Welcome to Living in Fantasy. Every week I will be bringing you my analysis, rankings (QB/RB/WR/TE) and predictions for the upcoming week of fantasy football. I have played fantasy sports — specifically fantasy football for over a decade, earning unlimited bragging rights against friends and foe alike (and a few bucks). Like you, I think I am pretty good at it, so here goes nothing.
Eli Manning (vs. LAC): QB6. The Giants have to win this game, there is no way around it. New York’s slow start is perhaps the most surprising storyline in football this year (behind the Jets’ magnificent 2-2 start). Though Brandon Marshall has been a disappointment and the run game has been atrocious, this is the week Eli and Big Blue get in the win column. The Chargers have had a surprisingly good year against opposing quarterbacks, but Manning has found his stride totaling 22.64 fantasy points in Week 2 and 27.72 points in Week 3.
Prediction: 30-40 300 yards, 2 TD 0 INT
Duke Johnson Jr. (vs. NYJ): RB16. The former University of Miami standout has also almost certainty locked up a chance for more carries after Isaiah Crowell’s horrendous start to the season. Johnson has also scored on the ground over the last two weeks, one in a blowout and the other in a 31-28 defeat. Johnson will be a great player this week against an anything but stout Jets’ defense.
Prediction: 7 carries 35 yards, 7 catches 50 yards, 1 TD
Wayne Gallman (vs. LAC): RB18. Another extremely bold call. This one is probably the least likely to pan out, but I know the Giants are hoping to have a running back finish in the top 20 this week after an abysmal start from Paul Perkins. After Gallman impressed last week and finished with 11 carries for 42 yards and a touchdown, compared to Perkins’ 9 carries for 13 yards, I would be absolutely shocked if Gallman doesn’t push for 15 carries against a lost LA Chargers team.
Prediction: 15 carries 60 yards, 2 catches 15 yards, 1 TD
Marshawn Lynch (vs. BAL): RB19. This week should be a huge problem for Lynch despite facing a surprisingly bad Baltimore run defense. With Derek Carr out and EJ Manuel at the helm, the Ravens will be stacking the box making it very difficult for Lynch to break big gains. Also, expect the Raiders to play from behind in this one and use Jalen Richard towards the end of the game.
Prediction: 10 carries 39 yards, 1 catch 5 yards, 0 TD
Isaiah Crowell (vs. NYJ): RB20. Ah. The biggest disappointment in fantasy football thus far. One of my favorite value picks before the year, Isaiah Crowell has “rushed” for a total of 134 yards through the first four games of the season. After compiling more than 1,200 total yards last year, he appears to be a shell of himself. Duke Johnson is the man to start this week in Cleveland. Stay away from Crow.
Prediction: 11 carries 40 yards, 3 catches 15 yards, 0 TD
Stefon Diggs (@CHI): WR5. This is a week of bold calls for me. In a star-studded wide receiver league, you wouldn’t think that guy with Case Keenum at quarterback could be a top five player. However, the NFL receiving yards leader will go off Monday night against Chicago’s defense. The University of Maryland alum will expose a bottom five Bears team, making him a legitimate WR1 for Week 5.
Prediction: 6 catches 110 yards, 1 TD
Danny Amendola (@TB): WR19. This game should be an absolute shootout. Amendola, who scored a one-yard touchdown last week should once again find pay-dirt. I could easily see Brady tossing out 4-5 touchdowns Thursday, so grab slot man now and start him.
Prediction: 7 catches 60 yards, 1 TD
Cameron Brate (vs. NE): TE4. The very talented tight end for the Bucs went for four catches with 80 yards and a touchdown against the Giants last week. In week 5, Brate gets another bad tight end defense and should mirror those numbers in what should be a high scoring affair.
Prediction: 5 catches 73 yards, 0 TD
