Fantasy Footnotes: Takeaways from Sunday's action
Every game day during the regular season, theScore's fantasy editors recap important takeaways from around the league.
Ajayi's ascension
Jay Ajayi is the fourth player in NFL history with back-to-back 200-yard rushing games.
So, yeah, that probably tells us he's for real.
Only three weeks ago, Ajayi was merely a low-end fantasy asset. Benched by the Dolphins in Week 1 for having a bad attitude, he still hadn't topped 42 yards in a game following Week 5. At that point, Arian Foster's imminent return from injury led some to drop Ajayi.
Those owners regret it now.
It turns out Foster's return was exactly what Ajayi needed to finally catch fire. Or more likely, the return of left tackle Branden Albert, guard Laremy Tunsil, and the rest of the Dolphins' offensive line to health sparked the sophomore runner.
Behind the Dolphins' suddenly beastly line, Ajayi has shredded the Steelers and Bills in consecutive weeks. He's running with a violent purpose and doesn't look anything like a player who will cede touches to Foster, except when he's on the sideline getting oxygen after a long run.
Every year, a running back rises from trash to treasure and carries fantasy owners to the playoffs. This year, it could be Ajayi.
Charles' value 'Ware-ing' thin
Jamaal Charles' days as a fantasy stud could be over.
Charles was active Sunday despite reports he would likely sit with swelling in his surgically repaired knee, but barely saw the field. His final stat line is just sad: one carry for no gain and zero catches.
Meanwhile, Spencer Ware put up yet another big-time performance, carving up the Saints for 77 yards on 17 carries, adding two catches for 54 yards and a touchdown.
It's premature to write off Charles as washed up, but he shouldn't be anywhere near fantasy lineups until he gets back on the field and produces at least one strong performance.
To the dismay of Charles' fantasy owners, and to the delight of Ware's, that doesn't appear likely to happen anytime soon.
Instant Impressions
- Can anyone explain why LeSean McCoy was permitted to play Sunday? After a hamstring injury limited him all week, McCoy was a surprising inclusion in Buffalo's lineup. It backfired, as a clearly hobbled McCoy managed only 11 yards on eight carries. Then things went from bad to worse, as McCoy exited the game after aggravating his injury. We might not see him back on the field for a while.
- Melvin Gordon famously failed to score a single touchdown as a rookie. He has 10 already as a sophomore. While there's no doubt Gordon is running better than a year ago, questions remain as to whether he can keep this up. Gordon is still shaky running between the tackles, the Chargers' offensive line remains suspect, and Gordon has benefited greatly from good luck. His owners may never have a better sell-high opportunity than after Sunday's three-touchdown performance, but do they dare bet against a player on a streak this hot?
- We can't blame Blake Bortles for all of Allen Robinson's failures, but he certainly isn't helping. Bortles has failed to build on a promising sophomore season and instead seems to be regressing in a big way. Robinson, who caught an NFL-best 14 touchdowns last season, has been held without a TD in four of six games this season. Even more distressing for Robinson's owners, the wideout hasn't topped 72 yards receiving all year. Against the Raiders on Sunday, Robinson hit a new low: two catches for nine yards.
- Jacquizz Rodgers looks like a RB1 - at least until Doug Martin returns (which may not be for several more weeks). Rodgers followed up a 129-yard performance in Week 5 with 163 more in Week 7.
- Tyler Eifert was largely a non-factor in his 2016 debut. He played only 15 snaps. Bigger and better weeks are ahead.
Notable Performances
Matt Forte, RB, Jets
30 carries, 100 yards, 4 receptions, 54 yards, 2 TDs
A popular "sit" pick this week, Forte reminded the fantasy world that he still has something left in the tank.
LeGarrette Blount, RB, Patriots
24 carries, 127 yards, 2 TDs
Blount just keeps rolling.
Jeremy Hill, RB, Bengals
9 carries, 168 yards, 2 receptions, 24 yards, TD
Hill averaged 18.7 yards per carry. Fluke? Absolutely. But still worth noting.
Matt Jones, RB, Redskins
10 carries, 27 yards, FUM
Jones was briefly benched after fumbling in the second half. His hold on the Redskins' starting job is tenuous.
Drew Brees, QB, Saints
37-of-48, 367 yards, 3 TDs, INT
Brees is at his best in the Superdome, but the notion that he's not close to as good on the road is goofy. He's elite no matter where he plays.
Eli Manning, QB, Giants
24-of-37, 196 yards
Remember Victor Cruz and Sterling Shepard? They've been invisible lately.
Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers
8 receptions, 96 yards, 2 TDs
With Vincent Jackson on IR and the Buccaneers down to Jacquizz Rodgers in the backfield for the foreseeable future, Evans will continue to be peppered with targets.
Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers
7 receptions, 106 yards, 1 carry, 13 yards
Brown topped 100 yards with Landry Jones at quarterback, but still has yet to catch a touchdown pass from anyone not named Ben Roethlisberger.
Jeremy Maclin, WR, Chiefs
4 receptions, 40 yards
Maclin hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 1.
Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Giants
5 receptions, 49 yards
Hobbled by a hip pointer, Beckham had a quiet day in London.
Jack Doyle, TE, Colts
9 receptions, 78 yards, TD
Doyle made the most of his opportunities in Dwayne Allen's absence.
Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots
4 receptions, 93 yards, TD
Gronk is back and it would be unwise to bet against him putting up numbers like this every single week.
Martellus Bennett, TE, Patriots
1 reception, 5 yards
Is Gronk's return to health bad news for Bennett's fantasy prospects? This might be a one-week aberration, but there is cause for concern.
Injury Ward
Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers
Brown gave owners a big scare when he exited with what appeared to be a serious leg injury. He later returned to the game, but not before missing a number of snaps.
LeSean McCoy, RB, Bills
McCoy spun the wheel by playing on a bum hamstring and hit bankrupt. He aggravated the injury in the second half and didn't return. McCoy expressed optimism about playing in Week 8 after the game, but he's probably better off letting the injury fully heal before taking the field.
Jerick McKinnon, RB, Vikings
McKinnon was in and out of Sunday's game with an ankle injury. The Vikings play on Monday night in Week 8, so he'll have an extra day to get healthy.
Tevin Coleman, RB, Falcons
The yin to Devonta Freeman's yang exited Sunday's game with a hamstring injury, the severity of which is not yet known.
Cody Kessler, QB, Browns
No one was starting Cody Kessler on their fantasy team, but his concussion could further tank the value of players like Terrelle Pryor and Duke Johnson. But there's good news: Josh McCown could possibly return to the lineup next week.
Waiver Wire Targets
Mike Gillislee, RB, Bills
Gillislee should start for the Bills if McCoy misses time. Don't rule out Reggie Bush being a factor, too.
Chris Thompson, RB, Redskins
With Matt Jones temporarily benched for fumbling, Thompson led the Redskins with 12 rushes, taking them for 73 yards. He also caught seven passes for 40 yards. He's worth a look, but it's hard to get excited about any running back on this team.
Matt Asiata, RB, Vikings
With McKinnon hurting, Asiata rushed 12 times for 55 yards and added six catches for 25 yards. His value will get a sizable boost if McKinnon can't play next week.
Ty Montgomery, RB, Packers
Montgomery played as the Packers' starting running back on Thursday. Whether he will get RB eligibility in fantasy remains to be seen, but he needs to be owned in all leagues, regardless.
Davante Adams, WR, Packers
Don't forget about his 132 yards and two touchdowns just because he played on Thursday night.
Brandon LaFell, WR, Bengals
With four touchdowns in his last three games, LaFell is back on the fantasy map. Tyler Eifert's return puts a limit on LaFell's ceiling, though.
Corey Coleman, WR, Browns
The rookie is nearing a return from his hand injury.
Jack Doyle, TE, Colts
As long as Dwayne Allen is out, and potentially even after he returns, Doyle will be one of Andrew Luck's favorite targets.
Vernon Davis, TE, Redskins
Davis has produced in back-to-back weeks and Jordan Reed is expected to miss at least one more game with a concussion.