Welcome back to the Rookie Report! Hopefully you were luckier than I was last week and weren't saddled with both Peyton Manning and Demaryius Thomas's soul crushing fantasy let downs. Hopefully you survived another week. The rookies played a huge role last week, especially guys like Odell Beckham Jr. and Mike Evans. Martavis Bryant wasn't too shabby either, recording the longest play from scrimmage of the season. So which rookies are worth trusting with everything on the line again this week? Let's dive in and find out...
Rookies to Start:
RB Isaiah Crowell, CLE (Wk. 15: vs. Cin.): Crowell had a passable fantasy day in week 14, finding the end zone for the 8th time in his rookie campaign, but again he split the workload fairly evenly with Terrance West. There's some risk to starting Crowell as long as West is around, but he's still the better option of the duo, and the threat of Johnny Manziel running should open up all kinds of running lanes for the Crow. I'd feel comfortable firing him up as an RB2 against a Bengals' defense that allows the 4th most points to opposing RBs.
WR Odell Beckham Jr., NYG (Wk. 15: vs. Was.): This one isn't rocket science. He's got 90+ yards in 6 straight games and 3 TDs in his last 3 games. The Redskins' defense has been burned repeatedly this year, and Beckham will likely burn them multiple times this week. He's got WR1 upside.
WR Mike Evans, TB (Wk. 15: @Car.): Evans continued to show off his considerable talents in week 14, catching 2 TDs against the stingy Lions' secondary. Carolina's defense is not nearly as stingy, and Evans has 8 TDs over the last 6 games. I expect he finds the end zone again this week, and there is no reason he should be on your bench.
WR Kelvin Benjamin, CAR (Wk. 15: vs. TB): Although KB has been thoroughly inconsistent, he remains a solid WR2. There's a lot of boom or bust potential, but Benjamin scores touchdowns so often you'd have to have elite options to play instead in order to sit Kelvin this week. He burned Tampa for a 6-92-1 line the first time these teams faced off.
WR Martavis Bryant, PIT (Wk. 15: @Atl.): Bryant is a boom or bust play as usual, but the arrow is pointing way up this week. The Falcons just got shredded by the Packers' pass attack on Monday night, and they are one of the five worst defenses in the league against fantasy wideouts. Bryant only needs one big play to be worth a lineup spot, and there's a good chance he gets that this week.
WR Jordan Matthews, PHI (Wk. 15: vs. Dal.): Matthews didn't do much last week against the Seahawks, but that's because Mark Sanchez threw for less than 100 yards against an incredible defense. Things should be better this week. He caught 4 balls for 51 yards and a TD when the Eagles went to Dallas on Thanksgiving, and I wouldn't be surprised if he exceeds that stat line this week. The Dallas defense will look like a college team in comparison to the defense the Eagles just faced.
Borderline Rookies:
QB Johnny Manziel, CLE (WK. 15: @Cin.): Johnny Football has finally gotten the nod to start at QB for the Browns. The Manziel era has arrived! Should we be excited for his first start? The jury's still out on that. He will face a tough passing defense, but his running ability will give him the chance to put together an okay fantasy day. It's almost impossible to predict how Manziel is going to do, but if you feel like rolling the dice as a low end QB2, there's certainly upside.
RB Tre Mason, STL (Wk. 15 vs. Ari.): Mason runs into a brutal matchup with the Cardinals, at least on paper, but the Cards' D has softened against the run over the past 2 weeks. Jamaal Charles and washed up Steven Jackson both had strong days against them. Mason should be a strong bet for 60+ yards and should be on the RB2 radar.
RB Jeremy Hill, CIN (Wk. 15: vs. Cle.): This week is a must win game for the Bengals, and if they're smart, they'll force feed the ball to Hill. The Browns' biggest weakness is their run defense, and Joe Haden has consistently gotten the better of A.J. Green. Hill saw a near even split of the carries with Gio Bernard just a week after questioning OC Hue Jackson's play calling. He still averaged over 5 yards per carry on his touches while Bernard had just 17 yards on 6 carries. Hill is at least a reasonable flex-play, but if the Bengals run the ball as much as they should, Hill could end up a high end RB2.
RB Terrance West, CLE (Wk. 15: @Cin.): He doesn't have nearly the upside that Crowell does this week, but as long as West is seeing close to half the carries, he still has flex appeal. The threat of Manziel's running will open up lanes for West the same as it will for Crowell.
RB Andre Williams, NYG (Wk. 15: vs. Was.): Williams is coming off his best game as a pro, but that was against the awful Titans. The Redskins are awful as well, but they are stout against the run. If Jennings is expected to be out or extremely limited again, Williams will have some low-end flex appeal, but I wouldn't expect nearly the output he managed in week 14. I'd expect 60-70 yards and a TD to be his ceiling this week if he gets the start, but it's sounding like Jennings might be close to full strength for this one. Pay attention to the updates throughout the week.
WR Sammy Watkins, BUF (Wk. 15: vs. GB): Watkins finally got back on track last week, even if a lot of the damage came in garbage time as the Bills scrambled to make it close. The Bills' offense had little to no downfield passing game for the few weeks before the Broncos game, but they should again have ample garbage time against the Packers' juggernaut offense. Watkins has shown himself to be a risky play of late, but he has a ton of upside as a WR3 this week.
WR Jarvis Landry, MIA (Wk. 15: @NE): It's a tough matchup this week with the Pats' formidable corners, but he's had 5+ catches and 40+ yards in each of his past 6 games. I'd expect that to be the floor again this week, which makes him a high floor, low upside WR3 in PPR this week.
WR Donte Moncrief, IND (Wk. 15: vs. Hou.): Moncrief has a chance to blow up over the next few games. Reggie Wayne may have a torn tricep, and he might be shut down for the rest of the season before long. Moncrief is already ahead of Hakeem Nicks on the depth chart, playing 50 snaps to Nicks's 18. Even if Wayne plays this week, Moncrief has killer upside against the worst defense in the league against WRs. If Reggie sits, Donte has WR2 upside the rest of the way this season.
WR Marqise Lee, JAX (Wk. 15: @Bal.): Lee has settled in as a PPR WR3 in each of the past 2 weeks, and now gets to face a battered Ravens' secondary that has allowed 26.5 points per game to opposing WRs, tied with the Texans for most in the NFL. Lee should again be a solid WR3 option in PPR leagues, and should be in standard leagues with 12+ teams as well.
Rookies to Sit:
QB Teddy Bridgewater, MIN (Wk. 15: @Det.): Bridgewater has finally showed the ability to produce in plus matchups, putting up 2 TDs in 4 straight games and just eclipsed 300 yards passing against the Jets in week 14. Unfortunately for Teddy, he gets to face the Lions this week. The first time around, he threw for just 188 yards, no TDs and 3 picks, and that was at home. This one's in Detroit. I wouldn't expect a much improved performance.
QB Derek Carr, OAK (Wk. 15: @KC): Carr put up his second game of the season with 3+ TDs last week, and it was something no one saw coming. I don't expect a repeat this week. The Chiefs will be itching to get their hands on Carr in Arrowhead after what happened when the teams met in Oakland. Carr will struggle to get going in this one. There's no reason to trust Carr at Arrowhead.
RB Bishop Sankey, TEN (Wk. 15: vs. NYJ): To put it simply, you can do better. Sankey's role has actually been shrinking of late, and I don't expect the trend to reverse this week against the stout Jets' defense. Sankey hasn't made himself much of a part of the passing game, and he'd be hard pressed to approach 50 yards on the ground.
RB Alfred Blue, HOU (Wk. 15: @Ind.): Blue vultured a TD from Arian Foster last week, but there's no reason to get excited. He gained just 15 yards on 9 carries against a bad defense. At this point he's nothing more than a Foster handcuff.
RB Charles Sims, TB (Wk. 15: @Car.): There just aren't enough touches coming his way to trust him with your season on the line this week. He got a season-low 6 touches against the Lions, and I'm not sure he'll see much more than that this week. He's topped 50 yards just once, and there is no reason to expect that to change this week.
RB Jerick McKinnon, MIN (Wk. 15: @Det.): McKinnon hasn't played in a couple weeks, but I'd expect him to suit up this week [Editor's Note: McKinnon has since been placed on IR]. It doesn't mean there's a place for him in your lineup. The Lions are the 3rd best defense in the league at limiting RB fantasy production, and there's no reason to think McKinnon will suddenly go off in his return from injury. He still hasn't scored a TD all year.
RB Juwan Thompson, DEN (Wk. 15: @SD): Don't chase last week's stats with Thompson. Sure he had more rushing yards than C.J. Anderson, but he touched the ball just 5 times all game, and Anderson scored all 3 touchdowns. Expect Thompson's numbers to fall off a cliff this week.
RB Carlos Hyde, SF (Wk. 15: @Sea.): I was wrong when I thought Hyde would have a surprisingly good game when the 49ers hosted the Seahawks at Levis Stadium. I won't make the same mistake as the 49ers head to Seattle. The 'Hawks are a different animal at home, and have been dominant of late on the defensive side of the ball. I wouldn't risk playing Hyde in any format.
WR Davante Adams, GB (Wk. 15: @Buf.): Adams predictably came back to earth after a huge game in prime time against New England. As long as Jordy and Cobb are able to get open, Davante is left fighting for scraps. The Bills are a slight upgrade at corner from what Atlanta offered. but they aren't in the same league as the Pats. Expect another quiet day for Adams unless he finds paydirt.
WR John Brown, ARI (Wk. 15: @StL.): Brown was held catchless on 4 targets last week, and I'm not optimistic about his outlook this week either. He does his best work on the deep ball, but Stanton will need time to throw deep, and I doubt he gets it against the Rams' ferocious pass rush. St. Louis has the 7th most sacks in the NFL (35), and all but one of them have come since week 7. The odds of Brown getting loose for a deep one are really not good.
TEs Jace Amaro, NYJ (Wk.15: @Ten.), Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TB (Wk. 15: @Car.), and Eric Ebron, DET (Wk. 15: vs. Min.): Not one rookie TE is worth playing this week. Amaro still hasn't been cleared from his concussion and ASJ is uncertain with injury this week as well. I wouldn't have any faith that they'll even play, and even less that they produce if the do. Ebron, meanwhile, has been putting up between 20 and 30 scoreless yards each week. This week he faces off with the Vikings, who allow less than 5 TE fantasy points per week. There's no reason to expect a breakout.
Deep League Sleepers:
QB Blake Bortles, JAX (Wk. 15: @Bal.): Bortles has quietly cut down on his interceptions, throwing just 4 picks in his last 5 games after averaging 2 per game over the first 6 contests, and he's also continued to give his numbers a boost with his legs, averaging 28 yards per game on the ground. This week he gets a really brutal Ravens' secondary, and is a solid bet to throw multiple TDs for just the 3rd time all year. He's certainly risky, but if you're desperate this week for a QB2, you could certainly do worse.
RB Lorenzo Taliaferro, BAL (Wk. vs. Jax.): ZoBot finally got back into the mix in the Ravens' running game last week, and there's a decent chance they play from ahead in this one. It would have to be a really deep league to give Taliaferro a try this week, but there is upside for 50+ yards and a TD if things break right.
WR Allen Hurns, JAX (Wk. 14: @Bal.): Hurns makes it a trio of sleepers in the Jags-Ravens game. I mentioned that the Ravens' secondary is really bad, and Hurns has shown the ability to get deep for scores (at least in a couple games). There is a ton of risk in playing Hurns, but he's got great upside if you're really desperate. He could be a really fun option in daily leagues or if your out of the playoffs and your league still does a high score pool each week.
That's all I've got for this week. Hopefully it helps secure you a spot in the championship. Be extra dilligent in staying on top of injury updates this week and double check the lineup before the games get started. As always, good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It's just a game.
As the general manager of a fantasy team, each week you are presented with many decisions to make. The choices you make can then have dire consequences on the fate of your team for the remainder of the season. It’s important to weigh these start/sit questions very heavily against the health and recent performance of the player, the efficiency of the defense they are facing and the ability of the offense in which they play to score points on a week-to-week basis. We’ll help to make some of these decisions easier, but ultimately it’s up to you which way you decide to go! Here are our Week 2 Rankings, and feel free to use the start/sit tool here on the site as well.
Quarterbacks
START Peyton Manning (DEN) vs. KC – Could Peyton Manning have peaked in 2013 and he is now on the decline? Sure. But you drafted Manning to be your #1 QB and it’s silly to give up on a guy after one bad performance. Just ask those people who dropped Tom Brady after a few bad performances last year and he went on to make them regret that decision in short order.
SIT Sam Bradford (PHI) vs. DAL – Bradford had a good completion rate (69.2%) in week 1 against the Falcons, but he did throw 2 interceptions and only 1 TD against a team that was dead last in passing defense last year. Bradford still does not look completely comfortable in his new offense, and the Eagles will likely try to get DeMarco Murray going against his former team. I’m not saying that Bradford is off the radar, just that you may have a better option at QB this week.
Running Backs
START Darren Sproles (PHI) vs. DAL – Sproles was second in targets on the Eagles only to Jordan Matthews last week and finished the game with 126 all-purpose yards. Until Bradford has complete command over the passing offense this season, we’ll likely see Sproles’ usage stay at a high level. I’m suggesting that Sproles be considered a flex play even in standard leagues this week as the Eagles try to find a sure-footed way to beat the Cowboys.
START Giovani Bernard (CIN) vs. SD – San Diego’s passing defense is weak at best, and Andy Dalton and the Bengals will use short passes around the line of scrimmage (in conjunction with A.J. Green stretching the field, of course) to Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard to maximize their YAC (yards after catch) abilities. In a game where the Bengals may be playing catch-up, look for Bernard to be used as much or more than he was in week 1.
SIT Bishop Sankey (TEN) vs. CLE – Bishop Sankey and Terrance West are involved in a rotation based on the game situation, and starting Sankey due to a touchdown heavy performance in week 1 (2 TDs on 86 all-purpose yards) is not a smart move. Plus, Tennessee is more than likely to falter here, with a young offense led by a young quarterback – expect missteps in week 2.
SIT Latavius Murray (OAK) vs. BAL – Murray looks like the guy who will shoulder the majority of the running game in Oakland as long as he can remain healthy. The problem is that he is on the Oakland Raiders. Look, the Raiders may be headed in a good direction but when they go up against good NFL teams like the Baltimore Ravens we cannot expect the game to go in their direction. The truth of the matter is that Murray’s great games will come against much lesser teams until the rest of the Raiders’ offense can step up.
Wide Receivers
START Jeremy Maclin (KC) vs. DEN – This was a tough one for me to declare since I’m not a huge believer in Alex Smith’s ability to air out the ball, but Thursday Night Football against the Denver Broncos in Week 2 of the 2015 NFL season is when the Great WR Touchdown Famine will come to an end for the Chiefs. Alex Smith will throw a touchdown pass to Jeremy Maclin and there will be much rejoicing. Editor's Note: After putting up less-than-great stats on Thursday, Maclin has officially landed on the 'Prove It' list going forward.
START Percy Harvin (BUF) vs NE – Probably the riskiest start on the board this week, Harvin looked like he had something to prove (and he did) in Week 1 against the Colts, putting up 5 receptions for 79 yards and a TD. He also had a 9 yard rush. Buffalo is going to pull out all of the stops against the division rival Patriots and with Watkins sucking up coverage, Harvin should be moved all around the field to make plays. Underestimating Buffalo’s offense this year is a mistake.
SIT Davante Adams (GB) vs SEA – It was Davante Adams year to break out they said, with Nelson gone, Adams should really take a step up this year they said.. yeah, well the fact is it will take Adams and Rodgers more than a few games this year to establish real chemistry and a lot of that jazz is going to Randall Cobb and James Jones instead. Every starting receiver on the Packers has good fantasy value, but this week’s match-up against Seattle combined with James Jones triumphant return don’t bode well for Adams in week 2.
SIT Larry Fitzgerald (ARI) vs. CHI – Fitz is nearing the end of his career and he has a few big games left in him this season, but Arians doesn’t need to overextend Fitzgerald against the hapless Chicago Bears. In an offense where the ball is normally spread around anyway, Fitzgerald will likely be used mostly as a decoy, drawing defenders away from the real game plan this week. I would expect 6-8 points at most in standard leagues.
Tight Ends
START Heath Miller (PIT) vs. SF – Miller caught 8 passes for 84 yards last week against the Patriots and is always a red zone threat for Ben Roethlisberger, due to his 6’5” frame. Although his production has waned over the past few years, suspensions to Martavis Bryant and Le’Veon Bell have forced him back into use as a regular passing target. One of Ben’s most trusted targets of all time, Miller should be treated as a top 10 TE this week and will likely see higher than normal usage until Bryant returns.
SIT Jordan Reed (WAS) vs. STL - We know that Reed performed well in Week 1 against Miami (7 receptions for 63 yards and 1 TD), but the Rams should prove to be an even tougher opponent defensively and it doesn't help that Desean Jackson will be sidelined for at least this game, closing in the defense on Kirk Cousins and the short game. Reed may be a fill-in play in a PPR league at best, because I don't see any substantial amount of yards or any touchdowns, for that matter, coming from him in week 2. To top it all off, Reed had a quad issue all week and we hate to see injury prone players on the injury report.
As the general manager of a fantasy team, each week you are presented with many decisions to make. The choices you make can then have dire consequences on the fate of your team for the remainder of the season. It’s important to weigh these start/sit questions very heavily against the health and recent performance of the player, the efficiency of the defense they are facing and the ability of the offense in which they play to score points on a week-to-week basis. We’ll help to make some of these decisions easier, but ultimately it’s up to you which way you decide to go! Here are our Week 4 Rankings, and feel free to use the start/sit tool here on the site as well.
Quarterbacks
START Tyrod Taylor (BUF) vs. NYG – We've been telling everyone that we can find every week to pick up Tyrod Taylor as part of our waiver wire picks, and he is finally owned in more than 2/3 of Yahoo leagues. Took long enough! As the 5th highest scoring QB in standard leagues so far this year, it would be borderline insane not to start him now on a weekly basis. The Giants passing defense also happens to be the worst in the NFL so far this year, allowing more than 1000 yards of passing offense over just 3 games. Enjoy!
SIT Philip Rivers (SD) vs. CLE – Rivers has a worse-than-average matchup this week against a good Cleveland secondary, and is sorely missing Antonio Gates. Over the past 3 games he has put up 5 TDs and 4 INTs. Rivers is now - for all intents and purposes - a QB2 with some upside, and we're staying away from him until he can show us otherwise.
Running Backs
START Justin Forsett (BAL) vs. PIT – Forsett has had some trouble getting it going this year (and some of that blame can be put on the overall Ravens' offense and play-calling, as well), but he should have a good game this week against the division rival Steelers' front without Ryan Shazier. Both teams may have some issues generating offense early in the game and will lean on the run to some degree. I'm predicting he has the best game of his year so far against Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
START C.J. Spiller (NO) vs. DAL – Spiller will continue to get more opportunities in the backfield starting with this week's game against Dallas. Finally healthy, he should be able to produce against the Cowboys at a FLEX level at least - especially in PPR leagues. I saw Spiller dropped in a few leagues already - those teams will be regretting that decision after his performance in week 4.
SIT Jonathan Stewart (CAR) vs. TB – Stewart has not been playing well this year and Cam Newton has had to shoulder most of the load, along with Greg Olsen. With Stewart's recent injury (knee) he is not going to be a start even if he does give it a go on Sunday. This is a situation where you need to be extra cautious, because he could go out there and only touch the ball 8 times. I'd rather start a running back with less upside this week, along as they're healthy.
SIT Ronnie Hillman (DEN) vs. MIN – The rumors of C.J. Anderson's demise have been far overblown. True, Hillman has seen the field a lot while Anderson has been nursing an injury, but the Broncos' coaching staff has repeatedly said that they are still looking at C.J. as the main guy in Denver and has been getting the snaps in the situations that count.
Wide Receivers
START Calvin Johnson (DET) vs. SEA – Yes, they're playing the Seahawks. Yes, the Lions have had all sorts of issues with their offensive line and play-calling. Still, it's likely that Detroit will need to chuck the football in order to keep pace in this game and Megatron is the #1 target that they'll be going to. He scores 100 yards and a TD in this game for sure! Quote me on that.
START Marvin Jones (CIN) vs KC – It's been disappointing to be a Marvin Jones owner over the past few years. The guy is extremely talented but never seems to stay healthy when all the planets are aligning for him to excel. This year he gets another shot: the Dalton machine is running better than it ever has before and Jones has locked up the #2 WR role in this offense. Expect consistent high-end production on a week to week basis from here on.
SIT John Brown (ARI) vs STL – The Rams have one of the better passing defenses this year, allowing just over 200 yards per game and only 2 TDs over the past 3 games. Not that Arizona will have too tough a time moving the ball, but I think that they will be passing the ball around a lot and utilizing their newly found running game as well. Brown is still getting a few receptions per game but he has not shown as much of that big play ability that made him such an attractive pick on draft day. Sit him!
Tight Ends
START Maxx Williams (BAL) vs. PIT – C'mon, the guy's name is MAXX! Anyway, the lack of targets in Baltimore has forced Flacco to keep checking down to his tight ends and without Crockett Gillmore (out, calf), Maxx Williams steps up to the plate. We've seen this guy grab a pass and knock through a few defenders like bowling pins and I'm expecting that to happen a few times in this game against a pretty weak passing defense.
SIT Eric Ebron (DET) vs. SEA - Ebron has been performing well this year, much to many fantasy expert's chagrin. I think that is mainly due to the inability of the offensive line to give Stafford time to throw to his receivers but I expect Detroit's scheme and play-calling to get better. Hope you enjoyed your time in the spotlight, Ebron - I think we'll be seeing less production from you in the weeks going forward.
Week 5 marks our approach into the 2nd quarter of the 2015 NFL season. At this point we have learned who a lot of players and teams are and who they will be going forward. There are still a lot of surprises, but those general come with caveats. For example, Andre Johnson had a great game on Thursday night but he was playing with Matt Hasselbeck instead of Andrew Luck and against a Houston defense which has proved more ineffective than initially projected. So do your research, and make the best decisions that you can each week! Here are our Week 5 Rankings, and feel free to use the start/sit tool here on the site as well.
Quarterbacks
START Marcus Mariota (TEN) vs. BUF – Mariota has certainly played well so far his rookie year, but there is always room for improvement. Week 3 against the Colts was punishing for him, giving up his first 2 interceptions of the season, but he still looked sharp for the majority of that game and showed good poise under pressure. Although the Bills have a great defense, they have allowed a surprising 19.5 points per game to opposing fantasy quarterbacks (3rd highest in the NFL) and so we're expecting Mariota to have a good outing this week.
SIT Tyrod Taylor (BUF) vs. TEN – Taylor was not impressive against the Giants last week, and he'll be without a good running game (both LeSean McCoy and Karlos Williams will not be playing this week, leaving Anthony Dixon and new addition Dan Herron to start) as well as #1 WR Sammy Watkins. Without Watkins to distract the defense and an ability to establish the run, Taylor will be left with Charles Clay and Percy Harvin as his main targets. Not enough, Taylor. Best of luck!
Running Backs
START LeGarrette Blount (NE) vs. DAL– It's always particularly scary, attempting to predict which New England running back will have a productive day on the football field. In week 3, Blount played the role of clock killer and plowed his way to 3 TDs. Dion Lewis has recently been installed as the starter for the Patriots, but look for Blount to come out to play whenever the Pats have a hefty lead. That's what I'm expecting in this match-up against Dallas.
START Darren Sproles (PHI) vs. NO – A little birdie told me that the Eagles were still having trouble getting their offense going. Sproles is getting some good targets but has had a few issues with drops over the past few weeks. In a match-up against the Saints pretty soft defense, Sproles should have an easier time turning those targets into fantasy points. I'm predicting at least 80 all-purpose yards and a TD this week.
SIT Joseph Randle (DAL) vs. NE – Still the head of the laughable Dallas Cowboys RBBC, lucked into a few touchdowns in week 3 but should have a much harder time gaining ground against a staunch Patriots defense. Averaging only 14.75 carries per game (hardly any of those in the 2nd half of games), two things have become obvious: the Cowboys will be playing from behind, and Randle will not have a part in that.
SIT Ameer Abdullah (NE) vs. DAL – Abdullah is not the problem here - it's the Lions' offensive line and play-calling woes. He'll do better going forward and should keep the starting job in Detroit, but this week's romp against the Cardinals will not be padding his stats.
Wide Receivers
START Martavis Bryant (PIT) vs. SD – Bryant was a monster last year, and all signs point to him bringing a lot of that production to 2015. Losing Roethlisberger was a blow to his fantasy value, but fortunately Vick can still chuck the ball downfield and the existing double threat of Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown on offense will keep opposing defenses from focusing on Bryant. He should still get his. Editor's Note: Unfortunately, it looks like Bryant will be out for another week at least, due to a knee tweak.
START Travis Benjamin (CLE) vs BAL - Ok, I didn't want to like Benjamin when he started putting up stats but now I have no choice but to recognize his talent within that offense. Chemistry is building with Josh McCown, and the Raven's secondary has been taking hits from all across the league this year. I'd consider Benjamin to be an every week WR3 or Flex play going forward. Not bad for someone who went undrafted in all but the deepest of leagues.
SIT Brandin Cooks (NO) vs PHI – Cooks has yet to score a touchdown, and Brees's current infatuation with Willie Snead looks to continue into week 5. Although Cooks could easily go back to being a borderline WR1 play, right now he's barely a start. I'm going to go ahead and leave him off of lineups where I can insert someone with more upside, like Leonard Hankerson or Allen Hurns, for example.
Tight Ends
START Owen Daniels (DEN) vs. OAK - Daniels looks like he should be a sit based on his stats, but he climbs in the rankings due to how miserable the Oakland Raiders are at defending against tight ends. Besides that, Daniels had a touchdown last week as well as in week 3 which proves that Manning is targeting him in the red zone. The guy does not get yardage, but he will likely be targeted 5+ times in week 5 against the Raiders. If there was ever a time to play Owen Daniels, that time is now!
SIT Jared Cook (STL) vs. GB - Cook, on the other hand, has yet to record a touchdown and his stats have decreased throughout the season so far. As the Rams rediscover t heir offense through Todd Gurley and Tavon Austin, it's possible that Cook will have some opportunities to score but right now they look few and far between.