Special Note: In case you missed it, you will want to read my First Fantasy Thoughts for the week, as I discuss 8 players to either HOLD, DROP, or TRADE. These are popular underperforming players. Check it out before you make any free agent moves this week!

 

It's week #4, and most fantasy owners should have a good grasp on whether they have a big winner on their hands, or if they need to make major changes in their roster to remain competitive. To that end, I will focus on specific player situation and scenarios this week to help owners struggling get a boost for their fantasy playoff hopes. Of course, there are always good free agents and player trades to consider during this first month of the season, and I most definitely will not ignore that fact. Let's get right into the Market...

 

 

In case you missed the announcements on Monday... Cleveland Browns HC Hue Jackson says he informed the team Monday morning that they're going to start rookie QB Baker Mayfield and QB Tyrod Taylor (concussion) will be the backup if healthy. In addition, Arizona Cardinals HC Steve Wilks has named rookie QB Josh Rosen the team's new starting QB. Let's look at the Browns' move first. It was obvious from watching the game last Thursday that this is the right move for Cleveland to make. Mayfield knows the system and is much more accurate in his throws and quicker on his decision making than Taylor. As a result, the Browns offense should improve immediately. That also makes Mayfield a nice option for fantasy owners to consider with the loss of QB Jimmy Garoppolo to a torn ACL. As for Rosen, we only saw him on one drive Sunday, a drive that ended with a pick. That said, he is a first round talent, and should develop at some point down the road into a decent NFL QB. However, his immediate future will be a big learning experience. I believe there will be bigger hurdles for Rosen to overcome than for Mayfield, primarily due to the lack of overall talent outside of RB David Johnson and WR Larry Fitzgerald (hamstring). As a result, I see Rosen more as a project for fantasy owners to pick up and hold until he learns the ropes. In summary, if you need an instant starter, Mayfield is your man, while Rosen is much more likely to struggle immediately. Keep that in mind when you consider both QBs from your waiver wire this week.

 

 

Last week, I discussed how well Cincinnati Bengals QB Andy Dalton played in primetime against the Ravens at home. This past Sunday, Dalton and crew took to the road to play the Carolina Panthers, and the results didn't lead to a win, but were mostly good. Even without WR A.J. Green (groin) for more than a half, Dalton still threw for 352 yards and two TDs, but also threw four picks. That said, he kept the team in the game, and they had a chance to win it in the 4th quarter. For fantasy, Dalton leaned on WR Tyler Boyd (6-132-1) and his tight ends, TE Tyler Eifert (6-74) and TE C.J. Uzomah (2-19-1), to get the job done. This is a good sign, as he's showing people he doesn't need Green healthy to produce solid numbers. Now, we hope Green plays this week, but he's uncertain at this point. The Bengals play at Atlanta this week, a team decimated in their secondary due to injuries. Heck, QB Drew Brees just burned them for FIVE total scores! Fantasy owners in need this week should move Dalton to near the top of their list, if not the very top, due to the way he's playing and the schedule. After this week, the Bengals host MIA, followed by games vs. PIT, @KC, and vs. TB before their week #9 BYE. If Green plays, there really is no reason why Dalton can't be a top 10 fantasy QB in most of those games.

 

 

With San Francisco 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo (torn ACL) lost for the season, backup QB C.J. Beathard will start moving forward. Is he fantasy worthy? Well, he does have a decent cast of weapons to use around him. Remember, he started five games for the 49ers last year. In those games, he averaged 237 passing yards per game with 3 passing scores and 5 picks. He also ran for an average of 24+ yards per game with 3 more scores. Beathard is obviously a step down from Garoppolo, but there is a bit of potential for him to produce somewhat decent numbers. Unfortunately, the 49ers play @LAC this week, followed by games vs. ARZ, @GB, and vs. LAR over the next month. Those will be some tough games for Beathard and company, so fantasy owners need to be choosy when it comes to starting him. There is one bit of upside. Beathard will be working in HC Kyle Shanahan's offense, which could lead to some good things here and there. That said, fantasy owners in need should likely look to better options for a starting QB if possible (Dalton or Mayfield) before settling on Beathard. There will be more tough times ahead for the 49ers in 2018!

 

 

If you ask him, he will deny. However, there is simply no denying the fact that Indianapolis Colts QB Andrew Luck is not throwing the football the way he used to before his shoulder injury. This past Sunday, Luck threw for only 164 yards and one score against the Eagles and he was replaced by QB Jacoby Brissett on the last play of the game since he couldn't throw the football with confidence 60 yards. If you start in this league, you should easily be able to throw it that far. Thus far, Luck is averaging only 5.4 yards per passing attempt in 2018. His previous career low was 6.4. His average yards per completion is currently 7.8, and his previous low was 11.1. Bottom Line: Luck's shoulder is not 100%, far from it. He simply can't make the bullet throws or the deep throws quick enough or accurate enough to make the completion. That is hindering the entire passing game. And when you add in the fact that two starting offensive linemen are injured, it makes for a very suspect fantasy starting QB. Right now, Luck is a no-go against tougher defenses in the NFL, and he must face the Texans and DE J.J. Watt at home this week. If possible, I sit him this week, and turn to a solid alternative until Luck turns it around and his shoulder strength improves. Unfortunately, we just simply do not know when (or if) that will even happen!

 

 

Last night was certainly a mixed bag for Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. On the plus side, he threw for more than 400 yards (411) for the third week in a row, a new NFL record. However, he also three THREE picks, and the team lost to drop to 2-1. Now that QB Jameis Winston returns from suspension, what will the Bucs do? Well, the first indication is that Fitzpatrick will continue to start, at least for this week. However, if Fitzpatrick struggles on the road against a very tough Chicago Bears defense, do not be surprised if the Bucs turn back to Winston in week #6 (they have a BYE in week #5). Smart fantasy owners may want to shop him if they haven't already. Bottom Line: Fitzpatrick has never been able to produce big results for too long a period of time and the specter of Winston is not going away. If he bombs this week, I can easily see the coaches taking the full two weeks to get Winston back up to speed and start him after their BYE. At the very least, Fitzpatrick fantasy owners should ensure they not only have a solid alternative to start when the Bucs are off in Week #5, but also one to start come week #6 if Fitzpatrick is benched. Yup, this league has always been a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league and that will not change just because someone threw for 400+ yard three weeks in a row. If the Bucs lose to fall to 2-2, all bets are off!

 

 

Coming off a knee injury, Philadelphia Eagles QB Carson Wentz looked very rusty playing at home against the Colts on Sunday. More than once, he missed wide open receivers and stared down his favorite target, TE Zach Ertz leading to incompletions. That said, he still managed to throw for 255 yards and a score to rookie TE Dallas Goedert. While his ball placement was off in the game, mentally, he was tough, standing in the pocket and also running and diving head first for a first down at one point. Give it a few weeks, and he will be fine. He does have to target his wideouts more, specifically WR Nelson Agholor, whom only saw 5 targets in the game, when he had 22 coming in to the game through the first two weeks. Of course, that was with QB Nick Foles running the show. Remember, WR Alshon Jeffery (shoulder) has yet to play, and it seems he will miss out on at least one more week of action. The Eagles play @TEN this week, a team that has given up only 4 TD passes (to MIA, HOU, & JAX) in three weeks, so look for another fairly low scoring game this week. And that means Wentz fantasy owners might want to wait another week to start him and go with a solid alternative. Don't say I didn't warn you!

 

 

Let's take a look at some of the other more notable QB performances from last week... New York Giants QB Eli Manning threw for two score at Houston on Sunday. Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco threw for a score at home against the Broncos on Sunday. Miami Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill threw for three scores at home against the Raiders on Sunday. Washington Redskins QB Alex Smith threw for two scores at home on Sunday against the Packers. Buffalo Bills rookie QB Josh Allen threw for a score against the Vikings on the road on Sunday. He also ran for two more! Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott threw for a score on the road at Seattle on Sunday.

 

 

 

 

In case you didn't read my comments from Monday's night Lead Story feature, here they are again... "Dolphins RB Kenyan Drake produced a mediocre game in week #1, then a solid effort in week #2, but this past Sunday, Drake was just plain ugly. He only touched the football seven times and had 10 yards of offense. This came against the Raiders at home, a team with a bottom 12 running defense. What happened? Good question. The best guess here is Drake was a victim of negative game flow. The Dolphins produced a lot of big plays for scores that did not involve Drake. In addition, RB Frank Gore saw six carries himself in the game, so Drake remains in somewhat of a RBBC. I own him in a few leagues and plan to stick with him, at least for now. Drake is very talented, and that talent will shine through, it's only a matter of time." Not only do I stand by this advice, but if you don't want to start him this week, go ahead and bench him, but do NOT trade him! That would be selling low, a cardinal mistake! Have some patience here. Now, in the leagues where I own him, I plan to start his this week against the Patriots, a team that just allowed Lions RB Kerryon Johnson to run for 101 yards, the first 100-yard rusher for the Lions in FIVE YEARS. Think about that for a second before you bench him this week...

 

 

Green Bay Packers RB Aaron Jones returned from a two-game suspension last week and rushed for 42 yards on just 6 carries, an average of an impressive 7-yards per carry! Meanwhile, RB Jamaal Williams added 29 yards rushing on 5 carries. Now, it appears the Packers are sticking wit ha RRBC, at least for now, but it's also clear that a healthy Jones is a better option than Williams. As I said last week, now is the time to pick up Jones and stash him for the upcoming BYE weeks. The Packers know they need more production from the running back position, and Jones is just the man to give it to them. This week, the Packers play host to the Buffalo Bills, a team coming off a shocking win over the Vikings. Don't look for another shocking win by the Bills this week in Green Bay. Now, I'm not saying Jones will be ranked in the top 30 RBs for this week, but I have my eye on him, and if he takes over with a big game, then you will be glad you picked him up and stashed him for later use.

 

 

With both Philadelphia Eagles RB Jay Ajayi (back) and RB Darren Sproles (hamstring) out, RB Corey Clement (quad) got the start, but it was interesting to see WR Wendell Smallwood play a lot more than expected on Sunday. In the game against Indianapolis, Smallwood rushed for 56 yards on 10 caries with a score, adding 3 catches for 35 yards against the Colts. By comparison, Clement rushed for 56 yards on 16 carries, adding 3 catches for 19 yards, but he did not score. Now, both Ajayi and Sproles are expected to practice this week, but are not locks to play against the Titans. If neither one can play some Sunday, Smallwood will play a lot once again and deserves serious consideration as a flex option for fantasy. In the meantime, pick up Smallwood if you own Ajayi/Sproles and play the waiting game later this week!

 

 

Buffalo Bills RB LeSean McCoy (ribs) did not play on Sunday, and yet the team did not miss a beat at Minnesota, as they shocked the world by downing the Vikings. Without McCoy, the Bills turned primarily to RB Chris Ivory with a bit of RB Marcus Murphy mixed in. In the game, Ivory rushed for 56 yards on 20 carries, and added 3 big catches for 70 yards. Murphy rushed for 33 yards on 8 carries, and caught one pass for one yard. Don't forget that Ivory also stole a goal line TD from McCoy back in Week #2. This is really a no-brainer move. If you own McCoy, you should also own Ivory, while Murphy deserves slight consideration by desperate fantasy owners in large leagues. Even if you don't own McCoy, you might want to consider picking up Ivory to potentially use this week, or to just keep him away form the McCoy owner. Remember, a pro-active fantasy owned is a smart fantasy owner.

 

 

Seattle Seahawks HC Pete Carroll was caught off-guard a week ago when he sat RB Chris Carson for the entire second half of week #2's game because he though he was winded. That was not the case, so he not only started in week #3, but also carried a full workload, rushing 32 timer for 102 yards and a score at home against the Cowboys. He also added two catches for 22 yards. Meanwhile, rookie RB Rashaad Penny saw just three carries in the game for 5 yards. Does this mean Penny is finished in the running game? Not quite. That said, he is now untrustworthy moving forward as long as Carson produces this week. What do you do with Penny? He's still a solid hold in dynasty leagues, and I'd give it another week or two on my bench to see if he sees more action before making any kind of move. The Seahawks are coming off their first win, and I'm sure they don't want to change a winning formula, so I wouldn't expect Penny to replace Carson barring an injury or a flop performance. That means you hold and bench Penny until such time the situation changes.

 

 

Big things were expect from New England Patriots rookie RB Sony Michel last Sunday night in Detroit. Instead, the rookie average and showed hands of stone in the passing game. That said, he remains a very talented back, so fantasy owners shouldn't give up on him so quickly. First, RB Rex Burkhead is dealing with a neck injury. RB James White is the clear pass-catching back and nothing more. If Burkhead sits this week, look for Michel to see as many or even more touches than he saw last week. Remember, these are the Patriots, and sitting at 1-2 won't sit well with HC Bill Belichick. They host the hot and undefeated Miami Dolphins this week, but New England and QB Tom Brady rarely play three poor game in a row. As such, big things are expected, and Michel should be right in the middle of it. Bench him if you like, but don't be surprised if he has that coming out party just one week later at home in New England this week against the Dolphins!

 

 

Let's take a look at some of the other more notable RB performances from last week... New York Giants RB Wayne Gallman saw 6 carries on Sunday against the Texans. Houston Texans RB Alfred Blue saw 5 touches on Sunday against the Giants. Denver Broncos RB Devontae Booker saw 10 touches on Sunday against the Ravens. Baltimore Ravens RB Buck Allen scored on 9 touches against the Broncos on Sunday. Carolina Panthers RB C.J. Anderson scored on three touches on Sunday against the Bengals. Jacksonville Jaguars RB Corey Grant saw 7 touches on Sunday against the Titans. Oakland Raiders RB Doug Martin saw 9 carries last Sunday against the Dolphins. Teammate RB Jalen Richard caught 6 passes for 59 yards in that game. Miami Dolphins RB Frank Gore saw 6 carries on Sunday against the Raiders. San Francisco 49ers FB Kyle Juszczyk scored on 2 catches on Sunday against the Chiefs. Indianapolis Colts RB Nyheim Hines saw 10 touches in a RBBC for the team on Sunday against the Eagles. Los Angeles Rams RB Malcolm Brown saw 5 carries against the Chargers in mop-up duty on Sunday. Arizona Cardinals rookie RB Chase Edmonds saw 5 carries on Sunday against the Bears.

 

 

New York Giants WR Sterling Shepard was stymied against the Dallas Cowboys in Week #2, but last week, has some success against the Houston Texans, catching 6 of 7 targets for 80 yards and a score. Part of the reason why Shepard has success was the knee injury suffered by TE Even Engram (sprained MCL). Engram is now oujt at least this week, and possibly 3-5 more weeks. As a result, that opens the middle of the field more for Shepard to make a bigger impact. This week, the Giants face the hapless Saints secondary, so all Giants receivers get as boost in value, most certainly Shepard. In other words, all Shepard owners should give him serious consideration for a fantasy start as a flex option in week #4.

 

 

After two nondescript games, Oakland Raiders WR Jordy Nelson broke out wit ha big game on Sunday. Nelson produced of his damage early in this game, catching a 61-yard pass on the second play of the game and later scoring on a nice 12-yard touchdown reception. He led the team in targets on the day with 8, and averaged a lofty 28.8 yards per catch. Even though WR Amari Cooper is viewed as the team's #1 WR, Nelson seems to have finally developed a rapport with QB Derek Carr, making his fantasy outlook more optimistic heading into this week's game vs. CLE. In other words, Nelson deserves fantasy consideration as a flex option as we head into the BYE weeks. Will it last? Who knows, but Nelson certainly has more value now than before. Heck, if you are deep at wideout, SELLING HIGH isn't a bad option either!

 

 

These two wideouts used to both play for the Kansas City Chiefs. Now, WR Albert Wilson is a Dolphin, while WR Chris Conley remains in Kansas City. Regardless, both now have some decent fantasy value. First, Wilson ranks as the #36 fantasy WR in PPR leagues right now, after scoring for the second week in a row. He also threw for a long score to WR Jakeem Grant late against the Raider on Sunday. He has emerged as a versatile playmaker for the Dolphins, with eight catches, four carries and one big long passing completion to his name while scoring three touchdowns this season. Wilson and the Dolphins face the Patriots this week, a team that is not playing the pass very well. As for Conley, he only ranks as the #68 fantasy WR in PPR leagues, but he's still managed to score in each of the Chiefs' past two games. To date in 2018, he's only caught five passes in three games, but two went for scores, making him much more valuable in a basic scoring leagues than in PPR systems..

 

 

Washington Redskins WR Jamison Crowder has been a disappointment to date in 2018, but there was a glimmer of hope on Sunday. Playing against the Packers at home, Crowder saw one carry and caught all of his four targets for 39 yards and a score. Unfortunately, QB Alex Smith threw just 20 passes in a fairly easy win, with TE Jordan Reed seeing 7 targets and Crowder the only other player to draw more than two (4). With Reed healthy and the running game working well, Smith doesn't feel the need to target his wideouts very often. As a result, Crowder has seen only an average of 4 targets per game, down from nearly 7 in 2017. The Redskins have a BYE this week, but then face the sorry Saints defense in two weeks. That game could be a turning point for Crowder in fantasy terms. For the first time all season, Smith may be forced to pass more and we will see if Crowder really is his favorite wideout or not. If I own Crowder, I play the waiting game and see if his stats increase in that game. If he scores, but they don't, it may be time to move on from Crowder and SELL HIGH if you get my drift...

 

 

My what a difference two weeks makes! Back in wek #1, Atlanta Falcons rookie WR Calvin Ridley had ZERO catches. Two weeks later he had a team-high 7 caches for 146 yards and THREE scores! With his explosive performance on Sunday against the Saints, Ridley becomes the first rookie receiver since WR Odell Beckham in 2014 to score three times in a single game. Ridley had 100 receiving yards by halftime, largely due to a 75-yard touchdown catch with two minutes to go in the second quarter, which was Atlanta's longest play of the season to date. In addition to his three touchdowns (the same number WR Julio Jones had all of last season), Ridley also drew a pass interference flag that moved the Falcons up 45 yards in the third quarter. After seeing just two targets from QB Matt Ryan in Week #1, the 23-year-old has been the recipient of 13 targets over his last two games, making him pretty much a must start for fantasy considering his big play capabilities. I wouldn't expect huge games like this every week, but it certainly is nice to see he can it do it, no?

 

 

After catching just 5-of-7 targets for 31 yards over the first two games of the season, Arizona Cardinals rookie WR Christian Kirk lead the team across the board in targets, catches and yards this past Sunday against the Bears. His highlight was a 32-yard catch in the 4th quarter from QB Sam Bradford. Kirk was then rookie QB Josh Rosen's favorite target, seeing three targets on the two possessions that Rosen led. These numbers are promising, but with Rosen now the starter, it's uncertain whether he will flourish right away or struggle. Either way, Kirk stands to benefit, but there is no guarantee Kirk will produce like he did this past week with Rosen at the helm. As such, fantasy owners need to take the conservative approach here. In other words, add Kirk to your roster if available, but sticking him into your starting lineup is another matter. The Cardinals play host the Seattle this week, a team with an inconsistent and younger defense, so it's tough to say if Kirk will produce or not. Remember, WR Larry Fitzgerald (hamstring) caught just two passes last week, so he should figure more into the game plan moving forward, which could hurt Kirk. Bottom Line: Weigh your options carefully before simply throwing Kirk into the stating lineup and you'll do fine.

 

 

The following wideouts caught at least two passes or scored this past weekend and deserve fantasy consideration: New York Jets WR Jermaine Kearse (3-35), Cleveland Browns WR Antonio Callaway (4-20), Baltimore Ravens WR Willie Snead (3-39), Tennessee Titans WR Taywan Taylor (4-30), Miami Dolphins WR Jakeem Grant (2-70-2), Miami Dolphins WR Danny Amendola (3-42), Washington Redskins WR Paul Richardson (1-46-1), Indianapolis Colts WR Ryan Grant (3-35-1), New Orleans Saints WR Tedd Ginn (3-12-1), New Orleans Saints WR Cameron Meredith (1-11-1), Atlanta Falcons WR Mohamed Sanu (4-36-1), Dallas Cowboys WR Cole Beasley (3-46), Seattle Seahawks WR Jaron Brown (2-25-1), Chicago Bears WR Taylor Gabriel (6-34), Chicago Bears WR Anthony Miller (4-35), and Pittsburgh Steelers WR Ryan Switzer (3-9-1).

 

 

 

Two players who have disappointed over the first few weeks of the season picked it up in week #3 and deserve some real fantasy consideration. First, Cincinnati Bengals TE Tyler Eifert remains in somewhat of a TEBC (TE by Committee), but the loss of WR A.J. Green (groin) last week lead to additional opportunities (8 targets) and 6 catches for 74 yards. That is more targets than Eifert received in the first two games combined (8-7). With Green uncertain to play this week, Eifert's role is likely to remain higher profile, so fantasy owners in need should give him a look. After all, he is still healthy. Secondly, New Orleans Saints TE Ben Watson is also seeing an uptick in targets (from 4 to 5 to 6) each week, and produced his best game of the year on Sunday, catching 5 passes for 71 yards. Granted, neither Eifert nor Watson have scored in 2018, they are definitely trending up in their use in the passing games of their respective teams. And sometimes that is all you need to make them fantasy worthy.

 

 

With the tailback and wide receiver corps hurting, Philadelphia Eagles QB Carson Wentz took aim at getting all his tight ends involved on Suaday. While TE Zach Ertz led the team with 10 targets, he didn't score. It was rookie TE Dallas Goedert, whom made the biggest impact in the game. Goedert caught all 7 of his targets for a game-high 73 yards and a score. With WR Alshon Jeffery (shoulder) still not cleared for contact, look for Wentz to keep looking to his big targets to get the job done. That makes Goedert a serious fantasy prospect moving forward, so if you need a boost at tight end, do not hesitate to grab him and start him. Nothing is a lock, but a rusty Wentz is having little trouble connecting well with his big TEs.

 

 

Last week, it was TE Jesse James. This week, the Pittsburgh Steelers leaned on a healthy TE Vance McDonald to make the big plays and help get a win. I discussed this situation right here last week. Unfortunately, I started James over Ben Watson last week, but it did not cost me my game. I learned a lesson, though. The Steelers rotate their tight ends, and so the big winner in any given week could be either James or McDonald. However, it was McDonald whom the coaches praised earlier this summer. They love his pass-catching ability, and while James is a better blocker, McDonald has improved in that area, meaning more plays for McDonald in the base offense. In fact, McDonald outsnapped James last night. Bottom Line: Use caution when considering either Steelers TE for a start, but if I were to choose one right now, I would have to go with McDonald.

 

 

The following tight ends caught at least two passes this past weekend or scored and deserve fantasy consideration: Cleveland Browns TE David Njoku (2-36), New York Giants TE Rhett Ellison (3-39-1), Houston Texans TE Ryan Griffin (2-44), Baltimore Ravens TE Mark Andrews (2-59), Miami Dolphins TE Mike Gesicki (3-31), Atlanta Falcons TE Austin Hooper (3-23, 1 2-pointer), Los Angeles Chargers TE Antonio Gates (3-45), Dallas Cowboys TE Geoff Swaim (5-47), Seattle Seahawks TE Nick Vannett (4-27), Arizona Cardinals TE Ricky Seals-Jones (1-35-1), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE Cameron Brate (3-34-1).

 

The following is the 3rd in-season free agent player rankings list for the 2018 NFL season. If you're looking for a free agent off your leagues' waiver wire to fill a need (maybe depth), these are the players to consider...

 

 

 

End.