With a boatload of meaningful free agent signings already in the books, the fantasy football landscape will undoubtedly be altered in 2016. While changes of scenery will enhance some players' fantasy values, others will be hindered with different roles and supporting cast. Yes, there are still a few notable players that have yet to decide on a fresh landing spot (Arian Foster and Colin Kaepernick among others), but most of the major moves have occurred by now. Let's take a look at some players on the offensive side of the ball that will be wearing new uniforms this season, as I highlight the fantasy football implications of several offseason acquisitions. Running Backs Lamar Miller (RB): Houston Texans The Texans finally cut ties with the injury-prone Arian Foster, and were in need of a replacement workhorse. Interestingly enough, the man they got was never fully let off his leash by his former team, but certainly seemed capable of handling a larger workload. The ex-Dolphin speedster, Lamar Miller, was signed by the Texans on the same day they reeled in Brock Osweiler, completing what will be a new-look attack down in Houston. Lamar Miller is an elusive, durable, and effective overall running back that was underused in Miami, and I assume HC Bill O'Brien realizes that. Believe it or not, Lamar Miller finished last year as the sixth overall RB in standard leagues, so a major jump in production may not be certain. However, there is a chance that Miller explodes in 2016. His 194 carries were criminally low, especially when compared to AP's whopping 327 carries. Assuming Miller stays healthy and handles a full workload this season, I think his floor is a low-end RB1, while his ceiling is frightening. I'm thinking he has a chance to finish as a top 3 RB this year, especially since he's come so close to cracking the top 5, even with absurdly limited touches. I wouldn't pass him up in the early second round of your draft, regardless of scoring format, as he fits the mold of a dynamic pass-catcher as well. Matt Forte (RB): New York Jets Seemingly able to fit into any NFL system, Matt Forte had multiple landing spot possibilities this offseason. Ultimately, he followed his ex-Bears teammate Brandon Marshall to New York, where he'll be wearing green and white for the 2016 season. Forte is entering the dreaded 30 year old season for NFL running backs, but he was still averaging 4.0 yards per carry over the last two seasons combined, showing his effectiveness as of late. Still, he missed 3 games last year, after only missing 5 games during his first seven seasons. While I wouldn't classify him as an injury risk, his slightly declining performance paired with his recent bumps and bruises has me worried about durability in terms of a full season. With the Jets losing Chris Ivory and re-signing third down back Bilal Powell, Forte is expected to carry the load for the Jets. This means double digit carries every game with the chance of goal line work on a fast-paced Jets offense. His QB this season is still a mystery, but assuming the Jets can lock up Fitzmagic or another solid option, Forte should be able to provide safe RB2 fantasy numbers. And much like Ivory in 2015, if his workload remains heavy, he'll have a few RB1-worthy weeks in him. The main concern, again, is that his age and tread on the tires could result in deteriorating play down the stretch. Demarco Murray (RB): Tennessee Titans After being one the league's most dominant rushers in 2014, Murray flopped during his stay in Philly. He was repeatedly hit in the backfield, struggled to make people miss, and was outperformed by his backups. Some of this can be blamed on the system he was in, which clearly didn't utilize his downhill running style, but Murray himself deserves a decent amount of the blame. Regardless, he's a Tennessee Titan in 2016, and I actually have higher expectations than most. This Titans offense has a ton of young talent to build around, and getting a veteran RB like Demarco behind Marcus Mariota is a major upgrade from Antonio Andrews, who some desperate fantasy owners were forced to use at times last season. Murray may not be a top-tier RB1 like his days with Dallas, but I envision him getting 15-20 touches per game with definite goal line totes. With recent protection issues, it wouldn't surprise me if the Titans address their O-line in the draft for both Mariota and Murray's wellbeing... While many owners will shy away from him earlier in drafts due to his age and ineffectiveness last year, I see Demarco Murray as a safe RB2 while he's healthy. He's also bound to sprinkle in a few solid RB1 weeks, similar to Forte. Chris Ivory (RB): Jacksonville Jaguars One of the most intriguing signings of the offseason was Chris Ivory to the Jaguars. If the Jags didn't have a promising young runner in T.J. Yeldon, I would probably be ecstatic about the move, as I'm a big fan of Ivory's running style. He hits the hole hard and punishes defenders, but also has breakaway speed in the open field. He does usually experience a few minor injuries during the course of the NFL season, but when you consider his running style, Ivory is relatively sturdy. As it stands now, we're not sure just how the Jags will divvy up the carries out of the backfield, but something near a 50-50 split seems reasonable. I can see Ivory as the early down thumper, and someone who might get more carries as the game goes on. He can wear defenses out, and he'll probably get the first crack at goal line carries. Still, with Yeldon healthy and in the mix, I can't see either Jacksonville RB getting more than 10-15 touches per game, unless one catches fire. I'd prefer Ivory to Yeldon if I had to choose a side of the coin, but he's more of a flex or RB3 option that you take a stab at in the middle rounds of your draft. In reality, the Jags have a great backfield duo. In fantasy, we call that a headache. Alfred Morris (RB): Dallas Cowboys With the Cowboys' backfield a bit dry on depth, they were in line to beef up their committee either through free agency or the draft. While drafting a young running back in April certainly isn't a bad idea, and remains very possible, Dallas chose to go out and sign former Washington RB Alfred Morris to a 2-year contract. Although, by signing Morris, the Cowboys didn't exactly get a young, dynamic runner who is going to slide atop the depth chart right away. In fact, Jerry Jones says that McFadden, who is coming off a rejuvenated season in which he averaged 4.6 YPC with 1400+ scrimmage yards, will remain the team's starting running back. However, we know that DMC is anything but durable, regardless of his healthy 2015. Still, when I look at Morris and his recent decline, I'll admit I'm a bit worried. His 751 rushing yards, career low 3.7 YPC, and single TD on the year all have me a bit skeptical to say the least. Then there's this: Did you know that Alf actually has the most carries in the NFL over the past four seasons? If all goes well, I could see Alf and DMC in a relatively even timeshare, with Morris coming out on pretty much all passing downs. A preseason injury to McFadden would catapult Morris to the top spot by default, making him a great bounce-back candidate behind that offensive line and an RB2 at minimum. But at this stage, I'm taking the cautious approach on Morris in terms of fantasy production. While he should improve his YPC in Dallas, I would say he's no better than a dicey RB3 pick when draft season approaches. Wide Receivers Marvin Jones (WR): Detroit Lions The wide receivers in this year's free agency market were underwhelming in comparison to running backs, but Marvin Jones sits atop the rankings for the position. Jones has been nothing more than a #2 option beside A.J. Green in Cincinnati, but he was very effective in that role. He had over 800 yards last season but only hauled in 4 touchdowns, which was strange, since Jones caught 10 touchdowns back in 2013. Only 26 years old with plenty of talent, he'll now be heading to Detroit to do his best Calvin Johnson impersonation. While that might be not possible, Jones is expected to be the Lions' top wideout nonetheless. Across from Golden Tate, who best serves as a shifty second option, Marvin Jones should find himself catching a lot of balls from Matthew Stafford. He's shown that he can be a red zone threat, and Detroit is definitely expecting big things from him, but it will take more than one man to reproduce Megatron's impact. I see Jones as a solid WR3 from the get-go, with potential to be a WR2 if things go according to plan. Travis Benjamin (WR): San Diego Chargers One of the many players the Browns lost that they couldn't really afford to lose was WR Travis Benjamin. Playing an important role for Cleveland this past season, Benjamin racked up nearly 1000 yards on a pitiful offense while hauling in 5 touchdowns. With a much more competent signal-caller in Philip Rivers, he will be a much happier campier out in sunny San Diego. With Keenan Allen entrenched as the Bolts' top WR option, Benjamin will be looking to inch ahead of Stevie Johnson for the #2 spot. I believe he'll win the job, meaning that he'll see a steady amount of targets on a weekly basis. He's known to be a one-trick pony who wins with go-routes down the field, but Benjamin actually showed decent hands while catching 68 balls last year. With Rivers throwing to him, and Allen drawing coverage to his own side of the field, I can see Travis Benjamin putting up decent numbers in his first year with the Chargers. Whereas last season he was a risky boom-or-bust WR3, he looks to be a safe WR3 if he can definitively win the second receiver job for SD in 2016. Rishard Matthews (WR): Tennessee Titans On pace for 963 yards as the second receiving option in Miami, the 26 year old Rishard Matthews had himself a breakout season in 2015. While Miami was open to bringing him back for this year, the Titans ultimately sealed the deal and signed him to a 3-year deal that will pair him with talented wideouts Dorial Green-Beckham and Kendall Wright. In addition to the young WR corps in Tennessee, the Titans also has a stud TE in Delanie Walker. All of these weapons should be of great value to sophomore QB Marcus Mariota, who is coming off a promising rookie season himself. The reason I mention all of these offensive parts is because the newly acquired Matthews will have plenty of competition for targets, but he should settle in and have some decent fantasy value in 2016. He's more polished as an outside receiver than DGB (with much less upside, however), and Kendall Wright strictly mans the slot position. All in all, I think the Matthews signing was a wise move by the Titans in terms of developing their offense, but I don't think he comes to Tennessee and puts up overly impressive fantasy stats. Still, similar to the aforementioned wideouts above, I believe Rishard Matthews can maintain WR3 value this season. His odds of approaching WR2 territory are fairly slim, barring an injury or suspension to DGB, who Mariota built some nice chemistry with last season. Chris Hogan (WR): New England Patriots Let me start by saying the least notable name on my list of wide receivers has a legitimate chance to be the best of the bunch this season. In a sneaky move that could send WR Danny Amendola packing, the Patriots went and signed restricted free agent Chris Hogan, coming over from Rex Ryan's Bills. Hogan is a bigger receiver than his smooth gameplay shows, coming in at 6'1" with 4.5 wheels. He can play inside and outside, and will likely become New England's second wideout in 2016. He should be an ideal fit for New England's methodical short passing game, although he'll have Gronk, Bennett, Edelman, and a running back stable to compete with for targets. Still, the passing game in NE is voluminous enough for Hogan to have a breakout year. If Amendola is let go, I see Monmouth product Chris Hogan as a surefire WR3 to start the season simply based on his probable role in the Pats offense. Oh, and Tom Brady is his QB. Tight Ends Martellus Bennett (TE): New England Patriots One of the bigger offseason trades up to this point is the Patriots acquiring the oft-disgruntled Martellus Bennett, formerly of the Chicago Bears. Bennett is coming off a lost season, where he failed to eclipse 500 receiving yards in 11 healthy contests. He will be a prime bounce-back candidate this season in Foxboro with Tom Brady slinging him the ball in 2-TE sets. Opposite the mammoth that is Rob Gronkowski, Bennett will undoubtedly be playing a different role than in past seasons with Chicago. He'll be going from the obvious top tight end on his squad, to playing second-fiddle to Gronk in New England's complex offense. Still only 29 years of age, Marty B has definite fantasy appeal. Before Aaron Hernandez got drowned in legal issues, he was a fantasy force on the Patriots. While Bennett may not be the same player as he was, this is simply evidence that the Pats can provide two TE1s for fantasy purposes. I expect Bennett to be a lower-yardage, higher-efficiency option in 2016, and it wouldn't surprise me to see him being ranked inside the top 10 at his position for most weeks. Ladarius Green (TE): Pittsburgh Steelers The offseason tight end signing with the most upside in 2016 goes to the Steelers and Ladarius Green, who is coming over from San Diego to team up with Big Ben. Green, annually buried behind Antonio Gates on the depth chart, has shown brilliant flashes in his limited NFL starts. Now he has some big shoes to fill in Pittsburgh's dynamic offense, as longtime TE Heath Miller is heading into retirement. While he isn't the proven commodity that Heath was, Ladarius Green is actually a solid, all-around tight end. First used for his blocking abilities in SD, Green quickly showed tremendous athleticism as well, which shouldn't have been too surprising after the 6'6" frame ran a freakish 4.56 forty back in 2012 at the NFL combine. Now, he is the uncontested top tight end on Pittsburgh's depth chart, and he's stepping into a high-flying offensive attack for 2016. With Martavis Bryant getting hit with a 365-day suspension, there will certainly be targets to disperse on offense. In a shallow position, it wouldn't be crazy to immediately throw Green into your top 10 at the TE spot. In fact, I wouldn't be able to provide you with enough reasoning to doubt he has top 5 potential. Coby Fleener (TE): New Orleans Saints It's not often you feel the need to talk about Coby Fleener. Judging by his time in Indianapolis, he's an athletic, yet underwhelming, pass-catcher that was forced to split time with Dwayne Allen. Well, he'll now be moving on to New Orleans, where he'll catch passes from Drew Brees. Coming off a year where he failed to surpass 500 receiving yards and caught only 3 touchdowns, there doesn't seem like much to be excited about. Yet, there are plenty of reasons that Fleener could be a reliable fantasy option in 2016. First off, an aging veteran like Benjamin Watson was able to have a fluky, but extremely effective 2015 season, a year in which he celebrated his 35th birthday. While Watson figures to fall down the rankings this year in Baltimore, his old spot on the depth chart is Fleener's for the taking. As Drew Brees' top TE, he will undoubtedly improve upon last year's dismal stats, and he is only two seasons removed from racking up nearly 800 yards and 8 touchdowns. I think Fleener will settle in as a low-end TE1 during fantasy draft season. *This original article was composed on February 10th, 2016. Make sure to click here for my most recent positional rankings for the 2016 fantasy football season*
After the Denver Broncos and their top notch defense extinguished Cam Newton's red hot Carolina Panthers by a score of 24-10 last Sunday, I think it's safe to say the 2015 NFL season has officially come to an end. The conclusion of Super Bowl 50 puts a bow on what was undoubtedly another wild and unpredictable year of fantasy football. Injuries, suspensions, and breakout players were, like always, among the most common reasons that 2015 played out like it did. Although we can't predict who will be traded, signed, released, or arrested, this off-season is sure to be filled with breaking news and drama in the upcoming months. Not to mention the 2016 NFL Draft kicks off on April 28, which will deliver loads of talented young players into the NFL and the fantasy football world alike. Keeping in mind how fluid the NFL picture will remain until the 2016 season begins, let's take an early look at my top 10 positional rankings for QB, RB, WR, and TE. These rankings were constructed based on ESPN standard league scoring systems. Quarterback 1) Cam Newton (CAR) 2) Andrew Luck (IND) 3) Russell Wilson (SEA) 4) Aaron Rodgers (GB) 5) Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) 6) Tom Brady (NE) 7) Carson Palmer (ARI) 8) Blake Bortles (JAC) 9) Drew Brees (NO) 10) Derek Carr (OAK) Just outside my top 10: Tony Tomo (DAL), Tyrod Taylor (BUF), Jameis Winston (TB) Coming off his NFL MVP season that fell just short of a ring, Cam Newton will be the frontrunner for the top QB ranking next season. His dominant rushing skills paired with drastically improved throwing mechanics make for another elite year of production. One of the biggest disappointments of 2015 was Andrew Luck, who struggled early on before injuring his ribs/kidney midseason. I think he's a prime bounce-back candidate next year with a young and speedy WR corps (once Andre Johnson moves on). Unlike Luck, Russell Wilson was a delightful surprise, finishing as a top 3 fantasy QB in standard leagues. His ability to scramble and extend plays was evident in 2015, as Wilson went on an absolute tear in the second half of the year. He should continue to be a safe option next year and it wouldn't hurt to give him another weapon during the offseason. Aaron Rodgers had an uncharacteristically mediocre season to his own standards. Getting Jordy Nelson back for next year will almost certainly slide A-Rod back into the top 5 at his position. Ben Roethlisberger had a rollercoaster season, dealing with a myriad of injuries and suspensions both to himself and his playmakers. However, it's hard to imagine Big Ben putting up less-than-stellar numbers in 2016 if offensive weapons like Bell, Brown, and Bryant are all on the field. Tom Brady came out of the gates on fire, and the only thing that really cooled him down was injuries on the offensive side of the ball. Going into his 16th season, Brady will likely continue to offer QB1 value as long as Gronk and Edelman are healthy. After turning in a great season for the Cards in 2015, Carson Palmer stalled out in the postseason. With an arsenal of playmakers on a vertical offense, Palmer should remain a solid QB1 next year. Blake Bortles finished his sophomore season as a top 4 fantasy QB in ESPN standard leagues. With Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns shaping up to be a nightmare duo for opposing defenses, Bortles should be drafted as a starter in 2016 leagues. Drew Breeshad his ups (505 yards + 7 TD) and his downs (228 yards + 0 TD) this past year, but still finished as the 6th best QB on ESPN. With a defense that gives up so many points, I see Brees as a safe, back-end fantasy option in 2016. Another sophomore who outperformed expectations was Derek Carr of the Raiders. He already looks comfortable in the pocket, and having Cooper and Crabtree on the perimeter doesn't hurt his outlook. Running Back 1) Todd Gurley (STL) 2) Le'Veon Bell (PIT) 3) DeVonta Freeman (ATL) 4) David Johnson (ARI) 5) Doug Martin (TB) 6) Thomas Rawls (SEA) 7) Adrian Peterson (MIN) 8) Jamaal Charles (KC) 9) Mark Ingram (NO) 10) Lamar Miller (MIA) Just outside my top 10: Carlos Hyde (SF), Latavius Murray (OAK), Eddie Lacy (GB) The top spot for fantasy RB ranks isn't nearly as definitive as it is for other positions. As of right now, I'm going with Offensive Rookie of the Year Todd Gurley. His Rams squad goes from STL to LA, but his dynamic skills won't be going anywhere. The major knee injury to Le'Veon Bell during week 8 of this past season is the only thing keeping me from putting the Steeler RB at #1. If rehabilitation of the MCL and PCL proceeds without any setbacks whatsoever, he'd almost positively slide past Gurley as my top 2016 fantasy ball carrier. The biggest steal of your 2015 draft was most likely Falcons speedster DeVonta Freeman, who rumbled his way to the top scoring spot for fantasy RBs. His yardage may have diminished down the stretch, but his opportunities didn't. As of now, he's firmly ahead of Tevin Coleman, but we'll have to wait a few months to be sure. One player that I'm hoping enters 2016 as a clear-cut starter is David Johnson, who carried the Cardinals to multiple big wins late in the year. I believe his versatile skill set can easily make him a top 5 fantasy option next year. Doug Martin had a massive year, finishing as the 3rd best fantasy runner and rushing for less yards than only AP. It looks like he'll be back in Tampa, so for now he's a top-notch RB1 for next year. With Marshawn Lynch hanging up the cleats (literally) after 9 seasons in the NFL, another "beast mode" looks to be the next man up in Seattle. I'm speaking, of course, about Thomas Rawls, who looked very explosive in his limited role as a starter this year. He's locked in as a top 10 RB for 2016. After sitting out an entire season, Adrian Peterson returned in 2015 with a typically strong performance, rushing for just under 1500 yards. While age is a concern, AP should still be an RB1 in nearly all formats next season. Jamaal Charles had his season ended prematurely after suffering another torn ACL in week 5. Assuming he is fully healthy by training camp this summer, I don't think KC has any reason to demote him from a starting role, although it would make sense to spell him more often. Mark Ingram was performing like a high-end RB1 before his season came to a halt due to a shoulder injury late in 2015. A tough runner with a nose for the end zone, he should remain a top 10 option next year. One RB that is likely to relocate this offseason is Miami Dolphin RB Lamar Miller. Annually underused in South Beach, a change of scenery might be the best thing for Miller to finally become a team's workhorse. Wide Receiver 1) Antonio Brown (PIT) 2) Julio Jones (ATL) 3) Odell Beckham (NYG) 4) DeAndre Hopkins (HOU) 5) Dez Bryant (DAL) 6) Allen Robinson (JAC) 7) Alshon Jeffery (CHI) 8) Sammy Watkins (BUF) 9) Keenan Allen (SD) 10) Brandon Marshall (NYJ) Just outside my top 10: Demaryius Thomas (DEN), A.J. Green (CIN), Jordy Nelson (GB) Had Big Ben stayed healthy, it isn't crazy to think Antonio Brown would have had the most receiving yards in NFL single season history. AB provides both a ceiling and a floor that other wideouts simply cannot. The NFL's leading receiver in terms of yardage, Julio Jones will almost surely offer up top 3 WR numbers again in 2016. Odell Beckhamfinished in the top 5 of fantasy WR scoring this past year, solidifying that this young star is here to stay. You won't find many sources that have ODB outside the top 5 for his position. DeAndre Hopkins was one of many surprisingly dominant wideouts in 2015, consistently posting elite stats with no-name QBs at the helm. Assuming the Texans find a QB for the future this offseason, "Nuk" should blow up again next season. Dez Bryanthad sort of a lost season in 2015, breaking his foot and returning only to see Romo break his collarbone (again). As of right now, I think people could underdraft Dez next year by holding this year against him, making him a great selection after the first round. Allen Robinson had his breakout season with the Jags this past year, posting a whopping 1400 yards and 14 scores as well. With a young offense all around him, the arrow is pointing up for A-Rob. Bears WR Alshon Jeffery had an injury-riddled contract year that allowed him to play in roughly half of his 2015 contests. Still, Chicago will look to retain him and he looked absolutely dominant in the few games in which he was fully healthy. Clemson burner Sammy Watkins came on strong at the end of this past season, and I look for him to continue being a borderline WR1 in 2016. Someone who people may forget about during the offseason is Keenan Allen of the Chargers. He was off to a fantastic start this year before hitting the IR, so he should be a fine selection in the early-to-mid rounds when draft season arrives. There were a lot of contenders for the last spot in my top 10, but I went with Brandon Marshall following his elite campaign with the Jets. His chemistry with Fitzpatrick was evident this year, leading to fourteen weeks with 100+ yards and/or a TD. Tight End 1) Rob Gronkowski (NE) 2) Greg Olsen (CAR) 3) Jordan Reed (WAS) 4) Travis Kelce (KC) 5) Tyler Eifert (CIN) 6) Delanie Walker (TEN) 7) Julius Thomas (JAC) 8) Gary Barnidge (CLE) 9) Zach Ertz (PHI) 10) Austin Sefarian-Jenkins (TB) Just outside my top 10: Maxx Williams (BAL), Ladarius Green (SD), Charles Clay (BUF) As expected, Rob Gronkowski ruled the NFL in a year he nearly stayed injury-free. Hits to the knee are always a scare for Gronk and his owners, but he will continue to provide overwhelming fantasy numbers with Brady at the helm, making him worthy of a 1st or 2nd round pick next fantasy season. Greg Olsen was Cam's top target in the passing game this year, and he delivered steady numbers all year long. I look for their rapport to remain strong, making Olsen an elite TE option in 2016. Jordan Reed had yet another year slowed down by injury, but he has never had a problem with production when healthy, as seen during his three week rage during weeks 14-16. He will be a top 5 TE selection in virtually every league. Travis Kelce has all the tools to be a dominant TE in the NFL, and the Chiefs just paid him like one. It would only make sense for them to increase his role in the passing game in 2016. Even with only 615 yards this year, Tyler Eifert made up for it in a big way by hauling in 13 TDs. I expect him to be a solid TE1 next season, but I would imagine his receiving yardage goes up while his TD total goes down. Delanie Walker quickly became Marcus Mariota's favorite target in his rookie campaign, racking up almost 1100 yards and finishing in the top 5 of ESPN standard leagues. I only expect their chemistry to improve over the offseason, making him a very intriguing fantasy option in 2016. After breaking his hand in the preseason, Julius Thomas missed the first month of action with his new Jags team. Orange Julius should reap the benefits of a full offseason with QB Blake Bortles and settle in as a quality starting option next year. Not many NFL players wait until their 30th birthday to break out, but that's exactly what Gary Barnidge did in 2015. He just signed a contract extension after going for 1000+ yards and 9 TD with a revolving door at QB, so as long as Cleveland finds a decent option in the upcoming draft, Barnidge should be a relatively safe TE1 again. Speaking of contract extensions, Zach Ertz just got one of his own after coming on very strong at the end of this season. He's young and has a ton of athleticism, making him an ideal fantasy TE that you can grab later on in most drafts. One big-bodied TE that I think can make a major stride next year is Austin Sefarian-Jenkins of the Bucs. Although he sat out most of last season, he makes his presence felt when on the field, especially in the red zone. - I'll continue to post updated rankings with more positional depth as the unforeseeable offseason headlines unfold... and they will. Stay tuned. "Studs & Duds" is designed to serve as a "Start/Sit" or "Love/Hate" guide. I'll try to pinpoint players, by position, that I think will have a good chance to deliver better or worse performances in comparison to their season averages. I consider "Studs" as quality starters and "Duds" as possible busts that may deserve to be on your bench, depending on the depth of your league and team. I'll also offer up a couple sneaky sleeper picks for each position. Keep in mind that I won't be including some of the "no-brainer" starting options, nor will I tell you to bench someone who isn't a realistic option. For clear-cut lineup decisions, be sure to check out my rankings and in-depth analysis on a bunch of relevant players. QuarterbacksStuds Blake Bortles (JAC) vs. SD: The Chargers run defense is inept, but their passing defense hasn't been very stout either. They have allowed 250+ passing yards in each of their past five games, and were just a defensive mess against the low-powered Chiefs offense last week, getting beat 33-3. Blake Bortles will now have a home matchup against a team traveling across the entire country. With Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns playing at high levels this year, I think the Jaguars offense is in a great position to succeed, starting with Bortles' arm. Brian Hoyer (HOU) vs. NO: By now, when an NFL Quarterback is at home, playing against the New Orleans Saints, fantasy owners should know to plug them into their lineups. The Saints are on pace to allow the highest opponents' passer rating in NFL history. They just fired DC Rob Ryan after ranking last in points per game allowed (31.5) and yards allowed per game (424.3) going into this week. Hoyer may not be a great QB, but with "Nuk" Hopkins at wideout, he should deliver solid numbers in fantasy. Duds Matt Ryan (ATL) vs. MIN: Ryan threw for 280 yards and 3 TDs last week against the Colts, but also tossed 3 INTs, one of which was a brutal pick-6 near his own end zone. The Falcons have seriously underachieved after a hot start to their season, and a lot of it has to do with Matt Ryan. Now he'll get a matchup against the 8th toughest team in terms of defending fantasy QBs in the Minnesota Vikings, who just limited Aaron Rodgers to 212 yards last week. Even with a dominant receiving threat in Julio Jones, I don't trust Ryan to finish in the top half of the fantasy QBs this week. Phillip Rivers (SD) @ JAC: For all of reasons that I like Blake Bortles as a Stud this week, many of the opposite reasons can be said about Rivers. The Chargers are in a major slump lately and were only able to muster 3 points last week in a home matchup against the Chiefs. Rivers could only throw for 178 yards to his weak receiving corps and added on an interception, making his fantasy outing pathetic. Even in a great matchup against the soft Jaguars secondary, I'm not trusting Rivers as my starting QB as he travels across the U.S. Sleepers Marcus Mariota (TEN) vs. OAK Ryan Tannehill (MIA) @ NYJ Running Backs Studs Chris Ivory (NYJ) vs. MIA: After starting the season off hot, Chris Ivory has cooled down over the past few weeks. Back in Week 4, he shredded this same Dolphins defense across the pond in London for 166 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Dolphins defense hasn't gotten much better since then and they just recently gave up 149 total yards to Darren McFadden. With Ryan Fitzpatrick struggling with accuracy lately, I look for the Jets to establish a run game early and often, making Ivory a nice RB1. T.J. Yeldon (JAC) vs. SD: I apologize if you're a Chargers fan reading this. I'm all on the Jags offense this week, and Yeldon looks ready for a big game. At home against the worst run defending team in the league, the rookie should get plenty of carries in this one. He's already been getting steady workloads all season long, but this sets up for his best yardage in a while. I see the Alabama product as a rock-solid RB2 against a Chargers defense that allows 4.9 yards per carry. Duds DeAngelo Williams (PIT) @ SEA: "D-Willy" has been very productive this season in place of injured Le'Veon Bell. This week, however, will be his toughest test of the season. He'll travel to Seattle and take on the top-ranked run defense of the Seahawks, who have yet to allow a 100-yard rusher this year. While the NFL average allows 18.2 fantasy points to opposing backfields in standard scoring leagues on ESPN, while the Seahawks have limited backfields to just 12.3 combined points each week. You might not be able to sit DeAngelo, but temper your expectations, as I expect Pittsburgh to find more success through the air. Frank Gore (IND) vs. TB: As Gore continues to get healthy workloads, the minor injuries have started to reveal themselves. He rested up with a knee injury this week, and now he'll get a home matchup versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs have been extremely tough against the run this year, and have not allowed a rushing touchdown in their last seven games. With Hasselbeck's weak arm not scaring defenses and the fact that Ahmad Bradshaw is seeing more work, I don't think Gore is primed for a very good outing. Sleepers Spencer Ware (KC) vs. BUF Tevin Coleman (ATL) vs. MIN Wide Receivers Studs Martavis Bryant (PIT) @ SEA: While it has been discussed whether or not Richard Sherman will shadow Antonio Brown, I don't see any reason he wouldn't follow the best WR in the league for most of the game. If he doesn't shadow AB, there will surely be problems for the Hawks and they'll quickly adjust. This is where I think Martavis comes up big. He's a deep threat, chunk-yardage kind of player, and the corners behind Sherman aren't that great. I think the Steelers will attack the Seattle secondary for much of the game, making the ultra-talented Bryant a high-upside WR2 this week. Brandin Cooks (NO) @ HOU: Forced to air it out on offense to keep up with their swiss cheese defense, Drew Brees has been connecting with Brandin Cooks on plenty of big plays as of late. Cooks' unique speed and quickness translate great for deep balls and running after the catch. With 70+ yards in his last four games and 5 TDs in his last three, Cooks had been playing like a WR1 in fantasy before his bye week. I can see him coming into this week with fresh legs, and paired with a rested arm of Brees, he has great upside this week. Duds Sammy Watkins (BUF) @ KC: A season of injuries and inconsistency has been the story for the playmaker out of Clemson. Watkins has combined to catch 6 balls for 53 yards over the past two weeks, struggling with drops and accuracy issues from the QB position. Now he travels to Kansas City and gets a recently rejuvenated secondary led by Safety Eric Berry and solid coverage corner Sean Smith. With Tyrod Taylor likely playing at less than 100% with an injury to the AC joint of his throwing shoulder, he might struggle to get the ball downfield, which is Sammy's specialty. Brandon LaFell (NE) @ DEN: Another injury to the Patriots receiving corps leaves Brandon LaFell as the only healthy starting option left for Brady to throw to. That bodes well for his fantasy value, but it shouldn't translate into much production this week against the Broncos. Traveling to Mile High Stadium, LaFell will be running routes on the outside against two of the NFL's premier cornerbacks in Chris Harris Jr. and Aqib Talib. The targets might be there, but I wouldn't expect a solid game from LaFell until next week. Sleepers Vincent Jackson (TB) @ IND Nate Washington (HOU) vs. NO Tight Ends Studs
Gary Barnidge (CLE) vs. BAL: The Ravens defense isn't what it used to be, but they're still top 5 against fantasy TEs this season. Regardless, Gary Barnidge is a must-start option with Josh McCown back at the helm. Earlier in the year, these two had an incredible rapport that led to the nickname "Barnkowski" being tossed around, as absurdly as that sounds. On MNF in a Browns offense that is depleted of weapons, look for Gary to be very productive. Jimmy Graham (SEA) vs. PIT: A disappointment after being a big-name acquisition for the Hawks, Jimmy Graham actually hasn't been all that bad. He's been getting a decent amount of targets, leading the team with 65 of them. More importantly, he continues to get plenty of looks in the red zone. With Lynch out for the regular season, perhaps he benefits from a few more targets inside the 20. Against the 28th ranked Steeler defense in terms of points allowed to fantasy TEs, I can see a bigger reward than risk this week. Duds Crockett Gillmore (BAL) @ CLE: It will be interesting (well, not really) to see just who the Ravens target in the passing game now that they'll be rolling with veteran QB Matt Schaub. He might look for his safety blanket TEs, but I would need to see it to believe it. I can see them sticking with a running approach and using their WRs on the outside against the Browns. Even as a top 10 fantasy TE this year, I'm not confidently using Gillmore. Charles Clay (BUF) @ KC: After a decent start to the season, Clay has been pretty bad as of late. He only earned 2 targets last week, which isn't worthy of a start in any fantasy format. This week, he'll be traveling to Kansas City to take on the top ranked defense versus fantasy TEs, making him a very unwise play. Sleepers Heath Miller (PIT) @ SEA Julius Thomas (JAC) vs. SD Hopefully everyone had a relaxing Thanksgiving with their families, food, and football. It took until 8:30 PM for us to see a game that wasn't a complete blowout. In a great day for large cats around the NFL, the Lions stomped the Eagles 45-14, while the Panthers beat the Cowboys 33-14. Surprisingly, the only close game resulted in the Bears upsetting the Packers 17-13 at Lambeau Field, on Brett Favre's big night. A few notable headlines in the fantasy world include the Lions' surging offensive play, Tony Romo's return to the IR with another fracture in his clavicle, and Eddie Lacy's seemingly revitalized value just in time for the fake football playoffs. Let's take a look at these Turkey Day headlines, plus a few others, and examine what sort of impact they'll have for Fantasy Football owners as the postseason rapidly approaches. Lions (45) vs. Eagles (14)
Panthers (33) @ Cowboys (14)
Bears (17) @ Packers (13)
Entering the 2015 season, there were plenty of reasons to doubt that a meaningful statistical year from Cardinals veteran receiver Larry Fitzgerald would be on the horizon. First off, he was going into his 12th year in the NFL at the age of 32. Additionally, Larry was set to count for a massive $23.6 million against the Cardinals' cap in 2015, making him a prime candidate to be traded or cut. Last but not least, Fitz had shown signs of sharp decline in his abilities the past few years, failing to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for three years in a row (2012-14). This, of course, was after he averaged a whopping 1,202 yards per season after his first 8 years in the league (2004-11). In that span, he went over 1,400 yards in a mind-boggling four different campaigns. Clearly, the legendary early and middle part of his career yielded Hall of Fame numbers, proving that he is one of the great wideouts of this generation. Regardless of his productive past, nobody expected Larry Fitzgerald to have the resurgence that he has had thus far in 2015, both in real life and for fantasy owners alike. Drafted, on average, as the 29th overall fantasy wide receiver on ESPN online drafts, Fitz slotted in right behind Vikings WR Mike Wallace. Just for fun, let's put this into perspective. Going about 30 picks ahead of Fitzgerald were wideouts like Redskins WR DeSean Jackson, while Colts veteran WR Andre Johnson was drafted 15 picks before him as well. This put his draft stock right at 83rd overall, also behind other underwhelming positional players such as Giants RB Rashad Jennings, who slotted in with an average draft position of 78.5. Before the season kicked off, nobody would have argued that he wasn't deserving of that low ADP, myself included. However, something magnificent has occurred this year for Fitz and the Arizona Cardinals. Playing in Bruce Arians' offense with a healthy Carson Palmer at the helm, Larry Fitzgerald seems to have truly discovered the ever-elusive "Fountain of Youth". Larry Fitzgerald has always thrived with a quality signal caller. Whether that meant the legendary Kurt Warner or a healthy and capable Carson Palmer, Fitz has proven to be drastically more effective with a good quarterback. And for the record, Drew Stanton and/or Ryan Lindley do not count as quality signal callers. On a per game basis, Fitzgerald was averaging about 70 yards during the first nine games of 2014 with Palmer playing. While that isn't spectacular by any means, he certainly wasn't showing many signs up being a washed-up veteran. However, in Week 10 against the Rams, Carson Palmer went down with a torn ACL in his left knee. This was the beginning of the end for Larry Fitzgerald, as numerous incompetent backups just couldn't get the ball to him on a consistent basis. He was still being targeted plenty, but that simply didn't transition into solid statistics. Aside from his two missed game due to a sprained MCL in weeks 12 and 13, Larry Fitzgerald hadn't sat out a single contest since 2007. Even in the five remaining weeks that Fitzgerald played at the end of the season with a backup quarterback slinging him the ball, he couldn't muster up anywhere close to the yardage he gained with Palmer earlier in the season. In those games, he averaged a paltry 31.8 yards and never even exceeded 34 yards. Slowed by his knee injury and poor quarterback play, Larry Fitzgerald was entering the offseason as a quickly declining veteran wide receiver with his best days almost surely behind him. Then 2015 happened. With a fast-paced offense led by a now healthy Carson Palmer, there was reason for optimism this season. Still, like previously mentioned, there were even more reasons to doubt that a productive statistical year was in the near future. Young wideouts John Brown and Michael Floyd were big parts of the offense in 2014, and they figured to remain integral pieces of Arizona's offense this season as well. Targets were evenly distributed between the trio of Cardinal receivers, which put a damper on all three of their fantasy outlooks for this year. For good reason, most fantasy analysts pegged Brown and Floyd as the higher upside options of their passing attack. But it didn't take long for the savvy veteran to once again claim his dominance over the younger options. A revived Larry Fitzgerald burst onto the scene in the first month of the season, hauling in 432 yards from 30 receptions, five of which went for touchdowns. Since then, he has cooled down a bit, but this Pitt product still remains a dominant force in fantasy as a current top 5 scorer at his position. In Week 10, Fitzgerald came off of his bye week and had the tough task of traveling to Seattle to take on the once-feared "Legion of Boom". There were rumors of Richard Sherman shadowing Fitz, but he shrugged them off, saying that Sherman should focus on the younger Cardinal wideouts instead of covering an "old, grizzly, washed-up veteran". Maybe this tactic actually worked, as Sherman manned the left side of the field on Sunday night. Fitzgerald moved all over the place, including the slot, taking on a similar role to what Hines Ward used to play for Bruce Arians in Pittsburgh. Larry proceeded to shred the Seahawks secondary all night, gaining chunk yardage on multiple occasions, many of which were chain-moving receptions. With John Brown ailing and Michael Floyd hurting his hamstring after a superb early performance, Carson Palmer peppered Fitz with targets. He ended up grabbing 10 out of his 15 targets, which he turned into 130 receiving yards. As the undeniable top receiving threat on one of the NFL's most prolific offenses, Larry Fitzgerald is enjoying his best season in recent memory. After his first month of play, it didn't seem feasible for him to keep up his historic pace. However, we are heading into Week 11 in the NFL, and Fitz is on pace for 151 targets, 116 receptions, 1,486 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns. Twelve years into his majestic NFL campaign, those receptions and receiving yards would set career records for Fitz, while his season high for touchdowns is only 13. A combination of scheme, quarterback play, and his surrounding weapons all combine to give Larry Fitzgerald possibly his most potential in his entire career. He continues to be a tough player who takes walloping hits across the middle of the field but still manages to hang on to the rock. In terms of fantasy football, Fitz has entrenched himself as a top 10 WR for the rest of the season, while nobody would be surprised if he finished the year close to (or inside) the top 5 at his position. As Carson Palmer's go-to target, he's as safe as they come for producing quality numbers, regardless of the opponent. It truly is remarkable for someone of his age to discover the so-called "Fountain of Youth", but Fitz obviously found it. Author:
"Studs & Duds" is designed to serve as a "Start/Sit" or "Love/Hate" guide. I'll try to pinpoint players, by position, that I think will have a good chance to deliver better or worse performances in comparison to their season averages. I consider "Studs" as quality starters and "Duds" as possible busts that may deserve to be on your bench, depending on the depth of your league and team. I'll also offer up a couple sneaky sleeper picks for each position. Keep in mind that I won't be including some of the "no-brainer" starting options, nor will I tell you to bench someone who isn't a realistic option. For clear-cut lineup decisions, be sure to check out my rankings and in-depth analysis on a bunch of relevant players. Quarterbacks Studs Tony Romo (DAL) @ MIA: With the Cowboys playoff hopes crumbling before Jerry Jones' eyes, their savior finally returns this week in Miami. Reports have claimed that Romo has been feeling healthy enough to play for a few weeks already, but the he couldn't come off the IR until this week. I expect him to hit the ground running (or... throwing) against the Dolphins and their soft secondary, who just gave up nearly 400 passing yards to the Eagles last week. With Dallas' season on the line, I look for Romo to be finding Dez and Witten early and often, instantly settling in as a Stud QB1. Matt Stafford (DET) vs. OAK: Stafford has struggled for most of 2015, but he'll have an appetizing home matchup this week against the Raiders. He had a solid, but unspectacular, performance last week at Lambeau, picking up a win for the Lions. Meanwhile, Oakland has held opposing fantasy QBs to under 17 points only twice all season in ESPN standard scoring systems, giving Stafford a very safe floor to work with. With Detroit's season in "garbage time mode", I expect Stafford to air the ball out on many occasions. Against a Raiders secondary that has given up the 2nd most passing yards in the NFL this season, I think Matt Stafford is in for a nice game. Duds Ryan Tannehill (MIA) vs. DAL: Tannehill is averaging around 16 fantasy points per game in standard scoring this season, and I don't think he surpasses that mark this week against the Cowboys. In fact, his two big games in weeks 2 & 7 came against weak Jacksonville and Houston defenses, which undoubtedly skews his season scoring average. Aside from those two huge performances, Ryan Tannehill hasn't reached 17 fantasy points in any other game, while throwing for more than 300 yards just once, a game in which he threw for 0 TDs and fumbled once. Dallas has been vulnerable against the run this year, but ranks in the top 8 when it comes to defending fantasy QB scoring. I can't trust him as more than a risky QB2. Jay Cutler (CHI) vs. DEN: Cutler has been living up to his nickname of "Smokin' Jay" as of late, throwing 11 TDs to only 3 INTs in his past six games. During that streak, he hasn't managed to score less than 17 fantasy points in any of those games based on ESPN standard scoring. However, this week he'll be up against what many consider the toughest defense in the NFL. The Broncos will be getting Aqib Talib back from suspension this week, which reassures their secondary as the most ferocious in football. With Alshon Jeffery hobbled due to a groin injury, in addition to a newly surfaced shoulder woe, Cutler's unanimous top weapon clearly isn't at full strength against this secondary. I see Cutler taking a step back from his QB1 average that he's maintained over the past few weeks, leaving him as a Dud candidate for Week 11. Sleepers Ryan Fitzpatrick (NYJ) @ HOU: "Fitzmagic" won't miss a single game after thumb surgery last Friday, and he has the weapons to be a high-end QB2 on any given week. Also, he'll play against his former team, Houston, who cut him for the likes of their current QB mess. Mark Sanchez (PHI) vs. TB: I don't think Sanchez is much of a drop-off from the underwhelming play Bradford. He actually had a decent rapport with his weapons last season, making him an interesting option against the Bucs. Running Backs Studs Charcandrick West (KC) @ SD: Charcandrick West has a big name and he plays a big game. He's making Chiefs fans and fantasy owners forget about Jamaal Charles altogether, stringing together three awesome performances in a row, the last of which was an scoring outburst against a great Broncos defense. This week he gets a cake matchup against the Chargers defense, who ranks dead last in defending fantasy RBs. With the Chiefs passing attack nearly invisible, they're funneling their offense through West, similar to how they did with Charles. He's a lock to get 20+ touches. All of these facts make him a Stud, one week after I thought he'd be a Dud. Latavius Murray (OAK) @ DET: In each of the past two weeks, Latavius Murray has handled the ball under 20 times. He had two relatively tough run D matchups against Pittsburgh and Minnesota, but now he gets the 27th ranked defense versus fantasy RBs in Oakland. With a high scoring affair seemingly imminent for Week 11 in Motor City, I think Latavius will get his fair share of touches in this one. He's a big, strong, fast, athletic of nature, giving him RB2 appeal every week. However, I'm feeling especially good vibes around Murray this week. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes over 100 scrimmage yards for just the third time this year, with the chance of a TD always in play. Frank Gore (IND) @ ATL: The Colts claim to be removing the carry limit from Gore this week, which comes at a great time for his fantasy owners as they make a playoff push. With Luck out for a few weeks, look for Frank Gore to be the focal point of the offense. As long as the Colts can stay in games, which they have shown capable of doing as of late, Gore should carry the ball 20+ times on most weeks, with goal line work as well. With the Falcons struggling to defend the run, I can see Gore approaching 100 rushing yards, with the chance of him hitting the century mark for the first time this season. Duds Justin Forsett (BAL) vs. STL: Justin Forsett figured to see more work once Steve Smith went down for the season a few weeks back, but that hasn't really happened. Not only has his usage spiked, but his efficiency has dropped as well. He hasn't topped 75 total yards in the past three weeks, and has a mere 2 total TDs on the entire year. Even against a Rams D that was gashed by Jeremy Langford last week, I can't see Forsett having too much success this week. Once a borderline RB1, Forsett now has the looks of a low-end RB2 at best. With the Ravens passing game lacking a true weapon, defenses are keying in on Forsett. Another Dud week wouldn't surprise me. Matt Jones (WAS) @ CAR: After a phenominal game last week, including a 78-yard screen pass that went for a score, Matt Jones finds himself in the Dud category. Going into Carolina to face the undefeated Panthers isn't a good recipe for a follow-up performance in Week 11, as the Panthers have really clamped down on opposing backfields the past two weeks, allowing an incredible 64 yards combined. Matt Jones has shaped up to be a boom-or-bust RB prospect in fantasy terms this year, making him very hard to trust in a game where the Redskins likely won't be ahead and running the ball a lot. Jeremy Hill (CIN) @ ARI: Drafted as a top 20 pick in many leagues this offseason, Jeremy Hill has turned into a colossal bust. The Bengals have run a very different offense this season, and since they're 8-1, you can't really give them any grief over their schemes. Hill was a grinder last year, doing serious damage between the tackles and wearing the defense down as the game went on. This season, he is in a timeshare with Gio Bernard, and is completely phased out of games where the Bengals need to play catch-up. This week against the Cardinals should be another bad game script for Hill and his owners, as Arizona is a high-flying offense with major scoring potential. Leave Hill on your bench until further notice. Sleepers Melvin Gordon (SD) vs. KC: Hopefully the Chargers realized their season is nearly over during the bye week, giving them every reason to force feed the rookie and see what he can do with a full workload. Woodhead is not their future. Jay Ajayi (MIA) vs. DAL: Yet another week with better YPC than Lamar Miller, Ajayi has earned more carries going forward. He should approach double-digit touches in the remaining games, and an injury to Miller would vault him into RB1/RB2 range. Andre Ellington (ARI) vs. CIN: With Chris Johnson doing so well this season, Ellington has been given a mere change-of-pace role for the Cards. However, this hasn't proven to be a bad thing for him, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ripped off another big gain or two on SNF. Wide Receivers Studs Larry Fitzgerald (ARI) vs. CIN: Already a definite starting fantasy WR, it isn't common that I put obvious names in the Stud category here on Fantasy Galaxy. However, Fitz has proven to be more youthful and productive this season than anybody thought he could be, justifying his lofty spot in my rankings He's dealt with tight coverage and tough matchups, neither of which have derailed his numbers. Coming off a 10 catch, 130 yard outing versus the Legion of Boom, the Pitt product gets another primetime game this Sunday night against the Bengals. Cincinnati has been solid against the pass this season, but the Cardinals have been relatively unstoppable in 2015. With John Brown and Michael Floyd both dealing with minor injuries, I look for Fitzgerald to be targeted a ton this week, and he should have a good chance to add a touchdown. Amari Cooper (OAK) @ DET: In his rookie season, Cooper has defined himself as a quality WR2 already. His future is bright, and he should even be a WR1 by this time next season. While he has had his fair share of solid games this year, but has no 20+ performances in the books yet. I wouldn't be shocked this week he approached that mark, if not eclipsed it, against the Lions soft secondary. In what Vegas predicts to be a very high scoring game, the Raiders will likely need to air the ball out against the desperation-mode Lions. Cooper should be the main beneficiary of Carr's aerial attack, while Crabtree will have a solid game as well. With a good WR opposite from him, Cooper should be able to find plenty of room to catch and run this week in Detroit. I see him as a Stud with top 10 potential at the position. Brandon LaFell (NE) vs. BUF: With Julian Edelman gone for the rest of the fantasy season, there are certainly implications for the entire Patriots offense. While Danny Amendola will slot in for Edelman's absence, I see outside WR Brandon LaFell as a potential heir to fantasy numbers. While he has struggled with drops thus far, he will certainly garner a few more targets from Brady now that the Pats have lost a few weapons on offense. The Bills don't field an overly impressive pass defense, and we saw how Tom Brady demolished them back in Week 2, before LaFell made his return to action. I see LaFell as a quality WR2, as the Patriots always try to stick it to the Bills, especially on a Monday night showdown at home. Duds Alshon Jeffery (CHI) vs. DEN: A not-so-bold Stud prediction of Fitz can be offset by a couple bold Duds for Week 11, starting with superstar Alshon Jeffery. Although Cutler has been on fire lately, this week has a different feel than previous weeks. The Bears will get a home matchup against an aggressive Broncos defense that will have everyone playing except for Demarcus Ware. That means Chris Harris Jr., Aqib Talib, and company will be keying in on Chicago's top passing weapon. Jeffery also has been dealing with a sore groin and shoulder this week in practice, being very limited in all sessions thus far. You probably aren't going to sit Alshon, but you should temper your expectations this week. Stefon Diggs (MIN) vs. GB: Someone who had all the fantasy hype an owner could ask for just a few weeks ago, Stefon Diggs is in a bit of a rut lately. After averaging 9 targets per contest in his first four weeks as a start, Diggs has only received 7 total targets in the past two weeks. Bridgewater doesn't have the consistency and deep ball to feed Diggs on a regular basis. He has all the talent in the world, but I'm not sure the opportunities will present themselves against a tough Packers defense this week. Emmanuel Sanders (DEN) @ CHI: Dealing with a myriad of injuries to his finger and ankle among others, Sanders is really banged up. Even with Peyton Manning playing poorly this season, Sanders was actually having himself a fine season as a high-end WR2. With Brock Osweiler at the helm for Week 11, I'm not sure you can trust Sanders even if he's healthy enough to suit up. An inexperienced QB would likely be looking Demaryius Thomas' way more often than not, as he is the superior talent in 1-on-1 coverage. With the Broncos defense playing at a high level, it wouldn't surprise me if Denver went with a very safe gameplan on offense, trying to get their run game going and using the passing game only when needed. I could be wrong, but I see Sanders as a Dud for this week. Replacement Duds: Donte Moncrief (IND) @ ATL James Jones (GB) @ MIN Sleepers Marvin Jones (CIN) @ ARI: With Patrick Peterson blanketing A.J. Green, there should be some downfield shots for Marvin Jones to take advantage of every once in a while. Kamar Aiken (BAL) vs. STL: There aren't many other options for Flacco on offense, so the volume should be enough for Aiken to turn in solid statistics. Golden Tate (DET) vs. OAK: With the Raiders weak secondary coming to town, I could easily see Golden Tate having his best game of the year. Tight Ends Studs
Jason Witten (DAL) @ MIA: You know that feeling you get when you see you best friend for the first time in a while? That's exactly how Witten will feel with Romo back on the field slinging him passes. He was underwhelming with backup QBs at the helm over the past seven weeks, but I see him being a TE1 from here on out. Witten's opponent this week, the Dolphins, just gave up an astronomic 202 yards to the Eagles TE corps last week, and I think Witten is a better pass catcher than Celek and Ertz. I see him as an immediate Stud with Romo back. Eric Ebron (DET) vs. OAK: When a team plays the Oakland Raiders, a savvy fantasy owners knows to check out who their Tight End is. If he's a relatively stable option, plug him into your lineup as a TE1 streamer. This week, the Lions face the Raiders at home, and they have a very athletic TE option in Eric Ebron. I already stated that I love Matt Stafford this week, and Ebron figures to be a top 3 passing option for him this week in a high-scoring outing. I think Ebron is a fine starting option in all fantasy leagues. Duds Richard Rogers (GB) @ MIN: I don't feel too bad after pegging Rodgers as a Dud last week, even though he did score a touchdown. He simply doesn't have the yardage floor that anyone other than a desperate owners should be okay with. He has been unable to hit 50 yards in the receiving category once this year, deeming him a complete touchdown gamble option for fantasy purposes. He could score again, and that would mean he isn't a Dud, but I can't start him with any confidence unless you're really hurting at TE. Charles Clay (BUF) @ NE: Clay comes into Week 11 ranked as the 14th best TE in fantasy scoring for standard formats, which is out of the TE1 picture in most leagues. He earned a respectable 6 targets last week, which he turned into 5 grabs for 52 yards, but will have a much tougher test this week in New England. The Patriots have been excellent at defending the Tight End position all season, and I don't see a scenario where Clay breaks that streak. He's a low-end streaming option at best, but I wouldn't advise plugging him into your lineup. Sleepers Zach Ertz (PHI) vs. TB: I have said for a few weeks that I think Ertz will continue to get better as the season goes on. Now he'll have to adjust to a QB change, but I don't think Sanchez will be much of a downgrade, if at all. He hasn't had under 40 yards in his past five outings. Crockett Gillmore (BAL) vs. STL: The Ravens have been running more two TE sets lately without Steve Smith. Gillmore should see a healthy load of targets and is a solid red zone option for Flacco. Studs who were Slam Dunks:
QB: Derek Carr (OAK) vs. MIN: While Carr didn't put up huge numbers like he did in the previous three weeks, he was still able to post top 10 QB numbers for Week 10. He did have his first multi-interception game of the season (2), but made up for it with 302 passing yards and 2 TDs. RB: Doug Martin (TB) vs. DAL: After a stretch of poor outings, the "Dougernaut" touched the ball 22 times for a solid 103 total yards. A touchdown surely would have made his day even more impressive. RB: James Starks (GB) vs. DET: With Lacy getting the week off, Starks proceeded to gain 96 total yards on 21 touches. The Lions played a surprisingly good game on the defensive side of the ball, but Starks still finished in the top 20 overall at his position, displaying RB2 value even without a touchdown. WR: Jarvis Landry (MIA) @ PHI: Landry grabbed 7 balls for 52 yards and a touchdown, albeit a lucky one, and added on 6 rushing yards. With 58 yards and a touchdown, he was certainly worth a start in all formats. TE: Jordan Reed (WAS) vs. NO: There was plenty of scoring done by the Redskins this weekend, and luckily for this Stud candidate, he got in on the action. Reed finished the day with 3 grabs for 29 yards, but continued to show his red zone abilities by catching 2 touchdowns from Cousins. That was good for top 3 TE numbers in Week 10. Duds who were Slam Dunks: QB: Marcus Mariota (TEN) vs. CAR : Even at home after a huge performance in Week 9, I warned owners not to start Mariota this week against the Panthers. He proceeded to throw for a measly 185 yards with 0 touchdowns and 1 interception. He finished with less than 8 fantasy points and was definitely a Dud. RB: Chris Johnson (ARI) @ SEA: Finding it nearly impossible to run the ball against the Seahawks, the Cardinals simply could not get things going on the ground. Chris Johnson rushed 25 times for just 58 yards, deeming him a surefire Dud in Week 10. RB: Antonio Andrews (TEN) vs. CAR: After a nice 111 yard outing last week, I warned fantasy owners about an underwhelming week for Andrews. He had an abysmal week against the Panthers, rushing for a pathetic 8 yards from 11 carries. I hope you benched him. WR: Sammy Watkins (BUF) @ NYJ: On Revis Island, Sammy was targeted 7 times on Thursday night. However, he only was able to come down with 3 grabs for 14 yards, making him useless in all fantasy football formats. WR: Jeremy Maclin (KC) @ DEN: Even without Aqib Talib, the Broncos secondary is not the part of their defense to attack. Maclin caught only 3 of his 6 targets for just 17 yards this past week. That helped nobody. WR: John Brown (ARI) @ SEA: I claimed in this week's article that Brown's small frame and perimeter presence didn't bode well against the Legion of Boom and their hard-hitting secondary. That proved to be true, as he couldn't even catch a single ball on 3 targets, making him a Dud in the fullest capacity. Studs who were Airballs: RB: Darren McFadden (DAL) @ TB: Just when I thought the Cowboys could establish a run game and pick up a win, they blow it. McFadden was hit deep in the backfield on many of his carries, finishing the game with only 58 total yards on 20 touches. WR: Stefon Diggs (MIN) @ OAK: Diggs followed up a weak performance with another below-average stat line this past week. Catching his only 2 targets for 46 yards and adding a 10 yard rush wasn't enough to warrant a start. WR: Michael Crabtree (OAK) vs. MIN: Finishing with just 1 less total yard than Diggs, Crabtree hauled in 4 balls for 55 receiving yards. Again, this wasn't quite the production that I expected from "King Crab". TE: Martellus Bennett (CHI) @ STL: With Cutler playing so well lately, it was surprising to see Marty B struggle so badly this week. He caught only balls for 18 yards, as Cutler threw 2 TDs to the up-and-coming backup TE, Zach Miller. Duds who were Airballs: RB: Charcandrick West (KC) @ DEN: Although I claimed that I wasn't totally down on West for his matchup against the Broncos, I dubbed him as a likely candidate for a quieter game. Charcandrick "Charizard" West used Fire Blast and burned me to a crisp this week, so hopefully you didn't bench him. He totaled 161 all-purpose yardage and added in 2 touchdowns, one of which was an 80-yard reception. TE: Richard Rogers (GB) vs. DET: I put Rodgers in my Dud category because of the fact that I thought it was unlikely he would deliver enough yards to be useful, and that you would be betting on a short TD to save his day. Well, it turns out he had just 32 yards but hauled in that lucky goal line TD, salvaging his fantasy day. Sleepers who panned out: RB: Karlos Williams (BUF) @ NYJ: I said that even though McCoy was healthy and starting, Karlos Williams is a monster with the ball in his hand, and would be worthy of a flex play anyway. He finished his game versus the Jets with 8 touches for 50 yards and another touchdown. Keep him in your lineups until he cools down. WR: Davante Adams (GB) vs. DET: With James Jones' age apparently catching up to him, Adams is a prime candidate for a strong second half of the season. He had a nice outing on Sunday, catching 10 balls for 79 yards against the Lions. TE: Zach Ertz (PHI) vs. MIA: Even though Ertz' 68 yards via 7 catches was only a decent outing, it was actually his best performance of the season. Hopefully it is a sign of better days ahead for the Eagles TE. Summary of Week 10's Studs & Duds: Week 10 of Studs & Duds was a bit unorthodox, with a bunch of middling results at every position. Derek Carr was a solid start at QB, and Starks and Martin were both passable RB2s. Jarvis Landry was the only Stud WR that I hit this week, which is a season low for my WR section. However, I did pinpoint 2 out of 3 Dud RBs and connected on all of the dud-worthy WRs this week. My biggest Airball was undoubtedly Charcandrick West, who has the looks of an RB1 from here on out. After delivering a nice sleeper outing, Karlos Williams needs to be started in all leagues regardless of Shady's health. Hopefully this guide and my positional rankings helped you get a much-need fantasy win. Check back on Thursday for Studs & Duds for Week 11. "Studs & Duds" is designed to serve as a "Start/Sit" or "Love/Hate" guide. I'll try to pinpoint players, by position, that I think will have a good chance to deliver better or worse performances in comparison to their season averages. I consider "Studs" as quality starters and "Duds" as possible busts that may deserve to be on your bench, depending on the depth of your league and team. I'll also offer up a couple sneaky sleeper picks for each position. Keep in mind that I won't be including some of the "no-brainer" starting options, nor will I tell you to bench someone who isn't a realistic option. For clear-cut lineup decisions, be sure to check out my rankings and in-depth analysis on a bunch of relevant players. Quarterbacks Studs Derek Carr (OAK) vs. MIN: Averaging 26.3 fantasy points per game over the last three weeks, Derek Carr is firmly in the Stud conversation. He's been extremely safe with the ball over that span, tossing 11 touchdowns and only 1 interception. What's more impressive are the teams he did that against, including two top-half defenses against fantasy QBs (Pittsburgh & San Diego), and one that was previously dominating QBs (New York Jets). Now, he'll get another sturdy defense up against him in a home matchup, but with Cooper and Crabtree playing at an elite level, I'm trusting him as a QB1. Blake Bortles (JAC) @ BAL: The second sophomore signal-caller on my Studs list is Blake Bortles, who shares a fantasy point total with Carr at 150 in ESPN standard leagues, coming in at 9th overall. His only problem is controlling his turnover tendencies, which has resulted in 7 combined turnovers in his last three weeks. He makes up for that, however, by throwing for plenty of yards and touchdowns to his breakout WRs. He finds himself in the QB1 discussion this week on the road in Baltimore, who has one of the leagues worst secondaries to date. They have given up scores up 35.4 an 22.6 to subpar QBs like Josh McCown and Colin Kaepernick, respectively. With Bortles averaging 20.4 points per game and the Ravens giving up 21.8, I see no reason he can't capitalize on this golden opportunity. Duds Russell Wilson (SEA) vs. ARI: I am always big on fantasy quarterbacks with solid rushing ability, which gives them a safe weekly floor. However, even in a home matchup, I'm not so sure about Russell Wilson this week. The Arizona defense has been very solid against fantasy QBs this year, coming in at #6 in points allowed. The Cards have yet to allow a fantasy quarterback to score 20 points this season, which is truly a tough feat to accomplish in today's pass happy NFL. They're also coming off a bye week, making it very hard to trust Wilson as anything more than a QB2. Marcus Mariota (TEN) vs. CAR: Yes, this former Heisman trophy winner undoubtedly has a bright future in the National Football League. He showed everybody why last week, going to New Orleans after a 2-game absence, and proceeding to chuck 4 TDs and 371 yards. His monster outing was good for 33.3 points in standard leagues, but this week will be much more difficult. He'll face a Panthers defense that has only given up 19+ fantasy points to one QB this year: Aaron Rodgers. Mariota is clearly no A-Rod at this stage of his career, and I wouldn't be surprised to see last week's point total cut in half this week. Oddly enough, he also offers no rushing floor either. I see him as a middle-of-the-pack QB2 this week, but not for long. Sleepers Sam Bradford (PHI) vs. MIA: The Eagles get a home matchup against a very weak Dolphins secondary, and Bradford is likely feeling confident after last week's walkoff touchdown strike in OT. Jameis Winston (TB) vs. DAL: For the second week in a row, I have Winston as an intriguing sleeper option even versus a good Dallas defense. Once he gets V-Jax back and his schedule lightens up a bit, he might find his way into Stud territory. Running Backs Studs Darren McFadden (DAL) @ TB: I'm getting Darren McFadden in my Stud section for this week, because he'll be a no-brainer Stud if he has another solid performance. For the third straight week, he'll be going up against a very tough run defense in Tampa Bay. However, that didn't stop him from gaining 110+ yards from scrimmage against the top 5 ranked Seahawks and Eagles run defenses, so I don't think the Bucs will be any different. He's getting more volume than ever before, and his health has actually been intact 10 weeks into the regular season (!). In the Cowboys' last game without Romo, I look for him to push for 25-30 touches out of the backfield, and if he can get a touchdown this week, he'll be a Stud-caliber RB1. Doug Martin (TB) vs. DAL: Slowed down after a red-hot start, Martin has produced only 102 rushing yards in the past two weeks combined. Owners shouldn't fret though, as he gets a bottom-of-the-barrel Dallas run defense that will be without Sean Lee. While the Boys are stout against the pass, I look for Martin to push for 20 carries and have a very solid effort in Week 10. I'm starting the "Muscle Hamster", or the "Dougernaut", or whatever it is that you want to call him, as a safe, high-end, RB2 with a reasonable floor. James Starks (GB) vs. DET: After multiple weeks of proving his effectiveness over "Fat Eddie", Mike McCarthy finally said that Starks will get the start this week in Lambeau. Going up against a Lions defense that has allowed an average of 130.5 rushing yards to opposing backfields over their past four games, I can easily see Starks approaching the century mark in Week 10. While I don't think Lacy will be completely out of the picture, it would take a very impressive performance for him to usurp the starter's role. I'm rolling out James Starks as an RB2 with Stud potential. Duds Chris Johnson (ARI) @ SEA: On pace for the third most rushing yards in the NFL, the man formerly known as "CJ2K" is having an unexpected revival year. He may have to put his impressive pace on hold for this week, however, as he'll be traveling to Seattle and taking on their fierce defense. They're the #1 defense in terms of fantasy points allowed to RBs, serving up an average of only 11.8 points to opposing backfields. As we know, the Cardinals are always willing to deploy a committee approach when necessary, so even if Johnson gets the bulk of the work on Sunday night, I'm not seeing a scenario where he reaches 100 yards or exceeds about 12 points. The ceiling is low here, and the floor is lower than you may think as well. He's an RB3 for me. Charcandrick West (KC) @ DEN: I love this kid's running style, looking like a slightly similar version of Jamaal Charles. He's also coming off two straight 24-touch games before his rest week, which both turned into 18 point fantasy performances. So why am I down on Charcandrick? I wouldn't say that I'm down on him, necessarily, but I do think he's in for a much quieter game against the Broncos. He has to travel to Mile High Stadium and face a defense that is allowing a league-low 3.3 yards per carry to RBs this year. Unless he gets a short touchdown, I'm not seeing a performance that warrants anything better than a low-end RB2 or flex play. Antonio Andrews (TEN) vs. CAR: After touching the ball 20 times last week for 111 total yards, Antonio Andrews seems to be the workhorse of the Titans' backfield. Although the Panthers run defense seems relatively soft, they have enough talent in the middle to stop a below-average ball carrier such as Andrews. No offense to his running style, but there's nothing that particularly stands out to me. He's a bruiser that will likely have less touches this week as the Panthers take a lead over the Titans. With the rookie David Cobb being activated this week, I don't think Andrews will have the backfield to himself for much longer. He is an uninspiring RB3 in my books, and I wouldn't be surprised if he produced a Dud outing. Sleepers Karlos Williams (BUF) @ NYJ: Even with McCoy getting the start, Williams has enough skill to make an impact on just a few touches. He has 6 TDs in only five games and averages a ridiculous 6.6 yards per carry. Alfred Blue (HOU) @ CIN: The Bengals have allowed the third-most yards per carry in the league (4.8) this season, and I can't see the Texans limited offense being able to totally abandon the run game. Shane Vereen (NYG) vs. NE: I'm always a fan of "revenge game" narratives, and Vereen will be up against his old Patriots team. He's also had 10 touches + 1 TD in two games in a row. Wide Receivers Studs Stefon Diggs (MIN) @ OAK: After his first mediocre outing of his sensational rookie season, Diggs is primed to bounce back. His 5 catches for 42 yards seem like a reasonable floor, and this week he'll need to double that output to keep pace with the high-flying Raiders offense. Assuming Bridgewater is fully healthy, I think the playmaking Diggs can take advantage of a weak Raiders secondary that was just shredded by the Steelers WR corps for a tune of 313 yards and a touchdown. He's an upside WR2 with Stud written all over him. Jarvis Landry (MIA) @ PHI: After catching 11 balls last week and only managing to gain 69 receiving yards, Landry showed that he is certainly much more valuable in PPR leagues. Still, his rushing and returning abilities make him a safe option in every fantasy format. He's getting almost 10 targets per game, and now he travels to Philadelphia and takes on their 30th ranked defense against fantasy WRs. He's a very safe WR2 who I think has plenty of Stud potential in Week 10. Michael Crabtree (OAK) vs. MIN: Surely, it isn't very often that a football player goes to Oakland in hopes of reviving their career. Nevertheless, that is exactly what "King Crab" has done in 2015. Coming in as the 14th overall WR on standard ESPN leagues, he is firmly on the every-week WR2 radar. Add in the fact that Derek Carr is playing the best football of his young career, and you have a great chance for Crabtree to keep things going in Week 10. Playing across from Amari Cooper has tremendously helped Crabtree's play, and I'm thinking another Stud performance is on the way in Week 10. Duds Sammy Watkins (BUF) @ NYJ: After abusing Miami's secondary in his return from injury, Watkins will draw a much rougher matchup this week on Revis Island. Aside from Allen Robinson's solid performance last week, Revis has shut down opposing #1 receivers all season long. Sammy has the speed to burn any corner in the league, but the Jets have a secondary that could easily shut him down, especially with Revis shadowing Watkins. Like usual, he's a boom-or-bust WR3, but I think he's more likely to bust than boom in this TNF outing... Jeremy Maclin (KC) @ DEN: Going up against the top overall defense in the NFL, Maclin has a tough task ahead of him in Denver this week. Even with Talib suspended for this game due to his eye-poking tendencies, the Broncos still debatably field the best secondary in the league with Chris Harris Jr. likely to cover Maclin. Add in the fact that Alex Smith has no deep passing game, I think benching Maclin in Week 10 is a very good call. I'm calling Dud. John Brown (ARI) @ SEA: To a lesser extent, I'm also not a fan of Michael Floyd this week either. Fitz gets a pass since he'll probably be getting a decent number of targets on under routes, running across the middle of the field. However, Brown thrives in the deep passing attack, which doesn't bode well against the Legion of Boom. They rarely allow big plays, and Brown's small frame running across the middle of the field sounds like a nightmare up against Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas. He's a risky WR3 option in Seattle. Sleepers Jordan Matthews (PHI) vs. MIA: After finally breaking out on MNF last week, J-Matt gets an easy task of facing the Dolphins weak secondary at home, putting him in the upside flex discussion. Davante Adams (GB) vs. DET: There's still hope that Adams can regain some of his preseason hype of being a solid WR3 this season, and a game versus the Lions sets up a great opportunity. Rueben Randle (NYG) vs. NE: In my rankings, I said that it wouldn't surprise me if the Pats paid extra attention to ODB. That might free up Randle for a few chunk yardage plays. Tight Ends Studs
Jordan Reed (WAS) vs. NO: I have Reed ranked a few spots higher than most this week, but there are plenty of reasons for that. In fact, I'll just list them: He'll have less attention from the defense with D-Jax returning to form. Kirk Cousins is playing very good football. Reed is getting 9 targets per game. The Saints are the second worst defense against fantasy TEs and just got smashed by the Titans tight end corps. Martellus Bennett (CHI) vs. STL: Sure to receive plenty of targets with Eddie Royal still injured, I think Marty B has his second strong performance in a row. Cutler really only trusts one pass catcher outside of Alshon, and that would be Bennett. The Rams are solid on the perimeter, so I think Martellus will find some room to work with in the middle of the field and hopefully the red zone as well. Duds Richard Rogers (GB) vs. DET: There isn't much TE depth this year, but I think owners can do better than rolling the dice with Rogers. If he doesn't catch a very short TD, his day will likely end with under 30 yards and owners will be wishing they rolled the dice with a higher upside or a sleeper option. Charles Clay (BUF) @ NYJ: I like Clay's style of play. He's sneaky athletic and has nice upside, but he hasn't lived up to his huge offseason contract this year. He has two lame performances in a row, and now he face a Jets defense who ranks inside the top 10 versus fantasy TEs. There should be better days ahead, but I'm letting Clay ride the pine until further notice. Sleepers Zach Ertz (PHI) vs. MIA: A very gifted athlete, Ertz figures to see more action (and success) as the season goes on, specifically in the TD column. Julius Thomas (JAC) @ BAL: Even in a pretty tough matchup for the TE position, Thomas may see more action with Allen Hurns hobbled. Studs who were Slam Dunks:
QB: Jay Cutler (CHI) @ SD: I went out on a limb and suggested Cutler as a Stud last week, and he played his way into Slam Dunk territory. After a sluggish start that included a pick-6 and a fumble, he turned his game around and ended up with 345 yards and 2 TDs, which was good for 17.6 points in ESPN standard leagues. RB: DeAngelo Williams (PIT) vs. OAK: After getting the start for the Le'Veon-less Steelers, D-Willy turned in a massive performance this past Sunday. He totaled an insane 225 yards from scrimmage on 29 touches and sprinkled on 2 touchdowns, giving him a whopping 36.5 fantasy points in ESPN standard formats and earning the #1 overall RB spot of the week. RB: Jeremy Langford (CHI) @ SD: Langford received his first start of his young career on MNF and I pegged him as Stud in Week 9. He came through in a big way, finishing as the 4th best RB in fantasy for the week. With a solid 72 yards and a TD from 18 carries in addition to 3 catches for 70 yards, this rookie earned his Stud designation. WR: Emmanuel Sanders (DEN) @ IND: In last week's article, I said that Sanders would have a good chance to capitalize on the Colts this week as they put their top cover CB on Demaryius. This certainly freed up Emmanuel, allowing him to catch 6 of his 11 targets for 90 yards and a score. WR: Martavis Bryant (PIT) vs. OAK This was a scary performance to watch for fantasy owners, as Bryant failed to make any noise until late into the game. However, he bounced back and made a highlight-reel touchdown prance on a screen pass, saving his day for fantasy (and real life) purposes. He actually dropped what could have been an 80 yard touchdown, which would have let him have another monstrous performance. WR: Brandin Cooks (NO) vs. TEN: I said that Cooks has been clearly developing chemistry with Brees as of late, and he put that on display once again in Week 9. Brees hit him with 6 targets, 4 of which he grabbed for 71 yards and a nice touchdown. Duds who were Slam Dunks: QB: Ryan Tannehill (MIA) @ BUF : From a huge game against the Texans to a mediocre game versus the Pats, I pegged Tannehill as fantasy QB who should disappoint once again in Week 9. Even with a bunch of teams on their bye, he couldn't even finish within the top 20 at his position with 11.4 fantasy points in ESPN standard leagues. RB: Eddie Lacy (GB) @ CAR: Looking slower and less healthy every week, Lacy was primed for a Dud week against the tough Panther defense. He proceeded to prove me right, rushing for 10 yards on 5 carries and adding a bone-headed fumble. He's a Dud for the foreseeable future. WR: James Jones (GB) @ CAR: Another Packer I had as a Dud was James Jones, who caught only 2 balls for 57 yards against the Panthers. WR: Donte Moncief (IND) vs. DEN: I warned owners of Colts WR Donte Moncrief against the Broncos secondary and he grabbed 3 balls for only 30 yards. TE: Vernon Davis (DEN) @ IND: While he might have value down the stretch, I said Vernon Davis was a Dud last week until he gets acclimated to the offense. He saw 1 target and caught 0 balls. TE: Jordan Cameron (MIA) @ NE: For the second time in as many weeks, Cameron provided a pathetic box score in real life and fantasy alike. He caught 1 ball for 6 yards, and has completely removed himself from the fantasy TE picture. Studs who were Airballs: RB: Jeremy Hill (CIN) @ PIT: This was the second time in a row I have Airballed on a Bengals RB, rendering them very difficult to predict from a fantasy standpoint. Hill had a mediocre outing with 15 carries for 52 yards. He and Gio are both good runners, but the Bengals mask their offensive gameplan very well, which is bad for fantasy owners. TE: Heath Miller (PIT) vs. OAK: With Big Ben getting injured again, it was hard for Heath to get things going. Even against the last ranked Raiders defense against fantasy TEs, he could only manage to catch 3 balls for 32 yards. He'll be out of the TE1 streaming conversation until Ben returns. Duds who were Airballs: QB: Andrew Luck (IND) vs. DEN: My outlook on Luck this week was very bleak, especially after his shaky performance against the Panthers on MNF. However, at home against the elite Broncos defense, Luck returned to form and turned in top 8 fantasy QB numbers. He tossed 252 yards yards and 2 TDs, adding on 34 rushing yards as well. RB: Frank Gore (IND) vs. DEN: Another mistake I made this week was recommending you sit Gore. While his yards per carry weren't very impressive, he received 28 carries for 83 yards + 1 catch for 19 yards. He also scored a touchdown. RB: T.J. Yeldon (JAC) @ NYJ: For his second game in a row against very tough defensive fronts, I put Yeldon on the Duds list. He delivered another solid game, however, gaining 101 yards from 17 touches. WR: T.Y. Hilton (IND) vs. DEN: I don't have much to say about Hilton, since he was a game-time decision due to a foot sprain, but was seemingly very healthy during the game, catching 5 balls for 82 yards. Now he gets a bye week to rest. WR: Allen Robinson (JAC) @ NYJ: Another Jaguar that I Airballed on was A-Rob. He was shadowed by Revis for most of the game, but still turned in 121 yards on 6 receptions. He was targeted 11 times, and seems to be matchup proof from here on out. Sleepers who panned out: QB: Jameis Winston (TB) vs. NYG: I liked Winston this week against a weak Giants pass D, and he delivered top 12 numbers. Although he didn't throw a touchdown with his 249 yards, he rushed for 24 and a nice looking TD. WR: Brandon LaFell (NE) vs. WAS: LaFell grabbed 5 balls for a team-high 102 yards this past week. He's getting better every week since his return, and Brady can feed plenty of hungry mouths. Summary of Week 9's Studs & Duds: Week 9 had plenty of ups and downs in the fantasy world. All in all, I calculated 12 Slam Dunks compared to just 7 Airballs, with plenty of middling results that didn't belong in either categories. I hit the jackpot on 2 out of my 3 Stud RBs, as both D-Willy and Langford finished in the top 4 at their position, after being ranked outside the top 10 on most sites. For the third week (in three total weeks of the article), my WR Stud section was extremely successful. Cooks, Bryant, and Sanders all had TDs. This has been my most accurately predicted position thus far. Finally, my Sleeper section was quiet, with only 2 performances really worth mentioning. I am certain that next week will show improvement. Hopefully this guide and my positional rankings helped you get a much-need fantasy win. Check back on Thursday for Studs & Duds for Week 10. "Studs & Duds" is designed to serve as a "Start/Sit" or "Love/Hate" guide. I'll try to pinpoint players, by position, that I think will have a good chance to deliver better or worse performances in comparison to their season averages. I consider "Studs" as quality starters and "Duds" as possible busts that may deserve to be on your bench, depending on the depth of your league and team. I'll also offer up a couple sneaky sleeper picks for each position. Keep in mind that I won't be including some of the "no-brainer" starting options, nor will I tell you to bench someone who isn't a realistic option. For clear-cut lineup decisions, be sure to check out my rankings and in-depth analysis on a bunch of relevant players. Quarterbacks Studs Jay Cutler (CHI) @ SD: In a week with a bunch of teams on bye, streaming quarterbacks is a common theme. One guy I like as a possible QB1 option this week is Smokin' Jay Cutler. Over his last four games in ESPN standard scoring, Cutler has scores of 17.2, 17.5, 19.2, and 19.5, showing consistency that he usually doesn't display. This week against the pass-happy Chargers, I'm thinking Jay chucks the ball about 40 times, with almost half of those targets going to superstar WR Alshon Jeffery. If he can keep his turnovers in check, I wouldn't be surprised if Cutler has his best game of the year. Tyrod Taylor (BUF) vs. MIA: Three weeks removed from injuring his knee, Tyrod Taylor will look to regain his early season form this weekend against the Dolphins. He'll get a home matchup and likely have more weapons than he did early in the season without Shady and Watkins. Before being injured, he was playing like a QB1 in all leagues, and now he'll get a Miami defense that has allowed QBs to score 25 points on average the past two weeks. With his knee completely healthy, he should provide a nice rushing floor even if things don't go well through the air. Duds Ryan Tannehill (MIA) @ BUF: I have never been a fan of Tannehill's dink-and-dunk passing style, which doesn't bode well for fantasy purposes unless his playmakers take a short pass for a long gain. Of course, we saw that happen two weeks ago when Tannehill scored 27.5 points for his fantasy owners. However, last week he was brought back down to earth, and he'll have another tough task this week on the road in Buffalo. I look for the Bills to bounce back after a tough loss in London before their bye week, making Ryan Tannehill a prime Dud candidate. Andrew Luck (IND) vs. DEN: You won't see many QBs play as awful as Luck did for most of last week's game against the Panthers. It was three and a half quarters of abysmal decision making, resulting in fumbles, interceptions, and inaccurate passes. Yet, with the fourth quarter halfway over, he flipped the switch. Luck brought his team down the field on consecutive drives, scoring three times and sending the game into OT. Clearly the potential is still there, but this week he'll play the Broncos and their stacked defense, and he might be without a healthy T.Y. Hilton. I'm staying away. Sleepers Peyton Manning (DEN) @ IND: There were serious signs of life from Peyton last week, and now he gets a leaky Colts secondary. Jameis Winston (TB) vs. NYG: The Giants' secondary just got shredded by the Saints. Winston gets a home matchup and will need to score points. Running Backs Studs Jeremy Hill (CIN) vs. CLE: A second round pick in most fantasy leagues this year, Hill has been mainly disappointed this year, with his 5 TDs accounting for over 40% of his total fantasy points. However, if you were a savvy enough owner to be patient with Hill, your reward should be on the horizon. Jeremy Hill will be facing the pitiful Browns run defense on Thursday night at home, making this week a great time to plug him into your lineup. He has out-touched and out-snapped Gio Bernard lately, while also receiving praise from his offensive coordinator, Hue Jackson. He says that "The arrow is pointing up" for Hill, and I look for him to resume his workhorse ways that we were so accustomed to seeing last season. DeAngelo Williams (PIT) vs. OAK: Same position, different reason: D-Willy started the season off as the Steelers starting RB while Le'Veon Bell sat out two games for a suspension. Now, he'll be the starter for the remainder of the season after Bell went down with a torn MCL last week. The Raiders have been tough on the run, but a trip across the country to Heinz field should be enough of a reason to open a few holes for Williams to hit. The goal line work will certainly be there for DeAngelo, plus he ripped off a 55 yard rush last week, showing that he still obtains playmaking ability. Jeremy Langford (CHI) @ SD: Another waiver-wire darling for this week is Bears rookie Jeremy Langford. He comes out of Michigan State with a 4.4 time for his 40-yard dash, showing his speed off even while being a solid 6'0" & 208 lbs. Langford will fill Matt Forte's every-down role until the veteran is healthy enough to return, making him well worth your RB2 slot until then. Along with the volume he'll receive is a great opportunity to rush against the last-placed defense versus fantasy RBs this year. The Chargers can't defend the run at all this year, and I look for this rookie to play solid on MNF. Duds Eddie Lacy (GB) @ CAR: On this list for the second time in as many weeks is "Fat Eddie". Lacy just doesn't look as explosive as he did in years past, while also looking bigger than he has before. He should get better as the season progresses, but it doesn't look great right now. Being on Rodgers' offense certainly keeps Lacy in the starter discussion for fantasy, but James Starks will continue to siphon work away from him. Lacy got a TD last week, but only added 38 yards. He'll have a tough test in Carolina this week, who has a very stout D-line and linebacking corps, so temper your expectations. Frank Gore (IND) vs. DEN: Indy's offense is a mess right now. Luck is playing terrible football, and now they're getting a new offensive coordinator installed during a short week. They'll be up against the Broncos fierce defense this week, and Denver certainly seemed capable of putting plenty of points on the board as long as Peyton plays smart QB. This means that the Colts could very well be playing from behind (like usual) against the Broncos, limiting Gore to early-down and early-game work, while ceding snaps to Ahmad Bradshaw late in the game. Gore is a decent fantasy option based on volume and possible goal line work, but he seems poised for a Dud outing. T.J. Yeldon (JAC) @ NYJ: Coming off the bye week, Yeldon will have a very difficult matchup on the road versus the Jets. Although he ran well against the Bills before the bye week, the Jets should be hungry to rebound from an embarrassing loss to the Raiders last week. This tough D-line playing motivated at home will be capable of shutting any running back down. The Jags might be playing from behind too, forcing Bortles into a pass-happy attack. Yeldon is still an RB3 since he's the lone ball carrier in Jacksonville, but I'm sitting him this week if I can. Sleepers C.J. Anderson (DEN) @ IND: All the hype is around Hillman right now, but Anderson actually looked better than Hillman last week. Melvin Gordon (SD) vs. CHI: The touch distribution out of the backfield is starting to swing into the rookie's favor, making him a breakout candidate. Ahmad Bradshaw: It is clear that Bradshaw comes onto the field not only to spell Frank Gore, but in late game action and passing downs as well. Wide Receivers Studs Emmanuel Sanders (DEN) @ IND: After watching Demaryius Thomas dominate last week versus the Packers, Sanders owners are probably a bit down on him this week. Don't be. I see Emmanuel Sanders bouncing back nicely this week, as DT will be covered by Vontae Davis all game. This means Sanders can be freed up and available for Manning to throw to. The Colts defense ranks 26th against fantasy WRs this year, and with Peyton seemlingly finding his groove, I look for Sanders to be a rock-solid fantasy WR option this week. Martavis Bryant (PIT) vs. OAK: Last week was the first game of Bryant's short season that he did not come down with a touchdown grab. However, the Steelers were stymied on offense as Ben was shaking off the rust from his injury leave, and Martavis was still targeted 9 times. If he received that much attention in a 16-10 loss, I believe he'll be looking at double digit targets on most occasions, beginning with a home matchup against the Raiders' leaky secondary. While AB draws attention to his side, I look for Bryant to remain a major offensive weapon for the Steelers, especially in the red zone. Brandin Cooks (NO) vs. TEN: As the season progresses, Cooks seems to be getting more comfortable with Brees and the Saints offense. Last week, he truly looked spectacular, making a variety of skilled receptions, two of which went for touchdowns. He looked fast and jump high for his small height. Now Drew Brees gets a home matchup against the Titans, who just fired their head coach, and I look for him to continue his high scoring ways. Cooks could disappoint if the Saints get up big and decide to run, but I'm pegging him as a solid WR2 with upside this week. Duds James Jones (GB) @ CAR: Last week I had Jones on the Dud list while he played the Broncos. He proceeded to catch one ball for 2 yards last week, rendering him useless in all fantasy leagues. This should be the last week I have him as a Dud, but I can see this being another poor outing. Unlike Randall Cobb, he won't be playing in the slot and avoiding outside CBs Josh Norman and Charles Tillman, making this a very tough matchup in Carolina. I look for Rodgers to perform much better than last week, but I wouldn't be surprised if Jones had another bench-worthy score. T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief (IND) vs. DEN: This Broncos secondary is downright nasty. They limited Aaron Rodgers to a pathetic 77 yards last week, showing their ability to completely shut down an elite QB. Furthermore, an elite QB is something that Andrew Luck has forgotten how to be this year. Hilton has a sprained foot and is either going to sit out or likely be less than 100%, making him a shaky WR3 at best. Regardless of his status, Moncrief will be getting either Talib or Harris Jr. for man-to-man coverage, making it very tough to trust either one of these Colts WRs. Allen Robinson (JAC) @ NYJ: Coming off a bye week, this top 10 WR should be poised for a solid game, right? Wrong. He's traveling to Revis Island, and that place is a wide receiver's nightmare. Amari Cooper just got held under 50 yards there last week, and a similar outcome could be in the near future for ARob. While he has the speed and talent to make a splash play, mainly near the end zone, I simply cannot start a WR who will be shadowed by Revis. You likely don't have two or three better starting options, but I would advise being cautious before plugging him into your lineup. Sleepers Stevie Johnson (SD) vs. CHI: Keenan Allen's targets have to go somewhere, and I'm thinking most will be given to Johnson on Monday night. Brandon LaFell (NE) vs. WAS: I have a feeling that LaFell will have a breakout game soon, making him a viable WR2. This could be the week. DeSean Jackson (WAS) @ NE: The Redskins have sorely missed a deep threat, and the Pats are already clamoring about what a threat DJax is. Tight Ends Studs
Jordan Reed (WAS) @ NE: Always solid when healthy, Reed won his team the game two weeks ago with a last minute TD score. He'll be up against the Pats this week, who are very stingy against TEs. However, the Redskins will certainly need to be passing all game if they want to stand a chance, and Jordan Reed is the safest option across the middle of the field. I think the volume will be enough for Reed to have a solid TE1 game. Heath Miller (PIT) vs. OAK: The Raiders struggle immensely against opposing tight ends in real life and fantasy football alike. Heath Miller had a great game last week in Big Ben's return to action, and I think he can be a sneaky safe TE streaming option in Week 9. With the Steelers' run game taking a hit, I look for Ben to attempt 40+ passes this weekend, with the chance of Heath receiving about 1/4 of his targets. I think he gets a safe amount of yardage to provide a reasonable floor, and there's always a chance of a short red zone TD. Duds Vernon Davis (DEN) @ IND: One of the very few meaningful trades in the NFL sent Vernon Davis to the Denver Broncos. Davis immediately goes from irrelevant to relevant in terms of fantasy potential, but I don't see it happening right away. He still needs to learn a playbook and acclimate himself with Peyton Manning's schemes on offense. He has TE1 potential in the near future, but I would hold off this week, as he'll likely be on a snap count. Jordan Cameron (MIA) @ BUF: For a second week in a row, I am not a fan of starting Jordan Cameron at your TE slot. He's big and fast, but this offense isn't finding him deep on many instances this season, instead preferring to dump the ball of short. He has all the attributes of a playmaking tight end, but on the road in Buffalo this week, I think the stout Bills D holds him in check again. Sleepers Austin Seferian-Jenkins (TB) vs. NYG: I'm very interested to see what this mammoth can do after sitting out for multiple weeks. He started off the year very nicely, scoring 23 fantasy points in Week 1. Julius Thomas (JAC) @ NYJ: Getting 18 targets in the last two games is impressive, and with Revis and company covering the edges, look for Thomas to rule the middle of the field. Studs who were Slam Dunks:
QB: Matt Ryan (ATL) vs. TB: After getting burned by him last week, I was willing to give "Matty Ice" one more chance in Stud territory this week against the Bucs in a home matchup. He took a little while to get going, but ended up throwing for 397 yards and 2 TDs. Even though he lost the game and turned the ball over twice, he still put up 20 points in ESPN standard leagues, his most since Week 3 this season. QB: Cam Newton (CAR) vs. IND: Even though it looked as if Cam was going to find himself in Airball territory, he really pulled things together for his fantasy owners late in the MNF game. Dealing with incredibly horrendous weather conditions, he turned the ball over twice, or else he would have had 20+ fantasy points. Regardless, rushing for 41 yards and throwing for roughly 250 and 2 TDs was more than enough to warrant a start. RB: Charcandrick West (KC) vs. DET: A rookie I had a good feeling about in London this week was RB Charcandrick West. After a big game last week, he performed well once again in Week 8, finishing only behind Todd Gurley in standard league RB scoring. His 122 total yards and touchdown were deserving of Stud treatment. WR: Jeremy Maclin (KC) vs. DET: The second Chief I pegged as a Stud for this week was Maclin. The Chiefs didn't need much help through the air, as they were up big for most of the game. Still, Maclin delivered a solid outing with 35 yards and a nice touchdown, and he could've had an even better game had the Lions gave them any competition. WR: Stefon Diggs (MIN) @ CHI: This clutch rookie delivered another strong stat line in Week 8, making him a bonafide stud. He has been on fire lately, and that streak continued this past week, grabbing 6 of his 12 targets for 95 yards and a long touchdown. Keep starting him. Duds who were Slam Dunks: QB: Matt Stafford (DET) @ KC : Following two strong games in a row, I had a feeling Stafford would revert to his usual ways. He played very poorly overseas, throwing for just over 200 yards and a TD to INT ratio of 1:2. That was good for only 9.1 points for ESPN standard leagues, making him a Dud. WR: James Jones (GB) @ DEN: Going up against the vaunted secondary of the Broncos, I recommended you sit one of Aaron Rodgers' most trusted weapons. He was limited to an embarrassing 2 yards on 1 grab, which perfectly defines a fantasy Dud. WR: Amari Cooper (OAK) vs. NYJ: Coming off a monster performance against the Chargers, Cooper was given a much harder task on Revis Island. Even though sitting him would be tough to do, I recommended that owners certainly consider it, as a solid game was very unlikely. He received praise from Revis after the game, but he was only able to catch 4 balls for 46 yards. WR: Dez Bryant (DAL) vs. SEA: I urged owners not to rush Dez back into their lineups last week against Sherman and the Seahawks, and I hope people listened. He was on a pitch count and dealing with Matt Cassel at the helm, which turned into a measly 12 yards on 2 receptions. He'll see better days in the near future, but until Romo is back (Week 11), I'm fine with leaving him on the bench. TE: Jason Witten (DAL) vs. SEA: Witten had a similarly discouraging game, struggling to get open or catch meaningful passes all game against the LOB. He finished the game catching 2 of his 4 targets for 16 yards. He was certainly a Dud. TE: Jordan Cameron (MIA) @ NE: In a thin TE position, I recommended you sit the Dolphins Jordan Cameron. Even playing from behind all night against the Pats, Cameron was only able to grab 2 balls for 34 yards. He's got major athleticism, but lacks consistency. Studs who were Airballs: RB: Gio Bernard (CIN) @ PIT: I was anticipating a Gio-heavy offense run by the Bengals this week, in what had the looks of a shootout. Oddly enough, both teams played very strong defensively, and the Bengals rolled with Jeremy Hill for the entirety of the game. Bernard was effective with his 3 touches, racking up 34 yards, but it wasn't enough to get him out of Airball territory. TE: Ladarius Green (SD) @ BAL: With Gates hobbled, Green looked primed for another solid outing. He may have been on his way to a good game, but an ankle injury in the first quarter forced him from the game after 1 catch for 10 yards. He was only an Airball because of the injury, but was still a poor play nonetheless. TE: Eric Ebron (DET) @ KC: Unlike Green, Ebron didn't have an injury excuse for his performance. His woes stemmed from a pathetic game from his quarterback and offense altogether. He was only able to corral 3 of his 5 targets for 24 yards, and will be a risky option in Week 9. Duds who were Airballs: RB: Latavius Murray (OAK) vs. NYJ: My only major Airball from the Dud section was Murray. I whiffed on him, but I had a lot of reasoning for why I thought he'd struggle. Well, he proved me and plenty of others wrong with his strong outing against a normally tough Jets run D. He churned out 113 hard-fought yards on 20 carries, showing off his size-speed combination. Seemingly matchup-proof, he'll be an upside RB2 on most weeks. Sleepers who panned out: QB: Bryan Hoyer (HOU) vs. TEN: In what wasn't a flashy game without a rushing attack, Hoyer had clean numbers of 235 yards and 2 TDs. He finished in the top 15 at QB in ESPN standard scoring, which was a good performance after being ranked outside the top 20 by the expert consensus rankings. RB: Duke Johnson (CLE) vs. ARI: Having a major role in the Browns passing game, I said Duke Johnson was a good sleeper. Well, that's right where he delivered, gaining 68 receiving compared to only 3 rushing yards. WR: Brandin Cooks (NO) vs. NYG: I have always preferred Cooks' talent in the Saints passing game, and that certainly paid off this week. He caught 2 of Brees' 7 touchdowns, along with 88 yards, giving him a whopping 20.5 fantasy points in standard ESPN scoring. WR: Michael Floyd (ARI) vs. BAL: For the second week in a row, I pegged Floyd as a nice sleeper, and he proved me correct once again. Playing much more than bang-up John Brown, he grabbed 4 balls for 106 yards and a TD. WR: Nate Washington (HOU) vs. TEN: Even though I don't like to "chase points" from past weeks, I opted to list Nate as my third WR sleeper. He delivered nice numbers again, grabbing 4 balls for 73 yards and a TD. TE: Heath Miller (PIT) vs. CIN: Getting no love on other fantasy websites, I said Miller would be a sneaky TE streaming option with Big Ben returning. Ben struggled for most of the game, but Heath was one of his most reliable options, catching 10 balls for a very nice 105 yards. Summary of Week 8's Studs & Duds: This week of Studs & Duds was pretty accurate, as I Slam Dunked on many more players than I Airballed on. There were some middling options like Chris Johnson, who rushed for 100 yards like I predicted, but fumbled his way out of the Slam Dunk territory. Cam Newton was undoubtedly impacted by the horrible weather on MNF, but still managed a very nice game. In addition, Matt Ryan finally delivered, as well as Charcandrick West. However, I wrongly recommended starting Gio Bernard and sitting Latavius Murray, both of which stunk and exploded, respectively. After two weeks of writing this Start/Sit guide, I have been unbelievably accurate in my WR section, so keep an eye on that portion of next week's article. I nailed multiple Studs (Maclin & Diggs), hit on all three of my Duds (Jones, Cooper, & Bryant), and I even struck gold on all of my WR sleepers (Cooks, Floyd, & Washington). Where I struggled was at the razor-thin TE position, airballing on both of my Studs. However, Heath Miller came through with a nice sleeper performance. In summary, I hope you combined my Studs & Duds with my rankings and picked up a big win. Check back on Thursday for Studs & Duds for Week 9. "Studs & Duds" is designed to serve as a "Start/Sit" or "Love/Hate" guide. I'll try to pinpoint players, by position, that I think will have a good chance to deliver better or worse performances in comparison to their season averages. I consider "Studs" as quality starters and "Duds" as possible busts that may deserve to be on your bench, depending on the depth of your league and team. I'll also offer up a couple sneaky sleeper picks for each position. Keep in mind that I won't be including some of the "no-brainer" starting options, nor will I tell you to bench someone who isn't a realistic option. For clear-cut lineup decisions, be sure to check out my rankings and in-depth analysis on a bunch of relevant players. Quarterbacks Studs Cam Newton (CAR) vs. IND: For the second time in as many weeks, I have Cam in the Stud section. While he didn't airball last week against the tough Eagles D, he didn't do all that well either. The way I see it, Cam Newton got the win for the Panthers even after playing one of his worst games of the year. He only threw for 197 yards while tossing 3 INTs compared to 1 passing TD. He salvaged his day, per usual, with a classic goal line SuperCam touchdown. He plays on Monday night this week against the below average Colts defense, who let the Saints jump out to a massive lead last week. He's scored a rushing TD in four of his six games this year, so that presents an awesome floor. I'm guessing he is safer with the ball this week, improving his passing yards, TDs, and lowering his INT total. I think he's a mid-range QB1 in a MNF spotlight home matchup, with 20+ point scoring potential. Matt Ryan (ATL) vs. TB: Another player making a second appearance in a row as a Stud is Matt Ryan. He disappointed owners last week with a rough performance on the road against the Titans. The Falcons struggled to put points on the board, but they didn't really need too many points against a porous Titans offense. He also had a TD to Julio get questionably overturned. This week he gets to play at home for the first time in three weeks, and he'll face the bottom-3 defense against fantasy QBs, the Tampa Bay Bucs. In a game with a 48.5 over-under, I look for this one to be much higher scoring than last week. The Bucs aren't a very well-rounded team, but they can throw points on the board. The Bucs just gave up a whopping 30 fantasy points to Kirk Cousins, so I see Ryan as a low-end QB1 here. If he doesn't deliver this week, I promise I'll back off. Duds Matt Stafford (DET) @ KC: I have seen a lot of sites predicting a solid game from Stafford this week in London, but I'm not buying it. He has been up and down (mostly down) this year, and now he gets a coaching overhaul before traveling out of the country. The Chiefs defense is loaded with talent, but had been underwhelming weekly until last Sunday against the Steelers. Even though it was against Landry Jones, they looked like they got some of their swagger back. If they can rush the pass and mess up the Lions' protection, which is exactly where Detroit struggles, Stafford will be under duress for much of the morning. He could hit Calvin for a big play here and there, but I don't see it translating into quality numbers. Peyton Manning (DEN) vs. GB: You know things have gone downhill when this legend is considered a Dud in fantasy, but that's just how things have gone this year. Off of a bye for both teams, Peyton will be facing an all-around tough Packer defense lead by LB Clay Matthews. While their run D is at the top of the league, their secondary is no slouch either. It'll be a home game, which works in Manning's favor, but what doesn't work in his owners' favor are the wounded ducks he's been flinging around the field. He has the weapons to produce an average game against the Packers, but I'm seeing a surprisingly defensive outing from both teams. He's not worth a start. Sleepers Ryan Fitzpatrick (NYJ) @ OAK: The Raiders have a surprisingly tough run defense, so the Jets might rely on the passing game. Bryan Hoyer (HOU) vs. TEN: Houston's pass attack might not be pretty, but there will be plenty of volume. Running Backs Studs Chris Johnson: (ARI) @ CLE: Although he's likely made it into your weekly RB2/3 slot, I especially like the man formerly known as "CJ2K" this week. Playing in Cleveland, he'll be going against a Browns team that has given up an embarrassing 150+ yards to opposing backfields in four of their seven games this season. As the early down back for the Cardinals, it looks like it's Johnson's turn to shred Cleveland defense. The only concern is that he might cede some work to his backups if Arizona takes a big lead, but that wouldn't scare me away from using him as a top-notch RB2. Gio Bernard (CIN) @ PIT: As much as it pains me (as a Jeremy Hill owner) to say this, it looks like another week setting up for a heavy dose of Bernard. While I fully expect the Bengals backfield to swing in Hill's favor down the road during a softer part of the schedule, a trip to Pittsburgh should result in a better game from Gio. The Steelers field an impressive run defense, and their offense will now be clicking on all cylinders, so I expect this to be a shootout. When the Bengals have needed to put points on the board in a hurry this season, Bernard has been the main beneficiary out of the backfield. I see him as a high-end flex or lower-end RB2. Charcandrick West (KC) vs. DET: After last week's strong performance, West undoubtedly has the Chief's backfield carries on lock. He has drawn comparisons to Jamaal Charles by Andy Reid, and he took on his workhorse role in Week 7. He'll be in London against the Lions this Sunday morning, and they have given up a total of 406 rushing yards along with 5 TDs to opposing backfields over the past three weeks. Charcandrick should get a decent workload once again, making him a pretty strong option in Week 8. Duds Eddie Lacy (GB) @ DEN: Last week might have been the happiest owners of Lacy have been since Week 1 of this season - they got to sit him, as he was on a bye week. He got some much needed rest, because he has been ineffective since the first week, managing zero double digit fantasy performances to this point. After his lame beginning of the year, he has nowhere to go but up, but this week likely won't kickstart his upward trent. He faces off against the ferocious defense of the Broncos on the road, who'll be getting Demarcus Ware back from injury. He's a tough start, even if its at flex. Latavius Murray (OAK) vs. NYJ: Coming off a strong outing against the Chargers last week, Murray will have a much harder test in Week 8. He gets a matchup against the stout Jets defense, who specialize in stuffing runners for minimal gains. Last week, Tom Brady was forced to lead the Pats in rushing yards with a measly 15 of them. Blount toted the rock 3 times for negative 3 yards. While Murray is more prolific than Blount, you get my point. Sit Latavius. Giants RBs (NYG) @ NO: You can't have any faith in this Giants' backfield at this point of the season. Usually, running back stables are relatively clear at the midway point of the season, but this situation is as muddy as can be. With Shane Vereen, Rashad Jennings, Andre Williams, and now Orleans Dawkwa each getting their share of carries over the past weeks, the only thing you can be confident about regarding the Giants RBs is sitting them all. Sleepers Ameer Abdullah (DET) @ KC: The Lions getting an offensive staff change could perhaps spark the run game, and Ameer is their most talented back. Duke Johnson (CLE) vs. ARI: Against the high-scoring Cards, he'll be needed in the pass game. He's an intriguing flex option, especially in PPR. Andre Ellington (ARI) @ CLE: I'm all in on CJ2K this week, but Ellington is supposedly going to get more touches this week. Plus, he plays the Browns. Wide Receivers Studs Jeremy Maclin (KC) vs. DET: As he returns from a concussion that temporarily sidelines him, Maclin walks into a pretty tasty matchup in London. The Lions present a bottom 10 defense against fantasy WRs this year, and have let up consecutive big games to Stefon Diggs and Alshon Jeffery. Jeremy Maclin should be fresh and ready to go, and if the Lions decide to air it out, the Chiefs will look his way early and often to try, as he and Travis Kelce are their only legitimate aerial options. I'm feeling a big game from this WR2. Jarvis Landry (MIA) @ NE: Say what you will about the Dolphins "dink-and-dunk" passing attack, but it has been working in their favor the last two weeks. Under Dan Campbell, Miami has been playing tough, gritty, and inspirational football. A true playmaker with the ball in his hands, they're likely going to have to hit Landry on multiple short routes on Thursday night if they want to have a chance against the high-flying Patriots. While the Pats might do their best to contain Miami's top passing weapon, I think he has a safe enough floor (and high enough upside) to sit firmly in the low-end WR2 discussion. Stefon Diggs (MIN) @ CHI: Averaging over 6 grabs for 108 yards in the past three weeks, Diggs has gone from speculative waiver add to startable fantasy option. Now he gets a bottom 5 defense against fantasy WRs in the Chicago Bears. He's blowing the other Vikings WRs out in terms of Bridgewater's go-to guy, and I look for that to continue in Week 8. He has the speed and route running ability to become a reliable option in real life and fantasy as well, so I'm saying he's a quality WR3/flex for now, with upside for more. Duds James Jones (GB) @ DEN: In what many think could be a shootout on Sunday night, I see a relatively low-scoring and mostly defensive game. Both the Packers and the Broncos field solid defenses from front to back, but the Broncos have the advantage. Jones plays on the outside, unlike Cobb, which means more coverage from Aqib Talib and Chris Harris. They're about as tough a matchup as a WR can get. Jones has a relatively safe floor and could even be saved by a touchdown, but I'm not betting on it. I'd still consider him a WR3, but with a bit less upside than my following Dud... Amari Cooper (OAK) vs. NYJ: Coming off a huge performance last week, it'd be tough to bench Cooper. The chemistry he has with Carr is legit, but not as legit as Darrelle Revis' coverage skills. He has the ability to shut down wideouts on a weekly basis. Unless Cooper burns him deep on a fluke play, I can't see justifying a solid game from Cooper this week. If he has a big game though, he'd be matchup-proof from here on out. He looks like a middling WR3 until he leaves Revis Island. Des Bryant (DAL) vs. SEA: Of course, Dez would have to play this week to be considered for Dud candidacy. But assuming he does (he's on track to play), I don't think owners need to rush him into their lineups unless their season is in shambles and/or their wideouts are awful. Yes, he's one of the best WRs in the NFL, but we've seen a similar case of what can happen in situations like this - Antonio Brown. Without Big Ben, Brown offered up low-end WR2 numbers at best. Dez without Romo would be a very similar fantasy conundrum, as he'd have Matt Cassel heaving the ball. Add in the fact that he'll be covered by Richard Sherman among other LOB members, and I'm sitting him on my bench for another week. Sleepers Brandin Cooks (NO) vs. NYG: I'm a believer in talent, and Cooks has talent. He's also getting more chemistry with Brees. Michael Floyd (ARI) @ CLE: I had him pegged as a sleeper last week, and he delivered. I think he's closing the gap between him and John Brown. Nate Washington (HOU) vs. TEN: I'm not one to chase points from last week, but Washington could come up big again if Hopkins is blanketed. Tight Ends Studs
Ladarius Green (SD) @ BAL: I had Green listed as a sleeper last week even before knowing Gates was going to be sidelined. He had a nice game and scored a touchdown, like he usually does without Gates. He's honestly a handcuff option for Gates, which is rare at the TE position. With Antonio looking doubtful for this week, I think he will thrive as one of Rivers' top targets in the passing game, as he's been chucking for about 60 times per game. He's a safe TE1 until Gates returns, and will still hold value when he comes back. Eric Ebron (DET) @ KC: My other sleeper from Week 7 was Eric Ebron, and I was tempted to list him there again. Ultimately, I decided to go a bit bolder and label him a stud for this week. In a very thin fantasy position, I think his production when he's healthy serves as enough of a sample size to trust him as a low-end TE1 on most weeks. This week, he goes against the Chiefs D, who is tough against opposing TEs. However, I just think the offensive playcall being revamped, plus his obvious athleticism, makes him a Stud candidate. Duds Jason Witten (DAL) vs. SEA: Witten had a very solid outing last week against the Giants. He clearly looks like Matt Cassel's safety blanket, but that doesn't cut it for me this week. He'll be against the Seahawks athletic defense, who will likely pinpoint him as a key offensive player to cover. If Dez plays, it'll help Witten out a bit. But as of now, I think the Cowboys stick to a run-heavy attack, leaving Witten just a low-ceiling TE option for Week 8. Jordan Cameron (MIA) @ NE: It's looking like a second consecutive underwhelming year for Cameron and his fantasy owners. Although the Dolphins have turned things around lately, he hasn't seen a major improvement. He hasn't even surpassed 30 yards in his last four games, making him a very unappealing option, even at the thin TE position. Until former TE coach, Dan Campbell, gets Cameron more involved, he should be riding the pine. Sleepers Heath Miller (PIT) vs. CIN: With Big Ben returning, I think Miller could provide sneaky value in what could be a TD-heavy game. Crockett Gillmore (BAL) vs. SD: He's been coming on as a sturdy TE2 option lately, and Flacco has no other options outside of Steve Smith. Before posting my Studs & Duds selections for the upcoming week of fantasy football, I'll review some of my picks from the past Studs & Duds article. I'll do this every week, so you can track who I correctly predicted (slam dunks) as a Stud or a Dud, as well as who I got wrongly placed as a Stud or Dud (airballs) . I'll name players that I hit or miss completely, but I won't be naming ones who performed average. For example, I picked Cam Newton as a stud and he ended up as a top-15 QB. While he wasn't a slam dunk, he wasn't an airball either. I'll also cover a few sleepers that I listed who delivered good numbers. Let's get started. Studs who were Slam Dunks: WR: Martavis Bryant (PIT) @ KC: I pegged Martavis Bryant as a solid WR2 this week in Kansas City, even with Landry Jones throwing him the ball. Once again, he delivered solid numbers, mainly due to his third TD in only two games this season. If you read my article on Martavis Bryant last week, you may have noticed that I researched his TD ability and found that a whopping 31.25% (slightly more than 1 out of every 3) of his NFL catches have gone for TDs. Well, he proved my formula right by catching 3 balls for 45 yards and, of course, 1 touchdown. WR: Mike Evans (TB) @ WAS: Another player I predicted to have a big game in Week 7 was Tampa Bay wideout Mike Evans. After a sluggish beginning to the season, Evans was coming off his bye week to play the Redskins, who were previously torched by the Jets WR duo. I said to leave him in your WR2 slot and expect a big game, one that he would score his first TD of the year. That's exactly what he did, posting a stat line of 8 catches for 164 yards and a touchdown. Owners who kept him in their lineup and remained patient are obviously thrilled about his huge game. WR: Eric Decker (NYJ) @ NE: I was tempted to leave Decker off the list after what was a seemingly average outing, but he actually delivered slightly more than his season average. While a touchdown certainly would have made his day against the Pats, he still had a very solid WR2-like game, which is what I guessed he would provide in last week's Studs & Duds. Decker actually outperformed his mate, Brandon Marshall, by snagging 6 balls for 94 yards. He also received a team-high 12 targets, 5 more than Marshall. He didn't explode like Evans or get into the end zone like Bryant, but he surely posted very startable numbers. Duds who were Slam Dunks: QB: Eli Manning (NYG) vs. DAL : Routinely being ranked inside the top 10 across the fantasy world, I correctly predicting Eli Manning to struggle this week. I even chose the name, "Bad Eli", to describe who he would play like versus the Cowboys. Well, he squeezed out a measly 6.4 fantasy points this week, which ranked him the 25th QB in the league. If you listened, you're happy. QB: Sam Bradford (PHI) @ CAR : Based on his thin WR corps and struggling offensive line, I listed Bradford in my Duds for Week 7. In addition, he played on the road against a very tough Panther defense. Finishing right in front of my other Dud as the 24th scoring QB in fantasy with 6.8 points, Bradford has been brutal in both real life and fantasy alike. Hopefully you sat him. RB: Joseph Randle (DAL) @ NYG : After just two carries in his Week 7 game, Randle was injured and left the game for good. He proceeded to hand the reigns over to Darren McFadden, who may have won the job for good. Albeit in a a way I didn't predict, Randle proved to be a Dud. RB: Alfred Morris (WAS) @ TB : Morris was the definition of a Dud this past week against the Bucs at home. Even with Matt Jones being banged up, Morris only managed to gain a pathetic 5 yards on 6 carries against a beatable Tampa defense. Yikes. WR: Julian Edelman (NE) vs. NYJ : As my boldest Dud of the week, my prediction didn't disappoint. Contrarily, Julian Edelman did disappoint. Knowing that stud CB Darelle Revis would be shadowing Edelman, I wisely told owners to temper their expectations this week. While he wasn't completely shut down, his ceiling was certainly limited. He caught 5 balls for 54 yards. WR: Golden Tate (DET) vs. MIN : I also told readers that Golden Tate would be underwhelming in his Week 7 matchup against the Vikings. I mentioned that he has failed to exceed 80 yards once this year, while only catching one lucky TD. Tate caught two balls for a measly 14 yards. Hopefully you let him ride the pine like I recommended. WR: Travis Benjamin (CLE) @ STL: Even after coming into this week as the 4th overall WR in fantasy points, I called Benjamin on his bluff. I actually predicted that he would take a back seat to Gary Barnidge and have one of his worst games of the year, if not his worst. Well, he caught 4 balls for 47 yards, while tacking on a fumble that his team lost. Scoring 2.7 points in ESPN standard leagues, this "Top 4" wideout was a great Dud selection. TE: Larry Donnell (NYG) vs. DAL : After picking Eli Manning as a Dud, I also listed his TE Larry Donnell as a Dud. This was based on his very underwhelming potential even when he receives a healthy amount of targets. He got 5 more targets this week, turning them into 4 catches for an abysmal 18 yards. He belongs on the waiver wire. Studs who were Airballs: QB: Matt Ryan (ATL) @ TEN: I was anticipating a big game from "Matty Ice" in Tennessee. He had performed much better on the road this season, and I really thought that would continue. He only put up 9.7 points in ESPN standard leagues, which was barely good enough for the top 20 at his position. He had a potential TD to Julio Jones that was reviewed and ruled to be not a score. That would have made his week better, but he only finished with 251 yards and a poor 2:1 ratio of INTs to TDs. QB: Blake Bortles (JAC) vs. BUF: Still ending up as a top 16 fantasy QB in Week 7, I had to think about if Bortles was an Airball or not. Ultimately, I included him in this section because I had top 10 aspirations for Bortles in London versus the Bills. He only managed to complete 13 of his 29 attempts for 182 yards, while throwing 2 TDs and 1 INT. He won his team the game, but he probably didn't win many fantasy games for his owners. I expected more from him. Duds who were Airballs: RB: T.J. Yeldon (JAC) vs. BUF: While I predicted Bortles to succeed, I thought that the Jags, like most teams, would struggle to run the ball against a stout Bills front line. Well, oddly enough, Yeldon had his first big game of his rookie season against a very tough defense. He toted the ball 20 times for 115 yards and scored his first rushing TD of the year. Going into the bye, Yeldon should come out in Week 9 ready to be an RB2. Sleepers who panned out: QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick (NYJ) @ NE: In what was somewhat of a shootout, Ryan Fitzpatrick delivered top 10 QB numbers at the position. He had a clean stat line, completing 22 of 39 throws for 295 yards and 2 TDs. He also added on 29 rushing yards. WR: Allen Hurns (JAC) vs. BUF: Hurns had another quality game for fantasy purposes, and many owners had him as their WR3/flex. He only grabbed 2 balls, but went for 53 yards and a score. WR: Michael Crabtree (OAK) @ SD: Another WR3/flex that delivered from my sleeper section was Michael Crabtree. While Amari Cooper feasted, "King Crab" had himself a decent game too. He posted 63 yards and a touchdown from his 6 receptions. WR: Michael Floyd (ARI) vs. BAL: Floyd finished up MNF with 59 yards on 3 receptions, adding on his second touchdown in as many weeks. TE: Ladarius Green (SD) vs. OAK: As Antonio Gates was banged up all week, I pegged Green to be a sneaky TE sleeper this week. Well, Gates ended up sitting, and Ladarius posted top 4 TE numbers of 4 catches for 49 yards and a touchdown. TE: Eric Ebron (DET) vs. MIN: My other TE that I chose as a sleeper was the freshly returning Eric Ebron, who finished right ahead of Green as the third overall scorer in the position. Summary of Week 7's Studs & Duds: All in all, the first week of Studs & Duds went very well. I didn't have any QB Stud predictions pan out very well, but Cam Newton wasn't a terrible start. On the flip side, I correctly picked 2 out of 3 of my Duds for QBs. While none of my RB Studs did amazing, they also didn't do poorly - Murray and Gore had 70+ overall yards. I went 2 for 3 in my RB Duds section. As for my WR section, I struck gold. All of my Studs delivered, all of my Duds struggled, and ALL of my Sleepers even panned out. My Stud TEs may not have exploded, but tossing up 73 yards each, Kelce and Witten did just fine. I called out Larry Donnell being a Dud, which he definitely was. Lastly, both of my Sleeper TEs finished as top 4 options at the position... Hopefully this follow-up article was helpful after reading my Studs & Duds from last week. Check back on Thursday for Studs & Duds for Week 8. "Studs & Duds" is designed to serve as a "Start/Sit" or "Love/Hate" guide. I'll try to pinpoint players, by position, that I think will have a good chance to deliver better or worse performances in comparison to their season averages. I consider "Studs" as quality starters and "Duds" as possible busts that may deserve to be on your bench, depending on the depth of your league and team. I'll also offer up a couple sneaky sleeper picks for each position. Keep in mind that I won't be including some of the "no-brainer" starting options, nor will I tell you to bench someone who isn't a realistic option. For clear-cut lineup decisions, be sure to check out my rankings and in-depth analysis on a bunch of relevant players. Quarterbacks Studs Cam Newton (CAR) vs. PHI: The Carolina Panthers have been a major surprise thus far, and they have been lead by their unquestioned leader, Cam Newton. Even after losing his top target, Kelvin Benjamin, to a torn ACL in the preseason, Cam has marched on to lead his team to a 5-0 record. As expected, he's had to use his legs to get the job done, but he has looked pretty sharp as a passer too. With Greg Olsen being one of the safest receiving options in the league, Cam has proved that he can make things work even without a premier wideout. With the spotlight shining on Cam and his Panthers this Sunday night, I think he'll turn in a quality performance. Newton may not have been drafted as a top 5 QB, but my gut tells me he'll turn in top 5 numbers worthy of a starting spot in your lineup. Matt Ryan (ATL) @ TEN: With only one 300+ yard performance this year, and zero games with more than 2 TDs, Matt Ryan hasn't been overly impressive for his fantasy owners. He'll face the Titans this week, who have a middle-of-the-road defense when it comes to defending fantasy QBs. However, I see this as a better matchup than the numbers show. The signal-callers that the Titans have faced so far have been a fairly weak bunch, including guys like Jameis Winston, Josh McCown, and Tyrod Taylor. Still, none of the opposing QBs have scored under 14 points in standard leagues against the Titans, which is a decent floor. Oddly enough, "Matty Ice" has had his top three fantasy games this season while on the road. Not to mention, he'll have Julio Jones at full health for the first time in multiple weeks. I'm feeling a big game from Matt Ryan in Week 7. Blake Bortles (JAC) vs. BUF: The Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Buffalo Bills this week in a morning contest across the pond. While the Bills present a tough defensive front that will clog up running lanes, their secondary isn't as daunting. Ranking in the bottom 10 against fantasy QBs this season, it seems obvious that the Jags will need to do most of their damage through the air. While A-Rob might have a tough task of going against CB Stephon Gilmore, he's always viable for a big play. Allen Hurns has stepped up and been a sturdy second receiver for the Jags, and TE Julius Thomas has returned from a hand injury and showed flashes of why he was paid big money in the offseason. Bortles has passed for an average of 311 yards over the past three weeks with a total of 8 touchdowns. If he can keep his turnovers in check, I see him having a top 10 fantasy QB performance in London. Duds Eli Manning (NYG) vs. DAL: Sometimes you'll get "Good Eli", and sometimes you'll get "Bad Eli". While its tough to predict one or the other, I'm leaning towards this being another "Bad Eli" game. First off, I don't think the Cowboys have the firepower on offense to make the Giants try to score a bunch of points. In addition to that, the Cowboys are coming off a bye week with a fierce looking pass rush, featuring Greg Hardy and now-healthy Randy Gregory. Eli Manning only scored 8.4 points on standard ESPN leagues in Week 1 when he squared off against the Cowboys. Sam Bradford (PHI) @ CAR: Based on volume alone, Bradford has the chance to be a QB1 every week. The problem is that he just hasn't looked very good at football this year. Overthrows, underthrows, fumbles, and interceptions have led to his worrisome TD to turnover ratio of 9:10 this season. This week, he'll be without Nelson Algolor against one of the league's toughest secondaries. Josh Norman is a ballhawk and that doesn't add up too well, considering Bradford's INT woes. I feel like he can always go off, but playing on Sunday night in Carolina, I'm not starting him in any 1 quarterback leagues. Joe Flacco (BAL) @ ARI: While he hasn't played all that bad, Flacco has produced two abysmal games to his four quality outings. Behind Steve Smith, he has the thinnest WR corps in the NFL, and Arizona surely has taken notice of this. After being beaten by the Steelers, I look for the talented secondary of the Cardinals to rebound in a big way. His main target (Steve Smith) will probably fair just fine based on volume, but Flacco is probably in for a night of multiple turnovers. Plus, the Arizona offense is one of the highest scoring in the league, and this Ravens team isn't built for offensive comebacks. Keep him out of your lineups. Sleepers Matt Stafford (DET) vs. MIN Ryan Fitzpatrick (NYJ) @ NE Landry Jones (PIT) @ KC Running Backs Studs Demarco Murray (PHI) @ CAR: For the past two weeks, since he has lobbied for more carries, I've been saying that Demarco Murray is finally on the right track. Off of two 18 point fantasy performances in standard leagues, Murray will look to keep things going this Sunday night. While he faces the tough Panthers defense, most of their talent is in the back end of the field. Their defense against fantasy RBs is in the bottom 10 of the league, and Murray will undoubtedly need to be the centerpiece of the Eagles offense if they want to move the chains. While the expert consensus ranks have him at 14, I have him as my 7th ranked back this week. I like him as an RB1. Frank Gore (IND) vs. NO: Gore and the Colts get a bottom 5 run defense against fantasy RBs this week in the Saints. They're allowing nearly 5 yards per carry, and Gore has picked up his play these past few weeks. Assuming he has his fluky fumbling issue from early in the season under control, he should be looking at around 20 touches and has a good chance to hit pay dirt this week. The Colts-Saints matchup is projected to be a high scoring affair, with the Colts favored, so I'm liking Gore's odds to finish as a top 10 RB in Week 7. Dion Lewis (NE) vs. NYJ - OUT: Whether it was because of game flow or his abdominal injury, last week wasn't so great for Lewis. He only touched the ball 7 times and ceded most of the work to LeGarrette Blount. Although he plays the top-ranked defense against fantasy RBs this week in the Jets, I have a gut feeling he makes a big impact for the Pats. While Blount handles the work inside the tackles, Dion Lewis can get the ball in space and gain yards in chunks. I think the Jets are a good team and a solid defense, but if I had to guess, Belichick is scheming up ways to get this Pitt product plenty of touches. All we have to do is monitor his health, but he should be OK. Duds T.J. Yeldon (JAC) vs. BUF: Suffering from a groin injury, Yeldon will try to suit up for this week's game in London. If he doesn't play, this reasoning can be used for any and all of the Jags backup running backs. Yeldon hasn't been overly impressive during his rookie season, but winding up on the lowly Jags wasn't the easiest task to overcome. He has gotten the volume of carries, but they haven't translated into meaningful production. Facing a ferocious Bills defensive front, he's only an option that you call on if you absolutely need to. I wouldn't start him outside of a flex spot this week. Joseph Randle (DAL) @ NYG: I'll start this off by saying Randle hasn't done anything especially bad to lose his starting job, but he certainly hasn't done anything to sustain the job. With Darren McFadden already taking a chunk of the carries, and now the talk of Christine Michael getting more carries coming out of the bye week, he just isn't a very trustworthy option. Surely, one of the Dallas RBs could have a big game against the beatable Giants run D, but I'm not rolling the dice on Randle. I need to see some clarity from this backfield first. Alfred Morris (WAS) vs. TB: In the preseason, nobody considered Washington's backfield being a committee. They had a young workhorse in Alfred Morris that has shined in his first few seasons out of Florida Atlantic University, even with struggling Redskin teams. However, he was always more effective when RG III was under center. Now that Cousins has stolen the starting gig, Morris has averaged only 5 fantasy points per game. Matt Jones returns this week from a toe injury, and that means I have no confidence whatsoever in starting Alf for Week 7. Sleepers Duke Johnson (CLE) @ STL Christine Michael (DAL) @ NYG Matt Jones (WAS) vs. TB Wide Receivers Studs Martavis Bryant (PIT) @ KC: In case you haven't noticed, I'm all in on Bryant for the rest of the year, and this week is no exception. When Landry Jones came in for Vick last week, that's when Martavis put on a show. Still, it wasn't like he was getting perfect passes throw to him by any means. He was turning average throws in highlight-reel plays. When the Steelers are near the end zone, Bryant is actually the best option for a score, even considering all-pro WR Antonio Brown. While Brown has struggled for the last month without Ben under center, Bryant may have proved himself "QB-proof" last week against the Cardinals. This week, against a beatable Chiefs secondary, Bryant is a viable WR2 with upside for more. Mike Evans (TB) @ WAS: Given that he was a third round pick with high expectations in most fantasy leagues, Bucs WR Mike Evans hasn't lived up to the hype. While he started off sluggish due to a hamstring injury, he hasn't turned in any explosive games since returning a few weeks ago. Coming off a bye, he should be 100% over his early season injury woes, and hopefully he and Jameis Winston worked on their chemistry before their next game. Taking on the Redskins, who just let up big games from both of the Jets top two wideouts, I think this is the week that Mike Evans scores his first touchdown. Keep him in your WR2 slot. Eric Decker (NYJ) @ NE: While teammate Brandon Marshall continues to have a resurgent year and garner plenty of attention, I am a bit confused as to why Eric Decker has flown under the radar so consistently. I mean, he has a touchdown in every game he's played in this year, and has made some beautiful, chain-moving grabs along the way. This week, while B-Marsh gets most of the Patriots' secondary attention, I think Decker could be in for another nice outing. With the Jets likely in need of putting up 20+ points to stay in the game against the Pats, I'm thinking Decker continues to chug along as a solid starting option in all fantasy leagues. Duds Julian Edelman (NE) vs. NYJ: I realize this is a very ballsy call, and I don't expect anyone to be sitting Edelman in their Week 7 fantasy matchups. That being said, it has been confirmed he'll be setting sail to Revis Island in his matchup with the Jets. While Revis usually holds down the outside corner position, he plans on shadowing the Pats top WR this week to limit his production, which has been WR1-worthy thus far in 2015. While I don't envision Edelman being shut out completely, I think his ceiling is a lot lower than it would've been without one of the best CBs in the NFL covering him. Golden Tate (DET) vs. MIN: I'll start this off by saying that Tate's output last week would have been very pedestrian had he not gotten a lucky TD call at the goal line. In an overtime shootout, he still only produced 40 yards off 6 grabs. He'll face a tough Minnesota secondary this week, and as always, should take a back seat to Calvin Johnson in terms of yards, targets, and fantasy points. He hasn't gone over 80 yards once this year, and his "touchdown" last week was his only one this season. I'm calling him a low-ceiling WR3 at best in Week 7. Travis Benjamin (CLE) @ STL: In 2015, Travis Benjamin has consistently produced at a high level. While he still lingers as a top 5 wideout in fantasy points, I can't trust him as more than a shaky WR3 in his matchup this week. He'll be on the road, against a surprisingly stingy Rams pass defense, that held all Green Bay Packer receivers to a measly 9 catches for 159 yards prior to their bye week. I'm betting the Browns go with a conservative attack on offense, leaning on their ground game and newly-found stud TD, Gary Barnidge. I could be wrong, but I'm thinking this is one of Benjamin's worst weeks of the year. Sleepers Allen Hurns (JAC) vs. BUF Michael Crabtree (OAK) @ SD Michael Floyd (ARI) vs. BAL Tight Ends Studs Travis Kelce (KC) vs. PIT: I realize he's a locked-in TE1 in all leagues anyway, but I'm feeling a big game from Travis Kelce this week against the Steelers. With a stagnant run game and Maclin dealing with concussion symptoms (even if he plays), I think the Chiefs will need to lean on Kelce to move the ball on offense. The Steelers have failed to cover dominant TEs this season, giving up huge games to Gronk and Antonio Gates. Travis Kelce certainly fits the mold of those studs, which what I'm labeling him for Week 7. Jason Witten (DAL) @ NYG: As the Cowboys come out of their bye week, they're making a QB change to Matt Cassel. While he isn't a major upgrade, I do think it helps the Cowboys offensive weapons, and Witten is one of the few weapons left. With Dez out for another week, I look for Cassel to lean on his veteran TE this week against the Giants, who Witten has success against in his lengthy track record. I see him giving owners mid-to-low TE1 performance this week, and he's definitely worth a start. Duds Zach Ertz (PHI) @ CAR: Ertz has a ton of talent and has received more playing time as the season has progressed, but he doesn't have a reliable QB throwing him the ball. With Bradford struggling badly of late, Ertz doesn't look like he's a safe play for fantasy owners looking to stream a Tight End, even with the extra fun of watching him on a night game. He'll be up against a fierce Panthers defense that just got all-pro Luke Keuchly back in their lineup, while they already ranked top 10 against fantasy TEs. Larry Donnell (NYG) vs. DAL: This week against the Cowboys, Larry Donnell may seem like a streaming option at tight end. But he's turned 19 targets over the last three weeks into only 102 yards with 1 TD. He's been given enough targets to do some damage, but he's simply not athletic enough to trust to score double digits in fantasy games. Now he gets the Cowboys underrated defense with talent at the LB position, ranking as the 7th toughest defense against fantasy TEs. I'm staying away. Sleepers Ladarius Green (SD) vs. OAK Eric Ebron (DET) vs. MIN Playing behind two of the best wide receivers in Clemson school history in DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins, Pittsburgh Steelers WR Martavis Bryant flew a bit under the radar when the 2014 NFL Draft arrived. While his counterparts, Hopkins and Watkins, were both selected in the 1st rounds of the 2013 and 2014 NFL draft, respectively, Martavis Bryant had to wait until the 4th round of last year's draft to hear his name called. Being an electric playmaker in college and coming in at 6' 4", 211 lbs, a few NFL player comparisons I can specifically recall include similarly built wideouts such as A.J. Green and the great Randy Moss. While he clearly was viewed as a much more raw prospect, the size-speed combination was imminent, as he impressed many teams at the 2014 combine with his 4.42 official (4.34 unofficial) 40-yard dash. The Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff admittedly was thrilled that he fell on draft day last year, and they scooped him up with the 118th overall selection. With the Steelers seemingly always finding gems on draft day at the wide receiver position, the selection of Martavis Bryant further proves that notion at this point in his young career. Coming out of Calhoun Falls, South Carolina, Bryant was given a 4-star recruiting grade and ranked 43rd on ESPN's top 150 recruits (8th at WR) back in 2010. The Clemson Tigers proceeded to offer him a scholarship, which he signed and faxed to the Tigers back in February of 2010. In his freshman year at Clemson, he was buried behind the depth chart behind current pass-catching pros like DeAndre Hopkins, Jaron Brown, Dwayne Allen, and Sammy Watkins, another highly touted freshman. However, he still made a small impact in 2011, mainly as a situational deep threat. In 10 games, he caught 9 balls for 221 yards along with 2 touchdowns, averaging a whopping 24.6 yards per reception. In the following season, Bryant remained buried on the WR depth chart behind Hopkins, Watkins, and Brown. In 2012, he suited up for 8 games, catching 10 balls for 305 yards and 4 touchdowns. Grabbing 4 TDs in his 10 total catches, while also averaging a ridiculous 30.5 yards per catch, Martavis was proving his potential in a very small sample size. Finally, in 2013, Bryant was able to crack the top 3 at his position on the depth chart, after seeing "Nuk" Hopkins head to the Texans in the NFL draft. Playing second fiddle to Sammy Watkins' mammoth season of 101 catches for almost 1500 yards, Bryant was a deep ball maven who wasn't gaining nearly enough attention from around the country in his junior year. Still, he turned in his best season by far, grabbing 42 balls for 828 yards and 7 TDs. Even with more volume, he still was averaging 19.7 yards per grab, solidifying his playmaking potential. Coming into the 2014 NFL combine, Bryant seemed like a very lanky and raw prospect in the NFL's eyes, and he also had a relatively small sample size in college. On the other hand, his teammate at Clemson, Sammy Watkins, was looking like a lock for a top-10 overall pick. Watkins ended up going to the Bills as the 4th overall pick, and they gave up a whole lot in order to get him. These reasons, among others, undoubtedly masked his NFL readiness when draft day approached. However, when looking at his statistics, you can tell that a 4th round selection was an enormous bargain. One aspect of his game that stands out to me is his touchdown tendency, which is evident for the Steelers, but was also obvious in college. Let's break down his numbers back at Clemson: Martavis Bryant had small sample sizes for his freshman and sophomore year, so I'm going to combine all three seasons for a better sense of his stats. His first year, he caught only 9 balls, but 2 were for touchdowns. The following year, he converted 4 of his 10 catches for touchdowns. During his junior season at Clemson, Bryant tallied 42 receptions, 7 of which were for scores. If we add those numbers up, Bryant amassed a total of 61 receptions. Out of those 61 grabs, 13 of them went for a touchdown. This means that 21.3% of Martavis Bryant's receptions at Clemson went for touchdown. So, on average, about 1 out of every 4.7 catches he recorded in college were going for touchdowns. That's just insane. For some laughs, here's a few wideouts that were selected ahead of Marty B in the 2014 draft: Shaq Evans, Bruce Ellington, Jalen Saunders, Josh Huff, and Paul Richardson (2 entire rounds ahead) - just to name a few. When the Steelers landed Bryant in the 4th round, they made it known that he wouldn't immediately be thrown into the lineup opposite of all-pro WR Antonio Brown. They knew he needed to get up to speed with the playbook as well as put some muscle on his tall frame. He finally made his debut in Week 7 against the Texans on Monday Night Football. He was instantly an unstoppable force that made Ben Roethlisberger and the entire Steelers offense better. He played in every game from that point on, compiling a stat line of: 26 receptions - 549 yards - 8 touchdowns... Talk about production - for a rookie who didn't play until the midway point of the season. Let's dive into what those numbers really showed. For one, his big-play ability carried over from college, as he averaged a massive 21.1 yards per catch, and had a whopping 94-yard TD catch as his season long. Secondly, his red zone dominance also carried over, as his impressive 8 rookie year touchdowns show. Bryant's 2015 season started off on the wrong foot, however. He was handed a 4-game suspension for failing, what some claim, were "multiple" drugs tests. Martavis appealed his suspension, but it was upheld, and he then received treatment away from the team to heal his off-the-field issues. While he was eligible for a Week 5 return in 2015, a minor knee injury held him out until the following week. This past Sunday, he returned with an emphatic performance to say the least. With Big Ben out and Mike Vick in, Bryant had only 8 receiving yards at halftime. However, when Vick went down with a hamstring injury, third-stringer Landry Jones entered the game. This is when Martavis made his return evident. Bryant finished the day with 6 grabs for 137 yards and 2 touchdowns, plus a rush for 8 yards. His first touchdown was an excellent display of red zone awareness, as he skied into the air and got both feet down in the back of the end zone on a pass from Landry Jones. His second score sealed the upset win for the Steelers and was a truly spectacular play. In a play that Martavis ran a total of 130 yards, he caught a simple slant route, threw off defender Tyrann Matheiu, then proceeded to make his way to the outside of the field. He strided down the sideline, picked up a few blocks, and then cut inward to gallop into the end zone. This 88-yarder was a prime example of his game-breaking ability at the professional level. In summary, I'm going to take a look at his statistics as a Pittsburgh Steeler, in combination with the numbers he compiled at Clemson. In a total of 11 games as a Steelers, Bryant has 32 receptions for a behemoth 686 yards. That means he is averaging 21.4 yards per catch as an NFL receiver. This year alone, only the one-trick pony Torrey Smith is averaging more yards per grab (23.1), and has nowhere near the ability in the red zone. For comparison, last year's leader was DeSean Jackson with 20.9 yards per grab, only due the fact that Bryant didn't play enough games to qualify as the leader - he averaged 22.8 in 8 games last season. Basically, Martavis has unbelievable big-play potential that is hard to find in an NFL receiver. To go along with his high YPR, he has continued to be a TD magnet. Of his 32 career receptions in the NFL, a ridiculous 10 of them have gone for touchdowns. That means that his NFL touchdown potential is 31.25% - somehow even better than his filthy college percentage of 23.1%. To put this into perspective, this means that almost 1 out of every 3 catches in his NFL career have gone for touchdowns! He'll get Ben Roethlisberger back soon, which will only boost his stock, along with all Steelers skill players. Martavis Bryant is the ideal receiver to place opposite of the quick and sure-handed Antonio Brown. He has the size, speed, and skills to materialize into a legitimate wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and should emerge as a high-end WR2 within the next few weeks, with the true possibility of Bryant scoring like a low-end WR1 from this point til the end of the 2015 season. While many think of him as being boom-or-bust, I simply do not agree. The Steelers offense consistently scores more points with him on the field, and he is a top 3 weapon in the NFL's premier offense. He should only get more consistent as he grows stronger, more mature, and builds chemistry with his QB. This kid is a freak of nature that has proven to be a real-life draft steal as well as a juggernaut in fantasy. Get him into your starting lineups as soon as possible. He has week-winning potential every time he steps foot onto the football field. Author:Robert Kohnfelder |
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