While Fantasy Football prognostication is not an exact science it is always good to look back and figure out if your reasoning in making a particular decision was sound. Yesterday the FFCounselor hosted a round table discussion taking a look at some of the biggest hits and misses from the first 6 weeks of the fantasy football season. Liz Lola and Sean McMahon added their excellent insight into looking back before the playoff push begins.
While many fantasy football “experts” preached that they expected a drop off from Alfred Morris this year, none expected it to be caused by game situations. The expected statistical correction was supposed to be because of his limited talent and the fact that Robert Griffin III would be the focal point of the offense, if he was healthy. Alfred Morris has 56 carries for 296 yards and 2 touchdowns through the first four games of the Redskins’ season. That’s good for a 5.3 average and he has even had (3) 20+ yard runs which is better than Doug Martin, Arian Foster, and Jamal Charles combined. The main thing holding Alfred Morris back from being a sophomore fantasy star is the the Washington Redskins’ horrid defense.
In fantasy terms the Redskins are close to as bad as it gets on defense. They give up the 4th most fantasy points to QBs, RBs, and WRs. That’s hard to do. They are literally horrible at every level. Even the old stalwart London Fletcher finds himself not being able to play like his old self. As of today Fletcher is rated 49th out of 50 rated ILBs by Pro Football Focus. The news doesn’t get much better when you talk about the guys that are supposed to be protecting Fletcher as Kedric Golston and Stephen Bowen are rated 38th and 42nd respectively out of 44 defensive ends by Pro Football Focus.
The fact that the Redskins have been down a combined 81-31 at the half through their first four games is a huge reason that Alfred Morris has not been able to get the touches in the running game. His high carry total of 16 carries is not what you’re looking for from a non-pass catching RB1. Nobody was buying Morris as a PPR monster, but he used to make up the difference by rushing the ball at least 20 times a game. From watching the tape you could see that Morris isn’t even trusting his running instincts as he tries to make a big play when his old down-hill running self would have made a solid run.
For example- Early in the first quarter against the Raiders, the Redskins had a chance at a big play in the running game. What you can’t see in the picture is that the Raiders had rolled the strong safety up to blitz on the strong side of the formation. The free safety is 20+ yards deep and the middle of the defense is exposed. The Redskins run a zone/stretch to the weak side and should be able to find a hole in the middle.
Alfred Morris presses the weak side and looks for a cut back lane from the Center’s right butt cheek and out. Logan Paulsen is able handle his defensive end one on one and keep him from squeezing down. A huge hole develops off the right side of the offensive line.
Morris’s eyes drift toward breaking it all the way back to the back side of the play instead of continuing to run down hill and hit the huge chasm that develops on the right side of the line. This play was helped by some very poor linebacker play by the Raiders as the SAM backer gets frozen by looking in the backfield at RG3.
When Morris finally sees the hole he tries to cut back to the middle of the field, but trips over his tight end and is stopped for a four yard gain. Instead of a first and ten at around mid-field you end up in a third and long. I believe this is an example of Morris pressing to make plays in the running game because he knows he is not going to get as many chances as he did last year.
RG3 has not helped matters by misfiring as a passer early in games. He is both shaky as a passer and a runner so far this season early in games. Another example of Griffin’s rust showed up early in the Raiders game.
RG3 lines up in the pistol with the fullback lined up to the weakside of the formation. The Redskins run a zone read with RG3 reading the SAM backer. If the backer ducks under the block of the fullback to take Morris RG3 keeps the ball and runs around the vacated space. If the backer comes up the field then he can give the ball to Morris for a big gainer.
The SAM backer takes Morris and RG3 has a chance to run the ball. So far so good as the blocking is excellent by the LT and TE.
Here’s where I have a problem with RG3 the QB right now. The play works to perfection, but it still needs to be executed. Griffin pulls the ball and immediately breaks for the sideline without looking at the vacated area of the backer. If he did, he would have seen that his fullback has leverage on his block and he would have an easy eight yards before he is touched. Instead of running through a hole big enough to fit a tractor-trailer he decides to run to the outside. I’m not sure he has great instincts as a runner (runningback instincts, not track instincts), but last year he would have turned this up the field. I think he is a little afraid to get into the danger areas.
I also see this as a quarterback who is trying to do too much. The entire organization is relying on him. The defense that the Redskins put on the field each and every week puts this young quarterback in a very difficult situation. If the Redskins could find a way to stick to the running game and not put so much pressure on Griffin I think they could get back to their league leading ways, but if the defense continues to get gashed this offense will not be able to put up the fantasy football numbers we all expected. I still like both Morris and Griffin long term, but game flow is going to continue to be a big hindrance on their fantasy output.
The New York Giants decided to tease the fan base this past Sunday. The biggest tease was the anticipation leading up to the game. Everyone knew that Tom Coughlin teams always seem to win those must win games. Backs against the wall and that’s when the Giants look like world beaters. The Giants of past years would all of a sudden get all three phases of their game going at the same time when they needed it most. The first drive of the game had every Giant fan exhaling and finally able to cheer.
The problem was that would be the last time we would cheer until the third quarter. While the Eagles put up 19 unanswered points, we struggled to make first downs. Brandon Jacobs was forced to carry the load after David Wilson was injured and reminded every Giant fan that it’s not just Wilson who can fumble. The Giants were able make a run in the third quarter, but it was fool’s gold. With the Giants being one-dimensional and putting the ball in the air almost every play bad things were bound to happen. While all three of Eli’s interceptions might not have been his fault we have to realize that at this point of the season we cannot be so one dimensional.
On with the Start/Sit Advice
Eli Manning – I have him outside my top 16 QBs this week
220 yards passing 1 TD and 2 turnovers (my projection)
NumberFire: 298.14 yards passing 1.11 TDs 1.39 INTs
Manning on a short week against the Chicago Bears in Chicago doesn’t seam like a very good matchup. The only way he will put up numbers is by sheer volume. If he attempts 50 passes he could have a top 15 QB week. The Chicago Bears do have some injuries along the defensive line and haven’t been getting their trademark pressure so there is hope, but not much.
Brandon Jacobs or Da’Rel Scott
NumberFire: Brandon Jacobs 10.05 carries for 30.13 Yards and .04 TDs
NumberFire: Da’Rel Scott 11.08 carries for 40.73 yards and .22 TDs 5.03 Receptions for 36.84 yards
David Wilson is injured and has been ruled out. Jacobs is starting and Scott has been re-signed and will be handling passing downs, but that doesn’t scream to me a dynamic duo. NumberFire obviously sees the Giants playing from behind and Scott getting a lot of action as the third down back.
5.49 receptions for 79.85 yards and .41 TDs (NumberFire)
2.95 receptions for 39.34 yards and .25 TDs (NumberFire)
3.22 receptions for 41.38 yards and .19 TDs (NumberFire)
The only thing you can count on is that the Giants will have to throw the ball. Cruz is a must start no matter what. A couple of mediocre weeks don’t change that. Nicks is a different story. I doubt many of you are going to bench Nicks after the stats he put up last week, but I would because of the short week. I think NumberFire has it right that Randle will outproduce Hakeem Nicks this week. I would only start Randle or Nicks if I had serious injury or bye week problems. Nicks had 9 receptions for 142 yards last week, but it was a Tony Romo-like performance. He dropped a touchdown and then sealed the game by not finishing a route when he was exhausted at the end of the game.
4.16 receptions for 41.11 yards and .31 TDs
Myers is nursing an injury and has not had much production the last few weeks. I wouldn’t risk playing him on Thursday night.
Quick Notes from around the league …
HUGE NEWS: Julio Jones injured his foot and will miss the remainder of the season. Harry Douglas looks like the obvious waiver choice, but I would look to pick up Alshon Jeffrey, Keenan Allen, or even our very own Rueben Randle before picking up Douglas.
Zac Stacy will get another start for the Rams and Marcel Reece will be forced to start for the Raiders. If you need a running back because of injury or bye weeks look to them.
If you have a question for me you can join the conversation on Twitter by following @Coachesser or by liking my Facebook Page CoachEsser’s Playbook. You can also read any of my articles or listen to my podcasts by visiting www.coachesser.com. Make sure to head over to iTunes and download the latest TrickPlays podcast if you want to win your fantasy league this year.
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With the Rams running back situation currently in a state of disarray I wanted to take a look at who was really to blame for their running game problems. The running backs suffer from a lack of elite talent, but they should be able to produce at least replacement level production and aren’t so far this season. The offensive line was supposed to get a boost from the signing of Jake Long, but he hasn’t played up to expectations and the rest of the offensive line are not doing the job. The real problem seems to be the running game concepts and the play calling.
For an example I picked an early play from the first quarter of the 49ers Vs. Rams game from last Thursday to demonstrate the problems. The score was 0-0 and the Rams were driving towards the first score of the game in a big divisional game. The situation was 2nd and 2 at the 22 yardline of the 49ers at 8:08 of the first quarter.
The Rams come out in 21 personnel with the Fullback (who was a college tight end) Cory Harkey lined up to the weak side. The 49ers are in a base 3-4 and both safeties are deep. It is an ideal situation for the Rams to pick up an easy first down.
With most running plays the design is always to leave the running back with a one on one situation with a defensive back. Even if your lineman can’t sustain a block on a linebacker if you impede the linebacker’s path to the hole you can pick up positive yardage. With this alignment there are a few plays that can pick up a short first down, but quite a few that could produce a long gainer. I would be attacking the strong side of this defense. I would block down from the RT down and bring Harkey over to wham on the defensive end. Kendricks who has been a poor blocker this year would only be asked to wall off the outside linebacker and the RT Joe Barksdale would block down on Navarro Bowman. You double-team Dorsey to wall off the backside ILB and Williams is asked to make sure there’s no penetration from Justin Smith.
The only glaring flaw that I could see looking at the personnel pre-snap is that Harkey is not a natural fullback and lacks running game instincts. If Ray McDonald really squeezes down then Harkey can log him and Richardson can bounce outside the block and inside of the Kendrick’s block. Let’s see how the Rams decided to attack this juicy defensive set up.
As you can see the Rams decided to run to the strong side, but had a very poor run game design. ILB Navarro Bowman is completely left alone and the fullback is not even utilized. I can’t be sure that Harkey actually did the right thing on this play, but the blocking scheme on the strong side is more worrisome. There was absolutely no reason to double team Ray McDonald on this play. They leave the center singled up with Glenn Dorsey who immediately feels the run going to his left and takes the center for a ride. The hole just isn’t there. If Harkey had attacked Bowman there would have been a very nice cutback seam for Richardson, but for some reason he buries his head into Justin Smith’s legs. Daryl Richardson can’t bounce it outside because of the the way Kendricks is asked to block the OLB. He can’t cut back inside because Bowman is left alone and is shadowing him in the hole. He was lucky to be tackled for no gain.
This is the play I would have called. I am not saying it would have been a touchdown, but it definitely has a much better chance at succeeding. You have to put your players in the best situation to succeed. If you ask too much of a player you can’t be upset if they don’t come through.
The insertion of power back Zac Stacy should help the Rams move the ball even when there is the smallest of holes. I am hoping the Rams use a combination of Richardson and Stacy and take a look at their core running game concepts to make changes. I don’t recommend blowing your entire budget in your fantasy football league on the news that Stacy is starting, he is definitely worth a stash in all 12 team leagues are larger.
Who knew that the soft part of the Giants 2013 schedule would be when we finally got to face another NFC East opponent? The Eagles looked like they had it all going in the first half of game one of the Chip Kelly era as they dominated on both sides of the ball to lead 26-7 to end the first half against the Washington Redskins. Since they stepped on the field in the second half of that game they have been outscored 131-73. The fact that the Eagles defense has looked like Swiss cheese the last few weeks must have the Giants’ offense breathing a sigh of relief after facing two very tough defenses on the road the last two weeks. The Giants’ defense also has the added benefit of seeing how the Chiefs and Broncos were able to stop Chip Kelly’s fast paced offense the last two weeks.
Eli Manning – 321 yards passing, 8 yards rushing, 3 passing touchdowns and 1 interception (my projection)
NumberFire has Eli Manning producing 289.36 yards, 1.36 touchdowns and 1.23 interceptions
If there was ever a week that could get Eli back on track it would be this one. He watched his big brother tear apart the Eagles’ secondary in Denver last week and may have seen some ways to exploit the very same holes.
I have Eli having a big game as long as our makeshift offensive line can keep him upright. With four teams on byes Eli is very much in the mix to be a top 12 QB this week.
David Wilson – 18 carries for 78 yards, 5 receptions for 34 yards and 1 touchdown (my projection)
NumberFire has David Wilson getting 15.61 carries for 58.36 yards, 2.22 receptions for 14 yards and .46 TDs overall
Yes, I have David Wilson actually startable in leagues that use a flex position. The Eagles defense is that bad and the Giants seem to be finally giving Wilson the chance to produce. The news that Da’Rel Scott was waived Tuesday makes it even more likely that Wilson will feature against the Eagles.
Victor Cruz – 8 receptions for 108 yards and 1 touchdown (my projection)
NumberFire has Victor Cruz getting 6.67 receptions, 88.01 yards and .64 touchdowns
If I was the Eagles I would be doubling Victor Cruz every where on the field, but I am sure they will leave him open just as every other team has so far this year. Talk about earning your money.
Hakeem Nicks – 5 receptions for 77 yards and 0 touchdowns (my projection)
NumberFire has Hakeem Nicks getting 3.66 receptions 50.41 yards and .65 touchdowns
NumberFire is much more optimistic than I about Nicks finding pay-dirt on Sunday, but I hope I am wrong for the Giants sake. Nicks has been so inconsistent and doesn’t seem to be half the explosive player he was just a few seasons ago.
Brandon Myers – 4 receptions for 48 yards and 0 touchdowns (my projection)
NumberFire has Brandon Myers getting 4.38 receptions, 47.19 yards and .18 touchdowns
Myers had a great big goose egg last week as he was asked to block a little more than he had been before. He should get back on track this week, but I would still consider him a tight end 2 this week with so many tight ends having great starts to the season.
I wanted to give a shout out to Jared (Here Comes Treble) of Big Blue View Fantasy League 2 who is the first manager to beat the Commish this year as he had Peyton Manning, Arian Foster, and Torrey Smith put up huge numbers that I was not able to overcome. So far The Commish is leading BBV League 1 and Marcus’s Longshots are leading BBV League 2. I hope everyone is doing well in their leagues and would love to hear if any of my draft advice is paying dividends so far this season.
If you have a question for me you can join the conversation on Twitter by following @Coachesser or by liking my Facebook Page CoachEsser’s Playbook. You can also read any of my articles or listen to my podcasts by visiting www.coachesser.com. Make sure to head over to iTunes and download the latest TrickPlays podcast if you want to win your fantasy league this year.
This post originally appeared at www.bigblueview.com on October 2nd, 2013.
So that’s what rock-bottom feels like. I thought I had seen the Giants hit it the week before when Eli Manning was busy throwing up jump balls to the entireDenver Broncos defensive backfield, but apparently that was just the beginning. The running backs getting hit in the backfield is our only staple running play at this point. At least we can count on having 2nd-and-11 when we script our first few offensive plays.
Well that’s enough about last week. Hopefully our offense, as a whole, has a short memory, like the one a quarterback needs after throwing a tough interception, or a running-back needs after fumbling, or an offensive-lineman needs after letting up a sack. Oh wait….right, we should be just fine.
Now it’s time to look on the bright side. We are facing that AFC West basement dwelling team from Kansas City this week. Wait, what happened? They are undefeated and have one of the best defenses in all of football. Their front seven has been a nightmare for opposing offenses, so don’t get fooled by that 150-yard performance from LeSean McCoylast week. Justin Houston and Tamba Hali are licking their chops thinking about facing our beleaguered offensive unit.
Eli Manning — Don’t start him in any of your leagues.
I’m not going to even give a projection because this is just a horrible match-up at the exact worst time. The line needs to show they can keep him upright and they need to develop a running game so that he doesn’t see all that coverage when he gets to the top of his drop-back.
David Wilson — Don’t start him if at all possible
With the first bye week officially here some owners are going to be forced to start David Wilson against the Kansas City Chiefs. I am not going to be one of them. I really do like Wilson and am holding him on my bench until the Giants get their act together.
Victor Cruz — 7 receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown
I think Cruz is one of the only things Eli can count on at this point and he will be the beneficiary of that trust. I would still start him in any format this week.
Hakeem Nicks — 5 receptions for 72 yards
Wel,l how are we supposed to get him in our lineups if he can’t even throw the ball to himself. Okay, so he may have picked the wrong time to whine about getting his touches. Right now I don’t know what to think of Nicks and his role in this offense. I have seen people put him on their buy low list because of his talent and the fact that there won’t be another goose-egg, but I haven’t seen anything as far as a defined role.
Brandon Myers — 5 receptions for 52 yards
Myers is a terrible blocker. He is a slow version of what a finesse H-Back used to look like. I can’t stand that he is on the field as much as he is, but what choice do the Giants have at this point? The good thing is he has shown good hands so far this year.
It’s not the end of the world to have to sit your favorite players on the bench for a while until they figure it out. I am sure Eli Manning and David Wilson will be big-time performers at times this year, but I am going to have to wait until I see some improvement from the team as a whole before I put them in my lineups.
I hope everyone is off to 3-0 starts in their Fantasy Football leagues, but if not why not take a minute and let me know what is wrong with your current team in the comments below. Maybe I can help.
For any Start/Sit advice or Trade questions follow me on Twitter @Coachesser or like my Facebook page Coachesser’s Playbook. You can also go to my websitewww.coachesser.com and listen to my brand new podcast Trick Plays with Micah James (FFMagicMan)
This article originally appeared at www.bigblueview.com on September 25th, 2013.
Every Sunday I will be providing a quick look around the NFL to let you know what I think of every matchup from a fantasy perspective.
St. Louis Rams vs. Atlanta Falcons
Must Start
Matt Ryan, Steven Jackson, Julio Jones (if healthy) Tony Gonzalez, Jared Cook
Flex Options
Chris Givens, Daryl Richardson
Deep League Flex Plays
Harry Douglas, Tavon Austin (Hoping this is the week they start to use him more)
Burns up Your Bench (Back Ups who will have nice days)
Stapled to the Bench
Roddy White (because of injury)
Carolina Panthers vs. Buffalo Bills
Must Start
Cam Newton, C. J. Spiller,
Probably Starts For Most Deep League Teams
Steve Smith, Greg Olsen
Flex Options
DeAngelo Williams, Stevie Johnson
Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
Must Start
Adrian Peterson, Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall
Deep League Flex Options
Alshon Jeffrey, Greg Jennings, Jerome Simpson
Burns Up Your Bench
Washington Redskins vs. Green Bay Packers
Must Start
Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson, Robert Griffin III, Alfred Morris, Randall Cobb, Pierre Garcon
Flex Options
James Jones, Eddie Lacy, Jermichael Finley (Toe issue keeps him from must start)
Deep League Flex Options
Miami Dolphins vs. Indianapolis Colts
Must Starts
Flex Options
Ahmad Bradshaw,(Injury to Vick Ballard pushes Bradshaw up my flex board) Lamar Miller, Mike Wallace,
Deep League Flex Options
Brandon Gibson, Darius Heyward-Bay
Dallas Cowboys vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Must Start
Jamal Charles, Dez Bryant (as long as his foot cooperates), Jason Witten
Flex Options
DeMarco Murray, Dwayne Bowe, Miles Austin
Deep League Flex Options
Donnie Avery (16 Team Leagues)
Benched (where I have a capable backup)
Tony Romo (Worried about his ability to make throws with his bruised ribs)
San Diego Chargers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Must Start
LeSean McCoy, Michael Vick, Desean Jackson
Deep league Starters or Flex Options
Brent Celek, Antonio Gates, Vincent Brown, Malcolm Floyd
Bench
Philip Rivers (Not liking the cross country early game for these West Coasters)
Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens
Must Start
Trent Richardson, Ray Rice (Cleveland is underrated against the run), Cameron Jordan
Flex Options
Torrey Smith (* I would keep him on the bench if you can with Joe Hadencovering him, but he could always take one to the house.)
Deep League Flex Options
Marlon Brown (Sneaky start in deep leagues as he could benefit from the defense rolling towards Smith.)
Nice Value in Daily Fantasy Football
Brandon Weeden (he’s cheap and the Baltimore secondary looked suspect last week)
Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans
Must Start
Andre Johnson, Arian Foster, Chris Johnson
Most Likely Starters or Flex Options
Deep League Flex Options
Detroit Lions vs. Arizona Cardinals
Must Start
Reggie Bush, Calvin Johnson, Matthew Stafford, Larry Fitzgerald (If Healthy! Questionable as of now)
Flex Options
Joique Bell, Andre Roberts, Michael Floyd (Bump Roberts and Floyd up if Fitzgerald is forced to miss the game.)
New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccanneers
Must Start
Drew Brees, Doug Martin, Jimmy Graham, Vincent Jackson, Marques Colston
Flex Options
Darren Sproles (almost always a must start in PPR), Mike Williams, Lance Moore
Deep League Flex Options
Pierre Thomas, Kenny Stills, Mark Ingram (desperation play in very deep leagues)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Oakland Raiders
Must Start
? …..um…..Sebastian Janikowski
Flex Options
Maurice Jones-Drew, Darren McFadden, Cecil Shorts(Chad Henne is in for Gabbert,which is good for Shorts, but there aren’t many other options in the passing game to keep Shorts from being doubled), Rod Streater
Deep League Starter
Terrelle Pryor (second most rushing yards last week!)
Denver Broncos vs. New York Giants
I covered the the Giants earlier this week and nothing much has changed for me as far as my projections go.
As for talking about the Broncos, it puts me in a tough spot because I really hope they all don’t play well!
The only player I will talk about for the Broncos is Eric Decker who I think Peyton Manning will try to get involved early in the game. I expect him to have a bounce back game. Otherwise use someone else’s start/sit advice.
San Francisco vs. Seattle Seahawks
Must Start
Colin Kaepernick (fast becoming one of the best players in the game), Vernon Davis, Marshawn Lynch
Flex Options
Anquan Boldin,(Brandon Browner being out helps Boldin’s chances) Frank Gore, Golden Tate (only in deep leagues where I had an injury)
Bench
I am keeping Russell Wilson on the bench for this matchup because he had a tough time picking yardage against the 49ers last season. He did have a four TD game so if you’re forced start him there is hope.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Must Start
Flex Options
Deep League Flex Options
Emmanuel Sanders, BenJarvis Green-Ellis, Giovani Bernard, Tyler Eifert(in leagues that weigh Tight Ends heavily)
Burns Up Your Bench
Andy Dalton (I think Dalton has a nice game on Monday night, but he will only be started in 2QB leagues.)
I will try and check the message board for any start/sit questions, but if you don’t get a response right away try and send me a Tweet on Twitter@Coachesser or a message through my Facebook page CoachEsser’s Playbook. You can also go to www.coachesser.com for any start/sit comparisons powered by NumberFire.
This post originally appeared at www.bigblueview.com on September 13th 2013.
Fantasy Football Leagues Come in All Shapes and Sizes
From “Redraft” to “Pirate” I’m here to tell you about all your options.
Keeper Leagues
Did you ever draft a player and wish he could be the corner stone of your team for years and years? Of course you have, unless you’re like the guy in my keeper league that only shows up to bum cigarettes and complain about his marriage. If you’re like him you always take the wrong player in the first round and are constantly wanting to throw all of your players back in the draft.
I, for one, love keeper leagues. You get all the benefits of being a strong redrafter with the added bonus of building your teams around a singular fantasy asset. If you’re lucky you may even have a double keeper league and you can turn that keen late round drafting eye into multiple championships. For example, in my double keeper league players like Alfred Morris, Randall Cobb, and Danny Amendola were kept as 10th round keepers this year.
Dynasty Leagues
If you want a real challenge you should try and join an existing dynasty league and try and build a perennial loser into a champion. This type of fantasy championship is so satisfying that you may find yourself joining every dynasty league you can. It would be as if you were a Raider fan and suddenly Al Davis left the team to you in his will. You show up to work and realize the team was mismanaged for years and you won’t be competitive for years. You make shrewd move after shrewd move until suddenly you go from cellar dweller to championship contender.
If that seems like too much work you can always join a dynasty startup league where you can draft your team and keep them for ever. If you are a good dynasty drafter you can both compete for a championship in season 1 and build for the future at the same time. The best thing about dynasty leagues is that trade talk is year round. Players and picks are always on the block and every off season move by teams around the league are checked over with a fine tooth comb. It takes a different breed to be a dynasty owner as it takes serious dedication. If you are only a casual fantasy football player please don’t join a league because you will just end up quitting.
Redraft Standard Leagues
Standard scoring is going the way of the dodo bird in most fantasy circles, but you better be ready for a different way of valuing players if you are invited to join a standard league. yardage and touchdowns are the only thing that matters. You need players that get in the endzone and rack up the yardage no matter how they get it. For instance if you took Darren Sproles in the second round of a standard draft you may get a Bronx cheer from the league.
Redraft PPR leagues
I would call this the “Cadillac of fantasy football leagues”. Just like Hold ’em is to the poker world now, PPR leagues are just assumed when talking about redraft values. Players like Darren Sproles and Wes Welker have been on more winning teams because of their big reception totals then players like Stevan Ridley and Dwayne Bowe. These leagues a re dime a dozen and after a summer of doing rankings I can do a draft blind-folded.
Best Ball Leagues
You can do “just draft” best ball leagues or “manage” best ball leagues. With either option you draft a team and the best at their respective positions are used as starters. In “just draft” formats you are helpless against injuries and can not use the waiver wire or trades for reinforcements. In “manage” best ball formats you can still make pickups and trades, but the pressure of starting or sitting you best players is taken away. These leagues are the best for work leagues and small buy in leagues. There is nothing more awkward than yelling at your boss on a message board for starting a player on a bye.
Survivor Style Leagues
Most of these leagues are done as best ball and for small buy ins. You draft a team and hop you don’t score the least amount of points each week. The lowest scoring team is dropped each week until there is only one winner. Some survivor style leagues drop the lowest total score each week including the previous weeks’ totals. These are great leagues to do with a group of friends that can only stay in touch over the internet. You do a slow e-mail based draft through a site like MyFantasyLeague and when it’s all said and done only one of you comes out on top.
Pirate Leagues
This is my first year participating in a pirate league and I can tell you that a close week 1 matchup will have you on the edge of your seat. The idea of the league is that you plunder the team that you beat head to head each week. To the victor goes the spoils as they say. My week 1 matchup literally wasn’t decided until the 4th quarter of the last Monday night game around 1:00 AM ET. If I had lost I would have been forced to give up Doug Martin or Demaryius Thomas and be forced to take back the owner’s worst player at the same position. Luckily Owen Daniels pulled out a last minute win for my team and now I have a shiny new LeSean McCoy to show for it. Just for week 1 edge of your seat purposes I say you have to try this format next year. It’s like being in a fantasy championship every week.
IDP Leagues
I like IDP leagues for the sheer fact that it makes you pay attention to the NFL as a whole. You need to keep track of defensive players just as much as offensive players. I usually participate in at least two IDP leagues a year and prefer leagues where you start up to five defensive players. These leagues are usually won by the people that understand football inside and out. I personally love seeing great defensive players being put up on the board right next to their offensive counterparts.
2QB Leagues
I have been in 2QB leagues for years and have never been more excited about playing in these types of leagues. The position is so deep this year that you can finally forego drafting a quarterback in round two of a 12 team league and still get a very good QB2 in the third round. If you are sick of watching your friends wait until the 8th round of a draft and still getting a quality starting quarterback then I suggest you change your league to a 2QB league.
Auction Leagues
I’m not sure there is anything more fun than an auction draft. From purposely bidding up your friends as they chase their favorite players to watching yourself get stuck with a player you never wanted in the first place. The varied strategies are the best thing about auction drafts as teams can go the “studs and duds” route,”the wait and see what’s left” route or the slow and steady route. No where else can you start your draft off with Adrian Peterson and Calvin Johnson and then go out for a beer.
If you know of any other types of leagues please feel free to comment at the bottom and let me know so i can add it to my list.
The New York Giants could not have started the season worse from a real life football perspective. Mental and physical errors plagued the Giants as they fell behind a divisional opponent in an important week one matchup. The Dallas Cowboys took advantage of every mistake and built up a lead that Eli and his receivers were almost able to overcome. The frantic comeback attempt had Eli Manning and his receivers at the top of fantasy leader boards.
Eli was able to overcome three interceptions and throw for 450 yards and 4 touchdowns. Victor Cruz ended up as the third-highest scoring wide receiver in fantasy football and proved to be the Giants best chess piece as he absolutely killed the Dallas Cowboys. Hakeem Nicks looked quick as he was able to top 100 yards, but wasn’t able to get in the end zone. Rueben Randlewas a surprise fantasy producer as he broke the 100 yard barrier as well, but I wouldn’t expect that every week. Brandon Myers picked up a lot of action late to put him among the top tight ends of a high-scoring week one in fantasy football.
The only offensive player to not get in on the action was David Wilson. Wilson not only disappointed Giants’ fans with his poor play, but also became one of the all time biggest week one busts in recent fantasy football memory. For example, Wilson was the fourth-most selected player (31 percent of teams) in daily fantasy football drafts on DraftStreet for week one yet managed to actually put up a negative score. In contrast, Manning was only picked for 2.4 percent of daily fantasy lineups yet finished as the number two player at his position.
Wilson’s fumbling and the Cowboys’ opportunistic defense definitely inflated the Giants fantasy numbers, but if you think the Giants players are in for a big correction in week two you may miss out on some serious fantasy points. The Manning brothers may put on a show in week two and hopefully for us we can not only see the Giants come out on top, but win some fantasy football match-ups as well.
Eli Manning — NumberFire has Eli Manning slated for 287.44 yards passing, 1.56 touchdowns, and 1.49 interceptions. I have Eli topping 300 yards and throwing 2 touchdowns. As I am a Giant fan I do not like to give the statistical probability on turnovers, but if your league has a high negative for turnovers you can expect at least one.
David Wilson — NumberFire has Wilson getting 15.05 carries for 54.78 yards and .34 rushing touchdowns. They also have him catching 2.77 passes for 19.31 yards. I am keeping Wilson on the bench this week if I have a viable option to start over him, but if I don’t I would expect 12 carries for 63 yards and 2 catches for 14 yards. I am not selling him just yet and have seen running backs bounce back from similar disasters.
Victor Cruz — NumberFire has Cruz getting 5.75 receptions, 76.72 yards, and .41 touchdowns. I have Cruz once again having a big week as he will be matched up against a sub-par pair of safeties and more than likely the fourth corner on the team. I have Cruz catching 8 balls for 97 yards and a touchdown.
Hakeem Nicks — NumberFire has Nicks getting 5.24 receptions, 60.12 yards, and .31 touchdowns. I think Nicks showed in week one that he was sleep walking through the preseason. He looked very good even in a tough matchup against Brandon Carr and I expect a bigger game from him in week two. I have Nicks catching 7 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown.
Rueben Randle — NumberFire has Randle catching 2.60 balls for 40.45 yards and .14 touchdowns. I think we were all pleasantly surprised at how quickly Randle became a big piece of the Giants passing attack against the Cowboys in week one. I have Randle catching 4 passes for 65 yards and no touchdowns.
Brandon Myers — NumberFire has Myers catching 3.70 passes for 40.14 yards and .22 touchdowns. The Ravens really worked their tight ends against the Broncos in week one, but I think that had more to do with the fact that they are very thin at wide receiver. I like that Myers was able to show a nice rapport with Eli at the end of the game against the Cowboys and I think that could carry over to this week. I have Myers catching 5 passes for 56 yards and no touchdowns.
Wilson is not the only running back whoneeds to bounce back from a disappointing week one. Stevan Ridley found himself benched after fumbling twice when he was expected to put up huge fantasy numbers against the Bills. Shane Vereen filled in for Ridley and was the only running back to top 100 yards rushing on Sunday, but wound up breaking a bone in his wrist. C.J. Spiller, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Lamar Miller all had nightmare starts to their seasons and hope to get back on track week two.
If you need any last minute fantasy advice make sure to follow me on Twitter @Coachesser or like my Facebook page CoachEsser’s Playbook so that you can message me at any time. You can also see all of my latest podcasts and articles by visiting www.coachesser.com.
This post originally appeared at www.bigblueview.com on September 11th 2013.
Baltimore Ravens Vs. Denver Broncos
Manning looking to hit a receiver downfield.
Peyton Manning and the Broncos had been game planning for revenge since last season’s stunning playoff defeat to the Ravens. Manning’s rumored renewed power in his right arm was not noticeable, but his timing and accuracy didn’t seem to suffer. Peyton tied an NFL record with 7 touchdown passes and threw for over 450 yards. The Broncos backfield was once again fantasy wasteland as Montee Ball rarely saw the field and Knowshon Moreno looked like his agility was sapped by off season surgery. All of Peyton Manning’s targets looked like sure-fire Fantasy All-Stars as they racked up huge numbers. Even Eric Decker looked like a viable WR2 or flex in all formats as he had the targets, but failed to capitalize on his opportunities. Julius Thomas showed that he was a high upside tight end 2 on draft days and will now be a start/sit headache for fantasy GMs. If he is on your waiver wire you have to get him where you can, I may even blow my FAAB budget to get a young Antonio Gates clone.
The Ravens looked as thin at wide receiver as we thought. Marlon Brown was forced to come into the lineup as Jacoby Jones was injured on a fair catch attempt. I think Brown will have value in deeper leagues, but I’m not that high on him. Ray Rice took over as Joe Flacco’s security blanket in the passing game, but failed to get the ground game going against a tough Denver run defense. Bernard Pierce found no running room, but did see the field a lot and looks to be a big part of the Ravens running game plans. Torrey Smith looked like he was in for a big night early, but once again disapeared for long parts of the game and will once again be a boom or bust fantasy option.
Patriots Vs. Bills
EJ Manuel looked calm and collected as he kept the game close and didn’t make the big mistakes most rookies seem to make against the Patriots. CJ Spiller had a nightmare start to the season as Fred Jackson out rushed him. Stevie Johnson’s fantasy value will still be limited because of the Bills conservative approach with a rookie QB.
Tom Brady was not his surgical self, but still pulled out a win. Brady was still able to feature an injured Amendola, but failed to get Zach Sudfeld involved. The Patriots other fast rising UFA fantasy commodity Kenbrell Thompkins looked nervous in his first regular season action as he and Tom Brady couldn’t hook up regularly. Julian Edelman was the surprise fantasy star as he caught two touchdowns from Brady and looks to be a big fantasy free agent pick up in week 1. Stevan Ridley couldn’t have started the season worse as he was benched after once again fumbling away a golden opportunity for fantasy points. Shane Vereen capitalized on his chance and was the only running back on Sunday to rush for over 100 yards. Unfortunately Vereen broke a bone in his wrist and will be sidelined through week 11.
Buccaneers Vs. Jets
Josh Freeman looked like a man who will be holding a clipboard later in the season for most of the game. He looked to lead the Bucs on a game winning drive, but a last minute penalty helped the Jets to a win. Doug Martin was bottled up for most of the day, but still managed a touchdown. V-Jax was as dominant as advertised as he exploded for a huge yardage day, but was caught from behind by a linebacker on a play which would have seen him score a big touchdown. Mike Williams found the endzone once again and still looks like a solid fantasy wide receiver.
Josh Smith looked almost as solid as EJ Manuel as he became an instant Jet legend with a big comeback win. Jeremy Kurley suffered a concussion and Stephen Hill saw a decent amount of targets in week 1. Santonio Holmes was non existent and will be limited by his foot injury early on. The most surprising thing to come from this game was the reemergence of Kellen Winslow at the tight end position. I’m sure he got into his young quarter back’s ear and will try and build a relationship similar to the way a young Freeman leaned on a healthier version of Winslow.
Bengals Vs. Bears
Andy Dalton had a few costly turnovers, but was able to get the ball to AJ Green almost at will in tough away matchup. AJ Green proved to be one of the top 3 wide receivers in the league as he torched the Bears for a huge day. The Bengals tight ends were heavily involved as both Eifert and Gresham had 5 receptions. Muhamed Sanu had tough day as he had a fumble that was a big reason that the Bengals lost. The lawfirm of Benjarvis green-Ellis once again plodded to very little yardage, but managed to get into the endzone. Giovani Bernard did not get enough touches in week one to be fantasy factor, and has me leaning to a wait and see for his flex value.
Jay Cutler put up representative numbers, but surprisingly managed to not get sacked. Matt Forte didn’t find a lot of running room, but still managed a short yardage touchdown. Brandon Marshall did not see huge target numbers, but was still a fantasy star as he topped 100 yards and scored a touchdown. Alshon Jeffrey did not have a huge day, but I would snatch him up if an owner overreacts and puts him on the waiver wire. Martellus Bennett managed to get in the endzone and join in the week 1 fantasy tight end scoring bonanza.
Browns Vs. Dolphins
Brandon Weeden was a turn over machine early on in this matchup and Trent Richardson owners will hope this doesn’t become the norm. Richardson was a non-factor as the Browns were forced to play catchup. With Josh Gordon suspended the Browns’ wide receivers proved to be not fantasy relevant. Many fantasy GMs were happy to see Jordan Cameron be the number 1 target for Weeden week 1 as he was one of the fastest rising players during fantasy draft season. Cameron has solidified his TE1 status with his strong performance.
Ryan Tannehill won the game and took what the Browns gave him during the game. His numbers didn’t prove Warren Sapp’s preseason prediction of Tannehill passing Dan Marino’s records to be possible. (not like we didn’t see that coming.) Brian Hartline was the beneficiary of soft coverage and put up huge week 1 numbers and even managed to get in the endzone. With teams paying close attention to Mike Wallace, Hartline can have a very nice season. Pick him up if you need help at your flex position or WR4. Brandon Gibson had a nice day in deeper PPR leagues as he outpaced the man he replace Devone Bess with 7 receptions and 77 yards. Mike Wallace was erased for much of the day by Joe Haden and was visibly frustrated after the game. Lamar Miller had a nightmare start to the season as he just couldn’t get going against a tough Browns run defense.
Vikings Vs. Lions
Christian Ponder is not an NFL quarterback. He only plays one on Sundays. Ponder struggled and will severely affect any fantasy usefulness from Kyle Rudolph and Greg Jennings. Ponder managed to hit Jerome Simpson deep a few times and Simpson ended up having a very nice day(7 receptions 140 yards) as a result. Adrian Peterson started the season where he left off as he broke a 78 yard touchdown run on his very first carry. He was frustrated for the rest of the day in the yardage department, but still managed two more touchdowns.
Matthew Stafford is going to throw the ball a ton this year. He also really likes his new toy in Reggie Bush. Bush had a huge week 1, but as expected did not come out unscathed. Bush pulled a groin muscle and dislocated a thumb, but played through both injuries to put up a monster fantasy day. Bush’s back up Joique Bell vultured two rushing touchdowns and had a nice day receiving as well. Calvin Johnson also started 2013 where he left off in 2012 as he once again had trouble securing touchdowns. Huge case of deja vu with Megatron’s week 1 performance, but I wouldn’t be too worried about it. Brandon Pettigrew had a very surprising quiet day and was outpaced by Joseph Fauria. Ryan Broyles injured knees had Nate Burleson show up in the boxscore, but I wouldn’t pay much attention to him.
Falcons Vs. Saints
The Falcons didn’t let anyone in on the secret that Roddy White was essentially going to be a decoy in week 1. White’s injured ankle killed a lot of fantasy owners out of the gate and he should be a wait and see for week 2. Julio Jones looked good in his chance to take over as the WR1 in Atlanta. It may actually be a changing of the guard in Atlanta, even if it’s due to injury and not effectiveness. Tony Gonzalez found the endzone and Harry Douglas managed to top 90 yards from the slot. Matt Ryan topped 300 yards, but failed to win the game on a last minute drive. Steven Jackson could have had a huge week, but did not receive the touches necessary to wear down the defense.
Drew Brees topped 350 yards and used all of his weapons. Mark Ingram was once again, well, Mark Ingram. His production and play disappointed. The only running back you can count on in New Orleans is Darren Sproles, especially in PPR leagues. His late 35 yard reception put a smile on many owners’ faces. Lance Moore had a surprisingly quiet day. Kenny Stills had a nice game, mostly because of one long catch and run. Colston and Graham found the endzone and all is right in the fantasy football world.
Raiders Vs. Colts
Terrelle Pryor is not a good NFL quarterback, but that doesn’t matter in fantasy football. He managed to rush for over 100 yards and was a top 10 fantasy QB even though he is very limited in the passing game. The Raiders lack of talent and depth along the offensive line made Pryor and this new running offense the only option. Darren McFadden managed to score a touchdown and almost had a nice touchdown catch if he could have gotten his feet down. Both Raider wide receivers have no better than WR5 value even after catching touchdown passes.
Andrew Luck once again managed to run for a touchdown and may put up more than Aaron Rodgers bonus running numbers this season. Luck once again locked in on Reggie Wayne as they managed to hook up for a touchdown. TY Hilton was a fast riser during drafts, but managed to have a disappointing week 1. Vick Ballard had the Lion’s share of touches in the backfield, but did not do anything to think that he can hold off Ahmad Bradshaw once the Ex-Giant is healthy. Even though Allen managed a touchdown catch I would still stay away from starting a Colts TE until they show they can produce TE1 numbers.
Titans Vs. Steelers
Jake Locker and the Titans offense were far from spectacular. Chris Johnson got 25 carries, but failed to break any long runs and finished with pedestrian numbers. Locker’s lack of accuracy will always be an issue as trusting any Titans receivers going forward will be hard.
Ben Roethlisberger had a nightmare start to the season. His starting runningback fumbled twice. His only quality offensive lineman was lost for the season with a knee injury and he wasn’t able to make any of his normal Big Ben big plays. The lack of talent along the offensive line will keep all of the Steelers off my must start list for a while. I had expected a big day from Antonio Brown, but obviously that didn’t happen. He is still a flex option going forward, but He isn’t a WR2 until they can prove they can throw the ball.
Seahawks Vs. Panthers
Russell Wilson compiled a nice passing day, but his penchant for throwing to everyone wearing a Seahawks jersey makes starting any of his receivers iffy. Marshawn Lynch had a tough time finding running room a against a revamped Panthers front and preseason phenom Christine Michael failed to see the field.
Cam Newton had a slow start to the season as was expected against a stingy Seahawks defense. Steve Smith managed to get in the endzone on a short crossing patterna dn greg Olsen was once again the number two target in Carolina. DeAngelo Williams had a nice start to the game, but failed to reach pay dirt.
Chiefs Vs. Jaguars
Alex Smith did what Alex Smith does. He threw the ball short and managed the offense. His presence kills Dwayne Bowe’s value, but he is going to win games for the Chiefs. Jamal Charles looked good early as he was involved in the passing game and scored a touch down rushing. He wasn’t needed late and was taken out before he could have a huge day.
Blaine Gabbert was injured and I’m pretty sure Cecil Shorts isn’t too upset about it. Shorts was able to get a reception until Chad Henne came on in relief and got Shorts on the score sheet. Maurice Jones-Drew had a rough day as he just couldn’t get going. The Chiefs are an underrated defense and hopefully MJD will get it going next week. This offense desperately needs solid quarterback play to have their players be fantasy relevant. Justin Blackmon is also sorely missed.
Cardinals Vs. Rams
Carson Palmer and Bruce Arians have saved Larry Fitzgerald from the fantasy football abyss. Palmer was able to get the ball to Fitzgerald and find Michael Floyd deep early on in the game. Andre Roberts was able to put up nice numbers as Palmer fed him late in the game. Rashard Mendenhall looked okay early on, but was in a surprising time-share with Alfonso Smith. Smith didn’t do anything to scare Mendenhall owners, but I would rather see Mendenhall get the Lion’s share of touches to make him flex worthy.
Sam Bradford was able to finally show that he can be fantasy relevant as he found his new favorite target Jared Cook for two touchdowns. Chris Givens was bottled up and Tavon Austin failed to provide any explosive plays. Daryl Richardson failed to break out in his first week as the undisputed starter in St. Louis. With Isiah Pead coming back from suspension week 2 Richardson will still see the most touches, but will be a flex play more than a RB2 option. Hopefully week 2 will see him break out for the Rams and fantasy owners.
Packers Vs. 49ers
Aaron Rodgers was once again dominant as he carved up the 49ers for over 300 yards and 3 touchdowns. Jordy Nelson was a popular wide receiver to bench because of a bad matchup, but proved he is WR1 material every week. James Jones failed to make a catch and showed inconsistent hands again. Jermichael Finley had a very nice day, but once a gain made a big blunder by dropping a pass that turned into an interception. Randall Cobb had a big day and looks like he could exceed my expectations going forward. I felt like he was overdrafted, but he looked like his value may have been just about right. Eddie Lacy had a costly fumble, but managed to bounce back with a nice short yardage touchdown.
Colin Kaepernick was unbelievable in week one. He threw the ball for over 400 yards against a stunned Packers defense. While many thought he would once again rush the ball at will again against the Packers the 49ers reversed course and opened up the passing playbook. The beat writers in San Francisco had said that Kaepernick had a great rapport with both Boldin and Davis at practice and if week 1 results are any indication they will all be monsters going forward. If Kyle Williams would have been able to come down with a few balls Kaepernick may have topped 500 yards. Frank Gore managed to get in the endzone and didn’t find much running room otherwise. I still would use him as a flex because he will score plenty of touchdowns in this offense.
Giants Vs. Cowboys
Well the elephant in the room was the abortion that was David Wilson’s week one performance. He was picked in 31% of DraftStreet daily fantasy lineups, but put up negative points. They Giants turned to Brandon Jacobs on Tuesday to mentor the young running back and hopefully he will get out of the doghouse quick. Eli Manning was forced to play catchup and threw the ball for over 450 yards and four touchdowns. Victor Cruz had a monster day as his heel was not a problem on Sunday night. Hakeem Nicks managed to go over 100 yards and looks like he took it easy in the preseason. Rueben Randle was great best ball asset as he also topped the 100 yard mark. Brandon Myers had a lot of late action and scored a late touchdown to put his numbers into TE1 territory.
Tony Romo threw the ball early and often, but failed to make any big plays. He also failed to get Dez Bryant involved in the game and ultimately lost Bryant to a foot injury late in the game. Miles Austin looks to be a PPR asset as the Cowboys featured him as a possession receiver. DeMarco Murray had a decent game, but the Cowboys were once again a passing team first. If they get back to a more balanced offense I think he will have RB2 value going forward. Jason Witten was his usual dominant self and the reports from Dallas that he would see more redzone targets were accurate.
Eagles Vs. Redskins
LeSean McCoy owners should rejoice. 20 carries for 115 yards in the first half. WOW! Michael Vick was mistake free and Desean Jackson burned the Washington secondary for over 100 yards and a touchdown in the first half. Brent Celek had two long receptions, taking one to the endzone and looks to be a nice TE2 going forward. The Eagles took their foot off the gas in the second half and let the Redskins get back into the game. I love the Eagles going forward, but I did not like that Michael Vick decided to go head first for a rushing touchdown. If he keeps taking chances like that you can expect Nick Foles to see the field.
Robert Griffin III had trouble shaking off the rust in his first action since knee surgery. With Griffin and Morris turning the ball over early the Redkins were forced to watch as the Eagles put on a show in the first half. Griffin managed to top 300 yards chasing the Eagles lead, but Morris was not able to get going. Morris did manage a touchdown and even caught a screen pass to prove he may be more involved in the passing game. I was surprised Fred Davis didn’t have more targets and was even outproduced by rookie Jordan Reed. Leonard Hankerson outproduced Josh Morgan and looks to be in line for more playing time according to Rotoworld. Pierre Garcon was one of my big week one misses in daily leagues a he didn’t manage to put up WR1 numbers. I still like him going forward.
Texans Vs. Chargers
Arian Foster out touched Ben Tate, but looked to be the lesser back on multiple occasions. He had two big drops and failed to get in the endzone. Ben Tate did nothing to hurt his fantasy stock going forward and looks to be in line for more touches if Foster struggles. Andre Johnson was his usual dominant self as he ripped off big catch after big catch. Once again he was non existent in the redzone. Owen Daniels had a huge day as Matt Shaub was able to find his tight end twice for touchdowns. Matt Shaub put up huge numbers after the Texans fell behind 28-7 to the Chargers on the road. If Foster isn’t his dominant self I would expect Shaub to put up nice numbers. The rookie DeAndre Hopkins had a nice night and hopefully will benefit from teams having to double AJ going forward.
Philip Rivers was a popular pick for a bounce back season, and looked to be well on his way as he threw four touchdowns against a tough Texans defense. Then the inevitable happened as Rivers threw an interception at the exact worst moment in the game. Ryan Mathews had Twitter buzzing as he caught a wheel route for a touchdown on the first play on offense for the Chragers, but it became painfully obvious throughout the game that the Chargers are featuring a RBBC. With Ronnie Brown seeing the field in key situations Mathews and Woodhead’s value take a hit. Antonio Gates managed 2 receptions for 49 yards, but was blanketed in the redzone. Vincent Brown and Malcolm Floyd looked like WR4 options at best as slot receiver Eddie Royal exploded for two touchdowns.
