X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Engel’s Angles - N.Y. State of Mind

Scott "The King" Engel gives his take on recent fantasy football news. Rumors have Russell Wilson and Le'Veon Bell both potentially landing in New York next year. Is this possible and what would the impact be for fantasy football owners?

During these cold winter months, football fans are largely devoid of impactful news. Occasionally, we are treated to speculation of a major impending event or a social tirade rant (thank you Antonio Brown!).

RotoBaller featured writer and FSWA Hall of Fame member Scott "The King" Engel is here to give his takes on some of the most buzzworthy items around the NFL.

As always, be sure to stay tuned to RotoBaller's NFL News Feed for the very latest updates throughout the offseason.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

No Russelling in New York

Earlier this week, Colin Cowherd stirred some serious buzz when he mentioned that he heard Russell Wilson might consider leaving Seattle. His sources seemed to indicate that such a move would be to appease his wife, Ciara and her team, who reportedly would prefer that the couple reside in the New York City area. Seattle is not known as an entertainment mecca, after all.

Immediately, some Giants fans conjured up images of going back to the Super Bowl for the first time in eight years and Seahawks aficionados shivered at memories of Charlie Whitehurst. Fantasy players may have even dared to let images of Wilson throwing to Odell Beckham Jr. flow through their minds.

Yet ultimately, even with Wilson entering the final year of his contract and some speculation being generated that he could simply saddle the franchise with too large of a financial hit in the future, there are too many reasons that point to him staying. As Giants fans well know now, it’s not easy to find a top-quality quarterback in this league, and it would be very difficult for the Seahawks to replace Wilson with any surefire high-quality passer. When a team has an established elite QB, that is so difficult to surrender. That is why the NFL is a QB-driven league. The position is not nearly as deep in real life as it is in fantasy, where you need to fill 32 starting slots instead of 12.

Wilson was the missing piece to making Seattle a true contender in 2012, The year before he arrived, they had Marshawn Lynch, the makings of the Legion of Boom, and won seven games. Now he is an iconic figure for a highly passionate fan base and a key piece to the team meeting the challenge of remaining a consistent winner. His relationship with Pete Carroll is so strong it drove some past members of the defense to eventually show some resentment. He’s been Doug Baldwin’s passing partner since his pro debut and elevated Tyler Lockett into a breakout player in 2018.

Trading Wilson only makes sense for the Giants from a personnel perspective, unless the two teams rock the NFL world with a pre-draft trade that would send Wilson to New York for their first-round pick. Then Seattle could be in position to immediately draft their QB of the future and not commit to an expensive future with Wilson. But that would mean turning the offense over to a rookie a year after Seattle made what was widely regarded as a surprising run to the playoffs. The created instability at QB would just be too glaring for the Seahawks to make such a deal.

Wilson obviously would want to please his wife, but she would want to do the same for him. Plus, you have to believe they want their kids to have a stable home environment and not get shuttled between coasts. So they may have a challenging decision to make. In the end, though, Wilson is too tied to Seattle and its future success, and as we have seen, NFL teams are only too willing to sacrifice a good chunk of their budgets to lock up that franchise QB. Dealing him would also shock and disappoint the fan base, which has already seen many of the team’s best players of all time recently shed the uniform for various reasons. Fantasy players will always fondly recall what a great defensive unit the team fielded from 2012 to 2016.

It should be fantasy business as usual for Wilson in 2019 with the Seahawks. He finished as QB8 overall last season on the second-most attempts of his career. Doug Baldwin will have a full offseason to mend from the injuries he battled in 2018 and could be something of a value pick next year. At 30, he is not “old” for a WR. Tyler Lockett could see some natural regression in his TD total but should still be a Fantasy WR3. The Seahawks could pursue another notable pass-catcher in free agency or draft one, which could mean more offensive balance for Seattle in 2019. That would make Wilson likely a top-five range guy in fantasy for next season, and that is rarefied air to inhabit in the fantasy world, too.

 

Ringing the Bell

New York City might miss out on Russell Wilson, but if I am a betting man, I am laying down some cash with an eye on Le’Veon Bell signing with the Jets. They do have the best Vegas odds at 3 to 1. It makes too much sense on and off the field.

Earlier this week, Nate Hamilton of FanTrax asked his Twitter followers where Bel might land. I responded with the Jets as my choice.


Nate later admitted that as a fantasy owner he wanted to see Bell in Indianapolis, but not before some others in the thread shot my idea down because maybe it’s simply not what they wanted to see. Both teams clearly have the cap room to sign Bell, but it’s the Jets who have the bigger need at RB. The Colts can simply be comfortable enough with Marlon Mack and Nyheim Hines to spend their cap dollars elsewhere, especially on defense. Going to Indy would keep Bell as a championship contender and in a great Fantasy situation, but there is actually better financial and career upside for him in New York.

If Bell goes to the Jets, his superstar profile will explode in the media capital of the world, as the new signature player of a success-starved fanbase. Le’Veon Bell jerseys would become a top seller. There would be nothing more fitting than Bell ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange. He will be embraced and highly promoted as the savior of AFC New York Football. Arguments will rage about Bell vs Saquon Barkley among local fans.

If Bell can help Sam Darnold eventually make the Jets into a true contender, he will become a legend in New York City. If he becomes the missing piece to an eventual Super Bowl victory, he will be eternally revered and adored in New York. He’ll swim in endorsements. No other free agent destination offers that sort of career promise.
Schematically and strategically, it is the ideal fit. The Jets need help in running and pass-catching, and we all know Bell offers superb production in both departments. He is the perfect guy to ease pressure on Darnold and elevate the offense.

It’s not the preferred scenario, but Bell would be the axis of the Jets offense and would return to being an elite Fantasy RB pretty quickly as he takes on a heavy workload. He would also draw a lot of attention to help free up Robby Anderson as a playmaker. He’ll be more of a workhorse in New York than he could be in Indianapolis.

Jets fans, save about 100 bucks for a Bell jersey very soon. You can finally get rid of that Santonio Holmes one I saw around MetLife stadium so often last season. Jet fans obviously haven’t had any hope for a new impact player in a while. This steal from the Steelers will turn out much better.

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Stefon Diggs

Likely to Begin Camp Working on the Side
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Xavier Legette

Should be More Productive
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Cole Bishop

has Good Shot to Win a Starting Job
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Nate Wiggins

Ravens Think Nate Wiggins has Star Potential
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Kel'el Ware

Collects 21 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Cam Spencer

Contract Being Restructured
Drew Timme

Scores 30 Points in Summer League Loss to Wizards
Quinshon Judkins

More Details Emerge on Quinshon Judkins' Arrest
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Alexandre Sarr

Logs Impressive Outing in Summer League Action on Sunday
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Kaden Elliss

Could be Atlanta's Most Impactful Pass-Rusher
Kyle Filipowski

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss to Warriors
Darius Robinson

Ready to Make his Mark in 2025?
Jauan Jennings

Expected to Report for Training Camp
Trey Smith

the Only Player Still on the Franchise Tag
Cody Williams

Collects 22 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Jauan Jennings

Seeking New Deal or Trade From 49ers
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
A.J. Dillon

Not a Lock for a Roster Spot?
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Boston Celtics

Damian Lillard Drawing Interest from the Celtics
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Daniel Gafford

Agrees to Contract Extension with Dallas
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson Selected Third Overall by Seattle
Ha-Seong Kim

X-rays on Ha-Seong Kim's Foot Come Back Negative
Los Angeles Angels

Tyler Bremner Selected Second Overall by Angels in 2025 MLB Draft
Washington Nationals

Nationals Select Eli Willits First Overall
Jake Meyers

to Miss More Than Three Weeks With Calf Injury
Cooper Flagg

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
LeBron James

Hasn't Requested a Trade
Quinshon Judkins

Following Quinshon Judkins Arrest, NFL Declines Comment
Travis Hunter

Earning Praise in Jaguars Camp for Work Ethic
Memphis Grizzlies

Cole Anthony, Grizzlies Agree to Contract Buyout
Edward Cabrera

Hopeful to Avoid Injured List
Oneil Cruz

Absent on Sunday
Lars Nootbaar

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Jake Burger

Scratched on Sunday
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Julius Chestnut

Kalel Mullings Competing for RB3 Role
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
Kimani Vidal

Fighting for No. 3 Job
Cam Hart

Recovering From Shoulder Surgery
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
Quentin Johnston

Might Not Get Many Chances to Prove Himself
Tre Harris

Officially a Holdout
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Travis Etienne Jr.

Needs to Bounce Back in 2025
Wan'Dale Robinson

Wants More Downfield Opportunities this Season
Quinshon Judkins

Arrested on Saturday for Battery and Domestic Violence
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF