Lineup Prep: Divisional Round

Wed Jan 14 10:35am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

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Williams can keep it going


I’m not sure this weekend can live up to the last, but let’s hope it happens. Wow, those games were unreal last weekend. Nearly every single one came down to the wire. And several saw multiple lead changes in the fourth quarter. Plus, we had some big-time fantasy performances, leading to some high fantasy scores in the first round of playoff leagues. Let’s keep it going!

Now for my random thoughts for the week. . . . .

Love him or hate him, I would hate to see Aaron Rodgers end his career on an interception that was returned for a touchdown. That would be a terrible way for it to end for him. I would be surprised if Rodgers returns, though, especially after Mike Tomlin left the Steelers. I think Tomlin was a big reason for Rodgers playing this year. I’m just not sure there is going to be a great fit for Rodgers going forward. We’ll see.

Personally, I would fire Nick Sirianni if I were the Eagles. I know they won the Super Bowl last year but I just can’t take all the drama with him and his star players. I know some of the players can be the blame, too, but it sure seems like a pattern with him. And I can’t get over the playcalling of this team. They did fire offensive coordinator Kevin Patella, which is a plus, but I’m not sure that fixes everything. This team has so much talent on both sides of the ball and should not have played like they did all season. I really think Sirianni is a huge part of the problem with this team. I would just move on from him. The window is only so big when it comes to the NFL and the Eagles could be closing sooner than later. Get someone in there that can bring some more stability to the team.

The Panthers lost but sure showed me a lot. This is a team that is going to be a problem the next several seasons. Things are just getting started for them. And I think head coach Dave Canales is a great coach and fit for the franchise. The big thing for the Panthers is the continued development of Bryce Young. He is going to need to keep growing and showing more consistency. Young is making improvements but still isn’t there yet. But you have to be excited about this team if you are a Panthers fan. There is some exciting, young talent on this team.

Houston won that game last week but you still have to worry about that offense. Just when think C.J. Stroud has figured it out again, he makes some head-scratching plays. He is going to have to play a lot better if they hope to win this week. The scary thing is the defense is so, so good in Houston. If the offense was just a little better, I think this team could make a run at the Super Bowl. The defense is that good. I’m just not sure Stroud is playing well enough for that to happen right now.

You have to love the development of Caleb Williams this year. I know he started slow in that game last week but his fourth quarter was epic, making one of the best throws you will ever see on fourth down to help win the game. Williams is a special talent that you could expect to keep getting better, especially under the tutelage of head coach Ben Johnson. Williams might be a top-five fantasy quarterback for me next year. I think he has that kind of ceiling.

HOT PLAYS

Davante Adams, WR, Rams. Adams failed to score a touchdown last week but looked healthy, which is a huge positive. Adams had five receptions for 72 yards and tied a season high in targets with 13. That was another huge positive. He should get a big workload this week against an iffy Bears secondary. Chicago allowed the sixth most fantasy points to receivers during the regular season. We like Adams to find the end zone in this one.

Caleb Williams, QB, Bears. Williams scored 28.05 fantasy points last week. He started slow but had an unbelievable fourth quarter, leading his team to a huge comeback victory. Williams has 21-plus fantasy points four of five games. He has become an elite fantasy quarterback and seems to be gaining confidence every week. We like him to have another big game this week against the Rams. This should be a high scoring game and the Rams have struggled against the pass recently. Los Angeles allowed 235-plus passing yards five of six games.

R.J. Harvey, RB,  Broncos. It took a little time but Harvey has emerged as the clear lead back for the Broncos. He has found the end zone five of his last six games. He has double-digit fantasy points all but one of those games. He should get a big workload again this week as the No. 1 back for Denver. He gets the Bills, a team that allowed the eighth most fantasy points to running backs. Buffalo has allowed 150-plus rushing yards three of five games. 

COLD PLAYS   

Bo Nix, QB, Broncos. Nix led his team to the No. 1 overall seed in the playoffs, having a solid overall season. But from a fantasy perspective, he has been a little erratic. He scored just 11.95 points his last time out and has less than 20 points two of five games. And we could see the Broncos relying on the run more this week, exploiting a weakness of Buffalo. The Bills allowed the third fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks during the regular season. Buffalo has allowed fewer than 140-passing yards four of five games. The pass defense has been a huge strength for the team late in the year.

Stefon Diggs, WR, Patriots. Diggs is the top receiver for the Patriots but his production has been erratic at times this year, especially the last few weeks. He has just five receptions for 59 yards on eight targets his last two games. The opposition is locking him down some lately. We would not be surprised if that happens again this week against the Texans. Houston has maybe the best defense in football and allowed the third fewest fantasy points to receivers during the regular season.

James Cook, RB, Bills. Cook has fewer than nine fantasy points three straight games. He got 15 carries last week but managed just 46 yards. He had another great overall season but some tough rush defense late in the season has given Cook fits. It could be more of the same this week. The Broncos allowed the fewest fantasy points to running backs. Denver has allowed fewer than 85-rushing yards two of three games and three of five. This defense is going to give the Bills offense plenty of fits, especially against the run.

SLEEPERS    

Cooper Kupp, WR, Seahawks. Kupp hasn’t had much of a season, his first in Seattle, but has enjoyed some success at times. He has double-digit fantasy points four times. You would expect the 49ers to do all they can to take away Jaxon Smith-Njigba, giving Kupp some favorable coverages. Plus, the 49ers are thin in the secondary, which is another big positive for Kupp. Don’t be surprised if he has one of his better games of the season this week. He has a history of success coming up with the big game in the playoffs, so the Seahawks could lean on him more than they did in the regular season.

Jake Tonges, TE, 49ers. Tonges has shown well when given the chance to start this year, having double-digit fantasy points five games. He has proved to be a reliable target at tight end for the 49ers. He could have another one of those double-digit games this week against the Seahawks. Seattle has struggled some at times against the tight end, allowing the 11th most fantasy points to tight ends. Plus, Tonges found the end zone against the Seahawks in Week 1.

Zach Charbonnet, RB, Seahawks. Kenneth Walker gets most of the headlines in the Seahawks backfield but this has turned into a real timeshare down the stretch. Charbonnet has at least 17 carries two straight games. He has 17-plus fantasy points three straight, producing consistent numbers in this high-powered rush attack. He has scored a touchdown in each of his games against the 49ers this year. Charbonnet can do that again this week, making him an intriguing fantasy play.

High/Low Scoring Games

Each week, we will take a look at some of the high and low-scoring games for the coming week. In high-scoring affairs, get your marginal players on those teams in your lineup to take advantage of the possible points barrage. And in the low-scoring games, keep those marginal players on the bench and make sure to have your defenses involved in those contests.

High Scoring Games: Rams/Bears.

Low Scoring Games: Texans/Patriots.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Bender's Last Minute Starts/Sits: Week 4

Player Notes
Puka Nacua Oct 4 8:40am ET
Puka Nacua

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (hip) is not expected to have a limited workload as he returns from a two-game absence against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The Rams were patient with Nacua's recovery, holding him out of back-to-back games and refusing to rush him back. Fantasy managers should be encouraged that Nacua has no limitations on Sunday. Not only does it mean that he's back to 100%, but it also indicates that he'll handle a full complement of snaps, which could help him excel offensively and rank as this week's overall WR1 in fantasy football. Presumably, Nacua will seamlessly take over for Davante Adams as quarterback Matthew Stafford's No. 1 target. In Nacua's two-game absence, Adams racked up a whopping 15 catches, 332 yards, and two touchdowns.

From RotoBaller

Baker Mayfield Oct 4 8:40am ET
Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (thumb) is expected to miss anywhere from three to six weeks, depending on how quickly he is able to grip the football, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Mayfield has avoided an injured reserve stint for now, but the Bucs will give him at least a few weeks off after he recovers from a dislocated thumb and works to regain his grip strength. Mayfield is just two years removed from a QB4 fantasy finish in 2024, but he has taken a step backward since then. Through the first three games this year, he completed just 63.5% of his pass attempts for 615 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also had a rushing touchdown, 13 sacks, and three lost fumbles. Mayfield is a risky fantasy starter when healthy, and the same can be said of undrafted free agent Jalon Daniels, who will make his first career start as the Bucs' primary quarterback against the Green Bay Packers in Week 4.

From RotoBaller

Zay Flowers Oct 4 8:30am ET
Zay Flowers

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (hamstring) is expected to play in Sunday's Week 4 contest against the Tennessee Titans, and he won't be on a snap count, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. The hamstring injury has sidelined Flowers for just one contest so far, but it also cut his season opener short and limited him to 33% of the snaps last week. Barring a re-aggravation or a new injury, Week 4 will be the first time that Flowers plays a complete game this season. That should be very exciting for fantasy managers, as Flowers showed a glimpse of his upside with five catches, 150 yards, and one touchdown in the first half alone back in Week 1. Without a pitch count, Flowers has the potential to feast as a fantasy WR1 against the Titans this week.

From RotoBaller

Ashton Dulin Oct 4 8:20am ET
Ashton Dulin

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Ashton Dulin (ankle) is officially active for Sunday's Week 4 contest against the Washington Commanders. Dulin had been listed as questionable but was trending in the right direction after logging two full practices to close out the week. With Alec Pierce (heel) on injured reserve, Keenan Allen (groin) inactive, and Darius Slayton (coach's decision) a healthy scratch, there's a real opportunity for Dulin to step up as the Colts' No. 2 receiver behind Josh Downs. With that being said, he doesn't have enough of a track record to get onto the fantasy radar, especially since we're still not convinced the Colts' offense can support multiple fantasy-relevant receivers every single week. For now, Dulin can be left on waivers in most leagues.

From RotoBaller

Darius Slayton Oct 4 8:20am ET
Darius Slayton

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Darius Slayton (coach's decision) is a healthy scratch for Sunday's Week 4 contest against the Washington Commanders in London. It seemed like Slayton was in line to make his Colts debut after Keenan Allen (groin) was ruled out, but that's not the case. With Slayton, Allen, and Alec Pierce (heel, IR) on the sideline, the Colts will likely give more offensive snaps to Laquon Treadwell and Ashton Dulin. Both receivers will push for more targets in their role behind No. 1 receiver Josh Downs. Allen's absence creates an opportunity for Treadwell or Dulin to step in as the next man up, but we're not quite sure this offense can support multiple fantasy-relevant receivers every week. Downs remains the only Indianapolis wideout that should be started for now.

From RotoBaller

Terry McLaurin Oct 4 8:10am ET
Terry McLaurin

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (hamstring) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 4 contest against the Indianapolis Colts in London, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. McLaurin, who was listed as questionable, was a late addition to the injury report this week after practicing in a limited capacity on Friday. The 31-year-old had a slower start to the season offensively, but he began to turn the corner last week with six catches, 77 yards, and one touchdown. His absence could be crucial as the Marcus Mariota-led Commanders look to win their second game in a row. Veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs should take McLaurin's place as Mariota's primary target, while rookie Antonio Williams also steps into a larger role in London.

From RotoBaller

Michael Penix Jr. Oct 4 7:20am ET
Michael Penix Jr.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. made his season debut against the Green Bay Packers in Week 3 after tearing his ACL last November. It was his first game back since Week 11. The 26-year-old was solid in his season debut, completing 18-of-25 passes for 256 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, while rushing twice for minus-2 yards. Penix will look to continue his solid play on Monday night against the New Orleans Saints. The Saints are allowing about 229 passing yards per game. New Orleans was recently shredded by Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins for 248 passing yards and three touchdowns. Penix has a positive matchup and will only get more comfortable as the season wears on. He is a solid Superflex or QB2 option this week, with RotoBaller ranking Penix 24th among all quarterbacks in Week 4.

From RotoBaller

Eli Stowers Oct 3 11:20pm ET
Eli Stowers

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Eli Stowers (quad) opened his rookie season on injured reserve after a very disappointing training camp. The Eagles would surely like to have some extra tight end depth right now with Dallas Goedert (knee) injured, but even if Stowers returns before Goedert, he's still unlikely to occupy a sizable role. Stowers, who is eligible to play as early as next week, was reportedly taking a while to acclimate to NFL speed in his first training camp, and the quad injury didn't help his progression. Regardless of his exact position on the depth chart when he returns to the field, all signs point to Stowers focusing on his development this year, rather than producing at a fantasy-relevant level. He's a solid dynasty stash and perhaps even an intriguing buy-low in dynasty leagues where fantasy managers are losing faith. However, he can be dropped to waivers in all redraft leagues.

From RotoBaller

Kimani Vidal Oct 3 11:10pm ET
Kimani Vidal

Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal can be dropped to waivers in all redraft fantasy football leagues. The 25-year-old has taken a backseat on offense this year, and he didn't even log his first touch of the season until last week. His snap share did jump to a season-high 25% mark last week, but he's still buried behind Omarion Hampton and Keaton Mitchell on the depth chart. Given that the coaching staff has placed a significant amount of trust in those running backs, any path to weekly fantasy relevance for Vidal would likely require both Mitchell and Hampton to miss time. Barring anything unexpected, it looks like he will lack fantasy relevance for the rest of the 2026 season. Vidal can be left on waivers in all redraft leagues.

From RotoBaller

Juwan Johnson Oct 3 10:40pm ET
Juwan Johnson

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson hauled in all eight of his targets for 53 yards and two touchdowns in the team's Week 3 loss to the Raiders. Despite fellow tight end Noah Fant also seeing occasional involvement in the offense, Johnson continues to dominate the position in playing time, outsnapping Fant 158-109 through three weeks. He has clearly become one of Tyler Shough's favorite targets, and his current 78.9% catch rate, 57.7 yards per game, and 9.1 yards per target are all career highs. Through three weeks, Johnson has posted 15 receptions for 173 yards and three touchdowns on 19 targets, ranking as the PPR TE4. He remains a reliable TE1 heading into Monday night's matchup against the Falcons.

From RotoBaller

Ricky Pearsall Oct 3 10:40pm ET
Ricky Pearsall

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Ricky Pearsall (right knee) is working his way back from a PCL injury that will sideline him for the entire 2026 season. Injuries have plagued the start of Pearsall's career, but we certainly won't discredit him for the gunshot wound that forced him to miss time as a rookie in 2024. With that being said, he will have played in just 20 of his first 51 career regular-season games, calling his long-term durability into question. He's averaging a modest 5.0 catches, 46.4 receiving yards, and 0.2 touchdowns per game in his career, and he has yet to reach 100 career receptions and 1,000 career receiving yards. Upon his return from injury next year, Pearsall will slot into the No. 2 receiver role (at best) behind Mike Evans, and it's still too early to tell whether he'll even be ready for Week 1. At just 26 years old, there's still plenty of time for Pearsall to get back on track as a solid dynasty receiver, but for now, we wouldn't blame managers for trying to trade him away and recoup some of their initial investment.

From RotoBaller

Devaughn Vele Oct 3 10:30pm ET
Devaughn Vele

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Devaughn Vele recorded three receptions for 39 yards on six targets in Week 3's loss to the Raiders. The third-year receiver has played a key role in the Saints' offense through the first three weeks, leading all skill-position players on the team with a 91% snap percentage. He faces a Falcons defense in Week 4 that has allowed opposing WR2s to average 5.3 receptions and 74.6 yards per game. With another key piece of the offense in Travis Etienne Jr. sidelined, the Saints could also lean more heavily on the passing game rather than putting too much on Alvin Kamara, potentially creating additional opportunities for Vele. He ranks as WR33 in RotoBaller's Week 4 rankings but carries some additional upside.

From RotoBaller

Ty Simpson Oct 3 10:30pm ET
Ty Simpson

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Ty Simpson entered the season with very little redraft value, and he continues to slip down the rankings as the season goes on. Any value that Simpson had prior to the season was driven by his role on the depth chart, as many people expected him to be the backup quarterback and the insurance option behind Matthew Stafford. Instead, Simpson has been inactive as the emergency third quarterback, which means he wouldn't see the field even if Stafford were to get injured. Instead, the backup duties belong to Stetson Bennett, who has more experience in the Rams' system. As a first-round pick, Simpson still has plenty of dynasty appeal, but any glimmer of redraft value is slipping away as long as Simpson remains inactive.

From RotoBaller

Ja'Kobi Lane Oct 3 10:20pm ET
Ja'Kobi Lane

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane (wrist) remains sidelined through Week 5 at the earliest, but he still has some appeal as a player to stash in deeper leagues, especially those that offer injured reserve slots. Lane underwent wrist surgery after the season opener, in which he played 40% of the snaps with three targets, one catch, and 11 yards. The rookie USC product was a third-round pick and has big-play upside, but he'll need to get healthy before he even begins to climb up the depth chart. Once he does return, he'll be no higher than third on the depth chart, putting him behind Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. With that said, Bateman has an iffy track record of production and Flowers is still less than 100% after a hamstring injury, so Lane could have a path to a meaningful role by the second half of the season. Managers with an open roster spot in deeper leagues should consider stashing Lane in a low-risk move.

From RotoBaller

Chris Olave Oct 3 10:10pm ET
Chris Olave

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave continued his hot start to the season, recording nine receptions for 107 yards in Week 3 against the Raiders. Through three games, Olave has 375 receiving yards, which ranks second in the league, while doing so on a 75.0% catch rate. He has been the focal point of the Saints' passing attack, tying for the league lead in both targets (36) and receptions (27). Olave has clearly developed strong chemistry with second-year starter Tyler Shough, making him one of the most reliable options in the Saints' offense. He now faces a Falcons defense allowing 263 passing yards per game, 29th in the league, setting up another favorable matchup in Week 4. Olave remains a weekly must-start and comes in as WR4 in RotoBaller's Week 4 rankings.

From RotoBaller

Shedeur Sanders Oct 3 10:10pm ET
Shedeur Sanders

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders seemed like an inevitable choice to take over as the team's starter at some point this season, but the impressive production from Deshaun Watson has altered the former fifth-round pick's redraft outlook. Entering this season, it seemed like Watson was on a short leash, with Sanders pushing to take over as the team's No. 1 quarterback. Instead, Watson has led the Browns to a 3-1 start, which currently puts them first in the AFC North. The veteran signal-caller has completed 70% of his pass attempts for 855 passing yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions, plus an additional 127 rushing yards. He ranks as the overall QB5 in fantasy scoring so far, albeit with one more game than most quarterbacks because he played on Thursday night. At this point, Watson is trending toward occupying the starting role for the rest of the season, barring an injury. Sanders could still represent the long-term future in Cleveland, but his redraft value has declined significantly. He can be dropped to waivers in redraft formats.

From RotoBaller

Kyle Williams Oct 3 10:00pm ET
Kyle Williams

New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams was expected to see an expanded role with A.J. Brown (ankle) landing on the Injured Reserve. Instead, Williams operated as the fourth receiver during last week's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 23-year-old hauled in one of his three targets for 34 yards in the loss. It doesn't appear that even the injury to Brown will be enough to make Williams a real part of this offense. Williams has the speed to be a legitimate threat, but maybe the Patriots don't view him as an every-down wideout right now. Williams is worth holding in dynasty formats, but he doesn't need to be started versus the Buffalo Bills in Week 4.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Mason Oct 3 9:50pm ET
Jordan Mason

Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason (hand) hasn't played since the season opener due to a fracture in his thumb. Mason underwent surgery and was placed on the Injured Reserve following their Week 1 victory over the Green Bay Packers. Getting placed on the IR means that Mason is forced to miss at least four games. The Week 4 matchup versus the Miami Dolphins will be his third absence in a row. Mason could be back in the mix as early as the Week 7 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. He'll likely see significant involvement in the backfield once he's healthy enough to play again. Given he could be only a few weeks away from playing again, Mason is worth stashing on an IR spot in most leagues where he's available.

From RotoBaller

Kendre Miller Oct 3 9:50pm ET
Kendre Miller

New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller rushed four times for 14 yards and added two receptions for five yards in Week 3's loss to the Raiders. He was inactive in Week 2, but when called upon in Week 1, Miller looked solid, rushing nine times for 30 yards and a touchdown against the Lions. With a career average of 3.9 yards per attempt, Miller figures to be in line for additional work with starting running back Travis Etienne Jr. out for Week 4. He will likely be part of a timeshare with fellow running back Alvin Kamara and faces a difficult matchup against the Falcons, who surrender a league-low 47.7 rushing yards per game. Miller ranks as RB37 in RotoBaller's rankings for Week 4.

From RotoBaller

Alvin Kamara Oct 3 9:40pm ET
Alvin Kamara

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara rushed nine times for 36 yards and added one reception for five yards in Week 3's loss to the Raiders. Most of his carries came after starting running back Travis Etienne Jr. exited with a hamstring injury, but Kamara was unable to turn the increased workload into much production. Though he has played just two games this season, his current mark of 2.8 yards per attempt is by far the lowest of his career. Kamara figures to serve as the team's top running back option against the Falcons on Monday night with Etienne Jr. on IR, but he faces a difficult matchup against a defense allowing a league-best 47.7 rushing yards per game. The difficult matchup puts Kamara at RB27 in RotoBaller's running back rankings for Week 4.

From RotoBaller