I inadvertently posted two columns yesterday morning, which was tough to swallow given how hard it sometimes is to make time to compose just one. I had the Tuesday Trader piece ready to go from the night before, forgot about it, then wrote the other when I woke up. Then I thought about encouraging everyone to simply read them again this morning. But that wouldn't be cool. "We demand more content!" one or two of you are surely thinking. So here's more content.
The most frequent question coming at me these past couple days has been how to handle David Johnson. My overarching answer: if you have an IR spot, of course put him there. If not, but you have a very deep bench, stash him. And if you don't have an IR or a deep bench, trade him for whatever you can get--ideally for the highest-upside RB you can find. That might mean someone with little current value like Marlon Mack or Samaje Perine. I wouldn't settle for a WR4 or a ceiling-capped RB3. Give me an RB with a half-decent shot at being an every-week starter, and I'd give away Johnson despite knowing there's a half-decent chance he'll return for the fantasy playoffs. That's the trade-off. And given that the Cardinals' playoff prospects have taken a big hit, assuming they're out of the hunt when Johnson's eligible to return, don't be surprised if they hold him out a little longer to ensure their franchise RB doesn't get needlessly re-injured before next summer.
It's now a three-headed monster situation in Arizona, with Kerwynn Williams, Andre Ellington, and the newly re-signed Chris Johnson. Two of these three will be irrelevant, but it's not yet clear who. Chris might be out of gas. Ellington is injury-prone and more useful as a Darren Sproles-light PPR asset. Williams might not exceed 3.5 YPC, but should get the most touches. In PPR and DFS, barring any new news in the coming days, I'd start Ellington over the other two.
Danny Woodhead will reportedly miss 6-8 weeks. He's worth holding only in leagues that are so deep that every RB handcuff is rostered. Woodhead has missed a huge chunk of time in his 30s and is more likely than not to get hurt again before the season's out. Both Terrance West and Buck Allen are sell-high guys. I believe a new face will be Baltimore's starting RB Week 1 of 2018.
FF4W reader Bill Pietrasz made a great suggestion yesterday, targeting Cleveland RB Matt Dayes as a handcuff to the overrated Isaiah Crowell. Count me in. Dayes should be available in 99.999% of leagues. If he's rostered in your league, it's time to find a new league.
Remember when I was pushing Marqise Lee all summer? There was no way to anticipate Allen Robinson's season-ending injury. But the reality is that a healthy Lee could become the biggest WR waiver add in the coming weeks. Either he or Allen Hurns will be Blake Bortles' #1 target, which makes them both must-roster wideouts in most leagues.
C.J. Fiedorowicz is out for the year. Now Houston's offense will run through DeAndre Hopkins and Lamar Miller that much more.
Steelers RB James Conner is a great story. But not all RB handcuffs are equal, and I view Conner as one of the more over-rostered handcuffs out there. While Le'Veon Bell's injury and suspension history makes the franchise RB a higher-than-average liability this season, Conner isn't necessarily the answer. He's not great in the passing game and is limited as a potential every-down back. I anticipate a timeshare if Bell's sidelined, with Terrell Watson offering the most upside.
Reports this week suggesting it's unclear which Houston and Indy QBs will start is ridiculous. Neither Tom Savage nor Scott Tolzien are NFL-ready, nor will they ever be NFL-ready. First rounder Deshaun Watson and recently acquired Jacoby Brissett were deliberate investments by desperate teams. It's why T.Y. Hilton is one of my favorite buy-low WRs, while for the right price, Lamar Miller is worth taking off an opponent's hands.
The most frequent question coming at me these past couple days has been how to handle David Johnson. My overarching answer: if you have an IR spot, of course put him there. If not, but you have a very deep bench, stash him. And if you don't have an IR or a deep bench, trade him for whatever you can get--ideally for the highest-upside RB you can find. That might mean someone with little current value like Marlon Mack or Samaje Perine. I wouldn't settle for a WR4 or a ceiling-capped RB3. Give me an RB with a half-decent shot at being an every-week starter, and I'd give away Johnson despite knowing there's a half-decent chance he'll return for the fantasy playoffs. That's the trade-off. And given that the Cardinals' playoff prospects have taken a big hit, assuming they're out of the hunt when Johnson's eligible to return, don't be surprised if they hold him out a little longer to ensure their franchise RB doesn't get needlessly re-injured before next summer.
It's now a three-headed monster situation in Arizona, with Kerwynn Williams, Andre Ellington, and the newly re-signed Chris Johnson. Two of these three will be irrelevant, but it's not yet clear who. Chris might be out of gas. Ellington is injury-prone and more useful as a Darren Sproles-light PPR asset. Williams might not exceed 3.5 YPC, but should get the most touches. In PPR and DFS, barring any new news in the coming days, I'd start Ellington over the other two.
Danny Woodhead will reportedly miss 6-8 weeks. He's worth holding only in leagues that are so deep that every RB handcuff is rostered. Woodhead has missed a huge chunk of time in his 30s and is more likely than not to get hurt again before the season's out. Both Terrance West and Buck Allen are sell-high guys. I believe a new face will be Baltimore's starting RB Week 1 of 2018.
FF4W reader Bill Pietrasz made a great suggestion yesterday, targeting Cleveland RB Matt Dayes as a handcuff to the overrated Isaiah Crowell. Count me in. Dayes should be available in 99.999% of leagues. If he's rostered in your league, it's time to find a new league.
Remember when I was pushing Marqise Lee all summer? There was no way to anticipate Allen Robinson's season-ending injury. But the reality is that a healthy Lee could become the biggest WR waiver add in the coming weeks. Either he or Allen Hurns will be Blake Bortles' #1 target, which makes them both must-roster wideouts in most leagues.
C.J. Fiedorowicz is out for the year. Now Houston's offense will run through DeAndre Hopkins and Lamar Miller that much more.
Steelers RB James Conner is a great story. But not all RB handcuffs are equal, and I view Conner as one of the more over-rostered handcuffs out there. While Le'Veon Bell's injury and suspension history makes the franchise RB a higher-than-average liability this season, Conner isn't necessarily the answer. He's not great in the passing game and is limited as a potential every-down back. I anticipate a timeshare if Bell's sidelined, with Terrell Watson offering the most upside.
Reports this week suggesting it's unclear which Houston and Indy QBs will start is ridiculous. Neither Tom Savage nor Scott Tolzien are NFL-ready, nor will they ever be NFL-ready. First rounder Deshaun Watson and recently acquired Jacoby Brissett were deliberate investments by desperate teams. It's why T.Y. Hilton is one of my favorite buy-low WRs, while for the right price, Lamar Miller is worth taking off an opponent's hands.