Welcome to The Heat Index!

For those unfamiliar with the column, every Monday during the NFL season, we dig into the players whose performances through Sunday jumped out to us the most. Along with their stats (half-point PPR scoring) and positional rank for the week, we’ll rank their rest-of-season prospects on a scale of ? to ?????. Week 13 was brutal on the injury front. Several fantasy-relevant players were slowed or knocked out of games on Sunday, which opened up opportunities for some of the players detailed below.

Quarterback

Brock Purdy (QB – SF)

• Stat-line:  25 of 37 passing for 210 yards with two TDs and one INT
• QB Rank:  16

Analysis:  After Jimmy Garoppolo broke his foot early in Week 13, Purdy took over and led the Niners to victory over a solid Dolphins team. With Jimmy G now ruled out for the rest of the season, it appears San Francisco’s hopes will rest on the rookie’s shoulders. Purdy acquitted himself well in his first real NFL action, though he did much of his work near the line of scrimmage. He has tremendous weapons at his disposal, though, and won’t need to do too much to produce relevant fantasy numbers for the rest of the season. Purdy could be a viable substitute for the fantasy playoffs if you are in a deep league and were using Garoppolo as your QB. After a relatively tough matchup in Week 14 against Tampa Bay, the Niners face the Seahawks, Commanders, and Raiders from Week 15 through 17.

Heat Index:  ??

Wide Receiver

Garrett Wilson (WR – NYJ)

• Stat-line:  Eight catches off 15 targets for 162 yards
• WR Rank:  9

Analysis:  Wilson was in the Heat Index way back after Week 2. We were bullish on his prospects for the season, but his production cooled when Zach Wilson took over at QB. However, Wilson’s been on fire the past two weeks since Mike White took over behind center for the Jets. He put up points against the Vikings without scoring a TD, thanks to an impressive 15 targets. Wilson’s the focal point of the Jets’ attack right now and has three exceptional matchups in front of him against Buffalo, Detroit, and Jacksonville. He looks like a borderline WR1 down the stretch and a top-notch target for dynasty leagues.

Heat Index:  ?????

Trent Sherfield (WR – MIA)

• Stat-line:  One reception off three targets for 75 yards and a TD
• WR Rank:  17

Analysis:  Sherfield caught only one pass against the Niners in Week 13, but it was a big one. Typically this wouldn’t be enough for him to make it onto the Heat Index; however, with Jaylen Waddle banged up, it could lead to more opportunities for Sherfield over the next few weeks. Sherfield has established himself as the third wideout in the Dolphins’ hierarchy and has been on the field a ton this season. He hasn’t gotten many looks behind Waddle and Tyreek Hill, but if Waddle were to miss time, Sherfield would enter the fantasy radar when Miami travels to Los Angeles to take on the Chargers next week.

Heat Index:  ??

Running Back

AJ Dillon (RB – GB)

• Stat-line:  Eighteen carries for 93 yards and a TD; three receptions off three targets for 26 yards
• RB Rank:  4

Analysis:  Dillon had his best game of the season this week, aided by Aaron Jones playing limited snaps due to a shin injury. It also helped that the Packers faced the Bears, who have struggled against opposing RBs all season. However, Dillon had a nice Week 12 against the Eagles also, so perhaps we’ll see the player we expected him to be down the stretch. Jones’s injury doesn’t seem serious, and he’ll have extra time to heal with the Packers on a bye next week. Thus Dillon likely won’t have the backfield to himself after the bye, but he has a decent schedule in Weeks 15-17 and could be a viable flex play in the fantasy playoffs.

Heat Index:  ???

Cam Akers (RB – LAR)

• Stat-line:  17 carries for 60 yards and two TDs; one catch off one target for zero yards
• RB Rank:  7

Analysis:  With the Rams’ offense decimated by injuries, Akers had a season-high 17 carries and found the endzone twice. Many expected rookie Kyren Williams to be more involved, but he had only three touches on Sunday. The TDs boosted Akers’s production, as he only averaged 3.5 yards per carry and did almost nothing in the passing game. That said, if he sees this kind of volume over the next two weeks, he could be fantasy relevant as the Rams face the Raiders and Packers, who both struggle against the run. The Rams have nothing to play for at this point, though, so it’s anyone’s guess how they’ll deploy their running backs over the rest of the season.

Heat Index:  ??

Tight End

Noah Fant (TE – SEA)

• Stat-line:  Four receptions off five targets for 42 yards and a TD
• TE Rank:  1

Analysis:  Week 13 was a lean week for tight ends, as Fant led the charge despite unspectacular fantasy production. The touchdown was the difference, as few TEs found the endzone this week. Fant’s been mostly mediocre this season, catching more than three passes in only four games. The schedule doesn’t line up well for him in Weeks 14 & 15 either, as the Seahawks face the Panthers and Niners. If you are desperate for a Tight End, there are probably better options out there.

Heat Index:  ?