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Jonas Gray was an undrafted free agent completely off the fantasy radar entering the year. After Stevan Ridley suffered a season-ending injury and preseason favorite James White failed to live up to the hype, Gray has emerged as New England’s primary “big back,” culminating in 199 rushing yards and four touchdowns Sunday night. He has just one target (with no catches) on the year, and New England’s game plan changes from week-to-week more so than any other team in the league, so he’s hardly going to be a reliable fantasy star moving forward. Still, Ridley scored 19 touchdowns over 30 games during the past two years in this role, so Gray is firmly in the fantasy mix, especially with so many question marks at the running back position right now (he had 38 carries Sunday while the rest of NE’s backs combined for one)...The Colts loss was costly, as Ahmad Bradshaw and Dwayne Allen left hurt. As long as the latter is out, Coby Fleener would be a top-10 tight end.
Eli Manning had thrown just two interceptions over his past seven games. He had five Sunday...The narrative entering the year was the 49ers offense was going to be much better (thanks to a bunch of additions), while the defense was going to regress (thanks to a bunch of injuries and a suspension). The opposite has been true. San Francisco hasn’t scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter this season when Blaine Gabbert wasn’t involved...After recording 35 tackles over the previous two weeks Chris Borland got 12 while intercepting two passes. He didn’t see one defensive snap until Week 6 and might very well win Rookie DPOY...What a catch by Odell Beckham Jr.*
Jeremy Hill is a beast and an obvious top-10 fantasy back as long as Giovani Bernard is out...Jimmy Graham had more touchdowns (four) over the past three games than he had targets (three) Sunday. The Bengals entered having allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends...Cincinnati was coming off a game in which they lost by 21 points at home to the Browns, while the Saints were seemingly fired up coming off a game in which they lost at home for the first time with Sean Payton as coach since 2010, so naturally, the Bengals dominated. In fact, New Orleans, Denver and Washington were combined favorites by 23.5 points (give or take), and they lost by a combined 52 points. So is the NFL...Well, that wasn’t very nice.
With Anthony Fasano inactive, much more was expected from Travis Kelce, especially against a Seattle defense that had yielded the second-most TDs to opposing tight ends. Kelce managed just 37 yards on five targets and lost a fumble, although his three receptions led the team (they still have zero scores from a wide receiver this year)...Alex Smith threw for 108 yards, while Russell Wilson is now 11-10 on the road during his career...The Seahawks’ final three drives all ended on fourth down attempts, and they failed to become the first team to record a rushing TD against the Chiefs this season despite gaining 204 yards on the ground...Meanwhile, the Chiefs have 10 rushing scores over the last five games, as Jamaal Charles did this.*
C.J. Anderson got just 29 rushing yards, but the Rams defend the run well, and he also led Denver with 10 targets (turning them into 86 receiving yards). With reports of Ronnie Hillman possibly being out up to six weeks and Montee Ball aggravating his groin injury, Anderson could easily be a top-10 fantasy back from here on out...I’m beginning to think Zac Stacy may not live up to his ADP...With Julius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders leaving with injuries, Demaryius Thomas might average 20 targets moving forward...Denver didn’t score 20+ points for the first time in 31 regular season games, while the Rams have beaten the Broncos, Seahawks and 49ers this season (three of last year’s final four. The Patriots are lucky they don’t have to face them).
Here’s Pat Sajak losing his mind during some pretty terrible “Wheel Of Fortune” guesses.*
Everyone has killed Carolina for how much they overpaid its backfield, but it’s now become underrated just how bad those contracts were considering how little they produce...There were two weeks left in the regular season in baseball when Julio Jones last caught a touchdown. He got 5.9 YPT against a secondary that entered having allowed the most TDs to opposing WRs this season...I had a parlay involving the Chiefs, Bears, Packers and Panthers (money lines) that would have paid out nearly 8/1. Let’s just say Graham Gano’s missed FG cost me a decent amount of money...This Kelvin Benjamin TD catch was legit...The 4-6 Falcons are currently leading their division.
Maybe Charles Sims emerges, but for now, the Bucs backfield remains a stay away...After seeing the most targets in the NFL last year, Pierre Garcon saw one (for six yards) Sunday. He got 1,346 yards last season and is currently on pace to finish with 742.4. He’s been one of the biggest fantasy busts in 2014...Over the last three games, Mike Evans has secured 72.4 percent of his targets for 458 yards and five touchdowns, including this one.*He’s now up to seven scores on the year as a rookie while playing for a 2-8 team with horrendous QB play. Evans is going to be a monster for years to come. If you want him next year, you’ll need to spend a third round pick.
Headlines of the Week: Man Maced At Movie Theatre For Asking Woman To Turn Off Her Phone...Florida Woman Survives 45 Minutes With No Pulse...Bear Falls Through Skylight, Eats Birthday Cupcakes...New Usher Song Available Exclusively In Honey Nut Cheerios Boxes Sold At Walmart...Man On 207-MPH Bicycle Humiliates Ferrari At Dragstrip...World’s Smallest Man Meets World’s Tallest...Plane Crash Kills Three In Flight Simulator...This Man Can Hear Wi-Fi...Polish Woman Declared Dead Wakes Up In Mortuary.
The Browns entered having more interceptions than touchdown passes allowed, so Ryan Mallett’s debut was pretty impressive...Alfred Blue is a top-15 fantasy back as long as Arian Foster is sidelined. On the road as underdogs, the Texans somehow recorded 54 rushing attempts, just four fewer than the Browns’ total yardage gained on the ground...Cleveland’s backfield remains a mess for fantasy owners, although Isaiah Crowell looks like the top option even though he lost a fumble. Ben Tate had two carries for negative nine yards against his former team...Here’s J.J. Watt catching his second touchdown of the year. He now has twice as many as teammate Andre Johnson despite having 53 fewer receptions.
Someone named Charles Johnson had more receiving yards Sunday than Cordarrelle Patterson has had in a game all season. I didn’t predict this...The Vikings RB situation can be ignored unless Adrian Peterson reenters the picture...Alshon Jeffery has 28 targets over the past two weeks. I hope you bought low.
Police Blotter: Oscar Pistorius May Be Forced To Stay In Jail Because He Has No Ankles For Electronic Tag...Crook Follows 88-Year-Old Queens Man For 10 Miles To Rob Him Of Casino Winnings...Boy Missing Six Days Found In IKEA...Man Charged With Fight Over Whether Or Not Acquaintance Was Dead...Man Sticks Chainsaw Down Shorts In Port St. Lucie...FBI’s Most Wanted Cybercriminal Used His Cat’s Name As A Password...Ryan Champion Accused Of Killing Man Whom He Allegedly Hired To Murder His Family...Driver Continues Driving With Victim Lodged In Vehicle's Windshield.
Once an MVP candidate, Philip Rivers has gotten just 6.1 YPA with a 6:6 TD:INT ratio over the past four games. His 5.7 YPA at home Sunday against the winless Raiders was his lowest since Week 15 of the 2012 season...The only Oakland RB worth owning (and just in deep leagues) is Latavius Murray...I expect Ryan Mathews to be San Diego’s clear No. 1 back moving forward, but the Chargers’ schedule is rough...Derek Carr has shown some positive signs for Raiders fans, but this deeper look isn’t exactly encouraging (h/t Chase Stuart).
Here’s Cousin Sal shouting compliments to strangers on the street.*
Aaron Rodgers has a 9:0 TD:INT ratio over his past two games, and he’s sat out nearly three quarters during them. The Packers have averaged 43.8 points over five games at home this season...Mark Sanchez committed four turnovers and allowed this defensive TD to happen, but he also got 7.9 YPA while throwing for 346 yards and two scores, so don’t give up on him in fantasy leagues...If I’m a C.J. Anderson owner and someone offered me LeSean McCoy, I’d probably reject it.
Longreads of the Week: “The Horror Before The Beheadings” and to lighten the mood up a bit, “The Man Who Does The Impossible In Super Mario 64.”*
Michael Floyd had just two catches but both went for touchdowns during the first quarter, trolling his owners who either had him benched or had dropped him by now. His 54 receiving yards were the most since Week 3...Joique Bell’s 6.1 YPC was highly encouraging against an Arizona front seven that entered having allowed the fewest fantasy points to opposing backs. For what it’s worth, Detroit’s schedule during the fantasy playoffs (T.B., Min, @Chi) looks favorable...The Lions are the only team yet to allow more than 24 points in a game this season.
Follow Dalton Del Don on Twitter.*
Eli Manning had thrown just two interceptions over his past seven games. He had five Sunday...The narrative entering the year was the 49ers offense was going to be much better (thanks to a bunch of additions), while the defense was going to regress (thanks to a bunch of injuries and a suspension). The opposite has been true. San Francisco hasn’t scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter this season when Blaine Gabbert wasn’t involved...After recording 35 tackles over the previous two weeks Chris Borland got 12 while intercepting two passes. He didn’t see one defensive snap until Week 6 and might very well win Rookie DPOY...What a catch by Odell Beckham Jr.*
Jeremy Hill is a beast and an obvious top-10 fantasy back as long as Giovani Bernard is out...Jimmy Graham had more touchdowns (four) over the past three games than he had targets (three) Sunday. The Bengals entered having allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends...Cincinnati was coming off a game in which they lost by 21 points at home to the Browns, while the Saints were seemingly fired up coming off a game in which they lost at home for the first time with Sean Payton as coach since 2010, so naturally, the Bengals dominated. In fact, New Orleans, Denver and Washington were combined favorites by 23.5 points (give or take), and they lost by a combined 52 points. So is the NFL...Well, that wasn’t very nice.
With Anthony Fasano inactive, much more was expected from Travis Kelce, especially against a Seattle defense that had yielded the second-most TDs to opposing tight ends. Kelce managed just 37 yards on five targets and lost a fumble, although his three receptions led the team (they still have zero scores from a wide receiver this year)...Alex Smith threw for 108 yards, while Russell Wilson is now 11-10 on the road during his career...The Seahawks’ final three drives all ended on fourth down attempts, and they failed to become the first team to record a rushing TD against the Chiefs this season despite gaining 204 yards on the ground...Meanwhile, the Chiefs have 10 rushing scores over the last five games, as Jamaal Charles did this.*
C.J. Anderson got just 29 rushing yards, but the Rams defend the run well, and he also led Denver with 10 targets (turning them into 86 receiving yards). With reports of Ronnie Hillman possibly being out up to six weeks and Montee Ball aggravating his groin injury, Anderson could easily be a top-10 fantasy back from here on out...I’m beginning to think Zac Stacy may not live up to his ADP...With Julius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders leaving with injuries, Demaryius Thomas might average 20 targets moving forward...Denver didn’t score 20+ points for the first time in 31 regular season games, while the Rams have beaten the Broncos, Seahawks and 49ers this season (three of last year’s final four. The Patriots are lucky they don’t have to face them).
Here’s Pat Sajak losing his mind during some pretty terrible “Wheel Of Fortune” guesses.*
Everyone has killed Carolina for how much they overpaid its backfield, but it’s now become underrated just how bad those contracts were considering how little they produce...There were two weeks left in the regular season in baseball when Julio Jones last caught a touchdown. He got 5.9 YPT against a secondary that entered having allowed the most TDs to opposing WRs this season...I had a parlay involving the Chiefs, Bears, Packers and Panthers (money lines) that would have paid out nearly 8/1. Let’s just say Graham Gano’s missed FG cost me a decent amount of money...This Kelvin Benjamin TD catch was legit...The 4-6 Falcons are currently leading their division.
Maybe Charles Sims emerges, but for now, the Bucs backfield remains a stay away...After seeing the most targets in the NFL last year, Pierre Garcon saw one (for six yards) Sunday. He got 1,346 yards last season and is currently on pace to finish with 742.4. He’s been one of the biggest fantasy busts in 2014...Over the last three games, Mike Evans has secured 72.4 percent of his targets for 458 yards and five touchdowns, including this one.*He’s now up to seven scores on the year as a rookie while playing for a 2-8 team with horrendous QB play. Evans is going to be a monster for years to come. If you want him next year, you’ll need to spend a third round pick.
Headlines of the Week: Man Maced At Movie Theatre For Asking Woman To Turn Off Her Phone...Florida Woman Survives 45 Minutes With No Pulse...Bear Falls Through Skylight, Eats Birthday Cupcakes...New Usher Song Available Exclusively In Honey Nut Cheerios Boxes Sold At Walmart...Man On 207-MPH Bicycle Humiliates Ferrari At Dragstrip...World’s Smallest Man Meets World’s Tallest...Plane Crash Kills Three In Flight Simulator...This Man Can Hear Wi-Fi...Polish Woman Declared Dead Wakes Up In Mortuary.
The Browns entered having more interceptions than touchdown passes allowed, so Ryan Mallett’s debut was pretty impressive...Alfred Blue is a top-15 fantasy back as long as Arian Foster is sidelined. On the road as underdogs, the Texans somehow recorded 54 rushing attempts, just four fewer than the Browns’ total yardage gained on the ground...Cleveland’s backfield remains a mess for fantasy owners, although Isaiah Crowell looks like the top option even though he lost a fumble. Ben Tate had two carries for negative nine yards against his former team...Here’s J.J. Watt catching his second touchdown of the year. He now has twice as many as teammate Andre Johnson despite having 53 fewer receptions.
Someone named Charles Johnson had more receiving yards Sunday than Cordarrelle Patterson has had in a game all season. I didn’t predict this...The Vikings RB situation can be ignored unless Adrian Peterson reenters the picture...Alshon Jeffery has 28 targets over the past two weeks. I hope you bought low.
Police Blotter: Oscar Pistorius May Be Forced To Stay In Jail Because He Has No Ankles For Electronic Tag...Crook Follows 88-Year-Old Queens Man For 10 Miles To Rob Him Of Casino Winnings...Boy Missing Six Days Found In IKEA...Man Charged With Fight Over Whether Or Not Acquaintance Was Dead...Man Sticks Chainsaw Down Shorts In Port St. Lucie...FBI’s Most Wanted Cybercriminal Used His Cat’s Name As A Password...Ryan Champion Accused Of Killing Man Whom He Allegedly Hired To Murder His Family...Driver Continues Driving With Victim Lodged In Vehicle's Windshield.
Once an MVP candidate, Philip Rivers has gotten just 6.1 YPA with a 6:6 TD:INT ratio over the past four games. His 5.7 YPA at home Sunday against the winless Raiders was his lowest since Week 15 of the 2012 season...The only Oakland RB worth owning (and just in deep leagues) is Latavius Murray...I expect Ryan Mathews to be San Diego’s clear No. 1 back moving forward, but the Chargers’ schedule is rough...Derek Carr has shown some positive signs for Raiders fans, but this deeper look isn’t exactly encouraging (h/t Chase Stuart).
Here’s Cousin Sal shouting compliments to strangers on the street.*
Aaron Rodgers has a 9:0 TD:INT ratio over his past two games, and he’s sat out nearly three quarters during them. The Packers have averaged 43.8 points over five games at home this season...Mark Sanchez committed four turnovers and allowed this defensive TD to happen, but he also got 7.9 YPA while throwing for 346 yards and two scores, so don’t give up on him in fantasy leagues...If I’m a C.J. Anderson owner and someone offered me LeSean McCoy, I’d probably reject it.
Longreads of the Week: “The Horror Before The Beheadings” and to lighten the mood up a bit, “The Man Who Does The Impossible In Super Mario 64.”*
Michael Floyd had just two catches but both went for touchdowns during the first quarter, trolling his owners who either had him benched or had dropped him by now. His 54 receiving yards were the most since Week 3...Joique Bell’s 6.1 YPC was highly encouraging against an Arizona front seven that entered having allowed the fewest fantasy points to opposing backs. For what it’s worth, Detroit’s schedule during the fantasy playoffs (T.B., Min, @Chi) looks favorable...The Lions are the only team yet to allow more than 24 points in a game this season.
Follow Dalton Del Don on Twitter.*