Fantasy Five: Best Fantasy Football Picks for Monday Night Football, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Miami Dolphins
By Leo Howell
Oct 31, 2013; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) drops back to pass in the second half of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Sun Life Stadium. Miami won 22-20. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports
Monday Night Football is just a couple of days away, and that means your fantasy football lineup needs to be set and ready in plenty of time for Sunday’s action as well. So who are the best fantasy football options from the Buccaneers and Dolphins for this week’s primetime matchup?
Here are my five picks for the best plays this week:
1. Mike James
This just seems weird, doesn’t it? But Mike James has taken over as the primary running back for the Buccaneers, and has done so in spectacular fashion. After a dominant performance against Seattle, James will look to have an equally impressive performance against a slightly easier opponent.
Yes, Miami has a surprisingly good defense. But it’s not because they can stop the run. According to Football Outsiders, the Dolphins are ranked in the bottom three in the NFL in rushing defense using their DVOA metric, which takes into account strength of schedule and game situation.
Look for James to top 100 yards and possibly find the end zone (via the ground, not the air) on Sunday.
2. Ryan Tannehill
The Buccaneers have been very quarterback-friendly on defense this season, allowing big days to Nick Foles, Matt Ryan, and Cam Newton before a Jekyll and Hyde performance against Russell Wilson. Expect more of the same on Monday Night, as Ryan Tannehill and his plethora of receiving options come to town.
Tannehill has multiple targets to throw to, meaning that Darrelle Revis’ impact won’t be as severe on the Miami gameplan. Brian Hartline and Charles Clay figure to have big days getting open for Tannehill, who is also capable of running if the Bucs don’t contain him.
3. Brian Hartline
He’s the receiver who will see less of Darrelle Revis, which means he’ll see more of the football. The Seahawks used Doug Baldwin to torch the Buccaneers, and Hartline will be used in a similar fashion.
Hartline isn’t a big play guy, but he could easily haul in ten passes as a reliable short-yardage receiver. If you’re in a PPR league, he’s an even more attractive option.
4. Charles Clay
Same reasoning as above. He’s going to be an eligible receiver unlikely to be covered by Darrelle Revis. That means he should see plenty of the football.
Clay has emerged from relative anonymity, and was a waiver wire sleeper earlier in the year. Hopefully you were able to grab him, because this is a good week to use him.
5. Tim Wright
Miami struggled over the first month of the season to contain tight ends, as they allowed Jordan Cameron, Jimmy Graham, and the Indianapolis tight ends to have big days against them. They have improved since then, but Tim Wright may be able to exploit their defense in the same way those talented tight ends did at the beginning of the season.
Wright has great chemistry with Mike Glennon, and teams haven’t yet determined a need to provide special coverage to Wright despite his status as the second-best receiver for the Buccaneers.