Passing
Game Thoughts: With Carson Palmer ruled out due to a concussion
sustained in this past week’s loss to the Rams, the high-powered
Arizona offense will now turn to Drew Stanton. Stanton, who threw
two interceptions in just 11 pass attempts in relief of Palmer
in Week 4, certainly doesn’t possess the same ability to
run this offense that Palmer does which raises serious questions
as to which Arizona receiver – if any – is the best
fantasy option in this matchup against the 49ers. It had been
veteran Larry Fitzgerald through the first three weeks of the
season, but Fitzgerald unexpectedly took a back seat to John Brown
in Week 4 as both he and Michael Floyd were targeted just seven
times each in comparison to Brown’s 16 targets, 10 of which
were caught for 144 yards. It’s tough enough to predict
which Arizona receiver is going to see the ball come his way the
most from week to week, but the added wrench of a low-level quarterback
stepping in makes all three receivers fairly risky. Still, all
three possess the skills to have a monster game, thus making them
all at least Flex options. Stanton himself should remain on your
league’s waiver wire, but he could make for an interesting,
cheap option in daily formats.
SF FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.12
SF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.13
SF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.14
SF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.7
Running Game Thoughts: Practically every first round fantasy
draft pick has had a rough game or two to start the season, but
one player who hasn’t is second-year Arizona running back
David Johnson. Johnson continues to see work as the Cardinals’
primary ball carrier, but he’s also been involved in the
passing game, catching at least three passes in every game so
far this season. He should get even more opportunity to shine
in Week 5 with the Cardinals missing their starting QB and with
Chris Johnson (groin) being placed on the IR. It would be tough
to argue that any back has a more ideal matchup this week as Johnson
will be up against a 49ers defense that has conceded three straight
games of 130-plus rushing yards to opposing teams.
Passing
Game Thoughts: There are few passing attacks in the NFL
that bring less fantasy interest to the table than that of the
San Francisco 49ers. Through four games, quarterback Blaine Gabbert
has passed for an average of just 182 yards per game and while
he’s been a bit more mobile than some might have expected,
it still hasn’t been enough for him to crack even the top
20 at the position –– and that’s with some quarterbacks
having missed games due to injury or bye weeks. The one player
in the 49ers passing attack who has had some fantasy relevance
has been wide receiver Jeremy Kerley whose 32 targets, 18 receptions
and 202 receiving yards are all team highs. Kerley, unfortunately,
is dealing with an ankle injury and is listed as questionable
to play on Thursday night. If he can’t play, the team’s
next-best option would be Torrey Smith, but only the most desperate
fantasy owners should even be considering him at this point given
his lack of success (9 catches) in this 49ers offense.
ARI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.22
ARI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.23
ARI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.18
ARI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.28
Running Game Thoughts: It’s been a great start to the season
for Carlos Hyde, who currently sits as a top five running back
in standard scoring formats through the first four weeks of the
season. Hyde’s five rushing touchdowns put him second in
the league in that category and he’s clearly the focal point
of the San Francisco offense. Game flow might have typically made
Hyde a higher risk play against the Cardinals given Arizona’s
ability to put points on the board in bunches, but it would not
be at all surprising to see this game be a much lower-scoring
affair with Palmer sitting out for the Cardinals. Hyde should
touch the ball upwards of 20 times in this contest, thus making
him a good bet to put up at least low-end RB1 numbers. Arizona’s
defense has been solid against the run so far this season, most
notably shutting down Todd Gurley this past week (19-33), but
the teams that commit to running the ball against them, such as
the Bills, have had success in doing so.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Julio Jones’ disappointing Week 3
performance now seems like something from the far distant past
as the superstar receiver made up for it with a ridiculous, 300-yard
receiving performance in Week 4. Both Jones and quarterback Matt
Ryan are now the top scorers at their respective positions through
the first four weeks, making them a must-start duo even in what
will be a difficult matchup against one of the league’s
premier defenses as they head to Denver here in Week 5. Through
four games, the Broncos have conceded a total of just two passing
touchdowns –– and they’ve played against the
likes of Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston.
While Ryan and Jones are likely must-starts for most teams, the
only other player in the Falcons passing game that should be considered
for fantasy purposes in this matchup is tight end Jacob Tamme.
Tamme is a low-end TE1 option, but Ryan looks for him quite often
in the red zone.
DEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.26
DEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.19
DEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.32
DEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.19
Running Game Thoughts: The Atlanta
backfield has been a bit more of a crapshoot than we would have
assumed coming into the season, but the positive thing is that
both Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman have been useful most weeks.
Week 5 does present a unique situation for Coleman, who possesses
the sickle cell trait which does cause some concern for health
when playing at high altitudes. While the Falcons have said that
Coleman will play, the number of snaps he’s on the field
for remains to be seen. Given that information, we have to bump
Coleman down a bit on the rankings this week and Freeman up, although
both players could find it tough to run against this excellent
Denver defense which has conceded an average of just 75.5 rushing
yards per game this season.
Passing
Game Thoughts: We don’t have confirmation as to who
will be behind center for the Broncos in Week 5, but the coaching
staff remains insistent that the gameplan will not change. It
appears that first round rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch is the
most likely player to start in this great matchup against a horrendous
Atlanta defense that has already conceded a ridiculous 13 touchdown
passes and sits dead last in fantasy points conceded to opposing
quarterbacks. It’d be risky to start the rookie in his first
NFL start, but if you’re in a bad situation, there are definitely
worse options. Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas is a bit beat up,
but he is expected to play alongside Emmanuel Sanders. The two
stud wide receivers are among the best duos in the league and
both players are low-end WR1’s or high-end WR2’s on
a week-to-week basis, but especially in matchups like this. Tight
end Virgil Green (calf) is also questionable to play on Sunday
but appears to be trending in the right direction. Green makes
for an interesting bye week fill-in at the position this week
given that the Falcons have given up at least one touchdown to
the tight end position in every game they’ve played so far
this season.
ATL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.1
ATL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.9
ATL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.8
ATL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.1
Running Game Thoughts: With the
Broncos expected to start a rookie quarterback, it seems likely
that fantasy owners will be cheering as their running back, C.J.
Anderson, gets plenty of touches. The Broncos tailback has already
touched the ball 20 or more times in three of his four games,
scoring a rushing touchdown in each of those contests. Even in
the other game, he still touched the ball 15 times in what was
a tough road win over the Bengals. Rookie running back Devontae
Booker has been seeing the field a bit more lately, but his fantasy
value is still largely tied to the health of Anderson, which appears
to be fine for now. This is a great matchup against a terrible
Atlanta defense, making Anderson one of the premier plays at the
position in Week 5.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Fantasy owners have to be happy with what
they’ve received so far from the veteran San Diego quarterback
as he efficiently runs a high-powered passing offense. His one
interception so far this season came on a hail-mary at the end
of the team’s Week 4 loss to the Saints. Other than that,
Rivers has done a great job of staying on his feet and avoiding
mistakes. Unfortunately, fantasy owners haven’t seen much
consistency from any of the team’s remaining top three receivers
- Travis Benjamin, Tyrell Williams and Dontrelle Inman. Each player
has had precisely one quality fantasy game over the past three
weeks. Unfortunately, they’ve been fairly mediocre in the
other two games. It’s going to be tough to predict which
one of these players gets the love from Rivers on a week-to-week
basis, but based on the receivers who’ve performed well
against the Raiders this season, Benjamin might give fantasy owners
their best chance at production. One other player to keep an eye
on is rookie tight end Hunter Henry. If Antonio Gates (hamstring)
sits again, Henry could be in line for a nice fantasy day. He’s
caught nine passes over his past two games and has become a red
zone favorite for Rivers.
OAK FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.3
OAK FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.5
OAK FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.2
OAK FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.10
Running Game Thoughts: Following
a bizarre rookie season which saw him fail to score a single touchdown,
Melvin Gordon has certainly turned things around in his second
season as a pro. The former first round pick now leads the NFL
with six rushing touchdowns and appears to be a good bet to get
into the end zone for another score or two in Week 5 as he will
be running against an Oakland defense that has conceded a rushing
touchdown in each of their past three contests. While Gordon’s
fantasy numbers have remained solid due to his ability to dive
over the goal line, a closer look at the situation would tell
us that he actually hasn’t been very efficient with his
carries. Gordon rushed for just 36 yards on 19 carries in Week
4 against a feeble New Orleans defense, and that was actually
up from the 35 rushing yards he had against Indianapolis –
another awful defense – in Week 3. The Chargers have made
it very clear that they’re willing to run the ball near
the goal line and Gordon is in no risk of losing his job, so he
remains a solid RB1 in this matchup despite some understandable
ypc concerns.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Third-year quarterback Derek Carr has been
excellent this season. His efficiency (68% completion rate) has
been off the charts and despite being a young player, he’s
been able to avoid costly mistakes. Most believed that his top
receiver this season would be second-year wide receiver Amari
Cooper, but it has been veteran Michael Crabtree – for the
second straight season – who has outshined the youngster
on his way to fantasy excellence. Crabtree has now caught seven
or more passes in three of his four contests this season and his
three touchdown performance against the Ravens in Week 4 has now
elevated him to being a top five scorer at the position on the
season. Crabtree and Cooper are really the only two fantasy relevant
receivers in this offense, but that’s a good thing as they
should both see plenty of targets in what will be an excellent
matchup against a terrible San Diego secondary that will now be
without star cornerback Jason Verrett, who tore his ACL and will
miss the remainder of the 2016 season.
SD FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.4
SD FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.3
SD FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.21
SD FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.9
Running Game Thoughts: Running back
Latavius Murray (toe) was banged up in the Raiders’ big
road win over the Ravens in Week 4 and is now expected to sit
out this week’s contest. Murray had been slowly losing touches
to young running backs DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard anyway,
so this might actually be a better situation for fantasy owners.
Given the usage in recent weeks, it is believed that Washington
will be given the first chance to take on the bulk of carries,
but Richard should also see the field enough to give coaches a
chance to evaluate him. The “hot hand” approach will
likely be utilized in this matchup, but those in tough situations
at the running back position could certainly look to one of these
backs as this is a great matchup against a bad defense that is
now even further depleted following injuries. The Chargers have
conceded a total of five rushing touchdowns over their past two
games, so the upside is here.
Passing
Game Thoughts: One of the fantasy football’s top
QB2’s coming into the season, Tyrod Taylor has bounced back
nicely from a horrendous Week 1 offering, contributing three straight
solid efforts against the Jets, Cardinals and Patriots. Taylor
has been leaning heavily on running back LeSean McCoy in the passing
game, but he’s also been able to get the ball to the team’s
de facto No. 1 receiver, Robert Woods, who now has 13 receptions
over his past two games. Woods is heavily under-owned but he does
have some value in PPR formats. Those who are desperate at tight
end might also want to take a look at Charles Clay who is the
team’s No. 2 option in the passing game for now. The Rams
have given up 730 yards and four passing touchdowns over their
past two games, so there is some upside here, particularly if
the Bills do end up falling behind on the scoreboard.
LAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.18
LAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.14
LAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.16
LAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.12
Running Game Thoughts: One of the
safest running backs in all of fantasy football at the moment,
LeSean McCoy is the focal point of the Buffalo offense and that
doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon. McCoy has already
made an impressive 17 receptions in just four games this season
and his 297 rushing yards and three touchdowns have given him
an excellent floor on a week to week basis. The Rams have been
middle-of-the-pack against the run so far this season, but the
two high-end running backs they’ve faced, David Johnson
and Carlos Hyde, have both put up solid fantasy days against them.
Look for McCoy to provide. While he isn’t the flashy name
that he once was, his value has been underrated in most leagues.
As long as he remains healthy, he should remain a solid RB1 for
the remainder of the season and particularly in games where the
opposing offense lacks a lot of firepower which will allow the
Bills to deploy a run-heavy offense.
Passing
Game Thoughts: After failing to throw a touchdown in either
of his first two games, Case Keenum has now thrown a pair of touchdowns
in each of his past two. Surprisingly, it has been Brian Quick
who has been the recipient of three of those four touchdown strikes.
Quick has been written off in fantasy circles due to injuries
and a general lack of production, but he now leads the Rams with
3 TDs despite having caught just eight total passes on the season.
Quick’s usage has been interesting and it’s something
to keep our eyes on, but Tavon Austin is really the only player
in the passing game who has shown any sort of consistency. Even
that has been mediocre, though, as Austin has failed to catch
more than five passes in any game and saw his targets fall to
a six, a season-low, in Week 4. Given their matchup against a
smothering Bills defense, fantasy owners should avoid this passing
game as we do most weeks.
BUF FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.29
BUF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.12
BUF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.17
BUF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.25
Running Game Thoughts: Todd Gurley
got off to an absolutely abysmal start to the season, but reminded
fantasy owners why he was a first round fantasy pick with a two-touchdown
performance in Week 3, only to stumble again in Week 4 with a
dreadful performance that saw him average just 1.7 yards per carry.
Gurley’s high usage would typically mean that his floor
is relatively high in comparison to other players at the position,
but given the Rams’ ineptitude on offense as whole, even
the 18-plus touches that he’s seen in every game haven’t
been able to make him a high quality fantasy play in three of
his four games. The whispers are now getting louder and louder
that perhaps it was a mistake to bank so much on a young player
at the running back position in a bad offense, but fantasy owners
have to deal with the situation they’re in as Gurley’s
trade value is at an all-time low. The Buffalo defense has been
good this season, but they’re not impenetrable. David Johnson
and Matt Forte scored a combined five touchdowns against this
defense in Weeks 2 and 3, so perhaps Gurley can find some room
and get into the end zone again. The positive thing is that the
Buffalo offense is lacking much firepower so this should be a
run-heavy game which does play into Gurley’s strengths as
a high-volume grinder.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Jay Cutler remains out with a thumb injury
so Brian Hoyer gets another shot to impress the coaching staff.
Hoyer is looking to post his third straight game with over 300
yards and comes into this week as a borderline fantasy starter.
The recipe for success is present with the Colts passing game
likely to put up enough points to force the Bears offense to play
catch up throughout this contest. Kevin White (ankle) was starting
to settle in as a consistent weapon in this passing attack, leading
the team in targets through four weeks, but now finds himself
on the IR. Chicago will likely use a committee to replace White
in the lineup with Cameron Meredith showing the most promise to
become fantasy relevant. Alshon Jeffery and Eddie Royal (calf)
will see an up tick in their target load with both players potentially
in line for double digit looks this weekend. Jeffery has been
playing through a hamstring injury over the past couple of weeks
but remains the single biggest play-maker in this offense and
a must start in all formats. TE Zach Miller has become a consistent
threat inside the red zone (three TDs in two games) and should
see his role steadily increase without White on the field. Indianapolis
will give up a few yards through the air but I don’t foresee
them rolling over at home against a Bears offense that is stumbling
through injuries and inexperience a month into the season.
IND FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.13
IND FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.4
IND FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.26
IND FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.18
Running Game Thoughts: Chicago continues to lean on rookie Jordan
Howard after losing opening week starter Jeremy Langford to an
ankle injury in Week 3. Howard is coming off his first career
100-yard rushing game and should surpass the twenty touch mark
for the second consecutive week. The timing is perfect for the
former Hoosier to have a solid game against a defense that has
yielded the fourth most points to running backs in 2016. He’s
a low end RB1 that should also see a few passes out of the backfield.
Backup running back Ka’Deem Carey returned to practice this
week and could get a handful of carries this weekend.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Chicago has given up the fourth fewest passing
yards to fantasy quarterbacks but that number is misleading. Outside
of a streaky Matthew Stafford a week ago, the quarterbacks facing
the Bears had a combined 11 NFL games under their belt. Andrew
Luck has been steady, producing 20-plus fantasy points (standard
scoring) in three of four games to open 2016. He’s going
to be a fine play once again this week and should flirt with top
5 QB point totals for the week. T.Y. Hilton, one of the game’s
most precise route runners, shouldn’t have too many issues
against a less than stellar defensive backfield. With the absence
of Donte Moncrief from the lineup, Andrew Luck has not been effective
at getting Phillip Dorsett more involved in the passing game.
A 2015 first round draft choice of the Colts, Dorsett has seen
his targets decrease over the past three weeks despite favorable
match ups and a premium quarterback. At this point, he is too
dependent on the big play to be anything but a stab in the dark
option for fantasy owners. Jack Doyle and Dwayne Allen had a rough
go of it against the Jags a week ago and continue to split the
fantasy production. It may be a new month, but there isn’t
any reason to expect things to change against the Bears.
CHI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.24
CHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.15
CHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.27
CHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.21
Running Game Thoughts: If the Bears get Danny Trevathian back
this weekend, their chances of stopping Frank Gore increase three
fold. That being said, Gore looks like a good bet for more low
end RB2 numbers from a typical workload (16-20 touches) and production
(60-80 total yards) with an above average shot at scoring a touchdown.
There isn’t much room for more with the Colts more likely
to beat the Bears through the air. Josh Ferguson saw ten targets
last week and should definitely be on the radar for PPR league
owners needing depth at the position. Unfortunately, he has seen
his best games while on the road and his team figures to be playing
with the lead so keep him benched this week. Outside of the potential
touchdown to vulture, Robert Turbin offers little for fantasy
owners once again this week.
Passing
Game Thoughts: It’s all about turnovers with Jameis
Winston. The Bucs quarterback enters this week with 8 interceptions
after throwing two more against the Broncos last week. The Panthers
defense has forced five interceptions already so you can bet they
will be baiting Winston into making a few mistakes. With the rushing
attack a little banged up the Bucs will need Winston to throw
this team to victory and that means plenty of potential fantasy
points are in the offing making him a high risk high reward fantasy
starter this week. Mike Evans is the most targeted wide receiver
in the league (48) and will finally get to face the Panthers without
CB Josh Norman blanketing him. Nonetheless, Carolina will surely
place an emphasis on stopping Evans which means Winston will need
to utilize his secondary receivers in order to have success. Adam
Humphries should have a little more room to operate against the
Panthers after his one-catch performance a week ago. There is
still a bit of an unknown on whether Humphries will continue to
dethrone Vincent Jackson in this passing attack so keep them both
benched if possible. Cameron Brate has emerged as the best fantasy
tight end on this roster. Brate might be a bye week filler option
for anyone owning Travis Kelce, Julius Thomas or Coby Fleener.
The Panthers have let opposing tight ends score four touchdowns
on the year.
CAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.6
CAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.18
CAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.20
CAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.4
Running Game Thoughts: The Bucs rushing attack is on life support
this week. Charles Sims (knee) missed practice twice already this
week and his status for Week 5 is gloomy at best. Sims has not
had much room to run since taking over for Doug Martin. If he
does suit up, he is expected to be used more as the change of
pace backup rather than the primary runner. That leaves perennial
Dirk Koetter backup Jacquizz Rodgers as the next man up for Tampa
Bay. Known more for his receiving prowess, Rodgers will likely
lead the team’s running backs in touches this week. There
is potential for a few targets in the passing game might be enough
to warrant a flier in deeper PPR formats but there isn’t
any reason to touch this situation otherwise.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Tampa Bay’s leaky pass defense comes
at the perfect time, with the Panthers likely to be without Cam
Newton (concussion). There remains a sliver of a hope that Newton
is able to play, but I’d recommend not waiting around to
find an alternative considering they play on Monday night. Newton’s
owners could do worse than Derek Anderson as a fill-in this week.
The Bucs have given up nine passing touchdowns against only one
interception and he’ll have two great red zone options to
throw to in Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen. Benjamin hasn’t
done much over the past two weeks but he is one of only a handful
of players who has the potential to score multiple touchdowns
in any given week. For this reason, he remains a must start fantasy
receiver. Two of Greg Olsen’s best games against Tampa Bay
occurred in 2014 with Derek Anderson under center in 2014.
TB FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.11
TB FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.10
TB FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.1
TB FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.29
Running Game Thoughts: Jonathan Stewart did some individual drills
during the practice week but he looks like he’ll miss another
week. That means that the Panthers will head into this game with
Cameron Artis-Payne and Fozzy Whittaker ready to shoulder the
load. In two games since taking over for Stewart, Artis-Payne
has compiled 18 carries for 59 yards good for a very average 3.2
YPC. If the game remains close he could get enough work to make
him a viable flex option in Week 5. However, CAP is a big risk
in a potential shootout situation that would severely limit his
touches as they were last week. The complete opposite is true
with regards to Whittaker. Carolina’s pass-catching specialist
notched a career high nine targets last week against the Falcons.
He’s taken over as the team’s third best option in
the passing game which gives him modest flex appeal in PPR leagues
this week.
Passing
Game Thoughts: The Titans have the worst passing game in
the NFL from a fantasy standpoint – and probably reality,
too. Delanie Walker is this team’s most valuable asset,
but his value is being sapped due to the dreadful play of Marcus
Mariota. I liked what I saw from Mariota last year and thought
he would take a few steps forward but that hasn’t materialized.
Regression everywhere. Mariota’s yardage total has decreased
in every game this season and he hasn’t thrown a touchdown
pass since Week 2 while he’s turned it over four times in
that span. Tajae Sharpe is nothing more than a solid bench player
masquerading as the Titans No.1 receiver. Rishard Matthews has
not played at the same level he did last year with Miami and has
lost his starting job to Andre Johnson. The Dolphins somehow managed
to lose A.J. Green play after play last week, but the Titans simply
don’t have anyone to exploit the matchup. TE Delanie Walker
is the only member of this passing attack worth starting, but
even he comes with no guarantee of production.
MIA FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.23
MIA FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.20
MIA FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.4
MIA FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.11
Running Game Thoughts: Scoring formats vary, but do you know
who your No.1 fantasy running back is through four weeks? DeMarco
Murray. It appears that forcing a very effective downhill runner
to operate out of the shotgun was the source behind all of Murray’s
2015 issues. Who knew? (Well – apparently everyone but Chip
Kelly). The Titans have run more plays from under center and allowed
Murray to do what he does best – gain a head of steam, find
the hole, and accelerate. Murray is averaging 5.2 yards per carry
and has 145 total yards or a score in every game this season.
He’s been remarkably consistent and even more so considering
how terrible his team is. He is the only threat on the offense
and opponents still can’t stop him. Miami has been mediocre
against the run this season allowing only allowed 1 rushing TD
and ranking in the middle of the pack in fantasy points allowed
to the position.
Passing
Game Thoughts: The fantasy numbers on Ryan Tannehill through
four weeks don’t look that bad (7 TDs, 270 pass yds/game).
But a closer look reveals a deeply flawed quarterback that could
have the wheels fall off at any moment. Mixed in with the touchdowns
are equally as many turnovers (five picks, two fumbles). He is
not a reliable option, even on bye weeks. His No.1 receiver, however,
its quite reliable. Jarvis Landry has caught at least seven passes
in every game this season and is averaging 93.8 yards per game.
Landry will rarely blow the roof off with fantasy production,
but he is as safe as they come in terms of his floor. Landry should
be good for another 7-plus catches this week and push 100 yards
against the Titans. The rest of the Dolphins pass catchers can
be ignored. DeVante Parker just looks like he plays scared. The
physical tools are there, but the fact that both the viewer and
Tannehill forget he’s on the field at times is indicative
of a lack of trust in the player. Kenny Stills is just a deep
man. The Titans have given up three 100-yd receiving days to Stefon
Diggs, Marvin Jones and Michael Crabtree.
TEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.27
TEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.30
TEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.23
TEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.13
Running Game Thoughts: What a mess. Without Arian Foster last
week, the Dolphins employed a four-headed “monster”
of Kenyan Drake, Jay Ajayi, Damien Williams, and Isaiah Pead.
It failed miserably. Ajayi looked the best last week, taking six
carries for 33 yards. This week, there are reports that Adam Gase
is doing away with the four-headed committee and plans to ride
one or two guys. My guess is that will be Ajayi and Drake, but
none of these guys belong anywhere near your fantasy rosters.
Foster (hamstring) has been limited in practice this week so keep
an eye on his status. Miami ranks near the bottom in run-pass
ratio (35%-65%) so all running backs can be avoided.
Passing
Game Thoughts: I feel like the Bengals have been flying
under the radar. It could very well be the contrasting start for
Andy Dalton and the passing game this year as compared to last
year. But if you take a closer look, Dalton is actually playing
at a high level and I’ve seen him dropped in a couple leagues,
too. Dalton is completing 66.4% of his passes and is averaging
over 300 yards per game. The only game he really struggled in
was against Denver and he certainly deserves a pass for that.
His fantasy numbers are poor because he is not scoring touchdowns.
That’s bound to change, especially given that his top target
is A.J. Green, who was absolutely unstoppable last week. Green
is off to a scorching start, averaging eight receptions a game
for 117 yards. The Cowboys have yet to give a 100-yd receiver
but that may change this week. Morris Claibourne has been excellent
in coverage for the Cowboys, but he is no match for Green. TE
Tyler Eifert suffered a back injury in practice this week which
may delay his season debut another week.
DAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.15
DAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.22
DAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.24
DAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.3
Running Game Thoughts: As good as the passing game has been the
running game has struggled. Jeremy Hill continues to prove that
his rookie season was a fluke. He failed to exploit a very beatable
Dolphins run defense last week and is averaging just 3.8 yards
per carry, which is largely boosted by a 50-yard scamper against
Denver. It almost looks as if Hill is moving in slow motion when
he tries to cut or hit a hole. He very well may just be too slow
to succeed on this level. That’s not to say Giovani Bernard
is the answer. He is averaging a paltry 2.7 yards per carry and
is receiving nowhere near as many carries as he did last season
(154 – currently on pace for just 100). The Cowboys don’t
allow much in the way of volume by virtue of their ball control
style, but when opposing teams can run the ball, they are averaging
4.5 yards per carry. Only four teams in the league are worse.
With that being said, Hill has proven ineffective against even
the softest of defenses and Gio is a passing game specialist.
Hill is the preferred option as he does have touchdown upside.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Who is even on this Cowboys team anymore?
No Romo. No Dez. No…problem? Four weeks is hardly a large
sample size, but Dak Prescott surely looks like the heir apparent
to Tony Romo in Dallas. Many people are calling for the permanent
switch now. I can say with absolute certainty that will not happen.
Regardless of my opinions on the matter, when Romo is healthy,
he will be the starter. In the meantime, Prescott will continue
to operate with remarkable poise and efficiency for a rookie.
He has still yet to turn the ball over and ranks top five in completion
percentage (67.9%). He hasn’t thrown for 300 yards yet,
but he has not been asked to. This week will be his toughest test
to date as the Bengals are the best overall team the Cowboys have
faced. However, they’ve been beatable through the air, allowing
291 yards passing per game, good for third worst in the league.
On the flip side, they’ve only allowed three passing touchdowns,
tied for best in the league. Helping Dak’s cause would be
a returning Dez Bryant, who’s knee injury severity has landed
anywhere from day-to-day to season ending in the past week. The
Cowboys have been incredibly deceptive in their reporting so right
now, we don’t know if Bryant is going to play. Cole Beasley
will continue to eat up yards underneath as a poor man’s
Julian Edelman.
CIN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.10
CIN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.26
CIN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.10
CIN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.17
Running Game Thoughts: Ezekiel Elliott is living up to his preseason
RB1 status. The entire Cowboys team started slowly in Week 1 and
a lot of that can be blamed on the team’s first real game
with their rookie QB. Since then, Zeke has steadily improved.
His yards per carry has risen from 2.6 Week 1 all the way to 6.0
last week (4.0 and 4.7 weeks 2 and 3). As one of very few RBs
guaranteed at least 20 carries a game, Elliott is as safe as it
gets. The Bengals allow just 3.1 yards per carry, so things will
not be easy for the rookie this week. Regardless, he’s locked
in for the volume. If he could ever become more involved in the
passing game (six catches in four games), he could seriously make
a run at David Johnson and Le’Veon Bell for the top running
back spot.
Passing
Game Thoughts: He’s back. Thomas Edward Patrick Brady,
Jr.’s four game suspension has come to an end and he gets
a juicy matchup against the lowly Cleveland Browns to boot. New
England has been run heavy in his absence ranking last in pass
attempts per game (28.5), but we should expect that to change.
Rob Gronkowski saw his snaps increase from Week 3 to Week 4, but
has been used predominantly as a blocker thus far. With Brady
back, I would not be surprised if that changes and the Gronk is
let loose. Martellus Bennett has been used more as the pass catching
tight end thus far, but Brady obviously has a better chemistry
with Gronk. The Browns have allowed more receptions to tight ends
(32) than any team in the league so that bodes well for both.
Julian Edelman should also be happy to see his buddy Brady. He
didn’t see much action with the rookie quarterback under
center but that should change against a team that has also struggled
to cover slot wide receivers. Overall, Cleveland has allowed 259.8
passing yards per game and 10 passing touchdowns. Welcome back,
Tommy Boy.
CLE FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.8
CLE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.8
CLE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.13
CLE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.6
Running Game Thoughts: LeGarrette Blount has been the biggest
beneficiary of the Brady suspension and while it may seem that
his carries will dry up with Brady back that may not be the case
this week. The Patriots are heavy favorites and could spend the
second half of the game running the ball and killing clock. At
the very least Blount should find some goal-line opportunities.
The Browns allow 118.3 rushing yards per game, so despite a more
pass friendly offense the game still sets up nicely for Blount.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Coach Hue Jackson has protected his third
round rookie quarterback by designing a passing game built on
short passing routes, and as a result Cody Kessler not been as
overmatched as expected. Converted quarterback Terrelle Pryor
has been mixed in under center, but has made a true difference
with his run after the catch abilities. Big tight end Gary Barnidge
has also been a favorite target of Kessler finishing both weeks
the rookie’s started as a low end TE1. The Patriots defense
was humiliated last week, but has played very well otherwise during
the first quarter of the season. After last week they are now
allowing 264.5 passing yards per games with 5 aerial scores.
NE FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.19
NE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.17
NE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.22
NE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.16
Running Game Thoughts: Cleveland leads the league in rushing
attempts, a surprising statistic for an 0-4 team. Isaiah Crowell
has been the workhorse in the backfield and is having a very successful
season with 439 total yards through four weeks, ranking in the
top ten among fantasy running backs. Even if the team falls behind
early, don’t expect Hue Jackson to totally abandon the run,
as he just can’t put the game in the hands of Kessler. The
Patriots rank in the middle of the pack against opposing running
backs.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Kirk Cousins has re-established himself
in the eyes of his teammates and the fans over the last two weeks,
but will face a difficult task this week on the road against a
Baltimore defense that is allowing the second fewest passing yards
per game (191). Another young quarterback, Derek Carr, did come
in last week and throw for three scores, so it’s not a foregone
conclusion that Cousins will struggle. Another caveat that should
be considered is Jordan Reed being the centerpiece of the passing
game and Baltimore’s success against the tight end position.
Safety Eric Weddle has played well this season and no tight end
has even made it into the top 20 in scoring against the Ravens.
Coming off a quiet week where running back Matt Jones received
22 carries, both DeSean Jackson and Jamison Crowder should see
a bump in targets against the Ravens.
BAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.25
BAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.29
BAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.15
BAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.27
Running Game Thoughts: Matt Jones had his best game of the season
last week (22-117-1; 2-21) but it would be unwise to chase his
points. Baltimore is a top 10 run defense and Washington may not
be able to establish the run if they are playing from behind.
Baltimore is allowing only 80 rushing yards per game and has only
allowed two rushing touchdowns on the season. You should be able
to find a better option this week.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Joe Flacco hasn’t been much of a fantasy
asset in 2016 finshing as the QB25, QB15, QB17, and QB6 to start
the season and things may not change much this week as the Ravens
should be able to rely on the run against the Redskins. Steve
Smith started off slow but has received 11 targets in each of
the last two weeks. That could change this week as he’ll
likely matchup with Josh Norman most of the day. That matchup
of two physical trash talkers alone may be worth the price of
T.V. admission this week.
WAS FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.17
WAS FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.2
WAS FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.5
WAS FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.23
Running Game Thoughts: Terrance West has taken over the bellcow
role for the Ravens seeing 80 percent of the teams carries after
veteran Justin Forsett was benched. Forsett has now been released
giving West the job for now. Proactive owners may want to see
if Kenneth Dixon is available on the waiver wire, as he should
be able to work his way into a significant role now that he’s
healthy. Many see him as the most talented back on the roster.
This week should help West establish himself further however as
he’s facing a bottom-three run defense. Washington has allowed
over 100 yards rushing in all four games this season and allows
4.9 yards per carry. They have also yielded 8 rushing touchdowns.
This is what is known in the business as a “juicy matchup.”
Passing
Game Thoughts: Ryan Fitzpatrick has been abysmal this year
outside of Week 2, but faces a pass defense that has allowed three
quarterbacks to throw for over 300 yards. Part of that is because
the passing defense has been poor, but a lot of it has to do with
teams needing to keep up with the high scoring offense of the
Steelers. Brandon Marshall dominated the first three quarters
against Richard Sherman last week, before the wily Sherman realized
how much Fitzpatrick loves the back shoulder throw, but will not
have to face anyone nearly as tough this week. Eric Decker is
very likely to miss this week’s game, leaving Quincy Enunwa
as a decent option against a pass defense allowing 320.8 passing
yards per game.
PIT FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.14
PIT FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.6
PIT FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.25
PIT FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.14
Running Game Thoughts: Like Ryan Fitzpatrick, Matt Forte has
also struggled since his big Week 2. Surprisingly he has not been
heavily utilized in the passing game and is being out targeted
by backup Bilal Powell 16-to-7 over the last two weeks. Now he’s
suffering from a knee injury which could lead to Powell seeing
even more snaps. Making matters worse, the Jets will head into
Heinz Field to face the Steelers’ top 5 run defense. The
Steelers are allowing only 78.3 rushing yards per game.
Passing
Game Thoughts: The Jets have been allowing multiple big
plays per game in the passing game and now face a team that thrive
on the deep ball. Big Ben has thrown more touchdowns (6) from
over 20 yards out than any other quarterback and Sammie Coates
has more 40-yard-plus receptions (5) than any other wide receiver
in the league. And then of course the Steelers have Antonio Brown,
who is also capable of the explosive plays downfield. If the Jets
do not find a way to generate a pass rush, this game could get
ugly real fast.
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.7
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.21
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.12
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.8
Running Game Thoughts: Like the Steelers, the Jets also feature
a top 5 run defense, but a multifaceted talent like Le’Veon
Bell can rack up receiving yards if the running lanes aren’t
there. DeAngelo Williams was allowed to vulture a Bell touchdown
last week, but it was clearly Bell’s backfield on his return
from suspension. Bell played 85 percent of the team’s snaps
and that number is only likely to go up as he gets acclimated
into the offense. Keep in mind however that the Jets have only
allowed one rushing touchdown on the season, so it may be one
more week before Bell takes the plunge over the stripe on the
ground.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Carson Wentz has played like a seasoned
professional despite being a rookie from a small school. Some
have suggested that Wentz has excelled against some very poor
defenses, and with Cleveland, Chicago and Pittsburgh being the
opponents there is some validity to that argument. This week will
be no different however as Detroit has allowed a second worst
12 touchdown passes and even allowed Brian Hoyer (28-36, 302-2)
to have a successful fantasy day last week. Jordan Matthews should
see heavy targets and his slot positioning should keep him away
from Darius Slay. Tight end Zach Ertz should return from rib injury
this week and faces a team that has allowed a touchdown to tight
ends every week so far this season.
DET FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.2
DET FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.28
DET FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.6
DET FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.2
Running Game Thoughts: Ryan Mathews (ankle) should also return
this week but could be mired in a four way committee as backups
Kenjon Barner and Wendell Smallwood excelled against Pittsburgh.
Darren Sproles will also be used in his pass catching role of
course. Mathews has mostly been used as a glorified short yardage
back seeing a vast amount of his carries near the goal-line. That
is useful for fantasy owners of course but if there isn’t
a touchdown, his fantasy output is extremely limited. With that
said, it should be noted that the Lions have not allowed a rushing
touchdown this season. You do the math here.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Matthew Stafford has been a “boom
or bust” fantasy option thus far with the past two weeks
being “bust”. This week could make it three in a row
with the Eagles top rated pass defense on the horizon. The Eagles
are allowing only 203 passing yards per game and have not allowed
a passing touchdown in three games. Marvin Jones has had an outstanding
season and will be tough to bench but a down week is possible.
TE Eric Ebron (ankle/knee) is not expected to play leaving something
called Cole Wick as the team’s starting tight end.
PHI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.32
PHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.31
PHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.28
PHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.32
Running Game Thoughts: The team seems intent on using Theo Riddick
in a role that he’s not well equipped to handle, a feature
back. Riddick should be forced back into his role as a third down
back, but with rookie Dewayne Washington suffering with a foot
injury and Zach Zenner not impressing, Riddick may get another
shot to lead the team in carries. This will be a tough matchup
for him however as the Eagles allowing a third-best 71 rushing
yards per game.
Passing
Game Thoughts: The Texans passing game has yet to hit on
all cylinders and overall they’ve scored the fewest touchdowns
in the league (5). A large part of the blame falls on the shoulders
of highly paid free agent acquisition Brock Osweiler, who has
yet to break into the top 15 fantasy scoring quarterbacks during
any week this season. It has been a tough season for wide receiver
DeAndre Hopkins, and that trend will likely continue against a
Vikings team that held Kelvin Benjamin and Odell Beckham Jr. to
four total catches the last two weeks. Will Fuller is a fantasy
owner’s best bet this week, as he’s shown big play
ability all season, but his upside is capped against this Vikings
defense.
MIN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.20
MIN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.16
MIN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.31
MIN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.20
Running Game Thoughts: Lamar Miller has not had a great season
for fantasy owners but it’s surely not due to lack of volume.
He is averaging 25 touches per game, but it’s the aforementioned
lack of touchdowns that is holding him back. Miller has not scored
a touchdown this season and has in fact only had two carries from
inside the opponent’s ten yard line. Those high amount of
touches have given him a high floor though and is a solid RB2
with RB1 upside each week. He should still be in your lineup even
against a tough Minnesota run defense allowing only 82.5 yards
per game.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Sam Bradford has been everything that Minnesota
could have wanted when they gave up a first round pick to acquire
him, but that hasn’t made him fantasy relevant. This week
he should be even farther off the fantasy radar facing a Houston
team that has only allowed one passing touchdown all season and
a mere 162.5 passing yards per game. Bradford has taken his role
of game manager very seriously and has targted tight end Kyle
Rudolph a quarter of the times he has thrown the ball. Stefon
Diggs is the only other receiver from this offense that is fantasy
viable, but given the low volume in the passing game his floor
is low each week. He has shown big play ability however, and is
a good play when the matchup is right. This is not one of those
weeks.
HOU FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.31
HOU FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.11
HOU FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.29
HOU FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.30
Running Game Thoughts: Jerick McKinnon is clearly the team’s
preferred option in the running game with Adrian Peterson out,
and the third year runner has seen 70 percent of the attempts
since Peterson went down. Matt Asiata will be worked in and could
steal goal-line work, but McKinnon did manage a short score last
week. The Texans have been a poor rush defense this year, allowing
123.3 yards per game and 6 rushing touchdowns, so this is a good
matchup for McKinnon owners to exploit.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Eli Manning highest fantasy finish has been
the QB12 mark (Week 1), but that may change this week. The Packers
are allowing 307.3 passing yards per game and the Giants may have
no choice but to pass the ball on Sunday night. Odell Beckham
Jr. has received a lot of press this week for his antics, but
people are tending to exaggerate his lack of production. He has
yet to score a touchdown but has only 4 less receiving yards than
he did last season after four weeks. There should be enough targets
to go around – especially if the Giants are forced to play
catch-up to make all Giants’ pass catcher considerations,
even tight end Will Tye.
GB FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.5
GB FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.32
GB FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.3
GB FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.5
Running Game Thoughts: The Packers are allowing only 42.7 rushing
yards per game and have given up just one rushing touchdown. It
isn’t just a lack of volume that has made the Packers’
run defense so good, as they are allowing a paltry 1.8 yards per
carry. Rashad Jennings (thumb) has been limited in practice this
week which has been a recurring theme only to be inactive the
last two weeks. Only Bobby Rainey who is now being used as the
Giants third down back should garner any consideration for fantasy
line-ups and even that would come down to a lack of better choices.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Aaron Rodgers finally broke out against
the hapless Detroit Lions before the bye week but has still only
surpassed 250 yards in two of his last ten games. Jordy Nelson
has scored in all three games this season and could very well
keep that streak going. Randall Cobb and along with Golden Tate
and Michael are early season disappointments at the wide receiver
position. Cobb’s 12 catches through three games makes him
difficult to trust even in decent matchup with the Giants. The
Giants have yet to force an interception this season, but have
only allowed 4 passing touchdowns.
NYG FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.28
NYG FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.25
NYG FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.19
NYG FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.15
Running Game Thoughts: The Packers have not run the ball much
this season (21st in rush attempts per game), so it’s hard
for fantasy owners to trust Eddie Lacy even if he has been effective
(5.0 ypc) when he has carried the ball. He has not yet found the
endzone, as Aaron Rodgers has called his own number when the Packers
get near the goal-line. Given the Giants stout run defense (allowing
84 yards per game) and the Packers unwillingness to run the ball,
especially in the red zone, it’s difficult to recommend
Lacy.
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