Fantasy Football / NFL
- Details
- Written by Jason Evans
Week 3 starts tonight with Jacoby Brissett (not listed below) starting for the Pats, almost as interesting as the chance of Julian Edelman being the backup QB. Knowing Belichick, it'll work out anyways. As for the rest of the week, try to get Sterling Shepard in your lineup and don't forget about Matt Ryan, our #2 QB this week. As always, make sure you check our our weekly podcast to go more in-depth on our thoughts for this week.
Listen to the Fantasy Football Podcast, 9/20/16: Week 3 Preview
- Details
- Written by Shawn Foss
Welcome back to the Rookie Report! Hopefully, you survived the injury carnage in week 2 and managed to dodge some underperforming studs to come up with a W. I feel like week 2 is an unpredictable one every year, and this year was no different with several unexpected game outcomes, and several unexpected faces atop the fantasy scoring leaders. Week 2 was definitely a good one for the rookie crop, as the high real-life draft picks really asserted themselves in fantasy.
At running back, first round rookie Ezekiel Elliott managed to top 80 yards and score a TD. If you were disappointed with that week 2 output, keep in mind that in standard leagues he out-produced all but one RB with a top-10 ADP on any of the top fantasy league sites (David Johnson was that one). Not to be outdone by the top running back, the top WRs had a big week as well. Every WR not named Laquon Treadwell that was drafted in the first 2 rounds of the NFL draft outscored each of Allen Robinson, AJ Green, Antonio Brown, TY Hilton, and Sammy Watkins in standard scoring in week 2. That list of rookies is: Will Fuller, Josh Doctson, Corey Coleman, Sterling Shepard, Michael Thomas and Tyler Boyd. And on to the QB position...although Jared Goff and Paxton Lynch aren't playing yet, number 2 overall pick Carson Wentz lead his Eagles to another victory and outscored top QBs Russell Wilson, Andrew Luck and Eli Manning along the way this week.
It was a so-so week for the less-heralded rookies. Dak Prescott had another reasonable outing, as did Derrick Henry and Devontae Booker, despite not really putting up starting-caliber stat lines. Tajae Sharpe came back to earth a bit, as did Raiders' back Jalen Richard as DeAndre Washington asserted himself. Kenyan Drake and Dwayne Washington each found the end zone, and Austin Hooper used a 44-yard catch to help himself top 80 yards for the week. That's enough of a look at last week though...let's dig into the week 3 matchups:
Rookies to Start:
RB Ezekiel Elliott, DAL (Wk. 3: vs. Chi.): Don't let the fumbles last week scare you. Zeke's workload isn't going anywhere, and he will eventually hit his stride. The Bears have looked improved against the run this year, but they are far from a shutdown run defense and will play without Danny Trevathan, Lamarr Houston and Eddie Goldman this week. Elliott has a great chance to turn in a top-10 RB performance this week, and should be in the lineup.
WR Will Fuller, HOU (Wk. 3: @NE): Fuller hasn't given us a reason to not play him yet. He topped 100 yards for the 2nd straight game in week 2, and this week gets a defense that has ranked 28th in Football Outsiders' pass defense DVOA stat through the first 2 games, and have allowed 385 total receiving yards to WR1s & 2s in those games. I'd feel confident firing up Fuller again this week.
WR Sterling Shepard, NYG (Wk. 3: vs. Was.): Shepard showed what he's capable of in week 2 with a line of 8-117 on 8 targets. Washington has ranked 20th so far in pass DVOA, and Shepard plays the majority of his snaps in the slot, which means he should avoid both Josh Norman and Bashaud Breeland. ESPN beat writers have reported that Norman will follow Odell in this one. Shepard should have every opportunity to follow up last week's gem with another nice day. He should be a decent WR3 option once again.
WR Tajae Sharpe, TEN (Wk. 3: vs. Oak.): This should be a great spot for a nice game from Sharpe. The Raiders rank 31st in pass defense DVOA, and have allowed 133 yards per game to the opposing WR1s. The two they faced were Brandin Cooks and Julio Jones, and while Tajae isn't nearly on that level, he should still find success in this one. He should finish as a solid WR3 in PPR leagues and more of a fringe WR3 in standard leagues.
Borderline Rookies:
QB Carson Wentz, PHI (Wk. 3: vs. Pit.): This should be Wentz's first loss of the year, but it doesn't mean he can't have a productive day. Pittsburgh has been impressive so far, allowing just 1 passing TD vs. 2 picks in the first two games while playing from comfortably ahead in one of them. They have however given up boatloads of passing yards...347 per game through the first 2 contests. It should be a real test for Carson, but given the poise he's shown, I like his chances of approaching 300 yards and flirting with a top-15 QB day, maybe even exceeding it with a little TD luck. He's a decent QB2 option, but would take a lot of guts to play in most 1-QB leagues.
QB Dak Prescott, DAL (Wk. 3: vs. Chi.): The Bears haven't impressed on defense so far, but they haven't given up huge games to QBs. They're just 19th in pass defense DVOA, but they've only allowed 210 yards and 1.5 TDs passing per game to Wentz and Brock Osweiler. It was nice to see Dak forge a connection with Dez Bryant, and I doubt the Bears have anyone who can contain Dez this week, but the conservative gameplan will keep Dak a borderline QB2 for now.
RB Derrick Henry, TEN (Wk. 3: vs. Oak.): The Raiders are a miserable 28th in run DVOA, and Henry may be closing the gap in playing time with DeMarco Murray. Murray out-snapped Henry 50-21 in week one, but that split was down to 41-31 in week 2. Both backs were effective on the ground against Detroit, and they are likely to continue getting Henry involved. The volume is capped for Henry, so you’re hoping for a TD if you play him, but he should find another 40-50 yards on the ground if he sees a similar snap count this week. With all of the attrition at running back, I’ve heard of worse guys that are actually in some starting lineups.
WR Michael Thomas, NO (Wk. 3: vs. Atl.): I've got a hunch that Thomas will have a strong showing in week 3. New Orleans should get the passing game back on track as they go back home to the Superdome to face a bad Atlanta D, and I like Thomas's chances of finding the end zone. With each failed passing target to Coby Fleener, the Saints become more and more likely to stop targeting him so much and spread those looks to Thomas, Cooks, and Snead. Thomas has shown a nice floor, topping 50 yards in each of the past 2 weeks, and I like his chances of having his best day yet.
WR Corey Coleman, CLE (Wk. 3: @Mia.): Coleman put on a show in week 2 with Josh McCown at the helm, but he’s going to be hard to trust with Cody Kessler under center. The matchup is a good one, with Miami ranking 21st in pass DVOA on throws to the other team’s WR1. His explosive playmaking ability gives him a chance to make something happen, and I wouldn’t fault you for taking a shot on Coleman, but his floor is LOW this week. Proceed with caution. Editor's note: Coleman suffered a broken hand at practice today and, as Rotoworld says, "Coleman needs his hand to catch footballs". Don't expect him in the lineup anytime soon.
Rookies to Sit:
QB Jacoby Brissett, NE (Wk. 3: vs. Hou.): The Texans have allowed the 2nd-fewest QB points through the first 2 weeks (just 7 points per game allowed). They also rank 4th in pass DVOA. While the Pats will do everything they can to come up with a game plan that Brissett can succeed with, I can't imagine it's one that will help him pile up fantasy points in a tough matchup. Playing on a short week, and possibly without Gronk, I'd be hard pressed to predict a top-25 QB performance from Brissett. The Pats should be hoping that Garoppolo manages to give it a go.
RB Devontae Booker, DEN (Wk. 3: @Cin.): Booker worked as the change of pace back to CJ Anderson last week and he did have some success, but the sledding will be tougher in Cincy. The Colts are 31st in run DVOA through two weeks, the game script was positive for Denver, and Booker managed to be just the RB37 in standard scoring. The game script likely won't be as positive this week, and Cincinnati is 18th in run DVOA. It's not great, but it isn't 31st either. Avoid Booker this week.
RB Dwayne Washington, DET (Wk. 3: @GB): With the news that Ameer Abdullah has been placed on IR, Washington’s stock is rising quickly. He and Theo Riddick will split the backfield work going forward, and Washington is likely to field the goal line work. He’s going to have some nice weeks along the way, but I don’t feel confident that this will be one of them. GB has allowed just 81 RB rushing yards on 44 carries in the first two weeks, and they rank first in run DVOA. There’s always a shot at a goal line score, but Washington might need 2 TDs to break double-digit points in this one.
RBs Jalen Richard & DeAndre Washington, OAK (Wk. 3: @Ten.): The Raiders' backfield timeshare is hurting the upside for both of the backups so far. After a huge week one from Jalen Richard, it was Washington who flashed in week 2, putting up 52 yards on just 7 touches. Head coach Jack Del Rio said that all of their backs are going to play, so this situation isn't getting clarity anytime soon. Until one of these two emerges as the clear number 2 back, both will hard to trust in your lineup. They'll have a nice game here or there, but good luck guessing when it happens. The worst part is that it's likely only a matter of time before they start hurting Latavius Murray's output.
RB Kenyan Drake, MIA (Wk. 3: vs. Cle.): Despite Arian Foster being a long shot to play this week, Jay Ajayi being perpetually in the doghouse, and the game script setting up to be very positive for the run game, I still would avoid Drake. Drake saw just 4 touches to Ajayi’s 9 in week 2, and I would expect Damien Williams or Isaiah Pead to see some work as well this week. If there is any Dolphins’ back worth playing this week, it’s Ajayi. Drake may push for double-digit touches, but I wouldn’t feel good with him in my starting lineup.
WR Josh Doctson, WAS (Wk. 3: @NYG): There were some promising signs for Doctson in week 2. He was targeted 5 times, including 3 in the red zone, and he did put up 57 yards on the week. He did only make one catch, and the matchup with the Giants is a tough one. No matter which corner he squares off with, it will be a challenge for Doctson to get going, especially considering he still is playing behind Garcon, D-Jax and Crowder.
WR Tyler Boyd, CIN (Wk. 3: vs. Den.): Wide receivers not named Kelvin Benjamin have totaled 10-112-0 against the Broncos in the first two weeks. Denver is quickly proving that they are once again an opponent to avoid playing your WRs against, and Boyd's draw of slot corner Chris Harris Jr. should make things tougher on him. He'll be lucky to approach 50 yards.
WR Leonte Carroo, MIA (Wk. 3: vs. Cle.): With DeVante Parker back in action in week 2, Carroo was relegated to the bench again, playing just 3 offensive snaps. No reason to consider him this week.
TE Austin Hooper, ATL (Wk. 3: @NO): Be careful here...don't fall in love with Hooper's week 2 output and think he's going to be a breakout star. He's still clearly behind Jacob Tamme on the depth chart, which puts him behind Julio Jones, Mohammed Sanu, Tamme, Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman in the pecking order for targets. He may eventually have a larger role, but for now, he's best left out of lineups, even in plus matchups.
Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:
QB Cody Kessler, CLE (Wk. 3: @Mia.): You're probably laughing as you read this name as a 'sleeper,' and you're probably right to...but the situation could be worse for the rookie. He gets a pretty solid matchup against a team that just gave up 326 yards and 3 TDs to the combination of Jimmy Garropolo and Jacoby Brissett, and he does have some weapons to work with. He's nothing more than a shoot-the-moon DFS tournament play, but he could have a better fantasy day than most expect.
RB Josh Ferguson, IND (Wk. 3: vs. SD): Ferguson saw 5 targets in week 2, catching them all, and with Donte Moncrief out 4-6 weeks, the Colts may look to involve Ferguson more in the passing game in the short term. The opponent this week, the Chargers, did allow 153 RB receiving yards in week one. Ferguson has some sneaky upside as a cheap DFS play or as a flex option in really deep PPR leagues.
RB Jordan Howard, CHI (Wk. 3: @Dal.): If Jeremy Langford continues to struggle with his efficiency, it's just a matter of time before the Bears start giving Howard a bigger share of the workload to see what he can do. Howard had almost as many rushing yards on 3 carries on Monday as Langford had on 11 (22 yards to 28). Howard is more of a stash option than a guy to play this week, but if Langford gets off to a slow start against Dallas, who is 27th in run DVOA so far, Howard may see some extended work in this plus matchup.
RB Kenneth Farrow, SD (Wk. 3: @Ind.): Farrow is only a stash option at this point, but he's a name to know in San Diego. The undrafted rookie is the number 2 back behind Melvin Gordon now with Both Danny Woodhead and Branden Oliver out for the season. Farrow isn't much of a pass catcher, so the Dexter McCluster signing won't affect his role much...he'll be the backup to Gordon for early down work. Farrow ran for 2,000 yards and 26 TDs over his final 2 years at Houston and received Pro Football Focus's 4th-highest overall grade of any RB in the 2016 rookie crop. He's worth a flier in really deep leagues for now.
WR Jalin Marshall, NYJ (Wk. 3: @KC): Jalin Marshall is only on the radar for this week, and only because the rest of the Jets' WRs are dealing with injuries. It looks likely that Eric Decker and Quincy Enunwa will be able to play this week, but Brandon Marshall has been playing coy about his status. If B-Marsh is able to go, forget all about Jalin Marshall for now. If Brandon sits, Marshall could be in play. Enunwa and Decker have split time in the slot for the Jets, so Marshall would likely play on the outside, and Kansas City has struggled with perimeter receivers Will Fuller, DeAndre Hopkins and Tyrell Williams through two weeks. Marshall hauled in 3 passes for 45 yards last week filling in as guys went out hurt, and he could see more action this week. He's a DFS tournament punt play and also an option in deep leagues that include return yards. He's got 160 total return yards through 2 games.
That's all I've got for this week. Hopefully, it helps with the tough lineup decisions and you either continue a strong start or get things back on the rails this week. Feel free to hit me up on twitter if you have any questions, or just want to yell at me about any of this and tell me I'm wrong (@Shawn_Foss). With all of the injuries this week, make sure to keep an eye on the status updates on players throughout the week so you know who's in and out. As always: Good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It's just a game.
- Details
- Written by Tad Bukowski
A wise man whose face is painted with neon colors first then black and white later has said, “the only thing that is for sure is that nothing is for sure.”
It seems like this is the theme for every week 3 – teams look amazing or terrible in week 1 and the look like a completely different team in week 2. The same holds true for this season as well.
Hey, it’s football…that’s what keeps things exciting!
Week 3 – HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!!
(HOME TEAM IN ALL CAPS)
16 – DALLAS over Chicago – Have…have you seen the Bears this season? Now they’re even losing several players. This week’s BOLD PREDICTION is that THE BEARS WILL HAVE THE FIRST PICK IN NEXT YEAR’S DRAFT.
15 – INDIANAPOLIS over San Diego – You can’t have a home game against the Jaguars every week, Chargers!
14 – SEATTLE over San Francisco – Barely winning against the Dolphins and losing to the Rams? Still not enough to make me lose faith in the Seahawks at home against the 9ers.
13 – TAMPA BAY over Los Angeles – I expect Jameis Winston to just light up the Rams’ defense.
12 – MIAMI over Cleveland – Nearly pulling off wins in Seattle and Foxboro are enough for me to throw the Fins a bone and give them a high number this week. That, and hosting the Josh McCown-less Browns…that also helps.
11 – GREEN BAY over Detroit – A home opener against the Lions should be the cure for what’s ailing the Packer’s offense
10 – CAROLINA over Minnesota – What a difference one knee will make for the Vikings!
9 – Arizona over BUFFALO – The Bills put up 31 points with their biggest offensive weapons fighting an injury…might as well fire the offensive coordinator! #Nepotism
8 – NEW YORK GIANTS over Washington – The Redskins looked promising coming off an improbable division championship…not so much this season.
7 – KANSAS CITY over New York Jets – This should be a good game but the Chiefs are too tough in Arrowhead.
6 – NEW ORLEANS over Atlanta – The home team comes out on top of this “Hey remember when we dominated this division” Bowl.
5 – CINCINNATI over Denver – Another playoff preview that will end up going to the home team.
4 – Oakland over TENNESSEE – The Raiders have given two exciting games so far. Expect another one this week.
3 – Houston over NEW ENGLAND – I’ll finish writing the prediction for this game unless I get a call to be the Patriots quarterback in which case I will have t…
2 – JACKSONVILLE over Baltimore – Jacksonville needs to win this one to salvage any of the summer hype!
1 – PHILADELPHIA over Pittsburgh – The Keystone Bowl actually won’t be one-sided. If Carson Wentz pulls this off with how good the Steelers have been looking, I will indeed be a believer!
- Details
- Written by Mike Mocerino
Well, it was fun while it lasted! This was a tough week of injuries around the league. Incredibly tough on the Chargers. 2 weeks, 2 ACLs. Hopefully, you avoided most of the injury bug that is going around and good luck in week 3.
Quarterback
Josh McCown – Shoulder injury- Multiple week absence
Rough loss for the Browns who showed some life in the first half of the game. Cody Kessler is the next man up and will make the start this weekend. Bump down for all Browns players. Expect to see lots of pressure from Miami to force the Rookie to make some plays. Hopefully, McCown can make his way back by week 5 for Josh Gordon’s return.
Jimmy Garoppolo – Shoulder- Questionable
To my surprise, Jimmy participated in walk trough’s Tuesday morning but I would not expect him to start this week. Rookie Jacoby Brissett will get the nod. I would like to say this hurts everyone on the Patriots, but with Bill Belichick anything is possible.
Andy Dalton – Ankle – Played through injury
Was injured in the second half vs the Steelers and played through. Was limping after the game and will most likely be limited in practice this week. He will be good to go vs Denver on Sunday.
Jay Cutler- Ligament Damage right Thumb – Possibly out for weeks
Smoking Jay looks like he will be missing some time which leaves the door open for Hoyer the Destroyer. I do not see this hurting any of the fantasy options (what little there are) in Chicago. I expect Hoyer to pepper Jeffery with targets and the Bears will continue to be a below average team.
Running Backs
Danny Woodhead – Torn ACL- Out for the Season
Our favorite gym rat Danny is out for the year. Huge loss for owners in PPR and those zero RB drafters. Melvin Gordon will see 3 down duties and I expect Woodhead's passing targets to get spread around that offense. Melvin is trending up to RB1 play now and Tyrell Williams and Travis Benjamin will see more targets.
Jonathan Stewart – Hamstring – Left game and out at least a week or two
Stewart was forced out of the third drive of the game with a Hamstring issue. This left the ground game to Fozzy Whittaker who rushed for 100 yards after getting the nod. Whittaker will be a hot add this week but I expect a timeshare of Fozzy and Cameron Artis-Payne until Stewart is back.
Adrian Peterson – Torn Meniscus – Unknown timetable
I am sure we have all seen the highlights of AP being helped through a bar to the locker room in Minnesota’s new state of the art stadium. There are a lot of conflicting reports on the timetable for return so we are sitting in wait and see mode. McKinnon will be the hot add this week but do not sleep on the TD vulture Matt Asiata. I expect McKinnon to continue his role of change of pace back and the Vikings using Asiata in the red zone and between the tackles until AP is back.
Doug Martin – Hamstring – Unknown Timetable
Martin suffered a “slight tweak” and will be getting an MRI Tuesday. He seems unlikely to suit up against the Rams but good news for owners is the injury does not appear to be too serious. Charles Simms will get the nod and a heavy workload on Sunday. If he is available pick him up, especially in PPR where even with Martin he is a borderline flex play.
Ameer Abdullah – Foot – Unknown Timetable
He left Sundays game with a foot injury. X-Rays came back negative, but Abdullah is visiting with the famous foot doctor, Robert Anderson. Not a good sign that they are seeking additional help here. Theo Riddick and Dwayne Washington will step into a timeshare here. Riddick may be owned but Washington is a guy to keep an eye on after showing some flashes of greatness in the preseason.
Arian Foster – Groin- Unknown Timetable
According to sources, it is unlikely Foster will play this week but is just dealing with a groin strain. Regardless, this should not come as much of a surprise to owners. It wasn’t a matter of “if” Foster would get hurt, it is “when” will he go down. Look for some combination of Ajayi, Drake, and Pead in the backfield this weekend.
Thomas Rawls – Leg Contusion- Should be good to go
Thomas Rawls exited the game after a poor performance and was replaced by Christine Michael (Who looked explosive). Rawls will be good to go vs the 49ers this weekend but expect a timeshare with Michael who has been the most effective rusher for the Seahawks through 2 weeks.
Rashad Jennings – Hand – Should be good to go
Jennings only played 34 snaps this weekend against New Orleans due to the injury but he should be able to wrap this up and get out there for week 3 against Washington.
Wide Receivers
Donte Moncrief – Concussion/ Shoulder – Unknown Timetable
Originally taken out of the game for a possible concussion, it was later determined that a shoulder injury kept Moncrief out of the game. He had an MRI on Monday but no news has been released on the results. If he misses time, Phillip Dorsett becomes a must-add in all formats.
Julio Jones – Ankle – Julio doing Julio things
Julio owners should know the drill. He is going to get hit, he is going to look like a 70-year-old man getting up, then he is going to run a deep post and score a touchdown. Julio will be fine.
Brandon Marshall – MCL – Might take a week off
After what looked to be a gruesome knee injury, Marshall came back into the game Thursday. He is unsure if he will play this week and it is a situation to monitor. Can’t question his toughness after coming back on the field after that play.
Doug Baldwin – Knee – Day to Day
MRI results came back negative and Baldwin said, “I’m good”. The only issue is I am not sure that offense is good. Regardless of his playing time hopefully you have other options available while we wait for Wilson to get the offense moving
Tight End
Virgil Green – Strained Right Calf – Day to Day
After leaving the stadium in a walking boot, it seems Green missed serious injury and should be in the lineup on Sunday.
Eric Ebron – Concussion - Good to go
Eric Ebron left the game Sunday but then returned late. He will be good to go against the Packers and is turning into a sneaky TE1.
Photo credits - http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/17583949/minnesota-vikings-running-back-adrian-peterson-suffers-right-knee-injury
http://celebcafe.org/danny-woodhead-out-for-season-with-torn-acl-7293/
- Details
- Written by M.J. Nicholas
Zap! You have the lethal, fantasy football death ray in your hands and it's time to use it against the rival, 'wasting' space scum in your league. I'm going to explain how to switch that laser from stun to disintegrate, resulting in mismatched trades in your favor. Now listen up, some of your fantasy foes might be a little too savvy to pull the trigger on one of your 'delicious dishes of deception'. However, most are hungry for a move that appears to fatten their roster but in reality, equals the caloric content of a few carrot sticks.
As the season unfolds, the value of NFL players becomes apparent if not evident. Injuries, demotions, promotions and evolving styles of play can and will affect the value of players- whether they are proven veterans, 2nd tier skill guys or up and comers. A great piece of advice is not to get too sentimental when it comes to name recognition. Just because a guy is a household name and has past seasons of numerical glory to back up his value, doesn't mean he can't turn into a 'Johnny Bum' overnight... even barring a major injury. Sometimes a new coach, system or quarterback can change the dynamic of a team, resulting in a decreased workload or maybe just getting fewer looks while playing the same amount of snaps. Sometimes it's just the player himself; maybe underachieving while team competition at that position is becoming the better option. Bottom line is that fantasy value is hiding all over the place, and if you're smart, you can grab no-namers off the waiver wire as well as an opponent's roster. Names are just names and the past is the past. The present and future are the only factors of time you need to concern yourself with.
Now, with all of the above being said, you can also deal a flash in the pan for a steady, well-known player that might have a minor injury or is just slow getting out of the gate this season. There is no true system or one method that is universal. Like life itself, all decisions are situational. The moves you make are going to depend on your team's needs(injuries, handcuffs, bye-week fillers,etc.) as well as taking advantage of others to strengthen your bench. That is one point I cannot stress enough: build a solid bench! If you are barely hanging on to your fantasy strength by starters only, you need to get on the good foot and start making moves... via trades and free agency. The whole point to any of this is winning your league. Yes, there is luck involved but the best players on the block know how to put together a strong, well-balanced squad.
Entice the competition by making it seem you are unsure or hesitant when making a trade offer. In the comments section of a trade offer sheet, write things such as, "Not sure I want to offer this" or "I'm taking a big risk unloading this guy, but...". This will have people not adept in psychological manipulation thinking that you're the one who doesn't have a fantasy clue. Most times in a competitive league, this won't happen. For every time that it does work, the instant rise in team potential - as well as peace of mind to your fantasy supremacy - will be worth the moves you make. Manipulation is the key factor. Make it seem like you're giving up more to get less even though this isn't the case. You may only be gaining a little from certain trades but any advantage turns you into the victor of the deal. Sure, things can always backfire, that is the nature of sports gambling. Nonetheless, you have to roll the dice.
Here are a few players from the 2016 season to trade for and to trade away:
You want Eddie Lacy. Slow start, but two road games to begin the season with one against a stout Minnesota D. Green Bay's next 4 games are at home against mediocre defenses.
You want Willie Snead. This guy is not a flash in the pan. Check out his numbers through his last 17 games. Almost the same stat line of Miami's Jarvis Landry.
You want Mohamed Sanu. With Julio Jones always nursing some sort of minor injury and still getting double covered, Sanu will be an excellent weekly WR2, especially playing in the warmth of Atlanta.
You want Ryan Fitzpatrick. He's no Joe Namath... yet.
You might want to trade away Travis Benjamin. Emerging as San Diego's WR1 by injury default, he has 2 consecutive double digit weeks and is coming off a monster, 2 TD game. He could be a 'flash in the pan' player as I mentioned earlier and may not live up to his new role as the #1 guy. This makes him excellent trade bait for a quality player with above average weekly consistency over a boom or bust candidate.
You might want to trade away Isaiah Crowell. Coming off two consecutive weeks scoring a TD in each contest and amassing over 230 total yards, his upside looks great. However, Browns' QB Josh McCown got injured, left the game and the team switched to the run... which did not work. Additionally, 85 of Crowell's 133 yards came from one play. I wouldn't say he has no value, but you can find better out there, especially a guy who isn't on the Browns. This is the perfect player to entice a fantasy rookie or someone who doesn't do their research, looking to land a cheap thrill.
You might want to trade away Charles Sims. Definitely some upside with Doug Martin leaving week 2's game with a hamstring injury and no exact timetable for his return. Sure, Sims didn't fare that well this past week, but it was on the road against Arizona's tough defense. He'll have value to those in need of RBs because for the uncertain future, he will be the main ball carrier in Tampa Bay... for now.
- Details
- Written by David Biggs
Each week we'll give you some recommended starters that you need to get in your lineup for one reason or another. Usually, it's because of a good matchup, sometimes it's a player that's trending up, and once in a while it's going to be the secret to your fantasy victory!
Quarterbacks
Matt Ryan @ NO: Included on the list last week, here's a guy who is currently the fantasy points leader at QB in standard leagues and yet is still not owned by 30% of [Yahoo] leagues. If you happen to be in a league where that is the case, I suggest you remedy that quickly! His matchup in week 3 against the Saints (giving up 672 passing yards so far over 2 games) looks pretty advantageous. The Falcons defense is more than suspect, and they'll always keep their opponent in the game - forcing Ryan to keep chucking it.
Ryan Fitzpatrick @ KC: Fitzpatrick is still out of the top 10 (currently #13 in overall fantasy points at the QB position in standard scoring leagues), but he's spreading the football around this year with new additions to the offense like Enunwa and Forte. The Jets know that this could be their last chance to make a playoff run for quite some time and they will be fighting to the bitter end of every matchup this year. Fitzpatrick could end up a good short-term start or may even become your QB1 as long as guys like Bortles and Cousins are underperforming. Owned in 41% of Yahoo leagues currently. (Keep your eye on Marshall's health, though, Fitz's ceiling comes down if Marshall is not on the field).
Running Backs
Isaiah Crowell @MIA: Crowell exploded last week with 133 yards and a touchdown. Granted, most of that was from a specific play, but his performance so far this year has been raising more than a few eyebrows out there, and he'll be going up against a Dolphins rushing defense that is giving up the 2nd most yards per game. A must start until he proves otherwise!
Mark Ingram vs. ATL: Ingram has just not had the opportunities on offense yet this season - with only 21 carries over 2 games, the Saints need to commit a little more to the running game. That has been mentioned in recent press conferences, etc and an excellent matchup against the Falcons on Monday could be the catalyst for a top-10 fantasy performance for Ingram.
Wide Receiver
Mike Wallace @JAX: Wallace finally has a QB with some arm strength that is willing to send a few far downfield - that's all he needs to be a productive fantasy receiver. He's actually propelled himself to be the #6 fantasy WR in standard scoring leagues (as of Monday evening). Going up against the Jaguars shouldn't prove a much more difficult situation for Wallace to rack up his customary 3 or 4 receptions. Cross your fingers for the touchdown that makes him a commodity from week-to-week.
Tight End
Kyle Rudolph @ CAR: I would not normally recommend fantasy plays against a stout Panthers defense, but Kyle Rudolph has proved so far this season to be one of the highest targeted Vikings' pass-catchers (8 targets in both week 1 and week 2) and is currently situated as the #10 TE thus far in the season. With an upgrade to QB in Sam Bradford, I think we'll see more of Rudolph - especially as a red zone threat.
- Details
- Written by Jim Hutchins
Two weeks of football are now behind us in this young season and injuries impacting the fantasy playing field are already starting to pile up. I know this first hand after getting burned by early game injuries to Jonathan Stewart and Arian Foster just to name a few! Regardless of if you've been unfortunate to lose key players on your fantasy team to injury or not, this advice is geared to help better position yourselves with waiver picks for both the short and long term.
Note: all waiver picks listed here will have only been owned in 50% or less of Yahoo leagues at the time of publication.
Quarterback
Ryan Tannehill (MIA) - 29% owned - Tannehill was involved heavily last week against the Patriots, netting 389 yards and 2 TDs on 45 pass attempts while also adding another 35 yards on the ground from 6 carries. With Foster's status up in the air for week 3 you should expect similar results from Tannehill against a beatable Cleveland defense.
Honorable mention: Joe Flacco (BAL) - 29% owned
Running Back
Jerick McKinnon (MIN) - 24% owned - It's been announced that Adrian Peterson suffered a torn meniscus in week 2 which should leave him sidelined this coming week if not longer. This makes McKinnon a must add as the favorite for early down work in the Vikings backfield. The only downside is history has shown McKinnon will lose goal-line touches to Matt Asiata which limits his touchdown potential.
Fozzy Whittaker (CAR) - 5% owned - After Jonathan Stewart injured his hamstring last week Whittaker entered the game and put up 100 yards rushing on 16 carries while adding another 31 yards on 3 receptions. Stewart is expected to miss either one or two games with his injury which makes Whittaker a good bet to start while he is sidelined. The matchup isn't ideal against a tough Vikings defense, but if you are in a bind and need a starting running back for the week Whittaker is available.
Honorable mention: Matt Asiata (MIN) - 2% owned
Wide Receiver
Tyrell Williams (SD) - 48% owned - Williams looks to be the number two passing option in San Diego after the season ending injuries keep piling up to the Chargers skill players; Danny Woodhead was the latest victim after they already lost Keenan Allen and Stevie Johnson. As long as he can avoid the injury curse going around he is a good bet for week to week fantasy production on a pass happy team with a terrible defense.
Victor Cruz (NYG) - 37% owned - Cruz has been showing signs of life after missing the last season and a half from a patellar tendon tear, putting up 8 catches on 12 targets for 125 yards and a touchdown. I still think he needs to show a little more before I would trust him in my line up, but I also think this is the week to invest and put a waiver claim since it could pay off big if he can return to his old form.
Honorable mention: Jamison Crowder (WAS) - 6% owned
Tight End
Dennis Pitta (BAL) - 11% owned - Pitta has had an extremely injury-riddled career but he is healthy (for the moment) and looks to have a big role in the Ravens offense after grabbing 9 receptions for 102 yards on 12 targets. This type of volume would put him in the weekly TE1 conversation if it were to continue so he's worth a grab.
Honorable mention: Jacob Tamme (ATL) - 6% owned
Defense/Special Teams
Miami Dolphins (MIA) - 7% owned - The Dolphins defense are an interesting streaming play this week since Cleveland is forced to start their rookie 3rd string quarterback Cody Kessler. History shows Kessler is likely to make mistakes in his first start which means Miami is a good bet to rack up fantasy points
- Details
- Written by Jason Evans
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.
52 Carries
Matt Forte has a stranglehold on the carries thus far for the Jets. With Thursday night's performance, Forte now has 264 yards from scrimmage and 3 TD's, making it look like he's still in the prime of his career, and not a 9-year veteran. With Bilal Powell at a miserable 5 carries through two games, Forte has taken 91% of the hand-offs for the Jets, a split that I don't think anybody saw coming. Their next 4 games are against the Chiefs, Seahawks, Steelers and Cardinals, so even against tough defenses, Forte will at least be an RB2 based on volume alone.
55 Points
The San Francisco 49ers have put up 55 points this season, all on offense - thus causing a certain member of the drinkfive team to perhaps eat his words a little and admit that they are not a quote "dumpster fire". The Niners have 7 TD's over two games - thank you Vance McDonald, for being the least likely Gronk fill-in to work out.
32 Attempts
DeAngelo Williams carried the ball 32 times yesterday against the Bengals, a career high. He now leads all RB's in fantasy points through two games and Le'Veon Bell owners are very eager for week 4 to get here. On the other side, the Steelers most impressive feature this season has been their rush defense, which has given up 101 yards total while leading them to a 2-0 record against two teams that can, and usually do, run the ball.
0 Kick Return TD
There have been no kicks (punts and kick-offs) returned for a TD yet in the NFL season. This has always been quite an exciting feature of the games that it seems like the NFL is trying to remove. In the five years since the kick-off was moved up to the 35 yard line, there have been about 24 return TD's per year. It doesn't seem like the touchback being moved to the 25 has changed anyone's strategy. Editor's Note: Eddie Royal took one to the house on Monday Night Football - this was the first return in 5 weeks in the NFL.
1035 Yards
After two games, the Oakland Raiders have given up 500+ yards each time they stepped on the field, most of that through the air. They have quickly become the matchup you want to exploit, and thankfully they have a good offense which can keep up and keep the games high scoring. Upcoming games against the Titans, Ravens, Chargers, Chiefs and Jags will provide all kinds of fantasy upside that might have otherwise gone to waste on your bench.
- Details
- Written by Jason Evans
Week 1 is in the books and finally we have had a look at everybody and now we've got some new tape to go on when making this week's rankings. As usual, there's been an early exit from the rankings (Keenan Allen - get well soon), and a few guys that found themselves rocketing up the list, like Willie Snead and Derek Carr. As always, make sure you check our our weekly podcast to go more in-depth on our thoughts for this week.
Listen to the Fantasy Football Podcast: 9/13/16 Week 2 Preview
- Details
- Written by Tad Bukowski
We are now one week into the new NFL season … all seems right with the world again!
The tone was set in Week 1 with several games going down to the wire. It is hard to imagine that a week can properly follow up that performance. But it’s football, it’s always a possibility. 10 out of 16 in Week 1 isn’t too shabby! Now that we have a week’s worth of information on the teams, I can see a perfect week in our future!
Week 2 – HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!!
(HOME TEAM IN ALL CAPS)
16 – CAROLINA over San Francisco – The Panthers let a big week 1 win slip away last week. Hard to imagine them even being in the same situation this week.
15 – NEW ENGLAND over Miami – Miami cost the Pats the #1 seed in the AFC playoffs last season … … … Belichick remembers.
14 – OAKLAND over Atlanta – I can’t begin to describe how much fun it is to put the Raiders on the winning side of a line this high and have it be a legitimate pick rather than just a hopeful fan’s dream!
13 – NEW YORK GIANTS over New Orleans – These two had an epic offensive battle last season – expect more of the same again this year…with the home team again coming out on top.
12 – Seattle over LOS ANGELES –Congratulations LA, this is your team! Could have had the Raiders, just sayin…
11 – DETROIT over Tennessee – Life after Calvin appears to be a smooth transition for Stafford and friends. I don’t expect the Titans to put up much of a fight.
10 – PITTSBURGH over Cincinnati – Boy the Steelers look impressive. They’ll do what they can to win this physical matchup.
9 – ARIZONA over Tampa Bay – It was just a matchup against a motivated Patriots team last week…right?
8 – DENVER over Indianapolis – The Colts came close to pulling out a shootout win in week 1. Unfortunately for them, they won’t be able to score at will in Denver.
7 – Philadelphia over CHICAGO – Monday night on the lakefront. Should be an exciting atmosphere…until the game starts.
6 – Dallas over WASHINGTON – Two disappointing week 1 teams meet up in this divisional matchup. I, for whatever reason, still have faith in the Cowboys. So much so that this week’s BOLD PREDICTION is that despite losing to the Giants already, THE COWBOYS WILL COME BACK AND WIN THE NFC EAST.
5 – New York Jets over BUFFALO – The week kicks off in Orchard Park with Rex Ryan taking on his old team. I really don’t know what to think about the Bills, but it's mostly not good,
4 – MINNESOTA over Green Bay – The brand new U.S. Bank Stadium opens up with a Sunday Night Football matchup against the hated Packers. The momentum of the new stadium will overshadow the Vikings offense being led by ________________ (insert “quarterback” name here).
3 – HOUSTON over Kansas City – A potential playoff preview goes to the home team simply for that very reason.
2 – SAN DIEGO over Jacksonville – I don’t think it has been more difficult picking the Jaguars to lose a game.
1 – CLEVELAND over Baltimore – I really think things will be better for the Browns with Josh McCown under center. Not enough to put them higher than a 1 though.