Nix finishes strong, both Rams RBs shine, Higgins outdoes Chase? Don't be surprised!

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  Eric KarabellNov 6, 2026, 07:00 AM ET

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  Eric Karabell is a senior writer covering fantasy football, baseball and basketball at ESPN. Eric is a charter member of the FSWA Hall of Fame, a BBWAA baseball Hall of Fame voter and author of "The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments."

Each week in the NFL is its own story -- full of surprises, both positive and negative -- and fantasy football managers must decide what to believe and what not to believe moving forward. Perhaps we can help. If any of these thoughts come true ... don't be surprised!

NOTE: All mention of fantasy points is for PPR formats, unless otherwise mentioned.

Don't be surprised if ... Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix finishes as a top-12 fantasy QB this season

Fantasy managers haven't enjoyed the third NFL season for Nix, as evidenced by him going from a borderline QB1 option on draft day to currently being rostered in only 57.5% of ESPN standard leagues. Nix reached 15 fantasy points in only one of the first six games! What if the best is yet to come and we start relying on Nix again? When one considers Denver's suddenly friendly schedule -- and the emergence of a rookie running back becoming a top playmaker (finally) -- it really isn't inconceivable.

Nix averaged 17.9 fantasy points last season. He finished seventh in fantasy QB scoring in each of his first two seasons. Volume was key, as nobody attempted more passes over that time, but Nix also ran for 786 yards and nine touchdowns. He is currently outside of the top 20 among QBs in scoring average (14.4), but in total points he is only 11 fantasy points behind the No. 12 option, Carolina Panthers starter Bryce Young. That's it, 11 fantasy points. The Broncos face Young's Panthers this week. One of these teams plays great defense. It isn't the Panthers.

Look at this schedule! The 6-2 Broncos have faced the Kansas City Chiefs (twice), Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks (along with the Los Angeles Chargers and Arizona Cardinals). After they face the Panthers and serve a bye week, the Broncos face the Las Vegas Raiders (twice), Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills and Chargers again (along with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots). That's so much better. The schedule matters.

Let's remember that Nix broke his ankle in a January playoff game, and he was managed carefully this summer. He wasn't the most accurate passer to start with, and there was concern Nix wouldn't run as much this season. That issue has come to fruition. However, Nix has looked better of late. He broke off a dazzling 62-yard touchdown run in Week 7, and he has thrown downfield more in the past two weeks. Nix has eight pass plays of 20-plus yards the past fortnight; he had only 11 of them during the first six games. He hasn't been intercepted since Week 3. Let's just say he and new WR Jaylen Waddle haven't been great together, though Waddle scored a touchdown last week. Perhaps an easier schedule gets Waddle and Courtland Sutton going.

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Why Dopp is encouraging fantasy managers to pick up Jonah Coleman

Another reason to think better days are ahead for Nix is because rookie RB Jonah Coleman looks like a star. In fact, don't be surprised if Coleman ends up leading all rookies in rushing yards and fantasy points this season, even though he enters Week 9 having played in only three games.

Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love was the third pick in the NFL draft -- and a high fantasy pick -- but he is done for November and certainly a questionable for beyond with another high ankle sprain. Love wasn't thriving anyway, averaging 3.5 yards per rush and playing a small role in the passing game. The other rookie running backs ahead of Coleman in rushing yards are the Raiders' Mike Washington Jr., 49ers' Kaelon Black, Indianapolis Colts backup Seth McGowan (who might become quite valuable if Jonathan Taylor gets traded) and Seahawks committee member Jadarian Price.

Coleman, a fourth-round pick from Washington, barely played in Week 1, intrigued with 14.8 points in Week 2 and then hit the injured list with a sprained ankle. He returned in Week 7 and looked like Denver's top running back, as J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey haven't done much (Harvey is on IR). Coleman scored 20.4 points in Week 8, a good portion coming when he caught a short Nix pass and rambled 51 yards.

The Broncos must give Coleman more touches, including near the goal line. This is an emerging star who was available in roughly 50% of leagues a week ago. Coleman might change everything in this offense -- including the statistical fate of the QB bust who might not be a bust in the final two months -- and he should be a RB2 option for the rest of the season.

Don't be surprised if ... two Rams running backs finish among the top 10 RB scorers

Some might remember a month ago when Kyren Williams was tagged in this space as a potential top-five running back scorer because of his sudden but extensive work in the receiving game, especially in lieu of the Davante Adams injury (hamstring). At the time, there was little sign of backup Blake Corum dangerously stealing touches. Entering Week 9, Williams is exactly fifth in running back scoring, averaging 18.8 points. He is pacing for more than 1,600 yards from scrimmage, 70 receptions and 15 total touchdowns. Trade for him with confidence.

Corum reached double-digit fantasy points once in the first four weeks, fell off many rosters and looked like a relative bust of a middle-round pick. Since then, Corum has scored touchdowns in each of the past four games, averaging 15.2 fantasy points. The Rams just played the Cardinals, Raiders and Chargers, but it all counts. Next up are the Washington Commanders and Cardinals, not exactly Super Bowl contenders. Corum is up to 80% rostered, but it really isn't enough. He should be considered as an RB2 option this week.

The Rams' schedule adjusts quite a bit after a Week 11 bye, with December featuring a pair of matchups with the rival Seahawks, but then again, Seattle permits 22.2 fantasy points per game to running backs, 14th in the league. Don't overrate this schedule. Dallas is still on it in Week 15! The Rams still boast an electric offense, and Corum might keep this streak going with only modest volume.

What's mildly interesting about these Rams is that QB Matthew Stafford, a year after attempting 597 passes, reaching 4,707 passing yards and earning league MVP honors (46 TD passes sure helped), is pacing toward 644 passes and 4,560 yards. It's not that different, but the trend is significantly down since Adams got hurt. Williams and Corum are each averaging roughly three more fantasy points than last season, and while one of them is already among the best fantasy providers in the sport, the other might ride this wave into the top 10, too.

Don't be surprised if ... Tee Higgins is the top Cincinnati Bengals WR this season

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Why Tee Higgins is a top-15 fantasy option moving forward

No way! How many wide receivers are better than Ja'Marr Chase? Well, this season, seven wide receivers have scored more fantasy points, and one of them is Higgins, Chase's oft-overlooked teammate. Higgins (thanks in part to 303 receiving yards in the past two games) is second in the league in receiving yards, pacing toward 1,763. Chase is awesome, too, and he has two more touchdown receptions, but this is all noteworthy.

Higgins and Chase have caught 43 passes on 61 targets, but Higgins averages 11.9 yards per target and 16.9 yards per reception, each among the league leaders. Chase averages 8.1 yards per target and 11.4 yards per catch, the latter mark tied with Cowboys WR Ryan Flournoy for 63rd in the league. One of these players is really getting downfield and thriving. The other is the WR who went in the first round of every draft.

QB Joe Burrow is having an MVP-caliber season, pacing toward 5,136 passing yards and 49 touchdown passes. He has completed 73% of his passes! The counting numbers look quite a bit like what Stafford achieved when he won MVP honors last season. The Bengals have struggled to run the football, with only the Raiders and Green Bay Packers worse in rushing yards per game (though you must keep RB Chase Brown active in lineups), but this passing game is thriving. This isn't really a referendum about Chase. Trade for Higgins, too. This is (finally) his breakout season.

It isn't terribly unusual for two wide receivers from the same NFL team to rank among the top 10 in fantasy. This occurred last season with Rams' Puka Nacua and Adams. Higgins finished only nine fantasy points out of the No. 10 spot himself, while Chase was fourth overall. Detroit Lions star Jameson Williams just missed joining Amon-Ra St. Brown during the past two seasons. It happens. It might happen with Packers Christian Watson and Matthew Golden this season, too.