DraftBuddy.com

Fantasy Baseball and Fantasy Football Draft Tools

  • Member Login
  • Register

     

  • Fantasy Football
  • Fantasy Baseball
  • Draft Buddy
  • Rankings
  • News
  • Stats
  • Draft Buddy
  • Rankings
  • News
  • Stats

Preliminary 2016 Tight End Redraft Ranking Tiers

July 8, 2016 By Draft Buddy Leave a Comment

Rob Gronkowski

Some small red flags and up-and-coming talent at the position might be closing the gap between Rob Gronkowski and the field, but he still stands alone in Tier 1 at TE for now.

Lets close out the week with preliminary redraft tight end tiers for the 2016 fantasy football season. This concludes our collection of offensive skill position tiers after posting quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers the prior three days.

Note again the players are only tiered, not ranked within their groups, so focus on the tiers as opposed to where a player is situated relative to other players in their own tier.

We will publish detailed player projections, rankings and commentary plus updates over the next two plus months leading up to the start of the NFL regular season. Feel free to post your comments below, or on Facebook or Twitter.

Tier 1

Rob Gronkowski

Tier 2

Coby Fleener
Greg Olsen
Jordan Reed
Travis Kelce

Tier 3

Delanie Walker
Gary Barnidge
Jimmy Graham
Julius Thomas
Tyler Eifert
Zach Ertz

Tier 4

Antonio Gates
Austin Seferian-Jenkins
Benjamin Watson
Dwayne Allen
Eric Ebron
Jason Witten
Jordan Cameron
Ladarius Green
Martellus Bennett

Tier 5

Charles Clay
Clive Walford
Jacob Tamme
Kyle Rudolph
Richard Rodgers
Vance McDonald
Will Tye
Zach Miller

Tier 6

Cameron Brate
Darren Fells
Jace Amaro
Jeff Heuerman
Lance Kendricks
Ryan Griffin
Tyler Kroft

Filed Under: Fantasy Football

Super-Flex with IDP Dynasty Draft Recap

July 9, 2015 By AskTony Leave a Comment

In a new startup dynasty fantasy football draft for a league with a super-flex (flex QB) position, Indianapolis Colts QB Andrew Luck is about as no-brainer as it gets for pick 1.01.

In a new startup dynasty fantasy football draft for a league with a super-flex (flex QB) position, Indianapolis Colts QB Andrew Luck is about as no-brainer as it gets for pick 1.01.

Playing fantasy football has taught me what I really like and don’t like in terms of different league formats. In joining a new startup dynasty league this summer, I found exactly what I wanted. The league uses performance plus point-per-reception (PPR) scoring, includes individual defensive players (IDP) and has a super-flex starting position. That means I can start a QB/RB/WR/TE in that roster spot, in addition to another flex starting position which is the more common RB/WR/TE.

Strategizing prior to the draft, although I am not required to start 2 QB, I approached it as a 2 QB league since quarterbacks score the most points. The position could dry up quickly if I don’t put appropriate emphasis on acquiring two starters.

Wide receivers have more value in dynasty leagues than redraft leagues because they typically have longer fantasy-productive careers than running backs. However, the way football is trending in the NFL and college, the wide receiver position is extremely deep. I don’t want to wait too long to draft running backs.

My plan was to target a top tier quarterback in round one, wide receiver in round two, and then go best player available in rounds three and four.

1.01 QB Andrew Luck, Colts

What a way to start, with the first overall pick in a startup dynasty league. Since this is, in my mind, a 2 QB league, my decision was between Andrew Luck and Aaron Rodgers, arguably the two best quarterbacks in the game currently. I decided to go with the youth of Luck since this is a dynasty league. He is only getting better and is not yet close to his peak. Note, Rodgers fell to pick 1.05.

2.07 WR Randall Cobb, Packers

I was part of the first trade of the league. During pick 2.04 selection, I traded my 2.10 and 3.01 draft picks for picks 2.07 and 3.04, moving up three slots in the draft. I had a tough decision between wide receivers Randall Cobb and Alshon Jeffery. I took Cobb. He is six months younger than Jeffery, but has one more year in the NFL than Jeffery. Cobb had more fantasy points in 2014. With the new head coach John Fox in Chicago, I am not exactly sure how the offense will look in 2015, but I do know how the offense runs in Green Bay. Finally, the tipping point was Cobb has Aaron Rodgers throwing to him, who I have a TON more confidence in than Jay Cutler and whoever the future is in Chicago.

3.04 WR Alshon Jeffery, Bears

Well, forget all those negative comments I just made towards Alshon, I was surprised he fell to me at 3.04. I gladly took him. Jeffery is the new number one wide receiver in Chicago. With the additions of rookie Kevin White and free agent Eddie Royal, Jeffery should not be swamped with double coverage every play. The last two seasons, playing alongside Brandon Marshall (now with the New York Jets), Jeffery was able to finish as the ninth ranked wide receiver in 2013 and 12th ranked WR in 2014. I’m excited to see what he can do with new offensive coordinator Adam Gase who joins the Bears from the Denver Broncos.

4.10 RB Melvin Gordon, Chargers

The second rookie running back taken in the 2015 NFL Draft, Melvin Gordon landed in a great situation. If you read my Top 10 Rookie Running Backs, you know I am very high on Gordon, so much so that I like him more than rookie Todd Gurley due to his torn ACL history (even though he seems to be recovering well). Gordon will be a great two-down back that can move the chains. His only competition is on third down where veteran Danny Woodhead will steal some production. Gordon has a bright future ahead of him, I am glad he is on my team.

5.01 RB Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks

After taking a rookie as my first running back on my team, I had a very difficult decision on my hands between veteran running backs Matt Forte and Marshawn Lynch and youngster Carlos Hyde. Since I already own Jeffery, I did not want a RB/WR combo from the same NFL team on my team, which nixed Forte. Hyde showed some bursts of success in 2014, however, the San Francisco team is a lot different this year. Hyde is more “boom or bust.” So, I’ll take a top five consistent running back in Lynch. Yes, he is approaching 30 years old, but he hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down. Of the only five running backs to finish in the Top 12 running backs EACH of the last three years, Lynch finished with the second best yards-per-carry (YPC) at 4.64. I have a great core of youth so far; I figured I could afford an aged veteran who still produces week in and week out.

6.10 RB Alfred Morris, Redskins

My MFL10 draft recap already indicated I am all-in on Alfred Morris this year. Morris is in the last year of his rookie contract, so he will try to make a statement for either the Washington Redskins to resign him or for another team to pay him some big money. Also, the Redskins brought in a possible threat to Morris’ job in Matt Jones. I feel Jones will only push Morris to be more successful. Just like Lynch, Morris finished with a solid 4.52 YPC among an exclusive group of running backs who ranked in the Top 12 at their position each of the last three years.

7.01 QB Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings

Teddy Bridgewater had the most successful rookie season of the rookie quarterbacks in 2014. He now has running back Adrian Peterson returning, the burner Mike Wallace at wide receiver, and sleeper receiver Charles Johnson to threaten defenses. Bridgewater is young and shows a TON of potential, I love him as my second quarterback as I expect him to crack the Top 12 quarterbacks this year, and his youth makes him a high value dynasty asset.

8.10 WR Jarvis Landry, Dolphins

Of the strong performances by rookie wide receivers in 2014, not many people recognize what Jarvis Landry accomplished. He had a great season in his own right. Landry caught 84 of 112 targets thrown his way, which makes for a 75% catch rate. Landry is a PPR machine. With the departure of Mike Wallace, and additions of receiver Kenny Stills and tight end Jordan Cameron, everything is set up for Landry to build on his strong rookie year as an also-ascending Ryan Tannehill’s number one receiving option.

9.01 WR Martavis Bryant, Steelers

Playing alongside arguably the best fantasy wide receiver in Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant proved he is here to stay in the NFL. Bryant is the definition of “deep ball threat”, tracking 549 yards on only 26 receptions last season for a ridiculously good 21.1 yards per reception. The expectation is that he beats out Markus Wheaton for the starting job opposite Brown in 2015, resulting in more snaps and more opportunity. Bryant appears committed to his craft, even taking mixed martial arts training in the offseason to help with his hand work fighting off defenders. Bryant rounds out a corps of great young wide receivers on my team that I am extremely happy with.

10.10 LB Jamie Collins, Patriots
11.01 LB Alec Ogletree, Rams

Finally paying some attention to the IDP side of my roster, my first two linebackers finished just inside the Top 10 linebackers in 2014. Jamie Collins finished ninth and Alec Ogletree, tenth. Collins plays on a team with a strong offense. He relies more on big plays which he definitely showed a knack for last season, plus was no slouch in the tackle department once he earned significant playing time. Ogletree plays on a team with an offense that struggles, providing solid tackle opportunity for him. Plus he plays three downs due to his solid pass coverage skills. He led the league in passes defensed amongst LB last season with 12. Both players are only in entering their third year in the league.

At this point in the draft, in a 10-team league with 35-man rosters, I wanted to trade up to help acquire more quality defensive players of my choosing at the expense of some slightly later round picks. While I can wait at defensive back, the defensive line will get thin on quality rather quickly, and it is always good to stockpile linebackers, another thinning position in recent years with more 3-4 defensive formations and increased passing offenses. I successfully traded up to picks 11.03 and 11.05, while moving out of the 12th, 13th and 14th rounds completely.

11.03 LB Telvin Smith, Jaguars

Telvin Smith was quite a surprise for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014 as he emerged as a three-down linebacker by the end of the year. Smith had a phenomenal second half of the 2014 season. After starting with only 20 solo tackles through eight games, he finished with 52 solo tackles over the last eight games, three games of which were in double digits. He finished with a total of 104 tackles (72 solo) despite playing fewer than 75% of the available defensive snaps. Smith is going to become an elite linebacker in 2015 and is a great addition to round out my amazing linebacker corps.

11.05 DE Chandler Jones, Patriots
15.03 DE Ezekiel Ansah, Lions

My next two picks consisted of young and productive defensive ends. Chandler Jones ranks among the top five defensive ends in the game. Although he was injured part of the 2014 season, he had an unspecified surgery this offseason (hopefully to fix the 2014 injury) and is expected to be ready for the start of training camp. Ezekiel “Ziggy” Ansah is entering his third year for the Detroit Lions. He increased his stats from 2013 to 2014, and I expect another increase in 2015. After the J.J. Watt DL tier, there is the reliable 10 sack, not shy tacklers DL tier, who we can trust to start every week for fantasy regardless of matchup. Jones and Ansah fall in that tier, which if you don’t pay a fair price for these players can leave you scrambling and frustrated at the position.

16.06 DB Landon Collins, Giants
16.10 LB Stephone Anthony, Saints

Two rookie selections here, but they are not classified as “rookie fever,” at least not in my book. Landon Collins plays the safety position, but he likes to play in the defensive “box” which means his opportunity to rack up tackles is extremely high. Stephone Anthony should start for the New Orleans Saints Day 1 as they do not have any competition ahead of him. He is great against the run, a great athlete, and a great tackler.

17.10 TE Dwayne Allen, Colts

I selected Tyler Eifert at 17.01 however, right after I did, an owner contacted me asking me what I wanted for Eifert. After reviewing the available tight ends, I agreed to trade Eifert, pick 22.10 and pick 29.01 for picks 17.10, 20.03 and 25.08.

I love the Andrew Luck to Dwayne Allen connection. There are a lot of mouths to feed in Indianapolis, so Allen might not see as many targets as he did in 2014, but he is a big touchdown-target for Luck.

19.01 RB Matt Jones, Redskins
20.03 RB Joique Bell, Lions
21.01 WR Kendall Wright, Titans

Rookie Matt Jones is backing up my Alfred Morris pick. With Morris in a contract year, Jones might be in line to take over for Morris next year. Early reports suggest Jones may steal some looks from Morris in 2015, thus, I have this backfield locked up from other owners. As of right now, Joique Bell is the number one rusher for the Lions. He adds more depth to my running back position and his value was too good to pass up in the 20th round. A new offense and a new quarterback mean a possible resurgence in the career of Kendall Wright. I would not be surprised if he leads the Titans receivers this year.

23.01 QB Andy Dalton, Bengals
24.10 WR Justin Hardy, Falcons

Andy Dalton is the third quarterback on my roster. I am very surprised he is still available in the 23rd round. I know he is either hit or miss, but with AJ Green and Jeremy Hill, the team is bound to put up some points. He’s definitely great value here, in my opinion. With Julio Jones and Roddy White demanding all the attention on the outsides, rookie slot receiver Justin Hardy should find some openings on the field in the aerial attack of the Falcons. Given the injury history of both Jones and White, Hardy may be called upon to do more sooner rather than later.

25.01 DB Barry Church, Cowboys
26.10 LB Denzel Perryman, Chargers

27.01 LB Jake Ryan, Packers
Barry Church has consistently put up big fantasy numbers for defensive backs. Yes he is up there in age, but he continues to produce. Plus, the fantasy point differential in defensive backs at this stage in the draft is minimal. To round out my great linebacker squad, I decided to take a chance on two rookies in amazing positions. Both Denzel Perryman and Jake Ryan have the opportunity to put up massive numbers for their squads this year. It will not take much for Perryman to replace a disappointing Manti Te’o and lead the Chargers the in tackles as soon as the latter half of this season. Ryan can play any linebacker position, he is very versatile and a great athlete. Ryan is a tackling machine and could start for the Green Bay Packers in Week 1.

28.10 DB Michael Griffin, Titans

A veteran defensive back that always seems to produce. Michael Griffin finished insite the Top 10 defensive backs in 2014 for fantasy points and had the third most tackles. Griffin is a suitable bye-week replacement for my team.

30.10 TE Jason Witten, Cowboys

An aged veteran who continues to be his quarterback’s safety valve, Jason Witten has not seen his last good fantasy season quite yet. With the departure of DeMarco Murray and questionable running back replacements, QB Tony Romo might return to relying on his tight end more to get him out of tough situations.

31.01 RB Mike Davis, 49ers

Carlos Hyde is next in line to take over in the 49ers backfield since veteran Frank Gore left. In my opinion, Hyde is more of a “boom or bust” type player rather than a consistent fantasy producer. The 49ers also brought in veteran Reggie Bush whose purpose will most likely be in passing downs. Mike Davis was drafted in the 2015 NFL Draft and has a nice opportunity if Hyde underwhelms.

32.10 WR Stefon Diggs, Vikings

I love pairing a quarterback with a wide receiver from the same team. Rookie Stefon Diggs is a burner who will quickly work his way up from kickoff and punt returns to catching deep balls from quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Diggs may take on the role that underwhelming Cordarrelle Patterson has yet to fill.

33.01 K Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots

Kickers are kickers, not much difference in points between them all. Gostkowski has been a rock for the New England Patriots and should continue to produce.

34.10 DB Bashaud Breeland, Redskins

An underrated defensive back, Bashaud Breeland stepped up a big way in 2014 for the Washington Redskins. He finished his rookie season with 66 total tackles, 14 pass defenses, and two interceptions. I highly expect the number one corner for the Redskins to continue to grow in 2015 as this defense could be on the field much longer than the offense.

35.01 TE Virgil Green, Broncos

With the departure of tight end Julius Thomas, Virgil Green may finally step out into the spotlight, catching passes from one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, Peyton Manning. Green has mainly been used for run blocking, but he is too athletic to keep him under the same role in 2015. He will undoubtedly see more targets, which makes him a great backup with potential to break out.

35.03 RB Danny Woodhead, Chargers

With my final pick of the draft, I was surprised to still be able to land a positive fantasy contributor in PPR scoring leagues. With my earlier pick of Melvin Gordon, I pretty much lock up the Chargers backfield with Danny Woodhead. While Gordon is not much of a pass catcher, Woodhead will step in on third downs. Reports out of minicamp are that Woodhead looks like his former self prior to a 2014 injury. I think this is a great value pick and could be a huge steal in the draft.

My team:

QB Luck, Bridgewater (Dalton)
RB Lynch, Morris, Gordon (Bell, M. Jones, M. Davis, Woodhead)
WR Cobb, Jeffery, M. Bryant, Landry (Wright, Hardy, Diggs)
TE Allen (Witten, Green)
K Gostkowski
DL Ansah, Jones
LB J. Collins, Ogletree, T. Smith (Anthony, Perryman, Ryan)
DB L. Collins, Church, Griffin (Breeland)

Overall, I think my team rounded out nicely with a mix of young talent and proven veterans. This team should be highly competitive right away, while it still has a very bright long-term outlook thanks to Luck, Bridgewater, Gordon and the receivers.

This startup dynasty draft was a ton of fun. If you aren’t already playing dynasty fantasy football, then get to it. Make sure to try different format leagues this season with a super-flex position, or IDP, to break away from the traditional start 1 QB and team defense leagues.

Filed Under: Dynasty Fantasy Football, Fantasy Football, Fantasy Football IDP

Cincinnati Bengals Team Report

July 7, 2015 By Dave Leave a Comment

QB Andy Dalton

After posting career highs in passing yards and passing touchdowns with 4,296 and 33 in 2013, while finishing as the 3rd ranked fantasy quarterback, Dalton regressed badly in 2014, throwing for just 3,398 yards and 19 touchdowns. Hue Jackson took over as the team’s offensive coordinator, and the Bengals leaned on their rushing attack more than in recent years, plus key receivers suffered through an injury marred campaign. A.J. Green, Marvin Jones and Tyler Eifert combined to miss significant time. While we don’t expect the Bengals to alter their run-pass ratio very much in 2015, we do expect Dalton to increase his production. With a healthy Green (three missed games) as well as Jones (16 missed games) and Eifert (15 missed games) back in the lineup, coupled with dynamic pass receiving running back Giovani Bernard and a solid possession receiver in Mohamed Sanu, Dalton has plenty of weapons at his disposal. He rates as a mid to lower tier QB2.

RB Jeremy Hill

Cincinnati Bengals RB Jeremy Hill wowed us as a rookie, and crushed high expectations for Giovani Bernard fantasy owners. What is he going to do for an encore?

Cincinnati Bengals RB Jeremy Hill wowed us as a rookie, and crushed high expectations for Giovani Bernard fantasy owners. What is he going to do for an encore?

Taken in the 2nd round of last year’s NFL Draft, Hill was expected to play second fiddle to Giovani Bernard in his rookie season, spelling the flashy 2nd year player as well as handling short yardage work. However, a hip injury suffered by Bernard at midseason opened up an opportunity for the LSU product, and he took advantage of it in a big way, finishing the season with 1,124 rushing yards, nine rushing touchdowns and 215 receiving yards. At 6’1” and 235 pounds, Hill used his size well during his rookie season, establishing himself as a north-south runner capable of producing the occasional big play, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. With Bernard struggling as a runner (career yards per carry of 4.1), Hill figures to handle rushing down duties for the Bengals other than when offensive coordinator Hue Jackson feels he needs a breather. Since we expect the Bengals offense to rate in the league’s top 10 in 2015, we consider Hill a lower tier RB1 in redraft formats as well as an outstanding dynasty league prospect.

RB Giovani Bernard

After accumulating 1,209 total yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie in 2013, Bernard was touted as a potential breakout candidate in 2014. However, that proved to be optimistic as fantasy pundits failed to place enough emphasis on the 14.1 touches per game he averaged as a rookie as well as the role that rookie 2nd round pick Jeremy Hill would play. Sure enough, Bernard opened the season in the lead role before suffering a hip injury that caused him to miss three games while also creating an opportunity for Hill to emerge as the team’s starting running back. While Bernard’s production on a per game basis was very similar to his rookie season, he is firmly entrenched as Hill’s backup. With Bernard operating as a change of pace, receiving option out of the backfield, we still expect him to average between 12-15 touches per game which should allow to produce as a lower tier RB2, albeit one who may produce on an inconsistent basis.

WR A.J. Green

After amassing an impressive 3,833 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns during his first three years in the league, Green suffered through the worst year of his career in 2014, catching 69 passes for 1,041 yards with six touchdowns. A toe injury caused him to miss three games and he was limited in several others. With a return to health in 2015, we expect Green to return to the production he displayed in 2013. While the fantasy crowd seems to be discounting Green somewhat due to his lack of production last season, the Bengals increased reliance on the running game and the emergence of Mohamed Sanu and the return to health of Marvin Jones and tight end Tyler Eifert, we aren’t buying that narrative. The big dog needs to be fed and there is no doubt that Green is the big dog in the Bengals passing attack. We rate him as a top five fantasy wide receiver and see another 1,300 yard, touchdown season on the horizon.

WR Marvin Jones

After producing a breakout season in 2013 with 51 receptions for 712 yards and 10 touchdowns, Jones’ 2014 was lost to injury as he missed the entire season with ankle problems. Entering his 4th year in the league, Jones has breakout potential provided he can shake off the rust and build on the progress he displayed two seasons ago. With Jones back in the lineup, we expect the Bengals to throw the ball more often as their group of receivers suffered through an injury-plagued 2014 season. However, with Mohamed Sanu having established himself in 2013 and the Bengals anxious to see what tight end Tyler Eifert can do as he also returns from injury, Jones rates as a WR5 until he strings together a couple of productive weeks.

WR Mohamed Sanu

With A.J. Green missing time with a toe injury and Marvin Jones out for the entire 2014 season, Sanu posted career highs across the board with 56 receptions for 790 yards and five touchdowns. He will battle Jones for a spot in the starting lineup in 2015, but the smart money is on Jones. While Sanu posted a surprising 14.1 yards per reception, that was an outlier that belies his lack of speed. He averaged under 10 yards per reception during his first two years in the league. Since we don’t expect that Sanu will usurp Jones for a spot in the starting lineup and tight end Tyler Eifert will likely eat into Sanu’s role on short and intermediate routes, look for Sanu to struggle to match his 2014 production. We don’t recommend him in any format. A regression to 400-500 yards with 3-4 touchdowns seems likely.

WR Denarius Moore

Unreliable and wildly inconsistent during his first four years in the league with the Oakland Raiders, Denarius Moore brings his outstanding speed to the Bengals in 2015. While Moore’s career arc is clearly pointing down, he rates as a player to keep on the back burner given that Marvin Jones is returning from injury and Mohamed Sanu rates as a poor option to play alongside A.J. Green. If Jones doesn’t return to form and Moore works his way into the starting lineup, he could produce the odd big week and be worthy of a roster spot in deeper leagues.

TE Tyler Eifert

Coming off a productive rookie season in which he caught 39 passes for 445 yards and a pair of touchdowns after being taken in the 1st round of the 2013 NFL Draft, Eifert was expected to take another step forward in his 2nd season and relegate Jermaine Gresham to more of a backup role. However, a dislocated elbow ended his season after just one game, putting his breakout hopes on hold. With Gresham not back for 2015, Eifert once again rates as a potential breakout player but he has some roadblocks in his way. Wide receiver Mohamed Sanu emerged as a solid receiving option in 2014, Marvin Jones returns from injury and running back Giovani Bernard has averaged 50 receptions per year during his two seasons in the league. While we expect the Bengals to throw the ball more in 2015, Eifert remains a low end TE2 in redraft formats and a good but not great prospect in dynasty leagues.

Also see: Cincinnati Bengals IDP Team Report | Cleveland Browns Team Report

Filed Under: Fantasy Football

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Next Page »
  • Fantasy Baseball
    • Draft Buddy Software
    • Last Player Picked
    • Rankings
  •  
    • Articles
    • News
    • Stats
  • Fantasy Football
    • Draft Buddy Software
    • Rankings
    • Projections
  •  
    • Articles
    • News
    • Stats

Copyright © 2020 Draft Buddy • Privacy Policy