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Fantasy Overview - Week 8

Jeff Haseley's Fantasy Overview - Week 8
By Jeff Haseley, October 28, 2020

Fantasy Overview - Week 8
Photo: USA Today Sports

This week I look at some interesting stats and tidbits that will ultimately make you smile at your own brilliance or help you with your team/lineup decisions heading into the end of the first half of the fantasy season.

5 eyebrow-raising stats about the Patriots from 2019 and 2020. Not all of it is bad

  1. Tom Brady has 18 touchdown passes for the Buccaneers while the Patriots have only 3.
  2. Last year New England had a +11 point margin. In their last three games, that point margin is an astounding -16.3.
  3. New England is dead last in points scored per game in the first quarter with 1.2. Last year, they were 7.1, 2nd highest in the league.
  4. Surprisingly, this is still good. The Patriots are holding opponents to 3.8 third-down conversions per game - 2nd best in the league. Last year, it was 3.1, the highest in the league.
  5. New England penalties committed per game - 2020: 2.5. 2019: 5.7. The Patriots 2.5 penalties per game are by far the lowest of all teams. The next closest is 4.0 by the Rams.

Did You Know?

  • Dallas allows 34.7 points per game. 22.7 allowed in the first half and 12.0 in the second half. Score on 'em early.

  • Carolina allows 98.5 more yards per game to their opponent on the road. The highest difference in the league. Conversely, San Francisco allows 104.8 more yards to opponents at home. And in case you're wondering, Denver allows on average, only 1 more yard to opponents on the road than they do at home.

  • For those of you in kicker leagues - The Colts and Panthers average the most field goal attempts per game at 3.0 and 2.9. The fewest is Seattle with 0.7. No team averaged more than 2.5 field goals attempted per game in 2019.

  • Only one running back has scored more than 1 rushing touchdown in the first quarter this year - Dalvin Cook. He has 4 first-quarter touchdowns. No other running back has more than one rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter.

  • Play your Defense/ST against Denver, New England, and Dallas with honorable mention to Minnesota. They average 2.3 giveaways per game, Minnesota 2.0.

  • Garbage time leaders - Minnesota, Houston, and Kansas City score the most points in the 4th quarter on average. Minnesota leads this category with 11.3.

  • You want to be playing these teams late in the game - Most 4th quarter points allowed Las Vegas 12.8, Atlanta 11.1, Seattle 10.5.

  • Rams punter Johnny Hekker was lauded for his punting duties on MNF recently. 61.5% of his punts go inside the 20-yard line. Interestingly enough, Jake Bailey of New England leads the league with 73.3% of punts inside the 20 yard-line. Guess who has the worst percentage? Braden Mann of the NY Jets. I guess that's what happens when you routinely punt from deep in your own territory. How bad is bad? His percentage inside the 20-yard line is 17.9%.

  • Four teams have equal or more rushing touchdowns than passing touchdowns - New England, San Francisco, Carolina, and Washington.

  • I am not sure which is worse. Wait, yes I do...The Jets have slightly more first downs per game 16.6 than the Eagles have incompletions per game 16.3.

  • Carson Wentz has 4 two-point conversions this year to lead the league and we aren't even halfway through the year yet. Last year's top converter on two-point conversions was Gardner Minshew with 3.

  • Drew Brees (72.6%) has a slight edge over Teddy Bridgewater (72.2%) for completion percentage, but Bridgewater's yards per attempt is 8.2 (6th highest in the league). Brees is 7.6 (17th).

  • Joe Burrow has fumbled 8 times this season - most in the league. He has lost only 3 of them.

  • The Titans have made 10 field goals on 16 attempts. Strangely enough, Stephen Gostkowski has made all five of his attempts from 50+ yards.

  • Cardinals safety Budda Baker's 59 tackles is the most of any non-linebacker. And he missed a game.

  • Panthers DE Brian Burns has three sacks this season. All were strip-sacks resulting in a fumble.

  • #1 and #2 for tackles for a loss are both Steelers. Vince Williams and T.J. Watt each have 12.

  • Mitchell Trubisky has the longest rushing play for the Bears this year - 45 yards.

1st quarter touchdown leaders

Arguably the best way to put a smile on your face on Fantasy Sunday is when your player scores in the first quarter. He has at least solidified a decent week and there may be more to come. Here are your leaders in 1st quarter touchdowns

Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers & Tight Ends

Start your players vs these teams

Points allowed per drive

  • 3.13 LSV
  • 2.97 JAC
  • 2.88 MIN
  • 2.87 NO
  • 2.86 HOU
  • 2.85 DAL
  • 2.73 CLE
  • 2.67 ATL

Yards allowed per drive

  • 41.7 SEA
  • 40.0 HOU
  • 39.7 LSV
  • 39.6 JAC
  • 38.2 ATL
  • 38.0 TEN
  • 37.6 DET
  • 37.3 MIN

Quarterbacks with a Top 10 weekly ranking

Seven times

Six times
  • None
Five times

Four times

Three times

Two times

One time

Running backs with a Top 10 weekly ranking

Five times

Four times

Three times

Two times

One time

Wide receivers with a Top 10 weekly fantasy ranking

Five times

  • None

Four times

Three times

Two times

One time

Tight ends with a Top 10 weekly fantasy ranking

Five times

Four times

Three times

Two times

One time

Players with 10+ targets in a game

Five times

  • None

Four times

Three times

Two times

Fantasy equals

Here are some fantasy equals using PPR scoring. Some of these are shocking.

Zach Ertz 47.8
Zach Pascal 47.8

Mecole Hardman, 53.7
Jerry Jeudy, 53.6

TreQuan Smith, 56.8
Julian Edelman, 56.6

Terry McLaurin, 113
Mike Davis, 112

Chris Carson, 105
DK Metcalf, 105

Justin Jefferson, 99
Josh Jacobs, 99

James Conner, 95
David Johnson, 95
Antonio Gibson, 94

Jonathan Taylor, 86
Myles Gaskin, 85

A.J. Brown, 80
Randall Cobb, 79

Questions, suggestions, and comments are always welcome to haseley@footballguys.com

Photos provided by USA TODAY Sports
Tags Analysis Stats Davante Adams Nelson Agholor Jordan Akins Mo Alie-Cox Josh Allen Keenan Allen Robbie Chosen Mark Andrews Budda Baker Odell Beckham Jr Giovani Bernard Tyler Boyd Nick Boyle Tom Brady Teddy Bridgewater A.J. Brown Malcolm Brown Harrison Bryant Rex Burkhead Brian Burns Joe Burrow Derek Carr Chris Carson Nick Chubb D.J. Chark Jr Chase Claypool Randall Cobb Keelan Cole Sr. James Conner Brandin Cooks Dalvin Cook Jared Cook Amari Cooper Kirk Cousins Jamison Crowder Sam Darnold Mike Davis Stefon Diggs Kenyan Drake Eric Ebron Chase Edmonds Clyde Edwards-Helaire Austin Ekeler Ezekiel Elliott Evan Engram Zach Ertz Mike Evans Gerald Everett Noah Fant Darren Fells Anthony Firkser Ryan Fitzpatrick Leonard Fournette Travis Fulgham Will Fuller V Michael Gallup Jimmy Garoppolo Myles Gaskin Mike Gesicki Antonio Gibson Chris Godwin Dallas Goedert Jared Goff Melvin Gordon III Jimmy Graham A.J. Green Rob Gronkowski Mecole Hardman Jr. Darrell Henderson Jr. Derrick Henry Justin Herbert Tyler Higbee Tyreek Hill Nyheim Hines T.J. Hockenson Austin Hooper DeAndre Hopkins O.J. Howard Kareem Hunt Hayden Hurst Lamar Jackson Josh Jacobs Jesse James Justin Jefferson Jerry Jeudy David Johnson Diontae Johnson Aaron Jones Julio Jones Ronald Jones II Alvin Kamara Travis Kelce Christian Kirk George Kittle Tyler Kroft Cooper Kupp CeeDee Lamb Allen Lazard Marcedes Lewis Tyler Lockett Patrick Mahomes II Christian McCaffrey Terry McLaurin DK Metcalf Scotty Miller Gardner Minshew Joe Mixon David Montgomery DJ Moore Foster Moreau Raheem Mostert Kyler Murray Latavius Murray Cam Newton David Njoku Albert Okwuegbunam Donald Parham Jr Zach Pascal Tim Patrick Adrian Peterson Dak Prescott Calvin Ridley Allen Robinson II James Robinson Aaron Rodgers Richard Rodgers Ben Roethlisberger Henry Ruggs III Matt Ryan Miles Sanders Dalton Schultz Boston Scott Adam Shaheen Darius Slayton Darius Slay Jonnu Smith JuJu Smith-Schuster Tre'Quan Smith D'Andre Swift Ryan Tannehill Jonathan Taylor Adam Thielen Logan Thomas Robert Tonyan Jr Mitch Trubisky Marquez Valdes-Scantling Darren Waller Deshaun Watson T.J. Watt Carson Wentz Jamaal Williams Mike Williams Preston Williams Cedrick Wilson Jr. Jeff Wilson Jr. Russell Wilson Robert Woods

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