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Abstract

fantasy WR by ppg the last three years, but he may struggle to find that production in Philly where he’ll no longer get the lions share of the targets. He looks like a back-end WR2 and will be drafted in the 4th or 5th round. That leaves little room for upside with plenty of downside, especially with injury history and a team that could move on quickly from his one-year deal if things don’t click.</p><div id="9c01" class="link-block"> <a href="https://the-cauldron.com/carson-wentz-fact-or-fiction-a5a6a316c878"> <div> <div> <h2>The Truth about Carson Wentz from a North Dakota Insider</h2> <div><h3>All eyes are on the Philadelphia Eagles’ No. 2 overall NFL Draft pick </h3></div> <div><p>the-cauldron.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*UQyvXKWspgPIKP7tsj7huQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><h1 id="9805">DeSean Jackson to the Bucs</h1><p id="d738"><b>DeSean Jackson</b> has never really been a consistent fantasy threat — even when he’s finished with a high point total for the season, it’s been due to a huge game or two when he had a couple big plays. That probably won’t change in Tampa Bay, where he will take a clear back seat to Mike Evans and should be a low upside WR3 type at best.</p><p id="cdcb">But it’s good news for <b>Mike Evans</b>. He should be helped, not hurt, but DeSean’s presence. Evans will still get the lion’s share of the targets, especially in the redzone, and should be a good bet for another top-5 season.</p><p id="d733">It’s even better for <b>Jameis Winston</b>. He quietly improved a ton last season as the Bucs made a big late playoff push, and he already finished as a top-10 QB despite his rushing TDs dropping from six to one this season. Jackson’s presence should give Jameis an even bigger passing role and he looks like a great QBBC option with good upside if you wait at QB (again: you should).</p><h1 id="242d">Brandin Cooks might be headed to New England</h1><p id="a16e">The Patriots signed cornerback Stephon Gilmore while the Saints signed Ted Ginn. Gilmore could take former <a href="https://readmedium.com/a-tale-of-two-super-bowls-358ba1b732a8#.m8qt0fy8c">Super Bowl hero</a> Malcolm Butler’s place while Ginn probably won’t matter much in fantasy but could be a great fill-in for <b>Brandin Cooks</b>. Add it all up, and it looks like the pieces really might be coming together for the rumored Cooks-for-Butler swap that could give Tom Brady his most talented receiver since Randy Moss.</p><p id="d224">If you’re in a keeper or dynasty league, you should strongly consider a move for Brandin Cooks while his price is still relatively low. It’s hard to imagine a better fit for Cooks than in New England, where his blazing speed and great route running could be killer running routes over the middle with YAC for days — think Julian Edelman but with speed and little injury downside. He probably won’t be a PPR monster but could rack up plenty of catches and a ton of yards, and he has shown good red zone ability despite his size too. Cooks could be a fantasy monster if he ends up in New England. Go get him.</p><div id="c25f" class="link-block"> <a href="https://the-cauldron.com/osweiler-v-cook-worst-playoff-quarterback-matchup-this-century-d8ee43cbc73f"> <div> <div> <h2>Osweiler v. Cook: Worst Playoff Quarterback Matchup This Century?</h2> <div><h3>The Houston/Oakland playoff battle was a dud, but here’s 15 other terrible QB playoff matchups you’ve already forgotten…</h3></div> <div><p>the-cauldron.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*pf9g9IpgYftX3-oC2JITDA.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a>

Options

</div><h1 id="6b83">Texans trade Brock Osweiler to the Browns</h1><p id="0ff4">Osweiler may never play a snap for the Browns, so this is not about them. It’s about the Texans and their talented skill players, who are almost certain to improve their numbers with pretty much anyone other than Osweiler under center next season. Last year both Lamar Miller and DeAndre Hopkins were first-round picks in every league before each had very disappointing fantasy seasons. Both are huge bounce-back targets, especially if Tony Romo really is on his way to Houston soon.</p><p id="b943"><b>DeAndre Hopkins</b> was still seventh in the league in targets this year — they were just ten feet over his head every time. His YPC was down and his TDs plummeted from 11 to 4. Hopkins is just as talented as Dez Bryant and would be an instant connection with Romo. He should be a much bigger factor in the red zone (and get there more often) and will be a great value in the 3rd round. <b>Lamar Miller</b> was sixth in carries despite missing two games but saw a poor YPC and low TD total in the struggling Houston offense. A better passing game would give him so much more room to operate.</p><p id="bc43">A real QB changes everything. Neither Hopkins or Miller are being drafted among the top 10 guys at their position right now, which is silly since both are in better situations than they were a year ago. Both have first-round upside again, and Will Fuller looks like a great late sleeper too.</p><h1 id="037e">Five other quick hits</h1><p id="a805">1. Everyone’s favorite breakout RB <b>Jordan Howard</b> could struggle some next year with new QB Mike Glennon. The Bears will have talented but inexperienced receivers Kevin White, Cam Meredith, and newly-signed Markus Wheaton as well, but they are no Jay Cutler or Alshon Jeffery, no matter how little you liked those guys. The Bears could struggle and that puts Howard at risk too.</p><p id="0782">2. Washington has lost DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon, which looks like good news for <b>Jamison Crowder</b> and Josh Doctson. Crowder could be a breakout candidate from the 6th or 7th round, especially in PPR leagues. After finishing as a top-5 fantasy QB this season, <b>Kirk Cousins</b> has a lot of bust potential — if he’s even back in Washington.</p><p id="cbbf">3. It looks like a great time to buy low on <b>Adrian Peterson</b>. His rumored destinations so far have been the Raiders, Seahawks, Giants, and Patriots. Each of those teams has a history of high-TD runners and that’s Peterson’s best value at this point. He could still find one or two more great years and has always been very motivated to prove naysayers wrong.</p><p id="08da">4. Speaking of which, you might think about selling high on <b>Thomas Rawls</b> and <b>C.J. Prosise</b>. Seattle has had rumored interest in Peterson as well as Eddie Lacy and Jamaal Charles. They’re going to get someone else, and that doesn’t show much confidence in the guys they already have — plus another free agent window is going by without much offensive line help.</p><p id="4137">5. Remember how Martellus Bennett was a big fantasy sleeper last season after coming over to the Patriots in a cheap trade? Meet <b>Dwayne Allen</b>. He’s been a great red zone target with 15 TDs the last three years on just 80 receptions, a great 19% TD rate. Bennett ended up a top-7 TE this year, and Allen could come close to matching that if he stays healthy.</p><figure id="3a83"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*x_2CMe_sahwLoLc4T-koBA.gif"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><p id="be58"><i>If you enjoyed this, please recommend by clicking the </i>❤<i> so others can too. Follow Brandon <a href="https://upscri.be/6e365d/">on Medium</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/wheatonbrando">@wheatonbrando</a> for more sports, humor, pop culture, & life musings. Visit the rest of Brandon’s <a href="https://readmedium.com/brandon-anderson-writing-archives-6b3ee1a29301#.6cteu050v">writing archives here</a>.</i></p></article></body>

Who improved their fantasy value in NFL free agency?

Now what for Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, and other big fantasy football names affected by free agency’s biggest moves?

It’s March and every team is making moves as NFL free agency hits a frenzied peak. Fantasy football still feels a long ways away, but great dynasty and keeper league owners manage their team 12 months a year. There are plenty of names yet to move in free agency and of course the draft is still to come, but that doesn’t mean we can’t already start thinking about this fall’s fantasy rankings!

So with some of the biggest names in free agency already moved, what can we expect from fantasy football situations around the NFL? Here are the winners from five of the biggest offseason moves so far.

50 players to snag in your fantasy football keeper league

Your season may be over, but your work is not — go get next year’s Melvin Gordon and Jordy Nelson!

Brandon Marshall to the Giants

Brandon Marshall partnered with a top receiver during his time with Alshon Jeffery in Chicago and already showed he can produce good fantasy numbers while sharing targets. Eli Manning has had two top-10 fantasy receivers multiple times before so there’s precedent for real value here. A healthy Marshall could still approach 100 receptions and well over 1200 yards, and he should get 8–10 TDs as well. Plus there’s always fantasy upside of OBJ gets hurt or suspended. He is an early bounce-back target with a great chance to outperform his draft slot.

So what does it mean for the rest of the Giants? Odell Beckham has been a top-5 fantasy WR all three years of his career with around 12 TDs a year and about 100 receptions each of the last couple years. He’s certain to lose some targets to Marshall, especially in the red zone, which could hurt his numbers and also create a volatile situation he doesn’t always respond well to. OBJ is still a great bet as a top 10 WR but he’s no longer the first one off the board and now carries some real risk.

The biggest winner here may actually be Eli Manning. He’s finished a top-10 fantasy QB four of the past seven seasons and may have his best statistical year ever with his TD% almost certain to see a big spike. There are probably at least ten QBs that will go before him in drafts next year, but Manning looks like an early leader as a great QBBC pick if you wait (you should). Shepard is buried for now but still a really talented player who is valuable long-term if you can get him cheap in a dynasty.

Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith to the Eagles

Carson Wentz may have been the happiest man in the NFL yesterday. The Eagles now have a trio of good receivers including Jordan Matthews, plus Zach Ertz and Darren Sproles as well, to have a suddenly versatile and threatening receiving core.

This move helps secure Carson Wentz as a solid backup fantasy QB next year but it probably hurts everyone else’s value. Torrey Smith is a fantasy non-factor. His speed will open things up in a big way for an offense that had no downfield threat this year, but he’s not going to put up consistent numbers and may end up the third option most weeks behind Jordan Matthews, who developed a lot of rapport with Wentz.

The big loser here is Alshon Jeffery. He was a top-15 fantasy WR by ppg the last three years, but he may struggle to find that production in Philly where he’ll no longer get the lions share of the targets. He looks like a back-end WR2 and will be drafted in the 4th or 5th round. That leaves little room for upside with plenty of downside, especially with injury history and a team that could move on quickly from his one-year deal if things don’t click.

The Truth about Carson Wentz from a North Dakota Insider

All eyes are on the Philadelphia Eagles’ No. 2 overall NFL Draft pick

the-cauldron.com

DeSean Jackson to the Bucs

DeSean Jackson has never really been a consistent fantasy threat — even when he’s finished with a high point total for the season, it’s been due to a huge game or two when he had a couple big plays. That probably won’t change in Tampa Bay, where he will take a clear back seat to Mike Evans and should be a low upside WR3 type at best.

But it’s good news for Mike Evans. He should be helped, not hurt, but DeSean’s presence. Evans will still get the lion’s share of the targets, especially in the redzone, and should be a good bet for another top-5 season.

It’s even better for Jameis Winston. He quietly improved a ton last season as the Bucs made a big late playoff push, and he already finished as a top-10 QB despite his rushing TDs dropping from six to one this season. Jackson’s presence should give Jameis an even bigger passing role and he looks like a great QBBC option with good upside if you wait at QB (again: you should).

Brandin Cooks might be headed to New England

The Patriots signed cornerback Stephon Gilmore while the Saints signed Ted Ginn. Gilmore could take former Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler’s place while Ginn probably won’t matter much in fantasy but could be a great fill-in for Brandin Cooks. Add it all up, and it looks like the pieces really might be coming together for the rumored Cooks-for-Butler swap that could give Tom Brady his most talented receiver since Randy Moss.

If you’re in a keeper or dynasty league, you should strongly consider a move for Brandin Cooks while his price is still relatively low. It’s hard to imagine a better fit for Cooks than in New England, where his blazing speed and great route running could be killer running routes over the middle with YAC for days — think Julian Edelman but with speed and little injury downside. He probably won’t be a PPR monster but could rack up plenty of catches and a ton of yards, and he has shown good red zone ability despite his size too. Cooks could be a fantasy monster if he ends up in New England. Go get him.

Osweiler v. Cook: Worst Playoff Quarterback Matchup This Century?

The Houston/Oakland playoff battle was a dud, but here’s 15 other terrible QB playoff matchups you’ve already forgotten…

the-cauldron.com

Texans trade Brock Osweiler to the Browns

Osweiler may never play a snap for the Browns, so this is not about them. It’s about the Texans and their talented skill players, who are almost certain to improve their numbers with pretty much anyone other than Osweiler under center next season. Last year both Lamar Miller and DeAndre Hopkins were first-round picks in every league before each had very disappointing fantasy seasons. Both are huge bounce-back targets, especially if Tony Romo really is on his way to Houston soon.

DeAndre Hopkins was still seventh in the league in targets this year — they were just ten feet over his head every time. His YPC was down and his TDs plummeted from 11 to 4. Hopkins is just as talented as Dez Bryant and would be an instant connection with Romo. He should be a much bigger factor in the red zone (and get there more often) and will be a great value in the 3rd round. Lamar Miller was sixth in carries despite missing two games but saw a poor YPC and low TD total in the struggling Houston offense. A better passing game would give him so much more room to operate.

A real QB changes everything. Neither Hopkins or Miller are being drafted among the top 10 guys at their position right now, which is silly since both are in better situations than they were a year ago. Both have first-round upside again, and Will Fuller looks like a great late sleeper too.

Five other quick hits

1. Everyone’s favorite breakout RB Jordan Howard could struggle some next year with new QB Mike Glennon. The Bears will have talented but inexperienced receivers Kevin White, Cam Meredith, and newly-signed Markus Wheaton as well, but they are no Jay Cutler or Alshon Jeffery, no matter how little you liked those guys. The Bears could struggle and that puts Howard at risk too.

2. Washington has lost DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon, which looks like good news for Jamison Crowder and Josh Doctson. Crowder could be a breakout candidate from the 6th or 7th round, especially in PPR leagues. After finishing as a top-5 fantasy QB this season, Kirk Cousins has a lot of bust potential — if he’s even back in Washington.

3. It looks like a great time to buy low on Adrian Peterson. His rumored destinations so far have been the Raiders, Seahawks, Giants, and Patriots. Each of those teams has a history of high-TD runners and that’s Peterson’s best value at this point. He could still find one or two more great years and has always been very motivated to prove naysayers wrong.

4. Speaking of which, you might think about selling high on Thomas Rawls and C.J. Prosise. Seattle has had rumored interest in Peterson as well as Eddie Lacy and Jamaal Charles. They’re going to get someone else, and that doesn’t show much confidence in the guys they already have — plus another free agent window is going by without much offensive line help.

5. Remember how Martellus Bennett was a big fantasy sleeper last season after coming over to the Patriots in a cheap trade? Meet Dwayne Allen. He’s been a great red zone target with 15 TDs the last three years on just 80 receptions, a great 19% TD rate. Bennett ended up a top-7 TE this year, and Allen could come close to matching that if he stays healthy.

If you enjoyed this, please recommend by clicking the ❤ so others can too. Follow Brandon on Medium or @wheatonbrando for more sports, humor, pop culture, & life musings. Visit the rest of Brandon’s writing archives here.