This article is part of our NFL Barometer series.
As is common this time of year, season-ending injuries are opening up possibilities for backup players to step into fantasy relevance. That much was evident again in Week 13, and an unexpected release due to off-field issues also created a job opening in the league's most potent offense. With plenty to examine all the way around, let's take the temperature of the NFL heading in the fantasy postseason.
Trending Up
Quarterback
Josh Allen, Bills: Allen has made a notable impact since returning from a four-game absence due to an elbow injury. The time off seems to have helped the rookie absorb more of the playbook and nuances of the pro game, as Allen has compiled 391 passing yards and additional 234 on the ground over his first pair of contests back. That sample includes seven completions of over 20 yards and four runs over that distance as well. While his accuracy is certainly still a work in progress, Allen is demonstrating some nice chemistry with second-year wideout Zay Jones as well, providing plenty of reason for optimism regarding his prospects down the stretch.
Derek Carr, Raiders: It's admittedly counterintuitive, but Carr has actually played better the more receivers he loses to injury. The fifth-year signal-caller boasts a 6:0 TD:INT over the last three games, a stretch during which he's racked up 11 completions of greater than 20 yards. Carr is also starting to get some of those wideouts back, as Jordy Nelson returned in Week 13
As is common this time of year, season-ending injuries are opening up possibilities for backup players to step into fantasy relevance. That much was evident again in Week 13, and an unexpected release due to off-field issues also created a job opening in the league's most potent offense. With plenty to examine all the way around, let's take the temperature of the NFL heading in the fantasy postseason.
Trending Up
Quarterback
Josh Allen, Bills: Allen has made a notable impact since returning from a four-game absence due to an elbow injury. The time off seems to have helped the rookie absorb more of the playbook and nuances of the pro game, as Allen has compiled 391 passing yards and additional 234 on the ground over his first pair of contests back. That sample includes seven completions of over 20 yards and four runs over that distance as well. While his accuracy is certainly still a work in progress, Allen is demonstrating some nice chemistry with second-year wideout Zay Jones as well, providing plenty of reason for optimism regarding his prospects down the stretch.
Derek Carr, Raiders: It's admittedly counterintuitive, but Carr has actually played better the more receivers he loses to injury. The fifth-year signal-caller boasts a 6:0 TD:INT over the last three games, a stretch during which he's racked up 11 completions of greater than 20 yards. Carr is also starting to get some of those wideouts back, as Jordy Nelson returned in Week 13 against the Chiefs from his thigh injury and secured 10 receptions. Meanwhile, Martavis Bryant is at least listed as questionable for Week 14 with his PCL injury, while rookie Marcell Ateman is also making strides.
Cody Kessler, Jaguars: His numbers in a Week 13 start were nothing to write home about, but Kessler certainly didn't do anything to lose his starting job for at least this week. That makes him a viable candidate for those desperate for quarterback help entering the fantasy postseason, even as expectations should be tempered. Kessler will have the benefit of Leonard Fournette in the backfield for a Week 14 matchup against the Titans, which could afford him more one-on-one matchups to exploit downfield.
Mark Sanchez, Redskins: Speaking of candidates for QB-needy fantasy owners at this juncture, Sanchez certainly qualifies as such. Colt McCoy has been ruled out for the season following the fracture of his right fibula suffered in Monday night's loss to the Eagles, leaving Sanchez in the driver's seat for the rest of the season. The veteran completed 13 of 21 passes for 100 yards and an interception against Philadelphia after coming in for McCoy, and although he'll get some competition this week in the form of a free-agent signing, he should be in line for at least a Week 14 start against the Giants.
Running Back
Jeff Wilson, 49ers: Wilson had already been coming on over the last pair of contests, gaining 94 yards on 22 carries in Weeks 12 and 13 and adding nine catches for 84 yards. He's now likely to draw a Week 14 start against the Broncos at minimum with starting running back Matt Breida (ankle) already confirmed as out for that game. Wilson has shown the ability to be a three-down back during his brief career, and even if he loses some goal-line work to second-year back Matt Dayes or veteran Alfred Morris, Wilson's likely to command the majority of the backfield work due to his big-play potential.
Spencer Ware / Damien Williams / Charcandrick West, Chiefs: Kareem Hunt's sudden and shocking exit from Kansas City created an immediate opportunity for Ware, and to a lesser extent, Williams and West. Ware opened his latest stint as the starting running back in KC with a 14-47-1 line on the ground versus the Raiders, while Williams gained 38 yards on five rushes and added a pair of grabs for seven yards. Monday's re-signing of West, who's caught at least 20 passes in each of the last three seasons for Kansas City, could cut into the volume of both players, but he's more likely to be a threat to Williams' spot in the backfield pecking order.
Kenneth Dixon / Ty Montgomery, Ravens: Another pair of runners on the rise are Dixon and Montgomery, albeit with perhaps less overall upside than any of the Chiefs. Dixon made his return from injured reserve in Week 13 and took eight carries for 37 yards while adding one reception for six more. Meanwhile, Montgomery has now brought in eight of 10 targets for 55 yards over the last pair of contests while posting 64 yards on 11 rushes. The picture does remain decidedly murky with regards to week-to-week usage for now, especially considering that impressive rookie Gus Edwards is nursing an ankle injury. Whether or not Lamar Jackson retains the starting job also figures to affect the fortunes of Baltimore's RBs to an extent, as both Dixon and Montgomery would likely see a greater workload with the dynamic but accuracy-challenged rookie under center instead of Joe Flacco.
Jaylen Samuels / Stevan Ridley, Steelers: James Conner's ankle injury seemed minor when he got hurt late in Sunday's contest against the Chargers, but it's apparently serious enough that Pittsburgh has ruled him out for Week 14 five days in advance of their clash with the Raiders. With Conner suddenly facing a potential multi-week absence, rookie Jaylen Samuels and veteran Stevan Ridley are both in line for increased work. Ridley does have a 1200-yard, 12-TD season on his resume, but it came way back in 2012 with the Patriots, and he's managed only a 3.4 YPC since 2014. Samuels, drafted in the fifth round, is the better pass-catching option and is more athletic in general, but he's really only been used as a gadget player so far in the brief NFL career. If either of them can seize the lead role this weekend, they could produce big numbers against an Oakland defense that's giving up the second-most rushing yards per game in the league, but a timeshare is also a distinct possibility.
Wide Receiver
Zay Jones, Bills: As mentioned in Allen's entry, the young quarterback still has a ways to go as a pure passer, but Jones seems to be one of the weapons that can help get him to where he needs to be. The second-year wideout is flashing some upside after a washout of a rookie campaign, with 22 of his 41 catches on the season coming in the last five contests. Jones found the end zone twice on four grabs versus the Dolphins in Week 13, and his growing rapport with Allen could lead to even better production over the final four games.
Chad Williams / Trent Sherfield, Cardinals: Neither player will set anyone's pulse racing, but the reality is that both stand to see a boost in the wake of Christian Kirk's season-ending foot injury. Williams has to get over his own current ankle injury in order to take advantage, and Sherfield brings good size at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds. Williams would figure to line up in Kirk's No. 2 spot if healthy, but Sherfield could conceivably find himself starting alongside Larry Fitzgerald in Week 14 against the Lions if Williams isn't healthy enough to take the field.
Michael Gallup, Cowboys: Gallup's targets have climbed in each of the last three contests, topping out at seven against the Saints in Week 13. The rookie brought in five of them for 76 yards in that contest, as he carves out a larger role in the offense. Amari Cooper's presence and success are both likely to continue benefiting Gallup in the form of plenty of one-on-one matchups, and his impressive catch radius makes him a solid red-zone threat.
Tight End
Ian Thomas, Panthers: Thomas stands to gain the most from Greg Olsen's season-ending foot injury. The rookie brings an impressive size/speed combo at 6-foot-3, 260 pounds, which was on display during his 2017 season at Indiana when he averaged 15.0 yards per grab on his 25 receptions. Thomas has compiled 16 receptions in a mostly secondary role this season, but having already started for a stretch earlier in the season when Olsen was sidelined should help him in his second go-around with the first unit down the stretch.
Rhett Ellison, Giants: Ellison's opportunities the last two weeks have come as a result of Evan Engram's hamstring injury. While Engram appears to have a 50/50 chance of returning in Week 14, soft-tissue injuries are notoriously unpredictable. Ellison has shown some downfield ability with eight receptions for 119 yards on 13 targets. With Eli Manning's propensity to keep a large chunk of his throws in the short-to-intermediate passing windows, Ellison could continue to serve as a viable secondary target in the offense, regardless of Engram's status.
Trending Down
Quarterback
Chase Daniel, Bears: Daniel's on-field performance hasn't done anything to earn him his designation. Rather, he's likely to be a victim of circumstance in Week 14. Mitchell Trubisky is slated to return from his shoulder injury, which will send Daniel back to the bench. While the veteran certainly did enough to prove himself as a viable backup, his fantasy utility may be done for this season.
Running Back
Dion Lewis, Titans: The Titans' backfield usage has mostly been a head-scratcher this season, but previously, it was the relatively sparse carries for Derrick Henry that was the confounding element. Now it's Lewis who's seemingly getting phased out, as he's logged single-digit carries for consecutive weeks after four straight games of 10 or more totes. Lewis' target total over the last four games also reflects a downturn, as he's compiled a modest 14, with three of those games featuring no more than three.
Mike Davis, Seahawks: Davis is seemingly the odd man out in Seattle's three-headed backfield, as Chris Carson remains the clear-cut lead back while first-round pick Rashaad Penny appears to be the preferred primary backup. Davis has logged just four carries apiece for three straight games, and he's seen just three targets over that span as well. Barring an injury in front of him, it appears his 2018 fantasy viability may have come to an end.
Jordan Wilkins, Colts: Speaking of outcasts in three-man backfields, Wilkins appears to have drawn the short straw in Indy for now. Marlon Mack is back and helming the ground attack as expected, while Wilkins' fellow rookie Nyheim Hines is serving as his primary backup. Meanwhile, Wilkins hasn't logged more than 11 snaps in any game since Week 7 and hasn't received a single carry over the last two contests.
Wide Receiver
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Packers: Valdes-Scantling has tumbled from fantasy darling to afterthought over the last couple of games, and now that Randall Cobb has returned from a hamstring injury, matters could worsen. The rookie has just four combined catches over the last three games on 12 targets. While the fact he's seen a decent amount of looks is encouraging, his 33.0 percent catch rate on them isn't. Things could potentially brighten with Mike McCarthy no longer calling plays, but that remains to be seen.
John Brown, Ravens: As much of a boost as Jackson has provided the Ravens' offense at times, he's been nothing but trouble for Brown owners. The speedy receiver had a much better thing going with Flacco under center, as he's brought in just two of 12 targets over the three games Jackson has quarterbacked. Given the rookie's accuracy issues and the lower catch rate already inherent in the deeper targets that Brown tends to get, his outlook remains on the bleak side for now, although Flacco's return to the top job would give Brown a shot at boosting his stock back up.
