Since there are games this week on Thursday as well as Saturday, I want to find a time to walk through the biggest pressure points for the Sunday/Monday teams. So . . . that time is now. (!)
Panthers -- In their last three games, high-priced rookie Tetairoa McMillan has a 5-103-2 receiving line, while 2024 UDFA Jalen Coker has a 10-166-2 receiving line. In the big picture, McMillan's alpha status is pretty secure. But in the fantasy playoffs, there's too much uncertainty.
Buccaneers -- Bucky Irving remains seemingly safe. But a sharp downturn in targets and consistent sub-4.0 YPC rushing lines are, at minimum, concerning.
Giants -- Darius Slayton has 9+ fantasy points in four of his last five contests.
Vikings -- Once again, should anyone be starting Justin Jefferson?
Saints -- Devin Neal is in a somewhat similar situation as Bucky Irving: underutilized pass-catching upside with a relatively low rushing floor.
Jets -- Will fifth-round rookie RB Isaiah Davis get more run?
Dolphins -- As poorly as Tua Tagovailoa is playing, replacing him with Zach Wilson or seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers wouldn't exactly "help" the struggling Jaylen Waddle. Of course, at least they'd be facing Cincinnati.
Bengals -- I whiffed badly on Joe Burrow last week, as he produced the second-worst QB rating of his career. It was the first time he'd been shut out since November 2018 versus Alabama. Who was on that Alabama team? Tua and Waddle.
Titans -- Tony Pollard was one of the last players I expected to step up in December. He absolutely obliterated Cleveland's and San Francisco's defenses -- both times on the road. Can he make it three in a row?
Chiefs -- This franchise's dynastic era has ended. But the Gardner Minshew era has been reborn, at least for a few weeks. He was an adequate spot starter on the offensively capped Raiders last season. As long as KC's core playmakers are out there, Minshew could be streamable.
Cowboys -- Can George Pickens turn things around?
Chargers -- Omarion Hampton vs Kimani Vidal, and yet another reminder that injured RBs who aren't mainstay bell cows don't always maintain their pre-injury usage when they return.
Browns -- Maybe rookie Quinshon Judkins has hit a wall. Or maybe this is the natural outcome of a still-acclimating RB in one of the league's worst offenses. Since exploding for three touchdowns against Miami in Week 7, Judkins has rushed 113 times for only 338 yards (3.0 YPC) while netting fewer than two catches per game.
Bills -- Dawson Knox out-snapped Dalton Kincaid 45-25 last weekend. It was a wide gap than the week before, when Knox led 35-22 as Kincaid returned from a multi-week absence. Which TE is the better bet on Sunday?
Cardinals -- Michael Wilson has 67 targets in his last five games, which is a 228-target season-long pace. It's all because Marvin Harrison Jr has been sidelined for most of this stretch. The all-time NFL target record (16 games) was 205 . . . by MHJ's father.
Falcons -- As discussed on a recent podcast episode, Kyle Pitts has thrived for much of his career when there's no alpha WR (e.g., Drake London) on the field.
Broncos -- I recognize that RJ Harvey has a bright NFL future. At the same time, touchdowns account for 37% of his fantasy production. That is exceptionally high, and not in a good way.
Jaguars -- It took one historically brilliant performance for Trevor Lawrence to catapult to QB7 in fantasy points. Has he finally -- *finally* -- arrived as a yearly top-12 quarterback?
Texans -- Could 2024 sixth-round RB Jawhar Jordan carve out a 1B role?
Raiders -- 47.6% of Ashton Jeanty's touches occur in the second half. 47.7% of his fantasy points occur in the second half. That alignment seems stable and predictable . . . except he's averaging 4.3 YPC in the first half and only 2.6 YPC in the second half. Touchdowns are keeping him relevant in second halves.
Lions -- David Montgomery has scored in three straight contests, which masks the fact that he's averaging only 7.8 touches in his last five games -- a massive decline from the 13.1 he averaged in his other nine games.
Steelers -- Kenneth Gainwell vs Jaylen Warren.
Ravens -- Once again, is there any good reason for managers to trust Lamar Jackson?
Patriots -- Mack Hollins 4-41 receiving line last weekend was New England's best WR line in their last four games.
Colts -- Philip Rivers, take 2. He's back, but he still has to earn his starts with Riley Leonard looming.
49ers -- Christian McCaffrey has 345 touches, putting him on pace for 419 in the regular season, plus whatever he manages in the playoffs. 2026 won't be pretty, and he'll surely be overvalued in next summer's fantasy drafts.
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