Can you believe that the playoffs are right around the corner? Just one more week to either make or break your season? At this point, you’re in one of four spots heading into our final regular season week.
Top Dog: You’ve had an outstanding regular season and you’re securely locked in to the number one seed.
Playoff Seeder: You’re in the playoffs but this week is still important to improving your playoff seeding.
On the Bubble: Your record is somewhere around the .500 mark, probably a game or two below it and are NEEDING to win this week to have a shot to make the playoffs and of course, once you’re in anything can happen.
Toilet Bowler: This season hasn’t gone exactly how you planned… Maybe it was poor draft strategy, maybe you had terrible injury luck, or just didn’t hit on the waiver wire, whatever the case may be you’re headed for the toilet bowl and let’s hope there’s a prize you’re competing for if you can win it.
Here are the teams who will be off this week: Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, and Philadelphia Eagles.
This week we’ll need to replace guys like Carson Wentz, Michael Pittman, Jonathon Taylor, Myles Gaskin, Jaylen Waddle, Damien Harris, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, Miles Sanders 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 at NYJ (36% Rostered in ESPN Leagues)
Hill may not have been a great actual NFL QB but he has terrific fantasy QB upside with his ability to throw the ball as well as his athletic ability when it comes to running the ball. 19/41 throwing for 264 yards, two scores, and four picks is miserable from last week against the Dallas Cowboys BUT he also rushed for 101 yards on 11 carries which really helped as he produced over 30 fantasy points (in this league that I’m looking at). Getting an opportunity to face the New York Jets this week could again be a fruitful week for Taysom if you need a bye week plug in.
Running Backs
Dontrell Hillard/D’Onta Foreman, TEN vs. JAX (36%/34% Rostered, ESPN)
Both of these backs seem to play a role within the Tennessee Titans backfield as the week prior to the bye last week Hillard carried the ball 12 times for 131 yards and a score while Foreman outpaced him in carries with 19 for 109 yards. This tells me the Titans will look to replicate what Derrick Henry brought to the table within these two backs, who will have the better week? Only time will tell, I do like them both against Jacksonville this week as they rank 19th against opposing running backs.
JaMycal Hasty, SF at CIN (0.5% Rostered, ESPN)
Injuries at the running back position have absolute torn up the 49ers this season and while starter Elijah Mitchell isn’t officially out yet his status is in question for Sunday after experiencing concussion-like symptoms on Monday, a day after the team lost to the Seahawks. If Mitchell isn’t able to gain clearance the job or opportunity would go to Hasty who’s the only man standing at this point in the SF backfield.
Carlos Hyde, JAX at HOU (9% Rostered, ESPN)
Starting Jags running back James Robinson has been playing a bit banged up this season and it really seemed to hinder him last week where he wasn’t productive and he lost a fumble. Enter Carlos Hyde who, if Robinson has any setbacks should immediately step into a larger role within this offense and at this point in the season if there’s a running back with opportunity you have to give him a look.
Wide Receivers
Russell Gage, ATL at CAR (25% Rostered, ESPN)
To trust or not to trust the former LSU product Russell Gage? That is the question… Coming into this season he’s someone we had high hopes for thinking maybe he could take over the number two WR role now that Julio Jones has moved on and Calvin Ridley has slotted as the new number one. However, it hasn’t worked out that way has Gage has been widely inconsistent, producing three zero’s, missing four four weeks because of injury, and then at times producing big numbers. Lately, Mr. Inconsistent has turned in some rather consistent performances where he’s got double digit fantasy points in four of his last five games, we like trends, and over the past two weeks he’s accumulated 19 targets, and 40 plus points. The Falcons face the Panthers this week without their best cornerback Donte Jackson who landed on injured-reserve a week ago.
Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET at DEN (7% Rostered, ESPN)
The Detroit Lions captured their illusive first victory of the season last week on a walk-off touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown who saw a season-high 12 targets in the win and Jared Goff needs somebody to throw the football too, right? Right now it’s basically St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, and T.J. Hockenson.
K.J. Osborn, MIN vs. PIT-TNF (4% Rostered, ESPN)
The Minnesota Vikings suffered the worse loss of any team this season last week when they were upset by the previously win-less Lions and in that loss they also lost one of their star wide-outs in Adam Thielen who’s going to be sidelined for a few weeks at least with a high ankle sprain. This injury paves the way for the rookie K.J. Osborn to once again become relevant. After a hot start to the season he’s cooled and mostly been inconsistent but with the injury to Thielen he should have plenty of opportunity with Justin Jefferson dealing with double-teams, he just has to win one-on-one.
Jalen Guyton, LAC vs. NYG (0.2% Rostered)
The Los Angeles Chargers were dealt a blow on Tuesday when it was revealed that star receiver Keenan Allen had to be placed on the COVID-Reserve list. The obvious upgrade is to Mike Williams but don’t count out Jalen Guyton as well for an increase in looks, yards, and opportunity to eat this week against the New York Giants. He had his best game of the season in week 13 last week when he caught all four targets for 90 yards and a score.
Tight End
Jared Cook, LAC vs. NYG (49% Rostered, ESPN)
Much like with Jalen Guyton above Chargers tight end Jared Cook should also benefit from Keenan most likely missing time while dealing with COVID. Cook has been a solid option this year a the TE spot as he’s averaged nine points per contest in 2021.
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