I don’t honestly know what NFL week it is. The COVID related rescheduling has made week’s 12-14 seem like one long fantasy playoff missing night terror. For those of you with something left to play for I wish you good fortune in the wars to come. Hopefully you fight them with your players on the field.
- From the “Roto-Wan wants to will it into existence” file this week: Jordan Akins is prime for a big game. He’s being treated like a WR lining up in the slot or out wide 41/71 snaps in the last two games. He has almost no production to show for it. Brandin Cooks just had his fifth concussion. Keke Coutee went off as he usually does against Indy and will surely ghost us this week. Akins could eat.
- I wanted to write about Corey Davis so that AJ Brown goes ham this weekend (I have plenty of AJB best ball shares). Kidding aside, we’ve passed the point of writing Davis off as a fluke. Between the first-round picks both having 10 games played Davis leads in yards, catches, deep catches (20+ yards), and yards per route run. Until Tennessee fixes its defense in the off-season there will be elevated pass-catching opportunities and Davis will continue to benefit.
- We’ll see what the end of the season holds for Laviska Shenault but man will he be good in an offense that can even pass for competent. He’s an absolute weapon in space. Rushing production is the Konami code for QBs. I’d say the same for WRs. It’s less dependable but Viska has a rushing attempt in every game he’s been healthy for.Â
- Get your Myles Gaskins shares fired up. With Salvon Ahmed and Matt Breida out last week Gaskin handled 21 of 25 rushing attempts and chipped in a 2/51/0 receiving line. He may not be the bovine that wins all the prizes at the county fair but he is certainly a bellcow.Â
- It was James Washington’s turn to be the Pittsburgh receiver with a long touchdown. He did most of the work himself, breaking tackles on a short pass to go 50 yards to glory. He was perhaps rewarded with snaps at Chase Claypool’s expense with 38 to Claypool’s 31. That isn’t likely to carry forward but there’s no denying Claypool will be getting crowded out of a full complement of snaps as long as everyone in that WR room is healthy.
- Let’s see if we can go two for two in the TE whispering department and consider Hayden Hurst. It’s been a great season for Triple H: Hayden Hurst Heartbreak. After Matt Ryan sparred his new TE some training camp praise we all got excited. Then the actual games started. Maybe this week can be his redemption. Julio Jones is out and his replacement Olamide Zaccheaus was IR’d last week. It’s a good week to consider Russell Gage but I’m hunting more dangerous game. Random TE blowups.
- Russ was stuck ordering takeout last week against the Giants and Chris Carson was the one to benefit with a 3/45/1 receiving line to bump his production. The passing game has been his savior all season. That’s a hard thing to rely on when a team doesn’t commit to it week in and week out.
- J.D. Mckissic has caught 31 passes on 45 targets in the last five games with Alex Smith at quarterback. Antonio Gibson will not play this week. This is basic math.
