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Is It Legit? Week 12
After next week, most fantasy playoffs will have already started which means this list will no longer be necessary. At that point, it is too risky to pick up anyone who may have had a breakout week, you need to be playing the guys with the lowest floor, that could potentially give you the boost you need. With that being said, I think I have just two more articles left to write this season; a sad end to a list I have very much enjoyed writing. With that being said, let’s dive in to the guys who stole the show in Week 12.
Amari Cooper
(Wide Receiver, Dallas Cowboys)
Amari Cooper has been the most frustrating fantasy receiver throughout his career. He has flashes of absolute brilliance, like his Thanksgiving performance, and then he will follow it with weeks of being entirely absent. Last year, he had 11 receptions for 210 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Chiefs. The game after that? 5 catches for 48 yards. Earlier this year he had 10 catches for 116 yards. The following week? 2 catches for 17 yards. Coming off 8 receptions for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns makes me extremely hesitant to put any stock in Cooper. Next week the Cowboys play the Saints, who have held their opponents offenses in check the last few weeks. Until Cooper shows that he can be consistent, I am staying away.
David Njoku
(Tight End, Cleveland Browns)
Since the removal of former head coach, Hue Jackson, and offensive coordinator, Todd Haley, the Browns have actually been really good. They are delivering the offense we all have wanted to see, and there have been a few players that are benefiting largely from it. Rookies Baker Mayfield and Nick Chubb are now fantasy starters at their position. It looks like David Njoku might be joining that group soon. I have consistently talked about the lack of depth in the tight end position, and if you happen to make the playoffs, you are going to need someone you can count on; I think Njoku could be that guy. In a standard PPR, Njoku is the 12th ranked tight end in scoring at the moment. He posted 5 receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown, a solid day for a tight end. If you have him, keep playing him unless you have a top tier guy.
Josh Adams
(Running Back, Philadelphia Eagles)
The Eagles will be joining the Ravens as teams that waited until the double digit weeks to finally find their starting running back; once again it was not the guy who was in early competition for the job. Josh Adams looked good on Sunday and it looks like he will be the feature back moving forward. He ran for 84 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries and had a 52 yard touchdown wiped off the board due to a holding call. It is always nice to be able to pick up a starting running back, and he is still unowned in 33% of leagues. Play him as an RB2 moving forward.
Lamar Jackson
(Quarterback, Baltimore Ravens)
This is more of a look at the Ravens’ wide receivers with Lamar Jackson at quarterback rather than Joe Flacco. Jackson made a couple really good throws yesterday, but also only completed 56% of his passes. The Ravens aren’t giving him a chance to air out the ball, however he has shown he has the ability to throw downfield. I think it is more difficult to play any of the Ravens’ receivers with Jackson than with Flacco. That being said, I was never really high on any of the receivers due to the high volume of pass catchers in that offense. Avoid them if you can, but who knows, maybe Baltimore will set Jackson loose and let him air it out.
Minnesota Viking Running Backs
Dalvin Cook and Latavius Murray are currently locked in a very weird running back committee. Cook was given the keys to be the feature back, but he got injured and Murray came in and played well. Since Cook has returned, the Vikings have been splitting carries when they can, but in the last three weeks, no running back has carried the ball more than 11 times. Cook has been the more talented back and they have been using him as a pass catcher more often than Murray, but they have continued to split carries. I think that they will return the role to Cook and he will take over with Murray used sparingly as a 3rd down back. Unfortunately, as it stands both running backs are difficult to play as you never know which is going to have the successful day; sit them both if you can until one of them takes over.