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) Le’Veon Bell, RB PIT
Since he returned from a three-game suspension at the beginning of the season, Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell has been on an absolute tear, putting up at least 100 total yards in nine of ten games this season. Entering Week Fourteen, Bell was riding a three-game streak of at least 118 rushing yards in each and in rough Buffalo conditions, it seemed obvious the Steelers offense would lean heavily on their star back. Bell set a new team record for rushing yards in a single game with 236. On top of that massive yardage, he added three rushing touchdowns and 62 receiving yards for a huge 50+ fantasy point game in most scoring formats. Bell’s greatness cannot be argued, but his off-field issues and multiple leg injuries have had some dynasty players questioning his value. With the numbers he’s been putting up though, it will be very difficult to keep him out of the first round of new dynasty drafts this off-season.
2) Tyreek Hill, WR KC
With veteran WR Jeremy Maclin due back for the Chiefs, there was some concern that the recent hot streak being enjoyed by rookie WR Tyreek Hill could come to an end. Instead, Hill continued to flourish in last week’s matchup against the Raiders. Hill caught six passes for 66 yards and a touchdown, and added another touchdown on special teams. Hill is simply an electric player with a bright future. Over the past eight weeks, Hill is the WR in PPR leagues, behind only Antonio Brown, Mike Evans, Davante Adams and Jordy Nelson in leagues that reward special teams touchdowns, which is clearly a major boost for Hill.
3) Zach Ertz, TE PHI
After an early season rib injury and then a slow return to the field, no tight end has been more productive than the Eagles Zach Ertz in recent weeks. Ertz is now the TE11 on the season, despite really only getting back to full strength in Week Nine. Since that time, Ertz is the TE1, averaging nearly 16 fantasy points and ten targets per game. Despite the high level of play, Ertz continues to be underrated and undervalued, barely cracking the top ten TEs in recent dynasty average draft position data.
4) Emmanuel Sanders, WR DEN
Speaking of underrated players, Denver’s veteran WR Emmanuel Sanders is annually one of the most underappreciated players around the league. This year, Sanders ranks as the WR10, one spot ahead of his teammate Demaryius Thomas. Last week, Sanders had another huge game, matching a career-high with 11 receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown against the Titans. The Broncos offense has struggled overall this season in their first year with Trevor Siemian under center. At 29 years old, Sanders won’t gain much value, no matter how well he plays, so he’s the type of player dynasty owners should take advantage of this gap in the market.
5) Ty Montgomery, RB/WR GB
This has been a roller coaster of a season for Packers WR turned RB Ty Montgomery. After injuries to Eddie Lacy and James Starks pushed Montgomery into the backfield, he quickly become a PPR star, catching and running the ball and racking up the yards. Despite his success there, the Packers moved back to Starks once he was healthy and also claimed former Seahawk Christine Michael. Both have underwhelmed and Montgomery is once again getting carries. Montgomery is now listed as the primary backup behind Starks, but he is expected to get plenty of work and is once again seeing his dynasty value rise.
6) Taylor Gabriel, WR ATL
In Week Eight, the Falcons lost TE Jacob Tamme to what would be a season-ending injury. Tamme had been serving primary as the team’s third leading pass-catcher behind starting WR Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu. With backup TE Austin Hooper in his rookie year and not quite ready to contribute at that level, former Browns WR Taylor Gabriel has stepped up. Since Tamme’s injury, Gabriel is the WR11, outscoring the superstar Jones, who missed last week’s game with a foot injury. I’m not sure Gabriel will be a long-term option in dynasty leagues, but at just 25 years old, he certainly has the potential.
7) Jermaine Gresham, TE ARZ
Since the Cardinals bye five weeks ago, QB Carson Palmer has been making use of the tight end position for the first time in recent memory. With many of the team’s WRs struggling with injuries, Palmer has been peppering TE Jermaine Gresham with consistent weekly targets. Although Gresham has not had a true breakout game, with a high at just 14.5 fantasy points over the past five games, he has been a consistent fantasy scorer and ranks as the TE9 over the past five weeks. Gresham has little long-term value beyond this season, but could be an option for fantasy teams still pushing for a league championship.
8) Robby Anderson, WR NYJ
Jets second-year QB Bryce Petty has made two starts since the team benched veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick for the second time this season and in both games, he has focused heavily on rookie WR Robby Anderson, rather than veteran WR Brandon Marshall or this season’s breakout Quincy Enunwa. Over those two games, Anderson is the WR9 in PPR leagues, scoring nearly 17 fantasy points per game and seeing a total of 23 targets. Considering his previous season-high was just six opportunities, this is a major jump for the unheralded rookie. This is clearly a team in need of a major overhaul and while Petty is unlikely to earn a regular spot in next season’s lineup, Anderson could be doing just that.
Others considered: T.Y. Hilton, Tom Brady, Kenneth Dixon, Malcolm Mitchell, Travis Kelce, Latavius Murray, Marqise Lee, Trey Burton, Pierre Garcon, Demaryius Thomas, A.J. Derby, Andrew Luck, David Johnson, LeSean McCoy, Dontrelle Inman, Tyrell Williams, Tyler Eifert, Jordan Howard, Carlos Hyde, Kenny Britt
Cold List:
1) Kelvin Benjamin, WR CAR
After just two weeks of NFL action, Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin was the top overall WR. Now, he’s been inside the top 28 weekly WR scorers just once over the past 13 weeks, and over the past two contests, he hasn’t even finished inside the top 80 WRs. As the team’s Week Fourteen game drew to a close, a Panthers beat writer suggested it appeared Benjamin had been benched and while HC Ron Rivera denied that report, it doesn’t even make much difference considering how Benjamin has been playing. He hasn’t broken 60 receiving yards or had more than three catches in any one game over the past month and speedster Ted Ginn is easily outproducing him on a weekly basis. Even second-year flop Devin Funchess seems to be earning looks over Benjamin. For whatever reason, Benjamin still has more than his share of believers in dynasty leagues and it might be a good time to pawn him off on one of those in your league.
2) Michael Floyd, WR NE
Things were already not going well for Cardinals WR Michael Floyd, who has dealt with injuries and inconsistency all season, one that most projected would be his final year in Arizona, as he is set to be a free agent following the season. Floyd’s best weekly rank this season is a WR25 game back in Week Ten, but he has seven games outside of the top 40 weekly scorers. Things got even worse following the Cardinals Week Fourteen game after Floyd was arrested and charged with a DUI. By mid-week, the Cardinals had opted to part ways with Floyd, who also had issues with alcohol in college, and the New England Patriots later claimed him. While many dynasty players think the Patriots can do no wrong, I’m not sure this changes Floyd’s value all that much. I would be using this as a chance to sell the former Cardinal.
3) Donte Moncrief, WR IND
While Colts WR Donte Moncrief had not been producing impressive numbers as far as receptions or yardage, he had been a consistent touchdown producer in the Indy offense. While that is nice for dynasty owners, it stings even more when he fails to find the end zone, as was the case in Week Fourteen. Not only did Moncrief not score, he failed to even make a catch and was then forced to leave the game with a leg injury. This game serves as a reminder that Moncrief’s weekly ceiling may be high, but his floor is also quite low.
4) Jay Ajayi, RB MIA
After a pair of consecutive 200 rushing yard games earlier in the season, Dolphins RB Jay Ajayi saw his dynasty value skyrocket, rightfully so. Since that time though, Ajayi has not lived up to the hype. After finishing as a top six RB for three straight weeks, Ajayi has now failed to crack the top 15 since Week Nine. The Dolphins have faced some tough rush defenses in recent weeks, including Baltimore, Arizona and Los Angeles, so it is reasonable to use this recent struggle as one final chance to buy low on the Dolphins back.
5) Mike Wallace, WR BAL
Earlier in the season, WR Mike Wallace was looking like one of the steals of the off-season, regularly posting top 20 finishes and serving as the deep threat Ravens QB Joe Flacco needed. Over the past five weeks though, Wallace has failed to finish in that WR2 range, sporting weekly finishes of WR39, WR38, WR57, WR27 and WR44. When dynasty owners need him most, Wallace is reverting to his low volume play that we’ve seen in recent years with Miami and Minnesota. Wallace is a weekly boom/bust player and his dynasty value in very unstable as the off-season nears.
Others considered: Terrance West, Spencer Ware, Allen Robinson, Laquon Treadwell, Devontae Booker, Tajae Sharpe, Brock Osweiler, Phillip Dorsett, Cam Newton, Terrelle Pryor, Colin Kaepernick, Brandon Marshall, Drew Brees, Mark Ingram, Austin Hooper, Randall Cobb, James Starks, Sterling Shepard
