You win some, you lose some. Last week, if you listened to me, you might’ve lost. You also might have won, but let’s be real, goose eggs from Chris Herndon IV and Dontrelle Inman were unfortunate. If you doubt your faith in me, though, look at it this way, I can’t be that off again, right?
The guys I mentioned two weeks ago, Jamaal Williams, La’Michal Perine, and Curtis Samuel all found the endzone, just a week late.
This time, I won’t get my weeks wrong. These five guys will help you this week. If they don’t, well, then maybe it’s time to look in the mirror and re-evaluate who you trust…as long as you still trust me.
Without further adieu:
Running Back
Rex Burkhead, New England Patriots (available in 77% of Yahoo! leagues)
The Patriots’ offense is a mess, Cam Newton hit a wall, and their backfield carousel is always changing. Everything seems to be going wrong. At least for Rex Burkhead, what seems to be going right is his usage in the red zone. Cam is their preferred goal line ball carrier, but Burkhead is their preferred goal line back. His 12 touches in the red zone lead their backfield, and he has managed to find pay-dirt three times already this season. Take a chance on him, hope for a touchdown, and be ready to pull your hair out when they give the ball to Damien Harris on the three yard-line.
AJ Dillon, Green Bay Packers (available in 92% of Yahoo! leagues)
Aaron Jones keeps missing practices and is in danger of missing a second straight game. If he does, and only if he does, you should consider AJ Dillon. The Packers in recent years have leaned on two-back systems. It used to be Jamaal Williams cutting into Aaron Jones’ work, and with Jones out, it will be Dillon once again cutting into Williams’. Dillon has carried the ball five times in each of their last two games, and coach Matt LaFleur has expressed his confidence in a larger role for Dillon moving forward, should Jones remain sidelined.
Wide Receiver
Hunter Renfrow, Las Vegas Raiders (available in 81% of Yahoo! leagues)
Renfrow represents the least exciting type of play in Fantasy Football, the high-floor/low-ceiling receiver. These guys get no love whatsoever, but let’s be real, they are super-viable starters when your top players are on byes. Renfrow has 24 targets over his last four games; he’s caught 16 of them. The Raiders are headed to Cleveland this week for what could end up being a shootout. Derek Carr has been slinging it this year, and since the Browns will have to take away Henry Ruggs III and Nelson Agholor over the top, there will be a ton of space underneath for Renfrow and Darren Waller to eat.
Josh Reynolds, Los Angeles Rams (available in 98% of Yahoo! leagues)
Reynolds’ low ownership surprises me a bit. He’s the third receiver in a high-volume offense, with a quarterback who puts up frequent fantasy-friendly games. Reynolds’ involvement in the passing attack has increase the last two weeks, and he’s found the endzone in both of those games as well. He’s firmly cemented his spot above Van Jefferson on the depth chart and is becoming a viable safe-floor fill-in.
Tight End
Albert Okwuegbunam, Denver Broncos (available in 99% of Yahoo! leagues)
This guy has a sweet name. He also has a sweet rapport with his quarterback, Drew Lock, who threw balls to him for two years at Missouri. In those two years, Okwuegbunam caught 73 balls for over 850 yards and 17 touchdowns. Now, in the last two games together in Denver, he’s caught nine balls for 105 yards. You’ll say things like “But Noah Fant is back!” and “I’ve never heard of this guy; he can’t be good!” Both are fair points, but Noah Fant was back last week when Okwuegbunam still caught seven passes, and there are so many things you’ve never heard of that are good, for example, the show Kingdom. It’s bonkers, trust me, and so is Okwuegbunam’s talent…hopefully.
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