Atlanta Falcons @ New York Jets
• AD Mitchell was the only wide receiver to reach 100 receiving yards Sunday, when he scored the most fantasy points among wide receivers and carried my DFS lineup. Mitchell caught a 52-yard touchdown and also drew a long DPI penalty in the first quarter. He had multiple other opportunities deep downfield and will once again be among the league leaders in air yards this week. Mitchell owns a 28.4% target share over three games with the Jets. Meanwhile, John Metchie dropped a potential touchdown in the fourth quarter.
• Breece Hall scored a short TD but curiously disappeared from New York’s passing game again.
• Tyrod Taylor ran in a score and finished as fantasy’s QB6 this week.
• Nick Folk nailed a game-winning 56-yard field goal as time expired.
• Bijan Robinson erupted for 193 total yards and a touchdown, scoring 27% more fantasy points than any other running back this week. Robinson was stopped at the one late in the first half only to watch Tyler Allgeier punch it in on first-and-goal, but he scored his TD inside the 10 as well. Robinson saw seven targets, which is highly encouraging after Kirk Cousins hadn’t been throwing to him.
Los Angeles Rams @ Carolina Panthers
• Bryce Young tossed three touchdowns and finished as fantasy’s QB4 during a shocking upset. He became just the second quarterback in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016) with multiple TD passes that traveled more than 10 air yards on fourth down in a single game. Young is the youngest QB in NFL history to lead 11 game-winning drives, surpassing Josh Allen and Peyton Manning. Since Carolina’s Week 8 bye, Young’s weekly fantasy finishes have been QB29, QB29, QB2, QB21, QB3.
• Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard split work, with Hubbard producing more fantasy points thanks to a 35-yard TD catch.
• Jalen Coker pulled down a touchdown on fourth down and also secured the game-clinching catch late, as Cokeheads unite.
• Tetairoa McMillan’s only catch (two targets) came late in the game but went for a touchdown on fourth down.
• The Panthers are 7-6 with a -50 point differential.
• Matthew Stafford had thrown an NFL record 28 straight touchdown passes since his last interception before he was picked off twice over three attempts, including a pick-six. Stafford also lost a fumble late, as his MVP case took a hit.
• Davante Adams secured two TD catches over the first 20 minutes, and he’s up to 11 touchdowns over his last six games.
• Puka Nacua made a crazy one-handed catch, and Kyren Williams punched in a score the next play.
• Blake Corum replaced Williams for a goal-line score late in the first half (following the two-minute warning), and he finished with a career-high 81 rushing yards.
• The Rams ran just three plays in the third quarter, as volume was an issue.
San Francisco 49ers @ Cleveland Browns
• Christian McCaffrey was held to only 74 yards from scrimmage in a tough matchup, but Brock Purdy played well despite windy and wet conditions. He was pressured on a whopping 58% of his passes and ran in his first score of the year.
• George Kittle pulled down a crazy one-handed catch and has become SF’s top pass catcher against man coverage.
• Trent Williams allowed his most pressures (at least eight) since 2018, but San Francisco won in Cleveland for the first time since 1984.
• Shedeur Sanders played well enough to keep the starting job, and Harold Fannin Jr. found pay dirt.
• Quinshon Judkins didn’t score, but he dominated the work and executed a two-point conversion in the wildcat. He’ll be a top-10 fantasy RB in Week 14 at home against Tennessee.
Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts
• C.J. Stroud threw a bad interception in the second quarter and disappointed as chalk in DFS this week.
• Woody Marks returned after having his ankle rolled up on in the first quarter, but he lost rushing scores to Nick Chubb (goal-line) and Nico Collins.
• Daniel Jones threw two TDs but failed to run while playing through a fractured fibula. His completion percentage over expected (-9.6%) was in the 15th percentile. Jones was facing the league’s toughest pass defense, but the Colts scored just 16 points after entering averaging an NFL-high 33.7 at home.
• Josh Downs pulled down a terrific sideline catch and had another long reception called back, while Alec Pierce had a TD catch and a pass defended by halftime.
• Jonathan Taylor entered averaging nearly as many yards after contact (3.4) as Saquon Barkley’s YPC (3.7) this season.
• Indy lost Sauce Gardner to a calf injury in the first quarter and went 38 real-time minutes between offensive snaps at one point.
• After a missed delay of game penalty and a phantom defensive holding flag helped set up a Houston TD with an optical illusion PAT, J.J. Watt advised Colts fans to grab a drink.
New Orleans Saints @ Miami Dolphins
• De’Von Achane’s TD run during Miami’s opening drive was his 10th score of the season, although he oddly failed to record a catch (one target) for the first time all year. Achane finished as fantasy’s RB5 this week, and he’s now averaged 143.3 YFS and a touchdown at home this year.
• Devin Neal dominated New Orleans’ backfield work, and he’ll be a viable flex down the stretch. Miami’s run defense has transformed from one of the league’s worst to one of its best, so he’ll have easier matchups. Taysom Hill doesn’t appear to be a threat outside of the goal-line.
• Devaughn Vele led the Saints in targets (eight) and made a late touchdown catch. Vele then recovered an onside kick after Miami returned a pick-two during the conversion attempt.
Arizona Cardinals @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Bucky Irving had a short TD run nullified by an unnecessary holding penalty, and Tristan Wirfs recorded a big man touchdown during the next play with his first career catch. Still, Irving would later score, and he saw 17-of-21 RB carries during his return to action. Irving is a borderline RB1 down the stretch.
• What happened to Emeka Egbuka? He had a drop on Tampa Bay’s opening drive and has turned 25 targets into 114 scoreless yards over the last three weeks.
• Jacoby Brissett and Trey McBride did it again, while Michael Wilson took an early backseat to the returning Marvin Harrison Jr. McBride and Harrison both hauled in three catches during Arizona’s opening drive, while Wilson’s lone target was intercepted. Wilson wouldn’t record his first catch until 40 seconds were left in the first half. Still, both wideouts finished with seven targets, and Harrison appeared hobbled late. It’s not an ideal fantasy situation unless you’re riding Brissett’s heater.
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans
• Travis Etienne and Bhayshul Tuten (GL TD) combined for just 45 yards on 20 carries, as neither back could get going despite Jacksonville playing with the lead throughout.
• Brian Thomas Jr. returned, but he was behind Jakobi Meyers and Brenton Strange in the Jaguars’ pecking order. There’s zero explanation for Thomas’ fall, but he’s been arguably fantasy’s most disappointing player this year.
• Parker Washington left injured midway through the second quarter.
• I thought Cam Ward was a sleeper in DFS this week, but this was hard to watch. It came against a Jacksonville defense that had been far worse on the road and was missing multiple key players. Ugly, ugly stuff.
• Tony Pollard lost a fumble late that ruined any hope of garbage time stats.
Minnesota Vikings @ Seattle Seahawks
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba turned in his first fantasy dud of the season, as he didn’t record a catch until midway through the third quarter. Expect a monster game from JSN indoors next week in Atlanta.
• Kenneth Walker split work evenly with Zach Charbonnet, who saw multiple carries inside the 10 and punched one in for a TD. Walker’s usage last week was apparently a mirage, as Seattle’s RBBC looks here to stay, unfortunately.
• Sam Darnold’s CPOE (-15.9%) was in the fifth percentile during Seattle’s comfortable 26-point win.
• It can in fact get worse after all. Max Brosmer got 4.2 YPA, took four sacks and threw four interceptions, including one of the worst pick-sixes you’ll ever see. Brosmer's -0.89 EPA per dropback was the third-worst mark by a starting QB this season. Justin Jefferson had a career-low four receiving yards. It was a tough matchup, but J.J. McCarthy will unquestionably get another chance once healthy now. The Vikings were shut out for the first time since 2007 and are scoreless over their last six quarters.
• Aaron Jones Sr. was injured while losing a fumble and appeared to be in quiet a bit of pain on the sideline. He wouldn’t return and will have his shoulder evaluated Monday.
Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers
• Justin Herbert broke a bone in his left hand during Los Angeles’ opening drive. A false start saved Trey Lance from muffing a snap during his brief appearance, as Herbert returned in the second quarter with his hand heavily wrapped. Herbert will have a procedure Monday, and Jim Harbaugh said he doesn’t know if the QB will miss any time. For what it’s worth, Herbert plans on playing next week, when the Chargers face the Eagles on Monday night. Lance would be an absolute death knell to LA’s pass catchers.
• Kimani Vidal had a career-long 59-yard TD run during the opening drive of the second half, and he forced a whopping 12 missed tackles Sunday. Vidal finished as fantasy’s RB3 this week despite Jaret Patterson stealing a bunch of garbage time stats (11-54-1) late in the game. Omarion Hampton seems likely to return in Week 14.
• Geno Smith has taken 25 sacks over the last four games, as the Raiders’ offense didn’t see a boost post Chip Kelly.
• Ashton Jeanty got just 2.1 YPC, but his eight targets were the most in this game. Jeanty continues to deserve better, but his 34.8% target share was a career high.
• Brock Bowers caught touchdowns during half of his four targets, including an incredible one-handed score. But just four targets with a new play caller?
• Andrew Catalon bizarrely announced the biggest moments as if he were watching the game on a 10-second delay throughout Sunday’s telecast.
Buffalo Bills @ Pittsburgh Steelers
• Josh Allen threw a pick during Buffalo’s opening drive and finished with a season-low 123 passing yards, but he became the all-time leader in TD runs by quarterbacks. Allen’s YPA has jumped from 7.0 on the road to 9.1 at home this season, so expect a monster fantasy performance in Week 14, when the Bengals come to Buffalo.
• James Cook ran for an NFL-high 144 yards and saw all four of Buffalo’s carries inside the 10 this week. He didn’t score and fumbled twice (losing one), but he totaled 177 YFS while leading the Bills in receiving on just three targets. Buffalo ran for a season-high 249 yards despite missing both starting tackles. The Bills had the most rushing yards by an opponent in Pittsburgh since 1975.
• Buffalo scored a defensive TD during the first play of the second half, when Aaron Rodgers was injured while losing a fumble. Mason Rudolph threw an ugly pick (to the same DB who just scored), and then Rodgers quickly reentered with a bloodied nose.
• Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren combined for just 55 rushing yards on 15 attempts in a highly favorable matchup, as volume was a real problem. The Steelers possessed the ball for only 18:01. At least Warren found the end zone, while Gainwell made a sick one-handed catch.
• Pittsburgh has gone 62 straight games without scoring more than seven first-quarter points, which is the longest streak ever by a coach.
Denver Broncos @ Washington Commanders
• Bo Nix didn’t have a big fantasy game against a Washington defense that entered allowing an NFL-high 8.9 YPA and the highest completion percentage since the winless Lions.
• Courtland Sutton’s first target didn’t come until 55 seconds were left in the first half, but he caught a touchdown and finished with twice as many targets (six) as Troy Franklin. Fantasy managers have a real headache if trying to decide whom to start between Sutton and Franklin every week.
• RJ Harvey managed just 62 YFS in a favorable matchup, but he punched in two short scores, including one in overtime. The rookie saw 16 touches, and it was encouraging that Harvey got multiple tries (and executed) at the goal-line.
• Denver entered having scored 47% of its points in the fourth quarter this season, but it was the only frame the Broncos were shut out Sunday night.
• Marcus Mariota led Washington with 55 rushing yards and was fantasy’s QB3 this week with the help of overtime. His 50 pass attempts were a career high.
• Terry McLaurin was fed a league-high 14 targets during his return to action. He was the WR9 this week despite being on a “pitch count” and facing a Denver defense that entered allowing the fewest fantasy points to wide receivers. Scary Terry had a 30-yard score in overtime nullified by penalty, but he would score later that drive during an impressive performance in primetime.
• In a day filled with highlight worthy one-handed catches, Treylon Burks’ might’ve been the best.