Nobody needs to be told
starting Peyton Manning, Jamaal Charles, or Calvin Johnson is
a good idea. Duh, right? You can’t have studs at every position,
though, unless you’re in the shallowest of leagues. This
is where the Shot Caller comes in. Need help deciding which bargain
basement QB to use and which to ignore on Manning’s bye
week? Let’s talk. Looking for solutions at running back
because Charles is a game-time decision? Look no further. Need
to know which of your unproven targets to start and which to sit
since you ignored Megatron and went Jimmy Graham-RB-QB in your
first three rounds? You get the idea. Past results may not guarantee
future success, but ignoring them entirely can ruin your Sundays
in a hurry (maybe even your Mondays and Thursdays). Read on for
a little history and, hopefully, a little sage advice.
Note: Fantasy points
based on FF Today’s standard scoring system.
Bye Weeks: N/A
Dallas gave up 400+ passing yards to four
different QBs last season. Kaepernick belongs in your lineup.
Grab a Helmet
Colin Kaepernick
@ DAL: The silly season is behind us and that means we can
stop talking about breakouts and busts and ADPs and all that speculative
mumbo-jumbo and start talking about guys who are going to help us
win some fake football games this coming season. Kaepernick, interestingly
enough, was also my first start recommendation of the 2013 season
and the logic hasn’t changed much in 12 months. He’s an A+ athlete
playing with great weapons facing a team that has basically no hope
of containing him. He scalded the Pack for 412 yards and three TD
strikes to open last year and now he draws a defense that almost
every expert agrees will be the league’s worst in 2014. I don’t
qualify as an expert but I can certainly make heads or tails of
a defensive depth chart. Until further notice, start everyone you
have facing the Cowboys.
Ryan
Fitzpatrick v. WAS: Hey, there’s a reason they call it
“fantasy” football. Long-time readers know I have an unhealthy fascination
with the Texans’ bearded brainiac, a career journeyman sporting
an underwhelming 27-49-1 record as a starter. Just because he can’t
win real football games, though, doesn’t mean he can’t win you some
phony ones. Did you know he averaged 20.2 PPG in the nine games
he started for Tennessee last year? That’s better than the guy we
just talked about and three other guys I’m certain you’d consider
more valuable: Tom Brady, Jay Cutler, and Carson Palmer. Fitz was
also the 11th best ground-gainer at the QB position (225 yards and
three scores) despite starting only half a season. Not bad for a
guy clocked at 4.86 in the 40. If you’re in a 12-team two-QB league,
he definitely merits consideration as your QB2 against a substandard
Washington D.
Jay
Cutler v. BUF: Long-time readers also know I have an
unhealthy antipathy toward Chicago’s surly signal caller, primarily
because I’m a Packer fan but also because I think he’s a crummy
teammate and leader, something most clubs want their quarterbacks,
above all other players, to be. That isn’t to say Cutler can’t play
the position. He’s probably better at it than most if all we’re
talking about is physical ability. Though there’s more to the position
than having a rifle-like arm, I can overlook some of Cutler’s negative
intangibles because A) he’s playing with, arguably, the best and
biggest wide receiving tandem in the league, and B) his coach is
a certified QB whisperer. Oh, and C) that big right arm. If Cutler’s
improved offensive line can keep him upright – no small task against
a really good Bills front – he should be able to have his way this
first Sunday.
Grab a Clipboard
Andy
Dalton @ BAL: Before we put ADP valuations completely
in the rearview, would somebody explain how the 3rd best QB in
2013 (look it up) was only considered the 16th best QB prospect
in drafts this summer? I mean, I could understand that if A.J.
Green had been traded or Dalton was recovering from off-season
shoulder surgery, but…16th? Here are six players ahead of him
on the ADP list he’ll outscore this season: Colin Kaepernick,
Jay Cutler, Cam Newton, Philip Rivers, Russell Wilson, and RGIII.
You’re never going to remember I wrote this so I feel pretty confident
putting it out there. Oh, and all that aside, I’d probably sit
him down this first weekend. He’s missing Marvin Jones, his #2
WR, and is facing a Ravens defense he’s struggled against in three
NFL seasons (seven picks in two games last year). Save the Red
Rifle for Week 2.
EJ
Manuel @ CHI: Quick, name a Buffalo receiver not named
Sammy Watkins! Don’t worry if it took you a couple seconds. The
Bills’ WR depth chart isn’t exactly stocked with household names,
though Mike Williams has had some moderate success and Robert
Woods wasn’t a complete stiff as a rookie last year. You know
who was kind of a stiff? EJ Manuel. He followed that rather rocky
rookie campaign with a pretty underwhelming preseason and now,
I think, it’s time to start wondering if he’s really the long-term
answer in upstate New York. You don’t get long to prove yourself
in this league, after all, unless you have exceedingly rare measurables.
Manuel really doesn’t. His comparison on the official NFL.com
draft profile? Blaine Gabbert. Yeah, I think I’ve probably said
enough. Avoid Mr. Manuel unless you think Watkins is the second
coming of Randy Moss (and is actually healthy).
Cam
Newton @ TB: We had a heated debate during my final
draft this past weekend when Newton was auctioned off for $14
($200 budget). I considered that a reasonable sum for a running
quarterback only months removed from ankle surgery and still needing
some quality time with a brand new set of receivers. Several of
my league mates strongly disagreed, even going so far as to suggest
he might be the steal of the draft. We argued back and forth (it’s
what we do) and basically left it unresolved. I’m the one
with the weekly column, though, so I’ll be getting in the
last word: Newton’s as risky a proposition as you’ll
see in 2014. He’s coming off that surgery, recently missed
preseason action to nurse damaged ribs, and hasn’t completed
a single regular season pass to the five WRs listed on the Panthers’
depth chart. Proceed with caution.
Running Backs 
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