NFL Barometer: Deja Vu In Philly

Plenty of fantasy league championships are on the line in Week 16, making it more pertinent than ever to identify the risers and fallers. A notable injury at the quarterback position brought one player back into prominence this past week, while some big-name signal-callers also find themselves trending down at the worst possible time. Without further ado, let's take a look at the state of the fantasy landscape heading into the most important week of the 2018 campaign.

Trending Up

Quarterback

Nick Foles, Eagles: Foles found himself right back in the starting role that he opened the season in this past Sunday night, and he spearheaded an upset road victory over the Rams. Whether the veteran is about to embark on a sequel to his 2017 Cinderella story remains to be seen, but he figures to at least be under center for the final two games of the season as Carson Wentz deals with a vertebrae fracture. Foles completed 24 of 31 passes for 270 yards with no touchdowns and an interception Sunday, and he's capable generating strong enough numbers to help fantasy owners desperate for production in the latter stages of the fantasy postseason.

Running Back

Kenyan Drake / Kalen Ballage, Dolphins: The ageless Frank Gore succumbed to what is almost certainly a season-ending, if not career-ending, foot injury this past Sunday, and Ballage was the primary beneficiary, at least in Week 15. The rookie fourth-round pick ripped off 123 yards on just 12 carries versus the normally stingy Vikings run defense, and given how reluctant coach Adam Gase has been to give Drake a heavy workload this season, it could be Ballage handling the bulk of carries over the last pair of contests.

However, given Ballage's first-year status and Drake's upside, he also earns the Trending Up designation due to what's expected to be at least a modest uptick in touches.

Zach Zenner / Theo Riddick, Lions: Zenner was first brought out of mothballs two games ago versus the Cardinals, a game in which he took 12 carries for 54 yards and a touchdown. He followed that up with a 10-45-1 line versus the Bills last Sunday, making him markedly more effective than fellow early-down option LeGarrette Blount.

Meanwhile, Riddick has actually seen a solid rushing workload as a complementary option over the last three contests. Long considered almost exclusively a pass-catching option, the veteran turned eight carries into 47 yards against Buffalo in Week 15, and he's got 22 totes overall in the last three games. He continues to see steady work through the air as well, as he's hauled in nine of 11 targets over that span.

One caveat regarding both players, especially Zenner, is that their touches will naturally take a hit if Kerryon Johnson (knee) is able to return to action over the final two games.

Jamaal Williams, Packers: Aaron Jones suffered an MCL sprain at Solider Field for the second time in as many seasons this past Sunday, which immediately thrust Williams into lead-back duties. He responded with a 12-55-1 line on the ground and a 4-42 tally through the air, making it a rock-solid fantasy afternoon. With the Packers now out of playoff contention, Jones could well sit for at least Week 16, which would give Williams a chance to fill a three-down role against the Jets this coming Sunday. Kapri Bibbs is around to serve as a change-of-pace option, but Williams would undoubtedly serve as the workhorse should Jones be sidelined.

Brian Hill, Falcons: Ito Smith saw his solid rookie season come to an end following last Sunday's win over the Cardinals, as he suffered a meniscus injury to his left knee. That pops Hill up to primary backup status behind Tevin Coleman, who the Falcons have been reluctant to give much more than 15 carries in any game this season. Reports that Atlanta wants to take the opportunity to give Hall a good look over the last two games lends further credence to the notion that he'll see a solid complementary workload behind Coleman to finish out the campaign.

Wide Receiver

Alshon Jeffery, Eagles: With Foles back under center, Jeffery could be primed to prosper if last Sunday's win over the Rams is any indication. The veteran exploded for 160 yards on eight receptions, with the former figure serving as a season high. Jeffery's rise had arguably started a game earlier – albeit in more modest fashion – when he brought in six of nine looks for 50 yards and a touchdown. The 17 targets he's logged over the last two contests comes on the heels of a three-game stretch when he'd only seen a combined 11. With the Eagles' playoff hopes very much alive, he figures to play a prominent role in the remaining two games.

Robby Anderson, Jets: Anderson is seemingly on his way to finishing the 2018 campaign strong, and his mini-resurgence has coincided with the return of Sam Darnold from a foot injury. Anderson started with a 4-48-1 line against the Bills in Week 14, and he followed that up with a seven-catch, 96-yard, one-touchdown tally versus the Texans last Saturday afternoon. Those are the second- and third-highest yardage totals of Anderson's season, and he should be targeted plenty over the final pair of contests as well.

Jordy Nelson, Raiders: Nelson was written off as essentially done a few weeks ago when he sandwiched a pair of catchless efforts around a missed game due to a knee injury. However, he's finally resembling his old self over the last three contests, posting 22 receptions (on 26 targets) for 233 yards. That stretch includes three catches of over 20 yards, including one over 40, showing he still has something left in the tank in terms of getting loose downfield. As one of Derek Carr's most trusted remaining healthy targets, he should continue seeing plenty of work over the last pair of games.

Isaiah McKenzie, Bills: McKenzie's potential and development played a part in the recent pink slips issued to both Kelvin Benjamin and Andre Holmes, and the speedster has been validating the Bills' decision over the last three games. The versatile second-year wideout has posted 14 receptions (on 18 targets) for 146 yards and a touchdown over that span while adding five rushes for 26 yards and another score. Durability is admittedly a concern for McKenzie at 5-foot-7, 173 pounds, but he demonstrated his toughness in Week 15, returning to the game against the Lions after being carted off with a non-contact injury.

Tight End

Evan Engram, Giants: Big things had been expected from Engram coming into his second season, but it's been an up-and-down, injury-marred campaign for the young tight end. However, he appears to be building momentum toward a strong finish. After failing to top 50 receiving yards in the four games he played between Weeks 3 and 10, Engram has posted 66 or more yards in three straight. His targets have increased over those of the prior game in two consecutive weeks as well, and he posted a season-high eight grabs for 75 yards versus the Titans in Week 15. A potential change at quarterback from Eli Manning to rookie Kyle Lauletta or journeyman Alex Tanney would hurt Engram's outlook, as might Odell Beckham's return from a quad injury. Manning at least appears as though he'll be under center to start the Week 16 matchup versus the Colts.

Trending Down

Quarterback

Cam Newton, Panthers: Newton conceded he's struggling with a lingering right shoulder injury following Monday night's loss to the Saints, a game in which he threw for a season-low 131 yards. The lackluster performance also included Newton's lowest completion percentage of the campaign (55.2), as well as his second straight game without a touchdown pass following an 11-game streak with multiple scoring throws. The Panthers aren't officially eliminated from playoff contention yet, but they're on the precipice of it with six consecutive defeats. The possibility therefore exists that Newton sits at some point within the next two games.

Jared Goff, Rams: This designation isn't likely to stick for another week, but it's well-deserved by Goff for the moment. The third-year signal-caller has not been himself lately, as he hasn't thrown a touchdown pass since Week 13 and hasn't thrown for multiple scores since the game prior. More importantly, he's also been guilty of seven interceptions during that span, after only having thrown a combined six over the prior 11 contests. The Cardinals and Niners defenses may offer a platform for a bounce-back over the last pair of games, but for now, Goff's value is depressed.

Wide Receiver

Marquise Goodwin, 49ers: Goodwin recently missed two games due to a personal issue, and perhaps it's still having an effect on his overall readiness to play. The speedster has just three catches on as many targets for 27 yards in the subsequent pair of contests, while Nick Mullens has continued to show a definite preference for both fellow wideout Dante Pettis and tight end George Kittle when looking downfield. Goodwin has the talent to break his slump over the last two weeks, but there's not much reason for optimism at the moment.

Chris Godwin, Buccaneers: Up to two games ago, Godwin had consistently taken advantage of the absences of either Mike Evans or DeSean Jackson over his first season-plus. However, even with the latter missing the last pair of contests due to his thumb injury, Godwin has failed to capitalized, and at the worst possible time of the fantasy season. The second-year wideout's downturn began when he hauled in just one of 10 targets versus the Saints in Week 14, a forgettable performance that he followed up with a catchless effort in Week 15 versus the stingy Ravens. Jackson could be back for a Week 16 battle versus the Cowboys as well, further dampening Godwin's prospects.

Tre'Quan Smith, Saints: Smith carried the opposite designation just a few weeks ago following a 10-reception, 157-yard breakout against the Eagles, but he's virtually been invisible since then. Smith failed to bring in either of the scant two targets he saw over Weeks 13 and 14, and his 2-15 line Monday night against the Panthers represented only the slightest of improvement. With the Saints trending a lot more run-heavy due to their lack of depth at receiver behind Michael Thomas – a situation that Smith has directly contributed to with his recent production – the rookie doesn't have the brightest of outlooks at present.