The first 10 weeks of the fantasy football season have concluded, marking a transition into Week 11 of the NFL. Let’s review some key utilization statistics from the previous weekend.
Each week, shifts in fantasy values occur, stemming from fresh injuries, recoveries, or even collateral effects of injuries at different positions. In addition, time is running short for certain players. While some have the luxury of a longer leash, others face impatient veteran coaches who prioritize immediate victories over sparing feelings.
Week 11 brings a bye for four additional teams: Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Now, let’s examine the fantasy landscape and consider how the developments of Week 10 might shape the future.
Denver Broncos running backs
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton shook things up in Week 10 in Kansas City.
Javonte Williams has been given plenty of opportunities to take the No. 1 job, and literally run with it. He lost a fumble in Week 3 in Tampa, limiting him to five carries. Williams returned in Week 4 with 16 carries and posted 18 touches against the New York Jets. In Week 6, he lost another fumble, nailing him to the bench. The next week, he had 14 carries, 88 yards, and two touchdowns.
In Weeks 8 and 9, Williams hasn’t had fumbling issues, but he managed just 86 rushing yards on 29 carries, or just under 3.0 yards per carry. Payton has seen enough, and it’s not Jaleel McLaughlin scooting up, but it’s rookie Audric Estime.
The former Gold Domer tailback went with 14 carries for 53 yards against the Chiefs, and Payton followed that up Monday by saying Estime will continue to get reps. Williams was limited to just one carry and one yard, with two catches and six yards, so he is clearly in the doghouse. McLaughlin had two attempts for 12 yards, and he was not targeted in the pass game.
Right now, it’s Estime who appears to be atop the depth chart, and McLaughlin looks like a distant second.
Next up for the Broncos will be the Atlanta Falcons at Empower Field at Mile High. The Falcons allowed 90.2 rushing yards per game to the position, so Estime has some RB3 or flex fantasy appeal value.
New England Patriots wide receivers
The New England Patriots passing offense wasn’t particularly impressive in Week 10, but they got the job done in Chicago.
We saw WR Kayshon Boutte play 62 of the team’s 64 snaps, or 97% of the offensive plays, which was far and away the most on the team. WR K.J. Osborn was second with 29 snaps, or 45%, while DeMario Douglas had 27 snaps, or 42%, while Ja’Lynn Polk had 26 snaps, or 41%.
It’s no surprise that Boutte had six targets to lead all receivers, while Douglas was second with five targets. Both players had four receptions to lead the team.
Boutte appears to be the player who is seeing the largest rise in fantasy value. After all, while it’s pretty simple, you can’t make plays and gain yards if you’re not on the field. The former LSU receiver seems to have the confidence of the New England coaching staff right now. For now, Boutte is simply worth a look as a reserve for his potential, with Douglas also serving as a low-end WR4 or flex fantasy option in leagues of 12 or more teams. The other wideouts can be avoided for now.
Baltimore Ravens wide receivers
It seems like a while ago now, but the Baltimore passing attack lit it up on Thursday night in Week 10.
If you didn’t watch the game and simply scoured the box score, you might be surprised to see Tylan Wallace atop the stats. He recorded three receptions for 115 yards and an 84-yard touchdown to open the fourth quarter.
It’s uncertain if that giant reception will change the perception the coaching staff has of Wallace. However, remember that this is a Baltimore receivers room which includes Rashod Bateman, Zay Flowers and the recently added Diontae Johnson. Despite the big stat line, pump the brakes on adding Wallace outside of deeper leagues.
Bateman is having his finest season as a pro, going for 31 receptions, 501 yards, and a career-high four touchdowns, and he has three or more grabs in five of the past six games with scores in three of those outings. He has emerged as a legit WR4 or flex option in most leagues.
Flowers is the top dog, but he had just four catches for 34 yards on six targets on TNF. And, the new guy in the room, Johnson, had just a lone, 6-yard catch on two targets. Once he gets up to speed with the playbook, he is likely to be the second-best fantasy option among wide receivers in Charm City.
Los Angeles Chargers running backs
In Week 10, a big reason for the success was the 145 rushing yards and two scores the Bolts were able to put up.
RB J.K. Dobbins ran 15 times for 50 yards, which was good for 3.3 yards per attempt. He also had three receptions for minimal yardage on his three targets. RB Gus Edwards managed 10 attempts for a game-high 55 rushing yards, which is good for 5.5 yards per tote, and he was not targeted in the passing game.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman want to pound the ball down the throat of the opposition. Dobbins is a very good tailback, but he isn’t a bruiser like “The Gus Bus.” We might see more from Edwards, just because of his physicality.
Dobbins has tremendous hands out of the backfield, and he’ll certainly have a role, even if Edwards were to see more carries. Right now, both look like low-end RB2 or flex fantasy options, with Dobbins having slightly more appeal in PPR formats.
Houston Texans wide receivers
The Houston Texans had a little bit of an uneven performance on offense on Sunday Night Football against the Detroit Lions.
QB C.J. Stroud just hasn’t had a lot of time, and he has been running for his life, forcing throws. He was sacked four times and misfired on 14 of his 33 pass attempts.
It also hurts that the Texans have lost WR Stefon Diggs to a season-ending injury, while WR Nico Collins wasn’t quite ready to return from a hamstring in Week 10.
Stroud seemed to jell nicely with WR John Metchie III, who registered five receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown with six targets against the Lions. Tank Dell had five catches for 39 yards with a game-high nine targets. Things are likely to be shaken up when Collins returns, perhaps as early as Week 11 in Dallas on Monday night.
If Collins returns, he is a must-start fantasy option. He was leading the league in receiving before his injury. Dell would be a WR3 or flex fantasy option, while Metchie would be a matchup-based flex play in leagues of 12 or more teams.
