Fantasy Football Daily Notes: Baker Mayfield to Rams, Lamar Jackson likely out, OBJ may not be ready
Read ESPN’s fantasy football Daily Notes every weekday to stay caught up on the news you need to know and get a head start on the fantasy football content coming today and tomorrow to ESPN.com and the ESPN Fantasy App.
The news: The Rams claimed QB Baker Mayfield off waivers from the Panthers.
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What it means in fantasy: Mayfield was waived by the Panthers on Monday, something interim coach Steve Wilks said was mutual. Wilks said Mayfield asked to be released after learning he wouldn’t be the starter or backup in Carolina. ESPN’s Field Yates reported the Rams were the only team to place a waiver claim on Mayfield. The Rams inherit the remaining $1.35 million on Mayfield’s contract. Last Saturday, Matthew Stafford was placed on injured reserve. The quarterback is eligible to return in Week 17, but coach Sean McVay said “there’s a good chance” Stafford won’t play again this season. Either John Wolford, Bryce Perkins or Mayfield will be the starter for the Rams. It’s difficult to trust any of them in fantasy.
Going deeper: Mayfield ranks last in the league in total quarterback rating among qualified quarterbacks with a rating of 18.2, which also is the second-worst ever among 521 qualified passers since tracking of the stat began in 2006, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
The news: ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Lamar Jackson has a sprained PCL.
What it means in fantasy: Ravens coach John Harbaugh mentioned on Monday that Jackson is unlikely to play against the Steelers in Week 14. Schefter notes PCL sprains often keep players sidelined forI mean one to three weeks. Jackson’s fantasy managers will need to consider other options. In Week 14, Jared Goff and Mike White are very good contingencies. Also worth considering is Ravens backup Tyler Huntley, but his matchup against the Steelers this week isn’t ideal. Weeks 15 and 16 are more favorable for Baltimore with games against the Browns and Falcons. Huntley averaged 17.2 fantasy points last season — bolstered by a 38.1-point Week 15 effort against the Packers — when he started for the Ravens while Jackson was out with an ankle injury.
The news: The Seahawks signed RB Wayne Gallman to their practice squad on Tuesday.
What it means in fantasy: When it comes to NFL coaches, actions speak louder than words. The Seahawks added an experienced back to the practice squad after Kenneth Walker III suffered an ankle strain Sunday against the Rams and was ruled out. Travis Homer was already ruled out before the game because of a knee injury, while DeeJay Dallas also injured his ankle against the Rams but returned to play. Coach Pete Carroll’s optimistic outlook about injuries complicates the backfield situation further, but Walker’s status should be known soon. The fact that Homer was not injured during Sunday’s game against the Rams makes him my preferred add if Walker is ruled out. Tony Jones Jr. could also be part of the Seahawks’ committee against the Panthers.
The news: ESPN’s Ed Werder reported that the Cowboys have concerns following their two-day meeting with free agent WR Odell Beckham Jr.
What it means in fantasy: The Cowboys are concerned Beckham’s recovery from a torn left ACL in the Super Bowl has not progressed enough to ensure he’ll play before mid-January. Beckham has also visited with the Giants and Bills. The chances of him being relevant in fantasy football this season are slim. Michael Gallup should be considered by fantasy managers looking for a wide receiver. He has seen seven targets in consecutive weeks and saw a career-high three red zone targets against the Colts on Sunday. Gallup is rostered in only 44.2% of ESPN leagues. Another excellent option is Donovan Peoples-Jones, who has scored 10 or more fantasy points in seven of his past nine games.
The news: Cardinals WR Greg Dortch could play in Week 14 against the Patriots.
What it means in fantasy: There is a strong chance that Dortch will return as the Cardinals come out of their Week 13 bye. With Dortch out of Week 12’s matchup against the Chargers due to a thumb injury and Rondale Moore out with a groin injury, Arizona was forced to rely heavily on its running game. Moore’s status for Monday night’s game against the Patriots is uncertain. He has dealt with ankle and hamstring injuries this season. In the event Dortch is active, he will mostly operate from the slot as the Cardinals’ No. 3 receiver. Arizona’s No. 1 and No. 2 receivers would be DeAndre Hopkins and Marquise Brown. The Cardinals rank third with 39.5 pass attempts per game. Dortch could be considered a flex option in deeper formats if he were active.
The news: ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo “could have a chance to return in 7-8 weeks.”
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What it means in fantasy: Schefter reported that Garoppolo does not have a Lisfranc injury and will not require foot surgery. Garoppolo could be back under center for the NFL playoffs if his rehab goes well, which would bode well for his 2023 value in keeper leagues. For the rest of this season, managers who planned to use Garoppolo will now have to look for alternatives. Three quarterbacks with very favorable fantasy playoff schedules (Week 15-17) are Mike White, Mac Jones, and Kenny Pickett.
Mike Clay’s Shadow Report: wide receiver vs defensive back matchups analysis
Seth Walder’s Next Gen Stats Advantage: Mismatches to exploit
DFS cheat sheets for DraftKings and FanDuel
• Rankings for Individual Defensive Player leagues
• “Fantasy Focus” Podcast: Field Yates, Stephania Bell, Daniel Dopp and Liz Loza dish out the latest injury updates before talking some tight end streaming options, bye week RB options and what players will be league winners during the playoff weeks. Watch | Listen
Thursday:
Field Yates’ Fantasy Field Pass for Week 14
Mike Clay’s TNF Playbook: Rams vs Raiders
Tristan H. Cockcroft’s positional Matchup Map
Matt Bowen’s fantasy film room
Al Zeidenfeld’s DFS Best Buys for Week 14
• “Fantasy Focus” podcast (10 a.m. ET)
In Case You Missed It:
• Week 14 fantasy football rankings at every position (PPR and NPPR)
Matt Bowen’s streaming pickups: Deeper picks for deeper leagues and emergency need
Eric Karabell’s Flex and superflex rankings for Week 14
• NFL Nation’s Fantasy Fallout: Beat reporters answer our most pressing fantasy questions
• Eric Karabell’s trade index and rest-of-season rankings for Week 14 and beyond
• “Fantasy Focus” podcast: Field Yates, Mike Clay, Daniel Dopp and Stephania Bell recap a MNF with a wild ending, talk some star player injuries and debate players who have been trending up who you can trust in your lineup. Plus, Eric Moody joins the show to discuss the players you have to add for Week 14. Listen | Watch