Mid-Season Review

It’s crazy how fast this season is flying by. It’s quite the grind when you’re in the middle of it, but when you step back for a second, you realize just how shot of a season it really is. We’re nearly halfway through!

I’ll still have some observations specific to week 7, but I thought it would be a good time to reflect on some of the trends we’ve seen in players throughout the first half of the season.

News and Notes

• 🎖️ Brian Robinson started off hot, and was the RB3 for the first two weeks. Since then, he is the RB20 in PPR scoring.

• ⛪️ Chris Olave was the WR10 in week 1. Since then he has been a WR2 three times and outside the top 30 three times. That is despite having 10 or more targets in 5 of seven games.

• 🐴 Don’t look now, but Josh Downs is the WR13 since week 3.

• 🐬 Want some more crazy stats? Tyreek Hill is on pace for nearly 2200 receiving yards. He’s averaging 128 per game. He’s scoring more points per game than Cooper Kupp’s 2021 triple-crown season.

• 🐆 Calvin Ridley has averaged less than 9 PPR points a game since week 1.

• Travis Kelce has scored over 5 points more per game than the TE2, Mark Andrews.

• 🤠 After starting off as slow as you possibly could, Dalton Schultz is somehow the TE8 in per-game scoring.

• 🦅 D’Andre Swift is the overall RB6. Who could have seen this coming after he was traded from Detroit? The talent was there, just needed to stay healthy. It’s almost like the Lions had a guy who could have done Jahmyr Gibbs's job already on their roster. But anyway.

• Najee Harris is on pace for a career-low 23 receptions. In his previous two years, he had 74 and 41 receptions. Oh, and his rush attempts have dropped to a career-low as well. Volume can hide inefficiency only for so long.

• Back to this week, we had the whole Bijan Robinson controversy, and for fantasy managers, I think Ian Hartitz summed it up well:

• 🐏 Puka Nacua has a day against the Steelers. I get it, he often does, but just saying, he can exist with Cooper Kupp there, especially when Kupp has a down week.

• 🐻 D’Onta Foreman probably found himself some playing time after putting up ridiculous numbers against the Raiders on Sunday. 120 scrimmage yards, over 5.5 YPC, and three touchdowns will do that for you.☠️ If you haven’t noticed, Jakobi Meyers has been good y’all. Consistently putting up points and seeing a lot of volume. I was wondering how he’d fare with Hunter Renfrow in town, guess I should have been asking that question the other way around.

• Marquez Valdez-Scantling and Rashee Rice finished week 7 (Monday night pending) as the wide receivers 12 and 13. MVS had an MVS type of game he won’t have for another month and a half, but Rice is just chugging along and it’s been great to see.

• Jake Bobo finished as the WR17 on the week.

• Hey! Emari Demarcado was a thing again for a week! Can’t wait for Ingram to steal the show next week after we all buy back in!

• ⚡️ If I were you I wouldn’t worry about Austin Ekeler. He’ll be fine.

• Dalton Kincaid, Gerald Everett, David Njoku, and Cade Otton all made an appearance to the TE1 club this week. Otton will have a tough time repeating against the Bills next week. The rest have a decent shot at it if you need a streamer and they’re available.

Waiver Wire Targets

• QB: Joshua Dobbs vs. BAL, Derek Carr vs. IND, Tyrod Taylor vs. NYJ

• RB: Kareem Hunt vs. SEA, Justice Hill vs. ARI, Tyjae Spears vs. ATL, Latavius Murray vs. TB

• WR: Josh Downs vs. NO, Michael Wilson vs. BAL

• TE: Tyler Conklin vs. NYG, Luke Musgrave vs. MIN

• DST: Houston vs. CAR, Atlanta vs. TEN

Thursday Night Preview

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Baker Mayfield and the Bucs are coming off of a disappointing loss to the Falcons on Sunday, and they are rewarded by having to face the Bills. Buffalo hasn’t been a juggernaut by any means, but for what it’s worth, two of their three losses have been in divisional play. I’m not starting Baker this week. Which means he’ll go for 28 points.

However, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Rachaad White will all find their ways to fantasy rosters this week. White is a little more appealing to me than the receivers because of Buffalo’s weakness to rushing attacks. Unless you have a better option that is. I’m not predicting Cade Otton to repeat his performance from Sunday, but he can be used in a pinch.

Buffalo Bills

Tampa is a tough matchup for running backs, but James Cook has enough usage, especially in the passing game, to make playing him worthwhile. Stefon Diggs and Josh Allen are no-brainer starts.

If you think it’s going to be a blowout and are in dire need of a running back, you could do worse than Latavius Murray. He needs the game to stay close or for the Bills to run away with a win to be used though. Gabe Davis is an ever-present upside play with a low floor. Depends on what you feel your team needs to win in a week. Safety? Nope. Facing a better team and need all the upside you can muster? Sure.

Final Thoughts

That’s all I have for today, thanks for stopping by and I’ll see you on Friday!