"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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