Pick Me Up
Brandon Jacobs RB NYG (31 percent ownership per CBS)
Twice in this weekly column, I’ve suggested that you ignore Jacobs. I wasn’t alone in that sentiment, as Jacobs is still owned in less than a third of leagues. Fantasy football is a game where it’s important to not be stubborn, and be willing to change your stance on a player or situation at any given moment, especially when a 6-foot-4, 256 pound man is seeing the volume that Jacobs did this past week.
Jacobs carried 22 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns in a game that the Giants were trailing nearly the entire time. Although the Bears front is depleted, he looked like the old battering ram he was when he last played in New York, gaining 48 yards after contact.
Don’t anticipate many receptions the rest of the way (he’s topped 20 receptions only once in nine seasons), but the volume of carries should be there going forward with a very favorable schedule. Even before the impending return of Andre Brown, or the possible return of David Wilson, the Giants still face Minnesota, Philadelphia and Oakland before either would likely be back.
Kendall Wright WR TEN (38 percent ownership)
Since Ryan Fitzpatrick has taken over for injured Jake Locker, Wright has found his way back onto the PPR radar. Over the past two weeks with Fitzpatrick, Wright has totaled 11 receptions on 16 targets for 143 yards compared to only four catches for 45 yards on 12 targets for the previously surging Nate Washington. He now leads the Titans in receptions, targets and catch percentage for the season. As the bye weeks hit, Wright can provide a level floor as a PPR option on a team that hasn’t been able to run the football.
Dive
Lance Dunbar (five percent ownership) Joseph Randle RB DAL (one percent)
Dunbar is nursing a hamstring injury that has forced him out of the lineup the past two weeks. If he’s healthy, he’ll be the first in line to get a shot at replacing injured starter Demarco Murray, who will be missing the next four to six weeks with a knee injury.
If he can’t go this week, Randle is worth being added to rosters, but was largely ineffective in his first action as a pro. Against a poor Washington defense, he carried 11 times for only 17 yards while tacking on a two catches for 15 yards.
The Cowboys could revert back to their pass happy ways of 2012 with Murray out. Whoever wins the right to play more snaps will have instant value in catch leagues. If you recall our initial breakdown of Murray’s pass catching prospects this season, Jason Garrett paired with Tony Romo have always involved their running backs in the passing game. Murray had 24 catches on 27 targets prior to being injured.
While Dunbar is the more complete back as a runner, both players are extremely talented in the passing game. Dunbar is the all-time leader in all-purpose yardage at North Texas, catching 28 or more passes in each of his final seasons in college. Randle snagged 108 catches in just three seasons at Oklahoma State for 917 yards.
If you have the roster space, try grabbing both players and follow the situation during the week in hopes that one separates from the other. Murray had accounted for 80 percent of all the backfield touches in Dallas, so if a regular emerges, there’s strong value to be had.
Chris Ogbonnaya RB CLE (15 percent ownership)
A running back that converted to fullback for 2013, Ogbonnaya has been thrust into a hybrid role for the Browns offense after trading Trent Richardson. He’s played 35 or more snaps in every game this season except week five when he was forced out with a concussion, outplaying journeyman Willis McGahee 41 to 29 snaps this past Sunday.
Despite missing most of week five, Ogbonnaya ranks seventh in running back targets (30), 12th in receptions (20), and is one of seven backs to have multiple receiving scores on the season. He’s had five or more targets with four or more receptions in every full game he’s played since the Richardson trade.
Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls
Mike Tolbert: Week Six line: eight carries for 27 yards, one touchdown, two receptions for 20 yards one touchdown – 18.7 PPR points
Every year we go through this with Tolbert. He’s always had a few weeks per season with multiple scores in a game. His ten touches were a season high in a blowout victory and Jonathan Stewart’s imminent arrival is drawing closer.
Kenny Stills: Week six : three receptions on three targets for 64 yards and one touchdown – 15.4 pts.
Stills found the end zone for the first time in his career this past week, but shouldn’t be anything more than a deep stash on large rosters. He’s seen more than three targets in only two games, and had three or more catches in only another two. His snap count has remained level all season, he’s currently just too far down on the Saints pecking order.
Joseph Fauria: Week six: three receptions on three targets for 34 yards and three touchdowns – 24.4 pts.
Everyone’s favorite new player, the tight end version of a touchdown vulture, Fauria has turned five of his seven receptions into touchdowns this season. While that kind of production is definitely noticed (including his dancing prowess), he still remains in a very limited role, even with Tony Scheffler out indefinitely with a concussion. He hasn’t even been targeted in three of the games this season and has yet to play more than 32 percent of the offensive snaps in any game. Until his role expands, owners can’t take the risk of plugging him into their lineups on a given week in hopes of scoring a touchdown.
Bye Bye Bye
Teams on Bye: Oakland, New Orleans
Waiver wire quarterbacks with favorable matchups: Ryan Tannehill (BUF), Nick Foles (DAL), Eli Manning (MIN)
WR: Brandon Gibson (BUF), Riley Cooper (DAL), Mohamed Sanu (DET)
TE: Zach Miller (ARI), Brandon Pettigrew (CIN)
*Stats for this article were provided by Pro-Football-Reference, ProFootballFocus, and NFL.Com
