By MIKE HERNDON
So I hope you didn’t sit Chargers receiver Mike Williams after his disappointing Week 1.
Yes, he was one of my recommended starts that week and he soiled the bed with two catches for 10 measly yards against the Raiders. But don’t give up on a good player after one bad week. With Keenan Allen out and a potential shootout game with Kansas City up next this week, Williams was in a prime blow-up spot on Thursday and he delivered eight catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.
Which should be a lesson: Don’t panic because of one bad performance. Ask yourself: Why was the performance bad? Was it something that’s likely to carry over week-to-week? Is the volume not there? Or was it just a matter of the ball getting spread around, or a good defense? Clearly with Williams, it was the latter. Knowing when to stay the course and when to cut bait is a key to building a strong fantasy roster.
Read the keys: Projected volume, and what a player does with it. With Williams, the lack of volume in the season-opener was clearly an outlier. We know his place in this offense, and we know it’s ahead of Josh Palmer and DeAndre Carter. The correction was coming, and I hope you had him in your lineup to benefit on Thursday.
Recommended starts and sits for the rest of this week’s games:
QB:
Starts:
Derek Carr, Raiders: Just go ahead and prepare yourself: I’ll probably recommend starting any decent quarterback against the Cardinals’ weak secondary this year. This week, it’s Carr’s turn.
Sits:
Tom Brady, Buccaneers: New Orleans has been Brady’s kryptonite since he’s moved to Tampa, as he’s gone 1-4 against the Saints in a Buccaneer uniform and he’s thrown for more than 240 yards just once. Now, Chris Godwin is out and Mike Evans, Julio Jones and Russell Gage are all banged up. Don’t ever doubt Tom Terrific, but you can fade him for this week.
RB:
Starts:
Kareem Hunt, Browns: You’re already starting Nick Chubb, but after seeing what the Browns did against Carolina, and seeing the Jets up next on the schedule, you should feel good about starting Kareem Hunt this week as well. Hunt got half as many carries as Chubb last week, but scored twice. The Browns seem content on riding their running game as long as they can, and they should be able to do just that against the Jets.
Darrell Henderson, Jr., Rams: Cam Akers carried the ball just three times in the season opener, while Henderson carried 13 times and established himself clearly as the lead back for the Rams. That may change at some point in the season, but it’s doubtful that it’ll be this week. And with the Falcons’ suspect defense on tap, fire him up.
Sits:
David Montgomery, Bears: I recommended you sit him last week and hopefully you did. While I’m still bullish on Monty’s year-long prospects, this is another sit week. While no one put up big numbers in the late that was Soldier Field last week, Montgomery was outgained by Khalil Herbert despite having nearly twice as many carries. Now the Bears face what should be a ticked-off Green Bay defense and we’re still unsure what the usage breakdown will be in the Chicago backfield. I’d want another week or two to see this play out before I feel comfortable starting him.
Rashaad Penny, Seahawks: Kenneth Walker III is expected to be back this week after recovering from hernia surgery, but that’s not what concerns me. The 49ers’ defense is. Look for better options.
WR:
Starts:
I could tell you Davante Adams is going nuclear, but you already knew that, so I’ll suggest you also start Christian Kirk, Jaguars: He put up 117 yards last week, cementing what should have already been your suspicion that he is clearly the top target in what should be an improving Jacksonville offense. The Colts shouldn’t scare us out of starting him.
Terry McLaurin, Commanders: He got overshadowed by teammates Curtis Samuel and Jahan Dotson last week, but the Lions’ forgiving defense is on tap this week. Look for McLaurin to remind us why they call him Scary Terry.
Sits:
CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys: OK, maybe here’s a case where you should panic a bit. He posted just two catches for 29 yards in the season opener and he just went from Dak Prescott to Cooper Rush. He, more than anyone, scares the bejeesus out of me now that Prescott is out with injury. You may not be able to sit him, but there are a ton of mid-round receivers I’d play ahead of him, including the two mentioned above.
Darnell Mooney, Bears: Don’t freak out over the terrible line he posted last week – he was playing in monsoon conditions. But also don’t think he’s going to turn into Randy Moss this week, with Jaire Alexander likely to be shadowing him for the Packers.
TE:
Starts:
Taysom Hill, Saints: Alvin Kamara has sore ribs. Mark Ingram has been limited in practice this week as well. Somebody’s got to get the rock for New Orleans. This all heightens the possibility that Hill will be used in red-zone wildcat looks, and he’s still got tight end eligibility in Yahoo and other leagues. Take advantage.
Pat Freiermuth, Steelers: Ten – count ‘em – ten targets in Week 1, and he caught half of them for 75 yards. No score, but that’s coming. You’ll want him in your lineup when it does come.
Sits:
Noah Fant, Seahawks: He’s ostensibly the Seahawks’ starting tight end, but he split time with Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson against the Broncos, and he was the only one of the three that didn’t catch a touchdown. None of the trio are playable until the Seahawks settle on one as the clear starter.
Categories: Fantasy Football
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