Intro/Methodology
Every week, I’m going to break down an entire division, focusing on their play on the field that week. Specifically, I’ll go through each team and focus on their dynasty assets, especially anybody who suffered injuries or a massive value change. I won’t look at any player or team in too much detail. This article is more of a summary piece. I also included links to all my previous divisional nuggets articles at the bottom of the page. With that said, let’s jump right in!
Titans
Summary
The Titans won an exciting 31-30 contest over the Vikings. They moved to 3-0 with the victory, and they’re looking like one of the best teams in the AFC. I don’t have any significant overall takeaways from the contest, and the Titans avoided any serious injury scares to their fantasy options.
Quarterback
Ryan Tannehill played decently. He completed 23/37 of his passes for 321 yards and an interception. Tannehill didn’t throw any touchdowns in this game, as Derrick Henry had the Titans’ only two touchdowns. Kicker Stephen Gostkowski also added six field goals to account for most of the Titans’ scoring. I wouldn’t make any major judgments on Tannehill from this one.
Running Backs
Derrick Henry had 26 carries for 119 yards and two touchdowns, dominating the touches in the Titans’ backfield. He’s a locked-in RB1 going forward in 2020 and a borderline RB1 in dynasty leagues. If you’re a rebuilding team holding onto Henry, now might represent a great sell-high point.
We finally got to see third-round rookie Darrynton Evans, but he only had three carries for nine yards. He also didn’t catch any passes, although I believe he will eventually grow into Dion Lewis’ old receiving back role. I’m glad to see Evans make his debut, but I can’t make any recommendations based on his limited snaps.
Receiving Weapons
For me, the big takeaway is that the Titans sorely miss star receiver A.J. Brown. Kalif Raymond led the Titans in receiving with three catches for 118 yards, but I think that’s just a blip on the radar. Raymond should remain on the waiver wire in all but the deepest dynasty leagues.
Both Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith caught five passes for 69 and 61 yards, respectively. Davis has played well as the Titans top receiver, but he lacks the upside that Brown provides. Brown should return from his injury soon, so this decent game could provide your last chance to sell Davis.
As for Smith, he’s a solid riser for me in dynasty leagues. Thus far, he has three touchdowns in 2020, and his 20 targets are a solid mark for a receiving tight end. I’m not sure that Smith has high-end upside, but he should be a reliable TE1 in 2020 and beyond.
Colts
Summary
The Colts’ offense barely had to play during their 36-7 mauling of the Jets. Jets’ quarterback Sam Darnold threw two pick-sixes, allowing the Colts to play conservatively throughout most of the game. Unfortunately, the Colts lost rookie receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to compartment leg syndrome, which required surgery. They already are down second-year receiver Parris Campbell to a leg injury, so the Colts will have a depleted receiver corps from now on.
Quarterback
As I mentioned above, the Colts barely needed to move the ball on offense. Philip Rivers had a good game, completing 17/21 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown. He’s only a low-ceiling QB2 in superflex leagues in 2020.
In the fourth quarter, the Colts brought in backup Jacoby Brissett. Brissett completed two of four passes for 17 yards. Unless Rivers suffers an injury and misses a game, we won’t see Brissett in 2020. Considering that Rivers has played every game since he became a starting quarterback in 2006, I don’t expect Brissett to see any action in 2020.
Running Backs
The Colts used three running backs in this game: Jonathan Taylor, Nyheim Hines, and Jordan Wilkins. Taylor led the way on the ground, taking 13 carries for 59 yards and a touchdown. However, unlike previous weeks, Taylor saw little usage in the passing game, with only one reception for three yards. I wouldn’t make any big takeaways from this game, though, considering how anemic the Jets’ offense played.
Hines got involved in the offense after going missing in Week 2. He saw seven carries for 21 yards, and he caught four of five targets for 40 yards. The Colts made an effort to get Hines more touches after he only saw one in Week 2. I think Hines will have spotty usage, but he should be an RB3 or FLEX option in PPR leagues.
Wilkins saw most of his work in garbage time, although he looked decent with nine carries for 39 yards. If anything happened to Taylor, Wilkins would likely inherit most of the early-down work alongside Hines as the third-down back. He might be worth an add in deeper dynasty leagues.
Receiving Weapons
The Colts lost Pittman Jr. in this game, leaving them short of receiving options. Without Pittman Jr. and Campbell, they will need to rely on veteran T.Y. Hilton, who hasn’t impressed thus far in 2020. Hilton only caught three passes for 52 yards in this game, although he should now see more targets. If Hilton starts to perform well in the coming weeks, I will sell him in dynasty leagues because I think he’s lost a step in 2020.
With Pittman Jr. and Campbell out, Zach Pascal should step into a starting role for the Colts. Pascal had 607 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 2019, so he’s a competent NFL receiver. Pascal should be added in dynasty leagues, as he’ll provide WR4 value while Pittman Jr. and Campbell remain off the field.
Tight end Jack Doyle was active for this game, although he didn’t record any offensive stats. Instead, Mo Alie-Cox caught all three of his targets for 50 yards and a touchdown. I’m not sure that Alie-Cox has taken the starting tight end job from Doyle, but he’s now put together two strong games. Alie-Cox is a must-add in most dynasty leagues, especially TE premium formats.
Jaguars
Summary
The Jaguars lost to the Dolphins 31-13 in a putrid performance. Pretty much everything went wrong for the Jaguars on both sides of the ball in this game, with few positive takeaways. The Jaguars played this game without top receiver DJ Chark, which severely hurt their offense. Chark missed the game with chest and back injuries, and it’s unclear if he can return in time for Week 4. Luckily, the Jaguars avoided any other injuries, so they should be mostly healthy going forward.
Quarterback
Gardner Minshew had a lot of volume, but he didn’t do much with it. He completed 30/42 passes for 275 yards, but he threw an interception and no touchdowns. Minshew also only contributed three carries for 22 yards, not doing much on the ground. If Minshew continues to play like this, he could quickly lose his job in 2021 to either a draft pick or free-agent quarterback. I’m concerned about his long-term viability as an NFL starter, and I would like to move on from Minshew in superflex leagues.
Running Backs
Once again, undrafted rookie phenom James Robinson carried the load in the Jaguars’ backfield. He had 11 carries for 46 yards and two touchdowns while adding six receptions for 83 yards. Robinson took most of the receiving work from the backfield, as teammate Chris Thompson only had five catches for 35 yards.
Robinson is now an RB2 in 2020, and I’m starting to believe in him as a real dynasty asset. He’s now my 87th overall player in my 1 QB dynasty rankings, ahead of running backs like Le’Veon Bell and Zack Moss. However, if I can acquire a 2021 first-round rookie pick for Robinson, I’ll still sell him at that price.
At the beginning of the season, I believed that Thompson might become a viable PPR asset, at least during 2020. Now, Thompson represents a drop candidate in dynasty leagues, especially as Devine Ozigbo and Ryquell Armstead inch closer to returning to the lineup. I’d probably try to hold Thompson for a couple of more weeks, but he’s no longer a must hold.
Receiving Weapons
The Jaguars have a complete and utter mess at the receiving positions. At wide receiver, Keelan Cole, Chris Conley, and Laviska Shenault formed the starting trio. Each played on at least 68% of offensive snaps, although none had a big game.
Conley is the least exciting of the bunch, as he only caught three of his eight targets for 34 yards. I wouldn’t bother holding him in almost any dynasty league. Cole was a popular sleeper for this game with Chark out, but he disappointed with only four catches for 43 yards. I believe that Cole has the inside track to the #2 receiver role behind Chark for now, but I wish he showed more in this game.
As for Shenault, he’s still learning the intricacies of playing wide receiver in the NFL. The Jaguars managed to line him up in the backfield a few times, although he only had one carry for one yard. However, he did manage five receptions for 33 yards on six targets as a receiver. Better days are ahead for Shenault, but he’s got a lot to learn. Watch for a buy-low window later on in the 2020 season, especially if Minshew continues to struggle.
Finally, the Jaguars’ tight ends are utterly unusable in fantasy football. Tyler Eifert and James O’Shaughnessy split snaps 61 to 41%, forming an ugly tight end committee. I want no part of either player, although I would choose Eifert if forced to pick. Outside of the deepest TE premium leagues, you’re not rostering either guy.
Texans
Summary
The Texans lost 28-21 to the Steelers in Week 3 to fall to 0-3. Their offense didn’t click throughout the entire game, and you have to think head coach Bill O’Brien’s job must be in jeopardy. Luckily, the Texans didn’t suffer any injuries during this game, although backup running back Duke Johnson didn’t play due to an injury sustained in Week 1.
Quarterback
There’s little to discuss with Deshaun Watson from a dynasty perspective. He didn’t have a strong game, but he remains a locked-in dynasty QB1 and a borderline first-round startup pick in dynasty superflex leagues. Hopefully, the Texans find a way to replace DeAndre Hopkins next season, and they get a better coach than O’Brien. I have zero concerns with Watson from a talent perspective, and he has a massive 4-year, $156 million contract extension. If anybody is selling Watson, go and buy him.
Running Backs
As discussed earlier, Duke Johnson missed Week 3, allowing David Johnson to carry the load for the Texans. He played on 96% of offensive snaps, and he took all but one carry. However, Johnson only managed 23 yards on 13 carries and two receptions for 23 yards. He salvaged his day with a rushing touchdown, but I didn’t love what I saw from Johnson this week.
I expect Duke Johnson to return in Week 4, and the Texans should move into more of a committee. Because David Johnson scored a touchdown, he could still have some dynasty value. Now’s the time to get out from under David Johnson. If you can acquire any future first-round rookie pick, I’d take it and run.
Receiving Weapons
The Texans receiving weapons are a complete mess right now. They haven’t filled the void left by Hopkins, forming a nasty WR committee. This week, Randall Cobb led the team in yards, catching all four of his targets for 95 yards and a touchdown. Will Fuller added four receptions for 54 yards, and Brandin Cooks caught three passes for 23 yards.
I have no idea what to do with Fuller and Cooks, as they seem to trade off weeks. They’re both holds in dynasty leagues because they have little trade value. The Texans have some easier games coming up, where hopefully, both players can rebuild their value.
Even Kenny Stills worked his way onto the stat sheet with three catches for 35 yards. However, Fuller, Cooks, and Cobb played 94, 87, and 72% of snaps compared to only 17% for Stills. The Texans want to play 11 personnel, with Fuller and Cooks as their outside receivers and Cobb in the slot. Stills is only a depth piece.
As for the tight ends, Jordan Akins has jumped to the top of the committee. He played 68% of offensive snaps compared to only 51% for Darren Fells. Akins only had two receptions for 28 yards in this game, although Fells had a goose egg. For the season, Akins has caught 11 of 12 targets for 122 yards and a touchdown. He’s a solid add in deeper TE premium leagues while dynasty owners can feel free to drop Fells from their rosters.
Thanks for reading this article. You can find me on Twitter at @DFF_Karp. I love to interact with anyone in the community, so reach out at any time! I take fantasy questions and help with all formats, so keep sending those questions my way.
Previous Divisional Nuggets Articles: NFC East (Week 2), AFC North (Week 3)
