I picked up Devin Funchess in my 20-team league for $11 ($100 budget). Some expected the rookie to start after Kelvin Benjamin suffered a season-ending injury in August; Panthers coach Ron Rivera sang his praises.
But bad hands have plagued Funchess since college. And he's done nothing this season to suggest being worthy of a roster spot--until this past Sunday, when he caught three of four passes for 71 yards and a score.
You won't find me chasing points very often, but in this case, Carolina needs a receiver upgrade, and Funchess has a good chance to be the answer. They're 27th in the league in receiving yards per game. Greg Olsen aside, their #1 receiver is journeyman Ted Ginn who, despite the hype, is averaging only 2.5 receptions and 39 yards with zero TDs in each of his last four games.
Funchess has WR3 upside, which makes him a nice find in very deep leagues, and even a decent flier in some shallower ones.
In other news, the latest on San Diego's Malcom Floyd is that he has a torn labrum. With his season clearly in doubt, beyond the obvious (Gates, Woodhead), Stevie Johnson is a must-own WR3 with upside. And don't count out the injured TE Ladarius Green; when he returns, Green is more likely than not to pick up where he left off as a weekly TE1.
Hopefully you didn’t bye into the modest hype surrounding Wes Welker’s signing in St. Louis. There’s a reason no other NFL team has signed him. And there’s a reason the Rams (last in the NFL in passing yards per game) won’t improve his prospects. We could see some 40-60 yard games. But we’re more likely to see 20-40 yard games. Either way, take Stevie Johnson instead. Or Funchess. Or Dorial Green-Beckham. Or anybody else.
Tony Romo is on track to return in two weeks. That doesn’t mean we need to pick him up. With guys like Blake Bortles and Derek Carr asserting themselves as top 10 QBs, Romo is no lock to post top 10 numbers down the stretch—particularly with matchups against the Panthers, Jets, and Bills in week 12, 15, and 16. I’ve been waiting patiently for him to return in my 20-team league, but am resigned to the fact that, even if he returns at full strength, Romo probably won’t be more than a streaming option.
Finally, a lot of questions this week about Dion Lewis’s replacement. “Should I pick up James White or Brandon Bolden?” In the past 48 hours I’ve tepidly suggested White. He could surprise me and fill Lewis’s shoes. But I’m expecting LaGarrette Blount (an impressive 4.6 YPC) to carry a bigger load, leaving White and Bolden to pick up the scraps (4-6 touches per game)—not enough to make either backup startable for the foreseeable future.
But bad hands have plagued Funchess since college. And he's done nothing this season to suggest being worthy of a roster spot--until this past Sunday, when he caught three of four passes for 71 yards and a score.
You won't find me chasing points very often, but in this case, Carolina needs a receiver upgrade, and Funchess has a good chance to be the answer. They're 27th in the league in receiving yards per game. Greg Olsen aside, their #1 receiver is journeyman Ted Ginn who, despite the hype, is averaging only 2.5 receptions and 39 yards with zero TDs in each of his last four games.
Funchess has WR3 upside, which makes him a nice find in very deep leagues, and even a decent flier in some shallower ones.
In other news, the latest on San Diego's Malcom Floyd is that he has a torn labrum. With his season clearly in doubt, beyond the obvious (Gates, Woodhead), Stevie Johnson is a must-own WR3 with upside. And don't count out the injured TE Ladarius Green; when he returns, Green is more likely than not to pick up where he left off as a weekly TE1.
Hopefully you didn’t bye into the modest hype surrounding Wes Welker’s signing in St. Louis. There’s a reason no other NFL team has signed him. And there’s a reason the Rams (last in the NFL in passing yards per game) won’t improve his prospects. We could see some 40-60 yard games. But we’re more likely to see 20-40 yard games. Either way, take Stevie Johnson instead. Or Funchess. Or Dorial Green-Beckham. Or anybody else.
Tony Romo is on track to return in two weeks. That doesn’t mean we need to pick him up. With guys like Blake Bortles and Derek Carr asserting themselves as top 10 QBs, Romo is no lock to post top 10 numbers down the stretch—particularly with matchups against the Panthers, Jets, and Bills in week 12, 15, and 16. I’ve been waiting patiently for him to return in my 20-team league, but am resigned to the fact that, even if he returns at full strength, Romo probably won’t be more than a streaming option.
Finally, a lot of questions this week about Dion Lewis’s replacement. “Should I pick up James White or Brandon Bolden?” In the past 48 hours I’ve tepidly suggested White. He could surprise me and fill Lewis’s shoes. But I’m expecting LaGarrette Blount (an impressive 4.6 YPC) to carry a bigger load, leaving White and Bolden to pick up the scraps (4-6 touches per game)—not enough to make either backup startable for the foreseeable future.