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Most fantasy players are anything but a lesson in patience. We move effortlessly from euphoria to despair with little in between. We have high expectations and when they are not met we immediately go to the darkest place.
Sometimes the best thing I can do is try not to think about Player
So what happens when a player or team we’ve pretty much given up on starts producing? Can we trust it? Can we let this be a lesson in patience? Or are we doomed to be slaves to the emotional roller coaster that is fantasy football?
Here, we’ll review some big names that made us hit the panic button in September to see if we think they can be trusted in the future.
Caleb Williams, QB and D’Andre Swift, RB, Chicago Bears
Let me start with Swift, who was selected to be a fantasy starter by many Zero or Hero RB strategists. That seemed like an egregious mistake for the first three weeks of the season. Since then, however, Swift is the fantasy RB2 with at least 19 half-PPR fantasy points per game in Weeks 4-6.
Those coincided with some of the best fantasy matchups for running backs (Rams, Panthers, Jaguars), as well as Williams’ improved play. Williams was selected as a backup QB in fantasy drafts with future potential and that potential has been fulfilled; Williams has been the fantasy QB8 for the last three weeks. It was easy to be patient with him as he experienced the growing pains of the NFL (two touchdowns, four interceptions in the first three games, three fumbles this season). In the last two weeks, however, he made his mark as a must-have fantasy player (six TDs, one pick).
The Bears are off in Week 7, but both players’ managers are looking forward to their Week 8 matchup with Washington. I will point out that Chicago’s receivers, including TE Cole Kmet, will likely remain up-and-down fantasy players. Still, given the number of injuries we’re dealing with this season, DJ Moore, Kmet and Keenan Allen are in must-have territory moving forward.
Bijan Robinson, RB and Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
Robinson has finally produced a fantasy line that’s in line with where you drafted him (25.5 average PPR points in Week 6). But he hasn’t been terrible, putting up double-digit production in four games so far and narrowly missing that mark in Weeks 4 and 5. With the Seahawks, Bucs and Cowboys up next (all above-average fantasy matchups for RB), I think you’re safe expecting 15-20 fantasy points from your first-round pick for the foreseeable future.
Robinson isn’t doing it alone, as the entire Falcons offense has improved in recent weeks, ranking 11th in points per game and points per play. London is averaging eight receptions for nearly 100 yards per game over the past three weeks, and his four receiving touchdowns have helped him reach WR5 status for Fantasy. After a tough Week 1 against the Steelers, London has been rock solid.
Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders
McLaurin has long been a lesson in patience, and since we were able to draft him in the mid-rounds this year, his slow start hasn’t been too difficult to endure. While it was frustrating to see Jayden Daniels excel early when McLaurin outgained us by 4-8 fantasy points in the first two weeks of the season, all has now been forgiven.
McLaurin has quickly become one of the top values in the fantasy draft, finishing Week 6 as a fantasy WR5 and moving up to WR14 on the season (Average PPR Score). He’s on pace for a fifth straight 1,000+ yard season and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him finish with a career-high in fantasy points per game.
Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
Brown was another hot Zero RB target this summer, and one who fantasy managers will quickly brag about drafting him. Scoring at least once in each of the Bengals’ last three games, Brown has been the ninth-best fantasy running back over that span. The Bengals may have struggled to start the season, but they are moving forward now. Patience has paid off as Brown has become a player to rely on during these difficult bye weeks.
Looking ahead, Brown will see two more challenging matchups with the Browns and Eagles before having another pick-up matchup with the Raiders in Week 9. However, that’s only half of the equation. Brown has outscored Zack Moss in each of the last two games, with just one fewer target in Week 4. That means the chances are increasingly on his side. We’re only missing Dallas and Chicago by bye this week, but Brown could still have more upside than, say, James Cook (against Tennessee), a 49ers running back (against KC), or Aaron Jones (against Detroit).
Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens
Andrews finally had the game his fantasy managers were waiting for… but did you even start it? This weekend marked just his third passable game (given how bad the position is, I say seven points half PPR is fine) of the season and was by far his best (3/65/1).
I think there’s room for patience in fantasy football, but I don’t think Andrews will be an elite fantasy TE for the rest of the season. Maybe you’ve assembled a roster that can handle his zeroes (it’s happened twice so far), but I’m more comfortable starting Isaiah Likely or whatever other streaming option is available on waivers.
Maybe you picked up Kmet after Week 5; I’m sure I’ll start him over Andrews.
Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions
Speaking of being patient with tight ends, LaPorta was probably the first TE drafted in his league in the second or maybe third round. So, yeah, it was nice to see him finally score in Week 6. And also, yeah, it was a great catch-and-run trick play. But it was also a catch on a target against a defense that has been extremely underperforming.
It’s not a matter of patience with LaPorta, it’s fear of missing out on the explosive stat line he is still very capable of producing. You have to keep starting him and I hope, along with you, that his involvement in the Lions’ potent offense continues to increase. But it may not be there this week, as the Vikings have allowed their opponents the third-fewest points per game in the league.
Bo Nix, quarterback, Denver Broncos
Everyone loves to hide a rookie QB at the beginning of the season, and if your choice was Nix, you probably had a hard time looking in the mirror the first two weeks of the season (four interceptions, zero touchdown passes by Nix) . He showed signs of life against a Bucs defense that turned out not to be as solid as people assumed, running in his second goal of the season and managing to protect the ball. But he’s really turned things around in the last two games, a stretch in which he’s recorded five touchdowns and one interception, along with more than 200 passing yards and 35 rushing yards per game.
He is QB7 in the two-game sample for Fantasy. Importantly, Week 6’s performance came against the Chargers, who have been the league’s stingiest defense thus far (13.2 points per game average allowed). If you’ve been limping along with Dak Prescott or Justin Herbert, it might be time to consider a dramatic move to Nix.
Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts
Downs is something of a fantasy favorite, so even though he began the season recovering from an ankle injury, he was selected by most of the 12-team leagues. He started slowly in Week 3, but has since been a fantasy workhorse, posting fantasy finishes of WR8, WR26, and WR16. Those were good enough to make him the fantasy WR11 over the last three games averaging 10 targets per game.
The problem is that all of those games featured pass-happy Joe Flacco at QB and Anthony Richardson must return for the Week 7 meeting with Miami. While Miami’s offense has struggled mightily since losing Tua Tagovailoa, the defense has limited opposing wide receivers to the second-fewest fantasy points per game (they allow the fewest to the QB and are league average against RB).
I understand if you don’t have better options, but Downs is not a player I’m eager to rely on in Week 7 despite his recent success.
