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Week 11 was the end of the heavy byes which meant more games, and of course, more craziness. A pair of undrafted running backs looked like RB1s while a former first overall pick looked lost again under center. A receiver we all thought was good looked like one of the best in the game, while an injury to one of the all-time greats may have opened the door for another young receiver. What do these things mean for the playoff push and the long term future? We'll find out in this week's Believe It Or Not.
Jonas Gray can not only fill Stevan Ridley's shoes, but he may even be better. All Gray did in Week 11 was post the best numbers of any running back this season. His 199 yard, 4 touchdown performance should be more than enough to help the Patriots let Stevan Ridley move on in the offseason. Gray is a difference maker this year in the fantasy playoffs and a possible RB2 in the future.
Verdict: Don't believe it...not yet anyway. It's not going to be very often (if ever) that Gray sees a situation as perfect as the one he saw on Sunday Night Football. Gray had 38 carries against a defense that looked like it was on roller skates all night long. Less than a year ago, it was LeGarrette Blount running for 189 yards against Buffalo in this same offense. We all know where he is now.
C.J. Anderson is a RB2 at worst as long as Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman are out. Anderson's day wasn't as impressive as Gray's, but it may be more sustainable. For the second consecutive week he topped 18 PPR fantasy points and looks like the clear lead back in Denver until someone gets healthy. In this offense, Anderson could easily be the RB2 you need for the playoff push.
Verdict: Believe it. What was most impressive about Anderson's performance was that it largely came in the last 3 quarters of a game the Broncos trailed throughout. His ability to catch the ball out of the backfield gives him the kind of floor that few RB2s have. More importantly, the Broncos give Anderson an upside that can absolutely win you an important game down the stretch.
Mike Evans should immediately be placed in the elite WR tier at the top of dynasty rankings. Evans' 7-209-2 gets all the headlines this week but his line over the last three weeks may actually be more impressive. Since Week 9 he has 21 catches for 458 yards and 3 touchdowns. Quite simply put, it's one of the greatest three game stretches we've ever seen from a rookie receiver.
Verdict: Believe it. I'd have a hard time making a definitive case for any receiver over Evans. Sure his quarterback situation is murky at best, but he's not exactly alone in that regard. Evans is a 21 year old beast that has already shown the ability to be the best receiver in fantasy football. Wherever you put him in that first tier is fine with me, just as long as he's there.
Robert Griffin III III cannot be counted on in fantasy football as a QB1 this year. Griffin has had a pair of juicy matchups since his return in Week 9 and he's failed to deliver the goods. Against Minnesota and Tampa Bay he's thrown for two touchdowns and three interceptions. He's averaging a little better than 20 yard per game on the ground, which takes away that safety net that was once built in. He's an average QB2 at best for the remainder of 2014.
Verdict: Believe it. I'm not giving up on Griffin becoming a solid QB1 in the future, but this year is all but lost. It's hard enough for a young quarterback to deal with a coaching change, but Griffin's long absence looks to have really set him back. There's a possibility that Jay Gruden gets his young quarterback fixed in the offseason but there just isn't enough time left in this season.
Michael Floyd can once again be counted on as a WR2/3. Floyd has been an enigma this year, showing great promise early in the year before disappearing for long stretches. He bounced back in a big way in Week 11, doubling his touchdown total for the year. Floyd is very talented, and an injury to Larry Fittzgerald may be just what he needed to get more involved in the offense.
Verdict: Don't believe it. Floyd's touchdown catches were his only receptions of the game and likely more of an anomaly than anything. I still believe in his talent, but I don't believe he's someone you want to count on down the stretch. He's already had 3 games this year with less than 20 receiving yards. With his remaining schedule, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see another one before the year is over.