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Joseph Hutchins | Archive | Email |
Staff Writer


The Shot Caller's Report - Quarterbacks
Your Guide To Fantasy Lineups: Week 4
9/25/14
QBs | RBs | WRs

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: Arizona, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Seattle, St. Louis

Colin Kaepernick

Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers may have to post 30 points if they're going to beat the Eagles in Week 4.


Grab a Helmet

Colin Kaepernick v. PHI: Back before Week 1, when we were all undefeated and eager to watch our recently drafted studs make us look brilliant, I tabbed San Francisco’s dynamic triggerman as the first official start recommendation of the year. Alas, madness immediately ensued and almost nothing’s gone according to plan since. Anyone else need a reboot on this most unusual of NFL seasons? What better person to press CTRL-ATL-DEL with than Kaepernick? He’s currently the ninth best QB despite a horrific Week 2 performance against Chicago and will be facing a Philly defense that’s making opposing QBs look statistically stellar in every way but the one that matters (wins and losses). It’s a war of attrition when you face the Eagles, but the Niners have the horses to keep pace come Sunday afternoon at Levi’s Stadium. Expect huge stats from Kap and maybe even the first “L” for Philly.

Ryan Fitzpatrick v. BUF: No, I’m not just cutting and pasting from that Week 1 Report in a desperate attempt to reverse the course of recent history. I’m doubling down on my favorite journeyman QB/beard rocker for Week 4 because A) six QBs are on bye; B) he’s playing his former Buffalo mates; and C) he freaking deserves it! Fitz suffered through a nightmarish first half against the G-Men last Sunday (89 yards and two picks), but rebounded in the second stanza to finish with 289 yards, a TD toss, and also a rushing TD, an overlooked specialty of his. In other words, it was a typical Ryan Fitzpatrick performance, marked by depression-inducing lows, dizzying highs, and pretty much everything in between. It was also worth nearly 28 fantasy points, meaning Houston’s stopgap signal caller is now 12th overall at the position. Aaron Rodgers sits behind him at #13. #imjustsaying

Blake Bortles @ SD: Caveat #1: He’s only played 30 minutes of meaningful NFL football. Caveat #2: He’s only played it – and will continue to play it – for the Jacksonville Jaguars, just one small step above the bottom-feeding Raiders, IMHO, on the NFL food chain. If you can get past the fact he’s a hopelessly inexperienced QB playing for one of the league’s most hopeless teams, however, there’s a lot to like here. Bortles took over for Chad Henne to start the second half last week and tallied 223 passing yards, two scores, two picks, and 30 rushing yards for good measure. Double those numbers and he’d have been Week 3’s highest scorer by more than eight points. Yes, I realize that’s a fantastical extrapolation, but it should at least grab your attention. Bortles passes the eye test, folks, and might be just the guy to invigorate a catatonic offense.

Grab a Clipboard

Ryan Tannehill v. OAK (in London): If Roger Goodell et al. are serious about selling American football in the UK, they sure have a funny way of showing it. Miami v. Oakland wouldn’t draw much interest in Miami or Oakland, let alone thousands of miles and several time zones away in England. Tannehill hasn’t been the most disappointing QB to date (we’re looking at you, Tom Brady and Andy Dalton), but he’s been unimpressive enough to make Joe Philbin squirm when asked to identify his starting field general earlier this week. It’s still Tannehill, by the way, according to those in the know and despite Philbin’s cagey response, but the third-year man’s grasp on the job is exceedingly tenuous. If he turns in another dodgy performance against the Raiders at Wembley Stadium, things could get bloody uncomfortable for Tannehill and anyone who pinned their fantasy hopes on him in 2014.

Mike Glennon @ PIT: Save for a certain defending national champ way out on the Panhandle, football-loving Floridians haven’t had much to get excited about the last several seasons, either at the NCAA level or the NFL level. With that performance last Thursday night, the Bucs seem to have set football back in Tampa/St. Pete, specifically, about 30 years. I grew up watching those Yuckaneer teams clad in creamsicle orange with the Bucco Bruce helmets and they regularly played as bad as they looked. They never played or looked as bad, however, as they did against the Falcons last week. If Atlanta hadn’t taken their foot off the gas, they might’ve scored 70. That’s not an exaggeration. Glennon gets the start for an injured Josh McCown this Sunday and I already feel sorry for him and for anyone who’s decided he’s a viable bye week alternative. Don’t risk it, people.

Geno Smith v. DET or Alex Smith v. NE (Monday): Both of the quarterbacking Smiths are in the top 15 at the position so far this year, but I’d put the chances of them ending up there at season’s end in the 20-30% range. And that might be overly optimistic. Though similarly statured and athletically gifted, neither QB has quite been able to put it all together and become the foundation his franchise needs him to be. Alex has had way more time (and is on his second franchise), so it’s unrealistic to think he’ll be anything other than a game manager at this point. Geno, conversely, only has 16+ games under his belt, but already has one more 20-INT season on his resume than Alex does. Translation? He’s a turnover machine. Turnovers won’t kill you in fantasy ball, but they’ll probably get you demoted. Avoid both in Week 4.

Running Backs