With Week 8 steadily approaching, here are a few players you might want to either look to put in your lineup, or avoid.
Love: Jacquizz Rodgers, Buccaneers Running Back
How many articles, analysts, or statistics have to tell you to pick up Rodgers before you do it? Well add me to the list. His last two weeks have been huge-both over 100 yards-and his schedule is nothing but easy in the weeks coming up. He’s got the Raiders this week, the Falcons next week, then the Bears the week after that. And here’s the best part: he’s probably sitting on your league’s waiver wire. As of Wednesday, he was only owned in 38% of leagues. If your league is one of the other 62%, Jacquizz is worth the pick-up.
Love: Stefon Diggs, Vikings Wide Receiver
Diggs was sidelined with a groin injury for a few weeks before making his albeit disappointing return last week. If you’re a Diggs owner, don’t lose faith. Despite only being targeted five times last week, Diggs played a regular amount of snaps. This could have been because he wasn’t fully recovered last week, but he should be good to go now. If his snap count stays up, his target count should increase in Week 8, along with his receptions, yards, and fantasy points.
Hate: Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, Falcons Running Backs
It’s always hard to know if the Atlanta backfield will favor Freeman or Tevin Coleman. It’s been week-to-week as to who will get the majority of touches; some weeks Freeman owners have had high hopes and were burned when all the touches went to Coleman and vice-versa. This week, both Coleman and Freeman are injured, listed as “questionable.” While both of them have potential upsides, with both injured it is especially hard to know who will play this week. Also, whoever plays will be up against the number 1 (against RBs) Packers’ Defense, so it will be hard to get many yards, especially considering the Packers’ secondary is weak, opening up the field for Matt Ryan to throw and not hand off.
Hate: Davante Adams, Packers Wide Receiver
Adams had the absolute game of his life last week, with two TDs and over 100 yards, so he might seem like a good waiver wire pickup. While he has shown potential upside, don’t forget that he’s still the number three option for Aaron Rodgers, behind Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. It’s not impossible that Adams produces good numbers this week, but he won’t see starting lineup-worthy targets unless Nelson or Cobb gets injured.
Hate: Blake Bortles, Jaguars Quarterback
All around Fantasy Football, everyone has been talking about the fall of Allen Robinson; the elite receiver has had two disappointing games in two weeks. But what does this mean for his team? It means that Blake Bortles has no viable throwing options. Maybe he’ll find another receiver, but a QB without a good number 1 WR is never a good fantasy play. Also, Bortles is interception-prone as always.