The Hot Sheet looks at which top prospects are excelling and which ones are struggling on a week-to-week basis. The consensus top-flight players may not always appear on this list because we are trying to help you find the next group of breakout players before your leaguemates do.
The value of the players mentioned on the Hot List is rising, thanks to their performance on the field. On the other hand, Cold List players are struggling, and losing dynasty value as a result.
Hot List:
1) Marvin Jones, WR DET
Past Four Weekly Fantasy Finishes:
Week Five- WR27
Week Six- WR4
Week Eight- WR10
Week Nine- WR2
Lions WR Marvin Jones sits at a respectable rank of WR16 on the season, but just as he enjoyed the hottest of hot streaks to begin the 2016 season, he’s again on a heater over the past few games. Over the past four games, Jones is the WR1 based on average points per game, scoring three touchdowns and twice eclipsing the 100-yard barrier. Unlike last season, the “other” Lions WR Golden Tate is also performing at a high level, ranking as the WR5 over the past four games. This bodes well for Jones and Tate to continue the production. Another factor in their favor is the lack of success the Lions are experiencing in the running game. Starter Ameer Abdullah and pass-catching RB Theo Riddick have both underperformed this year as the Lions currently rank fourth-worst in the league with less than 80 rushing yards per game.
2) Alvin Kamara, RB NO
Past Four Weekly Fantasy Finishes:
Week Six- RB21
Week Seven- RB11
Week Eight- RB9
Week Nine- RB1
What an awesome year for rookie running backs. This off-season, dynasty players were fighting over the likes of Leonard Fournette, Dalvin Cook, Christian McCaffrey and Joe Mixon. Those four have had varying levels of success this year and Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt quickly showed that he belonged in the conversation. It has taken a bit longer, but Saints rookie RB Alvin Kamara has crashed the party with his recent string of production and now the top group of rookie RBs includes six players. Since the Saints trade of Adrian Peterson to Arizona, Kamara ranks as the RB9 based on average fantasy points per game at over 19 per. The Saints can always be counted on for producing a heavy dose of fantasy points from the RB position and there is little reason to see Kamara slowing down.
3) Jared Cook, TE OAK
Past Four Weekly Fantasy Finishes:
Week Six- TE33
Week Seven- TE5
Week Eight- TE10
Week Nine- TE1
The Raiders acquisition of veteran RB Marshawn Lynch drew all of the attention this past off-season, but the addition of TE Jared Cook has had the bigger impact on the field. Cook is quietly the TE7 on the season and is really stepping up lately, scoring as the TE3 over the past three games, including his huge performance on Sunday Night Football in Week Nine when he led all TEs in fantasy scoring. With the Raiders running game struggling, as well as inconsistency from WR Amari Cooper, Cook should continue to play a big role going forward. Cook’s dynasty value is somewhat limited by his 30-year-old age, but he should be a safe investment for the next two seasons.
4) Dak Prescott, QB DAL
Past Four Weekly Fantasy Finishes:
Week Five- QB2
Week Seven- QB3
Week Eight- QB24
Week Nine- QB3
There’s little left to say about Dallas QB Dak Prescott at this point, who is the QB4 in a season of high-scoring fantasy games from the quarterback position, including breakouts from Carson Wentz and Deshaun Watson and most surprising of all, a career-year from Alex Smith. Prescott has held his own and scoffs at the idea of a sophomore slump. Prescott has picked up where he left off a year ago, except this time, dynasty owners seem to finally be buying into him as a long-term fantasy starter. Prescott is in the conversation to be considered the top overall dynasty QB.
5) Carlos Hyde, RB SF
Past Four Weekly Fantasy Finishes:
Week Six- RB6
Week Seven- RB18
Week Eight- RB29
Week Nine- RB5
The 49ers were already hurting for playmakers and recently lost their top WR Pierre Garcon. Anytime a player misses time due to an injury, that provides another player with opportunity. In this case, the beneficiary looks to be San Francisco RB Carlos Hyde, who saw a new career-high of 11 targets. The winless 49ers will clearly need to continue passing the ball to even attempt to stay competitive in the season’s second-half and the idea of Hyde as the team’s top receiver is a very real possibility. Hyde now ranks second among all RBs with 57 targets and third with 40 receptions.
Other players considered: Devin Funchess, Jacoby Brissett, Jeremy Maclin, Carson Wentz, Tyler Kroft, Jared Goff, Evan Engram, Russell Wilson, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, Tyrod Taylor, Kenyan Drake, Robby Anderson, Mark Ingram, Jimmy Graham
Cold List:
1) Devonta Freeman, RB ATL
Past Four Weekly Fantasy Finishes:
Week Six- RB27
Week Seven- RB19
Week Eight- RB38
Week Nine- RB23
We all expected some regressing from the Falcons offense after their Super Bowl run a season ago, but starting RB Devonta Freeman gave fantasy players hope after the season’s opening month. From Weeks One through Four, Freeman was the RB6, averaging over 18 fantasy points per game. Since Atlanta’s Week Five bye, Freeman is just the RB32 based on average points per game. Freeman continues to deal with his big-play threat teammate, RB Tevin Coleman, but his recent performance is more about the Falcons overall struggles. Freeman remains a valuable dynasty asset, but may no longer be a “no brainer” weekly starter.
2) C.J. Anderson, RB DEN
Past Four Weekly Fantasy Finishes:
Week Six- RB61
Week Seven- RB36
Week Eight- RB26
Week Nine- RB61
Another struggling team having a big impact on the running game is the Broncos, who seem to have no answer at the quarterback spot, which has put them behind in many games. This obviously impact the opportunity starting RB C.J. Anderson sees. In fact, when Anderson carries the ball at least 20 times this season, the Broncos are undefeated, but that hasn’t happened since Week Four. Anderson has just one touchdown on the season, which came in Week Tow, his only game this season in which he finished among the top 25 fantasy RBs.
3) John Ross, WR CIN
Past Four Weekly Fantasy Finishes:
Week Two- WR117
Week Eight- WR N/A (played with no stats)
The injury history of Bengals rookie WR John Ross has been well-documented, including multiple Meniscus tears, an ACL tear and a torn labrum. Ross even required microfracture surgery to repair one injury during his college career. This didn’t stop the Bengals from investing a top ten pick on the record-breaking speedster, nor did it slow fantasy players from using their own first-round rookie pick. Through nine weeks, Ross has only played in two games, has seen just one target and has a lost fumble. Ross has predictably missed time due to an injury and even when he is ready to play, has been a healthy scratch at time, playing behind Cody Core. It’s too soon to completely give up on a first-round WR, but considering the Bengals are known to draft based on name value anyway, it doesn’t give dynasty players much confidence.
4) Jordy Nelson, WR GB
Past Four Weekly Fantasy Finishes:
Week Five- WR34
Week Six- WR28
Week Seven- WR90
Week Nine- WR43
As ESPN’s Field Yates recently pointed out, Packers WR Jordy Nelson has been held under 40 receiving yards in consecutive games for the first time since the 2010 season, a testament to the obvious importance of QB Aaron Rodgers in the Green Bay offense. In fact, Nelson’s teammates Davante Adams and Randall Cobb could also land on this list as their production has been derailed by Rodgers broken collarbone. Since the injury, Nelson is the WR78, while Cobb (WR55) and Adams (WR53) have also been little help to fantasy players. These three are nearly unstartable, which also makes them excellent buy low targets with 2018 in mind.
5) Marcus Mariota, QB TEN
Past Four Weekly Fantasy Finishes:
Week Four- QB16
Week Six- QB13
Week Seven- QB24
Week Nine- QB17
As dynasty owners were ignoring QBs Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz this off-season, they were instead chasing Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota. Winston and the Bucs have taken a lot of heat this season, understandably so considering their disappointing record, but Mariota has also struggled, despite his team’s current division lead. Mariota has just one game finishing inside the top 12 weekly fantasy QBs and none since Week One. Mariota has displayed a relatively high floor, finishing no lower than QB24 in any game this year. He also still carries a great deal of dynasty value, despite his current QB22 rank, behind players like Blake Bortles and Jacoby Brissett, among many others.
Other players considered: DeMarco Murray, Jameis Winston, Brock Osweiler, Doug Martin, Sammy Watkins, Eddie Lacy, Donte Moncrief, Paul Perkins, Terrelle Pryor, Samaje Perine, Kareem Hunt, Brett Hundley, Randall Cobb, Aaron Jones, Davante Adams
