DFS Alerts
Adrian Peterson misses another practice
Peterson provided an immediate boost to the depleted Cardinals backfield, but signs of him returning are not good for this week. Peterson hasn’t played since Week 12 and should be considered questionable for the Cardinals’ Week 15 matchup against the Redskins. Kerwynn Williams has worked as the team’s early-down back over the last few weeks and has a less than desirable matchup vs the Redskins this week.
A Talented TE That’s Been Underperforming
Clay was one of the top tight ends at the beginning of the season, but since coming back from injury he has failed to impress. Well, this week he draws one of the top matchups a TE can get in the Dolphins. We are still not sure if Taylor or Peterson will be starting here, but I like Clay regardless. The Dolphins rank 29th in DVOA vs. the TE position and are top five in terms of target percentage to opposing tight ends. The main reason for Clay’s lack of production has been the trade for Kelvin Benjamin, but he is questionable this week, and even if he does play, the Dolphins tend to force throws to the TE and RB spots. Clay should come in at low ownership, and in this type of matchup, you can expect 6+ targets to go with multi-TD upside at great prices across the industry.
Kyle Rudolph questionable for Week 15
Rudolph injured his ankle last Sunday against the Panthers and left the game in a walking boot. As of now the status for Ruldoph in this week’s matchup vs the Bengals is still up in the air, but the team should know more as the week progresses. If Randolph does not play that could lead to even more targets for Adam Thielen who posted another solid 6-105-1 line against the Panthers last Sunday.
Justin Simmons heads to the IR
Losing any starter on your defense, let alone PFF’s No. 34 safety won’t help a Broncos defense that has been on a decline this season. Simmons’ absence is good news for the Colts receiving core as the Broncos have allowed 26 passing touchdowns this season The Broncos’ No-Fly Zone played well last week, and it’s worth noting that Hilton has failed to score a touchdown or gain over 85 yards in five career games against the Broncos.
Joe Mixon remains in concussion protocol
For the second week in a row, Mixon should be considered questionable to return to the field of play. Gio Bernard put up 130 total yards on 17 touches last week and should be in for a similar workload if Mixon is once again ruled out. With a less than desirable matchup vs the Vikings this week and an increased price, the need to roster Bernard is no longer needed. If Mixon returns, you could easily see a scenario where he and Bernard split time moving forward.
Other tagged players: Giovani Bernard Leonard Fournette expected to miss practice on Wednesday
At this point in the season, it’s not uncommon to see a workhorse back like Fournette take an early-week rest day, but his status needs to be monitored leading up to the Jaguars’ Week 15 matchup against the Texans. As a double-digit home favorite vs the Texans 29th ranked scoring defense we should expect to Fornette to be in for another big fantasy day. In his first matchup vs the Texans, Fournette gained 124 total yards and scored a touchdown in route to a 24.4 DraftKings scoring day. The Texans have allowed over 100 rushing yards in six of nine games since losing defensive stars J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus.
Ameer Abdullah should play Sunday
Reports surfaced last week that Abdullah was healthy enough to play, but the team preferred to get other effective running backs into the game. As a team, the Lions really struggle to run the ball, and Abdullah’s lack of production lies at the center of this problem. Abdullah has only topped the 75-yard mark twice this season and his last two full games he is averaging a dismal 2.3 ypc. The addition of Abdullah to the backfield makes it harder to roster a player like Theo Reddick. In the last two games without Abdullah, Reddick has a solid source of salary relief on DraftKings.
Zach Ertz clears concussion protocol
Finally, the Eagles get a bit of good injury news this week. Star tight end Zach Ertz is expected back after missing one week with a concussion. WIth Nick Foles as the new quarterback, we can expect the Eagles to still feature Ertz in the offense. This quarterback-tight end combo has played together in the past, so there should be a decent level of familiarity in terms of what each prefers in terms route running. Ertz is in the middle of his best season to date, and barring in other injuries should be considered a top tight end moving forward.
Aaron Rodgers set to return to action Sunday against Carolina
Rodgers will get back on the field in Week 15 and it’s a little surprising that he’s been cleared so early. Nonetheless, it’s welcomed news for Jordy Nelson, who has seen his production dip immensely since Brett Hundley took over under center. Davante Adams’ outlook isn’t impacted much as he was quickly becoming Hundley’s favorite option, but Rodgers’ ability certainly can’t hurt. This news boosts the outlook for Green Bay’s offense as a whole, and makes Jamaal Williams a safer target as a volume-driven back in (what is again) one of the league’s most dangerous offenses.
As reported by: Aaron Rodgers
Beating the Drum Again
I said this last week throughout my content, and I will say it again: Goodwin gets a massive boost with Garoppolo at the helm for the 49ers. Goodwin is the clear WR #1 on this 49ers team, and he has 14 catches on 20 targets for 205 total yards over the last two games. The looks are going to be there, and the big play touchdowns should come soon enough. This isn’t the same passing game we saw earlier in the year, and Goodwin is squarely in play in a favorable matchup against the Titans this week.
Quietly Emerging as a High-End Play
Drake hasn’t been getting enough national attention, but that will change after his big game against the Patriots on Monday night. He logged 30 total touches in the game and put up 114 rushing yards and 79 receiving yards. Almost 200 yards from scrimmage? That’s not bad for a day’s work. That came on the heels of a 141 yard game against the Broncos the week prior. The Dolphins should continue to rely on Drake to move the football, and I wouldn’t expect him to slow down against a Bills team that gave up over 130 yards to Frank Gore in Week 14.
Going Cheap at Quarterback
Let’s be real on two levels here. First, nobody expects Nick Foles to be as good as Carson Wentz. Second, nobody expects the Eagles to keep up the same offensive pace without their star signal-caller. However, it’s not like Foles is as bad as a guy like Paxton Lynch. Foles is a very capable quarterback, and this is a pristine matchup against a Giants defense that is now without its top cornerback and top safety. If there was a soft landing spot for Foles to make his first start of the year, this is it. If you want to punt the quarterback position this week, there is nothing wrong with taking a shot on Foles here.
A Big Game and a Great Matchup
The Steelers have allowed 278 passing yards and 8.2 yards per pass attempt over the last four weeks. In those four weeks, they have faced the following quarterbacks: Marcus Mariota, Brett Hundley, Andy Dalton, and Joe Flacco. Good luck stopping Tom Brady and an angry Patriots team in a huge game. While Brady has struggled a bit of late, that is all but certain to end here. Brady is notorious for showing up for games like this, and a 400 yard game isn’t out of the question.
Jordan Reed sent to the IR
The very talented, but often injured Redskins tight end was placed on season-ending IR today. Vernon Davis will continue his role as the lead tight end in the Redskins offense. Davis draws a matchup against the Cardinals’ ninth-ranked defense in DVOA vs. tight ends. Seven of Davis’s ten targets over the last three weeks came in the loss vs the Chargers in week 14. Up and down play of both the Redskins and Davis lesson the appeal of this once talented tight end moving forward.
Other tagged players: Vernon Davis Patriots sign Kenny Britt
In a very typical Patriots move, the team announced the addition of newly released veteran Kenny Britt. The addition of Britt is just to provide depth to an offense that only has three outside wide receivers in Chris Hogan, Brandin Cooks, and Phillip Dorsett. Britt has no fantasy value at this point.