RADIO
Halfway through the 2020 NFL season, things are getting repetitive. Once again, Michael Thomas doesn't play, along with nearly a dozen elite running backs. This siphoning of the RB position leaves the following people atop scoring leaderboards for the week: Giovani Bernard, DeeJay Dallas, Nyheim Hines, Jordan Wilkins, Zack Moss, Jamaal Williams, Justin Jackson, Damien Harris, Gus Edwards, Troymaine Pope. Those names were not cherry-picked. Those are all top 15 running backs (in PPR) for Week 8.
Of the 10 rushers, Moss was the only one drafted in any leagues prior to the season, and all are simply timeshare beneficiaries or injury replacements. Heck, in two week's time, Moss might be the only one worth even having on a roster. There is nothing reliable or trustworthy about any of their performances. It is all fluid.
That's what makes rostering healthy studs so valuable in fantasy. The other five backs in the top 15 this week? Heavy-hitters to say the least, with the lone exception of Phillip Linsday. Of course, even the best of players put up dud performances, which is how the likes of Edwards, Pope, etc. become top-15 plays. Not all duds are created equal though. Some disastrous performances are signs of more to come. Here are Week 8's studs turned duds.
Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys
Yet another terrible week for Elliott and the Cowboys isn't worth harping on. He hasn't topped 80 total yards in the three weeks since Dak Prescott went down. The team's offense is broken. What's more interesting is deciding where to slot in Elliott for the rest of the season. He is healthy and continues to be the number-one option for Dallas. Those two factors alone put him way up the RB ranks. As stated, there aren't a lot of guys left standing. But the Cowboys face a tough schedule this next month. They play Pittsburgh, followed by an absence for the team's bye. Games against Washington and Baltimore, two formidable defenses, then follow soon after.
On the flip side, the final three games of the fantasy year, where Elliott could be helping managers in the fantasy playoffs, are pretty nice. The question is whether you get there being forced to use Elliott as your top guy the rest of the way. Either way, he is certainly no longer a top 10 back. As guys trickle back from the injured list, Elliott could drop even further. He ranks 12th this coming week according to expert consensus, and that becomes 13th if Chris Carson suits up.
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Like Elliott, Jackson managers have seen a lot of downs with his ups this year. He threw two more picks in Week 8 and added two fumbles. Jackson is a non-factor in the passing game, which is an odd statement to make about a quarterback. He ranks 29th in completion percentage, 22nd in yards per attempt, 7th-worst in completion above expectation, and just 19th in QBR, which takes into account all the value he adds with his legs. The problem is he isn't doing enough volume of anything to overcome his lack of efficiency. He's 27th in passing yards and trails Kyler Murray in rushing yards out of the quarterback position. Things do not get better in Week 9 with Indianapolis on the docket. 2019 was special; 2020 sees him outside the top 12 at his position.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs
It seemed inevitable when Le'Veon Bell signed with KC that he would be integrated into the offense is a substantial way. Even still, it was jarring to see an even usage split between he and Edwards-Helaire this quickly. Having nothing to do with the opponent, CEH was held to nine touches, the same as Bell. Kansas City rolled to victory and yet didn't feel inclined to use the rookie back to salt away the win. With his touches dropping rather precipitously since Bell signed, it is hard to tell how the playing time will be split in a real, playoff-type game for Kansas City. And yet, that doesn't matter to fantasy managers. They need him to perform each and every week, including in blowouts.
Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings
This was only the second time all season Thielen failed to reach the end zone. He also put up his lowest yardage total of the year, but there isn't really anything to worry about. Justin Jefferson was a non-factor as well thanks to the pure domination of Dalvin Cook. Despite feeling comfortable about Thielen ROS, this second dud performance did drop him out of the top 10 wide receivers for the year. I wouldn't be against removing him from stud status and treating him more like a tier two WR.
Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys
The similarities between Cooper and Thielen are interesting. They are both borderline top 10 receivers coming off just their second dud performance of the year. Cooper had gotten there with catch volume rather than touchdowns, but his really bad Week 8 dropped him a tier. Of course, unlike Thielen, there is real reason to worry from here on out. Like teammate Elliott, it is easy to see why Cooper has fallen off, and that fall should continue the rest of the season. The Dallas offense is not getting back to its Prescott heights. The bottom line is, thanks to that injury, the Cowboys offense is no longer home to any elite, stud fantasy weapons.
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