Trevor Siemian, Sam Bradford, and Philip Rivers had three TDs apiece last night. Drew Brees had one. A fitting way to cap Week 1.
We need to put this opening weekend in perspective. Was every breakout performance replicable? Was every disappointing output a sign of trouble to come? Of course not. Not even close.
Week 1 of the 2016 season saw Randall Cobb lead the Packers in receiving yards, Michael Thomas running a distant fifth or sixth in Saints fantasy numbers (depending on Standard/PPR scoring), and Eli Manning's three TDs led the Giants to a road win over the Cowboys.
None of those efforts remotely suggested what was to come. The same can be said for 50 or 75 or possibly 100+ performances last Week 1. The norm has yet to shake out. So let's think carefully about our next moves, and if possible, wait until Week 2 or 3 before determining whether to drop or trade an otherwise good or great fantasy asset. Let's take stock of a player's upside before burning a waiver pick.
I compete in leagues in large part to win. But I also compete so I can draft and roster manage in real time and share my decision making throughout the season. If I err, it's obvious to everyone. Or if I sense something that others don't, maybe that'll help people avoid a mistake most are making, or capitalize on talent others aren't seeing.
Already my team is hurting. I won, but barely, thanks entirely to a late-game Coby Fleener TD. My two QBs (Kirk Cousins and Big Ben) looked middling at best. David Johnson could be out for the year. My next best RB is Marlon Mack, meaning I'll likely have to start two sub-par RBs for the foreseeable future (or until one of my many handcuffs becomes a starter). Dez Bryant, Davante Adams, Kelvin Benjamin, and Zay Jones were essentially irrelevant.
Oh, and my league doesn't allow trading, which is like putting food an inch from my face and telling me not to eat it.
Oh, and it's a 23-round league, so the best RB available is Aaron Jones.
I'm a weak 1-0, hoping/expecting my WRs to snap back, but mindful that David Johnson was supposed to give me breathing room at RB. Without him, I can't win without huge performances from a number of other guys.
So last night and early this morning--and again later tonight--I'll survey all available RBs and figure out who has the best chance of rising to the top. Keep stockpiling handcuff RBs to increase the odds of massive upside. Malcolm Brown, Orleans Darkwa, Mack, Chris Ivory, T.J. Yeldon, Kerwynn Williams, and Dwayne Washington are dominating my bench. Two will need to start next week. Right now I'm inclined to go Williams and Mack, but I'm not sold on Williams, especially if Chris Johnson's re-signed.
If this were a trading league, I would field all offers for Williams, and I'd also try to get top dollar for Mack from whoever has Frank Gore. Sometimes it's more important to give up assets to win, and sometimes it's more important to take a loss in exchange for assets. The way my team's positioned, I could go either way.
Understand which way you want to go. That's really the first step in deciding who you need to keep and who you're willing to give up for the right price.
We need to put this opening weekend in perspective. Was every breakout performance replicable? Was every disappointing output a sign of trouble to come? Of course not. Not even close.
Week 1 of the 2016 season saw Randall Cobb lead the Packers in receiving yards, Michael Thomas running a distant fifth or sixth in Saints fantasy numbers (depending on Standard/PPR scoring), and Eli Manning's three TDs led the Giants to a road win over the Cowboys.
None of those efforts remotely suggested what was to come. The same can be said for 50 or 75 or possibly 100+ performances last Week 1. The norm has yet to shake out. So let's think carefully about our next moves, and if possible, wait until Week 2 or 3 before determining whether to drop or trade an otherwise good or great fantasy asset. Let's take stock of a player's upside before burning a waiver pick.
I compete in leagues in large part to win. But I also compete so I can draft and roster manage in real time and share my decision making throughout the season. If I err, it's obvious to everyone. Or if I sense something that others don't, maybe that'll help people avoid a mistake most are making, or capitalize on talent others aren't seeing.
Already my team is hurting. I won, but barely, thanks entirely to a late-game Coby Fleener TD. My two QBs (Kirk Cousins and Big Ben) looked middling at best. David Johnson could be out for the year. My next best RB is Marlon Mack, meaning I'll likely have to start two sub-par RBs for the foreseeable future (or until one of my many handcuffs becomes a starter). Dez Bryant, Davante Adams, Kelvin Benjamin, and Zay Jones were essentially irrelevant.
Oh, and my league doesn't allow trading, which is like putting food an inch from my face and telling me not to eat it.
Oh, and it's a 23-round league, so the best RB available is Aaron Jones.
I'm a weak 1-0, hoping/expecting my WRs to snap back, but mindful that David Johnson was supposed to give me breathing room at RB. Without him, I can't win without huge performances from a number of other guys.
So last night and early this morning--and again later tonight--I'll survey all available RBs and figure out who has the best chance of rising to the top. Keep stockpiling handcuff RBs to increase the odds of massive upside. Malcolm Brown, Orleans Darkwa, Mack, Chris Ivory, T.J. Yeldon, Kerwynn Williams, and Dwayne Washington are dominating my bench. Two will need to start next week. Right now I'm inclined to go Williams and Mack, but I'm not sold on Williams, especially if Chris Johnson's re-signed.
If this were a trading league, I would field all offers for Williams, and I'd also try to get top dollar for Mack from whoever has Frank Gore. Sometimes it's more important to give up assets to win, and sometimes it's more important to take a loss in exchange for assets. The way my team's positioned, I could go either way.
Understand which way you want to go. That's really the first step in deciding who you need to keep and who you're willing to give up for the right price.