With the Saints and Lions both on a bye week, fantasy owners are scrambling to replace them in their lineup as we approach the halfway point of the fantasy football regular season.
Among the big questions: Where does Mitchell Trubisky rank after his fantastic performance back in Week 4? Jordan Goethe of Sportsfan 1330 has the answer.
QUARTERBACK
1) Tom Brady vs KC
2) Patrick Mahomes vs NE
3) Aaron Rodgers vs SF
4) Matt Ryan vs TB
5) Jared Goff vs Den
6) Kirk Cousins vs Ari
7) Cam Newton vs Wsh
8) Deshaun Watson vs Buf
9) Russell Wilson vs Oak
10) Ben Roethlisberger vs Cin
11) Andrew Luck vs NYJ
12) Jameis Winston vs Atl
13) Phillip Rivers vs Cle
14) Andy Dalton vs Pit
15) Mitchell Trubisky vs Mia
16) Alex Smith vs Car
17) Derek Carr vs Sea
18) Baker Mayfield vs LAC
19) Blake Bortles vs Dal
20) Marcus Mariota vs Bal
— Jameis Winston has a good matchup this weekend vs an injured Atlanta secondary. This game has the making to be another big shootout like most Falcons games so far this season. Tampa Bay has really struggled to run the ball, so Winston is going to be forced to sling the ball around all over the field.
— Is Russell Wilson back to fantasy starting relevance? Yes. Well at least for this week vs Oakland. The Raiders haven’t been able to stop anybody in the passing game and that will continue this weekend, as Seattle will be looking for a big rebound win after a tough loss to the Rams.
RUNNING BACKS
1) Todd Gurley vs Den
2) Melvin Gordon vs Cle
3) James Connor vs Cin
4) Ezekiel Elliott vs Jax
5) Christian McCaffrey vs Wsh
6) Joe Mixon vs Pit
7) Kareem Hunt vs NE
8) TJ Yeldon vs Dal
9) David Johnson vs Min
10) James White vs KC
11) Sony Michel* vs KC
12) Tevin Coleman vs TB
13) Chris Thompson* vs Car
14) Chris Carson vs Oak
15) Carlos Hyde vs LAC
16) LeSean McCoy vs Hou
17) Alfred Morris vs GB
18) Phillip Lindsay vs LAR
19) Marshawn Lynch* vs Sea
20) Dalvin Cook vs Ari
21) Jordan Howard vs Mia
22) Adrian Peterson* vs Car
23) Dion Lewis vs Bal
24) Nyheim Hines vs NYJ
25) Bilal Powell vs Ind
26) Kenyan Drake vs Chi
27) Austin Ekeler vs Cle
28) Aaron Jones vs SF
29) Alex Collins vs Ten
30) Lamar Miller vs Buf
31) Javorius Allen vs Ten
32) Devonta Freeman* vs TB
33) Royce Freeman vs LAR
34) Derrick Henry vs Bal
35) Mike Davis vs Oak
36) Tarik Cohen vs Mia
37) Isaiah Crowell* vs Ind
38) Duke Johnson Jr vs LAC
39) Ty Montgomery vs SF
40) Kyle Juszczyk vs GB
— The Jaguars will have to rely heavily on TJ Yeldon once again this week vs Dallas, which has had a very strong pass defense. If Blake Bortles struggles deep again, look for him to lean a little more on Yeldon in the passing game with a few checkdowns, which is good news for PPR league owners.
— Yes I believe both Patriots RBs have high upside. Sony Michel and James White complement each other very well. White dominates in the checkdown passing game. He has established himself as a safety net for Tom Brady. And while Michel has had an increase in carries between the tackles, he also has the ability to be involved in the passing game.
WIDE RECEIVER
1) Adam Thielen vs Ari
2) Antonio Brown vs Cin
3) Julio Jones vs TB
4) DeAndre Hopkins* vs Buf
5) Devante Adams vs SF
6) AJ Green vs Pit
7) Keenan Allen vs Cle
8) Mike Evans vs Atl
9) Ju-Ju Smith Schuster vs Cin
10) Stefon Diggs vs Ari
11) Tyreek Hill vs NE
12) Julian Edelman vs KC
13) Allen Robinson vs Mia
14) Cooper Kupp vs Den
15) Calvin Ridley vs TB
16) Robert Woods vs Den
17) Jarvis Landry vs LAC
18) Doug Baldwin vs Oak
19) Brandin Cooks vs Den
20) Demaryius Thomas vs LAR
21) Tyler Boyd vs Pit
22) John Brown vs Ten
23) Emmanuel Sanders vs LAR
24) Amari Cooper vs Sea
25) Will Fuller* vs Buf
26) Tyler Lockett vs Oak
27) Quincy Enunwa vs Ind
28) Josh Gordon* vs KC
29) Corey Davis vs Bal
30) Sammy Watkins vs NE
31) Keelan Cole vs Dal
32) DeSean Jackson vs Atl
33) Randall Cobb* vs SF
34) Michael Crabtree vs Ten
35) Mohammad Sanu* vs TB
36) Devin Funchess vs Wsh
37) Chris Godwin vs Atl
38) Jordy Nelson vs Sea
39) Keke Coutee* vs Buf
40) Kenny Stills vs Chi
— There is a reason why Adam Thielen is the No.1 fantasy wide receiver: QB Kirk Cousins has found a way to get him the ball consistently week in and week out. I love both Vikings WRs — Thielen and Stefon Diggs — going forward.
— Keke Coutee has caught 17 of his first 18 career targets over the last two weeks with the Texans. Even though he has been banged up all season, he has seen a lot of reps in the slot and QB Deshaun Watson is starting to build that connection. As long as Coutee stays healthy, I love his future in the Houston offense.
TIGHT ENDS
1) Travis Kelce vs NE
2) George Kittle* vs GB
3) Rob Gronkowski vs KC
4) Eric Ebron* vs NYJ
5) Jared Cook vs Sea
6) Kyle Rudolph vs Ari
7) Greg Olsen vs Wsh
8) Jimmy Graham*vs SF
9) David Njoku vs LAC
10) Jordan Reed vs Car
11) Cameron Brate vs Atl
12) Austin Hooper vs TB
13) Trey Burton vs Mia
14) Vance McDonald vs Cin
15) Ricky Seals-Jones vs Min
16) CJ Uzomah vs Pit
17) Geoff Swaim vs Jax
18) Antonio Gates vs Cle
19) Charles Clay vs Hou
20) Nick Vannett* vs Oak
— Eric Ebron has established himself has one of the best TEs the in the league, but he is battling four different types of injuries. Remember both TE Jack Doyle and WR TY Hilton are injured and out for this weekend’s matchup vs the Jets. If Ebron can get off the injury report by Sunday morning and is able to play, look for him to get a bunch of targets from QB Andrew Luck.
— Greg Olsen is finally returning from his broken foot and will play vs the Redskins who have performed fairly well against the tight end position this year. Tight end is not a deep position group this year, and if you’re an Olsen owner, you’re more than likely starting him this week.
— I also like both Cameron Brate’s and Austin Hooper’s matchups against each other in Atlanta. It’s going to be a shootout.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
1) Bears vs Mia
2) Jaguars vs Dal
3) Vikings vs Ari
4) Texans vs Buf
5) Rams vs Den
6) Ravens vs Ten
7) Titans vs Bal
8) Packers vs SF
9) Chargers vs Cle
10) Cowboys vs Jax
11) Panthers vs Wsh
12) Jets vs Ind
13) Colts vs NYJ
14) Browns vs LAC
15) Seahawks vs Oak
— I’m a believer in this Titans defense this year and especially this week vs Joe Flacco and company.
— The Jets, Cowboys and Chargers are some of the top waiver wire streaming options this week. If TE Eric Ebron doesn’t play, I like that Jets defense even more.
KICKERS
1) Justin Tucker vs Ten
2) Harrison Butker vs NE
3) Ryan Succop vs Bal
4) Stephen Gostkowski vs KC
5) Matt Bryant vs TB
6) Graham Gano vs Wsh
7) Ka’imi Fairbairn vs Buf
8) Dan Bailey vs Ari
9) Chris Boswell vs Cin
10) Cody Parkey vs Mia