24 Hours 'Til Sunday — Andy Richardson
Posted Sep. 15 at 05:24 AM
Another week, another boatload of injuries and guys who are limited, questionable, doubtful -- and coaches who say they are "optimistic" and "hopeful" that such and such will play. And it's Week 2! Let's get right to it.
Kansas City at Bills: Anybody hurt here? Aside of course from Fred Jackson, who's out. See, this is why I didn't draft him, I knew older running backs were susceptible to getting hurt when a safety launches himself headfirst at their knee from the side. I'm sure if FJax had been younger he'd have been a-OK. Anyway, Kansas City might have Brandon Flowers back. But there still figures to be more offense than defense in this game. Spiller, Charles, Stevie, Bowe; all good starts.
Saints at Panthers: Jonathan Stewart will probably be available, but after last week I won't be using DeAngelo Williams again anyway. Which means he'll be good this week. Neither defense is any good. Steve Smith will likely play, though I'd watch the inactives anyway. I like Sproles this week. Both quarterbacks. Big week for Newton and I think the Saints might be 0-2 after this one.
Browns at Bengals: I don't feel good about starting Trent Richardson. Even assuming he's fully healthy, where will the running room be? I'd use him in a non-PPR league if I had him, but only because it's hard to find usable running backs, as I'm discovering in one league. Law Firm and A.J. Green would be locked into my lineup this week.
Vikings at Colts: Aside from Austin Collie, I'm not sure you can name a player I wouldn't be using in this game. I like the quarterbacks, the running backs, the receivers. Start 'em if you got 'em.
Texans at Jaguars: How close were we to talking about Blaine Gabbert all week? Big-time throw for what was nearly the game-winning touchdown. Jaguars might give Texans a game but I certainly don't expect a shootout, so there's no Jaguars I'd be eager to use. MJD should get a full workload and I'd start him. Foster, Andre, possibly Schaub.
Raiders at Dolphins: It will be easy to talk about the Dolphins this season. Reggie Bush. There, we're done here. Raiders should have Denarius Moore in at least a limited capacity. I wouldn't use him this week. I would still use Rod Streater, as I noted in the podcast elsewhere on this site. Best WR all preseason and Week 1, I don't see him just being forgotten now.
Cardinals at Patriots: Start your Patriots, don't start any Cardinals but Larry Fitzgerald? Simple enough. I see a nice game for Wes Welker this week. Cardinals will probably use two running backs and lose badly. Patriots are my suicide pool pick and most everyone else's too. Some people like to "save" teams for later in the season. I just want to get to the next week and then see who I can use, period.
Bucs at Giants: Hakeem Nicks is the key question here. He's playing, almost certainly, but is he healthy? If I had him I would start him and take my chances. Victor Cruz, too. Ahmad Bradshaw and Eli. I think the Giants are going to win tihis game fairly comfortably. For the Bucs, Martin and Vincent Jackson should be OK.
Ravens at Eagles: Eagles receivers are banged-up, part of why I'm using Brent Celek in that DraftStreet league. DJax will likely play, Maclin too, with Maclin apparently a bigger injury risk this week. Tough run defense but you obviously do not bench McCoy, he'll be fine. I understand some are wary about using quarterbacks in this matchup, but I think they'll be OK. Flacco is probably the No. 2 for most owners; leave him there.
Cowboys at Seahawks: Seattle has to be better than they looked in Week 1. Defense still good. I don't bench Romo-Murray-Bryant-Austin when healthy. For Seattle, I'd use Lynch. And....pretty much Lynch. Maybe Sidney Rice, too.
Washington at Rams: Big game for some fantasy values here. Will Morris play well enough to keep the job? Will Garcon play? (My guess is no or at least not much and I would avoid him.) Can Steven Jackson have some good games or is he already a blown 2nd- or 3rd-round pick. RGIII, Amendola, those guys are in my lineup. And yes I'm starting Santana Moss, which some are skeptical about, but I have a feeling about him (which is only helped if Garcon is replaced by Aldrick Robinson) this week.
Jets at Steelers: No Dustin Keller, no Revis, probably no Mendenhall. I would not use Shonn Greene. I would use Jonathan Dwyer and wish I had him in more leagues. Brown and Wallace are easy starts. I'm not buying the Jets offense and wouldn't start any of them this week. Their defense, sure. Roethlisberger also benefits from Revis being out.
Titans at Chargers: Ryan Mathews probably won't play and definitely shouldn't be used. I'm nervous about Chris Johnson but don't have him anywhere since I didn't trust all the preseason happy talk. Got paid and I don't know if he wants it anymore. Would trade him away in fantasy leagues. Like Philip Rivers this week, Floyd and Gates too. Sounds like Britt can be used, and Nate Washington probably won't play, so Kendall Wright can also be started. Good situation for Jared Cook, as well.
Lions at 49ers: I see the Lions being competitive here. They won't run the ball, but Stafford gives them a puncher's chance. Their secondary is pretty banged-up so I am happily using Vernon Davis and maybe Crabtree. And....Randy Moss in primetime? Tempting.
Broncos at Falcons: I suspect this will be a good old-fashioned aerial shootout. Old-fashioned in the sense of, I don't know, 80s Marino-Fouts or something. Not many games you an happily use both quarterbacks and all four starting wideouts, but this is it. Starting tight ends, too. Should be a fun one to watch.
As always, feel free to post questions, and I'll check in from time to time with answers. Enjoy the games.
- Comments [21]
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Posted by Scott Anderson | Sep. 15 at 06:35 AM
Great stuff as usual, Andy. (And also as usual, your advice was right on last week. Kudos!) Three questions: Flacco or Luck? Dwyer or T. Gonzalez? Morris, Floyd, or Hillis?
Posted by PETER DEBIASE | Sep. 15 at 06:35 AM
Andy: Need 2 RB, 1 WR and 1 Flex out of CJ, Lynch, S-Jax, Ridley and Decker (standard scoring)? Considering benching CJ and Decker is tempting @ Flex or WR2 (already used Jordy as WR1 and using Dez as WR2 as of now). Also, with Garcon most likely out, Don Brown, Ingram, O-Tree or Amendola @ Flex (standard scoring) ? Leaning toward Brown. Olsen or Rudolph @ TE? Both have good matchups, but leaning toward Rudolph. Last, NE or SEA D (2 points for sacks, standard for other catagories)? NE should be huge at home vs Zona and I'm already 22 points in the hole after GB D's night on Thursday. Thanks much.
Posted by Dave (MOJO) Smith | Sep. 15 at 07:09 AM
Would you start Jason Witten? My backup is Martellus Bennett.
Posted by ANDY RICHARDSON | Sep. 15 at 07:24 AM
Scott - I love Luck this week. I would use Gonzalez in a shootout. I like Morris against the Rams, although Floyd is a close 2nd. Peter: I assume you mean Johnson, not Spiller. I would use Ridley (RB) and Decker (Flex) for sure. The other RB spot, for me, would be Lynch; Spiller if you meant Spiller. Donald Brown at the Flex, easily for me. Ingram can't be used at this point, Amendola not appealing without PPR. No preference at TE, both should be very good this week. Go with Rudolph. New England is my top defense this week. Dave, I have that same debate myself but am going with Bennett. He's not "better" than Witten, but he's a better choice until we see Witten play a game where he's a regular part of the passing game. Good luck all.
Posted by PETER DEBIASE | Sep. 15 at 08:07 AM
My bad Andy. Now that Spiller is an every down RB, I will refer to Johnson as East-West CJ or the CJ who likes to dance, whichever you prefer.
Posted by MARK CLURE | Sep. 15 at 08:33 AM
How about another lineup question. 7 pt TD's, 1/10yards, 1/25 return yards. 3 from Morris, MJD, Lynch and Sproles(gets an average of 5pts/week from KR duties). And 2 from Dez, Decker and Colston. Already used Rogers without the desired outcome, and facing Brees.
Posted by David Kennedy | Sep. 15 at 09:18 AM
Who to start at tight end? Witten, Olsen, Pitta.
Posted by ANDY RICHARDSON | Sep. 15 at 09:28 AM
Mark with your options I would bench morris. I was going to say bench colston, but facing brees I would sit Dez. David, olsen.
Posted by Brett Watts | Sep. 15 at 10:41 AM
I am in trouble at RB. Using Fantasy Index advice, I chose Chris Johnson with my 7th overall pick and T. Richardson in rd 3 because you guys were so high on him in your initial magazine rankings. My WRs are excellent, but I had to trade to get another RB and the best I could do was pry Donald Brown from a league mate. Those are my only starting RBs. I also have Jaquizz and Turbin, but they are not starters yet. Which two do I start this week and any suggestions for improving my RB core like offering Chris Johnson straight up for someone like Ridley next week?
Posted by ANDY RICHARDSON | Sep. 15 at 11:05 AM
I would use johnson and brown this week. As for beyond, let's see how things go this week. I would not personally trade johnson for ridley, although maybe tomorrow night I would feel differently.
Posted by ZACH LEAVITT | Sep. 15 at 12:46 PM
2 questions- 1. Ppr league- pick 3 of chris johnson, doug martin, ridley, morris, antonio brown, demyarius thomas. 2. Non-ppr- pick 4 of bradshaw, morris, dwyer, antonio brown, austin, wayne. Thanks
Posted by ANDY RICHARDSON | Sep. 15 at 01:29 PM
Zach I would go Martin, Brown and Ridley as my top three, though I do like Thomas, too...just figure he's most likely to potentially get left out of the action of your choices. I like Morris but would go with the more certain option in your case. In the Non-PPR I'd have Brown and Wayne as my first two. Three and four would be Bradshaw and Morris slightly over Austin. I don't think you can trust Dwyer if you have other adequate options.
Posted by Robert Song | Sep. 15 at 03:26 PM
Luck or Roethlisberger? With Revis out it is a tough call. If I start Luck is it worth starting the Vikings Defense to mititgate his turnovers (was going to start Giants Defense)? McGahee or Donald Brown? Moreno sniped a TD last week and all I read is that McGahee will get limited carries all year.
Posted by ANDY RICHARDSON | Sep. 15 at 03:36 PM
Robert - I would use Luck. Revis being out helps the wideouts but I don't think it becomes a shoot out. I like the giants D. I like brown more than mcgahee this week, although I will still like mcgahee lots of weeks...don't think Moreno a real concern.
Posted by L.B. Graham | Sep. 15 at 04:23 PM
I am pretty sure I'm starting Martin & Ridley at RB, and Harvin and Decker at WR, but my question is about my flex. I have Steven Jackson, Bradshaw and Hakeem Nicks. We're not a PPR league, so I lean toward an RB, but wondering what you think.
Posted by ANDY RICHARDSON | Sep. 15 at 04:41 PM
I would take my chances with Bradshaw. Pretty close. Ian has them ranked 9-10 SJax-Bradshaw, so not much difference there. I like the Giants to win, so I'd slightly favor Bradshaw.
Posted by BILL REHOR | Sep. 15 at 09:12 PM
Andy, could you give me your personal order for Bradshaw, Lynch, Martin and Morris this weekend? 1 pt/20 yards, 6-9 point TDs based on distance. Thanks as always!
Posted by ANDY RICHARDSON | Sep. 16 at 04:17 AM
Lynch, morris, martin, bradshaw. The emphasis on scoring helps Morris.
Posted by David Chaklai | Sep. 16 at 07:53 AM
Andy, Non-ppr, wr - D. Thomas or A. Brown rb - S. Ridley or A. Bradshaw te - G. Olsen orK. Rudolph Thanks!!
Posted by ANDY RICHARDSON | Sep. 16 at 08:42 AM
Brown slightly over Thomas, though it's pretty close. I think Den-Atl will be higher-scoring. Ridley. Somebody else asked the TE question earlier and I said Rudolph, but really, both will be the No. 2 options and both have great matchups. Go with your gut. Good luck.
Posted by George Taylor | Sep. 16 at 09:45 AM
Steven Jackson Or Albert Morris for RB3 spot?