Some blistering performances yesterday, and some shocking results. A year ago it would have been hard to imagine Carson Wentz's days in Philly would be over, while Ryan Tannehill would be on pace for 41 touchdowns. I mean really, this is what makes fantasy football thrilling, frustrating, and intense. There are no absolutes. There is only "right now," because tomorrow any player's fortunes could change.
As always, let's look at the most notable fantasy storyline for each Sunday team:
Falcons vs. Buccaneers -- If Atlanta had a competent starting RB, he'd be top 15 and possibly top 8. They're 7th in passing first downs and 25th in rushing first downs. They just lost their sixth game by five points or less. They are aching for a franchise RB. If one arrives in the draft, there's almost no doubt he'll be undervalued in fantasy drafts. And I went big on Leonard Fournette on Twitter, and he got it done. Wasn't pretty, but neither was Tampa Bay's win. Fournette will continue being a must-start RB if Ronald Jones misses Week 16.
Cowboys vs. 49ers -- Tony Pollard was one of four RB handcuffs I drafted and stashed. Because great handcuffs can make or break a season. Yesterday Pollard showed why he's better than Zeke this year. Next year? Who knows. But Pollard deserves 250+ touches. And Raheem Mostert can't stay healthy. Jeff Wilson will have no competition if Mostert sits next week. And of course Nick Mullens' injury is something to watch this week.
Titans vs. Lions -- Yesterday I wrote about Corey Davis and D'Andre Swift. Both were huge. Davis will be up and down next year. Swift will contend for RB1 numbers every week.
Colts vs. Texans -- My Michael Pittman call flopped, as Zach Pascal came out of nowhere to dominate. Most significantly, T.Y. Hilton remained locked in as the #1 wideout. And what the heck happened with David Johnson? It wasn't just Duke Johnson's absence. Clearly Houston decided to use David as the complete back that he is (or used to be?). If he continues to catch even 4-5 balls a game, he'll be a must-start RB2.
Dolphins vs. Patriots -- A very impressive win for Miami, which was missing its #1 RB, #1 WR, and #1 TE. Third-rounder Lynn Bowden led the team in targets and will be in a fair number of fantasy starting lineups next week even if DeVante Parker returns. And Jakobi Meyers went back to being the best receiver in one of the league's worst receiver corps.
Vikings vs. Bears -- A painful loss for Minnesota. Justin Jefferson is on pace for an 83/1,351/8 rookie campaign. Anquan Boldin had one of the best rookie WR seasons ever with a 101/1,377/8 line. In other words, Jefferson is posting insane numbers. And David Montgomery. Again, his consensus RB ADP this summer was 25. On Twitter (and possibly here) I wrote that he was fantasy's most underrated top-40 RB. Never, never, never bet against talent. All it takes is a shift in usage, and that latent talent can be activated.
Washington vs. Seahawks -- I'm 6-5 so far on my Week 15 unconventional bargains and busts, and Logan Thomas (along with Tyler Higbee) were my two biggest TE bargains. Thomas is the real deal, plain and simple, and he surely helped some of you advance. And Tyler Lockett flopped again, despite my insistence that this time would be different. He's making a case for being the biggest boom-bust wideout in fantasy.
Ravens vs. Jaguars -- I was shocked to see Marquise Brown get back on track. Credit to those who've stuck with him. And rookie Laviska Shenault has caught an incredible 74.6% of his targets--one of the top marks among all wideouts. If he has a good QB next year (Trevor Lawrence?), he could be fantasy relevant.
Rams vs. Jets -- I started researching teams that went 0-10 and then won their first game. Who'd they beat? Generally not a great team--and in my admittedly limited research, never a team with as good a record as the Rams. In other words, this is one of the ugliest losses in NFL history, period. And since the Jets probably won't get the #1 pick, their fans might see it as a huge loss, too (Justin Koplin, care to weigh in?). Jared Goff hasn't looked the same since Cooper Kupp went down in 2018. He's signed through 2024, though the Rams can cut him after 2022 without too much pain. At this point it would be shocking if Goff became a true franchise QB, barring a coaching change. And I have nothing more to say about the Jets, except no one's prying the ball away from Frank Gore.
Cardinals vs. Eagles -- Kyler Murray got back on track, while Kenyan Drake regressed in a game when Chase Edmonds continued to show well. And Jalen Hurts overcame six sacks and sub-par throwing to dominate. That doesn't happen often. Carson Wentz will be gone by March.
Saints vs. Chiefs -- One has to wonder if Drew Brees is healthy, or if he demanded returning to ensure there would be no quarterback controversy during the playoffs. Because Taysom Hill might have beaten this Chiefs team. Who knows. But while we can blame Brees' struggles on rustiness or Michael Thomas's absence, I'm no longer sure he's New Orleans' best quarterback. And Clyde Edwards-Helaire's potentially serious leg injury could push Le'Veon Bell into a must-start role.
Giants vs. Browns -- Colt McCoy was one of many wasted Cleveland draft picks this past decade, with guys like Jimmy Graham, Everson Griffen, and NaVorro Bowman going a few picks later. After 10 years, they got to face him, and they made the most of it. McCoy is now 8-22 as an NFL starter. The good news is the mostly forgotten Darius Slayton resurfaced with a team-high nine targets; he remains the Giants' best wideout talent-wise. And Kareem Hunt's second-half slowdown continues; he's cracked 11 points in only two of his last seven games.