SEC in Fantasy, Week 5: Is Darius Slayton the only positive for New York football right now?
SEC in Fantasy, Week 5: Is Darius Slayton the only positive for New York football right now?
The former Auburn receiver had another massive performance for the Giants, who don't have much going for them right now. At least they're not the Jets?
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Things are quite bleak right now for New York’s football teams. The Giants and the Jets are both 0-5.
The Jets might be the worst NFL team, statistically speaking, in at least a decade.
But at least the Giants have Darius Slayton.
Slayton had a masterful Week 5 for the Giants, who were unable to hold off a Day Prescott-less Cowboys team on Sunday afternoon. Slayton was able to showcase both the speed and tackle-breaking ability that made him an impressive receiver at Auburn, as well as great hands on a couple of memorable catches.
For fantasy football purposes, that’s a great sign for Auburn — especially in a week in which Cam Newton and the New England Patriots did not play. In order to stay in the top half of these SEC standings, the Tigers are going to need all the help they can get from their former WR1.
It was a milder week of scoring for most of the conference’s alumni, which had a lot to due with the adjusted schedules and bye weeks. It was a big week for two of the non-original SEC members, thanks to big-time performances by players who might not have been looked at as massive fantasy producers earlier in the season.
It’s a day later due to the Tuesday night football. But, in alphabetical order, here are the half-point PPR fantasy best ball scores for each SEC school during Week 5 of the NFL season, along with the updated standings and this week’s All-SEC squad:
Alabama
QB: Jalen Hurts (Eagles) - 0.7
RB: Josh Jacobs (Raiders) - 21.5
RB: Derrick Henry (Titans) - 18.8
WR: Henry Ruggs III (Raiders) - 18.8
WR: Calvin Ridley (Falcons) - 17.6
TE: Irv Smith Jr. (Vikings) - 8.4
FLEX: T.J. Yeldon (Bills) - 13.9
TOTAL = 99.7
Alabama stormed back to the top of the standings with strong performances in a week marked by underwhelming outputs elsewhere. Jacobs got two short-yardage touchdowns in what would have otherwise been a quiet day for him. Ruggs scored on a big play, Ridley got back to his old ways, and Yeldon ripped off a late run to crack the team for the first time this season. Oh, and Henry threw Josh Norman into orbit.
Arkansas
WR: Cody Hollister (Titans) - 1.7
TE: Hunter Henry (Chargers) - 10.3
FLEX: Jeremy Sprinkle (Redskins) - 0.0
TOTAL = 12
Hollister got promoted from the Titans’ practice squad this week and got a catch. Henry finally found the end zone for his first touchdown of the year, as he continues to get a ton of targets with Justin Herbert leading the way for the Chargers.
Auburn
QB: Cam Newton (Patriots) - BYE
RB: Chandler Cox (Dolphins) - 1.1
RB: Peyton Barber (Football Team) - 0.0
WR: Darius Slayton (Giants) - 16.9
TE: C.J. Uzomah (Bengals) - INJ
FLEX: Kerryon Johnson (Lions) - BYE
K: Cody Parkey (Browns) - 13
TOTAL = 31.0
Parkey has been rock-solid for the Browns since joining the team, and he nailed a game-sealing field goal in the final minute of their win over the Colts. Daniel Carlson and Parkey have basically rotated spots on this team since the latter came into the league again in Week 2. Other than that, Cox continues to get a touch a game for the Dolphins, while Barber had just two offensive snaps. He might just be a special teamer moving forward in Washington.
Florida
QB: Jeff Driskel (Broncos) - BYE
RB: La’Mical Perine (Jets) - 0.0
WR: Freddie Swain (Seahawks) - 2.4
WR: Demarcus Robinson (Chiefs) - 1.2
TE: Trey Burton (Colts) - 5.8
FLEX: Van Jefferson (Rams) - 0.0
TOTAL = 9.4
Burton just got back from the IR, which gives Florida another consistent tight end following the season-ending injury to Jordan Reed. This week, he looked like he could be a solid part of the Colts’ offense in the next few weeks. The Gators’ fantasy chances are basically banking on a touchdown from their receivers, though, and they came up empty this week.
Georgia
QB: Matthew Stafford (Lions) - BYE
RB: Todd Gurley II (Falcons) - 23.0
RB: D’Andre Swift (Lions) - BYE
WR: Isaiah McKenzie (Bills) - 8.7
WR: Chris Conley (Jaguars) - 6.8
TE: Charlie Woerner (49ers) - 0.0
FLEX: Mecole Hardman (Chiefs) - 6.0
K: Rodrigo Blankenship (Colts) - 11.0
TOTAL = 55.5
Only one of Georgia’s four running backs in the league could’ve scored this week — Nick Chubb and Sony Chubb are both on the IR, and D’Andre Swift was on a bye — and Gurley came through for his best performance of the season. Gurley found the end zone twice for the struggling Falcons. McKenzie caught a pop pass for a touchdown on Tuesday night, and Blankenship continues to be a consistent kicker in fantasy as a rookie.
Kentucky
RB: Benny Snell Jr. (Steelers) - 1.9
WR: Randall Cobb (Texans) - 7.7
WR: Lynn Bowden Jr. (Dolphins) - 0.4
TOTAL = 10.0
More of the same for Kentucky, with Cobb having a six-catch performance to bounce back from a down Week 4. Snell and Bowden are small parts of their respective offenses right now.
LSU
QB: Joe Burrow (Bengals) - 5.3
RB: Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Chiefs) - 9.5
RB: Darrel Williams (Chiefs) - 4.4
WR: Jarvis Landry (Browns) - 10.8
WR: Odell Beckham Jr. (Browns) - 8.9
TE: Foster Moreau (Raiders) - 0.0
FLEX: Justin Jefferson (Vikings) - 3.8
TOTAL = 42.7
Burrow had his first rough start of his young NFL career, but facing the Ravens’ defense will do that to you. The rest of the Bayou Bengals this week had solid yet unspectacular performances — which led to LSU dropping from the top spot in the overall standings.
Mississippi State
QB: Dak Prescott (Cowboys) - 13.9
WR: Isaiah Zuber (Patriots) - BYE
TE: Jordan Thomas (Cardinals) - OUT
TOTAL = 13.9
Prescott was a one-man army for Mississippi State and the Cowboys this season, but a truly horrible injury will knock him out for the rest of the year. That’ll probably freeze the Bulldogs here for a while, unless Thomas — who was inactive this week — does something.
Missouri
QB: Drew Lock (Broncos) - BYE
TE: Albert Okwuegbunam (Broncos) - BYE
TOTAL = 0.0
Well, at least this is “bye” instead of “injured” this week for Missouri.
Ole Miss
RB: Jordan Wilkins (Colts) - 4.0
WR: A.J. Brown (Titans) - 17.7
WR: D.K. Metcalf (Seahawks) - 17.2
TE: Evan Engram (Giants) - 9.5
FLEX: Dawson Knox (Bills) - 2
TOTAL = 50.4
The NWO was rolling together for the first time in a while this week, with Brown coming up big for the Titans in his first game since Week 1. Metcalf caught the game-winning touchdown for the Seahawks once again, this time in the final seconds of Russell Wilson’s Sunday Night Football march against the Vikings. Also, interestingly enough, Engram scored a rushing touchdown for the Giants instead of his normal pass-catching role at tight end.
South Carolina
RB: Mike Davis (Panthers) - 25.4
RB: Rico Dowdle (Cowboys) - 0.0
WR: Damiere Byrd (Patriots) - 10.5
WR: Deebo Samuel (49ers) - 3.2
WR: Pharoh Cooper (Panthers) - 3.2
TE: Jared Cook (Saints) - 12.2
FLEX: Hayden Hurst (Falcons) - 1.8
K: Ryan Succop (Buccaneers) - 14.0
TOTAL = 58.3
South Carolina was the big winner this week, once again led by Davis in his incredible play as Christian McCaffrey’s replacement for the Panthers. Cook came back from injury to catch a touchdown pass on Monday Night Football, and Succop was the top SEC kicker for the first time this season.
Tennessee
QB: Joshua Dobbs (Steelers) - OUT
RB: Alvin Kamara (Saints) - 15.9
RB: Jakob Johnson (Patriots) - BYE
WR: Cordarrelle Patterson (Bears) - 6.0
WR: Marquez Callaway (Saints) - 5.4
TE: Jason Witten (Raiders) - 1.6
FLEX: Luke Stocker (Falcons) - 0.7
TOTAL = 29.6
It was a quiet week for Kamara, but it’s pretty great when your floor is 15.9 points on Monday Night Football. Patterson, who has running back and receiver eligibility in fantasy, had a solid day across the board. Callaway continues to be a decent weapon for the Saints’ offense.
Texas A&M
QB: Ryan Tannehill (Titans) - 30.0
RB: Cullen Gillaspia (Texans) - 0.0
RB: Trayveon Williams (Bengals) - OUT
WR: Mike Evans (Buccaneers) - 12.6
WR: Christian Kirk (Cardinals) - 10.3
TE: Jace Sternberger (Packers) - BYE
FLEX: Josh Reynolds (Rams) - 5.6
K: Randy Bullock (Bengals) - 3.0
TOTAL = 61.5
Believe it or not, since becoming the starter for the Titans, Tannehill has put up better passing numbers than Patrick Mahomes. Evans scored on another short-yardage pass from Tom Brady, and Kirk is starting to make some more noise in the Cardinals’ offense next to DeAndre Hopkins. On a much more depressing note, Damion Ratley cost Slayton a touchdown reception on a questionable offensive pass interference call — and the Giants cut him days later.
Vanderbilt
RB: Ke’Shawn Vaughn (Buccaneers) - -0.5
RB: Khari Blasingame (Titans) - OUT
WR: Trent Sherfield (Cardinals) - 1.1
TOTAL = 0.6
After breaking Vanderbilt’s touchdown drought last week, Vaughn fumbled and finished with negative points. Blasingame is out with COVID-19, but Sherfield got fantasy points for the first time this season — saving Vanderbilt from losing even more ground this week.
FANTASY STANDINGS THROUGH WEEK 5
Alabama: 461.8 (last week - 2)
LSU: 413.3 (1)
Georgia: 410.1 (3)
Texas A&M: 280.3 (4)
Auburn: 249.7 (5)
South Carolina: 237.4 (6)
Tennessee: 178.5 (7)
Ole Miss: 163.6 (9)
Mississippi State: 148.0 (8)
Florida: 115.3 (10)
Kentucky: 55.7 (11)
Arkansas: 45.5 (12)
Missouri: 11.9 (13)
Vanderbilt: 11.2 (14)
WEEK 5 ALL-SEC FANTASY TEAM
QB: Ryan Tannehill (Texas A&M/Titans) - 30.0
RB: Mike Davis (South Carolina/Panthers) - 25.4
RB: Todd Gurley II (Georgia/Falcons) - 23.0
WR: Henry Ruggs III (Alabama/Raiders) - 18.8
WR: A.J. Brown (Ole Miss/Titans) - 17.7
TE: Jared Cook (South Carolina/Saints) - 12.2
FLEX: Josh Jacobs (Alabama/Raiders) - 21.5
K: Ryan Succop (Texas A&M/Buccaneers) - 14
TOTAL = 162.6
The superstars weren’t out in full force for the SEC during this weird week of football, which gave a greater spotlight to the likes of Tannehill, Davis, Ruggs — and the returns of both Gurley and Brown as fantasy difference-makers.
South Carolina is starting to close in on Auburn, while Alabama is back on top thanks to LSU’s quiet weekend. There still should be plenty of potential for movement in the standings as we get closer to the season’s halfway point, and we’ll keep track of it all right here on The Auburn Observer.
Up next on The Auburn Observer: On Thursday, check out a new Auburn football story for subscribers, along with another premium episode of the podcast. That will be followed by a Mailbag on Friday, leading you right into the Tigers’ trip to South Carolina.