Special Note: In case you missed it, you will want to read my First Fantasy Thoughts for the week, as I discuss 7 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...

 

 

Everyone knows I'm a huge New York Giants fan, since I was born on Long Island, but although I live in the Las Vegas area, I still follow my team with a passion. Thus, you knew I was one happy camper to see rookie QB Daniel Jones succeed in his debut! Against an improved Buccaneers defense, Jones completed 23-of-36 passes for 336 yards, two touchdowns and no picks in his first career start. He also rushed four times for 28 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning score late in the fourth quarter. "Danny Dimes" was "on point" during the game on Sunday. That said, he played within himself, not trying to get too fancy. He pretty much took what the defense gave him, or made them pay with his feet, something QB Eli Manning can't do. Obviously, we can't expect 41-point fantasy games from Jones every week moving forward, but the Giants host the sorry Redskins this week, and play ARZ in week #7, so now is the time to pick him up if you need him and play the matchups. This is an obvious no-brainer fantrasy football free agent pickup if you need help at QB!

 

 

Starting for the injured QB Cam Newton (foot), Carolina Panthers QB Kyle Allen threw for 261 yards and four scores with no picks in a big win over the Cardinals on Sunday. The Panthers were winless coming into the game, so the win may have saved their season. News broke today that Newton is likely to be out for an extended period due to a Lizfranc foot injury, so that makes Allen a solid fatansy free-agent pickup. But let's talk about his play first. On Sunday, Allen was a breath of fresh air, getting the football into his playmakers' hands, but the Cardinals defense pretty much makes every quarterback it faces look like the best passer in the league. Still, Allen played within himself (like QB Daniel Jones) and got the job done. Against Arizona, TE Greg Olsen ran free all day long, scoring twice in the game. Allen also threw scores to WR D.J. Moore and WR Curtis Samuel. Bottom Line: All offensive players saw their fantasy stock rise with Allen on the field, so this situation is good for everyone in terms of fantasy football. As with Jones, grab Allen up and play the matchups accordingly moving forward.

 

 

Starting for the injured QB Drew Brees (thumb), New Orleans Saints QB Teddy Bridgewater completed 19-of-27 passes for 177 yards and two scores on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks to get the win. In this game, Bridgewater was a game-manager and not a playmaker. He let RB Alvin Kamara do all the heavy lifting, while the defense and special teams helped out in a big way too. Meanwhile, QB Taysom Hill only saw a few snaps, indicating that this is pretty much Bridgewater's show until Brees returns. Taking a look at the schedule, the Saints play host to DAL this week, followed by games vs. TB, @JAX, and @CHI. That schedule makes Bridgewater much less attractive in terms of a fantasy free-agent pickup. While he still deserves some consideration, the TB game may be the only one where you might seriously start him depending upon who else is on your roster. And remember, Brees is only expected to miss five more games. Be sure to factor that in when you consider whether to pick up Bridgewater or not this week for fantasy.

 

 

I talked briefly about Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield in my "First Fantasy Thoughts" feature for the week, but I wanted to go into more detail here. First, against the Rams on Sunday night, he threw for only 195 yards and one score with one pick in a loss. Mayfield has now thrown five picks with only three touchdowns on the season and carries an ugly 70.3 passer rating. What's the issue here? First, he looks very uncomfortable in the pocket, often choosing to escape it and throw on the run from outside the pocket. That will not work most of the time. It also doesn't help matters that TE David Njoku (wrist/concussion) is OUT for an extended period of time and that Mayfield is just not connecting well with WR Jarvis Landry. In addition, WR Odell Beckham hasn't been able to carry the offense, though has been heavily targeted. The Browns play @BAL, @SF, and vs. SEA before their BYE in week #7. Those are some fairly tough defenses, so hopefully, Mayfield and company can work through their issues. That said, he is riding my bench in the league I own him until he gets his act together. My backup in that league is QB Tom Brady, so something tells me I won't be starting Mayfield until Brady has his BE in week #10. That said, I'm obvioiusly a lucky guy to own Brady as a "backup" to Mayfield.

 

 

Well, it seems that Chicago Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky broke out of his funk on Monday night where he completed 25-of-31 passes for 231 yards, three scores, and one pick in the Bears' win over the Redskins, right? Well, let's take a closer look. Although the numbers say otherwise, Trubisky didn't play all that well in this contest, as QB Case Keenum had five turnovers for Washington and set Trubisky and the Bears offense up with great field position multiple times. Trubisky threw a pair of short scores to WR Taylor Gabriel before hitting Gabriel again for an acrobatic 36-yard score where Gabriel adjusted to a poorly-thrown ball for the score. Trubisky didn't do much in the second half, and he also didn't play well with the Redskins threatening a late comeback. Making things worse, Trubisky has done nothing as a runner through the first three games. Bottom Line: The Bears play host to MIN next week, then play vs. OAK in London before their Week #6 BYE. It's clear to me (and it should be to you) that the opponent had more to do with Trubisky's success than Trubisky himself. In other words, there are much better options to consider (i.e. Jones & Allen) than Trubisky when it comes to a fantasy free-agent QB pickup!

 

 

Starting for the injured QB Ben Roethlisberger (elbow - IR), Pittsburgh Steelers QB Mason Rudolph completed only 14-of-27 passes for 174 yards, two scores, and one pick in a loss to the 49ers on Sunday. How bad was it for Rudolph? His mediocre stat line was aided by a 76-yard touchdown pass to WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, whon did most of the work by running down the sideline all the way to the end zone. If not for that score and if not for the 49ers' five turnovers, the Steelers' offense would have looked a lot worse. Rudolph was pressured early and often by an emerging 49ers' pass rush in this game, as he clearly isn't the QB that Big Ben is (or was). That said, the Steelers are locked into Rudolph as their starter and they catch a break with the schedule, as they host the sorry Cincinnati Bengals on MNF this coming week. After that game, Pittsburgh plays host to BAL, then @LAC before their week #7 BYE. With regard to a fantasy free-agent pickup, consider Rudolph a decent start against the Bengals this week, but then all bets are off until after the team's BYE. Beyond next Monday night, things could get a lot uglier for this team before it gets better...

 

 

Let's take a look at some of the other more notable QB performances from last week... Jacksonville Jaguars QB Gardner Minshew threw for two scores last Thursday night against the Titans. Oakland Raiders QB Derek Carr threw for two scores at Minnesota last week. Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins threw for a score at home in that game. Indianapolis Colts QB Jacoby Brissett threw for two scores against the Falcons on Sunday. Cincinnati Bengals QB Andy Dalton threw for one score against the Bills last week. Washington Redskins QB Case Keenum threw two scores at home against the Bears on Monday night.

 

 

 

 

Last week, I discussed how the Denver Broncos running game had become a RBBC, but for fantasy owners not to give up on RB Phillip Lindsay or RB Royce Freeman. Well, Lindsay owners got a nice reward if they stuck with him this past Sunday. Lindsay ran for 81 yards and two scores on 21 carries and added 49 yards on four catches during Sunday's 27-16 loss to the Packers. The Broncos established the run in the second half despite trailing the Packers the entire game. It did help Lindsay that Freeman also was in and out of the game with a shoulder injury, which gave Lindsay more opportunities that led two short-yardage touchdown runs. That said, Lindsay did impress with those runs, so it's not likely that the coching staff will overlook that fact. HC Vic Fangio said after the game that the Packers played a lot of defensive backs and essentially dared Denver to run. After Linday's big game on Sunday, you can expect Jacksonville to try to dare the Broncos to pass this week at home, but that won't keep Lindsay from catching passes. Bottom Line: Lindsay is a top 10 fantasy RB right now in PPR leagues, so if you own him, you start him despite a touch matchup this week against the Jaguars, especially with the BYE weeks now underway.

 

 

Green Bay Packers RB Aaron Jones ran for two touchdowns during Sunday's 27-16 win over Denver. So all is good with Jones, right? Hardly. First, Jones was bottled up for most of the game, rushing for only 19 yards on 10 carries. Fantasy owners of Jones should be more concerned by his 3.8 yards per carry start to the season and the fact that RB Jamaal Williams is seeing a steady increase in touches. Williams had two more carries and one more target than Jones on Sunday and was far more productive in terms of yardage and efficiency. HC Matt LaFleur may continue to even up touches (as he said last week) between his two backs, so that makes Jones more of a risky #2 fantasy RB this week on Thursday against the Eagles, especially since Jones has a slight shoulder injury. That said, overall, Jones still ranks as the #14 fantasy RB in PPR leagues through three weeks with three scores. In other words, coming off a two-TD game, nervous fantasy owners may want to shop Jones around their league to boost another posiiton if they are deep at RB. It's just something to consider...

 

 

Kansas City Chiefs RB Darrel Williams rushed nine times for 62 yards on Sunday against the Ravens, adding five catches for 47 additional yards. He saw extended playing time with RB Damien Williams (knee) out due to his knee injury. Does this make Williams a viable fantasy dfree-agent pickup? Well, a huge chunk of Williams' yardage came midway through the fourth quarter when he cut upfield on an outside run and gained 41 yards, getting tripped up just before he was able to make it into the end zone. That means he has big play capabilities, but his viability for this week's game in Detroit is obviously dependent on the overall health of the team's backfield. If RB Damien Williams (knee) sits again, then Darrel Williams deserves serious fantasy consideration as a flex option during this initial BYE week. At least there is the fact that Williams has firmly established himself ahead of rookie RB Darwin Thompson on the depth chart. HC Andy Reid also said to the media that he "trusts Darrel Williams." That's a pretty good commnet to make about the tailback ready to play!

 

 

Last week, I discussed what to do with Miami Dolphins RB Kenyan Drake for fantasy. I recommended that his owners HOLD him and consider a start for him once the BYE weeks get here. Ta da! They are here! But first, let's review how he is playing. Drake rushed 12 times for 38 yards in the Dolphins' loss to the Cowboys on Sunday, adding three catches for 34 additional yards. Both the 15 touches and 72 yards were easily new season highs for Drake, though he also lost a fumble. That said, the turnover did not affect his usage. Drake'e problem remains the lack of talent around him quite obviously severely curbs his upside. That said, Drake ranks as the #40 RB in PPR leageus, ahead of such players as RB Sony Michel, RB Duke Johnson, and RB Latavius Murray. He also ranks just one spot behind Eagles rookie RB Miles Sanders. What does all this mean? Well, in the FFPC, one of my Drake teams has RB LeVeon Bell on it, whom is on a BYE this week. I plan to start Drake this week alongside RB Chris Carson. My other backs are RB Dare Ogunbowale and RB Darren Sproles. The one thing about Drake is the fact that his usage has either remained constant or gone up. His 8.2 points per game average in PPR leagues is not terrible. Yes, he's failed to score, but the Dolphins host the Chargers this week, and they rank #18 against RBs, the lowest ranking thus far for a Drake opposing defense. Don't be surprised if he scores in this game. Start him if you need him, you may be surpised at what he does! And I mean that in a good way.

 

 

Seattle Seahawks RB Chris Carson fumbled for the third time on Sunday. That said, it's important to note that the Seattle Seahawks will try every way possible to fix Carson's fumbling problems. "Because we do believe in him, we're going to continue to show him that," HC Pete Carroll said. "He's a terrific football player, and we want to make sure and maintain that level of play from him, so we'll work at it and work with him on it. There's a lot of technical stuff that's really important, right down to the last instant of that play that he fumbled on there's another thing that he could do to ensure taking care of the ball a little bit longer. He thought he was secure and thought he was taking care of it and bang all of a sudden the ball comes out. That's life you know. That's real in the league and all that. He's going to have to be really on because guys are going to continue to come after him just like anybody would." Carson, who had 1,151 yards and nine touchdowns last season, has 45 carries for 159 yards and one touchdown so far this season. He also has 10 catches for 59 yards and a touchdown. "I like the way he's playing," Carroll said. "I love the style of play. Out of the backfield, he's added to his game. He's still running physical and tough and doing all the things that we're counting on. There's nobody that we'd rather have have the ball in short-yardage situations and down by the goal line. He's great at it." Bottom Line: I own Carson in the FFPC and plan to stick with him as a starter. Of course, trades are not allowed in the FFPC. But unless you get an offer that you can't refuse or are stacked at RB, I wouldn't be so quick to give up on Carson.

 

 

It's been a long time coming, but Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Ronald Jones is finally emerging. Jones was the better runner for the Bucs on Sunday, totaling 121 yards and a 5.7 yards per carry average on just as many touches as RB Peyton Barber (13/48). It's the second time Jones has out-performed Barber in three games despite being used as the team's backup. Jones' performance on Sunday was highlighted by a 41-yard screen play early in the game. One would think that at this rate, it's only a matter of time until Jones is named the Bucs' new starting tailback, but HC Bruce Arians can be a stubborn man. As such, Jones remains only a flex option at best right now, but he's also an intriging BUY LOW candiate for fantasy. If Jones is named the new starter and quickly produces, he could ascend quite easily to become a solid #2 fantasy RB play during these critical BYE weeks. Don't think it won't happen!

 

 

Let's take a look at some of the other more notable RB performances from last week... Oakland Raiders RB Jalen Richard saw 5 touches and 3 catches on Sunday against the Vikings. Minnesota Vikings rookie RB Alexander Mattison scored on 12 carries against the Raiders on Sunday. Indianapolis Colts RB Nyheim Hines saw 5 touches on Sunday against the Falcons. New England Patriots RB Rex Burkhead saw 17 touches with 6 catches on Sunday against the Jets. Detroit Lions RB Ty Johnson saw 5 touches on Sunday against the Eagles. Baltimore Ravens RB Gus Edwards saw 9 touches on Sunday against the Chiefs. Dallas Cowboys rookie RB Tony Pollard scored on 16 touches on Sunday against the Dophins. Cincinnati Bengals RB Giovani Bernard saw 5 touches on Sunday against the Bills. Buffalo Bills RB T.J. Yeldon saw 10 touches in that game. Seattle Seahawks RB C.J. Prosise saw 9 touches with 5 catches on Sunday against the Saints. San Francisco 49rs FB Kyle Juszczyk caught 3 passes on Sunday against the Steelers. Washington Redskins RB Chris Thompson saw 11 touches and 4 catches on Monday night against the Bears.

 

After three weeks, it's time to revist three players that may be able to help out your fantasy team. First, Tennesee Titans WR Adam Humphries struggled to connect with QB Marcus Mariota in the first few weeks of the season. With a solid 6-93 stat line last Thursday night against the Jaguars, it seems the two are on track, making Humphries an interesting free-agnt fantay pickup for owners in need. In Miami, rookie WR Preston Williams has pretty much been the one constant in their passing game. Through three games, he's scored nearly identical 11-point PPR stat lines for each game. I know it's the Dolphins, but someone has to catch passes on that team, and Williams is clearly the top target. Finally, Chicago Bears WR Taylor Gabriel woke up to catch THREE TDs on Monday night against the Redkins. He also suffered a comncussion in the game, but when healthy, he should remain a solid part of that passing game, even though QB Mithcell Trubisky is struggling. There you have it! Three names to consider off your waiver wire for week #4!

 

 

After two hot weeks, Denver Broncos WR Emmanuel Sanders caught just two of four passes for 10 yards during Sunday's 27-16 loss at Green Bay. After the game, he voiced his displeasure with the game plan. Broncos HC Vic Fangio said Green Bay played a lot of sub-packages with extra DBs, daring Denver to run. As a result, Sanders saw just four targets. He was also hurt by QB Joe Flacco's unwillingness to through the ball into tight coverage. That said, Sanders is more than ready to move on and rebound at home this week in a big game against the Jaguars, a team that may (or may not) have CB Jalen Ramsey on the field of play. We will be watching that situation closely, as Ramsey could be traded or could call in sick again and miss the game. If Ramsey plays, it's technically a downgrade for Sanders in fantasy terms, but I own him in several leageus and plan to start him regardless. If he can do what he did against the Bears at home two weeks ago, he can be trusted to perforn against the Jaguars at home two weeks later.

 

 

Indianapolis Colts WR Zach Pascal made his first impact of the 2019 season on Sunday. Pascal had two catches on three targets for 53 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown, in a win over Atlanta. The touchdown catch was actually Pascal's first reception of the season. Believe it or not, Pascal has been starting each week as the #2 receiver opposite WR T.Y. Hilton (quad), but this was the first game where he was active in the passing game. The Colts split playing time fairly evenly between the receiver group after Hilton, as Pascal played 30 snaps, WR Deon Cain played 37, rookie WR Paris Campbell played 30, and WR Chester Rogers played 27. As a result, there's not a big reason to think Pascal will emerge from the pack as a true fantasy impact player. That said, if Hilton doesn't play this week, someone has to catch the football, and Pascal is as good as any of them. His playing time is likely to go up in that case too. Bottom Line: Pascal could be worthy of a dart throw as a fantasy free-agent pickup later this week if Hilton is forced to miss action.

 

 

I spoke in length about Kansas City Chiefs WR Demarcus Robinson and rookie WR Mecole Hardman last week, urging subscribers to not only pick them up, but also to start them. Many of you listened to me, and picked them up, but when it came to starting them, it was a different matter. I got at least three e-mails where subscribers had no plans to start either Robinson or Hardman last week, in a game where both scored. What is wrong here? I'm trying to understand it myself, but one person started Cowboys WR Randall Cobb instead, while another started Vikings WR Stefon Diggs. Yet another benched Robinson for WR Courtland Sutton. Let me make myself perfectly clear here... The Chiefs passing game is ON FIRE and on pace for a historical season! Now, while I can't rank the top three Chiefs WRs all in the top 10, I would start them all pretty much over any other WR not playing up to their potential wihout question! QB Patrick Mahomes is on pace for 6,300 passing yards and 53 TDs and he has ZERO picks! So... do NOT leave points on the bench just because Robinson or Hardman are not yet household names! Believe it when I say, you will MISS OUT if you bench them every week! Be smart. Use your head and start those Chiefs wideouts!

 

 

Who is Cincinnati Bengals WR Auden Tate? Well, besides leading the Bengals in receiving last Sunday, he is a second-year player... 6'5" / 228lbs. The Bengals rally like his size, and he finally made a real impact, catching 6-of-10 targets for a team-high 88 yards on Sunday against the Bills. With WR A.J. Green (ankle) out, Tate is sharing time with WR John Ross, whom blew up the first two weeks of the season. However, Ross struggled on Sunday, leading to Tate's big game. That said, Tate did have a fumble in the game, but he has likely earned more playing time moving forward. Let's just call him a risky short-term fantasy player to use if you are really struggling at wideout and like to gamble. You will see him listed below in my free-agent rankings, but he won't be very high on the wideout list. That said, I thought it was important to inform you who Tate was and what his fantasy prospects looked like.

 

 

After two terrible games, San Francisco 49ers WR Dante Pettis finally redeemed himsel on Sunday, catching the game-winning TD pass. Overall, though, he only produced a 5-20-1 stat line. In actuality, Pettis appeared to be on his way to another forgettable performance before making his first touchdown catch of the season in the waning moments of a tight contest. QB Jimmy Garoppolo has been spreading the football fairly evenly among his wideouts, a formula that has resulted in three victories, but has also created inconsistent production within the corps, leading to issues for fantasy owners trying to decide who to start each week. One week it was WR Marquise Goodwin, the next it was rookie WR Deebo Samuel, and now it's Pettis making th big play. Bottom Line: This is a start for Pettis, but it likely doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things that are 49ers, unles your name is TE George Kittle. What about picking up Pettis and starting him this week? Nice try. The 49ers have a BYE this week.

 

 

The following wideouts caught at least two passes or scored this past weekend and deserve fantasy consideration: Tennessee Titans WR Tajae Sharpe (2-70), Oakland Raiders WR J.J. Nelson (4-36-1), Green Bay Packers WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (6-99-1), Atlanta Falcons WR Mohamed Sanu (6-75), New England Patriots WR Phillip Dorsett (2-12, 6-53-1), Detroit Lions WR Marvin Jones (6-101-1), Philadelphia Eagles WR Mack Hollins (4-62), Baltimore Ravens WR Willie Snead (3-47), Miami Dolphins WR DeVante Parker (3-56), Carolina Panthers WR Curtis Samuel (5-53-1), New York Giants WR Darius Slayton (3-82), Pittsburgh Steelers WR Diontae Johnson (3-52-1), Houston Texans WR Kenny Stills (4-89), and Washington Redskins WR Paul Richardson (8-83-1).

 

 

-- Irv Smith Finally Makes an Impact --

 

After catching just one pass in the first two games of his Minnesota Vikings career, rookie TE Irv Smith stepped up his play to catch three passes for 60 yards on Sunday against the Raiders. Smith also had a big chunk play that featured his athleticism in the open field during the game called back by penalty. Overall, Smith played 31 of the offense's 62 snaps (50%). The Vikings obviously like his talent, as they are slowly increasing his role week-to-week. Make no mistake, TE Kyle Rudolph remains the starter, but only sawe one target on Sunday (1-11). Does this make Smith a decent fantasy free-agent pickup? Perhaps. More likely, smart fantasy owners should monitor his role moving forward, just in case this turns out to be a real trend. Only time will tell, but if you own Rudolph, picking up and holdsing Smith is far from a bad idea!

 

 

Who is Buffalo Bills TE Dawson Knox? He is a third-round draft pick back in April of this year. He was a Combine standout, running a 4.57 at his Pro Day. With TE Tyler Kroft (ankle/foot) experiencing a setback last week, Knox stepped up his play and role that led to a sweet 4-67-1 stat line with a score on Sunday against the Bengals. Before Sunday, Knox wasn't a factor the first two weeks of the season, catching two total passes for just 19 yards. On Sunday, got most of his pass-receiving yardage on a highlight 49-yard catch where he trucked two defenders. Oh, he even had a 9-yard run on Sunday. Due to his nice game, do not be surprised if he earns the starting job moving forward. Bottom Line: Knox is a talemt and the Bills obviously like him. As a result, he is an interesting fantasy free-agent pickup for ownes in need in larger TE-required leagues. Pick him up if you need him!

 

 

Looking at the box score from Sunday, you might think that Houston Texans TE Jordan Akins dominated the Chargers for two scores. Well, he did score twice, but he hardly dominated. On his first score, Akins was wide open for a 15-yard throw that turned out to be the winning score. His second score was a 53-yard catch-and-run on a busted play, kept alive by QB Deshaun Watson's scrambling before he found Akins alone in the middle of the field. From that point, Akins went untouched down the sideline. The Texans got their tight ends involved on Sunday, a different strategy from previous gameplans. Akins and TE Darren Fells combined for 8 catches on 11 targets, 122 yards and three scores. The heavy tight end involvement may be a one-game fluke, but it could also develop into a more consistent element of the offense if opponents devote more coverage to Houston's wideouts. Bottom Line: Desperate fantasy owners may have to consider Akins from their waiver wire, but expecting a repeat performance this week is probably asking for way too much!

 

 

The following tight ends caught at least two passes this past weekend or scored and deserve fantasy consideration: Jacksonville Jaguars TE James O'Shaughnessy (2-18-1), Denver Broncos TE Noah Fant (3-37), Indianapolis Colts TE Eric Ebron (3-47), Indianapolis Colts TE Jack Doyle (4-46), Baltimore Ravens TE Nick Boyle (4-58), Dallas Cowboys TE Jason Witten (3-54), Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE O.J. Howard (3-66), and Washington Redskins TE Vernon Davis (2-30).

 

The following is the 3rd in-season free agent player rankings list for the 2019 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.