The Halloween season brings candy, costumes, and pumpkins. In fact, some members of the legendary Peanuts cartoon series believe the Great Pumpkin exists. While I cannot confirm or deny that, plenty of players looked like Great Pumpkins during Week 7. Others, however, seemed to be moving ahead to Thanksgiving as they played like turkeys. Our weekly Sizzle/Fizzle report points out the good and bad of the fantasy football world. Only Dallas and Baltimore are on bye this weekend. As always, we have plenty of useful information and some NFL Week 8 fantasy trends, so dig in!
Week 8 Rankings | QB | RB |WR | TE |
Sizzle
Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions/Marvin Jones, WR, Detroit Lions – Somewhere out there, someone celebrates huge daily fantasy winnings thanks to Motown’s magical duo. Stafford threw for 364 yards and four touchdowns. All four touchdowns went to Jones! Jones joins Jerry Rice and Sterling Sharpe as the only NFL players to score four times in two separate games. As for Stafford, his comeback season continues. Stafford threw 21 touchdowns in all of 2018. Through six games this year, he already has 13 scoring strikes. As for Jones, he will remain streaky. But both players could easily profit again in a matchup with the Giants.
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers – Aaron Rodgers becomes Aaron Rodgers again. Actually, he never stopped, but his performance against Oakland was vintage Rodgers. He accounted for six touchdowns (five passing, one rushing) and threw for 429 yards. Most impressively, he dominated without Davante Adams. With Davante’s eventual return and increasing comfort in a new system, expect Rodgers to deliver his own brand of retro excellence several more times before the season concludes.
Jacoby Brissett, QB, Indianapolis Colts – In a huge AFC South tilt with the Texans, Brissett delivers his best game of the season. Brissett threw for 326 yards and four touchdowns as Indianapolis moved into first place. Generally speaking, many regard Brissett as a streamer and not a regular starter. While you do not need to rethink those plans entirely, it must be noted Brissett gets Miami in Week 10 and Tampa Bay in Week 14. Given that, the thought of Jacoby as a backup and occasional starter needs to take flight in your brain.
Latavius Murray, RB, New Orleans Saints – With Alvin Kamara out, Murray makes his way through the Monsters of the Midway with ease. Murray rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns as New Orleans moved to 6-1. He also caught five passes for 31 yards. Will Kamara play against Arizona in the Superdome on Sunday? With the Saints on bye next week, they may exercise caution and hold him out. If that happens to be the case, expect another solid week from Latavius.
Chase Edmonds, RB, Arizona Cardinals – If only Edmonds actually starts last weekend. Frustratingly, David Johnson appears and then completely disappears. As a result, so many missed out on Chase’s sensational day. The second-year pro from Fordham scored three times and totaled 150 yards. There will likely be far more clarity on Johnson’s status this week. Arizona signed Alfred Morris and Zach Zenner, a sign Johnson may be out. A matchup against the Saints in the Superdome is far from ideal. But after last week, no need to question Chase’s RB1 credentials.
Darrell Henderson, RB, Los Angeles Rams – Henderson lurks as a sly play. In last Sunday’s triumph over Atlanta, Todd Gurley got 18 carries. Henderson was next in line with Malcolm Brown out and received 11 carries. Brown has already been ruled out for this week’s tantalizing matchup with winless Cincinnati. Assuming the Rams handle business as they should, Gurley may not be needed as much as he would be in a tougher test. That gives the intriguing Henderson an opportunity to make his long-awaited big splash. I am not advocating sitting someone who offers more stability for Henderson. But if you have a hole in your lineup or need a cheaper daily option, give him a shot.
Corey Davis, WR, Tennessee Titans – To put it kindly, Davis has been an inconsistent fantasy player since arriving in Nashville. But could Ryan Tannehill turn him into a consistent threat? The early returns are encouraging. In Tannehill’s first start, Davis hauled in six passes for 80 yards and a touchdown. Fellow receiver A.J. Brown also looked sharper with Tannehill in command. Tennessee’s offense will stay centered around Derrick Henry, so neither Davis nor Brown are locks for sustained success. But in the short-term, a nice matchup with Tampa Bay on Sunday sets them up for another round of success.
Emmanuel Sanders, WR, San Francisco 49ers – Already 6-0, San Francisco wants to dream big. But outside of George Kittle, none of their receivers represent a consistent threat. Enter Sanders, a Super Bowl champion seemingly burned out by the current ineptitude of the Broncos. It may take some time for Emmanuel to get fully versed in San Francisco’s scheme. And he will need to develop chemistry with Jimmy Garoppolo. But once that happens, fantasy owners will get more out of Sanders than they would had he stayed in Denver. He will also help Kittle draw slightly less attention. And Garoppolo becomes a better option in 2QB leagues. As for Denver, Courtland Sutton’s stature grows higher, with DaeSean Hamilton and Noah Fant drawing more targets.
Mohamed Sanu, WR, New England Patriots – Like San Francisco, similarly undefeated New England felt compelled to make a move. They acquire Sanu to give Tom Brady another target. Long functional but never dynamic in Atlanta, Sanu’s steadiness will be valued by Brady. How valuable will Sanu be to fantasy owners in his new home? Chances are, you were utilizing Sanu as a spot starter. You should be able to use him more regularly once he gets up to speed. His arrival signals the end of Josh Gordon’s tenure in New England. And nothing much changes in Atlanta with his departure. Julio Jones, Austin Hooper, and Calvin Ridley will keep leading the way for the Falcons.
Darren Waller, TE, Oakland Raiders – One of the most pleasant surprises in fantasy despite a lack of touchdowns, Waller makes amends in Green Bay. He scored two touchdowns while hauling in seven passes for 126 yards. Part of Waller’s huge week can be attributed to the absence of Tyrell Williams. Williams could return when the Raiders tangle with the Texans in Houston. Nevertheless, Waller’s emergence as a star gives the Raiders and fantasy owners a foundational piece.
Fizzle
Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons – The pattern in 2019 sees Ryan rising above awful Atlanta circumstances to produce fantasy goodness. The Los Angeles Rams broke the pattern. Ryan threw for 159 yards and tossed an interception. Worse, he suffered an ankle injury. Ryan’s status will probably need to be tracked all the way up to kickoff on Sunday. Matt Schaub would start if Ryan sits. The Seattle defense profits greatly if Schaub starts. Atlanta’s skill position players would suffer with Schaub but could profit thanks to probable garbage time work.
Sam Darnold, QB, New York Jets – Unwritten fantasy football laws dictate Darnold making this list. As good as he looked against Dallas, he saw New England ghosts and swung back to being dreadful. Fortunately, very few owners would have been starting Darnold last week. And we do not expect many to use Darnold when he faces a road test in Jacksonville on Sunday. Obviously, Sam needs to show signs of recovery. If he does, remember that New York draws the Giants, Washington, Oakland, and Cincinnati during Weeks 9 through 14. They also get Miami twice during that period. Do not give up on Darnold just yet.
Kerryon Johnson, RB, Detroit Lions – Disappointment reverberates throughout Detroit and the fantasy world with Johnson landing on injured reserve. Johnson ended last season on injured reserve as well. There happens to be a chance Johnson could come back by Week 16, which is the week of the Super Bowl in many fantasy leagues. But expecting anything else out of him in 2019 would not be a savvy approach. Ty Johnson steps in as the starter while J.D. McKissic gets more looks in the passing game. Ty ought to be a redraft asset for the remainder of the season. Kerryon’s dynasty stock naturally takes a dive. However, unless you can swing a smart deal for him, do not conduct a fire sale. Detroit will limit his workload when he returns, but his talent level will keep him involved. Less work may be just what he needs.
Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers – A triple dose of trouble in Tennessee ensures Gordon a spot on this side of the equation. First, Gordon was outplayed by Austin Ekeler. Second, he fumbled away the game-winning touchdown. Third, he averaged two yards per carry. A trip to Chicago becomes less scary after the Bears were gashed by Latavius Murray and Josh Jacobs. But are we going to see the real Gordon? Or will we continue to see the watered-down version?
David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears – Gordon will not be the only runner under scrutiny in the Windy City on Sunday. Chicago head coach Matt Nagy realizes the Bears need to run more. In theory, Montgomery would be the prime beneficiary of a renewed run focus. But the rookie averages just 3.3 yards per carry. The Chargers are vulnerable on the ground, so maybe Montgomery’s breakout finally happens. If not, press the panic button, and press it hard.
Kenyan Drake, RB, Miami Dolphins – The Miami brass proves over and over again that their favorite game show must be “Let’s Make a Deal.” Anyone with Drake on their roster hopes the Dolphins ship him elsewhere before next week’s trade deadline. Even with his nemesis Adam Gase gone, Drake still seems out of favor in South Florida. Mark Walton now leads the backfield and Kalen Ballage gets the goal line work. If the Dolphins hang onto Drake, fantasy owners do not have to do the same.
Will Fuller, WR, Houston Texans – When healthy, Fuller is one of the most exciting players in the NFL. Fuller wins weeks for owners at times. Unfortunately, the injury bug bit Fuller again in Indianapolis. A bad hamstring sends him to the sidelines for several weeks. Kenny Stills instantly moves into starter territory with Fuller out. Keke Coutee, no stranger to hamstring issues, also gains value. Fuller should be held onto if you can, but if you need to clear a spot during bye weeks, he can be viewed as expendable.
Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals – In a prime matchup with the Giants, legendary Larry Fitzgerald was a legendary disappointment. Fitz pulled in one pass for 12 yards. Yes, Arizona’s lead led to a heavier emphasis on the ground game. But Fitzgerald’s stat line should not happen in the Air Raid, especially with Christian Kirk still out. With New Orleans next week and San Francisco twice in Weeks 9 and 11, more rough outings could be ahead.
Evan Engram, TE, New York Giants – Fitzgerald was not the only big disappointment in New Jersey on Sunday. With Arizona being overly generous to tight ends, how does Engram catch one pass for six yards? Unheralded Rhett Ellison, known more for his blocking, produced more than Engram, scoring a touchdown. At fantasy football’s most challenging position, owners need to hope Engram’s off day was an anomaly. Stick with him as you normally would.
Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia Eagles – Going into the season, fears about Ertz getting fewer targets ruled the headlines. And in recent weeks, fellow tight end Dallas Goedert keeps stealing Ertz’s thunder. Ertz caught two passes for 38 yards in Week 7. Meanwhile, Goedert had four receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown. In Week 6, the two tight ends played to a draw. Goedert pulled in five passes for 48 yards while Ertz had four receptions for 54 yards. Benching Ertz remains out of the question in most cases. But between Goedert’s presence and a disappointing overall offense, Ertz no longer possesses the ceiling he once did.
We will look forward to seeing you again next week!
