EXPECT TEXANS-CHIEFS TO BE A FANTASY EXPLOSION
Week 6 fantasy football rankings
Oct 10, 2019, 1:29 pm
EXPECT TEXANS-CHIEFS TO BE A FANTASY EXPLOSION
These are my very early ranks and I will update them later in the week. Make sure you check the injury report on Sunday for players that have missed practice. Keep in mind, these are PPR rankings, and don't forget to set your lineup for Thursday Night Football.
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.
1 Patrick Mahomes
2 Deshaun Watson
3 Russell Wilson
4 Lamar Jackson
5 Matt Ryan
6 Tom Brady
7 Kyler Murray
8 Dak Prescott
9 Aaron Rodgers
10 Jameis Winston
11 Carson Wentz
12 Gardner Minshew
13 Jared Goff
14 Philip Rivers
15 Kirk Cousins
16 Kyle Allen
17 Jimmy Garoppolo
18 Matthew Stafford
19 Sam Darnold
20 Baker Mayfield
1 Christian McCaffrey
2 Alvin Kamara
3 Ezekiel Elliott
4 Dalvin Cook
5 Mark Ingram
6 Aaron Jones
7 Le'Veon Bell
8 Chris Carson
9 David Johnson
10 Leonard Fournette
11 Austin Ekeler
12 Nick Chubb
13 Derrick Henry
14 Kerryon Johnson
15 James Conner
16 Phillip Lindsay
17 Sony Michel
18 Melvin Gordon
19 James White
20 Joe Mixon
21 Devonta Freeman
22 Damien Williams
23 Malcolm Brown
24 Chris Thompson
25 Tevin Coleman
26 Adrian Peterson
27 Matt Breida
28 Carlos Hyde
29 Kenyan Drake
30 LeSean McCoy
31 Jordan Howard
32 Ronald Jones
33 Royce Freeman
34 Jonathan Hilliman
35 Miles Sanders
36 Duke Johnson
1 Julio Jones
2 Chris Godwin
3 Cooper Kupp
4 DeAndre Hopkins
5 Amari Cooper
6 Michael Thomas
7 Keenan Allen
8 Adam Thielen
9 Tyler Lockett
10 Julian Edelman
*Tyreek Hill Looks like he will play, He's a top 10 play
11 Larry Fitzgerald
12 Odell Beckham
13 Tyler Boyd
14 Josh Gordon
15 Mike Evans
16 Kenny Galladay
17 D.J. Chark
18 Will Fuller
19 D.J. Moore
20 Emmanuel Sanders
21 JuJu Smith-Schuster
22 Michael Gallup
23 Calvin Ridley
24 Courtland Sutton
25 Marquise Brown
26 Terry McLaurin
27 Stefon Diggs
28 Jarvis Landry
29 Alshon Jeffery
30 Curtis Samuel
31 Marvin Jones
32 Dede Westbrook
33 Marquez Valdes-Scantling
34 Mike Williams
35 Mecole Hardman
36 Mohamed Sanu
37 Demarcus Robinson
38 Auden Tate
39 Robbie Anderson
40 Geronimo Allison
Photo via:Chiefs/Facebook
1 Travis Kelce
2 George Kittle
3 Austin Hooper
4 Zach Ertz
5 Will Dissly
6 Greg Olsen
7 Mark Andrews
8 Jimmy Graham
9 Gerald Everett
10 Delanie Walker
11 Jason Witten
12 Jared Cook
13 Noah Fant
14 Vance McDonald
15 O.J. Howard
1 Patriots
2 Chargers
3 Cowboys
4 Ravens
5 Vikings
6 Titans
7 Seahawks
8 Packers
9 Panthers
10 Broncos
11 Steelers
12 Redskins
13 Jaguars
14 49ers
15 Eagles
1 Justin Tucker
2 Greg Zuerlein
3 Will Lutz
4 Harrison Butker
5 Robbie Gould
6 Ka'imi Fairbairn
7 Mason Crosby
8 Joey Slye
9 Zane Gonzalez
10 Brett Maher
11 Matt Bryant
12 Jake Elliott
13 Mike Nugent
14 Matt Prater
15 Jason Myers
Just one week ago, it looked like the Astros’ bats might finally be waking up. There was a noticeable uptick in offensive numbers, optimism in the air, and a belief creeping in that Houston could be on the verge of an offensive breakthrough. But if there was any momentum building, it collapsed over the past week.
In their latest seven-game stretch, the Astros were near the bottom of the league in virtually every key offensive metric — 24th in runs scored, 27th in OPS (.610), and 26th in slugging percentage (.337). These numbers aren't just a one-week blip. They are more aligned with the team’s season-long struggles, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to argue that the Astros are simply off to a slow start. The numbers don’t lie: 25th in home runs (39), 20th in OPS (.689), 23rd in slugging (.372), and 20th in total runs.
The hope was that Houston’s offense would eventually climb into the top 10. That no longer feels realistic. What’s becoming clearer each week is that this is a bottom-third offense — and the only thing keeping them competitive is elite pitching.
Pitching keeps the ship afloat
While the bats have sputtered, the arms have delivered. The Astros currently rank 7th in team ERA (3.39), 1st in WHIP (1.12), and 2nd in opponent batting average (.212). That’s championship-caliber stuff. But as the American League hierarchy takes shape, it’s worth noting that contenders like the Yankees and Tigers boast both top-five pitching and offense — a balance the Astros currently can’t come close to matching.
Core hitters going quiet
So what’s wrong with the offense? Much of it comes down to three players who were supposed to be key contributors: Jose Altuve, Christian Walker, and Yainer Diaz. All three rank in the bottom 30 in MLB in OPS.
For Altuve, the struggles are especially glaring. The month of May has been a black hole for the veteran. He has yet to hit a home run or drive in a run this month. His season numbers (.241/.296/.646) are troubling enough, but the trend line is even worse:
That last stretch has Altuve ranked with the 8th worst OPS (.537) in all of baseball over the last month.
Yet despite the slump — and a 35-year-old body showing signs of wear — Altuve continues to be penciled into the lineup almost daily. Even after missing a game on May 11th with hamstring tightness, he returned the next day. Manager Joe Espada’s reluctance to give Altuve extended rest is becoming a storyline of its own. If he continues to produce at this level, it will be hard to justify keeping him at the top of the lineup.
Rotation takes a blow
The week delivered more bad news — this time on the injury front. The Astros announced that right-hander Hayden Wesneski will miss the remainder of the season and require Tommy John surgery. What makes the injury particularly frustrating is that the signs were there. Decreased velocity led to a longer rest period, but in his return start, the team allowed him to throw 40 pitches in the first inning. That start would be his last of the season.
With Wesneski out, the pressure now shifts to Lance McCullers, whose return was once seen as a bonus but now feels like a necessity. Spencer Arrighetti’s comeback becomes more critical as well. The Astros' rotation has depth, but the margin for error just got thinner.
The road ahead
The American League isn’t dominated by a juggernaut, which gives the Astros some breathing room. But the Yankees and Tigers are pulling away in terms of balance and consistency — the very thing Houston has lacked.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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