Each Friday during the 2022 NFL and fantasy football season, Eric Karabell will bring his always-reasonable perspective to highlight the biggest fantasy football storylines heading into the weekend's games.
Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff were officially traded for each other on March 18, 2021, and their debut seasons with their new teams couldn't have been more different. Stafford won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams, while Goff went 3-10-1 in his 14 starts with the Detroit Lions. Pretty clear winner there, without question, and fantasy football managers made the former a borderline fantasy starter for 2022 and, of course, ignored the latter. A month into the season, however, things changed, and now a month after that, fantasy managers are losing interest in both quarterbacks.
Stafford is the third-most-dropped quarterback in ESPN standard leagues, behind Washington Commanders flop Carson Wentz and even bigger Denver Broncos flop Russell Wilson, and both of them are injured. Perhaps Stafford isn't healthy, either. Statistically, which is what matters to us, he certainly is not healthy. Stafford has six touchdown passes in six games, but half came in Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons. It's his lone performance with as many as 12 fantasy points! He has eight interceptions. He's not likely to get benched anytime soon, but for fantasy purposes, he's on the hot seat.
For sad perspective, Wilson, one of the noted busts of the season, averages three more fantasy points per game than Stafford does. Matt Ryan, just demoted from starting for the Indianapolis Colts so an unknown sixth-round draft pick from 2021 can throw his first NFL passes, averages more. Stafford has been terrible, and he faces what normally is a strong San Francisco 49ers defense in a critical Week 8 game this week. The Rams lost at San Francisco a few weeks ago, scoring nine points on three field goals. The NFC West remains up for grabs for Stafford and his colleagues.
Meanwhile, few wanted Goff in drafts, but they quickly pivoted in his direction after he led all passers with 33 points in Week 4. He also scored 26 points in Week 2. Goff became the most-added quarterback! Now he joins Stafford on the most-dropped list. Things change quickly in the NFL. Goff scored 5.86 points in Week 5, and then coming off his bye week, he scored a paltry 1.52 points in Sunday's quiet, feeble loss to the Dallas Cowboys. This week, the Lions host the Miami Dolphins.
Dump 'em both, right?
Stafford is rostered in 65% of ESPN leagues and Goff comes in at just under 47%, so despite myriad investors moving on, many remain hopeful, and for legitimate reason. Stafford threw for 4,880 yards and 41 touchdowns last season, the second-best numbers in his long career. Give him a running game (please) and some wide receiver depth and perhaps he does it again. Goff surpassed 4,600 yards in 2018 and 2019, and really, the Lions have surrounded him with playmakers, arguably better ones than what Stafford has other than WR Cooper Kupp, but they haven't been healthy lately.
Quarterbacks tend to get the headlines for good and bad play, and that's the case with Stafford and Goff, but they need help. What is going on with Cam Akers? It doesn't seem as if the Rams want him around, but who runs the football? Is it Darrell Henderson Jr.? Rookie Kyren Williams, a fifth-round pick from Notre Dame, might play in Week 9. He might play a lot. And we can all admit Allen Robinson II wasn't a good fit with the Rams. He is not Odell Beckham Jr. Lots of hot seats with the Rams.
Meanwhile, what if D'Andre Swift, who has missed three games because of a shoulder injury, struggles to return to full health all season? Let's just deal with this week. Fantasy managers figured he'd be a borderline top-10 option, but he'd need volume to appease investors. Amon-Ra St. Brown rocketed to WR1 status after Week 2 when people realized he had tied the league mark for consecutive games with eight or more receptions, including late last season. He scored nine touchdowns in that span. He was matchup-proof. Then came a sprained ankle and, this past Sunday, one target before he suffered a concussion.
Big games from the Rams' and Lions' offenses this weekend would change a lot of minds. It doesn't mean fantasy managers must grab Stafford and Goff if they're available in their leagues, but it wouldn't take too much to make it worthwhile, either.
Quarterback
A mere six quarterbacks have outscored Seattle Seahawks surprise Geno Smith this season, but many more have if you look at just the past fortnight. Smith has scored 25 points combined the past two weeks. It's a big game against Daniel Jones and the Giants this week. ... I don't think Prescott is on the fantasy hot seat yet. He gets more than two games. ... What about the 49ers' Jimmy Garoppolo? Not exactly thriving for his team or ours. Seems doubtful backup Brock Purdy gets a chance, but then again, who thought if Matt Ryan got benched that it would be untested Sam Ehlinger and not Super Bowl winner Nick Foles replacing him? ... Whoever starts for the New England Patriots is clearly on the hot seat.
Running back
The New York Jets traded for James Robinson in the wake of Breece Hall tearing a knee, so we should learn if Michael Carter is a legit flex option this week. Or not. But Carter is more on the hot seat than Robinson. ... Buffalo is really tough to run on, so don't expect Packers starter Aaron Jones to get his yards that way. He'd better get the targets, though. ... Can Broncos "starter" Melvin Gordon III be on the hot seat every week? Latavius Murray is not on the hot seat. Odd situation, but Gordon is the one being dropped. ... The Patriots' Damien Harris should see more volume this week than last, but what if he doesn't?
Wide receiver/tight end
Cardinals speedster Rondale Moore caught a combined 13 passes in Weeks 5 and 6, then one last week with DeAndre Hopkins back. It might not be a coincidence, either. ... Similarly, Hunter Renfrow of the Las Vegas Raiders caught 103 passes for 1,038 yards last season when Davante Adams wasn't there. Another quiet week and fantasy managers might give up. ... Colts rookie Alec Pierce is on the most-added list, but he had a quiet Week 7. A quiet Week 8 gets him dropped. ... Washington's Curtis Samuel scored touchdowns in the first two games but not since. With Terry McLaurin looking good again, Samuel needs a big game. ... It might not be their fault, but Atlanta Falcons rookie WR Drake London and second-year TE Kyle Pitts are going to drop off fantasy rosters soon if they don't get more target love. ... Anyone else tiring of Raiders TE Darren Waller (hamstring)? Great over 16 games in 2020, and not so great over 16 games (in 24 game opportunities) since. Discouraging.