It has been a long month for me and my fantasy team. My losing streak is up to four games, games I could have won if I played the right players on my team.
This week, Adrian Peterson was left on the bench while Ty Montgomery and C.J. Anderson stumbled around the gridiron. Last week, it was “duck, duck, goose” who I left on my bench.
It goes on and on. But with how terrible I have been lately, my heart was a little bit lighter on Monday reading football news.
Honestly, I never thought I would say these words again, but Teddy Bridgewater is cleared to practice.
After destroying his knee last preseason, it makes me happy to see his hard work pay off. I hope he takes his time because he deserves to step on to the field when the moment is right.
And for you Packers fans, remember, that a broken collarbone is not the end of the world. Alright, on to the advice that I should actually listen to this time around.
Quarterbacks
For all of the Aaron Rogers owners out there, you will really want to pick up someone else. In which case, the best NFC North backup quarterback to own is Case Keenum. For the die-hard Packers fan, that might be hard to stomach. But Keenum has been solid for the Vikings, so much so that there is no real rush to try and bring back Sam Bradford. Stashing Brett Hundley is an option, but there is too much unknown there for now.
Can anyone name a healthy Buffalo Bills receiver? Neither can I, but that is not stopping me from listing Tyrod Taylor here. Tampa Bay allows the most fantasy points to receivers, so surely Taylor can get something going at home against the Bucs. If the Bills can get someone else to complement Charles Clay and a healthy Jordan Matthews, Taylor could become a long-term option.
For the record Alex Smith owners, I kept him on the bench last week when he dipped in production. This week he will be starting as my other option, Jameis Winston, is day-to-day. Smith still has not thrown an interception yet this year. Seeing as I am giving him the nod, expect a soft matchup against Oakland to end with three picks.
Running backs
At times last Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals looked like they were primed for a Super Bowl run this year, which is not 2012. One of the reasons why was a massive Arizona debut by Adrian Peterson. A pair of touchdowns and 134 yards (52 more than he gained in four games for New Orleans) show there is still life in All-Day. Going against the Rams defense that just gave up 130 yards to Leonard Fournette this week, AP is a viable option once again.
Sorry Matt Breida owners, but Carols Hyde is officially a one-yard monster. Hyde had not one, but two 1-yard touchdowns last week, despite registering just 28 yards. Hyde also out snapped Breida 56-17, so any hope for Breida may now rest in another team trading for Hyde.
One back that has no worries about a lack of touches is Jordan Howard. Despite not getting into the end zone, Howard still had 167 yards rushing, given the Bears got overtime last week. Still, he rushed the ball 36 times. John Fox still seems extremely hesitant to let the rookie Mitchell Trubisky let it fly with 54 of the 75 plays the Bears offense ran being running plays. All good news for Howard.
Wide receivers
All go for any Atlanta wide receiver. Atlanta gets New England this week, who have a terrible defense. Julio Jones has not been into the end zone for a while and is surely due. Taylor Gabriel’s big play ability could be the dagger. Atlanta needs to score early and often, and maybe not blow it this time.
Good news Giants fans, there is at least some life in your team. Better news, Sterling Shepard is likely to return this week. That means there is at least one body for Eli Manning to throw to on the outside, seeing as the wide receivers totaled one fantasy point last week.
Jacksonville has also shown some signs of life this season. Marqise Lee has emerged as a nice complement to Allen Hurns. Lee notched a solid 83 yards last week against the Rams and gets another solid matchup against the Colts. He’s a good option for owners of Marvin Jones and DeAndre Hopkins, who are on bye this week.
Tight ends
Let’s be honest, Austin Seferian-Jenkins had a touchdown wrongfully taken away. But even with the 8-point swing from having the score erased and turned into a fumble, it was still a solid day for the Jets’ tight end. He now has a touchdown in two straight games and is getting a bunch of red zone targets. Expect more of the same against Miami.
If there was a time to get in on George Kittle, it is now. The San Francisco rookie has quietly gotten off to a good start to his NFL career. While he only has one score and a tough slate of games upcoming, there is one upside to his status. C.J. Beathard has taken over as starting quarterback, and both rookies formed a connection from their time at the University of Iowa. Just ask last year’s Bison secondary how good the pair is.