The effort was there, the result was not. We had a great showing from our Week 10 running backs and receivers. It was Drew Lock and his and his four interceptions that really let us down. That, and Nelson Agholor’s 1.8 points in our flex spot. Anyhow, even with a poor outing out of our quarterback we almost achieved the goal. Let’s just chalk this up as a win in our books and move on to Week 11.
This is a series where I construct a hypothetical fantasy football lineup using players that are owned in less than 40-percent of Yahoo and/or ESPN leagues. The goal of the series is to top 100 PPR fantasy points using the make-shift team. The premise is to show that there is readily available value at all times across most waiver wires. You can find last week’s results below and the result of previous weeks at the bottom of this article.
Lock’s four interceptions really let us down. If he managed just 8.26 more fantasy points we would have hit our goal. I guess this is what I get for trusting in Lock in back-to-back weeks. Our top performer was Rex Burkhead with his 22.6 points. He managed that on the back of two receiving touchdowns. Kalen Ballage also showed up as our second runningback. He ran for 68 yards and also caught five-of-six targets. Jakobi Meyers caught five-of-seven targets for 59 yards in route to 15.86 fantasy points. Everyone else topped ten fantasy points except our flex play, Agholor, who caught one-of-five targets. Even our defense didn’t have a bad week.
Week 10 Results
Drew Lock (Denver Broncos) - 10.98 points
Kalen Ballage (Los Angeles Chargers) - 15.2 points
Rex Burkhead (New England Patriots) - 22.6 points
Jakobi Meyers (New England Patriots) - 15.86 points
Tim Patrick (Denver Broncos) - 10.1 points
Jordan Reed (San Francisco 49ers) - 11.2 points
Nelson Agholor (Las Vegas Raiders) - 1.8 points
Detroit Lions - 4 points
Total: 91.74 points
Week 11 Lineup
Quarterback
Kirk Cousins (Minnesota Vikings) - Owned in 40% of Yahoo and 18.8% of ESPN leagues
I refuse to fall into this Taysom Hill trap that everyone seems to be on board for. Also, I can’t use him because of his tight-end eligibility on ESPN, he’s owned in nearly 80-percent of leagues. Instead, I’ll opt for Kirk Cousins who, despite not looking the greatest, has had back-to-back decent fantasy weeks and gets the Dallas Cowboys this week. The Cowboys have allowed the 13th most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. After finally getting his first Monday Night Football victory of his career while throwing the ball 36 times, I expect Cousins to come out with confidence and take advantage of this weak Dallas’ defense.
Runningbacks
Kerryon Johnson (Detroit Lions) - Owned in 14% of Yahoo and 24.9% of ESPN leagues
D’Andre Swift will miss Sunday’s game with the Detroit Lions with a concussion. This leaves Adrian Peterson as the team’s lead back and Kerryon Johnson playing second fiddle. Peterson is owned in too many Yahoo leagues for us to use so we’ll go for the second best thing. The matchup is there, even though Johnson has only topped 10 touches in one of his last four games. This of course came with Swift playing. Without Swift, Johnson should serve as the pass catching back for Matthew Stafford. The Panthers have allowed the fourth most fantasy points to opposing runningbacks.
Jordan Wilkins (Indianapolis Colts) - Owned in 11% of Yahoo and 5.6% of ESPN leagues
Jordan Wilkins has 39 carries over the last three weeks as Nyheim Hines and Jonathan Taylor have 43 combined. Taylor continues to struggle during his rookie season, seeing more and more work going to both Wilkins and Hines. Wilkins hasn’t done much with his chances since Week 8 against the Lions. The Colts’ get the Packers who have allowed the second most fantasy points to opposing runningbacks. If Wilkins continues to see a fair amount of chances against this defense, he will put up good fantasy points.
Wide Receivers
Jalen Reagor (Philadelphia Eagles) - Owned in 28% of Yahoo and 22.5% of ESPN leagues
I love me some Jalen Reagor this week. I’m playing him across my DFS lineups as well. The Browns have allowed the sixth most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. On top of this, Reagor is becoming Carson Wentz’ favorite target. He’s seen 13 targets over the past two weeks. He hasn’t done a whole lot with his chances outside of scoring his first career touchdown in Week 8 against the Cowboys. I expect him to have his first career breakout game this week.
Michael Pittman Jr. (Indianapolis Colts) - Owned in 40% of Yahoo and 23.4% of ESPN leagues
Pittman had a breakout performance last week against the Titans as he cleared 100 yards for the first time in his young career. This week he gets the Packers, who have been putting up points in a hurry. I’m a little worried about playing both Pittman and Wilkins this week but I do like both of their matchups. Pittman has also seen 15 targets over his last two games. He’s become the WR1 in Indy and I don’t expect that to change this week.
Tight End
Dalton Schultz (Dallas Cowboys) - Owned in 20% of Yahoo and 24% of ESPN leagues
I’m looking for consistency here. Schultz is a safe play week-in-and-week-out. He’s seen 15 targets over the past two weeks and gets a bump with Andy Dalton returning. The Vikings are middle of the pact in terms of points allowed to tight ends as well.
Flex
Keelan Cole Jr. (Jacksonville Jaguars) - Owned in 28% of Yahoo and 14.7% of ESPN leagues
Cole had a big week last week, catching a touchdown and returning a punt for one. He also saw seven targets. The Jags get the Steelers this week, who have allowed 13 touchdowns to opposing wide receivers on the season. There's no doubt that the Jags will be playing from behind, forcing them to throw the ball. Even if it’s garbage time, fantasy points are fantasy points.
Defense
Cincinnati Bengals - Owned in 13% of Yahoo and 3.9% of ESPN leagues
I’ve played the Bengals’ defense before and it has never turned out well for me. So, in the words of the famous Michael Scott, “I’m ready to get hurt again.” The Bengals get the Washington Football Team and Alex Smith this week. Alex Smith threw the ball 55 times last week and didn’t throw an interception but threw three against the Giants a week prior. Washington has allowed the seventh most fantasy points to opposing defenses.
Week 1 Results
Derek Carr (Oakland Raiders) - 13.56 points
Boston Scott (Philadelphia Eagles) - 7.4 points
Jerick McKinnon (San Francisco 49ers) - 13.4 points
Kendrick Bourne (San Francisco 49ers) - 5.4 points
Bryan Edwards (Oakland Raiders) - 1.9 points
Jack Doyle (Indianapolis Colts) - 7.9 points
Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Green Bay Packers) - 19.6 points
Detroit Lions - 1 point
Total: 70.16 points
Week 2 Results
Philip Rivers (Indianapolis Colts) - 11.86 points
Peyton Barber (Washington Football Team) - 0.10 points
Frank Gore (New York Jets) - 6.3 points
Corey Davis (Carolina Panthers) - 12.6 points
Scotty Miller (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) - 3.2 points
Logan Thomas (Washington Football Team) - 6.6 points
Tre’Quan Smith (New Orleans Saints) - 13.6 points
Seattle Seahawks - 3 points
Total: 57.26 points
Week 3 Results
Mitchell Trubisky (Chicago Bears) - 12.62 points
Jeff Wilson Jr. (San Francisco 49ers) - 21.9 points
Frank Gore (New York Jets) - 7.2 points
K.J. Hamler (Denver Broncos) - 5.8 points
Cole Beasley (Buffalo Bills) - 16 points
Logan Thomas (Washington Football Team) - 7.1 points
Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Green Bay Packers) - 1.5 points
Cleveland Browns - 14 points
Total: 86.12
Week 4 Results
Ryan Fitzpatrick (Miami Dolphins) - 23.3 points
Jeff Wilson Jr. (San Francisco 49ers) - 2.9 points
Brian Hill (Atlanta Falcons) - 4.3 points
Cole Beasley (Buffalo Bills) - 12.2 points
Greg Ward Jr. (Philadelphia Eagles) - 7.8 points
Robert Tonyan (Green Bay Packers) - 33.8 points
Hunter Renfrow (Las Vegas Raiders) - 10.7 points
Cincinnati Bengals - 5 points
Total: 100 points
Week 5 Results
Jimmy Garopollo (San Francisco 49ers) - 1.08 points
Justin Jackson (Los Angeles Chargers) - 14.4 points
J.D. McKissic (Washington Football Team) - 10.9 points
Golden Tate (New York Giants) - 8.2 points
Keelan Cole (Jacksonville Jaguars) - 10.7 points
Ian Thomas (Carolina Panthers) - 0 points
Tre’Quan Smith (New Orleans Saints) - 2.8 points
Dallas Cowboys - 9 points
Total - 57.08
Week 6 Results
Andy Dalton (Dallas Cowboys) - 13.04
Frank Gore (New York Jets) - 11
J.D. McKissic (Washington Football Team) - 14.4
Travis Fulgham (Philadelphia Eagles) - 19.5
Cole Beasley (Buffalo Bills) - 14.5
Trey Burton (Indianapolis Colts) - 21.9
James Washington (Pittsburgh Steelers) - 16.8
Washington Football Team - 4
Total: 115.14
Week 7 Results
Kyle Allen (Washington Football Team) - 16.86 points
J.D. McKissic (Washington Football Team) - 7.1 point
JaMycal Hasty (San Francisco 49ers) - 8.3 points
Laviska Shenault (Jacksonville Jaguars) - 7.4 points
Cole Beasley (Buffalo Bills) - 22.2 points
Logan Thomas (Washington Football Team) - 16 points
Adam Humphries (Tennessee Titans) - 3.9 points
Cincinnati Bengals - -2 points
Total: 63.76 points
Week 8 Results
Baker Mayfield (Cleveland Browns) - 7.78 points
La’Michal Perine (New York Jets) - 5.3 points
Tevin Coleman (San Francisco 49ers) - 2 points
Scotty Miller (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) - 7.2 points
Jalen Reagor (Philadelphia Eagles) - 13.2 points
Richard Rodgers (Philadelphia Eagles) - 0 points
Kendrick Bourne (San Francisco 49ers) - 16.1 points
Green Bay Packers - 0 points
Total: 51.58 points
Week 9 Results
Drew Lock (Denver Broncos) - 30.22 points
Gus Edwards (Baltimore Ravens) - 9.4 points
J.D. McKissic (Washington Football Team) - 17.2 points
Darnell Mooney (Chicago Bears) - 9.3 points
Randall Cobb (Houston Texans) - 5.1 points
Tyler Eifert (Jacksonville Jaguars ) - 8.8 points
Jakobi Meyers (New England Patriots) - 28.9 points
Houston Texans - 4 points
Total: 112.92