"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. |
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