Below are Week 2 fantasy football rankings based on potential performance in this week's games for quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, kicker and team defense.
Quarterback
1 Peyton Manning, Denver vs. Kansas City
2 Andrew Luck, Indianapolis vs. Philadelphia
3 Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay vs. N.Y. Jets ...Rodgers must feel antsy to roll after Seattle beat-down in Week 1
4 Drew Brees, New Orleans at Cleveland
5 Nick Foles, Philadelphia at Indianapolis
6 Matt Ryan, Atlanta at Cincinnati
7 Jake Locker, Tennessee vs. Dallas ...Locker looks like a very good sleeper for Week 2
8 Russell Wilson, Seattle at San Diego
9 Matthew Stafford, Detroit at Carolina
10 Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco vs. Chicago
11 Tom Brady, New England at Minnesota
12 Andy Dalton, Cincinnati vs. Atlanta
13 Carson Palmer, Arizona at N.Y. Giants
14 Cam Newton, Carolina vs. Detroit ...Newton will make his 2014 debut this week at home against the Lions
15 Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh at Baltimore
16 Robert Griffin III, Washington vs. Jacksonville
17 Jay Cutler, Chicago at San Francisco ...Cutler lost two offensive lineman in Week 1
18 Tony Romo, Dallas at Tennessee
19 Ryan Tannehill, Miami at Buffalo
20 Alex Smith, Kansas City at Denver
Running Back
1 Adrian Peterson, Minnesota vs. New England
2 LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia at Indianapolis
3 Matt Forte, Chicago at San Francisco
4 Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati vs. Atlanta
5 Jamaal Charles, Kansas City at Denver
6 Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh at Baltimore
7 Montee Ball, Denver vs. Kansas City
8 Marshawn Lynch, Seattle at San Diego ..."Beast Mode” was in full gear last week, rumbling for 110 yards, 2 TDs
9 DeMarco Murray, Dallas at Tennessee
10 Arian Foster, Houston at Oakland
11 Shane Vereen, New England at Minnesota
12 Eddie Lacy, Green Bay vs. N.Y. Jets ...Lacy left at Seattle with a concussion, but he’s had 10 days to recover
13 C.J. Spiller, Buffalo vs. Miami ...Spiller had 15 carries to 7 for Bills' teammate Fred Jackson in Week 1
14 Alfred Morris, Washington vs. Jacksonville
15 Andre Ellington, Arizona at N.Y. Giants ...Ellington (foot) was questionable/doubtful to play in Week 1 but he played through and should be good to go in Week 2
16 Rashad Jennings, N.Y. Giants vs. Arizona
17 Doug Martin, Tampa Bay vs. St. Louis
18 Chris Johnson, N.Y. Jets at Green Bay
19 Terrance West, Cleveland vs. New Orleans ...Ben Tate is OUT, Terrance West will start
20 Frank Gore, San Francisco vs. Chicago
21 Reggie Bush, Detroit at Carolina
22 Knowshon Moreno, Miami at Buffalo
23 Darren Sproles, Philadelphia at Indianapolis
24 Maurice Jones-Drew, Oakland vs. Houston ...Rough first week as a Raider, 11 yards on 9 carries
25 Pierre Thomas, New Orleans at Cleveland
26 Justin Forsett, Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh ...with Ray Rice released, Forsett looks to draw the Week 2 start for the Ravens
27 Mark Ingram, New Orleans at Cleveland
28 Shonn Greene, Tennessee vs. Dallas
29 Joique Bell, Detroit at Carolina
30 Carlos Hyde, San Francisco vs. Chicago
Wide Receivers
1 Demaryius Thomas, Denver vs. Kansas City
2 A.J. Green, Cincinnati vs. Atlanta
3 Calvin Johnson, Detroit at Carolina
4 Jordy Nelson, Green Bay vs. N.Y. Jets
5 Julio Jones, Atlanta at Cincinnati
6 Brandon Marshall, Chicago at San Francisco
7 Dez Bryant, Dallas at Tennessee
8 Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh at Baltimore
9 Randall Cobb, Green Bay vs. N.Y. Jets
10 Julian Edelman, New England at Minnesota
11 Percy Harvin, Seattle at San Diego ...Harvin got 7 targets last week, caught 7 targets last week
12 Michael Floyd, Arizona at N.Y. Giants
13 Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina vs. Detroit
14 Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota vs. New England
15 Alshon Jeffery, Chicago at San Francisco ...Jeffery missed the later part of Week 1 due to a hamstring injury but he should be good to go this week
16 Roddy White, Atlanta at Cincinnati
17 Vincent Jackson, Tampa Bay vs. St. Louis
18 Emmanuel Sanders, Denver vs. Kansas City
19 Andre Johnson, Houston at Oakland
20 T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis vs. Philadelphia
21 Pierre Garcon, Washington vs. Jacksonville
22 Mike Wallace, Miami at Buffalo ...Miami talked about using Wallace more in 2014 and they did just that in Week 1 with 11 targets
23 Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis vs. Philadelphia
24 Brandin Cooks, New Orleans at Cleveland
25 Michael Crabtree, San Francisco vs. Chicago
26 Anquan Boldin, San Francisco vs. Chicago
27 DeAndre Hopkins, Houston at Oakland
28 Kendall Wright, Tennessee vs. Dallas
29 Justin Hunter, Tennessee vs. Dallas
30 Steve Smith, Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh
31 Eric Decker, N.Y. Jets at Green Bay
32 DeSean Jackson, Washington vs. Jacksonville
33 Victor Cruz, N.Y. Giants vs. Arizona ...Off a rough week, and now Cruz will draw CB Patrick Peterson
34 Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona at N.Y. Giants
35 Golden Tate, Detroit at Carolina
36 Markus Wheaton, Pittsburgh at Baltimore ...Wheaton started off strong with 97 yards
37 Torrey Smith, Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh ...Torrey Smith had 7 targets in Week 1, new teammate Steve Smith had 15
38 Marques Colston, New Orleans at Cleveland
39 Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia at Indianapolis
40 Terrance Williams, Dallas at Tennessee
41 Mike Evans, Tampa Bay vs. St. Louis
42 Andrew Hawkins, Cleveland vs. New Orleans
43 Keenan Allen, San Diego vs. Seattle
44 Hakeem Nicks, Indianapolis vs. Philadelphia
45 Greg Jennings, Minnesota vs. New England
46 Brian Quick, St. Louis at Tampa Bay
47 Riley Cooper, Philadelphia at Indianapolis
48 Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City at Denver
49 Allen Hurns, Jacksonville at Washington ...Likely Week 1’s top waiver pickup tee’d off for 2 TDs in the first quarter
50 Doug Baldwin, Seattle at San Diego
Tight End
1 Jimmy Graham, New Orleans at Cleveland
2 Julius Thomas, Denver vs. Kansas City
3 Rob Gronkowski, New England at Minnesota
4 Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota vs. New England
5 Greg Olsen, Carolina vs. Detroit
6 Vernon Davis, San Francisco vs. Chicago
7 Dennis Pitta, Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh
8 Martellus Bennett, Chicago at San Francisco
9 Zach Ertz, Philadelphia at Indianapolis
10 Jason Witten, Dallas at Tennessee
11 Heath Miller, Pittsburgh at Baltimore
12 Jordan Cameron, Cleveland vs. New Orleans ...Cameron injured his shoulder but should be good to go in Week 2
13 Larry Donnell, N.Y. Giants vs. Arizona ...Donnell got the start for the Giants at tight end and collected 5 receptions last week
14 Charles Clay, Miami at Buffalo
15 Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis vs. Philadelphia
16 Travis Kelce, Kansas City at Denver
17 Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati vs. Atlanta ...Tyler Eifert (dislocated shoulder) is on short-term IR, Gresham will start
18 Delanie Walker, Tennessee vs. Dallas
19 Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Tampa Bay vs. St. Louis
20 Niles Paul, Washington vs. Jacksonville ...Jordan Reed (hamstring) will likely miss the game giving former wide receiver Niles Paul an opportunity to start as the pass-catching tight end
Kicker
1 Steven Hauschka, Seattle at San Diego
2 Mason Crosby, Green Bay vs. N.Y. Jets
3 Justin Tucker, Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh ...Tucker had 8 field goals in the two games against Pittsburgh last year
4 Phil Dawson, San Francisco vs. Chicago
5 Stephen Gostkowski, New England at Minnesota
6 Brandon McManus, Denver vs. Kansas City
7 Mike Nugent, Cincinnati vs. Atlanta
8 Shayne Graham, New Orleans at Cleveland
9 Blair Walsh, Minnesota vs. New England
10 Cody Parkey, Philadelphia at Indianapolis
11 Matt Bryant, Atlanta at Cincinnati
12 Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis vs. Philadelphia
13 Chandler Catanzaro, Arizona at N.Y. Giants
14 Ryan Succop, Tennessee vs. Dallas
15 Robbie Gould, Chicago at San Francisco
16 Dan Carpenter, Buffalo vs. Miami ...Carpenter had 7 field goals versus Miami last year
17 Nate Freese, Detroit at Carolina
18 Caleb Sturgis, Miami at Buffalo
19 Shaun Suisham, Pittsburgh at Baltimore
20 Kai Forbath, Washington vs. Jacksonville
Defense
1 Denver DT, vs. Kansas City
2 Houston DT, at Oakland
3 Tampa Bay DT, vs. St. Louis
4 Seattle DT, at San Diego
5 Tennessee DT, vs. Dallas ...The Titans get to feast on Tony Romo who had a 3 interception game last week
6 Green Bay DT, vs. N.Y. Jets
7 San Francisco DT, vs. Chicago
8 Carolina DT, vs. Detroit
9 Minnesota DT, vs. New England
10 St. Louis DT, at Tampa Bay ...The Rams lost DE Chris Long (ankle) for likely 1-2 months
11 Arizona DT, at N.Y. Giants
12 Baltimore DT, vs. Pittsburgh
13 Buffalo DT, vs. Miami
14 New England DT, at Minnesota
15 New Orleans DT, at Cleveland
16 Pittsburgh DT, at Baltimore
17 Washington DT, vs. Jacksonville
18 New York Giants DT, vs. Arizona
19 Miami DT, at Buffalo
20 Oakland DT, vs. Houston
For full Week 2 rankings, click here to access at Fantasy Football Warehouse...
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Set your lineup: Week 2 fantasy football rankings
Monday, September 8, 2014
Week 2 fantasy moves to make now
What an exciting Week 1. Regardless of how you fared, you need to get active on waivers. Some will say hold the course and don't panic if players didn't produce – that's true, but at the same, he who hesitates is lost.
Here are some potential free agent pickups to focus on during your league waivers this week.
Allen Hurns who? Well he made my rankings this week FYI, and Hurns will be moving up. Two touchdowns in the first quarter will have everyone working hard to acquire the Jacksonville rookie wide receiver. You should do the same. Hurns led the NFL in pre-season with 232 receiving yards. Hurns is worth some waiver wire premium if he's on the waiver wire of your league.
Not far behind Hurns, and arguably he should be ahead in your queue, is Cleveland rookie running back Isaiah Crowell – Crowell also made my rankings this past week and he will be moving up as well. Ben Tate (knee) is out for an undetermined amount of time but regardless with his injury history pattern Tate can't be expected to be a long-timer. With Tate out, Terrance West would get the start (I am assuming he is on a roster) and Crowell would be heavily involved. Crowell was considered the No. 1 running back coming out of high school (by Scout.com) and he was the SEC Freshman of the Year at Georgia before being dismissed from the school (weapons charges) and finishing his career at Alabama State.
Consider grabbing the Tennessee defense. The entire Titans' team was super impressive under new head coach Ken Whisenhunt. After dismantling the Chiefs at Arrowhead, the Titans will have their season home-opener this week and get to feast on Tony Romo who did not look ready for primetime in Week 1 with three interceptions. I will cover Week 2 sleepers later in the week but quarterback Jake Locker to wide receiver Justin Hunter could be ripe to hit this week. Locker looked exceptional in Week 1.
After adding 84 yards on 16 catches, Justin Forsett has a very good chance to start Week 2 for Baltimore this week at home against Pittsburgh. Ray Rice has now been released so Forsett could be in-line for more work after Benard Pierce was benched last week for fumbling, but bear in mind that Forsett is a soon-to-be 29-year-old running back who has never had more than 118 carries in a season. Rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro from Coastal Carolina is also a must watch as a deep sleeper.
Are you looking at a dud kicker? Make a move. Consider adding Shayne Graham (New Orleans) or Mike Nugent (Cincinnati) if they are on your waiver wire. Having a kicker for the high-flying Saints makes sense. They "waived" Graham before Week 1 but he was planned to be re-signed all along as the Saints needed to manage its roster over the short-term. The Bengals are a division-winning type of team that oddly converted touchdowns at a very high rate last year (twice as many touchdowns as field goals last year), and that can quickly turn. Nugent collected five field goals this week.
Other fantasy notes
Did you see the Antonio Brown's karate kick? First – it's an impressive and wild play, and Brown lit Cleveland for another 100-yard day and a score. However, delivering a high-flying kick to the punter's head might not sit well with the Commissioner's office. Brown was flagged on the play and could very well face some league discipline.
Injuries were a major story of the day with several fantasy starters leaving games early. Doug Martin (knee), Alshon Jeffery (hamstring), Ben Tate (knee) Jordan Cameron (shoulder), and Jordan Reed (hamstring) were all forced to leave early. Of those five, Jeffery seems to be in the best shape as far as a quick return. The situation is a lot murkier for the rest and owners will need to be prepared to miss these guys for Week 2 and perhaps beyond. You may want to consider adding Tampa Bay backup Bobby Rainey.
It was a rough Week 1 for Jamaal Charles. I listed Charles outside my Top 6 and for a few reasons: Kansas City lost several lineman this off-season, the Chiefs over-played last year on an easy schedule, and they added no new talent to the offense. Charles collected 19 yards rushing on 7 attempts and just 15 yards on four receptions. Don't panic if you drafted Charles, but if you can get 90-95 cents on the dollar in a trade I would do it.
I have been saying this all off-season, the 2014 rookie wide receiver class is going to be unprecedented (and not to plug but you really should check out our 70-page, formatted PDF rookie fantasy football guide at Fantasy Football Warehouse). We have never seen a wide receiver class like this in "Fantasy History" and it very well could end up being one of the best in NFL history. Some have quickly made their mark. Brandin Cooks helped pace the Saints' attack (7 receptions, 77 yards, 1 nifty TD), and Kelvin Benjamin continues to look super impressive (6 receptions, 92 yards, 1 TD).
Oakland's Derek Carr was the only rookie quarterback to start and he did well completing 62.5 percent of his passes with 2 TDs and zero interceptions. However, give the kid a running game! Maurice Jones-Drew and Darren McFadden combined for 26 yards. The other rookie quarterbacks (Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater and Johnny Manziel) may have to wait a little bit as each of the veterans on Jacksonville, Minnesota and Cleveland, respectively, played well in Week 1.
Le'Veon Bell not only proved his worth as a starting RB, he finished as the best running back for the week. After slipping a bit in drafts due to usage/disciplinary concern, Bell quickly erased the doubts by converting a lion's share of touches into 197 total yards from scrimmage.
Friday, September 5, 2014
Week 1 fantasy football tips and waiver wire advice
Let the games begin!
Here's a look at five NFL players poised to have breakout seasons and to see their stock rise in fantasy football.
With a Super Bowl victory already on the resume, ex-N.C. State star Russell Wilson looks poised to reach a new level of play. Coming into this third season, Wilson has been in complete command of the offense this preseason and he already sports a super-impressive 52:19 touchdown-to-interception ratio after two seasons. And having Percy Harvin in the lineup is a major upgrade.
Add Percy Harvin to the list of breakout stars for 2014. Now healthy, this is the season that Harvin (easily) reaches his first 1,000-yard receiving plateau. In preseason, he looked like one of the league's most explosive players and Seattle will get Harvin the ball in a variety of ways.
Former North Carolina running back Giovani Benard could end up making a case for fantasy MVP this year (relative to draft position). For those that play in PPR (point per reception) leagues, he will be a big advantage, being on a very short list of running backs that could exceed 70 receptions (he had 56 last year despite not starting any games). He'll get a ton of work as new offensive coordinator Hue Jackson will have the Bengals running significantly more than they did last year.
I am super high on Saints' running back Mark Ingram, who this preseason has run like a former Heisman winner hungry for a chance at a more meaningful workload. Ingram rushed for 7.1 yards per carry, the best in preseason among backs with 20-plus carries. There are a ton of points to be had in the Saints offense and Ingram should get most of the work around the end zone.
We saw what Minnesota's Cordarrelle Patterson is capable of over the final month of the 2013 season and he'll get a huge offensive coordinator upgrade in Norv Turner. Patterson is set to bust out in a major way after scoring four receiving and three rushing touchdowns in the second half of the season.
WEEK 1 TIPS
The Indianapolis at Denver, San Francisco at Dallas, New Orleans at Atlanta, and Jacksonville at Philadelphia games all have an over/under above 50 points. When in doubt, get Broncos, 49ers, Saints, Falcons, and Eagles into your lineup. That said, start your studs - Week 1 of the season is not a time to get too cute.
Wes Welker is out, which should mean for busy days for Denver's Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas. And go grab Cody Latimer if he is available on your waiver wire.
Don't sleep on kickers: there has been a ton of shakeup at kicker this week to stay on top of, including Brandon McManus (Denver, while Matt Prater is suspended), Cody Parkey (Philadelphia), Chandler Catanzaro (Arizona), Jake Rodgers (Miami), Patrick Murray (Tampa Bay), Cario Santos (Kansas City) and Ryan Succop moves to Kansas City.
Daily fantasy football: These leagues are gaining in popularity (for example, FanDuel) where rather than a draft you pick your one-week team (based against a cap of $60,000) and instantly play against any number of people in one-day leagues...my Week 1 lineup is: QB Peyton Manning ($10,200), RB Frank Gore ($7,200), RB Mark Ingram ($5,200), WR Demaryius Thomas ($8,700), WR Michael Floyd ($6,600), WR Cordarrelle Patterson ($6,400), TE Kyle Rudolph ($5,700), K Stephen Gostkowski ($5,400), Detroit Defense ($4,600).
SLEEPERS FOR WEEK 1
If you are debating which quarterback to start and one of them is Colin Kaepernick, you may want to roll with Kaep against Dallas. The Cowboys were atrocious on defense last year (dead last at 415.3 yards per game, and the second-worst of all-time), and there's no reason to think 2014 will be much different. Likewise, Frank Gore should find it to be easy sledding.
If you are in a two quarterback league, Arizona's Carson Palmer will be a big advantage and he is a legitimate fantasy starter regardless. Michael Floyd looks like a strong play and could be a Top 10 wide receiver for the week. Rookie wide receiver John Brown from Pittsburg State will likely surprise...make sure he isn’t on your waiver wire before people get to see his speed and talent on prime time in the second Monday Night game.
Philadelphia rookie wide receiver Jordan Matthews could be a deep sleeper. The Eagles led the league in yards gained in preseason and could come out of Week 1 as the leader with Chip Kelly directing his up-tempo nonstop offense. And look for tight end Zach Ertz to be busy, especially around the end zone.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Week 1 fantasy football rankings
Below are Week 1 fantasy football rankings based on potential
performance in this week's games for quarterback, running back, wide
receiver, tight end, kicker and team defense.
Quarterback
1. Peyton Manning, Denver vs. Indianapolis
2. Drew Brees, New Orleans at Atlanta
3. Matthew Stafford, Detroit vs. N.Y. Giants ...Stafford has cracked 300 yards passing in Week 1 in three straight seasons
4. Russell Wilson, Seattle vs. Green Bay
5. Tony Romo, Dallas vs. San Francisco
6. Tom Brady, New England at Miami
7. Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco at Dallas
8. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis at Denver ...Luck had 4 total TDs last year against the Broncos, although at home
9. Nick Foles, Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville ...Jacksonville allowed the 3rd-most fantasy points to QBs last year
10. Matt Ryan, Atlanta vs. New Orleans ...Ryan topped 290 yards in both games against the Saints last year
11. Carson Palmer, Arizona vs. San Diego ...Palmer averaged 295 yards per game in the second half of the season last year
12. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay at Seattle ...at Seattle for Super Bowl banner hanging is a tough draw
13. Jay Cutler, Chicago vs. Buffalo
14. Philip Rivers, San Diego at Arizona
15. Robert Griffin III, Washington at Houston
16. Ryan Tannehill, Miami vs. New England ...Tannehill threw 5 TDs versus the Pats last year
17. Cam Newton, Carolina at Tampa Bay ...Newton (ribs) could be slowed but should start
18. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati at Baltimore
19. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland
20. Geno Smith, N.Y. Jets vs. Oakland
Running Back
1. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville
2. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City vs. Tennessee
3. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota at St. Louis
4. Matt Forte, Chicago vs. Buffalo
5. Montee Ball, Denver vs. Indianapolis
6. Marshawn Lynch, Seattle vs. Green Bay
7.
DeMarco Murray, Dallas vs. San Francisco ...yes it's San Francisco, but
they are without ILB NaVorro Bowman and S Donte Whitner
8. Andre Ellington, Arizona vs. San Diego
9. Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati at Baltimore ...Benard had 13 receptions last year in two games versus the Ravens
10. Eddie Lacy, Green Bay at Seattle
11. Doug Martin, Tampa Bay vs. Carolina
12. Arian Foster, Houston vs. Washington ...Foster missed the entire preseason but he is reportedly set for a normal workload
13. Frank Gore, San Francisco at Dallas
14. Alfred Morris, Washington at Houston
15. Ben Tate, Cleveland at Pittsburgh ...Cleveland plans to let Tate start the season as a 3-down back
16. Zac Stacy, St. Louis vs. Minnesota
17. Chris Johnson, N.Y. Jets vs. Oakland
18. Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland ...Bell is a full go this week (and should be busy)
19. Shane Vereen, New England at Miami
20. Reggie Bush, Detroit vs. N.Y. Giants
21. Mark Ingram, New Orleans at Atlanta
22. Joique Bell, Detroit vs. N.Y. Giants
23. Rashad Jennings, N.Y. Giants at Detroit
24. Fred Jackson, Buffalo at Chicago
25. Bernard Pierce, Baltimore vs. Cincinnati ...with Ray Rice suspended, Pierce will draw the Week 1 start
26. Pierre Thomas, New Orleans at Atlanta
27. Maurice Jones-Drew, Oakland at N.Y. Jets
28. C.J. Spiller, Buffalo at Chicago
29. Toby Gerhart, Jacksonville at Philadelphia
30. Trent Richardson, Indianapolis at Denver ...Richardson averaged just 2.6 yards per carry in the preseason
Wide Receivers
1. Demaryius Thomas, Denver vs. Indianapolis
2. Calvin Johnson, Detroit vs. N.Y. Giants
3. Dez Bryant, Dallas vs. San Francisco
4. Brandon Marshall, Chicago vs. Buffalo
5. Julio Jones, Atlanta vs. New Orleans
6. A.J. Green, Cincinnati at Baltimore ...Green scored a TD in both games against the Ravens last year
7. Alshon Jeffery, Chicago vs. Buffalo
8. Michael Floyd, Arizona vs. San Diego
9. Percy Harvin, Seattle vs. Green Bay
10. Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota at St. Louis ...the Rams will be without starting CB Trumaine Johnson
11. Emmanuel Sanders, Denver vs. Indianapolis ...with Wes Welker suspended for four games, Sanders should be busy
12. Jordy Nelson, Green Bay at Seattle
13. Randall Cobb, Green Bay at Seattle
14. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona vs. San Diego
15. Keenan Allen, San Diego at Arizona
16. Andre Johnson, Houston vs. Washington
17.
Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland ...look for star CB Joe Haden
to cover Brown this week, although Brown played super well regardless
against the Browns last year
18. Michael Crabtree, San Francisco at Dallas
19. Julian Edelman, New England at Miami
20. Roddy White, Atlanta vs. New Orleans ...White hasn’t scored a TD against the Saints in his six matchups, but maybe he is due
21. Vincent Jackson, Tampa Bay vs. Carolina
22. T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis at Denver
23. Pierre Garcon, Washington at Houston
24. Victor Cruz, N.Y. Giants at Detroit
25. Eric Decker, N.Y. Jets vs. Oakland
26. Marques Colston, New Orleans at Atlanta
27. DeSean Jackson, Washington at Houston
28. Terrance Williams, Dallas vs. San Francisco
29. Golden Tate, Detroit vs. N.Y. Giants
30. Torrey Smith, Baltimore vs. Cincinnati
31. Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville
32. Anquan Boldin, San Francisco at Dallas
33. Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina at Tampa Bay
34. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis at Denver
35. DeAndre Hopkins, Houston vs. Washington
36. Steve Smith, Baltimore vs. Cincinnati
37. Riley Cooper, Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville
38. Mike Wallace, Miami vs. New England ...Wallace will often draw CB Darrelle Revis
39. Justin Hunter, Tennessee at Kansas City
40. Doug Baldwin, Seattle vs. Green Bay
41. Kendall Wright, Tennessee at Kansas City
42. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay vs. Carolina
43. Brandin Cooks, New Orleans at Atlanta
44. Mohamed Sanu, Cincinnati at Baltimore ...Sanu will get the start with Marvin Jones injured
45. Andrew Hawkins, Cleveland at Pittsburgh
46. Hakeem Nicks, Indianapolis at Denver
47. Greg Jennings, Minnesota at St. Louis
48. Markus Wheaton, Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland
49. Cecil Shorts, Jacksonville at Philadelphia
50. Rueben Randle, N.Y. Giants at Detroit
Tight End
1. Jimmy Graham, New Orleans at Atlanta
2. Julius Thomas, Denver vs. Indianapolis
3. Rob Gronkowski, New England at Miami ...Gronk says he will play in Week 1
4. Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota at St. Louis
5. Greg Olsen, Carolina at Tampa Bay
6. Vernon Davis, San Francisco at Dallas
7. Jordan Cameron, Cleveland at Pittsburgh
8. Jason Witten, Dallas vs. San Francisco
9. Dennis Pitta, Baltimore vs. Cincinnati
10. Zach Ertz, Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville
11. Jordan Reed, Washington at Houston
12. Heath Miller, Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland
13. Martellus Bennett, Chicago vs. Buffalo
14. Antonio Gates, San Diego at Arizona
15. Ladarius Green, San Diego at Arizona
16. Charles Clay, Miami vs. New England
17. Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis at Denver
18. Delanie Walker, Tennessee at Kansas City
19. Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville at Philadelphia
20. Travis Kelce, Kansas City vs. Tennessee
Kicker
1. Stephen Gostkowski, New England at Miami
2. Justin Tucker, Baltimore vs. Cincinnati
3. Steven Hauschka, Seattle vs. Green Bay
4. Phil Dawson, San Francisco at Dallas
5. Nate Freese, Detroit vs. N.Y. Giants
6. Nick Folk, N.Y. Jets vs. Oakland
7. Robbie Gould, Chicago vs. Buffalo
8. Brandon McManus, Denver vs. Indianapolis ...McManus will get the Week 1 start for Denver with Matt Prater out (suspension)
9. Nick Novak, San Diego at Arizona
10. Dan Bailey, Dallas vs. San Francisco
11. Greg Zuerlein, St. Louis vs. Minnesota
12. Blair Walsh, Minnesota at St. Louis
13. Shayne Graham, New Orleans at Atlanta ...the Saints cut Graham, then re-signed him - he will kick Week 1
14. Chandler Catanzaro, Arizona vs. San Diego
15. Cody Parkey, Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville
16. Matt Bryant, Atlanta vs. New Orleans
17. Mike Nugent, Cincinnati at Baltimore
18. Shaun Suisham, Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland
19. Mason Crosby, Green Bay at Seattle
20. Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis at Denver
Defense
1. St. Louis DT, vs. Minnesota
2. New York Jets DT, vs. Oakland ...the Jets will get to go against Derek Carr in his first real NFL game
3. New England DT, at Miami
4. Carolina DT, at Tampa Bay
5. Seattle DT, vs. Green Bay
6. Kansas City DT, vs. Tennessee
7. Chicago DT, vs. Buffalo ...Jared Allen meet EJ Manuel
8. Detroit DT, vs. N.Y. Giants …Eli Manning led the NFL with 27 INTs last year
9. Philadelphia DT, vs. Jacksonville
10. Cincinnati DT, at Baltimore
11. Denver DT, vs. Indianapolis ...Denver added DeMarcus Ware to the line and Aqib Talib to the secondary this offseason
12. Pittsburgh DT, vs. Cleveland
13. Tampa Bay DT, vs. Carolina
14. Minnesota DT, at St. Louis
15. Houston DT, vs. Washington
16. Baltimore DT, vs. Cincinnati
17. Arizona DT, vs. San Diego
18. San Francisco DT, at Dallas
19. Cleveland DT, at Pittsburgh
20. San Diego DT, at Arizona
Click here for full rankings at Fantasy Football Warehouse.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Rookie receivers that can give you a fantasy edge
The great rookie WR avalanche of 2014 is coming. It is the largest high-end WR rookie class in the history of the NFL. Never have there been more wide receivers selected in the first two rounds of the NFL draft in NFL history (12). Maybe it’s a function of more passing in the NFL. Maybe it’s a function of an elite class, including a ton of underclassmen (all but one of these wideouts are underclassmen). Maybe it’s a little bit of both. It’s both talent and volume hitting the NFL and some of these receivers are going to hit, especially with more colleges running pro-style offenses. For 2014, I rank these avalanche of high-end rookie WRs like so.
1. Brandin Cooks, New Orleans: In a few words: "Sonic Boom" (which is Cooks' nickname). Cooks blazed a 4.33 in the Forty at this year’s Combine, the fastest time among all receivers this year. You have to like the chances of Cooks joining a perennial 5,000-yard passing offense and the Saints gave a 3rd round pick to move up seven slots to land him.
2. Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina: What a great landing spot for the 6'5" WR - who else is Cam Newton going to throw the ball to? He and Cam are going to get very comfortable with one another and Benjamin should instantly be the Panther’s #1 WR.
3. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay: Quarterback Josh McCown knows how to feature two big wide receivers as he did in Chicago last year and Evans could be a cross between Vincent Jackson and Calvin Johnson. Evans has a shot to be a 1,000-yard receiver right out of the gate.
4. Sammy Watkins, Buffalo: Sammy Watkins is a can’t-miss fantasy stud but you have to wonder if it will take until 2015 given how poorly quarterback E.J. Manuel has looked in pre-season (Buffalo just signed Kyle Orton to a $5 million deal). Watkins has also been nicked up all pre-season.
5. Jordan Matthews, Philadelphia: First off, the Chip Kelly offense sort of makes everyone involved fantasy relevant. Matthews is big and strong, with gigantic hands - he looks like a young Terrell Owens.
6. Marqise Lee, Jacksonville: Lee should be very busy right out of the gate and he is an electrifying playmaker and tremendous athlete (Lee is the 2012 Biletnikoff Award winner), but struggled staying healthy in college.
7. Cody Latimer, Denver: Latimer is down the pecking order behind a veteran receiving crew but he is a good late draft gamble if injuries hit any of the Broncos’ starters, especially playing on a team off an NFL record-shattering season of 5,477 passing yards led by Peyton Manning with 55 passing TDs.
8. Allen Robinson, Jacksonville: Robinson is a big 6'3" WR who is used to being a featured receiver – Robinson set the Penn State record with 77 receptions in 2012 and broke his own record with 97 receptions in 2013. Robinson also played in a pro-style offense in college and he ran a full-route tree. He should be ready Week 1 but Robinson has missed the pre-season with a hamstring strain.
9. Davante Adams, Green Bay: Adams is loaded with talent and scored 24 touchdowns last year catching passes from Derek Carr at Fresno State, but he will need an injury to get into the lineup. Still, there is high upside if that happens playing with the Packers.
10. Paul Richardson, Seattle: Richardson is a guy to remember should an injury hit Percy Harvin as he will be Harvin’s primary backup. Richardson is a bit of a DeSean Jackson clone and has blazing deep speed.
11. Odell Beckham Jr., N.Y. Gaints: Beckham was drafted 12th overall so the talent is there, but he hasn't played this pre-season (hamstring) and most likely he will miss the first month of the season. The Giants' passing game looked like a mess in pre-season.
12. Jarvis Landry, Dolphins: Landry is scrappy and tough and has great hands – Landry ranked No. 1 nationally last year at LSU with 453 yards and 6 TDs on 3rd downs. Landry will get rotated into the slot wide receiver position for the Dolphins.
Sunday, August 31, 2014
The ideal draft if you have a late draft slot
The premise of this article is straight-forward enough. If you end up with either the 9th overall, 10th, 11th or 12th draft slot (and assuming 12 teams) what strategy should you consider who to target? Based on average draft position data from Fantasy Football Calculator, this combination is possible and a potential combination to put you well on your way to a fantasy football title in 2014. This series scripts out the first eight rounds, with each set including a minimum of 1 QB, 2 RBs, 3 WRs, 1 TE and a RB/WR/TE flex. For this spot, I am assuming the 12th overall draft position (so the 12th pick in the odd rounds, and the 1st pick in the even rounds as the draft "snakes" back and forth).
2nd ROUND - RB Montee Ball, Denver: I have seen a draft where Dez Bryant and A.J. Green were taken here on the 1.12/2.01 post and I love that start to a draft. I think you can make a good case for still going WR-WR with Brandon Marshall or Julio Jones, but the reality is a sure-fire #1 RB on your team is also a very smart thing to get in the bank. There are a ton of points to be had in Denver and Montee Ball has Top 3 upside on this team – I mean, Knowshon Moreno was the 4th best fantasy running back last year for crying out loud.
3rd ROUND - WR Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota: Landing Cordarrelle Patterson at the right price should be a key objective in your fantasy draft if you ask me and he's a phenomenal number two fantasy wide receiver. We saw what Patterson is capable of over the final month of the 2013 season as he was the 9th best fantasy receiver down the stretch. Now with a full camp under his belt, and a huge offensive coordinator upgrade in Norv Turner, Patterson is set to bust out in a major way. Not only did Patterson have four receiving touchdowns in the second half of the season last year, he added three rushing touchdowns in the final five games.
4th ROUND - QB Matthew Stafford, Detroit: Matthew Stafford is one of five quarterbacks in the top tier on my board (we covered Andrew Luck in the first team of this series), and Stafford is worth the premium here in the fourth round. Stafford gets a coaching upgrade in new head coach Jim Caldwell and offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi (who together have coached Peyton Manning and Drew Brees– not a bad duo). Look for Stafford to significantly cut down on mental mistakes and interceptions, while shining in what will essentially be the New Orleans offense brought to the Motor City. Adding Golden Tate is also a plus over the #2 wide receivers Stafford has worked with over his last three seasons. Stafford has averaged 4,885 passing yards per season over the last three years and Stafford is capable of 40+ touchdowns (he had 41 in 2011).
5th ROUND - WR Torrey Smith, Baltimore: Let me start by saying I am not a huge Torrey Smith fan per se, but he's good value in the late 5th round of drafts and a super safe #3 fantasy wide receiver who has some upside. Smith seems like he’s been around forever and the book is written on him but that isn't the case. Smith is just 25 years old and entering just his 4th NFL season – he still is improving (his receptions spiked from 49 in 2012 to 65 last year and his yards were a career-best 1,128 last year). New offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak knows how to feature a number 1 receiver (see Andre Johnson), adding Steve Smith will help free up some coverage for Smith, and Smith is in a contract season to boot.
6th ROUND – WR Brandin Cooks, New Orleans: We covered Brandin Cooks extensively in the FFW Rookie Guide and ranked him aggressively before the NFL Draft actually – because he is a special, special talent. Don’t let the size or the bust that was Tavon Austin last year affect your approach, Cooks has the ability to put up significant fantasy numbers as a rookie receiver. Cooks especially has that chance playing for the Saints with Drew Brees as his quarterback and Sean Payton designing ways to best utilize his new weapon. "Sonic Boom", as he is nicknamed, comes into the NFL as last year’s Biletnikoff Award winner off a season with 128 receptions, 1,730 receiving yards and 16 TDs. Cooks has blazing speed (he put up a 4.33 in the 40-yard-dash at the Combine), but perhaps even more impressive was his times in 20- and 60–yard shuttle showing his elite quickness and ability to get to top speed in an instant – his 3.81 and 10.72 times, respectively, were the best scores at the Combine since 2006.
7th ROUND – RB Mark Ingram, New Orleans: Yes, Mark Ingram. In fact, Ingram in my mind is part of a clever strategy to dominate fantasy football this year as you wait on a second running back and then smoothly land a solid one on the cheap here in the 7th round. Even the 7th round is “over-paying” for Ingram relative to his average draft position a little, but Ingram is worth paying the premium. Ingram has looked exceptional in pre-season and it is finally time for the former Heisman Trophy winner to get 200+ carries this season, and he also will get more receptions than you might think, plus dominate carries around the goal line for one of the best offenses in the NFL.
8th ROUND - TE Zach Ertz, Philadelphia: If you are looking for a sleeper tight end this year, look no further than 2nd-year plater Zach Ertz. Philadelphia QB Nick Foles has compared Ertz to Rob Gronkowski in terms of talent (Foles played with Gronkowski at the University of Arizona). Ertz could be the Eagles’ leading red-zone threat and he is set to bust out after a very solid rookie season (with nearly 500 yards and four scores). Ertz was the leading receiver at Stanford in his senior season in 2012 and he very well could also be the Eagles' leading receiver this year, and on a team that will be running a disproportionate number of plays with the up-tempo approach Chip Kelly employs.
Saturday, August 30, 2014
The ideal draft if you have a middle draft slot
The premise of this article is straight-forward enough. If you end up with either the 5th overall, 6th, 7th or 8th draft slot (and assuming 12 teams) what strategy should you consider who to target? Based on average draft position data from Fantasy Football Calculator, this combination is possible and a potential combination to put you well on your way to a fantasy football title in 2014. This series scripts out the first eight rounds, with each set including a minimum of 1 QB, 2 RBs, 3 WRs, 1 TE and a RB/WR/TE flex. For this spot, I am assuming the 8th overall draft position (so the 8th pick in the odd rounds, and the 5th pick in the even rounds as the draft "snakes" back and forth).
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