We may be at the midway point of the NFL season, but there’s still a lot of football left to be played. We capped off our Sunday with Anthony Richardson learning from the sidelines as Joe Flacco completed 16-of-27 passes for 179 yards and an interception while taking three sacks, but that performance won’t land him here as he’s not a usual weekly fantasy starter. Jaxon Smith-Njigba also put the world on notice (WR1 with 7-180-2). With Monday Night Football still to go, we’ll look at some guys who will help your fantasy lineups down the stretch and some who are getting a little shaky at the wrong time of the year. Free AR5.
STOCK UP
Justin Herbert, QB, Chargers
Is Herbert back to being a weekly fantasy option? Entering Week 9 he was QB16 over the previous three weeks, after being QB31 for the first five weeks of the season. In Week 9 against the Browns, it was his first time in three games he threw the ball less than 30 times, yet he was still able to throw for 282 yards and two touchdowns (no interceptions). It must be said that one of the touchdowns (66-yarder to Quentin Johnston) came on a completely blown coverage, but the fact is, the Chargers are starting to let it fly. Herbert is slowly creeping back to top 12 fantasy quarterback status.
Calvin Ridley, WR, Titans
Over the last two weeks Ridley has put up one great game and one solid one. He followed up a WR5 performance (10-143-0) in Week 8 with a 5-73-0 outing (WR29) in Week 9. However, he’s done this with Mason Rudolph at quarterback as opposed to Will Levis. With the Titans getting the win over the Patriots in Week 9, it’ll be interesting which way they go at quarterback moving forward. Ridley should still only be considered a FLEX option, but he’s showing he has better chemistry with Rudolph at this point. He has at least eight targets in four straight games and will continue to be far and away the Titans’ top option in the passing game.
Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Panthers
Is anyone still looking for a tight end to possibly start? There’s nothing I’d guarantee you with Sanders, but he’s been more and more involved in the Panthers’ passing game. In Week 9 he had a career-high 87 receiving yards thanks to a 46-yard catch and run where he displayed great athletic ability leaping over a defender. This performance landed him as TE7 for the week. In three of his last four games, he has at least four receptions and 45 yards; it’s not great, but it’s something. Sanders will be worth streaming depending on the matchup. Pick up Sanders as your fantasy team’s TE2.
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STOCK DOWN
Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, Giants
Welp, the whole “he gets all these targets” thing might be over for Robinson. In a game where Daniel Jones threw 26 passes, Robinson was only able to haul in 3-of-4 targets for 10 yards. He had a goal line touchdown negated by a (offensive pass interference) penalty, but to be honest, it wasn’t game changing for him. He now has three straight games with no more than 30 yards receiving and hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 5. With the Giants being nowhere near a top passing offense, you just can’t start a pass catcher in this offense outside of Mailk Nabers. Feel free to drop Robinson if you don’t have room on your roster.
Jordan Love, QB, Packers
Love had been a top 10 fantasy quarterback this whole season, but has hit quicksand in his last two games. He hasn’t thrown a touchdown in two straight games and has thrown at least one interception in every game this season. It is worth nothing he’s currently dealing with a groin injury and was hobbling frequently throughout the game. At some points, Malik Willis could be seen warming up as if he were about to enter the game. The Packers will have a bye in Week 10 which should give Love some extra time to heal up. As long as he’s not fully healthy, it’s clear he’ll be a riskier start.
Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys
It’s been a rough go recently for Prescott and the Cowboys’ offense, which for much of the season hasn’t had any semblance of a running game. Over the last four weeks, he’s been QB31 in fantasy points per game. In Prescott’s last three games he’s thrown for just three touchdowns and four interceptions. Furthermore, he’s failed to throw for at least 180 yards in two of those games and he left Sunday’s game early with a hamstring injury. The Cowboys’ offense looks drastically different from a season ago now that it has issues with the offensive line and the run game. This situation, coupled with not being fully healthy, has taken Prescott out of the weekly fantasy starter realm until further notice. On individual talent he’s still a top 10 quarterback, but that doesn’t matter in the world of fantasy if you aren’t putting up points.
