Week 8 is complete and the season is halfway over for the teams who have yet to have their bye. In most fantasy leagues there's only four or five more weeks left before the playoffs begin. Is your team in position for a playoff run? Do you need a few more wins to secure a berth? This week I take a look at some streaming options not only for Week 9, but also the rest of the season. It's always good to look ahead a few weeks for waiver claims or in some cases, four or five games ahead.
QUARTERBACK
Over the last four weeks, Houston and Arizona have averaged 2.7 passing touchdowns allowed per game with approximately 300 yards passing per game.
Upcoming schedule:
Houston: vs IND, at LAR, ARI, at BAL
Who stands to benefit: Jacoby Brissett Week 9, Jared Goff Week 10, Arizona's QB Week 11 (Stanton/Gabbert), Joe Flacco Week 12.
Arizona: at SF, SEA, at HOU, JAC
Who stands to benefit: C.J. Beathard Week 9 (Garoppolo won't be ready), Russell Wilson Week 10, Deshaun Watson Week 11, Blake Bortles Week 12.
Other teams to target your quarterback against:
- Buffalo - 342 yards passing allowed per game - last 4 weeks). Next three games: at NYJ (McCown), NO (Brees), at LAC (Rivers)
- New York Giants - 329 yards passing allowed per game, 2.3 touchdown passes per game allowed - last 4 weeks. Next three games: LAR (Goff), at SF (Garoppolo), KC (A Smith)
- Indianapolis - 308 yards passing allowed per game - last 4 weeks. Next three games: at HOU (Watson), PIT (Roethlisberger), Bye
- New York Jets - 2.5 passing touchdowns allowed per game last 4 weeks. Next three games: BUF (Taylor), at TB (Winston), Bye
RUNNING BACK
Running back streaming is more about opportunity than matchup, because there's not many streaming running back options available on the waiver wire, but there may be some possibilities sitting on your bench. Looking ahead, here's some marquee matchups to take note of.
Exploit these opponents: San Francisco, Indianapolis, Green Bay and Oakland
San Francisco - next four games ARI, NYG, Bye, SEA
The 49ers have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing running backs over the last four weeks, including 133 rushing yards per game and 1 rushing touchdown per game.
Who stands to benefit?
Week 9 Arizona (Adrian Peterson)
Week 10 NY Giants (Orleans Darkwa)
Week 11 Bye
Week 12 Seattle (Thomas Rawls, C.J. Prosise, J.D. McKissic, Eddie Lacy)
Indianapolis - next four games at HOU, PIT, Bye, TEN
The Colts have allowed the second most fantasy points to opposing running backs over the last four weeks, including 112 rushing yards per game and 1 rushing touchdown per game.
Who stands to benefit?
Week 9 at Houston (Lamar Miller)
Week 10 Pittsburgh (LeVeon Bell)
Week 11 Bye
Week 12 Tennessee (DeMarco Murray, Derrick Henry)
Green Bay - next four games DET, at CHI, BAL, at PIT
The Packers have allowed the third most fantasy points to opposing running backs over the last four weeks, including 128 rushing yards per game and 0.7 rushing touchdowns per game.
Who stands to benefit?
Week 9 Detroit (Ameer Abdullah)
Week 10 at Chicago (Jordan Howard, Tarik Cohen)
Week 11 Baltimore (Alex Collins, Danny Woodhead)
Week 12 at Pittsburgh (LeVeon Bell)
Oakland - next four games at MIA, Bye, NE, DEN
The Raiders have allowed the fourth most fantasy points to opposing running backs over the last four weeks, including 120 rushing yards per game and 0.8 rushing touchdown per game plus 7 receptions per game to opposing backs.
Who stands to benefit?
Week 9 at Miami (Damien Williams, Kenyan Drake)
Week 10 Bye
Week 11 NE (James White, Dion Lewis, Rex Burkhead, Mike Gillislee)
Week 12 Denver (C.J. Anderson, Devonte Booker)
Other teams to exploit:
Tampa Bay: 1.3 rushing touchdowns allowed per game (last 4)
Washington: 1.3 rushing touchdowns allowed per game (last 4)
WIDE RECEIVER
There are several teams to exploit at wide receiver in the next four weeks, which I'll display below, but here's a few you should stay away from:
Avoid
Denver and Cincinnati: The Broncos and Bengals allow only 8 receptions to wide receivers per game this season. Denver is the only team to allow less than 100 yards per game to opposing wide receivers. Cincinnati is second on that list at 108 yards allowed per game to wide receivers.
Denver next four opponents: at PHI, NE, CIN, at OAK
Cincinnati next four opponents: at JAC, at TEN, at DEN, CLE
Exploit
- Tampa Bay - League leading 15 receptions allowed per game to wide receivers this season.
- New York Giants - 15 receptions allowed per game to wide receivers - last four weeks including 191 yards to wide receivers
- Houston - 200 yards receiving allowed to wide receivers in the last four weeks (163 yards on season)
- Kansas City - 2.3 touchdowns allowed to wide receivers over the last four weeks
Next four games
Tampa Bay: at NO, NYJ, Bye, at ATL
New York Giants: LAR, at SF, KC, at WAS
Houston: IND, at LAR, ARI, at BAL
Kansas City: at DAL, Bye, at NYG, BUF
TIGHT END
Streaming tight ends on a weekly is a popular strategy that can be the difference between a win and a loss. Here's some matchups over the next four weeks to exploit and avoid.
Avoid
New Orleans and Detroit - This season, the Saints and Lions both allow only 3 receptions to tight ends on average per game. Outside of Rob Gronkowski, New Orleans has allowed no more than 29 yards receiving to any opposing tight end this year. Outside of Ed Dickson, the Lions have not allowed a tight end to reach more than 49 yards against them.
New Orleans next four opponents: TB, at BUF, WAS, at LAR
Detroit next four opponents: at GB, CLE, at CHI, MIN
Exploit
- Cleveland - The Browns allow a league-high 8 receptions per game to opposing tight ends this season, including 0.8 touchdowns per game
- Washington - Allows 81 yards per game on average to opposing tight ends
- NY Giants - Allow 1.1 touchdowns per game to opposing tight ends. They are the only team to allow at least one touchdown to a tight end in every game this year.
- Cincinnati - The Bengals have allowed 8 receptions per game to tight ends over the last four weeks, including 86 yards per game.
- NY Jets - Allowed 1.3 touchdowns per game to opposing tight ends in the last four weeks
Next four games
Cleveland:Bye, at DET, JAC, at CIN
Washington: at SEA, MIN, at NO, NYG
NY Giants: LAR, at SF, KC, at WAS
Cincinnati: at JAC, at TEN, at DEN, CLE
NY Jets: BUF, at TB, Bye, CAR
Good luck this week. Go get your playoff berth.
Questions, suggestions and comments are always welcome to haseley@footballguys.com