Luke Wilson answers your fantasy football questions. Kicking around what to do with the disappointing Brandon Aubrey, weighing what to do with the wounded Davante Adams, quelling the Chase Brown panic, doubling down on A.J. Brown, and much more.
Question 1
I have Davante Adams, but I’m wondering if he’s worth keeping. I’ve heard everything from “maybe back by Week 11” to “out 6 to 10 weeks” to “fantasy season over”. Since we’re a redraft league, this season is all that actually matters to me. What’s your take?
Philip Haines (De Pere, WI)
Yeah, this is one of those tough calls that unfortunately can wind up mattering quite a bit in the long run. Adams pulled up lame in the Rams' shocking upset at the hands of the Cardinals two weeks ago, with word of a ruptured tendon in his left hamstring following soon after. As non-season ending injuries go, it's just about the last one we want to hear on a 34 (in December) year old receiver that had still been producing at a very high clip. A recovery timeframe of 6-10 weeks circulated alongside the news, and as if that weren't enough uncertainty we have since been teased with a tidbit about a procedure for cleaning out the tendon, possibly in service of expediting his return timeline — or not, because nobody really knows anything yet.
It's the same dilemma that has faced every fantasy player since time immemorial: Sock a big name away and hope your patience is rewarded, or cut bait in pursuit of greener, healthier grass and hope with all your might that the player you couldn't wait for doesn't win the league for your trash-talking nephew, or the guy who beat you in the championship three years ago. With the caveat that smaller leagues with fewer bench spots might just force your hand here, I'd be inclined to wait this one out. Adams wants a ring, and this could absolutely be his last, best shot at finally securing one (that is, before possibly heading him to his native Bay Area in the spring — stranger things have certainly happened). No shame in losing to San Francisco or Buffalo, but the Arizona loss could absolutely prove to be the smelling salts this team needed to get serious. And there continues to be a strange sort of cloud hanging over Puka Nacua and his approximate standing with the organization; between that and Nacua's own tendency toward nagging injuries there is absolutely room for Adams to return as early as Week 12 and immediately resume putting up the big numbers.
I know you don't want the headache of tying up roster space for a player with an as yet unclear injury timeline, but you want to see the notification that your trash-talking nephew or the guy who beat you in the championship four years ago claimed him off of waivers even less. Ride this one out as best you're able.
Question 2
Kickers? We're talking about kickers...yes we are. Last year I made the colossal mistake of giving up on Aubrey after week 12 - out of frustration with Dallas going for 2 and passing up on FGs in a couple of games. He was great after that — big regret. So, here we are again. Five points against Tampa Bay, 1 against Green Bay and MNF results pending. Something feels different though as he is missing XPs and FGs. Am I overreacting (again) with Aubrey or do I need to target another kicker?
Scott Fitch (San Mateo, CA)
Easy to say after he paced all kickers in a lot of scoring formats on Monday night, but he could have come out and contributed two extra points and nothing else and I still would have said you were overreacting. It's true that the difference between the No. 5 and No. 15 kicker is small enough that we should be sensitive to prolonged FG or accuracy droughts: Cameron Dicker, Eddy Pineiro and Cam Little were solidly in the 'very good, not quite elite' tier of fantasy placekickers last season, averaging around 10 points per game (long FG bonuses included). But as good as they were, the drop off to the upper middle of the pack options was miniscule: Harrison Butker, Andy Borregales, Jake Bates and Chris Boswell averaged a hair under 9 per game.
The whole reason to spend big at kicker on an Aubrey or a Fairbairn is that it means you get to just ignore the position for all but one bye week. Those guys tick every box: Big leg, offense that lends itself to lots of field goal attempts, point after tries or both, and they play double digit games indoors every year. After trips to Green Bay and Philly without having to grapple with inclement conditions, Aubrey will now be in a dome for 8 of his next 9 games. Yes, Aubrey's three games with either zero or one field goal have stung; and yes, he's on pace for this fewest 50-plus yarders in a season. Small sample size, Dallas offense has taken its sweet time finding its sea legs, and the Cowboys got into some disadvantageous second half game scripts in their last two losses in particular that effectively precluded them from attempting late field goals. This is unlikely to last, and Aubrey is still the Cadillac of kickers. Don't trade him in for a Geo Metro.
Question 3
Ian, in a 12-team 10-player keeper league would you trade Josh Jacobs for Jonah Coleman? I also have Jeanty and Henry so looking to get younger at the position.
Damon Duhon (Baton Rouge, LA)
Damon, you are in luck. I finally managed to corner Ian in the FI break room and didn't let him leave until he weighed in on all of my personal fantasy dilemmas, and this one too. From the man himself: "Are we completely sure Jacobs will be playing next year? He's entering the final year of that four-year deal he signed with the Packers. Spotrac says $16 (million) base in 2027, with a $3 dead cap if they release him. Is he out of the woods with the assault video and his criminal case? I guess he'll be in a contract year next year, which could be a plus (but wasn't in his last year in Vegas). He'll be 29 in February. Coleman looks like he'll have a career, although never reaching Jacobs-type heights. Coleman is only 23, and he'd be my choice."
I got Andy and Ben to weigh in as well, and they were even more emphatically in favor of Coleman. And I suppose I am as well — 'aging running back has domestic violence video lurking in the shadows' calls to mind the Ray Rice story a little too loudly. There is a real chance that Jacobs is Kaepernick'd into involuntary retirement at some point in the not-too-distant future and his resale value goes to zero overnight.
If not for that possibility, though, I would clearly be the bogey in FI's ranks leaning in Jacobs' direction. He will be deep in his age-29 season to start 2027 and consumed at least 260 touches in each of his full 7 NFL seasons, but Jacobs does get a slight odometer credit for his scant 250 carries in three seasons at Alabama (thank you Harrises Najee and Damien, Jalen Hurts — and somehow, Brian Robinson Jr.?). He'll certainly be expected to take a pay cut next year to stick around, but I don't see why Jacobs couldn't restabilize as Green Bay's workhorse for a season or two — judicial system and Roger Goodell permitting. Jonah Coleman certainly looks great and we want young, potentially premium pieces in a near-premium offense, but not even Alvin Kamara could quite get the Sean Payton backfield to himself for long. But for the video, in a keeper format I would probably opt for 1-2 seasons of great production over 3-5 seasons of I have no idea what.
But yeah, there's video out there somewhere, so better to hit this deal and wash your hands of having to study Michigan case law to properly run your fantasy team.
Question 4
How do you decide on your superflex position when you have a subpar second QB? After losing Hurts I now have Malik Willis at QB2. But I have Ollie Gordon, Jameson Williams and Devonta Smith on my bench in .5 PPR. I am having a hard time pulling the trigger on starting Willis even though QBs generally score more.
Eric Feingold (Garden City, NY)
Remember the Malik Willis craze? For about two weeks or so back in August, Willis was generating some buzz in the fantasy hype-o-sphere as 'this year's late round league winner' at the QB position. What a time that was to be alive.
We've sobered up now, and as it turns out being a quarterback with minimal ability and less permission to attempt many tight window throws into traffic in the modern NFL means... well, you won't be throwing for too many yards at all. Willis' season high in passing yards is 220, and despite having thus far taken every snap for the 2026 Dolphins he has completed more than 15 passes just once(!). It's enough to make you wonder if we won't see Kyle McCord at some point in December, just for kicks.
Despite leaking out onto waiver wires hither thither and yon in recent weeks, Willis has enjoyed the weekly floor that typically accompanies run first quarterbacks: Setting aside being thoroughly stonewalled against the mighty Vikings, Willis has managed 55 rushing yards, a rushing TD or both in 4 of his other 5 starts. Combine that with the occasional passing score and you're basically back in 2024 Anthony Richardson territory. Which is still not great, but that's generally going to be a tough floor for mid-tier, non-QB options to beat.
Using FI Invitational scoring (also .5 PPR), Jameson Williams has come in over 7 fantasy points in 3 of his 6 games, and Devonta Smith has come in under 10 in half of his 4 games, and both have topped 18 points once. Willis has topped 10 fantasy points in all but the Minnesota game, and topped 18 fantasy points twice. It feels right to chase the comparatively hotter and more talented hands of Smith and 'Jame-O', but it's hard to argue they can match Willis' floor.
Gordon is actually where it becomes a tricky proposition. The 225-pounder has been a natural (and probably superior) fit in relief of the felled Devon Achane in the new-look Dolphins' offense that wants to get away from finesse football and take the fight straight to defenses. Even with the Dolphins still deep in the wilderness of their rebuild Gordon's gone over 85 yards in three straight games, with a touchdown in four straight. Operating as a true bellcow, if I were going to play the game of starting a non-QB over a QB in superflex he would be the one I would pick.
And silver lining: If you're having trouble getting more than a couple of these four quality options into your lineup every week, you're probably doing just fine anyway.
Question 5
Trade question: I give Chase Brown and Caleb Williams for B. Tuten and J. Goff. Brown, as we all know, has disappointed. All players except Williams are past their byes. I feel the trade is fairly even, but I’m wanting to dump Brown while I still can. I think Williams has a better ROS schedule, but Goff is tearing it up. I also have Gibbs and LaPorta. I don’t really like depending on too many players from one team, but to flip Brown, it may be worth it. I know Brown turned it around mid-season last year, but I have my doubts for this year. What are your thoughts?
David Keeton (Arlington, TN)
Yeah, that's a perfectly kosher trade. Tuten's on the ascent like Brown was two years ago, and Goff for a Caleb Williams that may not be running all that much for the remainder of the regular season is nice and level.
Even as one of the last remaining Tahj Brooks Fan Club members that is current on his dues, I'm not overly spooked by the Chase Brown narrative at play right now. Yes, failing to top 13 carries or 40 rushing yards in three consecutive games is pretty eye-popping for a running back that we were ripping off the board in the 2nd round, but he's still seeing a ton of checkdown work — and his playing time hasn't actually budged, he's just not seeing carries. Samaje Perine has always been criminally underrated, but he's not really a threat to Brown's rushing volume. He's actually a pretty elite receiver out of the backfield himself, so the fact that Brown currently enjoys total control of that work is actually a pretty great sign. There's also this interesting little chestnut to consider.
Tuten's been great and this is really just speculation, but I can't shake the feeling that Chris Rodriguez will become more of a factor as the Jags gear up for the playoffs. Jacksonville has no doubt been pleased with Tuten's play but given how Coen talks about Rodriguez I think the physicality he brings to the field is something they're trying to hold in reserve for as long as possible. But even if I'm right and it does go that way, we might not see Rodriguez's touches rise until the actual NFL playoffs, leaving Tuten unscathed for fantasy purposes. But still, big picture I think Rodriguez is way more of a threat to the starter ahead of him than is Perine.
Question 6
Would you start AJ Brown this week or Michael Wilson? Brown has to put it together eventually, so why not this week? He didn't look good/right last week, to be honest. Michael Wilson has a favorable matchup this week so that is a bonus. Rankings say go with AJ, but my gut is questioning that. Interested in your thoughts.
Randall Brater (Washington, DC)
That is indeed a quality conundrum. Michael Wilson against the typically porous Dallas secondary is deeply intriguing, but I've got to side with the FI party line on this one. Suddenly kicking outside for snaps run from the perimeter at a much higher rate in the post-Harrison Arizona offense, things have cooled off considerably for the Brissett-Wilson connection that last season powered some Cinderella championship runs. Granted, dates with stingy Rams and Broncos defenses were contributing factors, but even against Detroit's turnstile backend Wilson only managed 30 scoreless yards. Arizona should have some success moving the ball in Dallas this weekend (fun fact: watch for me in the crowd for that one), but how much of that will flow through Wilson (who is now also nursing some sore ribs) is a fair question.
The simple fact is that A.J. Brown is still an active volcano, and a date with a young Miami defense that just went through a bit of an emotional expenditure in upsetting the Jets for their first win of the season sure feels like tectonic activity to me. Drake Maye has been on fire, Romeo Doubs is currently out of the way, and a 'Phins defense with nothing more than youthful gumption on which to yet hang their hat probably looks to Brown like a three-legged gazelle looks to a hungry cheetah. The Patriots want to get Brown going now, before the 'when are the Patriots going to get A.J. Brown going?' talk gets any louder. This is a matchup where they can dictate terms, we can trust them to do that. Brown's the play.
