Week 7 Gold: Fantasy or Fools?

By Lamar

A player on your radar had a big game. Do you pick him up? This is where we decide whether their forecast is fantasy or fools gold.

Jordan Mason RB San Francisco 49ers
5 rush att, 27 rush yards, 1 rush TD
Elijah Mitchell RB San Francisco 49ers
2 rush att, -3 rush yards

Neither of these guys did much against the Browns defense, which might be the best defense in the NFL, but you want a piece of this backfield if McCaffrey is out. Mason and Mitchell are not usual candidates for this column, but are important to consider with the vacancy left by McCaffery. Oblique injuries can linger for weeks and for now we do not know the extent of the injury. If McCaffery were to miss then you want in on the action. We are not sure who would be the starter, or whether this situation turns into a committee, but whatever shakes down you will want a piece of it. This is a fantasy gold situation.

Chuba Hubbard RB Carolina Panthers
19 rush att, 88 rush yards, 1 rush TD, 1 target, 1 rec, 2 rec yards

It’s tough to get excited about a player on one of the worst offenses in the NFL, but Hubbard was impressive this week. Miles Sanders is RB1 in Carolina, but Hubbard has looked like the better back. I would rather have Hubbard the rest of the season and there is nothing wrong with a player like Hubbard at the end of your bench. He’s a decent bye week fill once the Panthers return in Week 8.

Rashid Shaheed WR New Orleans Saints
6 targets, 2 rec, 85 rec yards, 1 rec TD

I tend to stay away from Saints players because I do not want their cheating, thieving ways to infect the rest of my players. That is a good rule here for Shaheed. Saints QB Derek Carr is rightly distributing the ball (not something the Aints post Brees have been known for) to four main pass catchers and there is no way to know who will reap those rewards week to week. This is a Fools gold situation unless someone gets injured.

Kendrick Bourne WR New England Patriots
11 targets, 10 rec, 89 rec yards

NE is a sinking ship and I do not want any part of it. When a player has more than 10 targets in a game then we usually take notice. But not this time! The only consistency from the Patriots’ offense this year is that they have been consistently not good. Avoid this offense at all costs.