Fantasy Football / NFL
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- Written by Shawn Foss
Welcome back to the Rookie Report! We’re finally almost through the bye weeks, but this is one last week where you may need to find some fill-ins. We’ve made it through 10 weeks so far, so in most formats there are just 3 weeks left of the regular season. You should have a pretty good idea of where you stand heading into the home stretch. Do you have to win out? Are you just jockeying for seeding heading into the playoffs? While these things can affect how you set your lineup, don’t go too crazy trying to play upside guys and shoot the moon. Taking big swings can result in big hits (see Rex Burkhead), but it can also result in big misses (see Paul Richardson). The best way to win at this time of year isn’t much different than it is in the early weeks, with one caveat: Pay attention to the weather reports. Cold and snow have a way of deflating the passing game and boosting the running game.
It was an interesting week for the rookie crop in week 10. DeShone Kizer, Austin Ekeler, Alvin Kamara, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Christian McCaffrey all had banner days. Leonard Fournette, Tarik Cohen, Aaron Jones, and Corey Davis weren’t quite as fortunate. There will be more ups & downs to be had this week, so let’s take a look at how things shape up for the rookies in week 11…
Rookies to Start:
RB Kareem Hunt, KC (Wk. 11: @NYG): Hunt has clearly failed lately to reach the lofty heights he was hitting with ease the first few weeks of the season. Hopefully, the bye week is just what the doctor ordered. If it’s not, then maybe the New York Giants are. The Giants have been in the middle of the pack in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing RBs, but they have allowed 269 rushing yards and 3 scores to the position in the past 2 games, and rank just 27th in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA stat. The Chiefs should be able to play from ahead and pound the ball. Kansas City is a 10-point road favorite and Andy Reid teams are 16-2 in the game following the bye week in his career. It all adds up to a get-right spot for Hunt, who is long overdue for one. He should be an RB1 this week, and should absolutely be in all season-long lineups. I would understand, however, if you were gun-shy about paying up in DFS formats.
RB Alvin Kamara, NO (Wk. 11: vs. Was.): The Redskins have been decent against running backs this season, allowing the 12th-fewest points per game to the position (all scoring numbers are in PPR format), but you have to continue to ride Kamara’s hot streak this week. In 5 games since the team traded Adrian Peterson, Alvin has been the RB22, RB12, RB9, RB1, and RB4. You can’t sit AK-41 in season-long leagues. I’d consider fading him in DFS formats with his $7,500 price tag in DraftKings, but he’s been fantastic for the past 5 weeks now, and the Saints are a 7.5-point favorite and have the highest implied team total of the week.
RB Leonard Fournette, JAX (Wk. 11: @Cle.): I know Fournette was a huge let down last week, and despite drawing the 0-9 Browns this week, this matchup is actually a lot worse than the one Fournette just faced. The Browns allow the 10th-fewest RB points per game, and rank 2nd in run defense DVOA. I still expect the Jaguars to lean heavily on Fournette and the run game with Allen Hurns already ruled out for the week. That volume should be enough to make Leonard a usable asset. He’s still handled at least 16 touches in every game he’s been active for, and scored double-digit PPR points in every game but last week’s. I’d probably set expectations for more of an RB2 day than RB1, and I’d be unlikely to use him at his price tag in DFS lineups, but he should probably remain locked-in for season-long leagues.
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT (Wk. 11: vs. Ten.): I was nervous that the volume wouldn’t be there for JuJu last week with the Steelers a heavy favorite in Indy. Things didn’t quite go the way Vegas predicted. The Steelers played from behind for much of the day and JuJu actually outscored Antonio Brown and finished as the weekly WR11. He gets another favorable matchup this week, and one that I expect will also remain competitive throughout. The Titans allow the 9th-most WR points per game, and they rank a miserable 29th in pass defense DVOA on throws to the opposing team’s WR2. Tennessee boasts a better run defense than pass defense, so that should keep the Steelers throwing enough for JJSS to at least return WR3 value. He’s handled 17 targets in the last 2 games after being officially elevated above Martavis Bryant on the depth chart.
TE Evan Engram, NYG (Wk. 11: vs. KC): The Chiefs aren’t a great matchup for tight ends, allowing the 8th-fewest points per game to the position, but you can’t sit Engram regardless of matchup. Since Odell Beckham and Brandon Marshall were lost for the season, Engram has been the weekly TE3, TE4, TE4, and TE5. He’s seen at least 7 targets in all 4 of those games, and scored a touchdown in each as well. Unless your starting tight end is Travis Kelce, it’s hard to justify sitting Engram this week. You could even flex him if you do have Kelce and lack a solid WR or RB option.
Borderline Rookies:
QB Mitch Trubisky, CHI (Wk. 11: vs. Det.): Trubisky had his best game of the season last week, throwing for nearly 300 yards and a TD against one of the worst secondaries in the league, and he was still just the weekly QB14. That doesn’t exactly scream “Upside” in a week where he gets to face a tougher secondary, but I think he could be in play as a 2-QB league streaming option. It’s kind of a mess at the bottom of the QB rankings these days, and despite the Lions ranking 10th in pass defense DVOA, they’ve allowed Brett Hundley to finish as the QB13 and DeShone Kizer to finish as the QB6 in the last two weeks. I like Detroit to play from ahead in this one, so the volume should be there for Mitch to flirt with QB2 value.
RB Jamaal Williams, GB (Wk. 11: vs. Bal.): Williams will be a reasonable option this week based on volume alone. Aaron Jones is already ruled out, and it sounds like Ty Montgomery will miss this game as well. In the 4 games Brett Hundley has played, the Packers’ running backs are averaging 26 touches per game. The matchup isn’t all that imposing, with the Ravens ranking 19th in run defense DVOA and allowing the 16th-most RB fantasy points per game. They’re a bit more imposing with nose tackle Brandon Williams back healthy, but as long as Green Bay stays in this game, Jamaal Williams is a reasonable flex option if you’re in need of help this week.
RB Joe Mixon, CIN (Wk. 11: @Den.): I don’t really know what to say about Mixon at this point. His offensive line has been bad, and the Bengals haven’t been committed to establishing the run. Even with Jeremy Hill on injured reserve, Mixon was limited to just 9 carries in a game where the 2 teams were never separated by more than 8 points. Since the team’s bye in week 6, Mixon is averaging 10 carries and 33.5 yards per game. He’s managed to salvage his fantasy games with TDs and a long screen pass, but there really isn’t much of a ceiling here. This week’s matchup is a brutal one for Mixon too. The Broncos currently allow the 11th-fewest RB points per game, but they were first in the league before getting shredded by Philadelphia and New England for 92.8 PPR points in the past 2 weeks. Those teams both have much better offenses than the Bengals. Denver still ranks 1st in run defense DVOA, and will be excited to face an offense that has struggled as much and Cincy’s has. Mixon’s production keeps him in the RB2/flex discussion, but there is more risk of a dud this week than usual.
WR Corey Davis, TEN (Wk. 11: @Pit.): Davis’s game last week nearly included his first career TD, but he fumbled on his way into the end zone. The final fantasy line wasn’t exciting, but there is a lot to be excited about going forward. Davis played the same number of snaps as Rishard Matthews, and he was targeted a team-high 10 times. I’d expect him to continue to see a great deal of volume moving forward. The matchup this week isn’t a good one on paper, with the Steelers allowing the 4th-fewest WR points per game, but they might struggle a bit with Joe Haden out for the season. If Davis is targeted 8+ times again, he’s firmly on the WR3 radar for this week, and the schedule moving forward gets much easier. The Titans draw the Colts, Texans, Cardinals and 49ers from weeks 12-15. If Davis is already owned in your league, and doesn’t post a strong game in week 11, it would be a great opportunity to try and deal for him if you have a late trade deadline.
WR Cooper Kupp, LAR (Wk. 11: @Min.): Kupp is overdue for a TD considering Goff has thrown for 7 TDs in the past 2 weeks and Kupp has as many red zone targets as the rest of the team combined for the year, but he’s continued to show a floor that won’t kill you when he doesn’t find the end zone. Granted, 8.4 and 10.7 points aren’t totals to get excited about in PPR scoring, but tell that to someone who started Marvin Jones or John Brown last week. His target share continues to give him that stable floor with some TD upside. The Vikings are a decent matchup this week. Robert Woods likely has the best individual matchup against the burnable Trae Waynes, but Minnesota ranks 20th in pass defense DVOA on throws to opposing WR3s (or any other non-WR1 or 2s). Kupp is a flex/WR3 option as usual.
Rookies to Sit:
QB DeShone Kizer, CLE (Wk. 11: vs. Jax.): Jacksonville has allowed the fewest passing TDs in the league (6) and the 5th-fewest QB rushing yards. Only 3 QBs have managed to even post 10 points against them this season. Kizer is a shaky play in good matchups. This is a terrible one. I’d love to see him build on last week’s performance, but it probably isn’t happening this week.
RB Samaje Perine, WAS (Wk. 11: @NO): Perine should be the early down back for Washington for the foreseeable future with Rob Kelley hitting IR this week, but we’ve seen this play out a few times this year, and the results haven’t been great. Samaje has handled 10+ touches in 4 games this year, and in those games he’s averaged 16 touches and 8.2 PPR points per game. He topped 10 points just once, against the lowly 49ers. The Saints are in the middle of the pack in terms of fantasy points allowed to RBs (allow 14th fewest per game), but during their 7-game win streak they’ve given up 18.9 points per game to the position. That would rank 3rd-best in the league if it were over the full season. Perine should handle a decent amount of volume, so you could test your luck if you’re desperate in a non-PPR league, but I wouldn’t.
RB Wayne Gallman, NYG (Wk. 11: vs. KC): In week 10, Gallman basically appeared on the outside looking in for this running back rotation. Shane Vereen led the team in RB snaps and handled most of the passing down work, and Orleans Darkwa handled the early downs. If Gallman is going to be limited to a change of pace role behind Darkwa, there’s no reason to start him this week, especially with the Chiefs allowing the 6th-fewest RB points per game.
RB D’Onta Foreman, HOU (Wk. 11: vs. Ari.): Foreman got the start last week and handled the first carry out of the Texans’ backfield, but he was out-touched 12-7 and out-gained 74-18 by Lamar Miller. Nothing has changed in the pecking order of this backfield despite Foreman’s start last week. There isn’t enough work behind Miller to make D’Onta usable in this lackluster offense.
RB Tarik Cohen, CHI (Wk. 11: vs. Det.): The Bears’ offensive coordinator referred to Cohen as “our best playmaker” just 4 short weeks ago. Since then his usage has dried up. He has still turned in a couple respectable lines thanks to a few big plays, but it was ugly for Tarik in week 10. The Bears seem to insist on using Benny Cunningham over Cohen when Cohen is healthy. Maybe that changes down the stretch if the Bears continue to lose games, but you can’t bank on it. According to the Bears’ coaches, he needs to improve his pass protection to increase his playing time in the hurry-up offense. There’s always a chance at a long TD for Cohen, but his lack of snaps and touches makes him unusable right now.
WR Kenny Golladay, DET (Wk. 11: @Chi.): Golladay finally returned last weekend, and he made an impact with 64 receiving yards. The issue is that he put up those yards on just 11 offensive snaps. That number may increase going forward, but Golladay will remain a boom-or-bust option that will rely on deep balls. He has just 9 catches on the year in 4 appearances, and has catches of 50, 45, and 24 yards among them. The other 6 catches amount to 47 total yards. 71.5% of his fantasy production has come on his 3 longest catches. The Bears have done a pretty good job of limiting the deep ball, allowing the 5th-fewest 20+ yard completions in the league, and they rank 10th in pass defense DVOA on deep throws. There’s always upside with a big-play threat like Kenny G, but I don’t like his odds of hitting that upside this week.
WR Dede Westbrook, JAX (Wk. 11: @Cle.): Westbrook is expected to be activated from IR this week, but the Jaguars have expressed concern that he might not be ready to be fully unleashed. They’ll need him to play a role with Allen Hurns ruled out, but there is a real chance he’s eased in. The Browns will likely still lean on the run game with Fournette, and Marqise Lee is still option number 1 in the passing game. Marcedes Lewis should also factor in with the Browns allowing the 3rd-most TE points per game. There’s likely a 3rd player ahead of Dede in the target pecking order as well (see the Sleeper section to find out who). Even if Westbrook is activated, I’d be hesitant to get him into lineups this week.
WR Zay Jones, BUF (Wk. 11: @LAC): There is just too much in flux with the Bills to trust Zay this week. Buffalo has made a QB switch, and will likely lean heavily on the run game. We still haven’t seen what Zay’s target share will look like with Kelvin Benjamin in the lineup, and Buffalo also has Charles Clay healthy now. I’d probably take a wait-and-see approach before getting Jones into any lineups.
WR Mike Williams, LAC (Wk. 11: vs. Buf.): This isn’t a good spot to expect a Mike Williams breakout. The Chargers haven’t been utilizing their WRs a ton, and may have Kellen Clemens starting at QB on Sunday. Wide receivers were targeted a total of 14 times last week for the Chargers, and Williams received just 2 of them. If any wideout is going to get going this week for them, it’s Keenan Allen. Buffalo ranks #7 in pass defense DVOA on throws to the WR2, and #1 on throws to the WR3 or lower. There is very little upside here this week for Mike Williams.
WR Chris Godwin, TB (Wk. 11: @Mia.): Godwin will be relegated to the bench with the Mike Evans suspension over. It was nice to see him come through with a 5-68 line in his first extended playing time of the year. If anything were to happen to Evans, Godwin would immediately become a WR3 going forward. As long as Evans is healthy though, there’s no reason to hold on to him.
TE David Njoku, CLE (Wk. 11: vs. Jax.): The Jaguars have allowed double-digit points to tight ends just once in the past 6 games after allowing 12+ points to them in each of the first 3 weeks. Kizer played his best game of the season last week, and TE has been the best place to attack the Jacksonville secondary, but Njoku’s limited volume makes him impossible to trust this week. He’d need a TD to be relevant, and I’d be mildly surprised if Cleveland throws for any scores.
TE Adam Shaheen, CHI (Wk. 11: vs. Det.): Trubisky had to throw for nearly 300 yards to get Shaheen involved, even with Zach Miller and Dion Sims both out, and he was still just the TE21 for the week. I’d expect Sims back since it was an ‘illness’ and not an injury that kept him out. That should make Shaheen an afterthought again. If Sims sits, Shaheen still isn’t worth a start.
Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:
QB Nathan Peterman, BUF (Wk. 11: @LAC): If you had asked me a week ago, I’d have guessed Davis Webb would be the next rookie QB to see significant playing time, but the fact that the Giants haven’t announced HC Bob McAdoo’s job status means he’ll likely be coaching to try and save it. That means Eli Manning keeps starting. An interim coach might have been directed to see what the team has in Webb. Instead it’s the Bills, who have set Tyrod Taylor up to be benched since the offseason that made a QB switch. The Bills forced Taylor to take a pay cut to stay on the team, then brought in an offensive coordinator whose scheme isn’t a great fit for Taylor’s skill set. Then they jettisoned ALL of his WRs. Taylor’s at his best improvising and making splash plays downfield, but his two best downfield targets, Sammy Watkins and Marquise Goodwin, were sent packing. The final nail in Taylor’s coffin was the trade of Marcell Dareus. Prior to the trade, the Bills were playing pretty well and sitting at 5-2, but since the trade their run defense has fallen off a cliff. They’ve allowed 492 rushing yards and 9 rushing TDs in the last two weeks, both ugly losses, and Taylor is being turned into a scapegoat to make way for Peterman. Peterman is admittedly better suited for the Buffalo offense, but he’s not much more than a game manager. I list him here not as a sleeper for this week, but as a stash in deep 2-QB leagues. The matchup with the Chargers isn’t a good one, but he has a very favorable schedule that follows. He’s worth a flyer in 2-QB formats, especially dynasty leagues.
RB Austin Ekeler, LAC (Wk. 11: vs. Buf.): This is absolutely a point-chasing after Ekeler’s RB3 finish in week 10, but as I mentioned above with Peterman, the Bills run defense has been a dumpster fire of late and Ekeler has seen double-digit touches in 2 of his last 3 games. His late fumble last week probably doesn’t help his case moving forward, but I expect him to still have a sizable role spelling Melvin Gordon the rest of the way. 10 touches against this Buffalo defense could put him on the RB2 radar, especially in PPR formats. He’s risky since it’s not impossible that the Chargers could scheme him out of the offense altogether this week, but I like him as a flex option in deeper leagues.
RB Corey Clement, PHI (Wk. 11: @Dal.): If Tyron Smith is out again this week, the Dallas offense is in trouble, and their defense isn’t good enough to slow down the Eagles. There is a real chance this game gets out of hand in that scenario. Clement has already proven he can be effective in mop up time, and has handled 23 touches in two blowout wins over the 49ers and Broncos. If he gets the opportunity in this one, the Cowboys rank just 26th in run defense DVOA and 19th in pass defense DVOA on throws to RBs. There is some decent upside for DFS tournaments or if you’re desperate in deeper leagues. Just make sure Smith is out before pulling the trigger.
WR Keelan Cole, JAX (Wk. 11: @Cle.): I mentioned above that I don’t like Dede Westbrook in his first game back, and a big part of the reason why is Keelan Cole. Jaguars beat reporter Michael DiRocco said that Westbrook won’t be a big part of the team’s game plan even if he’s active, and Hurns has already been ruled out. That leaves Cole as the WR2 with the Jaguars facing the Browns’ pass funnel defense. They rank 2nd in the league in run defense DVOA, but just 27th in pass defense DVOA. If the Browns manage to slow Fournette, the Jaguars will have to throw it, and Cole has seen his role increase of late and has shown an ability to make big plays. He’s averaging 21.5 yards per catch on the season and has been targeted 16 times in the past 3 games. He’s totaled 173 receiving yards in those 3 contests. Cole is worth a shot as a punt option in DFS tournaments or as a flex in deep leagues.
WR Mack Hollins, PHI (Wk. 11: @Dal.): I mention Hollins here because I continue to believe that he eventually overtakes Torrey Smith for a starting spot in Philadelphia. He’s caught 9 of 10 targets for the season, and he actually played just 1 fewer snap than Smith in week 9 before the team’s bye. Hollins only caught 1 pass in that game, but the Cowboys’ secondary is much more burnable than the Broncos’. Hollins isn’t anything more than a GPP tournament punt play this week, but he remains an intriguing dynasty stash.
TE OJ Howard, TB (Wk. 11: @Mia.): This week is a great spot for OJ in DFS tournaments. He played his 2nd-highest snap count of the year last week while Cameron Brate played his lowest total. It was also the 2nd week in a row that Howard ran more pass routes than Brate. So far, that hasn’t amounted to much fantasy production for Howard, but Brate has only been targeted twice in those 2 weeks. Miami has allowed TDs to the tight end position in 3 of their last 4 games, and gave up 126 receiving yards to the TEs in the game where they kept them out of the end zone. With Howard’s increasing snaps and Brate’s diminishing role, this could be a spot to roll the dice on OJ.
That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully, it helps you secure a crucial week 11 victory. Keep close tabs on the injury report this week if you have any players who may be affected, and make sure to check back before kickoff to make sure there are no surprise inactives. If you have any questions for me, or just want to yell at me about anything above you can find me on twitter at @Shawn_Foss. As always: Good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It’s just a game.
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- Written by Tad Bukowski
We have come to the last week of the season with bye weeks, and we will be earning every point we get.
This week has some pretty close matchups with almost no clear-cut winners across the board. It’s what makes the confidence pool interesting, right?
Week 11 – HERE WE GO!!!!
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
14 – PITTSBURGH over Tennessee – The week starts off with an AFC matchup with playoff implications. The fact that this description is being used on a game at the top of our board should show you how close this week will be.
13 – NEW ORLEANS over Washington – Weird to think that getting rid of Adrian Peterson would be so beneficial for a team.
12 – SEATTLE over Atlanta – The week ends with an NFC matchup with playoff implications. Please review the #14 line for this description.
11 – LOS ANGELES CHARGERS over Buffalo – I’m sure you’re skeptical of seeing the Chargers this high, but a quarterback change right before a cross-country trip may not be the best thing for the Bills.
10 – DENVER over Cincinnati – The Broncos offense is awful … just awful. Their defense should be enough to get them through this one.
9 – Detroit over CHICAGO – Everything about this game will look just like last week for the Bears, just change the NFC North rival.
8 – Kansas City over NEW YORK GIANTS – The Chiefs had their bye week to get extra time to prepare for…the Giants. This should be as easy way to get past the Andy Reid post-bye week curse.
7 – MINNESOTA over Los Angeles Rams – This potential Game of the Week matchup could very well be an NFC playoff matchup as well.
6 – HOUSTON over Arizona – This game would have been a LOT more exciting a few week and two starting quarterback injuries ago. My BOLD PREDICTION for this week is that THE TOTAL SCORE OF THIS GAME WILL BE EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN 10.
5 – Baltimore over GREEN BAY – The Packers were able to give Brett Hundley his first career last week. Can’t play the Bears every week though.
4 – Jacksonville over CLEVELAND – Ah I bet the Browns and their fans saw this game on their schedule in the pre-season and thought “Hey! There’s one we can win!” Weellllllll……
3 – OAKLAND over New England – Homer pick…pure homer pick.
2 – DALLAS over Philadelphia – With the week of controversy he has had, Mr. Jones is going to make sure that his ‘Boys come out ready to play and take down the best team in the league that he is seemingly trying to take over.
1 – MIAMI over Tampa Bay – The Jacksonville Jaguars are by far the best team in the state of Florida…just something to think about while watching this one.
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- Written by David Biggs
Wow, that was a scorcher on Monday Night Football with Cam Newton just running some scores up - hope you escaped the week without getting burned too badly! We're looking into Week 11 with a positive outlook on several teams and players and there are some openings for guys that were deeper on the depth chart. Make sure to be scooping up guys like Greg Olsen and Danny Woodhead if they are still available on the wire. Players that should outperform expectations this week include: Blake Bortles, Chris Thompson, Jamaal Williams, Samaje Perine, Emmanuel Sanders, Robert Woods, and Austin Hooper. Good luck!
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- Written by Jim Hutchins
It's the end of another exciting week of football which means it's time to put your claims in for available free agents in your fantasy league to strengthen your team. I'll be going over who I think are the top five picks for you to target this week so don't miss out on them. Good luck!
Note: %owned is based on Yahoo! leagues at the time of publication.
5) Marquise Goodwin (SF) - 15% owned - Goodwin has proven to be a big play threat this season and due to injuries to the 49ers receivers he should continue to see high target volumes to make him better than the usual WR3 boom or bust dart throw.
4) Dontrelle Inman (CHI) - 2% owned - Inman had a productive game in his Bears debut catching 6 of 8 for 88 yards. Since there is not much pass catching talent on the team, Inman should be the go to receiver the rest of the season.
3) Rex Burkhead (NE) - 11% owned - Burkhead has seen his workload increase each of the last three weeks after returning from a rib injury. Patriots running backs can be dangerous to predict for fantasy purposes, but Burkhead is worth an add as a player on the rise.
2) Latavius Murray (MIN) - 44% owned - Murray continues to get consistent double digit touches each week despite splitting time with Jerrick McKinnon. His production has unfortunately been hit or miss, but his volume should at least put him in the flex conversation each week.
1) Jamaal Williams (GB) - 7% owned - Williams was forced into action this week after Aaron Jones and Ty Montgomery were both knocked out with injuries. Jones is expected to miss multiple weeks with a knee injury and Montgomery appeared to reinjure his ribs; this means Williams should see plenty of work as the Packers primary running back.
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- Written by Jason Evans
Welcome to Statistically (in)Significant, the place to find great stats that probably only matter at the water cooler (or bar). Each week I'll dig through the stats of the week gone by and deliver you some choice conversation starters.
1.38 Yards per Carry
Thursday night's game was another slogfest, and while the games have been more competitive this year than they have in past years, the poor quality of play really shines through. This week, the leading rusher in the game, Adrian Peterson, with 29 yards on 21 carries, had a whopping 1.38 yards per carry. He beat out both of the Seahawks rushers, who finished with 27 yards (Thomas Rawls) and 26 yards (J.D. McKissic). Of course, the big story in this game is the achilles injury that Richard Sherman. Sherman had been previously critical of the NFL regarding Thursday night games, and he was battling this injury all season. The numbers of injuries may not be significantly higher than on Sundays, but it's clear that the quality of play on short rest is affected nearly every single week.
6 Rushing Touchdowns
The Saints set a franchise record with 6 rushing touchdowns on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. They also rushed for 298 yards on the day behind impressive performances from Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, who combined for over 50 points. Ingram and Kamara were the 1st and 4th highest scoring fantasy RBs on the week, mixed in with the 3 TD DeMarco Murray and the unknown Austin Ekeler. The Saints improved to 7-2, and it's really surprising that Drew Brees has only thrown for 300+ yards once in those wins, and only twice overall. The Saints run game was really by far the most impressive aspect of this game, peaking with a 10-play 94 yard TD drive that was all rushes of 15 yards or less. The Saints averaged 6.2 yards per carry on the day, just shy of Drew Brees's 7.4 yards per passing attempt.
208 Consecutive Starts
Congrats to Eli Manning, who tied his brother Peyton with 208 consecutive starts on Sunday - good for second on the list behind Brett Favre. This start, like most this year, was very forgettable for Eli. Going in to Sunday's game in San Francisco, this was the first time in 33 years that two teams met this late in the season with only 1 victory between them. Clearly, the stage was set for mediocrity and this game delivered. The Giants managed to make C.J. Beathard look great, putting up the 4th most points this week among QBs - 26.02 points. This was the 49ers first win against a team that wasn't the Rams in 708 days. On the other side, the Giants gave up yet another touchdown to an opposing TE, making it one in every game this season, and this streak goes back into last season. Looks like a good sign for Travis Kelce and the Chiefs against the Giants next week.
297 Passing Yards
It was strange seeing Mitchell Trubisky on the passing leader boards all afternoon and evening. His 297 yards is easily a career high (the previous was last week's 164). He completed 60% of his passes with 21 completions on 35 attempts. One TD and no picks are a good way to show that you can take care of the ball, ok, Coach? I didn't really write about Trubisky for his sake, though congrats to the rookie on a solid outing, but to poke at head coach John Fox. In the 2nd quarter, Fox threw a challenge flag on a play where Benny Cunningham was called out of bounds short of the goal line. Upon review, it was determined that Cunningham did not, in fact, step out of bounds. Great news? Nope, it was then determined that he lost control of the ball before it struck the pylon, thus ruling it a fumble out of the end zone and a touchback for the Packers. This play is kind of a microcosm of Fox and the Bears over the last couple of years. There's always been flashes of good things happening, but it all winds up looking mismanaged and it's never the desired outcome. Here in Chicago, it's pretty clear that he's going to be on the hot seat before too long.
4-60+ Yard TD Passes
If you read this column, you know I'm a sucker for milestones that haven't been reached in a while. On Sunday, Jacoby Brissett threw a pair of 60+ yard touchdowns against the Steelers' formerly league leading passing defense. It's been over 50 years since a Colts QB had 4-60 yard touchdown passes in a single season. Johnny Unitas did it back in 1966, and both Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck were not able to reach that mark, not even with all of the great receivers they have had. Brissett has 4 on the season now, and has improved as the year has gone on and is one of the bright spots in an otherwise dismal season in Indy. The Colts are only 3-7, but did hang in there against a Steelers team that is tied for the best record in the AFC. If the Colts could figure out a run game, they would have something for Andrew Luck to look forward to when he comes back. Right now, Brissett's league leading 35 sacks has to be alarming for a guy who is probably not nearly as mobile. Get well soon, Andrew!
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- Written by M.J. Nicholas
Are you looking for a vote of confidence when picking spreads, money lines and the under/ over in the NFL? Let me be that football wizard who has seen the prophecies of victory and has the ability to put your precarious souls at ease. Almost 20 years of sports wagering experience is proudly listed on the resume, as well as playing in my 21st season of fantasy football(definitely a self-proclaimed pioneer). But enough about this guy. In this weekly column, I'll offer up anything from sportsbook's outcomes, moods and reflections, as well as offer words of advice and knowledge on betting strategies. Additionally, for every game, I'll have my picks for the spread, moneyline and under/ over ready to go. And if you're good(or I just happen to be feeling generous), I'll offer up one of my tantalizing, high-odds 'Nicks Picks', a ticket too good to be true. Anyway, if for some reason any of Nick's Picks let you down, I'm cool with you telling your bookie it was all my fault. Yeah... right.
'WEEKDAY RUNAWAY' - Well, I'm guessing a lot of online ticket players choose their sportsbooks based on the provider's ability to furnish the coming week's NFL lines as soon as possible. I get the psychology from both sides of the always pocketed, 'winner/loser' coin; If you have a bad week, you want to ease that feeling of loss and put a half-smile on your face by making some quick, 'for-sure-to-win' tickets. On the other side of said speculative coin, if you end up being gifted with a positive week, there will be adrenaline still pumping in the veins, and with the taste of blood and victory still fresh on your tongue, next week can't come soon enough. A lot of sportsbooks will boast early lines to attract online action. They must think everyone just has some urge to bet without during their homework first. I have one word for them(well, two words): Deshaun Watson. This superstar got hurt at practice mid-week, ending his season, and it dramatically changed the lines between the Houston/ Indianapolis game. If you would of picked the Texans to win or them to cover the spread, you would of been up the creek. Mid-week injuries occurring on the practice field are huge in making your weekly tickets. Other deciding factors are suspensions and of course, the weather report(and I'm not talking about the killer, jazz-rock fusion band from the 70's of the same name). I know a lot of you are thinking that the lines change during the week and you might get more favorable odds by wagering earlier on. That may be true in some of the games, but it will be such a small movement in points(up or down), that you are better off adjusting the lines/ odds yourself closer to the time of action. So basically, I'm saying wait until at least Friday night before finalizing and placing your tickets. Anything can happen during the week at camp and a surprise storm can be announced a day or two before game day. A player can get a case of the rage and strike a loved one, causing a suspension. Who knows with all the drama and freakish injuries in the league today. Definitely do your research as soon as the lines are available, and monitor all week long. Keep all the games in your mind's eye but don't pull the trigger until the weekend hits. BTW, I no longer wager on Thursday Night Football. I've found that the short rest(or just playing on an unusual day like Thursday) might affect players' abilities, thus changing up the character of the teams and making match-ups harder to predict. At least TNF doesn't have an unworthy and 'displeasing to the ear' theme song like it's other two prime time siblings. Or wait, does it?
NICK'S PICK OF THE WEEK: 3 GAME PARLAY | DAL +3 | NYG -2.5 | NYJ -2.5
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS @ ARIZONA CARDINALS - SEA -6 | SEA -267 | UNDER 40
PITTSBURGH STEELERS @ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS - PIT -10 | PIT -446 | UNDER 45
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS @ BUFFALO BILLS - NOS -3 | NOS -139 | OVER 46.5
NEW YORK JETS @ TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS - NYJ -2.5 | NYJ -135 | OVER 43
MINNESOTA VIKING @ WASHINGTON REDSKINS - MIN -1.5 | MIN -124 | UNDER 42
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS @ JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS - JAX -3.5 | JAX -194 | UNDER 41
CINCINNATI BENGALS @ TENNESSEE TITANS - TEN -4.5 | TEN -216 | OVER 40.5
GREEN BAY PACKERS @ CHICAGO BEARS - GB +5.5 | CHI -239 | OVER 38
CLEVELAND BROWNS @ DETROIT LIONS - DET -11 | DET -543 | UNDER 43.5
HOUSTON TEXANS @ LOS ANGELES RAMS - LAR -11 | LAR -559 | OVER 45.5
NEW YORK GIANTS @ SAN FRANCISCO 49ers - NYG -2.5 | NYG -146 | OVER 41.5
DALLAS COWBOYS @ ATLANTA FALCONS - DAL +3 | DAL +140 | UNDER 49.5
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS @ DENVER BRONCOS - NEP -7.5 | NEP -293 | UNDER 45.5
MIAMI DOLPHINS @ CAROLINA PANTHERS - MIA +10 | CAR -405 | OVER 40
LAST WEEK'S RESULTS:
SPREAD 7-4
MONEYLINE 7-4
TOTAL O/U 5-6
YTD RESULTS:
SPREAD 67-57
MONEYLINE 76-48
TOTAL O/U 59-65
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- Written by Shawn Foss
Welcome back to the Rookie Report! Week 9 was a tough one for us here. A lot of outlooks changed after the report posted. Most notably, Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending leg injury. That threw a wrench into the expectations for Marlon Mack and D’Onta Foreman along with Watson’s. Leonard Fournette was suspended for breaking team rules right before their game with the Bengals, likely sending people scrambling for a running back. Hopefully you were able to find an adequate replacement. Hopefully things go a little more according to plan this week. The number of byes in week 10 drops to 4 (KC, PHI, OAK, BAL), so you shouldn’t be quite as hard pressed to fill gaps as the last two weeks. With the Chiefs and Eagles on bye, we won’t get to dive into what’s wrong with Kareem Hunt or talk up Corey Clement’s garbage time bonanza, but we will talk about all of the fantasy relevant rookies who are playing this week. Let’s jump in and take a look at the week 10 slate…
Rookies to Start:
RB Leonard Fournette, JAX (Wk. 10: vs. LAC): The Chargers have allowed 8 running backs to finish as a weekly top-20 back, and Fournette has landed in the top 14 backs in all 6 weeks he’s played (top-10 4 times). As long as he doesn’t suddenly get benched on Sunday again, he should be a safe RB1 again. The Chargers allow the 2nd-most rushing yards per game. Fournette will cost a bundle in DFS games, but he may be worth the price. He should be a chalk play in cash games.
RB Christian McCaffrey, CAR (Wk. 10: vs. Mia.): McCaffrey finally saw a spike in his rushing usage last week. It only took two early Jonathan Stewart fumbles to get us here, but McCaffrey handled a season-high 15 rushing attempts, and he actually had success, picking up 66 yards and a score (the score probably should’ve been ruled a pass play, but I digress). The Panthers said they traded Kelvin Benjamin to open things up for the running game, and for at least one week, it worked. McCaffrey’s receiving floor has already proven solid this year with at least 4 catches and 28 receiving yards in every single game so far. The rushing usage could be the key to unlocking his ceiling if it continues. The Dolphins aren’t a great matchup for him, but CMC has been at least a flex play every week. I’d look for him to be a safe RB2 in all formats this week, with higher upside in PPR.
RB Alvin Kamara, NO (Wk. 10: @Buf.): Kamara put on a show last weekend with 31.2 PPR points, good enough to be the overall RB1 for the week. His point total has gone up each week since the Saints traded away Adrian Peterson. The matchup gets a little tougher this week, but the Bills have had some struggles vs. RBs lately. They allowed only one team’s RBs to top 20 PPR points in the first 6 games of the year, but have allowed 35 or more to the position in each of the last 2. Kamara should be an easy RB2 again this week. His price tag in DFS has finally caught up with his production a bit, but he should still be a strong option there as well.
TE Evan Engram, NYG (Wk. 10: @SF): Engram has 29 targets in the 3 games since Odell Beckham and Brandon Marshall were hurt, and he’s posted 15-212-3 with at least 60 yards and a score in each game. The return of Sterling Shepard last week didn’t cut into his volume at all, as he was targeted 10 times in week 9. The 49ers do limit TE production, allowing the 6th-fewest points per game to the position, but Engram is a featured part of this offense. The buckets of volume he should continue to see make him a top-3 TE option this week with Ertz & Kelce on byes.
Borderline Rookies:
RB Joe Mixon, CIN (Wk. 10: @Ten.): Mixon should continue to return much the same value we’ve seen over the past several weeks. He’s scored between 8 and 14 points in PPR scoring each and every week since Bill Lazor took over as offensive coordinator. That range is uninspiring, but it can be usable. The Bengals’ shoddy o-line play has severely limited Mixon’s upside. The Titans do have a decent run defense, ranking 12th in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA stat, but Mixon should still get his typical volume. That’ll keep him in play as a floor RB2/flex option as usual.
RB Aaron Jones, GB (Wk. 10: @Chi.): I actually like Jones this week, but it’s hard to have a ton of confidence in him after Monday night. Ty Montgomery has re-appeared and Head Coach Mike McCarthy has said TyMo will handle passing downs going forward. Against the Bears, I do like the Packers’ chances of being able to run on early downs, which would work in Jones’s favor. The Bears are actually a 5.5-point favorite in this game, which is incredible. That would make you think game script will favor Montgomery, but I’m not convinced. The Bears do allow the 11th-most RB points per game. If Green Bay is able to keep the game tight or play with a lead, Jones should be able to return solid value as a flex option. If they play from behind, I’d be less optimistic. Go with your gut on how you think this game will go. If I had to guess, I like Jones to outscore Montgomery.
RB Marlon Mack, IND (Wk. 10: vs. Pit.): Mack is in play again this week with the Colts a 10-point underdog at home. They lucked into facing Tom Savage last week, and were able to play in a positive game script for once, which undoubtedly hurt Mack’s output. I’d expect him to get a healthier dose of passing game work in this one. I’m not bullish on Mack’s prospects of finding the end zone though. The Steelers haven’t allowed a running back receiving score all year, and the Colts have run the ball from inside the 5-yard line just 4 times all year, and 3 of them were Robert Turbin carries. If you’re desperate for a fill-in back with some upside this week, Mack fits the bill, but it’s likely there are better plays available.
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT (Wk. 10: @Ind.): JuJu gets a great matchup this week and is coming off his best game of the year before last week’s bye, but I’m not ready to go all-in on JJSS this week. As mentioned above, the Steelers are a 10-point road favorite and may not need to throw a lot as the game goes on. They also will have Martavis Bryant back, and he could get some squeaky wheel treatment after complaining about his role in the offense (I know he got suspended for those complaints, but they still may try to get him more involved). The Colts will also be without Vontae Davis, which means Antonio Brown should be able to do anything he wants to against this secondary. The Colts allow the 7th-most WR points per game and have allowed the most 20+ yard completions in the league. The matchup is ripe for JuJu to have a big day, but there are plenty of concerns as to just how much volume he’s going to see. He’s a WR3 option this week with some boom-or-bust to him.
WR Cooper Kupp, LAR (Wk. 10: vs. Hou.): The Texans have really struggled to slow down opposing WRs in the two games since their bye, coughing up an absurd 105 PPR points to the position total in those games. The Rams’ passing attack looked great against the Giants last week, and it may be Kupp’s turn to score a TD this week after Robert Woods and Sammy Watkins combined for 3 TDs last Sunday. Per Rich Hribar of Rotoworld, 27.7% of Kupp’s targets have come in the red zone, the highest percentage of any WR in the league. Volume could be a problem with the Rams a 12-point favorite, but if Kupp finds the end zone he should return decent value as a flex or WR3.
Rookies to Sit:
QB Mitch Trubisky, CHI (Wk. 10: vs. GB): As I mentioned above for Aaron Jones, the Bears are stunningly favored to beat the Packers. If the game goes the way Vegas expects it to, the Bears should go back to the run-heavy game plan they’d been employing prior to the Saints game. Trubisky threw 32 pass attempts against New Orleans in that game. It was the most he’s thrown in a game. 24 teams average more attempts than that per game. The Pack can be thrown on, but I don’t expect Trubisky to throw enough to be even a usable QB2.
QB DeShone Kizer, CLE (Wk. 10: @Det.): As long as the Browns continue to let Kizer start, there will be some sneaky spots to use him once Corey Coleman and Josh Gordon are into the lineup. This week is not one of them. The Lions have allowed just one top-12 QB all year, and have kept 5 QBs out of the top-20. That list includes Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Eli Manning and Carson Palmer. The Lions are currently tied for 3rd in the NFL in takeaways, and no QB has turned the ball over more than Kizer. This is a great spot to play the Detroit defense.
RB RB Elijah McGuire, NYJ (Wk. 10: @TB): The Bucs have given up 7 running back scores in the past 4 games, and McGuire did just handle 14 touches last Thursday, but he’s still stuck behind Forte and Powell. As bad as the Bucs have been, it’s still hard to imagine the Jets blowing them out in Tampa by enough that McGuire gets extended run. Forte was held out of practice Wednesday, so monitor the situation as the week goes on. It’s likely just a precautionary measure, but McGuire would have pretty decent upside this week if Forte is out.
RB Matt Breida, SF (Wk. 10: vs. NYG): Despite the 49ers having limited options on offense thanks to a litany of injuries (Kittle, Garcon, Trent Taylor), I wouldn’t expect big things from Breida this week. He’s been the clear second fiddle to Hyde for several weeks now, and I’d expect SF to lean on Hyde again this week. He was targeted an absurd 11 times in the loss to Arizona last weekend. Breida will continue to handle the scraps, but that isn’t enough to make him an intriguing option this week.
RB D’Onta Foreman, HOU (Wk. 10: @LAR): The Texans’ offense with Tom Savage at the helm just doesn’t generate enough production to consider playing the number 2 running back, even in a plus matchup like this one.
WR Zay Jones, BUF (Wk. 10: vs. NO): Zay Jones was written off earlier this year (by me and others) due to historic inefficiency, but he appears to have gotten his rookie season back on track in the last 2 weeks. He had his best game as a pro last Thursday with a 6-53-1 line. Unfortunately he got dinged up in that game. Jones was able to play much of the 2nd half last week after being injured, so there is a real chance he plays this week, but he’s not practicing as of Wednesday. If he does play, his volume will likely take a big hit with Kelvin Benjamin getting up to speed and Charles Clay likely returning. I’d shy away even if Zay is a go.
WR Curtis Samuel, CAR (Wk. 10: vs. Mia.): It was nice to see Samuel get more involved in the passing game with Kelvin Benjamin gone. The 3 catches, 23 yards and 5 targets were all season-highs (5 targets tied his season-high), and he tacked on a 14-yard rush as well. I’d expect his role to continue to grow moving forward, but I don’t like his prospects for this week. Both the Panthers and Dolphins like to slow the game down, and that will limit the total number of plays and overall passing volume. The Dolphins have allowed the 10th-fewest WR points per game, and have faced the 2nd-fewest overall pass attempts against. That limited volume curtails the upside that Samuel has this week. He’s still just the 3rd option in the passing game at best. I’d expect somewhere around 25 passing attempts for Cam, and Funchess and CMC are averaging a combined 16 targets per game
WR Dede Westbrook, JAX (Wk. 10: vs. LAC): Westbrook’s return from IR was delayed last week, and may be again. The Jaguars have said they aren’t sure if he’ll be activated this week. If he is, he should push Keelan Cole to the bench in 3WR sets. Even if Westbrook suits up, I’d be hard-pressed to trot him out there in any formats this week. Jacksonville should have their way with the Chargers on the ground, and the team has averaged just 178 passing yards per game when Fournette is in the lineup. Westbrook could be an interesting punt option in DFS tournaments if Marqise Lee sits, but there won’t be a ton of passing volume for the Jaguars in this one.
WR Mike Williams, LAC (Wk. 10: @Jax): The Jaguars erase wide receivers. They allow the fewest points per game to the position in the league, and the Chargers have averaged 8 completions per game to WRs in their past 4 contests. I’m not even sure I trust Keenan Allen this week, let alone Williams.
WR Josh Malone, CIN (Wk. 10: @Ten.): I mention Malone because he now has 7 targets in the last two weeks, and Cincy does face a weak pass defense on Sunday. You still should avoid him. The Bengals have been a low-volume attack and I’d look for them to try and spark AJ Green in this one.
WR Kenny Golladay, DET (Wk. 10: vs. Cle.): Even if Golladay finally returns to the lineup for Detroit, Stafford seems to have found a great rhythm with Golden Tate and Marvin Jones, and Kenny would still split snaps with TJ Jones for the WR3 spot. The Lions are also a 12-point favorite, so they should stray a little from their typically pass-heavy play calling. There is more risk than upside for Golladay this week.
TE David Njoku, CLE (Wk. 10: @Det.): The Lions have allowed a league-low 26 catches to opposing TEs on the year, and Njoku continues to split time with Seth DeValve. Until that changes, he’ll continue to be a low-upside TD dart throw. You typically don’t want to play a TD dart throw option in a game where the team’s implied total is only about 15 and a half points.
TE OJ Howard, TB (Wk. 10: vs. NYJ): With Jameis sidelined, OJ’s already limited fantasy prospects get even more limited. You could argue Howard could get more usage as a receiver with Mike Evans out, but there’s a different guy I expect to pick up that slack that I’ll get to in a moment. I’d avoid Howard this week.
TE Gerald Everett, LAR (Wk. 10: vs. Hou.): Everett is always capable of putting up a long catch and the Texans are allowing the 6th-most TE points per game, but you’d have to be pretty desperate to trot out Everett. He played just 15 offensive snaps last week compared to 50 for teammate Tyler Higbee.
Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:
QB CJ Beathard, SF (Wk. 10: vs. NYG): As long as he gets the start, Beathard is in play as a streamer in 2QB leagues. Kyle Shanahan left the door open for Jimmy Garoppolo to start with comments to the media on Wednesday, but I’d expect it to be CJ. There’s no reason to rush Jimmy with the season already lost and a bye following this game. There are some concerns for Beathard, as the Niners are without George Kittle, Pierre Garcon, and Trent Taylor. Instead, his targets will be Hyde, Garrett Celek, Marquise Goodwin, and Aldrick Robinson. The matchup is still a pretty good one. The Giants have allowed 3 passing scores in 4 of their past 5 games, and allowed over 250 passing yards in all 5. Beathard is likely to put up less than the 23.7 points per game the Giants have allowed to QBs in that stretch, but there is still some upside to be had.
RB Tarik Cohen, CHI (Wk. 10: vs. GB): It’ll be tough to trust Cohen in season-long lineups after he handled just 6 touches in the past 2 games combined, but the Bears know they need to get him more involved. The Packers rank 25th in pass defense DVOA on throws to running backs, and Cohen is their most explosive pass catcher out of the backfield. He should be an intriguing punt options for DFS tournaments, but is probably a little too volatile to use anywhere else.
RB Wayne Gallman, NYG (Wk. 10: @SF): While it appears Orleans Darkwa has taken over the lead back role for the G-Men, Gallman hasn’t completely disappeared. He handled 9 carries last week, and this week the Giants face a 49ers team that has allowed the most rushing yards per game and 2nd-most rushing TDs in the league. Darkwa is a huge upside play this week, but I think some of the benefits spill over to Gallman. He did out-snap Darkwa in week 7 before the bye.
WR Corey Davis, TEN (Wk. 10: vs. Cin.): The Bengals have been excellent at limiting WRs (they allow the 4th-fewest points per game to the position), but they struggled badly to contain Marqise Lee last Sunday. Davis looked healthy and played 75% of the offensive snaps. Head Coach Mike Mularkey said that his snap count is going to increase moving forward. With DeMarco Murray ailing, the Titans could lean on the pass a bit more this week, and Davis should be basically a full-time player. There are worse options you could go to if you need a fill-in WR. Davis was targeted 5 times last Sunday, and I’d expect at least that number again.
WR Chris Godwin, TB (Wk. 10: vs. NYJ): With Mike Evans suspended for this game, Godwin should move into a starting role. He’ll have Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing him the ball, which doesn’t seem ideal, but Godwin likely catches a lot of balls from Fitz in practice since both are on the 2nd team. I’d also expect the Jets’ top corner Mo Claiborne to be contending more with DeSean Jackson than Godwin. The Jets allow the 9th-most points per game to WRs, and Godwin has been impressive whenever he’s been given a chance. He’s in a great spot and costs the minimum in DraftKings.
WR ArDarius Stewart, NYJ (Wk. 10: @TB): Stewart has been irrelevant so far this year, but his role is worth monitoring this week with Jeremy Kerley suspended for the next 4 games. Stewart looked poised to be the starting slot WR before Kerley was cut by the 49ers. Stewart is probably unlikely to make a fantasy impact in these 4 weeks with the Jets favoring Kearse, ASJ and Robby Anderson, but the Bucs do allow the 2nd-most WR points per game. Don’t be shocked if Stewart has a decent game out of nowhere.
That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully it helps you with some lineup decisions wherever you have rookies. Keep an eye on the injury report throughout the week and make sure to check before kickoff that there aren’t any surprise inactives like Fournette last week. If you have any questions or want to rant 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.
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- Written by Tad Bukowski
I know what you’re thinking – “Wait a minute…there’s football this weekend?”
Yes, for some odd reason, the NFL has decided to go ahead with a full slate of games even though the Raiders are on their bye week. My assumption is that ratings would take a huge hit, but we shall see.
So, since games will be played…let’s have some confidence!
Week 10 – HERE WE GO!!!!
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
14 – DETROIT over Cleveland – Oh we’re getting bold right out of the gate! No, not because I’m picking the Lions to beat the Browns, obviously, but my BOLD PREDICTION for this week is that THE BROWNS WILL BE THE SECOND TEAM IN HISTORY TO FINSIH 0-16.
13 – LOS ANGELES RAMS over Houston – It’s still a little weird to put the Rams up this high, but they have definitely earned it. One of the only things that would seem weirder would be if …
12 – JACKSONVILLE over Los Angeles Chargers – …the Jaguars were also up this high! Sign of the times my friends! Especially with Leonard Fournette back, there is no way the Chargers can stop the Jags.
11 – CAROLINA over Miami –Somehow the Panthers always seem to squeak out wins at home like they did last week against the Falcons. This week should be easier though.
10 – CHICAGO over Green Bay – This may not be that exciting of a game seeing as though Mitchell Trubisky recently completed four passes in a game and Brett Hundley has an issue throwing a pass past the line of scrimmage, but Soldier Field would still treat this like a Super Bowl win.
9 – Pittsburgh over INDIANAPOLIS – The Colts pulled off a bit of an upset in Houston last week and have some momentum. Not nearly enough to stop the Steelers offense though.
8 – New York Jets over TAMPA BAY – Simply put – no Jameis, no Evans, no win!
7 – TENNESSEE over Cincinnati – I see this game as the Bengals passing the torch to the Titans as the team that will be in the playoffs for years to come…but won’t have a chance to make it deep.
6 – ATLANTA over Dallas – One of the most advertised games of the week loses a bit of its edge if Zeke doesn’t play … so do the Cowboys.
5 – New England over DENVER – This would be the game of the year a couple years or two, not so much now though. I would have this higher but something about the Broncos at home on Sunday Night Football has me thinking twice a bit.
4 – ARIZONA over Seattle – The week starts with a battle of NFC West teams trying to keep pace with the Rams (again, still weird). AP seems to be the offensive spark needed for the Cards after losing Carson Palmer.
3 – BUFFALO over New Orleans – Who knew that THIS would be a big game! Buffalo gets the nod here as they seem to be a tough team to play in Orchard Park.
2 – WASHINGTON over Minnesota – The Skins looked good on the other side of the country last week. But they’re still the Skins, which means they are always hit or miss.
1 – SAN FRANCISCO over New York Giants – How many playoff classics has this matchup given us? Now, it’s the game most likely to end in a 3-3 tie.
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- Written by David Biggs
Here we go again - after a fight-filled week 9, it's my hope that your fantasy team is still in the running for a playoff spot! It's time now to really crack down on your free agent pickups and focus on the goalline as we head into the last few weeks of the fantasy football regular season. Some players this week that may be able to help out with that? Sure, how about: Tyrod Taylor, Lamar Miller, Frank Gore, Devin Funchess, Sammy Watkins, Mohamed Sanu, and Jesse James. Best of luck!
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- Written by Jim Hutchins
It's the end of another exciting week of football which means it's time to put your claims in for available free agents in your fantasy league to strengthen your team. I'll be going over who I think are the top five picks for you to target this week so don't miss out on them. Good luck!
Note: %owned is based on Yahoo! leagues at the time of publication.
5) Marqise Lee (JAX) - 38% owned - Lee is currently 20th in targets for all receivers but unfortunately has only found the endzone once this season. The high volume should keep Lee in the WR3 conversation.
4) Matt Forte (NYJ) - 42% owned - Forte finally looked to be over a nagging turf toe injury as he rushed 14 times for 77 yards and two touchdowns while also catching four passes for another 19 yards against Buffalo. The Jets backfield should still be a timeshare but expect Forte to be leading it as long as he stays healthy.
3) Robert Woods (LAR) - 34% owned - The Rams offense has been clicking all season and Woods is getting enough targets to be a legitimate WR3 most weeks. Woods has a great matchup this week against a Texans defense giving up almost 260 receiving yards per game.
2) Charles Clay (BUF) - 13% owned - Clay is set to return after getting injured in week 5. Prior to his injury he was the most productive fantasy pass catcher for the Bills so he should be worth a grab as he has some nice matchups at the tail end of the season including two matchups against New England.
1) Greg Olsen (CAR) - 50% owned - Olsen won't be eligible to return until week 12 but if you are poised for the playoffs and need a boost to the TE position and he's available you should grab him now or it will be too late.