Week 10 was a weird one in fantasy land. Kirk Cousins lit up the scoreboard in FedExField like a Christmas tree (little early, Kirk), thanks to the Saints defense coming to town. Ben Roethlisberger dropped a 26-point performance on the Browns ... from the bench. And the Packers 24-year streak of beating the Lions in Lambeau Field was snapped today, as Detroit came into Green Bay and upset the Pack, thanks to a couple of #ThatHelpsNoOne contending touchdowns. Still, there were some stellar fantasy performances to be had. Hopefully they were for your squads.
Check out our full recaps for all of Week 10's games below.
Chicago Bears at St. Louis Rams
Top performers:
» Jay Cutler, QB: 258 yards, 3 TDs, 24 rush yards, 24.72 fantasy points
» Jeremy Langford, RB: 73 rush yards, TD, 109 rec yards, TD, 30.2 fantasy points
» Alshon Jeffery, WR: 3 rec, 23 rec yards, 2.3 fantasy points
» Zach Miller, TE: 5 rec, 107 yards, 2 TDs, 22.7 fantasy points
» Todd Gurley, RB: 89 total yards, TD, 14.9 fantasy points
» Tavon Austin, WR: 23 total yards 2.3 fantasy points
With Matt Forte out again recovering from a knee injury, we've been given a glimpse into the future of the Chicago backfield. And let us tell you, that future looks BRIGHT thanks to Jeremy Langford. The rookie out of Michigan State is the complete package, with good vision, soft hands out of the backfield and serious wheels. He led the team in rushing AND receiving, with a team-high seven receptions for 109 yards. If you had to play against him this week (30.2 fantasy points) we extend our condolences for your team. Over the last two weeks, Zach Miller has caught all seven of his targets for 130 yards and three touchdowns. His 87-yarder today was more the result of terrible defense than anything else, but he'll be worth a look on the waivers this week in deeper leagues. Jay Cutler has arguably been fantasy's most consistent quarterback the last six weeks, never scoring fewer than 17 fantasy points in that span. He looked good today and will have some appeal as a streaming candidate later in the season (just not next week against Denver).
Despite some early game theatrics, including an epic hurdle, Todd Gurley was largely held in check by the Bears. Granted, he still managed 89 total yards and a touchdown, but the Bears will consider that a victory. The rest of the offense continues to be handicapped by Nick Foles, who sprays passes around the field with the accuracy of a Tommy Gun tied to a fire hose. Case in point? Gurley was the team's leading receiver in both catches (three) and yards (44). Tavon Austin was involved heavily, but continuously had plays called back on holding penalties -- including a touchdown. He remains an every-week boom-or-bust flex play.
Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers
Top performers:
» Matthew Stafford, QB: 242 pass yards, 2 TD, INT, 15.78 fantasy points
» Calvin Johnson, WR: 6 rec, 81 yards, 8.1 fantasy points
» Eric Ebron, TE: 4 rec, 28 yards, 2.8 fantasy points
» Aaron Rodgers, QB: 333 pass yards, 2 TDs, 22.12 fantasy points
» James Starks, RB: 96 total yards, 9.6 fantasy points
» Randall Cobb, WR: 5 rec, 53 yards, 5.3 fantasy points
» Davante Adams, WR: 10 rec, 79 yards, 7.9 fantasy points
The Lions offense is a frustrating study for fantasy fans. In a solid matchup, Calvin Johnson disappointed. Though that's partly because the Lions struggled to get things going on offense by continuing to hand the ball to Joique Bell (14 carries, 17 yards). Despite rumblings of Ameer Abdullah's role growing, that wasn't the case. He saw six touches on the day. Eric Ebron continues to flash potential along with wildly inconsistent hands. If he were able to put it all together he could be a real difference maker in this offense and in fantasy. We got two #ThatHelpsNoOne candidates from the Lions, as their offensive touchdowns were scored by Brandon Pettigrew (sigh) and Lance Moore (double sigh).
Something is seriously wrong with the Packers offense, and it is not as simple as missing Jordy Nelson or Eddie Lacy being ineffective. Aaron Rodgers looked off, missing a lot of passes today -- badly. It's partly him, and partly the fault of his wide receivers who a) can't get open and b) can't hold onto passes. Case in point: both Randall Cobb and Davante Adams caught less than 50 percent of their targets. Speaking of, Adams saw an obsurd 21 targets in this game. That is the most Rodgers has ever targeted a single receiver in a game in his career. Richard Rodgers continues to be a touchdown-dependent red-zone threat, as he caught another short one today. James Starks looked OK in the feature role, amassing 96 total yards, but he missed some holes and looked for the cutback too often. He'll be an RB2 down the stretch, even if Lacy comes back, as he is still the most effective rusher on the team.
Carolina Panthers at Tennessee Titans
Top performers:
» Cam Newton, QB: 240 total yards, 2 TDs, 20.98 fantasy points
» Jonathan Stewart, RB: 22 carries, 91 yard, TD, 15.10 fantasy points
» Ted Ginn, WR: 4 rec, 45 yards, 4.50 fantasy points
» Greg Olsen, TE: 8 rec, 80 yards, 8 fantasy points
» Marcus Mariota, QB: 209 total yards, INT, 7.80 fantasy points
» Dexter McCluster, RB: 7 touches, 52 total yards, TD, 9.20 fantasy points
» Antonio Andrews, RB: 11 carries, 8 yards, 0.8 fantasy points
» Delanie Walker, TE: 3 rec, 52 yards, 5.20 fantasy points
» Justin Hunter, WR: 4 rec, 47 yards, 4.70 fantasy points
The Panthers offense played a clean, efficient game to get the win over the Titans. Cam Newton posted another 20-plus point effort, with 217 yards and one score coming through the air. Jonathan Stewart actually took a red zone carry in for six, and didn't get vultured from Newton or Mike Tolbert. Greg Olsen had a steady game, about what you'd expect. Devin Funchess didn't do much to sustain optimism after his nice outing last week. This pass offense is just too low volume for him to succeed in a bit role. All in all, you pretty much know what you're getting with all of your Panthers players at this point.
Marcus Mariota predictably fell flat on way to a poor fantasy day after throwing four touchdowns last week. There is a pretty big jump in difficulty between the Saints defense and the Panthers' unit. The biggest developments in this game for Tennessee was the fall of Antonio Andrews and the absence of Dorial Green-Beckham. After several games in a row with the lion's share of the touches, and being named the feature back, Andrews saw just 11 touches and didn't even crack 10 yards. Green-Beckham didn't record a catch, but Justin Hunter did sustain a season-ending injury. He may have to make an impact soon, by default.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Baltimore Ravens
Top performers:
» Blake Bortles, QB: 188 yards, 2 TDs, INT, 16.02 fantasy points
» T.J. Yeldon, RB: 23 touches, 67 total yards, 6.7 fantasy points
» Allen Robinson, WR: 5 rec, 51 yards, TD, 11.1 fantasy points
» Allen Hurns, WR: 5 rec, 62 yards, TD, 12.2 fantasy points
» Julius Thomas, TE: 2 rec, 23 yards, 2.3 fantasy points
» Joe Flacco, QB: 316 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs, 20.34 fantasy points
» Justin Forsett, RB: 18 touches, 64 total yards, 6.4 fantasy points
» Kamar Aiken, WR: 7 rec, 73 yards, 7.30 fantasy points
» Chris Givens, WR: 4 rec, 37 yards, TD, 9.7 fantasy points
» Crockett Gillmore, TE: 4 rec, 42 yards, TD, 10.2 fantasy points
» Maxx Williams, TE: 4 rec, 40 yards, TD, 10 fantasy points
This game was a disappointment for those expecting a sneaky shootout. Jacksonville came away with the surprising late-game win, but suffered through a poor game by their quarterback. In his worst showing since Week 1, Blake Bortles reminded us that while he's been a big fantasy asset, he has a ways to go in his development as an NFL quarterback. Even in an ideal spot, like this one, he can drop a dud. Both Allens (Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns) posted solid starting days, but checked in well under expectations considering the matchup. The lack of a run game didn't help matters, either.
The Ravens offense looked surprisingly spry without Steve Smith. Kamar Aiken paced the team in targets, and should be a strong volume play down the stretch. He didn't look unequipped for the task. Chris Givens was the No. 2 receiver in this game, and came away with a touchdown. Both tight ends scored, and Maxx Williams posted the same number of receptions as Crockett Gillmore. We'll still take Gillmore as the preferred streaming option, as he's the more experienced player and better in the red zone. Justin Forsett got the volume, but fell victim to a sneaky Jaguars run defense, and a pass-heavy game script.
New Orleans Saints at Washington
Top performers:
» Brandin Cooks, WR: 109 yards, 2 TD, 22.9 fantasy points
» Drew Brees, QB: 209 pass yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 12.36 fantasy points
» Mark Ingram, RB: 91 yards, 9.1 fantay points
» Kirk Cousins, QB: 324 pass yards, 4 TD, 28.96 fantasy points
» Matt Jones, RB: 187 yards, TD, 24.7 fantasy points
» Jordan Reed, TE: 29 yards, 2 TD, 14.9 fantasy points
Drew Brees isn't the same quarterback when he's on the road, but after his recent hot streak it didn't seem probable that he wouldn't even get you 13 points. At least Brandin Cooks kept his hot streak going with a pair of touchdowns. With the game getting away from the offense quickly, it limited Mark Ingram's work -- as did an injury that the running back suffered in the second half. With New Orleans on a bye next week, hopefully there is time for Ingram to get ready to go back to work for the rest of the season. But it was a rude reminder that most of this offense is still matchup-based.
Speaking of matchups ... the Saints are now everyone's fantasy homecoming game. Kirk Cousins continued the shaming of the New Orleans defense with four touchdown passes and a nearly perfect performance. It's official -- stream all quarterbacks against the Saints defense. The craziest part is that his leading receiver was Matt Jones (131 yards), which serves as more proof that no one knows what's going on in the Washington backfield. At least we got two scores from Jordan Reed, even if his yardage totals left a lot to be desired.
Miami Dolphins at Philadelphia Eagles
Top performers:
» Ryan Tannehill, QB: 217 pass yards, 2 TD, -2 rush yards, 16.48 fantasy points
» Lamar Miller, RB: 93 yards, TD, 15.3 fantasy points
» Jarvis Landry, WR: 58 yards, TD, 11.8 fantasy points
» Sam Bradford, QB: 236 pass yards, TD, 13.44 fantay points
» Brent Celek, TE: 134 yards, 13.4 fantasy points
» DeMarco Murray, RB: 96 yards, 9.6 fantasy points
» Ryan Mathews, RB: 40 yards, TD, 10.00 fantasy points
Now that the emotion of a coaching change has worn off, maybe it's time to recognize that the Dolphins offense just isn't that good. Ryan Tannehill posted a mediocre 16 points. Lamar Miller and Jarvis Landry were equally underwhelming and only salvaged their days with touchdowns. There were high hopes for this group before the season, and while the Eagles defense has been pretty good, there should have been better production than what we saw from this group today. Maybe next week against the Cowboys will bring better tidings.
Speaking of lackluster, the Eagles offense continues to be pretty forgettable. Sam Bradford was once again not doing much of anything before an apparent shoulder injury forced him out of the game. Mark Sanchez didn't do anything to make you believe he's going to steal the gig. DeMarco Murray once again had a preponderance of the backfield touches (28) and turned it into 96 yards. Ryan Mathews continued to be efficient with a touchdown and 10 fantasy points on 10 touches, but left the game with a concussion. Brent Celek was the leading receiver with 134 yards -- 120 of them coming in the first quarter. After a big week in Week 9, Jordan Matthews returned to the shadows with just 21 yards. This is the way of the world in Philly, folks. Just accept it.
Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Top performers:
» Matt Cassel, QB: 186 pass yards, INT, 2 rush yards, 5.64 fantasy points
» Dez Bryant, RB: 45 rec yards, 4.50 fantasy points
» Darren McFadden, RB: 32 rush yards, 26 rec yards, 5.80 fantasy points
» Jason Witten, TE: 42 rec yards, 4.20 fantasy points
» Jameis Winston, WR: 264 pass yards, 2 INTs, 1 rush TD, 12.56 fantasy points
» Doug Martin, RB: 63 rush yards, 40 rec yards, 10.30 fantasy points
» Mike Evans, WR: 126 rec yards, 12.60 fantasy points
The Dallas Cowboys lost their seventh straight game in Week 10 as Matt Cassel and co. just couldn't generate any offense on the road against Tampa Bay. The Cowboys failed to score a single touchdown and put up just two field goals in the game. Darren McFadden averaged just 1.9 yards per carry as his 17 rush attempts netted him a mere 32 yards on the ground -- his lowest total since Week 5. He obviously remains the team's feature back and will be a weekly must-start based on volume alone, but he disappointed today. Dez Bryant saw 11 targets but managed to catch only five of them for 45 yards and finished as Dallas' leading receiver with that low number. Cassel wasn't accurate all day completeing just 19 of his 30 pass attempts and, if the reports we've been hearing regarding Tony Romo's health are true, this may have been Cassel's Swan Song. So it's fitting that his final pass attempt was an interception in the end zone. Dallas desperately needs Romo back, and hopefully he can provide a boost to Bryant's value as the fantasy playoffs approach. The Cowboys take on Miami next week.
The Buccaneers weren't much better on offense, as the Cowboys led this game by a score of 6-3 right up until the final minute. But Jameis Winston, who still hasn't thrown a touchdown pass since Week 8, ran one into the paint himself for the third straight week. It was a score that ended up being a game-winner for the Bucs. He also threw two picks which tainted his fantasy total. Winston did manage to provide yet another productive outing for Mike Evans who, on 13 targets, caught eight passes for 126 yards. It's Evans' second-straight 100-yard game and third in his last four games. As long as Evans is the only healthy play-making pass-catcher in this offense, he's a borderline WR1 each week. Doug Martin managed double-digit fantasy points on his 24 total touches but he couldn't get much going on the ground and failed to get into the end zone for the third straight week. As one of the few healthy high-volume backs left in fantasy, he'll continue to be a must-start despite his lack of touchdown scoring in recent weeks. The Buccaneers take on the Eagles in Week 11.
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers
Top performers:
» Johnny Manziel, QB: 372 pass yards, TD, INT, 17 rush yards, lost fumble, 16.58 fantasy points
» Gary Barnidge, TE: 65 rec yards, 1 TD, 12.5 fantasy points
» Travis Benjamin, WR: 113 rec yards, -7 rush yards, 10.6 fantasy points
» Antonio Brown, WR: 139 rec yards, 2 rec TDs, 2-pt conversion, 27.9 fantasy points
» DeAngelo Williams, RB: 54 rush yards, 15 rec yards, 6.9 fantasy points
» Martavis Bryant, WR: 178 rec yards, TD, 21.80 fantasy points
» Ben Roethlisberger, QB: 379 pass yards, 3 pass TDs, INT, -2 rush yards, 2-pt conversion, 26.96 fantasy points
This was supposed to be Landry Jones' big day. Alas, it was not. Jones left the game on the Steelers' second offensive drive with an ankle injury and was releived by none other than Ben Roethlisberger, who was healthy enough to be declared active for this game, but did not get the start. Well, Big Ben went off against the Browns, throwing touchdown passes to Antonio Brown (two) and Martavis Bryant. It was Brown's second straight fantasy explosion following his 280-plus yard performance a week ago. Having Roethlisberger under center helped, as Brown was targeted 14 times. Bryant also hooked up fantasy owners with a big day of his own, hauling in six of his 10 targets for over 170 yards against a banged-up Browns secondary. The only real disappointment for the Steelers was DeAngelo Williams, who struggled to get anything going until late in the second half, any by that point it was too little too late. The Steelers have Week 11 off, so make sure you plan ahead.
Johnny Manziel drew his second-straight start on Sunday with Josh McCown inactive. And while Johnny Football wasn't able to produce a lot of real football points, he ended up having a serviceable fantasy day for owners who needed to roll him out. The Browns shot themselves in the foot with penalties in this game, as it seemed like every positive thing that happened for them was called back on a flag. When all was said and done, Cleveland had racked up 12 penalities for 188 yards. But getting back to fantasy talk, Cleveland's ground game was abysmal once again as running back Isaiah Crowell finsihed with six carries for minus five rushing yards and Duke Johnson finished with just 10 rushing yards. The only real positives for fantasy owners here were in the passing game. Travis Benjamin was an end zone drop away from having a huge day, but still finished with 113 yards on seven receptions, while tight end Gary Barnidge boucned back from a down Week 9, with 65 yards and a score. He remains in the TE1 conversation and should be started every week no matter who the Browns quarterback is. Cleveland now gets a week off before they face the Ravens in Week 12.
Minnesota Vikings at Oakland Raiders
Top performers:
» Adrian Peterson, RB: 216 yards, TD, 27.6 fantasy points
» Vikings D/ST: 2 sacks, 2 INTs, return TD, 13 fantasy points
» Teddy Bridgewater, QB: 140 pass yards, TD, INT, 23 rush yards, 11.9 fantasy points
» Rhett Ellison, TE: 18 yards, TD, 7.8 fantasy points
» Derek Carr, RB: 302 pass yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 12 rush yards, 17.1 fantasy points
» Andre Holmes, WR: 34 yards, TD, 9.4 fantasy points
» Clive Walford, TE: 18 yards, TD, 7.8 fantasy points
Adrian Peterson. Still good at football. Just in case you forgot, AD blew through the Raiders defense for 216 total yards and a touchdown. The Vikings needed that on a day when not much else worked in the offense. Teddy Bridgewater continues to struggle this season and couldn't reach 150 passing yards against a defense that was torched last week by the Steelers. But in "TEs vs. the Raiders News," Rhett Ellison scored a touchdown. At least that trend continues. Beyond that, the Vikings continue to be a sack of fantasy disappointment.
Derek Carr's streak of games with at least three touchdowns came to an end as the Raiders signal caller offset a pair of scoring throws with two interceptions. However, he did throw for 300 yards for the third straight contest to salvage at least a decent fantasy day. The running game for Oakland was non-existent. Latavius Murray led the way with 48 yards on a day when Jamize Olawale had eight total touches (we know, right?). At least Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree had decent PPR days even if they didn't find the end zone.
New England Patriots at New York Giants
Top performers:
» Tom Brady, QB: 334 pass yards, 2 TDs, INT, 9 rush yards, fumble lost, 18.26 fantasy points
» LeGarrette Blount, RB: 66 rush yards, TD, 11 rec yards, 13.70 fantasy points
» Rob Gronkowski, TE: 113 rec yards, TD, 17.30 fantasy points
» Danny Amendola, WR: 79 rec yards, 7.90 fantasy points
» Eli Manning, QB: 361 pass yards, 2 TDs, 10 rush yards, fumble lost, 21.44 fantasy points
» Odell Beckham Jr., WR: 104 rec yards, TD, 16.40 fantasy points
» Dwayne Harris, WR: 83 rec yards, TD, 14.20 fantasy points
New England was on the verge of its first loss of the season, but thanks to some late-game magic from Tom Brady, the Patriots beat the Giants by a score of 27-26 and remained undefeated. Brady has seemed somewhat human for his fantasy owners the last two weeks as he notched his second total under 20 fanatsy points in as many weeks. But hey, you'll take 18 points from your quarterback whenever you can get it. Brady hooked up with Rob Gronkowski for a 76-yard touchdown reception in the second half, which made Gronk's day. Without that play, he would have finished with just four catches for 34 yards, but it happened. We also saw Danny Amendola emerge as the Patriots leading wide receiver, hauling in 10 of his 11 targets for 79 yards. But Amendola's production came at a cost as Julian Edelman left the game in the first half with a foot injury and was ruled out. We'll be holding our breath to find out just how serious it is in the coming days. As for the Patriots running game, LeGarrete Blount got his 21 touches, 19 of them coming as rush attempts on his way to 77 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown. James White and Brandon Bolden were non-factors here, so we can't reccommend either of them for fantasy as long as Blount remains the workhorse. The Patriots take on the Bills next week on Monday night.
Eli Manning piled up 361 yards in this game and finished Sunday as a top-five fantasy quarterback. He's been inconsistent this season, but this was one of his better fantasy outings. Manning spread the ball around as four of his pass-catchers had three or more receptions in the game. Obviously, Odell Beckham Jr. remains the top option and he made the most of his four receptions, taking his first catch of the game to the house for an 87-yard touchdown. He was targeted 12 times, so fantasy owners would have liked to see his reception total higher, but you can't complain about 104 yards and a score. Dwayne Harris led the Giants with six catches and had a touchdown of his own, but he's hit-or-miss as a fantasy option ... mostly miss. In terms of the Giants backfield, the four New York running backs split 22 carries for a total of 70 yards and zero touchdowns. We wouldn't touch this backfield with a 25-foot pole at this point for fantasy purposes. The Giants now head into their bye week so if you've been relying on Beckham all season you'll need to find another option at wide receiver for one week.
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos
Top performers:
» Alex Smith, QB: 237 total yards, TD, 15.46 fantasy points
» Charcandrick West, RB: 27 touches, 161 total yards, 2 TD, 28.1 fantasy points
» Jeremy Maclin, WR: 3 rec, 17 yards, 1.7 fantasy points
» Travis Kelce, TE: 5 rec, 36 yards, 3.6 fantasy points
» Peyton Manning, QB: 35 yards, 4 INTs, -6.6 fantasy points
» Brock Oswieler, QB: 146 yards, TD, INT, 9.64 fantasy points
» C.J. Anderson, RB: 2 carries, 9 yards, 0.9 fantasy points
» Ronnie Hillman, RB: 13 touches, 51 total yards, TD, 11.10 fantasy points
» Demaryius Thomas, WR: 7 rec, 71 yards, 7.1 fantasy points
» Cody Latimer, WR: 3 rec, 30 yards, 3.0 fantasy points
Let's not bury the lede here. Peyton Manning broke the passing yardage record today, but the real story was his benching in a completely ineffective four-interception outing. He did come into this game listed on the injury report with a foot ailment. However, this was the culmination of poor play all season from Manning, and most of the mistakes made on the back of poor decisions by the veteran quarterback. The Broncos may well go back to Manning next week, but no one should be surprised if this is the beginning of the Brock Osweiler era, especially if Manning isn't healthy. Regardless, the assets in this offense won't hold any consistent value as injuries to Manning continue to taking their toll, or if an inexperienced quarterback takes the reigns. The Chiefs mostly won on the back of their defense and Charcandrick West today. The young running back has emerged as the true workhorse of this offense, as Knile Davis was a healthy scratch today. West plays all three downs, and does everything well. Even in a tough matchup he made big plays in the passing game, and scored twice to lift his fantasy outing.
Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks
Top performers:
» Carson Palmer, QB: 363 pass yards, 3 TD, INT, 2 fmbl, 20.52 fantasy points
» Andre Ellington, RB: 61 rush yards, TD, 27 rec yards, 14.8 fantasy points
» Michael Floyd, WR: 113 rec yards, 2 TDs, 23.3 fantasy points
» Larry Fitzgerald, WR: 130 rec yards, 13 fantasy points
» Russell Wilson, QB: 240 pass yards, TD, INT, 52 rush yards, 16.8 fantasy points
» Marshawn Lynch, RB: 42 rush yards, TD, 8 rec yards, 11 fantasy points
» Doug Baldwin, WR: 134 yards, TD, 19.4 fantasy points
» Jimmy Graham, TE: 41 rec yards, 4.1 fantasy points
» Seattle D/ST: 3 sacks, 2 INTS, fmbl rec, TD, 11 fantasy points
This one was all Arizona in the first half, as they owned a 269-89 edge in total yards over the Seahawks after two quarters. Michael Floyd was the Cardinals wideout to get loose against the Legion of Boom, catching two touchdown passes and crossing the century mark early in the second half. He later left the game with a hamstring injury that will need to be monitored. Larry Fitzgerald also put together a nice day with 130 yards, but the real tip of the cap has to go to Carson Palmer. He stood tall in the pocket and delivered dimes all over the field. The Cardinals tried to commit to the run, feeding Chris Johnson 25 carries, but he found the sledding tough against the Seahawks front seven and only managed 58 yards. Andre Ellington served as the change-of-pace back, and took an important fourth-quarter third-down carry 48 yards to the house to increase the Cardinals lead. It was good to see Ellignton doing stuff again, but we'll need to see him used more often (only eight touches today) before trusting him in fantasy lineups again.
Seattle was taken to task in the first half, but rallied from what was at one point a 19-0 deficit on the back of some school-yard ball from Russell Wilson and the defense making plays. Marshawn Lynch was limited due to the game script turning pass-heavy early, though he did find the end zone, salvaging an otherwise disappointing fantasy outing. He ran with quickness and power though, which should put his owners' minds at ease moving forward. Doug Baldwin had a splashy game with 134 yards and a touchdown, but we've seen this before. The Seattle passing attack cannot sustain a consistent level of production at the wide receiver spot. Don't chase these points. Jimmy Graham could have had a big day were he able to hold onto a would-be touchdown and a few other passes he flat-out dropped. His eight targets are encouraging, though.
Houston Texans at Cincinnati Bengals
Top performers:
» T.J. Yates, QB: 69 pass yards, TD, 6.56 fantasy points
» DeAndre Hopkins, WR: 5 rec, 57 yards, TD, 11.7 fantasy points
» Houston D/ST: 3 sack, INT, fmbl rec, 6 PA, 14 fantasy points
» Andy Dalton, QB: 197 yards, INT, 30 rush yards, 8.88 fantasy points
» Giovani Bernard, RB: 79 total yards, 7.9 fantasy points
» A.J Green, WR: 67 rec yard, fmbl, 4.7 fantasy points
The narrative coming out of this game will most certainly be the return of "Primetime Andy," as Dalton and the Bengals offense laid a complete egg. Dalton was inaccurate, Tyler Eifert had several drops, Jeremy Hill remains tentative and A.J. Green fumbled after converting a fourth down with less than a minute to go. Hill is unstartable at this point, with Green likely giving owners fits after several single-digit weeks. Next week things don't get easier, either, when they face the Arizona Cardinals.
As for the Texans, their offense behins and ends with DeAndre Hopkins. His spectacular one-handed toe-tapping touchdown catch was the difference in Cincy. The backfield is a mess, but it seems clear Alfred Blue isn't the answer. He's slow and indecisive in the backfield. Chris Polk and Jonathan Grimes ran hard. Both could be deeper league stashes. Brian Hoyer was ruled out with a concussion, which forced T.J. Yates under center. He did connect with Hopkins on his YOLO ball touchdown pass, but he'll be tough to trust next week against the Jets.
