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Aditya Fuldeore

Fantasy Football Analyst
@adi_ful

Aditya Fuldeore is a fantasy football expert who has entered the industry through data-focused analytical breakdowns and insights. He is passionate about data analytics, with experience working on data-driven projects for a college team and in financial analytics. For fantasy football, he has played in various redraft, dynasty, and best ball leagues for over six years, building a passion for trading, drafting, and identifying league-winning strategies. It is through this experience that uniquely qualifies Aditya as a key analyst in the PlayerProfiler community.

Since joining PlayerProfiler, Aditya has written for PlayerProfiler and provided insights on weekly player matchups for two NFL seasons now. He also writes offseason content on NFL draft prospects, free agents, and their fantasy football outlooks. Additionally, Aditya appears on PlayerProfiler’s Writer’s Roundtable from time to time. On the Writer’s Roundtable he discusses the latest happenings around the NFL and shares his insights as a fantasy football expert. Additionally, the conversations on the Writer’s Roundtable revolve around whatever is topical, and Aditya is a a valued contributor. For fantasy players looking to gain an edge, Aditya’s work is tailored to finding insights based on NFL advanced metrics and data. Keep up with Aditya’s work by following him on Twitter @adi_ful.

Articles

Target Share Report - Week 9

by Aditya Fuldeore
Target Share shows how many passes of a team's total a player is earning. Targets per route run, or Target Rate, breaks that down further and measures a player's target-earning efficiency. These stats together help identify trends in player usage and potential fantasy breakouts or regressions. As we pass Week 9, fantasy trade deadlines are coming up and knowing player target-earning trends can help make decisions on who fantasy managers should buy or sell in the coming weeks.
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Target Share Report - Week 7

by Aditya Fuldeore
Target Share shows how many passes of a team’s total a player is earning. Targets per route run, or Target Rate, breaks that down further and measures a player’s target-earning efficiency. These stats together help identify trends in player usage and potential fantasy breakouts or regressions. Now seven weeks into the season, we are seeing new trends emerge as trades, byes, and more happen across the NFL.
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Target Share Report - Week 5

by Aditya Fuldeore
In evaluating pass-catching performance, target-earning metrics can be key factors to see how much of an offensive role a player is earning. Target Share shows how many passes of a team’s total a player is earning. Targets per route run, or Target Rate, breaks that down further and measures a player’s target-earning efficiency. These stats together help identify trends in player usage and potential fantasy breakouts or regressions. A theme of this post-Week 5 piece will be surprising Target Shares.
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Target Share Report - Week 4

by Aditya Fuldeore
In evaluating pass-catching performance, target-earning metrics can be key factors to see how much of an offensive role a player is earning. Target Share shows how many passes of a team's total a player is earning. Targets per route run, or Target Rate, breaks that down further and measures a player's target-earning efficiency. These stats together help identify trends in player usage and potential fantasy breakouts or regressions. After Week 4, trends have formed for player usage.
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Target Share Report - Week 1

by Aditya Fuldeore
Target Share shows how many passes of a team’s total a player is earning. Targets per route run, or Target Rate, breaks that down further and measures a player’s target-earning efficiency. These stats together help identify trends in player usage and potential fantasy breakouts or regressions. Week 1 brought a few interesting numbers that aren’t trends yet, but bring fantasy-useful takeaways to get ahead of the curve.
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2024 Fantasy Football Do Not Draft List - Players to Fade at ADP

by Aditya Fuldeore
While some players become targets based on fantasy managers’ evaluations of them, others become fades. Players to fade have a higher ADP compared to the ideal range to take them, and other players going after them are better selections. This list shows a few players I don’t necessarily dislike – they’re just going too high according to their FFPC ADP.
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Targets per Route Run Leaders and 2024 Outlooks

by Aditya Fuldeore
A lot of what defines next season’s high Target Rate are variables that occur due to a high Target Rate in the previous season. Essentially, one of the biggest indicators of a player being highly used is that the player was highly used in the previous season. However, outside of those variables, there are a few that can hint towards a player becoming a larger part of their team’s offense.
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Dynasty Drafts | Players to Target in 2024 Startups

by Aditya Fuldeore
Rookie drafts are taking place and new startups are being formed. With team situations formulating, Dynasty ADPs are solidifying. While there are the big obvious players like Justin Jefferson and Christian McCaffrey to target in startups, there are a few players going later that you do not want to leave drafts without.
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Dynasty Strategy: The Running Back Volume Curse

by Aditya Fuldeore
300 touches is a high crest for running backs to reach, marking a workhorse back in the modern era of committees. It is increasingly more difficult for backs to repeat the high volume with the same efficiency, let alone repeat with the same volume due to injuries, new backfield competition, and more. If you had a back not named McCaffrey or Henry, you got 1-2 good seasons of 300 touches before a noticeable production decrease. When looking at your Dynasty RB room, the peak “sell high” period for a high volume back is often after a season or two of 300 touches.
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Fantasy Tight End Conundrum | Tight End Strategy for Dynasty Leagues

by Aditya Fuldeore
Amongst the fantasy football position groups, tight ends are perhaps the most frustrating to project. Fantasy managers can barely find consistent top-eight options, let alone top-12. Elite Dynasty tight ends like Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews stay at the top for a while, but how can we project the next elite tight ends?
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The Dynasty Age Apex: Wide Receiver Strategy for Dynasty Fantasy Leagues

by Aditya Fuldeore
Wide receivers have a wider variance when it comes to production in the age apex. Receivers between 24-28 are your best bets, but your best-of-the-best elite receivers can be kept through their late twenties. Elite target earning is sticky for receivers and elite young guys who produce before the age apex are hot Dynasty assets that can be cemented as cornerstones for a while.
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The Dynasty Age Apex: Running Back Strategy for Dynasty Fantasy Leagues

by Aditya Fuldeore
The age apex for running backs can be optimized by identifying backs with draft capital, opportunity, and a proven role for production. They tend to hit their peaks between the ages of 23-27, mostly on their rookie contracts. Pass-catching backs in the age apex are optimal choices to produce, especially for the PPR format. Listen to the green and red lights of the age apex to optimize your Dynasty roster. Building your team to compete and knowing when to make trades with this information can win you your league.
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2024 NFL Free Agency: Defensive Preview

by Aditya Fuldeore
The NFL season is winding down and fantasy seasons are coming to a close. For many NFL teams, that means playoffs. For others, the offseason preparation can begin early. Free agency is coming up and there are many key defensive players set to hit the market.
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Must Starts and Sits | NFL Week 17

by Aditya Fuldeore
Many leagues are in the endgame now. Week 17 represents the finals and lineup decisions can make or break championships. It's time to take down those championship matchups with these Must Starts and Sits.
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Must Starts and Sits | NFL Week 16

by Aditya Fuldeore
Week 16 takes fantasy teams a step deeper into the fantasy playoffs and raises the stakes. Lineup decisions are as crucial as ever as you play your starters and tinker with your flex plays. For seasonal leagues, DFS, and more, this week’s Must Start and Sit picks give guidance setting your lineups. Good luck!
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Must Starts and Sits | NFL Week 15

by Aditya Fuldeore
We are now in Week 15, which means playoffs for most and no byes for all. Every team plays this week, meaning a larger player pool to select a lineup from. Between key injuries and matchup questions, the race to the championship is in full swing.
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Must Starts and Sits | NFL Week 14

by Aditya Fuldeore
Week 14 is the last week with players on bye. The Commanders and Cardinals are on bye, leaving a few key players on fantasy benches this week. For most fantasy leagues, the fantasy playoffs start next week, making this the last chance for a playoff push.
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Must Starts and Sits | NFL Week 13

by Aditya Fuldeore
We come out of Thanksgiving with a brutal bye week as the Ravens, Bills, Bears, Raiders, Vikings, and Giants are all out. Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, Saquon Barkley, Davante Adams, and more notable players will be resting, nuking fantasy teams trying to make a playoff push.
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Must Starts and Sits | NFL Week 12

by Aditya Fuldeore
It's Thanksgiving Week, which means turkey, mashed potatoes, and a day of football. Injuries have mounted as Joe Burrow, Mark Andrews, Aaron Jones and others suffered big injuries in Week 11. Now for Thanksgiving week, there are no teams on bye, leading to a large player pool for start/sit decisions.
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Must Starts and Sits: NFL Week 11

by Aditya Fuldeore
In Week 11, key players like Bijan Robinson, Michael Pittman, Jonathan Taylor, Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, and more are out on bye. At least four running backs considered RB2's or higher will be missing from an ever-chaotic fantasy RB landscape. Aditya Fuldeore leads into the must starts and sits as we near fantasy playoff time.
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Dalton Kincaid Fantasy Riser | Week 9 Must Starts And Sits

by Aditya Fuldeore
Week 9 is starting, which means most fantasy leagues are halfway through their seasons. The Broncos, Lions, Jaguars, and 49ers are on bye this week, leaving a handful of starters and stars on benches. For seasonal leagues, DFS, and more, this week’s must start and sit picks can give you some guidance on setting your lineups. Good luck!
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Must Starts and Sits | NFL Week 8

by Aditya Fuldeore
Week 8 has no teams on bye, putting a brief stop to losing your stars due to a bye. You will have a larger field of players to pick from for the first time in a few weeks, and that brings more lineup questions. For seasonal leagues, DFS, and more, this week’s must start and sit picks can give you some guidance on setting your lineups. Good luck!
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Must Starts and Sits | NFL Week 7

by Aditya Fuldeore
Week 7 has six (!) teams on bye: the Panthers, Bengals, Cowboys, Texans, Jets, and Titans. Outside of the obvious weekly starts, it can get tough to decide who to insert in lineups for stars that are out.
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Must Starts and Sits | NFL Week 6

by Aditya Fuldeore
For Week 6, the Packers and Steelers are on bye. You won't be able to use Aaron Jones, Jordan Love, Christian Watson, Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Kenny Pickett or George Pickens this week. Throw in the injured Anthony Richardson, Justin Jefferson, James Conner, and De'Von Achane and your rosters are shifting fast.
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Must Starts and Sits | NFL Week 5

by Aditya Fuldeore
With Week 5 coming, bye weeks will start impacting fantasy managers. This week, players on the Browns, Chargers, Seahawks, and Buccaneers will be out for fantasy teams with bye weeks. For seasonal leagues, DFS, and more, this week's must start and sit picks can give you some guidance on setting your lineups. Good luck!
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Must Starts and Sits | NFL Week 4

by Aditya Fuldeore
Now that we have three weeks of data, players have developed trends that can be leveraged in Week 4. For seasonal leagues, DFS, and more, this week's must start and sit picks can give you some guidance on setting your lineups. Good luck!
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Must Starts and Sits | NFL Week 2

by Aditya Fuldeore
Outside of the obvious starts, it can be difficult to differentiate who faces an easier or tougher matchup than usual. For seasonal leagues, DFS, and more, this week’s picks give you some guidance on setting your lineups.
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Must Starts and Sits - NFL Week 1

by Aditya Fuldeore
Outside of the obvious starts, it can be difficult to differentiate who faces an easier or tougher matchup than usual. For seasonal leagues, DFS, and more, this week’s picks can give you some guidance on setting your lineups. Good luck!
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Late-Round QB Targets | 2023 Fantasy Football

by Aditya Fuldeore
The start of the NFL season is close and redraft leagues are drafting in the days leading up to September 7th. Before you go out and make your selections, read up on some late-round QB targets to snag if you can't grab the elite, high-end QB1s.
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What is a Dynasty League?

by Aditya Fuldeore
Redraft is usually the starting point for someone new to fantasy, but if you are looking to take the next step to Dynasty, you are in the right place. Keep reading to find out more about the Dynasty League format of fantasy football!
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Dynasty Startup Late-Round Strategy & Stashes

by Aditya Fuldeore
As your Dynasty Startup draft reaches the later rounds, it can get tough to sort through the players who make up the back end of both NFL and fantasy rosters. In this piece, I cover how to strategize the late rounds of a Dynasty Startup and give some Dynasty stashes.
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Breakout Finder 2023 | Favorite Players

by Aditya Fuldeore
The Breakout Finder 2023 is out! Find out which players are the Breakout Finder 2023 Favorite Players based on Breakout Rating! Go download the Breakout FInder to see where all the incoming rookies rank today!
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NFL Sophomore Projections: Chris Olave

by Aditya Fuldeore
Chris Olave saw a lot of usage, especially as a deep threat for the Saints in 2022. Will Olave continue to trend upward for Dynasty gamers? How do his Redraft and Best Ball value look for 2023 with Derek Carr in the fold?
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Sophomore Projections: Dameon Pierce

by Aditya Fuldeore
Dameon Pierce was granted a lot of opportunities in the Texans' offense in 2022. Will Pierce take the next step and deliver at his current ADP in best-ball leagues? Or is it more likely he takes a step back in 2023?
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Sophomore Projections: George Pickens

by Aditya Fuldeore
One of the factors in determining Pickens's future role will be determining how sustainable his style of play will be. Will Pickens be a solid fantasy contributor in 2023? Or will he take a step back as the Steelers look to re-tool their receiving corps?
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Sophomore Projections: Isiah Pacheco

by Aditya Fuldeore
The fantasy values of players entering their second years can be volatile. How do we project Isiah Pacheco after a fantastic run through the playoffs? Is he worth buying in dynasty leagues? Or, should dynasty gamers stay ahead of the curve and trade away this seventh round running back?
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Sophomore Projections: Garrett Wilson

by Aditya Fuldeore
Selected No. 10 overall, Garrett Wilson has the physical profile and college production to find continued success in the NFL. As a rookie, Wilson led Jets receivers in nearly every receiving production and usage metric and has established himself as a top receiving option in that offense. With a quarterback upgrade likely on the way, will Wilson morph into one of the best receivers in the NFL?
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Wild Card Showdown: Ravens vs Bengals

by Aditya Fuldeore
Baltimore is limping into the playoffs behind a stagnant offense and a QB situation in flux. With Lamar Jackson out again, Tyler Huntley is slated to be the starter, with Anthony Brown ready in case Huntley (shoulder) can't go either. In five games without Jackson starting, the Ravens are averaging 13 points per game. But in the NFL Playoffs, anything can happen! What do the Ravens and Bengals have in store for us on Sunday night?
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2022 Matchup Monitor Week 18

by Aditya Fuldeore
Moss has gotten the bulk of Indianapolis' carries since Jonathan Taylor's injury, seeing Snap Shares over 60-percent since then. While Moss hardly gets any receiving work, his opportunities running the ball will give him scoring chances against a subpar Texans defense. Who else will benefit from an advantageous matchup this week?
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2022 Matchup Monitor Week 17

by Aditya Fuldeore
This is the Matchup Monitor Week 17! What matchups will prove favorable in this all-too-important Championship Week?! What matchups should cause fantasy gamers to look for better options?
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2022 Matchup Monitor Week 16

by Aditya Fuldeore
Matchups are key in fantasy football when making start/sit decisions. What players face positive or negative matchups this week as fantasy gamers make a push for a fantasy championship?!
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2022 Matchup Monitor Week 15

by Aditya Fuldeore
The Jaguars entered Week 14 allowing the 8th-most passing fantasy points to QBs. They have allowed at least 27 points in three of their last four games. Dallas has a high-powered offense that has scored at least 28 in each of their last six games. Expect Prescott to wheel and deal against a mediocre Jaguars defense. Etienne has not had a top-36 finish his last three games, with three receptions in that time, all in Week 13. Trevor Lawrence is leading the offense with his arm with the run game not of much use. Etienne has flashed great fantasy production, but his recent struggles combined with a bad matchup have him on fantasy benches to start the playoffs.
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2022 Matchup Monitor Week 14

by Aditya Fuldeore
The Titans allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to WRs entering Week 13. Their secondary has allowed three 100-yard receivers in their last two games. Starting slot corner Elijah Molden is hurt and has missed most of the season. So, Kirk is poised to see large volume against a weakened defense this week. Neither George Pickens nor Diontae Johnson have scored over 20 fantasy points this season. Pickens has two top-12 finishes while Johnson has none. Pittsburgh has scored over 24 points in a game just once this season, while Pickett has thrown for over 200 yards once in his last five games.
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2022 Matchup Monitor Week 13

by Aditya Fuldeore
The Seahawks just allowed a whopping 303 total yards to Josh Jacobs. They have allowed over 100 yards rushing to opponents in each of their last three games, yielding 17 RB receptions in that span. Facing a porous run defense, Williams has the opportunity to become Los Angeles' sole fantasy viable RB. Only viable in superflex leagues, Matt Ryan has thrown 10 interceptions this season. With 14 total turnovers, Ryan has struggled to get the Colts offense going. While he entered Week 12 with an 8.1 (No. 7) Accuracy Rating, he also had 23 (No. 6) danger plays. A sturdy Dallas defense awaits in Week 13.
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2022 Matchup Monitor Week 12: Thanksgiving Edition

by Aditya Fuldeore
Potentially Tampa Bay's new starter, Rachaad White has 33 touches over his last two games. He has at least three receptions in five games this season, with 6.8 (No. 22) yards per reception. Leonard Fournette left last game due to injury, but even before that, Fournette was ceding opportunities to White. Young and shifty with 84th-percentile or higher Speed and Burst Scores, White has the chance to boom this week. With four top-10 TE finishes in his last five games, Juwan Johnson has become an established start option at TE. His production has been touchdown-dependent, however, with five touchdowns in his last five games. The 49ers limit TE touchdowns, so it will be harder for Johnson to hit paydirt this week.
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2022 Matchup Monitor Week 11

by Aditya Fuldeore
The Lions entered Week 10 allowing the fourth-most QB rushing fantasy points. Justin Fields just ran all over them for 147 yards while three other QBs have passed 40 rushing yards against them. Allowing less than 24 points in a game just once this season, Detroit is a porous defense through the air and on the ground. Expect Daniel Jones to feast as a dual-threat this week. While Higbee could see an uptick in targets this week, he faces a Saints defense that has been effective against TEs. New Orleans has not allowed more than 50 yards to an opposing TE group since Week 5. Isaiah Likely is the only TE to score a touchdown against Demario Davis and company this season.
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Matchup Monitor Week 10 - 2022

by Aditya Fuldeore
The Dolphins were No. 9 in fantasy points allowed to receivers entering Week 9, where they allowed seven receptions and a touchdown to Darnell Mooney. Miami has allowed at least 24 points in six games this season, with teams passing often in shootouts against the Dolphins' fast offense. If Cleveland finds itself in a shootout, Cooper will be utilized exponentially more. The Packers have not allowed over 220 passing yards since Week 3, snagging four interceptions over their last three games. Green Bay's secondary has shown an ability to contain opposing receiving corps well this season. They do have some injuries on the defense, but Jaire Alexander and company have the secondary locked down. Expect the Cowboys to instead attack the Packers' suspect run defense. Prescott has a tough fantasy matchup this week.
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2022 Matchup Monitor Week 9

by Aditya Fuldeore
Entering Week 8, the Raiders were the No. 4 best matchup for QBs in both passing and rushing points allowed. Las Vegas' defense has allowed 10 passing touchdowns and gotten just one interception over its last four games. This is a juicy enough matchup to where you must consider Lawrence in a week where six teams are on bye. Comfortably fire up Lawrence this week. Despite back-to-back poor showings, the Arizona secondary has been surprisingly solid against opposing WRs. They have allowed just two WR touchdowns in their last six games, both coming in the last two weeks to back-up WRs. Metcalf will face Byron Murphy, a top-20 CB in PlayerProfiler's Cornerback Rankings. Metcalf was held to two receptions on seven targets last time against Arizona and Murphy.
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2022 Matchup Monitor Week 8

by Aditya Fuldeore
With P.J. Walker at QB, D.J. Moore saw a renaissance, with the most receptions and yards he has had all season in Week 7. Prior to Week 7, Moore was already seeing a 100-percent (No. 1) Route Participation and 97.2-percent (No. 3) Snap Share. Now with a positive trend after getting a new QB throwing to him, Moore can convert that usage into fantasy points. Taylor Heinicke isn't that much better than Carson Wentz, with 44 (No. 2) interceptable passes and 6.9 (No. 21) Yards Per Attempt last season. The Commanders also ran the ball more than passing it last week with Heinicke starting, so don't expect a high pass volume to help McLaurin. A TD-dependent play this week, it is best to avoid McLaurin if you have other options.
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2022 Matchup Monitor Week 7

by Aditya Fuldeore
Pollard averaged 6.3 (No. 4) yards per touch through Week 5 and added 52 yards on 13 touches in Week 6. While he has just three top-30 fantasy finishes this season, Pollard is a threat for big plays any week as he chips away at Elliott's workload. He'll get a good shot at exploding Week 7 against the Lions. Denver's offense has often sputtered this season. Courtland Sutton has been a serviceable fantasy asset while Jerry Jeudy has been on-and-off. Russell Wilson has disappointed, leading to shaky fantasy output from Denver weapons. Facing a good secondary and a defense that has been riding high the last few games, Denver WRs are unlikely to produce a big output for fantasy.
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2022 Matchup Monitor Week 6

by Aditya Fuldeore
With Javonte Williams out, Melvin Gordon is the primary RB in Denver. He got over half of Denver's RB opportunities last week and projects to see similar usage going forward. Gordon had three receptions last week and will have the opportunity to rack up targets against the Chargers' lackadaisical defense against receiving backs. Chase the opportunity against a subpar defense and fire up Gordon this week The Buccaneers are one of the better defenses against the run, allowing four rushing touchdowns in five games this season. They have also allowed four or less RB receptions in four out of those five games. Harris is an inefficient runner and relies on receptions and touchdowns to stay afloat for fantasy. He does not have a good matchup for those components this week.
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2022 Matchup Monitor Week 5

by Aditya Fuldeore
The Texans have allowed over 100 yards rushing to opponents in three out of four games this season. They have also allowed at least 9 RB receptions in two of those games and yielded 6 total touchdowns to RBs. Etienne is the pass-catching back in Jacksonville, seeing 11 targets to Robinson's 7 so far this season. The matchup against Houston in Week 5 is the spot for Etienne to finally come through for fantasy owners. While Sanders dominates RB touches now, his overall Snap Share is still less than 60-percent and Hurts is a continuous threat to take rushing touchdown opportunities. Expect the Cardinals and Eagles to play to their respective strengths in a shootout through the passing game this week. Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown are in for big weeks, but Sanders is in line to be left behind against a solid run defense in what will be a high scoring, passing-dominated affair.
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2022 Matchup Monitor Week 4

by Aditya Fuldeore
Baltimore will have its hands full containing Stefon Diggs, opening up Davis. Davis had a 100-percent Route Participation and 98.3-percent Snap Share in Week 1, operating at full speed in the Buffalo offense. Coming off injury, he saw similar usage in Week 3. With Davis being a WR2 in a high-powered offense with opportunity, expect a bigger game than usual from him facing a struggling secondary The Eagles have not allowed 100 yards rushing each of their last two games, with D'Andre Swift the sole 100-yard rushing opponent in Week 1. Philadelphia has tended to lead big in games, leading to a pass-heavy opponent Game Script. Robinson was closer to a 50/50 Snap Share split with Etienne in a close Week 1 game, while he had more snaps in Week 2 and 3 blowouts. Expect a soaring Eagles team to be competitive against Jacksonville, leading to more Etienne passing-down snaps.
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2022 Matchup Monitor Week 3

by Aditya Fuldeore
The Texans' run defense has allowed over 100 yards rushing to its opponents each of the first two weeks of the season. Last season, Houston allowed the 3rd-most RB fantasy points, and the run defense has not improved by much this season. From the first two weeks, it looks as if Justin Fields will have a lower pass volume and attempting shallower passes often. Montgomery and Herbert will see checkdowns and a high rush volume in a good matchup against a lacking Texans defense. San Francisco allowed the 26th most fantasy points to TEs in 2021, yielding just 4 receptions to TEs this season so far. The LB corps and safeties, headlined by Fred Warner and Talanoa Hufanga, have been good in coverage and will give the Broncos a hard time over the middle of the field. In the midst of a struggling offense, TE rotation, and facing a good TE coverage defense, Albert O is in a tough bind this week.
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2022 Matchup Monitor Week 2

by Aditya Fuldeore
The Titans gave up a whopping 164 yards to Saquon Barkley on the ground in week 1. The Giants ran for over 200 yards total against Tennessee, while Barkley tacked on 6 receptions. Singletary had 67 (No. 13) evaded tackles last season, so look for him to take advantage of the Titans' poor tackling that was on display week 1. The Bills are the better team in this matchup, so a lead would open more rushing opportunity for Singletary as well. The Vikings contained Aaron Rodgers to less than 200 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception in the opener. New additions Jordan Hicks and Za'Darius Smith wreaked havoc up front with Danielle Hunter. Patrick Peterson in the secondary with Lewis Cine potentially returning in week 2 will also make Hurts' life harder. Opponents were No. 23 last season in scoring QB rushing fantasy points against Minnesota, and Hicks and Smith make Hurts' chances of a big rushing day even more difficult. Facing an improved Vikings defense, don't expect Hurts to put on a show this week.
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2022 Matchup Monitor Week 1

by Aditya Fuldeore
Sony Michel was cut before the season, giving Chase Edmonds more touches to handle at the head of the Miami backfield. Edmonds had over 40 receptions each of the last two seasons, and now joins Mike McDaniel's RB-friendly offense. He projects to get most of the passing-down work and brings elusiveness, with a 29.6-percent (No. 12) Juke Rate and a 10.86 (96th-percentile) Agility Score. Last season, the Bills allowed the lowest completion percentage in the league, snagging 19 interceptions to allowing 12 passing touchdowns. Tre'Davious White will be out, but rookie first-rounder Kaiir Elam comes in with Micah Hyde anchoring the secondary. With Von Miller coming off the edge, the Rams offense will have its hands full against a powerful Bills defense. Stafford does not have a favorable matchup this week.
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Running Back ADP Trends

by Aditya Fuldeore
Last season, Ingram had double digit points in three out of four games with Kamara out last season, with a top-8 finish in week eight. He also had 19 targets in those four games without Kamara, almost taking on Kamara's full role in his absence. Tony Jones and Abram Smith may pose a threat to Ingram's workload, but Jones could not step forward last season and Smith is a UDFA rookie. Ingram is still the primary beneficiary of a Kamara suspension.
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Year Two Fantasy Breakout Candidates

by Aditya Fuldeore
Bateman began his rookie year injured and hardly played with Lamar Jackson, leading to 515 receiving yards and 8.6 (No. 53) Fantasy Points Per Game in 12 games. Now, he will be the No. 2 receiving option behind Mark Andrews heading into the season. Bateman was used as a possession receiver, constantly gaining first downs, and boasting a 63.6-percent (No. 5 among qualifying receivers) Contested Catch Rate. His 82nd-percentile arm length will continue to help him be a consistent target for Jackson on the outside. Now the Ravens' WR1, expect Bateman to see an increase from a 15.8-percent (No. 61) Target Share to a Target Share in the 20s, and his red zone opportunities will come with that volume.
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Rookie WR1 Cases for First-Round WRs

by Aditya Fuldeore
Drake London is a large target with 95th-percentile arm length, benefitting him for contested targets. He also boasts an 18.1 (99th-percentile among qualified wide receivers) Breakout Age and 34.9 (69th-percentile) College Dominator Rating, a similar mix of Breakout Age and College Dominator Rating to Donte Moncrief, Sammy Watkins, and DeAndre Hopkins. Atlanta's QB situation will be the primary thing to hold him back. The Titans swapped out A.J. Brown for Treylon Burks during the draft, adding the Arkansas product to a team expected to contend. The Titans are looking for a new physical WR1, and with Robert Woods getting older, Burks is next up. With Derrick Henry in the backfield, Burks may not see as much pass volume as guys like Drake London or Jameson Williams. Still, he has a physical profile and clear path to being the WR1 on his own team, giving him a strong case to be the rookie WR1.
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Juicy Landing Spots For Rookie Playmakers

by Aditya Fuldeore
With the 2022 NFL draft looming, many fantasy managers are looking to rookie drafts to replenish rosters. Breece Hall, Treylon Burks, and more headline this year's draft class. But not all top rookies will be immediate booms for fantasy purposes. Amongst the teams making Day 1 and 2 selections, there are a few that provide great situations for incoming rookie playmakers. In this piece, I discuss the teams who will be fantastic spots for the top rookie playmakers in fantasy. Green Bay has five selections on the first two days of the NFL draft, including two first round picks. It has prime opportunity to snag a top WR; with the likes of Garrett Wilson, Drake London, and Treylon Burks generating buzz to go in round 1. Any top selection contains the alpha traits to command a heavy Target Share and has the advantage of playing with an MVP, boosting the future rookie playmaker's stock further. A top rookie receiving playmaker will be a smash for fantasy purposes.
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Under the Radar Free Agent Signings for 2022 Fantasy Football

by Aditya Fuldeore
The return of Jameis Winston to the Saints brings several different fantasy implications, not only for him, but for the team's skill players. As a starter for New Orleans last season, Winston averaged 17.2 fantasy points per game with 14 passing touchdowns to just 3 interceptions in seven games. He also tacked on 166 rushing yards, showing he has the rushing potential to be impactful in fantasy. Winston had two top-5 weekly fantasy finishes in that time. However, he had four games under 15 fantasy points, showing he was a very volatile option on a Saints team with limited receiving options. After releasing Cole Beasley, the Buffalo Bills went out and signed Jamison Crowder. Crowder (whose Best Comparable is Beasley) has spent the majority of his career as a slot receiver. Last season in twelve games, he took 334 (No. 17) Slot Snaps at a 66.8-percent Slot Rate. In Buffalo last season, Beasley had an 82.1-percent Slot Rate with Isaiah McKenzie filling in the slot as well. With Beasley out, Crowder's role will almost certainly be as Josh Allen's slot receiver, a position where Beasley saw over 100 targets each of the last three seasons.
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Dynasty Stock Watch: Isaiah Spiller and Kyren Williams

by Aditya Fuldeore
Isaiah Spiller's lack of bounding range provides cause for concern with his 108.0 (7th-percentile among qualified running backs) Burst Score. In college, he was not a bruiser against larger defenders. And his elusiveness may not translate immediately to the NFL based on his lack of burst. His ability to be patient with good field vision will need to be more prevalent in order for him to overcome athletic inefficiencies against the rest of the draft class. Kyren Williams ran an RB Combine-worst 4.65 (30th-percentile) 40-yard dash and jumped a low 32-inches in the vertical jump and 116-inches in the broad jump. His slow movement and lack of range as a small-frame back has hurt his stock, for both the NFL and fantasy football. Williams' chances of being a three-down back in the NFL are looking slimmer. And his prospective draft capital has taken a hit.
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Which Teams Win Big in NFL Free Agency in 2022

by Aditya Fuldeore
Big free agents the Chargers can add in the $10-$20 million per year contract range include Allen Robinson, Chris Godwin, Brandon Scherff, Dont'a Hightower, Larry Ogunjobi, and Tyrann Mathieu. Maybe even Davante Adams ($20 million-plus). Tom Telesco has more than enough cap flexibility to add key free agents, even re-sign a player or two. The Chargers will have the money to make a star pair like Allen with Godwin or James with Mathieu. Aaron Rodgers is not technically a free agent yet, but the speculation around his future continuers. The Denver Broncos are the most rumored team to land Rodgers and potentially free agent Davante Adams with him. There is also a chance the Packers will retain both, while the Steelers, Commanders, and even the Buccaneers could have a shot at Rodgers. Whichever team lands him would be a top-tier free agent destination and a candidate to be a big free agency winner.
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Is Gabriel Davis for Real?

by Aditya Fuldeore
Gabriel Davis has been a deeper threat in his career, ranking top-12 among WRs in Average Target Distance and Yards Per Reception both of his seasons in the NFL. He has also seen large red zone usage, ranking top-30 in Red Zone Targets both his seasons with 13 career touchdowns, more than Cole Beasley and Dawson Knox the last two seasons. Davis is efficient in several advanced metrics, apart from Catch Rate and Drop Rate, both of which he ranked outside the top-75 in this season. Ultimately, Davis is an efficient receiver who garners large chunks of yardage and touchdown opportunity when he sees the ball. However, he has not received enough opportunity to see if he can be consistent as a weekly starter. His profile and ability as a more “chunk play” receiver contributes to his lesser opportunity, as he is seldom seen as a do-it-all guy like Stefon Diggs.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 18

by Aditya Fuldeore
It's Week 18 and the Titans can lock up the AFC one seed with a win. No doubt they'll trot out D'Onta Foreman, who just ran for 132 yards and a touchdown last week. Entering Week 17, Tennessee averaged 31.7 (No. 2) Team Run Plays Per Game, and Foreman now has three games of 100-plus rushing yards in his last five. Expect the Titans to play hard for the top seed and expect Foreman to be a big part of that against a weak run defense. This week, the Cardinals are looking forward to the playoffs while Seahawks will try to spoil a division rival's playoff seeding. Wilson, outside of airing it out against the Texans and Lions, has been a mediocre fantasy QB post-injury, with both his yards per attempt and completion percentage dipping from pre-injury Russ. He does not hold much rushing value either, so do not expect him to be a great play this week.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 17

by Aditya Fuldeore
Last week, Ronald Jones put up 16.1 PPR fantasy points in place of Leonard Fournette and has had back-to-back games of 2 receptions and 70+ scrimmage yards. Jones is the clear lead back for Tampa with Fournette out and now sees an excellent matchup in Week 17 against the Jets. Expect him to run all over the Jets while seeing a few targets out of the backfield this week. The Ravens have allowed 100 yards rushing to an opponent in one of their last seven games and allow less than 4 yards per carry. Sony Michel is coming off a huge game where he saw 28 touches. With Darrell Henderson banged up, Michel figures to carry the RB load, but opposing RBs have seen over 20 touches just twice in Baltimore’s last twelve games. Expect the Rams to air it out with Stafford this week, rather than run it up the gut against the likes of Patrick Queen and Brandon Williams.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 16

by Aditya Fuldeore
With one of the better fantasy matchups for an RB this week, David Montgomery is set to produce for the fantasy playoffs. Despite looking better recently, the Seahawks rush defense is among the worst in the league in fantasy points allowed to opposing RBs. They allow a lot of catches to RB/FBs, giving up 5 or more receptions to opposing backfields in each of their last eight games (not including Week 15's Tuesday night game). Montgomery has three straight games with at least five targets and has an excellent opportunity to boom this week. The Miami running back room looks murky. Myles Gaskin did play last week, but it was… Duke Johnson (!) who got the most touches out of the Dolphin RBs. Gaskin has been the lead back for the majority of the season and was coming off a COVID absence last week. However, the insertion of Johnson and a tough opponent in the Saints cloud Gaskins' usage. Both player's usages look clouded as of now, and they face a tough matchup for this week of the fantasy playoffs.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 15

by Aditya Fuldeore
In three games since returning from injury, Clyde Edwards-Helaire has 44 touches and 3 rushing touchdowns. While he is still splitting snaps with Darrell Williams, CEH has double-digit fantasy points and top-24 RB finishes each of his games back from injury return. The Chargers have allowed at least 100 yards rushing to opposing backfields in seven of their last nine games and allowed at least 4 receptions to opposing backfields in four of their last five. So far this season, Miles Sanders has been an underwhelming fantasy player. The Football Team has allowed opposing backfields to rush for 100 yards in just two of their last seven games and ranks top-5 in the league in yards per carry allowed. While Washington is susceptible to RB receptions, Sanders entered week 14 with a 9.7-percent (No. 26 among qualifying RBs before Week 14) Target Share.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 14

by Aditya Fuldeore
Jerry Jeudy draws a Lions team that just allowed 340 passing yards and yielded plenty of separation to Vikings receivers. The only Lions corner in the top-40 of PlayerProfiler's CB Rankings, Amani Oruwariye, just allowed a monster day to Justin Jefferson. Detroit has allowed over 300 yards through the air in each of its last two games. Expect Jeudy to get the opportunity for a massive fantasy day this week. Before an A+ matchup against the Jaguars, Matthew Stafford threw 5 interceptions with a completion rate below 64-percent in the three games prior combined. Stafford has shown signs of struggle against good defenses, especially in the second half of the season. The Cardinals, meanwhile, have limited opposing QBs to less than 250 passing yards in six of their last seven games. Be wary of a tough matchup this week for Stafford.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 13

by Aditya Fuldeore
Hunter Renfrow has been a consistent slot target for the Raiders, with at least 5 receptions in all but two games this season. He has been a quiet producer, entering Week 12 with a 19.3-percent (No. 6 among qualifying WRs prior to week 12) Hog Rate and has finished as a top-24 fantasy WR in six games. With a high pass volume and the potential loss of Darren Waller, Renfrow has an opportunity for another big fantasy game this week against Washington's middling secondary. Josh Jacobs has averaged less than 4.0 yards per carry this season, entering Week 12 with 3.7 (No. 52 prior to Week 12) True Yards Per Carry. He has not hit 100 yards rushing in a game this season, exceeding 50 rush yards just three times. Washington has not allowed an individual runner to have 100 yards rushing in a game yet this season. The Raiders pass more than they run, and with Washington being a bit more bendy through the air, don't expect Jacobs to have good fantasy opportunity this week.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 12 Thanksgiving Edition

by Aditya Fuldeore
Before week 11, Sanders had a 7.9-percent (No. 5 among qualifying RBs before Week 11) Breakaway Run Rate and a 61.1-percent (No. 15) Snap Share. The Eagles have run the ball more in the second half of the season, with at least 30 rush attempts each of their last five games, so Sanders is slated to see more opportunity. The Giants have allowed at least 100 yards rushing to opponents in five of their last seven games this season (with 97 rush yards given up in Week 11). Despite entering week 11 with an 80-percent (No. 8 among qualifying TEs before Week 11) Snap Share on a team averaging 38.0 (No. 9) Pass Plays per Game, Tyler Conklin averages less than 10.0 Fantasy Points Per Game, outside the top-10 TEs. Behind Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson, the Vikings' pass game becomes murky. While Conklin gets his share of targets, he does not produce enough to be a weekly start in leagues with 10 or less teams. The 49ers have allowed more than 40 receiving yards to opposing TEs just once since Week 1. Conklin is in for a rough matchup.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 11

by Aditya Fuldeore
The New York Jets have allowed at least 6 receptions to opposing RBs in five of their last six games, allowing at least 4 receptions to opposing RBs each game this season.Gaskin has had four straight games with at least 15 touches, including at least 3 receptions in four of his last six games. Facing a New York team that struggles against pass-catching backs, Gaskin is set up nicely to perform better than his usual output. D.J. Moore has not finished as a top 20 WR since Week 4, with just one top 35 finish in that time. Washington just shut down Tom Brady and Tampa Bay, giving up just 220 passing yards and snagging 2 interceptions. The Football Team has not allowed a 100-yard WR since Week 1, so don't expect Moore's production to jump back up this week.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 10

by Aditya Fuldeore
He's still splitting time with Melvin Gordon, but Javonte Williams has a good matchup to produce for fantasy purposes this week. The Eagles have allowed 100-plus rushing yards to opposing backfields in seven games this season. Philadelphia has also been a bad matchup for opposing WR corps this season, so expect the Broncos to pound the rock. The Eagles are a good matchup for Williams to produce above his normal output this week. Seemingly playing through injury this season, Antonio Gibson's value has not nearly been as high as fantasy community consensus had him at the beginning of the season. He is averaging 3.9 (No. 41 among qualifying RBs entering Week 9) True Yards Per Carry this season, despite 47 (No. 5) Evaded Tackles. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay is one of the more difficult matchups for opposing RBs. Gibson will be in for a rough day with smaller rush opportunity this week.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 9

by Aditya Fuldeore
Raven safeties and linebackers have struggled in coverage and the defense overall has not been great at tackling. Tyler Conklin is the fourth-highest targeted receiver in a Vikings offense that entered Week 8 with the fifth-most team pass plays in the league. Conklin is a good gamble to take against a struggling defense on a pass-favorable team. Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, and Tim Patrick combined for nine receptions last week. Heading into Week 8, Sutton led the league with 928 (No. 1) Air Yards, but subsequently had 480 (No. 1) Unrealized Air Yards. Both Patrick's and Sutton's Target Accuracies and yards per target ranked outside the top 25 receivers entering Week 8. Meanwhile, Jeudy has just returned from injury. The Broncos receivers are victims of mediocre QB play and will struggle to put up fantasy numbers against a solid Dallas secondary.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 8

by Aditya Fuldeore
Damien Harris has been an aggressive, excellent runner for the Patriots. He had a 7.4-percent (No. 9 among qualified running backs) Breakaway Run Rate entering Week 7, and ripped off 106 rush yards on 14 carries in Week 7. Meanwhile, the Chargers have allowed over 100 yards rushing to opponents every week except Week 4 this season. The Patriots use several different backs, but Harris is the primary downhill runner, seeing at least 14 carries the last three weeks and scoring in all three games. You may be thinking of starting Ben Roethlisberger as a streamer in case you have Lamar Jackson or Derek Carr on bye. Don't. Despite good WRs and a 90.7-percent (No. 1 among QBs entering Week 7) Protection Rate, Roethlisberger has average 13.2 (No. 29 entering Week 7) Fantasy Points Per Game. He also ranked No. 1 among QBs entering Week 7 for Danger Plays and Interceptable Passes.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 7

by Aditya Fuldeore
The Eagles allowed over 120 total yards to Leonard Fournette last week and have allowed four straight games with 80-plus rushing yards given up to a lead RB. Philadelphia has also allowed 4 or more receptions to RBs every game this season. While Kenyan Drake is generally the primary pass-catching back, Jacobs has 11 receptions in four games this season and will continue to see targets from Derek Carr. Jacobs is set up for a great matchup against Philadelphia Week 7. Sterling Shepard is left standing, but will likely face one of Donte Jackson, A.J. Bouye, or C.J. Henderson (if healthy). The Panthers allowed less than 200 passing yards to opponents four of the last five weeks. A Week 6 Vikings matchup broke that streak (Kirk Cousins threw for over 370 yards). Despite a bad performance against a great Vikings WR corps, the Panthers secondary has been sneakily solid against opposing WRs. Now they face Daniel Jones, who has 4 touchdowns to 4 interceptions this season. Shepard and the limping Giants WR corps is not in for a good matchup this week.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 6

by Aditya Fuldeore
Justin Fields averaged 9.4 (No. 5 among qualified quarterbacks) Air Yards Per Attempt prior to Week 5 and has looked a bit better each week. He hasn't been running the ball as much as expected, but that will come given his speed. The Packers will be without Jaire Alexander, and replacement corner Kevin King ranks outside the top 100 among CBs for yards per receptions allowed and Passer Rating allowed. Fields has been airing the ball downfield in his first few starts, so expect him to connect on a couple of those against a Packers secondary that is a little more breakable without Alexander. Cleveland's defense has been stingy against the run, with Austin Ekeler's 66 rush yards being the most an RB has gotten against the Browns so far this season. Cleveland's opponents often go pass-heavy, a game plan that favors Arizona's receivers and Chase Edmonds more than James Conner. With 5 TDs this season, Conner has been the goal-line back for the Cardinals. However, he only has 4 total receptions and averaged 3.2 (No. 58) True Yards Per Carry prior to Week 5, before gaining just 2.9 yards per tote. Conner won't see a good matchup for his skillset this week in Cleveland.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 5

by Aditya Fuldeore
Buffalo's Stefon Diggs will certainly get his fair share, but Emmanuel Sanders behind him is in line to eat on this generally pass-heavy Bills team. Sanders had 6 (No. 5 among qualified wide receivers) Deep Targets and 335 (No. 8) Air Yards entering Week 4. Josh Allen likes to air it out, so expect Sanders to see plenty of run in what should be another high scoring affair Sunday night. Pat Freiermuth and Eric Ebron only have a combined 19 targets out of Big Ben's 170 pass attempts through four weeks. The Broncos, outside of five receptions to Mark Andrews last week, have not allowed more than three receptions to a tight end group so far this season. Freiermuth will have a hard time breaking out in Week 5 facing a good secondary with a small Target Share.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 4

by Aditya Fuldeore
Devonta Smith is the clear No. 1 WR for Jalen Hurts and the Eagles. The “Slim Reaper” had a 51.2-percent (No. 6 among qualified wide receivers) Air Yards Share and a 26.8-percent (No. 16) Target Share through the first 2 games of the season and saw 6 of 38 team targets Monday night. While his week 2 and 3 lines did not look great, chase the targets. Against a bad defense in Week 4, Smith has a good chance to put up numbers similar to his Week 1 output. Rondale Moore was a popular waiver add the last couple weeks. However, the speedy and agile receiver only saw two targets for two receptions and a yard last week. Moore has taken the majority of his snaps out of the slot. However, Christian Kirk is a major slot receiver for the team as well, and Moore hasn't overtaken him yet, with just a 42.1-percent (No. 95) Snap Share prior to Week 3's dud. Apart from top-15 WR Chris Godwin, the Rams have not allowed many yards to slot receivers.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 3

by Aditya Fuldeore
Patience. It can be very hard to stay patient on a high pick like Saquon Barkley, but he draws a favorable matchup against the Falcons after many sat him last week against Washington. He showed signs of a return to form on a 41-yard run against Washington last week. Yet, he has shown little else with a bad offensive line and suspect play calling. If there was as good a time as any, Barkley has a chance to breakout Week 3 against Atlanta. Marquez Callaway WR1 season has gotten off to a rocky start. He has 3 receptions on 6 targets in two weeks. J.C. Jackson brings another tough matchup this week. Jameis Winston is also coming off a rough outing with 2 interceptions in Week 2. The Patriots have 5 interceptions and held apposing QBs to 210 yards or less in Weeks 1 and 2. Both Callaway and Winston have a tough opponent in Week 3.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 2

by Aditya Fuldeore
Behind Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen, TE Jared Cook is in line for a big game. Cook ranks 97th-percentile among qualified tight ends or higher in Speed Score, Burst Score, and Catch Radius, with a 99th-percentile arm length. He has a streak of four straight seasons with 500-plus receiving yards and caught 5 passes for 56 yards week 1. The Cowboys allowed 379 passing yards to the Buccaneers and the secondary did not look great. Cook is in for a great game this week as the Chargers' third option in the passing game. The Atlanta Falcons are going up against the defending Super Bowl champs in Week 2. While you may expect offense in this game, avoid Mike Davis. He measures at 5-9, with a 96.1 (48th-percentile) Speed Score. He has also averaged more than 4.0 yards per carry in just one season in his career. The Tampa Bay defensive line is imposing, led by 6-4, 347-pound Vita Vea. They held Ezekiel Elliott to just 3.0 yards per carry in Week 1.
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Matchup Monitor: Week 1

by Aditya Fuldeore
The Panthers boast D.J. Moore, Robby Anderson, and Terrace Marshall at WR. Moore and Anderson finished top 30 among qualified wide receivers in Fantasy Points Per Game last season and possess Speed and Burst Scores in the 75th-percentile or higher. Marshall has an alpha build and will face the Jets’ third corner. All in all, the Panthers receivers are set to feast in Week 1, and they may even be able to help Sam Darnold to fantasy relevance as well. The Los Angeles Rams boast a top-tier defense headed by Aaron Donald. The Bears, meanwhile, are still (as of this writing) rolling out Andy Dalton week 1 behind a shaky offensive line that lost rookie tackle Teven Jenkins. While David Montgomery surged at the back half of last season, he won’t be set up for success with Dalton and an iffy o-line against Donald and company.
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Saquon Barkley is a HUGE Value

by Aditya Fuldeore
Saquon Barkley ranks in the 96th-percentile or higher among qualified running backs in PlayerProfiler’s listed workout metrics, except for an unrecorded Agility Score. He has a 149.8 (99th-percentile) SPARQ-x score and a 32.2-percent (74th-percentile) College Dominator Rating, showing his all-around abilities as a young back still on his rookie deal. He even has the No. 1 Breakout Rating of all time on Breakout Finder. Barkley uses his speed to elude tacklers and create yards in the open field. He had at least 1.87 (top 10) Yards Created Per Touch in both the 2018 and 2019 seasons. In 2019, he impressively accomplished this feat with a 63.2-percent (No. 47) Run Blocking Efficiency. The New York Giants’ offensive line struggled to get Barkley holes to run through, so he created his own yards. Despite the offensive line’s shortcomings, he still finished with 18.8 (No. 7) Fantasy Points Per Game in 2019. His talents are among the best that the NFL has seen in recent years. Do not waste them by letting him fall in drafts.
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The Return of Randall Cobb - What Does It Mean?

by Aditya Fuldeore
In a trade with the Houston Texans, Randall Cobb returns to his original team, which currently has an open competition for the No. 2 wide receiver. A former Pro Bowler, Cobb had the best years of his career as a Packer catching passes from Rodgers. Should we expect him to slot right back in as a top-two receiver for the Packers? The 30-year-old is trending upwards in fantasy, and his relationship with Rodgers suggests that his return is not to be ignored. Outside of Davante Adams, no other Packer receiver exceeded 65 targets last season. For comparison, Randall Cobb hit 48 targets in just 10 games last season. He would already be the fifth-most targeted player and third-most targeted WR on the Packers. Cobb is a seasoned veteran and has commanded big-time targets from Aaron Rodgers in the past, he has a nice path to getting big-time targets again now.
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Rookie Usage and Production: The Impact of Draft Capital

by Aditya Fuldeore
Kyle Pitts will earn opportunity with his skills and Atlanta’s situation, because his draft capital won’t factor in to give him TE1 opportunity. Late-round picks, like Brevin Jordan, could outperform their draft capital based on situation. Draft capital won’t impact them negatively. However, rookie TEs in general hardly make redraft or Best Ball impacts in their rookie seasons. Don’t bother studying 2021 rookie TEs outside of Pitts for redraft and Best Ball formats. Early round picks see more usage and production for rookie RBs and QBs, with a decline for mid and late round picks. There is a similar pattern for WRs, but with a lesser usage and production decline in later rounds. Trey Sermon will have a greater decline from Najee Harris than Dyami Brown from Kadarius Toney. For TEs, draft capital does not matter, it is rare that multiple rookie TEs will even break a top-15 TE mark.
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Finding Fantasy Value with Wide Receivers on New Teams

by Aditya Fuldeore
Despite a shallow target depth, Curtis Samuel averaged 2.18 (No. 12 among qualified wide receivers) Fantasy Points Per Target with a +32.0-percent (No. 3) Target Premium. He specialized in taking low-depth targets and turning upfield, and he was highly efficient for fantasy last season. His high Target Premium, QB upgrade, rushing ability, and chance for increased opportunity give him value at his current ADP. Marvin Jones has hit the wrong side of 30, but is still productive and established, evidenced by last year's +15.4-percent (No. 21) Target Premium and 1.98 (No. 27) Fantasy Points Per Target average. Jones will become a favorite of Trevor Lawrence with his ability to make contested catches, especially on Deep Balls. His proven efficiency and high veteran floor make him a great value grab at his late ADP.
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Meet the Metric - Base, Stacked, and Light Fronts

by Aditya Fuldeore
Antonio Gibson had a 60.0-percent (No. 6 among qualified running backs) Light Front Carry Rate and no other major back to challenge him for carries. There’s a reason he has gained traction in RB rankings in the fantasy community. Gibson averaged 5.5 Light Front Yards Per Carry with 17 carries inside the 10-yard line and a 4.7-percent (No. 23) Breakaway Run Rate. Efficient against a high rate of Light Fronts, expect him to continue seeing them for as long as he remains a receiving threat. It’s no secret that J.K. Dobbins was one of the league's most efficient backs in 2020. The Ravens offense seeing lots of Base Fronts helped; Dobbins didn't see extra defenders in the box due to how they line up. His rookie status and not becoming a lead back until the second half of the season also helped him to see more of this “common” look against him. The Baltimore offense seeing a large rate of Base Fronts, plus Dobbins’ efficiency against them, bodes well for him in 2021.
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RB Minefield: Navigating the San Francisco Backfield

by Aditya Fuldeore
Seeing Jerick McKinnon’s prevalence for the 49ers offense amidst injuries is important because it shows that there is a place of relevance for a pass-catching running back in San Francisco. While Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson were efficient with their targets, they did not receive enough to be top fantasy RBs. A physical runner and learned pass-catcher with Kyle Shanahan and Trey Lance’s trust is the key to unlocking an RB1 from the San Fran backfield. RBs can quickly fall out of Kyle Shanahan’s favor. However, they can also quickly fall in favor, because he tends to utilize a “hot hand” approach more than a “bell cow” approach. Raheem Mostert and Wayne Gallman have the experience to heat up, while Trey Sermon has the size and Elijah Mitchell has the athleticism. However, will they be used enough in the passing game to warrant fantasy RB1 status?
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RotoUnderworld Junior Writer Draft Recap No. 3 - 2021 Dynasty 2 Flex Startup Mock

by Aditya Fuldeore
Jonathan Taylor is poised to be a top fantasy RB in his second year for the Colts after taking off in the second half of his rookie season. He became the team’s offensive focal point with 15-plus fantasy points in each game from Weeks 11-17. He fits the Colts’ gashing offensive identity, is only 22 years old, and ranks favorably in almost every workout metric, college production statistic, or intangible data point.   With Jared Goff last season, Cooper Kupp saw 125 (No. 16 among qualified wide receivers) targets and played 443 (No. 11) slot snaps. This season, he goes from Goff’s 7.3 (No. 22) Accuracy Rating and 58.5 (No. 23) Total QBR to Matthew Stafford’s 7.5 (No. 11) Accuracy Rating and 68.8 (No. 15) Total QBR. With an upgrade at QB, Kupp will see higher quality targets and will make noise as a larger slot receiver.
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In the Red Corner: Amon-Ra St. Brown, In the Blue Corner: Dyami Brown

by Aditya Fuldeore
A top Pac-12 WR at USC, Amon-Ra St. Brown has the tools to become a starting receiver and brings his physicality to an appreciative Dan Campbell in Detroit. Among a WR corps with Breshad Perriman and Tyrell Williams at the helm and lacking an alpha, he can easily see a large Target Share immediately. He fits in as a contested catch receiver, especially with Jared Goff, who had 34 (No. 9 among qualified quarterbacks) Danger Plays and 22 (No. 12) Interceptable with the Rams last season. At North Carolina, Dyami Brown played with Dazz Newsome and Michael Carter, two players who had shallower target depth averages with Brown operating as the deeper receiver. Now with Terry McLaurin (12.9 yards per reception in 2020, No. 47) and Curtis Samuel (11.0 yards per reception, No. 82) drawing targets and attention underneath, Brown will be able to stretch the field for Washington as well.
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Studs and Duds 2020 - Volume 8 - Brandon Aiyuk and Devin Singletary

by Aditya Fuldeore
Look for offensive fit and/or a unique opportunity when evaluating a rookie’s fantasy outlook. Brandon Aiyuk's game is similar to Deebo Samuel’s, and seeing that he would fit right into the 49ers offense helped raise him as “my guy.” Ultimately, Aiyuk caught short passes, shed tackles, drew Deep Targets, and received rushing carries in a multi-faceted role, like Samuel’s in 2019. Devin Singletarys's rookie year efficiency and production led me to believe he would be the lead back with rookie Zack Moss behind him. Honestly, I got carried away staking my claim into the next “great” fantasy PPR running back, trying to find another Alvin Kamara, and his ADP for 2020 was low enough for me to believe he would be a high-reward RB2.
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Kirk Cousins: The Best Fantasy Quarterback Value in 2021

by Aditya Fuldeore
When it comes to the top quarterback picks in fantasy football, Kirk Cousins is hardly ever in the conversation. Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen have more fanfare, but who can bring the most bang for your buck? When combining the advanced stats and metrics with his production, supporting cast, consistency and current Underdog Fantasy ADP outside the top 120, Cousins is poised to be fantasy football's best value quarterback this season. Even though he's not a running quarterback, he still received rushing opportunities last season and will continue to do so. His 0.6 (No. 23 among qualified quarterbacks) red zone carries per game ranked above rushing QBs like Daniel Jones and Russell Wilson. With opponents looking for Dalvin Cook out of the backfield, Cousins will find himself keeping the ball in the red zone at a similar rate this upcoming season if he isn’t passing it in first.
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