And just like that, we’re halfway to the fantasy semi-finals. The leaves have begun to turn, there is a chill in the air, and your team still sucks. If you haven’t already made a season-ruining trade or dropped your first-round pick, there might still be some hope that you can sneak into the playoffs. But you can’t do it by sheer dumb luck; it takes a keen eye and a talent for seeing the gold where others are seeing garbage. So let’s go dumpster diving and see what we can find.

Jerome Ford, RB Cleveland Browns

Obviously, Nick Chubb is back and the Browns stink. I get that, but those are the thoughts of losers and small thinkers. What you really need to consider is that it is impossible for the Browns to be this bad and for Nick Chubb to handle a full workload after his knee exploded and Deshaun Watson’s season mercifully ended. Whether it is Jameis Winston at the helm or Dorian Thompson-Robinson, it is inarguable that the Browns offense is better having lost their starting quarterback. Couple that with the fact that Nick Chubb’s knee exploded on the field, and it all adds up to value for Jerome Ford. Ford was solid last year before and after Chubb went down in Week 2, totaling 813 yards on the ground and four yards per carry. I think the 1-6 Browns, far removed from a playoff spot in a stellar AFC North, will be careful with Chubb’s health, and Ford will get plenty of burn as the season goes along. Especially if the Browns are more competitive as we head deeper into the 2024 season and the Watson albatross is removed from their neck. Ford is a solid stash if you have room on your bench and could prove to be a steal if he sees the bulk of the carries.

Josh Downs, WR Indianapolis Colts

There are basically two paths to Downs being a worthwhile fantasy player for the rest of the season: Anthony Richardson figures it out, or Anthony Richardson gets hurt. Based on what we’ve seen so far, the latter is far more likely, and that is great news for Downs (and maybe the Colts as well). In the three games that Flacco has played, Downs has 24 catches for 217 yards and two touchdowns. With Richardson under center, Downs has just four catches for 25 yards. The Colts are hoping that their first-round quarterback can figure it out and stay healthy as the season goes along, all while fixing the accuracy issues that have plagued him since his days at Florida. It is no secret that he has an absolute howitzer for a right arm, but figuring out where the ball is going when it leaves his hand is a whole other issue. He has completed less than 100 passes in the league since being drafted 4th overall by the Colts in last year’s draft and has at times shown glimmers of the talent that had him so high on many draft boards. Staying on the field has also been a problem, and it seems more of a when, not if, scenario when it comes to the next time Flacco has to suit up. The magic of Joe Flacco is still very much alive, and picking up Downs now is a good bet if you believe in that magic continuing. Pick up Josh Downs now while others are leaving him for dead and thank me later.

Devin Singletary, RB New York Giants

Singletary has the misfortune of being a part of a terrible Giants team but does have the honor of being their lead back. After missing two consecutive games in Weeks 5 and 6, Singletary returned to action against the Eagles in Week 7 but didn’t have much to show for it. He rushed only five times for 18 yards in what was a complete ass-kicking by Philadelphia. I know all of the hype right now is on rookie running back Tyron Tracy, but Singletary was one of the big acquisitions by the Giants this offseason, who inked the 27-year-old back to a 3-year, $16.5 million contract. They didn’t give him all of that money for him to sit on the sidelines, and I expect Singletary to take over lead back duties this week. Granted, they have a tough matchup with a stingy Steelers defense on Monday night, but after that, they will take on Washington and Carolina before the bye week—two of the worst defenses in the league. Singletary may not be RB1 material for the rest of the year, but he’s a sure bet to make some noise in the next couple of weeks.