Lineup Prep: Championship Games
Wed Jan 24 8:44am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
Gibbs can produce big this week
Last week was sure entertaining. Let’s hope the games this week are just as good. I sure think it is possible. The matchups seems pretty even to me. I know the 49ers are pretty good favorites against the Lions at home, but I think Detroit can keep it close. And the Chiefs/Ravens game is setup to be fantastic. These teams are both rolling right now. We get to see two of the greatest quarterbacks in football battle it out to make the Super Bowl. This should be fun.
Now for my random thoughts for the week. . . .
Those were some games last week. It was fun to watch, especially that Chiefs/Bills game. You have to feel for Josh Allen. He had a great run in the playoffs, but just can’t get over that Kansas City hump. It was there for the taking last week for Allen, but his field goal kicker let him down. I still think Allen is an elite level quarterback than can win the big game. It will come for him sooner than later. He is just running into a buzz saw with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs right now.
I don’t think Brock Purdy silenced the doubters after last week’s game. He was not great until that last game-winning drive. He still looked a little shaky to me most of that game. And the loss of Deebo Samuel could be huge for him and the offense. Samuel seems to be a calming influence for Purdy. I am interested to see him play this week. This could be make or break for him.
Aaron Jones sure is a difference maker when healthy. He was unbelievable for the Packers down the stretch, having five straight 100-yard rushing games. The issue is Jones is hard to trust because of his injury history and age. He is 29 years old and missed five games each of the last two seasons and played a full season just once the last five years. I love his talent, but have a hard time taking him on draft day - even after his huge finish to this season.
I’m happy for Baker Mayfield. He seems to have found a home after a rocky start to his career. He was terrific for the Bucs with that great group of receivers. And he almost played that team into the NFC Championship game last week, throwing three more touchdown passes. I don’t see the Bucs letting him loose and I think he could be a top-10 fantasy quarterback once again next season in Tampa. I don’t think it was a fluke this year.
I am really hoping the Texans make a run at Saquon Barkley this offseason. Could you imagine him in that offense? I think he would be a great fit and a huge spark for that running game in Houston. I think this would just be an ideal landing spot for Barkley when it comes to his fantasy value. Let’s make this happen!
The Ravens have a great team and are the favorite to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, but can you imagine that offense with a healthy JK Dobbins or Keaton Mitchell all season. Both these backs are difference makers in my eyes and big upgrades over what they are using right now. I still think Dobbins can be a star in this league. Just something to keep in mind next season when these guys are back playing.
I like the Titans hire of Brian Callahan as their next head coach. He should be a positive for that offense, especially quarterback Will Levis. Hopefully, he can take this offense to a new level and give us a bunch of fantasy relevant players. Callahan is a bright, young offensive mind that has been integral in the development of Joe Burrow. Let’s hope he can do the same for Levis.
News and Notes: The Lions signed tight end Zach Ertz to their practice squad on Monday. Ertz gives the Lions depth at the position after an injury to Brock Wright.
HOT PLAYS
Brandon Aiyuk, WR, 49ers. With Deebo Samuel very iffy to play, Aiyuk should be the top target at receiver for the 49ers this week. He didn’t do much last week, but was targeted six times in the game, which was encouraging. He gets a much better matchup this week against the Lions, a team that has allowed five straight 300-yard passing games. Aiyuk can have a big showing in this matchup.
Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Lions. Gibbs had a big game last week, topping 100 total yards while scoring a touchdown. He has touchdowns each of the first two playoff games for the Lions. He has 16-plus fantasy points each of those games. Gibbs is playing well and should be heavily involved in the offense again this week. The 49ers have been great against the run much of the year, but shown some issues stopping the run lately. San Francisco allowed 136-rushing yards last week and given up 100-plus rushing yards four of five games.
COLD PLAYS
Jared Goff, QB, Lions. Goff had a great overall season, but his fantasy numbers haven’t been too off the charts. He has fewer than 20 fantasy points three of five games. He is getting his yards, but the Lions tend to run the ball in more for scores than pass. He might be an iffy fantasy play this week against the 49ers. San Francisco allowed the ninth fewest fantasy points to quarterback during the regular season.
Gus Edwards, RB, Ravens. Edwards has failed to score each of his last two games, giving him really poor fantasy numbers. He has fewer than six fantasy points each of his last two games, failing to hit 50-rushing yards each of those games. Edwards could have a similar showing this week against the Chiefs, a team that allowed the 10th fewest fantasy points to running backs. Kansas City allowed just 10-rushing touchdowns all season.
SLEEPERS
Rashod Bateman, WR, Ravens. Bateman had three receptions for 39 yards on three targets last week. He had a solid game but failed to hit double-digit fantasy points once again. The good news is he got his looks once again. The Chiefs have a very good pass defense, but Bateman could have more favorable coverages than Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham. Those guys should draw the tougher assignments, leaving Bateman a chance to make some big plays in the passing game. He could surprise this week.
Justice Hill, RB, Ravens. Hill led the Ravens in rushing last week, including rushing attempts. He got more work than starter Gus Edwards. Hill had 15 touches for 77 total yards. He could be setup for a similar workload in what could be a high-scoring fantasy teams. This means Hill could have a big fantasy showing. At this point, we might trust Hill more than Edwards, who is a more touchdown dependent player.
High/Low Scoring Games
Each week we will take a look at some of the high and low scoring games for the coming week. In high scoring affairs, get your marginal players on those teams in your lineup to take advantage of the possible points barrage. And in the low scoring games, keep those marginal players on the bench and make sure to have your defenses involved in those contests.
High Scoring Games: Chiefs/Ravens, Lions/49ers.
Low Scoring Games: None.
Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
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- 49ers star TE George Kittle (hamstring) ruled out vs. Rams
- Texans RB Joe Mixon (ankle) out vs. Vikings
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- Bengals WR Tee Higgins (hamstring) set to make season debut
- 49ers star TE George Kittle (hamstring) could sit out vs. Rams
- Bucs All-Pro S Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot) out for 2nd straight game
- Giants' Brian Burns (groin) questionable to face Browns
- Packers QB Jordan Love questionable, 'working through' medicals
- Texans RBs Joe Mixon doubtful, Dameon Pierce out vs. Vikings
- Vikings' Justin Jefferson cleared, Jordan Addison out vs. Texans
- Chargers QB Justin Herbert (ankle) uncertain vs. Steelers
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The Paur Report
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 3
The Pittsburgh Steelers have declared CB Darius Rush, WR Roman Wilson, QB Russell Wilson, TE MyCole Pruitt, SS Terrell Edmunds and OG Isaac Seumalo inactive for Week 3.
From TheHuddle
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have declared OT Luke Goedeke, S Antoine Winfield Jr., TE Devin Culp, DE Jose Ramirez, DL Calijah Kancey, WR Kameron Johnson and DT Vita Vea inactive for Week 3.
From TheHuddle
The New Orleans Saints have declared WR A.T. Perry, LB D'Marco Jackson, QB Spencer Rattler, TE Taysom Hill, WR Bub Means and DL Khalen Saunders inactive for Week 3.
From TheHuddle
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (ankle) is officially active for Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers and will start under center, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Herbert, who has 274 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception this season, was questionable with a high-ankle sprain. The Chargers took the decision up until the final minute in order to evaluate the quarterback's injury pregame. In the end, he's suiting up. However, the Chargers are carrying three active quarterbacks (Herbert, Easton Stick, and Taylor Heinicke) for the first time this season, which means they have a contingency plan in case Herbert isn't able to play the full game. Fantasy managers should treat him as a low-end QB2 this week.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans running backTyjae Spears(ankle) is officially active for Week 3 versus the Green Bay Packers. Spears had been listed as questionable but was trending in the right direction heading into the weekend.Tony Pollardremains the top running back in this Tennessee offense, but Spears has still been able to carve out a role this year. Through two games, he has 10 carries for 41 yards on the ground, plus six catches for another 22 yards through the air. He ranks as the overall RB42 in fantasy football so far. Managers can deploy him as a solid RB3 or FLEX in leagues with at least 14 teams.
From RotoBaller
The Houston Texans have declared RB Dameon Pierce, LB Jamal Hill, C Jarrett Patterson, RB Joe Mixon, WR John Metchie, CB Myles Bryant and DE Rashad Weaver inactive for Week 3.
From TheHuddle
The Cleveland Browns have declared QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, OG Javion Cohen, OT Jack Conklin, CB Kahlef Hailassie, TE David Njoku, RB Pierre Strong and WR Jamari Thrash inactive for Week 3.
From TheHuddle
Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young's benching following the team's Week 2 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in favor of QB Andy Dalton is not considered to be permanent, according to multiple sources. The thinking is that Young will regain the starting role at some point later this season, although head coach Dave Canales did not detail how long he would remain on the sidelines. The organization still views Young as their long-term solution at quarterback and feels that he would benefit most from watching.
Fantasy Spin: Dynasty owners should continue to hold on to Young, who had recently attracted the interest of multiple NFL teams looking to see if the Panthers were considering trading him. Dalton should be viewed as a midrange QB2 option for as long as he is the starter, although his fantasy ceiling isn't very high.
From TheHuddle
New Orleans Saints TE Taysom Hill (chest) has been ruled out for Week 3's game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Fantasy Spin: Hill logged a pair of limited practice sessions during the week but saw his injury report status downgraded from questionable to doubtful to out over the last 48 hours. TE Foster Moreau will likely receive the starting nod but he and the other New Orleans tight ends can be ignored for fantasy purposes this afternoon.
From TheHuddle
New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill (chest), who was doubtful to play in the Week 3 showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles, has officially been ruled out on Sunday. Hill suffered a chest injury in the Week 2 blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys and was even hospitalized shortly before being released. The do-it-all offensive weapon will now try to work his way back for a Week 4 meeting against the division-rival Atlanta Falcons next weekend. The 34-year-old is one of the most versatile players in all of football, but he has only eight carries for 53 yards and has caught two of his three targets for two yards in two blowout victories for the Saints so far in 2024, so it's hard to really rely on him in fantasy as anything more than a boom/bust TE2 on a weekly basis. With Hill sidelined against Philly, expect more targets for Juwan Johnson.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (foot) is currently listed as questionable ahead of the Week 3 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. Gardner-Johnson was unable to practice on Thursday or Friday, which puts him in a bad spot ahead of Sunday's game. Despite that, the Eagles are hopeful that Gardner-Johnson will play, but they will have to wait until warmups. The loss of Gardner-Johnson would likely mean Avonte Maddox starts at safety. The absence of Gardner-Johnson would be a downgrade for this secondary and defensive unit as a whole.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders has been unable to get much going on the ground this season. He has rushed for 42 yards and hauled in three receptions for five yards through two games. The 27-year-old remains the primary backup to Chuba Hubbard. The Panthers figure to continue splitting up the workload, but Hubbard has been the much more effective back between the two. The hope is that the Panthers offense can finally get something going against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3. They've scored only 13 points, but a change at quarterback could help them. Possibly, Sanders gets more involved with Andy Dalton under center, but fantasy managers shouldn't take that risk. Sanders remains an avoidable option until he proves otherwise.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Easton Stick could be asked to start under center during Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team is preparing to start Justin Herbert (ankle), but they haven't made a final decision. If Herbert sits, the Chargers plan to use some strategy that involves both Stick and veteran quarterback Taylor Heinicke. This sounds like a disaster waiting to happen against a tough Steelers defense. Stick threw for 1,129 passing yards with three touchdowns and one interception in five games (four starts) with the Chargers last season. The former fifth-round pick seems like a capable backup, but is not a recommended fantasy option if Herbert is unable to play.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers running back Emanuel Wilson took a backseat last week with rookie MarShawn Lloyd (ankle) getting into the mix. Wilson only saw five carries for nine yards in the win over the Indianapolis Colts. However, he figures to take a slightly larger workload with Lloyd headed to the injured reserve. Wilson put together a decent performance during the season opener, but there won't be a significant workload for him with Josh Jacobs healthy. That being said, Wilson is worth stashing in deep leagues or dynasty formats, but isn't a reliable starting option for Week 3.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs running back Samaje Perine is likely to see an increased workload during the Week 3 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. The Chiefs are expected to go with a running back by committee approach with Isiah Pacheco (leg) sidelined. The assumption is that rookie Carson Steele is going to be the primary back, but Perine should mixed in as well. The veteran back will probably take over the receiving duties in the backfield, which could be good news for fantasy managers in PPR formats. However, it's unknown exactly how the Chiefs plan to split up the workload on Sunday. That being said, Perine shouldn't be trusted as anything more than a low-end flex option in PPR formats.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (quad) was removed from the injury report on Friday. The superstar wideout was dealing with a quad issue, but appears to be fine after getting in a full practice session on Friday. It sounds like Jefferson is a full-go for Sunday and won't have any lingering effects from his quad issue. That is great news for fantasy managers after Jefferson went down mid-way through Week 2. Fantasy managers should feel confident with Jefferson as a WR1 for Week 3 against the Houston Texans.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Jordan Whittington is expected to see more involvement during Sunday's Week 3 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. The sixth-round rookie opened the season as depth, but now could be asked to possibly start. The Rams are without Puka Nacua (knee) and Cooper Kupp (ankle) for multiple weeks, which is a huge blow. That means, Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson figure to be the primary passing options. Tutu Atwell and Whittington could split up the third wideout role. Whittington hauled in both his targets for 22 yards last week. He's too risky to start in Week 3, but is worth stashing in deep leagues and dynasty formats.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (knee) is expected to play during Sunday's Week 3 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. Wilkins has been limited in practice all week due to a knee issue he picked up last week. The former first-round pick signed a hefty contract with the Raiders over the offseason. Wilkins and Maxx Crosby (ankle) are expected to dominate this defensive line. Wilkins is still seeking his first sack as a Raider, but has nine tackles through the first two games. The absence of either Wilkins or Crosby would be a significant blow to this d-line.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants defensive end Brian Burns (groin) is expected to play in Week 3 versus the Cleveland Browns. He had been listed as questionable after the Giants added him to their injury report late in the week. Nevertheless, he's going to suit up against the Deshaun Watson-led Browns on Sunday. Burns has seven tackles through two games but is still looking for his first sack as a member of the Giants.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (ankle) is expected to play in Week 3 versus the Green Bay Packers, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Spears had been listed as questionable but was trending in the right direction heading into the weekend. Tony Pollard remains the top running back in this Tennessee offense, but Spears has still been able to carve out a role this year. Through two games, he has 10 carries for 41 yards on the ground, plus six catches for another 22 yards through the air. He ranks as the overall RB42 in fantasy football so far.
From RotoBaller
