Injuries played a big role in Week Five of the NFL, and that carried over to fantasy. As such, this seems like a good time to start making some trades. Some players are overvalued, some undervalued; using basic economics we can use the buy-low/sell-high method here. I’ll give you some options even though this isn’t a trade value column. It will help make your start and sit decisions much easier, though.
So first up is Calvin Johnson. Calvin is very good. Calvin is very tall. Calvin therefore has long legs which make him a good receiver. They also act as a good target for defensive backs who tackle him. This was the case on Sunday when he caught a pass, planted his foot and got popped right in the knee. It aggravated his already-injured ankle and now he should be out one to two weeks. Being the sly, opportunistic fantasy player that you are, now is the time for you to swoop in and get him. He has only put on 17 fantasy points in the past four weeks and his owners are probably nervous. If you can pry him away for a second and thirdround pick, do it. He’ll still finish in the Top 5 this season.
Next is Cowboys receiver Terrance Williams. He’s averaging 11 points and a touchdown per game. The touchdown average is actually a curse, not a blessing.
To put up that many touchdowns in an entire year would put him in the company of Jimmy Graham, Terrell Owens, and the aforementioned Calvin Johnson. Won’t happen. Ask for a king’s ransom from someone who believes he can do it and reap the rewards.
Let’s get to the starts and sits:
I never thought I’d say this (ever), but Eli Manning is a start this week. He has looked good through five weeks and it’s time to act in line with that. While he probably won’t match his brother’s production week to week, he takes on Philadelphia, which allowed St. Louis to look like a high-powered offense.
It warms my heart to finally be able to put a Vikings QB in the start column. Teddy Bridgewater will be fully healthy in this contest and it’s time to get things rolling again. With the Minnesota crowd behind him chanting “TE-DDY!” this guy will get things done.
While it isn’t a great matchup, Justin Forsett should get some points against Tampa. The defense is stingy but Forsett is a dual-threat back averaging 10.5 points. He runs and catches the ball, making him worthy of a start.
Branden Oliver was started in 0.2 percent of ESPN leagues last Sunday; that number is about to skyrocket. Oliver looked like Darren Sproles — who also wore No. 43 — slicing through a fantastic Jets’ run defense. He now gets to take on an awful Oakland Raider team.
Jeremy Maclin should benefit from a high-scoring game against the Giants. His 0.8 touchdowns per game seems like it could last all season – that’s four out of five games with a touchdown for anyone doing the math on their fingers and toes.
I think if you’re desperate for a tight end, Eric Ebron is a good option. With Calvin Johnson out of the lineup, the Lions’ Ebron can be a red-zone threat. He might just get the “Lions’ share” of the receptions. I’ll be here all week, folks.
I have a strong feeling that Matt Stafford is going to get beat up by the Minnesota pass rush this week. Sure, they gave up 42 points last week, but they had to do it all on their own as the offense was completely inept. The secondary is playing well and could hold Matt in check.
Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller would both be on the bench for my teams. They have the talent but the offense just isn’t clicking very well. Sure they came on strong to beat Detroit, but any Kyle Orton is just, well, too much Kyle Orton.
Facing a top-five pass defense, I’d let Andre Johnson have this week off. He isn’t what he once was. His quarterback is mediocre. It’s a short week. It just seems like a disaster waiting to happen.
There’s very little upside when it comes to Heath Miller. I mean, he’s good for a couple of catches and around 50 yards a week. Meh. I’d rather plug in someone like Ebron who has the upside for a monster game.
ANTHONY WATSON
