Predicting Top Fantasy Performers The Rest Of The Season
Predicting anything in fantasy football can be dicey at best. Most players are looking for a make-or-break type of player they can go get to help salvage or bolster an already good fantasy season. Here are seven players who can help you right now.
1. Julio Jones
Everyone knows that pound for pound, it doesn’t get much better than Julio Jones. The guy is an absolute athletic freak and plays with last season’s MVP at quarterback, Matt Ryan. Jones has averaged 100 yards per game for four straight seasons, and so far in 2017, he only averages 82. He’s got just one receiving touchdown, and averages over six the last three seasons. His longest catch of the year for his entire career, at it’s lowest, were 70 yards, 75 yards, and 79 yards, respectively. This year, his long is just 53 yards. The point of these stats is that you can only keep a player like Jones down for so long. In his final eight games, he only faces two top ten passing defenses. Julio is about to explode, so if at all possible, buy low on him now!
2. Le’Veon Bell
In PPR formats, Bell is set to be a beast the rest of the way. He is 100% healthy and has his best games ahead of him. Facing just two of the NFL’s top ten rush defenses the final half of the season, he is about to pay off on your first round pick. Bell only has 35 catches so far. In 2016, he had 75, so more is coming. Same with receiving touchdowns; He has zero, which is bound to go up. Lastly, he has not broken that big run yet this year. His career low for longest run in a season is 43 yards. This year, it’s only 27, so big plays are coming. Hang tight on Bell, he will be just fine.
3. Kelvin Benjamin
One of 2017’s trade deadline moves, Benjamin moves from Carolina to Buffalo, where he will be the undisputed number one receiving option. In an offense built on improvisation by Tyrod Taylor, Benjamin can thrive. His size and speed separate him for the rest and having played with Cam Newton for his young career, he is used to adjusting routes on the fly. I think Benjamin goes back to being a top ten receiver in all formats. Go get him for cheap if you can.
4. Jay Ajayi
Another trade deadline victim is Jay Ajayi. Moving from a frustrated role in Miami to the lead dog on the NFC’s most high-powered offense will make Ajayi a must have moving forward. In his first game with the Eagles, he averaged over ten yards a carry and scored a touchdown. In the final eight games, Ajayi won’t face a top ten rush defense, and all eight opponents are giving up almost a rushing touchdown on average per game the last three weeks.
5. Jared Goff
Halfway through the season, many people are looking for a replacement at quarterback. I give you Jared Goff. Owned in only 49% of leagues on ESPN.com, he is a player that might make you a playoff fantasy team. The L.A. Rams are the NFL’s highest-scoring offense, they’ve already dropped forty real-life points in four games. So half the time, they score forty or more points. That’s insane for fantasy purposes. The Rams also lead the league with 13.4 yards per reception, as well as third in total offense per game. He’s already racked up thirteen touchdowns to just four interceptions, and the Rams only play one top ten pass defense the rest of the way. Goff has dropped his sack percentage from eleven to just four, so he is running the offense effectively. If you need some help at quarterback, Goff is the way to go.
6. Alvin Kamara
Since Adrian Peterson was dealt to the Cardinals, Alvin Kamara has become New Orleans’ big-play guy. He is averaging close to thirty snaps a contest since the trade, and his special team’s snaps have dropped to almost none. The Saints are one of the hottest teams in the league right now, and Drew Brees has not yet really had a big game, which he undoubtedly will a few times in the final eight games. Kamara has averaged over thirteen yards per catch since their bye week and fumbled only one time. Expect Kamara’s role to increase in the second half of the season, both on the ground and through the air. He is a buy-low candidate, especially in PPR formats.
7. Evan Engram
The Giants are bad. They’re without their star Odell Beckham Jr, along with most of their receiving corps. Engram is a freak show of a tight end, clocking a 4.4 forty yard dash time at the combine. With the Giants being down big in most games, Eli Manning is forced to pass a ton. On volume alone, Engram is a safe pick to go off in the coming weeks, but his stats also are trending that way. He has a touchdown in three straight games and has double-digit targets in three of the last five. During that span, he also has five receptions of over twenty yards. Now is the time to make a trade for the talented tight end, who will prove exceptionally valuable in keeper and dynasty leagues.