For the second Monday in a row, let’s roll through Sunday’s games, highlighting each team’s most notable fantasy storyline:
Redskins – Rob Kelley is the ideal sell-high RB: statistically impressive, but bottled up most of the game. Matt Jones could make a return soon, and Chris Thompson remains a viable piece of this backfield. I doubt Kelley nets 15+ fantasy points again this season.
Bengals – Jeremy Hill is officially relevant again. I’ve started him two straights weeks. He’s the reason I felt comfortable trading away Devontae Booker yesterday. If you bought low (or picked him up off waivers in some leagues), you’ve earned it.
Raiders – All the buzz about Latavius Murray returning was, as expected, bunk. DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard ran better. Murray’s barely 4.0 YPC this season puts him in the “trade away before it’s too late” camp.
Buccaneers – At the risk of focusing too much on RBs in this post, Jacquizz Rodgers continued his fantasy dominance. But a foot injury knocked him out of the game. Playing on a short week (Thursday), if Doug Martin doesn’t return soon, Peyton Barber would become a must-start in deep leagues.
Cardinals – Last Monday the one Cardinal I hyped was J.J. Nelson. Yesterday he dominated. While his re-draft value surely has peaked, his dynasty value is what I pushed this preseason: high.
Panthers – I don’t believe what Jonathan Stewart is doing. Congrats to those who rejected my input and made him a centerpiece of your fantasy backfield.
Chiefs – Charcandrick West was decent after Spencer Ware was knocked out with a concussion. If Ware can’t go on Sunday, West will be one of the most picked-up RBs of the week.
Colts – Donte Moncrief did enough in his return to remind us that he’s nearly an every-week starter in most leagues. Keep an eye on T.Y. Hilton’s status this week, as hamstring injuries sometimes take weeks to fully heal.
Seahawks – I’ve stubbornly maintained a stance that Russell Wilson will come around. But Sunday’s debacle puts him in a different category—that of a great QB whose greatness will be put on hold until next season.
Saints – Mark Ingram picked the wrong day to fumble. Again. Two games, two fumbles forced the starting RB to the sidelines in favor of backup Tim Hightower. Had the Saints lost, Ingram likely would have been in decent shape. But Hightower should be credited for helping to lead New Orleans to the victory, and likely will be rewarded with a few more touches per game—at Ingram’s expense—going forward.
Lions – Detroit nearly won Sunday on the back of Theo Riddick, who left uber-backup Zach Zenner in the dust with 133 total yards and a score. Patient fantasy managers were rewarded who couldn’t play him since Week 5 were rewarded.
Texans -- If Brock Osweiler can’t thrive against the Lions, it won’t get any easier. He’s playing worse than my monumentally low preseason expectations, and every receiver except C.J. Fiedorowicz has become fantasy irrelevant.
Jets – Ryan Fitzpatrick needed to be better than adequate against a soft Browns D. He was below adequate. The weapons are there to be a 2-TD QB, but last season to this season has been night and day for the recently benched QB.
Browns – Terrelle Pryor deserves Comeback Player of the Year honors. Corey Coleman’s impending return will cut into his value. But as long as Josh McCown is behind center, Pryor will remain an every-week starter.
Patriots – Tom Brady is my fantasy blind spot: I keep underestimating him. He’s turned out to be a draft steal, and the Patriots are looking like a 15-1 team.
Bills – Mike Gillislee was impressive as LeSean McCoy’s fill-in. If you’ve been reading this blog all season, you know how high I’ve been on him since Karlos Williams was released. He could give McCoy owners headaches the rest of the year.
Packers – Davante Adams is this year’s James Jones, except with Jones, Jordy Nelson was sidelined for the year and Randall Cobb was chronically hurt starting around Week 2. Adams was the real deal last year, but was still raw. This year Aaron Rodgers clearly trusts him, and without a competent running game, Adams will be the #2 or #3 weapon in a very good offense.
Falcons – Jacob Tamme’s in-game shoulder injury cleared the way for TE Austin Hooper, who caught all five of his targets for 41 yards. While Tamme probably won’t miss time, Hooper is capable of being a TE1 if he gets some starts later this year.
Chargers – I’ve been wrong about Antonio Gates recently; he’s been more productive than Hunter Henry the past two weeks. 19 targets these past two games is no joke. 71 yards on those 19 targets is no good. San Diego won’t keep leaning on him if he continues to be this inefficient.
Broncos – Devontae Booker was at times terrific and disappointing in his first NFL start. 2.8 YPC and a lost fumble are a bit concerning. Juwan Thompson poaching a goal-line TD is also concerning. No one’s likely to challenge Booker’s lead-back role. But he has to run better and protect the ball to remain a 20-touch RB1.
Eagles – Ryan Mathews is barely clinging to relevance. A starter in name only, he’s cleared 4.0 YPC in only one game this season. If he were on my fantasy team, I’d stay up all night trying to trade him.
Cowboys – Dez Bryant returned to action and quickly re-established himself as the unquestioned leader of the receiving corps. A few weeks ago many people could have acquired Dez for an RB2. He has elite WR1 potential, sucking the air out of Cole Beasley and, to some extent, Terrance Williams going forward.
Redskins – Rob Kelley is the ideal sell-high RB: statistically impressive, but bottled up most of the game. Matt Jones could make a return soon, and Chris Thompson remains a viable piece of this backfield. I doubt Kelley nets 15+ fantasy points again this season.
Bengals – Jeremy Hill is officially relevant again. I’ve started him two straights weeks. He’s the reason I felt comfortable trading away Devontae Booker yesterday. If you bought low (or picked him up off waivers in some leagues), you’ve earned it.
Raiders – All the buzz about Latavius Murray returning was, as expected, bunk. DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard ran better. Murray’s barely 4.0 YPC this season puts him in the “trade away before it’s too late” camp.
Buccaneers – At the risk of focusing too much on RBs in this post, Jacquizz Rodgers continued his fantasy dominance. But a foot injury knocked him out of the game. Playing on a short week (Thursday), if Doug Martin doesn’t return soon, Peyton Barber would become a must-start in deep leagues.
Cardinals – Last Monday the one Cardinal I hyped was J.J. Nelson. Yesterday he dominated. While his re-draft value surely has peaked, his dynasty value is what I pushed this preseason: high.
Panthers – I don’t believe what Jonathan Stewart is doing. Congrats to those who rejected my input and made him a centerpiece of your fantasy backfield.
Chiefs – Charcandrick West was decent after Spencer Ware was knocked out with a concussion. If Ware can’t go on Sunday, West will be one of the most picked-up RBs of the week.
Colts – Donte Moncrief did enough in his return to remind us that he’s nearly an every-week starter in most leagues. Keep an eye on T.Y. Hilton’s status this week, as hamstring injuries sometimes take weeks to fully heal.
Seahawks – I’ve stubbornly maintained a stance that Russell Wilson will come around. But Sunday’s debacle puts him in a different category—that of a great QB whose greatness will be put on hold until next season.
Saints – Mark Ingram picked the wrong day to fumble. Again. Two games, two fumbles forced the starting RB to the sidelines in favor of backup Tim Hightower. Had the Saints lost, Ingram likely would have been in decent shape. But Hightower should be credited for helping to lead New Orleans to the victory, and likely will be rewarded with a few more touches per game—at Ingram’s expense—going forward.
Lions – Detroit nearly won Sunday on the back of Theo Riddick, who left uber-backup Zach Zenner in the dust with 133 total yards and a score. Patient fantasy managers were rewarded who couldn’t play him since Week 5 were rewarded.
Texans -- If Brock Osweiler can’t thrive against the Lions, it won’t get any easier. He’s playing worse than my monumentally low preseason expectations, and every receiver except C.J. Fiedorowicz has become fantasy irrelevant.
Jets – Ryan Fitzpatrick needed to be better than adequate against a soft Browns D. He was below adequate. The weapons are there to be a 2-TD QB, but last season to this season has been night and day for the recently benched QB.
Browns – Terrelle Pryor deserves Comeback Player of the Year honors. Corey Coleman’s impending return will cut into his value. But as long as Josh McCown is behind center, Pryor will remain an every-week starter.
Patriots – Tom Brady is my fantasy blind spot: I keep underestimating him. He’s turned out to be a draft steal, and the Patriots are looking like a 15-1 team.
Bills – Mike Gillislee was impressive as LeSean McCoy’s fill-in. If you’ve been reading this blog all season, you know how high I’ve been on him since Karlos Williams was released. He could give McCoy owners headaches the rest of the year.
Packers – Davante Adams is this year’s James Jones, except with Jones, Jordy Nelson was sidelined for the year and Randall Cobb was chronically hurt starting around Week 2. Adams was the real deal last year, but was still raw. This year Aaron Rodgers clearly trusts him, and without a competent running game, Adams will be the #2 or #3 weapon in a very good offense.
Falcons – Jacob Tamme’s in-game shoulder injury cleared the way for TE Austin Hooper, who caught all five of his targets for 41 yards. While Tamme probably won’t miss time, Hooper is capable of being a TE1 if he gets some starts later this year.
Chargers – I’ve been wrong about Antonio Gates recently; he’s been more productive than Hunter Henry the past two weeks. 19 targets these past two games is no joke. 71 yards on those 19 targets is no good. San Diego won’t keep leaning on him if he continues to be this inefficient.
Broncos – Devontae Booker was at times terrific and disappointing in his first NFL start. 2.8 YPC and a lost fumble are a bit concerning. Juwan Thompson poaching a goal-line TD is also concerning. No one’s likely to challenge Booker’s lead-back role. But he has to run better and protect the ball to remain a 20-touch RB1.
Eagles – Ryan Mathews is barely clinging to relevance. A starter in name only, he’s cleared 4.0 YPC in only one game this season. If he were on my fantasy team, I’d stay up all night trying to trade him.
Cowboys – Dez Bryant returned to action and quickly re-established himself as the unquestioned leader of the receiving corps. A few weeks ago many people could have acquired Dez for an RB2. He has elite WR1 potential, sucking the air out of Cole Beasley and, to some extent, Terrance Williams going forward.