RADIO
Who have been the best players of the 2018 fantasy football season half-way through the season and who has been a disappointment? Cliff Clinton hands out his midseason fantasy awards.
Like Ty Montgomery deciding haphazardly to come out of the end zone and getting himself shipped off to Baltimore, I'm here to talk about mid-season rankings. You'll be reminded time and time again that the season is technically halfway over, including the postseason, which can either be a reassuring thought as you attempt to go undefeated or silent permission to skip a week or two of games because your Barkley-Beckham-Engram stack didn't quite work the way you wanted in regular season action and now you're trying to ship two of those guys away.
Today we tip our hats to the unsung heroes of the fantasy season, as well as the overly-sung heroes and the just-properly represented.
A few rules before we get going. All awards and accommodations are based on PPR scoring, and will try to feature players that aren't overwhelmingly obvious.
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The Award Goes To...
Mr. Bound to Regress: Eric Ebron
The return of Jack Doyle has certainly sped this up, but the Ebron roller coaster also has taken a natural end. He's got some important distinctions; tied for the second most receiving touchdowns so far most notably, and... uh, ok, fine, that's mostly it. Ebron is also one of two players with over 60 targets who converted less than 40 of them, the other being Baltimore's John Brown (keep an eye out!) His targets were in the double digits for three straight weeks mid-season, but even in the Colts shootout Week 8, Ebron saw all of three targets. It's officially over, and if you can get something for him, do so.
Mr. All American Athlete: Saquon Barkley
Honorable Mention: James White
He's one of seven players with over 500 rushing yards though eight weeks of action, and in the top-12 of targets among all FLEX positions. He is beauty and grace, and though he's Mr. New York, he could end up taking the mantle of Mr. United States if he keeps up the good work. Barkley was touted as a next level athlete going in 2018, raising eyebrows as being ranked among one of the best RB's in a players and coaches poll despite not playing a down. Even when the New York Giants have trouble getting everyone else worked, they clearly read the poll and made the future All-Pro look like an MVP. The first eight weeks have largely focused on the amazing work of players like Patrick Mahomes, Adam Thielen, and Todd Gurley. But there's not enough money you could spend in a re-draft league when it comes to getting Saquon Barkley, and every moment of his spectacular work should be appreciated.
James White is the only running back with more targets than Barkley, though with only 200+ rushing yards to speak of. White has been incredible at doing two jobs in a Patriots offense that needs all the help it could get, and he'd be getting quite a bit more press if it wasn't for players like Barkley or our prolonged media obsession with guys like Rob Gronkowski.
Mr. Nowhere to Go But Up.... Right?: Danny Amendola
He may have the lowest ownership percentage of anyone else on this list, but Danny Amendola is trending in the right direction. After spending the first five weeks of the season with less than five receptions a game, Amendola hasn't dipped back under that mark since, and saw the most snaps in Week 8. The name of the game when it comes to getting ready for the playoffs is having some depth, and that's something that your fantasy team may not have. It's definitely not something the Miami Dolphins have, as Amendola is not only their best healthy receiver right now, but he's the only one to even top 40 targets (though one other Dolphin shares that distinction; Kenyan Drake!). It's worth finding a way to add him to the end of your bench if possible, and see if the more recent trend of an increased target share is a legitimate one.
Mr. Turn Off The Lights In The End Zone When You Leave: Julio Jones
I wanted to put Jones as the guy who was sure to come back, but I actually think Falcons offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian may actually be learning to not target Jones within 20 yards. You've probably heard a bit about Jones being left high and dry in 2018, with just three targets in the red zone through the first eight games of the season. It's also worth remembering that in 2017, two wide receivers had the pitiful numbers of 19 receptions and 5 catches in the end zone; Mike Evans and Julio Jones. While the Buccaneers haven't been as shy about going back to Evans, Jones is not going to see the 6-8 touchdowns that the Shanahan regime granted him, maybe not ever again.
It's hard to complain about Jones and his over 100-yard average a game, but the reality is that's not sustainable and Jones may not end up justifying his first round status.
Mr. Consistent: A.J. Green
Honorable Mention: Alex Collins
AJ Green owners may not appreciate the consistency that the 30-year old receiver has been giving you in 2018, but the man has a turnkey number that should just be his week in, week out projection until he finally has another big game. Apart from that three-touchdown game vs Baltimore, on a bizarre five receptions, he's been hitting the same numbers like clockwork. His last five scores have been 17,8, 17.2, 15.5, 18.7, and 18.6. His season average for receptions has been 5.6 (his last five weeks of those? 4, 6, 7, 7, 5) and his scoring average, 18.4. It's enough to make Green a top-ten receiver, and in a year where instability has been rampant, these numbers aren't the worst thing. No one could blame you if you wanted to see Green go in the other direction.
Collins is also consistent in a way you weren't expecting, as fantasy owners and defenses alike can now count on Alex Collins to touch the ball between 11-12 times a game (as he's done in four of the last five games.) Seriously, the guy with the top-40 overall ADP is now just a guy in a timeshare - you know it's gonna be slightly more than ten, but certainly less than 15 times. Just hope for the touchdowns!
Mr. Relevant: Tyler Boyd
Honorable Mention: Phillip Lindsay
As someone who watched a man spend $100 of his fantasy budget, a fifth of his total salary for twenty positions, on Royce Freeman, I'm reminded every day of what a genuine shock is that Lindsay emerged at all. But from an ADP of 334 per FantasyPros, Boyd has become a top-ten receiver halfway through the season, and it may be due in part to the receiver's reliability. Cincinnati has been long in search of a real WR2 to take away some focus from AJ Green, but the new wide receiver is consistent in an area where his counterpart isn't; end zone success. Green is seeing nearly half of the team's targets in the end zone, but hasn't been great at capitalizing on his opportunities. Boyd, on the other hand, has been perfect. Actually perfect. His eight receptions have come on eight targets within twenty yards, and has capitalized on 2-of-his-2 receptions within ten. A revamped Bengals offense certainly can feed both pass-catchers, but there's a decent chance that the offense may convert Boyd's less than 20% of end zone targets to a higher number as long as he's making the most of his opportunity. His fantasy owners will continue to make the most of their fantasy opportunities as well.
Lindsay is checking his boxes in a different way. The new bell cow in Denver, though the team does enjoy running two-receiver sets, Lindsay is seeing 50% of the team's snaps and a season-high of 18-attempts. He's also seeing some end zone receiving and rushing work, and as an extra dagger to the heart of Julio Jones owners, Lindsay has converted two of his three end zone targets, the same number Jones has seen with zero actual completions. Lindsay will keep moving and possibly break 20-attempts before we get into double-digit weeks, and considering he was drafted even lower than Boyd (arguably the only top-25 player to claim the distinction of being drafted outside the top-320 ADP), the only thing keeping him from this award is the share of the work he's finally getting a chance to see.
Mr. Disrespected: Tyler Lockett
Of the top-50 players that qualify for FLEX status, there's only one who is below a 75% ownership rate, and is tied for the third most touchdowns so far this season. Lockett ranks above Keenan Allen and Calvin Ridley in PPR, but he's the definition of a name that doesn't get people excited. The fact is that Lockett is no longer just a dangerous returner, and even with an average of 3ish receptions with per game, he's finding his way into the end zone. As we get closer to the playoffs where depth is everything, Lockett may be the type of player worth trading for and stashing while pointing out that maybe Lockett won't sustain this rate. Truthfully, he may not, but he'll cost you a whole lot less than the guys ranked around him, and that nabs him his rightly due award.
