Joe Mixon’s numbers create an illusion that highlights this week’s NFL Week That Was.
Joe Mixon: Ok, I admit it. I bought into the Joe Mixon hype this week. On the surface, 109 total yards plus 3 receptions is not too shabby. However, a deeper dive shows that Mixon rushed 11 times for just 18 yards and had only 14 touches total. Worse, 67 of his 109 yards came on one screen play. Take that out and you are left with 13 touches for 42 yards. Blech. With Jacksonville, Tennessee and Denver next up, I am not optimistic. Worse, it just does not seem that Cincy is willing to make Mixon their bell cow back despite all evidence that they should. Maybe next year.
Jamison Crowder: You can recall the search parties, Jamison Crowder has been found alive and well and producing once again for your fantasy team. Sunday, Crowder caught 9 balls for 123 yards on 13 targets. That is more targets than Terrelle Pryor, Ryan Grant and Josh Doctson put together. It was clear to me watching the game that Cousins simply does not trust Pryor and really does not trust Doctson or Grant to make the big play (and each failed to catch balls they should have caught in big situations). More support for Crowder going forward is that Jordan Reed injured his hamstring so add that to the list of ailments that could keep the talented TE off the field. I am buying into the Duke product because he has a history of producing. Indeed, he had 847 yards and 7 TD in his second-year last season. The Redskins will throw and I think Crowder leads the team in targets in the second half. You could do worse. A lot worse.
Lamar Miller: Lost amidst the excitement over Deshaun Watson is that Lamar Miller keeps getting 20+ touches and outproducing his projections. This week, Miller ran for 54 yards and a TD, caught three passes for 19 yards and a TD, finishing with over 22 fantasy points in most scoring systems. With a game against Indy next week and SF on the schedule for week 1 of the fantasy playoffs, Miller remains a strong buy low candidate who has that ever valuable week-to-week high floor.
Juju Smith-Schuster: JJSS (much easier right) was dealing on Sunday night hauling in 7 receptions for a whopping 193 yards and a TD. Will he be WR1 for Pittsburgh going forward? No. Will he put up 32 fantasy points a week? No. Will he be a solid add for anyone in a league still buying into Martavis Bryant? Yessir. Do you want JJSS on your team come fantasy playoff time when the Steelers play two home games and then visit the Watt-less Texans who got torched by Russell Wilson? Yes! I am buying into the value but not superstardom at this point. [Note: I want to give a shout out here to our own Brandon Marianne Lee. BML and I hosted a SXM show in the pre-season and she was adamant about three things: 1) JJSS should be on everyone’s radar even though people were not talking about him; 2) Martavis was going way too high in drafts; and 3) Cooper Kupp would provide real draft value. Yes, 3 is not relevant to this blurb but it is my column so I added to the shout out. Nice work BML!]
Coby Fleener: Last week we wrote: “Coby Fleener finished Sunday with just two catches for 22 yards. I think we can safely say that despite the hype train, Fleener will never come close to replicating the Jimmy Graham production in New Orleans. On the year, Fleener has caught more than 3 passes only once (and that was week 1). Sunday, Fleener tied with Brandon Coleman for 5th on the team in number of targets from Drew Brees. That is hardly as prescription for success. To make matters worse, Fleener has not been targeted in the red zone since week 2. Bottom line – except for those in leagues where two TE must start each week (yes, I am in one), move along. Nothing to see here.” Drew Brees threw for 299 yards Sunday and all Fleener had to show for it is one catch for negative 1 yard. Fleener’s biggest fantasy contribution was to stop Brees from getting to 300 yards and some extra points in some leagues by losing a yard on his only catch. Nuff Said. Next!
Thomas Rawls: Last week we wrote: “Thomas Rawls once again failed to take advantage of the opportunity to win the RB1 job in Seattle. Rawls carried 11 times for 36 yards and registered one catch for 16 yards. Basically, Eddie Lacey was the same – 11 carries for 34 yards and one catch for 9 yards. Avoid! Avoid! Seattle, the team of Super Bowls and Beast Mode, has become a team completely and totally reliant on the passing game. Indeed, in a game that was largely in hand, Russell Wilson put the ball up 39 times. Neither Rawls nor Lacey is playable next week even with six teams on bye. If you stashed these guys, cut them to make room for bye week replacements. [Full disclosure: I have at least one share of Rawls I will be divesting].” I hope you divested as I did. His team scored 41 points and all Rawls has to show for it is 6 carries for negative 1 yard. Yes, you read that correctly. Are we done yet? Are we ready to admit that the Seahawks have turned into the modern-day version of Air Coryell? Gee, I hope so.
Final Note: As you are planning for week 9, remember that Davante Adams and Jordy Nelson have no Aaron Rodgers and that Larry Fitzgerald and the JBrowns have no Carson Palmer. Plan accordingly and do not view the substitute QBs through rose colored glasses. That could be fantasy football fatal.