Two Florida teams face off tonight in a battle of . . . well, it's hard to put my finger on it. Jacksonville, I get. A year ago Nick Foles of "Nick Foles" fame was the starter of the post-Blake Bortles era and pre-post-Leonard Fournette era of the Jaguars. A year later, Gardner Minshew has made everyone wonder why the Jags handed Foles more than $50 million guaranteed. Also makes everyone wonder when they'll get a turn as an NFL GM.
Minshew was the consensus 25th-ranked fantasy QB this summer, and it's probably hard for anyone to remember why. It's not that he has extraordinary weapons (he clearly doesn't). No knock on Drew Brees, but if Minshew had Michael Thomas, he'd probably be an unquestioned top-8 fantasy QB, and possibly top 6.
But I suppose that's irrelevant. He's a terrific streaming option with what he has, and his schedule this next month is favorable. My big question is if/whether D.J. Chark emerges once again as the clear #1 receiver. Minshew hit 10 targets Week 1 and eight last weekend. It's an unusual situation in fantasy: when a #1 is no longer a #1, can we count on anyone? We're seeing that a bit in Indy, though at least T.Y. Hilton is comfortably #1 in targets, as it "should be." In Jacksonville, Keelan Cole has returned from a two-year abyss to bring back shades of his 2017 rookie mini-breakout.
Right now I'm in a holding pattern on Jags receivers, and I still don't buy into James Robinson, though I probably should given the soft schedule. So ignore my warnings about him. I just don't think he's their long-term solution.
For Miami, a receiving corps that was supposed to be led by DeVante Parker and Preston Williams is far too muddled. Those who overpaid for Parker have to understand that his breakout last year was due almost entirely to injuries/necessity. An improved running game and healthier receivers have pushed Parker into the WR3/4 realm where be belongs, while Preston Williams--if he can stay healthy--is a great add/buy in deeper leagues. Of course, Mike Gesicki is the real deal. I just didn't expect him to be this real in 2020.
And the Dolphins' backfield reminds me a bit of Detroit's: two seeming co-starters in Jordan Howard and Matt Breida: thunder and lightning, or whatever people wanted to say about them. Yet Myles Gaskin is still lingers, and not only that, he's outplaying the other two. A former seventh rounder, Gaskin can't possibly lead this team, can he? This week is pivotal as we figure out which way this backfield is going.