Mon Nov 18 8:13am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
Hill has game for the ages
This week had some of the biggest fantasy performances of the season. We had players absolutely carry fantasy teams to wins. There were seven players with 30-plus fantasy points. And it was not quarterbacks doing all the big scoring with five non-quarterbacks scoring big. Two of those big scorers were tight ends. It was quite the week of fantasy scoring. Hopefully, you were on the positive sign of things in Week 11.
Eagles 26, Commanders 18
Fantasy Stud: Saquon Barkley. Barkley had a monster game, rushing 26 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 56 yards, giving him 202 total yards. Barkley scored 33.8 fantasy points, giving him four games with 30-plus fantasy points. Barkley is having a huge first season in Philadelphia and might be the best fantasy back in the game right now
Fantasy Dud: Terry McLaurin. There were a lot of duds in this game but McLaurin tops the list. He had just a catch for 10 yards in a game most thought would be high scoring with a lot of fantasy points. It was a surprise performance, but Jayden Daniels struggled to complete passes down the field. McLaurin scored just two fantasy points. He had at least 14 fantasy points eight straight games before this terrible showing.
Game Notes: Brian Robinson returned from his hamstring injury and looked fine, getting his usual workload. He ran 16 times for 63 yards and a touchdown.
Jalen Hurts failed to throw a touchdown pass for just the second time this season. He was 18-of-28 for 221 yards. He did run in a score, rushing 10 times for 39 yards and a touchdown.
Packers 20, Bears 19
Fantasy Stud: Josh Jacobs. Jacobs got a big workload in the Packers victory. He ran 18 times for 76 yards and a touchdown. He also caught four passes for 58 yards. Jacobs had 134 total yards and scored 23.4 fantasy points. He has 20-plus fantasy points three of four games. Jacobs has been as consistent as any fantasy back in the game this season
Fantasy Dud: Caleb Williams. Williams actually played a pretty good game but didn’t help his fantasy owners. He threw for 231 yards and ran for 70 more, but didn’t score a touchdown. He had 18.55 fantasy points despite a season-high 70-rushing yards. Williams has not topped 20 fantasy points since Week 6.
Game Notes: Jordan Love was 13-of-17 for 261 yards and a touchdown with an interception. He also ran four times for 18 yards and a score.
Christian Watson topped 70 yards for the first time this season. He had four receptions for 150 yards on four targets.
Saints 35, Browns 14
Fantasy Stud: Taysom Hill. Hill had one of the great fantasy games of the season and recent seasons. He even turned the ball over twice, throwing a pick and losing a fumble. Hill did it all, though. He ran seven times for 138 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught eight passes for 50 yards on 10 targets. He scored 43.7 fantasy points. He had a game for the ages, leading many fantasy teams to victory
Fantasy Dud: Nick Chubb. Chubb continues to do little for his fantasy owners. He ran 11 times for 50 yards and didn’t catch a pass. Chubb scored just five fantasy points and has not topped six fantasy points since Week 7, which was his first game of the season. Chubb is a very hard fantasy player to trust right now.
Game Notes: Jerry Jeudy had his best game of the season, catching six passes for 142 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. He has 18 receptions his last three games and been targeted 28 times during that stretch.
Jameis Winston had a monster game in defeat, going 30-of-46 for 395 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. Winston has 27-plus fantasy points two of three games.
Colts 28, Jets 27
Fantasy Stud: Anthony Richardson. Richardson returned to the starting lineup and played his best game of the season against a good Jets defense. He was 20-of-30 for 272 yards and a touchdown without an interception. He ran 10 times for 32 yards and two touchdowns, giving him three total scores. Richardson scored 31.8 fantasy points, showing his huge fantasy potential in a starting role
Fantasy Dud: Jonathan Taylor. Taylor got a ton of work and the Colts put up some points, but that didn’t help his fantasy production. Taylor ran 24 times for just 57 yards, averaging only 2.4 yards per carry. He also caught just a pass for three yards. So Taylor had 25 touches but only seven fantasy points.
Game Notes: Josh Downs continued his great play, catching five passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. Downs has 70-plus yards three of four games.
Breece Hall had a great overall game, running 16 times for 78 yards and a touchdown. Hall caught seven passes for 43 yards and another touchdown.
Lions 52, Jaguars 6
Fantasy Stud: Amon-Ra St. Brown. There were tons of Lions studs in this one, but we’ll give it to St. Brown. He had 11 receptions for 161 yards and two touchdowns. St. Brown scored 39.1 fantasy points, a season high for him. He has 18-plus fantasy points three straight and four of five games. He has found the end zone eight straight games. St. Brown is having another big fantasy season
Fantasy Dud: Travis Etienne. Etienne was a disappointment, especially if you consider he got more playing time with Tank Bigsby out. Etienne ran 12 times for just 27 yards and caught three passes for six yards. This Jaguars offense is a mess with Trevor Lawrence out of the lineup.
Game Notes: Jared Goff was 24-of-29 for 412 yards and four touchdowns without a turnover. He was about perfect in the game.
Jameson Williams enjoyed his second 100-yard game of the season, his first since Week 1. He had four receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown on six targets.
Vikings 23, Titans 13
Fantasy Stud: Sam Darnold. Darnold was the good Darnold in this one. He scored three touchdowns without throwing an interception. He was 20-of-32 for 246 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran eight times for 18 yards and another touchdown. Darnold scored 27.1 fantasy points, which was a season high for him
Fantasy Dud: Tony Pollard. Pollard has nine carries for just 15 yards. He caught two passes for 14 yards, giving him only 29 total yards. Pollard had 4.9 fantasy points, breaking a streak of three straight games with double-digit fantasy points. It was a really poor showing for Pollard.
Game Notes: Nick Westbrook-Ikhine had a 98-yard touchdown. He had two catches for 117 yards and a touchdown on six targets. He has found the end zone five of six games.
Jordan Addison left the game early because of cramping but played well before exiting. He had three receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown. He has scores two of three games.
Steelers 18, Ravens 16
Fantasy Stud: Chris Boswell. It is rare for a kicker to get the stud honors but it was well deserving for Boswell. He accounted for all 18 points and made three fields of 50-plus yards. He had more than 20 fantasy points in most formats, getting rewarded for longer kicks. Boswell is having his best season as a pro and producing big weekly numbers
Fantasy Dud: Lamar Jackson. Jackson had his worst fantasy game of the year, scoring just 17.95 fantasy points. He was 16-of-33 for 207 yards and a touchdown with an interception. He ran four times for 46 yards. The Steelers did a great job of holding Jackson in check, which has rarely been done this year.
Game Notes: Derrick Henry scored a touchdown once again, giving him a score every single game. He has 15 total scores. Henry ran 13 times for 65 yards and a touchdown.
George Pickens had a season-high eight receptions for 89 yards on 12 targets. He has 11-plus fantasy points four straight games.
Rams 28, Patriots 22
Fantasy Stud: Matthew Stafford. Stafford was nearly flawless, finishing 18-of-27 for 295 and four touchdowns without a turnover. Stafford had a season-high 30.75 fantasy points. He has 21-plus points three of four games. The Rams are healthy at receiver and Stafford is producing big with all his weapons back
Fantasy Dud: Kyren Williams. Williams ran fine but didn’t catch a pass or score, so his fantasy numbers were not great. He ran 15 times for 86 yards. Williams failed to hit double-digit fantasy points for the first time all year. He will be fine going forward. Hopefully, his lack of work in the passing game is not a trend.
Game Notes: Kendrick Bourne was active last week but didn’t play a snap. That was not the case in this game, catching five passes for 70 yards and a touchdown.
Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp both hit the 100-yard mark. Nacua caught seven passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. Kupp finished with six catches for 106 yards and two scores.
Dolphins 34, Raiders 19
Fantasy Stud: Brock Bowers. Bowers might be a rookie but he is the clear top fantasy tight end. He had 13 receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown. He was targeted 16 times, giving him double-digit targets four of six games. Bowers is having an unbelievable rookie season, looking more like a WR1 than a tight end
Fantasy Dud: Jaylen Waddle. The Dolphins offense is playing better but Waddle still isn’t helping much. He caught two passes for 37 yards. Waddle has not hit double-digit fantasy points since the first week of the season. He has just two games all season with 50-plus yards. He has been a huge bust for fantasy owners.
Game Notes: Jonnu Smith had six receptions for 101 yards and two touchdowns. This was his first 100-yard game.
Tua Tagovailoa had his first three-touchdown game of the year. He was 28-of-36 for 288 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover.
Broncos 38, Falcons 6
Fantasy Stud: Bo Nix. Nix just keeps getting better and better every week. This was his best game as a pro, going 28-of-33 for 307 yards and four touchdowns without a turnover. Nix finished with 31.85 fantasy points, giving him 20-plus points three of four games. He has two 30-plus point games during that stretch. The Broncos seem to have finally found their franchise quarterback
Fantasy Dud: Bijan Robinson. Robinson had a really poor showing for his standard, rushing 12 times for just 39 yards. He averaged just 2.9 yards per carry. Robinson also caught four passes for 28 yards, giving him just 67 total yards. Robinson scored a season-low 10.3 fantasy points. He will be just fine going forward, but this was disappointing for all his fantasy owners.
Game Notes: Javonte Williams got the starter’s work once again this week, rushing nine times for 59 yards and a touchdown. Audric Estime got little work, rushing six times for 16 yards. Estime got most of his work late with the team up big.
Courtland Sutton had seven receptions for 78 yards on eight targets. He has at least six catches four straight games.
Seahawks 20, 49ers 17
Fantasy Stud: Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Smith-Njigba had a big game, catching 10 passes for 110 yards. This was his second game with double-digit receptions. He has been targeted 24 times his last two games and hit the 100-yard mark each of those games. Smith-Njigba is emerging as the top target for Geno Smith in this offense.
Fantasy Dud: Deebo Samuel. With George Kittle out, you thought Samuel might get more looks. That wasn’t the case, getting just four catches for 22 yards. Samuel had just 6.2 fantasy points. He had 12-plus points three straight games before this poor showing.
Game Notes: Jauan Jennings had a monster game, catching 10 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. Jennings has 11 targets and at least seven receptions each of his last two games.
Christian McCaffrey got a bigger workload his second game, running 19 times for 79 yards. He also caught four passes for 27 yards, finishing with 106 total yards.
Bills 30, Chiefs 21
Fantasy Stud: James Cook. Cook actually had a really poor yardage game, but scored twice and caught five passes, giving him big fantasy numbers. Cook ran nine times for 20 yards and two touchdowns. He caught five passes for seven yards. Cook had 19.7 fantasy points despite his low yardage numbers. He has touchdowns five of six games
Fantasy Dud: Travis Kelce. Kelce cooled off in this one, catching just two passes for eight yards. He had three straight games with 20-plus fantasy points before this dud. It also broke a streak of at least 12 targets three straight. Kelce got just four targets as the Bills did all they could to take Kelce away.
Game Notes: With Keon Coleman out, Curtis Samuel was much more involved in the offense. He had five receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown. All were season highs for him.
Amari Cooper returned from his wrist injury and had two receptions for 55 yards on three targets. He didn’t get a ton of looks but at least made it through the game healthy.
Chargers 34, Bengals 27
Fantasy Stud: Tee Higgins. Higgins missed the last three games because of a quad injury, .but returned this week and made a huge impact. He had nine receptions for 148 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets. And he did this against a good Chargers secondary, scoring 29.8 fantasy points. Higgins is a must start for fantasy owners as long as he is healthy and playing
Fantasy Dud: Mike Gesicki. The Bengals threw for more than 350 yards and scored 27 points, but Gesicki didn’t get in on the fun. He did not even catch a pass. He was targeted just two times after having at least six targets three straight games. It was an unexpected performance from Gesicki, who has produced some big games of late. Higgins was back in the lineup, though, so he likely took some targets from Gesicki.
Game Notes: Ladd McConkey had his second 100-yard game of the season. He had six receptions for 123 yards on nine targets. His nine targets were a season high.
Joe Burrow continued his great play, going 28-of-50 for 356 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover. He scored 32.6 fantasy points, giving him three straight with 30-plus points.
Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 14
The Denver Broncos defense/special teams unit entered Monday night's showdown against the Cleveland Browns as a top-five defense in the NFL, but they were throttled by Jameis Winston and company to the tune of 32 points and 552 yards of total offense. However, they somehow still managed to put up a week-winning performance for fantasy managers by picking Winston off three times and returning two of the interceptions for game-changing touchdowns. Cornerback Levi Wallace was torched by former Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy all night, but Nick Bonitto and Ja'Quan McMillian bailed the defense out with two pick-sixes on the evening. Bonitto also had one of the team's three sacks as he continues his breakout 2024 campaign. Denver's D should tighten up coming off their bye in Week 14, and their D/ST will be a must-start in fantasy in Week 15 against the Indianapolis Colts.
From RotoBaller
While Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz didn't go off like he did in the Week 12 win over the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders, he was still very solid for fantasy managers in the 41-32 victory over the visiting Cleveland Browns on Monday night in Week 13. Lutz stayed on point by making both of his field-goal attempts (long of 36 yards) and all five of his extra points for 11 total points on the evening in a game where both defenses looked gassed. With yet another strong performance on Monday night, Lutz now ranks third among all kickers in 2024 in overall fantasy points and has double-digit fantasy points in back-to-back contests. The Broncos will head on their bye in Week 14 before facing the Colts at home in Week 15, where Lutz should remain a top-10 option for fantasy managers at the kicking position. The 30-year-old has missed just three of 29 field-goal tries and made all of his 31 extra points.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos fullback Michael Burton surprisingly scored just the second touchdown of his career in Monday night's 41-32 shootout win over the Cleveland Browns at Empower Field in Denver. Burton had only one carry on the night, but he made it count, plunging into the end zone from one yard out for the Broncos' second rushing score of the evening in a game that featured big plays all night. It was the 32-year-old's sixth carry of the year in 13 games, and Burton has only run for five yards all season on his six carries. In addition to his six carries, Burton has caught all seven of his targets for 46 yards (6.6 yards per reception). Burton will continue to operate as Denver's fullback the rest of the season, but he's nowhere near the fantasy radar and mainly contributes on special teams.
From RotoBaller
The Monday night game between the Denver Broncos and visiting Cleveland Browns featured plenty of explosive plays on offense and defense, but rookie wide receiver Devaughn Vele wasn't involved in any of them. Vele only caught one of his four targets for a 16-yard pickup early in the first half that set the Broncos up near the goal line. It was a disappointing outing for the 26-year-old seventh-rounder out of Utah after he had six receptions for a season-high 80 yards in last week's win over the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders. He was looking like Denver's No. 2 behind Courtland Sutton in recent weeks, but his four targets on Monday night tied him for third on the team against Cleveland. Vele is going to stay involved in Denver's ascending offense, but with Josh Reynolds (hand) likely back after the Week 14 bye, he could have even more competition for targets for the final four games of the regular season.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore caught eight of his 14 targets for 111 yards in a wild 41-32 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 13's Monday night game. Moore finished second on the team in targets, behind only David Njoku, while posting his best yardage total of the season for the Browns. The veteran slot receiver has been reinvigorated since the Browns turned to Jameis Winston as their starting quarterback, elevating him to every-week WR3 status in fantasy leagues. He will now prepare to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road in Week 14.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku caught nine of his 17 targets for 52 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-32 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 13's Monday night game. Njoku set a career-high with his 17 targets while scoring on eight and four-yard receptions in the first half. The veteran tight end now has caught 49 passes for 397 yards and four touchdowns in nine games this season. A locked-in TE1 in fantasy the rest of the way, Njoku will now prepare to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road in Week 14.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins made one of his two field-goal attempts and added three extra points in a 41-32 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 13's Monday night game. Hopkins' lone field goal came from 45 yards out while he misfired on a 47-yard attempt in the first quarter. The veteran kicker has struggled with his accuracy this season as he's hit just 16 of his 23 attempts through 12 games. Hopkins will look to bounce back in Week 14 against the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road. He made his lone attempt, a 34-yarder, back when these two teams met in Week 12.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy caught nine of his 13 targets for 235 yards and a touchdown in a 41-32 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 13's Monday night game. Jeudy set a career-high in receiving yards while also setting an NFL record for the most receiving yards against a former team in the wild loss. The veteran wideout got things started early with a 44-yard reception on Cleveland's first drive. It could have been an even bigger game for Jeudy, who got wide-open in the second quarter and would have likely scored a touchdown if Jameis Winston hadn't badly overthrown him. Jeudy now ranks fifth in the NFL with 880 receiving yards after his huge performance on Monday night. Now an every-week must-start in fantasy, Jeudy will look to keep it rolling in Week 14 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jeudy caught six passes for 85 yards back in Week 12 when these two teams met.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb carried the ball nine times for 21 yards while adding two catches for 24 yards and a touchdown in a 41-32 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 13's Monday night game. Chubb struggled to get much going on the ground in the high-scoring loss, which prompted the Browns to air it out in the second half. The veteran running back was fortunately able to salvage his fantasy outing with a five-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 31-31. Chubb has struggled on the ground in his six games, averaging just 3.0 yards per carry, but he has shown a nose for the end zone in scoring four all-purpose TDs. He will be a high-end RB3 in Week 14's road matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He scored twice back when these two teams faced off in Cleveland in Week 12.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford carried the ball nine times for 41 yards and added a 21-yard reception in a 41-32 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 13's Monday night game. While Nick Chubb struggled, Ford looked explosive, ripping off several long gains and averaging 4.6 yards per carry. It goes as his best performance on the ground since October 6 against the Washington Commanders. That being said, Cleveland is committed to running Chubb on early downs and near the goal line, which will limit Ford's ceiling in fantasy. He remains a solid handcuff option but doesn't hold much standalone value with Chubb healthy. Ford will face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road in Week 14.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston completed 34 of his 58 passes for 497 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions while adding 11 yards on three rushes in a 41-32 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 13's Monday night game. Winston gave fans a classic mixed bag performance as he set a personal and Browns team record with 497 passing yards but also threw two pick-sixes, including a back-breaking one with 1:48 left on the clock and his team needing just a field goal to take the lead. Winston threw two touchdown passes to David Njoku while finding Jerry Jeudy and Nick Chubb for his other two scores. The veteran quarterback has posted big numbers for the Browns this season, throwing for 1,763 yards, 11 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He will be a QB2 in fantasy in Week 14 when the Browns travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos FB Michael Burton had a 1-yard rushing touchdown in Week 13 against the Cleveland Browns on his only touch.
From TheHuddle
Denver Broncos WR Courtland Sutton posted six receptions for 102 yards and a team-best nine targets in Week 13 against the Cleveland Browns.
Fantasy Spin: Sutton has really jelled nicely with rookie QB Bo Nix, posting 70 or more yards in six consecutive games after getting blanked in New Orleans on Oct. 17. He has three touchdowns in the past four games, too. Sutton has emerged as a solid low-end WR1 in PPR leagues of 12 or more teams, while serving as a WR2 in most other formats. However, you need to reserve him for Week 14, as the Broncos are on a bye.
From TheHuddle
Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams found the end zone on the ground for the second time in the last three weeks, but it came with minimal production in the 41-32 Monday night win over the visiting Cleveland Browns. In addition to the touchdown plunge at the goal line, Williams had only four carries for one yard and caught one of his two targets for just three yards. The story for the 24-year-old was similar to last week's win over the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders, when he had 10 touches that netted four total yards. The five total touches were his second-fewest of the season in a night when both offenses seemingly couldn't be stopped. Additionally, teammate Jaleel McLaughlin led Denver's backfield for a second straight week. Williams continues to be inefficient when he touches the ball and cannot be trusted as much of an RB3/flex coming out of their Week 14 bye to face the Colts in Week 15.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns CBs Greg Newsome II and Denzel Ward Jr. each recorded interceptions in the Week 13 game against the Denver Broncos. Newsome added a tackle and two passes defensed, while Ward had three total stops with one solo tackle and two passes defensed.
From TheHuddle
Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton didn't lead the team in receiving in the 41-32 shootout win over the Cleveland Browns on Monday night at Empower Field, but he still went off for fantasy managers by catching six of his nine targets for 102 receiving yards. Sutton came three yards short of the team lead on the night, but he did lead the team in both targets and receptions as he continues to be rookie quarterback Bo Nix's favorite aerial target. The 29-year-old had a big drop earlier in the game that would have gone for a big gain to make his night even better. Heading into the bye, Sutton is as hot as any receiver in the NFL, going for 100-plus receiving yards in three of the last six weeks. He will face the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15, where he should be considered a top-15 fantasy wideout with the emergence of Nix under center in Denver.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns TEs Jordan Akins and Blake Whiteheart each had zero receptions with one target apiece in Week 13 against the Denver Broncos.
From TheHuddle
Cleveland Browns LB Jordan Hicks recorded a game-high 12 total stops with five solo tackles in Week 13 against the Denver Broncos.
From TheHuddle
In a game filled with explosive plays on both sides of the ball in the Monday night win over the visiting Cleveland Browns in Week 13, Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. stood out with a season-high 105 yards on three receptions and his second touchdown of the year. The touchdown came on a 93-yard strike from rookie quarterback Bo Nix with the offense pinned deep in their own territory on a tight-window throw that Nix placed perfectly on Mims down the seam to enable him to take it to the house. Mims has now scored in two of the last three weeks as the Broncos have made it more of a point to get him involved in their offense. He also had one carry for four yards. The second-year wideout has explosive big-play abilities, but with the impending return of Josh Reynolds (hand), targets may be even harder to come by after the team's Week 14 bye.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns TE David Njoku ended up with nine receptions for 52 yards and two touchdowns on 17 targets in Week 13 against the Denver Broncos.
Fantasy Spin: Njoku has recorded nine or more receptions in three of his past six games, and five or more grabs in six of the previous seven outings. He has jelled nicely with QB Jameis Winston, and he can safely he used as a low-end TE1 in most fantasy leagues of 12 or fewer teams heading into Week 14 at Pittsburgh.
From TheHuddle