RADIO
Steve Smith Sr. ruptured his right Achilles on Sunday, likely ending both his season and career. Smith Sr. had already announced he would be retiring at the end of this season, but he wasn’t phoning it in this year, earning a surprise spot as a high-end WR2 in fantasy leagues at the age of 36. Fantasy owners will now seek to replace his production.
Kamar Aiken of the Ravens should immediately benefit from the loss of his teammate. Before Smith Sr. was injured, Aiken had only been targeted one time with a pass he caught on Sunday’s game vs. San Diego. Afterwards, he was targeted five times in the final 17 minutes of the game, finishing with six catches for 62 yards. The Ravens will be looking for a new number one receiver and Aiken will have the first shot at that role. He is available in over 80 percent of fantasy leagues.
After Aiken, the Ravens depth chart gets pretty thin. A player on the team who will most likely see more tosses his way is tight end Crockett Gillmore. Gillmore scored a touchdown in Sunday’s victory. While Gillmore only has 20 catches on the season, ten of those have come in the last three games. Gillmore – who was becoming something of a safety valve already – will now see more balls come his way because quarterback Joe Flacco will be looking for hands he can trust after losing the sure hands of Smith, Sr.
Outside of the Ravens, fantasy owners can look at pass-happy teams for players they may want to take a flier on. The first place to look after Sunday would be the Saints and Giants. The Saints beat the Giants 52-49 and it appears they will both continue to be pass-heavy going forward. Marques Colston of the Saints has been battling a shoulder injury, but appeared healthy while making eight catches for 119 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. Additionally, the Giants’ may have a new target worth keeping an eye on in Dwayne Harris, who caught two touchdowns in the loss. Both of these players are widely available.
