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Back-to-Back Quarterback

The strategy that I am most aligned with in people's minds is the idea of drafting back-to-back quarterbacks.  I've written about it many times and I want to underscore it again here. It is true that an elite QB can give you an edge.  I'd love to have Aaron Rodgers.  It's just not going to happen.  Those first 6 (or more) rounds have to be dedicated to the scarcest of resources and the second-scarcest of resources... Those being stud running backs and difference-maker wide receivers, respectively. The early round quarterback has mostly disappeared from the fantasy landscape but in my opinion it's just as bad, probably worse, to take one guy in the middle rounds and bank on him being your starter all year.  See, more than any other position (besides DST, I suppose), quarterback is highly matchup-dependent.  You know going in to a week what kind of matchup your guy has.  You also know that in your bye week you'll need a waiver wire guy. Ahh, waiver wire.  Streaming QB's isn't the worst idea in the world, particularly since it frees up bench spots and draft capital for those aforementioned scarce resources.  But, let's take a look at what  you're really doing  here.  Let's say that in a 12-team league there are 20 QB's rostered.  In my experience that's actually pretty conservative.  So, at best you'll be picking amongst QB's #21 through #32 to find a usable matchup for that week.  Hit and miss. In my strategy, you wait until you are around the 10th team to draft a QB and then you go back-to-back.  You'll have something like QB10 and QB11, both with upside... and you'll cover your bye weeks... plus injury insurance.  But the best part?  You play the matchups since they're interchangeable.  Most weeks you'll have at least one strong option. It does cost you two roster spots, but instead of taking Rodgers in the 3rd or 4th round you get another stud RB.  That's better than the RB's you would have taken in the 9th or 10th round.  Besides, your combo has a great chance to combine for stats comparable to QB4 or QB3.  Matchups, baby. via Blogger http://ift.tt/2wuVdhT

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An Eye Opener on Fantasy Baseball League

Brought to you by our friends at Fantasy Alarm:

Fantasy Baseball is a way in which one can manage his team, scout transfers in the market like any other scout, and compete in a league like in real life. Fantasy football is proof of the advancement of technology over time. An individual can share his knowledge with masses of his coaching capabilities. In Fantasy Baseball, the owner of the team must

have a Major League Baseball lineup. The lineup is never constant or consistent in every game as players can lose their form, acquire injuries, or even fall ill. Hence, one has to manipulate his major league baseball mlb lineups over and over again.

In Fantasy Baseball there are different league types and sizes. Currently, there are many types of leagues, but the most popular are Roto and head to head. In a Roto league, teams are ranked statistically in descending order based on the total tally of points the teams collected after competing in different categories. However, in head to head league, the two teams will face off on a weekly basis to find out which one of them will compile the best stats from the different categories they will be involved in. In most cases, head to head league is better since, when it comes to Roto, the teams in the lower positions usually throw in the towel by mid season and fall out of contention unlike for head to head, where the league owners stay active.

To be part of the Fantasy Baseball Championship Trophy, one needs to obtain a ticket. This ticket grants you a fully comprehensive package of everything needed to start your career. It also gives you updated premium information of the players to ensure you come up with the strongest possible mlb lineups to compete like an expert throughout the season. The baseball players’ data is provided and their current trend of form. Popular players include Luis Perdomo, Rhys Hoskins, Eddie Butler, and much more. Fantasy makes all these players available to you at some point in your career at some fee. The fantasy site also provides the data you need to wisely select your Major League Baseball lineups and right pitchers all through the DFS Pitching coach.

via Blogger http://ift.tt/2vQEEfW

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Scott Fish Bowl Strategy #SFB7

I'm in the Rafiki division this year, and I'd love to paint for you a picture of how it went and what I was thinking every step of the way.  I seem to have employed a unique strategy, and I'll explain every bit of it.  I also tweeted "Assante Samuel, Squashed Emmanuel" after one of my picks.  Crickets.  It's an NFL-themed ode to Rafiki.  Right?  Anyone? Okay, so if you are unfamiliar with Scott Fish Bowl or not up to date on what is going down this year, let me bring you up to speed.  It is one mega-league consisting of sixty 12-team leagues... so 720 total teams.  Most of them are owned by industry experts, pundits, and writers but there are is a healthy number of selected fans in there too.  You can win your league and you can also win the whole thing out of 720.  It's kind of crazy. For scoring, the big change is points for first downs instead of PPR.  And bonus points to tight ends.  The biggest thing strategically is that it is best ball scoring so the computer will assign your best lineup after the games are played each week and you'll get your maximum score. For rosters, there are 22 players but no trades and no waivers.  So with a fixed roster and best ball scoring, the (held in July) draft is everything.  Each week your top 11 players will score for you.  No kickers or defenses.  Your top 11 must include one quarterback, one tight end, two running backs, and three wide receivers.  That's seven.  The last four are flexes.  One of those flex spots can be filled with any position, including quarterback ("superflex").  The other three can be any non-quarterback. My pick in the Rafiki league ("The Brain... has returned."  Anyone?) was number eleven.  That meant no David Johnson, LeVeon Bell, or Ezekiel Elliot.  No Gronk (bonuses to TE's). No Aaron Rodgers since superflex makes quarterbacks so valuable... Pretty much every team will want to start two every week because QB's score the most points.  (Even a bad QB will outscore a great RB most of the time.)  Anyway, #11 also meant no Shady, Devonta, Melvin, Brady, or Antonio Brown.  I'll get back to what I decided, but first... Let's talk strategy! QB:  I want three of the top 18 quarterbacks.  I see Joe Flacco at 18 and he had a million pass attempts last year and they added Jeremy Maclin... after Flacco I just don't trust any of those dudes.  If I get three of the top 18 and they all have different bye weeks I'll always have two studs starting at QB and superflex.  Plus, you know, injury insurance.  This is a massive advantage which is why I listed it first.  Lots of guys took two QB's early and a couple of guys, mysteriously, only took two total.  Only one other drafter (in Rafiki) had the same strategy here - Derek Yoder from Fantasy Pros (shoutout... give him a follow @Derek_Yoder_FP).  In fact Derek was even more aggressive than I was, going QB in rounds 2, 4, and 5.  Might have been overkill, but the thinking is strong. TE:  I'll talk about this second since the bonus points made this position buzzworthy.  I think it was a little too much hype, though.  I'm not sure bonus points on first downs will make those TE's in the #13-#24 range that much more valuable (if at all) than WR's in the #37-#48 range or RB's in the #25-#36 range.  Incidentally, if you're wondering about those number ranges I'm using them because those are the top 12 'flex-ranked' at each position... With one TE, two RB's, and three WR's as mandatory starts, your top flexes will be in this range.  It also shows you how scarce top options at RB and WR will be.  Those mandatory starters need attention, as does the one TE here.  My strategy is to get a dependable top 10 guy who looks like a reliable safety outlet for 1st downs for a young QB... and then wait until late to scoop some upside guys.  I've got a few late picks in mind who give reason for optimism. WR:  I want two studs and then to fill in that third spot and probably one or two flexes with some high quality tertiary options.  I was surprised to see so many great WR's fell in the draft so regularly.  More on who I picked in a minute.  Even with two every week starters I felt like I still wanted to invest in three or four fill-in guys who provided really good upside.  Remember, one of these guys must start alongside my two every-weekers and I'm also counting on one or two as flexes.  I've got three regular flexes to fill.  With my RB strategy (more in a moment) I expect to get one to pop each week and then start two WR's... or maybe a backup TE has a nice week instead.  Options. RB:  Okay, well, see... this is sorta where things get a little dicey.  With the top six RB's off of the board I felt like I'd be reaching a bit at #11 and #14 if I went with the venerable RB-RB strategy (still my preference in most redraft leagues).  I'd be taking Jay Ajayi and Todd Gurley.  Or maybe Isaiah Crowell.  Point is, I like those guys but I don't love them as my team's foundation.  Also, I started thinking... Running backs get injured a lot.  Backups are cheap.  Also, many teams have a 1st and 2nd down back getting a bulk of the carries and then a 3rd down back catching passes for 1st downs... which means bonus points in SFB7.  Also, a lot of those backup RB's are also the regular 3rd down option.  Hmm... Maybe I could grab a whole bunch of these guys and let best ball scoring take it from there.  I only need two to start each week.  Usually those mid-round WR's will outscore mid-round RB's anyway... and with the way WR's are devalued here I should be able to get some I can count on. Kicker:  Haha... just kidding.  We don't need no stinkin' kickers. Putting it all together:  Okay, #11 rolls around and I go Julio Jones.  Even without Kyle Shanahan calling the offense I still see a guy in his prime with a great quarterback.  And I'm not scared of Austin Hooper or Taylor Gabriel snagging too many of his first downs.  People seem to be scared of his most recent foot surgery... but it was to remove a bunion.  I don't worry about that.  Looking at ADP, this was a bit of a reach... so we'll see... but Odell Beckham, Jr. at #14 was a steal.  So, I get the #2 and #3 WR's in the whole league.  Since I decided to go away from stud RB's and instead take my two WR's (and top two QB's... stay tuned) this was as great outcome.  I did think about Drew Brees at #11 and I had hoped for Ajayi at #14... but I'm pretty happy with it.  Ya gotta start three WR's each week so this is an exceptional foundation.  I expect to go with four or five most of the time. And yeah, I went QB-QB with the next two.  Kirk Cousins and Philip Rivers.  I am not a Cousins fan but his production has been really good two years in a row and I really like the additions of Perine and Pryor.  Rivers... well, who can argue?  His track record is exceptional and his weapons are incredible.  I also wonder what playing in a 30,000 seat soccer stadium will do for on-field communication, if anything.  Can't be a negative.  His draft value is suppressed for some reason, but I continue to like him. I had to address RB at #5.11 and I went with Carlos Hyde.  Controversial pick, that.  I don't love it myself and hoped to grab Joe Williams later but missed out.  At #6.02 I got at TE that fit my strategy perfectly in Delanie Walker.  I don't love Walker at age 32, but he fits what I'm doing just right.  Good value on both of these guys, too.  At this point I still feel naked at RB, I need my fill-in WR's to go with the big two, and I've got to invest in QB3 real soon.  And it's 20 picks until I go again.  Tick tock. Guys I considered start flying off the board...  Christian McCaffrey, Paul Perkins, Eric Ebron (already?), Mark Ingram, Doug Martin, Dalvin Cook, Sammy Watkins, C.J. Anderson, Pryor, Spencer Ware... it's a bloodbath. Pick #11 has one advantage though... you can watch #12's roster and pick your #11 pick accordingly and take an educated risk on who will still be there for the even round #2 pick.  So, I got my QB3 here in Flacco.  Some might say it's a reach but my strategy was to lock down a top 18 QB as my QB3 and I knew I had to invest.  On the comeback I get Ameer Abdullah at #8.02.  Ugh.  RB is a wasteland... maybe the other teams will stop drafting them? Hey, maybe!  Only three RB's go off in the next 20 picks.  Including Derrick Henry and Bilal Powell... I might have drafted them.  We also lost out on David Njoku who I was hoping to get later.  So, at #9.11 I got Samaje Perine which I see as excellent value for an RB3.  At this point I still need a whole bunch of RB's... but I feel great at QB and at TE plus I've got my ultra-stud WR1 and WR2.  Another RB is a good idea but I'm going to start 4-5 WR's most weeks... and they can't slip forever... and I really like Stefon Diggs... and he's great value... and the next best RB is Danny Woodhead or Matt Forte... so, okay... Diggs at #10.02. Not a whole lot of damage in the next 20 picks...  We lose out on Garcon and Kareem Hunt, but overall it's not too bad.  With #11.11 and #12.02 I grab Duke Johnson and C.J. Prosise who fit my 3rd down running back + backup starter strategy pretty well.  Okay, well, Duke for sure.  People hate the Browns but that o-line is amazing.  And they'll be facing a ton of 3rd-and-7 type of situations.  With Prosise, he does have two guys in front of him but he did pretty well as a rookie and he'll be the 3rd down guy most of the time.  Good value here I think... especially at RB4 and RB5.  I'm starting to build a stable of guys who could pop any given Sunday.  I'm thinking I'll start three each week (well, between the minimum of two and probable max of four).  I'm thinking that the flexes will usually be one RB and two WR's with room for upside RB's and TE's. Okay, 20 more picks... waiting... waiting... John Brown, Joe Williams, Quincy Enunwa... not too bad.  Though it does show how thin the talent pool is getting.  I seriously considered Brown over Prosise but figured there were a lot of WR's in this tier and Prosise has some upside any given week. I looked at the #12 roster (Alec Snyder from Fantasy Jocks - @FantasyJocks) and saw that he didn't have any TE's yet.  I feel pretty solid with Walker, but I remember from my research in writing the Buffalo Bills preview for the RotoWire magazine that Charles Clay really turned it on late last year and the Bills are very thin at the 'pass-catcher' positions.  Look at his game logs... In weeks 15 and 16 combined he had 15 receptions for 157 yards and three scores.  Both of those weeks would have made it into my flex spot, so at #13.11 he provides good TE insurance and potential for flex-worthy weeks.  I may have sniped Alec here, too... since he went with back-to-back TE's with the next two picks.  At #14.02 I took Kenny Britt.  He's big, fast, is a #1 WR, and went over 1,000 yards last year in an arguably worse situation.  At #14.02?  Yes, please.  So, I've got my WR4 (finally) and one who sets a pretty solid floor as a probable starter.  In the 14th round.  Not bad!  People really hate the Browns, but do you remember how good Pryor was last year? I just went two more rounds without adding to my group of RB's though.... which isn't great.  I thought the pick of Clay was justified and Britt as my WR4 in the 14th is fantastic.  If I'm going to count on my WR depth I can't wait forever... but what havoc will happen at RB over the next 20 picks?  Jonathan Williams, Thomas Rawls, Marlon Mack... some good ones went down.  I wanted Mack. I settled for DeAndre Washington at #15.11.  He fits my strategy pretty well, especially if he can out-snap Jalen Richard this year.  Oakland has an amazing o-line so this is a nice get for RB6.  He could pop a flex-worthy week at any time.  At #16.02 I get Zay Jones.  Okay, so back to that thin Buffalo receiving corps... Jones is just a rookie but he led the NCAA in receptions last year and he's really just battling injury-prone Sammy Watkins for targets.  And, say what you want about Tyrod Taylor, but he's at least competent and he's behind a solid o-line.  I'm willing to bet he looks Jones' way quite often this year.  Not a bad WR5, especially in the 16th round. My next two picks were risk/reward plays in Giovanni Bernard and Allen Hurns.  Gio has to get healthy but he has obvious upside.  Hurns needs to bounce back from a down year but he was really good in 2015.  Upside.  The big thing here is that I can see either one of them getting a flex start for me at some point.  I would actually prefer to see Gio start the season on the PUP, come back fully healthy, and perform like Gio in the second half. At #19.11 and #20.02 I took TE3 and TE4, both with some upside.  Jermaine Gresham and Vance McDonald.  And, really, with all of the emphasis on TE's I'm pretty surprised to see them still around this late.  Both got sizable contracts in the off-season (especially Gresham) and both have undeniable talent.  Gresham, like Clay, was really good down the stretch last year and is still reasonably young.  The Cards don't like throwing to the TE, but they changed course a bit late last year, paid big to keep him around, and it is possible that Carson Palmer will regularly look to him at the 1st down marker.  It is rumored that McDonald might not make the final 53, but with his contract I don't buy it.  In real-life football, he's actually one of Brian Hoyer's best options.  Certainly he is a big target for first downs, even if they will be scarce for the Niners. With my last two picks I wanted RB's that have some sort of story that could put them in a position to get touches.  Orleans Darkwa is behind Paul Perkins plus rookie Wayne Gallman, but he's been running with the 1's in OTA's.  The coach has had nice things to say.  So, I think he's worth a flier in round 21.  Andre Ellington in round 22 is interesting too...  He's largely failed as an RB so far in his career and they tried moving him to WR, but they ended that experiment and Ellington is still listed at #2 on the depth chart behind David Johnson.  Does he get the #1 job in the event of an injury?  Will he see action on 3rd downs?  It's a good gamble in the final round.  The bottom line with these late-late-round guys is that I can see a situation where they have a flex-worthy week for me. Post-mortem:  Okay, the RB's are scary... but I did what I had to do.  I couldn't grab a super-stud so I took nine guys who all have a chance to pop at any time.  My favorites are Perine and Duke Johnson... though I did start with a couple of interesting picks in Hyde and Abdullah.  This is unquestionably my Achilles heel, but I did grab nine guys so maybe in a best ball format the bulk of options will make up for the lack of quality on top.  I only require two per week.  I'm set at quarterback, including bye weeks and the occasional down week by any of the three.  Cousins is a top fantasy QB, but if (when) he has one of those 227 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT types of games the computer will just best-ball-plug-in both Rivers and Flacco at QB and superflex.  This is a huge advantage.  At WR I'll start Julio and ODB every week and then one of Diggs, Britt, Jones, or Hurns.  Should be okay.  At TE I'm set with Walker but in case of a down week I get Clay or Gresham who both showed signs of studliness last season.  For my three non-super-flexes it's likely to be some combination of Britt, Jones, Perine, and Duke Johnson with the occasional pop from Prosise, Washington, Hurns, Clay, or Gresham.  I have a bulk of guys with defensible narratives that show a path to flex-worthiness.  I avoided handcuffs and guys with difficult paths to playing time, especially rookies or big injury risks (with the exception of a super late gamble on Gio).  I feel like this is a flexible lineup that can weather injury storms and has enough upside depth to keep me chugging along through 16 weeks. via Blogger http://ift.tt/2tjvUiA

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Things I Think I Think (AL Edition)

Boston Red Sox:   I think it's strange that they are collecting amazing lefthanded SP's.  Shouldn't they be getting righties in Fenway?  Aren't you begging Matt Holliday to pepper the monster?  Mebbe not, cause those guys are awful good.  I just think sometimes. New York Yankees:  I think Holliday is under-rated this year.  Bad BABIP luck last year.  He'll go for a .300 BA and 22-ish dingers. Baltimore Orioles: I think Dylan Bundy was awesome for that first stretch last year and then sort of wore down.  I think he's going to be stronger this year and I think he's going to start throwing the cutter again.  Why does that matter?  It's only his best pitch, if you're into that sort of thing. AL East:  I think the offenses for the Yankees, Red Sox, and Blue Jays are all over-rated.  Who do they have that really scares you?  Okay, Mookie Betts and Josh Donaldson are awesome.  Truth.  HanRam's pretty good too, but that lineup in Boston from top-to-bottom isn't really all that.  And the Yankees?  Is Didi Gregorius their best hitter?  (Okay, it's probably Gary Sanchez... but do we really know?)  And Toronto?  I think it looks really different without E5 and Bautista doing a bad impersonation of himself.  Seriously, look at these projected lineups. Texas Rangers:  I think Yu Darvish will win the AL Cy Young Award.  He's going off the board at pick #40, so clearly he is still a highly valued SP but I don't think most people realize just how good he is.  Maybe his value is obscured a bit by missing a year and a half in 2015-16 or maybe it's his just pretty good 3.41 ERA and low quantitative stats in just 100.1 IP last year.  But listen, folks, Darvish is back.  In 2016 he posted an incredible 11.8 K/9, a 3.09 FIP, and a WHIP of 1.116... and I think he's even better and stronger this year.  What if he gets you 20 wins, a 3.00 ERA, a WHIP of 1.10, and 280 K's?  He's worth more than pick #40, that's what. Seattle Mariners:  I think we'll get surprise production from their outfield.  Dyson as a full-timer?  60 SB's?? Tampa Bay Rays:  I think their staff is a little over-rated.  I got burned by Archer last year.  Odorizzi might be the value here with a strong WHIP.  Snell is like the anti-Odorizzi though... Can he limit the baserunners in his age 24 season? Chicago White Sox:  I think we somehow get closer value from Nate Jones this year.  Maybe earlier than you think.  He's worth an endgame flyer on a deep squad. Minnesota Twins:  I think Byron Buxton has shown us what he is.  He's the Matt Wieters of outfielders.  Move along, move along. Cleveland Indians:  I think Michael Brantley is still only 30, has a career OPS+ of 113, led the league in doubles when he was last healthy, and is currently taking full-force BP.  Wait, I think those are all things that are actually facts. via Blogger http://ift.tt/2m47eX0

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Sleepers and Semi-Sleepers from Every Team

Arizona - Michael Floyd, WR. ADP=48. Rough way to start a sleeper list with a late-4th, early-5th rounder.  It's alphabetical.  It will get better.  Floyd will outproduce this cost and the only other potential sleeper is Chris Johnson at #155. Atlanta - Matt Ryan, QB.  ADP=135. It will get better... keep reading.  I do like Ryan at #135 though. Baltimore - Kamar Aiken, WR.  ADP=121. I believe Aiken leads this WR group in 2016.  He's big, fast, experienced, and had a really nice year in 2015.  I also don't trust Steve Smith or Mike Wallace at this point. Buffalo - Mike Gillislee, RB.  ADP=Undrafted He'll be the backup to LeSean McCoy.  He averaged 5.7 ypc in limited work last year, despite a stinker in week 17. Carolina - Jonathan Stewart, RB.  ADP=67. Okay, there are a lot mitigating factors here... This is your classic boom or bust pick.  Stewart's actual value will probably put him before #48 or after #120. Chicago - Jordan Howard, RB.  ADP=160.   No one seems to believe in Jeremy Langford.  You?  No?  Howard is cheap.  If he gets the load he's a steal at this point on volume alone. Cincinnati - Tyler Eifert, TE.  ADP=76. Okay, so 76th is pretty high for a sleeper.  I couldn't go with Brandon LaFell and I think this is great value for Eifert if he gets healthy.  Andy Dalton has AJ Green to throw to but will really rely on Eifert this year.  Also good value in chili-spaghetti-city is the DST. Cleveland - Josh Gordon, WR.  ADP=142. He's getting reinstated. (In my opinion.)  There was that one season he was the top WR in the league. (Not an opinion.)  He is entering his physical prime at just 25 years old. (Not an opinion.) He's really, really got something to prove.  (Opinion?) Dallas - Terrance Williams, WR.  ADP=192. Heaven help me, I still believe.  There's just no one there beyond Dez, and Romo is a really good QB.  I mean, yeah, I like Cole Beasley a little bit... but c'mon man... The opportunity is there for Williams and his ADP is 192.  192. Denver - Devontae Booker, RB.  ADP=165. That's a good price even as a handcuff.  If CJ Anderson goes down or flakes out for some reason, Booker's your guy. Detroit - Marvin Jones, WR.  ADP=85. I believe that Golden Tate is more of a second banana.  I know Marvin Jones is 26 years old, 6'2", and once caught 10 TD's in a season.  I believe Matthew Stafford has a better arm than Andy Dalton.  I know that the Lions need someone to fill the hole left by Mega's departure.  I also believe that the taking Tate in the 3rd round is crazy sauce. Green Bay - Jared Cook, TE.  ADP=163. Jared Cook is really talented.  Aaron Rodgers is really talented.  Let's not overthink this at #163. Houston - Will Fuller, WR. ADP=Undrafted. Okay, he's a rookie and he'll have Brock Osweiler throwing the ball to him.  Makes sense that he's undrafted, I guess... but he was a 1st round pick and he should be the #2 option in the passing attack. Indapolis - Phillip Dorsett, WR.  ADP=161.   Plenty of room for three WR's here.  They spent a 1st on Dorsett and want to see him fly. Jacksonville - TJ Yeldon, RB.  ADP=97. Lots of mouths to feed in Jacksonville... plus they brought in Chris Ivory.  Good.  Keeps Yeldon's cost down. Kansas City - Charcandrick West, RB.  ADP=125. Jamaal Charles is a generational talent.  He also gets injured often. West is also really good.  He will get those touches when Charles goes down. He'll cost you an 11th rounder. Los Angeles - Tavon Austin, WR.  ADP=118. If Jared Goff knows what's good for him he'll find Austin in space.  I'm not sold on this one, but he intrigues me immensely. Miami - Ryan Tannehill, QB. ADP=158.   Everyone's darling last year.  He didn't produce at elite levels but also wasn't as bad as you think.  Still just 27 entering his fifth season.  Bring on the Adam Gase offense. Minnisota - Jerrick McKinnon, RB.  ADP=152.   People are down on AD because of his age and injury history.  Okay, fine... What are you gonna do about it?  Simply not draft him?  Why not take his talented backup in the 14th round and take a stand? New England - Jimmy Garapolo, QB.  ADP=Undrafted.   I mean, he's getting four starts right?  Three of them are pretty good matchups.  Let me put it this way, would you be surprised to look up after week four and see this guy in the top 10?  Me neither.  He costs nothing.  I also like the idea of knowing who I'm cutting in week five for the flavor of the day. New Orleans - Michael Thomas, WR.  ADP=152.   Love, love, love Brandin Cooks.  Willie Snead I'm not buying.  Coby Fleener might do something here... though it does seem that there is a lot of opportunity in a Brees offense for a bigger WR. Even an unproven one. New York Giants - Paul Perkins, RB.  ADP=179.   Color me crazy, but I don't think Rashad Jennings will hold up. New York Jets - Bilal Powell, RB.  ADP=119. 47 receptions in 11 games last year plus 4.5 ypc on the ground.  He's behind Matt Forte, but they are already talking about a time share to keep Forte fresh.  You could do worse at #119. Oakland - Latavius Murray, RB.  ADP=45. Hmm, so maybe it's hard to say 'sleeper' at 45... Nevertheless this is too low for Murray. Philadelphia - Wendell Smallwood, RB.  ADP=192.   So, Ryan Mathews?  Then what? Pittsburgh - Sammie Coates, WR.  ADP=140. It's a shot in the dark since I doubt Markus Wheaton's hands. San Diego - Travis Benjamin, WR.  ADP=115. I really don't think Benjamin's year was a fluke in 2015.  This year he's got a much better QB sitch and Keenan Allen will get all of the double teams.  Benjamin on the 9-route for the score!! San Francisco - Torrey Smith, WR.  ADP=111. The QB in San Fran probably won't be good.  However, there is a lot of room in a Chip Kelly offense for a receiver as accomplished and explosive as Smith. Seattle - Tyler Lockett, WR.  ADP=74. Lockett will emerge as a star in 2016.  Step 1 - Draft Lockett at #74. Step 2 - Profit. Tampa Bay - Vincent Jackson, WR.  ADP=130. Baby, I can't quit you.  Jameis gets better this year and Evans can't get all the targets. Tennessee - Rishard Matthews, WR.  ADP=173. I just don't believe in Kendall Wright or a rookie named Tajae Sharp...  In just 11 games last year Matthews grabbed 43 balls at a career high of 15.3 yards per reception.  Maybe it's his time? Washington - Josh Doctson, WR.  ADP=164. Man, I loved Doctson in the draft this year.  There is a non-zero chance that he outperforms DeSean Jackson in 2016.  164 is a cheap way to find out.  The other thing about Doctson is that even though he's a rookie I believe you'll know really quickly if they are going to trust him this year.  If he isn't getting used you can cut him. via Blogger http://ift.tt/2afGc90

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Good Value, Bad Value: Sleepers and Busts

By David Brandt Sometimes sleepers are unheard of and busts are all of the big names... sometimes we're just talking about good value and bad value.  Check out this list to find some sleeper gems and some reasons to avoid a few other guys:

Sleepers:

  Ben Zobrist - I will start off with an oldie but a goody.  Zobrist has always had appeal in fantasy leagues due to his position versatility.  His ability to play nearly every position assured him a spot nearly every day in Joe Maddon's lineup while in Tampa.  He averaged 153 games and 562 AB/season from 2009, when he burst on the scene, through 2014, his final season with the Rays.  Zobrist is now reunited with Joe Maddon and is expected to bat near the top of a powerhouse Cubs Lineup. Bottom line: Zobrist is an on-base machine projecting to bat in the top third of one of the most prolific lineups in baseball.  He also plays half his games in a hitters park.  He should exceed projected totals of R, HR, RBI, and even SB.  Draft confidently as your starting 2B.

Brandon Belt - Brandon Belt is coming off probably his most productive season in his career.  Limited to 137 games because of various injuries, Belt was still able to put a 73/18/68 slash while batting .280.  Belt is slated to bat 6th in a loaded giants lineup, so there should be no shortage of RBI opportunities.  Pair that with the fact that he is 28 years old and should be in his prime years-there is a very high ceiling here.  There is no reason he cannot produce similar numbers to Freddie Freeman or Prince Fielder, but he can be had nearly 50 picks later. The Giants missed the playoffs last year, and they spent a ton to make sure that didn't happen again.  Expect Belt to be a catalyst in this explosive offense.  No need to invest in aging first basemen who are potentially on the downturn of their careers, go for the upside!

Denard Span - Speaking of the Giants spending spree, Denard Span is an addition to this powerful lineup that is clearly flying under the radar.  I mentioned how powerful this offense can be, and of course it all starts at the top.  Span gets on base consistently (he has a career OBP of .352) and if his career stats hold true, it should turn into a beautifully productive season.  Span is just a season removed from 30 steals, so the man has some serious wheels.  He can put up more productive fantasy seasons than Ben Revere and Billy Hamilton and he can be yours 80 picks later.

Andrew Heaney - Heaney is a former top 10 pick who was the key piece of the trade that brought Dee Gordon to Miami.  He was then traded to the other side of town where he will try to make a name for himself.  Heaney finished the season very strong, allowing 2 ER or fewer in 9 of his last 10 starts.  This offseason, the Halos added Andrelton Simmons, which should only help Heaney improve on last year's impressive 3.49 ERA and 1.20 WHIP.  Heaney is going largely undrafted in leagues, so invest a late round pick in this pitcher who has the potential to provide a great ROI.  

Luke Gregerson - When you make your last couple of picks, you are usually trying to find diamonds in the rough.  These are guys that may not have an immediate role or may not have the clearest path to stardom, but if the stars align, big things can happen.  Gregerson is a great example of this.  He was a top 100 overall player last year with 31 saves as the Astros stopper.  Yes, the Astros traded for Ken Giles from Philly, but he's no sure thing to be their closer.  Giles has pitched terrible this Spring, which doesn't always hold much weight, but you would like to at least see some production outings out of him. He was closing for a team in the NL in weakest division in baseball.  He was a dominant setup man and may be best served in that role to help solidify the backend for a championship contending team.  I guess this could be as much a Gregerson sleeper pick as it is a Giles bust pick, but I will certainly be grabbing Gregerson as a late flier.

Busts:

  Giancarlo Stanton - Giancarlo Stanton is a sexy name that is coveted early in drafts.  His tremendous power potential makes owners salivate.  To me, Stanton is merely a three category player with a history of injury problems.  In fact, he has averaged only 122 games per season since 2011.  I am not saying Stanton is bad by any means, but I would rather draft Machado, Rizzo, Correa, Bryant, or Altuve all day.  I can then scoop up Chris Davis a round or two later and get very similar numbers.  Stanton is a major injury risk for a team that doesn't expect to compete.  It is very likely he won't be around while you chase down a championship.  

Jose Fernandez - Not to pile on Miami or anything, but Jose Fernandez is in a very similar situation.  There is already speculation that he is going to be on an innings limit, and rightfully so.  This kid is a stud, undeniably.  The problem with Fernandez is that you are drafting him as one of the first pitchers off the board, but it is extremely likely that he won't be around for you during the fantasy playoffs.  Maybe he can pitch you into first place in the regular season, and that usually brings home a few shekels, but if you want to win a championship, you may want to look elsewhere.  There are plenty of stud arms in a similar tier to Fernandez that are far more likely to be around come playoff time.  

Jacob deGrom - Speaking of other arms in a similar tier, something about deGrom is rubbing me the wrong way. He just pitched 191 innings in the regular season with the playoffs on top of that, up from just 140 the year before.  Add to that the fact that he has "had trouble" finding his velocity this Spring.  I take minimal note of Spring Training statistics, but when someone comes off such a substantial workload and can't find that velocity that helped him dominate, it sends up a red flag.  Maybe deGrom is fine and he will pitch another dominating campaign this season.  That is not a risk I am willing to take on a guy I could be potentially drafting to be my ace.  Just like Fernandez, there are plenty of other good arms in that tier that don't carry cloudiness like deGrom.

Ryan Braun - Listing Braun as a bust has nothing to do with his off-field lifestyle choices.  This is a man on the wrong side of 30 who had off-season back surgery, and is already sitting out with back soreness.  This reminds me a little of a Derrick Rose-like situation.  It is a smart move to sit out as a precaution in the spring, when games don't count.  When you are coming off surgery and you are feeling sore with the season right around the corner, it tell me you may not be completely ready to come back.  If Braun tries to prove the naysayers wrong by coming back prematurely, he puts himself at a high risk of re-injuring his bad back which has caused him to miss significant time throughout the last two seasons.  Very much like D-Rose.  Couple that with the fact that his team looks awful and it has the potential to be a situation in which Braun misses more time this year.  His price tag is too high for someone battling a back injury.  For me, I'll pass.

Jordan Zimmerman - Zimmerman took a major step back in his last season for the Nats.  His ERA jumped an entire run and his WHIP was also up to a pedestrian 1.20.  He has never really been a strikeout guy, moreso a guy relying on his command, which was clearly off last year.   The Nats were a bit of a mess last year, and Zimmermann is now pitching for a team with a dominant lineup.  Unfortunately, he is pitching in arguably the most competitive division in baseball.  Plus, pitchers rarely transition well from the NL to the AL.  Unless Zimmerman regains that control, he really doesn't bring much to the table.  He will have a mediocre WHIP and ERA, without enough Ks to make an impact.  He is just a name from a couple years ago, and I feel his best years are behind him.  Let some other amateur in your league take the familiar name while you capitalize on some of the young, high upside guys in his tier like Matz, Odorizzi, Smyly, Rodon, and Corbin.

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FSIC AL-Only Draft

Last Saturday I took part in the venerable and long-standing FSIC Expert Draft.  I'm in the AL-Only league, which is a great honor.  I even took home the trophy (literally, this thing is like four feet tall) back in 2013.  2013 seems like a long time ago now, and I need to get another one. It's a really tough group of competitors, but we did have a last minute dropout so that makes things a little more streamlined.  I'm not saying 'easier' because it ain't easy.  But a nine team "only" league is still fairly shallow and good players will still be hard to pick up. In the draft my plan was to load up on hitters, particularly middle infield and outfield.  I was betting that I could find starting pitching later, though I did want to grab two strong closers to handle saves and bring down my ratios just a touch overall.  I thought that catcher went about eight deep in the AL and corner infielders could be had later. The math is pretty easy in the outfield in particular.  There are roughly 45 AL outfielder starters.  15 teams times three starters plus a few DH's minus some platoons.  Since this league has nine teams and five starting OF slots every one of those outfielders will be required.  If I can get six good ones I'm ahead of the game. Middles and corners?  There are about 30 each (a little more for corners playing DH) and our league starts about 27 each.  I do see supply a little heavier at the corner for DH's and outfielders who qualify there, but I also see a smoother quality curve for corners. Pitchers?  Well, there are 75 or so starting pitchers in the AL and basically 15 closers.  Not all of either list is quality.  My plan was to wait on starters and get some upside guys in pitchers parks in the middle rounds.  For closers, every team with two is ahead of the game.  If you have two of the top six or seven you are way ahead. So, on to the draft.  My strategy played out almost exactly as I detailed above. In round one I was hoping for the 'go big' pick of Carlos Correa at #6.  He went #5... but that meant Jose Altuve fell to #6.  Fine by me.  Pairing him with an outfield-eligible Chris Davis at #13 gives me a lot of everything. Adam Jones at 24 gives me another great outfielder as I build my stockpile.  Xander Bogaerts at 31 completes my double play combo and really anchors my batting average. Hosmer is a good value at 42 though a little earlier than I wanted to go for a 1B.  He slipped for a reason.  At 49 I reached a bit on Cody Allen since he was the last of the stud closers.  Adrian Beltre fell to 60 and couldn't pass him up, even with the injury.  Adam Eaton should deliver value with the next pick.  Some might criticize Shawn Tolleson with pick #78, but I think he is a fantastic closer and paired with Allen should give me an unfair advantage.  Don't pay for saves?  It's a shallow league and I paid for saves.  Sixth and ninth round picks is a sizable investment, but I've got a full infield plus Davis and Jones in the outfield.  I had hoped I'd have more outfielders by now, but starting pitching is empty!  The cupboard is bare. Yordano Ventura, Collin McHugh, Carlos Rodon, and Kevin Gausman are four of my next five picks.  Boom.  You want upside in a rotation?  I challenge you to find a more boom or bust rotation in all of the fantasy world.  Later in the draft I added Chris Tillman, Chris Bassitt, Hector Santiago, and Henderson Alvarez.  I don't love the parks in Baltimore or Chicago for pitchers but I did grab a Royal and a couple A's.  Mission accomplished?  Meh.  I do have considerable upside though.  Add to that group the K's and ratios from Allen, Tolleson, and also Darren O'Day and maybe I'll do okay. But the outfield tho.  I thought you were going to prioritize OF?  Well, Davis, Jones, and Eaton right?  Ahem.  Okay, three more spots to fill plus at least one bench spot.  Funny thing about that.  You see, Austin Jackson signed with the White Sox on Sunday and on Saturday I drafted Eaton, Melky Cabrera, and Avisail Garcia.  Garcia is the one in jeopardy here, but I do wonder how the DH situation works out if Adam LaRoche is done.  Besides, Jackson is really a platoon guy at this point.  Right?  I supplemented my Windy City outfield with Byron Buxton in the middle rounds.  Enormous upside if the light goes on.  I also grabbed Seth Smith very late.  He's the definition of replacement player, but he should get AB's in Seattle and be average across the board.  Pretty good for an OF7, actually. I also took Trevor Plouffe as Beltre insurance plus Didi Gregorius.  I like to have a utility guy as well and Eduardo Escobar is another completely average guy, but he qualifies all over the place which is helpful in a shallow league.  It's more helpful in a daily league and this one is weekly, but it's still nice to have a Swiss Army knife in the drawer. Oh yeah, did I mention Pablo Sandoval?  Yeah, him too.  I know, I know... Panda's fallen on hard times.  Nevertheless, he works into my 20/20 drafting strategy that I describe in my book.  I needed a high upside guy for cheap, and I took Pablo in the 18th round. The only player I haven't mentioned is my catcher.  Robinson Chirinos in the 15th round.  I could have pushed it and gotten him later, but I did say catcher is about eight deep in the AL and Chirinos is #8.  Plus I like him.  He could do what Matt Wieters often does - .238 BA with 23 home runs.  That kind of power at catcher at this point is pretty good value, so I didn't wait any longer. The auto-generated CBS draft scorecard had me third.  I never know if I want those computer rankings to rate me highly since the idea is to go against the site on which you are drafting to find value.  Maybe I played it safe enough to get #3 and my upside will carry me to another four-foot trophy. via Blogger http://ift.tt/220j9nZ

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Getting a Grip

Many years ago before I had a wife and kids I had a roommate to help pay the bills.  One day we went to a state park with some friends and we spied this ledge near a canyon.  Now, the ledge was about four feet up from the ground but if you looked at it from the right angle it looked for all the world as if it was the edge of the canyon and a 500 foot drop. So, my buddy got down under the ledge, reached up and grasped the edge, looked at the camera in terror, and hilarity ensued.  We snapped the picture and put it on our refrigerator.  Priceless. This year, like last, I'm having to work hard to get a grasp on the fantasy landscape.  I can't say I have a look of terror yet but sometimes I wonder about certain players, especially at the top end of the draft. I wonder what $161 million does to Chris Davis.  I wonder what a $150 million demand from an aging Jose Bautista does to him.  Speaking of big deals, how much are Greinke and Price affected by their new ballparks?  Can Giancarlo Stanton play a full year?  Will McCutchen's speed return?  He's only 29 years old. I suppose it's the same every year.  And truly, questions abound all the way down the list.  I mean, is Pablo Sandoval worth drafting? It goes to show that homework is as important as it ever has been.  I suggest you either do all of the exhaustive work yourself and make up your own mind about each player from a vacuum... or you access multiple sources of information and generate a consensus. One of the very best tools for this is FantasyPros.com.  This isn't a commercial for those guys, but I find the slicing and dicing of many expert opinions to be exceptionally helpful.  It's free and fast.  You can pick the experts you want to include and who you want to exclude.  There are even site rankings from some of the big guys on there.  You can also see how accurate each expert was last year. If you do head over there and create a customized composite of the most accurate experts, I do recommend you include at least the top 34 in your list.  34?  Why such a specific number?  Well, I just think that #34 is particularly talented. Good luck in your drafts, Brainiacs. via Blogger http://ift.tt/1QDr6aa

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Keepers, Sleepers, and Jeepers: Week Seventeen

By Adam Filadelfo (@FNTSYArchitect) Alright fantasy football enthusiasts, this is the last week for NFL football and fantasy football. If you won a championship already, congratulations. If this is the week the championship is decided, best of luck. If you didn't compete for a championship, maybe you participate in a keeper league and want to make a few moves before rosters are locked for the season. Whatever your situation is heading into week 17, I hope you enjoyed playing this season and if you're looking to make some moves on the waiver wire, take a look below. See you again for the 2016 fantasy football season. Keepers Kyle Rudolph- Tight End- Minnesota Vikings- While Kyle Rudolph may not be a model of consistency for fantasy owners, he has been playing better as of late. He may have had only three targets on Sunday but he did score a touchdown. He's an extremely touchdown dependent player but fantasy owners looking for a tight end in week 17 may want to take a look at the Minnesota tight end. Dontrelle Inman- Wide Receiver- San Diego Chargers- Coming off of a game where Inman saw 13 targets, he's become a steady option in the passing game and has scored double digit fantasy points in two of his last four games. Sleepers Keshawn Martin- Wide Receiver- New England Patriots- The recently acquired Martin will more than likely have little to no value once Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola return from their injuries but until then, he may be the receiver to own in New England not named Rob Gronkowski. Week 16 saw Martin with a season high 11 targets tossed his way as he hauled in seven balls for 68 yards. Once the Patriots offense is at full strength, Martin may be nothing more than a special teams guy but for now, he could be a sneaky play for week 17. Jermaine Kearse- Wide Receiver- Seattle Seahawks- With 21 targets over the last three games and the Seattle offense hitting on all cylinders, fantasy owners will want to own a piece of the Seahawks passing game. Sunday saw Kearse catch three passes for 38 yards and a score and just miss posting double digit fantasy points for the second time in as many weeks. Owners looking for receiver help will want to take a look at Kearse for week 17. Jeepers Andre Ellington- Running Back- Arizona Cardinals- At this point, is there any doubt as to David Johnson being the man in Arizona? Being reduced to a change of pace back, Ellington scored less than five fantasy points in week 16 and can not be counted on for week 17 if you're playing for anything meaningful. Will Tye- Tight End- New York Giants- Through no fault of his own, Tye has become less of a fantasy stud the last couple of weeks since making a name for himself. The Giants offense is so inconsistent that it's difficult to trust anyone not named Odell Beckham Jr. Tye had three catches for 28 yards in week 16 and will be hard to start in week 17 with anything on the line. via Blogger http://ift.tt/1mofJbw

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Keepers, Sleepers, and Jeepers: Week Sixteen

By Adam Filadelfo (@FNTSYArchitect) Congratulations to all owners playing for a fantasy football championship this week. As always with fantasy football, injuries are yet again part of the story heading into what is probably your championship week. Like so many other owners, it's time once again to look towards the waiver wire for help. Keepers Kirk Cousins- Quarterback- Washington Redskins- If you are one of the lucky ones to still have the Washington signal caller sitting on your waiver wire, now is the time to pick him up. Drew Brees owners may need to grab a quarterback this week with the Saints captain questionable heading into week 16. Cousins is averaging over 21 fantasy points per game this season and has 15 touchdowns to ten interceptions while tossing only three interceptions in his last eight starts. Reuben Randle- Wide Receiver- New York Giants- With the suspension of number one wideout Odell Beckham Jr, Randle figures to see more targets in week 16. He has found the end zone in three of the last four games and has back to back games with a touchdown. Fantasy owners looking to replace Beckham Jr may only need to look at his teammate for receiving help this week. Sleepers Jerick McKinnon- Running Back- Minnesota Vikings- Should AP miss this week, McKinnon should be a viable replacement for fantasy owners. McKinnon scored a touchdown in week 15 while totaling 87 yards. His real value comes in the passing game where he hauled in all four of his targets. It's possible he splits time with Matt Asiata in the absence of Adrian Peterson but in PPR formats, McKinnon could end up shining. Mike Gillislee- Running Back- Buffalo Bills- With Karlos Williams banged up what seems like almost every week and fantasy owners already knowing LeSean McCoy is done for the season, Gillislee could be a fantasy savior for owners in need of a running back. Gillislee has found pay dirt in back to back games and scored a 60 yard touchdown last week. While it's likely Gillislee and Williams split time in week 16, Gillislee has an arrow pointing up. Jeepers Stefon Diggs- Wide Receiver- Minnesota Vikings- There has finally been a Stefon Diggs sighting. Not since week eight have fantasy owners heard the name Stefon Diggs brought up. After scoring twice in week 15, Diggs put himself back on fantasy owners radars but those owners looking at Diggs shouldn't get too excited. Before last week, Diggs has gone six straight weeks without a touchdown and just isn't reliable on a week to week basis. Donald Brown- Running Back- San Diego Chargers- With rookie Melvin Gordon hurt, Brown and Woodhead split the load in week 15 but yet again, fantasy owners should not get too excited for Donald Brown. With 90 yards to his name last week, Brown isn't consistent enough to warrant starting in your championship week. His four targets give him a glimmer of hope but Donald Brown has been known to let down fantasy owners when they expected him to perform in the past. via Blogger http://ift.tt/1QHJAJa

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Keepers, Sleepers, and Jeepers: Week Fifteen

By Adam Filadelfo (@FNTSYArchitect) So if you still have something to play for in fantasy football, you are planning on making some moves this week on your waiver wire.  Especially since so many more names went down just in time for the fantasy playoffs. Fantasy football can be so cruel sometimes but as owners, we press on and use the waiver wire to our advantage. Heading into week 15 is no different. Take a good look at the waiver wire because with only a week or two left until the fantasy football season is over, there isn't much time left to make moves. Good luck to all owners in their playoffs and contending for a championship. Keepers Denard Robinson- Running Back- Jacksonville Jaguars- With the injury to rookie T.J Yeldon, "Shoelace" made the most of his opportunity and should be added with the rash of running backs that went down in week 14. The former Michigan product totaled 87 yards versus the Colts and could be a fantasy asset these next few weeks for running back needy owners. Isaiah Crowell- Running Back- Cleveland Browns- Finally someone worth owning from the Browns. Isaiah Crowell had himself a game in week 14 scoring over 27 fantasy points on his way to rushing for 145 yards and two scores. Isaiah Crowell could very well be the fantasy MVP of the playoffs. Sleepers Bryce Brown- Running Back- Seattle Seahawks- Surprise surprise, another running back went down in week 14. Rookie Thomas Rawls went down with a broken ankle and now it appears Bryce Brown will get the rock in Seattle. Over the years, Brown has been more of a disappointment than not but with the commitment to running the ball in Seattle and the offense playing at a whole other level over the last few weeks, running back starved fantasy owners may want to take a look at Bryce Brown. Will Tye- Tight End- New York Giants- Hey what do you know? A player to look at on the waiver wire that isn't a running back. By scoring his first career touchdown in week 14, Tye put himself on the fantasy radar heading into week 15. He's filled in admirably for the injured Larry Donnell and could see an uptick in targets moving forward. Eli Manning likes to utilize his tight end and since catching all five targets tossed his way on Monday night, Tye may get the chance to shine again. If you need an upgrade at tight end, Will Tye is worth a flyer. Jeepers A.J. McCarron- Quarterback- Cincinnati Bengals- Now that the Red Rifle Andy Dalton is going to miss some time with his thumb injury, the former Alabama signal caller gets the chance to show what he can do under center. He threw two touchdowns and two interceptions versus Pittsburgh in week 14, but with all the weapons around him, could end up proving to be valuable to fantasy owners. It will be difficult for fantasy owners to pull the trigger on McCarron seeing how there hasn't been much in the way of injuries to quarterbacks. Montee Ball- Running Back- New England Patriots- Recently signed to the practice squad, Montee Ball will probably not see any action for the defending Super Bowl champions since Brandon Bolden and James White have been doing just fine. If you're truly starved for a running back and want to try to outsmart the other owners in your league, maybe Montee Ball is worth a look but don't get too excited. There's a better chance he gets cut before he sees any action in a Patriots jersey. via Blogger http://ift.tt/1mozpwb

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Keepers, Sleepers, and Jeepers: Week Fourteen

By Adam Filadelfo (@FNTSYArchitect) Well it's week 14 and that means that some fantasy football leagues have started their playoffs. If your playoffs haven't started yet, then they will be in the next week or two and that means your team has to be in win now mode if you haven't clinched a playoff spot already. Even teams that are not making a playoff push this season may still want to play for pride or in keeper leagues, start thinking about next season. Whatever your situation, if you plan on checking out your waiver wire, here's a list of players that will be available. Keepers Tyler Lockett - Wide Receiver- Seattle Seahawks- Not just a return man anymore, the rookie is getting a chance to shine on offense with the injury to Jimmy Graham and he appears to be making the most of it. With seven catches for 90 yards in week 13 and a breakout game three weeks ago where he scored over 17 fantasy points, Tyler Lockett could be a sneaky play heading into the playoffs with the Seahawks offense suddenly looking like the Seahawks offense from the last two seasons. Ryan Mathews - Running Back- Philadelphia Eagles- After being shelved the last few weeks with a concussion, Mathews appears to be on track for a week 14 return which is good news for any fantasy owner that grabs him off of the waiver wire seeing how DeMarco Murray has been a major disappointment this season. He has 427 yards and five touchdowns on 76 carries and is averaging over ten fantasy points per game. He's a must add heading into the fantasy playoffs. Sleepers Dorial Green- Beckham- Wide Receiver- Tennessee Titans- With Marcus Mariota playing above what any fantasy owner imagined in his rookie season, now may be the time for another rookie to shine with him. Green- Beckham has been almost a non factor up until this point but with a breakout game coming in week 13 where he posted almost 18 fantasy points, now is the time for fantasy owners to jump on him before he has another big game. The combination of Mariota and Green-Beckham could pay dividends in the fantasy playoffs. Detroit D/ST- While fantasy defenses aren't talked about much in this article, for the sake of the fantasy playoffs, owners may want to stream week to week and the Detroit Lions defense seems to be playing much better as of late. They have allowed under 200 passing yards per game in the last four weeks and get a weak Rams offense in week 14. If you are playing the matchup with defenses, Detroit should be high on your list. Jeepers Johnny Manziel- Quarterback- Cleveland Browns- With news that Johnny Manziel will be under center for the Browns for the remainder of the season, owners needing help at the quarterback position may want to take a look at him. While he doesn't have much to work with in Cleveland, he could still end up being an asset to owners heading into their playoffs. He's averaging under 13 fantasy points per game so don't expect too much but with his dual threat, there's a chance Manziel could do something for owners from week 14 on. via Blogger http://ift.tt/1QfqLMK

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Keepers, Sleepers, and Jeepers: Week Thirteen

By Adam Filadelfo (@FNTSYArchitect) Another week of fantasy football is done and over with and with only a few short weeks until the playoffs start, owners need to seriously consider if their current roster is ready to not only make the playoffs but contend once they get there. The waiver wire is thin at this point in the season but there may be a name or two worth grabbing this week. Here goes another edition of Keepers, Sleepers and Jeepers. Keepers Scott Chandler- Tight End- New England Patriots- With the injury to Gronk, Scott Chandler should see his fair share of targets in a Patriots offense that has lost almost every playmaker they have. Chandler posted his first double digits fantasy points game of the season versus Denver and with not many options for Brady to rely on, may be a key contributor to not only the Patriots but fantasy owners as well. David Johnson- Running Back- Arizona Cardinals- With injuries to both Andre Ellington (surprise, surprise) and potential comeback player of the year Chris Johnson, David Johnson is the next man up. He's produced when given the chance and now will carry the load for the next six to eight weeks. With seven scores to his name and averaging over seven fantasy points per game, Johnson is a must add to every fantasy roster and may very well be on some championship rosters come late December. Sleepers Seth Roberts- Wide Receiver- Oakland Raiders- Raise your hand if you heard of Seth Roberts before his week 12 breakout game. (My hand is not up). Seth Roberts posted his second double digits fantasy points game of the season in week 12 while catching seven balls for 113 yards and two scores. While it remains to be seen whether or not he can repeat that performance again, fantasy owners may want to scoop up the Raiders wide out before it's too late. Vance McDonald- Tight End- San Francisco 49ers- For the second straight week, McDonald has found the end zone and could end up being a viable replacement for fantasy owners who lost Gronk, Eifert or Jimmy Graham last week. Jeepers Markus Wheaton- Wide Receiver- Pittsburgh Steelers- If you take what Mike Tomlin said at face value, this was a one time deal for Markus Wheaton being that Antonio Brown and Martavus Bryant were shut down most of the game. It's difficult to trust Wheaton seeing how this was only his second double digits fantasy points game of the season. Fantasy owners can expect Brown and Bryant to get back on track versus the Colts leaving Wheaton an after thought heading into week 13. DeVante Parker- Wide Receiver- Miami Dolphins- While the rookie scored his first touchdown of his NFL career this past week, he's going to be difficult to trust each week with the anemic Dolphins offense that just cost their now former offensive coordinator his job. Parker may be in line for more snaps if Rishard Matthews is out with his injury but the Dolphins are a hard offense to start in fantasy. Especially with the playoffs right around the corner. via Blogger http://ift.tt/1NHA7k9

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Keepers, Sleepers, and Jeepers: Week Twelve

By Adam Filadelfo (@FNTSYArchitect) One week closer to the fantasy football playoffs. With injuries running rampant and fantasy rosters needing help, the waiver wire will provide some much needed help and depth for fantasy owners. There's plenty of big names waiting to be plucked from the free agent pool this week. It's time to prepare for week 12. Keepers Thomas Rawls- Running Back- Seattle Seahawks- With the news that Marshawn Lynch could be done for the season, Thomas Rawls made Lynch owners forget all about possibly losing their first round pick. In nine games this season, Rawls has rushed for over 600 yards and two touchdowns and is averaging over nine fantasy points per game. His week 11 performance saw him tear up the 49ers for 209 yards and a touchdown. If Lynch misses any time whatsoever, fantasy owners will be thrilled to have the rookie  on their roster. He could lead a fantasy team to a championship if Lynch is done for the season. Javorius Allen- Running Back- Baltimore Ravens- This has not been a kind season for the Ravens. With Forsett breaking his hand and done for the season then Flacco tearing his ACL and missing the rest of the season, the Ravens can start preparing for next season. There has been one bright spot though. His name is Javorius Allen and he needs to be owned immediately. Week 11 saw Allen post his first double digit fantasy points game and there could very well be more of those in the tank this season. Now the bell cow for the Ravens, fantasy owners could fill a major need with the addition of the former USC Trojan. Sleepers Spencer Ware- Running Back- Kansas City Chiefs- Coming out of seemingly nowhere in week 11, Spencer Ware rushed for 96 yards  and scored twice while putting up over 20 fantasy points. Charcandrick West's fifteen minutes of fame may be over. If owners miss out on the top two targets in Allen and Rawls, Ware may end up being more than just a consolation  prize. Ahmad Bradshaw- Running Back- Indianapolis Colts- With Bradshaw back in the fold in Indianapolis, the Frank Gore experiment may be just about over. Even if Gore gets his share of touches, there will be plenty of touches for Bradshaw as well. After posting over 17 fantasy points in week 11, fantasy owners in need of running back depth should take a serious look at Bradshaw. He's especially useful in PPR formats as he caught four balls for 20 yards versus the Falcons. Jeepers Shaun Draughn- Running Back- San Francisco 49ers- Unless you're playing in a PPR league, Shaun Draughn will provide little to no value for fantasy owners. He rushed for a measly 37 yards on 12 carries but caught eight balls for 40 yards. Standard league fantasy owners will want to stay away from the dumpster fire that is the San Francisco 49ers this season. J.J. Nelson- Wide Receiver- Arizona Cardinals- With just too many mouths to feed in the desert, the Cardinals wide out had himself a breakout game in week 11 to the tune of four catches for 142 yards and a touchdown. He posted over 20 fantasy points versus the Bengals in week 11 but with all the options for Carson Palmer,  it will be difficult for Nelson to repeat that performance. He is however someone to keep an eye on at this point. via Blogger http://ift.tt/1jjIe8a

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Keepers, Sleepers, and Jeepers: Week Eleven

By Adam Filadelfo (@FNTSYArchitect) It's Wednesday and that means it's time for fantasy owners to get their waiver wire claims in. There isn't much time as the fantasy playoffs get closer and closer to make those necessary changes to get your team prepared for the stretch run. Keepers Mark Sanchez-Quarterback- Philadelphia Eagles- Not that "The Sanchize" is anything to write home about but with the injury to Sam Bradford, someone has to quarterback for the Eagles and that someone will be Mark Sanchez. In his only appearance this season, Mark Sanchez completed 14 out of 23 passes for 156 yards and an interception. Last season in nine games, he passed for 2,418 yards and 14 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. While fantasy owners won't be tripping over themselves to acquire Sanchez, Sam Bradford owners may want to take a look at him to fill their quarterback position. Sanchez may not be great, but he's surely better than a goose egg at the position. Davante Adams- Wide Receiver- Green Bay Packers- Before the season began, Davante Adams was a fantasy darling. It only took a few short weeks before fantasy owners began to drop him from their rosters. Now it looks like he may be worth a roster spot once more. The last two weeks, Adams has 11 and 21 targets respectively and seems to be the focus of Aaron Rodgers. With Green Bay struggling over the last few games, fantasy owners should expect Adams to keep getting looks. What he does with those targets is another story. Zach Miller- Tight End- Chicago Bears- With three touchdowns in his last two games, Zach Miler looks to fill a need at tight end for fantasy owners that need help at the position. It will be difficult for him to follow up his week ten showing but coming off of his first double digit fantasy performance of the season, fantasy owners will want to take a chance on him for week 11. Sleepers Brock Osweiler-Quarterback- Denver Broncos-  Now that we know Peyton Manning will miss at least week 11, Brock Osweiler gets his chance to shine. With obviously no statistics to go on, fantasy owners that need help at the quarterback position may want to take a chance on the former Arizona State University signal caller. Osweiler has a favorable matchup versus the Chicago Bears in week 11 which doesn't hurt him at all. Jay Ajayi- Running Back- Miami Dolphins- With no more than six attempts in the two games he played, it seems like it may be time for the former Boise State product to get a shot in the NFL. Obviously Lamar Miller is firmly planted as the starter in Miami but Ajayi should serve as a change of pace back for the remainder of the season. He could end up being a decent flex play at some point for owners in desperate need of a running back. Richard Rodgers- Tight End- Green Bay Packers- Fantasy owners can do much worse than Richard Rodgers. With five touchdowns already this season, he also has 33 catches for 256 yards and is averaging over six fantasy points per game. Reliable tight ends are difficult to come upon for fantasy owners these days and Richard Rodgers would be a boost to tight end needy rosters. Jeepers Case Keenum- Quarterback- St. Louis Rams- The Nick Foles experiment seems to be over in St. Louis and now it's time for Case Keenum to show once again that he is not an every week starter for fantasy owners or the Rams. Having not played in a meaningful game since last season where he saw two games and passed for 435 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, Case Keenum is nothing but a desperate play for fantasy owners and if it comes down to Case Keenum, your season is probably over anyway. via Blogger http://ift.tt/1PNVGhr

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Keepers, Sleepers, and Jeepers: Week Ten

By Adam Filadelfo (@FNTSYArchitect) Another week in the books and the playoffs looming closer. It's getting closer to crunch time for fantasy owners to fix their rosters. With injuries decimating owners on a weekly basis, every roster could use some help. The margin for error is growing smaller by the week and meaningful transactions are becoming less and less. With week ten staring fantasy owners in the face, it's time once agin to hit your waiver wire and get your teams ready for another week of fantasy football. Keepers Brandon Bolden- Running Back- New England Patriots- Now that the news of Dion Lewis is out, the Patriots and Dion Lewis owners need to figure out a contingency plan for the remainder of the season. Brandon Bolden is the front runner to replace Lewis. In limited action this season, Bolden has five catches for 41 yards and a touchdown. He figures to share the targets in the passing game with James White so owners that are missing Dion Lewis may want to grab both Bolden and White or one if you miss out on the other. James White- Running Back -New England Patriots- Most fantasy owners assume either Brandon Bolden or James White is going to be the beneficiary of the Patriots losing Dion Lewis for the rest of the season. With the Patriots backfield becoming suddenly murky (with Blount being the exception), fantasy owners would be wise to grab both White and Bolden if possible until the Patriots decide which back will be the next Dion Lewis. Of course knowing the Patriots, both could end up being useful or useless. Sleepers Karlos Williams- Running Back- Buffalo Bills- With 336 yards rushing and five touchdowns to his name this season, Karlos Williams could be a valuable piece to a fantasy roster. Only issue is LeSean McCoy is expected to play this week. Even so, Williams has been productive even with Shady in the lineup so running back starved fantasy owners will want to pick up the rookie. Of course, his week ten matchup versus the Jets is a tough matchup. Marcel Reece-Running Back-Oakland Raiders- With the concussion to Latavius Murray and not being cleared as of yet to play in week ten, fantasy owners should take a look at Marcel Reece. His value will be in the passing game so owners in PPR formats will definitely want to grab Reece. With 20 catches and over 200 yards and three touchdowns on the season,  Reece could be a boost to owners who lost Murray or just need a running back. Jeepers Matt Hasselbeck- Quarterback- Indianapolis Colts- Now that Luck is out a few weeks, Hasselbeck is taking over the signal caller duties in Indianapolis. When he filled in earlier this season for Luck, he played admirably. While he isn't on any fantasy owners' wish list, he could be a bye week fill in or there to help Luck owners. In the two games he played this season, Hasselbeck averaged over 18 fantasy points per game and while that is nothing to write home about, he's better than taking a zero at the position. Wes Welker- Wide Receiver- St. Louis Rams- While Welker is more than a name than anything else at this point in his Pro Bowl career, fantasy owners should not expect too much from him. Last season, Welker finished with 49 catches for 464 yards and two touchdowns. He's a better NFL player than fantasy player and won't provide much fantasy impact for the next eight weeks. via Blogger http://ift.tt/1Y5b4ZO

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Keepers, Sleepers, and Jeepers: Week Nine

By Adam Filadelfo (@FNTSYArchitect) Another week, another decimated roster in fantasy football. If your fantasy team (or NFL team)didn't sustain an injury in week eight, consider yourself lucky. It's time once again to get those waiver wire pickups in whether it's to cover a bye week or replace a player lost to injury. Keepers DeAngelo Williams- Running Back- Pittsburgh Steelers- Week eight was very cruel to fantasy owners. Many lost their first round pick in Le'Veon Bell for the entire remainder of the season. This makes DeAngelo Williams a must add heading into week nine. Even non Bell owners will want Williams on their roster. In the first two games of the season when Bell was out due to suspension, Williams scored over 13 fantasy points and over 27 fantasy points respectively. Now that Williams will carry the load for the rest of the season, owners that are lucky enough to grab him off of the waiver wire just got themselves a starting running back in week nine. That move could be a potential game changer as fantasy playoffs get closer. Jeremy Langford- Running Back- Chicago Bears- With a knee injury sidelining Matt Forte for at least two weeks, Jeremy Langford becomes a must own for Forte owners. While fantasy owners have nothing in terms of fantasy production to go on, once again, Langford steps in as a starting running back and finding those at this stage of the season is not an easy task. In the six games Langford appeared in so far this season, he already has two touchdowns on 27 touches and five targets in the passing game. It appears Jeremy Langford will fill the hole Forte left quite nicely. Sleepers Vernon Davis- Tight End- Denver Broncos- With the acquisition of former San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, Peyton Manning now has another weapon to add to his arsenal. That could mean big things coming from VD. Having been lost in San Francisco for the last couple of seasons, this may be the move that revitalizes the career of VD. Coming off of his best game this season where he saw eight targets and caught six of them, fantasy owners in need of a tight end or just want to upgrade should definitely take a flyer on Vernon Davis. Kamar Aiken- Wide Receiver- Baltimore Ravens- Now that Steve Smith Sr is done for the season (thanks again to the week eight injury bug), the Ravens will need another receiver to step up in his absence. With the rookie Perriman still not ready to debut, that leaves Kamar Aiken to fill the void. On the season, Aiken has over 330 yards on 25 receptions with two touchdowns to go with it. Now that he projects to be the number one receiver in Baltimore, fantasy owners can expect those numbers to jump up a bit. Malcolm Floyd- Wide Receiver- San Diego Chargers- Fantasy owners can thank the week eight injury bug on yet another major player going down in Keenan Allen for at least a few weeks. That would make sense for Malcolm Floyd to step in and while Floyd could be a nice addition to a fantasy roster, he himself has a history of not staying healthy. Feel free to use a waiver wire priority on him if you need a receiver being that Philip Rivers is playing out of his mind right now in terms of passing yards. Floyd hasn't had a bad season up until this point hauling in 21 balls for over 400 yards and three scores. Jeepers Heath Miller- Tight End- Pittsburgh Steelers- For fantasy owners in need of a tight end, you can do worse than Heath Miller. Just be cautious that you don't expect too much from the Steelers star as he has a few big games here and there then can disappear for a few weeks altogether. On the season, Miller has 27 catches for over 270 yards and is coming off of his first double digit fantasy points game of the season. Grab him if you need a tight end but again, don't expect a repeat performance week in and week out. Nate Washington- Wide Receiver- Houston Texans- While Washington has been a more productive wide out than anyone would've thought this season, he's a very streaky player who may be good for a few weeks and that's it. With 26 catches for over 400 yards up until this point, he can only keep this up for so long before he disappears completely. With the Texans a team that has to play catch up a lot, fantasy owners can expect a lot of passing from them but it's hard to go into a week relying on Nate Washington to give you much of anything. via Blogger http://ift.tt/1XPp0af