Every week during the NFL season, Sports Illustrated Senior Fantasy Analyst Michael Fabiano joins Sports360AZ’s Brad Cesmat to share his insight on building and developing your fantasy team for success.
In our most recent conversation with Michael (Oct. 19), we went over the bye week plague that has descended on the fantasy football community and how managers should best approach their lineup decisions this week. Here are the Hall-of-Famer’s tips:
Several Good Quarterbacks Are On Bye This Week. Who Are You Looking At As A Potential Fill-In?
Matt Ryan the last three weeks:
868 yards, 8 TD, 0 INT
— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) October 10, 2021
“Matt Ryan has a good matchup against Miami and Tua Tagovailoa has a good matchup against Atlanta in that same game. It really depends what’s on your bench or what’s on the waiver wire but I bet Tua would probably be available and Matt Ryan might be as well because Atlanta is coming off of a bye so maybe some people dropped him. It’s bad this week, though. You’ve got six teams off and a glut of injuries to really big-name players. You’re going to be starting some strange names in your fantasy lineups this week.”
How About Skill Positions?
Congrats to Rhamondre Stevenson on his first NFL touchdown.#OUDNA x @dreeday32 pic.twitter.com/PYFJo0mtWP
— 𝕺𝖐𝖑𝖆𝖍𝖔𝖒𝖆 𝖛𝖘. 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖂𝖔𝖗𝖑𝖉 (@soonergridiron) October 17, 2021
“You’re going to be playing risky players this week, there’s no way around it. You’re going to be playing (Patriots RB) Rhamondre Stevenson, you’re going to be playing A.J. Dillon. People have been playing Jamaal Williams as a flex. I don’t like the matchup this week and he hasn’t been performing, but can you bench him? It all depends on what kind of depth you have, especially at running back. People are going to be starting D’Ernest Johnson this week, people are going to be starting Stevenson and A.J. Dillon. People are going to be starting James Conner. There are going to be backup running backs thrust into a prominent fantasy role because people don’t have any better options.”
Which Browns RB Should Managers Target With Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt Out?
What a journey for Browns RB D’Ernest Johnson @DernestJohnson2 👏
• USF's all-purpose yards leader
• Undrafted in 2018
• Signed in Alliance of American Football
• Had 2nd-most scrimmage yards in AAF
• Signed with Browns after AAF success
• Gets first NFL start on Thursday pic.twitter.com/piFKr6ah2S— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) October 19, 2021
“Based on my information, D’Ernest Johnson is the back to get in Cleveland. Demetric Felton has been playing wide receiver with Jarvis Landry out, so both players would be available on the waiver wire. If you don’t get Johnson you can put in a claim for Felton.
What Are The Defenses To Stream This Week?
PICK-6! 🙌@MalcolmJenkins TAKES IT TO THE HOUSE 💪#Saints | 📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/dS4PIWDnlp
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 26, 2021
“I like the Saints defense because they’re playing against Geno Smith. The Patriots might have been dropped last week because they were playing the Cowboys. You’ve got to look at the matchups. The Cardinals are probably owned in most leagues but they’re a good option as well. You’re looking at teams that are playing against poor offenses.”
