In 2020, the world and the NFL have to adjust on the fly. With Covid-19 impacting when games can happen, we didn’t have a Thursday night game last week. However, after a week off, we have football again tonight as the New York Giants take the short drive down to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles. In a battle of two single win teams, we have a potentially exciting game with several fantasy impact players. Without further ado, let’s dive into this week’s Thursday Night Fantasy Preview.
New York Giants
Quarterback – Daniel Jones
Jones has been awful this season. He is averaging just 10.9 fantasy points per game and hasn’t scored more than 14 fantasy points since Week 1. Meanwhile, Jones ended his four-game streak without a touchdown last week, throwing only his third this season. Furthermore, he scored 13.9 fantasy points last week against Washington. Of Jones’ 13.9 fantasy points, 53 percent of them came from his legs as he threw for only 112 yards. Now, on a short week, Jones faces the Eagles, who have given up only one passing touchdown in 50 percent of their games this season. In one quarterback leagues, Jones should be on your waiver wire.
Running Back – Devonta Freeman
Since being signed to replaced the injured Saquon Barkley, Freeman has been a nice flex option for fantasy players. After a limited first game, Freeman had back-to-back games scoring double-digit fantasy points. However, last week Freeman scored just 6.7 fantasy points against a strong Washington defensive line. The good news is, Freeman had 19 touches for the second game in a row. Meanwhile, the Eagles have done a good job slowing down running backs. They have given up under 18.5 fantasy points to running backs in three of their last four games. Freeman’s volume offers a safe floor, but his matchup isn’t fantasy friendly. Fantasy owners should view him as a low-risk flex option with a limited upside this week.
Wide Receiver – Darius Slayton, Golden Tate, Sterling Shepard
As the entire Giants offense struggles, so does Slayton. However, he has seen at least six targets in five of six games this season. Furthermore, Slayton has caught all three of Jones’ passing touchdowns this year. Slayton is a very much boom or bust wide receiver as he has scored under eight points in half his games. However, in the other half, Slayton is averaging 18.5 fantasy points per game.
While Slayton has been the wide receiver to own in New York, Tate has been a solid PPR option for deeper leagues. He has at least four catches in four of five games this season. However, he has zero games with over 50 receiving yards or double-digit fantasy points. Meanwhile, Shepard hasn’t played since Week 2 but was designed to return from injured reserve on Tuesday and could play tonight. If he does, he should be on your bench as the Giants have not indicated that he won’t be on a snap count.
Of the three Giant wide receivers, Slayton is the only one you should start in standard size leagues, as he is a high upside WR3 this week. The Eagles have given up the 10th most fantasy points per game to wide receivers, giving up an average of 39.5 per game. Furthermore, the Eagles have given up over 130 receiving yards to the position in five of six games this season.
Tight End – Evan Engram
Despite playing on an offense that is often chasing points, Engram has been a major bust this season. He has scored double-digit fantasy points just once this season and under 5.5 fantasy points in 50 percent of his games. Not only is Engram’s only touchdown this season on the ground, but over the last two games, he has three catches compared to two rushing attempts. Meanwhile, the Eagles have given up the fourth-most fantasy points per game to the tight end position. However, Engram has had a great matchup in each of his last two games, only to score a total of 14.5 fantasy points. He is a high-risk, questionable return option this week that you should avoid playing.
Defense/Special Teams
Surprisingly, the Giants D/ST is the sixth-highest D/ST this season, averaging 6.2 per game. Furthermore, they have averaged 9.3 fantasy points per game over their last three games. However, that average is inflated as they have scored two touchdowns over the previous two weeks. Without the touchdowns, they averaged only 5.3 fantasy points per game. Meanwhile, despite having the most injured team in the league, D/STs have scored eight or fewer fantasy points against the Eagles in five straight games. While the Giants D/ST has been hot lately, they are touchdown or bust, and the Eagles haven’t given up a touchdown to a D/ST this season.
Philadelphia Eagles
Quarterback – Carson Wentz
Despite all the injuries to his receivers, running backs, and offensive line, Wentz is still the QB10 this season. Even with limited weapons, Wentz has scored two or more touchdowns in five of six games this year. Furthermore, he has scored a rushing touchdown in four of his last five games. While the turnovers are frustrating, Wentz has scored 17.4 or more fantasy points in four straight games. Meanwhile, the Giants have yet to face a good quarterback since Week 1, when they gave up 22.1 fantasy points and three touchdowns to Ben Roethlisberger. Even without his weapons, Wentz is a QB1 and should finish this week in the mid QB1 range.
Running Back – Boston Scott, Corey Clement
As if the Eagles didn’t have enough injuries to deal with already, on Sunday, they lost Miles Sanders for likely two weeks with a knee injury. Now the Eagles will have to rely on Scott and Clement. However, in the Week 1 game Sanders missed, the duo combined for 11.5 fantasy points. Hopefully, you didn’t throw the rest of your FAAB money on Scott. The good news is the matchup is fantasy friendly this week.
The Giants have given up the ninth most fantasy points per game to running backs, giving up 26 per game this season. Furthermore, they have given up four rushing touchdowns over their last four games and at least 59 rushing yards in every game this season. Despite playing an awful Washington team last week, the Giants still gave up almost 26 fantasy points to their running backs. Between the two, Scott is the better option and the only one who should be on fantasy rosters right now. While his Week 1 performance should worry you, his volume and matchup give him mid RB2 status this week.
Wide Receiver – Travis Fulgham, DeSean Jackson, Greg Ward
With Alshon Jeffery out again tonight, Fulgham will continue to be Wentz’s go-to guy. In his three games with the Eagles, Fulgham has at least 57 receiving yards and a touchdown in every contest. Furthermore, he has seen 23 targets over the last two weeks for 16 catches, 227 yards, and 50.7 fantasy points. If, for some reason, he’s still available on your waiver wire, stop reading and go add him now!
The good news for the Eagles is Jackson should return tonight after missing the previous three games with a hamstring injury. However, before the injury, Jackson was averaging only 7.4 fantasy points. He shouldn’t be on standard size league rosters, let alone in your starting lineup this week. Meanwhile, with Fulgham taking over as the team’s top target, Ward’s role in the offense has shrunk. After averaging 6.3 targets per game over the first three games of the season, Ward has averaged five per game with Fulgham on the roster. Furthermore, Ward has just two touchdowns this season and saw only three targets last week. In deeper leagues, Ward is a flex option in PPR because of the matchup, but if you can avoid starting him, you should.
Speaking of the matchup, the Giants have given up the 11th most fantasy points per game to wide receivers, giving up 39.3 per game. Furthermore, they have given up at least one touchdown to the position in four of six games while giving up an average of one per game. Aside from their Week 2 game against the Chicago Bears, the Giants have given up at least 33 fantasy points to wide receivers in every game this season. While he will see plenty of James Bradberry, Fulgham’s recent target share makes him the only Eagles’ wide receiver you should start tonight. Assuming he finds the end zone for the fourth straight game, Fulgham should finish the week as a mid WR2.
Tight End – Richard Rodgers
If you haven’t caught on yet, injuries are the storyline for the Eagles this season. After losing Dallas Goedert to an ankle injury in Week 3, Zach Ertz suffered a high ankle sprain on Sunday and will miss a couple of weeks. That said, no, you shouldn’t play Rodgers or any other Eagles tight end. Not only is it a talent drop off, but the Giants have given up the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to the position, giving up an average of only 8.7 per game. Furthermore, they gave up their first touchdown to the tight end position last week and have held tight ends to five or fewer fantasy points in half of their games this season.
Defense/Special Teams
The Eagles D/ST is averaging only 4.3 fantasy points per game this season. They have forced just five turnovers while giving up at least 27 points in four of six games. However, the Eagles do have 21 sacks this season, averaging 3.5 per game. Meanwhile, the Giants have allowed 17 sacks this season and have given up the second-most fantasy points per game to D/STs. So far this season, opposing D/STs are averaging 10.5 fantasy points per game. Furthermore, they have scored at least nine fantasy points in five of six games. Given their matchup and the short week, the Eagles D/ST is a mid D/ST1 with upside this season.
Recap
Jones: Avoid
Freeman: Safe Floor Flex
Slayton: WR3
Tate: Avoid
Shepard: Avoid
Engram: Avoid
Giants D/ST: Avoid
Wentz: Mid QB1
Scott: Mid RB2
Clement: Avoid
Fulgham: Mid WR2
Jackson: Avoid
Ward: Avoid
Rodgers: Avoid
Eagles D/ST: Mid D/ST1
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