Parity has been running rampant in the NFL the last couple of weeks, and it has had an impact on fantasy rosters.
In Week 6, only three of the 30 teams playing scored more than 24 points in one of the lowest-scoring weeks in the modern era of the NFL. The week also saw the last two unbeaten teams (Philadelphia and San Francisco) lose.
In Week 7, strange things continued. In the 10 games played Sunday afternoon, six of them were won by the team with the worse record in the matchup. This included three 1-5 teams (New England, Chicago and the New York Giants) getting their second win of the season – all against teams that came in with a record of .500 or better. The trend continued Monday with Minnesota beating the 5-1 San Francisco 49ers.
Just when you think you have the 2023 season figured out, the NFL proves that you should expect the unexpected.
Fantasy football risers
Los Angeles Rams RB Darrell Henderson – The loss of Kyren Williams to an ankle injury led to the Rams reuniting with Henderson, who debuted by carrying 18 times for 61 yards and a touchdown. Royce Freeman had a solid day (12-61), but the Rams utilized Henderson more – he was on the field for 39 of 68 snaps. With the vacuum created with the loss of Williams, Henderson could pick up where he left off in his first Rams stint.
Denver Broncos WR Courtland Sutton – Sutton has consistently end up on fantasy rosters but was on the bench more often than not in recent years. We all know the struggles Russell Wilson has experienced in Denver, but Sutton has done his part. He has scored a touchdown in five of seven games and should get serious consideration to be a starting lineup fixture.
Cleveland Browns RB Kareem Hunt – Anyone who has had Nick Chubb since 2020 knows that Hunt is a touchdown sniper. He’s up to his old tricks again. His role is clearly as the second running back behind Jerome Ford, but he has scored three touchdowns in his last two games and deserves a long look as a flex player for a shorthanded roster, because scoring touchdowns in the red zone is his specialty.
Seattle Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba – DK Metcalf has been battling injuries since Week 2 and the combination of injuries to his ribs and hip finally sidelined him. The talented rookie took his place Sunday and caught four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown, leading the team in targets with seven. If Metcalf misses any more time Smith-Njigba will see his role in the offense continue to grow.
Indianapolis Colts QB Gardner Minshew – Minshew came to the Colts to be an insurance policy for rookie Anthony Richardson and is now the starter the rest of the way. In his last two games, he has topped 300 passing yards in both and accounted for five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing) – doing so against good defenses from Jacksonville and Cleveland. He isn’t a guy you want to count on carrying your team, but he can produce in a plug-and-play scenario when called on, like he has been doing for the Colts.
Fantasy football fallers
Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence – Lawrence has a wealth of talent around him, but it hasn’t translated to fantasy points. In seven games, he hasn’t thrown for more than two touchdowns in any outing, has one TD or fewer in five, 217 or fewer passing yards in four, and has averaged 29 rushing yards with no touchdowns. He isn’t an every-week fantasy starter at this point; numbers like these land you on the bench and keep you there.
Las Vegas Raiders WR Davante Adams – Injuries at quarterback have severely impacted Adams. In the last three games, he has caught 13 passes for 131 yards and no touchdowns. At the same time, Jakobi Meyers has landed 19 passes for 186 yards and three TDs. Nobody is likely to bench Adams, but his recent numbers are dragging a lot of fantasy rosters down given the high expectations for him on draft day.
Cleveland Browns TE David Njoku – They haven’t been celebrating “National Tight Ends Day” in Cleveland. Hopes were high that Njoku would explode in his first full season with Deshaun Watson, but through six games, he has caught 24 passes for 216 yards and no touchdowns – an average of four catches for 36 yards. Numbers like that put you on the bench or on the fantasy waiver wire.
Baltimore Ravens WR Odell Beckham Jr. – Beckham has a lot of name recognition, and people seem to be convinced he can recapture his old magic. In the five games he has played as a Raven, OBJ has caught just 14 passes for 162 yards and no touchdowns. He shouldn’t be on anyone’s roster at this point, because he’s doing more harm than good.
Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young – Young had more value on draft day in dynasty leagues as the No. 1 overall pick, but his value has dropped out of sight. He has one touchdown or less in four of the five games he has played, has averaged just 193 passing yards, and has brought next to nothing as a rusher. The Panthers can’t give up on him because of the investment, but those with him on their fantasy rosters can … and should.
