This Week In The NFL.

[Greenbacks]

Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins: 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS

Bills
Tyrod Taylor, QB -- START: Bolstered by his rushing ability, Taylor hasn't posted fewer than 15 standard fantasy points in five straight games. Despite the fact that he has the fewest pass attempts per game (27.5) among qualified quarterbacks, Taylor is a solid streaming option this week against a suspect Miami defense.
LeSean McCoy, RB -- START: Obviously, McCoy is a must-start if he plays. But he injured his hamstring in practice this week and his status is up in the air. Mike Gillislee would be in line for a healthy workload should McCoy sit.
Mike Gillislee, RB -- START: If LeSean McCoy can't go, Gillislee automatically becomes a solid RB2 option as he'd serve as the starting running back on a run-heavy team against Miami's 31st-ranked rushing defense.
Bills WRs -- SIT: Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin are the top targets this year for Tyrod Taylor. What about Justin Hunter you ask? The dude has four targets, two catches and two touchdowns. No wonder the Bills run the ball more than 27 other teams in the NFL.
Charles Clay, TE -- SIT: Clay hasn't been much of a fantasy option this season, and he suffered an ankle injury last week. Find tight end help elsewhere.

Dolphins
Ryan Tannehill, QB -- SIT: If you've started Tannehill in any of the last three weeks, you've probably lost your matchup. He's now gone two straight games without throwing a touchdown pass and deserves to be on the waiver wire.
Jarvis Landry, WR -- START: Landry is the only Dolphins' offensive player you can trust on a weekly basis. Just know that, like Amari Cooper, his fantasy value is driven by his yardage totals (and receptions in PPR leagues). Consider a touchdown a major bonus.
Jay Ajayi, RB -- START: Ajayi established himself as Miami's feature back last week, but the chances of him repeating are slim to none. He could also lose a few looks to a healthy Arian Foster, but the second-year back should still be started in fantasy.
Arian Foster, RB -- SIT: Foster touched the ball three times last week. He might be more involved as he regains full health, but we can't advocate starting him given Jay Ajayi's newfound primary role in the Miami backfield.
DeVante Parker, WR -- SIT: Parker might be a big-bodied red-zone threat, but his quarterback stinks and there's virtually no upside to playing him in fantasy.

Baltimore Ravens at New York Jets: 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS

Ravens
Joe Flacco, QB -- START: The Ravens quarterback missed Wednesday practice, so you need to monitor his status, but he's a pristine streamer if he plays this week. The Jets give up over 300 yards per and 6.3 touchdown rate to opposing passers.
Terrance West, RB -- FLEX: The reborn starter in Baltimore is on a roll right now with 325 total yards since taking over the top spot on the depth chart three weeks ago. He's racked up over 240 yards after contact this season. The Jets give up just 3.9 yards per carry to opposing running backs but are starting to crumble, and just got ripped up for 111 yards by David Johnson.
Mike Wallace, WR -- START: The Jets have been extra generous to wide receivers, allowing a league-high 72.4 catch rate. They allow more big plays to wideouts than any other team, which we know is Wallce's forte.
Kamar Aiken, WR -- FLEX: The depth receivers for Baltimore are worth throwing out there in deeper formats or as upside flex plays. Steve Smith has not practiced this week and in his absence against the Giants, Aiken played 78 percent of the team snaps, which was second among wide receivers.
Breshad Perriman, WR -- FLEX: The first rounder from 2015 has been inches away from big plays on several targets this season, and even hauled in a long ball in Week 6. He's well worth a dart throw against a pass defense that gives up big plays.
Dennis Pitta, TE -- START: After splitting snaps with Crockett Gillmore in Week 5, Pitta was back as the clear-cut guy in Week 6 playing 79 percent of the snaps. The Jets have struggled against tight ends, allowing the eighth-most yards in the NFL to the positon.

Jets
Geno Smith, QB -- SIT: Back as the starter, there will come a time when we're tempted to stream Smith. Baltimore has some holes in the secondary, but let's wait a week before making this desperation heave.
Jets RBs -- SIT: Matt Forte has less total yards than Bilal Powell over the last three games, and played fewer snaps than him in Week 6. If you're starting one of these backs, it is Powell and only in PPR leagues.
Brandon Marshall, WR -- START: Jimmy Smith suffered an injury in the Giants game and is only practicing on a limited basis this week. Marshall should see 10-plus targets against the Ravens and that kind of usage makes him impossible to bench.
Quincy Enunwa, WR -- SIT: He's been less productive without Eric Decker in the lineup. There's nothing left to see here.

 

[Greenbacks]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at San Francisco 49ers: 4:05 p.m. ET on FOX

Buccaneers
Jameis Winston, QB -- SIT: Winston has been pretty up-and-down this season while the Niners haven't been a pushover against QBs. There are better options.
Doug Martin, RB -- SIT: Martin apparently suffered a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury, and won't play Sunday. Jacquizz Rodgers is once again a very attractive starting option.
Jacquizz Rodgers, RB -- START: Rodgers is the defacto No. 1 running back in Tampa Bay with Martin and Sims out. He's got a must-start kind of matchup against San Francisco.
Mike Evans, WR -- START: Regardless of what happens with Winston, there should be plenty of targets in the script for Evans.
Adam Humphries, WR -- SIT: With Vincent Jackson on injured reserve, Humphries will have a bigger role. But this might not be the best week to start him.
Cameron Brate, TE -- START: Brate could be the biggest beneficiary of Jackson's absence and see plenty of work this week.

49ers
Colin Kaepernick, QB -- START: Kaepernick's running ability against a porous Buccaneers defense should give him a safe floor for anyone streaming QBs.
Carlos Hyde, RB -- START: Similar to Doug Martin, keep an eye on Hyde's injury. If he can't go, Mike Davis could be a streaming option.
Torrey Smith, WR -- FLEX: Kaepernick's return meant more targets for Smith last week. That trend should continue in Week 7.
Jeremy Kerley, WR -- SIT: Kerley doesn't seem to have the same rapport with Kap that he did with Blaine Gabbert. He's too much of a risk this week.
Garrett Celek, TE -- SIT: Tight end has been unpredictable all season. But ... no.

San Diego Chargers at Atlanta Falcons: 4:05 p.m. ET on FOX

Chargers
Philip Rivers, QB -- START: The Falcons allow the sixth-most passing yards per game in the NFL and a 14-to-five touchdown-to-interception ratio. Rivers has a sneaky strong cast of pass-catchers to throw to.
Melvin Gordon, RB -- START: With his volume locked and loaded, Gordon is an every-week play and he finally ripped off a long run in Week 6 against Denver. His passing game work is secure and the Falcons allow the second-most receptions to running backs.
Travis Benjamin, WR -- FLEX: Be sure to monitor his health, as Benjamin is on the injury report and he's not practicing. Benjamin is in a good spot this week if he does play. He takes 30 percent of his snaps from the slot and will avoid Desmond Trufant on some of his snaps.
Tyrell Williams, WR -- START: Desmond Trufant takes the vast majority of his snaps from the left cornerback position whereas Tyrell Williams takes 45 percent of his snaps on the offensive left. Williams could just go off if this game shoots out.
Hunter Henry, TE -- START: The Falcons allow the second-most yards per game to tight ends in the NFL. Henry is out-snapping Gates every week and has 70 yards and/or a touchdown in the last four games.

Falcons
Matt Ryan, QB -- START: If you doubted him against Denver and Seattle, I don't know what more you could possibly want. Until this hot streak ends, he's an every-week play.
Falcons RBs -- START: Both Freeman and Coleman make for excellent plays in this spot. The Chargers run stopping unit has been solid, but they allow the most catches in the NFL to running backs.
Julio Jones, WR -- START: The Chargers secondary has injury issues all throughout the cornerback corps. This should be a week where Julio Jones rips it up.
Mohamed Sanu, WR -- FLEX: He led the team in targets (10) in Week 6 and could be worth a look here against a team that struggles to stop the pass and in a high-scoring game.

 

[Greenbacks]

New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers: 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS

Patriots
Tom Brady, QB -- START: Brady has 30-plus fantasy points in each of his first two games and is a QB1 lock against a 30th-ranked Steelers pass defense.
LeGarrette Blount, RB -- FLEX: Despite his diminished role as the Patriots shift to a more pass-heavy offense with Brady back, Blount is still producing thanks to his touchdown scoring. He can be safely flexed in what should be a rout by New England.
James White, RB -- FLEX: White out-snapped Blount last week and is locked in as the team's pass-catching back. He's tied for second on the team with 33 targets and is a flex play against the Steelers.
Julian Edelman, WR -- SIT: Despite leading New England in targets, Edelman can't seem to put up fantasy numbers this season. He's a solid PPR starter and there's a chance he breaks through this week against the Steelers, but he's a bench stash until he starts producing in standard scoring leagues.
Rob Gronkowski, TE -- START: Own Gronk, start Gronk.
Martellus Bennett, TE -- START: With Gronkowski back, fantasy owners are playing a guessing game on whether or not to start Bennett. We say start him against a bad Steelers pass defense and hope for a touchdown (which is basically what you do with every other tight end anyway).

Steelers
Landry Jones, QB -- SIT: No way you're starting Jones in fantasy football. No freaking way.
Antonio Brown, WR -- START: Even without Big Ben, Antonio Brown should lead the Steelers in targets, receptions, and every other category. He gets a downgrade, obviously, but is still a borderline WR1.
Le'Veon Bell, RB -- START: With Roethlisberger out, the Steelers could lean on Bell even more to make magic happen out of the backfield. Not that they weren't doing that already. But either way, Bell remains a must-start.
Sammie Coates, WR -- SIT: Coates had two separate hand injuries last week and didn't catch a single pass. Now, a backup quarterback is throwing to him. Nah.
Jesse James, TE -- SIT: Until we see how Landry Jones attempts to move the offense, the only Steelers worth starting in fantasy are Brown and Bell.

Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals: 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC

Seahawks
Russell Wilson, QB -- START: He was effective last week against the Falcons but just didn't quite have the fantasy day we expected. The Cardinals defense is tough but Wilson and the offense should be about to hit their stride.
Christine Michael, RB -- START: Averaging over 20 touches per game in his three starts, not even a tough matchup with the Cardinals on the road should deter you from staying Woke.
Doug Baldwin, WR -- FLEX: The Cardinals rarely have top corner Patrick Peterson travel into the slot. Baldwin should have a safe floor in this contest.
Jimmy Graham, TE -- START: He continues to be the top target in the passing game ever since his re-emergence began with two straight 100-yard games. The Cardinals rank second in yards per game allowed to tight ends (22), but this is a different kind of test.

Cardinals
Carson Palmer, QB -- SIT: Right now, Palmer doesn't have the volume or efficiency of an every-week starting fantasy quarterback. He's also yet to practice this week.
David Johnson, RB -- START: It's a tough matchup, but as Marcas Grant would say, "David Johnson no matter what." His usage in the passing game and red zone should keep his floor high.
Larry Fitzgerald, WR -- FLEX: We can't say for sure how much of Richard Sherman Fitzgerald will see, as the Seahawks All-Pro had shadowed more this year. However, we've seen more of Fitzgerald's floor lately anyways with John Brown playing a bigger role and David Johnson emerging as the center piece of the offense.
John Brown, WR -- SIT: Not only is this a bad spot for Brown, but he's also on the injury report. Michael Floyd could be a volume-based Hail Mary if Brown sits, as Jaron Brown is also likely out for this game with a knee injury.

 

[Greenbacks]

1) The 49ers' defense is allowing an average of 174.3 rushing yards per game.
Last week the Bills' rushing net was 312 yards. While that's a trivia-worthy high number, it's also not likely an attainable figure for the Buccaneers this week. Prior to that game, the Niners' were still pacing the league in rushing yards allowed at 146.8 per game. The Jameis Winston-era Bucs are 6-0 in games when they run the ball on 50-plus percent of the offensive plays, and 2-13 when passing plays are called more frequently. In their five games this season, Jameis Winston's passer rating has ranged from 39.2 to 125.1, with nine passing touchdowns, one rushing score, and 10 total giveaways (eight interceptions and two fumbles).

Fantasy Impact: Jameis Winston's stats have been very inconsistent. Very. With Niners cornerback Jimmie Ward returning this game, the Bucs' slot becomes a far less appealing place to throw the ball for Winston and also makes Adam Humphries, Vincent Jackson's replacement, less of a sneaky wide receiver play this week. To be clear, Humphries is a great value, but Ward's return limits his upside. With Doug Martin still sidelined, Jacquizz Rodgers becomes a top option. Since I am making my editor super happy and writing this earlier than normal this week, I'm going to give ranges for projections. Rodgers is in my RB9-12 range this week.

2) Allen Robinson is averaging 2.2 yards after catch (YAC) per reception (75th out of 79 qualified pass catchers).
The qualifier is 20 receptions, so this includes some tight ends and running backs. Last year, his average for the season was 4.5 YAC/reception. Watching Jaguars game film, you can see that part of this decrease is on him and part of it is on the person throwing him the passes. However, working in Robinson's favor is an Oakland defense that allows the most passing yards per game (312.7) and the fifth-most yards after catch to opposing pass catchers.

Fantasy Impact: Allen Robinson is a top five to seven WR this week and should find the end zone.

3) Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree have combined for the most targets (108), receiving yards (950) and are tied for the most receptions (67) among all wide receiver duos in the NFL.
The Jags' defense is only allowing 321.4 total yards per game (eighth-fewest) and 218.4 passing yards per game (also eighth-fewest). However, they are allowing 25.4 points (12th-most) and their third-down percentage is the fifth-most generous to opposing offenses (44.37 percent). Oakland's offense is averaging 25.3 points per game with a balanced approach, averaging the 10th-most passing yards per game (263.8) and the 13th-most rushing yards per game (110.2). Derek Carr's stats have also improved behind an offensive line that has allowed the fewest sacks (seven) and QB hits (13) of any team in the NFL.

Fantasy Impact: This week I have been looking deep into YAC, and Amari Cooper's 5.6 YAC/reception average (22nd of the 79 qualified pass catchers) is closer to what one would expect from a No. 1 wide receiver. Amari Cooper ranks as my WR8-12 and Crabtree is in the WR26-30 range per my projections this week. As an interesting note, Crabtree's 2.0 YAC/reception average ranks 78th out of the 79 qualified pass catchers. Keep in mind, he has five receiving touchdowns and YAC isn't how I would judge his value given how he's deployed in this offense -- it's just a good one for trivia purposes!

4) DeAndre Hopkins is averaging 2.1 YAC/reception, ranking 77th out of 79 qualified pass catchers.
Meanwhile, the Broncos have allowed the fewest YAC to opposing teams so far this season (441 YAC). Last year, Nuk ranked 132 out of 132 qualified pass catchers in this category, averaging 2.0 YAC/reception. The statistical difference between Hopkins this year and last is pretty dramatic in terms of targets (tracking at 9.5 per game versus 12 last year) and average receiving yards per game (59 this year versus 95 last). No team is allowing fewer passing yards per game than the Broncos' 182.3 average. On the ground, the Broncos are allowing 112.7 yards per game (22nd in the league).

Fantasy Impact: Hopkins is in the WR18-22 range this week. Lamar Miller is ranked as my RB7-9, due to his roughly three receptions per game average.

5) The Dolphins have the 31st-ranked rush defense, allowing an average of 147 yards per game.
The Bills have the No. 1 ranked rush offense, averaging 166.3 yards per game on the ground. I already mentioned the 312 rushing yards they earned against the 49ers last week, but prior to that they were averaging 137.2 rushing yards per game (No. 2 heading into Week 6).

Fantasy Impact: It should come as no surprise that LeSean McCoy is in my RB1-3 range this week, but I want to talk about his hamstring. McCoy didn't finish practice on Wednesday due to a tight hamstring and now looks like a game-time decision at best. This is a situation to keep a close eye on, as if Mike Gillislee gets the start his value will sky rocket. Also, if you are looking for a quarterback, Tyrod Taylor is in my QB11-14 range, and he would also get a little bump if Shady were to sit. Right now, Taylor is averaging 39 rushing yards per game which would likely increase without McCoy.

 

[Greenbacks]

6) Jarvis Landry leads the NFL in both share of team targets (31.3 percent) and receptions (33.1 percent).
Landry is averaging 9.3 targets and 82.3 receiving yards per game. The Bills defense allows the 14th-most passing yards (242) and 15th-most rushing (103.2) yards per game. What stands out here is that they already have recorded 20 sacks (second in the NFL) and 12 takeaways (tied-second), and are set to face Ryan Tannehill who has been sacked 17 times.

Fantasy Impact: Our awesome research team and I looked at all the No. 1 wideouts to face the Bills so far this season and found 28 total receptions for 267 yards and zero touchdowns. This is an average of 44.5 yards per game on just under five receptions. Jarvis Landry's opportunity (targets and catches) should be greater than that average, but he's usually ranked higher overall for me than the WR14-18 range he falls in this week. Also, Jay Ajayi is in my RB31-35 range this week. His usage is inconsistent, so until it becomes more consistent don't fall victim to recency bias with that 204-yard, two-touchdown monster game last week.

7) Since 2013, Geno Smith has thrown 21 interceptions on 191 passing attempts of 15-plus air yards, the most among 30 quarterbacks with 150 or more attempts of 15-plus
air yards in that span.
It follows that his passer rating on such attempts is 58.7, which is also the lowest of the group. The Ravens defense is giving up the third-fewest total yards per game (294.8), owns the third-highest interception rate (3.72 percent), gives up the fewest yard on the ground per game (69.7) and the ninth-fewest passing yards per game (225.2).

Fantasy Impact: If you have Brandon Marshall, you should probably still start him, but just manage expectations. He still falls in my WR17-21 range. The thing to know is that last season 17 of Smith's 42 pass attempts were to Marshall (40.4 percent) which means the targets were there. The problem was that Smith was only 8-for-17 (47.1 percent) for 100 yards with a measley 41.3 passer rating when targeting Marshall.

8) Washington is averaging the fifth-most 276.8 passing yards per game this season and the second-most total yards per play (6.2).
The Lions defense allows 271.3 passing yards per game (23rd) and a league-high 119.3 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks. If they finish the season with this rating against, it would be the worst mark in NFL history. In addition, the Lions only have four takeaways (tied second-fewest).

Fantasy Impact: DeSean Jackson is ranked in my top 25 wide receivers and Jamison Crowder is in the WR39-43 range. Kirk Cousins is a top-six to top-10 quarterback. If Jordan Reed plays, he is in my TE1-4 rankings, and if he doesn't play, Vernon Davis should be considered a valuable streaming option.

9) Matthew Stafford is averaging career-highs in completion percentage (68.9), yards per attempt (7.8) and passer rating (106.1).
The Lions offense also currently has a 46.5 third-down conversion percentage (third in the league) and 28.6 touchdown percentage (drives ending in a touchdown, tied-fourth). And they've accomplished all of this while only averaging 88.7 rushing yards per game (26th).

Fantasy Impact: Marvin Jones is a top 8-12 wide receiver whose upside is a bit capped by Josh Norman, Golden Tate (that's right) is in the WR23-27 range and Anquan Boldin is in the WR31-35 range. Matthew Stafford is in the QB8-12 range.

10) DeMarco Murray's nine red-zone targets this season rank first among running backs.
His 526 rush yards rank fourth in the NFL and his 4.6 yards per carry are one full yard more than last year's average. If he keeps this pace, he would finish the year with 1,403 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns, 64 receptions, 459 yards and five receiving touchdowns. The Colts' defense has allowed at least 20 points in each game so far this season (29 points per game allowed, 28th in the NFL) along with 411.2 total yards per game (30th).

Fantasy Impact: DeMarco Murray is a top-three running back this week. Marcus Mariota is a top-11 quarterback. Delanie Walker is in my TE3-6 range, and Tajae Sharpe appears to be in the WR48-52 spot.

 

[Greenbacks]

11) Andrew Luck has been sacked 23 times already (most in the NFL).
Luck has been sacked at least twice in each game this season. The Titans' defense has sacked opposing signal callers six times in each of their past two games. They are holding opposing offenses to the ninth-fewest yards per game (324), including the seventh-fewest rushing yards per game (88.5) and the 11th-fewest receiving yards per game (235.5).

Fantasy Impact: Andrew Luck is in the QB8-12 range. T.Y. Hilton, who has averaged nine or more targets in every game this season, is in the WR9-13 range while Frank Gore is in the RB24-28 range.

12) Melvin Gordon has accounted for 45.1 percent of the Chargers offensive touches this season (fifth-highest percentage in the NFL).
Gordon is averaging 85.8 scrimmage yards per game on 21.7 touches with seven total touchdowns. The Falcons' defense is giving up the 24th most total yards per game (379.5) with 94.2 coming on the ground (11th-fewest) and 285.3 through the air (tied-seventh most). Atlanta allows the second-most passes to running backs and is also vulnerable to tight ends, surrendering 37 receptions (third-most), 438 receiving yards (second-most) and five receiving touchdowns (tied, fourth-most) to the position.

Fantasy Impact: Gordon is in the RB6-10 range and Philip Rivers is in the QB9-13 range. As for the tight ends, Antonio Gates was on the field for fewer snaps than Hunter Henry last game and Henry's production has been excellent when lined up tight, in the slot and wide. For me, Henry is a top-10 tight end this week.

13) Matt Ryan has a passer rating over 100 in five of his six games this season.
His overall passer rating right now is 117.9, which would be the best in his career and is averaging 345.8 passing yards per game (which would also be a career-best). Ryan has connected with Julio Jones on 62 percent of his targets for 656 yards (most in the NFL), with a passer rating of 124.2. The Chargers defense ranks fifth in rush defense this year (83.5 rushing yards per game and 24th in pass defense (279.7 pass yards per game). Joey Bosa's pressure is a noticeable upgrade to this Charger defense and he was up to playing 75.7 percent of the snaps last game.

Fantasy Impact: Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are both top-three options at their positions. Devonta Freeman is in the RB6-10 range and Tevin Coleman is between the RB28-32.

14) Last week Rob Gronkowski lined up either in the slot or wide on 43.3 percent of plays and Martellus Bennett did so on 51.4 percent of his snaps.
The Steelers' defense ranks 28th in total yards allowed per game (394.8) and allows 293.7 passing yards per game (30th). Before last week against the Dolphins, they were only allowing 77 rushing yards per game.

Fantasy Impact: Gronk is my top TE, while Bennett is between TE6 and TE9. And Tom Brady is a top-two option at quarterback. I also have James White projected as the RB21-25, slightly better than LeGarrette Blount's RB27-31 projection. Julian Edelman is in the WR19-23 range.

15) Le'Veon Bell has 100 or more scrimmage yards in all three games he's played this year, and in 12 of his past 15 games.
Starter Landry Jones only averaged a 57.6 completion percentage in his two games last year. Looking only at passes traveling 20 or more air yards, his completion percentage actually improved to 71.4 and he racked up 132 yards on those passes. While the amount of plays where a deep pass was called was low, he was efficient. The Pats' strong defense gives up the 13th-fewest total yards per game (347), the ninth-fewest rushing yards per game (92) and the 18th-fewest passing yards per game (255).

Fantasy Impact: Bell is a top-four running back, and Antonio Brown is still in the WR4-6 range, tough his floor and upside have both been lowered with Jones under center.

 

[Greenbacks]

Jeff Fisher says Odell Beckham could be 'all-time best'.

LONDON -- Todd Gurley reared back to throw a rugby ball down a steep hill through spitting rain to his All-Pro defensive tackle teammate. "Aaron, go deep!"
With an England rugby sign overhead and the woods behind him, the contrast between the American football players' usual Los Angeles digs and their quaint Pennyhill Hotel locale could not have been more stark.
The ball fell well short and to the right. Aaron Donald shook his head, his practice work done for the day, off down a dirt path back to do whatever professional athletes do while holed up in a five-star British hotel and spa.
The Rams have spent three days adjusting to life an hour southwest of London's center, hoping that the extra time getting acclimated is an advantage against the Giants, who fly from New York on Friday.
"We talked to them in advance. We told them today is the day you are going to feel better. We tell them they are going to feel better. And they feel better," Jeff Fisher cracked to the media on Thursday after a two-hour practice.

Here are some takeaways from Thursday's Rams session for the media:

1. Odell Beckham takes up a lot of airspace overseas, just like in the United States. Rams coach Jeff Fisher spent half his press conference Thursday talking about Beckham, including saying that he has to go down as "one of the all-time best" receivers.
"He takes a slant and goes 70 yards ... There's not a lot of guys other than Julio (Jones) that can do that," Fisher said.
The Rams coach also downplayed any downside that comes from Beckham's emotions, saying that his emotions partly make him great.
"Every play is important to him," Fisher said. "He blocks. He's into the offense."
Fisher said that Beckham has "settled down completely" the last few games.
The Rams' secondary insisted it won't try to bait Beckham into a meltdown, assuming he plays after missing practice Wednesday and Thursday. Then again, some of the Rams' defensive leaders, from linebacker Alec Ogletree and safety T.J. McDonald, were involved in Beckham losing his cool the last time these teams played.

2. Fisher repeated his stance that you'd be "hard pressed" to find a cornerback playing better than former Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins, now with the Giants. Fisher noted Jenkins can play within the scheme and track the best opposing wide receiver when asked.
Rams tight end Lance Kendricks said he doesn't expect anything less than a lot of trash talking coming from his former teammate.
Jenkins' excellent play stands in contrast to the play of the Rams secondary, especially against Detroit last week. Rams No. 1 cornerback Trumaine Johnson was seen wearing a brace on his high ankle sprain Thursday and is not expected to play this week. The Rams chose to keep Johnson with the franchise tag and were not able to retain Jenkins in free agency.

3. Robert Quinn, a 2013 All-Pro selection, is expected to return to the Rams' lineup this week, Fisher confirmed. Quinn, who missed the last 3 games, practiced fully. His absence has directly impacted Aaron Donald's production the last two weeks.
"The attention goes to Aaron," Fisher said about what's happened to Donald the last few games. "It goes right to Aaron. ... Basically when (Quinn) is on the edge, the firepower on the edge there requires help. Takes one person out of the route distribution."
It's hard to overstate Quinn's importance to this defense. Having one All-Pro defensive lineman is a huge edge. Having two on the same team is a problem for opponents with no easy solutions.

4. The Rams love their location this week, although the resort is not 100% made for 21st-century athletes. It's looked like some bad Benny Hill routine watching the Rams players all duck their heads through the entryway to the hotel to avoid getting clocked in the head.

5. This roaming Rams season has taken a toll on some players, while others are embracing.
"It feels like it's been long," running back Todd Gurley said with some resignation of the team's London trip.
Cornerback E.J. Gaines couldn't contain his glee at his entire European adventure.
"Growing up, who would have imagined I'd be playing football in London?"

 

[Greenbacks]

Jared Goff to get more practice reps after Week 7.

LONDON -- Case Keenum has played better than anyone could reasonably expect this season, especially last week in Detroit. But that doesn't mean the Los Angeles Rams have forgotten about their No. 1 overall draft pick.
NFL Network's Steve Wyche reported on Thursday's Up to the Minute Live that Goff will begin to get increased practice reps after Sunday's game against the Giants at Twickenham Stadium in London. Goff has made significant strides in practice since the beginning of the season, and the Rams are more confident he could handle the starting duties if he was asked to play.
Keenum has averaged 9.2 yards-per-attempt over the last three weeks. If he keeps putting up those kinds of numbers and the Rams stay above .500, it's hard to imagine the team making a change.

Keenum's teammates and coaches have all noted this week that the offense played more than well enough to win last week. But if Keenum were to struggle badly against the Giants, it would no longer be a shock to see Goff get his chance sooner rather than later.
The concept of inserting a No. 1 overall pick into the lineup of a team still in the mix for a playoff spot is not new. The Rams' opponent Sunday, the New York Giants, once benched Kurt Warner for Eli Manning during the 2004 season. The Giants were 5-4 at the time. The Rams would be 3-4 if they lost Sunday.
The Rams know that a decision to change quarterbacks would mean there is no turning back. Even deciding to give Goff more practice reps is a nod toward thinking about the future.
The Giants wound up losing six of the season's seven remaining games after making the move to Manning in 2004. They were willing to take some short-term pain to help their franchise quarterback grow.

 

[Greenbacks]

Niners coach Chip Kelly: 'I'm not going anywhere'

Chip Kelly expects to be the 49ers coach again next season. "Unless the media has an opportunity for me somewhere," Kelly said in jest, via SFGate.com. "I'll always explore those opportunities."
He added: "I'm not going anywhere."
Considering the circumstances Kelly was hired under, he was an odd choice as a head coach. The 49ers knew the optics of their most recent head coaching shakeup wouldn't allow for another one-and-done candidate like they had last year. Having a third head coach in three years is troubling for a fan base.
But Kelly was coming from a situation in Philadelphia which showed just how different his team building vision is from other coaches. And while Kelly does not have nearly the same say over personnel as he did at his previous job, this year's draft had the coach's fingerprints all over it. Did the team do that with some assurance that he would get another chance regardless of struggles to come?
This offseason is a crucial one, and could be the first time Kelly gets a chance to hand select a quarterback high up in the NFL Draft should his employment prediction come true. At that point, the 49ers better be sure that he's not going anywhere, or else they run the risk of setting the organization back even further than it is now.

 

[Greenbacks]

 

[Greenbacks]

 

[Greenbacks]

 

[Greenbacks]

 

[Greenbacks]

 

[Greenbacks]

 

[Greenbacks]

Josh Brown placed on Commissioner Exempt List.

A day after the NFL reopened its domestic violence investigation of Josh Brown, the league officially placed the embattled New York Giants kicker on the Reserve/Commissioner Exempt List, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported.
Brown was notified of the move in a letter from Adolpho Birch, NFL's Senior Vice President of Labor Policy and League Affairs. In the letter, which was obtained by Rapoport, Birch states the reason for the league reopening its investigation.
"The released materials appear to contain information regarding other incidents of abuse separate from the May 22, 2015 incident for which you were disciplined under the Personal Conduct Policy," Birch wrote. "As a result, further investigation by the league into those separate incidents is needed."
The embattled kicker, who served a one-game suspension for the domestic violence incident before coming under fire again after additional documents detailing the extent of the alleged abuse were uncovered this week, will no longer be part of team activities until the NFL and Giants complete their investigations or remove him from the list.
Birch informs Brown in his letter that he will remain on the Commissioner Exempt List "on a limited and temporary basis to permit the league fully to review the materials and determine whether further action is necessary.

"We expect to conduct this review expeditiously and make any appropriate adjustments to your roster status in a timely manner."
In response to the league's letter, the NFLPA said in a statement, "The NFL has the ability to place a player on the exempt list and the player has the right to appeal that decision, if he chooses. The League office wanted unilateral control of this process and accordingly, their system lacks transparency."
The move will open a place on the Giants' roster for kicker Robbie Gould, who agreed to terms on a deal with the Giants to kick in Sunday's game in London. Brown will still collect his $1.15 million salary and has the option to appeal the decision.
This week, NFL.com obtained more than 165 pages worth of documents from the King County (Washington) Sheriff's Office which detail Brown's arrest. It includes a signed document in which he admitted to physically, verbally and emotionally abusing his then-wife, Molly Brown. Further documentation obtained Thursday details Josh allegedly violating a restraining order, three 911 calls Molly made and the difficulty prosecutors encountered in trying to get her to cooperate with them in their investigation.
"We did some of our own investigation," Giants co-owner and president John Mara said on Thursday. "Most of the investigation was done by the NFL. They made the determination to suspend him for one game. Obviously, the law enforcement made the decision not to prosecute him, so based on the information we had at the time, as I said at the time, we were comfortable with our decision. Obviously, there's been some new information that has come to light over the last day.

We don't have all of that information yet but based on what we did have, we felt the best course of action was to make Josh inactive for this game and we'll see what the future brings."
The Commissioner Exempt List provides a roster refuge for players currently in unusual circumstances. Most famously, it was used during the Adrian Peterson saga back in 2014 and is controlled at the discretion of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. There is no word on how long Brown will spend on the list.
Brown, 37, was arrested in May of 2015 which started the clock on a 10-month NFL investigation into the matter. Citing difficulty to obtain information and the fact that charges were dismissed by the local prosecutor initially, Brown only had to sit out the season-opening win over the Dallas Cowboys.
"We were obviously disturbed by it," Mara said. "But based on what we knew, and particularly based on this young man's attempt to try to rehabilitate himself, which I believe he's still trying to do and he's made a good faith effort to do that as far as I know over the past couple of years, we were comfortable with his decision to continue to employ him. In light of the new facts that have come out now, we've made the decision, at least for this week anyway, to make him inactive. I can't answer now what the future holds for him. I think we need to gather more information and make as intelligent a decision as we can."

 

[Bobbflo]

Thanks Greenback- enjoyed the info!

 

[Greenbacks]

Who should I start at RB: Terrance West or Spencer Ware?

Since essentially being handed the featured back role in Baltimore in Week 4, West averages 18.3 rushes per game at a 5.4 yards per carry clip with three touchdowns. Over that span he's the fourth-highest scoring back in fantasy with 50.5 points. There's little competition behind him for touches between Kenneth Dixon and Javorius Allen, so his workload remains reliable. West's next opponent, the Jets, feature a stout run defense and dominant front line, despite their current ranking as the 13th-most generous defense to running backs in fantasy points allowed. While some might be quick to point out David Johnson shredded that very front seven in Week 6 with 111 yards on 22 carries and three touchdowns, a closer look at Johnson's game tells a different story. Removing his 58-yard touchdown scamper, his remaining 21 totes went for just 53 yards (2.52 yards per carry), which is more in line with the 3.5 yards per carry this defense was allowing through the first five weeks of 2016. The news of Joe Flacco's shoulder injury could go both ways for West. On the one hand, he could see even more touches in an effort to protect Flacco. But on the flip side, the Jets could sell out, even more, to stop the run and force Flacco to try and beat them through the air with a damaged throwing arm. While the touches will be there for West, there are warning signs that this could be a difficult matchup for him to get over against.

Countless owners foolishly cast Spencer Ware back into the waiver pool with Jamaal Charles returning, only to watch Ware soak up 26 touches in Week 6, which he took for 164 total yards and one touchdown. Charles found the end zone, too, but still looks to be working his way back to full strength and comfort on the field despite claiming he was "110 percent" heading into last week. However, those savvy enough to read the tea leaves in Kansas City knew Charles was only ever going to be "sprinkled in" at first. All of this points toward Ware once again leading this backfield in snaps and touches against a Saints run defense that holds up worse against the run than paper banners do before high school football games. The Saints have only been seen 121 rush attempts against them, but allow over 4.5 yards per carry and have given up 10 rushing touchdowns (and one receiving) to running backs on the year. As a 227-pound bruiser, Ware should be able to both gash the Saints between the tackles and at the goal-line, giving him an excellent outlook while Charles contributes in a limited fashion.

Verdict: While the Player Comparison Tool sees this as an even split, Ware seems to have the far higher ceiling and safer floor. His ability, workload, matchup and this being a home game tip the scale in his favor over West's roadie against a tough run defense with a less than 100 percent quarterback.

 

[Greenbacks]

Who should I start at QB: Matt Ryan or Tom Brady?

Many questioned whether or not Matt Ryan's terrific start to 2016 was buoyed by exploiting matchups against leaky secondaries in his first four games. However, after he moved the Falcons offense and scored fantasy points in back-to-back road games against the Broncos and Seahawks, he now sits peacefully atop the fantasy quarterbacking iron throne. He currently leads the league in passing yards (2,075) and trails only Ben Roethlisberger in passing touchdowns, 16 to 15. Ryan has thrown 12 more touchdowns than interceptions, while only five other quarterbacks have thrown at least 12 touchdowns on the season as a whole. Simply put, Ryan is enjoying a career-year with potentially the best group of offensive weapons he's played with in nine NFL seasons. Up next for Ryan and co. is a home matchup with a Chargers secondary decimated by injuries. The team lost Jason Verrett for the season prior to Week 5, and promptly gave up nearly 22 fantasy points to Derek Carr. The Chargers held Trevor Siemian in check last week, but Ryan is a far better (and healthier) quarterback. The Chargers front seven has benefitted from the return of a healthy Joey Bosa and could get to Ryan, though his inflated sack rate (6.44 percent, tied for 10th-highest in the league) hasn't inhibited his ability to produce in fantasy yet.

So far, so good for the 2016 edition of the "Tom Brady revenge" tour. Since returning to action in Week 4 he leads the league in passing yardage (782), is tied for second in passing touchdowns (six) behind Matthew Stafford's seven, and is second in fantasy points scored by quarterbacks (Marcus Mariota) while completing 76 percent of his pass attempts. Josh McDaniels is form-fitting the weekly gameplan to perfectly exploit the opponent's weaknesses, whether it be with heavy tight end usage or a wealth of passing targets for James White. This only elevates Brady's fantasy ceiling, as it doesn't matter who is catching his touchdown passes as long as they're being caught. The tour's next stop is in Pittsburgh against a defense that just let Ryan Tannehill complete 75 percent of his passes at 7.9 yards per attempt because they couldn't put a lick of pressure on him. Brady is among the best quarterbacks in the league at moving in the pocket and avoiding pressure, which could spell disaster for a Pittsburgh team potentially reeling from a recent defeat that also cost them Ben Roethlisberger for two to six weeks. The only real factor working against Brady is if the Patriots jump out to an early lead and turn the keys of the offense over to LeGarrette Blount, as they are wont to do. Otherwise, this is shaping up like another solid outing for No. 12.

Verdict: As the Player Comparison Tool indicates, this choice is basically a toss up. It gives the slight edge to Brady thanks to his inflated "performance" metric as he's only played two games. However, in my opinion, Ryan is the better start of these two. Not only is he playing at home, but his opponent figures to be able to score points on his defense as well. That should keep the game more competitive and Ryan in a more favorable game script for racking up fantasy points. Brady playing on the road against an offense starting Landry Jones under center raises a few red flags.

 

[Greenbacks]

Who should I start at WR: Kenny Britt or Golden Tate?

Believe it or not, Kenny Britt had performed quite well on the field and in fantasy before his breakout game in Week 5 against the Lions (seven catches, 136 yards, two touchdowns). Despite rather inexplicably trailing Tavon Austin in targets, he had four or more catches in each of his first five games, with 67-plus receiving yards in four, as well. While his target share might be secondary (for now), Britt is Los Angeles' No. 1 wide receiver. Unfortunately, he's now heading into a tough matchup with the solid New York Giants secondary allowing just a 60.1 percent catch rate to opposing wideouts. The Rams do enjoy the benefit of playing at home, but Case Keenum has been extremely hit or miss for the Rams under center, and trying to find the holes in a strong secondary could prove difficult. While it was great to see Britt finally find the end zone in Week 6, expectations may need to be tempered for Week 7.
After weeks of hearing Golden Tate would receive an expanded role in the offense with little on-field results, that narrative finally bore out in Week 6. Tate saw 32.3 percent of the team targets and hauled in eight catches for 165 yards and a touchdown. It was far and away his best performance of the year, but is it one fantasy owners can trust moving forward? That remains to be seen.

As for Tate's outlook in Week 7, he draws a tough matchup against a Washington secondary that has quietly been pretty good. They allow just a 60.8 percent catch rate and 885 receiving yards to the position on the year, and while one could surmise that's partially due to them seeing the second-fewest wide receiver targets in the league (102), they've still kept most opposing pass-catchers out of the end zone (just four wide receiver touchdowns, good for a 3.9 percent touchdown rate). Tate lines up out wide in 2016 on 75 percent of his snaps, splitting them pretty evenly between the right (43 percent) and left (32 percent). This means he'll see plenty of Josh Norman on Sunday, which could go poorly as Norman has played pretty well thus far. All told, Tate owners shouldn't be expecting another massive statistical outburst.

Verdict: This is a tough call, but I have to side with the Player Comparison Tool here. Britt's matchup feels slightly better to me, while I trust his target share and increasing role in the Rams' offense more than Tate's one-week wonder.