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Wow! Did anyone see Julio Jones out there this week. The man was an absolute titan out there, making the Tampa Bay secondary look nonexistent. Jones finally supplied fantasy owners with the earth-shattering statistical performance we’ve come to expect from the league’s best wideout (alongside Antonio Brown of course). Will the high flying Falcon be able to repeat that same success against a stingy Vikings defense? Probably not, but I’m not necessarily expecting a bad showing from Jones. Where does he sit amongst his football catching peers in the fantasy football world? Find out below!
Each week of the NFL season, I’ll be giving an updated look at where the top players at each fantasy position stand, with matchups and injury concerns taken into account. For the sake of continuity, I’ll only be using standard scoring when constructing the rankings, so be sure to consider that when setting your lineups.
Quarterback
- Tom Brady - @ Buf
- Carson Wentz - @ Sea
- Kirk Cousins - @ Dal
- Russell Wilson - vs Phi
- Drew Brees - vs Car
- Philip Rivers - vs Cle
- Matthew Stafford - @ Bal
- Ben Roethlisberger - @ Cin
- Cam Newton - @ NO
- Jameis Winston - @ GB
- Matt Ryan - vs Min
- Derek Carr - vs NYG
- Case Keenum - @ Atl
- Josh McCown - vs KC
- Jared Goff - @ Ari
- Alex Smith - @ NYJ
- Dak Prescott - vs Was
- Blake Bortles - vs Ind
- Marcus Mariota - vs Hou
- Brett Hundley - vs TB
Jameis Winston is officially back in the starting lineup after a three week hiatus due to a shoulder injury. He immediately enters the top 10 fantasy play discussion going up against Green Bay’s horrid secondary, but owners should be wary of the workload the Bucs give him due to the nature of his injury. Shoulders are fickle when it comes to quarterbacks. Winston aside, Philip Rivers and Kirk Cousins are two of my favorite plays this week.
Running Back
- Le’Veon Bell - @ Cin
- Todd Gurley - @ Ari
- Melvin Gordon - vs Cle
- Leonard Fournette - vs Ind
- LeSean McCoy - vs NE
- Alvin Kamara - vs Car
- Mark Ingram - vs Car
- Jordan Howard - vs SF
- Kareem Hunt - @ NYJ
- Christian McCaffrey - @ NO
- Carlos Hyde - @ Chi
- Devonta Freeman - vs Min
- Latavius Murray - @ Atl
- Lamar Miller - @ Ten
- Samaje Perine - @ Dal
- Duke Johnson - @ LAC
- Dion Lewis - @ Buf
- Alex Collins - vs Det
- Adrian Peterson - vs LAR
- DeMarco Murray - vs Hou
Kareem Hunt can be downgraded to an RB2 (albeit maybe a high-end RB2) for the time being. Should Kansas City’s offense get back on track, Hunt could immediately shoot back to being the dynamo he was before Andy Reid’s unit become a shell of its former self. Until then, play Hunt with tempered expectations. Samaje Perine and Dion Lewis are two guys trending in the opposite direction, as both have taken control of their respective backfields and should continue to see heavy usage.
Wide Receiver
- Antonio Brown - @ Cin
- DeAndre Hopkins - @ Ten
- Julio Jones - vs Min
- Keenan Allen - vs Cle
- Adam Thielen - @ Atl
- Brandin Cooks - @ Buf
- Mike Evans - @ GB
- Michael Thomas - vs Car
- A.J. Green - vs Pit
- Davante Adams - vs TB
- Alshon Jeffery - @ Sea
- Larry Fitzgerald - vs LAR
- Jarvis Landry - vs Den
- Doug Baldwin - vs Phi
- Jamison Crowder - @ Dal
- Robby Anderson - vs KC
- Devin Funchess - @ NO
- Tyreek Hill - @ NYJ
- Marvin Jones Jr. - @ Bal
- Dez Bryant - vs Was
Mike Evans has his quarterback under center once again, which means good things are coming for the talented pass catcher. Davante Adams has proven to be backup quarterback proof as he’s still producing with Brett Hundley in the lineup, though we can’t say the same thing for Jordy Nelson. Keep an eye out for Jamison Crowder this week against a swiss cheese Dallas secondary. Kirk Cousins heavily relied on Crowder last week with Chris Thompson out of the lineup.
Tight End
- Rob Gronkowski - @ Buf
- Travis Kelce - @ NYJ
- Zach Ertz - @ Sea
- Jimmy Graham - vs Phi
- Delanie Walker - vs Hou
- Evan Engram - @ Oak
- Cameron Brate - @ GB
- Kyle Rudolph - @ Atl
- Vernon Davis - @ Dal
- Jared Cook - vs NYG
- Jack Doyle - @ Jax
- Jason Witten - vs Was
- O.J. Howard - @ GB
- Hunter Henry - vs Cle
- Austin Hooper - vs Min
- Julius Thomas - vs Den
- Charles Clay - vs NE
- Eric Ebron - @ Bal
- Tyler Kroft - vs Pit
- Austin Seferian-Jenkins - vs KC
Cameron Brate should be back on fantasy radars this week. There was a clear drop off for the early season star when Ryan Fitzpatrick was slinging the rock, but Brate’s rapport with Winston earlier in the year was very strong. Vernon Davis is a good bounce-back candidate this week. After recording zero receptions in a good spot last Thursday, Davis has another positive matchup against the Cowboys, and Jordan Reed will once again be on the sideline.
Defense/Special Teams
- Jacksonville - vs Ind
- Los Angeles (Chargers) - vs Cle
- Los Angeles (Rams) - @ Ari
- Pittsburgh - @ Cin
- Chicago - vs SF
- Philadelphia - @ Sea
- Minnesota - @ Atl
- Detroit - @ Bal
- Baltimore - vs Det
- New England - @ Buf
- Washington - @ Dal
- New Orleans - vs Car
- Carolina - @ NO
- Seattle - @ Phi
- Denver - @ Mia
- Miami - vs Den
- Cincinnati - vs Pit
- Houston - @ Ten
- Kansas City - @ NYJ
- Tennessee - vs Hou
The Chargers are my favorite DST pickup of the week. Anthony Lynn’s defense is owned in just about 60% of Yahoo leagues and has an impeccable matchup with the Browns. Lynn’s crew has also been on a steep upward trend since their four-game losing streak earlier in the season. Pick them up now if they are still available.
Kicker
- Greg Zuerlein - @ Ari
- Stephen Gostkowski - @ Buf
- Will Lutz - vs Car
- Ryan Succop - vs Hou
- Matt Prater - @ Bal
- Jake Elliot - @ Sea
- Matt Bryant - vs Min
- Justin Tucker - vs Det
- Chris Boswell - @ Cin
- Graham Gano - @ NO
- Kai Forbath - @ Atl
- Stephen Hauschka - vs NE
- Harrison Butker - @ NYJ
- Robbie Gould - @ Chi
- Adam Vinatieri - @ Jax
- Phil Dawson - @ LAR
- Giorgio Tavecchio - @ NYG
- Chandler Catanzaro - vs KC
- Blair Walsh - @ Phi
- Brandon McManus - @ Mia
Play Ryan Succop and Stephen Gostkowski with confidence this week, while avoiding Blair Walsh and Phil Dawson. Picking a fantasy football kicker is all about the scoring potential of the offense while taking into consideration the strength of the opposing defense.