Talking NFL: Real and Fantasy

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

WEEK 5 QUICK HITS

by Kevin Powell

1. Corey Davis is the real deal in Tennessee. There is a reason that they released Richard Matthews. With Mariota back and Delanie Walker injured, it's Corey's team now. Must add , must start in all formats.

2. The Denver running back situation is great for the team, but not so much for dynasty owners. Royce Freeman and Philip Lindsay are both doing an outstanding job and because of that, only an injury would push one into the top 20 category. Both should be rostered, but at this point you can't trust starting either one unless you are out of other options.

3. Sony Michel and James White, on the other hand, are both extremely startable backs for New England. Michel is finally healthy and has made his mark on that offense. White continues his elusive pass catching and continues to make those first down catches. Start both with confidence.

4. Leonard Fournette and Sammy Watkins are just two great players who continually have soft tissue and leg injuries and just can't be trusted. If you are stuck with them, wait until they have a decent game again and then try to trade them.

5. Tyler Eifert is done for the year, again. Unfortunately, we may never see him regain his full potential. A sneaky replacement though, is his backup, Tyler Kroft. He is definitely in the right spot to help your lineup.

6. Nick Chubb will be the lead back for Cleveland within a few weeks. He can catch and run, and while Cleveland utilizes Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson now, Chubb has true three down ability and defenses can't predict as well what type of play is coming. Alot of rookie backs are brought along slowly because they have to learn how to pass block.

7. Juju Smith-Shuster is practically matchup proof and has really grown in that system. Pittsburgh's defense just isn't very good and Juju is a threat for over 100 yards every week.

8. Tyler Boyd has entered must add territory. In his third season , he is proving his worth opposite A.J. Green and is definitely a threat to be a WR2 every week.

9. Chicago has figured out how to use Tarik Cohen. Finally. 20 touches, 174 yards, and a touchdown. He's the type of back that scares the defense, because of his breakaway speed and the ability to hide behind his blockers and cut just at the right time. Chicago has the perfect combination of youth right now to be able to contend for a deep playoff run.

10. It's true that Case Keenum is the best quarterback Denver has had the past few years. It's also true that he is doing just enough to keep them in games but hasn't shown the ability to get them to the next level. He is missing wide open receivers far too often. It is appearing that he is a fringe top 20 quarterback.

Good luck this week!!

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

JOSH GORDON GETS A NEW LEASH ON LIFE

by Kevin Powell

Usually when a team gets rid of you, they punish you. In this case, Josh Gordon hits the lottery. The best receivers in the world can only put up great fantasy numbers if their is a good quarterback to throw it to them. I would say going from Tyrod Taylor to Tom Brady fits that bill.

Don't get me wrong. Taylor is a decent level two quarterback, but Cleveland's offense isn't based on a high octane passing game, and that limits any upside Gordon would have there. Brady is ready to throw for 400 yards weekly if needed. The Patriots also never take their foot off the gas, even when leading by large margins. The Patriots leadership is set up to deal with any help Gordon needs to help him with his demons off the field, so let's get to possible projections going forward.

I think he will have a decent grasp on the offense within 2 weeks, giving Jim 12 games in this offense.

He is a must start top ten wide receiver going forward, and could possibly flirt with Randy Moss per game numbers. My projection:

65 receptions, 975 yards, 10 touchdowns in 12 games. As a plus, Julian Edelman will be back from suspension in week five and he will benefit greatly from all the attention Gordon receives. The Patriots have reloaded for another Super Bowl run at the cost of a fifth round pick.

Trade for him now and start him with utmost confidence.

Monday, September 17, 2018

WEEK 2 QUICK HITS

by Kevin Powell

Nevermind why Colin Kaepernick isn't on a roster......why isn't Dan Bailey on a roster?

San Diego is a playoff team in 2017 with a decent kicker in the first four weeks. Minnesota spends $84 million for Kirk Cousins, then plays the cheap card for Daniel Carlson, who misses twice in overtime, as Cousins won the game over and over and getting a tie. Then we have Zane Gonzalez. Oh the Browns, those poor Browns fans should have been celebrating with all that Bud Light from unlocked coolers after week one. They beat the Steelers, except they didn't. This week, they totally throttle the Saints, but two missed field goals and an extra point later, the Saints escape with an undeserved victory.

So you have a 0-1-1 team instead of a 2-0 team. Your kicker is your CLOSER!!

Has the NFL passed Eli Manning by?

The answer is yes, unfortunately. He has zero mobility, and even with Barkley and Beckham, he can't make it happen anymore. Defenses know where he will be on every play, and know he can't get out of the way. Ok, their offensive line isn't the best, but a more mobile quarterback makes a line better. The great young talent is being wasted right now, and they are looking more like a 5-11 team.

Who is the smartest guy in Buffalo?

I'm voting for Vontae Davis. Vontae is seeing how his career is going with Buffalo, who in the past few years have gotten rid of Tyrod Taylor and Ryan Fitzpatrick and now have Nathan Peterman and Josh Allen. After ten years and multiple Pro Bowl selections, he spends half time changing into his street clothes and walks right into retirement. It's not a great look as a teammate, but it speaks volumes on what kind of organization Buffalo has become.

So KP, where are my dynasty hints to help my roster now???

Glad you asked. Here are my top 10 adds this week in dynasty:

1. Tevin Coleman is a must start not only in PPR but also straight scoring.

2. Keelan Cole is a younger version of Desean Jackson.

3. Chris Thompson is the guy to own in Washington.

4. Desean Jackson as long as Ryan Fitzpatrick is the quarterback. He changes the game like no other wide receiver.

5. Quincy Enunwa is healthy and the obviously Sam Darnolds favorite target.

6. Jared Cook is finally realizing the potential he used to show only in preseason.

7. Ryan Fitzpatrick is on fire and you have to take advantage of this run.

8. Philip Lindsay is now the lead back in Denver. He is a must add.

9. Latavius Murray will be starting the next few weeks while Dalvin Cook is sidelined again.

10. Jesse James has Ben's trust. Time to think about dropping Vance McDonald and getting James.

**Bonus** With Josh Gordon getting released or traded today, Antonio Callaway is a must dynasty add.

**Bonus** Matt Breida may make people forget Jerick Mckinnon. I would trade Mckinnon if you have him stashed on IR.

Who are you avoiding at all costs?

1. Any Buffalo Bill except Lesean McCoy, but I wouldn't start him if I had better options.

2. Jordy Nelson has aged quickly and really not in the best situation.

3. Eli Manning. Enough said.

4. Mike Wallace is out and probably will be placed on IR.

5. Any Philadelphia running back.

6. Any New England running back outside of James White.

Well fellow players, that's all for now. Have a great week!!

Thursday, June 19, 2014

HOW TO BUILD THE BEST IDP DYNASTY EVER!!

BY KEVIN POWELL

Individual defensive players in dynasty football are growing rapidly, and new startups are advertised on your favorite sites almost daily, if not hourly. You have the itch to finally jump in and I am here to help you build the best team you can. We will start with building a roster in a 12 team dynasty, which is the most popular league size, but rest assured in future articles advice on larger leagues will be given.

My major goal in this size of a league is to acquire as much top level talent age 25 and under and to concentrate my first eight picks on running backs, wide receivers, top level quarterback, top linebacker, top defensive end, and a tight end if I can acquire Jimmy Graham in the 2^nd or Rob Gronkowski in the late 3rd or early 4^th round. I believe in a 12 team league that great quality can be found later in the draft on defense and most of your counterparts will pick the offensive side of the ball early.

At certain positions there is a great drop off in scoring after the first few at a position are chose. At tight end, if Graham and Gronk are already gone, the next 8 to 10 players are relatively similar and certainly are a level far below in value.

The same thing can be said for the defensive end position. Both Robert Quinn and J.J. Watt are defensive ends I target in round 4 or at the end of round 3 if available, especially if I have a stud running back and wide receiver already. Quinn and Watt are both under 25, and in most leagues outscore any other defensive end by at least 30%. Most leagues even new, show what players would have scored in 2013 based on the statistics players compiled that season. It is a great tool to help you select the right player to choose.

Next week we will dive into my favorite targets at each position using actual drafts this spring and summer. Remember, you are building a dynasty, and the talents you draft are players who are young and won’t need to be replaced for many seasons. Someone else can have Andre Johnson, Peyton Manning, and Marshawn Lynch. Those are the guys trying to win in season one. Your lineup will be built to win year one and beyond. Happy drafting!!

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Kevin Powell is a contributing writer for:

dynastynerds.com

fakepigskin.com

majorleaguefantasysports.com

dynastyfootballwarehouse.com
kpowell1962.blogspot.com

Email --kpowell1962@gmail.com

Twitter-- @kpowell1962

Thursday, May 15, 2014

A YEAR LATER--ICYMI POWELL'S TOP ROOKIE WIDE RECEIVERS FOR 2014: 1-5

All the buzz surrounding the NFL draft and the pending dynasty rookie drafts soon to follow are all the potential stud wide receivers out there for needy teams, real and fantasy. The first round of your rookie drafts will see over half of the selections for wide receivers, maybe more. Selecting the right ones could put you on the path to dynasty dominance. The wrong one keeps you holding up the rest of your league, and your back pain continues.
These top five players are the ones I am personally targeting this season, and sure the order can change a little depending on the franchise that drafts them.

What is it that I am looking for when I invest my number one pick for a wide receiver? There are things you can't teach; height, weight, hand size, and arm length. Combine that with measurables; vertical, 40 yard dash, broad jump, even bench press. How do these guys play on the big stage? I want my first round wide receivers to be over 6' tall, over 200 pounds and to have 4.50 forty speed or better. The targets spots in the NFL are very small these days, the corners and safeties are getting larger and taller, so it makes perfect sense to me that a tall, fast receiver that can give the quarterback more of a target zone will be the one's who will be future cornerstones for a dynasty team.

1. SAMMY WATKINS

There is not much more that you can say about Watkins. He combines all aspects you want: size, strength, and speed. Add his 32" arms, 9.5" hand size and you have your dynasty receiver for the next 10 years. He will go to a needy team and immediately be their number one guy, unless Detroit moves up in the draft to get him. He won't be on any dynasty board after pick 2. He is also an experienced kick and punt returner that include those stats in their dynasty.

2. MIKE EVANS

Johnny Manziel's favorite target comes in at number two. Not a bad consolation prize if you miss out on Watkins. At 6'5", over 230 pounds, 35" arms, 9.5" hands, and 4.50 forty speed, you have breakaway speed with upside for touchdown targets. Quarterbacks are salivating at the huge wingspan they can fire into and has the weight and strength to break tackles. He played in the most competitive conference in college and will learn to refine his routes in the pros. Certain top 4 dynasty pick.

3. ALLEN ROBINSON

Yeah, I am a Penn State homer. However, in dynasty, there are no favorites, not for me. I may root for a team or player that I enjoyed in college on Sunday, but they won't be drafted by me if they can't cut it in my opinion. I watched him throughout his career and saw a guy who made Matt McGloin look better than he probably was. Every defense was out to stop this guy, and he still dominated. When I watch him high point a ball, it's like watching Alshon Jeffrey. He's 6'2", 220, 32" arms, 9.5" hands, 42" vertical, and can run 4.45 forty times. He shouldn't get out of the first round of your dynasty and could go top five.

4. JORDAN MATTHEWS

Jerry Rice's cousin (yes, that Jerry Rice) certainly has the pedigree of a great receiver. At 6'3", 212 pounds, over 33" arms, 10-3/8" hands, 4.46 40 speed. Good route runner and adapt at playing inside or outside. Large catch radius and has ability to catch the ball one-handed. Should go easily in a dynasty first round. 112 catches and 1477 yards receiving in 2013.

5. DONTE MONCRIEF

People took notice of this athlete at the combine. He is 6'2", 221, 4.40 forty time. He has 9-1/8 hands and 32-1/4" arms. He runs great routes and blocks downfield very well, which tells me he doesn't take plays off. He will be a night for cornerbacks to cover. He has finally started moving up the rankings for some, but not high enough in my opinion. His two best games of the year were against LSU and Auburn.

Kevin Powell is a contributing writer for:

dynastynerds.com

fakepigskin.com

dynastyfootballwarehouse.com

kpowell1962.blogspot.com

Email --kpowell1962@gmail.com

Twitter-- @kpowell1962