NHL Best Bets for Tuesday (11/19)
Kenneth Le
With only a matchup between the Chargers and Colts left tonight, Week 16 is complete. We saw many significant performances help teams advance to the fantasy finals.
However, what should we take away from these performances as we head into the final week of the fantasy season?
Cam Akers flashes immense upside
Once a high-end fantasy option, Cam Akers has faded into the background after an Achilles injury last season. This weekend, he exploded for a huge performance, finishing as the top fantasy running back thus far with 34.7 PPR points. This was fueled by 118 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries. He also added two receptions for 29 yards. This was the third time in four weeks that he surpassed 13 PPR points. He is RB4 since Week 13 with 76 points, making him a must-start in the finals if you roster him. The Rams draw the Chargers next week, who are currently allowing 26 fantasy points to running backs per week and over 128 yards per game on the ground.
This is also something we should note for next year. Akers will likely have a healthy ADP, and once the Rams get healthy next season, we could see him return as a top fantasy asset.
James Conner a league-winner again
James Conner continued his torrid pace this week, as he had 22 touches for 120 yards and a score, finishing with 25 PPR points (currently RB4). This was his fourth 20-point week since returning in Week 9 and second in the past three weeks. He is RB3 since Arizona’s Week 13 bye week with 66.5 points while averaging 22.2 points per week. A significant amount of this production has come via the passing game, as he has totaled 16 receptions for 98 yards over that span.
We should expect this to continue with Trace McSorley or Colt McCoy under center next week. Additionally, the Cardinals draw the Falcons next week, who are allowing over four receptions per game to running backs and over 22 fantasy points per week to the position. This makes Conner a must-start in the fantasy finals. For the second year in a row, it’s likely we’ll see many championship rosters with Conner.
DeVonta Smith is a must-start
DeVonta Smith continued his consistent play in Week 16 even with Gardner Minshew at the helm. Smith caught 8-of-12 targets for 113 yards and two touchdowns (31.3 PPR points) and put together a top-3 finish at his position. This was the fourth week in a row with double-digit fantasy points and his 10th week with double-digit points. Since Week 13, he is WR3 with 87.5 PPR points, trailing only A.J. Brown and Justin Jefferson.
This coming week, the Eagles draw a tougher matchup with the Saints, who are only allowing 32.6 PPR points to the position (12th fewest in the NFL). However, they have given up a few big performances over the last few weeks. As a result, DeVonta Smith will be a must-start in the fantasy finals, especially if the Eagles get Jalen Hurts back.
George Kittle gets hot at the right time
For the second week in a row, we saw George Kittle go for over 90 yards and two touchdowns. This week, he produced a season-high 120 yards on six receptions (30 PPR points) and a top finish at his position. This was his second week in a row of 25+ PPR points and his fourth 20+-point week this year. He is the top tight end throughout the playoffs with 55.3 PPR points. With Brock Purdy at the helm, it appears Kittle is in line for a significant role moving forward. With how inconsistent the tight end position has been, Kittle’s consistency over the past few weeks has been a breath of fresh air.
This upcoming week, the 49ers draw the Raiders, who allow the ninth-most PPR points to the position. Kittle will have a chance to produce yet another massive performance, and it’s safe to say that he is a must-start this week.
Jared Goff stays hot
Jared Goff has had an up-and-down season when it comes to fantasy production, including some crazy splits. He has only posted less than 15 fantasy points at home once. On the flip side, he has posted four 20+-point performances at home. This week, he posted his first 20+ performance on the road, as he threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns. He is currently QB2 with 25.7 points. Since Week 13, he is QB7 with 87.48 points and is averaging over 21 points per week. This makes him a must-start in superflex formats, and he’s pushing to be a must-start in single-QB formats as well.
This week, he draws the Chicago Bears, who are allowing the 10th-most PPR points to quarterbacks this season – over 17 points per game. The last time the Lions faced the Bears in Week 10, Goff only posted 14.84 PPR points. But this week the Lions are home, helping out his projected fantasy production.
