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Don’t be scared, the mighty Jefferson is on a break and will return soon. I’m the pinch hitter.

I’m glad I don’t play more over/under lines: imagine having the under in the Washington-Dallas game, cruising through three quarters at 19 total points, only to have the game BLOW UP in the 4th quarter for 41 additional points, crushing the over? The game was insane and Dallas won their first game since nearly three weeks before the World Series started.

Dallas scored the first ten points of the quarter to widen a 10-9 lead to 20-9 when suddenly Jayden Daniels remembered he was a nearly undisputed Offensive Rookie of the Year two weeks ago and the Commanders booted and rallied – twice – until their special teams unraveled, allowing TWO kick return touchdowns, including one on an onside kick after Austin Seibert missed a game-tying PAT.

I love the American football.

Let’s see what other players did on a wild week.

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Quarterbacks

Player: Tua Tagovailoa

Game: Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots

Stats: 29/40, 317 passing yards, 4 TDs

For the second week in a row, the Dolphins looked like their 2023 selves where their offense bullied lesser opponents. After having 6 touchdowns and 4 interceptions in his first five starts, Tua has thrown for 7 touchdowns and 0 picks in the games against the Patriots and the Raiders, adding 605 air yards.

We’ll check to see if the Dolphins are back as they visit a tough Green Bay pass defense (25th best for QBs in fantasy) on a short week on Thanksgiving night. The current forecast calls for below-freezing temperatures.

Player: Sam Darnold

Game: Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears

Stats: 22/34, 330 passing yards, 2 TDs

Darnold was an early-season darling of the RazzballNFL staff but had a rough patch in Weeks 5-10. This very well may have been his best performance of 2024 as he first led the Vikings to a 24-10 lead after three quarters, and a 27-16 lead with 1:56 left before the Bears rallied with a TD, a recovered onside kick, and a tying field goal as time expired in regulation.

The Bears won the overtime coin toss but went 3-and-out. The ensuing punt put the Vikings at their 21 with 7:39 left in overtime and Darnold was sacked for a 7-yard loss on the first play. Undaunted, Darnold drove the Vikes down the field with 90 yards passing (Minnesota had two penalties moving them back 15 yards) for the game-winning field goal with 2:10 left in OT.

Impressive also considering that coming in the Bears were the toughest matchup for quarterbacks in fantasy.

Next up: at home vs the Arizona Cardinals (19th best team for quarterbacks to face).

Notables:

Caleb Williams Our own Sky Guasco repeatedly said on our Start/Sit video that he believed the Bears are beginning a renaissance on offense since letting go of Shane Waldron two weeks ago. Over the last two weeks against tough division opponents, Williams is showing signs of emerging with 2 TDs, 571 passing yards, and 103 rushing yards. Also, no turnovers. Next up: at the Detroit Lions, a top-4 defense against QBs in fantasy.

Baker Mayfield The Buccaneers showed no sympathy to the spiraling New York Giants as Mayfield led an attack with 450 total yards. Baker had 294 passing yards, 29 rushing yards and a rushing TD. Importantly, the Giants added zero sacks to their total which was second in the league coming in. Next up: at Carolina (7th best in fantasy for QBs).

Kyler Murray The Cardinals were one of the NFL’s hot teams entering their bye week. I thought the lackluster performances in Seattle may have been in the past. Not so much. The Cardinals have scored 25 points in their last three visits to Seattle. Combined. Today it was 6. Murray had 285 yards passing and 9 yards rushing. The nutritional equivalent of this would be a bag of potato chips. Next up: at the Minnesota Vikings (22nd best in fantasy for QBs).

Will Levis A quick shout-out for helping lead his team to an upset against a pretty good Houston team on their field. His numbers haven’t been eye-popping, but he has shown improvement since being re-installed as the starter in Week 10. Next up: at the Washington Commanders (13th best in fantasy for QBs).

 

Running Backs

Player: Saquon Barkley

Game: Philadelphia Eagles

Stats: 26 carries, 255 rushing yards, 47 receiving yards, 2 TDs

I’m a Giants fan, and I could not be happier for Saquon. And no, he would not be posting these numbers for a moribund Giants team.

I could devote an entire column to this performance. His two touchdowns covered 70 and 72 yards as he repeatedly gashed an undermanned Rams defense.

I’ll put it this way: he scored 60 points in my non-PPR home league that has generous bonuses for both 40+ yard plays and 40+ yard touchdowns.

It may not be the fantasy performance of the year, but the list of better ones will be short.

Next up: at a tough Baltimore Ravens squad (23rd best team for running backs to face).

Player: Tony Pollard

Game: Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans

Stats: 24 carries, 119 rushing yards, 3 receptions, 10 receiving yards, 1 TD

On the RazzballNFL Start/Sit show this week, we were asked repeatedly if Tony Pollard should be started. He was the best RB I saw on most lists.

Pollard now has 184 carries, 800 rushing yards, 33 receptions, 178 receiving yards, and 4 TDs. He’s on a pace to have a career-high in all categories but TDs. Pretty good for a guy who was not widely regarded as the best back on his own team in draft season.

He’s number 21 at 14.1 PPR points per game among running backs. A tidy profit.

Next up: at Washington Commanders (14th best team for running backs to face).

Notables:

Aaron Jones had one of his best performances as a Viking in a game they needed every bit of it: 129 scrimmage yards and a touchdown (although he lost a fumble) in a game the Vikings won 30-27 over the Bears in overtime. Next up: at home vs the Arizona Cardinals (8th best team for running backs to face).

Josh Jacobs became every inch a Packer on Sunday, flexing all over a bitter rival. Jacobs had 106 rushing yards and 3 TDs as Green Bay punished a 49ers team that was less than ideal. Next up: a Thursday match-up against the Miami Dolphins (9th best team for running backs to face).

Jahmyr Gibbs In a game David Montgomery left in the 3rd quarter with a shoulder injury, Gibbs got 24 touches, 99 scrimmage yards, and two touchdowns. Gibbs is now RB 5 in PPR PPG. And he’s in a shared backfield. Next up: Thanksgiving at home vs. the Chicago Bears (13th best team for running backs to face).

Bucky Irving A rookie who has met the hype. Against a reeling New York Giants team, Irving posted 151 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 18 touches. Tampa has one of the most fantasy-friendly schedules down the stretch starting this coming week at the Carolina Panthers, the best defense for fantasy RBs.

Christian McCaffrey This was not the year to bet on the 49ers. They’re 5-6 and in the hunt, but this is not the same team as in recent years. He had 14 touches for 68 yards today. This makes me sad. Next up: at the Buffalo Bills (3rd best team for running backs to face).

 

Wide Receivers

Player: Jordan Addison

Game: Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears

Stats: 8 receptions, 162 receiving yards, 1 TD, 9 targets

Addison simply got tired of me talking dirt.

In back-to-back weeks, Addison has had excellent performances against the 4th best fantasy defense against wide receivers (Tennessee, 3-61-1) and the best. This week, he had season highs in targets, receptions, and receiving yards. I’ll discuss a reason I believe this happened below.

As unsatisfying as he can be, we should not take him out of lineups.

Next up: at home vs the Arizona Cardinals (16th best defense for wide receivers to face).

Player: Jaylen Waddle

Game: Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots

Stats: 8 receptions, 144 receiving yards, 1 TD, 9 targets

This is a make-up game for Waddle: he had not had a double-digit point game in PPR since Week 1. And Waddle was more expensive than Addison on draft day.

But it’s nice to know that he can benefit from a dominant performance by the Dolphins. Now the question: can this level be approached against a tougher opponent?

We’ll find out Thursday night in Green Bay (23rd best defense for wide receivers to face).

Notables:

Jakobi Meyers The good news is that Meyers had 10 receptions for 121 yards against Denver (number 3 against WRs in fantasy). The bad news is that the QB that was feeding him, Gardner Minshew, was knocked out for the season today. We’ll see if either Desmond Ridder or Aidan O’Connell (due back from IR) can keep things going. Next up: at the Kansas City Chiefs (20th best defense for wide receivers to face).

Puka Nacua A name that just keeps popping up. Not only can he keep the good times going with Cooper Kupp in the lineup, he may be getting better. On a night where an Eagle was the star, Puka garnered 13 targets and hauled in 9 for 117 yards against the 6th toughest fantasy pass defense. Next up: at the New Orleans Saints (7th best defense for wide receivers to face).

A.J. Brown I think the Eagles could run mannequins out as complimentary receivers and Brown would have 6 receptions for 109 yards and 1 TD like he did tonight. He’s incredible at getting open, the same on contested balls, and outstanding with the ball in his hands. Next up: at the Baltimore Ravens (the best defense for wide receivers to face).

DJ Moore “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!” I know RazzballNFL’s own Matt Stiles likes The Godfather: Part III the least of the franchise, but that is one of the signature lines. Before last week, I was out on DJM, but the Bears have rallied the last two weeks and Moore has hauled in all 14 of his targets for 168 yards and 1 TD in that time. Next up: Thanksgiving at the Detroit Lions (4th best defense for wide receivers to face).

Terry McLaurin It’s not often a receiver can go from a line of 4 receptions for 16 yards to 5 receptions for 102 yards and 1 TD, but Terry is that scary (I couldn’t resist). Next up: at home vs. the Tennessee Titans (4th best defense in fantasy against WRs).

Justin Jefferson Every now and then a team sells out to stop a top WR, and JJ got that treatment today: his biggest play was his 5th target and his 2nd reception for 20 yards on the game’s final drive in overtime. This makes Darnold’s day more remarkable. Next up: at home vs the Arizona Cardinals (16th best defense for wide receivers to face).

 

Tight Ends

Player: Trey McBride

Game: Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks

Stats: 12 receptions, 133 receiving yards, 15 targets

In many of our minds, McBride is capable of this a lot. There were few other bright spots for the Cardinals today.

McBride continues to be a set-it-and-forget-it tight end. He’s 3rd in PPR PPG among tight ends behind George Kittle and Brock Bowers.

Next up: at the Minnesota Vikings (24th best defense for tight ends to face)

Notables:

T.J. Hockenson Josh Oliver missed the game and the Bears put the screws to Justin Jefferson, so Jordan Addison and Hockenson were the beneficiaries, especially for Hock, late in the game. This was his second 9-target game and first 100-yard game since his return. Next up: vs. the Arizona Cardinals (25th best defense for tight ends to face).

Jonnu Smith Over the last two weeks we’ve gotten a best-case scenario for Jonnu (19 targets, 15 receptions, 187 yards receiving, 3 TDs) and what many have dreamed of since he was drafted by the Titans in 2017. Smith has been the Dolphins’ second-best weapon in that time, behind De’Von Achane. Next up: at the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving (12th best defense for tight ends to face).

George Kittle On pace for his best fantasy PPR PPG. And his most consistent season game-to-game so far. He hauled in all 6 targets today for 82 yards and the Niners’ only TD. Next up: at the Buffalo Bills (16th best defense for tight ends to face).

Noah Gray As a heavy investor in Travis Kelce, Noah Gray’s TDs are no bueno. But he had a good day today (4 receptions for 62 yards and 2 TDs), giving him 8 receptions for 89 yards and 4 TDs in the last two games. Next up: vs. the Las Vegas Raiders (the best defense for tight ends to face).

 

Bye Week Update

We get a full slate of 16 games for the Thanksgiving weekend including a Black Friday game before the final six teams (Baltimore, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, New England, and Washington) have their byes in Week 14.

 

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