Tag: Ricky Seals-Jones

Washington OC Scott Turner has done an outstanding job in 2021

Washington will again be shorthanded on offense in Tuesday’s game vs. Eagles. It’s time to give Scott Turner some credit.

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It’s been another tough season for Washington offensive coordinator Scott Turner. Washington’s goals entering the 2021 offseason centered around finding stability at quarterback and finding more playmakers opposite of Terry McLaurin.

In May, after the NFL draft ended, it looked like Turner had surrounded McLaurin, running backs Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic and tight end Logan Thomas with several new playmakers.

First, there was quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in free agency, immediately followed by wide receivers Curtis Samuel and Adam Humphries. In the NFL draft, Washington added wide receiver Dyami Brown and tight end John Bates.

Things were supposed to be much easier for Turner in 2021, after dealing with injuries across the board in his first season as offensive coordinator.

Well, as you know, things haven’t worked out the way Washington or Turner envisioned. The WFT lost Fitzpatrick for the season in the second quarter of Week 1, while Samuel has been in and [mostly] out of the lineup with a groin issue. After Samuel’s recent return, he’s now battling a hamstring injury.

Washington has gotten five games from Curtis Samuel. In those five games, Samuel has six receptions for 27 yards and four rushes for 11 yards.

What about Brown? Glad you asked. The rookie has nine receptions for 87 yards in 11 games. Remember the hype about him being a fantasy sleeper?

Then there is Logan Thomas. Washington’s starting tight end was brilliant before he was injured — both times. Now, he’s lost for the season due to a cheap shot. Humphries has given Washington 33 receptions for 341 yards.

Quarterback Taylor Heinicke has mostly been good for Washington. He’s had some stinkers, such as his Week 14 performance vs. Dallas, but overall, Heinicke has helped win games.

Heading into Tuesday’s critical NFC showdown against the Eagles, Samuel will miss another game. It also looks like McKissic, who missed the last two games with a concussion, will also not play. Now, there’s a possibility tight end Ricky Seals-Jones could miss the game, too.

Ouch.

Bates has done a good job this season. Consider that he wasn’t expected to play a significant role in 2021. While it’s not ideal now, Bates will benefit from this time in 2022 and beyond.

Meanwhile, McLaurin enters Week 15, coming off a concussion. Expect McLaurin to see plenty of double teams Tuesday. The Eagles will make players like Humphries, Brown, or Cam Sims beat them, and rightfully so.

A more significant concern for Washington is who will start at quarterback? Will Heinicke and/or Kyle Allen clear COVID protocols in time for Tuesday’s game?

If not, it looks like freshly signed Garrett Gilbert will be under center for a critical December division game.

So, the next time you criticize Turner, remember what he’s had to do without during his tenure as offensive coordinator.

 

Washington inactive players vs. Seahawks

Washington’s inactive list does not include Curtis Samuel. Some good news for the WFT.

The Washington Football Team announced their Week 12 inactive list for the Monday Night Football game against the Seattle Seahawks from FedEx Field, and it contained some good news.

First, the inactives: Wide receivers Dax Milne and Antonio Gandy-Golden, cornerback Corn Elder, center Tyler Larsen, defensive end Bunmi Rotimi and tight end Ricky Seals-Jones.

A notable name missing from the inactive list is wide receiver Curtis Samuel. Samuel, who has missed all but two games this season with a groin injury, will play vs. Seattle, although he will be on a “pitch count” per head coach Ron Rivera.

With Samuel expected to play, quarterback Taylor Heinicke will finally have his full complement of weapons. Tight end Logan Thomas will also play, after being activated from injured reserve earlier on Monday.

Washington has won two consecutive games and could move into the No. 7 — and final — playoff spot in the NFC with a win over the Seahawks. Seattle enters Monday night’s game on a two-game losing streak.

Final injury report for Washington vs. Seahawks, Week 12

Two Washington players are out for Monday night.

The final injury report for Week 12 was released on Saturday, and Washington listed two players as out. The Seattle Seahawks had five players listed as out for Monday Night Football.

Washington will be without offensive tackle Sam Cosmi and center Tyler Larsen. Cosmi returned in Week 11 after missing four games with an ankle injury and departed with a hip injury. Larsen was starting his second game in place of center Chase Roullier and was playing well in relief at the time of his injury.

Cornelius Lucas is back in the starting lineup at right tackle, while Wes Schweitzer will start his fifth game of the season — his first at center.

Tight end Ricky Seals-Jones is doubtful. Washington could have starting tight end Logan Thomas back on Monday night. Thomas would still need to be activated and would probably be somewhat limited, but there is a chance he plays. Rookie John Bates will otherwise start for the WFT.

Wide receivers Curtis Samuel and Adam Humphries are questionable, although the chances of Samuel playing appear to be good.

All other players listed on this week’s injury report will play for Washington.

The Seahawks listed five players as out: CB Tre Brown, RB Travis Homer,  OT Jamarco Jones, G Damien Lewis and RB Rashad Penny.

Washington tight Logan Thomas expected to practice this week

More good news could be on the way for Washington’s offense in the form of Logan Thomas.

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Quarterback Taylor Heinicke has the Washington offense playing at a high level after two consecutive wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers.

Now, more help could be on the way for Heinicke after his two best performances of the season.

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, starting tight end Logan Thomas is expected to return to practice this week.

This is big news for Washington. Thomas, who injured his hamstring early in a Week 4 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, has been on injured reserve since that time. Before his injury, Thomas caught 12 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns in Washington’s first three games.

With Thomas out, Ricky Seals-Jones acted as Washington’s starting tight end. Seals-Jones has played well, but, he too, missed Washington’s Week 11 win over the Panthers. Rookie John Bates started the game and played a pivotal role in the win, with several key blocks in the run game and a massive fourth-down reception on a late scoring drive.

While Thomas is returning to practice this week, it doesn’t mean he will play on Monday night against the Seattle Seahawks. It does start his clock for being activated from IR.

When Thomas returns, it opens up more possibilities for offensive coordinator Scott Turner. The trio of Thomas, Seals-Jones and Bates have all proven they can play. Thomas and Bates can block, making Washington’s running game more diverse. The running game has proven to be a strength in recent weeks.

Thomas gives Heinicke another weapon in the red zone, an area where the team has struggled during Thomas’ absence.

Washington tight end group a concern

Washington has some concerns at tight end heading into Sunday’s game against the Panthers.

Perhaps it was a busy week for you and you haven’t noticed the WFT is dangerously thin at tight end.

Ricky Seals-Jones who has 23 receptions this season was Taylor Heinicke’s target on a second-quarter third down and 14 from the Tampa 20-yard line to the 11 for a 9-yard gain. However, as soon as Seals-Jones was tackled he grabbed at his right hip with his right hand, and he did not practice all week.

There was optimism expressed last week that former Virginia Tech Hokie Logan Thomas would be back for the Tampa game, but it did not materialize. The same optimism was expressed this week, but it looks like again, no Thomas for this week.

Rookie John Bates is scheduled to make his second start of the season against Carolina. Bates started Washington’s Week 6 loss to the Chiefs in a two tight-end set alongside Ricky Seals-Jones but played just 13 snaps.

Bates saw his most action against Tampa, and in receiving three targets, made three catches. Of note, in the third quarter when Tampa reduced the Washington lead to 16-13, facing a third down and four from the 50, Bates appeared to be Heinicke’s only target, making the big catch for 18 yards to the Tampa 32. Thus, Heinicke exhibited there is confidence in Bates when a big catch is needed.

Word has it that for two months each weekend TE coach Pete Hoener went to the WFT facility and worked with TE rookie Sammis Reyes.  Reyes had seen action on special teams in four previous games, before receiving his first four offensive snaps against Tampa. Reyes has been battling an injured hip as well, as battling trying to learn the game. You recall Reyes did not play football in college.

Lastly, Washington Saturday elevated TE Temarrick Hemingway from the practice squad. The roster move provides three at tight end to face the tough Carolina defense.

But there is another concern.

Hemingway was just signed to the practice squad early this week, and then he did not practice Friday and was said to be out with an excused absence.

Did I mention that Washington is precariously thin at tight end?

Tunnel Vision of Week 10

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

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass – Rush TD
 Dak Prescott  296 – 5 3
 Josh Allen 366 – 3 2
 Jalen Hurts 178 – 53 2
 Trevor Siemian 298 2
 Patrick Mahomes 406 5
Running Backs Yards TD
R. Stevenson 20-100 rush
4-14 catch		 2
AJ Dillon 21-66 rush
2-62 catch		 2
Christian McCaffrey 13-95 rush
10-66 catch		 0
Jonathan Taylor 21-116 rush
6-10 catch		 1
Darrel Williams 11-43 rush
9-101 catch		 1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Stefon Diggs 8-162 1
CeeDee Lamb 1-12 rush
6-94 catch		 2
Kendrick Bourne 3-43 rush
4-98 catch		 1
Justin Jefferson 9-143 0
Tyreek Hill 7-83 2
Tight Ends Yards TD
Hunter Henry 4-37 2
Mark Andrews 6-63 1
Tyler Conklin 3-11 2
Gerald Everett 8-63 0
Travis Kelce 8-119 0
Placekickers XP FG
Zane Gonzalez 2 4
Jake Elliott 3 3
Chris Boswell 1 3
Randy Bullock 2 3
Harrison Butker 5 2
Defense Sack – TO TD
Cowboys 2 – 2 1
Packers 3 – 2 0
Dolphins 4 – 2 1
Patriots 5 – 1 0
Panthers 4 – 2 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Baker Mayfield – Knee
QB Colt McCoy – Pectoral
RB Aaron Jones – Knee
RB Jermar Jefferson – Ankle
WR Anthony Schwartz – Head
WR CeeDee Lamb – Arm
TE Ricky Seals-Jones – Hip
TE Hayden Hurst – Ankle
TE Dallas Goedert – Head

Chasing Ambulances

QB Baker Mayfield (CLE)  – Suffered a bruised right knee and did not return in the loss to the Patriots. Mayfield was already playing through injuries and said after the game that he wasn’t sure he could play this week against the Lions.  Case Keenum will take the attractive start if Mayfield isn’t able to play.

RB Aaron Jones (GB) – Went down in the third quarter of the win over the Seahawks holding his right knee. He did not return to the game and is believed to have sprained his MCL. He had to be helped from the field, and there is concern that it may force him to miss games. An MRI will confirm the situation on Monday. If Jones misses time, AJ Dillon would be in line for an  increase in workload against the Vikings this week, and the Rams the following matchup if it were to be more than one week.

Patrick Taylor is the only other running back currently on the active roster, but he’s an undrafted ex-Memphis back who was on the practice squad until two weeks ago. His two rushes for seven yards on Sunday were his first in the NFL. Dillon is the only back sure to see an increase in work if Jones remains out.

WR CeeDee Lamb (DAL) – He’s been nursing a sore ankle but blew up for two scores against the Falcons. He also suffered an arm contusion that had him leave the game. He’s thought to have been injured in the first half and just played through it. He said that it felt like it was “a charlie horse in my arm.” It doesn’t sound like anything serious.

TE Ricky Seals-Jones (WAS) – Injured his hip and was helped from the field by the trainers, Logan Thomas hasn’t been activated from injured reserve yet, but he’s expected to return soon. The only other options are John Bates and Sammie Reyes but neither would carry any fantasy value if Thomas remains out and Seals-Jones cannot play.

TE Dallas Goedert (PHI) – Took a shot to the head and will be tested for a concussion. If he misses any time, the only other tight ends on the roster are Jack Stoll and Tyree Jackson, and neither would project as fantasy relevant even if Goedert misses any time.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

WR Rashod Bateman (BAL) –  The rookie played in just four games this year, but he’s improved each week and led the Ravens with six receptions for 80 yards in their loss to the Dolphins.

QB Matt Ryan (ATL) – after throwing for two scores and around 300 yards for the last six games, he only completed 9-of-21 for 117 yards with two interceptions in the loss to the Cowboys.

WR Michael Gallup (DAL) – Spent the last eight weeks on injured reserve but returned in the in over the Falcons. He caught three passes for 42 yards and his five targets were second only to the six passes thrown to CeeDee Lamb and Tony Pollard.

RB James Robinson (JAC) – Returned after injuring his heel in Week 8. He started slowly but finished with 12 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown, plus caught four passes for 27 yards. His heel appeared to be no issue.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson (NE) – The Player-of-the-week below not only ran for 100 yards and two scores on 20 carries and caught four passes for 14 yards but he was pulled midway in the fourth quarter or it would have been more. Damien Harris was out with a concussion, but Stevenson is buying a bigger role ongoing even when Harris returns as the starter.

WR Kendrick Bourne (NE) – All of his best efforts have been in home games, which continued against the visiting Browns. Bourne ended with four receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown, plus gained 43 yards on three rushes. His two previous games were on the road and he never gained more than 35 yards in either game.

TE Hunter Henry (NE) – After scoring in five of the previous six games, Henry scored twice in the win over the Browns. His yardage is typically low, but he scored seven times over the last seven games.

RB Matt Breida (BUF) – Both Devin Singletary (7-43, TD) and Zack Moss (7-27, TD) had more carries than Breida, but this was the first time that we’ve seen him since Week 1 and Breida ran for 28 yards and a touchdown on three carries, plus caught three passes for 22 yards and a second score. There was only one other pass thrown to a running back. And this takes a more interesting slant with head coach Sean McDermott’s recent statement that he wanted to get more from his backfield after Week 9 saw Singletary (6-16) and Moss (3-6) were ineffective against the Steelers. Notable too is that all three backs faced the Jets and their No. 32 ranked defense against running backs.

RB Godwin Igwebuike (DET) – The Lions battled to a tie, kind of a win since they were 0-8. And they did that at the Steelers by running the ball 39 times versus just 25 passes. D’Andre Swift (33-130) was the workhorse, and Jamaal Williams was out with a thigh injury that may continue into Week 11, given that he never practiced. Jermar Jefferson ran for 41 yards on three carries and scored but was carted off after injuring his ankle while crossing the goal line.  Godwin Igwebuike is an ex-safety converted to running back  and debuted with three runs for 18 yards and three catches for 40 yards in Week 8. He again filled in this week and ran for 56 yards on two carries that included an impressive 42-yard touchdown run. Jefferson appeared to have a serious injury. If he and Williams remain out this week, Igwebuike would be the direct backup for Swift in Cleveland this week.

RB Mark Ingram (NO) – Had the start since Alvin Kamara was out. Ingram ran for 47 yards and a score on 14 rushes and added four catches for 61 yards. He tied with Tre’Quan Smith for a team-high seven targets. He did a credible job filling in.

RB D’Onta Foreman (TEN) – While fantasy waiver wires were busy fighting over Adrian Peterson, it’s been Foreman who was the busier of the two. Peterson ran for 21 yards on eight carries and lost a yard on his one catch. Foreman ran 11 times for 30 yards and gained 48 yards on his two catches in the win over the Saints.

QB Cam Newton (CAR) – He just signed  with the Panthers in the middle of last week and was surprisingly active on Sunday. P.J. Walker started and threw for 167 yards on his 22-of-29 day with one interception. But Newton trotted on to throw three passes and connected with Robbie Anderson for a 2-yard touchdown. Newton also ran the ball three times for 14 yards and a touchdown, looking very much like it was old times again when he faked the handoff to the left  and ran to the right for the score. The expectation is that Newton resumes as the starter as of this week when they host Washington.

TE Gerald Everett (SEA) – He led the Seahawks in receiving in the loss at the Packers when he caught eight passes for 63 yards for a season-high. Everett hasn’t scored since the season opener, but his four road games in the seven that he’s played have all been more productive than when at home. Things go worse away from Seattle, and Everett is more  frequently used.

Huddle player of the week

RB Rhamondre Stevenson (NE)  –  The rookie is one of the most exciting players in the NFL, but only in a sense you can never quite be sure if he’ll even be active, let alone be allowed a lot of touches. And there’s that every-play tension knowing that if he fumbles, no one sees him again for a few weeks. Stevenson became the top fantasy running back this week when Damien Harris was out with a concussion. The rookie rushed for 100 yards on 20 carries, caught four passes for 14 yards and scored two touchdowns. And he didn’t even play in the latter half of the fourth quarter.

Salute!

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

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Trevor Siemian 298 2 QB Russell Wilson 193 0
RB Matt Breida 50 2 RB Myles Gaskin 45 0
RB AJ  Dillon 128 2 RB Javonte Williams 49 0
WR DeAndre Carter 60 1 WR AJ Green 4 0
WR Kendrick Bourne 141 1 WR AJ Brown 23 0
WR Jamal Agnew 79 1 WR Mike Williams 33 0
TE Hunter Henry 37 2 TE T.J. Hockerson nope 0
PK Zane Gonzalez   2 XP  4 FG PK Jason Meyers  zero
Huddle Fantasy Points = 141 Huddle Fantasy Points = 22

Now get back to work…

Washington is quiet at the NFL trade deadline

As expected, it was a quiet day for Washington at the NFL trade deadline.

It was a quiet NFL trade deadline around the league on Tuesday. There were only minor moves, as Deshaun Watson will remain in Houston until the offseason. The most significant action occurred on Monday when the Los Angeles Rams acquired future Hall-of-Fame pass rusher Von Miller.

As expected, it was a quiet day for the Washington Football Team. While we argued in this space, it would’ve been wise for Washington to shop numerous veterans, including those on expiring contracts, head coach Ron Rivera decided against making a move.

Eh, at 2-6, Washington should have explored the market for some of its roster. Perhaps you only get late-round picks for players like J.D. McKissic, Ricky Seals-Jones and Tim Settle, but that’s how you build draft capital.

For a team that will once again be in the quarterback market in the offseason, you need every pick. In addition, this is where you trust your scouting department to find players like Settle and Cole Holcomb in the late rounds.

It’s understandable Rivera doesn’t want to part with players like defensive tackle Daron Payne. Payne is one player who could’ve brought solid value to Washington.

The good news for Washington fans is there were no wild trades like sending a fourth-round pick to the Packers for Haha Clinton-Dix.

 

Rivera gives updates on the returns of Logan Thomas and Brandon Scherff

Could Logan Thomas and Brandon Scherff return next week?

The Washington Football has struggled on offense since a thrilling Week 4 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Washington has been without starting tight end Logan Thomas, All-Pro right guard Brandon Scheff, wide receivers Curtis Samuel and Cam Sims, and right tackle Sam Cosmi at various times over the last few weeks.

As head coach Ron Rivera indicated on Monday, Washington could soon be receiving good news on Thomas and Scherff.

“Logan, we’ll see how he is, Rivera said. “It’s hopefully getting closer and closer. It may be a week-to-week thing; we’ll see how it goes today, we’ll see how he is tomorrow and Wednesday.”

As for Scherff, Rivera offered a similar timeline:

“Brandon, we’ll see how Brandon is come Wednesday morning. And we’ll make a decision on as to where he is headed as far as whether he plays this week or whether we wait until after the bye.”

With one game before the bye week, it may be wise for Washington to hold Scherff and Thomas out until Week 10 when the defending world champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers come to town.

The players who have replaced Thomas and Scherff in the lineup, Ricky Seals-Jones and Wes Schweitzer, have played well. The return of Thomas, paired with Seals-Jones in multiple tight end sets, could make Washington’s offense more dangerous in the second half of the season.

Top streaming options in fantasy football for Week 7

Taking a look at the top QB, TE and D/ST streaming options in fantasy football for Week 7.

When it comes to fantasy football in Week 7—aka the bye-pocalypse—every manager is a streamer. With so many fantasy assets on bye weeks, everyone is looking for plug-and-play options this week.

For those wondering what streaming is, this is a method used by fantasy football managers in which they are constantly playing different quarterbacks, tight ends and defenses each week depending on the matchup.

Streaming is not for the faint of heart. Some managers do it intentionally at the quarterback and tight end positions. Using this strategy typically leads to more depth at more important positions—like running back and wide receiver—during one’s fantasy draft. The downfall leads to less of a week-winning advantage at those positions.

Others use the streaming method out of necessity either due to injuries or poor play. It’s Week 7, we are all likely streaming in one way or the other.

In order to qualify as a streamer, a player cannot be rostered in more than 60% of ESPN leagues. For each position, I’ll give a “stream of the week” indicating the priority streamer along with an additional two options.

So after taking a look at the waiver wire targets in Week 7, we’re here to guide you on how to stream your way through the bye-pocalypse.

Washington report card: How we graded the WFT in loss vs. Chiefs

Check out how we graded every Washington position group from its Week 6 loss to the Chiefs.

The Washington Football Team dropped to 2-4 on the season after Sunday’s 31-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. It was another subpar day defensively for Washington, as it allowed over 30 points for the fourth consecutive week.

While Washington’s defense forced three turnovers in the game, it only scored a total of seven points off those turnovers. Washington also dropped an interception on Kansas City’s first drive.

The defense actually kept Washington in the game until the third quarter when the Chiefs reverted to form, and Washington’s stagnant offense couldn’t keep up.

As is customary each and every week, we grade every Washington position group Sunday’s loss.