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Fantasy Baseball Today: H2H Categories industry mock draft plus updating lockout and other news

Fantasy Baseball Today: H2H Categories industry mock draft plus updating lockout and other news

Happy Thursday, everyone! The clock is ticking for the MLB and the MLB Players Association to come to an agreement after meeting for the third straight day on Wednesday in Jupiter, FL. We’ll have an update with more on the ongoing negotiations and what they could mean for the regular season below. But the focus of today’s newsletter will be Wednesday’s industry mock draft — key takeaways from the mock that included the entire Fantasy Baseball Today team — Scott White, Frank Stampfl and Chris Towers.

What I found most interesting about this mock was how much impact the scoring and format had on the draft results. This was our first mock with this specific scoring format — head-to-head and categories — and it had a major impact on where players went. For starters, finding stolen bases are tackles with an entirely different approach. 

While it can be argued that stolen bases are made even more important in this format, that may only be true for players who steal a lot of bases rather than those who accumulate between 10-15 over the course of a season. The latter are a lot more valuable in Roto scoring leagues. Scott has advocated for a “zero-stolen base” strategy in 2022 — which is not exactly as it sounds — and a lot more like the “zero RB” counterpart we’ve seen used in Fantasy Football. In a H2H categories format, punting the steals category can pay major dividends — specifically if you build out a strong pitching staff. 

We’ll have a lot more on the mock draft below, but first, let’s get to some news and notes on the lockout and more. 

And of course, as always, you can follow to make sure you get the latest episodes of Fantasy Baseball Today right when they drop on Apple and Spotify. 

Lockout update

According to Evan Drellich of The Athletic, a MLB spokesperson said Wednesday that regular season games will be canceled if an agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement isn’t reached by Feb. 28. That gives us just four more days for the two sides to come to an agreement before we have to start worrying about losing games. For a more detailed look at how this impending decision and others will impact the Fantasy Baseball season, your drafts and more, be sure to check back on the Fantasy Baseball main page later today where Towers will be providing a detailed lockout primer. 

Per the spokesperson, “A deadline is a deadline… Missed games are missed games. Salary will not be paid for those games.” 

The expectation is that the MLB doesn’t intend to rewrite the schedule and would simply pick up whenever games begin. The owners seem prepared to extend the lockout into March, which would cancel early-season games. Both sides remain far apart in negotiations on a number of key issues, namely the major-league minimum salary, pre-arbitration bonus pools, MLB Draft lottery slots and competitive balance tax (CBT) thresholds.

Other news and notes

  • Astros SP Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) is “behind” in his recovery from a forearm strain that he sustained during the 2021 postseason. Per McCullers, while he has resumed throwing, he has yet to throw off a mound. 
  • Rangers 3B prospect Josh Jung underwent surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. This is terrible news considering Jung was one of the most pro-ready prospects in the game and had a chance to make the opening day roster after batting .326/.398/.592 batting line with 19 homers in 78 games last year between his time at Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock.

Key takeaways from Scott

  • Kyle Tucker, who’s normally a borderline first-rounder, slipped to the middle of Round 2, behind notables like Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, Luis Robert and Jacob deGrom. Apparently, others agree that his 12-15 steals don’t have the same impact a week at a time as they do over a full season in Roto.
  • Liam Hendriks and Josh Hader continue to set a new standard for how early high-end relievers should go, bookending Round 4 in this draft. Interestingly, Raisel Iglesias got stapled to them this time, going with the first pick of Round 5, which then led to Ryan Pressly and Edwin Diaz going a couple picks later. I am not in favor.
  • All of those reliever picks likely contributed to Francisco Lindor slipping to Round 7, which I think is more appropriate than Round 4, where he normally goes. Tim Anderson slid along with him.
  • For more takeaways from Scott and the full draft results, check out the mock recap.

More takeaways

  • Chris brought up an excellent point on the live YouTube recap of the draft: If you’re concerned about drafting a player with an injury history, the shallower rosters and H2H format make supposed injury-prone players a little less scary.
  • Angels DH/SP Shohei Ohtani went off the board at No. 9 overall and a case can be made that he should be the No. 1 overall pick in this format because you can set him in your lineups every day and get his stats as both a pitcher and hitter.
  • Frank was actively looking to avoid the steals category in this format, one of the reasons he avoided Astros OF Kyle Tucker at the end of Round 1. One thing to note if you’re planning to punt steals, it works better in these H2H leagues where there is only one win per week rather than each category tallies a point (EX: 9-1, 8-2). If you’re last in steals, you’re still going to have a chance to win the category in a given week vs. in a Roto scoring format where you’ll finish with the least points in that category.
  • Scott put his money where his mouth is by drafting Orioles OF Cedric Mullins in Round 3. Scott is particularly high on Mullins and leaving every draft with Royals C Salvador Perez, who he ironically regretted not selecting in Round 3.
  • This might be the earliest we’ve EVER seen Towers take a closer. At the end of the fourth round, he selected Brewers RP Josh Hader. We’ve seen him go full drafts without going with a closer, but in this draft, he is rolling with a modified Marmol strategy. This strategy stresses the importance of building a staff with productive relievers. Chris then did something even more unexpected, though in line with his strategy for this specific mock, when he drafted Angels RP Raisel Iglesias right after Hader.

More Draft Prep

  • There are breakouts and sleepers, but what about the players who are being drafted at a notable discount due to recency bias? Those players qualify as post-hype sleepers. Scott’s group of 18 post-hype sleepers includes former top prospects and players with notable upside who the consensus is giving up on far too soon.
  • Towers did an excellent job breaking down why you should be passing on name-brand players with inflated ADPs for these five cheaper alternatives. And then also these five additional value picks.
  • Scott also dove into the best and worst-case scenarios for these 15 potential first-round draft picks. I really enjoyed this one because it gave an excellent perspective on floor vs. ceiling for first-round picks. I’m a believer in prioritizing floor with early-round investments.

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Is Julio Jones playing today vs. the Dolphins? Latest fantasy news on Titans WR

Julio Jones’ position has been in question this week after he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 listing six days back. What is his status ahead of the Titans activity in opposition to the Miami Dolphins in 7 days 17? Will Jones be offered for fantasy soccer administrators?

Will Julio Jones engage in today against Miami?

On Saturday, the Titans announced that they activated Bud Dupree, Denico Autry, and Buster Skrine from the COVID record. But Jones remained on the COVID checklist, and as a result, will not be cleared to engage in now. He is officially out.

The Titans have struggled to continue to keep their offensive weapons on the field collectively this yr, and the time has not pretty worked out the way they hoped. When Derrick Henry, A.J. Brown, and Jones are all nutritious and on the field, Tennessee has 1 of the most hazardous offenses in football.

Regrettably, the Titans haven’t been ready to enjoy that trio much this time. The 3 stars have played together in only five game titles, of which Tennessee gained four.

Tennessee will have to count greatly on Brown all over again these days if they want to pull out a earn from Miami.

How has Julio Jones performed so much as a Titan?

It was often going to be an adjustment for 33-calendar year-old Julio this period. He is enjoying for a workforce other than the Atlanta Falcons for the very first time in his occupation. Jones has been a prolific talent considering the fact that he arrived into the league. He promptly notched around 1,000 yards as a rookie and has continued to strike the 1,000-lawn marker in all but 3 seasons of his 11-12 months vocation.

This 12 months, amidst lacking game titles and changing to a new staff, Julio will publish his lowest normal-period acquiring whole considering that turning professional. Jones has performed in 9 online games and will miss yet another now.

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He’s still to find the close zone so considerably this year. Jones has posted very low landing totals in the earlier, but he’s never ever gone scoreless in a period. He did have only three scores in 2020.

Jones totally nonetheless has talent. In Week 2, he generated 128 yards on 6 receptions for the Titans. He’s nevertheless an fantastic asset — he’s just experienced a tough time remaining on the discipline.

Julio Jones’ fantasy outlook

Julio wasn’t a ideal fantasy wide receiver heading into the year. He’s having a small more mature, moved to a new team, and was heading to have to share touches with Henry and Brown. But Jones’ generation has been even reduced than envisioned.

Injuries and COVID protocols that have price him 7 video games so far won’t help his data, as Julio has been qualified much less occasions in 2021 than at any time in his job. His 38 targets mark the least expensive of his vocation. His earlier minimal was 57 in 2013 when he fractured his foot in Week 5.

Julio has hit 10 points in fantasy this period just once this year (in Week 2). He’s also not played in more than 50{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the Titans’ snaps in his last three online games. He’s not a viable starter in fantasy proper now.

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Is Marquise Brown playing today vs. the Packers? Latest news on Ravens WR and his fantasy outlook

Baltimore Ravens star large receiver Marquise Brown is working with a non-COVID ailment. He did not participate in Thursday’s exercise in advance of returning to the group for a walkthrough on Friday. Brown has only skipped one game this period, failing to fit up in a Week 11 win versus the Chicago Bears although dealing with a thigh damage. Will Hollywood Brown perform for Baltimore this weekend, and what need to fantasy soccer administrators expect if he does not?

Marquise Brown’s production

Brown has been enjoying an exceptional time for Baltimore in 2021. He recorded 70 receptions for 866 yards and 6 touchdowns on 107 targets as a result of 12 game titles. He also posted a job-ideal 65.4{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} catch amount with 12.4 yards for every reception so significantly.

Having said that, the previous initial-spherical decide is coming off of a person of his worst online games of the period. Brown hauled in only 5 receptions for 41 yards on 8 targets in a decline to the Cleveland Browns. With that said, Lamar Jackson was injured early in the match, and Tyler Huntley was pressured to get in excess of as the Ravens’ quarterback. Brown didn’t engage in in the only other game in which Huntley observed significant snaps this period.

In general, Hollywood ranks as the WR17 in PPR formats. He acquired off to a terrific get started early in the year, but he’s dropped off pretty a little bit because of to inconsistencies. He’s a WR1 on a for every-video game basis, though, ranking as the WR12 in fantasy details per game this period.

Baltimore must be throwing rather a bit throughout the match now, and Brown will have opportunities to go on to be a WR1 this year.

Is Brown actively playing right now?

Brown does not glimpse to genuinely be in hazard of lacking today’s video game in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers. He practiced in whole on Wednesday and returned to Baltimore’s walkthrough on Friday. He only skipped Thursday with an sickness.

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Brown is not presently on the Ravens’ damage report, and it’s been described that the club entirely expects him to suit up at this position.

Who would reward from Brown’s absence?

If Brown have been to pass up this match, Baltimore would be down various key players. Jackson is not predicted to perform, and the Ravens now dominated Sammy Watkins out. The major beneficiary would likely be Mark Andrews, who would consider over as the focal issue of the offense. The veteran limited conclude posted 11 receptions for 115 yards and 1 touchdown on 11 targets with Huntley at quarterback final weekend.

Then, Rashod Bateman would just take over as the WR1 for Baltimore. In Week 14, he posted 100+ yards for the 1st time as a rookie. He’d most likely uncover a a little bit bigger purpose without having Brown in the lineup.

To a lesser extent, Devin Duvernay could see a little improve in his purpose. Miles Boykin is also returning from a finger personal injury and would possible decide up a couple of snaps if Brown can not go well with up.

Ultimately, this should not be an situation, as Brown is predicted to enjoy. The even bigger issue revolves all over Jackson, who would be a massive upgrade above Huntley, precisely for Brown’s deep-danger model of play.

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Fantasy Football Today: Who’s in, who’s out for Week 12

Whether you got off to a great start in Thursday’s games or you’re looking to make up ground, you’re going to have a lot of questions about your lineups this week, I know. Adam Aizer and Heath Cummings updated you on the latest news and answered some start/sit questions on this morning’s FFT podcast, and Jamey Eisenberg, Dave Richard, and Heath are on CBS Sports HQ until kickoff of the 1 p.m. games to answer your questions and keep you updated on all of the news you need to know on the FFT live show. 

Make sure you check both out, but if you want more direct answers to your questions and other news updates, I have two more ways for you to win: Go to Twitter and use the hashtag “#AskFFT”, where our whole team will be answering questions all morning; and go to the FFT YouTube channel to chat with Adam and I from 11:30 until kickoff. We’ll be there right up until kickoff answering as many questions as we can, so make sure you’re in the chat early to get your questions in. 

Here’s the rest of our preview content to get you ready, and check out my updated position rankings at the bottom of the newsletter to help with any early lineup dilemmas you may have: 

Sep 12, 2021; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver Julio Jones (2) and Tennessee Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Nissan Stadium.
Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Quarterbacks

Zach Wilson will make his return to the starting lineup for the Jets after missing four games with a knee sprain, and he has a nice soft landing spot against the Texans. Nobody should be planning on using him for Fantasy, so the biggest question is really whether he’ll play well enough to keep Elijah Moore’s breakout rolling and to get Ty Johnson involved in the passing game. 

Running backs

McNichols is actually the biggest injury here, because it seemingly frees up Dontrell Hilliard to play a big role again. Hillard surprisingly emerged as the most-used running back for the Titans in Week 11, catching eight passes and finishing with 82 yards from scrimmage. The Titans have a tough matchup against the Patriots on the way this week, but given the Titans’ injuries at both running back and wide receiver, it’s going to be hard to go away from Hilliard coming off that kind of usage. He’s in the RB2 discussion for PPR leagues.

The other interesting situation here is the Jets, with Carter placed on IR earlier this week. Johnson and Tevin Coleman figure to split work for the Jets in the backfield in a great matchup against the Texans, but can you actually trust either? Johnson played 20 snaps in Week 12 and had one carry and one target; Coleman rushed for a whopping 16 yards on five carries with one target of his own. Coleman probably needs a touchdown to have much Fantasy value, so you’re hoping Johnson splits carries with him and gets a decent passing game role. He’s more of an RB3, while Coleman is truly just a desperation play — it wouldn’t shock me to see La’Mical Perine out produce him. 

The Seahawks RB absences are also worth noting. Alex Collins figures to be the leading rusher against Washington, but DeeJay Dallas did match him in snaps last week, so he’s an interesting beat-the-waiver-wire add this morning just in case he pushes Collins this week. 

These two are looking like game-time decisions, which isn’t a bad thing for those of you with Patterson, who plays at 1.  If Patterson is active, you’re playing him — he’s been one of the best players in Fantasy this season and has an excellent matchup against the Jaguars on the way. If he doesn’t play, my preference would be to avoid the Atlanta backfield, but that may not be possible, so I would prefer Mike Davis to Wayne Gallman, especially in PPR. He wouldn’t be a top-24 RB, however. 

The problem with Jones is he doesn’t play until 4:25 p.m., so if you have to make a decision early, he’s putting you in a tough spot. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Sunday morning there is “optimism” around Jones, who is pushing to play and will go through pre-game warmups to prove he’s ready. The problem is, the Packers tend to be pretty conservative with injuries, and with a Week 13 bye coming up, they may opt to give him two full weeks to get back to full strength. I can’t see into the future, so I can’t tell you whether to sit an early player for Jones; if you have a viable replacement in the late slate of games, it’s worth the risk, but otherwise, I would probably pass. AJ Dillon figures to see a solid role no matter what and is a decent starter even if Jones plays, so I would probably just keep him active.

Likely in: Saquon Barkley (ankle), Kareem Hunt (calf), Elijah Mitchell (finger), Damien Harris (neck), Rhamondre Stevenson (knee) 

I’m willing to start Barkley and Hunt as top-20 running backs this week and Mitchell is right in that range as well, so you’re probably starting all three of those guys. And I’m probably passing on the Patriots duo, since both are expected to play and it’s not like we have any reason one way or the other to consider one or the other more likely to be limited — injury details don’t tend to leak out for the Patriots. Expect another timeshare there, one that makes them both fringe Fantasy options until something changes to give one of them a real advantage. You’re hoping for a touchdown either way.  

Wide receivers

  • Out: A.J. Brown (chest; IR), Corey Davis (groin), Antonio Brown (ankle), Sterling Shepard (quadriceps), Kadarius Toney (quad), Auden Tate (thigh), Anthony Schwartz (concussion), Ben Skowronek (back)
  • Legitimately questionable: Allen Lazard (shoulder), Donovan Peoples-Jones (groin), Curtis Samuel (groin), Nico Collins (hip), Adam Humphries (hip)
  • Expected to play: Marquise Brown (thigh)

The Titans already have Julio Jones and Marcus Johnson on IR, so they are incredibly short-handed for this one. Dez Fitzpatrick, Chester Rogers, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine led the team in WR snaps last week, and Westbrook is the only one you could even consider starting coming off a 100-yard game, but you’d probably have to be pretty desperate to do so — he turned eight targets into 29 yards in Week 4 against the Jets the last time Brown was out. He’s not a top-40 WR for me. 

I’m starting Marquise Brown in his return against the Browns, and it really doesn’t take much thought. He’d been a bit disappointing prior to the injury, with fewer than 40 yards in two of his previous four games, however he also had 44 targets in those four games, so there’s no way I’m not starting him. He’s a top-15 WR, while Rashod Bateman is in the WR3 discussion as he’s had at least six targets in each of the first five games of his career. 

Tight ends

The hope is that Thomas will be activated from IR prior to Monday’s game, but given the late kickoff there, you can’t take the risk that he won’t play unless you want to add Gerald Everett as a fill in just in case. I like Thomas’ chances of returning to be a viable starting Fantasy option, however, so if he’s available in your league, I would go out and add him unless I’ve got one of the handful of no-doubt-about-it, must-start tight ends. 

Updated rankings

Here are my latest rankings as of Sunday morning: 

Quarterback

  1. Lamar Jackson vs. CLE
  2. Tom Brady @IND
  3. Jalen Hurts @NYG
  4. Justin Herbert @DEN
  5. Aaron Rodgers vs. LAR
  6. Tua Tagovailoa vs. CAR
  7. Cam Newton @MIA
  8. Matthew Stafford @GB
  9. Kirk Cousins @SF
  10. Joe Burrow vs. PIT
  11. Russell Wilson @WAS
  12. Tyrod Taylor vs. NYJ
  13. Teddy Bridgewater vs. LAC
  14. Taylor Heinicke vs. SEA
  15. Ben Roethlisberger @CIN
  16. Carson Wentz vs. TB
  17. Matt Ryan @JAX
  18. Daniel Jones vs. PHI
  19. Mac Jones vs. TEN
  20. Trevor Lawrence vs. ATL
  21. Jimmy Garoppolo vs. MIN

Running back

  1. Christian McCaffrey @MIA
  2. Jonathan Taylor vs. TB
  3. Najee Harris @CIN
  4. Austin Ekeler @DEN
  5. Dalvin Cook @SF
  6. Joe Mixon vs. PIT
  7. Cordarrelle Patterson @JAX
  8. Leonard Fournette @IND
  9. Darrell Henderson @GB
  10. Saquon Barkley vs. PHI
  11. James Robinson vs. ATL
  12. Nick Chubb @BAL
  13. Myles Gaskin vs. CAR
  14. Dontrell Hilliard @NE
  15. Antonio Gibson vs. SEA
  16. Miles Sanders @NYG
  17. Aaron Jones vs. LAR
  18. Kareem Hunt @BAL
  19. Elijah Mitchell vs. MIN
  20. AJ Dillon vs. LAR
  21. Ty Johnson @HOU
  22. Melvin Gordon vs. LAC
  23. Javonte Williams vs. LAC
  24. D’Onta Foreman @NE
  25. Alex Collins @WAS
  26. Damien Harris vs. TEN
  27. Rhamondre Stevenson vs. TEN
  28. Devonta Freeman vs. CLE
  29. David Johnson vs. NYJ
  30. Mike Davis @JAX
  31. Deejay Dallas @WAS
  32. Latavius Murray vs. CLE
  33. J.D. McKissic vs. SEA
  34. Nyheim Hines vs. TB
  35. Boston Scott @NYG
  36. Jeff Wilson vs. MIN
  37. Devontae Booker vs. PHI
  38. Alexander Mattison @SF
  39. Rex Burkhead vs. NYJ
  40. Brandon Bolden vs. TEN

Wide receivers

  1. Davante Adams vs. LAR
  2. Cooper Kupp @GB
  3. Justin Jefferson @SF
  4. Keenan Allen @DEN
  5. Deebo Samuel vs. MIN
  6. Diontae Johnson @CIN
  7. Chris Godwin @IND
  8. D.J. Moore @MIA
  9. Mike Evans @IND
  10. Ja’Marr Chase vs. PIT
  11. Marquise Brown vs. CLE
  12. Terry McLaurin vs. SEA
  13. D.K. Metcalf @WAS
  14. Tyler Lockett @WAS
  15. Brandin Cooks vs. NYJ
  16. Jaylen Waddle vs. CAR
  17. Michael Pittman vs. TB
  18. Jerry Jeudy vs. LAC
  19. Elijah Moore @HOU
  20. Adam Thielen @SF
  21. Tee Higgins vs. PIT
  22. Chase Claypool @CIN
  23. Jamison Crowder @HOU
  24. Odell Beckham  @GB
  25. DeVonta Smith @NYG
  26. Brandon Aiyuk vs. MIN
  27. Rashod Bateman vs. CLE
  28. Mike Williams @DEN
  29. Kenny Golladay vs. PHI
  30. Jarvis Landry @BAL
  31. Marvin Jones vs. ATL
  32. Jakobi Meyers vs. TEN
  33. Laviska Shenault  vs. ATL
  34. Tyler Boyd vs. PIT
  35. Courtland Sutton vs. LAC
  36. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine @NE
  37. Van Jefferson @GB
  38. T.Y. Hilton vs. TB
  39. Dez Fitzpatrick @NE
  40. Russell Gage @JAX

Tight end

  1. Mark Andrews vs. CLE
  2. George Kittle vs. MIN
  3. Rob Gronkowski @IND
  4. Kyle Pitts @JAX
  5. Mike Gesicki vs. CAR
  6. Dallas Goedert @NYG
  7. Dan Arnold vs. ATL
  8. Evan Engram vs. PHI
  9. Tyler Higbee @GB
  10. Pat Freiermuth @CIN
  11. Noah Fant vs. LAC
  12. Hunter Henry vs. TEN
  13. Jared Cook @DEN
  14. Tyler Conklin @SF
  15. Logan Thomas vs. SEA
  16. Austin Hooper @BAL
  17. O.J. Howard @IND
  18. David Njoku @BAL
  19. Gerald Everett @WAS
  20. C.J. Uzomah vs. PIT

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Fantasy Football Today: Tracking Week 12 injuries, Thanksgiving players to watch and previewing every game

No long intro here. You need to make sure your lineup is set before that 12:30 p.m. ET kickoff for the Lions and Bears game. For your sake, I hope you aren’t relying on that game too much either way, but still, let’s make sure you’ve got everything you need to know.

That starts with my game previews, where I go over every game on the schedule for Week 12, looking at every relevant injury plus my thoughts on every single team. You’ll also want to make sure you check out Dave Richard’s <em>Starts and Sits, Sleepers and Busts</em> column, where he offers his thoughts on the toughest Fantasy lineup decisions for every game. And Jamey Eisenberg’s Start ‘Em & Sit ‘Em column offers even more lineup advice for you to consume before you consume copious amounts of turkey. 

Get ready for Week 12 with all of our preview content here:  

And here’s what the rest of today’s newsletter has in store to help you get ready for Week 12.

  • Week 12 Game Previews: Vegas notes, lineup decisions, and injury updates

Week 12 Game Previews

There’s something to watch in every game on the NFL schedule every week, even if you have to squint to see it sometimes. This week, however, there are so many unanswered questions that it’s hard to settle on just one thing for each game. Here’s a look ahead at every Week 12 game, with some notes on what Vegas is expecting to see, some lineup help and one thing to watch for from each game:


Kim Klement / USA TODAY Sports

All odds are via Caesars Sportsbook. 

Bears at Lions

  • Thursday, 12:30 p.m. ET
  • Line: Bears -3; 41.5 O/U 
  • Implied totals: Bears 22.25-Lions 19.25

This would be a hard game to get excited about even if both teams had their starting quarterbacks. Tim Boyle vs. Andy Dalton isn’t exactly the matchup that’s going to bring America together to kick Thanksgiving off. 

  • Injuries: Justin Fields (ribs) — Fields is out for Week 12, so Dalton will start in his place … Allen Robinson (hamstring) — Robinson is doubtful for this one after missing practice all week. He missed last week’s game and Darnell Mooney had a 47{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} target share in his absence … Jared Goff (oblique) — Goff looks on track to start, despite being listed as officially questionable for the game. If not, Tim Boyle will lead the way again. He had 77 passing yards on 23 attempts last week. 
  • What we’re watching for: I mean, you really would love to see Goff play, because Boyle really was that bad last week. T.J. Hockenson is someone you probably need to keep active no matter who is in at QB, but you’d rather see Goff out there for sure. It’s been nice to see the Lions get D’Andre Swift going on the ground over the past few weeks, and he still played 73{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the snaps even with Jamaal Williams back. He’s a bona fide stud for Fantasy. On the Bears side, the hope is that Andy Dalton can continue to get Darnell Mooney involved. The two connected for a 60-yard touchdown on Dalton’s first throw to Mooney — then he was just two nine from that point on. You love the target share, and if they can be more efficient, Mooney could be a star. 

Raiders at Cowboys 

  • Thursday, 4:30 p.m. ET
  • Line: Cowboys -7.5; 51.5 O/U
  • Implied totals: Cowboys 29.5-Raiders 22

The Cowboys enter the game short-handed and banged up, but the line doesn’t reflect any concerns. Fantasy players are probably less confident, what with Ezekiel Elliott slumping of late, Amari Cooper out and CeeDee Lamb’s status in question. 

  • Injuries: CeeDee Lamb (concussion) — Lamb did practice on a limited basis Wednesday, and the hope is he’ll be cleared to play Thursday. As of now, that isn’t guaranteed, but it seems possible, and you’d have to start Lamb if he’s active, even with some risk coming back so soon.
  • What we’re watching for: With Cooper out, there’s room for another receiver to step up, here — Dalton Schultz is the only guy who even came close in the 19-9 loss to the Chiefs in Week 11. If Lamb plays, I probably wouldn’t start either Gallup or Wilson, but if he’s out, Wilson becomes an intriguing play — he figures to see more snaps in the slot if Lamb doesn’t play. On the Raiders side, they’re still searching for a replacement for Henry Ruggs and what he brought to the team; Derek Carr has reached 8.6 intended air yards per attempt just once in his past four games, after being above that in five of the first six games. It’s impacted his play and made this offense a lot less dynamic.  

Bills at Saints

  • Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET
  • Line: Bills -6; 45.5 O/U
  • Implied totals: Bills 25.75-Saints 19.75

The Saints are no strangers to surprise upset wins against great offenses, as they’ve got wins over the Packers and Buccaneers where they picked off Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers twice each. They’ll need to limit possessions and big plays, and the Bills offense has been a bit off lately, scoring 15 points or fewer in two of their past four games. 

  • Injuries: Alvin Kamara (knee) — Kamara is set to miss his third straight game due to the injury, and given that he didn’t practice at all this week, it’s not entirely clear whether he’s at all close to returning … Mark Ingram (knee) — And his backup isn’t 100{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} either. It’s not clear whether Ingram is likely to sit out Thursday’s game, as Wednesday was his only practice of the week, and he was limited. He’s been a strong Fantasy producer in Kamara’s absence, with 36.1 PPR points in two games. If Ingram can’t play, Tony Jones would likely be in line to start and would be an intriguing RB3, albeit against an especially tough matchup. 
  • What we’re watching for: On the Bills side, it’ll be interesting to see if they can take the top off the Saints defense, which has been an issue for them of late as teams have focused on limiting the deep ball and forcing Josh Allen to make plays underneath. In theory, that should make their running game more effective, but with Zack Moss and Devin Singletary failing to do much of late, that hasn’t come to fruition. It seems like Matt Breida has a chance to earn a bigger role moving forward, but this isn’t really an offense I’m all that interested in chasing for running backs. On the Saints side, well, the running backs have been the only reliable Fantasy options, and I don’t expect that to be different against this defense. 

Buccaneers at Colts 

  • Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
  • Line: Buccaneers -3; 53 O/U
  • Implied totals: Buccaneers 28-Colts 25

Jonathan Taylor has reached Derrick Henry territory, where it just doesn’t seem like any defense can slow him down. He had his best game of the season against the Bills in Week 11, so should we really be worried about a matchup with the Buccaneers? I’ll just say this: The Colts defense keeping Tom Brady in check is probably as important as anything for Taylor’s production. 

  • Injuries: Antonio Brown (ankle) — Brown didn’t practice Wednesday and seems unlikely to play this week yet again. Head coach Bruce Arians told reporters he hopes Brown can return in Week 13 against the Falcons … Mike Evans (back) — Evans didn’t practice Wednesday and this is a new injury, so that’s something to keep an eye on. It’s not clear how serious the injury is right now, but have an alternate plan ready to go just in case. 
  • What we’re watching for: Taylor’s dominance has been bad news for Michael Pittman and the Colts passing game, but I’ll have a hard time going away from him in this matchup. For his sake, you’re hoping the Colts will be forced to throw a bit more — and given that Taylor has made Nyheim Hines largely irrelevant of late, that might not necessarily be bad news for Taylor, either. On the Buccaneers side, we’d like to see Leonard Fournette get going — he has just 29 carries over the past three games with no touchdowns, leaving him very heavily reliant on the passing game for production. 

Eagles at Giants

  • Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
  • Line: Eagles 24.5; 45.5 O/U
  • Implied totals: Eagles 24.5-Giants 21

The Giants fired their offensive coordinator this week, so maybe that’ll spark the offense. Daniel Jones actually looked pretty good early in the season, averaging 8.2 yards per pass attempt in the first four games, so maybe they’ll be able to get things going again. The Eagles have allowed just one game with more than 215 passing yards since making a switch to a run-first offense in Week 8, so it’s not exactly a great situation for that. 

  • Injuries: Jordan Howard (knee) — Howard is expected to miss this week’s game, which is good news for Miles Sanders, who could have a big role in the running game with less competition near the goal-line … Kadarius Toney (quad) — The Giants have just been snake-bitten, and especially Toney, who has seemed to come down with some kind of issue every time he’s showed some promise. He didn’t practice Wednesday, a bad sign for his availability … Sterling Shepard (quad) — Shepard was also unable to practice Wednesday, as he continues to recover from his multi-week injury. If he played, he would be an interesting WR option, but at this point, assume he won’t … Kyle Rudolph (ankle) — Rudolph hasn’t had much of a role this season (17 catches in 10 games), but his potential absence could open up a bigger role for Evan Engram against what has been the worst defense in the league against tight ends. Rudolph didn’t practice Wednesday. 
  • What we’re watching for: On the Giants side, it’ll be interesting to see what, exactly, changes with Freddie Kitchens taking over playcalling duties. He comes from the Bruce Arians school of deep passing, so maybe Kenny Golladay has a chance to get going. Not that you can even think about start him coming off a two-target game. The only Giants players I would be comfortable starting are Saquon Barkley and Evan Engram, and the latter is just a bet on the Eagles’ complete inability to cover tight ends — they’ve given up 18.8 PPR points per game to tight ends, 3.7 points per game more than the second-worst defense. On the Eagles side, Jalen Hurts is a borderline elite Fantasy QB in my eyes, and I think this could be a very, very good game for Miles Sanders. He’s firmly in the RB2 territory. 

Falcons at Jaguars

  • Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
  • Line: PICK; 46 O/U
  • Implied totals: Falcons 23-Jaguars 23

The Falcons have scored just three points in their past two games and Matt Ryan is pretty banged up right now. On the other hand, the Jaguars have scored just 44 points in four games since their bye — they are, somehow, getting worse as the season goes on. 

  • Injuries: Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle) — Patterson pushed to play on a short week last Thursday, so I would guess his chances of playing in Week 12 are pretty good assuming he avoids a setback. 
  • What we’re watching for: You probably have to hold your nose and start Kyle Pitts despite the fact that he is averaging just three catches and 41 yards per game over the past four games. And if Patterson plays, he’s the only other player you’re considering — my assumption is Qadree Ollison returns to being a non-factor if Patterson is active, though it’s possible he’s done enough to push Mike Davis aside for good. On the Jaguars side, with Jamal Agnew gone, is it finally time for Laviska Shenault to break out? Shenault’s issue has been performance as much as volume, so I’m not counting on a breakout until I see it. I’m assuming Dan Arnold’s lack of involvement in Week 11 was just a fluke, and he and James Robinson are the only players worth using until someone — anyone — steps up. 

Jets at Texans

  • Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
  • Line: Texans -2.5; 44.5 O/U
  • Implied totals: Texans 23.5-Jets 21 

Stoppable force, meet moveable object. The Texans haven’t topped 22 points since Week 1, while the Jets have scored just 34 combined over the past two games after reaching 30 in consecutive games in Weeks 8 and 9. Zach Wilson is expected to return at QB with Joe Flacco and Mike White on the COVID-19 list. 

  • Injuries: Michael Carter (ankle) — Carter is expected to be out multiple weeks with his low-grade high-ankle sprain, so it’s no surprise he was unable to practice Wednesday. 
  • What we’re watching for: The Jets look like they may have a legitimate star on their hands with Elijah Moore, but Wilson will have to play better than he did prior to his injury to help Moore continue to ascend. That’ll be the primary thing to watch for the Jets. On the Texans side, I suppose it’ll be interesting to see if the release of Phillip Lindsay means they’ll continue to concentrate touches between David Johnson and Rex Burkhead, though I’m not sure it’ll matter unless you’re desperate for an RB. If you are, Johnson is probably the better option because he might at least catch a few passes. 

Titans at Patriots

  • Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
  • Line: Patriots -6.5; 44 O/U
  • Implied totals: Patriots 25.25-Titans 18.75

The Titans offense was a lot of smoke and mirrors in their first two games without Derrick Henry, and they got exposed in Week 11. Injuries have hit them hard, and it’s hard to see how things get much better against the Patriots. 

  • Injuries: Damien Harris (neck) — Harris was limited at Wednesday’s practice, which means this probably isn’t anything to worry about. However, with so much attention focused on the Patriots backfield, any injury is worth watching … Hunter Henry (neck)/Jonnu Smith (shoulder) — At this point, I’m assuming both will play. I’m also assuming both are just touchdown-or-bust options, with Henry having been more likely to find the end zone this season … A.J. Brown (chest) — Brown has been limited for much of the season with knee issues, but this is a new injury, one he suffered last week. Obviously, we’ll need to keep a close eye on this one throughout the week, so check back on his status Friday. At this point, I would assume he’s playing, but it’s obviously not a sure thing … Jeremy McNichols (concussion) — McNichols was held out of practice yet again Wednesday as he is continuing to deal with the issue. He was unable to play last week … D’Onta Foreman (triceps) — Foreman was limited Wednesday and I’ve seen no reason to think there is much to worry about, but it’s worth noting here. Dontrell Hilliard would probably be a top-24 RB if Foreman were to miss time. 
  • What we’re watching for: Will the release of Adrian Peterson make D’Onta Foreman a better Fantasy option? He and Peterson have combined for 50 carries in three games. Or, will Dontrell Hilliard see a role even if McNichols returns? I fear it’ll be a three-way split, a lot like New England’s on the other side. Rhamondre Stevenson may yet force Damien Harris out of the picture, but given the split in Week 11, it hasn’t happened yet. Given that split, I’m viewing both Harris and Stevenson as RB3s right now. 

Steelers at Bengals

  • Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
  • Line: Bengals -4.5; 45 O/U
  • Implied totals: Bengals 24.75-Steelers 20.25

The last time these two teams met, the Steelers managed just one offensive touchdown in a 24-10 loss, but that was before the Steelers dedicated themselves to really leaning on Najee Harris. If both sides had their druthers, we’d probably see Harris and Joe Mixon combine for 50 carries in this one. 

  • Injuries: There are no injuries we’re tracking for these two teams, which means Najee Harris didn’t have any lingering symptoms after being evaluated for a concussion Sunday. That’s great news. 
  • What we’re watching for: On the Bengals side, I’d really, really like to see Tee Higgins get going. I named him a buy-low candidate in yesterday’s newsletter, but I’d be lying if I said I was totally confident in that. On the other side, the hope is the Steelers can keep Chase Claypool going after his 93-yard performance in Week 11. He gives the offense another dimension with his ability to make plays down the field, and if he can remain a solid No. 2 option, it makes this offense a lot more interesting. Of course, that all depends on Ben Roethlisberger being able to get the ball to him consistently. He’s a risky WR3. 

Chargers at Broncos

  • Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
  • Line: Chargers -2.5; 48 O/U
  • Implied totals: Chargers 25.25-Broncos 22.75

The Chargers are coming off one of their best offensive games of the season, but the Broncos are looking like a legitimately tough test — they rank third in scoring defense, though they rank more in the middle of the pack in yards per play. 

  • Injuries: There are not any injuries we’re keeping track of as of Wednesday. 
  • What we’re watching for: Coming out of the bye week, the Broncos have a lot of Fantasy players’ eyeballs on them. We want to see if they start to really turn things over to Javonte Williams — he played a season-high 57{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the snaps in Week 10, and could be a big difference maker if he can get to, say, 65{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the RB touches. We’d also like to see Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton going, and Sutton is especially concerning as he has just 12 targets in four games with Jeudy active. On the Chargers side, there isn’t much to watch for unless the Chargers start to use Mike Williams like they did early in the season. That hasn’t been the case for a month-plus. He’s just a boom-or-bust WR3 right now, which is more than you can say for Sutton. 

Vikings at 49ers

  • Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
  • Line: 49ers -3; 48.5 O/U
  • Implied totals: 49ers 25.75-Vikings 22.75

These are two teams that just can’t figure out whether they are good or not. Which is to be expected when you’re talking about two .500 teams, I suppose. 

  • Injuries: Elijah Mitchell (finger) — Mitchell was limited at practice Wednesday, a good sign as he recovers from surgery to repair a fracture. He missed last week’s game but is at least trending in the right direction now. He’ll likely be the lead back if healthy, and figures to see 15-ish carries, while Jeff Wilson Jr. will likely be a factor as well. 
  • What we’re watching for: The 49ers are trying to strike a delicate balance that allows George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and Brandon Aiyuk to get enough touches to be Fantasy relevant. The past few weeks, we’ve seen them use Samuel as a running back, allowing him to stay productive while getting just seven targets. Keeping all three of them involved while remaining a relatively low-volume passing game is going to be a test, and it might not take much for Fantasy players to lose faith in the experiment. On the Vikings side, we know how this offense is going to operate — it’s a lot of Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson, and Adam Thielen, and very little of anyone else. 

Rams at Packers

  • Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
  • Line: Pick; 47.5 O/U
  • Implied totals: Rams 23.75-Packers 23.75

The line is surprisingly low for what many would have expected to be a shootout coming into the season. However Matthew Stafford has looked out of sorts in the past two games, the Rams are still figuring out how to incorporate Odell Beckham, and Aaron Rodgers is dealing with a fractured toe that he’s likely to play through but could impact his performance. Of course, it didn’t seem to be an issue when he passed for four touchdowns last week. I’d take the Over. 

  • Injuries: Aaron Jones (knee) — Jones was back as a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice, which is an improvement from last week. Whether that means he’ll play in Week 12 remains to be seen, but at least now we know there’s a chance … Aaron Rodgers (toe) — Rodgers confirmed Wednesday he is dealing with a fractured toe, but the assumption at this point is he’ll continue to play through it.
  • What we’re watching for: How the Rams use Beckham coming out of the bye will be key, obviously. He played just 13 snaps in Week 10, but they’d had a bye week to get him up to speed. I expect to see a lot more of him, but I have trouble trusting him as anything more than a boom-or-bust WR3 until we see him producing in this offense. On the Packers side, the biggest question for me is what Dillon’s role looks like if Jones is back. He’s been better than expected as a pass-catcher, and I wonder if we might see more of an even split when Jones is back. I’ll also be watching Marquez Valdes-Scantling after his 10-target game in Week 11. If he’s going to get more than a few deep shots per game, he could be an interesting Fantasy option. 

Browns at Ravens

  • Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
  • Line: Ravens -3.5; 45.5 O/U
  • Implied totals: Ravens 24.5-Browns 21

The Browns are really going to have to slow Lamar Jackson down with the way their offense is playing right now — they have 14 or fewer points in four of their past five games.

  • Injuries: Kareem Hunt (calf) — Hunt was designated to return from IR and was back on the practice field Wednesday, and it looks like he’s got a pretty good chance of making his return in Week 12 after missing five games. He would be a lower-end RB2, while Nick Chubb is a high-end RB2 either way … Baker Mayfield (left shoulder, foot, groin) — Mayfield is dealing with a bunch of injuries that he will, in all likelihood, continue to play through. He sat out Wednesday’s practice … Jarvis Landry (knee) — Landry didn’t practice Wednesday as well, and will also likely continue to try to play through his injury. If he gets healthy, Landry could be pretty useful for Fantasy, but he just isn’t 100{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} right now … Lamar Jackson (illness) — Jackson is back at practice and expected to start in Week 12 after missing last week’s game … Marquise Brown (thigh) — Brown was limited Wednesday, a good sign for his chances of playing in Week 12, though obviously that isn’t guaranteed by now. You’ll have to keep an eye out for his status Friday before we have a real sense of his chances. 
  • What we’re watching for: I’m not sure there’s much reason to hold out hope for the Browns passing game, given Baker Mayfield’s struggles, especially since he’s so beat up right now. How they use their backs if Hunt is back will be interesting to watch, but we pretty much know what to expect — they’re both starting caliber Fantasy options. On the Ravens side, it’s sort of frustrating that we didn’t get to see Bateman with Jackson healthy last week when Brown was out. I’m viewing him as a WR3 if Brown is out, but there’s upside well beyond that. 

Seahawks at Washington

  • Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET
  • Line: Washington -1; 46.5 O/U
  • Implied totals: Washington  23.75-Seahawks 22.75

Man, if Russell Wilson can’t get going in this matchup… 

  • Injuries: Rashaad Penny (hamstring) — Penny got the start in Week 11, rushed for 19 yards on two carries in eight snaps before suffering the injury. Pete Carroll downplayed the injury earlier this week, but that’s just what Pete Carroll does. Penny could overtake Alex Collins as the lead back if he ever stayed healthy, but you wouldn’t use him in Week 12 even if he does play … Logan Thomas (hamstring) — Thomas was officially designated for return from IR and could make his return this week. I’m not sure I would want to throw Thomas right into my lineup, but by all means, make sure he’s not already rostered in your league at the very least. 
  • What we’re watching for: On the Seahawks side, nothing really matters if Wilson isn’t playing well, but it will be interesting to see how the running back snaps are divvied up after DeeJay Dallas matched Alex Collins last week. On the Washington side, Antonio Gibson has seen an increased role over the past few weeks, and Week 11 looks even better if you take out the second quarter, when he was benched for fumbling — he played 64{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the snaps in the other three quarters. 

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Fantasy Football Today: All the injury news you need plus Week 11 game previews and a TNF recap

On Friday morning’s episode of Fantasy Football Today in 5, I asked CBS Sports Fantasy Editor Dan Schneier to give me one positive take away from the Falcons performance on Thursday night in their 25-0 loss to the Patriots. Just one little bit of praise. One reason to be optimistic. 

You know what he came up with? 

“The only thing I can say is that Matt Ryan did a pretty good job hanging in there against unbelievable pressure.”

Such are the meager joys brought to you by the 2021 Atlanta Falcons. 

In fairness, the Patriots are an incredibly tough matchup and the Falcons were missing both Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle) and Calvin Ridley (personal). But, still … they managed just 165 yards of offense with four turnovers. Kyle Pitts had three catches for 29 yards. This offense is kind of a disaster right now, and the Patriots offense didn’t do a whole bunch else, either — they had one offensive touchdown. It was a bleak night for Fantasy purposes. 

Which means, if you had Falcons or Patriots in your lineup, you might find yourself trying to dig out of a hole already. I’ve got a few more thoughts on Thursday’s game coming shortly, and then I’m going through every game on the schedule to give you updates on every injury you need to know about in a week with plenty of big ones, plus some key lineup advice for each game.   

And if that doesn’t answer all of your lineup questions, send them my way at Chris.Towers@CBSi.com with the subject line “#AskFFT” and they’ll get included in my Sunday morning mailbag — plus, you can catch the Fantasy Football Today YouTube stream Sunday morning at 11:30 am where Adam Aizer and I will be answering all of your lineup questions before the games. 

Get ready for Week 11 with all of our preview content here:  

And here’s what the rest of today’s newsletter has in store to help you get ready for Week 11:

  • 🏈TNF Fantasy Recap: Patriots 25, Falcons 0
  • 🔍Week 11 Game Previews: Vegas notes, lineup decisions, and injury updates

🏈TNF Recap: Patriots 25, Falcons 0

The Falcons were a disaster, but the Patriots weren’t exactly a ton better for Fantasy purposes. Nelson Agholor led the team with 15 PPR points, and he was the only player to reach double digits. On either team. This was a night to forget for Fantasy unless you had the Patriots DST. 

  • Winner: Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson. They both looked great in this one, combining for 125 yards on 22 carries. This is a team that wants to run the ball, and they’re quite good at it. 
  • Loser: The problem is, neither player separated from the other. Stevenson got a couple more carries, but wasn’t used as much in the passing game as we might have hoped — both he and Harris had one target. The Patriots run the ball well, and whoever they stick back there next to Mac Jones should be pretty effective. The problem is, neither is going to have much value if they are splitting carries. It’ll be a lot like Denver’s frustrating time share, except the Patriots throw it to their backs a lot less frequently, and Brandon Bolden will also take on some of the passing downs. I’m thinking Harris and Stevenson will probably both rank in the 25-35 range the rest of the way unless one of them gets injured or clearly surpasses the other. That didn’t happen Thursday.  

🔍Week 11 game previews

There’s something to watch in every game on the NFL schedule every week, even if you have to squint to see it sometimes. This week, however, there are so many unanswered questions that it’s hard to settle on just one thing for each game. Here’s a look ahead at every Week 11 game, with some notes on what Vegas is expecting to see, some lineup help and one thing to watch for from each game:

All odds are via Caesars Sportsbook. 

Saints at Eagles

  • Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
  • Line: Eagles -2; 43 O/U 
  • Implied totals: Eagles 22.5-Saints 20.5

If both teams had their way, this game would see fewer than 50 pass attempts. I’m not saying I think you should avoid the passing games entirely in this one, but I do get the feeling Devonta Smith could be a bit of a letdown following two big games. This is a tough matchup for him. 

  • Injuries: Alvin Kamara (knee) — Kamara was downgraded to a DNP Thursday, a worrisome sign after he was limited Wednesday. It could be that they just wanted to see how he reacted to his return to practice, or it could be that knee just didn’t react well. Either way, it looks like Mark Ingram is likely to get another start, though we’ll obviously be keeping a close eye on this one. Make sure you have an alternative to Kamara ready to go, at least … Dallas Goedert (concussion) — Upgraded to a limited participant in practice Thursday, a good sign that he’s trending toward being active. Goedert would be a top-10 TE if he plays … Miles Sanders (ankle) — Sanders was designated for return, but it doesn’t seem as if he practiced Thursday. It’s still possible he plays Sunday, but it doesn’t look terribly likely. Boston Scott will likely be the lead back, especially in passing situations, while Jordan Howard is the touchdown-or-bust, between-the-tackles guy. Neither is inside my top-30 at RB. 
  • What we’re watching for: On the Eagles side, if Sanders is back, I want to see how they use him in the running game. They never really committed to him before his injury, but that was back when they were barely running the ball. If he’s back to being the lead back in this run-first approach, he could be a very valuable Fantasy option moving forward. On the Saints side, if Kamara is active, I want to see if they continue to limit his workload. He was getting by mostly on volume early on in the season, so if Ingram really is locked into a double-digit touch workload and is taking some of Kamara’s passing game work, Kamara is probably more like a low-end RB1 moving forward. I’m seriously considering him a sell-high candidate right now. 

Dolphins at Jets

  • Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
  • Line: Dolphins -3.5; 44.5 O/U
  • Implied totals: Dolphins 24-Jets 20.5

The Jets are starting Joe Flacco over Mike White (and maybe Zach Wilson?), which presents an unknown factor for the offense. We know White was throwing to his running backs a lot — will Flacco do the same thing? I would bet on Michael Carter and Ty Johnson still being useful for Fantasy, and I view Corey Davis as a WR3 — his 16-game pace is over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns, very quietly. However, I can also see this being a very good game for the Dolphins DST as well.

  • Injuries: There are no relevant injuries for this game, with Wilson already out and Tua Tagovailoa already announced as the starter. The Dolphins remain without DeVante Parker (hamstring) and Will Fuller (hand). 
  • What we’re watching for: Wilson is still officially out with his knee injury, however he was a full participant in practice last Friday, so it’s weird that they already announced Flacco as the starter on Tuesday of this week. I don’t really know what to make of it, but unless they are planning to start Flacco moving forward, I’m not sure we can learn much of value from them right now. On the Dolphins side, I’d like to see Tua Tagovailoa shred this defense. He’s shown that kind of upside and this is an incredibly easy matchup, so hopefully he takes advantage — he’s averaged 23.3 Fantasy points in his four full games. Getting Mike Gesicki going after his zero-catch-on-seven-targets showing in Week 10 would help. 

Ravens at Bears

  • Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
  • Line: Ravens -4.5; 45 O/U
  • Implied totals: Ravens 24.75-Bears 20.25

Coming out of the bye week, can the Bears find a way to build on what has been a pretty promising stretch for Justin Fields? It’s not the easiest matchup in the world, but in theory, Fields should be able to produce. The model for that is on the other sideline, but can you trust the Bears offense at this point? 

  • Injuries: Lamar Jackson (non-COVID illness) — Jackson missed practice Thursday, as did Rashod Bateman, but both are expected to play as far as we know … Marquise Brown (thigh) — Brown is a bigger question mark as he has not practiced so far this week. We haven’t really been given any details about the injury, so hopefully this is more of a precaution and he’ll be out there Friday. Still, I’m making sure I have a contingency plan in place in case Brown is ruled out … Latavius Murray (ankle) — With the Ravens releasing Le’Veon Bell earlier this week, it seems like Murray is likely to make his return. He’ll split work with Devonta Freeman, and I wouldn’t trust either as more than a touchdown-or-bust RB3 … Allen Robinson (hamstring) — Robinson has missed both days of practice, so it looks like there is a real risk he’ll miss this game. That is good news for Darnell Mooney, though he has been limited with a foot injury of his own, so that’s something to watch. 
  • What we’re watching for: Well, obviously, how the Bears use Fields will be key. They’ve finally embraced his rushing abilities over the past four games, as he’s averaged 57 yards on eight carries; he had just one game with more than three carries prior to that as a starter. Of course, if Fields is running, they still have to figure out a way to make the passing game work. Darnell Mooney is seeing a 26{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} target share, and if Fields does manage to make a leap, Mooney has pretty solid upside. He’s an interesting WR3 for me this week. On the other side, while I’m hoping Brown plays, it’ll be interesting to see if Bateman can step up as a legitimate No. 1 for the Ravens. He’s looked awfully good in his first four games, and he would be a No. 3 Fantasy WR with Brown out, and more like a flex if he plays. 

Lions at Browns

  • Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
  • Line: Browns-11.5; 43.5 O/U
  • Implied totals: Browns 27.5-Lions 16

The Lions have been one of the worst teams in the NFL, but as bad as Jared Goff has been, David Blough is probably quite a bit worse. We would just be hoping for a lot of dump-offs to D’Andre Swift and T.J. Hockenson. So … a normal Lions game from our perspective. 

  • Injuries: Goff (oblique) — Goff hasn’t practiced either day this week and seems unlikely to play … Swift (shoulder) — Swift has been limited each day by the injury, so he seems likely to play through this injury. Jamaal Williams (thigh) could also be back this week after returning to a limited practice Wednesday and Thursday. Swift would be a top-10 RB whether Williams plays or not … Nick Chubb (COVID-19) — Chubb seems likely to be activated Friday from everything we’ve heard, so he should be out there Sunday. He figures to be the lead back for the Browns, but don’t be surprised if D’Ernest Johnson is still pretty good for Fantasy with Chubb coming back from the illness and the Lions unlikely to put up much of a fight. Kareem Hunt (calf) will not be activated from IR this week, but coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters earlier this week Hunt is “getting close.” He hasn’t played since Week 5, but a Week 12 return against the Ravens is possible. 
  • What we’re watching for: It would be great to see Mayfield and Jarvis Landry get on track, and I’m viewing Landry as a WR3 for this game. Assuming Chubb is back, I still think D’Ernest Johnson is in the RB3 discussion, because he’s probably still good for a dozen carries or so, maybe more if the Browns pull ahead early. On the Lions side, Swift is a must-start, and I still think Hockenson is, but I’m feeling less and less sure by the week. 

Texans at Titans

  • Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
  • Line: Titans -10.5; 44.5 O/U
  • Implied totals: Titans 27.5-Texans 17

The Titans haven’t changed their run-first approach despite missing Derrick Henry, and there’s no reason to think that’ll change in this matchup. The Texans have struggled to keep games close, and I fully expect that to remain the case this week. D’Onta Foreman is very much in the starting RB discussion for this week, while Adrian Peterson’s chances of getting into the end zone seem pretty good. 

  • Injuries: There are no injuries of note for these two teams.   
  • What we’re watching for: On the Texans side, will there be any change to their messy RB situation? It’ll at least be worth watching to see if someone can emerge as a low-end starting option. Otherwise, we’ll want to see Tyrod Taylor play a lot better than he did in his return from IR; I’m still trusting Brandin Cooks for this one, because the Titans pass defense has been vulnerable. On the Titans side, it’ll be interesting to see if they continue to tilt more of the workload Foreman’s way rather than Peterson’s, and I’ll be really concerned if A.J. Brown can’t get going in this matchup. He has just 58 yards on six catches over his past two games, and I wonder if his knee is still an issue. 

Colts at Bills

  • Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
  • Line: Bills -7; 50 O/U
  • Implied totals: Bills 28.5-Colts 21.5 

Jonathan Taylor is the closest thing the NFL has to an unstoppable force right now, and the Bills defense has been an immovable object — they’ve allowed the third-fewest rushing yards on the season and have allowed the fewest yards per play in the NFL. The Colts are in for a very, very tough matchup after winning four of their past five, three of which came against the Jaguars, Jets, and Texans. 

  • Injuries: There are no injuries of note for these two teams. 
  • What we’re watching for: Taylor played 84{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the snaps in Week 10, a career-high mark, and not-coincidentally had a career-high eight targets. If he’s going to have that kind of role — or anything close to it — in the passing game, matchups aren’t going to matter. I’d sure love to see that kind of usage again. Otherwise, I’d like to see Emmanuel Sanders get going, because he had zero catches three weeks ago and just two last week. He continues to have a decent amount of upside on a weekly basis thanks to his downfield oriented role, but teams seem to be focusing on taking that part of the Bills offense away. 

Packers at Vikings

  • Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
  • Line: Packers -1.5; 47.5 O/U
  • Implied totals: Packers 24.5-Vikings 23

With Aaron Jones out, AJ Dillon is set to make his second start. All he did the last time he got a starter’s workload with Jones out in Week 16 last season: 124 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. He’s a consensus top-10 RB for Week 11. 

  • Injuries: Aaron Jones (knee) — Jones hasn’t practiced and is set to miss at least one week … Davante Adams (shoulder) — Adams was upgraded to a full practice Thursday. He’s fine. The same may not be true of Allen Lazard (shoulder), who has been held out of practice both days. Marquez Valdes-Scantling (hip) was also limited Thursday, so that’s one to watch — not that he’s anything more than a boom-or-bust WR4. 
  • What we’re watching for: There isn’t a lot on either of these teams to sort out. Davante Adams and Dalvin Cook have had some bad touchdown luck this season, so if you’ve been disappointed in them, keep the faith. And, if someone in your league has them and is disappointed, go out and make a trade offer before Sunday. I still think Adams is the best WR in Fantasy, and Cook is a top-five RB. 

Washington at Panthers

  • Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
  • Line: Panthers -3.5; 43 O/U
  • Implied totals: Panthers 23.25-Washington 19.75

Cam Newton is going to make his first start for the Panthers since 2019, and he gets a nice soft landing against what has arguably been the worst pass defense in the NFL. His weapons are a lot better than what he had in New England a year ago, so I’m actually quite optimistic about Newton’s chances of emerging as a starting-caliber Fantasy option. If you’re desperate, I would be willing to start him over someone like Daniel Jones or even Kirk Cousins. 

  • Injuries: Logan Thomas (hamstring) — Thomas was not seen at practice Thursday, so it seems safe to assume he won’t be back this week. Ricky Seals-Jones (hip) has also missed both practices this week, so fourth-round rookie John Bates could step into a starting role. Tight ends have had a big role in this offense, but there seems to be very little in Bates’ profile worth getting excited about — he ran a 4.89 40-yard dash and had 579 yards and two touchdowns in four years at Boise State. 
  • What we’re watching for: Say what you want about Cam, but he’s a better passer than Sam Darnold has ever been, so I’m optimistic he’ll be good news for D.J. Moore. Obviously, it’s fair to wonder whether Moore can count on seeing a 30{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} target share moving forward with a new QB, but I don’t think that was just a Darnold thing — only Christian McCaffrey had more targets in Week 10. On the Washington side, obviously we want to see how Antonio Gibson will be used after he surprisingly had a season-high 24 carries against the Buccaneers last week. Was that just because the Football Team was gifted an early lead due to some turnovers, or did the bye allow him to get healthy enough to have the kind of workload we’ve been hoping for all season? There’s also growing frustration with Terry McLaurin, I can tell, so we’d love to see him put up a big game — but I’m still starting him as a top-12 WR no matter why. 

49ers at Jaguars

  • Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
  • Line: 49ers -6; 45 O/U
  • Implied totals: 49ers 25.5-Jaguars 19.5

The assumption here is the 49ers will roll right through the Jaguars, so just a friendly reminder that the Jaguars defense has actually been pretty great since the bye. They haven’t allowed more than 301 yards in any of their three games and they’ve held the Bills and Colts to just one offensive touchdown over the past two games. They’ve been especially stingy against the run, so it’ll be interesting if the 49ers try being a bit more aggressive with the pass early on to try to build a big lead. 

  • Injuries: Elijah Mitchell (rib/finger) — The finger is the more pressing concern, and it looks like it likely will keep him out after he was held out of practice Thursday. That isn’t terribly surprising, given that he had a pin put in it just earlier this week, though it’s possible he could be cleared late in the week. If not, Jeff Wilson can be viewed as a top-24 RB for this one … Deebo Samuel (shin) — This one doesn’t seem to be too serious, as Samuel was limited both days in practice, but it’s a new injury, so I’ll note it … James Robinson (heel/knee) — The knee is the bigger concern since he already played through the heel last week, and he was upgraded to a limited participant Thursday, which is a good sign. As long as Robinson is active, he’s a top-16 RB; Carlos Hyde is just an RB3 if Robinson is out. T
  • What we’re watching for: With both starting running backs facing injury questions for this one, it’s hard to say exactly what to expect. If Robinson is out, it would be interesting to see Jamal Agnew get more opportunities in the backfield — he’s averaging just 5.9 yards per target with a 58.3{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} catch rate, so it might make more sense for the Jaguars to use him as a rusher. He’s a decent Fantasy option, but neither he nor Marvin Jones or Laviska Shenault should be considered more than low-end Flex. On the 49ers side, Brandon Aiyuk is the only lineup decision you really have to make outside of the running backs, and I view him as a fringe WR3 right now.  

Bengals at Raiders

  • Sunday, 4:05p.m.
  • Line: Bengals -1; 50.5 O/U
  • Implied totals: Bengals 25.75-Raiders 24.75

The Raiders offense has looked out of sync of late, with just 30 points combined over the past two weeks. The Bengals defense has been quite good this season, but it was torched for 75 points in the two games before the bye, and Vegas clearly doesn’t expect a big bounce back. 

  • Injuries: Josh Jacobs (knee) — Jacobs has been limited both Wednesday and Thursday, and while I do expect him to play, this is a downgrade from last week, when he was a full participant in each practice. Just something to be aware of as he continues to struggle through his worst season ever. 
  • What we’re watching for: On the Bengals side, I want to continue to see them featuring Joe Mixon in the passing game — he has at least five targets in three of his past four. If he is going to see four targets per game on average, Mixon might be a top-six RB. I’m also still waiting for a breakout game from Tee Higgins, who continues to see a bunch of targets — a 24{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} share for the season. I think it’s coming, and he remains a top-24 WR for me.  On the Raiders side, we’d sure love to see breakout games from the expected stars of this offense, Josh Jacobs and Darren Waller. One thing to keep in mind with Waller is that, while he’s been a disappointment so far (494 yards on 44 catches through eight games), he was no better at the same point last season — 53 catches for 431 yards through Week 10. He continues to have massive weekly upside. 

Cowboys at Chiefs

  • Sunday, 4:25 p.m.
  • Line: Chiefs -2.5; 56 O/U
  • Implied totals: Chiefs 29.25-Cowboys 26.75

You’re expecting a shootout, I’m expecting a shootout, Vegas is expectating a shootout. Adam Aizer might call this a “bonanza” game — though let’s hope he doesn’t. 

  • Injuries: The only relevant injury we’re watching in this one is Clyde Edwards-Helaire, but since he’s still on IR, the Chiefs don’t have to give an update on his status after every practice, and we didn’t hear much either way Thursday. We’ve gotten mixed signals about Edwards-Helaire’s chances of playing this week, but we should know tomorrow or Saturday (at the latest) whether he’ll be cleared. If he is, I’ll start CEH as a low-end RB2, while Darrel Williams could still have a good game as a pass-catcher. If CEH is out, Williams is probably a top-16 RB. 
  • What we’re watching for: I’d like to see Amari Cooper get going, because he has just six catches for 88 yards over the past two games. CeeDee Lamb had his breakout last week, so now it’s Cooper’s turn. If he struggles in this matchup, it might be time to panic. On the Chiefs side, they seemed to figure out how to beat the adjustments defenses had made in taking away the deep ball, with Patrick Mahomes focusing more on getting the ball in his playmakers hands in the short areas of the field. We’ll see if the Cowboys stick with that approach, but I’m starting all of the usual suspects. The only question is at RB, because we truly have no idea what the split might look like if Edwards-Helaire is back. 

Cardinals at Seahawks

  • Sunday, 4:25 p.m.
  • Line: Cardinals -2.5; 48 O/U
  • Implied totals: Cardinals 25.25-Seahawks 22.75

The Cardinals had been able to overcome their injuries before last week, but the cracks showed in Week 10. They enter this game with a bunch of question marks, but somehow there might be less pessimism surrounding them than there is for the Seahawks coming off the first shutout of Russell Wilson’s career. The concern there is that he rushed back from his finger injury, which means we don’t know if you can trust him. I’ll keep the faith, but another poor game would be a big concern. 

  • Injuries: Kyler Murray (ankle) — Murray put in another limited practice, and he appears to be on track to play. We’ll see if he gets a full practice Friday, but at this point, I’m assuming he’ll be out there … DeAndre Hopkins (hamstring) — You can’t assume the same about Hopkins, who has yet to practice since suffering a setback during Week 8. He can play without practicing, but we haven’t gotten much positive news around him lately. I’m assuming he won’t play … Chris Carson (neck) — Carson has been designated to return from IR but has yet to actually practice, so it doesn’t seem like he’s all that close. Alex Collins (groin) was unable to practice Thursday after being limited Wednesday, though that doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t play — he went through the same process in Week 8 before being cleared. It’s a good matchup for Collins if the Seahawks offense can bounce back. If he can’t play, maybe we’ll finally see Rashaad Penny get some extended run. 
  • What we’re watching for: There aren’t a whole lot of questions for these teams once you get past the injuries. If Hopkins is cleared to play, I’m still waiting to see if the Cardinals increase his target share — Rondale Moore’s diminishing role of late makes me think there’s a decent chance it happens. Hopkins might be one of the best buy-low candidates in the league right now, and the injury is helping drive his price down. 

Steelers at Chargers

  • Sunday, 8:20 p.m.
  • Line: Chargers -6; 47 O/U
  • Implied totals: Chargers 26.5-Steelers 20.5  

Neither offense is exactly riding high right now, though at least in the Chargers case, that is actually a surprise. 

  • Injuries: Ben Roethlisberger (COVID-19) — Roethlisberger is preparing as if he’ll start, but he still has to be cleared through the COVID protocols in order for that to happen, so it isn’t a guarantee. We’ll know by Saturday, most likely … Chase Claypool (toe) — Claypool has been limited both Wednesday and Thursday, so Friday’s practice could tell the story. It’s probably going to be hard for him to get cleared without a full practice, so keep an eye out for Friday’s report … Justin Herbert (oblique) — Herbert was added to the injury report Thursday, but he was a full participant, so it doesn’t seem like there’s any reason to be concerned at this point. 
  • What we’re watching for: What’s going on with Justin Herbert? He has four interceptions over his past four games while averaging just 6.6 yards per attempt. The big play just hasn’t been there, and if you’re looking for a reason to be optimistic about Mike Williams moving forward, maybe that’s the key for this offense to get going again. On the Steelers side, you’re starting Diontae Johnson and Najee Harris no matter what, but Claypool is only in play if Roethlisberger is cleared. 

Giants at Buccaneers

  • Monday, 8:15 p.m.
  • Line: Buccaneers -11; 50.5 O/U
  • Implied totals: Buccaneers 30.25-Giants 19.25

Because they haven’t really been healthy at any point this season, it’s been really hard to get a sense of what the Giants offense is. I’ve been a long-time Daniel Jones skeptic, but I do think there is actually some potential here if he has most of his pass-catchers active. And, with Vita Vea out, the Buccaneers defense might be vulnerable. I’m not saying I expect the Giants to put up a bunch of points, but it wouldn’t shock me. 

  • Injuries: Saquon Barkley (ankle) — Barkley opened the week with a limited practice, which is a little bit disappointing coming off the bye. Hopefully they’re just taking it easy with him, but I’d like to see him get a full practice in Friday or Saturday. Devontae Booker was also limited with a hip injury, so Elijhaa Penny would be in for a larger role if they are unable to play … Sterling Shepard (quad) — Did not practice Thursday, which is a bad sign. The good news for the Giants is neither Kenny Golladay nor Kadarius Toney was listed on the practice report, so both should be good to go … Antonio Brown (ankle) — Did not participate in practice. I’m assuming he’ll miss another week. Chris Godwin (foot) was limited with the same injury he played through last week … Rob Gronkowski (ribs) — Gronkowski was upgraded to a full participant in practice so he should be back this week. He’s a top-10 TE, albeit a risky one given how much he’s had trouble staying healthy this season. 
  • What we’re watching for: With Shepard in doubt, Toney and Golladay could both be in line for pretty big roles. It’s hard to trust them, but we know both have a ton of upside in a game where the Giants should be chasing points. It’ll also be interesting to see how Barkley is used. I have him as a top-12 RB, but I know that’s a bold take — I’d feel better about it with a full practice Friday and Saturday. On the Buccaneers side, with Brown still looking like he’s a little ways away, you should just be able to plug in the stars and go.