CeeDee Lamb just made Fantasy Football and NFL history! This is the Two Minute Drill!
Carolina, We Have Problems
Bryce Young and The Carolina Panthers dropped to 1-8, with an ugly 16-13 loss in Chicago. The immediate success of C.J. Stroud in Houston has amplified Young’s lack of success. This week, Young was matched up against another Rookie- UDFA Tyson Bagent of D2 Shepherd University. Young and Bagent posted nearly identical results, with Bagent coming out on top. This has been a nightmare season for the Panthers, and the Young over Stroud decision looks like an all-time miss.
Jonathan Taylor Volume King
The Colts won a forgettable 10-6 game that probably has German fans who attended the game in Frankfurt questioning their purchase. While the game was the NFL equivalent to watching paint dry, Taylor’s usage should have fantasy managers excited about the rest of the season.
In a neutral game script game, Taylor carried the ball 23 times. His efficiency was poor (69 yards), but he saved his fantasy day with a TD score. This was the first time this season Taylor went over the 20-carry mark. Expect A LOT of Taylor throughout the remainder of the season as the 5-5 Colts look to challenge for an AFC playoff spot.
The C.J. Stroud Era is Magical
The Texans led Cincinnati 27-17 with less than four minutes to go. Then, the Bengals rallied to tie the game late in the 4th quarter. With 1:33 seconds left on the clock, Stroud continued his magical season by calmly leading the Texans down the field for a game winning drive culminating in a Matt Amendola field goal. Stroud has already locked up the Offensive Rookie of the Year award hands down, and there are some whispers that he should be considered for NFL MVP. He continued to elevate the talent around him, with Noah Brown finishing with a career high 172 receiving yards, TE Dalton Schultz pitching in another solid game with 71 yards, and Tank Dell continuing his terrific rookie campaign with another TD grab.
Stroud makes the players around him better, and there is a winning culture in Houston. The AFC South is theirs for the taking.
Devin Singletary’s Career Day
Devin Singletary slowly and surely started to chip away and then overtake Dameon Pierce‘s stranglehold on the RB position. Pierce’s injury cleared the way for even more volume for Singletary. Up until today, the production has been sparse including last week’s 23-yard dud. Head Coach DeMeco Ryans praised Singletary this week, and he was rewarded with an out of nowhere career high 150 rushing yard performance, including a TD. Singletary finished with the most rushing yards by a Houston Texan since Carlos Hyde in 2019. It would be shocking at this point to see Pierce come back and overtake Singletary.
San Francisco: Balance and Domination
The 49ers and Jaguars faced off in one of the week’s more interesting matchups. Both teams had winning records, and both were coming off of a bye. Jacksonville lost their last marquee home game against a Super Bowl favorite earlier in the season against Kansas City. Any hope for a Jaguars win quickly went out the window as San Francisco woodshedded them 34-3.
The 49ers displayed offensive balance and played mistake free with zero turnovers. George Kittle had his second consecutive game with over 100 receiving yards, finishing for four catches for 113 receiving yards including a 66-yard TD early in the second half. Deebo Samuel scored a rushing touchdown, and Brandon Aiyuk caught one touchdown. Christian McCaffrey‘s historical touchdown streak ended, but he finished with 142 combined yards. Brock Purdy was flawless, passing for three touchdowns and finishing with 296 yards.
Pittsburgh Running Backs Both Deliver
Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris both delivered as Pittsburgh improved to 6-3. The duo combined for 149 rushing yards in Week 9’s win over Tennessee. This week they were even better. Both players found the end zone and combined for 183 rushing yards. The Pittsburgh passing game was nonexistent as Kenny Pickett finished with only 126 yards through the air. The Steelers have their limitations, but they have a strong defense, running game, and a head coach who continually wins close games in Mike Tomlin. This is a rare backfield where we are confidently starting both running backs moving forward. Each player can be treated as a low end RB2.
Mike Evans is Going to Get THE BAG
The biggest fantasy winner today in the Tampa Bay/Tennessee game? Mike Evans agent. Evans finished with six catches for 143 yards and a TD. He tied a season high with 10 targets. Did you draft enough Mayfield-Evans stacks in Best Ball. Don’t worry, no one did.
Evans now has seven TD catches and 737 receiving yards on the season. Like clockwork, Evans is headed for another season with 1,000 yards or more. He will be a highly sought after free ggent this offseason by multiple teams looking for a player to push their offense over the edge.
Rachaad White RB1 Season
White’s volume and fantasy production are heating up. He had his second consecutive game with 20 carries and scored on a receiving TD. White is not a perfect player, but he is headed toward a low-end RB1 season in his second year in the league. He is currently RB11 in PPR on the year.
Keaton Mitchell is Heating Up
Mitchell led all Baltimore RBs in receiving and rushing yards despite only four touches. He scored on a 39-yard run in the first quarter and also added a 32-yard reception. He outproduced Gus Edwards and Justice Hill combined, and Hill saw a noticeable downturn in usage. Mitchell only had 14 snaps, but he seems destined to increase that number. On a per touch basis, he has been simply incredible the past two weeks. At the very least, he is an upside flex play moving forward.
T.J. Hockenson Goes NUTS
Joshua Dobbs arrival in Minnesota has been huge boost for T.J. Hockenson. Hockenson has been targeted 29 times in Dobbs first two appearances. In Minnesota’s win over New Orleans, Hockenson posted season highs in targets (15), yardage (134), and tied a season-high with 11 catches.
He also caught a TD. Dobbs has been a TEs best friend: Zach Ertz‘s early season success, Trey McBride‘s rise, and now Hockenson’s dominating performance. Hockenson is a top 3 TE for the rest of the season even when Justin Jefferson returns.
Joshua Dobbs Moves to 2-0
Dobbs made a significant impact last week after being forced into action after Jaren Hall was injured. This week, Dobbs was even better. He finished with 268 passing yards and a TD to go along with 44 rushing yards and a TD. His mobility brings a new element to an already potent Minnesota offensive attack. Last week, Dobbs finished the week as QB4. Heading into Sunday Night Football, Dobbs is currently the QB4 on the Week. When Justin Jefferson returns, this offense is going to be scary.
Chris Olave Gets a Jameis Winston Bailout
Chris Olave had one of his best games of the season. Olave finished with six catches for 94 yards and a touchdown. With Derek Carr in the game, Olave was nearly invisible. Carr’s injury opened up the door for Winston, and he quickly linked up with the talented second year WR. Olave and Winston connected for a gorgeous third-quarter touchdown that propelled New Orleans’ comeback. New Orleans has a Week 11 Bye Week, but Winston is likely under center in Week 12. Carr is dealing with a shoulder injury and concussion issues. Could Olave and Winston have another smash game? Do not bet against it.
The Kyler Murray and Trey McBride Connection is Real
Murray made his long-awaited return from injury and led Arizona to a 25-22 win over Atlanta. Fantasy managers have much to be excited about with Murray. He did not lose a step as many had feared and looked as fast and elusive as he ever has.
Murray also displayed a connection with Trey McBride. He targeted McBride nine times, connecting with him eight times for 131 receiving yards. The second-year TE is on an absolute tear, and the return of Murray further elevates his fantasy upside. Murray is a QB1 for the rest of the season, and McBride will challenge for top 5 TE numbers.
Bijan Robinson Managers Breathe a Sigh of Relief
Robinson has had frustrating usage lately. Fantasy managers often agonized about Arthur Smith’s deference to fantasy football and his unwillingness to feature Robinson. There were reports that Robinson would see increased carries for the rest of the season, and he did so in a significant way. Robinson had a season-high 22 carries, finishing with 95 rushing yards and a TD. Atlanta has problems on offense, but Robinson is not one of them. Hopefully, this volume is consistent.
The Chargers + The Lions = Fantasy Overload
The Chargers and Lions combined for the fantasy game of the day. The Lions eked out a thrilling 41-38 win, and there were many impactful fantasy performances on both teams. Keenan Allen had one of the best games of his career, finishing with 11 catches for 175 yards and two TDs. Justin Herbert passed for a season-high four TD passes. Austin Ekeler found the end zone and finished with 115 combined yards.
Do you like those numbers? Well, check out Detroit. Jahmyr Gibbs continued his recent red-hot, finishing with 77 yards rushing and two TDs while adding three catches for 35 yards. Not to be outdone, David Montgomery returned from injury and ran for 116 yards, including a 75-yard TD run. Amon-Ra St. Brown finished with a season-high 156 receiving yards and a TD. Jared Goff finished with 333 yards passing.
Phew. Can these two teams play each other every single week? Both offenses are in great shape moving forward with elite players and consolidation of touches.
CeeDee Lamb Breaks Records, and Dak Prescott Goes Wild
Dak Prescott was phenomenal. He finished with 404 passing yards and four touchdowns. Prescott shredded a hapless New York Giants team that was outmatched from the get-go. This was Prescott’s most passing yards in over two years. Prescott is currently the QB1 overall on the week pending Monday Night Football.
But as good as Prescott was, the fantasy story of the week, and really for the last three weeks, has been the incredible play of CeeDee Lamb. He finished with 11 catches for 151 yards and a TD and added a rushing TD. Lamb is the first NFL player ever to finish with at least ten catches and 150 receiving yards in three consecutive games. Dallas has made Lamb the primary focus of their offensive attack. Lamb has been targeted 44 times over the past three games. Over that period, he has 500 receiving yards, and four TDs.
Tyreek Hill and A.J. Brown had the “WR league winner” distinction for significant periods this season, but Lamb is starting to have his say. His outrageous usage and production is unmatched recently, and it looks like it is here to stay.
