Tunnel Vision of Week 13

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

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Yards TD
 Ryan Fitzpatrick  365 – 2 3
 Aaron Rodgers 243 – 24 4
 Kyle Allen 278 – 22 3
 Dak Prescott 355 – 25 2
 Carson Wentz 310 – 0 3
Running Backs Yards TD
Derrius Guice 137 2
Derrick Henry 166 1
Raheem Mostert 154 1
Peyton Barber 44 2
James White 177 2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Devante Parker 159 2
Kenny Golladay 158 1
Alshon Jeffery 137 1
Courtland Sutton 74 2
Davante Adams 64 2
Tight Ends Yards TD
Tyler Higbee 107 1
Mike Gesicki 79 1
Jack Doyle 73 1
Jason Witten 42 1
Mark Andrews 50 1
Placekickers XP FG
Will Lutz 2 4
Brandon McManus 2 3
Jason Sanders 2 (+TD) 1
Jake Elliott 2 3
Dustin Hopkins 2 3
Defense Sck-TO TD
Buccaneers 5-4 1
Saints 9-3 0
Chiefs 2-3 1
Titans 3-3 1
Rams 5-1 1

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

TE Greg Olsen – Concussion
RB Kalen Ballage – Leg
WR Chester Rogers – Knee
WR Trey Quinn – Concussion
RB Darrel Williams – Hamstring
QB Baker Mayfield – Hand

Chasing Ambulances

Another light week with nothing major happening on the injury front.

TE Greg Olsen – Out with a concussion that looked significant at the time. He’d give way to Ian Thomas if Olsen misses time and Thomas turned in four catches for 24 yards in the loss to the Redskins. But at this point of the season, it’s a non-event.

RB Kalen Ballage – This is the worst backfield so it doesn’t really matter. Myles Gaskin ran for 20 yards on two carries but Patrick Laird would pick up more work and he only ran for five yards on ten carries. Nothing here to bring into fantasy playoffs.

RB Darrel Williams – The Chiefs’ backfield is a mess and Williams only gained 13 yards on six runs before his hamstring injury that happened when he was untouched. Damien Williams could be back this week anyway and LeSean McCoy takes his cut. The only interesting outcome was letting Darwin Thompson run for 44 yards and a touchdown on 11 rushes. Again – not a lot here to rely on for fantasy playoffs.

QB Baker Mayfield – He appeared to hit his hand on a helmet and had an x-ray taken. He returned to the game so it is a non-event pending any further concerns this week in practice.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

WR Anthony Miller – Taylor Gabriel was out with a concussion which elevated Miller in the win over the Lions. While he has yet to score a 2019 touchdown, Miller turned in a career-best 140 yards on nine catches last Thursday. And that follows two weeks of six-catch performances.

WR Cole Beasley – Saved his best for playing his ex-employer. Beasley hung six catches for 110 yards and a touchdown in Dallas but that makes a score in five of the last seven games and over 70 yards in three of his last four. As great as that sounds, facing BAL, @PIT, @NE, and NYJ sound like temper expectations.

Bills backfield – Said it many times before but it still kills me. Devin Singletary runs for 63 yards on 14 carries while Frank Gore still is given nine runs to gain 11 yards. I want Singletary next year when Gore is gone. Unless they bring in yet another aging back to slow down the offense.

RB Raheem Mostert – He was on a streak of games with only six carries but in Week 12, he gained 45 yards and scored. In Baltimore, Mostert was the only player with notable statistics when he ran for 146 yards on 19 carries and scored once. He added two catches for eight yards. Tevin Coleman was held to only six yards on five rushes.  That’s hard to rely on playing at the Saints this week, but he looked clearly superior to Coleman.

RB Derrius Guice – He torched the Panthers for 129 yards and two touchdowns on just ten rushes and added two receptions for eight yards. Adrian Peterson also gained 99 yards and a score on 13 carries but it was against the Panthers and their  No. 27 ranked defense versus running backs. Even better, the Redskins head to Green Bay this week to face the No. 30 defense against the position.

WR D.J. Moore – The Panthers wideout just caught six passes for 75 yards and one score in the loss to the Redskins. For the last five games, he’s totaled more fantasy points than any other wideout besides Jarvis Landry. And next week he faces the No. 30 defense versus wideouts in the Falcons.

QB Sam Darnold – After scoring six touchdowns over the previous two games, Darnold was held to only 239 yards and no scores by the Bengals. That calls into question if the Redskins and Raiders matchups were just a function of bad secondaries. This week they host the Dolphins but that doesn’t look as inviting as it once did. One plus – Robby Anderson still caught seven passes for 101 yards while all other receivers did very little.

QB Andy Dalton – Took his start and brought a win to the Bengals since they still own the worst record, just not a win-less record. With the Dolphins and both meetings with the Browns left o play, the Bengals have to decide if they want to risk that No. 1 overall pick next April.

RB Marlon Mack – Targeting this week to return. The Colt need him since the backfield is now a mess with Jordan Wilkins (11-47), Nyheim Hines (4-22, TD) and Jonathan Williams (8-14) canceling each other out in the loss to the Titans.

TE Jack Doyle – Eric Ebron landed on injured reserve and that left Doyle as the lone receiving tight end. He turned in six catches for 73 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. His 11 targets were more than any other Colt. And this week, he plays the Buccaneers that are ranked No. 31 versus tight ends.

QB Nick Foles – Facing the Buccaneers has been a gift for almost every opposing quarterback but Foles completed just 7-of-14 for 93 yards, with one interception and two lost fumbles by half time. He was benched so that Gardner Minshew could throw for 147 yards and one score in the second half. Now the problem is who plays in Week 14? The rookie or the $88M quarterback?

RB Ronald Jones – He was held to only eight yards on six carries while Peyton Freaking Barber was given 17 carries to gain 44 yards and two touchdowns. Just when you think it may be safe to trust Jones. You cannot.

WR Alshon Jeffery – Missed two games with an ankle injury but returned to post nice catches for 167 yards and a score in the loss to the Dolphins. This was the first time he’s played as well as he did in 2018. The Dolphins secondary was missing several players, so it’s likely a one-game aberration.

WR James Washington – The change to Devlin Hodges the last two weeks resulted in Washington logging 98 yards and a score at the Bengals and then 111 yards and a touchdown on Sunday versus the Browns. Even better, the Steelers face the Cardinals this week.

WR Robert Woods – He still has not caught a touchdown but he posted 95 yards in Week 10 before disappearing in Week 11 for unknown personal reasons. His return in Week 12 saw him catch six passes for 97 yards against the Ravens. On Sunday, he caught 13 passes for 172 yards. You do not need touchdowns with those sort of stats.

Cardinals backfield – The loss to the Rams meant less rushing anyway, but the backfield had Kenyan Drake, Chase Edmond, and David Johnson available. They elected to never use Edmonds, and run Drake 13 times for 31 yards and Johnson gained 15  yards on four rushes. Both Drake and Johnson caught two short passes. The remaining schedule – PIT, CLE, @SEA, and @LAR –  all go against Top-12 defenses versus running backs.

QB Drew Lock – The Broncos opted to start their 2.10 pick in Lock, and the rookie responded with two touchdowns to Courtland Sutton in the first quarter.  He ended with only 134 passing touchdowns and those two scores. But he helped lead the Broncos to the eventual win. He’ll need to throw in Houston and Kansas City next, but the first quarter is over and there isn’t enough there to merit any consideration.

TE Darren Waller – Led the Raiders with seven catches for 100 yards in the beatdown by the Chiefs. His nine targets were more than double anyone else and Tyrell Williams ended with only one catch for nine yards. The Raiders can no longer connect with wideouts and the top three receivers were two tight ends and the running back DeAndre Washington.

Huddle player of the week

Devante Parker  –  This is simply mind-blowing.  Devante Parker was already the only receiver worth covering for the Dolphins but he caught seven passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns. Those were his first scores since Week 9 but Parker’s making the most of his opportunity after Preston Williams left in Week 10. He helped win a lot of fantasy games this week – if he was in the starting lineups.

Salute!

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

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick 367 3 QB Drew Brees 184 1
RB Raheem Mostert 154 1 RB Aaron Jones 31 0
RB Peyton Barber 44 2 RB Ronald Jones 8 0
WR Allen Lazard 103 1 WR Odell Beckham 29 0
WR Anthony Miller 140 0 WR Chris Godwin 50 0
WR Curtis Samuel 65 1 WR Michael Thomas 48 0
TE Tyler Higbee 107 1 TE Hunter Henry 10 0
PK Will Lutz 2 XP 4 FG PK Brett Maher 1 XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 141 Huddle Fantasy Points = 29

Now get back to work…