Six of the top ten teams in this week’s Fantasy Football Power Rankings are opposing one another in three different games. That trio of likely shootouts features a boatload of fantasy talent. One week after moving out of the basement in the rankings, the Browns have jumped up a full tier! This week’s rankings open up with a surprise team coming off of a big real-life win in the bottom table.

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21-32

32 Ravens (@ Steelers) 31 Bears (@ Bengals) 30 Colts (@ Bills) 29 Cardinals (vs. Titans) 28 Broncos (vs. Jets) 27 49ers (@ Texans) 26 Giants (vs. Cowboys) 25 Seahawks (@ Jaguars) 24 Titans (@ Cardinals) 23 Jets (@ Broncos) 22 Packers (@ Browns) 21 Panthers (vs. Vikings)

Jordan Howard pooped the bed in a premium matchup against the soft run defense of the 49ers, and this week he draws a more difficult matchup against the Bengals. He’s merely a low-end RB2 with a low floor, and no one else from the Bears is usable in anything but the deepest of leagues.

Two of the best teams in the NFC are in this tier in the form of the Seahawks and Panthers, but the matchups are bad for both. Starting with the Seahawks, only Jimmy Graham stands out as a slam-dunk starter. Doug Baldwin‘s playing better on the road than at home this year, but that flies in the face of his numbers over the last two years, and the matchup with the Jaguars is nightmarish. The Jaguars have allowed the fewest points per game to receivers this year by 3.7 points per game, according to Pro-Football Reference. Baldwin’s a Flex at best this week. As for the elephant in the room, Russell Wilson is in the midst of an MVP-caliber season. However, the Jaguars are surrendering only 8.5 points per game to quarterbacks this season, and Seattle’s implied team over/under total of 18 points, per Pinnacle, is bad. Among the non-obvious options, I’d start Josh McCown and Case Keenum over Wilson this week.

Christian McCaffrey is only a low-end RB2 against a Vikings defense that’s yielded the sixth fewest receiving yards and only one receiving touchdown to running backs this year. Devin Funchess is a volume-driven WR2/WR3 who projects to see shadow coverage from Xavier Rhodes. Cam Newton‘s an even less desirable starting QB than Wilson this week. Minnesota has been the toughest team for opposing quarterbacks to run on with only 56 yards allowed to the position this season, and they haven’t exactly been easy to throw on, either. The Vikings are tied for the sixth fewest points per game allowed to quarterbacks this season.

11-20

20 Browns (vs. Packers) 19 Lions (@ Buccaneers) 18 Dolphins (vs. Patriots) 17 Bills (vs. Colts) 16 Cowboys (@ Giants) 15 Bengals (vs. Bears) 14 Texans (vs. 49ers) 13 Jaguars (vs. Seahawks) 12 Buccaneers (vs. Lions) 11 Redskins (@ Chargers)

I alluded to the Browns surge up the rankings in the intro, and I’ll address them specifically. Josh Gordon fuels the big move. He last played in a game on December 21, 2014 prior to last week, but he didn’t look like a guy coming off of such a lengthy layoff. Gordon was targeted 11 times and caught four for 85 yards. He also played 76% of the team’s offensive snaps. The Packers have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to receivers this year, and Gordon’s a high-end WR2 with WR1 upside. Teammate Corey Coleman failed to haul in any of his four targets last week, but his prior standing as the top wideout on the team before Gordon’s return and big-play ability make him a WR3/Flex in this plus matchup.

Jameis Winston has a bit of a 2015 Blake Bortles vibe. It’s far from a perfect comp, but the overriding point is that he’s a solid fantasy option despite his real-life football faults. Winston’s passed for 270 or more yards in five of seven games he’s played from start to finish, has tossed multiple touchdowns in four games, and he’s reached double-digit yards rushing four times (not a high mark, but a fantasy point’s a point). Cameron Brate posted a 2-39-2 line on six targets in a tough matchup last week, and he’s back to being a fantasy starter at the weakest fantasy position with a healthy Winston starting for the Bucs. Mike Evans had his second worst game of the year with just two catches for 33 yards, but he remains a WR1, and DeSean Jackson is a WR3/Flex. The fantasy options for Tampa Bay are rounded out by running back Peyton Barber, but I’ll address him tomorrow in the Running Back Snap Count Analysis piece.

6-10

10 Eagles (@ Rams) 9 Rams (vs. Eagles) 8 Chiefs (vs. Raiders) 7 Raiders (@ Chiefs) 6 Vikings (@ Panthers)

The participants of two projected shootouts make up four of the five teams in this tier. Kansas City’s defense played like hot garbage against the Jets at the Meadowlands last week, but the offense came back to life with Andy Reid surrendering some of the play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. Kareem Hunt‘s struggles continued, and his touchdown-less streak extended to nine games. He amassed 63 yards from scrimmage on 12 touches (nine carries and three receptions). The good news for Hunt and gamers with him on their roster is that he last reached triple-digit yardage from scrimmage against the Raiders with 117 yards on 18 carries and four receptions. He’s flubbed other bounce-back spots, but Hunt is a low-end RB2 for the 3.5-point favored Chiefs. The quarterbacks in that contest, Alex Smith and Derek Carr, are both startable in 12-team leagues. The aforementioned Keenum of the No. 6 ranked Vikings checks in ahead of Smith and Carr, though. Keenum has been responsible for multiple touchdowns in four of his last five games, and he’s passed for 280 yards in four of his last five as well. The Panthers defense is reeling and surrendered 58 points over the last two weeks.

5- Falcons (vs. Saints)

Atlanta’s backfield will go under the spotlight in tomorrow’s Running Back Snap Count Analysis, but the short analysis is that Devonta Freeman is a RB1 and Tevin Coleman is a low-end RB2 or Flex this week. The Thursday Night Football game between the Falcons and Saints is a pick ’em with the week’s highest over/under total at 53.5 points. Julio Jones is a WR1, Mohamed Sanu is a WR3/Flex, and Matt Ryan is a fantasy starter.

4- Patriots (@ Dolphins)

Rob Gronkowski is appealing his one-game suspension for a dirty hit last week, and this ranking operates under the assumption the suspension will be upheld. The Patriots are 11-point favorites with an implied team over/under total of 29 points. The large spread makes the defense a solid starting option, and the huge team total helps make Tom Brady the top option at QB this week. Brandin Cooks is a high-upside WR1, and the backfield has a pair of RB2s in the form of Dion Lewis and Rex Burkhead. Danny Amendola is an unexciting Flex in PPR leagues who could absorb some extra looks thanks to Gronk’s suspension, and with Martellus Bennett on IR, Dwayne Allen is a viable TD-dependent streamer for TE-needy gamers. Miami is tied for the third most touchdown receptions allowed (eight) to tight ends this year.

3- Chargers (vs. Redskins)

The Chargers managed only one touchdown and 19 points last week when they reached the top five of the Fantasy Football Power Rankings for the first time, but they’re back again. Philip Rivers tossed the Chargers’ only touchdown pass to Keenan Allen, and he spun it for 344 yards. Rivers is locked in and a top-five option at QB this week. Allen is coming off of his third straight game of 10 or more catches, 100 or more receiving yards, and at least one touchdown. Melvin Gordon remains a RB1, the defense remains elite, and Hunter Henry has turned in back-to-back strong games after reeling in seven of nine targets for 81 yards. Henry should make it three strong games in a row against a Washington defense that’s ceded the fifth most fantasy points per game to tight ends this year.

2- Steelers (vs. Ravens)

You know what to do with Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. Brown’s toe injury made him a game-time decision last night, yet he went 8-101-1 on 15 targets. When he plays, he’s the top option at WR. Bell rushed for 76 yards on 18 carries and caught five of six targets for 106 and a touchdown. He’s the top option at RB. Ben Roethlisberger got off to a slow start, but he finished with 290 yards passing, two touchdowns, and one interception in a road game. He’s at home — where everyone who’s followed this piece or most other fantasy analysis know he plays much better — this week, and he faces a Jimmy Smith-less Ravens’ secondary. Big Ben’s fantasy outlook improves in Smith’s absence, and he’s a top-5 option at the position this week. Juju Smith-Schuster was held to 17 yards on four receptions in his return to the gridiron. It was his second straight game played with under 50 yards receiving, and he’s slipped to a Flex option — assuming he’s not suspended for his illegal hit on Vontaze Burfict last night — with Martavis Bryant settling in as another mouth for Big Ben to feed.

1- Saints (@ Falcons)

The Saints are rolling, and Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara continue to be RB1s. Both reached triple-digit yards from scrimmage and pay dirt last week. Michael Thomas remains the top option in the passing attack and recorded a 5-70-1 line last week. Thomas hasn’t had a huge game this year, but he’s caught five or more passes in all but one game and totaled at least 65 yards receiving in nine of 12 games. He’s an every-week starter as part of the Saints’ high-octane offense. Drew Brees weekly ceiling has been reduced this year with the emergence of the one-two punch in the backfield, but he’s a high-floor, top-10 QB whose ceiling is increased this week by the high probability of a back-and-forth shootout. Ted Ginn Jr. rounds things out as a big-play dependent WR3/Flex.



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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.