NFL NFL RDT 2022/23 Season

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I feel like that team will change a lot and become more Guns N Rookie centric but i actually really like it based on potential upside. I've got a good mix of RBs, my QBs should both improve and i had enough $ leftover at the end to even get Lance as QB3 given im not a fan of many of the cheaper options there. My WRs are all speculative picks so the likes of Osborn/Lazard may become a rookie and gun etc. Jefferson is definitely my first picked WR and i really like the respective situations for Aiyuk and Renfrow. Apparantly Aiyuk has been dominating this pre season.

EDIT: Did Osborn > Bateman and now have 1.41 Mil in the bank
 
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After a lot more thought ive come up with a team that is quite different to my initial one.

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I've decided to go with a really strong lineup of QBs given very few cheap options. If Kenny P gets the starting job i may drop one of the 3 i have down to him. However, im not sure where i would spend the money gained from that downgrade.

There are a heap of RBs that appeal. Outside of the the ones ive selected there is Henry and then guns that still have upside like Najee/Cook and then there are several genuine mid-range options like Saquon/Edmunds and then the value propositions like Etienne/Walker. Plenty of options, but i think i like my current mix.

Saquon really appeals at his price but i think he will need a massive volume of touches to become a genuine keeper. He probably will get that volume but then there is the question mark of durability. If he was in a better offence, id take him every day at that price. I know i have CMC who is injury prone, in a poor offence, but he has proven to have a massive ceiling so ill chase that and be prepared to trade him if/when he goes down.

The WRs are doing my head in to be honest. Ive settled on JJ/Aiyuk/Davis/London but the other 4 positions keep changing. Im tempted by Bateman/Sutton/Renfrow but i think i either grab 2 of them or i grab Chase and a cheapie like Pickens. Currently, im favouring the Chase & Pickens option. Thomas is purely a risk based on whether he can get back close to his best. At that price point, i dont really mind if he flops, his upside is worth the risk.

Im set on Pitts as one of my TEs, i've gone cold on Kelce given he will probably be doubled on 3rd downs and there really doesnt appear to be any upside there. If he starts the season on fire, ill find a way to get him in. However, if he starts cold and someone like Waller/Goedert looks great, it creates a tough decision of whether to sideways trade, keep the faith, or completely shake things up on another line with a big downgrade so you can fit the gun TE in. With that in mind, im happy to take the potential upside of Waller.

Kickers pretty much pick themselves and i rate the Bills defence fairly highly. With a couple handy acquisitions, the Lions are probably the best of the cheap defences.
 
After a lot more thought ive come up with a team that is quite different to my initial one.

View attachment 1480155


I've decided to go with a really strong lineup of QBs given very few cheap options. If Kenny P gets the starting job i may drop one of the 3 i have down to him. However, im not sure where i would spend the money gained from that downgrade.

There are a heap of RBs that appeal. Outside of the the ones ive selected there is Henry and then guns that still have upside like Najee/Cook and then there are several genuine mid-range options like Saquon/Edmunds and then the value propositions like Etienne/Walker. Plenty of options, but i think i like my current mix.

Saquon really appeals at his price but i think he will need a massive volume of touches to become a genuine keeper. He probably will get that volume but then there is the question mark of durability. If he was in a better offence, id take him every day at that price. I know i have CMC who is injury prone, in a poor offence, but he has proven to have a massive ceiling so ill chase that and be prepared to trade him if/when he goes down.

The WRs are doing my head in to be honest. Ive settled on JJ/Aiyuk/Davis/London but the other 4 positions keep changing. Im tempted by Bateman/Sutton/Renfrow but i think i either grab 2 of them or i grab Chase and a cheapie like Pickens. Currently, im favouring the Chase & Pickens option. Thomas is purely a risk based on whether he can get back close to his best. At that price point, i dont really mind if he flops, his upside is worth the risk.

Im set on Pitts as one of my TEs, i've gone cold on Kelce given he will probably be doubled on 3rd downs and there really doesnt appear to be any upside there. If he starts the season on fire, ill find a way to get him in. However, if he starts cold and someone like Waller/Goedert looks great, it creates a tough decision of whether to sideways trade, keep the faith, or completely shake things up on another line with a big downgrade so you can fit the gun TE in. With that in mind, im happy to take the potential upside of Waller.

Kickers pretty much pick themselves and i rate the Bills defence fairly highly. With a couple handy acquisitions, the Lions are probably the best of the cheap defences.
All great points, hard to argue your reasons for the above picks. I’m almost certain Pickett doesn’t start for us unless Trubisky totally shits the bed in the remainder of the pre season. I think he will be playing with a short leash all season as plenty of Steeler fans want Pickett out there but I don’t see him starting week 1 anyway. I think Ridder will be in the same boat at Atlanta. Mariota has the job for now, but can only assume it’s a matter of time, or losses, before we see Ridder take the field
 
All great points, hard to argue your reasons for the above picks. I’m almost certain Pickett doesn’t start for us unless Trubisky totally shits the bed in the remainder of the pre season. I think he will be playing with a short leash all season as plenty of Steeler fans want Pickett out there but I don’t see him starting week 1 anyway. I think Ridder will be in the same boat at Atlanta. Mariota has the job for now, but can only assume it’s a matter of time, or losses, before we see Ridder take the field
Fair point regarding Pickett, sounds like its really Trubisky's job to lose more than Pickett's to win. I think about what SF did for Lance by making him earn his minutes in his first season and i think its definitely an avenue for rookie QBs to learn and get better acquainted with the team and system rather than rushing them in just because fans have short memories and/or always want rookies to make a big impact straight away.

Obviously last season was a bit different with so many QBs taken early and with little to no competition for their jobs. We dont have those options this season and that is one reason why im happy to spend a lot on my 3 QBs. Yes, it could end up wasted money but i think i want Allen as a captaincy option/genuine gun, Herbert IMO has potential to grow still and Lance has all the attributes of a fantasy gun. May not turn out that way this season, but for me his potential is too much to ignore...so i'll be different and grab all 3.
 
BuddysBuddy23 Do you think there could be any value in Trubisky? I rate the Steelers' receiving core and while Trubisky isnt dirt cheap, could he be a sneaky POD? Mariota seems to be the obvious cheap option...but besides him there doesnt seem to be much value.
I’m unsure on Trubisky….
He gives us an element we have lacked with Ben under centre as he is quite mobile and will get some yards here or there for us with his legs when the pocket collapses. Not to the extent of a Lamar etc but still. I’m not willing to start him but like you mentioned, we have a nice receiving core and Freiermuth at TE will be a player too, plus Najee’s receptions he will get from the backfield also. Trubisky certainly has plenty to work with
 
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So i have a mate who is doing dream team (of any kind) for the first time and ill be helping him with setting up his team.

Looking at it from a fresh perspective, im thinking about what information i should provide/convey?

Looking more specifically, what players are must haves and what do you look for in a players skill set or situation when thinking about whether to pick a player or not?

Strategy wise, where is it best to spend most of your money? Should you use a position like QB/TE/K for a captain loophole? Should you keep money in the bank?

I sort of know my answers to most of these questions but it is an interesting exercise thinking about how to best explain the game to someone who is completely new to fantasy in general.

I post this because i think its kinda pointless if i just pick most of the team for him so im wondering if anyone has tips on how i should explain it/what advice to give?

He is an NFL fan but doesnt follow it that closely, nevertheless there is a chance he surprises me and he may not need too much help apart from the finer details of the game.

Anyway, im just thinking out loud here because ive been playing different forms of fantasy for so long that it seems like i can create teams without a huge amount of thought, but for someone new its probably a lot to digest and im wondering the best approach to take to explain things without overloading him with strategy talk, just talking up all of my own selections, or not giving enough assistance.

I thought id post this because id like to explain everything as well as possible to someone new and i reckon some posters here might have ideas about how to approach it.
 
Made a top heavy team, QB & RB lines are stacked. I dont mind it at all.

Ive settled on Allen & Lance as my QBs and the 3rd is likely either Herbert, Fields, Mariota or Pickett (if he gets the QB1 role). I have tried several teams with Mariota instead of Herbert but i end up not knowing where to spend the extra cash. I usually end up picking J.Chase and replacing one of the value WRs but im yet to find a mix i really like, so i revert back to Allen/Herbert/Lance.

There seem to be a million decent RBs but i ended up picking 6 that i think will carry a heavy workload. I could easily plug in Najee or Cook or Akers and be happy but i think Henry/JT/CMC have the scoring power and Swift is my breakout candidate. Saquon is underpriced too for the sheer volume he should get. I have the cash to pick him on my bench as a handy backup option. Hall is probably the best of the rookies/cheapies given his skill set and situation.

WRs are weak by necessity but im backing in Aiyuk & Davis to go to the next level. Not expecting them to do a Cooper Kupp but a solid increase in scoring would be nice. From what ive heard and seen, Moore has the talent and while i think he may not get many snaps to start the season, im predicting he will move up the depth chart quickly. If not, I can always trade him. Thomas and Robinson are cheap for what they can produce. Sutton, Juju, Doubs & Bateman are some of the other names ive considered.

Ive tried a few different combinations of TEs but i keep coming back to Waller/Pitts/McBride. Pitts is a lock for me and Waller/McBride just seem to offer the most value at their respective prices. That said, i like Goedert, Kmet, Irv.Smith and even Freiermuth.

Kickers and Defence/Special Teams are just as cheap as possible to allow me to pick the rest of my team. Has anyone else noticed that Washington are missing from the Defence/Special teams list? They've only got 31 teams. Strange. I assume they will fix that


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So im putting together a bit of a 'cheat sheet' with all the players on my watchlist and then some. Fair warning, this post is going to be massive.

(QBs)

Best of the best = Allen, Herbert, Mahomes

Other reliable guns = Jackson, Brady, Murray, Burrow

POD guns = Hurts, Cousins

Potentially overpriced guns = A.Rodgers, Stafford (potentially injury affected)

Potential to jump a tier or 2 = R.Wilson, Carr

Midpricers with medium-high upside = Lance, Fields

Question marks (Ballsy picks) = Tua, D.Jones, M.Jones, Trubisky

Pure cash cow = Mariota

Select if given the starting role = Pickett, Ridder

Notes

- I think you almost have to pick 1 gun QB to start this season given they generally score well and there are plenty that seem to be (relatively) sure things. There are plenty of options to choose from but the likes of Allen, Herbert & Mahomes are the main 3 that appeal to me.

- While i like a good POD, i dont think QB is the position to take one to be honest. I think Hurts, R.Wilson, Fields & Carr have the potential to be great fantasy scorers and could all be underpriced - yes even Hurts - but are there safer (i wont say better) options available at each respective price point? I'd say yes, although i will note that Hurts may be the exception here

- It may just be my SF bias but im starting to buy into the Lance hype. He is the type of mid-pricer that id like to take a chance on given what appears to be great upside. He is everything Jimmy G isnt, he takes risks, he backs his arm and he uses his legs. Now, im going to try and keep my expectations in check but i think at his price, he is absolutely a risk worth taking. There may be growing pains, he may throw an interception or 2 and he may frustratingly overlook the safe check downs but i think he is equally likely to bust out a massive 50+ yard TD. This is his team now, and im hoping he takes care of business.

- Does Pickett get the starting role? By all accounts he has not put a foot wrong in the first 2 pre-season outings...but that doesnt mean he will overtake Trubisky, particularly not to start the season. If he gets the role at any point in the season he could be a great downgrade or sideways trade option. I rate the Steelers' receiving core and at that price Pickett just needs a run of games to make a truckload of cash. Watch this space

Strategic Questions

  • Do you go with the 2 guns and forego a mid-pricer or cash cow, or do you take the likes of Lance/Fields at QB2 and Mariota/Pickett at Qb3?
  • Could you get away with 2 guns and Lance on the pine? I've strongly considered this option but currently ive distributed my cash more evenly across the position. This is because i like Mariota/Pickett's money making potential
  • If the likes of Pickett looks set to be QB1, do you trust both him and Mariota to make a truckload of cash for you, and hope you can pick which one to field on a weekly basis?
  • Is there any logic in going without a genuine gun and hoping for massive improvement per $ value for all 3 QBs? I said previously that i feel like you need to pick a genuine gun as QB1 but i could be well off the mark. Anyone that goes with say a Wilson, Carr or even cheaper option like Lance at QB1 will have my admiration and best wishes...but i dont think its the position to be that bold, not this season at least!

My current setup
Allen, Lance (Mariota)

Generic, but i think it is popular for a reason. As ive said, ive experimented with different structures including Lance at QB3 but i think the rest of my team is that much better with Lance at Qb2. Fingers crossed

(RBs)

Best of the best = Henry, J.T

Other guns worthy of consideration = Mixon (better O-line?), Ekeler, Kamara (If free to play)

PODs = Fournette, Conner

Underpriced Guns = CMC, Cook, Chubb

Potentially Underpriced/breakout chances = Najee, A.Jones (will he be used more as a receiver out of the backfield now and how much work will he get with Dillon right behind him), Swift

Overpriced = E.Mitchell (moving to a committee approach will not help him), Harris (Stevenson impact?), Montgomery (age mainly, or can he still handle a big workload?), Elliot (age/Pollard), Jacobs, Gibson (How things are going, he may not even be RB1)

Genuine Question marks = Henderson, Penny, Hunt

How much work do they each get? = Gordon/Javonte - Is Javonte underpriced? Jones/Dillon - who gets red zone touches?

Are they still relevant as RB1s with noted rookie backups (in Pacheco/Cook respectively?) = CEH/Singletary

Mid-priced gun = Barkley (Not in a good team but will receive plenty of touches. Does that make him worthwhile?)

Mid-priced breakout or bust? = Edmonds (New team, lots of uncertainty but potential upside too?)

Fantasy relevant Backups = Stevenson (may even be RB1), Pollard

Cheap/Returning from injury = Dobbins, Akers, Etienne

Gun rookie(must have?) = B.Hall

Rookies with massive upside/potential = D.Pierce (RB 1 maybe?), Kenneth Walker

Rookies who have potential but appear to be 2nd (at best) in the rotation = J.Cook, Pacheco, Spiller, Herbert

Other rookie = Brian Robinson jnr (Does he overtake Gibson?)

Cheap/'Hail mary' options = T.Davis-Price, R.White, Allgeier

Notes/Strategy

  • There are so many viable options that narrowing it down to 6 players is tough
  • Finding the ultimate combination may be tough also
  • Do you chase value or go for the known commodities
  • When looking for value, do you go for the breakout candidates (Swift, Najee) or the fantasy guns coming off a season below their best (CMC/Cook/Saquon)
  • What % of the cap are you prepared to use on this position given it accounts for 1/4 of your full team

My current setup
Henry, J.T, CMC, Swift (Barkley, B.Hall)

I've used ~ $76.2m on this position which is just under 37% of the salary cap. Ive gone for both scoring power and upside. I must admit, if i was keen on more of the top WRs, then i probably wouldnt use this much of the cap on this position.

(WRs)

Best of the best = Kupp

Next in line = Adams, Samuel

Young guns = JJ, Chase

Proven guns = Evans, Hill, Diggs

Ever reliable = K.Allen

Past his prime or like a fine wine? = Thielen

Playing with a new QB = Woods, Lockett, Metcalf, A.J Brown, M.Brown, A.Cooper

Next tier of young guns = Lamb, E.Moore, Waddle, Renfrow, A.S-B, Pittman Jr

Cheaper mid-pricers with potential = Aiyuk, Lazard, G.Davis, C.Claypool, Bateman

Even cheaper, still with upside = Toney, Sutton

Valued well below their best = M.Thomas, A.Robinson

New Team, high target share to come? = Juju

Rookies to look out for = Collins, London, Olave, Dotson, W.Robinson, Pickens, Doubs, K.Phillips, Tolbert, Burks, Moore

Notes/Strategy

  • 8 Spots to fill which is 1/3 of the full team
  • WRs notoriously score less than QBs and RBs and are more inconsistant. Does that mean the top WRs are less enticing than their QB/RB counterparts?
  • Young guns or the tried and tested? E.g Chase, JJ, Deebo vs Adams, Hill, Evans, Diggs (or both?)
  • What is most important for a mid-priced receiver/what do you look for as signs they can take the next leap? E.g Do you chase potential for more red zone targets (Sutton, G.Davis), new QB (also Sutton), a move up the depth charts and set for more volume (Lazard, Bateman) or shown glimpses to suggest fantasy relevance (Toney), pre season form? (Aiyuk) etc
  • Nailing the WRs will be a massive pre-cursor for success as it is the most volatile of positions
  • Do you go with the pack and select mainly guns n cows or do you look for mid-priced value? Tough question given there seem to be plenty of viable options at all price points

My setup
JJ, Chase, Aiyuk, Davis, Sutton, Juju (A.Robinson, London)

I have had MT in there for most of the time since it opened but his current injury is of great concern to me so i swapped him out for Juju. I really like Aiyuk & Sutton given they are now playing with new (& most likely better) QBs. Both have shown potential. Aiyuk was in the dog house for a fair bit of last season but started to show glimpses of what he could become in the back half of the season. Apparantly he is killing it at training too. Davis went off in a few games last season and with one of the best QBs in the league and what should be a well-oiled offensive machine, i like his upside. Robinson, Juju, London are all popular 'undervalued' selections. Moving on

(TEs)

Best of the best = Andrews, Kelce

Tier 2 = Kittle, Hockenson, Schultz, Knox, Waller, Goedert

Mid-priced Tier climber? = Pitts

Other mid-pricers of note = Ertz, Freiermuth

Low-end mid-pricers = Njoku, Kmet, Hooper, Tonyan

Rookies/cash cows = Okwuegbunam, Irv Smith, McBride

Notes

  • Are Andrews & Kelce worth their price tags? Im leaning towards no
  • Kittle may be the best blocking TE in the game but will he get enough receptions to go to the next level? Again, im leaning towards no
  • Strategy wise, there are several options once again
  • Personally, im liking the idea of going with 2 mid-pricers and a cheap rookie on the bench (McBride) but if i find more cash i'd love to get Kmet on my bench as i reckon he is a chance to get a fair few chances in the red zone this season
  • If you go with mid-pricers, is it best to go with a fallen gun (Waller) or a breakout chance (Freiermuth/Pitts)?
  • I personally dont think you can start with 2 gun TEs this season. There are a few ? marks around Kelce, which isnt what you want at that price. Although, you can probably back the talent in. My opinion is that Kelce will be in the top 3 TEs again this season but that little bit of uncertainty given the change in supporting cast is enough for me to wait and see.
  • Is there any point in selecting Andrews? For me, no. If i want a gun, im going Kelce. I think taking both Kelce & Andrews means you miss out on a potential money maker or a mid-pricer that becomes a keeper. I love watching Andrews play but i think best case scenario is he averages about the same, and there is a chance his scoring falls off a little. If i was partial to the 2 gun TE strategy id rate the Andrews play higher but im not partial to it, and i think you just have to go Kelce over Andrews as your TE1. I like PODs but not here
  • McBride? He is massively popular at the moment, mainly because of his price point and the fact he should get some snaps but im not totally convinced given he is behind Ertz. I like Kmet as a 3rd TE instead, if you can manage to find the extra cash

My setup
Waller, Pitts (McBride)

Both of these guys should get a fairly healthy workload as far as TEs go. Both are very athletic and blocking isnt necessarily their strong suit, which they make up for with athleticism and the ability to play like an extra WR. This obviously bodes well for their scoring potential. There is a bit of a question mark around Waller's usage in the red zone given he is now alongside Davante. Does that mean Davante gets most of the red zone looks? Or does it potentially help Waller now that there is another massive threat that the defence has to account for? Regardless of his red zone usage, i think Waller will at worst average similar to last season, and at best he can push the top 2/3 given his work upfield.

Looking at Pitts, he just is an incredible talent and even though teams will focus a lot of energy on negating his influence, i think he will just be too good to hold down for full games. Even if the pick goes belly up, he is that popular that you wont lose ground on the masses. Must have for me. McBride is in as i dont have the cash for Kmet who im pretty bullish on.

(Kickers)

Im going to make this short and sweet. There are plenty of kickers to consider but i think everyone should have York given his price.

For the other option, the kickers that most appeal are:

Tucker, Carlson, McPherson, Gay, Joseph, Butker & Lutz

My setup
Lutz (York)

Lutz is cheap and the Saints are in a fairly weak divison. Hopefully they have enough firepower to post at least reasonable scores in which case Lutz should offer value.

(Team Defences/special teams)

Dallas were the best team defence last season mainly due to Trevon Diggs' incredible season (11 INTs). Defensive Rookie of the year Micah Parsons contributed as well. Can they finish first again though? Im not so sure...mainly because i have doubts surrounding their offence and will it be able to keep their defence off the field for as long as it did last season?

The Patriots were 2nd. The Patriots defence was pretty stingy last season and without looking for the stats, i reckon their offence would've done a good job keeping their defence off the field. Behind Judon, Godchaux and McCourty are solid players like Dugger & the newly acquired Peppers. I think they should be up there again this season.

The Bills were 4th last season and have acquired Von Miller to help their front 7. Keeping in mind the fact they have Poyer and Hyde in their secondary and a good to great offence, which could even improve again this season, and i like the Bills to finish top 3.

I'll skip down to the Niners, currently at #12. I will attempt to be as unbiased as possible here when i say that i think they are value. Bosa & Warner are bonafide guns, Armstead is solid and Greenlaw looks like he may have a breakout season. Rookie Drake Jackson has shown glimpses of potential and will feature this season but may be used sparingly. He has done some good things in the pre-season games so far but consistancy may be an issue which is understandable given his inexperience. I mention him mainly as a player to look for in seasons to come, not necessarily this year....but i digress. I think with all those players mentioned, the 9ers front 7 is formidable. However, the secondary? I think its lacking a little which may well prevent SF moving up the ranks much/if at all. Charvarius Ward comes over and Jimmie Ward and Moseley are consistant but beyond them, there arent many household names. I think the strength of the defence will rely heavily on the success of the 49ers offence, in particular the run game which has been a strength in recent seasons. I think the 49ers will move up the rankings this season but maybe not that much.

Baltimore sit at #25 and understandably are very popular at their price point. The Ravens run game will be rejuvenated this season with the returns of Dobbins and Edwards. Combine that with the talent of Lamar Jackson and they will be potent in the run game. That bodes well for their defence. With the evergreen Calais Campbell up front and the secondary talent in Peters and Humphrey they are sold personnel wise. Fuller and rookie Hamilton are solid secondary depth.

Finally, the cheap options include Detroit and Jacksonville. Both have added pieces to their defence and appear to be solid options. Strategically it makes sense to optimise the rest of your team and then plug in a very cheap DST as your last selection, given they will only be required on your field once in the whole season.

My setup
Baltimore (Jacksonville)

I like the upside of Baltimore and Jacksonville are the cheapest bench option so naturally im going for them.

So there we have it. I'll finish by posting my current team. $470,000 currently in the bank

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Hope any of the readers that make it this far got some value from the above. I had some free time so i thought i'd just download all my thoughts at once
 
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So im putting together a bit of a 'cheat sheet' with all the players on my watchlist and then some. Fair warning, this post is going to be massive.

(QBs)

Best of the best = Allen, Herbert, Mahomes

Other reliable guns = Jackson, Brady, Murray, Burrow

POD guns = Hurts, Cousins

Potentially overpriced guns = A.Rodgers, Stafford (potentially injury affected)

Potential to jump a tier or 2 = R.Wilson, Carr

Midpricers with medium-high upside = Lance, Fields

Question marks (Ballsy picks) = Tua, D.Jones, M.Jones, Trubisky

Pure cash cow = Mariota

Select if given the starting role = Pickett, Ridder

Notes

- I think you almost have to pick 1 gun QB to start this season given they generally score well and there are plenty that seem to be (relatively) sure things. There are plenty of options to choose from but the likes of Allen, Herbert & Mahomes are the main 3 that appeal to me.

- While i like a good POD, i dont think QB is the position to take one to be honest. I think Hurts, R.Wilson, Fields & Carr have the potential to be great fantasy scorers and could all be underpriced - yes even Hurts - but are there safer (i wont say better) options available at each respective price point? I'd say yes, although i will note that Hurts may be the exception here

- It may just be my SF bias but im starting to buy into the Lance hype. He is the type of mid-pricer that id like to take a chance on given what appears to be great upside. He is everything Jimmy G isnt, he takes risks, he backs his arm and he uses his legs. Now, im going to try and keep my expectations in check but i think at his price, he is absolutely a risk worth taking. There may be growing pains, he may throw an interception or 2 and he may frustratingly overlook the safe check downs but i think he is equally likely to bust out a massive 50+ yard TD. This is his team now, and im hoping he takes care of business.

- Does Pickett get the starting role? By all accounts he has not put a foot wrong in the first 2 pre-season outings...but that doesnt mean he will overtake Trubisky, particularly not to start the season. If he gets the role at any point in the season he could be a great downgrade or sideways trade option. I rate the Steelers' receiving core and at that price Pickett just needs a run of games to make a truckload of cash. Watch this space

Strategic Questions

  • Do you go with the 2 guns and forego a mid-pricer or cash cow, or do you take the likes of Lance/Fields at QB2 and Mariota/Pickett at Qb3?
  • Could you get away with 2 guns and Lance on the pine? I've strongly considered this option but currently ive distributed my cash more evenly across the position. This is because i like Mariota/Pickett's money making potential
  • If the likes of Pickett looks set to be QB1, do you trust both him and Mariota to make a truckload of cash for you, and hope you can pick which one to field on a weekly basis?
  • Is there any logic in going without a genuine gun and hoping for massive improvement per $ value for all 3 QBs? I said previously that i feel like you need to pick a genuine gun as QB1 but i could be well off the mark. Anyone that goes with say a Wilson, Carr or even cheaper option like Lance at QB1 will have my admiration and best wishes...but i dont think its the position to be that bold, not this season at least!

My current setup
Allen, Lance (Mariota)

Generic, but i think it is popular for a reason. As ive said, ive experimented with different structures including Lance at QB3 but i think the rest of my team is that much better with Lance at Qb2. Fingers crossed

(RBs)

Best of the best = Henry, J.T

Other guns worthy of consideration = Mixon (better O-line?), Ekeler, Kamara (If free to play)

PODs = Fournette, Conner

Underpriced Guns = CMC, Cook, Chubb

Potentially Underpriced/breakout chances = Najee, A.Jones (will he be used more as a receiver out of the backfield now and how much work will he get with Dillon right behind him), Swift

Overpriced = E.Mitchell (moving to a committee approach will not help him), Harris (Stevenson impact?), Montgomery (age mainly, or can he still handle a big workload?), Elliot (age/Pollard), Jacobs, Gibson (How things are going, he may not even be RB1)

Genuine Question marks = Henderson, Penny, Hunt

How much work do they each get? = Gordon/Javonte - Is Javonte underpriced? Jones/Dillon - who gets red zone touches?

Are they still relevant as RB1s with noted rookie backups (in Pacheco/Cook respectively?) = CEH/Singletary

Mid-priced gun = Barkley (Not in a good team but will receive plenty of touches. Does that make him worthwhile?)

Mid-priced breakout or bust? = Edmonds (New team, lots of uncertainty but potential upside too?)

Fantasy relevant Backups = Stevenson (may even be RB1), Pollard

Cheap/Returning from injury = Dobbins, Akers, Etienne

Gun rookie(must have?) = B.Hall

Rookies with massive upside/potential = D.Pierce (RB 1 maybe?), Kenneth Walker

Rookies who have potential but appear to be 2nd (at best) in the rotation = J.Cook, Pacheco, Spiller, Herbert

Other rookie = Brian Robinson jnr (Does he overtake Gibson?)

Cheap/'Hail mary' options = T.Davis-Price, R.White, Allgeier

Notes/Strategy

  • There are so many viable options that narrowing it down to 6 players is tough
  • Finding the ultimate combination may be tough also
  • Do you chase value or go for the known commodities
  • When looking for value, do you go for the breakout candidates (Swift, Najee) or the fantasy guns coming off a season below their best (CMC/Cook/Saquon)
  • What % of the cap are you prepared to use on this position given it accounts for 1/4 of your full team

My current setup
Henry, J.T, CMC, Swift (Barkley, B.Hall)

I've used ~ $76.2m on this position which is just under 37% of the salary cap. Ive gone for both scoring power and upside. I must admit, if i was keen on more of the top WRs, then i probably wouldnt use this much of the cap on this position.

(WRs)

Best of the best = Kupp

Next in line = Adams, Samuel

Young guns = JJ, Chase

Proven guns = Evans, Hill, Diggs

Ever reliable = K.Allen

Past his prime or like a fine wine? = Thielen

Playing with a new QB = Woods, Lockett, Metcalf, A.J Brown, M.Brown, A.Cooper

Next tier of young guns = Lamb, E.Moore, Waddle, Renfrow, A.S-B, Pittman Jr

Cheaper mid-pricers with potential = Aiyuk, Lazard, G.Davis, C.Claypool, Bateman

Even cheaper, still with upside = Toney, Sutton

Valued well below their best = M.Thomas, A.Robinson

New Team, high target share to come? = Juju

Rookies to look out for = Collins, London, Olave, Dotson, W.Robinson, Pickens, Doubs, K.Phillips, Tolbert, Burks, Moore

Notes/Strategy

  • 8 Spots to fill which is 1/3 of the full team
  • WRs notoriously score less than QBs and RBs and are more inconsistant. Does that mean the top WRs are less enticing than their QB/RB counterparts?
  • Young guns or the tried and tested? E.g Chase, JJ, Deebo vs Adams, Hill, Evans, Diggs (or both?)
  • What is most important for a mid-priced receiver/what do you look for as signs they can take the next leap? E.g Do you chase potential for more red zone targets (Sutton, G.Davis), new QB (also Sutton), a move up the depth charts and set for more volume (Lazard, Bateman) or shown glimpses to suggest fantasy relevance (Toney), pre season form? (Aiyuk) etc
  • Nailing the WRs will be a massive pre-cursor for success as it is the most volatile of positions
  • Do you go with the pack and select mainly guns n cows or do you look for mid-priced value? Tough question given there seem to be plenty of viable options at all price points

My setup
JJ, Chase, Aiyuk, Davis, Sutton, Juju (A.Robinson, London)

I have had MT in there for most of the time since it opened but his current injury is of great concern to me so i swapped him out for Juju. I really like Aiyuk & Sutton given they are now playing with new (& most likely better) QBs. Both have shown potential. Aiyuk was in the dog house for a fair bit of last season but started to show glimpses of what he could become in the back half of the season. Apparantly he is killing it at training too. Davis went off in a few games last season and with one of the best QBs in the league and what should be a well-oiled offensive machine, i like his upside. Robinson, Juju, London are all popular 'undervalued' selections. Moving on

(TEs)

Best of the best = Andrews, Kelce

Tier 2 = Kittle, Hockenson, Schultz, Knox, Waller, Goedert

Mid-priced Tier climber? = Pitts

Other mid-pricers of note = Ertz, Freiermuth

Low-end mid-pricers = Njoku, Kmet, Hooper, Tonyan

Rookies/cash cows = Okwuegbunam, Irv Smith, McBride

Notes

  • Are Andrews & Kelce worth their price tags? Im leaning towards no
  • Kittle may be the best blocking TE in the game but will he get enough receptions to go to the next level? Again, im leaning towards no
  • Strategy wise, there are several options once again
  • Personally, im liking the idea of going with 2 mid-pricers and a cheap rookie on the bench (McBride) but if i find more cash i'd love to get Kmet on my bench as i reckon he is a chance to get a fair few chances in the red zone this season
  • If you go with mid-pricers, is it best to go with a fallen gun (Waller) or a breakout chance (Freiermuth/Pitts)?
  • I personally dont think you can start with 2 gun TEs this season. There are a few ? marks around Kelce, which isnt what you want at that price. Although, you can probably back the talent in. My opinion is that Kelce will be in the top 3 TEs again this season but that little bit of uncertainty given the change in supporting cast is enough for me to wait and see.
  • Is there any point in selecting Andrews? For me, no. If i want a gun, im going Kelce. I think taking both Kelce & Andrews means you miss out on a potential money maker or a mid-pricer that becomes a keeper. I love watching Andrews play but i think best case scenario is he averages about the same, and there is a chance his scoring falls off a little. If i was partial to the 2 gun TE strategy id rate the Andrews play higher but im not partial to it, and i think you just have to go Kelce over Andrews as your TE1. I like PODs but not here
  • McBride? He is massively popular at the moment, mainly because of his price point and the fact he should get some snaps but im not totally convinced given he is behind Ertz. I like Kmet as a 3rd TE instead, if you can manage to find the extra cash

My setup
Waller, Pitts (McBride)

Both of these guys should get a fairly healthy workload as far as TEs go. Both are very athletic and blocking isnt necessarily their strong suit, which they make up for with athleticism and the ability to play like an extra WR. This obviously bodes well for their scoring potential. There is a bit of a question mark around Waller's usage in the red zone given he is now alongside Davante. Does that mean Davante gets most of the red zone looks? Or does it potentially help Waller now that there is another massive threat that the defence has to account for? Regardless of his red zone usage, i think Waller will at worst average similar to last season, and at best he can push the top 2/3 given his work upfield.

Looking at Pitts, he just is an incredible talent and even though teams will focus a lot of energy on negating his influence, i think he will just be too good to hold down for full games. Even if the pick goes belly up, he is that popular that you wont lose ground on the masses. Must have for me. McBride is in as i dont have the cash for Kmet who im pretty bullish on.

(Kickers)

Im going to make this short and sweet. There are plenty of kickers to consider but i think everyone should have York given his price.

For the other option, the kickers that most appeal are:

Tucker, Carlson, McPherson, Gay, Joseph, Butker & Lutz

My setup
Lutz (York)

Lutz is cheap and the Saints are in a fairly weak divison. Hopefully they have enough firepower to post at least reasonable scores in which case Lutz should offer value.

(Team Defences/special teams)

Dallas were the best team defence last season mainly due to Trevon Diggs' incredible season (11 INTs). Defensive Rookie of the year Micah Parsons contributed as well. Can they finish first again though? Im not so sure...mainly because i have doubts surrounding their offence and will it be able to keep their defence off the field for as long as it did last season?

The Patriots were 2nd. The Patriots defence was pretty stingy last season and without looking for the stats, i reckon their offence would've done a good job keeping their defence off the field. Behind Judon, Godchaux and McCourty are solid players like Dugger & the newly acquired Peppers. I think they should be up there again this season.

The Bills were 4th last season and have acquired Von Miller to help their front 7. Keeping in mind the fact they have Poyer and Hyde in their secondary and a good to great offence, which could even improve again this season, and i like the Bills to finish top 3.

I'll skip down to the Niners, currently at #12. I will attempt to be as unbiased as possible here when i say that i think they are value. Bosa & Warner are bonafide guns, Armstead is solid and Greenlaw looks like he may have a breakout season. Rookie Drake Jackson has shown glimpses of potential and will feature this season but may be used sparingly. He has done some good things in the pre-season games so far but consistancy may be an issue which is understandable given his inexperience. I mention him mainly as a player to look for in seasons to come, not necessarily this year....but i digress. I think with all those players mentioned, the 9ers front 7 is formidable. However, the secondary? I think its lacking a little which may well prevent SF moving up the ranks much/if at all. Charvarius Ward comes over and Jimmie Ward and Moseley are consistant but beyond them, there arent many household names. I think the strength of the defence will rely heavily on the success of the 49ers offence, in particular the run game which has been a strength in recent seasons. I think the 49ers will move up the rankings this season but maybe not that much.

Baltimore sit at #25 and understandably are very popular at their price point. The Ravens run game will be rejuvenated this season with the returns of Dobbins and Edwards. Combine that with the talent of Lamar Jackson and they will be potent in the run game. That bodes well for their defence. With the evergreen Calais Campbell up front and the secondary talent in Peters and Humphrey they are sold personnel wise. Fuller and rookie Hamilton are solid secondary depth.

Finally, the cheap options include Detroit and Jacksonville. Both have added pieces to their defence and appear to be solid options. Strategically it makes sense to optimise the rest of your team and then plug in a very cheap DST as your last selection, given they will only be required on your field once in the whole season.

My setup
Baltimore (Jacksonville)

I like the upside of Baltimore and Jacksonville are the cheapest bench option so naturally im going for them.

So there we have it. I'll finish by posting my current team. $470,000 currently in the bank

View attachment 1489299

Hope any of the readers that make it this far got some value from the above. I had some free time so i thought i'd just download all my thoughts at once
Solid. Well done mate. Appreciate the time and effort put in here as I’m sure others would too. Team is very similar to mine. If Davis takes the next step you will be well on the way to a big season as I imagine he will be a big POD. Henry at his price point is a big question mark for me. How much tread does he have left on the tyres? York is expected to be the kicker for the Browns is he not? Does that mean you are not running a non playing player for loophole purposes?
 
Solid. Well done mate. Appreciate the time and effort put in here as I’m sure others would too. Team is very similar to mine. If Davis takes the next step you will be well on the way to a big season as I imagine he will be a big POD. Henry at his price point is a big question mark for me. How much tread does he have left on the tyres? York is expected to be the kicker for the Browns is he not? Does that mean you are not running a non playing player for loophole purposes?

Henry is the only one of my RBs that id be willing to change. To be honest, i really have no idea if he will still produce this season but im willing to take the punt. I feel like if he starts dominating like he has in the past, i will struggle to get him in so im more inclined to start him. Its a big call for sure though. If i was more confident in top WRs or TEs i might not pick Henry but in pretty much every version ive tried recently, and ive tried lots, i have enough cash to grab him.

Ive been thinking about the loophole option too. If i do go for it, kicker is obviously the position to do it :huh:
 
Henry is the only one of my RBs that id be willing to change. To be honest, i really have no idea if he will still produce this season but im willing to take the punt. I feel like if he starts dominating like he has in the past, i will struggle to get him in so im more inclined to start him. Its a big call for sure though. If i was more confident in top WRs or TEs i might not pick Henry but in pretty much every version ive tried recently, and ive tried lots, i have enough cash to grab him.

Ive been thinking about the loophole option too. If i do go for it, kicker is obviously the position to do it :huh:
FWIW I’ve got Henry too, but I will not be surprised if either his production this season diminishes or he struggles to stay on the park with his style of play over the years catching up to him. Like you said though, if he starts as he has done in the past, finding the money to bring him in becomes a difficult task
 
So Swift, CMC, Hall & Barkley havent left my side for a while but the other 2 RB spots are a revolving door. JT/Henry/Cook/Pierce seem to be the main players im selecting from but even Etienne and Stevenson are options. Currently, im liking the combination of Hall & Pierce on my bench so i can only select 1 of Henry/JT/Cook. Which one, is doing my head in.

As well, Ive warmed to Kupp at WR1. He probably doesnt offer value for money but he should be very close to/if not the top WR again this season and i like that assurity.
 
So ive had a brief look at the strength of schedule for the first 5 weeks (before the byes) and what i deemed as the best schedule went to these teams

1 = Philly (DET, MIN, WAS, JAX, ARI)
2 = Carolina (CLE, NYG, NO, ARI, SF)
3 = Denver (SEA, HOU, SF, LV, IND)
4 = Cleveland (CAR, NYJ, PIT, ATL, LAC)
5 = Tennessee (NYG, BUF, LV, IND, WAS)

Im not sure if i'll make any decisions based on what i deem as a favourable first 5 rounds but i will say this makes A.J Brown more appealing than he already was (to me). Of course, this is just my opinion of the strength of teams, i havent done analysis of defence verse the run and defence verse the pass or new acquisitions that can signal improvement or game scripts/strategy so its quite an arbitrary ranking. Nevertheless, i find it somewhat helpful.

Worst schedules

1 = Buffalo (LAR, TEN, MIA, BAL, PIT)
2 = Tampa Bay (Dal, NO, GB, KC, ATL)
3 = Miami (NE, BAL, BUF, CIN, NYJ)
4 = Cincinatti (PIT, DAL, NYJ, MIA, BAL)
5 = Las Angeles Rams (BUF, ATL, ARI, SF, DAL)

Buffalo start the season with a horror run. 3 of those games are away as well. Not sure if ill fade any of their players because of this, its not as relevant for premiums anyway as you intend to hold them for the whole season. One player im considering is G.Davis but he is not in my team currently. Im not sure whether to factor strength of schedule in when i consider selecting him or not.

Not sure if this will be helpful but i thought i might as well share it.
 

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