Sit/Start Week 4: Reviewing All the Fantasy Relevant Players In Every Single Game

Game Info

Kickoff: Sunday, September 29th at 1:00 pm EST

Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Betting Odds: NYG -3, 49 Total via Oddsshark

Network: FOX

Sleeper Spotlight: Paul Richardson

 

Washington Redskins

 

Quarterback: 

• Case Keenum (Start, Mid QB2)

 

If I told you that Keenum was the fantasy QB11 after three games, would you believe me? He was a real-life football disaster on Monday night football this week with three interceptions and three fumbles (two lost). However, his fantasy line wasn’t as bad with 332 yards and two touchdowns. He now goes to New York, who has gotten shredded by opposing quarterbacks this year. They have given up the most passing yards, fourth-most passing touchdowns, and a league-high 10.5 yards per pass attempts to opposing teams. Combine this with a middling pass rush, seven sacks and 18 QB hits through three games (both middle of the pack numbers) and Keenum should be fired up in the QB2 range this week. It is worth noting that we will see first-round rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins at some point. With the Redskins falling further out of contention, calls for Haskins to play will continue to grow.

 

Running Backs:

• Adrian Peterson (sit, RB3/bench)
• Chris Thompson (start, flex)

 

Peterson has been atrocious in the two games he has played, getting saved in week two by a touchdown. He has plodded his way to 62 yards on 22 carries and has four yards on three receptions. The Giants aren’t a cake matchup for the Skins’ rushing attack, giving up only 4.0 yards per carry, which is tied for 10th best in the league. Peterson needs a touchdown to have fantasy value, and that is not something I want to chase on this bad offense. The Giants lost two middle-linebackers to injury last week in Alec Ogletree (hamstring) and Tae Davis (concussion). It remains to be seen if either will miss this game. It is worth keeping an eye on that as the linebacker corps is expected to try and cover Thompson in the passing game. Thompson is second on the team in targets with 23, one behind team leader Terry McLaurin. Thompson also has been getting a decent amount of red-zone work, getting five looks the last two weeks compared to Peterson’s six. Thompson could have some positive touchdown regression coming his way if he continues to get looks inside the red zone. This doesn’t set up as a high volume week for Thompson, as the spread is only three points. This means the Redskins are expected to be competitive in this game, making Thompson more of a flex play for me.

 

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

• Terry McLaurin (start, WR2/3)
• Paul Richardson (start, WR4/5)
• Trey Quinn (sit, WR5/wire)
• Vernon Davis (sit, TE2 )
• Jordan Reed (start, low TE1)

 

McLaurin can be fired up as a strong WR2/3 play this week against the Giants. The WR10 through three weeks, McLaurin has a lot of factors working in his favor. He has the third-highest percentage of his team’s air yards in the NFL. He also has a consistent seven, nine, and eight targets in the first three games, paired with five looks in the red zone (highest in the receiving corps). The Giants have allowed seven different receivers to top 12 fantasy points against them in only three games. Richardson is given the largest average cushion in the entire league. He has used that to his advantage catching 78% of his targets on a fairly low 8.8 average yards per targets. Teams have thought that Richardson would be getting the ball downfield, thus the cushion, but the Redskins are wisely using him more in the intermediate areas of the field. With the Redskins expected to stay competitive in this game, this doesn’t project as a large target game for Richardson. Quinn, averaging only 5.0 targeted air yards, can be ignored in most leagues as he provides little upside at the back of your bench. Reed has yet to play this season due to him suffering another concussion. If he is cleared he should be looked at as a low-end TE1. Davis hasn’t done much in Reed’s absence, outside of a long 48-yard catch and run in week one. He has five receptions for 59 scoreless yards in the last two games and needs a touchdown to pay off in any given week.

 

New York Giants

 

Quarterback:

• Daniel Jones (Start, low QB1/high QB2)

 

What a debut for Jones or “Danny Dimes” as some like to call him. In the first start of his career, he was the QB2 in fantasy. Consistently peppering his top playmakers with targets is a recipe for success. He targeted Sterling Shepard, Evan Engram, and Saquan Barkley 22 times on his 36 pass attempts last week. Jones quietly can buoy his floor by providing some rushing stats to his line; he had four rushes for 28 yards and two touchdowns on the ground last week. Jones isn’t an every-week QB1 for me yet because of his lack of weapons and shaky offensive line play. Barkley is set to miss four to eight weeks with an ankle injury. A team losing their best offensive player will never help the offense but I am interested to see how they look. Their offensive line gave up five sacks last week. A unit that was overachieving through two games (two sacks allowed) came back to Earth in week three. Luckily for the Giants, the Redskins have a nonexistent pass rush (tied for fifth-lowest sacks and have the fourth least amount of QB hits). Through three games the Redskins have given up the QB8, QB3, and QB12 lines to quarterbacks. If you have Jones, he should be considered this week unless you have elite options at the position.

 

Running Backs:

• Wayne Gallman (start, low RB2/FLEX)

 

Gallman is the only Giants running back besides their fullback to get running back snaps behind star Saquan Barkley this year. With Barkley expected to miss a month plus, Gallman looks to be the lead-back here and that has value. Gallman doesn’t provide a ton of upside but has the opportunity now. The Giants offensive line has graded out well in running blocking through three games. The Redskins give up a healthy 4.8 yards per carry so this matchup isn’t imposing for Gallman. The Giants have a couple of backs on their practice squad in Jonathan Hilliman and Austin Walter. Expect to see at least one of them signed to the 53-man roster and possibly someone from outside of the organization as well. If you grab Gallman from waivers this week, fire him up as a low-end RB2/flex option in an unimposing matchup as a home favorite.

 

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends:

• Sterling Shepard (start, high WR2)
• Evan Engram (start, TE1)
• Bennie Fowler (sit, wire)
• Cody Latimer (sit, wire)

 

In Shepard’s first game playing alongside Jones, he had a team-high nine targets, four more than any other wide receiver. The clear number one receiver, Shepard has gotten a great 4.2 average yards of separation per target and has caught 81% of his targets. The league leader last season was Michael Thomas’s 85%. The matchup doesn’t get much better for Shepard as the Redskins have given up the most fantasy points to wide receivers through three games. Shepard, running most of his routes in the slot (70%), will avoid the Redskins top corner Josh Norman who doesn’t go into the slot most of the game. “Defending” the slot, the Redskins have given up an eye-popping 20 of 25 passing, 205 yards, and four touchdowns. Fire Shepard up wherever you have him. The only other Giants pass-catcher to discuss is stud tight-end, Engram. The number one overall tight-end by eight points, Engram continued his dominance in his first game with Jones under center. He led the team in receiving yards and was one behind Shepard for the team lead in targets. It is a bit concerning his average intended air yards are only 5.5, one of the lowest marks in the league. However, he makes up for that with incredible after-the-catch ability and volume and is every week top-five tight end play. The other Giants receivers should be on your wire, and it’s worth noting that Golden Tate is back from suspension after week four.

-Kevin Taylor (@ktbeast918)