Nick Foles could be a solid option at quarterback in Week 11 if you want to wait on an Aaron Rodgers return. Credit: Getty Images
Things could be worse for Aaron Rodgers owners. Your girlfriend could have left you for a woman, or maybe you are going home to discover a sewage leak in your kitchen. But yeah, there’s no sugarcoating it. Things are bad. Giving up, however, is for the weak. You can still capture fantasy glory.
STOP-GAP SOLUTIONS
Option one is to hold Rodgers on the bench and wait for his broken collarbone to heal. Reports this week suggest that the earliest he’ll be back is Week 13 and the latest will be Week 16. Piecing together quarterback production for your fantasy team will be far easier than what the real-life Packers are dealing with. We could go with Jake Locker against the Jags this week, Nick Foles vs. the Redskins in Week 11 and Jay Cutler against the Rams in Week 12. Before we know it, we might be getting Rodgers back. Use your waiver wire and ride matchups. It’s more practical at QB than anywhere else.
TRADE MARKET
Let’s say you can’t afford to hold out and wait on Rodgers. Fine. There should be a big trade market for a guy that should be back for the fantasy playoffs. If I have a 7-2, 8-1 or 9-0 team, I’m doing everything I can to trade for this guy. Rodgers owners can reasonably ask for a package of something like Russell Wilson and Rueben Randle, or Terrelle Pryor and Shane Vereen. It’s not ideal, but these are moves that could benefit both sides. Get on the phone.
ATTACK, ATTACK
For those of us who don’t own Rodgers, this is why we’ve been grinding the wire all year. Many of us have two very good quarterbacks, such as Matthew Stafford and Pryor, or Andrew Luck and Ben Roethlisberger. It’s now time to use these assets to attack the Rodgers owner with trade offers. We can afford to get thinned out at quarterback – the most replaceable position – to obtain difference-makers at wideout, running back and tight end. For example, if you’re starting Charles Clay, then you can gain tons of expected value by trading Stafford and Clay for Rob Gronkowski.
Week 10 matchups
Make sure to get these borderline wideouts in your lineups this week:
1. Cecil Shorts, Jaguars – No Justin Blackmon the rest of the year and Shorts’ shoulder should be 100 percent.
2. Brian Hartline, Dolphins – No. 2 WRs routinely roast the Bucs as Darrelle Revis watches No. 1s like Mike Wallace.
3. Kendall Wright, Titans – Wright has at least 54 yards in seven straight games. Now he gets to face the Jags.
NFL News
Perhaps there’s still a smidge of a window to buy low on C.J. Spiller. If so, do it. His ankle looked markedly healthier last week and now he’s not even listed on the injury report. Furthermore, the Bills will face the Bucs, Jags and Dolphins in Weeks 14-16. That’s nice and soft.
NFL Pickups
Aaron Dobson, WR, Patriots – A 6-foot-3 wideout with 4.4 wheels playing every snap with Tom Brady. Yes, please.
Rashad Jennings, RB, Raiders – Darren McFadden (hamstring) could be out multiple weeks. Expect 15-20 touches for Jennings.
Doug Baldwin, WR, Seahawks – Until Percy Harvin gets back, the underrated Baldwin will be Seattle’s No. 2 receiver.
