We roll on. Not to make you sad, but we’re already over 20% done with the NFL regular season. Cherish every moment of football we have. Before you know it, it’ll be spring and you’ll be salivating over the NFL Combine and Draft to temporarily cure your cravings.
More importantly, we’re even closer to the fantasy playoffs. Believe it or not, most leagues’ postseasons start in only 10 weeks. That means you only have so much time to turn your season around or bolster your roster before it’s too late. This week I’ve got some longer term advice. Some moves you could make really soon that you might be thanking yourself for down the line…
Back in Business
Let’s get the ball rolling with a couple notable names who could return to the field this week. First up: The one and only Jonathan Taylor.
It’s been a tumultuous offseason for Taylor and the Colts. He was at the center of this summer’s running back controversy and even requested a trade from Indianapolis (which the team denied). There still seems to be some bad blood between the two parties, and the Colts have no interest in giving Taylor a new contract that would be to his liking.
He was placed on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list with an apparent injury (though I’m skeptical given the drama) prior to the season, meaning he had to miss at least the first four games. The No. 1 pick in last season’s fantasy drafts is eligible to return this week. Head coach Shane Steichen said earlier this week that Taylor was excited to get back on the field and would be practicing today. There’s a chance he could even suit up this weekend.
Whether Taylor does end up playing on the Colts this year or gets the trade he wanted remains to be seen. Either way, I think Taylor is worth taking a stab at, especially if your team has performed well the first few weeks and has some depth it can afford to ship off. Trade for Taylor while the price is still at its lowest. Once he either takes the field or joins a new squad, his value will likely skyrocket.
Jameson Williams is also eligible to suit up this weekend. The Lions wide receiver was still recovering from an ACL tear suffered in his final college season when he got drafted in 2022. As a result, he only played in six games during his rookie season last year. In fact, he caught just one pass in six games played: a 41-yard touchdown.
He missed the first four games this season with a gambling suspension, and it is still unclear when he’ll take the field. However, his one catch reminded everyone what a gifted pass-catcher he is. Williams has elite speed and is the perfect deep threat to complement USC alum Amon-Ra St. Brown, who does the majority of his work over the middle on short and medium routes.
Detroit’s offense is legit, ranking eighth in the NFL in points per game through the first four weeks. When Williams gets involved, they will be one of the most dangerous units in the league. He’s going to feast when he finally gets a sustained chance.
He’s currently only rostered in 16.3% of ESPN leagues and that number likely won’t jump up until he plays. If you’ve got the room, he’s worth stashing.
Are the Jets Taking Off?
Maybe? It’s hard for Jets fans not to overreact when Zach Wilson literally just outdueled Patrick Mahomes in primetime. The Chiefs may have won this game, but it was about as good of a loss as the Jets could have imagined. Not only did they nearly complete a 17-point comeback against the reigning Super Bowl Champs, but their Wilson didn’t wilt under pressure and looked like a real NFL quarterback. It was reported that this game would determine whether Wilson was the starter moving forward. I’d say completing 28-of-39 for 245 yards and two touchdowns answers that question.
Slow your roll. I’m not telling you to pick up Wilson off the waivers, and I would strongly advise against it. However, this could be a serious sign of life for the Jets offense. Wilson has always had the physical talent. His poor play was instead always the result of confidence issues and mental errors.
It didn’t help that after he was thrust back into the starting role this year, Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett called an offense to try to protect Wilson. He didn’t allow him to take shots downfield and seemed to try to lean on the run game to carry the offense. This doomed Wilson worse because the opponents weren’t afraid about giving up deep balls and instead loaded up for the run.
On Sunday night, Hackett let his young quarterback air it out and it worked out quite well. If New York continues to call a similar offense and let Wilson play more freely, it could pay dividends for the skill players surrounding him.
Do I think Wilson is “The Guy” now? Not even close. Did he show signs that the Jets offense might not be dead in fantasy this season? Maybe. Improved quarterback play obviously bodes well for every skill player on the roster. Breece Hall will have more space to work with when the defense can’t just stack the box. Garrett Wilson might actually get the ball thrown his way when he’s open (which is pretty much all the time). Even Allen Lazard showed his promise as a deep threat and red zone target.
Don’t overreact and buy stock in every Jets player you can find. Speaking from the fan base, this could go right back to a disaster next week. However, if you like what you saw, this could be a good opportunity to buy low on some of these guys. Conversely, it may be a sell high spot. I really think it’s a judgment call.
New York plays the Broncos this weekend. After the feud Sean Payton started with Hackett earlier this summer, I have no doubt the Jets will empty the tank in Denver. They’re going to pull out all the stops and will be playing with a chip on their shoulder, looking to exact revenge for their coach.
This means one of two things. The first scenario: the Jets stay hot and score plenty of points on a defense that’s given up 98 in its last two contests. Scenario number two: Payton puts Wilson in a torture chamber and erases any positive mojo he had from his game prior.
The moral of the story is, make your fantasy moves with the Jets before Sunday, because you may not have a chance afterwards.
“Frankel’s Fantasy Files” runs every Wednesday.