Full impact of recent trades unlikely to show this week
Jimmy was tired of living in the shadows and Brian was sick of life in sun. Come on everybody, do the quarterback shuffle.
The 49ers got their man in a blockbuster trade this week, swapping quarterbacks with the New England Patriots. Jimmy Garropolo is the new QB of the future, and Brian Hoyer is now consigned to the past. The addition of a more talented quarterback has 49er-centric fantasy owners understandably excited. They’re hitting the waiver wire for young Jimmy and plan to start him this week against the struggling Cardinals. Don’t do this. He likely will not play this week. Instead, insert C.J Beathard into your lineup. That’s right: one more shot for C.J. He’ll be playing like it’s his last game as a starter — because it just might be.
More trades with fantasy implications: Running back Jay Ajayi went from Miami to Philadelphia, and wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin was traded from the Panthers to the Bills. Look for the two teams they left to be stimulated in some way by the absence. Miami will now hand the ball to running back Kenyan Drake, whom you should start if you have him.
With the departure of his No. 1 receiver, Benjamin, Cam Newton will throw the ball to a different target. Look for Devin Funchess to get more passes his way. But according to the Panthers GM, the trade was an attempt to get faster guys on the field who can clear out space for the underneath dump-offs to the young running backs and crossing routes. Look, then, for an uptick for Christian McCaffrey, as he should have more room to work with in the middle.
But the recipients of these Blockbuster trades will probably not bear fruit in a week. Avoid any fruit bore in a week, or anything called “Blockbuster,” unless you still haven’t returned those videotapes, and it’s messing with your FICO score.
Aside from these wacky trades, NFL teams are starting to steady the ship, and we are seeing who can be counted on. Its the midway point of the season and the kinks are out. The NFL’s overly complicated terminologies and systems have run into a natural blockade called failure. Coaches start to see that the simpler stuff is working the best, and they trim the fat from their own bloated playbooks. The players, unfortunately, rarely have a voice in this process — otherwise it would streamline quicker.
Now, there’s a protest idea: change your own role in the system. Demand fair play for yourself. If you don’t, you continue to be seen as the inmates that Texans owner Bob McNair said you are. In light of McNair’s misguided metaphor last week, I would start any Texans you might have on your fantasy roster. They will be playing in defiance of their warden, who has a mutiny on his hands — which just may take them all the way to the Super Bowl.
The courtroom saga of Ezekiel Elliot continues. This week, a judge denied the appeal to block the injunction reinstating the pending order to file a counter-suit. This means that Zeke is out. Alfred Morris, apparently, is in, and the Cowboys say they don’t plan to change a thing about their offense. But be careful putting your eggs in that pillowcase. Sure, Morris is averaging 8.1 yards on 13 carries, but most of his yards came on one 70-yard run. Other than that, he is below average. Don’t take the bait. The Chiefs defense will gobble him up.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have given up the fewest points in the league but allow the most yards per carry. Go figure. How have they done it? Big defensive plays — sacks, forced fumbles, interceptions. When a defense has that kind of big-play action, it should be considered an anomaly. Something has to give. The Jags will need to become more stout against the run, and will have their chance at home against the Bengals. I know I said it last week, but I’ll say it again this week. Start Joe Mixon. He’s fixin’ to go off on the Jags porous run defense.
Trevor Siemian is out as the Denver Broncos starting quarterback and Brock Osweiler is back in, after a few disappointing stints with the Texans and the Browns. Back in 2015, when Brock was playing well in Denver, his favorite target was wide receiver DeMaryius Thomas, who has been quiet this year, along with the rest of the Broncos offense. Look for Brock to look for DT, who will look for the end zone this week in Philadelphia. The 7-1 Eagles are on a roll. If you have anyone catching passes from Carson Wentz, start them. He is the young, franchise quarterback that everyone wants: the 49ers, Broncos, even Papa John.
The NFL’s official pizza sponsor took a $70 million hit in value this week, and Papa John is pipin’ mad, blaming NFL leadership for not handling the anthem protests in a timely manner, which has apparently causes millions of people to stop buying pizza.
Where’s Peyton Manning when you need him?