The beautiful chaos of fantasy football is back, with Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season officially in the books. This isn’t the time to rest on your laurels – snap counts, surprise benchings, and emerging stars remind us that our fantasy lineups must always be evolving.
Below are four widely available players that you’ll want to keep your eye on and consider scooping up. And, as always, send your fantasy football questions my way on Twitter @AndyMc81 using #AskAndy.
Eli Mitchell, RB, San Francisco 49ers Yahoo! Ownership: 8% Draft Kings salary: $5,000
This one is sure to be one of – if not the most – popular roster adds ahead of this weekend. We all need to try and get ourselves some shares of Eli Mitchell. Like a “Stone Cold Stunner” out of nowhere, the sixth-round rookie shocked everyone by appearing on the 49ers’ active roster against Detroit instead of fantasy darling Trey Sermon.
An early knee injury to RB1 Raheem Mostert saw the San Francisco backfield handed to the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajun alum. In an offence built on establishing the ground attack, Mitchell rumbled for 104 yards and a touchdown, averaging an elite-level 5.5 yards per carry. We do have to remember his success came against a Lions defence that gave up the most fantasy points to running backs in 2020.
Keep in mind that head coach Kyle Shanahan loves running by committee (even if Mostert is expected to miss at least eight weeks) and there are still plenty of unknowns, including how much Sermon sees the field, and the lurking presence of JaMycal Hasty who vultured a TD on Sunday. However, since RB fantasy production is at a premium around the NFL, I advise throwing some FAAB Mitchell’s way and seeing how this all works out.
Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions Yahoo! Ownership: 7% Draft Kings salary: N/A
Despite having the reputation as a dink-and-dunker, it seems like Jared Goff may have stumbled into a nice situation for himself in Detroit. Battling one of the league’s tougher defences on Sunday, the 2016 first overall draft pick posted 338-yards through the air for three touchdowns against San Francisco, throwing just one interception and running three times as well.
All that equalled a top-four fantasy QB performance for Week 1. Granted, many of those fantasy points came late when the game was (mostly) out of reach, but garbage time still counts! The Lions should find themselves playing from behind often in 2021, which means more fourth quarter stat-padding. This makes Goff a decent streaming option and nice DFS contrarian choice in Week 2 when Detroit faces a Packers club coming off a 38-3 shellacking courtesy of New Orleans.
After he missed a good chunk of training camp with hamstring issues, it was a surprise to see Anthony Schwartz so involved so early in Cleveland’s offence in Kansas City. The Auburn track star unleashed his world-class speed on Sunday, out-pacing coverage for a 44-yard reception, hauled in two others and rushed once for a 17-yard gain that gave him 86 total yards from scrimmage.
Star WR Odell Beckham Jr. was a last-minute scratch as he looks to come back from ACL surgery, which is likely why Schwartz was so busy in Week 1. If OBJ sits again in Week 2 versus the Texans, Schwartz is worth a flex spot start – and, at worst, is a smart bench stash for now.
Targeted nine times in Sunday’s season-opener against Houston, Marvin Jones Jr. caught five passes and found the end zone to the tune of 77 yards and 18 FPTs in PPR formats. That’s the type of production I was expecting when I made him a sleeper selection in my pre-season wide receiver fantasy rankings. A WR-18 last year, the veteran quickly found chemistry with first overall pick Trevor Lawrence in training camp and that carried over to this past Sunday.
Jacksonville quickly found themselves in a 14-0 hole opposite the lowly Texans, and that of course forced them to the air. Lawrence chucked it up 51 times, and Jones tied teammate Laviska Shenault Jr. for the second-most targets. If the Jaguars’ defence couldn’t handle Houston, then it is very likely that they’ll be playing catchup again when they host Denver.
The ball should continue to come Jones’ way often. He offers a high-floor solution as a third receiver or flex moving forward.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
