The Miami Dolphins have extended WR DeVante Parker for four seasons and $40M.
The Miami Dolphins have struck another deal, this time with former 1st-round wide receiver DeVante Parker. Parker, who is enjoying a career year in his 5th NFL season, has just inked a 4-year, $40M contract extension to remain in Miami until 2023. Parker and the Dolphins were set to run it back again in 2020 thanks to a 2-year, $13M extension signed this spring — a deal which Parker quickly outplayed during his first season under offensive coordinator Chad O’Shea.
Parker and the Dolphins have wasted little time making things official, as Parker has already put the pen to paper and now can shift his focus on hopefully returning to the field this Sunday after suffering a concussion against the New York Jets.
Parker is just over 100 receiving yards away from his first career 1,000 yard receiving season and has three games to run up the stats. In a lost season for the Dolphins in the win column, the emergence of Parker and several other players like him serves as the silver lining for the Dolphins as they look to rebuild this torn down roster.
Parker will now serves as one of the Dolphins’ offensive fixtures for the foreseeable future and if he continues to provide repeat performances of what he’s been able to do in 2019, he very well may still be regarded as a steal for the cost he’s on board for.
Who would the New York Giants steal from the Miami Dolphins? How about this wide receiver who would immediately improve their team.
The New York Giants will square off against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon is one of their final two home games. And in doing so, provides those of us here at Giants Wire a unique opportunity to theoretically steal a player from a roster we rarely see.
Of course, that seems far less exciting than usual on the surface because the 3-10 Dolphins have an extremely thin roster and are undergoing a major rebuild. However, there are some gems to be had…
Of course, by “some gems” we really just mean “one gem.”
The Giants certainly need work along their offensive line, at the linebacker position and at the safety position, but Miami really doesn’t have the spare parts necessary to address those areas. What they do have however, is a tall game-breaking wide receiver, which is the only offensive weapon New York lacks.
At 6-foot-3 and 216 pounds, DeVante Parker is a red zone target capable of creating distinct mismatches, but that’s hardly where his talent begins and ends. With 4.45 speed to go along with his size, Parker is capable of stretching the field and hauling in long passes, while also opening up opportunities for his teammates.
With the Giants, Parker would be able to start outside opposite of Golden Tate, while Sterling Shepard handles the slot and Evan Engram creates nightmares at the tight end position. And with Saquon Barkley at running back? Phew boy, would that be some sort of talented group.
In 13 games (11 starts) this season, Parker has hauled in 55 receptions for a career-high 882 yards and six touchdowns to go along with a Pro Football Focus grade of 76.0.
What say you, Giants fans? Would you steal Parker from Miami or would you go with a different player?
Miami Dolphins receivers DeVante Parker and Albert Wilson remain in concussion protocol after injuries vs. the New York Jets.
When it rains, it pours. And right now in South Florida, a black cloud of injury hangs over the Miami Dolphins wide receiver group. Preston Williams is gone for the season. So, too, is Jakeem Grant. And now after Week 14’s 22-21 loss to the New York Jets? The Dolphins have two more wide receivers banged up in Albert Wilson and DeVante Parker. Both players suffered concussions against the New York Jets — costly injuries that undoubtedly played a part in Miami’s inability to finish drives and break into the end zone against the Jets.
No matter, now. Week 14 is finished and the Dolphins have three more games in 2019. Will Parker and Wilson be a part of the mix? That’s yet to be determined. Both players were active at practice as of yesterday but, as noted by ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe, both remain in the NFL’s concussion protocol and are no sure thing for Week 15 against the Giants.
DeVante Parker and Albert Wilson are here at practice with red non-contact jerseys after suffering concussions on Sunday. Encouraging that they have made progress to be on the field by Wednesday. Still unclear if they’ll be ready to go Sunday vs. Giants.
The loss of Parker against New York would be a monumental one. The Giants’ secondary has struggled with young players to play with consistency this season and Parker figures to be in for a feast — if he can get on the field. The silver lining for Miami? If Parker is unable to go, the Dolphins would get another extended look at wide receiver Isaiah Ford, who went off for 92 yards on 6 receptions against the Jets. It was a true example of the “next man up” mentality we’ve seen instilled in Miami this season.
But make no mistake: Ford is no DeVante Parker. The other potential beneficiary from the absences of both players is TE Mike Gesicki, who looks to close his second season in the pros strong and pile momentum into a significant breakout in year three.
The Dolphins will learn more between now and Sunday, but with the team sitting at 3-10, they’d ultimately be wise to handle both Parker and Wilson with care.
The New York Giants and Miami Dolphins square off on Sunday in Week 15, so here are six things fans should know.
The New York Giants (2-11) host the Miami Dolphins (3-10) in a game between two last place teams that could impact the top of next April’s NFL Draft.
Here are six things to know before Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium.
William Hauser-USA TODAY Sports
The series history
This will be the ninth regular-season meeting between the two teams since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger. The Giants lead the series, 6-2 and have a 2-2 home record.
The teams only met once between 1970 and 1990, a 23-13 Dolphins victory at Yankee Stadium on December 10, 1972. They’ve played seven times since 1990.
The teams last faced one another on December 14, 2015 with the Giants winning, 31-24, at Hard Rock Stadium. The teams last played in MetLife Stadium on Oct. 30, 2011 when the Super Bowl-bound Giants nipped the Dolphins, 20-17.
With the New York Jets secondary banged up, it is safe to expect another big game from WR DeVante Parker.
DeVante Parker is officially living his best life as an NFL wide receiver. The former 1st-round draft pick has transitioned from underwhelming talent to having the big breakout season that so many Dolphins fans have expected to see for several consecutive seasons now. It’s finally come in his fifth year in the pros, as Parker rewrites his career bests on seemingly a weekly basis.
With four games to go, Parker has plenty of room to pad his career best stats, too. This week against the New York Jets, Parker is going to have a prime opportunity to have yet another big game. Most of that opportunity stems from the chemistry he illustrates with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, but yet another variable boosts his chances even more.
The New York Jets secondary is hurting in a big way ahead of this weekend. Safety Jamal Adams will likely be absent for the game and several other starters appear to be trending towards missing the game as well. That leaves Parker as a high volume receiving in a high volume passing offense against a secondary that may not have over half of their starters on the back seven — and a pass rush that is in the bottom 10 in the NFL for sacks this season?
Ryan Fitzpatrick may make some mistakes and throw a few interceptions on Sunday. But he’s going to get a chance to sling it and the odds are looking pretty darn good that Parker, fresh off a career game, will have the chance to have another one against the Jets in Week 14.
Parker logged 7 receptions for 159 yards and 2 touchdowns versus the Eagles, averaging 22.7 yards per reception. How about an encore?
The Jets defense must lock in on the Dolphins top receiving threats in this rematch of their Week 9 loss.
The only thing more demoralizing than losing to a previously winless team is doing it twice in one season.
The Jets accomplished just that in their loss to the then-0-11 Bengals in Week 13, just four weeks after they deliver the Dolphins’ first win of the 2019 season. This time the Jets will get the chance for revenge at home against a team that’s riding an offensive hot streak.
New York is severely depleted with a bevy of injuries including safety Jamal Adams, who’s recovering from an ankle injury. New York will likely lean on its dominant run defense again, though the Dolphins average the fewest rushing attempts and rushing yards of any team in the league. Miami will utilize its passing game, so the Jets should expect to see a lot of Ryan Fitzpatrick, DeVante Parker and Mike Gesicki.
With that being said,here are four keys to the Jets defense against the Dolphins.
Focus on DeVante Parker
(Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports)
The Dolphins’ recent uptick in offensive production is due in large part to DeVante Parker finally breaking out and realizing his potential.
The wideout already reached career-highs with 854 receiving yards and six touchdowns and he’s secured at least six receptions and more than 90 yards in three consecutive games. He and Preston Williams tortured the Jets secondary when the two teams met back in Week 9. Now he’s the focal point of Ryan Fitzpatrick’s targets with Williams on injured reserve.
The Jets could have a tough time against the physical Parker, especially after giving up nine receptions for 125 yards and touchdown to the Bengals wideouts Tyler Boyd and Auden Tate a week ago. This will another good test for rookie Bless Austin to see if he’s truly capable of being a starting cornerback.
The Jets secondary will be vulnerable to the Dolphins this Sunday as they’re missing a ton of key pieces.
The Jets secondary is as depleted as it has ever been this season.
New York will likely be without its star safety Jamal Adams due to an ankle injury. Meanwhile, both Brian Poole (concussion) and Arthur Maulet (calf) are trending towards being out as well. That means the Jets will have only two members of their secondary playing in Sunday’s game that started in Week 1 in Marcus Maye and Darryl Roberts.
In other words, the unit is looking extremely vulnerable heading into Week 14.
Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has already coached up this defense to be respectable, but this might be his biggest challenge yet.
We could be seeing multiple players playing in different positions on Sunday. With Adams out, Roberts could see some time at safety as he played at that position for five games last season. As for the slot, Nate Hairston will have to play on the inside. To replace Maulet, the Jets will have to slide Maurice Canady to the outside. It’s not an ideal situation, but there’s not much else they can do to fix this.
“You have to have the contingency plans of what if somebody goes out, how are we shuffling things around,” Gase said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that are going to be responsible for playing a few different positions.”
The last time the Dolphins faced the Jets, Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns in a win. That was when New York’s secondary was considered healthy. Since that game, Fitzpatrick has thrown for over 300 yards twice and wide receiver DeVante Parker has had over 100 receiving yards in two of his last three games. If Fitzpatrick and the rest of the Dolphins continue to play the way they have lately, the Jets’ defense will be in deep trouble.
“They’re throwing the ball, which I’m sure [Fitzpatrick] loves,” Gase said. “He had a good game last week. The last time we played him, we struggled to get him to turn the ball over and create enough pressure to make him uncomfortable. That’s the number one thing when you’re playing Fitzy is you’ve got to try to get to him, you’ve got to try to get him to make some mistakes and put pressure on him and make some of those throws tough.”
Top-ranked DFS PRO Jason Mezrahi, founder and CEO of WinDailySports.com, breaks down his favorite Daily Fantasy Football plays at various salary ranges for Week 14 of the NFL. Find out who Jason will be locking in his lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel.
Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Top-ranked DFS PRO Jason Mezrahi, founder and CEO of WinDailySports.com, breaks down his favorite Daily Fantasy Football plays at various salary ranges for Week 14 of the NFL. Find out who Jason will be locking in his lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel.
QUARTERBACKS
KYLE ALLEN- $5700 DRAFTKINGS, $7100 FANDUEL
I believe this is the week to pay down at the quarterback position and save cash because you’re going to need it. Kyle Allen can get you there, at near minimum salary for the quarterback position on both sites. He is coming off consecutive 20+ point games and I think it continues in Week 14. The Falcons rank 22nd against opposing quarterbacks and are allowing 259 yards passing per game. The rookie will have something to prove after Ron Rivera was fired and his future is going to become even more of a question moving forward. I think Allen steps up and exceeds value with another 20 point performance this week.
RYAN FITZPATRICK- $6000 DRAFTKINGS, $7400 FANDUEL
The value train continues and who better to highlight that than a man who has gotten a ton of value out of his career. Ryan Fitzpatrick or “Fitzmagic” as they call him, keeps getting it done and puts up points each week no matter what team he plays for. He is coming off two back to back monster games. Fitzpatrick had a 25 point outing versus the Browns and backed it up with a 30 point performance versus the Eagles. He now faces off against the New York Jets and their suspect secondary. Fitzpatrick will be finding his way into my tournament lineups and I will stay away from him in cash games.
RUNNING BACKS
CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY- $10300 DRAFTKINGS, $11000 FANDUEL
Christian McCaffrey is having one of the best seasons I have seen while playing fantasy football. The man is a lock and is averaging a whopping 31 points per game and hopefully carrying me to my season-long championship. He gets points in good and bad matchups, he scores when his team is winning or trailing in games. As long as he is healthy he is on the field accumulating fantasy points. McCaffrey will gash the Atlanta Falcons on the ground and the air. If you have followed this column all season I have written him up in almost every week and I don’t plan to stop anytime soon. I don’t mind pairing him with Kyle Allen and hope this game shoots out.
DERRICK HENRY- $8200 DRAFTKINGS, $9100 FANDUEL
If you like to follow game logs you will like to see 24, 36, 32, and 27 as Derrick Henry’s last 4 games. He has 1140 rushing yards on the season, along with 13 touchdowns and has seen a bump in production ever since Ryan Tannehill took over as quarterback. He gets a dream matchup against Oakland who has allowed the 18th most points to opposing running backs and should be in for another big game. I love the combo of McCaffrey and Henry locking up a solid base of 50 points for both your cash games and tournaments in Week 14.
WIDE RECEIVERS
DEANDRE HOPKINS- $7400 DRAFTKINGS, $8300 FANDUEL
DeAndre Hopkins is an elite wide receiver who is coming off a tough matchup versus the Patriots and Stephon Gilmore. I hope that drives down ownership on Hopkins this week. DeAndre has been consistently good all year and I’m expecting a breakout game at home in the dome. If the Broncos can keep this game close we can see fireworks out of Hopkins here at home.
DEVANTE PARKER- $6900 DRAFTKINGS, $7200 FANDUEL
DeVante Parker was one of the main reasons I will be heading to the FanDuel World Fantasy Football Championship in Puerto Rico next weekend, so I will be sure to play him in a nice matchup versus the New York Jets. Parker is coming off 37 point game and gets to face the Jets who rank 22nd against opposing wide receivers. I love the stack with Fitzpatrick in tournaments.
TIGHT ENDS
JACK DOYLE- $4600 DRAFTKINGS, $6300 FANDUEL
Jack Doyle has seen an uptick in targets and receptions with Eric Ebron put on injured reserve. I want to pay down at tight end and Doyle is one of the best value tight ends of the slate. Doyle should be heavily targeted again this week and the Buccaneers struggle to cover the tight end. They rank 31st against opposing tight ends and allow 281 yards passing per game. I see Doyle with at least 5 receptions for 55 yards and I believe he finds his way into the endzone again this week. Lock Doyle in for the best value tight end of the slate.
VANCE MCDONALD- $4300 DRAFTKINGS, $5800 FANDUEL
We can keep this one short. Play the tight end every week against the Arizona Cardinals. It’s a written rule that you can pair with locking Christian McCaffrey in your lineups. The Arizona Cardinals haven’t been able to cover the tight end for years and the trend continues this week. If you need proof go look at the last 20 games of tight end matchups against the Cardinals and you will be shocked by what’s been done. McDonald should be a safe value play for both cash games and tournaments.
DEFENSES
GREEN BAY PACKERS- $4000 DRAFTKINGS, $5000 FANDUEL
Let’s keep it short and sweet with our defenses. We will be targeting two home teams facing off against weak offenses. The Packers get to face off at home in harsh temperatures versus a rookie quarterback and a lackluster offense. This should be a statement game for this Packer team and hopefully the defense steps up and makes some big plays.
HOUSTON TEXANS- $3300 DRAFTKINGS, $4600 FANDUEL
It’s the same strategy here. Let’s lock in the home team versus a rookie quarterback. This Texan defense has looked better and is coming off an impressive win verse Brady and the Patriots. I think the Texans make for a strong play on DraftKings at $3300 and I will sprinkle in shares of this defense in both cash games and tournaments.
Jason Mezrahi has been a professional, top-ranked Daily Fantasy Player on FanDuel and DraftKings for more than seven years. He has won FanDuel’s $155,555 King of the Diamond competition and placed second in DraftKings’ Fantasy Basketball World Championship, earning him $300,000. He owns and operates WinDailySports.com, which supports the DFS and Sports Betting community with resources such as tools, projection models, in-depth written analysis and podcasts, plus much more.
In a move that will only make sense if Ryan Fitzpatrick helps him have his first career 100-yard game, Mack Hollins is now a member of the Miami Dolphins according to Cameron Wolfe.
Hollins logged six offensive snaps and 10 special teams snaps against the Dolphins on Sunday, so it’s hard to believe that he was claimed off of that game tape. Miami likely will utilize Hollins on special teams and go from there.
With an intriguing Week 13 in the books, it is time to focus on the fantasy playoffs.
Hopefully, you’ve made the tournaments in the majority of your leagues, and if so, you’ve accomplished your most important goal as a fantasy general manager. From here, it’s mainly up to your teams’ stud players – and being on the right side of most of the random swings of fortune that occur weekly – that will determine whether you capture the championship.
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
With an intriguing Week 13 in the books, it is time to focus on the fantasy playoffs.
Hopefully, you’ve made the tournaments in the majority of your leagues, and if so, you’ve accomplished your most important goal as a fantasy general manager. From here, it’s mainly up to your teams’ stud players – and being on the right side of most of the random swings of fortune that occur weekly – that will determine whether you capture the championship.
Of course, making the right calls to fill out the final few spots in your lineup also will be crucial, and to aid in that overall endeavor, we’re taking the true temperature of some of fantasy’s hottest (and coldest) players entering the fantasy postseason and assessing whether they’re more trustworthy starter or bench worthy reserve as you lock in your playoff lineups.
Here are 10 players to consider with all fantasy points tabulated utilizing the point-per-reception scoring format in the Huddle Expert 10 league on myfantasyleague.com …
Jimmy Garoppolo
Current run of note: Even while finishing with his second-lowest passing-yardage total of the season Sunday (165 in the 20-17 rainy road loss to the Ravens), the 49ers’ quarterback has totaled the fifth-most fantasy points (107.88) at the position since Week 9 while ranking third among QBs in yards (1,242) and tied for second with 11 touchdown passes.
Postseason recommendation: Despite rushing for 174 yards Sunday, the Niners’ ground game hasn’t been what it was earlier in the season, and Jimmy G. has had to go to the air more of late. With stud tight end George Kittle back in healthier form along with newly-acquired and emerging wideouts, respectively, in Emmanuel Sanders and Deebo Samuel, Garoppolo’s weaponry has never been better than the present and he figures to have to keep airing it out with on-paper shootouts looming against the Saints, Rams and Seahawks as San Fran battles for the NFC’s No. 1 seed down the stretch.
Matt Ryan
Current run of note: After throwing for 15 TD passes and averaging 335.2 aerial yards per outing over his first six games, Ryan has only thrown for five scores while averaging 247 yards per game over his last five contests.
Postseason recommendation: At 3-9, the Falcons are going nowhere as one of the league’s biggest disappointments and unlike Garoppolo, Ryan is receiving less-and-less help from his supporting cast (TE Austin Hooper and WR Julio Jones are banged up and missing games) and offensive line (season-high nine sacks allowed Thursday) as the calendar flips to December. In addition, the Falcons only have one plus-fantasy QB matchup remaining, and that doesn’t come until Week 17 against the Bucs, and who knows who will be playing for Atlanta at that point. Stay away from Ryan unless he’s the best of limited options.
Joe Mixon
Current run of note: Since Week 8, Mixon ranks 12th among running backs with an average of 15.4 fantasy points per game and has totaled at least 16 touches and 70 yards from scrimmage in each of his five contests during that span.
Postseason recommendation: Mixon has authored a nice little second-half turnaround tale after ranking among the fantasy duds early in the season (topping 12 fantasy points only once in his first seven games while averaging 14.1 touches and 50.6 total yards per contest). The one-win Bengals don’t have a favorable remaining schedule outside of a Week 16 game in Miami, but first-year head coach Zac Taylor seems to have re-committed to featuring Mixon, and the RB responded with usable RB2 fantasy figures.
Saquon Barkley
Current run of note: Since totaling 45.3 fantasy points in Weeks 7-8 after returning from a three-game absence due to an ankle injury, the Giants’ second-year back has totaled only 30.6 points over his last three contests, with nearly half of them (14.5) coming in Sunday’s snowy home loss to the Packers.
Postseason recommendation: There’s no doubt Barkley hasn’t been the elite RB1 you drafted early in the first round this summer, currently ranking 13th at the position with an average of 15.5 fantasy points per game, but he’s still averaged a healthy 19.7 touches per contest during this current three-game rough stretch, and it’s hard to imagine the majority of Barkley owners rostering an RB2/flex player with more talent, opportunity and upside than the N.Y. sophomore.
Ronald Jones
Current run of note: Since posting his two highest fantasy-point totals (16.2 and 24.6) in back-to-back games in Weeks 9-10, the Bucs’ running back has been totaled all of 19.9 points in three games since, capped by Sunday’s season-low 0.8-point effort (six carries for eight yards) in a 28-11 road win over the Jaguars.
Postseason recommendation: Despite Bruce Arians’ announced anointment of Jones as the Bucs’ starting back last month, he’s averaged only nine touches over his last three contests and has been outscored by Peyton Barber in two of the last three games, including Sunday when Barber scored twice on his 17 carries for 44 yards while Jones was benched after botching a blitz pick-up. Meanwhile, Dare Ogunbowale continues to serve as Tampa’s main passing-game back, leading the team’s RBs in targets (35) and receptions (27). Jones certainly looks to be best back in the Bucs’ backfield, but it’s not translating into reliable week-to-week fantasy production, leaving Jones far from trustworthy, no matter the matchup.
Jarvis Landry
Current run of note: From the start of Week 9 through play Sunday, Landry has been nothing short of the No. 1 PPR wideout in fantasy with 106.5 total points, reeling in 35-of-54 targets for 415 yards and a league-most five receiving TDs. In Sunday’s loss to the Steelers, Landry drew double-digit targets (11) for the fifth time in his last six games and posted double-figure fantasy points for the sixth straight outing.
Postseason recommendation: It’s starting to look like the Browns traded for Odell Beckham Jr. in the offseason simply to divert defensive attention from Landry, his old LSU teammate. For the season, Landry has outperformed OBJ in every metric from targets (108-103), receptions (65-57) and receiving yards (919-805) to TDs (5-2) and, of course, total fantasy points (187.9-151.3). Landry’s yards-per-reception average is even a tick higher (14.13-14.12) than Beckham’s and is currently running a full two yards higher than his previous season-best of 12.1 in 2016. In short, Landry has gone from summer supporting actor to late-season leading man in the Cleveland passing game and has become a must-start WR1 in all formats.
DeVante Parker
Current run of note: We keep waiting for the red-hot Parker to cool off in South Beach, but Sunday afternoon featured nothing less than a career day in terms of receiving yards (159) and TD receptions (two) on seven catches and 10 targets in a 37-31 shootout win over the visiting Eagles. Since Week 8, Parker has been the No. 3 wide receiver in fantasy with his 126.5 points trailing only the Saints’ Michael Thomas (139.9) and the Lions’ Marvin Jones (131.3). Parker’s 65 targets rank fourth during that span, and he’s caught 40 of them for 625 yards and four TDs. (And, no, we didn’t accidentally grab the 2018 numbers of another Davante, Green Bay’s Adams, by mistake).
Postseason recommendation: The impressive numbers are one thing, but watching Parker continually leaping over Philly DB after Philly DB on Sunday to almost single-handedly propel the Dolphins to the upset win is a testament that the 2015 first-round pick has finally truly arrived in Year 5. For fantasy, he’s gone from a volume-driven garbage-time specialist on a pass-heavy Miami team to a legit every-week WR starter as he teams with the perfect QB in underrated gunslinger Ryan Fitzpatrick. Even better, the schedule continues to be favorable over the next three weeks with the Jets, Giants and Bengals up next for the Dolphins.
Allen Robinson
Current run of note: The Bears’ No. 1 wideout has been on fire of late, putting together back-to-back 20-fantasy-point performances in wins over the Giants and Lions. Robinson has caught 14-of-22 targets for 217 yards and two scores in those contests to rank as the No. 4 wide receiver in fantasy over that span through play Sunday.
Postseason recommendation: Take note again that those showings have come against the Giants and Lions – two of the six most-favorable matchups for opposing wideouts. But the pillow-soft matchups will now disappear for the next three weeks – i.e. the full fantasy postseason in the majority of leagues – as Robinson faces three of the eight toughest defenses for fantasy WRs in the Cowboys, Packers and Chiefs in back-to-back-to-back weeks. And with the likes of Mitchell Trubisky in charge of getting Robinson the ball against a trio of teams fighting for their playoff lives, you’re likely in for trouble if you’re counting on Robinson as one of your top fantasy wideouts entering the playoffs.
Jack Doyle
Current run of note: It didn’t do Indy much good in the end, but tight end enjoyed his best outing of the season across the board Sunday, reeling in 6-of-11 targets for 73 yards and a TD in a loss to the visiting Titans. Doyle led the team in targets and finished with double digits in that category for the first time this season.
Postseason recommendation: It was addition by subtraction for Doyle as QB Jacoby Brissett was simply in the hunt for reliable targets with TE Eric Ebron and WRs T.Y. Hilton and Parris Campbell injured and out. Ebron is on injured reserve and done for the season and who knows when Hilton will be back after his calf injury flared up last week in practice, causing him to miss his fourth game in his last five. In the meantime, Brissett and Colts likely will keep riding Doyle as they claw to get back into the AFC playoff picture and you should too if you’re looking for viable postseason options at tight end.
Ryan Griffin
Current run of note: Since Week 8, Griffin has totaled the third-most fantasy points (76.6) among tight ends, catching 24-of-28 targets for 266 yards and a position-most-tying four scores.
Postseason recommendation: Like most middling fantasy tight ends, Griffin is touchdown-dependent as he’s only posted double-digit fantasy points in one game he’s failed to score in this season. And then there’s the Jets’ fantasy playoff schedule. After a Week 14 home game against the Dolphins, New York tangles with Ravens, Steelers and Bills – with two of the three on the road – and if Sam Darnold and Co. can’t even find their way into the red zone (let alone the end zone) against the likes of the previously winless Bengals as they did Sunday, you can’t have much realistic hope for Griffin going against three AFC playoff contenders with formidable defenses down the stretch. Scrounge up another tight end if you make it past Week 14 with Griffin.
EXTRA POINTS
Patriots RB James White, who had totaled only 12 touches over previous two games, logged a career-high 22, including a career-most 14 rushing attempts for 79 yards, in Sunday night’s loss to the Texans and finished with 37.7 PPR points which led all Week 13 players heading into Monday night.
Fellow New England RB Sony Michel, meanwhile, had a decent-enough start Sunday with 45 rushing yards on 10 carries but was relegated to the sideline almost as soon as the Texans took a double-digit lead midway through the second quarter and watched as White rolled up a career-most 177 total yards and two TDs. Michel also was phased out in the Pats’ Week 9 loss to the Ravens (five touches for 30 yards) and has become a game-flow and TD-dependent back who hasn’t scored since his three-TD outburst in Week 7.
Speaking of disappearing lead backs, the 49ers’ Tevin Coleman logged a season-low six touches (for 15 yards) and played only 10 offensive snaps (18-percent share) while watching Raheem Mostert (74-percent snap share) roll up 154 yards (and a TD) on 22 touches – both career highs – in the hard-fought 20-17 road loss in Baltimore. Coleman has been inefficient and non-productive (122 rushing yards on 49 carries, 112 yards on 12 catches, one total TD) since his 118-total yard, four-TD explosion in Week 8, and with fellow RB Matt Breida also due back this coming week after a three-week injury absence to further muddy the Niners’ backfield, it’s going to be awfully tough to trust having Coleman anywhere in your starting lineup in the fantasy postseason.
Rams WR Robert Woods was targeted on a Week 13- and career-most 19 of Jared Goff’s 43 passing attempts Sunday afternoon in Arizona and caught 13 for a career-high 172 yards. Woods missed Week 11 with an undisclosed personal issue but has easily been the Rams’ best receiver of late, catching 26-of-39 targets for 364 yards over his last three games but oddly still ranks as the league’s most-targeted player (99) without a receiving TD. Woods’ only score this season came on an 8-yard run back in Week 6.
Through Sunday, Titans rookie WR J. Brown ranked third in the league with 11.6 yards per target and has been the team’s most targeted (31) and productive pass-catcher (20 receptions for 353 yards and two TDs) since QB Ryan Tannehill started his impressive run as the Titans’ starter in Week 7, but Brown has only had one game (out of six) with more than 12.2 fantasy points during that stretch. And it wasn’t Sunday when he finished with a pedestrian three catches for 45 yards and no scores on four targets vs. the Colts.
