What to do with Dez, Demaryius and Hopkins

So as we wind down towards the end of the pre-season let's look at one topic that will be of interest to most fantasy owners... what to do with Dez, Demaryius and Hopkins.  These are three of the most elite wide receivers in the game today and yet they are riddled with question marks.  Dez now has to rely on rookie QB Dak Prescott (who he caught 2 TD's from during the pre-season).  Demaryius goes from hall of famer Peyton Manning to 7th round flier Trevor Simien.  And Hopkins is working with first time QB in Houston Brock Osweiler.  Let's just break it down and take it from there.

Rob Gronkowski: Player Profile

Rob Gronkowski.  Sometimes that's all you need to say when talking about fantasy football excitement.  Unfortunately we have not moved on from his 2011 season and him being drafted in the first round is based solely on that production.  When it comes to Sunday afternoon and looking for someone to get excited about, look no further than big Gronk, but if you are looking for the ideal scenario for your team, I suggest passing on the TE in the first round.

James White: Player Profile

With the breaking news today about Dion Lewis we find ourselves scrambling to find an alternative situation.  Look no further than the guy filling in behind him.  James White made quite the name for himself in 2015 filling in for the injured Lewis, so much so that he found himself inside the top-15 PPR running backs in the final half of last season.

Draft This Guy Or That Guy?

As we walk through this draft day journey year in and year out I find the biggest decisions are found between those first four rounds.  The decisions seem simple on the surface, but have quite the impact.  For me it comes down to a few players that I have to decide between and in this piece I am going to work through them and highlight who I am ultimately choosing.

Pre-draft Player Nuggets

As we approach our draft day it's always beneficial to find a few informational nuggets that help sway you between two players.  I have admittedly flipped a coin in the past and let's just say it didn't go well (Landed on taking Charles Johnson over Allen Robinson).  So what I'll do today is share some statistical info that may open (or shut) your eyes on a few fantasy darlings in 2016.

WR Sleepers: August 15th Edition

We are right around the corner from those moments in our fantasy drafts the make us wish we had a crystal ball.  Sitting there in the 9th round wondering if you're going to break down and take Denver's defense because there are no names jumping out at you.  I will continue to put together a list of some of these names that may help when that time comes.  I refuse to let any of my readers settle for a defense when there is prime value staring you in the face.

Podcast Episodes

iTunes Podcast Link

Newest Episode:  #16 (September 17, 2016)

RB Sleepers: August 11th edition

With the second installment of this sleeper piece we are just going to focus on 2016, as opposed to comparing the players to their 2015 counterparts.  Again, Sleepers to me are those players you draft that will outplay their value.  It is not necessarily a player you have to draft after round 10.  I'll always say the draft won't make or break your season, but finding these values will certainly put you in the driver's seat during the tumultuous regular season of fantasy football.

Mock Drafts: 12-Team PPR (#4 spot)

12 Team PPR Mock Draft (#4 spot)

Mock Drafts: 12-Team PPR (#2 spot)

12-Team PPR Mock Draft (#2 spot)

Derek Carr: Player Profile

Derek Carr: QB1 Upside

The next few minutes of reading will be my attempt to show you how valuable a commodity Carr can be for the depth of your fantasy team.  Allowing you to focus elsewhere earlier in the draft and still land strong QB play is the strategy here.  First, let’s look at the young quarterback’s progression over his first two seasons and what may be in store for 2016.

Blake Bortles Without Regression

No one is giving Blake Bortles a chance of repeating his  stellar sophomore season, and it is driving me crazy.  I have read all the intricate statistics showing how fortunate Bortles was to throw for 35 touchdowns: his high number of attempts inside the five yard line, the percentage of his team's touchdowns he was responsible for, how far behind the Jaguars were in most games, the color of the mascot's shoes on the third day before a holiday, and everything in between. I get all that, I really do.  What doesn't get said, however, is that Blake Bortles is a professional athlete on a professional football team. Maybe we should give him the benefit of the doubt before we tell him what he can't do, especially when he’s already done the things we say he can't do.

Quick Hit: Adam Gase RB Usage

A lot of news circulating the past few days about Arian Foster looking amazing in Dolphins camp and the idea that Adam Gase wants to use him as a feature back. Some things have shaded the fact that Gase absolutely loves a featured back.  Let's look back over the previous three years and how Gase used his running backs and just see how valuable Foster might be at the beginning of the season in 2016.

Tom Brady: Player Profile

Perhaps the greatest quarterback in NFL history will find himself watching the first four games of the season in a similar fashion as you and I, from his couch.  The question in our fake football world now turns to how we should handle quantifying his production in twelve games with what that value will cost us in drafts.  It is a fair assessment and I've got a few ideas of what to do.