Ronnie Hillman, RB, Denver Broncos
Look out, Montee Ball owners! Ronnie Hillman has had back-to-back great games against top-10 run defenses in the past two weeks. His latest 100-yard rushing effort against the stout New York Jets run defense was impressive. While there are still questions about the Broncos’ backfield with rookie Juwan Thompson, Hillman’s production cannot be ignored and he’ll likely still be a factor when Ball returns.
Juwan Thompson, RB, Denver Broncos
Those who missed the Hillman train can take a chance on Thompson. While the rookie isn’t seeing a lot of work, he still has a shot at some goal-line carries as Hillman failed to get in the end zone with the red-zone carries he saw last week. Also, Hillman has struggled with ball security in the past. Should those issues return, Thompson may be in line for more work.
Brandon LaFell, WR, New England Patriots
The Patriots are getting their act together and fantasy owners shouldn’t ignore LaFell’s production. The former Carolina Panther has scored three touchdowns in three games. Granted, there’s a bit of inconsistency; LaFell put up a dud against the Bengals in Week 5, but since the Pats’ running game took a hit after losing Stevan Ridley for the season with ACL and MCL tears, Tom Brady may throw the ball more. The Patriots have lacked a deep threat this season and LaFell looks to be the guy. Two of his three touchdowns this season have been for .
Odell Beckham Jr., WR, New York Giants
Beckham played his first NFL game in Week 5 after dealing with a hamstring injury. Against Atlanta, he had 44 yards and a touchdown. Beckham slowed down last week against the Eagles in what was a miserable day for the Giants as they lost 27-0. What’s more, Victor Cruz is out for the season after tearing his patella Sunday night. The injury means a large uptick in work for Beckham.
Andre Holmes, WR, Oakland Raiders
Raiders rookie quarterback Derek Carr played lights-out against San Diego last week, throwing for 282 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. He owes two of those touchdowns to his . Holmes is emerging as a decent fantasy option, lining up opposite James Jones in Oakland. Holmes has 195 yards and three touchdowns in his last two games.
Antone Smith, RB, Atlanta Falcons
Smith epitomizes the saying, “less is more.” Despite being limited to fewer than 10 carries or receptions in multiple games, Smith has five touchdowns through six games, most of them for more than 40 yards. Look at these stats:
Week 3 vs. Tampa Bay: four carries, 50 yards and a 38-yard touchdown
Week 4 vs. Minnesota: four carries, 62 yards with a 48-yard touchdown
Week 5 vs. New York Giants: one carry, three catches and an 83-yard touchdown.
Week 6 vs. Chicago: two carries, four catches and a .
Obviously, it’s difficult to trust this kind of production off such little volume, but Smith’s knack for making big plays is more than just coincidence.
Panthers’ Backfield
Darrin Reaves, Chris Ogbonnaya, Fozzy Whittaker, Mike Tolbert, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The Panthers’ backfield has been a mess this year and chances are fantasy owners have dropped some of the Panthers’ injured starters, such as Williams and Stewart. The good thing is Cam Newton showed some of his dual-threat ability as a runner this past week against Cincinnati. With Newton feeling better, the Panthers should be more effective on the ground and through the air. Stewart, who is expected to be back any time, is a recommended pick-up.
Deeper Picks
Storm Johnson, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
There’s not much good coming out of Jacksonville, but with Toby Gerhart injured, Johnson should see a larger workload.
Brandon Bolden, RB, New England Patriots
In all honesty, fantasy owners are better off trying to guess the winning lottery numbers than trying to figure out the Patriots’ running game plans. Nevertheless, owners have to take note when a player gets a chance at more carries. With Stevan Ridley done for the season, Bolden figures to see more snaps. But it’s difficult to predict how things will progress with Shane Vereen and rookie James White in the picture.
Redux
This section will feature players The Post has recommended in the past but have had a resurgence or have become more relevant since.
McKinnon got a surprising start over fellow running back Matt Asiata against the Lions on Sunday. With Adrian Peterson out, the job is likely McKinnon’s to lose. He has been the more athletic back and it was only a matter of time until he surpassed the plodding Asiata.
Hugh Johnson: 303-954-1037, hjohnson@denverpost.com or twitter.com/HughJohnsonDP
