Notable Injuries from week 4:
- Saquon Barkley (Hamstring)
- Tank Bigsby (Core)
- DJ Moore (Shoulder)
- Ja’Marr Chase (Concussion)
- Rashee Rice (Hamstring)
- Ladd McConkey (Foot)
- Tee Higgins (Groin)
- Tyquan Thornton (Ankle)
- Pat Bryant (Ankle)
- Lamar Jackson (Ankle)
- Marcus Mariota (Knee)
BYE Week:
- Carolina Panthers
- Kansas City Chiefs
Will Shipley (Rostered in 0.6% of ESPN leagues)
Tough to be an Eagles fan right now. Even tougher if you are in a spot where you need to try and pick up Will Shipley. Regardless, if that’s where you find yourself, whether you like it or not Shipley is in talks for the starter role while Barkley remains week to week. Keep an eye on Barkley’s injury status today but at the very least you end up with his handcuff for some games and the potential to start this week could be valuable. I wouldn’t drop someone good to go out and get him, but a fringe WR or RB would be fine.
Emmett Johnson (Rostered in 20.3% of ESPN leagues) and Kaelon Black (Rostered in 34.6% of ESPN leagues)
Weekly reminder to pick these dudes up if you have Kenneth Walker or CMC. RIP Tank Bigsby to this entry. Wishing a speedy recovery.
Keon Coleman (Rostered in 4.2% of ESPN leagues)
The last time I put Coleman on this list was when DJ Moore suffered his first shoulder injury and he would go on to lay a dud against the Chargers of all teams. This time around I’m still hopeful for Coleman’s fantasy potential purely based on opportunity and the matchup. These are two teams with stars built for a shootout. Keep an eye on Moore’s injury status but Coleman may be a good flex/insurance option in week 5.
Dohnte Meyers (Rostered in 0.2% of ESPN leagues) Genius Pick of the Week
This is a big injury play this week as both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins could miss time with injuries. It is also totally possible that the Bengals hold out both Chase and Higgins through their week 6 BYE week priming Meyers for a big opportunity. To take matters to another level, the Bengals are playing the Dolphins who are not great. On Sunday against the Jaguars, Meyers saw 9 targets which he was able to turn into 7 receptions for 82 yards. Definitely take a swing with all these wide receiver injuries but keep in mind this is likely a 1 week rental kind of deal.
Mike Gesicki (Rostered in 9.6% of ESPN leagues)
I’ve stayed away from Mike Gesicki so far this year purely because he is touchdown dependent and outside of game 1, his targets are pretty minimal. However, the injuries to both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins opens the door for more opportunity. I have Dohnte Meyers listed above but Gesicki may end up being the main beneficiary as he has been around the league for a bit compared to the UDFA. Definitely worth a play this week if you don’t have one of the top guys.
Cade Otton (Rostered in 3.1% of ESPN leagues)
Last week’s Genius Pick of the Week, Otton turned in another consistent performance even without Baker Mayfield. While not the crazy performance I was hoping for, it was encouraging to see him targeted 6 times by Jalon Daniles. It’s also worth noting that Otton led the team in receiving yards and was second on the team in targets. TE is feast or famine usually so I’ll take the consistent target opportunity. Next up is a nice matchup against the Cowboys who are allowing a healthy dose of fantasy points to tight ends.
CJ Stroud (Rostered in 37.2% of ESPN leagues)
It is so hard to make sense of this Texans team and hard to make any sense of what CJ Stroud’s fantasy relevance is. We finally got a glimpse of what could happen when things are firing correctly and I think Nico Collins is a big part of that. With Collins on the field, CJ Stroud is an entirely different player.
40 games with Nico Collins in his career
- Passer rating of 96.2
- 9,668 yards
- 57 touchdowns and 20 interceptions
10 games without Nico Collins in his career
- Passer rating of 84.3
- 2,349 yards
- 10 touchdowns and 5 interceptions
Now I know the difference in games with and games without is a significant difference, but it is hard to deny the difference in production. I’m also buying the hungry dog mentality here. There is no way this Texans team should be 0-4 and the bounce back against the Titans feels real. I’d consider Stroud here if I lost Lamar Jackson or Marcus Mariota this week and need a QB.
Kirk Cousins (Rostered in 16.9% of ESPN leagues)
If you had asked me before the season what I thought of Kirk Cousins and the state of the Raiders franchise, I would have never told you they would be 3-1 or that Kirk Cousins would be an early MVP candidate. But here we are. The o-line is much improved and the Raiders are able to get Ashton Jeanty involved more which only helps Cousins in the passing game. While the Raiders don’t have the most notable pass catchers, Brock Bowers is able to anchor the receiving core and Cousins can spread it out from there. While I don’t love this week’s matchup against the Patriots, the defense has shown the potential to be exploited. I did just watch Cousins dissect the Chiefs defense so maybe my opinion doesn’t matter. Only one way to find out.
Jacoby Brissett (Rostered in 9.9% of ESPN leagues)
If you are considering adding Jacoby Brissett this week just know that this is a 1 week longshot. I say that because the Lions cannot stop anybody and the next 2 matchups against the Rams and Broncos are a no go for me. We know what Brissett is already and know his capabilities. It could be a decent turn out with some potential for a boom or a complete dud for no reason. However, the Cardinals are a bad team, but they are not the worst team and they have plenty of offensive weapons that could continue to expose the Lions defense. Consider Brissett if your usual starter is down.
*Point totals mentioned assume full point PPR scoring.
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