Tag: fantasy redraft

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.

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

  1. Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB Chiefs)
  2. Johnathan Taylor (RB Colts)
  3. D’Andre Swift (RB Lions)
  4. J.K. Dobbins (RB Ravens)
  5. CeeDee Lamb (WR Cowboys)
  6. Henry Ruggs (WR Raiders)
  7. Jerry Jeudy (WR Broncos)
  8. Cam Akers (RB Rams)
  9. Jalen Reagor (WR Eagles)
  10. Justin Jefferson (WR Vikings)
  11. Brandon Aiyuk (WR, 49ers)
  12. Tee Higgins (WR Bengals)
  13. Zach Moss (RB Bills)
  14. Laviska Shenault (WR Jaguars)
  15. Michael Pittman Jr (WR Colts)
  16. Ke’Shawn Vaughn (RB Buccaneers)
  17. K.J. Hamler (WR Broncos)
  18. Bryan Edwards (WR Raiders)
  19. A.J. Dillon (RB Packers)
  20. Chase Claypool (WR Steelers)
  21. Joe Burrow (QB Bengals)
  22. Tua Tagovailoa (QB Dolphins)
  23. Anthony McFarland Jr., (RB Steelers)
  24. Van Jefferson (WR Rams)
  25. Darrynton Evans (RB Titans)
  26. Antonio Gandy-Golden (WR Redskins)
  27. Justin Herbert (QB Chargers)
  28. Tyler Johnson (WR Buccaneers)
  29. Jalen Hurts (QB Eagles)
  30. 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.

Lions Wire Fantasy Football Weekly: Week 13 Preview

Lions Wire’s weekly examination of what happened in fantasy football last week and a look forward at what to watch in the upcoming week.

As fantasy football owners we all have a multitude of things to be thankful for. Maybe you are thankful for drafting Dalvin Cook, Christian McCaffrey, or Michael Thomas high in your fantasy drafts. Or, maybe you took some sage advice (wink-wink), waited to draft a quarterback and then snagged Lamar Jackson with one of your late-round picks.

Hopefully, you are thankful when you look at the standings in your fantasy league and you have more wins than losses. If you haven’t been derailed by injuries or bad roster moves, please be thankful.

As we turn the page to Thanksgiving and the fantasy playoffs, let’s take a look at Week 13 in the National Football League.

Bears at Lions fantasy focus

Football at 12:30 pm on Thanksgiving is a tradition in Detroit. Often it doesn’t matter what the Detroit Lions record is headed into this game they often seem to play well on this big day where they have the national stage. I don’t see this year being any different.

The Lions have had a tough season and have been riddled by injuries all year. They are starting their backup quarterback, a running back they found a couple weeks ago, and a defense that has been missing key pieces all year as well. For all these reasons, I feel they will come out and play one of their better games this season. They will give us something to cheer about right before the turkey comes out of the oven.

Fantasy players to watch in this one are Bo Scarbrough (RB Lions), Allen Robinson (WR Bears), Danny Amendola (WR Lions), David Montgomery (RB Bears), and Tarik Cohen (RB Bears). Don’t be surprised if the Lions pull out a couple of trick plays and change up their defensive schemes to try to get a win in this game that we are all so thankful to have in Detroit.

Start/Sit

Start
Sam Darnold (QB Jets)
Saquon Barkley (RB Giants)
Julio Jones (WR Falcons)
Jack Doyle (TE Colts)

Sit
Carson Wentz (QB Eagles)
Chris Carson (RB Seahawks)
Tyler Lockett (WR Seahawks)
Kyle Rudolph (TE Vikings)

Top-3 projected players by position

Quarterbacks
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Jameis Winston, Buccaneers

Running Backs
Christian McCaffrey, Panthers
Leonard Fournette, Jaguars
Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys

Wide Receivers
Michael Thomas, Saints
Tyreek Hill, Chiefs
Davante Adams, Packers

Tight Ends
George Kittle, 49ers
Travis Kelce, Chiefs
Darren Waller, Raiders

Team Defenses
Panthers
Bears
Steelers

Waiver wire options

Dwayne Haskins (QB Redskins)
Devlin Hodges (QB Steelers)
Rashaad Penny (RB Seahawks)
Jonathan Williams (RB Colts)
Mecole Hardman (WR Chiefs)
Deebo Samuel (WR 49ers)
Jack Doyle (TE Colts)
Mike Gesicki (TE Dolphins)

Intriguing games and players in Week 13

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions, Thursday 12:30 PM, EST

  • CHI: Tarik Cohen (RB), David Montgomery (RB)
    DET: Danny Amendola (WR), Bo Scarbrough (RB)

Buffalo Bills at Dallas Cowboys, Thursday 4:20 PM, EST

  • BUF: Josh Allen (QB), Devin Singletary (RB)
    DAL: Ezekiel Elliott (RB), Michael Gallup (WR)

New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons, Thursday 8:20 PM, EST

  • NO: Alvin Kamara (RB), Tre’Quan Smith (WR)
    ATL: Matt Ryan (QB), Julio Jones (WR)

Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

  • CLE: Kareem Hunt (RB), Nick Chubb (RB)
    PIT: Vance McDonald (TE), Benny Snell (RB)

San Francisco 49ers at Baltimore Ravens, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

  • SF: Tevin Coleman (RB), George Kittle (TE)
    BAL: Lamar Jackson (QB), Mark Ingram (RB)

New England Patriots at Houston Texans, Sunday 8:20 PM, EST

  • NE: Tom Brady (QB), Julian Edelman (WR)
    HOU: Deshaun Watson (QB), Kenny Stills (WR)

Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks, Monday 8:15 PM, EST

  • MIN: Dalvin Cook (RB), Kirk Cousins (QB)
    SEA: Rashaad Penny (RB), Josh Gordon (WR)

Now What

This might be the final week you have to either make or miss the playoffs. If so, do all you can to score one more point than your opponent and hope you don’t have a crucial injury that costs you the week. Do all you can to win, as that is all that matters, but also enjoy these last few weeks of fantasy football.

I hope you enjoy this great holiday. Family, food, and football. It doesn’t get much better than that. We all have many things to be thankful for. Be thankful if you didn’t draft Odell Beckham (WR Browns), Joe Mixon (RB Bengals), and Kerryon Johnson (RB Lions) in most of your leagues like I did.

In all seriousness though, this is the time of year where we all count our blessings and remember to be grateful. Please cherish the time you have with those close to you this Thanksgiving. Indulge in homemade food and as always please enjoy both your football and fantasy football this holiday season.

Lions Wire Fantasy Football Weekly: Week 12 Preview

Lions Wire’s weekly examination of what happened in fantasy football last week and a look forward at what to watch in the upcoming week.

When players say any given Sunday or next man up, they mean it. That is the life of an NFL player as well as a fantasy football owner. These were some of the names at the top of the fantasy football leaderboard for this past week in the NFL including Jonathon Williams (RB Colts), Gus Edwards (RB Ravens), Michael Gallup (WR Cowboys), and John Brown (WR Bills). Not the names you would predict by any means to start the week.

These types of situations often come due to injury and opportunity. Two keys things to look at as we head into Week 12 of the fantasy football schedule.

Where are the injuries to key players and who will those opportunities go to if the top player can’t go? The main one to keep your eye on right now is the injury to Marlon Mack (RB Colts). Who will fill that role at running back? I’ve always really liked Nyheim Hines (RB Colts) as a player who can catch a lot of passes out of the backfield, so keep your eye on him to see if he gets more opportunities.

Same with Michael Gallup (WR Cowboys) or Randall Cobb (WR Cowboys) if Amari Cooper (WR Cowboys) continues to battle injuries. Not a ton of other major injuries occurred in Week 11, so that bodes well for your fantasy football rosters heading into Week 12.

One other major thing to consider this week are the teams on a bye. No Patrick Mahomes (QB Chiefs) and their other top skill players. The Chargers are off as well, though not many of their players would normally start in your fantasy lineup anyway. The Vikings and Cardinals have the week to recover as well and we all know the Dalvin Cook (RB Vikings) owners will be scrambling to fill that void.

Lions at Washington fantasy focus

Washington is in a rebuild, but they do have some good young talent. Dwayne Haskins (QB), Darius Guice (RB), and Terry McLaurin (WR) just to name a few. Their record (1-9) is not good. The playing surface at their stadium is not good. Once again though due to the Detroit Lions injuries and porous defense, this could be another close game with fantasy points on both sides for the taking.

The Lions moved the ball pretty well against the Cowboys in Week 11, but their passing game is nowhere near as explosive as it was with Matthew Stafford at quarterback. Kenny Golladay and T.J. Hockenson saw a total of two passes last week. I would expect both of those players to be featured against Washington. Bo Scarbrough came out of nowhere to start at running back and appeared to run the ball well — we will see if he can continue that success in Washington this week.

Start/Sit

Start
Baker Mayfield (QB Browns)
Derrick Henry (RB Titans)
Odell Beckham Jr (WR Browns)
Zach Ertz (TE Eagles)

Sit
Dak Prescott (QB Cowboys)
Royce Freeman (RB Broncos)
John Brown (WR Bills)
Mark Andrews (TE Ravens)

Top-3 projected players by position

Quarterbacks
Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Matt Ryan, Falcons
Jameis Winston, Buccaneers

Running Backs
Christian McCaffrey, Panthers
Nick Chubb, Browns
Derrick Henry, Titans

Wide Receivers
Michael Thomas, Saints
Mike Evans, Buccaneers
Julio Jones, Falcons

Tight Ends
Darren Waller, Raiders
Mark Andrews, Ravens
Zach Ertz, Eagles

Team Defenses
Bills
Bears
Saints

Waiver wire options

Brandon Allen (QB Broncos)
Jeff Driskel (QB Lions)
Nyheim Hines (RB Colts)
Bo Scarbrough (RB Lions)
Kelvin Harmon (WR Redskins)
James Washington (WR Steelers)
David Njoku (TE Browns)
Ryan Griffin (TE Jets)

Intriguing games and players in Week 12

Bye Weeks: Cardinals, Chiefs, Chargers, and Vikings

Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans, Thursday 8:20 PM, EST

  • IND: Eric Ebron (TE), Jack Doyle (TE)
    HOU: Deshaun Watson (QB), DeAndre Hopkins (WR)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

  • TB: O.J. Howard (TE),  Ronald Jones (RB)
    ATL: Julio Jones (WR), Matt Ryan (QB)

Seattle Seahawks at Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

  • SEA: Josh Gordon (WR), Chris Carson (RB)
    PHI: Miles Sanders (RB), Nelson Agholor (WR)

Detroit Lions at Washington Redskins, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

  • DET: T.J. Hockenson (TE), Danny Amendola (WR)
    WAS: Dwayne Haskins (QB), Terry McLaurin (WR)

Dallas Cowboys at New England Patriots, Sunday 4:25 PM, EST

  • DAL: Tony Pollard (RB), Ezekiel Elliot (RB)
    NE: N’Keal Harry (WR), Julian Edelman (WR)

Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers, Sunday 8:20 PM, EST

  • GB: Davante Adams (WR), Jimmy Graham (TE)
    SF: Dante Pettis (WR), Tevin Coleman (RB)

Baltimore Ravens at Los Angeles Rams, Monday 8:15 PM, EST

  • BAL: Mark Ingram (RB), Lamar Jackson (QB)
    LAR: Jared Goff (QB), Brandin Cooks (WR)

Now What

This is the final week where bye weeks will impact your fantasy team, and also only a week or two until your playoffs likely start.

If you are in a standard league where your finish doesn’t impact your draft place in 2020 as much, try to win every game you can. If you’re in a dynasty league, try to be first or last. Nothing wrong with putting that Toilet Bowl Trophy on your mantel or office desk.

Here are a few quick fantasy football predictions for you. Deshaun Watson (QB Texans) will have a huge bounce-back game against the Colts on Thursday night football, T.J. Hockenson (TE Lions) will make a big impact for the Detroit Lions, Miles Sanders (RB Eagles) will continue to look more and more like a really solid fantasy running back, and here is the shocker of the day — Lamar Jackson will make some crazy play with his feet on Monday Night Football that will be talked about all week.

Only a few more weeks of fantasy football, so enjoy it. Look ahead if you already have a playoff spot locked up and plan for those big matchups. If you have had a rough season, it happens to the best of us — there is always 2020 and you always want to have your eye on young talent that can help your roster long-term.

That’s all for this week’s Fantasy Football Weekly, good luck everyone, I’m expecting the readers of this article to bring home some major hardware this year in their leagues.

Lions Wire Fantasy Football Weekly: Week 11 Preview

Lions Wire’s weekly examination of what happened in fantasy football last week and a look forward at what to watch in the upcoming week.

Fantasy football started off with a shocker on Sunday morning where headlines scrolled at the bottom of your television screen, “Matthew Stafford has been ruled Out“. He had played in 136 consecutive games, which was the longest active streak of any player at the quarterback position.

Stafford had been having an MVP type season and this came as a surprise as there were no indications throughout the week that he had any chance to miss this game. This had fantasy owners scrambling to fill their lineup prior to kickoff as Stafford has been one of the best values all year in 2019.

Before I jump into my Week 11 preview I wanted to highlight players like Amari Cooper, Lamar Jackson, and Patrick Mahomes who once again put on a show this past week. The NFL always has some great highlights each week, so I thought I’d literally highlight some of the top plays from Week 10 to recap in this week’s Fantasy Football Weekly.

Toe Drag Swag for Amari Cooper (WR Cowboys), every week it feels like he pulls one of these off.

Throw it high and let it fly in the Windy City to Kenny Golladay (WR Lions).

This Cardinals combo connected three times on the day. This was number two for Christan Kirk (WR Cardinals) and Kyler Murray (QB Cardinals).

Oh Henry, Derrick Henry (RB Titans) is rumbling and stumbling for another long touchdown run. You don’t normally see humans this big and this fast anywhere on the planet.

Patrick Mahomes (QB Chiefs) with the jump pass to Mecole Hardman (WR Chiefs) and he’s off to the races.

Lamar Jackson (QB Ravens) doing things that only Jackson can do.

This is so good you have to see it twice plus the call from Kevin Harlan, the play-by-play announcer, is classic too.

Cowboys at Lions fantasy focus

Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys travel to Detroit this week to take on the Lions. Prescott has been up and down this season. When he’s right, he puts up huge fantasy numbers. When he’s off, he can look pretty pedestrian at the quarterback position.

I see this being a big game for Ezekiel Elliott (RB Cowboys). He should get the ball early and often. He’s been very solid and consistent all year but is coming off a bad game on national television against the Minnesota Vikings. I project him at over 100 yards and at least one touchdown.

For the Lions, Stafford could miss another few games, which could mean the offense will have its struggles. Needless to say, they have no one established at running back that you can play in fantasy football and their weapons outside are a bit hampered by the quarterback switch as well. I’m expecting the defense to play better than most anticipate and for a couple of gadget plays to possibly come into play on offense or special teams.

Most everyone sees this as an easy road win for the Cowboys. I’d tend to agree with that due to the Lions injuries but something tells me this will be an odd game. Something very unexpected will occur. The Lions will rise up to play a much better game at home than expected. Fantasy owners and fans across the league might be surprised about how this one shakes out on Sunday.

Start/Sit

Start
Josh Allen (QB Bills)
Joe Mixon (RB Bengals)
Marquise Brown (WR Ravens)
Jared Cook (TE Saints)

Sit
Kirk Cousins (QB Vikings)
Sony Michel (RB Patriots)
Alshon Jeffery (WR Eagles)
Vance McDonald (TE Steelers)

Top-3 projected players by position

Quarterbacks
Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
Deshaun Watson, Texans

Running Backs
Christian McCaffrey, Panthers
Dalvin Cook, Vikings
Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys

Wide Receivers
Michael Thomas, Saints
Tyreek Hill, Chiefs
DeAndre Hopkins, Texans

Tight Ends
Travis Kelce, Chiefs
Hunter Henry, Chargers
Darren Waller, Raiders

Team Defenses
Vikings
49ers
Redskins

Waiver wire options

Nick Foles (QB Jaguars)
Sam Darnold (QB Jets)
Darius Guice (RB Redskins)
J.D. McKissic (RB Lions)
Josh Gordon (WR Seahawks)
Randall Cobb (WR Cowboys)
Dallas Goedert (TE Eagles)
Kyle Rudolph (TE Vikings)

Intriguing games and players in Week 11

Bye Weeks: Packers, Giants, Seahawks, and Titans

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns, Thursday 8:20 PM, EST

  • PIT: James Washington (WR), Jaylen Samuels (RB)
    CLE: Richard Higgins (WR), Baker Mayfield (QB)

Dallas Cowboys at Detroit Lions, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

  • DAL: Ezekiel Elliott (RB),  Jason Witten (TE)
    DET: Danny Amendola (WR), T.J. Hockenson (TE)

Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

  • HOU: Deshaun Watson (QB), Kenny Stills (WR)
    BAL: Mark Ingram (RB), Marquise Brown (WR)

New England Patriots at Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday 4:25 PM, EST

  • NE: Julian Edelman (WR), Muhammed Sanu (WR)
    PHI: Miles Sanders (RB), Zach Ertz (TE)

Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers, Monday 8:15 PM, EST

  • KC: Travis Kelce (TE), Damien Williams (QB)
    LAC: Hunter Henry (TE), Melvin Gordon (RB)

Now What

It’s that time of year where the weather will be a factor. Find a website where you can see all the weather across the league before setting your final lineup. I tend to prefer my kicker and wide receivers to have good weather and if possible in a dome. Avoid high winds when it comes to your quarterback. Wet weather often spells doom for your receivers. Snow can actually lead to some big plays for offensive players as they know where they are going and the defense doesn’t, so snowy conditions can actually benefit an offense at times depending on the severity.

Also, always look at matchups. The NFL is a matchup league and so is fantasy football. If you can play a running back that is going against one of the worst run defenses, do it. If you can play a tight end against a team that often struggles to contain that position, start that tight end. When you play good matchups it more often than not helps your fantasy team’s bottom line.