Last Minute Fantasy Football Pickups of Week 8 – Hoyer and Rivera

Posting early because of the Wilson pick in the London game.

After the feast and famine last week, I think there will be some more guys in between this week.  Going with more PPR plays than usual but they have match ups that are too good to pass on.  As always, I’ll be using the ownership percentages from CBS Sports since they are typically the highest and these guys will be even easier to find on waivers on other sites.

20%-50% Owned

Pickup of the Week – QB Brian Hoyer – Houston Texans – Owned: 31%

Over 1100 yards and 10 TDs in his last four games combined makes him a quietly hot commodity.  This week he’s at home against a Titans D that has played much better this season than in 2014 but still are far from an elite unit.  With Foster done, the team will have to ride Hoyer’s arm more than they want so he becomes a nice play for a variety of reasons.  I think he continues his hot streak as he keeps feeding one of the best wide receivers in the league.  (Projection: 250-3)

Honorable Mentions

WR Stevie Johnson – San Diego Chargers – Owned: 46% – A dream match up against a Ravens team that is incredibly generous to WRs.  Definitely worth the risk in PPR. (6-85-1)

WR Eddie Royal – Chicago Bears – Owned: 28% – Another PPR play as the Bears come off their bye against the Vikings.  Should get a good amount of looks and might get a ton if the Vikes can shut down the run early.  (8-95)

TE Crockett Gillmore – Baltimore Ravens – Owned: 26% – Played better in his second week back from injury and should be a focal point in the passing game again.  Could be a shootout in Baltimore this week and Gillmore could be great.  (6-80-1)

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Owned 20% or less

Pickup of the Week – TE Mychael Rivera – Oakland Raiders – Owned: 9%

A massive gamble to say the least but very interesting to me.  The Jets are rather tough against WRs which could mean Carr has to look Rivera’s way a few more times than usual this week.  The other match up similar to this the Raiders have had was Denver where Rivera record his best game this season, a still fantasy-irrelevant 3 catches for 33 yards.  I think he improves on that this week as he should be able to do a little less blocking in this one and nabs his first TD of the season.  (5-55-1)

Honorable Mentions

RB Dexter McCluster – Tennessee Titans – Owned: 11% – Another PPR play as he has quietly played pretty well this season in the mess that is the Titans backfield.  Should put up another nice game against the underachieving Texans D.  (7 catches-65 total yards)

WR Albert Wilson – Kansas City Chiefs – Owned: 5% – Started liking this guy down the stretch last season and he’s getting more involved with the absence of Charles.  Worth the risk against a struggling Lions’ D.  (4-85-1)

Chicago Bears Defense – Owned: 9% – After the first two weeks against elite offenses, they had been playing better until they surrendered 37 points at Detroit before their bye.  They been stewing on that for two weeks now and I have to assume they come out with a fire this week against the Vikings.   (11 fantasy points)

Chicago Bears Fantasy Football Analysis – Week 6

Week 6 – @ Detroit – L 34-37

QB: Cutler a nice game and looked good with his receivers healthy again.  Missed some key throws but looks like the O is back on track.  Good option when match up is right, again.

RB: Forte another good game and continues to be an elite player regardless of match up.  The difference in talent between him and most of the rest of the league is so stark right now.

WR: Jeffery a huge game and looked fantastic.  Didn’t look slowed by the injury at all.  Fully healthy and back to being a borderline top 10 option.  Royal a nice PPR game and did what you can expect from him.  Wilson should continue chipping away targets from him, in my opinion.

TE: Bennett an okay game and could have been a ton better.  Failed to make any great plays and have to hope he turns it back on.  Crossing my fingers that this was a fluky game in that sense.

OL: Serviceable game here.  Certainly not dominating and didn’t do much for run game.  Protected decently but has some issues there.  QB doesn’t help a ton.

Def: Just wasn’t good anywhere.  Got run on for a lot by struggling run game.  Torched through the air.  Isn’t making plays.  Not much of a pass rush.  Gave up big games to WRs.  Decent games to TE and RB.

Chicago Bears Fantasy Football Analysis – Week 4

Week 4 – vs Oakland – W 22-20

QB: Cutler returned with a nice game against weak D.  Certainly looked slowed but still fine throwing it.  Was pretty on-target and might have been even better with healthy receivers.

RB: Forte a big game with rushing and receiving combined.  Still looks like one of the best runners in the league anytime he gets a sliver of space.

WR: Jeffery DNP.  Royal a good game nabbing a TD but not a ton else.  Wilson a nice game and really looked good outside of a drop.  Could be on the verge and worth keeping a very close eye on.

TE: Bennett a big game, as expected, and played great.  Moves so much better than he looks like he’s capable of.

OL: Solid game but not great.  Had some trouble here and there but mostly held their own.  Would like to see it against better competition.

Def: Probably their best game of the year but still far from elite.  Held average run game in check.  Mostly contained passing game but still got burned with one long TD.  I’d continue starting everyone against.  Gave up good games to WRs.

Chicago Bears Fantasy Football Analysis – Week 2

Week 2 – vs Arizona – L 23-48

QB: Cutler looked normal then got hurt.  Clausen was all kinds of awful.  A lot was the line’s fault but he wasn’t good.

RB: Forte a nice game but needs other players to be better or he’ll get all the attention from defenses.  He’s an elite player but he won’t have any monster games if this type of play around him continues.

WR: Jeffery DNP.  Bellamy caught a long TD on a blown coverage.  Nothing to get excited about.  Royal a nice PPR game but he just isn’t capable of being the main guy.  Not talented enough to get open against better coverage.

TE: Bennett an okay game and was a foot away from a TD and overthrown on another.  Should be strong considering lack of talent at receiver any time Jeffery is not playing.

OL: Atrocious.  It takes a lot of terrible to get your QB tackled before he can hand off to a RB on a non-delay running play.  Serious problems and they could run the fantasy players on this team into the ground this season.

Def: Horrid.  Got the ball run down their throats by backups and torched for 4 TDs by passing game despite less than 200 yards passing.  Gave up big games to everyone.  Start everything against for now.

Chicago Bears Fantasy Football Analysis – Week 1

Week 1 – vs GB – L 23-31

QB: Cutler was Jekyll and Hyde again.  Looks so good at times and then makes the worst decisions.  Still a good start with the right match up.

RB: Forte a monster game and looks as good as ever.  Hasn’t lost anything yet and might finish in the top 5 RBs if his line can give him as much space as they did in this one.

WR: Jeffery solid and didn’t look too affected by injury.  Definitely on the cusp of being an elite WR.  Royal did almost nothing.  Wilson might be the real #2 on this team.  Good enough to do it if he can be consistent.

TE: Bennett a good game and no reason to think it won’t continue.  As solid a fantasy TE as most others in the league not named Gronk.

OL: Looked pretty good against weak run D.  Had occasional trouble with blitz but pass protection was fine.  Probably going to have some ugly games against better lines.

Def: Still terrible against the run.  Wasn’t able to stop WRs.  Tough match up but nothing about this D scares me.  Gave up good games to RB and 3 different WRs.

San Diego Chargers Week 17 Fantasy Analysis

Week 17 – @ KC – L 7-19

QB: Rivers pressured and sacked a ton.  Line just wasn’t able to contain elite pass rush.  Numbers suffered because of it.

RB: Oliver looked great and had good game.  Showed great speed, vision, and patience and doesn’t dance too much.

WR: Inman showed some amazing hands.  Not sure about his other abilities but the hands are crazy good.  Floyd did little and looked a little checked-out.  Royal a good game but probably wouldn’t hold up for a whole season in this role.

TE: Gates a nice game and looked fine.  Doesn’t look as athletic as other TEs but continues to get it done.

OL: Run blocking was really strong considering opponent.  Pass protection was awful.  Got destroyed by elite pass rush.

Def: Helped by bad QB play.  Contained the run but still not elite.  Gave up good game to TE.  Nothing else.

San Diego Chargers Week 16 Fantasy Analysis

Week 16 – @ SF – W 38-35

QB: Rivers a monster game despite some atrocious throws early.  Really played well as the game went on.

RB: Mathews DNP.  Oliver a decent game and looked good again.  Great balance and quickness.  Still looks like he could be a bigger player in this offense if given the touches.

WR: Royal a big game and looks like a nice option with all the injuries.  Wasn’t really covered on his TD (zone).  Floyd a good game also getting a TD.  Inman a nice game and worth keeping an eye on.  Showed great hands.

TE: Gates a huge game and looked great.  Still looks a bit slow but uses his body really well.

OL: Excellent game considering opponent.  Did everything really well and was scary good in this one.

Def: Wasn’t thrown on for much because of deficit most of the game.  Gave up a ton on the ground.  Tackling was terrible.  Gave up huge games to QB and RBs.  Decent game to #1 WR who should have had TD.

San Diego Chargers Week 15 Fantasy Analysis

Week 15 – vs Denver – L 10-22

QB: Rivers very average numbers as he just couldn’t hit a big play down field.  Lots of short stuff around the line or inside of 10 yards.

RB: Matthews DNP.  Oliver an okay game with receiving but shutdown by tough run D.  Runs too violently for his size.  Brown an okay game with receiving as well.  Still not that great.

WR: Allen injured and done.  Floyd couldn’t convert anything long.  Numbers weren’t good because of that.  Royal was fine in space but wasn’t getting enough looks.

TE: Gates a good game getting another TD.  Still looks a little slow and surprised Green never overtook him this season.

OL: Couldn’t open up holes against great run D.  Kept QB clean all game and was great in pass protection, especially considering opponent.

Def: Average game all-around.  Contained the run.  Got beat on some pass plays by elite WR.  Gave up good games to RB and #1 WR.  Held rest in check.

San Diego Chargers Week 13 Fantasy Analysis

Week 13 – @ Baltimore – W 34-33

QB: Rivers a monster game as he made good throws and receivers made great plays.  Was rushed early but line played better as game went on.

RB: Mathews a good game with a good TD run.  Wasn’t getting great blocking.

WR: Allen a monster game and it’s baffling why he wasn’t getting more targets earlier in the season.  Made some incredible plays.  Royal and Floyd both good games with Royal getting a ton of short catches and runs.

TE: Gates another big game but did look a little slower in this one.  Might be wearing down a bit.

OL: Was bad early all-around but turned it around.  Played well later as they were forced to throw a ton.

Def: Continues to be run on fairly easily.  Pass rush not great.  Gave up big games to QB, RB, and #1 WR.  Held others in check.

San Diego Chargers Week 12 Fantasy Analysis

Week 12 – vs St. Louis – W 27-24

QB: Rivers a nice game with a lot of short throws giving his receivers room to make plays after the catch.  Not sure why this offense doesn’t look like this more often.

RB: Mathews looked great and had big game.  Oliver still involved in the passing game and will have some big plays from time to time.  But Mathews looked really good here.

WR: Allen a big game making some great plays after the catch.  Floyd did little.  Royal a nice PPR game.  Floyd will suffer the most in a game where they keep looking short like this.

TE: Gates did little along with Green.  Just didn’t need to throw their way as others were wide open often on the outside.

OL: Strong game against a hot front 7.  Did everything well and surprised with how good they looked.

Def: Helped by struggling QB and a lot of timely penalties.  Okay against the run and solid against the pass.  Gave up good games to RB and #2 & #3 WRs.  Held everything else in check.