2020 RSO Contracts: WRs

Updated: August 30th 2020

My annual look at RSO auction values moves to wide receivers.  The series was designed to give the reader help in planning for upcoming auctions by looking at actual RSO auctions already finished this year.  The data comes from a variety of different types of leagues with varying scoring rules and starting requirements which can drastically alter player values so be cautious in expecting values to match your particular league.  The information does provide a useful starting point for examining how RSO owners value players at a certain position relative to one another and the length of contract they are willing to invest.  Provided fantasy stats and rankings utilize PPR scoring.

Average RSO Wide Receiver Contracts

Top Plays

It is no surprise Thomas sits at the top.  He caught 45 more balls than any receiver last season and easily finished as the WR1.  Houston traded Hopkins to Arizona but it has not deterred RSO GMs from paying him as the overall WR2.  There’s unacknowledged downside at this price as receivers moving to new teams have not finished up to expectations very often.  Mahomes to Hill blends upside to potentially win fantasy weeks and decent target load.  A significant injury history with smaller stature adds week to week uncertainty.  Adams’ target load might be one of the few volumes which rival Thomas as next to nothing of a legitimate threat on Green Bay exists.  He does not offer upper-level efficiency and a disproportionate amount of his production historically comes from touchdowns.  Godwin and Evans both produced top-4 per game fantasy production in 2019.  What this offense and target distribution looks like is anybody’s guess with Tom Brady replacing Winston and Tampa Bay bringing in future Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski.  Jones is among the most consistent yearly performers and the team is set up for big offensive production.  His efficiency notably dipped slightly last season for the first time.

Young Upside Receivers

Smith-Schuster produced a 1,400-yard second season at the age of 22 after an impressive rookie year.  That work was done with Antonio Brown as the Steelers’ WR1.  It’s questionable if JuJu can attain close to those heights without someone to take away top corner coverage.   We saw two quality back to back fantasy seasons from Golladay.  Matt Stafford depth of target in 2019 was incredibly high and Marvin Jones was injured for significant portions last year.  Golladay is a safe bet but may be priced near his ceiling.  Moore, Brown, McLaurin, Chark, and Sutton all could be excellent long-term alpha receivers who possess high upside potential with short-term questions concerning quarterbacks, volume, and/or new coaching staffs.  Metcalf, Ridley, and Cupp are secondary options attached to quality, stable quarterback situations who could be, or have been, closer to 1B type receivers for their teams.  Each has limitations in their respective skill-sets which likely limit the fantasy ceiling of each but also quality abilities in one or more areas which boost potential scoring.

Discount and Volatile Veterans

Hopefully Beckham returns to full health after playing last year injured.  Cleveland’s projected passing schedule eases this season.  Questions abound with a new coaching staff, Mayfield’s quarterback abilities, and whether injuries depleted the crazy upside of Beckham.  Cooper posted 1,000 yard seasons in four of five seasons in the league and is still only 26. He is consistently one of the most inconsistent week to week wideouts, destroying bad corners and completely taken out of the game by good defenders.  While many consider Diggs and Allen among the top receiving talents in the league, both receive significant passing downgrades at quarterback.  Thielen struggled with injuries last year and is already 30 despite limited seasons in the NFL but had two quality years previously.  He maintains a stronghold on the WR1 spot and keeps quarterback continuity in Minnesota.  Woods might be the best wide receiver value in RSO leagues at WR26.  Woods ranked WR17 and WR14 in per game fantasy points the last two seasons despite limited touchdown luck and Brandin Cooks left the Rams through trade.  The story for Lockett mirrors that of Russell Wilson in a certain way.  Hyper efficiency as the number one target for Wilson makes a weekly fantasy starter but a potential lack of throwing volume in run-heavy Seattle limits the ceiling.

Rookies

Lamb comes in as RSO’s highest-priced rookie receiver and someone I see as the most complete rookie receiver.  His opportunity may be limited short-term in a very good Dallas receiving group.  Many consider Jeudy the best rookie separator.  He lands with a strong WR1 talent in Sutton and Lock is a huge long-term question mark at quarterback in Denver.  Ruggs and Raegor land in spots with immediate fantasy production possibilities and are the most explosive rookie wide receivers in the class.  Raegor’s landing spot tied to Carson Wentz could prove an excellent long-term match.


Bio:  Bernard Faller has degrees in engineering and economics.  He currently lives in Las Vegas and enjoys athletics, poker, and fantasy football in his free time.  Send your questions and comments (both good and bad) on Twitter @BernardFaller1.

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The Watch List 2021: Week 1 Preview

Updated: August 30th 2020

Welcome to The Watch List for the 2021 NFL Draft season. a resource to help RSO owners identify the players from the college game that deserve your attention.  To view my observations, follow me on Twitter @robertfcowper.  Check back throughout the season as The Watch List will preview the top prospects and let you know who is fantasy relevant and worth your valuable draft capital.

The struggle of the spring and summer is perhaps more prologue than peak. It’s late August as I type this, and we’re days away from college football starting, and yet I have no idea where to begin. Typically this would be the time when I would be putting the finishing touches on the preliminary version of my rookie draft, but I’ve honestly lost the pundit’s path. Part of that is the upheaval and uncertainty surrounding the 2020 season, and part of that is how insignificant college football feels right now in America. Instead of trying to forecast the innumerable unknowns of our next draft season, I am going to take things a week or two at a time and highlight some draft eligible players you should focus on. Here’s who I’ll have my eye on in Week 1.

Thursday, September 3

Spencer Brown, RB, UAB

As a true freshman in 2017, Spencer Brown helped the Blazers earn an 8-5 record in their comeback season. Brown racked up 1,329 yards and 10 TDs that season and then followed with a 1,227-16 sophomore campaign. His efficiency dipped in 2019 as he battled injury but he still led the team in rushing (566-5). Brown is a power runner with a 6000/220 frame without receiving upside (just 15 career receptions). In 2018, I wondered whether Brown was “a one hit wonder or a star in the making.” I suppose he’s at least a two-hit wonder with his future still uncertain. Brown is unlikely to be a fantasy asset in 2021, but I’d bet he makes a camp roster and sometimes that opportunity is all a young running back needs.

Tim Jones, WR, Southern Miss

Admittedly, I had never heard of Tim Jones before doing research for this piece but he landed on Phil Steele’s preseason first team All C-USA squad so I figured I should check him out. Jones is primarily deployed from the slot which enabled him to collect 73 balls last year, enough to lead the team. He’s of average build (6010/192) and looks like he has a little giddy-up but is not a speedster. The highlight reel I watched showed him winning in myriad ways: in traffic, down field over the shoulder, lined up outside, in the air, etc. Jones may be the quintessential well-rounded mid-major receiver which probably isn’t enough to get drafted but it is enough to root for on Thursday night.

Saturday, September 5

Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis

(Editor’s note: since this piece was posted, Gainwell has announced that he will be opting out of the 2020 season.)

Kenny Gainwell, without a doubt, is the most likely future fantasy star who will see the field in Week 1. As a redshirt freshman in 2019, Gainwell exploded for the potent Tiger offense. He earned 1,459 rushing yards on 231 attempts (6.3 ypa), 610 receiving yards on 51 receptions (12.0 ypr), and scored 16 total TDs. His stats are even more impressive when you consider he was sharing touches with Antonio Gibson (Washington) and Patrick Taylor (Green Bay) at times last season. Gainwell has great acceleration; he can make one smart cut at the line of scrimmage and then be behind the DBs before you blink. He also has enough pop to bounce off a tackle and fight for extra yards. Gainwell is also a superb receiver. He’s trusted as a pass catcher so much that he was split out and running receiver routes at times. If you can only watch one game this weekend, make it this contest between Memphis and Arkansas State. The Red Wolves allowed 215 rushing yards per game last year (114th worst in the NCAA), so there’s potential for Gainwell to feast in a primetime feature.

Brenden Knox, RB, Marshall

Heading into the 2019 season, I wrote that I would flag Knox’s name for 2021, so here we are. Knox, currently a late round draft prospect, might not normally get such a spotlight in the season’s opening weekend but I’m hopeful he can make the most of the national ESPN spotlight. Knox finished strong in 2018 as a freshman (578-4 in five late season starts) and similarly dominated the second half of 2019 (988-7 in eight conference games). Knox runs with above average speed, contact balance and elusiveness. He does well between the tackles even though he seems smaller than his listed size of 6000/223. From the bits I’ve seen, I think Knox can be a reliable receiver and pass blocker too. Knox is on the short list of players most likely to increase his draft stock with so many teams sidelined.

Monday, September 7

Zach Wilson, QB, BYU

I became obsessed with Zach Wilson when I saw him play a few times as a true freshman in 2018. He has a bit of a “je ne sais quoi” about him: even though he has flaws I really enjoy watching him. Wilson receives a lot of comparisons to Johnny Manziel, which I definitely see. He keeps plays alive with his feet and can turn a dead play into a touchdown with an effortless looking toss down field. It’s not all rainbows though, as Wilson’s efficiency dropped significantly last season. Apparently Wilson has not yet been named the starter for the 2020 Cougars but I would assume he gets the nod. I doubt Wilson is on NFL radars, especially as a true junior, but he’s fun to watch and should provide a captivating ending to the holiday weekend if he’s named the starter.

Matt Bushman, TE, BYU

Bushman has been receiving some much-deserved attention this offseason. He was named to the Mackey Award preseason watchlist, was named the Cougars most improved player in camp, and landed at TE6 on Phil Steele’s list of draft eligible prospects. Bushman has put up three solid years of production, with an average line of 42-573-3, and is poised to finish his career strong. He’s a receiver first who has soft, natural hands. Bushman also has some YAC in him, making plays after he secures the grab. Last year, I said that Bushman was one of the best underclassmen blocking tight ends I had watched, but after watching his 2019 tape against Washington I’m not as sure. At worst, he’s an average college blocker who could turn into a versatile two-way tight end in the NFL if he fills out his 6050/240 body. BYU starts the covid-impacted season with road games at Navy and at Army which will both be national telecasts on ESPN and CBS, respectively. Those opening service academy contests, before the other top tight end prospects start their season, will be key for Bushman to make the case as a Day Two contender.

 

Notes: Heights listed are using a notation common among scouts where the first digit corresponds to the feet, the next two digits correspond to the inches and the fourth digit corresponds to the fraction, in eighths.  So, somebody measuring 5’11” and 3/8 would be 5113.  This is helpful when trying to sort players by height. Full disclosure, I am not watching film of every single game any player plays, instead I am looking for a representative sample.  There are a lot of analysts out there who have a deeper depth of knowledge about certain players but I pride myself in a wide breadth of knowledge about many players.  When researching my articles I use a number of valuable resources. I would recommend bookmarking the below sites:

  • Stats: espn.com, sports-reference.com, pro-football-reference.com, cfbstats.com, herosports.com, fcs.football, mcubed.net, expandtheboxscore.com, washingtonpost.com
  • Recruiting: 247Sports.com, espn.com, sbnation.com, rivals.com
  • Film: 2021 NFL Draft Database by Mark Jarvis, youtube.com
  • Draft info and mocks: draftcountdown.com, draftscout.com, mattwaldmanrsp.com, draftek.com, thedraftnetwork.com, nfl.com
  • NFL rosters, depth charts and contract info: ourlads.com, spotrac.com
  • Draft history: drafthistory.com
  • Combine info: pro-football-reference.com, espn.com, nflcombineresults.com, mockdraftable.com
  • Season preview magazines: Phil Steele, Lindy’s, Street and Smith’s, Athlon Sports
  • Podcasts: ESPN’s First Draft, The Audible by Football Guys (specifically episodes w/ Matt Waldman), UTH Dynasty, Draft Dudes, Saturday 2 Sunday, Locked on NFL Draft, Cover 3 College Football
  • Logos & Player Media Photos: collegepressbox.com
  • Odds & Gambling Stats: vegasinsider.com

Robert F. Cowper is a freelance writer who lives in New Jersey.  He is a proud member of the Football Writers Association of America and the Fantasy Sports Writers Association.  Robert works as a certified park and recreation professional, specializing in youth sports, when he isn’t acting as commissioner for his many fantasy sports leagues.

More Analysis by Bob Cowper

2020 RSO Contracts: RBs

Updated: August 30th 2020

My annual look at RSO auction values moves to running backs.  The series was designed to give the reader help in planning for upcoming auctions by looking at actual RSO auctions already finished this year.  The data comes from a variety of different types of leagues with varying scoring rules and starting requirements which can drastically alter player values so be cautious in expecting values to match your particular league.  The information does provide a useful starting point for examining how RSO owners value players at a certain position relative to one another and the length of contract they are willing to invest.  Provided fantasy stats and rankings utilize PPR scoring.

Average RSO Running Back Contracts

Top Five

Barkley, McCaffrey, Elliott and Kamara are high-end talents with extreme workloads in the rushing and/or receiving game without many significant questions.  No need to discuss them in much detail here.  One interesting player in this group is Joe Mixon who joins the top running backs at RB5 in RSO startup auctions just below Kamara.  The argument for the Cincinnati RB1 is not hard to make.  He has one of the best all around skill-sets of any back in the league including being a fantastic receiving prospect out of Oklahoma.  Mixon accumulated 1,400+ scrimmage yards over the last two seasons despite playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL.   The Bengals upgraded at QB, in many people’s views, with the selection of number one overall pick Joe Burrow.  There are a number of concerns, both long and short-term.  The offensive line should be better and healthier but most would still consider it a bottom-level group.  Cincinnati has limited Mixon’s receiving work, mixing in Gio Bernard.  Mixon is also in the final year of his rookie deal and the running back market could be saturated with free agents and incoming rookies to take jobs.  In the end, Mixon provides the ultimate bet on talent versus situation.

Second Tier

Cook looks like one of the best running back when on the field and broke out with a RB2 per game finish in 2019.  He also missed a lot of games in the NFL due to injury with a lengthy history of shoulder problems dating back to college which may indicate structural issues.  Like Mixon, Cook is in the final year of his rookie deal with no long-term contract done.  Henry, Chubb and Jacobs obtained PFF’s #6, 1, and 2 rushing grades among running backs, respectively.  Each was also among the bottom of PFF’s receiving grades for RBs.  Henry is a known zero as a route runner and Kareem Hunt likely limits the volume Chubb receives in the passing game. Jacobs presents the most hope for increased receiving production among this group given his collegiate record and the fact he was playing with a broken shoulder for much of his rookie season, but having mainly receiving specialists as his potential backups gives pause.  Sanders accumulated over 1,300 yards as a rookie and finished strong in the fantasy world after an injury knocked out Jordan Howard.  His real life play did not match his statistics as he ranked as only PFF’s RB50 and was losing work to Howard while being outplayed before Howard’s injury.  CEH is set up perfectly for a huge rookie season with Kansas City in the NFL’s best offense after presumptive starter Damien Williams opted out this year.  We don’t know what his role necessarily will be and perhaps KC limits his work as a rookie.

Third Tier

We are already at the point with running backs where significant questions exist with regards to roles.  Jones broke out as the RB2 in 2019 thanks, in part, to 19 total touchdowns and has been an efficient producer throughout his career.  The Packers have always limited his touches and added massive 2nd round thumper A.J. Dillon to the running back mix which likely caps Jones’ touches.  Jones is another quality back in the last year of his rookie contract.   Ekeler racked up 92 receptions and just under 1,000 receiving yards last year.  The Chargers consistently used a committee approach with departed Melvin Gordon and moving from Philip Rivers to Tyrod Taylor and/or a rookie at quarterback is likely a huge loss to the receiving work of Los Angeles running backs.  Taylor, like formerly mentioned Edwards-Helaire, is set up for a big rookie season, with a tremendous offensive line and many projected run-heavy game scripts.  The Colts talked up a three-heady committee all offseason which could limit Taylor’s usage, particularly early in the season.  Drake flashed big-time rushing ability throughout his career and finished with a huge 2019 after the trade to Arizona.  He is a thin running back who struggled with injuries going back to college and most of his work last year occurred with the corpse of David Johnson and Chase Edmunds (who also flashed) injured.

Former Stars and Rookies with Potential Workhorse Roles and Questions

Gurley lands in a high-output offense with no real competition for touches.  His weekly status due to knees remains unknown.  Fournette should maintain a workhorse role with Jacksonville.  The Jaguars offensive line and overall team could be among the worst in the league leading to touch and production issues.  What role does Gordon have in Denver with Lindsay still available?  He also has extensive knee issues.  Bell’s 2019 is a perfect example of running back situation dependency after moving to the Jets bad offensive line and finishing with an awful 3.2 yards per carry. David Johnson lands in a spot with tons of vacated touches at running back.  The Texans’ inside-heavy, early down thumper role does not really fit his skills and he’s probably not the best DJ in Houston at this stage.  Baltimore, Detroit, and LA spent high draft capital on Dobbins, Swift, and Akers respectively so expect a big role eventually, though when that happens is somewhat in question.

Committee Backs

Mostert exploded down the stretch last season for the run-heavy 49ers but is a career special teamer who will have limited passing game chances.  Does Hunt maintain the passing down role for Cleveland with a new coaching staff in town?  He is an interesting long-term investment with demonstrated three-down ability.  How long do Ingram, Mack, and Johnson keep fantasy relevancy with the afore-mentioned rookies ready to step in?


Bio:  Bernard Faller has degrees in engineering and economics.  He currently lives in Las Vegas and enjoys athletics, poker, and fantasy football in his free time.  Send your questions and comments (both good and bad) on Twitter @BernardFaller1.

More Analysis by Bernard Faller

2020 RSO Contracts: QBs

Updated: August 21st 2020

My annual look at early RSO auction values begins at the quarterback position.  The series was designed to give the reader help in planning for upcoming auctions by looking at actual RSO auctions already finished this year.  The data comes from a variety of different types of leagues with varying scoring rules and starting requirements which can drastically alter player values so be cautious in expecting values to match your particular league.  The information does provide a useful starting point for examining how RSO owners value players at a certain position relative to one another and the length of contract they are willing to invest.  Provided fantasy stats and rankings utilize ESPN scoring.

Average RSO Quarterback Contracts

Upper Tier

Mahomes and Jackson make up the top-tier of RSO quarterbacks, by a wide margin, with GMs making massive investments in the two.  Maybe no QB started off their first two seasons in the NFL as well as the Kansas City quarterback.  Mahomes still produced non-Jackson upper-level quarterback numbers while in the lineup despite dislocating a kneecap in 2019.  He retains one of the best supporting casts and coaching teams in the NFL.  Jackson essentially inserts a free RB2 in the lineup and easily finished 2019 as the top fantasy quarterback.  His improvement as a passer from his rookie season, where he was among the least accurate passers in the league, was nothing short of amazing.  His 27.2 points per game was 32% higher than the second-highest scoring quarterback.

Second Tier

Plenty of quality every-week starting options exist outside of Jackson and Mahomes at a sharp price discount.  Murray, Watson, Wilson, and Prescott all possess rushing and scrambling abilities which boost their weekly output.  The oddball out of this group is Murray who is more of a projection at this point, but one with tantalizing rushing and offensive volume upside.  He played a solid rookie season with little notable proven talent on offense against one of the most difficult passing schedules.  Murray’s schedule projects as one of the more difficult again in 2020 but the supporting cast is a year older and added former Houston star receiver DeAndre Hopkins.  The afore-mentioned loss of Hopkins may not reasonably help the Texans but might increase Watson’s rushing attempts. The addition of Randall Cobb and Brandin Cooks should also dampen Hopkins’ loss somewhat.  The only question surrounding Wilson is volume which limits the chances of reaching true top-tier production.  Prescott put together his best season as a pro in 2019 finishing as the QB2 and Dallas stole CeeDee Lamb in the draft.   Dallas was one of the most opponent-strength sensitive teams meaning they tended to crush lesser competition while struggling against quality units more so than other teams.

Low-End Fantasy Starters

Quarterbacks like Wentz, Brees, and Ryan provide relatively cheap and quality starting options in known situations with great surrounding talent but without the rushing upside of quarterbacks in the second tier of RSO auctions.  Boost them up your rankings in fantasy scoring formats which more heavily weight passing statistics.  I expect a big boost from Wentz, in particular, for 2020.  Injuries decimated the Eagles’ receiving core last season removing most of the deep speed element, while forcing players off the street like Greg Ward into the lineup.  The addition of first round draft pick Jalen Raegor and hopeful health of DeSean Jackson should alleviate some of those issues.  Brees finished as the QB5 and QB7 over the last two seasons in points per game and the Saints added Emmanuel Sanders to solidify the receiving core.

Wild Cards and Questions

I like Josh Allen and his rushing game as a great weekly matchup play, especially with the addition of Stefon Diggs to the receiving core.  I don’t like Allen’s current cost in RSO auctions with his demonstrated passing inconsistencies.  Tom Brady gets a big upgrade in receiving weapons for Tampa Bay with a coach who airs the ball out.  Is it enough to overcome old age after a remarkably unremarkable 2019?  Do we see Baker Mayfield, who failed to deliver on the hype last year, emerge under new coach Kevin Stefanski who utilized a relatively run-heavy offense in Minnesota?  What is the health status of Stafford (back), Roethlisberger (arm), and Cam Newton (all over)?  When do we see first-round rookies Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa get a chance at the starting lineup?

Value Weekly Matchup Plays

Jimmy Garoppolo owns one of the highest completion percentages to start a career while also being among the most efficient quarterbacks.  The 49ers also project with one of the easiest schedules to start the season and during the fantasy playoffs.  A receiving group with practically no experience in San Francisco and potentially limited volume due to run-oriented scheme and great defense raises volume concerns.  Gardner Minshew posted quality numbers last year with many comparing him to Kyler Murray. Minshew ranked just 29th in ESPN’s QBR and 22nd in Football Outsider’s DVOA which highlights how one of the most pass-friendly schedules in the NFL inflated his numbers during the 2019 season.  The plus side is Jacksonville, once again, projects with one of the easiest pass schedules, particularly during the first half of the season.  Cousins and Rivers represent cheap reliable low-upside options.  Tyrod Taylor gives weekly rushing upside on a team with good receiving weapons for as long as he remains the starter.


Bio:  Bernard Faller has degrees in engineering and economics.  He currently lives in Las Vegas and enjoys athletics, poker, and fantasy football in his free time.  Send your questions and comments (both good and bad) on Twitter @BernardFaller1.

More Analysis by Bernard Faller

RSO Roster Construction: Positional Variation

Updated: August 5th 2020

The question of optimal roster construction remains a mystery to many in RSO leagues.  How much should I allocate to different position groups?  How is the allocation distributed within each position?  How much should go to projected starters versus backups?  There exists practically near-limitless player combinations available to RSO teams and we can’t hope to cover any reasonable fraction of those.  A previous article compared rosters based on allocation of cap to different tiers of players.  This article gives a few examples of what various rosters can look like based on allocation of salary cap to different position groups.  We utilize average salary data taken from 2020 RSO startup auctions in order to construct 20-player rosters fitting near the RSO salary cap limits.  Note rookies are not included in rosters due to very small auction samples.  I assume 1QB/1SF/2RB/2WR and 1 or 2 flex spots in the starting lineup for this exercise.   I also allocated the same number of roster spots at each position for all rosters as a consistency measure.

The goal of this article is not to recommend individual players or even which type of roster construction is best.  League settings and conditions will have a big impact on the type of roster you desire on auction day.  The article does provide a starting point in evaluating different types of roster builds and the sort of trade-offs one must take into account when choosing how your team is constructed by examining a few rosters with differing cap distributions among players.

Running Back Heavy Roster

 

This roster allocates about 60% of cap space to the running back position.  It features two top-five RBs along with multiple other backs whom possess high-end workload potential.  The team relies on lower-tier starting options at both quarterback and tight end likely utilizing a weekly matchup-based approach for each.  Running back-heavy squads wish to capitalize on a few key areas.  One, top running backs outscore their correspondingly ranked top wide receivers, even in a PPR scoring system.  Typically the switch-off point where wide receivers start outscoring their running back counterparts occurs roughly in the 6-10 ranking range for PPR leagues. A team spending heavy on running back maximizes chances of hitting on a high-value player which wide receivers and tight ends can’t hope to compete with in terms of potential scoring and positional advantage.  Two, wide receiver depth makes spending less at that position a more viable strategy as quality reliable starting options  are readily available at price points one would pay for backup running backs and backs with unknown roles.  Three, heavy running back spending also mitigates more scoring variation at the position due to issues like higher dependency on surrounding players and coaching schemes.  A team is in a better position to make up for injuries and misses at the position.

There are also a few disadvantages with this strategy.  High-end running backs are typically the most expensive players in RSO leagues.  Investing in the top backs necessarily means less cap room for other positions compared to when a team pays for top players at other positions.  Lower-end tight ends and quarterbacks can provide passable options to fill your starting lineup but very rarely provide much upside. Also, elevated injury-risk at the position leads to more volatility from a season-long perspective.  In particular, the accumulation of volume and hits may lead to injury and/or underperformance of running backs toward the end of the fantasy season and playoffs when those big point totals are so valuable.

Wide Receiver Heavy Roster

 

The wide receiver heavy example consists of the same tight end and quarterback groups but allocates about 60% cap space to wide receivers.  The goal of this roster construction varies from the RB-heavy roster.  Instead of taking swings on more volatile high-risk, high-reward running backs, the team tries to accumulate more of the smaller, but more reliable and consistent, victories at wide receiver.  The team reduces injury-risk by not heavily investing in running backs and is still able to acquire running backs with potentially big roles and others with chances to eventually gain roles as injuries or underperformance hit other teams’ starting running backs.  This strategy becomes more viable as starting spots open to wide receivers increases in order to take advantage of all those accumulated small wins.

The most glaring issue with this strategy is that the running back puts you in a “cover your eyes and hope” position.  Questions with regard to the player, surround talent and coaching, and/or role in offense naturally increase as the contract price decreases.  The rate of questions to price is much sharper at the running back position which leads to vary questionable starting options.  The limited player pool of viable starting running backs also makes trading for one potentially very expensive.

Quarterback / Tight End Heavy Roster

 

There are some very pleasing traits to a team-build emphasizing the quarterback and tight end positions.  A team won’t have to devote as much cap space to get upper-end talent at the positions because teams typically only start 2 quarterbacks and 1 tight end weekly in superflex leagues.   This allows cap space spread out more uniformly among the various positions which may result in a more balanced starting lineup with no true weakness. This roster-type should offer a consistent weekly edge at quarterback and tight end, even in bye weeks and when injuries occur, while having an extra high-end tight end provides a potentially useful flex option.

Depth at the key fantasy positions of running back and wide receiver could be an issue with this type of team build.  There is not much room for many injuries or underperformance at those positions on a team like this.  Another issue is whether there is enough value to be extracted from paying a premium at quarterback.  The fantasy community is not particularly great at finding significant value at the position.  A previous article found RSO owners spending premium amounts of salary at quarterback did not result in much more expected production at the position.


Bio:  Bernard Faller has degrees in engineering and economics.  He currently lives in Las Vegas and enjoys athletics, poker, and fantasy football in his free time.  Send your questions and comments (both good and bad) on Twitter @BernardFaller1.

More Analysis by Bernard Faller