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Studs and Duds: Divisional Round

Mon Jan 22 9:38am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Kelce comes up big for Chiefs


Well, that was a lot better. The games were really good this weekend. Even the first one that ended up pretty lopsided. It was still good for the half. The rest of the games were really entertaining, though. Most of them were really back and forth, and could have gone to either team in the end. It made for some great entertainment. And the fantasy numbers weren’t too bad, either. There were some really big games this weekend. Hopefully, you were able to take advantage of some of those big games on all your playoff fantasy teams.

Ravens 34, Texans 10

Fantasy Stud: Lamar Jackson. Jackson proved why he is the front runner for MVP this year. He had a great game, going 16-of-22 for 152 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. He also led the team in rushing, hitting the 100-yard mark. Jackson ran 11 times for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson scored 37.6 fantasy points. He has 35-plus fantasy points three of five games

Fantasy Dud: C.J. Stroud. The Ravens did a great job of holding the impressive rookie in check. He did not score a touchdown in the game and failed to hit 200-passing yards. Stroud was 19-of-33 for 175 yards without a score or turnover. He still had a monster rookie season and is going to be one of the best fantasy quarterbacks for years to come.

Game Notes: Justice Hill had 13 carries for 66 yards, leading the Ravens in rushing for ar running back. He also caught two passes for 11 yards, finishing with 77 total yards.

Dalvin Cook made his Ravens debut and ran eight times for 23 yards. He got nearly all his work with the Ravens up big late in the game.

49ers 24, Packers 21

Fantasy Stud: Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey had his usual huge fantasy game. He ran 17 times for 98 yards and two touchdowns. He also had seven receptions for 30 yards. McCaffrey had 31.8 fantasy points. This was his fourth game this season with 30-plus fantasy points. McCaffrey just keeps posting huge numbers on a weekly basis

Fantasy Dud: Brandon Aiyuk. With Deebo Samuel sidelined much of the game, you thought Aiyuk might get a little more work. Well, that didn’t happen. Aiyuk was a disappointment to fantasy teams, catching just three passes for 32 yards. It was a down game for the star receiver.

Game Notes: Deebo Samuel injured his shoulder early in the game and was unable to return. He had two receptions for 24 yards. This is an injury to watch going forward. Samuel is a huge part of the 49ers offense.

Aaron Jones hit the 100-yard rushing mark. He had 18 carries for 108 yards. Jones finishes the season with five straight 100-yard games.

Lions 31, Bucs 23

Fantasy Stud: Jahmyr Gibbs. Gibbs had a big game rushing and receiving, showing his dual threat ability. He ran nine times for 74 yards and a touchdown. He also had four receptions for 40 yards, giving him 114 total yards and a score. Gibbs outproduced starter David Montgomery running the ball despite having one less carry.
  
Fantasy Dud: Chris Godwin. Godwin had one of his down games this week, catching four passes for 40 yards. He was up and down all season, so this shouldn’t be a huge surprise. Godwin still had a fine season but here is to hoping he can produce more consistent numbers next year.

Game Notes: Mike Evans had eight receptions for 147 yards and a touchdown. This was his fourth 100-yard game of the season. Evans had a huge season and shows few signs of slowing down.

Jared Goff continued his great play in the playoffs, going 30-of-43 for 287 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. He has 275-plus passing yards each of his two playoff games without a turnover.

Chiefs 27, Bills 24

Fantasy Stud: Travis Kelce. Kelce showed he can still play a big role in the playoffs. He had five receptions for 75 yards and two touchdowns. This was his first two-touchdown game of the entire season. It was the fourth time he topped 20 fantasy points in a game, though. Kelce scored 24.5 fantasy points in this one.
  
Fantasy Dud: Stefon Diggs. Diggs was held in check once again, catching three passes for just 21 yards. It was kind of the theme of the second half of his season. Diggs really disappeared down the stretch, causing some concern for next season.

Game Notes: Josh Allen was huge in defeat, especially as a runner. He ran 12 times for 72 yards and two touchdowns. He also was 26-of-39 for 186 yards and a touchdown.

Isiah Pacheco had a solid game, rushing 15 times for 97 yards and a touchdown. He had a catch for 14 yards, giving him 111 total yards.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Player Notes
John Ross May 23 3:20pm CT
John Ross

Veteran free-agent wide receiver John Ross signed with the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, according to NFL insider Ari Meirov. Ross announced his retirement from football last July, but he is attempting a return to action for the 2024 season. The former No. 9 overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals out of Washington famously broke Chris Johnson's 40-yard dash time at the 2017 NFL Combine with a 4.22 official run. That stood until the 2024 NFL Combine which saw Xavier Worthy post a 4.21 40-time. Despite his speed, Ross failed to make a significant impact in four years with the Bengals and one season with the New York Giants. Overall, he hauled in 62 passes for 957 yards and 11 touchdowns in 37 career games. Ross is likely a longshot to make the Eagles' 53-man roster, but he'll compete with veteran Parris Campbell and rookies Johnny Wilson and Ainias Smith to work behind star wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

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Greg Dulcich May 23 3:20pm CT
Greg Dulcich

Denver Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich (foot) is working off the field at OTAs as he works his way back from a foot injury, but head coach Sean Payton said he expects him to be ready for training camp later this summer. After a decent showing as a rookie in 2022, Dulcich was limited to just two games in 2023 and hauled in just three passes for 25 yards. He will likely compete with veteran tight end Adam Trautman for the lead tight end duties this offseason, but neither player figures to have much upside with rookie quarterback Bo Nix under center. That said, Dulcich remains an intriguing dynasty-league stash based on his strong prospect profile and small glimpse of upside in his debut season.

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Marvin Harrison Jr. May 23 3:10pm CT
Marvin Harrison Jr.

The Arizona Cardinals signed wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to his rookie deal on Thursday, the team announced on X. The deal includes $35.37 million over four years and a $22.5 million signing bonus. All money is guaranteed. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft is viewed as one of the best wide receiver prospects of all time, and he's expected to be a true No. 1 wide receiver for Kyler Murray from the jump. Harrison Jr. caught 144 passes for 2,474 yards and 28 touchdowns in his final two seasons at Ohio State and took home the 2023 Fred Biletnikoff Award, which is given to college football's most outstanding receiver each season. Despite having yet to play an NFL snap, Harrison Jr. is being selected as a top-ten fantasy wide receiver in high-stakes FFPC drafts.

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Jameson Williams May 23 2:00pm CT
Jameson Williams

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that wide receiver Jameson Williams is a "man on a mission" during offseason workouts this year. The head coach said Williams is the most improved player since the start of the spring. It's high praise for the 23-year-old former 12th overall pick in 2022 out of Ohio State. Williams was recovering from a torn ACL in his rookie campaign and played in just six games. He was suspended in 2023 and finished with 24 receptions, 354 yards and two touchdowns in 12 regular-season games (10 starts) in Year 2. Williams has lots of big-play ability and should have a bigger role in Detroit's offense in his third year in 2024, but there are a lot of mouths to feed and he should still be a distant No. 3 behind receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and stud tight end Sam LaPorta. He's worth a flier late in fantasy drafts as a potential breakout candidate.

From RotoBaller

Darius Slayton May 23 1:50pm CT
Darius Slayton

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll said that wide receiver Darius Slayton, who wants a new contract, hasn't been attending voluntary organized team activities this week. There has been no word on when Slayton is expected to rejoin the team. As long as Slayton doesn't stage a lengthy and damaging holdout this summer, the 27-year-old is likely to remain a starter in 2024, even after the club selected Malik Nabers sixth overall in the first round of this year's NFL draft. Slayton is entering the final year of his two-year contract and is seeking an extension. Even though he's likely to remain a starter, he's going to lose valuable targets to Nabers and last year's third-round pick, Jalin Hyatt. And it's not like Daniel Jones at quarterback gives fantasy managers tons of confidence. Slayton had a career-high 770 yards and four touchdowns on 50 receptions in 17 games (13 starts) last year.

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Darren Waller May 23 1:40pm CT
Darren Waller

New York Giants tight end Darren Waller, who has been contemplating retirement this offseason, has not been in attendance for the team's voluntary organized team activities this week, and there is no word on when he expects to join the team. All signs are pointing toward Waller hanging up his cleats after posting a disappointing 52 receptions for 552 yards and one touchdown on 74 targets in 12 starts in his first year in the Big Apple last year. The 31-year-old doesn't have any guarantees left on his contract, and the Giants could free up $11.625 million in salary cap space if he's a post-June 1 cut. He has missed at least five games due to injuries in each of the last three seasons. If Waller officially calls it quits, Daniel Bellinger figures to serve as the team's primary pass-catching tight end in 2024.

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Jayden Daniels May 23 1:30pm CT
Jayden Daniels

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson said that the team is planning to use more of a no-huddle offense this year under new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. The Commanders are going to have a new-look offense this year with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels taking over under center after the team traded Sam Howell to the Seattle Seahawks this offseason. Running back Brian Robinson also has new competition in the backfield in the form of do-it-all back Austin Ekeler. A faster pace for Washington's offense could be good for everyone involved, including Robinson, who finished his second season in 2023 with 733 rushing yards and five touchdowns in 15 games played. The Commanders will most likely view the 25-year-old as their preferred early down and between-the-tackles runner, with Ekeler taking valuable targets in the passing game away from B-Rob.

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Patrick Mahomes May 23 1:30pm CT
Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said that head coach Andy Reid has pushed him "to push it down the field" during organized team activities this week in order to test his receivers and the team's secondary defense. Almost half of Mahomes' attempts on Wednesday featured the ball traveling more than 20 yards downfield. Only 17 of Mahomes' 60 pass attempts that traveled 20-plus yards down the field last year were completed. It's part of the reason KC signed speedy wideout Marquise Brown in the offseason -- to give the Chiefs more chances to make explosive plays down the field. Reid said that Mahomes and Brown are developing some nice chemistry this offseason. With Rashee Rice likely facing a suspension to open the 2024 season, Brown could make for a really nice target in fantasy drafts this fall if he continues to build chemistry with Mahomes.

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Daniel Jones May 23 1:30pm CT
Daniel Jones

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (knee) said he doesn't have any doubt that he'll be ready for Week 1 of the 2024 regular season to face the Minnesota Vikings. The expectation all along has been that Jones will be ready to go for the start of the new season after tearing the ACL in his right knee in Week 9 of 2023. The 26-year-old also missed a game with a neck injury, but that issue is apparently behind him as well. The former first-rounder needs to show progress this year if he wants to remain the team's starting QB beyond 2024, despite signing a four-year, $160 million deal last offseason. Before getting hurt last year, Jones threw for 909 yards, two touchdowns and six interceptions, but he didn't have much of a chance behind a terrible offensive line. Jones has already been taking part in OTAs and should have full clearance by training camp. At best, Jones is a No. 2 fantasy QB in superflex leagues for his rushing ability.

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Deshaun Watson May 23 1:10pm CT
Deshaun Watson

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder) is throwing every other day as he continues to rehab from his season-ending shoulder surgery last year, according to head coach Kevin Stefanski. Watson was seen throwing passes at organized team activities on Tuesday, which means he took the day off on Wednesday while still taking part in individual and team drills. Stefanski said that Watson is "making great progress" and "looked like himself to me" after having surgery last November to fix a displaced fracture to the glenoid in his right shoulder. General manager Andrew Berry said he expects Watson to be ready for the start of the 2024 regular season. The 28-year-old has clear QB1 upside when healthy, but the three-time Pro Bowler is also a pretty big injury risk, as he's played in just 12 games with Cleveland the last two seasons due to injuries and suspension.

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Dameon Pierce May 23 1:10pm CT
Dameon Pierce

Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce saw his numbers take a hit in his sophomore season in 2023 while being relegated to a complementary role behind Devin Singletary. Pierce rushed for 416 yards and only two touchdowns while averaging 2.9 yards per carry while also dealing with an ankle injury. He had 939 rushing yards and four TDs as a Pro Bowl alternate in his rookie season. The Texans traded for Pro Bowl RB Joe Mixon this offseason and signed him to a three-year, $27 million extension while also drafting rookie Jawhar Jordan, but they still have plans for Pierce in 2024. The 24-year-old figures to be a chance-of-pace option behind Mixon and on kickoff returns. Pierce has looked strong, compact and quick during OTAs this week. Head coach DeMeco Ryans said, "I think him and Joe as a one-two punch, would be very beneficial for us all."

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Darren Waller May 23 10:13am CT
Darren Waller

New York Giants TE Darren Waller remains absent from voluntary OTAs as he continues to consider retirement, according to sources Thursday, May 23.

Fantasy Spin: Waller hasn't been consistent enough to truly make a difference for fantasy, but the landscape is so thin that managers will still want to monitor the situation. He's a borderline TE1 if he returns.

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Deshaun Watson May 23 12:03am CT
Deshaun Watson

Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson (shoulder) will throw every other day as part of his ongoing rehab, per head coach Kevin Stefanski.

Fantasy Spin: Cleveland added Jerry Jeudy to a receiver room brimming with potential, so if Watson can stay upright he could deliver decent production from fantasy owners. Given his recent history, though, he can't be viewed as more than a midrange QB2 with upside.

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Kalif Raymond May 22 10:20pm CT
Kalif Raymond

Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (knee) was photographed participating in OTAs on Wednesday, via the team website. There hasn't been much information available regarding Raymond's status until this latest development, which suggests that he has made progress in his recovery ever since missing the NFC Championship in January. Raymond managed to carve out a role on offense despite competing for targets with plenty of offensive playmakers. He finished 2023 with 35 catches, 489 yards, and one touchdown over 17 games (three starts), serving as a reliable option for Jared Goff. This year, Raymond will once again be in play for a non-zero target share given his familiarity with Detroit's offense. However, he remains off the fantasy radar in most formats as he operates behind the likes of Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Sam LaPorta.

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Rico Dowdle May 22 10:10pm CT
Rico Dowdle

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has started to lose his grasp on the top role in the team's backfield. "Elliott is being viewed as the leader of the [running back] room, but it is already beginning to look like a committee approach as he and Rico Dowdle split nearly all of the first-team reps on Wednesday," wrote Patrik Walker of DallasCowboys.com. This will be an important competition to watch as offseason programs unfold and both Elliott and Dowdle compete for more opportunities. Elliott, of course, has spent most of his career with the Cowboys but did join the Patriots for the 2023 season. He's not getting any younger, but Dallas still values his experience and pass-catching skills, both of which could boost his fantasy value down the stretch. Dowdle has youth on his side, though, and it sounds like there's a real chance he could push to earn just as many touches as Elliott.

From RotoBaller

T.J. Watt May 22 9:53pm CT
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Steelers LB T.J. Watt (knee) participated in the first day of OTAs Wednesday, May 22.

From TheHuddle

Marquise Brown May 22 8:50pm CT
Marquise Brown

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid praised new wide receiver Marquise Brown at organized team activities on Wednesday. "Hollywood (Brown) does a nice job at receiver. Looks like he and Pat are developing a chemistry," Reid said. Anytime Mahomes is developing chemistry with a receiver, fantasy managers should take notice. The speedy Brown made a highlight-reel, one-handed catch during 7-on-7 drills on Wednesday and appears to have put the heel injury that bothered him last year in the rearview mirror. Tight end Travis Kelce is going to remain a favorite target of Mahomes in 2024 as long as he's healthy, but the 26-year-old Brown has an opportunity to become heavily involved as well, especially with Rashee Rice likely to be hit with a suspension from the league. The former 25th overall pick by Arizona in 2019 out of Oklahoma had a 1,000-yard receiving season in his final season in Baltimore in 2021.

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AJ Barner May 22 8:40pm CT
AJ Barner

Seattle Seahawks rookie tight end AJ Barner (hamstring), who didn't take part in rookie minicamp, is still sidelined during organized team activities this week due to a hamstring injury. It remains to be seen if Barner's hamstring issues will keep him sidelined for the start of training camp at the end of July, but he's still missing valuable repetitions as he tries to learn Seattle's offense heading into his first NFL season. The 22-year-old was taken in the fourth round of last month's NFL draft and was considered more of a project at the position, so he was unlikely to play a key role in 2024 anyway. When healthy, he's going to provide the Seahawks with depth at the tight end position behind Noah Fant, Pharaoh Brown, Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson. At best, Barner may be a red-zone weapon for the Seahawks offense down the road.

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Geno Smith May 22 8:30pm CT
Geno Smith

The Seattle Seahawks are in the early stages of installing new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb's offense during organized team activities this spring. However, quarterback Geno Smith feels that he has "a really good grasp" of the offense so far and that it fits his skillset in a few ways. "I feel like I'm a dropback passer and I feel like this is a dropback offense," Smith said. The signal-caller went on to describe it as "an offense that's going to spread the ball around and trust the quarterbacks to make the right decisions... pre-and-post snap. I feel like that's something I'm really good at." A spread offense would be good for Smith and his receivers. The 33-year-old was a Pro Bowler in each of the last two years, but he was definitely not as productive in 2023 and missed two games with injuries. Smith probably won't ever be as good as his 2022 campaign again, but he can be a serviceable No. 2 in superflex fantasy formats.

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Anthony Richardson May 22 8:20pm CT
Anthony Richardson

Indianapolis Colts second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson (shoulder) made his return to 11-on-11 action during organized team activities on Wednesday on the day he turned 22 years old. It's the first time the media got a look at him in a practice/game since last October. It looked as though Richardson didn't miss time at all with a shoulder injury that required surgery. The former first-rounder went 4-for-6 in two 11-on-11 periods, and the motion and velocity on his throws looked normal. There are some days Richardson said he feels "a little achy," but it's part of his recovery process. Unless soreness pops up, Richardson is expected to have no restrictions in offseason workouts as he heads into Year 2 in the NFL. The 22-year-old injured his throwing shoulder in just the fourth game of his rookie year in 2023, but Richardson was already showing why he has high-end QB1 upside if he can stay healthy.

From RotoBaller