What an ugly game, and what a beautiful game. Playing an allegedly near-elite defense, the Giants shouldn't have been able to put up 29 points. And facing a backup-caliber QB with 92 career pass attempts, 29 points should have been enough to win. They're now 18-48 since 2017. After next week's winnable contest against Atlanta, they'll likely lose their next three @Saints, @Cowboys, and against the Rams, with the Chiefs and Bucs looming. It's hard not to see last night's game as the Giants' last chance to salvage the season--which seems odd to write in mid-September. But when Thanksgiving rolls around, it would be shocking if they were better than 3-7.
Fantasy-wise, Daniel Jones is giving two-QB leaguers plenty to be happy about. Saquon Barkley played as expected, and it's fair to wonder if he'll be shut down in December--because what would there be to gain after two straight lost seasons and a third in recovery? Sterling Shepard asserted himself as Jones's top target, so congratulations to those who dug deep and took a shot on him. I was wrong about Kenny Golladay; while his eight targets were satisfactory, he and Jones don't have the chemistry that Shepard deservedly enjoys. Golladay even admitted right before Week 1 that it would take time for the offense to gel, since so many guys missed time with injuries during the preseason. I remain (foolishly?) bullish about the Giants' $72 million receiver on the assumption that head coach Joe Judge will lose his job if Golladay is third on the team in receiving (and he might lose his job regardless).
For Washington, (I looked this up late last night) it's been almost exactly five years since they last beat a team while giving up more than 22 points, and they did it against the Giants, beating them 29-27 on a late-fourth-quarter field goal by--you guessed it--Dustin Hopkins. Last night Taylor Heinicke played poorly, and also above expectations. I urged patience yesterday with J.D. McKissic, and he came through big-time. We all know this happens with untested quarterbacks, who frequently lean on their backfield a bit more. And Terry McLaurin far exceeded my low expectations, putting to rest any doubts that he can thrive catching passes from yet another backup-caliber QB (imagine what he could do on just about any other team).
Meanwhile, Logan Thomas was a few points shy of where I thought he'd end up, and Antonio Gibson was a major disappointment. He's running well and is averaging 19 touches through two contests. The TDs will come.
And back to Barkley. What do you do with this almost universal first rounder? Trade him for second- or even third-round value? Stash him until he's seemingly 100% (if that ever happens this season)? Matchups against the Saints, Rams, and Bucs are on the horizon. His fantasy playoff schedule is fairly good (Cowboys, Eagles, Bears). But will he even make it that far? Aside from his 41-yard-run, this season he's amassed 42 yards on 22 carries. That isn't just bad luck, and it can't be blamed solely on an offensive line. If you can still get second-round value like a back-end WR1, I would cash out. Otherwise, your best bet is to wait and see if he busts out against Atlanta's weak defense, and then reassess your options with a bit more leverage on your side.
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Fantasy-wise, Daniel Jones is giving two-QB leaguers plenty to be happy about. Saquon Barkley played as expected, and it's fair to wonder if he'll be shut down in December--because what would there be to gain after two straight lost seasons and a third in recovery? Sterling Shepard asserted himself as Jones's top target, so congratulations to those who dug deep and took a shot on him. I was wrong about Kenny Golladay; while his eight targets were satisfactory, he and Jones don't have the chemistry that Shepard deservedly enjoys. Golladay even admitted right before Week 1 that it would take time for the offense to gel, since so many guys missed time with injuries during the preseason. I remain (foolishly?) bullish about the Giants' $72 million receiver on the assumption that head coach Joe Judge will lose his job if Golladay is third on the team in receiving (and he might lose his job regardless).
For Washington, (I looked this up late last night) it's been almost exactly five years since they last beat a team while giving up more than 22 points, and they did it against the Giants, beating them 29-27 on a late-fourth-quarter field goal by--you guessed it--Dustin Hopkins. Last night Taylor Heinicke played poorly, and also above expectations. I urged patience yesterday with J.D. McKissic, and he came through big-time. We all know this happens with untested quarterbacks, who frequently lean on their backfield a bit more. And Terry McLaurin far exceeded my low expectations, putting to rest any doubts that he can thrive catching passes from yet another backup-caliber QB (imagine what he could do on just about any other team).
Meanwhile, Logan Thomas was a few points shy of where I thought he'd end up, and Antonio Gibson was a major disappointment. He's running well and is averaging 19 touches through two contests. The TDs will come.
And back to Barkley. What do you do with this almost universal first rounder? Trade him for second- or even third-round value? Stash him until he's seemingly 100% (if that ever happens this season)? Matchups against the Saints, Rams, and Bucs are on the horizon. His fantasy playoff schedule is fairly good (Cowboys, Eagles, Bears). But will he even make it that far? Aside from his 41-yard-run, this season he's amassed 42 yards on 22 carries. That isn't just bad luck, and it can't be blamed solely on an offensive line. If you can still get second-round value like a back-end WR1, I would cash out. Otherwise, your best bet is to wait and see if he busts out against Atlanta's weak defense, and then reassess your options with a bit more leverage on your side.
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Personalized Fantasy Advice Sign-up: www.fantasyfootballforwinners.com/p/personalized-fantasy-advice.html
Follow on Twitter: @_FF4W