Player News – Page 95 – FantasySP Blog

Keep An Eye On Zach Britton

Baltimore lefty Zach Britton has been pitching extremely well as of late and it might be time to put this guy on your radar.

Analysis: Zach Britton is 3-0 in his last three starts with fifteen strikeouts while only allowing three earned runs and fourteen hits. Britton has been a streaky pitcher this year but he has been great over the last two weeks against the Twins, Yanks and Rays. His next start is another game against the Yanks and if he pitches well in that contest- he is a must add. Even if he only pitches average against New York you have to keep in mind that their offense is top notch. Britton is still young and developing and must be more consistent to become a legit lower tier SP but he has all the tools to do so. Pitching in the AL East is no small task especially with the little run support the O’s provide but he has three solid pitches. His low 90s fastball is above average, his change is major league caliber and his slider is certainly a plus pitch. Time will tell with this lefty but you have to keep an eye on him for the time being.

Strasburg Joins Nationals

Stephen Strasburg is set to make his first start of the season September 7th against the Dodgers. There has been much speculation on whether Strasburg would start on the sixth, however, what really matters here is picking this guy up off the waiver wire.

Analysis: Strasburg is still available in about twenty percent of leagues nationwide and in two days time it will be virtually impossible to own this guy. Strasburg’s average fastball velocity last year was a shade over 97 MPH and this year he’s averaging about 95-96 in his minor leagues appearances. He has command, break and velocity on all his other pitches and he looks the part of an ace once again. He’s a great addition for any fantasy squad and he will provide ERA, WHIP and strikeout help but he won’t be going deep into games to get as many wins as you would like.

As for next year, you have to consider Strasburg a second tier SP1. He does have all the tools to be the best pitcher in the game but we need to see him eat some innings like a Halladay or a Verlander to be considered a first tier SP1.

Tight End Hype and ADP

Greg Olsen is the tenth tight end being taken off the board in ESPN drafts while Lions’ tight end Brandon Pettigrew is the thirteenth tight end.

Analysis: Despite the injury issues at quarterback last year Brandon Pettigrew still managed 71 receptions for 722 yards. Here’s a fact for you fantasy football players out there- Greg Olsen has NEVER caught 62 balls EVER nor amassed over 650 receiving yards EVER yet he’s being taken well before Brandon Pettigrew. If any of you out there think that Cam Newton in his rookie year will help Greg Olsen put up career high numbers across the board… you are out of your mind. But this is what happens when the “experts” at ESPN get together and rank Greg Olsen at number ten in their rankings. Pettigrew is on the rise and should at the very least put up what he did last year with maybe a few more touchdowns. He’s a high end TE2 with the potential for much more and you don’t have to pay for it with his draft position either. Olsen offers little upside with a rookie quarterback and a guy named Jeremy Shockey at his position as well. Many think that Newton will check down every other play and dump it off to Olsen for nine yards… maybe….but he has to complete it to him first. Newton has a completion percentage of 40.4 in the preseason and don’t expect that to change much when the Saints, Bucs and Falcons unleash their defenses against Cam six times this year.

Ben Tate Is A Must Own

2010 second round pick Ben Tate has looked impressive thus far in the preseason. Tate has amassed 147 rushing yards on just twenty carries to go along with a touchdown.

Analysis: Houston’s top back Arian Foster tweaked his hamstring for the second time this preseason last night against the Niners. Hamstring injuries can linger and the fact that Ben Tate is only owned in thirty to forty percent of fantasy leagues is shocking. Tate is 220 pounds and has sub 4.4 speed, he’s the real deal. His season ending injury last year wasn’t even knee related, it was ankle ligaments. In addition to Foster’s hamstring “tweak” we also have to consider how many backs have come off of 393 touches and maintained their numbers the following season… very few. Foster is a top three or four back but he is not the number one back and the second hamstring injury in just a few weeks span is extremely concerning. Ben Tate may just be a depth back right now but if Foster goes down you can expect RB2 numbers. I’d feel comfortable taking Tate as a top 45 back or before pick 135. Considering the lack of tail back talent to come out of college this year coupled with Tate’s hype completely gone from his injury last year, he certainly is a must own and you can get him on the cheap.

Overrated- Greg Jennings

As good as Greg Jennings is, there is no way he puts up the same numbers he did last year. A 2010 line of 1,265 receiving yards and twelve touchdowns is impressive, however, he is not a top four fantasy wide out this year.

Analysis: Perhaps the biggest hit to Jennings’ fantasy value will be the return of stud tight end Jermichael Finley. Remember that Finley put up over 300 receiving yards in just four games last year, two of the games being of the one-hundred yard variety. Jennings isn’t a big target at just 5’11” and the 6’5″ Finley will snag his fair share of red zone targets in 2011. We also have to consider that Ryan Grant was going into last year as a back-to-back 1,200 yard rusher. The Ryan Grant/James Starks ground combo will play a huge role in the Green Bay offense. With these key additions another 1,200 yard/twelve touchdown year for Jennings seems highly unlikely. In many drafts nationwide Jennings is being taken before Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald. Both Johnson and Fitzgerald will dominate in the red zone for their teams especially with improved quarterback play from a healthy Stafford and Kolb.

Jennings is a top six or seven wide out but he isn’t elite as many experts would have you to believe.