We're nearing the fantasy football post-season. Which guys will be on the most winning rosters? We've got them, below ;)
Cam Newton - Cam has had only 2 games this season with less than 200 passing yards, and only one game with less than two passing TDs. He's been averaging nearly 40 yards per game in rushing attempts and has had improved efficiency in the second half of the season, completing over 70% of his passing attempts in three out of the Panthers' four last games. Cam gets Tampa, Cleveland, New Orleans, and Atlanta during the fantasy playoffs, and if he can’t get it done through the air against these opponents, he certainly has the opportunity with his legs. Cam is a QB1 with a great schedule, and it’s my bet that he will be on a decent amount of those teams lucky enough to bring home a fantasy title.
Mitch Trubisky - Trubisky has been quietly dominating in fantasy circles as coach Matt Nagy let him unleash a bit in his sophomore season. Trubisky’s worst home performance this season was against the Seahawks in week 2 where he posted 200 passing yards, 24 rushing yards, 2 passing TDs and an INT. Since then, he’s averaged 315 passing yards, 50.75 rushing yards, and 3.25 passing TDs per game. He’s on fire. His two home games during the fantasy playoffs are against the Rams and Packers - both delightful offensive powerhouses that should force Trubisky to do his best work. You probably got Trubisky on waivers early this season, and he was an absolute steal for the production he’s posted.
Ben Roethlisberger - Ben has been listed in “Sits of the Week” articles almost every week, as if the fantasy community hasn’t quite got on board with the fact that Ben has actually been playing some of the best football of his career. He’s currently on pace for 5,234 yards and 37.3 touchdowns. Both metrics put Roethlisberger on pace for a career year. He’s only had 3 games with less than 20 fantasy points this season, and two of those were during the Steelers woeful offense weeks 1-4. Ben is very near must-start territory, every week.
David Johnson - You probably took David Johnson in the early first round, and if you’ve held on, your patience is starting to pay off. He's shown signs of life since McCoy left town, increasing his efficiency from 3.2 yards per carry weeks 1-7 up to 4.3 yards per carry since. It’s hard not to be enticed by his match ups against the Lions and the Falcons during fantasy playoffs; both teams are in the top 10 when it comes to fantasy points given up to the RB.
James Conner - James Conner was the steal of the draft (or the waiver wire). The Le’Veon Bell saga officially ended this past Tuesday; he’s got the backfield to himself, and he looks ready to handle the responsibility. The offense has looked best with him at their forefront, and he’s a true workhorse RB who does not split carries on a regular basis. He is an RB1 every week, and the fantasy playoffs are no exception.
Aaron Jones - #FREEAARONJONES Twitter, rejoice. He’s free. Mike McCarthy did his absolute very best to contain the beast, but he couldn’t stop it. Thursday night’s game against the Seahawks showed a willingness to use him as an every down back, and his usage in the passing game gave those in PPR formats something extra to cheer for. His toughest match up during your fantasy playoffs will be against the Bears, but Aaron Jones is a great bet as long as he can stay healthy with his physical running style.
Brandin Cooks - Cooks is a part of one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL, and he’s looking to post his fourth consecutive 1,000 yard season. The loss of Cooper Kupp will require the rest of the remaining wide receivers to step up in his absence. But luckily for the Rams, the talent of their wide receiver corps will still require defenses to spread coverage throughout the secondary and shouldn’t exert too much defensive pressure on those remaining. Cooks has had 4-100 yard games this season, and gets Detroit, Chicago, Philly, and Arizona during the fantasy playoffs. None of those matchups scare me, and I’ll be riding Cooks through to the championship.
Courtland Sutton - Sutton’s buzz has finally settled after the news of the Demaryius Thomas trade to Houston, so crowds might be sleeping on Sutton as a league winning kind of guy. He’s been involved in Denver’s offense from the get-go, but some metrics might indicate that he’s gained the trust of his coach and QB as he’s progressed through his rookie year. He’s seen a nice uptick in yards per target with weeks 1-5 averaging 6.8 yards per target, now 12.7 weeks 6-10. There are an extra 7 targets per week available for grabs in Denver, and I like Sutton to continue to get it done. He gets Cincy, San Fran, Cleveland, and Oakland in the fantasy playoffs, so if you were able to grab him in the rush to waivers, you should have a solid WR2 to carry you through the playoffs.
Amari Cooper - Cooper’s trade to the Cowboys is probably the best thing that could have happened to him as far as extending his career. In his two games with Dallas, he’s seen 18 targets for 133 yards and a TD. He’s got 3 home games during your fantasy playoff run - NO, PHI, and TB. All of whom are in the top 5 giving up most points to the WR. If you were patient and held Cooper through the turmoil, you should be rewarded.
