I think I am in four leagues this year. I can’t remember. But I do know my football and I have fantasy advice to share. After some hits and misses from last year’s suggestion box, let’s see how this one goes.
These suggestions are just that. I can’t guarantee victory for any of you, but hey, I’ll share what I know.
1 – QB in first round last year was encouraged, but not this year.
Getting a solid running back first and possibly a great tight end is a bigger priority. If you wait four or five rounds, you still have a chance to grab Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford, Andrew Luck, Eli Manning and maybe Robert Griffin III. Trust me, you want to get the harder to come by elite running backs early. It’d be nice to have Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers. But if you don’t have to get them early, then you can wait.
On a side note, Colin Kaepernick is the most intriguing quarterback out there. He has a ton of fantasy potential with his arm and legs. But with so little receiver experience, can he be that explosive? I think he can, but don’t draft him too high. If he falls to you in the third round, then go ahead. But not too early.
2 – Handcuffing is good.
It’s great to have an elite back, but please consider handcuffing their backup. Arian Foster has been battling injuries all preseason. Who knows if Ray Rice’s workload could lessen? What if Alfred Morris gets hurt? Time to look at their backups and consider giving them a look in the later rounds. Don’t be afraid to get a rookie like Gio Bernard. He could get a bulk of the yards while BenJarvus Green-Ellis vultures the touchdowns.
3 – Good tight ends are hard to come by.
Jimmy Graham is the top tight end in fantasy. If you can nab him in the third round, you are good. But if not, then it gets a little tougher. Rob Gronkowski is a maybe with his offseason surgery, but is still effective. He could come cheap. Vernon Davis, Jason Witten are also solid guys that could fall in the sixth or seventh round. My best bet is that if you can’t get any of those guys, just wait. It’s hard for me to predict any other tight end that could have a serious impact on the team at an elite level. But keep your eyes open for the projected starters and see how the rest of your draft room goes.
4 – Larry Fitzgerald gaining value?
Last year I warned about Larry Fitzgerald having little value due to his quarterback situation. This year, it has improved with Carson Palmer. I am not saying Fitzgerald will put up great numbers, but it will clearly be a lot better than last year. He’s good to go.
5 – CJ2K will be CJ1.5K.
I think Chris Johnson will have a great year and gain a lot of yards. No particular reason why, just a hunch.
6 – Bye weeks and suspensions.
Remember to draft with bye weeks in mind. And when it comes to suspensions, I am putting stock in Justin Blackmon to be really effective after his four games are up.
7 – Consider teams that have high sack or interception totals from last year.
For defenses, those are what I look for. If they get a lot of sacks or known to force turnovers a lot, then that’s the team you want. Seattle, San Francisco are the top two teams and I would recommend that you try to get them. If not, Houston is always a solid choice and possibly Atlanta and Chicago.
8 – Injuries and more injuries.
This offseason blows. Everyone is hurt. This is where your research needs to come into play. Don’t be surprised Jeremy Maclin is still available in the 10th round. There is a reason. Check depth charts for teams and make sure that who you are drafting is in a good position to get playing time due to a teammate’s injury. This offseason has opened up a lot of doors this year.
9 – Denver.
I am hopping onto this fantasy bandwagon. Peyton Manning, Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Wes Welker. That’s a lot of good potential there. And let’s not forget that the rotation at running back might open up the passing game for this team. I expect a lot of scoring chances for this team. And with Von Miller out the first six games, maybe the Broncos have to pass a lot more.
10 – Have fun.
Just enjoy! Seriously, have some fun.