Fantasy football strategy, rankings, and podcasts

Seven months. Seven…long…months. We’ve had to go seven months without football!

No more though! Football is back!

We are just days away from the Super Bowl Champion Patriots kicking the season off against the Chiefs. With the return of football comes the return of the confidence pool! Have no fear, we are back for another year of picks to help you win your pool…you’re welcome, by the way!

We’ve been waiting long enough, so let’s get to it!

Week 1 – HERE WE GO!!!!

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

15 – NEW ENGLAND over Kansas City – Patriots play game…Patriots win game. Stiiiiiiil waiting for this process to stop!

14 – HOUSTON over Jacksonville – Football is obvious not on the top of the priority list in Houston right now. But you can be that those fans will be rocking as they will finally have a positive break for a couple hours.

13 – Atlanta over CHICAGO – Did you know that the Falcons had a sizeable lead in the Super Bowl last year? Did you know that they didn’t hang on to that lead and lost the Super Bowl? Yeah, they remember too.

12 – BUFFALO over New York Jets – These two teams are just going to be BAD this year. Unfortunately for the Jets, they just traded away their one hope of stopping LeSean McCoy, the only person who will be able to move the ball forward on a consistent basis this game.

11 – WASHINGTON over Philadelphia – The Redskins are a dark horse to win the tough NFC East this year. The Eagles won’t have enough to slow Kirk Cousins down.

10 – Pittsburgh over CLEVELAND – Ben Roethlisberger flirted with retirement this off-season. Martavis Bryant might not have been reinstated this off-season. Le’Veon Bell’s holdout might go into the regular season! Well, Big Ben is back, Bryant is reinstated and Bell signed his tender…sorry Cleveland.

9 – GREEN BAY over Seattle – Week 1 gives us a potential NFC Championship to some with this matchup. Not me know, I think Seattle is starting to slip.

8 – MINNESOTA over New Orleans – Adrian Peterson comes home and has a point to prove against his old team. Unfortunately, his new team can’t stop an offense to save their lives.

7 – DENVER over Los Angeles Chargers – It was hard enough last season remembering that there was a Los Angeles now – now I have to remember to put the team name too? Geez this is hard! Denver will take this battle of the bottom half of the AFC West.

6 – Oakland over TENNESSEE – I had mentioned earlier that the Patriots pattern of winning needed to stop…it will in January. My first BOLD PREDICTION of the 2017 season is that THE OAKLAND RAIDERS WILL WIN THE AFC AND GO TO THE SUPER BOWL.

5 – Carolina over SAN FRANCISCO – Some are saying that the 49ers should be favored in this game. What did I miss? I understand that there is a new regime in San Fran but it won’t be enough to stop the Panthers and their new toy Christian McCaffrey.

4 – DALLAS over New York Giants – This pick is based on Ezekial Elliot NOT playing. If, for whatever reason, Elliot plays, bump the ‘Boys up a few lines.

3 – CINCINNATI over Baltimore – If either of these two teams want to show that the division is just “Pittsburgh and Friends” they will need to do so right off the bat. The Bengals get the nod here with the game being played in Cincinnati.

3 – Tampa Bay over Miami – Sooooooooo I would put thought into the reasons for my pick here. But there’s a good chance that this game won’t be happening Sunday. Thanks a lot Irma!

Editor's Note: The NFL has officially moved the game to Week 11, and so you can disregard this pick.

2 – DETROIT over Arizona – Matthew Stafford is now the highest paid player in the league. He will need to start showing why against top teams like the Cardinals.

1 – LOS ANGELES RAMS over Indianapolis – Thanks to a horrible defense and an Andrew Luck injury, the Rams should look like a legitimate professional football team this week.

Welcome back to the Rookie Report! It’s been a long offseason, but we’re finally ready to rock and roll with the regular season kickoff tonight! As usual, I’ll be back every week this season to give you the rundown of what to do with the fantasy rookies in your life. There are plenty of rookies to keep an eye on that could help you win each week. This year looks like it could be a big one for rookie running backs, with 2 of them picked in the draft’s top-10 picks for the first time since 2005, when Ronnie Brown, Cadillac Williams and Cedric Benson all went in the top-5. Several of the non-1^st rounders should play significant roles as well, as Dalvin Cook and Kareem Hunt already have earned their team’s starting jobs. Rookie WRs were also a priority in the ’17 draft, with 3 of them selected in the top-10 for the first time since ’05. Unfortunately, two of those top 3 WRs this year are going to miss week one, and the other might not be 100%. At any rate, the rookie crop is inevitably going to play a big role in your fantasy season at some point. They always do. The hard part is figuring out when. Without any sort of track record of success, the rookies are always the hardest to project, but I’ll be taking a stab at it each week.

Week one is always the hardest to figure out, so the best strategy in season-long leagues is usually to exercise some caution. With no bye weeks (save Miami & Tampa Bay), week 1 is usually the time to start your studs that you drafted early, not take a shot on a late round rookie who impressed you in the preseason. There’s DFS tournaments for that. With that in mind, there won’t be too many players that I recommend as starters this week, but there will be a few that I mention as DFS sleepers. One word of caution I want to throw in…I did use some team defensive stats from last year to make the case for a good or poor matchup for a couple of players listed here. Those numbers have meaning, but shouldn’t be treated as automatic that they will repeat that performance this year. I mostly used them because we don’t have a lot else to go on to determine matchup quality. If you see any fantasy points allowed numbers, they are based on ESPN standard scoring, and any DFS price tags will be from DraftKings. Alright, that’s enough housekeeping for this week, let’s dive in…

Rookies to Start:

RB Dalvin Cook, MIN (Wk. 1: vs. NO): Cook is the unquestioned lead back in Minnesota, and he gets to face a Saints defense that coughed up the 3^rd-most running back fantasy points last year. New Orleans has made some improvements to their defense with Marshon Lattimore, Manti Te’o and AJ Klein, but they still have a long way to go. The Vikings enter the game as a 3.5-point favorite, so they should be able to lean on the run a bit, and Cook will also be vital in the passing game. Bradford targeted the running backs more than 100 times last year, and Cook posted nearly 500 receiving yards as a junior at Florida State last year (488). Cook should be an RB2 easily this week and has upside for more.

RB Leonard Fournette, JAX (Wk. 1: @Hou): It could be tough sledding for Fournette against a Texans defense that ranked 12^th vs running backs last year and now has a healthy JJ Watt, but the Jaguars have made it no secret that this offense will revolve around Fournette. I’d be surprised if he touches the ball fewer than 20 times this week, and that volume alone should make him an RB2. If you went heavy at running back and have 2 studs to start over him, go ahead, but odds are you took Fournette as a starter. You should use him as such this week.

Borderline Rookies:

RB Kareem Hunt, KC (Wk. 1: @NE): Hunt rolls into week 1 as the Chiefs starting running back, but he gets a tough matchup on opening night. The Patriots allowed the 8^th fewest RB fantasy points a year ago, and the game script should have KC throwing late as a 9.5-point underdog. Hunt’s season-long outlook is bright, but he might not shine as bright week 1. In 18 years as a head coach, Andy Reid has had a running back clear 1,200 scrimmage yards in 13 of them, clear 1,500 yards in 5 of them, and clear 1,900 in 3 of them. He knows how to scheme the ball to RBs. The tough week one matchup should make him a low-end RB2 or flex option, but there are better weeks ahead.

RB Christian McCaffrey, CAR (Wk. 1: @SF): I’m not sure I fully buy into the hype on Christian McCaffrey. I’m convinced he’s an explosive athlete who will be fun to watch…I’m just not sure what his usage will look like this year. He’s been talked up as if he will be a focal point of the offense, but that would run counter to how the Panthers’ offense has operated under Cam Newton. In his 6 seasons in Carolina, only one RB has reached 30 receptions in a season (D’Angelo Williams in Cam’s rookie year). I still expect Jonathan Stewart to be a factor on early downs and at the goal line, so McCaffrey needs to have the receiving usage to live up to the hype and be worth his draft price. The Panthers have claimed that this will be a totally different offense, but I need to see it to believe it. Luckily for McCaffrey, this week is as good as any for them to prove me wrong. The 49ers young defense should be improved, but they were easily the worst unit against RBs in the NFL last year. If the Panthers do utilize McCaffrey, I don’t think SF will be up to the challenge of slowing him down. He’s a boom-or-bust RB2/flex option this week.

WR Zay Jones, BUF (Wk. 1: vs. NYJ): Jones should be the Bills de-facto WR1 this week with Jordan Matthews battling back from a sternum injury and Anquan Boldin retired. The game plan should be run-heavy with the Bills a 9-point favorite, but I still think Zay has a better than 50/50 shot to catch 5+ balls. He did catch 158 balls last year at ECU, so 5 should be manageable against the hapless Jets. He’s an intriguing option in deeper PPR leagues this week.

WR Cooper Kupp, LAR (Wk. 1: vs. Ind.): Kupp’s outlook is similar to Zay, but he has Sammy Watkins ahead of him on the depth chart. The Rams will pound the rock much like Buffalo, but Kupp has shown a great connection with Jared Goff so far and should be involved. I said I like Zay for 5+ catches, but I like Kupp for 5+ targets. If Goff struggles to connect with Watkins, it could mean extra looks for Kupp.

WR Corey Davis, TEN (Wk. 1: vs. Oak.): Davis is likely going to be limited in the opener after playing exactly zero preseason snaps, but he was listed as a starter on the Titans’ depth chart ahead of Sunday’s tilt with the Raiders. I would probably consider Davis more of a deep league sleeper for this week, but it would feel weird to call the draft’s #5 pick a sleeper in his first game. While Delanie Walker is probably the best fantasy play of any Titan pass catcher this week, I think it’s very possible that Mularkey gives Davis more run than expected. 60+ yards and a TD aren’t out of the question for the WMU product’s debut.

TE Evan Engram, NYG (Wk. 1: @Dal.): Rookie TEs rarely produce in fantasy football, but Evan Engram has a chance to be the exception to that rule. Giants beat reporter Jordan Ranaan expects him to play 60%+ of the snaps this year, and he’s a matchup nightmare as more of a WR/TE hybrid. He could get off to a fast start facing a Cowboys defense that allowed the most catches and yards to TEs in the NFL a year ago. There’s also a chance that Odell Beckham misses this game, which would certainly increase how much opportunity Engram sees. He’s a cheap DFS option at just $2,900 on DraftKings, and he’s an intriguing low-end starting option in deep leagues.

Rookies to Sit:

QB DeShone Kizer, CLE (Wk. 1: vs. Pit.): The Steelers are not an ideal opponent to face in your first NFL start. The average point total for a top-12 weekly fantasy QB last season was 21.5. The Steelers didn’t allow that many in a game all season. The most they allowed was 21.0 to Carson Wentz early in the year. There will be good weeks for Kizer this season, but I don’t like the chances that this is one of them. He’s probably left benched even in 2QB leagues.

RB Joe Mixon, CIN (Wk. 1: vs. Bal.): I like Mixon’s season-long outlook, but week 1 looks dicey for him. The Bengals have stubbornly kept Jeremy Hill atop the depth chart, and the Ravens’ run defense is typically solid. While I doubt Hill keeps the job for long, he’ll limit Mixon’s opportunity as long as he does. I would expect only 10-12 touches for Mixon this week, which just isn’t enough to trust him in most leagues.

RB Alvin Kamara, NO (Wk. 1: @Mia.): You have to take a wait-and-see approach with Kamara. He could have a significant passing game role as Pierre Thomas and Travaris Cadet have had in New Orleans in the past, but I have no clue how much he will play with Mark Ingram and Adrian Peterson around. Ingram has openly talked about working to improve as a receiver, so it’s best to give this a week to get a better idea of how the usage will shake out.

RB Jamaal Williams, GB (Wk. 1: vs. Sea.): Williams remains behind Ty Montgomery on the depth chart. He’s listed as the number 2 back, and Montgomery has a career-high of just 16 carries in a game, so Williams should at least see some work, but probably not enough to be a fantasy factor. It doesn’t help that the matchup isn’t a good one. The Seahawks added Sheldon Richardson to a defense that allowed the 3^rd-fewest RB fantasy points last year.

RB Marlon Mack, IND (Wk. 1: vs. Atl.): If Mack gets the 3^rd down work for Indy, the game script might actually work in his favor this week. The Colts are a 3.5-point underdog. There is, however, no guarantee that he gets the 3^rd down work. Frank Gore just refuses to go quietly into the night. The Matt Jones signing also muddies the backup picture behind Gore a little bit, and Scott Tolzien will be starting at QB this week. This is a situation to avoid.

RB Semaje Perine, WAS (Wk. 1: vs. Phi.): For now, the Washington starting job belongs to Rob Kelley with Chris Thompson handling the passing down work. Perine might have value later in the season, but he is going to have to earn a role.

WR Taywan Taylor, TEN (Wk. 1: vs. Oak.): The return of Corey Davis for week 1 saps a lot of upside that Taywan might have had for the opener. He may play some snaps spelling Davis and Eric Decker, who also battled injury in the latter part of the training camp, but I don’t expect him to play enough to warrant fantasy consideration this week despite his strong preseason.

WR Dede Westbrook, JAX (Wk. 1: @Hou.): Dede surprisingly passed Allen Hurns on the Jaguars depth chart and earned a starting spot with a strong camp, but I’d expect a run-heavy game plan and the majority of the passing targets peppered to Allen Robinson and Marquise Lee. There likely won’t be enough passing volume left over to make Westbrook a viable play. In 3 career starts in Houston, Blake Bortles has averaged just 149 passing yards per start, and is coming off an abysmal preseason.

WR Kenny Golladay, DET (Wk. 1: vs. Ari.): Fantasy players were excited for Golladay after his 2-TD preseason debut, but he hasn’t done a whole lot since then. It was reported this week that he will split the WR3 role with TJ Jones, at least to open the season. The Lions will continue to play their keep-away style of offense which will sap some of the passing volume, and Golladay currently sits behind Golden Tate, Marvin Jones, Theo Riddick, Ameer Abdullah, and Eric Ebron in line for targets. He’ll have some good weeks later this season, but week 1 isn’t the time to play him.

WR Curtis Samuel, CAR (Wk. 1: @SF): Samuel may be involved at least a little this week, but he’s basically the 6^th guy in line for touches behind KB, Olsen, McCaffrey, Funchess, and Jonathan Stewart. I wouldn’t expect much this week.

TE David Njoku, CLE (Wk. 1: vs. Pit.): Njoku was limited for much of the preseason, and will likely need a few weeks to get his legs under him. Rookie TEs are notorious for not producing much in fantasy, so I’d be hard pressed to trust a guy who caught 4 passes in the preseason as a starter in week 1. If he has any productive weeks this year, they will likely come later in the season.

TE George Kittle, SF (Wk. 1: vs. Car.): Kittle has been a camp surprise in San Francisco. He’s played well enough that the 49ers traded away Vance McDonald and named him the starter. Unfortunately, he’s battling a hamstring injury that he aggravated at practice on Wednesday. If he does play, I’d expect him to share a lot of snaps with Logan Paulsen and Garrett Celek, which will make Kittle irrelevant for fantasy purposes this week.

Deep League Sleepers and Cheap DFS Options:

RB Chris Carson, SEA (Wk. 1: @GB): Thomas Rawls is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game with the Packers, and with Rawls out in the team’s 3^rd preseason game (the dress rehearsal for the regular season), Carson split first team work with Eddie Lacy. If Rawls sits the opener, there is a non-zero chance that Carson develops the hot hand and sees a much larger chunk of the work than Lacy, and Green Bay was inconsistent against the run last year. I’m not saying it’s a huge chance, but Carson will cost the minimum in DraftKings. If Rawls plays, this is a moot point. The backfield situation will be too crowded to roll the dice on Carson in that scenario.

RB Tarik Cohen, CHI (Wk. 1: vs. Atl.): Like Carson, Cohen is a cheap DFS punt play in GPP tournaments. Most fantasy players have come into the season assuming Jordan Howard will have a 3-down role, and he was drafted as a top-8 RB. There are plenty of red flags though. Before last season, he never really displayed any receiving chops, and he posted just a 58% catch rate as a rookie. The Bears are expected to play from behind a lot this year, with Vegas odds putting their win total at 5.5, and local beat writers expect Cohen to have a role right out of the gate. If Howard cedes some passing down work to the quicker, shiftier Cohen, it could put a damper on his season. It could also result in some nice weeks for Cohen. The week 1 matchup for Cohen is juicy. The Falcons allowed a league high 141 targets and 109 receptions to opposing RBs. Cohen has looked explosive this preseason, and will cost just the minimum on DraftKings ($3,000). There is also a chance that it’s Benny Cunningham who takes that passing work, so he’s also an intriguing option at $3,600 in DK.

WR ArDarius Stewart, NYJ (Wk. 1: @Buf.): ArDarius seemed like an obvious starter on this team and possibly their leading receiver until they acquired Jermaine Kearse and signed Jeremy Kerley in the last week. Important note: ArDarius is a better WR than Kerley or Kearse. He unfortunately costs more than the minimum in DraftKings this week ($3,700), but he still likely starts in the slot on a team that will be playing from behind. Kerley was just signed Tuesday, and played under a different coach the last time he was a Jet, so I wouldn’t expect him to be able to jump right in as the slot receiver in week 1. ArDarius is a risky dart throw, but one worth considering against a shaky Bills defense that ranked 21^st in Football Outsiders’ pass defense DVOA last year.

WR Trent Taylor, SF (Wk. 1: vs. Car.): The reason Jeremy Kerley signed with Jets this offseason is that Trent Taylor beat him out for the starting slot WR role in San Francisco. He also led the NCAA in receiving yards last season. Kyle Shanahan’s offense employs 3-WR sets less often than most teams, but the Falcons last year still ran 45% of their snaps from 11-personnel (3 WR, 1 RB, 1 TE) with Shanahan as the coordinator. Taylor should be on the field for most of those snaps if not all. He’ll cost the minimum in DraftKings and has a chance to surprise against a suspect Carolina secondary.

TE Gerald Everett, LAR (Wk. 1: vs. Ind.): The Colts were one of 7 teams last year to allow 1,000 receiving yards to TEs, and new Rams head coach Sean McVay uses the TE position a lot (10 targets/gm last year in Washington). Everett is a TD dart throw with the upside for more and he will cost the minimum on DraftKings ($2,500). Tyler Higbee is listed as the starter, but Everett should play a bunch.

That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully it helps you win your week one matchups or strike DFS gold. Keep an eye on the injury report throughout the week to avoid any obvious goose eggs in your lineup, but other than that, sit back and enjoy the first meaningful NFL football of the year. It should be a fun few months. Hit me up on twitter if you have any questions or want to yell at me about anything above (@Shawn_Foss), and as always: Good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It’s just a game.

Welcome to Statistically (in)Significant, the place to find great stats that probably only matter at the water cooler (or bar). Each week I'll dig through the stats of the week gone by and deliver you some choice conversation starters.

239 Yards from Scrimmage

Kareem Hunt had a hell of a game on Thursday night, after an inauspicious start to the game. Thankfully, Andy Reid stuck with his rookie and he broke the record for the most yards in a debut game since the merger in 1970. Hunt's performance included 3 touchdowns and landed him the top fantasy points spot in Week 1. His teammate Alex Smith finished second, putting up a very un-Alex Smith like 368 yards and 4 TD. Both players are the only ones to score above 30 points in both standard and PPR formats, topping a rather pedestrian fantasy football Sunday to start the season.

2 of the top 10 ADP

Only two of the top 10 ADP players scored in double digits yesterday. Antonio Brown put up 18.2 points, followed by LeSean McCoy with 15.9. Granted, two of the top 10, Ajayi and Evans, were on that always fun Week 1 bye, but a lot of big names really struggled. Bell & Johnson had all of 55 yards on 21 carries between the two of them. Maybe Melvin Gordon can save this group tonight with a good performance, but really, the fantasy stars of this past week were mostly not the guys who we expected.

4 of the top 15 Point Scorers

Rookies have four of the top 15 point totals so far this week in fantasy. Lead by Hunt, we also saw DeShone Kizer, Kenny Golladay and Leonard Fournette turn in big fantasy performances. While I don't know what to expect long term from the Browns QB, I do expect the other three guys to be impact fantasy players all year long. Other rookies making big contributions to their team were Cooper Kupp, Christian McCaffrey and Tarik Cohen. The league is always getting younger, your fantasy team should reflect that. Don't get stuck using veterans all the time.

29:23 TD to INT Ratio

I'm sorry that I don't have a better theme than "lackluster" for the first week of the NFL season. So far, NFL passers have a pitiful 29:23 touchdown to interception ratio. This pales in comparison to the past two opening weekends, which were 48:19 in 2016 and 50:31 in 2015. We're down nearly 20 touchdowns to last year's opening count, so maybe Drew Brees and Philip Rivers can help close that gap. I don't expect that Sam Bradford and Trevor Siemian will contribute much to that department, but hey, it's been a strange Week 1.

31 Years Old

31 Years Old? What is this, some RB playing beyond his years? A WR that refuses to slow down? Nope, it's the Rams new coach, Sean McVay, the youngest coach in NFL history. McVay's Rams had, hands down, the most dominant victory of the day, beating the Colts 46-9. There were a lot of encouraging fantasy players in this game. Jared Goff got his first 300 yard game, Cooper Kupp had 4 receptions and a TD and Todd Gurley had 24 touches and also found the end zone. The Rams defense may be the bright spot, even without Aaron Donald playing this week. Even more credit goes to McVay, who helped orchestrate the return of Donald to the team after his holdout. With him in the lineup next week, the Redskins are going to have a very long day.

Week 1 is upon us and like many of you, my work week is going to suffer, and I have no plans on coming into the office on Friday. After doing player profiles and random articles for drinkfive over the last few years I wanted to change things up a bit and do a weekly post on key situations each week. We will look at three different matchups and their fantasy implications. I will also make a prediction. Hopefully we can find a dark horse or two to ride into the championship.

Alfred Morris/Matt Breida vs Vikings Defense

With Jerick McKinnon going down with a torn ACL, the door is open for a potential RB2 in a revamped San Francisco offense. Since news broke, owners quickly moved to claim either Morris or Breida. Neither is going to produce the way McKinnon was expected to, but there is some value to be found.

Last year in 16 games, Breida caught 21 passes. In his 3 years at Georgia Southern, he caught 22 passes. As the smaller back, I have seen a few experts say he is the PPR running back to own. I'm not saying Morris is going to get the passing down work (just 57 receptions in 90 career games), but temper expectations. I expect Garcon and Kittle to see an uptick in receiving targets.

Morris WILL get the goal line work and should get the early down work as well. At 5’ 10” and 224 pounds, Morris is better built to handle running between the tackles. Not to mention Morris’ history with Kyle Shanahan. One more fun tidbit…..Morris averaged 4.8 YPC on 115 carries last year.

If either are available in your league, I would recommend a stash. Tough matchup, but game script will be the thing to watch.

Prediction: Both backs look good against a tough defense. Morris capitalizes and gets in the end-zone and is named starter week 2.

Indianapolis Running Backs

The dreaded hamstring injury has Marlon Mack questionable for the opener. This leaves the door potentially open for rookie Jordan Wilkins and Christine Michael. This is not Christine Michael's first chance - I was drinking the Kool-Aid in Seattle. Looking strictly at upside, I am taking a stab at Jordan Wilkins. If he looks good week 1, he could end up keeping the job even when Mack returns. Michael is expected to split carries week 1 if Mack misses time, but we have been down that road before.

Do not forget about Nyheim Hines (4.38 forty at the combine). He fumbled 4 times in 2 preseason games, but the Colts drafted him as their ‘Alvin Kamara’ back. I expect to see him on the field in passing situations but will be on a short leash.

Whoever emerges as the RB1 on the Colts could be a steal. Highest chance is Marion Mack, but I would take a stab at rookie Jordan Wilkins since he is most likely available. If you are in a deep PPR league, keep an eye on how they use Hines and IF he can hold onto the football.

Prediction: Wilkins is the most impressive runner after Mack is ruled out. Does not do enough to keep the job from Mack who returns week 2, but does eat into his carries and this turns into a timeshare.

Packers Wide Receivers

The number 1 on Green Bay’s offense is Davante Adams. His ADP has him pegged as a mid-first round pick which is great value! But what about the other guys? Green Bay brought in Jimmy Graham in the offseason and some would argue he is going to be the number 2 target in the passing attack. I am buying Jimmy Graham as the top red zone target for Aaron Rodgers, but do not think he will be the number 2 option between the 20’s.

Randall Cobb. Dreamy eyed Randall Cobb is listed as the WR2 on the Packers depth chart. In recent news, the Packers have been shopping him for a trade. He is owed a little over 8 million and has had a nagging ankle injury so I do not expect him to depart Green Bay. Watching him last year, it looks like he has been running in quick sand. He does have a history with Aaron Rodgers, but Cobb’s best days are behind him. I am avoiding Cobb this year and looking to see who Aaron builds a connection with that has two good ankles.

Next up on the depth chart is Geronimo Allison. With an ADP in the 13^th round, there is a chance that Geronimo is a free agent in your league. Since Cobb is primarily playing in the slot, Allison could be the WR2 opposite Adams, who will draw the most attention. Allison is also entering his 3^rd year in the league, historically a break out year for wide receivers. I am willing to take a chance on anyone in the Green Bay offense that could potentially be 2^nd in targets (Maybe even first IF Adams were to go down. He did have 2 concussions last year.)

Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown. Yes, those are the next two rookies in line behind Allison. I also just wanted to type those fabulous names out. MVS showed flashes in the preseason and is listed at 6’ 4” with a 4.37 40 time. Out of the remaining packer WRs he will be the one to keep an eye on. He could see some playing time week 1, but historically Aaron relies on his vets.

Prediction: Allison is the 2^nd most targeted WR on the Packers week 1 and is one of the hottest waiver wire adds going into week 2.