Quarterbacks

Joe Flacco – (18.2% Owned)

Joe Flacco has officially become a viable fantasy option at the quarterback position. Yes, we are still in 2023 which makes that statement even more baffling but the stats speak for themselves. Flacco has finished no worse than QB13 in his three games with the Cleveland Browns. He is still very much a gunslinger which means there will be mistakes but the production will be there. If you have Trevor Lawrence and are worried about his concussion you should pick up Flacco as a safety option.

Running Backs

Clyde Edwards-Helaire – (36.5% Owned)

Fellow running back Jerick McKinnon may be getting the buzz this week but Edwards-Helaire is the better option going forward. Edwards-Helaire out-touched McKinnon 17 to 7 and had 101 total yards in Sunday’s win over the Patriots. If you’re stuck deciding between the two just remember that Edwards-Helaire can also be a threat in the passing game.

Wide Receivers

Curtis Samuel – (39.7% Owned)

Playing any wide receiver in the Commanders offense is risky at this point but Samuel has been the most consistent this season. He grabbed another 2 receiving touchdowns on Sunday on 9 targets for Washington. As of now, it looks like quarterback Sam Howell will finish the season as the starter (which is the right move). If that’s the case Howell has developed a nice chemistry with Samuel and I see that continuing.

Tight Ends

Hunter Henry – (20.8% Owned)

There aren’t many options at the tight end position on the waiver wire but Henry is the best option if available. Henry has now finished back-to-back weeks inside the top 5 for tight ends including 3 receiving touchdowns in that span. He also has an excellent matchup this week with the Broncos who are giving up an average of 10.6 fantasy points per game to tight ends. If you’re thin at tight end go and grab Henry.

The post Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Quarterbacks

Start ‘Em

Jordan Love (@ Den) – The last time we saw Jordan Love he threw 3 interceptions against the Raiders. It was a rough outing for Love but up next he faces the lowly Broncos defense. The Broncos are allowing an average of 21.5 fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks and the Packers are coming off a bye. For the most part, Love has had a solid debut season in Green Bay and he is a viable fantasy option with his rushing ability. I expect Love to finish with 2 passing touchdowns and over 30+ rushing yards in this one.

Sit ‘Em

Trevor Lawrence (@ NO) – As of now it looks like Lawrence will suit up tonight against the Saints. He is dealing with a minor knee injury but it’s not expected to be serious. Even if completely healthy the Saints have mostly shut down opposing quarterbacks allowing an average of 14.1 fantasy points per game to them. If Lawrence does play I expect the Jaguars to lean heavily on Travis Etienne in this one. I would also be hesitant to start any Jaguars pass catchers tonight.

Running Backs

Start ‘Em

Brian Robinson Jr. (@ NYG) – Robinson has yet to break the 100+ rushing mark in a game but that could change on Sunday. Robinson will go up against a Giants defense that as a team is giving up 147.5 rushing yards per game. Really the only thing holding Robinson back is the pass-heavy play calling by Eric Bieniemy. This is the week to lean in on the run as wind could be a factor in this game.

Sit ‘Em

Raheem Mostert (@ Phi) – Sit a skill player on the Dolphins offense? It sounds crazy but Miami is set to face the Eagles defense that has been stout against the run. The Eagles are allowing an average of just 9.4 fantasy points to opposing running backs thus far. It will also be a chilly Sunday night game in Philly which favors the Eagles at home. This will be a good measuring stick game for the Dolphins on the road. I will be watching closely to see how well their offense performs in these conditions.

Wide Receivers

Start ‘Em

Drake London (@ TB) – Drake London started the season slowly but is starting to heat up. He had 9 receptions on 12 targets for 125 receiving yards last week vs. the Commanders. London has had 21 targets in the last two games as the Falcons are looking to get him more involved in the passing game. Up next is Tampa Bay who have struggled to contain #1 receivers this season. I see London getting his 3rd touchdown of the season in this one.

Sit ‘Em

George Pickens (@ LAR) – Last time we saw him Pickens scored the go-ahead touchdown in week 5 vs. the Ravens. He finished with 130 receiving yards in that game and 23.6 fantasy points. Up next is the Rams defense who have been solid against opposing wide receivers so far this season. On top of that, it looks like Diontae Johnson is set to return from IR which will take some of the targets away from Pickens.

Tight Ends

Start ‘Em

Michael Mayer (@ Chi) – It took some time but Michael Mayer finally showed off his potential in week 6. Mayer finished with 6 catches and 75 receiving yards on 6 targets against the Patriots. Up next he gets the Bears defense who have struggled stopping opposing tight ends this season. If you are thin at tight end, Mayer is worth starting and he is still just 12.8% rostered in leagues.

Sit ‘Em

Hunter Henry (vs. Buf) – Henry had a strong start to the season but has been non-existent in his last two games. He is also dealing with an ankle injury that will limit his mobility. The matchup isn’t great either as the Patriots will face the Bills at home on Sunday. Sit Henry until he regains his early-season form.

Start of the Week

Aaron Jones (@ Den) – Despite dealing with a hamstring injury that has him limited in practice, Jones is set for a big day on Sunday. The Packers are coming off a bye which should help in Jones’s recovery. He is also facing the Broncos rush defense whom have been abysmal at stopping opposing running backs. As usual, be sure to monitor his injury but if he is good to go Jones should go off in week 7.

The post 2023-24 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Week 7 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Mike Gesicki (Patriots-TE) | ADP-169 | TE-21

What happened to Mike Gesicki in 2022? Gesicki all but disappeared from the Miami Dolphins offense and despite playing in all 17 games was only targeted 52 times. He is now with the New England Patriots and hoping the change of scenery will benefit him. Of course, Gesicki will be behind Hunter Henry on the depth chart but that doesn’t mean he should be ignored.

When Gesicki was involved in the offensive gameplan he has shown he can produce. For instance, in week 6 vs the Minnesota Vikings he had 6 receptions for 69 yards and 2 touchdowns. The 21.9 fantasy points propelled Gesicki to the #1 tight end for that week. I expect the Patriots to give Gesicki more opportunities in their passing game as they love to utilize 2 tight end sets. Look for him to be targeted often in the red zone and expect a bounce back year in 2023.

Michael Mayer (Raiders-TE) | ADP-171 | TE-23

The Las Vegas Raiders decided to part ways with Darren Waller this past offseason. In his place, they now have three tight ends competing for the starting role. Austin Hooper and O.J. Howard were brought in and the Raiders drafted Michael Mayer in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Despite the competition at the tight end spot, I expect Mayer will be the starter in week 1.

Mayer was a star for Notre Dame in his final 2 seasons. He totaled 1,649 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns in that span. At 6’4″, Mayer has the length to be a big-time red zone target in the Raiders offense. Expect Mayer to benefit from Jimmy Garoppolo and his quick, accurate passes. I project Mayer to finish inside the top 20 at the tight end position.

*Cole Turner (Commanders-TE) | ADP-NA | TE-NA

If you’re looking for a deep tight end sleeper look no further than Cole Turner. It’s easy to forget about Turner as he had a quiet rookie season plagued with injuries. As a result, Turner finished with only 2 receptions for the Washington Commanders in 2022. Logan Thomas is presumably the TE1 in Washington but can he be trusted for a full season?

Turner is a massive 6’6″ tight end that can make acrobatic catches. His athleticism was on full display at the Commanders training camp last season before his hamstring injury. Turner is now back fully healthy and already making some noise at OTA’s. The tight end position has always been a key component in an Eric Bieniemy offense. With that said, I see Turner being a better fit than Thomas in this new Commanders offense. If he can stay healthy, Turner could be one of the steals of the year that no one is talking about.

Looking for more fantasy advice? Check out our fantasy football section.

*Deep sleeper

The post 3 Tight End Sleepers for 2023 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The New England Patriots aren’t pulling their foot off the pedal in the brutal AFC East. The cyborg head coach, Bill Belichick, has talent on his roster (such as QB Mac Jones, WR DeVante Parker, TE Hunter Henry, OLB Matthew Judon, and FS Devin McCourty) & he also has assistant coaches: Matt Patricia and Joe Judge back at this lab. With that said, I’m going to take a fun angle and untwine 10 bold predictions for the Patriots in 2022.

• Mac Jones throws 30+ passing touchdowns

Mac Jones is no longer a rookie in the league and he clearly has a stronger taste of the NFL speed in his second season. Furthermore, Jones has new ammunition in his sophomore season – such as the new WR1 DeVante Parker. The former Phins wideout is still a year under 30 and I believe his ability shown in 2019 (1,202 yds and 9 touchdowns) isn’t too far behind him.

• Hunter Henry makes the Pro Bowl

The former Los Angeles Chargers TE ousted a personal-best 9 TDs last season. I expect him to blossom in year two with the Pats – especially from a wiser QB1. I believe Henry can make his first Pro Bowl in 2022.

• Josh Uche records double-digit sacks

BB shipped away the former Michigan Wolverine Chase Winovich and the new OLB starter is none other than Winovich’s former teammate at Michigan, Josh Uche. The young edge rusher has shined this off-season and I believe he is due for his best season in 2022 – which could absolutely be a double-digit sack campaign.

• Devin McCourty makes the Pro Bowl

The Pats safety Devin McCourty is like fine wine – as he continues to shine in his old age (and he recently turned 35). He ousted three ints last season and PFF also gave him a potent 76.0 grade. I believe the three-time Pro Bowler will leave everything on the line in potentially his last season and garner a PB berth.

• Matthew Judon is second-team All-Pro (at least)

Matthew Judon proved to be a monster pick-up by the Pats GM – as he recorded a personal-best 12.5 sacks in 2021. I believe he slightly improves – which will result in second-team AP honors (at least).

• Christian Barmore is a Pro Bowler

The Pats x-factor on defense is Christian Barmore in my opinion. The Patriots 2021 second-round pick has freakish physical gifts and he also got his feet wet in year one. In year two – I foresee Barmore being unstoppable in the run game and improving in the passing game – which could lead to him obtaining Pro Bowl honors.

• Ty Montgomery has 5+ TDs

The Pats inked the RB/WR Ty Montgomery in free agency – who has been with the Packers and Saints in his NFL journey. I believe he will be utilized best in New England & Mac Jones will stay efficient by hooking up with him in the red zone. I trust that he can unveil 5+ TDs in 2022.

• Belichick smiles a few times

I know Belichick is an old-school philosopher & a bit of a hard-ass. However, he has tended to be more laid back in his older years. With that said, I believe he will be happy & even smile a few times in his 22nd season with NE. Yes, you read that correctly.

• Nick Folk converts 40+ field goals for the Patriots

The Pats really leaned on their kicker Nick Folk to be a star in 2021 – as he had a career-high 39 attempts (and which he converted a personal-best 36 FGs). I believe he will be called on more than last season and he will shine by converting a whopping 40 FGs.

• Damien Harris runs for 1,200+ yards

The 2019 third-round pick Damien Harris registered an impressive 15 rushing TDs and 929 rushing yds last season. I believe the future will only be brighter for the physical RB that is entering a contract year — hence, I believe he will up his single-season rushing yard tally to 1,200+ yards.

The post 10 bold predictions for the New England Patriots in 2022 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Matt Gruber

Week eight is upon us and it is time for the weekly starts and sits. This is the eighth installment of the 17-piece series aimed to help you make the roster decisions to give you an edge over your opponent. Let’s jump into it and win some championships.

Quarterbacks

Start: Teddy Bridgewater ”“ Denver Broncos

In seven games this season, Teddy Bridgewater was thrown at least two touchdowns in five of those games. He has also hit at least 250 yards in four of these games. This week he has a juicy matchup against the Washington Football Team. Ranked last against the pass, Washington has allowed opposing quarterbacks to throw for at least 250 yards in each game this year. Furthermore, they have given up at least two passing touchdowns in five consecutive weeks. Start Bridgewater with confidence this week.

Honorable Mentions: Daniel Jones @ KC, Kirk Cousins vs. DAL, Carson Wentz vs. TEN

Sit: Mac Jones ”“ New England Patriots

Coming off his best week of the season, I am tempering my expectations for Mac Jones in week eight. He is going up against the Los Angeles Chargers who are ranked fifth best against quarterbacks. Allowing an average of just 15 fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, I expect New England to focus on running the ball in this one. Look for other options at quarterback this week.

Honorable Mentions: Taylor Heinicke @ DEN, Tua Tagovailoa @ BUF, Jared Goff vs. PHI

Running Backs

Start: James Robinson ”“ Jacksonville Jaguars

Fresh off a bye, look for James Robinson to pick up right where he left off. He has put up at least 17 fantasy points in four consecutive weeks. This week, he faces the Seattle Seahawks who have been awful against opposing running backs. Allowing at least 23 fantasy points to opposing backs in six of their seven games, start Robinson this week and don’t think twice.

Honorable Mentions: Chuba Hubbard @ ATL, Joe Mixon @ NYJ, Darrel Williams vs. NYG

Sit: Leonard Fournette ”“ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

After a slow start, Leonard Fournette has been impressive these last few weeks. However, this week he plays against a stout run defense in the New Orleans Saints. Bottling up Seahawks running backs this past week, the Saints have yet to allow more than 85 rushing yards to opposing running backs. I think it will be a long day for Fournette. Look for an alternative at running back this week.

Honorable Mentions: Mike Davis vs. CAR, Myles Gaskin @ BUF, James Conner vs. GB

Wide Receivers

Start: Courtland Sutton

I am expecting a big game from Courtland Sutton this week. If the blurb on Teddy Bridgewater was not enough for you, then continue reading here. Facing the Washington Football Team, the matchup does not get any better. Washington is allowing an average of 38 fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. Giving up at least two touchdowns to receivers in three consecutive games, Sutton is in line to win some weeks.

Honorable Mentions: Emmanuel Sanders vs. MIA, Michael Pittman vs. TEN, Tyler Lockett vs. JAX

Sit: Tee Higgins ”“ Cincinnati Bengals

While his 15 targets last week were an encouraging sign, I still need to see more from Tee Higgins to plug him into my lineup. Since returning from injury, he has yet to score double-digit fantasy points. Additionally, he has not eclipsed 65 receiving yards all season. To make matters even worse, fellow wideout, Ja’Marr Chase is popping off. I am looking for better options this week.

Honorable Mentions: Robert Woods @ HOU, Jakobi Meyers @ LAC, DeVante Parker @ BUF

Tight Ends

Start: Hunter Henry ”“ New England Patriots

Hunter Henry has scored a touchdown four weeks in a row. While his receptions and yards may be a bit low, scoring is everything. I think there is a good chance he finds the end zone again this week. Not only is fellow tight end Jonnu Smith dealing with a shoulder injury, but he is going up against the Los Angeles Chargers. This is good news considering the fact the Chargers have allowed a touchdown to opposing tight ends in five of their six games. In a position lacking playmakers, you could do worse this week.

Honorable Mentions: Tyler Higbee @ HOU, C.J. Uzomah @ NYJ, Tyler Conklin vs. DAL

Sit: Ricky Seals-Jones ”“ Washington Football Team

Facing the Denver Broncos this week, Ricky Seals-Jones will be staying on my bench this week. Ranked fourth best against tight ends, the Broncos have not allowed a single touchdown to opposing tight ends. I think for Seals-Jones to have a productive week, he will need to find the endzone. I am not too confident that he will be able to this week. Look elsewhere for tight end options.

Honorable Mentions: Dalton Schultz @ MIN, Jared Cook vs. NE, Mo Alie-Cox vs. TEN

If you enjoyed this piece, feel free to find more of my content on Twitter @FF_Worm. I am always available to talk fantasy football and answer any questions.

The post Fantasy Football: Week 8 Start/Sit appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By Jesse Moeller (Twitter: @JMoeller05)

What a week it has been for the Patriots. Spending money as if it was going out of style. As of March 18th a whopping $222 million spent in free agency, over $70 million more than anyone else this offseason. Jonnu Smith was the first domino, as he signed a four-year $50 million contract on Monday. The Patriots then double-dipped one day later signing Hunter Henry to a three-year $37 million contract. The team has spent a combined $87 million on the tight end position alone in free agency. $56 million of that was guaranteed.

The instant comparison for anyone familiar with fantasy football within the last decade is to harken back to the 2011 season. The pinnacle for tight end stands, as Gronkowski and Hernandez finished top three at the tight end position. I wanted to take a look back at that historic tight end season and see how it compares to the Patriots for 2021 and beyond.

Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez revamped how we feel about tight ends in fantasy. Gronkowski was the main attraction of the two and put up the greatest individual tight end season. To the tune of 90 receptions for 1,327 yards and 17 touchdowns on 124 targets. This translates to 324.7 fantasy points in full Point Per Reception (PPR) Leagues. Hernandez was no slouch himself, as he finished with 79 receptions for 910 yards and 7 touchdowns on 113 targets. That reached 212 fantasy points and would have put Hernandez as the TE3 last year right behind Kelce, and Waller.

Now there is an elephant in the room when trying to translate the 2011 season to the 2021 room. Tom Brady is no longer the quarterback of the Patriots. The Patriots were a top 10 in passing play rate during the 2011 season in 58% of plays called ending in a pass. Fast forward to the 2021 season with Cam Newton as the quarterback and the Patriots passed it 47% of the time. That percent difference is equal to the team calling 107 fewer passing plays over the year. Broken down that is 6.7 fewer passes a game to go around, the equivalent of going from Roethlisberger who was 3rd in attempts to Bridgewater who was 16th in attempts last year.

These types of numbers cannot be denied when evaluating players moving into new situations. Let us break down both Smith and Henry as players, and how they will be used by the Patriots in 2021 and beyond.

Jonnu Smith

Jonnu has been a tantalizing athlete at the tight end position. A player who had a breakout age of 18.0 (100th) paired with a speed and burst score above 84% screams one of the more talented players at the position. What has been perplexing about Jonnu is his lack of usage in the passing game in Tennessee. Jonnu was stuck behind Delanie Walker his rookie year, learning the ropes of the position. The following three years saw him struggle to make an impact while competing with the likes of Luke Stocker, and Anthony Firkser. (That’s not ideal)

What has been clear is his lack of usage in the passing game throughout his career in Tennessee. Jonnu averaged a 15% snap share in special teams his first three seasons. Last year it dropped to 3% as he became a much more important part of the offense. If a team values a player on offense they will minimize the number of snaps played on special teams. Look at any tight end snaps played. If that player is over 10% of special teams snaps, they are not viewed as an essential part of the offense.

Hunter Henry

While Hunter Henry is not the supreme athlete that Jonnu Smith is, he is no slouch. Henry has been one of the more productive tight ends in the league since his rookie year. The issue has never been talent, as Henry also broke out during his age 18 freshman year at Arkansas. Injuries are the worry, as Henry has never played a full season. Playing only 68% of his career games due largely to an ACL tear that cost him the entire 2018 season. His production has been constant In his young NFL career Henry has played he has averaged 49 receptions for 580.5 yards and 5.25 touchdowns on 71 targets. Henry had a career year in 2020, he was a top ten tight end in numerous categories this year such as targets, receptions, routes run, snap share, and slot snaps.

What to make of the Tight Ends Moving Forward?

The outlook for both players may seem murky at the moment, so let us help dispel that for fantasy players. Hunter Henry is your prototypical In-line tight end. He is set to emulate the role that Gronkowski dominated in his early years with the Patriots. He had not yet evolved into that “Big Slot” role that he dominated as later in the league. Henry has plenty of experience in the slot role, as he will spend some time off of the line, but the majority will be spent as an in-line tight end. He will be one of Newton’s primary passing options in 2021.

Jonnu Smith is a superior version of Aaron Hernandez in the Patriots’ offense. Hernandez lined up wide over 500 times during the famed 2011 season. He was the “Big Slot” before Gronkowski. Jonnu Smith has the ability to lineup everywhere on the field. As we have seen him used in the backfield, out wide, and in line with the Titans. Expect Josh McDaniels to deploy him everywhere during his tenure in New England. The Patriots will utilize both players a heavy amount this upcoming year.

Between them expect above a 40% target share. Why is this that easy to project? The lack of top-end receiving talent will make it easy for New England to highlight both players. Do the names of Harry, Meyers, Agholor, Borne, and Edelman scare you away? While everyone is worried about the ceiling for Henry and Smith, I would acquire either player with the intention of them being a backend TE1 in fantasy. Both players will have a 40 reception 500-yard floor in the Patriots offense. The change actually helps out each player. If all falls into place this year they could both finish as top 6 options at the tight end position. They are a much safer bet than the likes of Irv Smith, Adam Troutman, or Cole Kmet to make a jump to the tier 1 of dynasty tight ends.

Of the two, Henry does have the higher ceiling in my opinion. I see him being the number one option followed by Smith. Do you remember the Patriots receiving core of 2011? It was a Prime Wes Welker putting up 122 receptions. The trio of Chad Johnson, Deion Branch, and Julian Edelman combined for 1,012 on 70 receptions. Gronk and Hernandez were 2 of the best 3 options on that team. I see something similar for both Henry and Smith. They will be feature role of this offense., The receivers will be the supporting actors in this iteration of Belichick’s offense.

Buy both players in dynasty, and know your tight end position is secure for the next two to three years. Let everyone else overpay for the younger Hockenson or Fant, and while they wait for the breakout know you are getting top 12 tight end production from day one.

The post Dynasty TE Outlook For New England Patriots appeared first on Pro Football Mania.