X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

Not In Kansas Anymore... Players Struggling in New Spots 

If you’ve ever been the new kid in town, in school, or on a team, you know that it can be tough. You’re put on the spot whether you like it or not, and everybody is looking to see what you can do. Sometimes you shine and make a great first impression. That’s been the case for guys like Mark Ingram, LeSean McCoy, John Brown, and Darren Waller.

However, for some people, the pressure of being new can be too much, and they never quite fit in with their new surroundings. There are a few players who have started slowly in their new locations and have both fans and fantasy owners beginning to grumbling. Are they worth the hype? Do we even need this guy here?

Before you break out the pitchforks and run the new guys out of town, I’m here to help you break down who is deserving of more time and who you can assemble to the mob to chase away.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:

 

BUY

Invite Him Onto Your Team

Le'Veon Bell (RB, NYJ)

People who drafted Le’Veon thinking that he’d go back to being the top back in fantasy are going to be disappointed. We should have never expected him to replicate numbers that he put up with an elite Steelers unit. However, being currently ranked 10th in half-point PPR leagues, the same as Phillip Lindsay, has created a buying opportunity. With Saquon Barkley hurt, Leonard Fournette looking slow, Chris Carson fumbling everything, Aaron Jones sharing carries, a Chargers backfield timeshare looming, and Drew Brees’ injury leaving the Saints offense a massive questions mark, there are very few sure things at the running back position.

In a short time, Bell will become one of those. He currently only has two rushes inside the 20-yard line and leads the league in runs stuffed at the line of scrimmage with 16. In fact, he has gained 86.5% of his yards after contact. The Jets offensive line isn’t good, but with Sam Darnold and Chris Herndon on their way back, the offense should experience more success in the near future and put Bell in more advantageous positions once defenses stop keying on him. With the way the first few weeks have fallen out, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Bell finish the year as a top-five running back.

Odell Beckham Jr (WR, CLE)

The Browns offense has been bad. There are no two ways around that. They’ve accumulated the 9th fewest yards on offense. Their receivers have the third-fewest TD receptions, with three, and the third-fewest red zone opportunities in general. But they’ve also faced a near-elite Rams secondary and a much-improved Titans secondary in two of their three games. Even in those tough contests, Baker isn’t shying away from Odell, as he’s the ninth-most targeted WR in the NFL despite only being the 17th ranked receiver in half-point PPR. It just so happens that, according to Next Gen Stats, only 63% of his targets have been catchable so far. You’re holding onto Odell because the Browns offense will begin to click, and when it does, he’ll be right at the center because he can still do things like this.

Jamison Crowder (WR, NYJ)

Yay, more Jets. Part of this narrative is the same as with Bell: Darnold and Herndon returning will make the entire Jets offense better. That should be welcome news to Crowder, who is currently the 52nd ranked wide receiver in half-point PPR league. However, he’s also the 11th most targeted WR in the NFL and had 17 targets in his lone game with Sam Darnold under center. Yes, Herndon returning will take away some of the opportunities over the middle, but Adam Gase’s offense loves to target slot wide receivers, and Crowder is still one of the better ones in the game. If he was dropped, especially in full-PPR leagues, the time is now to scoop him up.

 

HOLD

Give Him Another Chance

Jordan Howard (RB, PHI)

Everybody is ready to hand the Philadelphia Eagles’ backfield over to Miles Sanders except, apparently, Doug Pederson. The Eagles have started the season 1-2 with losses by four and three points. It’s been little mistakes that have cost the team games, like Miles Sanders’ two fumbles. Considering Sanders had fumble issues coming out of college, coughing up the ball five times in his lone season as a starter, the early fumbles are a bit of a concern. Enough so that Jordan Howard has seen his snap count rise. He’s also seen the same number of red zone opportunities as Sanders in two of the three games.

Neither back is running exceptionally well right now, but Howard has fewer ball control issues and has a positive rush percentage of 90%, while Sanders only has positive results on 70.6% of his carries. If the Eagles want to clean up the small mistakes that are costing them games, they may keep giving the ball to Howard in crucial situations until they’re sure they can count on Sanders.

Adam Humphries (WR, TEN)

I know, nobody wants to trust Marcus Mariota, but hear me out. The Titans spent a lot of money to bring Humphries in because they knew Mariota needed a safety blanket over the middle of the field. With no ability to get the ball to his outside receivers, the thought was that Mariota would feel comfortable targeting Humphries over the middle. It didn’t happen early on, but in Week 3, Humphries saw nine targets, hauling in six catches for 93 yards.

With games coming up against the Falcons, Chargers, Bucs, Panthers, and Chiefs, it would be wise to hold onto Humphries, especially in PPR leagues, just to see if this Week 3 uptick in usage is a sign of things to come.

Antonio Brown (WR, FA)

I don’t want to talk about this any more than you do. We all know the details. We also know that Brown is still a talented football player. You should wait another week or two for the dust to settle before you chase him off your team. If he latches on with somebody else (it’s the NFL, so it’s certainly possible) you’d hate to have just given him away. If you can’t roster him because of his antics then just wait a week or two for a bit of news that suggests he’s coming back and try to trade him.

Mark Walton (RB, MIA)

Mark Walton is in his first year with the Dolphins after spending last year with the Bengals. In his career, he has 18 carries for 50 yards. I know you’re just salivating at the opportunity to have him on your roster. Walton is also a 22-year-old back who showed impressive ability in his Sophomore and Junior year at Miami before injuring his ankle and sitting out the rest of the season.

If the Dolphins are able to find a trade partner for Kenyan Drake, the only running back stopping Walton from becoming the Dolphins primary running back would be Kalen Ballage. The same Kalen Ballage who avoided a screen pass and has looked generally terrible for the Dolphins. In deeper leagues, Walton is not a bad bench stash. After all, opportunity is king in fantasy.

 

SELL

Get the Pitchforks Out

Jared Cook (TE, NO)

Jared Cook has always been more promise over substance. We waited for years for him to make good on his above-average athleticism, but we kept being disappointed. Until he exploded last year with Oakland, catching 68 passes for 896 yards and six TDs. Many people expected more of the same in New Orleans, but that was never going to happen. For one, there are too many options in New Orleans. As Darren Waller’s success has made clear in Oakland, the tight end is a feature part of Jon Gruden’s offense. Cook also dropped 8% of his passes last year. He succeeded because he saw 101 targets. Michael Thomas saw 147 targets for the Saints last year, and the next highest was Tre’Quan Smith with 44.

Cook was never going to see over 100 targets; he’s only had 12 through three games this season. That’s the same as Jason Witten, James O’Shaughnessy, and Noah Fant. What’s more, he only had two targets with Teddy Bridgewater under center in an offense that will no longer push the ball down the field. I’d much rather have Will Dissly, Chris Herndon, Trey Burton, or Vernon Davis.

Latavius Murray (RB, NO)

Latavius Murray’s value was tied to the role he was going to have in a dynamic offense. Not only is the offense no longer as dynamic without Brees, but Murray has only seen a 28% snap count on the season. That ranks behind Mike Davis, Dare Ogunbowale, and Jalen Richard. With the Saints offense now lacking teeth, he isn’t even afforded the ability to be successful on his carries. He has a 69% positive run percentage and has gained only 12 yards after contact for .9 yards after contact per rush. That means there aren’t holes being opened for him, and without Drew Brees to take attention away from the defenses, that likely isn’t going to change.

Duke Johnson (RB, HOU)

I’m shocked that the Texans gave up draft capital to acquire Duke Johnson just to play him behind Carlos Hyde. However, that’s been the case, and Hyde has looked good. Meanwhile, Johnson’s role has all but dried up. He only has 17 carries through three games, but, perhaps more importantly, has also only been targeted nine times in Houston’s crowded receiving core. With only two red-zone targets and one red zone rush, he’s also not getting high-value opportunities, which means he doesn’t bring much upside to the table. Add that to the fact that the Texans worked out CJ Anderson on Tuesday, which suggests they aren’t happy with their running back room.

I wouldn’t necessarily cut Duke yet in 12-team leagues or larger since the Texans offense is so good, but I’m looking to sell his upside on that offense to take a shot on an upside play like Rashad Penny, Ronald Jones, Rex Burkhead, or even Kenyan Drake if he’s going to be dealt.

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jamaal Williams32 mins ago

Won't Play In Week 9
Christian Kirk40 mins ago

Lands On The Injured Reserve List
DJ Chark1 hour ago

Activated From Injured Reserve
Bucky Irving1 hour ago

Officially Questionable Against The Chiefs
Ezekiel Elliott2 hours ago

Inactive For Week 9
Kevin Huerter2 hours ago

Out Versus Toronto
Stephen Curry3 hours ago

Spotted At Shootaround
Lauri Markkanen3 hours ago

Out Again On Saturday
Puka Nacua3 hours ago

Expected To Play
JuJu Smith-Schuster3 hours ago

Juju Smith-Schuster Ruled Out For Week 9
Bryce Young3 hours ago

Panthers Not Considering Moving Bryce Young
Cooper Kupp4 hours ago

Rams Not Expected To Move Cooper Kupp
Davante Adams4 hours ago

Jets Not Expected To Move Garrett Wilson, Davante Adams
Drake Maye4 hours ago

Clears Concussion Protocol, Will Play In Week 9
Robbie Ray4 hours ago

Doesn't Opt Out Of Contract, Stays With Giants
Tee Higgins4 hours ago

Bengals Not Looking To Trade Tee Higgins
4 hours ago

Yankees Could Make Play For Pete Alonso This Offseason
Jaylen Brown4 hours ago

Won't Play On Saturday Night
Sean Manaea5 hours ago

Opts Out Of Contract, Becomes Free Agent
Cody Bellinger5 hours ago

Picks Up $27.5 Million Player Option With Cubs
Gerrit Cole5 hours ago

Opts Out Of Contract With Yankees
Rhys Hoskins7 hours ago

Staying In Milwaukee
8 hours ago

Seattle Declines Club Option On Jorge Polanco
Luke Weaver8 hours ago

Returning To New York
Josh Downs8 hours ago

Cleared To Play In Week 9
Eugenio Suárez8 hours ago

Arizona Picks Up Club Option On Eugenio Suarez
Michael Pittman Jr.8 hours ago

Will Play In Week 9
DK Metcalf8 hours ago

Has Strong Chance To Return In Week 11
Nikolaj Ehlers10 hours ago

Totals Four Points Versus Blue Jackets
Igor Shesterkin10 hours ago

Stops 40 Shots Versus Senators
Aleksander Barkov10 hours ago

Amasses Four Points In Finland
Dan Vladar10 hours ago

Shuts Out Devils Friday Night
Adam Pelech10 hours ago

Makes Early Exit Versus Sabres
Mike Reilly10 hours ago

Exits Friday's Action With Injury
NHL10 hours ago

Nathan Bastian Suffers Jaw Injury On Friday
Jordan Clarkson18 hours ago

Out At Least A Week
Kyle Kuzma18 hours ago

Out Again On Saturday
Jamal Murray18 hours ago

Won't Return On Friday Night
Giannis Antetokounmpo18 hours ago

Anticipated To Play Versus Cleveland
Puka Nacua20 hours ago

Has A Shot To Play In Week 9
Jordan Love20 hours ago

Tracking To Play In Week 9
Stephen Curry23 hours ago

Unavailable Saturday
Yves Missi23 hours ago

Expected To Take The Court Friday
Karl-Anthony Towns23 hours ago

Available On Friday
Eric Comrie23 hours ago

Faces Blue Jackets Friday
Daniel Theis23 hours ago

Likely To Suit Up Friday
David Savard23 hours ago

Sits Out Practice For Maintenance Purposes
De'Anthony Melton23 hours ago

Unavailable Saturday
Jordan Hawkins23 hours ago

Expected To Play Friday
Alexander Romanov23 hours ago

Ready To Play Friday
Al Horford23 hours ago

Resting Against Charlotte
Evgeni Malkin23 hours ago

Takes Maintenance Day On Friday
Andrew Wiggins23 hours ago

Probable For Saturday's Matchup With Houston
Rose Namajunas23 hours ago

An Underdog At UFC Edmonton
D'Angelo Russell23 hours ago

Will Suit Up Versus Toronto
Devon Levi23 hours ago

Returns To Sabres Crease
Clayton Kershaw23 hours ago

To Undergo Two Surgeries
Anthony Davis23 hours ago

Available Against Toronto
Erin Blanchfield23 hours ago

Returns At UFC Edmonton
Brandon Lowe23 hours ago

Rays Pick Up Club Option On Brandon Lowe
Ryan Hartman23 hours ago

Rejoins Wild Lineup Friday
Zach LaVine23 hours ago

Will Play Against Brooklyn
23 hours ago

Nick Martinez Headed To Free Agency
Erik Cernak23 hours ago

Available On Friday
Marc-Andre Barriault23 hours ago

Dustin Stoltzfus Set To Face Marc-Andre Barriault At UFC Edmonton
Brent Suter24 hours ago

Inks Extension With Cincinnati
Immanuel Quickley24 hours ago

Out Again On Friday Night
CJ McCollum24 hours ago

Out At Least Two Weeks
24 hours ago

Yankees, Mets Among Teams In Battle For Juan Soto
Marc-Andre Barriault24 hours ago

A Favorite At UFC Edmonton
Blake Snell24 hours ago

Opts Out Of Deal With San Francisco
Josh Jacobs1 day ago

Questionable For Sunday
Drake Maye1 day ago

Questionable For Week 9
Tyler Boyd1 day ago

Tony Pollard, Tyler Boyd Listed As Questionable
Tyjae Spears1 day ago

Ruled Out For Week 9
Trevin Giles1 day ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mike Malott1 day ago

Opens Up UFC Edmonton Main Card
Zach Benson1 day ago

Could Play Next Week
Jani Hakanpaa1 day ago

And Connor Dewar Sent On Conditioning Stint
Dmitri Voronkov1 day ago

Ready For Season Debut Friday
Mathew Barzal1 day ago

Getting Tests Done For Upper-Body Injury
Vladimir Tarasenko1 day ago

Ready To Go For Saturday
Mark Stone1 day ago

Misses Practice Due To Birth Of Child
Tomás Nosek1 day ago

Tomas Nosek Ready For Panthers Debut On Friday
1 day ago

Royals Decline Option On Adam Frazier
1 day ago

Manuel Margot, Kyle Farmer Headed To Free Agency
1 day ago

Milwaukee Declines Option On Wade Miley
Lucas Giolito1 day ago

Staying In Boston
Chris Stratton1 day ago

Hunter Renfroe, Chris Stratton Returning To Kansas City
Jordan Montgomery1 day ago

Staying In Arizona
Brendson Ribeiro2 days ago

Searching For 1st UFC Win At UFC Edmonton
Caio Machado2 days ago

Drops Down To Light Heavyweight At UFC Edmonton
Jhonata Diniz2 days ago

Gets Big Step-Up At UFC Edmonton
Derrick Lewis2 days ago

Faces An Unranked Heavyweight At UFC Edmonton
Amir Albazi2 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Edmonton
Brandon Moreno2 days ago

Ends Layoff At UFC Edmonton
Chase Elliott5 days ago

Comes Up Short at Homestead
William Byron5 days ago

Rallies to Sixth at Homestead
Kyle Larson5 days ago

Tire Issue at Homestead Could Doom Kyle Larson's Championship Hopes
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

Charges To A Thrilling Victory At Homestead
Ryan Blaney5 days ago

Loses At Homestead On The Final Corner To Tyler Reddick
Christopher Bell5 days ago

Quietly Nabs A Top-5 Finish At Homestead
Khamzat Chimaev5 days ago

Remains Undefeated
Robert Whittaker5 days ago

Gets Submitted At UFC 308
Aleksandar Rakic5 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC 308
Armen Petrosyan5 days ago

Knocked Out At UFC 308
Shara Magomedov5 days ago

Gets Highlight-Reel Knockout Win At UFC 308
Joey Logano6 days ago

Intentionally Sleepwalked Through Homestead to Focus on Phoenix
Denny Hamlin6 days ago

Advances to Championship 4 as Owner but Not as Driver
Dan Ige6 days ago

Loses Second-Straight Fight At UFC 308
Lerone Murphy6 days ago

Remains Undefeated At UFC 308
Magomed Ankalaev6 days ago

Wins Lackluster Decision Win At UFC 308
Max Holloway6 days ago

Gets Knocked Out For First Time At UFC 308

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Keon Coleman - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Key Starters and Tough Calls - Week 9 Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football Include Ladd McConkey, Keon Coleman, Joe Flacco

Scott Engel’s Lineup Spotlights are an essential weekly feature on RotoBaller.com for the 2024 fantasy football season. Every week, he focuses on players to choose as starting options when you are dealing with tight lineup decisions. The lineup picks included in this rundown are based on Scott’s Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available as part of the RotoBaller […]


Ladd McConkey - Fantasy Football Rankings, Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Wide Receiver Matchups to Target in Week 9 - Terry McLaurin, Chris Olave, Ladd McConkey, Jakobi Meyers

Welcome to WR Matchups to Target for Week 9. Last week’s picks yielded one “in the money” pick (3x multiplier on DraftKings salary) in Keon Coleman, giving us 11 such picks over the first eight weeks of the season. Each week, we will use matchup data from PFF to determine which wide receivers to target […]


Brian Thomas Jr - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Who Should I Start? Sunday Fantasy Football Lineup Decisions for Week 9 (2024) - Diontae Johnson, Keon Coleman, Jalen Tolbert, Brian Thomas, Jakobi Myers, Brian Robinson, Keenan Allen, Tee Higgins, Bo Nix

It's almost time for Sunday football. Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Sunday football and Week 9 of the 2024 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell […]


Bryce Young - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

High-Upside Bench Stashes: Weekend Waiver Wire Adds for Week 9 Includes Jalen Coker, Troy Franklin, Jaylen Wright, Erick All Jr., Kimani Vidal, Blake Corum

Mastering the waiver wire is a crucial skill that can lead you to a fantasy football championship. It's not just about strategically placing your FAAB budget on specific players but also about knowing when to stash players. This dual strategy keeps you engaged and focused on your ultimate goal of winning a fantasy championship. As […]


Video: Week 9 Booms, Sleepers, and Streamers - 2024 Fantasy Football Start 'Em Analysis

Let's go, RotoBallers! We are back and dropping fire content for the weekend ahead with our top Week 9 booms, sleepers, and streamers! NFL Network and RotoBaller contributor LaQuan Jones gives in-depth fantasy football advice, breaking down some of his high-upside, sleeper, and value plays as we head into Week 9 of the new fantasy […]


Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Buy Low, Sell High Week 9 Fantasy Football Trade Value Recommendations - Josh Downs, Chris Olave, Cedric Tillman, more

Welcome to Week 9 of the NFL season! We’re deep into the grind where every decision counts more than ever. With injuries piling up and bye weeks affecting lineups, knowing when to buy low or sell high can be the key to revitalizing your team. Whether riding high after a win or looking to bounce […]


Jameis Winston - NFL DFS Picks, Waiver Wire, Fantasy Football Rankings

Week 9 Superflex 2QB Rankings for Fantasy Football: Updates for Jameis Winston, Joe Flacco, Matthew Stafford, Daniel Jones, Trevor Lawrence, Drake Maye

With quarterbacks beginning to get benched or banged up, some backup quarterbacks are entering lineups and have become viable in Superflex and two-QB leagues. Our Week 9 fantasy football Superflex rankings (2QB) for 2024 are here to help you close start-or-sit calls between comparable options. Below, you can see where RotoBaller has key Superflex options […]


Bucky Irving - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings (2024) - Week 9 Updates Include Rhamondre Stevenson, Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Bucky Irving

Incredibly, Week 9 has already kicked off, and Thursday's game is already in the books. It's time to start reviewing your dynasty leagues to decide whether to make a run for the championship or sell off for next year. There were some big trades in the NFL recently, with DeAndre Hopkins heading to Kansas City […]


Chris Olave - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 9 PPR Rankings for Fantasy Football: Overall Updates Include Marvin Harrison, Chris Olave, Amari Cooper, Jayden Reed, Rachaad White, Nick Chubb

The Week 9 slate brings a must-win situation to many fantasy managers, so it's time to lock in and set optimal fantasy football lineups. Below, you'll see our NFL team's updated Week 9 fantasy football PPR rankings for 2024. Let's see where key players like Cooper Kupp, T.J. Hockenson, Jaylen Waddle, Tank Bigsby, Jalen McMillan, […]


Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 9 FLEX Rankings for Fantasy Football (RB, WR, TE) - Updates Include Jalen McMillan, Xavier Worthy, Calvin Ridley, Josh Downs, Kareem Hunt, DJ Moore

The fantasy football playoffs will be here before we know it, so if you need a few wins to secure your spot and are looking for lineup advice, you have come to the right place. We're here to help with our NFL team's updated Week 9 fantasy football FLEX rankings for 2024. Comparing two flex […]


Chase Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

Week 9 Running Back Rankings for Fantasy Football: RB Updates Include Tank Bigsby, Chuba Hubbard, Tyrone Tracy, Chase Brown, Rico Dowdle, JK Dobbins

The running back position has seemingly been the most consistent in fantasy football this season, but things can change in a hurry, so it's important to set optimal lineups each week. Let's get to crucial start-or-sit decisions with help from our updated Week 9 fantasy football running back rankings for 2024. Where do key RBs […]


Cedric Tillman - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Week 9 Wide Receiver Rankings for Fantasy Football: WR Updates Include Cedric Tillman, Darnell Mooney, Khalil Shakir, Romeo Doubs, Jaylen Waddle, more

Ahead of the Week 9 NFL slate, the wide receiver position is the deepest in fantasy football, but that can lead to troubling start-or-sit decisions, especially when comparing two flex-level WR options. We're here to assist with our NFL team's updated Week 9 fantasy football wide receiver rankings for 2024. Let's dive into the rankings […]


Cole Kmet - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

Week 9 Tight End Rankings for Fantasy Football: TE Updates Include Cade Otton, Cole Kmet, Kyle Pitts, Evan Engram, David Njoku, Tucker Kraft, Sam LaPorta

Tight ends showed out last week on National Tight End Day, so hopefully, the momentum continues for the tough position to analyze and navigate. Below, you'll see our NFL team's updated Week 9 fantasy football tight end rankings for 2024 to help you make tough start-or-sit decisions. Let's dig into the rankings to find out […]