Ian Allan answers your fantasy football questions. In this edition. What happened to the OL and Free Agency stories in the magazine? Is now the perfect time to get rid of Justin Jefferson? Players to consider with top-15 picks in a dynasty league. And the value of projected stats versus last year's totals?
Question 1
Can you explain the decision to eliminate so many traditional features from the magazine this year? I am really missing the article on offensive lines, the offseason free agency summary and the 10 pages of in-depth stats, such as player points per start. If these features were created but left out of the print edition to save money, could you maybe post them on the website. They are part of what makes Fantasy Index great.
DAVID GARRICK (Coronado, CA)
We did make some changes, moving to fewer pages. So some features we’re eliminated – those three, plus the Mock Auction. Additionally, the depth charts were eliminated, with the move to instead show projected stats on each of the 32 team stories (with the players in depth chart order). The three features you mention are all available online. The 10 pages of stats have all been put together in the exact same format in a pdf file. If you go to the top of the page on select the “resources” tab, you’ll find it under “free-with-magazine content”. That’s where you’ll also find the free agency story and the offensive line analysis (coming soon). Andy is in the process of finalizing the offensive line article. He started by writing up each of the 32 teams. Then I spent a few days looking at it, checking all 160 player grades – changing some and asking for clarifications on others; that OL piece got sense back to him today, an he’s in the process of making the final adjustments. (As a bonus of not doing that article on deadline in May, we’ve spent a lot more time on it this year than we ever had in the past.) While the depth charts aren’t in the magazine, they will appear in their usual format in the August and in-season products. There’s a possibility a Sample Auction will occur at some point this summer; we’ll see.
Question 2
I've got a keeper league question for you. We can keep 5 from a roster of 15. Using the magazine rankings, I have the No. 3 QB, the Nos. 2, 3, 11 and 14 RBs, and WR Jefferson, whom I've kept since his rookie year. I pick 6th. Even with most of the top 20 receivers being kept, the depth at the position is far greater than the depth for running backs. So I'm thinking of keeping that #14 RB and letting Jefferson go. He'll definitely be gone before my #6 pick, but the pool of WRs will still be far deeper than the RBs (particularly after this most recent NFL draft), and in this scenario I will already have my top 4 RBs and, at the very top of the draft, I can focus completely on WRs. What do you think?
Paul Desimone (Hayward, CA)
Put me down as a Hard No. I understand that Minnesota’s offensive likely will take a step back in the short term without Kirk Cousins, but Jefferson still looks like a strong candidate to finish with top-5 receiving numbers. Jefferson’s numbers last year didn’t actually fall that much with the backup quarterbacks. He caught 33 passes for 543 yards and 3 TDs in his four full games with Cousins; in his four full games with other quarterbacks, he caught only 3 fewer passes (for 67 fewer yards, with 1 fewer touchdown). You don’t give away that kind of player so that you can have a stronger 4th running back. Jefferson will be starting every week for your team for the next few years, helping to win games. Running back, on the other hand, is a fickle position, with players capable of declining in a hurry. I understand the fear of there not being much running back depth, but keep in mind there will be some unheralded backs who aren’t even selected in your draft who’ll become viable later on (as starters and backups get hurt). Dalvin Cook, as an example, probably won’t rostered in your league. He’s interested in playing, and I could see him getting some starts somewhere this season.
Question 3
My first time doing a Dynasty league. I bought a dormant team. I have 12 picks in the 10-round draft. Pick second in each round and have two additional picks (14th and 30th). I’ve been offered a 2025 first-round pick in exchange for my second-round pick and my fourth-round pick. My team is weak at QB (Lawrence & Young). Should I draft Williams or Daniels or go WR (Harrison or Nabers). RB are a little weak; I don't think I should take one at pick 2.
Barry St Peter (Westfield, MA)
I’m not interested in trading away the 12th pick (plus a fourth-rounder) to move up slightly in next year’s draft. If this other guy wins the league, you’ll have waited a year to move up only 2 spots. (I assume he’s got a good team, with there being little chance of it being a top-5 pick). You stick, and you pick. Unless I see something special out of somebody in August, I would be picking Harrison or Nabers with the 2nd pick. Harrison would be my preference, but I’m expecting you’ll have to settle for Nabers (and hope that the Giants can get their crap together). With those two early picks in the second round, it will be a matter of seeing who’s there. Unlikely that Brock Bowers, Trey Benson, Ladd McConkey or Keon Coleman get there, but maybe. Maybe Ricky Pearsall at the 14th pick. I don’t think he’ll play much this year, but I don’t think there’s any chance that both Deebo and Aiyuk will be back in 2025. They selected Pearsall, I think, with the intention of him becoming a starter next year. Quarterbacks typically aren’t that valuable in 10-team leagues (if teams are starting only one, there are just too many available). But I like both Caleb and Jayden (I’ve got both in my top 15 among QBs for the 2024 season). I don’t know the exact scoring system, but they seem like possibilities for those early second-round picks.
Question 4
Please guess what magazine I just picked up the first day it was available (at least 10 years in a row) and am now happy I didn't order it online so it was an auto order next year? Being a smart guy Mr. Allen I'm sure you know the answer. But I wonder if you're asking yourself why specifically? I have several reasons but I tell you just two. No. 1. It's not because change is tough but the projected stats are useless fractional B.S. to be polite. I prefer the last year's stats in front of my face, the fun is projecting players' stats myself. No. 2. The FIRST thing I look at in your brilliant magazine is the offensive line grading with team changes. It was INVALUABLE in many ways that I won't go through here but for one, to help with my projections of players and teams. An example is Detroit, with that line, they can run the ball very well and that makes an average QB into a very good one. I have to spend some time researching offensive lines now so may I suggest no more making big changes to the magazine at the END of the Super Bowl party?
greg derian (Toledo, OH)
Individual player stats are available all over the internet. They’re not bringing anything special to the table. So my thought was that readers would get more value out of having our player projections in front of them. I thought that info would be more useful. Once going down that road, you have to decide how to present them. If you go with per-game numbers, it’s easier to compare how guys will perform when they’re on the field and doing their thing. That is, it’s not so important whether a backup running back will finish with 300, 500 or 700 yards – we’re more interested in how he’ll perform when he gets the opportunity to be the starter. I will concede that looking at fractions of touchdowns is unconventional for many. Maybe instead we should offer what we think the season totals will be. Or we could list what we think the player would do if given the chance to be a starter for the full season (per game multiplied by 17). But I think the vast majority of readers would prefer to see any of those three options rather than another publishing of last year’s general numbers. As for the offensive line story, a fair number of readers have asked about it. We’re just finishing it up, and it will appear on the website early next week.