Yahoo Sports 5 offenses with surprisingly easy fantasy football playoff schedules
With the fantasy playoffs just around the corner, we know who will make it into our starting lineups for the most part. Managers will mostly be dancing with the ones who brought them.
For those in need of an extra boost, there are five surprising offenses that we don’t often look to for fantasy boom outings, yet have tantalizing schedules over the next four weeks.
Denver Broncos
Save Javonte Williams, the Denver Broncos provided one of the dullest watches of the entire season on Sunday Night Football against the Chiefs in Week 13.
Yet, we may have to subject ourselves to them a few more times given their schedule.
Upcoming opponents
Week 14 - Lions
Week 15 - Bengals
Week 16 - Raiders
Week 17 - Chargers
The Lions have been a fundamentally broken defense all year while the Raiders and Chargers both rank in the bottom-10 in rushing success rate allowed. Cincinnati might be the only troubling matchup for Denver over the next few weeks.
As amazing as Javonte Williams’ breakout Week 13 performance was, we can have zero confidence he’ll ever get that level of work again as long as Melvin Gordon is healthy. The fact that the schedule is this light — particularly for a rushing offense — does help break ties in favor of playing him every single week regardless. As long as Fangio remains committed to the near 50/50 split, Gordon should also find his way into your lineups with this schedule.
The pass-catcher corps is a much tougher situation. No one in this pass-catching corps has cracked a 23 percent target share over the last four games. Jerry Jeudy leads the way with 6.5 targets per game but his 7.7 aDOT erases all potential for upside. Courtland Sutton isn’t even seeing four looks per game.
Some of these matchups indicate a possible breakout for one of these guys every week. It’s going to be a tough scene predicting who, if anyone, will hit.
Chicago Bears
It’s everyone’s favorite offense to hate: The Chicago Bears. But after David Montgomery hit a massive ceiling last week, it’s a good time to remind ourselves that beautiful things can come from the ugliest of places.
Upcoming opponents
Week 14 - Packers
Week 15 - Vikings
Week 16 - Seahawks
Week 17 - Giants
Remember last year when David Montgomery ran through a late, cupcake schedule and secured a top-five fantasy running back finish? He may not reach those heights in 2021 but the path is laid out for him to thrive.
The Packers, Vikings and Giants all rank 24th or lower in rushing success rate allowed this year. Green Bay has rounded into form as a stop unit but not a soul fears Minnesota or New York. The Seahawks have also been clobbered by running backs all year long, especially in the receiving game. Montgomery inhaled nine targets last week and has been an 83.5 percent snap player since returning from IR. He doesn’t leave the field and shouldn’t leave your fantasy starting lineup at any point the rest of the way.
The passing game is a bit more problematic. Andy Dalton pushes the volume up but Justin Fields will be back this Sunday and likely starts the rest of the way. Despite his letdown game last week, Darnell Mooney is still a guy you can play in many of these matchups as a WR3.
Washington Football Team
The Washington Football team can still win the NFC East thanks to their recent win streak. They might be able to help you bring home a fantasy title too.
Upcoming opponents
Week 14 - Cowboys
Week 15 - Eagles
Week 16 - Cowboys
Week 17 - Eagles
As usual, television executives are saving all the intra-NFC East games for the end of the season. What a ride; lucky us.
Neither the Cowboys nor the Eagles are a complete sieve of a defense but they do present areas where teams can attack. The Eagles rank 21st in rushing success rate allowed and 26th against the pass. Dallas is a top-tier ranked pass defense thanks to turnovers but can be beaten for big plays, ranking 21st in explosive run rate allowed and 28th in explosive pass rate allowed.
If your team scratched and clawed to survive drafting Antonio Gibson in the second round back in August, he might end up being the reason you run through the fantasy postseason. Only Jonathan Taylor has more snaps and rush attempts than Gibson the last four games. They’ve both forced 23 missed tackles, proving Gibson is a gifted runner when healthy. Taylor and Gibson have each received 15 targets in this same stretch.
There have been some slow weeks with Terry McLaurin lately but you need to play him every week with this down-the-stretch schedule. He still ranks inside the top-five in weighted opportunity on the season and has WR1 potential with these matchups. Don’t lose faith.
Keep an eye on Curtis Samuel’s playing time, too. With Logan Thomas back on IR, the Football Team will need a No. 2 pass-catcher to step up. Samuel could be that guy the moment he starts playing a full snap count.
Tennessee Titans
From a schedule and team-talent standpoint, Tennessee is the team I feel the least bullish about. Still, there are going to be some spots to get back into the Titans experience over the next month.
Upcoming opponents
Week 14 - Jaguars
Week 15 - Steelers
Week 16 - 49ers
Week 17 - Dolphins
Week 14 against the Jaguars will be a good “scouting mission” when it comes to your Titans players. Julio Jones has been activated off IR; if he plays on Sunday, gauge his usage even if you don’t start him. He could come in handy over the last month of the season, especially while A.J. Brown misses time. The 49ers secondary still has huge holes at cornerback and the Steelers rank 25th in dropback success rate since Week 10.
The backfield can be similarly scouted in Week 14. If Dontrell Hilliard retains the top running back duties he held before the Titans late bye, he could figure in as an every-week RB2 against some of these teams.
[Play in Yahoo's Week 14 Million Dollar Baller DFS contest]
If Week 14 shows us the same stuck-in-the-mid Titans we’ve come to know without Derrick Henry and A.J. Brown, then just forget it. But the schedule isn’t totally unforgiving.
Detroit Lions
That’s right, those Detroit Lions. Fresh off their first win of the season, the Lions have a solid fantasy schedule down the stretch.
Upcoming opponents
Week 14 - Broncos
Week 15 - Cardinals
Week 16 - Falcons
Week 17 - Seahawks
D’Andre Swift doesn’t have a timetable to return to game action but he'll have a beautiful runway when he does.
We can assume he misses this week. That leaves Jamaal Williams in the starting mix against the Broncos. Denver ranks 25th in run defense DVOA on the season. Keep in mind with Williams that, while he maintained a huge early-down role, he wasn’t a bell cow with Swift out. Godwin Igwebuike ran 25 routes to just nine for Williams. Keep Igwebuike on your radar in case something happens to Williams.
If Swift can make it back after this week he has two cakewalk matchups against the Falcons and Seahawks preceded by a date with the Cardinals. Arizona’s pass defense is awesome but ranks dead last in explosive rushing rate allowed; remember, they just got rung up by David Montgomery.
Swift would smash this schedule.
Even the passing game has some appealing players. Since Week 11, rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown leads the team with 90 routes run and 20 targets. He’s playing in two-wide sets, which is crucial for his value. He could have more upside than we thought earlier in the year. Josh Reynolds moonwalked right into the top outside receiver spot and is second on the team with 81 routes run since Week 11, sporting the highest aDOT (16.6) by far. If you’re hurting at receiver, these two are widely available and could find success against the Broncos, Falcons or Seahawks late in the year.
Even Jared Goff might not make for the stone-worst quarterback streamer. If you’ve made it this far without riding an early-round quarterback pick, he might be someone to stash. Goff has his flaws but has been able to put up numbers against soft defenses.
