DraftBuddy.com

Fantasy Baseball and Fantasy Football Draft Tools

Preseason Week 2 Fantasy Football News and Notes

By Leave a Comment

Here is a recap of up to the minute (Kelvin Benjamin!) NFL news and notes since our last update before Week 1 of preseason. We are still a day away from more game action but we’ll call it Preseason Week 2 news and notes. These will factor into our next projections and rankings changes, later today or tomorrow.

Free Agents of Interest

Ray Rice

Arizona Cardinals

The team signed RB Chris Johnson to a one-year contract with minimal guarantees, heavier on the incentives. We’ll slot him in behind Andre Ellington and rookie David Johnson on the depth chart for now. We aren’t that interested in drafting CJ, unless ridiculously cheap with a roster spot to burn perhaps, but it’s a signal to be even less confident in the entire Cards RB corps.

Baltimore Ravens

WR Breshad Perriman continues to miss practice after practice (12 straight as of Tuesday). Twitter reports say he had an MRI and it came back normal, and the Ravens expect him back in about a week. The missed time does not inspire a lot of confidence Perriman will have a significant fantasy impact this season.

Buffalo Bills

LeSean McCoy limped off the field Tuesday with a hamstring injury. MRI results were negative (or should I say results were positive?), but looks like he’s out for preseason and plans to be ready for a Week 1 return.

Fred Jackson, Anthony Dixon, Bryce Brown and the latest, rookie Karlos Williams, are all missing practice due to injuries. Educated guess is Jackson is still the RB2 to own in this backfield. With all of these injuries Ray Rice’s name keeps popping up as a possible signing.

Listened to a Bills reporter Sal Capaccio on the radio Monday say the QB competition is quickly becoming a two-player race between Matt Cassel and Tyrod Taylor. E.J. Manuel is a distant third. None are worth drafting except in deep start two QB leagues at this point, of course.

Carolina Panthers

I apparently can’t get this update written fast enough! Kelvin Benjamin went down during practice this morning (Wednesday) with an apparent knee injury. One of those didn’t touch anyone when it happened injuries, which are usually not good. Waiting initial results. Worst case, torn ACL and out for the year. Best case, simple sprain or tweak of the knee. Outcome could have a major impact on rookie WR Devin Funchess (who also tweaked him hamstring, by the way), Cam Newton and Greg Olsen.

Update August 20: Confirmed, Benjamin tore his ACL and is out for the season. We’ll distribute his hefty targets between rookie Devin Funchess, Jerricho Cotchery and Corey (Philly) Brown plus Greg Olsen, with the remainder falling into a generic “other player” bucket (like Ted Ginn, Jr. or Jarrett Boykin). Do not draft Benjamin. Funchess’ ADP will rise sharply. Cam down. Olsen a slight bump perhaps. He was already projected and ranked pretty high.

Chicago Bears

Rookie WR Kevin White is out for an extended period after requiring surgery on his shin due a stress fracture. He’ll go on regular season PUP at a minimum, missing at least the first six games, and his entire rookie season is in jeopardy. Do not draft.

Alshon Jeffery has a calf injury but it isn’t considered serious. There is a little risk here but on the plus side Jeffery’s targets could be off the charts with White out indefinitely.

Dallas Cowboys

RB Darren McFadden was removed from the PUP list this week, but pretty clear this is Joseph Randle’s job to lose at this point because McFadden is so far behind.

Denver Broncos

Reports are there is no clear backup or handcuff pick for starting RB C.J. Anderson between Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman. Both looked good in the first preseason game. Hard to imagine it will be Hillman when we hit the regular season.

Emmanuel Sanders is missing practice with the injury du jour, a strained hamstring. He is doubtful for their next preseason game.

Houston Texans

Starting QB watch: Brian Hoyer started the first preseason game. Ryan Mallett will start the second. It is still a coin flip call with no timeline on a decision.

Jacksonville Jaguars

WR Marqise Lee continues to miss practice with a hamstring injury. Allen Hurns should start opposite Allen Robinson at the beginning of the regular season.

Miami Dolphins

DeVante Parker appears 2-3 weeks away from returning to the team. He could make an impact this season and is worth the late pick in redraft leagues he currently costs as your second or third bench WR.

Damien Williams, not rookie Jay Ajayi, holds down the backup RB spot to Lamar Miller at this time. Ajayi only recently returned to practice.

Minnesota Vikings

The team lost RT Phil Loadholt to a torn Achilles’. While this didn’t prevent me from taking Adrian Peterson as the second overall pick in a recent moderate stakes redraft league, it isn’t good news for the Vikings running game and I thought worth mentioning.

New Orleans Saints

C.J. Spiller had knee surgery recently, described as a “maintenance” procedure to clean things up, and is expected to be out 2-4 weeks. That puts him in line to return for the start of the season, but it is an ominous sign for a RB with a bit of a track record being dinged up, and getting drafted relatively high on a team with other RB options. Moving down and marking Spiller as an “avoid” in our next rankings update. Khiry Robinson is one to watch, perhaps even target.

New York Giants

Rueben Randle is missing practice with knee tendinitis, while reports of Victor Cruz’s recovery continue to be positive. Cruz should be drafted ahead of Randle at this point. If Cruz is healthy enough to start the regular season, and it seems to be trending that way, then might as well leave Randle for the waiver wire in most leagues.

Philadelphia Eagles

TE Zach Ertz required surgery for a sports hernia and will sit out the rest of the preseason. Strangely enough, this happened not long after my last news and notes update in which I expressed buyer’s remorse drafting Ertz. He is expected back for Week 1 (albeit that seems a little optimistic) and we already moved him down our rankings slightly and slapped an “avoid” icon on him.

Washington Redskins

The Redskins TE position is decimated. Niles Paul (ankle) and Logan Paulsen (toe) are both out for the season, while Jordan Reed is, as usual, missing time due to injury (hamstring). Reed is hopeful to play in the team’s third preseason game. He’s a nice late flier pick, but health is a major concern.

Moving Up, Moving Down: Week 9 – Big Ben, Mark Ingram, Brandon LaFell Impress

By Leave a Comment

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) running out of the tunnel before the start of the game. The Pittsburgh Steelers defeat the Indianapolis Colts 51-34 at Heinz Field; October 26, 2014; Photographer: Brian Kunst/Zumapress/Icon Sportswire

Do you think he’s yelling, “I love these uniforms!” or “I’m going to throw for 500 yards today!” ? Maybe both. Photo: Icon Sportswire

QUARTERBACKS

MOVING UP

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
Stating the obvious but if Big Ben’s not here, then you’re done reading, right? Roethlisberger became the first quarterback in the history of the league to throw for over 500 yards twice, completing 40 of 49 attempts for 522 yards and six touchdowns. While the Colts aren’t to be confused with the league’s top pass rushing teams, the Steelers offensive line seems to be coming together at the midpoint of the season and with rookie Martavis Bryant emerging as a weapon outside, Roethlisberger’s fantasy outlook is on the upswing.

Tom Brady, Patriots
Probably a week late on this one. Brady has multiple touchdown passes in four straight games, a stretch in which he is averaging 30.3 PPG (1,268 passing yards and 14 touchdowns). While the Patriots face four straight top 10 pass defenses between Weeks 12 and 15, Brady should nonetheless be considered a top 5-6 fantasy quarterback over the balance of the season.

MOVING DOWN

Russell Wilson, Seahawks
Let’s take this opportunity to note that with Wilson, you never really know what you are going to get fantasy wise. He put up a dud this week with 199 passing yards and a single touchdown against a less than stellar Panthers defense. That gives him four games this year where he has failed to top 202 passing yards. And that’s pretty sad considering the Seahawks have played from behind much more this year than last. If you think they are ready for a run, that probably means even fewer attempts going forward.

RUNNING BACKS

MOVING UP

Mark Ingram, Saints
If you watched the Saints-Packers tilt, there basically wasn’t any way you could not conclude that Ingram is running like a top 10 running back. By game’s end, he had amassed career highs in rushing attempts and yards, totalling 172 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. While Khiry Robinson and Pierre Thomas didn’t play, I don’t think that matters much given how impressive Ingram looked.

Arian Foster, Texans
After his 151 rushing yard, 22 receiving yard and three total touchdown performance this week, Foster has now topped 100 rushing yards in six of his seven games this season. The lone flop was an injury marred performance in Week 4. If Foster had been healthy for the entire season, he would be challenging DeMarco Murray for the league’s rushing title.

Anthony Dixon, Bills
Somewhat surprisingly, it was Dixon who ascended to the top of the depth chart and not Bryce Brown with both C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson out of the lineup. Actually, it’s not that surprising since the Bills coaches prefer Jackson’s power to Spiller’s speed and elusiveness. Hey, who wants dynamic playmakers at the running back position? Not the Bills. While Dixon is a plodder (22 carries for 44 yards this week) and the Bills are on a bye this week, it looks like he will remain the starter until Jackson returns.

Jonas Gray, Patriots
Meet New England’s new power back, replacing the injured Stevan Ridley. Given an extended workload this week, Gray looked solid in the Patriots blow out win over the Chicago Bears, totalling 86 yards on 17 carries. With New England’s offense hitting its stride at the midseason point, Gray certainly has appeal as a flex option over the balance of the season (provided he holds onto the football).

MOVING DOWN

Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks
Let’s roll through the numbers. One game with 100 rushing yards. Three games with over 100 total yards. No rushing touchdowns in four games. Hasn’t topped double digit fantasy points in three straight games. Averaging 65.6 total yards over his last three games. Beast Mode may return but the sad state of the Seahawks offensive line isn’t helping matters.

Bishop Sankey, Titans
Despite topping double digit touches in each of his last three games, Sankey averaged 61.3 total yards in those games and failed to find the end zone. With just one touchdown on the season and a 4.0 yards per carry average, keep Sankey nailed to your bench until after he posts his first solid performance.

Doug Martin and Bobby Rainey, Bucs
Rookie 3rd round pick Charles Sims is close to returning to the lineup and neither Martin nor Bobby Rainey has done much to solidify their spots in the running back rotation.

Bernard Pierce, Ravens
Healthy scratch. Enough said.

WIDE RECEIVERS

MOVING UP

Martavis Bryant, Steelers
The rookie 4th round pick hauled in a 35 yard touchdown on his first career reception last week and followed that up with a five reception, 83 yard, two touchdown performance this week against the Colts. He has solid size to go along with outstanding speed and leaping ability. Even if Bryant doesn’t supplant Markus Wheaton in the starting lineup, he should have more fantasy value given his big play ability on deep balls and effectiveness in the red zone.

Brandon LaFell, Patriots
Over the past five games, LaFell is the 11th ranked fantasy wide receiver on a PPG basis. Not a typo, folks. After catching all 11 of his targets this week (again, not a typo) for 124 yards and a touchdown, LaFell is averaging 13.1 PPG during those games (topping 100 yards three times). Looks like the Patriots are set on him as the big wide receiver in their offense. Consider LaFell an upper tier WR3 the rest of the way.

Kenny Britt, Rams
Britt heads to the top of the pecking order in St. Louis with Brian Quick on injured reserve. Keep your expectations in check but Britt probably rates as a solid WR4 with upside at this point.

Donte Moncrief, Colts
After sporadic use over the first seven weeks of the season, Moncrief took advantage of the opportunity that presented itself with Reggie Wayne out of the lineup, hauling in seven of his 12 targets for 113 yards and a score against the Steelers. While the target count was a reflection of the Colts playing from behind, the rookie 3rd round pick displayed obvious playmaking ability and speed, especially on his touchdown reception. He is a solid prospect in dynasty formats and a decent option as a WR3 until Wayne returns.

MOVING DOWN

Julio Jones, Falcons
Pretty much hate to go here but . . . Jones hasn’t scored in five straight and has failed to top 70 yards in three of those games.

Brian Quick, Rams
Out for the year.

Julian Edelman, Patriots
One touchdown on the season. Hasn’t scored since Week 2. Just 13 targets in his last two games. Only 207 receiving yards in his last five games, averaging 4.1 PPG in those games.

Hakeem Nicks, Colts
With Reggie Wayne inactive, Nicks failed to take advantage, catching one of his six targets for 27 yards. Worse yet, rookie Donte Moncrief looked like a future star, further pushing Nicks down the depth chart when Wayne returns.

TIGHT ENDS

MOVING UP

Jared Cook, Rams
While Cook has just six targets in his last two games, he figures to see plenty more in St. Louis with Brian Quick out for the year. It’s worth noting that he was targeted 30 times during a three game stretch between Weeks 3 and 6. If only the Rams could generate a more consistent passing attack.

MOVING DOWN

Coby Fleener, Colts
Hopefully you’ve given up on Fleener by now. If not, please do so. He is averaging just 4.5 targets per game over the last five games and even with Reggie Wayne out, Fleener was targeted just four times this week against the Steelers when the Colts played from behind for most of the game.

In the NOT CONVINCED JUST YET category, we present:

Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals – outstanding this week but can he keep it up?

Theo Riddick, Lions – while Riddick has playmaking ability, especially as a receiver out of the backfield, the Lions are loaded at running back.