Quarterback
Baker Mayfield, CLE (vs Miami) - Mayfield is trending in the right direction just in time for Miami week. The Dolphins just put one of their last good defensive players, Reshad Jones, on injured reserve, and they are fielding one of the weakest defenses in the league. The Browns defense also lost two impact players for this game, so the Dolphins could make it competitive and keep the passing game activated.
Derek Carr, OAK (at New York Jets) - Carr has a low ceiling this year with Josh Jacobs carrying the offense at times, but this week could be more on Carr’s shoulders as the Raiders face a stiff Jets run defense. He has an array of weapons with Tyrell Williams getting over his foot issue and Hunter Renfrow coming on, with Darren Waller still providing a threat in the middle of the field and Foster Moreau a goal line weapon.
Jacoby Brissett, IND (at Houston) **Thursday** - Brissett is going to get TY Hilton back this week just in time for one of Hilton’s perennial track meet opponents. Houston’s secondary has also been one of the most generous in the league and Brissett has gotten back up to speed after missing time with a knee injury. He threw for four scores in the first matchup with the Texans this year.
Jeff Driskel, DET (at Washington) - Driskel has been a bit of a fantasy surprise on the back of his running ability and some improvisational passing. Washington has given up three or more passing touchdowns five times this year, including to Mitchell Trubisky and four last week to Sam Darnold. Driskel benefits from having two top wide receivers who should win their battles in one-on-one coverage all day against Washington’s corners.
Running Back
Bo Scarbrough, DET (at Washington) - Washington has given up a rushing touchdown in five of the last six weeks, and that will likely go to Scarbrough if Detroit scores one this week. More importantly, Washington has allowed at least 31 rushing attempts to opposing backs in each of the last four weeks. Scarbrough is a good bet to lead the Lions running backs in carries this week.
Latavius Murray, NO (vs Carolina) - Murray couldn’t find much room to run against the Bucs stout run defense last week, but he’ll get a better matchup this week against the Panthers run defense that was ailing until they faced Brian Hill last week. The Panthers have given up 13 touchdowns to running backs in the last five games, and with the Saints offense at home, they should continue that trend.
Benny Snell, PIT (at Cincinnati) - Jaylen Samuels is still the best running back play for the Steelers this weekend with James Conner likely out, but Snell should also have a large role and could be the back to close out the game if the Steelers can carry a lead into the fourth quarter. Snell had 89 total yards in his other chance at that role against the Chargers earlier this year.
Nyheim Hines, Jonathan Williams, IND (at Houston) **Thursday** - Williams has been announced as the starter and he comes into this game with a lot of momentum, along with the Colts offensive line coming off of a great performance against the wilting Jaguars run defense last week. He’ll be the better what the heck flex over Jordan Wilkins, who will be active but wasn’t healthy enough to play last week. Hines has some PPR appeal as he had two scores through the air against the Texans in one of the matchups last year.
Ronald Jones II, TB (at Atlanta) - Jones took a big step back last week in the passing game, but if the Bucs decide to feature him in the passing game again, he could have a big PPR game against the Falcons. They have allowed at least 12 running back receptions in each of their last two games, coinciding with their defense coming alive out of the bye.
Patrick Laird, MIA (at Cleveland) - Laird is a longshot, but he had six receptions last week and could be a bigger part of the offense if the Dolphins are playing from behind, or if they just see what everyone else sees and stop wasting touches on Kalen Ballage. Laird was the teams best running back in the preseason and with Mark Walton now released, they could decide to give Laird more work to evaluate his potential role in next year’s offense.
Wide Receiver
James Washington, Diontae Johnson, PIT (at Cincinnati) - Juju Smith-Schuster is almost certainly out with a concussion and knee injury, so someone is going to benefit against the eroding Bengals defense. Washington is the best bet because of his long relationship with quarterback Mason Rudolph going back to college and being in the best health right now. Johnson had a run of long touchdowns with Rudolph earlier this year and if he can clear concussion protocol before the game, he should share most of the wide receiver targets with Washington.
Darius Slayton, NYG (at Chicago) - Slayton was red hot going into the bye with a 10 reception, two touchdown performance. Sterling Shepard could be back this week and the Bears pass defense is one of the better units in the league, but if they don’t get home regularly against Daniel Jones, Slayton could be a priority deep target against a defense that gave up a few big plays in a low scoring game against the sputtering Rams pass offense last week.
Cole Beasley, BUF (vs Denver) - Beasley scored in three straight games before back to back four reception games the last two weeks. He could be in Josh Allen’s sights against the Broncos this week because Chris Harris should be trying to take away John Brown. Denver has allowed two different receivers to post five receptions in each of the last two games, and one of them has had a score in each game.
Chris Conley, JAX (at Tennessee) - Tennessee has given up five touchdowns to receivers in their last three games, and one 100-yard receiver in each game. Nick Foles greatly favored DJ Chark last week, but Conley was his second-most targeted receiver and the Jaguars could be forced to pass a lot in the second half if they can’t slow down Derrick Henry early in this one.
Tim Patrick, DEN (at Buffalo) - Patrick could be a top downfield target for the Broncos this week with Tre’Davious White likely matched up with Courtland Sutton all day. The Bills gave up over 50 yards to the #2 receiver last week (Allen Hurns 4-53), and 9-97-1 to Jarvis Landry two weeks ago, so Patrick will get a beatable matchup after posting a 4-77 line in his first game back last week.
Kendrick Bourne, SF (vs Green Bay) - This one will come down to the status of George Kittle, Emmanuel Sanders, and Deebo Samuel, all of whom are projecting as game time decisions. The Packers secondary has been prone to giving up big plays all year, and Bourne has scored in three straight games. He also had 3-69 in the one game he played without Sanders and Samuel this year.
Tight End
Vance McDonald, PIT (at Cincinnati) - McDonald is a solid bet to score this week against a Bengals defense that has allowed three tight end scores in the last two games. The Steelers will be without at least one and maybe two of their starting receivers in this game, helping McDonald’s case, and he missed the first matchup with Cincinnati, when the team scored twice through the air in Mason Rudolph’s best fantasy game to date.
Jaeden Graham, ATL (vs Tampa Bay) - Graham was unknown until a few weeks ago when Austin Hooper went down, but the Yale produce is set to make a splash this week against the Bucs. Tampa has allowed seven tight end touchdowns on the year, and only Arizona has failed to post a score or a 50+ receiving yard game against them.
Ben Watson, NE (vs Dallas) - The Patriots might be putting two rookies out there among their top three receivers this week if Phillip Dorsett can’t get out of concussion protocol, and Leighton Vanden Esch is likely out in a blow to the middle of the Cowboys defense. Watson got free a few times last week against Philadelphia and posted his best game of the season to date.
Blake Jarwin, DAL (vs New England) - The Cowboys still haven’t gotten the memo that Jarwin is more dangerous than Jason Witten in the passing game, but if they look at the past three games, it’s clear that Jarwin is more explosive and he could be one of the players that the Patriots dare Dak Prescott to throw to move the ball while taking away his more comfortable options.
