Patriots 25 Falcons 0
The Patriots have found a familiar recipe for success behind a strong running game and a stellar defense. Mac Jones guided the ship as he completed 22 of 26 for 207 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson split the backfield again as Harris totaled 56 yards on ten carries while Stevenson totaled 69 yards on twelve. Damien Harris remains a low-end RB2, and Rhamondre Stevenson is worthy of flexing every week. The game was a total disaster for the Falcons offense. Matt Ryan completed 19 of 28 for 153 yards and two interceptions. Cordarrelle Patterson missed this one, so the Patriots’ defense could focus on Kyle Pitts and stymied the entire offense. Patterson and Pitts remain the only players in the Falcons offense worth playing in fantasy.
Colts 41 Bills 15
The Indianapolis Colts thrashed the Buffalo Bills in surprising fashion 41-15. It was Jonathan Taylor Day as he totaled 204 yards and FIVE touchdowns on 35 touches. Jonathan Taylor will be the RB1 for the rest of the season. The Colts’ passing game was able to take it easy with Taylor controlling the game. The lack of a traditional running game is coming back to bite the Buffalo Bills. Devin Singletary and Zack Moss combined for 22 rushing yards–not going to get it done. Josh Allen has regressed recently, and we saw it play out on Sunday as he completed 21 of 35 for 209 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Stefon Diggs saved his fantasy day with two touchdowns on just 23 yards receiving. It was nice to see Dawson Knox so involved with six catches on ten targets for 80 yards. I would consider this a ‘buy low’ opportunity on the Bills’ playmakers.
Ravens 16 Bears 13
Surprisingly Lamar Jackson was deemed inactive Sunday morning with a non-Covid illness. The Ravens were able to rally behind Tyler Huntley for an ugly 16-13 victory over the Justin Fields-less Chicago Bears. Huntley completed 26 of 36 for 219 yards and an interception. Like Lamar, Tyler Huntley’s favorite target was Mark Andrews, who caught eight of ten targets for 73 yards. Marquise Brown also missed this one. DeVonta Freeman continues to lead the Ravens backfield as he totaled 80 yards and a touchdown on 22 touches. Justin Fields had to leave the game with injured ribs. It certainly sounds as if he will miss Thursday’s game against the Lions. Andy Dalton subbed in admirably as he completed 11 of 23 for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Darnell Mooney targeted an obscene sixteen times, resulting in five catches for 121 yards and a touchdown. David Montgomery has taken over his full-time role as he totaled 67 yards on 15 touches.
Browns 13 Lions 10
Nick Chubb led the Cleveland Browns to an ugly 13-10 victory over the Detroit Lions. Chubb totaled 144 yards and a touchdown on 22 touches and is still a low-end RB1. Baker Mayfield is too injured to provide much of an upside in the Browns’ passing game. Jarvis Landry turned eight targets into just four catches and 26 yards. Austin Hooper may be the one player who has gained any value in the passing game as he caught four of seven for 53 yards. Tim Boyle started for the Detroit Lions–just about all you need to know about the Lions’ passing game. It was nice to see T.J. Hockenson involved to the tune of six catches for 51 yards. D’Andre Swift is the one must-start player in the Lions’ offense with 136 yards rushing and a touchdown on 14 carries.
Texans 22 Titans 13
In one of the more shocking outcomes of the season, the Houston Texans upset the Tennessee Titans 22-13. Tyrod Taylor did what Tyrod Taylor can do as he threw for 107 yards, ran for 28 yards, and had two rushing scores. Brandin Cooks had a subpar outing with two catches for 18 yards–a ‘buy low’ opportunity on Cooks. Rex Burkhead and David Johnson combined for 58 yards on 31 carries–gross. Ryan Tannehill was awful in this one as he completed 35 of 52 for 323 yards, a touchdown, and FOUR interceptions. Tannehill needs a healthy A.J. Brown and Julio Jones in the worst way. In the absence of Julio and an injured-Marcus Johnson, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine stepped in for seven catches and 107 yards. The Titans’ backfield remains a mess of Adrian Peterson, D’Onta Foreman, and Dontrell Hilliard. You cannot start any of these guys at this time.
Vikings 34 Packers 31
The Minnesota Vikings got a much-needed victory for their playoff chances as they defeated the Green Bay Packers 34-31. Kirk Cousins was spectacular as he completed 24 of 35 for 341 yards and three touchdowns. Cousins got his premier receiving options involved early and often as Justin Jefferson caught eight of ten targets for 169 yards and two touchdowns while Adam Thielen caught eight of ten for 82 and a touchdown. Jefferson is in the running for the top receiver in fantasy football. Dalvin Cook was heavily-involved to the tune of 115 yards and a touchdown on 25 touches. Aaron Rodgers battled a painful toe injury and was sensational as he completed 23 of 33 for 385 yards and four touchdowns. Davante Adams was phenomenal again with seven catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns and is still in the WR1 debate. Marquez Valdes-Scantling was the second fiddle in this one as he caught four of ten targets for 123 yards and a touchdown. If Valdes-Scantling is on your waiver wire, go and pick him up. We thought that AJ Dillon would smash in the absence of Aaron Jones. Dillon did ok with 97 yards on 17 touches.
Dolphins 24 Jets 17
Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins held off a game New York Jets team 24-17. Tua completed 27 of 33 for 273 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Myles Gaskin was the leader of the Dolphins’ backfield with 96 yards and a touchdown on 26 total touches. You can trust Gaskin as a low-end RB2 in great match-ups. Jaylen Waddle and Mike Gesicki were the two main components of the Dolphins’ passing game as Waddle hauled in eight of nine targets for 65 yards and Gesicki caught five of six for 50 yards. Joe Flacco kept the Jets’ offense on schedule as he completed 24 of 39 for 291 yards and two touchdowns. Flacco had it working to Elijah Moore all afternoon long to the tune of eight catches on eleven targets for 141 yards and a touchdown. Moore has moved firmly into the weekly flex consideration. Michael Carter looked strong with 63 yards on nine carries but sustained a high-ankle sprain and will miss 2-3 weeks. A combination of Ty Johnson and Tevin Coleman should step in for Carter, but that’s not a viable fantasy situation for anyone.
EAGLES 40 SAINTS 29
The Philadelphia Eagles and their ferocious rushing attack continued to dominate as the Eagles defeated the New Orleans Saints 40-29. Jalen Hurts completed 13 of 24 for 167 while rushing for 69 yards and THREE touchdowns. Jalen Hurts is in the running for the top quarterback in all of fantasy football in 2021. Miles Sanders returned to lead the Eagles with 94 rushing yards on 16 carries, solidifying himself as an RB2 moving forward. Jordan Howard ran for 63 yards on ten rushes but had to leave with a knee injury and miss a few games. Boston Scott and Kenneth Gainwell will step up in the absence of Howard. Fresh off of a contract extension, Dallas Goedert caught five of eight for 62 yards remaining a low-end TE1. DeVonta Smith leads the Eagles’ receivers with four catches and 61 yards. A depleted New Orleans Saints team relied on Mark Ingram II for 113 total yards on 22 touches. Tre’Quan Smith emerged connected to Trevor Siemian as he hauled in five of eight for 64 yards.
Franchise Team 27 Panthers 21
The Washington Franchise Team and Head Coach Ron Rivera ruined Cam Newton’s homecoming with a 27-21 road victory. Taylor Heinicke led the way with inspired quarterback play as he completed 16 of 22 for 206 yards and three touchdowns. Terry McLaurin was the alpha in the passing attack as he hauled in five of seven targets for 103 yards and a touchdown. Antonio Gibson led the backfield with 95 yards on 19 carries. Cam Newton reminded us how great he is in fantasy as he completed 21 of 27 for 189 yards and two touchdowns while running for 46 yards and a score on ten carries. Christian McCaffrey continues to explode with his every-down role back as he totaled 119 yards and a touchdown on 17 touches. DJ Moore was the Panthers’ most consistent receiver with five catches for 50 yards and a touchdown.
49ers 30 Jaguars 10
Jimmy Garoppolo and the San Francisco 49ers keep their playoff hopes alive with a 30-10 victory over the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars. The 49ers had an interesting game plan as Deebo Samuel had only one catch for 15 yards, but he ran the ball eight times for 79 yards and a touchdown. Samuel remains a high-end WR1, given his importance to the 49ers’ offense. George Kittle has shown no ill-effects since returning to the 49ers’ offense. Kittle caught all four of his targets for 34 yards and a touchdown. Jeff Wilson Jr. was supposed to have taken on a role in this backfield but struggled for 50 yards on 19 carries–this remains Elijah Mitchell‘s backfield. The best game of the season for Brandon Aiyuk–seven catches for 85 yards and a touchdown. I still wouldn’t recommend trusting Aiyuk in fantasy just yet. On the other side of the ball, it is hard to trust anyone on the Jacksonville Jaguars for fantasy value. Trevor Lawrence completed 16 of 25 for 158 yards. James Robinson is playable in the right match-up, but beware because there is a scary floor here. Marvin Jones Jr. and Laviska Shenault Jr. are nothing more than fliers.
Bengals 32 Raiders 13
The Cincinnati Bengals pulled away late from a lifeless Las Vegas Raiders 32-13. Joe Mixon carried the Bengals offense with 123 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 30 carries–remaining a low-end RB1 with a rock-solid role in the Bengals offense. Joe Burrow was just 20 of 29 for 148 yards and a touchdown. The Bengals had a conservative game plan that negatively impacted Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd. The Raiders offense simply hasn’t been the same lately. Derek Carr struggled to 19 of 27 for 215 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake split the backfield workload with 60 yards combined on just 14 carries. Darren Waller is the one player from the Raiders offense that you can start with confidence. Waller caught seven of eight for 116 yards as a top-five TE option.
Chiefs 19 Cowboys 9
The shootout that we all knew would be–the Chiefs defeated the Cowboys 19-9 in a defensive slugfest none of us saw coming. The Kansas City Chiefs remain up and down at the moment, but you still roll out their studs. Patrick Mahomes completed 23 of 37 for 260 yards and an interception. Tyreek Hill remains in the top fantasy Wide Receiver consideration with nine catches on eleven targets for 77 yards. Travis Kelce remains the top Tight End in fantasy with five catches for 74 yards and a touchdown (rushing). It was nice to see Clyde Edwards-Helaire take over the lead role in the Chiefs backfield following his injury with 76 total yards and a touchdown on 14 touches. I wouldn’t take too much away from this game when evaluating the Dallas Cowboys. Down Amari Cooper and then losing a concussed CeeDee Lamb, Dak Prescott was missing his arsenal in this one and completed just 28 of 43 for 216 yards and two interceptions. Keep an eye on the injury report as there are mixed signals on whether or not CeeDee Lamb can make it back in time for a Thanksgiving Day game. Michael Gallup returned to the lineup and could be in line for targets galore if Lamb were to miss. Dalton Schultz would also benefit from absences elsewhere as his role in the Cowboys’ offense would grow substantially.
Cardinals 23 Seahawks 13
With the Arizona Cardinals resting Kyler Murray through their bye week, Colt McCoy has played well. McCoy completed 35 of 44 for 328 yards and two touchdowns. James Conner continues to be the anchor for the Cardinals offense and performs every week as he totaled 99 yards and a touchdown on 26 total touches. Zach Ertz has added an element to the Cardinals’ offense. Ertz caught eight of nine targets for 88 yards and two touchdowns. Rondale Moore produced one of the more fascinating stat lines you will see this season–Moore caught all eleven targets for 51 yards. Seattle’s offense looks out of sorts. Russell Wilson looks like a shell of his former self as he completed 14 of 26 for 207 empty yards. DK Metcalf caught just four of eight targets for 31 yards. Metcalf is a screaming ‘buy low’ if you can connect with a shaky DK fantasy manager. Tyler Lockett was the only player on the field that had a good game with four catches for 115 yards.
Chargers 41 Steelers 37
Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers held off a furious Steelers’ comeback in an instant classic 41-37. Justin Herbert was phenomenal in this one as he completed 30 of 41 for 382 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. Herbert also led the Chargers in rushing with 90 yards on nine carries–he did it all in the victory! Austin Ekeler was also out of his mind with 50 rushing yards and two touchdowns on eleven carries while also hauling in six receptions for 65 yards and two more touchdowns. We have been preaching the Austin Ekeler top-five fantasy running back stance all season long! Keenan Allen was the engine of the passing attack with nine catches on thirteen targets for 112 yards. It took the entire game for the big play, but Mike Williams finally delivered with five catches for 97 yards, including the game-winning 53-yard strike. Big Ben played as well as he has in quite some time as he completed 28 of 44 for 273 yards and three touchdowns. Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool led the way as Johnson caught seven of thirteen for 101 and a touchdown, and Claypool caught five of nine for 93 yards. Najee Harris continues to make a case for NFL Rookie of the Year as he totaled 59 yards and a touchdown on 17 touches.
Buccaneers 30 Giants 10
The Buccaneers took care of business in a game that never was in doubt with a 30-10 victory over the New York Giants. Tom Brady continues to put up top-five fantasy quarterback numbers as he completed 30 of 46 for 307 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. The Buccaneers spread the ball around on offense. Mike Evans received the most targets (11) and converted them into six catches for 73 yards and a touchdown. Chris Godwin caught all six of his targets for 65 yards and a touchdown. Both Evans and Godwin remain on the high-end WR2 range. It was nice to see how involved Rob Gronkowski was in the offense–with six catches and 71 yards receiving. Leonard Fournette totaled 74 yards on 16 touches. The Giants offense and Daniel Jones is a dumpster fire. Jason Garrett was fired due to the ineptitude of the Giants’ offense. Saquon Barkley showed us glimpses as he totaled 56 yards on 12 touches. Barkley should provide stronger fantasy performances as we move forward. Kenny Golladay gave you nothing–cut him loose. Kadarius Toney remains the most interesting pass-catcher for the Giants as he caught seven of twelve targets for 40 yards. You can start Toney as a flex player.
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