Dynasty

The Wire – Week 14

by

The Wire - Week 14

By Levi Ellis

In some leagues the playoffs are starting this week. In others it’s your last chance to secure a playoff berth. Regardless of your situation fantasy championships are won and lost from the waiver wire. Take five minutes and see who the best available players are this week and go place your bids. 

 

All players are listed in priority order based on position. 

 

Bye Weeks - Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots & Philadelphia Eagles

 

(2 QB Leagues Only)

Taysom Hill - 19/41 264 yards, 2tds, 4ints, 11 carries, 101 yards - Hill was exactly as expected last week. He was great in the run game and well the four interceptions speak for themselves. If Hill is still the starter then he does have the Jets this week and his rushing upside gives him a great floor. 10% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Cam Newton - Fresh off a bye week there’s nothing like fixing something that‘s broken with a matchup against the Falcons. Cam looked terrible last week but his rushing upside is worth a risk. 10% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Jake Fromm - It’s possible that both Daniel Jones and Mike Glennon miss this week and if so Jake Fromm will step in. The Chargers have a good pass defense so this is a worst case scenario waiver suggestion. 1% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Alexander Mattison - 22 carries, 90 yards, 1td, 3 targets, 3 catches, 34 yards - It’s unlikely that Mattison is unowned but if he is you need to snatch him up. 75% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Chase Edmonds - Take a look and see if Edmonds was dropped in your league as he is likely back this week. Just keep in mind starting him his first week back is dangerous. 30% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Devonta Freeman - 14 carries, 52 yards, 1td, 8 targets, 5 catches, 45 yards - Freeman continues to be productive overall even if his ypc isn't great. He’s also the #1 RB on a run-heavy team. 30% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Sony Michel - 24 carries, 121 yards, 1td, 4 targets, 3 catches, 8 yards - Michel is worth an ad incase Henderson misses more time. Michel showed out last week against the Jaguars, however he does have the Cardinals this week. 30% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Jamal Williams - 17 carries, 71 yards, 1 target, 1 catch, 9 yards - Williams must be rostered right now with Swift still banged up. While we don’t yet know if Swift will suit up this week, you won’t want to wait this out because if you do it will then be too late. 30% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Dontrell Hilliard - Back from the bye and he was looking like the best RB on the roster and the Jaguars are on tap. 25% of your remaining faab budget.

 

D’Onta Foreman - Can he keep the rushing production up? There’s no better way to find out than to face the Jaguars this week. 15% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Tevin Coleman - 11 carries, 58 yards, 4 targets, 3 catches, 19 yards - Desperate times call for desperate measures. Coleman is currently the starter so he should see touches but he also faces the Saints this week so please for the love of God find someone else. 15% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Seattle RBs - The Seahawks have the Texans this week and they like to run the ball. The problem is which RB will get the majority of the carries (Collins, Peterson, Homer, Penney). Keep an eye on this one throughout the week and if there’s clarity and if you like to live dangerously then go for it. 1% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Hunter Renfrow - 10 targets, 9 catches, 102 yards - If Renfrow is available then there’s no excuse for you not winning your league. Because it’s clear no one in your league knows what they’re doing. 75% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Van Jefferson - 8 targets, 6 catches, 41 yards, 1td - Read what I said about Renfrow. 70% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Russell Gage - 12 targets, 11 catches, 130 yards - Gage has turned into the #1 target in this offense and he’s been producing. 40% of your remaining faab budget.

 

KJ Osborn - 7 targets, 4 catches, 47 yards, 1td - If Thielen misses time Osborn will be set up for a huge role moving forward. 40% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Julio Jones - It appears that he may be back this week. Take a look to see if he was dropped in your league. 40% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Jamison Crowder - 6 targets, 4 catches, 62 yards - Corey Davis is out for the rest of the year so Crowder’s targets should only go up but make no mistake Elijah Moore is the top dog in town now. 30% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Amon-Ra St. Brown - 12 targets, 10 catches, 86 yards, 1td, 1 carry, 2 yards - We are finally starting to see the talent of St. Brown. I hope this is a sign of things to come but keep in mind it’s the Lions. 20% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Josh Reynolds - 7 targets, 4 catches, 69 yards - Josh Reynolds has stepped into a significant role in the Lion's offense. The problem still remains that it’s the Lions offense. Tread lightly.  10% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Laquon Treadwell - 5 targets, 4 catches, 62 yards - Two weeks in a row and Treadwell has been involved. It’s looking more and more like this is a thing. 5% of your remaining faab budget.

 

D’Wayne Eskridge - 3 targets, 3 catches, 35 yards, 1td - With Russ cooking again and Eskridge now healthy, this could get interesting. I don’t feel comfortable starting him right now but if he produces another week or two then I could be convinced. 5% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Jakeem Grant - 7 targets, 5 catches, 62 yards, 1td - Deep league consideration only! 1% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Jalen Guyton - 4 targets, 4 catches, 90 yards, 1td - If Keenan Allen misses this week due to Covid then in theory Guyton should be more involved even though he isn’t likely to play Allen’s role. 1% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Josh Palmer - 1 target - Palmer only makes this list because of Keenan Allen hitting the Covid list. Proceed with caution. 1% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Pat Friermuth - 4 targets, 3 catches, 26 yards, 1 2pt conversion - I’ll say it again, Friermuth is a must own in every format. He may not have blown up last week but he’s easily one the top TEs in the league and he’s still a rookie with a flawed QB. 50% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Tyler Conklin - 9 targets, 7 catches, 56 yards - If Thielen misses time I anticipate Conklin to be more involved. 30% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Dalton Schultz - 5 targets, 5 catches, 43 yards - There’s reason for concern with all three of the top WRs healthy but I would rather role Schultz out than most of the other TEs in the league. 30% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Foster Moreau - 3 targets, 1 catch, 34 yards - It’s possible that Waller is back this week and if so remove Moreau from this list, but if not, fire Moreau up with confidence. 10% of your remaining faab budget.

 

James O'Shaughnessy - 6 targets, 2 catches, 13 yards - For some reason Jacksonville likes to throw the ball to the underdogs rather than their best players. With this kind of strategy O’Shaughnessy is likely to lead the team in targets. In all seriousness Jacksonville likes to throw to the TE and since Dan Arnold went down that leaves O’Shaughnessy to pick up the slack. 1% of your remaining faab budget.

 

John Bates - 4 targets, 3 catches, 42 yards - If Logan Thomas misses time again, Bates may be worth a look but only in super deep leagues. 1% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Dead to Me (redraft leagues only)

Baker Mayfield - You’ve seen him play right

Teddy Bridgewater - So much talent around him and it just doesn’t matter

All Texans - I’m sorry Brandin Cooks but I just can’t start you

Latavious Murray - He’s disappeared in recent weeks

Marvin Jones - For some reason they stopped throwing to him

Courtland Sutton - I can’t wait for Denver to upgrade at QB next year

Tim Patrick - See above

Laviska Shenault - The Jags must like losing because they aren’t giving this guy the ball

 

On Life Support

All Giants not named Barkley and he isn’t exactly setting the world on fire right now

Zeke Elliot - He’s banged up and it’s clear Pollard is the better RB right now

CJ Uzomah - He’s boom or bust and mostly just bust

 

Check me out on Twitter @FFStock_Man37 or on my YouTube channel (The Locker Room)

 

Rookie Report 2021 – Week 11 and 12

by

Rookie Report 2021 – Week 11 and 12

By Steve Uetz

For the purposes of this season-long article series, I will take you through how all the fantasy-relevant rookies from the 2021 class are performing on a week-to-week basis. I will break down their weekly statistics and offensive role regarding their real-life development and fantasy football outlook.

Let’s look at how the most notable players from the 2021 rookie class fared in the 11th and 12th weeks of NFL action!

 

Breakout Performance of Week 11

WR Elijah Moore, New York Jets

Week 11: 1 rush 15 yards, caught 8 of 11 targets for 141 yards (including one for 62 yards!) and 1 TD!

Week 12: 1 rush 7 yards, caught 4 of 8 targets 46 yards

Elijah Moore’s monster week 11 came at the hands of a Zach Wilson-less Jets offense. With Zach Wilson returning to the field in week 12, Moore took a bit of a step back production-wise. Despite producing with 100 yards less from the previous week, Moore is finally getting consistent stout usage. My player comparison for Elijah Moore coming out of college was prime Antonio Brown. Moore is far from AB’s prowess, but what I want to be encouraged by for the remainder of the season is if Moore can keep his production up with Zach Wilson, so they can develop a long-term rapport. Moore should be considered a FLEX option for the rest of the season due to his production upside and offensive role.

Breakout Performances of Week 12

WR Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins

Week 11: 1 rush, 1 yard, 1 TD, caught 8 of 9 targets for 65 yards

Week 12: As the Dolphins dominated the Panthers, Waddle exploded as he caught 9 of 10 targets for 137 yards (including one for 57 yards!) with a TD! Waddle is delivering for fantasy GMs with a strong return on investment as a late first-round rookie pick. He is a must-start option for the rest of the season.

RB Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers

After sitting out week 11 dealing with his finger injury, Mitchell returned to action with a massive 33-touch outing! Not only was the volume excellent but the production was phenomenal! He averaged 4.9 yards per carry as he totaled 133 yards on 27 carries and caught 5 of 6 targets for 35 yards. You can expect another big week in week 13 as Mitchell will be in line for another elite workload with teammate WR hybrid Deebo Samuel being inactive. This is significant because in week 12 Samuel rushed for over 60 yards and scored 2 rushing TDs. Mitchell and the 49ers will have an extremely friendly schedule for the fantasy football playoffs. I believe Mitchell will be on a lot of championship-winning rosters.

 

QB Mac Jones, New England Patriots

Week 11: Jones completed 22 of 26 passing attempts for 207 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, and took 3 sacks. The Patriots shut out the Falcons for a 25-0 victory.

Week 12: Jones completed 23 of 32 pass attempts for 310 yards, 2 TDs, with 11 rushing yards. He took 2 sacks but caps off a four-week stretch but completely dominant wins. The Patriots’ defense is playing out of their minds and as long as Jones continues to prevent turnovers, the Patriots could be in a solid position to make a playoff run. Jones continues to demonstrate that he is a franchise QB for New England. He has produced to be more of a safe floor QB2 option, but what he certainly has going for him is career longevity with job security which is an extremely valuable trait in Super Flex dynasty leagues.

QB Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

Week 11: Lawrence completed 16 of 25 pass attempts for 158 yards, gained 23 yards on 3 attempts, but took 3 sacks in the lob-sided 20 point loss to the 49ers.

Week 12: Lawrence completed 23 of 42 pass attempts for 228 yards, 1 TD, 1 Int, 1 sack, and gained 39 yards on 5 rushing attempts.

What is encouraging from this two-week sample is Lawrence’s rushing ability. I would not rely on his rushing production as a reason to start him but seeing it in action in a bright spot in an overall murky outlook. Lawrence has tremendous career potential but for fantasy purposes in this season, Lawrence would be best served as a desperation play in Super Flex leagues. I’m looking forward to seeing what Lawrence is capable of with a healthy DJ Chark and Travis Etienne next season.

 

QB Zach Wilson, New York Jets

Week 11: Inactive against the Dolphins

Week 12: Zach Wilson returned to action after spending several weeks out with a knee injury and was able to lead the Jets to a victory against the Houston Texans despite playing poorly. Wilson completed 14 of 24 pass attempts for 145 yards and 1 INT. He also took 4 sacks but was able to score a rushing TD with a total 3 rushing yards. Wilson remains impossible to start right now in Super Flex leagues but what I am focusing on is his professional development. Getting wins like he did in week 12 is fantastic, but now I want him to limit turnovers and aim to have a positive TD to turnover ratio for the remainder of the season.

 

QB Justin Fields, Chicago Bears

Week 11: Fields, unfortunately, left the contest early due to injury. He was unable to play in the 2nd half with a ribs injury but certainly struggled to produce in the first half. He finished his day completing 4 of 11 pass attempts for 79 yards and gained 23 yards on 4 rushing attempts.

Week 12: Inactive for the Thanksgiving Day game due to the ribs injury sustained in week 12

Fields has held the Questionable tag all week leading up to week 13; even though he is likely to play, he is a difficult player to put into starting lineups with the mostly mediocre fantasy production he has amassed.

 

RB Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 11: Harris struggled with rushing efficiency but found the end-zone as he gained 39 yards on 12 rushing attempts. He continues to be well-involved in the passing game as he caught 5 of 6 targets for 20 yards.

Week 12: The Steelers’ offense struggled mightily against the Bengals as Najee Harris saw a season-low in touches and overall production. Harris gained 23 yards on 8 rushing attempts and caught 3 of his 5 targets for 14 yards. Better days ahead for the young stud.

There is certainly some cause for concern but ultimately, I believe that Harris will continue to receive elite opportunity share in the Pittsburgh offense; don’t let the recent down week shake your confidence in Harris.

 

RB Michael Carter, New York Jets

Week 11: Carter was on his way to another strong outing but left the contest early due to an injury that will sideline him for several weeks. He had gained 63 yards on 9 rushing attempts and caught his only target for 2 yards. Carter’s promising rookie campaign will have to be put on hold as he was inactive for week 12 and will likely be out until hopefully the start of the fantasy playoffs. He, unfortunately, may not hold starter consideration until week 15 or 16. He is clearly the guy for the Jets; his future outlook appears quite promising as a low RB2/strong Flex option.

RB Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos

Week 11: BYE WEEK

Week 12: Williams gained 54 yards on 14 attempts with 1 TD and surprisingly led the Broncos in receiving as he caught 3 of 4 targets for 57 yards!

Williams is limited by only his teammate Melvin Gordon; who is having a great season in his own right. Both Gordan and Williams are averaging nearly 15 touches per game, which puts them both into weekly touchdown-dependent Flex options. I don’t foresee this dynamic changing outside of an injury to Melvin Gordon. Thinking beyond this season, Williams has RB1 upside but may realistically be held to RB2 type of production as he splits the rushing workload. He is still only 21 years old!

 

RB Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots

After his monster breakout performance in week 10 with teammate Damien Harris inactive, Stevenson has returned back down to earth with good but not great fantasy performances. In week 11 he gained 69 yards on 12 carries (5.8 yards per carry!) and caught his only target for 6 yards. In week 12 he gained 46 yards on 9 carries (5.1 yards per carry!) and was unable to haul in his lone target. That makes for straight dominant wins for the Patriots which is a great recipe for success in the running game. The only problem is that Stevenson is splitting time with the talented Damien Harris which will limit Stevenson’s weekly ceiling. Stevenson should be viewed as a league and roster-specific Flex option for the rest of the season.

RB Trey Sermon, San Francisco 49ers

Week 11: With fellow rookie teammate RB Elijah Mitchell being ruled out with a finger injury, Sermon returned to action as the 49ers comfortably beat the Jaguars. Sermon totaled 11 touches; he gained 32 yards on 10 rushing attempts and caught his only target for 23 yards.

 

WR Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

Week 11 and Week 12: Two weeks in a row Chase was held to only 3 catches. The Bengals offense has become occupied by a strong rushing attack led by stud Joe Mixon. In the week 11 dominant victory over the Raiders, Chase caught 3 of 6 targets for 32 yards with a TD and gained 8 yards on 2 rushing attempts. In the week 12 blowout victory against the Steelers, Chase caught all 3 of his targets for 39 yards. Chase remains an automatic start in all league formats.

 

WR DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles

Week 11: caught 4 of 6 targets for 61 yards in the big win over the Saints

Week 12: caught 2 of 4 targets for 22 yards in the dreadful offensive effort against the Giants

DeVonta Smith is everything the Eagles have hoped for at this point. Despite two down weeks in a row, he remains a strong starting option for the rest of the season with big-time prospects for your dynasty roster.

WR Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens

Week 11: caught 3 of 6 targets for 29 yards

Week 12: caught 4 of 4 targets for 31 yards

Bateman and the Ravens offense, are coming off two disappointing weeks in a row of poor offensive production. During that span of time Lamar Jackson has thrown 1 TD and 5 INTs, yet somehow managed to win both contests while scoring a total of only 16 points in each matchup. Bateman shouldn’t be considered a starting option outside of the deepest of PPR leagues. His long-term outlook remains optimistic, despite the recent Baltimore offensive struggles.

 

WR Kadarius Toney, New York Giants

Week 11: After returning from the Bye Week in week 10, Toney was active and churned out a decent PPR performance. He was hard to trust him as a starting option since he held the Questionable tag all week leading up the Monday Night Football contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Toney ended up catching 7 of 12 (!!) targets for 40 yards! He, unfortunately, get banged up during the contest which led to him missing the week 12 contest against Philadelphia. Toney status for week 13 against the Dolphins is still up in the air.

WR Rondale Moore, Arizona Cardinals

Week 11: In the victory over the Seahawks, Moore led the Cardinals in targets and receptions. Moore caught all 11 (!) targets for 51 yards! The Arizona offense continues to be an annoying situation for the pass-catchers from a fantasy football perspective. A performance like this brings a lot of encouragement for Moore despite having uncertain confidence of when to put him into a starting lineup.

Week 12: BYE WEEK

Moore and the Cardinals return to action as they face the Chicago Bears in week 13.

 

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

Week 11: caught 4 of 4 targets for 18 yards as the abysmal Tim Boyle filled in for Jared Goff

Week 12: caught 4 of 4 targets for 23 yards with Jared Goff back in action for the Thanksgiving Day contest. Only in the deepest of PPR leagues should he be considered a desperation Flex option; St. Brown and the Lions passing attack have a long way to go to achieve fantasy relevance.

 

TE Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

Week 11: caught 3 of 5 targets for 29 yards

Week 12: caught 2 of 6 targets for 26 yards

Certainly a disappointing pair of weeks for the promising talent but this is just the way the TE position has shaped up this season. It has been a season of up and down production across the position, but specifically with Pitts; the Falcons have been wildly inconsistent and mediocre at best. Pitts should still be considered a TE1 option for the rest of the season as it will be difficult to fade him considering the scope of the TE position.

 

TE Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 11: Freiermuth found the end zone which saved his fantasy day despite only totaling 11 receiving yards. He caught 4 of 7 targets in the high scoring loss to the Chargers. The 7 targets are what you should be focused on and encouraged by.

Week 12: Freiermuth found the end-zone again as he caught all four of his targets for 40 yards. Freiermuth has become a light in the darkness of the TE landscape that had been riddled with injuries and inconsistent fantasy output.

Since week 6 Freiermuth is averaging 6.5 targets per game which keeps him as a TE1 option for the rest of the season.

 

Bring on Week 13!

Follow me on Twitter @FantasyLadder for any further fantasy football discussion, questions, or advice!

The Wire – Week 13

by

The Wire - Week 13

By Levi Ellis

There’s not much to say this week other than the playoffs are right around the corner and now is the time to strengthen your roster. It won’t be easy this week with four teams on bye and injuries around the league piling up. Don’t walk to the waiver wire this week, run. Sometimes the earliest bid is the tie breaker so get those bids in now.

 

All players are listed in priority order based on position. 

 

Bye Weeks - Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers & Tennessee Titans

 

Alexander Mattison - 7 carries, 21 yards, 1td, 3 targets, 2 catches, 7 yards - Choosing a #1 waiver wire pickup is easy this week with the news of Dalvin Cook’s injury. Look no further than Mattison this week. He may only be a temporary fill in but he’s still the best pickup this week. 75% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Rhamondre Stevenson - 9 carries, 46 yards, 1 target - Stevenson has been on the radar for a few weeks now so he’s likely owned in most leagues but take a look to make sure because this guys a beast. 25% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Devonta Freeman - 16 carries, 52 yards, 1 target, 1 catch, 8 yards - Freeman’s stat line won’t blow you away but he’s still the top RB on a team that loves to run the ball. 25% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Jamal Williams - 15 carries, 65 yards, 5 targets, 5 catches, 18 yards - Swift may miss some time and if so this is Williams backfield. The Lions aren’t a good team but they do like to use their RBs. 25% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Ty Johnson - 6 carries, 42 yards, 1 target - Johnson didn’t get the opportunities last week that I thought he would get with Michael Carter out but I still believe in the talent and that he’s the best back on the roster. 20% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Matt Breida - 9 carries, 26 yards, 2 targets, 2 catches, 29 yards, 1td - Two weeks in a row Breida has been relevant. It’s looking more and more like Zak Moss is being replaced. 20% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Dontrell Hilliard - 12 carries, 131 yards, 1td, 2 targets, 1 catch, 2 yards - Hilliard is on bye this week but after last weeks huge game you need to add this guy and just wait the week. 20% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Jeff Wilson - 2 carries, 5 yards, 1 target, 1 catch, 2 yards - Mitchell is back but Sermon appears to be headed for IR. Shanahan rotates RBs like the rest of us rotate socks. Wilson will have value moving forward. 20% of your remaining faab budget.

 

D'onta Foreman - 19 carries, 109 yards, 1 target, 1 catch, 3 yards - Foreman is on bye this week but he’s a guy worth stashing. Tennessee is committed to the run game and based on their WR injuries they may have no other choice than to run the ball. 15% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Boston Scott - 15 carries, 64 yards, 1td, 3 targets, 2 catches, 8 yards - Keep an eye on Sanders and Howard’s health this week. If one or both miss time Scott is a must own. 10% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Phillip Linday - 12 carries, 42 yards - I think his role will grow as the season continues. He’s the most talented RB on this roster in my opinion so it’s a matter of time before he takes over the lead role. 10% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Kene Nwangwu - 1 carry, 7 yards, KR TD - The last few weeks have shown us the Nwangwu has serious talent and now that Cook is going to miss some time you have to wonder if he will see more offensive touches. 10% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Brandon Bolden - 4 targets, 4 catches, 54 yards - Bolden continues to see the passing game role in this backfield. In PPR leagues he’s worth owning. 10% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Tevin Coleman - 16 carries, 67 yards, 3 targets, 2 catches, 3 yards - It pains me to say this but last week Coleman operated as the #1 RB in the Jets backfield. Because of this you should keep an eye on him. 10% of your remaining faab budget.

 

David Johnson - 10 carries, 39 yards, 3 targets, 2 catches, 16 yards - Johnson is more involved now than ever with Phillip Lindsay’s departure. We should see his role continue to grow. But keep in mind he plays for the Texans so temper your expectations. 10% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Rex Burkhead - 12 carries, 27 yards, 3 targets, 3 catches, 27 yards - Burkhead has been short on production but he is getting opportunities so if you are desperate and I mean desperate then at least he’s getting touches. 5% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Austin Walter - 9 carries, 38 yards, 1td, 1 target - Walter came out of nowhere this week. He makes the list as a guy to just keep your eye on in case his role continues to grow. Oh and he plays for the Jets just in case you were wondering. 1% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Kendrick Bourne - 6 targets, 5 catches, 61 yards, 2tds - After his play the last two weeks he’s starting to remind me more of Jason Bourne than Kendrick Bourne. I’m not sure that we can continue to expect this kind of production moving forward but this season nothing would surprise me. 40% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Russell Gage - 7 targets, 6 catches, 62 yards, 1td - He appears to be the #1 WR for the Falcons right now and yes I know their offense hasn’t been good but Gage has been showing up in recent weeks. 30% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Desean Jackson - 4 targets, 3 catches, 102 yards, 1td - Last week felt like a blast from the past and there’s a part of me that feels like the Raiders will consistently use Jackson. 20% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Kenny Golladay - 7 targets, 3 catches, 50 yards - Golladay finally appears to be healthy. Question now is can Daniel Jones get him the ball. 20% of your remaining faab budget.

 

TY Hilton - 5 targets, 4 catches, 28 yards, 1td - The Colts passing offense outside of Michael Pittman doesn’t impress me at all but we’ve seen late season from Hilton before and he still has the speed. 10% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Josh Reynolds - 5 targets, 3 catches, 70 yards, 1td - Reynolds is a recent addition to the Detroit Lions and he stepped right in. It helps that he and Jared Goff have a rapport and the Lions are terrible at WR. 10% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Cedrick Wilson - 10 targets, 7 catches, 104 yards - Wilson is a guy to consider but if all three of the Cowboys top WRs are in play then he will take a back seat. Keep an eye on him though in case one or more don't suit up for Thursday’s game. 10% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Zay Jones - 7 targets, 5 catches, 59 yards - I’ve always felt like Zay Jones had more talent than his usage would suggest and last week we finally saw him get more than one or two targets in a game. I doubt this usage continues but everything is crazy with the Raiders this year so I’m not ruling anything out. 5% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Marquez Valdes-Scantling - 9 targets, 4 catches, 50 yards - Nine targets last week is impressive but keep in mind he’s boom or bust each week and the Packers are on bye this week. 5% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine - 5 targets, 2 catches, 25 yards, 1td - Westbrook-Ikhine is on bye this week but if Julio is not back in Week 14 then he may be worth rostering. 5% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Laquon Treadwell - 8 targets, 4 catches, 53 yards - I know right. Who saw this coming? He plays for the Jaguars if you didn’t know. In all seriousness Treadwell may actually be worth a pickup. The Jags lost Agnew two weeks ago and then Dan Arnold went down last week and while Arnold is a TE he has been receiving a lot of targets in the passing game and those targets have to go somewhere. Treadwell got 8 targets last week and that means something. 5% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Tavon Austin - 2 targets, 2 catches, 21 yards, 1td - Austin also plays for the Jaguars and if Treadwell isn’t the guy then it’s quite possible that Austin will be. Don’t ask me why the Jaguars are throwing to guys like Treadwell and Austin rather than scheming ways to get the ball to Shenault. It’s one of the great mysteries of the world. 1% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Jauan Jennings - 3 targets, 2 catches, 24 yards, 1td - If Deebo misses time then Jennings may be more involved in the passing game since he’s currently listed as the #3 WR. He did have a TD last week. 1% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Pat Friermuth - 4 targets, 4 catches, 40 yards, 1td - If Friermuth is available in your league then please send me an invite because I like to win championships. 75% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Dawson Knox - 3 targets, 3 catches, 32 yards, 2tds - I’m assuming Knox is mostly owned but if not pounce on this while you can. He’s a touchdown machine this year. 75% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Dalton Schultz - 7 targets, 3 catches, 46 yards, 1td - If the trio of Cowboys WRs play this week then temper expectations but Schultz is still a good player. 40% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Cole Kmet - 11 targets, 8 catches, 65 yards - If Fields starts this week I would take a wait and see approach. I love Fields long term but he just doesn’t have the passing game ability that Andy Dalton has right now in terms of spreading the ball around. 5% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Jack Doyle - 7 targets, 6 catches, 81 yards, 1td - You’ve probably missed his one good game of the year but if you’re really desperate then Doyle could come through with another touchdown or two this year. 5% of your remaining faab budget.

 

Foster Moreau - 5 targets, 1 catch, 3 yards - If Waller misses time then take a look.  If not, then keep looking. 1% of your remaining faab budget.

Dead to Me (redraft leagues only)

Zach Wilson - I bet Jets fans are ready for 2022

Trevor Siemian - Sounds like the Saints are moving to Taysom Hill

All Falcons RBs not named Patterson (and he’s listed as a WR)

All Texans WRs not named Cooks

Jamison Crowder - The Jets offense can’t support more than 1 fantasy relevant WR

Bryan Edwards - What a waste of talent by the Raiders not using him

On Life Support

Cam Newton - Rough outing for Superman, luckily Carolina has a bye this week

Ryan Tannehill - To be fair this is partly due to all the injuries to the skill players

Daniel Jones - He’s been in this range all year

Courtland Sutton - He hasn’t been a factor in weeks

 

Check me out on Twitter @FFStock_Man37 or on my YouTube channel (The Locker Room)

 

The Wire – Week 12

by

The Wire - Week 12

By Levi Ellis

We are up against a short week with three games this week on Thanksgiving Day. That means you have to figure out lineups faster than usual and to do so you need to have a gameplan going into waivers. Make sure you not only set your bids but also set backup bids in case you don’t win the player or players you're targeting. Let’s take a look at some of the best players to target this week on waivers. 

All players are listed in priority order based on position. 

Bye Weeks - Arizona Cardinals & Kansas City Chiefs

 

(2 QB Leagues Only)

Taylor Heinicke - 16/22 206 yards, 3tds, 6 carries, 29 yards, 1 FL - I would assume in two QB leagues that he’s owned by now but if not he should be. 25% of your remaining faab budget.

Cam Newton - 21/27 189 yards, 2tds, 10 carries, 46 yards, 1td - Cam has some magic left and he’s a must own. The Panthers also have the Dolphins this week and Joe Flacco just almost put up 300 yards against them so things are looking up for Cam. 25% of your remaining faab budget.

Trevor Siemian - 22/40 214 yards, 3tds, 2ints, 2 carries, 16 yards, 1td - Buffalo is coming to town so that is worrisome but Siemian has some weapons and if Kamara returns (completely unknown) it will only help Siemian’s value. 20% of your remaining faab budget.

Joe Flacco - 24/39 291 yards, 2tds, 2 carries, 3 yards - Keep an eye this week to see if Zach Wilson is back but if not Flacco is a sneaky start against the Texans. 10% of your remaining faab budget.

Ty Johnson - 1 carry, 5 yards, 1 target, 1 catch, 8 yards - After reading that stat line I’m sure you’re wondering why Ty Johnson is the #1 listed RB this week. Well that is because Michael Carter is out for the next 2-3 weeks and I think Tevin Coleman is just not good anymore. It may take the Jets a few series to figure this out so if Coleman starts the next game don’t panic. 25% of your remaining faab budget.

Rhamondre Stevenson - 12 carries, 69 yards, 1 target, 1 catch, 6 yards - This may end up being a timeshare in New England and if so Stevenson will have some value down the stretch. 25% of your remaining faab budget.

Jeff Wilson - 19 carries, 50 yards, 1 FL, 2 targets, 1 catch, 8 yards - It’s never a bad idea to grab 49er RBs and depending on Mitchell’s health Wilson could have significant value. He would be higher on this list if Mitchell was expected to miss more time. 25% of your remaining faab budget.

Devonta Freeman - 16 carries, 49 yards, 1td, 6 targets, 6 catches, 31 yards - Freeman doesn’t have as much pop as he used to but he’s still getting it done and looks to be the Raven’s #1 RB. 25% of your remaining faab budget.

Alex Collins - 10 carries, 36 yards - Collins last few games have not been all that impressive but the fact remains he is the starting RB for Seattle so that has to count for something. I also think Collins has the talent to be respectable. 20% of your remaining faab budget.

Matt Breida - 5 carries, 51 yards, 2 targets, 1 catch, 16 yards - Two weeks in a row and Breida has been involved in the offense. This makes me wonder if this is the beginning of a trend. 15% of your remaining faab budget.

Dontrell Hilliard - 7 carries, 35 yards, 10 targets, 8 catches, 47 yards - Hillard plays for the Titans just in case you’re wondering. All jokes aside Hilliard came out of nowhere this week and caught 8 passes for the banged up Titans. The Titans RB group is a mess right now and your guess is as good as mine on who to roster but I love that he was involved in the passing game. 5% of your remaining faab budget.

Tevin Coleman - 5 carries, 16 yards, 1 target, 1 catch, 2 yards - As I mentioned earlier I don’t think Coleman is a good player any longer but fantasy football is all about covering your bets and if you have a roster spot to burn you might as well pick him up in case I’m wrong. Pretty sure I’m not though haha. 5% of your remaining faab budget.

Kendrick Bourne - 4 targets, 4 catches, 42 yards, 1 carry, 7 yards - Bourne has been pretty involved in recent weeks and this is a WR group that lacks a true #1 and Belichik loves guys that do their jobs and that is who Bourne is. He won’t win you a week but he’s not likely to lose you a week either. 15% of your remaining faab budget.

Deandre Carter - 3 targets, 2 catches, 22 yards, 1td - Carter didn’t have a big week but he did get into the endzone and he continues to produce. Don’t overlook guys like Carter in waivers because they are the low end guys that will help you win your week. 15% of your remaining faab budget.

Tre’Quan Smith - 8 targets, 5 catches, 64 yards - Smith has been very involved since returning from injury and there's no reason to not believe that trend will continue. 15% of your remaining faab budget.

Cedrick Wilson - 7 targets, 4 catches, 36 yards - With Cooper out this week and the looming possibility that Lamb will be out too, Wilson looks to be very involved this week. 10% of your remaining faab budget.

Russell Gage - 8 targets, 5 catches, 49 yards - Someone has to catch the ball in Atlanta. I don’t have a lot of conviction in the Falcons offense outside of Patterson but Gage will get opportunities and sometimes that’s all that matters in fantasy football. 10% of your remaining faab budget.

Nelson Agholor - 5 targets, 5 catches, 40 yards, 1td - Agholor is more of a dart throw but then again this is the point in the list where you reach those types of guys. 5% of your remaining faab budget.

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine - 8 targets, 7 catches, 107 yards - Westbrook-Ikhine had a really nice game but AJ Brown missed a lot of snaps and Julio was out. The Titans also played from behind. With all of that being said the Titans play the Patriots this week and New England has been on fire recently. Also Julio is still out so Westbrook-Ikhine may continue to be involved for at least one more week. 1% of your remaining faab budget.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling - 10 targets, 4 catches, 123 yards, 1td - I’m not a big MVS believer but he does have those big games from time to time and if you need to swing for the fences he’s one of the best. 1% of your remaining faab budget.

Marquise Goodwin - 8 targets, 4 catches, 104 yards, 1td - With a Thanksgiving game on tap it’s quite possible that Robinson will miss another game and if that happens then Goodwin could see significant targets again. 1% of your remaining faab budget.

Mack Hollins - 3 targets, 2 catches, 72 yards, 1td - As long as Parker stays on IR, Hollins could see meaningful snaps and he has performed when given the opportunity. 1% of your remaining faab budget.

Chester Rogers - 6 targets, 4 catches, 41 yards - Rogers has been up and down this year but with Julio out he’s worth a look. 1% of your remaining faab budget.

Dez Fitzpatrick - 6 targets, 3 catches, 35 yards, 1td - Fitzpatrick came out of nowhere this week much like Hilliard. While I don’t expect to see this type of involvement continue, i’s worth watching to see what happens. 25% of your remaining faab budget.

Pat Friermuth - 7 targets, 4 catches, 11 yards, 1td - I’ve been pounding the table for weeks now to pick this guy up and until he’s 100% owned I will continue to do so. He’s a must own in every format at this point. 50% of your remaining faab budget.

Dalton Schultz - 8 targets, 6 catches, 53 yards - Some people may have dropped Schultz after week 10 due to how uninvolved he was for the week since Gallup was back from injury. Fast forward a few days and Cooper then was ruled out for week 11 and is out for the Thanksgiving Day game. Now Lamb may miss the Thanksgiving Day game after leaving last week early with an injury. 25% of your remaining faab budget.

Tyler Conklin - 3 targets, 3 catches, 32 yards - Conklin didn’t have a good week but he should still be owned as he has produced week in and week out. 15% of your remaining faab budget.

Josiah Deguara - 2 targets, 2 catches, 37 yards, 1td - Deguara is a dart throw but when you play with a future Hall of Famer at QB you have to take notice. 5% of your remaining faab budget.

Dead to Me (redraft leagues only)

Baker Mayfield - I just don’t trust him

Jared Goff - He’s been dead to me for years 

Daniel Jones - Giants offense is terrible

Carlos Hyde - With Robinson back he is the forgotten man

Mike Davis - This offense is a mess and he has been inconsistent 

Kenneth Gainwell - If you thought he was the #2 RB a few weeks ago join the club, but he’s not

Kenny Golladay - The season can’t end soon enough

Browns WRs & TEs - I just don’t trust this passing offense and it’s more about Baker 

Jonnu Smith - Big disappointment this season

Evan Engram - So much talent and so little production 

On Life Support

Trevor Lawrence - The passing offense just hasn’t clicked like we would all hope

Carson Wentz - The inconsistency kills his value

Matt Ryan - This team is lost without Patterson

Raiders run game - This run game has looked lost all season

Nyheim Hines - His role just isn’t consistent 

Colts WRs not named Pittman - This passing offense lacks consistency 

 

Check me out on Twitter @FFStock_Man37 or on my YouTube channel (The Locker Room)

 

Rookie Report 2021 – Week 10

by

Rookie Report 2021 – Week 10

By Steve Uetz

For the purposes of this season-long article series, I will take you through how all the fantasy-relevant rookies from the 2021 class are performing on a week-to-week basis. I will break down their weekly statistics and offensive role regarding their real-life development and fantasy football outlook.

Let’s look at how the most notable players from the 2021 rookie class fared in the 10th week of NFL action!

Breakout Performance of the Week

RB Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots

With RB teammate Damien Harris ruled out in week 9, Stevenson took FULL advantage of his opportunity with an increased workload. Stevenson handled a total of 24 touches; he gained 100 rushing yards with 2 TDs on 20 carries and caught 4 of 5 targets for 14 receiving yards! This monster performance came with a dominant Patriots 38-point win over the Browns. I think Stevenson enters matchup dependent FLEX territory moving forward.

 

QB Mac Jones, New England Patriots

In the dominant win over the Cleveland Browns, Jones had a near perfect performance. He completed 19 of 23 pass attempts for 198 yards and 3 TDs! Jones did not commit any turnovers but did take 2 sacks. I still consider him as a QB3 option for Super Flex leagues but as he is shaping up to be a clear franchise QB, he has earned more confidence as a dynasty buy target from a career longevity standpoint.

QB Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

Lawrence and the Jaguars struggled offensively once again as they lost to their division rival Indianapolis Colts. Lawrence completed 16 of 35 pass attempts for 162 yards without TDs or turnovers but did take 3 sacks. He was able to gain 33 yards on 5 rushing attempts. The Jaguars feel like a lost cause right now but I remain optimistic about Lawrence’s long-term prospects as a franchise QB; seeing his upside become realized may require more patience than I was initially anticipating.

 

RB Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers

Another week another monster workshare for Najee Harris. Harris totaled 30 touches while gaining 133 all-purpose yards. Harris gained 105 yards on 26 carries and caught all 4 of his targets for 28 yards. Harris remains an high-end RB1 option for the rest of the season!

RB Michael Carter, New York Jets

In the tough loss to the division rival Buffalo Bills, Carter handled a solid work-load as he earned 20 total touches. He was inefficient as a rusher against the tough Bills defense as he gained only 39 yards on 16 carries but did score a rushing TD! He also caught 4 of 6 targets for 43 yards. Carter is a low-end RB2-strong FLEX option for the rest of the season.

 

RB Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers

Mitchell handled another impressive workload as he led the 49ers in rushing yards. He handled 27 carries and gained 91 yards in the dominant winning effort against the division rival Rams. Mitchell sustained a broken finger in this contest but should remain a starting option for your lineup as long as he is active on game day.

RB Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos

Williams was very efficient as runner as he unfortunately handled only 10 total touches. He caught 2 of 3 targets for 1 yard but gained 48 yards on 8 carries for a strong 6.0 yards per carry average. Williams and veteran RB teammate Melvin Gordon continue to split the workload evenly, which unfortunately limits his weekly upside. I would still consider him as Flex option but perhaps may be more of a matchup dependent play. Williams and Broncos will be on bye in week 11.

 

WR Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins

Waddle delivered another solid outing in the primetime contest against the Ravens. He totaled 4 catches on 6 targets for 61 yards. Waddle is showing a satisfactory return on investment and should be considered a Flex option for all leagues types

WR DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles

Smith had a strong performance as he led the Eagles in receiving yards. He totaled 4 catches on 6 targets for 66 yards and 2 TDs! He remains a must-start WR option for all league formats and looks to have WR1 upside for his professional career and for his future fantasy outlook.

WR Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens

Bateman led the Ravens in receiving yards in the unexpected loss to the Miami Dolphins in the Thursday Night Football primetime contest. He caught 6 of 8 targets for 80 yards, including one catch for a 30-yard gain! Bateman should be considered a Flex option for all league types.

WR Elijah Moore, New York Jets

Moore found the endzone for the second week in a row! He totaled 3 catches on 6 targets for 44 yards and a TD. Moore is at least a strong bench stash for redraft leagues and should be considered a deep league Flex option for the rest of the season.

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

In the unexpected tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers, St. Brown led the Lions in receiving yards! He caught 4 of 6 targets for 61 yards and has emerged as the clear-cut go-to option among the Detroit WRs. I think his career upside as a professional is a solid team WR2, and for fantasy purposes may peak as a deep league FLEX option.

 

TE Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

In the despicable 40-point loss the Dallas Cowboys, Pitts was tied for the lead in targets and led the Falcons in receiving yards. He caught 4 of 7 targets for 60 yards. He remains a TE1 option for the rest of the season as he is the clear-cut focus of the Falcons passing game!

TE Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers

In the bizarre result of a tie against the Detroit Lions, Freiermuth commanded a very solid 9 targets. With backup QB Mason Rudolph leading the Pittsburgh offense, Freiermuth totaled 5 catches for 31 yards. He remains a TE1 option for the rest of the season, especially if Ben Roethlisberger can return to the field!

 

Bring on Week 11!

Follow me on Twitter @FantasyLadder for any further fantasy football discussion, questions, or advice!

Tools of the Trade

by

Tools of the Trade

By Zach Owen

This week, I wanted to take a moment to talk about Cam Akers and a general trading strategy. First, the trade I found on Reddit was Cam Akers for a projected late 22 1st.

Obviously Cam Akers has been injured since the preseason and might not play at all this year. There are some rumblings that he might be back for the NFL playoffs but nothing certain yet. For the sake of fantasy though, it’s safe to assume he will not score you any points this year which is the key factor here.

Contending

So while I think Akers is definitely worth the 1st, that’s not a great use of your draft picks if you’re contending. Buying young players is okay and sometimes beneficial as a contending team. The important thing though is you want young players that you think will eventually go up in value during the season. If you’re trading for young players as a contender, you obviously want players that you think will eventually score points (think Justin Jefferson or Ceedee Lamb from last year). Even if they don’t end up being starters for you, as long as they go up in value, you should be able to trade them for better starters than what you would have originally gotten.

The problem here though is that you really can’t do that with Akers. He’s not going to go up in value between now and the trade deadline because he’s not playing. No amount of hype posts on Instagram are going to increase his value enough at this point in the year. You might get lucky and be able to time it right, but with trade deadlines coming up, you’re better off trading for the player you actually want now. 

Rebuilding

Now rebuilding is a different situation because you have something very important on your side: time. You don’t need to score points. Akers is the perfect type of player to buy with a late first right now. He’s in this weird situation where his value could go up specifically between the fantasy playoffs and the NFL playoffs. Normally picks are around their lowest value this time of year, so I recommend holding onto them. Normally, if I am trading picks for players, I do it around the NFL draft or right before/during my fantasy rookie draft. Akers is just a very unique case where I think his value will go up more than the value of the pick over the next couple months. Even if you don’t trust his health situation and think he’s going to flop when he comes back. Once he gets the greenlight to play, you should be able to sell him then for more than just a late 1st. Someone is bound to get mixed up in the hype.

 

 

Thanks for reading and I hope this helped. Feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @NeutralZoneFF if you have any Fantasy related questions.