fantasy football weekly – Page 3

Lions Wire Fantasy Football Weekly: 2020 Week 6 preview

Who to start and sit around the NFL and in the Lions-Jaguars game

Have you ever looked at your fantasy football league standings and wondered how some teams have such a good record early in the season? The Detroit Lions are looking up at others in the NFC North and feel the same way. Both for your fantasy team and the Lions, please remember that it is early with lots of football still to play.

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The toughest loss to accept in fantasy football is that one where it comes down to the final game of the week and your opponent has a player or two still yet to play, and they score just enough to beat you. This past week — with games on Monday and Tuesday — that factor was really in play. Many probably felt that heartbreak of a last-second loss in fantasy football, which is another feeling the Lions can relate with.

Let’s do, as many NFL head coaches often say, and put the past behind us. Onto the next week, Week 6.

There are lots of interesting matchups, waiver wire pickups to help with those injuries, and a Lions game in Jacksonville to put the spotlight on. We will do all of that and more in this week’s Fantasy Football Weekly.

Lions at Jaguars fantasy focus

A quality fantasy football offense often has a top-notch quarterback, a few dynamic wide receivers, a pass-catching tight end, and multiple complementary running backs. That represents the Lions much more than the Jacksonville Jaguars roster these days.

The Jaguars resemble a fantasy football team constructed via the waiver wire. They feature Gardner Minshew at quarterback, who was a very late draft pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Their receiving corps is filled with a bunch of names you won’t see anywhere near the top of the fantasy charts.

They do have Tyler Eifert at tight end. Yes, the same Tyler Eifert who blew up one year in fantasy football with 13 touchdowns, but that year was all the way back in 2015. The Jaguars cut Leonard Fournette before the season started and replaced him with an unknown, undrafted running back James Robinson out of Illinois State. This team the Lions are facing is filled with all the guys no one else wanted. That is what makes them so dangerous.

There are so many ways this game could go. The Lions could put up great fantasy statistics based on their talent and the number of points the Jaguars defense has given up on average so far this year (36.8 PPG). The Jaguars could show why they are underrated and run the ball all over the Lions defense, which has greatly struggled to stop the run. The final scenario is that it could just be a very ugly game across the board for both teams with poor play on both sides of the ball. For fantasy purposes, put in your fantasy players on both teams. It feels like points will be scored in this one regardless.

Start/Sit

Start
Ben Roethlisberger (QB Steelers)
Chase Edmunds (RB Cardinals)
Laviska Shenault (WR Jaguars)
T.J. Hockenson (TE Lions)

Sit
Matt Ryan (QB Falcons)
Jerick McKinnon (RB 49ers)
Brandin Cooks (WR Texans)
Tyler Higbee (TE Rams)

Top-3 projected players by position

Quarterbacks
Kyler Murray, Cardinals
Josh Allen, Bills
Lamar Jackson, Ravens

Running Backs
Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys
Derrick Henry, Titans
Mike Davis, Panthers

Wide Receivers
DeAndre Hopkins, Cardinals
Devante Adams, Packers
Adam Thielen, Vikings

Tight Ends
Travis Kelce, Chiefs
Mark Andrews, Ravens
George Kittle, 49ers

Team Defenses
Colts
Ravens
Dolphins

Kickers
Jason Sanders, Dolphins
Stephen Gostowski, Titans
Harrison Butker, Chiefs

Waiver wire options

Andy Dalton (QB Cowboys)
Derek Carr (QB Raiders)
Alexander Mattison (RB Vikings)
Justin Jackson (RB Chargers)
Chase Claypool (WR Steelers)
Travis Fulgham (WR Eagles)
Trey Burton (TE Colts)
Drew Sample (TE Bengals)

Intriguing games and players in Week 6

(Week 5 Bye Weeks: Seahawks, Saints, Chargers, Raiders)

Baltimore at Philadelphia, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

BAL: J.K. Dobbins (RB), Marquise Brown (WR)
PHI: Zach Ertz (TE), Miles Sanders (RB)

Cleveland at Pittsburgh, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

CLE: Odell Beckham, Jr (WR), David Njoku (TE)
PIT: JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR), James Washington (WR)

Green Bay at Tampa Bay, Sunday 4:25 PM, EST

GB: Marquez Valdez-Scantling (WR), Aaron Rodgers (QB)
TB: Cameron Brate (TE), Tom Brady (QB)

LA Rams at San Francisco, Sunday 8:20 PM, EST

LAR: Cooper Kupp (WR), Cam Akers (RB)
SF: George Kittle (TE), Deebo Samuel (WR)

Kansas City at Buffalo, Monday 5:00 PM, EST

KC: Patrick Mahomes (QB), Mecole Hardman (WR)
BUF: Stefon Diggs (WR), Zach Moss (RB)

Arizona at Dallas, Monday 8:15 PM, EST

AZ: Kyler Murray (QB), Kenyon Drake (RB)
DAL: Amari Cooper (WR), Ezekiel Elliott (RB)

Bottom Line

Could you imagine a fantasy football season where you start out with a big lead early on every week only to lose that lead throughout your matchup and ultimately get beat by your opponent at the very end?

Those losses week after week where you were ahead to start only to lose in the end would be crushing. Seeing losses like that pile up is demoralizing for any fantasy owner and the key is to try to stop the trend any way possible.

This is the situation facing the Lions and many fantasy owners out there right now. Those late losses seem to hurt more than others, but there is still lots of time left to turn the season around.

Try to go undefeated this week instead of focusing on one of those tough losses in the past. Winning each week and trying to put your best effort out there is the best strategy for your fantasy team and also for the Detroit Lions.

Lions Wire Fantasy Football Weekly: 2020 Week 3 Preview

Derek Okrie delivers his latest installment of Lions Wire Fantasy Football Weekly of 2020, previewing the next week of the regular season.

The unpredictability of fantasy football is just amazing from week to week. In just seven short days you never really know who is going to do well, how injuries will impact players, how coaches are doing to delegate rushing attempts or receiving targets, and just how your fantasy team will do as a whole from one week to another.

In Week 2, did anyone see Dak Prescott (QB Cowboys) throwing for 450 passing yards, yet rushing for 3 touchdowns? Did anyone have Julian Edelman (WR Patriots) at the top of the receiving charts with 179 yards in Week 2? Did anyone anticipate Mike Gesicki (TE Dolphins) to have 130 yards and a touchdown in a close game against the Buffalo Bills? Coaches often say it is a week to week league. You just never know what might happen in the NFL and the same goes for fantasy football.

Here is the Fantasy Football Weekly where we give you an overview of Week 3 in both fantasy football and the National Football League.

Lions at Cardinals fantasy focus

The Lions defense is giving up a ton of passing yards and touchdowns once again. Aaron Jones had a field day running the ball against them last week, so start Keyan Drake (RB Cardinals), DeAndre Hopkins (WR Cardinals), Christian Kirk (WR Cardinals), and Dan Arnold (TE Cardinals) this week against the Lions.

In addition to trying to find a way to stop the Cardinals offense, the Lions offense also needs to have a great day offensively in Arizona if they want to have a chance in this game. Kenny Golladay is expected to be back in uniform for the Lions and Matthew Stafford is due for a big game, so this Sunday would be the perfect time to play out of his mind. Put all the Lions skill players in your lineup this week, expect more from D’Andre Swift each week– in the passing game especially — and this looks like a game where seventy-plus points could go up on the scoreboard.

Start/Sit

Start
Gardner Minshew (QB Jaguars)
Austin Ekeler (RB Chargers)
Curtis Samuel (WR Panthers)
Jonnu Smith (TE Titans)

Sit
Sam Darnold (QB Jets)
David Johnson (RB Texans)
Mike Williams (WR Chargers)
Chris Herndon (TE Jets)

Top-3 projected players by position

Quarterbacks
Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Kyler Murray, Cardinals
Russell Wilson, Seahawks

Running Backs
Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys
Miles Sanders, Eagles
Dalvin Cook, Vikings

Wide Receivers
DeAndre Hopkins, Cardinals
Julio Jones, Falcons
Davante Adams, Packers

Tight Ends
Travis Kelce, Chiefs
Mark Andrews, Ravens
Darren Waller, Raiders

Team Defenses
Steelers
Buccaneers
Browns

Kickers
Justin Tucker, Ravens
Harrison Butker, Chiefs
Will Lutz, Saints

Waiver wire options

Derek Carr (QB Raiders)
Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB Dolphins)
Jerick McKinnon (RB 49ers)
Mike Davis (RB Panthers)
DeSean Jackson (WR Eagles)
Curtis Samuel (WR Panthers)
Dan Arnold (TE Cardinals)
Jordan Akins (TE Texans)

Intriguing games and players in Week 3

LA Rams at Buffalo, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

LAR: Cam Akers (RB), Cooper Kupp (WR)
BUF: Stefon Diggs (WR), Zach Moss (RB)

Las Vegas at New England, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

LVR: Henry Ruggs (WR), Derek Carr (WR)
NE: Sony Michel (RB), K’Neal Harry (WR)

Cincinnati at Philadelphia, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

CIN: Joe Mixon (RB), Joe Burrow (QB)
PHI: DeSean Jackson (WR), Miles Sanders (RB)

Houston at Pittsburgh, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

HOU: Will Fuller (WR), Randall Cobb (WR)
PIT: Juju Smith-Schuster (WR), James Connor (RB)

Detroit at Arizona, Sunday 4:25 PM, EST

DET: D’Andre Swift (RB), Adrian Peterson (RB)
AZ: Kenyan Drake (RB), DeAndre Hopkins (WR)

Dallas at Seattle, Sunday 4:25 PM, EST

DAL: CeeDee Lamb (WR), Amari Cooper (WR)
SEA: Chris Carson (RB), D.K. Metcalf (WR)

Green Bay at New Orleans, Sunday 8:20 PM, EST

GB: Aaron Rodgers (QB), Allen Lazard (WR)
NO: Drew Brees (QB), Alvin Kamara (RB)

Kansas City at Baltimore, Monday 8:15 PM, EST

KC: Patrick Mahomes (QB), Mecole Hardman (WR)
BAL: Lamar Jackson (QB), Marquise Brown (WR)

Bottom Line

Being unpredictable is the name of the game when it comes to fantasy football. Last week the NFL saw more injuries than most weeks and some star players were significantly hurt. Check those injury reports, and make sure you have a healthy lineup in before the Thursday game this week.

We will see if the Detroit Lions can rebound, hopefully, if your fantasy team lost last week they will rebound too. The game of football can be a very unpredicatable, competitive, and inconsistent one at times, and that parallels fantasy football as well. These are also the same factors that make it so fun to watch and why we love it so much.

Best values at TE for your 2020 fantasy football draft

Derek Okrie delivers the best values at the tight end position for the 2020 fantasy football season.

In each fantasy draft, they will likely be an owner or two that will take a tight end late in the first or early in the second round. Many think that these players will give you a distinct competitive advantage as those top tight ends will score substantially more points than other players at that position.

Let’s take a deeper look at this logic.

The top tight end in 2019 was Travis Kelce (Chiefs) and he scored 157 points in a standard league. The tenth tight end was Dallas Goedert (Eagles) who scored 87 points in that same type of league format. A point differential of 70 points is legitimate, but is it enough to spend a precious top pick on a tight end?

If you complete this same exercise at running back, you will notice the difference is 160 points. At receiver, it’s a 60 point swing.

This is why I draft running backs early and make them a priority. You can get an advantage at tight end if you take one early, but it will put you behind the eight ball on running backs. It also means you will also be passing on elite wide receivers who produce significantly score more points than tight ends overall.

Below, I have ranked in order my top tight end value picks for your 2020 fantasy football draft.

Best TE values for 2020:

Jonnu Smith, Titans, Average Draft Position (ADP) 148 – Smith is a physical freak and will finally get his opportunity now that Delanie Walker is no longer in Tennessee. Expect Smith to be a name that helps many fantasy owners win their league this year. Projected round: 14th Round

Hayden Hurst, Falcons, ADP 112 – Hurst was drafted in the first round, but was rarely used in Baltimore. Now that he has been traded to Atlanta, where they let their top tight end (Austin Hooper) go this off-season, it seems like the perfect spot for Hurst to finally show what he can do on the field. 11th Round

Austin Hooper, Browns, ADP 98 – He is changing teams, but don’t expect his production to change. He will be used often in Cleveland, and that is clear based on the large contract they gave him. 9th Round

Dallas Goedert, Eagles, ADP 154 – The city of Brotherly Love has two talented tight ends. Goedert played well last year and the team expects him to be even better this season. With Zach Ertz also on the roster, you will never see elite numbers for Goedert, yet he is still a good value if you wait until the later rounds for your tight ends. One injury would make him a top tier player for Philly. 15th Round

Noah Fant, Broncos, ADP 115 – The Broncos really started to use Fant well towards the end of his rookie season. He has lots of talent and appears to be a focal point in their offense for years to come. 11th Round

O.J. Howard, Buccaneers, ADP 186 – A top draft pick that has not done much in his first couple of seasons in the NFL. Most have him buried on their draft board, but Tom Brady has always like throwing the ball to his tight ends. Howard could be that player running those deep seam routes for big touchdowns. 18th Round

Chris Herndon IV, Jets, ADP 201 – Injured, suspended, and injured again seemed to be the story of his 2019 season. Although, his rookie year in 2018 was very productive. Expect Herndon to return as one of Sam Darnold’s favorite targets in 2020. 20th Round

Irv Smith Jr., Vikings, ADP 213- He will be the pass-catching tight end in Minnesota’s offense and a late-round fantasy pick that could easily outplay that draft position now that there are fewer weapons to throw to. 21st Round

Mike Gesicki, Dolphins, ADP 122 – Gesicki has always had great athletic ability, but it never really translated to production in the NFL. Last year, it seemed to start to click for Gesicki, and he is another great value target with a chance for great opportunities this year in Miami. 12th Round

Greg Olsen, Seahawks, ADP 183 – Olsen is poised for the broadcast booth when he is done playing, but he is giving it one more run in Seattle. Foot injuries have really hampered his career, but it appears to be a great situation for the veteran with Russell Wilson throwing him the football. 18th Round

2020 Fantasy Football WR price check

Examining this year’s wide receiver fantasy class and looking at which players offer value in the later rounds.

The main questions most are faced with when building their fantasy roster is: Because there are so many quality pass-catchers in the league these days, when should you draft them? Do you wait? Or, do you draft them early and try to just use that position as a strength to outscore your opponents?

“The Price Is Right” often plays this game called “Hi-Lo”, where contestants have to guess if the price of an item is too high or too low.

Below is a twist on that game as it relates to this year’s wide receivers and their fantasy value. Let’s take a look at which wide receivers are being valued at the right price and which ones are plain wrong at this point during the fantasy draft season.

The price is right

D.J. Moore, Panthers, Average Draft Position (ADP) 33 — Moore will see a ton of targets in the new Panthers offense and they will most likely trail on the scoreboard often this season, which will force them to throw the ball in high volumes late in games.

Calvin Ridley, Falcons, ADP 42 — The Falcons offense has the potential to be very explosive and that means more opportunities for Ridley while most teams will focus on Julio Jones.

D.K. Metcalf, Seahawks, ADP 55 — The height, weight, speed combination for Metcalf is very impressive. He also had a really good rookie year, so look for him to take another leap with Russell Wilson in 2020.

D.J. Chark, Jaguars, ADP 56 — He compares to A.J. Green of the Bengals with the way he is built and his game really took off last year. Look for him to be a deep threat again this season in that Jaguars offense.

Robert Woods, Rams, ADP 57 — Woods is so consistent. He is just a pro in every sense of the word. With Bradon Cooks now playing for the Houston Texans, Woods should have even more opportunities to find the endzone more in Los Angeles.

Terry McLaurin, Washington, ADP 61 — Not many offensive options to be excited about on the Washington Football Team, but McLaurin is a rising star. Hopefully, they will target him a ton and let his talent shine.

Stefon Diggs, Bills, ADP 62 — The Bills paid a king’s ransom to obtain him this offseason. He is a polished technician with the ability to get open deep. Look for Josh Allen to launch it downfield to Diggs this year and for his numbers to likely be the best of his career so far.

Mike Williams, Chargers, ADP 120 — Williams was a high draft pick that has never reached his full potential. This could be the year he puts it all together and outplays his very low ADP in drafts. He is a steal if his new quarterbacks can get him the ball more.

The price is wrong

Kenny Golladay, Lions, ADP 25 — Golladay has played great recently, but this draft position makes him a WR1 on your fantasy team and that is a very expensive price tag considering other players being drafted in that same range.

Allen Robinson, Bears, ADP 28 — He had a very nice bounce-back year after finally getting over some injuries and moving to the Bears. He is a very good player, but his draft stock seems extremely high. Hard to take Robinson as a Top 30 player unless he finds an amazing volume of touchdowns again — something that he has not done since 2015 where he scored 14 times.

Adam Thielen, Vikings, ADP 31 — He is solid, but not dynamic. Now that Diggs is in Buffalo and replaced by a rookie in the starting lineup, Thielen is all alone. He is not an elite fantasy talent at the position and that is where you have to draft him. His best years are likely behind him.

Amari Cooper, Cowboys, ADP 32 — Cooper has everything you look for, except consistency. He will have huge weeks and then disappear. There are better options in the mid to late second round for you to take as his offense will probably spread the ball around more this year with all the weapons they have.

A.J. Brown, Titans, ADP 36 — The Titans are being thought of as a top team due to the playoff run they made last year. But Brown’s quarterback is Ryan Tannehill and the Titans love to run the ball, both of which hurt him. It will be difficult for Brown to replicate the big plays he had week in and week out last season, and while I expect him to be a quality wide receiver during his career, he’s not one worth his current ADP in 2020.

As you can see, it’s important to understand a player’s ADP value before your fantasy football draft begins. There is a lot of talent and all the players listed above would all help your fantasy team, but at what price?

Try taking running backs early and then wait it out for value-based wide receivers in the middle rounds, where you can maximize their value, and make sure the price is right while you build your team.

Fantasy Football Weekly: T.J. Hockenson 2020 projections

In this edition of Fantasy Football Weekly, we take a closer look at Detroit Lions’ tight end T.J. Hockenson’s 2020 projections.

Detroit Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson lived up to his draft position in Week 1 of the 2019 season, producing 131 receiving yards, 21.8 yards per catch, and one touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals — record numbers for a debut at the position.

Fantasy owners and Lions fans were thrilled with this performance in his first game in the league. Then the rest of the season happened.

Hockenson’s usage was minimal the rest of the year, struggling with drops in the end zone, and multiple injuries that took him off the field. Overall most would call his rookie year disappointing but I am still filled with upside and promise for the future.

Today we will look at the Lions’ prized tight end’s fantasy value and projections headed into the 2020 season.

Re-draft leagues

Often in re-draft leagues, I like to wait on drafting tight ends, letting others grab big names like Travis Kelce (Chiefs) or George Kittle (49ers) in the early rounds, while I keep my focus on running backs and wide receivers early.

Hockenson is a great target if you choose to wait. He’s the clear top option on the Lions at tight end with only minimal competition behind him for snaps and when utilized can score like a top tier player.

Consensus Rankings via Fantasy Pros:

Best TE: 9th
Worst TE: 26th
Overall: 130th overall and the 14th tight end drafted

Best ball leagues

In best ball leagues, you can also wait until very late to draft Hockenson — but I’d pass on him in this format as he just isn’t going to have enough monster games on a weekly basis to justify it.

He will have good weeks, but not enough huge stat lines to make him a top best ball tight end player. In these leagues, I’d rather have that second or third tier of players at the position such as Evan Engram (Giants), Hunter Henry (Chargers), or Rob Gronkowski (Buccaneers).

Consensus Rankings via Fantasy Pros:

Best: 119th overall
Worst: 128th overall
Overall: 123rd overall and the 16th tight end drafted

Dynasty leagues

Here is where you want the Lions tight end as Hockenson is only 22-years-old and has the skills to be a top-five player at his position for years to come.

I see him being a potential center point of the Lions’ offense as soon as this year, but definitely in 2021 and beyond. His ability to win in the red-zone — something he showed off during last year’s training camp — and find success running after the catch will be very appealing.

Consensus Rankings via Fantasy Pros:

Best TE: 5th
Worst TE: 22nd
Overall TE: 9th

Statistical projection and analysis

My personal 2020 projections for Hockenson are:

50 catches
600 yards receiving
Eight touchdowns

Those projections are similar to what you find on other fantasy football websites, but I’m projecting him for quite a few more touchdowns than others have him getting this season. I think he needs to take a big step forward this year and stay healthy to prove his worth to all his doubters.

A few years ago tight ends were hard to find in fantasy football, but now it seems most teams have one and sometimes two options at the position. Hockenson can be dynamic, but will he get the ball enough in this Lions offense? We will have to wait and see.

For now, he’s a mid-level player with youth and potential on his side with the opportunity to enter elite level player status in the future if he maximizes his skills.

Currently, you can still get him late enough in drafts to create value, which is always a good thing. I am projecting a solid season, but nothing dynamic until 2021 and beyond, which is when I can see his fantasy value possibly skyrocketing to premier player status at the tight end position.

Fantasy Football Weekly: Matthew Stafford 2020 projections

In this edition of Fantasy Football Weekly, we take a closer look at Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford’s 2020 projections.

Recently, Matthew Stafford has received national attention headed into the 2020 NFL Season with several writers not only singing his praises but also putting him in the MVP conversation.

That makes my ears perk up with regards to fantasy football, so let’s take a look at Stafford’s draft position and projections in this week’s Fantasy Football Weekly.

Re-draft leagues

In re-draft, the key is to wait on quarterbacks, making them one of your last few picks if you can. In a standard 10 team league, upper-tier quarterbacks will start to be selected in the fourth or fifth round.

Stafford’s current average draft position is 111th overall on Fantasy Pros, which qualifies him a mid-tier quarterback in their Experts Consensus Rankings (ECR). He has long been considered a fantasy quarterback that you can wait on, with the upside to reach elite numbers and as a 10th or 11th round pick, he will almost always outperform his draft spot.

The Lions signal-caller is a great option, but you might have to select him a round or two earlier then projected if you want to secure him on your team. Load up on running backs and wide receivers early and then adding a talent like Stafford late might just be the formula that wins you a fantasy championship in 2020.

Best ball leagues

Stafford has often produced 300+ yard passing with multiple touchdown games which can give you those quarterback numbers you need to win in best ball leagues. But in recent years, he’s a bit more careful with the football, and with the Lions now having two young running backs and a focus on the run game, it’s fair to wonder if those monster games don’t come as often as they did in the past.

He played really well to start last year, so that bodes well for 2020 barring injury, of course. In best ball, you have to consider injuries a bit more as there are typically no waiver wire pickups during the season, so if one of your teams’ quarterbacks goes down for an extended amount of time that can really hamper your overall team.

The Lions long-time trigger man is again ranked around 115th overall in best ball leagues where the main strategy should still be to wait on a quarterback.

Dynasty leagues

Dynasty is often focused on youth and upside, and while Stafford is only 32 years old, he’s considered a veteran after double-digit plus years in the NFL. His upside depends on who you ask. Some still feel his dynasty value is very high as quarterbacks can play past the age of 40 these days, but many think other younger options on perennial top scoring offenses are better selections.

I believe Stafford has at least five good years left in fantasy football, so his play should still outperform his current draft stock which is around the 15th quarterback drafted. He has wide receivers, tight ends, running backs, and a revamped offensive line, so don’t be afraid to draft Stafford in dynasty leagues — but grab those younger guys at premium positions first.

Statistical projection and analysis

My 2020 projections for Stafford are:

4,200 passing yards
32 touchdown passes
12 interceptions
120 rushing yards
Two rushing touchdowns

Stafford has always been a fantasy football darling. When healthy he always puts up numbers, but most of us are still waiting for his glory days of 2011 to return when he threw for over 5,000 yards and 40 plus touchdowns. Those numbers are beyond elite and no longer expected from him, but I could see the Lions quarterback showing off his arm cannon all year in 2020 and putting up numbers that could easily help your team bring back the top prize in your league regardless of the fantasy format.

Fantasy Football Weekly: Projections for Kenny Golladay

Fantasy Football Weekly: Projections for Lions WR Kenny Golladay in all types of league formats

The Detroit Lions found a diamond in the rough when they selected Kenny Golladay out of Northern Illinois University in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He’s been a fantasy football star the past couple years and now has lots of momentum headed into the 2020 season.

He’s gotten better every year he’s been in the NFL and now he’s a top tier wide receiver in fantasy football, or is he? I answer this question and give my statistical projections in today’s Fantasy Football Weekly.

Re-draft leagues

When your fantasy league resets each year all the top tier players are available. Kenny Golladay has gone from an undrafted fantasy player in his rookie year to now being taken in the top rounds of most re-draft leagues.

Often Kenny is available at the bottom of the second round or early in the third round of most re-draft leagues. I just can’t take him at this spot. He’s now being considered as a top ten wide receiver by most publications and this is just too rich for my blood. I love Golladay’s talent and I respect what he’s done the past two seasons, but I see too many other options to list that I’d like instead.

Best ball leagues

Kenny Golladay led the league in touchdowns in 2019 with 11 scores. He also would have gone over 1,200 receiving yards if he didn’t get injured late in the season. Both of those statistics are the type of numbers you want from any fantasy football player yet I’m still hesitant in these types of leagues too.

In best ball leagues, you want guys that will put up huge stat lines on any given Sunday. Kenny just doesn’t seem like that guy to me. He’s solid, he’s consistent and he has explosive plays at times, but not the type that often will win you a fantasy week all by himself.

He’s ranked 25th overall on the Fantasy Pros website in this format. I’d rather have other guys in that same range such as Patrick Mahomes (QB Chiefs), Odell Beckham (WR Browns), Mike Evans (WR Buccaneers), and D.J. Moore (WR Panthers).

Dynasty leagues

Now this is the league format where I’d think Kenny Golladay would be most valued. He’s only 26 years old and is just coming into the prime of his career. He’s still only ranked around 25th in most dynasty rankings though.

I can see Golladay being the Lions top receiver for the next few years and being paid accordingly here soon, but I don’t know if it will translate to mega fantasy football numbers in 2020. If you can get him at a good value in dynasty leagues then I would do that as a long-term investment though.

The other factor that will be in his favor moving forward in dynasty leagues is I could see him being a focus of the offense once Marvin Jones and Danny Amendola are no longer with the team in future years. At that point I could see Kenny Golladay, D’Andre Swift, and T.J. Hockenson being the key members of the Lions offense with Matthew Stafford still at the helm.

Statistical projection and analysis

My 2020 projections for Golladay are:

75 catches
975 yards receiving
Six touchdowns

Kenny Golladay is one of my favorite players in the NFL. He’s a humble beast. I own him in multiple fantasy football dynasty leagues. He’s been a great player so far, and I expect that to continue for the most part. Yet I just have this feeling that this year might be a bit of a step back when it comes to his fantasy value.

That could mean a bigger season for Hockenson and the Lions running game. Golladay has had a few injuries that have cost him to miss some games at times. Stafford is the type of quarterback that loves to spread the ball around to whoever is open. Kenny is a key piece to the Detroit Lions both now and in the future, but I don’t think I will have many shares of him this year in fantasy football based on his current value and hype.

Fantasy Football Weekly: Projections for D’Andre Swift’s rookie year

Fantasy football projections for Detroit Lions running back D’Andre Swift’s rookie year.

The Detroit Lions selected D’Andre Swift with the thirty-fifth pick in the 2020 NFL Draft — but where do you select him in your fantasy football drafts?

I answer this question and give my statistical projections in today’s Fantasy Football Weekly.

Re-draft leagues

These are the leagues where you start from scratch each year, and Swift will have a bit lower value in these leagues with everyone fighting for the other top NFL stars — he’s still a sneaky running back you can get later though.

His average draft position (ADP) on Fantasy Pros is currently 89th overall. That is a late eighth-round pick in a standard 10-team league and being drafted around the same time as running backs Kareem Hunt (Browns), Phillip Lindsay (Broncos), and Damien Williams (Chiefs).

Personally, I’d rather draft Swift then any of those players. I see the Lions new talented running back as more of a sixth-seventh round player in these types of leagues, as running backs thin out quickly and his upside is well worth the gamble.

Best ball leagues

These are the leagues where you get the fun of the draft but don’t have the hassle of setting a lineup or making roster moves each week. Just draft and the system will give you points for the best scoring players on your roster each week.

I really like these leagues and D’Andre Swift ranks highly in these too. He’s currently ranked around the 45th player in best ball leagues. That is around players like JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR, Steelers) and Keenan Allen (WR, Chargers).

One injury to Kerryon Johnson and Swift jumps up even higher. Also, because he is a dynamic player, these are the types of leagues you often want to target players that can fill up the stat sheet on any given week. I like him tremendously in best ball leagues as I could see him being the lead dog in Detroit’s backfield before long.

Dynasty leagues

Here is where people are sleeping on Swift’s talent.

We all know that Johnson is already in Detroit, but I think that helps Swift instead of hurts him. Having two young running backs will allow both players to stay fresh and be utilized to the best of their ability. Swift’s ranked as the 15th overall running back in dynasty leagues on average.

In dynasty leagues, I’m still taking Swift in the Top-5 of my rookie drafts and as a quality long-term dynasty asset.

Statistical projection and analysis

At the end of the day, fantasy football is all about the statistics, so the key question is: what will Swift accumulate in his rookie season?

You will hear the word “timeshare” used a lot when a team has two running backs that will both get carries throughout the year, and many assume this hurts both players, but as I pointed out in the dynasty section, it keeps both players fresh.

My 2020 projections for Swift are:

800 yards rushing
400 yards receiving
Eight touchdowns

Those are higher then most other numbers you will see out there, but I think Swift is a special talent. He was the top player on the board when the Lions drafted him and they want to be able to run the football.

The team has added to the offensive line, have weapons on the outside to stress defenses, and a young player in T.J. Hockenson to occupy the middle of the field too. While there is only one football to go around, these are the offenses I like in fantasy football as they don’t allow other teams to take away options that might be on your fantasy team. Swift will never be the focus for defenses and that is why I see him having a very nice rookie year both in reality and in fantasy for the Lions.

Lions Wire Fantasy Football Weekly: NFL schedule release edition

This week in Lions Wire Fantasy Football Weekly, we take a look at the 2020 NFL schedule release.

The NFL schedule release is always a big event for die-hard football fans and that includes elite fantasy football owners too. It is key to see when the top players have bye weeks, do they have games in good weather later in the year, key matchups, and to figure out how you can best maximize your fantasy football team based on the new NFL schedule.

In this week’s Fantasy Football Weekly, let’s look at all that and more as we dive into the 2020 NFL schedule.

Detroit Lions Fantasy Focus

The Detroit Lions have a very tough start to their schedule, an early bye week, and no primetime night games. They do have 15 out of 16 games that should be in good weather or a dome, 14 of the 16 games are 1:00 PM EST starts, and a heavy home schedule to end the season.

I’d expect the good weather and dome games to favor the current multi-dimensional Lions offense and should allow them to throw it very well throughout the year. I also think that will help their run game too where they should see a marked improvement on the ground with fantasy rookie standout D’Andre Swift from Georgia now in a Lions uniform.

Fantasy performers to focus on for the Lions would be hard to identify as I’m not sure there will be many top-scoring stars for Detroit when it comes to fantasy football. In this case that isn’t necessarily a bad thing as I see this as a very balanced offense that will spread the ball around to many different players each week. I could see a bit of a dip for Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones, but increased production for Kerryon Johnson and T.J. Hockenson.

This schedule isn’t an easy one, but it does have some good fantasy football elements for the Detroit Lions. The key will be playing well through that first stretch of tough games, staying healthy, and spreading out defenses with all their weapons. I expect their players to be solid fantasy football players in 2020, but not guys that will win your league for you.

Team Bye Weeks

Week 5: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers

Week 6: Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks,

Week 7: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans

Week 8: Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins

Week 9: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles

Week 10: Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers

Week 11: Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers

Week 12: No Teams On Bye

Week 13: Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Intriguing Lions Fantasy Football Games

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions, Sunday, September 13, 2020 (Home and Season Opener), 1:00 PM, EST

Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers, Sunday, September 20, 2020, 1:00 PM, EST

New Orleans Saints at Detroit Lions, Sunday, October 4, 2020, 1:00 PM, EST

Detroit Lions at Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, October 25, 2020, 1:00 PM, EST

Houston Texans at Detroit Lions, Thursday, November 26, 2020, 12:30 PM, EST

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions, December 27 or 28, 2020 (TBD)

Final Word

It may seem like a minor thing, but the NFL schedule can have a major impact on your fantasy team. I still say take the best players in your draft and figure out the bye weeks as you go, but making sure you don’t have multiple top players on a bye week later in the season could be a key to you making the playoffs or your team being on the outside looking in.

Another strategy I’ve seen is to load up on bye weeks for all your top players and then even if you lose that week all of your players are then available for all other weeks. This strategy is pretty risky and doesn’t leave much room for injuries or trades to make it work as intended. I feel you should use the information above though to make good decisions while in your drafts, but the NFL schedule is only one of the many factors to be considered and shouldn’t be the reason you win or lose your championship.

You can find Derek on Twitter @DerekOkrie for all your offseason fantasy football needs.

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Check out game-by-game score predictions from around the NFL Wires network:

Buf / Mia / NE / NYJ // Bal / Cin / Cle / Pit // Hou / Ind / Jax / Ten // Den / KC / LV / LAC //// Dal / NYG / Phi / Was // Chi / Det / GB / Min // Atl / Car / NO / TB // Ari / LAR / SF / Sea

Lions Wire Fantasy Football Weekly: Dynasty rookie draft rankings

Lions Wire Fantasy Football Weekly, examining the 2020 Dynasty rookie draft rankings.

The 2020 NFL Draft is now complete, and you know what that means, it’s time to talk some dynasty rookie drafts for fantasy football!

In professional football, the draft is often the lifeblood of your franchise and the same ideology can be applied to dynasty rookie drafts in fantasy football as well.

Here’s a look at my initial rankings:

Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings

Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB Chiefs)
Johnathan Taylor (RB Colts)
D’Andre Swift (RB Lions)
J.K. Dobbins (RB Ravens)
CeeDee Lamb (WR Cowboys)
Henry Ruggs (WR Raiders)
Jerry Jeudy (WR Broncos)
Cam Akers (RB Rams)
Jalen Reagor (WR Eagles)
Justin Jefferson (WR Vikings)
Brandon Aiyuk (WR, 49ers)
Tee Higgins (WR Bengals)
Zach Moss (RB Bills)
Laviska Shenault (WR Jaguars)
Michael Pittman Jr (WR Colts)
Ke’Shawn Vaughn (RB Buccaneers)
K.J. Hamler (WR Broncos)
Bryan Edwards (WR Raiders)
A.J. Dillon (RB Packers)
Chase Claypool (WR Steelers)
Joe Burrow (QB Bengals)
Tua Tagovailoa (QB Dolphins)
Anthony McFarland Jr., (RB Steelers)
Van Jefferson (WR Rams)
Darrynton Evans (RB Titans)
Antonio Gandy-Golden (WR Redskins)
Justin Herbert (QB Chargers)
Tyler Johnson (WR Buccaneers)
Jalen Hurts (QB Eagles)
Cole Kmet (TE Bears)

Lions Rookie Skill Players

D’Andre Swift, RB, 5-9, 215 pounds

Swift was widely ranked as the top running back in this draft and when he was available at pick No. 35 overall, the Lions stepped up to draft him.

He’s a very well rounded back with a ton of tread left on his tires in comparison to other players that were available. He is a very smooth, flashy runner with the ability to catch the ball well out of the backfield, and is solid in pass protection — one of the key things the Lions look for in their running backs. Not all those traits will get you fantasy points, but they will get him more snaps, and that often does lead to more chances to light up the scoreboard.

Swift will likely share the lead role well with Kerryon Johnson, but he is electric and will keep defenses from keying in on one player, which could help take the Lions offense to another level.

Quintez Cephus, WR, 6-1, 207 pounds

One of the best names in the draft and the Lions think he’s one of the best wide receivers to fit their scheme. He ran a poor 40-yard-dash at the NFL Combine (4.73) but improved that at his Pro Day (4.62). Even if he can’t run past you, Cephus is a player that relies on his basketball background to out-muscle and out-jump defenders.

Jason Huntley RB/KR/slot, 5- 9, 194 pounds

Now, this pick surprised me. Huntley wasn’t even listed on multiple player prospect lists from respected websites that I had researched before the NFL Draft. When you watch him on YouTube he runs away from defenders with speed and eye-popping agility. I like what I see, but I believe he will begin his career as a kick returner and offensive gadget player.

Draft Strategy

When it comes to fantasy football draft strategy, I still lean towards running backs over all other positions. Other fantasy analysts feel wide receivers have longer careers and more frequent bigger statistical games than a running back often does. But my counter is that running backs are harder to find then wide receivers, and because they often have more injuries, having depth at running back is a key element when building your roster.

This draft is loaded at the top, with three-down backs like Edwards-Helaire and Swift as the type of players you want in today’s NFL. After that, there is a variety of wide receivers, including Lamb, Ruggs, and Jefferson as some of my favorites options at the top of the group.

Take the running backs early, then load up on wide receivers, and in the late rounds, take a look at a player’s landing spot to determine if he has a more clear path for playing time then others. As you get deeper in the draft don’t be afraid to take the best player available. Filling needs is fine, but often drafting the best player not knowing what will happen with your current team in the future is often the best long-term strategy.

Final Word

I’m still personally in way too many fantasy football leagues for the time I have available, but I really enjoy all of them a ton I must admit. This is the fun time of year when the NFL Draft ends and now as a fantasy football owner, you get to become Vice President of Player Personnel and General Manager of your team and draft your own rookies.

I encourage all of you that enjoy fantasy football to join a deeper dynasty league or incorporate some type of rookie draft into your league. Taking rookies before they ever even take a snap is the best way to test your overall team-building skills. Can you find the talent in the later rounds when others pass on certain players? This often is one of the most enjoyable parts of fantasy football as you get to see these players grow up on your team and if you dominate your rookie draft you often will have fantasy football championships in your future!

You can find Derek on Twitter @DerekOkrie for all your offseason fantasy football needs.