Sit/Start Week 13: Reviewing All the Fantasy Relevant Players In Every Single Game

  

Eagles@Dolphins

 

Game Info

Kickoff: Sunday, December 1st at 1:00 pm EST

Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL

Betting Odds: PHI -9, 45 Total via Oddsshark

Network: FOX

Sleeper Spotlight: Mike Gesicki

 

Philadelphia Eagles

 

Quarterback

• Carson Wentz (Start/QB1)

 

Carson Wentz’s season has not been a smooth ride to this point, but this could be a week where things start to change. Wentz has had to put the Eagles offense on his back with little receiving help. DeSean Jackson has missed all but three games, Alshon Jeffery has missed the past two weeks, and Nelson Agholor was out last week. Jordan Matthews was a free agent and immediately became a full-time player for the Eagles (and has now been cut). There are positive reports that Jeffery and Agholor will return this week and the best news is the opponent. The Dolphins rank dead last in pass defense by DVOA. So if there was a get right game for Wentz and the Eagles passing offense, it’s this week. They then face the Giants and Redskins the next two weeks, which makes Wentz a very viable playoff starter. If he can’t get it done this week, then we have a problem.

 

Running Backs

• Miles Sanders (Start/RB2)

 

This is being written under the assumption that Jordan Howard is still out due to a shoulder injury. With Howard’s absence, Miles Sanders has played 85% and 84% of the snaps the past two weeks. The stat lines do not look amazing in either game, but Sanders is dominating the touches and could have had a better day if Wentz didn’t sail two easy throws over his head (one for a would-be touchdown). Sanders has quietly become one of the best receiving backs in the NFL during his rookie year. He ranks fourth in both DYAR and DVOA in receiving among RBs, only behind Austin Ekeler, Christian McCaffery, and Dalvin Cook. That’s some pretty good company. As I said in the Wentz section, Miami ranks dead last against the pass, so Sanders should have a great day through the air. On the ground, the Dolphins rank 29th by DVOA, so there’s a good chance Sanders will add value there as well. Also, there is no reason to worry Jay Ajayi. After a report he would have a significant role, Ajayi played only 9 snaps. As long as Howard is out, this is the Sanders show.

 

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

• Alshon Jeffery (Start/WR2)
• Nelson Agholor (Start/Flex)
• Zach Ertz (Start/TE1)
• Dallas Goedert (Streamer)

 

There is no guarantee that Alshon Jeffery will be back this week, but the offense desperately needs him. Wentz has had to rely on players like Jordan Matthews and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside to get open, which has not happened. He was expected to play last week but was ruled out late in the week so there should be a good chance he is in. If he plays, you’ll be hard-pressed to find an easier matchup to return to. Dolphins corner Nik Needham has been roasted by John Brown, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry in consecutive weeks. Nelson Agholor has yet to show any consistency this season for fantasy or simply catching a football. But the matchup is fantastic. So while it’s difficult to trust him at all, you can roll him out as a Flex if necessary. Zach Ertz returned to dominating the target share with all the injuries to the WR corps. Ertz has had at least 90 yards in three straight games. Dallas Goedert also stepped up into a full-time role and he played almost as many snaps as Ertz the past four weeks. Ertz is obviously a must-start at TE and Goedert is a viable streamer against this Dolphins defense.

 

Miami Dolphins

 

Quarterback

• Ryan Fitzpatrick (Sit)

 

The year is 2046, Ryan Fitzpatrick has now completed his second full go around as a starting QB for every NFL team and he is still slinging the ball with no remorse. It is truly fun watching Fitzmagic play every week because anything can happen and no team has been able to control it. Five touchdowns or five interceptions. He is still pushing the ball down the field, he sits at seventh in the NFL in average intended air yards per pass (9.1) and fifth in AGG%, which measures a QB’s tendency to throw into tight coverage. The efficiency has not been there (23rd in DVOA) but it would be difficult for any QB to be efficient in this offense. In the right matchups, Fitz is a streaming option but the Eagles defense has played much better lately and is 10th against the pass by DVOA. Hopefully you don’t have to rely on Fitz this week or in the playoffs, but the matchups in weeks 15 and 16 against the Giants and Bengals respectively are enticing.

 

Running Backs

• Kalen Ballage (Sit/puke)
• Patrick Laird (Sit)

 

I think we can officially deem Kalen Ballage as the worst RB in the NFL, maybe all-time. He has 71 carries for 135 yards. That is a preposterous 1.9 yards per carry. If we add in his receiving work (14 catches for 63 yards), he is averaging a paltry 2.3 yards per touch. Kenyan Drake still has more yards as a Dolphins player than Ballage. Miami has finally caught up with the rest of the world and reduced Ballage’s workload last week. After seeing at least 77% of the snaps the last two weeks, Ballage dropped down to 38%. Patrick Laird was the beneficiary of this shift. The Dolphins have said that Ballage will remain the starter, but Laird will likely overtake him. Stay away from this backfield this week against the Eagles’ eighth-ranked run defense and probably stay away for the rest of the year.

 

Wide Receivers/Tight End

• Devante Parker (Start/Flex)
• Allen Hurns (Sit)
• Mike Gesicki (Streamer)

 

Ever since Preston Williams’ injury, Devante Parker has thrived in his number one receiver role. He ranks 15th in DYAR and 20th in DVOA after being one of the least efficient WRs the past few seasons. It’s difficult to think of a player who has similarly turned it around like Parker has this year. His aDOT is 13.3 yards, which matches up with Fitzpatrick’s play style. The Eagles have improved as a pass defense as the season has progressed, but their weakness is still on the outside. Parker should be able to continue his turnaround and provide Flex appeal this week. Allen Hurns has played roughly 90% of the snaps since Williams’ injury. He can be a streamer in a pinch but the Eagles are one of the top defenses against slot receivers (see Tyler Lockett last week), so he should be avoided. Mike Gesicki has also seen his snap share rise all the way to 90% last week. He had 77 air yards last week and Fitzpatrick has been looking his way. Gesicki has seen at least six targets the past four weeks and is third on the team in targets. The Eagles are a difficult defense but in TE wasteland, there are worse options.

 

-Frank Costanzo (@FrankQBList; Reddit: Zzzonked92)