Category: General Fantasy Football Analysis

Tunnel Vision of Week 16

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
Tom Brady 348 4
 Deshaun Watson 324-38 3
 Andy Dalton 377-15 3
 Mitchell Trubisky 265-10 3
Aaron Rodgers 231-19 4
Running Backs Yards TD
Alvin Kamara 22-155
3-17		 6
Myles Gaskin 14-87
5-82		 2
Samaje Perine 13-95
4-41		 2
David Johnson 12-128
3-11		 2
Jeffery Wilson 22-183
1-21		 1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Mike Evans 10-181 2
Michael Gallup 6-121 2
Jamison Crowder 7-92
1-43 pass		 2
Brandin Cooks 7-141 1
Nelson Agholor 5-155 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Irv Smith Jr. 6-53 2
Jimmy Graham 4-69 2
Travis Kelce 7-98 1
Rob Gronkowski 2-58 2
Darren Waller 5-112 0
Placekickers XP FG
Jason Sanders 2 4
Mike Badgley 1 4
Greg Zuerlein 4 3
Daniel Carlson 1 4
Austin Seibert 4 3
Defense Sck-TO TD
Buccaneers 4-2 0
Panthers 3-4 1
Seahawks 3-1 0
Lions 2-0 1
49ers 2-2 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Matt Stafford (DET) – Ankle
QB Kyler Murray (ARI) – Leg
QB Deshaun Watson (HOU) – Arm
QB Jared Goff (LAR) – Thumb
RB J.K. Dobbins (BAL) – Chest
RB Chase Edmonds (ARI) – Hip
RB Darrell Henderson (LAR) – Ankle
RB Frank Gore (NYJ) – Chest
WR Sammy Watkins (KC) – Calf
WR Jakeen Grant (MIA) – Ankle
WR K.J. Hamler (DEN) – Concussion
TE Dallas Goedert (PHI) – Calf

Chasing Ambulances

QB Matt Stafford (DET)  – Stafford keeps getting knocked out of games and this time it was an ankle sprain. It is reported to be minor,  and he may play in Week 17. He already said that he would play the final game if possible and there is a chance that it would be his final game in Detroit if trade rumors end up being true.

QB Kyler Murray (ARI) – Had his leg whipped in the loss to the 49ers but initial evaluations were that it wasn’t serious. HC Kliff Kingsbury hasn’t officially given an update yet which will be later this week.

QB Deshaun Watson (HOU) – His arm was awkwardly bent backward on a pass play when he was hit as he threw the ball. He his was stuck in the facemask of the defender as he went by. He did return to the field for one more pass but his arm will undergo further examination to ensure that he did not damage it.

QB Jared Goff (LAR) – Early word is that Goff broke the thumb on his passing hand when it hit a defender’s helmet after a pass. There are concerns that he will miss the critical matchup with the Cardinals this week if not even more time. John Wolford is the backup quarterback. He was a free agent rookie in 2018 that played for the Arizona Hotshots in the AAF league.

RB J.K. Dobbins (BAL) – Had his chest  injured in the third quarter of the win over the Giants on a hard tackle and was held out of rest of the game. He wasn’t needed so they could have just been protective of their primary running back. There should be more clarity after Monday.

RB Darrell Henderson (LAR) – Left the loss to the Seahawks after injuring his ankle and never returned. He limped off the field. With Cam Akers already out with a high-ankle sprain, the Rams are down to only Malcolm Brown and practice squadder Xavier Jones.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

TE Irv Smith Jr. (MIN) – The second-year tight end is stepping up into a bigger role. He caught six passes for 53 yards and two scores in the loss to the Saints this week, which gives him five touchdowns over his last five games.

RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn (TB) – Ran for 62 yards on 15 carries and caught a seven-yard pass. Leonard Fournette signed a one-year deal and is expected to sign elsewhere so Vaughn should step into the No. 2 role behind Ronald Jones next year.

RB Jeff Wilson (SF) – Ran for a career-high 183 yards on 22 rushes in the win over the Cardinals. He added a 21-yard catch for a touchdown. No other back ran more than twice. The 49ers like their committee and Wilson is making a case to remain part of the rotation even when Raheem Mostert is healthy – which has not been that often this year.

QB Taylor Heinicke (WAS) – Dwayne Haskin is likely to have plenty of time for the strip club since he’s likely played his last for the Football Team. Haskin was benched after throwing for 154 yards and two interceptions as Washington fell behind 20-0 against the visiting Panthers. Heinicke came into the game and completed 12-of-19 for 137 yards and one score. If Alex Smith remains out in Week 17, Heinicke is likely to be the starter.

RB Myles Gaskin (MIA) – He returned from a two-game absence on the COVID-list and was reported to share the workload with Salvon Ahmed who has impressed when given the opportunity. But Ahmed only carried six times for two yards while Gaskin led the Dolphins with 14 carries for 87 yards, and was also their leading receiver with five catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns. Cannot imagine that running back will be considered a need in the offseason.

RB Samaje Perine (CIN) – The fourth-year journeyman back logged a career-best 95 yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns and four receptions for 41 yards. Perine was given a longer look to help the Bengals make decisions in the offseason and he responded well, although they played the Texans.  He’ll face the Ravens next week which will be more telling.

WR Curtis Samuel (CAR) – Led the Panthers with a career-best 106 yards on five catches in the win in Washington and he was also the leading rusher with a career-high 52 yards on seven carries. The former second-round pick in 2018 had been a disappointment but has fourished in HC Matt Rhule’s new offense.

RB Dare Ogunbowale (JAC) – Replaced James Robinson against the Bears and ran for 71 yards on 14 carries. He added three catches for seven yards. Playing at the Colts will be tougher if Robinson remains out, but Ogunbowale gets the benefit of the defense not caring as much about the rushing offense during the second half when the Jaguars are falling further behind.

RB Darrell Williams (KC) – With Clyde Edwards-Helaire out, the expectation was that Le’Veon Bell would take over as the primary back and potentially be a big asset. But Bell only ran for 30 yards on seven carries and caught a single pass for nine yards. Williams ran ten times for 46 yards and caught four passes for 27 yards. Same split backfield and Bell was still the No. 2 back.

QB Justin Herbert (LAC) – He passed for 253 yards and one score in the win over the Broncos. That totaled 28 touchdowns which is a new all-time rookie record, surpassing Baker Mayfield’s 27.

WR Ja’Marcus Bradley (CLE) – The Browns lost all of the wideouts on their active roster to the COVID list, and called up Bradley from the practice squad. He caught 5-of-11 targets for 60 yards as the second best receiver for the Browns behind only Austin Hooper. Baker Mayfield did not shy away from him during his debut.

RB Jonathan Taylor (IND) – Not sure how it works in 2021 if Marlon Mack returns, but Taylor has responded well when used as a full-time workhorse. He ran for 74 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries at the Steelers and that gives him five touchdowns and 307 rushing yards over his last three games.

TE Travis Kelce (KC) – Caught seven passes for 98 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Falcons. That gives him 1,416 yards in the season for the most by any tight end in NFL history. And he has one more game to play.

WR DeSean Jackson (PHI) – He was finally activated from injured reserve and caught just one pass at the Cowboys – an 81-yard touchdown in the first quarter. He never had another target but showed his vintage bomb-catching ability in his first game back.

RB AJ Dillon (GB) – The Packers second-round rookie saw minimal use in the  seven previous games that he was active.  He spent time on the COVID-19 list. Jamaal Williams missed this week with a thigh injury and Dillon was expected to provide relief carries for Aaron Jones. But the 6-0, 247-pound back proved an effective weapon in the snowy conditions in Green Bay on Sunday night. Jones gained 94 yards on ten carries but the rookie ended with 124 yards and two touchdowns on his 21 carries. He added a five-yard catch. On a cold, sloppy field, the powerback brings a new element to the backfield.

QB Jalen Hurts (PHI) – Passed for 338 yards and ran for 63 yards in the loss in Dallas. Combined with Week 15, he joins Michael Vick as the only quarterbacks with back-to-back games of 300 passing yards and 50 rushing yards.

NFL Playoffs

AFC

14-1 Chiefs First-round bye
12-3 Steelers won the North
11-3 Bills won the East

There are five teams that are 10-5 and only four more spots.

Titans, Ravens, Browns, Dolphins, Colts

NFC

12-3 Packers lead for No. 1 seed
11-4 Saints won South
11-4 Seahawks won West
10-5 Buccaneers will be a wildcard

NFC East will be either the 6-9 Football Team, 6-9 Cowboys, or 5-10 Giants. Division winner advances, the other two drop out.

The final two NFC wildcards will be either

9-6 Rams
8-7 Bears
8-7 Cardinals

Huddle player of the week

Alvin Kamara  –  It was amazing enough to happen at all and for Week 16 when fantasy championships are being earned? Kamara ran for 155 yards on 22 carries and an astounding six touchdowns – it could have been seven but they let Taysom Hill run one in for some reason. Kamara also added three catches for 17 yards in one of the best fantasy performances of all time. Sadly, not every Kamara owner was in their league championship and the performance was wasted.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Andy Dalton 377-15 3 QB Drew Brees 311-(-3) 0
RB Myles Gaskin 14-87
5-82		 2 RB Josh Jacobs 13-69 0
RB Samaje Perine 13-95
5-82		 2 RB Melvin Gordon 16-79 0
WR Michael Gallup 6-121 2 WR D.J. Moore 5-37 0
WR Nelson Agholor 5-155 1 WR DK Metcalf 6-59 0
WR Sterling Shepard 9-77 1 WR DeAndre Hopkins 8-48 0
TE Irv Smith 6-53 2 TE T.J. Hockenson 4-23 0
PK Jason Sanders   2 XP   4 FG PK Younghoe Koo   2 XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 217 Huddle Fantasy Points = 66

Now get back to work…

Six points with David Dorey

Friday’s quick look at six fantasy items to know

2020 is coming to a crashing conclusion soon. Losing twice in a row wasn’t enough to wake the Steelers up or convince JuJu Smith-Schuster that whipping up the opponent before the game may not be the best strategy. That pales compared to the Jet, the New York Jets, the 0-13 New York Jets beating the Rams in Los Angeles.

Christian McCaffery and Kenny Golladay finish the year as myths we remember from last year. The wave of successful rookie quarterbacks have made little sense – no time to practice or integrate into their teams this summer and yet Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, and Jalen Hurts already look like hits.

Rookie running backs started slowly in the one position that should require the least amount of practice and “team time”, and yet the last month have seen them come to life after uneven or disappointing starts to the season.

It is Week 16 and fantasy playoffs are raging across the country. We’re hoping that our players remain healthy (which means two things this year) and they don’t belong to an NFL team that is taking a late season slide.

Heading into Week 16, there’s not much to explore for the rest of the year.  Here’s my five most interesting 2021 rookies that I’ll be watching closely. And at the bottom, a listing of the remaining college bowl games and if they contain players that are among the top candidates in their position heading towards the NFL draft in April.

Time to start shopping!

  1. QB Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) – Rare that a quarterback projects to be the No. 1 overall pick as of last summer and six months later, he is still expected to be the prize of the draft, even though he missed a few games. Really all you need to know is that he’s started at Clemson for three years. He played in 39 games and the only loss he had was in the 2019 National Championship game. He won the championship in 2018. Fortunately, the Jets won’t get him now that they won a game. Lawrence couldn’t understand what losing a game is like, let alone all of them.
  2. RB Travis Etienne (Clemson) – The four-year starter is the consensus best back in the draft though once again, it may be the second quarter before he comes off the board. He’s a prototypical dual-threat back and rushed for over 1,600 yards in each of the last two years but wasn’t overworked like so many other accomplished college backs. Etiene scored as many as 26 touchdowns in a year and caught 44 passes already this season. He’ll be a difference-maker wherever he lands.
  3. RB Najee Harris (Alabama) –  What would the draft be without an Alabama running back? Do you like Alabama-alum Derrick Henry? Well, Harris is a fourth-year player for the Crimson Tide with over 1,500 total yards the last two seasons as the starter. He’s already scored 27 touchdowns this year.  Oh, and Derrick Henry is 6-3, 238 pounds. Harris is 6-2, 230 pounds and he runs a 4.45/40. Henry was run into the ground his final year there with 406 touches in 15 games and took a few years to recover. Harris hasn’t rushed the ball more than 214 times.
  4. WR  Ja’Marr Chase (LSU) – He only played for two years at LSU. He only caught 23 passes as a freshman. He did not play this year. He opted out to concentrate on his NFL career. His only season as a starter was 2019 when he set SEC records with 1,780 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. He didn’t risk any injury this year or worry about COVID-19 impacting his career. He was the best receiver in the NCAA in 2019 and the best in SEC history. Now if he can only land on a team with a good quarterback.
  5. RB Kenneth Gainwell (Memphis) – Etienne and Harris are the consensus best two backs in the draft (for now anyway) and Gainwell is most often third, though the field naturally spreads out quickly. Gainwell is another back that opted out of the 2020 season after his family had lost four members to COVID-19. His one year as a starter at Memphis saw him run for 1,459 yards with 13 touchdowns plus catch 51 passes for 610 yards and three more scores. He too is a dual-threat but skipping 2020 will drop him in the draft maybe to a good team drafting later in rounds.
  6. College Bowl games and who to watch:

December 25 – Friday

Camellia Bowl, Buffalo vs. Marshall, ESPN, 2:30 p.m.
Buffalo RB Jaret Patterson

December 26 – Saturday

Cure Bowl: Coastal Carolina vs. Liberty, ESPN, noon

First Responder Bowl: Louisiana-Laf. vs. Texas-SA, ABC, 3:30 p.m.

LendingTree Bowl: W. Kentucky vs. Georgia State, ESPN, 3:30 p.m.

December 29 – Tuesday

Cheez-It Bowl: Miami (Fla.) vs. Oklahoma State, ESPN, 5:30 p.m.
Miami TE Brevin Jordan
Oklahoma State RB Chuba Hubbard
Oklahoma State WR Tylan Wallace

Alamo Bowl: Texas vs. Colorado, ESPN, 9 p.m.

December 30 – Wednesday

Duke’s Mayo Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Wisconsin, ESPN, noon
Wake Forest WR Sage Surratt
Wisconsin TE Jake Ferguson

Music City Bowl: Iowa vs. Missouri, ESPN, 3:30 p.m.
Iowa WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette

Cotton Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Florida, ESPN, 7:15 p.m.
Florida QB Kyle Trask
Florida TE Kyle Pitts
Florida WR Kadarius Toney
Oklahoma RB Rhamondre Stevenson

December 31 – Thursday, New Year’s Eve

Armed Forces Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Tulsa, ESPN, noon
Mississippi State RB Kylin Hill

Arizona Bowl: San Jose State vs. Ball State, CBS, 2 p.m.

Liberty Bowl: West Virginia vs. Army, ESPN, 4 p.m.

Texas Bowl: TCU vs. Arkansas, ESPN, 8 p.m.
Arkansas RB Rakeem Boyd

Janauary 1 – Friday, New Years Day

Peach Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Georgia, ESPN, noon
Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder
Georgia RB Zamir White

Citrus Bowl: Northwestern vs. Auburn, ABC, 1 p.m.
Auburn WR Seth Williams
Auburn WR Anthony Schwartz

Rose Bowl: Alabama vs. Notre Dame, 5 p.m. 
Alabama WR Jaylen Waddle
Alabama WR DeVonta Smith

Sugar Bowl: Ohio State vs. Clemson, ESPN, 8:45 p.m.
Ohio State QB Justin Fields
Ohio State RB Master Teague
Ohio State RB Trey Sermon
Ohio State WR Chris Olave
Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence
Clemson RB Travis Etienne
Clemson WR Justyn Ross

January 2 – Saturday

Gator Bowl: North Carolina State vs. Kentucky, ESPN, noon
North Carolina RB Javonte Williams
North Carolina RB Michael Carter
North Carolina WR Dazz Newsome

Outback Bowl: Indiana vs. Mississippi, ABC, 12:30 p.m.

Fiesta Bowl: Oregon vs. Iowa State, ESPN, 4 p.m.
Oregon RB C.J. Verdell
Iowa State TE Charlie Kolar

Orange Bowl: North Carolina vs. Texas A&M, ESPN, 8 p.m.

January 11 – Monday

College Football Playoff championship game:  ESPN, 8 p.m.

Tunnel Vision of Week 15

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Josh Allen 359-33 4
 Ryan Tannehill 273-21 5
 Kyler Murray 406-25 4
 Jalen Hurts 338-63 4
 Lamar Jackson 243-35 4
Running Backs Yards TD
Tony Pollard 12-69
6-63		 2
David Montgomery 32-146
1-16		 2
Dalvin Cook 24-132
5-27		 1
J.D. McKissic 13-51
9-56		 1
Derrick Henry  24-147
2-5		 1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Calvin Ridley 10-163 1
DeAndre Hopkins 9-169 1
Marvin Jones 10-112 1
Stefon Diggs 11-147 0
Zach Pascal 5-79 2
Tight Ends Yards TD
Darren Waller 9-150 1
Logan Thomas 13-101 0
Noah Fant 8-68 1
Travis Kelce 6-51 1
Mark Andrews 5-66 1
Placekickers XP FG
Cairo Santos 3 4
Tyler Bass 6 2
Nick Folk 0 4
Sam Ficken 2 3
Greg Zuerlein 5 2
Defense Sa ck-TO TD
Cowboys 2-4 1
Bills 3-1 1
Colts 5-2 0
Ravens 5-1 0
Seahawks 4-2 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Nick Mullens – Elbow
RB Raheem Mostert – Ankle
RB Le’Veon Bell – Arm
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire – Knee
RB James Robinson – Ankle
TE Richard Rodgers – Shin
WR Collin Johnson – Concussion
WR Cordarrelle Patterson – Knee
WR Michael Gallup – Hip
WR Tre’Quan Smith – Ankle
WR Stefon Diggs – Foot

Chasing Ambulances

All fantasy playoffs are raging and this is no time to lose anyone. Heading into Week 16, there will be a few important players to track.

WR Stefon Diggs (BUF) – HC Sean McDermott has not updated Digg’s status after leaving the Thursday night win with a foot injury. Early indications are that the injury is not serious and shouldn’t be an issue this week at the Patriots.

QB Nick Mullens (SF) – Injured his elbow in the loss to the Cowboys and was replaced by C.J. Beathard for the final series. HC Kyle Shanahan hasn’t addressed Mullens injury but was asked about changing quarterbacks anyway. He wouldn’t discuss that with the press which is a sure sign that a change could be made. The 49ers are in a lost season and winning or losing doesn’t matter much. But Mullens threw two interceptions and lost a fumble, so Beathard may see playing time at the Cardinals this week.

RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (KC) – The Chiefs’ rookie injured his knee in the win over the Saints and needed to be helped from the field since he couldn’t put any pressure on it. HC Andy Reid said that an X-ray was negative. According to Reid, “Clyde got twisted up into the splits.” His legs were sore and they will continue to evaluate him. Le’Veon Bell would inherit a bigger load if Edwards-Helaire misses time, though even he was banged up at the end of the game as well. The Chiefs host the Falcons and could win that game without their rookie, so practice will be important to see where he stands at the end of the week.

RB Raheem Mostert (SF) – Left the loss to the Cowboys after re-aggravating the same ankle injury that made him miss games earlier in the season. He was already bothered by it last week in practice. If he misses this meaningless game  at the Cardinals, Jeff Wilson and Tevin Coleman would see more use.

RB James Robinson (JAC) – Left the loss to the Ravens with an ankle injury and never returned. There was little information from the team about the injury and more should be known by Wednesday. Dare Ogunbowale replaced him in the game but he only ran the ball twice. The Jaguars host the Bears this week and have even less reason to win the game since they now own the No. 1 overall draft pick in April. Ogunbowale would take the start of Robinson cannot play, but he’s been the only consistently productive player for the offense and switching to the second string is unlikely to offer much fantasy value.

 

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

QB Aaron Rodgers (GB) – After far exceeding all expectations this season, right when you needed him most, Rodgers beats the Panthers, barely, with 143 passing yards and one touchdown. He ran in a score to salvage his fantasy value but he’d been a 300-yard, three-touchdown kind of guy this year when he played anything like the No. 25 defense versus quarterbacks.

RB Leonard Fournette (TB) – He replaced Ronald Jones this week, and more importantly, the soon-to-be free agent got a chance to audition for any other team looking at game tape. Fournette ran for only 49 yards on 14 carries but rushed in two touchdowns versus the Falcons that sport a Top-10 defense against running backs. Didn’t hurt his stock but didn’t wow anyone either. This week in Detroit could be big if Jones remains out.

QB Matt Ryan (ATL) – After  six straight weeks with moderate yardage and seven touchdowns combined, it seemed safe enough to count Ryan out for the rest of the year. But versus the Buccaneers, he passed for 356 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers. Probably won’t repeat in Kansas City this week, but trap games are happening.

RB Todd Gurley (ATL) – He’s been limited by the chronic knee condition that led to his leaving the Rams. Against the Buccaneers defense, he only ran once for a net one-yard loss and added two catches for 15 years. Gurley’s not going to be any more durable next year.

RB J.K. Dobbins (BAL) – Mark Ingram was a healthy scratch this week and Dobbins went on to score a touchdown in his fourth straight game. He’s still limited to no more than 15 carries per game, but he’s assumed the primary rusher role and should be even better in 2021.

WR Brandon Aiyuk (SF) – The rookie was expected to compliment Deebo Samuel but he’s been mostly injured and Aiyuk has a firm grasp on the No. 1 wideout role with the 49ers. He caught nine passes for 73 yards and a score in Dallas which means in his last seven games, he’s either caught a touchdown or gained 100 yards. For a team that doesn’t pass much.

RB Tony Pollard (DAL) – Ezekiel Elliott was a surprise scratch on Sunday and Pollard took the primary role.  He gained 69 yards and two touchdowns on only 12 carries and added six catches for 63 yards as one of the highest-scoring fantasy running backs for Week 15. That ought to get Ezekiel back in the game.

RB David Johnson (HOU) – Duke Johnson was inactive on Sunday and Johnson had to shoulder the receiving role as well as be the primary rusher. He only ran eight times for 27 yards and they gave Buddy Howell five carries for 22 yards. But Johnson went from never catching a pass since Week 7 to a career-high 11 receptions for 106 yards.  Even Duke Johnson only managed six catches for 24 yards when they played the Colts just two weeks back.

RB Sony Michel (NE) – Damien Harris was inactive this week because of his ankle and Michel reclaimed the lead rusher role. He only ran ten times but gained 74 yards with no run more than 17 yards. He’s making a case to stay next year in the convoluted, murky committee that will all but certainly remain.

RB Salvon Ahmed (MIA) – He was questionable to play against the Pats with a shoulder injury that forced him to miss three games. But with Myles Gaskin on the COVID-19 list, Ahmed not only started, he gained 122 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, plus caught a five-yard pass. Matt Breida also added 12 runs for 86 yards, so when Gaskin returns, this will be a very crowded backfield.

RB David Montgomery (CHI) – The Bears rarely allowed Montgomery to run more than 14 times per game and insisted on pretending that Cordarrelle Patterson was a running back. But over the last month, Montgomery has been one of the highest-scoring fantasy backs with at least one or two touchdowns  and well over 100 total yards each week. Either HC Matt Nagy figured out what we all knew for two years, or Montgomery’s dramatic upswing has Will Fuller overtones yet to be uncovered. Montgomery went from averaging 52  to 108 rushing yards per game. Don’t question it. He only scored twice in the first nine games and then six more in just the last four.

RB Derrick Henry (TEN) – Already set a personal best with 1,679 rushing yards this year with two games to go. He’d need 161 rushing yards in each game to break 2,000 yards and while facing the Packers and Texans might offer that opportunity, the Titans dialed him back after he gained 147 yards and a score on 24 rushes. They let Darrynton Evans have eight carries to finish out the game. Prudent? Sure. A missed opportunity? Who cares? No one wants to hear the Henry owner complain about anything.

WR DK Metcalf (SEA) – Left the win over the Football Team after grabbing his hamstring but returned and led the team with five catches for 43 yards. He’s only 64 yards away from passing Steve Largent’s team record of 1,287 yards in a season. He trails only DeAndre Hopkins (1,324) and Stefon Diggs (1,314) for the NFL lead.

TE Logan Thomas (WAS) – The sixth-year tight end may be on his fourth NFL team, but looks like he is going to stick. He’s risen to the No. 6 fantasy tight end and just caught 13 passes for 101 yards in the loss to the Seahawks. That’s three more catches in a game than any other Washington player this year.

Los Angeles Rams – Christmas just got a little colder and less merry in Southern California. Feels like they should have to wear a big, red “J” on their jersey for a week. No, wait, make that a giant “J” in Gotham Green.

 

Huddle player of the week

Jalen Hurts  –  Nudged out Josh Allen by less than one point as the highest-scoring fantasy player. The Eagles rookie threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns plus ran for 63 yards on 11 rushes with another score. While they lost to the Cardinals, he gets to try it all again in Dallas this weekend. So, this is what the Eagles offense looks like. “No, Carson, no one wants to be a backup quarterback. But some people have no options. People like you, Carson.”

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Ryan Tannehill 273-21 5 QB Russell Wilson 121-52 1
RB Tony Pollard 32-146
1-16		 2 RB Todd Gurley 1-(-1)
2-15		 0
RB Salvon Ahmed 23-122
1-5		 1 RB Kenyan Drake 8-21
2-14		 0
WR Zach Pascal 5-79 2 WR Amari Cooper 2-(-7)
2-10		 0
WR Kendrick Bourne 4-86 1 WR Keenan Allen 1-(-1)
1-17		 0
WR Russell Gage 5-68 1 WR Robby Anderson 1-(-1)
2-21		 0
TE Tyler Higbee 4-67 1 TE T.J. Hockenson 2-18 0
PK Cairo Santos 3  XP   4 FG PK Will Lutz   1 XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 178 Huddle Fantasy Points = 37

Now get back to work…

Six points with David Dorey

Friday’s quick look at six fantasy items to know

Well, the Steelers are on a losing streak now. Maybe the Saints need Drew Brees… or Jameis Winston? Each week hits a few more players with a COVID-19 vacation but has only truly impacted a few games. At least so far.

The Ravens-Browns game on Monday was outstanding and everything fantasy football loves. Heading into the weekend, we’re getting comfortable with the Chiefs being the best AFC team and that the Packers might be better than the Saints in the NFC.  The Jets and Jaguars are racing toward the No. 1 pick but there is just no catching the Jets. They’ve reached a new low when they lost 40-3 to the Seahawks and threw for 132 yards against the worst secondary in the NFL.

And yet, HC Adam Gase still has the reserved parking spot in the front row. His badge still opens the door. By this point, he must be planning on what he’s going to do with the draft pick.

Six things going into Week 15:

  1. RB Leonard Fournette (TB) – The Buccaneers signed Fournette to a one-year deal, so chances are high that he’ll be somewhere else in 2021 since the Bucs haven’t cared to make him a starter. At least not until this week. Ronald Jones is out with a fractured finger and COVID-19, so Fournette is expected to take the primary role with some help from LeSean McCoy and potentially Ke’Shawn Vaughn. This is a one or two game interview for the NFL to look at Fournette before the season is over. And how the Bucs use him will also be telling about their intention to keep him next season.

  2. QB Aaron Rodgers (GB) – The NFL world raised a collective eyebrow when the Packers used their 2020 first-round pick on Jordan Love. There was speculation that Rodgers was on his way out, one way or another. But Rodgers has been on fire this year. Currently, he’s thrown for 3,685 yards and 39 touchdowns. That’s a pace to end with 4,533 yards and 48 touchdowns.  Rodgers passed for more yardage in just one season  (2011 – 4,463 yards) and has never thrown for more than 45 touchdowns. The final schedule is against the Panthers, Titans and Bears. And that other high-yardage year for Rodgers was the year they went to the Super Bowl.
  3.  TE Irv Smith (MIN)  – The ex-Alabama tight end was the 2.18 pick in 2019, but he’s starting to show up well in the box scores. Kyle Rudolph was out last week and Smith caught four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown at the Buccaneers. Rudolph appears likely to be out this week with a foot injury and looks likely to miss this week so far. Smith would be the primary tight end versus the Bears and their No. 30 defense against tight ends. Rudolph is signed through 2023, but he’s also 30 years old. Interesting to see if Smith can handle the primary load and take the lead in 2021.
  4. QB Taysom Hill (NO) –  There are conflicting reports about Drew Brees returning this week, but the last thing the Saints need is to send him back to the sidelines for a few more weeks. Hill is more likely to start. And he needs to do well. He finally threw for two scores versus the Falcons but then struggled versus the Eagles. He ended with 291 yards and two scores but completed 11-of-15 passes for only 65 yards and no scores at halftime, and they lost. HC Sean Payton told Winston he could compete for the starting job in 2021 when he signed with the Saints. Hill will do himself a big favor if he can look like more than a running back that can throw  against the Chiefs this week.
  5. WR/RB Lynn Bowden (MIA) – The ex-Kentucky Wildcat was drafted by the Raiders with their 3.16 pick as a wideout, but the athletic Bowden could also serve as a running back. He ran for 1,468 yards as a junior for the Wildcats last year. He also threw 35 passes. He was traded to the Dolphins and little used until last week when both DeVante Parker and Jakeem Grant were injured. He ended with a team-high seven catches for 82 yards and ran once for two yards. There’s a chance that Parker and Grant could return but may not be 100% if they do. Bowden is a talented “tweener” type that can do many things well. Would like to see him do more.
  6. Top 5 Fantasy Playoff Performances 2000-2019, Per Position
    Always fun to look back to see which players had the best fantasy performances in their position during Weeks 15 and 16 over the last ten years. Did you have any?
    Interesting that the top guy was always in a road game.

    Again – always in a road game. And Todd Gurley in 2017 was a monster.

    Antonio Brown pre-meltdown was pretty good.

    And mostly at home for tight ends.  Kelce was the only time a top tight end  racked up Top-5  positional fantasy points during fantasy playoffs. Kelce repeating this year would be no surprise. Easy to forget how good Zach Ertz was.

Tunnel Vision of Week 14

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Aaron Rodgers 290-13 4
 Tua Tagovailoa 316-24 3
 Derek Carr 316-12 3
 Mitchell Trubisky 267-23 3
 Patrick Mahomes 393-9 2
Running Backs Rush
Receive		 TD
Derrick Henry 26-215
2-7		 2
Jonathan Taylor 20-150
2-15		 2
Miles Sanders 14-115
4-21		 2
Mike Davis 11-51
5-42		 2
David Montgomery 11-113
3-42		 1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Allen Robinson 9-123 1
Calvin Ridley 8-124 1
Tyreek Hill 1-32
3-79		 2
Stefon Diggs 10-130 1
Davante Adams 7-115 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Travis Kelce 8-136 1
Mike Gesicki 5-65 2
T.J. Hockenson 6-43 1
Irv Smith 4-63 1
Robert Tonyan 5-36 1
Placekickers XP FG
Rodrigo Blankenship 5 3
Greg Zuerlein 3 3
Dustin Hopkins 2 2
Jason Meyers 4 2
Cairo Santos 4 2
Defense Sack-TO TD
Rams 6-1 1
Football Team 4-3 2
Cardinals 8-3 0
Cowboys 2-3 1
Bears 7-2 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Daniel Jones – Benched
QB Matthew Stafford – Ribs
QB Alex Smith – Calf
QB Brandon Allen – Knee
TE Noah Fant – Illness
TE Mike Gesicki – Shoulder
WR Devante Parker – Leg
WR Jakeem Grant – Leg
WR Deebo Samuel – Hamstring
WR Mike Williams – Back

Chasing Ambulances

It just feels like I missed someone when I could not locate any injured running backs.

QB Daniel Jones (NYG)– While technically he was benched after a dismal showing against the Cardinals, Jones was rushed back too early from his hamstring injury in the belief he gave the Giants their best chance to win. That may have still been true, given the lack of success of Colt McCoy. The Giants host the Browns this week and cannot afford any more losses. A home game usually helps, but neither Jones nor McCoy are relevant in fantasy for now.

QB Matt Stafford (DET)– Stafford was crushed in an awkward position when he ran the ball against the Packers and injured his ribs. The severity should be known as early as Monday and the Lions have an enticing matchup at the Titans this week. Chase Daniels would replace him if he missed any time but that doesn’t offer much confidence that the passing game can maintain its average stats.

QB Alex Smith (WAS)– Injured his calf  but X-rays were negative and early speculation is that it is not serious. The Football Team hosts the Seahawks this week which usually benefits the passing game. Smith should return, but if he doesn’t, Dwayne Haskins just reminded everyone why he was benched.

TE Noah Fant (DEN) Left the game with a stomach bug and was replaced by Troy Fumagalli who led the team with five targets. He caught four for 53 yards and Nick Vannett ended with four catches for 20 yards and a touchdown.  Fant is expected back this week but just missed out on eight catches for 73 yards and a score that the other Denver tight ends produced.

TE Mike Gesicki (MIA)– Already scored twice on his five receptions for 65 yards in the loss to the Chiefs, Gesicki was dragged down on a tackle late in the game and landed heavily on his right shoulder. He did not move his right arm as he went to the locker room, which is not a good sign for this week versus the Patriots. Adam Shaheen and Durham Smythe would just split up the workload if Gesicki remains out. After the game, Tua Tagovailoa said that he saw Gesicki and that he was “really hurting.”

WR DeVante Parker (MIA)– Left the loss to the Chiefs in the second quarter with a leg injury. He later returned to the sideline but never re-entered the game. Jakeem Grant also left the game with a leg injury. Added to the loss of Gesicki, the Fins receiving corps was largely stripped of starters. Parker is the only fantasy-relevant wideout and his status should be better known on Monday.

WR Deebo Samuel  (SF) – Only lasted for one play in the loss to the Football Team and left with a hamstring injury. HC Kyle Shanahan said that it “didn’t look good.” Samuel has already missed previous games with a hamstring issue and there is a concern that this time could end his 2020 season. Brandon Aiyuk blew up with ten catches for 119 yards in his absence and Kendrick Bourne (3-42) saw seven targets replacing Samuel. If he misses any games or the rest of the season, Aiyuk stands to benefit the most as the only remaining weapon of any note in the passing offense.

WR Mike Williams (LAC) – Left with a back injury on the opening drive and was  replaced by Tyron Johnson, who caught 6-of-7 for 55 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons.  The Chargers play on Thursday night, so Williams won’t have much time to heal.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

WR KJ Hamler (DEN) – The rookie has had a quiet first season with only one touchdown coming into Week 14. He led the team against the Panthers with 86 yards and two touchdowns on just two catches – 37 and 49-yard scores. The 2.14 pick out of Penn State is small at only 5-8 and 178 pounds but he runs a 4.27/40 and was drafted to run deep routes just as he did this week.

RB Duke Johnson (HOU) – The beatdown by the Bears prevented Johnson from doing much as a rusher (7-38) but at least he added 53 yards on his two receptions. Buddy Howell (11-42) led the backfield only because he finished the game after the Texans surrendered. Next week is at the Colts, where the receiving ability will be relied on again.

RB David Montgomery (CHI) – What would the NFL be like without a weekly rant about the usage of Montgomery? He ran for an 80-yard touchdown in the first quarter and the Bears won 7-36 and led 7-30 at the half. And yet Montgomery was limited to 11 carries for 113 yards. Special teams gimmick Cordarrelle Patterson ran six times for 26 yards. That’s two weeks of great production from Montgomery who may never know what a workhorse is. He even added 42 yards on just three catches. What are they saving him for?

WR A.J. Green (CIN) – Faced the Cowboys very average secondary and Green  led the Bengals with six catches for 62 yards and caught the only Bengals’ touchdown. He’s doing himself a big favor since he’s due to be looking for a new employer in 2021.

QB Gardner Minshew (JAC) – Mike Glennon got the hook in the loss to the Titans and Minshew entered the game midway in the third quarter. He threw for 178 yards and a score in the final 21 minutes of the game. The Jags play in Baltimore next week, so he’s not likely to save anyone in fantasy  playoffs.

QB Tua Tagovailoa (MIA)  – He did throw 48 passes in the loss to the Chiefs, but he completed 28 for 316 yards and two touchdowns. And he did that without Preston Williams (IR) or Devante Parker (injured). He threw to 11 different receivers and made use of Lynn Bowden (7-82) and Mack Hollins (5-66). What’s he going to be like in 2021 when he has a full set of receivers?  He also ran for 24 yards and a touchdown.

TE Dan Arnold (ARI) – The Cardinals haven’t used the tight ends much as receivers for years (maybe decades). But Arnold caught a touchdown in Week 11 at Seattle.  Had just one catch in Week 12. Then he turned two receptions into touchdowns against the Rams. And on Sunday, he caught another score in the win over the Giants. He scored four touchdowns over his last four games played. All Cardinals’ wideouts combined for just one touchdown over the last four games. And Arnold has four.

TE Irv Smith (MIN) – With Kyle Rudolph out this week, Smith led the Vikings with 63 yards on four catches and one touchdown – their only passing score. The Buccaneers all but shut down the Vikings’ wide receivers somehow, but Smith stepped up and even Tyler Conklin  ended with five catches for 40 yards.

RB Leonard Fournette (TB) – He was a healthy scratch against the Vikings. Ronald Jones ran for 80 yards and one touchdown on 18 rushes and had one catch for a moderate game. Interesting was that they allowed LeSean McCoy to run four times for 32 yards and threw him a pass as well. That was McCoy’s first action since Week 6. This feels like more of a negative for Fournette than a positive for McCoy.

RB Jonathan Taylor (IND) –  The rookie saw moderate use in a committee backfield this year and fell below ten touches a few times around mid-season. He’s apparently on the same plan as Cam Akers since Taylor ran for over 90 yards in Weeks 11 and 13. And on Sunday, he ravaged the Raiders with 20 carries for 150 yards and two touchdowns, including a 62-yard scoring run during the third quarter. Nyheim Hines still ran the ball seven times for 58 yards, but Taylor is reliable again after three impressive weeks.

RB Josh Jacobs (LV) – This is an issue with fantasy leaguers at the least. And maybe a few gambling types as well. Jacobs was a game-time call against the Colts with an ankle injury. He had an Instagram post that said “SORRY GUYS IM NOT PLAYING TODAY.” But he was active and did indeed play, gaining 49 yards on 13 rushes and adding three catches for 25 yards. He was apparently trolling fantasy owners.

QB Matt Ryan (ATL) – The Falcons quarterback struggled this year  and the loss of their head coach back in Week 5 further signaled the team’s dysfunction. But he failed to throw any scores in his two previous road games and at the Chargers, he had to settled for just 224 yards and one touchdown – plus three interceptions. Calvin Ridley (8-124, TD) managed to remain a top receiver but Julio Jones missed his third game of the year.  Ryan was the No. 6 fantasy quarterback last year with 4,446 yards and 27 touchdowns. His decline has been very steep.

RB Alvin Kamara (NO) – He rushed for 50 yards and a score on 11 carries in the loss to the Eagles. But highly favorable was that his ten targets led the offense and he caught seven for 44 yards. His role as a receiver had been missing since Taysom Hill took over.

QB Jalen Hurts (PHI) – The Eagles rookie was given the start over Carson Wentz and proceeded to beat the Saints (or at the least, was there while the Saints lost). He passed for 167 yards and one score to Alshon Jeffery. He threw no interceptions but lost one fumble. And he rushed for 106 yards on 18 runs. That was just 13 yards short of Lamar Jackson’s  NFL record 119 yards in the first start for a quarterback.

RB Miles Sanders (PHI) – Quite the day for the second-year running back. He had not scored since Week 5 and battled a knee injury this year. The last two weeks saw him with only eight and ten touches for minimal yardage. But against the Saints and their No. 2 ranked rushing defense, he ran for 115 yards and two scores on 14 carries and added four catches for 21 yards.

Huddle player of the week

Derrick Henry  –  He ran for 215 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries and added two receptions for seven yards in the win over the Jaguars. He should be the NFL MVP this year. This is the third time this season that he’s been the highest-scoring fantasy player in the NFL. With three games left to play, Henry leads the NFL with 297 carries for 1,532 yards and 14 touchdowns. That is a pace to end with 365 carries for 1,885 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Tua Tagovailoa 316-24 3 QB Matt Ryan 224-3 1
RB Tony Pollard 11-39
2-9		 1 RB Todd Gurley 6-19
2-12		 0
RB Jeffery Wilson 11-31
1-13		 1 RB Ezekiel Elliott 12-48
2-11		 0
WR KJ Hamler 2-86 2 WR DeVante Parker 0 0
WR Brandon Aiyuk 10-118 0 WR Terry McLaurin 2-24 0
WR Nelson Agholor 5-100 1 WR Adam Thielen 3-39 0
TE Irv Smith 4-63 1 TE Evan Engram 2-18 0
PK Rodrigo Blankenship   5 XP   3 FG PK Will Lutz  3 XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 153 Huddle Fantasy Points = 41

Now get back to work…

Six points with David Dorey

Friday’s quick look at six fantasy items to know

It ends up that the Steelers are mortal, and all it took was the worst team that they had yet faced to visit. Injuries were very low last week and that’s not uncommon. They say everybody who is going to get hurt, already has. And by this point of the season, everyone is hurt on some level and just dealing with it.

COVID-19 is a bigger deal each week and has proven to be a problem since it’s hard to know if a person is on the lost with a positive test or were just in contact with someone who had. Hard to know when they are coming off the list and what shape they are in because it is not a part of the official injury report.

Fantasy playoffs have started in large contests and will happen in fantasy leagues this week and next. We’ve made it through 13 weeks without missing any games, and only a few fantasy-relevant players were impacted. Let’s hope it all lasts just three more weeks.

Six things to think about for Week 14:

  1. RB Christian McCaffrey (CAR) – Just when you think you can use that first draft pick, “nope”. McCaffery missed six games with an ankle injury, played Week 9, injured his shoulder and right when it looks like he’ll be back, he hurts his quad. Mike Davis was a life-saver if he could be reached by the McCaffrey owner. That probably did not happen in most leagues. That made me look at the five year history of where the No. 1 running back ended up the next season.

    2019 – Christian McCaffrey, 2020 = No. 42 (currently)
    2018 – Saquon Barkley, 2019 = No. 10
    2017 – Todd Gurley, 2018 = No. 3
    2016 – David Johnson, 2017 = No. 111
    2015 – Devonta Freeman, 2016 = 6
    2014 – Le’Veon Bell, 2015 = 48

    If there’s any consolation (and there isn’t), McCaffrey had monster performances in all three games that he played. But top running backs have a spotty track record the next year anyway.

  2. WR Keke Coutee (HOU) – Okay, so now we know how Will Fuller remained healthy this year.  Now that his season is over, Coutee moved up to the No. 2 role and reeled off eight catches for 141 yards against the Colts last week.  The Texans face the Bears in Chicago and it will be interesting to see what he can do there. Coutee spends Week 15 against the Colts again and then the fantasy Championship versus the Bengals. I’d still contend that anyone playing with Deshaun Watson is a player worth owning.
  3.  RB Cam Akers (LAR) – He just rushed for  171 yards on 29 carries and caught two passes for 23 yards. The only other backfield touches were two carries by Darrell Henderson. I have to comment – “where has that been?” As every optimistic Akers’ owner can attest, he never had more than ten carries in any game through Week 11 and was mysteriously not even used in several games despite being productive the previous week. Perhaps the is the newest version of the Rams Tyler Higbee who blew up down the stretch in 2019, only to hide back under his rock. Akers looked great, but his previous usage looks even harder to understand.
  4. Washington Football Team Backfield –  Antonio Gibson injured his toe last week and has yet to practice. He’s been a nice surprise with 11 touchdowns but looks likely to miss at least this week. The Football Team averages about 30 touches per game from the backfield and that now shrinks to just Peyton Barber and J.D. McKissic. They face the 49ers’ tough defense this week, but if  Gibson remains out, the final two weeks of the fantasy playoffs has them at home against the Seahawks and then Panthers. Those are two of the softer defenses versus running backs. This Sunday will indicate which back is the better option.
  5. Top 10 Free Agent Running Backs 2021 – The important part of the final four games for these players is looking good enough for a big 2021 contract (from someone) and how they are used can be telling as to if a team intends to re-sign them or let them walk.
     

    They are mostly the same age, finishing up that rookie contract or coming off a one-year deal. This is not a time for any of them to play poorly or sit a game out if they can possibly play.
  6. Top 20  Free Agent Wide Receivers 2021
    This is always interesting, because like the running backs, each player has a huge stake in what they do over the final weeks of their season since they need to sell themselves.

    But also interesting is what happens on their teams with other receivers. Many of the above teams are trying out newer players and that may play into their decision to re-sign or let them go. The Lions are in a notable situation. Not only are they looking for a new head coach, but none of their current starting wideouts are signed beyond this year. Kenny Golladay cannot stay healthy. Marvin Jones and Danny Amendola are heading into their 30’s.  Each of the pending free agents will be interesting to track for the final month.

Tunnel Vision of Week 13

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Derek Carr 381-5 4
 Baker Mayfield 334-5 4
 Ryan Tannehill 389-0 3
 Matt Stafford 402-0 3
 Sam Darnold 186-26 3
Running Backs Rush
Receive		 TD
David Montgomery 17-72
4-39		 2
Dalvin Cook 32-120
6-59		 0
Aaron Jones 15-130
3-18		 1
James Robinson 18-78
6-30		 1
Jonathan Taylor 13-91
3-44		 1
Wide Receivers Receive TD
Corey Davis 11-182 1
Davanta Adams 10-121 2
Justin Jefferson 9-121 1
Marvin Jones 8-116 1
T.Y. Hilton 8-110 1
Tight Ends Receive TD
Darren Waller 13-200 2
Mike Gesicki 9-88 1
Dan Arnold 2-61 2
T.J. Hockenson 7-24 0
Travis Kelce 8-136 1
Placekickers XP FG
Jason Sanders 1-4 0
Cody Parker 5 2
Younghoe Koo 1 3
Nick Folk 6 1
Harrison Butker 1 5
Defense Sack-TO TD
Patriots 3-2 2
Dolphins 6-2 0
Jaguars 2-4 1
Packers 7-1 0
Giants 5-2 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bow-outs

QB Brandon Allen – Chest
QB Philip Rivers – Foot
QB Carson Wentz – Benched
RB C Edwards-Helaire – Illness
RB Frank Gore – Concussion
RB Joshua Kelley – Ankle
WR Tyler Boyd – Ejected
WR Devante Parker – Ejected

Chasing Ambulances

Fortunately, not a lot of injuries and none expected to be serious.

QB Brandon Allen – The Bengals replacement for Joe Burrow only managed to complete 11-of-19 for 153 yards and one lucky 72-yard touchdown that was all thanks to Tyler Boyd. Allen left the game with a chest injury and was sacked five times by the Dolphins. Ryan Finley may be tabbed to face the Cowboys next week, but it is still a situation to avoid.

RB Frank Gore – Had a concussion after just one carry and the Jets – gasp! – ran better with non-37-year-old running backs. Josh Adams gained 74 yards on eight carries while ex-Lion Ty Johnson took over with 22 carries for 104 yards and one touchdown. He even added two receptions for 13 yards. Expect Johnson to be a hotter waiver wire pick-up this week and the Jets head to Seattle where Wayne Gallman just gained 135 yards in the Giants’ upset win. Johnson deserves to start even if Gore ends up healthy but the weekly practices should indicate what to expect.

RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire – Did not practice with a stomach virus but was active for the matchup with the Broncos. He never played and HC Andy Reid said that CEH had lost weight and had not practiced, so they opted to not use him despite that he was active and dressed for the game. He is expected to be back to health for the trip to Miami this week.

QB Jalen Hurts – Carson Wentz played halfway through the third quarter and was benched after he completed 6-of-15 for 79 yards at the Packers. Hurts was sent in and while he only threw 5-of-12, they went for 109 yards and a touchdown. He offered some spark. HC Doug Pederson said he has not decided on a starter for Week 14 versus the Saints. It is telling that he didn’t dismiss the chance.

QB Philip Rivers – Was disclosed that Rivers has a plantar plate rupture – a more severe version of turf toe. He will need surgery to fix it but intends to play with the injury. Rivers has been more productive in recent weeks despite the pain, so no reason to expect any changes.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

RB Alvin Kamara – His stats were in free-fall once Taysom Hill took over but at least this week, he ran for 88 yards and one score on 15 carries. He only caught two passes for nine yards which limits his most dangerous skill, but at least he was better than the five fantasy points from Week 12.

RB Todd Gurley – Troublesome that the Falcons primary back was held to only 26 yards on eight rushes in Week 11 in New Orleans and then missed Week 12 with a knee issue. He was active this week, but only gained 16 yards on eight carries versus the Saints (again). Gurley has been very touchdown-dependent this year and he’s not looked nearly as spry in recent weeks. He’s a hard one to start right when fantasy playoffs kick-off.

WR Quintez Cephus – The Lions’ fifth-round rookie has been a part of the offense from Week 1 but usually one for one or two catches as the No. 4 wideout. With Kenny Golladay still out, the Lions wanted to take a longer look at the rookie Cephus. He caught two passes for 63 yards that included a 49-yard touchdown on the Bears’ secondary.

RB David Montgomery – The Bears’ running back ran for 72 yards on 17 carries and scored twice, plus caught four passes for 39 yards. The Bears brain trust still opted to give special-teamer Cordarrelle Patterson ten carries and the Lions presented the worst rushing defense. But the Bears lost the game and Montgomery’s best situation of the season still saw him lose ten carries to a gimmick kick returner.

WR T.Y. Hilton – It only took the Colts No. 1 wideout ten games to get in synch with Philip Rivers. He had been consistent with around 40 yards per game and then caught four passes for 81 yards and a score versus the Titans in Week 12. On Sunday, he led the Colts with eight receptions for 110 yards and one touchdown against the Texans for his best performance of the season.

WR Keke Coutee – Facing a formidable Colts defense, Brandin Cooks was limited to only 65 yards on five catches. But Keke Coutee lead the team with eight catches for 141 yards replacing the suspended Will Fuller. The next two weeks are tougher – road games at the Bears and Colts. But Coutee showed the same form he had in 2018 when he produced two 100-yard performances and then did little else until this week.

WR Chad Hansen – He sent many people to their game programs to figure out who the wideout was with five catches for 101 yards against the Colts vaunted secondary. Hansen was a fourth-round pick by the Jets in 2017 who had nine catches as a rookie and then none while he drifted on and off the rosters of the Patriots, Titans, Broncos and Saints. His 101 yards was more than double the 94 career-yards he had coming into the game and his first action in three years. He was promoted off the practice squad and made a splash. Both he and Keke Coutee can thank playing with Deshaun Watson for their success, but anyone with a 100-yard game late in the year is worth noting.

WR DeVante Parker – The Dolphins lead receiver was held to only 38.9 yards per game playing with Tua Tagovailoa as the starting quarterback. He hurt his thumb and missed Week 12 when Ryan Fitzpatrick completed eight passes for 119 yards at the Jets. Tagovailoa returned and Parker returned to only four catches for 35 yards. When he plays with Fitzpatrick, he averaged almost 80 yards per game.

WR Collin Johnson – The Jaguars are another team trying out new players and the 6-6, fifth-round pick out of Texans showed up with 96 yards and a score versus the Browns last week. On Sunday, he led the Jaguars with four receptions for 66 yards while DJ Chark was held to only two catches for 41 yards by the Vikings.

WR Henry Ruggs – The Raiders picked the first wideout in the NFL draft and came away with Ruggs who has been “uneven” as a rookie. But the Raiders found themselves on the Jets’ 46-yard line with only 19 seconds left. They trailed the winless Jets 24-28 but DC Gregg Williams opted to call up a total blitz on the third-down play. That meant Ruggs, drafted 1.12 and running a 4.27/ 40-time, was one-on-one against CB Lamar Jackson, an undrafted rookie. Expect much talk about that play this week.

RB Cam Akers – The Rams’ rookie ran for 72 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries and added a 22-yard catch.  Darrell Henderson would also score on his 38-yard breakaway run but only handed three carries in all. Notable is that Akers 21 rushes in one game are more than any other Rams’ running back this year.

RB Wayne Gallman – He was on a five-game scoring streak after taking over as the primary back in Week 7. While he failed to reach the endzone this week in Seattle, Gallman ran for a season-best 135 yards on 16 carries.

RB Sony Michel – He was on injured reserve and while he was active last week, he had no carries. With Rex Burkhead gone,  the Pats only used Damien Harris and James White in Week 12. Michel finally saw use on Sunday when he ran ten times for 35 yards and added a catch for 23 yards. Michel only ran four times over the first three quarters and then saw most of his use late in the already-decided game.

Huddle player of the week

Darren Waller  –  Not often that the highest-scoring fantasy player for a week is a tight end. Even rarer that it wasn’t Travis Kelce. Waller ended with 13 catches for 200 yards and two scores versus the Jets this week and while Henry Ruggs caught the winning score, Waller was the only reason that play mattered.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Sam Darnold 186-26 3 QB Justin Herbert 209 0
RB Ty Johnson 22-104
2-13		 1 RB Miles Sanders 31 0
RB Alfred Morris 8-39
2-13		 2 RB Derrick Henry 15-60
1-9		 0
WR Rashard Higgins 6-95 1 WR Devante Parker 4-35 0
WR Henry Ruggs 3-84 1 WR Keenan Allen 5-48 0
WR D. Peoples-Jones 2-92 1 WR Nelson Agholor 4-38 0
TE Dan Arnold 2-61 2 TE Evan Engram 4-32 0
PK Cody Parker  5 XP   2 FG PK Mike Badgley   zip
Huddle Fantasy Points = 160 Huddle Fantasy Points = 50

Now get back to work…

Six points with David Dorey

Friday’s quick look at six fantasy items to know

Okay, so we just had a Wednesday game but not a Thursday game, which becomes the other Monday game unless we end up back on a Tuesday. Man. What a headache. Hopefully, this won’t get worse because trying to keep everyone on schedule is only tougher.

The next five weeks are interesting for anyone in a dynasty league. And even if you don’t play in keeper leagues, now is the time to start thinking a bit more about 2021 because teams are going to start trying out players so that they can better evaluate their roster in the offseason. There’s bound to be a number of teams entering a rebuilding phase and players are also auditioning for new teams.

Six things I am watching heading into Week 13:

  1. RB J.K. Dobbins (BAL) – The Ravens chose him with their 2.23 pick to be a part of their committee backfield. Through the first 12 weeks, we’ve seen Mark Ingram’s usage shrink as he turns 30 years old. He has one more year on his contract but can be cut. Gus Edwards filled in with some success but has also seen a decline in carries and a lack of effectiveness when he does. He’s an undrafted free agent that costs nothing to cut. But Dobbins had over a dozen carries in three of his last four games and looked sharp in Week 11 running for 70 yards on 15 carries before getting COVID-19. The Ravens have mostly a cakewalk the rest of the year – DAL, @CLE, JAC, NYG, @CIN. I’m watching Dobbins.

  2. RB D’Andre Swift  (DET) – I wrote about him here two weeks ago and then he had a concussion in practice and missed playing the Panthers. Adrian Peterson was interviewed and said that Swift “wasn’t himself since suffering the concussion.” That is NOT what you want to hear on any front. The second-pick in the draft has flashed talent but hasn’t often had more than a dozen touches or so in the committee approach from ex-head coach Matt Patricia. The Lions have a very tough remaining schedule and not being 100% will limit him. There is a chance, be still my heart, that the Lions install Swift as a full-time, primary back in whatever new offense there is in 2021. But he has to earn that now and any lingering effects from a concussion will only get in his way.

  3.  WR Isaiah Coulter (HOU) – The Texans used their 5.26 pick on this Rhode Island wideout, and he landed on injured reserve with a neck issue. He came off about a month ago and now should see playing time with Will Fuller suspended and Kenny Stills gone. Keke Coutee moved into the No. 2 role, but history says that probably won’t last or go well. Coulter is 6-2, and runs a 4.45/40-time. If there is any player to believe in on the Texans roster, it is Deshaun Watson and he needs receivers. The next three games are the Colts (twice) and Bears. That will force Watson to look beyond the two starting wideouts for more targets.
  4. WR Collin Johnson (JAC) –  The Jaguars are highly likely to lose their head coach Doug Marrone in the offseason, and they too have lost some receivers along the way. The Jags used their  5.20 draft pick to grab the 6-6, 222 pound Texas product to add to their 2.10 pick of Laviska Shenault. Johnson already had seven catches for 69 yards and a score coming into Week 12. With the Jaguars missing both DJ Chark and Chris Conley, Johnson saw a team-high eight targets and caught four for 96 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown. The Jaguars may look very different in 2021, and that could include Johnson in the weekly rotation.
  5. WR Gabriel Davis (BUF) – The Bills tabbed Davis with their 4.22 pick and the UCF product played as the No. 4 wideout since Week 1. He totaled 22 catches for 354 yards and four touchdowns already and had a bump up the depth chart with John Brown on injured reserve. Without Brown in Week 12,  Johnson turned in three catches for 79 yards, and a 20-yard touchdown thrown by Cole Beasley. He’ll supply the No. 3 role for now and has a chance to stick next year as well.
  6. Heads up! If you are heading towards your league playoffs, consider cutting some of that roster depth that you never used and tune up your kickers and team defenses. Always carry two into the postseason so that you always have an option. Most of the contests and many of the leagues freeze free agency after this week. This may be your last chance to prevent that feeling when your kicker pulls a hamstring on Friday practice.

Tunnel Vision of Week 12

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Patrick Mahomes 462-28 3
 Deshaun Watson 318-24 4
 Kirk Cousins 307-19 3
Tom Brady 345-(-1) 3
 Aaron Rodgers 211-11 4
Running Backs Rush
Receive		 TD
Derrick Henry 27-178
2-7		 3
Antonio Gibson 20-115
5-21		 3
Nick Chubb 19-144
3-32		 1
Latavius Murray 19-124
1-2		 2
Kenyan Drake  22-78
3-15		 2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Tyreek Hill 13-269 3
Will Fuller 6-171 2
Jarvis Landry 8-143 1
Allen Robinson 8-74 2
A.J. Brown 4-98 2
Tight Ends Yards TD
Evan Engram 6-129 0
Rob Gronkowski 6-106 0
Travis Kelce 8-82 0
T.J. Hockenson 5-89 0
Kyle Rudolph 7-68 0
Placekickers XP FG
Younghoe Koo 4 5
Graham Gano 1 4
Robbie Gould 2 3
Dustin Hopkins 5 2
Greg Zurelein 1 3
Defense Sck-TO TD
Falcons 5-5 1
Panthers 2-3 2
Rams 2-4 1
Texans 4-3 1
49ers 2-4 1

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Daniel Jones – Hamstring
QB Teddy Bridgewater – Arm
RB Josh Jacobs – Ankle
RB Dalvin Cook – Ankle (returned)
RB Phillip Lindsay – Knee
WR D.J. Moore – Leg
WR Olamide Zaccheaus – Toe

Chasing Ambulances

QB Daniel Jones – Left in the third quarter with what was called a “serious hamstring injury.” An MRI will determine the prognosis but early expectations are that he could miss this week’s matchup with the Seahawks in Seattle. Colt McCoy finished the game with only 6-of-10 completions for 31 yards. The 34-year-old McCoy only started seven games over the last nine years but at least the Seahawks secondary is weak.

QB Teddy Bridgewater – Injured his arm on the final play of the game but later said his arm was “sideswiped” and that it wasn’t serious.

RB Josh Jacobs – Injured his ankle during the blowout loss to the Falcons. He lost a fumble near the end of the third quarter and did not play again, but it was already a lost cause at 30-6 entering into the fourth quarter. There was little said about it afterward, but if he were injured, then Devontae Booker would inherit the starting role this week at the Jets.

RB Phillip Lindsay – Left the loss to the Saints with a knee injury. HC Vic Fangio would only say that he “tweaked his knee a little bit.” Royce Freeman ran for 50 yards on eight rushes working as a wildcat quarterback and could see more work if Lindsay’s injury keeps him out against the Chiefs this week, but the Broncos offense is already sputtering and Melvin Gordon gets the most work regardless of what Lindsay did.

WR D.J. Moore – Had to be carried from the field after a non-contact leg injury. These types of injuries are rarely minor and if he misses time, Robby Anderson and Curtis Samuel will see an increase to their targets once they return from their bye this week.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

RB Alvin Kamara – Week two with Taysom Hill and Kamara was no better with only 11 runs for 54 yards and one catch for a one-yard loss. Latavius Murray ran for 124 yards and two scores but the Broncos weren’t putting up much fight and Kamara wasn’t needed. They’ll need him more this week in Atlanta. At least, theoretically.

QB Kendall Hinton – The Broncos ran out of eligible quarterbacks and dialed up the practice squad wideout that had one year as a quarterback in college. He only completed one-of-nine passes for 13 yards and threw two interceptions. He was the first Denver quarterback to throw no completions in the first half since Tim Tebow in 2011.

Falcon’s backfield – Todd Gurley was out with a sore knee, and Brian Hill had the start. He ran for 55 yards on 13 carries but they also relied on Ito Smith for 12 rushes for 65 yards and one score. Smith had nine of his carries in the final couple of series, so Hill remains the primary when Gurley is out. The Falcons already led 30-6 before Smith began to run the ball much.

QB Derek Carr – Faced the No. 32 ranked defense versus quarterbacks and flopped hard with only 215 yards and one interception in a game that the Raiders just went through the motions. Probably an after-effect of losing to the Chiefs in Week 11.

RB Austin Ekeler – His first action since Week 4 and there was no “easing” him back into the game flow. Ekeler ran 14 times for 44 yards and added a season-high 11 receptions for 85 yards. Joshua Kelley (7-35, TD) was given the goal-line plunge, but mostly because he broke a 33-yard run to reach the BUF-8 yard line.

WR Gabriel Davis – The rookie already scored four times this season, including four catches for 70 yards and a touchdown in Week 9 against the Seahawks. With John Brown on injured reserve, Davis led the Bills with three catches for 79 yards and a score against the Chargers. Stefon Diggs was held to 39 yards on seven receptions.

QB Brandon Allen – The Bengals opted for Allen after losing Joe Burrow for the season. He only completed 17-of-29 passes for 136 yards and one touchdown. The only bright spot was that Tee Higgins (5-44, TD) caught the touchdown though it was in the final two minutes of the game.

WR T.Y. Hilton – The Colts No. 1 wideout (in theory) finally scored for the first time this year when he posted a season-best four catches for 81 yards against the visiting Titans. He plays in Houston this week with a good chance to shine again.

QB Mike Glennon – The Jaguars had enough of Jake Luton and turned to Glennon this week versus the Browns. He passed for 235 yards and two scores even though DJ Chark and Chris Conley were out. The rookie Collin Johnson led the team with four receptions for 96 yards and one touchdown from a 46-yard catch.

WR Adam Thielen – The Vikings hoped that Thielen could test negative for COVID-19 in time to play  the Panthers on Sunday but he was unable and was made inactive. In his place, Obisi Johnson led the team with seven catches for 74 yards while Justin Jefferson turned in two scores on his seven receptions for 70 yards.

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick – With Tua Tagovailoa out this week, Fitzpatrick threw for 257 yards and two scores in the win over the Jets.  The rookie had swelling in his thumb and is not feared to miss several weeks. If that happens, Fitzpatrick faces three straight home games versus the Bengals, Chiefs and Patriots.

RB DeAndre Washington – The Dolphins still have Myles Gaskin on injured reserve and Salvon Ahmed missed the game with a shoulder injury. Matt Breida ran eight times for 36 yards while Washington was given 13 rushes to gain 49 yards and he added two catches for 11 yards. Gaskin may be returning and Ahmed’s shoulder could improve. It all draws a more confusing picture of the Miami backfield for the rest of the season.

RB Raheem Mostert – Was activated from the injured reserve after missing six weeks. While he was considered questionable and his role downplayed by HC Kyle Shanahan, Mostert led the 49ers with 16 carries for 43 yards and one touchdown and two catches for no gain. Jeff Wilson also returned after missing five games and turned in 12 runs for 43 yards. Jerick McKinnon only handled three runs and two catches.

RB Cam Akers – He’s still the third back to get into the game but the rookie outplayed Darrell Henderson (10-19) and Malcolm Brown (3-4) when he ran for 84 yards and one touchdown on nine carries.  He gained 61-yards in a fourth-quarter run and was allowed to punch in the score. Henderson hasn’t shown the same form he had earlier in the season and Brown has been used more as a short-yardage back. The committee approach is still in strong use, but the rookie Akers is the only back flashing any spark lately.

RB David Montgomery – He missed Week 10 with a concussion and returned to a season-best 11 carries for 103 yards against the Packers. He broke a 57-yard run and added five receptions for  40 yards and a touchdown. It was his first 100-yard effort and a season-high for receiving yards as well. And that came with Mitchell Trubisky back as the starting quarterback.

 

Huddle player of the week

Tyreek Hill  –  Some weeks it isn’t close. Hill burned the Buccaneers, catching 13 of 16 targets for 269 yards and three touchdowns. That ties for the No. 15 most receiving yardage in any game and Hill already totaled 210 yards on eight catches at halftime. That’s a cool 57.9 points in a reception-point league. Hill already scored 13 times this year and leads all fantasy wideouts on the season.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Philip Rivers 295 2 QB Kyler Murray 201 0
RB Latavius Murray 19-124
1-2		 2 RB Ezekiel Elliott 10-32
1-7		 0
RB Adrian Peterson 15-55 2 RB C. Edwards-Helaire 11-37
1-2		 0
WR Jarvis Landry 8-143 1 WR Cooper Kupp 2-41 0
WR Deebo Samuel 11-134 0 WR Antonio Brown 2-11 0
WR Collin Johnson 4-96 1 WR Michael Thomas 4-50 0
TE Kyle Rudolph 7-68 0 TE Darren Waller 4-23 0
PK Younghoe Koo   4 XP   5 FG PK Rodrigo Blankenship   2 XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 129 Huddle Fantasy Points = 23

Now get back to work…

Six points with David Dorey

Friday’s quick look at six fantasy items to know

Week 12 starts with the Ravens-Steelers game moved from Thursday night to Sunday. And amidst the haze from eating too much turkey and taters, we fought off the sleepiness watching the Lions getting bombed 41-25 by the visiting Texans and then the Cowboys pulled off a national-TV face-plant with their 41-16 loss to the Football Team.

This weekend is all about new and used quarterbacks. Six things to think about heading into Week 12:

  1. Ravens Offense  – Lamar Jackson contracted COVID-19 and will miss this week, and maybe next week. That’s the first time that we’ve lost a fantasy star, let alone the 2019 NFL MVP. The game is moved to Sunday at 1:15 and now Robert Griffin III will be the starter against the Steelers. That’s unlikely to go well, but RG3 would face the Cowboys in Week 13 if Jackson remains out. Worth watching Sunday to see if he can be of use the following week but he had one start since 2016 and that was Week 16, 2019 when he passed for only 96 yards also against the Steelers in a 28-10 win. He ran for 50 yards as well.
  2. Brady vs. Winston – There’s a growing concern about Tom Brady maybe not being the Greatest-of-2020-in-Tampa-Bay. He’s lost his most important games so far. Let’s look at where the Buccaneers are statistically after 11 weeks with Brady versus the first 11 games for Jameis Winston last year.
    Brady makes fewer mistakes – which is pretty important – but he’s thrown almost exactly the same number of passes with higher completions and lower yardage. That plays out for both Chris Godwin and Mike Evans who are not gaining nearly as much per catch in 2020. Notable too is that Godwin hasn’t been much help this year and yet Brady still throws completions and touchdowns.
  3. QB Brandon Allen (CIN) – The Bengals lost Joe Burrow for the year and opted to leave Ryan Finley as the backup and promote Allen from the practice squad to fill in for the rest of the year. The fifth-year former sixth-round pick of the Jaguars only started three career games which were last year in Denver. He never managed more than 240 yards and totaled three touchdowns. Noah Fant (3-115) and Courtland Sutton (5-113) each had one good game with Allen but unless he impresses against the Giants this weekend, all Bengals players are downgraded. They do play the Cowboys (Week 14) and the Texans (Week 16), so enticing matchups are on the way if he shows he at least offer an adequate fill-in for Burrow.
  4. QB Mike Glennon (JAC) – Gets at least a one week start over Jake Luton. Glennon totaled six years over three teams and most notably started 21 games for the Buccaneers. He was with Oakland last year and his best attribute is that he is not Luton. His best season was as a rookie in 2016. Glennon gets to play the incoming Browns this week and then the Vikings in Week 13 if he is still needed. The change at quarterback can only help a team that needs to throw, alot, in every game. The Jags are down to only James Robinson and DJ Chark as fantasy options and the next two games are at least good situations versus below-average defenses.
  5. 49er Running Backs – Raheem Mostert is eligible to be activated for this week’s tilt at the Rams. Tevin Colman is back at practice and also expected to be activated and both players were on bye last week as well.  Mostert left in Week 6 with a high ankle sprain so six weeks may not have been enough to get him back in shape. Should know more by the end of the day on Friday. Coleman is trying to return from his knee injury of Week 2. He returned for one game in Week 8 but then returned to injured reserve. If Mostert and Coleman both remain out, then Jerrick McKinnon is the last man standing. This backfield needs help and Mostert could return to a busy role if he is healthy enough.
  6. QB Mitchell Trubisky (CHI) – HC Matt Nagy hasn’t named a starter but Trubisky is practicing as the starter and is expected to start at least this week, if not the rest of the season to see what he can do. The offense struggled with him but it wasn’t much better with Nick Foles who is out with a hip injury. He faces the Packers this week, but if he clears them with any respectable results, he could benefit from the remaining schedule of DET, HOU, @MIN and @JAC. In 2-QB leagues, any starter is notable and Trubisky gets a soft schedule while battling for this career.