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Week 4 was another good one for the picks with Drake Maye, Jordan Addison, and RJ Harvey hitting for us. Three out of five picks delivering is something I will gladly take to the bank and look to build on this week. We’re reaching the part of the season where we’re starting to get comfortable, starting to feel like we have a handle on players and teams.
Of course, comfort breeds complacency and that’s something I always try to be cognizant of.
The nature of football dictates that the game is in a constant state of evolution. Or, if it’s not evolving, the landscape is always changing. This week marks the start of the bye week gauntlet. Between that and mounting injuries across the league, fantasy gamers will be diving deep into their benches and waiver pools for help. We got you.
Here are 5 players we can’t wait to plug into fantasy lineups today
Harold Fanin
This is a heat check pick, no doubt about it. Cleveland is traveling abroad for a matchup against Minnesota, starting rookie Dillon Gabriel, the offense has been a mess. So if you want to ignore this pick on general principle, I ain’t mad at it. Fanin has been the loan bright spot in the Browns’ passing game through the first month. This is a bet on volume, plain and simple. Gabriel is likely to be in a blender against Brian Flores’ attacking defense. In a strange land with few friends, Gabriel needs a safety blanket and I’m thinking that’s going to be Fanin. Finally, this is a pretty unappealing matchup on paper and it starts super early, so I’m looking for something to get me to pay attention to this game.
Sean Tucker
Bucky Irving has foot and shoulder ailments and the Bucs are being stingy with details, but everything is pointing to Bucky missing at least this week. If that happens, Tucker will be involved, but how much work he gets will be a mystery. Tucker made a brief, but strong impression last season. He finished a week as the overall RB1, and he did that during a game where Bucky also posted a huge day. It’s possible Rachaad White assumes a workhorse role, but I think the more likely outcome is a split with White leading the way and Tucker getting a healthy number of touches.
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Kyler Murray
Tennessee looks absolutely lost right now. We’re going to lean on their incompetence and bet on it continuing against a deeply frustrating Cardinals offense. The Cardinals are down to Emari Demercado and Michael Carter as their lead running backs. This looks like a great spot for Kyler, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Trey McBride to work out the inconsistencies they’ve put on tape. Full disclosure, I’m not a big fan of Kyler as a real life quarterback, but he’s useful for fantasy football. Now, if we can just get them to play with the urgency and precision they showed in the fourth quarter of last week’s game against the Seahawks.
Woody Marks
Take the free square when it presents itself. Marks is the only person in the Texans backfield with any kind of juice. His two touchdown performance last week is the epitome of the proverbial “can’t put the genie back in the bottle.” Houston has been desperate for any sort of offensive spark. Marks looks to be the guy to provide it. This week Houston takes on Baltimore, whose normally formidable defense has been extremely vulnerable all season.
Chris Godwin
Normally a lineup staple, Godwin made his season debut last week working his way back from last season’s devastating ankle injury. Godwin’s health, recovery, and season projections were a big topic in the fantasy sphere this summer. He’s certainly playing himself back into shape and knocking off rust, but last week’s performance was encouraging. He didn’t light up the box score, but he immediately stepped into a full-time role and racked up 10 targets. Baker Mayfield is a gunslinger through and through, so Godwin is very likely to see another high target share this week.