The Hype Train Station - Week 13

Apologies for the Hype Train Station being delayed itself this week. It’s arrived now and with Bye weeks done and dusted now, playoff season is upon us so hopefully, your teams are rolling. Speaking of things rolling it’s time to look at the departure board to see which trains are ready to roll and which have square wheels.


Standing Room only - Phillip Lindsey (DEN)
I suspect a lot of victorious teams (or at least playoff teams) caught the Phillip Lindsey Train very early and have ridden it all the way to the end. He’s been a sensation and put Royce Freeman a little bit into the shade. Freeman hasn’t been bad but Lindsey has made the most of each chance he’s been given. 780 yards on the ground and 24 receptions for another 187 yards have not only kept fantasy owners happy, but it’s given Denver a good shot at the playoffs.

Reservations Recommended - Amari Cooper (DAL)
Cooper needed to move on from Oakland and while the price tag was steep it would appear it was a draft pick well spent by the Cowboys. Dak now has a primary target again and the offense has a focal point and they aren’t afraid to use him. He’s had 32 targets in the 4 weeks he's been a Cowboy and Cooper has brought in 69% of them. The Cowboys are going on a late run for the playoffs and with the Redskins and Eagles injury woes and the Giants almost looking like they are tanking, they should make it.

Ready to depart - Josh Reynolds (LAR)
With Cooper Kupp out for the rest of the season, Reynolds has already made strides towards being the 3rd receiver behind Woods and Cooks. He has every chance to shine in the high powered Rams offense and his performances could make next season very interesting indeed.

Delayed - Marquez Valdes-Scantling (GB)
MVS has had 2 particularly bad weeks either through the game script or Aaron Rodgers choosing to pepper Devante Adams. I can’t see that continuing too much longer and with Cobb still not fit and Allison on IR he’s the main alternative. With Jimmy Graham nursing an injured Thumb as well he has to see use soon otherwise the Packers slim hopes are done.

Canceled - Alston Jeffrey (PHI)
I could have put Golden Tate here too but Jeffrey has more hype and has had the bigger fall. None of the Eagles wide receivers seem to have been consistent or even startable in recent weeks. Unless you own Zach Ertz it’s almost an offense to completely avoid. Trading for Tate was meant to sure up the receiving corps but with him, Jeffrey and Agholor its all become rather confused and Carson Wentz still doesn’t seem 100% either.

The Sleeper Train - Matt LaCosse (DEN)
Now, this is a desperation move but with Jeff Heuerman on IR LaCosse is the only tight end left on the Broncos roster and he seemed to do well against the Steelers. It’s not the deepest receiving group so he’s going to be getting targets and in a position that can be a struggle to fill, he may be a sneaky late season option.

The Hype Train Station - Week 12

Again, the Hype Train will be my only post this week. Life has had to come first but I didn’t want to leave the blog deck totally blank. So time for another trip to the station. Here’s the bird for this week.


Standing Room only - Jared Goff (LAR)
I said at the beginning of the season that Jared Goff is easily a top 12 QB this year and he’s been consistently playing at a high level all year. Even with Todd Gurley doing a lot of the work, The Rams are so offensively powerful that Goff is putting up numbers on a weekly basis. He’s had 27 TDs to 6 INTs this season and barring something drastic he’s going to be one of the top 5 QBs off the board next year.

Reservations Recommended - TY Hilton (IND)
The Colts are looking more and more like a contender each week. Andrew Luck is on a crazy run of consecutive games with 3+ passing TDs and one big beneficiary of this is Hilton. He’s still the #1 receiver on the team and when he’s free of injury he is an elite weapon to have on your team. He had 2TDs this weekend and it would now appear he’s on his way to being a WR1 again.

Ready to depart - Keke Coutee (HOU)
With Will Fuller out and Coutee now back from injury he is set to be the #2 to Hopkins #1 which Deshawn Watson badly needs in order to be effective. Coutee has developed well in his rookie season and looks able to pick up the slack Fuller has left behind. Sure, the Texans traded for Demaryius Thomas, but as we're seeing with Golden Tate, the transitions aren't seamless and Coutee has the scheme familiarity. Despite an injury concern, Coutee's usage in week 11 gives a strong indication of how that offense is going to go.

Delayed - Sammy Watkins (KC)
He may be in the high power Chiefs offense but Sammy Watkins hasn’t been particularly consistent this year and despite playing this weekend he barely featured in a game which saw 105 points scored. Injuries are still an issue for Watkins but he has shown glimpses this season and if he can get a clean bill of health down the stretch I can see him having a few decent games. He's only had 3 games all season where he's played and scored less than 10 points so it's maybe harsh saying he's been delayed, but in case anyone was considering jumping off, my advice is don't!

Cancelled - Devin Funchess (CAR)
Usually, I pick players who are droppable and although it’s hard to drop him at this stage, Funchess isn’t far off. DJ Moore is becoming more and more of a feature and arguably has more talent. Greg Olsen is still fit and seeing plenty of action, especially in the redzone then you how Cam and CMC moving the ball a lot on the ground. It all has made Funchess rather irrelevant after having had a few weeks of looking like a must play. He's not scored double-digit fantasy points since week 7 and seeing 4 or fewer catches per game.

The Sleeper Train - Lamar Jackson (BAL)
With Flacco out for a few weeks, Jackson is going to get a chance to take that job and run with it. That can nearly be taken literally as he had more rushing yards than most RBs this week and for fantasy, that’s rather handy. If he can do enough to stake a permanent place ahead of Flacco he has the ability to be like Cam Newton but without quite the same level of quality in the supporting cast.

The Hype Train Station - Week 11

With my wife currently Ill and a project at work on the edge of happening, I’m having to cut back on the blog for a few weeks. When it returns a few things may be different but essentially I’m a bit like the Bills. Trying out a few things and preparing for next season but need some feedback and data to do it.

One thing that won’t be changing will be the Hype Train since it’s my flagship article. This week it’s a bit shorter in formation but I didn’t want to be completely silent. So who’s train should have all aboard and who is all at sea?

Standing Room only - David Johnson (ARI)
The change in coordinators seems to have released DJ back into the levels of fantasy performance we were expecting. He may end the season on a high so people are going to believe again.

Reservations Recommended - Nick Chubb (CLE)
Remove Carlos Hyde from the system and this happens. Duke Johnson was expected to win take off but Nick Chubb has totally outdone him and exceeded many peoples expectations. He and Duke are almost making the WRs look like an afterthought.

Ready to depart - Leonard Fournette (JAX)
He’s back from injury, survived a full game and scored 2TDs. If you weren’t sure whether to play him in his return or were worried about Carlos Hyde; week 10 gave you the answers.

Delayed - Golden Tate (PHI)
Mid-season trades aren’t great for fantasy production. Snaps and targets are a gamble with people not yet conversant with the playbook. Tate has a slow first game and with him fighting with Jeffrey, Ertz, and Agholor for targets it’s going to be tough. I think he will eventually have an effect but not in the same way he did with the Lions.

Canceled - Carlos Hyde (JAX)
Hyde was a decent asset in Cleveland. The trade to Jacksonville looked like a sign Fournette was going on IR. Now L4 is back and Hyde is still learning the playbook his value is basically zero.

The Sleeper Train - Theo Riddick (DET)
I didn’t want to believe this one myself at first. Riddick has been injured or irrelevant all year but with Tate not there and Marvin Jones keeping on being banged up the Lions need more than Kenny Golladay. Riddick looks set to spend the rest of the season as a pseudo WR3 which in PPR is a lovely sound. Especially without a TE of note to take targets either.

Thursday Night Fix-Up - Week 10

CAR @ PIT

My TNF articles tend not to get read but for those who do, thank you and I hope it brings you luck.

This week is a really interesting and hopefully matchup between two powerful offenses and middle of the road defenses.

Carolina:
Cam Newton is having arguably his best season to date both in reality and fantasy. His game is unlike any other QB and in reality, he and Christian McCaffrey are always their main TD threats. The Steelers are good at defending the run but with the RPO and read option in play, they (like many teams) will struggle.

McCaffrey is in Stud status right now and if you own him there’s no matchup where I wouldn’t play him. Any other running backs are irrelevant. All the pre-season hype around CJ Anderson crashed to a halt within a few weeks.

The receiving positions are a little bit trickier to call. Devin Funchess still seems to be the main WR but DJ Moore is starting to see more target and bringing them in. Greg Olsen looks to finally have had his resurgence and be back to his best so Cam does have passing options. I’d struggle to justify playing Moore and I’d only play Funchess if there isn’t a potentially better option. Olsen meanwhile is a starter, even on a short turnaround.

The Carolina defense is very much in the middle. They’re maybe a little underrated but that’s normal.


Pittsburgh:
Big Ben at home is usually a hit. The offensive line is still one of the best in the league and the Bell saga isn’t affecting their play as much as many expected. Roethlisberger is nursing a small injury but should be in for a decent game.

James Connor had a brief dip for a few weeks but has returned in some style. 107 rushing yards, 7 catches for 56 yards and a TD last week and an overall stat line of 1085 total yards and 10TDs make him a hot property.

Antonio Brown is always a given. You have to start him. JuJu is in a similar position but he has been disappointing in recent weeks with x occasions scoring less than x points. James Washington seems to be taking that WR3 role but it’s not productive enough to make him a fantasy starter. Vance McDonald might have some value, especially if the waiver wire is rather bare but with Jesse James still sniffing around and the other options the Steelers have, it’s getting harder to warrant playing a Steelers TE.

The defense started off poorly but seem to have improved into a top 10 outfit again. The run defense has been quite good so far but they’ve struggled against the pass. That’s starting to tighten up although their opponents recently haven’t been so hot on offense.


Overview:
It’s a game where you play your studs but really after that, it’s hard to justify playing anyone else. Funchess is the borderline player and with Olsen’s resurgence, I’m less keen to risk it unless there’s a big gap to my next flex option or WR. For the Steelers McDonald is maybe the turn player and his inclusion will be purely based on who else you have at TE. I’d want Austin Hooper over him but maybe not David Njoku.

The Hype Train Station - Week 10

I missed engine, engine number 9 so we move on to Week 10. I wanted to do this early so I could claim this was platform 9 3/4 but I couldn’t turn around the magic quick enough. Still, whose broomstick is a Nimbus 2000 and whose is borrowed off Doris the caretaker?

Standing Room only - Michael Thomas (NO)
MT had a huge game this week and Adam Thielen suddenly has stiff competition to be the top scoring WR in fantasy. His 12 catch, 221 yard, 1TD, and one no coverage cellphone call was a thing of beauty and finally ended the Rams unbeaten season. This is his second time as a standing room only and he seems to be a weekly scheduled service for this section and always oversubscribed.

Reservations Recommended - Dion Lewis (TEN)
It took time (enough time for me to want to drop him at times) but Dion Lewis is starting to build up steam. The Tennessee offense is starting to regain life and Mariota is becoming a streaming option again. His 60 rushing yards, 62 receiving yards and a TD made Lewis a valuable RB in week 9 and the signs have been there since the London game. Nothing like a visit to this side of the pond to kick your season into life.

Ready to depart - Maurice Harris (WAS)
Jameson Crowder is still our injured, Josh Doctson isn’t performing, Paul Richardson is now out for the season, Adrian Peterson isn’t a high volume pass catching back and Jordan Reed can do it all himself. That leaves Alex Smith and the Redskins looking for options and after two big weeks, it appears Harris is the guy. His week 9 performance would class as a breakout. He had 10 catches for 124 yards and even without a TD he had 22+ fantasy points. Over the previous 4 games, he scored between 4 and 8 points and he should really be a waiver pickup for teams in a bit of a bind.

Delayed - Kyle Rudolph (MIN)
It’s getting close to Christmas and the mast wonderfully named player for the time of year is struggling. He’s been left more red-faced than red nosed. No TD in 6 games and only 2 all season. His last 3 games have only seen him grab 6 catches for 83 yards which is a considerable drop to what has been the case. In pre-season, I saw him as a top 5 TE. Thielin and Diggs have taken nearly all of his targets and the one time he thought he had a TD the officials ruled Latavious Murray had stretched over the line first. He needs some seasonal magic and for Kirk Cousin to send a few more gifts his way. If it doesn’t happen when people like me who drafted him are being left sleighed.

Canceled - Michael Gallup (DAL)
Admittedly Gallup’s Hype Train was more based on horsepower (and puns) than performance. Drafted early and into a team with no real #1 WR the opportunity was there to make a name for himself. At this point, if you are keeping him in anything other than a deep dynasty then you’re flogging a dead horse. With Amari Cooper set to be the new Stud, Gallup will struggle to get back in the saddle (was that 3 horse puns on the trot?). I’m sad that this train isn’t rolling but maybe next season he will develop into more than a one trick pony.

The Sleeper Train - Jordan Thomas (HOU)
In the two weeks before the bye, Thomas was a TD target and brought in 3 of them. He did get a few catches against Miami and has the rapport with Watson but the addition of Demaryius Thomas maybe stunts his hype somewhat. I was going to use another TE in Jeff Heuerman here for Denver but this week was his big week so he’s not a sleeper anymore.

Week 10 Waiver Fire:

Bye Week: Texans, Broncos, Ravens, Vikings

With me skipping week 9 there’s no recap this week. Nice relaxing break. You can call it my own bye week if you wish.

This week there’s a few fewer byes but still plenty of guessing. Across 35+ games there’s a real mix of talents on the waiver wire. In some leagues, people are dropping the likes of Funchess and Rudolph so just check your waivers and see if there’s a gem. But be warned, some of those guys are being dropped for a reason. Your call to make is whether they can return to form again.

QB:
Baker Mayfield (CLE vs ATL)
38% owned
Mayfield has managed over 200 passing yards in all but one week since becoming the starter in week 3. However, with three consecutive weeks with 2 TDs and a combined 2 INTs his game is tightening up a little. He’s not really utilizing his running ability yet but the Browns won’t be in that position too often. Atlanta has adapted since losing some key defencemen so aren’t as much of a pushover. But with the QB landscape on the waiver being rather ugly, he’s maybe the one you can have some confidence in.

Eli Manning (NYG @ SF)
9% owned
I did say the landscape was ugly... San Francisco isn’t a pushover like they were before either but coming fresh off a bye week and with all his weapons available, Eli has to be an option. The defensive line for the 49ers won’t cause as many issues for the Giants OL as other teams so Manning might actually have a chance to make some plays.

Nick Mullens (SF vs NYG)
1% owned
After starting his NFL career on fire, Mullens has a matchup against the Giants who aren’t the strongest defense. He will only be a stopgap although with another good performance it may be until the end of the season and the return of Jimmy Garoppolo. The debut for the ages will be hard to repeat but every great QB has to start somewhere.


RBs:
Nyheim Hines (IND vs JAX)
34% owned
After having a week 9 bye and a less productive week 8 quite a few teams ended up dropping Hines and if you’re light at RB he may be a useful pickup. The Jags run Defense is still good but not 2017 good and Hines should probably be seen as a longer-term investment than just 1 week.
He’s had 4 weeks scoring over 10 points this season and with Jordan Wilkins not impressing it looks like it’s Marlon Mack and Hines carrying the bulk of the load.

Ito Smith (ATL @ CLE)
32% owned
Smith still hasn’t had the surge of being picked up yet although 32% is quite respectable. Like Hines, he’s a guy you may be able to plug in at times throughout the remainder of the season with Davonta Freeman on IR. In week 9 it was Tevin Coleman that took off but Smith got himself a touchdown against a strong Redskin run D. He has TD upside and possibly as well as being able to run between the tackles.

Mike Davis/Rashaad Penny (SEA @ LAR)
40/14% owned
Chris Carson’s health questions make these two more valuable to own. The Seahawks have improved their offensive line (mostly by better coaching) and the running back isn’t as irrelevant as before. Davis is splitting the bulk of the load with Carson and Penny is being sprinkled in. But if Carson misses time then the first round rookie draft pick should see more usage and Davis will be used much heavier. There’s not a lot out there at the moment so you have to hunt for the opportunities.

WRs:
Tyrell/Mike Williams (LAC @ OAK)
31/25% owned
It would appear that week to week one or both of the Williams’ are bringing in a TD or two. There are players with much higher ownership numbers yet much lower TD and point scoring ratios. Each player has 4 TDs on the season. Mike started the season on fire while Tyrell is the current form player. Both are worth a start although if you have a choice, I’d be going for Tyrell.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling (WAS @ TB)
26/20% owned
I will always be willing to have a space for the WR3 in an Aaron Rodgers offense. Randall Cobb is barely a WR2 at the moment and with the news that Geronimo Allison may need core muscle surgery, it leaves Valdes-Scantling to become the WR2. Since Allison went down MVs has never scored less than 12.5pts. The highest drafted of 3 rookie WR's in this years draft he has proved a quality backup and now his recent run in the team should get extended. With more experience should come even better play and he may become a weekly starter for some, especially in deeper leagues.

Quincy Enunwa (NYJ vs BUF)
15% owned
Enunwa returned from injury last week although in a dire game for the Jets. As he gets back up to speed he may well end up returning to the #1 receiving option for Sam Darnold who honestly needs all the help he can get right now. Prior to his injury, he was averaging over 13 fantasy points per game. He had 7 in week 9 but with neither Jermaine Kearse nor Robby Anderson really making a jump, Enunwa should be the main guy again.

TEs:
Ben Watson (NO @ CIN)
48% owned
If he’s not owned in your league and you are really struggling at TE, Watson is your guy. Even with the weapons, the Saints have he’s made 26 catches for 292yds and 2TDs. Losing Ted Ginn and a struggling Cameron Meredith has led to Watson seeing more targets and it’s working well for them. He can have dead weeks but if you ignore the Minnesota game, he’s a double-digit fantasy points player.

CJ Uzomah (CIN vs NO)
19% owned
Like Hines earlier, Uzomah may be available after having a bye last week and is a startable option each week. With 17 receptions for 184 yards and 2TDs even with Tyler Eifert active for 4 games, he’s worth a spot if you don’t have an elite option.

Chris Herndon (NYJ vs BUF)
13% owned
After posting a 4th game scoring more than 8 points and this time without the aid of a Touchdown I think it’s safe to call Herndon an option. With the wide receivers struggling they needed some help and he’s finally risen above the pack of Tight Ends and the Jets.

DSTs:
Chargers (LAC @ OAK)
44% owned

If they’re available, the Chargers are the team playing the Raiders this week. I probably don’t need to say a lot more than that. They’ve been very much boom or bust although their main busts were against the Chiefs and Rams.

Colts (IND vs JAX)
13% owned
The Jags offense has been pretty poor this season and it would appear 2016 Blake Bortles has returned. The Colts meanwhile have a good defense with good young talent and I’ve not been afraid of using them earlier in the season. That being said they have only had 1 big week and 2 good weeks so this has the opportunity to go wrong.

Bills (BUF @ NYJ)
12% owned

The Bills aren’t a conventional choice but their defense isn’t the worst. The Jets offense, on the other hand, lead the league in turnovers and Sam Darnold has only managed 2 games without at least one interception. Defenses are feasting against the Jets and the Bills are a top 16 Defense currently so this does look tasty on paper.

*Owned % based on ESPN.

Monday Maybes

Patriots @ Bills

It’s the Bills against the Patriots. You don’t need me to tell me what to do, do you?

Play any Patriots (who are healthy). If you are relying on any of the Bills I send you my condolences. 

I’m currently on a country retreat and access to the internet is rather patchy so as a result I won’t be around much this week. There will be no Waiver Fire, Hype Train or Thursday Night Fix this week. 

I’ll be back for the week 10 edition of Waiver Fire. There may be some exciting news (for me at least) on that when we get there. 

I’ll be on Twitter (occasionally) if you need me but for now. Good luck in week 9.

Solving the Puzzle - Week 8

Sorry, it's not as in-depth this week, anyone who has seen my personal profiles will know why. Still got some tips and a little question for you to have a go at. 

Fixtures:

Philadelphia	@	Jacksonville
New York	@	Chicago
Tampa Bay	@	Cincinnati
Seattle	@	Detroit
Denver	@	Kansas City
Washington	@	New York
Cleveland	@	Pittsburgh
Baltimore	@	Carolina
Indianapolis	@	Oakland
Green Bay	@	Los Angeles
San Francisco	@	Arizona
New Orleans	@	Minnesota
New England	@	Buffalo

Trick Question
Steelers @ Browns
Both defenses don’t have a great reputation this season but secretly both are getting the job done. The Browns have had some tough matchups while the Steelers have been recovering from a rocky start. The Steelers offense is as on point as you would expect with Ben, AB, JuJu, Connor, and co. You have to play those guys but I don’t see them going off just because it’s the Browns. On the other side people may be tempted to play the Browns offensive players here but unless Mayfield gets things together in the passing game there isn’t a lot of value in the dawg pound.

Broken Pieces
Sadly not got the time this week to go into depth like I intend to so keep an eye on twitter and the usual outlets. I often quite like using http://www.espn.com/nfl/injuries.

Depth Options/Late Waivers
Ronald Jones (TB) -Probably not owned in many leagues but with Peyton Barber nursing an injury he has an opening. He got the first rushing TD by an RB for Tb last week and they could be a pattern. Barber hasn’t been great and time has passed since Jones’ terrible pre-season.

Spencer Ware (KC) - The Chiefs offense is so good and so on fire, they are even making irrelevant players fantasy relevant. If they get up by a big amount or just feel like resting Kareem Hunt for a little while (as Andy Reid has a tendency to do at times) then Ware will see work. He scored 12 fantasy points last week even with Hunt going off. So if you’re desperate for a late plugin due to injury he’s a decent flier every week. Especially now the Chiefs are reaching the point where they may want to rest people for the playoffs.

Cameron Meredith (NO) - There’s been a lot of hype for Tre’Quan Smith this week with Ted Ginn going down. However, there is another usable WR the Saints may use. Last week Smith took off and saw all the WR2 work, but the week before Smith was active but Meredith caught 5 passes for 71 yards and 10pts and yet didn’t get a lot of notice. The Saints may alternate the focal point which would suggest it’s a week for Meredith.

Paul Richardson (WAS) - So long as he is cleared to play Richardson will see a fair few targets from Alex Smith this week. He’s debatably been their best receiver this season and will provide the deep option and great TD upside. He got dropped heavily last week so may be out there.

Nick Vannett (SEA) - This is a desperate, deep play but TE is a desperate position. The Seahawks saw a lot of success early in the season with Will Dissley and after he went down Vannett also has health struggles. They now have a pass catching TE in the line-up and still a limited set of wide receiver options. Vannett got work last year even with Jimmy Graham around so he’s a TD upside play if nothing else.

Week 8 Puzzle:
What will be the answer to this question:
What will be the total of the jersey numbers for the top fantasy scorers at each position? (QB+RB+WR+TE in PPR).

Thursday Night Fix - Week 8

Dolphins @ Texans

Miami

The Dolphins are quickly running out of wide receivers. With someone like Aaron Rodgers throwing the ball, it wouldn’t matter but this is Brock Osweiler and no matter how much better he is doing, he’s not going to save them. Danny Amendola and Jakeem Grant should be the 1–2 punch and Devante Parker May finally see the field but don’t expect much from him.

Kenyan Drake might end up being their best performer this week although there is the risk that the Texans will get away quickly and force Brock to throw the rock. The other risk, of course, is the Texans defensive line! Frank Gore has a name suitable for Halloween next week but with an injury designation and game script issues, he is too scary to play.

The Defence have had good days and bad days. Kiko Alonso has been putting together a fantastic season but you can only keep people at bay for so long. They are terrible against the run and mediocre against the pass.


Houston 

The main thing for the Texans is how fit and mobile will DeShaun Watson be with his punctured lung. He’s set to play but we don’t know what his limitations will be. If he’s your QB1 then you have to play him. This is a game he could still excel in.

Hopkins and Fuller should still be there as the quality 1-2 attack but Keke Coutee is our injured so the Texans will need to roll with a different WR3 since they have no TE to target (Griffin ruled out). Only the usual two are playable and you really have to play them if you have either of them.

Lamar Miller has a big week last week with 100 rushing yards on 22 attempts and a TD against the Jaguars who aren’t exactly pushovers. Alfred Blue has returned to taking a back seat and D’onta Foreman might not return straight away. Miller is almost a “Must play”.

The defense has been pretty strong and this week they are one of my top options. They won’t be available in many leagues but if you have them or can have them then they are a good option. A depleted Dolphins offense and Brock Osweiler as the opposing QB going against JJ Watt and Clowney.

The Hype Train Station - Week 8

Week 8 and as I look at the departure board it appears every train labeled 2019 1st round pick is heading for Oakland. The trade deadline has caused a lot of traffic and with injuries also factored in the air is rather cloudy. I’ll attempt to find some lighting for the platforms so you can see how popular a few trains are.


Standing Room only - Kerryon Johnson
Johnson has over 180 yards in week 7 and despite no touchdown, he nearly made 20 fantasy points. His only real negative is Blount getting goal-line carries but if Johnson keeps playing the way he is they may not need a goal-line back too often and they might let him take that role.

Reservations Recommended - Marlon Mack
Jordan Wilkins hasn’t impressed and Nyhiem Hines is maybe more of a passing game player so the return of the Mack improves that Attack. This week he had 159 all-purpose yards and 2 TDs. He was a stud last week and may well repeat going forwards, even if it was against the Bills. 
NB: His mid-week downgrade from limited to DNP makes his immediate prospects questionable but when fit, the train will be rolling.

Ready to depart - Raheem Mostert
This has a health warning that the train doesn’t go super far but the ticket shouldn’t cost a lot either and there should be plenty of chances to get off at intermediate stations. With Breida injured and really needing a break Mostert is about all the 49ers have but even when Breida returns we know Shanahan likes using two backs and now he has a legit 2nd option, Mostert has a chance to be usable for the rest of the season.

Delayed - Allen Robinson
Allen Robinson hasn’t really got going yet. On the season he has 25 catches for 285 yards and 2TDs. He’s still getting niggling injuries and with Gabriel and Cohen becoming the feature players for Trubisky, Robinson risks being left behind. He could well pick it up though.

Canceled - LeSean McCoy
McCoy is in concussion protocol as I wrote this but has been in regression all season. He’s had no games with more than 13 fantasy points and you’d expect much more than that. He’s gone over the age hill and the number of hits he’s taken in his career is really starting to show. Add in the fact that the Bills offense is a Dumpster fire and you find very little reason to feel optimistic about Shady.

The Sleeper Train - Anthony Miller
I wanted to pick Tre’Quan Smith but after his breakout in recent games he’s not really a sleeper anymore so since that train is already pulling away I’ve got back on the footbridge and onto another platform. This train doesn’t have a lot of passengers and although it’s quite shiny and new it’s got a few scratches. Anthony Miller has a good start in Chicago before missing the Tampa Bay game. He returned after the bye and grabbed a TD pass but hasn’t seen a lot of targets. With Allen Robinson above being delayed, there’s a chance of other trains on the Chicago line to get away and Miller is next in the queue (Gabriel and Cohen have long since gone).

Waiver Fire - Week 8

Week 7 Review:
QBs:
Bortles (1.4), Mayfield (20.9)
I think the less that is said about Bortles the better. The comeback game never materialized and now Bortles' confidence appears to be shot. Mayfield meanwhile was a top 8 option in an unusually low scoring week for QBs.

RBs:
Smith (6.5) Chubb (14), Gore (4.3)
Gores day was affected by injury but Chubb and Smith lit this section up. Both saw the end zone and should be playable options on a weekly basis.

WRs:
Kearse (0), Goodwin (4.4), Rodgers (8)
Kearse had 2 targets and a goose egg. Goodwin didn’t see any action until late in the game and Chester Rodgers was rendered ineffective by TY Hilton and Marlon Mack.

TEs:
Howard (11.7), Uzomah (9.3), Hurst (0)
Howard is a bit TD dependant and he came up dry this time but TE10 isn't bad. Uzomah was undone by Dalton being terrible in prime time games but was 1 place lower at TE11. Hurst is still going to need time to settle into the offense so isn't an option just yet sadly.

DSTs:
Colts (16), Chargers (3), Lions (4)
The Lions were the 12th ranked DST this week despite the low score. The Colts were the DST #3, proving the logic of picking whoever plays the Bills still works.


Week 8
On to week 8 now and while I’m trying to avoid repetition there are only so many available players to go around. 


Bye Week: Steelers, Packers, Seahawks, Raiders.

QBs
Case Keenum (DEN)
Keenum hasn’t been as impressive as I had hoped this season after he gave me a helping hand to a Championship Game last season while in Minnesota. This week the Broncos play the Chiefs which is always a good matchup for the opposing QB. I’d expect Keenum to add to his 8 passing TDs so far this season and it may finally be a game where Demaryius Thomas can get involved.

RBs
Jalen Richard (OAK)
In PPR leagues I prefer Richard over Doug Martin with Lynch out for a few weeks. The trade of Amari Cooper further opens up the passing game which only further promotes Richards cause. A lot of people will be pinning Martavious Bryant to have a big role in Cooper's absence but in reality, it’s Richard, Cook, and Nelson that will benefit. It’s too dangerous to trust Marty. Sorry.

Kenjon Barner (NE)
Provided the Patriots don’t trade for another running back and Michel does miss the week 8 matchup against Buffalo, Barner is a playable option off waivers. James White will still dominate touches by a reasonable amount but Barner is just about all the Patriots have left in terms of a committee. The passing game gets a big uptick and if Chris Hogan is out there he may be a sneaky grab too but don’t be spending FAAB or a high priority on Barner, it’s only going to be a temporary fix.

WRs
Tre'Quan Smith (NO)
Ted Ginn went onto injured reserve last week which effectively makes Smith the WR2 for the Saints. In the last 3 games, he’s seen 11 targets, catching 6 for 155yds and 2TDs. The same period has seen Meredith grab 9 out of 10 targets for 114 and a TD. They would be close but despite Meredith being on the field, Smith was the only WR to see targets other than Michael Thomas while Meredith only played 18 snaps in total. Smith has built rapport quickly with Brees and should get better now he has this huge opportunity.

Danny Amendola (MIA)
Sorry Devante Parker truthers, he isn’t going to be the guy to pick up in Miami. Albert Wilson and Kenny Stills are going to miss this weeks game against Houston so they may be left with no choice but to play Parker but he’s still low in the pecking order. Amendola becomes the most viable top dog and is still available in a lot of leagues. The WR1 on a team being available so far has been something only Buffalo has managed but this should be a better situation. Jakeem Grant is another sneaky option to have in deeper leagues.

TE
Mike Gesicki (MIA)
If the team are as low on Parker as think, then there could be a bigger role in the passing game for the Tight Ends. If AJ Derby is fit then he’s an option but in this years draft the Dolphins took Gesicki in the 2nd round for his pass catching ability and this is perhaps the time to unleash it. He is nursing a slight shoulder injury which is worth keeping an eye on but if that doesn’t appear to be much of a problem then he’s a decent flier in a tricky week for streaming tight ends.

Ben Watson (NO)
Watson should be available in most leagues and after catching Drew Brees 500th touchdown pass he showed how useful he can be. Losing Ginn does increase the role for the Tight end but it’s still a volatile situation since Sean Payton has a plan list going beyond Plan ZZ.

DST
Colts (IND)
If you took the Colts last week and enjoy the 13 points they gave you then it may not be a bad idea to stick with them for another week as they play an Oakland team who might as well be renamed the “Traiders”. Grammar aside, the Raiders offense is in pieces and doesn’t seem to have a clear direction. Explosions tend to be unpredictable. The Colts defense isn’t a bad unit which only adds fuel to the (dumpster) fire.

Patriots (NE)
The Patriots ran riot against the Bears offense last week despite giving up 31 points. This week they are the team facing the Bills and Derek Anderson. The Pats are owned in less than 50% of games so they may well be out there. They may not be for long.


Just a genteel reminder to look out for the likes of Vance McDonald, Jared Cook and Geronimo Allison on your wires since they maybe have been dropped for last weeks byes.

Similarly look to see who gets dropped this week. With the Titans, Chargers, Falcons, and Cowboys all on byes, you may have some interesting options in the 2nd waiver wire phase.

Look out for the Hype Train which will hopefully arrive tomorrow if I don’t drop my phone on the tracks like I did this morning (oops). Then on Friday/Saturday look out for the latest “Solving the Puzzle” which I’m hoping to tweak and improve after last weeks first run.

Monday Maybes - Week 7

Giants @ Falcons

New York

Eli Manning (Proj. 19)
Eli hasn’t been good this year but neither has the Atlanta defence. This matchup should give Eli a chance to put up points in a typical Falcons shootout game.

Saquon Barkley (Proj. 28)
Barkley seems to prove that some players have talents that can transcend the poor play around him. It’s either that or he is making the offensive line better but I think he’s just making the most of every good opportunity he is getting.

Odell Beckham Jr (Proj. 25)
OBJ has been very indifferent this season but after a few misses, he should be a hit here.

Sterling Shepard (Proj. 14)
If you have the ability to add a player yet or are deciding between Shepard and Sanu/Ridley I’d probably still fancy the TD upside of Ridley but Shepard probably has the safest floor and an appealing ceiling.

Evan Engram (Proj. 15)
Engram returns after a few weeks out injured and o can see him getting straight to it, wasting no time. With no clear WR3 (especially if Russell Shepard is injured), Engram is likely to see a lot of work.

DST (Proj. 0)
I can’t say I have high hopes for either defence in this game. There may well be turnovers and sacks to keep the score respectable, but the points against could be ugly.


Atlanta

Matt Ryan (Proj. 26)
If it wasn’t for Pat Mahomes we’d be talking about Matt Ryan a lot more. He’s QB2 which is helped by the shootout games he’s having to get into due to the losses on defence. This matchup is set up to be another one of those games.

Ito Smith (Proj. 14)
With Freeman on IR, there’s a chance for the future to shine. With Tevin Coleman due to leave at the end of this season, Smith was planned to be his replacement. However, he’s got his chance early and if you look at his last 3 games, he is already making the most of it.

Tevin Coleman (Proj. 14)
Coleman has been underwhelming after the loss of Freeman but this game seems a little more suited to his game. Letting Smith take the Freeman role and thus letting Coleman return to his old role could be a golden strategy in the long run.

Julio Jones (Proj. 24)
He may have an allergy to the Endzone but you can’t argue with his catch stats. He’s a very good possession receiver and in PPR he has enough receptions to make up for the lack of TD upside. He’s still a weekly play and that one week he gets a TD will be huge. This week could be that week.

Mohamed Sanu (Proj. 8)
Sanu has nursed an injury most of this week and while he’s been cleared I think Julio and Ridley may steal the show this week.

Calvin Ridley (Proj. 14)
The less concerning of the two injured players and the higher upside when it comes to scoring. The Giants give up enough TDs to make Ridley look very appealing.

Austin Hooper (Proj. 10)
Hooper could get nothing or could go off. I’ve gone for the happy medium as he has to hit that sometimes.



Since @Jimandtheking we’re the only group to put in a guess for the quiz posted in Solving the Puzzle they win by default. Answers are irrelevant so will just try to get more interest next time:

I’m going to reduce it to one question a week to make the twitter interactivity easier but hopefully, people are getting the idea and are more inclined to read the “Solving the Puzzle” article.

Waiver Fire will be coming up tomorrow with the Hype Train Station following on Wednesday so look out for those.