A lot of football tonight that's part meaningless and part "everything." Maybe that second part is an exaggeration. But if "everything" scenarios exist, there are two of them: one is if someone has a season-altering injury, and the other is if a rookie turns enough heads to shake up the depth chart and fantasy ADPs. Let's run through each Thursday night team and see what's what.
Bengals -- Fourth-round rookie Colbie Young (WR138 ADP) is trying to push past Andrei Iosivas (WR122) for the #3 job. That might not seem relevant. But Tee Higgins' injury history suggests Young or Iosivas will be better than their ADP. For context, Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase only missed a combined three games last year, and Iosivas still finished inside the overall top-70 wideouts (though he was only the WR93 in points per game). Young has a chance at faint fantasy relevance.
Lions -- [Note: I originally mistakenly discussed Kendrick Law before a thoughtful reader mentioned it. He’s out for the season. Sometimes I get carried away with rookies . . . .]
Steelers -- A reporter recently noted that second-rounder Germie Bernard (WR89) is "struggling." That happens sometimes with rookies. Should we steer clear? Given the set-up of Pittsburgh's offense, absolutely. But I generally give second-round picks the benefit of the doubt early on, so let's see how he looks in game action.
Packers -- No rookies to track, but my podcast today is on MarShawn Lloyd, who's had only 16 regular season / preseason touches in the past 998 days. So yeah, tonight should be interesting.
Patriots -- I'm fairly high on Eli Raridon (TE52), a third-round pick who might eventually replace 31-year-old Hunter Henry (TE17). Of course, Henry just signed a two-year extension. But that won't necessarily keep Raridon off the field. The rookie had one of the best "relative athletic scores" at the NFL combine of any tight end in the past 40 years. So at minimum, we shouldn't ignore him.
Colts -- It's too soon to call D.J. Giddens (RB79) a bust, and it's also too soon to call seventh-round rookie Seth McGowan (unranked) irrelevant, despite the bleak fantasy histories of seventh-round running backs. Still, one of these guys could be a must-add if Jonathan Taylor is sidelined. Taylor has missed 17 games these past four seasons. Enough said.
Raiders -- I've been publicly pushing sixth-rounder Malik Benson (WR135) since a few days after he was drafted. Vegas has a wide-open wideout corps. No one knows who will be the #1 WR by the end of the season. Benson's stock could skyrocket after tonight. And fourth-rounder Mike Washington Jr. (RB61) could take a big step toward becoming a must-draft handcuff.
Cardinals -- Jeremiyah Love (RB13): Maybe he'll get a few touches? He's primed to help elevate one of the league's most underrated offenses. His health, durability, and usage will have a big impact on managers who draft not only him, but also the Cards' other three weekly fantasy streamers/starters, as well as the underappreciated Jacoby Brissett.
Texans -- Marlin Klein (TE64) is a second-round pick who might be a work in progress. He's also operating behind an established starter in Dalton Schultz. It will be interesting to see how Klein develops.
Chargers -- Fourth-rounder Brenen Thompson (WR132) had only 27 career college catches entering his senior year, when he transferred to Mississippi State. That was where he took off . . . literally. His 4.26 40-yard speed is almost unparalleled. Still, while I believe Xavier Worthy has the fastest time ever, the other fastest recorded wideouts are John Ross, Rondel Menendez, Jerome Mathis, and Marquise Goodwin. The rookie Thompson will try to show he belongs.
49ers -- I've been hyping De'Zhaun Stribling (WR63) more than any other rookie, both on this blog and in several podcast episodes, pushing the idea that he could end up being the Niners' #2 WR. It started when Mike Evans, Ricky Pearsall, and Christian Kirk were fully healthy. A lot's changed since then, and Deebo Samuel's arrival puts a slight damper on the rookie's outlook. But his performance tonight will matter.
Titans -- #4 overall pick Carnell Tate (WR29) should make his debut along with fifth-rounder Nicholas Singleton (RB64). I did a podcast on Singleton recently. With Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears finishing out their contracts, this team might give Singleton a longer look than Day 3 rookie #3 RBs normally get. We pretty much know what Tate can do. But Singleton is a mystery.
Good luck if you have guys playing tonight . . . oh right, not yet . . .
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