#Packers-49ers fantasy recap: Aaron Rodgers, Jerick McKinnon

The Packers dominated a depleted 49ers squad in a lopsided Week 9 affair on Thursday night.

It wasn’t a fair fight for San Francisco, which entered the game without starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle), star tight end George Kittle (foot), running backs Raheem Mostert (ankle), Jeff Wilson Jr. (ankle) and Tevin Coleman (knee), and wide receiver Deebo Samuel (hamstring). Receiver Brandon Aiyuk was missing from the game as well after being placed on the COVID-19/reserve list on Wednesday.

Green Bay was also playing shorthanded without running backs A.J. Dillon and Jamaal Williams after Dillon tested positive for the coronavirus. Both were placed on the COVID-19/reserve list. Receiver Allen Lazard — who has been on injured reserve since Week 4 after undergoing core muscle surgery — was not activated in time for the game in spite of earlier optimism that he could return.

The Packers dominated time of possession and the score for most of the game, which ended 34-17 and was not close at any point. Aaron Rodgers shined, and connected with Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling for three of his four touchdowns on the night. The 49ers drop to 4-5 and the Packers move to 6-2.

Here are six things you need to know for fantasy football:

1. Aaron Rodgers near-perfect while Nick Mullens struggles in third start this year

Mullens stepped in once again for Garoppolo, who re-aggravated an ankle injury that sidelined him for two games earlier this year. He completed 22 of 35 passes for 291 yards, one touchdown, one interception and one fumble lost. It’s worth mentioning again that Mullens’ supporting cast was extremely decimated, but he and the 49ers were only able to score three points through the first 55 minutes of play.

Garoppolo is out for at least two more weeks on injured reserve as he recovers from a high-ankle sprain so expect to see more of Mullens in spite of his poor performance.

Rodgers — who is in the midst of a MVP-caliber season — completed 25 of 31 passes for 305 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions. He is looking like one of the steals of fantasy drafts and remains a top-tier QB1.

2. Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling score three times

It was the Adams show on Thursday night as he torched the 49ers’ secondary. He caught ten of 12 targets for 173 yards and put the Packers on the board first with a 36-yard touchdown on the first drive of the game. He has scored eight touchdowns in six games played this year, and continues to be the focal point of this offense.

Valdes-Scantling saw the team’s fourth-most targets (4), but was extremely productive with his meager target share. He caught a 52-yard touchdown at the tail-end of the first half, and another one-yard touchdown on Green Bay’s first drive of the second half. He is the Packers’ No. 2 receiver as long as Lazard remains sidelined, but is still a boom-or-bust WR3/4.

3. Jerick McKinnon dominates touches over JaMycal Hasty

McKinnon may be one of the most frustrating running backs for fantasy football in 2020. When gifted the opportunity to step up with Mostert out over the past two weeks, he had a combined six rushes for -2 yards, while Hasty saw 21 total rushes for 86 yards and a touchdown in that span.

On Thursday night, the roles were flipped and McKinnon saw 12 carries for 52 yards and scored a garbage-time touchdown on a one-yard rush with four seconds left in the game. He also picked up three catches on four targets for 16 yards.

Hasty, who most analysts expected would see a more significant workload, played just 14 total snaps. He had four carries for three yards and two catches for ten yards. This backfield remains a headache for fantasy managers. McKinnon and Hasty are volatile RB3s moving forward.

4. Richie James has breakout performance with Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel out

James saw an expanded role with almost all of the 49ers’ first-string pass-catchers injured and led the team in receiving on Thursday night. He caught nine of 13 targets for 184 yards and scored Mullens’ lone touchdown in garbage time by way of a 41-yard pass with five minutes left in the game.

James was San Francisco’s seventh-round pick in 2018 and has been utilized sparingly — mostly on kick returns. His Week 9 stat line was better than both of his previous seasons with the team. He could see more targets if Aiyuk misses Week 10 but will remain limited by Mullens’ play.

The other 49ers’ receivers River Cracraft and Trent Taylor were unremarkable in the matchup and caught two of five targets for 13 yards, and one of four targets for nine yards, respectively.

5. Aaron Jones sees decent workload in first game back

Jones missed the past two weeks dealing with a calf injury and was activated for this game. He did not appear to be limited at all, and saw 15 carries for 58 yards and caught five of five passes for 21 yards.

Tyler Ervin backed Jones up in this game with Williams and Dillon out and saw eight carries for 24 yards, and caught four of five passes for 48 yards.

6. Jordan Reed out-targeted by Ross Dwelley with George Kittle out

Reed was activated from IR ahead of Thursday night’s game as the 49ers attempt to fill the void left by Kittle. There was optimism that Reed — who has been highly productive in the past when healthy — could be a TE2 option for fantasy and was considered to be the preferred option over Dwelley entering the game.

He disappointed, however, and caught one pass on two targets for three yards while Dwelley caught three of three targets for 52 yards. Neither are particularly enticing options for fantasy.