Author: TJ Streett

Streaming Defenses- Week 1

If you did not pick up an elite defense through the draft you may want to consider some interesting options on defense in week one.

Analysis: As good as the Giants DST, Cowboys DST, Raiders DST, and Broncos DST defenses can be, it may not make sense to start them in week one with other solid options out there. The Detroit Lions DST is available in a few leagues and is worth consideration. The Lions have a week one match up with the Rams who only averaged 12.1 points per game last year. Sam Bradford has a career 74.2 passer rating and just loves holding on to the ball.

The widely available team to watch is the Vikings DST. They face the Jags in week one and we all know that Blaine Gabbert can make Tim Tebow look like Warren Moon. The Jags only averaged 15.2 points per game last year even with a healthy and prepared MJD. The Vikes led the league with 50 sacks in 2011 and expect more of the same from Jared Allen and company. Keep in mind that Minnesota is at home and Gabbert’s quarterback rating on the road last year was just 62.4 with only five touchdowns on 209 passing attempts.

Stock Rising- Wilin Rosario

Wilin Rosario is second among all major league catchers with 23 home runs this year. Despite the power from the twenty-three year old, he remains available in seventy percent of fantasy leagues.

Analysis: Wilin Rosario is second in homers, tenth in runs batted in and eighth in runs among major league catchers. He’s putting up great fantasy numbers for a catcher yet he remains available in tons of leagues. It may be that he plays in Colorado or that he still qualifies as a rookie but he does not get much love in the fantasy world. He is on a tear right now, Rosario has homered in three consecutive games and has raised his slugging percentage up to .545 in the process.

I understand that many owners have given up at this point in the fantasy season but putting the best fantasy roster together should remain a priority regardless of the standings. At this point in the season only nine catchers have more than fourteen home runs, so it doesn’t make any sense to stick with a guy like Alex Avila who is owned in more leagues despite trailing Wilin in all five roto categories.

Buying Low- Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson is the Seattle week one starter but is he in a position to put up QB2 numbers?

Analysis: If Russell Wilson does indeed struggle Matt Flynn will always be there lurking around this year. Flynn is capable and is being paid the sizable contract but he’s also one of the top thirty most owned quarterbacks while Wilson is still available in the majority of leagues as well. You know what you’re going to get with guys like Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jake Locker(tons of picks) but Russell Wilson just may be something special.

Wilson certainly has the weapons with guys like Sidney Rice and Braylon Edwards. If those two receivers can stay healthy with Marshawn Lynch pounding the rock, Seattle will have the best offense in the NFC West. Throw in a motivated Kellen Winslow and Zach Miller and you have yourself a very solid offense built around one athletic rookie who has rushed for 150 yards in three preseason games. If you already had your draft and got stuck with a Ryan Fitzpatrick it is a no-brainer here… pick Russell Wilson up and just see what happens. Worst case scenario is that Wilson loses his job by week four while Fitzpatrick is vying for the league lead in interceptions.

ADP Watch- Rashad Jennings

Rashad Jennings is a very interesting back to take a look at especially with the Jags and MJD at odds on a contract.

Analysis: Rashad Jennings is sporting a career 5.4 yards per carry average with five touchdowns and zero fumbles on 123 carries. It may be a small sample size but he can certainly be a feature back going forward. Even if MJD gets a deal done soon he will be more susceptible to injury this year. At the moment MJD is the 4th-10th back being taken off the board while Jennings is the 40th with an ADP in the 105-135 range. You can get away with drafting Jennings as your fourth back yet he may wind up as a RB2 if the MJD situation goes south.

Jennings makes a great low risk/high reward back at the moment considering his 175 rushing yards on just 36 preseason carries. To expect MJD to come in and carry the rock in every down and situation without proper camp time is crazy(see Chris Johnson last year). Jennings is a fine 225 pound back and if a trade is to happen he is an absolute steal.

ADP Watch- Fred Jackson

Fred Jackson in the thirteenth running back being taken off the board in standard league drafts. His ADP sits in the 24-34 range.

Analysis: Fred Jackson has only rushed for over 1,000 yards just once in his career. In fact, he’s never scored more than six rushing touchdowns in one season either and he’s thirty-one years old. Many experts are putting a lot of stock into what he did early in the 2011 season and consider him a borderline RB1/RB2. Jackson has also never carried the rock more than 237 times in a season which would have been the fifteenth most in the NFL last year. Will he carry the ball enough to put up the yards and can he break his career high of six rushing touchdowns? Will he stay productive as the season wears on the thirty-one year old vet?

There seems to be plenty of question marks regarding Fred Jackson and very few statistics that give you confidence going forward. CJ Spiller is ready for a breakout season and he put together a very solid second half last year. It just doesn’t make sense to draft Jackson as a borderline RB1/RB2 when guys like Michael Turner(23TDs last two years) and BGE(24TDs last two years) are out there later in drafts.