NFC Fantasy Preseason Position Battles – Fantasy Football Fallout

Trashman BylineThe preseason is close to being over as the all-important third week arrives, but we still have a lot of questions about who is going to be worth drafting in fantasy over the next guy. Some outlooks are clearer than others, but all of them bear scrutiny. These are the latest NFC position battles worth monitoring:

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Joseph Randle v. Darren McFadden v. Lance Dunbar: Dallas seems happy to have a committee in the backfield, and why wouldn’t they be with that o-line? That being said, Randle is being drafted several rounds higher before anyone even considers McFadden – and Dunbar remains largely undrafted in redraft leagues. Will there be a significant difference in their performances, though? The answer is probably yes. Though Randle isn’t more talented than McFadden once was, Randle’s less likely to fall apart physically on any given play. McFadden is already showing signs of wear and we’re still in the preseason. So is Randle to an extent – but we haven’t seen the nagging kind of injuries that have kept McFadden from reaching his potential over the years. Dunbar is a specialized player, and he won’t threaten Randle when McFadden goes down. By most indications, it’s going to be Randle’s backfield eventually.

 

Joique Bell v. Ameer Abdullah: Abdullah’s ADP is rising faster than his star, leaving Bell to wallow in fantasy obscurity for the time being. This could work in the shrewd fantasy player’s favor though. Yes, Abdullah will be good and we love him, but Joique is going to be more than serviceable should he remain healthy. What’s more is that Bell, until we see otherwise, is going to be the goal-line back in Detroit. Jim Caldwell intends to run the football more in 2015 and make Detroit’s offense less dependent on Stafford’s arm. Furthermore, Caldwell told reporters last week “we fully expect “Bell” to come back and be what he was last year for us and that was a bell cow.” Let someone else draft Abdullah in the early rounds, unless you’re so in love with him that you can’t stand to see him on another owner’s roster. We’d certainly undertand. I’d rather take Bell as my 4th RB, and then reap the rewards when he puts up RB2 numbers.

 

Ty Montgomery v. Jeff Janis: Up until a day or so ago, it was all but confirmed that Montgomery would be the third WR in the highly esteemed Packers offense. Aaron Rodgers has since claimed that it’s still up for grabs. This may just be conjecture, but Janis hasn’t lost this race until it comes from the captain’s mouth. Montgomery is the player I’d rather own, but if he’s gone in your league, or you miss out on drafting him, it doesn’t seem like too terrible an idea to take a late, late flier on Janis. The upside is worth the minimal risk in snatching him before you take a kicker.

 

Charles Johnson v. Mike Wallace: This is more a fantasy position battle than an on field one, but the question remains: Is Wallace the 1A to Johnson’s 1B, or is it the other way around? Does it matter? It does when you can get one a round later than the other, and right now Wallace is the cheaper player. I’ve loved Johnson since he came into the league as a Brown with his range and his speed, but it wasn’t too long ago that Wallace was considered a borderline-elite fantasy WR. He still has the lightning speed that frightened DBs and made QBs hearts beat faster, and he is attached to the best arm he’s had since his halcyon days in Pittsburgh. I do still like Johnson, but we’ve seen Wallace’s ceiling, and it’s plenty high.

 

DeVonta Freeman v. Tevin Coleman: We thought that Freeman was the future when he came to Atlanta last year, but he never got a shot to run with the job. We had high hopes for him this year too, but then the Falcons drafted Coleman. Coleman will get his share of the load eventually, but we still like Freeman to start the season getting the bulk of carries, and he’ll continue to have a major role throughout. Fortunately, both players can be had late enough in drafts that you can draft both of them without altering the landscape of your squad for the worse.

 

Jerricho Cotchery v. Corey “Philly” Brown: Yes, this would seem ludicrous a week or so ago, but the loss of Kelvin Benjamin for the foreseeable future has rendered both of these guys viable real-life, if not fantasy, contributors. Brown has wheels, and he’s been dependable in high-pressure situations in the past, but I trust few players in fantasy as much as Cotchery. (Editor’s note: It is not the view of RosterWatch as an entity that “few” fantasy players can be trusted more than Jerricho fucking Cotchery.) He’s a TD-machine whenever he gets a real chance to be, and this is one of those times. Just look at his 2013 season in Pittsburgh, and you’ll see what he’s capable of. Should Devin Funchess not rise to the occasion in his rookie year, which is currently a real possibility, the Panthers will have to look to Cotchery to pick up the pieces. Brown remains a little risk, occasionally high reward prospect.

 

Charles Sims v. Bobby Rainey: One of these guys is going to have a decent shot at fantasy relevance every week, but it’s hard right now to tell who has the better chance. My gut says Rainey as he will sub for both Doug Martin and Sims, while Sims will be relegated strictly to passing downs. Sims stands to perform better in PPR leagues though.

 

Andre Ellington v. David Johnson v. Chris Johnson: This one could get scary. Bruce Arians is no loyalist when it comes to his players, so you could see some musical chairs week in and week out in Arizona. Ellington is the starter currently, but I think the Cards’ backfield is going to be mighty committee-like. Rookie David Johnson has shown already this preseason that he can make mountains of mole hills on the field, and Chris Johnson, though the old man of the bunch, has enough in the tank to steal some thunder. Steve Keim wouldn’t have picked him up if he didn’t know Arians could use him.

20 Comments

  1. ↓ Post By dandrosoff@gmail.com

    Hey guys, trade question:

    I lose Forsett, Cameron (TE) and L. Murray
    I get R Jennings, M Bennett and B Cooks.

    My RB’s Forte, Forsett, Randle, L. Murray, Gore.
    My WR’s A Brown, B Marshall, J Brown and Charles Johnson

    I have the running backs to spare and could use the upgrade at WR and TE but I was thinking maybe Randle or Gore instead of Forsett.

    10 team standard scoring, non PPR Yahoo League.

    Thanks a ton!

    Darren

  2. ↓ Post By Alex Dunlap

    We’d do that deal if you lose Randle – don’t like it losing Gore of Forsett.

  3. ↓ Post By renourka

    My 12 team Standard draft is tonight at 9pm so what time will the newest update be posted/emailed? I want to get some practice mocks done since I just found out I’m drafting from the 7th spot.

  4. ↓ Post By yeagermeister

    Gentlemen,

    I have a draft this weds, 12 man ppr, draft order determined right before draft randomly. start qb, 2wr, 2rb, flex (te,rb,wr), te, k, def. Here is my scoring system, just wondering how to use the cheat sheet since it has bonuses for rushing, passing, receiving.

    TD’s- 6pts for all
    Passing- 300-399 (5 bonus pts), 400+ (10 bonus pts)
    Rushing- 100-199 (5 bonus pts, 200+ (10 bonus pts)
    Rcving- same as rushing for bonus points and yrds

    full point ppr
    passing 1 pt for every 20yrds
    receiving 1 pt for every 10yrds

    Does the bonus alter the ppr cheat sheet much and if so how. if you want to personally email me, I will pretend to be a really pretty blonde, brunette, or redhead as evidently that helps from listening to the show today! And no trashman I wouldn’t go on a date with you.

    1. ↓ Post By Dorian Colbert

      The only thing I can see potentially changing on the sheet are the qbs. I’d consider boosting them to where Peyton Manning is right at or below Olsen. And TM already has a lady. You’ll have to settle for Byron.

      1. ↓ Post By yeagermeister

        now Byron is a steal, a late rd sleeper! thanks for the tip on the cheat sheet. Are you saying to boost all qbs or least the top 10 or so up to where peyton is then? In this league there are always at least 2 qbs taken in first 2 rds, and thatll prob be luck and rodgers of course. I am still not taking them that high in this league I am still targeting guys like tannehill, rivers, even bradford now, perhaps romo even.

        I hate going in with strategies and dont believe in them, but for this league and setup if you are drafting at the end or near end how would you attack (depending on what value is left of course should some combo of luck, rodgers, and gronk go in first rd if at the end.

  5. ↓ Post By yeagermeister

    Guys,

    Also wanted to suggest something for your web/IT guys. Can you have them check into an option for users to select that when you reply to a post we make on the site it either notifies us via email and or includes the reply from you all? This way I don’t have to keep track of what thread I posted to. Would be very helpful. Just trying to think of ways to improve or add to the the RW Nation experience.

    1. ↓ Post By Dorian Colbert

      We’re looking into this. We thought emails were being sent.

      1. ↓ Post By yeagermeister

        No they’re not, thanks for checking on it.

  6. ↓ Post By PowerRangers

    I’m in a PPR league with return yards. (25 yards per 1 with bonus at 150 yrds of 2) I have Perriman, but Locket is a FA. Locket (SEA) is clearly going to get return yards. I note he moved up the cheat sheet. With Perriman questionable due to injury, would it make sense to add Lockett, and drop Perriman, especially considering my other WR? I’m concerned about my WR, as I have Brown, S. Smith, Charles Johnson, M. Crabtree, Wheaton and Perriman. (2 baltimore WR and 2 Steelers WR) Thoughts…

    Also, got L. Bell in round one, I have 7 RBs, should I handcuff Williams to insure my 1st Pick? If so, should I drop Vereen, Sankey, or David Johnson. (I REALLY like to keep Johnson of these 3…) I would still have Bell, Stewart, Randle, & Hyde.

    1. ↓ Post By Dorian Colbert

      Which brown are we talking about?

      1. ↓ Post By PowerRangers

        Antonio Brown as a WR

      2. ↓ Post By PowerRangers

        Someone also just dropped D. Parker from Miami, so would he be better to add. I note Crabtree is up the cheat sheet, but seems to have not had a great pre-season… Is this where we hold the faith, or do I replace Crabtree and Perriman with Lockett and Parker?

        1. ↓ Post By Dorian Colbert

          I’m noncommittal on crabtree, byron likes him i guess, but parker should start to come on several games into the season. i like lockett, but if he’s not getting regular targets, even with return yards, i don’t think he’s worth dropping a perriman who could be a target hound once he returns.

          1. Post By PowerRangers

            Thank you. Just to clarify, the having 2 Steeler and 2 Bal receivers isnt a concern?

          2. Post By PowerRangers

            Also, should I drop one of the RB mentioned above for Williams as a handcuff for Bell?

          3. Post By Dorian Colbert

            Not unless you plan on using williams for the time bell is out. I would probably drop vereen of that group if you do it though.

  7. ↓ Post By jaksteel

    Hey guys –

    In a 1/2 pt PPR 12 team heavy keeper league. Draft is over but I have questions about who has the better upside – some guys I drafted or people still in the waiver pool. Can you give me your thoughts?

    Have –
    Shane Vereen & Alfred Blue
    Avail –
    Danny Woodhead, Darren McFadden, Jonas Grey

    Have –
    Marcus Wheaton, Stevie Johnson & Terrance Williams
    Avail –
    Ruben Randle, Brandel LaFell, Percy Harvin, Malcolm Floyd

    And where do guys like Ty Montgomery & Jericho Cotchery fall?

    Thanks!

    1. ↓ Post By Dorian Colbert

      I’d rather have woodhead than vereen from what we’re hearing out of sd. I could see an argument for mcfadden, but his usage will be inconsistent. at least we know blue is the guy until foster returns. I don’t like the waiver guy more than your wrs for now, but you should watch all of them. montgomery and cotchery are right there with those waiver guys, but it’s hard to tell how they will be used yet. it might be a week or two in before this all pans out. monty has considerable upside in that offense though.

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