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This week’s Make or Break article focuses on a key aspect of success for borderline players: opportunity. Volume is king in fantasy football and when the time comes for more opportunities, will you be able to take advantage of them?
I have two running backs and a wide receiver, plus two tight ends with intriguing opportunities this week, and potentially creative usage that could give you league-winning advantages.
Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos
Just when we were starting to feel more confident in Javonte Williams, he hit us with a seven-point fantasy performance in what should have been an excellent matchup against the Panthers. The problem was not the opportunity. Williams had 17 carries and four receptions. They just gave up a total of 52 yards and were outplayed by Jaleel McLaughlin, who had more rushing yards on half of his carries and added a touchdown.
This brings back uncomfortable memories of the beginning of the season, when Williams constantly looked like he was on the verge of losing his job and significantly underperformed. However, I wouldn’t anticipate a sudden change in play or touch counts. Even when McLaughlin outplayed Williams in previous games, Sean Payton never pulled away from Williams. Still, it’s a bit concerning, especially considering this week’s matchup against a Baltimore Ravens defense that has been vulnerable against the pass and tough against the run. Last week, Nick Chubb was the first running back to surpass 50 yards rushing for the Ravens this year: he had 52 yards on 16 attempts.
williams do either break Your lineup in Week 9?
Although the efficiency stats favor McLaughlin, who holds the edge in rushing yards per attempt per Next Gen Stats, the Broncos clearly rely more on Williams in pass protection and receiving work, which could soften the blow of what should be a day of few yards. in a terrible confrontation. The running game could be sidelined and Williams could rely on checkdowns to save his fantasy day.
But a player whose day depends solely on the controls is a high-risk, low-reward play.
Jakobi Meyers, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders offense is shaky at best. Aside from Brock Bowers, we’re typically very cautious about leaning on Las Vegas fantasy assets. However, Meyers is a player who is being largely overlooked.
The destitute nature of the Raiders’ quarterback situation masks the fact that Meyers has actually had a decent season. Meyers is currently WR30 in points per game average, which equates to 10.4 fantasy points per game, which may not seem like much, but in perspective, he is similar to players like Zay Flowers, Marvin Harrison Jr. and DJ Moore .
Meyers has had a good year overall; It just doesn’t have that brand. In games without Davante Adams, Meyers has seen a small increase in volume, but it has been difficult to measure because the games have been against Cleveland, Denver and Kansas City. This week he gets a much-needed break in the form of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Will Meyers do either break Your lineup in Week 9?
The Bengals defense has been a bit all over the place, but they are vulnerable through the air. As inconsistent as the Bengals’ offense has been, I expect them to take advantage of this matchup, forcing the Raiders to abandon the run and push the volume through the air. This week combines the perfect setting for volume and a good matchup, which could easily result in Meyers’ best performance of the year.
Technically speaking, there’s little chance Meyers will crack your lineup. Even with the quarterback’s struggles, his target percentage ensures that a sub-five-point fantasy performance is unlikely. However, with the ceiling rising this week, you should take advantage of the big upside opportunity.
Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
Welcome back to the Do or Undo list, Chase Brown!
We miss you and, frankly, you probably should have never left. Watching the Bengals backfield this season has been one of the most frustrating experiences for me personally. Brown’s progression was expected. We knew Zack Moss was seen as the leader and Brown started the season taking a backseat to him. The vision here was that as the season progressed, Brown would continue to advance, potentially surpassing Moss and eventually ascending as the Bengals’ leader.
Unfortunately, Brown’s rise appears to have plateaued at a level he simply can’t surpass, in large part because the Bengals refuse to cut Moss. Their reluctance is baffling (perhaps they don’t want to overwhelm either man), but the advanced stats clearly favor Brown. He has a higher-than-expected rushing yardage rate at 41.6% (next-gen stats), while Moss sits at a modest 28.6%. Brown also has a respectable 4.6 yards per carry, compared to Moss’s 3.3. Neither defenseman has a significant advantage in receiving work out of the backfield, which leaves us in a bit of a no man’s land where neither has a high ceiling unless the other goes down with an injury.
Will brown do either break Your lineup in Week 9?
In an ideal matchup, both running backs could have advantages. We saw it in Week 4 against Carolina, where Brown recorded 80 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Moss added 51 rushing yards and caught a receiving touchdown. This week, the matchup is against a Raiders defense that has been generous on the ground, allowing the 10th most fantasy points to opposing running backs. Goal opportunities should be plentiful in this matchup.
If there’s a week for Brown to show that ceiling we saw in Week 4, this would be it.
Tight ends: Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars; Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I know what you’re thinking: “But Tera, how can Engram and Otton be clutch players when they’re literally top-10 tight ends in the rankings right now?”
Well, we’re not here to talk about Engram and Otton as clutch tight ends. We are here to talk about them as something decisive fold options.
Yeah! A double tight end strategy this week, one of my personal DFS favorites that can be applied just as effectively in season-long leagues.
Here’s the thing: If you drafted someone like Travis Kelce or Trey McBride, you probably don’t have a secondary option on your roster. However, fantasy managers with Engram or Otton likely have other tight ends on their roster. If you drafted Engram, you planned for him to be your TE1, but you had to include another option while he dealt with an injury. Maybe he chose Tucker Kraft, so he now has two of the top 10 options.
If you have Otton, you probably didn’t draft him but recently drafted him, possibly due to the poor performance of your drafted tight end or to capitalize on Otton’s upside potential.
Both players have the potential to be flex options this week.
Will Engram and Otton do either break Your lineup in Week 9?
With widespread injuries to receivers this season, double tight end setups could become more common. I personally flexed Otton last week while starting Brock Bowers. We know Otton has significant upside and will likely be Baker Mayfield’s first option for the next few weeks. With Christian Kirk lost for the season and Brian Thomas Jr. dealing with an injury, although the latest update on Thomas suggests the injury is less serious than feared, Engram should see greater value this week. We’ve seen the logic with Otton, but if you need supporting evidence with Engram, we can look to last season.
In 2023, we saw ample evidence that Kirk’s absence creates extreme advantages for Ingram. When Kirk was injured in Week 13 last season, Ingram exploded, becoming the overall TE1 from Weeks 13-18, averaging 15.2 fantasy points per game. To put it in context, that’s the same number George Kittle is averaging this season.
In terms of other positions, an average of 15.2 would make Ingram either WR7 or RB12 this season. His ceiling without Kirk is phenomenal. Otton and Engram are in play as strong flex options that could be part of your lineup this week.