Mid-Season Fantasy Football Studs & Values

It’s time to highlight the fantasy football difference makers and best values (from a cost basis). We’ve just hit the mid season point of…

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Mid-Season Fantasy Football Studs & Values

It’s time to highlight the fantasy football difference makers and best values (from a cost basis). We’ve just hit the mid season point of the actual NFL season but these no longer are just small sample size anomalies.

This is broken into positional sections (QB, RB, WR & TE) by top performers & top values. These are taken exclusively by points scored and value to points scored in a super flex lead (half PPR). For the values section I eliminated players who have played in a minority of games with a low salary given their points/cost ratio aren’t sustainable (e.g. Taysom Hill or Nick Mullens are off the charts but they are anomalies due to short stints or being gadget players). Also note I did not include the contract values for many of the “Studs” since many were high cost performers. Note this is through week 8 of the NFL season (it does NOT include week 9 — last Sunday’s games).

QB Studs

The surprise here is Kyler Murray. If he continues to improve he will be the top fantasy QB. The other two are perennial studs. The busts (especially considering cost) are Lamar Jackson and to a lesser extent Tom Brady, Deshaun Watson.

QB Top Values

Remember this is a 2 QB (super flex spot) league, so nearly every starting QB is startable in a given weekend. Thus these lower level guys are providing top shelf productivity at a bargain price. The callout here is the performance of Justin Herbert, who is outplaying fellow rookie Joe Burrow (139 fantasy points) in less time, though both are shining very bright 8 starts into their respective careers.

RB Studs

There are no surprises here…and let’s be honest Kamara has been an MVP in the real world NFL with the abysmal play of every other player surrounding him on the offensive side of the ball in New Orleans. Cook deserves special credit too for missing 1.5 games so far, on a per game basis he’s been outstanding.

RB Top Values

I cut off any player under 50 total points which eliminated some interesting young talent such as Alexander Mattison & Damien Harris but was only fair to give a truer measure of players who are making a difference in more than a single game. The biggest impact player in this group is James Robison, the rookie sleeper is top 7 overall fantasy RB so far this year and is a common name of some of the top fantasy teams of 2020. McKinnon, DHenderson & Edmonds have been nice bye week and flex starters when others on their respective teams have been injured.

WR Studs

Adams has been an absolute stud. The surprise has to be DK Metcalf and Calvin Ridley. Ridley in his 3rd year has looked the part of a strong 2nd receiver but he’s exploded this year on pace for 1200+ yards & 13 TD’s. Metcalf is a man among boys, on pace for more than 1300 yards and 16 TD’s through 8 games. Lockett is no slouch either as Seattle hasn’t just let #russcook but turned into a passing juggernaut. Note that Metcalf & Lockett almost made the top values list too…a sign the intersection of contract cost & total production are off the charts.

WR Top Values

Claypool is maybe this year’s D.K. Metcalf, a man among boys, and thanks to an incredibly low contract he’s setting a historically great Cost/Production value ratio. This rookie class of wide receivers is potentially historic, which is saying a lot after last year’s haul of D.K. Metcalf, A.J. Brown, Deebo Samuel among others. This year includes CeeDee Lamb, Justin Jefferson, Brandon Aiyuk, Tee Higgins, Claypool, Jeudy, Riggs and many others.

TE Studs

No surprises here…though you can cross Kittle off given he’s out for the final 8 weeks of the season. Kelce is the only quality performer this year at Tight End, performing at a quality RB2 or low end WR1 level. The rest of the lot is way behind the previous year’s production.

TE Top Values

Jonnu Smith is finally living up to his potential but a high TD efficiency may not be sustainable. Hurst, Hokenson & Fant all are attempting to live up to their former 1st round pick status. All these guys are solid but unspectacular fantasy TE starters.

Summary

There aren’t too many surprises in the studs category. Every year injuries play a major factor, and this season COVID is wrecking havoc on team chemistry. However we’re seeing the emergence of young players such as Kyler Murray, Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow, DK Metcalf, Calvin Ridley, Chase Claypool and an assortment of many other young players. Whether they can sustain their half season success and fend off others who will surely emerge, we’ll all just have to tune in to see. What is for certain is we all need the distraction and fun of fantasy football more than ever.