One game into the season and Dion Lewis is now the new thing. The temptation and intrigue of the Patriots’ RB’s for fantasy begins. To be fair, there was reason to believe Lewis could have a big game last night, so it didn’t come as a huge surprise to those of us in the fantasy community. But will you ever have faith to start him? Should you have faith? Should you just stay away?
Either way, happy Patriot Day.
Eddie Lacy leads my top DFS plays for the week. Vegas odds have the Green Bay vs Chicago game as one of the highest scoring games of the week, with Green Bay as a heavy favorite. This should mean plenty of scoring opportunities for Lacy early in the game, and a chance to salt the game away with extra touches in the second-half. Add in the Packers’ troubles at WR, and the team will look to lean even more on Lacy as Rodgers builds rapport with his receivers. The stars perfectly align this week making Lacy a solid start to any Daily Fantasy lineup.
Chris Ivory is a clear standout as you look at cheaper DFS options. All the preseason hype suggests Ivory is ready to take the reigns as a true 3-down RB for a revamped NY Jets offense. Ivory’s running style reminds us of Marshawn Lynch, and if the team is fully behind him a breakout season is imminent. The week 1 matchup vs. Cleveland is a winnable game for the Jets, making Ivory’s roll in the offense solid from start to finish. Ivory will also face a Cleveland defense that gave up the most rushing yards to RB’s last season. Tip: stack Ivory with the Jets Defense in tournament play for big upside.
Julio Jones might make the Top 5 list all season with the way Atlanta leans on their star WR. Vegas odds have this game as the highest scoring game of the week, so getting a piece of this game is a must for DFS success. Philadelphia allowed the most fantasy points and receiving yards to WR’s last season; and in games last year where Atlanta scored 26 or more points, Julio Jones had 100+ receiving yards 6 out of 7 times. There is little doubt Atlanta will look to get Julio Jones the ball early and often and he should be the best bet to earn big points in this high-scoring contest.
Jordan Matthews is the next best way to take advantage of the high-scoring game between Atlanta and Philadelphia. While Philadelphia allowed the most receiving yards to WR’s last season, Atlanta allowed the second most. Philadelphia is loaded with skill position talent making it tough to know who will put up big points, but Matthews offers the highest floor with as much potential for a breakout game as anyone else. We are likely to see these two teams exchange TD’s all night on Monday, so put Matthews in your cash lineups with confidence and roll with a Matthews/Julio stack in tournaments for big payout potential.
Tyrod Taylor has to be the bargain play of Week 1. If you want to load up a lineup with expensive talent at RB and WR, you can save at QB this week without giving up much. Tyrod Taylor’s running potential gives him a solid floor, and look for the run-first offense to open up this week as Buffalo tries to keep up with Indianapolis. 10-12 fantasy points should be Taylor’s floor with 20 point upside being within reach. If you join Team Tyrod in week 1, avoid the temptation to stack him with a WR; we shouldn’t expect huge passing yards from Taylor, plus reports suggest Vontae Davis will shadow Buffalo’s top WR meaning we should temper our expectations for Sammy Watkins.
Be sure to check out the 2015 DynastyLeagueFootball.com Championship at FanDuel. As a DLF contributor my Week 1 lineup in this contest will use the players above; so this is your chance to use my picks against me, or play your own, better picks to win. Good luck in Week 1.
This shouldn’t need to be said, and for most fantasy football players you can skip this post. But in case I can save one person, turn one championship — all kickers are the same. The first and obvious point is that the difference between the top kicker and replacement level is almost always very low. But that alone doesn’t necessarily mean a kicker isn’t worth 10th or 11th round draft capitol. The other, big factor is roster flexibility. Any value you can gain by holding onto a top kicker isn’t worth keeping him on his bye week. It isn’t worth losing the ability to drop your kicker during the week in order to handcuff an uncertain health situation at RB or WR. Matchups and weather are other reasons you want to swap out even the best kicker at times, and you never want to lose a roster spot doing this. All this has been said 100 times, but I still see this basic mistake made in competitive leagues, by experienced players. If that’s not enough incentive, I’ve seen countless championships won by people who completely refuse to draft kickers. That’s not to say you can’t win by taking Gostkowski in the 10th; but if your plan is to hold onto him all season, you are playing with a handicap.
TLDR: All kickers are the same.
This question goes out to Bills fans: should you?
I’ve done all the studying for my fantasy football draft. I know all the handcuffs, sleepers, injuries, and can’t miss players for the upcoming season. On the outside I look cool as a cucumber… but on the inside I am a stressed mess. It’s actually been a long time since I walked away from a draft not in love with my team, so why do I worry so much? I like to think everyone else in my fantasy football league is just as stressed as myself. Are you?
Every year I hit the Fantasy Football books early and uncover a few gems, and every year (without fail) my sleepers creep up the draft boards – until by the time I draft, they are no longer sleepers. I still have one or two sleepers hidden, but August is young, preseason games are about to begin, and I don’t draft for 3 more weeks.
First I’d like to thank the people of Maine and the New England area who were very hospitable and welcoming to me and my wife. The cell service was, however, a bit spotty. I have a draft coming up in a month, and I need to stay up-to-date on all the news. There is no offseason for true fantasy football players.
Perhaps this feeling of power is what draws me to fantasy football?
If you are trying to elicit an endorsement against Jordan Matthews from this comic, my opinion of Jordan Matthews has less to do with my opinion of Matthews (he’s extremely talented and was a surprise fantasy asset last season), but more to do with my opinion of Nelson Agholor and the rest of the Eagles’ skill players. Also, I lost a game last season because Matthews had a huge game against me… so I might just be holding a grudge.
With that said, this comic is really just about the power we all have as fantasy football owners. Not only do we have the opportunity to pass judgment, we are forced to do so. Even if you just follow the advice of experts, you still have to choose which expert to take the advice of, as opinions vary greatly. Personally, I relish the opportunity to judge… maybe too much so.
No matter how long I play fantasy football, every league seems to have this guy. Maybe I play in the wrong leagues? We have smart, very good players in my leagues – but this guy always sneaks in.