Let me start with my general outlook for running backs in 2015: I’m scared shitless. The early backs – even the ones I like – scare the bejesus out of me. I have the same sense of dread that I get when I’m watching Game of Thrones and I know that only bad shit is going to happen. Having said that, we still have to draft…...

I’ve been playing in high-stakes fantasy football leagues for a dozen years now, and that prompted me to share some lessons learned.[1]Another dude with a great first name wrote something like this last summer, and it’s recommended reading. Consider this a supplement to that. Last time, I covered how to handle wide receivers and tight ends. This time, it’s all about the backfield. You’ll notice…...

Well, it’s official. A week ago we speculated there might be a chance for Kirk Cousins, but now fiction has become reality. “When it’s all said and done, after all the film we’ve gone through, after all the offseason activity, all the training camp footage, we feel like at this time, Kirk Cousins gives us the best chance to win and that’s where we’re going,”…...

If you have been following my work at all this summer, you know that I am a huge proponent of late round quarterback selection. One reason is that I think the position is incredibly deep, which allows for streaming in leagues that start only one QB. As such, I wanted to provide options for fantasy owners each week that they can stream into their lineups. Methodology…...

This off-season the RotoViz crew have generated (and are continually updating) projections for all 32 NFL teams using a souped up version of the Projection Machine. These projections are powering some great Apps like the Cheat Sheet Calculator, the Draft Optimizer and the Auction Dominator, and have been fodder for numerous articles. In this article I won’t be covering every player like I did on RotoViz Radio. Instead…...

One realization I’ve had over the past couple of years, largely prompted by Shawn Siegele’s Zero RB article, is that while most fantasy analysis focuses on issues of scarcity we may be overlooking the most important thing that’s right before our eyes: Scoring points is important. In PPR leagues a huge number of points come from receptions, which means that targets are really important. So…...

Fantasy Football news, featuring Joseph Randle, Julius Thomas, and Rishard Matthews. Joseph Randle From Rotoworld: According to Yahoo’s Charles Robinson, the Cowboys’ plan to use an RBBC backfield is “not a bluff,” and the rotation will be a “committee in the purest NFL form.” In the article Robinson states his belief that none of the Cowboys running backs will eclipse the 850 yard rushing mark…....

This is my first season really diving into the MFL10 format. I didn’t go crazy, but I did draft 10 leagues, which I consider a decent amount. In no way am I an expert on best ball leagues, but I think I have a solid grasp on the format thanks to the guys at RotoViz as well as a few other writers. Looking back at…...

We’re entering an interesting period in fantasy football. Last week I participated in the PFF Online Championship’s promotional “Beat Shawn Siegele” league. It drafted a day after the PFF Celeb league featured participants like Cris Collinsworth, Nate Burleson,[1]Burleson started WRx4, which is what any self-respecting WR should do. and Nick Lachey. In the celebrity draft, the first six selections were running backs. In the league…...

In the wake of Jordy Nelson’s unfortunate injury, narratives were generated like mad libs, and fantasy football drafts have been affected. Davante Adams saw his stock rise the most, followed initially by Jeff Janis, and then by Ty Montgomery. Then on Saturday night, Randall Cobb was the latest Packers wide receiver to have an injury scare. While that appears to have been relatively minor, there remains an understandable amount of confusion…...

Putting the finishing touches on my yearly rankings is always the culmination of a months-long, exhaustive process that ends in that familiar mix of uneasy relief, cautious optimism, and intense anxiety. Draft week is finally upon us, and what has been hypothetical for nine months will soon become reality. Now that all the offseason tumult, preseason injuries, and sleepers getting ruined by hype from mainstream fantasy…...

Fantasy football news and notes, covering Zach Zenner, Cody Latimer, Darren McFadden, Harry Douglas, and more. Zach Zenner Is leading the NFL in preseason rushing. Here are the undrafted running backs with the most total rushing yards or yards/game over the past five preseasons. Year Player Team Draft Att Att/G Yds Avg Yds/G TD 2010 Chris Ivory NO 260 41 10.2 146 3.6 36.5 1 2011 Armond Smith CLE…...

Fantasy Football updates covering Randall Cobb, Kirk Cousins, and Allen Hurns. Randall Cobb After his MRI, #Packers WR Randall Cobb has an AC joint sprain, source said. It’s minor. No word on Week 1, but could have been much worse — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 30, 2015 Randall Cobb left Saturdays game with an apparent shoulder injury. It appeared to be a string of bad luck for the…...

Baltimore Ravens Safety Matt Elam tore his biceps tendon on 8/1/15 while trying to make a tackle in practice. This will require surgical repair. He’s now on injured reserve. For those IDP players out there, the skinny is that Elam will be fine in 2016. He should be able to resume all activities four months from the date of surgery. Eccentric Loading For those of…...

Listen, I like the late round QB strategy as much as the next guy. It’s great. If you want to know why, follow the @LateRoundQB (he even wrote a book about it). If J.J. doesn’t hate QBs quite enough for your liking, I highly recommend Steve Gallo’s “Zero QB Theorem.”[1]That’s not sarcasm, by the way. Everybody should read that. Here’s the problem: The late-round QB movement has eaten up so much…...

RotoDoc holds a Ph.D. in mathematics and tackles sports data to give you a competitive edge in your fantasy games. Earlier this off season I created a prediction model to project quarterback scoring over the first five weeks. However, this model simply predicted aggregate score over the five games, but did not make projections on a game-by-game basis. I’ve now taken things a step further to…...