The fantasy football playoffs are in sight
The fantasy football playoffs are in sight.
Is your team ready?
Now is the time to do some final retooling, with many leagues’ regular seasons holding just three or four more games before the playoffs.
So, here are the players you’ll want to eye this week on the wire (based on players available in 65 percent or fewer of Yahoo! leagues).
Quarterback: Mac Jones, New England Patriots (29% owned)
It feels like Jones is on the precipice of having a monster game, but even if he continues at the rate he’s been on, he’s still a decent option if you need a quarterback in a pinch.
Helping the case to stream Jones is the fact that while he doesn’t rack up points from throwing for heaps of yards, he is coming off a three-touchdown game and is about to face a Falcons pass defense that has allowed the fourth-most passing touchdowns in the NFL.
Other quarterbacks to target: Daniel Jones (NYG), Jimmy Garoppolo (SF), Justin Fields (CHI)
Running back: Devonta Freeman, Baltimore Ravens (58% owned)
He’s most certainly not the Devonta Freeman of old, but he’s seeing good enough volume to justify scooping him up.
The Ravens’ high-flying offense is using the 29-year-old both on the ground and in the air, which helps his case in PPR leagues. Freeman has a touchdown in three of his last four games and has had at least 39 all-purpose yards in each game during that stretch.
Not many players left on the wire are as big of fixtures in their team’s offense as Freeman is with Baltimore, which makes him worth the pickup.
Other running backs to target: Rhamondre Stevenson (NE), Matt Breida (BUF), Ty Johnson (NYJ)
Wide receiver: Elijah Moore, New York Jets (51% owned)
Things haven’t gone particularly well for the Jets the last two weeks (or this entire season, for that matter), but Moore has been developing decent chemistry with quarterback Mike White.
Moore caught half of his six targets for 44 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s loss to the Buffalo Bills. That comes a week after reeling in two touchdown passes against the Indianapolis Colts, a game in which he caught seven of eight targets for 84 yards.
You’re always taking a risk using a Jets player in fantasy, but Moore has been good lately. Cash in while you can.
Other wide receivers to target: DeVante Parker (MIA), Kendrick Bourne (NE), Jamal Agnew (JAX)
Tight end: Evan Engram, New York Giants (41% owned)
Once one of the most productive pass-catching tight ends in the NFL, Engram’s productivity has plummeted.
However, this is your weekly reminder that tight end never is a deep fantasy position, so Engram posting three catches with a touchdown each of his last two games is worth something. Plus, you know that the skill is there for him to be an impact player in the passing game.
Other tight ends to target: Pat Freiermuth (PIT), Tyler Conklin (MIN), C.J. Uzomah (CIN)