Trashman’s Fantasy Fallout Going Into Week 4

 

With all the tumult going on in the world today it’s nice to be able to sit down and relax to some drama-free football…. Here’s the Fallout y’all.

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Rams vs 49ers

 

• I’m impressed with the way that Jared Goff is running this Rams offense. He is making shrewd decisions, but he isn’t afraid to air it out. Both Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods averaged over 17 yards per catch on Thursday.

 

• With Todd Gurley racking up almost 30 carries, it’s going to be hard to support 3 pass catchers on any given Sunday. Cooper Kupp should be held onto, but he’s probably best suited for days when the Rams face defenses with elite corners, like Seattle and Arizona.

 

• Nothing really new to see in San Fran. Carlos Hyde and Pierre Garcon are the only players worth starting, but the good news is that they can be started every week because the offense runs through them.

 

Baltimore vs Jaguars

 

• Note to myself: The Jaguars have played in London more than anyone else, so they have a built in advantage going in. The Jags just looked sharper than the Ravens, and it had much to do with their familiarity with prepping for the time change.

 

• Alex Collins looked good with 82 yards on 9 carries, but he did almost all of his damage in garbage time with the game out of hand. He’s worth a speculative add in deeper leagues, but it looks like there could be a 3-headed monster on the horizon.

 

• Just as he was tightening the grip on RB duties in Baltimore, Buck Allen found himself in a 3-way split with Terrance West and Collins. Maybe the Ravens will go back to letting him carry the mail after the disaster that was Sunday morning, but I can’t be too sure. It’s anybody’s guess as to who the back to own is now.

 

• What’s good for the Ravens RBs is that the passing game is so stagnant right now, Jeremy Maclin had been saved by TDs the first 2 games, so it wasn’t a surprise that his fantasy day was pretty dismal without one. Watson is the only Ravens pass catcher I feel safe with right now, as Joe Flacco looks shaky throwing anything over 10 yards.

 

• TE Marcedes Lewis blew everyone’s minds with his London hat trick. I’d say not to chase the points, but in a season that is yielding TEs with low floors and middling ceilings thus far, he’s just as good a streamer as anyone – TD dependency and all.

 

• Marqise Lee led the Jags again with 7 targets, and though he isn’t quite the red-zone presence Allen Hurns is, he should maintain a solid floor throughout the season.

 

Broncos vs Bills

 

• Jamaal Charles had the better day, but C.J. Anderson still out-snapped him 49 to 21. Anderson is still lead dog in Denver, but Charles, even on 10 touches a game, warrants flex consideration in most leagues.

 

• With the TE position being an afterthought in Denver, WR Benny Fowler retains PPR value moving forward. His time with Siemian on the second team lends to their considerable chemistry on the field.

 

• Lesean McCoy has had a tough last couple of weeks, but things will get considerably easier from here on out.  Stay the course. Tolbert has earned flex consideration in deep leagues with double digit carries in 2 of 3 games. He dropped an easy TD on Sunday that would’ve made it worth the while.

 

• Jordan Matthews is the no.1 option in Buffalo as far as WRs go, but Charles Clay is still the target leader. As the no.5 TE on the season right now, it’s criminal that Clay is only owned in 21% of leagues. Make sure he’s owned in yours.

 

Browns vs Colts

 

• The Browns are going to force Kenny Britt to be their no.1 whether he likes it or not. Peppered with 10 targets on Sunday, Britt had a decent game on which he can build.

 

• It was a disappointing outing for Rashard Higgins who came into the week as the assumed no.1 in Cleveland. He did get 6 targets, but so did Ricardo Louis, and Higgins did little with his. The fact that Higgins played 52 of 77 snaps does indicate that he’s worth holding onto in deeper leagues.

 

• Isaiah Crowell‘s fewer carries have been dictated by the fact that the Browns are usually playing catchup, something that probably won’t change soon. Duke Johnson is the better bet while QB DeShone Kizer finds his rhythm.

 

• TE David Njoku needs to be owned in your dynasty league – but you probably already know that. He’s worth streaming in redrafts too as he’s looking like he could become Cleveland’s primary red-zone target.

 

• I think the Patriots made a mistake in letting Jacoby Brissett go. The kid shows poise in and out of the pocket despite having only started 4 games in career. Unfortunately for some owners, if he can beat or even compete in Seattle, the Colts may be in no hurry to rush Andrew Luck back. The good news is that Brissett could quickly become a streaming option with his dual-threat ability.

 

• I may be stating the obvious, but T.Y. Hilton is still an elite WR with Brissett under center. Kudos to those who may have acquired him after the first 2 weeks.

 

Buccaneers vs Vikings

 

• Jameis Winston did his best Phillip Rivers impression and gave away the ball to Minnesota at every chance he could. Things aren’t going to get much easier until week 9 either. Winston should have better days with Doug Martin back this week, but it might be smart to find a backup worth streaming now.

 

• 10 targets for Adam Humphries? We may not see that again with the return of impending return of Doug Martin, but he’s one to watch in week 3.

 

• Maybe Sam Bradford isn’t that good after all. Case Keenum lit the Bucs up with the dynamic duo of Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen like nothing had changed. Let’s me breathe easier going into week 4 with the Lions. Start your Vikings as usual.

 

• Some scoffed at me for liking Dalvin Cook in drafts more than McCaffrey and Mixon. Trashman usually laughs last.

 

• 2016 is starting to look like an outlier in Kyle Rudolph‘s career. It’s disconcerting that in games where the Vikes are throwing for 350+ yards, He’s getting little of the action. Fortunately for him there isn’t anyone consistently blowing up the TE spot on waivers right now.

 

Dolphins vs Jets

 

• The Dolphins couldn’t find a rhythm in this game that should have been a shutout in all honesty. But when you can’t establish a run game in an offense predicated on the run, I’m not sure what else you can expect. Don’t expect Ajayi to see so few attempts again this season.

 

• Keep an eye on Kenny Stills going forward. He’s been fantasy viable in both games the Dolphins have played, garnering 10 targets in the most recent contest.

 

• It’s hard to tell if Bilal Powell‘s usage in this one was largely enabled by Forte leaving with a toe injury. In any case, Elijah McGuire is now in the mix too, and Forte’s injury doesn’t seem serious. I’d need another good game from Powell to believe in him.

 

• Austin Seferian-Jenkins came right in and tied Robby Anderson for tops in team targets with 6. With him, Kearse, and Anderson all vying for targets in a lackluster offense it’s hard to say who will have their days and when. For that reason, they’re all boom or bust options in the flex.

 

Falcons vs Lions

 

• Mohamed Sanu has put up games of 7,11 and 10 fantasy points so far this season. His floor seems solid enough for a weekly PPR flex.

 

• 3 games in and Julio Jones still doesn’t have a TD. I’ve said it a thousand times, Julio is not a major TD scorer, never was, not even in college. He needs volume, and he gets it.

 

• Riddick isn’t doing enough to be viable outside of PPR formats. Now that Ebron and Golladay are mainstays, his targets aren’t as plentiful.

 

Giants vs Eagles

 

• Now this is the kind of Giants offense I can get behind. 3 players in double digit targets is a recipe for fantasy flourishing. Hopefully they stick with it going forward. Sterling Shepard and Brandon Marshall are back on the radar, tentatively. Shepard looks like the better player of the two.

 

• The Giants run game is still nonexistent though. I’m ok dropping any and all of them at any point .

 

• Evan Engram has 4+ catches in every game this season in an attempt to break the rookie TE curse. He’s doing right now what many end hope to do by year three at the earliest.

 

• My double-digit Wendell Smallwood assertion almost came true this week. Now that Darren Sproles is gone for what I imagine is the rest of the season, maybe his career, Smallwood is best suited to take that role now.

 

• I can’t ignore Corey Clement and his hard nosed running style, though. I loved him at the Senior Bowl, where we deliberated back and forth between Kareem Hunt and him about who should be on the RW All-Senior Bowl lineup. I think we were right in choosing Hunt, but Clement wasn’t far behind. Check out my writeup of him in his Senior Bowl Spotlight piece on the site. He’s going to push Smallwood and Blount for carries.

 

Saints vs Panthers

 

• Of course Ted Ginn comes up big the game right after I drop him. As unreliable as ever, Ginn’s prospects get even murkier with the return of Willie Snead.

 

• AP looks like an inferior player to Mark Ingram. They would do us all a big favor by putting him in a reserve role, so we’re not tempted to put him in our lineups anymore.

 

• No structural damage to Kelvin Benjamin‘s knee, but he’s highly questionable for week 4, making Christian McCaffrey and maybe even Devin Funchess must-starts against the Patriots.

 

• So much for Ed Dickson coming close to replacing Greg Olsen‘s targets. I should have listened to our maniacal Ravens fan minionhunter about his brick hands.

 

• It’s not bad matchups. Cam Newton doesn’t look healthy right now. You need to consider other options.

 

Steelers vs Bears

 

• The Bears did a nice job in bending but not being broken by the Steelers passing game. Days like this are what is keeping Martavis Bryant out of the WR1 conversation. It’s so hard not to start him though. I will say the volatility makes it a lot easier to start guys like DeVante Parker over him, though.

 

• Don’t look now, but JuJu Smith-Schuster might be the 3rd Steelers WR we’ve all been waiting for.

 

• Rumors of Jordan Howard‘s demise were greatly exaggerated. His shoulder may be an inch away from falling off of his body, but Howard ran like a man possessed on Sunday. Looks like the stirrings of a Tarik Cohen takeover got to him. Fortunately, there’s more than enough offense to go around in Chicago, as the Bears receiving corps is really a pile of live rodents.

 

Texans vs Patriots

 

• Deshaun Watson is becoming a real NFL QB before our very eyes. A couple minutes from beating the Patriots on the road, he has that gamer instinct that makes QBs great. I’m excited to see what the Texans offense can become in the near future, which is something I didn’t think I would ever say since before David Carr was their QB. I’m not starting Watson in redrafts yet, but he’s a well played game or two away from streamer status.

 

• Foreman keeps Miller from RB1 carries. Miller keeps Foreman from standalone value. Being an owner of Miller who handcuffed with Foreman seems like a nightmare until something changes. 

 

• Brady finally opened it up for Brandin Cooks, and he was rewarded handsomely for it. There are so many many potential playmakers in Boston that it’s difficult to know which ones will go off any given week. They’re all boom or bust options aside from Gronk.

 

Seahawks vs Titans

 

• Russell Wilson has been holding back all this time apparently, as he gave us all those fantasy points he’s been saving in one go. It’s his highest yardage game ever, and I hope there’s more where it came from. It might mean the death of the running game in Seattle, but it’s a risk I’m willing for the Seahawks to take, as it was what gave them a fighting chance.

 

• WR Paul Richardson is still owned in only 11% of leagues. Come on guys, I know you can do better than that. If you need a push, Doug Baldwin has a strained groin…

 

• It’s clear that Chris Carson is the de facto no.1 runner in the Seattle backfield. I said earlier that the ‘Hawks may move away from the run game as a necessity, but Carson is getting the bulk of whatever touches there are, so it may not affect him that much. Let it be known that C.J. Prosise was the only other back to touch the ball…

 

• Jimmy Graham actually produced while banged up, which is something alien to me. At least we can get him back into lineups.

 

• Demarco Murray only got one more carry than Derrick Henry on Sunday, but he made the extra one count for 75 yards. He still hasn’t gotten 15 carries in a game this year, but the job is still his.

 

• Rishard Matthews is quietly leading the Titans in receiving against all odds. He’s a must start as long as Corey Davis is hobbled, as we now know that Eric Decker is NOT the no.1 in Tennessee.

 

Bengals vs Packers

 

• The Bengals finally let Joe Mixon tote the rock, and he gave them the closest thing to a running game they’ve had this season. They also came within a hair of beating the Packers at Lambeau. Hopefully they see the correlation.

 

• As the Bengals don’t have a passing game outside of A.J. Green, Gio Bernard should stay relevant in PPR formats.

 

• Most of Geronimo Allison‘s 122 yards were on a 72 yard play, but his 8 targets were no fluke. If Randall Cobb is out this week, he’s worth a flex in deeper leagues.

 

Chiefs vs Chargers

 

• Is there a player you would trade Kareem Hunt for straight up? I’m not sure there is in my mind.

 

• No, Travis Kelce didn’t get hurt on Sunday. The Chiefs just had their hands full with the Chargers defense. He’s still a top 3 TE this week.

 

• When trailing, Philip Rivers loves Travis Benjamin. Actually, he kind of loves him all the time. I currently consider him to be the Chargers no.2 WR ahead of Tyrell Williams.

 

Raiders vs Redskins

 

• I don’t really know what to say about the Raiders performance on Sunday night other than it can’t get any wor… wait, they play the Broncos this week. To be honest, the devil you know is better than the devil you rarely see on their turf, so they will likely perform better.

 

• I’m a little concerned about Marshawn Lynch‘s carries. They take him out when they’re ahead, and they take him out when they’re behind. He’s going to be somewhat TD dependent this season.

 

• Rob Kelley‘s job was there for the taking, but I’m not sure Samaje Perine is up for the task. He still looks unsure of himself in the backfield. Let’s be honest though, Chris Thompson is Washington’s lead back for fantasy purposes.

 

• Terrelle Pryor continues to fade into obscurity. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that Josh Doctson is starting to get more snaps.

 

• Vernon Davis is a terrific streaming choice as long as Jordan Reed is out.

 

Cowboys vs Cardinals

 

• No Cowboys player saw more than 4 targets in this one since the Cowboys didn’t start playing offense until the second half of the game. Dez Bryant only had 2 targets all night, obscured by the fact that one was a highlight reel catch and run TD in which Dez carried 4 defenders into the end-zone – with a little nudge at the end. He’s getting through this first half of the season gauntlet of doom pretty well thanks to some well timed TDs.

 

• Senior Bowl standout Ryan Switzer is getting some usage as a ball carrier in addition to returning kicks. If Zeke does get suspended, he could be a surprise beneficiary. Take notice.

 

• No Cardinals running back did anything of note in this game, but Andre Ellington appears to be the most suitable runner of the lot. He’s worth a gander in PPR leagues.

 

• J.J. Nelson disappeared in this game. He actually had a couple would be big plays, but nothing panned out. He’s the definition of boom or bust.