With week seven in the books Rizzla brings you the hottest pickups for week eight of the 2018 fantasy football season.
Week seven was highlighted by the exciting trade news emanating out of Jacksonville and Dallas. The player movement had wide ranging effects on the fantasy fortunes of the players on the four teams involved including value boosts for Nick Chubb, Amari Cooper, Ezekiel Elliott, Jordy Nelson and Dak Prescott. Players who saw their value take a hit in the wake of their new teammates include Leonard Fournette, Carlos Hyde, TJ Yeldon, Michael Gallup and Derek Carr. While we still view the Jaguars trade as a win as discussed here, the potential fantasy nightmare forming in that backfield has the potential to dash fantasy owner’s’ title aspirations. The Cowboys won big from a fantasy perspective but the future could be bright for a Raiders organization now holding on to three first round picks in 2019 and two in 2020.
Much to the chagrin of Mike Williams owners San Diego Chargers wide receiver Tyrell Williams went off for 118 receiving yards for the second consecutive week. With three touchdowns over the past two weeks Williams is likely to be one of the hottest names on the waiver wire in the 85 percent of yahoo leagues he is available in. Williams is the Chargers deep threat and remains a boom or bust option but when someone is playing this good you add him and worry about his floor when making sit/start decisions. Add Tyrell wherever possible.
Christian Kirk leads the Arizona Cardinals with sixteen receptions and 247 receiving yards since Josh Rosen took over as starter. Kirk also ranks second on the team in air yards over that time period behind only tight end Ricky Seals-Jones. Available in 74 percent of yahoo leagues Kirk’s sky high dynasty league value transcends his rookie inconsistency but the fact remains that Kirk is operating as the team’s number one receiver. With the firing of Mike McCoy and the move to Byron Leftwich at offensive coordinator there is some well founded hope that as a Bruce Arians pupil he will be able to unlock the true potential of this offense. With that said however, prepare your FAAB bid considering that Larry Fitzgerald could take back over as the number one and David Johnson could once again become heavily involved in the pass game with Leftwich calling the shots. Make the add where possible.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling made quite the impression in his two game stretch as a starter for the Green Bay Packers as he managed eight targets, five receptions and 85.5 yards per game, a feat Randall Cobb did not accomplish for the entire 2017-18 season. With the health of Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison still unknown MVS is a shrewd add in the 92 percent of yahoo leagues he was dropped in. In the last year of his contract and not in the Packers future plans the Green Bay Packers will give serious thought to continuing to start MVS even when Randall Cobb is healthy. MVS is a prime ‘stash and laugh’ candidate especially when one considers Cobb has been the subject of trade rumors since the offseason. Make the add where rosters will allow.
Ronald Jones took a clear backseat to Peyton Barber this past Sunday but came in and found the end zone following Barber leaving the game with an injury. Jones has always been our preferred roster stash in this backfield and if Barber’s injury proves to be of the lingering variety we can expect the explosive Jones to finally get his shot. Available in 84 percent of yahoo leagues Jones is still more of a bench depth option than a bye week filler outside of the deepest leagues but could quickly find himself with flex value when he ascends to the starting role.
Tajae Sharpe was a popular breakout candidate a couple of years back and it now seems that his on field rapport with Marcus Mariota is as strong as ever. Sharpe looks to have passed Taywan Taylor on the target totem pole and should remain a solid bye week filler type with upside for more. Currently available in 99 percent of yahoo leagues Sharpe went off for a career high 101 yards receiving off of seven receptions. Corey Davis remains the number one receiver here but Mariota has proven gun shy when Davis has a tough cornerback matchup making Sharpe an interesting streaming play. Add Sharpe where needed.
Available in 89 percent of yahoo leagues Donte Moncrief has operated as the Jaguars top receiver the past few weeks and with Blake Bortles possibly (hopefully) benched Moncrief should see more consistency going forward. Speaking of consistency, if you ignore Moncrief’s bagel in Blake Bortles meltdown in Dallas, Moncrief has averaged six receptions and 87 receiving yards over the three game sample of weeks four, five and seven. Moncrief is a solid bye week filler with flex upside and should be added where needed.
Courtland Sutton has a spot reserved on this list until his ownership level climbs above 45 percent. Sutton is an immense talent in the Alshon Jeffery mold and continues to impress for the Broncos. He is still currently stuck behind Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas but with rumours swirling that Thomas may be on the trade block the future could be now for the promising dynasty league favorite. Available in 95 percent of yahoo leagues Sutton found the end zone in week seven and is seemingly one step away from becoming a weekly must start. While hoping for an injury ahead of him is not something we endorse, a trade of DT or a switch to Chip Kelly or someone from outside the organization at quarterback is all he needs to take off. Add Sutton wherever available as a mammoth upside ‘stash and laugh’.
Available in 83 percent of yahoo leagues Tre’Quan Smith had a quiet week seven but still stands to be the main beneficiary of Ted Ginn being placed on IR. The Ravens are one of the tougher defenses in the league so we are not reading too much into Smith’s disappointing three reception, 44 yard week seven stat line. With that said however Smith will play the Ted Ginn/Devery Henderson role for the Saints so we will see some role based inconsistency on top of the rookie variety we expect to see with most first year players. Smith is a bye week filler with palpable WR3 upside who should be added wherever possible as a potential lottery ticket.
Kapri Bibbs will be a solid PPR pickup if Chris Thompson’s injury proves to be of the multi week variety. Available in 98 percent of yahoo leagues Bibbs will be a solid bye week filler if Thompson misses anymore time with the rib and knee injuries that caused him to miss the last two contests. Bibbs will operate much like Thompson as the teams receiving back with Adrian Peterson being the featured runner, giving Bibbs potential flex2 bye week value. Add Bibbs where needed in deeper leagues.
Rashaad Penny is more of a ‘stash and laugh’ than someone you want to deploy during bye weeks but as a first round investment for the Seattle Seahawks you can be certain that Penny will get his shot sooner or later. The clear superior talent in the Seahawks backfield Penny just needs to start playing closer to his potential to gain the confidence he needs to thrive. Currently available in 83 percent of yahoo leagues Penny could prove to be a potential fantasy lottery ticket down the stretch. Stash Penny where at all possible.
Available in 93 percent of yahoo leagues Chris Ivory could be a hot add this week if Lesean McCoy is not able to suit up for week eight after leaving week sevens contest against the Colts with what looked like possible knee, leg and head injuries. Ivory looked solid during his last fill in for Lesean McCoy and despite gameflow and stacked front issues a potential starting running back is still a valuable fantasy commodity at this time of the year. Ivory will be a mere bye week filler if McCoy is forced to miss any time but is solid roster depth nonetheless.
Available in 76 and 79 percent of yahoo leagues respectively Doug Martin and Jalen Richard look to be in first in line for an expanded role for the Raiders with Marshawn Lynch being placed on IR. There is not much to be excited about when it comes to Martin, who is more of a bye week filler type with volume dependent upside. Jalen Richard on the other hand could creep his way to flex2 value in PPR leagues die to negative game scripts looking likely to constantly be in his favor as the preferred passing down back. Both backs are worth adds in deeper leagues.
Available in 84 percent of Yahoo leagues DJ Moore remains a solid high upside bye week filler. Moore finished week seven with only 29 yards off of three receptions showing off his bench worthy fantasy floor. Moore however is in the position to explode if given a larger role in the offense; he has seen his snap share increase to 40 percent over the last three weeks, but much more is warranted for arguably the Carolina Panthers most talented wide receiver. Eighth in fantasy points per route with 0.66 and eleventh in both yards per route with 3.08 and yards per target with 10.6 Moore’s production in a limited amount of snaps suggests a promotion to 12 personnel groupings may be in the cards in the not too far off future. With a rock solid 2.26 fantasy points per target good for seventeenth among receivers you can be sure Norv Turner is scheming more ways to turn his rookie playmaker loose. Make the add where possible.
Somehow still available in 58 percent of Yahoo leagues Willie Snead has worked his way into the flex2 conversation, especially during the bye weeks. Joe Flacco has been targeting him early and often in recent weeks as Willie Snead has seen 7.5 targets over his last four contests, suggesting that 21st overall receiver in terms of receptions needs to be on ppr rosters during the bye weeks at a minimum. Despite a slow week expect Snead to be be scooped up with heavy byes on deck for weeks eight and nine. Add Snead where needed.
Deep league specials: With Amari Cooper being traded to the Cowboys Michael Gallup may have fallen back to fourth on the teams depth chart. Gallup is still a solid stash after his 81 yard and a touchdown performance but is worth a much lower FAAB bid following this news; Michael Floyd looked somewhat impressive for Washington and at 99 percent availability is worth a look in deeper leagues; Danny Amendola is a solid add for deep league owners, available in the 90 percent of yahoo leagues, after a solid week seven he will see an increased role with Albert Wilson’s injury proving serious; available in 73 percent of yahoo leagues Cole Beasley is a solid bye week filler for deeper ppr leagues, his upside remains limited with Dak Prescott but with no tight end of consequence Beasley should continue to feast over the middle; the 85 percent available Kelvin Benjamin maintains his theoretical weekly upside but does not seem have any passion to be good, never mind great; Torrey Smith remains a bye week filler for the Panthers and is available in 99 percent of yahoo leagues; the 88 percent available Raheem Mostert will be a solid deep league add once again if Matt Breida is forced to sit out any games with his aggravated ankle injury; as always LeGarrette Blount is a better standard league play than ppr option but maintains weekly touchdown upside and is a solid bye week filler in you are in a pinch; Deandre Washington is worth a flier in competitive deeper leagues that saw Jalen Richard and Doug Martin on rosters even before news of Marshawn Lynch’s injury hit.
