DFS Alerts
Jeremy Maclin returns to practice
The veteran Chiefs WR has missed nearly a month but appears to be close to returning to action as he took part in practice today. No word yet on whether he’ll be available for a plus match up against the Falcons this weekend – we’ll continue to monitor his status and update you as the week progresses.
As reported by: Adam Teicher on espn.com
Percy Harvin and Robert Woods continue to not practice for Bills
The two Buffalo WR’s missed last weeks game and it’s not looking good for them to return to action this week as they continue to miss practice. Sammy Watkins is back in the fold though and is the Buffalo receiving option you want to target.
As reported by: Mike Rodak on espn.com Other tagged players: Robert Woods Andrew Luck still in concussion protocol
While Luck did return to practice in limited fashion yesterday, he still is in the league concussion protocol. That said, he should be able to play but it’s a situation we’ll monitor as the week progresses. If he can’t go, Scott Tolzien would get another start.
As reported by: Mike Chappell on Twitter Jordan Matthews and Ryan Mathews miss practice for Eagles
Ryan Mathews continues to miss practice after sitting out last weeks game against the Packers while Jordan Matthews is trying to recover from an ankle injury he incurred in that game. It’s early in the week so the two could still play – it’s a situation we’ll monitor and update as more information comes in.
As reported by: Reuben Frank on Twitter Other tagged players: Ryan Mathews Ryan Mathews still considered day-to-day
It doesn’t seem like Mathews (knee) will be able to return this week, although the Eagles consider him day-to-day. Without him available against the Packers, Darren Sproles out-snapped Wendell Smallwood 31-22. That’s in part due to the Eagles playing from behind as Sproles is their primary receiving back. He ended up second on the team in targets with seven. Smallwood out-rushed him, picking up 37 yards on nine carries, while Sproles had just six yards on three carries. Their snap counts will likely vary based on game flow if Mathews misses another game. The Eagles are 1.5-point favorites against the Bengals this weekend, which gives a slight edge to Smallwood, but it’ll still be a timeshare and the game total is set at a low 42.5 points. Neither Sproles or Smallwood will be strong options at running back.
As reported by: Jeff McLane Other tagged players: Wendell Smallwood, Darren Sproles
Ladarius Green expected to get more snaps Sunday
Green was on the field for 26% of the Steelers’ offensive snaps in their last game, which was a season-high for him. Despite the limited participation, he caught 2-of-3 targets for 67 yards. Coach Mike Tomlin said he expects Green to get increased reps this week, which is great timing because they’re playing the Giants, who rank 24th in TE DVOA. They’re also at home, where Ben Roethlisberger has thrown 15 touchdowns and boasts a passer rating of 123.8 (he has eight scores and an 80.4 rating on the road). Plus, the game has a fantasy-friendly total of 49.5 points. It’s a good situation for Green to be in. Even though he hasn’t been on the field very often, Ben has already given him two red zone targets, including a pass Green dropped in the end zone. Pittsburgh brought him in to be a playmaker; with a more favorable snap count and nice spot, he has a chance to be just that in Week 13. Green isn’t nearly safe enough for cash games, but he’s got sufficient upside, and a low enough price, to be a sneaky option in tournaments.
As reported by: Dave Lolley Tyrell Williams dealing with labrum injury
The extent of injury is not yet know. Williams played through a torn right labrum in college, postponing surgery to the offseason. It would seem that he’ll play through the injury this time around as well, but it’s a situation worth monitoring this week. Depending on the severity, he could end up being limited or taking some type of hit to his production. We’ll get more information when the Chargers practice tomorrow.
As reported by: San Diego Union-Tribune Brandin Cooks is third on Saints in targets per game
Cooks didn’t receive a single target in Week 12 against the Rams. Rookie Michael Thomas, on the other hand, had a monster game, catching 9-of-10 targets for 108 yards and two touchdowns. With the big performance, Thomas now leads the team in nearly every receiving category, including yards, touchdowns, and plays over 20 yards. The rookie also has a team-high 7.5 targets per game, while Willie Snead is second with 6.9, and Cooks is third with 6.8. These stats, in large part, are due to opposing defenses actively working to shut Cooks down, routinely putting him in double coverage. The Rams did this relentlessly on Sunday where Cooks drew safety help repeatedly because he’s a home run threat on every play. Los Angeles’ strategy didn’t work though; Brees racked up 310 yards and four scores, and it opened up a lot for Thomas. This game plan pretty much never works for opposing teams. In games where Cooks is targeted eight or more times, the Saints are 1-5, whereas they’re 4-1 when he receives seven or fewer. Surely teams will have taken notice of Michael Thomas’ tremendous rookie campaign, especially after their last game, and change their approach. In Week 13 they face the Detroit Lions, who have league’s worst pass defense. Even if they wanted to shut Cooks down they might not have the ability to do so; they rank 22nd in WR1 DVOA, whereas Los Angeles ranks 10th. Thomas is too big of a threat, and the Lions don’t have the depth, to ignore him, which should provide much easier coverage for Cooks than he faced against the Rams. The Lions-Saints game is in the Superdome this weekend and, fittingly, it has the highest total on the board at 53.5 points. Brandin Cooks will have a high ceiling and low ownership due to recency bias, which makes him a solid tournament option. After all, the guy still has two of the four longest receptions in the NFL this season, and both of them happened in New Orleans.
As reported by: New Orleans Advocate Other tagged players: Michael Thomas, Willie Snead Falcons CB Desmond Trufant headed to IR
Trufant will need season-ending surgey to repair a torn pectoral. He was the Falcons’ best cornerback, often responsible for covering their opponents’ number one receivers. The Falcons will host Tyreek Hill and the Chiefs this coming weekend. Kansas City are unsure whether Jeremy Maclin will be able to play this weekend or not. If he can’t, Hill would remain their number one receiver. He’s coming off a breakout game against the Broncos in which he scored on a reception, a rush, and a kick return. Expect Hill and tight end Travis Kelce to lead the team in targets against Atlanta, who rank 22nd is pass DVOA.
As reported by: Mike Garafolo Other tagged players: Tyreek Hill Stefon Diggs practices again; should play Thursday
While he’s practicing in a limited fashion it appears likely that the Vikings WR #1 will be ready to go for their Thursday Night game against the Cowboys. He’s in play in all formats and his return is a hit to the value of Vikings secondary receiving options like Adam Thielen and Cordarrelle Patterson.
As reported by: Matt Vensel on Twitter Jordan Matthews has sprained ankle; should play this week
The Eagles WR sustained the injury last night in their loss to the Packers. He did return for a bit before leaving again. He should be fine to play this week but the Eagles passing game has struggled so he’s not a reasonable DFS option going up against the Bengals.
As reported by: Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter Bryce Treggs to start for Nelson Agholor, Darren Sproles to start at RB
With Nelson Agholor being a healthy scratch, the Eagles will give Bryce Treggs a shot to start on the outside to hopefully give them some ability to stretch the field. Treggs is lightning fast – he runs a 4.31 40 – and the Eagles have had basically no ability to move the ball in big chunks this year with their wideouts, so we could definitely see Carson Wentz take a few shots downfield to try to surprise the Green Bay defense. Philly’s offense has been almost exclusively limited to short, quick hitting routes in recent weeks. Paul Turner should also see some run as the 4th receiver, but doesn’t carry the same ceiling as Treggs. At the RB spot, Darren Sproles will draw the start, but expect Wendell Smallwood (and potentially Kenjon Barner) to see plenty of early down work. Game flow will likely have the biggest impact on how the Eagles use their backs.
As reported by: Jeff McLane Other tagged players: Bryce Treggs, Wendell Smallwood, Paul Turner
Stefon Diggs back at practice Monday, expected to play Thursday
After getting scratched from the lineup on Thanksgiving and missing practice yesterday, Diggs was a limited participant in today’s session. Barring any setbacks, he’ll be ready to play the Cowboys on Thursday night. Despite the low game total (43.5) and expected slow pace, Diggs is actually in a decent spot. Dallas really struggles against slot receivers; heading into Week 12 they had allowed the most PPR points to the position (17.8 per game) and Jamison Crowder posted a 8/88/0 line on them on Thanksgiving. Diggs should be targeted a ton this week. Prior to his last game against the Patrick Peterson and the Cardinals (seven targets), he had 13 or more targets for three straight weeks. He’s a solid option for the Monday-Thursday slates and for Week 13.
As reported by: Tom Pelissero Gary Barnidge was limited Sunday due to knee injury
Barnidge hurt his knee early in the game on Sunday, which forced coach Hue Jackson to rotate him in. He finished the game with only one reception foe 11 yards. He’ll have Week 13 to rehab as the Browns are on a bye. He should be good to go for their Week 14 matchup with the Bengals. It’s a great matchup if he’s healthy, the Bengals rank 28th in TE DVOA.
As reported by: Mary Kay Cabot David Johnson dislocated finger Sunday, expected to play in Week 13
Fortunately, Johnson will not require surgery like LeSean McCoy did. Coach Bruce Arians said he’ll be fine. He is quite possibly the best player in fantasy football. Even when the Cardinals are playing from behind he racks up fantasy points through the air; he’s averaged 7.0 receptions per game over their last five (Cardinals had a 1-3-1 record in that stretch). He has an excellent matchup against the Redskins this weekend, who were worked by Ezekiel Elliot on Thanksgiving for 120 yards and two scores. Washington has allowed the most rushing touchdowns in the league (16), and DJ has a very good chance to score in this matchup that currently has a 49.5-point total.
As reported by: Mike Jurecki