To handcuff or not to handcuff, that my friends always seems to be the question posed when draft season rolls around, and then the debate even spills over into the regular season. This week, team handcuff seems to have the upper hand this week after a couple of big injuries to major running backs in Christian McCaffrey and Dalvin Cook.
While Run CMC is back on injured reserve and is done for the season Cook’s injury isn’t as major but he still suffered a dislocated shoulder. He’s considered day-to-day as of Monday but many expect him to miss this week’s upcoming game.
Here are the teams who will be off this week: Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns
This week we’ll need to replace guys like Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon, DJ Moore, Nick Chubb, Jarvis Landry, and maybe a few others.
Here’s how I see things this week for players to pick up.
As a rule of thumb, I won’t suggest any player who is over 50% rostered so you might have a realistic shot at actually acquiring them.
Quarterbacks
Taysom Hill, NO vs. DAL (2% Rostered in ESPN Leagues)
The dual-threat QB is gearing up to take over under center this coming week against the Dallas Cowboys and with all of their COVID issues this might be a good match-up for Hill. In addition, he threw for 230+ yards in three of his four starts last season while Drew Brees was injured and you always have to be excited for his running ability especially near the goal line.
Carson Wentz, IND @ HOU (44% Rostered, ESPN)
Carson Wentz has been more good than bad this season but don’t get me wrong he’s had some clunkers, see week 10 against the Jacksonville Jaguars where he recorded less than 10 fantasy points, but he’s had 9/12 weeks this season with 17+ fantasy points. He’s got a soft match-up against the Texans which I like and hopefully, he and the Colts will be able to eat, fantasy-wise.
Running Backs
Alexander Mattison, MIN at DET (34% Rostered, ESPN)
We’ve been talking about Alexander Mattison for WEEKS and the fact that he’s not over 50% rostered is extremely disappointing, for all of you who haven’t picked him up yet… Now, you’ve got to hope that you’re able to scoop him up off the waiver wire as Dalvin Cook is likely to miss this week and more time moving forward. Mattison is a STUD backup RB that will immediately convert into an RB 1.
Jamaal Williams, DET vs. MIN (46% Rostered, ESPN)
The fact that Jamaal Williams is rostered in more leagues than Alexander Mattison isn’t great but I sort of get it because as a backup Mattison doesn’t get much of any run unless Cook misses time and in DET Williams gets about 40ish% of the RB touches behind D’Andre Swift. Swift sustained a sprained shoulder on Thanksgiving and head coach Dan Campbell said on Monday that it would be hard to see him playing this week. That means that Williams is in line for a BIG jump in his workload which we should all be excited about unless of course, you have Swift, don’t have Williams, and aren’t able to pick him up.
Chuba Hubbard, CAR-BYE (33% Rostered, ESPN)
What a bummer for Christian McCaffrey, so much potential, so many expectations and he’s back on injured reserve again, this time for the remainder of the season, I wish I would have tried to trade him a couple of weeks back when he came off IR but here we are. This opens up a big opportunity for the rookie Chub Hubbard as he’ll take over the main running back responsibilities and while he wasn’t steller the first time around at least he’ll have a great opportunity and by that he’ll be the main ball carrier because the schedule is BRUTAL moving forward. Sure, coming out of the bye they have the Falcons but after that, they travel to Buffalo, face Tampa Bay twice, and go to New Orleans all teams that are generally very good against the run. So, you can add Hubbard but just be cautious moving forward.
Wide Receivers
Van Jefferson, LAR vs. JAX (43% Rostered, ESPN)
Van Jefferson or OBJ rest of the season more fantasy points who would you take? I was on the Jefferson train and both ended up with a touchdown last week against the Green Bay Packers in a losing effort and he even received NINE targets, gotta love that. He’s someone the Rams are clearly going to have to rely more upon now that Robert Woods isn’t in the mix so if you’re in need of a WR look VJ’s way.
Kendrick Bourne, NE at BUF (12% Rostered, ESPN)
When the New England Patriots traded for Kendrick Bourne this off-season it didn’t really move the needle much for me but he’s quietly ranked the 24th best WR in fantasy this season and no one could have seen that coming but as Mac Jones gains confidence as a signal-caller that only benefits Bourne’s production. He’s averaging over 12 points per game and has produced double-digit fantasy games in six of his last ten games. Maybe it’s time we start putting some respect on his name?
Kadarious Toney, NYG at MIA (41% Rostered, ESPN)
The New York Giants have been the walking wounded this year especially when it comes to their skill position players and with the rookie being the only real weapon to stay mostly healthy he’s benefitted from it. Now, he’s yet to score a receiving touchdown this season but the volume has at least been there as he garnered 12 targets last week and should be in line for more of the same moving forward. Just put the football in this kid’s hands and watch him go to work as he’s an extremely special type of talent.
Tight End
Gerald Everett, SEA vs. SF (5% Rostered, ESPN)
While the Seattle Seahawks struggle to find their footing this year and look doomed to miss the playoffs in a competitive NFC their newly acquired TE has paired nicely with Russell Wilson over the last three weeks since he’s returned from injury. Over the last three weeks, he’s averaged about 12 points per game to go along with an average of seven targets over that same time span.
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