In 2010, Roddy White was the overall WR1 while averaging 19.8 points per game. No wideout averaged more. Since then, at least one WR has averaged 20+ points per game in every season.
Heading into last night, Ja'Marr Chase was the overall WR1 while netting 18.9 points per game, with only one wideout (Nico Collins in five games) averaging 20+. Somewhat of a statistical oddity at this stage of the season. Surely some top receivers are primed to bust out.
Chase's TNF outburst pushes him to 22.4 per contest. It marked the eighth 30+ point performance of his career, and his third 50+ point outing. He's also one of the few wide receivers who can single-handedly propel managers to victory multiple times per year. This is why he's become a perennial first-round pick.
It was also a tricky night for some of you, as Cincinnati's Tanner Hudson and Baltimore's Tylan Wallace had 16.3 and 20.5 points, respectively. Neither was startable, so their contributions capped the ceilings of everyone not named Ja'Marr. For example, no other Bengals WR had more than 4.9 points. Trendy fantasy starter Mike Gesicki was barely adequate with 7.0. Chase Brown handled the rest, converting a somewhat surprising 22 touches into an even more surprising 22.4 points. Brown's career highs had been five targets and five catches -- both accomplished this past Sunday. So setting new career highs with nine catches on 11 targets was . . . well, not anywhere on my radar.
Interestingly Khalil Herbert didn't get a single touch. That gives Brown 54 touches since Sunday, compared to zero touches for every other Bengal RB. As mentioned yesterday, he handled massive workloads in college. So presumably head coach Zac Taylor knows what he's doing, and managers can rejoice.
And Joe Burrow is simply on fire. His passing line now stands at 2,672-24-4, putting him on pace for 4,572-41-7. While his remaining schedule isn't exactly a cakewalk, we can't ignore his 21.1 points per game.
Back to Baltimore: Derrick Henry saw fewer touches and fewer fantasy points than on Sunday -- similar to Brown, though less effective. Notably, Justice Hill had only four touches. He's now scored in nine of 10 games. Lamar Jackson has only two scores. 10 of Henry's 13 touchdowns have come inside the 7-yard line. The Ravens are using their future Hall-of-Fame RB in high-leverage situations. Not at all surprising, and also a boon for managers who've been able to bank on 14+ points in every game since Week 1.
Meanwhile, Wallace's mini-outburst, along with Nelson Agholor's score, meant one of Baltimore's "Big Three" receivers probably would be left out in the cold. After so much success, Zay Flowers took a backseat to Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews. The only thing we can bank on in this corps is unpredictability, especially if'/when Diontae Johnson gets acclimated.
And Lamar Jackson is now up to 25.7 points per game. Equipped with the best receiving corps of his career, he's on pace for a record-setting 436.2 points (in 17 games rather than the formerly traditional 16). He hasn't topped 55 rushing yards since Week 3, but we wouldn't know it based on his impressive numbers.
And no one came close to the final score. But we have to have a winner, and that winner is Scott Korn, who came closest by predicting 33-23 Ravens. Congrats to Scott.
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