The Fantasy Football Volume Report Week 13 2018

The Volume Report: Week 13

Running Back

Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens, Stock Up

Edwards was slated to see an increased role against the Raider Sunday before Alex Collins was ruled out with a toe injury. After the late-week scratch, Edwards’ volume was all but secured and he made good on it. For the second straight week, the century mark for rushing yardage. He’s seen 40 carries over the past two weeks and is averaging 5.8 yards per carry in that span.

Despite the rushing volume, Edwards has just one target to his name this year. He should continue to get the bulk of the Ravens carries but without a compliment of rushing, Edwards remains a two-down back dependent on positive game-script.
 

Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers, Stock Up

Ekeler has been sporadically useful for fantasy players this year. He’s on pace for 1,109 yards from scrimmage and 5.8 scores. In 11 games—with a Week 10 start in the absence of Melvin Gordon—Ekeler has averaged 6.4 carries and 3.5 targets per game. With Gordon facing a multi-week MCL injury, Ekeler’s volume should see a short-term spike. He’ll slot in as an RB2 with weekly RB1 upside as his team’s lead back.

Wide Receiver

Jermaine Kearse, New York Jets, Sell High

Kearse led the Jets with 12 targets against New England last week and appears to have a secured a starting position in the offense. However, this leaves the question: What is a Jets starting receiver worth for fantasy?

The Jets have thrown the 29th most passing touchdowns and yards this season. Kearse himself hs only averaged 4.6 yards per targets on 65 targets. Teammates Robby Anderson and Quincy Enunwa both have more yards on fewer targets and Enuwa is averaging more targets per game, having missed three to injury.

Kearse is an inefficient receiver on a struggling offense. He remains a desperation play best left on the waiver wire.

Jarvis Landry, Stock Down

Through eight weeks of the NFL season, Landry was targeted 11.8 times per game. Over the past three weeks, he’s been targeted just 17 times. In the first eight weeks, he controlled 30% of Cleveland’s targets. Since week nine he owns under 20%.

Baker Mayfield has been heating up and in doing so, has been spreading the ball out more frequently. The Browns have also found a reliable rushing attack in Nick Chubb. Volume drives fantasy points and without it, Landry has been reduced to a low-end flex play. Avoid working him into lineups and look to waiver wire gems like Edwards instead.

Tight End

Jordan Reed, Washington Redskins

In two games with (or partially with) Colt McCoy, Reed has put together two of his three best performances of the season. These two games have also been without Chris Thompson, Paul Richardson, or Jamison Crowder, who have been out since Week 9, 10, and 6 respectively.

The combination of a backup quarterback and a graveyard receiving core is funneling targets to Reed and that’s where fantasy points are made. Reed is a weekly starter yet again in fantasy lineups and DFS rosters.