• Joe Burrow exploded for six total touchdowns and nearly 40 fantasy points during the Bengals’ overtime win. He’s the first quarterback in NFL history to complete 70% of his passes and record four+ TD passes in three straight games.
• Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase were the top two fantasy wideouts this week, when Chase recorded his first 100-yard game of the season.
• Chase Brown had a 20-yard TD catch called back in the second quarter, but his receiving saved his fantasy day.
• Tony Pollard is up to five rushing touchdowns over the last two weeks.
• Cam Ward has zero TD passes before the fourth quarter this season, and he reached 225 passing yards Sunday for the first time all year. He also reached 270 passing yards for the first time in his career.
• George Pickens had a 59-yard TD catch called back during an incredibly disappointing performance by the Cowboys. Dallas gained 34 yards on its final 27 plays from scrimmage!
• Jacoby Brissett was benched before he could help fantasy managers in garbage time. Gardner Minshew engineered the 33-30 comeback win after entering down 17-3 despite Chad Ryland missing a game-winning extra point at the end of regulation.
• Michael Wilson came to life thanks to Minshew Mania, but he revealed after the game he suffered two broken ribs.
• Jeremiyah Love was busy with nine early carries, but he exited midway through the second quarter after suffering a new ankle injury. Bam Knight also left concussed, and Tyler Allgeier took advantage of the matchup and opportunity finishing as fantasy’s RB1 this week. Allgeier looked terrific while breaking off multiple long runs.
• Jared Goff was finally picked off, but the Lions did enough to beat the last remaining undefeated team. Sione Vaki saw a surprising 11 carries, but the electric Jahmyr Gibbs remains on pace to record 464 touches this season.
• Justin Jefferson caught a TD but managed just 33 yards in a terrific matchup. Jefferson entered the WR47 in targets per game.
• Josh Allen missed a wide-open Keon Coleman for a would-be 74-yard touchdown, but the Bills won easily anyway. It was Buffalo’s 12th straight win off a bye – the second longest streak in NFL history.
• Lamar Jackson suffered a possible season-ending thumb injury during Baltimore’s first offensive snap, and Tyler Huntley later left with a toe injury. Emergency QB Joe Fagnano finished with a CPOE (-16.4%) in the fifth percentile, and the Ravens now have a short week playing Thursday night.
• Zay Flowers was held without a catch against a Bills’ defense that entered allowing the most fantasy points to wide receivers by a wide margin, as the Ravens’ QB injuries ruined many DFS lineups.
• Baltimore entered ranked first in first-half point-differential (+65) but last in the second (-70).
• Mike Washington Jr. finished with 25 carries to Ashton Jeanty’s two. Jeanty remained the team’s clear receiving back, but the change in rush work was dramatic for Trent Richardson 2.0.
• Braelon Allen had 18 carries for 121 yards in the first half during another impressive performance. Allen’s fantasy managers are hoping Breece Hall gets dealt, but a committee down the stretch appears most likely in New York.
• Omar Cooper Jr. didn’t see a target during Adonai Mitchell’s best game of his career.
• Jaylen Warren had 10 carries for 102 yards by halftime, but he split work almost evenly with Rico Dowdle, and both lost a goal-line TD run to TE Pat Freiermuth.
• Talk of DK Metcalf being washed will grow louder after he turned six targets into four yards, including a sure long catch into an interception.
• Harold Fannin Jr. commanded a 30.8% target share and finished as fantasy’s TE2 this week despite not scoring and losing a fumble. Cleveland’s pass catchers will likely continue to rotate having productive games, and it doesn’t help Deshaun Watson is on pace to take 70 sacks.
• Bucky Irving led the way with 170 rushing yards during a week that saw six backs run for at least 140 (including teammate Kenny Gainwell). Irving lost a fumble out of the end zone during the rainy conditions but finished as an RB1 anyway. Irving had 19 carries for 107 yards in the first half and had a career-high in rushing yards midway through the third quarter. Irving leads the NFL in carries and rush yards over the last four weeks.
• The Buccaneers won by 16 points in a game Baker Mayfield didn’t complete a single pass. The teams combined for more interceptions (three) than completions (two) in the first half. Tampa Bay has called 16 pass plays and 104 runs over the last two weeks.
• Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson combined for 14 receiving yards against a pass-funnel Tampa Bay defense. Michael Penix completed four more passes to the Buccaneers than Mayfield.
• Bhayshul Tuten had a huge game and was fantasy’s RB2 this week despite not seeing a touch in the fourth quarter. The new MJD benefitted from a Colts’ defense that just traded DeForest Buckner, and he’s a top 15 fantasy back rest of season.
• Jonathan Taylor lost a fumble and was quiet against a Jaguars defense that hasn’t allowed a 75-yard rusher since the beginning of last season. There’s about a 50/50 chance Taylor is traded to the Vikings, and DJ Giddens cut into Seth McGowan’s work Sunday.
• DeMario Douglas looks like a sneaky PPR flex play while AJ Brown is sidelined, although passing volume (20 attempts) was limited for New England this week.
• Jonah Coleman was having a quiet game before a 51-yard catch followed by a TD run with two minutes left, but the rookie will continue to benefit from RJ Harvey being out. Coleman saw five targets and projects as an RB2 moving forward. J.K. Dobbins saw zero touches in the second half.
• Rashee Rice had a second TD catch nullified, and he should be a top 15 WR down the stretch.
• The Rams failed to record a first down during any of their first five drives for the first time ever under Sean McVay, while I failed to stay fully awake during a snoozer three-game afternoon slate.
• Ladd McConkey caught a Hail Mary to end the first half, but it occurred just before the end zone during a funny microcosm of the Chargers’ season.
• Justin Herbert is on pace to finish with 12 touchdown passes and 24 interceptions this season. But fear not, Mike McDaniel watched a whopping four hours of Herbert game film during LA’s bye. Has there ever been a faker sharp than McDaniel in hindsight?