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 league mates do.
Hot List:
1) Kirk Cousins, QB and Niles Paul, TE - Redskins
You probably expected the Redskins to produce a top ten quarterback and tight end at the fantasy position, but did you expect it to be these guys? With former starters Robert Griffin III and Jordan Reed injured, Kirk Cousins and Niles Paul have stepped in and are posting some highly impressive numbers. Although it is a very small sample size, Cousins is QB2 over the two games he’s started for the team, behind only Andrew Luck. Meanwhile, Paul replaced Reed early in Week One and is TE7 this season and he’s even better when paired with Cousins- TE4 over the past two weeks. We’re unsure when either Griffin III or Reed will return, but it’s safe to say they won’t be rushed back to the field.
2) Lorenzo Taliaferro, RB - Ravens
Clearly, the Ravens running back situation has been a disaster this season. Just a year ago, they had a duo that was viewed as one of the best in the game with an in his prime stud Ray Rice and a solid looking youngster Bernard Pierce. Now, Rice and gone and Pierce can’t stay on the field. Even when he does, it’s not that impressive. Veteran scat back Justin Forsett even took over the lead role already this season, but now, we’re seeing rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro get his shot and he ran with it! In his first action of the season, Taliaferro carried 19 times for 91 yards and found the end zone for his first career touchdown. It’s not clear how the carries will break down once Pierce returns, but the Ravens can’t feel safe with him as their starter.
3) Blake Bortles, QB - Jaguars
Blake Bortles was QB15 last week in his NFL debut. Oh, did I mention he played only the second half? Bortles totaled 223 yards and two scores airing it out while getting blown out by the Colts. He even added 30 rushing yards. After the game, Bortles was named the starter going forward and you can expect many more blowout losses as the team a whole is often overmatched. The great news for fantasy players is that Bortles will be throwing a ton as game flow will dictate and with a nice group of wide receivers, Bortles should quickly see his dynasty value rise.
4) John Brown, WR - Cardinals
Everyone knows the Arizona Cardinals top two wide receivers, Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd, but the only receiver to score a touchdown for the Cardinals this year is rookie John Brown, who scored twice in Week Three to lead the team. Brown won’t ever eclipse Floyd in terms of dynasty value or being the team’s top receiving threat, but that doesn’t mean he won’t have standalone value of his own. With Fitzgerald clearly slowing down and the Cardinals happily airing it out, Brown will be a solid WR3 or flex play in a pinch.
5) Bishop Sankey, RB - Titans
After the Tennessee Titans drafted running back Bishop Sankey, he quickly vaulted to the top of most dynasty player rookie running back rankings and rightfully so, considering the need the Titans had at the position. They had just parted ways with http://www.nbcsports.com/edge/player/NFL/6528/Chris-Johnsonhttp://www.nbcsports.com/edge/player/NFL/4743/Chris-JohnsonChris Johnson and were left with veteran Shonn Greene. The team wasn’t ready to just hand Sankey the job though, so throughout pre-season and the early part of the regular season, Greene has handled the majority of running back touches. We may be seeing the transition though as in Week Three, Sankey matched Greene’s total of ten carries and nearly doubled his yardage with 61. The tide is turning, so I hope you already have your Sankey shares.
Others considered: Teddy Bridgewater, Andrew Luck, Emmanuel Sanders, Allen Robinson, Knile Davis, Jordan Matthews, Kelvin Benjamin, Jeremy Maclin
Cold List:
1) Ryan Tannehill, QB - Dolphins, Geno Smith, QB - Jets and Jake Locker, QB - Titans
The trio of AFC starting quarterbacks have just three wins total and are already on the hot seat, according to multiple reports. In Miami, head coach Joe Philbin was hesitant to name a starter for this week’s matchup against the Raiders before Ryan Tannehill himself announced he’d keep his job for the time being. After Geno Smith struggled on the Monday Night Football stage, rumors began circulating that the team could turn to Michael Vick. Finally in Tennessee, Jake Locker is dealing with an injury along with some calling for his job. While each of these seem to just be in the rumor stage for now, turning from a young quarterback to players like Matt Moore, Vick or Charlie Whitehurst is an ominous sign and one the team couldn’t come back from. Each of these players are seeing their dynasty value and their team’s confidence in them bottom out.
2) Keenan Allen, WR - Chargers
In San Diego, we are not seeing the same Keenan Allen who lit up the league during his rookie season a year ago. In fact, it seems the Chargers are glad to run the ball and feed their tight ends as much as possible. Currently, Allen sits outside of the top 60 wide receivers in PPR leagues and if he can’t get lose for some big plays this week against the lowly Jaguars, his dynasty value will dip even more.
3) Montee Ball, RB - Broncos
With last year’s starter Knowshon Moreno now in Miami, the Broncos’ running back job was handed to second year man Montee Ball and the expectations were sky high. Dynasty owners were practically assigning Moreno’s stat line to Ball before the season even began. It’s no surprise than that he has disappointed three weeks in, currently sitting as a low end RB2. Part of this could be on the offense as a whole. The team is averaging 25 points per game, over 12 points lower than their 2013 average weekly output.
4) Vincent Jackson, WR - Buccaneers
Another struggling offense resides in Tampa. Division rival Atlanta embarrassed the Bucs last Thursday night. If you can’t be ready to play a rivalry game in front of a national audience, there might not be much hope. One of the biggest disappointments for Tampa Bay is veteran wide receiver Vincent Jackson. After another outstanding season a year ago, Jackson has just ten receptions on the season and has yet to crack double-digit fantasy points in any one game. This week, the Bucs will turn to a new starter at quarterback, Mike Glennon. After building a good rapport a season ago, this could actually be good news for Jackson. If he still can’t turn it around alongside Glennon, it may be time to dump your VJax dynasty shares.
5) Eddie Lacy, RB - Packers
Like Ball, Packers’ running back Eddie Lacy was being early in dynasty startup drafts and yearly leagues alike and has led all fantasy players to throw their remote controls. After a Week One concussion forced him from the game, Lacy was able to return in Week Two, but failed to produce and Week Three was another repeat poor performance. The one piece of good news for Lacy owners and Packers fans is it’s likely Lacy won’t face a tougher defense again this year than the three he’s seen to open the season- the Seahawks, Jets and Lions. Coming up this week, Lacy gets the Bears, before facing the Vikings and Dolphins, so he could turn things around over the next few weeks.
Others considered: http://www.nbcsports.com/edge/player/NFL/6528/Chris-Johnsonhttp://www.nbcsports.com/edge/player/NFL/4743/Chris-JohnsonChris Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Torrey Smith, Eric Ebron, Dennis Pitta, http://www.nbcsports.com/edge/player/NFL/5568/Mike-Williamshttp://www.nbcsports.com/edge/player/NFL/3124/Mike-WilliamsMike Williams, Jermaine Gresham, Robert Woods, http://www.nbcsports.com/edge/player/NFL/6681/Charles-ClayCharles Clay, Heath Miller
