THE LATEST & GREATEST FROM TOP TEAM FANTASY

At Fantasy Football Aggregator we constantly provide quick and direct access to the best fantasy football analysis and content around the web. We also look to provide an additional platform for writers and sites looking to make their mark. Below are recent fantasy articles worth your time to read, so check them out and always provide any feedback online or @FFGator.

Is Robert Griffin III Worth the Risk?
from Nick Weimer (@BustaWeims)

"Mike Shanahan and the Redskins are paying the price for keeping their rookie phenomenon, Robert Griffin III, on the field after tweaking his knee in the first quarter of the Wildcard game last year.

It’s no secret that the only thing limiting Robert Griffin III from being a fantasy superstar is his health. While healthy, RGIII was as dynamic as it gets, throwing for 3200 yards with 20 TDs and only 5 INT, while rushing for an insane 815 yards and another 7 TDs. However, when RGIII’s knee buckled a second time in the Wildcard showdown between the Washington Redskins and Seattle Seahawks, his availability for Week 1 of the 2013 season was in serious question."

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2013 Fantasy Preview: Pittsburgh Steelers
from Ryan Downes (@Tweeteachisown)

"Here we go Black and Gold! The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be ready to roll in 2013! They should have a revitalized Big Ben and a hungry receiving corps. They may finally have a steady running game as well. It’s always hard to predict these things, but it’s looking like everything could break their way in terms of a return to the playoffs.

The 2012 season was a tough one for the Steelers as Roethlisberger was banged up and Troy Polumolu missed the majority of the year as well. This defense (which finished 12th overall) should be even better with the additions of some key rookies and the development of other young talent (which we’ll explore below). Overall, there should be some very attractive fantasy options being produced by this team in 2013."

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More Great Articles from The Fake Pigskin

At Fantasy Football Aggregator we constantly provide quick and direct access to the best fantasy football analysis and content around the web. We also look to provide an additional platform for writers and sites looking to make their mark. Below are recent fantasy articles worth your time to read, so check them out and always provide any feedback online or @FFGator.

Protect Your Investment: Four Late Round QB Targets
from Matt Lane (@FFMattLane)

"Whilst last season saw few injuries to starting QBs, the new breed of mobile quarterbacks means it’s more important than ever to identify a safe backup in the event that your man goes down hurt, a scheme of protection if you will.

The following QBs all have an element of risk attached to them, and priority should be given to insure them with a solid backup: Robert Griffin III (Bye 5), Cam Newton(4), Michael Vick(12), Colin Kaepernick(9), Russell Wilson(12) and even Matthew Stafford(9). The first five all have a playing style that invites tackles more than your pocket passers, and the smaller bodied guys like Vick, Wilson and Griffin are especially at risk. If you’re grabbing these guys to lead your team be sure to get one of the following QBs to protect you’re draft-day investment."

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From Game Manager to Game Changer: Alex Smith
from Ken Wang (@k_wang3)

"In 2005, Alex Smith was drafted with the 1st overall pick in the NFL draft to play quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. 1st overall pick or not, for any quarterback to succeed in the NFL, you are going to need talent, a coach and a system that makes the most of that talent, and the right personnel. For the first five to six years of his career, one could say that everything that happened to the quarterback out of Utah was like a movie straight from Hollywood, a horror film. A consistently weak receiving corps and porous offensive lines were just some of the problems he faced. Going from a coach that didn’t trust him (Mike Nolan) to a coach who couldn’t keep his pants on (Mike Singletary), Alex Smith finally had a competent coach who not only believed in him, but put him in situations for him to succeed and succeed he did. Despite being 2 muffed punts away from a Super Bowl game and leading the NFL in completion percentage the following year, Smith got traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in the offseason. The current state of these Chiefs makes me believe that Alex Smith will not only be a solid, efficient QB in real life, but I’m going to surprise a lot of people and say that he is going to be a QB1 in 2013."

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NFL Team Fantasy Previews

At Fantasy Football Aggregator we constantly provide quick and direct access to the best fantasy football analysis and content around the web. We also look to provide an additional platform for writers and sites looking to make their mark. Below are recent fantasy articles worth your time to read, so check them out and always provide any feedback online or @FFGator.

Eagle Renaissance: 2013 Chip Kelly-Philadelphia Eagles Outlook
from Scott Lynge (@ScottLynge)

"At one time the thought of having to change anything Andy Reid did in Philadelphia was unimaginable. Andy Reid was the Philadelphia Eagles. But that was then, and this is now, and whether they wanted it or not, change is upon them.

Chip Kelly, the former University of Oregon head coach, has now taken residence in Philly, bringing not only his innovative and successful offensive system, but what is surely to be a change of culture.

As always, change brings questions, and there have been many. Some believe the up tempo read option offense he used at Oregon may not translate to the next level because NFL defenses have seen this before, and are, simply, more sophisticated."

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2013 Fantasy Preview: Cleveland Browns
from Russell Shaffer (@RussellShaffer)

"Once upon a time Cleveland Municipal Stadium – the former home of the Browns and Indians – was infamously referred to as the Mistake by the Lake. I spent many summer days at that cavernous pit, and I can honestly say it really didn’t have any redeeming qualities. Numerous times my parents and I would arrive to find at least one of our ticketed seats completely obstructed by a steel girder while every visit to the stadium’s dark and dreary concourses welcomed you with the tantalizing aromas of stale beer, urine and other foul odors.

The only thing the stadium had going for it was oftentimes the teams on the field were more hapless than the facility itself. Which recently brought me to wonder – was the Mistake by the Lake a moniker for Municipal Stadium or the entire Browns franchise?"

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2013 Fantasy Preview: Cincinnati Bengals
from J.D. Redemann (@JayArr_TopTeam)

"The 2012-13 NFL playoffs marked an historic moment for the Bengals, but perhaps for the wrong reasons: for the first time ever in NFL history, the two same teams squared off in back-to-back years in the AFC Wild Card Round and replicated the previous year’s result. Unfortunately for the Cincinnati fans, that meant suffering back-to-back playoff heartbreaks at the hands of the Houston Texans; in the most recent edition, the Bengals were held to just 207 total offensive yards and no first downs. The relative success of obtaining a playoff berth in consecutive seasons for the first time in 30 years has become overshadowed by questions about both the team’s raw inexperience and one-dimensionality.

Third-year wideout A.J. Green is clearly a monster on the field and in the fantasy box scores, but who is towing the line with him in the receiving game? For that matter, is his intelligent but short-armed quarterback, Andy Dalton, physically able to maximize the weapons available to him? At times it seemed like the Bengals were poaching plays straight from the Detroit Lions’ playbook: play-action, throw it high to your best receiver, rinse, repeat. They also brought in big bruiser-style running back last year in BenJarvus Green-Ellis, “The Law Firm”, to upgrade a horrendous running game, but Green-Ellis was barely able to do more than fall forward and hope for the best, and even then he fumbled for the first time in his NFL career (and then liked it so much he did some more). There’s clearly potential for the Bengals in real life, but they have to step it up. And what about for your fantasy teams? Let’s find out…"

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MORE GREAT ANALYSIS FROM NEWLY FEATURED SITES

At Fantasy Football Aggregator we constantly provide quick and direct access to the best fantasy football analysis and content around the web. We also look to provide an additional platform for writers and sites looking to make their mark. Below are recent fantasy articles worth your time to read, so check them out and always provide any feedback online or @FFGator.

2013 Fantasy Preview: Miami Dolphins
from John Doylemason

"Who didn’t the Dolphins add in free agency? Every minute this offseason Miami was making waves. If it’s not Peyton, Tebow, or Hernandez, its Miami. If this house of cards can handle the diminishing winds from the north and get their upgraded run game motoring they can take the AFC East and surprise as a 4th seed (knocking off the 5th seed Bengals, heard it here first folks).

Ryan Tannehill is looking to improve and mesh with his new toys in year two. On paper, the team can really fly and looks to work with Tannehill’s proficient downfield ball in 3 and 4 receiver sets."

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Fashionably Late: Three 2013 RB Sleeper Targets for Redraft
from Matt Lane (@FFMattLane)

"The term ‘sleeper’ is a staple of pre-draft fantasy football chatter: a guy who may typically be drafted in the tenth round that offers sixth round value would be a good example of a sleeper. Today I’ll delve a little deeper, looking at the last RB you’re likely going to select, probably in the 3rd or 4th to last round to fill out your roster. All of these players’ ADP offers an opportunity that you could exploit in your fantasy league to give you a head start over your league rivals."

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More Great Analysis from Newly Featured Sites

At Fantasy Football Aggregator we constantly provide quick and direct access to the best fantasy football analysis and content around the web. We also look to provide an additional platform for writers and sites looking to make their mark. Below are recent fantasy articles worth your time to read, so check them out and always provide any feedback online or @FFGator.

“Me, Myself, and IDP”: 2013 Seattle Seahawks
from Luke Taylor (@DSEmpire_Luke)

"Head coach, Pete Carroll had his aggressive defense flying all over field, and the unit finished the regular season as the #1 scoring defense in the NFL.
Most of the cast who played on that defense return for 2013, and that is where we start our Team IDP previews…

Seattle Seahawks (Base: 4-3)
The Hawks boast an aggressive defense that work extremely well as an overall unit, but there are really only a few players worth rostering in IDP leagues."

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The Training Table: Danny Amendola
from Scott Lynge (@ScottLynge)

"The damnable misery in trying to write an article about just one player to avoid in 2013, is that ANY player drafted has the potential to be a bust, therefore, avoided. They all come with inherent risk, none of them come with guarantees attached, never have, never will, even if you take them in the first round. How do these names grab you? Darren McFadden, LeSean McCoy, DeMarco Murray, Larry Fitzgerald, Maurice Jones Drew, Ryan Mathews, Hakeem Nicks, Brandon Lloyd, etc. etc. etc. Catch my drift? All of these players were taken in the first three or four rounds in 2012, and if you drafted any of them you were feeling pretty darn good about yourself."

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2013 Fantasy Preview: Buffalo Bills
from John Doylemason

"Fear not Buffalo natives. You will be able to draft more than one relevant fantasy super star from your team in 2013. You’ll now get two! oOoOo. New head coach Doug Marrone brings an offensive powerhouse background with his time as an OC with the Saints. Added youth dot the roster on offense as the roster was purged of age in the offseason. While a few key veterans across the offensive line, pass catching crops, and ringer QB Kolb will stable the ship, the talent pool clearly drives the offensive playbook to feature the team’s number one player; C.J. Spiller.

Wide receiver Stevie Johnson remains a stalwart 1000 yard WR3 and tight end Scott Chandler (the #2 fantasy performer in 2012) has immense potential with the new offense. The Bills are in a transition period with all the roster turnover and a 1st round QB that will be taking over the reins to the franchise. If this mix of old and new cogs can sync, the Bills will be a test for any team, however, expectations should be tempered as their rebuilding years are far from over. Let’s get into it!"

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Both Sides of the Coin: Saints Jimmy Graham

We are still two months away from the start of the NFL season, so you may wonder why so much debate is going on between where players are ranked, what draft strategies are the best and so forth.  Of course what are we supposed to do for the next two months?

There are a multitude of fantastic fantasy writers today and their use of statistics, logic and strategy make it difficult to argue against them.  What makes fantasy fun though is when two respected foes offer differing opinions on the same player.  Such is the case when John Paulsen, senior editor for 4for4.com, and JJ Zachariason, owner and author of the Late Round QB, discussed Saints TE Jimmy Graham. 

JJ discusses Value Based Drafting, Onesie Positions, Season-Long Numbers, Tight End Streaming and more in his detailed case against Jimmy Graham being an early round pick.

“What’s there not to like about Jimmy Graham? His basketball roots fit the Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates fantasy stud mold, and he’s already shown that he can be a dominant force playing a game that he barely competed in at the college level. At 6’7”, Graham is almost the size of two Gary Colemans (rest in peace), easily towering over any defender in the league. He’s a monster on the field.

But as I always say, fantasy football isn’t like real pigskin. Positions can easily be devalued through biased scoring systems and league structures, and things that work on the gridiron just don’t always translate to your fantasy lineup.”  Continue reading the full article here.

John delves into Graham’s Current Value, 2^nd Round Draft Strategies, The Downside of Streaming and more when delivering his case for selecting the elite tight end with your second pick.

“Prior to the 2012 season, Value-Based Rankings (VBR) typically showed that the top tight end held 3rd-round value. Oftentimes, these players -- Jason Witten in 2008 and 2009, Antonio Gates in 2010 and 2011 -- were being drafted in the late 3rd or early 4th rounds, so they held good value in the 3rd round on draft day.

In 2012, Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski led the way in preseason TE value and both players held 2nd round (and sometimes 1st round) value, depending on format. Graham struggled with wrist and ankle injuries throughout the season, but still played 15 games and finished as the #1 TE, catching 85 passes for 982 yards and nine TDs.” Continue reading the full article here.

Both of these articles should be required reading for every fantasy football fan.  I myself was initially siding with John prior to reading JJ’s article.  Personally my next step would be to use mock drafts to determine the makeup of teams I would end up with by drafting Jimmy early or waiting until the later rounds and focusing more on running back and wide receiver in the beginning stages.  In the end, the choice should always be yours and be glad you know someone is on your side either way.

I would suggest following both John (@4for4_John) and JJ (@LateRoundQB) on Twitter if you are not already and continue to look for more great content from their sites.

How Will Anquan Boldin Do Fantasy Wise in San Francisco?

It came as a shocker when San Francisco was able to pull off a trade with Baltimore so quickly after the Super Bowl, but at the end of the day Anquan Boldin is now a 49er. With San Francisco already having a good amount of talent on offense, just how will Boldin fit into their team and impact fantasy football leagues?

For starters, Boldin and the Ravens appeared to have a strained relationship towards the end of the season. Obviously winning a Super Bowl can ease some pains, but Boldin had no intention of restructuring a deal. When that became a reality, the Ravens looked to get at least some value out of him.

San Francisco continues to try to add athleticism around quarterback Colin Kaepernick, so Boldin should fit in nicely. One of his strongest attributes is that he is not afraid to go across the middle or play a physical style of football.

Moving to the NFC West might take a slight adjustment, but Boldin is a veteran who spent a good amount of time with the Arizona Cardinals. It will likely come down to either Boldin or Michael Crabtree for that #1 receiver spot on the 49ers. Regardless as to who secures that label, both should get the ball quite a bit during the game.

Perhaps the biggest hurdle for any receiver on the 49ers is that they play in a tough division with solid secondaries. Guys like Richard Sherman, Cortland Finnegan and Patrick Peterson are all capable of shutting down some of the best in the game, so Boldin will have to work for everything he gets out there. Fortunately for fantasy owners, even if Boldin is unable to get a ton of touches in a game, he will be a constant threat in the red zone. The threat of scoring a touchdown any time they are close makes him an interesting option.

Right now, Boldin appears to be a low risk, high reward type of wide receiver. He is projected to go anywhere from #35 to #45 among wide receivers in leagues, making him a fringe starter in most cases. He could end up being a steal though, because the 49ers are a talented team that needs a player of his skill set. If he can find the end zone a few times early, he will be a hot commodity.