Trashman’s Fantasy Fallout Going Into Week 8

It’s hard to believe we’re almost halfway through the fantasy season. It’s even harder to believe Marvin Jones and Chase Edmonds are the highest scoring WR and RB on the week. Such is fantasy life in 2019. Here’s the fallout…

 

 

Chiefs – 30 @ Broncos – 6

 

• Patrick Mahomes is likely out for at least the next three weeks with a dislocated knee. This is arguably the most polarizing news in football right now, as Chief players owners mourn and absolutely everyone else rejoices. Matt Moore is a capable fill-in that will man the helm, at least till Chad Henne comes off IR. I’m staying away from KC pass catchers not named Hill or Kelce for the time being.

 

• Damien Williams got only 6 yards on 11 touches in a pitiful showing Thursday night. LeSean McCoy got 3 more touches and 76 yards on the day. The good news for Williams is that the Chiefs will probably lean on the running game more. The bad news is that so will defenses. He’s a low floor flex this week.

 

• It’s good to know Courtland Sutton can still produce with an abysmal Joe Flacco under center. Sutton is WR11 on the season, and may soon shoulder eve more of the load in Denver, as Emmanuel Sanders is on the trading block.

 

• If Sanders gets dealt, DaeSean Hamilton is an instant add, even in a cruddy offense.

 

49ers – 9 @ Redskins – 0

 

• The 49ers have the worst 6-0 team I’ve ever seen, offensively. Inclement weather affected the game, and Washington was playing with a “lead”, but the 49ers have had only one 100+ receiving game this season, and it was from their tight end. Kittle, Coleman and Breida are SF’s only weekly fantasy assets.

 

• Washington couldn’t get anything going in this one either, outside of Adrian Peterson, who carried the ball 20 times, but lost a fumble. Peterson has limited upside, but he’s touched the ball 20+ times every game that Bill Callahan has been head coach, and I don’t see that changing. AP is still unowned in 40% of leagues.

 

Cardinals – 27 @ Giants – 21

 

• I pity David Johnson owners who rolled their guy out upon hearing he was active, only for him to sit out after one carry. We’re going to need a couple days of full practice this week to rely on him in Week 8. Chase Edmonds(29/150/3), on the other hand, looks like the second coming of Jamaal Charles on the field right now and needs to be added in every format, at the top of your waiver priority lists. 

 

• No other Cardinals did much of anything in this contest, but then they didn’t need to with what Edmonds was doing. 

 

• Saquon Barkley(21/80/1) had a decent day but suffered a leg reaggravation in the second half, requiring trainers to look at his leg before returning to the game. The fact that he returned was heartening, but he’s still one to monitor this week. 

 

• Now that teams are able to prepare for Daniel Jones(22/223/1/1, 4/35 rushing), he looks pretty average – if not bad –  on the field these days. There won’t be a QB change anytime soon, but he makes his skill players much less reliable in fantasy. The Cardinals are a TEs dream, and Evan Engram(1/6) came away with his worst game of this season. Engram will bounce back, but Jones makes him a lot more inconsistent. 

 

• Golden Tate (6/80) has had at least 6 receptions and 80 yards in his last two games. As long as Sterling Shepard is out, he’s a safe start. He’s still unowned in 25% of leagues.

 

Texans – 23 – Colts – 30

 

• Kenny Stills returned to his first action since Week 4 and went off for 105 yards. Will Fuller sustained a significant hamstring pull, so Stills is definitely a premier waiver add this week – He’s owned in only 13% of leagues.

 

• Jacoby Brissett(26/326/4) is top ten in avg. points this season(19.62), and would likely be a top ten QB in points overall without his bye in Week 5. He needs to be owned in more than 48% of leagues. 

 

• Zach Pascal(6/102/2) has had at least 50 yards in 3 of his last 4 games, and 3 TD over that amount of time. He’s the no.2 in a vibrant Indy offense, and needs to be owned in more than 1% of leagues. 

 

Raiders – 24 @ Packers – 42 

 

• Josh Jacobs and Darren Waller did their usual damage, but I was intrigued by Keelan Doss’ 3 receptions for 54 yards. It wasn’t much, but Doss was one of my favorite prospects coming into the draft this year. He’s worth a look in deep and dynasty leagues if Tyrell Williams misses more time. 

 

• It was all air attack for a clicking Packers offense on Sunday with 8 players catching 2 or more balls. Marquez Valdes-Scantling(2/133/1) was the big man on the day, but Jimmy Graham(4/65/1) and Jake Kumerow(2/54/1) also had solid outings. With KC up this week, the Packers probably won’t have to throw as much, but they’ll certainly be able to. Kumerow is worth a DFS lineup or two, as he played second most snaps behind MVS. 

 

• Both Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones are startable as long as Davante Adams is sidelined. 

 

Vikings – 42 @ Lions – 30

 

• Adam Thielen(hamstring) is unlikely to suit up Thursday night against the Redskins. Rookie Olabisi Johnson came in after Thielen went down on Sunday, and went 4/40/1 on 8 targets. He’s worth a flex if Thielen stays out. 

 

• Kerryon Johnson left in the first quarter with a knee injury, ending up in a brace – Monitor him closely this week. 

 

• Ty Johnson(14/57) was the workhorse behind Kerryon, but J.D. McKissic(7/60) was involved as well. What Ty has going for him is his use on the goal line. Ty should probably be your first target for waivers this week, if Chase Edmonds and Latavius Murray are already owned. McKissic can be added in deeper and PPR leagues.

 

• Marvin Jones(10/93/4) had the best day of his career on Sunday, at least fantasy wise. He probably won’t come close to that type of number again this season, but he’s available in 30% of leagues, and he’s averaging 7 targets, so he’s well worth rostering, especially if Kerryon misses time. 

 

• Danny Amendola(8/105) went off as well, but he hasn’t had a good day since week 1. I’m not biting yet. 

 

Jaguars – 27 @ Bengals – 17

 

• Dede Westbrook(6/103) had his first 100+ yard game of the season on Sunday. He doesn’t score TDs, but he’s averaging about 8 targets a game, so he’s worthy of ownership in 12 team leagues. 

 

• Chris Conley(3/83) had his best game since Week 1, but he’s been to inconsistent to rely on in fantasy. I’m leaving him on wires outside of the deepest leagues. 

 

• Alex Erickson(8/137) led all Bengals in receiving on Sunday – His 14 targets were also a team high. Erickson had 6 targets last week, so this isn’t completely out of nowhere, but it’s unlikely he does this well again this season. That being said, he’s worth a sniff against a Rams team that Cincy is probably going to be trailing for most of the game. 

 

Dolphins – 21 @ Bills – 31

 

• As I suspected in the Garbage Grab Bag for Week 7, The Dolphins gave Mark Walton(15/58) the rock on Sunday, with Kenyan Drake possibly on his way out. Walton has little upside, but he’s operating as a starting RB on an NFL team, so that’s worth adding him.

 

• The Dolphins are still terrible, but the offense tends to flow a little better with Ryan Fiitzpatrick, or at least they did on Sunday. Both Preston Williams(6/82) and DeVante Parker(5/55/1) need to be owned on a team that is going to be playing from behind most of the time. 

 

• Devin Singletary(7/26) played behind Frank Gore(6/66), and what’s worse is he didn’t get a single target on the day. Perhaps, they were easing him in, but he needs double-digit touches to me worth your time. He’s probably not a safe play against Phillys run defense this week. 

 

Rams – 37 @ Falcons – 10

 

• Darrell Henderson(12/39) had 12 touches to Todd Gurley’s(19/54/1) 19. Neither back did a whole lot, but Henderson looks like the quickest back on the team right now. Malcolm Brown should be back this week, so that complicates things for his outlook, but if you have the bench space, Henderson deserves a spot while we see how it shakes out. 

 

• TE Gerald Everett(4/50/1) led the team with 10 targets on the day. He’ll be up and down, but you can’t ignore the amount of targets he’s getting on a weekly basis. He needs to be owned. 

 

• Matt Ryan left the game in the 4th quarter with a sprained ankle. He hasn’t been ruled out for this week, but Matt Schaub would start if he’s out. Ito Smith also went down to a concussion and will not play this week. 

 

• Brian Hill(7/25) filled in for Ito and logged 7 touches to Devonta Freeman’s 9. It might have been because the Falcons were out of the running for most of the game, but there’s a chance Hill gets decent touches this week if Matt Ryan is out and the team leans on the run. 

 

Chargers – 20 @ Titans – 23

 

• Austin Ekeler(12/125/1) looks like the better back in LA, but the Chargers are intent on squeezing every drop from Melvin Gordon(18/29/1). Maybe it’s the long layoff, but Gordon looks slow on the field. In any case, Ekeler is an every week flex until further notice. 

 

• Mike Williams(4/47) has little to show for his fantasy season thus far, but he’s averaging 8 targets his last 4 games. His upside keeps him a flex option. 

 

• The Titans offense looks so much better with Ryan Tannehill(23/312/2/1) under center. 3 players had over 50 yards through the air. A.J. Brown(6/64) and Corey Davis(6/80/1) need to be picked up if they’ve been dropped in your league. 

 

Ravens- 30 @ Seahawks – 16

 

• Lamar Alexander took this one on his back as QB and starting RB for the Ravens, and not much else was asked from anyone on offense. Mark Ingram(13/53) is basically a backup RB in this offense. I’d trade him if you can, though the upcoming bye week won’t help his stock. 

 

• Jaron Brown(3/60) was tied for third in targets(6) with TE Jacob Hollister(3/20). Both are deep league options against a horrendous Falcons team this week. 

 

• Rashaad Penny can be dropped, though I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s traded before the deadline. 

 

Saints – 36 @ Bears – 25

 

• Drew Brees is planning to practice this week, but the Saints are 5-0 without him, so they may choose to hold him out until after their bye in Week 9. 

 

• Latavius Murray(34/150/2) went nuts on Sunday, and will probably start until after the bye. Why rush Kamara back when Murray is capable of handling the load?

 

• Ted Ginn(2/48) may be worth a deep league flex this week with the Saints facing Patrick Peterson and the Cardinals. Peterson will likely hold down Michael Thomas, so Ginn could get more looks than usual. 

 

• Tarik Cohen had only 19 yards on the day but was targeted 12 times. That’s encouraging, though the Bears offense is anemic. 

 

• Favorite son Anthony Miller(5/64) had his second straight game of 7 or more targets on Sunday. This offense is too bad to start him outside of DFS tourneys right now though. 

 

• David Montgomery(4/19) won’t have a worse game this season. If you’re looking to add a starting RB to your roster, he’s worth trading for – and he shouldn’t be too pricey. 

 

Eagles – 10 @ Dallas – 37

 

• The Eagles couldn’t get anything going on Sunday night. Dallas Goedert(4/69/1) led the team in receiving though, and he’s averaging 6 targets and 50 yards over his last 2 games. He’s starting to heat up and is worth a look in a shallow TE field right now. 

 

• Dallas was in control most of the night, so they didn’t have to perform any late game heroics, which are nerve racking in actuality but sublime for fantasy. No one other than Ezekiel Elliott and Amari Cooper was necessary. They have a bye this week then another good matchup against the Giants in Week 9.