Demaryius Thomas is a thing again
Hey there, champ. It’s me again. Keep your head up, your crown is falling off. Fantasy football isn’t about the draft. It’s not about knowledge or wit. It’s about the will to win. Are you going to let your opponents want it more than you? There’s plenty of football left to play, so you better keep your eyes on the road. We’re ten weeks into the season, where players get banged up more easily. Stash high-quality backups such as Alexander Mattison, Tony Pollard and Wayne Gallman. You’re one injury away from busting the playoffs wide open. Forget about your record right now, think about your record over the next few weeks. Plan ahead and add defenses with plus matchups in the playoffs. The Eagles and the Chiefs are two examples. You’re not down and out, and as Johnny Castle once said, nobody puts Baby in the corner.
QB – Kyle Allen
Cam Newton is likely shut down for the regular season, but the Panthers’ season is far from over. Thanks to their defense and the play of backup Kyle Allen, they’re in the wildcard hunt. On the season, Allen has ten touchdowns and five interceptions. His production has slowed since his monster performance in Week three. If you look closer, you’ll realize that his performances aren’t all that unpredictable. His best weeks are against Arizona and Tampa Bay, two of the worst defenses in the NFL. This week, he faces the Falcons at home. Atlanta caught New Orleans off guard last week, but I’m considering that an outlier performance. I’m not afraid of starting Kyle Allen against Atlanta, and you shouldn’t be either.
RB – Brian Hill
Some might consider this low-hanging fruit, but I’m going to disagree on the assumption that most casual fantasy players don’t know what team Hill plays for. I’ll give you a few hints if you’re in that boat. He is normally the third-string back for his team. Their backfield has been among the least effective in the league, which is reflected by their 2-7 record. If you guessed the Falcons, you’re correct. With both Devonta Freeman and Ito Smith inactive, the Falcons gave Hill the ball 21 times on Sunday. That only resulted in 71 total yards against New Orleans, but that’s not what’s important. He’s likely the starter again in Week 11 versus the Panthers. Carolina has a solid defense, but Hill has the upside as the only guy in town. He’s unowned in your league, and you can get him and start him this week.
WR – Demaryius Thomas
The Jets offense hasn’t exactly been firing on all cylinders this season. They flipped the script last week, scoring 34 against an unsuspecting Giants defense. Robbie Anderson was practically silent throughout the game. He received three targets, while Crowder got six and Demaryius Thomas had nine. I’m expecting a similar situation in Week 11 against the Redskins. Teams have been bullying CB Josh Norman all year. It’s possible Norman lines up against Anderson or Thomas. Regardless, I expect HC Adam Gase to exploit that. Thomas is my pick to lead the team in targets again this week.
TE – Vance McDonald
Owners of Old McDonald haven’t had a great harvest this year. He’s averaging a pitiful 7.5 yards per reception this year on 35 targets. The good news is that he’s received seven targets in each of his last two games. Starting QB Mason Rudolph hasn’t been able to push the ball downfield effectively this season. As a result, McDonald regularly receives targets five yards from the line of scrimmage. Targets are targets, no matter how small they are. Pittsburgh travels to Cleveland for Thursday Night Football this week. If the Browns sell out to stop James Conner and the run game, Vance could have a monster week.