Who Should I Start? James Cook or Quentin Johnston

Saturday, October 11, 1:46 PM

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook will face one of his toughest challenges of the season when he takes on Atlanta's sixth-ranked run defense on Monday night. The Falcons have excelled at controlling time of possession and limiting offensive opportunities, though they've allowed a 44.7% scoring rate on drives, leaving the door open for Cook to find the end zone. The third-year back is averaging 107.8 scrimmage yards and one touchdown per game, but he's coming off a sluggish performance against New England's opportunistic defense. While Cook's volume and role in Buffalo's high-powered offense keep him in RB1 territory, fantasy managers should temper expectations--his Week 6 success will likely hinge on finding pay dirt against a disciplined Falcons front.

Friday, October 17, 6:23 PM

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston (hamstring) is trending towards playing after missing last week due to a hamstring injury, logging a full practice on Friday. When healthy, Johnston has been productive, averaging 75.4 yards per game with 26 catches, 377 yards, and four touchdowns so far this season, with a 50% deep target rate. He now faces a weak Indianapolis Colts defense that ranks 22nd in Opponent Passing Yards per Game and has a banged-up secondary, which favors his downfield targets. Although his recent injury may have caused his ranking to decline, the high-scoring nature of this game should keep him heavily involved, especially in the red zone. RotoBaller projects Johnston as WR26 this week. If he is active, he should be considered a high-risk, high-reward WR3.