Nobody has a more stacked lineup of fantasy analysts and NFL team reporters than ESPN. It's the rare "backfield by committee" that is actually a good thing for fantasy football managers.
Every Tuesday, Mike Triplett will ask our NFL Nation reporters a series of burning questions about the weekend's biggest stories to help inform you for your waiver-wire pickups and roster decisions.
This week, we kick things off with a closer look at some suddenly surging wide receivers, including a Philadelphia rookie who had a breakout game and a second-year sleeper in San Francisco.
It's time to begin our weekly trip around the league, so fasten your seat belts and get ready to tour the NFL Nation!
Philadelphia Eagles
Is DeVonta Smith's breakout game a good sign for his value going forward or should we be concerned that opportunities will be an issue since Philadelphia has become so extremely run-heavy?
I'm bullish on Smith and believe he'll only get better as he gains experience and continues to build chemistry with Jalen Hurts. He'll be the primary target in the passing game most weeks.
San Francisco 49ers
Can we believe in this recent turnaround by Brandon Aiyuk or is his production still too unpredictable -- especially with TE George Kittle back in the mix?
While normally I'd be hesitant to say yes, given Kittle's return and the production of Deebo Samuel, Aiyuk is finally rounding back into the player he was near the end of last season and in the early parts of training camp. Beyond the statistical improvements, both Aiyuk and coach Kyle Shanahan have acknowledged that the pair aired out their issues recently and it seems that trust has been restored.
That's showing up on the field, too, where Aiyuk has been targeted a total of 15 times over the past two weeks, resulting in his two most-targeted games of the season. With Samuel nursing a calf injury and Kittle just back from one of his own, this is a prime opportunity for Aiyuk to firmly establish himself in the offense. -- Nick Wagoner
Cleveland Browns
Donovan Peoples-Jones has seen just 18 targets all season long, but he now has three straight double-digit fantasy games when he has been healthy. Is Odell Beckham Jr.'s exit enough to make him a legitimate option in fantasy lineups?
Probably not. Minus Beckham, the Browns are going to spread the ball around, underscored by Baker Mayfield completing passes to eight different pass-catchers on Sunday. Peoples-Jones will have his moments, especially on potential deep-TD opportunities. Still, it's difficult to see any Browns receiver at this point being a legitimate fantasy option, outside of maybe Jarvis Landry. -- Jake Trotter
Las Vegas Raiders
Bryan Edwards was the second-most-added receiver in ESPN fantasy leagues last week before catching zero passes on four targets. Now the Raiders are adding DeSean Jackson in the wake of the release of Henry Ruggs III. Do you expect either of these guys to have fantasy value?
I would expect Jackson, who averaged an eye-popping 27.6 yards per catch with the Los Angeles Rams (granted, on just eight catches over seven games), to have more of a fantasy impact. He was signed in order to help with the vertical game. Edwards is more of a possession receiver on intermediate routes. However, until Derek Carr gets comfortable with Jackson and trusts him, I'd expect TE Darren Waller and third-down security blanket Hunter Renfrow to be more productive than Edwards. -- Paul Gutierrez
Los Angeles Chargers
Mike Williams has now had no more than two catches in four of his last five games. Was his blazing-hot start to the season a mirage?
No, and I expect him to have a bigger impact going forward. In Week 9, Justin Herbert, defying everything we know, threw a deep pass his way that went for 49 yards. If Herbert can keep slinging it like that, Williams will simply go up and get it. He's got both the height (6-foot-5) and the hands. -- Shelley Smith
New England Patriots
You've spoken optimistically about running backs Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson at times this year. Is there room for both to be fantasy assets at the same time if they're both healthy? On the flip side, who fills in this week if both remain sidelined?
The key is "if they're both healthy." I'd stay away from them this week as neither finished Sunday's win because of head injuries, which presumably means they're still in the league's concussion protocol. While I think Stevenson has potential No. 1 RB upside in the future, this is still the "Damien Harris Show" until further notice. So, he'd be the pick. One thing you can count on is touchdowns in close, as Harris has had a rushing score in each of the past five games. If both are out, it would be just veteran Brandon Bolden and second-year man J.J. Taylor at the position. -- Mike Reiss
Baltimore Ravens
Has Devonta Freeman done enough to maintain a fantasy-relevant role in Baltimore's crowded backfield even when Latavius Murray returns from injury?
Probably not, unless you're desperate at running back. Freeman has run the hardest of the Ravens' free-agent additions in the backfield, but he was clearly the No. 2 option when Murray was healthy. With Murray expected to miss Thursday's game, Freeman will have another opportunity as the team's lead back. However, once Murray returns, the expectation is that Freeman will return to being the secondary option and, at best, split the workload. -- Jamison Hensley
Carolina Panthers
Will Chuba Hubbard be totally minimalized now that Christian McCaffrey is back?
Not totally, but the Panthers clearly like Ameer Abdullah as the change-of-pace, third-down receiving back when McCaffrey is not playing. On Sunday, Abdullah had four catches on five targets, and Hubbard was targeted only once (with only three rushes). Hubbard was more of an early-down back prior to McCaffrey's return, so the likelihood of him being fantasy viable going forward is low. -- David Newton