🏈 Deeeebo, the WR1?

MVP picks, Cam Newton, Jalen Hurts, why Dalvin Cook could be even better, and does Mike Vick still got it?

Nov 17, 2021

Good morning. Some great news to start your day: DE James Smith-Williams bought over $3,000 of gifts for children and families who are victims of domestic violence, winning the Community MVP Award. And you can still donate!

Time for a position by position review, with everything you need to know:

Quarterbacks

Cowboys vs. Falcons score, takeaways: Dak Prescott, Dallas bounce back from ugly loss by completely dominating - CBSSports.com — *Getty Images*

It’s been a strange year for QBs (see Stafford, Matthew).

One consistent? Dak Prescott. He’s Silva’s MVP pick, and to give you an idea of the difference Dak makes: The Cowboys ranked 1st in net yards per dropback in 2019, were 19th without Dak in 2020, and are again 1st in 2021.

Coach Sirianni was raving about the progress of Jalen Hurts (QB3 on the year), who has the best fantasy playoff schedule. Cam Newton has the toughest. Speaking of Cam Newton, he outscored Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and Carson Wentz despite playing nine snaps…

Jackson Mahomes skipped the Chiefs game to save Patrick Mahomes career. It worked, with Mahomes finishing as the QB1 for the first time this year.
Josh Allen used play-action on 57% of Week 10 drops — nearly 2x the highest rate of any team all last year, and finished with 21+.

FOX Sports: NFL @NFLonFOX

"I'm just happy to be back, happy to be a contributor to a team that's already good, we're just trying to get over the hump... Keep pounding." @CameronNewton joined @Sara_Walsh after scoring two touchdowns in his return to the @Panthers! 💪

Running Backs

Dalvin Cook might be primed for a huge second-half. Cook scored just his third touchdown of the season last week and has been tackled at the 1-yard line a league-leading five times (when he did not score a touchdown afterward). Despite his dominance, Jonathan Taylor is tied with Cook (tackled at the 1 five times). Scary to think…

Atlanta Falcons Football GIF by NFL - Find & Share on GIPHY

Elijah Mitchell broke his finger and had a procedure yesterday. If Mitchell sits, Jeff Wilson Jr. is the next man up in a run-first 49ers offense.
Falcons HC Arthur Smith said Wayne Gallman's Week 10 usage was due to the scoreboard and the quick turnaround on Thursday night, aka Gallman’s not worth rostering.
Antonio Gibson is back!? Gibson had his 2nd highest opportunity share since week 1, with 26 opportunities on a 39.4% share (RB7) in week 10.

The RBs with the best schedule for the fantasy playoffs? James Robinson, Javonte/Melvin, D’Andre Swift, David Montgomery (again) and Darrell Henderson. Ranked 32/32? Christian McCaffrey (but it doesn’t matter).

Per Graham Barfield, CMC is gaining 3.18 receiving yards per route run, which is second-best among all players, behind only Deebo Samuel (3.36).
Najee Harris has a full 90(!) more snaps played than Ezekiel Elliott, who is in second place with 450, and 133 more than overall RB1 Jonathan Taylor, who has played one more game than Harris.

Wide Receivers

Per Evan Silva, Rashod Bateman hasn’t hurt Marquise Brown whatsoever; The Real Hollywood averaging 13 targets since Bateman’s return. Can’t say the same for Jeudy/Sutton, as Courtland Sutton has 5 catches in 3 games since Jeudy’s return.

Hunter Renfrow is the WR14 in ppg the last 4 weeks, WR24 in targets (69 total, 7.7/gm) has seen 7 red-zone targets in his last 3 games, and has a top 12 rest of season schedule. Just watch him run this route.
Deebo Samuel ranks 2nd in the NFL in receiving yards, 1st in yards after the catch, and dominated a supposed top end defense playing half his snaps at running back. With 517 YAC in 9 games, he has the most since Percy Harvin in 2012.

Robert Saleh left the Jets DBs on islands vs. Stefon Diggs - this video shows why that’s a bad idea. Most unrealized air yards in Week 10 (PFF): 1. Tyler Lockett 2. D.K. Metcalf. Let’s hope Russ recovers from his worst career performance.

Ian Hartitz @Ihartitz

182 player sample: Kadarius Toney ranks 7th in yards per route run (2.44, PFF). Only guys with more: Deebo, C-Patt, Kupp, Adams, AB and Chase. That's it. Toney's 34 targets this season are tied for 99th in the NFL.

TE

Dan Arnold TE1 Gang Rises, while Darren Waller has scored more than 12 fantasy points in just two games this season and had a TD called back last game. Hunter Henry finished as TE1 and leads all TEs in TDs (7) this year.

George Kittle is TE2 since returning from IR. He also destroyed Von Miller.

D/ST

Gary Davenport breaks down some of the best team defense plays for Week 11, including some streaming options:

Miami Dolphins (at New York Jets): The Jets are 27th in the NFL in scoring offense, lead the league in giveaways and have allowed 25 sacks. No team in the league has surrendered more fantasy points per game to D/STs.