Bi-Weekly Fantasy Football Recap - Tuesday 9/26
TLDR:
Don’t have time to read the entire newsletter? Check out the bullet points below for a quick recap of everything going on this week.
Player News:
Since Week 11 Of The 2022 Season The Top Receiver Has Been…WR Keenan Allen
WR Justin Jefferson Ties Record For Most Receiving Yards Through First 3 Games Of The Season
Rookie TE Sam LaPorta Leads All Tight Ends In Yards Through 3 Games
Team News:
Reddit Recap:
Injury Report:
*Read the full breakdown of everything below!
Player News:
Since Week 11 Of The 2022 Season The Top Receiver Has Been…WR Keenan Allen
Believe it or not, if you look at which WR has the most PPR points per game since week 11 of last season it’s been Chargers’ WR Keenan Allen. Allen dealt with a bad hamstring injury in the first part of last season but since his return he has been on an absolute tear. Here are the WRs he has outscored fantasy wise:
21.9 points per game (PPR)— Keenan Allen
21.5 points per game (PPR)— Justin Jefferson
21.5 points per game (PPR)— Tyreek Hill
18.9 points per game (PPR)— Davante Adams
If you look at Keenan Allen’s last 11 games played, these are how many fantasy points he’s point up (PPR):
Week 11 (2022) - 12.4
Week 12 (2022) - 15.9
Week 13 (2022) - 20.8
Week 14 (2022) - 21.2
Week 15 (2022) - 16.6
Week 16 (2022) - 21.4
Week 17 (2022) - 11.8
Week 18 (2022) - 30.2
Week 1 (2023) - 14.2
Week 12 (2023) - 31.1
Week 13 (2023) - 45.46
As you can see he’s been very consistent throughout this stretch and is shaping up to be a top receiver once again this season.
WR Justin Jefferson Ties Record For Most Receiving Yards Through First 3 Games Of The Season
With 458 receiving yards on the season, WR Justin Jefferson ties Wes Welker (458 yards in 2011) for the most receiving yards by a player in his team's first 3 games of a season in NFL history. Jefferson had 150 yards week 1, 159 yards in week 2, and 149 yards this week. This man is unstoppable. The production has always been there for him, if he can just get in the endzone more he would set all kinds of fantasy records.
Rookie TE Sam LaPorta Leads All Tight Ends In Yards Through 3 Games
The Lions’ rookie TE Sam LaPorta is already impressing everyone around the league and leads all tight ends with the most receiving yards through 3 games. He currently has 18 receptions for 186 yards and 1 TD. LaPorta is also averaging 62 yards per game which is great given the TE wasteland we are used to seeing. Through these first games, he is looking like Jared Goff’s second favorite target behind Amon-Ra St. Brown. In week 3, LaPorta accounted for 31.8% of Jared Goff’s first-read targets, which was the highest by any TE this week. Sam LaPorta is only rostered in 65% of ESPN leagues so if he is somehow still on your waivers pick him up immediately.
RB Alvin Kamara Reinstated From Suspension
Saints’ RB Alvin Kamara was officially reinstated from his suspension this Monday. Kamara will be eligible to play in Week 4 against the Buccaneers. We’ll see how much of his normal workload he receives in his first game back, but with Jamaal Williams now on injured reserve, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Kamara handle the majority of the Saints’ backfield snaps and touches out of the gate. Kamara has the potential to be a high-end RB2 this upcoming week.
WR Tank Dell Is Getting More First-Read Targets Each Week
Rookie WR Tank Dell is starting to look like CJ Stroud’s favorite target and Dell has been more involved in the Houston offense week-by-week. Here is his weekly first-read target share:
14.8% -- Week 1
21.2% -- Week 2
31.6% -- Week 3
He is getting more and more first-read targets as the season goes on. Last week he had 10 targets, 7 receptions, 72 yards and 1 TD (13.2 fantasy points). This week Dell had 7 targets, 5 receptions, 145 yards, and 1 TD (20.5 fantasy points). He is really growing into his role and already looks like one of the top rookie receivers this season. Dell is only roasted in 23% of ESPN leagues so if your team is in need of a WR look no further.
Team News:
Dolphins’ RBs Have A Historic Fantasy Day
During Sunday’s blowout win against the Broncos, both Miami’s RBs De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert scored over 45+ fantasy points in the same game which has never happened before. Achane finished the game with 51.3 fantasy points and Mostert finished with 45.2 fantasy points. The Miami offense looked unstoppable and it wasn’t just their RBs putting up big fantasy numbers. If you started an all Dolphin fantasy team you would have scored 187.46 points in half-PPR Sunday. That is absurd. Here is how the team scored:
QB - Tua Tagovailoa - 28.36 PTS
RB - De'von Achane - 49.3 PTS
RB - Raheem Mostert - 41.7 PTS
WR - Tyreek Hill - 26.2 PTS
WR - Robbie Chosen - 13.3 PTS
TE - Durham Smythe - 2 PTS
FLEX - Chris Brooks - 6.6 PTS
Kicker - Jason Sanders - 10 PTS
DEF - Dolphins DEF - 10 PTS
Jets’ Head Coach Says They Are Sticking With QB Zach Wilson As Their Starter
Jets’ head coach Robert Saleh said that QB Zach Wilson will stay as their starting QB as he feels Wilson gives them the best chance at winning. Since coming in for Aaron Rodgers week 1, Wilson has gone 44/84 for 467 yards, 2 TDs, and 4 interceptions over the last 3 weeks. These are not great stats for a starting QB, but regardless the Jets seem insistent on rolling out with him leading their team. There is speculation that the Jets might be tanking to get a higher draft pick now that their season looks dull with Rodgers out. If that’s the case, if you own anyone on their offense they will probably continue to disappoint fantasy wise as the season goes on.
The Miami Dolphins’ Offense Is Unbelievably Fast
So far the Dolphins have been super impressive on the offensive end of the ball and are already one of the league's best offenses. Not only are they one of the best, but they are also the fastest offense. Through 3 games, here are the fastest ball carries so far across the entire NFL (all Dolphins):
1. Tyreek Hill, Week 3: 22.07 MPH
2. De'Von Achane, Week 3: 21.93 MPH
3. Tyreek Hill, Week 1: 21.66 MPH
4. Raheem Mostert, Week 2: 21.62 MPH
5. Tyreek Hill, Week 1: 21.52 MPH
6. De'Von Achane, Week 3: 21.5 MPH
Miami’s team is unbelievably fast and it looks like other teams are struggling to keep up.
Colts Release RB Deon Jackson
It seems like the Deon Jackson hype train has officially come to a halt. The Colts have officially released the running back and brought up RB Trey Sermon from the practice squad. Jackson only played in week 1 for the Colts and ran for 14 yards on 13 carries which is not good at all. RB Zack Moss will continue to lead the Colts backfield while Jonathan Taylor is out. Taylor should come back in a week but until then, Moss will be their main guy moving forward.
Reddit Recap:
Each week we read every Reddit post on r/fantasyfootball and all the comments. We then summarize the most important threads and discussions below.
Week 3 Overreactions
Now that week 3 is in the books, people on Reddit shared their hottest takes from this week’s games:
TE Sam LaPorta is the next Travis Kelce
RB Zack Moss will have a better year than Jonathan Taylor
Joshua Kelley is a horrible running back
Both De'Von Achane and Raheem Mostert will finish in the top-20 RBs
RB AJ Dillon will never be worth starting for fantasy
CJ Stroud is the next elite QB
WR Keean Allen is still a top 5 receiver
QB Trevor Lawrence is not good and will continue to disappoint
WR Jahan Dotson is droppable and was overhyped
WR Tank Dell is the rookie version of Tyreek Hill
Denver has the worst run defense in the league
QB Justin Fields will not improve this year and is droppable
RB Breece Hall will be a bust this year due to Zach Wilson
The 2018 version of WR Adam Thielen is back
Top Waiver Wire Adds After Week 3
Whether you’re dealing with injuries, low scoring, or just need a fresh start here are the players you should target to pick up this week (in no particular order):
RB De'Von Achane (Dolphins) - 16% rostered ESPN / 42% rostered Yahoo
WR Tank Dell (Texans) - 23% rostered ESPN / 32% rostered Yahoo
QB CJ Stroud (Texans) - 11% rostered ESPN / 20% rostered Yahoo
QB Jordan Love (Packers) - 47% rostered ESPN / 69% rostered Yahoo
WR Quentin Johnston (Chargers) - 46% rostered ESPN / 33% rostered Yahoo
WR Joshua Palmer (Chargers) - 1% rostered ESPN / 5% rostered Yahoo
WR Adam Thielen (Panthers) - 54% rostered ESPN / 48% rostered Yahoo
K Jake Moody (49ers) - 54% rostered ESPN / 57% rostered Yahoo
Reddit Ranks The Top 20 Rookies For Fantasy
This year already has a very impressive rookie class with lots of players already making an impact on their team. Some are already stars and others are stashes for later in the year. Here are the top 20 rookies so far (*pre week 3):
RB Bijan Robinson (Falcons)
WR Puka Nacua (Rams)
RB Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions)
WR Zay Flowers (Ravens)
QB Anthony Richardson (Colts)
WR Jordan Addison (Vikings)
TE Sam LaPorta (Lions)
RB Tyjae Spears (Titans)
TE Dalton Kincaid (Bills)
RB Roschon Johnson (Bears)
WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seahawks)
WR Mavin Mims (Broncos)
WR Quentin Johnston (Chargers)
WR Tank Dell (Texans)
RB Zach Charbonnet (Seahawks)
QB C.J Stroud (Texans)
WR Rashee Rice (Chiefs)
WR Jayden Reed (Packers)
RB Kendre Miller (Saints)
TE Luke Musgrave (Packers)
Is It Time To Hit The Panic Button On The Jets Players?
Although they won week 1, the Jets have been on a steep decline ever since Aaron Rodgers was injured. QB Zach Wilson has looked bad and the entire offense is struggling because of it. WR Garret Wilson went from a top fantasy pick to a borderline bench player. Same with RB Breece Hall; people were expecting him to have a comeback year but so far he has been disappointing. Wilson has put up 14.3 & 4.8 fantasy points these last two weeks while Hall put up 0.9 and 2.7 points. Needless to say they both have taken a big hit in production since Rodgers was injured. The majority of Reddit agrees that anyone on this Jets offense is not worth starting on your fantasy team unless New York switches up QBs as they are too unreliable to start otherwise.
Did RB Joshua Kelley Fool Us All?
It’s starting to seem like RB Austin Ekeler fooled us all by telling us to pick up his backup RB Joshua Kelley. Since Ekeler has been out and Kelley has led the backfield, he has had 24 carries over two games for just 51 yards and no TDs. In week 2 Kelley put up a whopping 3.9 fantasy points and this week he put up 1.7 fantasy points. It’s pretty clear to say that he is no Austin Ekeler. The majority of Reddit said they are dropping him now and would rather take a chance on someone else than waste a bench spot on Kelley. It seems like no Chargers RBs are worth rostering besides Austin Ekeler himself. The Joshua Kelley hype train is over and has officially left the station.
Is This The Year Of QB Kirk Cousins?
After 3 games, QB Kirk Cousins sits on top as the highest scoring fantasy QB so far. Just as we all expected, right? Jokes aside, Cousins has looked very good this year even though the Vikings are 0-3. Since they are always down and trying to fight for a win, we see them throwing the ball more than usual which is great for fantasy purposes and Kirk Cousins owners. Through the first 3 games he has thrown over 40+ attempts in each game and has 9 passing TDs already this season. The Vikings run game also has not looked good so far, so the Minnesota offense will have to run through Kirk Cousin and their passing game. If there was ever a season to do it, it's THIS year. With the addition of WR Jordan Addison, the Vikings now have 3 reliable receivers on offense. As long as Cousins can avoid turnovers, he has a lot of weapons to move the ball through the air and put up big fantasy points.
What Do You Do With RB Najee Harris
Anyone who owns RB Najee Harris will know he has not been off to a great start by any means. Through 3 games, he has yet to put up more than 7 fantasy points, which is not what you want to see out of a “top” RB option. So far he has 35 attempts for 139 yards and no TDs over 3 games. It doesn’t look like things are going to get any better for him either because he is now losing more touches to backup RB Jaylen Warren each week. In Sunday's game, Harris was in for 31 plays while Warren was in for 28 plays — almost split playing time.
Harris is the worst kind of fantasy asset you can have on your team. You can’t trade him, because nobody wants a player with zero upside. You can’t cut him, because he’s guaranteed to get more touches than whomever you’re dropping him for, there’s always some risk that the Steelers offense will improve over the season, and you can’t play him, because he doesn’t put up any fantasy points. Basically he's a fringe flex player for the time being. Objectively, he’s better than a lot of the flex players out there, however, the problem is that most people paid RB2 (or even RB1) draft capital for him. The majority of Reddit agrees that they are benching him until he can prove he can actually score a touchdown.
What Reddit Thinks Of RB De’Von Achane For The Rest Of The Season
After having a historic breakout game this week, many fantasy managers are wondering what to make of RB De’Von Achane the rest of the season. Obviously he can’t score 50+ points every week but people want to know what he is capable of. He definitely has the talent and speed to be a top running back if he was to get more carries, however he is still part of a split backfield and is currently behind Raheem Mostert on the depth chart. The Dolphins other RB Jeff Wilson Jr. also comes back from injury soon and will make the Miami backfield even messier. However, the majority of Reddit agrees that Achane is a very talented RB on the league's best offense and is part of a perfect scheme fit. Yes the Miami RBBC is crowded right now but the guys ahead of him are older and more prone to injuries. There's a small chance he could be the lead back by mid-season which is incredible value off the waivers if he is still available.
Injury Updates:
WR Mike Williams Is Out For The Season
Chargers’ WR Mike Williams tore his ACL Sunday and is officially out the rest of this season. This is a big loss for the Chargers as he is an important piece of their offense. Williams was having a nice start to the season and had 19 receptions for 249 yards through the first 3 games of the year. With Williams now being out the rest of the year, fantasy managers should direct their attention to rookie WR Quentin Johnston, who the Chargers took in the first round of the NFL draft this year. WR Joshua Palmer should also see more work on the Chargers offense now that Williams is out.
RB Jamaal Williams Placed On IR
Saints RB Jamaal Williams was placed on IR this Saturday with a hamstring injury. He will officially miss at least 4 games. The good news for Saints fans and fantasy managers is that RB Alvin Kamara comes back next week and will lead their backfield once again. The Saints’ other backup RB Kendre Miller should see more work while Williams is out.
Did QB Justin Fields Get Concussed During Sunday’s Game?
Bears QB Justin Fields took a shot to the head while fighting for yards at the start of the fourth quarter and tried to stay in the game. However, WR DJ Moore noticed Fields looked a bit uneasy on his feet, pulled Fields out of the huddle and signaled to the Bears sideline that Fields needed medical attention. He was evaluated by their medical staff and returned to the game later on but no official word has been said on what happened to Fields and if he will be ready to go for week 4. If he did sustain a concussion and ends up missing week 4 against the Broncos, we will get to see if the Bears’ really have a QB problem or more so a coaching problem.
RB Nick Chubb Believed To Only Have Suffered Torn MCL
After Nick Chubb went down last week everyone was fearing the absolute worst for him. His injury looked horrible but thankfully doctors believe he only tore his MCL. His recovery time should be between 6-8 months so he won’t come back this season but this is still good news for Chubb and football fans everywhere. He should be ready to go by the beginning of next season.
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