Our expert answered your questions before lineups locked.
Renee Miller
October 15, 2023 at 12:58 PM EDT
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15 New Updates
Onto the games!
Which RB and why?
Q: Dameon Pierce or Brian Robinson? PPR. — Clint M.
I’m taking Commanders RB Brian Robinson today in a closer game. He’s getting plenty of usage on the ground and in a receiving role, though his lone receiving touchdown came in Week 1. Texans RB Dameon Pierce vs. the Saints feels like a low-floor option.
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It's Foreman for me
Q: PPR league: Rachaad White, D’Onta Foreman, Emari Demercado, Zach Moss or Chuba Hubbard? — Stephen B.
Just one of these?! It’s Foreman for me, but if you get two, I’d go Hubbard over White with the murkier situations for Moss and Demercado trailing.
Q: Half-PPR league: D’Onta Foreman, Zach Moss or Emari Demercado? Leaning Foreman as everyone else on the team is injured. — Charlie B.
Yep, it’s Foreman.
Why Chuba Hubbard?
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Q: Start Zach Moss or Chuba Hubbard? Half-PPR. — Kevin C.
Maybe Zach Moss is the new De'Von Achane and can do it again despite probably technically being considered the "backup" to Jonathan Taylor, but this is a situation I’ll avoid when possible. The Panthers have come out and said Chuba Hubbard will be the lead back, and he’s involved enough in the pass game that being big underdogs doesn’t scare me off. I’d go Hubbard today.
Pros for Mike Evans
Q: Brandon Aiyuk or Mike Evans? Full PPR. — Ben H.
Tough one but I’m leaning Mike Evans due to the PPR factor and the matchup. Cleveland’s defense is seriously stout, rivaling only its Week 6 opponent. Coming into this week, it is the worst overall matchup for fantasy and for WRs. Now San Francisco made Dallas look like Denver in Week 5, but you don’t have to jump through hoops for this decision: Evans is having a great season in a high-scoring game today.
Don't opt for Jonathan Taylor this week
Q: Half-PPR league, need to pick two for flex: Jonathan Taylor, Nico Collins, Tee Higgins, Jakobi Meyers? — Adam C.
Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers is a for-sure yes. Assuming Bengals WR Tee Higgins is good to go, he’s my second pick. Colts RB Jonathan Taylor feels like a desperation home-run play (would they ramp up his goal line carries this week?) and I’ve already said that I don’t love the matchup or game script for Texans WR Nico Collins. Good luck today!
Can the Wilson-Wilson connection come thru?
Q: Bench one, half-PPR, -0.5 for sacks: Desmond Ridder, Zach Moss or Garrett Wilson? Thanks! — Dan B.
The negative points for sacks is an interesting wrinkle. I assume this is for a SuperFlex and flex spot? I’d always choose a QB there, especially given that Washington has been a generous fantasy matchup (third-best for QB, seventh-best overall).
I’d also start Garrett Wilson over Zach Moss. The tide will turn in Indy, with Jonathan Taylor taking over negatively impacting Moss. It might not be this week, but Wilson is the undisputed No. 1 in a good passing situation for the Jets, and I have to hope Zach Wilson can take advantage for us.
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Times are hard for dreamers
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Q: Have Chuba Hubbard as RB1 in PPR league. My only choices for RB2: Tyjae Spears or D’Onta Foreman? Already have Justin Fields at QB, two Bears seems excessive! No laughing, these are tough times!!! — Anonymous
Sorry that you’ve already made this decision, but hopefully you went with D'Onta Foreman as at least his team’s No. 1 RB today. I get the tough times; I’m starting Tyjae Spears in a half-PPR league and it’s not looking great.
What to do with DeVonta Smith
Q: Full PPR, I need to start three out of these four: Chris Godwin, Chris Olave, Jakobi Meyers, DeVonta Smith. I'm currently leaning towards leaving Olave on the bench; Derek Carr is barely looking his way since his shoulder injury. — Ben S.
I’m going to agree with Jake’s rankings this week (and the matchup data) and recommend sitting Eagles WR DeVonta Smith. Most people won’t have the luxury, but the Jets have been a brutal matchup for opposing wide receivers. Part of the problem is that you can run on them and part of the problem is that you can get up early on them and not have to pass as much (sixth-highest opponent run play percentage).
Chris Olave and Jakobi Meyers have been workhorses in pretty neutral matchups today, and Chris Godwin’s Bucs will probably have to work a bit harder than Philly to stay in the game.
To note for Saints-Texans
Q: Rachaad White, Alexander Mattison and Nico Collins. Start two out of the three. — Mark A.
I hate this matchup with New Orleans for Houston, so it’s Nico Collins sitting for me.
Fantasy gods, if you're listening...
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Q: Having problems at TE ... Rather start Darren Waller, Logan Thomas or Tyler Higbee in full PPR? Waller is on my roster, the other two are available. — Benjamin V.
As I said earlier, you can drop Giants TE Darren Waller for Logan Thomas if you need to (if you don’t have anyone else to drop). I roster Waller in full PPR and haven’t been starting him the last couple weeks (Evan Engram is my alternate). It’s possible that things improve with Tyrod Taylor starting in Buffalo tonight, but it’s an unnecessary risk when you have a decent alternative.
As a final note on Thomas, I’m genuinely afraid that writing so many favorable words about him will ensure his inevitable injury in today’s game. If the fantasy gods are listening, please give this poor guy a break!
Blind spot
Q: Logan Thomas or Cole Kmet? Half PPR. — Corey C.
This is a really tough one because I have a blind spot for Bears TE Cole Kmet and have been thrilled to see him coming into a role he deserves at last. He’s scored three times in the last two games, his usage spike coinciding with the Bears offense and scoring suddenly spiking. These two are as close as it gets, and near the top of my personal TE rankings, so you can’t go wrong.
I’d start Kmet this week due to Minnesota being one of the more generous fantasy matchups (sixth-most overall fantasy points allowed).
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Prepare for Logan Thomas influx
Coming up here, there are quite a few questions involving Commanders TE Logan Thomas, so let me preface my answers by saying that he had a great game in Week 5. Atlanta isn’t as much of a pushover defense as the Bears, but this should still be a fairly close game (Falcons minus 1.5 points) and the Falcons allow the third-most fantasy points to opposing TEs. The Athletic's Jake Ciely has Thomas as his TE8 this weekend, which is higher than consensus. Let’s get into specifics…
Q: Sam LaPorta or Logan Thomas and Mike Evans or Garrett Wilson in PPR? Thank you. — Roman S.
Lions TE Sam LaPorta is the real deal. I’d start him every single week over every tight end not named Travis Kelce.
At WR, I really like Mike Evans this week, coming off the bye, at home, in a potentially higher scoring game with Detroit. Jets WR Garrett Wilson isn’t benchable by every fantasy manager, and it’s certainly a favorable receiving matchup, but in this case, he sits for Evans.
Someone has to sit
Q: I have A.J. Brown, DJ Moore, Jaylen Waddle and Adam Thielen. Which one sits this week? — Michael K.
It’s really between Panthers WR Adam Thielen and Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle as I don’t think anyone can sit Eagles WR A.J. Brown or Bears WR D.J. Moore.
It’s super tough because Waddle’s team should score more points, but is a more diversified offense where he’s probably the third-best option. Thielen has been "the guy" for Carolina and Bryce Young, so although they won’t do as much scoring, what they do should involve Thielen heavily. I think I go with higher projected usage, which is Thielen. He’s out-performed Waddle in every metric: TD, yards, targets, catches, catch rate and fantasy points.
Two for one
Q: Half-PPR, flex Tyler Lockett, K.J. Osborn, Chuba Hubbard or D’Onta Foreman? Any chance you’d play Hubbard or Foreman over Rhamondre Stevenson or Alexander Mattison? — Patrick A.
To answer the second question first, no. Both Rhamondre Stevenson and Alexander Mattison are in smash spots today. At your flex spot, I’d start Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett. It’s a potential shootout game and he’s the target leader in Seattle with the same number of touchdowns as DK Metcalf (though that number is only two).
One more chance
Q: Rhamondre Stevenson or Dameon Pierce (PPR)? — Keenan J.
It’s been so gross, I know, but I’m giving Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson one more chance today. Maybe New England will feel like gambling on its run game in Las Vegas today, since the pass-heavy approach has fizzled quickly for them.
Start 'em, sit 'em
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Q: Start four WRs out of CeeDee Lamb, Puka Nacua, Adam Thielen, Mike Evans and Nico Collins. Then start two RBs out of Saquon Barkley, Jerome Ford and Rachaad White. — Akinkunmi O.
Phew, that’s a lot of options who, at WR, have great matchups. Texans WR Nico Collins is the easiest sit facing the Saints in what should be a low-scoring game. I think Panthers WR Adam Thielen is getting a bit over-hyped this week, because they’re still Carolina and I expect Miami to dominate the time of possession at home, but whatever good they do through the air should be through him. Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb gets the absolute best matchup in L.A., but can Dallas actually show up? I think so. I’m high on Lamb and Tony Pollard getting back on our good sides this week. I’m starting Bucs WR Mike Evans coming off the bye and Rams WR Puka Nacua, both playing in high-scoring game scripts.
At RB, I don’t think you can wait on Giants' Saquon Barkley, so it’s an easy decision to roll with Browns' Jerome Ford and Bucs RB Rachaad White.
Good luck today!
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The case for Higgins
Q: Tee Higgins or Zay Flowers in full-PPR league? — Mike B.
It’s a close call. I’m cheering hard for another huge Ja’Marr Chase game, but I’ve got to choose Bengals WR Tee Higgins here.
The game environment should be much more pass-heavy, high-scoring and great for Bengals’ WRs. Seattle ranks third in fantasy points allowed to WRs and if they attempt to limit Chase, it will just open things up even more for Higgins. Now, this is all assuming he’s good to go of course, which is like 90 percent at this point (not 100).
If you are feeling pretty secure in your projected matchup, you might go with Ravens WR Zay Flowers just for the security of definitely having a guy, and I don’t hate him at all (see previous posts).
Who to flex
Q: Flex Alexander Mattison or Zay Flowers in half PPR? — Steven L.
Chicago is the league’s third-best matchup for fantasy running backs. Minnesota WR Alexander Mattison should thrive today as it will be critical for the Vikings to establish the ground game without WR Justin Jefferson to rely upon.
Meanwhile in London...
Q: D’Onta Foreman or Zay Flowers in standard? — Toby H.
There are a lot of Zay Flowers questions this week! Something about being a Ravens WR manages to put a damper on even the most electric of players. He’s been dominating the teams’ targets and the way to beat the Titans is usually through the air. Also, his not scoring on 40 targets is a bit unusual (the rate of receivers is closer to about one TD per 32 targets), so some might say he’s due.
I’d go with Flowers if you need the big game points, but Foreman is the safer play in standard scoring.
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