We have reached the bye big week of the season. Six teams are out of action this week and there's a good chance your roster has some holes in it. It also doesn't get better. Next week another six teams will be on the bye too. In my rankings this week I'll pay attention to bench players who can be used as fill-in options and waiver-wire grabs that can be streamers this week.
BYE WEEK: Baltimore, Los Angeles, Miami, New York Giants, Pittsburgh, San Francisco
Note: Randall Cobb is OUT today.
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent |
1 | Julio Jones | ATL | GB |
2 | A.J. Green | CIN | WAS |
3 | Mike Evans | TB | OAK |
4 | Larry Fitzgerald | ARI | @CAR |
5 | Brandon Marshall | NYJ | @CLE |
6 | T.Y. Hilton | IND | KC |
7 | DeAndre Hopkins | HOU | DET |
8 | Amari Cooper | OAK | @TB |
9 | Randall Cobb | GB | @ATL |
10 | Marvin Jones | DET | @HOU |
11 | Doug Baldwin | SEA | @NO |
12 | Allen Robinson | JAC | @TEN |
13 | Michael Crabtree | OAK | @TB |
14 | Emmanuel Sanders | DEN | SD |
15 | Julian Edelman | NE | @BUF |
16 | Brandin Cooks | NO | SEA |
17 | Jordy Nelson | GB | @ATL |
18 | Demaryius Thomas | DEN | SD |
19 | Kelvin Benjamin | CAR | ARI |
20 | Dez Bryant | DAL | PHI |
21 | Ty Montgomery | GB | @ATL |
22 | Terrelle Pryor | CLE | NYJ |
23 | Jordan Matthews | PHI | @DAL |
24 | Golden Tate | DET | @HOU |
25 | Stefon Diggs | MIN | @CHI |
26 | Alshon Jeffery | CHI | MIN |
27 | Jamison Crowder | WAS | @CIN |
28 | Will Fuller | HOU | DET |
29 | Michael Thomas | NO | SEA |
30 | Willie Snead | NO | SEA |
31 | Cameron Meredith | CHI | MIN |
32 | Davante Adams | GB | @ATL |
33 | Jeremy Maclin | KC | @IND |
34 | Donte Moncrief | IND | KC |
35 | Quincy Enunwa | NYJ | @CLE |
36 | Tyrell Williams | SD | @DEN |
37 | Brandon LaFell | CIN | WAS |
38 | DeSean Jackson | WAS | @CIN |
39 | Cole Beasley | DAL | PHI |
40 | Anquan Boldin | DET | @HOU |
41 | Micahel Floyd | ARI | @CAR |
42 | Mohamed Sanu | ATL | GB |
43 | Pierre Garcon | WAS | @CIN |
44 | Allen Hurns | JAC | @TEN |
45 | Travis Benjamin | SD | @DEN |
46 | Marquise Lee | JAC | @TEN |
47 | Cordarrelle Patterson | MIN | @CHI |
48 | John Brown | ARI | @CAR |
49 | Marquise Goodwin | BUF | NE |
50 | Rishard Matthews | TEN | JAC |
Ty Montgomery - Hopefully you picked this guy up already and if you haven't... claim him right now! In a week where six teams are on the bye, Montgomery boasts extreme value. He is a receiver, Green Bay's starting running back and can be placed in a RB or WR slot. He has exploded on the scene in the last two weeks recording ten catches a game and last week he also carried the ball nine times for 60 yards. With Lacy and Starks out it is clear that Green Bay trusts none of the backs they brought in and are running the ball minimally, but when they do Montgomery is going to be the one who gets the carries. He's like Dexter McCluster, except he's a lot better. Oh and the Falcons have allowed the second-most receptions to RBs in the league, Montgomery is just screaming at you to put him in. I would be too if I'm shaping up to be a PPR goldmine.
Donte Moncrief - Moncrief should finally be back form injury this week and he will become much-needed help to Andrew Luck. All season Luck has been trying so hard to win games single handedly for the Colts. His defense is just average and his offensive line is so bad they're on pace to have Luck sacked around 60 times this season. But regardless of it all he's playing some of his best ball ever. Through seven games he has 2,074 yards and 14 passing touchdowns. But he could use some more help because all he has at receiver right now are Hilton and Jack Doyle. He's going to love having a reliable target in Moncrief back and he should have immediate impact to help give this offense more of an edge.
Golden Tate - Here is what I said last week about Tate:
"I think Tate should continue to be monitored in terms of production. Don't worry I have you covered, I'll keep an eye on him for you."
I'm a man of my word and I have monitored him. In last week's game Tate played in 44 snaps, his second lowest total of the season. But he garnered 12 targets, his highest of the season. He was targeted on 27% of the snaps he played, which is higher than the consistent 10-12% he experienced Weeks 1-5. He now has 22 targets in the last two weeks and seven of those in the red zone. The data shows that the Lions are finally started to incorporate Tate back into their offense (it took them long enough). Long story short, I am abolishing my "Don't Start Tate" clause because I can't argue with the upward trend. He's a low WR2 this week against a tough Houston defense.
Davante Adams - As explained with Montgomery, this Packers team is very hesitant to run the ball with their RB staff banged up. He's more of a boom-bust candidate each week considering there are other more capable receivers are on GB. But Aaron Rodgers has the green light to throw the ball on practically every play so Adams has good upside as a flex option.
Have questions about who to start/sit? Ask me on Twitter @NickPetraccione.