Roundtable: Hot Fantasy Players, Narrative or Substance?

Every November, players rise from early-season the ashes of fantasy purgatory and deliver season-winning production in December. Could Jerry Jeudy, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Caleb Williams, and Bryce Young be some of those options? 

Welcome to Week 14 of the 2024 Footballguys Roundtable. Our intrepid panel of fantasy pundits discusses and debates four topics every week. We split the conversation into separate features.

This week's roundtable features these four topics:

• Hot Fantasy Players, Narrative or Substance? (see below)
• Playoff Bench Stashes
• Potential League-Winning RBs
• Dynasty WR Value Check

Let's roll. 

Hot Fantasy Players, Narrative or Substance

Matt Waldman: These players have been hot recently. Can it continue? Are the narratives listed alongside each player true, and what does that mean for fantasy GMs in December? 

• Jerry Jeudy: Vengeance game vs. Denver but too volatile this season to count on moving forward. 
• Nick Westbrook-Ikhine: The TD rate is lucky and unsustainable. 
• Caleb Williams: Unchained by a bad staff. 
• Bryce Young: The benching did him good. 

Pick one to validate and one to debunk. 

Joseph Haggan: Jerry Jeudy has been terrific since he received capable quarterback play and is by no means a volatile or risky play. Jameis Winston took over for the Browns in Week 7. Jeudy is averaging 6 targets and 105 receiving yards during the six games Winston has started.

He has also started getting looks in the red zone with a touchdown in two of the last three games. Jeudy blew up for 235 yards and a touchdown in Week 13 against his former team and should remain hot with a quarterback fighting for a contract and a team with nothing to lose. 

Phil Alexander: Jeudy hasn't dipped below double-digit fantasy points in half-PPR scoring in five games since Jameis Winston took over as Cleveland's starter. That volatility is over.

Monday night's 35-point revenge game against his former Broncos teammates will probably be Jeudy's high-water mark for 2024, but that doesn't mean we can't count on him moving forward. 

Our old friend, Matt Harmon, of Yahoo Sports and Reception Perception, recently took to X to explain how the Browns are getting Jeudy's usage right in ways Denver had it wrong. Jeudy's floor is fine for as long as Cleveland keeps using him as a vertical threat, and Winston has a green light to continue slinging the ball all over the place.

I'm more interested in Jeudy's ceiling, which is now about as high as any wide receiver's in fantasy football. 

Ryan Weisse: I think we've easily debunked the narrative on Jerry Jeudy. Scoring at least 12 fantasy points per game during the past five games is a solid floor for a guy who is likely your WR3 or Flex option. 

The ceiling is at least 20 points, which he's earned in two of his last three games. That's technically volatile, but it's the right kind of volatility. As long as Winston is the quarterback, you can start Jeudy with confidence. 

Andy Hicks: As Phil talked about, there is no volatility here. Only the Bengals duo of Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins have higher fantasy points per game record since the Ravens matchup with the Browns. As long as Jameis Winston is starting, these WR1 numbers will continue.

The only if here is if the Browns want to give Dorian Thompson-Robinson another spin. Those in dynasty leagues who have persisted with Jeudy through five years of dismal numbers given expectations have to rejoice. Jeudy will only be 26 by the start of next season and is making a clear case to the WR1 for whatever the Browns start with next year. 

When considering Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, those of us who have been playing fantasy for long enough will remember the name of another Titans receiver Drew Bennett. In 2004, Bennett had a 3-game stretch through fantasy playoffs where he recorded 28 receptions for 517 yards and 8 touchdowns.

Three. Games.

Bennett got many fantasy teams to their fantasy Super Bowl and he then stunk in the final with 2 catches for 26 yards.