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Fantasy Football Strategy, Advice, and Commentary |
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 By: Thomas Casale — September 17, 2013 @ 8:40 am
It was another wild week both in the NFL and for fantasy owners. Here’s a recap of every game in the Tuesday Morning Buzz.
Jets – Patriots
If you’re searching for the epitome of the difference between PPR and non-PPR, look no further than Julian Edelman’s performance on Thursday night. Edelman caught a ridiculous 13 passes on 18 targets but they only went for 78 yards. That’s a big night in PPR leagues but kind of blah in non-PPR formats. Speaking of blah, Stevan Ridley got a reprieve when Shane Vereen broke his wrist, but Ridley only managed 40 yards. He has just 86 yards through two games and the Bucs’ tough rush defense is waiting for him in Week 3. He’s looking like no more than a flex play against Tampa Bay. New England gained just 232 yards of offense and Tom Brady was visibly upset with his receivers. I guess that system just isn’t the same system without Wes Welker. Stephen Hill shows flashes and would actually be an emerging fantasy receiver if he didn’t leave 2 or 3 balls on the turf every week. Both Hill and Santonio Holmes are worth a look if you need a receiver. Clyde Gates should be unemployed by the time you read this column.
 Charles has 11 catches in 2 games. Cowboys – Chiefs
This was ugly if you’re a fan of the running game. Jamaal Charles owners can’t like seeing his name under Alex Smith in the rushing totals. Luckily, Andy Reid made good on his promise to use Charles more in the passing game, and Charles rewarded owners with eight receptions for 48 yards and a score. DeMarco Murray was a non-factor, and we should probably get used to that most weeks with Bill Callahan calling plays. Callahan isn’t a big fan of running the football, so if you own Murray, he’ll need to contribute as a receiver too, as he did on Sunday. Dez Bryant’s ankle was obviously bothering him. He was held to just nine catches for 141 yards and a touchdown. I picked up the Chiefs’ defense in two leagues last week and they’re still available in many others. They had three more sacks and two takeaways against Dallas. Look for Kansas City to have one of the better fantasy defenses this year.
Rams – Falcons
There’s nothing better for Julio Jones owners than when Roddy White is injured. With White still nursing a bad ankle, Jones exploded. He caught 11 balls on 14 targets for 182 yards and a score. For the second week in a row White played but was mainly used as a decoy. Make sure to check his status and only use him in Week 3 if reports say he’s close to 100 percent. It’s not worth starting White if he’s just going to run routes to keep opposing defenses honest. Sam Bradford threw for 352 yards but Jared Cook only caught one pass for 10 yards. Cook owners shouldn’t panic though. Atlanta’s defense bracketed him on almost every play and the Falcons have done a great job of erasing tight ends in the past. Cook will rebound. His seeing so much attention opened things up for Chris Givens and Austin Pettis. If you’re looking to pick up one of the two, Givens is the better long-term option.
Vikings – Bears
This was a crazy, entertaining game. Matt Forte showed why he’s a monster in PPR formats, but putting two balls on the ground is concerning. It was nice to see Alshon Jeffery involved in the offense last week, but he came back with just one reception on Sunday. He was open late in the end zone, although Cutler overthrew him. Jeffery will be inconsistent early on but as we get deeper into the season, I still believe he’ll be a big-time fantasy receiver. Cordarrelle Patterson showed off his playmaking ability as a return man but he still has a ways to go before he helps fantasy owners as a receiver. It would help Patterson if Minnesota had a quarterback.
Panthers – Bills
One week after destroying the Panthers’ offense, Mike Shula is still doing his best to kill Cam Newton. The Panthers had only seven points at the half and had 10 other points set up by turnovers in the red zone. Overall, Carolina was held to just over 300 yards of offense; another embarrassing performance when Newton is your quarterback. The bottom line is that Shula is killing the fantasy value of Newton and Steve Smith. C.J. Spiller went over 100 yards thanks to a 46-yard run late but he lost a goal-line carry to Fred Jackson. Spiller also had only 16 carries to Jackson’s 12. Boy, for a guy who was supposed to get the ball until he throws up, Spiller must puke easily.
Browns – Ravens
The good news for Trent Richardson owners is that he got 18 carries this week. The bad news is he managed only 58 yards and Cleveland’s offensive line opened up very few holes for him. Richardson did catch five balls, although for just 21 yards. It’s only been two games so far, but it could be a long year for Richardson. The supporting cast just doesn’t appear to be there in Cleveland and now Brandon Weeden is banged up, though that may not be a negative. Marlon Brown delivered in his first start for the Ravens by catching four balls for 45 yards and a touchdown. He should be considered a WR3/flex play moving forward.
Redskins – Packers
The Redskins may be a mess right now but fantasy owners were happy with their performance on Sunday. Robert Griffin went over 300 yards and tossed three scores, Alfred Morris went for 107 yards and Pierre Garcon caught eight passes for 143 yards and a touchdown. So what’s the problem? There’s no problem in Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers went over 300 yards in what seemed like the first quarter. James Starks filled in for an injured Eddie Lacy and ripped off 132 yards. He’ll be one of the most sought-after free agents this week, but owners will likely be disappointed over the long-term. At the end of the day he’s still James Starks. After being shut out in Week 1, James Jones caught 11 passes for 178 yards on Sunday. I give you the wonderful world of fantasy football.
Titans – Texans
Arian Foster looked a step slow last week but I thought it was because he hadn’t played in a long time. After watching him again this week, compared to Ben Tate, Foster simply isn’t hitting the hole as quickly. Tate out-produced Foster for the second straight week in a row as far as rushing yards but Foster found the end zone to save his fantasy day. The Texans keep saying they want to get Tate more touches. He certainly deserves it. I predicted this summer that DeAndre Hopkins would win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award and he’s done nothing to make me think otherwise. Hopkins is talented enough to produce WR3 numbers most weeks. I always think Kendall Wright puts up bigger numbers than he actually does. Then when I look, he catches seven passes for 54 yards. He did score too. Wright is worth picking up if he’s still available in your league. If you need to drop someone, how about Kenny Britt?
Dolphins – Colts
One week after Mike Wallace owners had to be talked off a cliff, he bounced back with a 9-catch 115-yard day that also included a touchdown. The Dolphins’ offense in general has looked good now two weeks in a row. Charles Clay had a huge day and even stole a goal-line carry from Lamar Miller. It was Clay’s only carry of the day. Sometimes fantasy football can be so cruel. Andrew Luck had a 300-yard game but it’s days like this that prevent him from being a top fantasy QB. Luck has yet to consistently combine the big-yardage games with the multiple-score games. He’s a very good fantasy QB, just not an elite one yet. It was nice to see new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton realize that he has T.Y. Hilton on his team. Thank God it only took him a week. It would have taken Todd Haley three years to figure that out.
Chargers – Eagles
The Eagles’ offense dominated for the second week in a row. The problem for Philadelphia and good news for fantasy owners is that their defense also has to take the field. Mike Vick had a huge game. Boy, remember how long he was lasting in drafts? I’ll be the first to raise my hand and say I wish I could turn back the clock a few weeks. Both LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson went over 100 yards receiving and the Eagles went over 500 total yards, yet they still lost. How? Well, because San Diego ran 79 offensive plays, held the ball for over 40 minutes and also topped 500 yards of total offense. Hey Chip, you have to play some defense. Philly’s defense is so bad, Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates looked like the players they were four years ago. Eddie Royal is on absolute fire, scoring five touchdowns in his first two games. I think Royal has more fantasy points than my starting running backs in all of my leagues combined.
Lions – Cardinals
With Larry Fitzgerald hurting, Carson Palmer gave new definition to “spreading it around.” Palmer completed 22 passes to 10 different receivers. While that’s good in the real world and the Cardinals got the win, it stinks for fantasy purposes. Any time Kerry Taylor and Jaron Brown are catching passes, it’s annoying for fantasy owners. Heck, Patrick Peterson caught a pass and he plays on defense. Matthew Stafford tried a different approach. He decided to throw a lot of his passes to a guy named Calvin Johnson. Megatron rebounded from an unusual quiet game in Week 1 to go over 100 yards and score twice. Reggie Bush suffered an injury in this game and Joique Bell replaced him. Bell caught his normal five passes for 41 yards. If Bush is out for next week or any period of time, Bell will be a strong RB2 in PPR formats. He should be owned in all leagues.
Saints – Buccaneers
The Saints are still trying to get Mark Ingram involved apparently. Another week goes by and it’s eight carries for 20 yards. If this were a movie, they would show Ingram older with a grey beard sitting on the bench waiting to get into the game. Lance Moore could be a good play next week against Arizona. He usually has one good game a month, and Moore has put up two stinkers to start the year. The odds say he’s due. Josh Freeman has been living on borrowed time. His time looks like it’s up. If you own Vincent Jackson, it’s a good week to shop him in trades, because rookie Mike Glennon will be throwing him the ball soon.
Broncos – Giants
This was supposed to be a back-and-forth game but it started off slowly and then the Giants never got going. To be honest, the Giants haven’t really been going since late last year. It’s time to be a little concerned about this team. They can’t run the football at all, they have no real identity on offense and Eli Manning is turning the ball over way too much. I say after two games David Wilson is the biggest fantasy bust. He’s been a complete non-factor. Eric Decker bounced back from an atrocious Week 1 performance and Julius Thomas showed he wasn’t a one-week wonder. Montee Ball was about to have his moment in the sun but he fumbled heading into the end zone. After that, Knowshon Moreno ran for 93 yards and two scores. Ball and Hillman have had their chances. It’s likely Moreno time in Denver now.
Jaguars – Raiders
The Jaguars went 35 minutes of game time without getting a first down. Well, at least we know it’s not just Blaine Gabbert. Hey, Teddy Bridgewater, get your suit on, we need you. This team is in trouble until they do something about their quarterback situation. It’s just that simple. The thing is, they actually have some pretty good young receivers: Justin Blackmon, when he returns; Cecil Shorts; and Ace Sanders, who was one of my deep sleepers this summer. However, they just can’t be counted on to put up consistent fantasy numbers every week with these quarterbacks. Maurice Jones-Drew is hurt again and he may as well tap out because he doesn’t stand a chance in this offense. Much to the dismay of owners who overreacted and started him, Terrelle Pryor didn’t have the same impact that he had in Week 1. That’s why you don’t ever sit studs at the QB position for gut feelings. It’s not worth the risk.
49ers – Seahawks
It’s hard to believe that a game with so many fantasy stars had so little fantasy production. Other than Marshawn Lynch and the Seattle Defense, this game was a complete fantasy dud. The 49ers have bigger problems than just this loss. Their running game has gone nowhere two weeks in a row, outside of Colin Kaepernick. Frank Gore has been invisible. I’ll take the blame; I own him and every running back I own does nothing for some reason. To be fair to Gore though, he hasn’t had anywhere to run. After catching 13 passes in Week 1, Anquan Boldin caught one pass against Seattle. That may be the biggest one-week swing in NFL history. My cousin sat Dez Bryant in favor of Boldin. He ended up losing by five points. Can you imagine walking around life being that stupid?
Steelers – Bengals
It’s nice to see the Bengals’ coaches were smart enough to realize Giovani Bernard needed more touches after he averaged 5.5 yards on his first four carries last week. The kid is going to be a superstar. He maximizes his touches. Bernard will score double-digit touchdowns this season. Actually, if the Steelers refuse to fire Todd Haley as their offensive coordinator, Bernard may score more touchdowns than the entire Pittsburgh team. You have to give it to Haley though. The Steelers are improving. After scoring nine points in Week 1, Pittsburgh scored 10 points on Monday night. At this rate the Steelers could put 20 points on the board by Halloween.
By: Dave Stringer — September 14, 2013 @ 6:04 am
1. With news that Vick Ballard is out for the year with a torn ACL, fantasy owners will be heading to the waiver wire to add the previously forgotten Donald Brown. With Ahmad Bradshaw not yet ready to handle a heavy workload (and perhaps not ever), Brown figures to get 10-12 touches this week against the Dolphins. However, it won’t be a surprise if the Colts add a veteran running back to the roster since they were only carrying three players at the position. With Bradshaw’s health always in question and the inconsistent Brown not being relied upon, Indianapolis is likely to add veteran insurance at the position rather than a young street free agent.
2. In Atlanta, news broke after the Falcons Week 1 loss to the Saints that wide receiver Roddy White was suffering from a high ankle sprain. Fantasy owners weren’t likely expecting that little tidbit to surface and more than a few likely posted a loss due to White’s meagre stat line of two receptions for 19 yards. Since White isn’t practising this week, he will likely be a game time decision for Atlanta’s Week 2 home game against the Rams. Even if White goes, he will likely be used as a decoy once again since St. Louis has two solid corners in Cortland Finnegan and Janoris Jenkins. That makes diminutive slot receiver Harry Douglas a sneaky play in Week 2 and maybe longer. He is coming off a four-reception, 93-yard performance in Week 1.
3. Down in Dallas, Dez Bryant suffered a sprained foot late in the Cowboys Week 1 win over the Giants. With Bryant limited in practice this week, there is a chance he won’t get a full workload this Sunday against the Chiefs. With the Giants relegating his targets through the use of double teams, look for Tony Romo to make full use of Miles Austin and Jason Witten this week. There is also an outside chance that rookie 3rd round pick Terrance Williams could see his usage increased. Unfortunately for Williams, he displayed shaky hands and poor route running in Week 1. The Cowboys are high on him, however, so Dwayne Harris seems unlikely to supplant Williams, at least not so early in the season. If Bryant’s injury lingers, Williams could be worth an add in deeper leagues.
4. In St. Louis, Isaiah Pead returns to the line-up this week after serving a one-game suspension. While the Rams quickly installed him at number two on the depth chart ahead of rookie 5th round pick Zac Stacy, all indications are that Daryl Richardson has a stranglehold on the starting position. With St. Louis basing their offensive philosophy on having as much speed as possible at the skill positions, Richardson is a better fit than Pead, who displayed little playmaking ability as a rookie despite being taken in the 2nd round of the draft. While Richardson wasn’t stellar in the team’s Week 1 win over the Cardinals, he displayed plenty of speed in open space and a willingness to get the tough yards between the tackles.
5. After Geno Smith’s three interception performance in the Jets Thursday night loss to the Patriots and his uneven performance during the preseason, there is little wonder why former starter Mark Sanchez is delaying having surgery on the torn labrum in his throwing shoulder. While the Jets appear to be committed to Smith and he was reasonably solid in their Week 1 win over the Bucs, it is also abundantly clear that he is not currently an NFL calibre starting quarterback. Sanchez deserves kudos for sticking out to help the maturation process of the player that took his job, rather than mailing it in by having season-ending surgery, even though his career in New York will almost certainly end following the season. At just 26 years of age, Sanchez will have an opportunity to resurrect his career elsewhere in 2014 and it won’t be a huge shocker if that happens. His career floundered in New York as the quality of the players at the Jets skill positions decreased over the past few seasons.
6. Sticking with the Jets, it seems only a matter of time before Chris Ivory supplants Bilal Powell in the team’s starting line-up. While Powell has some shiftiness and is clearly a superior receiver, he can’t match Ivory’s explosiveness as a runner. Ivory is clearly a faster, more powerful runner and would appear to be exactly the type of threat the team needs to help open things up in the passing game. Look for Ivory to get more extensive work beginning in Week 3 against a Bills defense that has played poorly against the run for the past several seasons.
7. After a strong preseason, Christine Michael failed to get a single touch during the Seahawks Week 1 win over the Panthers. With Marshawn Lynch getting the early down work and Robert Turbin playing on passing downs, Michael was persona non grata in the Seattle game plan. While his inability to supplant Turbin as a receiving option isn’t a surprise and removes any chance of him being a solid flex option, Michael is likely the handcuff to own in the Seattle backfield. If Lynch were to go down, Michael would likely step into the role as the team’s early down back although he would not be likely to receive as many touches.
By: Dave Stringer — September 10, 2013 @ 6:02 pm
Quarterbacks
Moving Up
 Manning is making his case for the top fantasy QB in 2013. Peyton Manning, Broncos
The Broncos’ talent at the skill positions is just ridiculous, and with Manning orchestrating it, Denver has a good shot to have the most potent offense in the league in 2013. With tight end Julius Thomas emerging as a weapon, Manning threw for 462 yards and a career-high seven touchdown passes in Week 1. This isn’t a sell-high option. It’s a sit-back-and-enjoy-the-show scenario.
Colin Kaepernick, 49ers
Kaepernick shed any concerns that he would struggle without his top wide receiver in Michael Crabtree, topping 400 yards for the first time in his career (he topped 300 yards only once previously, in last year’s Super Bowl loss to the Ravens) while throwing for three touchdowns. This cat is ready to join the elite fantasy QBs in the league.
Terrelle Pryor, Raiders & Geno Smith, Jets
Giving you a heads up that these guys weren’t as bad as advertised and they have some hope of emerging as decent QB2s in 2013. That’s more than we thought a week ago.
Moving Down
Blaine Gabbert, Jaguars
Can somebody please put this man out of his misery? And end the misery of the Jaguars fans who have to watch him. Totaling just 121 yards on 35 pass attempts (3.5 yards per attempt) is pathetic.
Brandon Weeden, Browns
Weeden showed some promise in the preseason but he reverted to form in Week 1, holding on to the ball too long (six sacks) and making poor decisions (three picks). The truth is that Weeden absolutely has to be surrounded by solid talent, and he is guaranteed to struggle until Josh Gordon returns in Week 3.
Running Backs
Moving Up
Reggie Bush, Lions
I was all in on Bush even as his ADP grew during the preseason, and he didn’t disappoint in Week 1 with 191 total yards and a touchdown. He also had another score overturned. With the Vikings defense focused on shutting down Calvin Johnson, Bush had space to do his thing and he seems a perfect fit in Detroit. If only we could guarantee full health for 16 games.
Joique Bell, Lions
Meet Reggie Bush’s real handcuff and a guy who totaled 92 yards and a pair of touchdowns in Week 1. Mikel Leshoure owners can now safely move on.
LeSean McCoy, Eagles
After McCoy’s 32-touch, 189-yard, one-touchdown performance, we can put to rest any concerns about Chip Kelly’s offense being a success in the NFL and the impact Bryce Brown would have on Shady’s touches.
LeGarrette Blount, Patriots
Stevan Ridley was benched for bumbling (er, fumbling) and Shane Vereen is apparently out with a broken wrist. Blount looked very ordinary against the Bills this week (seven carries, 15 yards) but he just might be in the starting lineup in Week 2. I’m not calling it, but there is a chance.
Moving Down
David Wilson, Giants
The worst nightmare for Wilson owners came to fruition on Sunday night as he managed to lose two fumbles on his first seven carries, finding himself nailed to the bench. The Giants haven’t given up on him but that’s because they don’t have any other viable options. That is, until they sign one, which seems likely.
Lamar Miller, Dolphins
Another preseason breakout candidate flopped big time in Week 1 with Miller being limited to just three yards on 10 carries. No, that’s not a typo.
Montee Ball, Broncos
Dude’s going to get his turn at some point in his rookie season, but it looks like it’s going to be later than most of us expected. Even with Knowshon Moreno looking clearly average in a blowout win, Ball had only eight carries.
Shane Vereen, Patriots
Yet another blow to the Pats offense as Vereen (wrist surgery) has been placed on the IR / designated for return list which means he’s going to miss eight weeks. Given the Patriots have a bye in Week 10, he’s not likely to see the field until Week 11. It’s a shame as Vereen was one of two running backs (LeSean McCoy) to top the 100-yard rushing mark in Week 1.
Wide Receivers
Moving Up
Anquan Boldin, 49ers
Boldin led all receivers this week in targets (17), receptions (13) and yards (208). We all knew he was going to have a major role in the 49ers offense this season, but his output in Week 1 was ridiculous. Apparently he has something to prove to the Ravens, who shed his $6-million salary in exchange for a sixth-round pick. An angry Boldin is not a man to be messed with. Ask the Packers’ defensive backs.
Julian Edelman, Patriots
Turns out Edelman, not one of their prized (joking!) rookies, is the Patriots second best fantasy WR. He hauled in seven of his nine targets for 79 yards and a pair of scores. And with Danny Amendola nicked up after Week 1, Edelman has a shot to emerge as their leading receiver, at least until Rob Gronkowski returns.
Leonard Hankerson, Redskins
Could the light finally stay on for the Redskins’ 2011 third-round pick? Hankerson has plenty of talent but has been a tease during his first two years in the league. With the Redskins playing from behind this week, he managed five receptions for 80 yards and a pair of scores. Washington values Josh Morgan for his blocking but there is a decent chance Hankerson supplants him as a starter early in 2013.
Brian Hartline, Dolphins
I was ready to write him off as a fantasy backup, but Mike Wallace’s pout job and Hartline’s nine-reception (15 targets), 114-yard, one-touchdown performance puts him back on the map as a viable WR3 in 12-team leagues.
Jerome Simpson, Vikings
Seven receptions on eight targets for 140 yards. Just saying.
Marlon Brown, Ravens
Jacoby Jones is going to miss some times, the Ravens tight ends were awful and Torrey Smith just isn’t a target hog. Meet Marlon Brown, a 6’5”, 216-pound undrafted rookie free agent who had four receptions for 65 yards and a score this week against the Broncos. Sleeper? Or, sleeper no more?
Moving Down
Mike Wallace, Dolphins
Losah!!!!!!!!!!!! Whining and needing to be escorted off the field by the general manager that signed you to a five-year, $60-million contract after your new team won its first game of the year. Clueless.
Roddy White, Falcons
There were whispers late in the preseason that White’s ankle injury was worse than the Falcons were revealing, and his use as a decoy in Week 1 (two receptions, 19 yards) confirmed it. And then he totally let the cat of the bag by confirming that he has a high ankle sprain.
Kenbrell Thompkins, Patriots
The Patriots’ undrafted rookie free agent had the fourth most targets among wide receivers this week, but he hauled in just four receptions for 42 yards, blew a couple of routes and eased up on a throw to the end zone. Some guys need shades when the lights come on.
Tight Ends
Moving Up
Jared Cook, Rams
The Rams signed Cook to a massive contract this offseason and they had no intention of underutilizing him the way the Titans did during his first four years in the league. With Patrick Peterson taking away Chris Givens and with Yeremiah Bell ill-equipped to handle him, Cook caught seven passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately, he was stripped just before hitting the end zone on another play or he would have had another score. Cook is clearly poised to have a breakout season in St. Louis.
Julius Thomas, Broncos
Another athletic tight end arrived on the scene in Denver, where Thomas, a barely used 2011 fourth-round pick, had a career day with five receptions for 110 yards and a pair of scores. His performance reminded me of Dante Rosario’s three-touchdown opening day a number of years back, but Thomas looks like he will have more staying power. With all of the options in Denver, defenses will have to pick their poison, and Thomas isn’t a player than many linebackers and safeties will be able to handle.
Jordan Cameron, Browns; Kellen Winslow, Jets; Brandon Myers, Giants
Does it seem like it was the week of the tight end? All of these players had plenty of catches and plenty of targets, plus they found the end zone.
Moving Down
Ed Dickson, Ravens
It seems like I pile on Dickson early every year, so I might as well get it out of my system in 2013. With Dennis Pitta out long term, Dickson has an opportunity to earn a big role this season, but things started out poorly in Week 1 as he hauled in just one of his five targets for 13 yards. The four targets he failed to bring in were all catchable balls. Meanwhile, recently signed backup Dallas Clark caught seven of his 12 targets for 87 yards, although he failed to haul in an easy touchdown catch.
Zach Sudfeld, Patriots
Preseason starlet. Week 1 dud.
By: Thomas Casale — @ 1:28 am
Ravens – Broncos
It took about six seconds for Peyton Manning and Wes Welker to build chemistry together. Manning finished with an NFL-record-tying seven touchdown tosses, two going to Welker, who hauled in nine receptions in his Broncos debut. Welker should do just fine in his new system. Demaryius Thomas had a busy night. In the first half he wore No. 80 and went by Julius. In the second half he wore his usual No. 88 jersey and went back to Demaryius. As Julius, he caught five balls for 110 yards and two scores. As Demaryius he had five receptions for 161 yards and two touchdowns. His Julius persona will be one of the hottest waiver wire additions this week, but most of us appreciated him returning as Demaryius for the second half. For all the talk of the Broncos’ running back committee, Baltimore unveiled one of their own with Ray Rice getting 12 carries and Bernard Pierce getting nine. Rice did catch eight balls and score a touchdown to save his fantasy night. Rice is still a strong fantasy play because of his role as a receiver, but this is looking like an annoying situation for owners moving forward. I finally figured out Denver’s backfield situation. Don’t start any of their running backs right now. Sometimes fantasy football really is that easy.
 OC Todd Haley: Pittburgh’s offense has lost it’s mojo. Titans – Steelers
Steeler fans were wondering if Todd Haley could possibly ruin Pittsburgh’s offense any more than he did last year. They got their answer on Sunday. Some will point to the loss of Maurkice Pouncey, but that’s what we do for bad coaches; we make excuses. The bottom line is that Haley is one of the worst offensive minds in the history of the NFL and he has destroyed the Steelers’ attack. Ben Roethlisberger looks even more lost than he did last year. Pittsburgh can’t run the ball and its offense has no imagination. Other than Antonio Brown, and maybe Emmanuel Sanders in deeper leagues, there are few fantasy bright spots in the Steel City right now. As for Tennessee, Chris Johnson and Kenny Britt continue to frustrate fantasy owners. Perhaps it’s time for people to lower their expectations of these two, especially Britt, who is living off a few big games over his five years in the NFL. There’ll be better days for Johnson, but Britt will always be a tease.
Patriots – Bills
There were about 20 fantasy storylines in this game. Stevan Ridley fumbled twice and, to quote a line from Clemenza in The Godfather, “Won’t see him no more.” Ridley was benched in favor of Shane Vereen, who rushed for 101 yards and caught seven balls for 58 more yards. Things can change quickly in New England and just when it seemed like Vereen was the back to own, he goes under the knife and is expected to miss a couple weeks after wrist surgery. I drafted Julian Edelman as a flier in two leagues because I had a hunch that when games started for real, Tom Brady would throw to guys he trusted instead of inexperienced rookies. Finally, after 10 years, one of my hunches paid off. Danny Amendola led the way with 14 targets and 10 catches but he’s already dealing with a groin injury, so Edelman should be owned in all leagues now. The big story on Buffalo’s side was C.J. Spiller, who was outgained in yardage by Fred Jackson, 67-41. Spiller also lost a fumble. That’s not the debut owners who used a Top 10 pick on him wanted to see, but it’s a long season. Don’t panic…yet.
Falcons – Saints
What was expected to be a high-scoring affair turned out to be a rather boring game by Falcons–Saints standards. As usual, the Boy of Summer, Mark Ingram, did very little once the regular season started. It’s easy for coaches to say they want to get Ingram involved in June, but the bottom line is that once Sean Payton and Drew Brees get in the flow of calling a game, Ingram spends more time on the sidelines in favor of Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas. With Roddy White nursing a hamstring, Harry Douglas led the Flacons in receiving. He has some short-term fantasy value but only until White is 100 percent healthy again. Kenny Stills is a player on the rise. He will take over that Devery Henderson/Robert Meachem deep threat role in New Orleans. Meachem won’t resume that role because he’s a tomato can.
Buccaneers – Jets
Well, if you like ugly, this was the game for you. Actually, “ugly” describes the next four games on the list. There were five fumbles, eight sacks and two interceptions in this one. To be honest, those numbers were lower than I expected. Chris Ivory was an absolute non-factor for the Jets, rushing 10 times for 15 yards. Some people thought Ivory could be a RB2. He looks like a RB12. I can’t get Kellen Winslow out of my life. I feel like I drafted him back in 1995. He re-emerged yet again to become Geno Smith’s favorite target, catching seven passes for 79 yards and a score. He looks pretty good considering he’s 50. The Bucs’ offense was stymied all day long by Gang Green. Vincent Jackson picked up where he left off last year, but the fact that the rookie, Smith, looked better than Josh Freeman is a problem going forward.
Chiefs – Jaguars
Word on the street is that every major real estate agent in the Jacksonville area put out a call to Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater Monday morning. I don’t know if Bridgewater has ever been to Jacksonville but he may want to get familiar with the city. There was nothing good about Jacksonville’s offense on Sunday. Maurice Jones-Drew was shut down and Blaine Gabbert could barely throw a forward pass. Apparently the Jaguars had 178 yards of offense, but they must have started with 100 for that to be possible. Alex Smith looked solid in his first start, but he didn’t have to do much because Kansas City’s defense was doing most of the work. Jamaal Charles left the game with a quad injury but is expected to be fine. It was a tough game to judge the Chiefs’ offense on because their defense dominated from start to finish. It wasn’t hard to judge Jacksonville’s offense. It stinks.
Seahawks – Panthers
I tried to warn people about Mike Shula. I said, “Google Mike Shula.” Mike Shula ruins offenses. Don’t tell me Carolina was playing Seattle either. The Seahawks were without two of their top pass rushers and a starting corner. Still, Shula’s “offense” managed just 7 points and 259 total yards. Cam Newton threw for 125 yards and rushed for 38. That’s less than 200 total yards for those of you bad at math and who used a high draft pick on a Mike Shula quarterback. I’ll say it again: good offensive coaches produce strong fantasy numbers while poor offensive coaches produce poor offensive numbers. See Pittsburgh Steelers. Marshawn Lynch was held in check by a much improved Carolina front seven. Running backs won’t have easy days against the Panthers this season. Russell Wilson didn’t have a huge fantasy day, but he showed why he’s such a great quarterback by gutting out a road win. He’ll put up big numbers in the coming weeks.
Dolphins – Browns
Besides Jacksonville, the Browns may have had the worst offensive performance of the opening weekend. After showing signs of life in the preseason, Brandon Weeden was harassed all day long, and when he did have time to throw, it wasn’t pretty. Weeden was sacked six times and threw three interceptions. Trent Richardson had no holes the few times he actually was given the football. You really have to question the Browns’ play calling of 53 passes and 13 runs in a game that was close the entire way. If Norv Turner and Rob Chudzinski think Weeden is their ticket to winning, they’re wrong. The lone bright spot for the Browns was tight end Jordan Cameron, who hauled in nine passes for 108 yards. Lamar Miller had all the preseason love and rewarded owners by rushing 10 times for three yards in the opener. I keep trying to tell people that Miller has the vision of a blind man. He will be yet another example of preseason Internet hype gone wrong.
Vikings – Lions
This was an interesting game. The Lions did what they do; they threw the football. Matthew Stafford tossed it 43 times for 357 yards. However, Detroit was also able to run it a little bit with Reggie Bush, who had 21 carries for 90 yards. Joique Bell added 25 yards on six carries and also scored twice, drawing the ire of Bush owners. The good news though is that Bush also caught four passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. He is set to have a monster season even if Bell steals away some short scores. The Vikings are what they thought they were: Adrian Peterson and not much else. Peterson scored three times, but other than that, Jerome Simpson’s 140-yard receiving day was Minnesota’s only fantasy bright spot. Until the Vikings get better quarterback play, guys like Simpson, Greg Jennings, and Kyle Rudolph will frustrate fantasy owners with their inconsistency.
Raiders – Colts
Terrelle Pryor gave a jolt to a franchise that needed one on Sunday. He not only made plays with his feet but also kept his eyes down the field and made plays with his arm. Pryor is an intriguing fantasy option moving forward, especially if teams don’t stop him from running. Expect the better defenses he faces to force him to throw from the pocket, but I’ll let you in on a little secret: there aren’t many good defenses left in the NFL anymore. Pryor is a high-end QB2 at the moment. Whenever a team changes coordinators, it’s hard to know what to expect. Apparently, Pep Hamilton doesn’t like using tight ends or T.Y. Hilton. That’s an interesting offensive philosophy, considering Hilton is an exciting playmaker and the Colts have two talented tight ends. Hilton, Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener combined for five receptions and 47 yards on Sunday. I miss Bruce Arians already.
Bengals – Bears
I don’t know how to stop A.J. Green. I hope no one figures it out, because I own him in most of my leagues. I guess Giovani Bernard should stop averaging 5.5 yards per carry. After averaging 5.5 yards on his first four carries, Bernard never saw the ball again. See Gio, in Cincinnati they like you to average less than 2.0 yards per carry. That’s how guys like BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Cedric Benson get on the field there. If Marvin Lewis and Jay Gruden want to know why the Bengals can’t run the football, they should look in the mirror. Jay Cutler did a good job of spreading the ball around. Brandon Marshall saw 10 targets, Alshon Jeffery eight, while Matt Forte and Martellus Bennett each saw six. If Cutler continues to spread the ball around like that, the Bears’ offense will be fantasy friendly to people other than just owners of Marshall.
Cardinals – Rams
This game brought a tear to my eye because one of my draft strategies this year was to wait on a tight end and grab Jared Cook. Well, I got him in every league, so to say Week 1 worked out well is an understatement. Cook has been the most underutilized player in the NFL over the last two seasons and he showed why on Sunday. On the play where he fumbled going in for a score, Cook looked like a larger version of Usain Bolt running down the field. The guy is a beast. He’ll be a Top 5 fantasy TE in 2013. Neither the Rams nor the Cardinals could get anything going on the ground. I seriously doubt that will change much throughout the year. Andre Roberts is one of the most underrated receivers in the NFL. He had a solid season in 2012 with high school quarterbacks throwing him the ball. If you’re in a PPR league and need a receiver, go grab Roberts.
Packers – 49ers
If you need more proof that the preseason is meaningless, look no further than the 49ers. While Cleveland’s offense looked pretty good during the preseason, San Francisco didn’t do much of anything. Then when the lights came on for real, the Browns got squashed and San Fran unleashed its weapons. Colin Kaepernick, Anquan Boldin and Vernon Davis put on a show. It’s funny because Boldin only looks old when Cam Cameron is his offensive coordinator. Ever since Cameron was fired last year in Baltimore, Boldin hasn’t looked old anymore. Coincidently, the Ravens also went on a run and won the Super Bowl once Cameron was shown the door. For those of you who were worried that Kaepernick may be a one-year wonder, he looks like he’ll be OK. Jordy Nelson had a huge debut and Randall Cobb went over 100 yards on a meaningless final reception, but that’s only because I was playing against him last week. Eddie Lacy was the only Green Bay back who sniffed the ball. So much for that committee.
 Giant mess: David Wilson’s fantasy owners were hoping for more. Giants – Cowboys
If you’re a gambler, you should really bet the over every time the Cowboys and Giants play in Dallas. The two teams always put up a ton of points in the new stadium. Victor Cruz had a huge night and apparently dances even when his team is trailing by double-digits. So if the Giants were losing by 50, Cruz would still do that stupid salsa dance? He’s really all about the team, huh? The Giants actually had three 100-yard receivers, with Cruz, Hakeem Nicks and the emerging Rueben Randle. David Wilson had two fumbles and was benched. Expect the Giants to bring in a veteran this week and for Wilson’s fantasy value to take a hit. It was a tough night for Dez Bryant. He was held to 22 yards receiving and left briefly with an ankle injury. Dez started last season slowly, too, but owners who used a Top 20 draft pick on him will want better results fast. Although, Bryant has another tough matchup in Week 2 against a strong Chiefs secondary, so his owners could be getting itchy trigger fingers by this time next week.
Eagles – Redskins
Are you not entertained? After watching guys like Haley and Shula attempt to call an offensive game it was a pleasure to see someone like Chip Kelly show them how it’s done. Oh wait, Kelly’s offense won’t work in the NFL, right? Isn’t that what all of Ron Jaworski’s idiotic film study told us? Listen, if you know offense it usually works on any level and when coaches like Bill Belichick are traveling to Oregon to watch your team practice, you know offense. The Eagles exploded on the scene with the trio of Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson making fantasy owners jump out of their seats. They’ll be fun to watch all season unless you’re playing against them. It was a slow start for Robert Griffin III but he got things going in the second half. We have to cut RG3 some slack. He’s just been trying to get back on the field all summer. It may take a couple of games for Griffin to shake off the rust but he’ll be one of the top fantasy quarterbacks when it’s all said and done.
Texans – Chargers
It was a tale of two half for the Chargers and Texans. In the first half the Chargers’ offense looked unstoppable. In the second half it was the Texans that took over. To put Andre Johnson’s career in perspective, Monday night was the 19th time he had 10 or more catches in a game, the most ever by any receiver in NFL history. It’s going to be another huge fantasy year for AJ. It was nice to see Matt Schaub take a break from throwing to Johnson and Houston’s 12 tight ends to get DeAndre Hopkins involved. Hopkins will be one of the NFL’s top rookie and a strong WR3/flex play most weeks. Arian Foster still got 18 carries and while he was a little off, he looked good overall. Those leagues where Foster fell to Round 2 will be sorry. Once he gets a game or two under his belt, watch out. Ryan Mathews gained 33 yards on 13 carries. That comes out to 2.5 yards per carry, which is actually a good game for him on the ground. Antonio Gates caught two passes for 49 yards, which is a good game for him too, so it was a great fantasy night for Charger players overall.
By: Dave Stringer — August 29, 2013 @ 12:14 pm
 Even with additional weapons (Cook & Austin) Bradford remains a QB2. QB Sam Bradford
(2012 QB Rank – #19, 18.0 FPts/G)
Entering 2013, Rams quarterback Sam Bradford faces a pivotal year as he attempts to establish himself as an upper-tier quarterback. Hopes are high that Bradford, with a bevy of speed receivers and a second consecutive year under the tutelage of offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, will put together a career year in 2013. Of course, he will have to accomplish that without the services of Steven Jackson and Danny Amendola, both of whom departed in free agency, and Schottenheimer has never been mentioned as one of the league’s top offensive minds. Despite a leaky offensive and a cast of receivers that was among the league’s worst in 2012, Bradford set career highs with 3,702 passing yards and 21 touchdowns with just 13 interceptions. However, he threw for less than 200 yards five times and had just three 300-yard passing games. The lack of explosive games (partly caused by a lack of playmakers at the skill positions) caused him to finish the season as a mid-tier QB2, but he could be in for a breakout season in 2013. Rookie Tavon Austin offers plenty of potential at wide receiver, Chris Givens will look to establish himself as a big-play threat, and tight end Jared Cook is one of the league’s most athletic tight ends. If the Rams can get solid production from their running backs, Bradford could emerge as a low-end QB1. But that’s a lot of ifs. Consider Bradford a mid-tier QB2 once again this season.
RB Daryl Richardson
(2012 RB Rank – #51, 4.0 FPts/G; #46 PPR, 5.5 FPts/G)
A rookie seventh-round pick in 2012, Richardson got off to a fast start as Steven Jackson’s backup, racking up 451 rushing and 117 receiving yards over the Rams’ first 11 games. Then he crumbled like a cookie, with 16 rushes for 24 yards and eight receptions for 46 yards over the team’s final five games. The Abilene Christian product will enter 2013 as the Rams’ starting running back, but there are serious concerns whether his 5’10”, 196-pound frame is built to handle the lead role in St. Louis, or whether he would be best utilized as a change-of-pace back. While the speedy Richardson proved to be effective running outside the tackles, he struggled mightily once opposing defenses coordinators figured out he wasn’t much of an inside runner. However, with disappointing 2012 second-round pick Isaiah Pead and rookie fifth-round pick Zac Stacy as his only competition, Richardson has the starting role almost by default. We expect the Rams backfield to be a fantasy mess in 2013, with the hot hand getting the touches. Richardson rates as a low-end RB3.
RB Isaiah Pead
(2012 RB Rank – #126, 15.4 FPts/G; #126 PPR, 1.3 FPts/G)
Many felt the Rams finally addressed the backup running back spot behind Steven Jackson with the 2012 selection of Isaiah Pead in the second round of the draft. However, seventh-round pick Daryl Richardson stole that backup role and is expected to be given the first chance as the Rams starter in 2013. Pead rarely saw the field as a rookie, rushing just ten times for 54 yards and catching three passes for 16 yards. He didn’t endure himself to the Rams coaches with his lack of knowledge of the playbook, and then he was suspended for the opening game of the 2013 season for violating the league’s substance abuse policies. Looks like he has a lot of learning to do both on the field and off. While that might be the case, Richardson struggled at the end of the 2012 season and there are doubts that he can hold up as a starter. Don’t be surprised if Pead gets a shot in that role at some point in 2013, making him worth taking a flier on.
RB Zac Stacy
(2012 RB Rank – N/A)
The Rams used a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft to acquire Stacy, and he will be given an opportunity to earn a role in 2013. With neither Daryl Richardson nor Isaiah Pead having done much to establish themselves as consistent producers, Stacy could even earn the starting role at some point in his rookie season. While the 5’9”, 210-pound Vanderbilt product lacks upside because of his lack of speed and shiftiness, he was an effective inside runner in college, and neither Richardson nor Stacy have proven efficient in that role as pros. At worst, Stacy figures to get some yardage looks, so that makes him worthy of a late-round flier in your fantasy draft. Just don’t go mistaking opportunity for talent if you are thinking about grabbing Stacy in your dynasty league. He doesn’t have the feel of a long-time NFL starter even if he earns a few starts in 2013.
WR Tavon Austin
(2012 WR Rank – N/A)
With a lack of playmakers at the offensive skill positions and Danny Amendola having departed in free agency, St. Louis moved up in this year’s draft to select Austin with the eighth overall selection. The West Virginia product displayed outstanding playmaking ability during his collegiate career, effectively utilizing his shiftiness and 40 speed of 4.34, mainly working out of the slot. He will fulfill that role in St. Louis, and with quarterback Sam Bradford having shown an affinity for utilizing slot receivers, Austin could be a PPR demon in his rookie season. He figures to be a tough matchup out of the slot, with opposing defenses having to respect his blazing speed. Unfortunately, the Rams offense could struggle with no proven threat at running back and an offensive line that has been trouble for years. While that dampens our expectations for Austin in his rookie season, he is an outstanding dynasty league prospect and a player that should produce as a WR3 with upside in his rookie season.
WR Chris Givens
(2012 WR Rank – #52, 5.9 FPts/G; #58 PPR, 8.7 FPts/G)
The Rams hit a home run with the acquisition of Chris Givens with a fourth-round pick in the 2012 draft. The Wake Forest product used his blazing speed to emerge as St. Louis’s top receiving weapon, catching 42 passes for 698 yards and three touchdowns, with 689 of those yards and all three touchdowns coming in his last 12 games. At this point of his career, Givens is a less-established version of the Dolphins’ Mike Wallace but with plenty of upside. A one-trick pony for the first half of his rookie season, Givens was effectively used on intermediate routes over the latter part of 2012. In 2013, he may have even more room to operate due to the acquisitions of Tavon Austin and Jared Cook. Look for Givens to improve on his rookie season and make for a solid WR3 this year.
WR Austin Pettis
(2012 WR Rank – #82, 3.9 FPts/G; #81 PPR, 6.2 FPts/G)
Entering his third year in the league, Pettis figures to open the season in the Rams starting lineup for the first time in his career. A third-round pick out of Boise State in 2011, Pettis needs to beat out disappointing second-year player Brian Quick, but that appears to be a mere formality. Given that Pettis has averaged 9.1 yards per reception, he’s going to need plenty of targets to be a decent fantasy option. Unfortunately, he will rank as quarterback Sam Bradford’s fourth best receiving option behind Jared Cook, Chris Givens and rookie first-round pick Tavon Austin. Even though Pettis was a solid red zone option with four touchdowns on just 30 receptions last season, he isn’t worth owning in the majority of leagues.
WR Brian Quick
(2012 WR Rank – #111, 2.0 FPts/G; #121 PPR, 2.8 FPts/G)
After being taken with the first pick in the second round of the 2012 draft, Quick was a major disappointment as a rookie, catching just 11 of his 27 targets for 156 yards and one touchdown. After being targeted four times in Weeks 7 and 8, Quick became a forgotten man in the Rams offensive game plans. And that doesn’t figure to change in 2013. With the Rams taking Tavon Austin with the eighth selection in this year’s draft, Chris Givens locking down a starting spot after an impressive rookie season, and Jared Cook signing in free agency to start at tight end, Quick will need to beat out Austin Pettis to become the fourth best receiving option on the team. And offseason reports indicate that battle isn’t going Quick’s way. Quick isn’t even worth a late-round flier, and his dynasty prospects are sinking like a stone.
WR Stedman Bailey
(2012 WR Rank – N/A)
The Rams used a third-round pick to acquire Bailey in this year’s draft, and the expectation is that the West Virginia product will open the season buried deep on the team’s depth chart. Bailey lacks size at 5’10” and 195 pounds but has solid speed, having been clocked at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He will open the season fifth on the depth chart with a chance to unseat the disappointing Brian Quick. He rates as a lower-tier prospect in dynasty formats.
TE Jared Cook
(2012 TE Rank – #19, 5.9 FPts/G; #21 PPR, 9.3 FPts/G)
Even after a disappointing four-year run with Tennessee, Cook was one of the most sought after free agents on the market this offseason, signing a lucrative multi-year contract with the Rams. In St. Louis, he figures to be a key cog in an up-and-coming passing attack that has struggled to find a consistent big-play presence for years. Now, with Cook and wide receivers Chris Givens and Tavon Austin, the team now has the ability to line up plenty of speed across the board in the passing game. As the most proven of that trio, Cook figures to reach a career-high in targets (his previous was 81 during the 2011 season), after being underutilized in Tennessee. As well as being one of the fastest tight ends in the league, Cook has solid size at 6’5” and 248 pounds, so a career year seems to be in order in 2013. The question is whether he will blow away his previous production or merely take it a notch higher. Consider Cook a mid-tier TE1 with upside.
TE Lance Kendricks
(2012 TE Rank – #20, 4.7 FPts/G; #23 PPR, 7.4 FPts/G)
A second-round pick in the 2011 draft, Kendricks struggled as a rookie but showed marked improvement last season, catching 42 passes for 519 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games. However, a closer look revealed that outside of his four-reception, 119-yard, one-touchdown performance in Week 16 against the Buccaneers, Kendricks was only marginally productive, failing to top 50 receiving yards in any other game. The Rams upgraded the tight end position this offseason with the signing of former Titan Jared Cook, and that will move Kendricks to a backup role in 2013. His fantasy prospects are looking pretty dim.
By: Dave Stringer — August 26, 2013 @ 1:32 pm
QB Colin Kaepernick
(2012 QB Rank – #27, 15.6 FPts/G)
After taking over for a concussed Alex Smith in Week 10 against St. Louis, Kaepernick never relinquished the starting position, leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl loss to the Ravens. He established himself as a solid playmaking quarterback, capable of winning games both with his arm and his legs. Despite playing in the 49ers’ conservative offense, he topped 200 passing yards in six of his seven starts while throwing for ten touchdowns and three interceptions in those games. Even more impressive was his rushing ability, as he gained 415 yards with five touchdowns on just 63 carries. And that’s not counting the playoffs where he ran for a quarterback playoff record of 181 yards against the Packers in a Divisional Playoff win. Entering the offseason, Kaepernick appeared on the verge of being a top five fantasy QB, a prognosis that grew even more sound with the trade for wide receiver Anquan Boldin. Shortly after that, Michael Crabtree suffered a torn Achilles tendon that could cause him to miss all of the 2013 season. While that dampens Kaepernick’s outlook somewhat, he remains a solid option as a mid-tier QB1 for the upcoming season.
 Frank Gore: He keeps on ticking. RB Frank Gore
(2012 RB Rank – #11, 12.4 FPts/G; #10 PPR, 14.2 FPts/G)
Gore is like a Timex—he just keeps on ticking. There was little difference between his production in 2011 and 2012 other than one key area: receptions. He ran for just over 1,200 yards for the second year in a row. with eight rushing touchdowns, but he was more involved in the passing game in 2012, catching 28 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown. And that wasn’t just because Kendall Hunter missed five games due to injury, since Hunter caught only nine passes on the season. At 30 years of age, Gore is bound to hit the wall at some point, but it doesn’t appear this will be the season that occurs. He averaged a solid 4.7 yards per carry last year, although part of that was aided by running behind arguably the league’s best run-blocking offensive line. The bigger concern is whether the offensive game plans will call for Gore to approach the 286 touches he had last season. With Hunter back from injury and 2012 and second-round pick LaMichael James due for a larger role, the 49ers could limit Gore’s regular-season workload in order to keep him fresh for a playoff run. That would prevent him from hitting double-digit fantasy points in 14 of 19 games, which shows just how consistent he was in 2012. With so much talent surrounding him in the backfield, Gore should be considered a mid-tier RB2 with little upside in 2013.
RB Kendall Hunter
(2012 RB Rank – #58, 5.0 FPts/G; #60 PPR, 5.8 FPts/G)
It has been an interesting two-year run in the NFL for Hunter. After an impressive rookie season in which the 2011 fourth-round pick ran for 473 yards and two touchdowns while chipping in 195 receiving yards, the 49ers chose another smallish back in the 2012 draft to challenge him, using a second-round pick to acquire LaMichael James. Hunter not only held him off but was even more impressive, rushing for 371 yards in 11 games while averaging 5.2 yards per carry. Unfortunately, a ruptured Achilles tendon ended his season in Week 12. That was followed up with the 49ers drafting Marcus Lattimore in the fourth round of this year’s draft. While it doesn’t appear Hunter is in the 49ers’ plans as a starting option down the road, James has done little to warrant taking his backup job away, so Hunter should enter the season as Frank Gore’s main handcuff. With Gore hitting the magical age of 30, Hunter rates as a solid handcuff and one who could be worthy of flex consideration in larger leagues.
RB LaMichael James
(2012 RB Rank – #108, 3.9 FPts/G; #114 PPR, 4.6 FPts/G)
After playing in Oregon’s spread offense in college, James was expected to have a redshirt season in 2012 as a rookie second-round pick, playing behind Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter. And that’s exactly what happened, with James not even dressing until Hunter was lost for the season in Week 12. After that, James played reasonably well with 125 yards on 27 carries and three receptions for 29 yards. However, the backup job appears to be Hunter’s to lose in 2013, with all indications that James will need a great preseason to unseat him. That makes James nothing more than a late-round flyer in 2013 and a dubious one at that. In addition, his value in dynasty leagues took a hit with the fourth-round selection of Marcus Lattimore, further crowding the team’s backfield.
RB Anthony Dixon
(2012 RB Rank – #100, 2.5 FPts/G; #111 PPR, 2.5 FPts/G)
If there’s one thing you can say about Dixon, it’s that he’s a survivor. Despite seeing his production decline in each of the last two years after he ran for 237 yards and a pair of touchdowns as a rookie sixth-round pick in 2010, Dixon should hold on to a roster spot once again in 2013, provided rookie fourth-round pick Marcus Lattimore doesn’t make a miraculous recovery from his knee issues. While Dixon has done little, he is worth knowing about because both of Frank Gore’s main backups, LaMichael James and Kendall Hunter, lack the size necessary to handle major touches. If Gore goes down, Dixon could be a solid flex option as a short-yardage and close-out runner.
RB Marcus Lattimore
(2012 RB Rank – N/A)
The 49ers took a flier on Lattimore in the fourth round of this year’s draft even though he has little chance of playing in 2013 due to the horrific knee injury that ended his collegiate career. The South Carolina product would have otherwise been a first-round selection given his solid size, speed and athletic ability, and there is a chance he could take over for Frank Gore in the 49ers starting lineup at some point down the road. And it’s worth noting that San Francisco has some experience going this route, having acquired Gore in the 2005 draft despite his injury issues. Even though there are no assurances that Lattimore will fully recover, he is worth stashing on your dynasty league roster because of his potential.
WR Anquan Boldin
(2012 WR Rank – #31, 7.8 FPts/G; #30 PPR, 12.1 FPts/G)
The 49ers’ decision to acquire Boldin for just a sixth-round pick turned out to be a great move after the team lost Michael Crabtree to a torn Achilles tendon in May. That opens the door for Boldin to take over as the team’s lead wide receiver, but the question is how much gas the 32-year old Boldin has left in the tank. While he was lights out during the Ravens’ four-game march to a Super Bowl victory last season, he has failed to top 1,000 receiving yards over the past three seasons, despite being Baltimore’s leading receiver. And there are warning signals on the horizon. Even though he’s a possession receiver at this point in his career, he caught just 58 percent of his targets last season, hauling in 65 receptions for 921 yards and four touchdowns. However, since the 49ers have major issues on the wide receiver depth chart below him, Boldin is expected to have a major role in the team’s passing offense in 2013, along with tight end Vernon Davis. Consider Boldin a WR3 but one who is a bit risky and could be in line for an inconsistent season while facing the solid cornerbacks that reside in the NFC West.
WR Michael Crabtree
(2012 WR Rank – #15, 10.3 FPts/G; #15 PPR, 15.6 FPts/G)
In 2012, Crabtree finally showed the league that he was worthy of being the 10th overall pick in the 2009 draft. With a full training camp and solid play from his quarterback, Crabtree emerged as a true lead receiver, hauling in 85 of his 127 targets for 1,105 yards and nine touchdowns. That is impressive production considering San Francisco’s offense is based heavily on the run. Unfortunately, a torn Achilles tendon suffered in May cast a major cloud over Crabtree’s prognosis for the 2013 season. Rather than being a candidate to emerge as a WR1 for fantasy purposes, he is not expected to be available until mid-November. And by available, we mean available to begin practicing. Since a torn Achilles is a major issue for a wide receiver, we don’t see Crabtree being startable in any fantasy format in 2013. Consider stashing him in your dynasty league.
WR Mario Manningham
(2012 WR Rank – #76, 4.8 FPts/G; #73 PPR, 8.3 FPts/G)
While Manningham has more talent than he is given credit for, he made a major blunder when he signed with the 49ers prior to the 2012 season. Rather than being a key contributor as a backup with the Giants, he went to San Francisco in order to secure a starting position but ended up sharing that role with Randy Moss in a 49ers offense that relied heavily on the run game and rarely threw deep. Or not to Manningham, at least. Torn ACL and PCLs ended his season in Week 16 but by then he had done little, with just 42 receptions on 57 targets for 449 yards and a touchdown. While there is an opening for a larger role in 2013, with Michael Crabtree expected to miss much of the season with a torn Achilles tendon, Manningham’s slow recovery casts doubt on his ability to open the season in the starting lineup. He isn’t worth drafting but could be a worthwhile one-week fill-in if he can return to health early in 2013.
WR Austin Collie
(2012 WR Rank – N/A)
With a major hole in the depth chart at wide receiver, the 49ers signed Collie early in training camp and he will have an opportunity to carve out a role in the team’s passing attack in 2013. A torn patellar tendon ended his 2012 season in Week 1, and concussions have plagued him throughout his four-year career, although he did manage to remain healthy for 16 games in 2011. While Collie is just two years removed from a 2010 season in which he had 649 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in just nine games, we don’t expect him to put together a bounceback season in 2013. He fits best working out of the slot, and slot production just hasn’t been a major factor in San Francisco’s offense during Jim Harbaugh’s two years leading the team. Collie might be worth taking a flier on in deeper leagues, but that’s about it. And keep in mind that he isn’t even a lock to be on the 49ers opening-day roster.
WR Quinton Patton
(2012 WR Rank – N/A)
The 49ers used a fourth-round pick to acquire Patton and the plan was to relegate him to a minor role as a rookie. However, Michael Crabtree’s torn Achilles tendon, Mario Manningham’s slow recovery from a torn ACL, and the lack of development of 2012 first-round pick A.J. Jenkins have given Patton a path to playing time in 2013. The Louisiana Tech product has solid size and, provided he can learn the team’s playbook and show some dependability in the preseason, he has a decent chance to open the season in the starting lineup. With Jenkins looking like a bust and Manningham and Kyle Williams both coming off knee injuries, we won’t be all that surprised if Patton starts in Week 1. Of course, there is no telling if he can produce. Monitor the 49ers’ situation at wide receiver and consider grabbing Patton off the waiver wire early in 2013.
WR A.J. Jenkins
(2012 WR Rank – N/A)
Despite possessing a depth chart featuring Michael Crabtree, Mario Manningham, and Randy Moss, the 49ers used a 2012 first-round pick to acquire A.J. Jenkins. While he displayed excellent speed and playmaking ability at Illinois, he was considered a raw prospect, and that proved to be prophetic when he failed to catch a single pass during his rookie season. In fact, he barely played. With offseason reports indicating that Jenkins had done little to impress the 49ers brass despite Crabtree being out with a torn Achilles tendon, he got shipped off to Kansas City in exchange for Jonathan Baldwin. Perhaps the change in scenery will do him some good, but he won’t do any good for your fantasy team this year.
TE Vernon Davis
(2012 TE Rank – #15, 5.7 FPts/G; #20 PPR, 8.4 FPts/G)
Is this the year Davis reemerges as an upper-tier fantasy TE? After a monster year in 2009 with 965 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, Davis once again topped 900 receiving yards in 2010 while scoring seven touchdowns. Since then, he has been a major disappointment; especially last season when he hauled in just 41 passes for 548 yards and five touchdowns. With Colin Kaepernick taking over for Alex Smith at quarterback in Week 9, Davis went AWOL from the 49ers offense. He was targeted just 12 times over a six-game stretch from Weeks 12 to 17, catching six passes for 61 yards and no touchdowns. The good news is that he topped 100 receiving yards in both of the 49ers’ playoff games, and he should figure prominently in the team’s passing attack in 2013 with wide receiver Michael Crabtree expected to miss most of the season with a torn Achilles tendon. Anquan Boldin will help fill the void left by Crabtree’s injury, but he is no longer a true No. 1 receiver and the team lacks quality depth behind him. Add it all up and Davis should be line for a solid season in 2013. Just remember that we’ve said that before.
By: Dave Stringer — August 24, 2013 @ 1:51 pm
QB Russell Wilson
(2012 QB Rank – #11, 20.8 FPts/G)
You would have to look pretty hard to find a bigger steal than Wilson in the 2012 rookie draft. Taken in the third round, the Wisconsin product quickly ascended the depth chart and by opening day had beat out both Matt Flynn and Tarvaris Jackson to become the Seahawks starter. With the team’s coaching staff keeping the offensive game plan heavily run-based early in the season, Wilson failed to eclipse 160 passing yards in his first four starts. After that, the chains came off somewhat, with Wilson averaging 23.3 PPG over his remaining 12 regular-season games. However, it’s his final five starts, including two playoff games, that have the fantasy landscape abuzz. Despite attempting just 125 passes in those games (completing a nifty 83 of them), Wilson averaged 31.3 PPG on the strength of nine touchdown passes, 306 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. The question is whether he can produce that way over an entire season. While Wilson rates as a lower-tier QB1, expecting him to average 61 rushing yards and a touchdown per game (his averages over his final five games) isn’t realistic. And he is also unlikely to approach 4,000 receiving yards given that he had just two regular-season games with over 250 passing yards and the highly anticipated arrival of Percy Harvin will have to wait until late in the 2013 season. There is nothing wrong with liking Wilson. Just don’t reach too high for him.
 Mr. Skittles is primed for another big fantasy season. RB Marshawn Lynch
(2012 RB Rank – #4, 15.7 FPts/G; #5 PPR, 17.1 FPts/G)
Over the last two seasons, Lynch has emerged as one of the league’s most consistently productive running backs. After rushing for 1,204 yards and 12 touchdowns during his first full season in Seattle in 2011, he followed that up with a 1,590-yard, 11-touchdown season. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is clearly sold on the importance of a heavy rushing attack and on the benefits of giving Lynch a major role in that effort (his 348 touches last season were a career high). Lynch reached double-digit fantasy points in 13 of the Seahawks’ 18 games (counting two playoff contests) in 2012, and he had nine points in three other games. Furthermore, he’s hit double digits in 23 of the Seahawks’ last 30 games. The Beast shows up every week, and with 25 touchdowns in his last 28 games, he usually finds the end zone. Lynch seems to have put some major character concerns to rest, and that solidifies his position as a top five fantasy RB, even though the team now has a pair of talented players behind him on the depth chart.
RB Christine Michael
(2012 RB Rank – N/A)
Despite some rather material character concerns, as well as injury issues, the Seahawks used a second-round pick in this year’s draft to acquire Michael. Of course, when your roster lacks any real major holes, you can afford to grab a high-upside player like Michael. At least that is the party line in Seattle. At 5’11” and 220 pounds, Michael has the size, along with solid speed, to eventually take over for Marshawn Lynch as the Seahawks’ leading rusher. While Michael has the potential to be an explosive player, he doesn’t have a clear path to playing time as a rookie. Lynch is locked in as the team’s starter and the team was also pleased with the play of second-year back Robert Turbin during his rookie season in 2011. That means Michael will need to first unseat Turbin to have any fantasy value at all in redraft formats. We like the chances of that happening at some point in 2013, if not by opening day. Lynch’s owners need to monitor that battle, and dynasty leaguers should consider Michael a solid prospect with the chance of being in the Seahawks’ starting lineup by 2015.
RB Robert Turbin
(2012 RB Rank – #59, 3.6 FPts/G; #55 PPR, 4.8 FPts/G)
Taken in the fourth round of last year’s draft, Turbin quickly solidified the backup running back position behind Marshawn Lynch. Using his solid size (5’10”, 222 yards), Turbin rushed for 354 yards (at 4.4 yards per carry) and had 181 receiving yards (9.5 yards per reception), with a 100-yard rushing performance against the Cardinals in Week 14. Unfortunately for him, Seattle added rookie second-round pick Christine Michael to their depth chart at running back. While Turbin has the ability to have a lengthy NFL career, his talents are no match for those of Michael. Turbin may hold him off early in 2013, but we expect Michael to emerge as Lynch’s top backup at some point this season.
WR Sidney Rice
(2012 WR Rank – #29, 7.3 FPts/G; #36 PPR, 10.5 FPts/G)
The good news is that in 2012 the Seahawks began to get some return on their five-year, $41-million investment in Rice. The bad news is that it wasn’t exactly the type of return they were hoping for. After appearing in just nine games his first year in Seattle, Rice was healthy for all of last season but was a bit of a disappointment with just 50 receptions for 748 yards and seven touchdowns. While the touchdown count was nice, he simply isn’t a lead receiver at this point of his career. He had just four games with more than 60 receiving yards, and upper-tier cornerbacks can neutralize him. While Rice’s solid size (6’4”, 202 pounds) make him an enticing red zone target, we don’t anticipate him once again averaging a touchdown every 7.1 receptions. If he regresses to his pre-2012 form of one touchdown for every 8.9 receptions, Rice will rate as a lower-tier WR5 in 12-team leagues. And a risky, injury-prone, inconsistent one at that. The talent is there, just don’t reach for it.
WR Golden Tate
(2012 WR Rank – #35, 7.5 FPts/G; #41 PPR, 10.5 FPts/G)
After a pair of disappointing seasons to open his career, Tate came on strong in 2012, finishing the year with career highs in every receiving category. Although he caught an impressive 45 of his 67 targets for 688 yards and a healthy seven touchdowns, the Seahawks hedged their bets by trading with the Vikings to acquire Percy Harvin. However, with Harvin undergoing hip surgery in the preseason, Tate will return to the starting lineup. And we expect even more improvement and big plays from him. The one area where Tate could continue to improve is with his consistency (he had six games with less than five PPG), and offseason reports indicate that he has been the team’s most consistent performer at wide receiver. With fellow starter Sidney Rice experiencing knee issues, it won’t be a surprise if Tate once again leads the Seahawks in receiving yards. However, that doesn’t make him a great breakout candidate, considering Seattle’s heavy run-to-pass ratio. Consider Tate a low-end WR3 or, better yet, a high-end WR4 this season, but remember that he could lose his spot in the starting lineup when Harvin returns.
WR Doug Baldwin
(2012 WR Rank – #80, 3.9 FPts/G; #79 PPR, 6.0 FPts/G)
If you’re looking for the poster boy for sophomore slumps, we present Doug Baldwin. As a rookie undrafted free agent out of Stanford, Baldwin wasn’t on anybody’s fantasy roster entering 2011, but he managed to carve out a solid role in the Seahawks offense, hauling in 51 of his 85 targets for 788 yards and four touchdowns. However, his production plummeted to just 29 receptions for 366 yards and three touchdowns in 2012, despite his having played in 14 games. Golden Tate surpassed Baldwin on the depth chart, and with Sidney Rice appearing in all 16 games (he missed seven contests in 2011), Baldwin saw his role shrink. Although free-agent signee Percy Harvin will be out most or all of the 2013 season, that just puts Baldwin in the same place he was last year—stuck behind Rice, Tate and tight end Zach Miller. That increases the odds that he will more likely replicate his 2012 production and not his rookie production of 2013. He is waiver-wire material.
WR Percy Harvin
(2012 WR Rank – #43, 11.3 FPts/G; #39 PPR, 18.1 FPts/G)
Unable to agree on a long-term contract extension with Minnesota, Harvin was traded to Seattle during the offseason. Expected to be the Seahawks lead wide receiver and bring a dynamic playmaking dimension to the passing offense, he will instead miss much of the season after undergoing hip surgery early in training camp. While the prognosis for Harvin’s recovery from the surgery is good, his fantasy prospects for this season are not. He is not expected to return to the active roster until late in the year, with Seattle hoping to have him available for the stretch run to the playoffs. That puts fantasy owners in a major bind. If he returns late in the season, can you trust him in your starting lineup? Remember, this is his first year in Seattle and his first year with a new quarterback. Unless your league’s rosters are deep or you can stash him on injured reserve, Harvin isn’t worth owning in redraft formats.
TE Zach Miller
(2012 TE Rank – #29, 3.6 FPts/G; #30 PPR, 6.0 FPts/G)
Two years into the lucrative five-year contract he signed to join the Seahawks, it is safe to conclude that Miller has not lived up to his salary. After averaging 756 receiving yards during his final three seasons in Oakland, Miller has had seasons with 233 and 396 receiving yards with the Seahawks. Looks like he is earning his paycheck as a blocker. While his usage went up last season (53 targets, compared to 44 in 2011) and he had an eight-reception, 142-yard, one-touchdown performance in the Seahawks’ playoff loss to the Falcons, we’re not excited by his 2013 prospects. He did catch three touchdowns in his last six games last season (including two playoff games), but those are the only touchdowns of his Seahawks career. Miller is a low-end TE2 with little upside.
By: Dave Stringer — August 23, 2013 @ 12:39 pm
 Target Carson Palmer in the late rounds. A good QB2 with upside. QB Carson Palmer
(2012 QB Rank – #16, 19.9 FPts/G)
Buyer beware. Palmer regularly gets lukewarm reviews as a fantasy QB, but he deserves more credit than he gets in that his arm isn’t nearly as bad as it is made out to be. Sure, elbow surgery has taken some zip off of his passes, especially his deep throws, but there are plenty of quarterbacks who have worse arm strength than Palmer. Despite having to play with a group of Raiders receivers that was among the worst in the league last season, Palmer threw for more than 4,000 yards for the third time in his career, with 22 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. And that was despite missing almost two full games. In Arizona he gets a full set of receiving options in the form of Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, Andre Roberts and Robert Housler and an opportunity to operate new head coach Bruce Arians’ downfield passing attack. There is some risk to drafting Palmer since his poor mobility is a bad fit playing behind a suspect Cardinals offensive line. Since Palmer finished last season as the 16th-ranked quarterback despite a lack of receiving talent, consider that his floor for 2013. Safely grab him as your QB2 and don’t be shocked if he is surprisingly productive.
RB Rashard Mendenhall
(2012 RB Rank – #83, 5.1 FPts/G; #84 PPR, 6.6 FPts/G)
He ain’t sexy, he’s Rashard Mendenhall. Insert collective yawn. A first-round pick of the Steelers in 2008, Mendenhall has failed to live up to his draft status. Even in 2010 when he ran for 1,274 yards and 13 touchdowns, he averaged a paltry 3.9 yards per carry, proving volume can make up for a lack of talent. A torn ACL late in the 2011 season limited Mendenhall’s production last season, as he carried the ball just 51 times for 182 yards and no touchdowns. Even more unimpressive is that he lost his job to a pair of middling talents in Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman. However, he gets another chance in 2013, signed by the Cardinals in the offseason to a make-it contract and reunited with former Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, now Arizona’s head coach. Even though the Cardinals have a crowded depth chart, it is populated by the unimpressive and injury-prone Ryan Williams and a pair of rookies in Stepfan Taylor and Andre Ellington. With Arians’ preference for using one back in a workhorse role, Mendenhall appears to be the first man up. Since the Cardinals offense can’t be any worse than it was last season and since Mendenhall is a solid short-yardage runner, he should be considered a mid-tier RB3 with upside in 2013.
RB Ryan Williams
(2012 RB Rank – #96, 4.2 FPts/G; #99 PPR, 5.6 FPts/G)
Two years into his career, Williams has done exactly nothing to justify the Cardinals having used a second-round pick to acquire him in the 2011 draft. A torn patella tendon caused him to miss his entire rookie campaign, and he missed 11 games last season because of a shoulder injury. And when Williams did play, he was awful, averaging just 2.8 yards per carry and failing to find the end zone on 58 carries. Rashard Mendenhall has replaced Beanie Wells as the Cardinals’ starter at running back, but Williams has almost no chance of unseating him by opening day. That’s because he has missed time with a knee injury, further frustrating the coaches. With new management and a new coaching staff, Williams’ draft status will do nothing to enhance his chances of making the team. While plenty of pundits consider him a potential starter and sleeper candidate at running back, it won’t be a surprise if he finds himself on the street on opening day, provided rookies Stepfan Taylor and Andre Ellington play reasonably well in the preseason. Even if Williams sticks, he will likely be relegated to a backup, pass-receiving role behind Mendenhall.
RB Stepfan Taylor
(2012 RB Rank – N/A)
Taken in the fifth round of this year’s draft, Taylor joins a crowded Cardinals backfield that faces much uncertainty entering the season. Starter Rashard Mendenhall is coming off a pair of injury-plagued seasons, as is top backup Ryan Williams. Fellow rookie Andre Ellington needs to prove his worth as a receiving, chance-of-pace option, while Taylor has more size and could emerge as a player capable of fulfilling a more full-time role. The 5’9”, 214-pound Stanford product will need to have an impressive preseason to unseat Williams and challenge Mendenhall. While the opportunity is solid, Taylor’s upside isn’t. He lacks speed and agility and doesn’t have the size necessary to thrive as a short-yardage runner. However, with Williams struggling in the preseason, Taylor is definitely worthy of being owned in standard leagues. He is also a decent dynasty prospect, but you get the feeling that Arizona would add to its backfield stable if Mendenhall doesn’t produce in 2013.
RB Andre Ellington
(2012 RB Rank – N/A)
The Cardinals drafted a pair of running backs this offseason, with Ellington being taken in the sixth round. While fifth-round pick Stepfan Taylor has more size, Ellington, at 5’9” and 199 pounds, will likely battle Ryan Williams to become the team’s change-of-pace and receiving back. While Williams has struggled with injuries both in the past and during training camp, Ellington hasn’t been able to take advantage of his absence because of a concussion. The Clemson product possesses solid speed and playmaking ability, but his use in 2013 likely depends on just how fed up the Cardinals are with Williams’ injuries and lack of productivity. That makes Ellington waiver-wire material in redraft leagues but a player to keep your eye on. He is also a decent prospect in dynasty formats.
WR Larry Fitzgerald
(2012 WR Rank – #42, 6.5 FPts/G; #33 PPR, 10.9 FPts/G)
You would be hard-pressed to find a player who remained healthy for 16 games and was a bigger fantasy disappointment than Fitzgerald. Just don’t go blaming him for that. Despite possessing some of the best hands in the league to go along with his 6’3” and 218-pound frame and excellent leaping ability, he caught just 45.5 percent of his targets in 2012. Blame that on the shoddy play of the Cardinals quarterbacks. Fitzgerald finished the season with just 71 receptions (the third lowest of his nine-year career) for 798 yards (the second lowest total of his career) and four touchdowns (a career low). Ouch. Want more ugly? He caught just six of his 37 targets during a four-game stretch from Week 11 to Week 14. He had nine games with four receptions or less. He failed to top 50 receiving yards eight times. Not pretty, but things are looking brighter for 2013 with Carson Palmer now heading up new head coach Bruce Arians’ downfield passing attack. While Palmer isn’t a world-beater at this point of his career, he is light years better than the quarterbacks employed by Arizona in 2012. Can you say bounceback? Consider the 29-year old Fitzgerald a low-end WR1 for the coming season.
WR Michael Floyd
(2012 WR Rank – #68, 4.5 FPts/G; #65 PPR, 7.5 FPts/G)
Stuck behind Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Roberts on the depth chart, Floyd struggled for much of his rookie season, finishing the year with modest totals of 45 receptions for 562 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Cardinals’ 2012 first-round pick was used sparingly for the first half of the season (just 18 targets over the first seven games) and failed to provide many big plays when given more of an opportunity over the second half of the season (outside of an eight-reception, 166-yard, one-touchdown performance in Week 17 against the 49ers). Floyd had more than 50 receiving yards just twice, but the Cardinals envision a much bigger role for him in 2013. He is expected to unseat Roberts in the starting lineup, and with Carson Palmer now at quarterback, he is primed for major improvement. The issue is how much. Given his solid speed and size (6’3”, 225 lbs.), Floyd rates as a potential breakout candidate; but it appears the odds are against that happening. Consider him a solid WR4 with major upside in 2013.
WR Andre Roberts
(2012 WR Rank – #39, 7.3 FPts/G; #34 PPR, 11.5 FPts/G)
Last season, the fantasy football world penciled in first-round pick Michael Floyd to take over as Arizona’s starting wide receiver opposite Larry Fitzgerald, but Roberts had other ideas. The Cardinals’ 2010 third-round pick continued to steadily improve, finishing the season with 64 receptions for 759 yards and five touchdowns, marking the third consecutive season that his production had increased in the major receiving categories. At 5’11” and 195 pounds, Roberts lacks Floyd’s upside, but his solid play in 2012 ensures that he will continue to have a large role in Arizona’s offense. The question is whether he can once again relegate Floyd to a secondary role. Given Floyd’s upside, we don’t like the chances of that happening. Even worse is that the Cardinals are experimenting with cornerback Patrick Peterson as a receiving option. While Roberts will continue to have a role in Arizona’s offense as a slot receiver, he is unlikely to approach the 114 targets he had last season. He rates as a low-end WR5.
TE Robert Housler
(2012 TE Rank – #38, 3.2 FPts/G; #31 PPR, 6.7 FPts/G)
Housler earned a spot in the Cardinals’ starting lineup during his second year in the league but failed to establish himself as a solid fantasy producer. The Cardinals’ 2011 third-round pick finished the season with just 45 receptions for 417 yards while failing to find the end zone in 15 games. The good news is that he caught an impressive 66.2 percent of his passes, a solid feat considering the play of the team’s quarterbacks in 2012. The bad news is that the offensive line remains a work in progress, which could contribute to Housler being used in a blocking role—and this guy named Larry Fitzgerald is a pretty darn good option in the red zone. However, with his solid speed and agility and with Bruce Arians’ downfield passing attack now in Arizona and being led by Carson Palmer, Housler is a potential breakout candidate at TE. We like him better as an upper-tier TE2, but don’t feel too badly if you have to use him as a starter in 2013.
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