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Welcome to "Money Talks". The general purpose of this column will be to give you some advice for one of the more popular methods of adding new fantasy players each week – the Free Agency Acquisition Budget, or "FAAB". What this is in a nutshell is a budget of money that every team is given to bid on free agents each week, much like in an auction. Usually this is done via blind bids, meaning that no other owner knows how much you have bid on a given player – unless you announce your bid in some sort of a poker-like bluff move. Some leagues do reveal all bids after the bidding is closed and waivers are processed, while other leagues just show winning bids. It can be fun to see if several teams bid on a given player or if an owner spent a ton of money on a guy no one else even wanted.
Enough of that for now. I will give both general advice and also some weekly assistance for this advanced waiver process in this column. I hope you enjoy and get the player(s) you want every week. Here we go.
ASSUMPTIONS
As with anything in fantasy football, not all leagues are the same. Some are big, some are small. Such is the way with FAAB waivers. Some leagues use a big budget of $1,000 per owner or more, while others use $100 or less. I will assume $1,000 for the purposes of this article and let you, the reader, do the math to adjust to your league. Another difference is that in some leagues the FAAB process is the ONLY way to get new players. Other leagues have the FAAB process first and then allow free transactions for that week on any player not getting a bid (so you can cover your kicker's bye, for example, for free). I will assume that is NOT the case here and think that every transaction will cost you something. If it does not, great – but at least you know why I might say to grab a kicker now for a buck.
Now let's talk about bidding in general. For many more experienced leagues, round numbers are the kiss of death. Even older leagues (and owners) start to see bidding trends over time ("Jeff loves to end in a 7"), which can be dangerous when you are trying to outbid everyone. The natural assumption is to bid in large round numbers – please avoid that temptation. $53 vs. $50 may seem like a trivial difference, but many more people bid $50 instead of adding a few extra bucks that can change who wins.
Another generally accepted rule – do not be stingy early in the year. Sure it is nice to hold on to extra "cash" in case a stud RB goes down for the year, but look around your league and count how many NFL backups are even available on the waiver wire. Not many? Right. Go big early on players who seem to come out of nowhere, like Victor Cruz last year. Most fantasy studs appear on the scene in September instead of weeks later.
There is a "ying" to the "yang" of the last rule – which is to not excessively churn your roster. While it may not seem like much, but if you drop 5-10% of your bankroll each week on bench players that never see the light of day in your lineup, then you are just wasting money. Think about it this way – if you save for a rainy day, you can be prepared to go all out for when you need that money to go "all in" on a player you really want. Of course the trick is figuring out which player is worthy of such a big bid.
Last comment for now – it is far better to bid on a player a week or two early instead of a week late. That can be the difference between a $3 player and a $300 player. If you really want Adrian Peterson’s understudy, get him now before Peterson pulls that hammy and everyone gets in on the action.
Week 3 Comment: Another item to discuss – who to drop. Keep perspective on your team. If you are short on running backs, you probably want to cut a different position player to grab running back depth. To say that another way, if you are strong and deep already at wide receiver, a sixth or seventh wideout is very unlikely to help. Let that steer your cuts.
Now, on to some specific players to target here in NFL Week 3 of the 2016 season:
BIG BUCKS
Big Bucks are reserved for immediate starter potential players (QB1, RB1/2, WR1/2/3, Flex, TE1) in most league formats.
- Stefon Diggs, WR, Vikings ($327): If by some stroke of luck Diggs is available in your league, go get him. His performance Sunday night against Green Bay was downright spectacular with 182 yards and a touchdown on nine catches. Diggs was the top receiver while at Maryland and he looks to be not just the WR1 for the Vikings but a potential WR1 in fantasy as well.
- Dennis Pitta, TE, Ravens ($203, $267 in TE PPR-bonus leagues): Flacco and Pitta are close friends, and their rapport shows with Pitta now healthy again. Pitta converted 12 targets in Week 2 into a very productive 9-102 stat line against Cleveland. With many tight ends struggling right now, Pitta is a certain TE1 based on volume and production in all formats.
- Eric Ebron, TE, Lions ($201, $251 in TE PPR-bonus leagues): The Lions look to be a pass-first offense this year, especially now with their top running back (Ameer Abdullah) banged up. That means more volume for the starting receivers, which includes big target tight end Eric Ebron. Ebron saw seven targets in Week 2 resulting in a respectable 4-53 stat line, and matchups against Green Bay and Chicago over the next two weeks look like plus matchups going forwards.
- Travis Benjamin, WR, Chargers ($167): Benjamin stepped up as the new WR1 for San Diego with Keenan Allen done for the year. Philip Rivers targeted Benjamin six times and he reeled in all of them for 115 yards and two scores against Jacksonville. You have to like his upside next week against the Colts.
- Mike Wallace, WR, Ravens ($165): Mike Wallace looks like he found the fountain of youth in the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, because he scored not just one but two touchdowns against Cleveland in Week 2. Wallace now is tied atop the NFL with Larry Fitzgerald and Kelvin Benjamin with three receiving scores, and he is certainly worth a WR3 spot in most lineups.
MEDIUM MONEY
Medium Money is reserved for players who could be bye week starters or that have upside potential on good matchups in most league formats.
- Fozzy Whittaker, RB, Panthers ($145): Jonathan Stewart (hamstring) left the game against the 49ers in Week 2, opening the door for Whitaker to take over most of the work in the Carolina backfield. Whitaker stepped up in a big way with 100 yards on just 16 carries and added three catches for 31 yards on four targets. While the big story from this contest was Cam Newton, Whitaker is one of the top running back pickups this week with three plus matchups (at Atlanta, Tampa Bay, at New Orleans) in Weeks 4-6.
- Tevin Coleman, RB, Falcons ($144): Last week I had Coleman at the top of the waiver wire list, but with a clear timeshare with Devonta Freeman (34 snaps, 30 for Coleman) both are suffering in value. Coleman still managed to get 71 total yards and a score, but until one back emerges, both remain RB2/flex options.
- Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens ($135): With Baltimore falling behind quickly in Week 2 (Cleveland led 20-0 in the first quarter), Flacco amped up the offense with a passing game that got the Ravens right back in the game and ultimately the road victory. Flacco finished with 302 yards and two touchdowns thanks to revitalized play from both WR Mike Wallace and TE Dennis Pitta. Baltimore does not have a reliable run game, so it will be up to Flacco to move the ball and provide more of the offense this year, which makes him a solid QB2 with QB1 upside.
- Ryan Tannehill, QB, Dolphins ($128): Miami fell behind 31-3 to New England, so Tannehill’s second half numbers have to be taken with a grain of salt, but fantasy production is fantasy production. Tannehill revved up the passing game to get Miami back into the game late with 389 yards and two touchdowns along with 35 rushing yards. Tannehill was basically the whole offense generator after Arian Foster (hamstring) left the game. With a favorable matchup in Week 3 against Cleveland, Tannehill is a QB2 with QB1 upside this week and definitely worth a roster spot.
- Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys ($127): In a week filled with injuries, Dak Prescott’s value certainly increases. He was much more effective against Washington in Week 2, nearly throwing for 300 yards (22-30-292) and also running in a 6-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Two favorable matchups (Chicago, at San Francisco) loom over the next two weeks, making Prescott a viable streaming quarterback starter.
- Christine Michael, RB, Seahawks ($115): Thomas Rawls (shin) was sidelined early in Week 2 against the Rams, and that created the opportunity for Christine Michael to step up and in to the lead rusher role. Michaels performed well, rushing for 60 yards on just 10 carries and added 3-26 receiving in a matchup against a very intense and motivated Los Angeles defense that was hungry for a win in their first home game in L.A. since 1994. Seattle desperately needs a victory against the 49ers at home in Week 3, and Michael could be a big part of that effort.
- Victor Cruz, WR, Giants ($114): It was good to see that touchdown salsa once again for Cruz in Week 1, but the question I had after that game was to see how much usage he would get on a consistent basis. That was answered in Week 2 with 74 snaps, eight targets and a respectable 4-91 day receiving, including a big 34-yard fourth quarter reception that helped seal the victory against the Saints. The Giants are more of a passing team and Cruz is the WR3 for a good offense, making him worth of a fantasy roster spot.
- Quincy Enunwa, WR, Jets ($113): Enunwa is the WR3 for the Jets, and he could elevate on the depth chart if Brandon Marshall (knee) misses any time. New York uses 3- and 4-WR sets often in their base offense, and Enunwa saw plenty of action in Week 2 against Buffalo (6-92 on six targets). He makes for a solid WR3/flex option.
- Tyler Lockett, WR, Seahawks ($112): Tyler Lockett only played about half of the Week 2 game against the Rams with a knee concern, but he was able to get back in there in the fourth quarter to collect a 53-yard strike that capped a 4-99 day. Lockett caught all four of his targets on the day, and if he is healthy this week, he has solid upside against the 49ers at home in a must win game for Seattle.
- Theo Riddick, RB, Lions ($112): Riddick could be the starting tailback for Detroit with Ameer Abdullah (foot) out, but he is probably best suited as a passing down back in a committee. He has more value in PPR leagues, and is more of a flex starter than a RB2.
- Tyrell Williams, WR, Chargers ($112): With Keenan Allen out and Travis Benjamin a WR1 now, Williams had to step up to fill the void. Williams did not start, but he was out there quite often (50 of 63 snaps) and made the most of his six targets (3-61-1). He has great upside against Indianapolis next week.
- Alfred Morris, RB, Washington ($111): The story in Week 2 (or Narrative Street) for Morris was his return to Washington, the place where he used to be the lead back as recently as last season. He helped Dallas go into D.C. and get a win and Morris found the end zone himself to help seal the victory - but the story does not end there. Ezekiel Elliott had two fumbles and may be losing snaps and touches to Morris going forward if his ball security does not improve, so Morris elevates a bit above just a spot starter and handcuff for Elliott.
- DeVante Parker, WR, Dolphins ($110): Miami is going to be playing from behind quite a bit this year, and DeVante Parker is going to see a lot of passes go his way this season. Parker helped with a near comeback for Miami against New England, converting 13 targets for an 8-106 day in Week 2. Parker was the second-most targeted receiver (after Jarvis Landry) and has solid WR2 potential in that offense.
- Martellus Bennett, TE, Patriots ($109, $137 in TE PPR-bonus leagues): Just when you thought it was time to pass on Bennett, he stepped up with a big game in Week 2 against Miami. He did not run routes often, but when he got the ball in space he rumbled for several big gains. Bennett finished as one of the top tight ends for the week (5-114-1) on just six targets. Do not give up on him yet.
- Anquan Boldin, WR, Lions ($109): Detroit is going to throw a ton this year, and with Ameer Abdullah (foot) now out, look for the Lions to try and be a pass-first team most weeks. That bodes well for Anquan Boldin, the WR3 for Detroit, who converted seven targets for a 4-48-1 day including a touchdown in triple coverage. Boldin has become a solid possession receiver over the past few seasons, and he looks to have a solid home in Detroit. Fantasy-wise, he looks as a respectable flex option and borderline WR3 in PPR leagues.
- Charles Sims, RB, Buccaneers ($108): Doug Martin tweaked his hamstring in Week 2, which opened the door for Charles Sims to take over lead back duties for Tampa Bay. With the Buccaneers getting blown out 40-7 by Arizona, Sims did not run the ball much in Week 2 (9-24 rushing), but if Martin misses time then Sims will get some more value. The problem is the schedule, as the Buccaneers face the Rams, Broncos and Carolina the next three games before their bye in Week 6.
- Jesse James, TE, Steelers ($108, $135 in TE PPR-bonus leagues): As I mentioned last week, the Steelers need viable targets in the passing game, especially over the middle. James built on his solid Week 1 against Washington (5-31, seven targets) with a 3-29-1 day on five chances against the Bengals in Week 2. With the retirement of Heath Miller and Ladarius Green sidelined with injuries (PUP list), James is the clear starting tight end now in Pittsburgh. He stepped right up in Week 1 with a solid 5-31 performance on seven targets in Washington. “The Outlaw” scored his second NFL touchdown and looks to be a favorite of Ben Roethlisberger.
- Kenyan Drake, RB, Dolphins ($107): Let everyone else chase Jay Ajayi with Arian Foster sidelined – the better pickup looks to be Kenyan Drake. He turned the corner on the short (right) side of the field from the 7-yard line, broke tackles and found the end zone. With speed to burn and comparisons to Reggie Bush, Drake has excellent upside with an opportunity to shine against Cleveland in Week 3.
- Jamison Crowder, WR, Washington ($107): Crowder is the PPR slot receiver for Washington, and he continues to help move the chains for Washington. Crowder built on his catches and 58 yards on 10 targets in Week 1 with a 6-39-1 day in Week 2, highlighted by a touchdown in the back middle of the end zone against Dallas. Crowder is a solid WR3 option with several good matchups in the next 4-6 weeks.
- Jacob Tamme, TE, Falcons ($106, $118 in TE PPR-bonus leagues): Tamme outsnapped and outplayed rookie Austin Hooper again in Week 2, this time finding the end zone to cap a 5-75-1 day. Tamme saw eight targets and 44 snaps, most of the time getting passes thrown his way over the middle.
- Clive Walford, TE, Raiders ($105, $117 in TE PPR-bonus leagues): Walford caught nearly everything thrown in his direction in Week 2, converting seven targets for a 6-50-1 day against the Falcons. Atlanta has yielded a tight end touchdown in the first two weeks, so Walford’s numbers could be boosted here due to the weak defense, but his involvement in the passing game cannot be overlooked. Oakland has some strong matchups this season and next week’s game against the Titans could be the start of a run of good productivity for the big target.
- Charles Clay, TE, Bills ($104, $118 in TE PPR-bonus leagues): Buffalo fell behind in Week 2 at home against the Jets, which led to more passing and targets for Charles Clay. The big tight end converted 5 of 7 targets for just 27 yards, reflecting how short his routes were on Thursday. Looking forward, the Bills face Arizona and New England in the next two weeks and will likely have to throw often again. Clay was the second-most targeted receiver for Buffalo, which makes him a reasonable TE2 and borderline TE1 in PPR leagues.
- Jay Ajayi, RB, Dolphins ($104): Arian Foster (hamstring) left the Week 2 contest in New England early, but Ajayi did little with his chances on offense (5-14 rushing, 4-31 receiving on four targets). Ajayi could be behind rookie Kenyan Drake, who looked faster and found the end zone in his NFL debut.
- Tyler Boyd, WR, Bengals ($103): Boyd actually led the Bengals in receiving in Week 2, converting eight targets for a 6-78 day. He saw just as many targets as Brandon LaFell (3-39), but Boyd offers so much more upside that I would rather have him on my roster.
- Jerick McKinnon, RB, Vikings ($102): Can you really trust any running back for the Vikings after Adrian Peterson? McKinnon looks to be the guy between the 20-yard lines for Minnesota, but even Peterson struggled behind the Minnesota offensive line. He’s a bench player especially with Carolina up next.
- Jordan Cameron, TE, Dolphins ($101, $116 in TE PPR-bonus leagues): Miami had to throw a ton against New England, and this could be the common game script in Miami going forwards. Cameron saw seven targets in Week 2, resulting in a 5-49-1 performance including a stellar touchdown in traffic. Cameron gets a strong matchup against Cleveland next week, which makes him a TE2 with TE1 upside.
CHUMP CHANGE
Chump Change is reserved for players who are relatively considered to be a good flier pick to stash on a fantasy bench in case he blows up over the next few weeks and becomes a potential immediate or spot starter.
- Sam Bradford, QB, Vikings ($98): Not sure how he managed to pull it off, but Sam Bradford looked very good and comfortable with his brand new team in Week 2. Bradford helped lead the Vikings to a 17-14 win over Green Bay thanks to his play, WR Stefon Diggs and a superior defensive effort. Bradford will be tested at Carolina next week, but if Blaine Gabbert can throw a few touchdowns, why can’t Bradford?
- Corey Coleman, WR, Browns ($97): First, the good news – the rookie wideout scored twice against the Ravens in Week 2, breaking out with a 5-104-2 performance. Both touchdowns came in the first quarter, which was before Josh McCown went down with an injury. That’s the bad news here. Coleman has great upside but with Cody Kessler as his quarterback the upside gets limited quickly.
- Cole Beasley, WR, Cowboys ($95): Beasley was a big part of the offense for Dallas for the second week in a row, getting six chances that resulted in a productive 5-75 day. He also drew a pass interference call in the end zone, so that elusive score could be coming as soon as Week 3 against ChIcago.
- Dwayne Washington, RB, Lions ($94): Washington could be the main guy for Detroit with Ameer Abdullah (foot) out for what could be an extended period. He looks to be the goal line back and could wind up with much more opportunity moving forwards. Expectations have to be tempered in the near future with a tough matchup against Green Bay.
- Sammy Coates, WR, Steelers ($93): Pittsburgh did not have a big passing day in Week 2 against Cincinnati, but Coates stepped up to lead all receivers on the day with 97 yards on just two receptions. Coates has the potential to produce given that Antonio Brown will get the most coverage from the opposition.
- Josh Doctson, WR, Washington ($89): A sneaky pickup as he had just one long catch of 57 yards but he saw five targets including one in the red zone.
- Kenny Britt, WR, Rams ($88): The Los Angeles offense looked downright putrid in Week 1, but they amped up for their first home game in L.A. since 1994. Britt converted 10 targets for a 6-94 day to lead all Rams receivers, but the consistency needs to improve here before he is more than just a bench player in deeper leagues.
- Jermaine Kearse, WR, Seahawks ($87): Kearse had just two catches on six targets, but he did drop a touchdown pass in the second quarter. Both Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett were injured during the Week 2 game against the Rams. Both did return to action, but if they are sidelined, Kearse looks to benefit the most.
- Terrelle Pryor, WR, Browns ($86): Terrelle Pryor continues to see plenty of targets in Cleveland (10 in Week 2), but with quarterback issues it is hard to value him over a bench spot. Who knows though – he may wind up as their next starting quarterback.
- Jack Doyle, TE, Colts ($85, $95 in TE PPR-bonus leagues): Doyle’s value was questionable after Week 1 with two of his three catches going for scores against Detroit. Week 2 added to the intrigue as he played 45 snaps and posted a 4-37 day on five targets. The snaps did not come at the expense of starting tight end Dwayne Allen (65 snaps), so the Colts are moving back to two tight ends as a base offense. If Donte Moncrief (shoulder) misses time, Doyle could be an even bigger part of the offense for Indianapolis.
- Matt Asiata, RB, Vikings ($84): Similar story to Jerick McKinnon - Can you really trust any running back for the Vikings after Adrian Peterson? Asiata should get goal line carries, but even Peterson struggled behind the Minnesota offensive line. Asiata is a deep league add for goal line chances, not much more.
- Trey Burton, TE, Eagles ($77, $95 in TE PPR-bonus leagues): With Zach Ertz out, everyone expected Brent Celek to get most of the love at tight end for Philadelphia. While the Eagles did target Celek (he had several plays called back due to penalties), it was Burton who really performed well. The Eagles called plays for Burton several times, including a creative screen at the goal line that led to his first NFL touchdown. Burton looks to have the talent to contribute as a receiver often for Philadelphia and is a sneaky TE2 with upside.
- Devontae Booker, RB, Broncos ($55, $110 if you own C.J. Anderson): Quite simply, C.J. Anderson looks to be one of the best (if not THE best) running backs in the NFL and fantasy this year. If you do not have his direct backup as insurance if you own Anderson, fix that this week. If you wish you had Anderson, try and steal his handcuff.
- Jacoby Brissett, QB, Patriots ($45): You know it was a rough, tough week when we are talking about third string quarterbacks. Odds are that Brissett starts both Week 3 and Week 4 at home against the Texans and Bills before Tom Brady returns to action. I would not hold my breath for much fantasy production in either contest.
- Danny Amendola, WR, Patriots ($34): I only write up Amendola this week because if I don’t, I will see a ton of email and tweets that I didn’t speak about a guy who scored twice in Week 2. Guess what, it was a fluke. Amendola was only on the field for 19 snaps and saw just four targets, but it just so happened that two of them were in the end zone. Do not chase his 4-50-2 day, especially with a new quarterback now in New England.
- Cody Kessler, QB, Browns ($33): Kessler is a desperation pickup right now for teams without any better options at quarterback. Hopefully your team is in better shape than that, but if not, there is good news with good matchups looming against Miami and Washington the next two weeks. Cleveland does have solid targets for Kessler, but it remains to be seen how long he will last under center, based on the “one and done” pattern so far for the Browns. Without any other options on the roster (unless Terrelle Pryor winds up at quarterback again).
Questions, suggestions and comments are always welcome to pasquino@footballguys.com.