What if I told you at the beginning of the season, that five weeks into the season, the Browns would have a better record than the defending Super Bowl Champion Eagles, Jared Goff would lead the league in passing yards, and Isaiah Crowell and Matt Breida would be amongst the top five in the NFL for rushing yards? The season has been full of surprises and, as fantasy seasons typically go, no one can guess what will happen next. But I will try my best. Let’s roll.
Stock Up:
TJ Yeldon, RB Jacksonville Jaguars: Many Jaguars fans held their breaths when star running back, Leonard Fournette, went down with a hamstring injury during Week 1, and re-aggravated the injury during his return in Week 3. However, Yeldon has been a fantastic replacement thus far. Over the past two weeks, Yeldon has garnered 21 and 18 touches, which propelled him to 23 and 26.2 points in PPR scoring. With very little competition for touches in the Jaguars backfield, Yeldon is a legit RB1 until Fournette returns, and holds standalone value as a flex once Fournette returns due to his involvement in the passing game.
Stock Down:
Larry Fitzgerald, WR Arizona Cardinals: As a fan of Larry Fitz, this hurts to write, but Fitzgerald is borderline droppable after his Week 5 performance. The Cardinals’ passing game has struggled thus far with Fitzgerald only catching 17 of his 27 targets, putting him on par with the likes of Taywan Taylor and Albert Wilson. Arizona’s schedule does not get any easier going forward, with matchups against Minnesota and Denver in the immediate future, hindering Fitzgerald’s fantasy prospects further.
Waiver Wire Watch:
Nyheim Hines, RB Indianapolis Colts (owned in 46.9 percent of leagues): The Colts running game is a mess, averaging a mere 74.4 yards per game, 29th best in the NFL. However, Hines’ share in the Colts’ passing game gives him solid value, especially in PPR leagues. Hines’ 29 receptions is the 4th most among running backs thus far this season, and on an offense with very few playmakers, Hines presents a solid fantasy floor.
Keke Coutee, WR Houston Texans (owned in 19.6 percent of leagues): The Texans offense has longed for a dynamic slot receiver ever since the beginning of the Deshaun Watson era, and Coutee may be their guy. After missing the first three games of the season with a hamstring injury, the rookie has seen 19 targets through his first two NFL games. On the surface, his target volume does not seem sustainable, but with deep threats DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller stretching opposing defenses, Coutee often finds himself open on underneath routes. Coutee should continue seeing high volume moving forward, and is a must-add in PPR leagues.
Jameis Winston, QB Tampa Bay Buccaneers (owned in 12.5 percent
of leagues): Fitzmagic was fun while it lasted, but Winston is Tampa Bay’s starter going forward. Winston has been a solid fantasy quarterback thus far in his career, and has a savory match-up next week against the Falcons’ 29th ranked pass defense. If you need a bye-week filler, Winston should be your guy if you’re looking to eat some W’s.