting on a TD if you play him, and if you don’t get one another goose egg is entirely possible.

Rookies on Byes: RB Zack Moss, BUF, RB JaMycal Hasty, SF (also out with broken collarbone), WR Brandon Aiyuk, SF, WR Darnell Mooney, CHI, WR Gabriel Davis, BUF, WR Austin Mack, NYG, TE Cole Kmet, CHI

Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:

RB La’Mical Perine, NYJ (WK. 11: @LAC): It’s undoubtedly a trap to suggest playing any Adam Gase running back, but I actually like Perine’s chances at a decent day in this one. Frank Gore continues to see more rushing work than the rookie, but the Jets have talked breathlessly about wanting to get Perine more involved. This would be a good week to do it. The Chargers have allowed the 11^th-most RB points per game, but more importantly, have allowed more than 6 catches per game to the position, and Perine has 2 catches in each of the last 4 games while Gore has 8 catches all season. Perine is mostly a desperation flex play in season-long leagues, but he costs little more than the minimum on DraftKings and I’ve got a feeling he’s going to outplay that cost.

RB Anthony McFarland, PIT (Wk. 11: @Jax.): McFarland missed last week’s game with an illness, but should be good to go for week 11. Prior to his absence, he had played more snaps than Benny Snell in week 10 and seemed to be starting to carve out a bigger role for himself. The key to this matchup for McFarland will be garbage time, and how much of it there will be. I kind of suggested playing this game last week with AJ Dillon against these same Jaguars, and that didn’t work out so well, but it’s worth noting that McFarland could see some extended run if the Steelers get far enough out in front. He has more big-play speed than Snell, so he has a better chance of cashing that garbage time work into fantasy points. I wouldn’t look at him as anything more than a cheap DFS tournament play though.

WR KJ Hamler, DEN (Wk. 11: vs. Mia.): After seeing 10 targets in back-to-back games now that he plays primarily in the slot, I might be doing Hamler a disservice to call him a ‘deep-league sleeper’. If Drew Lock misses this game as expected, Hamler could lose a little bit of that mojo, but since he’s in the slot he’ll mostly avoid top corners Xavien Howard and Byron Jones. Instead, he’ll face off with Nik Needham, which should result in some extra looks going Hamler’s way. The Dolphins allow the 13^th-most WR points per game, and Hamler should be in a pretty good spot to take advantage of a reasonable matchup. His price tag could be a steal at $3,600 on DraftKings, and he should be a decent flex option for deeper leagues.

WR Denzel Mims, NYJ (Wk. 11: @LAC): Since returning from injury Mims has played a significant role in the Jets’ offense. He’s been on the field for 96% of the offensive snaps in each of the last two weeks and seen 6 targets per game since his return. He’s played one game with Joe Flacco at QB, and in that game, he turned 8 targets into 4 catches and 62 yards. This week he faces a Chargers’ defense that does a pretty good job limiting wideouts, allowing the 6^th-fewest points per game to the position, but it’ll be Breshad Perriman who gets the toughest matchup, squaring off with Casey Heyward. Slot man Jamison Crowder will be the Jet with the most favorable matchup, but Flacco showed a willingness to take deep shots in his last start, and I’d expect Mims to be the guy who benefits if that happens again this week. He’s shown a built-in floor with at least 40 yards in each game he’s played, but he’s got an upside this week well beyond his $3,300 price tag on DraftKings.

WR Freddy Swain, SEA (Wk. 11: vs. Ari.): Keep a close eye on the status of Tyler Lockett for Thursday night before considering Swain. If Lockett is out the rookie has some sneaky upside for DFS tournaments, especially the Thursday showdown slate where he costs just $1,200 on DraftKings. Swain has been consistently playing around 30-35% of the offensive snaps with everybody healthy. It hasn’t really translated to targets, but he did manage to post 3-37 on 4 targets last Sunday. If Lockett misses the game or is limited, both Swain and David Moore would be in line for bigger roles against a defense that allows the 8^th-most points per game to opposing WRs. There would be upside for both, but Swain’s lower price tag will make him an intriguing option.

That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully, it helps you with your toughest lineup decisions involving rookies. Make sure to check the active/inactive updates on Sunday, and make sure you don’t start a sidelined player. If you have any questions or want to yell at me about anything written above, feel free to hit me up on Twitter and let me know (@Shawn_Foss). As always: Good luck, trust your gut and have fun. It’s just a game.

Welcome back to the Rookie Report! We’re now more than halfway through the NFL season, and that means we’re heading into the home stretch of the fantasy regular season. This is the point in the season where we typically see rookies start to turn the corner…where regular playing time starts to turn into more consistent production, and where some players we haven’t seen much of start to see their role expand. In 2019, all of Deebo Samuel’s top-3 yardage games came after week 8. For AJ Brown, all of his top-4 were after week 10. Miles Sanders, Diontae Johnson, Hunter Renfrow, N’Keal Harry, and Noah Fant all saw their roles expand in the back half of 2019 as well. Who will those players be in 2020? From what we’ve seen in recent weeks Chase Claypool and Jerry Jeudy may be turning that corner right now. Zack Moss, LaMical Perine and D’Andre Swift have been seeing their workloads expand as well, and even Cam Akers got a handful of carries last week. Before we get ahead of ourselves and start thinking about what the rest of the season holds for the rookies, let’s talk about what to expect in week 10…

(Notes: All scoring and points allowed rankings are based on half-PPR scoring unless otherwise noted. Players under same header at same position are listed in the order I would play them in this week.)

Rookies to Start:

RB James Robinson, JAX (Wk. 10: @GB): It’s been an ugly year for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but that hasn’t stopped Robinson from being the most productive rookie running back in the league so far. He’s the RB4 for the season, and this week gets to face a Green Bay defense that has allowed the 2^nd-most RB points per game and ranks 20^th in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA stat. In 8 games, the Packers have faced off with a top-13 fantasy running back 5 times, and the lowest fantasy output any of them have posted against Green Bay was 18.8 points from Todd Gurley. There is a little concern for Robinson this week since Jacksonville is a 2-touchdown underdog and Chris Thompson siphons off a bit of the passing down work each week, but you have to bet on Robinson coming through again. He’s shown time and again that he can still produce in blowout losses, and Green Bay is about as burnable as it gets for RB matchups. Robinson should be worth his price tag in DFS formats this week.

RB Antonio Gibson, WAS (Wk. 10: @Det.): For much of this season Antonio Gibson has seen a cap put on his fantasy upside by Washington’s dedication to separating the early down work from the 3^rd down work. Gibson has just 1 touch all year on 3^rd down. JD McKissic is dominating the 3^rd down workload, so Gibson has to make his mark on early downs. Luckily, he gets to face the Detroit Lions this week, who have given up an average of 137 rushing yards on 1^st and 2^nd down per game. The Lions allow more fantasy points per game to opposing running backs than any other team in the league, and have given up 13+ fantasy points to the opposing lead back in every game since week 3. The Lions are favored to win by 4, but this should be a competitive enough game that Gibson is involved throughout. He’s a safe RB2 with upside for more.

WR Chase Claypool, PIT (Wk. 10: vs. Cin.): Claypool seems to have finally turned the corner in recent weeks, seeing strong target shares in games where Diontae Johnson was fully healthy. Claypool has been targeted 22 times in the last 2 weeks, and has turned in 15+ PPR points in each game. This week the Steelers face off with the Bengals, who rank 25^th in pass defense DVOA, and the Steelers have a healthy implied total of 27.5 points. We’ve seen the weekly upside Claypool has flashed this season. You may be kicking yourself if you leave him on your bench in this one.

WR Tee Higgins, CIN (Wk. 10: @Pit.): On the other side of the Steelers-Bengals matchup, Tee Higgins should be in line for another solid game. The Steelers have had one of the most formidable defenses in the league, but they’ve struggled to shut down opposing wide receivers. Pittsburgh has allowed the 9^th-most WR points per game, and they’ve struggled with both perimeter and slot receivers. Higgins has been remarkably consistent despite having Tyler Boyd and AJ Green competing with him for targets. The rookie has at least 7 targets in 5 of his last 6 games, and 60+ yards in each of his last 5. This isn’t a week where he’ll have the highest ceiling, but Higgins is going to be a safe WR3 with a high floor despite facing a pretty solid pass defense.

Borderline Rookies:

QB Tua Tagovailoa, MIA (Wk. 10: vs. LAC): Tua quickly made people forget his inauspicious debut in his second start, finishing as the QB16 in a game against a solid QB defense in Arizona. This week he faces a Chargers defense that allows the 4th-most QB points per game. His weapons aren’t at full strength with Myles Gaskin and Preston Williams on IR, but I trust Tua to post another solid game and flirt with QB1 territory. He costs $1,000 less than Justin Herbert on DraftKings, but I’d give him a slightly better than 50/50 chance to finish with more points than his fellow rookie.

QB Justin Herbert, LAC (Wk. 10: @Mia.): Herbert has been a locked-and-loaded QB1 most weeks since the start of October, with at least 21 fantasy points in each game, but the Dolphins have forced some QB floor games this year. They’ve allowed fewer than 13 fantasy points to the opposing QB 3 different times this season, and the guys that they’ve struggled with have been running QBs (Cam Newton, Josh Allen, and Kyler Murray). Herbert has some mobility, but it’s not a focal point of his game. The Dolphins rank 8^th in pass defense DVOA. If you have Herbert, you’re probably playing him, but be warned that this might not be one of his top performances. I’d view him as more of a contrarian play in DFS formats, and a borderline option in 1-QB leagues.

RB D’Andre Swift, DET (Wk. 10: vs. Was.): I mentioned you should start Antonio Gibson this week, but on the opposite side of the Washington-Detroit game, D’Andre Swift should be in line for another useful fantasy day as well. The Football Team is much better at defending the pass than the run. They rank 1^st in pass defense DVOA, but just a middling 17^th in run defense DVOA and are fresh off allowing Wayne Gallman to post an RB6 finish a week ago. There is a ‘revenge game’ narrative for Adrian Peterson in this one, and the Lions have less-than-exciting implied total for a favorite at just 24.75, so Swift isn’t an auto-start here. I do like his chances of returning an RB2 performance, but wouldn’t go out of my way to play him over safer choices.

RB JK Dobbins, BAL (Wk. 10: @NE): Dobbins came back down to earth a bit last weekend against the Colts after a breakout game the week before. His outlook this week could get a little murkier with Mark Ingram looking likely to return (he practiced on Friday). New England can be run on. They rank 31^st in run defense DVOA and have allowed the 13^th-most RB points per game, and Baltimore should have game script in their favor as a touchdown favorite. If Ingram returns, this will go back to being a 3-headed monster at running back, so Dobbins would likely be in line for 10-12 carries. That kind of workload would likely make him a fringe RB2 if he’s able to find the end zone. You could do worse if you’re struggling to fill in a last RB spot.

RB Zack Moss, BUF (Wk. 10: @Ari.): Moss has steadily worked himself into a bigger role since returning from injury a few weeks back, and has now played more snaps and posted more fantasy points than Devin Singletary in each of the last 2 weeks. The key to his fantasy production has been and will continue to be touchdowns. He’s found the end zone 3 times in the last 2 weeks. The workload split with Singletary means Moss will be in the range of 10 touches most weeks, and more often than not that isn’t going to get him to the RB2 range without a touchdown. This week he faces an Arizona defense that is the definition of middling against running backs. They rank 16^th in run defense DVOA and have allowed the 17^th-most RB points per game. The Bills do have an implied total of 27.25 in what should be a bit of a shootout, so a TD may be in the offing for Moss. He’s a reasonable flex option.

RB Joshua Kelley, LAC (Wk. 10: @Mia.): With Austin Ekeler’s return looming, Kelley’s time as a fantasy relevant back this year may be winding down. He’s had trouble holding off Justin Jackson, Troymaine Pope and Kalen Ballage for work in recent weeks, and once Ekeler returns any one of those guys could push Kelley completely to the bench. For this week, there is a chance that Pope and Ballage handle the bulk of the work, but I wouldn’t count on that happening. I expect Kelley to see in the range of 10-12 touches, and Miami ranks 29^th in run defense DVOA and allows the 11^th-most RB points per game. I’d view Kelley as a risky flex option in leagues with 12+ teams.

RB DeeJay Dallas, SEA (Wk. 10: @LAR): The Seahawks have officially ruled out Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde yet again this week, so DeeJay Dallas will face the Rams in a backfield committee with Travis Homer and Alex Collins. Last week with the same competition, Dallas played 31% of the offensive snaps and handled 45% of the running back touches. His role might have been larger if the Seahawks hadn’t played from behind all game. Seattle enters this week as a 1.5-point underdog, but one with an implied total of 27.5 points in a potential shootout. The Rams aren’t an inviting matchup, allowing the 7^th-fewest RB points per game. A running back in a limited role facing that matchup isn’t one that you should be eager to get into your lineup. He has enough upside that you could talk yourself into using him as flex option, but you’ll probably be better off looking elsewhere.

WR Jerry Jeudy, DEN (Wk. 10: @LV): Jeudy posted his best game of the season in week 9, finishing as the WR8 for the week. In recent weeks, KJ Hamler has started to play more slot snaps and Jeudy has spent more time on the outside, and the results have been favorable for Jeudy. This week he faces off with the Raiders, who rank 26^th in pass defense DVOA and have allowed a perimeter receiver to go over 75 receiving yards in all but 2 games this year. After his breakout game, I expect Jeudy to have a better chance than Tim Patrick to be the Bronco that gets to 75 yards this week. Jeudy should be a reasonable WR3 this week in a game where the Broncos could be chasing points as a 5-point underdog.

WR Brandon Aiyuk, SF (Wk. 10: @NO): Aiyuk will once again be San Francisco’s default #1 receiving option this week. Deebo Samuel remains sidelined with injury, and Aiyuk had a 25% target share with Samuel sidelined in week 8. Aiyuk is likely to face off with New Orleans’ top corner Marshon Lattimore, which could cap his upside a little, but Kyle Shanahan is a clever enough coach to move him around the formation and use him as a rusher as well to get him away from Lattimore a bit. The Saints do rank 9^th in pass defense DVOA, but I still like Aiyuk’s chances to post a WR3 day Sunday. He should be a safe bet for 7+ targets in a game where the 49ers are 9-point underdogs.

WR Justin Jefferson, MIN (Wk. 10: @Chi.): Jefferson has flashed overall WR1 upside some weeks, but he’s been a bit volatile from week-to-week. He’s had two games of over 150 yards this season, and 3 with fewer than 30 yards. The Bears are not an easy matchup, allowing the 3^rd-fewest points per game to the position, so there is a chance this is more of a floor week for Jefferson. His low output weeks have usually come when the Vikings play from ahead, and they are 2.5-point favorites this week. Jefferson’s upside is tough to sit, but if you have other strong options this isn’t a bad week to chance sitting him. If he tops 60 yards it will be a successful week for the rookie.

WR Darnell Mooney, CHI (Wk. 10: vs. Min.): Mooney led the Bears in targets in week 9 with 11 of them, and while I don’t expect for him to continue to see more targets than Allen Robinson, his usage has been pretty consistent since the start of October. Mooney has at least 5 targets in each of the last 7 games, and is averaging 8 per game over the last 3. The Vikings allow the 2^nd-most WR points per game, so Mooney has a solid chance at double-digit PPR points even if he doesn’t out-target A-Rob again.

Rookies to Sit:

QB Joe Burrow, CIN (Wk. 10: @Pit.): Burrow is probably fine as a QB2 this week given the limited slate of games and his recent production. He’s thrown for over 300 yards 5 times in his last 7 starts and only been held short of 15 fantasy points once in those games. I would shy away from considering him in 1-QB formats though. This isn’t going to be a ceiling week for the rookie. Pittsburgh hasn’t allowed 20 fantasy points to any QB they’ve faced this year, and an average of just over 12.5 QBs per week have topped 20 points. A QB1 week is likely not in the offing for Burrow against a defense that wants to show that last week’s performance against Dallas was an aberration. The Steelers rank 3^rd in pass defense DVOA and allow the 5^th-fewest QB points per game.

QB Jake Luton, JAX (Wk. 10: @GB): Luton acquitted himself better than I expected him to in his first NFL start, finishing as the QB15 with over 300 yards and a TD through the air, and another TD on the ground. He did that against one of the worst QB defenses in the league though in Houston. The Packers allow the 6^th-fewest QB points per game, and Jacksonville has an implied total below 20 points. The way to hang in the game with Green Bay is to run the ball, and I’d expect a lot of James Robinson in this one. Luton is only worth consideration as a low-end QB2 option.

RB Cam Akers, LAR (Wk. 10: vs. Sea.): Akers finally got himself into the backfield mix in the Rams’ last contest with Darrell Henderson suffering a thigh injury, and he managed to put up 54 scrimmage yards on 9 carries and 1 catch. It’s possible that the strong performance leads to more work for Akers coming out of the bye week, but Darrell Henderson will return this week and is the likeliest bet to lead the backfield in week 10. Seattle allows the 13^th-fewest RB points per game and ranks 9^th in run defense DVOA. If Henderson leads the way for this backfield as expected, Akers faces an uphill battle to post a useful fantasy day in this matchup.

RB JaMycal Hasty, SF (Wk. 10: @NO): The 49ers backfield without Raheem Mostert has proven to be a weekly crapshoot, and for the time being it looks like Jerick McKinnon is at the top of the depth chart. Hasty will mix in a fair amount for as long as the 49ers remain in the game, but the passing work will likely go mostly to McKinnon and the Saints are favored by 9. New Orleans also allows the 5^th-fewest RB points per game. Hasty is best left on the bench this week.

RB Anthony McFarland, PIT (Wk. 10: vs. Cin.): McFarland handled 5 touches last Sunday, the most he’s had in a game since week 3, but he totaled just 22 scrimmage yards. The Steelers were surprisingly trailing for much of the game against Dallas. I wouldn’t expect a repeat of that scenario this week. The Steelers are favored by 7.5 points against Cincy, so I’d expect them to get back to using James Conner quite a bit. McFarland shouldn’t be near your starting lineups.

WR Gabriel Davis, BUF (Wk. 10: @Ari.): Davis is coming off a 4-70-1 performance on 5 targets against the Seahawks last Sunday, but he posted those numbers on the fewest snaps he’s played since week 2, and the Seahawks have been the worst WR defense in the league by a LOT. No team comes within 10 points per game of what Seattle allows to the position. Week 9 was the first time in almost a month that Davis posted more than 1 catch and more than 11 yards.  The fact that he did so with a shrinking snap share means he shouldn’t be counted on to do it again. The Cardinals are a much tougher WR defense than the Seahawks, allowing the 15^th-most WR points per game…which is a full 17 points per game less than Seattle gives up to the position. Davis is best left on the bench this week.

WR Henry Ruggs, LV (Wk. 10: vs. Den.): There is going to come a week where Henry Ruggs has another blowup game, but with the type of production he’s been posting from week-to-week, I’d rather it happen from my bench than risk him putting up less than 5 points in the lineup. Ruggs has fewer than 5 points in 3 out of the 6 games he’s played, and just 5.5 in one of the others. Denver does allow the 8^th-most WR points per game, but they’re above average when it comes to not giving up big plays. Only 9 teams have allowed fewer completions of 20+ yards than the Broncos. I’d avoid Ruggs’ rookie teammate Bryan Edwards for now as well. Edwards played just 1 snap in his return a week ago.

WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, CLE (Wk. 10: vs. Hou.): The Browns have played just one full game since the injury to Odell Beckham Jr., and Peoples-Jones played just 4 snaps in that game as Khadarel Hodge moved back into 3-wide receiver sets. The Browns’ offense is going to get more crowded this week as they get Austin Hooper & Nick Chubb back on the field. This is a plus matchup for most offensive players, but I doubt DPJ sees the field much.

WR Austin Mack, NYG (Wk. 10: vs. Phi.): Mack made the most of an unexpected opportunity last weekend when the Giants benched Golden Tate for the week. He hauled in 4 of 5 targets for 72 yards, but Tate will be back in the lineup this Sunday. Mack will be lucky to play more than 10-15 snaps in this one behind Tate, Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton.

WR Quintez Cephus, DET (Wk. 10: vs. Was.): Kenny Golladay is out again this week, but even with him missing this game, I wouldn’t look to Cephus as a fill-in. He’ll be on the field a reasonable amount (he played 41% of the snaps last week), but he’s essentially playing as the #3 guy in a 3-man rotation for the team’s WR2 & 3 roles with Marvin Hall & Danny Amendola. Washington allows the fewest WR points per game, so this isn’t a matchup to bet on Cephus making things happen with limited snaps.

WR Freddie Swain, SEA (Wk. 10: @LAR): Swain has been on the field a fair amount for Seattle, averaging about 24 snaps per game in the last 6 games, but he’s totaled just 5 catches on 9 targets in those games. Unless something happens to a wide receiver ahead of him there isn’t much reason to consider him.

WR Tyler Johnson, TB (Wk. 10: @Car.): As expected, the addition of Antonio Brown and the return of Chris Godwin have rendered Johnson irrelevant for fantasy purposes. He did record a catch on Sunday night, but played just 6 snaps and operated as the team’s WR5. Johnson is best left to the waiver wire unless more injuries pop up ahead of him.

Rookies on Byes: QB Ben DiNucci, DAL, RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, KC, RB LaMical Perine, NYJ, WR CeeDee Lamb, DAL, WR Denzel Mims, NYJ

Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:

RB Salvon Ahmed, MIA (Wk. 10: vs. LAC): Thanks to continued ineffectiveness from Jordan Howard, Ahmed looks like the best fantasy option in the Dolphins backfield until Myles Gaskin returns. Howard posted 19 yards on 10 carries last week, and now has just 33 yards on 28 carries on the year. Ahmed posted 38 yards on 7 carries in the first game he was active for all year. The Chargers are a vulnerable run defense, allowing the 12^th-most fantasy points per game to backs, and ranking 23^rd in run defense DVOA. Ahmed is a worthwhile option if you’re desperate for a running back in deep leagues, and he costs the minimum on DraftKings this week.

RB AJ Dillon, GB (Wk. 10: vs. Jax.): Dillon hasn’t really gotten much opportunity this season, even when Aaron Jones missed time with injury, but this week could set up for some garbage time carries for the rookie. The Packers are favored by 13.5 points, and the Jaguars are a favorable running back matchup. Jacksonville allows the 6^th-most RB points per game and rank 21^st in run defense DVOA. Dillon could push for double-digit touches in garbage time if the Packers pull away. This has a decent chance to be Dillon’s best fantasy game of the season, even if that isn’t saying all that much. His current high-water mark is 4.2 points.

WR Jalen Reagor, PHI (Wk. 10: @NYG): We haven’t seen the Eagles fully unleash Reagor just yet, and I’m not sure we see it this week either. Alshon Jeffery will make his season debut, and that will throw some uncertainty into how the WR snaps shake out. If I had to guess, Greg Ward is the receiver who will lose the most snaps to Jeffery, but if that happens it’s unclear which of Reagor or Travis Fulgham will play in the slot. The Giants are a favorable matchup for wide receivers, allowing the 10^th-most WR points per game and ranking 28^th in pass defense DVOA, and Reagor found the end zone in the last meeting between these two teams. I’d expect Jeffery to be on a bit of a pitch count, and Fulgham to be the best fantasy option of the WR group, but Reagor will have some upside as well in the plus matchup. The best place to consider him would be in DFS though. I’d be more inclined to take a wait-and-see approach with Reagor in season-long leagues to see how the receiver rotation shakes out with Alshon back.

WR KJ Hamler, DEN (Wk. 10: @LV): I would probably stay away from Hamler in season-long leagues unless they’re pretty deep, but he’s an intriguing low-priced DFS tournament option this week. Hamler costs just $3,800 on DraftKings, and as mentioned under Jerry Jeudy the Broncos could be chasing points and the Raiders rank 26^th in pass defense DVOA. Hamler’s move to the slot in recent weeks means he gets to face off with Lamarcus Joyner this week, who has been the weakest of the Raiders’ corners. Hamler saw a season-high 10 targets last Sunday, and there is a good chance that Denver is throwing 40+ times again in this one.TE Harrison Bryant, CLE (Wk. 10: vs. Hou.): Austin Hooper returns this week, but it was clear while Hooper was out that Bryant is the #2 tight end in this offense over David Njoku. The Browns use two tight end sets as their base offense, and the Texans have given up 8-113-1 to Anthony Firkser, 3-35 to Vance McDonald, and a touchdown to Jace Sternberger this season. Backup tight ends have had success against Houston. Overall, they allow the 10^th-most TE points per game, so Bryant is a little bit better than a TD dart throw this week.

That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully it helps you with your toughest lineup decisions involving rookies. Make sure to check the active/inactive updates on Sunday, and make sure you don’t start a sidelined player. If you have any questions or want to yell at me about anything written above, feel free to hit me up on twitter and let me know (@Shawn_Foss). As always: Good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It’s just a game.

Welcome back to the Rookie Report! We’re now more than halfway through the NFL season, and that means we’re heading into the home stretch of the fantasy regular season. These games are going to start to feel more important each week if you’re jockeying for playoff position. It’ll get more important to make the right calls in your lineup each week, and that starts with the Thursday night game. This week’s Thursday night game should actually be a good one, but we were saying the same thing about the Saints vs. Bucs game before it started Sunday night. We’ll see how this one plays out. I’ll be back with a full Rookie Report for week 10 before Sunday, but here is a look at what to expect from the notable rookies tonight

Borderline Rookies:

RB Jonathan Taylor, IND (Wk. 10: @Ten.): It has been a trying couple weeks for folks with Jonathan Taylor on their fantasy teams. He’s played fewer than 40% of the offensive snaps in 2 consecutive weeks and was out-touched and out-gained by Jordan Wilkins in each week. Both weeks Head Coach Frank Reich had a different excuse for why Taylor was phased out of the game in the 2^nd half. Two weeks ago against the Lions it was an undisclosed injury. Last week Reich claimed negative game-script was the reason, but it seems clear that Taylor’s grasp on the starting gig is tenuous at best right now. With that said, he does have the opportunity to post a nice game this week. The Titans allow the 8^th-most RB points per game, and despite his limited usage last week Taylor still got the ball at the goal line and scored a touchdown. I would expect there to continue to be a bit of a 3-way split in this backfield with Wilkins & Nyheim Hines, but if Taylor manages to get the hot hand early, a strong RB2 day isn’t out of the question. I’d rather make a bet on Taylor than most other committee backs this week (Browns’ RBs not included).

Rookies to Sit:

K Rodrigo Blankenship, IND (Wk. 10: @Ten.): Hot Rod has run cold of late, scoring just 8 total fantasy points in the last 2 weeks, and that’s if your league didn’t penalize you for the two missed extra points against the Lions. This week he faces off with the Titans, who are much more likely to give up touchdowns than field goals. Tennessee has only given up multiple field goals in a game once this season, and in that game they allowed just 2 of them. They’ve given up just 2 kicks all year from 40+ yards, and they allow the 4^th-fewest kicker fantasy points per game. If you have Blankenship as your kicker in a season-long league, it may be wise to look into streaming someone else this week, and he shouldn’t be a target in showdown DFS slates for Thursday night.

Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:

WR Michael Pittman Jr., IND (Wk. 10: @Ten.): Pittman turned in a nice performance last Sunday with TY Hilton sidelined. He finished with 4 catches for 57 yards on 7 targets against a pretty good Ravens’ secondary. This week he gets to face off with a much more vulnerable Titans defense. Tennessee has been very vulnerable to opposing receivers, allowing the 4^th-most points per game to the position and 5+ catches to 13 different wide receivers in the past 5 weeks. Only Darnell Mooney last weekend had fewer than 50 yards to go with the 5 catches among that baker’s dozen. TY Hilton should return this week, so the depth chart gets a little more crowded, but aside from Hilton I think Pittman is the guy that has the best chance at topping those 5/50 marks. Keep a close eye on the updates here to make sure they don’t come out and say that Pittman won’t start in 3-WR sets, but I think there is a great chance for the rookie to set new season highs in both catches and yards on Thursday night. He’s an interesting option in deeper leagues, and will cost a reasonable $4,400 for the Thursday night showdown slate on DraftKings, less than 3 other Colt WRs (Hilton, Zach Pascal, and Marcus Johnson).

That’s all I’ve got for the Thursday night game. Hopefully it helps you figure out what to do with these guys. If you have any questions or want to yell at me about anything written above, feel free to hit me up on twitter and let me know (@Shawn_Foss). As always: Good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It’s just a game.