Fantasy Football Handcuff Report: Ingram Returns, Bell on Way
Published: Oct 03, 2018
The running back position is really aggravating fantasy football owners this year and their ire is definitely understandable. Le’Veon Bell says he’s coming back but that’s not until Week 7 when the Steelers are on a bye, so we’re actually looking at another three weeks without him. Rumors of him being traded are still prevalent, but not enough to ascertain what kind of a value you place on James Conner . On top of that, you’ve got injuries to Leonard Fournette and Marlon Mack to deal with, Joe Mixon still isn’t ready to return, Pete Carroll threw a monkey wrench into the mix and frustrations continue to build for owners of Jordan Howard and Kenyan Drake . Oh, and did we mention that Mark Ingram and Robert Turbin are coming off suspension this week? Wow. Lots to discuss, so let’s get to it.
Atlanta Falcons – The latest reports have head coach Dan Quinn saying he expects Devonta Freeman to return to practice this week and be available for Week 5 against the Steelers. You’re going to have monitor the practice reports carefully for the next few days to see just how involved he’s going to be. Tevin Coleman should continue to play a significant role while Ito Smith is the one to lose the snaps should Freeman be active.
Baltimore Ravens – This fumbling issue for Alex Collins is really starting to be a problem for fantasy owners. He’s still the lead back and will remain as such, but Javorius Allen ’s role isn’t changing and could even expand a little if Collins doesn’t right the ship soon. I’m not ready to give up on Collins just yet, but the guy is seriously working my last fantasy nerve here.
Denver Broncos – While I still believe Royce Freeman should be considered the lead back, this remains more of a 50/50 split with Phillip Lindsay . The situation is far from ideal, but after watching both find the end zone last week, it would seem that both can have their merits until one falters. Standard league owners should be all over Freeman wile Lindsay is more favored in PPR formats.
Green Bay Packers – If last week was enough proof that Aaron Jones should own this backfield by himself, I don’t really know what head coach Mike McCarthy is looking for here. Jones can take it between the tackles, he can pass-block and he can catch passes. He can do it all better than Jamaal Williams , forever to be known by me as “Jamawful Williams.” Maybe McCarthy is just taking his time, but if you own anyone from this backfield, it better be Jones.
Indianapolis Colts – Raise your hand if you’re getting sick and tired of Marlon Mack ? This guy has been a nightmare and with the short week this week, I don’t even care if he’s been limited at practice. I seriously doubt he makes an appearance this week and if he does, well, he’s only going to ruin the fantasy value of others. Nyheim Hines seems to be the only one worth his salt here as Jordan Wilkins continues to disappoint. Now, throw Robert Turbin into this mix. My take on this is Wilkins and Hines will split the bulk of the work, Turbin will poach a few carries (probably by the goal line to really screw you) and Mack will sit. They’ll have 10 days to figure this mess out after Thursday’s game.
Jacksonville Jaguars – The “out indefinitely” tag on Leonard Fournette right now is killing us in fantasy. If you didn’t have him handcuffed to T.J. Yeldon , you’ve made a huge mistake. Yeldon will lead the charge with Corey Grant getting some complementary work, but it seems doubtful that he’ll have any legitimate fantasy value this week. With any luck, the Jaguars will have a better read on Fournette’s timetable in the coming days.
New Orleans Saints – Are we welcoming back Mark Ingram with open arms? The Alvin Kamara owners certainly aren’t. It should be very interesting to see how head coach Sean Payton splits the workload, but Kamara owners should definitely expect a pull-back on touches. He’s obviously still a must-start, but having the extra running back affords Payton the opportunity to give Kamara a breather and keep him fresh for the duration of the season. This match-up on Monday night against the Redskins has me thinking Ingram’s usage will be heavy.
Pittsburgh Steelers – This is going to be a very confusing next three or four weeks. Le’Veon Bell says he will report during the Steelers’ Week 7 bye which means he’ll have at least one full week to prep for a home start against the Browns. But what does this do to the value of James Conner ? Rumors are swirling that the Steelers are still shopping Bell, so there’s still that possibility of Conner remaining a full-time back. If the Steelers find a way to maintain some clubhouse harmony and keep Bell, then Conner’s value goes kaput. Trades to acquire Bell are solid. Trades to deal away Conner are as well. I am not making any trades to acquire Conner with so much uncertainty. Let someone else try and be smooth with that one.
Seattle Seahawks – Man. Pete Carroll really stuck it to Rashaad Penny owners, didn’t he? There was very little talk of throughout the week, even with Chris Carson dealing with a hip injury, so obviously his start was surprising for anyone who tried throwing a dart with Penny. It would appear that Carroll’s intent is to leave Penny as a third-down, change-of-pace back while utilizing Carson, if healthy, or Davis as his between-the-tackles, early-down back, so we’re going to have to adjust accordingly. To quote Adam Sandler from the Wedding Singer, “Information that would have been good to know YESTERDAY!!!”
Here’s a look at the updated Handcuff Grid:
Player News
Panthers released TE Jordan Matthews.
Matthews converted to tight end a few years ago and hasn’t made much noise at the position. The change has, however, likely kept him in the league for a few more seasons. He appeared in four games with the Panthers last year but didn’t record any stats on offense. The Panthers also released or waived WR Dax Milne, C Andrew Raym, and TE Colin Granger.
Dolphins released LS Blake Ferguson.
The team also waived CB Ryan Cooper Jr., DT Neil Farrell and OL Chasen Hines. Ferguson has been the team’s long snapper for five seasons and earned a three-year contract extension just before the 2023 season. He should be able to find work snapping footballs farther than the average snap elsewhere in the league.
DetroitLions.com’s Tim Twentyman believes rookie WR Isaac TeSlaa “could make his earliest impact on special teams.”
It’s not much of a surprise, as most rookies cut their teeth with special teams duties. Twentyman mentioned return duties as a possibility, though the former Razorback never returned kicks or punts in college. At 6'4/212 with 4.43 wheels, TeSlaa is an explosive athlete who never translated his physical traits to on-field production at Arkansas. The Lions clearly saw potential for him to do so in the pros and traded two future third-round picks to move up to No. 70 overall for him. It’s going to be a slow burn for TeSlaa in the pros, making him a dynasty-only fantasy option.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said the team does not “have any feelings on competition” when asked about the quarterback room.
O’Connell was asked about a potential quarterback competition on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday and was unclear on whether J.J. McCarthy would have to compete to start. He said, “we’ve got an obligation as coaches to put our players in position to attack that competition phase.” O’Connell discussed first putting Brett Rypien and the newly acquired Sam Howell in a position to play before any competition would occur. He continued that McCarthy is “owning it” this offseason and is taking snaps from starting center Ryan Kelly. After missing last season with a torn meniscus, McCarthy has been ramping up workouts in the offseason and is the front-runner to start for the Vikings in 2025. As of now, Howell looks to be reinforcement at the backup spot in case it turns out McCarthy is not ready to start.
Texans re-signed DT Foley Fatukasi.
Fatukasi initially joined the Texans last offseason on a one-year contract. The 30-year-old was a rotational defensive lineman, tallying four tackles for loss and one sack. He returns to Houston for 2025, where he will be a part of a deep Texans front seven.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports Tyreek Hill’s second wrist surgery was part of the original plan and his timeline remains unchanged.
Hill announced the second surgery on social media and Pelissero quickly added some context to the situation. The speedy receiver suffered the wrist injury just before the start of the season and it lingered throughout the year, though he never missed a game because of it. If the second surgery truly is a non-story, an offseason to recover might be what Hill needs to return to form after a down 2024 season. On the other hand, Hill is 31 years old, played his worst football last year, and his offense prioritized targets for Jonnu Smith and De’Von Achane. As it stands, Hill might have the highest risk-reward split in fantasy drafts.