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Surprising Fantasy Football Trends and Stats: Week 8

One of the most distracting aspects of being part of the fantasy football community is all the chatter or ‘noise’ that is out there. I mean just spend five minutes on Twitter and you will soon see what I mean. Everyone has an opinion, a hot take, and a bone to pick with yours. The line between fantasy (pun intended) and reality is blurred beyond recognition.

So with Week 8 already upon us, how does a fantasy manager make informed decisions moving forward? How do we get from the middle of the pack to the league champion?

Simple.

Block out the noise. Seek the facts. Make awesome decisions. Here is a quick guide to help you position by position.

 

Fantasy Football Trends: Quarterback

Some storylines mesh with fantasy football reality. Some do not. For instance, not a week goes by that I don’t read a story about how great Tom Brady’s 2021 season is, despite being 43 years old. The reality is, it’s true.

TB12 is fantasy football’s QB1 (STD) with 179.70 points (25.67 ppg). He’s killing it with his senior’s discount.

Want to guess who is a close second to Brady after seven weeks?

It’s Jalen Hurts with 174.7 fantasy points. On the other hand, there are whispers of MVP when Dak Prescott or Justin Herbert’s names come up in fantasy conversations (debates really). And as legit as all of that MVP talk may be, they both are QB12 and QB10 respectively.  Good numbers for sure but elite fantasy options? Meh. Not so much. If I were a fantasy player in search of a title this year, and it so happens that I am, my #1 QB target to acquire right now would be:

Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills):

Currently the QB7, Allen is the only top 10 QB that has had his bye week. He is averaging a solid 26.55 fantasy ppg and his upcoming schedule is attractive. His next three games are against the Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Jets. In addition, Allen will face the Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, and Atlanta Falcons during the fantasy football playoff season. But perhaps the most defining statistic for me personally is Allen’s reduction in turnovers.

As a rookie, Allen’s interception rate was an enormous 3.8%. Currently, he sits at 1.5%, showing poise and patience with the football. This is the guy, I believe, that leads many fantasy owners to their league titles. 

 

Fantasy Football Trends: Running Back

The King is still the king. By a wide margin. Like almost eight fantasy points a game. Derrick Henry is once again killing it in fantasy football. If he is on your roster, you are probably receiving trade offers daily for him. But all is not lost for the rest of us. There are many viable RB options out there to help lead you to your league title. The one RB I have been targeting over the last two weeks is:

D’Andre Swift (Detroit Lions):

Currently fantasy football’s RB6, D’Andre Swift provides a quality that all owners look for in their players. Consistency. I covet this even more than explosivity because I can account for it week in and week out. Other than a poor performance in Week 4 against the Chicago Bears, Swift has performed at a high level, particularly in PPR formats.  He is matchup proof, a weekly plug and play star in both the running and passing game.

Swift will face the Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, and Seattle Seahawks in the fantasy football playoffs and it’s his consistency that owners will bank on as their teams compete for hardware.  

 

Fantasy Football Trends: Wide Receiver

Some of the best stories of the year feature wideouts. Do you remember what the ADP was back in draft season for Ja’Marr Chase or Cooper Kupp? Yet here they are, electrifying the league week in and week out. And this position, in particular, changes value depending on the league format. But one WR stands out to me as a very attainable target, one that I have gladly immediately inserted into multiple lineups:

As the WR6 in PPR formats and the WR4 in STD formats, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown (Baltimore Ravens):

Hollywood is quietly winning games for his fantasy managers. I recently traded him straight up for Keenan Allen (WR37) and I have not looked back. It was the perfect “Neon” trade. (I made this term up. It’s basically trading a marquee player for a lesser-known player whose name would not normally be on the marquee in neon lights).

Brown is very opportunistic, scoring in four games this season where he saw six or fewer targets. And the best part of this acquisition? It was an upgrade that did not cost me any of my future. At 24 years old, and playing with MVP candidate Lamar Jackson, I’m looking for an even bigger second half of the season from Hollywood. 

 

Fantasy Football Trends: Tight End

There is no doubt that this position is dominated by the likes of Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews thus far in 2021. With Kyle Pitts starting to emerge and the rest of the usual suspects jockeying for fantasy position, TE5 (PPR) and TE6 (STD) is quietly standing his ground, performing week in and week out.

Dalton Schultz (Dallas Cowboys):

Schultz is on his way to a career year. The 25-year-old is a six to eight target per game machine on a team that is fourth in scoring (even after just having their bye week) and first in yards per play. Consistent production and ball security (zero turnovers) are endearing qualities that Schultz brings to the table. If you are able to secure his services for your team, you will not be disappointed. His fantasy playoff schedule features the Washington Football Team, New York Giants, and Cardinals.

These are just a few of the options that you should be exploring in order to turn your team from a contender to a champion. Just remember, whatever sources you are using, to reduce the ‘noise’, examine the facts, and make those bold moves that other owners, hesitant owners, neglect to make on their way to mediocrity.

Don’t be average.

Be sure to give Jason a follow on Twitter at @JFerris72, so that you don’t miss any parts of this great series! You can also take a trip back in time to his Week 7 article here.

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