The first time Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley II faced the vaunted Seattle Seahawks defense this season was back in Week 5, at home, and he turned his 16 touches into a mere 50 total yards as the Rams lost 16-10. It was the lone game this season Gurley failed to reach double-digit fantasy points in PPR formats and gave his managers some degree of concern for the Week 15 rematch in Seattle, especially with this being the fantasy playoffs for most. After all, the Seahawks, despite missing key defenders, entered play permitting the fourth-fewest fantasy points to running backs this season.
Gurley and his teammates certainly assuaged any statistical fears early on and easily reversed the result from October, as Gurley steamrollered for 180 total yards and four touchdowns in a resounding 42-7 win that all but clinches the NFC West title. Second-year quarterback Jared Goff was mostly held in check as Gurley and the team’s defense controlled the game. Gurley’s 45 PPR points and 42 non-PPR points -- without playing the fourth quarter -- represented career-bests, and he moved into the overall lead for fantasy season scoring with two weeks remaining.
It’s tough to remember now, but Gurley wasn’t held in the highest regard this August after a disappointing 2016 season. He was selected in the third round of average ESPN live drafts this year, outside the top-10 at his position after being among the top picks a year before. It was quite the fall from grace to some degree after such a terrific rookie season, but in retrospect, the Rams as a whole were a disaster last season. Then came new coaches, new attitudes and a new Goff, and suddenly Gurley, with defenses unable to key on him, is a star again. Gurley may not end up with more fantasy points than Pittsburgh Steelers star Le'Veon Bell, who entered the day with a few more, but he has certainly turned his career around.
As for other thoughts on the shocking result, Goff didn’t play poorly, completing 14 of 21 passes for a mere 120 yards and two touchdowns against one interception, but he didn’t need to throw downfield much. Top wide receiver Robert Woods returned to the lineup after missing three games with a shoulder injury and caught six passes for 45 yards, including a touchdown, and should be ranked as a borderline WR2 for Week 16 against the Tennessee Titans. Goff should warrant top-10 status, as well. The Rams finish the season against the rejuvenated San Francisco 49ers, and it should matter for seeding, which is good for fantasy managers still needing numbers that week.
On the Seattle side, this was certainly a bad day and stunning result, but not a harbinger to evaluate for future weeks. Quarterback Russell Wilson was under heavy pressure and completed only 14 of 30 passes for 142 yards, while adding 39 rushing yards. He was again his team’s leading rusher, which is nice for fantasy purposes but also a problem when an opposing defense gets a big, early lead and can keep receivers in check. Wilson shouldn’t have any problem getting statistically back on track in Week 16 against the lowly Dallas Cowboys defense, and he’ll remain a top-three quarterback choice.
Second down: Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown entered the week leading all players in PPR fantasy scoring, but left the ridiculous loss to the New England Patriots early with a partially torn calf muscle. His regular season is likely over. Again and again, injuries continue to be one of the unfortunate themes of the fantasy campaign, as it seems like a key player is seriously hurt each week. Brown scored 4.4 PPR points. He did manage to squeak by 100 receptions for the fifth-consecutive season, but Houston Texans star DeAndre Hopkins will likely score enough points over the final two weeks to finish as fantasy’s top wide receiver. The Steelers face the Texans and Indianapolis Colts, and Brown’s absence should aid running back Bell, as well as Martavis Bryant and JuJu Smith-Schuster, though I can’t imagine I’ll be ranking either as a top-20 wide receiver for those games.
Meanwhile, a knee injury forced Patriots running back Rex Burkhead out of the game after five touches, one of them a short touchdown run, and fantasy managers await further word Monday of his future availability. Burkhead had averaged more than 20 PPR points over the past three games, and his absence would seem to benefit Dion Lewis, who totaled 80 yards from scrimmage along with the winning touchdown against the Steelers. James White would presumably see more touches with Burkhead out, as well. The resourceful and fortunate Patriots finish with appealing home games against the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets.
Third down: Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers made a statistically triumphant return to the field after missing more than two months with a broken clavicle in a 31-24 loss to the Carolina Panthers, throwing for 290 yards and three touchdowns. He was also intercepted three times, each coming on one of his career-high 31 blitzes, but it’s tough to complain about 21.9 fantasy points, good for seventh among quarterbacks entering the Sunday night Cowboys-Oakland Raiders tilt. Rodgers made some ill-advised throws into traffic, but perfection wasn’t expected after such a long layoff.
If there was anything disappointing about Rodgers’ return, it has to be the lack of effect it had on wide receiver Jordy Nelson, who continued to struggle despite the future Hall of Famer throwing the passes. Nelson caught half his six targets for 28 yards and still hasn’t eclipsed 35 receiving yards since Week 6 or scored a touchdown since Week 5. I conservatively ranked Nelson as a flex option for this week and feel deceived again. He’ll surely miss my top 30 for Week 16 against the Minnesota Vikings, and that’s assuming Rodgers plays, which is no sure thing with his team eliminated from postseason contention.
Another quarterback that hadn’t started a game in a while replaced a league MVP candidate and threw four touchdown passes. No, Philadelphia Eagles backup-turned-starter Nick Foles isn’t likely to surpass 25 fantasy points every week and perform quite like Carson Wentz, and the team really needs to shore up its defensive play, but a win is a win. Foles was the most added player in ESPN standard leagues over the past week and could warrant QB1 status on Christmas night against the Raiders. The Eagles fell behind early to the lowly New York Giants and didn’t establish a great running game, but perhaps that changes in the future, as well.
Fourth down: The Jacksonville Jaguars all but clinched the AFC South in embarrassing the Texans 45-7, and much-maligned quarterback Blake Bortles continued to show fantasy managers he has game, throwing for 326 yards and three touchdowns. Bortles boasts three consecutive games with multiple touchdowns and nary an interception, the first in Jaguars history to achieve this. Remaining road games are with the 49ers and Titans, not exactly top defenses. Also interesting about Jacksonville’s offensive explosion was the new names taking part in it. With running back Leonard Fournette out, Chris Ivory, and to some degree T.J. Yeldon, was expected to thrive. Neither did. Wide receiver Marqise Lee started, but didn’t last long before an ankle injury forced him out, and he’ll be reevaluated Monday.
Then there’s Jaydon Mickens, who hadn’t caught a pass in his young career, but Bortles found him four times for 61 yards and two touchdowns. Speedster Keelan Cole continued his emergence with 186 receiving yards and a touchdown for the third consecutive game, and the three rushing touchdowns were achieved by Corey Grant and fullback Tommy Bohanon (two scores). A return by Fournette in Week 16 should bring normalcy, assuming his latest ailment isn’t a long-term problem, but the game-breaking Cole needs to be viewed as a potential WR3 moving forward. Fantasy managers shouldn’t shy from Dede Westbrook, even though he was held statistically in check Sunday.