Well, it was a rough week for your’s truly. Raise your hand if you had a player leave before halftime with a concussion. Yep me too. Feel free to share your week 8 fantasy football horror stories in the comment section below.
I, like many of you, had to watch my team struggle when Spencer Ware went down with an injury. Or maybe like me, you were hoping that Dallas would run the ball more with Ezekiel Elliott inside the ten yard line. Either way, Fantasy Football can be rough sometimes. This has been a rougher season than most for my teams, so I hope you’ve fared better.
Good news. The Dallas Cowboys won!!!
Week 8 Hot Sauce Results
Brock Osweiler – 20/29 186 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. BURNED
Matt Jones – Did not play.
Matt Asiata – 16 touches for 78 total yards. ON FIRE
Ty Montgomery – Did not play.
Brandon LaFell – 1 catch, 6 yards, 0 TDs. BURNED
Week 8 Weak Sauce Results
Cam Newton – 14/27 for 212 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs, 43 yards rushing. ON FIRE
Melvin Gordon – 27 touches for 155 total yards, 0 TDs. BURNED
Isaiah Crowell – 13 touches for 63 total yards, 1 TD. BURNED
Alshon Jeffrey – 4 Catches for 63 yards, 1 TD. BURNED
Allen Robinson – 6 catches for 70 yards. ON FIRE
Where we Stand…
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Week 9 Hot Sauce
Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons have improved dramatically from 2015 to 2016. Problem is they haven’t improved enough.
As a defense, they are giving up 285.38 passing yards per game through eight games this season. They’ve allowed 19 passing touchdowns, good for 2.38 per game.
Jameis Winston is averaging 253.7 yards per game passing as well as two passing touchdowns per game in 2016. Winston hasn’t been great, but he’s definitely worth a start this week.
Flavorful Forecast: 285 yards, three touchdowns, one interception.
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys @ Cleveland Browns
Dak Prescott continues to grow.
Yes, he had a horrible three-quarters against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football. That being said, he didn’t give up, and thanks to the defense, had an opportunity to lead the Dallas Cowboys back. What a great comeback and win for the rookie quarterback.
For the third time this season, Dak Prescott finished with more fantasy points than Andrew Luck.
Facing the Cleveland Browns this week, Prescott is certainly a top-12 option at the quarterback position.
Up until week 7 against the New York Jets, the Cleveland Browns had given up at least two passing touchdowns per game to every opponent. With his rushing ability continuing to cause opposing defenses trouble, you almost have to start Prescott this week.
Flavorful Forecast: 265 yards, two touchdowns passing, 30 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown.
Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens
I’ve tried this before, but I’m going to try this again. Fortune favors the bold, right?
Le’Veon Bell and the Pittsburgh Steelers will travel this week to take on their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens.
Baltimore is playing really good defense in 2016. They’ve allowed the fourth fewest rushing yards in 2016 and only allow 3.5 yards per carry. Combine that with the fact they’ve only allowed three rushing touchdowns all season and it’s going to be tough running for Bell.
Without Ben Roethlisberger in the game to keep defenses honest, the Ravens will likely load the box and make Landry Jones try to beat them.
Flavorful Forecast: 23 touches for 75 yards, zero touchdowns.
Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars @ Kansas City Chiefs
Allen Robinson was a feature in last weeks weak sauce space. For good reason too. He has been really inconsistent.
He’s been terrible, along with the rest of the Jacksonville Jaguars offense. So why am I featuring him here this week?
Because opinion of Robinson is at an all-time low in fantasy football circles. The Jacksonville Jaguars made a change at the offensive coordinator position and I think it’s going to pay dividends for Blake Bortles and Allen Robinson.
Flavorful Forecast: 7 catches for 130 yards and one touchdown.
Week 9 Weak Sauce
Eli Manning, New York Giants vs Philadelphia Eagles
Eli Manning had a pretty good game the last time the New York Giants were on the field.
With the Giants coming off the bye week, many will think they should be well prepared for their NFC East showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Eli Manning averages at least one interception a game for his career. He’s also struggled to hold onto the ball at times when pressured. I think the Philadelphia blitz scheme is going to give the New York Giants trouble, making for a long day for the younger Manning.
Flavorless Forecast: 18/37 for 220 yards, one touchdown, one interception.
Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders vs Denver Broncos
Derek Carr has been nothing short of incredible this season and should be in the conversation for Most Valuable Player of the NFL.
Problem is, Carr hasn’t faced the Denver Broncos yet.
In eight games, the Denver Broncos have held opposing passers to 183.9 passing yards per game. The Broncos have more interceptions (8) than touchdown passes allowed (6). They hold good passing teams down. They have a really good pass rush.
While Derek Carr has been really good this season, I expect the fun to end in week nine.
Flavorless Forecast: 20/40 for 200 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.
Jay Ajayi, Miami Dolphins vs New York Jets
The Jay Ajayi release party has finally arrived. It may be a season and a half late, but those in dynasty that showed patience with Ajayi are finally able to reap the benefits of the young dynamic player.
When Lamar Miller left the Miami Dolphins for the Houston Texans in the offseason, the thought was Ajayi would get the opportunity to be a workhorse back in Adam Gase’s offense.
In week five he saw an increased workload against the tough Tennessee Titans defense and only managed 42 yards on 13 carries. The next two weeks were nothing short of incredible.
In weeks six and seven, Ajayi totaled 423 yards on 56 touches and scored two touchdowns. Those numbers nearly equal the 438 total yards he’d accumulated in the other 13 games of his career.
This week though, the former Boise State Bronco faces a New York Jets defense that only allows 3.3 yards per carry and 74 rushing yards per game. Expect Ajayi to be held down this week.
Flavorless Forecast: 20 touches for 70 yards and zero touchdowns.
Marvin Jones, Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings
Xavier Rhodes has been one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL in 2016 and has routinely held big time receivers in check.
With the recent surge in play from fellow wide receiver Golden Tate, Jones has seen his production decrease.
Jones has been held without a touchdown in two consecutive weeks for the first time in 2016.
Don’t expect that to change in week nine.
Flavorless Forecast: Four catches for 65 yards, zero touchdowns.
Waiver Wire Priorities
Ryan Tannehill, QB, Miami Dolphins
The New York Jets are excellent against the run, ranking 5th. They are the worst in the NFL against the pass. Ryan Tannehill is a great bye week fill in for you in week nine.
Rob Kelley, RB, Washington
Rob Kelley ran well this week against a tough Cincinnati Bengals front. If Matt Jones continues to miss time, Kelley will be the workhorse in Washington.
Charcandrick West, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Another week, another Kansas City Chiefs running back going down. Spencer Ware went out in the second quarter with a concussion and his status for week nine will be in question. Jamaal Charles is going to see Dr. James Andrews about his knee and seeing a specialist in the middle of the season isn’t good. This leaves Charcandrick West, who is a good dual-threat running back.
James Starks, RB, Green Bay Packers
Old faithful, James Starks, looks like he is going to be healthy and ready to play in week nine. Though Green Bay has been able to find success with Ty Montgomery and Davante Adams in the backfield, Starks is a good tailback and will get at least 15 touches this week.
J.J. Nelson, WR, Arizona Cardinals
J.J. Nelson saw 12 targets this week and was confirmed by Bruce Arians on Monday to now be a starter in the Arizona offense. He has dynamic speed and has produced well in the last couple of weeks for Arizona.
