Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, November 1st at 1:00 PM ET
Location: Bills Stadium, Orchard Park, NY
Betting Odds: BUF -2.5, 46.5 total via Oddsshark
Network: CBS
New England Patriots
Quarterback
Cam Newton (Sit, QB2), Jarrett Stidham (Sit)
Cam Newton has his worst game as a pro last week, ultimately being benched for Jarrett Stidham. Newton has always had sloppy mechanics but he was often able to overcome this with the scheme and overwhelming physical dominance. But with age comes decline and that could be happening with Newton. The next few weeks will tell us whether he can bounce back or he is in for a more rapid decline. Until then Cam is not a player we can trust this week, not until we see a couple of bounceback games, especially against a Bills team that allowed just two fantasy points to the position last week.
Running Backs
Damien Harris (Start, Flex), James White (Sit), Rex Burkhead (Sit)
While several fantasy backfields give fantasy managers headaches each week perhaps the migraine in New England. Each week of the season at least three backs have split the primary halfback snaps, giving managers as much clarity as mud. If anyone can be considered a lead back it would be Damien Harris who played just 40% of the team snaps but manager 10 carries for 58 yards while adding a catch for 12 yards. Harris has scored 10+ PPR fantasy points just once this year. Harris can be used as a flex play in a pinch but expect for this team to continue to rotate backs and split work, which will limit his upside. James White has been equally as disappointing and things won’t get much easier for him this week. Buffalo is allowing just 24 yards a game to back so far this year and zero touchdowns. Rex Burkhead can be productive in a backfield without competition but without injuries to the position, he belongs on your waiver. wire
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Julian Edelman (Start, Flex), N’Keal Harry (Sit), Jakobi Myers (Sit)
Since his Week 2 explosion Julian Edelman has all but disappeared, with four straight games of 35 yards or less. The Patriots offense is struggling to move the ball or find the endzone but this week could be a nice bounceback game for Edelman. Typically a veteran receiver like Edelman will be relied upon to pull the team ut of its funk. However, with the state of this offense, he cannot be considered any more than a flex play this week. N’Keal Harry and Jakobi Myers are easy sits this week until this offense can show it is back on track. Harry has earned just four targets in the past two weeks and that volume just won’t get it done for fantasy managers. Myers isn’t a name most of us have heard since pre-season of 2019 but last week he caught four of six targets for 60 yards. Myers should be on your radar, perhaps he can make a second-half jump, but he will need to show some consistency before he becomes fantasy relevant.
Buffalo Bills
Quarterback
Josh Allen (Start, QB2)
In three career games against the Patriots, Josh Allen has seen two of his worst career games while facing the Patriots, averaging just 192 passing yards and 33 rushing. While the Patriots have stepped back as a defense, they still are top five in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks. Take out the drubbing Russell Wilson gave them in Week 2 and the defense ranking would be even better. You can be sure that Bill Belichick will focus his defensive gameplan on Allen. Still, Allen is a dynamic playmaker and managed 20+ points against NE in Week 16 last season. Allen should be considered a QB2 this week, with rushing and touchdown upside.
Running Backs
Devin Singletary (Start, Flex), Zack Moss (Start, Flex)
This Bills backfield is back to being an even split, same as we saw in Week 1 and 2, the last time Devin Singletary and Zack Moss were both healthy. Singletary is the passing down back and Moss is the early-down grinder. The tandem doesn’t even have a clear goal-line back; both players have just three carries inside the five-yard line. Allen is also a primary ball-carrier inside the 10 and doesn’t tend to use his back out of the backfield very often. All of this makes for tough weekly decisions fantasy managers have to make. For now, we have to treat each as a flex option, and no higher and neither are locks in your lineups.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Stefon Diggs (Start, WR3), Cole Beasley (Start, Flex), John Brown (Sit), Gabriel Davis (Sit)
With two straight games under 50 yards receiving, Week 9 may not be the get right game for Stefon Diggs. Diggs should see plenty of Stephon Gilmore in coverage which may affect his fantasy potential. Still, Diggs has played so well for the Bills that it would be difficult to recommend a sit. Diggs is third in targets with 70, 10 per game, and having a healthy John Brown in the lineup could help open things up for Diggs on the opposite side. Brown is expected back after a knee injury has slowed him in recent weeks, forcing him to miss last week’s game. Brown is a player that should be on your radar as a speculative add, perhaps even a bench stash should you have the room but he needs to have a couple of solid games before managers can trust him in the lineups. Cole Beasley, however, has slowly earned his way to consistent flex value with seven straight games of 9+ fantasy points, including a 22.2 point explosion last week. Beasley is seeing 7.0 targets per game, a pace that would put him well over 100 targets on the year and easily inside the top 36 receivers on the season. He isn’t flashy but he is getting the job done in this offense and his role is clear. We are seeing a player at his floor and he could still be undervalued in this offense. Buy Beasley now.
-Marc Salazar (@dingwog on Twitter)