Recent Fantasy News: Willie Snead, Martavis Bryant, Jermain Kearse, Matt Breida, and Kerwynn Williams
Since many of you are drafting this weekend, early this morning the nearly 300 of you subscribed to my top 300 rankings received a bonus edition with updates from the previous 12 hours--incorporating the various minor-to-significant team moves that need to be factored into decision making.
The most notable news was Willie Snead's three-game suspension, which came out of nowhere unless you make it a habit of studying offseason police reports. ESPN's Adam Schefter broke the story, adding that it was originally a four-game suspension before being reduced on appeal. The fantasy implications are fairly huge. Some of you agreed with me that Snead was a low-end WR2 candidate after earning low-end WR3 production last season--thanks in no small part to the heavily targeted Brandin Cooks no longer in the picture. Others preached the gospel of Ted Ginn Jr. Well, Ginn fans win round 1, as he's now primed to become Drew Brees' #2 target in September, with a chance to keep that role even when Snead returns.
Martavis Bryant has been officially reinstated, calming the fears of those who've been wondering whether drafting him might have been a complete waste. Fear not . . . for now. Bryant's career could go in any number of directions. But starting Week 1, he'll have WR2/3 potential.
The Seahawks traded the expendable Jermaine Kearse to the NFL's most expendable team: the Jets. Don't think for a moment Kearse will become an every-week started in an injury- and talent-depleted receiver corps. As middling as he was with Russell Wilson throwing to him (41 catches on 90 targets last year), the much lesser Josh McCown won't suddenly make Kearse look like a #1 receiver. Overnight he inched up my rankings--from draftable in 22-team leagues to draftable in 18-team leagues. You get what I'm saying.
The Cardinals mercifully released Chris Johnson in what should be the end of the line for the former phenom. Kerwynn Williams and Andre Ellington are conceivably the last men standing in a backfield to be dominated by David Johnson. Williams is the most likely beneficiary if Johnson goes down, but I'm betting Arizona would go out and find a veteran to bolster what would become a split backfield. This makes Williams merely a partial handcuff to roster in modestly deep leagues.
The 49ers decided they didn't need Tim Hightower. That makes Matt Breida a name to watch, as he'll start the season handcuffing Carlos Hyde. Most of you know my views on Hyde's prospects, and many of you disagree. But Breida showed competence this preseason and could be thrust into a 20-touch role if the frequently injured Hyde misses time. Complaining about your RBs? Grab Breida and his roughly 30%-40% chance at RB2 production sometime this season.
Chicago cut ties with the 30-year-old Victor Cruz, who couldn't make a Bears roster that had just lost its #1 receiver for the year. I'd already removed him from my top 300 earlier this week, in anticipation of fantasy irrelevancy. But memories of the pre-injured 2011-2012 Cruz remain fresh in my mind. One of the league's best receivers in those two short years.
Brock Osweiler was cut. Not really news. But a reminder that last summer I publicly lamented his signing by Houston as absolutely moronic. It's a reminder that GMs and their staff sometimes make huge mistakes. They are as imperfect as some of the players they sign. Just because a GM or owner or coach publicly praises or knocks down a player, it doesn't mean that player will adhere to expectations. Sometimes we need to read between the lines to get at a player's true potential--or lack thereof.
The most notable news was Willie Snead's three-game suspension, which came out of nowhere unless you make it a habit of studying offseason police reports. ESPN's Adam Schefter broke the story, adding that it was originally a four-game suspension before being reduced on appeal. The fantasy implications are fairly huge. Some of you agreed with me that Snead was a low-end WR2 candidate after earning low-end WR3 production last season--thanks in no small part to the heavily targeted Brandin Cooks no longer in the picture. Others preached the gospel of Ted Ginn Jr. Well, Ginn fans win round 1, as he's now primed to become Drew Brees' #2 target in September, with a chance to keep that role even when Snead returns.
Martavis Bryant has been officially reinstated, calming the fears of those who've been wondering whether drafting him might have been a complete waste. Fear not . . . for now. Bryant's career could go in any number of directions. But starting Week 1, he'll have WR2/3 potential.
The Seahawks traded the expendable Jermaine Kearse to the NFL's most expendable team: the Jets. Don't think for a moment Kearse will become an every-week started in an injury- and talent-depleted receiver corps. As middling as he was with Russell Wilson throwing to him (41 catches on 90 targets last year), the much lesser Josh McCown won't suddenly make Kearse look like a #1 receiver. Overnight he inched up my rankings--from draftable in 22-team leagues to draftable in 18-team leagues. You get what I'm saying.
The Cardinals mercifully released Chris Johnson in what should be the end of the line for the former phenom. Kerwynn Williams and Andre Ellington are conceivably the last men standing in a backfield to be dominated by David Johnson. Williams is the most likely beneficiary if Johnson goes down, but I'm betting Arizona would go out and find a veteran to bolster what would become a split backfield. This makes Williams merely a partial handcuff to roster in modestly deep leagues.
The 49ers decided they didn't need Tim Hightower. That makes Matt Breida a name to watch, as he'll start the season handcuffing Carlos Hyde. Most of you know my views on Hyde's prospects, and many of you disagree. But Breida showed competence this preseason and could be thrust into a 20-touch role if the frequently injured Hyde misses time. Complaining about your RBs? Grab Breida and his roughly 30%-40% chance at RB2 production sometime this season.
Chicago cut ties with the 30-year-old Victor Cruz, who couldn't make a Bears roster that had just lost its #1 receiver for the year. I'd already removed him from my top 300 earlier this week, in anticipation of fantasy irrelevancy. But memories of the pre-injured 2011-2012 Cruz remain fresh in my mind. One of the league's best receivers in those two short years.
Brock Osweiler was cut. Not really news. But a reminder that last summer I publicly lamented his signing by Houston as absolutely moronic. It's a reminder that GMs and their staff sometimes make huge mistakes. They are as imperfect as some of the players they sign. Just because a GM or owner or coach publicly praises or knocks down a player, it doesn't mean that player will adhere to expectations. Sometimes we need to read between the lines to get at a player's true potential--or lack thereof.