Quarterback
If you look at the Falcons’ 6-1 record, you’d probably think Matt Ryan was having one of the best seasons of his career. He began the season with a 67.1 completion percentage through the first four weeks of the season. Since then, he’s had two games in which that percentage fell below 60 percent. There have been injury rumblings, but Ryan swears that isn’t the case.
Ryan’s two bad games came against a very mediocre pass defense in Washington and a very good one in Tennessee. Sandwiched in between these two clunkers was a strong game against New Orleans, who poses little threat to opposing quarterbacks. If Ryan claims he’s totally healthy, we have no choice to believe him. He has a top three wide receiver at his disposal and with Devonta Freeman breaking out in his second year, opposing defenses have to respect the run.
The Falcons have long been known to air it out and that should continue as we get deeper into the season. While Ryan isn’t having a bad season overall, use his recent numbers as an opportunity to acquire a stud for your stretch run.
Verdict: BUY. How can you bail on a borderline-elite fantasy quarterback after a couple bad games? Easy – you can’t. So if another owner in your league is trying to cut bait, swoop in and acquire Matty Ice.
Running Back
Chris JohnsonTo say that Chris Johnson is having a resurrection this season would be a huge understatement. After falling numbers the last several seasons, it looked as though CJ2K was going to be out of football this year, but the Arizona Cardinals swooped in and saved the day. Johnson has been rejuvenated this season and the numbers back it up.
The veteran running back is averaging 5.1 YPC over 111 attempts with three touchdowns and is clearly Arizona’s RB1 even with Andre Ellington back. This may go against conventional wisdom, but it is time to sell. Johnson has averaged over 5.0 YPC just once in his career and that was in his second season when he played for Tennessee. It seems unlikely that he will be able to keep this pace without wearing down as we get deeper into the season.
We are seven weeks into the season, so you should have a strong idea whether or not you have a chance to make the playoffs. Johnson’s value will never be higher than it is right now and because of that, you should use him as a piece to improve your team. If you’re in a keeper league and you have no shot this year, move him for younger players with upside.
Verdict: SELL. It’s been a nice story so far for Johnson, but it just isn’t realistic to expect this type of production to continue. He could keep up this pace, but you cannot bank on it; trade for a player with a higher floor.
The Chargers have had an ugly rushing attack this season, but when we talk about Danny Woodhead, the rushing yards don’t really matter. It’s all about receptions. The 5-foot-8 spark plug has 37 receptions this season for 407 yards and two touchdowns and the only thing that will slow him down is an injury. With Melvin Gordon not doing much at all, Woodhead is the running back you want to own in San Diego.
Verdict: BUY. Woodhead is a PPR gold mine and can still be had relatively cheap. Go get him.
Wide Receiver
Odell Beckham Jr.
As one of the most hyped players coming into the 2015 season, Odell Beckham Jr. hasn’t exactly put up the type of numbers we had hoped for. He has only gone over 100 yards twice and has yet to haul in more than seven passes. It’s worth noting that he’s been held under 50 yards on three separate occasions, which is about a frustrating as it can get with one of the most elite players in the league.
Beckham is tied for eighth in the league with 66 targets, so it is not like he isn’t getting his usual looks. It is well known that Beckham is dealing with a minor hamstring injury, but he was on the field for 49 snaps, which equated to 92.45 percent of the Giants’ offensive players. This information makes it hard to believe his hamstring is the culprit to his struggles, as he’d most likely be playing in a limited role if it were a serious issue.
New York faces off against a woeful Saints defense this weekend and there is no better time to trade for a true WR1 than right now. Things are going to get better for Beckham quickly and the window to acquire him will close after Sunday.
Verdict: BUY. OBJ is a stud with a couple solid matchups in his immediate future. This is a player you should absolutely be looking to add to your squad.
We all know the Patriots are one of the most dominant forces in all of football, but when it comes to the fantasy side of things, New England can be one of the most frustrating. After hauling in just 10 passes over his first four games, Danny Amendola has caught 15 passes for 191 yards and one touchdown over his last two. With Brandon LaFell back in the mix, that’s one more mouth to feed each week. Use these two strong games and unload Amendola while you can.
Verdict: SELL. Amendola is a possession receiver in a system with a ton of strong options. There is no consistency week-to-week and that’s exactly the opposite of what we are looking for in season long leagues.`
Tight End
Ladarius GreenThis has been a solid season to date for Ladarius Green and it has gone somewhat under the radar. The fourth-year player was San Diego’s starter at tight end for the first four weeks of the season while Antonio Gates served a suspension. Gates has returned from his suspension, but is now dealing with an MCL injury that could keep him out again this week.
Even if Gates does play, Green is still a solid option at a weak position, as he will receive plenty of looks from Philip Rivers. The Chargers’ rushing attack stinks and they are forced to pass the ball practically all game. Green saw a season-high nine targets last week against the Raiders and scored a touchdown. He should be able to match or exceed that this week against Baltimore.
Verdict: BUY. Green is a legitimate option for Rivers even if Gates is on the field. If Gates doesn’t play, Green is money in the bank.