“Frankel’s Fantasy Files” is a column by Kyle Frankel about fantasy football.
Well, you certainly didn’t have a good week if you root for the Cowboys, as the powerhouse we witnessed decimate its opponents the first two weeks suffered a seemingly unimaginable defeat, falling to Josh Dobbs and the previously 0-2 Arizona Cardinals.
However, if you heeded my advice from last week’s column, your NFL Sunday probably wasn’t too shabby. Both Jerome Ford and Zack Moss had stellar days at the office, each helping their squads to impressive victories.
Ford may have only rushed for 18 yards and picked up 33 in the passing game in Cleveland’s 27-3 rout over Tennessee, but he was highly involved in the offense, finding his way into the endzone twice for two touchdowns and 19.1 PPR points.
Meanwhile, Moss was dominant in the Colts 22-19 overtime walk-off win over the Ravens in a hostile Baltimore environment. He received a ridiculous 30 carries and rushed for 122 yards. Moss also snagged two of his three passing targets for 23 yards and a score, all summing up to 22.5 PPR points. Moss is clearly the bell-cow back until Jonathan Taylor returns. Even when (or if) Taylor takes over the backfield, it does not seem like Moss will be going anywhere, and he should continue to still have a solid role in the offense.
Now that I’ve patted myself on the back a little, it’s time to put our hard hats on and get back to work on winning this week’s matchup.
It’s All About Achane.
This one shouldn’t come as a surprise if you were paying any attention to the NFL this past Sunday. Devon Achane should be everyone’s number one priority on the waiver wire this week, and for good reason. The rookie running back finally got unleashed against the Broncos and he definitely did not disappoint.
Miami torched Denver on Sunday in one of the most lopsided NFL games we’ll see in our lifetimes. The final score read 70-20 (a “scorigami” too - the 1,077th unique score in NFL history) and it could’ve been even worse if Mike McDaniel had chosen to kick a field goal to go for the all-time scoring record instead of kneeling out the final Miami possession.
Everyone ate on Miami’s offense, but Achane had the biggest meal. He took 18 carries for 203 yards and a pair of touchdowns. That’s not all, as the former Texas A&M Aggie reeled in all four of his targets for 30 yards and another couple of touchdowns. That absurd statline amassed to an equally absurd 51.3 fantasy points.
Just two weeks ago, someone was raving to me about Raheem Mostert and how we would be a bonafide RB1 in fantasy as the featured back in Miami. I replied by telling them Achane would take over the backfield by midseason. I wish I had put it in writing, but I swear it’s true. He burst onto the scene far sooner and far more extreme than I expected, but he’s not going anywhere either.
Obviously he won’t drop 50-burgers every week, but the speedster will continue to play a substantial role in arguably the best offense in football. He’s a perfect player for Mike McDaniel, as the coach can use his unique speed and skillset akin to how he utilizes Tyreek Hill with creative motions and gadget plays.
The sad part is his historic week was largely wasted, as he is only rostered in 16.5% of ESPN leagues prior to waiver claims processing this week. If you’re able to get him, consider yourself lucky.
Tank Time in Houston
Let’s balance out this week with a rookie wide receiver with an awesome name who could find his way into your starting lineup. Enter Tank Dell of the Houston Texans. He’s had the nickname Tank since he was a baby, as his mom coined the phrase because of his big head. Now I don’t know about you, but that’s all I need to know to be sold on this guy.
If, for some reason, you need some more information, take a look at his numbers over the past couple weeks. He’s had back-to-back weeks with seven-plus targets, 20-plus fantasy points and a touchdown. Last week in the win over the Colts, he took five catches for 145 yards and a score — 25.5 PPR points.
The Texans definitely are not good, but they are frisky. C.J. Stroud has also had the best start to his career out of the rookie quarterbacks, although the first-round pick somehow is still under-the-radar. His 906 passing yards are the third most for a quarterback in their first three games in NFL history, behind only Cam Newton and Justin Herbert. He still has not thrown an interception while averaging over 40 passing attempts per game.
The bottom line is Stroud looks great, the Texans may be better than expected and Dell is his quarterback’s favorite target. That’s a recipe for fantasy success. He’s only on 11.3% of rosters at the time of writing and will be much more of an under-the-radar pickup compared to Achane, so there’s a solid chance he’s still out there.
Talk Trades for D’Andre Swift
This is a recommendation to simply field some calls. I am by no means saying D’Andre Swift is going to fall off a cliff this year and you need to get rid of him ASAP. What I am saying is that this could be an amazing sell-high spot. He has had back-to-back weeks where he looks like one of the best running backs in football. Behind maybe the NFL’s best O-line, he’s gotten over 130 yards on the ground for two straight weeks.
However, his carries dropped from 28 to 16 upon Kenneth Gainwell’s return this week. Without a touchdown, he only managed 14.8 PPR points despite 130 rushing yards. Swift has also been a non-factor in the passing game.
I watched Jalen Hurts vulture two touchdowns from Swift on Thursday Night Football two weeks ago, where his 27.1 PPR points could have easily been 40. With the unbeatable Philadelphia QB sneak, Hurts will continue to steal touchdowns away. Given all of this and Swift’s lengthy injury history, I would see if I could get a haul for him right now.
Definitely do not force a trade as he should continue to be a productive every-week starter, but you may be able to finesse your leaguemates into sending you an elite package for a running back who’s ceiling is highly volatile.
“Frankel’s Fantasy Files” runs every Wednesday.