"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. |
Categories
All
Archives |