An exercise I have consistently been going through is digging through each NFL team following a given week, and breaking down who did what for that week. I will look at production numbers, Fantasy Football scoring, snap percentages, touches, targets, efficiency, and other variables then take note of what is important. This process helps me analyze Fantasy Football for not just that specific week but for the rest of the season. This is a game where we try to predict what happens, and can use data to do it, but is often unpredictable when we weigh expectations vs what happens. So with what I have noted so far through the season, I attempt to be bold with some calls for the rest of the season here which is of course backed by data and analysis. Here are 15 statements for the rest of the Fantasy Football season.
5 Fantasy Football Bold Statements
1. Ladd McConkey Pulls off a Rookie-Season Amon-Ra St. Brown Run
It took Amon-Ra St. Brown some time to find Fantasy relevancy in his rookie season, but when he got hot, he got hot. Across ARSB’s final five games, he averaged 25.18 Fantasy Points, which set the tone for the coming seasons. Ladd McConkey profiles also as a slot wide receiver with competency making plays that could lead to bigger production due to his athleticism, similar to St. Brown.
Ladd has finished weeks with 14.9 (Week 1), 17.7 (Week 4), and 29.1 (Week 8) Fantasy Points. Ladd is averaging 6.5 targets per game and currently has 12 more targets than any other player on the roster. Week 8’s 111 receiving yards could be a sign for more explosive weeks to come. I am not saying Ladd will average 25+ Fantasy Points like ARSB did, but I do believe he could be the next rookie slot wide receiver to be the focal point of his passing offense and it translates big for Fantasy Football. Justin Herbert is also averaging 288.33 passing yards per game in the last three weeks, which is a supporting factor to more McConkey production.
2. Bo Nix Finishes the Season as a Top-Five Fantasy Quarterback
Bo Nix deserves a lot more respect than he’s getting right now, for what he is doing his rookie season with a below-average offense in Denver for Fantasy Football. Nix has scored over 21 Fantasy Points in three of his last four games and has four weeks in total at 19+ Fantasy Points. Nix had his best day through the air so far this season in Week 8, throwing for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Nix has finished two weeks with 61 and 75 rushing yards and has four total rushing touchdowns this season. That is a solid mix of passing and rushing upside.
Nix has some upcoming opponents as well that currently allow top 12 Fantasy PPG to quarterbacks that include: Baltimore, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati. The Broncos are currently 5-3, so I would not be shocked if they went out and tried to add another weapon for Nix prior to the trade deadline that could elevate his Fantasy production as well.
3. JK Dobbins Wins Comeback Player of the Year
I do not think there was a single Fantasy Football analyst out there who predicted JK Dobbins would have the Fantasy year he is having so far, let alone be Fantasy-relevant at all. Dobbins has a history of major injuries that made many of us question if he would ever be the same player and even more aggressive if he would ever play again. Dobbins has suffered an Achilles tear, hamstring tear, LCL tear, and an ACL tear dating back from 2023 to 2021. One of those major injuries could alter a player’s career, so the combination looked like a tough mountain to climb.
Dobbins rushed for 135 then 131 yards in the opening two weeks of football with a touchdown in each game, rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown in Week 6, and then rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown in Week 8. This has translated to 22.9, 20.1, 18.2, and 16.8 Fantasy Point weeks. Dobbins is currently top 10 for the position in total rushing yards and could end up scoring double-digit total touchdowns. For this man to come back from the injuries he has, win the backfield job in Los Angeles, and be productive to this extent means much more than the usual Comeback Player of the Year candidates.
4. Cade Otton is the TE3 for the Rest of the Season
Chris Godwin’s regular season ended in Week 7 due to an ankle dislocation. Mike Evans is dealing with a moderate right hamstring injury that Head coach Todd Bowles believes will keep him out through Tampa Bay’s Week 11 BYE. Cade Otton has been a quick riser due to the circumstances for the Buccaneers. Across the last two weeks, Otton has been targeted 20 times, caught 17 of them, finished 1ith 100 then 81 receiving yards, scored two touchdowns in Week 8, and has scored 18 then 29.1 Fantasy Points. Dominant performances.
Many people will forget that in the 2023 post-season, Otton ranked second in targets (19), first in receptions (13), second in receiving yards (154), and scored a touchdown through two games. That in itself showed a connection with Baker Mayfield when it counted. Baker currently ranks second in passing yards (2,189) and first in passing touchdowns (21) this season which shows plenty of volume and opportunity to be had. Even when Evans returns, I expect Otton to hold a heavy target share with Godwin out for the season.
5. Miles Sanders is Traded to Dallas as their RB1
Super spicy because Miles Sanders has done nothing in Carolina after rushing for 1,269 yards in his last season as an Eagle. It is almost like the Panthers were promoting him last week, getting him involved in the passing game with seven receptions in Week 8. Rico Dowdle, Ezekiel Elliott, and Dalvin Cook provide nothing to help the struggling Cowboys. It would likely mean a low-cost, low-risk investment to try to do something to complement the passing game this season. As a team, the Cowboys have rushed for 519 yards this season. Why not?
Make sure to check out all of our Week 9 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!