Fantasy football advice ahead of Week 6. Here we look at add drop fantasy football Amari Cooper Christian Kirk and more.
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Door Open For Clement
With Jay Ajayi out for the season with a torn ACL, the Eagles will turn to a running-back-by-committee between Corey Clement, Wendell Smallwood, and to some extent Darren Sproles when he eventually gets healthy. Clement is the player to own out of that backfield, as he is the most complete back of the group, and is likely the best true runner. Darren Sproles is almost exclusively a pass-catching threat as he has been for most of his distinguished career, and Smallwood profiles more as a change-of-pace back than anything else, leaving Clement as the player with the most potential to seize a more significant role. Assuming the quad issues he’s dealt with this season are behind him, he’ll be in the flex conversation immediately and will have some RB2 upside if he can separate himself from the pack.
John Brown the Clear Best Option in Baltimore
John Brown’s fantasy value is predicated on the fact that he is the sole target for Joe Flacco on big plays. Flacco has always had a big arm, and he’s putting it to good use in the early goings of the season when targeting Brown–he is third in the NFL in yards per reception with 20.8. Simply put, Brown will continue to carry WR2 value as long as he’s healthy, because he has no competition on his own team for those high-value targets. His value is slightly diminished in PPR leagues simply because those high-value targets don’t come as often as balls in the slot do, but you’ll trade the lower reception totals for touchdowns and yardage any day of the week. Keep firing Brown up as a top-25 option until either Flacco proves otherwise or Brown’s health problems resurface–neither of which are showing any signs of occurring soon.
Cooper Impossible to Trust
So far in 2018, Amari Cooper has either had at least eight catches for 116 yards, or no more than two catches for 17 yards. That kind of variance makes him incredibly frustrating to own, especially since there doesn’t seem to be any semblance of pattern to it. Cooper is undoubtedly talented, and is (in theory) the top wide receiver on his team, but last year’s instability seems to have followed him into this season. Add in the fact that his quarterback, Derek Carr, has a similarly frustrating track record of production and Cooper simply can’t be trusted in fantasy lineups as anything more than a flex option–and even then, I’d be looking for a player with a higher floor. Hope he has another good game in him this weekend, then trade him away if possible.
NFL Sleepers of the Week
Ronald Jones, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Peyton Barber proved himself woefully ineffective in the first few games this season, and in Jones’ Week 4 debut he out-touched Barber. It may take a week or two before you can trust him, but Jones is a great stash for the RB-desperate right now.
Christian Kirk, WR, Arizona Cardinals – Josh Rosen is certainly showing some of the potential that made him a first-round draft pick, and his favorite weapon seems to be fellow rookie Christian Kirk. Kirk’s upside is limited in that offense, but he’s approaching flex value and should only improve as the season continues.
Cameron Brate, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - O.J. Howard is still out with a knee injury, and the return of Jameis Winston should help Brate's prospects--he was Winston's preferred tight end target last year. He should be startable this week at least.
