Answering Fantasy Football Questions

Aaron Jones is not trusted this week due to an expected backfield split with Jordan Mason. The source states 'I'm not trusting Aaron Jones. He's going to split with Jordan Mason,' making him an unfavorable flex option. Additionally, in an 8-team league context, the source identifies Jones as a potential cut candidate, suggesting 'I would cut either Aaron Jones or Woody Marks' to replace with higher-upside options like Rashad White or Corum if available on waivers.

Flock Fantasy would pick Marvin Harrison Jr. over Adonai Mitchell for bench upside, indicating lower confidence in Mitchell's ceiling compared to Harrison despite Harrison being a generally low-conviction play.

Amon-Ra St. Brown is identified as a start at wide receiver in the given week's lineup. The source states 'we have Amon-Ra, Drake London as our starts.' Additionally, St. Brown is already through his bye week, which is favorable for flex consideration in a 10-team league with strong roster depth. The source also acknowledges a valid argument for preferring St. Brown over Puka Nacua in trades, particularly given St. Brown's bye week completion and Puka's injury risk, stating 'if you wanted to make an argument that you want St. Brown over Puka, especially with St. Brown already being through his bye, I'm not going to argue against it.'

Literally a zero in a one-quarterback format, even with him coming back from injury, indicating he has no fantasy value in that league setting.

Bijan is the RB1 on the roster, confirming his lead-back status and primary running back role.

Flock Fantasy identifies Blake Corum as a potential league-winning running back if Kyren Johnson gets injured; recommends cutting Woody Marks and picking up Corum after the Texans bye week if Marks doesn't improve.

Backup option for the New York running back spot if Breece Hall is ruled inactive.

If Breece Hall misses time, Braelon Allen is the clear play without hesitation; the source expresses strong conviction in starting him as the backup running back. However, if Breece Hall plays, the source would pivot away from Allen to Tony Pollard instead, indicating reduced confidence in Allen's role when Hall is healthy.

Should be started as the New York running back if active; if inactive, Braylon Allen becomes the play. Returning from injury alongside Josh Jacobs; the team managed to stay 4-2 despite Hall's injury absence, suggesting strong depth and upside with his return. Flex spot recommendation conditional on health status; source advises 'play Breece Hall if he's good to go' with explicit pivot strategy to Chris Godwin if ruled out, indicating Breece is the preferred option when available. If Breece plays, the source would pivot away from Braelon Allen to Tony Pollard instead, indicating reduced confidence in Allen's role when Hall is healthy.

Represents a significant upgrade in trades where the source evaluates moving Baker Mayfield, Travis Etienne, and DJ Moore for Irving as a smart play given the league format and roster construction. Irving is also the target acquisition in a trade where the source approves of selling high on Malik Nabers to get Irving and DJ Moore. However, he is part of a running back roster (Kenneth Walker, Bucky Irving, A Marian Hampton, Aaron Jones, Woody Marks) where the source identifies the top-end production as solid but notes the depth is 'a little bit lackluster' for an 8-team league.

Cade Otton had seen considerable target volume in the first four games with five, six, six, and six targets respectively; however, the source is considering pivoting away due to backup quarterback uncertainty with Noah Igwebuike ruled out and Baker Mayfield coming in.

Cornell Tate's trade value is highly dependent on league size. In a standard 12-team or 10-team league, he is considered filler; however, in a 20-team league, he becomes a more meaningful piece. This context matters significantly when evaluating trades involving Tate.

Designated as an auto-start running back. Potential value bump if Bengals are heavily favored vs Ravens with Lamar Jackson ruled out; the source notes that if Bengals are favored, the game should be lower scoring in general, which could lead to Cincinnati running the ball over and over again, benefiting Chase Brown's volume. Ranked RB 12 rest of season. In trade evaluations, the source recommends the Chase Brown side of a deal over Zach Charbonnet, calling it a no-brainer once other players are removed from consideration.

Flock Fantasy recommends Chris Godwin as the flex pivot option if Breece Hall is ruled out due to injury. The source also indicates Godwin is the preferred flex option over Emmanuel Wilson, with Godwin facing a favorable matchup against Denver with Noah Igbinoghene in coverage and Baker Mayfield back.

Christian McCaffrey is recommended as an easy start at running back, with the source expressing strong confidence in his role.

Christian Watson is identified as an auto-start wide receiver in a given week's lineup decision. He has a beautiful matchup against the Detroit Lions, though by the time a James Cook trade processes, Watson will have already gotten rid of that favorable spot.

In a two-receiver one-flex league format, DJ Moore's depth is not meaningful; he functions as a wide receiver four behind Matthew Golden at WR3, making him less valuable in this specific roster construction. In a 14-team league, DJ Moore and DeVonta Smith are viewed as relatively close in value if wins are needed immediately, but in shallower formats, elite players should be retained.

De'Andre Swift looks unbelievable and incredible in the current setup with Kyle Manangai not playing. However, once Manangai returns, Flock Fantasy expresses concern that Swift's usage may not remain the same, suggesting his current elite production is partially dependent on Manangai's absence. This makes Swift a sell-high candidate before Manangai's return diminishes his role.

Trade analysis indicates D'Andre Swift is overpriced when paired with Jamar Chase; the source advises against trading Swift with Jamar Chase, stating 'Swift with Jamar, that's a hefty price to pay,' and recommends trading Rhamondre Stevenson instead as the more prudent option.

Start consideration vs Dallas Cowboys with favorable matchup. With DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks both out, the source expects Dallas Goedert to be force-fed targets, making him a viable start option despite Eagles' reduced win probability. Recommended as the safer flex option in PPR format over Jordan Mason due to uncertainty about Mason's role as starting running back. Recommended start over K'Neal Siddique at tight end.

Despite making massive highlight plays and facing a good matchup, Darius Cooper cannot be trusted as a starter; the source expresses strong skepticism about playing him even in favorable circumstances, stating 'I don't know if we can go ahead and trust him even in a good matchup. I I I wouldn't trust him myself.'

David Montgomery's trade value is highly dependent on league size. In a standard 12-team or 10-team league, he is considered filler and essentially nothing; however, in a 20-team league, he can be a capable RB2 and a startable piece. This context matters significantly when evaluating trades involving Montgomery.

De'Von Achane faces a tough matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have given up the sixth fewest points to opposing wide receivers so far this season; however, Achane has maintained consistent target volume with six targets in every game, making him a consideration despite the difficult defense. The source has a waiver bid in for Achane as a potential pivot from Cade Otton.

Denzel Boston is identified as a sell candidate, but recent poor performance is limiting trade value. The source states 'I'd be interested in selling Denzel Boston. I'd be interested in selling Ladd McConkey. The problem is just nobody's going to be buying these guys with the recent performances, right? You're going to need a better game if you were going to want to sell them.' Boston needs improved performance before he can be traded effectively.

Start recommendation maintained with high conviction across multiple contexts. The source states 'you're still starting Derrick Henry' vs Cincinnati despite Lamar Jackson's absence, and separately emphasizes 'you're going to play Derrick Henry and Jaylen Warren. I don't think you think twice about it either,' indicating no hesitation on deployment. In favorable matchups, Henry is a clear play without thinking twice.

Officially ruled out vs Dallas Cowboys. Hamstring injury has flared back up, causing a significant ranking downgrade; the source states 'I got to lower him down my rankings with this hamstring injury flaring back up' and emphasizes 'I got to move him down dramatically.' There is a small chance the Philadelphia Eagles decide to shut down DeVonta Smith for the season due to current injuries. In a 14-team league, if wins are needed immediately, DeVonta Smith and DJ Moore may not be far apart in value.

Preferred flex and RB2 option with Zach Charbonnet ruled out. The source identifies Emmanuel Wilson as the preferred flex option over Tyler Higbee and Josh Downs due to Charbonnet's absence creating a clear path to volume. He is recommended as an RB2 over Jordan Mason with no Charbonnet. However, his usage dropped dramatically after his first starting game where he had 25 opportunities against Los Angeles; against Denver his usage declined significantly, making him a less attractive flex option compared to Chris Godwin. The source prefers Emmanuel Wilson over Olly Gordon due to a better offense with similar workload.

The source recommends picking up Emmitt Johnson as a handcuff to Kenneth Walker, providing upside in a 16-team league format.

George Pickens is a clear flex starter and should be prioritized over Jeremy Bernard despite Bernard's recent strong performance. The source emphasizes Pickens' superiority as a play, stating there is no world in which you would choose Bernard over Pickens or Tee Higgins. Additionally, in a 20-team league trade context, Pickens is an acceptable target if the team is strong enough to afford selling two startable pieces (David Montgomery, Cornell Tate, Kasey Concepcion) for him.

Start recommendation vs Ravens with Lamar Jackson ruled out. The source advises lowering expectations downward due to game script impact from Ravens' reduced win probability (42%) and projected scoring of only 21.5 points, which limits ceiling for Bengals offense.

Trade analysis projects Jamar Chase as WR1 rest of season; the source notes 'Jamar may come out and be the wide receiver one rest of season' but cautions that pairing him with D'Andre Swift in a trade is 'a hefty price to pay,' recommending instead to trade Rhamondre Stevenson alongside Jamar for Kenneth Walker as a more balanced deal.

James Cook is a very smart trade target in a 12-team two-receiver one-flex league. By the time the trade processes (after next week), Cook will have already passed his bye week and the acquirer will be closer to Kyle Manangai's return, which could diminish De'Andre Swift's usage. This timing advantage makes acquiring Cook a smart move.

Jameson Williams is available on the waiver wire in an 8-team league and is recommended as a priority pickup, with the source using his availability as evidence of how strong waiver wire options are in shallow formats. The source recommends cutting Denzel Boston to pick up Williams. In a head-to-head comparison with Jeremy Bernard, Williams has bigger boom upside than Bernard, though Bernard is likely to get more targets; both have great matchups, but Bernard is the safer play given the absence of Pittman and Rondale Wilson.

Jayden Daniels has a nice ceiling but should be upgraded in an 8-team league. The source recommends exploring trades to upgrade from Daniels to an elite quarterback like Josh Allen or Drake May, prioritizing securing an elite QB upgrade over skill position depth in shallow formats. In a trade scenario, upgrading from Daniels to Josh Allen is characterized as a clear upgrade that is affordable given roster running back depth.

The source expresses limited confidence in Jaylen Waddle as a needle-moving player in a 10-team league despite a good matchup this week. While Waddle qualifies as a spot start with favorable matchup conditions, the source questions his long-term fantasy impact, stating 'I don't have a ton of faith in Waddle being a needle-moving player at this point. Good name, definitely a spot start. He has a good match up this week as well. But just in the long run, I don't know how much he'll really be moving the needle.' Waddle is positioned as the next best flex option after Saquon Barkley, but Barkley's superior matchup and running back scarcity make him the clear choice.

Jaylen Warren is projected to have an excellent performance this specific week against the New Orleans Saints in the Europe game, described as the best matchup possible. The source expresses strong conviction about starting him without hesitation, stating 'you're going to play Derrick Henry and Jaylen Warren. I don't think you think twice about it either.' Warren is ranked RB 15 rest of season but expected to crush in this particular matchup.

Jerry Jeudy is recommended as an easy start at wide receiver, with the source expressing strong confidence in his role.

Player included in trade package being discussed; source mentions Jonathan Mingo as part of assets being traded away in a trade scenario without specific analysis of his value or role.

Jordan Mason has a very real chance of being the starting running back in a good matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, but there is uncertainty about whether he is the starter or backup, making it too early to confidently project his role. The source notes 'Jordan Mason I think has a chance to be the starting running back here, but by no means is it going to be a guarantee,' indicating potential for lead-back role but with significant uncertainty on deployment. Additionally, Jordan Mason is splitting backfield duties with Aaron Jones, reducing Jones's reliability this week.

Josh Allen is a clear upgrade over Jayden Daniels in a trade scenario; the source endorses the move given the roster's depth at running back (Bijan as RB1, Ginte as RB2, Jacob as RB3).

Josh Jacobs is returning from suspension; the team stayed 4-2 despite his absence, and his return adds depth to an already strong running back room alongside Breece Hall.

Keenan Allen is recommended as a wide receiver starter with strong target volume. The source emphasizes that 'the target volume for Keenan Allen has been so damn good' and notes that 'With no Tyler Lockett, the Keenan usage is just going to be so much higher,' indicating increased opportunity with Lockett sidelined.

Kenneth Walker is identified as the best player in multiple trade scenarios and should not be downgraded in shallow formats. The source emphasizes 'the best player is going to be Kenneth Walker' and warns 'There's no world in which you want to go ahead and you want to be trading away like say Kenneth Walker and down-tiering to Chase Brown and DeVonta Smith. Not in an eight-team league.' In a 10-team format, the source reiterates 'If it was a 10-team format, I would want the best player. And the best player is going to be Kenneth Walker.' The source also endorses trading Rhamondre Stevenson and Jamar Chase for Kenneth Walker, stating 'If you sell Rhamondre and Jamar Chase for Kenneth Walker, go for it,' indicating Walker is a worthwhile acquisition target.

In a proposed trade, Kyren Williams is being acquired alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown for Kenneth Walker and A.J. Brown. The source notes a scenario where if Saquon Barkley is traded to Minnesota, Kyren and Saquon could become comparable players, making the trade look bad for the Kenneth Walker side.

Ladd McConkey is identified as a sell candidate, but recent poor performance is limiting trade value. The source states 'I'd be interested in selling Ladd McConkey. The problem is just nobody's going to be buying these guys with the recent performances, right? You're going to need a better game if you were going to want to sell them.' McConkey needs improved performance before he can be traded effectively.

Ruled out vs Cincinnati Bengals. Despite the absence, the source recommends still starting Lamar Jackson but lowering expectations downward due to game script impact from Ravens' reduced win probability (42% vs 54% earlier in week) and projected scoring of only 21.5 points.

Luther Burden is identified as a sell-high candidate despite being 'an incredible talent in an incredible offense.' The source states 'the very easy thing to do is can we sell high on Luther Burden, who is an incredible talent in an incredible offense? But, he is just one of those depth filler wide receivers.' The source identifies Burden as the preferred sell candidate among depth wide receivers, citing 'I think the name that I'd probably be looking at right now in selling would be Luther Burden coming off such an incredible performance on primetime with literally everybody and their moms watching.' The recommendation is to package Burden with Jayden Daniels to upgrade at QB to an elite option like Josh Allen or Drake May.

The source would pick up Mekai Lemon as a waiver wire target given the injuries to Philadelphia wide receivers and the small chance the team shuts down Devonta Smith for the season. However, the source reluctantly recommends Mekai Lemon as a flex option but expresses concern about stacking too many players from a garbage offense, noting this would only be acceptable against Dallas Cowboys.

The source advocates for selling high on Malik Nabers due to an expected quarterback downgrade with JJ McCarthy, who looked good against backups but cannot be trusted going forward. However, in the specific trade discussed (Nabers and RJ Harvey for Bucky Irving and DJ Moore), the source believes the return value is insufficient and recommends holding Nabers to get more in return. McCarthy's performance represents a massive step backwards compared to prior quarterback play, making Nabers' long-term outlook concerning.

The source is not a big Marvin Harrison Jr. guy and thinks most likely he is going to be nothing; however, given Omar Cooper's poor performance this past week and top-end range of outcomes, the source would pick Marvin Harrison over Adonai Mitchell for bench upside. Additionally, the source states there is no way to play Marvin Harrison in a flex position due to bye week and injury constraints, recommending Dallas Goedert or Jordan Mason instead.

The source recommends streaming Michael Penix this week with Josh Allen on bye, but notes he is not a favorite streamer option.

Direct start recommendation at WR position as part of optimal weekly lineup construction; elevated to WR23 in the source's ranking tied with Diggs at WR22-23 following Terry's injury, which creates opportunity for Wilson.

Player included in trade package being discussed; source mentions Mike Evans as part of assets being traded away in a trade scenario without specific analysis of his value or role.

Currently dealing with an injury; the source recommends cutting him from the roster.

Matchup interest with start caution; the source expresses interest in Olamide Zaccheaus 'in a great match-up against the Dallas Cowboys with all the wide receivers injured in Philly' but explicitly advises against starting him, stating 'But no way in hell you can trust the dude enough to put him in your starting lineup,' indicating favorable conditions do not overcome reliability concerns.

Pat Freiermuth is recommended as the tight end starter, with the source expressing confidence in his role.

Puka Nacua carries injury risk and a 50/50 chance of playing, but Flock Fantasy recommends playing him with confidence because the performance drop-off from Puka to Jeremy Bernard is larger than the drop-off from Bernard to Tyler Higbee, making the upside worth the risk. However, the source acknowledges injury concern and concedes that an argument exists for preferring Amon-Ra St. Brown over Puka, especially given St. Brown's bye week completion. Puka plays at 3:00 p.m., creating timing considerations for lineup decisions; the source recommends waiting to see if he's ruled out before finalizing flex decisions.

Flock Fantasy recommends Rachaad White as a waiver wire pickup and potential league-winning running back option, specifically suggesting cutting Juwan Johnson to add White.

The source recommends selling high on Rhamondre Stevenson after his monstrous Thursday night performance, citing concerns about the Patriots' three-man running back committee structure and lack of faith in any single back's consistent role. The source suggests packaging him with Omar Cooper to acquire a solidified flex wide receiver. Additionally, in a trade scenario, Rhamondre is identified as the preferred asset to trade alongside Jamar Chase instead of D'Andre Swift, indicating he is more expendable and creates better trade value.

RJ Harvey is recommended as a running back play in a limited flex scenario, indicating he has a role in the lineup despite being traded away in a deal where the source favors selling high on Malik Nabers to acquire Bucky Irving and DJ Moore.

Start recommendation vs Dallas Cowboys due to favorable matchup; the source explicitly states 'it's such a good match-up against the Dallas Cowboys.' Clear flex play with the best possible matchup; one of only two running backs on the roster, making him a must-play. The source recommends playing Barkley over Aaron Jones and Tyler Allgeier easily. However, in one scenario, the source advises keeping Barkley as a backup play rather than starting in flex, because if Puka Nacua is ruled out and Saquon is already in the lineup, there's no alternative flex option available; Barkley plays Monday night, allowing time to make adjustments after Puka's 3 p.m. game.

Diggs is ranked as wide receiver 22 in the source's evaluation, tied with Michael Wilson given the Terry injury context.

Start recommendation vs Ravens with Lamar Jackson ruled out; the source advises lowering expectations downward due to game script impact from Ravens' reduced win probability (42%) and projected scoring of only 21.5 points. Separately, Higgins is positioned as a clear flex starter over Jeremy Bernard, despite Bernard's recent strong performance; the source emphasizes 'no way in hell you're deciding to play him over Pickens or Higgins.'

Terrance Ferguson gets a massive bump up in opportunity due to injuries to the Los Angeles wide receivers; he becomes a key target in the passing game.

Part of a trade package (Baker Mayfield, Travis Etienne, DJ Moore for Bucky Irving) where the source suggests dropping Etienne over Jameson Williams when forced to drop one for a kicker, indicating Etienne has less value in the current context.

Flock Fantasy recommends Trey Tucker in a flex spot but expresses limited enthusiasm, noting he has a decent ceiling but an incredibly low floor, making him an unreliable fantasy option.

Flock Fantasy does not trust Tyler Allgeier this week due to an expected backfield split with Bam Knight; he is in a running back by committee situation that limits upside and consistency. The source ranks him below other flex options due to reduced carries.

Flex option with conditional value based on Puka Nacua's injury status and Los Angeles wide receiver injuries. If Puka Nacua is ruled out, the source is more excited about Tyler Higbee because the Rams would have to funnel everything through him. Additionally, Higbee gets a massive bump up in opportunity due to injuries to the Los Angeles wide receivers, becoming a key target in the passing game. However, he is presented as a significant performance drop-off from Jeremy Bernard if Puka does not play.

Woody Marks is a flex play option this week given the Texans' heavy favorite status over the New York Giants, and should be jammed into lineups. However, he is identified as a potential cut candidate despite possible good performance because the Texans enter a bye in week eight and David Montgomery should be good to go in week nine. With Montgomery's return and a running back by committee situation, Marks lacks the ceiling needed in an 8-team league, making him expendable for higher-upside options like Rashad White or Blake Corum. The source notes that Marks didn't look great heading into the Texans bye week.

Flock Fantasy notes it is unusual that Charbonnet is not playing in a game, suggesting uncertainty about his role or availability going forward.

Flock Fantasy emphasizes that Zay Flowers has looked like one of the best wide receivers in the NFL this season and should not be benched under any circumstances, expressing strong conviction that benching him would be a poor decision despite acknowledging overall strategy risk.