It’s not every day that a player lined up at quarterback scores three rushing touchdowns — while being labeled as a fantasy eligible tight end!
If you watched last week’s Saints vs Seahawks offensive shootout, you’d know I’m talking about Saints — quarterback? running back? tight end? — Taysom Hill. The fiery, jack-of-all-trades weapon is the perfect example of a positionless player, part of a growing trend in the NFL.
Last year, San Francisco wide receiver Deebo Samuel lined up at running back for 59 snaps. He also scored eight rushing touchdowns — more than his six receiving — and his dual-threat nature heavily contributed to a breakout year in fantasy, finishing as the WR2 overall.
The question is: How should fantasy sites classify these players? The TE position on average yields far less points than QB or RB. If Lamar Jackson takes one snap at receiver during a game, should he be eligible for that spot? Where do we draw the line?
A possible solution is for sites to have variable positions. A player’s classification is determined by the position they’ve taken the most snaps at throughout the season. For now, though, feel free to fire up Taysom Hill into your tight end spots — he’s a whopping TE3 on the year. Quarterback, running back, tight end… Taysom will be playing defense before the year’s out.
Let’s get to Week 6!
HOT
QB: Geno Smith (SEA)
Ok, Geno, we see you! Fans expected Seattle to implode after shipping Russell Wilson off to the Rockies, but Smith has ignited this offense in a bizarre twist. With eight total touchdowns since Week 3, Geno is a startable quarterback.
RB: Josh Jacobs (LV)
A couple of monstrous outings for Jacobs have vaulted him into the RB1 conversation. The third-year pro is third in rushing stats and clearly the bell-cow in head coach Josh McDaniels’ system.
WR: Marquise Brown (ARI)
Traded from the Ravens in the spring, “Hollywood” has earned a 28% target share after rekindling his chemistry with his former college quarterback Kyler Murray. The end of DeAndre Hopkins’ suspension looms, but as it stands Brown is a mouthwatering lineup-lock.
TE: David Njoku (CLE)
Despite a sleepy start to the year, Njoku was TE7 in fantasy points heading into Week 6. His talent has always popped on tape, and Cleveland’s offense has been incredibly efficient. Njoku has 70+ receiving yards in his past three games.
COLD
QB: Matthew Stafford (LAR)
Yes, Super Bowl-winning, star quarterback Matthew Stafford is (gulp) QB25 on the season! With zero rushing ability, Stafford is a touchdown-dependent, limited-upside play. He belongs on the bench — even perhaps in 2QB leagues.
RB: Najee Harris (PIT)
Najee is quickly proving to be the fantasy draft landmine of the year. His 1.82 yards per attempt in Week 5 highlight a miserable downward trend in efficiency on a sputtering Steelers offense. Harris was drafted as an elite RB1 and is no longer startable six weeks into the season.
WR: Ja’Marr Chase (CIN)
Chase has avoided sophomore slump territory, but his last few outings have frustrated owners. The Bengals have a surplus of receiving weapons and Chase hasn’t gone over 12 fantasy points since opening week. Beware though, selling low on the LSU star could sting come December.
TE: George Kittle (SF)
“Meh” is the word to describe Kittle’s campaign thus far. Averaging just 33 yards per game, he’s yet to produce in the touchdown and big play departments. Then again, there aren’t many options to turn to in a barren tight end wasteland.
