Ian Allan answers your fantasy football questions. In this edition. What's wrong with Deshaun Watson? Ranking the handcuff running backs. Is it time to pull the plug on Darrell Henderson? Expectations for Benjamin Watson. And more.
Question 1
Why do you keep rating Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins so high?
George Horstmann (Folsom, LA)
Good point. These guys lit up New Orleans in that opening Monday night game, and I locked into Watson pretty strongly as the best non-Mahomes quarterback in the league. And Hopkins looked like the best pass catcher. But here we are, a month later, and they’ve had problems in two of their last three. Watson passed for only 159 yards against Jacksonville, and he went for only 160 against Carolina. No touchdown passes in either of those games. With Jacksonville, I think it’s partially by design. Watson had a 139-yard game against them last year. That’s a really good defense, and I think the Texans recognize the importance of not losing the game by letting the Jaguars get their pass rush fired up – run the ball more and avoid turnovers, knowing that Gardner Minshew (or Blake Bortles, previously) can’t put together long drives. Only four times in the last year has a Houston running back carried the ball 20 times in a game, and half of those games have been against Jacksonville. With Carolina, that’s just a really good, emerging defense that had a good plan against them. But I am confident Watson and Hopkins will get things rolling. They’ve got Atlanta and Kansas City the next two weeks, and I would think it’s pretty likely they put up top-5 numbers in both of those games.
Question 2
One of my leagues is a 10 team, 2-QB affair that allows us to keep players drafted in rounds 9-12, for up to 3 years total. The first player is retained in exchange for a 12th round pick, the second player takes up an 11th rounder, etc. This season, I drafted three new keepers (besides retaining DeShaun Watson, whom I drafted as a rookie two years ago): Austin Hooper (round 9), Jacoby Brissett (round 10), and Darrell Henderson (round 11). The catch about keepers is that you've got to retain them on your roster the ENTIRE SEASON. If you drop them or trade them, you lose their keeper status. This happened to me with Marlon Mack, whom I retained as a keeper but dropped last year after he got injured and I was desperate for the roster spot during a bye week. We only have 6 bench spots and in a 2-QB league you pretty much have to retain a 3rd QB on the bench for most of the season. Here's my question -- is it too early to give up on Darrell Henderson? I am thinking of dropping him this week and picking up Chris Herndon (TE, Jets). If Herndon is as dominant as you say, I'd either stash him and use him as a bye week replacement for Hooper, or possibly trade him to a team desperate for solid TE play, especially during the bye weeks. Other guys on my bench that I could in theory drop for Herndon include: Darrel Williams, Latavius Murray, Mike Williams, and Curtis Samuel. All those guys seem much more useful on my team than Henderson, who hasn't seen a carry yet. But if Gurley does go down with an injury (high probability), Henderson has a shot to really shine. And if he takes the starting job, he could be pure gold as a keeper. But is it worth it to hang onto this guy and pass up on dudes like Chris Herndon?
Andrew Napoli (Alexandria, VA)
I’m keeping Henderson. We haven’t seen much of anything out of him yet, but nor has he provided much evidence that he’s some kind of blown pick. I saw him run away from Jaylon Smith on a wheel route in the game in Hawaii. Henderson averaged 8.9 yards per carry in each of his last two years at Memphis, consistently busting loose for long touchdowns. Let’s give this some time and let it play out. It’s pretty clear that Todd Gurley is never going to get back to being one of the league’s top dozen running backs. The end could come a lot sooner rather than later for him. Not sure if it will be later this year or in 2020, but I’m sure at some point they’ll be working Henderson into that backfield, and Sean McVay sure knows how to draw the plays up. To me, it makes no sense to give up on him to bring in a guy you’re hoping will be a top-10 tight end.
Question 3
Wayne Gallman's sudden insertion into mix of must-start running backs prompts me to ask for an updated ranking of this year's top 10 handcuffs. Thank you for years of stellar insight and the winnings that have come my way as a result. Heaven help the foes.
Eric Degerman (Richland, WA)
I will focus on true handcuffs – backups, where said player is waiting for an injury to a starter to be elevated into a larger role. Devin Singletary doesn’t qualify. I think he’s better than Frank Gore and has already shown glimpses of that. He’ll emerge at some point. James White, Tarik Cohen and Chris Thompson catch lots of passes; they’re not part of the discussion – they’re third-down backs. We’re looking for Gallman-type handcuffs. You collect a bunch of these guys and wait for the injuries that inevitably occur at the position. In my opinion, the list should include (in approximate order) Jaylon Samuels, Malcolm Brown, Chase Edmonds, Alexander Mattison, Latavius Murray, Rashaad Penny, Ty Montgomery, Ito Smith, Jordan Wilkins, Tony Pollard, Jamaal Williams, Gus Edwards, Rex Burkhead (Damien Harris wild-card factor), Ryquell Armstead, Kareem Hunt, Giovani Bernard, Ty Johnson, Mike Davis, and Reggie Bonnafon. (Who is Reggie Bonnafon?)
Question 4
How much of an impact do you think Benjamin Watson's return from suspension will have on the Patriot's offense? So far Brady only has 7 TD passes – 6 to wide receivers and 1 to White. Their TEs have only caught 4 passes! Watson's 38, almost as old as Brady and much older than Gronk, but he's had some success in the past and has played with Brady. Could he revitalize the TE position for the Patriots?
Drew Paterson (Ferndale, WA)
I don’t think he will. But makes some sense to stick him on your bench for a week or two and see what happens. There are lots of these kind of players out there, of course, so I don’t think it’s something I would do. Chris Herndon, for example, is coming off suspension next week; I would much rather have him than Watson. Hunter Henry as well.
Question 5
Dynasty league, with TD-heavy points. I have Mahomes and just added Darrel Williams. Is he the future KC back to own right now? McCoy is on the wrong side of 30 years old and not certain what becomes of Damien Williams when he returns from injury.
Howie Fishman (Hermosa Beach, CA)
Damien Williams is practicing now; I think he and McCoy will get most of the work on Sunday night. McCoy should lead them in rushing, while Williams probably will be more effective catching passes. And Williams is more likely to be used at the goal line to punch in a 1-yard touchdown, if necessary. In all of the games so far, the Williams (both Damien and Darrel) have been more effective than McCoy catching passes, and I think they’re both also better at banging out a tough yard. I think we’ll be looking at committee backfields all year with these guys, so if you’ve got Darrel Williams, probably best to keep him around on your bench. At some point I imagine you’ll be able to work him in for some games. To me, none of these guys looks particularly likely to be the team’s most productive running back in 2020.
Question 6
Now that Jay Ajayi says he is ready to play and is 100 percent healthy, is it wise to stash him on your bench? Are there any rumblings from any teams that might be interested? He might not be a three-down back but he could help a team that is light on running backs and could be fantasy relevant.
Frank Catalano (Houston, PA)
Makes sense to me. I think there’s a good chance he lands somewhere. Guys are getting hurt every week, so who knows? Maybe Carlos Hyde, Derrick Henry or Leonard Fournette a week from now is out for the year. Things change. I imagine teams are kicking the tires on Ajayi, calculating how he might fit in. He’s not a difference maker; think there are a lot of teams that probably figure their existing backup is better than Ajayi. But I think we’ll see him somewhere.
Question 7
I am going to join a midseason league using "Best Ball" scoring. I have never drafted in one. What are some strategy tips and how do I use the re-drafter. It is an eight team league where the top 2 QB, 3 RB, 5 WR, 2 TE, 2 K and 2 DEF for my drafted team will count, 28 rounds. Non PPR. Standard scoring. Do I overload at any one position?
Jim Backstrom (Henderson, NV)
Some like to pick the big-play receivers. You draft a DeSean Jackson or Hollywood Brown, knowing there will be some weeks that they catch long touchdowns. I put more of an emphasis on guys that I know will be available – guys with a strong probability of staying healthy and in the starting lineup for the duration. Usually with these kind of competitions, it tends to be a battle of attrition. No waiver moves, so in this kind of contest, I think there’s an increased value in collecting the handcuff behind your key starting running backs. If you picked Saquon Barkley, for example, you would have a better chance of surviving if you had the Wayne Gallman insurance policy behind him.
Question 8
How do you feel about Tevin Coleman when he returns from injury? San Fran is 3rd in rushing and they’ve only played three games. Every year they put together a good running game. Obviously will be a committee, but I could see Coleman getting the goal-line work and possibly 10 touches a game, with Breida and Mostert mixing in between the 20s and Wilson back on the practice squad.
Darrell Sooy (West Chester, PA)
Agreed. I think you have scoped out properly. I think it will be a three-man backfield – Coleman, Breida and Mostert. They have used Jeff Wilson as their goal-line runner the last two weeks, but I don’t think he’ll be a factor when Coleman comes back. It’s unusual for teams to have four running backs active for games, and I believe he’ll be the odd man out. Coleman, I think, will be the guy getting most of those carries going forward. I don’t consider him to be a good short-yardage runner; at 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, he’s built more like a wide receiver. But Breida and Mostert are both small, and the team has already demonstrated that it’s not interested in using them for those situations.
Question 9
With some of my early-IR RBs now coming back to health, I'll have some tough roster decisions looming. Currently have Gordon, Damien Williams, Darrel Williams, Devin Singletary and Ronald Jones, and will have to cut two (TD-only league with 100-yard bonus points). Obviously Gordon is a given to keep. But with Jones' recent surge, do you feel he is a better keeper than Singletary ROS? Also, with how well Shady has looked and the decent fill-in production Darrell W has produced, has your opinion of Damien W value changed (you were fairly high on him at season's start, leading me to draft him)?
Matt Tinker (Orleans, VT)
Darrel Williams is just a guy. I don’t think he’s in the discussion. Damien Williams hasn’t actually run well this year. Those guys have the advantage of playing for the league’s best offense, which counts for something. I think they’ll score most of the short rushing touchdowns for that team. But I don’t have much confidence in either of them. Ronald Jones has played well in three of the four games for the Bucs. He seems to developing into the back they thought he was going to be when they selected him early in the second round. With Tampa Bay seemingly coming on, he could be your guy. But I want to see more out of Devin Singletary. He’s missed the last two weeks, but he averged over 9 yards per carry in each of his first two games – 10 carries for 127 yards so far. I think he’ll wind up being better than Frank Gore. (I’ve been saying similar things about Gore for about 7 years – one of these years I’ll be right.)
Question 10
Greetings from Malaysia. Is trading Aaron Jones for Kenny Golladay a balanced trade? I have Mike Evans and DJ Moore and also have Tyrell Williams. Thanks and keep up the excellent work.
Li Sing Khaw (Ayer Itam)
When Golladay is on, he looks like a Mike Evans type receiver, and the Lions have been coming around nicely. A quarter of the way into the season, they’re on pace to finish with 36 TD passes. If I were drafting today, I would definitely select Golladay before Moore and Williams. Jones was really productive in his first two seasons, but they haven’t been able to get him going much this year. He’s struggled in three of their four games. They’re trying (and he’s been getting carries around the goal line) but it hasn’t clicked in yet.
Question 11
Is Kareem Hunt worth a roster spot? To get him, I need to act now. However Nick Chubb is blowing up. What's your take?
JEFF POWERS (Coral Springs, FL)
To me, Hunt looks like a below-average backup. Talent-wise, he’s one of the better options, but he can’t step on a field until Week 10. So certainly you would need to slot him behind guys like Tony Pollard, Ty Montgomery, Latavius Murray and a bunch of others. Those guys aren’t as good, but with them, you get to have them sitting on your bench for the next month, always just a play away from being elevated into a significant role.
Question 12
Just wondering what your long-term thoughts are with this New England backfield? I have White and Burkhead and am wondering if it is worth dropping Burkhead for another backup with a higher ceiling (like a Pollard or an Edmonds). Thanks for all your help.
Alex Konop (Northport, NY)
Good point. The name of the game is to find difference makers – guys you can plug in who’ll help you win games. Burkhead will outperform Pollard and Edmonds most weeks, but he’s unlikely to ever develop into a reliable top-15 running back. If Sony Michel were to miss a month with a knee injury, I would imagine they’d activate Damien Harris and stick with a cluster of backs. With Burkhead, the upside is that maybe James White gets hurt at some point, with Burkhead then catching 5-6 passes per week. But that’s unlikely. If you want to play the game of waiting for an injury, your odds are better with Ezekiel Elliott and David Johnson, considering the workload they carry.
Question 13
I’ve just about had it with JuJu. Would it be crazy to offer him up in a trade for the New England defense? I feel like I could grab any receiver off of the waiver wire on any given week and have the same confidence in them.
Jordan Simons (Kohler, WI)
Let’s not give up on JuJu just yet. Baltimore’s defense has allowed at least 340 passing yards three games in a row. Let’s see what he does against those guys on Sunday.
Question 14
Looking to shore up wide receivers in a NON-PPR league. Would you drop Westbrook for Sanu, Allison, Beasley, A.J. Brown, C.Davis, or M.Goodwin? With Minshew at QB I'm not certain of Westbrook's potential moving forward.
Boots Murphy (Globe, AZ)
All of those guys are good enough to be on fantasy rosters, but I don’t know that any of them in 2019 will develop into a player where you can put him in a lineup most weeks and count on getting much. Brown was great last week, of course, but I’m not confident he’ll even be one of their top 2 receivers on Sunday. You may want to bounce around from guy to guy, hoping to stumble onto somebody who’s emerging are on a hot streak. You may want to just stick with Westbrook and hope it happens for him.
Question 15
I have Watson and Matt Ryan. I am considering dropping Ryan to claim Stafford or Brissett. I am always looking to improve my teams. ( I heard that somewhere). And I like to get players from good teams. Detroit seems better than expected. I am also looking to drop DK Metcalf for Geronimo Allison? Turf toe is a tough one for Adams.
DARREN CASTILLO (Placentia, CA)
Falcons have had some problems, but I am not ready to pull the plug on Ryan. He’s putting up a lot of yards, and he’s got a lot of weapons around him. I have no interest in Allison. I have been surprised how little they have used him thus far. No targets in the Chicago game, and they didn’t really use him at all in the Eagles game (even with both Adams and Valdes-Scantling out of the game in the fourth quarter). Instead of Allison, I’m very interested to see what Jake Kumerow does for Green Bay in Dallas on Sunday.
Question 16
Your thoughts on handcuffing? I'm in a half-point PPR league. My RB's are Dalvin Cook, Melvin Gordon, Chris Carson, Josh Jacobs and Matt Breida (I only need to start two). Would you drop Breida for Alexander Mattison as insurance against a Cook injury or do I already have sufficient depth?
James Moskie (New York, NY)
That makes a lot of sense. Cook is carrying a large workload and has had a lot of injuries. If he happens to miss time again this year, it would be really nice to have Mattison.
Question 17
I have a question about your weekly custom rankings listed for DraftKings. I notice that you combine TE and WR, when clearly there are two categories for each position on DraftKings. Why is this? What am I missing?
Jeff Carter (Franklin, TN)
Good point. They should be listed separately. I’ll get that fixed. But for the daily fantasy sports selections, the intention is only to get the ball rolling, giving you an idea of which players we think will be the best performers. To put together the best entry in one of those competition, you then need to also incorporate the salaries of the players, calculating which players are providing the best return on your investment.
Question 18
I was offered James Conner (keeper), Phillip Lindsay, Tyrell Williams and Darren Waller for Nick Chubb (keeper), Hollywood Brown, and Tony Pollard in a 1 pt ppr league. My only other rbs are Ronald Jones, and Duke Johnson. My other starter is Chris Carson. I have Ekeler as well, but he will be losing carries. Thoughts?
WYATT KLEIN (S Milwaukee, WI)
Chubb looked like a franchise-type back on Sunday – like he’s probably going to be a top-10 back for the next few years. Conner, on the other hand, looks like a lesser guy who needs to have the right structure around him. They’re the principal figures in the trade, and huge edge for Chubb. A tier down, Waller is catching a ton of balls. Right now, he’s on pace to catch 16 more passes than any tight end has ever caught in a season. He can be part of the discussion. But on the Chubb side, Hollywood Brown looks like he could be another DeSean Jackson. If I were picking from scratch, I would select Brown before Waller.