Russell Wilson has had a strange season. One moment he’s
hitting a Hail Mary, and then another he’s losing a fumble
that gets run back for a game-icing score. Somewhere I in the
middle he appears to have found some of his fantasy football value.
Wilson currently ranks No.9 among quarterbacks in fantasy points
per game (20.9), and has ranked as high as No.3 on any given week
(the Hail Mary game).
The Chiefs haven’t been brutal to QB’s, but they
haven’t been kind either, allowing just the 23rd most points
to the position. Being on the road probably won’t be helpful,
and the short week tends to lend favor the defense. Additionally,
Sean Payton’s visible frustrations with Wilson after last
week’s fumble coupled with the long-standing rumors that
Russell could be benched at some point this year – even
if just to make a point – add some risk.
The best bet for Wilson this week is the hope that he gets a
lot of garbage time, and stays on the field to “enjoy”
it. He could certainly reach back end QB1 territory, if that happens.
The Chiefs have been similarly challenging for wideouts, depriving
third and fourth receivers of hardly any production. Marvin Jones,
Zay Jones, Chase Claypool, Randall Cobb and K.J. Osborn have combined
for just 13.5 points and Zay Jones was completely blanked.
The Chiefs have actually surrendered double figure performances
to both of their opponents top 2 receivers twice this year, and
it likely would have been a third time had Justin Jefferson not
left Week 5's game due to injury. Still, the Chiefs did hold Calvin
Ridley to 4.2 points and they have allowed just one 100-yard performance
and no multi-touchdown games to any receiver. While the baseline
has generally been high, it’s been tight space between the
floor and the ceiling.
Courtland Sutton has been performing as a back-end flex thus
far, but he and Jerry Jeudy were essentially equals in Wilson’s
eyes last year, during which Jeudy did more with a very similar
amount of targets. Jeudy has also out-targeted Sutton 12 to 8
over the last two weeks, for what that’s worth. All considered,
either wide receiver can be viewed as an unexciting but serviceable
flex option.
The Chiefs are tough on RBs, having held Travis Etienne to 5.2
points, Khalil Herbert to 4.5 points and Breece Hall to just 8.4.
No running back has produced more than 13.5 points against the
Chiefs thus far, and that was David Montgomery, who is averaging
over 20 points per game.
The Broncos don't have the run blocking that the Lions have and
although undrafted rookie Jaleel McLaughlin has been a breakout
surprise over the last two weeks (34.3 combined points in Week’s
4 and 5), he has arguably done so in an unsustainable fashion.
The greatly undersized back has averaged just 11 touches during
his breakout, while playing exactly one third of the snaps in
both performances. Additionally, Javonte Williams missed most
of Week 4 and all of Week 5, but is expected back for this game.
With Samaje Perine maintaining a role as a pass blocker and receiver
out of the backfield, this is a very crowded room without much
of a ceiling, especially versus Kansas City on the road. There’s
going to be a lot of temptation to start McLaughlin after the
last two weeks, but it’s unlikely to be fruitful to do so.
DEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.3
DEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.1
DEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.12
DEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.7
After a quiet start to the year, Isiah Pacheco has now handled
15 or more touches each of the last three weeks good enough for
RB1 production during that time (17 FPts/G). This is similar to
what happened after Pacheco took over RB1 duties during Week 10
last year, and he posted 7 consecutive games with at least 15
touches. He was a RB2 during that time, but interestingly he has
been more involved a receiver this year, with his 11 receptions
already nearly matching his total from the entirety of last season
(13).
The snap count arrow is revealing favorable winds as well. The
last two games have produced the two highest offensive snap counts
of his career (60%) and he’s seen the majority of the Chiefs
halfback snaps this season. This is a significant bump, after
seeing snap rates in the 30’s and 40’s in most games
last year. He’s not quite a three-down back yet, but he’s
extremely close.
All in all, with Jerrick McKinnon still capable of popping up
in any given game and having an impact, it’s still best
to view Pacheco as a RB2 most weeks. Yet against the league’s
most trampled run defense, Pacheco is a very deserving RB1.
After two consecutive weeks during which his snap count reached
close to 50%, Rice took a step back with only a 30% snap rate
versus the Vikings. He did manage to turn in his 2nd top-30 performance
of the season (10.3 pts) and he now owns two of the three touchdowns
that Chiefs wide receivers have scored thus far. He also leads
all Chiefs wideouts with 25 targets and – almost unbelievably
– is the only one to have multiple catches in every game.
While Marques Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore still lead Chiefs
wide receivers in snap rate, neither has made much noise with
the opportunity. MVS has just 11 targets and Skyy Moore has blanked
in the reception department twice this year. Rice is also less
likely to draw the attention of Patrick Surtain, and that’s
the cherry on top which makes him the Chiefs most probable receiver
to provide fantasy value this week against the struggling Broncos.
He’s probably only a play if you’re really thin at
the position, but if you have to go with a Chief wideout, he’s
the best bet.
Zay Flowers’ stat line last week was good (5 for 73), but
it could have been much better. He lost his footing on one reception
that could have gained a nice chunk and dropped another one. Those
missed opportunities aside, Flowers had a definite role in the
passing game, as his team-leading 11 targets accounted for 30
percent of Jackson’s attempts. Those are promising in-game
trends for the rookie and a sign of things to come.
Tennessee’s pass defense is a middle-of-the-road unit that
just surrendered 429 total yards last week to Indy after limiting
the Bengals to 211 yards a few weeks ago. Flowers is a big play
waiting to happen. One of these weeks, he’s going to put
it all together and make his Week 1 performance look like child’s
play. Make sure he’s in your lineup when he does.
It’s difficult to get a firm grasp of this Ravens backfield.
Three weeks ago, Edwards essentially split carries down the middle
with Melvin Gordon. Two weeks ago, he received 71 percent of the
RB carries, and just last week it was more a committee with Justice
Hill. Relying on Edwards for anything more than a high upside
RB3 or flex with such unpredictable usage is setting yourself
up for disappointment. But for his role as an RB3 or flex, you
could do worse. Start him if you must.
Odell Beckham Jr.’s availability is still in question after being
limited in practice so far this week, and Justice Hill is on the
wrong side of a RBBC. Neither should be in your lineup, although
Hill is a highly recommended stash on your roster.
BAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.31
BAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.23
BAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.17
BAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.31
DeAndre Hopkins continues doing DeAndre Hopkins things, regardless
of where he’s playing and who’s throwing him the football. He’s
a ball hog with the targets, as his team-leading 42 are nearly
double anybody else on the team. That alone makes him a weekly
starter as a low-end WR2. Hopkins’ production will remained capped
so long as QB Ryan Tannehill maintains control. He can have a
WR1-worthy game like last week, but Tannehill’s limitations will
limit the consistency of such games.
Tyjae Spears is a lottery ticket. If Derrick Henry misses time,
Spears could be considered an RB2. If anyone’s been paying
attention, though, Spears appears quicker and more spry than Henry,
as his 5.8 YPC over Henry’s 3.8 YPC would attest. The 3.8
YPC is a career low for the bruiser from ‘Bama. If the team
starts adding Spears more into the offensive mix, it would give
him stand-along value and another much needed weapon on that team.
But for now, remain patient and treat him as a roster stash for
the moment.
Brian Robinson Jr. is a more solid RB2 fantasy player in standard
leagues than in PPR leagues, as Antonio Gibson is considered the
Commanders’ receiving back. Washington doesn’t have a high-volume
rushing attack, as the team is 31st in attempts. But Robinson
has gotten 81 percent of the team’s RB carries so far this season,
which has made him an every-week starter despite the team’s low
attempts. Expect the Falcons to present a challenge for Robinson,
though. Atlanta just held the Texans to 64 yards on the ground
last week, but Robinson should carve out some productive numbers.
Logan Thomas is not a penciled-in starter week after week. Rather,
his inclusion here today is the result of the Falcons being the
least productive team defending the tight end. That, coupled with
Thomas’s 11-target, 9-catch performance last week against
the Bears and the thin nature of the position leaguewide puts
him at a low-end TE-1 this week.
After commanding a team-leading 21 percent target share last
season, we expected Terry McLaurin to continue being the lead
dog in Washington’s passing attack. The presence of veteran
Curtis Samuel and the emergence of second year wideout Jahan Dotson
has cut into McLaurin’s output. McLaurin’s 31 targets
lead the team, but it’s essentially even with Dotson’s
targets (30) and Samuel’s targets (27). Such distribution
makes it difficult to say with any certainty who will shine on
any given week. All could be played as flex options this week,
but we’ll probably have to cross our fingers with hopes
that the player we have on our team is the one who produces.
Sam Howell could be a play for those who waited on QB. He’s
a streaky player who has rebounded nicely from his 4-INT game
against Buffalo in Week 3. He’s thrown for 678 yards with
3 scores and a pick in the last two games, while completing 71.6
percent of his passes. Those numbers can win you games. You could
do a lot worse than Sam Howell.
Fade: N/A
WAS FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.5
WAS FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.21
WAS FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.5
WAS FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.28
Drake London and Kyle Pitts both had their best games of the
year last week in the win against Houston. The offense racked
up 447 total yards, including 351 through the air. Still, I don’t
think this is a team that can consistently give you that kind
of production week after week. London can disappear on you (remember
the 1-target, zero-catch performance in Week 1?), and Pitts—for
all the talk about how he was such a unicorn when he entered the
league—is your typical 3-for-38 tight end who gives you
an occasional game like last week. I don’t trust anybody
outside of Bijan Robinson on this offense. Start them if you must
while hoping for the best.
Desmond Ridder is a younger, slightly better version of Marcus
Mariota. Not sure what that might say about his long-term fantasy
viability in the league, but I CAN say that it makes him a fringe
player who’s probably worthy of the last spot on your bench.
Washington’s defense just got thrashed by Chicago’s
inept passing game, so there’s a possibility of Atlanta
taking advantage of the Commanders secondary. I’ll wait
to see consistency from this passing game first before I start
endorsing QBs and pass catchers on this team.
While Samuel is on the cusp of being a no-brainer, that seems
more based on his talent level in a high-profile offense than
on his actual production. Through five games, Samuel has 384 combined
yards (76.8 per game) and 2 TDs. Despite their .500 record, Cleveland
is no joke defensively, ranking first overall, first against the
pass, and fourth against the run. In a game where yards may be
at a premium, Samuel is best viewed as a WR3 or flex candidate
as he’s less reliable than McCaffrey or Aiyuk.
It’s probably past time to acknowledge that Purdy is more
than just Jimmy G 2.0 as he pushes the ball downfield with more
consistency and competency than the man he replaced. Despite that,
this doesn’t look like a good week to rely on Purdy in your
fantasy lineup. As noted above, the Browns are the NFL’s
No. 1 pass defense, and with their offense being a middling group,
it wouldn’t be surprising to see San Francisco adopt a conservative
attack in a potentially low-scoring affair.
SF FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.28
SF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.22
SF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.16
SF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.26
Only the Eagles have allowed fewer rushing yards per game than
the 49ers (64.2 per game), so expect tough sledding for Ford.
He avoids the fade designation for a couple of reasons, however,
as Cleveland can still get him the ball as a check down option
-- he has 10 receptions for 77 yards in three games -- and the
Browns are likely to want to control the clock as much as possible
rather than expose Deshaun Watson (or P.J. Walker) to constant
pressure from the 49ers front. He’s a high-end RB3.
If he’s able to return to action after missing Week 4 with a shoulder
injury, Watson is stepping into a hornet’s nest. San Francisco
is tied for the NFL lead with eight INTs, and while their 13 sacks
rank just 17th, there’s no denying the kind of heat someone like
Nick Bosa can generate. It’s hard to envision Watson putting up
QB1-level numbers against this team, so keep him on your bench
whether he’s active or not.
So far, so good for Michael Thomas. He’s remained injury free
while putting up respectable numbers. The Saints passing game
lacks explosiveness, but that’s never been Thomas’s game. He’s
been a reliable WR3, so if you’re looking more, you won’t get
it from Thomas. He’s also heavily involved in the passing game,
and some could argue he’s the team’s de facto WR1. He has one
more reception than Chris Olave on four fewer targets.
Olave is essentially the opposite of Thomas in that he’s
fallen short relative to his draft position. While he started
the season on fire, his productivity has sprung a leak the past
two games. If not for the short TD reception last week, the three
receptions he has over the previous two games would really be
an eyesore. For now, you’re probably forced to continue
starting him. Keep doing so and hope the Olave from Weeks 1 thru
3 returns.
Derek Carr is not a reliable starter this week. He’s had three-straight
games of less than 200 yards passing against Green Bay (injury),
Tampa Bay and New England and has just 4 passing TDs on the season.
He offers virtually nothing with his legs (5 rushing yards) which
limits his upside. The Texans are middle of the pack against fantasy
quarterbacks and have given up just 3 passing TDs in five games.
NO FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.25
NO FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.28
NO FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.21
NO FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.32
The second overall pick has opened eyes across the league, but
he faces a different animal in the 4th-ranked defense of New Orleans.
They’ve held opponents under 200 yards passing in three
of the five games played so far this year, so the rookie can expect
to see some things he probably hasn’t seen yet. Stroud may
have a high floor, but his ceiling is limited. Tread with caution
if you have the rookie.
I expect the Houston offense to have its share of struggles this
week. Tank Dell (concussion) isn’t expected to play, which takes
away his 17 ypr and a deep play threat. Nico Collins is having
a career year up to this point, but his impending matchup against
Saints DB Marshon Lattimore will be a handful. Also, the Saints
are the league’s best in defending the tight end and top 10 at
stopping the run, which should neutralize Schultz and Pierce.
All of it adds up to fantasy managers being level-headed about
what the Houston offense can produce this week.
All of the talk in Carolina’s passing game is about veteran
wide receiver Adam Thielen’s career resurgence - so much
so that many fantasy managers are overlooking the sudden significant
uptick in usage for fellow wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr.
Marshall has been a huge bust throughout his NFL career so far,
but he’s quietly played himself into a role in the Carolina
passing game that has allowed him to be targeted a shocking 18
times over the past two weeks. Marshall has only converted those
18 targets for 14 receptions, 91 yards, and no touchdowns, so
it’s logical to not question whether or not this usage will
ever materialize into something interesting for fantasy purposes,
but those in deeper formats might want to add Marshall now in
case he does end up continuing to play this big of a role.
The Panthers are big road underdogs and aren’t expected to even
keep this game competitive, so don’t be surprised to see them
forced to throw the ball a ton again this week.
Chuba Hubbard is not a player that fantasy managers should really
be getting too excited about, but given the landscape of injuries
at the position, it makes sense that Hubbard has been a hot add
in fantasy leagues this week. Most notably, Hubbard’s teammate,
Miles Sanders, has missed practice all week as of Thursday and
at this point appears to be trending toward not playing on Sunday.
This would clear the way for Hubbard to potentially see a significant
workload increase in this Carolina offense, even if only for a
week. Hubbard and Sanders are the only two backs in Carolina who’ve
touched the ball at all this season, so there’s no reason to think
that another back will step in and take Sanders’ role - it should
pretty much go to Hubbard without much exception.
Two-headed backfields are typically bad for fantasy running backs
even in good offenses, but that point only becomes more magnified
when you’re talking about an offense that’s been as
bad as Carolina’s has. This is why it’s interesting
that Hubbard might end up being the only player of note in the
backfield this week. The Panthers face the Dolphins, who rank
in the middle of the pack in total fantasy points given up to
opposing running backs, but it’s also worth noting that
they’ve faced off against some of the league’s most
struggling offenses in the Broncos, Giants and Patriots. The Panthers
are also struggling, but their backfields are much more consolidated
than any of those teams’ are, so go ahead and add Hubbard
and start him if you’re in a tough start at running back
this week.
It’s very possible that the Panthers could find themselves
behind by multiple scores in this game and that would typically
mean lots of passing and lots of opportunities for Bryce Young.
Unfortunately, there’s just not much reason to be excited
given that Young has struggled so much to produce anything of
note in similar situations. The Panthers are currently 0-5 and
they’ve lost three of those games by 10 or more points.
Of course, Young did miss one of those games so we don’t
have a huge sample size, but he’s currently averaging the
25th-most fantasy points per game at the quarterback position.
Yes, this should be a pass-heavy game script and we’ll likely
see 40 or more attempts from Young so there’s always the potential
for some fantasy production here, but the Dolphins have held three
of their five opposing quarterbacks to fewer than 250 yards through
the air and only Josh Allen has thrown more than one touchdown
against them so far. Even in Superflex leagues, Young is a mediocre
option until proven otherwise.
CAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.27
CAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.2
CAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.26
CAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.12
The Miami backfield has been an absolute revelation for fantasy
purposes so far this season and now with rookie Devon Achane having
been placed on IR, it’s believed that Raheem Mostert will again
lead this high-powered backfield. There’s some worry that Jeff
Wilson, who is expected to return from IR this week, could step
in and play the “1B” role in the offense, but there’s also a good
chance that the Dolphins will opt not to ease him into the role,
especially given that they’ve already lost one running back.
For now, we have to assume that Mostert is “the guy”
in perhaps the league’s most running back-friendly offense,
so feel free to fire him up as a solid RB1 again this week. The
Panthers have given up the second-most fantasy points to opposing
running backs so far this season, so this is a smash matchup and
one that fantasy managers should end up being very happy with.
It’s been a slow start to the season for Waddle, but the
wide receiver finally got into the end zone for the first time
this season in Week 5, catching five passes for 35 yards on a
season-high 10 targets in the process. While the 10 targets were
certainly a positive note, fantasy managers have to be a bit worried
that he was only able to produce decent fantasy numbers because
he got into the end zone against the Giants.
Now we’re left looking at what is expected to be another
very positive game script for the Dolphins offense and it’s
seemingly ever-likely that Waddle will need to be extremely efficient
with the targets he does see because he might not see many against
this defense.
The Panthers have given up the seventh-fewest fantasy points
to opposing wide receivers so far this season. Perhaps most concerning
is that they’ve also given up the fourth-fewest total receptions
to the position on the season and two of the teams who’ve
given up fewer (Buccaneers and Browns) have only played four games.
Opposing teams just have not needed to pass much against this
defense in large part because they’ve often been up by multiple
scores late in games.
Waddle is still a player who probably needs to be looked at as
a Flex option this week just given that he’s coming off
of a 10-target game and he does have the production history to
make us believe that he can still succeed but understand that
this is not a good matchup for him on paper. There’s a real
chance that he will drop another dud on managers here in Week
6.
Despite scoring 98 points over their last three games, the Seahawks
have yet to look very explosive in the passing attack. Highly
touted rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba has just 62 yards receiving,
and Lockett hasn’t topped 60 yards in a game, yet. Plus, outside
of his eight-catch, two-touchdown performance in Week 2, the veteran
has nine receptions and no scores in the other three games combined.
Perhaps the Bye week will offer them a chance to tweak things
and get back on track. The Bengals have solid numbers defensively,
but they’ve also been blown out twice in five games, so they’re
not an airtight group by any means. Lockett can be used as a WR3
here.
Through four games, Smith has already thrown for less than 120
yards twice -- in 2022, he never threw for less than 180 yards
in a game. To be fair, Smith did miss a chunk of Week 4 due to
a knee injury, though head coach Pete Carroll says he’s
“fine.” We saw what Smith was capable of in this offense
a season ago, and that was before they added JSN in the slot.
The veteran feels like a fringe QB1 selection versus Cincinnati
with some risk/reward potential based on the Bengals’ inconsistency.
Fade: N/A
SEA FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.11
SEA FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.13
SEA FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.1
SEA FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.23
For the first time this season, Burrow looked like his old self,
moving more effectively on his balky calf, and actually pushing
the ball downfield. He finished with 317 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 INT
in a 14-point win over Arizona. Seattle enters this game with
the NFL’s 30th-ranked pass defense (280 yards per game), and though
their 16 sacks rank fifth, bear in mind 11 of those came against
the Giants, so they had just five in their other three outings
combined. This is a team Burrow should be able to produce against.
Higgins (ribs) didn’t suit up in Week 5 due to a cracked rib,
and with Cincinnati’s Bye on tap for Week 7, it wouldn’t be at
all surprising to see the club hold him out this Sunday to buy
him a couple extra weeks to heal. Even if he does play, he won’t
be at full health, and he’s done little this season outside of
Week 2 (8-89-2) -- in his other three games, Higgins has managed
a measly 40 yards on four receptions combined. This is probably
a good week to keep him out of your lineup, even if he’s active,
as the downside feels too steep for limited upside.
Higgins’ absence didn’t pay dividends for Boyd, who turned six
receptions into 39 yards against the Cardinals. The veteran is
purely an underneath target now, and if Higgins is inactive, it’d
be a better roll of the dice to go with Trenton Irwin, who finished
second on the team in receptions (8), yards (60), and targets
(10) last Sunday. Bench Boyd.
Jonathan Taylor made his debut last week but only saw 10 snaps.
Head coach Shane Steichen vowed to increase his workload this
week, which is music to the ears of those who have Taylor on their
team. In Taylor’s absence, Zack Moss has been balling. The greatest
datapoint about Moss is, through five weeks of the season, he
leads the league in snaps at RB with an 83 percent share. Once
an RB of Taylor’s stature gets that kind of snap share, the sky’s
the limit for his production. While Taylor may not match Moss’s
83 percent this week, we can expect him to approach that number
soon. In the meantime, don’t be surprised if he puts up high RB2
numbers this week.
Michael Pittman Jr. is the unquestioned lead dog in Indy’s passing
game. His 27 percent target share leads the team, and now with
Gardner Minshew under center, he should expect an extra target
or two per game because of Minshew’s tendency to not run as much
as Anthony Richardson. The Jags give up the 27th most passing
yards per game, so there will be opportunities for big plays.
Load Pittman as your WR2 this week with confidence.
Moss has had the best four-game stretch of his four-year career.
After being inactive for this year’s opener, Moss has since
gone on to average 22 carries and 111 yards per game in Weeks
2-5. Stellar work. But with the looming fulltime return of Taylor,
Moss’s productivity will disappear. The one unknown about
Taylor’s return is the degree to which Moss will still see
action. Certainly, his production to start the season has warranted
playing time, but how much? That remains to be seen. Keep him
stashed if you have him.
At some point, I think Josh Downs will be a thing in fantasy.
At some point, but not this week. Maybe not even this year. But
he’s shown too many flashes for us to ignore him completely. Hide
him on your roster if you have room.
IND FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.7
IND FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.12
IND FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.9
IND FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.17
Christian Kirk leads Jacksonville in targets, receptions, and
receiving yards, not Calvin Ridley. Kirk has put himself in the
high-end WR2/low-end WR1 conversation in fantasy. After the dud
to open the season, Kirk has been one of the most targeted receivers
in the league since Week 2. Conversely, Ridley has made some owners
a bit squeamish regarding his prospects for a standout 2023 after
posting only seven catches combined in Weeks 2 thru 4. He rebounded
nicely last week against Buffalo, but the up and down nature of
his play doesn’t necessarily breed confidence.
Evan Engram has yet to score in 2023, but he’s nonetheless
made himself usable in fantasy football. Engram’s value
so far this season can be summed up with noting that he’s
yet to score a TD but remains a startable option. Tight ends usually
rely on TD production for viability, but those that rack up startable
points via receptions and yards are a different breed and should
be counted on to fuel your point total. Only four teams have given
up more passing yards than Indy’s pass defense. These three
need to be locked into your lineup.
Let’s start with the elephant in the room. The Vikings won’t
be as explosive offensively without Justin Jefferson (hamstring).
Full stop. Cousins is a pro, though, and the team is hardly bereft
of talent. He’ll move the football effectively, especially against
a porous secondary like Chicago, which ranks 31st in the NFL at
286 yards allowed per game through the air. Even without JJ, Cousins
ranks as a midrange QB1 this Sunday.
With Jefferson on IR, Addison slides into the WR1 role. Is he
ready? We’ll start to find out this Sunday. The rookie is off
to a strong start, compiling six catches for 64 yards in Week
5 while scoring his third touchdown of the season. Of course,
the caveat with all that production is that it came with Jefferson
drawing massive attention from opposing secondaries. While Hockenson
might slide into the new No. 1 slot overall, Addison will doubtless
draw more coverage than before. Against a shaky Bears squad, the
USC alum is a borderline WR2/WR3, while teammate K.J. Osborn moves
up to a low-end WR3 and is a strong waiver wire option given his
history with Cousins and the offense.
Fade: N/A
MIN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.10
MIN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.24
MIN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.3
MIN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.15
While Fields and Moore have garnered the headlines during Chicago’s
recent two-game outburst, Kmet has been the other player to deliver
big-time production with a dozen receptions, 127 yards, and three
touchdowns in that stretch. He’s clearly operating as the No.
2 option in the passing game, and the Vikings are once again a
subpar group against the pass (240 yards/game; 22nd). Kmet, who
posted an 8-102-1 line in two games versus Minnesota last year,
is a viable TE1 this weekend.
With Khalil Herbert (ankle) expected to miss multiple games, Johnson
looks set to take over as the No. 1 back in Chicago, assuming
he clears the NFL’s concussion protocol. Given that the Bears
played last Thursday, it seems likely he will. The rookie has
flashed in limited work, and the team values him ahead of veteran
D’Onta Foreman, who has been a healthy inactive in recent weeks.
If he’s good to go, Johnson could be plugged into fantasy lineups
as an RB3 with upside while we wait to see what kind of usage
split he’ll have with Foreman.
Despite the deactivation and subsequent trading of Chase Claypool,
Mooney can’t seem to find his footing in this offense, finishing
the win over Washington -- a game in which the Bears scored 40
points -- without a reception. He’s gone without a catch three
times in five weeks, and he simply cannot be trusted in your lineup
at this point.
Stevenson has averaged just 13 touches in the last two games,
and while Ezekiel Elliott’s snap count has increased from 35%
over the first three games to 43% over the last two, Stevenson
is still seeing the majority of snaps and the truth is that both
running backs have seen a decrease in touches the last two weeks
due to back-to-back blow out losses. Additionally, it’s likely
that the shift in snap count between Stevenson and Elliott had
more to do with Stevenson’s thigh injury than anything else, and
he appears to be passed that issue now.
Facing Josh McDaniels and the Raiders this week, the Patriots
should be in a more competitive game. While it’s possible
Stevenson doesn’t quite see the 18-20 touches he saw in
each of the Patriots first three games (all one-score games),
either way he is still getting the bulk of the action and compared
to Elliott is the more well-rounded back (Zeke has averaged just
5.9 yards per catch since 2020 and 4.7 ypc since the start of
last year). Bill Belichick said that the Patriots need to “start
over”, and one can expect that’ll mean a heavy dose
of running the football and particularly turning to the man who
has been their best offensive weapon over the last three seasons.
Hunter Henry is second on the Patriots in targets (25), receiving
yards (176), and is tied for the most receiving TDs (2). History
suggests we shouldn’t be particularly surprised. While Henry
had a rather quiet 2022 season (41-509-2), he’d previously
produced at least 8 points per game in each of his five previous
seasons. He’s also only 28, which is often peak age for
a TE. In short, Henry’s 7.6 points per game may be sustainable,
even for a dysfunctional offense.
The Raiders, meanwhile, have been decent against TE’s thus far
- 17th in points allowed. But digging into the numbers, Las Vegas
has yet to face a single tight end ranked higher than 19th in
fantasy points per game (Donald Parham). The three most talented
tight ends they’ve faced – Dalton Kincaid, Luke Musgrave and Pat
Freiermuth – have scored between 6.4 and 7.6 points. Hardly banner
numbers, but for two of the three that was their high output of
the season, and none are nearly as polished as Henry. The Raiders
are far more beatable than their early ranking suggests, and while
Henry may not get a ton of opportunities if the Patriots do indeed
run early and often, he may only need a few targets to capitalize
and turn out a back-end TE1 day against Las Vegas.
Smith-Schuster is tied with Hunter Henry in targets, but has
only been able to turn those 25 looks into 86 receiving yards.
Smith-Schuster is currently going through the concussion protocol
and it’s currently unclear whether he’ll play this week. If he
does, the struggles of Mac Jones and the offensive line are likely
to continue to impede his average depth of target (just 5.1 yards).
But further concerns loom on the horizon, as the pending return
of Tyquon Thorton threatens to cut into his target total. Smith-Schuster
likely needs a large number of targets to be fantasy relevant,
and the odds of that happening are not promising this week nor
in the weeks ahead.
NE FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.30
NE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.11
NE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.19
NE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.29
With Davante Adams active but dinged up last week, Meyers saw
10 targets, turning out 75 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions.
Yet Meyers has been no stranger to heavy target loads when Jimmy
Garoppolo has been under center. In each of their first three
games together Meyers has had at least 10 targets. Meyers also
has caught 3 touchdown passes from Garoppolo, and after having
just 2 in his first 26 games, he now has 9 TDs in his last 17
games.
Meyers will get a crack this week against an injury-riddled Patriots
secondary, and arguably belongs in fantasy line ups even if Davante
Adams is a full go. With a real possibility that Adams is either
a decoy or inactive, the prospects of another big target load
for Meyers are only strengthened.
This is an unusual place to find Adams, but after he managed
just 4 receptions while trying to play through a shoulder injury
and then landed as a “non-participant” for Wednesday’s
walkthrough, here we are. Adam’s 4 targets in Week 5 were
his fewest since September 20, 2020 – a game in which he
was injured and then missed the next two weeks. Adams status will
need to be watched very closely this week, and if he turns out
to once more be a game time decision, consider the strength of
your depth before sticking him out there.
The Raiders have won half of Garoppolo’s starts, but being
a respectable opponent has not led to strong numbers for the veteran
QB. If anything, Garoppolo’s numbers have been the poorest
he’s ever put up – throwing 7 picks against 6 touchdowns,
thus far. Jimmy is 21st in fantasy points per game among QB’s
with multiple starts, and it won’t get any easier against
a Patriots defense that has allowed just 4.6 yards per play this
year despite numerous injuries. He’s an easy fade, and probably
even a wise pass in Superflex leagues if Davante Adams is playing
at less than a hundred percent or inactive.
Jared Goff continues his journey toward securing an extension
with the Lions after putting up solid numbers since mid-season
last year. He plays mistake-free football and orchestrates Detroit’s
offense with incredible command—all while not forcing things
and ensuring the Lions playmakers are doing their thing. Goff’s
been playing lights out; he’s a low-end QB1 for the remainder
of the season.
Seriously, I truly hope the Atlanta Falcons have studied how
Detroit uses Sam LaPorta and consider stealing some things to
get Kyle Pitts some action. My frustrations with Atlanta’s
passing game aside, LaPorta has been a true revelation this season.
Few expect rookie TEs to do what he’s done. But he’s
come out and done things that no other rookie has ever done at
that position. A truly special player and one who is an every-week
starter, although he missed practice on Thursday with a calf issue.
Be sure to monitor his status as Sunday approaches.
Josh Reynolds is the team’s WR2, and he’s delivered
some good games this season—his Week 3 goose egg versus
Atlanta notwithstanding. But he’s simply too risky to suggest
starting, short of any recurring issues with St. Brown’s
abdomen injury that kept him sidelined last week.
Jameson Williams, needless to say, has gotten off to a slow start
in his career. He dropped a pass last week that has had fans in
Detroit shaking their heads. The team is not ready to give up
on the youngster, and neither should you. Too early for that.
Have patience and be ready to throw him in your lineup when he
does pop. Meanwhile, keep him buried deep on your bench.
DET FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.12
DET FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.31
DET FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.14
DET FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.3
The 30-year-old Mike Evans continues putting a stamp on his Hall
of Fame career through the first part of 2023. While his Week
4 game came up short, he spearheaded the Bucs passing game with
28 targets, 17 receptions and 3 TDs in the season’s first three
games. What’s interesting is we’re getting the best-scenario version
of Evans right now. Getting older and playing with a new QB hasn’t
fazed him at all, and we can only hope it continues. The Lions
secondary gives up big plays, and now with Lions DB Emmanuel Moseley
out for the year, that bites into the depth the team thought they
had upon his return. Detroit’s secondary must rely on a fierce
pass rush this week to help fortify them on the backend. If not,
Evans could have his way entirely. Keep an eye on his practice
report Friday as he’s been battling a hamstring injury.
The days of Chris Godwin putting up massive numbers pre-ACL injury
are long gone, and that’s okay. As the WR3 /flex fantasy
player that he is, his floor is reliably decent but with solid
upside. Godwin managers hope he continues the momentum from Week
4 contest where he finished with 8 catches on 11 targets and 114
yards. Baker Mayfield is a desperation play this week, despite
the 3-TD performance against the Saints in Week 4. Tampa has struggled
running the ball recently, so if that trend continues, Mayfield
may have some value.
White has seen at least 17 touches in every game which is nice
but he faces a Detroit team that’s third against the run,
and Tampa has had issues running the ball lately as evidenced
by White’s 3.3 yard per carry on the season. A bad combination.
Cooper Kupp instantly took back his crown as Stafford’s
favored target in Week 5 (12 targets, 8-118-1), but Nacua was
not far behind, remaining relevant and heavily involved against
a vulnerable Eagles secondary (11 targets, 7-71-1). Incredibly,
in Kupp’s first game back, Nacua played 100% of the offensive
snaps - the first time he’s done that this season. Enter
the Cardinals, who have given up the 8th most points to opposing
wide receivers, offering another favorable opportunity for Nacua
to remain significant on the fantasy landscape.
Stafford held his own while without his star wide receiver, tossing
for 300 or more yards in three different games. Yet, while this
yardage has given Stafford a solid floor, he’s yet to break 20
fantasy points in a game this year. The thought process goes that
Stafford should start to produce multi-touchdown games with Kupp
back, and he did immediately do so against the Eagles, but surprisingly
had a rather pedestrian 222 yards passing. Stafford bringing it
together in Kupp’s second week back is worth banking on. He’ll
go against a Cardinals team that has allowed both Daniel Jones
and Joe Burrow to have 300-yard, multi-touchdown performances
despite their otherwise forgettable seasons.
Meanwhile, after Tutu Atwell saw at least 8 targets a game while
Kupp was absent, his targets dipped to 5 last week. The upshot
is that Atwell did still manage to score a touchdown and played
nearly 90% of snaps, as the Rams invoked three receiver sets nearly
all game long. It remains to be seen whether they’ll take
this same approach versus a Cardinals team that features a subpar
offense.
Additionally, even if Atwell finds himself on the field most
of the time, there is a question as to whether he’s a distant
third to Kupp and Nacua on the target tree.
Atwell is reasonably a boom-or-bust play in Week 6 versus Arizona.
Fade: N/A
LAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.15
LAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.26
LAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.28
LAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.5
The Rams have held the three pocket QB’s they’ve faced to 16.4
points or less, but gave up 21.9 to Anthony Richardson in a game
he left due to injury, and then 28.4 for Jalen Hurts. Joshua Dobbs
doesn’t have the raw talent of either Richardson or Hurts, but
he does at least have more experience than the former. Whether
that combined with his rushing ability (27-142-1) can be fantasy
worthy is a fair question. It’s a risky play that could go either
way, but his Cardinals are home for the fourth time this year,
where they’ve previously put up at least 20 points per game. Dobbs
does have at least low-end QB1 upside in this one.
Marquise Brown is seeing over 8 targets a game from Dobbs and
is currently 14th among wide receivers in fantasy points. But
the Rams have had a surprisingly stiff secondary despite heavy
off-season losses, giving up the 5th fewest points to receivers.
The Rams have neutered a number of wide receivers that are on
a similar - if not superior - level to Brown, including Brandon
Aiyuk (5.8 points), Tee Higgins (3.1 points) and Michael Pittman
Jr. (2.0 points).
A few receivers have had strong showings against the Rams, with
stars Ja’Marr Chase and A.J. Brown going over a 100 yards, but
they are exceptional talents and fantasy owners may be risking
a low floor in exchange for what will be a lower ceiling than
the Chase’s and or A.J. Brown’s of the world. Marquise Brown is
arguably a borderline flex play, at best, this week.
Dallas Goedert’s Week 5 monster game is a great example
of trusting the process, particularly when it comes to usage at
the tight end position. Through four games, no tight end in the
league had run more routes than Goedert. He was targeted 19 times
during those games, but just wasn’t quite able to come through
from a fantasy standpoint. This led to many fantasy managers throwing
in other replacement-level tight ends in his place in Week 5 -
a mistake that saw their normal starting tight end score over
25 fantasy points on their bench.
Goedert has been targeted 28 times through five games, is coming
off of an elite performance, and now gets to face a Jets defense
that has given up the most fantasy points per game to opposing
tight ends so far this season. Five different tight ends have
already scored touchdowns against the Jets and Goedert is an excellent
bet to make it six.
Don’t take this as a particularly strong endorsement for
Gainwell, who has clearly fallen behind D’Andre Swift on
the Eagles’ depth chart, but many fantasy managers are scrambling
this week due to injuries and bye weeks, and there’s a decent
case to be made for Gainwell as a one-week fill-in here in Week
6.
The Eagles are a seven-point road favorite against the Jets and
they’re averaging over 28 points scored per game. The Jets,
meanwhile, have been held to 22 or fewer points in four of their
first five games this season. The only exception was this past
week, against the Broncos and their worst defense in the league,
when the Jets were finally able to crack the 30-point mark. On
paper, this looks like it has a real potential to be a blowout
in Philadelphia’s favor, which could very well mean that
we’re looking at some garbage time “grind the clock”
offense from the Eagles.
Backup running backs like Samaje Perine and Ezekiel Elliott have
had decent days against this defense already and Gainwell has
continued to play nearly 40 percent of the snaps for the Eagles,
so you could do worse if you’re in a bad spot here in Week 6.
While A.J. Brown has continued to ball out, one player who’s
really struggled to find consistency here in 2023 has been DeVonta
Smith. Smith has now been held to four or fewer receptions in
three of his five games this season. While he was able to come
through with a nice fantasy day despite his low usage back in
Week 2, the other two games saw him finish with low-single-digit
fantasy days.
There are two real concerns for Smith with this matchup in particular:
First, the Eagles being large road favorites indicates that this
could end up being a game in which they opt to run the ball even
more than they normally do. That’d obviously limit the total
number of pass attempts, which is already a concern given that
Smith has been under a 25 percent target share in all but one
game this season, and he’s failed to exceed a 15 percent
target share in two of those games.
Second, the Jets have quietly given up the second-fewest total
fantasy points to opposing wide receivers so far this season.
That’s especially interesting because they’ve faced
some very good offenses like Buffalo, Kansas City, and Dallas.
Even Denver has been decent enough on offense despite their shortcomings
on the other side of the ball. Since Week 2, no wide receiver
they’ve faced has finished with more than 50 receiving yards
against this Jets defense. Brown and Smith are certainly the best
duo they’ve faced over this stretch, but this is not a particularly
good matchup for Smith and it’s reasonable to bench him
this week if you’ve got other similar options.
PHI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.8
PHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.29
PHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.4
PHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.11
Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson is coming off of a mediocre
fantasy performance which saw him catch just three of the seven
targets that came his way for 54 yards in what many had hoped
to be a big game for him against a terrible Broncos defense. It’s
worth considering that Wilson was matched up against one of the
league’s top cornerbacks, Patrick Surtain, on nearly 70
percent of his routes throughout the game, and the Jets simply
didn’t need to pass the ball much given the success that
their running game was having.
This week is a completely different story as the Jets face a
Philadelphia team that has averaged over 28 points scored per
game. They’re almost certainly going to have to pass in
order to stay even remotely competitive, and they’re facing
a defense that has given up the fourth-most fantasy points to
opposing wide receivers so far this season. At least one opposing
wide receiver has scored 17 or more fantasy points against this
defense in every game they’ve played this season, and Wilson
should be able to continue that trend this week. This is one of
the strongest matchups he’ll have all season so get him
in your lineup.
Tight end continues to be a wasteland throughout the league,
so fantasy managers who are looking for a singular bye-week fill-in
might look to Jets tight end Tyler Conklin. Conklin has seen at
least five targets in four straight games and has over 50 receiving
yards in three of those four contests. He still hasn’t scored
a touchdown this season, but he now faces a Philadelphia defense
that has given up three scores to the position through five weeks.
It was a fun story while it lasted, but Zach Wilson was right
back to fantasy irrelevancy this past week even in what was considered
the best possible matchup for him against the Broncos. Wilson
has now finished in single-digits for fantasy in four of his five
games and is very closely bordering on “could be benched
for mid-level wide receivers” territory in Superflex leagues.
The Eagles are a top-10 matchup for opposing quarterbacks, but
most of that came from their first two matchups this season which
saw them give up seven passing touchdowns and two 300-yard passing
days. Since then, they’ve held opposing QBs to four total
scores over their past three games and an average of under 220
passing yards per game during that stretch.
There’s not a lot to be excited about in the Giants offense
right now, especially with quarterback Daniel Jones injured, but
one player who’s looking up is tight end Darren Waller.
Waller came into the season with a ton of hype on his new team
but had so far failed to live up to the lofty expectations that
many fantasy managers had for him. He came through in Week 5,
though, catching eight passes for 86 yards against the Dolphins.
Perhaps most encouraging is that he was targeted 11 times on the
day.
The Giants have been getting blown out basically every week,
and they’re massive underdogs in this game, so a heavy skew
toward their passing game seems likely. The Bills have been excellent
so far against opposing tight ends, but a glance at their schedule
would show you that they really haven’t faced much competition
at the position yet this season. Waller is the top receiver on
the team and should be heavily utilized again.
He still hasn’t come through with a big game yet, but Wan’Dale
Robinson has now led all Giants wide receivers in total targets
in back-to-back weeks and has been the most-targeted receiver
overall for the team since his 2023 debut back in Week 3.
The Giants are expected to be behind on the scoreboard again
this week, so look for them to pass the ball fairly heavily again
which could mean a new season-high in targets for Robinson. He’s
really only an option in very deep leagues, but he’s beginning
to establish himself as the clear top wide receiver in this offense
and there’s at least some reason to pay attention to that.
Update: Barkley
is a gametime decision but is trending in the right direction.
When he’s healthy, there may not be a single more talented,
electric running back in football than Saquon Barkley. Unfortunately,
Barkley has missed the past three weeks with an ankle sprain and
he’s still only practicing in limited capacity throughout
this week. Worse yet, he plays on Sunday night which makes things
all the more difficult because we almost certainly will not have
absolute confirmation of his status prior to the daytime Sunday
games kicking off. This makes it extremely risky to keep Barkley
in your lineup unless you’ve got another Sunday night or
Monday night option to replace him with in case he ends up being
held out another week.
Even if you do have another option, though, there’s a real
case to be made that this just is not the matchup that fantasy
managers want to be putting Barkley in their lineups for. He was
a first or second-round pick, so it’s tough to imagine that
many fantasy managers will have significantly better options to
choose from, but the Bills have been the eighth-best fantasy defense
against opposing running backs so far this season and that’s
even after they were absolutely destroyed by Travis Etienne and
De’Von Achane in back-to-back weeks.
The Giants are likely to be behind in this game which would only
disincentivize them to give a heavy workload to Barkley even if
he is deemed fully healthy, so if you have other decent options,
this is probably the one and only time that you might want to
seriously consider sitting one of fantasy football’s best
running backs.
NYG FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.20
NYG FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.6
NYG FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.13
NYG FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.18
It’s typically a fool’s errand to believe in players
with this high of a touchdown-per-touch ratio, but Gabriel Davis
finally showed us something to get excited about this past week
when he caught six of the eight passes that came his way for 100
yards and a score. It was Davis’ fourth game in a row with
a touchdown despite the fact that he’s only caught 16 passes
over that stretch.
Davis now faces a struggling Giants team that has just been average
against opposing wide receivers, and the Bills could be without
one or both of their top tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson
Knox, which would only further consolidate the targets to their
top pass catchers. Understand that he’s a touchdown-or-bust
player most weeks, but this is a good matchup for him and he’s
red hot.
James Cook had been solid in the RB2 range through the first
four weeks of the season, but it’s hard to sell his Week
5 performance against the Jaguars as anything other than terrible.
He carried the ball just five times for negative four yards in
the game and contributed just 25 yards on three catches in the
passing game. It was his first non-double-digit fantasy point
day of the season, so we can probably forgive it to some extent,
but given that the Bills are typically a pass-heavy offense to
begin with, there’s at least some concern that they will
tone down his usage this week.
With that being said, there’s also hope for Cook to get
back into the good graces of fantasy managers as he faces a Giants
defense that has given up the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing
running backs so far this season. The Bills are huge home favorites
and the Giants have given up at least 70 rushing yards to the
opposing team’s top rusher in every game they’ve played
so far this season. De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert combined
for 236 yards on the ground against this defense a week ago, so
don’t abandon all hope on Cook just yet.
Rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid has been a disappointment from
a fantasy standpoint so far this season and now he’s dealing
with a concussion that has his status for Sunday’s game
in serious question. Similarly, his teammate, Dawson Knox, is
dealing with a wrist injury that has also held him out of practice
and could potentially threaten his Week 6 status.
Right now the Bills are not targeting their tight ends at a high
enough rate for either of these players to be fantasy starters,
but that’s especially true given that they’re playing
a Sunday night game which means that their status likely won’t
be known until almost all of the games on the Week 6 slate have
been played. Fantasy managers would be better off to find other
options this week.
The Cowboys playing keep-away on offense through the first four
weeks can largely explain Dak Prescott’s virtual invisibility
on the fantasy radar, but last week they found themselves in a
position where they had to open it up, and it went sideways for
Dak and company. Prescott was picked three times, amassed just
153 yards, and threw just 1 touchdown. To be fair, falling into
negative game script against the 49ers is a very difficult task
to tangle with.
This week, look for Prescott to have a get right game against
a vulnerable Chargers defense that only a 4th round rookie QB
(Aidan O’Connell) couldn’t solve. Even an aging Ryan
Tannehill, who has had a tough time with a Titans depleted receiving
corps, found his way to 21 points. This game has shootout potential,
and this may be Dak’s highest ceiling opportunity of the
year.
Gallup was virtually uninvolved through the Cowboys first two
games – totaling just 4 targets – but has seen an uptick in targets
over the last three weeks, averaging 6 per game. It appears that
Gallup may have passed Brandin Cooks to become Prescott’s second
option, and against a Chargers team that has surrendered the most
points to wide outs, there is flex upside with him this week.
Fade: N/A
DAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.26
DAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.18
DAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.30
DAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.14
Herbert is going to be playing with a broken finger, but it is
on his non-throwing hand. It’s not completely irrelevant,
as it certainly could make him more prone to fumbling a snap,
but it’s likely to have far less impact than his rib injury
did last year. Herbert drawing the Cowboys this week might also
elicit a concerned reaction, considering that the Cowboys are
just the 26th most points to QB’s.
Yet the Cowboys have lost star CB Trevon Diggs and LB Leighton
Vander Esch in the last couple of weeks. Additionally, not a single
opposing quarterback has attempted 30 passes against the Cowboys
this year, a streak that is likely to end this week with Herbert.
The four-year pro has averaged nearly 40 pass attempts per game
in his career, and has already thrown over 40 passes in two games.
In what could be one of the higher scoring games of the week,
there’s a good chance of another strong outing from Herbert.
In the first game without Mike Williams, it was Palmer who proved
to be the benefactor. As a matter of fact, he led the Chargers
in targets with 8. While he picked up 77 yards on 3 receptions,
there was some meat left on the bone. This week, Keenan Allen
may draw a fair share of Stephon Gilmore’s attention, and with
Trevon Diggs on IR, Palmer may again find himself with a nice
target total. If he can fare better at cashing in, it could be
a good day for him.
The Cowboys defense had been making a rough time of it for opposing
tight ends, until George Kittle came along and converted 3 receptions
into 3 touchdowns. But Gerald Everett has two things going against
him: One, he is not George Kittle. Two, Austin Ekeler is expected
back this week. Even while Ekeler was absent, Everett was not
able to capitalize and bulk up his target load with extra available
checkdowns – only peaking at 6.2 points during that span.
Having Ekeler once again competing for targets, it’s wise
to take the under on those 6.2 points for Everett.
