Before the start of the season, a lot of teams were hyped to make the playoffs and even have a potential deep Super Bowl run.
After seven weeks, many have them have fallen flat, including the New York Jets (2-5), Miami Dolphins (2-4), Cincinnati Bengals (3-4), Cleveland Browns (1-6), Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5), Dallas Cowboys (3-3), New Orleans Saints (2-5), San Francisco 49ers (3-4), and Los Angeles Rams (2-4).
While there is still time for many of them to turn their seasons around, for those who don’t, change may be coming. Younger talent will get a longer look, and they may be sellers at the trade deadline. That could shake things up as much or more as Davante Adams and Amari Cooper being sent packing for greener pastures.
Fantasy football risers
New England Patriots QB Drake Maye – The Patriots took their time and waited to give Maye his shot. In two starts against pretty solid defenses in Houston and Jacksonville, Maye has thrown for 519 yards and five touchdowns and rushed eight times for 56 yards. He is displaying poise and mental quickness that bodes well for those in dynasty leagues, and Maye is deserving of consideration for spot-start duty right now.
Las Vegas Raiders RB Alexander Mattison – In his first four games, Mattison had only 17 carries and seven receptions but scored three touchdowns. When Zamir White went down, Mattison secured his chance. In his last three games, he has rushed 52 times for 163 yards and a touchdown and caught 10 passes for 86 yards. Until Mattison loses the job back to White, it’s his moving forward.
Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams – While Jayden Daniels was lighting things up early, Williams was being compared to Bryce Young. In his last two games, Williams has thrown for 530 yards and six touchdowns and rushed nine times for 90 yards. The Bears’ schedule has been pretty soft, but Williams is making his case to be a starter every week after being universally drafted as a QB2.
Washington Commanders PK Austin Seibert – In five seasons, Seibert played for five teams. The Commanders made it six in six. He didn’t even start the year on the Commanders as it took an injury for him to get signed before Week 2. In the six games he has played, he has scored 21, 8, 10, 10, 11, and 16 fantasy points – not taking into account more points for distance field goals. Washington has something going on, and Seibert is scoring points at a record pace. Consistency at kicker is big, and his consistency has been epic.
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson – Wilson has been a punchline for two years, and he land his shot in prime time on Sunday. Mike Tomlin benched Justin Fields despite a 4-2 record, because the Steelers were facing a stretch of opponents that need a veteran who’s been there. In one game, the Steelers offense looked completely different against a legit Jets defense. You know who he is, but Wilson deserves to be on fantasy rosters
Fantasy football fallers
Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce – Let Kelce’s weekly receiving fantasy production sink in – 6.4, 1.5, 7.0, 15.9, 16.0, and 5.7 points. Acceptable for a pedestrian tight end, but not Kelce. The investment made to land Kelce (at the expense of wide receivers and running backs putting up strong numbers), this is unacceptable. The fact the Chiefs are 6-0 only makes Kelce’s lack of consistent production (and scoring) even more pronounced.
Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill – Tua Tagovailoa was injured in Week 2. In the five games Miami has played since Week 2, Hill’s weekly numbers have been 6.8, 7.0, 8.2, 12.9, and 2.3. Considering he was the second pick in a lot of drafts, not only does Tua have to come back, but he has to be 2023 Tua because Hill’s non-Tua numbers are brutal.
Detroit Lions TE Sam LaPorta – In many leagues, LaPorta was the first tight end investment made. Through six games, he’s the fourth leading receiver on his own team – much less tight ends. His weekly point totals have been 8.5, 3.3, 5.6, 9.3, 12.2, and 3.5. Every week he has hit a number lower than projections – with the Lions offense hitting on all cylinders. He can’t be benched in fantasy leagues, but he can be traded.
Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins – If you take out the one 509-yard, four-TD game against the Bucs, which saw him added to a lot of rosters, in the other six games, he has one TD pass or fewer in five of them and hasn’t thrown for more than 241 yards in any of them. Considering he offers nothing as a runner (he has minus-8 rushing yards to date), if you’re rolling the dice on Cousins, he’s hit on one of seven potential lineup insertions.
Tennessee Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins – In six games, D-Hop has two receptions or fewer in four of them and less than 10 receiving yards in three of those. There are backup tight ends putting up better numbers. Tennessee is becoming a fantasy wasteland in the passing game. Few, if any, Titans need to be remembered as being on your roster.
