Bye Week hell is upon us, which is doubly concerning when it’s win or go home for many fantasy owners. No one wants their lone source of excitement and joy stripped from their life, so make sure you lock up a win with the best PPR rankings in the business.
Injury Notes and Updates:
- C.J. Anderson is ruled out for this week and a few beyond, making Devontae Booker a prime option in a juicy matchup versus San Diego.
- Tevin Coleman is expected to be out, locking Devonta Freeman into 25-30 touches. Unfortunately, the matchup isn’t great against the Packers (best team versus the run), but the volume should be plentiful enough to yield top-10 numbers for Freeman.
- With Doug Martin expected out yet again, lock-in Jacquizz Rodgers for another RB1 day.
- These ranks assume the Bills have a brain and will sit LeSean McCoy through next week’s game against Seattle and the bye to let that hammy heal. Big assumption, I know.
- Bilal Powell is expected to miss time with a turf toe, locking Matt Forte in as an elite RB1 versus an abysmal Cleveland defense.
- With hints suggesting he’ll be out or severely limited, Jamaal Charles is unranked as of now, while Ware is ranked as a unquestioned featured back.
Tier 1 – Potential Top Scorers
Along with Le’Veon Bell (bye this week), these two guys are just head and shoulders above everyone else every single week
1. David Johnson (ARI) @ CAR
2. Ezekiel Elliott (DAL) vs. PHI
Tier 1.5 – High End RB1s
Still, the matchups are so juicy for some of these talented workhorses that Elliott and Johnson will be given a run for their money… another tier felt like too great of a drop off.
3. Christine Michael (SEA) @ NO
4. DeMarco Murray (TEN) vs. JAC
5. Spencer Ware (KC) @ IND
6. Devontae Booker (DEN) vs. SD
7. Matt Forte (NYJ) @ CLE
8. Lamar Miller (HOU) vs. DET QUESTIONABLE
9. Jacquizz Rodgers (TB) vs. OAK
10. Devonta Freeman (ATL) vs. GB
11. LeGarrette Blount (NE) @ BUF – Only David Johnson, DeMarco Murray, Melvin Gordon, Lesean McCoy and Ezekiel Elliott have scored more fantasy points. Let’s start treating Blount like the PPR RB1 he is, pass-catching woes and all, as he’s going to score a TD 80-90% of the time.
Tier 2 – Quality RB2s
The dropoff from RB1 to RB2 is pretty steep this week; ideally, you can roll with two Tier 1 or 1.5 options for Draft Kings.
12. Melvin Gordon (SD) @ DEN – The only team that’s held Gordon out of the end zone is a fair bet to do so again, rendering the TD fiend into a high-end RB2 this week.
13. James White (NE) @ BUF
14. Latavius Murray (OAK) @ TB – He’s back and being fed like the featured guy after poor fill-in showings from DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard. Ride the TD gravy train.
15. Giovani Bernard (CIN) vs. WAS
16. Frank Gore (IND) vs. KC – Double digit PPR points in all but one week, Gore remains the ultimate high floor, low ceiling prospect in his old age.
17. Jeremy Hill (CIN) vs. WAS – Bad run defenses = Jeremy Hill feeding time. Saddle the fat fuck up for another feast.
18. Mark Ingram (NO) vs. SEA
Tier 3 – Last Startable Guys
19. Mike Gillislee (BUF) vs. NE
20. Isaiah Crowell (CLE) vs. NYJ
21. Jonathan Stewart (CAR) vs. ARI
22. Chris Thompson (WAS) @ CIN – Very excited to see what his workload and production looks like against a highly exploitable Cincy defense.
23. Knile Davis (GB) @ ATL – Kniles “Don’t call me Miles” is reportedly part of the Week 8 game plan; what better time to get assimilated than versus a puke-worthy Falcons defense that just surrendered three TDs to Melvin Gordon? A low floor, high ceiling dice roll for your bye week pleasure.
24. Matt Asiata (MIN) @ CHI
25. Theo Riddick (DET) @ HOU QUESTIONABLE– Riddick took limited reps in practice, potentially getting him on track to play versus a Houston D that can be had without JJ Watt.
26. Duke Johnson (CLE) vs. NYJ
27. Darren Sproles (PHI) @ DAL
28. Ryan Mathews (PHI) @ DAL
29. Jerick McKinnon (MIN) @ CHI
Tier 4 – Don’t let yourself go…
30. Jordan Howard (CHI) vs. MIN – With Jeremy Langford potentially back, we could see the disgusting committee that the wretched John Fox always wanted. Against a tough Minnesota defense, no thank you.
31. Matt Jones or Robert Kelley (WAS) @ CIN – Jones may be out with a knee injury, hence Kelley’s inclusion on this list. These guys are both here as potential TD options for whoever’s in the big back role… really not much else to see after that.
32. Chris Ivory (JAC) @ TEN – Where did you go? I miss you so? Seems like it’s been forever since you had relevance.
33. CJ Prosise (SEA) @ NO – Here’s a dart-throw PPR guys — CJ Spiller was just cut, indicating the team is ready to ride out Prosise. If ever there was a time to breakout, it’d be against the absolutely pathetic Saints.
34. Dwayne Washington or Zach Zenner (DET) @ HOU– See Matt Jones or Robert Kelley.
35. Derrick Henry (TEN) vs. JAC
Tier 5 – …Everybody hurts, sometimes
36. Peyton Barber (TB) vs. OAK
37. TJ Yeldon (JAC) @ TEN – Yeldon Sucks.
38. Ka’Deem Carey (CHI) vs. MIN
39. Justin Forsett (DET) @ HOU
40. Fozzy Whittaker (CAR) vs. ARI
41. DeAndre Washington (OAK) @ TB
42. Alfred Blue (HOU) vs. DET
43. Jalen Richard (OAK) @ TB
44. Alfred Morris (DAL) vs. PHI
45. Terron Ward (ATL) vs. GB
