Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, December 1, 2024, 8:20 ET
Location: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
Network: NBC/Peacock
Writer: Chris Helle (@ChrisHelleQBL on Twitter)
San Francisco 49ers
Quarterback
Brock Purdy: Steaming Option, QB2
Purdy missed last week’s contest against the Packers due to a nagging shoulder injury, but signs are pointing toward him flying out to Orchard Park. He had been one of the most consistent fantasy QBs you could hope for, but temper your expectations this week. The Bills’ defense has been strong despite the injuries and personnel turnover, let alone he may be put on a ‘pitch count’ while nursing that injured shoulder. This is a matchup against a defense with the 5th highest interception rate and 4th highest rate of scrambles. The 49ers’ pass protection has been rough this year, allowing the 2nd highest rate of scrambles. You should be very cautious about putting Purdy in your lineup.
Running Back
Christian McCaffrey: Start, RB1
Jordan Mason: Sit
Christian McCaffrey logged a game of less than 10 fantasy points last week? That’s right, the fantasy machine showed he’s not invincible. Granted, they played on the road and had a backup QB who didn’t pose a threat to stretch the defense vertically. We can expect at least some bounceback if Purdy returns for this game, but last week goes to show how delicate this offense is and that CMC might not have fully gotten back into form yet. We all know what he’s capable of, though, and the Bills’ 3rd lowest allowed average depth of target could mean more checkdown work. Also, since CMC’s return, he’s yet to log a game under an 80% snap share, and Jordan Mason has seen fewer snaps than Kyle Juszyzck.
Wide Receiver
Jauan Jennings: Start, WR2
Deebo Samuel: FLEX Option, WR3
Ricky Pearsall: Sit
After losing Brandon Aiyuk for the season, Jauan Jennings has made a smooth transition to fill that X-receiver role for this unit. He’s gone three straight games with at least 7 targets and 5 receptions and should continue to be the featured WR of this receiving corpse. The Bills have allowed the 9th fewest net yards per pass attempt but at the same time have allowed the 5th highest completion rate. Obviously, much hinges on the status of Brock Purdy – but Jennings still had a respectable game with Brandon Allen behind center last week. The biggest question mark is Deebo Samuel, whose 5 reception game against a pass funnel Buccaneers defense was the most since Week 2. Two blatant drops last week add to his frustrations, but he’s still an explosive playmaker when the ball is in his hands. He should be seen as a risky but high-upside FLEX option should Purdy play in hopes his volume rebounds.
Tight End
George Kittle: Start, TE1
Kittle is a monster and, as the overall TE2, is a weekly start. The QB situation made no difference to his production last week, as he’s scored at least 1 TD in 7 of the 9 games he’s played. He’s probably the safest weekly starter for the TE position and has one of the highest ceilings at the position, regardless of the matchup.
Buffalo Bills
Quarterback
Josh Allen: Start, QB1
Josh Allen is debatably one of the best QBs in the NFL and directly translates well for fantasy. Five of his last 6 weeks have been top-10 finishes at the QB position, as he’s thrown the ball 30+ times a game in that span and has gotten rushing TDs in the past two games. The perception of the 49ers defense being one of the better units in the league is fading away: they’ve allowed the 7th most passing yards per attempt and may have lost Deommodore Lenoir, who is currently getting an MRI on his knee that he injured against the Packers last week. This isn’t a stress-inducing matchup, and Allen is a weekly starter regardless.
Running Back
James Cook: Start, RB2
Ray Davis: Sit
Ty Johnson: Sit
It’s a great sign to see the Packers dominate the ground game last week, as Josh Jacobs went for over 100 yards and 3 TDs. The 49ers have allowed the 8th most rushing TDs in the league and are 18th in EPA/rush attempt. While James Cook saw his lowest snap share of the season against Kansas City before their BYE, he still held onto nearly twice as many carries as either Ray Davis or Ty Johnson. Cook also earns much of his production through the air, which is a plus matchup in this game.
Wide Receiver
Khalil Shakir: Start, WR2
Amari Cooper: FLEX Option, WR3
Keon Coleman: FLEX Option, WR4
Curtis Samuel: Sit
Mack Hollins: Sit
The most reliable receiver on this offense is far and away Khalil Shakir. His 85% catch percentage is 3rd in the league, and he’s been targeted an average of 9.5 times over the last four games. His main hurdle from breaking into WR1 territory is getting into the endzone, something he hasn’t done since Week 3. The commotion around Amari Cooper coming over from Cleveland seems to be more hype than realism. He’s only been targeted an average of 3.3 times per game since the trade, and a touchdown in his first game in Buffalo has falsely attributed him as a key piece of this offense. Shakir gets the lion’s share of targets, and the remainder of the passing work is spread fairly evenly across the board. Cooper does bring some big-play potential, which, in combination with a QB like Allen, makes him a FLEX-worthy play, but he should still be seen as a TD-dependent receiver. The same goes for the other pass catchers, but a slight edge is given to Keon Coleman if you need a desperation start, given his slightly higher red zone usage.
Tight End
Dalton Kincaid: Streaming Option, TE2
It’s been a disappointing season for Dalton Kincaid, who has broken 10 fantasy points in only 3 of his 10 games played. He missed Week 11’s contest against the Chiefs but may make his return given an extra week to rest over the BYE. His lack of production is seemingly anomalous, he’s been targeted 7+ times in 6 of his last seven games but has had an abysmal 58% catch rate. The chemistry between him and Allen simply hasn’t clicked, so he should be avoided if you have a better option. If Kincaid misses this game, Dawson Knox, too, should be low on your list of starting candidates, given his lackluster performance against Kansas City in Kincaid’s stead two weeks ago.