Inhale, exhale, and stay calm!
36,000 feet, that is how high I am in the air right now! On my way to Fort Myers for a recruiting trip and I HATE flying with a passion, really I do. I do not use the word hate lightly so when I do I mean it
I know all the statistics that tells us how safe it is but still I lose it. It could be the lack of control, the unknown of possibilities, or just my crazy head. Pick one, anyone, just know what it does to me. I literally do breathing exercises before boarding, no I’m not joking. I say a little prayer and board accepting whatever happens.
I figured I would have three hours on this flight so I saved all questions till I got on the plane. The flight would give me enough time to answer the questions and write this piece, my weekly column.
When reading the questions I felt I was looking in the mirror. There was so much fear in the messages that I felt we must all be 36,000 feet in the sky, the fantasy football sky.
I will tell all of you what I tell myself when I face fear: breathe! It really is that easy. All you or any of us can do is do as much research or preparation we can and let it ride. The ending will take care of itself. It is not as bad as it seems. CJ Anderson, Jeremy Hill, Brandin Cooks and so many more players are not doing so hot right now but go back at last year and look at the big names, some were not doing so hot either. Odell Beckham did not even play yet, Eddie Lacy was on everyone’s sell list and Andrew Luck averaged under 20 fantasy points per game at this point last year.
The cream will rise and the great players will most likely be great. So breathe and do not drop Peyton Manning because he had a bad week. It will all be ok.
Lets get to week 3!
Inhale, Exhale and Stay Calm: Overreacting and NFL Fantasy Week 3
Believes
Quarterbacks
Cam Newton, Panthers
I believed in him last week and he did not let me down. The Saints do not play great away from home and Cam plays pretty good at home. The Saints defense let a rookie beat them. They do not have the players right now to really compete against a dynamic player like Cam.
Andy Dalton, Bengals
Dalton is red hot and I’m not talking about his hair. He is going against a defense that just made Derek Carr look like a stud quarterback. He has complete confidence in the system and all his weapons are healthy. Sure he will have a meltdown but it should not be this week.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jets
The Philadelphia defense is not what many thought they would be. They are not consistent and give up big plays. They will have to cover Marshall and Decker, which no team has done yet. They have to stop the run first leaving passing lanes open. They are also banged up and might be missing key pieces.
Running Backs
Melvin Gordon, Chargers
He looked the part this past week and made some doubters believers. I wouldn’t go that far but he has a great match-up this week. He is a big part of the offense and will face a light box most downs out of respect to Phillip Rivers. This week I recommend playing Gordon but next week I would sell.
Chris Ivory, Jets
He was a solid running back last season for the most part and the trend continues this year. He is the lead back in a system that sets the tone by the ground game. We have to start giving him the respect he has earned.
Frank Gore, Colts
The offensive line is bad and Andrew Luck is getting beat up on. The way to slow up a pass rush is to run the ball effectively. Gore should do well against the team that made Doug Martin and Isaiah Crowell look like solid running backs.
Wide Receivers
Donte Moncrief, Colts
He has become the steadiest target for Luck and it should continue this week. He runs the routes that Luck has time to throw and that is his key to success. Until that line gets better it is Moncrief you want of all the receivers.
Keenan Allen, Chargers
The system is pass first and Allen has great chemistry with Rivers. He is the number one option and looks to be the part this year. It also helps that he is playing a Vikings defense that has fallen asleep on big plays in both weeks so far.
Allen Robinson, Jaguars
His team will need to score in bunches to have a chance to win this game. They will have to air it out as well. Robinson is the best on this team and he is facing his easiest cornerback to date in Malcolm Butler. Robinson will win this match-up no matter what the final score says.
Tight Ends
Jordan Reed, Redskins
He is Kirk Cousins favorite target on the offense and a great safety valve. He is still healthy enough to play and has a good match-up on short rest. The short week normally helps the offenses out and this week should be no different. Giants will crowd the line and make Cousins beat them with his arm. That means good work for Reed.
Kyle Rudolph, Vikings
The Chargers have fallen victim to tight ends this year early and often. This week will be no different. Norv Turner’s system is friendly for tight ends and Rudolph has great hands. He is healthy and a solid play.
Kickers
Chandler Catanzaro, Cardinals
Brandon McManus, Broncos
Josh Lambo, Chargers
Defenses
Panthers
Packers
Cardinals
Nots
Quarterbacks
Colin Keapernick, 49ers
Kaepernick does not have the time or the players to make an impact. The Cardinals defense is fast and aggressive. It will keep him on his heels and he is not good on his heels.
Matthew Stafford, Lions
Stafford has all the pieces to be a killer fantasy quarterback, heck even a real life one but he isn’t. He doesn’t have the “it” factor or the consistent ability to be the quarterback they were hoping he would be. He is nothing more than a game manager and we all see it now.
Sam Bradford, Eagles
The system works for the right kind of quarterback but it doesn’t appear Bradford is that player anymore. He is no risk to run on the option, he has happy feet and he isn’t reading safeties well. His line is suspect at best and that’s being nice.
Running Backs
Lamar Miller, Dolphins
Miller is banged up and going up against a tough defense a week after they were embarrassed by the Patriots. They will come out to crush this team and they might just crush Miller owners who start him.
Doug Martin, Bucs
Martin has a tough match-up with a pissed off Texans defense. He has also failed to make us forget about his fall off from a year ago. He needs to come up big but he will not this week.
T.J. Yeldon, Jags
Yeldon is not 100% and he isn’t used like some predicated he would be. They will have to abandon the run if the Patriots get going early like most believe will happen. No one wants to start a running back that will get them five points at best.
Wide Receivers
Brandin Cooks, Saints
Cooks is having a rough beginning to the season and this week it shouldn’t get any better. He is facing shut down corner Josh Norman who made the Texans DeAndre Hopkins look like a below average player. This will not be the start of the turnaround.
Jordan Matthews Eagles
Matthews is taking a vacation to Revis Island. Are you sure you want to take the trip with him?
Alshon Jeffrey, Bears
Kam Chancellor is back and so is the Legion of Boom! Jeffrey will be less than 100% and being covered by some of the best in the game. Oh yeah, and he has a back-up quarterback playing that would not make most NFL line-ups.
Tight Ends
Jordan Cameron, Dolphins
Cameron is banged up already and the Bills normally do a good job covering tight ends. This is a recipe for failure.
Vernon Davis, 49ers
Davis is too inconsistent to trust and has a bad match-up this week. He doesn’t get enough targets as is and this week should be less than normal.
Owen Daniels, Broncos
Daniels is not on the same page with Peyton Manning. He is not even the most targeted tight end on his own team. Why play the second best tight end?
Kickers
Zach Hocker, Saints
Phil Dawson, 49ers
Cody Parkey, Eagles
Defenses
Ravens
Eagles
Chiefs
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