RADIO
Now that bye weeks are in full swing; streaming becomes a more viable and almost necessary strategy. Knowing who to add and when to start them could be the ultimate difference-maker in a weekly matchup. Making the right streaming decisions throughout the season could easily be the difference in winning a championship.
Each week, I will create a team of streamers for you to choose from. They will be broken down based on ownership levels and league size. I will make specific recommendations for 14, 12, and 10-team leagues to give you the most guidance possible when selecting a streamer. 14-team streamers will be players with ownership levels around 15%, 12-teamers will be around 30%, and 10-teamers will be around the 45% mark. Keep in mind that just because a player is listed as a streamer for a particular league size, it does not mean you can't use them in a different league size. For instance, if a 12-team league streamer is available in your 14-team league, by all means, use them accordingly.
Let's take a look at Week 7's best streaming options with some highlighted players to keep an especially close eye on.
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Stream Team for 14-Team Leagues
- QB: Joe Flacco, Denver Broncos - 8% Owned
- RB: Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals - 8% Owned
- RB: Nyheim Hines, Indianapolis Colts - 16% Owned
- WR: Dante Pettis, San Francisco 49ers - 17% Owned
- WR: Cole Beasley, Buffalo Bills - 19% Owned
- TE: Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills - 13% Owned
Joe Flacco (QB, DEN) - 8% Owned
I do not like to make a habit of recommending Joe Flacco, but he has a matchup on Thursday night that might be worth taking advantage of if you need help at the quarterback position. This game has a relatively high total of 48.5, which means we could see some heavy pass volume. The Chiefs are also favored by three points in this game, which means Denver could be in pass-mode late in the game.
If Denver is forced to throw, Flacco could have plenty of success vs. the Chiefs as they are allowing 19.9 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, which ranks eighth-worst in the league. They have also given up over 1,500 yards through the air and eight passing touchdowns through their first six games. I am usually not a fan of streaming Flacco, but it just might make sense this week.
Nyheim Hines (RB, IND) - 16% Owned
Nyheim Hines is an interesting stream option this week. The Colts will be going up against the Texans in a game with a total of 47.5. This leads me to believe there could be a lot of passing volume on both sides, and this is where Hines thrives the most. Houston also struggles against pass-catching running backs. They have given up the most receptions (49) and most receiving yards (402) to running backs this season. Hines has seen a steady diet of targets per game, averaging over four. If he can achieve this same type of volume vs. Houston, he could have some solid success.
Cole Beasley (WR, BUF) - 19% Owned
Cole Beasley has been a target monster in Buffalo this season. He is currently averaging 7.8 targets per game and has caught 5.4 of these targets per game for an average of 53.4 yards. The only thing Beasley has not been able to do is to get in the end zone. That could all change this week as the Dolphins have given up the seventh-most touchdowns to wide receivers by allowing eight in their first five games. Beasley should continue to see plenty of targets vs. this awful pass defense, and if he can punch one in, it could be a huge day for him.
Stream Team for 12-Team Leagues
- QB: Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals - 25% Owned
- RB: Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers - 13% Owned
- RB: Ito Smith, Atlanta Falcons - 17% Owned
- WR: Nelson Agholor, Philadelphia Eagles - 27% Owned
- WR: Auden Tate, Cincinnati Bengals - 26% Owned
- TE: Darren Fells, Houston Texans - 17% Owned
Andy Dalton (QB, CIN) - 31% Owned
Andy Dalton and the Bengals could find themselves in a lot of trouble this week vs. the Jaguars, and that is precisely why I like him. The Bengals will most likely be without their three best cover corners, which means the Jags should have no trouble moving the ball through the air against this Bengals Defense. Couple this with the fact that the Bengals are also giving up 126.5 rushing yards per game to running backs, and you have a situation where the Bengals could be down on the scoreboard early and often.
The Jags have been rather generous against the pass this season as they have allowed quarterbacks to throw for over 260 yards per game. They are also allowing over 17 fantasy points to quarterbacks on the season. They recently traded Jalen Ramsey and will be even weaker in the secondary than they were at the beginning of the season. I expect the Bengals to get down early and be forced to throw the ball a lot in this game, which should give Dalton a chance at a solid performance.
Auden Tate (WR, CIN) - 26% Owned
Auden Tate falls into the same category as Andy Dalton. I expect a large amount of pass volume from the Bengals in this game and Auden Tate should be on the receiving end of much of it. In the last couple of weeks since taking over as the number two wide receiver, he has seen 18 targets and caught eight of them for 117 yards and a touchdown. As mentioned above, the Jags have been generous to quarterbacks, but they have also been generous to wide receivers as they have allowed 1,022 yards on 72 receptions through the first six games. They are also giving up 22.7 fantasy points per game to the wide receiver position. Stream Tate this week and feel rather comfortable with him in your lineups.
Darren Fells (TE, HOU) - 17% Owned
Once again, I find it very difficult to recommend streaming tight ends in this column. This week, Darren Fells may be able to fill the void in your lineups. He faces a Colts Defense that has allowed the eighth-most receptions to tight ends with 32. They are also giving up the third-most fantasy points to tight ends by allowing over 10 points per game.
Fells has seen more action recently as he caught six passes for 69 yards last week vs. the Chiefs. It is difficult to know whether or not this is an outlier for Fells, or if it could be a sign of things to come for the tight end. Given the wasteland that is the tight end position in fantasy this season as well as the plus matchup he faces vs. the Colts this week, I would stream him if you are in need.
Stream Team for 10-Team Leagues
- QB: Gardner Minshew, Jacksonville Jaguars - 52% Owned
- RB: Chase Edmonds, Arizona Cardinals - 37% Owned
- RB: Jamaal Williams, Green Bay Packers - 49% Owned
- WR: Mohamed Sanu, Atlanta Falcons - 57% Owned
- WR: D.K. Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks - 61% Owned
- TE: T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions - 65% Owned
Gardner Minshew (QB, JAX) - 52% Owned
Except for last week, Gardner Minshew has had an exceptional start to the 2019 campaign. This week vs. the Bengals, he should be able to get back on a roll. The Bengals will be without three of their top corners. Even when they have been healthy, however, the Bengals are giving up nearly 250 passing yards to the quarterback position per game. They have also allowed quarterbacks to throw eight touchdowns in the first six games. Add in the fact that their run defense is terrible (allowing 126.5 yards per game to running backs), and you have a great opportunity for the Jaguars to use the play-action pass for some big downfield plays.
Mohamed Sanu (WR, ATL) - 57% Owned
The Rams at Falcons have the highest total on the board this week at a whopping 54.5. Sanu has been very involved in the Falcons offense this season, averaging over six targets, five receptions, and 51 receiving yards per game. This week's matchup vs. the Rams comes against a defense that is allowing over 20 points per game to the wide receiver position. With Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley going for the Falcons, Sanu could easily get lost in the shuffle as he has in several spots earlier this season. Look for Atlanta to have to throw the ball a ton in this game as they have all year, and get Sanu involved early. If he is also able to find the end zone, he could pay big dividends.
T.J. Hockenson (TE, DET) - 65% Owned
Hockenson may be owned in your league, but if he is not, this week may be a perfect opportunity to add and stream him. The Vikings come in allowing over seven receptions per game to the tight end position. They have also let tight ends receive for over 65 yards per game. Hockenson is currently averaging five targets per game and has the potential to do some damage in this game. Last week he was targeted six times, but only managed to turn them into 4 receptions for 21 yards. If he can get free on a catch or two this week, he could have a very nice day.
