We’re getting there. In Week 3 we posted our best performance of this early season with 86.12 points. Who knows, if Trubisky wouldn’t have been pulled we could have done it, possibly. Anyhow, we’re onto Week 4. 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
Some great individual performances helped us get within a stone's throw from our 100 point goal. Jeff Wilson Jr. was our MVP of the week, with his 21.9 point performance, behind his two touchdown game. Cole Beasley had a 100-yard game in route to a 16 point fantasy day and it always helps when your defense goes out and puts up 14 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 Line-up
Quarterback
Ryan Fitzpatrick (Miami Dolphins) - Owned in 19% of Yahoo and 19.1% of ESPN leagues
All aboard the Fitzmagic train, at least until the wheels fall off. Our man Ryan only went and posted back-to-back 24-plus fantasy point performances against the Bills and Jaguars. Now he gets the Seahawks, who have allowed the second most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks through three weeks. We can expect Russell Wilson and company to put up big numbers, meaning the Dolphins will have to play from behind. Look for another 25-plus points out of Fitzpatrick this week.
Runningbacks
Jeff Wilson Jr. (San Francisco 49ers) - Owned in 35% of Yahoo and 35.4% of ESPN leagues
Raheem Mostert has already been ruled out from the 49ers’ Sunday Night Football game with the Philadelphia Eagles. We saw what Wilson did last week in Mostert’s, and Tevin Coleman’s, absence. The Eagles are wrecked by injuries and Carson Wentz has struggled thus far this season. Expect the 49ers to get out to an early lead and ride it out via the run game. Also, when Wilson does play a big role, he seems to be a big part of the team’s red zone offense. I don’t expect that to change this week.
Brian Hill (Atlanta Falcons) - Owned in 22% of Yahoo and 11.1% of ESPN leagues
The Atlanta Falcons’ backfilled gets a nice matchup with the Green Bay Packers this week. Not only have the Packers allowed 5.5 yards-per-carry (fourth most) they’ve allowed 24 receptions to opposing runningbacks (third most) thus far this season. Hill got his first double-digit attempt game last week against the Bears and didn’t disappoint. I expect him to exceed 10 chances in this one, catching a few balls to exploit the porous Packers’ run defense.
Wide Receivers
Cole Beasley (Buffalo Bills) - Owned in 22% of Yahoo and 18.4% of ESPN leagues
I’m going to do what I did last season on the B-Team, ride Cole Beasley. Through three games, he’s seen at least six targets and saw seven in two of those. He posted 100 yards last week. This Raiders’ secondary has allowed 7.7 yards-per-reception and at least one touchdown to opposing wide receivers thus far this season. Beasley is that safe plug-and-play receiver who will see a decent amount of targets each week.
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Greg Ward (Philadelphia Eagles) - Owned in 12% of Yahoo and 10.2% of ESPN leagues
This needs to be a get right game for Carson Wentz and the Philadelphia Eagles. They get a crack at a beaten up 49ers’ defense on primetime Sunday Night Football. This 49ers’ offense has shown that it can put up points early this season, which will allow Wentz and company to play from behind. On top of all of this, the Eagles may have just three receivers healthy for the game and Dallas Goedert is on the IR. Someone has to catch the ball. For our sake, let's hope it's Ward.
Tight End
Robert Tonyan (Green Bay Packers) - Owned in 12% of Yahoo and 3.1% of ESPN leagues
All of me wanted to line up Logan Thomas again due to his volume, but I came to my senses. I instead will go with a tight end who is producing in a Aaron Rodgers’ led offense, weird. Tonyan has caught a touchdown in the past two games and gets the Atlanta Falcons who have allowed the second most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. The Falcons’ offense can put up points, but their defense can’t stop anyone. Expect this to be a high scoring game with more red zone chances for Tonyan.
Flex
Hunter Renfrow (Las Vegas Raiders) - Owned in 37% of Yahoo and 28% of ESPN leagues
Hunter Renfrow, by default, has quickly became the WR1 in Las Vegas. The Raiders will be without Henry Ruggs and Bryan Edwards, leaving the likes of Renfrow and Zay Jones to lead the receiving corps. Renfrow got a get-right-game last week as he caught six of nine targets for 84 yards and a score. The Bills, despite having a one of the best corners in the game, have allowed the ninth most points to opposing wide receivers. Look for Renfrow to get double-digit targets in what could be a high scoring game due to the high-powered offense of the Bills.
Defense
Cincinnati Bengals - Owned in 6% of Yahoo and 4.8% of ESPN leagues
I wish the New York Jets’ and Denver Broncos’ game was this weekend opposed to Thursday night so I could use one of those defenses. Anyhow, I guess we’ll roll with the Bengals’ for the second time this season. The first time we went with them did not end so well for us. The Bengals intercepted Carson Wentz twice last week and sacked him three times. Now they get Gardner Minshew and the Jacksonville Jaguars who laid an egg in their last outing. This Jaguars’ offense turned the ball over twice last week and Minshew was sacked four times. I’m projecting two takeaways for the Bengals and two sacks of Minshew, giving them good fantasy value for this week.
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