Use this tool to rate your fantasy team

[Trip]

Some of you guys are either drafting with morons, are in 8 man leagues....or are in keeper leagues.

 

[TrillaMonsoon]

QB: Cam Newton, Tony Romo
RB: Matt Forte, Frank Gore, Reggie Bush, DeMarco Murray, Fred Jackson
WR: Brandon Marshall, Victor Cruz, Jordy Nelson, Steve Johnson, Brian Hartline, Ryan Broyles
TE: Vernon Davis, Dwayne Allen
PK: Matt Bryant
TD: Chicago Bears

Overview:



Congratulations! You seem to have grabbed quality players at every turn of this draft. It's rare indeed to be better than the average team at the three core positions (quarterback, running back and receiver), but we think this team is. And it's above average at the supporting positions as well.

You must be among the favorites in this league and have positioned yourself to grab one of the playoff spots. But before you start engraving the trophy, realize that the draft is not the end of the story. Things can and do go wrong, so you need to remain diligent throughout the year to ensure you remain strong until the playoffs.

Players we particularly like on this team include Dwayne Allen, Cam Newton, Brian Hartline, and Victor Cruz. We have all these guys ranked ahead of where they are typically being drafted.

Bottom line:

• With great inseason management, we think you have about a 99 percent chance of making the playoffs.
• With good inseason management, we think you have about a 99 percent chance of making the playoffs.
• With average inseason management, we think you have a 87 percent chance of making the playoffs.

 

[Dog Based Gremlin]

brehs, i got bored one day and did this for all 12 teams in my league to see which 6 make the playoffs,



Based on these analyzers results, it said...

• With good inseason management, we think you have about a 70% chance of making the playoffs (wild card berth)

if i stay on top of the "waiver wire"


I got Larry Fitz & Steve Smith as my starting receivers and the analyzer thinks they are


everywhere else im

 

[KingsnBucs1987]

they shytted on my team something fierce, I forgot who my kickers were. This is the team for a 14-team keeper league I'm in.

QB: Josh Freeman, Brandon Weeden
RB: Trent Richardson, Frank Gore, Vick Ballard
WR: Julio Jones, Roddy White, Tavon Austin, Mohamed Sanu
TE: Scott Chandler, Heath Miller
PK:
TD: Cincinnati Bengals, St. Louis Rams

Overview:



Let us say this as nicely as we can. This team is brutal. It is below average and/or too thin at all three core positions (quarterback, running back and receiver).

To make this team into a serious contender, you are going to need to be extremely active in trades and on the waiver wire. You esentially need to turn over significant parts of this roster. Last year running backs like Alfred Morris and Vick Ballard all could be had dirt cheap at the draft. Additionally, wide receivers like James Jones and Cecil Shorts were available after a lot of the drafts. Quarterbacks like Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck last season, Cam Newton the year before, Michael Vick in 2010, and Matt Cassel in 2008 could all be had cheap just after draft time. You are likely going to need to land many of this year's top waiver plays to make any significant noise, so pay close attention to increased workloads, targets, injuries, etc.


Players we particularly like on this team include Trent Richardson, Frank Gore, the Bengals defense, and the Rams defense. We have all these guys ranked ahead of where they are typically being drafted.

Bottom line:

• With great inseason management, we think you have about a 55 percent chance of making the playoffs.
• With good inseason management, we think you have about a 30 percent chance of making the playoffs.
• With average inseason management, we think you have a 1 percent chance of making the playoffs.

QB Summary:

We have Josh Freeman rated #25 among quarterbacks, so we're not even sold on him as a fantasy starter in your league. And we're not sure that Brandon Weeden (our #27-rated QB) is likely to provide much help.

Incidentally, these two have a terrific combined schedule and a decent playoff schedule too. If you simply played the one with the better matchup each week, this is the schedule you'd face:
MIA | NO | NE | CIN | BUF | PHI | GB | KC | BAL | MIA | CIN | DET | JAX | NE | SF | STL | NO

Though some teams will probably be content to roster as few as players here, it was not a bad idea to take a few extrasbecause you're not particularly strong overall at the position. Of your remaining guys, we like the best, but you should keep the one you think has the best chance of putting up starter numbers. The rest might be considered expendable if you find you need roster space elsewhere.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Josh Freeman is ranked #15 by some of our writers. Mark Wimer reasons, "Freeman has been inconsistent so far during hiscareer, but he benefits from having a top-shelf running back to menace opposing defenses, and also a nice tandem at wide receiver to utilize. I think a top-ten finish among fantasy quarterbacks is a lock for Freeman this year, especially as he cut back on throwing interceptions last season. He looks like a player on the way up, so I like him as a strong QB #2 play, with possible top-five upside this season. "

Some of our staffers have Brandon Weeden as high as #23, which would make him a fine second quarterback. Matt Waldman's take: "Brandon Weeden gets another year in Cleveland to grow into the starter role and to be honest, a 3385-14-17 performance from a rookie is good by first-year quarterback standards when you consider that Greg Little can't catch and both Josh Gordon, Travis Benjamin, and Josh Cooper were all rookies. I have never been high on Weeden as a top-flight fantasy option, but I think he has enough skill to reach Andy Dalton's level of performance with the right pieces in place. I think the addition of Davone Bess and Norv Turner is at least a step in the right direction. "



RB Summary:

Trent Richardson is a solid choice as a top running back. He's our #4 RB, so you're ahead of most teams there.



Though some teams will probably be content to roster as few as players here, it was not a bad idea to take a few extras because you're not particularly strong overall at the position. Of your remaining guys, we like the best, but you should keep the one you think has the best chance of putting up starter numbers. The rest might be considered expendable if you find you need roster space elsewhere.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Vick Ballard is ranked #36 by some of our writers, which would make him a fine third running back. Andy Hicks reasons, "The arrival of Ahmad Bradshaw has to be a concern for Vick Ballard owners. At this stage Ballard is still the starter until Bradshaw can prove he is fit and in charge of the Colts scheme. If he is healthy and able to pass protect, then Bradshaw is the best back on the roster. Until then however Ballard should see the majority of the work and given the average skills he showed in 2012, that doesn't automatically make him fantasy starter material this year. His upside is RB2, but if Bradshaw is ready then he is likely to be a spot starter at best. "



WR Summary:

While your lack of depth at the position concerns us, we do like both your starting receivers, as our projections indicate that they give you a combined 2.1 point-per-game advantage over an average opponent in this league. Julio Jones is our fifth ranked WR, and we have Roddy White at #10.

Your bench doesn't look quite as strong.

Though some teams will probably be content to roster as few as players here, it was not a bad idea to take a few extras because you're not particularly strong overall at the position. Of your remaining guys, we like the best, but you should keep the one you think has the best chance of putting up starter numbers. The rest might be considered expendable if you find you need roster space elsewhere.

A quick note about the same-team Jones/Roddy White and White/Julio Jones duos you've got here. Though the effect is probably negligible, this kind of pairing is likely to make your team more (not less) consistent than a comparable-scoring different-team pair. See this article (which was written before the 2008 season) for more discussion.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Mohamed Sanu is ranked #44 by some of our writers, which would make him an above average fourth receiver. Mark Wimer reasons, "Sanu looks poised to be the #2 wide receiver across from AJ Green, and he should have a lot of single coverage in that role. I like him as a bench player with lots of upside potential for fantasy owners. "



TE Summary:

This is a pretty motley crew. We don't see Scott Chandler as a viable starter or Heath Miller as an above average backup. Help is needed.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some members of our staff have Scott Chandler ranked as high as 18th. Heath Cummings defends his high ranking as follows: "Chandler's NFL career got off to a slow start in Dallas and I feel like maybe that's caused him to be overlooked in the fantasy community. He's been a TE2 for the past two seasons and was a borderline TE1 in 2012. I've downgraded him slightly because the team downgraded at quarterback, but he's not someone to be forgotten."

Some of our staffers have Heath Miller as high as #15, which would make him an above average second tight end. Jeff Tefertiller's take: "Yes, Miller is coming off a knee injury, but the Steelers tight end will get healthy at some point this season. "



Kicker Summary:

Don't forget to pick up a kicker before the season starts.



Defense Summary:

Between the Bengals and the Rams, you should get above average production here.

 

[ChuckDaddy]

Cool site. They've got me feeling a little better about my team than I was right after the draft. I'm in a 14-team league...

http://subscribers.footballguys.com/rate-my-team/team.php?team=3tz24595R7V2

QB: Russell Wilson, Matt Schaub
RB: Ray Rice, Maurice Jones-Drew, LeVeon Bell, Bryce Brown, Bilal Powell, Lance Dunbar
WR: Dez Bryant, Antonio Brown, Jordy Nelson, Golden Tate, Kendall Wright
TE: Owen Daniels
PK: Dan Bailey
TD: Dallas Cowboys

Overview:
In a competitive league, almost every team has a weakness. It's almost impossible to build a team that is strong at all three core positions (quarterback, running back and wide receiver). As you probably suspect, we perceive your weakness to be at the quarterback position. Of all the deficiencies to have though, this is usually the easiest one to mask.
Footballguys owner David Dodds even recommends you go into your draft with the goal of landing the top RBs and WRs while waiting to grab QBs late. Value-Based Drafting principles also suggest that teams constructed in this manner end up being strong. But for this team to reach it's full potential, you might need to have a quick trigger finger at the QB position and stay on the look out for good quarterback help. Last year Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck could be had very cheap in August and September, but ended up contributing to a lot of fantasy championships. In 2011 it was Cam Newton; in 2010 it was Michael Vick and Josh Freeman; in 2008, the same could be said of players like Aaron Rodgers, Kurt Warner, and Matt Cassel. Quarterbacks like these can be found every year, and that could be the key to your team's success.
So although this team isn't perfect (few are), it should still be a strong contender.
Players we particularly like on this team include Antonio Brown, Matt Schaub, Maurice Jones-Drew, and LeVeon Bell. We have all these guys ranked ahead of where they are typically being drafted.

Bottom line:

• With great inseason management, we think you have about a 90 percent chance of making the playoffs.
• With good inseason management, we think you have about a 85 percent chance of making the playoffs.
• With average inseason management, we think you have a 74 percent chance of making the playoffs.

In any event, we wish you the best of luck. Here's hoping all your weeks are like week 6 of 2009:
Maurice Jones-Drew vs. STL: 178 combined yards, 3 TD
Ray Rice vs. MIN: 194 combined yards, 2 TD
Matt Schaub vs. CIN: 392 passing yards, 4 TD
Owen Daniels vs. CIN: 78 receiving yards, 2 TD

QB Summary:
We have Russell Wilson rated #12 among quarterbacks, which makes him a less-than-stellar starter in this league. But we like the selection of our #15-rated QB, Matt Schaub, to go with him. Hopefully between the two of them, you should be able to cobble together some good production at the position, but this strategy always carries with it the downside that you'll drive yourself crazy trying to decide who to start from week to week.
Incidentally, these two have a terrific combined schedule and a decent playoff schedule too. If you simply played the one with the better matchup each week, this is the schedule you'd face:
SD | TEN | JAX | HOU | IND | TEN | KC | STL | TB | ATL | OAK | JAX | NE | JAX | IND | DEN | TEN

RB Summary:
Nice work here. We like both your starting running backs, as our projections indicate that they give you a combined 3.1 point-per-game advantage over an average opponent in this league. Our projections have Ray Rice ranked at #7 and Maurice Jones-Drew ranked 13th.
Your bench also looks good. LeVeon Bell should serve as a very solid third running back. We also very much approve of the selection of Bryce Brown, and not just because you can hold the LeSean McCoy owner hostage. He's a fine fourth running back in his own right.
Since you're strong at the position, you probably don't absolutely need to roster more than four players here. Of your remaining guys, we like Bilal Powell the best, but you should keep the one you think has the best chance of putting up starter numbers. The rest might be considered expendable if you find you need roster space elsewhere.

WR Summary:
Nice work here. We like both your starting receivers, as our projections indicate that they give you a combined 2.0 point-per-game advantage over an average opponent in this league. Dez Bryant is our #3 ranked receiver, and we have Antonio Brown at #16.
Your bench also looks good. Jordy Nelson looks great as a third receiver; he's a likely flex starter. Golden Tate should also be solidly above average at WR4. Kendall Wright should serve as a very solid fifth receiver.

TE Summary:
Owen Daniels, who we have ranked #10, is below average but probably adequate as a starting tight end. You might get by with only Daniels, but some additional help here probably wouldn't hurt.

Kicker Summary:
Dan Bailey, our 13th ranked kicker, is below average but probably adequate.

Defense Summary:
When you don't have an elite defense, one option is a committee approach. That is, try to get two cheap defenses whose schedules fit well together. Here are a few teams who we think may be available and whose schedules fit best with the Cowboys', along with the combined schedule that each would create:

 

[Stone]

QB: Peyton Manning, Tony Romo
RB: Arian Foster, Stevan Ridley, Chris Ivory, Montee Ball
WR: Victor Cruz, Kenny Britt, Greg Jennings, Sidney Rice, Denarius Moore
TE: Vernon Davis, Julius Thomas
PK: Matt Bryant
TD: Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos

Overview:



This team is built around strong quarterback play. Despite not being strong at running back and receiver, we think this team should be in the mix.

Nevertheless, we feel compelled to mention that the RB and WR positions make us a bit nervous and are likely to require some attention throughout the year. We'd feel much better if we knew you were committed to scooping up 2013's breakout players at RB and WR. Getting one or more of these would take this team to the next level.

Bottom line:

• With great inseason management, we think you have about a 70 percent chance of making the playoffs.
• With good inseason management, we think you have about a 55 percent chance of making the playoffs.
• With average inseason management, we think you have a 36 percent chance of making the playoffs.

In any event, we wish you the best of luck. Here's hoping all your weeks are like week 13 of 2010:

Greg Jennings vs. SF: 122 receiving yards, 2 TD
Chris Ivory vs. CIN: 117 combined yards, 2 TD
Arian Foster vs. PHI: 109 combined yards, 2 TD
Sidney Rice vs. BUF: 105 receiving yards, 2 TD
Vernon Davis vs. GB: 126 receiving yards, 1 TD


QB Summary:

We expect Peyton Manning to be a solid starter. According to our projections, he's the #3 QB, so you should be better off than most teams in the starting quarterback slot.

Tony Romo, who we have rated as the #7 QB, is a nice backup and could conceivably emerge as either a starter for your team or, if Manning plays as expected, some tempting trade bait for teams with quarterback troubles.

Incidentally, Romo has what we project as a good matchup (MIN) during Manning's bye.



RB Summary:

We see both your starters at running back as below average. Our projections have Arian Foster ranked ninth and Stevan Ridley ranked at #18.

We see Chris Ivory as an average third running back; he's a likely flex starter. Montee Ball is an excellent RB4.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some members of our staff have Arian Foster ranked as high as second, which would make him an above average first running back. Anthony Borbely defends his high ranking as follows: "Foster has averaged more than 1800 yards from scrimmage and has 47 TDs in the last three years. With his high expected TD numbers, I think Foster has a great chance to be the top fantasy RB this year. There is some concern about Foster's back and leg issues, but he was activated from the PUP list and appears to be on target for the regular season opener. While there is risk, I am ranking Foster second to Adrian Peterson because of the huge numbers he has posted year after year. "

Some members of our staff have Stevan Ridley ranked as high as 11th, which would make him an above average second running back. Chad Parsons defends his high ranking as follows: "Shane Vereen was already a threat to cut into Ridley's volume and touchdown-based production. Legarrette Blount's addition could be another strike against Ridley as the highest-priced back in an always fungible backfield."

Some members of our staff have Chris Ivory ranked as high as 24th, which would make him an above average third running back. Jason Wood defends his high ranking as follows: "Ivory needs to stay healthy, but if he can stay on the field he's got more talent than Shonn Greene and could be one of the year's surprising breakout running backs. "



WR Summary:

We see both your starters at receiver as below average. Victor Cruz is our 11th ranked WR, and we have Kenny Britt at #27.

Greg Jennings is a little below average as a third receiver. Sidney Rice also figures to be a bit iffy as a fourth WR.

Denarius Moore is a solid depth pick.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some members of our staff have Victor Cruz ranked as high as eighth, which would make him a fine first receiver. Mark Wimer defends his high ranking as follows: "Cruz got his long-term contract, and given a healthy Hakeem Nicks across from him and all the trust Cruz earned from Eli Manning last year, I think this year Cruz will be a fantasy beast. He's on my short list of must-have fantasy wide receivers this year. I just drafted him as my #1 wide receiver on a start-up IDP dynasty squad. "

Kenny Britt is ranked #19 by some of our writers, which would make him a fine second receiver. Chad Parsons reasons, "Britt is in a contract year, the Titans drafted his future replacement in Justin Hunter in the top-40 of the draft, and he on the path to being healthy to start 2013. If ever Britt was going to put his flashes together into a strong season, this year would be it."

Greg Jennings is ranked #15 by some of our writers, which would make him a great third receiver and even a legitimate WR2. Mark Wimer reasons, "Great receiver, weak passer(s) under center - this situation reminds me of Larry Fitzgerald's during 2012, and we all know how well that turned out. At least Greg Jennings has Adrian Peterson around to keep defenses bunched up at the line, which should help Jennings produce respectable (meaning mid-#2-fantasy-wide-receiver range) numbers during 2013. Unfortunately Christian Ponder has struggled during training camp/preseason (5/12 for 53 yards passing vs. Buffalo most recently) so I think the weak quarterback play in Minnesota is going to cap Jennings' upside this year. I'm not reaching to draft Jennings in my fantasy leagues, and I don't believe I've rostered him at all this year. "

Sidney Rice is ranked #32 by some of our writers, which would make him an above average fourth receiver. Andy Hicks reasons, "Sidney Rice was finally back to full fitness last year and he put up nice numbers given his relative lack of targets. With the right fantasy matchup though, he can be used for spot duty and his current draft slot means you can grab him much later than less reliable receivers. The injury to Percy Harvin puts Rice as the No.1 receiver, but flying to Switzerland for treatment puts alarm bells on Rice as well. Watch further news carefully as a fit Rice could return to fantasy starter status."

Some members of our staff have Denarius Moore ranked as high as 33rd, which would make him a great fifth receiver and even a legitimate WR4. Heath Cummings defends his high ranking as follows: "Moore is entering the all important third year of his career and has done nothing but improve in his first two seasons. The quarterback drama in Oakland and reports of Moore's struggles in camp have tempered my expectations a bit."



TE Summary:

Vernon Davis is viable but below average as a starting tight end (we have him ranked #6). We're also not too fired up about Julius Thomas as a backup.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some of our staffers have Vernon Davis as high as #3, which would make him an above average first tight end. Andy Hicks's take: "The injury to Michael Crabtree will force the 49ers to utilize Vernon Davis more as an explosive receiver. The drafting of Vance McDonald allows Davis to catch more ball and as demonstrated in the NFC Championship and Superbowl, Davis is an elite fantasy receiver when he is not forced to block."

Some of our staffers have Julius Thomas as high as #20, which would make him a fine second tight end. Jason Wood's take: "Thomas is the best pass catching tight end on a Peyton Manning-led team. Whether that matters in fantasy circles has more to do with the use of TEs in the base offense this year, as well as whether Thomas can be trusted in pass protection."



Kicker Summary:

Matt Bryant, our seventh ranked kicker, won't win the league for you, but he'll do.



Defense Summary:

Between the Seahawks and the Broncos, you should get above average production here.

 

[Dusty Bake Activate]

QB: Matthew Stafford, Josh McCown
RB: Jamaal Charles, Ryan Mathews, Ben Tate, Fred Jackson, Danny Woodhead
WR: Jordy Nelson, Percy Harvin, Kendall Wright, Julian Edelman, Riley Cooper
TE: Zach Ertz, Ladarius Green
PK: Nick Novak
TD: St. Louis Rams, New Orleans Saints

Overview:

Old school!

Make no mistake about it: this team is about strength at the running back position. And we think it will be among the top teams in the league. Somewhere Marshall Faulk is smiling.

Nonetheless, we'd be remiss if we didn't at least mention the relative lack of strength at quarterback and receiver. These are usually survivable weaknesses, but we'd feel better if we knew you were committed to zealously scouring the waiver wire for this year's emergent players at QB and WR. Getting a breakout player at one or both of those positions would take your already-good team to the next level.

Bottom line:

• With great inseason management, we think you have about a 75 percent chance of making the playoffs.
• With good inseason management, we think you have about a 65 percent chance of making the playoffs.
• With average inseason management, we think you have a 48 percent chance of making the playoffs.

In any event, we wish you the best of luck. Here's hoping all your weeks are like week 12 of 2013:

Jamaal Charles vs. SD: 157 combined yards, 2 TD
Julian Edelman vs. DEN: 110 receiving yards, 2 TD
Danny Woodhead vs. KC: 70 combined yards, 2 TD
Matthew Stafford vs. TB: 297 passing yards, 3 TD
Kendall Wright vs. OAK: 103 receiving yards, 1 TD


QB Summary:

We have Matthew Stafford rated #6 among quarterbacks, which makes him a viable starter if not an exciting one. And we're not crazy about Josh McCown (ranked #27 among quarterbacks) as a backup. If Stafford turns in the season we expect, this position won't ruin you, but it probably won't be a strength either. And if things go wrong, it could be a long year at QB.

Incidentally, McCown has what we project as a neutral matchup (CLE) during Stafford's bye.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some members of our staff have Matthew Stafford ranked as high as second, which would make him an above average first quarterback. Heath Cummings defends his high ranking as follows: "Stafford has been top five in two of the last three years and he enters 2014 with the best corps of weapons he's ever had. Golden Tate should take at least some of the focus off of Calvin Johnson and Eric Ebron has a chance to give Stafford a more reliable option in the middle of the field. The tandem of Reggie Bush and Joique Bell in the backfield make Stafford's job a lot easier."

Josh McCown is ranked #18 by some of our writers, which would make him a fine second quarterback. Mark Wimer reasons, "McCown has enough surrounding talent in Tampa Bay to be a serviceable fantasy backup, with the opportunity for a reasonable number of starts when the matchup is favorable. He has reportedly 'clicked' with Vincent Jackson and both have connected for multiple TDs during practice sessions (including six TDs in one practice). Mike Evans has developed nicely in his rookie training camp. Both receivers are catching multiple passes from McCown in game situations (take a look at the box score from the third exhbition vs. Buffalo) I think McCown could be a strong fantasy presence during the season - if I go with a quarter-back-by-committee in some of my leagues this year McCown will likely be the #2 quarterback in those committees."



RB Summary:

Your starting running back group is a strength, particularly Jamaal Charles as a top running back. We figure them at a combined 1.9 points per game better than an average opponent in this league. Our projections have Charles ranked first and Ryan Mathews ranked at #17.

Your bench also looks good. Ben Tate should serve as a very solid third running back; he's a likely flex starter. Fred Jackson should also be solidly above average at RB4. Danny Woodhead is a handcuff, but we'd like him as a fifth running back even if you didn't have Ryan Mathews.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Ryan Mathews is ranked #11 by some of our writers, which would make him an above average second running back. Mark Wimer reasons, "Mathews finally played a full slate of 16 games last year, the Chargers intend to run the ball a lot, and as a bonus he is playing for his next contract this season. I like him for 2014 redraft leagues in both non-PPR and PPR scoring paradigms."



WR Summary:

Your starting receivers should be adequate but not great. They don't stand out as difference-makers, but all should be OK. Jordy Nelson is our fifth ranked WR, Percy Harvin is #20, and we have Kendall Wright 27th.

Julian Edelman should be a good fourth receiver. We also see Riley Cooper as an above average WR5.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Percy Harvin is ranked #12 by some of our writers, which would make him an above average second receiver. Chad Parsons reasons, "Harvin is impactful on a per game basis. Any string of health in 2014 results in a strong stretch of top15 production."

Kendall Wright is ranked #13 by some of our writers, which would make him a great third receiver and even a legitimate WR2. Jeff Tefertiller reasons, "Wright caught 94 passes a year ago and is on the rise. This is the season - if he can get decent quarterback play - Wright tops the 100-catch plateau."

Riley Cooper is ranked #32 by some of our writers, which would make him a great fifth receiver and even a legitimate WR4. Austin Lee reasons, "The Eagles produced two top-24 receivers last year, including Cooper. You could argue that adding Jordan Matthews and Darren Sproles will eat into Cooper's targets from last year, but that should almost be completely offset by Jeremy Maclin being a big downgrade from DeSean Jackson. The upside of this high-play-count offense makes it easy for me to envision Cooper flirting with the top 30 at his position in 2014."



TE Summary:

Zach Ertz is just OK as a starting tight end (we have him ranked #7). So the selection of Ladarius Green, who we see as a solid backup, was wise.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some of our staffers have Ladarius Green as high as #8, which would make him a great second tight end and even a legitimate TE1. Phil Alexander's take: "I'm willing to pay to find out if Mike McCoy and the SD coaching staff are smart enough to realize their most explosive playmaker belongs on the field. Don't let Antonio Gates' decent 2013 stat line fool you. He was terrible over the second half and in the playoffs, while Green's per target efficiency last year placed him in Graham/Gronk territory. Barring injury, Gates will not go away completely, but there are plenty of ways SD can get both TEs on the field together. Green personifies the type of pick that can single-handedly decide your league this season. If it makes you feel better, hedge against McCoy being a dummy by grabbing a high floor tight end late in the draft."



Kicker Summary:

Nick Novak, our eighth ranked kicker, won't win the league for you, but he'll do.



Defense Summary:

Between the Rams and the Saints, you should get above average production here

 

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

I have a 90 percent chance in one league with optimal in-season management and 85 percent in the other two

With that being said I stopped putting emphasis on these things since I always change my squad through waivers and trades during the season. Considering injuries happen to any and all players it's a matter of opportunity, luck, and playing the right matches.

 

[Bomberman]

QB: Jay Cutler
RB: Montee Ball, Toby Gerhart, Ryan Mathews, Chris Johnson, Lamar Miller
WR: Demaryius Thomas, Antonio Brown, Cordarrelle Patterson, Emmanuel Sanders, Rueben Randle, Brandin Cooks, Cody Latimer
TE: Jordan Reed, Antonio Gates
PK: Graham Gano
TD: Houston Texans

Overview:



In a competitive league, almost every team has a weakness. It's almost impossible to build a team that is strong at all three core positions (quarterback, running back and wide receiver). As you probably suspect, we perceive your weakness to be at the quarterback position. Of all the deficiencies to have though, this is usually the easiest one to mask.

Footballguys owner David Dodds even recommends you go into your draft with the goal of landing the top RBs and WRs while waiting to grab QBs late. Value-Based Drafting principles also suggest that teams constructed in this manner end up being strong. But for this team to reach it's full potential, you might need to have a quick trigger finger at the QB position and stay on the look out for good quarterback help. Last year Nick Foles could be had very cheap in August, but ended up contributing to a lot of fantasy championships. In 2012 it was Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck; in 2011 it was Cam Newton. Quarterbacks like these can be found every year, and that could be the key to your team's success.

So although this team isn't perfect (few are), it should still be a strong contender.

Players we particularly like on this team include Montee Ball, Rueben Randle, Lamar Miller, Toby Gerhart, Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders, Chris Johnson, and Cordarrelle Patterson. We have all these guys ranked ahead of where they are typically being drafted.

Bottom line:

• With great inseason management, we think you have about a 99 percent chance of making the playoffs.
• With good inseason management, we think you have about a 99 percent chance of making the playoffs.
• With average inseason management, we think you have a 94 percent chance of making the playoffs.

QB Summary:

We have Jay Cutler rated #15 among quarterbacks, so we're not even sold on him as a fantasy starter in your league. We strongly recommend that you add a backup QB (we'll make some specific suggestions at the end of the report).



RB Summary:

Nice work here. We like both your starting running backs. Our projections have Montee Ball ranked at #5 and Toby Gerhart ranked at #16.

Your bench also looks good. Tough to do better than Ryan Mathews at RB3; he's a likely flex starter. Likewise, Chris Johnson should be excellent at RB4.

Lamar Miller is an excellent depth pick, though you may not end up using him much.

A quick note about the same-team Ball/Demaryius Thomas and Ball/Emmanuel Sanders duos you've got here. Though the effect is probably negligible, this kind of pairing is likely to make your team more (not less) consistent than a comparable-scoring different-team pair. See this article (which was written before the 2008 season) for more discussion.



WR Summary:

Nice work here. We like all your starting receivers, as our projections indicate that they give you a combined 7.8 point-per-game advantage over an average opponent in this league. Demaryius Thomas is our second ranked WR, Antonio Brown is #8, Cordarrelle Patterson is #18, and we have Emmanuel Sanders 24th.

Your bench also looks good. Tough to do better than Rueben Randle at WR5. Brandin Cooks is also a very nice WR6.

Cody Latimer is a solid depth pick.

Again, the same-team aspect of the Thomas/Emmanuel Sanders and Sanders/Demaryius Thomas duos does not concern us.



TE Summary:

Jordan Reed is viable but below average as a starting tight end (we have him ranked #6). We're also not too fired up about Antonio Gates as a backup.



Kicker Summary:

We don't think Graham Gano is starter quality in this league. Keep a sharp eye on the waiver wire.



Defense Summary:

The Texans are probably not a difference-maker at defense, but they should be OK.

When you don't have an elite defense, one option is a committee approach. That is, try to get two cheap defenses whose schedules fit well together. Here are a few teams who we think may be available and whose schedules fit best with the Texans', along with the combined schedule that each would create:

 

[Spliff]

Said my team was flabby from the get go. Didn't believe it then, boy do I noww

 

[Mr Hate Coffee]

uppp. This still works.

 

[The Hovering Heed]

sites down

 

[South Paw]

sites down

 

[Dog Based Gremlin]

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Footballguys.com Fantasy Football - Rate My Team

 

[acri1]

Your team rated by footballguys.com

Yeah, my WRs are a little