Working the Wire: I Pitta the Fool
Posted By:Bretsky on September 23, 2014
Though it’s often an afterthought on draft day, the tight end position comes into focus on this weeks’ edition of Working the Wire. We lost a pair of top-10 caliber tight ends this week — Dennis Pitta to a second hip dislocation and Kyle Rudolph to groin surgery — and have also seen Jordan Cameron and Vernon Davis miss time. Rob Gronkowski is still working his way back to full strength and, of course, the bye weeks begin top strip the depth at the position, leaving Julius Thomas and Jordan Cameron owners searching for a temporary replacement.
So, how does and owner searching for both a short and long term solution address a position who’s depth is rapidly declining? We’ve got a couple of options for you out there in a number of leagues that we’re pushing to the top of the list, presented in the order we’re lining up to add em.
Larry Donnell (NYG) – 40% owned: The Giants offense showed a massive improvement in Week 3 and Donnell continues to carve out a consistent role, seeing 6+ targets in each of the first three games. He’s a big target for Eli Manning and runs plenty of high-percentage routes. Donnell is unlikely to win you any weeks, but he’s rock solid in Charles Clay 2013 type of way.
Niles Paul (WAS) – 44% owned: Paul has a bit more week-to-week potential than Donnell, but his long-term upside is capped with Jordan Reed eventually returning to the starting lineup. If we’re adding a player for this week to cover a bye, Paul is the preferred option.
Travis Kelce (KC) – 49% owned: His workload remains limited but the Cheifs should continue to open things up in the passing game as the year drags on. Kelce has top-7 upside at the position if given the targets.
Owen Daniels (BAL) – 27% owned: Daniels busted out in Week 2 with a pair of touchdown grabs but was largely ignored in the Ravens latest efforts. Pitta’s injury should open up some obvious opportunities in the passing game and he’s worth an add for the TE-needy.
Ladarius Green (SD) – 40% owned: Green was not targeted in Week 2, but bounced back witha 4-for-46 performance on six targets Sunday. His athletecism and upside is evident, but the role may be slower to come than many fantasy owners would like.
Heath Miller (PIT) – 56% owned: The least sexy of the group, Miller figures to be good for 4-5 receptions and 50 yards each week. He’s going to need to get into the end zone to pay off for fantasy owners and is yet to be targeted in the red zone.
We’re also keeping an eye on Andrew Quarless and Brandon Bostick in Green Bay, Levine Toilolo in Atlanta and Tim Wright in New England. None of these guys nade the cut as recommended “adds” this week, but we could easily see them rise on this list in the coming weeks.
Working the Waiver Wire
Each week, we’ll outline the top options available in more than 50% of standard fantasy leagues and arranged roughly in the order we’d prioritize the pickup.
Quarterback
Kirk Cousins (WAS): While it clearly won’t always be as pretty as it was Sunday (427 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT), Cousins has the skill set and surrounding talent to put up top-10 numbers the rest of the way in the defensively challenged NFC East.
Eli Manning (NYG): With the team putting forth a strong effort in the run game (193 yards on 42 carries) Eli was efficiet in his best game of the season, completing 21-for-28 passes for 234 yards and a pair of scores. He’s got plenty of opportunity to turn things around with games @WAS, vs. ATL, @PHI, and @DAL ahead of the teams’ Week 8 bye.
Running Back
Khiry Robinson (NO): He failed to get in the end zone in Week 3, but the workload was there for Khiry. He remains ripe for the plucking off the wire with the hope that goal line carries will also come his way in the near future.
Donald Brown (SD): The last man standing in San Diego didn’t do a ton with a massive workload in last Week — 89 yards on 36 touches — but is a must add with opportunity coming.
Deangelo Williams (CAR): After missing two straight games with a thigh injury, the hope is that Williams will return to the field for a Week 4 date with the Ravens. The Panthers lost both Johnathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert, so D-Will should step right back into the workhorse role.
Isaiah Crowell (CLE): Crowell continues to be the more impressive runner of Cleveland’s rookie tandem and while he’s unlikely to grab an every down role, continued productivity should keep him in the mix even when Ben Tate returns. Unfortunately, a bye week is staring Crowell in the face and it could be tough to make room for the emerging back.
Roy Helu (WSH): Though Helu’s talent flashes on a regular basis, he’s yet to carve out a big enough workload to move to the top of this list. He’s a solid stash, however, and not just for Al Mo owners.
Alfred Blue (HOU): Arian Foster owners will certainly want to put Blue close to the top of their pickup list.
Lorenzo Taliafaro (BAL): Though he looked strong in Week 3 duties, but Talifaro’s role is hard to predict. Still, Bernard Pierce should get another crack as the bell cow in a tough matchup against the Panthers with some added pressure from the rookie.
Wide Receiver
Brian Quick (STL): Quick has clearly emerged as the Rams’ only useful piece in the passing game, piling up 16 catches for 235 yards and a score over three weeks.
Miles Austin (CLE): While can’t bank on long term health, the veteran Austin has been healthy and productive through three weeks.
James Jones (OAK): Jones is the clear number one on a terrible offense. It will be boom or bust production all year long.
Jordan Mathews (PHI): The preseason sleeper took a couple of weeks to find his way into the Eagles’ game plan. His workload will continue to grow, but the litany of weapons in Philly will make consistent production a difficult thing.
Marvin Jones (CIN): He’ll move to the top of this list following the Bengals’ Week 4 bye as Jones should be ready to return from a preseason foot injury.
Allen Robinson (JAX): Flew under the radar amongst a talented crop of rookie recievers in this year’s draft, Robinson has moved to the top of the depth chart due to injuries and put up solid number on 10 targets Sunday.
Jeremy Kerley (NYJ): Kerley is developing into a nice little PPR play after his 7-81-1 performance on 11 targets during Monday Night Football.
Week 3 DraftKings Sleepers and Values
Posted By:Bretsky on September 20, 2014
After a solid, performance in Week 2, it feels like we’re swinging for the fences as we head into Sunday. Check out our our Week 3 DraftKings lineup, followed by a little cheatsheet, courtesy of FantasyPros.com Good Luck!
Bretsky’s Week 3 Draftkings Lineup
QB – Tom Brady ($6,900)
While the defensive numbers look good on paper, Oakland’s underwhelming defense is about to face a quarterback who is a cut above Geno Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Expect the Pats to open this up in front of the home crowd.
RB – Khiry Robinson ($3,900)
With Mark Ingram ailing, Robinson is presented witha massive opportunity to become the lead back in a high octane offense. He’s certainly worth a dice roll at the at under 4K of your budget.
RB – Chris Ivory ($4,800)
Ivory has emerged as the Jets best goal line option and the back to own in a surprisingly effective offense. A tasty matchup with the Bears — letting up a league-high 5.0 yards per carry — awaits Sunday.
WR – Calvin Johnson ($8,900)
If you are gonna pay for a wideout, Calvin is always worth the investment. It doesn’t hurt that he’s historically crushed the Packers. Lock up Megatron in this potential shootout.
WR – TY Hilton ($5,900)
Hilton’s targets have been consistent, but the results are yet to show. Fortunately, the Jaguars defense provides a prime opportunity to jump start his season.
WR – Brandin Cooks ($5,100)
Cooks followed up with his Week 1 heroics with a dud. You can bet Drew Brees is gonna get his new weapon going in his first game in front of the home crowd.
TE – Rob Gronkowski ($5,900)
When Gronk is priced below the top tier of tight ends, you put him in your lineup. It’s just that simple.
FLEX – Percy Harvin ($5,400)
Usage concerns certainly popped up in Week 2, but when he’s healthy there are few players with his home run ability.
DST – Bills ($3,000)
The Chargers will be a nice test for what looks to be a very strong and underrated defense. We’re banking on put together a solid effort at home.
Fantasy Football Week 3 Rankings: Quarterback
Posted By:Bretsky on September 18, 2014
Welcome to Week 3 of the fantasy football season. Each week, our rankers will provide you with their top plays at each position. If you’ve got start/sit questions heading into Sunday’s games, find us on twitter or leave ’em in the comments!
Week 3 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings
| Rank | Player | Matchup | AVG | Bretsky | Bell |
| 1 | Drew Brees | NO vs. MIN | 1.50 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | Andrew Luck | IND @ JAX | 2.50 | 4 | 1 |
| 3 | Aaron Rodgers | GB @ DET | 3.00 | 2 | 4 |
| 4 | Matthew Stafford | DET vs. GB | 4.50 | 6 | 3 |
| 5 | Nick Foles | PHI vs. WAS | 4.50 | 3 | 6 |
| 6 | Jay Cutler | CHI @ NYJ | 6.00 | 5 | 7 |
| 7 | Peyton Manning | DEN @ SEA | 7.50 | 10 | 5 |
| 8 | Matt Ryan | ATL vs. TB | 8.00 | 8 | 8 |
| 9 | Russell Wilson | SEA vs. DEN | 8.50 | 7 | 10 |
| 10 | Cam Newton | CAR vs. PIT | 10.00 | 11 | 9 |
| 11 | Tom Brady | NE vs. OAK | 10.00 | 9 | 11 |
| 12 | Colin Kaepernick | SF @ ARI | 12.50 | 12 | 13 |
| 13 | Philip Rivers | SD @ BUF | 13.50 | 15 | 12 |
| 14 | Kirk Cousins | WAS @ PHI | 14.50 | 14 | 15 |
| 15 | Geno Smith | NYJ vs. CHI | 14.50 | 13 | 16 |
| 16 | Andy Dalton | CIN vs. TEN | 15.00 | 16 | 14 |
| 17 | Ben Roethlisberger | PIT @ CAR | 17.50 | 17 | 18 |
| 18 | Carson Palmer | ARI vs. SF | 18.50 | 20 | 17 |
| 19 | Ryan Tannehill | MIA vs. KC | 19.00 | 19 | 19 |
| 20 | Tony Romo | DAL @ STL | 19.50 | 18 | 21 |
| 21 | Jake Locker | TEN @ CIN | 20.50 | 21 | 20 |
| 22 | Josh McCown | TB @ ATL | 22.50 | 22 | 23 |
| 23 | Brian Hoyer | CLE vs. BAL | 24.50 | 24 | 25 |
| 24 | Ryan Fitzpatrick | HOU @ NYG | 24.50 | 23 | 26 |
| 25 | Alex Smith | KC @ MIA | 24.50 | 25 | 24 |
Week 3 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE
Fantasy Football Week 3 Rankings: Running Back
Posted By:Bretsky on September 18, 2014
Welcome to Week 2 of the fantasy football season. Each week, our rankers will provide you with their top plays at each position. If you’ve got start/sit questions heading into Sunday’s games, find us on twitter or leave ’em in the comments!
Week 3 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings
| Rank | Player | Matchup | AVG | Bretsky | Bell |
| 1 | LeSean McCoy | PHI vs. WAS | 1.00 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | DeMarco Murray | DAL @ STL | 2.50 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | Arian Foster | HOU @ NYG | 2.50 | 3 | 2 |
| 4 | Marshawn Lynch | SEA vs. DEN | 4.00 | 4 | 4 |
| 5 | Alfred Morris | WAS @ PHI | 6.50 | 6 | 7 |
| 6 | Eddie Lacy | GB @ DET | 7.00 | 5 | 9 |
| 7 | Giovani Bernard | CIN vs. TEN | 7.00 | 8 | 6 |
| 8 | Matt Forte | CHI @ NYJ | 8.50 | 7 | 10 |
| 9 | LeVeon Bell | PIT @ CAR | 10.00 | 15 | 5 |
| 10 | Andre Ellington | ARI vs. SF | 12.00 | 11 | 13 |
| 11 | Joique Bell | DET vs. GB | 12.50 | 10 | 15 |
| 12 | Montee Ball | DEN @ SEA | 12.50 | 17 | 8 |
| 13 | Knile Davis | KC @ MIA | 13.00 | 14 | 12 |
| 14 | Frank Gore | SF @ ARI | 13.50 | 16 | 11 |
| 15 | C.J. Spiller | BUF vs. SD | 14.00 | 12 | 16 |
| 16 | Shane Vereen | NE vs. OAK | 14.00 | 9 | 19 |
| 17 | Bernard Pierce | BAL @ CLE | 17.00 | 13 | 21 |
| 18 | Zac Stacy | STL vs. DAL | 18.00 | 18 | 18 |
| 19 | Doug Martin | TB @ ATL | 18.50 | 20 | 17 |
| 20 | Terrance West | CLE vs. BAL | 19.50 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | Rashad Jennings | NYG vs. HOU | 20.00 | 26 | 14 |
| 22 | Darren Sproles | PHI vs. WAS | 23.50 | 21 | 26 |
| 23 | Reggie Bush | DET vs. GB | 23.50 | 22 | 25 |
| 24 | Christopher Ivory | NYJ vs. CHI | 26.50 | 24 | 29 |
| 25 | Chris Johnson | NYJ vs. CHI | 27.00 | 31 | 23 |
| 26 | Stevan Ridley | NE vs. OAK | 27.50 | 28 | 27 |
| 27 | Lamar Miller | MIA vs. KC | 28.50 | 23 | 34 |
| 28 | Khiry Robinson | NO vs. MIN | 29.00 | 27 | 31 |
| 29 | Donald Brown | SD @ BUF | 29.00 | 36 | 22 |
| 30 | Shonn Greene | TEN @ CIN | 29.50 | 35 | 24 |
| 31 | Toby Gerhart | JAX vs. IND | 30.00 | 32 | 28 |
| 32 | Matt Asiata | MIN @ NO | 30.50 | 29 | 32 |
| 33 | Jonathan Stewart | CAR vs. PIT | 34.00 | 38 | 30 |
| 34 | Ahmad Bradshaw | IND @ JAX | 35.50 | 25 | 46 |
| 35 | Fred Jackson | BUF vs. SD | 35.50 | 33 | 38 |
| 36 | Bobby Rainey | TB @ ATL | 35.50 | 30 | 41 |
| 37 | Darren McFadden | OAK @ NE | 37.00 | 34 | 40 |
| 38 | Carlos Hyde | SF @ ARI | 37.50 | 42 | 33 |
| 39 | Pierre Thomas | NO vs. MIN | 38.50 | 40 | 37 |
| 40 | Trent Richardson | IND @ JAX | 39.00 | 39 | 39 |
| 41 | Justin Forsett | BAL @ CLE | 40.00 | 44 | 36 |
| 42 | Jeremy Hill | CIN vs. TEN | 40.00 | 37 | 43 |
| 43 | Danny Woodhead | SD @ BUF | 40.50 | 46 | 35 |
| 44 | Steven Jackson | ATL vs. TB | 41.50 | 41 | 42 |
| 45 | Roy Helu | WAS @ PHI | 44.00 | 43 | 45 |
| 46 | Andre Williams | NYG vs. HOU | 47.50 | 51 | 44 |
| 47 | James Starks | GB @ DET | 48.50 | 45 | 52 |
| 48 | Bishop Sankey | TEN @ CIN | 50.00 | 47 | 53 |
| 49 | Devonta Freeman | ATL vs. TB | 50.00 | 50 | 50 |
| 50 | Benny Cunningham | STL vs. DAL | 51.50 | 54 | 49 |
Week 3 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE
Fantasy Football Week 3 Rankings: Wide Receiver
Posted By:Bretsky on September 18, 2014
Welcome to Week 2 of the fantasy football season. Each week, our rankers will provide you with their top plays at each position. If you’ve got start/sit questions heading into Sunday’s games, find us on twitter or leave ’em in the comments!
Week 3 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings
| Rank | Player | Matchup | AVG | Bretsky | Bell |
| 1 | Calvin Johnson | DET vs. GB | 1.00 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Brandon Marshall | CHI @ NYJ | 2.50 | 3 | 2 |
| 3 | Jordy Nelson | GB @ DET | 3.00 | 2 | 4 |
| 4 | Julio Jones | ATL vs. TB | 4.50 | 6 | 3 |
| 5 | Antonio Brown | PIT @ CAR | 6.00 | 5 | 7 |
| 6 | Dez Bryant | DAL @ STL | 7.00 | 4 | 10 |
| 7 | Demaryius Thomas | DEN @ SEA | 8.50 | 11 | 6 |
| 8 | A.J. Green | CIN vs. TEN | 8.50 | 9 | 8 |
| 9 | Alshon Jeffery | CHI @ NYJ | 9.00 | 13 | 5 |
| 10 | Percy Harvin | SEA vs. DEN | 11.50 | 7 | 16 |
| 11 | Pierre Garcon | WAS @ PHI | 12.50 | 16 | 9 |
| 12 | Jeremy Maclin | PHI vs. WAS | 13.00 | 15 | 11 |
| 13 | Roddy White | ATL vs. TB | 13.50 | 10 | 17 |
| 14 | Reggie Wayne | IND @ JAX | 14.00 | 14 | 14 |
| 15 | Randall Cobb | GB @ DET | 14.50 | 8 | 21 |
| 16 | Cordarrelle Patterson | MIN @ NO | 15.50 | 19 | 12 |
| 17 | Vincent Jackson | TB @ ATL | 15.50 | 12 | 19 |
| 18 | Michael Floyd | ARI vs. SF | 15.50 | 18 | 13 |
| 19 | Andre Johnson | HOU @ NYG | 16.00 | 17 | 15 |
| 20 | Torrey Smith | BAL @ CLE | 21.50 | 23 | 20 |
| 21 | Emmanuel Sanders | DEN @ SEA | 22.00 | 21 | 23 |
| 22 | Victor Cruz | NYG vs. HOU | 23.50 | 29 | 18 |
| 23 | Larry Fitzgerald | ARI vs. SF | 25.00 | 25 | 25 |
| 24 | Eric Decker | NYJ vs. CHI | 26.50 | 24 | 29 |
| 25 | Keenan Allen | SD @ BUF | 27.00 | 30 | 24 |
| 26 | Ty Hilton | IND @ JAX | 27.00 | 32 | 22 |
| 27 | Kendall Wright | TEN @ CIN | 28.00 | 28 | 28 |
| 28 | Michael Crabtree | SF @ ARI | 29.00 | 27 | 31 |
| 29 | Mike Wallace | MIA vs. KC | 29.50 | 20 | 39 |
| 30 | Golden Tate | DET vs. GB | 30.50 | 34 | 27 |
| 31 | Brandin Cooks | NO vs. MIN | 30.50 | 35 | 26 |
| 32 | DeSean Jackson | WAS @ PHI | 31.50 | 33 | 30 |
| 33 | Steve Smith | CAR vs. PIT | 31.50 | 22 | 41 |
| 34 | Julian Edelman | NE vs. OAK | 33.50 | 31 | 36 |
| 35 | Wes Welker | DEN @ SEA | 34.50 | 26 | 43 |
| 36 | Marques Colston | NO vs. MIN | 35.50 | 39 | 32 |
| 37 | Greg Jennings | MIN @ NO | 39.00 | 43 | 35 |
| 38 | Justin Hunter | TEN @ CIN | 39.00 | 41 | 37 |
| 39 | Terrance Williams | DAL @ STL | 39.00 | 44 | 34 |
| 40 | DeAndre Hopkins | HOU @ NYG | 39.00 | 36 | 42 |
| 41 | James Jones | OAK @ NE | 40.50 | 37 | 44 |
| 42 | Riley Cooper | PHI vs. WAS | 42.50 | 47 | 38 |
| 43 | Markus Wheaton | PIT @ CAR | 42.50 | 45 | 40 |
| 44 | Andrew Hawkins | CLE vs. BAL | 43.00 | 38 | 48 |
| 45 | Sammy Watkins | BUF vs. SD | 44.00 | 42 | 46 |
| 46 | Dwayne Bowe | KC @ MIA | 45.50 | 46 | 45 |
| 47 | Mike Evans | TB @ ATL | 48.50 | 50 | 47 |
| 48 | Cecil Shorts | JAX vs. IND | 51.50 | 49 | 54 |
| 49 | Jordan Matthews | PHI vs. WAS | 52.00 | 52 | 52 |
| 50 | Malcom Floyd | SD @ BUF | 52.50 | 48 | 57 |
Week 3 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE
Fantasy Football Week 3 Rankings: Tight End
Posted By:Bretsky on September 18, 2014
Welcome to Week 2 of the fantasy football season. Each week, our rankers will provide you with their top plays at each position. If you’ve got start/sit questions heading into Sunday’s games, find us on twitter or leave ’em in the comments!
Week 3 Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings
| Rank | Player | Matchup | AVG | Bretsky | Bell |
| 1 | Jimmy Graham | NO vs. MIN | 1.50 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | Vernon Davis | SF @ ARI | 2.50 | 4 | 1 |
| 3 | Julius Thomas | DEN @ SEA | 3.00 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Rob Gronkowski | NE vs. OAK | 4.00 | 2 | 6 |
| 5 | Greg Olsen | CAR vs. PIT | 5.00 | 6 | 4 |
| 6 | Zach Ertz | PHI vs. WAS | 6.50 | 8 | 5 |
| 7 | Jordan Cameron | CLE vs. BAL | 7.50 | 5 | 10 |
| 8 | Martellus Bennett | CHI @ NYJ | 7.50 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | Dennis Pitta | BAL @ CLE | 9.00 | 11 | 7 |
| 10 | Antonio Gates | SD @ BUF | 10.50 | 12 | 9 |
| 11 | Kyle Rudolph | MIN @ NO | 11.00 | 9 | 13 |
| 12 | Jason Witten | DAL @ STL | 13.00 | 10 | 16 |
| 13 | Dwayne Allen | IND @ JAX | 14.00 | 16 | 12 |
| 14 | Heath Miller | PIT @ CAR | 14.50 | 14 | 15 |
| 15 | Larry Donnell | NYG vs. HOU | 16.00 | 15 | 17 |
Week 3 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE
4th Down Fantasy Football Podcast: Go Cuff Yourself
Posted By:Bretsky on September 17, 2014
Wayne Bretsky and Mark Kaplan recap Week 3 of the NFL season by playing a little game of Buy/Sell/Hold with some of the biggest studs and duds of the first few weeks of action. The guys pluck through the waiver wire to find some replacement tight end and provide Week 4 daily fantasy sleepers and values. Finally, the guys close the show with a dip into the mailbag.
Hit up the guys on Twitter @BretskyBall and @DaTrueGuru to join in on the action!
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4th Down Fantasy Football – Week 4 Preview
News and Notes
- Dennis Pitta and Kyle Rudolp out
- Welcome to the byes
- Rookie QBS taking over
Buy/Sell/Hold
- Tom Brady
- Kiirk Cousins
- Aaron Rodgers
- Lesean McCoy
- Zac Stacy
- Demarco Murray
- Chris Ivory
- Victor Cruz
- Andre Johnson and Deandre Hopkins
Waiver Wire Adds
- QB: Kirk Cousins, Eli Manning
- RB: Khiry Robinson, Donald Brown, Deangelo Williams
- WR: Brian Quick, James Jones, Miles Austin, Jordan Mathews
- TE: Niles Paul, Larry Donnell, Travis Kelce, Owen Daniels
Week 2 Preview and Daily Fantasy Sleepers and Value Plays
- QB: Tony Romo, Blake Bortles
- RB: Lesean McCoy, Khiry Robinson, Demarco Murray
- WR: Antonio Brown
- TE: Vernon Davis
Mailbag!
Title Music: Summon the Rawk – Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com)
The Filthy 40: Sunday Bloody Sunday
Posted By:Bretsky on September 15, 2014
It was a true test of character Sunday as we saw star after star drop out of action while Darrell Young, Matt Asiata and Jed Collins paced the early scoring. If you managed to survive Week 2 without a significant player hitting the turf, consider yourself one of the lucky ones. Still, as is the case in most fantasy weeks, the cream eventually rose to the top and we got a number of stand-out performances from our studs. Thankfully, it appears that the majority of our injured elites escaped serious long-term maladies and while you may have some question marks heading into Week 3, the early news on most is encouraging. It’s weeks like this that remind us just how volatile this game can be.
Enter the filthy 40.
To help you make sense of all of the ups and downs on Sunday, we’re going to take some time each week to provide you an updated (and quite frankly, fluid) ranking of the top-40 overall players for standard leagues. Previous performance will certainly carry weight, but consider this list as a quick little cheat sheet if drafting today for the rest of the season. Whenever a trade inquiry flies into our mailbox and we quickly respond “Get the best player” it is this elite tier of talent that we are targeting. Disagree with how things shake out? We certainly welcome criticism in the comments — or a more public form of shaming if you choose.
After a painful Week 2, here’s how things stack up.
| Rank | Player | Team | Notes |
| 1 | LeSean McCoy | PHI | With AD (off-field) and JC (injury) becoming huge question marks, Shady remains at the top of the heap |
| 2 | Matt Forte | CHI | Forte remains elite despite tough sledding against the Niners in Week 2 (36 total yards on 17 touches). It’s not time to panic. |
| 3 | Calvin Johnson | DET | When 6 for 83 on 13 targets is a down week, you’ve got something special. |
| 4 | Peyton Manning | DEN | With six TDs in the first two weeks, Manning is tuned up for a Super Bowl rematch in Week 3. |
| 5 | Jamaal Charles | KC | The ankle injury is a clear concern but at least the KC offense showed signs of life Sunday. |
| 6 | LeVeon Bell | PIT | Do-it-all Bell has tallied a Forte-esque 201 total yards in his first two weeks. |
| 7 | Dez Bryant | DAL | Injury scares have have threatened Dez’ early season, but Week 2 numbers say it all (10-103-1 on 14 targets). |
| 8 | Marshawn Lynch | SEA | Seattle got punched in the mouth by a bounce-back Chargers team and Lynch was a victim of game flow despite 6.0 YPC. |
| 9 | Demaryius Thomas | DEN | Found the end-zone in Week 2, but we’re still waiting on the breakout. |
| 10 | Aaron Rodgers | GB | A-Rod bounced back in a huge way (346 yds, 3 TDs) posting the top QB performance Sunday. |
| 11 | Brandon Marshall | CHI | Posted a hat-trick on a number of benches thanks to his game time uncertainty. |
| 12 | A.J. Green | CIN | Early reports on the toe have downplayed a serious injury, but with a Week 4 bye looming, A.J. the Bengals could play it safe and hold out their star. |
| 13 | Eddie Lacy | GB | Lacy won’t see a pair of defenses as stout as SEA and NYJ in back-to-back weeks moving forward. |
| 14 | Arian Foster | HOU | A true workhorse in today’s NFL is difficult to find -- Foster’s racked up 55 carries in the first two weeks. |
| 15 | Giovani Bernard | CIN | With A.J. ailing, Gio stepped up as the Bengals workhorse in Week 2, piling up 169 yards on 33 touches. |
| 16 | Jimmy Graham | NO | Now that’s the Jimmy Graham you paid for: 10-118-2 on 13 targets against Cleveland. |
| 17 | Drew Brees | NO | Back-to-back 15 point efforts could be Drew’s lowest two-week total all year. |
| 18 | DeMarco Murray | DAL | With 285 rushing yards and a pair of scores through two games, Demarco has earned elite status. |
| 19 | Jordy Nelson | GB | Followed up a relatively quiet Week 1 with a career day (9-209-1 on 16 targets). |
| 20 | Alshon Jeffery | CHI | A hobbled Alshon saw just six targets in Week 2 but still managed to post 15.7 yards per catch. |
| 21 | Montee Ball | DEN | Nice 5.0 YPC in Week 2 but we need the TDs to start piling up. |
| 22 | Julius Thomas | DEN | Simply unstoppable inside the 10. |
| 23 | Rob Gronkowski | NE | Gronk’s playing time limitations should lift in the coming weeks and the production will surely follow. |
| 24 | Julio Jones | ATL | Quiet but solid 14-201-1 on 22 targets over the season’s first two games. |
| 25 | Antonio Brown | PIT | The Karate Kid manage seven catches for 90 yards despite missing significant time in Week 2 and has piled up 216 total yards so far. |
| 26 | Randall Cobb | GB | Three TDs in two weeks gives Cobb a little more red-zone juice than many predicted. |
| 27 | Percy Harvin | SEA | The long rushing score that should not have been bailed Harvin out on a generally off game for Seattle. |
| 28 | Roddy White | ATL | Disappointing performance from the ATL offense limited Roddy to 5-for-42 on 8 targets. |
| 29 | C.J. Spiller | BUF | Spiller’s explosiveness has returned: 6.1 yards-per-touch in Week 2 to go along with a 102-yard kickoff return TD. |
| 30 | Matthew Stafford | DET | Surrounded by the leagues’ most talents bunch of positions players, an off week won’t have us worrying over Stafford’s value. |
| 31 | Alfred Morris | WAS | Tickle Me Al Mo got his home run stroke going in Week 2 with a pair of TDs. |
| 32 | Andre Ellington | ARI | If the foot is an issue, it’s hard to tell. Ellington has racked up 181 total yards in two games. |
| 33 | Shane Vereen | NE | Stevan Ridley’s heavy workload Sunday certainly puts damper on our excitement over Vereen’s RB1 upside. |
| 34 | Doug Martin | TB | Week 2 DNP makes this rankings an exercise of faith. |
| 35 | Joique Bell | DET | Bell eked out 97 total yards while leading the team in carries (10) and catches (6) during Week 2. |
| 36 | Reggie Wayne | IND | We saw vintage Reggie Wayne in Week 1 and expect more of the same Monday night and beyond. |
| 37 | Pierre Garcon | WAS | Incredibly disappointing usage through two games, Garcon is barely clinging to a spot on this list. |
| 38 | Cordarrelle Patterson | MIN | Couldn’t break the big one in Week 2 but Patterson is a threat to take it to the house on every play. |
| 39 | Zac Stacy | STL | Volume is a beautiful thing: 71 yards and a TD on 19 carries in Week 2. |
| 40 | Michael Floyd | ARI | Just one catch for 19 yards in Week 2, no Cardinal will be happier to see Carson Palmer back under center than Floyd. |
Just missed (in no particular order): Emmanuel Sanders, Matt Ryan, Reggie Bush, Vincent Jackson, Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson, Rashad Jennings, Victor Cruz, Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree, Eric Decker, Golden Tate, Jeremy Maclin, Andrew Luck, Stevan Ridley, Darren Sproles.
Week 2 DraftKings Sleepers and Values
Posted By:Bretsky on September 14, 2014
It’s Sunday! Time to set those lineups. Here’s our Week 2 DraftKings lineup, followed by a little cheatsheet, courtesy of FantasyPros.com Good Luck!
Bretsky’s Week 2 Draftkings Lineup
QB – Aaron Rodgers ($7,900)
RB – Arian Foster ($7,000)
RB – Chris Ivory ($4,800)
WR – Jordy Nelson ($6,600)
WR – Reggie Wayne ($5,300)
WR – Andrew Hawkins ($4,900)
TE – Zack Ertz ($4,800)
FLEX – Roddy White ($6,100)
DST – Jaguars ($2,500)
Fantasy Football Week 2 Rankings: Quarterback
Posted By:Bretsky on September 11, 2014
Welcome to Week 2 of the fantasy football season. Each week, our rankers will provide you with their top plays at each position. If you’ve got start/sit questions heading into Sunday’s games, find us on twitter or leave ’em in the comments!
Week 2 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings
| Rank | Player | Matchup | AVG | Bretsky | Bell |
| 1 | Peyton Manning | DEN vs. KC | 1.00 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Drew Brees | NO @ CLE | 3.00 | 2 | 4 |
| 3 | Aaron Rodgers | GB vs. NYJ | 3.00 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Andrew Luck | IND vs. PHI | 4.00 | 6 | 2 |
| 5 | Matt Ryan | ATL @ CIN | 5.00 | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | Nick Foles | PHI @ IND | 6.00 | 4 | 8 |
| 7 | Matthew Stafford | DET @ CAR | 6.50 | 7 | 6 |
| 8 | Tom Brady | NE @ MIN | 8.50 | 8 | 9 |
| 9 | Colin Kaepernick | SF vs. CHI | 8.50 | 10 | 7 |
| 10 | Russell Wilson | SEA @ SD | 11.50 | 9 | 14 |
| 11 | Ben Roethlisberger | PIT @ BAL | 12.50 | 12 | 13 |
| 12 | Andy Dalton | CIN vs. ATL | 12.50 | 13 | 12 |
| 13 | Carson Palmer | ARI @ NYG | 12.50 | 15 | 10 |
| 14 | Jay Cutler | CHI @ SF | 13.00 | 11 | 15 |
| 15 | Cam Newton | CAR vs. DET | 13.50 | 16 | 11 |
| 16 | Jake Locker | TEN vs. DAL | 16.50 | 14 | 19 |
| 17 | Tony Romo | DAL @ TEN | 17.50 | 17 | 18 |
| 18 | Geno Smith | NYJ @ GB | 18.00 | 19 | 17 |
| 19 | Robert Griffin III | WAS vs. JAX | 19.00 | 18 | 20 |
| 20 | Ryan Tannehill | MIA @ BUF | 19.50 | 23 | 16 |
| 21 | Josh McCown | TB vs. STL | 21.50 | 20 | 23 |
| 22 | Philip Rivers | SD vs. SEA | 21.50 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | Alex Smith | KC @ DEN | 23.00 | 22 | 24 |
| 24 | Brian Hoyer | CLE vs. NO | 25.00 | 25 | 25 |
| 25 | Chad Henne | JAX @ WAS | 25.50 | 30 | 21 |
Week 2 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE
