Note to self: don’t get cute with your picks. Not only will the readers let you hear it, but it’ll blow up in your face. I threw one too many hail marys in my article last week and I’m not sure if any of them were caught. Odell Beckham, Brandin Cooks and Russell Wilson are just a few of the guys who this idiot recommended. Don’t worry, I’ll do better fam! Leave them comments below if you’ve got league specific questions…
Quarterbacks:
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Deshaun Watson, HOU, 5.0% starting: Everyone must’ve been loving Watson after the 17.7 and 20.1 fantasy points he put up in the last 2 weeks. Then, he gave his first game check to three Texans cafeteria workers who lost everything due to the hurricane that hit Houston and every fantasy football player’s heart grew three sizes that day. Titans have allowed the 4th most fantasy points to QBs so far this year and the 4th most rushing attempts and yards to QBs. Watson could hit 25+ points this week.
Jay Cutler, MIA, 0.7%: This clown AGAIN? I recommended him last week against the Jets secondary and he laid an 11.7 fantasy point egg on my face! Well, now he’s facing an equally bad Saints secondary who have allowed the second-most passing yards to opposing QBs this year. If Cutler fails to capitalize again this year you shan’t see his name again!
SIT:
Kirk Cousins, WAS, 73.4%: I swear I’m not just bullying Cousins — he’s shown up a few times on my sit lists. Cousins did break out last week although that was against a Raiders team that has allowed an average of 20.5 fantasy points to opposing QBs. Kirk’s opponent this week is the Chiefs who have allowed the 11th fewest fantasy points to QBs and picked off Philip Rivers 3 times last week. KC’s defense has also only allowed an average of 13 fantasy points to QBs.
Jameis Winston, TB, 53.1%: Jameis Winston has averaged 14 fantasy points in his 2 games so far this season and I have a feeling that number might be his ceiling against the Giants who have averaged 14.5 fantasy points allowed against Matthew Stafford, Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz. While the Giants secondary hasn’t grabbed any interceptions yet, their pass rush has limited opposing QBs to the fifth fewest passing yards.
Running Backs:
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James White, NE, 10.3%: This suggestion is more for PPR leagues. The Panthers have allowed the 4th most receptions to RBs, but only 196 total rushing yards to opposing RBs. Seeing that Patriots RB1 Mike Gillislee has 0 targets from Tom Brady to White’s 14, you can bet that Belichick is going to take advantage of this Panthers weakness with running backs.
Javorious Allen, BAL, 7.1%: What is going to be another terrible day for Joe Flacco (the Steelers have allowed the fewest passing yards in the NFL) should be a boon for Javorious Allen (the Steelers have allowed the 6th most rushing yards.) I thought Terrance West was going to end up being the lead bird in Baltimore, but Javorious has 10 more rushing attempts than West and 11 more passing targets.
Andre Ellington, ARI, 0.7%: Consider this your deep PPR recommendation. Ellington is the pass-catching RB in Arizona against the 49ers defense that has allowed 2 receiving TDs to RBs. Andre has 16 targets compared to 2 for the Cardinals other RB, Chris Johnson. I’m obviously not saying you should start Andre Ellington over my ‘SIT’ RBs, but he’s someone to watching in deep PPR leagues.
SIT:
Marshawn Lynch, OAK, 89.2%: Two things: 1.) look closely at Marshawn’s rushing attempts. Week 1: 18, Week 2: 12, Week 3: 6. My 2nd grade pattern knowledge leads me to believe that Lynch will have 0 rushing attempts in week 4. 2.) The Broncos run defense has allowed a 3rd fewest 142 rushing yards so far including only 21 last week against a superior RB, LeSean McCoy. No dancing in this game for Lynch. McCoy did get 48 receiving yards, but Lynch isn’t much of a pass catcher like his teammate DeAndre Washington.
Mike Gillislee, NE, 42.9%: Consider Gillislee the antithesis to my Kevin White blurb above. I’m predicting Belichick and Brady will be running less and using Kevin White as a receiver out of the backfield which limits Gillislee’s point scoring possibility.
Wide Receivers:
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Devante Parker, MIA, 20.1%: While my recommendation of Cutler last week was a bit of a bust, my recommendation of Parker was pretty spot on — he racked up 21.6 fantasy points for his owners. Check my Cutler recommendation again this week to see why I’m throwing Parker’s name out there. Not even Cutler can screw this up — aaaaand I just jinxed him…
Tyrell Williams/Travis Benjamin, LAC: The Eagles went into 2017 universally ranked as having one of the worst secondaries in the league and their sixth highest receiving yards allowed to WR’s agrees with that. The Eagles have also allowed the fifth fewest rushing yards to opposing RB’s. These two facts combined with Philip Rivers at QB makes me think Williams and Benjamin are in for a solid fantasy days.
Devin Funchess, CAR, 1.1%: This is me double-dipping on my recommendation of Devin Funchess in week 4. Kelvin Benjamin is expected to play, but I could see him being limited due to his knee injury and the absence of Greg Olsen could lead to Funchess being the leading receiver for Carolina this week. “Best news about Funchess? New England Patriots in week 4 babyyyyy! Patriots have allowed 572 yards and 3 TDs to opposing WRs so far.” And that’s me quoting me!
Tight Ends:
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Cameron Brate, TB, 2.0%: As I was putting together my notes for this week all I wrote for Brate was “Giants stink.” It might seem contradictory for me to recommend the Giants defense, but then also say they “stink,” but they’ve allowed 3 TDs to opposing TEs so far. Brate also found the paint last week scoring his first TD of the season.
Ryan Griffin, HOU, 1.0%: In Griffin’s first game of the season against the Patriots he netted a TD and 61 yards on 5 catches. His week 4 opponent, the Titans got rocked last week by Jimmy Graham and Luke Willson — each of them ending up with 14+ fantasy points. Ryan Griffin is no Jimmy Graham, nor is he Luke Willson, hell he might not even be Owen Wilson, but he’s the TE to own in Houston.
SIT:
Jordan Reed, WAS, 90.9%: Still not healthy after missing week 3, Reed now faces a Chiefs defense that has only allowed 17 total fantasy points to TEs this year. I wouldn’t count on Reed to provide quality fantasy numbers (or even start) but after the Redskins week 5 bye I think Reed will be back to his old quality fantasy ways.
Kyle Rudolph, MIN, 86.5%: Rudolph has been a disappointment with only 8 catches for 75 yards in 3 games. The loss of Sam Bradford has hurt Rudolph more than any other Viking receiver. Compounding Rudolph’s problems are the fact that the Lions have 7 interceptions already on the season due to their surprisingly hawkish secondary.
Defense/Special Teams:
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Giants D/ST vs TB: The Giants defensive strength matches up nicely against the Buccanneers offensive strength: the passing game. The Giants have allowed the 5th fewest passing yards, but 0 interceptions. I think the Giants front d-line pours through the Bucs suspect o-line to pile on a handful of sacks and rushes on Jameis Winston who hasn’t been the breakout fantasy QB everyone has hoped he’d be. The Giants are dreadful against the run, but luckily for them, the Bucs have been equally dreadful at running the ball so this should mitigate any damage from the ground.
SIT:
Texans D/ST vs. TEN: Going into the season the Texans were one of the top 3 defenses off the board. However, in week 4 they’ll see a dynamic Titans offense that has allowed -4 fantasy points to opposing team’s defenses this year. Texans shoulda/coulda/woulda finish this season a top-5 defense, but this is going to be back-to-back rough weeks for them.
Kickers:
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Ryan Succop, TEN, 21.9%: Titans should have success against the Texans defense which will open up Succop to another 10+ point total. Even if the Texans do get some big stops, Succop should still find himself in field goal range.
SIT:
Justin Tucker, BAL, 90.9%: Tucker hasn’t topped 10 points this season and was even held to just 1 fantasy point in London last week. If Flacco struggles again, the entire Ravens offense will suffer which limits Tucker’s point potential. He also gets to face off against the Steelers defense who have held three straight kickers to only 4 fantasy points.
