This week we discuss the following:
- Colts offense without Reggie Wayne
- Bears offense without Jay Cutler
- Harry Douglas and Jarrett Boykin
- Tom Brady a buy-low?
- Jordan Reed
- Case Keenum vs. Matt Schaub
- RB situations: NY Jets, Washington, Miami, Tampa Bay
- Can we drop these guys in redraft leagues?
Colts offense without Reggie Wayne
What does Reggie Wayne's injury mean to Andrew Luck, T.Y. Hilton, and Coby Fleener?
Chad Parsons: Wayne was the chain-mover and dependable target for the Colts offense when all the young pieces still developing consistency. Luck gets a little bit of a downgrade to the low QB1, high QB2 range most weeks. Hilton and Darrius Heyward-Bey gets a bump up in usage as well as the running game (if they can be more efficient to sustain some drives). It is worth noting that I had the task of projecting the Indianapolis offense without Reggie Wayne back in August.
Ryan Hester: Wayne's injury probably hurts Indianapolis more as a real team than it hurts their players as fantasy football commodities. Luck will be downgraded, as any quarterback would that lost his top wide receiver. T.Y. Hilton will benefit significantly because, despite his huge talent, he hasn't been playing in many two-receiver sets. Fleener should also see more targets as a result due to his potential for being a matchup nightmare due to his size and athleticism. Darrius Heyward-Bey will also get a chance to see targets with regularity. He could find himself on the WR3 or FLEX radar week-to-week if he can shed the "dropsies" that have plagued him throughout his career.
Andy Hicks: Does Indianapolis have a readymade replacement for Wayne? The answer obviously is no. T.Y Hilton and Darrius Heyward-Bey have a different skill set and my guess is they try and stick Heyward-Bey into some of his plays, Coby Fleener should see more work as a receiver and LaVon Brazill may see a few targets as well. It is worth noting that Indianapolis has a total of two receptions from guys outside their top three wide receivers all year. Brazill has none. Given the iffy hands of both Fleener and Heyward-Bey, Andrew Luck is going to need help if he is to remain as a reliable QB1. Wayne caught two thirds of his targets, while Hilton and Heyward-Bey are closer to 50 percent. I think Donald Brown and Stanley Havili may see a few more targets when Luck needs a pressure conversion and if Fleener can be a safer pair of hands, then he could push TE1 status.
Will Grant: Luck seems to be able to find the open man when it's needed. With Wayne out, he'll probably make Hilton his go-to guy, but I wouldn't discount guys like Fleener or Darrius Heyward-Bey. Trent Richardson isn't putting up 100+ yards a week, so the Colts are going to need to throw to win. I'd view Hilton as a WR2 now and Fleener as a low end TE1.
Kyle Wachtel: As Chad mentioned, Luck does receive a slight downgrade; he's still a capable QB1, but with the abundance of capable fantasy passers, even mid-to-low QB1s may be best left on the bench for a better matchup.
While Hilton may have a different skill set than Wayne, he still receives a sizable boost thanks to the increase in snaps that he should be expected see and has crept into WR2 consideration. Heyward-Bey and Fleener on the other hand were both already seeing plenty of snaps, but he should now see a few more targets. DHB moves up in WR4 territory, while Fleener now teeters on the edge of a TE1.
Bears offense without Jay Cutler
While Josh McCown is starting in Chicago for Jay Cutler, how much should we downgrade Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, and Matt Forte?
Chad Parsons: McCown looked serviceable on Sunday, but that was against the Washington defense that is glorified Swiss cheese in terms of resistance level. Downgrade Marshall and Jeffery slightly (handful of spots or less weekly) and even less for centerpiece Matt Forte.
Ryan Hester: The receivers in the Chicago passing game should be downgraded slightly. However, the downgrade shouldn't be as significant as a typical situation where a team loses its starting quarterback. Both of these receivers are huge targets, which creates a "safety blanket" situation and makes it easy for any quarterback to have confidence in throwing the ball their way. Marc Trestman is also a quarterback-friendly head coach, which will help the passing game stay afloat. Matt Forte's status should remain unchanged. He's an elite talent who is the focal point of the offense.
Andy Hicks: Cutler is what we thought he was: a high-end QB2. McCown is much more in the low end QB2 spectrum, but at least we know not to expect much more. Through his 11 year career he throws slightly more interceptions than touchdowns and isn't likely to win any fantasy awards. He is however a reasonably reliable backup and can move an offense. Just don't expect him to win games. I wouldn't be downgrading Forte at all, if anything he could even see an increased workload. Jeffery and Marshall both have to be downgraded to the high to mid WR2 area and we'll have to wait and see which one McCown prefers as his number one read. My guess is that has to be Marshall, which could relegate Jeffery to a fantasy high end WR3 until Cutler comes back, but Jeffery still managed to register 100 yards last week against Washington all from McCown.
Will Grant: Jay Cutler is out at LEAST four weeks. They are going to wait four weeks before they evaluate him. It could be six or seven weeks before he's ready to play. McCown performed pretty well against a poor defense that didn't really prepare for his style of play. He made a few solid throws, but I wouldn't expect more than 200-250 yards passing each week. Brandon Marshall will still draw the double-teams, but without Jay Cutler trying to force the ball into him, Alshon Jeffery may just be the guy who benefits the most from Cutler being out. McCown clearly trusts Jeffery, and he's become a big play guy for the Chicago offense. I would grade both Marshall and Jeffery as WR2. Forte is going to be used as much, if not more than before. RB1 status on him for sure.
Kyle Wachtel: Marshall should still be safely viewed as a high-end WR2. However, I'd be trying to sell Jeffery as quickly as possible, which I detailed in this week's Forensics Report, before he falls back down to Earth. I think Hester hit the nail on the head with Forte; his value should hold steady as any drop in efficiency should be balanced out with a bump in usage.
Harry Douglas and Jarrett Boykin
Who has more fantasy potential from now until the end of the season: Harry Douglas or Jarrett Boykin?
Chad Parsons: Harry Douglas. Roddy White is no closer to returning than he was a few weeks ago. Green Bay has a fully functional running game and Aaron Rodgers will get James Jones back sooner than White for Ryan.
Ryan Hester: We may have seen the best game either of these two will play all season, but I'd lean towards Douglas here. He'll be a starter for Atlanta for the duration of the season, while Boykin is likely to fall behind — or at least share targets with — James Jones.
Andy Hicks: As Chad and Ryan explained, this has to be Harry Douglas. With Julio Jones gone for the year, Roddy White out or likely to be playing injured and Tony Gonzalez double and triple teamed, Douglas will get his fair share of targets. Boykin should still feature until Randall Cobb comes back, but Jordy Nelson is still around. With Jermichael Finley's scary injury and James Jones a doubt, Boykin should however be a short term contributor.
Will Grant: I have to go with Douglas on that one, if only because he and Ryan have been on the same team for several years now and they know the playbook inside and out. Boykin caught a bunch of short passes, but came up with two big catches late in the 4th quarter of a game where Green Bay was in control. Add in the fact that James Jones and Randall Cobb will be back on the field at full speed before the end of the season and Boykin will have plenty of one or two target games before the end of the season.
Kyle Wachtel: You can mark another tally in the column for Douglas. His snaps are much more secure than Boykin, who will assuredly fall behind Jones when he returns.
Tom Brady a buy-low?
Is Tom Brady a buy-low? Rob Gronkowski's return didn't really help Brady's fantasy numbers, but will having Gronkowski, Danny Amendola, and Shane Vereen all back at once (if that ever happens) make a big difference?
Chad Parsons: Brady is an absolute buy-low. The past two-to-three weeks have been such an outlier in terms of his fantasy production. This week was Gronkowski's first back from injury and their chemistry will blossom. The pair left a couple of touchdowns on the field against the Jets, which will be converted in similar situations later in the season. Aaron Dobson is developing nicely and Shane Vereen will be a big boost all over the field. While not the weekly top-5 play, Brady will be a bottom-half QB1 down the stretch for those that stick with him.
Ryan Hester: Getting those weapons back is definitely going to help Brady. He's performing like a mediocre quarterback in fantasy and in reality, but we all know that's not what he is. When he gets most (or all) of his weapons back, he'll be much improved. That sounds like a buy-low to me.
Andy Hicks: Counting on the health of Gronkowski, Amendola and Vereen is going to get you in trouble, especially the latter 2. If and that is a big if, all three are on the field with Aaron Dobson, Kenbrell Thompkins and Julian Edelman, then Brady can truly be considered a low end QB1. Unless you have no other options, then I would rather let another owner wait for all three to be healthy and stay healthy.
Will Grant: I don't think that Brady is a buy-low candidate right now. All things being equal, you might be able to trade for him at a lower value than he was drafted, but it won't be very much lower. Most Brady owners drafted him as their QB1 and probably waited on QB2 and have some questionable talent behind him on their teams. Even with questionable receivers, people expect that Brady is a QB1 in most fantasy leagues, and they are not going to part with him for a low quality player. He does have some upside potential if the rest of the team can stay healthy, but even if their top three offensive weapons never see the field at the same time, you're going to be hard pressed to sit Brady for your backup QB in any given week.
Kyle Wachtel: Definitely. There's not much risk in buying a player at rock bottom. Gronkowski proved how valuable he was on Sunday even though the Jets defense ruined the reunion and at the very least, Vereen should return to full strength. Amendola's effectiveness and health is still very much up in the air, but Brady should begin to bounce back regardless.
Jordan Reed
Is Jordan Reed an every-week starter at TE going forward?
Chad Parsons: Reed will have far more weekly inside the top-12 than outside the rest of the season. Fred Davis looks to be completely out of the picture and Robert Griffin III III looks closer to his 2012 form than at any point in the first six weeks of the season. Washington's horrible defense will keep the offense throwing in more second halves than most teams.
Ryan Hester: Reed's athleticism is fantastic. He's definitely a player that if you own him with a big-name tight end, you could trade the "name" player to acquire other assets and move forward with Reed. He'll be top-12 more often than he's not the rest of the way.
Andy Hicks: With Washington trying to move Fred Davis before the trade deadline, I think it is safe to assume that Reed is their guy. He is however still a rookie and expecting TE1 numbers out of him every week is a bit much. Have him in your Tight End committee group and play him in a good match up, but he should not be relied upon to start every week.
Will Grant: Maybe. Reed's success last week was due to the Chicago defense falling apart, especially at the end of the game. Five drives of 70 yards or more? The Bears were a complete mess and Reed was just one of the guys that Robert Griffin III III was using to beat them. Will that continue next week when they face stiffer competition? We'll see. But for now, I think Reed is a guy you want on your roster and unless you're sitting on a top tier guy like Jimmy Graham or Jason Witten, Reed is probably in your starting lineup — at least for another week or two.
Kyle Wachtel: Washington's hierarchy was wide open after Pierre Garcon and Reed has taken grasp of the role that I expected Davis to fill. You can expect him to perform as a low-end TE1 throughout the rest of the season.
Case Keenum vs. Matt Schaub
Case Keenum looked pretty good on Sunday, especially considering he was going against the Chiefs. What are the odds that he'll displace Matt Schaub as the Texans' long-term answer at quarterback?
Chad Parsons: The odds Keenum should get a shot to start the rest of the season are 100 percent. In reality, it is more like 30-40 percent. The Texans are not in full rebuild mode, so Schaub gets a longer leash as the veteran in the head-to-head comparison until they fall completely out of playoff race. Color me skeptical that Houston is bold enough to choose the 'Colin Kaepernick' option like San Francisco did last season as a competitive team.
Ryan Hester: While Keenum may not be Houston's long-term answer at quarterback, Schaub definitely isn't that guy. At 2-5 and with Schaub hurt, Houston has multiple reasons (or excuses) to give Keenum one more shot as the starter. They have a bye in Week 8, so giving him two weeks to game plan for one opponent is a nice opportunity for a second audition.
Andy Hicks: Keeping Matt Schaub as the starter is a lose-lose proposition for the Texans and Gary Kubiak. The Texans are practically out of playoff reckoning already, but do have four very winnable games out of their first six coming off the bye, include two games against the Jaguars. Schaub almost has to start these games if the Texans still have playoff aspirations. Once they lose three more games though they really have to see if Keenum can lift the side. Failing to make the playoffs is likely to be the end of Kubiak in Houston and unless Keenum can give the team hope for the future, then they will have to start afresh with a new coach-QB combo. Keenum won't get his shot until it's too late though and unless he is remarkable then it is a hopeless position for Kubiak.
RB situations: NY Jets, Washington, Miami, Tampa Bay
Chris Ivory had fewer rushes and fewer targets than Bilal Powell in each of the Jets' first six games this season (Ivory played in five), but he got a whopping 34 carries in week seven compared to just three for Powell. Is it an overreaction to consider Ivory a top-15 RB going forward?
Chad Parsons: In non-PPR I could see Ivory in the top-15(ish) mix with the big caveat that I have concerns he avoids injury with a workload that heavy for half a season. Powell is still alive and kicking and the Jets will have games where the 'bad' Geno is playing and they get behind in the second half. The running back climate is rough with all the injuries and unstable situations, so it is easy to run like a thirsty man in the desert to the next emerging volume-based back. Ivory has that feel of vanishing in a week or two, just as fantasy owners are counting on him in lineups.
Ryan Hester: I think top-15 is definitely an overreaction. Even when Ivory was playing early in the season, he wasn't used in passing situations. The game script last week against New England was surprisingly one in which the Jets were ahead and run-heavy. In games where they're in catch-up mode (which should be at least half the time), Powell will still be used often.
Kyle Wachtel: Expecting Ivory to be a top-15 RB would be unreasonable at this point. However, his size (5-11½, 222 lbs.), speed (4.48 40-yard dash) and tenacious running style combined with an opportunity to play in a run-heavy offense does make for top-15 potential. Injuries and the early success of Bilal Powell led Ivory to become one of the more disappointing players, but he may now be turning a corner. Unexpectedly, Ivory did out-touch the presumed starter, Powell, 35 touches to just three this past week. The dust has far from settled, but Ivory should be viewed as an intriguing Flex play with upside right now.
Andy Hicks: As Ryan Hester intimated, I'd be wary of relying on Chris Ivory too much. The game against the Jets was a perfect example of excellent coaching. Ivory was in a groove and he was wearing the Patriots down. After the game Rex Ryan clearly indicated that it was an individual situation. Bilal Powell hasn't been playing poorly and will be used according to the opponents and the game situation, just like Ivory will. Neither Jets back can be considered a RB2 going forward, but depending on matchups, either could still be useful. This is a case of the Jets having two good, but not great backs and unless either goes down, then they'll both be in play.
Will Grant: I agree with Kyle that Ivory is more of a 'what-the-heck flex' than a start every week as my RB2. We've seen different guys have success in New York one week and then disappear the next. It's too early to say that Ivory is an every week start.
Meanwhile, in Washington, Alfred Morris had a season-high 19 carries against the Bears, but Roy Helu keeps getting a bigger share of the workload. In the first three games, Morris led Helu in looks (rushes plus targets) 44-7. In the last three games, Morris' advantage has shrunk to 52-41. Should Morris owners be worried going forward?
Chad Parsons: Morris has played well, but has a limited skill set, one that could impact the play-calling when on the field. Roy Helu is kind of the forgotten man in Washington. Of course a trio of touchdowns will remind fantasy owners in a hurry. Helu has been a fantasy factor in the past and was in-line to be the outright starter in the 2012 preseason. Also, Helu has quite a bit of physical talent, so he should be a decent part of a committee at a minimum when healthy. Morris owners should have been worried all along as Helu was a threat and Morris is a volume-based power back that rarely piles up yards in the open field. Last season was pretty much the ideal situation for Morris, this year things are coming back to Earth. That means Morris is a decent RB2 with a lower ceiling than most of the backs in his range of the rankings.
Ryan Hester: I don't think Morris owners should be worried, but expectations may need to be adjusted. Morris still has a weekly RB1 ceiling, but Helu's presence lowers the frequency of that happening. Washington's offense did look at its best in the no-huddle in Week 7, and Helu is the player used in those situations. This team still wants to be a run-heavy squad, which means last year's offense with Morris as the focus isn't going away completely.
Kyle Wachtel: As a Morris owner, you should be more happy with the fact that his touches have risen over the past three weeks than worried about Helu's increase touches. Helu's touchdowns are an aberration and he's a better sell than buy at this point. Morris' production is here to stay alongside an improving Robert Griffin III III.
Andy Hicks: The simple fact is that Alfred Morris cannot catch and while he is a superior runner that works in the Washington scheme, Helu does everything else better. As Chad explained, last year was the perfect storm for Morris to be dominant, but in present circumstances Helu is going to steal some carries, touchdowns and obviously receptions. Any Morris owner should be worried about their preseason expectations not meeting reality, but Morris still should present as a comfortable RB2 going forward.
Will Grant: I've never been impressed with Helu, and I am not impressed after he had a big game against a Chicago defense that completely fell apart. Washington had three plays of 80 yards or more in the second half and they had almost 500 yards of total offense for the game. It is not hard to see why you saw several guys emerge with big games. Morris had 19 carries for 95 yards in the game. Helu averaged just 3.7 for his 11 carries. Morris owners are going to be fine.
In Miami, Lamar Miller had been the starter and had consistently gotten the majority of the work through the first five games. But coming out of the week six bye, he and Daniel Thomas switched roles. Thomas got the start and the majority of the carries in the committee. Does Miller have any value left in redraft leagues?
Chad Parsons: Minimal value for Miller. He is not all that involved in the passing game and basically needs a big play or two to have even a decent RB2-level week. With many injuries and up-in-the-air committees yet to clarify themselves this week off the waiver wire, I would be investing elsewhere for the stretch run.
Ryan Hester: Miller still has value, but it might be as "high upside backup/handcuff" rather than "high upside RB2/FLEX." Miller still needs to be owned. No one knows why Miami has done what they've done, but if Thomas gets hurt, Miller's value would rise close to where many thought it would be in the preseason.
Kyle Wachtel: There's no way I can cut the cord on Miller just yet. The stubbornness of Miami's coaching staff is deplorable, but Miller's still better than your basic lottery ticket and has RB2 potential if given consistent touches.
Andy Hicks: So far the Miami running game is playing out exactly like I expected. Miller and Thomas sharing the ball and neither becoming a clear fantasy option. While Miller had the higher upside coming into the season, all the preseason warning signs were clearly indicated that Daniel Thomas was going to play a part. My view now hasn't really altered for the rest of this year, RB by committee in Miami and just like the Jets any guy could be given the main role on a week to week basis. Good luck relying on Miller if you have to, as choosing when to play him is more likely to be dictated by fantasy necessity due to injuries and byes over the next month.
Will Grant: Miller has been a huge disappointment this season, given he was going as high as the third round in some fantasy leagues just before the season started. You can expect that Miller and Thomas will split carries the rest of the season, and unless one of them gets hurt, you can expect that neither will have more than 15 carries a game, yet both will have a minimum eight to ten. Neither Miller, nor Thomas are guys that you can count on from week to week as anything more than a flex player.
With Doug Martin out for at least this week, and maybe longer, it appears that Mike James and Brian Leonard will carry the load for the Buccaneers. James should be the lead guy. Let's assume hypothetically that Martin is out for the rest of the year. What would Mike James' fantasy potential be for the rest of this season?
Chad Parsons: I have been a Mike James fan since the draft. He appeared to be the primary backup when drafted and has maintained that standing until now. James showed well against Atlanta and his upside the rest of the season would be about 85-90% of what could be expected from Doug Martin. James should be a strong pickup in all leagues this week and an RB2 play most weeks for as long as Martin is out.
Ryan Hester: This was an offense that wasn't even clicking well enough for an elite talent like Martin to produce RB1 numbers, so I'm not optimistic. James will be serviceable due to volume, but he's not going to be a fantasy savior by any means. Think DeAngelo Williams with the potential to perhaps score a touchdown every second or third game because James doesn't have Cam Newton and Mike Tolbert taking touchdowns.
Kyle Wachtel: There's a scarcity of healthy RBs with lead roles, but for as long as Martin is out, James will be just that. In the absence of Martin, James should be a safe RB2 that can be plugged into starting lineups.
Andy Hicks: I'm not sure how long Doug Martin is actually going to be out given the untrustworthy nature of information released from the Bucs so far this year. If you own him, you have to keep him around in case the early week doomsayer messages were wrong and if you take Mike James you have to assume that he may only be a short-term option for many reasons: ability, the team not doing very well, possibly getting a new coach and maybe even a Doug Martin return. I'd only take James as a hit-and-hope punt on the waiver wire. If Doug Martin couldn't get this team out of trouble, then I don't think a 7th round rookie is the man you need for fantasy success.
Will Grant: Martin was only averaging 3.6 yards per carry before he went down. He may not be out for the season, but it looks like James is the guy that you want on your roster. That being said, you need to have realistic expectations for anyone that you pick up from Tampa Bay at this point. The team is going to struggle, and they are going to have to throw the ball a lot to catch up. James may get 15-20 touches a game, but I doubt he cracks the 100 yard rushing mark more than once or twice the rest of the season even if he starts every week.
Can we drop these guys in redraft leagues?
Consider a 12-team league with 18 roster spots. Can we drop:
Chad Parsons: Yes. Freeman will be no better than the waiver wire options at quarterback the rest of the way. Fill a bye week vacancy or pessimistic matchup with another option down the stretch. If you cannot succeed to some extent against the Giants defense, when can an owner be confident?
Ryan Hester: Yes. Freeman isn't a top-20 quarterback, and his weapons are far from elite.
Will Grant: For certain. In fact, throw out any quarterback that you might have from that team. The Vikings have given up on Christian Ponder. Matt Cassel is exactly who we thought that he would be and Freeman couldn't possibly be worse than either of them but after Monday night — it was clear that he is. Except they are going to give him another chance to start. A friend of mine is a Viking fan and he described it by asking 'when does the pre-season end?' In a 12 team league, there is no reason that you'd want Freeman on your roster unless you were desperate at QB.
Kyle Wachtel: Yes. As if he didn't struggle enough in Tampa Bay, we found out just how badly he regressed on Monday night and his redraft value is non-existent.
Andy Hicks: Yes. I don't know what the Vikings were expecting in starting Freeman so soon after his tumultuous exit from Tampa Bay. There is no way that Freeman could be on the same page with anyone there yet and once he was forced to try and win the game, then he was on a hiding to nothing. This says a lot about what the Vikings think about Matt Cassel who managed to get a win against Pittsburgh and complete 72% of his passes against Carolina. If the Vikings are genuinely looking at Josh Freeman as a long term possibility, destroying his already fragile confidence by throwing him in on Monday Night Football should finish the job. If Freeman is capable of absorbing everything that has been thrown at him over the last month and coming out the other side as a starting QB, then good luck to him. He deserves a break.
Chad Parsons: I would hold for the sole reason if Knowshon Moreno gets injured. Montee Ball has done little to instill faith and Hillman, if on the waiver wire, would be a hot pickup the following week.
Ryan Hester: No. He may not prove to have value at all, but the upside if Knowshon Moreno gets hurt is big enough that he should be kept.
Will Grant: As Chad and Ryan Mentioned, Hillman is probably worth something in the event that Moreno gets hurt, but Hillman would be on my short list of guys to drop if a hot waiver wire pick came up. I'd much rather take a guy who is playing over a guy who may have potential value but only if someone else gets hurt.
Kyle Wachtel: No. The Broncos offense is among the most friendly in the NFL and Hillman is a handcuff with RB2 potential that is worth keeping around.
Andy Hicks: Yes. Fourth-quarter fumbles in the red zone when the team is trying to come from behind tend to be frowned on by coaches. It is clear that Moreno is the starter and the others are break in case of emergency. If you have the roster space to hold Hillman, then do it, but otherwise he is blocking a spot from someone who can contribute now.
Chad Parsons: The Patriots backfield is commonly a mess and Blount will move one peg down the pecking order when Shane Vereen returns. Also, Blount was a pretty bottom-of-the-barrel starting options, if needed, late in the season.
Ryan Hester: Yes. Stevan Ridley is back and running well, and Brandon Bolden is the passing game option. Blount has no value without additional injuries to the others.
Will Grant: The New England backfield is a mess, but Ridley and Bolden are the two guys who are getting the carries. Shane Vereen is coming along fine and will be back before the end of the season. Unless Ridley misses any more time, Blount is a guy that you can safely drop — if for no other reason than you can't count on him to perform for any given week.
Kyle Wachtel: Yes. By season's end, he's seemingly most likely to settle in as the #4 RB on the depth chart.
Andy Hicks: Yes. With Gronkowski back now, Amendola and Vereen soon, Blount will be fortunate to be active on game days. Don't be surprised if he presents one good matchup as the season wears on, but trying to predict it will be the tricky part.
Chad Parsons: Richardson can safely be dropped. The Rams were questionable at best on offense WITH Sam Bradford. Now, they could be Jacksonville-esque in terms of time with a lead for the remainder of the year. Zac Stacy has looked competent as the main ball carrier to boot. Move on to another option with a better chance for relevancy in the coming months.
Ryan Hester: Yes. The St. Louis offense is on "abort mission" status with Kellen Clemens about to take the helm. Richardson had already lost his job anyway.
Will Grant: Zac Stacy looks like he's taken over the role of primary running back in St. Louis. For whatever that's worth. Richardson is definitely a guy you can live without.
Kyle Wachtel: Yes. Maybe the Rams offensive line wasn't as bad as Richardson and Pead made them look. Stacy is here to stay.
Andy Hicks: Yes. Chad nailed it when he said that the Rams were struggling with Bradford, with Kellen Clemens under center and the offensive line playing terribly expect a regression in this unit. With Richardson not even starting thanks to the emergence of Zak Stacy, he becomes borderline useless.
Chad Parsons: Yes. It took extreme garbage time and a lack of solid receivers in Oakland for Myers to be in the fantasy mix in 2012. This year the Giants have far better receivers. Move on from this mediocre talent.
Ryan Hester: Yes. Myers had 13 catches in the first two games but only has seven since. The team is a mess, and he's not an oft-used option.
Will Grant: Myers is still getting targets each week. Now the New York Giant offense is a complete pile, but the one thing that they are going to do is throw. Myers isn't a guy that you want to start at this point, but he may still have some value before the season is over — especially if Hakeem Nicks gets banged up again.
Kyle Wachtel: Yes. He's become the fourth option in the Giants passing game that is erratically led by Manning.
Andy Hicks: Yes. Looking good in Oakland amongst mediocre talent doesn't help Myers in New York when he has a trio of high quality receivers in Cruz, Nicks and Randle ahead of him for targets.
All Rams WRs?
Chad Parsons: Yes, it is time to clear house from the Rams offense this season as whole. There will be starter-level production from time-to-time, but good luck figuring out who gets the random garbage touchdown in the fourth quarter. I hold out some hope for Chris Givens as a deep threat option, but merely as a true flyer in the flex position only.
Ryan Hester: Yes. St. Louis has near zero value from any player not named Zac Stacy.
Will Grant: With Sam Bradford out of the picture now, it's a crap shoot as to who is going to get the ball in St. Louis. The reality is that Kellen Clemens is going to need to throw the ball a lot, and someone from St. Louis is going to catch the ball. Even if it's in garbage time. The problem is that are any of them going to be consistent enough for you to want to start them. It's going to be more like buying a lottery ticket — maybe you start the guy who gets the bulk of the passes. Maybe you start the guy who has one catch for eight yards.
Kyle Wachtel: Givens has busted. Austin has busted. And even Cook has busted. With Bradford out for the year, this is a receiving corps that is best left alone.
Andy Hicks: Yes. Six receivers in St. Louis have at least 20 targets, none of the wide receivers are startable and only Jared Cook slots in as a top 12 tight End. With Kellen Clemens coming back for more crimes against QB play, expect any Rams receiver to be a weekly lottery ticket.
All Vikings WRs?
Chad Parsons: Same as the Rams, it is tough to hold on to any of them in traditional redraft leagues. I cannot see a contending teams rolling out a Vikings player other than Adrian Peterson and having much of a chance for a title this season. Considering the depth of the league for this question, there has to be better options to acquire.
Ryan Hester: Not all. In standard leagues, Jerome Simpson's deep ball talent and Josh Freeman's big arm could mean a big game or two. Good luck predicting it, though, but perhaps he could warrant a start in a desperation situation.
Will Grant: In redraft leagues, absolutely. Freeman may or may not last the whole season. If he doesn't, what's the alternative? Ponder or Cassel again? No thanks. Kyle Rudolph maybe, but the rest of the WR? No.
Kyle Wachtel: Jennings has to be incredibly frustrated with his decision to sign with the Vikings. it's possible that Freeman will end up leaning on either him or Simpson, but whoever that is still won't be able to eclipse WR4 value.
Andy Hicks: No. Even if Josh Freeman is still learning on the job or if his concussion is serious, Matt Cassel or Christian Ponder are playing, Minnesota are going to be playing from behind often. Greg Jennings and Jerome Simpson have both had a couple of big games this season and remain WR3 contenders for the rest of the season.
Chad Parsons: Yes. Austin looks like a shell of his former self physically. In addition, Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley are thriving with their increases role in the offense. Dez Bryant and Jason Witten are also going nowhere in terms of target volume. There is little else for the former standout receiver in Dallas.
Ryan Hester: No. Austin is being phased out, but injuries happen — even to players other than him. If so, Austin will be rested and still has the talent to produce in an above-average passing offense.
Will Grant: Austin may still have some value. He's been banged up the last few weeks (shocker), and he's definitely not 100 percent. Terrance Williams has emerged as a solid receiving option, but Austin still may have a few big games left in him this season. The Cowboys have a late bye this season (week 11) which makes him an attractive guy if he can stay healthy. They also face a lot of soft defenses down the stretch, making Austin a nice potential playoff 'what-the-heck flex' guy.
Kyle Wachtel: Hold tight. He's not far removed from being a regular WR2 and Tony Romo is playing at a very high-level. He's got little trade value, so if you have room, give him another week or so to see if he can get on track.
Andy Hicks: Yes. The play of Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley has allowed Dallas to basically shut down Austin until he is 100 percent. For a guy with career leg injuries, Dallas really cannot allow him to keep missing crucial games or play injured in others. For fantasy owners he is dead weight on your roster until he can demonstrate some kind of game play this season. Outside game one this season he has done nothing, so if he is on your roster, drop him.
Chad Parsons: Of this group, Bowe is the one I would handicap as the best chance to see some starting lineups late this season. The Chiefs will need more offensive firepower at some point and Bowe is the best bet in a one-week scenario. Not a great bet by any means, but of all the receiving options on this list, the one I would stick in my lineup as a WR3-4 if needed.
Ryan Hester: No. While his talents don't align at all with those of his quarterback, Bowe is still the most talented receiver on this team. He'll have value occasionally, but it may be very difficult to predict when.
Will Grant: You would be crazy to cut Dwayne Bowe right? He's just too talented. Yet given his stats this season, you can't trust him in your lineup either. If you are desperate for a roster spot, Bowe is a potential drop. He might still be there if you want to pick him back later.
Kyle Wachtel: It's been a nightmarish season so far for Bowe, whom many thought Andy Reid would be able resurrect, including myself. Even though the WR3-4 border is a far cry from his preseason ADP, he's still rosterable.
Andy Hicks: No. Bowe is still the leading target in Kansas City and it must be remembered that Kansas are going to have a much tougher run home than they've had in so far. Two matches against each of San Diego and especially Denver, mean that Kansas City are more likely to be behind in some of these games. So far they have been able to get away with a run game, their strong defense and game management from Alex Smith.
That will do it for this edition of the Footballguys Roundtable. Please join us again next week.