Jimmy Graham - The Road to a TE1 Overall Season

Thus far in our "Road To" series, the focus has been on projection and fulfilling peak season ceilings. We've discussed Eli Manning becoming QB1, Carlos Hyde breaking tackles to RB1, and Brandin Cooks converting his targets into WR1. These players all had one major thing in common in that they had room for growth on top... Read More

Brandin Cooks - The Road to a WR1 Overall Season

Earlier this week, I covered why Eli Manning qualifies as a QB1 contender and how Carlos Hyde's underlying numbers and new coach give him RB1 upside. The point of those articles has been to identify players that are currently outside of the top 10 draftees at their respective positions, but have ceilings that will land them... Read More

Carlos Hyde - The Road to an RB1 Overall Season

Once upon a time, in a fantasy football land far, far away, running backs were the most sought after possession on fantasy championship rosters. Running backs ruled the football landscape, carrying offenses on their backs, and getting dubbed studs and workhorses in the process. From Emmitt Smith to Barry Sanders, from Marshall Faulk to LaDainian... Read More

Eli Manning - The Road to a QB1 Overall Season

477.16, 442.14, 551.98, 471.58. Those are the point totals for the number one fantasy QB for the past four years in a league awarding 1 point per 25 yards passing, 1 point per 10 yards rushing, and 6 points for all TDs. Throw out Peyton Manning's 551.98 point record-breaking outlier of a season where his... Read More

Adrian Beltre: Undervalued Draft Day Target

BALLER MOVE: Target ~top 65 CURRENT ADP: 81.6 ANALYSIS: Sure things can be boring. Sure things don't elicit much excitement or get ooh's and ahh's at fantasy drafts. Sure things are often times cheered against, especially at this time of year where March Madness has everyone pulling for the underdog. However, at the end of the day,... Read More

RotoBaller Rankings vs. ADP: Overvalued Shortstops

Draft preparation can be broken down into three stages. Stage one occurs during baseball's offseason. From November through mid-February when pitchers and catchers report to camp, fantasy owners should be letting all of the offseason information wash over them. Even the most casual fantasy player can handle stage one. Stage two occurs from the time... Read More

Week 14 Running Backs - Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds: White, Draughn and Andrews Lead the Way

Each week, this article will aim to highlight running backs that you should consider targeting on your league's waiver wire. I've split these players up into three tiers from most desirable to most desperate. Additionally, I've included players at the bottom of this list that I would be comfortable cutting as I don't see them... Read More

Week 13 Running Backs - Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds

"Just win baby." Famous words from ex Oakland Raiders owner, Al Davis. Those words ring true for fantasy owners now more than ever. Week 13 is generally the final week of the regular season for most owners, and for many a win or loss this week will decide their positioning or whether they even make... Read More

Don't Ya Miss Out on Jamize Olawale

BALLER MOVE: Add in Very Deep Leagues OWNED IN: 0% owned on Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: You can't use him this week because he is on bye, but he has clearly replaced Andre Williams in the Giants running back rotation. As a Giants fan I have no clue why the team isn't leaning on Rashad Jennings on... Read More

The Other Run DMC: Dexter McCluster

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deeper PPR Leagues OWNED IN: 16% owned on Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: While I continue to suggest picking up Tennessee's starting running back, Antonio Andrews, I do believe that Dexter McCluster can be used in a pinch, especially during the last week of byes. Again, Tennessee has Jacksonville (twice) and Oakland over the... Read More

What the Hell, Take a Shot on Joique Bell

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 50% owned on Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: It was certainly not a pretty week for Bell, who totaled only 35 yards on the day, but it is the 16 total touches that has me intrigued. Granted, the Lions were up, surprisingly, for a majority of this game and... Read More

Hang on to Antonio Andrews

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 49% owned on Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: I thumped my chest last week and continued to pump the tires of Antonio Andrews headed into week 10's matchup against the undefeated Carolina Panthers. Andrews disappointed with only 8 yards on 11 carries, but I'm not going to back down from my... Read More

This is the Draughn You're Looking For

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 7% owned on Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Star Wars reference aside, Shaun Draughn is looking like the back to own in San Francisco. I mentioned Draughn last week as he entered his week 10 bye coming off a 20 touch, 96 yard performance in his first appearance as a... Read More

Week 11 Running Backs - Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds: Draughn, Bell and McCluster

Week 11 doesn't seem very special, but there is some significance this season. This week is the final week of bye weeks with the Giants, Saints, Steelers, and Browns all taking the week to rest up for the season's stretch run. It also marks the beginning of the homestretch for most regular season's in fantasy... Read More

Ahmad Bradshaw a Sneaky PPR Pickup

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep PPR Leagues OWNED IN: 13% owned on Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Well, he scored this week so that's something. This is very clearly Frank Gore's job. However, I still think Bradshaw could carve out a role similar to when he was thriving last season as the pass catching back. Remember, Bradshaw was... Read More

Shaun Draughn the Back to Own in San Fran?

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues OWNED IN: 1% owned on Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Perhaps the most available pickup of the week, Draughn was the lead back in San Francisco in Carlos Hyde's absence. Draughn grabbed 20 touches, turning them into 96 total yards in a surprising win over the Atlanta Falcons. Popular week 9 pickup,... Read More

Week 10 Running Backs: Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds

Better late than never is the theme for this week. We've been pumping up waiver wire running backs for nine weeks now and in recent weeks some of these guys have really delivered. Karlos Williams has been mentioned multiple times this year in this space and went off in week 9. Antonio Andrews is taking over... Read More

Hail Mary Play: Hope Chris Polk Pokes One In

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deeper Leagues OWNED IN: 22% owned on Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: As most predicted, it was Alfred Blue who led the Texans backfield in touches in the team's first game without Arian Foster. Blue rushed for just 39 yards on 14 carries while catching five passes for 33 yards. This performance certainly did not... Read More

Theo Riddick: Bad Team, Reliable Option

BALLER MOVE: Add in All PPR Leagues OWNED IN: 31% owned on Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Another absolute disaster of a game for the Lions. At this point it is almost a guarantee that they will be down and down big and that is when Riddick does most of his damage as a dynamic pass catcher. It... Read More

Stay Ahead of the Curve and Add Karlos Williams

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 44% owned on Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: The rookie bruiser should finally be back at 100% after a lengthy absence due to a concussion, and as his health returns so does his fantasy value. Williams is a much better inside runner than the jumping-and-cutting LeSean McCoy, and has already... Read More

Antonio Andrews Plods into Fantasy Relevance

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 30% owned on Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Andrews was the clear leader in the backfield this past weekend, receiving 19 touches in a loss to the Texans. With Tennessee down the entire game, one may have expected to see more Dexter McCluster in this one, but it was Andrews... Read More

Week 9 Running Backs: Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds

It's not too late. Week 8 is in the books and for most leagues that means that we are half way through the season. By no means is it too late to turn a season around and with the myriad of injuries this past week, the waiver wire is just the place to do it.... Read More

Week 7 Running Backs: Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds

"What the hell is going on out here?" I have never felt more like Vince Lombardi at the time of this famous quote than I do this week. Eddie Lacy isn't the guy? Joseph Randle has fumbled his way out of the lead role? C.J. Anderson continues to stink and Devonta Freeman is the best... Read More

Could James Starks Really Spell Eddie Lacy?

BALLER MOVE: Add in 10- and 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 21% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: James Starks was an own-able commodity as Eddie Lacy's handcuff, but no one saw Starks as a threat to steal playing time without a major injury to Lacy. Starks just went off for 117 total yards and two touchdowns in Week 6, and... Read More

Theo Riddick Has Been Detroit's Most Reliable Back

BALLER MOVE: Add in PPR Leagues, Deep Standard Leagues OWNED IN: 25% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Theo Riddick is averaging 7.2 fantasy points per game, most of which have come from the passing game. He has 278 receiving yards, which is third in the league among running backs-- trailing only Danny Woodhead and Devonta Freeman. With teammates Joique Bell,... Read More

Running Backs Waiver Wire: Week 6 Pickups & Adds

If my friends didn't use such horrific language, I'd post a screenshot of the string of separate text messages I got at 2:53 pm on Sunday. All of them were along the lines of "Nooooooo" or "Not again!" or "he looked like he got shot!" 2:53 pm will be the minute in time that changes... Read More

Can Charles Sims Get You Wins Off The Waiver Wire?

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team PPR Leagues OWNED IN: 50% of Fleaflicker Leagues ANALYSIS: It's really unfortunate that Doug Martin had such a great Sunday because Charles Sims continues to show flashes of being a very effective running back. Martin scored all the touchdowns on Sunday, but Sims was no slouch, carrying the ball... Read More

Charcandrick West's Value Going North Fast

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 4% of Fleaflicker Leagues ANALYSIS: I'll admit, I feel strange typing this name. Back in week 1, myself along with every analyst in the world would have told you that without a doubt, Knile Davis was the Jamaal Charles handcuff. However, in the past few weeks, people... Read More

Is Zach "Doc" Zenner the Remedy for Detroit's Rushing Woes?

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 4% of Fleaflicker Leagues ANALYSIS: Zenner, or 'Doc' as his teammates call him referring to his eventual desire to go to Medical School, is starting to get some opportunities in the Detroit backfield. His opportunity started with an injury to Joique Bell, and has continued with... Read More

Duke Johnson Can Be a Difference Maker off the Waiver Wire

BALLER MOVE: Add in 10- and 12-Team Leagues OWNERSHIP: 57% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: The Browns seem to have finally realized Duke Johnson's ability as a pass-catching back. After not catching a pass through the first two weeks, Johnson has reeled in 15 receptions in the past two weeks, including a 9-85-1 line this past weekend against the... Read More