I think we can say that we've hit the halfway point of the fantasy football season. In another 9 weeks, we will be celebrating championships!... Hopefully. Here at FantasyHolics, we eat, breathe and discuss football matters till we are blue in the face. We only want to put out the best possible content for our loyal followers and beyond.
Reaching halfway through the season, you really reflect on how crazy things have gotten in football, how wrong you were about some players and how we can help people recover from missteps to salvage a playoff spot or to prevent you from a future punishment. So here goes another attempt to save you from sitting in a Waffle House for 24 hours stuffing your face with endless carbohydrates.
On to football!
QUARTERBACKS
START Patrick Mahomes vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Before the start of this season, you would've thought I was ridiculously dumb for including Mahomes as a fringe starter. This season, that's exactly what he has been: a mediocre fantasy QB. He may be undefeated in the NFL but fans that drafted Mahomes high (guilty 1x) are regretting it. This week can help Mahomes turn the corner as the Chiefs go up against the Bucs. So far this season, the Bucs have allowed the most points to opposing QBs. I think it would be a mistake to keep Mahomes out of your lineup this week and could be a sign of better things to come as the rapport with DeAndre Hopkins can only get better with a QB of Mahomes' caliber.
SIT Kyler Murray vs Chicago Bears
When Kyler is on, he's hot. When he's not on, he's very bad. He has a QB1 finish in Week 2 and 2 other top 5 QB finishes so far this season. Somewhere wedged in there are several awful performances including two QB25 finishes against defenses that can lock down opposing QBs (Packers and Commanders are both in the Bottom 10 in QB points allowed this season) The Bears have been even better against the QB position this season holding them to the 2nd least number of points so far. The Bears pass defense, save for a Hail Mary... has been nothing short of outstanding and with how inconsistent the Cardinals have been, they have the juice to be able to shut down Murray. He is a sit in my eyes.
RUNNING BACKS
START Tyrone Tracy vs Washington Commanders
Consider me on the T3: the Tyrone Tracy Train. The dude has been extra explosive since getting more of the workload in the Giants offense. Lately, it looks like he's taken over as the lead back over Devin Singletary. Singletary missed two of the past four week due to injury and Tracy has made the most of it while still continuing to out-snap and out-carry Singletary over the past two weeks that they've both been active. Against a stout Steelers defense, Tracy still managed an amazing performance of 145 yards rushing and a TD. He draws a bit of an easier matchup against the Commanders who are in the middle of the road when it comes to allowing points to RBs (15th most). I believe that his growing presence in the Giants offense continues to spell Singletary and provide a solid FLEX option this week after two Top 7 RB performances over the past three weeks.
SIT Nick Chubb vs Los Angeles Chargers
We love the fact that Chubb has made his amazing comeback from his injury at the beginning of the 2023 season. With that being said, more has come out from the coaching staff saying that they have not removed all restrictions from Chubb in terms of a "pitch count". He rushed 16 times last Sunday in their win vs the Ravens which is a decent number of attempts. This week, however, Chubb draws the Chargers who have been a brick wall when it comes to stopping running backs (2nd least so far). The restrictions mixed with the tough matchup make trusting Chubb still kind of difficult at this point in the season where wins are becoming more necessary to stay in position. Hold Chubb out this week as the Browns head into a Bye Week where Chubb can come out ready to handle a heavier workload.
WIDE RECEIVERS
START Romeo Doubs vs Detroit Lions
I believe Doubs is in for a monster game. Over his last two games, his snap share has hit 84%. Against a team in Detroit that can very well stop opposing RBs but let opposing stud WRs run rampant, Doubs is set to take advantage of rookie CB Terrion Arnold who is still getting his footing in the league. Lions give up the 3rd most points to opposing WRs this season. While there are several options on the Packers to throw to, Packers QBs Love and Willis are getting the ball to Doubs as he's been consistently over 50 yards during the past 3 games. Confinently play Doubs as your FLEX or WR3 this week.
SIT Diontae Johnson vs Denver Broncos
As pretty as things may look for Johnson now after getting traded from the Panthers to the Ravens and getting a massive QB upgrade in the process, the matchup presented doesn't give me the confidence to start him right away. Johnson and his new teammates in Baltimore draw the Denver Broncos this week who have the league's best pass defense giving up the least number of points to opposing WRs. A matchup like this doesn't bode well for a QB/WR duo who are just getting introduced to each other and building chemistry. For a guy like Johnson, that's hard to do; you know, not being extremely selfish right out of the gate and demanding the ball. And Johnson didn't get to play against the Broncos last week when he was still a Panther so we don't have anything to go off of at the moment. Leave Johnson on your bench until we see a development between him and Lamar Jackson.
TIGHT ENDS
START Taysom Hill vs Carolina Panthers
Do you feel it? Me too. It's Taysom Hill monster game time. What better time to draw the Panthers for Hill than when the rest of the Saints backups are trending towards not playing? While primary TE Juwan Johnson is not currently injured and will see plenty of snaps, Taysom Hill is not your average TE. He can also play the RB spot and even QB in a pinch. Kendre Miller and Jamaal Williams are both trending towards not playing this week. Derek Carr is coming off of injury and Spencer Rattler may have played himself out of the backup role. The Panthers give up the most fantasy points, period. I think barring a must-play TE like Brock Bowers or Travis Kelce, you play Hill as this has BOOM written all over it. Hill has had multiple stretches of great fantasy production over the past several years and this has the potential to be the start of it for 2024.
SIT Dalton Kincaid vs Miami Dolphins
Kincaid has had a steady floor this season getting no lower than 7 PPR points in all but 2 games this season. The problem is that his ceiling seems to be lower than we think as he's also not scored higher than 13 PPR points in any game this season and only gone over 10 points 3 times. Kincaid is a source of steady production and nothing beyond that. I'm convinced with the addition of Amari Cooper to the Bills, it will continue to leave Kincaid as an after-thought. This week, the Bills draw the Dolphins who have been a surprisingly stout pass defense and 5th least number of points to opposing TEs. Bills will lean on the legs of Josh Allen and James Cook as the are top 10 in RB points allowed this season. Crazy idea, I know, but would I start Taysom Hill over Dalton Kincaid this week?... For just this week, I would.
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