NFL Nation Fantasy Update – Caution with Kyler? How Lions will divvy up carries

It’s hard to believe we’re nine weeks into the NFL season, and sure, there’s a lot to discuss in fantasy football.

Every Tuesday and Saturday throughout the season, ESPN fantasy analyst Eric Moody will ask our NFL Nation reporters the most pressing questions heading into the weekend and what to make of the fallout after the games. Who is ready for a big performance, who is affected by injuries, what roles could change? Here’s what our team had to say about some of the biggest storylines from Week 10.

What should we expect from Kyler Murray in his season debut and James Conner when he returns from IR?

Murray wants to get back to his old self, but it’s unclear how long it will take to get there. There will likely be a glimpse of the dynamic Murray once he gets comfortable on the field, but his arm will likely be used more Sunday against the Falcons. A big, newsworthy play with his legs won’t be a surprise. It is not yet known whether Conner will play on Sunday. -Josh Weinfuss

Is there any reason to expect an increase in production from New England Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson during the second half of the season?

The Patriots have been so inconsistent on offense that it’s hard to say decisively that Stevenson will increase his production in the second half of the season. But as his 64-yard touchdown run last week showed, the potential is there, and one of the keys will be if the same offensive line can play together more cohesively. The Patriots have had seven different offensive line configurations during their 2-7 start, mostly due to injuries. –Mike Reiss

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How will the Lions backfield change with the return of David Montgomery?

Field Yates runs the numbers to see who could get the most snaps between Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery.

How will the Detroit Lions split the backfield touches between David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs?

While Montgomery missed the last two games with a rib injury, rookie Gibbs continued to improve. Before the bye week, he exploded for a career-high 152 rushing yards on “Monday Night Football” against the Las Vegas Raiders, but with Montgomery returning, the coaching staff will try to split the load of work. But whoever has the hot hand will probably get the majority of hits. Detroit could even experiment with both backs on the field at the same time, using Gibbs’ versatility in space from the backfield, and as he continues to learn and grow, the opportunities are endless, according to Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. “They both proved it,” Johnson said during Thursday’s practice. “I was talking to the talent guys earlier this week; it’s a good problem to have mouths to feed right now.” — Eric Woodyard

Should fantasy managers be concerned about Josh Allen’s right shoulder injury?

Not really. This is moving in a positive direction. Allen participated fully in practice Thursday and Friday, a change from the previous week, when the team limited him and excluded him from the first practice of the week to give him rest. shoulder. Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey said that last week against the Bengals, “We were a little more vertical at times than we’ve been in the past because we felt good where Josh’s shoulder was, and he felt right there.” comfortable with it,” in addition to Allen threw the ball a season-high eight times against the Bengals. The worry should be alleviated here. –Alaina Getzenberg

How will injuries to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins affect the Cincinnati Bengals’ offensive approach?

It’s hard to have a crystal ball to see what coach Zac Taylor will do about the injury situation. Higgins is definitely not playing due to a hamstring injury. Although Chase was questionable due to a back injury, he was upbeat about his game against Houston and looked good in Friday’s practice. Fantasy managers in deep leagues who need a catcher in a pinch could start Trenton Irwin and Andrei Iosivas. Irwin has seen his target share increase every time one of the top receivers is injured. Meanwhile, Iosivas has developed trust with Burrow and presents a boom-or-bust option as a big red zone target. – Well baby

Should fantasy managers be concerned about Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens, given his recent performance?

It’s hard to say, but my general rule is to be wary of any Steelers offensive player, especially wide receivers. With the inconsistencies on offense, talented players have been boom or bust. Defenses are doubling Pickens and his numbers have dropped with the return of Diontae Johnson. But it’s a safe bet that the Steelers will try to reassure Pickens that he plays an important role in their plans against the Packers and will target him early and often. -Brooke Prior