1. With DeAndre Hopkins looking more and more comfortable and a statline of 644 yds, 6 tds and a 64.5% completion is Matt Schaub a must start fantasy QB?
Dave- I’ve always thought of Schaub as a borderline starter. He’s always been a great number two guy. With Hopkins looking like a legit number two receiver and eventual successor of Andre Johnson to go along with Owen Daniels and the two-headed running back monster of Foster and Tate it seems more and more that Schaub should be starting in all leagues. As long as he can stay consistent in the red-zone it could be a career year for the Texans QB.
2. Buy or Sell, why?… David Wilson? Maurice Jones-Drew? Eddie Lacy? C.J. Spiller? Cam Newton?
Casey- Well lets start from with the backs- I am buying all of them and here is why. David Wilson is too talented to get seven carries in a game, the Giants have not been up at all to use their running game. Eli needs to make better choices and the running game will come. This is the time to buy and low cheap and reap the rewards in the coming weeks. MJD is a not off the best start and I would not personally start him in more than a flex. So why am I buying, simple he is too good and the Jags will do something at QB or they will lose all their fans. Owners might give him up cheap and if I could have MJD for cheap give him to me. Lacy is the closest to sell that is on this list for me, but I still think he is the back to own in that system and the concussion is only a minor setback. If you watched any of the Green Bay games the ball went to him before his injury. The coaches have faith in him and so should you. Although I never would have drafted him as a starter, so this is me clearly looking at him in a RB3, RB4 role. Spiller is easy if someone is panicking and selling him buy and smile. He is good and will produce all season if healthy. Now on to Newton, to me the offensive scheme is not fitting him. The value in having Newton is his running ability, which simply he is not doing. So can I say hold on him, if someone comes to you with a good offer take it. I am not actively shopping him though.
3. Does MJD (25 carries for 72 and 2.9 ypc) start for you at any spot, including the flex ?
bleacherreport.com
Dave- Between the sprained ankle and the abysmal offense he plays in I’d shy away from MJD for a few weeks. Let this ankle heal and Justin Blackmon’s eventual return should help in the passing game. Once that happens, Jones-Drew should begin to look like himself again. Don’t totally count him out, he is only two years removed from being the league’s leading rusher and he is in a contract year.
4. Should Jacksonville sign Tim Tebow? If so, is he a viable fantasy option?
Casey- Just like everyone else I am sick of the Tebow talk, that being said my answer is yes. Why not? The Jags are awful, Gabbert is not an NFL QB and Henne is a stop gap. So why not sign Tebow to a one year deal and let him sell some tickets. The only reason I think they don’t is because what if he does well. It will create an unwanted circus at draft time when they take Teddy Bridgewater or Johnny Manziel. If they do sign him I would not touch him. Sure he might run a few in but INT’s and no offensive line will catch up to him. Remember, this team is not the Denver team he took the playoffs, not even close.
5. Do you consider Cam Newton a must start qb or is a matchup start only?
Dave- Cam Newton is a must start type of player. His potential is simply too much to leave on your bench. Newton seems to be pushing way too hard at the moment, even WR Steve Smith mentioned it. Cam will calm down and find his groove. It probably won’t be enough to save Ron Rivera’s job but it should be enough to warrant consistent starts.
6. James Starks, does his big game last week hurt Eddie Lacy in the future?
Casey- Nope, not at all. Lacy had 1 carry for 10 yards before he got hurt. Starks could not beat Lacy out for the job in camp, he won’t do it now. Plus it was the Redskins defense, which gave up a total of 263 rushing yards in week one. I am not buying it until he puts it together consistently. The Bengals this week should be a better test on what Starks’s value is.
7. Eddie Royal seems to be Philip Rivers go to WR this year. Are you picking him up and if so how much are you dropping for him?
Dave- There is no way Royal can keep up the current TD pace but I fully expect him to be a threat in the San Diego offense all season long. Royal has always had the potential to be a solid slot receiver. He caught 91 balls his rookie year. Unfortunately, injuries and changing schemes always seemed to derail the potential. Royal is worth a gamble, if he’s healthy he’ll score ya consistent points. Think Brian Hartline or Lance Moore. I’d spend up to 10/15% of your waiver budget if you’re in need of WR help.
8. Are Philip Rivers and Eddie Royal for real?
USAtoday.com
Casey- Yes, at least I think so. Royal isn’t going to keep the pace he is on but the connection is real. Rivers trusts Royal and that means targets. Rivers was once a top 5 fantasy QB. I am not saying he will be that again but the talent is still there and he finally got the change he needed. Not to mention Gates looks good and Keenan Allen will get healthy and used to playing in the NFL. That is just more weapons to use for Rivers and less pressure on Royal.
9. If you own Ben Tate, currently 9th in the NFL in rushing. What do you do with him?
Dave- With the way the Texans offense is clicking with both Foster and Tate toting the rock it seems to me that Tate is a great flex play and possibly even a RB2. Gary Kubiak seems quite comfortable with the two back system and if these guys both stay healthy the extra rest will mean that they will only be stronger come playoff time. Scary thoughts.
10. Can Miami’s offense routinely look the way they did in week 2 (with Tannehill, Wallace, Hartline, Clay and Miller all worth starting)?
Casey- No, not yet anyway. Tannehill is showing he can run an NFL offense and he is much improved from last year. The only league I am starting him in though is a 2 QB league. They have the chance every week to put up big numbers but I would not chance your season on it. The only one of the bunch I am starting on a weekly basis is Wallace he is too explosive to sit. I am starting Hartline in flex or WR3 in a PPR league though. Miller to me is nothing more than a RB3/4 or a matchup flex.
11.Are you chasing or dishing Darren McFadden, currently 4th in the NFL in rushing?
Dave- Run DMC has burned this guy one too many times. If I could get him super cheap I’d do it, I just know the second I do that he’ll get injured and I’ll swear to never acquire him again… until the next time. McFadden has the potential to be one of the best in the game. He’s shown the flashes. He just can’t stay healthy. Until that eventual injury, he’s a nice play, especially in PPR leagues. Buyer beware… lots of risk, tons of potential reward.
12. With Marc Trestman in town is Matt Forte the best PPR running back in the business?
Casey-100 % yes and this is why. Forte has 17 targets on the year, which is the same as Calvin Johnson, Demaryius Thomas and Jason Witten. He has more than Reggie Wayne, Miles Austin, Mike Wallace and Hakeem Nicks. Out of the 17 targets he has caught 15 balls for 112 yards which is a 56 yards per game and 7.5 catches per game. I think that is all the proof you need.
13. Do you want to own any NY Giants WR’s not named Victor Cruz?
The Giants aren’t as bad as they look right now. Eli will have some great games, though he’ll probably have another stinker or two. David Wilson made it through a game without a fumble. He also looked better in the pass blocking department. Hakeem Nicks is still Hakeem Nicks. He might be the number two guy behind Cruz now, but he’ll still make plays. Most likely quite a few of them. I’d take Nicks from you if you didn’t want him. I drank the Kool-Aid on Wilson and I’m not going to jump off the wagon just yet. I wouldn’t start Eli if I had other options but he always seems to put of some pretty big numbers once the season has ended. Also, remember the last time the Giants started 0 – 2… yeah, they won the Super Bowl.
14. With Steven Jackson out for a few weeks, will Jason Snelling end up a better pickup than Jacquizz Rodgers?
Casey- I don’t want either in my honest opinion. It is a timeshare where the hot hand will get the majority of the work. Over the next two weeks they play the Dolphins which are 13th against the run and 18th in overall defense. They then play New England which is 8th in overall defense but 28th against the run. I expect that game to be a shootout through the air. If i have to pick one I would take Snelling. Last week, he seemed like the goal line back and if I am hoping for anything I want the guy who gets the ball in the red zone.
15. Does Josh Freeman keep his job or does Mike Glennon take it from him? If you does, does this hurt or help the values of Doug Martin and Vincent Jackson?
Dave- Unless he has an amazing turn-around there is absolutely no way Josh Freeman remains the Bucs starting QB. He’s been dreadful dating back to last season and by all accounts his relationship with Coach Greg Schiano has been deteriorating quickly. Glennon is not the answer. He has a pretty good arm but his problem has always been accuracy. This change would most definitely hurt the value of guys like Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams. That in turn would lead to more guys in the box and a harder time for Doug Martin. The Bucs look like a mess right now. With so many quality pieces at the skill positions I wouldn’t be surprised to see big changes if this ship doesn’t get turned around.
16. E.J. Manuel, top 10 fantasy QB by season’s end or another Bills QB project?
Casey- EJ Manuel is the making people who laughed at the draft look bad. He is no project, but will he finish in the top ten of fantasy… no. He will be close though number 12 or 13 is where I can see him finishing. Right now Buffalo is doing the right thing with him, they are leaning heavily on the running game. Spiller and Jackson can handle the bulk of the work while Manuel learns the NFL game on the fly. He only has 66 attempts for 466 yards but he is fourth in the league with a 68.2 completion percentage and 3 to 1 td/int ratio. That means he is making the right decisions when the ball is in his hands. If I am in a keeper league I am picking him up now!
17. Is now the time to dish Mike Vick (61 att, 62.3 comp %, 316 YPG, 4 tds, 0 ints, 7.5 rushing APG, 77 rushing yards and 2 rushing TDs) or are you in for the long haul with him as your starter?
Dave- Mike Vick is a fantasy enigma. He looks amazing in Chip Kelly’s offense and all without Jeremy Maclin. He threw for 400+ and ran for a TD last week. He might do it every week he’s healthy… and there it is, the only reason anyone will consider moving Vick, injury. If you can get a bounty for him, you’d have to consider it. But 12 solid games from Vick could decide a fantasy championship, are you willing to trade that away?
18. DeSean Jackson’s success… more on Chip Kelly’s offense or the lack of Jeremy Maclin?
latimes.com
Casey- Can I say both because honestly that is the answer. Jackson is reaping the benefits of not have Maclin to share balls with. In Chip Kelly’s offense Jackson can run a go route on almost every play which suits him. His stat line is nuts right now, 16 catches on 24 targets for 297 yards (which leads the league) for a 18.6 average and 2 tds. He is also the league leader in yards per game with 148.5 and catches over 20 yards with 6. Can he keep up these numbers? Most likely not but he is buying into what Kelly is saying. Kelly all week talked about handing the ball to the official to speed up the game, no showboating. I have to admit, I laughed when they were talking about it because I thought to myself “Jackson can’t do that”. Then he did. Jackson has always had the talent but keeping him happy has always been a challenge. Maybe Kelly has found the key.
19. If there was a redraft right now name one player you would move way up your board and one player that would way go down and why?
Dave- The guy who would be moving up my charts would be Julius Thomas of Denver. He is a freak athlete and he seems to have Peyton Manning’s trust. He might not be the highest scoring TE every week but he should consistently be in the top 10. The guy who would be dropping down my list would be Maurice Jones-Drew. MJD is a personal favorite but with an ankle already giving him problems and the Jaguars being so terrible I’m just not sold that he is a second round guy. Prove me wrong MJD… please.
20. Not truly fantasy related but important nonetheless… The NY Giants, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Bucs, Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars are winless, who has the best chance to turn things around and who is gonna be in the top 10 next May?
Casey- To turn it around this year, my pick is the Panthers. The easy choice could have been the Giants, but Eli looks not like Eli and the Offensive and Defensive lines are not what they used to be and that scares me off. The Panthers are way too talented to be 0-2. Their defense is young, good and will play better as the season goes on. Cam Newton is a freaky talent and will get it going.
As far top 10 next year I am going with the Browns. They stockpiled picks for the upcoming draft and already have some good talent on that team. If the draft falls right I can see the Browns contending with the Bengals for the Division Title in 2014.
teamjohnsonsportstalkcom 