Troy Hill and Tyler Higbee were selected to PFF’s Pro Bowl roster in the NFC.
The Rams only had two players selected to the Pro Bowl when the rosters were announced on Tuesday night, both coming on defense. Aaron Donald was an obvious choice, but more surprisingly, Jalen Ramsey was also voted in despite a relatively average season.
Cory Littleton was the Rams’ biggest snub, and Cooper Kupp also had a case to be a Pro Bowler, but Pro Football Focus didn’t have either of them on their Pro Bowl rosters.
Troy Hill and Tyler Higbee made it at cornerback and tight end, respectively, thanks to their solid overall grades. Hill has been the Rams’ best cornerback and one of the top corners in football since taking over as a starter in Week 7, earning an overall grade of 76.4.
Higbee has three straight 100-yard games, becoming the first tight end in franchise history to achieve that feat. His overall grade of 83.0 ranks among the best tight ends in the league this season, largely thanks to his emergence in recent weeks.
Donald leads all interior defenders with a grade of 93.1 and has 11 sacks on the year. He’s a no-brainer for not only the Pro Bowl, but also as a first-team All-Pro.
Often what separates those who consistently perform well in the playoffs and those that struggle is their level of loyalty.
I only play in two leagues. I did the seven-league thing for a tick and didn’t care for it, as the same guy who wins for you in one league, daggers you in another. We all know each other. When the season begins, I make it clear that any player on my roster is available in trade.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Often what separates those who consistently perform well in the playoffs and those that struggle is their level of loyalty.
I only play in two leagues. I did the seven-league thing for a tick and didn’t care for it, as the same guy who wins for you in one league, daggers you in another. We all know each other. When the season begins, I make it clear that any player on my roster is available in trade.
By midseason, I catch a whiff of the temperature of what teams are on fumes and which ones can make a run and start making moves to add players that have high ceilings and aren’t performing. This year, I made one of those and had the albatross of Odell Beckham Jr. At some point or another, I’ve found a way to have OBJ every season of his career – much in the same way I found ways to have Terrell Owens on my roster and annually trade away Frank Gore when his value was highest.
Where OBJ comes in is the fundamental difference between fantasy owners. I’m willing to make moves up until about Week 8. At that point, I will trade away multiple players to get one. Once I have my roster assembled to my liking, barring injuries, it’s “Regulators! Let’s ride!”
I was in my playoff semifinal this weekend with a guy who had made a living off of drafting Julio Jones, Matt Ryan and Austin Hooper at various stages of the draft. In reality, the Falcons had sucked most of the year, but each of those three, in his own way, has been prolific.
Julio had hit a rough patch. He hadn’t scored a touchdown since September. He hadn’t hit 100 yards since October and he looked banged up.
In my world view, his name is Julio F. Jones and you don’t bench JFJ regardless of how bad his numbers are. Karma gonna getcha.
I had the option of OBJ and D.K. Metcalf. All I had to do was click on Metcalf five minutes before the games started and it was a done deal.
I couldn’t do it.
I’m loyal.
My opponent had the choice of Julio or Kenny Golladay. The investment he made in Jones, who he hadn’t benched all season with the exception of his bye week and the game he missed against the Saints due to injury.
Unlike me, shortly before the games began Sunday, he opted to bench Julio and play Golladay.
My loyalty made me three points (14 for Beckham, 11 for Metcalf). His disloyalty cost him 31 points (seven for Golladay, 38 for Julio).
I won by 18 points.
Sometimes, having the loyalty gene deep in your DNA pays off – which is why, for the fourth straight year, I’m headed to my league championship game and looking for my third win in the process.
My opponent has the luxury of screaming, “Why?!” for the next eight months. Life is good! Hopefully, you’re still playing (and not benching your studs).
Here is the Week 16 Championship Week edition of the Fantasy Market Report:
RISERS
Tyler Higbee – Sometimes all a guy needs is an opportunity to become a fantasy playoff legend. Through the first 11 games of the season, the most catches he had in a game were five and the most yards he had were 47. When Gerald Everett went down with an injury, Higbee was pushed into the forefront. In the three games Everett has missed, Higbee had blown up, being targeted 33 times and catching 26 passes for 334 yards (more than 100 each game) and a touchdown. It’s hard to believe a guy on the waiver wire could be critical to winning a championship.
Allen Robinson – He has had an up and down season, but when you look at his overall numbers (83-1,023-7) those are starter fantasy numbers. But, over his last four games, he has scored four touchdowns and, in the only game he didn’t score, he had seven catches for 125 yards. If there is such a thing as being a quiet fantasy stud, Robinson is one of them.
Ezekiel Elliott – He doesn’t get the credit he deserves as being a dominant player. Some fantasy owners were a little gun shy when he threatened to sit out over a contract dispute, but he has been as consistent as any running back this side of Christian McCaffrey. He rolled up his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season Sunday and has scored 12 TDs in 14 games, including two touchdowns in each of the fantasy playoff games and three two-TD games in his last five. When you need Zeke to produce, all he does is deliver.
Devin Singletary – At a time when running backs tandems are in vogue, the Bills are getting to see what they’ve got in Singletary. He got injured in September and missed three games, so he still doesn’t have more rushing attempts than Frank Gore, but he’s averaging two yards a carry. In the last seven games, he has 15 or more carries five times. In those games, he has rush yardage totals of 75, 87, 89, 95 and 106. If he can keep Josh Allen from stealing all his goal-line touchdowns, he could be a stud.
Adrian Peterson – He’s not the Hall of Famer who took the torch away from LaDainian Tomlinson eight games into his rookie season, but, for those who have thrown him flex style into their lineups when games have meant the most, All Day has delivered. You see at Carolina, at Green Bay and vs. Philadelphia, you could legitimate cause for pause. But, Peterson’s rushing stat lines the last three games have been 13-99-1, 20-76-1 and 16-66-1. Those who have played him have got what they hoped for.
FALLERS
Baker Mayfield – Maybe after the season, we’ll find out there is something wrong with Mayfield’s shoulder. He is throwing almost nothing but short passes and has as many interceptions (17) as he has touchdowns. Even against a forgiving Cardinals defense, he struggled to get anything going. He has more than one TD pass in one game and has one TD or less in nine games. He has become a liability that most owners have benched, but those who had likely will take him off their draft list for next year.
DeDe Westbrook – There is no questioning Westbrook’s talent, but he has been one of the most overrated fantasy players in the league this season. He has only scored two touchdowns (and one of those came in Week 1). He has two games with 70 or more yards and has six games with 32 or fewer yards (and was inactive and unavailable). Those who still held out hope may have made a bold move to put him in the lineup with D.J. Chark out. How did he respond? Two catches for 14 yards. Rid yourself of Westbrook on principle.
Amari Cooper – 2019 has been classic Cooper. He’s caught 71 passes for 1,073 yards and eight touchdowns – clear fantasy starter numbers. He has had two blowout huge games, six good to very good games and a handful of scuds. What makes matters worse for the erratic Cooper is the randomness of it. Three games after catching no passes against New England, Jalen Ramsey shut him down for the Rams. When teams needed him the most to advance to the fantasy championship game in most leagues, he gave them one catch for 19 yards because he was only targeted twice. Classic Cooper!
Tevin Coleman – He’s been on this before. For a team as successful as the 49ers, it’s shocking given how much they invested in Jerick McKinnon, who has yet to play with anyone but Minnesota two years after he left the Vikings and became the fifth-highest paid running back in the league at the time. The Niners doubled down on Coleman. The highest-paid back is the No. 3 guy. In the last three games, Raheem Mostert has rushed 43 times for 265 yards, caught five passes for 53 yards and scored four touchdowns. In that same span, Coleman has 12 carries for 52 yards, one reception for nine yards and no touchdowns. The last two years, the best RBs the 49ers had were the in-house guys they ignored.
Josh Gordon – How many second chances can one man get? It was announced Monday that Gordon was suspended indefinitely for the fifth time in his eight-year career. While there has been talk about mental health issues, most of his previous suspensions have directly involved failed drug tests. The NFL has been more than lenient after he missed two full seasons due to suspensions in his time with Cleveland from 2014-18, he played in just 11 games after bursting on the scene the year before, catching 87 passes for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns in 14 games. He had the ability to be an elite NFL player. Now it looks like his fifth strike is his last.
Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison are both injured.
It’s finals week for fantasy football owners.
Most of you won’t be scouring the waiver waiver for targets, but it’s always good to be thorough — just in case a waiver wire player has to potential to beat out your flex option. It’s probably smart to trust the players on your roster, but if you dealt with an injury in Week 15 (like Dalvin Cook), it’s good to see what’s out there.
Let’s keep it tight and include players you would only consider starting — because, of course, there’s no more runout beyond this week (unless you play in the rare league that lasts through Week 17). A player like Patriots WR N’Keal Harry may have upside, but you’re (hopefully) not in a place where you’d need to start him. So here are a few names to consider.
5. Indianapolis, DEF
ESPN: 43%. Yahoo! 27%.
They’re a good defense, and they’ve got the Carolina Panthers and quarterback Kyle Allen, who has 5 INTS in the last two games, in Week 16. That’s a juicy matchup.
4. Philip Rivers, QB, Chargers
ESPN: 43%. Yahoo! 59%.
Maybe Rivers has had a lackluster season, but he’s playing the Oakland Raiders, who have allowed huge performances from opposing quarterbacks.
3. Tyler Higbee, TE, Rams
ESPN: 28%. Yahoo! 67%.
He might be Jared Goff’s top target at this point. What a weird season it has been for the Rams in 2019.
EPA-EFE/RICK MUSACCHIO
2. A.J. Brown, WR, Titans
ESPN: 67%. Yahoo! 72%.
He has been an absolute monster in 2019 — especially with Ryan Tannehill at quarterback. Brown finished Week 15 with eight catches, 114 yards and a touchdown.
1. Mike Boone, RB, Vikings
ESPN: 0%. Yahoo! 0%.
Alexander Mattison is dealing with an ankle injury. Dalvin Cook left Week 15 with a re-aggravated shoulder injury. Boone may end up the feature back in Week 16 against the Packers, who have allowed a 25th-worst 122.8 rushing yards per game going into Week 15. If Mattison is available, he would also be worth a pickup. Whoever starts at RB for Minnesota has RB1 potential.
The Rams suffered a brutal defeat at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys this week. Here’s a few takeaways from the loss.
The Rams failed to show up in Week 15 in a must-win game against the Dallas Cowboys. They were dominated on both sides of the ball in a 44-21 rout by the Cowboys. Here’s a few takeaways from the Rams’ likely season-ending loss in Dallas.
Rams never recovered from disastrous second quarter
The Rams might as well have just stayed in Los Angeles this week. It didn’t look like they had any desire to try and beat the Cowboys this week.
The Rams scored a touchdown early in the quarter. That was the extent of positive things to happen to the Rams in said quarter. Former Ram Tavon Austin scored a 59 yard touchdown the following drive on a play where Dante Fowler could have had a sack and Taylor Rapp leveled the man defending Austin.
Next, the Rams went three-and-out, but Hekker was able to pin the Cowboys at their own three yard line. That didn’t matter. Dallas embarked on an eight minute, 14 play drive that resulted in a touchdown. The Rams got the ball back right after the two minute warning, and Goff tossed a brutal interception on the second play of the drive.
Then came the icing on the cake. After stopping Dallas on third down following the interception, Michael Brockers was called for illegal use of hands and the Cowboys scored a touchdown on the next play.
Neither side of the ball picked it up in the second half until the Rams had two garbage-time touchdown drives. It was a quarter that basically ended the Rams’ season. The Rams never recovered from a 59 yard touchdown by Tavon Austin.
The Rams’ season is likely over after a devastating blowout loss in Dallas.
The Los Angeles Rams traveled to Dallas riding a two-game win streak after thrashing the Seattle Seahawks last week. They faced a Cowboys team that had lost four of their last five games and hadn’t beaten a team with a winning record all season. It seemed like we were trending towards an easy victory for the Rams.
Quite the opposite happened. The Rams were lifeless on both sides of the ball and Dallas cruised to an easy 44-21 victory. Dallas totaled nearly 500 total yards on offense and made Jared Goff’s as difficult as possible on defense. The loss makes it nearly impossible for the Rams to make the playoffs and doesn’t mean much for the Cowboys’ playoff implications.
The Rams lost control of the football game in the second quarter and failed to get back into it. They didn’t look like they belonged in the same league as the Cowboys. It was the second time in the Rams’ last four games that they were dismantled on both sides of the ball.
Here’s our analysis of the likely season-ending loss.
Player of the game: Johnny Hekker
It says a lot about a blowout loss when the punter is the player of the game. Hekker felt like the only Ram who was trying on Sunday. Hekker punted five times and averaged over 55 yards per punt. One punt went for 67 yards and another pinned the Cowboys at their own three yard line. He even completed a pass for a first down. Hekker gave both the offense and the defense chances to succeed on Sunday.
Stat of the game: 143
143 was the difference in offensive yards between the Rams and Cowboys in the second quarter. The Cowboys scored a touchdown on all three of their possessions in the quarter. The Rams were lifeless on both sides of the ball after a touchdown early in the quarter, and Goff threw a brutal interception that set the Cowboys up for a touchdown late in the quarter. The game, and the season as a result, fell apart in that second quarter.
Game Notes
This has to be the ugliest performance by the Rams all season. The Ravens are the best team in the NFL, and getting manhandled by them could be more of a result of them just being that good. The Cowboys have been lifeless over the past few weeks. it’s embarrassing that the Rams were the ones who looked lifeless in this game.
Jared Goff failed to receive much protection from his offensive line and played horrible as a result. Goff has proven that he can play at a high level in this league, but it feels like he needs a perfect offense around him to do so. It is worth noting that Goff suffered a hand injury late in the second quarter and looked visibly affected by it. That being said, he wasn’t playing great before the injury, and he was able to make some solid throws in garbage time.
Tyler Higbee’s hot streak continued this week. Higbee set a career high in receptions with 12 and had over 100/yards for the third straight week. If Higbee plays like this for the duration of his recent contract extension, he’ll be worth the money.
Former Ram Tavon Austin’s 59 yard touchdown early in the second quarter was a direct result of two mistakes by the Rams. Early in the play, Dante Fowler had a chance to sack Dak Prescott and failed. Down the field, Taylor Rapp collided with Darious Williams and left Austin wide open as a result.
The Rams also had a chance to hold the Cowboys to three points after Goff’s second quarter interception, but Michael Brockers was called for illegal use of the hands after a third down stop and the Cowboys scored a touchdown on the next play. The Rams never recovered.
Starting cornerback Troy Hill left the game in the first quarter with a thumb injury. Darious Williams stepped in as a result, and didn’t do much to impress at all. It was a disastrous performance by the Rams on defense. Hill’s absence was felt, but it seems unlikely the Rams win this game with him.
The stats will look a little deceiving today, as many of the Rams padded their stats in garbage time. The Rams had 135 yards and two touchdowns on their last two drives of the game. They were empty numbers.
To make the playoffs, the Rams need to win their remaining games against San Francisco and Arizona while the Minnesota Vikings have to lose their last two games against Green Bay and Chicago. Neither scenario is likely. Barring a miracle, the Rams won’t be playing in January.
The Rams were forced to adapt when Woods and Cooks were out in Week 11, and it has made the offense better as a whole.
It seemed like a recipe for disaster when 90 minutes before the Rams kicked off against the Bears in Week 11, it was announced that Robert Woods wouldn’t be available. He was never listed on the injury report, so him being inactive was a complete and utter surprise to fans.
We now know he was handling a personal matter, which he returned from the following week. But for that one night with Brandin Cooks already out with a concussion, it seemed like the Rams might be in big trouble as a shorthanded offense.
Not only did the Rams overcome those two WR absences, but it may have actually helped them in the long run.
In that game against the Bears, the Rams hardly ran their usual 11 personnel with three receivers and one tight end. Instead, there was a heavy dosage of 12 personnel, where two tight ends were on the field a time – a mild rarity in Sean McVay’s offense.
The result: A 17-7 win with 110 yards rushing, the Rams’ most in a game since Week 2. It wasn’t the prettiest game or the Rams’ best victory, but it came one week after the Rams were beaten by the Steelers 17-12, a game in which Todd Gurley didn’t touch the ball in the fourth quarter.
McVay’s ability to adapt was put in the spotlight and he responded by shifting his game plan after he was told a few hours before the game that one of his best offensive players wouldn’t be able to play.
He discussed how that game changed the Rams’ philosophy and forced them to adapt during Wednesday’s press conference.
“Against Chicago, you had some late changes where guys weren’t able to go,” McVay said. “That kind of just forced us to adjust and adapt. You end up seeing some of the success and the good things that both Tyler (Higbee) and Johnny (Mundt) did in there and you say, ‘All right, well let’s build off of this.’ What it does is it serves as a natural chance for some of our receivers to stay fresher throughout the whole game. … Like we’ve talked about before, for me, I’m learning that each year is a totally different deal. Maybe, what helped us be successful the first couple years, you’ve got to be able to adjust and adapt and most importantly, like always talk about, utilize your players. I think Johnny Mundt has done some good things that have earned the right to get on the grass.”
In the last two games, the Rams have rushed for 294 yards, only turned it over twice and won each game by at least two touchdowns. The offense has looked more balanced and Tyler Higbee is being featured as a receiver.
He has 14 catches for 223 yards and a touchdown in his last two games, catching seven passes and eclipsing 100 yards in each one. It’s no coincidence that his emergence has partly been the result of the Rams giving their wide receivers playing less, with Brandin Cooks (27) and Cooper Kupp (20) playing fewer snaps than Johnny Mundt (50) did on Sunday against the Seahawks.
McVay is forcing teams to prepare for other personnel groupings besides his three-receiver sets. It makes things more difficult for opponents, because now they have to account for Higbee and the ground game more.
As bad as it was for them to lose Cooks and Woods in Week 11 against the Bears, it may have opened McVay’s eyes in a way that has helped the offense in recent weeks.
Tyler Higbee and Robert Woods were once again among the top players for Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Rams are playing some of their best football right now, getting outstanding production out of players such as Tyler Higbee and Robert Woods in recent weeks. Todd Gurley has also come alive with his increased workload and Cooper Kupp remains a reliable receiver, while the offensive line has really taken a step forward.
Against the Seahawks on Sunday night, it was Woods and Higbee leading the charge for the second straight week with both players going over 100 yards from scrimmage in back-to-back games. They were unsurprisingly among the top-graded Rams players by Pro Football Focus in Week 14.
Higbee had the highest grade of anyone on the team at 86.2, followed by Jared Goff (85.8), Robert Woods (84.9) and Aaron Donald (79.1).
PFF's highest graded @RamsNFL from the win over SEA:
Higbee 86.2 Goff 85.8 (season-high for 2nd week in a row) Woods 84.9 Donald 79.1 Kupp 78.4 Hill 75.4
Higbee actually made PFF’s Team of the Week for Week 14, slotting in as a FLEX player on the list.
Higbee was a weapon in the Rams’ play-action game on Sunday night. His 116 yards were tops among all tight ends this week, as he moved the chains on four of his seven targets. It was such an impressive performance that he still made our team despite a drop.
Higbee has become a focal point on offense since Gerald Everett went down with a knee injury, catching seven passes for at least 100 yards in each of the last two games. When Everett returns, Higbee’s production might slip a bit, but he’s still emerged as a weapon in the passing game.
Waiver wire targets for the fantasy football playoffs.
It’s Week 15 and that means you’re either in the thick of the playoffs, just started the playoffs or trying not to come in last place. For the lucky postseason contenders, congratulations! In a year of injuries and roller coaster superstars, it has not been easy to develop a consistent roster week to week.
As any fantasy football veteran knows though the tinkering does not end at the end of the regular season. Adding and dropping players continues right up until the championship game and if you aren’t on top of things, it might just cost you a trophy and maybe a good amount of cash.
Some players are just late bloomers and while that might not be the best for fantasy football, its spots like these that you need a guy who is on a hot streak.
With the season winding down, here are six players to add to really put your team over the top:
(Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports)
WR A.J. Brown: 31.3% rostered (ESPN)
The Titans have been a new team in the second half of the season winning six of their last seven games. A large part of their success has been the impressive quarterback play of Ryan Tannehill, but Brown has been the leading receiver on this roster.
Last week against Oakland, the rookie receiver totaled five catches for 153 yards and two touchdowns. The combination of Brown and Corey Davis has really helped this Titans team, although Brown is separating himself in terms of production.
Brown will not be available for long after his big week so make sure if he is available in your league you claim him while you can.
The Los Angeles Rams took care of the Seattle Seahawks in a must-win game on Sunday Night Football. Here are a few takeaways from the big win.
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Rams took care of business against the Seattle Seahawks in dominant fashion on Sunday night. It was a must-win for the Rams, who remain a game out of a playoff spot in the NFC at 8-5. Here are five takeaways from the big 28-12 win.
Goff produces another stellar performance
Jared Goff was able to get back on track last week against Arizona after a fairly rocky season so far. Arizona’s pass defense is awful, so it was hard to decipher whether or not it was a return to form for Goff or simply a result of bad defense. After tonight’s performance, it feels like the former.
Goff once again shined against Seattle on a big stage, completing 22 of his 31 passing attempts for 293 yards and two touchdowns. Goff was particularly impressive out of the pocket, completing all seven of those passes for 134 yards and a touchdown. We were reminded why the Rams gave Goff a big payday this summer tonight.
Still, there was a brief stretch in the third quarter where Goff looked rough. He threw a pick-six thanks to a miscommunication on a pass to Robert Woods. The interception wasn’t entirely Goff’s fault, but he should know where Woods is heading on that play. A few plays later, with the ball on Seattle’s 37-yard line, Goff tossed a deep ball into double coverage that was intercepted. It wasn’t a shot Goff needed to take at the time.
One major takeaway from Goff’s two interceptions isn’t the interceptions themselves, but that he was able to come back from them. Goff threw a few nice passes following the turnovers, including a dime down the sideline that was dropped by Brandin Cooks and a great play-action rollout pass to Tyler Higbee deep in Rams’ territory. If Goff can continue to play like he did tonight for the remainder of the season, the Rams might actually find themselves playing in January.
Tyler Higbee is catching fire for the Rams with Gerald Everett out.
When it comes to the Rams offense, there are a lot of familiar names the come to mind. Jared Goff might be the first, but close behind are Todd Gurley, Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and Brandin Cooks.
It takes a while before Tyler Higbee gets mentioned as one of the key contributors on offense, but that’s exactly what he’s been in the last two weeks. After breaking out for a career-best performance against Arizona last week (seven catches, 107 yards and a TD), Higbee one-upped himself with seven catches for 116 yards.
He only had one game with more than 63 yards prior to last week, and now he has two straight with over 100. Higbee made some franchise history in the process, too, becoming the first Rams tight end in the Super Bowl era (1967) to have consecutive games with at least 100 yards receiving.
Goff targeted Higbee a game-high 11 times against Seattle, on everything from straight drops in the pocket to rollouts to play-action passes. It all worked beautifully for the young tight end, and Goff never missed him when he was open.
He’s caught fire in these last two games with Gerald Everett out, emerging as the No. 1 tight end on the depth chart. He should continue to control the snaps at tight end when Everett returns based on the way he’s playing.
