This week we discuss the following:
- Ben Roethlisberger
- Droppable wide receivers?
- Buccaneers running backs
- Buy low, sell high?
- Who will score more points?
Ben Roethlisberger
Where do you rank Ben Roethlisberger as a fantasy quarterback going forward? Is he in the top six?
Jeff Pasquino: I would take Brees, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, Aaron Rodgers and probably also Tom Brady (although close) first—so that does put Ben right there after that. Foles is out, Kaepernick is struggling, Romo is banged up, Stafford has to get back on the same page with Calvin Johnson, Robert Griffin III III is just coming back—not sure who else I would even consider. Cross off Rivers, Eli Manning, Flacco and Cutler. Carson Palmer and Ryan Tannehill are steps below. Russell Wilson isn't the same right now after Harvin is gone, and they are trying to run Lynch more. The only name left at about that level is Matt Ryan, and he's below Roethlisberger as well. So yes, in a long answer—I put Ben in the Top six with Luck, Brees, Brady, Peyton and Rodgers.
Jason Wood: No. He's obviously been phenomenal lately but I think calling him a top six guy is the epitome of buying high. His schedule is very easy for the next few weeks, but it gets very tough in the key fantasy playoff weeks. I would be selling him aggressively now while he has max value.
Dan Hindery: I like Roethlisberger as a top-six quarterback the rest of the way, but just barely. He is likely to cool off considerably after facing two defenses that were struggling mightily with injuries. Plus, the Steelers offense has not scored a rushing TD in nearly two months and that is unlikely to continue. Expect Bell and Blount to start taking advantage of teams over-playing the pass in the red zone. This will eat into the passing touchdowns and Roethlisberger's stats will come back to earth. Still, outside of Luck, Manning, Rodgers, Brees and maybe Brady, there are no other quarterbacks I prefer over Roethlisberger at this point. He looks like a mid-QB1 from here on out.
Mark Wimer: Yes. He's on fire and the young receivers are developing rapidly. Bell doesn't score much; he mostly just moves the chains this year.
Andy Hicks: With the right matchup, he would be top three. With a poor one, not so much. The Steelers aren't as good as their last three opponents have let them be, but if we look at their schedule going forward only the Chiefs in week 16 look to be a dominant pass defense. On paper the Bengals promise to be a pain in two of the Steelers remaining games, but since the bye their defense has been exposed in numerous ways. I would be happy to keep Roethlisberger as a top six QB, especially as the offense is working real well right now.
Scott Bischoff: Ben is a very capable fantasy quarterback, but he isn't a top-six quarterback going forward. He is a clear fantasy starter, though, especially with the way receiver Martavis Bryant is stretching the field. The value in Ben is his ability to extend plays, and as long as he is doing this he is going to be valuable. The reality is that offensive line is not as good as it has been recently and the pressure is going to get to Roethlisberger more that it has the past few weeks. If your team has a legit number one QB, now would be a great time to sell Ben high.
Droppable wide receivers?
Which wide receiver would you be most likely to drop to make room for a waiver-wire pickup: Wes Welker, Michael Floyd, or Cordarrelle Patterson?
Jeff Pasquino: The least explosive player here is Welker, who also got nailed hard in the back last week by a New England defender. Floyd and Patterson have big game and big play ability, so I like them both for that—and they can each be considered as no worse than their team's WR2 and quite possibly their WR1. Welker is behind several guys for targets in Denver, so I would actually cut him over Floyd or Patterson.
Jason Wood: Welker and it's not close. He's not really a part of the Broncos offense anymore.
Chad Parsons: I would hold onto Michael Floyd if I could. He has competition for targets in Fitzgerald and John Brown, but Carson Palmer is distributing the rock like an All-Star point guard. Floyd has a chance to be a weekly starter down the stretch. The other two, on the other hand, I wouldn't mind dropping. Welker looks done and the Vikings passing game is unlikely to produce a top fantasy option this season.
Dan Hindery: I would be fine with cutting either Michael Floyd or Wes Welker. Welker is the fifth option in the Broncos' passing offense behind Thomas, Thomas, Sanders and Hillman. Even in an offense as dominant as Denver's, that is too many mouths to feed, and Welker looks to be the odd man out. I also hold out little hope for Floyd. He is currently on pace for 46 catches and is being outplayed by rookie John Brown, who has been more efficient with a similar number of targets. Furthermore, Floyd actually seems to be producing less as the season goes on with only 12 catches total in the past five games (he is averaging only five fantasy points per game in PPR leagues since the end of September).
Mark Wimer: I'd drop Welker. He's old, his role in the offense is declining, and he's currently injured.
Andy Hicks: I wouldn't mind dropping all of them, but Welker has the lowest upside, so he'd be the first one to go. Injury and multiple options for Peyton Manning mean Welker won't have many big games, and better options probably are on your waiver wire.
Scott Bischoff: I wouldn't hesitate to drop Welker for a waiver wire addition that you have to make. He seems to have been negated by receiver Emmanuel Sanders, and he has significant concussion history.
Buccaneers running backs
Who is the running back to own (if there is such a thing) in the Buccaneers' backfield—redraft and dynasty?
Jeff Pasquino: Doug Martin's value is falling fast (if it isn't hitting rock bottom yet), and Bobby Rainey looks like "just a guy". For me, the only running back to even gamble on—redraft or dynasty—is Charles Sims. The rookie was hurt before the season started, but he's ready to get back and I think he could be a second half steal if he gets 20-25 touches a week. Fresh legs, youth, and ability to run and catch out of the backfield could be a fantasy gold mine for the rest of the season.
Justin Bonnema: I can't agree with Jeff here. In just three starts Rainey has totaled 400 yards and is currently 20th overall in PPR leagues. Sims may be the man of the future for the Buccaneers, and therefore a better dynasty option, but we know better than to put our money on rookie running backs. Rainey has my blessings for the rest of the season.
Jason Wood: Charles Sims in dynasty, for sure. Rainey in redraft.
Chad Parsons: Charles Sims. Doug Martin and Bobby Rainey both rank outside the top-125 (yes, 125) running backs in pass-blocking according to ProFootballFocus. Sims, at a minimum, excels in the passing game and all signs point to an organization that had big plans for Sims heading into the season. Once active, Sims will ramp up his playing time quickly over the run-of-the-mill talent in Rainey.
Dan Hindery: Charles Sims is the guy to own in dynasty and probably redraft as well. He is the running back hand-picked by the current staff, who used an early third round pick on him despite a plethora of other major needs. He also is a far more well-rounded talent than Rainey due to his ability as a pass catcher and pass blocker. The biggest question will be how quickly Sims can get up to speed after returning from a serious injury. He may be eased in over the next few weeks and not really hit his stride until the final few games.
Mark Wimer: Bobby Rainey in both formats—he's proving to be the best option there and they'll likely keep him in the fold after the season (after Martin is gone).
Andy Hicks: Who's the coach next year? We've seen the new regime fail to use Doug Martin productively. Bobby Rainey is just a guy, and Charles Sims hasn't even had an NFL carry.
If Lovie Smith is still there, I'd want Sims in a dynasty league. For this year it, the answer is Rainey in redraft.
Doug Martin becomes an interesting prospect depending on where he is next year so although he is at rock bottom now, he will either have a new team or a new coach next year and he wouldn't be the first back to be productive in a system that allows him to play to his strengths. In Dynasty I would be tempted to get Martin while he is dirt cheap and see what happens.
Scott Bischoff: Tough question. Bobby Rainey is clearly producing in his opportunity as their lead back, but how long do the Buccaneers stay with Rainey if they keep losing. If it were me, I'd want to know what Charles Sims has to offer, so I see a very volatile situation at running back for the Buccaneers the rest of the season. I would agree that in dynasty leagues, Sims is the play, but I like Andy's thought to get Martin cheap because he should be elsewhere soon, we just don't know where. In redraft, I think it will be Sims but he hasn't taken a snap yet, so that's a tough sell.
Buy low, sell high?
Let's discuss some buy-low candidates. Who do you like right now?
Jason Wood: Lots of ways to slice this apple, so let's start with the two most glaring opportunities: Josh Gordon and Adrian Peterson. In many leagues, owners have been hording those two for some time, but there are still some leagues where those guys are available. Many owners that held them for much of the season finally pulled the trigger over the last two weeks due to the massive bye week issues. If either are available, they have to be your priorities.
Moving on, at quarterback I like Tony Romo and Matthew Stafford. Romo's schedule is among the easiest over the final six weeks of the season, so if you can add him while not counting on him as your starter for the next week or two, it's worth it. We may be a week late on Stafford, but with Calvin Johnson back and the team's bye over, he is compelling. He has very easy games from Weeks 11-17 according to our own SOS analysis
At running back, I like Terrance West, Eddie Lacy, and Alfred Morris. West is still viewed by most as Ben Tate's second fiddle, but the coaches had glowing things to say about him this week. The Browns schedule is fantastic from here on out for whichever running back gets the nod. I mention Eddie Lacy somewhat reluctantly because his film doesn't argue for a turnaround. The schedule is ideal down the stretch, though, and he can probably be had for a reasonable price because his owner is likely out of the playoff hunt or close to it. Finally, I suspect Alfred Morris' opportunity set will grow significantly now that Robert Griffin III III is back on the field
My choices at wide receiver would be Kelvin Benjamin and Pierre Garcon. Benjamin's owners probably don't want to give him up, but there is no easier schedule left for fantasy wide receivers. I would consider trading for Benjamin even if his owner thinks he's selling high; he probably isn't. With Pierre Garcon, I didn't think he would be a stud this year because I loved DeSean Jackson as the number one in Washington, but he's been so off lately that I'm betting his owners are ready to give up on him. That would be a mistake.
Jeff Pasquino: I love the Gordon call by Jason, and throw in Kyle Rudolph as well to that mix. No need to explain why for either guy—they are Pro Bowl caliber talent.
Andy Hicks: My buy-low is at one position Jason didn't mention: tight end Zach Ertz. This guy's stock is so low he is probably on some waiver wires. Ertz had a poor game against the Texans as the Eagles ran a lot of three-receiver sets, but his schedule is about to open up against teams who struggle to contain athletic Tight ends. You might have to ride another poor game, but he will be productive during the fantasy playoffs and that's what we are looking for.
Alfred Blue is another great buy-low right now, as the Texans head into a bye week and Arian Foster just tweaked his groin. Blue could be a late-season running back stud with the Texans' schedule in Weeks 11-16 being very soft against the run.
Maurile Tremblay: My buy-low is Darren McFadden. His price is low because he's on a bad team and his fantasy production so far has been deplorable. But I think his potential is decent. Derek Carr is becoming more comfortable running the offense, which could lead to more scoring opportunities, and McFadden is getting pretty a good volume of usage. He's averaged 18.6 touches per game since Maurice Jones-Drew was injured in Week 1. I think it's just a matter of time before his fantasy-points-per-touch rise from completely dismal to merely pedestrian, which would put his value well above what his current asking price is likely to be.
Justin Bonnema: I like Cam Newton. It's likely his owners have moved on from him by now and I love his schedule going forward. The Panthers offense has been horrible which makes him even easier to acquire. But I've seen enough to think Cam will provide plenty of points using his legs, especially around the goal line.
Chad Parsons: I agree with Jason about Matthew Stafford. For weeks now, Stafford has been missing Calvin Johnson, Reggie Bush, and up to three of his regular tight ends. Add Johnson and Bush back to Golden Tate, and Stafford's building chemistry and the Lions passing game could be cooking with gas over the final two months of the season. Add to the mix that Stafford has the second-best efficiency schedule in Weeks 14-16 for quarterbacks with Tampa Bay, Minnesota, and Chicago.
Dan Hindery: I agree with most of the buy-lows already mentioned, but I would like to add Mohamed Sanu to the list. Many owners will be looking to "sell high" on Sanu due to the belief that his strong production to date will dry up with the return of A.J. Green to the lineup. I do not expect that to be the case. Sanu has three things working in his favor. First, the Bengals pass-catching depth has been decimated with Tyler Eifert and Marvin Jones on IR (Eifert is on IR-Recall but not expected to return). Neither Jermaine Gresham nor the other Bengals wide receivers have been able to step up and make an impact. Thus, expect both Green and Sanu to see 8-12 targets every game and carry the Bengals passing offense. Second, the Bengals remaining schedule is very WR2-friendly. Of the Bengals remaining eight games, two are against the Browns who have struggled mightily against number two and number three wide receivers. With Haden blanketing Green, Sanu should do well in those matchups. Two games remain against the high-powered Steelers offense and the Bengals will likely have to score to keep up and the Steelers CBs have struggled. The same is true of dates against New Orleans and Denver, which could turn into shootouts. Lastly, Sanu has simply been playing great football and has earned the trust of Andy Dalton and the Bengals coaching staff. He has made plays every week and should continue to perform as a fantasy WR2 the final eight weeks but he should be available at WR3 or WR4 prices.
Mark Wimer: My buy-low player is Rashad Jennings. He continues to be out and his owner might be despairing of ever getting fantasy points out of him as the knee rehab has stretched much longer than anticipated. However, Andre Williams' recent plodding performances tell me that Jennings is back to number one as soon as he's healthy, and the team is targeting Week 11 after the bye for Jennings return. Go make an offer on him, in my opinion.
Scott Bischoff: The Philadelphia Eagles running game has not been very good this year, but they are finally getting their offensive line back together as it has been banged up all year. I'd try to buy low on LeSean McCoy if you can find a way to make it happen.
How about some players you'd look to sell high right now.
Maurile Tremblay: My sell-high is Mark Ingram. I like Ingram as an NFL running back, but his last few games are going to end up being his peak. Pierre Thomas and Khiry Robinson will return soon, maybe this week, and they'll cut significantly into Ingram's touches. Ingram will still have decent value—just not as much as he appears to right now.
Justin Bonnema: Totally agree. I don't trust the Saints to deliver consistent production from one running back once they're all healthy.
Mark Wimer: I agree with selling high on Mark Ingram—he's had his big statement games and will be mired in a running back by committee soon—also I think his extraordinary efforts over the last year and a half have been about securing a fat new contract—I don't trust him to maintain his intensity level once he gets paid. Move him now is my advice.
Dan Hindery: I agree that Mark Ingram is a great candidate if you can find an owner willing to pay prices consistent with his production the past few weeks. Before the injuries to Robinson and Thomas, Ingram was playing only 20-25 snaps a game despite running extremely well. The Saints have always been big on rotating backs and are likely going to return to the frustrating RBBC in the next week or two.
Ben Roethlisberger is another sell-high candidate if you can strike while the iron is hot after 12 passing touchdowns in two weeks. The Colts defense suffered a slew of injuries before and during their matchup with the Steelers, and the Ravens CB depth chart is the worst in the NFL without Jimmy Smith. The Steelers offense does look strong and Martavis Bryant has made a big impact, but I do not expect high-end QB1 production over the final eight weeks from Roethlisberger. If you are able to move Roethlisberger for a quarterback like Matthew Stafford and also get an upgrade at another position, that is a move worth making.
Andy Hicks: I have to go with the red hot Carson Palmer. The Cardinals have been a juggernaut lately with Palmer throwing for nine touchdowns and over a thousand yards in his last four starts—granted not Ben Roethlisberger territory, but startable numbers all the same. But he comes up against seven of the top eight pass defenses in the next eight weeks, including five divisional matchups, the Lions and the number-one-ranked Chiefs. The only soft game is against Atlanta.
Chad Parsons: I'll go with Lamar Miller. The Dolphins have a ridiculously difficult remaining schedule in terms of running back efficiency. The next three weeks are the most-difficult against running backs in the NFL with Detroit, Buffalo, and Denver. It does not get better with the Jets and Ravens following that. The only decent matchup remaining is all the way in Week 16, if an owner gets there, against Minnesota.
Scott Bischoff: I totally agree with Dan on Roethlisberger and would push to make that move. I'd also look at selling high on Golden Tate with Calvin Johnson returning. Tate's been a clear No. one fantasy wide receiver with Calvin out, but he is going to see his targets get reduced and it will have a negative impact, He's still going to make plays, he just isn't going to be a high volume type of play.
Who will score more points?
Who will score more fantasy points per game for the rest of this season?
Jeff Pasquino: Mark Sanchez, because Philadelphia is the better offense, and Sanchez is probably the starter until Week 16 or 17. Vick could get yanked for Geno Smith as soon as a week or two.
Jason Wood: Sanchez for the reasons Jeff posited. The Eagles offense is in much better shape, and with the offensive line getting healthy, he could put up fringe QB1 numbers particularly if turnovers aren't harshly penalized
Adam Harstad: I'd rather have a bad quarterback in an offense that is 10th in passing fantasy points than a slightly better (but still bad) quarterback in an offense that is 31st in passing fantasy points. Give me Sanchez.
Andy Hicks: Have to agree with Jeff, Jason and Adam here. I think Sanchez is going to be criminally underrated until he goes off. This is an offense made for fantasy quarterbacks and most reports speculated that Sanchez was outperforming Foles before the season started. Foles had earned the right to start, but now it's over to Sanchez to finally justify his potential.
Justin Bonnema: As much as I have a soft spot in my heart for Michael Vick after the wonderful things he did for my fantasy team back in 2010, there's just no way he's going to consistently produce under the circumstances the Jets find themselves in. Mark Sanchez is surrounded by talent, from coaches to players, and gets a fantasy friendly schedule for the rest of the season.
Chad Parsons: Mark Sanchez. The Eagles have an enviable set of weapons, will run a ton of plays, and Foles was average from an efficiency standpoint. Sanchez is more mobile to add a few rushing points to boot. Michael Vick avoided turnovers in Week 9, but that is the exception, not the expectation week in and week out.
Mark Wimer: Sanchez—much better surrounding talent in Philadelphia, he is going to redeem his career in second half of the season.
Dan Hindery: I expect this one to be pretty much a clean sweep. There is just such a big gap between the two situations in terms of surrounding talent and coaching. The Eagles quarterback is going to put up fantasy stats and I do not expect any drop off from Foles to Sanchez.
Scott Bischoff: It's hard to see a scenario where Vick outperforms Sanchez, because if what everyone has talked about and that's the offense and the weapons in Philadelphia. I was surprised with Foles as I didn't see it with him coming into the NFL, but that offense really has the ability to make its players productive.
Ryan Tannehill or Robert Griffin III III?
Jeff Pasquino: Great one—I go with Griffin on a per-game basis, but Tannehill has had a bye, so he gets a little bonus for that. Griffin has good targets and wheels, but so does Tannehill. I like both as solid QB2s with matchup QB1 upside. Very close call.
Jason Wood: I'm going to say Griffin here, but I don't have strong conviction.
Adam Harstad: Surprisingly enough, Washington's quarterbacks as a whole are averaging nearly identical per-game fantasy production to Miami's quarterbacks as a whole, despite Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy being, in my opinion, worse quarterbacks than Robert Griffin III III. DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, and Jordan Reed quietly form one of the better receiver corps in the league, and I like Griffin to step back in and marginally outperform Tannehill going forward.
Andy Hicks: When in doubt, check the schedule, and that favors Griffin slightly, but my gut is telling me Tannehill here. Tannehill is playing really well since the coaching decision to place his job in jeopardy. Griffin also has injury issues to consider and although Washington have proven that they can toss any of their three quarterbacks out there and get production, the Miami Dolphin is the safer pick.
Justin Bonnema: I'm going to side with Harstad and repeat myself a little. RG3 is not only more talented than Ryan Tannehill, he has more talent around him. And he gets treated to a similar schedule that props Sanchez up over Vick.
Chad Parsons: Tannehill has a tough slate the next three weeks with Detroit, Buffalo, and Denver, but the Dolphins offense is humming and I just cannot trust Griffin to stay healthy, play smart, and be dynamic like his pre-injury days.
Mark Wimer: Tannehill—Griffin just hasn't been the same since his knee injury, and he's still not comfortable in the new offense and he missed a lot of reps while out with the dislocated ankle, so he hasn't improved his understanding of the system.
Dan Hindery: I will take Tannehill to outproduce Griffin III. This looks like two teams headed in opposite directions with the Dolphins playing great football and Washington scuttling along. Furthermore, it has never seemed like Jay Gruden has been comfortable with Griffin III as his quarterback and the whispers that management forced his hand to play Griffin III over McCoy lend even more smoke to that speculation. Lastly, Tannehill's stable of weapons is a bit underrated and not all that different from Griffin III's. Mike Wallace is finally adjusting to being in Miami and has the ability to take the top off of defenses. Rookie Jarvis Landry is a personal favorite and has been coming on strong in recent weeks. Charles Clay is a real mismatch for opponents and it finally looks like his knee is back near 100 percent.
Scott Bischoff: This is all about whether Robert Griffin III III can stay healthy to actually have some time to get comfortable in the Washington offense. If he can get into a rhythm, I'd look for him to run away with this one.
Jeremy Hill or Giovani Bernard?
Jeff Pasquino: I think Hill gets more work going forward than he got before, but Bernard is the lead dog for the Bengals when healthy. He may miss another week with Cincinnati on a short week (vs. Cleveland Thursday), but I think Bernard racks up about 60-65% of the production going forward after that contest.
Jason Wood: As long as Bernard doesn't suffer another injury, it's Bernard. He's been elite this year, Hill's time will come but not this year if Bernard is healthy.
Adam Harstad: Jeremy Hill will probably produce more total points over the course of the season since Bernard is expected to miss this week's game; but when both backs are on the field, I expect Giovani Bernard to comfortably outperform Hill.
Andy Hicks: I thought at the beginning of the year that if Hill was any good at all he would dominate the rush totals as the season wore on, even if Bernard was healthy, but the fact that Hill is proving adequate as a receiver as well indicates to me he is going to be an excellent producer down the stretch. Bernard has had a mixture of a season with some poor returns and elite games, but his reception totals are way down on expectations since Week 2. I'm going to go against the grain and pick Hill here.
Justin Bonnema: I've heard various fantasy industry pros refer to Bernard as a "scatback". That name suggests he's not capable of much other than making a blocker miss every now and then. I think he's one of the best and most exciting young runners in the league. Hill might make this a full blown timeshare and grab a few goal line touches, but my money is on Bernard assuming he doesn't miss a chunk of games.
Chad Parsons: Folks are so quick to move on. Jeremy Hill is a top weekly play when Bernard is out. When both are healthy, Bernard is the play, the more well-rounded back, and the best talent.
Mark Wimer: Bernard
Dan Hindery: I like Giovani Bernard to outperform Hill once he returns and it sounds as though he will be ready to go for Week 11. However, I think this is going to be much more of a committee going forward than it was prior to Bernard's injury. Having seen how good Hill can be, the Bengals should split the carries pretty close to 50/50. Hill is also an underrated pass catcher, but cannot match Bernard in that area and that is where I see Bernard separating himself from Hill as he should pull in at least four or five receptions every game.
Scott Bischoff: I like Bernard to outproduce Hill once he gets healthy. Bernard is a true difference-maker in the Bengals offense as a receiver out of the backfield, and they're going to need him in that capacity moving into crunch time of the season.
Matt Asiata or Jerick McKinnon? (PPR scoring.)
Jeff Pasquino: Asiata was a goal line force last week, but McKinnon has better overall appeal and production in all areas of the field. Asiata got only 26 yards on 10 carries—the bonus came due to goal line plunges against Washington last week. It's a full-blown committee, but I like McKinnon more.
Jason Wood: With the news of Peterson reaching a plea agreement, I'll say Asiata since I could see them using him in goal-line situations to spell Peterson as he works back into game shape.
Good point on Peterson's potential effect, but let's assume for the sake of the question that Peterson won't play for the Vikings again this season.
Adam Harstad: I know that Asiata gets the rushes when Minnesota is at the goal line, but I don't expect Minnesota to be spending much time at the goal line. I think McKinnon's all-around fantasy production will give him the edge going forward.
Andy Hicks: The fact that Asiata has found the end zone 10 times, while McKinnon couldn't find it if it was daylight on a dark and stormy night makes it an easy call for Asiata. Between the twenties and it's McKinnon all the way, but touchdowns are a large part of fantasy point production and Asiata is the clear winner there. With slightly more receptions than McKinnon, in a PPR format he becomes even more valuable. Yes Asiata is a plodder, but this isn't a beauty contest.
Mark Wimer: McKinnon—Asiata got some easy touchdowns but McKinnon will be the workhorse unless ADP is back.
Dan Hindery: This one is almost too close to call. Asiata has been getting nearly all of the red-zone work and has played very well in that role. He has also been getting fairly consistent targets in the passing game. McKinnon is by far the more explosive option and has the ability to make big plays. Asiata should get more touchdowns while McKinnon piles up more yardage and in the end I think it basically evens out.
Scott Bischoff: In PPR, I think McKinnon is only slightly more valuable because of his usage between the 20's, but it is close because Asiata could put up a stat line of 10 carries for 22 yards, but he'll score a touchdown. McKinnon by a nose.
Jonas Gray or Shane Vereen? (Non-PPR.)
Jeff Pasquino: When people throw that non-PPR thing around, they immediately discount receiving backs as a result. That's a mistake, because their yards still count. Vereen gets production as a rusher and a receiver, while Gray looks to be a between the tackles rusher only. Vereen's clearly worth more in PPR, but he split carries with Gray last week and added 38 yards and a TD as a receiver. It's clearly Vereen.
Jason Wood: Vereen, and it's not close.
Adam Harstad: When in doubt, give me the guy who has demonstrated his role in the offense for an extended period over a guy who has demonstrated his role in the offense for a couple of games. Even without the point per reception, I'd take Vereen here.
Andy Hicks: Taking out the PPR it is still Vereen for me. As the others have mentioned, Vereen is the experienced guy with a clearly defined role. His receiving yardage counts and Jonas Gray hasn't been assured of any kind of permanent role yet. We are just as likely to see some other guy come in and usurp his roles as for him to get over 15 carries. He has no receptions in his three games and no touchdowns. Not even close.
Justin Bonnema: Vereen has earned his spot in the offense and blends perfectly with the way the Patriots are setting up against defenses. I'll take him over an unproven talent any day regardless of the scoring format.
Chad Parsons: Give me Vereen as Gray is a run-of-the-mill talent and has a smaller scope of roles and game scripts that translate to being fantasy-viable. While Vereen is streaky at best in non-PPR, he is the preferred option if banking on one Patriots back down the stretch.
Mark Wimer: Vereen—he'll have way more touches in my opinion.
Dan Hindery: Even in non-PPR, I expect Vereen to out-produce Gray. Vereen has been productive as a runner (4.5 YPC) and should at least match Gray as a rusher. He could average four to five receptions a game as well. Even if the receptions do not lead directly to points, his eight YPR means another 30-40 yards every week through the air. Throughout his career, he has also been a nice threat in the red zone as a receiver and should rack up some receiving touchdowns as well.
Scott Bischoff: To me it's Vereen and it isn't close. As Dan pointed out, the yardage from receiving and the red zone usage makes all the difference.
Jeff Pasquino: I think it is Tate, but it is close. West is getting more work, but both are threatened by Crowell too. I just can't get a clear read on the Browns and their ground game. Tate gets nicked up too much too, so I will vote West and his fresher legs, but I would struggle feeling confident in either guy on a weekly basis.
Jason Wood: I thought West was the better option entering the season, and I'll stick with it.
Adam Harstad: I'll probably be in the minority on this one, but I like Tate here. Both backs are also going to be facing competition from Crowell, but Tate offers something that the other two backs lack, and that's experience. I think he gets the most touches going forward, and that will translate to the most fantasy points.
Andy Hicks: This one's a minefield. All three Browns backs have three or four touchdowns, all three have at least 270 combined yards, but none has 350 and none of them have more than seven receptions. Seems to me likely a week-to-week matchup nightmare and to declare one all the way home is a guess. Tate has seen at least 10 carries since his return from injury, but his rush totals have declined in each of the last three weeks. West has seen his totals conversely rise, but he hasn't been that productive, either. Crowell has all but disappeared. I'd go West with a 40% chance of winning this contest, Tate 35% and Crowell 25 percent.
Justin Bonnema: Tough one. Tate, is stronger, faster, more elusive and probably a better receiver than West. But I still like West to score more points the rest of the way. West has proven he can handle a heavy Sunday. And if the praise he's receiving from coaches is worth anything he should continue to see more action, especially around the goal line.
Mark Wimer: Toss-up—I can't figure out what the Browns' coaches are doing with the running back stable.
Dan Hindery: West has been more productive in recent weeks and is my pick to put up better numbers through the final seven games. However, this backfield is one that is likely to continue to drive fantasy owners insane. Kyle Shanahan seems to have inherited from his father the willingness to switch his lead back at the drop of a hat.
Scott Bischoff: Flip a coin! Honestly, I think this one is about Tate's ability to stay close to 100% from a health perspective, and if he can stay relatively healthy he'll be the guy, but history is against him in that regard. With him banged up, the Browns will lean to West, and to Crowell as well. I think we'll see similar things the rest of the way in terms of usage, with Tate barely being the better back at year's end.
Vincent Jackson or Mike Evans?
Jeff Pasquino: Another good one. Evans is getting better every week, while Jackson is getting covered more and more by defenses as they try and take away what should be the top target for Tampa Bay. That leaves rookie Evans in single coverage, and he can have a big game like he did Sunday. I'll vote Evans.
Jason Wood: It should be Jackson, but it seems like Evans is emerging. I'll say Evans, which is a departure from my preseason view.
Adam Harstad: If Vincent Jackson were properly gruntled, I'd take him, but he seems slightly disgruntled (and Tampa was reportedly shopping him at the trade deadline). This has already been a historic class of rookie receivers, and I'm not about to bet against the second-highest-drafted one of the bunch.
Andy Hicks: The Buccaneers clearly have issues and it remains to be seen whether Lovie Smith gets the time to sort things out or gets sent packing after this season. Vincent Jackson is pushing 32, while Evans is just starting. Jackson is probably gone if Smith remains the head coach, while Evans will be the clear number one target. Evans and with a degree of confidence.
Justin Bonnema: What's funny is that when you punch Mike Evans into the PlayerProfiler via RotoUnderworld the first comparable to pop up is Vincent Jackson. Evans has outplayed Jackson all season long in just about every category. I'll take him the rest of the way.
Mark Wimer: Evans as the team emphasizes developing him for the ongoing rebuilding project.
Dan Hindery: Jackson has been receiving plenty of targets but simply is not producing much with them. Evans, on the other hand, seems to get better every week and is making plays when given the opportunity. There are enough targets available for both players to put up big numbers, but Evans is the only wide receiver who seems to be playing with a purpose and thus should continue to out-produce Jackson.
Scott Bischoff: It looked like quarterback Mike Glennon and Evans were finally finding a little chemistry when Head Coach Lovie Smith names Josh McCown the starting quarterback for Week 10. This muddies the water but the reality is that Jackson has been banged up and Evans is really playing well right now. I'd expect that to continue.
Vernon Davis or Mychal Rivera?
Jeff Pasquino: In PPR leagues, I lean Rivera as Derek Carr is looking towards him more and more, but Vernon Davis certainly has more talent. I can't figure out San Francisco, but if they get back to basics, I would like Davis more in that offense—but they aren't using him properly. An oddly close call, but I'm going to rely on Davis a little more but probably if I had both guys, I'd be playing the best matchup on a weekly basis, as you can't count on the 49ers passing game right now.
Jason Wood: Rivera.
Adam Harstad: I'll go with Rivera. Vernon Davis is talented, but he's buried behind too many talented receivers to count on any sort of production out of him at this point.
Andy Hicks: Rivera has come alive in the last two weeks after not doing much before then. As an all-round Tight End, Davis excels, but he is clearly well down the pecking order of targets. I expected a reduction in targets once Crabtree was healthy and Stevie Johnson was signed, but the degree to which Davis has been phased out of the passing game is surprising. I'll go with Rivera and I'd ride him while he's hot. We've seen numerous tight ends this year have a hot spell for a couple of weeks and then fizzle out. Rivera could be another, but unlike Davis at least he's been hot.
Justin Bonnema: I think Vernon Davis turns his season around while Rivera is the flavor of the month.
Mark Wimer: Rivera looks like he'll have a lot more opportunities, so I go with him.
Dan Hindery: Rivera has been targeted 20 times total over the past two weeks. Vernon Davis has seen only 26 targets over the entire season. While it is tempting to go with the better talent (Davis by a country mile), the difference in usage is just too glaring. Rivera seems to have developed a nice rapport with rookie quarterback David Carr over the past few weeks and thus should continue to get opportunities to make plays, which is likely to lead to him out-producing Davis over the second half of the season.
Scott Bischoff: It's tough to look at those names and not want to pick Davis, but the reality is that Rivera is being targeted more and is simply the better play (not the better player) at this time.
That will do it for this edition of the Footballguys Roundtable. Please join us again next week.