Tunnel Vision of Week 16

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

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Andy Dalton 396 – 0 4
 Daniel Jones 352 – 12 5
 Ryan Fitzpatrick 419 – 9 4
 Lamar Jackson 238 – 103 3
 Ryan Tannehill 272 – 8 3
Running Backs Yards TD
Saquon Barkley 279 2
Kenyan Drake 194 2
Alvin Kamara 110 2
Miles Sanders 156 1
Philip Lindsay  118 1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Tyler Boyd 128 2
Michael Thomas 136 1
Steven Sims 73 3
Tajae Sharpe 69 2
Davante Parker 111 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Mark Andrews 93 2
Jared Cook 84 2
Mike Gesicki 82 2
Kaden Smith 35 2
Dallas Goedert 91 1
Placekickers XP FG
Sam Ficken 1 3
Nick Folk 1 3
Kai Forbath 0 3
Ka’imi Fairbairn 2 3
Matt Gay 2 2
Defense Sck-TO TD
Colts 5 – 3 2
Texans 3 – 5 1
Buccaneers 5 – 2 0
Jets 4 – 2 0
Rams 6 – 2 0

Check back next week for the Annual Huddle Awards

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

RB Mark Ingram – Calf
RB James Conner – Thigh
QB Mason Rudolph – Shoulder
QB Dwayne Haskins – Ankle
RB Myles Gaskin – Ankle
WR D.J. Moore – Concussion
TE Zach Ertz – Ribs
RB Chris Carson – Hip
QB Kyler Murray – Hamstring
RB Spencer Ware – Shoulder
RB C.J. Prosise – Broken arm

Chasing Ambulances

It is possible that a few leagues use Week 17 and could have these players in question. Even better – use Week 17 to go play a daily game or two. And replacement players are always cheap to use.

RB Mark Ingram – Suffered a calf injury and left the game. He’ll rest in Week 17 regardless and allow Gus Edwards and Justice Hill to replace him. Edwards always gets more carries and would be the better option when they host the Steelers this week.

RB James Conner – Left with a calf injury in the loss to the Jets.  The Steelers used a committee of Benny Snell, Jaylen Samuels, and Kerrith Whyte to replace him. They play in Baltimore so there would be marginal fantasy value with just one back. And none with three or even four running backs.

TE Zach Ertz – Left with a rib injury and Dallas Goedert led all receivers with nine catches for 91 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Cowboys. The Eagles have to win this week to take the NFC East and Ertz will play if there is any chance. He could be limited though depending on how bad the rib injury is. Goedert is a worthy consideration anyway since the Eagles are almost out of receivers.

RB Chris Carson – Injured his hip and early reports have him likely to miss the rest of the year. But Rashaad Penny already beat him to the injured reserve and C.J. Prosise just broke his arm. Travis Homer is the top of the depth chart at last for now. He is a sixth-round rookie with eight rushing attempts and six receptions over the last four games.  He’s an obvious step down from Carson and the Seahawks face the 49ers this week. They will promote a practice squad guy or find a free agent or both. Limited if any real value this week, though.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

WR Michael Thomas – He set the new NFL record with 145 catches in a season and he still has one more game against the Panthers. In their last meeting during Week 12, Thomas caught 11 passes for 101 yards and a score on the Panthers. 150 is not out of reach and 155 sounds like an average game.

WR DeAndre Hopkins – Faced the No. 32 ranked defense against wide receivers and only caught five passes for 23 yards. And yes, as mind-bending as that seems, it was his worst performance all year – right when you needed him most.

WR Breshad Perriman – For the last four games, he’s gained at least 70 yards and topped 100 yards in the last two. Perriman blew up with 113 yards and three touchdowns in Week 15 after Mike Evans was gone and he laid down seven receptions for 102 yards this week. What will the Bucs do with three viable receivers? Hard to say since Perriman was only signed for one year and will be a free agent in 2020.

TE Tyler Higbee – In his three previous seasons, Higbee never gained 100 yards and averaged just around 17 yards per game. He rarely caught more than two passes and even went seven different weeks without a catch despite playing. When Gerald Everett went out injured in Week 12, there were no expectations on what Higbee might do other than play like he had for three and a half years. But he turned in at least seven catches for 100 yards in each of the last four games. He is the highest-scoring tight end for the last month. He is the third-highest scoring receiver, period.

RB Devonta Freeman – Yet another head-scratcher. Freeman does little all year and yet in Week 16, he ran for 53 yards and a touchdown, plus caught nine passes for 74 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Jaguars. It was his best game of the year and double the fantasy points from ten other of his games this season.

QB Will Grier – The Panthers’ third-round pick finally took his debut start in the loss to the Colts. He only completed 27 of 44 passes for 224 yards and three interceptions. But – he connected 15 times with Christian McCaffrey and his other 13 completions were spread over eight players. At least he was kind to the McCaffrey owners in their championships – because he was in a lot of them.

WR Tyler Boyd – There were a lot of players that saved their best games for the fantasy championships, even if they sunk their owner’s chances long ago. Boyd only scored three times this season and just once in his first ten games. At Miami this week, he ended with nine catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns.  He turned in just three receptions for 26 yards the previous week.

TE Mike Gesicki – The second-round pick by the Dolphins in 2018, Gesicki did little and never scored until Week 12 of this year. He followed that with a score this next week with 79 yards against the Eagles. In Week 16, he ended with six receptions for 82 yards and two more touchdowns. Worth noting for next year.

RB Alvin Kamara – Ran for 80 yards and two touchdowns at Tennessee and added six catches for 30 yards. That’s a better game than his previous four combined. He only had one rushing touchdown in his first 14 games.

RB Miles Sanders – The Eagles have always employed a committee backfield under HC Doug Pederson. But Jordan Howard remains out and Sanders comes off a big game with 79 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries plus five receptions for 77 yards in the win over the Cowboys. Jordan Howard was only signed for 2019, so could it be? I bet not. Shame though.

RB Kenyan Drake – Where was this when he was in Miami? Drake ran for 166 yards and two scores plus caught three passes for 18 yards. After his first touchdown, he celebrated by pretending to open a safe, load money in a bag and then throw it over his shoulder and walk away. He had 146 total yards and a score last week. And yes, he’s going to be carrying a big bag of money when he becomes a free agent next year.

4,000-yard passers – These quarterbacks have a shot at 4,000 yards on the season (Name and need) – Russell Wilson (123), Patrick Mahomes (143), Deshaun Watson (148), Tom Brady (164), Carson Wentz (250). That would make ten this year and there were 12 in 2018.

1,000-yard rushers – These running backs are close to the mark – Joe Mixon (25), Phillip Lindsay (42), Saquon Barkley (89).

1,000-yard receivers – It’s not just for wideouts anymore – Austin Ekeler (50), Christian McCaffrey (67), Tyler Boyd (13), DJ Chark (26), Mike Williams (37), Odell Beckham (46), A.J. Brown (73), Terry McLaurin (81), George Kittle (33), and Zach Ertz (84).

Huddle player of the week

RB Saquon Barkley  –  This is ironic. The first pick in most fantasy drafts has been a bust against all expectations. He missed three games and never ran for 100 yards since Week 2. There are not a lot of teams that weathered such a bad flop from their No. 1 pick. But those that did were rewarded with 22 carries for 189 yards and one touchdown, plus four receptions for 90 more yards and a second score. It was everything you expected and never got. Until Week 16.

Salute!

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

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Andy Dalton 396 4 QB Deshaun Watson 220 0
RB DeAndre Washington 106 1 RB Nick Chubb 45 0
RB Rex Burkhead 97 1 RB Chris Carson 60 0
WR Steven Sims 64 2 WR DJ Chark 18 0
WR Tajae Sharpe 69 2 WR Amari Cooper 24 0
WR Hunter Renfrow 107 1 WR DeAndre Hopkins 23 0
TE Mike Gesicki 82 2 TE Zach Ertz 28 0
PK Sam Ficken  1  XP   3 FG PK Chris Boswell 1 XP 1 FG
Huddle Fantasy Points = 152 Huddle Fantasy Points = 29

Now get back to work… and Merry Christmas!

Dolphins TE Mike Gesicki continues to blossom in year two

The Miami Dolphins have to be pleased from the progress shown by tight end Mike Gesicki.

The Miami Dolphins’ “evaluation” year in 2019 is bearing some unexpected fruit. After a rookie season in 2018 that left many questioning if Miami had made a mistake in selecting tight end Mike Gesicki, the former Penn State Nittany Lion has turned a corner in 2019 and continues to look more and more like the receiving threat he was perceived to be in college.

Over Gesicki’s last 8 games, the tight end has produced 311 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns — certainly not earth shattering numbers, but both are better than the figures Gesicki posted in all of his rookie season. And be honest, if Miami were told they could get 600 yards and 4-5 touchdowns a year out of Gesicki (or any tight end for that matter), they’d probably be tickled pick. The Dolphins recent track record at tight end hasn’t been particularly kind. The team tried the experiment of bringing in Julius Thomas in 2017 and the last splash they tried to make at the position before that was signing Jordan Cameron in 2015. Neither eclipsed 400 yards receiving.

Gesicki has now checked that box and should finish the season over 500 yards as well. Ideally, the scoring continues to heat up for the tight end over the final two games to build more momentum for a potential breakout season in 2020 with the rest of Miami’s overhauled offense. Remember, Gesicki hadn’t scored an NFL touchdown until just a few weeks ago against the Browns.

The arrow is pointed up and thanks to the play of QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, Gesicki is getting a chance as the contested catches he’s going to need to make to be a true asset for the Dolphins in the future. So far, so good.

[vertical-gallery id=420193]

Stopping DeVante Parker and Mike Gesicki among keys to Jets defense vs. Dolphins

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.

9 fantasy football sleepers for Week 14

Quarterbacks Gardner Minshew and Devlin Hodges highlight Touchdown Wire’s Week 14 list of fantasy football sleepers.

NFL coaches and players always talk about how the playoffs bring a whole new level of intensity. It’s true.

The same is true of fantasy football and its playoffs are now upon us. At this point, you have to go for broke. Sometimes, desperate measures are needed. That sums up what the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars are doing in reality.

The Jaguars have no margin for error for the playoffs. The Steelers don’t have much more room for error. But they’re going with rookie quarterbacks Devlin Hodges in Pittsburgh and Gardner Minshew in Jacksonville for the rest of the season.

Are they good enough to start in fantasy? I say yes.

Let me explain my reasoning a little deeper as Hodges and Minshew highlight Touchdown Wire’s weekly list of nine fantasy football sleepers.

9. Gardner Minshew, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

The Jaguars benched high-priced quarterback Nick Foles last week after falling behind, 25-0, last week. The turned back to the rookie Minshew, who went 4-4 as a starter when Foles was injured early in the season and he sparked the Jaguars to two quick scores. That led to the Jaguars announcing that Minshew will be the starter the rest of the season. Minshew has a favorable matchup against the struggling Los Angeles Chargers this week.

Dolphins TE Mike Gesicki is officially on the up

Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki is finally breaking out of his shell after nearly two full seasons in the NFL.

Many Dolphins fans and pundits were lukewarm to the Miami Dolphins’ decision in April of 2018 to draft then-Penn State tight end prospect Mike Gesicki over South Dakota State prospect Dallas Goedert. And for a long while, that skepticism appeared to be well deserved. Goedert was more of a traditional in-line option, which helped to ease his transition to the NFL level — whereas Mike Gesicki struggled as a rookie to learn to play with his hand in the dirt.

Fast forward to December of 2019 and the Dolphins have done right by Gesicki thanks to a new coaching staff, putting this decision back under the microscope. With the two tight end prospects clashing on the field in Week 13, it was Gesicki who looked like the more dynamic player.

Opportunity has thrust Gesicki into a bigger role in the Dolphins’ offense midway through year two of his pro career. The injuries to Preston Williams and other receiving targets as forced QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to find Gesicki more often and develop some chemistry, a key missing variable earlier this season as many throws up the seam floated just out of the grasp of Gesicki’s catch radius before falling harmlessly to the ground.

Of all the plays Gesicki has made over the last month, his touchdown against the Eagles was the most notable — because that’s how Gesicki scored so many times at the college level. The extension, the athleticism, the ball skills and the body control were all on display and it was arguably the first time we’ve seen the Dolphins successfully connect and translate those skills to the NFL field.

Does this justify Miami’s decision to take one player over the other? No, one play or one game never does. Neither does Gesicki’s 5-game stretch of 21 receptions for 248 yards and 2 touchdowns, easily the best stretch of his young career. But if this is the Mike Gesicki the Dolphins are going to get and he’s finally here to stay? Then yes, Miami was justified in their decision to draft him. There’s still plenty of room for improvement, but on the heels of his coming out party against the New York Jets earlier this season, it is now fair to say that Mike Gesicki’s arrow is pointing up.

[vertical-gallery id=420193]

6 waiver wire pickups for fantasy football in Week 14

Waiver wire targets in Week 14.

In most league formats, Week 14 marks the last week of the regular fantasy football season. Your last chance to add and drop players who will or will not be with your team for the crucial playoff weeks. Perhaps you do not need to add anyone and you have been rolling with the same guys all year. In that case, consider yourself lucky.

Being active on the waiver wire is always one of the biggest keys to building a playoff contender, and that continues to hold true as the fantasy season hits the final stretch.

Here are six waiver wire pickups to target entering Week 14:

(AP Photo/Gary Landers)

RB Raheem Mostert: 14.1% rostered (ESPN)

In what was once a crowded backfield in San Francisco with Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman having a majority of the carries, it was hard to judge which 49ers running back would be worth adding. Mostert has survived the injury bug that has started to attack this 49ers offense and has taken over as the lead back.

Against Baltimore in Week 13, Mostert totaled 19 carries for 146 yards and a touchdown in a downpour that lasted all game. Mostert brings a dynamic speed and toughness aspect to this young 49ers team.

The upcoming schedule isn’t great, but Mostert has flex appeal—especially if something happens to Coleman and/or Breida.

Next game: at New Orleans

Fantasy football waiver wire targets after Week 13: Chiefs RB is a breakout candidate

Did we witness Darwin Thompson’s breakout game?

For most you, the fantasy football playoffs have arrived. And if you are reading this article, you’re probably in the playoffs. Congratulations. (If you’re still fighting to win the consolation bracket for pride or for a keeper/dynasty league, best of luck and better luck next year.)

Your roster got you into the playoffs. It never hurts to trust those championship-caliber stars. But it’s always important to build out your bench and depth, even when you’re one of the best teams in your league. A few of these players could be helpful, depending on how many players are in your league.

Here are seven players to target on the waiver wire after Week 13.

7. Gardner Minshew, QB, Jaguars

Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

ESPN: 10%. Yahoo! 8%.

It’s likely that Minshew is in and Nick Foles is out as Jacksonville’s starting quarterback. And in a half of play on Sunday, Minshew managed just over 10 points in standard leagues. He produces in fantasy, particularly because he runs well. The Chargers defense is tough next week, but Oakland is a solid matchup in Week 15.

6. Zach Pascal, WR, Colts

ESPN: 25%. Yahoo! 17%.

With T.Y. Hilton out in Week 13, Pascal shined against the Titans with seven receptions and 109 yards. He’s a solid possession receiver when he’s in the lineup, but goes missing in action when better receivers are healthy.

5. Jordan Wilkins, RB, Colts

ESPN: 6%. Yahoo! 3%.

I mentioned that he might take the job away from Jonathan Williams. And it seems Wilkins is, at least, the top back in a timeshare in Indianapolis. Wilkins had 13 touches (11 carries, 2 receptions) for 56 yards. Williams had nine touches (8 carries, 1 catch) for 24 yards. Wilkins outplayed Williams, and seems likely to take an increased share in the backfield. The major caveat: Marlon Mack is reportedly eying a Week 14 return.

4. Cole Beasley, WR, Bills

ESPN: 24%. Yahoo! 32%.

He has turned up in recent weeks, and is becoming a viable option in both standard and PPR. In the last two weeks, he has 12 receptions for 186 yards and two touchdowns. It seems the Bills offense is getting better as the season progresses and Beasley is quarterback Josh Allen’s safety valve.

3. Mike Gesicki, TE, Dolphins

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN: 10%. Yahoo! 19%.

As the Dolphins are making a late-season push into competency, Gesicki, a 2018 second-round pick, has six or more targets in the last five games. He has had a touchdown in each of the last two games. Perhaps things are beginning to click for the young tight end, who was a high-profile draft prospect.

2. Darwin Thompson, RB, Chiefs

ESPN: 5%. Yahoo! 5%.

When Darrel Williams suffered an injury in Week 13, the Chiefs began to feed Darwin Thompson (11 carries, 44 yards, 1 touchdown), who was the rookie many thought might be a breakout candidate at the start of the season. Instead, Damien Williams’ struggles and injuries led to emergences from LeSean McCoy and Darrel Williams. Perhaps Thompson has earned himself a bigger role as the season winds down.

1. Bo Scarbrough, RB, Lions

ESPN: 47%. Yahoo! 43%.

He is definitely the lead back in Detroit, and it’s wild to think he couldn’t get a job in the NFL. Scarbrough hasn’t been brilliant, but he’s an Alabama product who has been competent. His touch total has increased every week since he rejoined the Lions. He had 21 carries for 83 yards in Week 13. It may not be much in terms of points, but it’s the volume you want out of FLEX option.

[vertical-gallery id=874153]

Injury may result in young TE showdown for Dolphins and Eagles

The Miami Dolphins will see their second year tight end go toe to toe with another 2nd-round tight end from the 2018 NFL Draft this weekend.

With the 42nd pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins selected TE Mike Gesicki from Penn State — a receiving threat with explosive athleticism and a knack for making big plays down the field. Just seven picks later, the Philadelphia Eagles drafted their own tight end: South Dakota State’s Dallas Goedert, who was felt by many to be the best tight end prospect in the class.

Fast forward to Week 13 of the 2019 NFL season and these two players are facing the first time sharing the field together as professionals. Gesicki figures to command a fair share of targets, given the lack of depth for Miami’s pass catchers. Goedert? He may be bracing for the biggest game of his young NFL career as Eagles’ star TE Zach Ertz continues to battle through a hamstring injury.

Should Ertz not play, the Dolphins will see their reality and their alternate reality on the field simultaneously at Hard Rock Stadium in a chance to hopefully feel vindicated over the selection of Gesicki back in April, 2018.

To this point in their careers, the arrow points towards Goedert being the better pro. Goedert has the edge over Gesicki in receptions (64 to 53), yards (623 to 524) and touchdowns (8-1). All of that despite playing as the TE2 in Philadelphia behind Ertz, who has logged 183 receptions for 1,875 yards and 11 touchdowns in those 27 games in which he’s shared the roster with Goedert.

The good news for Miami? Gesicki is at least starting to turn the corner. He’s experienced career highs in receptions and yards in November (against the Jets) and scored his first career touchdown last week against the Browns. The second year tight end still needs to find more separation on his routes and continue to play with more physicality, but at least he’s become honed in enough to find soft spots in the defense and then use his speed after the catch.

Tight ends are traditionally the position requiring the most time to transition into the NFL, as they’re asked to fill a lot of roles versus their college experience. That’s true for Gesicki, but the Dolphins are still hoping to see their 2018 tight end come out on top of the head to head action.

[vertical-gallery id=420193]

Dolphins Dive: Storylines for Week 11 versus the Bills

What are the key storylines to watch this week for the Miami Dolphins in Week 11?

The Miami Dolphins have gone from a winless tank job (or so many would have you believe) to holding back-to-back victories. And if the Dolphins can come back home this week and prevail in their second matchup of the year against the Buffalo Bills, the Dolphins will officially be streaking with three straight wins for the first time since the beginning of the 2018 season.

The Bills represent a winnable game for Miami, based on each team’s play at this time. In fact, in the 31-21 decision on October 20th earlier this year in Buffalo, they played each other fairly close. The Dolphins were better on third down with fewer penalties. But unfortunately, the Bills didn’t give the ball away — while Miami had two turnovers. Step one to achieving streaking status will be protecting the football.

Ball security will be something to watch — but here are three more storylines in this week’s Dolphins Dive for NFL Week 11.

Mike Gesicki heating up

While critics have called tight end Mike Gesicki a late bloomer, since the departure of running back Kenyan Drake the second year tight end has become more involved when quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick needs to check down from a primary target.

In this past two games, Gesicki has caught 9 passes for 123 yards — but he also logged a fumble against the Colts. Can we see Gesicki log a touchdown next?

 Jerome Baker has been on a roll

There have been signs of improvement from the Miami Dolphins as the year has gone on. This is in part thanks to the consistency of linebacker Jerome Baker.

Turning in eight tackles and a forced fumble last week against the Colts, Baker recorded his third straight contest with seven or more tackles posted. His communication and versatility are proving to be key as the Dolphins bank on him to cover a lot of ground and fill a lot of roles. Continuing this pattern would be helpful in securing the ‘W’ over Buffalo.

 Frank Gore needs 73 more

 In addition to facing his former team for the second time this season, future Hall of Fame running back Frank Gore is close to beefing up his resume for gold jacket glory. Should he gain 73 yards on Sunday in South Florida, Gore will have passed former Detroit Lion and NFL Hall of Famer Barry Sanders for third-highest career rushing yard total. Gore has slowly been phased out of the Bills offense in favor of Devin Singletary — but he’s one big run away from third place on the all-time rushing list.

[vertical-gallery id=419827]

Bills at Dolphins: 5 matchups to watch

The Bills will travel to Miami to face the red hot Dolphins who are coming off two wins.

The Buffalo Bills are coming off a disappointing loss on Sunday to the Cleveland Browns, after a last minute touchdown from Baker Mayfield.

The Bills now face the streaking Miami Dolphins who are coming off two unexpected wins. If the Bills can pullout the victory in Miami they can help secure themselves in one of the two Wild Card positions.

That being said, the Bills must win the games within the game to defeat Miami. Here are five matchups to watch during Bills vs. Dolphins:

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Josh Allen vs. Ryan Fitzpatrick 

Josh Allen has been compared to a lot of quarterbacks during his career, including two former Buffalo quarterbacks: Tyrod Taylor, and Ryan Fitzpatrick. 

While playing Cleveland on Sunday, Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw the ball 41 times, tying his career-high. He also threw for 266 yards, which is his career-high. That 41 attempts may seem like an outlier, but Allen and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll seem like they want to make that the norm. 

During the week, Allen said that he had the “green light” to take more shots down the field. This could be an excellent week to try this new approach, Miami’s secondary is one of the worst in the NFL, allowing on average 244.9 yards per game. If Allen can take advantage of this green light it may be a long day for the Miami defense. 

If there’s one quarterback in the NFL that always seems to have the green light, it’s Ryan Fitzpatrick. Bills fans remember Fitzy’s time in Buffalo, he had plenty of big moments, but just as many disappointing ones too. 

Fitzpatrick has shown that same inconsistency with the Dolphins. In his first game against Buffalo he showed off his playmaking abilities. He threw for 282 yards, one touchdown, but a crucial interception in the red zone. Fitzpatrick has led the Dolphins to two straight victories, which seemed almost impossible at the beginning of the season. 

If either of these two gunslingers can get their offenses on track early, it will be a tough outing for both defenses. 

[protected-iframe id=”ece581e19cc063f1dd3abf5e13aa576a-105974704-129679794″ info=”hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”]