Fantasy Football 2017: 3 Replacements for Odell Beckham Jr.
By Nafisa H
These three players can help fill the void on your fantasy football roster following Odell Beckham Jr.’s season-ending injury.
Losing a first-round draft pick is never easy. When that player is Odell Beckham Jr., the heart of the New York Giants who breathes life into the game, the loss is tough and very noticeable. However, Beckham’s season-ending ankle injury doesn’t mean that all hope is lost for your fantasy football team.
These three players can lessen the blow of OBJ’s injury in fantasy.
1. Marvin Jones
In the Detroit Lions’ Week 4 14-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings, Jones caught two of five passes for 42 yards. One week later, he hauled in six receptions for 54 yards; a season-high in yards and receptions for the team. And he’s managed to record these numbers despite the Lions’ woes on offense, two of which are Matthew Stafford’s thigh and ankle injuries. However, if Stafford plays this week, and against an improving New Orleans Saints defense, look for Jones to continue on his upward trend.
Jones has yet to reach the end zone this season but it’s important to note that putting points on the board on the field is different in reality than it is in fantasy football. With points per catch, yards, and scores varying between positions within the same fantasy league, there are infinite ways to earn enough points to match and beat your opinion.
Furthermore, the number of fantasy points that a player earns for your team is contingent on what that player does on the field. We can often predict our team’s and players’ performance but once they are in our starting lineup and on the clock, that’s it. You can’t bench or substitue a player mid-game in fantasy so go with a player who’ll rack up points for your team, regardless of scores.
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2. Nelson Agholor
Now, of course, if you can get a solid player that racks up yards and scores on the field, do so. (And do it fast while they’re still available, as these players are a steal this far into the season!)
Nelson Agholor is a prime example of one. After a lackluster start to his career, the once-discounted receiver is hitting strides and getting himself noticed. Agholor recorded a career-high 93 yards on four catches out of five targets and a touchdown in the Philadelphia Eagles’ Week 5 win over the Arizona Cardinals. His biggest play was a 72-yard-bomb from Carson Wentz in the third quarter during which Agholor juked Cardinals safety Budda Baker for a touchdown; Agholor’s third score of the season.
Nelson Agholor isn’t Carson Wentz’s primary target on offense but has turned limited targets into big gains even against good defenses, making him a viable replacement for Odell Beckham Jr.
3. Roger Lewis Jr.
“Next man up!” That’s easier said than done but Roger Lewis Jr. appears ready to rise up to the challenge for the New York Giants following season-ending injuries to Beckham and Brandon Marshall, and with Sterling Shepard and Dwayne Harris expected to miss unspecified but significant time from injury. On Sunday, Lewis caught a beautiful shoulder fade route from Eli Manning in the endzone and managed to keep both feet in bounds for the 29-yard touchdown while being covered by elite Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward in the third quarter.
Next: 2017 NFL Picks, score predictions for Week 6
Roger Lewis has 15 career receptions to date, four of which came in the Giants season opener against the Dallas Cowboys, a game which Odell Beckham, Jr. missed. Lewis recorded a solid 54 yards in that game and will have the opportunity to build upon that due to a depleted Giants receiving corps.
The New York Giants will definitely suffer from losing the heart of their team, Odell Beckham, Jr. But with these waiver-wire pickups, your fantasy football team can keep on keeping on without missing a beat.