Notable Injuries from week 5:
- Will Shipley (Foot)
- Kyle Monangai (Turf Toe)
- David Montgomery (Groin)
- TreyVeyon Henderson (Ankle)
- CeeDee Lamb (Quadriceps Contusion)
- Deebo Samuel (Hamstring)
- KC Concepcion (Head)
- Roman Wilson (Foot)
- Tre Harris (Hamstring)
- T.J. Hockenson (Concussion)
- Kenyon Sadiq (Concussion)
- Michael Penix Jr. (Rib)
BYE Week:
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Detroit Lions
- Miami Dolphins
- Minnesota Vikings
MarShawn Lloyd (Rostered in 48.7% of ESPN leagues)
The Cowboys defense sucks. That’s the entry.
For real though, I am not big on Lloyd mostly because this is a crowded backfield and the touches aren’t crazy. He has only seen double digit carries twice this season but on the other hand, the Cowboys are allowing the most rushing yards per game to running backs. I mean come on, it is at least worth taking a swing if you need BYE week or injury fill in.
Dameon Pierce (Rostered in 2.4% of ESPN leagues)
Ah shit, here we go again. First Barkley gets hurt and then Tank Bigsby gets hurt in the same game. Now Will Shipley has a foot injury. This backfield is absolutely brutal right now. Next man up, Dameon Pierce, the former Texan here to save the day. My initial gut reaction was no way this guy is worth picking up. However, I did some inner reflecting and noticed my Panthers are horrible at defending the run. 2nd most rushing yards allowed per game (156.5) if you were curious. Now I will caution that Barkley could come back and play this week but that has yet to be confirmed as I write this on Monday night. Keep an eye out but Pierce could be your desperation play of the week.
Emmett Johnson (Rostered in 15.1% of ESPN leagues) and Kaelon Black (Rostered in 26.6% of ESPN leagues)
Weekly reminder to pick these dudes up if you have Kenneth Walker or CMC.
Dontayvion Wicks (Rostered in 44.5% of ESPN leagues)
Adding another Eagles player to this list when we play them this week hurts me quite a bit. However, I am a realist and both Panthers starting cornerbacks are on IR which opens the door for Wicks to pop off. I feel like most people are honestly focused on Darius Cooper because of the touchdowns but the opportunity is higher with Wicks. He is a bigger part of this offense than Cooper and when Smith returns, Wicks should remain involved. Not a bad flex option this week.
Germie Bernard (Rostered in 3% of ESPN leagues)
I talk about it a bit below but Roman Wilson is dealing with a foot injury and Michael Pittman is on IR which opens the door for the rookie out of the University of Alabama. Against the Colts, Bernard saw 9 targets which he turned into 6 catches for 80 yards. He also added 4 yards on the ground. While not eye popping, it is an encouraging sign moving forward. It is also worth noting he led the team in targets and was second in receiving yards. The Bucs defense doesn’t get the credit it deserves but Bernard could be a flex play this week if DK Metcalf and Pat Freiermuth draw the top coverage.
Brenton Strange (Rostered in 27.2% of ESPN leagues)
It is so nice to see Brenton Strange hold fantasy value these past few weeks. This offseason the Jaguars opted to keep him around by giving him a 3-year contract worth up to $48 million. That’s nothing to scoff at for the former Penn State Nittany Lion. When looking at tight ends, one of the first things I look at is the targets which lead to more opportunities at a position that can be feast or famine. Strange has seen 8 targets each of the past 2 weeks which is beyond great. Next I usually look at the matchup. This week is a Texans defense allowing a healthy dose of fantasy points to tight ends (7th most through the first 4 weeks). Those factors alone are enough for me to roster Strange long term.
Pat Freiermuth (Rostered in 20.3% of ESPN leagues)
What a game for the veteran tight end. 5 catches on 7 targets for 44 yards and 2 touchdowns. Wild stuff considering the old man throwing him the ball. Regardless, the opportunity is there. Through 5 games Freiermuth has only seen less than 5 targets in a game once. He should remain pretty involved with Roman Wilson dealing with a foot injury and Michael Pittman on IR. While I think the upcoming matchup with the Bucs is tough, I like the following matchups against the Saints and the Browns a lot more. If you pick up Freiermuth this week you are probably going to play him but this is more of a preemptive pickup for weeks 7 and 8 for me.
Tyler Higbee (Rostered in 20.3% of ESPN leagues)
Since week 3, Tyler Higbee has been on an absolute tear. His point totals over the last 3 games are 20.2, 11.7 and 14.3. A big part of that has been the absence of Terrance Ferguson and the shoulder injury to Colby Parkinson. Should those guys continue to miss time, Higbee is worthy of a start.
Jordan Love (Rostered in 47.9% of ESPN leagues)
In years past I have been a Jordan Love truther and I still believe in the guy despite the rougher start the Packers have had this year. For fantasy, he has been a little up and down but he just ripped off a 25.28 point performance against the Bears. The story here is that I’m not chasing the points, I’m hunting a bad defense. The Dallas Cowboys have been one of the worst defenses this year without question. With Jordan Love, Matthew Golden and Christian Watson seemingly starting to come online, I think Love absolutely torches the Cowboys defense this week. It is also important to mention that the Lions defense which is somehow worse is their following matchup. If he is available this week somehow, he won’t be next week.Try and snag him.
Kirk Cousins (Rostered in 36.3% of ESPN leagues) Genius Pick of the Week
Against the Patriots, Kirk played an efficient game throwing for 243 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, Drake Maye reminded everyone why he was in the MVP conversation last year and absolutely blew out the Raiders by throwing 4 of his own and adding an additional rushing score. I haven’t lost hope though on Cousins and he is due for an easy matchup this week against the Bills. Through the first 4 weeks of the season, the Bills are allowing the third most receiving yards per game (256.3) and the fourth most passing touchdowns per game (2.5). I’m writing this as the Monday night game against the Rams is happening and so far they have allowed another 150ish yards and another receiving touchdown midway through the third quarter. All of that to say I think Cousins will have a nice outing against them next week and he is certainly worth streaming if needed with 4 teams on a BYE.
*Point totals mentioned assume full point PPR scoring.
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