Falcons RB Bijan Robinson went off against the Saints in Week 12, racking up 123 scrimmage yards on 19 touches with 2 total TDs. Sunday was the first time the rookie had cracked 100 total yards in a game since Week 4 vs. the Jaguars. Robinson played on just 62.9% of the team’s offensive snaps and handled 47% of the RB carries, right around his season averages in those categories, so it’s not as though he just suddenly separated himself from the rest of the backfield. But moving forward, he’ll have a string of quality opportunities to ride this momentum and help fantasy managers in the fantasy playoffs. The Falcons’ remaining schedule ranks third-easiest for RBs per our adjusted fantasy points allowed. Next week, Robinson will take on a lowly Jets defense that has allowed at least 130 rushing yards to opposing offenses in nine of 11 games in 2023.
Saints WR Chris Olave put up stellar numbers in Week 12 vs. the Falcons. The second-year wideout hauled in 7 of his team-leading 9 targets for 114 receiving yards, the most he’s logged in a game in 2023. Olave is now averaging 10 targets per game since Week 6 with just two games of fewer than 16 PPR points in that span. He unfortunately left with a concussion in the third quarter of action, so we won’t be too sure of his availability for Week 13 vs. the Lions. Assuming he’s able to pass through the NFL’s concussion protocol before next Sunday, he’ll be in a great spot against a Detroit defense that ranks as the 11th-best WR matchup per our adjusted fantasy points allowed this season.
The Giants’ offense didn’t have to do much to eke out a 10-7 win over the Patriots in Week 12. There isn’t a ton to dig into from this game, but rookie WR Jalin Hyatt deserves recognition. He hauled in 5 of his team-high 6 targets for 109 receiving yards on Sunday. The rookie saw a decent chunk of that yardage come on an early 41-yard bomb, but it’s worth highlighting a few things about his performance. Hyatt recorded his highest route participation rate (75.7%) since Week 6 and saw a target on 19.2% of his routes. In the three games he’s seen a greater than 66% route participation, Hyatt is averaging 68.3 receiving yards and 10.2 PPR points per game. It’s not a lot of information to go off of, but he’s shown a propensity for netting big yards when he’s involved more than two-thirds of the time. Headed into their bye week, Hyatt is a name for dynasty managers or those in deeper season-long formats to pay some attention to as an under-the-radar acquisition target.
Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson totaled 21 carries for 98 rushing yards and a TD in Week 12’s loss vs. the Giants. He also ranked tied for second on the team with 5 targets in the contest, hauling in 5 receptions for 9 yards as a pass-catcher. Though few things worked well for the Patriots’ offense, who split the QB reps between Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe, Sunday saw Stevenson play on a season-high 77.9% of the offensive snaps and out-touch teammate Ezekiel Elliott 26 to 11. In fact, Stevenson had only logged a 70+% snap rate in just two other games this season (Week 1-2). Fantasy managers looking ahead to Week 13 should be excited about starting Stevenson as he continues to see increased usage. He’s got a solid shot at repeating this effort against a Chargers defense that ranks 26th in run defense DVOA this season next Sunday.
Rams RB Kyren Williams returned from IR in Week 12. You might say he did so with a bang. Handling 16 carries, the Notre Dame product tallied 143 yards – the second-highest mark of his career. He added a 6-61-2 receiving line on an 18.1% target share. A positive matchup with Arizona helped. But it’s clear Williams is back near 100% coming off an ankle injury. Also note: Royce Freeman mixed in for 13 carries, 77 yards, and 1 score. So Williams doesn’t look like a true workhorse as we advance. The next two weeks turn up difficult matchups vs. Cleveland and Baltimore.
Browns WR Amari Cooper has been ruled out of Sunday's game vs. the Broncos with a rib injury. He took a big shot to the midsection from S P.J. Locke in the fourth quarter. We'll look for an update on Cooper's injury and his status for Week 13 and beyond.
Chargers TE Gerald Everett (chest) is active for tonight’s game vs. the Ravens. He was a full-go in Friday’s practice, so the chest shouldn’t be much of an issue. But the matchup with Baltimore’s ninth-ranked TE defense leaves Everett as a weak fantasy play.
Chargers WR Jalen Guyton (groin) is active for tonight’s game vs. the Ravens. He was limited in practice all week and listed as questionable, so Guyton likely won’t be at 100% for this one.
Ravens WR Odell Beckham (shoulder) is active for tonight's game vs. the Chargers. Beckham was listed as a full participant in Friday’s practice but admitted afterward that he’ll be playing through pain tonight. There’s also likely re-injury risk if he takes a shot or lands hard on that injured shoulder. Consider Beckham a risk/reward WR4 at less than 100% in this plus matchup.
Ravens WR Zay Flowers (hip) is active for tonight’s game vs. the Chargers. He was sidelined on Thursday but returned to a full practice on Friday and told reporters that he’d play in this one. Flowers seems safe to get into fantasy lineups against the Chargers’ 29th-ranked WR defense.
Titans RB Derrick Henry took advantage of a plus matchup with Carolina in Week 12. The veteran tallied two short-range TDs and a modest 4.2 YPC (18 attempts), but note that two of his rushes came from the 1 yard-line. Henry also topped 9,000 career rushing yards in today’s effort. Next up: A favorable home matchup with Indianapolis. Beyond that, Henry’s schedule remains without a problematic spot.
Browns QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson left to get checked for a concussion after taking a hit to the head in the third quarter of Sunday's game vs. the Broncos. He's been replaced by QB P.J. Walker. We'll pass along an update on Thompson-Robinson when we know more.
Update: Thompson-Robinson has been ruled out with a concussion. That makes him unlikely to play in Week 13. We'll see if Cleveland starts QB P.J. Walker or QB Joe Flacco vs. the Rams.
When we last saw Colts RB Jonathan Taylor in Week 10, he played 88% of the offensive snaps and out-carried RB Zack Moss 23 to one. Coming out of the bye week, the Colts went back to a committee backfield in the win over the Bucs. Taylor registered a 58% snap rate to Moss' 41%. Taylor out-carried Moss 15 to eight, but Moss saw the only three RB targets. We'll see if this was a one-game blip or if the Colts will stick with this arrangement the rest of the way. Taylor is a weekly fantasy starter regardless. But he's more of a high-end RB2 on this week's usage vs. a potential league-winner on that Week 10 usage. Moss could jump back into the RB3 discussion if he continues getting ~40% of the snaps.
Panthers WR Adam Thielen caught only 1 of 3 targets for 2 yards in Sunday's loss to the Titans. Tennessee refused to let Thielen beat them, which easily resulted in his worst game as a Panther. Bryce Young fired off 31 passes, so Thielen's target share of 9.6% fell well shy of his average (27.9%). Week 13 turns up a bounce-back spot at Tampa Bay. But that’s the last favorable spot on his schedule until Week 17 at Jacksonville.
Colts WR Michael Pittman racked up 10 catches for 107 yards in the Week 12 win over the Bucs. His 13 targets tied for the team lead and were 31.7% of QB Gardner Minshew's 41 total attempts. Pittman has now averaged 10.8 targets, 7.5 catches, 81.2 yards, and 0.33 TDs in his last six games with Minshew. He has a chance to continue delivering WR1 level production the next three games with plus matchups against the Titans, Bengals, and Steelers.
Colts WR Josh Downs tied for the team lead with 13 targets in Sunday's win over the Bucs. He caught just five of them for 43 yards. QB Gardner Minshew wasn't very good in this one and had multiple misfires and miscommunications with Downs. One of them resulted in a Carlton Davis INT. It was a frustrating outing from Downs -- but encouraging for his going-forward outlook. The rookie has now averaged 8.4 targets per game over his last five healthy outings with Minshew. Downs gets three straight plus matchups the next three weeks against the Titans, Bengals, and Steelers.
Bucs WR Chris Godwin again played second fiddle to WR Mike Evans in the Week 12 loss to the Colts. While Evans tallied a big 6-70-2 line on 9 targets, Godwin caught just three of his seven targets for 45 yards. He's now been held under 60 yards in eight of 11 games this season. And he remains stuck on one TD. Godwin now has more weekly PPR finishes of WR40 or worse (5) than top-30 finishes (4). He can't be considered more than a WR3 going forward, especially with three straight negative matchups coming up against the Panthers, Falcons, and Packers.
Bucs RB Rachaad White did not seem at all inhibited by the knee issue that landed him on the injury report ahead of Sunday's game vs. the Colts. He took 15 carries for a season-high 100 yards, highlighted by a 38-yard rip in the fourth quarter. White was quieter than usual in the passing game, catching both of his targets for 10 yards. But White has now totaled 98+ yards in five of his last six games. He gets another plus matchup in Week 13 against the Panthers' 30th-ranked RB defense. White's schedule toughens from that point on, with negative matchups against Atlanta, Jacksonville, and New Orleans between Weeks 14 and 17. But White's passing-game role will keep him comfortably in fantasy-starter range in those games.
Broncos RB Javonte Williams is questionable to return to Sunday's game vs. the Browns with a neck injury. We'll update his status when we know more. Williams' absence leaves Denver's backfield to Samaje Perine and Jaleel McLaughlin.
Update: Williams returned on Denver's second possession.
Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase totaled 81 scoreless yards in a Week 12 loss to Pittsburgh. He tallied 2 catches for 45 yards on a pair of fluky, tipped balls. Jake Browning’s play proved up and down in his starting debut, but there’s a silver lining here. Cincinnati’s WR schedule looks favorable going forward, starting next week vs. Jacksonville. We’ll see if Tee Higgins makes it back for that one.
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