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Super Cam to the Rescue?

By Andy Goddard (@Godsy1985)

Just when you thought 2020 couldn’t surprise you anymore, Cam Newton is a Patriot! The news broke early Monday morning that the Patriots and Newton had agreed on an incentive-laden 1 year deal which has led to a rather large split in the fan base.

Newton, 31, had been without a team since his release from the Carolina Panthers in March 2020 and questions will still be asked regarding his recent injuries and ability to perform. The former league MVP only managed to play 2 games in the 2019 season due to a Lisfranc fracture and he also required surgery for a shoulder injury in March 2017.

Regardless of the injury concerns, this deal just makes too much sense for both parties. In a league where every other starting quarterback job is occupied, the Patriots give Newton the most realistic opportunity to compete for a starting job. The Patriots may still believe in Jarrett Stidham as a starting QB but the chance to sign someone of Newton’s calibre was always going to be of interest to head coach, Bill Belichick.

The self proclaimed ‘Super-Cam’ has a resume that speaks for itself. In 2015, Newton lead the Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl and was awarded the league MVP after a 15-1 season. He has been selected to three pro bowls, was the 2011 rookie of the year and holds numerous Panthers and NFL records.

Bill Belichick will be happy to have Cam on the Patriots roster. Newton has a 2-0 record against the Patriots throwing for 6 touchdowns and just 1 interception with a 72% completion rate! Furthermore, Newton has a great record against all of the AFC East teams boasting a 7-1 record with 14 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.

This is a typical Belichick move. Heading into the 2020 season, the Patriots have no cap space and appeared to be ready to roll with Jarrett Stidham as their starter at quarterback but they have managed to work a deal that will cost the league minimum for a former league MVP! Newton can reportedly earn up to $7.5m with incentives.

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The Patriots could have just come away with the bargain of the off-season, the risk versus reward just makes this a no-brainer. If Newton can return to anywhere near his 2015 form, both parties will be able to work out a longer deal. If Cam plays well and is picked up as a free agent at the end of the 2020 season, then the Patriots could get a 3rd round compensatory pick in the 2022 draft, and If Cam is cut then there isn’t a big hit to the salary cap.

So why is there such a split in the fanbase? To say Cam Newton is eccentric is an understatement. He is very outspoken to the point of arrogance and some people cannot get over the fact he didn’t try to recover a fumble in Super Bowl 50, where he appeared to shy away from taking a hit. Unfortunately for Cam, he is following Tom Brady who was always seen as a ‘team player’ restructuring contracts and making decisions to give the team the best chance for success.

Then we have the injury concerns.

A fit and healthy Cam Newton would not have been available for the league minimum and he hasn’t been healthy since the first half of 2018! With the current corona virus outbreak, teams haven’t been able to get Newton in for a workout so it was always going to be hard to get a team to commit to him as a starter on significant money.

Before the injuries in 2018, Cam Newton had started the season very well leading the Panthers to a 6-2 start. Newton had a passer rating of 100.8 (10th in the league) after Norv Turner adapted the offense and gave Cam shorter passes to throw. This led to his completion percentage rising to 67.3 percent and averaging 4 touchdowns to every interception. Newton then suffered the shoulder injury that would later lead to surgery.

However, one distinction that needs to be made is that Newton had fully healed from the shoulder surgery and during the pre season camp (following surgery) it was reported that Newton had rediscovered the deep ball and looked to be back in primary position to lead the Panthers offense. In fact, at the start of the 2019 season he was overthrowing receivers as he appeared to be struggling when planting his foot, not struggling to get velocity on the ball.

Cam Newton will head into camp to battle it out with Jarrett Stidham to be the starter come week 1 and right now it’s difficult to know which quarterback the Patriots will go with. Is it possible for Newton to fit into the current Pats offence or is Josh McDaniels and Bill Belichick formulating a new playbook to maximise Newtons assets? Josh McDaniels managed to get to the playoffs with Tim Tebow playing quarterback, and actually win one game. Cam’s skillset is much higher than Tebow so the thought of a McDaniels offense with Newton under center is an exciting proposition, especially with a solid offensive line. The Patriots offence morphs from game to game, highlighting other teams weaknesses and putting their players in the best position to succeed so a new scheme wouldn’t be a big surprise.

One major advantage is that the Patriots had already been planning around a run heavy offense by investing in their offensive line, David Andrews returning from IR, signing fullback Danny Vitale and drafting two tight ends who can both block. The Patriots will surely utilise zone read option plays and may even look at what Baltimore did in the 2019 season as a blueprint.

Belichick is a coaching genius but he has never had a player with the skillset of Cam Newton. The 9 year vet has a great chance of starting week 1 and succeeding in the 2020 season. The former number 1 overall pick in 2011 may see this as his last chance and that may be bad news for the rest of the league.

Have the Patriots just become real contenders again or is ‘Super Cam’ now just ‘backup Cam’? If he is fit and healthy, the Patriots have their new man under Center!

Fantasy: Dynasty Sells

Andy Goddard, blog, Fantasy, Trade Targets

By Andy Goddard (@Godsy1985)

NFL Fantasy – Dynasty Sells

Image credit: Jim Brown – USA Today Sports

Derrick Henry RB – Tennesse Titans

First on my list of dynasty sells is Derrick Henry. Henry drove the Titans to the 2019 playoffs with his powerful running and it appeared that defenders were scared to try and tackle him. In fact, during one run, Henry used Baltimore Ravens safety Earl Thomas as his lead blocker when a devastating stiff arm spun Thomas around! Henry rushed for 1540 yards and 16 touchdowns in the 2019 regular season, eclipsing his best ever season by nearly 500 yards! He then backed this up with another 446 yards and two touchdowns during the 2019 playoffs. So why does he make the ‘sell’ list?

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In my opinion, Henry has reached the ceiling and with that, his maximum value. I would certainly be putting the feelers out there to see exactly what you can get for him. Henry has been in the league for 4 seasons and whilst he has been improving year on year, he will not eclipse last seasons performances. Before 2019, Henry had a best season of 1059 yards and 12 touchdowns and in the previous 2 seasons hadn’t reached 1000 yards and only managed 5 touchdowns each year.

There is no doubting that Henry is one of the better running backs in the league at this moment in time but when playing dynasty, you need to capitalise on players at their maximum value. I think Henry’s first three seasons are a better representation of what you can expect if you hold onto him. Don’t expect him to clock up over 1500 yards each year. Get the value now as someone is always desperate for a running back and will no doubt overpay for someone like Henry!

(Image credit: Katharine Lotze – Getty Images)

James Conner RB – Pittsburgh Steelers

At the beginning of last season, James Conner started as the 8th running back taken in the draft (on average) and has now fallen to an average draft position (ADP) of running back 22! The main issue here is health. In 2019 Conner played just 10 games and rushed for a measly 464 yards with a longest run of just 25 yards. There was a lot of hype and expectation on Conner when he took over from Le’Veon Bell and he produced a good year in 2018, rushing for 973 yards and adding 497 receiving yards.

James Conner is still rumoured to be the starting running back for the Steelers franchise (according to Steelers GM Kevin Colbert) which means that he will still have value now. If you are of the belief that he won’t regain the form of 2018, then his value will only drop. If you aren’t sold on him I would consider using him as trade bait. If you want to keep him, he is a third running back at best right now.

(Image credit: Matthew Stockman – Getty Images)

Phillip Lindsay RB – Denver Broncos

Phillip Lindsay is one of the most frustrating players in fantasy football. You can watch the highlights and think he is lighting it up every week but if you delve into the stats he just wasn’t consistent enough. Lindsay will get 20+ points one week and 3 the next! He has value though. If you look at the seasonal stats he has amassed over 1000 yards in each of his first two seasons with 1037 and 1011 yards respectively.

In my opinion, he won’t make it to 1000 yards again in 2020 and his value will drop. Going into 2020, Lindsay will now be splitting time with Melvin Gordon and/or Royce Freeman which will limit his opportunities and he needs to make bigger improvements in the receiving game where he did not have 1 single touchdown in 2019. There just aren’t enough upsides to keep Lindsay right now. Whilst you may have lost the value with the Gordon move, still try and move him on to someone that is a bit more bullish about Lindsay.

(Image credit: Aaron Doster – USA Today Sports)

AJ Green WR – Cincinnati Bengals

AJ Green is a stellar wide receiver, there is no doubting his ability. However, he missed the entirety of the 2019 season due to injury and only played 10 games the year before. He is also 31 years old. Whichever way you look at it, the value that you can potentially get for Green is only going to go down. He may still be of value to a team that is looking for a short-term guy to help win a championship in 2020 or 2021. He certainly won’t be an option for a team that is currently in rebuild mode.

This is where you need to know your league and the teams that make it up. If you know that there is another team that may be one receiver short of having a real chance at winning the championship, you may be able to get some value for Green. AJ Green will likely be staying in Cincinnati and he will probably have rookie QB Joe Burrow throwing him the ball. If he can stay healthy, he is still one of the best receivers in the league. Its a risk to trade him but also a risk to trade for him!

(Image credit: Scott Varley – Staff Photographer)

Keenan Allen WR – LA Chargers

In 2017, Keenan Allen finally proved that he could stay healthy and since then he has amassed three seasons where he has averaged over 100 receptions and over 1200 yards. As good as these numbers appear, he hasn’t been able to score more than six touchdowns each year. He is also losing Philip Rivers at QB. No matter who is under centre for the Chargers next year, it won’t be a big upgrade on Rivers. The uncertainty that Allen now faces leaves a little bit of a problem for dynasty owners. He has been producing good numbers but we have no idea who will be throwing to him in 2020.

You can get good value for Allen and replace him with a young receiver from the draft as his name will still carry a lot of weight. If you can manage to get a mid first round pick for him, you can let the new owner deal with the wide range of possible outcomes for Allen in 2020.

Season in Review – New England Patriots

Andy Goddard, blog, NFL, Season Reviews

By Andy Goddard (@godsy1985)

The next instalment of our season review articles takes a look at last years world champions, the New England Patriots. Is a 12-4 regular season record really the end of the dynasty?

Entering the season

Going into the 2019 season, the Patriots were once again one of the favourites to lift the Lombardi Trophy in Miami but there were also a lot of question marks against the team. The major concern appeared to be at the wide receiver position, which was very thin, but did still include the reigning Super Bowl MVP in Julian Edelman and the troubled yet talented, Josh Gordon. The other obvious concern was the loss of Rob Gronkowski. ‘Gronk’ had announced his retirement in March 2019 leaving the Pats with an ageing Ben Watson and two unproven players in Ryan Izzo and, the recently acquired, Matt LaCosse.

Preparations for the new season took another hit on 26th August 2019 when it was announced that centre David Andrews had been diagnosed with pulmonary embolism which would eventually result in him being placed on season ending injury reserve (IR) at the end of August 2019. The Patriots 1st round draft pick, N’Keal Harry, also then found himself on IR in September due to an ankle injury.

Before a play had even been called, the Patriots were struggling on offense but the defence had held the high scoring LA Rams to just three points in Super Bowl 53 so there was still optimism that with Brady and Belichick, another trip to the big game was possible.

The AFC East has been looked upon as a little bit of a joke for quite a while now. The New York Jets and Miami Dolphins were both in transition periods and the only challenge for New England looked to be the Buffalo Bills. However, heading into the 2019 season, the Patriots were still expected to win the AFC East and head into the playoffs once more.

During the season

The Patriots started the season with what was regarded as a very weak schedule. The Pats opened the season 8-0 and there was talk from some people in the media that this team could go undefeated. Blow out wins against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets (twice) and the Washington Redskins did not tell the whole story as the second half of their schedule would show.

On September 7th, the Patriots signed Antonio Brown to a one year contract. Suddenly a weak wide receiver unit was now looking very promising with Brown, Gordon and Edelman all lining up alongside Tom Brady. Unfortunately, this lasted just one game (at Miami) before Brown was eventually cut on 20th September due to an ongoing court case and further allegations made against the wide receiver.

Regardless of the Antonio Brown issue, the Patriots were winning, and winning comprehensively. Their defence’s play was historically dominant and was the catalyst for the 8-0 record. Scoring touchdowns on defence and special teams at an astonishing rate covered over the cracks on offense. The Patriots ‘ran over’ teams on their way to winning Super Bowl 53, but this team had to rely more and more on Tom Brady as the running game was non-existent. This may seem strange, having to rely on arguably the greatest quarterback to ever play the game but Brady was 42 when the season began and (finally) showing signs of his age. To make matters worse, his wide receivers were also struggling. They couldn’t get open, and on the occasions they did, the number of dropped catches was very alarming. The once reliable Julian Edelman, lead the league in dropped catches (9) and Brady no longer had his big tight end, ‘Gronk’. In October, Josh Gordon found himself on IR before being before released and claimed by the Seattle Seahawks. Although Mohamed Sanu was traded to the Patriots on 22nd October, he also struggled and finished the season with just 207 yards.

A week 9 trip to Baltimore brought the Patriots first defeat of the season and although they won the next two games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys it was once again the defence that were the main cause, holding the Eagles and Cowboys to 10 and 9 points respectively.

Notoriously, the Patriots thrive in December and begin to play their best football. The 2019 season was the complete opposite of this as they fell to consecutive defeats against the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs. New England’s offense had looked a little better against the Chiefs but one really bad piece of officiating took points off the board when N’Keal Harry was wrongly adjudge to have stepped out when he had scored a touchdown. They would eventually lose 16-23.

Heading into week 16, the Patriots needed to beat the Buffalo Bills to secure another AFC East title. A 24-17 win meant that not only did they win the AFC East but a victory in their final game, at home to the (4-11) Miami Dolphins, would secure the number 2 seed in the AFC and clinch a first round bye in the playoffs. In week 17, things appeared to be going to plan as Tom Brady drove his Patriots down the field late on to take a 24-20 lead but ‘Fitzmagic’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) had other ideas as the Dolphins scored with seconds remaining to win the game 27-24. That defeat, coupled with a win by the Kansas City Chiefs, meant that the Patriots would finish as the third seed and have to play in the wild game for the first time in since 2009!

The Patriots hosted the Tennessee Titans in the wild card game. With the Titans leading 14-13 at the half, the Patriots would fail to score another point in the 2019 season as the Titans ran out 20-13 winners and advanced to the divisional round.

Offseason outlook

The big question going into the off season revolves around quarterback Tom Brady, who will be an unrestricted free agent. It’s crazy to think of Brady in another uniform but there is a real possibility this happens. It was well reported that Patriots head coach, Bill Belichick, wanted to keep Jimmy Garoppolo before he was eventually traded to San Francisco so we could see a new quarterback under centre for the Patriots. Of course, Brady could very well return for another season but one thing appears certain, Brady does not want to retire just yet.

If Brady was to move on, do the Patriots go with back up Jarrett Stidham, draft their new man, or make a trade? I would be very surprised to see Brady sign with someone else and believe that Robert Kraft (New England Patriots Owner) will do everything in his power to keep his QB around and make him a Patriot for life.

In 2019, the defense looked solid against the pass with Stephon Gilmore being the stand out performer and winning Defensive MVP, but they need to improve against the run. This was highlighted in the wild card game against the Titans.

The Patriots also have a long list of players who will hit free agency. Some big name players including Devin McCourty, the impressive Kyle Van Noy, Matthew Slater, Jamie Collins, Joe Thuney and Danny Shelton will be available. Not all of these players will be Patriots next season. Kyle Van Noy and Joe Thuney will get paid big money by another team so will need replacing and the offense still needs improvement at the skill positions. The loss of Gronkowski was huge, not only in the passing game but he also excelled as a blocker. New England has $49 million in cap space and this will probably grow with contracts being restructured.

Heading into the 2020 season, the Patriots need at least 2 wide receivers, a tight end and maybe a quarterback! Added to those positions there is also a need at guard and the linebacker position if Thuney and Van Noy do not sign new deals. This could be the biggest offseason for the Patriots in a long time!

Summary

At the top of the article we asked, ‘is a 12-4 regular season record really the end of the dynasty?’ And for me, the answer is a resounding no! The Patriots actually improved on last seasons regular season record and although their season ended early, they still went 12-4! In fact, there are only a handful of teams that wouldn’t be very happy with that record. There is no arguing, It was a disappointing season but that just highlights the success that the Patriots have had over the past two decades. One teams failure would be seen as a huge success by many other teams in the league. Whilst Belichick is still the head coach, they will always have a chance.

If Tom Brady returns and Belichick can get the right people around him, they will be challenging again next season. The AFC East will be more competitive next year with the Buffalo Bills being the biggest challengers and the Miami Dolphins improving.

Much was made of Brady and the Patriots passing offense, but if you look at the stats, if wasn’t too bad. They finished the season 7th in passing yards per game (253.6 yards) and were also in the top 5 for total number of drops (23). To the dismay of many, I don’t see New England fading away just yet but improvement is needed.

Fun Fact: Heading into week 9 the Patriots were 8-0 but if their offense hadn’t scored a single point, they still would have been 4-2-2!

Fantasy: Championship Week – Start ’em, Sit ’em

Andy Goddard, blog, Fantasy, Start 'em / Sit 'em

By Andy Goddard (@godsy1985)

Its championship weekend in fantasy football, hopefully you’ve made it to the big game. Just one final set of selections could stand between you and the fantasy trophy for 2019. So let’s get into those all important picks!

QB – Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) vs Jacksonville Jaguars

Image credit: Todd Kirkland – Getty Images

Matt Ryan has performed very well the past two weeks putting up 34 points against the Carolina Panthers and then 23 against a very good San Francisco 49ers defense. Without any real run game, the Falcons quarterback will have it all to do again but he is up against a very generous Jacksonville defense who have allowed a passer rating of 119.6 and an average of more than 22 fantasy points to opposing QB’s since week 12.

The Falcons have disappointed this season but Matt Ryan is still a very capable starter for championship weekend.

QB – Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys) at Philadelphia Eagles

Dak has been struggling with a shoulder injury but there is no chance he misses the biggest game of the season for the Cowboys. The winner of this game will essentially be the winner of the poor NFC East division. Both the Cowboys and Eagles came into the season expecting the division to be close, but not quite in this way.

Prescott put up 28 fantasy points against the Rams last week and in their first meeting against the Eagles, Prescott was 21-27 for 278 yard, one touchdown and an interception but the Eagles secondary is beatable. In this big game, I see the Cowboys taking the win and claiming the NFC East.

Notable Mentions: Jameis Winston (Bucs) vs Houston Texans, Ryan Tannehill (Titans) vs New Orleans Saints.

RB – Joe Mixon (Cincinnati Bengals) @ Miami Dolphins

Mixon deserves some credit for his performance in 2019. The Bengals may well have the worst record in the NFL but he has been very productive, especially of late. In 6 of the last 7 games Mixon has at least 16 PPR points in some tough matches against the Rams, Ravens and Patriots. In last weeks game against New England he finished with 25 carries for 136 yards and 3 receptions for 20 yards. The Dolphins have allowed six touchdowns to opposing teams running backs in the past 4 games and at least 27 fantasy points per game!

RB – DeAndre Washington (Oakland Raiders) @ LA Chargers

Josh Jacobs is out so Washington is your starter. In week 14, Jacobs was out injured allowing Washington to be the lead back. He had a stat line of 53 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown as well as six catches for 43 yards on seven targets. This production resulted in 21.6 fantasy points and he up against a Chargers defense who have allowed 15 touchdowns and nearly 26 fantasy points a game to running backs. He is a great starter option in the flex.

Notable Mentions – Miles Sanders (Eagles) vs Dallas Cowboys, Marlon Mack (Colts) vs Carolina Panthers.

WR – Terry McLaurin (Washington Redskins) vs NY Giants

McLaurin had a little bit of a slump in recent weeks, that was until he put up 32 fantasy points against the Eagles! In the past two weeks he has 9 catches on 12 targets for 187 yards and two touchdowns. It would appear that he is finally clicking with Dwayne Haskins (who was also his QB at Ohio State) and the Redskins look primed for great production from both in the coming years.

The Giants allow the fifth most fantasy points to opposing receivers and they are tied for third in touchdowns allowed to receivers with 20. McLaurin missed the first match between the teams this season but look for him to make up for the missed time with a good stat line.

WR – Tyler Boyd (Cincinnati Bengals) @ Miami Dolphins

Its championship weekend and I’m picking two players to start from the team with the worst record in the NFL! Thats the beauty of fantasy football. To an extent, you can ignore the teams record and just look at match ups, and Boyd has a great one this week against the Miami Dolphins defense.

The Dolphins have allowed the second most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers, with 25. With A.J. Green and Auden Tate both out, Boyd will see plenty of opportunities which is always good news for fantasy owners.

Notable Mentions – Tyler Lockett (Seahawks) vs Arizona Cardinals, Breshad Perriman (Bucs) vs Houston Texans.

TE – Hunter Henry (LA Chargers) vs Oakland Raiders

Image credit: Jack Roth – USA Today Sports

Henry is coming off an awful game in last weeks loss to the Vikings but he has a positive matchup this week against the Oakland Raiders. The last time these two teams met, Henry had a touchdown and 13 fantasy points. The Raiders defense has allowed the sixth most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. Henry should see plenty of targets if you have survived long enough to stick with him!

TE – Dallas Goedert (Philadelphia Eagles) vs Dallas Cowboys

Goedert is a solid fantasy starter this week at the tight end position. The Dallas Cowboys defense was highly thought of before the season started but they haven’t really lived up to the hype. They have also been exploited by tight ends all season. Goedert and Ertz lead the Eagles in the passing game so look for the Eagles to attack the Cowboys weakness often.

Goedert has seen at least 6 targets in every game since week 11 and he should eclipse that against the Cowboys with injuries at the wide receiver position.

Notable Mentions: Jared Cook (Saints) @ Tennesse Titans.

QB – Tom Brady (New England Patriots) vs Buffalo Bills

Brady is struggling, make no excuses about that. This week he is facing a very good Buffalo defense that caused him all sorts of problems earlier in the season. I wouldn’t just list Brady as a sit but as a total bust this week!

RB – Carlos Hyde (Houston Texans) vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Hyde performed well against the Titans last week but I wouldn’t trust him on Championship weekend. The Bucs defense have allowed just 3.1 yards per rush this season which ranks third in the league. It’s too risky in my opinion.

WR – John Brown (Buffalo Bills) @ New England Patriots

Any receiver that is going up against Stephon Gilmore I would list as a sit. Gilmore is arguably the best corner in the league, stats don’t lie. Perimeter receivers have scored just two touchdowns all season against the Pats and have averaged the fewest fantasy points.

TE – Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys) vs Philadelphia Eagles

Witten had a solid performance last week against the Rams but the Eagles defense has been tough on opposing tight ends allowing just 4 touchdowns and the fifth fewest fantasy points this season. In the week 7 matchup between the two teams, Witten was held to just 33 yards. Don’t chase the points based on last week!

Start ‘em Sit, ‘em – (CAR @ ATL, MIA @ NYJ, LAC @ JAX, PIT @ ARI)

Andy Goddard, blog, Fantasy, Start 'em / Sit 'em

By Andy Goddard (@godsy1985)

It’s playoff time in fantasy football. No matter how well you have done up to now, one mistake could cost you the season. To help you as much as possible we have broken the games down. For this article we will be looking at just 4 games;

Panthers @ Falcons
Dolphins @ Jets
Chargers @ Jaguars
Steelers @ Cardinals

QB – Sam Darnold (NY Jets) vs Miami Dolphins

Yes, Darnold had an absolute stinker against the Bengals. The Jets did the typical Jets thing and got beaten by the only remaining unbeaten team in the Cincinnati Bengals. Despite the awful performance last week I would still persist with Darnold against another poor opponent in the Miami Dolphins. Prior to the Bengals game, Darnold had produced at least 21 fantasy points in three straight games and the Dolphins have allowed 29 touchdowns and the third most fantasy points to opposing QB’s this season. A divisional game at home, surely the Jets will make a massive improvement on last weeks performance.

QB – Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) vs Carolina Panthers

In the slate of games that we are covering here, the only other quarterback I would start is Matt Ryan. The Falcons have stated that they won’t be shutting down Matt Ryan or Julio Jones even though this has been a very disappointing season. Ryan had a solid performance in week 13 throwing for 312 yards and two touchdowns. The Falcons do have injuries on offense but all signs point towards Jones and Hooper being back to face the Panthers. The Falcons have struggled to run the ball this year so Ryan will need to get the offense going again. Look for him to eclipse 300 yards once more and find the end zone at least twice. Although this one does carry risk.

RB – Austin Ekeler (LA Chargers) vs Jacksonville Jaguars

Image credit: Douglas Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images

Melvin Gordon has taken over the lead running back role from Ekeler but he still putting up good fantasy numbers. He has scored at least 16 points in the last two games and he has a favourable matchup against a Jaguars defense that have allowed 6 touchdowns and the second most fantasy points to running backs since week 10. Ekeler has become a massive weapon in the passing game for the Chargers, with four catches for 51 yards and a touchdown last week. He may not be the number one back but he will continue to see plenty of action.

RB -Benny Snell Jr. (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Arizona Cardinals

A free spot in the flex? I would be tempted to start Benny Snell. With James Conner being unavailable Snell has become the main man in the backfield for the Steelers leading the team in both snaps and touches during the last two games. He had 16 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown last week against the Browns. The cardinals have surrendered 11 total touchdowns and account for 9 of the top 20 fantasy performances by opposing running backs this season.

WR – D.J. Moore (Carolina Panthers) at Atlanta Falcons

D.J. Moore is posting great fantasy numbers recently. In fact, he has scored at least 17 fantasy points in the past 5 weeks and has an average of 103 yards per game! This run includes an impressive 31.4 fantasy points against the Saints in week 12. He has a very good chance at keeping this run going against a Falcons defense that has given up 10 touchdowns and the fifth most fantasy points to receivers lined up out wide. Moore has averaged over 32 routes per game in that position and he has at least 9 targets in the previous six games.

WR – James Washington (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Arizona Cardinals

Image credit: Joe Sergent / Getty Images

With JuJu Smith-Schuster very likely to miss another week, I would not hesitate in starting Washington who made the most of JuJu being missing last week with four catches for 111 yards and a touchdown against the Browns. The Steelers may have mediocre QB play but Washington is making the most of his opportunities. He has topped 90 yards and scored a touchdown in 3 of the last 4 games and boasts a massive 19.3 yards per catch average! This week he is up against a Cardinals defense that has been giving up deep shots all season, surrendering an average of nearly 5 plays per game of over 20 yards!

TE – Ryan Griffin (NY Jets) vs Miami Dolphins

Image credit: Douglas DeFelice / `USA Today

Griffin is up against the Dolphins who have been very generous to opposing teams tight ends this season allowing more than 15 fantasy points to the position since week 10 and Griffin has already scored 11 fantasy points against the Dolphins in week 9 where he had six catches on eight targets for 50 yards. With tight ends at a premium this season, Griffin is a solid option this week.

TE – Vance McDonald (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Arizona Cardinals

McDonald hasn’t put up any real fantasy numbers in recent weeks but here come the Cardinals who have been hit hard by tight ends all season long. The Cardinals have given up 13 touchdowns to opposing tight ends and although McDonald may be a risky choice, he should see plenty of targets this week, especially in the red zone.

QB – Philip Rivers (LA Chargers) at Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars defense have allowed just 16.7 fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks and just 8 touchdowns on their home field. Rivers could also be benched as the Chargers playoff hope disappear and Rivers will soon be a free agent.

RB – Kenyan Drake (Arizona Cardinals) at Pittsburgh Steelers

Drake may well be the leading back for the Cardinals but he could be in for another quiet day against the Steelers.

WR – D.J. Chark (Jacksonville Jaguars) vs LA Chargers

Prior to last weeks game against the Broncos, the Chargers have contained number 1 receivers very well and Chark is trending down with 10 fantasy points or fewer in three of the past four games. Chark is a risk that is not worth taking in the playoffs!

TE – Jaeden Graham (Atlanta Falcons) at Carolina Panthers

Graham had a very productive week against the Saints in week 13 with 16.10 fantasy points but don’t be tempted by one performance. Hooper will be back so Graham’s chances may be limited.

Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em – Week 13 Thanksgiving

Andy Goddard, blog, Fantasy, Start 'em / Sit 'em

By Andy Goddard (@godsy1985)

Fantasy playoffs are on the line as we head into week 13. This week could be the difference between an extended fantasy season or the commiseration, sorry, consolation bowl. Let’s help your push for those final playoff places as we look at the Thanksgiving games and some of the early Sunday games.

QB – Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) @ New York Giants

Rodgers is coming off a poor performance against the 49ers but he should be started this week. A trip to the big apple provides him with the perfect tonic to that stingy 49ers defence. The New York Giants have given up 7 touchdowns and the fifth most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks since week 9.

The Packers QB has had an up and down season, struggling at the beginning before clicking into gear. Is he still a top 3 QB in the league? Some would argue not on current form. He has scored big against poor defences (Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs) but has also amassed just 10 fantasy points against the likes of the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys. It’s time for another big week from Rodgers, and this is it. Start!

QB – Sam Darnold (NY Jets) at Cincinatti Bengals

Mr Mono in week 2 could give your fantasy team the kiss of life heading into the playoffs! Darnold is up against the Bengals, who give up an average of 22 fantasy points to opposing QB’s, do you need me to tell you anymore?!

If you still aren’t sold then let’s look at the numbers. Darnold has been in great fantasy form, scoring at least 21 points in three straight games and, during that run of games, he has found the end zone on 9 occasions!

He also has a favourable line up of games upcoming against the Giants, Redskins and Raiders. Darnold could legitimately take you to fantasy glory.

Notable Mentions: Jameis Winston (Bucs) @ Jacksonville Jaguars, Josh Allen (Bills) @ Dallas Cowboys.

RB – Ronald Jones (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) @ Jacksonville Jaguars

This could be a huge week for Jones! The Jaguars haven’t been able to stop the run in the past three games so Jones could go off in a similar way to Carlos Hyde, Marlon Mack, Jonathan Williams and Derrick Henry, who have each rushed for over 100 yards!

The Jags have also allowed five rushing touchdowns in those three games. Jones has scored at least 15 fantasy points in three of the past five games and he is primed for a big return this week!

RB – David Montgomery (Chicago Bears) @ Detroit Lions

The Bears should dominate the time of possession in this Thanksgiving match up as the Lions don’t have a QB and the Bears have a great defense. The Lions give up the second most fantasy points to running backs and are second in touchdowns given up to running backs. Montgomery had an average game against the Lions in week 10 finishing with 60 yards on 17 carries but I don’t think this game will be as close as that one was. He is definitely worth a spot in the flex.

Notable Mentions – Miles Sanders (Eagles) @ Miami Dolphins, Devin Singletary (Bills) @ Dallas Cowboys.

WR – Tyler Boyd (Cincinatti Bengals) vs NY Jets

You may shake you head at this one but Andy Dalton should be back under centre this week against the Jets and Boyd scored at least 12 fantasy points in five of the eight games he played with Dalton this season. In week 12 he also had a very good outing with Finley throwing him the ball. Boyd finished with five catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. The Jets defense is also struggling against the pass, allowing 10 touchdowns to receivers in the past five games. Don’t let the Bengals record get in the way of what could be a very productive day for Tyler Boyd.

WR – Jamison Crowder (New York Jets) @ Cincinnati Bengals

I think the Jets at the Bengals is going to be a little bit of a shootout so I would also start Jamison Crowder in this one. He had a poor game against the Raiders last week, finishing with only two catches for 18 yards but this week he is up against that terrible Bengals defense. Cincinnati has allowed eight receivers to score at least 11 fantasy points in the past five games and they have given up 4 touchdowns during that span.

Notable Mentions – John Brown (Bills) @ Dallas Cowboys, DeVante Parker (Dolphins) vs Philadelphia Eagles.

TE – Jack Doyle (Indianapolis Colts) vs Tennessee Titans

The Colts have lost Eric Ebron for the season so Doyles targets will go up.

Ebron had 21 targets in the past three games, so the evidence lends itself to the fact that Brissett likes his tight ends. Doyle has a nice matchup this week against the Tennessee Titans as their defense has struggled against the tight end position, allowing 15 fantasy points in each of the past 5 games.

He could be an absolute steal this week as he could still be available on the waiver wire to boast your chances at the end of the season.

TE – Ryan Griffin (NY Jets) @ Cincinatti Bengals

It feels like I’m beating up on the Bengals but unfortunately, so are other teams offences! Griffin has scored at least 10 fantasy points in four of the last five games including four touchdowns. The Bengals have allowed three touchdowns to tight ends in the past four games with three of the players amassing at least 11 fantasy points.

Notable Mentions: Dallas Goedert (Eagles) @ Miami Dolphins.

QB – Daniel Jones (New York Giants) vs Green Bay Packers

The Packers defense got destroyed last week but I have them bouncing back this week and shutting down the Giants offense. Jones scored just 14.7 fantasy points last week against the bears and I think he scores even lower this week.

RB – Latavius Murray (New Orleans Saints) @ Atlanta Falcons

Kamara is healthy and Murray’s touches are trending downwards. Since Kamara’s return Murray is averaging just 7.4 touches per game and he has scored fewer than 5 fantasy points during that stretch.

WR – Kenny Golladay (Detroit Lions) vs Chicago Bears

Stafford is out, Driskel is hurt and Blough could be coming in. Don’t take the risk and just sit Golladay. Even with Stafford under centre I would advise the sit Golladay as the Bears have only allowed 5 touchdowns to opposing teams receivers this season, which is third behind Buffalo and New England.

TE – Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys) vs Buffalo Bills

Witten has gone nine games without a touchdown and he has scored fewer than 9 fantasy points in four of his last five games. The Bills give up the second fewest fantasy points to tight ends and have allowed just one touchdown to the position all season. Easiest sit of the week!

Waiver Wire – Week 11

Andy Goddard, blog, Fantasy, waivers

By Andy Goddard (@godsy1985)

Another week passes in the NFL and yet more injuries to worry about! With Tyler Lockett spending time in hospital, George Kittle missing this week with a knee/ankle injury and Austin Hooper suffering a sprained MCL, a lot of you will need to look at bolstering your numbers through the waiver wire.

Here are some players you should look out for and put a claim on.

Quarterback – Ryan Tannehill (Tennessee Titans) – owned by 46%

Image credit: Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

Ryan Tannehill is coming off of an impressive performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in week 10 where he completed 13 of 19 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 37 yards on three carries. Although he is on a bye in week 12, he may be worth stashing in deeper leagues. Upcoming games against the Raiders in week 14 and the Texans in week 15 give Tannehill a chance to put up decent fantasy numbers. He has scored at least 22 fantasy points in four consecutive weeks.

Derrick Henry is doing most of the heavy lifting in the Titans offense however, this should open up opportunities for Tannehill in the passing game. He certainly showed late on against the Chiefs that he can lead this offense! Tannehill’s stock is on the rise so you should get in quickly if he hasn’t already been claimed in your league.

Running Back – Brian Hill (Atlanta Falcons) – owned by 1%

The Falcons are suffering at running back. After the team placed Ito Smith on IR on Saturday, Devonta Freeman suffered a foot sprain against the Saints on Sunday. This presented an opportunity for Brian Hill, and he could be the perfect pick up for a team in need at the running back position.

Hill took advantage of his extended role to the tune of 61 yards on 20 carries plus a 10 yard touchdown catch. With the injuries pilling up he has a real shot at being the starting back for the high-powered Falcons who are coming up against a Carolina Panthers defense that ranks in the bottom 10 against running backs in fantasy this season.

How much action Hill gets will depend on the outcome of Freemans’s MRI but put a claim on him now, otherwise someone else will!

Wide Receiver – Deebo Samuel (San Francisco 49ers) – owned by 20%

With Emmanuel Sanders picking up an injury on Monday night, Deebo Samuel could legitimately be the number 1 receiver in San Francisco if Sanders misses any time. He stepped up when Sanders went down in the week 10 loss against the Seahawks, finishing the game with 8 catches for 112 yards.

Samuel has struggled to separate himself from the niners crowded receiver corp so far this season but the injury to Sanders could ultimately be the break that Samuel needs to really showcase his undeniable talents.

The 49er’s have a favourable matchup against the Cardinals in week 11.

Tight End – Kyle Rudolph ( Minnesota Vikings) – owned by 26%

So it would appear that Kyle Rudolph is a thing again?! With four touchdowns in the past four games, it certainly looks that way. He is averaging around 5 targets and 11.2 fantasy points per game over this period. Unless you have one of the top 5 tight ends, to gain a decent number of fantasy points you are very touchdown dependant but Rudolph does have a good matchup in week 11 against the Broncos. Maybe the touchdown streak continues?

With Adam Thielen hurt, Rudolph was always likely to gain a few more targets. Thielen’s status is currently unclear for week 11 but Rudolph should still be a good option if you are needing a tight end.

Week 10 – Trade Targets

Andy Goddard, blog, Fantasy

By Andy Goddard (@godsy1985)

As we approach week 10, most leagues will be heading towards their trade deadlines.

These coming weeks could be the difference between a competitive run in the playoffs or a quick ‘one and done’ end to your fantasy season. When making trades, it is always important to look at a variety of factors; who is coming back from IR, the upcoming schedules, and players that you shouldn’t keep just for their name!

Here are some people who (in my humble opinion) could help you in your push towards fantasy domination and some you can trade away before they cost you!

Bring On Board

Le’Veon Bell – RB (NY Jets)

The Jets managed to do the seamlessly impossible last week, lose to the tanking Dolphins.

Things are really bad when you lose to a team that celebrate a regular season victory like they just won the Super Bowl! I mean the win must be nice but you are costing yourself draft position! However, Bell is looking at a very easy schedule in the coming weeks with games against the Giants (2-7), the Redskins (1-8), the Raiders (4-4), the Bengals (0-8), and the Dolphins (1-7). Surely Adam Gase must get something right against these teams?!

There should always be a concern when looking at trading for a player on a team like the Jets. A team that won’t really care about winning at this stage of the season as all they can hope for is a top draft pick.

On the other hand, if Gase has any hope of keeping his job, the Jets must get results in the coming weeks and Bell could be a big factor!

Drew Brees – QB (New Orleans Saints)

Brees may be a strange addition to this list but he could be the final piece you need. If the current owner has had Brees since the beginning of the season and hasn’t traded him away whilst he was injured, chances are they have another capable quarterback.

If you started the year under the impression that Mayfield would make progress or Darnold wouldn’t start seeing ghosts, you may be in need of some reinforcements. Brees should be your first look but he will probably cost you.

In week 8 he had 373 passing yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. It will be worth an offer to see if you can coax Brees away from the current owner.

David Montgomery – RB (Chicago Bears)

A few weeks ago, Montgomery would have been an easy option on my sell list!

However, he has picked it up in the past few weeks with 27 carries for 135 yards and one touchdown in week 8, and a further 14 carries for 40 yards and two touchdowns in week 9. Montgomery is proving he can cover the red zone duties so he will get opportunities to score points.

Even with Tarik Cohen being on the same team, Montgomery has shown better output these past two weeks so is worth trying to trade for.

Mohamed Sanu – WR (New England Patriots)

The Patriots lost a game and the world has gone mad again! Regardless of that loss, one thing stood out above everything else; Brady and Sanu are on the same page already!

There has been a long list of high profile receivers who have gone to New England and struggled but Sanu seems to have fitted in perfectly. Sanu caught 10 passes for 81 yards and 1 touchdown and with the Patriots now on their bye week, Sanu will have plenty of time with Brady to build on a solid start. He could be in line for a lot of action as the Patriots make their push towards the playoffs.

There is a downside to Sanu. The Patriots change their schemes and systems weekly so you cannot guarantee who the number 1 wide receiver will be each week.

However, just like with Edelman, if Brady has trust in the receiver, they will see the ball often. Sanu could be the Pats biggest receiving threat in the red zone. It has more positives than negatives.

Put On The Block

David Johnson – RB (Arizona Cardinals)

This one may raise a few eyebrows but I have my justifications. The Cardinals traded for Kenyon Drake for a reason and Chase Edmonds was performing well before his injury.

This means that Johnson is entering a period where he will be job sharing and that is not the type of player that you want during a post season fantasy run. Johnson cannot guarantee you decent fantasy numbers.

Trade him away.

D.J. Chark Jr. – WR (Jacksonville Jaguars)

Before you pull the trigger on a trade that includes Chark, confirm that Dede Westbrook is returning from his injury. If Westbrook is returning then Chark could be great trade bait. Nick Foles is taking over at QB after Minshew lost all of his magic at Wembley stadium! Foles favourite target earlier this season was Westbrook.

There is too much uncertainty with a new QB taking over to risk Chark.

Keenan Allen – WR (LA Chargers)

Another surprising choice to most people? There is no doubting the talent that Allen has but his production has been terrible.

He still has the same quarterback throwing him the ball but something isn’t right. He finished with 3 catches for 40 yards on just four targets last week and he has failed to reach double digits in four of the past 6 games. In fact, he hasn’t scored more than 12.3 fantasy points in any of the past 6 games!

Through the first three weeks of the season he was averaging 29.2 fantasy points per game but his targets have dropped massively.

With an unfavourable schedule coming up, it may be time to move Allen.