RADIO
The warning signals are starting to get brighter as we approach the fantasy playoffs. We are now ten weeks into the season. Every game is a must-win for many fantasy managers as we head into the stretch. The warning signals are becoming more important by the week.
Staying on your toes and making the necessary moves to help your fantasy team make the playoffs stems from being able to cut bait from the players who are preventing your team from getting over the hump.
This is a crucial time of the fantasy football season. One wrong decision could break or make your chances of getting a wild card birth into the playoffs. Being aware of some of the warning signals from the previous week could prevent you from making a devasting move with your fantasy roster.
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Quarterback
Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
Going into Week 10, Tannehill only produced just three QB1 weeks on the season. Those QB1 weeks came against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, and the Houston Texans. In all three of those games, the game-script developed into a high-scoring affair.
Against the Colts, Tannehill struggled to keep the chains moving through the air. The Colts have one of the toughest defenses in the league and they prevented him from getting comfortable in the pocket. This was a bad matchup off the rip because the Colts weren’t going to let this game develop into a shoot-out. Tannehill needed to continuously beat their defense for the Titans to be able to put up points.
Fantasy managers should not put Tannehill in their lineups unless the matchup is projecting a high point total. He doesn’t have the rushing floor to carry him into QB1 status and the offense isn’t explosive enough to allow him to outperform some of the most productive quarterbacks in the league.
Running Back
Melvin Gordon, Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos offense is not firing on all cylinders. If anything, it’s a Ford Pinto with a low gas tank. Drew Lock may not be the long-term answer for the team. All of this is inhibiting Gordon’s ability to churn out yards on the ground.
He led all Denver running backs with 11 carries but could only muster 46 yards on the ground. The Broncos trailed early in this game, killing Gordon’s ability to receive a heavy workload in the second half of the game.
The team wants to use Gordon as their feature back, but minor injuries and an off-the-field issue derailed him from being able to maximize his opportunities. The offense doesn’t have the firepower to help him maintain consistent fantasy production. Gordon is a touchdown-dependent fantasy running back who will provide volatile results going forward
Wide Receiver
Christian Kirk, Arizona Cardinals
In a matchup where the overall point total reached 52 points, Kirk only caught four passes for 27 which equated to 6.70 PPR fantasy points. His performance was not enough to win your fantasy matchup.
On the bright side, he was second on the team with six targets. It just happened he wasn’t able to transition his workload into fantasy-relevant production. DeAndre Hopkins had a blow-up game with 127 yards and a game-winning touchdown.
Kirk has just one WR1 week on the season along with four weeks where he ranked outside the top-40 at his position in PPR fantasy points. Kirk is very matchup-dependent. Hopkins is seeing the majority of the workload, leaving very little for the rest of the pass-catchers in the offense. Despite facing the worst pass defense in the league, the last time Arizona met Seattle in Week 7, he came away with just 37 yards. He made his fantasy day on two short touchdowns. Don't get carried away putting him in your lineup over another stud WR2.
Tight End
Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins
In three games with Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, Gesicki has racked up 11 catches for 90 yards. He hasn’t seen the end zone since week three and he only has four games with five or more targets.
There was a lot of optimism surrounding Gesicki going into the 2020 season, but the volatility in the Dolphins’ offense has stifled his fantasy production. We could see him ascend down the stretch since he’s getting acclimated to Tagovailoa’s play style.
He’s still a premier tight end prospect. Gesicki is one of the most athletic tight ends in the league. He finally has a quarterback to grow with and Tagovailoa might be the key to unlock his true potential.
Breakout Alert!
Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles
Sanders is currently flying under the radar. He scored 13.50 PPR fantasy points in Week 10 against the New York Giants, rushing for 85 yards while catching two passes for 10 yards. The Eagles granted him 17 touches in this game. The workload volume is everything for running backs. Sanders’ usage in the passing game makes him a threat to pop-off on any given Sunday.
The schedule for Sanders looks promising down the stretch with games against the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, and the Dallas Cowboys. Sanders could finish his 2020 season as a league winner in fantasy.
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