OK, as always, here's a rundown of the most important fantasy implications of each Sunday game, highlighting (usually) one player from each team whose value has changed (sometimes dramatically) since yesterday morning, and the ripple effects on other players. And if you want to guess tonight's score, as always, comment below. I'm picking the Chargers over the Broncos 27-20.
Steelers vs. Buccaneers -- Kenny Pickett exited with a concussion midway though the third quarter. Then Mitch Trubisky played arguably his best football in years. This remains Pickett's team, of course. But if the rookie isn't cleared for Week 7 in Miami, Trubisky would be a deep-league streamer. For Tampa Bay, Chris Godwin is back, and Leonard Fournette continues to rack up points despite inefficient running. But going deeper, Cameron Brate left on a stretcher and, as of last night, was in the hospital, but it appeared not to be worse than it looked. If he misses time, Cade Otton would be one of the best streaming TEs available in nearly every league.
Falcons vs. 49ers -- Did not see this upset coming. Fantasy-wise, Caleb Huntley went toe-to-toe with Tyler Allgeier, which was my biggest question in Saturday's column re: this game. Painful for fantasy managers looking for a clear winner. And I was wrong: Jimmy G. *can* feed more than one receiver. That said, they were uncharacteristically playing from behind for most of the game. That probably won't be the norm in this otherwise run-friendly offense.
Browns vs. Patriots -- Nick Chubb out-targeted Kareem Hunt, which is notable since the Browns were often playing from behind. One would think (or at least I did) that Hunt would get some volume in catch-up mode. Wasn't the case. This is largely a Chubb-or-bust backfield. And I warned Saturday about overestimating Jakobi Meyers, while bargain Tyquan Thornton was my recommended "cheap" flier in my PFN DFS lineup for this contest. Sometimes football makes no sense. In this case, it did. Thornton is legit, and his arrival will cap every other receiver's ceiling.
Packers vs. Jets -- Randall Cobb suffered an ankle injury and will have an MRI today. More pointedly, why did A.J. Dillon get more touches than Aaron Jones? If this were last season, it would make sense. Both were running similarly well. But this year Jones is leading the league with 6.4 YPC. My admittedly ridiculous in-game theory was that Green Bay wanted to keep him healthy so they could trade him to the Rams for Cam Akers and draft picks. These Packers do not look like a playoff team. And speaking of the playoffs, how about those Jets! I wouldn't put a lot of stock in Zach Wilson struggling in Green Bay. Instead, zoom in on Elijah Moore: zero targets. He was Wilson's favorite receiver last year. Huge shift in a more crowded offense.
Colts vs. Jaguars -- Credit Matt Ryan and this offense for finally turning things around. Deon Jackson is the biggest story. Jaders Calcano out-bid me $25 to $22 to snag him off waivers yesterday morning. Some fantasy seasons are won or lost on things like that. And in the meantime, we should view Jackson as a must-roster RB even when Jonathan Taylor returns. I'd be shocked if Jackson takes a backseat to Nyheim Hines as the backup. For Jacksonville, Travis Etienne continues to push in front of James Robinson, bit by bit.
Dolphins vs. Vikings -- Another Miami QB, another week, another injury. Teddy Bridgewater almost guided them back in relief. Notably, Mike Gesicki got going. He now has two great games on the season. Given how poor the running game is, I believe Gesicki will continue to get good looks the rest of the season. They need him. For Minnesota, Irv Smith got a touchdown. If you're in a deep league and an opponent desperately needs a TE, I would sell high. Smith is solid, but there are probably guys on waivers in your league who can achieve similar numbers.
Saints vs. Bengals -- I warned against Taysom Hill, lighly pushed Marquez Callaway, and recommended Wil Lutz in DFS on the PFN website. So 2-for-3 on the unpredictable Saints. I'll take it. And note that Callaway led all receivers in targets. If this receiving corps remains in shambles, he's getting enough volume to be taken seriously. And for Cincy, Tee Higgins made it though unscathed. Of course, Ja'Marr Chase's breakout was the bigger story. But a healthy Higgins is key for fantasy managers with Higgins and Joe Burrow.
Giants vs. Ravens -- I've pushed Daniel Bellinger several times on this page. He's a good example of what I referenced above with Irv Smith: if you're desperate, there are guys like Bellinger on waivers every week. Probably a 33% chance you'll strike gold, and even better if they're facing a bottom-tier defense (like the Ravens). For Baltimore, J.K. Dobbins reportedly still isn't 100%. Not much of a surprise, and why I faded him in preseason rankings. Kenyan Drake was the hero, and it'll be fascinating what happens when Gus Edwards returns.
Rams vs. Panthers -- Closer than expected, Darrell Henderson barely achieved expectations. Honestly, I thought L.A.'s offense would click even better. Most notably, Allen Robinson got back on track. We'll see how long that lasts. For Carolina, a horrendous mess. Obviously, keep close tabs on Christian McCaffrey and trade talks. His value could take a hit if he joins a team with an established back--if he slides into a split role on a playoff-hungry team needing one more piece. But given his lofty salary, I'm expecting him to land (if he lands anywhere) on a team with a gaping RB hole to fill.
Seahawks vs. Cardinals -- I asked on Saturday, "Is Kenneth Walker the real deal?" Apparently yes, though most managers thought that before yesterday's game. I like that he earned three targets; that's a big difference between him and Rashaad Penny, giving Walker a higher weekly floor. Meanwhile, Arizona is now the worst team in the NFC West. Eno Benjamin mostly flopped, meaning when James Conner returns, there shouldn't be any short-term threat on Conner's usage.
Chiefs vs. Bills -- A rare example of an incredibly entertaining rematch of another incredibly entertaining game. Tough to see it end on a Patrick Mahomes interception. Notably, Clyde Edwards-Helaire has slowed down. I'm nit-picking a bit, since he's faced some tough D's. But after a blistering first two games, he's gained only 140 yards on 44 carries (3.2 YPC). Something to monitor as he heads to San Francisco next week. And for Buffalo, I pushed Dawson Knox as a flier on PFN's website this weekend, pointing out that last year he was (incredibly) 10th in the league in red-zone targets with 22. Essentially, he was due to get back on track.
Eagles vs. Cowboys -- Philly led 20-0 in the second quarter, and it easily could have been 28-0. I counted only two first downs in the third quarter as their offense stalled. Yes, Jalen Hurts is human, especially when facing a Dallas defense that got its act together after halftime. Fantasy-wise, A.J. Brown now has 7+ targets in all six games. For context, DeVonta Smith has hit that mark in only three games. Their stats aren't very predictable, but Brown's usage has been. Meanwhile, Ezekiel Elliott had his best game in ages. I warned some of you to bench him, and I was wrong. And yet, it doesn't change the fact that he's more TD-dependent now than at any time in his career.
Steelers vs. Buccaneers -- Kenny Pickett exited with a concussion midway though the third quarter. Then Mitch Trubisky played arguably his best football in years. This remains Pickett's team, of course. But if the rookie isn't cleared for Week 7 in Miami, Trubisky would be a deep-league streamer. For Tampa Bay, Chris Godwin is back, and Leonard Fournette continues to rack up points despite inefficient running. But going deeper, Cameron Brate left on a stretcher and, as of last night, was in the hospital, but it appeared not to be worse than it looked. If he misses time, Cade Otton would be one of the best streaming TEs available in nearly every league.
Falcons vs. 49ers -- Did not see this upset coming. Fantasy-wise, Caleb Huntley went toe-to-toe with Tyler Allgeier, which was my biggest question in Saturday's column re: this game. Painful for fantasy managers looking for a clear winner. And I was wrong: Jimmy G. *can* feed more than one receiver. That said, they were uncharacteristically playing from behind for most of the game. That probably won't be the norm in this otherwise run-friendly offense.
Browns vs. Patriots -- Nick Chubb out-targeted Kareem Hunt, which is notable since the Browns were often playing from behind. One would think (or at least I did) that Hunt would get some volume in catch-up mode. Wasn't the case. This is largely a Chubb-or-bust backfield. And I warned Saturday about overestimating Jakobi Meyers, while bargain Tyquan Thornton was my recommended "cheap" flier in my PFN DFS lineup for this contest. Sometimes football makes no sense. In this case, it did. Thornton is legit, and his arrival will cap every other receiver's ceiling.
Packers vs. Jets -- Randall Cobb suffered an ankle injury and will have an MRI today. More pointedly, why did A.J. Dillon get more touches than Aaron Jones? If this were last season, it would make sense. Both were running similarly well. But this year Jones is leading the league with 6.4 YPC. My admittedly ridiculous in-game theory was that Green Bay wanted to keep him healthy so they could trade him to the Rams for Cam Akers and draft picks. These Packers do not look like a playoff team. And speaking of the playoffs, how about those Jets! I wouldn't put a lot of stock in Zach Wilson struggling in Green Bay. Instead, zoom in on Elijah Moore: zero targets. He was Wilson's favorite receiver last year. Huge shift in a more crowded offense.
Colts vs. Jaguars -- Credit Matt Ryan and this offense for finally turning things around. Deon Jackson is the biggest story. Jaders Calcano out-bid me $25 to $22 to snag him off waivers yesterday morning. Some fantasy seasons are won or lost on things like that. And in the meantime, we should view Jackson as a must-roster RB even when Jonathan Taylor returns. I'd be shocked if Jackson takes a backseat to Nyheim Hines as the backup. For Jacksonville, Travis Etienne continues to push in front of James Robinson, bit by bit.
Dolphins vs. Vikings -- Another Miami QB, another week, another injury. Teddy Bridgewater almost guided them back in relief. Notably, Mike Gesicki got going. He now has two great games on the season. Given how poor the running game is, I believe Gesicki will continue to get good looks the rest of the season. They need him. For Minnesota, Irv Smith got a touchdown. If you're in a deep league and an opponent desperately needs a TE, I would sell high. Smith is solid, but there are probably guys on waivers in your league who can achieve similar numbers.
Saints vs. Bengals -- I warned against Taysom Hill, lighly pushed Marquez Callaway, and recommended Wil Lutz in DFS on the PFN website. So 2-for-3 on the unpredictable Saints. I'll take it. And note that Callaway led all receivers in targets. If this receiving corps remains in shambles, he's getting enough volume to be taken seriously. And for Cincy, Tee Higgins made it though unscathed. Of course, Ja'Marr Chase's breakout was the bigger story. But a healthy Higgins is key for fantasy managers with Higgins and Joe Burrow.
Giants vs. Ravens -- I've pushed Daniel Bellinger several times on this page. He's a good example of what I referenced above with Irv Smith: if you're desperate, there are guys like Bellinger on waivers every week. Probably a 33% chance you'll strike gold, and even better if they're facing a bottom-tier defense (like the Ravens). For Baltimore, J.K. Dobbins reportedly still isn't 100%. Not much of a surprise, and why I faded him in preseason rankings. Kenyan Drake was the hero, and it'll be fascinating what happens when Gus Edwards returns.
Rams vs. Panthers -- Closer than expected, Darrell Henderson barely achieved expectations. Honestly, I thought L.A.'s offense would click even better. Most notably, Allen Robinson got back on track. We'll see how long that lasts. For Carolina, a horrendous mess. Obviously, keep close tabs on Christian McCaffrey and trade talks. His value could take a hit if he joins a team with an established back--if he slides into a split role on a playoff-hungry team needing one more piece. But given his lofty salary, I'm expecting him to land (if he lands anywhere) on a team with a gaping RB hole to fill.
Seahawks vs. Cardinals -- I asked on Saturday, "Is Kenneth Walker the real deal?" Apparently yes, though most managers thought that before yesterday's game. I like that he earned three targets; that's a big difference between him and Rashaad Penny, giving Walker a higher weekly floor. Meanwhile, Arizona is now the worst team in the NFC West. Eno Benjamin mostly flopped, meaning when James Conner returns, there shouldn't be any short-term threat on Conner's usage.
Chiefs vs. Bills -- A rare example of an incredibly entertaining rematch of another incredibly entertaining game. Tough to see it end on a Patrick Mahomes interception. Notably, Clyde Edwards-Helaire has slowed down. I'm nit-picking a bit, since he's faced some tough D's. But after a blistering first two games, he's gained only 140 yards on 44 carries (3.2 YPC). Something to monitor as he heads to San Francisco next week. And for Buffalo, I pushed Dawson Knox as a flier on PFN's website this weekend, pointing out that last year he was (incredibly) 10th in the league in red-zone targets with 22. Essentially, he was due to get back on track.
Eagles vs. Cowboys -- Philly led 20-0 in the second quarter, and it easily could have been 28-0. I counted only two first downs in the third quarter as their offense stalled. Yes, Jalen Hurts is human, especially when facing a Dallas defense that got its act together after halftime. Fantasy-wise, A.J. Brown now has 7+ targets in all six games. For context, DeVonta Smith has hit that mark in only three games. Their stats aren't very predictable, but Brown's usage has been. Meanwhile, Ezekiel Elliott had his best game in ages. I warned some of you to bench him, and I was wrong. And yet, it doesn't change the fact that he's more TD-dependent now than at any time in his career.