What We Saw: Week 6

Los Angeles Rams vs San Francisco 49ers

 

After winning just four games in 2018, the 49ers announced their arrival as legitimate contenders after manhandling the Los Angeles Rams on the road in Week 6. DC Robert Saleh’s 49ers defense has become an elite unit, collecting their 12th takeaway of the season and 17th sack as they held the Rams’ offense to just seven points. Most impressively, San Francisco’s D stopped the Rams on 4th down four times in this game and only allowed 165 total yards. They’re now a top-five scoring fantasy defense, regardless of format, and the Seattle Seahawks in Week 10 might be the only matchup you’d consider sitting them over the course of the next five weeks. If you own them, keep streaming. If they’re available, they might be as close to matchup-proof as it gets right now. San Francisco moved into first place atop the NFC West as the only undefeated team in the conference. The Monday Night Football game against Seattle in Week 10 is quickly shaping up to be one of the league’s most anticipated matchups.  

 

Los Angeles Rams

 

Quarterbacks

 

• Jared Goff: 13/24, 78 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs, 4 sacks, 22 yards lost | 1 carry, 0 yards

 

Jared Goff began the game handing it off with success. The Rams gained 56 yards on seven consecutive rushes, capping off their first drive with a Robert Woods end-around for a touchdown. That would be the only successful drive the Rams would sustain for the remainder of the game. Goff set a new career low for passing yards (78), finishing with an abysmal 60.8 QB Rating. Despite having a healthy core of pass catchers, Goff was constantly under duress in this game. The 49ers defense dominated the line of scrimmage, sacking Goff four times and applying pressure throughout the game.  

Goff had fumbled in ten straight games prior to not fumbling last week, only to fumble again today. He now has 13 fumbles and 13 INTs in his last 12 games. Among quarterbacks with 24 or more pass attempts in a game, there have only been three in the last decade to register less than 80 total yards passing: Ryan Lindley (2012), Charlie Whitehurst (2014), and Jared Goff. LINK: https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=xFSoZ

Put simply, it was an atrocious performance that goes down as one of the most futile of the last ten years. Hopefully, you had better options today. Goff had thrown for over 900 yards in his last two games combined, but that has not proven to be a recipe for success. It’s fair to wonder if he’s trending towards QB2 territory as the Rams struggle to find their identity on offense without Todd Gurley playing at the level he once did and a porous offensive line. 

 

Running Backs 

 

• Malcolm Brown: 11 carries, 40 yards (3.6 YPC), 0 TDs
• Darrell Henderson Jr.: 6 carries, 39 yards (6.5 YPC), 0 TDs: 2 targets, 1 reception, 9 yards

 

Todd Gurley’s absence certainly hindered the running game, though he hasn’t been the same since being diagnosed with a degenerative knee condition. Malcolm Brown looked poised to fill in admirably after a productive first drive to open the game, but the entire offense would stall after that. The lack of involvement in the passing game was concerning, but Brown should at least have RB2 value in better matchups should Gurley be unable to go next week against the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals after that. Darrell Henderson flashed the quick acceleration and explosive ability that made the Rams take him in the third round of this year’s draft. He may not have the vision to succeed without superior blocking, but he at least made the case for more carries moving forward should Gurley miss time. 

 

Wide Receivers / Tight Ends

 

• Brandin Cooks: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 18 yards, 0 TDs
• Cooper Kupp: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 17 yards, 0 TDs
• Robert Woods: 4 targets, 0 receptions
• Josh Reynolds: 1 target, 0 receptions
• Tyler Higbee: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 25 yards, 0 TDs
• Gerald Everett: 5 targets, 2 receptions, 9 yards, 0 TDs

 

As Jared Goff’s struggles go, so do the receivers. There was simply nothing happening through the air for the Rams, and every wideout on the team busted. Robert Woods and Brandin Cooks have proven to hold WR2 value in good matchups, while Cooper Kupp has looked like a low-end WR1 for most of the season. However, the Rams need to fix their offensive woes soon, and HC Sean McVay will be hard-pressed to find creative ways to scheme around an offensive line on the skids. 

Most owners who check the box score and see Gerald Everett had just nine yards receiving on two catches today after two huge games will likely write him off as a fluke and probably drop him. If so, be opportunistic and pick him up immediately. What the box score won’t show is how Goff missed him on a seam down the hash marks that would have been a walk-in, 50+ yard touchdown. Against what is quickly emerging as one of the best defenses in football, Everett was the second-most targeted pass catcher on the team, and he very easily could have capped off a third week with double-digit fantasy points and yet another score. If you own him, hold him. The schedule gets easier, and he’s clearly becoming an integral part of the adjustments McVay is making on offense. Tyler Higbee is an inline blocker and should not be rostered. He’s not fantasy relevant. 

 

San Francisco 49ers

 

Quarterbacks

 

• Jimmy Garoppolo: 24/33, 243 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT, 2 sacks, 11 yards lost | 5 carries, 4 yards, 1 TD

 

Jimmy Garoppolo came into this contest missing both his starting tackles and starting fullback Kyle Juszczyk, a linchpin in the vaunted 49ers rushing attack. Thus far, no San Francisco receiver had stepped up to give much reason for optimism that the passing attack would rival the run game in this offense. Despite that, Garoppolo threw for over 240 yards for the third time in five starts, though this was his first game without a score through the air. Fortunately, he was able to salvage his day with a rushing score. 

Garoppolo did lose a fumble and throw an interception on an ill-advised fade route in the end zone, but he also could have had three total touchdowns had Dante Pettis managed to get both feet down in the back of the end zone on one throw and Tevin Coleman been able to hold onto a pass out of the backfield that bounced off his hands. The good news is he gets Washington and Arizona’s sieve-like defenses sandwiched around a tough Carolina Panthers matchup, followed by Seattle and Arizona again in the coming weeks. Consider him a solid streaming option with the upside for more.

 

Running Backs 

 

• Tevin Coleman: 18 carries, 45 yards (2.5 YPC), 1 TD; 3 targets, 2 receptions, 16 yards, 0 TDs
• Matt Breida: 13 carrie, 36 yards (2.8 YPC), 0 TDs; 4 targets, 4 receptions, 27 yards, 0 TDs
• Raheem Mostert: 4 carries, 13 yards (3.3 YPC)

 

Tevin Coleman once again led the team in carries and has quickly established himself as the 1A to Matt Breida’s 1B, at least in terms of total touches per game. The Rams front-seven sold out to stop the run in this game after watching the 49ers average over 150 yards rushing as a team the last few weeks, and Los Angeles was largely successful. Coleman did score, but the box score won’t show that he was also stuffed on more than three other carries inside the five and dropped a swing pass for a score later in the game. 

Some may speculate if the team will make Jeff Wilson Jr. active in the future to serve as the goal line back after he converted four rushing touchdowns during Coleman’s absence in Weeks 2 and 3. However, it’s unlikely the 49ers will carry four rushers on the active roster each week since not all four play special teams. Coleman has been reliable as a red zone weapon for HC Kyle Shanahan going back to their time in Atlanta, and the Rams were stout against the run regardless of who was carrying it out of the backfield. 

Matt Breida seems limited to about a dozen or so carries per game, so he’s more big-play dependent than Coleman. Granted, he has the speed to break one at any time (6.5 YPC on the season), so he often doesn’t need many touches to deliver a big fantasy day. That being said, Shanahan wants to keep all his rushers healthy for the long season ahead, so the RBBC will almost certainly continue. Coleman seems slated to do most of the heavy lifting while seeing most of the red zone work and some passing downs. Breida will get his 40% share and some looks in the passing game as well as a red zone series to himself here and there, and Raheem Mostert will sprinkle in to give them both a breather.   

 

Wide Receivers / Tight Ends

 

• Dante Pettis: 6 targets, 3 receptions, 45 yards, 0 TDs
• Deebo Samuel: 5 targets, 3 receptions, 18 yards, 0 TDs
• Marquise Goodwin: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 15 yards, 0 TDs
• Kendrick Bourne: 1 target, 1 reception, 11 yards, 0 TDs
• George Kittle: 8 targets, 8 receptions, 103 yards, 0 TDs

 

Dante Pettis actually had a much better game than the stat sheet would indicate. Not only was he the most targeted receiver on the team, he also nearly had a touchdown in the back of the end zone but couldn’t get both feet down. After facing criticism for not being aggressive enough earlier in the year and offseason, Pettis has really started to attack the football, giving the team hope that he can emerge as a legitimate weapon. Fantasy owners who drafted Pettis as a WR3 with WR2 upside have likely long moved on, as his 17% ownership in Yahoo leagues would suggest, but with the 49ers’ bye out of the way and the Green Bay Packers (Week 12) the only daunting WR matchup left on his schedule, Pettis might be a sneaky add if you need help at the position.  

Deebo Samuel has some real playmaking ability, as evidenced by his 12.5 average yards per reception on 12 catches through the 49ers’ first five games. Unfortunately, he isn’t seeing the volume needed to help fantasy teams on a consistent basis while the team is running the ball with such efficiency and playing lights out on defense. Consider him a WR4/5 who could occupy the back of your bench if you need the depth. Marquise Goodwin and Kendrick Bourne are rotational receivers in this low-volume passing attack and aren’t worth fantasy consideration at this time.

George Kittle continues to assert himself as arguably the best tight end in football. Despite earning a questionable tag entering the game, Kittle managed suit up and dominate, catching all of his targets and going over the century mark for yards. Most impressive was his 45 yard reception where he caught the ball at the 35-yard line and proceeded to break four tackles and drag helpless defenders down to the 6-yard line. Kittle remains an elite option at the tight end position. 

 

-Paul Ghiglieri