Trashman’s Fantasy Fallout Going Into Week 12

The fantasy playoffs are almost upon us, my friends! Let’s make our last little adjustments before bulldozing into the post-season. Here’s the fallout….

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Packers – 24 @ Seahawks – 27

 

• Jimmy Graham broke his thumb in this one, jeopardizing the rest of his season. Lance Kendricks is next up, but Robert Tonyan played well at TE too, catching a 54 yard TD.

 

• The Packers offense funneled through Davante Adams and Aaron Jones, leaving Marquez Valdes-Scantling(1 rec, 8 yards) in the cold. It’s a hard pill to swallow after his hot run, but MVS will have better days, especially now that Graham isn’t an option.

 

• Rashaad Penny(8 car, 46 yards) was having a nice game before tweaking his ankle on Thursday night. He returned to action but wasn’t the same. Hopefully he can shake it off for Week 12 against the Panthers. With the Seahawks running the ball so prevalently, they can sustain two runners in good matchups, though Mike Davis in the mix makes Penny a risky flex.

 

• David Moore(4 rec, 57 yards) had 8 targets on the day, but he’s still too TD dependent to rely on with any consistency.

 

Bengals – 21 @ Ravens – 24

 

• John Ross had his 3rd TD in 4 games on Sunday, but just as in each of those games, his TD was one of his only 2 receptions on the day. He’s likely to draw coverage from Denzel Ward next week, so my hands are off.

 

• Even with no A.J. Green, Gio Bernard(6 tou, 25 yards) has been virtually useless in the passing game. He can be dropped, if you’d picked him up hoping for the best.

 

• As the Trashman I’m ashamed I didn’t have a beat on Gus Edwards(17 car, 115 yards, 1 TD) – he was undrafted out of Rutgers, but we know who he is now, and that’s the frontrunner to lead the Ravens backfield – unless you consider Lamar Jackson the real candidate(117 rushing yards). Either way, he needs to be owned in all formats. He’s a bruiser with an easy schedule ahead of him from here on out.  

 

• Speaking of Jackson, he wasn’t perfect, but he doesn’t have to be. He’s a tour de force on his feet, and he can rely on that when his passing breaks down. He only threw for 150 yards and an INT, and he still came away with almost 20 fantasy points in standard leagues because of those 117 yards on the ground. He’s still owned in less than 20% of leagues, so he needs to be a top priority if you need QB help. The downside is that all Ravens WRs will suffer from lack of use, but you weren’t using anyone but John Brown anyway.

 

Buccaneers – 34 @ Giants – 38

 

• I knew it was too early to sound the death knell for Jameis Winston(119 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) in Tampa. He almost brought the Bucs back from sure destruction against the normally hapless Giants, after Ryan Fitzpatrick threw 3 picks and not much else. Winston is wildly inconsistent, but he will have a juicy matchup with SF this week.

 

• Peyton Barber looked like a real NFL RB on Sunday running for 106 yards and a  TD on 18 carries. This was pretty surprising considering that the Giants have had a stout run defense all season. Unowned in almost 40% of leagues, Barber makes for a decent RB3/flex this week against the 49ers.

 

• Again with the Adam Humphries! Jameis Winston‘s (almost) favorite target has 3 TDs in his last 4 games and over 50 yards in 5 of his last 6 games. He’s still only owned in 15% of leagues, and he needs to be owned in PPR formats as a high floor flex.

 

• Sterling Shepard(2 rec, 22 yards) has been useless over the last 3 weeks – pretty much since Evan Engram returned. I’d write him off this week, but the Giants are going up against the Eagles who just got roasted by the Saints’ 2nd WR Tre’Quan Smith. Shepard is a risky but high upside flex this one.

 

Cowboys – 22 @ Atlanta – 19

 

• Amari Cooper had his worst game as a Cowboy thus far with 3 catches for 36 yards. The Cowboys felt comfortable letting Ezekiel Elliott touch the ball 30 times, so no one else really got much going, save for a bump for Cole Beasley(5 rec, 51 yards). The Falcons have been known to cover the outside better than the inside, and their linebacker game has been in shambles so, this isn’t entirely unexpected. Cooper should bounce back against the Redskins, but realize that his floor is going to be pretty low in this offense.

 

• Ito Smith only had 3 fewer touches than Tevin Coleman, 8 and 11, but he was far less effective – he had 22 yards to Coleman’s 85. Smith is almost entirely TD dependent and can’t be relied on in fantasy.

 

• Calvin Ridley had his 2nd straight piddling game on Sunday, amassing only 32 yards on 3 catches. There is reason to rejoice though, as the Falcons face the Saints on Thanksgiving. Ridley went nuts on the Saints in Week 3 for 146 yards and 3 TDs, easily his best week of the season. The Saints are a better team now than they were then, but it’s still a situation worth trying to exploit.

 

Panthers – 19 @ Lions – 20

 

• D.J. Moore exploded for 157 yards and a TD on 7 catches Sunday in a losing effort to the Lions. Moore seems to play up to his competition as his games against the Ravens and Lions dwarfed his output against the Bucs and Steelers corners over his last 4 weeks. He faces Seattle this week, so maybe that’s a good sign. Either way, he’s a superstar in the making and needs to be owned in all formats.

 

• Curtis Samuel had his best game of the season as well with 55 yards and a TD on 5 catches. Samuel is a only a deep league add, but the Panthers would do well to keep their young speedsters involved in the passing game.

 

• Newly acquired Bruce Ellington(6 rec, 52 yards) had a strong start as a Lion with Marvin Jones out with injury. The Lions play this Thursday, and Jones was absent on Monday, so there’s a good chance Ellington is a big part of the offensive scheme this Thanksgiving. Add him where necessary.

 

Steelers – 20 @ Jaguars – 16

 

• Nothing wrong with James Conner(15 tou, 49 yards). The Steelers just moved away from a run game that was ineffective against a Jags front that should play that well every week.

 

• What was expected to be an aggressive passing game against a middling Steelers secondary became a ground control contest, as the Jags went up early on the Steelers, only throwing the ball 18 times. There wasn’t a single Jaguar receiver over 50 yards, and only Leonard Fournette had more than 20 yards through the air. With Buffalo and their stingy secondary up next, this isn’t a week to bet they’ll buck this trend.

 

Texans – 26 @ Redskins – 24

 

• Keke Coutee lead the Texans in yardage and targets in Week 11 with 77 yards and 5 catches on 9 targets.  DeAndre Hopkins got the Josh Norman treatment, so that explains some it, but what’s crazy is that Demaryius Thomas only saw one target on the entire day. I can’t advise to drop Thomas altogether, as the Texans can support 3 WRs, but you can’t play him until we see something substantial from him.

 

• Alfred Blue‘s(46 yards) carries went down to 8 on Sunday after getting 15 in each of the 2 games prior. The Texans are not certain to bring D’Onta Foreman back this season, but Blue can’t seem to capitalize on the significant touches he’s been getting, as they don’t use him on the goal line or in the passing game.

 

• Alex Smith broke his leg on an ugly tackle Sunday afternoon, ending his 2018 campaign. Colt McCoy came in and threw for 54 yards a TD to Jordan Reed – something that has eluded Smith for 10 weeks. I don’t see this change as a negative for the Redskins offense, as McCoy, though more prone to error, will take some chances with the offense. I actually like Jordan Reed better now. McCoy won’t blow anyone away with his arm, but he’s not afraid to run with the ball as evidenced by his 35 yards on the ground Sunday. He’s a QB2.

 

Titans – 10 @ Colts – 38

 

• Marcus Mariota suffered a stinger on Sunday against the Colts, but he is not in concussion protocol, so it looks like he’s avoided a scare. What he didn’t avoid is re-injuring his elbow that troubled him earlier this season. Blaine Gabbert finished the game, poorly, and could get the start against the Texans on Monday. Look for the WR weary Titans to lean heavily on Dion Lewis and Derrick Henry in that one.

 

• Eric Ebron wasn’t targeted on Sunday, hitting rock bottom as a fantasy option. The return of Jack Doyle has affected Ebron adversely, as now he has to rely almost entirely on end-zone looks. Fortunately for him, the Colts face this Dolphins this week, and they give up major action to TEs. Unless you’ve got a much better option this week, it makes sense to give him a go.

 

• Dontrelle Inman(4 rec, 34 yards, 1 TD) looks like he’s running as the no.2 WR in the Indy offense right now. Andrew Luck is spreading the ball around quite a bit, but Inman is worth a look in deep PPR formats.

 

Broncos – 23 @ Chargers – 22

 

• It’s worth nothing that Phillip Lindsay(106 yards, 2 TDs) didn’t come out of the game 2 yards out of the end-zone in the 4th quarter, even with Royce Freeman at the team’s disposal – Lindsay is still the top dog in Denver. Freeman is going to have to depend mostly on TDs to make his fantasy nut.

 

• Courtland Sutton tied Emmanuel Sanders for the target lead(7) and outpaced him in yardage 78 to 56. Sutton has bested 50 yards receiving in 4 of his last 5 games and has a great shot to go big against the Steelers this week.

 

• Antonio Gates looked like his old self on Sunday, putting up 80 yards and a TD on 5 catches – his best line of the season. It still wouldn’t be prudent of me to advise using him against the Cardinals this week, as they tend to cover TEs pretty well, and he hasn’t come close to a line like this all year.
• Tyrell Williams has been slumping over his last 3 games(2 rec for 22 yards in Week 11), even though his targets are rising on the whole – he had 6 in each of his last 2 games. With Keenan Allen likely to face off with Patrick Peterson much of the game, Williams will have an opportunity to bounce back.

 

Raiders – 23 @ Cardinals – 21

 

• With their “best” WRs sidelined, the Raiders resorted to giving 3 backs double-digit carries in Week 11 and actually won the game. Jalen Richard was the most effective back on the day with 93 yards on 14 touches. He took over after Doug Martin injured his ankle and ran with it. Richard is the best back in Oakland, and hopefully Coach Gruden realizes that now. He’s a hot pickup even with the Raiders facing the Ravens this week. DeAndre Washington could see more action in Week 12 as well, if Martin has to sit.

 

• Brandon LaFell tore his ACL on Sunday, ending his season. Jordy Nelson has a chance to return this week, so I guess he’s back to being the no.1, whatever that means in this case. I wouldn’t advise using any Oakland WR against the Ravens in Week 12.

 

• Christian Kirk displayed his big play ability in Week 11, putting up 77 yards and a TD on only 3 receptions. The Cards rode David Johnson all day in this one, throwing the ball only 20 times. All Cards pass catchers should see more targets this week against the Chargers.

 

Eagles – 7 @ Saints – 48

 

• Josh Adams(10 tou, 72 yards, 1 TD) is the Eagles’ lead back in practice if not in name. He was the only thing working for Philly’s offense on Sunday, and he’ll see a lot more work going forward. He needs to be added in all formats.

 

• No Eagles WR had more than 50 yards, but Golden Tate did lead the team with 8 targets. He’s just getting acclimated to the Eagles offense and will be a major contributor going forward.

 

• Everything the Saints tried worked on the Eagles, and they found something they liked in Tre’Quan Smith‘s matchup(10 rec, 157 yards, 1 TD). It’s worth noting that he wasn’t targeted the week prior. Smith had a DNP this Monday and his floor is abysmally low, as we’ve recently found out, but his ceiling is too high to keep him out of lineups if he goes on Thanksgiving.

 

Vikings – 20 @ Bears – 25

 

• Dalvin Cook(12 tou, 10 yards) couldn’t get anything going on Sunday night against a bullying Bears defense. The Vikings found much more success through the air, so they stuck with it. This has to leave a bad taste in Cook’s owners’ mouths, but it was a game-flow thing. He’s not hurt, and he’ll have a much better time against the Packers who are down DE Mike Daniels.

 

• The Bears offense didn’t so much win the game as keep the defense fresh enough to keep brutalising the Vikings. Jordan Howard(19 tou, 65 yards) had a solid game, but I wouldn’t rely on him too heavily, as the Bears face the Lions this week, a team Howard only had 32 yards against two weeks ago.

 

• Taylor Gabriel reemerged in this one, with 69 yards on the day. 40 of those yards came on the first drive of the day though, so I’m not reading too much into this one.