SCANT’ HOPES
Rodgers’ rebound will boost WR
TIME decays everything. The best sports car eventually gets old, the top-of-the-line television at some point becomes outdated. That amazing flip phone you had before all your pals doesn’t evoke the same kind of envy anymore.
And Aaron Rodgers is no longer a fantasy juggernaut. Now, don’t get us wrong, he still is perfectly capable of blockbuster fantasy games, as he showed in Week 7 against the Raiders — when he topped 400 yards and had five touchdown passes.
What he lacks is consistency. In the four games since that eruption, he has averaged just 220.8 yards and 1.3 TDs per game. It is even worse if you look at just his past three — when he has averaged a pitiful 166 yards per game and 0.7 TDs. Those numbers aren’t going to get you fantasy wins.
Yet, consider this: Despite Rodgers’ inconsistency from week to week, one thing that is consistent is he doesn’t have long stretches without a big game. To wit, he now has gone three straight games without getting at least 300 passing yards or at least three TDs. Since 2015, just once has he gone four straight games with such low numbers.
But we’re not so wishful as to put our fantasy faith on a whim like “he’s due.” There is some data to back up the Madman. The Giants’ defense gives up t he e i g ht h- most fantasy points to quarterbacks. The Packers’ recent opponents were much stingier — Chargers (27th), Panthers (22nd) and 49ers (31st).
Plus, Giants cornerbacks Corey Ballentine and DeAndre Baker rate as the two worst across the entire league among those slated to start this week, according to Pro Football Focus.
More importantly, this matchup opens up a fantasy option who normally would not be on the radar: Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Maybe you are in a bind with Julio Jones or T.Y. Hilton, or you’ve soured on Terry McLaurin or Courtland Sutton. There are a number of scenarios in which you might be scrambling this week.
MVS likely is available on your waiver wire. We like him better than other Packers receivers, who also will benefit from the matchup, Geronimo Allison and Allen Lazard.
The Giants have given up a league-high 13 passing plays of 40 yards or more (tied with the Packers). Valdes-Scantling is the best deep threat of the bunch. If he is unavailable, our next pick is Lazard.
Though Lazard has fewer targets than Allison (26 to Allison’s 41), Lazard is targeted further downfield (11.9 yards per reception to Allison’s 8.5), and Lazard has a high percentage of red-zone targets (34.6 percent of his targets compared to 22.5 for Allison). We’re not as worried about MVS’s low 20.9 percent in the red zone because he can score from long range.
It could be a Giant day for the Packers passing game. Make sure you get in on the action.