Tag: Kenyan Drake

Former Dolphins RB calls out Tua Tagovailoa haters

The quarterback has been converting his doubters this season.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been putting on a show through the first 10 games of the 2022 season.

In his most recent appearance, against the Cleveland Browns, he completed 78.1% of his attempts for 285 yards and three touchdowns.

This caused former Dolphins running back Kenyan Drake to take to social media to defend his former signal-caller.

Drake and Tagovailoa never crossed paths, but with both players spending their collegiate careers at Alabama, there’s obviously some love for the Crimson Tide brotherhood.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbwhebtqp7ahdjt player_id=none image=https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=455249]

Fantasy football start ’em, sit ’em: Week 9

Check out these start/sit decisions in Week 9 of fantasy football.

In what will be one of the most difficult weeks for fantasy football managers, the lineup decisions could make or break a matchup.

There’s a lot of fantasy firepower sitting on the bench this week with six teams on a bye, including the Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, and San Francisco 49ers.

Doing start/sit articles can be a little challenging. The players featured on the list below should not be taken as “must starts” or “must sits.” Instead, these are more suggestions on what we believe managers should do with fringe players heading into the weekend. The choice is ultimately up to the manager.

Just because a player is listed as a “start” doesn’t mean he should be put in the lineup over the secure, bona fide studs. Vice versa for the “sits.” If there’s no better option on the waiver wire or the bench, a manager shouldn’t automatically sit the player. That’s why these can be tricky waters to navigate.

You also can check out our start and sit bench list for Week 9.

Fantasy football waiver wire: Week 9 free-agent forecast

Here is the Week 9 waiver-wire free-agent forecast for fantasy football.

The fantasy football season has essentially passed that halfway mark, and managers will find themselves in another rough week of byes and injuries to work through in Week 9.

Teams on a bye in Week 9 include the Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, and San Francisco 49ers.

We’ll be taking a look at the top available players rostered in ESPN leagues, using the 75% rostered mark as the threshold. If you have any questions about prioritizing a certain player over another, don’t be afraid to hit me up on Twitter (@KevinHickey11). Your questions, comments, and roasts are always welcome!

We also will be taking a look at some deeper players to stash and the top streaming options for the upcoming week.

Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated.

Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.

Ravens RB Gus Edwards leaves game with hamstring injury in Week 8 vs. Buccaneers

Ravens running back Gus Edwards left the game in Week 8 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a hamstring injury

[sendtonews_embed video_id=”k177L9O71H-2325392-7498″]

The Baltimore Ravens were driving early in the fourth quarter with a 17-10 lead.  Running back Gus Edwards who was questionable to play throughout the week due to his knee went down after a 22-yard run.

He stayed down on the ground, but was able to walk off of the field and into the blue medical tent. He didn’t re-enter the game after, likely for precautionary reasons.

Edwards was having a solid game running for 65-yards on 11 carries. His 22-yard run was the longest of his short season so far.

Fantasy football start ’em, sit ’em: Week 7

Here’s a look at some tough starts and sits in fantasy football for Week 7.

As we get closer to the halfway point of the fantasy football season, bye weeks and injuries make start and sit decisions even more vital.

With the Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, and Los Angeles Rams all on a bye, there’s a lot of fantasy firepower sitting on the bench this week.

Doing start/sit articles can be a little challenging. The players featured on the list below should not be taken as “must starts” or “must sits.” Instead, these are more suggestions on what we believe managers should do with fringe players heading into the weekend. The choice is ultimately up to the manager.

Just because a player is listed as a “start” doesn’t mean he should be put in the lineup over the secure, bona fide studs. Vice versa for the “sits.” If there’s no better option on the waiver wire or the bench, a manager shouldn’t automatically sit the player. That’s why these can be tricky waters to navigate.

You also can check out our start and sit bench list for Week 7.

Here is a look at some of the tough start and sit decisions in fantasy football for Week 7:

8 sleepers to play in fantasy football for Week 7

Check out these eight sleepers to play in Week 7 of fantasy football.

The arrival of bye weeks has fantasy football managers scrambling to fill out lineups in Week 7, especially considering the talent that will be left on the bench.

Though only four teams are on a bye in Week 7, it includes immense fantasy firepower at almost every position. Finding production elsewhere from sleepers makes this endeavor risky and difficult. But we’re here to help with that decision-making process.

We will be using The Huddle’s weekly PPR projections and rankings as a reference to find some potential boom games this week.

Here are eight sleepers to play in fantasy football for Week 7:

Giants report card: How we graded Big Blue in Week 6 win

The New York Giants defeated the Baltimore Ravens, 24-20, in Week 6 and the Giants Wire team grades reflect that performance.

The New York Giants prevailed against the Baltimore Ravens, 24-20, on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

The Giants won this game against all odds as they went down double digits in the fourth. They were able to battle back and take the lead late due to some individual late-game heroics. The excitement surrounding this team should continue as the Giants are now 5-1 and second in the NFC East.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what we saw during the game and how we graded the Giants in this win.

Fantasy football waiver wire: Week 7 free-agent forecast

Here are the top waiver wire targets for fantasy football in Week 7.

Each week, fantasy football managers inch closer to the playoffs as the 2022 campaign rolls into midseason form. Now, they must navigate through a bye week that will leave a lot of fantasy firepower on the bench in Week 7.

Teams on a bye in Week 7 include the Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, and Philadelphia Eagles.

We’ll be taking a look at the top available players rostered in ESPN leagues, using the 75% rostered mark as the threshold. If you have any questions about prioritizing a certain player over another, don’t be afraid to hit me up on Twitter (@KevinHickey11). Your questions, comments, and roasts are always welcome!

Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated.

Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.

Giants vs. Ravens: Statistics, numbers and broken records

The New York Giants defeated the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6 and here’s a look at some of the records, statistics and numbers.

The New York Giants rallied once again on Sunday, coming back from two scores down to defeat the Baltimore Ravens, 24-20, at MetLife Stadium.

The improbable winning streak now has the Giants at 5-1 on the season and competing for the NFC East crown.

Here’s a glance at what interesting stats, numbers and broken records were birthed from the Week 6 win over the Ravens.

  • With the win, the Giants have exceeded their win total from 2021.
  • The Giants have now won three straight games, their biggest winning streak since 2020.
  • The Giants have won their first five games against non-divisional opponents for the first time in franchise history.
  • The Giants have won three games this season in which they faced 10-point (or more) second half deficits. They are just the fourth team in NFL history to record three such wins over their first six games of the season.
  • The three comeback wins of 10 points or more are tied for the most in a single season in franchise history.
  • The win was the first in which the Giants overcame a 10-point deficit with 7:00 or less remaining in the fourth quarter since 2011.
  • Daniel Jones is the NFL’s first quarterback to beat former league MVPs in back-to-back weeks since 2016 (Sam Bradford).
  • Jones has completed 70% or more of his passes in three games this season, matching the total from his first three NFL seasons combined.
  • Kayvon Thibodeaux recorded his first career sack.
  • Wan’Dale Robinson recorded his first career touchdown reception.
  • Dexter Lawrence has recorded a sack in three straight games (a career-best) and has 4.0 sacks on the season, tying a career-high.
  • Kenyan Drake had two runs of 30-plus yards, the Giants’ first opponent with two or more 30-plus yard runs since Michael Vick in 2010.
  • Lamar Jackson had gone 12-0 against NFC teams entering Sunday. The Giants are his first-ever loss to an NFC team.
  • Brian Daboll lost his first challenge as an NFL head coach.

[lawrence-related id=699491,699489,699487]

[listicle id=699494]

Tunnel Vision of Week 6

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

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Joe Burrow 300-25 4
 Josh Allen 329-32 3
 Matt Ryan 389-(-4) 3
 Trevor Lawrence 163-23 3
 Marcus Mariota 129-50 3
Running Backs Yards Rush
Receive		 TD
Deon Jackson 12-42
10-79		 1
Rhamondre Stevenson 19-76
4-15		 2
Christian McCaffrey 13-69
7-89		 0
Leonard Fournette 13-69
6-38		 1
Breece Hall 20-116
2-5		 1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Ja’Marr Chase 7-132 2
Stefon Diggs 10-148 1
Tyreek Hill 12-177 0
Brandon Aiyuk 8-83 2
Michael Pittman 13-134 0
Tight Ends Yards TD
Mike Gesicki 6-69 2
Mark Andrews 7-106 1
Travis Kelce 8-108 0
Robert Tonyan 10-90 0
George Kittle 8-83 0
Placekickers XP FG
Ryan Succop 0 4
Will Lutz 2 4
Jason Meyers 1 4
Harrison Butker 2 2
Cade York 0 3
Defense Sack – TO TD
Seahawks 6-2 0
Commanders 5-2 0
Jets 4-1 1
Panthers 1-1 1
Cardinals 5-1 1

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Skylar Thompson (MIA) – Hand
QB Kenny Pickett (PIT) – Concussion
QB P.J. Walker (CAR) – Neck
RB J.K. Dobbins (BAL) – Knee
RB Deon Jackson (IND) – Quad
WR Kendrick Bourne (NE) – Toe
WR Randall Cobb (GB) – High Ankle
WR Jamal Agnew (JAC) – Knee
WR Jaylen Waddle (MIA) – shoulder
WR Marquise Brown (ARI) – Foot
WR Robbie Anderson (CAR) – Benched
TE Cameron Brate – Neck

Chasing Ambulances

QB Skylar Thompson (MIA) – Injured his hand when it hit a helmet after he passed. Teddy Bridgewater finished the game. Tua Tagovailoa is expected to return for Week 7, which makes this inconsequential.

QB Kenny Pickett (PIT) – Suffered a concussion after a hard hit in the third quarter and did not return. Mitchell Trubisky finished the winning effort against the Buccaneers and would start again in Miami this week if needed.

QB P.J. Walker (CAR) – Injured his neck and gave way to Jacob Eason. Walker later said he would be fine for Week 7 hosting the Buccaneers, but everything in Carolina is murky right now with running backs, wideouts, and quarterbacks.

RB J.K. Dobbins (BAL) – His knee tightened and was held out from the second half. He seemed to be back to form in Week 4 but now has struggled in the last two weeks. His status for this week will be determined later in the week but he’ll likely play, the question is how much if he is active?

RB Deon Jackson (IND) – The third-string back that turned into a stud against the Jaguars left the game for most of the fourth quarter with a quad injury. Jonathan Taylor went through limited practices last week, so he’s likely to return. Jackson was a great as a replacement and makes a prudent hold for the Taylor owner.

WR Randall Cobb (GB) – Was carted off the field and was reported to have a high-ankle sprain. The early speculation is that he’ll miss  multiple weeks.  Amari Rodgers is the next man up, but the entire receiving corps for the Packers has disappointed and digging through the depth chart will not likely improve anything.

WR Jaylen Waddle (MIA) – Hurt his shoulder late in the game but had 129 yards before he left. Waddle later said that he would be okay for this week’s matchup with the Steelers, plus Tua Tagovailoa should be back as well. Barring negative practice reports, Waddle should be fine.

WR Marquise Brown (ARI) – He was injured near the end of the loss to the Seahawks when a defender fell on his foot. He wore a walking boot after the game and was limping. The Cards host the Saints on Thursday night, so there isn’t much time to heal up.

 WR Robbie Anderson (CAR) – He argued with his position coach on the sideline about never getting a pass thrown to him and he was sent to the locker room in the fourth quarter. Anderson is rumored to be on the trading block and it appears that the Panthers may not want too much just to get rid of an obviously unhappy player.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

TE George Kittle (SF) – The 49ers star tight end still has not scored this season, but he led the team with eight catches for 83 yards when they fell behind and needed to abandon the run. It’s encouraging to see him return to high-volume usage, and hosting the Chiefs this week should spark the need to throw more.

TE Kyle Pitts (ATL) – He finally scored a touchdown this season but still was held to only three catches for 19 yards in the win over the 49ers. It was nice to see but cannot be considered more than just a single-play event and not a growing trend. So long as Marcus Mariota is the quarterback, there is no reason to expect Pitts to be used up to his potential.

WR Tyquan Thornton (NE) – The speedy rookie debuted in Week 5 with just two catches for seven yards. Versus the Browns, he turned in a fantasy breakout with four catches for 37 yards and a touchdown, plus three rushes for 16 yards and a second score. The lower volume of passing in New England will make him a risky start no matter how much confidence he builds, but his addition as a rusher will help him to offer more consistent stats if they continue his dual role.

TE Robert Tonyan (GB) – He’s had minimal use this year, but against the Jets, Tonyan led the Packers with ten catches for 90 yards. That may be more than just a one-week blip. The Packers lost Randall Cobb to a high-ankle sprain, so the tight end may continue to see more targets as Aaron Rodgers contends with a marginal set of receivers.

RB JaMychal Hasty (JAC) – Because two running backs just were not enough, the Jags are now using three. Travis Etienne had 12 touches, James Robinson had 13 touches, and Hasty is getting playing time. His second of three runs went for a 61-yard touchdown in the second quarter. His other two touches lost four yards. But the Jaguars are leaning toward being more of a rushing team than a passing team. Hasty adds to the committee but takes away from the other two backs.

RB Deon Jackson (IND) – The Colts missed Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines, but Jackson stepped in to great effect. He ran twelve times for 42 yards and a touchdown, plus caught ten passes for 79 yards as the top fantasy running back for the week. Taylor is likely back this week for the game in Tennessee, but Jackson could potentially cut into Hines’ role as a receiving back.

WR Rashid Shaheed (NO) – The undrafted free agent wideout was called up from the practice squad to help fill in for the three starting wideouts who were out. The Weber State product failed to catch his one pass but ran for a 44-yard touchdown on his only rush.  He’ll likely head back to the practice squad when the starters return, but the 4.4/40-time speedster looked sharp for his score.

RB Kenyan Drake (BAL) – J.K. Dobbins had his knee “stiffened up” and sat out of the second half of the loss to the Giants. Drake was limited to ten carries but gained 119 yards and a touchdown. And it wasn’t just one long run that spiked the total. He turned in runs of 30, 30, 20, and 15 yards. He stopped running in the fourth quarter when the Ravens went to a pass-heavy script. Depending on Dobbins’ health, Drake could see more use on Sunday when the Browns visit.

WR Wan’Dale Robinson (NYG) – The rookie returned from his four weeks off with a knee injury and  caught three passes for 37 yards and one touchdown. His four targets were second only to Daniel Bellinger (5). The Giants are not a good passing team, but Robinson was a second-round pick that runs a 4.4 40-time and is expected to become a starter. The Giants’ wide receiver depth chart may be the most open one in the league, so Robinson deserves a spot on a roster.

WR Allen Robinson (LAR) – After a three-game stretch that saw Robinson total seven catches for 42 yards combined, it was safe enough to give up on Robinson. Not so fast. Versus the Panthers, Robinson turned in a season-best five catches for 63 yards and one score. His six targets were second only to Cooper Kupp (8). It can’t be considered more than a one-week blip, but it also means that you cannot dump him on the waiver wire.

RB Kenneth Walker (SEA) – The second running back taken in the 2022 NFL draft ran for 97 yards and one score on 21 carries. He added two catches for 13 yards in his debut in the wake of Rashaad Penny’s season-ending leg injury. DeeJay Dallas only ran twice for one net yard, so Walker is likely to maintain his heavy workload if his success continues.

WR DeAndre Hopkins (ARI) – Returns to the Cardinals after a six-week suspension and maybe just in time since Marquise Brown injured his foot and the Cardinals play the Saints on Thursday night.

Huddle player of the week

Joe Burrow  –  The Bengals haven’t seen the same success that they had in 2021 when they went to the Super Bowl, but he just turned in his best effort of the season and the best of anyone in Week 6. Burrow threw for exactly 300 yards and three scores, plus ran for 25 yards and a fourth touchdown. His play lifted the Bengals to a win at the Saints.

Salute!

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

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Matt Ryan 385 3 QB Tom Brady 244 1
RB Kenyan Drake 127 1 RB Aaron Jones 44 0
RB JaMycal Hasty 57 1 RB JK Dobbins 15 0
WR Chase Claypool 96 1 WR Mike Evans 42 0
WR Tyquan Thornton 53 2 WR DK Metcalf 34 0
WR Dante Pettis 84 1 WR Elijah Moore 0 0
TE Mike Gesicki 69 2 TE Tyler Higbee 7 0
PK Will Lutx   4  FG PK Robbie Gould   2 XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 144 Huddle Fantasy Points = 32

Now get back to work…