Be wary of popular running back
We are in the middle of the NFL bye weeks, injuries are piling up, and selecting the right players for your fantasy football roster can be difficult if you aren’t looking in the right place.
Most people simply look at what happened last week and pick players who scored the most points, regardless of context. They are the point-chasers, and they make their decision on what was. The savvy managers have a deeper knowledge of the game, understand the matchups and make their decisions based on what will be. It can be a fine line, but if you stay on the right side, you’ll come out on top.
If Chargers running back Kimani Vidal is available in your league, he is sure to be the most popular waiver claim. He surprised everyone by outperforming teammate Hassan Haskins and carved up the Dolphins for 124 yards on 18 carries. He also added three catches for 14 yards and a touchdown, and the numbers left everyone drooling over the possibilities. But can he repeat them? It seems unlikely.
Not only is the Miami run defense the worst in the NFL, but the Chargers’ upcoming schedule features games against the Colts, Vikings, Steelers and Jaguars — all of whom do a good job stifling the run. They aren’t going to lay down the way the Dolphins did, and with the Chargers offensive line concerns — they now are missing three starters — winning the battle in the trenches is going to be incredibly difficult. Not to mention, we should be seeing the return of Omarion Hampton in a few weeks anyway, so Vidal is actually running on borrowed time.
If you’re looking to make a splash in waivers this week, then now is the time to add Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. He was a hot commodity after Week, but has been dropped in numerous leagues, as David Njoku has been seeing more snaps and more targets.
Unfortunately, Njoku left Sunday’s game with a knee injury, and recent reports say he could miss a few games. Those games come against the Dolphins, Patriots, Jets and Ravens — all four ranking in the bottom 10 in fantasy points allowed to the tight end. With the way Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel leans on his tight end, Fannin is due for a heavy increase in both snaps and targets. That, in turn, leads to much better fantasy production.
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Within the fantasy community, we refer to players as good chalk and bad chalk. Good chalk means the player is extremely popular and for good reason. You want to play him. Bad chalk means the player is popular but should not be leaned on for quality or consistent production. With regard to Vidal and Fannin, you should know which is which. Don’t be a point-chaser and fall for the bad chalk.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy football news and advice.
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