He had an extra week to study, but Lamar Jackson passed his biggest test yet with flying colors, welcoming a schedule-softened Patriots Defense back to earth while recalibrating the AFC playoff picture. Not even the master Bill Belichick had an answer for Jackson on the ground, sulkily stalking the sideline as L-Jax rushed for 16/61/2. Jackson’s running scores came on a three-yard read option and rugged one-yard keeper. The highlight was a weaving 11-yard scramble where Jackson fit through one impossibly small crevice after another before literally throwing center Matt Skura ahead of him for a block.
If Jackson was doing stuff you don’t usually see quarterbacks do on the ground, the same was true through the air: He completed a mere 17 passes. In general, it would be almost impossible to defeat Tom Brady with only 17 completions. Jackson now has just 26 over his past two starts, re-writing how a quarterback can win games at the NFL level … for now. It is still hard to believe that will be sufficient for Jackson come playoff time, especially in a rematch with these same Patriots.
Jackson would be helped by a healthier supporting cast. Mark Andrews has finally stopped missing practice reps, but the same is not true for Marquise Brown. Jackson’s legs are dangerous whether he’s facing Bill Belichick or the Miami Dolphins. They are downright unstoppable when paired with a viable deep-passing game. It’s been weeks since the Ravens had one.
A unique player the league is struggling to make sense of — the greatest coach of all time included — Jackson has already proven capable of ebbing and flowing with what his opponents throw at him. Since the passing theatrics of Weeks 1-2, it’s been the running heroics of Weeks 3-9. They should come together against the overmatched Bengals in Week 10 before another plus Week 11 spot in the Texans. Then it’s a gauntlet of Rams, 49ers, Bills. Jackson’s status has been settled in fantasy: Elite QB1. In “real life,” both he and his foes’ continued evolution will be one of the stories of the year.
Five Week 9 Storylines
Tom Brady continues to look ordinary vs. Ravens. Perhaps the most unremarked upon aspect of the Patriots’ soft schedule was how little Brady was doing with it. That remained the case Sunday, with Brady being held to one or zero passing touchdowns for the third time in four games. He has eclipsed two aerial scores only two times all season. By no reasonable standard has Brady been “bad.” He’s also had precious few shootouts to pad his stats. But this is not the Brady we got even last season, with his completion percentage, YPA and touchdown rate all checking in notably lower. Again, this is with an historically soft schedule. That will not remain the case following the Patriots’ Week 10 bye, with Philadelphia, Dallas, Houston and Kansas City on the docket. Perhaps those better opponents will revive Brady in fantasy by increasing the Patriots’ need to throw. Or maybe, at age 42 without Rob Gronkowski, this is who Brady is now.
Jacoby Brissett injures knee vs. Steelers. Brissett made it only 15 snaps before departing with an MCL issue in what would prove to be a costly loss for the Colts. If there’s good news, it’s that Brissett did try to get loose on the sideline before getting ruled out for the day. Most signs point toward a week-to-week ailment. Even if Brissett could go in a playoff-type situation, he figures to sit out this week’s exhibition tuneup with the Dolphins. The Jets might not be able to handle Brian Flores’ perpetual motion tanking machine, but Frank Reich will be. Beyond that, a knee issue would be worrisome for a player who doesn’t scramble much but does excel at extending plays with his legs. Even were Brissett to face the Dolphins, he would be doing so without T.Y. Hilton (calf). Look elsewhere for Week 10 streaming.
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Jaylen Samuels piles up 21 touches vs. Colts, including 13 catches. Stealing the show opposite Brissett’s Colts was Samuels, who had his second eight-reception performance in three games. We know once and for all what the Steelers think of H-back Samuels as a runner: They don’t. Even with Benny Snell (knee) joining James Conner (shoulder) on the shelf, practice squad-type Trey Edmunds took the lead on the ground with 12/73. Fantasy players can still feel free to lean on Samuels as an RB2 in Conner’s absence, as Samuels’ targets are simply an extension of the running game with Mason Rudolph under center. The Steelers have made it abundantly clear they will not be opening up the playbook under their No. 2 quarterback. Samuels is the odds-on favorite to lead the team in targets vs. the Rams.
Adam Thielen aggravates hamstring injury vs. Chiefs. The Vikings billed Thielen’s hamstring as so minor that they cultivated the impression he almost played on four days rest in Week 8. Flash forward 10 days, and he could only make it seven plays in Kansas City before departing with an aggravation. Just as it’s not the crime but the coverup, it’s not the initial hamstring injury but the flareup. Thielen is now all but certain to miss extended time, perhaps as many as 2-3 contests. That should be good news for Stefon Diggs’ targets, if not his defensive attention, though he managed just four in Kansas City. Behind Diggs remains an undesirable, unpredictable hodgepodge for fantasy purposes.
Gardner Minshew gives Nick Foles his job back. With a three-turnover fourth quarter meltdown in London, Minshew ensured there would be no quarterback controversy coming out of the Jaguars’ Week 10 bye. Plucky though he’s been, Minshew heads into the open date with just one multi-score performance in his past four starts. Although he had been avoiding interceptions before Sunday, Minshew had been putting the ball on the ground with fumbles. Minshew has announced his presence as an NFL quarterback. The 4-5 Jaguars would be better off sticking with him through the end of the season to see the full extent of what they found in the sixth round, but there are $50 million reasons they won’t do so. The mustached one can be safely dropped in two-quarterback leagues. [[ad:athena]]
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