Don't look now, but we're closing in on the half way point of the season. We know, we know, it's going by too fast. But time flies when you're having fun, no? Week 6 has almost wrapped up, but we have one more game to play before fantasy matchups have been decided for the week. In case you missed any of the action on Sunday, be sure to check out our Week 6 fantasy recap here. We're looking forward to the Monday night tilt between the Giants and the Eagles as much as you are, and we have everything you need to know about the fantasy relevant players involved below, so get reading!
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles, 8:30 p.m. ET (Monday) on ESPN
Giants:
There's a chance that Odell Beckham Jr. misses this game with a hamstring injury, and Rueben Randle is also dealing with a hammy. If Manning has nobody to throw to, you can't expect too much out of him from a fantasy persepective. But it's not like the Eagles' defense is the best at stopping opposing QBs from racking up fantasy points either. Manning has been solid so far this season and should find a way to get at least 15 fantasy points against his division rival on Monday night.
Do you like headaches and general fantasy pain? Then start either Rashad Jennings, Shane Vereen or Andre Williams! If you don't like headaches or general fantasy pain, avoid this backfield like the plague.
OBJ didn't practice all week, which was not a good sign for his status in Week 6. However, he was spotted running routes during pre-game warmups, and didn't have a trainer following his every move. That's a good sign. OBJ played through his injury last week, but as we all know hamstrings are fickle beasts. Dwayne Harris would be a nice safety blanket to have on your bench in the event OBJ can't go against the Eagles.
Rueben Randle is battling a hamstring injury of his own, but was a full participant in Friday's practice. He'll be on the WR3 range, but we have troubles trusting his inconsistent play. Dwayne Harris represents a nice sleeper play, as he's seen 14 targets over the last two weeks, catching aa of them for 123 yards and a touchdown. He's thrived out of the slot for the Giants and draws a decent matchup against E.J. Biggers.
Donnell made a sensational catch om the game-winning touchdown last week, but prior to that did basically nothing. He's not a trustable fantasy asset this week, especially against a defense that has been statistically brutal on opposing tight ends.
Eagles:
Has Braford finally turned the corner on his season/career? He's looked much more adept at handling Chip Kelly's offense the last two weeks, throwing for over 600 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions in that span. He gets a decent matchup on Monday, where he can either prove to us that he's the real deal, or that these last two weeks have been a mirage. We like him as a fringe QB1 this week.
DeMarco Murray led the backfield in touches and fantasy scoring last week, but Ryan Mathews proved yet again that he might be the best fit for this offense by doing a ton of work on just a few touches. Unfortunately, Mathews dealt with a groin injury all night, but should be suiting up. He'll be tough to trust as anything more than a desperation RB3/flex. Murray can be deployed more confidently in the RB2 or flex range, but this backfield is as unpredictable as they come, so temper expectations and prepare for potential disappointment. For all we know this will be a Darren Sproles week.
After seeing double-digt targets in Week 1 (and nine in Week 2), Matthews has had eight or fewer in each of his last three games, failing to cross the 50-yard receiving mark in the process, too. While the Eagles offense has been rebounding, Matthews has yet to be a big part of the reason why. He's still a talented wideout, but we might be entering wait-and-see territory with him, where you're better off having him on the bench until his stable target/production floor returns.
Ertz, despite his natural talent and constant offseason hype, has failed to live up to expectations yet again. He and Brent Celek are splitting the snaps at the position, and neither can be trusted on a regular basis.