Rookie RB Josh Jacobs is PFF’s highest-graded Raider

Rookie RB Josh Jacobs is PFF’s highest-graded Raider

Every week, Josh Jacobs is doing more and more to help the Raiders win. Whether it’s making plays in the passing game by blocking or catching, or dominating on the ground, Oakland is able to rely on their stud rookie to carry their offense.

While the production numbers speak for themselves, Jacobs is starting to earn some more national attention now that we are more than halfway through the 2019 season. According to Pro Football Focus, Jacobs is the team’s highest-graded player and is the No. 1 ranked running back in the entire NFL. Take a look at what the site has to say about the former Alabama star:

 A first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Jacobs has lived up to the hype to start the season. He leads all NFL backs with 200 or more offensive snaps played in overall grade (90.4) and rushing grade (90.5) so far this season. He still needs more targets in the passing game, but he’s been nothing but dominant on the ground. He leads all NFL backs with 100 or more carries in forced missed tackles per attempt (0.27) and ranks fifth in yards after contact per attempt (3.6).

Through nine weeks, it’s relatively clear that Jacobs is the front runner for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award as he is going to set numerous franchise records for the Silver and Black. If Jacobs can continue to play at this level, look for the Raiders to make a run to the playoffs behind their workhorse back.

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[lawrence-newsletter]

Rest of season rankings: Week 11

We’re getting into the home stretch, and fantasy football player valuation is as critical as ever.

(Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)

NOTE: These player rankings track a player’s value for the remainder of the season and are intended to be used as a tool, not necessarily a definitive guide to player valuation. The scoring system is performance PPR.

There is no exact science behind season-long rankings, considering all of the variables and situational uncertainties at work. Defensive teams have been added but will not have analysis.

QUARTERBACKS

Rk
Mv
Player
Team
Bye
1
12
Patrick Mahomes
KC
12
2
Russell Wilson
SEA
11
3
Lamar Jackson
BAL
8
4
Deshaun Watson
HOU
10
5
Aaron Rodgers
GB
11
6
Dak Prescott
DAL
8
7
5
Matt Ryan
ATL
9
8
14
Kyler Murray
ARI
12
9
Tom Brady
NE
10
10
Drew Brees
NO
9
11
Jameis Winston
TB
7
12
Carson Wentz
PHI
10
13
10
M. Stafford
DET
5
14
Josh Allen
BUF
6
15
8
Jared Goff
LAR
9
16
Jacoby Brissett
IND
6
17
Kirk Cousins
MIN
12
18
Derek Carr
OAK
6
19
Baker Mayfield
CLE
7
20
23
Daniel Jones
NYG
11
21
Philip Rivers
LAC
12
22
Ryan Fitzpatrick
MIA
5
23
29
Kyle Allen
CAR
7
24
21
Jimmy Garoppolo
SF
4
25
Ryan Tannehill
TEN
11
26
31
Nick Foles
JAC
10
27
Sam Darnold
NYJ
4
28
Mason Rudolph
PIT
7
29
Mitchell Trubisky
CHI
6
30
34
Dwayne Haskins
WAS
10
31
Brandon Allen
DEN
10
32
35
Ryan Finley
CIN
9
33
22
Gardner Minshew
JAC
10
34
Marcus Mariota
TEN
11
35
Josh Rosen
MIA
5
36
NR
Jeff Driskel
DET
5
37
32
Case Keenum
WAS
10
38
Andy Dalton
CIN
9
39
Eli Manning
NYG
11
40
NR
Drew Lock
DEN
10

QUARTERBACK MOVEMENT

Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions

Stafford was a surprise inactive Sunday with a back injury that the team has classified as “day to day, week to week,” with the veteran saying afterwards that shutting it down for the season was “not his thinking at the moment.” That wasn’t exactly the most forceful denial I’ve heard. For now I’m sliding him down a little and not making any meaningful adjustments to Kenny Golladay or Marvin Jones. I won’t be adding Jeff Driskel to the rankings just yet, either.

Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons & Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

A week ago, I chalked up the Packers-Chargers game as an anomaly. I’m doing the same thing this week with Saints-Falcons, so don’t expect big changes based on Atlanta running the ball a ton or Brees tossing 45 passes compared to 11 runs.

Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams

I’ve been hesitant to drop Goff out of my top 10, but I can’t justify him being there any longer. He looks spooked in the pocket, and I don’t feel Sean McVay is doing him any favors right now regarding Todd Gurley’s involvement (what’s the point of saving Gurley for the playoffs if you don’t make the playoffs?!? ).

Others of note

Patrick Mahomes returned to action Sunday and promptly threw for 446 yards and three TDs with me at left guard. He’s back in my No. 1 spot … Kyler Murray has been putting up better numbers recently and is back in my top 10 … Daniel Jones has quietly been playing the role of Ryan Fitzpatrick Jr. in fantasy of late with some wildly volatile production. He’s a feast-or-famine option for risk takers … In case you missed it, Dwayne Haskins and Nick Foles have been announced as the starter for their respective clubs and adjusted accordingly … With Cam Newton going to IR, Kyle Allen gets a bump. Outside of a couple turnovers, he played well in Lambeau on Sunday … Jacoby Brissett sat Week 10 with a knee injury, but I think the Colts will do everything possible to get him back on the field before they find themselves buried in the playoff race.

RUNNING BACKS

Rk
Mv
Player
Team
Bye
1
Christian McCaffrey
CAR
7
2
Dalvin Cook
MIN
12
3
Ezekiel Elliott
DAL
8
4
7
Aaron Jones
GB
11
5
Alvin Kamara
NO
9
6
4
Saquon Barkley
NYG
11
7
Josh Jacobs
OAK
6
8
5
Nick Chubb
CLE
7
9
Leonard Fournette
JAC
10
10
Le’Veon Bell
NYJ
4
11
James Conner
PIT
7
12
Chris Carson
SEA
11
13
Marlon Mack
IND
6
14
16
Derrick Henry
TEN
11
15
Mark Ingram II
BAL
8
16
Todd Gurley II
LAR
9
17
20
Melvin Gordon III
LAC
12
18
Phillip Lindsay
DEN
10
19
Carlos Hyde
HOU
10
20
Jordan Howard
PHI
10
21
19
Austin Ekeler
LAC
12
22
James White
NE
10
23
26
Joe Mixon
CIN
9
24
David Montgomery
CHI
6
25
23
Tevin Coleman
SF
4
26
Damien Williams
KC
12
27
18
David Johnson
ARI
12
28
Sony Michel
NE
10
29
Ronald Jones II
TB
7
30
21
Devonta Freeman
ATL
9
31
Miles Sanders
PHI
10
32
Devin Singletary
BUF
6
33
Latavius Murray
NO
9
34
29
Matt Breida
SF
4
35
45
Kareem Hunt
CLE
7
36
Jamaal Williams
GB
11
37
40
Kenyan Drake
ARI
12
38
Duke Johnson
HOU
10
39
Royce Freeman
DEN
10
40
Adrian Peterson
WAS
10
41
Chase Edmonds
ARI
12
42
49
Kalen Ballage
MIA
5
43
44
Tarik Cohen
CHI
6
44
Alexander Mattison
MIN
12
45
Frank Gore
BUF
6
46
50
Peyton Barber
TB
7
47
Jaylen Samuels
PIT
7
48
J.D. McKissic
DET
5
49
Rashaad Penny
SEA
11
50
42
LeSean McCoy
KC
12
51
NR
Brian Hill
ATL
9
52
Nyheim Hines
IND
6
53
Ty Johnson
DET
5
54
Justice Hill
BAL
8
55
Tony Pollard
DAL
8
56
Derrius Guice
WAS
10
57
51
Darrell Henderson
LAR
9
58
Raheem Mostert
SF
4
59
Giovani Bernard
CIN
9
60
Malcolm Brown
LAR
9
61
Mark Walton
MIA
5
62
Ryquell Armstead
JAC
10
63
Darrel Williams
KC
12
64
Jalen Richard
OAK
6
65
Chris Thompson
WAS
10
66
Reggie Bonnafon
CAR
7
67
Justin Jackson
LAC
12
68
Dion Lewis
TEN
11
69
Wayne Gallman
NYG
11
70
Kerryon Johnson
DET
5

RUNNING BACK MOVEMENT

Nick Chubb/Kareem Hunt, Cleveland Browns

We got our first taste of the backfield split in Week 10. The result: 22 touches and 121 yards for Chubb, and 11 touches and 74 yards for Hunt. I think the latter brought a missing element to the offense, and we’ll see more opportunities for Hunt as the season wears on. As such, Chubb drops out of my top five as Hunt jumps into low-end RB3 territory.

Saquon Barkley, New York Giants

Another back leaving my top five is Barkley, who has averaged just 41 yards rushing per game since returning in Week 7. He’s managed to salvage his fantasy value with some nice receiving numbers, but those are usually based on a big play or two and not sustained effectiveness. Barkley’s offensive line has been ravaged by injuries of late, so keep an eye on their statuses, as well. He’s also reportedly dealing with another ankle problem, which is concerning based on his earlier injury. Keep an eye out for any updates on the severity of the injury.

David Johnson, Arizona Cardinals

Johnson’s return from injury consisted of six touches and 10 yards. Afterwards head coach Kliff Kingsbury said the team wanted to keep Kenyan Drake “rolling.” Yes, the same Drake that finished that game with 41 total yards on 16 combined rushes and receptions. I’m officially very concerned about what Johnson’s future value will be, and all of this is happening without Chase Edmonds, who will further muddy the waters when he returns.

Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals

Mixon ran for a season-high 114 yards in Week 10, and if Cincinnati is going to hand him the ball 30 times in a game they lost by 36 points, his workload appears like it’ll be steady.

Others of note

After missing two games, James Conner looks to be on track to return this Thursday … I haven’t moved Gurley down much because I think sometime soon McVay is going to be forced to abandon this idea of keeping his top back fresh for the playoffs … Melvin Gordon has 242 total yards and three TDs over the past two games. I’m moving him back to solid RB2 status post-haste … Devonta Freeman is set to miss a couple games with a foot injury. He goes down a bit, and Brian Hill enters the rankings with Ito Smith hitting IR … If you’re inactive for being old, you drop in the rankings. That’s the rule. Sorry, LeSean McCoy … Kalen Ballage ran 20 times in Week 10. The yards weren’t there, but the opportunity bumps him up.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Rk
Mv
Player
Team
Bye
1
Michael Thomas
NO
9
2
DeAndre Hopkins
HOU
10
3
Julio Jones
ATL
9
4
Mike Evans
TB
7
5
8
Tyreek Hill
KC
12
6
Davante Adams
GB
11
7
Amari Cooper
DAL
8
8
4
Cooper Kupp
LAR
9
9
Chris Godwin
TB
7
10
Julian Edelman
NE
10
11
Kenny Golladay
DET
5
12
Stefon Diggs
MIN
12
13
Adam Thielen
MIN
12
14
Tyler Lockett
SEA
11
15
12
Odell Beckham Jr.
CLE
7
16
Keenan Allen
LAC
12
17
13
JuJu Smith-Schuster
PIT
7
18
21
D.J. Moore
CAR
7
19
Robert Woods
LAR
9
20
Courtland Sutton
DEN
10
21
Tyler Boyd
CIN
9
22
25
Golden Tate
NYG
11
23
Calvin Ridley
ATL
9
24
41
Christian Kirk
ARI
12
25
DJ Chark Jr.
JAC
10
26
John Brown
BUF
6
27
Marvin Jones Jr.
DET
5
28
34
Michael Gallup
DAL
8
29
DeVante Parker
MIA
5
30
22
Brandin Cooks
LAR
9
31
Alshon Jeffery
PHI
10
32
T.Y. Hilton
IND
6
33
Terry McLaurin
WAS
10
34
Allen Robinson II
CHI
6
35
Emmanuel Sanders
SF
4
36
40
Jarvis Landry
CLE
7
37
31
Mike Williams
LAC
12
38
42
Sammy Watkins
KC
12
39
DK Metcalf
SEA
11
40
Marquise Brown
BAL
8
41
Larry Fitzgerald
ARI
12
42
36
Tyrell Williams
OAK
6
43
Curtis Samuel
CAR
7
44
Mohamed Sanu
NE
10
45
Dede Westbrook
JAC
10
46
54
Jamison Crowder
NYJ
4
47
Zach Pascal
IND
6
48
53
Hunter Renfrow
OAK
6
49
Josh Gordon
SEA
11
50
64
Cole Beasley
BUF
6
51
49
Corey Davis
TEN
11
52
Kenny Stills
HOU
10
53
84
Darius Slayton
NYG
11
54
60
Allen Lazard
GB
11
55
A.J. Brown
TEN
11
56
Demaryius Thomas
NYJ
10
57
Will Fuller V
HOU
10
58
62
Deebo Samuel
SF
4
59
Mecole Hardman
KC
12
60
70
Randall Cobb
DAL
8
61
Danny Amendola
DET
5
62
51
Robby Anderson
NYJ
4
63
7
A.J. Green
CIN
9
64
Nelson Agholor
PHI
10
65
80
James Washington
PIT
7
66
71
Taylor Gabriel
CHI
6
67
Phillip Dorsett II
NE
10
68
78
Auden Tate
CIN
9
69
Diontae Johnson
PIT
7
70
48
Sterling Shepard
NYG
11
71
Adam Humphries
TEN
11
72
90
Andy Isabella
ARI
12
73
Willie Snead IV
BAL
8
74
63
M. Valdes-Scantling
GB
11
75
66
Anthony Miller
CHI
6
76
Chris Conley
JAC
10
77
Paul Richardson Jr.
WAS
10
78
Keke Coutee
HOU
10
79
Tre’Quan Smith
NO
9
80
Allen Hurns
MIA
81
Chester Rogers
IND
6
82
Antonio Callaway
CLE
7
83
Russell Gage
ATL
9
84
N’Keal Harry
NE
10
85
Ted Ginn Jr.
NO
9
86
76
Alex Erickson
CIN
9
87
Geronimo Allison
GB
11
88
Trey Quinn
WAS
10
89
DaeSean Hamilton
DEN
10
90
Zay Jones
OAK
6
91
DeSean Jackson
PHI
10
92
Miles Boykin
BAL
8
93
Devin Funchess
IND
6
94
John Ross
CIN
9
95
Antonio Brown
FA

WIDE RECEIVER MOVEMENT

Cooper Kupp/Brandin Cooks, Los Angeles Rams

Kupp inexplicably went without a reception against the Steelers, and I’d imagine the team will make it a point of emphasis to get him involved in Week 11, but with so many others in the same area rolling along with 100-yard games I had to drop Kupp out of the top five. Cooks, meanwhile, has already been ruled out for another week. I have concerns that by the time he heals up the Rams might be in a spot where bringing him back doesn’t make sense. We’re not there yet, but I’m moving him down.

Pittsburgh Steelers

JuJu Smith-Schuster is spending too much time opening up coverage for other receivers and not enough catching the ball. He’s a midrange WR2 for me now, and that might be optimistic. Rookie Diontae Johnson has shown off his athleticism, while second-year WR James Washington appears to have chemistry with QB Mason Rudolph. Keep an eye on their development.

Others of note

A.J. Green suffered a “setback” during the bye, and at this point I’m wondering if we’ll see him at all this season … I’m feeling the same way about Sterling Shepard, who suffered a pair of concussions within roughly a month’s time. With Shepard dropping down, Darius Slayton gets a big boost … Marquez Valdes-Scantling has really disappeared with the return of Davante Adams and emergence of Allen Lazard, who seems like the second-best receiver to own in Green Bay … Christian Kirk shoots up the ranking this week. I’ve felt all season he was the top receiver in Arizona — the only viable mix of experience and explosiveness — and it looks like he’s finally producing … Both Emmanuel Sanders and Tyler Lockett left the Monday night game with injuries. It’s a rib injury for Sanders and leg injury of some kind for Lockett. There’s no word on severity at this point so I won’t be making any adjustments.

TIGHT ENDS

Rk
Mv
Player
Team
Bye
1
Travis Kelce
KC
12
2
George Kittle
SF
4
3
Hunter Henry
LAC
12
4
6
Zach Ertz
PHI
10
5
4
Darren Waller
OAK
11
6
Evan Engram
NYG
7
7
Jared Cook
NO
9
8
11
Mark Andrews
BAL
8
9
5
Austin Hooper
ATL
5
10
Dallas Goedert
PHI
10
11
21
Jacob Hollister
SEA
11
12
Eric Ebron
IND
6
13
15
Greg Olsen
CAR
6
14
Jimmy Graham
GB
11
15
Tyler Eifert
CIN
12
16
10
Vance McDonald
PIT
6
17
Mike Gesicki
MIA
7
18
24
O.J. Howard
TB
7
19
Noah Fant
DEN
10
20
Gerald Everett
LAR
9
21
Jack Doyle
IND
6
22
T.J. Hockenson
DET
9
23
Delanie Walker
TEN
11
24
17
Jason Witten
DAL
8
25
Darren Fells
HOU
10
26
Chris Herndon
NYJ
4
27
NR
Irv Smith
MIN
12
28
Jonnu Smith
TEN
11
29
Kyle Rudolph
MIN
12
30
Cameron Brate
TB
7
31
Foster Moreau
OAK
11
32
Trey Burton
CHI
6
33
Hayden Hurst
BAL
8
34
Vernon Davis
WAS
10
35
David Njoku
CLE
7

TIGHT END MOVEMENT

Austin Hooper, Atlanta Falcons

Hooper injured his knee late in Atlanta’s win over New Orleans, and the word is it’s a sprained MCL with the tight end seeking a second opinion to determine how long he’ll be out. Without that timeline, I’m just preemptively moving him down a few slots and will revisit once more is known.

Darren Waller, Oakland Raiders

Ever since a huge Week 7, Waller has caught just seven passes in three games. Were it not for injury issues to Hooper and Evan Engram, I would’ve dropped him further. I just can’t put him below Jared Cook, whose first big-usage game of 2019 came in a lopsided loss.

Others of note

Evan Engram was inactive Sunday with a foot injury, but it’s not believed to be a long-term issue, so he stays put … It’s amazing that Seattle continues to find tight ends that make plays. With Will Dissly out, Jacob Hollister has stepped in and caught 12 passes (including three TDs) in last two weeks … Vance McDonald hasn’t topped 40 yards receiving in a game this season. I can’t continue to rate him as a TE1 … Believe it or not, there was an O.J. Howard sighting on Sunday. If you’re feeling optimistic, he has the talent to warrant stashing him on your bench now.

DEFENSE

Rk
Mv
Team
Team
Bye
1
Patriots
NE
10
2
49ers
SF
4
3
6
Steelers
PIT
6
4
Bills
BUF
9
5
Bears
CHI
6
6
Saints
NO
9
7
10
Vikings
MIN
12
8
Rams
LAR
9
9
Ravens
BAL
8
10
Panthers
CAR
6
11
Seahawks
SEA
11
12
18
Colts
IND
6
13
Chargers
LAC
12
14
Jaguars
JAC
10
15
Eagles
PHI
10
16
Cowboys
DAL
8
17
Titans
TEN
11
18
Texans
HOU
10
19
Packers
GB
11
20
Browns
CLE
7
21
Broncos
DEN
10
22
Chiefs
KC
12
23
20
Lions
DET
9
24
Cardinals
ARI
5
25
Raiders
OAK
11
26
23
Giants
NYG
7
27
Buccaneers
TB
7
28
Jets
NYJ
4
29
Dolphins
MIA
7
30
Falcons
ATL
5
31
30
Redskins
WAS
10
32
28
Bengals
CIN
12

Week 11 EPA Power Rankings: Cowboys knocked from top-offense perch

Cowboys force-feed Zeke in Week 10 despite data showing he isn’t near the most effective backs in the NFL this year.

The NFL was full of upsets this week.  Heading into Monday Night Football, seven underdogs had come away with a victory, including the Cowboys loss to the Vikings, the Titans over the Chiefs, and the Falcons taking down the Saints.  It was only fitting that it should end with another one as the Seahawks took down the previously unbeaten 49ers in an overtime thriller.

That being said, this single week’s games weren’t enough to change much in each team’s Expected Points Differential.

Expected Points, the foundation of many analytical arguments, uses data from previous NFL seasons to determine how many points a team is likely to come away with on a given play based on down, distance, time remaining, and field position. The difference in expected points at the start of a play and expected points at the end is referred to as expected points added, or EPA.

A play with a positive EPA means it put the offense in a better position to score, while negative EPA implies the offense is in a worse position.

Note: There was a bug within the program that scrapes all the NFL play-by-play data that affected the EPA on plays with challenges, which has since been fixed.  There was some slight movement in team EPA totals because of this, but nothing too major.

The top two teams stayed put this week despite San Francisco going home with a loss.

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott performed better than either QB from these teams, netting a total of 24 EPA across 47 plays, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a rough day on the ground for Ezekiel Elliott.  The underlying numbers for Dallas, however, still make them look far better than their 5-4 record suggests.

Pittsburgh and Oakland were the biggest climbers this week, moving up five and four spots, respectively.  The Steelers’ offense isn’t very inspiring with Mason Rudolph at the helm, but their defense ranks third in the NFL in total EPA allowed, trailing only New England and San Francisco.  Rookie linebacker Devin Bush has proven he was worth the trade-up, while in-season acquisition Minkah Fitzpatrick has picked off more passes than anyone in the NFL since moving up north from Miami.

We’ve got a new leader in total offensive EPA this week, as Lamar Jackson’s huge day put him in the top spot this week among offensive players.  Jackson’s 1.14 EPA/play more than doubled the amount of second-place Prescott (0.51 EPA/play).  Yes, the Bengals are bad, but nobody else has done that to them this season.  The next best performance against Cincinnati was Jimmy Garoppolo’s 0.66 EPA/play way back in Week 2.

Lamar Jackson has been an above average passer, ranking seventh in raw EPA/pass, but it’s his rushing success that has catapulted him to stardom.  Jackson now has started 16 games in his career, and if they were all in one season, he’d break Michael Vick’s single-season rushing yards record for quarterbacks.  He’s playing like 2013 Colin Kaepernick, if Kaepernick doubled his rushing yards and completed about 10% more of his passes.

Moving away from quarterbacks, let’s take a look at how running backs are doing in 2019 with their carries.  A few weeks ago, I found that teams are seeing more rushing success to the outside than they have been in the past decade, with the exception of short yardage situations.  With the help of NFL’s Next Gen Stats and Pro Football Focus, we can zoom in a bit more on specific running back performance.

What jumps out to me here is the 49ers stable of running backs.  Raheem Mostert, Matt Breida, and Tevin Coleman are all seeing above average loaded box counts, and yet Mostert and Breida are first and fourth in yards per carry.  Coleman, who sees more loaded boxes than anyone but Frank Gore, is still league average in YPC.

We can glean a better measure of effectiveness of the run game by using EPA/carry in this same fashion.

Coleman surpasses his teammates here even with the lower yards per carry mark because he’s seeing more work in short yardage situations.  Coleman has seen the 10th highest percentage of his carries in short yardage situations (3 or fewer yards to go) as well as the fourth highest touchdown percentage in the league.  Touchdowns and first downs are generally the biggest positive EPA plays, so it’s no wonder he looks better here.

Christian McCaffrey and Dalvin Cook both appear near the top here, as expected, but the surprise might be that they are joined by Aaron Jones and the duo of Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards.  Ingram is the leader in EPA/carry this year despite seeing more 8+ man box counts than either McCaffrey or Cook.  The threat of Lamar Jackson keeping the football on any given play coupled with a scheme that might even see Robert Griffin III receive a pitch is proving to be enough to run over anyone, even when they are prepared to stop the run.

On the other side of things, last year’s top performers (Ezekiel Elliott, Saquon Barkley, Alvin Kamara, and Todd Gurley) are all seeing below average loaded box counts and still only producing at a near average rate.  Elliott has been the best of this bunch so far, even with his tough day last weekend.

If we really want to break down running back performance, we need to look for places a running back can separate himself from his team’s coaching decisions and run blocking performance.  For that, let’s take a look at Pro Football Focus’ yards after contact.

It appears that the 49ers backs are helped more by scheme than by running backs breaking tackles.  The best back by this measure is Seattle’s Chris Carson, who is gaining more yards after contact than anyone in the league, and yet is still below average by EPA.  This is a good reminder that EPA evaluations are often indicative more of team performance rather than individual performance, especially when we’re looking at rushing.

The Ravens and the 49ers are great reminders that rushing can be effective in the modern NFL, and the situations in which teams choose to run the ball tend to have a larger impact on rushing success than the specific ball carrier.

Elliott can be an effective piece for the Cowboys offense, but it’s crucial they continue to focus his efforts on the ground against lighter boxes, which he’s seeing more than the average back in 2019.  His yards after contact is only just above league average, while his quarterback happens to be one of the most efficient in the league.  Let’s hope Dallas only feeds Elliott in optimum situations going forward, because when the light boxes are there, he can eat.

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Ex-UFC fighter Josh Grispi books first fight since 2014 domestic violence arrest

Josh Grispi will fight for a regional promotion title in his first booking since his 2014 arrest for domestic violence.

[autotag]Josh Grispi[/autotag] has been booked to compete in his first fight since his 2014 arrest for domestic violence.

A former UFC and WEC fighter, Grispi (14-5) will compete at “NEF 42: Symphony of Destruction” on Feb. 8 at Merrill Auditorium in Portland, Maine. At an event held Friday, the promotion announced Grispi, 31, will be taking on Bruce Boyington (17-11) for its lightweight championship.

In August 2014, Grispi was arrested after what the Taunton Daily Gazette reported as a “vicious beating” of his wife Kaitlyn Grispi. According to the report, a half-naked and bloody Kaitlyn ran to a neighbor’s house in attempt to escape from Josh. The blood was a result of a dog attack.

According to police, Josh trained the couple’s dog to attack Kaitlyn. Then, Josh would choke the dog unconscious. Local police were called, and Josh was arrested. He was held without bail on domestic abuse and assault charges. Middleboro police officer Richard Harvey called the attacks “the worst case of domestic abuse I’ve ever seen.”

When police entered the home, they found a marijuana farm, as well as numerous guns and ammunition unsecured, feet away from the couple’s 1-year-old child. Grispi did have the proper license for the eight guns found, according to police.

The arrest was Grispi’s second in three days. He had been arrested and released on $2,000 bail just prior.

In October 2014, the couple appeared on an episode of “Dr. Phil.” Kaitlyn expressed her love for Josh and largely dismissed concerns of Josh doing anything wrong. Grispi joined the panel via video from jail.

After a five-day trial in June 2017, a jury found Grispi guilty of seven charges. The seven charges were as follows:

  • seven counts of Improper Storage of a Firearm
  • five counts of Assault and Battery
  • two counts of Threat to Commit a Crime
  • eight counts of Intimidating a Witness
  • one count of Possession to Distribute Class D, Marijuana
  • one count of Malicious Damage to a Motor Vehicle
  • one count of Attempt to Procure Perjury

Grispi was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in the House of Corrections and five years probation.

In October 2017, Kaitlyn Grispi reappeared on Dr. Phil and claimed she did not accurately represent her situation with Josh. Kaitlyn said she only shrugged off Josh’s behavior in an attempt to get him out of jail.

“I was trying to get my husband out of jail and when I said he wasn’t abusing me, I was lying,” Kaitlyn said in a promo for the episode. “I was afraid of him. … Josh was using me to get out of jail. I felt duped. Josh is a phony and a con-artist. He twists things around to make him seem like some sweet, innocent guy. In the end, he’s not. I was definitely brainwashed by Josh.”

https://www.facebook.com/drphilshow/videos/10156023925423909/?__xts__[0]=68.ARA6tdCbIxcl0Bk4U7pxZHPw1B2rdshsFIoRI8VoGxhYF9OgNCNDQgMaHRpmkmFOczyq871NI5ByW3qwTM-Rv-gEtg2DGMWULjWGplWKY05CmkdxWucthxlxsGhwWqa7LWUMT9uOtWXIBJs5n-yyMCUKo9B2OjggFxbYmbcLSJ1TJJBqI4EfsdgSBjRln0xXi_qe8jtd0kJd7i8p9YF37v0y7geZXbcrmmr76WJVEOYAN8FJRtwctN4bt4oilVuag38zw3fXsSmxjZHzlCqd4vH-n8Pbw37kcUcG5TIs3Pg6EdEahvKtkTjxsfRbJ045k7i8-6LgCStFeDYWo-8xqq8eSDx7H2DUXg&__tn__=H-R

Grispi competed four times each for the UFC and WEC, respectively. Under the WEC banner, Grispi went undefeated with victories over the likes of Jens Pulver, Mark Hominick, L.C. Davis, and Micah Miller.

Grispi’s luck flipped when the UFC absorbed WEC. In four UFC outings, Grispi went winless against Dustin Poirier, George Roop, Rani Yahya, and Andy Ogle. He was released from the promotion in early 2013.

Cavaliers-76ers odds: Philaelphia big home favorite

Previewing Tuesday’s Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers sports betting odds and lines, with NBA matchup analysis and picks

The Cleveland Cavaliers (4-5) visit the Philadelphia 76ers (6-3) Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center for a 7 p.m. ET start.

We analyze the Cavaliers-76ers odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.


Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.


Cavaliers at 76ers: Key injuries

76ers

  • PF Al Horford (rest) out
  • PG Ben Simmons (shoulder) questionable
  • SG Shake Milton (knee) out

Cavaliers at 76ers: Odds, lines, picks, and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 10:20 a.m. ET.

Prediction

76ers 115, Cavaliers 105

Moneyline (ML)

The -715 line for the home 76ERS is a bit of a concern but they are 3-0 at home in the early going despite some wild movement on the betting lines. They have even come in above the projections.

Can Cleveland cover as the underdog seems to be the question? It is unlikely the Cavaliers win outright with a +500 line. This is not impossible, but it would take a poor shooting performance by Philadelphia.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the 76ERS to win outright returns a profit of $1.40. It’s very chalky, but it’s better than trying to win with Cleveland.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The CAVALIERS +11.5 (+105) is the play here. A Cleveland cover (lose by no more than 11 points) returns a profit of $10.50.

Cleveland is 3-2 on the road ATS and 7.9 points per game on the cover while Philadelphia is 2-1 ATS at home and 5.8 points per game above projections. Cleveland has the ability to keep this game close enough.

Over/Under (O/U)

This is a bit rare, but the Over/Under of 216.5 (-106, -115) is one to pass on here. There are just better choices in some of the other NBA games tonight. Philadelphia-Cleveland is a game that could go either way and one call could make a difference. AVOID! 

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Chris’s NBA betting record: 24-16

Follow @ChrisWasselDFS and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Report: Bengals cut LB Preston Brown

The Bengals cut a veteran leader at LB.

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A day removed from Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor challenging his linebackers to step up and be leaders, the team has cut veteran Preston Brown.

The Bengals made the move Tuesday, according to Tyler Dragon of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Brown was a feel-good story for coming over via free agency last season thanks to his hometown status. But he’s increasingly seen his playing time cut over the past few games, culminating in rookie Germaine Pratt out-snapping him in the 49-13 loss to Baltimore in Week 10.

Brown had two years left on his deal through the 2021 season after signing a three-year deal in March.

While Taylor continues to search for help at linebacker, the new roster spot might go to an IR-returning player soon such as John Ross or Darius Phillips. But an outside move for a linebacker wouldn’t be unexpected either.

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Red Wings-Ducks odds: Anaheim has slight edge over Detroit

Previewing Tuesday’s Detroit Red Wings at Anaheim Ducks sports betting odds, with NHL matchup analysis and picks.

The Anaheim Ducks (9-8-1) entertain the Detroit Red Wings (6-12-1) at Honda Center Tuesday at 10:00 p.m. ET. We analyze the Red Wings-Ducks odds and lines while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Red Wings at Ducks: Projected starting goalies

Jimmy Howard vs. John Gibson

Howard has posted a 2-8 record so far with a 3.99 goals against average and .887 save percentage. He has won three straight starts while allowing just six goals on his last 84 shots faced.

Gibson expects to get the nod Tuesday despite allowing six goals to the Edmonton Oilers Sunday night. He is 6-8 with a 2.80 GAA and .915 SV%. Gibson gets less than 2.5 goals per game of support which is in the bottom five of the league among starters.


Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.


Red Wings at Ducks: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Tuesday at 7:55 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Ducks 3, Red Wings 2

Moneyline (ML)

The DUCKS (-154) are a bit more rested here as Detroit is on a West Coast road trip. Detroit has won two straight while Anaheim has dropped consecutive games at home. This has brought down the moneyline a bit and may continue to do so during the day.

A $10.00 bet with Anaheim results in a $6.49 profit with an outright win for the Ducks.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The spread is a bet to AVOID as the Ducks have been spotty at home of late. Also, Anaheim has won three of the last four matchups but needed empty-net goals in two of them to provide the extra cushion. These teams just tend to play lower-scoring contests.

Over/Under (O/U)

The UNDER 5.5 (+105) is a modest, small play. Both teams could score three-plus goals or this could be a 2-1 outcome. There is a good amount of variance here. 

The last four meetings have seen the Under connect thrice.

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @ChrisWasselDFS and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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ESPN’s Marcus Spears goes on spectacular rant about LSU beating Alabama

This has to be one of the best TV rants ever.

LSU’s 46-41 win over Alabama didn’t just hand the Crimson Tide their first loss of the season or keep the Tigers’ perfect record alive and playoff chances incredibly high.

The win in Tuscaloosa snapped an eight-game losing streak in this SEC West rivalry series, giving LSU its first W over Alabama since 2011. It proved Ed Orgeron’s team is a serious national championship contender and is arguably one of two top teams have have separated themselves from the rest.

But is was also a win for the entire state of Louisiana, as ESPN analyst and former LSU player Marcus Spears said Tuesday on Get Up during one of the best TV rants ever. He also showed up to the set wearing an LSU sweatshirt over what looks like a dress shirt and tie.

Spears, who played for Nick Saban when he was still at LSU, said in part, talking to Mike Greenberg with Desmond Howard and Paul Finebaum listening:

“Here’s the thing: This was the state of Louisiana versus the University of Alabama. This was not just about football. This was eight years of pain and agony of watching the LSU Tigers with the coach that was initially at LSU, at Alabama, having success. Saturday was a moment in time that we won’t forget for a long time.

“With the underdog coach! They said they didn’t want [Coach] O. Des, remember? Remember everybody said, ‘That’s not the right hire. Look what he did at Ole Miss!’ And I was standing on the table — G, if this table wouldn’t break down when I got on top of it, I would stand on the table right now — and I said this is the right guy for the job because the players respond.

“And then something crazy happened! Something crazy happened! This guy from Ohio State that couldn’t win a job ended up saying, ‘You know what? I think I’ma go to LSU.’ And then something else crazy happened! They got this guy named Joe Brady from [the] New Orleans Saints!”

Just spectacular. Spears is a great analyst, and his obvious bias can be excused because of the context his rant and emotions add to the reaction to the game several days later.

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Rookie returner Deonte Harris is on pace to make Saints history

The New Orleans Saints picked up a game-changing talent in Deonte Harris, and if he keeps it up, he might make franchise history.

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The New Orleans Saints didn’t have much to hang their hats on during last week’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons, but one player remained a bright spot: rookie return specialist Deonte Harris. Harris picked up 19 yards on a timely punt return and had his best game as a kickoff returner (bringing back four of them for 109 yards) in the loss, doing his part to give his team good field position.

What’s impressive is that this is who Harris has been all season. He’s the only player in the NFL to record 200 or more yards returning both punts (he has 232) and kickoffs (309). It’s rare to see a player impact both areas so well, especially as a rookie. And it’s not like he carries an elite NFL pedigree as a former five-star recruit; he’s a product of Assumption College, a small school in Worcester, Mass. While he stunted on that lower level of competition (earning the NCAA all-division record with 14 combined touchdown returns along the way), the ease of which his skills have translated to the NFL might be unprecedented.

His performance so far stands out well in the context of Saints team history. The 232 punt return yards he’s logged through nine games are the fourth-most in a single season for New Orleans since Sean Payton was hired as head coach, surpassing Reggie Bush’s own rookie production in 2006. He’s on pace to collect 412 yards on punt returns, which would be the best total in Payton’s era and the fifth-most in franchise history. It’s a long shot for him to unseat Michael Lewis’s 2002 season (his 625 punt return yards and 1,807 kick return yards earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro recognition), but it’s obvious that Harris can’t be completely ruled out.

Talk about hitting on an undrafted free agent signing. And these numbers don’t account for a long punt return touchdown Harris scored against the Chicago Bears but lost on a dubious holding call that still vexes his coaches. He’s a player who’s a threat to score every time he touches the ball; hopefully the Saints can start to involve him on offense.

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