Every week within the NFL is its personal story — stuffed with surprises, each constructive and damaging — and fantasy soccer managers should resolve what to imagine and what to not imagine shifting ahead. Maybe we might help. If any of those ideas come true … do not be shocked! NOTE: All point out of fantasy factors is for PPR codecs, until in any other case talked about.
Shaheed, acquired from the New Orleans Saints on the commerce deadline, averaged an odd 11.3 yards per catch with QBs Spencer Rattler and rookie Tyler Shough. Yawn, however everybody on the Saints, even the resurgent Chris Olave, was catching brief passes. Shaheed averaged 11.6 fantasy factors, on tempo for 83 receptions and 943 receiving yards. He was an affordable, deep-league flex possibility who merely wanted higher quarterback play, and the proper of targets downfield.
That every one begins to occur this week as a result of — and say what you’ll about Darnold and whether or not you imagine he can proceed taking part in at this degree (he can, identical to final season in Minnesota) — he throws a wonderful deep move, and the Seahawks need extra of them. Saints QBs weren’t permitted to throw downfield. Darnold does. Shaheed is a deep risk who averaged 17.5 yards per catch with Derek Carr final season. He may not have that diploma of quantity, however he ought to get sufficient to make an impression.
Good for quick rookie Tory Horton and the 2 touchdowns he scored on the Washington Commanders’ protection Sunday night time, however the Seahawks weren’t utilizing him a lot. He has 13 receptions in eight video games, and one can not maintain landing manufacturing on so few possibilities. As for wily veteran Cooper Kupp (hamstring), their abilities units do not actually match, although Kupp is getting downfield some. Superior Jaxon Smith-Njigba is on tempo for two,000 receiving yards, however his 36.8% goal share can be fairly ridiculous. He’ll take some hit right here.
We aren’t rating Shaheed as a WR3 possibility but (the Seahawks play the Arizona Cardinals this week), however I feel we will likely be quickly. All it takes is one transformed deep move right into a landing to persuade everybody. Shaheed ought to be Seattle’s No. 2 flex-eligible possibility the remainder of the season, however that may be a bit by design. The Seahawks cannot run the soccer. Blame disappointing RBs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet when you should, however they’ve nowhere to run, and fewer quantity than final season. Darnold’s wonderful season piling up passing touchdowns and fantasy factors will proceed.
Do not be shocked if … Arizona Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. reverts to odd WR3/4 standing in Week 10 and past
Harrison loved his most interesting sport Monday night time towards the meager Dallas Cowboys’ protection (certain, it’s so significantly better after the commerce deadline. Do not buy it.) and a few imagine this occurred as a result of Kyler Murray (foot) was not the QB. Harrison made all of the spotlight exhibits on his landing seize as a result of he embarrassed a Cowboys defender with a transfer, and Dallas WR CeeDee Lamb appeared mighty impressed on the sideline. Hey, it was spectacular. It was, nevertheless, additionally the Cowboys. Harrison caught seven passes within the sport. That is now his profession excessive, in his twenty fifth sport. Seven receptions. Ja’Marr Chase does this by halftime.
In the end, like everybody else (and do not argue in any other case), we have been all led to imagine that Harrison, due to how a lot he dominated at Ohio State and has a well-known Corridor of Fame WR as a father, would dominate within the NFL, too. Maybe he’ll. Or maybe he dominated the Cowboys as a result of they’re horrible on protection. I understand this sounds damaging. All of us wish to imagine, however there actually is not any proof Monday that signaled a long-term change in manufacturing. Harrison caught two passes in every of the earlier two video games, and Murray wasn’t the QB.
QB Jacoby Brissett has been round for an extended whereas, and although he’s beginning once more this week towards Seattle, I nonetheless doubt this may be taking place if Murray have been totally wholesome. Brissett is not all of the sudden a fantasy play at age 32 and together with his sixth franchise is as many seasons as a result of he tossed six landing passes towards the Indianapolis Colts, Inexperienced Bay Packers and Cowboys. In different phrases, I do not all of the sudden commerce for Harrison in fantasy as if a 12 months and a half of odd WR3/4 play (at greatest, actually) is all of the sudden solved by Brissett because the QB.
Do not be shocked if … Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson leads all gamers in fantasy factors the remainder of the season
This actually should not shock anybody. In spite of everything, Jackson averaged 25.3 fantasy factors final season. Second place amongst quarterbacks was Josh Allen at 22.3 factors. Jackson sat out three video games due to a hamstring harm not too long ago, and he did not run a lot within the straightforward Week 9 victory over the feeble Miami Dolphins (14 dashing yards), however he compensated with 4 landing passes. Some imagine the Ravens need Jackson to play it protected and stay wholesome, throw extra from the pocket till the playoffs. Maybe that is true, however we definitely do not know this due to that one sport.
Jackson actually wasn’t operating a lot in September, to not his typical requirements, and he nonetheless scored greater than 26 fantasy factors in every of the primary three video games. Defenses should plan for every thing with him. I feel the Ravens, with their schedule, do make the playoffs regardless of their 1-5 begin. I feel the Ravens, more healthy now throughout the roster, will play higher protection the ultimate two months as nicely, making their D/ST unit, rostered in 44.9% of leagues, vastly underrated. Look forward. Spend money on Ravens.
Do not be shocked if … Detroit Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs makes buyers completely satisfied and unhappy the ultimate two months
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Why Jahmyr Gibbs is Subject Yates’ Week 9 fantasy loser
Subject Yates reacts to Jahmyr Gibbs’ disappointing fantasy output vs. the Vikings.
A few of us have been overtly specializing in Gibbs not catching passes, since he has solely 19 over the previous seven video games, however the fact is Gibbs has been far much less environment friendly than final season. Do not blame timeshare pal David Montgomery. He boasts two good fantasy video games all season. Detroit nonetheless shares touches, however Gibbs simply is not near matching final season’s manufacturing, aside from Week 7 towards the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
2024: 113.4 whole yards per sport on 17.7 touches, 20 whole TDs, 21.3 factors per sport.
2025: 93.5 whole yards per sport on 17.7 touches, 7 whole TDs (on tempo for possibly 14), 18.2 factors per sport.
The Minnesota Vikings overwhelmed the Lions’ offensive line final week, taking a 27-24 determination, however I do not see the Lions being held to the low determine of 65 dashing yards in a sport anytime quickly. For one, they nonetheless get to play your complete NFC East, and three of these groups (Cowboys, Giants, Commanders) are defensively underwhelming. Even the Eagles allow the Tenth-most fantasy factors to operating backs. The Lions should set up their operating sport, and one presumes they’ll do a greater job getting Gibbs receptions into open house. How can Gibbs be held to 12 touches, as he was final week? It appears foolish.
Nonetheless, we should look at December when the Lions face the Rams (Week 15), Steelers (Week 16) and Vikings once more (Week 17). These are stable defenses that problem quarterbacks and limit operating backs, particularly the Rams. It is honest to get pleasure from Gibbs as he will get your fantasy groups to the playoffs, and also you’re by no means going to take a seat him within the precise playoffs, nor do you have to. You simply may not benefit from the outcomes the ultimate few weeks earlier than the Bears rematch in Week 18.
Oregon rookie Dillon Gabriel averages 4.9 yards per move try, which is simply terrible, and why I gave up on veteran WR Jerry Jeudy weeks in the past, and have not regretted it. It appears unlikely the return of Cedric Tillman (hamstring) will assist a lot. Maybe we won’t actually blame Gabriel. He’s heeding recommendation as instructed, and he barely has sufficient time to throw even these brief passes. His high targets are typically his tight ends, which is okay, until you have invested in Cleveland WRs. Gabriel averages 7.8 fantasy factors. That’s beneath struggling Tennessee Titans rookie Cam Ward, and nicely beneath long-ago benched veterans such because the New York Giants’ Russell Wilson and Cincinnati Bengals’ Jake Browning.
Why not give Sanders an opportunity? He threw the soccer downfield in school, proper? Bailey Zappe is the present No. 2 QB, maybe as a result of Sanders has been coping with again tightness in current weeks. Or maybe not. The Browns did not need to draft Sanders and all of the drama surrounding him, however in addition they did not commerce him this week, both. His Colorado numbers have been excellent, however few projected comparable success within the NFL. He gained video games, however he did not all the time appear to be an NFL professional doing so. At this level, none of it issues. The Browns are already shedding. Strive the following participant.
Fantasy managers in commonplace 8- or 10-team codecs may scoff at any dialogue of Browns QBs, however in SuperFlex and equally deep codecs, actually each QB issues throughout bye weeks. There was a frenzy so as to add Houston Texans backup Davis Mills in one among my leagues this week on the prospect C.J. Stroud (concussion) sat out a sport. Each beginning quarterback is energetic in a league someplace, particularly when Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott and Joe Flacco are on a bye.