Category: General Fantasy Football Analysis

Tunnel Vision of Week 11

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

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Deshaun Watson  344-36 3
 Justin Herbert 366-11 3
 Kirk Cousins 314-4 3
 Aaron Rodgers 311-13 3
 Ryan Tannehill 259-35 2
Running Backs Yards TD
Dalvin Cook 27-115
5-45		 1
Melvin Gordon 15-84 2
Derrick Henry 28-133
1-(-1)		 1
Clyde Edwards-Helaire 14-69
1-8		 2
J.K. Dobbins 15-70
2-15		 1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Keenan Allen 16-145 1
Adam Thielen 8-123 2
Damiere Byrd 6-132 1
Davante Adams 7-106 1
Tyreek Hill 11-102 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Mark Andrews 5-96 1
Dallas Goedert 5-77 1
Robert Tonyan 5-44 1
Darren Waller 7-88 1
Travis Kelce 8-127 1
Placekickers XP FG
Rodrigo Blankenship 2 4
Stephen Gostkowski 1 3
Justin Tucker 1 3
Mike Badgley 4 2
Chris Boswell 3 2
Defense Sck-TO TD
Steelers 2-4 0
Colts 1-4 0
Browns 5-3 1
Saints 8-2 0
Football Team 4-2 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Joe Burrow – Knee
QB Tua Tagovailoa – Benched
WR Randall Cobb – Foot
WR Kenny Stills – Leg
RB Rex Burkhead – Knee
TE Jonnu Smith – Ankle

Chasing Ambulances

Another tough week for quarterbacks.

QB Joe Burrow – Initial speculation was that he tore his ACL and likely did other damage. A tough ending for the first pick in the NFL draft who already proved why he was coveted. Now the Bengals revert to their fourth-round pick of 2019 in Ryan Finley.  He started three games as a rookie and all were losses with never more than 192 passing yards.  This downgrades all Bengals’ players, including Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd. With Joe Mixon already on injured reserve, the rest of the season looks bleak.

QB Tua Tagovailoa – Benched in the loss to the Broncos, but he’s already been confirmed as the starter next week at the Jets. The rookie had a down game with only 11-of-23 for 83 yards and one score while being sacked six times. The Fins went with Fitzpatrick looking for a spark. Tagovailoa will  look much better this week in New York.

RB Rex Burkhead – Believed to have a serious, season-ending knee injury in the loss to the Texans. Rather than clearing up the Patriot’s backfield, Sony Michel is expected to become active for games and to maintain the maddening three-man rotation that limits each player.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

RB J.K. Dobbins – The rookie was the primary rusher for the Ravens in their loss to the Titans. He ran 15 times for 70 yards and a touchdown while Gus Edwards (3-6) and Mark Ingram (2-2) were mostly spectators. This remains a committee, but Dobbins success spells better things for the rest of the season and more so, next year.

TE Mark Andrews – After marginal use this season, Andrews  caught seven passes for 61 yards in Week 10 and then led the Ravens with five receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown on Sunday.

QB Matt Stafford – Troublesome that he plays with a damaged thumb on his throwing hand and then only managed 178 yards and no scores on the Panthers No. 27 defense versus quarterbacks. Kenny Golladay was out, as he is often this year, but Stafford couldn’t connect for any points in their shutout loss.

QB P.J. Walker – First NFL start for the former XFL star produced a shutout win for the Panthers but the results were mixed. He threw for 258 yards and two scores with the three wideouts all leading the team. D.J. Moore (7-127) and Curtis Samuel (8-70, TD) were top fantasy players, and Robby Anderson (7-46) ended a bit lighter than usual in yardage. Walker also tossed two interceptions and it was a home game against the Lions who trailed the entire time.

RB Rodney Smith – The Panthers’ undrafted rookie out of Minnesota saw his first action in Week 10 when he ran for 13 yards on three carries and caught a two-yard pass against the Buccaneers. Against the Lions, he ran eight times for 29 yards. Notable that he was the only other back besides Mike Davis.

WR Damiere Byrd – The Patriot’s very fast wideout turned in a team high 132 yards and a score on six catches in the loss to the Texans this week. He recorded five receptions for 65 yards in Week 9 versus the Jets but was blanked against the Ravens in Week 10. At least he shows up when the Patriots face weak defenses.

QB Taysom Hill /Alvin Kamara – Hill beat the Falcons, so Jameis Winston can get used to the clipboard for now. Hill was efficient completing 18-of-23 passes for 233 yards, and he led the Saints in rushing with 51 yards and two scores on ten carries. Based solely on the one start, Michael Thomas (9-104) will be fine with the change in quarterback while Alvin Kamara’s (13-45, TD rush) fantasy value takes a huge hit since he was only thrown one target and ended with no catches. Kamara leads the Saints with 67 catches, which is 18 more than any other NFL running back. And the No. 1 fantasy running back had zero catches.

RB Salvon Ahmed – Matt Brieda returned but only ran twice to gain four yards and never had a target. Ahmed’s second start only saw  him with 12 carries for 43 yards in the loss to the Broncos, but he added five receptions for 31 yards.

Colts Backfield – Nyheim Hines blew up for 70 yards on 12 runs and five catches for 45 yards with two touchdowns in Week 10. That was not the start of something new. Against the Packers, Jonathan Taylor was back to being the primary back with 22 runs for 90 yards while Hines only gained two yards on six carries. Hines caught three passes for 31 yards but Taylor ended with four receptions for 24 yards. This committee can go with the hot hand, but in most cases leans on Taylor for whatever that produces.

RB Ezekiel Elliott – Finally broke 100 rushing yards when he gained 103 on 21 rushes and added two catches for 11 yards with one touchdown. This was the first time that Elliott looked like he could return to form since Dak Prescott was injured.

QB Andy Dalton – Over his concussion and COVID-19, the Cowboys quarterback threw for 203 yards and three touchdowns in the win over the Vikings.  Encouraging that his top receivers were all wideouts – Amari Cooper (6-81), CeeDee Lamb (4-34, TD) and Michael Gallup (2-29). The Cowboys chances of representing the NFC East in their playoff loss just got better.

Huddle player of the week

WR Keenan Allen  –  If Allen had any reservations about playing with a rookie quarterback, they are long gone. Allen turned in 16 catches for 145 yards and one score against the Jets for the highest fantasy points in most leagues. And to think he was the No. 24 wideout in Average Draft Position this summer.

Salute!

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

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Philip Rivers 288 3 QB Matt Ryan 232 0
RB J.K. Dobbins 15-70
2-15		 1 RB Todd Gurley 8-16
1-3		 0
RB Carlos Hyde 14-79
2-16		 1 RB Nyheim Hines 6-2
3-31		 0
WR Damiere Byrd 6-132
1-11		 1 WR Julio Jones 2-39 0
WR Tim Patrick 5-119 0 WR JuJu Smith-Schuster 4-19 0
WR Corey Davis 5-113 0 WR DeAndre Hopkins 5-51 0
TE Richard Rodgers 2-48 1 TE Hayden Hurst 0 0
PK Rodrigo Blankenship 2  XP   4 FG PK Matt Prater   0 XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 144 Huddle Fantasy Points = 39

Now get back to work…

Six points with David Dorey

Friday’s quick look at six fantasy items to know

Week 11 started out with a great matchup between the Seahawks and Cardinals that came down to the final minute. This time, the Cardinals were able to stop Kyler Murray but not many other teams have.

The Steelers still haven’t lost and the Jets haven’t won.

Fantasy playoffs are starting soon for big contests and then in three or four more weeks for most leagues. We’re already battling a whacky season with tons of injuries and positive results from COVID-19 testing. Now the weather is an issue and apparently, it is just a feature in Cleveland where they expect rain this week.

Okay, six things to think about heading into Week 11:

  1. QB Jameis Winston (NO)  – The Saints haven’t formally named Winston as the starter, but let’s think about this. One guy threw for  5,109 yards and 33 touchdowns last year while the other threw 4-of-7 for 72 yards for 2019. I’m leaning towards Winston. What to expect? The Saints play the Falcons twice over the next three games.  The Saints lack the same quality of receivers as the Buccaneers had  last year since Michael Thomas isn’t Michael Thomas yet and the No. 2 receiver hasn’t mattered much. 2020  looks like the year of Alvin Kamara. If Winston can hit Thomas and throw eight or more passes to Kamara, the Saints should be okay. He brings a bigger arm, so we’ll see if the passes are any deeper this week.
  2. RB Salvon Ahmed (MIA) –   He ran for 85 yards and one score on 21 carries for the Dolphins’ win over the Chargers. That’s plenty to get scraped off every waiver wire. Is he the next big thing or just the next D’Ernest Johnson? The undrafted rookie was released by the 49ers and stashed on the Miami practice squad until injuries made him active a few weeks ago. Ahmed runs a 4.4/40 and has drawn positive reviews that he looks like the fastest running back for Miami this year. Whenever Myles Gaskins returns, the expectation is that Ahmed maintains some role and if he can look as good against the Broncos and Jets next, he’ll make it hard on the Fins to ignore him. Matt Brieda is coming back but has been inconsistent. Ahmed is one-for-one so far with another chance on Sunday.
  3. RB D’Andre Swift – Is it possible that the Lions are finally going to treat their rookie back like he’s the most talented player in their backfield? That an actual primary back, a “workhorse” even, could exist for the Lions?  Last week, they dialed back Adrian Peterson to only four carries while Swift handled 16 rushes for 81 yards and caught five passes for 68 yards and one touchdown. Versus the No. 5 defense against running backs (Washington). This week, the Lions face the No. 31 defense in the Panthers. How many carries he gets says a lot about what we can expect the rest of the season.
  4. QB Andy Dalton – He lives on many waiver wires after a less than impressive game against the Cardinals when he passed for 266 yards and one score with two interceptions. He was knocked out the next week but starts this weekend versus the Vikings’ weak secondary. The Cowboys still have three very good wide receivers and a burning need to pass the ball. He’s nine years younger than Tom Brady and two years younger than Matt Ryan. If he can connect well with his wideouts this week, we need to rethink what he can do the rest of the way.
  5. Jaguars offense – Jake Luton needs to show he can do more but has to play against the Steelers this week. Maybe a trap game? The fantasy fortunes of James Robinson, DJ Chark and Laviska Shenault are riding on how competitive they can play. After Sunday, the Jaguars next three opponents are the Browns, Vikings and Titans. All of them softer passing defenses and a chance to at least maintain production. Granted, their final three games of the season are versus the Ravens, Bears and Colts, but we’re just trying to make it to the fantasy playoffs at this point. If Luton can give at least some indication that the offense can be average, those players can remain confident starts.
  6. Rookie Wideouts – Always good to see how the youngest class of wide receivers are doing. After spending so much time on them reviewing for the NFL draft and then determining where they fit onto their new teams, here’s a reminder.
    Honestly, this was better than I expected but even those ranked in the 20’s are inconsistent and several of these players have missed time due to injury. Brandon Aiyuk is the biggest surprise. Jefferson. Lamb and Higgins are the best picks so far. Now that they have more experience, hopefully we’ll see better production for these last two months.

Tunnel Vision of Week 10

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

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass
Rush		 TD
 Kyler Murray  245-61 3
 Tom Brady 341-2 4
 Josh Allen 284-38 3
 Ben Roethlisberger 333-1 4
 Aaron Rodgers 325-4 3
Running Backs Rush
Catch		 TD
Alvin Kamara 8-15
7-83		 3
Josh Jacobs 21-112
4-24		 2
Nyheim Hines 12-70
5-45		 2
Ronald Jones 23-192
1-6		 1
D’Andre Swift 16-81
5-68		 1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Cole Beasley 111-109 1
DeAndre Hopkins 7-127 1
Stefon Diggs 10-93 1
Marquez Valdes-Scantling 4-149 1
Tee Higgins 7-115 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Rob Gronkowski 2-51 1
Hunter Henry 4-30 1
Cameron Brate 3-31 1
Jordan Reed 5-62 0
Logan Thomas 4-66 0
Placekickers XP FG
Ryan Succop 4 4
Zane Gonzalez 2 4
Daniel Carlson 4 3
Chris Boswell 3 3
Matt Prater 3 3
Defense Sck-TO TD
Raiders 2-5 0
Steelers 4-2 0
Rams 6-3 0
Jaguars 1-2 1
Saints 2-3 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Teddy Bridgewater – Knee
QB Matt Stafford – Thumb
QB Drew Brees – Ribs
RB Chris Thompson – Back
RB Tyler Ervin – Ribs
RB Jalen Richard – Chest
WR Tre’Quan Smith – Concussion
WR John Brown – Ankle
WR Danny Amendola – Hip
TE Nick Boyle – Leg
PK Kai Forbath – Ankle

Chasing Ambulances

The running backs made it out of Week 10 relatively unscathed.

QB Teddy Bridgewater – Had an MRI on his knee after the game and the results won’t be known until Monday. Early speculation was that the injury wasn’t serious. P.J. Walker finished the game for his first NFL action. Walker had been a star in the XFL, but Bridgewater seems likely to play against the visiting Lions this week.

QB Matt Stafford – Injured the thumb on his throwing hand in the first half but continued to play against Washington for one of his better performances. He had his thumb taped but later said it was harder to grip the ball. He’ll get an X-ray to see if there is any damage.

QB Drew Brees – Was crushed when DT Kentavius Street landed on top of him, Brees remained for that series to finish the first half but then could not play in the second half. There will be more information later in the week, but Brees said he did not believe it would be a long-term issue, but he added, “it’s just a matter of how long it’s going to be. And honestly, I really don’t know. It’s not something quite to this extent that I’ve experienced.” Jameis Winston came in to replace him but it is not certain if he or Taysom Hill would take over if needed. And likely – both would as they did in the win over the 49ers.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

Buccaneers backfield – Ronald Jones set the new franchise record with a 98-yard touchdown run in the win over the Panthers. He gained 192 yards on 23 carries and added a one-yard catch. Leonard Fournette only ran for 19 yards on eight carries and caught two for 11 yards. In Week 9, Fournette totaled 71 yards to 46 for Jones. This “hot hand” approach isn’t making starting lineups any easier.

RB Nick Chubb – His first action since Week 4 totaled 126 yards and a score on 19 carries. And yet, Kareem Hunt also ran 19 times for 104 yards and added three catches for 28 yards. That’s how this backfield operates ideally. Chubb should make plenty of noise with a softer schedule ahead and yet Hunt is not going anywhere.

QB Alex Smith – His first start since Kyle Allen was lost for the year, and Smith passed for 390 yards and no scores – but no turnovers. He’s kept Terry McLaurin (7-95) busy and that all that fantasy football wanted.

RB D’Andre Swift – Took the start this week and ran for 81 yards on 16 carries, plus caught all five targets for 68 yards and a 15-yard touchdown. Adrian Peterson only ran four times and caught one pass. 21 touches to five for Peterson says the Lions are getting more comfortable letting Swift handle a heavier load.

WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling – He only caught two passes for 53 yards in Week 9 but both were touchdowns. Against the visiting Jaguars,  MVS ended with four receptions for 149 yards and one touchdown. And yet, he totaled only one catch for 19 yards over the two games prior, so still hard to buy into his turning a corner. Plus Allen Lazard is likely back next week.

RB Miles Sanders – First game since Week 6 and ran for 85 yards on 15 rushes (5.7 YPC) and caught a couple of passes for ten more yads. He looked just as dangerous but the rest of the offense, again, limits him.

TE Jordan Reed – George Kittle is on injured reserve and while Reed was held to only one short catch by the Packers in Week 9, he caught five-of-six targets for 62 yards in the loss to the Saints. The 49ers go onto their bye but when they return, they’ll face the Rams and Bills with plenty of reasons to throw the ball.

RB Nyheim Hines – Ran for 70 yards on 12 carries with one touchdown, and caught five passes for 45 yards and a second score last Thursday. All that does is degrade Jonathan Taylor even more and keeps Jordan Wilkins as just another touch-leech part of the backfield.

RB Devontae Booker – Ran  16 times for 81 yards and two touchdowns on the Broncos. That was mostly about the Raiders handing the Broncos a beatdown and Booker just ran out the clock and scored both times in the end of the fourth quarter. But it is notable that he’s taken over the No. 2 role for the Raiders backfield and ran for 68 yards and a touchdown on just eight carries last week at the Chargers.

RB Salvon Ahmed – The undrafted rookie was released by the 49ers last August and signed to the Dolphins. He had his first NFL action in Week 9 when he rushed for 38 yards on seven carries. With Myles Gaskin on injured reserve and Matt Breida a game-time decision that became inactive, the Fins also made Jordan Howard a healthy scratch so that Ahmed and newly acquired DeAndre Washington could share the backfield. Ahmed got the start and never looked back. He ran for 85 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries versus the Chargers compared to only two runs for two yards by Washington. That was the best rushing performance by any Miami runner this year. The Chargers only rank No. 21 against running backs, but Ahmed looked sharp with his 4.4/40-speed. He’ll be a hot commodity on the waiver wire this week.

RB Cam Akers – HC Sean McVay said that the rookie would see more use in the second half of the season and he was right. Akers started the matchup with the Seahawks and led the backfield with ten rushes for 38 yards. But he never was targeted and Malcolm Brown turned his six runs into 33 yards and two touchdowns since he came in for goal-line carries. And Darrell Henderson also scored once on his seven carries for 28 yards. Akers did start and did receive the most carries. Just not the ones that mattered.

RB Kalen Ballage – His first action with the Chargers was in Week 9 when he ran for 69 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries with two catches for 15 yards. Versus the Dolphins on Sunday, Ballage ran for 698 yards on 18 carries with 34 more yards on five receptions. There’s still no word when Austin Ekeler returns but Ballage is laying claim to the starting role until Ekeler does return.

RB Alex Collins – The Seahawks were without Carlos Hyde and Chris Carson again, so Collins was given a bigger workload than the two carries for five yards from Week 5 when he was called up from the practice squad. He led the backfield with 11 carries for 43 yards and a touchdown plus one catch for four yards. DeeJay Dallas only ran twice for eight yards in the loss to the Rams. Carson is expected to return this week, so Collins is only of any interest when everyone else is out.

NFL tight ends – Each year, tight ends see their roles decrease as the season progresses and Week 10 holds that trend in place. The position only caught six touchdowns this week and none gained more than 65 yards. Having Travis Kelce on bye didn’t help, but the position disappoints even more each week.

Field-goal-mania – Entering into Monday night, NFL placekickers combined to match an NFL record with 11 field goals of at least 50 yards in one week. Through Week 10, there have been 71 50-yard field goals which is also an NFL record. Tyler Bass of the Bills kicked three field goals – 54, 55, and 58-yard kicks. And Jason Meyers of the Seahawks nailed a 61-yarder.

Ronald Jones – Ran 98 yards for a touchdown in the win at the Panthers and ties with Ahman Green (2003) for third-longest in NFL history. Only Tony Dorsett (1982) and Derrick Henry (2018) have covered the full 99 yards.

Huddle player of the week

Alvin Kamara  –  The Saints came out a bit flat and ended up losing Drew Brees to a rib injury and only passing for a total of 139 yards and one score adding in Jameis Winston for the second half. But Kamara came through. He only gained 15 yards on eight carries but ran in two touchdowns. He was also the leading receiver with seven catches for 83 yards and a third touchdown. No other receiver managed more than 27 yards.

Salute!

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

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Ben Roethlisberger 333 4 QB Drew Brees 76 1
RB Devontae Booker 16-81
1-2		 2 RB James Conner 13-36
2-12		 0
RB Malcolm Brown 6-33
2-18		 2 RB Mike Davis 7-32
4-12		 0
WR Tee Higgins 7-115 1 WR A.J. Brown 1-21 0
WR Michael Pittman 7-101 0 WR Michael Thomas 2-27 0
WR Brandon Aiyuk 7-75 1 WR DK Metcalf 2-28 0
TE Cameron Brate 3-31 1 TE Jared Cook 0 0
PK Ryan Succop   4 XP   4 FG PK Ka’imi Fairbairn 1  XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 169 Huddle Fantasy Points = 35

Now get back to work…

Six points with David Dorey

Friday’s quick look at six fantasy items to know

The COVID-19 situation seems to  get a little worse each week, with more teams reporting a staffer or player testing positive and then the guy sitting next to him on the plane is out too. But so far, the NFL season progresses without any change to the schedule other than a minor bit of moving a few games around.

The NFL East lost another quarterback to a visible, wince-evoking ankle snap. Dalvin Cook is driving an 18-wheeler through a bicycle race. And fantasy playoffs are starting to get close. Let’s hope COVID-19 leaves your roster alone.

Okay, six things to think about…

  1. RB Cam Akers (LAR) – Whatever happened to the fourth running back taken at the 2.20 pick in the NFL draft? The answer? Not much. He opened his career as the primary back with 14 carries for 39 yards but injured his ribs in Week 2. After missing two weeks, he returned to a backfield settled on Darrell Henderson as the main rusher and Malcolm Brown as the third-down back that mostly blocks.  He popped up with nine rushes for 61 yards in Week 5, then not again until nine carries for 35 yards in Week 8 when Henderson was injured. What gives? He’s gained 4.2 yards per carry but they’ve tethered him to a rarely used No. 3 role.HC Sean McVay said he would use him more in Week 6 and then nothing (“game flow”). Just prior to the bye week, he said ““I just want to continue to see him … learn how to compete without the ball.” So pass protection needs to improve. He added, “I think particularly without the ball in his hands are the things that we’re looking to see and I do have trust that he’s going to have a really good second half of the season for us.” So, perhaps he won’t spend his rookie year rotting on the bench, waiting for an opportunity every few games. Then again, he looked great in Week 5 and never found the field in Week 6 or 7. Akers has naturally landed on many fantasy league waiver wires. We’ll see if he stays there.
  2. QB Tua Tagovailoa (MIA) – Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert were drafted right before and after Tagovailoa who is only now getting his career started after two week. He turned in a very low-key debut with only 93 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Rams in Week 8, but then offered 248 yards and two scores in the win at the Cardinals and their No. 10 defense versus quarterbacks. Better yet, he ran for 35 yards on seven rushes. He looks like he belongs in that trio already.I want to see what he does this week versus the No. 22 defense versus quarterbacks in the Chargers.  He faces the No. 20 Broncos and the #30 Jets after that. Two weeks in and he already relied on all three starting wideouts more than other receivers. I can understand why Ryan Fitzpatrick is upset, but we can already see why the rookie is starting.
  3. Replacing WR Preston Williams (MIA)  – He injured his foot and landed on injured reserve, so he’s gone until at least  Week 13. In his place and playing with the suddenly sharp Tua Tagovailoa should be Jakeem Grant with a dash of Mack Hollins. But a new, young quarterback may just rely more on DeVante Parker or Mike Gesicki who was thrown four targets for three catches and 42 yards last week at the Cardinals. If the rookie is going to step up, he’ll need receivers to help and that doesn’t neccessarily remain the same from the first half of the season.In a year where tight ends have been so marginally productive, it would be great to see Gesicki deliver more on his promise and forge chemistry with his rookie quarterback.
  4. WR Michael Pittman (IND) –  He played last night in the Colts win over the Titans and that bears mentioning. The 2.02 pick of the Colts missed three games after needing calf surgery and was minimally productive up through Week 8 when he played. But he was thrown seven targets for four catches and 56 yards against the Ravens and then the Colts with eight targets for seven catches and 101 yards versus the Titans. That just what they wanted to see when they drafted 6-4 USC star.Notable too is that he still has to play the Titans again and the Texans twice by Week 15. The Colts have waited for a receiver to step up and mesh with Philip Rivers. Looks like that is finally happening.
  5. WR Allen Lazard (GB) – Was on injured reserve since Week 3 after needing core surgery, but may be activated as early as this week. He’ll provide a boost to the Packers offense that must rely on Davante Adams. Marquez Valdes-Scantling had a freakish two-touchdown effort in Week 9 at the 49ers but hasn’t been a factor otherwise with five games as the starter. Lazard’s final start had him catching six of eight targets for 146 yards and a score at the Saints.The Packers don’t need him to beat the Jaguars this week, but it would be good to see him back and shaking off rust. The Packers face the Colts and Bears immediately following this week and all of the fantasy fortunes of the team will be better served with more than just one receiver of any note. This would be a great spot to get him back into playing mode versus a softer secondary.
  6. Primary running back count down – After nine weeks – eight games for most teams – here’s a quick look at each NFL team and how many different running backs have turned in the most fantasy points for their backfield in a game:
    Todd Gurley, James Robinson,  Josh Jacobs and Derrick Henry are the only four running backs that have been a No. 1 back in every week for their teams. The AFC East has been the worst, with 34 games played by the division resulting in a total of 14 different running backs that scored the most for their team in a game. That’s of 40% of their games featuring a different  lead back.

Tunnel Vision of Week 9

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

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Kyler Murray  283-106 4
 Josh Allen 415-14 4
 Drew Lock 313-47 3
 Patrick Mahomes 372-2 4
 Russell Wilson 390-5 3
Running Backs Rush
Receive		 TD
Dalvin Cook 22-206
2-46		 2
Christian McCaffrey 18-69
10-82		 2
Duke Johnson 16-41
4-32		 1
James Robinson 25-99 1
Jerick McKinnon 12-52
3-16		 1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Curtis Samuel 9-105 1
Jerry Jeudy 7-125 1
Keenan Allen 9-103 1
Terry McLaurin 7-115 1
DK Metcalf 7-108 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Travis Kelce 10-159 0
Jimmy Graham 6-55 1
Evan Engram 5-48 1
Irv Smith 2-10 2
T.J. Hockenson 5-39 1
Placekickers XP FG
Tyler Bass 5 3
Greg Zuerlein 1 4
Graham Gano 2 3
Younghoe Koo 4 2
Jason Sanders 4 2
Defense Sck-TO TD
Ravens 0-2 1
Bills 5-4 0
Titans 3-2 1
Saints 2-5 0
Dolphins 1-3 1

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Kyle Allen -Ankle facture
QB Matt Stafford – Concussion
RB David Johnson – Concussion
RB David Montgomery – Concussion
RB Christian McCaffrey – Ribs
RB Justin Jackson – Knee
TE Noah Fant – Ankle
TE Jack Doyle – Head
TE A Owuegbunam – Knee
WR Laviska Shenault – Ankle
WR Preston Williams – Foot

Chasing Ambulances

QB Kyle Allen – That ankle injury looked like a season-ender. Washington turned to Alex Smith who passed for 325 yards and one score in about three quarters of playing time. But he also threw three interceptions that killed their chances. In leagues with two starting quarterbacks, Smith is worth grabbing if only for future games against the Lions, Bengals and Cowboys. But this could also end up giving Dwayne Haskins another chance at some point.

RB Justin Jackson – Injured his knee to start the game and then Kalen Ballage became the hot hand with 15 rushes for 69 yards and one score plus two catches for 15 yards. Joshua Kelley ran for 29 yards on nine carries and added five receptions for 31 yards. If Jackson’s knee injury proves serious,  Ballage comes flying off the waiver wire with the Dolphins and Jets up next. The Chargers have been vague about the return of Austin Ekeler from his hamstring injury, but once he does, he resets the entire backfield anyway.

RB David Montgomery – Appeared to injure his shoulder but it was later reported as a concussion that kept him out of the game. Ryan Nall came in to replace him but never had a carry. Nall did catch four passes for 35 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Nall hasn’t had a carry this year and only Cordarrelle Patterson has run the ball other than Montgomery. This is one of the worst fantasy backfields with Montgomery, so his replacement isn’t any more likely to upgrade a barely relevant backfield. Unless they call up someone, Nall is the most likely replacement.

RB David Johnson – Left with a concussion and Duke Johnson took over with 16 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown, plus four receptions for 32 yards. The Texans play in Cleveland this week which isn’t ideal for rushing, but Duke Johnson is a solid receiver as well. He’s worth grabbing at least for the David Johnson owner.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

WR Jerry Jeudy – Not only notched his second NFL touchdown, but Jeudy posted his first 100-yard game when he caught seven passes for 125 yards and a score in the loss to the Falcons. He fielded a team-high 14 targets. The other rookie, KJ Hamler, caught six passes for 75 yards which is his season-best.

WR Olamide Zaccheaus – The Falcons were without Calvin Ridley for the first time this season and Zaccheaus filled in admirably with four catches for 103 yards and a 51-yard touchdown in the first quarter of the win over the Broncos.

TE Hayden Hurst – Ended with a season-best seven catches for 62 yards against the Broncos and that makes it four straight games with over 50 yards.

RB Devin Singletary – In recent weeks, he’s seen Zack Moss score three times  and out touch him. Against the Seahawks, in a game that they led throughout, Singletary only ran once for one yard while Moss carried nine times for 18 yards and a score. This Bills have split the workload all year, but over the last few weeks, Moss is taking a bigger role.

QB Jake Luton – The Jaguars seventh-round pick got the start this week and threw for 304 yards and a score with one interception in the loss to the Texans. Luton also ran in a 13-yard touchdown. He connected with DJ Chark for 148 yards on seven catches that included a 73-yard score at the start of the game. His next two opponents are the Packers and Steelers but he’ll face the Browns and Vikings after that if he is still starting.

RB Christian McCaffrey – He missed six weeks but returned with the same level of production – 69 yards and a score as a rusher and ten catches for 82 yards and another touchdown as a receiver. Teddy Bridgewater passed for 310 yards and two scores against the Chiefs with McCaffrey back.

WR Curtis Samuel – He led the Panthers with 105 yards and a score on nine catches. He posted 54 total yards and two touchdowns last week against the Falcons. Robby Anderson has remained the possession receiver but the last two weeks with Samuel showing up, DJ Moore has been held to only two catches in each.

QB Tua Tagovailoa – The Dolphins rookie is 2-0 as a starter and while he did little in Week 8, he passed for 248 yards and two scores in Arizona with no turnovers and 35 yards on seven rushes. His best receivers were the two starting wideouts Devante Parker (6-64) and Preston Williams (4-60, TD). He’s still a risk to use in a fantasy start, but that’s changing with another performance as good as Week 9. His next four opponents are the Chargers, Broncos, Jets and Bengals.

Dolphins backfield – With Myles Gaskin on injured reserve with a knee injury, the backfield started Jordan Howard (10-19, TD) with the same lackluster average rush. Patrick Laird only saw one carry and one reception but the undrafted Salvon Ahmed was the most effective with seven rushes for 38 yards. None of that is particularly relevant for fantasy points, but the Fins play at home against the Chargers this week. Until Gaskins returns, the backfield looks to be a committee approach with minimal individual production.

QB Garrett Gilbert – The Cowboys fourth-starting quarterback of the season exceeded all expectations with 243 yards and one score with one interception against the Steelers. He added 28 yards on three rushes as well. But that matchup had all the marks of a trap game that the Steelers tried to mail in and were still successful by scoring a few times in the fourth quarter for the win. Andy Dalton is out on the COVID-19 list and may be back for Week 10 anyway.

WR Antonio Brown – The Buccaneers’ new wideout picked a bad week to start a new job. They were dominated throughout their matchup with the Saints and Tom Brady only passed for 209 yards and no scores for the first time since joining the team. Brown caught three-of-five targets for 31 yards. Mike Evans (4-64) and Chris Godwin (3-41) also received six passes. Hard to draw any conclusions from the single game, but all three wideouts had roughly the same number of passes thrown to them.

NFL Running backs – The weather wasn’t bad anywhere and yet only one running back managed to run for more than 100 yards in Week 9 (Dalvin Cook). Only he and James Robinson gained over 70 yards as a runner.

WR Richie James – The former seventh-round draft pick and third-year receiver was given the start after rampant injuries to the other wideouts. He responded with a career-high nine catches for 165 yards even though he was listed as questionable to play with an ankle injury. Richie has been hampered by injuries this year but HC Kyle Shanahan speaks highly of him. Both Kendrick Bourne and Brandon Aiyuk were taken off the COVID-19 list and should start at the Saints this week, but posting those sort of stats in his only playing time this year. James only totals 24 catches for 479 yards and three scores in his career but shined with the chance to play last Thursday.

TE Travis Kelce – It isn’t enough that he led the position with ten catches for 159 yards against the Panthers, it’s that no other tight end gained over 60 yards. In this year where tight ends stats are dramatically down and still falling, Kelce is the only one making a consistent difference. In leagues without reception points, he has almost double the fantasy points of any other tight end.

Huddle player of the week

Dalvin Cook  –  I have written this column every Sunday night during the NFL season since 1997. That’s a total of 383 Tunnel Visions and 383 players of the week. And in all that time, I do not ever recall the same player being here two weeks in a row. The best fantasy player in two straight weeks? Maybe Patrick Mahomes two years ago, probably no one.

Cook, once again, poured it on with 22 rushes for 202 yards and two touchdowns with two receptions for 46 yards on the Lions. That’s 39.2 fantasy points in a PPR league. He turned in 48.6 last week. Maybe he misses a game or two every year, but when he is active, he’s a fantasy treat.

Salute!

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

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Drew Lock 313-47 3 QB Lamar Jackson 170-58 1
RB Duke Johnson 16-41
4-32		 1 RB Justin Jackson 0 0
RB J.D. McKissic 3-17
9-65		 0 RB James Conner 9-22
2-(-2)		 0
WR Curtis Samuel 9-105 1 WR Adam Thielen 2-38 0
WR O. Zacceaus 4-103 1 WR DeAndre Hopkins 3-30 0
WR David Moore 4-71 1 WR Tyler Lockett 4-40 0
TE Irv Smith 2-10 2 TE Mark Andrews 3-22 0
PK Tyler Bass   5 XP   3 FG PK Robbie Gould   2 XP 1 FG
Huddle Fantasy Points = 178 Huddle Fantasy Points = 46

Now get back to work…

Six points with David Dorey

Friday’s quick look at six fantasy items to know

The Packers-49ers game on Thursday night was ugly (except for Davante Adams owners) thanks to rampant injuries couple with COVID-19 defections stripping the 49ers of all recognizable starters. The Packers let them have 17 pity points, but the cold weather is just starting and already teams are having issues with fielding a full team. What is it going to be like in two months?

This is a year we won’t forget, no matter how hard we try. Onto six thinks worth watching heading into Week 9.

  1. Cardinals backfield – Kenyan Drake is out with an ankle injury and Chase Edmonds moves up to the primary role. So far, only Drake and Edmonds have been used for the Cardinals backfield. Edmonds wavers between 20% to 40% of the touches, and this offense has never given 100% to the primary. Edmonds is a solid play this week at the Panthers facing the No. 31 defense against running backs.The No. 2 back this week is expected to be the 7.08 pick in the 2020 NFL draft of Eno Benjamin out of Arizona State. The 5-9, 207-pounder ran for over 1,000 yards the last two season and caught 82 passes in his three-year career. Edmonds won’t take every touch, so it’s always interesting to see the “next guy up.” Jonathan Ward may also see some work, but he’s only been a practice squad guy that works on special teams. Benjamin gets a chance to keep the team from looking elsewhere in 2021.

    Notable too is that Edmonds gets to be the No. 1 against a soft defense. He is in his final contract year in 2021 while Drake will be a free agent next year unless re-signed. Edmonds could look like an option for 2021.

  2.  Lions Wide receivers – The passing lags the 2019 version when Matt Stafford played but showed life recently that could be promising. Stafford was stuck at moderate production but then passed for 340 yards and a score at the Jaguars and 336 yards and three touchdowns against the Colts for his best showing of the year. And that happened with Kenny Golladay on the sideline with a hip injury. Fourth-year player Marvin Hall came in and posted four catches for 113 yards in the second half of the loss to the Colts.Marvin Jones failed to make any difference this year until posting five catches for 80 yards in Week 7 and then three receptions for 39 yards and two touchdowns last Sunday. The Lions play at the Vikings this week and Golladay has not practiced on Wednesday and Thursday. He hasn’t been ruled out but isn’t trending well so far. Stafford has two straight games where the passing looked better and that was even without Golladay last week. Jones and Hall are worth watching and if Hall can again show up with the same impact, he can carve a bigger role for himself.
  3. RB Christian McCaffrey (CAR)  – He returned to practice a few days ago and looks likely to be activated to play against the Chiefs this week. That sends Mike Davis to the bench after richly rewarding his fantasy owners for the last six weeks. It will be good to see the No. 1 pick in fantasy drafts but just as notable will be his effect on how the rest of the offense plays. Remember, the Panthers are installing a new offense this year with HC Matt Rhule in his first season. And Teddy Bridgewater was also in his first games as a Panther when McCaffrey was gone for Week 3.Robby Anderson opened the year with back-to-back 100-yard games while McCaffrey was there while D.J. Moore turned in eight catches for 120 yards in Week 2 against the Buccaneers.  McCaffrey’s return is great for fantasy owners, but it could also help Bridgewater, Moore and Anderson as well.
  4. QB Jake Luton (JAC) – Gardner Minshew is out with fractures and ligament damage to his thumb and the Jags are turning to their 6.10 pick this year in Luton. The 6-6, 224-pounder from Oregon State threw 28 scores as a senior last year and he rushed for a net loss of 204 yards on 72 runs in college, so he’s not going to be stealing much from James Robinson as a runner. But he’s very tall and can throw very deep. The hope is that the Jaguars passing offense can connect farther downfield.Starting a rookie is rarely profitable at least for a few games. But Luton will at least bring a new element to an offense that has lost their last six games. D.J. Chark fell from 13.8 yards per catch in 2019 to only 11.2 this year. The rookie Laviska Shenault also averages 11.2 yards. That’s also lower than the 13.6 yards he averaged at Colorado last year. The schedule hits a few tough matchups in upcoming weeks, but Luton is worth watching this week to see if he can do anything with the underperforming Jaguars offense.
  5. Miami Backfield – Myles Gaskin is on injured reserve because of his MCL sprain and Matt Breida would be positioned to become the new No. 1 running back but a bad hamstring has him missing Wednesday and Thursday practices. The Dolphins look like they have to rely on Jordan Howard and Patrick Laird. The Fins just traded to get DeAndre Washington for depth.Laird only totals three catches for 11 yards and no rushes. Howard scored three times over the four games he played, but only gained 14 yards on 18 carries which is why he only played four games. His one catch was a three-yard loss. All this while a rookie quarterback takes his second start. Gaskin is gone for at least a few weeks, so the Fins have to figure out whatever works the best. The matchup with the Cardinals this week is where they determine what they have to use.
  6. WR Antonio Brown (PIT OAK NE  TB) – The Buccaneers signed Brown and he is on the active roster. That’s worth watching for so many reasons. Tom Brady wanted him and Tom Brady got him since his 20 passing touchdowns are No. 4 in the NFL and the Buccaneers are looking really improved.  He hasn’t had any time to learn the playbook and his uniform still has creases. But he is expected to play this week. Chris Godwin has been limited in practices and his status isn’t certain.Brown already served his eight-game suspension and is clear to play. His only game of 2019 was Week 2 with the Patriots – and Brady –  when he turned eight targets into four catches for 56 yards and one touchdown. If this works out, the Buccaneers are going to be scary good on offense. But… it’s never worked out for Brown the last few years.

Tunnel Vision of Week 9

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

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Patrick Mahomes  416-0 5
 Russell Wilson 261-23 4
 Matthew Stafford 336-10 3
 Justin Herbert 278-21 3
 Aaron Rodgers 291-9 3
Running Backs Rush
Receive		 TD
Dalvin Cook 30-163
2-63		 4
Alvin Kamara 12-67
9-96		 0
DeeJay Dallas 18-41
5-17		 2
Giovani Bernard 15-62
3-16		 2
Nyheim Hines  5-8
3-54		 2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
DK Metcalf 12-161 2
Davante Adams 7-53 3
Robert Woods 7-94 2
Corey Davis 8-128 1
Tyreek Hill 4-98 2
Tight Ends Yards TD
Travis Kelce 8-109 1
Jared Cook 5-51 1
Eric Ebron 4-48 1
Jack Doyle 2-18 1
Ross Dwelley 16 1
Placekickers XP FG
Mike Badgley 3 3
Will Lutz 2 4
Cairo Santos 2 3
Younghoe Koo 1 4
Sergio Castillo 0 3
Defense Sck-TO TD
Dolphins 2-4 2
Steelers 4-4 1
Colts 5-2 1
Eagles 4-2 1
Seahawks 3-2 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

WR Adam Humphries – Concussion
WR T.Y. Hilton – Groin
WR Kenny Golladay – Hip
RB Darrell Henderson – Thigh
RB Tevin Coleman – Knee
QB Jimmy Garoppolo – Ankle
TE George Kittle – Foot

Chasing Ambulances

Nothing seemed too serious this week. although Monday checkups can surprise.

RB Tevin Coleman – Left in the first quarter and never returned when he re-injured the same knee that held him out for most of the year.   Raheem Mostert is on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain. Jerick McKinnon suffers from “tired legs” and only had three carries in the loss. James Hasty is still the only healthy man standing. He only carried 12 times in Seattle but scored once and the 49ers abandoned the run.

TE George Kittle – Left the game with an ankle injury. If he cannot play, HC Kyle Shanahan said that Jordan Reed is expected back this week and would take his place again.

QB Jimmy Garoppolo – Hobbled by his ankle again, he gave way to Nick Mullens who was sharp with 238 yards and two scores against a defense that had stopped caring. Hosting the Packers this week isn’t that attractive if Mullens gets the start.

RB Darrell Henderson – Injured his thigh at the start of the second quarter after running for 47 yards on eight carries.  Malcolm Brown (10-40) and Cam Akers (9-35) shared the workload for the rest of the game. The Rams head onto their bye, so Henderson likely has time to heal unless the injury is worse than expected.

WR Kenny Golladay – Injured his hip and left without a catch in the loss to the Colts. Marvin Jones only caught three passes for 39 yards but two were touchdowns. Marvin Hall replaced Golladay with four receptions for 113 yards thanks mostly to a 73-yard catch.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

QB Philip Rivers – After posting only four touchdowns over his first five starts, Rivers has thrown for three touchdowns in each of the last two weeks. He finished with 262 yards and three scores at the Lions this week and heads to Minnesota this week.

Chargers backfield – The committee approach now includes three running backs – Justin Jackson (17-89), Troymaine Pope (10-67), and Joshua Kelley (7-32). Austin Ekeler is expected to be back in Week 10 at Miami but this week hosting the Raiders will again use all three backs. Jackson is the only safe start with the most usage. Pope only had one carry on the year until showing up on Sunday. In the end, they probably have just one more week before Ekeler takes most of the workload back.

QB Drew Lock – He threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns in the win over the Chargers though all three scores happened in the  fourth quarter. It’s likely just a blip on his season, but the Broncos will face the Falcons this week.

RB Jordan Wilkins – He only had one carry in the two games prior to Sunday, so it was a surprise to see him lead the Colts with 20 runs for 89 yards and a touchdown plus catch a 24-yard pass. Jonathan Taylor was limited to 11 carries for only 22 yards in that game. Wilkins provided the hot hand and took over the game in the second half, helping the Colts to their win over the Lions. Taylor remains the starter but the team won’t be shy about giving Wilkins a chance to contribute if Taylor is struggling.

Ravens backfield – Mark Ingram missed Week 8 with an ankle injury and never practiced despite coming off their bye. Facing a Steelers defense that allowed just 68.8 rushing yards per game, the Ravens used Gus Edwards (16-87, TD) and JK Dobbins (15-113) with great success even in a loss. The Ravens play at the Colts this week but Edwards and Dobbins are pairing for much better production than the average backfield.

RB Giovani Bernard – He has minimal involvement while Joe Mixon is healthy, but starting for the last two weeks, he’s been productive. After totaling 96 yards and a touchdown against the Browns in Week 7, Bernard ran for 62 yards and a score versus the Titans and caught three passes for 16 yards and another touchdown. The Bengals head onto their bye and Mixon should be back for Week 10, but Bernard was a big part of the Bengals win over the Titans.

WR Jarvis Landry – It was very windy and rained in the Browns loss to the Raiders. Baker Mayfield only completed 12-of-25 for 122 yards in that contest but Landry dominated the throws with 11 targets and four receptions for 52 yards. No other receiver was thrown more than three passes and this was the first game without Odell Beckham. It was a bad weather game, so it’s harder to draw conclusions, but Rashard Higgins (1-14) did little to replace Beckham.

RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire – The rookie is now splitting the carries and catches with Le’Veon Bell. The impact was softened when  Edwards-Helaire ran in a score in Week 7, and his eight runs for 46 yards were matched with six runs for 39 yards from Bell. Against the Jets – who Bell would have a chip on his shoulder about – the rookie only ran for 21 yards on six runs while Bell gained seven yards on six carries as well. Both had three catches.  This is nothing but a negative for Edwards-Helaire and yet not enough so far to justify a fantasy start for Bell.

QB Tua Tagovailoa – The No. 2 overall draft pick debuted with a win over the Rams though he was mostly there while it happened, rather than being an instrumental part. The rookie only completed 12-of-22 passes for 93 yards and one touchdown while running twice for a net of no yards.  He’ll need to do more this week in Arizona.

RB DeeJay Dallas – The rookie from Miami ran for 41 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries plus caught five passes for 17 yards and another score in the win over the 49ers. Chris Carson was a game-time decision that was inactive, but chances are that he’ll be active for this week at the Bills. But Dallas’ only start resulted in two touchdowns.

WR Jalen Reagor – The Eagles 1.21 pick returned after missing  five games with a thumb injury and caught his first NFL touchdown when he ended with three receptions for 16 yards in the win over the Cowboys. He also gained six yards on his first NFL run. Travis Fulgham (6-78, TD) remains the primary wideout but Reagor is getting back on track.

TE Dallas Goedert – The Eagles tight end was active this week after coming off injured reserve but only caught one pass for 15 yards. It was only his first game since Week 3 but he was quiet in the two games after his productive season opener. The Eagles may finally be turning away from being a tight-end heavy attack to using their wideouts more.

RB Zack Moss – He’s starting to look more like Devin Singletary of last year. In 2019, Frank Gore would typically get the highest number of carries even though Singletary would do much more with his fewer touches. Now, Singletary is the less productive runner and Moss was finally given the same 14 rushes that Singletary had in the win over the Patriots. Singletary ran for 86 yards on 14 carries while Moss gained 82 yards on his 14 runs and scored his first two rushing touchdowns in the NFL. This is a committee backfield but Moss is getting a bigger share of the workload.

Huddle player of the week

Dalvin Cook  –  The Packers had no answer for Dalvin Cook who rushed for 163 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries and added a 50-yard score on his two receptions for 63 yards as the leading receiver as well. The Packers kept the game close enough that the Vikings never bothered to let the other backs handle the fourth-quarter mop-up duty.  Cook cranked out 48.6 fantasy points in a PPR league and 46.6 without receptions points.

Salute!

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

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Philip Rivers 262 3 QB Josh Allen 177 1
RB Nyheim Hines 62 2 RB Johnathan Taylor 31 0
RB DeeJay Dallas 58 2 RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire 31 0
WR Corey Davis 128 1 WR Kenny Golladay 0 0
WR Mecole Hardman 96 1 WR Diontae Johnson 6 0
WR Marvin Jones 39 2 WR Calvin Ridley 42 0
TE Eric Ebron 48 1 TE George Kittle 39 0
PK Mike Badgley   3XP   3 FG PK Robbie Gould 3  XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 143 Huddle Fantasy Points = 28

Now get back to work…

Tunnel Vision of Week 7

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

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Justin Herbert  347-66 4
 Joe Burrow 406-34 4
 Tom Brady 369-1 5
 Kyler Murray  360-67  4
 Russell Wilson  388-84 3
Running Backs Rush-
Receive		 TD
Jefferry Wilson 17-112
2-8		 3
James Robinson 22-119
4-18		 2
Alvin Kamara 14-83
8-65		 0
Todd Gurley 23-63
2-19		 2
Jamaal Williams  19-77
4-37		 1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Davante Adams 13-196 2
Diontae Johnson 9-80 2
Tyler Boyd 11-101 1
A.J. Brown 6-153 1
Tyler Lockett 15-200 3
Tight Ends Yards TD
Harrison Bryant 4-56 2
Rob Gronkowski 5-62 1
Darren Waller 6-50 1
Logan Thomas 4-60 1
T.J. Hockenson 5-59 1
Placekickers XP FG
Tyler Bass 6 0
Zane Gonzalez 4 3
Harrison Butker 4 3
Jason Meyers 4 2
Randy Bullock 4 2
Defense Sck-TO TD
Chiefs 3-4 2
Football Team 6-1 0
49ers 2-4 0
Bills 6-2 0
Eagles 3-3 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Drew Lock – Knee
QB Cam Newton – Benched
QB Andy Dalton – Concussion
RB Philip Lindsay – Concussion
RB Jeff Wilson – Ankle
RB Chris Carson – Foot
RB Kenyan Drake – Leg
TE Virgil Green – Ankle
WR Odell Beckham – Knee
WR Russell Gage -Knee
WR Diontae Johnson – Leg
WR Breshad Perriman – Concussion
WR N’Keal Harry – Concussion
WR Deebo Samuel – Hamstring
WR DeDe Westbrook – Leg
WR Marquez Callaway – Ankle

Chasing Ambulances

Fantasy football in 2020 is like herding cattle through a minefield.

QB Cam Newton – The Pats starter was benched in the second half after only completing 9-0f-15 for 98 yards and three interceptions. He ended with a 39.7 QB rating. Jarret Stidham finished the game, but only threw for 64 yards and one interception with a 39.2 QB rating. And Newton only gained 19 yards on five runs in the loss to the 49ers. HC Bill Belichick already said Newton will start this week, but things are not improving in New England.

QB Andy Dalton – The Washington linebacker Jon Bostic went head to head with Andy Dalton so hard that he knocked the quarterback’s helmet off and was ejected from the game. That left the Cowboys to rely on their rookie third-string quarterback Ben DiNucci. The Cowboys offensive line is already a mess and the injury already had speculation about the Cowboys signing a new quarterback if Dalton misses any time. Seventh-round pick DiNucci may end up starting in Week 8 at the Eagles, but there’s no certainty about the situation until the severity and prognosis is known about Dalton’s injury.

RB Jeff Wilson – One of the biggest shockers for a single-game performance belongs to Wilson who rushed for 112 yards and three touchdowns at the Patriots before injuring his ankle. Wilson only accounted for 51 yards on 21 carries this year. Wilson is feared to have a high-ankle sprain and X-rays were reported to be negative. The surprise happened because HC Kyle Shanahan wanted to rest Jerick McKinnon and not overuse him. Wilson ran well and the Pats couldn’t start him, so he took the lead over JaMycal Hasty.

Mostert is on injured reserve with his own high-ankle sprain. Going forward, the 49ers will rely on McKinnon and Hasty until either Mostert or Wilson returns. The Pats matchup went very well for the backfield and McKinnon will need to step in as a receiver in future games at the least. But the 49ers are concerned with overworking the sometimes fragile McKinnon, so Hasty should see more work.

RB Chris Carson – Injured his foot and left the field in the late game against the Cardinals. Carlos Hyde will take the start if Carson misses time. The Seahawks host the 49ers this week and then play at the Bills and Rams. There are no easy matchups for now, but Hyde will lead the backfield if needed. The rookie DeeJay Dallas will move up if Carson remains out and Travis Homer would also figure in.

WR Odell Beckham – He’ll undergo an MRI on Monday but early speculation is that he had a serious knee injury, and potentially a torn ACL. Donovan Peoples-Jones is his back-up and the sixth-round rookie never had a catch until Sunday when he caught three passes for 56 yards and the game-winning touchdown. Rashard Higgins is the slot man and he caught six passes for 110 yards as well. Higgins is likely the one that will see more work, but the Browns passing offense hasn’t produced many fantasy points until Week 7.

RB Kenyan Drake – Carted from the field with an apparent knee injury, Drake was in obvious pain and emotional to suggest that it was severe. If he misses time, Chase Edmonds becomes the primary back and gives every confidence that the offense won’t suffer. The Cardinals go onto their bye for Week 8, so there is time to determine what it is and how they will deal with it. The only other backs on the active roster are seventh-round rookie Eno Benjamin and the undrafted rookie Jonathan Ward – neither have a touch in the NFL.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

WR Sterling Shepard – He was on injured reserve with a toe injury but returned for Week 7 against the Eagles. He led the Giants with six catches for 59 yards and one touchdown. He’s worth rostering, but the next opponents are the Buccaneers and Redskins.

TE Richard Rogers – Led the Eagles back on Thursday night with six catches for 85 yards in the win over the Giants. Dallas Goedert is expected to return for Week 10 while Zach Ertz just landed on injured reserve. That means Rogers will be the starting tight end next week against the visiting Cowboys. There’s nice weekly filler.

Lions’ backfield – The success of De’Andre Swift in Week 6 promised that he’d be used more in the matchup against the Falcons. He ran for 27 yards and a score on nine carries and added four catches for 21 yards. But Adrian Peterson still led the backfield with 11 rushes for 29 yards and one catch. This remains a committee backfield, just with a bit more Swift and a bit less Peterson.

TE Harrison Bryant – The Browns rookie led the position on Sunday with four catches for 56 yards and two touchdowns. He replaced Austin Hooper who was out with an emergency appendectomy and is not expected back until  after the Week 9 bye. David Njoku also scored in the game but may be traded and is not in the long-term plans for the Browns.  Bryant only logged eight catches on the season prior to Week 7, and he’ll be replaced by Hooper when he returns. Bryant starts against the visiting Raiders next week.

TE Albert Okwuegbunam – The Denver  rookie helped replace Noah Fant in Week 6 when he caught two passes for 45 yards. Fant returned this week though was still bothered by his sprained ankle and only caught three passes for 38 yards in the loss to the Chiefs. But Okwuegbunam led the Broncos with a team-high seven targets for seven catches and 60 yards catching passes from Drew Lock – his college quarterback.

TE Logan Thomas – Washington started Kyle Allen in Week 6 and Thomas had a season-best three catches for 42 yards and a touchdown against the Giants. This week, he ended with four catches for 60 yards and a score in the win over the Cowboys. The Football Team goes onto their bye, but face the Giants again in Week 8.

WR Nelson Agholor – The Raiders wideout snared five passes for 107 yards and a touchdown in the loss to the Buccaneers. He’s not only on a number of waiver wires but he also just caught a score in his third straight game. And he plays the Browns this week.

RB La’Mical Perine – The Jets’ rookie stepped up with Le’Veon Bell gone and ran for 39 yards on 11 carries with one scorer and even caught two passes for 16 yards. Frank Gore also ran 11 times but had no receptions. Hard to rely on a Jets running back, but at least Perine is as busy as Gore.

WR Denzel Mims – The Jets’ rookie wideout debuted after coming off injured reserve and he led the team with 42 yards on four catches. Granted – not exactly a monster game, but encouraging that he was targeted a team-high seven times in his first game. The absence of Jamison Crowder helped.

RB Jamaal Williams – The Packers were without Aaron Jones, again, and turned to Williams who ran for 77 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. AJ Dillon was said to become more involved but he only managed 11 yards on five carries. Williams also added four catches for 37 yards.

WR Marquez Callaway – Led the Saints with ten targets for eight catches and 75 yards in the win over the Panthers. He’s the back-up for injured-suspended-injured Michael Thomas but only caught five passes this season prior to Sunday. He also left the game late with an ankle injury but said it was just minor. He’ll play at the Bears this week since Thomas is expected to still be out with his hamstring injury.

RB Zack Moss – The Bills’ rookie missed three games with a toe injury and came back in Week 6 to only gain 10 yards on five runs when Devin Singletary ran ten times for 32 yards in the loss to the Chiefs. But on Sunday against the Jets, Singletary ran eight times for 29 yards and Moss gained  47 yards on seven runs plus caught three passes for 25 yards versus two catches for 18 yards by Singletary. It was the first time that he outgained Singletary.

RB Leonard Fournette – Just when you think he belongs on the waiver wire, Fournette shows up again. He sprained his ankle in Week 3 and did not return until Week 6. He was active but never played while Ronald Jones turned in his third-straight 100-rushing yard performance. In Week 7 at the Raiders, Jones ran for 34 yards on 13 carries and scored once. But Fournette ran for 50 yards on 11 rushes and added six receptions for 47 yards. Hoped the RoJo owners had fun while it lasted.

RB Le’Veon Bell – On the plus side, Bell had no targets and Clyde Edwards-Helaire was thrown four that resulted in just one catch for 17 yards. But while Edwards-Helaire ran in a touchdown on his eight carries for 46 yards, Bell ran for 39 yards on six rushes. In his first game. It was a blowout win but Bell wasn’t just a fourth-quarter mop player. His first three carries came in the first quarter on the Chiefs’ second offensive series.

Huddle player of the week

Tyler Lockett  –  The Seahawks lost in overtime, but it was not because of Lockett. He owned the day in the NFL with 20 targets that turned into 15 catches for 200 yards and three touchdowns. He gained over half of the 388 passing yards and caught all of Russell Wilson’s passing scores.

Salute!

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

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Baker Mayfield 296 5 QB Patrick Mahomes 200 1
RB Jeffery Wilson 120 3 RB Josh Jacobs 31 0
RB Boston Scott 92 1 RB Ezekiel Elliott 51 0
WR Scotty Miller 107 1 WR Odell Beckham 0 0
WR Sterling Shepard 59 1 WR Mike Evans 37 0
WR Randall Cobb 115 0 WR D.J. Chark 26 0
TE Harrison Bryant 56 2 TE Travis Kelce 31 0
PK Tlyer Bass 6  FG PK Younghoe Koo 2   XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 163 Huddle Fantasy Points = 34

Now get back to work…

Tunnel Vision of Week 6

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

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Ryan Tannehill 364-0 4
 Matt Ryan 371-8 4
 Carson Wentz 213-49 3
 Kirk Cousins 343-0 3
 Lamar Jackson 186-108 2
Running Backs Yards TD
Derrick Henry 22-212
2-52		 2
D’Andre Switft 14-116
3-7		 2
James Conner 20-101
1-1		 1
Myles Gaskin 18-91
4-35		 0
Ronald Jones  23-113
2-8		 2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Justin Jefferson 9-166 2
Julio Jones 8-137 2
Will Fuller 6-123 1
A.J. Brown 5-56 2
Brandin Cooks 9-68 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Anthony Firkser 8-113 1
Trey Burton 4-58 2
Darren Fells 6-85 1
George Kittle 7-109 1
Hayden Hurst 4-57 1
Placekickers XP FG
Brandon McManus 0 6
Younghoe Koo 4 4
Justin Tucker 3 3
Cairo Santos 2 3
Joey Slye 1 3
Defense Sck-TO TD
Steelers 4-2 1
Ravens 1-6 0
Buccaneers 2-5 1
Giants 2-2 1
Broncos 3-4 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Baker Mayfield – Benched
RB Mark Ingram – Ankle
RB Joe Mixon – Foot (returned)
RB Miles Sanders – Ankle
RB Raheem Mostert – Ankle
WR Antonio Golden-Gandy – Hamstring
WR C.J. Board – Neck
TE Tyler Eifert – Neck
TE Zach Ertz – Foot
TE Jonnu Smith – Ankle
TE Robert Tonyan – Ankle

Chasing Ambulances

A lighter week is always welcomed.

RB Mark Ingram – Early speculation was that his ankle injury would not be anything significant and that he has a bye week to heal up in any case. Notable was that the Ravens turned to the rookie J.K. Dobbins for nine runs while Gus Edwards ended with 14 on the day. Unless surprising news comes back, Ingram should be fine for Week 8 against the Steelers.

RB Miles Sanders – Injured himself at the end of a 74-yard run when he was pulled down from behind and lost a fumble that was recovered by J.J. Arcega-Whiteside for the touchdown.  There has been no word by late Sunday as to his status but he remained on the sideline after leaving the injury tent – usually a positive sign.  Boston Scott would take his place if needed against the Giants this week, but an MRI on Monday should determine the severity.

RB Raheem Mostert – Left the win over the Rams with an ankle injury, and this time it didn’t just turn into Jerick McKinnon as the replacement. JaMycal Hasty is an undrafted back out of Baylor who was promoted from the practice squad. Hasty closed out the win over the Rams with nine carries for 37 yards. If Mostert’s ankle ends up costing him even more missed games, Hasty is making a case for a shared backfield with McKinnon.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

Monday Night – The Cardinals are at the Cowboys on ESPN at 8:15 PM EST as was always scheduled. The Chiefs are at the Bills on Fox at 5:00 PM EST as the “early” game.

WR A.J. Green – Faced the Colts defense and still caught a season-best 8-of-11 targets for 96 yards. This was the first sign of life in the aging wideout and enough to get him back off the waiver wire after just one catch over the last two games combined.

WR Tee Higgins – The Bengals rookie caught six passes for 125 yards for his first 100-yard game. By the looks of his growing chemistry with Joe Burrow, it is the first of many to come.

QB Philip Rivers – After five mediocre games that never produced more than one touchdown, Rivers posted 371 yards and three touchdowns in the Colts’ win over the Bengals. And he did it, sadly, without the use of T.Y. Hilton (1-11).

RB D’Andre Swift – Enjoyed his breakout game in the Lions’ win over the Jaguars. The rookie ran for 116 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns while Adrian Peterson ran 15 times for 40 yards. Swift added three receptions for seven yards as well. This was the first time that he was allowed more than five carries in a game.

WR Justin Jefferson – The Vikings rookie already recorded a 100-yard effort in Week 4 and upped that with nine catches for 166 yards and two scores in the loss to the Falcons. He’s just a rookie and the Vikings don’t throw as much as most teams, but Jefferson is currently the No. 6 fantasy wideout.

RB Phillip Lindsay – The Patriots have long had a good defense and yet Lindsay replaced the ill Melvin Gordon and ran for 101 yards on 23 carries at their stadium. The Broncos line has exceeded expectations.

QB Baker Mayfield – Benched in the third quarter for Case Keenum, Mayfield only passed for 119 yards and one score with two interceptions when he left. HC Kevin Stefanski said it was to protect his quarterback in what had become an obvious loss and he had already been sacked four times. It was the first time that Mayfield was held to fewer than two passing scores since Week 1but also his fourth game with under 200 passing yards.

TE Anthony Firkser – Jonnu Smith had a nice matchup with the Texans but sprained his ankle after just one catch. In his place, Firkser became the receiving tight end and led the team with eight catches for 113 yards and one touchdown that helped no one.

The Jets – It bears mentioning. The Jets are now the only winless team in the NFL and come off a shutout loss to the Dolphins, 24-0. HC Adam Gase remains employed despite being only slightly more popular than COVID-19.

TE Mike Gesicki – No matter that he caught five passes for 91 yards in Week 5 in the win at the 49ers. Or that Adam Shaheen only totaled two catches for seven yards on the year. In Week 6, Gesicki failed to catch either targets while Shaheen led the Dolphins with 51 yards and a touchdown on three receptions.

The NFC East – The Cowboys are guaranteed to lead the division after playing the Cardinals on Monday night because they are already 2-3 and none of the other three teams have more than one win after six games. And yes, they still get to send a team to the playoffs.

RB Ronald Jones – The Buccaneers running back gained 113 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries and added two catches for eight yards in the dominating win over the Packers. That makes three straight weeks that Jones rushed for over 100 yards and even less reason to expect Leonard Fournette will experience a resurgence in 2020. Jones is currently the No. 12 fantasy running back despite being drafted as just fantasy depth.

RB vs. TE touchdowns – Only 13 running backs scored a touchdown in Week 6. There were 14 tight ends with a touchdown. That’s just wrong. Only George Kittle, Hayden Hurst, Rob Gronkowski, and T.J. Hockenson are likely on a fantasy roster and the 10 others are not. Trey Burton, Cole Kmet, Anthony Firkser, Nick Boyle, Logan Thomas, Adam Shaheen, Durham Smythe, Darren Fells, Jack Doyle, and Jason Croom – take your pick.

WR Travis Fulgham – The Eagles wideout turned in 75 yards and a touchdown on six catches. He’s only played in three games this year and scored in each while averaging 95 yards.

QB Kyle Allen – The starting quarterback of the Football Team may not sound that fantasy relevant, but Allen threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns in the loss to the Giants. More notably, they play the Cowboys this week and then the Giants again in Week 9 after their bye. Those two matchups alone make owning Allen worthwhile.

Where’s the aspirin? – Of the 24 quarterbacks that started so far this week, 12 of them failed to pass for over 200 yards. Only four failed to throw for over 200 yards in Week 5.

Huddle player of the week

Derrick Henry  –  The Titans remain one of only three unbeaten teams and Henry has been instrumental in attaining that record. He had yet another of his monster games when facing the Texans on Sunday. King Henry ran for 212 yards on 22 carries and added two receptions for 52 yards. His first touchdown was merely a 94-yard jaunt and his last was as the wild cat quarterback when he won the game with a five-yard run.

Salute!

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

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Philip Rivers 371 3 QB Aaron Rodgers 160-14 0
RB Giovani Bernard 8-15
3-13		 1 RB Mark Ingram 5-20 0
RB Phillip Lindsay 23-101 0 RB Alexander Mattison 10-26
1-4		 0
WR Keelan Cole 6-143 0 WR Mike Evans 1-10 0
WR Travis Fulgham 6-75 1 WR T.Y. Hilton 1-11 0
WR James Washington 4-68 1 WR JuJu Smith-Schuster 2-6 0
TE Anthony Firkser 8-113 1 TE Mark Andrews 2-21 0
PK Brandon McManus   6   FG PK Jake Elliott  zip
Huddle Fantasy Points = 146 Huddle Fantasy Points = 24

Now get back to work…

Tunnel Vision of Week 5

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

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Patrick Mahomes 340-6 3
 Deshaun Watson 359-25 3
 Kyler Murray 380-31 2
 Ryan Fitzpatrick 350-16 3
 Russell Wilson 271-58 3
Running Backs Rush
Receive		 TD
Mike Davis 16-89
9-60		 1
Todd Gurley 14-121
4-29		 1
Miles Sanders 11-80
2-19		 2
Ezekiel Elliott 20-91
1-14		 2
Josh Jacobs  23-77
2-8		 2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Chase Claypool 7-110
3-6		 4
Travis Fulgham 10-152 1
Brandin Cooks 8-161 1
DK Metcalf 6-93 2
Adam Thielen 9-80 2
Tight Ends Yards TD
Travis Kelce 8-108 1
Mark Andrews 6-56 1
Darren Waller 5-48 1
Mike Gesicki 5-91 0
Darren Fells 2-57 1
Placekickers XP FG
Jason Sanders 4 5
Graham Gano 2 4
Greg Zuerlein 4 3
Ryan Succop 1 4
Ka’imi Fairbairn 3 3
Defense Sck-TO TD
Ravens 7-3 1
Browns 1-2 1
Rams 8-0 0
Giants 2-2 1
Colts 1-2 1

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

We never saw the memo, but apparently it was Quarterback Week.

QB Kyle Allen – Arm
QB Dak Prescott – Ankle (IR)
QB Jimmy Garoppolo – Benched
QB Baker Mayfield – Ribs
RB Dalvin Cook – Groin (returned)
WR Diontae Johnson – Back
WR Sammy Watkins – Hamstring
WR A.J. Green – Hamstring
WR D.J. Chark – Ankle
TE Tyler Eifert – Neck

Chasing Ambulances

QB Dak Prescott – The No. 1 fantasy quarterback ended his season with a fractured and dislocated ankle in the win over the Giants. Andy Dalton becomes the new starter and the 32-year-od ex-Bengal inherits a very talented set of receivers on a team with no discernable defense.  He will be asked to throw the ball more than most quarterbacks. The injuries to the Cowboys offensive line mean the rushing game still won’t be difference-maker and that Dalton needs to get rid of the ball quickly.

QB Kyle Allen –  He left the field to be checked for a concussion after suffering a helmet-to-helmet hit. He never returned but was reported to have an arm injury. But he only passed for 74 yards and then Alex Smith took over and looked even worse with only 9-for-17 completions for 37 passing yards. If there was any positive, it was that they figured out how to make Dwayne Haskins look like a legitimate option. There is no clarity for the starting quarterback and may never be this season.

QB Jimmy Garopplo – He wasn’t injured but if he played any longer, he probably would have been. Garoppolo completed 7-of-17 for 77 yards and two interceptions before getting the hook at halftime. C.J. Beathard took over and may start again this week with the Rams visiting. But the 49ers look like a crumbling team and the starting quarterback is highly unlikely to be a fantasy star in any week.

RB Dalvin Cook – Went down untouched holding the back of his leg and left the game. Early prognosis was a groin injury, but he’ll undergoes tests on Monday to determine the severity. In his place, Alexander Mattison became the primary back and ran for 112 yards on 20 carries. Ameer Abdullah is the only other halfback on the active roster but  he’s mostly a special team returner. Mattison is likely owned in almost all leagues, but becomes worth starting this week when the Vikings host the Falcons if Cook remains out.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

RB Mike Davis – He’s been a  fortuitous free-agent find in many leagues and not always owned by the Christian McCaffrey owner since his backup wasn’t clear until the start of the season. He gained a total of 149 yards and scored once in the win over the Falcons. HC Matt Ruhle was on Sirius radio on Sunday morning and said that while McCaffrey is eligible to come off injured reserve in Week 6, that he is still “a couple of weeks away.”

RB J.K. Dobbins – Mark Ingram (11-57) and Gus Edwards (7-25) were much busier than the rookie Dobbins but his only rush went for 34 yards. Notable too is that there were only six passes thrown to running backs and while Edwards failed to catch any of his three targets, Dobbins caught all three of his for a total of 21 yards. This is a committee backfield and will remain so, but it will be interesting to see if the rookie buys more playing time with a great run and as the only back with receptions.

WR Brandin Cooks – He finally looked like a replacement for DeAndre Hopkins when Cooks led the Texans with eight catches for 161 yards and one score in the win over the Jaguars. He was held catchless on three targets in Week 4 by the Vikings that specifically targeted him.

WR Henry Ruggs – The Raiders’ first-round pick had only totaled four catches for 59 yards on the year and had missed the last two weeks with knee and hamstring issues. He only caught two passes versus the Chiefs but he turned one into a 72-yard touchdown where he displayed his ample jets. He may never offer consistent production, but he’s going to be a difference-maker in more than a few games. Guessing which one will be the challenge.

RB Chase Edmonds –  He may only be the No. 2 back for the Cardinals, but often looks like he should be the primary back. Edmonds ran for 36 yards and a score on three carries thanks to breaking a 29-yard touchdown in the first quarter and he added five catches for 56 yards while Drake caught just one pass for two yards and ran for 60 yards on 18 runs. That was his second consecutive game with a score and five receptions.

RB Le’Veon Bell – He came off injured reserve where he had healed a hamstring injury. Bell ran better than expected against the Cardinals with 13 carries for 60 yards (4.6 YPC) and caught one pass for seven yards. Frank Gore still ran nine times for just 30 yards. The Jets like their committee even though it doesn’t seem to make sense in games such as this.

WR Travis Fulgham – The Eagles drafted the Old Dominion wideout with their 6.18 pick in 2019, who never had a catch as a rookie. His first reception happened in Week 4 when he caught two passes for 57 yards and a score against the 49ers. On Sunday against the Steelers, he blew up with ten catches for 152 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter that brought the Eagles to trail just 29-31with 11 minutes left to play. His 13 targets were more than double any other Eagle. Jalen Reagor is on Injured Reserve with a bad thumb and is not expected back until Week 10. The Eagles face the Ravens this week, but then host the Giants and Cowboys. Fulgham is worth owning for those two games.

WR Chase Claypool – The Player-of-the-week below will be the free agent of the week after four touchdowns. The reality is that there are four wideouts and a tight end that all draw targets so he won’t be consistent. But he can get the job done in the right situation. Just think about facing the Cowboys in Week 9.

RB Cam Akers – The rookie returned to the lineup and ended with nine runs for 61 yards, thanks mostly to breaking a 46-yard gain. Darrell Henderson was still the primary back with 15 runs for 38 yards and a score plus he notched a touchdown on his three catches for 30 yards. Malcolm Brown (8-30) was the least effective but there’s no real change in workload in this backfield any time soon.

RB Raheem Mostert – Not much worked for the 49ers in their gut-punch of an upset to the Dolphins. But the return of Raheem Mostert resulted in 90 yards on 11 carries and 29 yards on three catches. He killed off all fantasy value of Jerick McKinnon who ended with only five net yards. Until the defense figures out how to stop opponents, Moster will likely continue to be limited in his rushing attempts.

RB Devonta Freeman – Granted, the new Giant was only playing the Cowboys, but he ran for 60 yards and a score on 17 carries and caught two passes for 27 yards. Wayne Gallman only ran five times for 24 yards and caught two passes for no gain. Freeman looks safe to start as a Giant, especially if he continues to add receptions. The Giants face the Football Team and Eagles next.

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick – The Dolphin’s placeholder for Tua Tagovailoa passed for 350 yards and three touchdowns at the 49ers this week. That makes three of his last four games over 300 passing yards. Get used to the clipboard for now, Tua.

HC Dan Quinn – The Falcons coach of the last five years couldn’t withstand going 0-5. Both he and GM Thomas Dimitroff were fired on Sunday night. An interim head coach will be announced on Sunday.

Huddle player of the week

Chase Claypool  –  It is rare this spot goes to a rookie. It is unprecendented in the 23 years of this column that it goes to the No. 4 wideout for a team. He totaled six catches for 151 yards for his rookie season going into Sunday. He left with seven catches for 110 yards and three touchdowns, plus he rushed in a score as well. He actually caught  another touchdown but it was called back on a questional pushing-off call. Better yet, no one started him and he’s on a lot of league waiver wires. And… go!

Salute!

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

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick 350-16 3 QB Matt Ryan 226 0
RB Darrell Henderson 15-38
3-30		 2 RB Jerick McKinnon 2-5 0
RB Chase Edmonds 3-36
5-56		 1 RB Le’Veon Bell 13-60
1-7		 0
WR Chase Claypool 7-110
3-6		 4 WR Diontae Johnson 1-(-2) 0
WR Travis Fulgham 10-152 1 WR D.J. Chark 3-16 0
WR Presston Williams 4-106 1 WR Terry McLaurin 3-26 0
TE Darren Fells 2-57 1 TE Zach Ertz 1-6 0
PK Jason Sanders   4 XP  5  FG PK Jake Elliott   3 XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 207 Huddle Fantasy Points = 29

Now get back to work…