Fantasy Football Daily Notes: Khalil Herbert on IR, Texans claim Eno Benjamin, Najee Harris will play
The news: Bears RB Khalil Herbert goes on injured reserve.
What it means in fantasy: Herbert sustained a hip injury Sunday on the Bears’ final kick return. With him out for at least four weeks, David Montgomery will have a much bigger role. The Bears can also evaluate sixth-round rookie Trestan Ebner, who has 18 carries for 46 yards so far this season. The Bears have rushed for at least 200 yards in five straight games, though QB Justin Fields has done most of that damage. While it pains me to say it, Herbert can be dropped in most leagues.
Going deeper: Through 10 games, Herbert has rushed for 643 yards on 108 carries, which ranks him second on the Bears behind quarterback Justin Fields (749). Herbert scored four touchdowns. The Bears’ offensive line ranks seventh in run block win rate.
The news: The Texans claimed RB Eno Benjamin off waivers following his release from the Cardinals on Monday.
What it means in fantasy: Benjamin was released by the Cardinals after starting three games when James Conner and Darrel Williams Jr. were injured, but the team decided to move forward with Keaontay Ingram behind Conner. (Williams is on injured reserve.) In Houston, Benjamin is unlikely to find fantasy relevance fighting for scraps with Rex Burkhead as Dameon Pierce continues to feast on NFL defenses as one of the few positives in the Texans’ offense.
The news: Steelers RB Najee Harris is dealing with knee discomfort.
What it means in fantasy: Coach Mike Tomlin said Harris’ discomfort shouldn’t be an issue for Pittsburgh’s Week 11 game against the Bengals. Harris might be limited in practices this week, but he should be available this weekend. Jaylen Warren continues to trend upward and cut into Harris’ snaps and touches. Harris can be viewed as a low-end RB2, while Warren is firmly on the flex radar.
The news: Eagles TE Dallas Goedert is expected to miss time with a shoulder injury.
What it means in fantasy: Goedert suffered the injury Monday night against the Commanders. The Eagles have not yet decided whether to place him on injured reserve as they continue to evaluate the injury. Foster Moreau and Juwan Johnson are two options to consider for fantasy managers looking to stream the position.
The news: Rams QB Matthew Stafford remains in the league’s concussion protocol.
What it means in fantasy: There was hope that Stafford would return for the Rams for their game against the Saints after he missed Week 10. Even though Stafford still has time to pass the necessary tests, the loss of Cooper Kupp has a dramatic impact on his fantasy prospects. Kupp had accounted for 35.7% of all Rams receptions entering Week 10, the highest mark in the league. With John Wolford under center on Sunday, the Rams’ offense was an abomination. Tyler Higbee is the only Los Angeles player in which fantasy managers should have confidence if Wofford starts again.
Going deeper: Over the past two regular seasons, Stafford and Kupp have combined for the most completions (217), touchdowns (22) and yards (2,760) of any quarterback-receiver duo in the league.
The news: Coach Dennis Allen said QB Jameis Winston is a candidate to start against the Rams on Sunday.
What it means in fantasy: Allen hinted that Andy Dalton‘s starting job was dependent on the offense continuing to do well. The Saints have scored only 23 combined points in consecutive losses. In the past two games, Dalton has scored a total of 17.9 fantasy points. Winston injured his back in Week 1 and struggled to play through his injury for the next two games. For the game against the Minnesota Vikings in London on Oct. 2, Allen sat Winston to allow him to heal and went with Dalton. Allen also said that he’s also going to factor the health of the offensive line into his decision, since Winston has a back injury that may not be healed by the end of the season and can’t afford to take too much impact. It’s a good idea to add Winston to superflex leagues. It’s also worth noting that Alvin Kamara had more success with Dalton at quarterback. He has averaged 19.8 fantasy points per game since Week 5.
The read: The Cowboys’ contract situation to monitor
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What it means in fantasy: ESPN’s Todd Archer wrote “The guaranteed money portion of [Ezekiel] Elliott’s contract ends after this season. The Cowboys can save $10.9 million next year by designating him as a post-June 1 cut, but that will still result in more than an $8 million cap hit in 2024. Elliott’s running mate, Tony Pollard, is set to be a free agent, too.” This is great information for fantasy managers in keeper or dynasty leagues to consider. Elliott has averaged only 13.7 fantasy points per game since 2021, while Pollard, when given adequate touches, has thrived. Over the past two games, with Elliott out due to injury, Pollard has accumulated 55.5 fantasy points on 40 touches.
The read: The Giants’ contract situation to monitor
What it means in fantasy: ESPN’s Jordan Raanan wrote about 2023 free agents Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley. “The Giants declined [Jones’] fifth-year option earlier this year, which means he’ll hit the market in 2023,” wrote Raanan. General manager Joe Schoen is treating the rest of the season as an “ongoing evaluation.” Jones is having a great season for the 7-2 Giants, while Barkley is in the midst of a career renaissance, averaging 20 fantasy points per game. Dynasty managers should consider trading them since their value is at an all-time high.
The read: The Lions’ contract situation to monitor
What it means in fantasy: ESPN’s Eric Woodyard wrote: “The Lions’ front office will have a big decision to make with [Jared] Goff in the final guaranteed year of his contract. They would incur a $10 million dead cap hit if they released him after the season, meaning they could do so without much financial consequence. Additionally, Detroit has two first-round picks in this draft … and has the capital to make a move for a signal-caller it likes.” There is a strong quarterback class in the 2023 NFL draft, including C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young. It opens up a trading window for dynasty fantasy football managers to acquire Lions players such as Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.
The read: The Cardinals’ contract situation to monitor
What it means in fantasy: ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss wrote: “[DeAndre] Hopkins is due $19.5 million next season but comes with a $30.9 million cap hit, so something’s got to give. Either he’ll restructure his deal to lower his cap number, or the Cardinals could decide he won’t be worth the cash or cap space. Hopkins’ play this season — since his return from a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy — might make Arizona lean toward needing him again.” Hopkins has averaged 11.5 targets and 21.9 fantasy points per game. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that several teams tried to trade for the veteran receiver before the deadline. The Cardinals are 4-6 and unlikely to make the playoffs; they may have to rebuild, especially if they part ways with coach Kliff Kingsbury and general manager Steve Keim. From a dynasty perspective, Hopkins wins either way. Hopkins will still see a huge target share whether he stays with the Cardinals or is traded to a contender. Dynasty managers should consider trading for the 30-year-old receiver as he still has a lot left in the tank.
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, Daniel Dopp and Stephania Bell dish out the latest injury updates before talking the most interesting players for the rest of the season including some players who you need to consider for your flex spot. Plus, we break down the news or noise around the league. Listen | Watch
Thursday:
Field Yate’s Fantasy Field Pass for Week 11
Mike Clay’s TNF Playbook: Packers vs. Titans
Tristan H. Cockcroft’s positional matchup map
Matt Bowen’s fantasy film room
Al Zeidenfeld’s DFS Best Buys for Week 11
• Fantasy Focus podcast (10 a.m. ET)
In case you missed it:
• Week 11 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 11
• 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 11 and beyond
• Fantasy Focus podcast: Field Yates, Daniel Dopp and Stephania Bell recap a wild MNF and give injury updates. Plus, what RBs are taking over their backfield before Eric Moody joins the show to discuss the players you have to add for Week 11. Listen | Watch