RADIO
With injuries and middling performances ravaging fantasy teams to start the season, it's ok to consider benching players who were relatively highly drafted (top-100) for this week and moving forward.
This may be hard to stomach as you bench your QB1 or RB1 for a free-agent acquisition, but sometimes such measures must be taken to ensure victory in the heart of the fantasy fantasy football season.
Here is a look at some fantasy football players who have shown warning signals recently, and you should think twice about putting in your lineup in Week 6. Will they bounce back, or continue to underperform? For any and all issues or concerns, contact @RotoSurgeon on Twitter.
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Quarterback Concerns - Sit 'Em for Week 6?
Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos @ Los Angeles Chargers
Not only is DangerRuss aka Russell Wilson struggling to put up fantasy points but he is not healthy either! The golden boy of this past offseason is dealing with a partially torn lat that is allegedly limiting Mr. Unlimited.
While we can speculate as to whether this is a real or faux injury, what is known is how poorly Wilson has played when in lineupos save for Week 4 against the Raiders. Wilson can be benched this coming Monday despite the Chargers' defense playing much more porous than expected given the talent on that end of the field.
For what it's worth, the Chargers' defense is better against the pass than the run which could make way for new lead back Melvin Gordon to get a solid revenge game against his ex-team.
What To Do
Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings @ Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are dead-last in defense against the pass according to FootballOutsiders' DVOA metric and that is shocking given that Miami was top-10 the past two years! Hey, maybe Brian Flores knew a thing or two...(just don't tell Dolphins' owner Stephen Ross).
Nevertheless, while Kirk Cousins has not been terrific this season for the sake of fantasy and a matchup like this could fail to be exploited, the Dolphins are expected to feature 3rd-string QB, Skylar Thompson is his first official start. Thompson struggled in his first official game last week versus the New York Jets and may not have star WR Tyreek Hill at his disposal this week if his foot issues linger.
Why is Thompson crucial to this conversation? Well, if the 7th Round rookie starts, we can not only expect turnovers via his hands but also downs. It is unlikely that Thompson can carry the Dolphins' offense, even against a lowly Minnesota defense. Cousins will have his handful of possessions to maximize with a healthy offense that is loaded at WR and RB.
Running Back Concerns - Sit 'Em for Week 6?
Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Najee Harris is not only struggling in his own right but there may be a lingering issue in his foot that is going untreated. According to the Steelers, Harris dealt with a Lisfranc injury during the preseason that "healed" just before Week 1. Harris played and reaggravated it but nothing more was heard of this injury.
Meanwhile, Harris's dropoff from last season's already poor metrics is stark. He is playing like a below replacement Running Back with 3.2 yards-per-carry, 4.3 yards-per-targets, and 3.5 yards-per-touch. All of these numbers can be replicated by any RB in the league and should be seen as the floor.
Harris faces an uphill battle against his own body, the Steelers' OL, and a new QB whom he has limited rapport with. Not to mention, the Buccaneers will force the issue on Pittsburgh to pass and Jaylen Warren is nipping at Harris's heels for more snaps.
What To Do
Eno Benjamin, Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks
With James Conner and Darrel Williams injured in Week 5, there is a good chance Eno Benjamin takes over "workhorse" duties against the Seahawks. Benjamin has played surprisingly well for a 7th Round back who hardly saw the field during his first two seasons.
Benjamin is averaging 4.5 YPC on 30 carries and 5.7 YPT on 17 targets. As a backup RB he has earned a solid 8.2% of the Cardinals' targets. If he were to play most of this game, we could see a plethora of high-value usage and maybe even a touchdown or two against a porous Seahawks defense.
Wide Receiver Concerns - Sit 'Em for Week 6?
Drake London, Atlanta Falcons vs San Francisco 49ers
The Falcons are passing at the second-lowest rate in the NFL and are set to face the league's best defense that ranks 5th versus the pass. Drake London is also dealing with nagging lower body injuries that stem from the preseason. It would behoove managers to bench London even with SF's top corner Emmanuel Mosley declared out for the game and season.
London's season began extremely productive but has since dwindled as teams are likely getting a better read on his tendencies. This cool-off if not atypical for rookie WRs who start off hot as they can catch defenses off-guard if they are not respected as top options. London is as talented as they come and it shows with a target share eclipsing an elite 30% rate but that may not cut it against the 49ers.
What To Do
Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots @ Cleveland Browns
Jakobi Meyers is performing at a stellar pace this season as he is WR8 in PPG! The only issue has been his participation in games as a knee injury stemming from preseason has prevented him from suiting up in 2 of 5 games thus far. Whether it be Mac Jones or Bailey Zappe at QB, the consistently good WR has put up respectable fantasy performances and even boomed in Week 5 with his first TD of the season.
If Meyers is available on waivers or sitting on your bench, start him up.
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