X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

May NFL Mailbag - Running Backs, IDP, Sammy or Amari?

It has been a long time since I have done a mailbag article and I almost forgot how much fun they are. My favorite part about this, are my interactions with you, the reader.

I am always open to answering questions on Twitter or Reddit, but most of the time, those are quick response from prior knowledge. Occasionally, I get a question I need to dive into a little more, but you don’t have the same space on those platforms as you do in an article.

Getting the opportunity to expand on your questions in an article is awesome, so expect to see more of these coming soon. Moving forward, each mailbag article will have some type of theme, looking for questions directed at that topic. This week though, we have a whole bunch of questions to kick off the first mailbag article of the year. If you have questions and want a shout out on Twitter, keep an eye out for my tweets asking for questions and send them my way.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:

 

Fantasy Football Mailbag

What second year receiver are you expecting the biggest breakout from? (So no Kupp/Juju since they already did) - @BeerFueledFF

Aside from the two mentioned in the question, @slic117 jumped in and said Corey Davis does not count either, but he was too easy. My pick until Brandon Marshall signed with the Seahawks was Amara Darboh, and while he could still offer some fantasy value, Marshall will see those red zone targets in his place. I’m still buying Darboh, because Paul Richardson and Jimmy Graham leave behind 175 targets from 2017. The defense in Seattle won’t be great and Russell Wilson may need to throw more this year. Marshall won’t see but half of those targets at best.

I think we see several receivers from last year take a step forward including Trent Taylor in San Francisco, Kenny Golladay in Detroit, Taywan Taylor in Tennessee and Dede Westbrook in Jacksonville. Westbrook has the potential to be the WR1 on his own team. In dynasty formats, I am buying as many second-year receivers as possible this offseason. Value is down right now and you could pick up some guys with good upside. John Ross is dirt cheap right now and could become a boom or bust receiver with big play ability.

 

Other than the NYG, which running game improves the most this year and why? - @GOATdistrict

I think Cleveland is one of my favorites, but from a fantasy football standpoint, it’s going to be a nightmare for owners. Nick Chubb, Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson will combine for a RB1 season, but combining for one doesn’t offer a whole lot of help for owners.

Assuming you really want me to answer this question from a fantasy football standpoint, I have one team that I like from a different perspective. It wasn’t the addition in the backfield, it was the subtraction from the backfield and the addition on the offensive line.

The Cincinnati Bengals should be much improved in 2018. The Bengals ran for 1366 yards last season and 3.6 yards per carry, both second to last in the league. I will actually be writing an article on Joe Mixon in the next couple of weeks, so I don’t want to give away too much, but I expect big things from them this coming season.

 

Laurel or Yanny ??? - @ChiRuxinDFS

You can’t have a mailbag article without one question outside the box. Yanny all the way for me.

 

Who would you rather take a chance on drafting this year at RB. Marlon Mack or anyone in Denver? - @Envisionff

Although Marlon Mack has continued to gain steam this off-season as the Colts decided to against making a big splash in free agency or the draft to add a running back. Even though Mack appears to be the RB1 in Indy, taking Royce Freeman from Denver is an easy pick for me. I think the Broncos truly view Freeman as a lead back that will carry a large workload, and adding Case Keenum was a huge upgrade to help the pass and run game. I think Freeman as much more upside.

The addition of Nyheim Hines for the Colts has been a low-key addition that fantasy owners should be keeping a very close eye on. Hines was a former slot receiver at NC State and can run his routes well and knows the route tree. He is going to be all over the field playing out of the backfield, playing the slot and lining up wherever a mismatch can be found. I think he is worked slowly into the game plan and will take some substantial touches away from Mack as the season wears on.

 

Who is your top IDP pick? -@TheScorecrow

Taking a quick second to promote our new, updated rankings on Rotoballer! Everything you need to win your league this year, and now that includes IDP rankings by yours truly. In those rankings, I have Luke Keuchly listed as my number one overall IDP this coming season. I know there are concerns over his health, but when he is on the field, he is the best linebacker in football, especially from a fantasy football perspective.

Things can always hinge on your league scoring, but linebackers will typically score the most out of all defensive positions. My top three players are all linebackers and include Bobby Wagner and Deion Jones. Joey Bosa and Demarcus Lawrence round out the top five as well, and sit higher than most due to an increased sack potential. If you are in an IDP league, make sure you check scoring settings though. If a sack is worth substantially more than a tackle, you will want guys with great sack potential.

 

Amari Cooper or Sammy Watkins? Both, IMO, have disappointed and seem to get their tires pumped more than they’ve shown they deserve in fantasy. - @FantasyReich

This was easy for me as well. Amari Cooper all the way. I really don’t understand how a majority of the fantasy community has soured on Cooper, but not Sammy Watkins. Watkins will need to fight for targets with Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce but Cooper should lead the Raiders in targets. I don’t think Jordy Nelson or Martavis Bryant will offer a high enough ceiling to be a better play than Cooper this season or moving forward. I would pick Cooper 10 out of 10 times.

 

More 2018 Fantasy Football & ADP Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Brandon Ingram15 mins ago

Questionable For Friday
Shohei Ohtani23 mins ago

Named National League MVP In 2024
Aaron Judge29 mins ago

Wins American League MVP Award
Ja'Kobe Walter33 mins ago

Ready To Go Thursday
Donte DiVincenzo38 mins ago

Available Thursday
Mike Conley45 mins ago

Will Not Play Thursday
Jordan Clarkson53 mins ago

Sits Out Thursday's Game
Ausar Thompson1 hour ago

Won't Play On Thursday
Zach Collins1 hour ago

Cleared To Play Thursday
Domantas Sabonis1 hour ago

Gets Through Full Practice
Chris Paul1 hour ago

Good To Go Thursday
Brock Purdy1 hour ago

Limited Again On Thursday
Malik Monk1 hour ago

Making Progress
George Kittle1 hour ago

Limited Again On Thursday
Tre Mann1 hour ago

Good To Go On Thursday
Miles Bridges2 hours ago

Won't Play On Thursday
Vince Williams Jr.2 hours ago

Out At Least A Month
Scottie Barnes2 hours ago

Returning On Thursday
Alex Ovechkin2 hours ago

To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Fractured Fibula
Paul George2 hours ago

Out At Least Two Games
Aaron Gordon2 hours ago

Availability In Question For Friday
Zach Hyman2 hours ago

Expected To Miss 4-7 Days
Kent Johnson2 hours ago

Back For Blue Jackets Thursday
Dorian Finney-Smith2 hours ago

Uncertain To Face The Sixers
Yaroslav Askarov2 hours ago

Makes Sharks Debut Thursday
Jalen Hurts2 hours ago

Practices In Full On Thursday
Nicolas Claxton2 hours ago

Questionable Versus Philly
Nikola Jokic2 hours ago

Absent From Practice On Thursday
Mikael Granlund2 hours ago

Good To Go Thursday
Cam Thomas2 hours ago

Probable On Friday Night
Alexandar Georgiev3 hours ago

Returns To Action Versus Capitals
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope3 hours ago

Out On Thursday Night
TB3 hours ago

Nicholas Paul Will Miss Thursday's Game
Frederik Andersen3 hours ago

To Miss 8-12 Weeks
Jake Ferguson3 hours ago

Still Not Practicing
Sam LaPorta3 hours ago

Looking Good For A Week 12 Return
Sam Darnold3 hours ago

Upgrades To Full Participation, On Track To Play
Isiah Pacheco3 hours ago

Remains Limited On Thursday
D'Andre Swift3 hours ago

Upgrades To Limited Participant On Thursday
CeeDee Lamb4 hours ago

Sidelined During Thursday's Practice
Ladd McConkey4 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Thursday
Mike Evans4 hours ago

Logs Full Practice On Thursday
DeVonta Smith5 hours ago

Misses Another Practice
Cody Bellinger6 hours ago

Cubs Looking To Trade Cody Bellinger?
Brandin Cooks6 hours ago

Preparing To Play In Week 12
CeeDee Lamb6 hours ago

Not Seen At Thursday's Practice
6 hours ago

Blake Snell Has Met With Red Sox, Dodgers
Aaron Rodgers6 hours ago

Jets Owner Suggested Benching Aaron Rodgers
Mike Evans8 hours ago

Practicing Again On Thursday
Chandler Stephenson9 hours ago

Registers Three Assists Versus Predators
Jason Robertson9 hours ago

Totals Three Points In Wednesday's Win
Nils Lundkvist9 hours ago

Exits Early With A Lower-Body Injury
Matthew Knies9 hours ago

Sustains An Upper-Body Injury
Mikael Granlund10 hours ago

Exits Late With Injury Wednesday
Patrik Laine10 hours ago

Returns To Practice
Chris Sale21 hours ago

Wins National League Cy Young Award
Tarik Skubal21 hours ago

Wins 2024 American League Cy Young Award
Austin Eckroat23 hours ago

Heads To The RSM Classic After Win
Harris English23 hours ago

Finding Form Heading To The RSM Classic
Ben Griffin23 hours ago

Continues Playing Well Heading To The RSM Classic
Denny McCarthy23 hours ago

Returns to The RSM Classic
Josh Jacobs24 hours ago

Limited With Multiple Injuries
DeVonta Smith1 day ago

Misses Practice On Wednesday
Seth Jones1 day ago

Expected To Miss Four Weeks
Sam Darnold1 day ago

Limited With Foot Injury
Max Domi1 day ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Jalen Hurts1 day ago

Limited On Wednesday
Connor Ingram1 day ago

Out Day-To-Day With An Upper-Body Injury
Jake Ferguson1 day ago

Picks Up A DNP On Wednesday
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen1 day ago

Returns To Action Versus Kings
Alex Tuch1 day ago

Available Wednesday
Tage Thompson1 day ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Jordan Eberle1 day ago

To Remain Out On Wednesday
Ludvig Aberg1 day ago

Looks To Defend RSM Classic Title
Si Woo Kim1 day ago

An Intriguing Option At RSM Classic
Maverick McNealy1 day ago

In Solid Form Ahead Of RSM Classic
Eric Cole1 day ago

Chasing First Tour Victory At RSM Classic
2 days ago

Guardians' Stephen Vogt Named AL Manager Of The Year
Milwaukee Brewers2 days ago

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager Of The Year
2 days ago

Nick Pivetta Declines Boston's Qualifying Offer
Jose Siri2 days ago

Mets Acquire Jose Siri From The Rays
2 days ago

Phillies To Meet With Juan Soto
2 days ago

Luis Severino Rejects Qualifying Offer From Mets
2 days ago

Willy Adames Declines Brewers Qualifying Offer
2 days ago

Teoscar Hernandez Declines Qualifying Offer From Dodgers
2 days ago

Juan Soto Declines Yankees' Qualifying Offer
Luis Gil3 days ago

Wins AL Rookie Of The Year Award
Paul Skenes3 days ago

Named 2024 NL Rookie Of The Year
Brady Singer3 days ago

Reds, Royals Discussing Jonathan India, Brady Singer
3 days ago

Sean Manaea To Reject Mets' Qualifying Offer
3 days ago

Braves Have Interest In Walker Buehler
3 days ago

Astros Interested In Willy Adames
Charles Oliveira3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Chandler3 days ago

Gets Dominated At UFC 309
Karine Silva3 days ago

Suffers Her First UFC Loss
Viviane Araujo3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Mauricio Ruffy3 days ago

Extends His Win Streak To Six
James Llontop4 days ago

Loses Clear-Cut Decision In Thrilling Fight At UFC 309
Paul Craig4 days ago

Loses Decision At UFC 309
Bo Nickal4 days ago

Remains Undefeated With Lackluster Performance At UFC 309
Stipe Miocic4 days ago

Retires After UFC 309 Loss
Jon Jones4 days ago

Gets TKO Win At UFC 309 To Defend Heavyweight Title

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Najee Harris - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Week 12 Predictions: Picks and Analysis for Every Game Including Thursday Night Football

After some high-octane matchups over the last couple of Thursday nights, Week 12 kicks off in a more old-school fashion with a classic rivalry game between the Steelers and Browns. There are some fun matchups on this Week 12 slate, however, "Bye-Mageddon" certainly does take a little of the sizzle away, as six teams will […]


TJ Watt - IDP, Pittsburgh Steelers, DST, Defense, Fantasy Football Def

Week 12 Fantasy Football Team Defense Rankings: Steelers D/ST, Chiefs D/ST, Vikings D/ST, Eagles D/ST, Commanders D/ST, Texans D/ST, Broncos D/ST

Fantasy football defenses are largely matchup-dependent, so many fantasy managers opt to stream a different defense each week. If you're in that boat, use our Week 12 fantasy football defense (D/ST) rankings for 2024 to find the top available option. There are just three weeks of the fantasy football regular season left, so it's never […]


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

Steelers vs. Browns TNF Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Jameis Winston, Nick Chubb, David Njoku, Jerry Jeudy, Russell Wilson, Najee Harris, George Pickens

The Week 12 TNF game between two bitter AFC North rivals (Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers) is not likely to end up like the Thursday night game from two weeks ago when two different AFC North teams (Bengals and Ravens) battled to a 35-34 shootout. Somewhere deep in the charter of the Pittsburgh Steelers, I […]


DJ Moore - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 12 - Thursday Updates for Deebo Samuel, D.J. Moore, Jerry Jeudy, Jonathon Brooks, Jauan Jennings, Tank Dell

Many fantasy managers are in must-win situations down the stretch, so it's never been more important to ace your start-or-sit calls. Our Week 12 TNF fantasy football overall rankings for 2024 are here to help. Ahead of the critical Week 12 slate of action, let's find out where players on the start-sit bubble such as […]


Calvin Ridley - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football FLEX Rankings (RB, WR, TE) - Week 12 Thursday Updates for Chuba Hubbard, Calvin Ridley, Cedric Tillman, Jonnu Smith, Austin Ekeler

It's always tough to compare two flex options at different positions, but bye weeks and key injuries have made those start-sit decisions even tougher. We're here to help guide you with your lineup calls with our Week 12 TNF fantasy football FLEX rankings for 2024. Navigate the rankings below to find out where top flex […]


Tua Tagovailoa - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football Superflex 2QB Rankings for Week 12 - Thursday Updates for Tua Tagovailoa, Bo Nix, Russell Wilson, Austin Ekeler, Jayden Reed

Time is running out to collect "Ws" before the fantasy football playoffs begin, and if you need assistance, our Week 12 fantasy football Superflex rankings (2QB) for fantasy football can assist your start-or-sit efforts. Let's get to it! To begin Week 12 preparation, let's dig into the rankings to find out where key Superflex options […]


Bucky Irving - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Running Back Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday RB Updates for Jonathon Brooks, J.K. Dobbins, Bucky Irving, Najee Harris, Kareem Hunt

We're onto Week 12 of the NFL campaign, which can only mean the fantasy football playoffs are just ahead. Whether you're at the top of your league standings, fighting for a playoff spot, or are just trying to play spoiler, our Week 12 TNF fantasy football running back rankings for 2024 are here to help you […]


Cedric Tillman - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

TNF Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday WR Updates for Cedric Tillman, Jauan Jennings, Josh Downs, Jerry Jeudy, DJ Moore

At the wide receiver spot especially, bye weeks and injuries are major factors in Week 12. If you don't have an excess of must-start WRs and need help identifying the top available options, we're here to help with our Week 12 TNF fantasy football wide receiver rankings for 2024. Let's dive in below to see […]


Jonnu Smith - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Tight End Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday TE Updates for George Kittle, David Njoku, Will Dissly, Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry

In most leagues, only three weeks of the fantasy football regular season remain. If you desperately need a win to clinch a first-round bye or quality for the playoffs, use our Week 12 TNF fantasy football tight end rankings to help you with tough start-or-sit calls at the challenging TE spot. Ahead of the critical Week […]


Tommy DeVito- Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Not All Heroes...Play On Good Teams - Giants, Patriots, and Cowboys Fantasy Football Outlooks

It's well-known at this point that good offenses can help their players light up the scoreboards in fantasy football leagues. The mantra "trust in good players on good offenses" rings true, and some of the best seasons in fantasy football history have been aided by things like good playcalling and a good supporting cast. The […]


Baker Mayfield - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

TNF Quarterback Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday QB Updates for Anthony Richardson, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Bo Nix, C.J. Stroud

It's a critical week for fantasy football, as the playoffs are just around the corner. If you need help to nail your optimal lineups this week, our Week 12 TNF fantasy football quarterback rankings for 2024 are here to assist. Ahead of the all-important Week 12 slate, let's navigate the rankings below and find out […]


Jaylen Waddle - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Jaylen Waddle Fantasy Football Outlook - What's Wrong With Waddle?

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was widely pushed as a potential league-winner in fantasy football in 2024 due to a variety of factors. The explosiveness and big-play ability of the Dolphins offense, the good play of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and his talent were a few of them. It's not worked out that way. It's […]


Isiah Pacheco - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Running Backs

Fantasy Football Injury Reports: Week 12 Updates for Isiah Pacheco, Tyreek Hill, Mike Evans, Jalen Hurts, CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Hurts, George Kittle, Calvin Ridley, more

Week 12 of the NFL's 2024 slate is coming up, and as the fantasy football playoffs draw closer, it's becoming more important than ever to stay ahead of injury news for key players. Leaving a hurt player in your lineup can result in disaster. The author of this article missed out on the fantasy playoffs […]