Week four presents fantasy owners with an accurate picture of what players are likely to look like for the rest of the season. With a rash of injuries and a class of upstart rookies, things are starting to get interesting on the waiver wire.
Carolina Panthers
Cam Newton: Even in one of the worst performances of the last few seasons, Cam put in numbers that have him as a valid starter. Every single week. Ideally you’d like to have a single target to pair SuperCam with but right now that option has yet to emerge.
Cameron Artis-Payne: The lone bright spot on offense for Carolina was that even in the massive void left by Jonathan Stewart, the running game managed to make an impact. In fat that seems to have been Shula’s entire game plan, which unfortunately isn’t enough to bail out a team under more flags than the U.N. CAP will likely start again this week and should have a much better performance against an Atlanta D that might as well consist of cardboard cutouts.
Kelvin Benjamin: No sooner do I reverse myself on my long held beliefs that Carolina’s offense is too stacked to provide anything other than a feast or famine scenario for WRs than Benji proves my point for me. I still have faith in Kelvin that this latest game was a fluke against a better than advertised defense but those penalties in pass blocking aren’t endearing him to the coaching staff.
Around the NFL
Jordan Howard: Much like the situation in San Diego that has made Travis Benjamin a FF star, Jordan Howard benefits from a RB squad that has shrunken due to inopportune injuries. Howard looks poised to take over the RB1 spot on an offense that needs one. Temper your expectations however, with the knowledge that Chicago frequently plays from behind and former Lion Joique Bell was added to the roster on Tuesday.
Chiefs D: If you’re playing a standard league the juggernaut that the Chiefs have built on defense simply can’t be ignored. In IDP, Marcus Peters is your man as well as a resurgent Eric Berry. LB Derrick Johnson has also been getting in on the action being one of five players to create 8 turnovers against the Jets.
Brandon Cooks: He’s worth a look. That’s all I’m saying. Willie Snead has been Drew Brees’ go to until now but a recent injury is putting the former Rookie of the Year hopeful back into the limelight in New Orleans. Much like Carolina, New Orleans spreads their passes around, hitting five or more targets in nearly every game. Coby Fleener has been absorbing a ton of those targets so far this season. However, the Saints like to throw.....a lot and there’s plenty to go around for all those involved.
Jerick McKinnon: It didn’t show against Carolina but Jerick McKinnon is the answer the Vikings appear to be going with in the absence of Adrian Peterson. Matt Asiata has failed to show anything across multiple seasons to earn the starting nod. Carolina has long been a stumbling stone for otherwise productive RBs. Elite backs have managed to break free for huge chunks at time but when the Panthers lock it down, it stays locked. So it should be no surprise that Jerick struggled in his first increased role. The Vikings rely heavily on the run and McKinnon could be a cheap pick up with plenty of upside.
Marvin Jones: If you haven’t paying attention, Marvin Jones is having one heck of a year. Don’t feel bad if you haven’t, not a lot of fans look to the Lions when it comes to fantasy superstars. Since the exit of Megatron, there seemed to be slim pickins. Jones has increased from 85 to 118 to 205 yards since week one. With the 205 yard, two touchdown performance coming against Green Bay at Lambeau. Chances are you’re not going to find Marvin unclaimed or cheap but the future is looking bright for the 26 year old receiver.
Frank Gore: This is a ‘why not’ move. The Colts have struggled mightily but Gore has shown flashes throughout the first quarter of the season. He’s gone for 59, 44 and 82 yards so far including an exceptionally athletic touchdown against the Chargers. The low spot, it should be noted came against Denver’s nasty D. For a bye week or Flex option, you could do a lot worse than Frank Gore.