As with every NFL week, Week 12 was a time to take calculated risks when existing options weren't gonna cut it. Those who started Ryan Tannehill and his 58 pass attempts pulled in a top 8 QB in standard scoring leagues.
Bucking conventional wisdom and buying low on three of my top 5 preseason RBs (and frankly, three of nearly everyone's top 10 RBs)--Eddie Lacy, C.J. Anderson, and Jeremy Hill--finally yielded some big-time results, with Lacy and Anderson finishing the week among the top 3 RB scorers, while Hill enjoyed his best YPC (5.4) of the season.
Did you rush out to grab the mostly unrostered Stevie Johnson or Dontrelle Inman after Keenan Allen was lost for the year? If so, you secured a WR2 on Sunday, with the likelihood that one or both will be startable most weeks going forward.
Fantasy football is a constant state of adjusting to new realities. We could be 12-0 and lose in the first round of the playoffs because we sat back as opponents collected prized free agents, and we didn't realize when one of our key contributors was poised for a decline.
Todd Gurley is a prime example--a top 3 RB since Week 4, he seemed invincible against some of the league's worst run defenses, including the Browns, 49ers, Bears, and Ravens. Is he a top dynasty guy who remains a must-own RB? Of course. But if you traded Gurley and a throwaway player a couple weeks ago for Lacy and C.J., I guarantee that--barring injuries--you'll win that trade the rest of the way. In other words, Lacy and C.J. will easily outperform Gurley and, say, Melvin Gordon from here on out.
This swap would have seemed purely idiotic at the time. But a savvy fantasy footballer could see what was likely to come: Playing on a team with almost zero passing upside and a fairly bad offensive line, Gurley stood little chance to maintain his incredible production when his matchups shifted to the Bengals, Cardinals, Bucs, and Seahawks. On the flip side, Lacy and C.J. are highly talented RBs who have dealt with injuries most of the season. Betting on their return to health--something I've been preaching all season--has been a great risk to take. And for some of us, it could mean a championship.
Now to waivers. Here are some guys to target:
(1) David Johnson -- I've pushed him heavily since the preseason and called him out this weekend as a fantastic DFS play, given his propensity to get red zone touches. He now has a chance to take over Arizona's backfield. I've long believed he's the most talented RB among CJ2K and Andre Ellington. RB-needy managers absolutely must take a chance on him--an RB2+ every time he's treated as the lead back.
(2) Scott Chandler -- Nothing but obvious. The Patriots won't rush Gronk back, but they also need to win out to ensure home field advantage (their loss Sunday is the best thing that could have happened to Tom Brady-owners). Chandler is an every week TE1 with top 3 upside.
(3) DaVante Parker finally showed what he could do when Rishard Matthews was knocked out of Sunday's game. 80 yards and sccore and all the talent in the world mean that Parker is, at minimum, a WR4 any time he starts.
(4) I never bought into James White. It was always "wait and see." But Brandon Bolden . . . almost as impressive as his production were his eight touches. If he can consistently garner 8+, he's a fantastic flier, particularly in PPR.
(5) Another season, another season-ending injury for Ahmad Bradshaw. With Frank Gore scuffling (as expected), So we turn to the Colts' newly re-signed Dan Herron, who looked good last year in Indy before looking pedestrian in a limited backup role in Buffalo. Herron scored 6+ standard fantasy points in five of the Colts' final six games last year. He was even more valuable in PPR, averaging three receptions per contest. He's a sneaky add this week for those who need to bolster their RB corps for the stretch run.
Bucking conventional wisdom and buying low on three of my top 5 preseason RBs (and frankly, three of nearly everyone's top 10 RBs)--Eddie Lacy, C.J. Anderson, and Jeremy Hill--finally yielded some big-time results, with Lacy and Anderson finishing the week among the top 3 RB scorers, while Hill enjoyed his best YPC (5.4) of the season.
Did you rush out to grab the mostly unrostered Stevie Johnson or Dontrelle Inman after Keenan Allen was lost for the year? If so, you secured a WR2 on Sunday, with the likelihood that one or both will be startable most weeks going forward.
Fantasy football is a constant state of adjusting to new realities. We could be 12-0 and lose in the first round of the playoffs because we sat back as opponents collected prized free agents, and we didn't realize when one of our key contributors was poised for a decline.
Todd Gurley is a prime example--a top 3 RB since Week 4, he seemed invincible against some of the league's worst run defenses, including the Browns, 49ers, Bears, and Ravens. Is he a top dynasty guy who remains a must-own RB? Of course. But if you traded Gurley and a throwaway player a couple weeks ago for Lacy and C.J., I guarantee that--barring injuries--you'll win that trade the rest of the way. In other words, Lacy and C.J. will easily outperform Gurley and, say, Melvin Gordon from here on out.
This swap would have seemed purely idiotic at the time. But a savvy fantasy footballer could see what was likely to come: Playing on a team with almost zero passing upside and a fairly bad offensive line, Gurley stood little chance to maintain his incredible production when his matchups shifted to the Bengals, Cardinals, Bucs, and Seahawks. On the flip side, Lacy and C.J. are highly talented RBs who have dealt with injuries most of the season. Betting on their return to health--something I've been preaching all season--has been a great risk to take. And for some of us, it could mean a championship.
Now to waivers. Here are some guys to target:
(1) David Johnson -- I've pushed him heavily since the preseason and called him out this weekend as a fantastic DFS play, given his propensity to get red zone touches. He now has a chance to take over Arizona's backfield. I've long believed he's the most talented RB among CJ2K and Andre Ellington. RB-needy managers absolutely must take a chance on him--an RB2+ every time he's treated as the lead back.
(2) Scott Chandler -- Nothing but obvious. The Patriots won't rush Gronk back, but they also need to win out to ensure home field advantage (their loss Sunday is the best thing that could have happened to Tom Brady-owners). Chandler is an every week TE1 with top 3 upside.
(3) DaVante Parker finally showed what he could do when Rishard Matthews was knocked out of Sunday's game. 80 yards and sccore and all the talent in the world mean that Parker is, at minimum, a WR4 any time he starts.
(4) I never bought into James White. It was always "wait and see." But Brandon Bolden . . . almost as impressive as his production were his eight touches. If he can consistently garner 8+, he's a fantastic flier, particularly in PPR.
(5) Another season, another season-ending injury for Ahmad Bradshaw. With Frank Gore scuffling (as expected), So we turn to the Colts' newly re-signed Dan Herron, who looked good last year in Indy before looking pedestrian in a limited backup role in Buffalo. Herron scored 6+ standard fantasy points in five of the Colts' final six games last year. He was even more valuable in PPR, averaging three receptions per contest. He's a sneaky add this week for those who need to bolster their RB corps for the stretch run.