In Weeks 1 thru 13, seven players cracked 40 fantasy points in a game. In Weeks 14 and 15, six more have hit 40+, and we're not even finished with Week 15. Incredible. Let's examine the top fantasy storyline for each Sunday team:
Browns -- Saturday's column: "Similar to last week, will Jerome Ford out-perform Nick Chubb these next few weeks?" Sunday: Chubb broke his foot, Ford once again outplayed him, and that's the end of that. Chubb will be some team's reclamation project in 2025, while Ford could be a top-20 RB.
Chiefs -- Patrick Mahomes' injury is obviously significant, as it undercuts the hopes of title contenders invested heavily in Isiah Pacheco, DeAndre Hopkins, Xavier Worthy, and Travis Kelce. Speaking of Kelce, on Saturday I wondered whether the Chiefs would manage the aging TE's load ahead of the playoffs. It's notable that backup Noah Gray outscored him for the third time in the last five games.
Titans -- Saturday's column: "Tyjae Spears earned seven touches in Week 14. Is he back to being a deep-league streamer?" Sunday: On a day when Will Levis's near-term career prospects crashed, Spears led Tennessee with a 6-87-1 receiving line. This backfield obviously remains Tony Pollard's, but a healthy Spears still can't be ignored.
Bengals -- Saturday's column: "Should WR-needy managers consider snagging Andrei Iosivas? In his last three games -- even with both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on the field -- he's collected a touchdown and averaged a half-decent 3.3 catches for 41 yards." Sunday: Um not at all. And Tee Higgins has now collected 17.9+ fantasy points in more than half his starts.
Saints -- Saturday's column: "As always, Kendre Miller: he's auditioning for, at minimum, a meaningful 1B role in 2025." Sunday: A banged-up Alvin Kamara gave way to the perpetually undervalued Miller. With New Orleans now on the edge of elimination from postseason contention, Miller is a solid bet to lead this backfield in fantasy points the rest of the way.
Commanders -- Saturday's column: "How will the backfield shake out behind Brian Robinson? Chris Rodriguez and Jeremy McNichols have both played well enough to merit more touches." Sunday: Robinson enjoyed 24 touches; the other two combined for only four.
Giants -- Saturday's column: "With Theo Johnson on injured reserve, Daniel Bellinger stepped up last weekend. Is Bellinger worthy of a fantasy roster spot?" Sunday: Among WRs/TEs, he was #3 on his team with three targets. Malik Nabers and Wan'Dale Robinson combined for 23. Bellinger is somewhere between irrelevant and dart-throw-ish.
Ravens -- Saturday's column: "As always, which receiver(s) can we trust? Watch for Zay Flowers to step up after a relatively quiet month." Sunday: Flowers actually led Baltimore with seven targets. But Rashod Bateman stole the show, Mark Andrews notched his eighth score, Justice Hill also found the end zone, and fourth-round rookie Devontez Walker's got a TD on his first NFL catch. As a result, Flowers hasn't reached 12 fantasy points in five straight contests.
Panthers -- Saturday's column: "There is an outside chance that Bryce Young is a dynasty bargain. These next few weeks probably will seal his fate for 2025." Sunday: A rough outing for the 2023 #1 overall draft pick, though Jalen Coker's ascension bodes well for Young if the latter holds onto the job.
Cowboys -- Saturday's column: "Is Cooper Rush a must-start in deep Superflex leagues?" Sunday: As long as CeeDee Lamb is on the field, sure.
Jaguars -- Saturday's column: "Travis Etienne vs. Tank Bigsby, as always." Sunday: Etienne looked a little closer to his old self, and the game was a reminder that Bigsby's lack of usage through the air makes his floor pretty low.
Jets -- Saturday's column: "Braelon Allen suddenly isn't "the guy" behind Breece Hall. How will this rookie-heavy backfield shake out with this team going nowhere?" Sunday: A back injury force Allen to exit, and fellow rookie Isaiah Davis capitalized -- not in fantasy, but in a "He's not going anywhere" sort of way.
Texans -- Saturday's column: "Last season, C.J. Stroud had a 113.7 QB rating when targeting Tank Dell. This year it's 75.2. Facing a tough late-season schedule (including Miami, Kansas City, and Baltimore), will these two get on the same page?" Sunday: Dell had a 15-yard rush on Houston's third offensive play -- seemingly a sign that they wanted to get him more involved. Instead, he went toe-to-toe with Robert Woods, which says everything.
Dolphins -- Saturday's column: "I would sell high on De'Von Achane in dynasty with zero hesitation . . . Despite the incredible fantasy numbers, Achane has been a liability on the ground (i.e. a sub-par rusher) in more than half his games this season." Sunday: More of the same, and with Miami clinging to relevance at 6-8, Achane is a bench risk in Week 18 and even in Week 17 of the Fins are eliminated. Oh, and Jalen Waddle's injury opened the door for intriguing rookie Malik Washington, who made the most of the opportunity.
Broncos -- Saturday's column: "Will any Denver RBs be trustworthy in the fantasy playoffs?" Sunday: Jaleel McLaughlin's injury and Javonte Williams' continued struggles could matter for rookie Audric Estime if Denver weren't a strong playoff contender. Instead, expect them to continue leaning on the hot hand from week to week.
Colts -- Saturday's column: "Is Anthony Richardson better than his lesser performances, or worse than his better performances?" Sunday: Same question. In a couple years, he might be a glorified gadget player, not unlike Taysom Hill. For now, he's a tough guy to start in in any one-QB league.
Lions -- Saturday's column: "Is Jameson Williams officially closing the gap with Amon-Ra St. Brown, or will St. Brown re-assert himself as the clear-cut alpha?" Sunday: Um, apparently not.
Bills -- Saturday's column: "After seeing only 13 targets in his first four games with Buffalo, Amari Cooper had 14 last week. A sign of things to come, or will he return to the 3-to-5-target range? Sunday: Zero targets. Wow, though Buffalo has the luxury of shifting its game plan from week to week. Great news for the nimble Bills; bad news for confused fantasy managers.
Eagles -- Saturday's column: "Can we trust A.J. Brown and/or DeVonta Smith? Sunday: How about both? This was a throwback to their co-dominant 2022 campaigns. We'll see if it continues.
Steelers -- Saturday's column: "Is the formerly 'washed up' (my words, in fairness) Russell Wilson a regression candidate?" Sunday: Wilson was stymied most of the afternoon, though Pat Freiermuth appears to be his favorite receiver when George Pickens sits.
Cardinals -- Saturday's column: "Marvin Harrison Jr. didn't have more than seven targets in a game since Week 3. Then he earned 12 and 8 in the last two weeks. Is Kyler Murray finally committed to him as the WR1?" Sunday" Although he led Arizona WRs with six targets, he was essentially a non-factor for the seventh time in his last 10 games.
Patriots -- Saturday's column: "Are any receivers comfortably startable in deep leagues?" Sunday: More of the same, though Demario Douglas remains the "best" WR of the bunch.
Chargers -- Saturday's column: "When, if ever, will Quentin Johnston's realistic floor rise above three points?" Sunday: Good numbers, and a team-leading 10 targets. However, he's now caught only 14 of his last 34 targets -- an abysmal 41%.
Buccaneers -- Saturday's column: "A fascinating backfield all season, and nothing has changed." Sunday: Still fascinating. Still effective
Seahawks -- Saturday's column: "Once again, can Zach Charbonnet establish himself as a co-RB1 alongside Kenneth Walker when Walker is healthy?" Sunday: Charbonnet eventually found his footing on a night when Geno Smith *might* have suffered a serious injury. Charbonnet's effectiveness suggests he'll play alongside Walker when the latter returns. But if Sam Howell is forced to start this team's remaining games, it's possible that no one will be startable.
Packers -- Saturday's column: "Is Jayden Reed too risky to start in any league?" Sunday: His 3-27 rushing line signals an effort to get him more involved. Unfortunately, it was (at best) only barely enough.
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