It was a very trying week all around for fantasy managers and commissioners alike, trying to figure out how to adjust for the potential of games being rescheduled and how to appease everyone involved.
As you scour Twitter, you see some pretty ridiculous things when it comes to fantasy football – like commissioners quitting because they couldn’t handle the issue at hand, managers demanding money back or quitting leagues.
Seriously, don’t be that person.
Fantasy football is supposed to be competitive, yes, but it also shouldn’t get to that point where you quit a league over a decision made in such a crazy year.
1. Advice for you commissioners out there
The question of what do you do if we face another situation like we did with the uncertainty of the Patriots-Chiefs game actually being played was raised this past weekend and might very well happen again this season.
If a game comes in question late in the week, the simple solution is to have managers announce a replacement player before the 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff for any players whose game might be postponed. For example, Chiefs-Patriots was in question, so I announce that if Travis Kelce doesn’t play, I would like to replace him with D’Andre Swift if the game doesn’t happen.
There is no perfect solution, but this seems to be the ideal answer for such a weird situation.
2. Joe Burrow is the new Tiger King (And a welcome addition to the QB1 conversation)
There was a lot of concern, and probably still is, about Joe Burrow taking a beating behind that Bengals offensive line, but you have to give the guy credit – he stands in there and makes plays, and it’s resulted in over 300 yards passing in each of his last three games to go along with six touchdowns and one interception.
Burrow remains a QB1 and has continued to keep some Bengals players relevant fantasy options (Tyler Boyd) and make others into household names (Tee Higgins).
With the LSU product at the helm, Boyd is on pace for a career year of 112 catches for 1,280 yards and four touchdowns on 136 targets, while the rookie Higgins is on pace for 48 catches for 608 yards and eight touchdowns on 88 targets. Keep in mind that Higgins was not targeted in the Bengals’ Week 1 loss to the Chargers and has seen a significant bump in production the last three weeks.
Burrow has proven a lot of doubters wrong, and is on a record-breaking pace in the process. He’s currently on track to set a new rookie mark for passing yards in a season, currently held by Andrew Luck, and fall just short of Baker Mayfield’s record for passing touchdowns by a rookie.
All of this is making Burrow a must-start every week on a surprisingly entertaining Bengals squad.
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3. Jonathan Taylor’s usage in Indy is maddening
You sometimes wonder what goes through coaches’ minds when they deploy players, and now we can welcome Frank Reich to the conversation.
Jonathan Taylor has shown what he can do when given a steady workload in college and it was enough for the Colts to use a second-round pick on him, so why not use him the same way in the NFL?
Here’s a look at Taylor’s workload since Marlon Mack’s injury in Week 1:
Week 2: 74.3 per cent of team rushing attempts and eight per cent target share.
Week 3: 44.8 per cent of team rushing attempts and four per cent target share.
Week 4: 48.6 per cent of team rushing attempts and 3.6 per cent target share.
This does feel like they’re trying to keep Taylor fresh, but he’s a rookie. Talent usually prevails and I expect that Reich will realize that, so just be patient with this young back as he’s still in the RB2 conversation.
And as always, if you can find the manager that has soured on such a talented player, go get him.
4. Kareem Hunt was always going to be a league winner
The former rushing champion was always going to have value in this Browns offence and I’ve been of the opinion from the start that Hunt was going to be a factor with or without Nick Chubb.
Chubb is now expected to miss six weeks with an MCL injury, and while I don’t believe Hunt takes over all of the workload (enter D’Ernest Johnson), he will certainly be a top-five play every week until Chubb’s return.
Hunt has already been a top-10 RB in both standard and PPR scoring with Chubb in the lineup.
Many forget that Hunt was an elite rusher and pass catcher with the Chiefs before his suspension and release from the team. Fast forward to now and Hunt is on the second-most run-heavy offence in the league behind the New England Patriots.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski will continue to run the ball at a high clip, partially because the offence is clearly better when they don’t have to rely on Mayfield’s arm to win games, so that’s a huge bonus for anyone with Hunt on their roster.
It’s also not wise to sleep on Hunt’s touchdown numbers. Yes, touchdowns are considered a fluke stat, but Mayfield has only seven red-zone passing attempts through the first four games, countered by 27 red-zone carries for Browns running backs.
As long as the Browns offence keeps clicking, the touchdowns will be there for Hunt, only adding to his fantasy value.
5. Don’t forget about Justin Jackson in L.A.
Austin Ekeler’s injury is just another on a long list of big-name players who will miss time. If you don’t have Joshua Kelley rostered, fear not because Justin Jackson should be available.
The Chargers have run the ball an average of 32.2 times per game this season, sixth-highest in the league this season and I think it’s safe to assume that Kelley isn’t getting 25 per game. Jackson had six carries in Sunday’s loss, turning them into just nine yards against a tough Bucs run defence.
I think Jackson is in line for a 12-touch floor because, of the two available running backs, he’s the superior pass catcher. The Northwestern product had 122 catches in four years there, so he has experience and good hands. Expect Ekeler’s passing game work to go to Jackson and 10-12 carries, giving him some pretty good value in PPR formats.
6. Tom Brady turns back the clock, proving patience pays off
When players switch teams, there’s always going to be an adjustment period. Yes, that even includes Tom Brady. My guess is he heard the calls that he was washed up and could only play under Bill Belichick, because Brady delivered in a big way on Sunday.
The future Hall of Famer delivered a stellar performance against the Chargers with 369 passing yards along with five touchdowns and one interception. That’s two QB1 performances this season to go along with another week where he finished just outside the top-12 and keeps him in the QB1 tier after four weeks.
With all the weapons he was inheriting, did we really think he wasn’t going to have a great season? He’s made Scotty Miller relevant with Chris Godwin hurt!
So, what am I trying to tell you here? You have to believe in your process, unless you are totally obliterated by injuries. Stay the course and let things play out.
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7. Dallas’s offence is going to put up points all year (And it won’t be because they’re prolific)
The Cowboys defence is absolutely dreadful – I mean, they would have a hard time covering me at this point.
OK, maybe that’s a stretch, but there’s no denying how terrible they’ve been.
For fantasy purposes, that should be a great thing for managers of Dak Prescott and crew. Now, I’m not quite certain how good this offence actually is and, yes, I know you think I’m crazy. Dallas has put up 70 second-half points in the last three games while largely playing from behind, meaning they are facing a lot of prevent defences.
Dallas currently has three wide receivers in the top-30 in PPR scoring (and I expect Michael Gallup will pick up his play) to go along with Prescott as QB2 overall, the RB4 in Ezekiel Elliott (both PPR and standard) and Dalton Schultz, who is a top-10 TE despite not starting in Week 1.
If you roster any Cowboys, you’ll pray that this continues. And if we are being honest, it probably will.
8. Jerick McKinnon is fantasy relevant if he stays healthy
It has been quite the resurgence in San Francisco for Jerick McKinnon, who hadn’t played since 2017 after signing a big contract. He’s showing up now and has been exactly the player the 49ers had hoped he would.
McKinnon has accumulated 193 rushing yards, 102 receiving yards on 13 catches and five total touchdowns, good enough to be an RB1 in both formats through the first four games.
There is some concern that when Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman return that McKinnon will fade into fantasy irrelevance, but I wouldn’t bank on that. The Niners are paying this guy and will absolutely use him all over the field, especially in the passing game, as he’s clearly the most adept pass-catching back they have and that’s something that is very important in Kyle Shanahan’s offence.
As long as McKinnon can stay on the field, he will be a flex play at worst in PPR formats and also in standard with touchdown upside. He doesn’t have the big-name cache like other players who might be available and could very well be had for a bigger name player who has underproduced thus far this season.
9. Robert Tonyan, the tight end you never knew you needed
If you didn’t know who Robert Tonyan was at the beginning of the year, you’ll certainly never forget his name now after a six-catch, 98-yard, three-touchdown performance against the Falcons on Monday night.
This was supposed to be the work that Jace Sternberger was doing, but it’s Tonyan who has become a go-to guy for Aaron Rodgers and this Packers offence. Tonyan has caught all four targets inside the red zone, which he has turned into 36 yards and four touchdowns, making him a great asset for your fantasy team.
It helps that the Packers’ receiving core has been depleted over the last few weeks, but because he has become so reliable for Rodgers (92.9 per cent catch rate) and Allen Lazard being on the shelf for the foreseeable future, I fully expect Tonyan to have a fantasy impact.
He also brings some speed to the pass game as evidenced by his 4.63 40-yard dash time, coupled with the fact he trains with George Kittle in the off-season. I’ll take my chances with a guy like that.
10. The Quarterly Report: Surprises, Disappointments and Bounce-back Candidates
There are always those who rise from the ashes and come out of nowhere to surprise, some who disappoint and some who just have a slow start.
It’s the wonderful ride that is fantasy football.
Surprises
James Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars (RB6 Standard / RB6 PPR)
This one goes without saying: the biggest fantasy surprise has been James Robinson and if you say otherwise, I shall call you a liar.
The Jaguars cut Leonard Fournette and we were all fully expecting a timeshare between Robinson, Ryquell Armstead, Chris Thompson and Devine Ozigbo. Well, that didn’t quite happen. The undrafted free agent has 60 rushing attempts and 14 catches for a grand total of 446 yards and three touchdowns. Robinson has accounted for 84 per cent of the Jaguars’ running back touches and continues to impress week in and week out.
Robby Anderson, Carolina Panthers (WR14 Standard / WR9 PPR)
We know Robby Anderson has talent, but he was always viewed as a deep threat, boom-or-bust type receiver. Coming to an offence with Teddy Bridgewater as the quarterback, someone not known for their deep-ball ability, it certainly didn’t look like the perfect marriage.
Anderson has looked like the WR1 in Carolina, not D.J. Moore, which may be the most surprising thing of all.
Disappointments
A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals (WR89 Standard / WR79 PPR)
I can’t say that A.J. Green’s struggles are a surprise, but I didn’t think it would be this bad. He was an easy fade this season after the emergence of Tyler Boyd and drafting of Tee Higgins, but this is beyond belief. He has 14 catches for 119 yards on 33 targets. He doesn’t have the same jump, can’t beat defenders and doesn’t win jump balls, so what use is he?
Jordan Howard (RB47 Standard / RB53 PPR) & Matt Breida (RB66 Standard / RB63 PPR), Miami Dolphins
I really thought that these two would be the perfect “Thunder And Lightning” combo for Miami offensive coordinator Chan Gailey and would provide a spark for the offence, but that certainly hasn’t been the case.
Howard is almost exclusively used at the goal line and Breida has been used to spell Myles Gaskin, who has been impressive considering that he’s a former 7th-round pick. What’s more surprising is that Miami brought in both players this off-season, so it’s not as if they are part of some previous regime. Breida has the much higher upside of the two and would seemingly be the one to take over the early down work if Gaskin were to struggle or get hurt.
Bounce-back Candidates
D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers (WR40 Standard / WR45 PPR)
D.J. Moore is way too talented to be a WR4 or WR5, so he becomes an easy bounce-back candidate. At some point, teams are going to start to believe that Robby Anderson is for real and that they need to keep a closer eye on him. This could be something as simple as the connection with Teddy Bridgewater isn’t quite there yet, but it will come.
If you can, try to acquire Moore in all formats, including dynasty where his price tag might be as low as it will ever be.
Brandin Cooks, Houston Texans (WR84 Standard / WR84 PPR)
It can’t continue to be this bad for Cooks, who has at least 1,000 yards receiving in four of the last five years. Coming off this week, where he had three targets and zero catches, I could see why you wouldn’t be interested in his services, but maybe the firing of Bill O’Brien could help.
Will Fuller is the alpha in the Texans offence, but he has shown in past seasons that he can’t stay healthy and Cooks has succeeded as a WR2 in offences before. He flashed with a 95-yard game against a good Baltimore defence, so there’s still some open.
The Texans schedule also opens up soon and they get some lacklustre defences, meaning the arrow should point up for Cooks to rebound.
Don’t forget to check out my “Love ‘Em, Leave ‘Em” picks for the weekend games on my Twitter @MattSN590 every Friday!
