Tag: Robert Tonyan

Picked up pass interference penalty puzzles Packers

The Packers aren’t sure why officials picked up a pass interference penalty in the fourth quarter Sunday against the Vikings.

The Green Bay Packers still aren’t sure why officials at Lambeau Field picked up a pass interference penalty on a fourth-down play in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 28-22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

The flag, which would have given the Packers a first down in the red zone and their comeback attempt new life, was disregarded by officials after a group discussion, resulting in an incomplete pass that handed the ball back to the Vikings.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was sure he saw a blatant pass interference penalty committed by Vikings safety Anthony Harris on Packers tight end Robert Tonyan on the fourth-down play with 8:21 left.

“From my vantage point, it wasn’t even close,” Rodgers said. “It actually helped that the ball fluttered up in the air a little bit because it threw off the timing slightly and (Harris) got there clearly early. It didn’t seem like a tough call to me.”

Video replays from several angles showed Harris, who never got his head turned around to find the ball, making contact with Tonyan and wrapping his arm around the Packers tight end before the ball arrived, interfering with his ability to make the play. As Rodgers stated, the ball was thrown slightly behind Tonyan, helping create the contact with Harris, who didn’t know where the ball was as he attempted to disrupt the catch.

Based on the NFL rule book, Harris was guilty of committing at least two prohibited acts involving pass interference, including “contact by a player who is not playing the ball that restricts the opponent’s opportunity to make the catch,” and “extending an arm across the body of an opponent, thus restricting his ability to catch a pass, and regardless of whether the player committing such act is playing the ball.”

During the broadcast, FOX officiating analyst Dean Blandino disagreed with the officials’ decision to pick up the flag.

The Packers, down 14 points, had a chance to cut the lead to just one score with a touchdown. Instead, the Vikings took over at the 32-yard line.

“A score there changes the way the game goes,” Rodgers said.

Coach Matt LaFleur said he didn’t receive much in the form of an explanation for why the penalty was picked up.

“The explanation I got was that they talked about it and they decided it wasn’t pass interference. So, I gotta go back and look at it,” LaFleur said. “It sure looked, when I was out there, that it was PI. But again, I haven’t seen many replays, so I really don’t know.”

The Vikings went three-and-out and punted following the fourth down play, but the possession took up another two and a half minutes of game clock. On the ensuing drive, the Packers drove the length of the field and scored, but LaFleur’s team ran out of time down six points on the final possession.

Had the penalty been assessed and the Packers scored either a field goal or touchdown, the final eight minutes – and especially the final drive – could have played out differently.

Earlier in the contest, the Vikings had a scoring drive extended twice via pass interference penalties – one by Jaire Alexander and another by Josh Jackson. Based on video review, Harris’ contact with Tonyan was at least as interfering with the result of the play as the previous plays involving Alexander and Jackson.

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Gallery: Vikings upset Packers at Lambeau

The top photos from Sunday’s Vikings’ win over the Packers at Lambeau Field.

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Fantasy Football Targets, Touches & TDs: Week 8

Assessing statistical accomplishments of the top players in fantasy football scoring.

Believe it or not — and ready or not — we’ve just surpassed the midpoint of the fantasy football regular season.

Somehow we’ve made it with minimal COVID-19 disruption, and we can only hope that continues.

In the meantime, there have been the usual surprises, disappointments, and revealing statistics compiled through seven weeks of action so far, so let’s share a moment to take stock in how fantasy 2020 has played out so far. Following are three surprise players, three disappointing players and a trio of telling stats for each of the four main fantasy positions.

To be considered here, players must have played in a minimum of four games, so that automatically weeds out many of the one-week wonders and myriad players who have been curtailed by injury and weren’t going to be considered for those reasons here in any case.

And, as a general rule, we’re training most of our focus on the top-25 ranked players (average fantasy PPR points per game) and top 25 players selected on average at the four positions in redraft leagues.

That established, here goes, starting with …

Quarterback

Surprises

  • Justin Herbert — Many, including the Los Angeles Chargers’ coaching staff in early September, weren’t even planning on the rookie sixth-overall pick playing much in the first half of the season, but here he is — one Tyrod Taylor punctured lung and Herbert five starts later — ranking fourth at the position with an average of 29.8 fantasy points per game. Herbert has thrown for at least 330 yards or had multiple TDs in each of his five starts, including 413 total yards (team-best 66 yards rushing) and four total TDs Sunday.
  • Ryan Tannehill — Going by his preseason QB average draft position of 20, most viewed his eye-popping 2019 second-half fantasy run as nothing more than a flash in the pan, but the Tennessee Titans’ quarterback ranks 10th with 25.2 fantasy points per contest and has accounted for 16 total TDs and only two interceptions in six games.
  • Derek Carr — The Las Vegas Raiders’ QB was a afterthought in most fantasy drafts with a positional ADP of 25, but he comes out of Week 7, ranking 12th with an average of 23.9 fantasy points — just ahead of some bloke named Lamar Jackson. Carr hasn’t been spectacular, but he’s had at least two scoring passes and 22.1 fantasy points in each of his last five outings.

Disappointments

  • Lamar Jackson — Averaging 23.9 fantasy points per outing isn’t all that shabby, but that’s not why you bypassed some talented running backs and wide receivers and drafted a quarterback in the second round. The Baltimore Ravens’ signal caller is getting it done again on the ground (346 yards, 2 TDs) but is averaging only 189.2 passing yards (28th among QBs) and is on pace to throw 27 TD passes after leading the league with 36 a season ago.
  • Matt Ryan — The Atlanta Falcons QB was drafted seventh overall at the position this summer, but currently ranks 17th with an average of 22.9 fantasy points. After a hot start, he’s had 20.9 fantasy points or fewer in four of his last five games.
  • Daniel Jones — With a QB ADP of 14, big things were expected from the New York Giants’ sophomore, but he ranks 29th with an average of only 17.2 fantasy points. Turnovers have been a killer once again as he had 12 (seven interceptions, five fumbles) in seven games.

Telling stats

  • Each of the current top 12 quarterbacks in fantasy scoring has at totaled at least 12.9 points on the ground this season, except one. And that’s No. 8 Aaron Rodgers with 45 yards and no TDs on eight rushes.
  • The three QBs with at least 20 total TDs have gotten there via differing routes. The Seattle Sawhawks’ Russell Wilson leads the way with 22 scores, all through the air, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ ageless Tom Brady has 18 passing TDs and two rushing scores and Arizona Cardinals sophomore Kyler Murray has 13 TDs via the air and a position-best seven rushing scores.
  • How badly has New England Patriots QB Cam Newton struggled as a passer? A whopping 54.4 of his 110.8 total fantasy points (49.1 percent) in five games have come via his legs (244 rushing yards, 5 TDs). Newton ranks 19th at the position with a 22.2-fantasy point average.

Running back

Surprises

  • James Robinson — Undrafted out of FCS Illinois State and unselected in many fantasy drafts (ADP of 55 among RBs), Robinson won the Jacksonville Jaguars’ starting gig in the preseason and ranks sixth at the position with 19.1 fantasy points per contest. He’s tied for fourth among backs with 27 receptions, is third with 225 receiving yards and has reached double digits in fantasy points in each of his seven games while dominating the Jags’ RB touches (85.4 percent)
  • Chris Carson — This Seattle stud was limited to only 15 snaps (and 5.1 fantasy points) Sunday night after coming out due to a foot sprain, but he had put up at least 19.8 fantasy points in four of his first five games and still ranks eighth at the position with 17.5 points per outing. Not bad for the 20th overall running back drafted on average this summer.
  • Mike Davis — He’s coming off his two worst games (13.5 and 8.6 fantasy points) of the season, but he tallied at least 15.5 points in his first four games while stepping in for the Carolina Panthers’ injured Christian McCaffrey in Week 2. And like CMC, Davis has been a revelation as a pass-catcher, snaring 37-of-41 targets for 233 yards and a pair of TDs.

Disappointments

  • Kenyan Drake — Drafted as the 14th running back overall on average, the Cardinals’ Drake is currently 27th with a 12.2-fantasy-point average. A third of his 85.1 fantasy points came in Week 6 against the defenseless Cowboys — his only outing with more than 14.5 points this season — and now he’s dealing with an ankle injury that is expected to sideline him at least a few games.
  • Devin Singletary — It isn’t just that the Buffalo Bills’ second-year back is slightly underperforming his No. 26 RB ADP (32nd with 10.3 fantasy points per game), it’s the uninspiring way Singletary has gotten there with only two games with more than 10.3 points, a 3.8-yards-per-carry average and only one TD on 99 total touches.
  • Clyde Edwards-Helaire — Sure, the rookie is averaging a solid 15.5 fantasy points with at least 11 in every game and ranks third in RB opportunities (rushes plus targets) with 150, but consider that CEH the only back drafted among the top 10 (seventh overall) at the position who currently ranks outside of the top 12 (19th overall). A lack of TDs (2 in 7 games) has been the biggest issue, and now Le’Veon Bell is in K.C. to cut into the workload.

Telling stats

  • New Orleans Saints stud RB Alvin Kamara not only leads all backs with 53 targets and 43 receptions, his position-best 460 receiving yards is nearly double the total of the next closest running back (Davis’ 233 yards).
  • Of the nine players tied for the league touchdown lead with seven scores apiece, six are running backs: Derrick Henry (7 rushing), Todd Gurley (7 rushing), Dalvin Cook (7 rushing), Aaron Jones (5 rushing, 2 receiving), Kamara (4 rushing, 3 receiving) and Kareem Hunt (3 rushing, RB-most 4 receiving).
  • The league’s two most dynamic running backs in terms of yards per touch — the San Francisco 49ers’ Raheem Mostert (7.3 yards) and Arizona No. 2 back Chase Edmonds (7.4) — have been limited to 62 and 55 touches, respectively, due to health issues (Mostert playing only 24.3 percent of the Niners’ offensive snaps) and role (Edmonds’ 55 touches to Drake’s 126).

 Wide receiver

Surprises

  • A.J. Brown — This second-year Tennessee wideout has missed two of the Titans’ six games due to a bruised knee, but he’s been a terror since returning in Week 5, totaling 71.3 fantasy points (18 receptions for 293 yards and 4 TDs). Brown, who had a preseason wide receiver ADP of 17, ranks fourth at the position with 20.1-fantasy-point average.
  • Robby Anderson — This Carolina offseason signing failed to register on the fantasy radar with his positional ADP of 63, but he’s currently tied for 13th at the position with Tyreek Hill with an average of 16.6 fantasy points. While he only has one scoring grab so far in seven games, Anderson has shown he’s much more than just a deep threat, ranking fifth in receptions (46) on 59 targets and trailing only the Cards’ DeAndre Hopkins (704) with 640 receiving yards.
  • Travis Fulgham — With 23 catches for 357 yards and three TDs in four games (seventh among wide receivers with an average of 19.2 fantasy points), this Philly wideout has been one of the waiver-wire finds of the season — in both fantasy and reality. He’s simply been a godsend for an injury-ravaged and underperforming Eagles’ pass-catching corps.

Disappointments

  • Odell Beckham Jr. — Sadly, OBJ’s season is now done after suffering a torn ACL Sunday in Cincinnati, but he was already falling well short of his WR ADP of 10 with an average of only 12.3 fantasy points (38th among wideouts) before the injury. And 38.4 of his points, including a 50-yard rushing score, came in one blowup in Week 4 (against the Cowboys, of course).
  • Mike Evans — Drafted seventh among wideouts, Evans ranks 30th with a 13.3-fantasy point average. He has snared six scoring passes, but he’s caught only caught 19-of-33 targets in seven games apart from those TDs and his 12.7 yards-per-catch average is down nearly five yards from his 2019 average of 17.3. And just when you think it couldn’t get worse for Evans, Antonio Brown has signed to further muddle the Bucs’ wide receiver mix.
  • JuJu Smith-Schuster — JSS, with a WR ADP of 11, leads the Pittsburgh Steelers in targets (42) and receptions (32), but they’ve only amounted to 279 yards (8.7 per catch) and 77.9 fantasy points (13 per game). That ranks him 31st at the position and essentially third on his own team behind rookie Chase Claypool (14.9) and injury-addled sophomore Diontae Johnson (13.0).

Telling stats

  • Among wideouts with at least 25 targets, Claypool and fellow rookie Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings are the only pass catchers averaging more than 12.1 yards per target at 13.3 and 14.9, respectively.
  • Speaking of productive Vikings wide receivers, veteran Adam Thielen leads the league in red zone efficiency, catching all eight of his targets for a league-most six TDs, according to ProFootballReference.com.
  • The Atlanta Falcons’ Calvin Ridley continues to lead the league in total air yards on receptions with 517 (on 40 catches). Among players with at least 20 receptions, only DK Metcalf (15.8), Kenny Golladay (15.0), Darius Slayton (13.4) and Scotty Miller (13.1) are averaging more air yards per catch than Ridley’s 12.9.

Tight end

Surprises

  • Jonnu Smith — He’s struggled the last two weeks with a combined two catches for 22 yards while battling an ankle issue, but the Tennessee tight end Titan still ranks fourth at the position with an average of 12.4 fantasy points. He’s also tied for the tight end lead with five scoring grabs.
  • T.J. Hockenson — The Detroit Lions tight end is looking like he’ll deliver on his second-year promise as he ranks sixth at the position with 11.9 fantasy points per game. He’s caught a TD pass in four of six contests this season, including the game-winning 11-yard score on the final play Sunday in Atlanta.
  • Robert Tonyan — The Green Bay Packers have long been searching for a reliable tight end, and Tonyan just may fill the bill. He’s off to solid start, anyway, despite only 18 total receptions, with touchdown receptions in three of six games, which ties him for the position lead with Smith, Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews.

Disappointments

  • Zach Ertz — To no one’s surprise, the Philadelphia Eagles tight end is tied for third at the position with 45 targets but has caught only 24 of them for 178 yards, which ranks 25th among tight ends. Overall, Ertz ranks 23rd with only 8.0 fantasy points per contest and is currently on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain suffered in Week 6.
  • Evan Engram — He was the sixth tight end off the board on average in preseason drafts, but he’s the 24th-ranked tight end (7.9 fantasy points per game) coming out of Week 7. He’s averaging a career-low 8.6 yards per catch and is the only current top-30 tight end without a TD grab.
  • Austin Hooper — The Cleveland Browns’ offseason acquisition, currently recovering from last week’s appendectomy, was drafted to be a top-12 fantasy tight end, but he currently ranks 22nd with only 8.1 fantasy points per game. And that’s even after putting up double-digit fantasy point performances in his last three contests prior to his surgery.

Telling stats

  • Five tight ends — Kelce (56), Darren Waller (56), George Kittle (45), Ertz (45) and Smith (33) — currently lead their respective teams in targets.
  • The Miami Dolphins’ Mike Gesicki paces the position in yards per reception (15.6). The Houston Texans’ Darren Fells (14.6) and the Saints’ Jared Cook (14.1) are the only other tight ends averaging more than 14 yards per catch.
  • On the flip side, Waller (8.6), Engram (8.6) and Ertz (7.4) are the only tight ends averaging fewer than nine yards per catch.

DFS Fantasy Football: Favorite Pro Plays – Week 7

WinDailySports’ CEO Jason Mezrahi checks in with his top Week 7 DFS fantasy football for FanDuel and DraftKings

Top-ranked daily fantasy sports pro Jason Mezrahi, founder and CEO of WinDailySports.com, breaks down his favorite DFS plays at various salary ranges for Week 7 of the NFL season.

Even though we have had great results in picking top DFS plays in this article every week, I’m going to let you in on a little secret: Our projection model at WinDailySports.com has been firing on all cylinders to start the season so what I will do in this article is list some of our highest projected players based off raw points and our highest point per dollar plays based on DraftKings.com pricing.

Special Huddle Member Discount: If you would like to give our membership at Win Daily a try, take advantage of a FREE 2 week promotion where you will gain an all access gold pass to our DFS & SportsBetting package. Use promo code “thehuddle” at checkout for 2 weeks FREE for both our DFS & SportsBetting Packages. Sign up now.

These are some of the players Jason will be locking in his lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel for this weekend’s slate.

QUARTERBACKS

RUSSELL WILSON, SEA

$8,000 DRAFTKINGS, $8,700 FANDUEL

This will be a pretty easy write up. Russell Wilson is very good at football and that in turn reflects a very good daily fantasy football play. The man is on his way to being crowned the MVP and is averaging a whopping 31.9 DraftKings points per game. Pair that with a high paced matchup versus the Arizona Cardinals with Vegas setting the total at 56 and we should be in a great spot for another 30+ point performance for Russell Wilson. If you would like to pivot off this game get some shares of Aaron Rodgers in a bounce back spot versus the Houston Texans. I love the thought of rostering Rodgers after he was embarrassed by the Buccaneer defense.

KYLER MURRAY, ARI

$7,100 DRAFTKINGS, $8,400 FANDUEL

With this being the second highest scoring game of the slate, give me the arm and legs of Kyler Murray. The man has 10 passing touchdowns and 6 rushing touchdowns, which is more than most running backs in the league right now. The rushing upside and floor Murray provides is second only to Lamar Jackson. This matchup is the best on the board and Seattle is ranked 32nd against opposing quarterbacks, allowing 371 passing yards per game. This game has game stack written all over it.

RUNNING BACKS

AARON JONES, GB

$7,200 DRAFTKINGS, $8,500 FANDUEL

This matchup is a juicy one and I love this game as another game stack right up there with the Arizona vs. Seattle game. The Texans have one of the worst overall defenses in the league and are terrible at defending the run. They rank 27th against opposing running backs and are allowing a league worst 177 rushing yards per game on the season. Aaron Jones doesn’t have a ceiling as we have seen games where he has 3 touchdowns this season and dropped 48.6 DraftKings points. I’m not saying he will do that again but he certainly does have the proper matchup to do so. He is getting the touches every week and is always involved in the passing game as well. Lock Aaron Jones up in cash games and your tournament lineups.

KAREEM HUNT, CLE

$6,800 DRAFTKINGS, $7,100 FANDUEL

Kareem Hunt is currently carrying the questionable tag while I’m writing this on Thursday morning, but this was a similar situation last week as well. As long as he logs a practice some time to finish off this week he should smash in week 7. The Bengals allow 142 rushing yards per game and rank 27th in the league at defending running backs through 6 weeks. Since Chubb has been injured we haven’t seen that monster game out of Hunt yet, which should keep his ownership down and I think this is the week to pounce on him. The play is strong on both sites but given the PPR upside on DraftKings I like him better there. Alvin Kamara is another great play if you can afford him and feel free to take some shots on Chris Carson, Antonio Gibson, and Justin Jackson in tournaments.

WIDE RECEIVERS

DEANDRE HOPKINS, ARI

$8,200 DRAFTKINGS, $9,000 FANDUEL

Week 6 got away from the Cardinals passing game real quick as they took a huge lead early and really had no need to pass the ball in the second half because they had a very comfortable lead against Andy Dalton and the Cowboys. It was his Hopkins’ first mediocre performance of the season and I think he gets right back to his elite level this week in a dream matchup versus the Seahawks.

Russell Wilson and the Seahawks will put up points and if all goes as planned the Cardinals should be trailing in this game giving a bump to the passing game. The Seahawks are league worst at giving up points to the wide receiver position and are allowing 371 passing yards per game. A elite wide receiver going into an elite matchup should make Hopkins a lock in your cash games and single entry tournaments.

DK METCALF, SEA

$7,200 DRAFTKINGS, $7,300 FANDUEL

As I stated above, I love this Arizona vs Seattle game and I will be stacking it several different ways. Metcalf has emerged as the #1 receiver in this offense and the numbers can back it up. He is averaging 21.3 DraftKings points per game and his lowest output game of the season was a 92 yard receiving game, which is pretty darn impressive if you ask me. This Arizona pass defense is good, but I think Russell Wilson is better and he will find ways to get Metcalf the ball in Week 7. In lineups that you are not running it back with the Seattle passing game load up on Chris Carson as a strong pivot.

TIGHT ENDS

TJ HOCKENSON, DET

$5,000 DRAFTKINGS, $5,900 FANDUEL

The Atlanta defense is still one of the worst in the league and my write up will never be complete without targeting their defense. Hockenson has been consistently good but not great. I like consistency when drafting tight ends because the last thing you want is to finish your day with 0-2 points from the position. In Hockenson’s worst game this season he finished with 9.3 DraftKings points which is a nice floor for a tight end, and he has the upside to breakout for 20 in this matchup. The Falcons rank 28th against opposing tight ends and are allowing 337 passing yards through the first 6 weeks. I like the pairing of Stafford to Hockenson in a game stack running it back with some Falcon receivers or playing Hockenson by himself as a one off.

ROBERT TONYAN, GB

$4,600 DRAFTKINGS, $6,000 FANDUEL

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers got embarrassed in Week 6 by the Buccaneers and I love this spot for the entire Packers offense. The Texans are bad at defending the tight end and are ranked 27th through 6 weeks. Tonyan had an ankle injury that briefly forced him out of the game versus the Bucs so keep an eye out for practice reports but he came back in and finished the game so I’m assuming he will be fine. We want exposure to this game and this offense. If you can’t find a way to get Rodgers, Jones, or Adams then Tonyan is your guy at a fair price on both sites.

DEFENSES

BUFFALO BILLS

$4,700 DRAFTKINGS, $5,000 FANDUEL

There will be a simple rule moving forward for the rest of the year. Whenever you can afford to play the Defense versus the New York Jets you do so. This is one of the worst offenses ever assembled and when you pair that with the leadership from Adam Gase you truly can’t go wrong in targeting them. The Jets are almost league worst in every offensive category and just got shut out by the Dolphins. If you got the salary leftover please play the Bills coming off a tough game versus the Chiefs.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

$2,800 DRAFTKINGS, $4,700 FANDUEL

We will need to get some salary relief in order to pay up for some key offensive players and I think the Browns provide the best option versus the Bengals. They haven’t been great by any means but at $2,800 on DraftKings I will take a couple shots. On FanDuel just pay the extra $300 and play it safe with the Bills. We are hoping for a couple of sacks and if we get lucky maybe a pick 6 thrown by Joe Burrow who has thrown an interception in each of his last 3 games.

Jason Mezrahi has been a professional, top-ranked Daily Fantasy Player on FanDuel and DraftKings for more than eight years. He has won FanDuel’s $155,555 King of the Diamond competition and placed second in DraftKings’ Fantasy Basketball World Championship, earning him $300,000. He owns and operates WinDailySports.com, which supports the DFS and Sports Betting community with resources such as tools, projection models, expert chat, in-depth written analysis and podcasts, plus much more.

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Fantasy Football Market Report: Week 6

Looking at the fantasy football options who are quickly gaining and losing value for your fantasy football team.

It would appear the NFL doesn’t have a real plan to prepare for potential positive tests to COVID-19. The league office literally shifted the balance of power in the AFC when it pushed back the Titans-Steelers game to Week 7. The reason? Pittsburgh, who had no positive COVID tests, were supposed to have a Bye in Week 8 – perhaps an acknowledgment that the both the Steelers and Ravens deserve a Bye week after their semiannual blood bath. But, when the time came to pull the plug on the game – they had a three-game fix. Pittsburgh? You just had your Bye week despite practicing and preparing for four days. Oh yeah…and you get to play Tennessee in Week 7 and the Ravens get a Bye heading into your first meeting of the year.

How is that fair? In a COVID world, fair isn’t a buzz phrase.

Switch No. 2 came over the weekend when the Denver-New England game had to be rescheduled. That move required juggling eight different games, nine teams and multiple Bye week changes (of which the Broncos and Patriots informed they had worked through).

It would seem the fact of the matter is that, without a bubble to protect teams, this won’t be the last of the postponements.

Fantasy owners may end up without some of their top stars during the season and into the fantasy playoffs in a season likely to be pushed into the mythical Week 18 (or 19) that may be coming just to get a full regular season done.

Do I mind Tuesday or Wednesday night games? I love it! I’d be happy with a couple staggered-time NFL games every day of the week. But there are only going to be so many more schedule-juggling opportunities available once teams have their scheduled bye week and the opportunity goes away.

2020 has been one of the craziest years on record for many disparate reasons. The NFL was putting up a front that The Shield could rise above a pandemic. It’s looking like that is getting closer to impossible and the result may end up seeing fantasy football teams ruined by non-injury related changes to the 2020 schedule.

Here is the Week 6 Fantasy Market Report:

Fantasy Football Risers

Derek Carr, QB, Las Vegas Raiders

Over the last four games, few have been as effective a fantasy quarterback in the league as Carr. He has thrown for 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns – never less than 261 yards and never less than two TDs in any of them. He still isn’t being viewed as a big-time fantasy QB, but given that Carr has done what he’s done against the Saints, Patriots, Bills and Chiefs, he’s making a statement people are starting to hear – whether by force or choice.

Todd Gurley, RB, Atlanta Falcons

He was available in some leagues to be a very late RB2 or even RB3 for an aggressive owner looking to stockpile. That came despite Gurley being the ultimate fantasy scoring machine on the ground when he was on the field. He has stayed healthy for the Falcons and, while he isn’t the 20-carry a game workhorse he was with the Rams, he is averaging 16 carries a game, 4.7 yards a carry and has scored five touchdowns, including four in the last three. He’s making himself almost impossible to bench.

Robert Tonyan, TE, Green Bay Packers

As the Packers return from their Bye week, it’s difficult to ignore what the alleged third-string tight end is doing in Green Bay. While Jace Sternberger and Marcedes Lewis are the bigger names, in the last three games, Tonyan has caught 12 passes for 173 yards and five touchdowns – at least one in each game and all in the red zone. Even when Davante Adams is back and dominating, Aaron Rodgers will have an eye on Tonyan if he needs a touchdown.

Andy Dalton, QB, Dallas Cowboys

It’s sad when one man’s tragedy is another man’s opportunity. But, with Dak Prescott gone for the year, Dalton is inheriting a fantasy God spot. A great running back to keep defenses honest and three electric wide receivers that can do a lot of damage deep downfield. He couldn’t have asked for a better position to be in, although nobody wanted him to be in it.

Rodrigo Blankenship, PK, Indianapolis Colts

While I rarely endorse kickers as fantasy studs, what every owner is looking for in a kicker is seven or more points every week. Kickers can often be the difference between winning and losing a tight game and, if your kicker can produce double digits with any regularity, you have a quiet weapon in your arsenal. In five career games with the Colts, Hot Rod’s point totals are 8-14-10-13-11. No other kicker in the league can brag up that sort of consistency.

Fantasy Football Fallers

Philip Rivers, QB, Indianapolis Colts

If your kicker is a riser, especially one without a field goal of more than 44 yards, your offense is dying in scoring position. That is the Rivers’ led Colts offense. At a time of record-setting scoring, Rivers has four touchdown passes in five games (one in four games and none in the other) and, over his last four games, is averaging just 216 yards. The Colts have playoff potential, but not because of Old Man Rivers.

Brandin Cooks, WR, Houston Texans

What? Why is Cooks on this list? Fantasy football is played week to week, game to game – not by overall point totals. In the season opener, he was in a lot of lineups and caught just two passes for 20 yards, while Will Fuller was dominant. He was benched by most for Week 2 and caught five passes for 95 yards. He was back in lineups and put together one game with three catches for 23 yards and the next with no catches. Back on most fantasy benches, he caught eight passes for 161 yards and a TD Sunday. He’s putting up big days, just rarely in your starting lineup.

Malcolm Brown, RB, Los Angeles Rams

One of the surprises of Week 1 when he was dominant on the ground (18-79-2), not only has he lost his featured back spot to Darrell Henderson, in Sunday’s game, he had fewer carries than both Henderson and Cam Akers. After a big Week 1, he hasn’t had more than 11 carries in any game, 38 or less in each of the last three and no touchdowns since Week 1. He’s back to being borderline waiver wire fodder.

Evan Engram, TE, New York Giants

He was expected to be the Giants secret weapon this season – loaded with talent and downfield ability. However, through five games, he has posted more than 35 receiving yards just once and his only touchdown came on a run. He was drafted to be an every-week fantasy starter and likely still is in TE-mandatory leagues. But, he has brought next to nothing in too many weeks to ignore.

Jordan Howard, RB, Miami Dolphins

After showing a lot of toughness and prowess in Chicago and Philadelphia, Howard came to Miami with the chance to be the primary back and provide a power element to Miami’s offense. In his first three games, he scored a touchdown in each, but, through four games, he had just 14 yards on 18 carries. It was enough that he was a healthy scratch last weekend. You don’t hit bottom as a fantasy player much more than that.

TE Robert Tonyan emerging as key playmaker for Packers’ offense in Year 3

Packers TE Robert Tonyan has officially become a breakout player in 2020, catching 5 TD passes in the first four games.

Green Bay Packers tight end Robert Tonyan is officially a breakout player for Matt LaFleur’s team in 2020.

For the past two offseasons, Tonyan had served as a beacon of hope for one of the team’s most underperforming position groups. He was seen as a potential diamond in the rough. He was a player that could finally end the trend of lackluster Packers’ receiving tight ends that followed Jermichael Finley since his retirement in 2015.

Tonyan, an Indiana State alumnus, came into the league as an undrafted free agent for the Detroit Lions in 2017. He was released by the Lions before the season began but signed with the Packers’ practice squad shortly after. In 2018, he was promoted to the active roster but hardly saw the field.

During the 2019 NFL offseason, Tonyan generated plenty of buzz during training camp. Some observers tabbed him as a potential breakout candidate and threat to Jimmy Graham’s starting job last year. Unfortunately, it didn’t materialize and the Packers continued to get very little receiving production from their tight ends.

Tonyan barely saw the field in 2019, and his end-of-season numbers were pedestrian – 10 catches, 100 receiving yards and one touchdown in 11 games. It’s important to note that he played through a core muscle injury that eventually ended his season, but even when he was healthy, Tonyan wasn’t making much of an impact.

In 2020, that has changed completely. With Graham out of the picture, Tonyan has had more opportunities to shine, and he’s beginning to set himself apart as the clear TE1 for the Packers.

In Week 2 vs. the Detroit Lions, Tonyan caught two passes for 25 yards and a touchdown. In Week 3 vs. the New Orleans Saints, he hauled in five receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown.

On Monday Night Football vs. the Atlanta Falcons in Week 4, Tonyan had the first real breakout game of his NFL career, catching six passes for 98 yards and three scores (all career-highs).

After the career-best performance, Tonyan is tied with Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans for the NFL lead in touchdown receptions with five. Through four games of the 2020 NFL season, he has 13 receptions, 173 receiving yards (13.3 yards per reception) and five touchdowns. A whopping 38.5 percent of his catches this season have been touchdowns.

In Year 2 under LaFleur, Tonyan is carving out a sizable role for himself.

In the absence of wide receiver Davante Adams, and more recently wide receiver Allen Lazard, the Packers have needed to rely more heavily on their third-year tight end. For three weeks in a row, Tonyan has stepped up and been an impact player. With Tonyan and running backs Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams stepping up to fill the receiver void this week, the Packers showed that their passing game can survive and even flourish without its top two options.

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Robert Tonyan was the out-of-nowhere fantasy football hero of Week 4

What a game!

To be fair to Robert Tonyan, the Green Bay Packers tight end was on fantasy football radars everywhere after he scored in two straight weeks.

But did anyone expect what he did on Monday night against the hapless Atlanta Falcons in a 30-16 win that brought the Packers to 4-0?

I’m going to say no on that one.

Tonyan caught all six of his targets for 98 yards and three scores. Among non-quarterbacks, he was the fourth-leading fantasy scorer behind Joe Mixon, George Kittle and Odell Beckham Jr.

So yeah, I’d say that was pretty out of nowhere. Plus, there was the fact that owners had to account for the Chiefs-Patriots game being moved and potentially postponed, some superstar injuries (Davante Adams, Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley) who were gametime decisions. Tonyan was a popular stash in case any of them were out, and Adams was.

There are a bunch of fantasy football owners who were thrilled:

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Watch: Aaron Rodgers flexes with Robert Tonyan for a hat trick of TDs

Aaron Rodgers and Robert Tonyan tormented the Atlanta Falcons Monday night.

Aaron Rodgers didn’t have Davante Adams. He didn’t have Allen Lazard. He did have his arm and mind, which was way too much for the Atlanta Falcons.

Rodgers dialed up tight end Robert Tonyan for three touchdowns in the first three-quarters plus of the game against the Falcons Monday night in Green Bay.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle noticed the work of the undrafted tight end out of Indiana State in 2017.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers hypes RB Jamaal Williams, TE Robert Tonyan

Aaron Rodgers sees big things in store for Jamaal Williams and Robert Tonyan, two potential breakout players for the Packers offense in 2020.

Running back Jamaal Williams and tight end Robert Tonyan could be important rotational players for the Green Bay Packers’ offense this season.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers hyped them both on Wednesday.

Asked about a potential breakout player for the Packers in 2020, Rodgers immediately mentioned Williams, a fourth-year running back who could have a bigger role in the passing game this season.

“Jamaal Williams came back and had a little bit something different to him this year,” Rodgers told “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday. “He’s just a half-step quicker. The agility is there. The burst is a little bit more. So I give him a lot of credit for the way he grew. You know, a lot of times the big jumps come between years one and two and two and three. This guy is going into his fourth season coming off a year last year where he had multiple games in a row with touchdown catches, and is an important part of our offense.”

Like coach Matt LaFleur and running backs coach Ben Sirmans, Rodgers said he saw Williams working on his abilities as a receiver this offseason, and all the work translated to a terrific summer on the practice field.

“So I think Jamaal has had a fantastic camp and I’m excited about what he’s done. And the thing that he does as well is he just brings so much energy to our football team. So he’s going to be an important part of what we’re doing,” Rodgers said.

Many assumed Williams was going to have a reduced role this season, given the emergence of Aaron Jones as a star and the addition of second-round pick A.J. Dillon. Williams is the most well-rounded of the team’s three backs and should have a legitimate role, especially if he can be a true threat on passing downs and third down.

While Williams fights for snaps at running back, Tonyan has an opportunity to play a big role at tight end.

Rodgers called Tonyan a “multi-talented” player for the Packers and praised his improvement as a blocker, making him a more versatile player and a better fit for the position.

Rodgers said Tonyan got stronger this offseason, helping drive the improvement.

“He’s really become a good point of attack blocker,” Rodgers said. “And you pair that with a really advanced ability to run routes, I think he deserves an opportunity to get some reps and get the ball in space. I think he’s good after the catch. I think his ability to run routes, and set things up, is going to be a part of our offense that we need to tap into.”

Rodgers almost sounded like he was campaigning for Tonyan to get on the field.

“That depends on how much he plays, to be honest,” Rodgers said when asked what Tonyan can provide in 2020. “If he gets the opportunities that it seems he’s earned, I think he can add a lot to the offense. I think he’s a multi-talented guy.”

Tonyan, a converted receiver, caught 10 passes last season but dealt with a significant core injury. He is competing with Jace Sternberger and Josiah Deguara for snaps at tight end.

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Packers notebook: Confidence rising in TE Robert Tonyan

Packers coach Matt LaFleur is optimistic about what TE Robert Tonyan can bring to the offense in 2020.

Tight end figures to be one of the most competitive positions on the roster for the Green Bay Packers during training camp, but coach Matt LaFleur confirmed Tuesday that his confidence is rising in what Robert Tonyan – who missed a big chunk of last season with a core muscle injury – can bring to the table in 2020.

The Packers coach praised the work Tonyan did to build his body and gain another level of comfort in the offense over the offseason, and he didn’t rule out the possibility of Tonyan eventually becoming the starter at tight end.

“Absolutely. We feel really good about Bobby,” LaFleur said Tuesday. “I will tell you, he worked really hard this offseason. You can tell, his body, he’s in great shape. He’s got a much better understanding of what we’re trying to do on the offensive side of the football.”

Tonyan, a converted receiver who has been in Green Bay since late in 2017, caught 10 passes for 100 yards and a score while playing 193 total snaps a year ago. His season got sidetracked in October when he suffered a significant core muscle injury during a win in Dallas. The issue eventually required surgery.

An athletic player with natural receiving ability, Tonyan has embraced the difficult transition to tight end, with help from Marcedes Lewis on blocking and new opportunities opening up in LaFleur’s offense as the “move” tight end.

Becoming a true starter in 2020 might be difficult, given Lewis’ ability as a run blocker, the emergence of Jace Sternberger as the likely option in the passing game and the arrival of do-it-all third-round pick Josiah Deguara, but Tonyan has a potentially valuable skillset in the right role. Tight ends capable of playing multiple spots and providing impact in the passing game can be difficult matchups, especially in LaFleur’s offense.

Linebacker Oren Burks, who worked out with Tonyan in Nashville during the offseason, sees big things coming from the Packers tight end.

“He did a great job coming off of surgery this offseason,” Burks said. “I’ve seen the work he’s been putting in. He’s a grinder, man. He loves the game. He plays at a fast tempo. I’m excited to see what he does this year. I know he’s going to be a difference-maker on our offense.”

Caution with Linsley

LaFleur said the Packers sat out center Corey Linsley on Tuesday as a “precautionary” measure and expressed no concern over the seriousness of the issue.

The Packers used both Lucas Patrick and Elgton Jenkins at center in 11-on-11 work. Sixth-round pick Jake Hanson has also played reps at center for the second-team offense.

LaFleur wasn’t able to provide an immediate update on the individual statuses of Za’Darius Smith, Montravius Adams and David Bakhtiari, who all exited Tuesday’s practice with injuries.

Jones jokes about Clark’s deal

Packers running back Aaron Jones, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract, had jokes for Kenny Clark after the Pro Bowl defensive lineman signed a $70 million extension on Saturday.

“I told him congratulations. I was joking with him, I hope you left me some money,” Jones said Tuesday.

Jones could be next. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported after Clark’s extension that getting a deal done with Jones is now a “priority” for the Packers.

MVS battled ankle injury

Receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling hasn’t lost confidence entering 2020 but he admitted an injury suffered in October hurt him down the stretch in 2019.

Valdes-Scantling hurt his knee and ankle against the Detroit Lions, and the lingering effects of the ankle issue helped submarine his season.

“It was the ankle. The knee went away in a week or two. The ankle lingered, especially with my position, doing a lot of cutting on it. Learning how to play around an ankle injury,” Valdes-Scantling said.

Valdes-Scantling still ended up playing in all 16 games, but he caught only a handful of passes while watching his playing time evaporate over the final two months of the season and into the playoffs.

The Packers are counting on Valdes-Scantling to bounce back from the injury and provide the offense with a legitimate deep threat in 2020.

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