Category Archives: General

Your dynasty questions answered, Part VIII

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We roll on with your questions. Be sure to get yours in at dynastyfantasyfootballcentral(at)gmail(dot)com. Peter writes:

I’m in a PPR keeper league. I can only keep 7 on offense. I’m wondering if I could get some input on who would be best to keep. My team is:

QB: Matt Ryan, Russell Wilson, Jay Cutler
RB: LeSean McCoy, DeMarco Murray, Trent Richardson, Stevan Ridley
WR: Demaryius Thomas, Cordarrelle Patterson, Kendall Wright, Danny Amendola, Jacoby Jones, Emmanuel Sanders
TE: Julius Thomas
DEF: Ravens

I have made some picks, I would just like to have your thoughts on my players. Thank you.

I would say that’s a solid team so far. You also have some depth but not enough to make these decisions difficult. Let’s dive in.

Quarterback – Assuming it’s not a two quarterback league, Matt Ryan would be the choice. Wilson is good, and young, but is not in an offense that requires him to throw the ball a lot. He averaged only 210 yards per game while throwing for 26 touchdowns. Now, he did add over 500 yards per game on the ground but no quarterback in NFL history has kept that rushing pace throughout their career. Meanwhile, Ryan had his worst year since 2010 but was still fantasy’s 11th ranked quarterback, throwing for 282 yards per game and the same 26 touchdowns as Russell Wilson. He didn’t have Julio Jones or Roddy White for good chunks of the year. He’s getting them back plus the Falcons figure to add some talent on the offensive line. Until Matty Ice puts together two years of the kind of performance he did in 2013, you have to assume it was an anomaly.

Running Back – LeSean McCoy and DeMarco Murray are the only choices here. Trent Richardson will have every chance to win the starting job in Indianapolis this year but has not looked good in the NFL. He’s averaged a paltry 3.3 YPC over two seasons and was badly outplayed by Donald Brown towards the end of the season. There’s just nothing there to indicate he’ll be a valuable commodity in dynasty leagues. With Stevan Ridley, I just don’t trust any running back in New England and probably never will as long as Bill Belichick is coach. Ridley’s already been in the dog house with Belichick and it remains to be seen if he’ll return to a big role in 2014. It’s just too unreliable for me.

Wide Receiver – The two easy choices are Demaryius Thomas and Cordarrelle Patterson. Thomas is a top five dynasty receiver as long as Peyton Manning’s around while Patterson will have the benefit of Norv Turner as offensive coordinator.  The same Turner who got 1,600 yards out of Josh  Gordon with three different quarterbacks. Patterson, arguably, has the same raw talent and athleticism as Gordon but needs to convert that into being a productive receiver. With Turner in town and, presumably, a new quarterback, the expectations are high. The third receiver I’d take would be Kendall Wright. Wright managed to make almost 100 catches in an offense ranked only 21st in the league. He’s only 24 and is also looking to have an upgrade at quarterback in the near future. He could be the next great slot weapon in dynasty leagues. The only receiver I’d even consider keeping would be Amendola, especially in a PPR league. The most games he started was eight in one season and has shown no ability to be able to hold up over a whole season. He might not even be the top slot option in New England’s offense if Julian Edelman is re-signed. It’s just too much risk. As for Jones and Sanders, both are easily  replaceable options at receiver, especially with the upcoming rookie draft.

Tight End – This one’s easy. Julius Thomas will be a top five dynasty option for at least a few years.

There you have it. On offense I’d go Ryan, McCoy, Murray, D. Thomas, Patterson, Wright, J. Thomas. A well-rounded team of young guys that could produce for your fantasy team for a while.

Be sure to leave your suggestions in the comments below and always remember to send your questions in to dynastyfantasyfootballcentral(at)gmail(dot)com today!

Your Dynasty Questions Answered, Part V

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After a week to re-charge, we’re back at it with the latest dynasty news and notes. Also, we’re back at answering your questions. Be sure to email us at dynastyfantasyfootballcentral(at)gmail.com. Taylor writes:

I’m in a quasi-dynasty 12 team keeper league non-PPR, starting 1QB (1pt/20yds passing & 6pt/pass TD), 2RB, 2WR, 1TE, 1(RB/WR/TE), 1K, 2LB, 2DL, 2DB, & 1(LB/DL/DB). IDP scoring is, presently, 1pt/tackle (.5/assist), 3/sack, 2/stuff (does not count sacks), 3/force fumble, 4/INT, and 1/pass defensed. However, there is a possibility IDP scoring may significantly increase this coming year.

We keep 10 players from our 25 player roster, giving free agency pretty good depth going into the next year. My roster is as follows:
QB: Andy Dalton, Jay Cutler
RB: Gio Bernard, D Murray, D Wilson, Helu, Gerhart, K Robinson, and L Murray
WR: Green, Gordon, VJax, Hopkins, Boykin, Jernigan
TE: J Cameron, L Green
LB: David, Wagner, Laurinaitis, D Smith
DL: Watt, Quinn
DB: B Pollard, H Smith, & J Cyprien
So, my current absolute keepers are Bernard, Murray, Green, Gordon, David, Watt, and Quinn
Leaving me with three spots left, who should I fill out my keepers with? I’m thinking VJax, Cameron, and either Wagner, Laurinaitis, or Hopkins.  I really don’t know how much it’s worth investing in speculation, but VJax is aging and TE’s are HUGELY important (I do like Cameron’s consistency though, especially also having Gordon). Yes, I know my team is stacked (came in 2nd this year), but I’m pulling my hair out trying to decide who to keep, and where on my roster I might be able to get value from trading. HELP!!!!!!

Alright, let’s take a look at your roster with your starting line up with the absolute keepers since I agree with all of those:

QB:
RB: Bernard
RB: Murray
WR: Green
WR: Gordon
TE:
FLEX:
DL: Watt
DL: Quinn
LB: David
LB:
DB:
DB:
FLEX:

QB – Your quarterbacks are good but not great. I would say they’re not even QB1 in your 12-team league so dropping them is ok. And while quarterback is certainly important, with only 12 teams in your league, it’s not as if there won’t be other options in your draft.

RB – You have several high-upside guys like David Wilson, Khiry Robinson and Latavius Murray but with only keeping 10 players, it’s a luxury you can’t afford right now. Besides, DeMarco Murray and Giovani Bernard, both under 27, are fine options in a dynasty league.

WR – With Josh Gordon and A.J. Green, you have two of the top five receivers in dynasty. Kudos to you for making that happen. Those are guys you’ll have for a few years. As for your other options, guys like Jerrell Jernigan and Jarrett Boykin also have a lot of upside but you just don’t have enough spots.

To me, dropping Vincent Jackson is preferable to dropping DeAndre Hopkins. Jackson is very talented and produces very well for fantasy teams. But he’s also 31 with a new coach and an uncertain situation at quarterback, three big red flags as you head in to next year and beyond. With DeAndre Hopkins, you’re getting a 22-year old that produced a 50-catch, 800-yard season with one of the worst quarterback situations in the league. And while he’ll have a new coach and quarterback as well, the assistance of Andre Johnson allows Hopkins’ game to open up. Houston is also a lot further long, talent-wise overall than Tampa. However, I still wouldn’t keep Hopkins because…

TE – In Jordan Cameron, you have a top five option at tight end that’s only 26. He’s coming off an 80-catch, 900-yard season with equally as bad quarterback play as the two receivers mentioned above. You can easily slot him in as your starter next year. To me, Cameron is a keeper.

This may come as a surprise but Ladarius Green also would be a keeper for me. Freakishly athletic at 6′ 6″ with a 4.5 40-time, Green has Jimmy Graham-like physical attributes. Green is the heir apparent to Antonio Gates and if quarterback Philip Rivers uses him like he did Gates in his prime, you’re in line for a few 1,000 yard, 10-touchdown seasons. As you alluded to, tight end is becoming more and more important. Having a tight end now and for the future can server you well.

DL – Again, kudos for snagging two of the top five defensive ends in the NFL and dynasty. Robert Quinn and J.J. Watt are both under 25 and play in aggressive schemes, insuring high sack totals. This is an easy call.

DB – Defensive back may be the most replaceable position in all of IDP football. The stats for defensive backs are just too random with a multitude of outside factors determining who gets tackles, interceptions, etc. You’re correct in passing on all of them.

LB – Lavonte David was a top three linebacker in fantasy leagues last year and shows no signs of slowing down. Just 24 and playing in new coach Lovie Smith’s system, David should replicate his production for man years to come. As far as keeping another linebacker, I think you’d be wise to do so, especially with IDP points potentially playing a bigger role in your league. I would keep Bobby Wagner as your second LB. Wagner racks up the tackles with 140 his rookie year and averaging 10 per game in his final eight games of 2013. Those tackle number would balance out David’s big-play ability nicely. He’ll be just 24 when the season starts and plays on one of the best defenses in the league, if not all time.

There you have it. I’d keep Cameron, Green, and Wagner to fill out your roster. Your defense of Quinn, Watt, David, and now Wagner should challenge for the best in your league. I’d also have a hard time believing there’s a stronger set of tight ends. Good luck!

Remember, send your questions to dynastyfantasyfootballcentral(at)gmail.com!

Daily Dynasty Update – February 8th

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Daily Dynasty Update – December 31st

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Daily Dynasty Update – December 21st

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Daily Dynasty Update – December 20th

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Dynasty Recap – Week 13 – Vikings escape Bears, 23-20

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  • Bears backup quarterback Josh McCown had a stellar day going 23 of 36 for 355 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. McCown is making it an interesting decision for Chicago in the off-season as Jay Cutler is due to be a free agent. McCown is already 34 but could be a decent buffer for a drafted quarterback.
  • Vikings running back Adrian Peterson went off for 211 yards on 35 carries for a 6.0 YPC. There’s just no stopping no matter who the quarterback or team is.
  • Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery also went off for 12 catches and 249 yards and two touchdowns. There’s no doubt that Jeffery is on par, if not exceeded, Marshall’s value in dynasty circles.
  • Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway led the Vikings in tackles with 10 and included a sack. Greenway continues to be a tackle machine with 95 so far in 2013 with a quarter of the season to go.

Dynasty Recap – Week 13 – Lions destroy Packers, 40-10

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  • Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford had a very Matthew Stafford game, throwing for 330 yards on 22 of 35 passing with three touchdowns but two interceptions and a fumble lost. This is the Matthew Stafford dynasty leaguers will have to live with.
  • Lions running back Reggie Bush had 117 yards rushing and 65 yards receiving on five catches with a touchdown. He did lose a fumble but that didn’t stop him. You have to wonder how Reggie’s fumble issues will affect his play going forward. Backup Joique Bell had 94 yards rushing on 19 carries with 34 yards on three receptions and another touchdown.
  • Lions receiver Calvin Johnson had 101 yards on six catches and a touchdown. He’s the best and I have a man crush on him and I don’t care who knows it.
  • A bright spot for the Packers was safety Morgan Burnett had nine tackles, two fumble recoveries and a touchdown. His value only increases as the Packers allow more yards and points.
  • Lions rookie defensive end Ziggy Ansah had two sacks for the second straight game after missing a month. Playing in that system, in which Cliff Avril was a star, should only increase Ansah’s value along with his age and contract.