What will be the fantasy impact of Chargers coach Mike McCoy on the value of Philip Rivers? - @doc_dad (via Twitter)
Michael Fabiano: The Chargers went from one offensive-minded coach in Norv Turner to another in McCoy. He's done great things in recent seasons while with the Denver Broncos, and his ability to change up his offenses to fit the different skill sets of quarterbacks Kyle Orton, Tim Tebow and Peyton Manning has drawn praise. So on the surface, this is a good move for Rivers' fantasy appeal. But keep this in mind - Rivers finished a very pedestrian 21st in fantasy points among quarterbacks in 2012. He has now seen his rank at the position drop in each of the last three seasons (2011 - 9th, 2010 - 5th). Furthermore, Rivers has also seen his completion percentage, passer rating, passing yards and touchdowns all decline since 2009. With that said, I still wouldn't advise fantasy leaguers to draft Rivers as more than a No. 2 signal-caller in 2013.
On a scale of 1-10, how big is your fantasy man crush on Colin Kaepernick? - K. Cubillas (via Facebook)
M.F.: Oh, it's a 10! I've been talking about Kaepernick for over two months now, and I don't think what he's done as a starter this season is a fluke. He has a rocket right arm and more important from a fantasy perspective, Kaepernick can run with the football. He showed that off against the Green Bay Packers, rushing for a record 183 yards and two touchdowns. I also found this little stat very interesting - if you use the fantasy points Kaepernick scored in his seven regular-season starts and project them over a full 16 contests, Kaepernick would have finished with over 300 fantasy points.
Which running back will be drafted higher in 2013 leagues: Doug Martin or Alfred Morris? What about Percy Harvin or Mike Wallace? - @matthewdwaters (via Twitter)
M.F.: It's going to be close, but I think Martin will have his name called first in most drafts. The Boise State product finished second in fantasy points among running backs, ranking behind Adrian Peterson and just ahead of Arian Foster. He should continue to be the centerpiece of the offense for Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano, who loves to run the football. Regardless, both Martin and Morris will be worth first-round picks in 10- and 12-team leagues. Martin came off the board with the No. 5 overall pick in our recent five-round mock draft, while Morris went with the second pick in Round 2.
With all of these new quarterbacks in the mix, is there any reason to take one in the earlier rounds? Won't there be at least a dozen or so solid starters? - E. Davis (via Facebook)
M.F.: No, there is no reason to do it at all. While everyone else is drafting Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Cam Newton in the first and second rounds, I will be loading up on the top running backs and wide receivers. Once I get into the fourth and fifth rounds, depending on the flow of the draft, I'll target a signal-caller like Kaepernick, Russell Wilson, Tony Romo, Matt Ryan or Matthew Stafford. So while I won't have what some would call an "elite" fantasy quarterback, I will have a solid signal-caller who can score 300-plus fantasy points over the course of the regular season.
If Michael Vick remains in Philadelphia, how much does his value increase with the addition of coach Chip Kelly? - @mariah10412 (via Twitter)
M.F.: It won't hurt, that's for sure. Of course, that all depends on whether or not the new regime decides to keep Vick on the roster. There's been a lot of speculation that Vick's time as a member of the Eagles is over, but he's a better fit for the new offensive attack than Nick Foles. In the event that Vick is retained and lands the starting role under Kelly, I'd consider him as a high-end No. 2 fantasy quarterback in most leagues. Remember that a big part of the problem with Vick is his inability to stay healthy, and no coaching change is going to help improve that aspect of his value.
Iâm in a 12-team PPR keeper league where we receive points for return touchdowns. You also lose the round of the players you retain. I need to keep two players from Calvin Johnson (Round 1), Brandon Marshall (Round 1), Marques Colston (Round 2), Matthew Stafford (Round 2), Dwayne Bowe (Round 2), Reggie Bush (Round 4), Pierre Garcon (Round 5), Ryan Mathews (Round 6), Mikel Leshoure (Round 11), Vick Ballard (Round 15) and Knowshon Moreno (Round 15). - J. Maguire (via Facebook)
|
Fantasy football podcast
![]() NFL Fantasy Live: Need fantasy advice? NFL Fantasy LIVE's Elliot Harrison, Michael Fabiano and Jason Smith provide all the news and analysis you'll need to dominate your league! Listen in ... |
M.F.: Honestly, most of the players you have listed aren't great values based on the rounds you would lose to keep them. Leshoure might be the best option based on where he'll be drafted in seasonal formats, but you're still not going to retain him over the other players. The two players to retain are Megatron and Marshall, assuming you can keep two players from the same round. I'm in a similar keeper league, and I would lose a first- and second-round selection for that duo of wideouts. Johnson and Marshall were the top two PPR wideouts in 2012, combining for more than 650 fantasy points.
What do you think about Michael Crabtree? Can he be a top-15 wide receiver in 2013? - @Penguinnoises7 (via Twitter)
M.F.: I think he can - he was 14th in fantasy points among wideouts in 2012, in fact. How's this for a stat? No receiver scored more fantasy points in the final four weeks of the regular season (67.70) than Crabtree. The veteran out of Texas Tech also averaged 12.78 fantasy points in the seven games started by Kaepernick. If you project that over 16 games, Crabtree would have been the fourth-ranked wideout based on points. Would I draft him ahead of the likes of Megatron, Marshall or A.J. Green? No. But would I target him as a possible No. 2 fantasy option with upside? Absolutely.
Which two players would you retain in a PPR league from Kaepernick, Ray Rice, Trent Richardson and Julio Jones? - C. Arcelli (via Facebook)
M.F.: All four of these players are solid options from a keeper perspective, but I would retain the two running backs, Rice and Richardson. Both players have first-round value in most seasonal formats, though I can see Richardson coming off the board at the start of the second round in some 10-team leagues. With those two stars in your backfield, you can then turn your focus to wide receivers and a quarterback in the first few rounds of the re-draft. Who knows, you might be able to re-acquire Kaepernick and/or Jones on draft day depending on your draft position.
Where would you draft Rob Gronkowski next season, considering his injury-plagued 2012 campaign? - @benswagga (via Twitter)
M.F.: Despite coming off of two separate arm injuries, I can still see Gronkowski coming off the board in the second or third round. While he missed five games in 2012, he still finished with 790 yards, 11 touchdowns and the second-most fantasy points at the position behind Jimmy Graham. Barring a setback, there's no reason to believe that he won't be ready to roll in time for 2013 training camp. Following what was a seriously disappointing season for the tight end position overall, Gronkowski and Graham are likely to be the only tight ends drafted before Round 5 in most leagues.
I need to retain either Victor Cruz or Demaryius Thomas. Help! - J. Law (via Facebook)
M.F.: I have been on the Thomas bandwagon ever since the Denver Broncos went out and landed Peyton Manning, and I'm not jumping off now. The talented wideout posted over 1,400 yards and scored 10 touchdowns in his first season with the future Hall of Famer under center, and I think Manning has two more good statistical seasons in him. Thomas, 25, will be one of the first five wideouts taken in most 2013 seasonal drafts, and I like his long-term prospects more than Cruz at this point.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Have a burning question on anything fantasy related? Tweet it to @Michael_Fabiano or send a question via Facebook!













