If it’s been a rough start to the season for you, by all means, feel free to shake your fist at the heavens and curse the fantasy gods for smiting you. But fight on, friends. None of us have been mathematically eliminated from the fantasy playoffs yet. Miracles do happen.
Fight on.
Here are my tiers and rankings for the week. Below we dive into a few notable players.
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Fantasy Football Outlook
Josh Downs has been much more involved in the Colts’ offense with Gardner Minshew at quarterback than with Anthony Richardson at QB. In the two games that Richardson started and finished, Downs has averaged 5.7 PPR fantasy points. In games the three games that Minshew has played, Downs has averaged 12.4 PPR points. Downs also has a favorable matchup this week against the Jaguars. As noted by my colleague Derek Brown in The Primer, the Jaguars have allowed the sixth-highest passer rating on throws to slot receivers, and Downs will run the vast majority of his routes against Tre Herndon, who has allowed an 84.2% catch rate and a 147.4 passer rating on throws into his coverage.
Cooper Kupp‘s Week 5 return didn’t destroy Puka Nacua‘s fantasy value, but it put a major dent in Tutu Atwell‘s fantasy value. Atwell had drawn no fewer than eight targets in each of the Rams’ first four games. Last week against the Eagles, Atwell had only five targets. He had 2-9-1 receiving, with a touchdown salvaging an otherwise bleak fantasy showing. Start Atwell only if you’re desperate.
The Texans are expected to be without Tank Dell (concussion) this week, which raises the ceiling for Nico Collins and makes Robert Woods a viable flex option in most leagues. The 31-year-old Woods is in the twilight of his career, which might explain why he’s averaging an unimpressive 5.5 yards per target. But Woods is averaging 8.0 targets and 4.2 catches per game, and he has a good chance of seeing double-digit targets this week vs. the Saints. Even if the target efficiency hasn’t been tip-top for Woods, heavy target volume can make up for it. Woods is dealing with sore ribs but was able to practice on Thursday after being held out on Wednesday.
-Pat Fitzmaurice
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