FANTASY FOOTBALL ADD/DROPS
Week 12 working the waiver wire: Movers and Bakers
Nov 19, 2019, 4:26 pm
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Week 12 is upon us, which means the fantasy playoffs are right around the corner. This week, 4 teams won't be playing (Cardinals, Chiefs, Chargers, and Vikings) so expect this to be a fairly busy week on the waiver wire. Keep in mind the owner % mentioned is for 10-team standard ESPN PPR leagues. Some of these players below are good for the short-term, while others have more long-term value. You have to make the call on what your team needs. Immediate help to start this week, or a player to stash on your bench and hope he breaks out. Let's get started.
QB
Baker Mayfield: He's only rostered in 45% of ESPN 10-team leagues, and he plays the Dolphins this week.
Jacoby Brissett: He threw for over 300 yards and 4 TDs that last time he played the Texans, so he's worth considering for sure. He's available in 50% of leagues.
Sam Darnold: He's only rostered in 12% of leagues, and he gets the Raiders on Sunday. The matchup doesn't get much better, so grab him if you need him.
Nick Foles: He's available in 80% of leagues and his schedule is pretty nice down the stretch. He plays the Titans this week but next week is really where it's at. He plays the Bucs at home who have been dreadful at stopping the pass.
RB
Jonathan Williams: The Colts' backfield is a little murky right now, and we don't know if Jordan Wilkins will play this week. If Wilkins is out, Williams should get the work on 1st and 2nd down with Nyheim Hines getting the touches on passing downs. Marlon Mack isn't expected to miss a lot of time, so these are short-term options. Williams is widely available.
Derrius Guice and Adrian Peterson: They split the workload pretty evenly last week, so they both might be usable against the Lions defense this week. Detroit is at the bottom of the league when it comes to stopping the run, so it's a beautiful matchup. Guice is rostered in 47% of leagues and Peterson's at 55%.
Bo Scarbrough: He had a nice fantasy game against the Cowboys, but who knows how the Lions will split up the RB touches going forward. He's out there in pretty much every league.
Kalen Ballage: He stinks, but it looks like he'll get the bulk of the carries for Miami. He's rostered in 34% of leagues.
WR
DeVante Parker: I can't believe Parker is still available in so many leagues. This is probably your last chance to add him. He's recorded 100 yards or a TD in 5 of his last 7 games. He's rostered in 45% of leagues.
Darius Slayton: Slayton has 4TDs in his last 3 games, and this dude can run. He's worth adding for upside. If Sterling Shepard returns from his concussion issues, that could negatively impact Slayton's value. Shepard fully practiced on Monday, so you'll have to monitor his status this week. He might be somebody to consider also if he does return to action.
Deebo Samuel: He's been terrific for 2 weeks straight, so he's worth adding. We'll see if he continues to put up big numbers when Emmanuel Sanders gets healthy, but Samuel looks good for the next couple of weeks. He should put up decent numbers in what could be a shootout against the Packers this week. Samuel is dealing with a shoulder injury, but he's expected to play. He's rostered in 33% of leagues.
Mecole Hardman: Tyreek Hill injured his hamstring on Monday night, and Hardman was used as his replacement. Hardman has similar traits to Hill, so he should be a good option until Hill returns from injury. Keep in mind, the Chiefs have a bye this week, and it's certainly possible Hill is ready to return in week 13. But if Hill misses a few weeks, Hardman could help lead your team to the fantasy playoffs. He's available in 80% of leagues, and makes for a good handcuff to Hill at the very least.
TE
Kyle Rudolph: He's recorded 4TDs in his last 3 games, so he's clearly the guy you should target. He's only rostered in 41% of leagues, so he's out there for the taking.
Noah Fant: He's only rostered in 14% of leagues, and this guy can really run, especially for a TE. He's a great option if you're looking for some upside and tired of starting guys like Jimmy Graham.
DEF
This week, the Browns have the honor of playing the Dolphins, so they are a good streaming option. If you have any questions, feel free to hit me up on Twitter. Be sure to check out my show MoneyLine with Jerry Bo on ESPN 97.5FM. We're on every Sunday morning from 10-noon, and we'll talk a lot of fantasy football and NFL gambling getting you ready for kickoff every Sunday.
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Early breakdown of how Astros stack up against potential playoff opponents
Sep 17, 2024, 5:03 pm
Though they have plenty of work to do, the Houston Texans are feeling good about their 2-0 start after dropping their first two games last season.
The Texans scored just three points after halftime Sunday night, but a smothering defensive performance allowed them to hold on for a 19-13 win over the Bears. The victory has them in early control in the AFC South after the Colts, Titans and Jaguars have all opened the season 0-2.
It’s the first time since 2016 that Houston has won its first two games.
“I definitely know that Texans football was not what we put on the field (Sunday), at least in the second half,” quarterback C.J. Stroud said. “We’ll definitely be better, for sure."
Stroud threw for 260 yards and a touchdown, but the Texans punted on five of their seven possessions in the second half and fumbled on another drive. Their only points after halftime came on a field goal early in the fourth quarter.
“Second half we were just flat,” Stroud said. “Just needed a big play or just needed (to) stack plays really. We just couldn’t find our rhythm.”
One thing that slowed the Texans on Sunday was their inability to run the ball effectively. Houston managed just 75 yards rushing against the Bears after leading the NFL with 213 yards in Week 1.
“They had a lot of penetration,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We weren’t able to have the lanes that we had the previous weeks. Something we have to clean up on the offensive side and make sure we just continue to get a head on the hat no matter what they show us.”
The running game was slowed because of an ankle injury to Joe Mixon, who had 159 yards rushing in the opener. He was injured early in the third quarter and returned near the end of the period, but had just two carries for 5 yards the rest of the game as he dealt with the injury. He finished with nine carries for 25 yards.
Ryans said that Mixon got “rolled up” and that it’s too early to know if he’ll play next week.
What’s working
The Texans were relentless in their pressure on rookie quarterback Caleb Williams Sunday night. Houston pressured Williams, the top overall pick in the draft, on 36 of his 37 pass attempts, according to NextGenStats.
Defensive ends Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter combined for 17 pressures and the Texans piled up seven sacks, which is tied for the second most in franchise history.
Houston had six different players with a sack Sunday night and the team’s nine sacks through two games ranks second in the NFL behind Minnesota’s 11 entering Monday.
What needs help
The Texans must get their running game back on track next week, which will be a tough task if Mixon can’t play. They could be without their top two running backs Sunday with Dameon Pierce dealing with a hamstring injury that kept him out of the game against Chicago.
Stock up
K Ka′imi Fairbairn has been great this season, with Ryans crediting him for Sunday night’s win. He was 4-for-4 against the Bears, making kicks of 59, 56, 53 and 47 yards. He also made three field goals of 50-plus yards in Week 1 to become the first kicker in NFL history to make five or more field goals of 50 yards or longer in a two-game span.
His 59-yard field goal on Sunday night was the second-longest in franchise history behind a 61-yard kick he made in 2021.
“He’s been consistent,” Ryans said. “He’s on it. He’s the reason why we’re standing here. We talk a lot about offense and defense (but) the kicking game is the reason why we won this game.”
Stock down
RB Cam Akers. Pushed into action because of injuries, Akers fumbled on the Chicago 4 with about 6½ minutes left Sunday. The Bears recovered the ball and it led to a field goal that got them within a score with less than three minutes left.
Injuries
Mixon and Pierce are the main injuries the team is dealing with this week.
Key number
252 — Entering Monday, wide receiver Nico Collins leads the NFL with 252 yards receiving, which is the second most in franchise history in the first two games of a season. Collins, who had a career-high 1,297 yards receiving last season, had 135 yards receiving and a touchdown Sunday night for the seventh 100-yard game of his career.
Next steps
Stroud and Houston’s offense will look to clean up their play and move the ball more effectively when they face an early test in a visit to the Minnesota Vikings, who are also 2-0, on Sunday.