We are at Week 16, which means we are at championship week! So if you’ve gotten it that far in your respective leagues, it’s clearly because you’ve been listening to my advice and reading my writing every week. If you didn’t make it, sorry, but maybe you should listen to me more. But, alas, there is still one more week where who you have on the bench for options and who should have dropped is important and that is what I’m here to help with!
Firstly, if you still own Andy Dalton, Andrew Luck, or even Peyton Manning on your teams, it’s time to let go. They are either not going to play due to injury or just can’t play anymore (ahem, Peyton). These quarterbacks are taking up valuable bench space that could be used for widely available Tyrod Taylor or Ryan Fitzpatrick, who both are coming off solid weeks this past weekend and have plus matchups this weekends for their respective teams. Tyrod helps you with his lack of bad decisions and his legs, while Fitz helps you with his high yardage totals and three of his weapons (Marshall, Decker, Powell) are fully healthy and doing great.
Also, a guy like Ryan Tannehill should be let go by now. He clearly isn’t going to finish the season strong and has regressed terribly as a passer this season, despite getting better weapons and having a solid run game (which continues to be ignored). Instead, maybe a quarterback like Kirk Cousins takes his place despite him playing away from home this weekend. On the plus side, Jordan Reed and DeSean Jackson are fully healthy and the Eagles are known for giving up a lot of points and big plays in the pass game. Cousins scored over 20 fantasy points the last time these two teams met and with how Cousins is playing, it wouldn’t be shocking to see another game like that out of him.
Bilal Powell and James White are both running backs who have excelled in the receiving game over the past few weeks, with both having at least 20 receptions, 150 yards receiving, and two touchdowns over the past three games, respectively. White may have the inside edge as he is the #2 target in the New England with Danny Amendola down with a knee injury and Julian Edelman probably not returning this week. But Powell is undoubted #3 target in a surprisingly strong passing attack in New York. Both are top 25 plays in PPR this week and shouldn’t be on any waiver wires.
Meanwhile, injured players such as Melvin Gordon (put on IR) and LeSean McCoy (torn MCL) are all but safe to drop from re-draft leagues as they are not expected to make any more contributions this season. The same can also be said for DeMarco Murray, who has just 21 touches in the run game over the past three games, including only two last game as he appears to have burned all bridges in Philadelphia and probably won’t have any meaningful touches for the rest of the season as both sides are just waiting this out until the offseason.
For wide receivers, consistent performers such as Tyler Lockett, Kamar Aiken, Ted Ginn Jr. and Markus Wheaton (yes, THAT Markus Wheaton) deserve to be on fantasy football benches if not already as for players like Ginn and Aiken, they continue to perform despite all odds (Aiken’s quarterback situation and Ginn’s drop problems). For Lockett and Wheaton, their quarterbacks are performing at such a high level that they have benefitted greatly from it and have both been top 25 wide receiver plays over the past few weeks and nothing suggests that this trend can’t continue for both (although I have much more faith in Lockett than Wheaton). Both could be solid FLEX plays this weekend as they both have plus matches up this weekend.
Lastly, for the tight end position, there are a few notables. Will Tye has scored in two straight games, and with Odell Beckham Jr. suspended for this weekend, Tye could be called on to do more after recording five receptions in the past two games as well. Crockett Gilmore was placed on injured reserve today, so despite his impressive season, he will have to finish out the rest of the season on the mend rather than on the field. Zach Miller has two straight games of at least five receptions and 50 yards and with Martellus Bennett out for the rest of the season (if you still have him rostered, he is perfectly fine to be dropped), Miller has the chance to be a very consistent contributor for the next two weeks in fantasy football. And finally, it’s time to drop the failed Vernon Davis experiment. He choked horribly on Sunday and finished with only one reception for five yards. He is an inconsistent contributor and has had some inexcusable drops over the past couple of weeks that doesn’t help his chances. It’s time for him to be placed on the waiver wire.
That’ll do it for me this week. Good luck and we can discuss how we will split your winnings next week. Happy holidays!
