Buy/Sell for 2021 Fantasy Football, Week 13

I’m not sure what the record is for lowest word count in a published article at Razzball, but I get I can beat it. Here goes:

“Buy Javonte Williams. Sell Melvin Gordon.” – Kirksey

– 30 –

There really is no other way to spin what we saw on Sunday night for the Broncos. Javonte is the new sports car finally unleashed on the highway while Melvin Gordon is the old family mule, limping around in the back of the barn, waiting out the end of its days.

Of course you want to buy Javonte Williams, especially like a game on Sunday, but the price tag now may be ultra prohibitive, especially in dynasty formats. I saw a lot of hot takes on Monday saying Javonte Williams is the new RB2 in dynasty behind only Jonathan Taylor. “Easy to refute,” I thought. But then I thought, and thought, and thought some more. Maybe Najee Harris. Maybe De’Andre Swift. Maybe Antonio Gibson. But it’s not as crazy as it sounds.

Jonathan Taylor and Javonte Williams are on another level 🔥 pic.twitter.com/DEaYzscMei

— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) December 6, 2021

— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) December 6, 2021

And Javonte has 101 fewer carries that Jonathan Taylor. Plunder the 401K, sell the Bitcoin, just do whatever it takes to buy Javonte Williams.

Buy

Josh Jacobs – I’m sorry, who leads all running backs in target share over the last three weeks? Jacobs? And now you’re telling me Kenyan Drake broke his ankle? It’s true that Jacobs is first in target share, second in overall targets and third in receptions in those three games. It’s also true he has 44 rushing attempts across those three weeks, good for 64 opportunities or 21 per game. With Drake out of the picture, it’s going to be Bell Emoji + Cow Emoji.

Antonio Gibson – Speaking of volume, somebody turned Gibson up to 11 lately, and he is playing some sweet music. Gibson has 36 and 28 touches over his last two weeks, and now does not have a JD McKissic problem on third downs and at the goal line. If you find the manager who is frustrated Gibson has only one total touchdown in the past three weeks, you just go ahead and send a trade offer over to that fella.

K.J. Osborn – Next man up for the Vikings as well after Adam Thielen exited with a high ankle sprain and is certainly week to week. Osborn Corp. reentered our lives Sunday as he drew seven targets and managed to grab 47 receiving yards and a score in Thielen’s absence. I’m looking at some home fantasy leagues right now where Osborn is 3% rostered. The Vikings play the Steelers tomorrow night who allow top-12 numbers in touchdowns and fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. And who doesn’t love trusting a wideout connected to Kirk Cousins? It’s always a fun ride.

Russell Gage – Let’s see. Calvin Ridley out? Good for Russell Gage in fantasy. Matt Ryan averaging 213 yards and 22.7 completions the past three weeks with a 1:3 TD/INT ratio. Bad for Russell Gage. Except it hasn’t been. Over the past three weeks, Gage ranks ninth in target share, eighth in total targets, and fifth in receptions among all wide receivers. Add in at least seven targets per game during this stretch and we have a player who is succeeding in spite of Matt Ryan’s ineptitude. He’s available on the wire in a lot of leagues. Grab him while you can.

John Bates – We don’t exactly know how long Logan Thomas will be out this time with a knee injury. Apparently he did not tear his ACL (after initial reports said he did), but this could still be a multi-week injury. With Ricky Seals-Jones also hurt, Bates stepped in on Sunday and got four targets, three receptions and 42 yards after Thomas was hurt. That might as well be a million points in today’s tight end landscape. Since Week 10, the Football Team is top-12 in targets to tight ends.

Lamar Jackson – Jackson now has two straight weeks with mediocre-at-best performances. What has that done? Drop him down just to ninth among quarterbacks in fantasy points, less than 10 points away from being in seventh. If you need motivation on why it might be a good idea to buy in on Lamar Jackson, just look down at the other end of the Ravens’ sideline. Their defense is absolutely atrocious right now, and they allow the second-most passing yards per game by their opponent now (272.4). The Ravens can’t play control the clock ball anymore when their defense is hemorrhaging points. Jackson has some shootouts in his future and you are going to want to be on board.

Sell

Broncos receivers – Over the last three games, here are some target totals for Denver pass-catchers: Jeudy (18), Patrick (14), Fant (14), Sutton (12), Albert Okwuegbunam (9). People, Chris Godwin had 17 by himself in one week. This is just not sustainable with the way Teddy Bridgewater is “throwing” the ball and with Javonte taking center stage. And one more thing. That whole list of pass-catchers above combine for one touchdown in the last three games. Sell, sell, sell.

Gardner Minshew – The Eagles coaching staff came out the day after Minshew’s majestic performance and said that Jalen Hurts will definitely start in Week 15 after the bye, putting to rest two weeks of hand-wringing and speculation of Minshew taking over the starting gig. We will always have this Jets performance, the bomber jacket and Minshew’s emotional hugs with his dad. If someone is willing to give up something, anything for Minshew, take it.

Anyone with a Week 14 bye that won’t help your borderline team get into the playoffs – This is it, people. One more shot to get that middling 6-7 team into the last seed of the playoffs. If there is a player who can not help you get there and doesn’t provide a significant upgrade over another position after their bye, feel free to say sayonara for someone who can help in the immediate term.