As many of us are limping into Week 7 of the NFL season, we have already seen a lot of surprises both positive and negative around the league. Unfortunately for some of you, your fantasy football season could be at the halfway mark, should you miss the playoffs. ( But you follow FantasyHolics, so you won't miss). Don’t panic on #samwelll, he will return next week, #mroviedo stepping in for Week 6.
The cream will soon be rising to the top and the stink should be settling to the bottom soon enough. Who are you ready to jettison into the abyss of the waiver wire? Who should you stash just to block someone else? Let's take a look:
Relax - he’s fine, better days ahead
Pause - monitor closely, something might be off but could be fine
Panic - something is definitely wrong, consider benching or trading
Full Blown Panic – fantasy value on life support, potentially droppable (depending on league). Get the value you can.
Abandon ship – It’s over. Drop or trade this player and let someone else deal with the
headache.
Rachaad White; Full Blown Panic. What in the world is going on here? From RB4 last season to being usurped by Bucky Irving, a 4th round pick, then Sean Tucker who spent almost all of last season as a healthy scratch. Now, this very well could be a fluke game against a gassed, bewildered Saints defense ( Think the Broncos last season that allowed 70 to the Dolphins ). “Why is he not an abandoned ship?? PIRATE JOKE.?!?!” No. We know White can be effective, just bench him until further notice.
Javonte Williams: Abandon Ship. I was skeptical of Javonte coming off an ACL and MCL tear but thought I was too critical. Nope, he’s junk. Sure he’s catching passes and targets are very important in fantasy football. He has not rushed for more than 85 yards in a game since the beginning of last year and only two career 100 yard games. Javonte has only carried the ball 15 times or more in seven of his last 23 games. Jaleel McLaughlin appeared to be headed for more touches last year and Bo Nix is running the ball with relative ease. Audric Estime is waiting in the wings and this offense is about as vanilla as it gets. It doesn't get much more “roster clogger” than Williams.
Travis Etienne: Full blown panic. Nope, I refuse to believe this elite talent has vanished in a matter of weeks. This has to be an indictment of an awful coaching staff and play calling, and Doug Peterson is going to be left in London one of these days. Etienne, like fellow struggling Florida Man Rachaad White is coming off a top 5 season at running back. Etienne was being utilized in the passing game up to Week 6 and had two scores in his first four games. Yes, Tank Bigsby has looked good but the inevitable coaching change should get Etienne back on track.
Marvin Harrison Jr. Pause. This is a tough one. It’s truthfully closer to Panic but I’ll give MHJ a little bit more time. He’s only five games into his career; opening weekend against Buffalo, one against San Francisco, and he left Week 6 vs Green Bay almost before fans had settled in their seat. The Cardinals defense is still lousy, Kyler Murray is playing decent football as he sits at QB8 on the year. Marvin is still being hyper targeted; 32 targets from Week 2-5. Marvin has four touchdowns! Four! But in a world of instant gratification (and players like Malik Nabers) we’re expecting more. The schedule gets a little easier after the Week 11 bye; if anything he’s an attractive buy low. I guarantee you someone is ready to bail on Marvin Harrison Jr.
Josh Jacobs: Pause. That 151 yard stomping against Indianapolis feels like an eternity ago. Jacobs still has little to no passing game involvement (still ZERO career receiving touchdowns) and only one rushing score on the year. Jacobs is sitting at RB20 and almost in danger of being merely a flex. The tundra should be freezing over soon and the ground game is where it’s at.
Chris Olave: Full Blown Panic. A victim of circumstance really, Olave’s talents appear to be wasted in the Big Easy. Derek Carr will be out for a few weeks but even when he returns, it’ll still be the same stagnant offense that has been the signature of the Saints under Dennis Allen (Klint Kubiak looked good for a second but that has passed.) Just a lot of empty calorie yards between the 20’s and low percentage opportunities, minimal red zone targets (2 total, this year. Two.) Olave has two full games where he managed two catches for 11 yards or less. Whatever momentum gained by Olave looks to be gone, as the Saints look to be adrift on a lost season.
Dalton Kincaid: Panic. Ok, so I guess losing Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis means nothing, Josh Allen’s rushing and 15 rushing scores is totally sustainable, the defense is strong enough to just run the ball all game long and not rely on the pass, and oh yeah, Dawson Knox still lives. What could have been? Yes Kincaid has earned five or more targets in four straight games, but if it isn't broke, why fix it? There is little reason to think Josh Allen is going to start throwing all day. And with that being the case, any Kincaid breakout has to wait. Until maybe 2025.
Dallas Goedert: Panic. Really? TE7 panic? Yes. Goedert did haul in a long 61 yard bomb in his Week 4 game, inflating his 170 yard performance a bit. No touchdowns still on the year, and two games with four catches or less, and 40 yards or less. Dating back to last season, Goedert has only three touchdowns and three games at over 50 yards receiving. Try to sell the inflated stat of “TE7” before it's too late.
David Njoku: Abandon ship. You’re selling on name value here as people still believe the hype from years ago. In his last 13 games played with a quarterback not named Joe Flacco dating back to last season (which itself, 13 games is nearly a full season) , Njoku has 48 targets, 466 yards and two touchdowns. The Browns offense is 30th in points scored and refuses to bench struggling Deshawn Watson.
BONUS PUZZLE: Jets Wide Receivers
Allen Lazard: Pause. Rodgers has been the most loyal Allen Lazard truther of them all, and if he’s good enough for Aaron Rodgers I guess he’s good enough for fantasy. Lazard currently sits 8th in the league in red zone targets at the receiver position. Garrett Wilson got banged up late on #MondayNightFootball and Davante Adams is nursing a “hamstring” “injury” that has caused him to “miss” multiple games. Until Adams is acclimated to the offense ( which mind you, is only one game into a new offensive play caller ), Lazard still has flex appeal at the very worst, and theres still a world in which Lazard could be Rodgers’ “top” target.
Mike Williams: Abandon ship. I’ve tried, foolishly, for years to believe in Mike Williams but this is the finale. HIs fate was sealed with the slip late on MNF leading to the costly interception. Barring the most unlikely turn of events in recent memory, Williams is a drop in even the deepest of formats.
Davante Adams: Relax. Right? If Adams is finally ready to play he should be serviceable, but not nearly at his 2022 180 target pace. The Jets will continue to lean on Breece Hall and have to keep Garrett Wilson appeased. The Jets have some beautiful matchups upcoming ( Indianapolis, Arizona, and Jacksonville Week 15 ) but also still have a BYE in Week 12 and face tougher secondaries such as Seattle, Miami the Rams and Bills again.
Comments