Author: Michael Waterloo, Staff Writer
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whether owners should cut or bench guys like A.J. Green, Brandin Cooks, Isaiah Crowell, Marcus Mariota and Kirk Cousins.
As a savvy Fantasy owner, you – yes, you. You’re an Xclusive Edge member, so you fit the bill! – should be taking advantage of these owners. Last week, we talked about going after disappointing players in Week 1 from overreacting owners. As the weeks go buy, the panic rises with a greater sample. We are still at two weeks, so the sample is miniscule, but on the surface, teams that are 1-1 or 0-2 are ready to switch things up to “save their seasons.” A lot of the guys who have struggled in the first two games of the season are ready for takeoff this weekend; so if you want them, now is the time to pursue them in a trade.
For instance, Green and the Bengals offense have been putrid this year, finding the end zone as many times as you and I have this year. Green made it known after last week’s game that the Bengals need to put the ball in their stars’ hands. He was talking in a plural sense, but let’s be honest, he’s the only star there. With a new offensive coordinator in place, look for this to be the week that the Bengals break out and put up some numbers against Green Bay.
Let’s take a look at an offer that was posed to us earlier this week. In a standard league, the owner has Carlos Hyde (pre-injury), Marshawn Lynch, Jordan Howard, Todd Gurley and Chris Carson at running back, with Odell Beckham, Dez Bryant, DeVante Parker and Alshon Jeffery at receiver. He was offered Green for Lynch.
Swoop in and acquire Brandin Cooks before kickoff Sunday. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Now, I’m not into shaming league size or league format. It’s Fantasy Football, and it’s supposed to be fun. Do what makes it fun for you, but this is obviously a small league. The smaller the league, the more you go after the pure talent. In this case, it’s Green by a lot over Lynch. Even with it being a standard league and without knowing the severity of Hyde’s hip injury, it’s an easy accept. Potential deals for Green: Keenan Allen and Tarik Cohen; Jay Ayaji; C.J. Anderson and Jamison Crowder.
I had a friend ask me which two of buck allen, Jacquizz Rodgers and Brandin Cooks I’d start in a PPR league this week. I told him I’d sit Rodgers of the three. He came back with the classic response of “dude, really? You’d do that?” No, I just said it for fun. It’s like when someone asks Jake Ciely if he likes a guy he has ranked lower than another guy more and gets totally owned.
Nope. I ranked him that way just to screw with everyone. https://t.co/6OPN5UMJJg
— Jake Ciely (@allinkid) September 6, 2017
People are panicking on Cooks, folks. With Kevin Johnson out, this is the week that Cooks breaks out in a major way – that is if he doesn’t draw pass interference calls and Tom Brady can hit him.
Potential deals for Cooks: Alshon Jeffery; Davante Adams; DeVante Parker; Mike Gillislee; Randall Cobb and Tevin Coleman.
You like that? Well, Fantasy owners haven’t liked what Kirk Cousins has shown them so far this year, but perhaps we should have expected this performance. Cousins has a new offensive coordinator and he’s down two of his top weapons from last year in DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon. This week, with the Raiders traveling to Washington, expect this to be a coming out party for the Washington offense. With that said, it’s your last chance to buy on Cousins, Jamison Crowder and Terrelle Pryor.
The second-half schedule is tough on paper for Cousins and the Washington passing game as they get the Giants twice, the Broncos and the Cardinals. However, the Seahawks just got carved by the running game last week, so don’t let past performance hinder you from making calls in the present.
Potential deals for Cousins: Carson Wentz; Trevor Siemian; J.J. Nelson; Chris Thompson.
Another question we received was if an owner should trade a running back straight up for a running back. In this case, they have Mark Ingram, Leonard Fournette and Rodgers in the backfield, and they were offered Crowell straight up for Ingram in a PPR league. It’s tough making an even swap without pieces included when trading within a position. It all comes down to preference.
A few weeks ago, during draft season, Crowell was the preferred option by far to Ingram, as he was going 20 spots higher than him in drafts. Crowell has struggled out of the gate so far, but as I wrote earlier this week, his schedule is about to loosen up. As much as I do like Crowell to bounce back, the Browns haven’t shown the willingness to target him in the passing game yet, despite moving Duke Johnson to the slot on occasion. Meanwhile, in New Orleans, Adrian Peterson is going to get cut sooner rather than later, which will make Ingram the main ball carrier once again for the Saints, with Alvin Kamara sprinkled in on third-down duties.
For this trade, I’d hold the Ingram side, but it’s close.
