We are now over a month into this NFL season! We must focus on the top takeaways now that we have film and statistics to study. No longer can we rest on our offseason takes of who will succeed and who will fail. We now have a reasonably large sample size of NFL football. The fantasy season will move quickly, and in a dynasty, it is essential to acquire players before they break out or unload players before they falter. We can lead our team to a fantasy football title by focusing on weekly top takeaways!
Chase Redeems Himself
Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase returned to Louisiana for the first time since their 2019 national title run with LSU. Once we saw Burrow walking in wearing Chase’s college jersey, we knew Ja’Marr was in for a big game. And a big game he had, he finished with ten targets which he converted into seven receptions for 132 yards and a pair of scores. This included a 60-yard touchdown where Chase did most of the work after the catch. Chase hasn’t broken 100 yards since Week 1; this was his first touchdown since Week 3.
The other positive sign out of this game was Tee Higgins. After playing only five snaps last week, Higgins got a full game this week. This included ten targets that he converted into six receptions for 47 yards. Not a dominant performance, but certainly better than the doughnut he put up last week.
Jacoby Back To His True Form
After praising Jacoby Brissett as a serviceable fantasy QB2, he is finally showing his true colors. Brissett had multiple turnovers in Cleveland’s 38-15 loss Sunday to the New England Patriots. This included two interceptions and two fumbles, one of which was lost. His final passing line was 21/45 for 266 yards and one touchdown. He also took four sacks during the game.
The Cleveland Browns’ offense was ground to a halt on Sunday. Bill Belichick has owned Cleveland since his departure, and that trend continued this past week. Cleveland’s running back duo of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt were held to 16 carries for 68 yards, a far departure from the past few weeks where both were good for five-plus yards per carry. The Browns now face another seven weeks before Deshaun Watson makes his debut, and it will feel like a very long time for dynasty managers with any Browns on their rosters.
J.K. Dobbins Disappearing Act
J.K. Dobbins has been highly disappointing for dynasty managers so far in 2022. This past Sunday, a 24 – 20 loss to the New York Giants was no different. Kenyan Drake signed with the Baltimore Ravens on August 31 and has seen a much more significant role than any fantasy analyst could have predicted. This culminated on Sunday with a stat line of ten carries for 119 yards, while Dobbins only saw seven carries which he turned into 15 yards.
It does not get any better for Dobbins moving forward. Gus Edwards is slated to make his return very shortly. Depending on how healthy Edwards looks, he can quickly carve out a role for himself in this offense. We also cannot forget that Lamar Jackson will constantly take away carries and catches from the running back room with his legs. Dynasty managers can do nothing but hold onto Dobbins for the time being. His value is way too low to trade.
Kenny Pickett Concussion
The 1-4 Pittsburgh Steelers upset Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past Sunday. The final score was 20-18, but starting quarterback Kenny Pickett wasn’t out there for the final drive. He wasn’t even out there for the second half. Pickett suffered a concussion in the first half of the game after an excellent start. When he went down, he was 11/18 for 67 yards and a touchdown.
Due to the recent spotlight on the NFL’s concussion protocol, there is a genuine possibility that Pickett may miss next week’s game. Ironically enough, the Steelers have the center of that controversy, the Miami Dolphins, next up on their schedule. If Pickett were to miss, Mitch Trubisky would be slated to make another start. Trubisky finished Sunday’s contest 9/12 for 144 yards. With Trubisky back under center, rookie George Pickens saw a decline in targets. Something to keep in mind as you make start/sit decisions next week.
Information is the most powerful tool any dynasty fantasy football manager possesses. If you can stay on top of the correct information more than your league-mates, you will come out on top. The AFC North is home to many fantasy-relevant players. Be sure to check back with us, as we will be breaking down takeaways from every division this week. And be sure to come back next week, as we will be doing the same for all 18 weeks of the 2022 NFL season!
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I hope you enjoyed this piece in our Winning With Vegas series. For more content like this, follow me on Twitter @DanT_NFL. DMs are always open for any questions, comments, or craft beer recommendations!
