Well, the first week has happened and as we all know, the first week means everything. We can pencil in Peyton to throw 112 touchdowns on the year. We can also mark Ray-Ray down for only 576 rushing yards but he will catch 128 passes. In this same vein of thought, I’m leading our season of buys on a game that feels like it was so long ago now because we’re a generation of people who think instant message should equal instant response. I’m looking back over comments and I keep seeing the worry about our man Eric Decker. During a night where Peyton tied an NFL record for touchdown passes in a single game, Decker finished the night with 2 receptions for 32 yards on 7 targets. That’s what the stats say. Wanna know what I say? He t-rexed a back of the end zone touchdown and dropped another 10-15 yard bunny later. His night could’ve easily been at least 55 and a touchdown on 4 receptions. But bad nights happen to everyone. They’re gonna happen to your guys here and there all season. It’s natural. But some nights look worse then others and when it’s your first week of the year in the first game of the year in a Nationally Televised and scrutinized game, it’s painfully clear. The guy who started Decker is panicking right now. Welker went off. Demaryius went off. Orange Julius went off. Hell, even Caldwell caught a touchdown! Decker’s trash! Throw him out with the bathwater! The key thing to remember here is he was third on the team in targets with 7. Tied with your boy Julius. Oh and he was targeted in the RZ on his drop. Then Wes got his second TD of the night on the very next play. I’m not saying you should be throwing your signed Alan Thicke photo in on the deal here, of course. The guy you’re trading with has to be worried enough to cough him up for something of lesser value and I think the fear about Eric should be big enough to make that happen. In other Buy/Sell news for 2013 Fantasy Football…
BUY
Stevan Ridley – It goes without saying that some of these buy calls feel obvious but at the same time, you are swimming against the current like Salmon back to spawn. Yes, Ridley fumbled and yes Hoodie Bill hates that. But he’s also been the starter for the Pats since last year. He fumbled a couple of times back then, too. But he did it week 1 and got benched for it. I’m not a huge Ridley guy – I see him as a low end RB2 – but if you can get him for a weekly flex play at RB or for a WR you don’t need, dive in. Plus with wrist surgery for Vereen on the docket and him being out until at least week 11, Ridley’s gotta get a chance again, right? He couldn’t possibly go with Blount or Bolden…right? RIGHT?!?
David Wilson – Yeah, the fumble brothers together back to back. Off season, I had him in the same low RB2 range. Though I think he can be more then that, I don’t think he gets the opportunity at this point to be so. When his goal line caddy – Andre Brown – is back to take the chip shots, Wilson will become more of a HR hitter. While there’s nothing wrong with that, he will get a reduced role for a while for sure until he can work out the kinds. Wow, what a buy call, right!?! The thing is, he’s gonna go cheaper then he should in most trades right now. Take advantage if you have room on your bench to wait on him for a little. He’s still the most talented RB the Giants have even if they sign a vet.
Giovani Bernard – The numbers didn’t look good but he did. As I mentioned in the roundup on Monday morning, Gio’s day could’ve been better if it weren’t for a few penalties. The key was he looked good out there but probably disappointed owners who only looked at the stat sheet at the end of the day. I see BJGE’s 1.8 ypc and fart in the general direction of this being that much of a timeshare after a while. Wanna know who my favorite Bluth character was? It’s spelled ‘Gio-B’.
Lamar Miller – Yeah, lotta backs had bad Sundays but Miller probably had the most disgusting endline: 10 carries for 3 yards and 1 rec for 7. Yup, 1 point in standard and 1.5-2 in PPR from your RB2. It hurts. But Miami gained a total of 15 yards on the ground period on Sunday and people need to recognize this: that Cleveland front ain’t bad on the defensive side of the ball. This game should be an aberration and moving forward Lamar will do his own ‘Control’ verse. He got love for you all but he’s tryna murder all y’all RB2s.
DeAngelo Williams – Woah, hey there, what’s up with this buy? Well, he didn’t have a great game but he didn’t have a bad game either. It could be considered under the radar overall, though, and I think the Panthers looked much better then people gave them credit for on Sunday. DeAngelo is looking like he could be more then a flex play moving forward. If someone thinks he’s still their RB4, throw a trade their way.
Cecil Shorts – Yeah, I know, a Jags player. I only can suggest one per week as that’s my quota or I’d put MJD up here too (and I kinda just did: hint, hint). Gabbert’s hand was hurt coming into the season so a bad first week isn’t surprising for Shorts. What WOULD be surprising is seeing an output like this from him next week. He had 11 targets and Blaine was constantly throwing it like he was Fitz and Gabbert was Skelton. This is still a WR2 with upside and will probably go for nothing. While others jig, I Jag.
Chris Givens – Bad matchup vs the Cards secondary made Givens look like the Rams weren’t gonna look his way. He’s still a very solid WR3 with WR2 upside in the vein of Torrey Smith. Don’t lose hope. Better yet, find the person who drafted him and did.
T.Y. Hilton – The Colts will figure out eventually that he’s more talented then DHB, though it may take more time then owners would like. Overall, the Colts defense is looking pretty porous (notice how the first part sounds like ‘poor’?) so Luck and company should get into plenty of shootouts. I mean, Indy almost lost to the Raiders…at home…with a Tim Tebow clone at QB. That says a lot more about the defense then it does the offense. Hilton should get his Madden on easy settings numbers in the near future. Buy while his owners are saying T.Y. but no T.Y. to Hilton.
James Jones – I don’t love this guy but he’s not a 0 yards guy. Had a bad week. Happens to all of us. See if he can get thrown in as a sweetener in a trade you’re unsure of. Then you can be unsure of when to start him for your team the rest of the way. Yay!
Rob Gronkowski – Um, he’s good everyone. Just do a casual check in, see if the owner is getting worried. He/she shouldn’t be but it doesn’t hurt to ask, right? Tell that to the lady who slapped me when I asked her when the baby was due. Well, WHAT you ask is pretty important too, I guess…
Brandon Bolden – Your waivers probably just cleared this morning. Bolden’s probably still out there. You probably have someone on your bench you’re never going to use. You could probably pick up Bolden and do the same thing with the hopes he gets a piece of that Vereen pie. You probably are tired of the word probably by now. I’ll probably stop using it in the sell section below.
SELL
Julius Thomas/Jordan Cameron – But, but, but…you said you liked these guys! Yeah, I did and I still do. But they outperformed guys like Jason Witten, Tony Gonzalez and Jimmy Graham and Gronk owners might be a little antsy if they drafted Sudfeld. I’m saying they had amazing first days. I’m not selling them for 75 cents on the dollar but if I can get a no doubt win back in a trade for them in terms of trust, I’d do it.
Brandon Myers – Yeah, this isn’t the Raiders anymore but Garbage King Myers reared his dirty head on Sunday night. He’s the 4th option in that offense right now in the passing game and Eli is anything but a checkdown king. Much like the game, Myers end line was an abomination. Though he COULD have a similar game against Denver this week, I’d prefer not to stick around and find out. Sell while you still can.
Michael Vick – As I alluded to yesterday, Vick took a lot of abuse in the pocket and when he was running the ball. I love his upside but unless I see some less risky play from him, I’d want the fat return check he’ll likely garner at this stage in the game. He’s got top 3 QB ability but isn’t good at protecting himself and this scheme isn’t doing him favors in that department. Again, sell only if you get top dollar. If not, enjoy the ride and pray. Oh and LeSean? I almost put him as a sell here too but he’s an RB and pretty much all RBs are injury-prone.
Frank Gore – I’m willing to admit I’m wrong about ranking Gore as a high end RB2 this year. He looked slow but his 40 yards rushing/20 receiving day was saved by a TD. I’m feeling a Michael Turner 2012 year coming on and I don’t like it. Plus he gets the ‘hawks next week which makes it even moreso a good idea to move while his numbers still look good. I don’t hate him but much like the droids, this is not the RB2 you were looking for on draft day.
