We’re starting to hit trade deadline season, which means we’re starting to have to adjust for things other than specifically injuries. Don’t get me wrong: A lot of this column is about injury impact, but we’ve also got some fun players who may run into good fantasy weeks just because they are involved with the Indianapolis Colts.
Rules for this weekly article:
1) I will not recommend quarterbacks — There are plenty of good ones. You’re on your own there.
2) I will not recommend any running back who costs more than $5,000, wideout who costs more than $4,500, or tight end that costs more than $4,000 in DraftKings’ DFS slate — This was an easy cutoff for what a FLEX really is.
3) I consider any player who garners over 50 yards or scores a victory for the column — anything more you get out of that, well, great for you. Let’s set expectations low because we are combing for outliers.
▶ Running Backs
Blake Corum, LAR — $5,000 – Well, let’s see, he ran for 17/93/1 last week. The Rams don’t seem like they’re in a good spot to throw the ball. You want to run on the Chargers anyway. I get that there are going to be down weeks for Corum, because he’s now scored in three straight games, but I don’t think either the Davante Adams-less offensive environment he’s now in or the Chargers are going to push the Rams off last week’s game plan. Keep riding him until the price goes up.
Jonah Coleman, DEN — $4,300 – The only reason Coleman is this low is that the Broncos used all three backs last week. It’s very clear that he’s the best back in the backfield as of today, something Sean Payton alluded to when he called his carries “explosive” on Monday. The Chiefs aren’t a good matchup, with a top-10 run defense DVOA, but I think the Broncos know they need to do some establishing after their last game with Kansas City went adrift with too much Bo Nix.
Samaje Perine, CIN — $4,800 – Perine had just four touches to Chase Brown’s 16, but three of the four of them came in the second half when the Bengals realized “oh, this under center stuff isn’t working.” I still think the prevailing winds are in favor of him getting 40 percent of the backfield touches on a good offense, and now they are 10-point home favorites against the Titans. Bet the running backs will get some work here.
Chris Rodriguez, JAX — $4,400 — Before the bye, Rodriguez had his first game with more than 10 touches for the Jaguars and ran as well as he had all season with 11 carries for 55 yards. He was weirdly off the field for most of the second half even as the Jaguars were always within spitting distance of the Texans. The Colts, frankly, are quitting on the season. I suspect we’ll get some workload bleed for Rodriguez and I think the situation is favorable for him to have 10 carries again and perhaps punch in a score.
▶ Wide receivers
Keenan Allen, IND — $4,500 – The Colts are 7.5-point road dogs in a place where they routinely go to watch seasons end (Jacksonville), and I think they’ll be slinging the ball around plenty. Allen did not have a good week last week because none of the Colts receivers did – it’s hard to have a good week when you throw for 108 yards. But he did have the best week of the bunch and is enough of a veteran to find you some PPR upside. Also, given how Josh Downs has requested a trade, I don’t think we can assume he’ll play.
Antonio Williams, WAS — $4,300 – It does say something about your upside when the head coach says (paraphrasing) “Stefon Diggs can’t absorb the whole Terry McLaurin workload, we like this Williams kid.” Diggs also popped up on the injury report on Wednesday, even if it was with a rest designation and he’s clearly expected to play. Williams was already a reasonable piece of the Commanders passing game, crossing four targets in all but two games, he then played 67 percent of the snaps against the 49ers after McLaurin left with his season-ending injury. The Eagles defense has not been quite as intimidating as I imagined they’d be this year, and Williams has already scored against them once.
Kendrick Bourne, ARI — $3,900 – Sneakily owned last week by the Cardinals turning further into Jalen Brooks, who is now out for the season with a wrist injury he self-announced on Instagram, Bourne will leave Denver’s defense in the past and roll up to the nice and accommodating Dallas unit that even let Tanner McKee cook a little last week. As a bonus, Joey Porter Jr. will likely grab plenty of time with Michael Wilson. Even in a disgraceful box score, Bourne still managed six targets. I think he’s a good volume bet here.
Caleb Douglas, MIA — $4,100 – With the caveat that it’s only been three games … Douglas has gone over 70 yards twice in those three games and has two touchdowns. He left early in his dud against the 49ers with the ankle injury that sidelined him for the better part of a month. The Patriots – granted this is influenced a bit by Christian Gonzalez missing time with a shoulder injury – are 29th in DVOA allowed to opposing No. 1 wideouts.
JJa’Kobi Lane, BAL — $3,400 – Another 3/25 game with five more targets despite Lamar Jackson not playing. I will keep recommending him as if Lamar Jackson will be playing. Eventually Lamar Jackson will play. (Right?) Then we’ll see if my recommendation is good or not. (Also, you definitely want players in a game with a 54.5 over/under.)
▶ Tight ends
Brenton Strange, JAX — $4,000 – Strange now has 23 targets in his last three games, and while he hasn’t scored since Week 1, he’s a good volume bet. The tight end landscape this year is dire enough that I think we have to play the volume bets after we escape the top five.
Chig Okonkwo, WAS — $3,800 – The Chigassance, Getting Chiggy With It, call it what you will – I call it a reasonable volume tight end now becoming the second-most important player in the passing game now that Terry McLaurin is sidelined. And it’s not like Stefon Diggs has been wildly healthy this year, either. Okonkwo should be another beneficiary of McLaurin’s absence and should threaten TE1 status against the Eagles this week.
