Fantasy market report: Week 15

In the new-look world of the NFL, the quarterback position has become one that every team looks to land the player who will be “The Man” for a decade in the draft. You rarely see the Kirk Cousins scenario anymore, where a player who can command franchise money hits the free-agent market. If you’ve got a good one, you keep him. If not, you run him out of town.

Historically, the miss-rate on those coveted rookies has outweighed the hit-rate on landing a franchise QB, but when you look around the NFL, the proliferation of college quarterbacks who post eye-popping numbers (often in a limited sample size) have almost completely transformed the position with saviors who are almost all still in their first NFL contract.

Of the NFL’s 32 teams, 13 of them have invested a high draft pick on a quarterback over the last four years (Arizona did it twice) and the numbers just keep growing.

All four rookies taken in the first two rounds of the 2019 draft are already starting and giving reason to believe they are the guy moving forward – first-rounders Kyler Murray, Daniel Jones and Dwayne Haskins and second-rounder Drew Lock. Four teams locked in for now.

In 2018, the first round saw Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson taken in the first round (Josh Rosen will have a job, but not as a starter). Another four teams out of the mix.

In 2017, you had Mitch Trubisky, Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson taken with three of the first 12 picks of the draft – all selected with picks their franchise traded up to acquire, which came with debt equity in terms of picks traded away to move up. None of them are going anywhere any time soon (to the chagrin of Bears fans considering what Mahomes and Watson have accomplished).

In 2016, the first two picks were used on Jared Goff and Carson Wentz. Both franchises have remained invested in both as their guy.

When you do the math on guys with less than four years in the league, more than 40 percent of the franchises are convinced they have their long-term guy at quarterback locked, loaded and in place.

That’s a significant portion of the league, but it doesn’t end there. There are a half-dozen other franchises at a current crossroads at quarterback that could be dipping their toe in the draft water.

In Cincinnati, the starting QB for 2020 probably isn’t currently on the roster. In line for the No. 1 overall pick, Ohio native Joe Burrow seems to have the inside track for more reason than one as the team seems poised to move on from Andy Dalton as its starter.

In Carolina, while Kyle Allen has cooled off considerably, given the firing of Ron Rivera, the idea of a new coach moving on from Cam Newton has more viability than it used to. Is Allen the answer or do the Panthers look to the draft to step back up at quarterback.

In Detroit, Matthew Stafford isn’t guaranteed to have a career that lasts much longer. He grandfathered in the rookie deals where the No. 1 overall pick was one of the highest paid players in the NFL. Given the health issues with his wife and his most recent injury being broken bones in his back, the Lions need to find a successor and their record is bad enough to consider it in 2020.

Andrew Luck shocked the NFL with his retirement. Jacoby Brissett is the man for now, but the Colts could be in line to consider drafting a QB they like because Indy is a franchise spoiled by stinking it out at a time when Peyton Manning and Luck were both available to them.

In Miami, Ryan Fitzpatrick has never been a team’s long-term answer and he isn’t with the Dolphins. Rosen clearly doesn’t seem to be the answer because it didn’t take long for the staff to pass on him as the starter. Like Cincinnati, their 2020 starter likely isn’t currently on the roster.

In Tennessee, the Marcus Mariota era is over. Is Ryan Tannehill the long-term answer? We’ll probably find out in the offseason.

What makes it even more likely that the youth boom at quarterback is going to continue its seismic shift is that four other quarterbacks – Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger – are all nearing the end of their careers and will need to be replaced.

As the NFL has transformed into a pass-heavy league, they have adopted concepts that came from the high school and college game with spread out, four-receiver sets that look to create and exploit mismatch possibilities. The result? As many young quarterbacks being asked to carry a franchise on the shoulders, make an immediate impact and become the face of a franchise.

From the looks of things, that trend isn’t going to stop any time soon.

Here is the Week 15 Fantasy Market Report:

RISERS

Cole Beasley – He hasn’t been a huge fantasy player in Buffalo, but he has been rewarding fantasy owners recently. He has just five games with more 70 yards, but three of them have been in the last five. He has scored touchdowns in each of the last three games and six of the last eight. Unless you have a lead-pipe lock duo or trio of receivers, he’s making it difficult to keep him on team benches.

Joe Mixon – In a lot of leagues, he simply cut loose by fantasy owners because he has so many bad games to start the season. But, over his last five, he has rushed for 79 or more yards four times, including games with 114 and 146 and has scored touchdowns in three of the last four games. The Bengals are hot garbage, but Mixon is still giving it everything he has.

Drew Lock – He spent much of the season as the third QB option at quarterback until finally getting his shot two weeks ago. He has thrown for 443 yards and five touchdowns in two games – both Denver wins against 2018 playoff teams Los Angeles and Houston – and is setting himself up to be the long-term answer at quarterback. You may not want to start him with your season on the line in Week 15, but those who played him at Houston went to the pay window.

Raheem Mostert – When Matt Breida got hurt and was sidelined, the initial plan was to make Tevin Coleman the primary guy. That got scuttled and Mostert has scored four touchdowns over the last three games. Breida came back this week, but it didn’t keep Mostert from scoring twice. Over the first 11 games of the season, he rushed 73 times for 393 yards and one TD. Over the last two – at Baltimore and at New Orleans – he rushed 28 times for 215 yards with two rushing TDs and one receiving TD. The 49ers went up against two teams they can logically expect to see in January or February and Mostert has become the featured back.

Robby Anderson – He has teased fantasy owners with impressive stretches of games strung together over the years. He’s on another one of those rolls now. He has scored three touchdowns in his last four games and, over the last three, has 18 catches for 303 yards and two TDs. If you have an open flex option, he’s worth considering – even against Baltimore.

FALLERS

Patrick Mahomes – Nobody who has Mahomes will ever bench him, but, in his last three games, he has accounted for just four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) and has weekly yardage totals of 182, 175 and 283. While those aren’t great numbers by any stretch, when you have the unrealistic expectations that get placed on Mahomes week after week because over the past year and a half. Fantasy owners have leaned on Mahomes all season and he’s having his least productive fantasy weeks at the very worst time.

Tyler Lockett – What makes Lockett such a formidable fantasy receiver is his consistency and his ability, when a team can stop him from the slot, abusing them. He has three games with 10 or more receptions, two games with more than 150 receiving yards. But, in his last three games, Lockett has had his four worst yardage days of the season (43, 38, 26 and 0) with no TDs. In his first nine games, he was targeted 66 times and caught 55 passes for 724 yards and six touchdowns. In the last four games, he has been targeted just 15 times, catching eight passes for 107 yards and no TDs – not the kind of numbers that keep you in a fantasy lineup for long, especially when championships are on the line.

Tom Brady – Brady came out of the gate hot this season, throwing two or more touchdowns four times in his first six games and topping 300 passing yards four times. In his last eight games, he has thrown one TD or fewer six times and, in his last seven, has just more games with 190 passing yards or less (two) than 300-yard games (one). If your season was on the line Sunday counting on Brady, you went home disappointed.

Brandin Cooks – What has made Cooks an enigma throughout his career has been his freakish potential for the back-breaking 70-yard touchdown reception. Prior to getting injured against the Bengals in Week 8 leading up to the bye, he wasn’t tearing things up. He had just one game with more than 75 yards and one touchdown. Since returning three games ago, not only hasn’t he scored, he has been targeted just eight times, catching four passes for 56 yards, including no receptions in a huge Sunday night win for the Rams where the offense rolled. It’s hard to endorse even considering him if you’re still alive in your fantasy playoffs.

Jimmy Graham – One of the all-time great tight ends, his production has dropped to the point that he is barely serviceable as a fantasy option. His high yardage mark has been just 65 yards, has 20 or fewer yards in seven games and hasn’t scored a touchdown in his last six games. His days of being a rubber stamp in fantasy lineups appear to be over.

Fantasy market report: Week 14

Every year when fantasy drafts and auctions roll around, there are players who explode on the scene and become the gold standard the following year. If you can’t carry over players, your move in the middle rounds to get a guy like Patrick Mahomes in 2018 paid off, just like those who jumped before others on Lamar Jackson is taking you to the pay window almost every week.

When looking at the guys who are going to cost you a much bigger investment next year than they did this year, there are several players that those of us at The Huddle had ranked prior to this year’s draft season a lot lower than they will be next year.

These are the fantasy breakout stars of 2019. If you have more than one of them on your roster, you probably are preparing for the fantasy playoffs from a position of strength.

QUARTERBACKS

Lamar Jackson (Preseason Huddle Rank: No. 13) – Every year, some player jumps off the page and emerges as a bona fide fantasy star. Last year, it was Patrick Mahomes. This year, it’s Jackson. Through 12 games, he has thrown for 2,532 yards and 25 touchdowns, had five games with three or more passing TDs and, more importantly, has rushed for 977 yards and seven scores. Owners were a little nervous about putting too much stock in him on draft day. They won’t next year.

Josh Allen (Rank: No. 20) – He was my pick to be the No. 1 overall selection in the 2018 draft because, in my view, he had the highest ceiling. That view hasn’t changed. He hasn’t thrown for more than 265 yards in any game, but when you factor in eight rushing touchdowns, he has accounted for two or more TDs in 10 of 12 games this season and his weekly totals are worthy of being a starter.

Kyler Murray (Rank: No. 19) – He hasn’t blown up the league, but has proved the NFL isn’t too big for him. He has six games with two or more TD passes, four 300-yard games and leads the Cardinals in rushing. An offseason to absorb Arizona’s Air Raid Offense could make him the guy to watch next season.

RUNNING BACK

Dalvin Cook (Preseason Huddle Rank: No. 13) – Fantasy owners were willing to step up to a certain extent for a talented player who had missed more games than he had played his first two seasons. This year has been his watershed – healthy and living up to his billing. It only took him 11 games to hit 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns with seven games with 97 or more rushing yards. He was ranked in the area of No. 10 in most pre-draft rankings. How close to No. 1 will he be next year? A lot closer…and deservedly so.

Josh Jacobs (Rank: No. 17) – Rookie running backs have been hit and miss the last few years, which may explain why Jacobs was the only running back taken in the first round of this year’s draft. But, Jacobs has proved he can be a workhorse, which is what the Raiders want in their featured back. It only took him 12 games to top 1,000 yards as a rookie and, with nine games with 15 or more carries in that span, he is primed to be a stud for years to come.

Carlos Hyde (Rank: No. 61) – Usually a breakout star isn’t in his sixth season. After four years in San Francisco, he left via free agency and from March 2018 to August 2019 he was with the Browns, Jaguars, Chiefs and Texans. From Arian Foster to Lamar Miller, Houston running backs put up big numbers. He’s going to top 1,000 yards and has averaged almost five yards a carry. With some stability and miles left on the tires, he’s going to jump in the player rankings next year.

Chris Carson (Rank: No. 16) – Anyone who has had a Seahawks running back on their roster knows the Pete Carroll mixes and matches, but, in a six-game span starting in Week 4, Carson ran 20 or more times in six of seven games and has six games with 89 or more rushing yards in that span.

Devin Singletary (Rank: No. 24) – You knew as a rookie, he was going to have to share time on the low side with veteran Frank Gore. But, after coming back from an injury in Week 7, he and Gore have flip-flopped roles. Singletary has led the team in rushing in each of the last five games and we’re witnessing a changing of the guard. With Gore likely headed to retirement after the season, Singletary will vault in 2020 rankings.

WIDE RECEIVER

Kenny Golladay (Preseason Huddle Rank: No. 17) – Golladay was a known commodity coming off a 1,000-yard season in 2018, but what has changed this season is his big-play ability. Through 12 games, he has caught 47 passes, but is averaging more than 20 yards per reception and has nine touchdowns. He had the weight of being the big receiver to follow Calvin Johnson and he’s living up to it. He will be somebody’s No. 1 receiver next year.

D.J. Moore (Rank: No. 22) – As a rookie, he caught 55 passes for 708 yards and two TDs. He surpassed all of those numbers before Thanksgiving. He still hasn’t become a consistent touchdown scorer – which separates the good from the great fantasy receivers – but can be counted on for six or more catches a game and in four games in November, he caught 30 passes for 454 yards and two TDs. He’s on the brink of stardom and it’s getting noticed.

D.J. Chark (Rank: No. 62) – Considering that Nick Foles went down 10 minutes into his Jags career, there were more than a fair share of doubters about Chark’s prospects. He hasn’t been dominant but is going to end the season with more than 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns, which, when everyone looks at year-end stats, is going to push him into WR2 territory.

D.K. Metcalf (Rank: No. 59) – Other receivers have posted bigger numbers, but you see the impressive nature of Metcalf’s game. He’s averaging almost 17 yards per reception and he and Russell Wilson are building a rapport that could make him a breakout star in his second season.

TIGHT END

Darren Waller (Preseason Huddle Rank: No. 8) – We were high on him in the preseason and it didn’t take him long to get the attention of fantasy owners this season. He has almost twice as many receptions as any other Raiders receiver and, while the touchdowns haven’t come with great regularity, Jon Gruden is going to find more ways to exploit him with mismatches, especially in the red zone, as he gains more experience on how to shield defenders and use his mammoth size.

Mark Andrews (Rank No. 11) – In a year where tight ends largely haven’t lived up to expectations, Andrews has been consistent, catching 53 passes for almost 700 yards and seven touchdowns through 12 games. As Lamar Jackson morphs into a more complete quarterback, Andrews could end up being the Greg Olsen of the Ravens offense.

Irv Smith Jr. (Rank: No. 44) – Often times to get a measure of a player’s progress, you need to look at his weekly targets and receptions. Smith is far from a polished product and won’t be high on a lot of ranking sheets next year, but he is getting more incorporated into the offense and is ready to step up as a red zone and deep seam option. Mark it down.

Here is the Week 14 Fantasy Market Report:

RISERS

Calvin Ridley – For much of the season, he has been the clear No. 2 wide receiver option in Atlanta, but, with Julio Jones hurting (again), he has stepped up. In his last three games, Ridley has been targeted 32 times, catching 22 passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns and is emerging as a big-time fantasy threat in his own right.

Mark Andrews – He is far and away the most consistent receiver in the Ravens passing game and, while he hasn’t matched his yardage totals from the first two games (16-230-2), he has four touchdowns in his last four games and has at least one receptions of 20 or more yards in eight of 12 games (and has scored three touchdowns in the four games he hasn’t had a 20+ yard reception).

Deebo Samuel – When you’re looking for a flex player who isn’t a lock to start, you need one of two things – a guy who gets volume or scores touchdown. Over the last four games, in Weeks 10-12, Samuel caught 16 passes for 246 yards. In the last two, he was only targeted six times and caught four passes, but has a touchdown in each. With defenses looking to shut down George Kittle and Emmanuel Sanders, Samuel has emerged as a viable fantasy option.

Leonard Fournette – In PPR leagues, Fournette was viewed as a guy who could run for 100 yards in any game, but not be counted on for critical reception points. That has changed. In his first two seasons (21 games), Fournette never caught more than five passes and had just three games with more than three. This year, he leads the Jags with 65 receptions, including 10 games with four or more and six with six or more. In his last five games, he has caught 37 passes. While they haven’t resulted in touchdowns, they’ve made Fournette a much more valuable player.

DeVante Parker – Over the years, Parker had burned fantasy owners more than rewarding them and many owners won’t put any Dolphins in their lineups. But, Parker has been targeted 10 or more times by Ryan Fitzpatrick in each of the last four games and, over the last three, has 20 receptions for 385 yards and two touchdowns. He’s on pace to finish the season with more than 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns – clearly starting fantasy numbers for a guy who has been a career tease.

FALLERS

Le’Veon Bell – He’s been on this list before earlier in the year, but it bears repeating how dismal he has been and was drafted in most leagues to start every week. He hasn’t had a receiving touchdown since Week 1 and has 35 or fewer receiving yards in eight games. He hasn’t rushed for more than 70 yards in any game, has 50 or less in seven games and has scored just three TDs. If you started Bell consistently and made the playoffs, you did it despite him, not because of him.

Derek Carr – In his first eight games, he had two or more TD passes in five of them and looked to be a serviceable fantasy backup ready to reclaim his career. Yet, he hasn’t thrown for 300 yards in any game this season and, in his last four games, he has less than 225 yards in three of them and just three passing TDs in those four games. He’s not worth a roster spot for a team in the playoffs because better options are available on the waiver wire.

Greg Olsen – Still expected to be a starter in TE-mandatory leagues, Olsen has fallen off the map. He hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 3 and, in his last nine games, he has been limited to less than 45 yards in six of them. The Panthers pass offense runs through Christian McCaffrey and D.J. Moore these days, no longer Olsen.

Mike Evans – This is another one of those “tough call” scenarios because nobody who has Evans is likely to bench him. But, you have wonder how defenses are taking on Evans. From Weeks 7-10 (a bye week wedged in there), in three games, Evans was targeted a whopping 45 times, catching 32 passes for 474 yards and three touchdowns, carrying fantasy teams on his back. In the last four, however, he has caught just four passes in each game, totaling 254 yards and no touchdowns. As we enter the fantasy playoffs, those numbers have to improve or he could be part of a one-and-done scenario.

Vance McDonald – This one is a little personal. I’ve never bought into the McDonald hype that just about every other fantasy analyst has. In seven seasons, he has never caught more than 50 passes or scored more than four touchdowns, yet his bandwagon keeps taking on passengers. The belief was that, if he could stay healthy, he’d blow up. Well, he’s played 11 games and doesn’t have a single game with more than 40 receiving yards, and, in his last nine games, has one touchdown and three or fewer receptions in eight of those games. Keep putting him in your lineup. You’ve been warned not to for the last time.

Fantasy market report: Week 13

There comes a time in every season when a fantasy owner says, “I’ve seen enough” and makes the difficult decision to either bench or cut a player in hopes of finding something better. If a marginal roster player does nothing for a couple of weeks, he ends up on the waiver wire. But, what happens when it’s a guy you expected to be a key regular starter?

It’s one thing for a fringe guy to give off a stank most foul and be quickly jettisoned from your vicinity, but it’s another to have a guy you invested significantly in and have been counting on that just isn’t providing the return for the investment.

Injuries happen. Players go down. The NFL is a violent game. Some players leave rosters for those reasons. I thought 2019 Cam Newton was going to be poisonous and avoided him completely. I didn’t see Andrew Luck’s retirement coming. Those who felt Antonio Brown’s talents could travel were sadly disappointed. Those who invested in A.J. Green when the Bengals said they weren’t going to put him on the P.U.P. list because he was expected back by late September are all fully aware that he still hasn’t played.

Guys like that effectively became dead roster spots. They were cut and replaced. But, what about the players who have been on the field every week and just aren’t getting it done? Do you bench Tom Brady? In his last six games, he has thrown just five TD passes. Do you bench Carson Wentz? In his last five games, he has just five touchdown passes and has averaged just 214 yards a game.

If they had names like Tannehill or any of the three Allens who have become starting quarterbacks, owners wouldn’t have hesitated to pull the plug on them as their primary starter. But this is The GOAT and Carson Wentz – two QBs with pretty solid pedigrees.

The same goes for the other fantasy positions.

Saquon Barkley hasn’t been the same player since returning from his high ankle sprain. While his reception volume keeps him relevant, Alvin Kamara owners have seen him rush for less than 70 yards in seven of his last eight games, post 50 or fewer receiving yards in seven of his last eight games and score just two touchdowns after scoring 18 times in 2018. Joe Mixon has shown signs of life recently but has been shut down too often to ignore for a player drafted to be a starter. Le’Veon Bell hasn’t rushed for more than 70 yards in any game this season, Todd Gurley’s weekly numbers have been underwhelming, David Johnson has fallen off the face of the earth and highly-touted rookies Mike Sanders and David Montgomery have been fantasy disappointments when compared to their preseason expectations.

The same goes for receivers. Do you bench Odell Beckham because he has averaged just 70 yards a game and has scored just two touchdowns? Do you give up on JuJu Smith-Schuster because he had three or fewer receptions and 44 or fewer receiving yards in four of his last five games? Do you bury Alshon Jeffery for averaging just 44 yards a game in the eight games he has played? Do you have personal issues with Robert Woods for not scoring a touchdown all season and having more than five receptions just three times? Do you retire Larry Fitzgerald because his weekly numbers aren’t worthy of being a fantasy flex player? Do simply get rid of tight ends like O.J. Howard, Eric Ebron, Vance McDonald and Delanie Walker because they routinely disappear from the game plan?

As we approach the fantasy playoffs, these are some of the tough questions fantasy owners have to ask themselves (and answer). Just because you invested heavily in a player like Wentz or Brady or Beckham or Bell, if they’re not producing and you have other options, you’re at the point where you have to make the tough decisions that are best for your team. Some will go down with the ship out of fear the one week you bench one of your underachieving star players is the week they’re going to go off with the type of game you’ve expected all year long. There isn’t much loyalty in the real world of football. The same should apply to fantasy football.

Here is the Week 13 Fantasy Market Report:

RISERS

Jonathan Williams – In the first nine games of the season, this Colts backup running back was inactive for seven of them and had two carries for one yard in the other two games. When Marlon Mack broke his hand in Week 11, Williams got an opportunity…and has run with it. In a game-and-a-half, he has rushed 39 times for 220 yards and a touchdown. It will be Mack’s job when he returns, but, until he’s back, Williams can continue to make his case for his long-term future – whether with the Colts or someone else.

D.J. Moore – The only frustration anyone had with Moore was that prior to the two-TD game he posted Sunday at New Orleans, he had only scored one touchdown. But, it has become clear that he is on the verge of becoming an elite receiver. He has only two games with less than five receptions and, over his last four games, he has come on strong – catching 30 passes for 442 yards and two touchdowns. Not many receivers have caught seven or more passes in six games or had more than 70 receiving yards in eight games. Moore doesn’t get mentioned among the game’s top receivers, but that won’t last much longer.

Derrick Henry – He never gets the respect he deserves for being an elite fantasy running back because he doesn’t catch many passes – although two of his 14 receptions have gone for touchdowns. He has scored 12 touchdowns, has four games with two TDs (including each of the last three) and, in the last two games – which Tennessee needed to win to stay in contention for a division title or wild card berth – he has rushed 42 times for 347 yards and four touchdowns. He’s becoming PPR-proof and the numbers show it.

Bo Scarbrough – When November started, he was unemployed. In the post-Kerryon Johnson era of the Lions 2019 season, they needed someone – anyone – to come in and provide a spark to its ugly run offense that was trying to take the heat off a backup quarterback. In two games, he has rushed 32 times for 153 yards and a touchdown – 14 carries for 55 yards and a TD in one game and 18 carries for 98 yards in the other. For those who have a dire running back situation, Detroit is giving him a long look at being someone they may envision in a dual-RB scenario.

Julian Edelman – There aren’t many players who are the clear-cut primary receiver for an offense week-in and week-out. Edelman’s value is clearly much better in PPR formats because he can go weeks at a time without scoring a touchdown. But, aside from Edelman, only three players have been targeted 10 or more times in a game this season – James White, Josh Gordon and Mohamed Sanu once each. Edelman has been targeted 10 or more times in eight games, with single-game targets of nine and seven in two of the three games he didn’t hit double digits. You don’t score fantasy points if you aren’t targeted and few players are targeted as often and as consistently as Edelman.

FALLERS

Saquon Barkley – In the two full games he played prior to a high ankle sprain that forced him to miss three-and-a-half games, Barkley rushed 29 times for 227 yards and a touchdown. In his last four games since his return, he has rushed 63 times for 152 yards and no rushing TDs. His fantasy impact has been more as a check-down receiver. Nobody who invested in Barkley is going to bench him (see above), but he’s getting to the point of having owners considering the possibility – even if they don’t have the guts to pull the trigger on it.

Aaron Rodgers – In his first eight games, Rodgers was what you would expect him to be. He threw 18 touchdowns, ran in one and had 235 or more passing yards in six straight – including three games with more than 300 yards and two with more than 400. In the last three games, he has two TD passes and yardage totals of 161, 233 and 104 yards. This may simply be the payback for having five of six games at home from Sept. 15 to Oct. 20, but Rodgers’ numbers are at their lowest level in a long time, whether by force or design. A-Rog owners aren’t going to put him out to pasture, but if they were counting on him the last three weeks, they’ve been disappointed every time.

Tampa Bay tight ends – There aren’t many teams that have two tight ends on fantasy rosters of any league, but the Bucs were one of them with O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate. Howard is capable of great things and, for those who didn’t prioritize tight end, Brate’s red-zone acumen kept him in lineups and on rosters. But, things have changed this season. In the nine games he’s played, Howard has caught just 18 passes for 233 yards and one touchdown. In 11 games, Brate has caught just 25 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns – 10 catches in one game and 15 in the other 10 combined. Despite having a prolific pass offense embraced by Bruce Arians, Tampa’s tight ends have been rendered moot in the fantasy world.

Mike Sanders – There was a feeling that Sanders was going to be an explosive rookie to watch when he joined the Eagles. He had more carries than Jordan Howard in each of the first three games of his career but didn’t take the job over. In the next six games, Sanders never had more than 11 carries and Howard never had less than 11. When Howard went down with injury two weeks ago, it was a second chance for Sanders to take over the lead dog role. The results in the last two games as the lone featured back? 23 carries for 101 yards, five receptions for 32 yards and no touchdowns. He had a chance early. He’s had a chance the last two games. He hasn’t taken advantage.

Darren Waller – It’s hard to put him on this list because so many of us fell in love with him as our own discovery during the preseason. What got him noticed by everyone else was his fast start. In his first six games, he caught 44 passes for 485 yards and two touchdowns – a pace that would have him finish the season with 117 receptions for 1,293 yards and five touchdowns. But, once everyone had taken notice, the production has dropped. In his last five games, he has caught just 15 passes for 222 yards and one TD. He’s still a dangerous threat capable of big things, but the Waller Train has slowed considerably.

Fantasy market report: Week 12

Last week, we took a deeper dive into the coming fantasy playoff schedule, pointing out to fantasy players what teams had the best and worst schedules heading down the stretch, with the emphasis being on Weeks 14-17.

As we saw Nov. 10 in the Carolina-Green Bay game, the weather made a significant impact with a thin layer of snow covering the field in the second half of the game. When it gets to late December, the potential for bad weather that – whether it be snow, cold, wind or a combination of all of them – can virtually ground an offense.

It’s the reason why players routinely post eye-popping numbers in the regular season, but the team that runs the ball and plays defense wins in the playoffs.

We took a look at all 32 teams and based our top/bottom rankings on the potential for bad weather, not their opponents. Teams like the Rams with have a gauntlet down the stretch and Miami may have the easiest slate of opponents of any team during the typical fantasy playoffs (Weeks 14-16), but when you flip the script on how December weather in outdoor stadiums can impact the outcome of games (and fantasy production), the Rams will likely have the best of all worlds, while Miami will have to struggle through the potential for dismal weather..

If you have players that you’re convinced won’t be used or are expendable, you may to look to pick up a player from one of two of the teams with the most favorable schedules and consider having a backup plan for those on the downside of the list.

THE FIVE BEST

Minnesota Vikings (DETROIT, at L.A. Chargers, GREEN BAY, CHICAGO) – It doesn’t get much better than this. Three home games in their unfriendly dome environment and their one road game in Los Angeles. No complaints.

Los Angeles Rams (SEATTLE, at Dallas, at San Francisco, ARIZONA) – Simply in terms of the potential for weather impacting their games, three of them are in California and the other is under the roof at Jerry World. If they’re making it to the playoffs, they will have to cut through those guys to potentially knock one of them out of a spot, but they will very likely be able to execute their game plan.

Carolina Panthers (at Atlanta, SEATTLE, at Indianapolis, at New Orleans) – Again, three road games are never a picnic, but all of them are in domes – a blessing for a warm-weather team that finds it hard to replicate frigid conditions in practice. Christian McCaffrey should be at his need-for-speed best.

Houston Texans (DENVER, at Tennessee, at Tampa Bay, TENNESSEE) – Texas teams don’t like heading north in December or January (and they struggle when they do). Houston drew the good straw on this closing schedule. They got saddled with two road games when most championships are decided, but it is against Tennessee and Tampa Bay – teams who have been capable of being exploited and in venues that don’t see snow.

Los Angeles Chargers (at Jacksonville, MINNESOTA, OAKLAND, at Kansas City) – If Week 17 is when a champion is crowned in your league, this takes a bit of hit, but if you’re in a Weeks 14-16 title scenario, one game in Florida and two in Los Angeles doesn’t get much more likely for seasonable weather.

THE FIVE WORST

Miami Dolphins (at New York Jets, at New York Giants, CINCINNATI, at New England) – If you look at the opponents, you salivate. At the moment, the teams they play in Weeks 14-16 have a combined record of 5-25, but for a team from South Florida, the prospect of heading to MetLife Stadium in back-to-back weeks and closing out in Boston is not conducive to good weather probability. Most fantasy players have rid themselves of Dolphins, but those who haven’t may want to consider it – even with a schedule full of losing teams.

Chicago Bears (DALLAS, at Green Bay, KANSAS CITY, at Minnesota) – If you were to pick the two stadiums known for awful late-season conditions due to cold and wind, Lambeau Field and Soldier Field top the list. The Bears will play all three games in Weeks 14-16 in those venues.

Baltimore Ravens (at Buffalo, New York Jets, at Cleveland, PITTSBURGH) – Buffalo is always a concern and Cleveland can be brutal when the wind is coming off the lake. For a team predicated on running and speed, that could pose a problem.

Buffalo Bills (BALTIMORE, at Pittsburgh, at New England, NEW YORK JETS) – There are no gimmes on this slate, from two games in Buffalo to road games against the Steelers and Patriots. If the Bills are going to make the playoffs, they’re going to have to play January football in December.

Dallas Cowboys (at Chicago, L.A. RAMS, at Philadelphia, WASHINGTON) – Nothing comes easy here and road trips to Chicago and Philadelphia are no picnic for a team from Texas.

Weather is going to impact the NFL in the closing weeks of the season. It always does. While in most cases, if a fantasy owner has leaned on the same players all season, they likely aren’t going to make radical lineup changes, but, if you have roster spots that can be swapped out in the event you need it on game day if one or two of your players are going to be playing in blizzard conditions, it’s an option you may want to explore before your hands are tied in Week 15 or 16.

Here is the Week 12 Fantasy Market Report:

RISERS

Lamar Jackson – Jackson has been posting crazy good numbers all year, but it seems like he is finding another gear over the second half of the season. He hit a stretch in the middle of the season where his touchdown passes fell markedly (two TD passes in four games), but, in his last two games, he has emerged in the middle of the MVP discussions. He has thrown seven TD passes in his last two games and has five rushing TDs in his last five games. He’s been a fantasy stud all season, but he’s kicked into a second gear in November.

Jarvis Landry – In his first seven games of the season, Landry was catching passes and posting modest yardage totals consistently, but what was frustrating fantasy owners was that he wasn’t hitting the end zone. But, in the last four games, he has been targeted 40 times, catching 24 passes for 256 yards and has scored a touchdown in each of his last three games – a pace over the last month that would translate into 96 catches for 1,024 yards and 12 TDs over the course of a full season.

Josh Allen – Allen still doesn’t get the fantasy respect he deserves despite becoming one of the most consistent scorers in the league. He has accounted for two or more touchdowns in his last six games, including 10 passing TDs and four rushing touchdowns. He likely isn’t the No. 1 QB on many rosters, but he’s been playing like one since the beginning of October.

Randall Cobb – His role in Green Bay was reduced his final couple of seasons with the Packers and it didn’t appear to be changing in Dallas. Between Weeks 2 and 9, Cobb had more than three catches just twice and his high yardage total was 53 with no touchdowns. However, in his last two games, he has caught 10 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns. Dak Prescott has become a fantasy must-start because he’s finding ways to incorporate more players into the mix and Cobb has become a player owners will find hard to bench.

Jameis Winston – If your league doesn’t penalize you for interceptions (he has 18 on the season and 13 in his last five games, he has been a yardage monster. In his last eight games, he has thrown two or more touchdowns in six games, has one in both of the other two and thrown for more than 300 yards in seven of them. For leagues that deduct points for interceptions, Winston can kill you at times, but, if not, he’s putting up fantasy MVP type numbers on a weekly basis.

FALLERS

Alvin Kamara – While his numbers are still solid in PPR formats, Kamara was the first or second player taken in most drafts or auctions because of his ability to post giant numbers. In 15 games last year, Kamara rushed for 883 yards, caught 81 passes for 7089 yards and scored 18 touchdowns. In eight games this season (he’s missed two), he has rushed for 472 yards and caught 51 passes for 373 yards. Those numbers are similar to his 2018 numbers, but, he has scored just two touchdowns. He’s still putting up decent numbers, but not the numbers fantasy owners invested so heavily in.

Jacoby Brissett – He was one of the hottest quarterbacks in the league coming out of the gate, throwing 14 TD passes in his first six games as the starter. Over the last month, he has missed one game due to injury and, in the other three games, he has just one TD pass and one TD run. He has the ability to make big plays, but the shine is starting to come off of Brissett with fantasy owners that fell in love with him in September.

Joey Slye – Kickers aren’t given much credit for their contributions to fantasy lineups, but you remember them if you win or lose by a couple of points and kicker made the difference. In his first four games of the season, Slye scored 39 points with totals of 9, 12, 8 and 10 points. In his last six games, he has scored just 33 points, including two weeks with three points, two with four and one with six. If you’re wondering why he’s available in so many leagues, those point totals are probably the answer.

Jared Goff – In 2018, Goff took the fantasy world by storm, averaging 293 yards a game and throwing 32 touchdowns. While he is still posting decent passing numbers (averaging 278 yards a game), he has thrown just 11 touchdowns in 10 games (a pace for just 17 or 18 over the course of the season). Those are unacceptable numbers in the pass-happy era we live in now and when you haven’t thrown more than two TDs in any game with that supporting cast, it’s even more maddening.

Tevin Coleman – In the first four games returning from injury in Week 4, Coleman looked like one of the best running backs in the league, rushing for 309 yards and scoring six total touchdowns. But, in the last three games, he rushed 33 times for just 77 yards and hasn’t scored any touchdowns. At a time when fantasy owners have been putting him in starting lineups every week because of what accomplished in October, he has been an unqualified bust since Halloween.

Fantasy market report: Week 11

Often times, the best fantasy seasons can get blown up in a one-and-done scenario and often the difference between winning and losing can come down to a single player with a favorable matchup.

Often times, the best fantasy seasons can get blown up in a one-and-done scenario and often the difference between winning and losing can come down to a single player with a favorable matchup.

It’s never too early to begin planning for the run to a championship and we’re looking at what, on paper at this time, look to be the five best closing schedules based on opponents and the five worst. The teams listed have their final four games because, while most fantasy championships are decided in Week 16, there are some leagues that play 17-week schedules or have a free-for-all game in Week 17 that can win fantasy owners some transaction money as well.

THE FIVE BEST

Philadelphia Eagles (NY GIANTS, at Washington, DALLAS, at NYG Giants) – With two games against the hapless Giants, another with Washington and games in Week 14 and 16 at home, the Eagles closing schedule is about as good as it could be.

Green Bay Packers (WASHINGTON, CHICAGO, at Minnesota, at Detroit) – With Washington and Chicago having to come to Lambeau Field in December, that is a huge advantage for the Packers and, given that they’ve owned the NFC North all season, going into climate-controlled games at Minnesota aren’t much worse.

Cleveland Browns (CINCINNATI, at Arizona, BALTIMORE, at Cincinnati) – Getting Cincinnati twice and the struggling Cardinals in the mix, this is a pretty good schedule for a team that underachieved to date and needs to finish the season strong, whether it leads to an unlikely playoff berth or not.

Minnesota Vikings (DETROIT, at LA Chargers, GREEN BAY, CHICAGO) – With three of four games at home, where Minnesota has been dominant since US Bank Stadium opened, they will be a hard team to beat or keep out of the playoffs.

New England Patriots (KANSAS CITY, at Cincinnati, BUFFALO, MIAMI) – The Patriots have three of four games at home and the only road game against hapless Cincinnati, which should play to their strengths…again.

THE FIVE WORST

Los Angeles Rams (SEATTLE, at Dallas, at San Francisco, ARIZONA) – With the Seahawks, Cowboys and 49ers on their plate for the fantasy playoffs, the road to trying to repeat at NFC champions will be a tough road for the Rams.

Buffalo Bills (BALTIMORE, at Pittsburgh, at New England, NY JETS) – The Bills have been a good story in the first half of the season, but landing the Ravens and then road games at Pittsburgh and New England will be as tough as it gets for AFC contenders.

Chicago Bears (DALLAS, at Green Bay, KANSAS CITY, at Minnesota) – The Bears have been a disappointment this season when compared to expectations and all four of their final opponents are currently set to be playoff teams

Seattle Seahawks (at LA Rams, at Carolina, ARIZONA, SAN FRANCISCO) – With road games against the Rams and Panthers to start the fantasy playoffs and closing out with San Francisco, the only saving grace here would be the Week 16 home game against the Cardinals.

Washington Redskins (at Green Bay, PHILADELPHIA, NY GIANTS, at Dallas) – The Redskins 2019 season has been a disappointment and things don’t get easier with the Packers, Eagles and Cowboys on the closing slate of games.

Here is the Week 11 Fantasy Market Report:

RISERS

Kyle Rudolph – In a year when tight ends haven’t been consistently producing huge numbers, Rudolph was invisible at the start of the season. In the first five games (he was healthy for all of them), he was targeted just eight times, catching six passes for just 36 yards and no touchdowns. When Adam Thielen went down in Week 7, Rudolph got incorporated back into the offense. In the last four games, he has caught 15 passes for 112 yards and four touchdowns, making himself fantasy relevant once again.

Michael Thomas – While Thomas has been dominant throughout his career, what he has accomplished this season is nothing short of astounding. In nine games, he has been targeted 108 times, catching 86 passes for 1,027 yards and four touchdowns – a pace that would shatter his career highs across the board. He’s on pace for 183 targets, catching 153 passes 1,826 yards and seven TDs. He has just two games with less than 11 targets, one game with less than eight receptions, one game with less than 89 receiving yards, five games with 10 or more receptions and five games with more than 110 receiving yards. You don’t hear his name in MVP discussions, but there is no more valuable receiver in the league this year to his team.

Ronald Jones – Jones hasn’t been a guy fantasy owners have wanted to start every week because he’s been in a timeshare with Peyton Barber and didn’t look worthy of his draft slot as a rooking. But, in his last six games, he has rushed for 246 yards and four touchdowns and caught 14 passes for 142 more yards. He still isn’t a guaranteed starter in most leagues, but he’s giving owners a viable option if they need a player.

Golden Tate – Tate was kind of an afterthought after missing the first four games of the season due to suspension. But, with all the turmoil in New York, he has been the steadying influence on the offense in the six games he’s played. In the last five games, he has been targeted 54 times, catching 30 passes for 404 yards and three touchdowns. He has caught six or more passes in four of those games and has 80 or more receiving yards in four of those five as well. Tate has never been a touchdown machine, but he has a history of being a volume-of-receptions guy and he is quickly establishing himself as the No. 1 receiving target in New York.

Melvin Gordon – It took Gordon some time to get up to speed after his holdout. In his first four games, Gordon rushed 44 times for just 112 yards in one touchdown – averaging just 2.5 yards a carry. In his last two games, he has looked like Gordon of old, rushing 42 times for 188 yards and three touchdowns. For a guy who was a pain for fantasy owners the first half of the season, he’s looking like his former self, which was one of the most dynamic fantasy running backs in the game.

FALLERS

Devonta Freeman – The biggest concern for most fantasy owners was whether Freeman could stay healthy for 16 games after battling injuries much of 2017 and missing all but two games last year. While he left Sunday’s win against New Orleans with an ankle injury. The fact of the matter is that he has no 100-yard rushing games through nine games, has just two games with more than 13 carries and two games with 40 or more rushing yards, has averaged just 7.4 yards per reception with just three games with more than three catches and his three TDs this season have all been as a receiver. His production had ground to a halt. In his last three games, he has rushed 30 times for just 96 yards, caught 13 passes for just 79 yards and scored no touchdowns. In this instance, an injury may be a good thing because it will end the temptation to keep him in your lineup.

JuJu Smith-Schuster – Jalen Ramsey played the “you’re no Antonio Brown card” last week before the Steelers-Rams game, but anyone who has JuJu already knows that. Without Ben Roethlisberger gun-slinging, Smith-Schuster’s numbers have suffered. In his last six games, he has three or fewer receptions in four them and yardage days of 15, 7, 16 and 44 in the mix. He has had just enough big games to keep him in lineups, but, at this point, he’s doing fantasy owners more harm than good if they continue starting him every week.

Robby Anderson – He’s been a fantasy enigma. He has a history of stringing together very productive games over the last three years, but this season has been brutal. He has two games with more than 43 receiving yards, has just one touchdown and individual yardage days of 23, 11, 16, 10, 43, 33 and 11. Most owners who had him have likely already dumped him and those who haven’t should consider it because it just doesn’t look like his typical month on fantasy dominance is coming.

Sammy Watkins – Back in Week 1, Watkins set the fantasy world on fire, catching nine passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns. In the nine games the Chiefs have played (seven with Watkins in the starting lineup, he has caught 31 passes for just 314 yards and no touchdowns. He hasn’t hit 65 receiving yards in any game despite the Chiefs slinging the ball early and often in games.

John Brown – Big things were expected from Brown in Buffalo and he showed that early. In his first two games, he caught 14 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown. Since then, he has been extremely consistent, catching either four or five passes in every game since and has consistent yardage numbers (51, 69, 75, 83, 54, 76 and 77), but has caught just one touchdown in those seven games. He still gets decent fantasy numbers on a weekly basis, but the big-play, huge-point games he has made a name for himself getti8ng, just haven’t materialized – he doesn’t have a catch of 30 yards since Week 1. We don’t recommend dumping him, but we do suggest managing your expectations for the huge games and big plays Brown has been known for.