By: David Gautieri, founder of Guru Fantasy World
Each week here at Fantasy in Frames, we’ll take a look at players who are owned in less than 50% of ESPN leagues. Each set of players is ranked according to how hard you’ll have to squint in order to see their potential value.
QUARTERBACK
Ryan Tannehill (23.6%)
Our top QB add from last week tops the list again. Multiple touchdowns in every single game since taking over as starter, not to mention a 5-1 record. Tannehill is just flat out getting it done. He’s a strong bet to stay hot this week against an Oakland defense that has allowed the 4th most fantasy points to QB’s.
Gardner Minshew (9.8%)
Minshew Mania is back! With matchups against the Chargers, Raiders, and Falcons, he’s as good a pickup as any. The Chargers have been about average in allowing fantasy points to QB’s, while the Raiders and Falcons have been bad. Very, very bad. We saw how productive Minshew could be earlier in the season and perhaps he even takes it to another level during the home stretch knowing that he’s playing for next year’s starting job.
Daniel Jones (33.1%)
This is your last chance to stash Danny Dimes. You don’t have to start him this week against Philadelphia, but he could be a major game-changer next week against the Dolphins.
Kyle Allen (13.8%)
Allen is hot (again), coming off a big divisional performance in New Orleans where he threw for 3 touchdowns without turning the ball over, and last week’s encore against Washington where he put up 3 more touchdowns. This week he faces an Atlanta Falcons defense that has allowed the 3rd most fantasy points to QB’s.
Ryan Fitzpatrick (5.8%)
Is Fitz “Magic” back?? He’s heating up with 6 total touchdowns in the last 2 games. He’s slinging the ball down the field at will. And he faces the Jets, Giants, and Bengals next – matchups which should pretty much speak for themselves. Long Live Fitzmagic!!
Matt Stafford (39.0%)
Stafford is the best quarterback on this list, hands down – when healthy. The problem is that we don’t know when or if he’s going to be healthy enough to play again this season. His roster percentage is dropping, and Detroit has already been eliminated from playoff contention, but, if he shows any relative signs of returning to the practice field this week, he’d carry a ton of upside next week when his team faces off against a Tampa Bay defense that’s allowed the 5th most fantasy points to QB’s. In Stafford’s last 3 games this season, he threw for: 364 yards, 4 touchdowns; 342 yards, 3 touchdowns; & 406 yards, 3 touchdowns.
Jeff Driskel (29.3%)
You could also insert David Blough here. Whoever starts at QB for Detroit in their Week 15 matchup with Tampa carries streaming upside in 2QB leagues.
RUNNINGBACK
Rashaad Penny (41.4%)
This kind of 1-2 punch that Seattle is deploying with Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny is exactly what we envisioned to start the year. It only took us 14 weeks to get here… The two of them combined for 43 touches, 218 yards, and 3 touchdowns this past week against Minnesota. As long as there’s that kind of meat on the bone, there’s more than enough for the both of them to eat. Not to mention, Seattle faces Carolina and Arizona the last two weeks of the fantasy playoffs – teams that have given up the single most, and 10th most fantasy points to RB’s this year.
Alexander Mattison (17.5%)
Mattison might be this week’s top add, depending on how severely Dalvin Cook is hurt. Initial word is that Cook avoided major injury, but if he’s forced to miss any time, Mattison could be a league-winner.
Raheem Mostert (12.6%)
This is what we said about Mostert last week:
“Mostert hasn’t been given as much work as Tevin Coleman or Matt Breida this season, but he’s been far more explosive, averaging 6.2 yards per-touch. He’s scored double-digit fantasy points in every game in which he’s scored a touchdown. If Breida misses another week, there’s a chance that Mostert could see an extended workload – possibly in garbage time – especially if the 49ers fall behind the Ravens by a significant margin.”
Well, Mostert was again more explosive than Coleman and clearly it didn’t take garbage time for him to score his points. Mostert broke off a long run early in the game and from then on the Niners staff didn’t seem to look back as Mostert out-touched Coleman 21-6 and out-gained him 154-15. Just remember, Kyle Shanahan = fantasy points. At this point, if Matt Breida is out, Mostert needs to be in your lineup, bar none.
Darwin Thompson (5.0%)
We’re prioritizing Thompson over backs with relatively more stable workloads – like Benny Snell and Bo Scarbrough – simply based on upside. Thompson “pops” on screen and garnered a ton of hype this preseason. Here’s hoping that he takes the job and runs with it. Stash him and see if there are any signs this week against New England.
Benny Snell Jr. (29.1%)
It seems clear that Snell is the guy as long as James Conner is out. That’s 2 straight weeks of him out-touching Jaylen Samuels, first 22-5, and this past week 17-9.
Bo Scarbrough (48.4%)
Bo isn’t likely to light the world on fire, but he has a shot at receiving 20 carries in every single game the rest of the year. He had 21 carries for 83 yards this past week, and that doesn’t include a 22-yard run which was called back due to a holding penalty. He can help in a pinch and has the upside to score in the mid-teens if he reaches the endzone.
Jordan Wilkins (3.6%)
This is what we wrote about Jonathan Williams last week:
“After Jonathan Williams took 13 carries for 116 yards (and caught one pass for another 31 yards) when Marlon Mack went down, it seemed as if he’d earned the right to carry the load in Mack’s absence, but Jordan Wilkins’ return clouded the picture heading into Week 12. The Colts pretty much cleared the air by giving Williams the ball 29 times, which he took for 121 total yards and a TD. Wilkins played one offensive snap. You could chalk it up to Wilkins not being healthy enough, but the Colts had no problem sending him out there for 12 special teams snaps. Until further notice, this is Williams’ backfield going forward. He’s a priority add.”
Well, it’s further notice. This past week, Wilkins out-touched Williams 13-9 and out-gained him 56-25. Wilkins is a tough play this week against a stout Tampa run defense, but if he takes further claim of the backfield from Williams, he carries more upside the following week against New Orleans, and particularly in fantasy’s championship round against Carolina, as they’ve allowed the most fantasy points to RB’s this year out of any team in the NFL.
WIDE RECEIVER
A.J. Brown (28.0%)
Another week of Brown being the only player to be his team’s No. 1 WR and be owned in less than 50% of ESPN leagues. Every single other team’s top WR is owned in more than half. Go out and get this guy, people. With the way Ryan Tannehill is slinging it, there’s really no excuse to justify Brown’s lack of ownership.
Darius Slayton (23.3%)
Whether it’s Saquon Barkley, Sterling Shepard, Evan Engram, or Golden Tate, someone has always been hurt for the Giants this year. The only mainstay has been Slayton. He’s continued to show a chemistry with Daniel Jones and continues to make plays on a weekly basis. He’s shown a propensity for the occasional blow-up game, and he faces Philly, Miami, and Washington to close out the fantasy season.
Deebo Samuel (44.1%)
Samuel is kind of like the new-age DeSean Jackson this year. He’s a big-play threat waiting to happen that only needs one or two touches to make a difference. The target and reception totals are worryingly low, but you only need one from a guy like Samuel.
Randall Cobb (42.3%)
Cobb has at least 7 fantasy points in 9 out of the 11 games that he’s played in this year. His floor is extremely high and even if you aren’t playing him this week against Chicago, he works in a pinch the two following weeks against the Rams and Eagles. He’s one of the best bets to give you something each week.
Cole Beasley (24.8%)
Beasley has been arguably more consistent than Cobb. He has double-digit fantasy points in 8 out of 12 games this year, and less than 7 only once. That kind of production has been vastly underrated. The only problem is that he faces Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and New England the next 3 weeks. There should still be some potential for garbage times points, however.
Robby Anderson (45.1%)
Don’t look now but Anderson has 100 yards or a touchdown in 3 straight games and is coming off his first game with double-digit targets all season. He works in a pinch against Miami this week.
Auden Tate (17.5%)
Tate has finished with about 4 or 5 catches and about 60 yards in most of the games Andy Dalton has started this year. He got back to it this past week with Dalton under center again, catching 4 of 7 targets for 66 yards. He and Dalton have a legitimate connection. He should carry borderline WR3 value most weeks.
James Washington (21.6%)
Washington is Pittsburgh’s deep-threat and Duck Hodges is not afraid to sling it deep, simple as that. Washington is averaging over 100 yards and a touchdown his past two games, and should continue to eat going forward.
Russell Gage (6.3%)
The Falcons have needed someone to step up after trading away Mo Sanu and losing Devonta Freeman and Austin Hooper to injuries. Gage has been that guy. He’s averaging over 7 targets, more than 5 receptions, and nearly 50 yards in his last 5 games.
Zach Pascal (21.0%)
It’s hard to recommend Pascal after he blew the last prime matchup he had (against Miami) by catching just 2 passes for 26 yards, but he does face Tampa Bay this week and is coming off a 109-yard game.
TIGHT END
Jack Doyle (50.7%)
Technically, Doyle shouldn’t even be on our list, as he is rostered in just barely more than half of ESPN leagues. However, it’s important to stress how important it is to snatch him up if he’s out there. The TE gig is his with Eric Ebron on IR, Jacoby Brissett loves to check-down, and he faces a Tampa Bay defense this week that has allowed the 4th most fantasy points to TE’s.
Jacob Hollister (43.0%)
Hollister has 20 receptions and 3 touchdowns in his last 4 games. Russell Wilson also sailed another potential wide-open touchdown over Hollister’s head and into the back of the end zone two weeks ago against Philly. He’s got a definite role in the redzone and should continue to be plugged into lineups going forward.
Dallas Goedert (37.9%)
Even with Alshon Jeffery returning to the lineup this past week against Miami, Goedert caught 6 passes for 66 yards. He’s a solid streamer with matchups against the Giants and Redskins coming up.
Mike Gesicki (14.9%)
Just to remind you if you didn’t catch last week’s column:
Player A: 6’6”, 247 lbs. 4.54 40. 22 bench reps. 41.5-inch vertical.
Player B: 6’4”, 247 lbs. 4.52 40. 18 bench reps. 35-inch vertical.
Player A is Mike Gesicki. Player B? Just some dude from San Fran who may or may not have broken the single-season record for yardage by a TE. Now, is Gesicki the next Kittle? That would be a certifiable No. But the physical tools are definitely there. Gesicki has 6+ targets in 5 straight games, and he faces the Jets, Giants, and Bengals next.
Ryan Griffin (26.3%)
Griffin scored 8 fantasy points this past week, and it actually felt like a letdown based on how often he’s found his way into the endzone recently. You could do a lot worse than Griffin with matchups against Cincinnati and Miami the next two weeks.
Jaeden Graham (1.1%)
Graham is the Falcons receiving TE as long as Austin Hooper is out. He’s coming off a 4 catch, 1 touchdown game against New Orleans and if we know that there’s anything that Atlanta likes to do, it’s pass, pass, pass. Graham can help in a pinch in the deepest leagues.
