The Raiders have given up the sixth most points per game to opposing
running backs, and veteran sub Easton Stick will not have Keenan
Allen to throw to. Anticipate a lot of those targets going to
Ekeler. He may need them. Already ailed by a 3.7 rushing average,
it's likely going to be tough for Ekeler to find running room
sans Allen and Justin Herbert, even against a vulnerable Raiders
run defense. Still, he should see a whole lot of volume, being
far-and-away the best skill player the Chargers have on offense
this week.
Johnston becomes the de facto number one wide receiver with Keenan
Allen now joining Mike Williams on the shelf. Josh Palmer has
been activated, but at least according head coach Brandon Staley,
he’ll be on a snap count. Johnston will have unproven veteran
Easton Stick throwing to him, which likely dampens the news. Stick
did hook up with Johnston for a 57 yard play last week, but Johnston
was only targeted twice on 24 pass attempts.
The Raiders have also been less than generous to opposing wideouts,
giving up the 10th fewest points to the position. Johnston will
likely face tougher coverage than he's faced all season, with
a lesser quarterback. Being the a high draft pick and a de facto
WR1 on his roster means he deserves consideration as a flex, but
it's likely a boom-or-bust situation for the rookie.
Meanwhile, Gerald Everett finally saw some significant targets
last week (8), including 4 from Stick. Considering that he also
had 4 with Justin Herbert, there's little indication that this
was due to any more than game plan for the week. That being said,
Keenan Allen was drawing nearly 12 targets per game (150 in 13
games), leaving many opportunities to spread around. Ekeler may
get first dibs, but after that it's anyone's guess on the distribution.
Everett flirted with top 12 status last year while Keenan Allen
and Mike Williams were out. It may be harder to get there without
Herbert, but it is reasonable to look at Everett as a fringe TE1
with Keenen’s absence this week.
Stick was a 5th round selection for a division II school back
in 2019. Up until last week, he'd made just 1 career passing attempt
in the regular season. Last week, he went 13-24 for 179 yards
after Justin Herbert departed. He did not toss or run for a score,
and he fumbled twice, losing 1.
While his first real action was against a Denver defense that
has raised its level of play over the last couple of months, it
won't get much easier with the Raiders, who have given up the
8th fewest points to opposing quarterbacks.
On the bright side, Stick showed mobility back in his days with
North Dakota State, and though he did not attempt a rush last
week, he did rush 11 times for 82 yards during the preseason,
meaning his legs may provide some value. If Keenan Allen, or even
Mike Williams were active, Stick might have deep league value,
but it's unlikely that he'll be able to achieve more than deep
QB2 value armed with little experience and a paper-thin receiving
corps.
Palmer returns this week but appears slated to be eased back
into action. If Keenan Allen misses extended time, Palmer could
be an helpful add for receiver-thin owners heading into the fantasy
playoffs, but any meaningful impact is likely at least another
week away.
LAC FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.5
LAC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.6
LAC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.7
LAC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.9
Adams continues to look like a high floor, low ceiling WR2 with
Aidan O’Connell, and despite playing a Chargers defense that has
given up the 6th most points to opposing wide receivers, that’s
unlikely to change this week – especially if Josh Jacobs is out.
The Raiders run game has been crowded by opposing defenses, and
with Jacobs it’s likely that the Chargers use less 8-in-the-box
defenses to deal with the Raider running game, meaning more safety
help against Adams. 9.9 targets per game and being the best offensive
player on his team makes him a wise start for all but the most
blessed fantasy owners, none the less.
Josh Jacobs has not practiced this week and it's a short turn
around for the Raiders, so it's looking unlikely that he will
play. Even if he does, how effective he'll be is a big question.
More likely, it will be Zamir White and Ameer Abdullah who are
called upon to handle most, if not all, of the backfield duties.
Neither White nor Abdullah have been asked to do a whole lot
on offense while Jacobs has been healthy, but for what it’s
worth, White has 20 carries compared to 6 for Abdullah, while
Abdullah has 14 receptions compared to 6 for White. It’s
likely that the division of responsibility is split largely towards
White favor in the ground game, and towards Abdullah’s favor
in the passing game. White’s size (6’0, 215) make
him the probable favorite for goal line work, and Abdullah’s
kickoff responsibilities also stand to limit how much he’s
utilized on offense, making White the guy to start, if you must.
“If you must” is a major key, here. Aside from what
may be a 60/40 share in White’s favor, the Raiders have
only averaged 3.5 yards per rush even with Josh Jacobs on the
field, and have scored just 19 total touchdowns. It’s taken
incredible volume for the more talented Jacob’s to reach
RB2 value this season, so it’s very unlikely that White
can be viewed as more than an RB3 this week if Jacobs sits.
The Raiders choice to turn away from a decent, but unexciting,
Jimmy Garoppolo has predictably failed (3-3 record with, 2-5 without),
and it hit rock bottom last week when O'Connell and the Raiders
were shut out by a middling Vikings defense. In addition to going
without a score, even most players who were involved - such as
Jakobi Meyers - were not able to generate any yardage on their
receptions (5-25-0 for Meyers).
The Chargers have been vulnerable to the passing game, but have
shown some improvement recently, allowing less than 200 yards
passing over the last four games. During this time, their opponents
have generally been teams with less than stellar passing attacks,
but what are the Raiders?
Back-to-back shutouts are extremely unlikely for the Raider offense,
but the Chargers will probably have a conservative game plan with
Justin Herbert out, providing few easy opportunities for a very
desperate O'Connell and company. O'Connell is a non-starter even
in deep leagues, and is highly risky in multi-quarterback leagues.
With Alexander Mattison (ankle) suffering an ankle injury in
Las Vegas, Chandler stepped in and logged 15 touches for 42 yards.
Obviously, that’s not the kind of output you’d like, but with
the Vikings travelling to Cincinnati on Saturday it seems likely
that they’ll have to turn to Chandler as their lead back in Week
15. Chandler has flashed at times, most notably his 110-yard outburst
versus the Broncos back on Nov. 19, and he’d been seeing an increased
role even when Mattison was available. Facing a bottom-10 run
defense, Chandler has good upside from an RB3 slot.
Who’s ready for starting quarterback #4 on the year in Minnesota?
Mullens was summoned after Joshua Dobbs failed to generate any
points for the first three quarters against the Raiders and led
a field goal drive for the win. He’s also a journeyman with a
5-12 record as a starter during stints with the 49ers and Browns.
Mullens will be asked to make smart plays and avoid turnovers.
While the Bengals haven’t been lights out as a defense, there’s
little to like about Mullens here.
MIN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.17
MIN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.26
MIN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.11
MIN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.20
Browning has exceeded all expectations since taking over for Joe
Burrow (wrist), following up a 354-yard, 2-TD effort against the
Jaguars with a 275-yard, 3-TD performance versus Indianapolis.
Those are QB1 numbers. The question is whether he can keep it
going against a tough Vikings defense that just shut out the Raiders
and has allowed a total of 50 points combined over their last
four games. Depending on what your alternatives look like, Browning
can be used as a risk/reward play.
While Higgins racking up 72 yards, his third-highest total for
the season, last Sunday was good, nothing surrounding it was very
encouraging. He had just two receptions and was targeted four
times as Browning spread the ball around. Higgins also extended
his scoreless streak to seven games -- in fact, his only two TDs
of the season came back in Week 2. It’s starting to feel like
it’s never going to happen for Higgins this season. As such, he’d
be miscast as anything other than a desperation reach as a WR3
or flex.
To be sure, the Steelers are a fantasy wasteland in 2023. There
is no true viable offensive fantasy option on this roster at this
point of the season, but Najee Harris perhaps offers the best
potential heading into this week’s contest against Indianapolis.
The Colts are 26th in the league against the run and have given
up the third most rushing TDs so far (19) in 2023. But Harris
has yet to rush for 100 yards this year and hasn’t had more
than three receptions in a game since Week 7. Harris is a desperation
play this week. Start him with caution.
The fact that Pittsburgh is 7-6 with such a struggling offense
speaks volumes of head coach Mike Tomlin. But it’s a painful experience
watching this team try to move the ball, particularly through
the air. They’re 26th in the league in pass attempts because they
are so inefficient, 28th in passing yards, and second to last
in passing TDs with 9. Those numbers can drag all of a team’s
skill players down, and that’s exactly what they have done for
the Steelers. As this is the first round of fantasy playoffs in
most leagues, now is not the time to take chances. Pittsburgh
players should all be heavily scrutinized before inserting in
your lineup.
PIT FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.22
PIT FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.14
PIT FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.18
PIT FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.15
Since Moss reclaimed the starting spot after Jonathan Taylor’s
injury a few weeks ago, he hasn’t quite found the magic he displayed
earlier this season when he proved to be one of the early favorites
for fantasy MVP. He been able to muster only 79 rushing yards
over the past two games, along with 34 receiving yards. The Steelers
have held opponents to less than 97 rushing yards in three of
the last four games, so Moss may once again find it tough to deliver
much production. But this Indy backfield is his and his alone
right now, so the fact that he will be heavily involved with no
real threat for carries increases his value and the possibility
that he could put together some semblance of a productive game.
The promise that Josh Downs flashed during the first half of
the season is gone. He hasn’t cracked more than 72 yards
since Week 8 against New Orleans and hasn’t scored since
his breakout performance the week prior against Cleveland when
he led Indy with 125 receiving yards. He should stay on your bench.
At his best, Minshew is an inconsistent performer who could possibly
give you startable numbers. At his worst, he could singlehandedly
cost you a game. It’s the fantasy playoffs, and he should
be nowhere near your lineup.
Wilson is a bit of an odd case statistically, ranking 18th in
passing yardage but fifth in TDs for the season. That blend was
on full display in Week 14 as he threw for 224 yards to go with
2 TDs and an INT. Over his last 10 games, Wilson has only passed
for more than 225 yards once while accounting for multiple TDs
seven times. The Lions have struggled in recent weeks, and you’d
think the Broncos would want to try and control the clock in Detroit,
which would limit Wilson. Then again, if the Lions can get their
offense on track, Wilson will need to try and keep pace. There’s
QB1 potential here.
With Wilson averaging just 16 completions over his last three
games, receivers need to take advantage of their opportunities.
Jeudy has not. In that same stretch, the former first-round pick
has caught seven of 13 targeted balls for 78 yards. In comparison,
Sutton has an identical number of receptions, but they’ve
gone for 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In what’s feeling
like a lost season, Jeudy should stay on your bench.
DEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.12
DEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.1
DEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.27
DEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.2
Even amid a rough patch for the Lions offensively, you’d
still be hard pressed to come up with a convincing argument as
to why any of the four players listed above don’t belong
in your starting lineup each week. Goff seemed on the cusp of
that status at various points this year, but he has really struggled
with turnovers recently, racking up three more in the Week 14
loss to the Bears. With the Broncos dragging the NFL’s last-ranked
run defense into this matchup, it makes sense that Detroit will
lean heavily on the tandem of Montgomery and Gibbs. As such, Goff
should be left on your bench.
We’ve been waiting for a Kansas City wide receiver to break
out and sustain fantasy viability all season long, and it appears
that we’ve finally found our man in rookie Rashee Rice.
Rice has now produced for managers in three straight games, compiling
243 yards on 23 catches and two touchdowns over this stretch.
He’s also managed to get targeted at least nine times in
each of those three games after having not seen over seven targets
in any of his first 10 games.
While Rice’s raw numbers have certainly popped, it could
be written off as fluky if not for some of the complementary numbers
that should be catching the eye of fantasy managers. Rice had
not run routes on more than 65 percent of Kansas City passing
plays in any of his first 10 games, but he‘s been over that
number in three straight games, including this past week when
he ran routes on 82 percent of passing plays which was by far
his best number of the season. Additionally, Rice has now been
targeted on at least 27 percent of Mahomes pass attempts in each
of his past three games, after having not reached even 20 percent
in any of his first 10 games.
The numbers all indicate that this is a great situation right
now for Rice and the Patriots are an above-average matchup for
opposing wide receivers, so feel free to place him in your lineup
this week.
Let’s be honest - there’s almost no one out there
who has the guts to actually bench Patrick Mahomes in their fantasy
playoffs, but the defending NFL MVP has been in a bit of a rut
as of late. Mahomes has averaged just 230 passing yards per game
and has thrown just eight touchdown passes over his past six games.
While those numbers would be career bests for many players, it’s
been quite a disappointment for a player that many fantasy managers
have been counting on to be a difference-maker down the stretch.
Mahomes now faces a Patriots defense that has quietly given up
the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks
this season and has not allowed a QB to throw for even 215 yards
against them in any of their past four games. Mahomes will probably
break that streak, but the true high-end performance might be
difficult to come by against a New England team that would prefer
this game to end 13-10 in either direction.
With Isiah Pacheco likely sidelined this weekend, the Chiefs
will again turn to their backfield depth to fill the gaps. We
got a glimpse of what this might look like in Week 14 when Clyde
Edwards-Helaire led the backfield with 13 touches. While Edwards-Helaire
was fairly ineffective with those touches, he was still on the
field for 48 percent of the team’s snaps and took 65 percent of
the carries, essentially solidifying what we assumed the backfield
to be with Edwards-Helaire being the early-down back and Jerick
McKinnon being the passing down back. The Chiefs are big road
favorites in this game so look for Edwards-Helaire to again lead
the team in touches out of the backfield.
A quick glance at the fantasy box totals from Week 14 would have
you thinking that Jerick McKinnon is obviously the better fantasy
play, but there’s a lot to be concerned about. McKinnon
touched the ball just seven times in his first opportunity this
season without Pacheco, while Clyde Edwards-Helaire touched the
ball 13 times. Not only that but despite McKinnon getting into
the end zone on one of his rush attempts, he carried the ball
just four times. The Chiefs losing to the Bills meant that they
had to rely more on their passing game, meaning that McKinnon
played more snaps than he likely will in a more positive Chiefs
game script. With the Patriots being more than a touchdown favorite
on the road, look for them to rely more heavily on their rushing
attack than normal, which would be good for Edwards-Helaire and
not so good for McKinnon.
KC FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.23
KC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.18
KC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.24
KC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.27
With Rhamondre Stevenson still sidelined in practice throughout
the week, it’s appearing increasingly likely that Ezekiel Elliott
will again have control of the New England backfield. Elliott
took over for Stevenson in Week 13 and ended up seeing 21 touches
in that game, then followed that up with a 29-touch game this
past week in his first opportunity to be the true bellcow back
for the Patriots. Elliott really hasn’t done anything particularly
special with the ball, but he’s still a high-level pass protector
and he can contribute as a receiver while also carrying the ball
20-plus times. This makes him almost game-script independent,
which is shocking for a player who’s as much of a veteran as Elliott
is. If the game is close then Elliott should see a ton of carries
and if it’s a blowout loss then Elliott should be running plenty
of opportunities to run routes. Either way, we probably need Elliott
to get into the end zone in order to deliver truly difference-making
fantasy numbers, but he’s a viable fill-in this week if you’re
in need.
Demario Douglas missed both Week 13 and Week 14 and could be
out again as he deals with post-concussion symptoms. He has, however,
practiced this week in limited capacity which gives us hope that
he could be back on the field in what would likely be a game where
the Patriots will need to pass quite a bit to stay competitive.
Prior to his injury, Douglas had caught at least five passes in
four straight games and had become the team’s top target
in the passing game, having also been targeted at least seven
times during that recent four-game stretch.
The Chiefs are a good defense, but they’ll likely be happy
enough allowing Douglas to catch the ball in short zones which
won’t necessarily result in big plays but can add up in
the fantasy box total, especially in PPR.
JuJu Smith-Schuster turned in his best game in a Patriots uniform
this past week when he caught four passes for 90 yards on seven
targets. It was actually only the second time all season that
he had exceeded 35 receiving yards. His uptick in production came
in large part due to a spike in playing time due to the concussion
sustained by Demario Douglas. Smith-Schuster had run routes on
65 percent or fewer in all but one of the Patriots’ first
nine games, but that number jumped up to 94 percent and 97 percent
over the past two games with Douglas sidelined.
Most fantasy managers are not digging this deep for options anyway,
but if you are - especially if Douglas is active - you’ll
want to go back to benching (or dropping) Smith-Schuster.
Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson heads into Week 15 after delivering
his best fantasy performance of the season this past week in New
York’s surprising blowout victory over Houston. Wilson matched
or better previous season highs in targets, catches, yards, and
fantasy points and he looks like an excellent bet to continue
the hot streak against the Dolphins. Wilson faced the Dolphins
back in Week 12 and provided a solid fantasy performance, catching
seven of the 10 passes that came his way for 44 yards and a touchdown.
Most draft analysts knew that Breece Hall would be a factor in
the passing game for whatever team drafted him, but very few could’ve
predicted that he’d be the bellcow running back for an NFL
team but that almost all of his fantasy production would be coming
via receptions. Hall has now failed to exceed 50 rushing yards
and has not scored a single rushing touchdown in the seven games
since the Jets’ bye. However, he’s managed to reach
at least 40 receiving yards in four of those contests while adding
three touchdowns on 39 total receptions.
Unfortunately, the last time these two teams played was one of
the more difficult fantasy days for Hall, as they were completely
blown out by a much better Miami team, which meant that Hall got
just seven carries - his lowest amount since back in Week 4 when
he was still splitting touches with Dalvin Cook. While Hall rushed
for only 25 yards on those carries, he did manage to salvage what
could’ve been a completely disastrous fantasy game with seven
receptions for an additional 24 yards. The high passing game usage
should continue for Hall, but if he suddenly only sees three receptions
in a game for some reason then we could see a situation where
he completely drops a dud in your fantasy playoffs. He’s a risky
player right now, but the Jets’ offense showed hope this past
week and maybe he has been providing at least a 10-point floor
due to the catches so it’d be tough to justify benching Hall even
in what could be another blowout loss for the Jets.
Wilson turned in what was by far his best fantasy game of the
season this past week when he reached 300 yards passing for the
first time in 2023, while also throwing two touchdowns for just
the second time. The Jets’ shocking runaway victory over
the Texans might have some fantasy managers considering letting
Wilson back into their lives, but this is truly not the time to
be trusting the former first-round NFL Draft pick.
While he did look good this past week, we’ve just seen
him collapse too many times to have any sort of confidence in
putting Wilson in lineups during the fantasy playoffs. He’s
been held to fewer than 200 passing yards in six of his 11 games
this season and he’s only thrown eight total touchdown passes
on the year.
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.30
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.10
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.32
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.16
Veteran running back Raheem Mostert is a big banged up heading
into this pivotal divisional matchup with the Jets, but he appears
to be trending toward playing this weekend and has to be one of
the strongest fantasy options at the position right now. Mostert
has carried the ball at least 20 times in three of his past four
games, including the Dolphins’ big victory over the Jets
in Week 12 when he rushed for 94 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
New York’s pass defense has been excellent this season,
but they’ve been a great matchup for opposing running backs
and Mostert should see plenty of work. He’s a great option
this week.
With Tyreek Hill self-admittedly banged up, we may begin to see
Jaylen Waddle inch closer to him in the pecking order for the
Miami passing game. Waddle has been by far the team’s second-best
option in the passing game this season, but he’s still seen
over 40 fewer targets than Hill and he’s only managed to
score three touchdowns which has made him a big bust for those
who invested early-round draft capital on him. Still, Waddle had
one of his best games of the season when these teams matched up
back in Week 12 as he caught a season-high eight passes for 114
yards. He’s now been targeted exactly eight times in each
of his past four games and if Hill ends up getting re-injured
or worse yet being held out of the game then Waddle immediately
shoots up into the WR1 discussion.
Achane has been one of the best fantasy stories of the season,
but he’s once again dealing with an injury - this time a
toe - which has held him out of practice during the week. Achane
could end up playing, but we’ve seen the Dolphins be careful
with him in the past when dealing with other injuries so there’s
also a possibility that he’s active and sees less than 10
touches. Achane is the type of player who could still turn those
few touches into acceptable fantasy production, but he’s
certainly a risk in this matchup.
There was a point earlier this season when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa
was legitimately in the MVP discussion, but that time has passed
and now fantasy managers are left wondering how the QB has managed
to throw just six touchdown passes over his past five games while
failing to reach even 250 passing yards in three of those matchups.
The sky-high ceiling appears to have come crashing down for the
Dolphins’ signal-caller and there’s now a very real
risk of him turning in another ugly performance against this excellent
Jets pass defense.
Tua was held to just 243 yards, one touchdown, and he threw an
interception in what was his worst fantasy game of the season
when he faced the Jets back in Week 12. With Hill, Achane and
Mostert all dealing with various injuries, the Miami offense is
truly hampered right now in the explosive playmaker department
and that’s really where Tua has done most of his damage
this season. Of course, there’s always the possibility that
Hill is back to near-full health and that the Dolphins blow out
the Jets yet again, but there’s also a very real possibility
that fantasy managers could find a better fantasy option.
Coming out of a bye last Sunday and with all three backs available
and healthy, it was unclear which would fill the No. 1 role. We
speculated it’d be Foreman, and we were right, as the journeyman
logged 13 touches -- for comparison, Khalil Herbert and Roschon
Johnson combined for four -- that accounted for 72 yards. He didn’t
score, as Fields and Moore tallied the rushing TDs, but it looks
like he’ll be the guy going forward… or will he? One week is a
small sample size, and it’s possible Chicago just rode the hot
hand or liked him in that matchup with Detroit. Cleveland ranks
11th in the NFL in run defense, so slot Foreman in as no more
than an RB3 or flex.
Fade: N/A
CHI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.16
CHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.8
CHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.17
CHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.8
Cooper cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol just in time to
suit up last Sunday, and he was a frequent target of Joe Flacco,
catching seven of 14 intended passes for 77 yards. That was easily
the most looks on the team with Njoku finishing second with eight.
While Flacco has his shortcomings, when he drops back, he’s going
to throw, and that should help Cooper recoup some of the value
he lost when Deshaun Watson (shoulder) bowed out with a shoulder
injury. Facing a Bears team that excels against the run, Cooper
could be in for another busy day. He has WR2 upside.
Only the 49ers are allowing fewer yards per game on the ground
than the Bears. While that’s a discouraging stat for Cleveland’s
RBs, the Lions found success in that area in Week 14, rushing
24 times for 140 yards (5.8 YPC) and a touchdown. Ford had a dozen
carries and five receptions last Sunday, collecting 82 yards in
the process. He continues to take a backseat to Kareem Hunt in
the red zone, however, which is suboptimal. This is an interesting
matchup for Ford, who can be deployed as an RB3 with a little
juice if Cleveland can impose their will.
Devin Singletary is one of the few healthy skill-position players
still standing on Houston’s offense, rendering his chances for
success at a low level. The receiving corps is battling injuries,
and rookie QB C.J. Stroud is unlikely to play as he remains in
concussion protocol. Tennessee has held opponents to under 100
yards rushing in two of the last three games, so Singletary could
struggle mightily in this contest. Look elsewhere if you can.
Update: Nico
Collins is listed as Questionable but not expected to play.
As of Thursday evening, Nico Collins has yet to practice with
a calf injury, putting his availability in question this week.
Like Olave, his participation in Friday’s practice will go a long
way toward determining his status for Sunday. Calf injuries aren’t
the best thing in the world for a wide receiver, and neither is
playing with an inferior QB in Davis Mills. Collins fits in both
categories. Both should be enough to force you to exercise extreme
caution when determining to play Collins—if he suits up at all.
HOU FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.8
HOU FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.15
HOU FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.19
HOU FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.3
The change at QB from Ryan Tannehill to Will Levis hasn’t affected
DeAndre Hopkins much. If anything, it’s probably boosted his standing
in the fantasy realm. He’s converted the 24 targets over the past
two games into 12 receptions for 199 yards and two scores. Rookie
standout defender Will Anderson Jr. is iffy with an ankle injury,
which would weaken a unit that is already 26th in the league in
defending the pass. Hopkins should live up to his low-end WR2
status this week.
Tyjae Spears is a complete desperation play this week. Of course,
Derrick Henry is the main cog in Tennessee’s running game,
but Spears has gotten more playing time than any backup RB has
in recent memory during the Henry era. But Spears has been active
in the passing game, totaling 10 receptions on 14 targets over
the two contests. That may not be sustainable, but it’s
a sign that he’s a capable player should anything happen
to Henry. But again, given the projected game script, he’s
a desperation play, at best, this week.
Tommy DeVito has opened some eyes in The Big Apple with his play,
but a contest against a top-10 pass defense in New Orleans that
has given up only 14 passing scores this season—good for
3rd in the NFL—is going to be tough. Some may be in a position
where they have to start him. DeVito is a nice story, but expectations
must be kept in check this week.
There’s not much meat on the bone when it comes to the New York
Giants’ receiving options. Wan’Dale Robinson had his best game
of the season last week from a yardage perspective when he gained
79 yards on six receptions, and he even threw in two rush attempts
for 36 yards in the process. But he nor any other Giants receiver
is worthy of consideration. Darren Waller’s anticipated return
could add some juice to an otherwise paltry New York passing game,
but he hasn’t played in six weeks. Now is not the time to reinsert
him in your lineup.
NYG FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.18
NYG FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.12
NYG FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.3
NYG FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.30
Olave played last week despite being sick with flu-like symptoms.
He’s now battling an ankle injury that has kept him out of practice
so far this week. His practice availability on Friday will provide
greater clarity about his status for Sunday. Olave has been a
solid WR2, despite his lack of a truly explosive game this season.
His production, I believe, is capped by Derek Carr’s limitations
and the degree to which Alvin Kamara is involved in the passing
game. Keep an eye on Olave’s availability, knowing that even if
he does play, he may be limited with his ankle injury.
Sure, London had the best game of his career last week with 10
catches for 172 yards. But let’s not forget the week before
when he gave fantasy managers a whopping 1 catch for 8 yards.
In fact, in the three previous games before his breakout performance,
he only had nine receptions total. So, we have no idea what version
of London we’re going to get from week-to-week. And with
a turnover prone QB throwing him the ball, that lowers his prospects
even more.
The same can be said about Kyle Pitts to a large degree. But
Pitts has actually been more consistent than London—consistently
mediocre. Last week, he scored only his fifth TD of his career
in his 40th game. Plus, he hasn’t had more than 57 yards
receiving since Week 5. Outside of Bijan Robinson—whose
high floor keeps him in the conversation for a RB1 each week—this
offense is painfully up and down. There are simply too many variables
to consider when determining who on this team to start, including
their opponent this week. For all of Carolina’s problems
this season, their pass defense isn’t one of them. The Panthers
are third-best in the league defending the pass.
Fade: N/A
ATL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.13
ATL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.30
ATL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.30
ATL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.5
Hubbard has taken over this backfield from Miles Sanders and
has been highly productive the last two games. While he’s not
much of a threat in the pass game, the team has fed him on the
ground, and he’s delivered nearly 200 rush yards over those two
games. Although Atlanta is the league’s eighth-worst rush defense,
they have only surrendered five TDs on the ground—good for 2nd
in the league. Starting Hubbard does not come without risks.
Adam Thielen has nearly two-and-a-half more receptions (85) than
the next closest teammate (Jonathan Mingo with 36). That the passing
game goes through a 33-year-old receiver who hasn’t scored since
Week 6 says all you need to know about this team offensively.
But as good as Thielen has been, he hasn’t done much in the second
half of the season. He started the year totaling more than 100
receiving yards in three of the first six games. He’s now fallen
off, but he remains a low-end WR3 or flex option this week, despite
going against the 9th-ranked pass defense.
Given how weak Green Bay is against the run, you assume we’ll
see a heavy dose of White this Sunday. As such, the idea of Mayfield
throwing for a lot of yardage seems unlikely. If Jaire Alexander
(shoulder) can’t return from his shoulder injury, however, the
Packers don’t have anyone that can match up with Evans in the
red zone. Mayfield passed for just 144 yards last Sunday, but
he had three TDs, including one on the ground. That kind of production
could land him in QB1 territory, but if he doesn’t get the touchdowns
he might fall flat.
Godwin (knee) is dealing with a knee injury, and in a game where
the Bucs figure to lean on the run, the veteran may see few opportunities.
You could make a case that he’s nearly unplayable already,
having gone seven consecutive games without reaching the 60-yard
mark -- he hasn’t scored since Oct. 26, either. If you were
considering him for a flex spot, however, a gimpy Godwin probably
isn’t worth the risk.
TB FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.4
TB FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.23
TB FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.4
TB FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.23
First off, let’s just throw this out there: if Christian Watson
(hamstring) is back from his hamstring injury, he joins Reed in
the no-brainer category. He was firing on all cylinders and looking
like a high-end playmaker, so he’d be worth the risk. Now, back
to Love, who struggled on Monday night after playing lights out
over the previous three games. He finished the game against the
Giants with 218 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT and a lost fumble. The Bucs
rank 30th in the NFL in pass defense, however, which gives Love
a chance to rebound. The asterisk here is the health of his receivers,
as in addition to Watson and Reed being banged up, Dontayvion
Wicks (ankle) is also dealing with an ankle injury. That adds
some downside to an otherwise top-10 outlook for Love.
Jones (knee) has missed the last three games with a knee injury,
and it’s far from certain he’ll suit up in Week 15.
Then again, he practiced in limited fashion all last week and
was listed as questionable before ultimately being inactive. Green
Bay losing to the Giants puts more pressure on the Packers to
win this Sunday to keep the playoffs in sight, and they could
use Jones’ explosiveness with so many other weapons on the
injury report. If Jones is active, he’d warrant rolling
the dice on as an RB3.
Brock Purdy has continued to climb the ranks of fantasy quarterbacks,
finding himself in the Top 5 in points per game. The situation
in San Francisco is often akin to a glorified scrimmage, with
lots of pitch-and-catch between Purdy and his elite myriad of
receiving options. That should continue this week against the
Cardinals.
It is worth noting that while Purdy had an extremely efficient
day against the Cardinals at home earlier this year, he only attempted
21 passes. There’s a real possibility that the 49ers blow
out the Cardinals and Purdy’s attempts are limited. That
could get in the way of a QB1 day, even if it didn’t stop
him last time around. To this end, the “good” news
is that the 49ers defense is incredibly banged up coming out of
last week’s matchup with Seattle, and with one or more starters
at all three levels of the defense missing practice due to injury
on Thursday. Several Niners defenders missing Sunday’s game
could help the Cardinals stay just close enough to see Purdy get
25-30 attempts, which is about all he should need when averaging
9.9 yards per attempt.
Deebo Samuel also sits pretty this week, as the Cardinals have
absolutely no answers to their opponents running game, meaning
that the dual threat wide receiver should be able to rack up production
no matter how San Francisco operates on offense. He should be
a strong WR2 in this one.
Over the last couple of weeks, Jordan Mason has re-emerged as
the change of pace back behind Christian McCaffrey with Elijah
Mitchell out due to injury. Mitchell may or may not play this
week, as he continues to recover from a knee ailment. It’s
also entirely possible that he’s a healthy scratch. For
owners who have Mason and are in a bit of a pinch at flex, his
situation is worth monitoring versus a Cardinals team that has
been gutted by opposing running games.
When Mitchell and Mason have both been active, there’s
been little noise from either (none from Mitchell), but when Mitchell
has been out, Mason has had some back-end flex production. Mason
has reached the end zone 3 times this year, and that will be his
best way to get to usable production, especially against a Cardinals
team that has surrendered 18 touchdowns to the position this year.
It would also not be surprising to see the 49ers give McCaffrey
a bit of extended rest as the postseason nears, which could also
help Mason’s case and makes him at least a deep league consideration
if Mitchell is indeed inactive.
Fade: N/A
SF FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.26
SF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.27
SF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.9
SF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.28
The 49ers have been tough on tight ends, giving up the 4th fewest
points to the position. Yet for McBride, there are two factors
working in his favor. One is that the 49ers injuries on defense
are likely to make them less stellar competition than usual (including
the real possibility that coverage LB Dre Greelaw misses the contest).
The other factor is McBride, himself. Since emerging from Zach
Ertz aging shadow, he’s been on a rampage. Kyler Murray’s
return has only enhanced this reality – over the last five
weeks, McBride’s 13.1 points per game has only been bested
at tight end by T.J. Hockenson (13.4).
It’s hard to imagine the Cardinals not spending a whole
lot of time in the negative game-script, and Murray has had only
one sure target since his return – McBride. There should
be a lot of opportunities for that to continue this week.
Kyler Murray has been a borderline QB1 since returning from the
IR a month ago. He’s largely been leaning on his legs (106
yards, 3 rushing touchdowns), as despite facing just 18% pressure
in 2.4 seconds of pocket time, he’s not managed to pass
for more than 256 yards nor throw multiple touchdown passes in
any single game. Outside of his connection with McBride, he’s
not found consistency with anyone else. The 49ers have been unkind
to QBs (including 17 picks against), but again, the defense is
banged up. That could leave Murray with some room to run and maybe
an opportunity for a couple of big plays in the passing game.
Murray is reasonably a backend QB1 when the probability of high
volume is weighed in.
Conner had his first notable game in some time when he dialed
up 2 touchdowns and 105 rushing yards against the Steelers in
Week 13. Strangely, Conner has disappeared as a pass catching
option despite performing well in this area throughout his career.
Since Week 1, when he had 5 receptions, he’s had just 9
total in eight other games. As such, Conner has only hit double
digits in fantasy scoring when he’s reached the end zone
(3 games).
With just 4 touchdowns this year, being a significant underdog
this week, and facing a run defense whose only weakness has been
surrendering receptions to running backs (72 allowed), the stars
are not aligning for Conner. His potential for a solid day hinges
on the injury status of key 49er defenders, and he probably isn’t
startable if the 49ers get surprisingly healthy by the weekend.
It just hasn’t clicked between Kyler Murray and Marquise Brown
in the way that it did last season. Some of that may be due to
rust from Murray, and some of that may be due to Brown struggling
with his own health. Brown’s heel has been troubling him, and
he very well may not play this week. Even if he does, his ability
to be productive at this given time is severely in doubt. Desperate
fantasy owners would probably be best served searching the wire.
Brown’s teammate Greg Dortch is more worthy of consideration.
With Sam Howell taking over as their starter in 2023, the Commanders
have the worst adjusted point differential in the NFL. Not nearly
all of that is on him, as their defense has folded like an accordion.
But Howell’s 58 sacks and three consecutive games with a
pick-six haven’t helped. Howell has big splash moments,
and enough confidence and athleticism to be called upon to have
35-45 plays run through him, but the limitations in his throwing
ability and decision making mean he often has to get to QB1 status
on volume, and generally versus very beatable defenses. The Rams
present that defense, this week.
Having given up the 10th most points to opposing quarterbacks,
and also beginning to fire on all cylinders on offense, the Rams
are inviting the Commanders to a shootout. It could get sloppy
at times, but Howell has a wide-open window of opportunity to
rake a 300+ yardage day and multiple touchdowns. There’s
more than enough here to consider him a back end QB1, especially
with all of the quarterbacks on the shelf across the NFL at this
moment.
Logan Thomas could be the greatest benefactor of a shootout against
the Rams, as they’ve had no answers for opposing tight ends. Having
given up 66 receptions, 809 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns,
they’ve been tagged for 12 points per game by the position, the
3rd worst mark in the league. Logan Thomas isn’t special, but
he has his days and sees enough volume (63 targets) to be worthy
of a start in this one.
Owners of Brian Robinson Jr. stock face two road blocks this
week. One is Robinson’s health, with his status very much
in the air. The second, is the fact that the Rams have been tough
on opposing RB’s, giving up the 7th fewest points and being
particularly devastating against Robinson’s surprising bread-and-butter
this year – receiving. The Rams defense has given up just
264 receiving yards and 1 receiving touchdown to running backs
this year. That’s bad news for Robinson, who has amassed
over 10 yards per reception on 29 receptions, with 3 receiving
touchdowns.
Ranked just outside the Top 12 running backs in points, it’s
hard to sit Robinson if he is active, but owners with strong benches
should consider it this week as Robinson limps towards Sunday.
Meanwhile, it’s been a disappointing year for Terry McLaurin,
who is falling well short of a 1000-yard season despite being
health. It’s clear that Sam Howell’s limitations are
greater than Tyler Heinicke’s when it comes to getting the
ball outside and down the field to his prized wide receiver. It’ll
be interesting to see McLaurin with a more equipped starting quarterback,
if and when that day comes. The fact that this game could be the
most offensive of the week means that one can’t just rule
out McLaurin, but he’s far from a lock even in a game that
could easily see 600+ yards of passing and 8+ touchdowns between
the two teams.
Fade: N/A
WAS FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.1
WAS FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.9
WAS FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.2
WAS FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.22
Taking Matthew Stafford and putting him up against the Commanders
defense is akin to taking a bucket of hot embers and spilling
it into a drought-stricken forest. If you thought the Rams veteran
quarterback wasn’t hot already, brace yourself for this
weekend.
Stafford has thrown for at least 3 touchdowns in each of the
last three games, and part of the recipe for that success has
been a clean pocket (just 2 times sacked in three games). The
gutted Commanders front-7 should all but guarantee this trend
continues, and that coupled with a struggling secondary is likely
to provide Stafford his 4th 300-yard passing performance of the
season.
Stafford is a must start for virtually any fantasy owner, as
he could very easily put up 300-400 yards passing and several
touchdowns in this one. The ceiling is about as big as you can
ask for.
Not surprisingly, Stafford’s top two receivers, Cooper Kupp and
Puka Nacua, are also must starts this week. Especially with Tutu
Atwell potentially missing the game due to a concussion, there
should be plenty of production from the Rams number 1 and 2 most
targeted receivers this year.
Cowboys running back Tony Pollard failed to get into the end
zone for the first time in four games in Week 14, but he still
managed to turn in a strong fantasy performance due to his passing
game usage in Dallas’ big victory over Philadelphia. Pollard
has now touched the ball at least 15 times in six straight games
while having exceeded 16 fantasy points in four-straight.
The Bills do have a solid defense, but they’ve still given
up a double-digit fantasy game to an opposing running back in
nine of their past 10 games. The only game they played where a
back didn’t get there was in Week 12 when D’Andre
Swift nearly made it as he rushed for 80 yards.
Pollard may not be delivering the high-end fantasy games that
many had hoped for, but he’s still a must-start for most
teams as he’s remained a big part of one of the NFL’s
best offenses.
It’s tough to come by tight ends who are seeing the type
of usage that Jake Ferguson is in an offense as good as Dallas’,
but if there’s one player who’s normally a solid fantasy
starter for the Cowboys who fantasy managers should maybe consider
benching this week, it’s Jake Ferguson. Ferguson has a fairly
difficult matchup on his hands as he faces a Bills defense that
has only allowed one tight end to reach even 55 yards against
them all season, and that was Travis Kelce this past week who
needed 10 targets to get to 83 yards and he didn’t even
score a touchdown. Kelce is the only tight end who’s caught
more than five passes against this defense all year long and they’ve
conceded just three touchdowns to the position.
The “give Rico Dowdle more touches” people have been
letting their voices be heard this week on social media, but based
on the Cowboys’ recent track record of running back touch
splits, it seems highly unlikely that we’re going to begin
seeing any sort of serious changing of the guard for this team,
at least this season. Dowdle has been fairly impressive with his
touches as of late and he did snipe a goal-line touchdown away
from Pollard, but he’s still by far the backup in this offense
and he’s only exceeded a 30 percent snap share once all
season. With this likely being a competitive game against the
Bills, don’t expect Dallas to lean heavily on their backup
running back.
DAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.21
DAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.32
DAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.26
DAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.21
There was some concern that rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid would
be impacted by the return of Dawson Knox in Week 14, but we didn’t
see that. While Kincaid did get back on the field and ran routes
on 39 percent of the Bills’ snaps, Kincaid actually also saw his
own rate of routes increase from what it was at in his previous
two contests. What essentially ended up happening is that we saw
the Bills get back to using more two-tight-end sets, which they
utilized heavily early in the season but had gone away from when
Knox was injured. Kincaid has shown himself to be a viable TE1
for fantasy and there are not a lot of reasons to be concerned
that he’s going to drop off now. Dallas’ defense is slightly above
average against opposing tight ends on the year, but there’ve
been times when they’ve looked completely helpless against the
position as well.
James Cook’s first 20-point fantasy day of the season came this
past week in the Bills’ huge road victory over the Chiefs, as
the back carried the ball 10 times for 58 yards while adding an
additional five receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown. Cook
has now touched the ball at least 14 times in seven of his past
eight games, giving him a great fantasy floor in most matchups.
Unfortunately, this week he faces the team that has been the league’s
best at defending opposing running backs, the Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys have given up just one game of over 12 fantasy points
to an opposing running back since they were exploited on the ground
by the 49ers in Week 5. That stretch has included games against
Austin Ekeler, D’Andre Swift (x2), Saquon Barkley, and Brian Robinson.
This makes trusting Cook a bit more difficult, as he’s unlikely
to deliver a true high-end RB1 game and he may not even have his
usual floor to save him. Still, he’s seeing enough touches and
this could be a shootout, so it’s probably worth putting him in
your lineup at least as a Flex here in Week 15.
Davis’ extraordinary inconsistency would almost be impressive
if it wasn’t so darn frustrating for fantasy managers. Over
his past eight games, Davis has managed to exceed 22 fantasy points
twice, while also being held to fewer than four PPR fantasy points
in five of those games. For those not keeping track, this means
that only once has he finished between four and 22 fantasy points
over this eight-game stretch.
Davis now faces a Cowboys’ defense that has struggled at
times against the position but has mostly been great at keeping
opposing wide receivers in check. Only twice (Keenen Allen, DK
Metcalf) has a receiver exceeded 20 PPR points against them. With
Davis being a complete boom-or-bust player, the odds seem to favor
him turning in another “bust” here in Week 15.
Zay Flowers is in the midst of his best two-game stretch of his
young career. He’s hauled in 11 of his 18 targets over that stretch
and two scores. While the yardage leaves something to be desired
(85 receiving yards total), we can’t ignore his overall production
and how he’s been Lamar Jackson’s go-to target since TE Mark Andrews’
season-ending injury. Jacksonville gives up the second-most passing
yards in the NFL and the fifth-most TDs, so Flowers is set up
to continue his current hot streak.
Odell Beckham Jr. is not an every-week starter at this stage
of his career, but he’s a solid depth player who could be
a nice fill-in during any given week. This could be one of those
weeks for the same reason mentioned above regarding Jacksonville’s
struggles this year with stopping the pass. Beckham, at best,
is a low-end flex option this week.
The touchdown-dependent RB is better left on your bench this
week as the Ravens have turned their backfield into a three-headed
monster with rookie Keaton Mitchell and Justice Hill having specific
roles in the offense. With Mitchell being used more as an early-down
back, he’s sucking the fantasy life out of Edwards. You’d be hoping
for a goaline TD if you started Edwards.
BAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.31
BAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.25
BAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.21
BAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.24
Trevor Lawrence had his first three-TD passing game of the season
last week, but he also had his first three-INT game as well. He’s
been on a hot streak over the previous four games, totaling 12
TDs combined over that stretch. This week he faces a 2nd-ranked
Baltimore defense that uncharacteristically surrendered 294 yards,
3 TDs, and no INTs to Matthew Stafford. We should anticipate a
much better performance from the Ravens, so it should be a good
test for Lawrence. His rushing ability should keep his production
afloat because he may encounter some major obstacles going up
against a defense that now has something to prove. But here’s
something to keep in mind about Baltimore’s pass defense:
only three teams have more pass attempts against them, but the
Ravens surrender the 4th fewest yards. That’s an incredible
stat and something to help temper your expectations for Lawrence.
We all know that Calvin Ridley has been painfully inconsistent
this year. It’s tough to count on a player like that, especially
at this crucial juncture of the season. He turned 13 targets last
week into a paltry 4-catch, 53-yard performance with no TDs. Whatever
Ridley gives you this week, consider it a bonus.
Injuries have limited Zay Jones this year, and he hasn’t
scored since Week 3. Two reasons to keep him out of your lineup.
Sure, he saw 14 targets last week, but he only had 5 receptions
for 29 yards. TE Evan Engram has become Lawrence’s favorite
target over the last two weeks.
The Seahawks defense has its strong points, but run defense is
not one of them (1228 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns
to opposing backs). In general, they just haven’t had a
lot of answers, as they’ve given up the 12th most receptions
and 9th most receiving yards to the position. It’s a great
spot for D’Andre Swift – the league’s No.19
running back in fantasy points - to snap out of his recent doldrums.
Smith’s snap count has dipped a bit over the last couple
of weeks, seeing only about half of offensive snaps, but he’s
had ebbs and flows in snap rate all season. This is more than
sweet enough of a match up for Swift to provide RB2 production
on even half a game’s snaps.
DeVonta Smith has seen 21 targets in the last two weeks and at
least 8 targets in each of the last four games. Much like last
season, as the year goes on, he is heating up in terms of both
involvement and production (73 or more receiving yards in each
of the last four weeks, with 2 touchdowns). Dallas Goedert’s return
last week did not seem to put any dent in Smith’s production –
again, very similar to what happened late last year.
This week, Smith draws a Rams secondary that has given up 9 different
double-digit point performances to opposing team’s WR2’s,
and Smith is a WR1 in a WR2 slot on the depth chart. Week 15 stands
to be another strong week for Smith.
Goedert has never been a prolific touchdown machine, having merely
5 touchdowns as a career high. Jalen Hurts arriving on the scene
has put a further dent in Goedert’s ability to see the end
zone as he has just 2 touchdowns this year. The Seahawks will
not help matters, as they’ve given up just 3 touchdowns
to tight ends this season. Goedert may need more touchdown involvement
in an offense that has two premier receivers and a scrambling
quarterback. Especially in an offense that has mastered the quarterback
sneak in short yardage situations like no other team. It’s
going to be even tougher than usual for him to get involved this
week. He’s no more than a borderline starter against Seattle.
Fade: N/A
PHI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.2
PHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.29
PHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.1
PHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.13
Metcalf (2-52-1) and Lockett (6-89-0) both came through with
productive performances against the 49ers last week – a continuation
of a recent run that has seen the Seahawks passing offense begin
to wake up. It’ll be better for Metcalf and Lockett if Geno Smith
plays, but against an Eagles defense that has given up more points
to opposing receivers than anyone, both are must starts.
The Eagles have been tormented by opposing quarterbacks this
year (2nd most points allowed) and, as such, the respectable Geno
Smith is not “on the fence” for any other reason than
due to questions about his health. Pete Carroll is saying all
of the positive things you’ll want to hear about Smith’s
health status, but owners should keep in mind that the perennially
positive Carroll can overstate the well-being of his players.
Keep an eye on Smith, and if he starts this Sunday, let him rip
against the league’s most snake-bitten defense against quarterbacks.
Per chance, if Smith does not play, Drew Lock warrants some consideration
due to the dearth of healthy starting quarterbacks in the league
right now. Lock may not be the most effective, but in this pool
of options, facing the Eagles, it may be enough to plug him in.
Kenneth Walker’s return from injury last week wasn’t
a banner day (12 touches, 54 total yards, 0 touchdowns). To top
it off, he only played a little more than half of snaps versus
the 49ers. This is actually the continuation of a trend that dates
back to Week 7 versus the Browns. Health appears to have been
playing a lot into it, and with a 2nd round draft pick behind
him in the depth chart, it was never going to take much for him
to lose some of his grip on snap and touch dominance.
Whether Walker is going to see a bigger role this week is a fair
question, and he’ll also be facing the league’s toughest
run defense, making Walker a somewhat difficult start in week
15.
