Deion Sanders HoF Jacket; Fantasy Football Headlines; AL Wild Card Race
A.L. Wild Card Race
The O’s are still trending upwards as they head out for a trip to Tampa and the start of a string of division games that will make or break the season, essentially. If we look at the trends around them though, they are looking like a good bet to snag a wild card spot with some struggles and inconsistency going on with the rest of the division a.k.a. the other Wild Card contenders.
The Mariners are also cruising and are absolutely in the mix. They’re also getting steamrolled out of a shot at their division crowd by a World Series contender in Houston. The Yankees are sliding and far too dependent on Aaron Judge and HRs, in general. They got worked by St. Louis, and just lost a series in Seattle. There is a bit of concern there if you’re a Yankees fan.
We keep saying it, but what a season for the O’s; regardless of how this ends, this is already a win! Rutschman is a stud, and he’s still so green to the league. The upside is ridiculous…with this whole team. The vibes in Baltimore are pretty good!
Oh, and the Dodgers are absolutely bonkers!
Pre-Season Openers
It’s that time of the year! It’s Week #1 of pre-season, so it’s entertaining (somewhat) but there isn’t too much to read into, for most teams and players.
The Ravens looked pretty good through the depth chart. The first team basically had the night off so the rookies and journeymen got their try-outs. Huntley looked average, which is accurate. Despite what Rappaport and Schefter have to say, he’s not worth a 1st-Round Pick, and clearly not worth anything, because nobody came calling.
Lamar is looking big, strong, and by all accounts throwing the ball better than he has yet in his career. The receiver slot is still a bit of concern for the Ravens, as usual, but it’s always concerning.
It’s just a good old-fashioned college-style QB try-out down in Carolina. Wentz got hammered by the media about his performance, history, and expectation, and he was his boring self. Deshaun is going to play, we just don’t know when. Brissett is not the answer, in case anyone thought otherwise. There’s a lot to look forward to for neutral entertainment this season in the NFL.
Fantasy Football Strategy
Our analysis is based off of a 12-team, PPR league, so just keep that in mind with some of our selections here. Generally speaking though, we both agree that it’s paramount to maximize your first four rounds to make sure you avoid any major mistakes. A league can be won or lost in those first four rounds.
Quarterbacks
Josh Allen at QB #1 even without Dabol; Lamar is probably QB #2, or at least interchangeable with Allen. Mahomes is easily QB #3. The grab bag of other guys, according to Tom, starts with Jalen Hurts and maybe a late flier on Tua. Chris likes Derek Carr and Kirk Cousins with a flier on Trevor Lawrence, as a little surprise pick.There are a lot of decent names at this position so waiting late isn’t necessarily a bad thing in the right situations.
Running Backs
Unanimous RB #1 has to be Jonathan Taylor, but maybe a little regression from last year. Which isn’t a bad thing at 1800 yards last year. Christian McCaffery is probably RB #2, even with the nightmare situation at QB in Carolina, both Chris & Tom aren’t really buying it. Derrick Henry is ranked a little lower than normal after the injury, but we all know what he’s capable of. Saquon is another flier with huge upside if he stays healthy.
This is another position that doesn’t need to jumped on early with a deep pool of talent most likely available in mid to late rounds that will put up RB #1 numbers week-in and week-out; Mixon, Chubb, Cook, etc. J.K Dobbins is ranked in the 20s, and he could win a league for you with Baltimore’s red zone production. Unless you’re pick #1-#4 overall there is a great argument for waiting a round or two to take a RB.
Wide Receivers
Last year, 70% of fantasy teams who won their league had Cooper Kupp. Does another one of those exist this year? 400 pts would carry someone deep into a Fantasy Football playoffs, almost guaranteed.
There are quite a few WRs that could fit the bill that could be outside of the top 3 rounds. Tyreek Hill & Jaylen Waddle in Miami. DK Metcalf’s stock has plummeted, given the QB situation that’s not surprising, but he’s still a stud. Brandi Cooks consistently churns out WR1 or 2 numbers.If Deshaun plays the bulk of this year, Amari Cooper becomes a flier late round. Michael Thomas is ranked WR #29, and he should bounce back. Chris is favoring Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase at #1 & #2 respectively, with Kupp rounding out the top #3.
In short, load up on WRs, and don’t panic if you don’t get a Chase, Jefferson, Kupp - there is plenty of talent on the board.
Tight Ends
Chris sticks Mark Andrews at #1, much to the dismay of Tom, who disagrees and is sticking with Kelce as #1. Hill’s targets need to go somewhere so the upside on Kelce is even higher this season potentially.
George Kittle is an absolute stud if you’re outside of the first two picks to grab one of the other two. Kittle’s production is always high and with a young QB, the outlook is favorable. Kyle Pitts is another guy projected for a great year, if he can get in the endzone. Pat Friermuth, should have a great year as a deep pick. Zach Ertz is in a great position to have a good year, too.
Tight-end is a position that can get a little dark outside of the Top 4 or 5 guys; a lot of waiver wire work and prayers on Sunday mornings. There is always one guy who can throw up 300+ points, but that’s about it.
Choose wisely, or prepare for a problem spot on your roster throughout the season!