Did your fantasy football question not make this week's Mailbag? You can still get an answer! Submit it to Fantasy Genius and have your question seen by millions of fantasy fans just like you!
Marcas Grant: Mama, there goes that man. It's been a few weeks since we've discussed Josh Gordon, but it seems appropriate right now. Gordon won't be eligible to play until Week 12 (10-game suspension, plus Cleveland's bye makes 11 weeks total), but if he's available on your waiver wire this is the time to grab him. If you're in line for the playoffs, he'll be a valuable asset for the fantasy postseason. If you're making a run at a playoff spot, he could get you over the hump. As for who to drop? It has to be Wes Welker. Percy Harvin still is a large part of what the Seahawks do on offense -- both as a receiver and a runner. Meanwhile, the Broncos have so many targets in their passing game, especially with Emmanuel Sanders having a good season, that Welker will have a tough time moving up the ladder.
M.G.: This is the moment when we admit that we were all snookered by Patterson's potential this season. The Vikings sold us on how they had so many things planned for the speedy receiver and we all drooled over what could be. But the reality is that regardless of what's in the playbook, Patterson's inability to get open on his routes has made him a non-factor. Plus, with Adrian Peterson out of the lineup, opposing defenses were able to focus more on slowing down Minnesota's next biggest weapon. We whiffed on that one. Our bad. Let it go and move on.
M.G.: I feel like if we start saying names of different Patriots running backs, Bill Belichick will sense the ripple in the fantasy Force and coax Kevin Faulk out of retirement just to give him 25 carries. The absence of Ridley will revive the flagging fantasy value of Shane Vereen, but this probably isn't the week to plug him into your lineup. The Jets run defense has been gashed in each of the past two weeks and they're likely going to be like a wounded animal fighting for survival heading into Thursday night's game. Going forward, however, Vereen is worth a look as a flex option.
M.G.: At this point in the season, Doug Martin has been less "Muscle" and more "Hamster". I don't need to tell you that that's not a good thing. The Buccaneers have been splitting carries between Martin and Bobby Rainey with the latter looking like the better back. On top of it, Tampa Bay has a nasty habit of falling behind -- way behind -- in ballgames and being forced to abandon their running game. With guys like Ronnie Hillman and Jerick McKinnon still available in plenty of leagues, it's okay if you decide to move on from Martin.
M.G.: Time for another mea culpa: I was wrong about Keenan Allen. After last season, it seemed only natural to believe that Allen would take another step forward in his second season. But we never took into account that Allen might have had the element of surprise working in his favor last year. We also didn't factor in how much Philip Rivers trusts Malcom Floyd. Here's the crazy part -- Allen leads San Diego in targets and receptions, but he's fourth on the team in receiving yards and hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 16 of last season. Allen might be getting the ball, but he's not making plays. Floyd is. He's your man.
M.G.: The correct answer is ... C) Neither. I like Reed and think he'll be productive, but you already have a pair of top-10 fantasy tight ends on your roster. That's a pretty big deal when you consider the number of injuries and disappointments we've seen at the position this season. Both Allen and Kelce have been pretty consistent week in and week out. I wouldn't advise ditching that for a player whose numbers and injury history have both been spotty.
M.G.: You, my friend, have offered too much. This isn't the 2013 edition of Eddie Lacy who finished sixth among fantasy running backs. This is the new and unimproved Lacy, who is averaging nine points per game and has a fairly challenging schedule for the remainder of the season. You can likely pull one of those backs (probably Zac Stacy) and submit the deal. That seems a little more acceptable given Lacy's production.
M.G.: I'd roll with Ben Tate. Because Jaguars. But also because it often seems that the 49ers coaching staff has never been properly introduced to Frank Gore. How else can you explain whey the offense goes away from its most potent weapon for long stretches at a time? Or why Carlos Hyde had three straight (unsuccessful) carries from inside the 5-yard line with a chance to put the Rams away on Monday night? Right now, the Browns seem dedicated to getting the ball to Tate, which is a plus. But also ... Jaguars.
M.G.: I'm pinning my hopes on Malcom Floyd for some of the reasons I laid out above. But also because I don't have complete faith in the other options. Brandon LaFell has been hot, but there's always the threat of Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski. Mohamed Sanu will eventually return to a secondary role when A.J. Green returns and Andre Holmes still plays for the Raiders, where consistency is hard to come by.
M.G.: Both Bradshaw and Hillman have tough matchups this week, but Bradshaw's game against the Bengals is slightly better. That gives him the nod for Week 7. But Bradshaw also has the edge for the rest of the season as well. Who knows what will happen in the Broncos backfield when Montee Ball returns? Not to mention that Juwan Thompson is lurking and ready to take some carries. Bradshaw still looks like the better back in Indianapolis and even if he's sharing carries with Trent Richardson, the veteran is seeing targets in the red zone -- which can't be undervalued.
Bonus question:
M.G.: Only if it stars Nick Offerman.
Marcas Grant is a fantasy editor for NFL.com and a man who's going to have a long winter. Tweet him something cheery or fantasy football questions @MarcasG.
