Devontae Booker (RB, DEN) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12- and 14-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 9% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Devontae Booker looked good in Week 5, but the main draw is that he was used enough (six rushes, six targets) to project well moving forward into a matchup against the Chargers. San Diego’s defense just allowed both DeAndre Washington and Jalen […]

Colin Kaepernick (QB, SF) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Two-Quarterback Leagues OWNED IN: 1% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly hesitated when asked to name a starting QB for the team's Week 6 tilt against the Bills, which everyone is taking as a sign that there’s a change in the works. Blaine Gabbert’s overall fantasy line ended […]

Brian Hoyer (QB, CHI) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Stream in Two-Quarterback Leagues OWNED IN: 18% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Brian Hoyer fell just three yards shy of 400 on Sunday against the Colts, completing 33 of his 43 attempts while tossing the two touchdowns. Jay Cutler may very well be healthy come Chicago’s Week 6 date with the Jaguars at home, but Hoyer […]

Week 5 Rankings Analysis: Nick Mariano vs. Industry Consensus

Howdy again folks, and hopefully you're all ready to fully lose yourselves into football now that baseball season is over. Week 4 wasn't the prettiest for the QB and RB calls, but WR and TE were perfect. We correctly called that Brandin Cooks was definitely not top-10 WR material, that Mike Evans needed to be […]

Reviewing Nick Mariano's Bold Predictions for 2016

Hello you beautiful RotoBallers, and welcome to this little retrospective ditty where I look back at my 10 Bold Predictions from before the 2016 baseball season started. Perhaps you’ve seen some of my fellow writers doing the same lately, but obviously there is only one Nick Mariano. Let’s see how ya boy did. Editor's Note: Purchase […]

Week 5 NFL Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds

Waiver Wire Adds for Week Five Welcome to the post-Week 4 installment of the Waiver Wire weekly series for the 2016 fantasy football season. This wasn’t a big injury week, as we actually got a few players back (Le’Veon Bell, Jamaal Charles), and now Tom Brady’s return looms as Jacksonville, Kansas City, New Orleans and Seattle […]

RotoBaller's 2016 Fantasy Baseball Awards

We are gathered here today to hand out the 2016 RotoBaller Fantasy Baseball Awards. I’m your host, Nick Mariano, and I'll be your Sherpa for the festivities. In case you want to see where things stood at the All-Star break before reading on, check out our Midseason Awards column. I know this is weird, we've had day-in, day-out […]

Hunter Henry (TE, SD) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 10- and 12-Team Leagues until Antonio Gates returns OWNED IN: 23% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Henry has looked the part in relief of the injured Antonio Gates, as he followed up his five-catch, 72-yard effort in Week 4 with his first touchdown in Week 5 against the Saints. The score also came with 61 yards […]

Cameron Brate (TE, TB) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 10- and 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 26% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Even in a tough matchup against Denver, Brate saw eight targets in a rainy no-good day for Tampa Bay. He ended up tallying five catches for the second-straight week, as he’s taken quite well to being the Buccaneers’ featured pass-catching tight end. Jameis Winston […]

Dontrelle Inman (WR, SD) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Stream in 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 5% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Inman blowing up was bound to happen sooner or later, though a matchup against the Saints was probably the most likely environment for such a game. Luckily for those who missed the seven-catch, 120-yard boat (that had a TD sprinkled on top), Inman and the Chargers have […]

Jeremy Kerley (WR, SF) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 7% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Kerley has now seen at least six targets in each of San Francisco’s first four games, though two of those games have still yielded yardage totals of under 30 yards. That said, this most recent game saw him notch his first TD as a 49er alongside […]

Robert Woods (WR, BUF) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 10- and 12-Team Leagues until Sammy Watkins returns OWNED IN: 14% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Woods is going to be Buffalo’s primary receiver with Sammy Watkins on the shelf, which showed itself to yield some nice results in Week 4 to tune of seven catches for 89 yards. This is no fluke, as he had […]

Adam Humphries (WR, TB) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Stream in 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 18% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Humphries, and the entire Tampa Bay offense, predictably flopped in Week 4 against a powerful Denver defense. The slot receiver only caught one ball for four yards on four targets, but Week 5 provides a Monday night matchup against a Carolina secondary that just got torched at […]

Eddie Royal (WR, CHI) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 24% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Royal turned a season-high seven targets into a season-high seven receptions for a season-high 111 yards and a TD. Not bad at all. Chicago’s slot man has provided his QBs with reliable hands and steady route-running alongside Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White. Royal has totaled 22 […]

Cole Beasley (WR, DAL) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 36% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: With Dez Bryant inactive, Beasley actually saw a season-low four targets. Of course, he still turned in 66 yards on three catches and even sprinkled in a seven-yard rush for good measure despite the low volume. He has now topped 65 yards in each of Dallas’ […]

Steve Smith (WR, BAL) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 10- and 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 41% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Baltimore players everywhere! Smith caught eight of 11 targets for a second consecutive week, besting last week’s 87 yards with 111 yards that were fueled by a 52-yard TD. This is not a man who is ready to retire. This is not an offense […]

Zach Zenner (RB, DET) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 5% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Zenner didn’t do much of anything in Week 4, rushing three times for 12 yards and adding in a 22-yard catch, and he hadn’t put up any stats in Detroit’s first three games…so what gives here? Well, Dwayne Washington left Week 4’s game with a pretty […]

Wendell Smallwood (RB, PHI) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12- and 14-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 21% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: All Smallwood did in Week 3 was rush for 79 yards and a score on 17 carries against the Steelers, which prompted lots of buzz heading into Philly’s bye week. This culminated in an ESPN report from Tim McManus that said Smallwood should see […]

James White (RB, NE) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 26% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Just in case he’s been forgotten about in your league, don’t overlook how much this guy can thrive with Tom Brady back at the helm. Even in Week 4’s watered-down attack, James White caught all five of his targets for 50 yards while collecting 12 rushing yards […]

Kenneth Dixon (RB, BAL) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 30% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Speaking of Kenneth Dixon, that certainly doesn’t mean he isn’t worth the add. West had only collected 119 yards on 33 carries (3.6 YPC) in Baltimore’s first three games, and while his strong Week 4 should secure him some leash, Baltimore drafted Dixon for a reason. […]

Terrance West (RB, BAL) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 10- and 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 44% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: West looked good against a Raiders defense that has been put to shame through their first four weeks, as he carried the load with 21 rushes for 113 yards and a TD. Justin Forsett (the highest-owned of the RB stable at 55%) was scratched […]

Sam Bradford (QB, MIN) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 29% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Bradford’s Week 3 wasn’t anything special, as he crawled through the first half against Carolina before going 14-for-17 in the second half. The Vikings are now 3-0, and while much of that is due to their defense, this is still a passing attack that popped off in […]

Dak Prescott (QB, DAL) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 10- and 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 48% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Prescott didn’t even need to use his legs in Week 4, completing 23-of-32 passes for 245 yards and two TDs despite top receiver Dez Bryant being out. He still rushes five times for three yards, but he didn’t take chances and delivered strong strikes […]

Carson Wentz (QB, PHI) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 10-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 49% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Coming off of a week of rest and preparation, Wentz and the Eagles will get roll into Detroit to face a Lions team that just fell on its face against divisional rival Chicago. Brian Hoyer just totaled 302 passing yards and two TDs against Detroit, so […]

Pittsburgh Steelers (DEF, PIT) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 40% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Not feeling the whole Buffalo Bill thing? How about a Steeler team that is riding high off of a Sunday-night shellacking of the Chiefs on primetime television? After recording only one sack over their first three games, the Steelers (namely, Cameron Heyward) turned in four sacks […]

Buffalo Bills (DET, BUF) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 10- and 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 42% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: The Bills just provided New England with its first shutout since 2006, and its first shutout at home since 1993. Injury-hampered offense be damned, that’s impressive. Even if one doesn’t want to put much stock in that, this is a Bills team that […]

Week 4 Rankings Analysis: Nick Mariano vs. Industry Consensus

Week 3 went pretty well for us. We pushed Ben Roethlisberger down a few slots and said we didn’t have faith in Ryan Tannehill. Talked up Jordy Nelson as needing more respect, and my inner Giants fan was validated when DeSean Jackson torched Big Blue for a TD. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, as […]

Orleans Darkwa (RB, NYG) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14- and 16-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 3% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: With Shane Vereen out for the season, Orleans Darkwa would be the main beneficiary in the Giants’ backfield should Rashad Jennings’ thumb injury turn out to be a long-term issue. Darkwa rushed for 53 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries in […]

DeAndre Washington (RB, OAK) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12- and 14-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 11% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: DeAndre Washington ripped off 57 yards on only six rushes in Oakland’s Week 3 tilt against Tennessee. He continues to show off big-play potential while trudging through the Raiders’ three-man RB rotation. His value isn’t huge yet, but if Latavius Murray goes […]

Jimmy Garoppolo (QB, NE) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Stream in Two-Quarterback Leagues OWNED IN: 6% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Jimmy Garoppolo was back at practice on Tuesday and is expected to be ready for Week 4 against the Bills. Garoppolo’s injury-shortened Week 2 performance saw him go 18-for-27 for 234 yards and three touchdowns in only 25 minutes of play. While the Bills […]