Bye Weeks: Atlanta, Dallas, LA Chargers, Tennessee
Adrian Peterson is a viable fantay option
when the Redskins aren't playing from behind.
Grab a Helmet
Adrian
Peterson @ NYG: The average age of the 11 men ahead
of Peterson in the running back rankings is 24. Peterson is 33,
almost 38% older than this average. For perspective, people who
are 38% older than me are retirement age (do the math). Can we
just take a moment to recognize this modern-day, rock-toting marvel?
And to think he was unemployed just over two months ago. Game
script significantly affects AD’s production—15 carries for 26
yards in the two Washington losses—and he doesn’t offer much in
the passing game, meaning you have to be careful with him. However,
he draws a Giants squad this Sunday that appears to be in full
rebuilding mode, having jettisoned two starting defenders, Eli
Apple and Damon Harrison, just this week. Expect a heavy helping
of the former Minnesota great as the DC boys tighten their grip
on the NFC East.
Jalen
Richard v. IND: Whether by choice (Khalil Mack and
now Amari Cooper) or by chance (Marshawn Lynch), the Raiders now
appear to be in full rebuilding mode themselves, which has reportedly
angered many of the rank-and-file Raiders. Hey, guys? They didn’t
hire Coach Chucky and give him a 10-year contract with the expectation
he would just win now, baby. Five No.1 draft picks over the next
two years should go a long way toward replenishing the cupboard
in Oakland/Las Vegas, but meanwhile, where do the Raiders go for
production? I have a hunch Richard could be an option. He’s a
nice little security blanket for the beleaguered Derek Carr and
though he isn’t big enough to carry the load, is definitely more
explosive than the Muscle Hamster. Expect an uptick in rushing
attempts and a lot more check-downs as the season progresses.
He’s a sneaky good start against Indy.
Nick
Chubb @ PIT: The Browns have been in full rebuilding
mode seemingly since the Bush administration (the first one),
so the recent trade of Carlos Hyde to Jacksonville should come
as no surprise. Hyde was a Top 10 RB, yes, but that doesn’t mean
he had Top 10 talent, as his 3.4 YPC average might attest. Nick
Chubb might be and we have to credit GM John Dorsey and Coach
Hue Jackson for recognizing that, even if it means Cleveland loses
a valuable offensive weapon it sorely needs in the short term.
Chubb looked good in his first good run as the main man, rushing
for 80 yards and a score on 18 carries against Tampa. He’s unlikely
to contribute much as a pass catcher (that’s allegedly Duke Johnson’s
role), but 15-20 carries with four-yards-a-pop ability makes him
useful the rest of the way, starting at Heinz Field this Sunday.
Grab a Gatorade
Carlos
Hyde v. PHI (London): Nick Chubb greatly benefited
from Cleveland’s decision to move Hyde for future draft capital,
but it’s unclear if the change of scenery will prove as beneficial
for his former running mate. If we assume Leonard Fournette returns
to action this year (say, after the Week 9 bye), the answer is
undoubtedly no. Sharing the job with Fournette would clearly be
worse than not sharing it with Chubb and Duke Johnson. However,
even if we assume Fournette doesn’t return, will Hyde be the obvious
alpha dog in J-Ville? T.J. Yeldon has been solid in relief and
is unlikely to be completely unplugged. Regardless, there are
a lot better run defenses to debut against than Philadelphia’s
(85.7 yards/game, second best in the league). Hyde is an ultra-risky
play his first time wearing a Jaguars uniform. Give it a week
to evaluate and then make some decisions.
Jordan
Howard v. NYJ: I tagged Howard as a likely Top 10 dropout
before the season even started, but I’m actually kind of surprised
how far he’s fallen through the first seven weeks, especially
when you consider how much more viable the Chicago offense is
in 2018. He’s currently RB31 in both standard and PPR leagues
and seems to have settled in as a 10-15 carry bruiser for the
Bears who rarely contributes as a pass-grabber. This last fact
isn’t surprising and was the basis for my preseason prognosis.
The 10-15 carries are more worrisome since he’s currently averaging
only 3.5 YPC, well off his first and second year averages of 5.2
and 4.1, respectively. Put another way, if Howard doesn’t score
a touchdown for you, you’re gonna wish he’d been riding pine.
The matchup with the Jets isn’t terrible, but he’s a lot riskier
than he was in 2017.
Latavius
Murray v. NO: If I told you the Saints are fielding
BY FAR the best run defense in the league, would you believe me?
I hardly believed it myself but the numbers don’t lie: a
league-low 72.3 yards/game AND a league-low 3.1 yards/carry. OK,
so they’ve faced the sixth-fewest rush attempts, but also
some of the league’s better backs (Adrian Peterson, Saquon
Barkley, and Alex Collins to name a few). Murray’s been
surprisingly stellar in relief of an MIA Dalvin Cook and has averaged
over 21 points/game his last two tilts. That came against the
Cardinals and Jets, however, and game script definitely favored
him. In games where it hasn’t (Week 3 against Buffalo and
Week 5 against Philly), he’s been almost invisible. I’m
looking forward to the Minneapolis Miracle rematch on Monday night,
but Murray’s owners probably shouldn’t be. Tough as
it might be, sit him down.
