X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

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
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Warning Signs: Saquon Barkley, David Johnson, Aaron Rodgers

Another week, another bout of crazy results.

While survivor pools came to a screeching halt with the Saints and Colts losing, there were also some worrying situations that crept up for fantasy teams.

This week brings many questions. What should we do with the Atlanta run game? The answer there is nothing. How do we react to the concerns about the Rams offense still being bad? The following are a few players who need to have warnings next to their names going forward.

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!

 

Saquon Barkley's season is crumbling much like his pass blocking

He is still great. There is no doubt of that, but he is limited. Both with his health and his pass blocking ability. Something we thought would be a positive attribute coming into the NFL. Barkley is a great runner, but he is also a clear sign for defenses about what is coming next. They know he cannot stop them if they blitz. Worse yet the Giants know it. This makes it clear to teams defending the Giants, if Barkley is on the field, expect a run or a screen pass. What that means, is that they can plan for it and in most cases, stop it.

Saquon Barkley can still break off the 50-yard run or screen at a moment notice, but it has become harder and harder behind such a mediocre offensive line. This also may be a big sign New York rushed him back from his high ankle sprain. A very Giants like move which could have a major impact on the team as a whole, both this season and in the future.

29 yards rushing over the course of two weeks is a travesty. The fact it has happened to one of the best players in the NFL is even worse. He was a top-two pick in fantasy drafts this season and games like this should not happen two weeks in a row. With a bye week still in the mix, as well as two games remaining against a stout Eagles run defense. The end of the season is only going to get harder for Barkley and the Giants.

Obviously, there is no way you are going to sit him or cut him. That would be crazy of course, but a modification in your projections should be in order. And hopefully, you have a solid RB2 who can pick up the slack left in his wake.

 

David Johnson is underwhelming for the second straight season

Injury notwithstanding, this has been a down season yet again for David Johnson.

When the Cardinals hired Kliff Kingsbury, we all thought it was a great thing for David Johnson. As a pass-catching back, he would get massive usage in the air raid system. This would allow him to come back from his disappointing season of 2018. However, this has clearly not been accomplished.

In eight games thus far, Johnson has rushed the ball just 82 times for 302 yards and two touchdowns. While this is slightly buoyed by his receiving work with 31 catches, 323 yards, and three touchdowns, this is still far from what we expected from him.

With Kenyon Drake now in the mix, we need to really be concerned with the health of Johnson’s back moving forward. A tough game against an angry 49ers team awaits this week, followed by the Arizona Bye week. This means for two of the final three weeks of most fantasy leagues, he will not be a player you will want to start. Especially if you are trying to solidify a playoff berth.

We know every season there are players who boom or bust, and most times they take fantasy teams with them. Players like Joe Mixon or Le’Veon Bell can sink your team while players like Lamar Jackson or Chris Godwin can propel you to victory. Unfortunately for many of us, David Johnson seems to be more of the former for 2019. We truly need to think about what the future holds for him in Arizona. And for fantasy after this, his second straight underperforming season. Maybe, just maybe, it is the new normal.

 

Aaron Rodgers is leading a run-heavy offense

Rodgers is playing much better this season than he did in 2018. This is indisputable, and the Packers are also much better this season than last. So why the worry?

Well to start, the team's defense has gotten worse and worse as the season has gone on. The pass defense has been left making up for a run defense that is getting progressively worse. We have long said that Aaron Rodgers cannot do it all alone, which finally this season he hasn’t had to. This brings us to reason number two for worry. The explosion of the run game behind Aaron Jones.

Jones leads the league in total touchdowns with 14. He is also finally taking over the majority of the back-field work as we wanted him to in past seasons. It is still Green Bay, so he is not taking over entirely, but he is taking over enough to make it clear he is great and should be for many years. This has lifted a lot of the pressure from the shoulders of Rodgers and has also made the Packers a well-rounded offense. With the defense being as up and down as a roller coaster, the run game will be important in keeping them off the field. This, in turn, means the passing exploits normally achieved by Rodgers will be replaced a bit by the run game as time of possession becomes even more important coming down the home stretch of the season and into the playoffs.

As much as we all love fantasy, the coaches and players are not worried about fantasy. They are worried about real football and winning games to keep jobs. This means looking to the field to find out what to expect for fantasy. It is clear the Packers will become more run-heavy in the second half of their season. This makes Aaron Rodgers less likely to have monster games like the 400 yards and five touchdowns he had against Oakland. He is more likely to have games like the past two weeks in which he did not break 200 yards.

Although the touchdowns should be there more so than the past two weeks, the boom games are likely not to be. And this makes Aaron Rodgers a top-12 quarterback play rather than a top-four play. So just like with Saquon Barkley above, temper your expectations and hope you have a solid surrounding team to persevere through. Of course, if you had drafted quarterbacks late, you wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place. I'm just saying.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Al Horford8 hours ago

Back On The Injury Report
Derrick White8 hours ago

Off The Injury Report
TJ Friedl9 hours ago

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Aaron Gordon9 hours ago

Cleared To Face Phoenix
Michael Porter9 hours ago

Jr. Good To Go Wednesday
Nikola Jokic9 hours ago

Playing Against Phoenix
Jackson Chourio9 hours ago

Will Start In Right Field Friday
Jrue Holiday9 hours ago

Might Return On Thursday
Khris Middleton10 hours ago

Expected To Play On Thursday Night
Joel Embiid10 hours ago

To Return Soon?
Jamal Murray10 hours ago

Out Again On Wednesday
Rudy Gobert11 hours ago

Ready To Rock Against Pistons
LeBron James11 hours ago

Officially Active Against Memphis
Eduardo Rodriguez11 hours ago

Starts Throwing Program
Anthony Davis11 hours ago

Won't Play Against Grizzlies
Victor Wembanyama11 hours ago

Playing On Wednesday
Anthony Edwards11 hours ago

Will Play Against Detroit
Garrett Mitchell11 hours ago

Will Miss 6-8 Weeks
Aaron Nesmith11 hours ago

Back For Pacers Wednesday
Alec Burks11 hours ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Chad Green11 hours ago

To Lead Closer Committee In Toronto?
Mitchell Robinson11 hours ago

Returns For Knicks Wednesday
Erik Swanson11 hours ago

Jordan Romano, Erik Swanson Officially Heading To Injured List
Kevin Gausman11 hours ago

To Make Season Debut Sunday Or Monday
Dejounte Murray12 hours ago

Upgraded To Available
John Konchar12 hours ago

Downgraded To Out
Vince Williams12 hours ago

Jr. Misses Another Game On Wednesday
Giannis Antetokounmpo12 hours ago

Expected To Face The Pelicans
Gleyber Torres13 hours ago

Will Bat Leadoff On Opening Day
Mark Hubbard13 hours ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson13 hours ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Max Scherzer13 hours ago

Making Solid Progress
Akshay Bhatia13 hours ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen13 hours ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers13 hours ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers14 hours ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers14 hours ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Jordan Lawlar15 hours ago

To Have Thumb Surgery, Out A Couple Months
Wyndham Clark15 hours ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers16 hours ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
MLB16 hours ago

Braves And Phillies Rained Out On Thursday
Jayden Daniels16 hours ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
MLB16 hours ago

Mets And Brewers To Be Postponed Thursday
Tank Bigsby16 hours ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Will Smith16 hours ago

Inks 10-Year Extension With Dodgers
Josh Reynolds16 hours ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Jon Berti17 hours ago

Yankees Acquire Jon Berti From Marlins
Kodai Senga18 hours ago

Throws Wednesday
Matt McLain18 hours ago

Undergoes Shoulder Surgery
Doug Ghim18 hours ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA18 hours ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry18 hours ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox18 hours ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak18 hours ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan20 hours ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg20 hours ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn20 hours ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby20 hours ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin20 hours ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord20 hours ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala21 hours ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark21 hours ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler21 hours ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Colton Cowser22 hours ago

Makes Opening Day Roster
Sam Ryder22 hours ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen22 hours ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama22 hours ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin22 hours ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Yariel Rodriguez1 day ago

Optioned To Triple-A
Taylor Moore1 day ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson1 day ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery1 day ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Jordan Montgomery1 day ago

Diamondbacks Agree On One-Year Deal
Amon-Ra St. Brown1 day ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff1 day ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins1 day ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams1 day ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
Jon Gray1 day ago

Dealing With Stiff Neck
PIT2 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn2 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield2 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR2 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras2 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen2 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb2 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
Justin Verlander2 days ago

Throws Successful Live BP Session
D'Andre Swift2 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson2 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell2 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans2 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott2 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley2 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs2 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad2 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson2 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Shea Theodore2 days ago

Maintains Good Scoring Form With An Assist
Brock Boeser2 days ago

Hits Goal No. 37
Cam Talbot2 days ago

Collects Fourth Consecutive Win
Anze Kopitar2 days ago

Records Fourth Straight Multi-Point Game
Oskar Sundqvist2 days ago

Suffers Knee Injury
Elias Lindholm2 days ago

Sits Out Monday
Jonathan Marchessault2 days ago

Bags Overtime Winner Monday
Pittsburgh Steelers2 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson2 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Jarrett Stidham2 days ago

To Compete For Starting Job
Amanda Ribas3 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas3 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan3 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson3 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla3 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo3 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron3 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs3 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher3 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley3 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr3 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR3 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen3 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain3 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick3 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott3 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo4 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal4 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman4 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott4 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa4 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams4 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson4 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala4 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland4 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron4 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
Rose Namajunas6 days ago

Looks To Get Back In Win Column
Amanda Ribas6 days ago

Set For Main-Event Matchup
Edmen Shahbazyan6 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
AJ Dobson6 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla6 days ago

Seeking Victory In Third UFC Appearance
Luis Pajuelo6 days ago

Makes His UFC Debut
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Jared Goff - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Will the Lions Extend Jared Goff's Contract This Offseason? 2024 NFL Outlook

Jared Goff's career in Los Angeles didn't take off like many expected after his appearance in Super Bowl LIII, and he was traded to the Lions for Matthew Stafford. Goff's first season in the Motor City was terrible, but he has completely turned things around over the last two seasons. In 2022, he almost led... Read More


Kyle Pitts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part I

Free agency symbolizes the start of a new NFL season. It's the first opportunity for NFL clubs to start addressing their weaknesses and considerably impacts how the upcoming season plays out. Just as free agency can improve or worsen a team's outlook, a player's fantasy football value is also impacted. Free agency marks the real... Read More


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

Coach Knows Ball: Malik Nabers 2024 NFL Draft Film Breakdown of LSU WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Avoid These Running Backs in 2024: Fantasy Football Outlook

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The staff is already looking ahead to the 2024 season to help our readers get the jump on their competition. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones discusses five Running Backs that you should AVOID in 2024 fantasy football drafts. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller! Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio... Read More


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NCAA College Football, Prospects

Brock Bowers 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Georgia TE Be Selected?

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was arguably the top tight end in college football over the past few years. Bowers was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 56 receptions for 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slightly slipped in 2022 as defenses started to game plan for the star tight end. Bowers had... Read More


Xavier Worthy 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Texas WR Be Selected?

Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy has been one of the top pass-catchers in college football over the past few years. The explosive receiver was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 62 receptions for 981 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slipped in 2022. Worthy had 60 receptions for 760 receiving yards and nine touchdowns... Read More


Blake Corum - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, RB, NFL Draft Sleepers

Blake Corum 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update - When Will the Michigan RB Be Selected?

Former Michigan running back Blake Corum is one of the most popular prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class. The 23-year-old is fresh off a College Football National Championship victory and a 2023 campaign consisting of over 1,300 yards from scrimmage. However, given the devaluation of the running back position and Corum not being an... Read More


Brandon Aiyuk - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News

Will The 49ers Trade Brandon Aiyuk?

Brandon Aiyuk had a career year last season, finishing seventh in the league in receiving yards (1342), second in yards per catch (17.9), and catching seven touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named to the Second-team All-Pro. However, despite many expecting them to do so, the 49ers failed to win Super Bowl LVIII and now... Read More


Players to Avoid Drafting in 2024 Best Ball

In my first article of the offseason, I highlighted four players to target in 2024 Best Ball leagues. In this article, I'll turn my attention to players you should avoid drafting in Best Ball leagues this season. There are lots of reasons to avoid a player in Best Ball, whether it's a new role, a... Read More


2024 NFL Mock Draft Round 1 Predictions (Post-Free Agency Update) - Picks from All 32 Teams

We've now reached the point in the year where the disappointment of there not being any live football until the fall has subsided and hope has begun to renew for each fanbase heading into draft season. The first wave of NFL Free Agency has also passed and the rosters of all 32 teams have begun... Read More


Drake London - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 Top-200 Fantasy Football Rankings - Post Free Agency Edition

Fantasy football drafts are still five months away, but rankings and how fantasy managers value all of the players are constantly changing. With the better part of free agency in the rearview mirror and the best players on their new teams, we can re-evaluate our rankings to see which players have moved up and down.... Read More


Deshaun Watson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Deshaun Watson- 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook

The NFL offseason has been scorching hot. It's been fun to watch. While redraft fantasy football players have been able to put their feet up and relax, dynasty players know their work never stops. With major signings and big names on the move, the start of the offseason is one of the busiest times of... Read More


NFL DRAFT - Bold Predictions Round 2 2024

2024 NFL Draft: Bold Predictions and Potential Surprises for Round 2

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching, we're digging into what might transpire in this year's edition. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones previews the 2024 NFL Draft and makes some BOLD Predictions about possible surprises and potential landing spots for the second round of the draft. Don't forget to check out... Read More