Run 'N' Shoot: What Happened to the Pack?

Run 'N' Shoot: What Happened to the Pack?

This article is part of our Run 'N' Shoot series.

We're now 10 weeks into the NFL season and I might have more questions now than when we started.

What happened to the Packers? We all forgave Green Bay for the Denver meltdown and the Panthers loss, but can you be a contender when you lose a third straight game at home to the lowly Lions? Make no mistake, that Lions defense is atrocious, yet the Pack still looked pedestrian on offense. Surprisingly, 17 quarterbacks have a higher YPA than Aaron Rodgers' 7.3. 17! Is it too convenient to blame the struggles on Jordy Nelson's absence? Where are you, Randall Cobb (5-53-0 on 10 targets)?

Are the Vikings -- a team all the stat junkies have been insisting for weeks is overrated -- really better than Green Bay? I guess we will find out this week, when the two face off.

What's wrong with Seattle? Allowing 39 points at home in a must-win game? As many wins this year as the Bucs? Why can't Russell Wilson do anything through the air (10 TDs in 9 games) or the ground (0 rushing TDs)?

I'm putting a fork in the Seahawks. But with as much as I got wrong in Week 10, that probably means a long Seattle winning streak is coming.

What will the Broncos do at quarterback? What should they do? The defense is too championship-caliber to waste on the ghost of Peyton Manning, right? I found it telling that Tony Dungy, Peyton's former

We're now 10 weeks into the NFL season and I might have more questions now than when we started.

What happened to the Packers? We all forgave Green Bay for the Denver meltdown and the Panthers loss, but can you be a contender when you lose a third straight game at home to the lowly Lions? Make no mistake, that Lions defense is atrocious, yet the Pack still looked pedestrian on offense. Surprisingly, 17 quarterbacks have a higher YPA than Aaron Rodgers' 7.3. 17! Is it too convenient to blame the struggles on Jordy Nelson's absence? Where are you, Randall Cobb (5-53-0 on 10 targets)?

Are the Vikings -- a team all the stat junkies have been insisting for weeks is overrated -- really better than Green Bay? I guess we will find out this week, when the two face off.

What's wrong with Seattle? Allowing 39 points at home in a must-win game? As many wins this year as the Bucs? Why can't Russell Wilson do anything through the air (10 TDs in 9 games) or the ground (0 rushing TDs)?

I'm putting a fork in the Seahawks. But with as much as I got wrong in Week 10, that probably means a long Seattle winning streak is coming.

What will the Broncos do at quarterback? What should they do? The defense is too championship-caliber to waste on the ghost of Peyton Manning, right? I found it telling that Tony Dungy, Peyton's former coach and one of his biggest backers/apologists, said he'd start Brock Osweiler this week.

The Patriots keep winning, but with Julian Edelman joining Dion Lewis on the shelf, how long can that last? Isn't LeGarrette Blount best used in a second-half, run-out-the-clock role, not the spread offense the Pats like to run? With New England already down two key guys in the passing game, can they afford to feature Blount, a non-threat out of the backfield?

To my eye, the gap between the Patriots and the rest of the league is smaller than it's been at any point in 2015. Let's see if the Bills -- as healthy as they've been since they last faced New England as a favorite in Week 2 -- can take advantage on Monday night.

How good are the Panthers? Can they win a Super Bowl with Ted Ginn getting so many targets? Devin Funchess seems primed to break out but isn't getting targeted enough to be fantasy-relevant. Yet.

When the Jaguars snapped the ball on that final snap Sunday, what were their chances of winning? With the clock at zero, the ball near midfield and half of their own players not knowing what to do, much less running routes or blocking, Elvis Dumervil's personal foul while sacking Blake Bortles was probably the only scenario where a Jaguars victory was possible. As Jaguars fans improbably check the AFC South standings (they're just a game back), Ravens backers are forced to accept 2015 isn't their year.

Team success aside, Week 10 was also one of the most unpredictable fantasy weeks in recent memory. All of the Packers fell flat in a juicy matchup. So did Bortles and Allen Robinson. Meanwhile, the Bears and Cardinals went off in tough matchups on the road, with Zach Miller (5-107-2) and Michael Floyd (7-113-2) leading their respective teams but virtually no fantasy owners. (Don't go chasing Miller's points, friends.) And don't even get me started on the DFS frustration of seeing Ben Roethlisberger come off the bench to lead Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant to huge weeks.

With all the chaos, at least there's one constant in today's NFL: whichever QB is playing the Saints.

Jay Ajayi looks like the real deal in Miami. He's in the Karlos Williams tier of high-upside handcuffs.

Nine Vikings received a target Sunday but none saw more than four. On a run-dominated team with a good defense, Stefon Diggs needs an Adrian Peterson injury to reach his 2015 potential. With so many running back injuries this year, it's pretty crazy that 30-year-old AP is the one who's stayed healthy.

Darren McFadden hasn't been filling the box score, but he's been dominating the Cowboys' RB touches. With Tony Romo returning and the Cowboys line still playing at a high level, DMC is an RB1 the rest of the way. Go get him.

Still reeling from Week 10 DFS, I took a peek at next week's DraftKings pricing. Here's what jumped out:

Quarterback

Carson Palmer vs. Cin, $6,700: This game has shootout potential written all over it, and Palmer will be highly motivated to stick it to his old team. Keep an eye on Michael Floyd's hamstring, though.

Derek Carr vs. Det, $6,300:
The Lions just won their 2015 Super Bowl and remain an awful defense. This is a prime spot for Carr to bounce back in a big way.

Tyrod Taylor at NE, $5,200:
The Bills are content to play ball control with a lead, as they did the last two weeks, but turn Tyrod loose when trailing. That's why Taylor had such a big Week 2 when New England came to town -- 242 yards, three TDs via the air, another 42 and a TD on the ground. With the Bills as healthy on offense as they've been all year and heading to Foxboro as a seven-point underdog, I'm all in on Tyrod this week -- both cash and GPPs.

Running Back

Chris Ivory vs. Hou, $6,100:Nick Mangold returned to the lineup and, like clockwork, Ivory went 18-99 against a tough Bills run D. In a better matchup like this one, the upside is back.

Darren McFadden vs. Mia, $5,000:
This price doesn't account for Romo's return or the impact it will have on the whole offense. A 20-110-2 game is coming, soon.

Charcandrick West at SD, $4,500:
Coming off a huge performance against the Broncos' vaunted D, West's prove somehow went down for a matchup against the NFL's last-ranked run defense. Don't overthink this; play West in cash.

Wide Receiver

Mike Evans vs. Phi, $7,300: Evans has been a beast three of the last four weeks yet his price still hasn't adjusted to that of the elite receivers. The Eagles' D is better than we thought, but Philadelphia's fast-paced tempo on offense has sunk its pass D to the NFL's third worst.

Sammy Watkins at NE, $4,800:
If Tyrod plays half as well as I think, who do you think he's going to throw to now that a guy named Butler, not Revis, is covering Watkins?

Davante Adams at Minn, $4,600:
21 targets from Aaron Rodgers in Week 10 should have pushed this price higher. I'd rather own Adams than Cobb in seasonal leagues.

Danny Amendola vs. Bills, $4,000:
With Julian Edelman out, this is a great price for Tom Brady's slot receiver.

Tight End

Rob Gronkowski vs. Buff, $7,700: Prime time. Pats down two key weapons in the passing game, leaving Gronk as the last man standing. Yeah, I'm Gronking this week.

Eric Ebron vs. Oak, $3,500:
Ebron has significant garbage-time potential against a defense that hasn't covered a tight end all year.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Stopa
Mark Stopa has been sharing his fantasy insights for Rotowire since 2007. Mark is the 2010 and 2012 Staff Picks champion (eat your heart out, Chris Liss) and won Rotowire's 14-team Staff League II in consecutive seasons. He roots for the Bills and has season tickets on the second row, press level to the Rays.
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