Fantasy Football Recap: Giants v. 49ers Sunday Night Studs and Duds

In last night’s Sunday Night Football match-up, the Giants and 49ers each had some critical fantasy football pieces. Between Odell Beckham Jr, Carlos Hyde, and Eli Manning, the potential for fantasy points tonight was strong. After it was all said and done, the Giants rose victorious over the 49ers by a final score of 30-27 thanks to a late touchdown by Larry Donnell.

Here are some of the fantasy stats that we saw come out of tonight’s game.

We’ll also highlight what happened in our NFL Mocks Staff fantasy football league. Our Week Five Fantasy Studs and Duds are also available here.

Fantasy Stud of the Night: Eli Manning (30 fantasy points)

It was a big night for the Giants quarterback, on the field and in fantasy football. Despite an interception, Manning was able to compile 30 fantasy points after throwing for over 440 yards and two touchdowns.

Eli is only owned in about 85% of ESPN fantasy football leagues, so if you need a bye week filler he becomes a valuable option. While he was only started in 55% of leagues, his contributions to the few made up for many wins.

Fantasy Dud of the Night: Torrey Smith (4 fantasy points)

There weren’t any clear “duds” last night, but Torrey Smith’s lack of production was blatant. He was the 49ers big free agent signing this offseason, so I’d expect a lot more from the former Baltimore Raven. Kaepernick only managed to get the ball to Smith twice Sunday night, leaving him with minimal opportunities to score. Luckily, people have recognized San Francisco’s lack of offensive ability, so Smith wasn’t started in a vast majority of leagues.

Fantasy Surprise of the Night: Shane Vereen (16 fantasy points)

Vereen has become Eli Manning’s safety blanket when he gets in trouble. If Odell Beckham Jr is covered down field and Eli needs a quick play, he flips it to Vereen for a big gain. At the end of the game last night, we saw Vereen become the Giants only offensive option, and he performed well once again. With the ability to play as both a running back and a receiving back, Shane Vereen will get more chances to score and make an impact on your fantasy football team. If I start to see consistency from Vereen, he might become a valuable FLEX option during bye weeks moving forward.

Next: Week Four Fantasy Studs and Duds