Fighting Chance Roundtable: Week 7
How in the world is it Week 7 already???? Well, the NFL never stops giving us things to talk about so let’s get right to the questions. And, of course, follow us all on Twitter: Matt Miles @dirtyairFC, Leo Grandio @smooth1074, Joe Gallina @joegallina and me @fightingchance.
Has Tyler Allgeier earned standalone fantasy value in the Falcons backfield?
Joe: Allgeier played an average of 20% offensive snaps and he averaged 4.27 PPR fantasy points per game for the first three weeks of the season. That average jumped to just over 38% snaps played, and 11.1 fantasy points scored in his last three games. This preseason Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson told us that Allgeier was going to have a big role in the team’s offense this season. Allgeier might not have a big role, but it’s obvious that he’s going to play some significant snaps every week and based on that he’ll have sporadic standalone fantasy value depending on his matchup and how many teams are on a bye in a particular week.
Leo: Without a doubt he has. In his rookie season Tyler Allgeier illustrated that he could carry the load without an issue. That season Allgeier rushed 210 times for 1,035 yards and four total touchdowns. Sure he is currently splitting touches with Bijan Robinson but Allgeier has carved out an excellent role for himself in the offense. The third year running back could be inserted into lineups as a flex play weekly especially with all the injuries that have transpired this season and the weekly byes that fantasy managers have to deal with.
Matt: The more things change, the more they stay the same in Atlanta. We are heading into the meat of the bye week season, and any running back that's garnering a 38% snap share on the season in their backfield is worth a look as an RB2. Highlight reels against Carolina aside, Allgeier looks a lot like late-2023 Isiah Pacheco with short burst speed and an angry style of downhill running. This is a gut-call, but Allgeier is a solid mid-season target for your team.
Ryan: Not only has he carved out a role, but it is bigger than I thought it would be (that’s what she said). I drafted a lot of Allgeier in best balls this season banking on a possible Robinson injury, but I still knew he would get a handful of carries and a few targets a game. His usage is starting to rival Bijan and while I don’t think he will ever overtake him and get used more, the Falcons backup runner is a guy you can use as a flex weekly.
Who is the wide receiver to roster in fantasy for the Raiders with Davante Adams traded?
Matt: I don't want to be that guy, but none is my answer. A standard 12-team league likely has better options on the waiver for upside. Give me anyone from the Packers, even some of the low-owned options from New England before any Raiders wideout. Gun to my head and had to pick one? Jakobi Meyers for PPR, and even then, I'd rather Wan’Dale Robinson.
Joe: Once he’s fully healthy Jakobi Meyers will likely be the team’s leading WR. Tre Tucker is another receiver that could make some noise the rest of the way as well. He’s played an average of 86.25% of the Raiders’ offensive snaps per game over the past four weeks. One thing to consider is that the Raiders like to use their RBs in their passing game and rookie TE Brock Bowers leads the team in targets and receptions just about every week and will likely continue to do so. Meyers may end up being their leading WR but there may be a low ceiling on his weekly fantasy production.
Leo: The no brainer answer is Brock Bowers. He should be a target monster and TE1 for the rest of the season. As for the remaining wide receivers Jakobi Meyers is easily the main beneficiary of Davante Adams departure. While Adams has been out for the Raiders over the last three weeks with his supposedly “hamstring injury”,
Meyers has made his presence felt by averaging close to 10 targets, six receptions, 61 yards, and has a touchdown. Meyers should continue seeing over 10 targets per contest for the rest of the season. In deeper leagues, Tre Tucker is a name to consider rostering as he has flashed a couple of times earlier this season.
Ryan: As everyone has said, Jakobi Meyers is the guy to roster and should do the best despite iffy quarterback play, but I do still think that Tre Tucker belongs on rosters. With Meyers out this week, this gives Tucker a chance to recreate his Week 3 and Week 4 success. Meyers is a fine receiver but he is no thrill, and if Tucker can continue to show some of the explosiveness he did earlier this season he could possibly be the number two option to throw to behind Brock Bowers.
What kind of role do you see Jonathan Brooks having for the Panthers when he returns?
Leo: As much as I drafted and stashed Jonathon Brooks throughout all my fantasy teams, his role in the Panthers offense will be gradually increased as the season progresses. There’s no need to rush Brooks since Chuba Hubbard has been phenomenal this season. Hubbard is currently ranked as the fifth best running back in fantasy football so far this season. Eventually both running backs will be flex plays once Brooks settles into the offense. Just be patient with Brooks because his impact will be made later in the second half of the season and fantasy playoffs.
Matt: I think you're looking at a similar situation like Atlanta where there's a 1A/1B with Brooks taking a pass-catching role and Chuba Hubbard taking the 3rd down and short yardage work. Even then, the 1-5 Panthers are in no rush to bring Brooks back any faster than they have to.
Joe: Some RBs, like Javonte Williams or Cam Akers for instance, take a while to regain their explosiveness after a catastrophic injury. With that in mind to expect Brooks to hit the ground running in his first game back after tearing his ACL might be asking a bit too much. With Chuba Hubbard the NFL’s third leading rusher (485 yards) and having the fifth highest average 5.64 YPC entering Week 7 the Panthers can afford to ease Brooks back into game action. We all forget how good a RB Hubbard was in college. In 2019 he had a whopping 328 carries for 2094 rushing yards (6.4 YPC) and he had 21 rushing TDs in 13 games. Brooks is expected to make his debut in Week 9 and he’ll likely gradually ramp the number of snaps he plays week to week. The Panthers will probably get to a point where Brooks and Hubbard evenly split carries but with the volatility associated with the RB position don’t be too surprised to see Brooks eventually ends up as the team’s lead back and a fantasy league winner.
Ryan: Many are saying that Chuba Hubbard is performing too well for Brooks to take over the bellcow role in Carolina. My retort to that would be that Hubbard was pretty good last year, and the Panthers still used a SECOND ROUND pick on the kid coming off an ACL injury. Clearly they saw something they loved in this kid and now that he is fully healthy, I believe he will be unleashed. It might be a little gradual for a week or two because Brooks even said his issue is more mental than physical so it may take a little time to trust his knee, but I believe he is going to be special.
Which waiver wire running back from this week do you like better? Isaac Guerendo, Sean Tucker or Kimani Vidal?
Leo: For the rest of the season I want to roster Kimani Vidal in as many leagues as I can. Heading into the season Vidal was behind two injury prone players in Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. Edwards was just placed on IR which led to Vidal’s first active game of the season. He promptly scored 13 fantasy points. Vidal should see a larger role going forward and if Dobbins gets injured due to the heavy workload he’s been seeing, lookout!
Matt: Kimani Vidal is my choice, especially for PPR formats, although Tucker is also right there. I give the edge to Vidal because of the three, Vidal has the clearest path to taking over their respective backfield. Guerendo will have to face a potential return of Christian McCaffrey, who was at practice on 10/17. Sean Tucker may have the best talent profile of the group, but the Bucs coaching stall has already talked about taking "the hot hand" approach. Vidal has Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins for competition, and the Gus Bus is in the shop for repairs. Vidal has shown pass-protection prowess and burst that the Chargers desperately need to stay in play for a wild-card run in the AFC West.
Ryan: Give me all the Vidal! Guerendo did a nice job filling in for the injured Jordan Mason, but he even split time with Patrick Taylor. Not to mention that Mason is good to go this week, and it seems that Christian McCaffrey should be back within a month. Sean Tucker was amazing last week, but the coach already said it is a three-man rotation in the backfield, and as much as we don’t like Rachaad White, I believe that Bucky Irving will get the most carries. Vidal looked good right out of the gate last week and had a touchdown. With Gus Edwards on IR and J.K. Dobbins not exactly the picture of health in his career, Vidal has the clearest path to a big load.
Who has a better rest of season Davante Adams or Garrett Wilson?
Matt: You know that spiderman meme where 6 of them are all pointing at each other? That's the answer. Adams will get the red zone looks, but Wilson will get the between the 20s yards. It would not surprise me if the same 7/70/1 line flip-flops between them for the rest of the season. I’d give a slight edge to Adams for touchdowns.
Leo: I believe Davante Adams will rekindle that chemistry with his old BFF Aaron Rodgers. Although both wide receivers will be 1A and 1B for the rest of the season, I will give Adams the slight edge. Garrett Wilson has been coming on as of late over the last two games. Wilson has been targeted 33 times in that span which led him to accumulate 21 receptions for 208 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson’s target share will take a big hit with Adams’s presence on the team. Rodgers has already proven that his chemistry with previous teammates is hard to ignore.
Before these last two games, one could argue that Allen Lazard was the more productive wide receiver on the Jets due to Wilson’s slow start. Now throw in the fact, the proven track record of Rodgers and Adams connection from their Packers days and the caliber of player Adams is and he should be right there with Wilson for the rest of the season or even be ahead by season’s end.
Ryan: I’ve never really been a fan of Garrett Wilson. Well, in fairness, I am not a fan of any Jet, but even though wide receivers tend to be divas (or at least that was the case a few years ago), Wilson really seems like a “me” guy. Sure, he hasn’t had good quarterback play in his career, but he worries a lot about getting his stats and when the quarterback play isn’t good, he isn’t shy about it. Lots of receivers have had shitty quarterback play in their career. Look at Andre Johnson for god sake! Did he bitch about it all the time? No. He performed. I think Davante Adams is going get a lot of volume and I think he will be the guy to have the better rest of the season.
Is Juju Smith-Schuster startable? Or was that one big game an aberration?
Leo: If I was asked this before Juju Smith-Schuster’s performance in Week 5, I would have said hell no. But Smith-Schuster proved that he is not washed up and was literally Rashee Rice’s replacement straight-up. Smith-Schuster blew up for seven receptions and 130 yards on eight targets. Travis Kelce will be Patrick Mahomes true top target for the rest of season but Smith-Schuster will be usable starter for fantasy managers as WR2/WR3 for the remainder of the season. At the very least he will be a flex play in this amazing offense that never disappoints.
Matt: Juju popped up on the injury report on Thursday 10/18 with a hamstring issue, so it bears monitoring. I think last week was more of a one-off. The injury imp has not been kind to the Defending Champions, and a gut-call on the Chiefs is that they are simply going to game-manage wins to try and stay healthy for another deep post-season run. Patrick Mahomes has become Alex Smith. Isiah Pacheco's 21-day window is open, and they would love to get him back to mix in with a resurgent Kareem Hunt to eat the clock for easy wins. If they need yards, Travis Kelce can deliver short yardage gains between the 20s.
Ryan: I am still skeptical here. Again, quarterback play was terrible in New England, but Juju fell off the map the past few years. Being on a Chiefs offense with a lot of options certainly helps him not get a ton of defensive attention, but I still need to see him perform great another week before I am ready to trust him.