Windy City Gridiron - Fantasy Football 2016 PreviewsA Chicago Bears communityhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49985/windy-fav.png2016-09-09T11:00:03-05:00http://www.windycitygridiron.com/rss/stream/119132512016-09-09T11:00:03-05:002016-09-09T11:00:03-05:00Fantasy Football Preview - Entering the Fray
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<img alt="Carr and Mariota - two guys to get excited about for the future of the game" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/oKfQSWFL93EtSn1IfzRolYt_bew=/920x583:3512x2311/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50736751/usa-today-9504018.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Carr and Mariota - two guys to get excited about for the future of the game | Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>As we kick off the NFL season this week, we're also putting your fantasy squads to the test. We're running through players to be excited about as we enter the new year. </p> <p>Week 1 is a special time in the fantasy football world. You haven't figured out that the team you drafted isn't nearly what you thought it would be. That running back you drafted in the 1<sup>st</sup> round? He's going to get hurt. That breakout wide receiver? He played 3 snaps last week. That super sleeper? Still sleeping. That's okay -€” it's why we have a game. So, instead of highlighting players for Week 1 and try to ruin your fantasy of a perfect season, let's look at some guys I'm excited about for the season now that the year is here! Feel free to post your favorite fantasy players in the comments.</p>
<p><b>QUARTERBACKS</b></p>
<p><span>Marcus Mariota</span> -€” I have no shares of the second year signal caller so this is purely from a curiosity standpoint. Tennessee has been bad for a long while (maybe Jeff Fisher isn't as bad as all of us think) but there is some hope in Nashville with <span>Mariota's</span> rookie year. The cool-headed Hawaiian has a head coach committed to the running game -€” something called "exotic smashmouth" -€” which should help him see more single coverage looks. His receivers are a work in progress but <span>Kendall Wright</span>, <span>Delanie Walker</span>, and the emerging <span>Tajae Sharpe</span> are at least intriguing.</p>
<p><span>Eli Manning</span> -€” I know, I know, no one has ever been excited about Eli Manning. But think about this: the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">Giants</a> defense is likely to be bad again, Eli showed steady improvement in Ben McAdoo's offense, and they added Sterling Shepherd in the draft to the talented (if mercurial) Odell Beckham Jr. They may even have <span>Victor Cruz</span> to add to the arsenal. They have underwhelming weapons in the running game and I can see Eli dropping back 40+ times consistently. Interceptions will always be an Eli issue but he could be a volume monster this year.</p>
<p><span>Derek Carr</span> -€” A personal favorite of mine, Carr is entering the all-important third year. He's clearly the favorite for me of the Bortles / Bridgewater (pre-injury) draft class and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/oakland-raiders">Raiders</a> appear to be ascending. Carr is a fearless gunslinger that has gotten others into trouble in the past, but I have a feeling a swashbuckling signal caller plays in Oakland...or Las Vegas or wherever they'll play. I'm interested to see where Carr can take his game and if he's the future of the position.</p>
<p><b>RUNNING BACKS </b></p>
<p>Ezekiel Elliot -€” Everyone in the fantasy world is excited for this guy but I'm excited because I think the running back position has unfairly come under some bad press lately. Devaluation of the position may be true to some extent with the expansion of passing games in the league, however, I like to see teams take an old school approach and want to run the football. With defenses focusing on their sub packages by bringing in their nickel corners, that should, in theory, open up more running lanes. With investment in offensive lines and a talented back Elliot could be the epitome of a counter <s>trap</s> movement to reemphasize the running back. Tennessee is doing it with <span>DeMarco Murray</span> and Derek Henry, <span>Todd Gurley</span> is doing his thing in LA, and next year we'll get to add Leonard Fournette to the league. Here's one for the old school.</p>
<p><span>Lamar Miller</span> -€” The former Dolphin, current Texan, has been drafted in fantasy leagues like a sure thing. Everything would appear to be set up for Miller with a coach committed to the run, no real competition for carries, and a good defense that will support running the football. Miller was oft-underutilized in Miami so the sense is that if a little bit of Lamar Miller is good, a lot will be great. That doesn't always hold up but it will be fun to see.</p>
<p><span>LeSean McCoy</span> -€” I don't want Chip Kelly to be right. McCoy was shipped off in a bizarre trade from Philadelphia to Buffalo last year when Chip was playing Madden. Rex Ryan gladly took Shady and gave him a nice contract extension. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Bills</a> were rewarded with...an injured McCoy. By all accounts, Shady is healthy and it will be fun to watch him in a Ground & Pound system with the developing dynamic <span>Tyrod Taylor</span>.</p>
<p><b>WIDE RECEIVERS</b></p>
<p><span>Mike Evans</span> -€” The world all knows about Mike Evans. What I'm excited about is if he can put everything together with his young QB. In his rookie season, Evans got in the end zone a lot. Last year, Winston's rookie campaign, Evans seemed to be allergic to the stripe. Undoubtedly a focus for the Bucs this offseason, I expect Mike Evans to jump a tier into that elite group of <span>Antonio Brown</span>, <span>Julio Jones</span>, OBJ, <span>DeAndre Hopkins</span>, and AJ Green.</p>
<p><span>Sterling Shepard</span> -€” I've been high on the rookie since the draft, so no sense in backing away now. The hype train certainly got out of the station early and picked up speed. This is one of those things that can backlash early. Make sure you give him at least a little bit of a leash on your bench if he disappoints early. We've been spoiled by rookie WRs in the past couple years producing early, but normally it takes time.</p>
<p><span>Keenan Allen</span> -€” It sure looked like the Charger was on his way to a monster year when he sustained an internal organ injury last year. Lacerated kidney sounds terrible but I don't think it's a recurring injury threat. While Allen hasn't been a great bargain at the draft table, he's one of the safest picks, particularly in PPR league. <span>Philip Rivers</span> is a really good QB and Allen is his unquestioned #1 WR right now. I'm interested to see if Allen can challenge Antonio Brown and Julio Jones for the most catches this season.</p>
<p>Your turn - who are you excited about?</p>
https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2016/9/9/12847756/fantasy-football-preview-entering-the-frayJeff Berckes2016-08-23T21:00:05-05:002016-08-23T21:00:05-05:002016 Fantasy Football Positional Preview - Tight Ends and Defenses
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<img alt="Gronk Spike!" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EJIGhmeGtqRewb6AiiOFDUCjdzU=/0x0:3927x2618/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50359405/usa-today-8673419.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Gronk Spike! | Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Counting down the defenses and tight ends for your fantasy draft</p> <p>Positional Preview -€” Tight Ends and Defenses</p>
<p>We're working through each of the major positions for the upcoming fantasy football season. To be clear, this is a fake football article. We will discuss players in tiers and a little strategy along the way. Rankings within a tier are less important than the tier the player appears in. As always, your thoughtful comments are welcome below. We'll run through these rankings in countdown style. Team and bye week are listed for convenience. We're ranking 25 Tight Ends and 20 Defenses. This is our last positional preview as I do not use kickers in fantasy #killthekicker</p>
<p>Let's start with defenses</p>
<p>Tier 4 -€” Bye Week Plays</p>
<p>20. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Baltimore Ravens</a>, 8</p>
<p>19. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/">Chicago Bears</a>, 9</p>
<p>18. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins">Washington Redskins</a>, 9</p>
<p>17. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/">Jacksonville Jaguars</a>, 5</p>
<p>16. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Miami Dolphins</a>, 8</p>
<p>15. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Pittsburgh Steelers</a>, 8</p>
<p>Keep an eye on these teams when we get to the bye weeks and play the matchups. However, make sure you're not counting on any of these teams on a week to week basis. The Jaguars are all projection here with the influx of young talent (Jalen <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.turfshowtimes.com/">Rams</a>ey, Dante Fowler, <span>Myles Jack</span>). Yes, I do think the Bears can post some good weeks defensively as I really like the improvements to the front 7 and there are a few interesting matchups on the schedule</p>
<p>Tier 3 -€” Low end starters</p>
<p>14. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Philadelphia Eagles</a>, 4</p>
<p>13. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/">New York Jets</a>, 11</p>
<p>12. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/oakland-raiders">Oakland Raiders</a>, 10</p>
<p>11. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a>, 9</p>
<p>I might be high on the Eagles, but I really like the talent on that side of the ball. The problem is what their offense lacks and how that might impact gameflow and tire out the defense. The Jets, Raiders, and Bengals all have a ton of talent and defensive minded coaches to help get the most out of it. These teams should be there late for those that like to wait until the last possible moment.</p>
<p>Tier 2 -€” Solid Starters</p>
<p>10. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/">New England Patriots</a>, 9</p>
<p>9. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a>, 6</p>
<p>8. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a>, 10</p>
<p>7. Los Angeles Rams, 8</p>
<p>6. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.battleredblog.com/">Houston Texans</a>, 9</p>
<p>5. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Kansas City Chiefs</a>, 5</p>
<p>A Bill Belichick defense is almost always a solid buy and this year should be no exception. The Rams team in general is tough to figure out but Aaron Donald is a beast and has some talent surrounding him. The problem is the 4 games against Seattle and Arizona. All of these tiers offer a high potential for sacks and turnovers, which is what we like, but only one has JJ Watt, who gets to feast on AFC South offenses. The Chiefs are an underrated group that will serve you well if you miss out on the group below.</p>
<p>Tier 1 -€” Elite</p>
<p>4. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.milehighreport.com/">Denver Broncos</a>, 11</p>
<p>3. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Carolina Panthers</a>, 7</p>
<p>2. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/">Arizona Cardinals</a>, 9</p>
<p>1. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seattle Seahawks</a>, 5</p>
<p>I get it if you're all over the Von <span>Miller</span> Broncos and want to double down with them. I simply can't put them higher than 4 because of the questions on offense. Ideally, you want your fantasy defense to be playing with leads, which forces offenses to abandon the run and pass into nickel and dime sets to force turnovers. I don't see a lot of that in Denver this year. The Cardinals and Seahawks are interchangeable and have similar arguments for their greatness. The dynamic playmakers on Arizona make them the better threat to score defensive touchdowns but Seattle has a proven track record of shutting down opponents and racking up points that way. Both are fierce and should be in your starting lineup all year.</p>
<p>Now on to the Tight Ends:</p>
<p>Tier 6 -€” Names to keep an eye on</p>
<p>25. <span>Will Tye</span>, NYG, 8; 24. <span>Kyle Rudolph</span>, MIN, 6; 23. Jared Cook, GB, 4</p>
<p>22. <span>Jordan Cameron</span>, MIA, 8; 20 <span>Charles Clay</span>, BUF, 10; 20. <span>Clive Walford</span>, OAK, 10</p>
<p>I'd put my interest level as mild for these guys. Ideally, you only roster one tight end and not worry about the slot for the majority of the year. These guys are all gambles for one reason or another. My favorite of the bunch is <span>Clive Walford</span> and the Oakland offense is still evolving before our eyes. <span>Will Tye</span> might be lost in the targets scrum with the talent at wideout but his name has popped up before. Others are teases or low ceiling guys.</p>
<p>Tier 5 -€” Players with question marks</p>
<p>19. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TB, 6</p>
<p>18. <span>Gary Barnidge</span>, CLE, 13</p>
<p>17. Eric Ebron, DET, 10</p>
<p>16. <span>Zach Miller</span>, CHI, 9</p>
<p>15. <span>Jason Witten</span>, DAL, 7</p>
<p>14. Jimmy Graham, SEA, 5</p>
<p>I'm not buying the Gary Barnidge late career bloom but I'm more than happy to let you do it. Ebron suffered a leg injury in camp and he hasn't done anything to justify his high draft status and Seferian-Jenkins was dropped on the depth chart at one point. Witten is a Hall of Famer but at this point in his career, the ceiling is low. Graham and, to a lesser extent, Miller have some of the best pass catching ability but injury concerns are completely valid. I know a lot of guys on here love Miller and I want to be wrong on this ranking.</p>
<p>Tier 4 -€” For the Gamblers</p>
<p>13. <span>Martellus Bennett</span>, NE, 9</p>
<p>12. <span>Dwayne Allen</span>, IND, 10</p>
<p>11. <span>Antonio Gates</span>, SD, 11</p>
<p>10. <span>Coby Fleener</span>, NO, 5</p>
<p>9. <span>Zach Ertz</span>, PHI, 4</p>
<p>Former teammates Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen don't have to split reps or targets anymore and now have elite QBs throwing them the ball. What can they do with it? Gates held off Father Time last year for an incredibly productive run -€” can he do it again? It's easy money if he can stay on the field. Will Marty Bennett fill get enough targets to justify playing in the Brady offense? He'll probably be the 4<sup>th</sup> option -€” you willing to gamble? Ertz has the talent but does Bradford?</p>
<p>Tier 3 -€” Semi-Elite</p>
<p>8. <span>Julius Thomas</span>, JAC, 5</p>
<p>7. <span>Ladarius Green</span>, PIT, 8</p>
<p>6. <span>Tyler Eifert</span>, CIN, 9</p>
<p>5. <span>Delanie Walker</span>, TEN, 13</p>
<p><span>Thomas</span> is the once great target for <span>Peyton Manning</span> and I expect an uptick this year with the high volume Bortles offense. Total projection for Ladarius Green here as he's done little to earn this rank but that Pittsburgh offense is so good and no one to challenge for targets. Eifert proved his worth last year and I'd expect more this year with the departure of Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu. Delanie Walker is so close to the next tier but admittedly, he's a better real life tight end than fantasy. He's completely worth his price tag and a great consolation if you miss out on Tier 2.</p>
<p>Tier 2 -€” Elite</p>
<p>4. <span>Travis Kelce</span>, KC, 5</p>
<p>3. <span>Jordan Reed</span>, WAS, 9</p>
<p>2. Greg Olsen, CAR, 7</p>
<p>The ceiling on <span>Kelce</span> is probably a little higher than Reed or Olsen but the offensive system keeps him at 4. He's a great talent that can take over games and more balls seem to find him when a big play is needed. Jordan Reed put up a sick stretch with <span>Kirk Cousins</span> last year and expectations are high. If he can stay healthy, he'll turn a profit. Olsen is the safest pick of the tight end group. Ultra-durable, a real rapport with Cam, and that veteran always open savvy bonus that comes with experience in this league. I'm willing to grab a guy in this tier before filling in a WR3, which usually puts the value at rounds 5-6. Before then is a bit of a gamble to fill out your roster.</p>
<p>Tier 1 -€” Gronk</p>
<p>1. <span>Rob Gronkowski</span>, NE, 9</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The man gets his own tier. What more is there to say? He'll probably go in the first round of your draft and if that is unpalatable to you, well, don't get mad when he beats you with crazy Gronk stuff. He's the best player at this position by a wide margin and is putting together a Hall of Fame resume. He may not be the smartest guy in the world, but you're not putting together a Math Olympiads team. Draft. Gronk Spike. Win.</p>
https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2016/8/23/12446698/2016-fantasy-football-positional-preview-tight-ends-and-defensesJeff Berckes2016-08-16T21:00:05-05:002016-08-16T21:00:05-05:002016 Fantasy Football Positional Preview - Running Back
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<img alt="Passing of the guard? Read on to see. " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xJ64tcIbBbdrCgSuyEyxYsoZggw=/0x10:4118x2755/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50358673/usa-today-8912590.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Passing of the guard? Read on to see. | Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Counting down the top 56 names to know at RB for your fantasy draft</p> <p>Positional Preview -€” Running Back</p>
<p>We're working through each of the major positions for the upcoming fantasy football season. To be clear, this is a fake football article. We will discuss players in tiers and a little strategy along the way. Rankings within a tier are less important than the tier the player appears in. As always, your thoughtful comments are welcome below. We'll run through these rankings in countdown style. Team and bye week are listed for convenience. We're ranking a somewhat unwieldy 56 names (<span>Matt Forte</span> + Walter Payton) and we are almost certainly sleeping on a handful or more that will be relevant by the end of the year.</p>
<p>Tier 8 -€” Handcuffs and Longshots</p>
<p>56. DeAndre Washington, OAK, 10; 55. Jerrick McKinnon, MIN, 6; 54. LeGarrette Blount, NE, 9;</p>
<p>53. Spencer Ware, KC, 5; 52. Darren McFadden, DAL, 7; 51. <span>Javorius Allen</span>, BAL, 8;</p>
<p>50. <span>Kenneth Dixon</span>, BAL, 8; 49. Paul Perkins, NYG, 8; 48. <span>Bilal Powell</span>, NYJ, 11;</p>
<p>47. James Starks, GB, 4; 46. Charles Sims, TB, 6; 45. Derrick Henry, TEN, 13;</p>
<p>44. <span>Karlos Williams</span>, BUF, 10; 43. <span>Jordan Howard</span>, CHI, 9; 42. <span>Tevin Coleman</span>, ATL, 11;</p>
<p>41. <span>T.J. Yeldon</span>, JAC, 5; C.J. Prosise, SEA, 5</p>
<p>Every year, we pull this tier reveals some huge names for fantasy championships. The problem is that it's almost always dependent on injuries. This is the idea behind handcuffing. It's not my favorite technique -€” I'd rather stock usable players than burn roster spots on insurance. However, there are some guys that make sense to carry the caddy. My favorite guys on the list are Jordan Howard and C.J. Prosise because I think there is a legitimate chance they supplant starters <span>Jeremy Langford</span> and <span>Thomas Rawls</span> for the early down role. Derrick Henry is also of interest as DeMarco Murray has an extensive injury history.</p>
<p>Tier 7 -€” Third Down Specialists with Upside:</p>
<p>39. Darren Sproles, PHI, 4</p>
<p>38. Theo Riddick, DET, 10</p>
<p>37. <span>Danny Woodhead</span>, SD, 11</p>
<p>If you're in a PPR league, you don't need me to introduce you to these names. Sproles is a long-time contributor in the passing game and can provide the occasional bump in the return game. He disappeared last year but Doug Peterson likely has a better idea how to consistently get use out of him. Woodhead was the most valuable back in the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/san-diego-chargers">Chargers</a> backfield last year and if <span>Melvin Gordon</span> can't establish himself early on, he might prove to be a steal.</p>
<p>Tier 6 -€” Position Battles and Short Time Starters:</p>
<p>36. <span>DeAngelo Williams</span>, PIT, 8</p>
<p>35. <span>Jay Ajayi</span>, MIA, 8 & 34. <span>Arian Foster</span>, MIA, 8</p>
<p>33. Isaiah Crowell, CLE, 13 & 32. <span>Duke Johnson</span>, CLE, 13</p>
<p>You get 4 free starts out of DeAngelo Williams to start the year on what appears to be a top notch offense. He filled in beautifully for <span>Le'Veon Bell</span> after the injury last year. My advice is to take Williams a round or 2 earlier if you're playing Zero RB strategy or taking a chance on Bell early. The position battles are up in the air in Miami and Cleveland so don't gamble until the money is right.</p>
<p>Tier 5 -€” Plenty of Question Marks:</p>
<p>31. Rashad Jennings, NYG, 8; 30. Ryan Mathews, Phi, 4; 29. <span>Melvin Gordon</span>, SD, 11;</p>
<p>28. Ameer Abdullah, DET, 10; 27. Justin Forsett, BAL, 8; 26. Chris Ivory, JAC, 5</p>
<p>25. Frank Gore, IND, 10; 24. <span>Jonathan Stewart</span>, CAR, 7; 23. Thomas Rawls, SEA, 5</p>
<p>For one reason or another, you've got to talk yourself into counting on all of these guys in Tier 5. Essentially, these are RB3s in my book -€” guys you take for insurance to your starters. I'm sure I'm going to take some heat on Rawls, but I've got a feeling he loses the job to Prosise. Forsett is coming back from injury, Gore is on the wrong side of 30, and Abdullah, Gordon, and Ivory are on bad running teams. There's plenty of talent and opportunity here but I'd feel better if these guys started the year on my bench and not in my lineup.</p>
<p>Tier 4 -€” Solid RB2 Crowd:</p>
<p>22. <span>Jeremy Langford</span>, CHI, 9</p>
<p>21. Dion Lewis, NE, 9</p>
<p>20. <span>Matt Jones</span>, WAS, 9</p>
<p>19. Giovani Bernard, CIN, 9</p>
<p>18. Jeremy Hill, CIN, 9</p>
<p>17. DeMarco Murray, TEN, 13</p>
<p>I'll invoke the Gin Blossoms on Tier 4 -€” "If you don't expect too much from me, you might not be let down." The ceiling on these guys is relatively low to the players above them but these are bonafide starters on legit offenses (with a little projection in Tennessee). The problem in Cincinnati is that you have two very good backs. If one were to get hurt, the other vaults up into Tier 2. It's also a good rule not to trust a Bill Belichick running back, but Dion Lewis did great things last year with the role. If you're in a PPR league, he gets a significant bump. As I mentioned before, Langford could lose early down work to Jordan Howard, so he's modestly ranked on this list.</p>
<p>Tier 3 -€” Safe Bets</p>
<p>16. C.J. Anderson, DEN, 11</p>
<p>15. Eddie Lacy, GB, 4</p>
<p>14. Matt Forte, NYJ, 11</p>
<p>13. Latavius Murray, OAK, 10</p>
<p>12. LeSean McCoy, BUF, 10</p>
<p>11. Carlos Hyde, SF, 8</p>
<p>10. <span>Mark Ingram</span>, NO, 5</p>
<p>Talent, volume, and lack of competition. This group is about as safe as it gets outside of the game changers this year. If you spend early draft capital on wide receivers and can grab one or two in this group, you're probably still going to be okay. I'm probably higher than most on Carlos Hyde, but I believe in his talent and the opportunity in Chip Kelley's offense. He's the best player on the field there and that's worth something even on a bad team. Mark Ingram is the most boring top 10 back to own -€” ever -€” but you'll continue to cash in with his steady production. I think we're all curious to see Matt Forte in Green, but I still think he's a shade better than <s>Fat</s> Skinny Eddie Lacy. McCoy is a dynamic talent on a truly ground and pound team. He was hurt last year. He's a safe bet because of team context and volume but he could also vault into Tier 1 if the stars align.</p>
<p>Tier 2.5 -€” The Suspension Gamble</p>
<p>9. Le'Veon Bell, PIT, 8</p>
<p>If Bell wasn't suspended for 4 games, I'd have him #1. The problem is that he is suspended for 25% of the season and those early games indeed matter. If you draft him in a traditional draft, you're still taking him early and you're going to need to make sure you grab DeAngelo Williams. That's like a 2<sup>nd</sup> and 6<sup>th</sup> or 7<sup>th</sup> rounder for that one spot. If you're in an auction, you're going to need to carve out enough of your budget for both. Either way, remember that any discount you may get on his price should be plowed back into securing Williams. It's a bit of a gamble but it juuuust might be worth it.</p>
<p>Tier 2 -€” Semi-Elite</p>
<p>8. Doug Martin, TB, 6</p>
<p>7. Lamar Miller, HOU, 9</p>
<p>6. <span>Devonta Freeman</span>, ATL, 11</p>
<p>5. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL, 7</p>
<p>4. Jamaal Charles, KC, 5</p>
<p>There's a lot to like about each guy on this list but there's a small ring of doubt I hear when I say their names. Doug Martin -€” is he for real or was he a contract year boom? Lamar Miller was great on a per carry basis in Miami -€” but what's he going to look like in Houston with Brock Osweiler handing him the ball? Is the Devonta Freeman explosion sustainable or will <span>Tevin Coleman</span> eat into his workload and he'll become Giovani Bernard? Will Zeke Elliott live up to the hype or be the next <span>Trent Richardson</span>? Can Jamaal Charles stay healthy for 16 games or will his two surgically repaired knees give out? Make your case either way -€” these guys will all be gone by the end of round 2. I can make a case for all 5 of these guys to finish the year at #1...but the best cases are the true Tier 1 cats.</p>
<p>Tier 1 -€” Elite</p>
<p>3. Adrian Peterson, MIN, 6</p>
<p>2. <span>Todd Gurley</span>, LAR, 8</p>
<p>1. <span>David Johnson</span>, ARI, 9</p>
<p>At this point, there's no mystery as to what Adrian Peterson is and what he can bring to your fantasy team. For some reason, I have a hard time wanting him on my team because he's burned me in the past around fantasy playoff time. Plus, he wears purple and gold so it's really tough to cheer for that... Todd Gurley is the reigning rookie of the year and the focal point of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.turfshowtimes.com/">Rams</a> offense. He is an all-world talent with speed to burn and if you want to take him at the top of the draft, I won't blame you. But my guy is <span>David Johnson</span>, Arizona's second year man out of mighty Northern Iowa. He did it all in his rookie year, returning a kick for a score in his first game followed by taking his first professional catch to the house. He just kept getting better and better every week and if you watched Amazon's <i>All or Nothing</i>, you know just how highly Bruce Arians and Running Backs Coach Stump Mitchell think of him. I understand the argument of pedigree for AP or Gurley, but I'll take my chances with the guy in the dynamic offense that is clearly ascending into superstardom.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What say you reader? Who are you targeting in your drafts? Who are you avoiding? Who are your super sleepers?</p>
https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2016/8/16/12445808/2016-fantasy-football-positional-preview-running-backJeff Berckes2016-08-09T19:00:05-05:002016-08-09T19:00:05-05:002016 Fantasy Football Positional Preview - Wide Receiver
<figure>
<img alt="Contenders for #1 WR " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/T1iIASatuG5FxcskxlJU_ixzseo=/0x104:2114x1513/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50274975/usa-today-8814997.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Contenders for #1 WR | Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In honor of Tom Waddle, we rank the top 87 wide receiver names you need to know for your 2016 FFB draft.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Positional Preview – Wide Receiver </p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We’re getting close! We’re working through each of the major positions for the upcoming fantasy football season. To be clear, this is a fake football article. We will discuss players in tiers and a little strategy along the way. Rankings within a tier are less important than the tier the player appears in. As always, your thoughtful comments are welcome below. We’ll run through these rankings in countdown style. Team and bye week are listed for convenience. In honor of my favorite receiver growing up, Tom Waddle, we’ll rank 87 receivers.</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tier 10 – Names to know on the waiver wire:</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">87. Jaelen Strong, HOU, 9; 86. <span>Devin Smith</span>, NYJ, 11; 85. Brice Butler, DAL, 7</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">84. <span>Leonte Carroo</span>, MIA, 8; 83. <span>DeAndre Smelter</span>, SF, 8; 82. Chris Hogan, NE, 9</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">81. Bruce Ellington, SF, 10; 80. Seth Roberts, OAK, 10; 79. Davante Adams, GB, 4</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I won’t waste too much time on specifics, but everyone on this list is a young player with at least a little buzz. Davante Adams is the most well-known to us, but really, he was mostly terrible for GB last year and with Jeff Janis ascending and Jordy Nelson returning, he could disappear. Two of my favorite receiver names appear here in DeAndre Smelter and Leonte Carroo – no idea if they’ll see playing time but their names are awesome.</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tier 9 – Low Ceiling Veterans:</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">78. <span>Brian Hartline</span>, SD, 11; 77. Brandon LaFell, CIN, 9; 76. Rueben Randle, PHI, 4</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">75. Victor Cruz, NYG, 8; 74. Ted Ginn Jr., CAR, 7; 73. Robert Woods, BUF, 10</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">72. <span>Kenny Stills</span>, MIA, 8; 71. Pierre Garcon, WAS, 9; 70. Mike Wallace, BAL, 8</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">69. Rishard Matthews, TEN, 13; 68. Nate Washington, NE, 9; 67. Terrance Williams, DAL, 7</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">66. Anquan Boldin, DET, 10; 65. Kamar Aiken, BAL, 8; 64. Kendall Wright, TEN, 13</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">63. <span>Travis Benjamin</span>, SD, 13; 62. Jermaine Kearse, SEA, 5; 61. Vincent Jackson, TB, 6</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you’ve played fantasy football for a while, all of these names are familiar to you. The comfort of knowing a name does not necessarily reflect their ability to produce on your fake team. These guys might splash a game or two but no one on here is likely to make consistent gains to your team. Pierre Garcon is a nice player but is probably the 3<sup>rd</sup> or 4<sup>th</sup> option in the passing game. Too many questions surrounding the health of Victor Cruz. Terrance Williams is the perpetual tease. Vincent Jackson is a guy I’ve never trusted.</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tier 8 – Young talent hoping for opportunity:</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">60. <span>Jamison Crowder</span>, WAS, 9; 59. Corey Coleman, CLE, 13; 58. Jeff Janis, GB, 4</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">57. <span>Nelson Agholor</span>, PHI, 4; 56. Tyler Boyd, CIN, 9; 55. <span>Sammie Coates</span>, PIT, 8</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">54. <span>Markus Wheaton</span>, PIT, 8; 53. <span>Dorial Green-Beckham</span>, TEN, 13; </p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">52. <span>Phillip Dorsett</span>, IND, 10; 51. Will Fuller, HOU, 9; 50. Laquon Treadwell, MIN, 6</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">49. Josh Doctson, WAS, 9; 48. <span>Michael Thomas</span>, NO, 5</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Most of these guys are first or second year players (Janis is in his 3<sup>rd</sup> season, Wheaton is in his 4<sup>th</sup>) that have a lot of potential but no real production yet. Pittsburgh needs Wheaton and or <span>Coates</span> to step up for <span>Martavis Bryant</span> and take some pressure off of <span>Antonio Brown</span>. While we’ve been spoiled in the past with rookie receivers, Agholor, Green-Beckham, and Dorsett all struggled to show anything early on. They’re ranked in the same boat as many of this year’s crop of rookies. Michael Thomas is my favorite to make an impact this year because of Drew Brees but Josh Doctson is close behind him as the Washington offense should again be explosive. </p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tier 7 – First guy on your bench / flex spot:</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">47. Michael Crabtree, OAK, 10; 46. <span>Devin Funchess</span>, CAR, 7; 45. Willie Snead, NO, 5</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">44. Mohamed Sanu, ATL, 11; 43. <span>Stefon Diggs</span>, MIN, 6; 42. Tavon Austin, LA, 8</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">41. DeSean Jackson, WAS, 9; 40. Marvin Jones, DET, 10; 39. Torrey <span>Smith</span>, SF, 8</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ideally, you’ll have 3 guys to cover your WR slots before you get to this tier. Diggs and Austin might be the #1 targets coming into the year on a low-volume run oriented offenses. Torrey Smith is the best receiver in SF but has always been boom / bust in fantasy and a lot of unknown on Chip Kelley’s new squad. The rest are secondary targets worth a roster spot but will likely never provide consistent production to solidify a WR3 role. Marvin Jones might be the best bet of the bunch.</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tier 6 – High ceiling but with a lot of risk:</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">38. <span>Steve Smith</span>, BAL, 8; 37. Josh Gordon, CLE, 13; 36. Devante Parker, MIA, 8</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">35. Sterling Shepard, NYG, 8; 34. <span>Kevin White</span>, CHI, 9; 33. Jordan Matthews, PHI, 4</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My love of Steve Smith won’t allow me to go any lower than this but we have to take into account a late season Achilles injury and how a player at the end of his career can come back from that. Gordon has all the talent in the world but we still need to discount the 4 games, new coaching staff, new quarterback, and his inability to stay clean into our draft. Parker and <span>White</span> are both going to start for an Adam Gase offense – one in Miami and Dowell Loggains version in Chicago – and fill similar roles. I’m very high on Sterling Shepard…probably too high for most but he’s a talent with opportunity to start. Matthews has shown potential in the past to be a star despite the disappointing sophomore campaign.</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tier 5 – Roster builders:</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">32. Allen Hurns, JAC, 5; 31. Donte Moncrief, IND, 10; 30. Emmanuel Sanders, DEN, 11</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">29. <span>Jarvis Landry</span>, MIA, 8; 28. <span>Tyler Lockett</span>, SEA, 5; 27. Golden Tate, DET, 10</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">26. Randall Cobb, GB, 4; 25. Eric Decker, NYJ, 11</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’d feel comfortable with any of these guys in my WR3 slot. These are all #2 targets on legit passing attacks with the exception of Golden Tate who is a #2 target in the #1 role. You can make a case that Landry is the #1 on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Dolphins</a> but let’s just wait to see how the targets shake out with Gase calling the plays and <span>DeVante Parker</span>’s progress. Decker was a touchdown machine last year and with Ryan Fitzpatrick back, expects 75% of that production this season. I might be a little high on Sanders but he produced with the shadow of <span>Peyton Manning</span> and Brock Osweiler last year so I’d be okay with dialing him up again this season.</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tier 4 – Movers and Shakers:</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">24. Michael Floyd, ARI, 9; 23. Larry Fitzgerald, ARI, 9; 22. John Brown, ARI, 9</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">21. Jeremy Maclin, KC, 5; 20. Demaryius Thomas, DEN, 11; 19. Kelvin Benjamin, CAR, 7</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">18. Doug Baldwin, SEA, 5; 17. T.Y. Hilton, IND, 10; Sammy Watkins, BUF, 10</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Carson Palmer can make all three of his primary targets relevant fantasy options in that high octane Bruce Arians attack. Floyd started off slow coming off the hand injury but came on in the second half. John "Smoke" Brown is the big play threat and Fitzgerald is the Hall of Famer with new life in the slot. They’re even in my list and worth considering what you’re pairing them with to decide which one works best for you. Benjamin is a full year removed from the ACL injury and should be the #1 target for <span>Cam Newton</span>’s attack. Baldwin went on a run for the ages last year and got paid in the offseason as a result. I’m betting the Seattle attack continues. Hilton and Watkins are the biggest homerun hitters on the list and pair well with a more steady producer in your WR1 slot.</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tier 3 – Almost famous:</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">15. Brandon Marshall, NYJ, 11; 14. Brandin Cooks, NO, 5; 13. Julian Edelman, NE, 9</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">12. <span>Keenan Allen</span>, SD, 11; 11. Jordy Nelson, GB, 4; 10. <span>Amari Cooper</span>, OAK, 10</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">9. Alshon Jeffery, CHI, 9; 8. Mike Evans, TB, 6</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">These are your high-end WR2s and low-end WR1s by ranking. If you can come away with 2 of these guys while taking a top end RB with your first pick, you’re off to a great start. All of these guys should provide steady production with tons of targets and yards. Marshall, Nelson, Jeffery, and Evans provide elite TD production potential. All four of those guys could jump into the next tier if everything breaks right. Cooks is a personal favorite entering year 3 with Drew Brees.</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tier 2 – Semi-Elite:</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">7. Dez Bryant, DAL, 7</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">6. A.J. Green, CIN, 9</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">5. Allen Robinson, JAC, 5</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">4. DeAndre Hopkins, HOU, 9</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dez was a monster bust last year battling injuries and inept QB play. When he’s right, there is no one more dominant at the point of attack. He’s an absolute beast but still carries considerable risk with his volatile personality and a fragile signal caller. Green is an all-world talent with a vastly underrated QB in Andy Dalton. He’ll have a new supporting cast with the departure of Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu. That would allow teams to roll extra coverage over to Green’s side or force more targets to the former Georgia Bulldog. Either way, he’s in the end of the 1<sup>st</sup> / early second conversation. I’m late to the party on Robinson as I owned zero shares last year. He’s a special player in an offense that is likely to air it out a lot. I would take him before Green but it is awfully close. It hurts to not put Nuk Hopkins up in the top tier and you can absolutely make the case to put him higher, but I want to see it from Brock Osweiler. I realize Nuk produced with Hoyer, Mallet, and whoever else they threw behind center in 2015, but there’s enough doubt in my mind to put a slight discount on him. I’d still be happy to take him in the back half of the first round.</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tier 1 – Elite</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">3. Odell Beckham Jr., NYG, 8</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">2. Julio Jones, ATL, 11</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1. Antonio Brown, PIT, 8</p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Rank these guys however you like and I won’t argue. Beckham is a special talent and I look forward to his battles with Josh Norman this season. He’s probably the most exciting guy to own in fantasy football because of his ability with the fancy catch. That 3-finger grab his rookie season is the finest display of <s>sticky-gloves</s> acrobatics I’ve ever seen. Julio vs. Odell is a great argument for #2 but I’ll give the slight edge to the Falcon on the strength of his numbers from last year – 136 grabs on 204 targets for 1,871 yards and 8 scores. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Julio flirt with 2,000 yards again this season as we enter his 6<sup>th</sup> professional season completely healthy at peak performance with a good QB. But even with two amazing challengers, Antonio Brown is my #1 WR and the number 1 player on my board. If I’m leading off the draft, I’m not even hesitating. Brown put up the same number of catches as Julio on 11 fewer targets last year and even though he fell 37 yards behind Julio, he scored 10 TDs through the air and one electric punt return. He’s got one of the best QBs in the league throwing him the ball and is the Founding President of the Always Open Club. He’s posted 3 straight 100+ catch, ~1500 yard seasons and has no real threat to see a decrease in targets with Martavis Bryant’s suspension. He has two all-time top 5 finishes in single season receptions and two all-time top 10 finishes in single season yards. We’re in the peak of what is almost certainly a Hall of Fame talent on a team with <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/super-bowl">Super Bowl</a> aspirations. Case closed. </p>
<p></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What say you fake footballer? Who are your sleepers? What did I get wrong? Civil discourse welcome below. </p>
https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2016/8/9/12354044/2016-fantasy-football-positional-preview-wide-receiverJeff Berckes2016-08-02T19:00:06-05:002016-08-02T19:00:06-05:002016 Fantasy Football Positional Preview - Quarterback
<figure>
<img alt="Is your fantasy team big enough for 2 gunslingers?" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/LOwls775R1NBldoYwFJCocST9CQ=/0x88:3929x2707/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50245393/usa-today-8842987.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Is your fantasy team big enough for 2 gunslingers? | Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A breakdown and ranking of all 32 starting quarterbacks to get you ready for your fantasy draft.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Positional Preview – Quarterback</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As we turn the page to August, we’ll work through each of the major positions for the upcoming fantasy football season. To be clear, this is a fake football article. We will discuss players in tiers and a little strategy along the way. Rankings within a tier are less important than the tier the player appears in. As always, your thoughtful comments are welcome below. We’ll run through these rankings in countdown style. Team and bye week are listed for convenience.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tier 6 - The Untouchables:</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">32. <span>Robert Griffin III</span> / <span>Josh McCown</span>, CLE, 13</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">31. Jared Goff, LAR, 8</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">30. Colin Kaepernick / Blaine Gabbert, SF, 8</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">29. <span>Sam Bradford</span>, PHI, 4</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">28. Mark Sanchez, DEN, 11</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">27. <span>Teddy Bridgewater</span>, MIN, 6</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">26. Brock Osweiler, HOU, 9</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In a standard format with 10 or 12 teams, none of these guys are likely to be drafted. Goff and Osweiler simply don’t have enough experience to know what to expect of them and both will be at the helm of a run-oriented offense. Bradford, Sanchez, RGIII, and Kaepernick are getting some form of 2<sup>nd</sup> / 3<sup>rd</sup> / last chances in the league and have too much uncertainty surrounding them. We’ve talked about Bridgewater before – he was better than only <span>Nick Foles</span> in fantasy ppg for QBs with more than 9 starts. Leave them on the trash heap and let someone else burn a roster spot.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tier 5 - In a pinch:</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">25. <span>Alex Smith</span>, KC, 5</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">24. <span>Joe Flacco</span>, BAL, 8</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">23. <span>Ryan Tannehill</span>, MIA, 8</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">22. Matthew Stafford, DET, 10</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">21. <span>Jameis Winston</span>, TB, 6</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">20. <span>Marcus Mariota</span>, TEN, 13</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">19. <span>Matt Ryan</span>, ATL, 11</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I like <span>Alex Smith</span> as a real life QB, but he’s not someone you want to plug in week to week because there will rarely, if ever, be enough volume to justify a start. Winston and <span>Mariota</span> enter their sophomore campaigns with the ability to move into a higher tier, but they’re still young and developing with too many proven guys ahead of them to take the plunge. Stafford will now start life without Megatron and if your league has a high penalty for turnovers, he’s not someone you can trust. Matt Ryan burned a lot of people last year and I can’t put him any higher than this lot. These are all bye week fill-ins and you’ll have a hard time justifying roster spots for most of these guys.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tier 4 – Worth a gamble:</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">18. <span>Tyrod Taylor</span>, BUF, 10</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">17. <span>Ryan Fitzpatrick</span>, NYJ, 11</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">16. Tony Romo, DAL, 7</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">15. Blake Bortles, JAC, 5</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bortles doesn’t appear to be a particularly good QB, but the <a href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Jaguars</a> hit on Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns and have asked him to chuck it. Volume can absolutely be an asset in this fake game and Bortles was a surprise starter on many fantasy playoff teams. Tyrod Taylor flashed and splashed in his first year as a starter with plays with his feet and connecting with Sammy Watkins. This is still a run-first approach in Buffalo but the skill set may allow this offense to be more dynamic in year 2. Fitzpatrick lit it up last year with <span>Brandon Marshall</span> and Eric Decker. He’ll now have <span>Matt Forte</span> to dump the ball off to when he gets in trouble. Romo is only on here because he can’t stay healthy. It is an absolute risk to roll with Romo but the upside is undeniable as he is a great QB. The flip here is all of these guys could easily disappear due to injury (Romo), reversion to the mean (Fitzpatrick), or exposure of weaknesses (Taylor, Bortles). These guys are all worth the roster spot but a second QB is strongly encouraged.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tier 3 – The Pick 2 Crowd:</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">14. <span>Derek Carr</span>, OAK, 10</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">13. <span>Jay Cutler</span>, CHI, 9</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">12. Kirk Cousins, WAS, 9</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">11. <span>Philip Rivers</span>, SD, 11</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">10. <span>Andy Dalton</span>, CIN, 9</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">9. Eli Manning, NYG, 8</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of my favorite approaches is to find a tier of guys that I can move in and out of my lineup to play matchups. These guys can’t be too good because if you’re spending a high pick on, say, <span>Cam Newton</span>, you’re going to play him every week. They also can’t be waiver wire fodder either as each guy needs to start about half your games. Ideally, you can avoid picking guys with the same bye week and 3 of these guys are off in week 9. Carr is my favorite of the young guns and looking forward to what year 3 brings to the young gunslinger. The older gunslinger is Cutler and before you accuse me of being a homer, he’s got a healthy and motivated <span>Alshon Jeffery</span> and a healthy and hungry Kevin White. Matt Forte is gone and something less than Forte will be in the backfield, which potentially means more volume for Cutty. I think he’s set up for a great year. Rivers is very much in the same camp as Cutler and should be a good bet to produce some explosive weeks with <span>Keenan Allen</span> back and healthy. Cousins and Dalton both shot up the boards from last year. Cousins needs to double down on his breakout year to move higher than this and Dalton needs to prove he can produce with new secondary receivers (Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu out, Tyler Boyd and Brandon LaFell in). Both of these guys may always be underrated, which means they should be draft day bargains. Eli just misses a move to the next tier because he turns the ball over a lot and can put up some terrible games from time to time. He’s also got a potentially great receiving corps. Favorite pairings:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dalton / Carr</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eli / Cutler</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cousins / Rivers.</p>
<p>Tier 2.5</p>
<p>8. <span>Tom Brady</span>, NE, 9 **Four Game Suspension**</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I had a hard time slotting Brady anywhere in my established tiers and clearly a 4-game suspension is uncharted territory for a QB. You better believe that when Brady gets back, fireworks are sure to fly. So, what do you do with him? I can’t justify taking him before any of the guys below who will give you a full season at an elite level. However, I’d take him before anyone we’ve covered above because of his high potential from Week 5 on. If your draft falls right and Brady can be nabbed for value, I would suggest playing waiver-wire QBs for weeks 1-4 because you’ll burn a pick for something you’re not going to use after week 5. Take your favorite Tier 5 guy (or Tier 4 if you’re lucky) later in the draft and try to weather the early season storm.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tier 2 – Set it and forget it:</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">7. <span>Andrew Luck</span>, IND, 10</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">6. Aaron Rodgers, GB, 4</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">5. Carson Palmer, ARI, 9</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">4. <span>Ben Roethlisberger</span>, PIT, 8</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Luck and Rodgers both had down years last year and sunk a lot of people. Their potential is so great that you simply can’t drop them below this level and you would expect some reversion to the mean in a good way. Each has the chance to finish #1 overall and this may be the only year you can find them at discount. The <a href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Arizona Cardinals</a> offense absolutely destroyed people last year and Carson Palmer was a legitimate MVP candidate. This team uses an attacking downfield passing game better than anyone and Palmer’s deep ball is a real reason why. (It’s a constant reminder of what Chicago could’ve had with Bruce Arians) He can also make 3 wide receivers and a running back relevant, which is tough to do. Big Ben presides over a potent attack even without Le’Veon Bell for the first 4 games (and <span>Martavis Bryant</span> for the year). Ben seems to miss a game or two now and then but has been overall a good bet to play the majority of games. If you draft any of these guys, you’re going to have to do it in an early round and it’s probably not worth rostering another QB.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tier 1 – The Elites:</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">3. <span>Drew Brees</span>, NO, 5</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">2. Russell Wilson, SEA, 5</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1. Cam Newton, CAR, 7</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No one has ever lost money betting on Drew Brees in fantasy. He’s awesome. His defense is terrible. His receivers should be really good. If you want really safe with the potential to be #1 overall, Brees is your guy. Russell Wilson took over as the true leader of the Seahawks in the middle of last year (and Marshawn Lynch faded) and then went on an absolute binge of fantasy points. Yes, I’m projecting that continues. Wilson’s career arc reminds me a little bit of Big Ben with an early <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/super-bowl" class="sbn-auto-link">Super Bowl</a> win before he was as good as people wanted him to be. Now, he’s grown into an elite guy that is just entering his prime and figuring it all out. He’ll be fun to own this year because it’s nowRussell Wilson’s <s>bird</s> team. My number one slot goes to Super Cam. Look, if you don’t like him, I understand, but his run last year deserves to sit him in the top seat of these rankings. He’s long been an amazing goal line threat, will contribute a crazy amount of value with just rushing yards, and has been steadily improving as a passer. The return of Kelvin Benjamin, the growth of <span>Devin Funchess</span>, and the mere presence of Greg Olsen means that Cam will continue his high TD totals.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Okay, let’s hear it. Where do you agree / disagree? Who’s your favorite QB this year? How much draft capital are you willing to spend?</p>
https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2016/8/2/12325296/2016-fantasy-football-positional-preview-quarterbackJeff Berckes2016-07-29T19:00:03-05:002016-07-29T19:00:03-05:00Fantasy Files: Divisional Preview - NFC South
<figure>
<img alt="You could do a lot worse that either of these 2 running your fake football team" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/85ao0Ww8CT5K9NBAvSjt0GFUeTo=/0x0:4258x2839/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50091253/usa-today-8981563.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>You could do a lot worse that either of these 2 running your fake football team | Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>All the names and stories you need to know for your 2016 fantasy football draft</p> <p class="MsoNormal">To help prepare for the upcoming season for all you fantasy footballers, we will examine every team in the league in the month of July. This effort will be organized through divisions and we will go roughly in order of overall strength of offenses from worst to best. Since teams in the same division play roughly to same schedule, it can be helpful to consider the defenses each division will face. I use team stats from Football Outsiders (DVOA), Average Draft Position (ADP) from Fantasy Football Calculator, and standard fantasy scoring on Yahoo. As always, comments, disagreements, and questions are welcome.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Today we cover the NFC South. I love this division. Good to great offenses with 3 bad to terrible defenses. Sure, the <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Panthers</a> D is pretty good, but Tampa and Atlanta are not good and the <a href="https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Saints</a>! Oh, the Saints defense is a wonderful dumpster fire that fantasy championships are built on. A lot of stars throughout this division so make sure you get your favorite.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons" class="sbn-auto-link">Atlanta Falcons</a> </b></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">23<sup>rd</sup> Passing DVOA, 25<sup>th</sup> Rushing DVOA</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">QB: <span>Matt Ryan</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">RB: <span>Devonta Freeman</span>, <span>Tevin Coleman</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WR: <span>Julio Jones</span>, Mohammad Sanu, <span>Justin Hardy</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">TE: <span>Jacob Tamme</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Falcons struggled on offense under first year Head Coach Dan Quinn, the defensive guru from the vaunted <a href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Seahawks</a> defenses. The problem with the Falcons is that you think they <i>should</i> be a lot better because of the star power on offense. For our fake game purposes, Julio Jones is about as big as it gets. He’ll be in the first round conversation and is really starting to hit the peak of his career. The opposite receiver spot will likely be manned by Mohammad Sanu, the former Bengal who was tired of being in A.J. Green’s shadow… You have to figure Sanu will get some work in this offense and is worth rostering at the end of your bench. If Julio were to miss time, he’s the most likely candidate to blow up as well. Matt Ryan has fallen off from the heights once expected of him. With a stacked position group, he has fallen well outside the top 10 and can be nabbed with in the later rounds. He’s a good candidate to pair with <span>Philip Rivers</span> or <span>Derek Carr</span> and play matchups.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Investing in this running game comes down to one simple question – how much faith do you have in Devonta Freeman to repeat? Freeman was a revelation last year, exploding onto the scene with over 1,600 yards from scrimmage and 14 TDs. He was even more valuable in PPR where he nabbed 73 balls. The crazy thing about Freeman is that about 15 seconds before the year started, this looked like <span>Tevin Coleman</span>’s backfield. There is renewed talk this preseason about getting Coleman more involved so as to not overwork Freeman. The fantasy community has responded by picking 7 backs ahead of Freeman, drafting him in between Jamaal Charles and Eddie Lacy. Given the risk, laying off of Freeman in the first round is advisable, but a second round choice is completely worth it. Coleman is a must-have handcuff for owning Freeman.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><a href="https://www.bucsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Tampa Bay Buccaneers</a></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">17<sup>th</sup> Passing DVOA, 11<sup>th</sup> Rushing DVOA</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">QB: <span>Jameis Winston</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">RB: Doug Martin, Charles Sims</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WR: Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson, <span>Kenny Bell</span>, Louis Murphy</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">TE: Austin Sefarian-Jenkins</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Doug Martin had a resurgent year after a down 2014, resulting in a big time payday to stay in Tampa. He competed for a rushing title until the last week of the season with Adrian Peterson. The Muscle Hamster faces little competition from his backfield and should benefit from the continued progress of the passing game. He’s currently the 10<sup>th</sup> running back off the board, which makes is a bit low, but makes an excellent target in the second round. If you are aiming for a top end WR in the first, Martin is a good bet to give you RB1 returns.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The passing game features second year QB Jameis Winston throwing to two gigantic WRs in Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson, and a big TE named Austin Sefarian-Jenkins. It’s fair to expect progress in Winston’s game this season, but he’s not worth more than a late round pick. I’d rather have the upside of <span>Tyrod Taylor</span> or Marcus Mariota. Vincent Jackson is one of those perpetual teases who you think is a good WR but appears and disappears from your lineup at will. He’s currently drafted as a WR5, so it appears the fantasy community has finally gotten wise. The real prize of this passing offense is Mike Evans. The third year man out of Texas A&M, Evans went over 1,000 yards in his first two seasons. His trips to paydirt dipped from 12 in 2014 to just 3 last season, but we have to give discount to the fact he had a rookie under center. His draft status is currently basically identical to <span>Alshon Jeffery</span> and <span>Keenan Allen</span> at the back end of the second round.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>New Orleans Saints</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">7<sup>th</sup> Passing DVOA, 15<sup>th</sup> Rushing DVOA</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">QB: <span>Drew Brees</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">RB: <span>Mark Ingram</span>, CJ Spiller</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WR: <span>Brandin Cooks</span>, <span>Willie Snead</span>, <span>Michael Thomas</span>, <span>Brandon Coleman</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">TE: <span>Coby Fleener</span>, <span>Josh Hill</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No one ever lost money betting on Drew Brees. He annually flirts with 5,000 yards, eclipsing that mark 4 times in his career, is a good bet for more than 30 TDs, and even has kept interceptions down in recent years. Plus, with the papier-mâché defense the Saints trot out, he gets to fire the ball around the field over 600 times a year. Brees can be had in the 5<sup>th</sup> or 6<sup>th</sup> round. His weapons have changed since last season. Ben Watson is gone, replaced by the enigma that is Coby Fleener. The Saints also matched the <a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chicago Bears</a> tender for <span>Josh Hill</span>. Fleener projected as a pass-catching tight end for <span>Andrew Luck</span> and failed miserably. So, if Drew Brees can’t make him relevant, no one can. The receivers are led by Brandin Cooks, the speedy deep threat who has flashed big time potential. Cooks is an interesting WR2 option with the ability to break weeks open for you or disappear completely. Willie Snead had some nice games last year but will need to compete for targets with rookie <span>Michael Thomas</span>. The second round pick has the size to play like a #1 receiver and will make for an interesting pairing with the dynamic Cooks. Currently drafted in the late rounds, he’s worth a flier.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The running game was a middle of the road 15<sup>th</sup> in DVOA last year and the steady but unremarkable Mark Ingram returns to the primary roll. He’ll have <span>C.J. Spiller</span> occasionally sub in, mostly in passing situations, but Ingram is the bell cow and gets plenty of work in the passing game. He’s maybe the safest and most boring pick of a running back you can make, in the same category as Frank Gore. If you’re building your team with high volatility guys, Ingram may be a good target for you in the 3<sup>rd</sup> to add stability to your squad.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Carolina Panthers</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">9<sup>th</sup> Passing DVOA, 16<sup>th</sup> Rushing DVOA</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">QB: <span>Cam Newton</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">RB: <span>Jonathan Stewart</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WR: Kelvin Benjamin, <span>Devin Funchess</span>, Ted Ginn Jr., Corey (Philly) Brown</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">TE: Greg Olsen</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Let’s start with league MVP Cam Newton. He led all QBs in scoring last year and it wasn’t particularly close. His 636 yards and 10 scores on the ground would make him a viable starting running back for your fake squad. Now, maybe he’s due for some <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/super-bowl" class="sbn-auto-link">Super Bowl</a> hangover – who knows? But he’s got a tantalizing skill set with a track record of amazing success and is a perfect asset to build a championship roster. What’s even better for Cam is that Kelvin Benjamin, the big bodied receiver who missed 2015 with a torn ACL, appears to be fully healthy and ready to provide a legit #1 receiver. Funchess, Ginn, and Philly Brown will likely be relegated back into the shadows of Benjamin and the amazing Greg Olsen. For many Bears fans, Olsen’s success hurts as the former fan-favorite has flourished in Carolina. Olsen is my favorite tight end after Rob Gronkowski and is an easier pill to swallow at his 5<sup>th</sup> round price. He may regress back some this season is Benjamin’s presence redistributes red zone targets significantly, but his rapport with Cam cannot be overstated enough.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jonathan Stewart is maybe a poor-man’s Mark Ingram, as he’s the main guy in the backfield on a league-average running game but he’ll never be the focal point as long as the superstar QB is taking snaps. Stewart always seems to get nicked up and miss some games, so he really needs to be part of a stable of running backs if you invest in him. Part of Stewart’s problem in fantasy is that he might be the 3<sup>rd</sup> best option at the goal line behind Cam and Mike Tolbert.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>NFC South Review</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There are so many quality names in this division, it’s no wonder their divisional games turn into shootouts. This division boasts 2 top 5 QBs, 2 top 10 running backs, 3 top 15 wide receivers, and the best tight end not named Gronkowski. Simply put: it’s the best division for fantasy football in 2016.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">All NFC South Fantasy Team – The ideal roster as chosen from only NFC South squads:</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">QB: Cam Newton</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">RB: Devonta Freeman</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">RB: Doug Martin</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WR: Julio Jones</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WR: Mike Evans</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WR: Kelvin Benjamin</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">TE: Greg Olsen</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">D: Carolina</p>
https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2016/7/29/12159552/fantasy-files-divisional-previews-nfc-southJeff Berckes2016-07-26T19:00:04-05:002016-07-26T19:00:04-05:00Fantasy Files: Divisional Preview - AFC North
<figure>
<img alt="Antonio Brown scores in a bumblebee costume against the team that always wears stripes" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7waqQLZgo5_v_2eMK_12Ir42WdA=/505x518:4911x3455/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50059567/usa-today-8896963.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Antonio Brown scores in a bumblebee costume against the team that always wears stripes | Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>All the stories and names from the AFC North you need to know for your fantasy football draft</p> <p class="MsoNormal">To help prepare for the upcoming season for all you fantasy footballers, we will examine every team in the league in the month of July. This effort will be organized through divisions and we will go roughly in order of overall strength of offenses from worst to best. Since teams in the same division play roughly to same schedule, it can be helpful to consider the defenses each division will face. I use team stats from Football Outsiders (DVOA), Average Draft Position (ADP) from Fantasy Football Calculator, and standard fantasy scoring on Yahoo. As always, comments, disagreements, and questions are welcome.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Today we cover the AFC North. The best division in the AFC for your fantasy football needs and it’s coming predominantly from 2 teams. This is another division of haves and have nots, but the haves are embarrassingly good and the have nots could, maybe, see some improvement. It’s a fun division to watch and a lot of fantasy championships will come from ownership in the Rust Belt.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cleveland Browns</a></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">27<sup>th</sup> Passing DVOA, 19<sup>th</sup> Rushing DVOA</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">QB: Robert Griffin III, Josh McCown, Cody Kessler</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">RB: Duke Johnson Jr., Isaiah Crowell</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WR: Corey Coleman, Andrew Hawkins, Taylor Gabriel, Jordan Payton, Rashard Higgins, Terrelle Pryor, Ricardo Lewis, Marlon Moore</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">TE: Gary Barnidge</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hue Jackson moves upstate to take over the moribund Browns. Unlike all the other Head Coaches that have come and gone in recent years (9 coaches since Cleveland was reestablished as a franchise in 1999), Jackson should be given a long rope with a new front office. Then again…it’s Cleveland, so who knows. There is certainly talent in this backfield with sophomore Duke Johnson Jr. and third year man Isaiah Crowell. With a new coaching staff, the fate of the backfield is still up in the air so keep an eye on this one during preseason. Both of these guys are drafted in the RB3/4 range right now so there’s no real risk if you’d like to gamble on this run game.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The passing game is where this gets interesting with a, ummm, well-rested Robert Griffin III competing with journeyman Josh McCown and rookie Cody Kessler for the starting gig. RG3 is the presumptive favorite and don’t rule out the possibility that Hue Jackson can do something with him. This has been a consistently good pass blocking O-line led by Joe Thomas so whoever is at QB will have time to throw. The receiving tree is completely up in the air with Cleveland taking ALL the wide receivers. Coleman comes in as a 1<sup>st</sup> round pick and almost certainly will start. The rest of that scrum is up in the air as far as who can come out with playing time. There’s no real risk on Coleman right now as the #47 receiver off the board, but that might change once preseason hits. The TE Gary Barnidge was a career ham-and-egger before blowing up last season with a monster year. Invest at your own risk in what is likely a one year wonder. **Note** I have not considered what Josh Gordon can do in this offense. His reinstatement really is a game changer for this team and could shake up the Browns passing game after he serves his 4-game suspension. My guess is that he'll be overdrafted but he hasn't played football in a long time and we don't know what he'll look like in the Hue Jackson offense. He's definitely a risk / reward proposition.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><a href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Baltimore Ravens</a></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">21<sup>st</sup> Passing DVOA, 18<sup>th</sup> Rushing DVOA</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">QB: <span>Joe Flacco</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">RB: <span>Justin Forsett</span>, <span>Kenneth Dixon</span>, <span>Javorius Allen</span>,</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WR: <span>Steve Smith</span> Sr., <span>Mike Wallace</span>, <span>Breshad Perriman</span>, <span>Kamar Aiken</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">TE: <span>Maxx Williams</span>, <span>Benjamin Watson</span>, <span>Crockett Gillmore</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Ravens fell off a cliff last year while seemingly every fantasy player went down with a season ending injury. Flacco tore his ACL, Forsett broke his arm, Steve Smith tore his Achilles, <span>Breshad Perriman</span> tore and his PCL. The good news for Ravens fans is Steve Smith postponed his retirement because he wasn’t going out like that. That’s a win for really everyone in the world that isn’t a professional corner. Steve Smith owns a spot on my "most fun to own list" forever and ever. Respect. Mike Wallace says he needs and elite quarterback to be good, which is why he stunk for the <a href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Vikings</a>. Joe Flacco is certainly an upgrade over Teddy B, but let’s pump the brakes on Wallace’s usefulness in this offense. Expect Kamar Aiken to see the field but likely fall short of fantasy relevance. The tight ends are listed because Maxx with 2 X’s Williams and Crockett Gillmore win the best names of any position group in the league (Benjamin Watson isn’t bad either). <span>Maxx Williams</span> is the name to file away for the future.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The running game takes a hit with the departure of <span>Kelechi Osemele</span>, the nasty guard now blocking for <span>Latavius Murray</span> in Oakland. Plus, the backfield is crowded with the incumbent Forsett trying to hold off second year man Javorius "Buck" <span>Allen</span> and 4<sup>th</sup> round rookie Kenneth Dixon. The thinking last year was with Marc Trestman hired to call plays, Forsett was going to have a Matt Forte-like impact. Forsett’s skill set falls short of Forte’s, but if this offense remains healthy and Forsett can hold off the younger backs, 1,500 yards from scrimmage and 8 TDs is a safe bet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cincinnati Bengals</a></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1<sup>st</sup> Passing DVOA, 7<sup>th</sup> Rushing DVOA</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">QB: Andy Dalton</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">RB: Jeremy Hill, <span>Giovani Bernard</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WR: AJ Green, <span>Tyler Boyd</span>, Brandon LaFell, <span>Mario Alford</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">TE: Tyler Eifert</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It’s hard to overstate just how good Andy Dalton was last year before he went down with an injury. Dalton has been much maligned in his career due to his playoff resume, but it looked like all of that was about to change last year. Dalton was on pace to finish as a top 10 fantasy QB last year but he’s likely to be drafted lower than that. Translation: Profit to be made here. He’ll be throwing to AJ Green, one of the most talented receivers in the league and one of those guys in the mix in the top 5 receivers. If you want Green, you need to get him by the middle of the 2<sup>nd</sup>. Tyler Boyd is an intriguing rookie. A consolation prize in the second as the Bengals missed out on the 1<sup>st</sup> round receiver run, the former Pitt Panther drew comparisons to the steady <span>Keenan Allen</span> in the draft process. He’s worth a speculative pick at the end of the draft. Tyler Eifert broke out last year, leading all TEs with 13 touchdowns. He’s a top 5 TE pick and even carrying his injury risk is worth the investment.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The running game was similarly effective, but it was an efficient split between Hill and Bernard. Hill took the lion’s share of the goal line work while Bernard did a lot of damage in the passing game on third downs. From a football perspective, this is an ideal relationship with two productive backs. From a fake football perspective, it drops their value down significantly. Bernard was the more explosive and versatile back last year. Hill may have been suffering from that sophomore slump that many running backs experience. The drafting community prefers Hill. I prefer the slightly cheaper Bernard.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pittsburgh Steelers</a></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">5<sup>th</sup> Passing DVOA, 4<sup>th</sup> Rushing DVOA</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">QB: <span>Ben Roethlisberger</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">RB: Le’Veon Bell, <span>DeAngelo Williams</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WR: <span>Antonio Brown</span>, Marcus Wheaton, <span>Sammie Coates</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">TE: <span>Ladarius Green</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is a legitimate debate in fantasy circles this year as to who the #1 overall pick should be. The answer is almost always a Steeler. The first of those candidates is Le’Veon Bell, the stud tailback out of Michigan State. Bell can do just about everything on the football field and is in a contract year, for those of you who put stock in that sort of thing. He’s the closest thing to <span>LaDainian Tomlinson</span> that we’ve had in our fake game since he retired. Given his injury history, DeAngelo Williams is a MUST HAVE handcuff. Seriously, if you’re lucky enough to land Bell, overdraft his handcuff to protect yourself. Williams gave us a sterling effort in relief last year and is an insurance policy worth carrying. **Note** Le'Veon Bell is potentially facing a 4-game suspension. If that sticks, he should drop out of the top half of the first round and maybe into round 2. It's a gamble to use a high pick on someone you know will miss at least 25% of the season, so this will be a fascinating play for whoever is willing to do it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The other candidate for #1 overall is Antonio Brown. I’m not sure we’ve ever seen anything quite like the game that he brings to the table. He’s the President of the "Always Open Club" and with the suspension of <span>Martavis Bryant</span>, his targets are likely to remain sky high. Draft and enjoy. After Brown, the weapons come with question marks. Wheaton has been slow developing and <span>Sammie Coates</span> basically took a redshirt year in 2015. There’s enough volume in this offense to make one of those guys relevant. Ladarius Green replaces the immortal Heath Miller. Green was the perennial tease in San Diego, forever apprenticing behind <span>Antonio Gates</span> and falling short of his athletic expectations. He’s going for a mid-round pick based on that potential and I understand why. The ceiling on Green is as high as any tight end not named Gronkowski and getting shares in this offense isn’t a bad approach. Just remember, at best Green is the #3 option behind two all world talents. Finally, Big Ben deserves to be considered as a top 5 QB and is certainly someone you can feel good about on an every-week basis.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>AFC North Review</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This division is awesome for fake football. Two surefire top of the first round picks in Bell and Brown with Green possibly sneaking into the back end. The AFC North gets both the AFC and NFC East divisions on the schedule, which offers only one legit top ten defense in Buffalo. You won’t be able to put together the squad below but getting someone on that list would be a help to your squad.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">All AFC North Fantasy Team – The ideal roster as chosen from only AFC North squads:</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">QB: Big Ben</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">RB: Le’Veon Bell</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">RB: Giovani Bernard</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WR: Antonio Brown</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WR: AJ Green</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WR: Steve Smith Sr.</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">TE: Tyler Eifert</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>D: Bengals</span></p>
https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2016/7/26/12131600/fantasy-files-divisional-preview-afc-northJeff Berckes2016-07-22T19:00:03-05:002016-07-22T19:00:03-05:00Fantasy Files: Divisional Preview - NFC North
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<img alt="Alshon doin' work against the Packers on Brett Favre hero-worship night " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/hp0i9_RA9c9zoPXsFKxvYjswczk=/88x0:3842x2503/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50052163/usa-today-8966152.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Alshon doin' work against the Packers on Brett Favre hero-worship night | Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The stories and names from the NFC North you need to know for your fantasy draft</p> <p class="MsoNormal">To help prepare for the upcoming season for all you fantasy footballers, we will examine every team in the league in the month of July. This effort will be organized through divisions and we will go roughly in order of overall strength of offenses from worst to best. Since teams in the same division play roughly to same schedule, it can be helpful to consider the defenses each division will face. I use team stats from Football Outsiders (DVOA), Average Draft Position (ADP) from Fantasy Football Calculator, and standard fantasy scoring on Yahoo. As always, comments, disagreements, and questions are welcome.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Today we cover the NFC North. Overall, this division posted average passing games with good running games…except for Detroit who couldn’t run on anyone. Obviously, Windy City Gridiron readers will know this division better than any other but it’s worth running through the names on your cheat sheet just the same.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/">Detroit Lions</a></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">15<sup>th</sup> Passing DVOA, 27<sup>th</sup> Rushing DVOA</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">QB: Matthew Stafford</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">RB: <span>Ameer Abdullah</span>, Theo Riddick</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">WR: Golden Tate, Marvin Jones</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">TE: <span>Eric Ebron</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">The retirement of superstar wide receiver <span>Calvin Johnson</span> leaves a hole in this offense 10 Marvin Jones couldn’t fill. One of the all-time greats, Johnson could make Matt Stafford a relevant passer some weeks and pulled coverage away from the scrappy Golden Tate. Neither Tate nor Jones projects as a true #1 in this passing game and Eric Ebron hasn’t shown much to justify his 1<sup>st</sup> round selection. It’s a risky proposition to invest in this passing game this season. It would seem Tate and Jones will both get overdrafted as they’re both drafted in the range of starters (WR2/3).</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">The running game was atrocious last year. Some of that had to be the end of the <span>Joique Bell</span> story – a world beater turned into the second coming of <span>Trent Richardson</span>. Some of that had to do with some inconsistencies in the offensive line. This year, it is Ameer Abdullah in the catbird seat and as the 29<sup>th</sup> RB off the board this draft season, he offers a reasonable gamble in an offense that will likely see significant changes. The only real competition on the depth chart is Theo Riddick, a real spark plug catching passes out of the backfield last season. Riddick does not project as a between the tackles runner, which limits his value to PPR based leagues.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">19<sup>th</sup> Passing DVOA, 8<sup>th</sup> Rushing DVOA</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">QB: <span>Teddy Bridgewater</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">RB: <span>Adrian Peterson</span>, <span>Jerick McKinnon</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">WR: <span>Stefon Diggs</span>, <span>Laquon Treadwell</span>, <span>Jarius Wright</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">TE: <span>Kyle Rudolph</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Do you trust Teddy Bridgewater? He finished 24<sup>th</sup> last year among all QBs in total fantasy points, sliding in between such luminaries as <span>Sam Bradford</span> and current <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/">Chicago Bears</a> backup QB Brian Hoyer. Bridgewater is even lower in points per game, where he ranked ahead of only Nick Foles…yikes. Okay, so if you don’t trust the QB, how much can you rely on his weapons? <span>Stefon Diggs</span> had a great run last year, emerging as a reliable weapon…until he wasn’t. Laquon Treadwell might be the most talented receiver in this year’s class…or a complete bust. Rudolph is waiver wire fodder. Jarius Wright? Meh. If you’re taking Diggs or Treadwell, it should be as a WR4 as this offense simply isn’t going to be a fantasy juggernaut.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">As long as Mike Zimmer is coaching that defense up, this team will run the ball. Luckily, they’ve got that once-a-generation talent guy, Adrian Peterson, showing no signs of slowing down. Jerick McKinnon isn’t much of a threat to cut into the typical Peterson workload. We’ll get into rankings in August, but you can rearrange the deckchairs in the Top 5 at running back any way you like. Peterson is no worse than the #5 RB off the board and he’s not going to slip out of the first round this year. If you want him, you need to build your team around him as your top choice.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/">Green Bay Packers</a></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">16<sup>th</sup> Passing DVOA, 10<sup>th</sup> Rushing DVOA</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">QB: Aaron Rodgers</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">RB: Eddie Lacy, James Starks</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">WR: Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Devante Adams, Jeff Janis</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">TE: Jared Cook</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">What happened to Mr. Wonderful last season? Rodgers finished behind <span>Blake Bortles</span>, <span>Eli Manning</span>, and <span>Kirk Cousins</span> last season in total points and failed to put up those daggers that you need from a QB drafted in the first two rounds. He gets Jordy Nelson back this year after tearing his ACL in the preseason. Is Nelson all the difference between God-mode and mere-mortal? It’s Cam and Rodgers for first QB off the board so if you’re betting your season on it, that’s what you’re banking on. Nelson is a full year recovered from the ACL and there’s no reason to think that he can’t recapture what he was before the injury. Randall Cobb benefits the most from Jordy’s return as he struggled against better corners last season. There’s always someone else on the periphery for this wide receiving corps and this time it’s Jeff Janis getting the most buzz. If the perennial tease Jaren Cook can’t put up numbers with AR12 throwing the ball, it’s time to hang up the boots.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">The same characters remain in the backfield with <s>fat</s> skinny Eddie Lacy leading the charge and James Starks in the backup role. Lacy sunk a lot of teams last year with his best Trent Richardson impression but recommitted himself in the offseason to getting into shape and losing weight. A svelte Lacy won’t get you much of a discount at the draft table as his name brand is pulling him off the board as a top 10 back. Starks is one of those handcuffs worth a roster spot as he gives you 80% production in an injury situation.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Chicago Bears</b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">13<sup>th</sup> Passing DVOA, 5<sup>th</sup> Rushing DVOA</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">QB: <span>Jay Cutler</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">RB: <span>Jeremy Langford</span>, <span>Jordan Howard</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">WR: <span>Alshon Jeffery</span>, <span>Kevin White</span>, <span>Eddie Royal</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">TE: <span>Zach Miller</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">The main event! The biggest question I have about this squad is who will emerge as the running back of consequence in this offense. Both Langford and Howard were drafted by the Fox / Pace administration. Langford had a good amount of success last year as the second fiddle to <span>Matt Forte</span>, but the anti-Langford backlash was strong from some of the stat-nerds out there. Howard had high grades coming out of Indiana and he projects a bell-cow type image. My advice with these guys is draft both or none unless something definitive shakes out in camp. Langford currently comes with an affordable 4<sup>th</sup> round price tag while Howard can be had near the end of the draft like a good handcuff. Whoever is the primary back will be a usable asset as the o-line projects to be very good on the ground.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">The mercurial Jay Cutler is coming off of one of his better seasons in the new John Fox-style offense. Much of the year, Cutler was throwing to marginal NFL talent so a healthy trio of Alshon Jeffery, <span>Kevin White</span>, and Eddie Royal could be downright scary. <span>Zach Miller</span> emerged as a legit option for Cutler last year but it remains to be seen how the targets shake out with a full healthy crew. Alshon is an established fantasy stud and drafted as such with a second round pick. The playmaking ability of <span>Kevin White</span> has him earning 7<sup>th</sup> round consideration as a WR3 – I like that price and expectations. Royal and Miller can be had at the end of the draft or will be found on the wire. That leaves Cutty. In most leagues, he’ll be selected late or join the free agent pool. His value will show up during the bye week stretch, but you could do worse than Cutty as your QB Caddy. As I’ve said before, there are fewer things in fantasy football better than beating your opponent with Jay Cutler as your QB.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>NFC North Review</b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">The NFC North provides familiar names with the notable subtractions of Calvin Johnson and Matt Forte. Laquon Treadwell is an interesting big receiver in the division but with Teddy Bridgewater throwing the ball… The NFC North gets the AFC South and NFC East so the star power gets an added boost as only the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.battleredblog.com/">Texans</a> offer a top flight defense.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">All NFC North Fantasy Team – The ideal roster as chosen from only NFC North squads:</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">QB: Aaron Rodgers</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">RB: Adrian Peterson</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">RB: <span>Jeremy Langford</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">WR: Alshon Jeffery</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">WR: Jordy Nelson</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">WR: Golden Tate</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">TE: Zach Miller</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">D: Vikings</p>
https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2016/7/22/12122368/fantasy-files-divisional-preview-nfc-northJeff Berckes