The "My league drafts too early" complaint is entirely valid this preseason. Some significant fantasy movement based on real/potential signings, holdouts, trades, and injuries.
Joe Mixon arguably tops the list. Last year's RB9 in points per game was recently questionable for Week 1. Now he's out for at least his first four games. This will force C.J. Stroud (QB16 ADP) -- one of my favorite undervalued QBs all summer -- to do much of the heavy lifting. Or at least that's what I think will happen, because I'm (a) not convinced Nick Chubb can come close to returning to form, and (b) Houston's backfield is probably as packed as we've seen in years. Dameon Pierce and rookie Woody Marks have done well enough to carve roles. Right now it looks like a backfield to avoid.
And the Texans aren't alone in this area. Jaydon Blue's injury over the weekend is good news for Javonte Williams, but for how long? While Miles Sanders doesn't seem like a rest-of-season contender for the top spot, Williams has run poorly in these last two post-injury seasons. Blue was supposed to compete for the 1A job. Now who knows if/when he'll be at full strength. Unless you believe Williams is "the guy," no RB is reliable enough to draft as a weekly streamer.
Cleveland's in the same boat for different reasons. Rookie Quinshon Judkins might be a solid late-season stash. But how many managers can keep him on the bench for that long, unless somehow in some leagues he qualifies for an IR slot. That leaves Jerome Ford and Dylan Sampson in the short term, competing for touches in what could be a bottom-5 offense.
And while Miami has a more transparent backfield, there's still plenty of fantasy drama. Jaylen Wright is expected to miss the first game, and who knows what his role will be when he returns. Rookie Ollie Gordon has run well in August and could push for the handcuff role (he was a high-volume bell cow in college). Keep in mind that De'Von Achane's durability (due to his small-ish frame) was an issue entering the NFL. The Dolphins havn't turned him loose, presumably for good reasons. Gordon and Wright are competing for potential stand-alone fantasy value. Right now, they're side-by-side on my rankings.
Meanwhile, Terry McLaurin (QB18 ADP) finally got paid. He's a few weeks shy of 30 years old and is coming off the best campaign of his career. On the one hand, I can't fade him. On the other hand, his 13 touchdowns made all the difference. Top 25 is absolutely realistic and probably expected. But if you're playing for ceiling, I think top 14-16 is the best you can hope for.
Amari Cooper joining the Raiders is actually (to me, and maybe to some of you) a big deal. That's the topic of today's FF4W podcast. If you're trying to size up when to draft him and/or Jakobi Meyers, listen to episode 35; I have some pretty strong opinions about it.
One more thing: the Premier Fantasy Football League is kicking off Thursday with the first of 11 drafts. One manager had to back out, so there's one slot to fill. It's a free, competitive league. Ping me if you want in.
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