Sadly, our picks from last week didn’t really reach the production heights we were hoping for. We avoided any outright disasters and 4 of our 5 picks were at least serviceable. The bright, shining star was Jared Goff, who led the Rams to within seconds of an astonishing 2nd half comeback against the Bills, however, a late Tyler Kroft touchdown meant the Bills triumphed 35-32. Goff still mustered 28.24 fantasy points after throwing for 323 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT. Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods both found paydirt and expect than run to continue as the Rams face the Giants in week 4.
Chargers rookie Justin Herbert was our second-best pick with a decent 15.70 fantasy points, and it really should have been more after a botched pitch attempt by Keenan Allen to feed Austin Ekeler for a run-in touchdown on the final play of the game.
The round-up of our other 3 picks is a little grim – despite the final score being 31-30, Ryan Tannehill (13.74 fantasy points) failed to throw for a touchdown for the first time this season as Stephen Gostkowski notched 6 field goals; Gardner Minshew (10.20 fantasy points) also failed to find the end zone against the Dolphins after opening the season with back-to-back three-touchdown games; and poor Mitch Trubisky (12.62 fantasy points) was benched early in the second half against the Falcons, making way for Nick Foles to win the game for the Bears and likely take the job for the rest of the season.
| QB | Matchup | % Owned (Yahoo!) | Fantasy Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Tannehill, Titans | TEN at MIN | 46% | 13.74 |
| Jared Goff, Rams | LAR at BUF | 62% | 28.24 |
| Gardner Minshew, Jaguars | JAX v MIA | 33% | 10.20 |
| Justin Herbert, Chargers | LAC v CAR | 3% | 15.70 |
| Mitch Trubisky, Bears | CHI v ATL | 8% | 12.62 |
Who surprised us? Well, we picked the wrong guy after last week! We went with Tannehill, however, we should have picked Ryan Fitzpatrick (25.20 points). “Fitzmagic” had a tonne of fun in the Dolphins 31-13 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars, throwing 18-of-20 for 160 yards and 2 TDs, whilst also rushing 7 times for 38 yards and a TD. It was a virtuoso performance from the ageless wonder, who gave everything for his team while also serving as the perfect role model for rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Now, let’s look at the lay of the land for Week 4. Drew Lock, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Tyrod Taylor are all likely to remain out. Remember, the caveat is that these players are less than 70% owned in Yahoo! leagues.
| QB | Matchup | % Owned (Yahoo!) | Projected Fantasy Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jared Goff, Rams | LAR v NYG | 63% | 20.86 |
| Ryan Fitzpatrick, Dolphins | MIA v SEA | 7% | 15.61 |
| Kirk Cousins, Vikings | MIN at HOU | 26% | 18.03 |
| Nick Foles, Bears | CHI v IND | 3% | 13.65 |
“The King of the Castle”
Jared Goff, Rams v Giants
Please, someone, tell me why Jared Goff is still only 63% owned in Yahoo! leagues? I am flabbergasted – the Rams quarterback was phenomenal in bringing his team back from 28-3 down at the half to lead 32-28 with only seconds remaining before Josh Allen threw a game-winning touchdown. Goff finished as the QB5 in fantasy scoring, throwing for 321 yards with 2 TDs and 1 INT. San Francisco 49ers stand-in quarterback, Nick Mullens made the New York Giants secondary look silly last weekend. Former first-round pick Goff should feed at home this week.
“Trust in the Veterans”
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Dolphins v Seahawks
Ryan, I apologize. As above, the veteran signal-caller was outstanding in all aspects during a bounceback performance against the Jaguars in the “Battle of the Facial Hair” in week 3. “Fitzmagic” was the 6th ranked quarterback last week, and his receiving corps are pushing towards fully healthy after both Preston Williams and Devante Parker played through niggling injuries in the last few weeks. The Seahawks secondary has shipped over 30 points in the past two weeks. The veteran is a slam dunk option this week
Kirk Cousins, Vikings at Texans
Just when I think I can’t forgive Kirk Cousins for his performance against the Colts in week 2, up steps Justin Jefferson to break out for 175 yards and a TD in a 31-30 shootout loss to the Titans. The first-round rookie was electric and Cousins benefitted from his speed and big-play ability all afternoon. Questions remain about how much the Vikings actually want Cousins to throw the ball, but a juicy matchup against the Texans in week 4 is likely to result in another shootout. That is only a good thing for fantasy owners looking to jump back on Cousins, who is now only 26% owned. This offense does have the ability to put up points, but the game script limits the ceiling. Head Coach Mike Zimmer did not hold back in challenging Cousins to step up for the 0-3 Vikings in the coming weeks, and I am betting on a couple of healthy 20+ point weeks for Kirk against the Texans, Seahawks, and Falcons in the coming weeks.
“The New (Old) Kid on the Block”
Nick Foles, Bears v Colts
As punters who correctly wagered on Mitch Trubisky being benched within 4 games cash out their winnings, it is a case of “I think I’ve seen this film before” in Chicago. Nick Foles is in, a confirmed starter in week 4 after throwing for 3 TDs in the second half of the Bears comeback 30-26 win against the hapless Falcons last week. The winning touchdown was a majestic lofted pass over the middle to Anthony Miller with Foles standing strong in the pocket before taking a huge hit. It won’t be easy this week against a stout Colts passing defense which ranks 4th in the league in DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average), however, Nagy will allow Foles to spread the ball all over the field. Expect a turnover or two, but expect 20+ fantasy points with weapons such as Allen Robinson, the aforementioned Anthony Miller, and Jimmy Graham, who caught 2 TDs on Sunday.
Don’t hesitate to give me your thoughts and hit me up for questions at @benjaminhaller1.
(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)