Fantasy Football 3-Pack of Questions: QB/WR, Preseason Week 1, & D/ST
Every week, the FOX Sports Fantasy team will tackle a few important questions regarding the upcoming fantasy football season.
For this week, we cover "double dips" (QB/WR combos), preseason Week 1, and drafting D/STs.
1. Who is your favorite QB/WR combo (from the same team) this year for fantasy football?
John Halpin (@jhalpin37): The obvious answer is Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown, since Big Ben is my QB5. Brown was targeted an average of 13.5 times in Roethlisberger's 12 games, and is fantasy football's clear-cut WR1. Easy, right?
Let's not forget Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr., as I have Eli higher than my FOXSports.com colleagues at QB7. Manning has averaged 4,423 yards and 32.5 TDs over two years in Ben McAdoo's fast-paced offense, and more of the same should be coming this season. If you elect to pass on the elite QBs, Manning can be a fine mid-round alternative.
Ryan Fowler (@FOXSportsFowler): I think the conversation begins and ends with Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown, right? In terms of sheer volume, Big Ben and Brown should thrive in PPR league scoring leagues once again. The absence of Martavis Bryant (suspension) and possibly Ladarius Green (health) opens door for unproven assets like Markus Wheaton and Sammie Coates. In standard scoring leagues, my answer sways West and lands in Green Bay with the Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson double-dip.
Adam Meyer (@FOXSportsMeyer): There are plenty of solid options as far as QB/WR combos are concerned. Big Ben and AB are great, but that means you likely need the first pick to make that happen. So, I'm looking for a combo that almost anyone can attain. The double-dip of Blake Bortles and Allen Robinson might be one of the easiest to acquire. Bortles is a Top 10 quarterback, but has an ADP around the eight-round, or later. Robinson is going around the late-first, early-second round selection. ARob was sixth in receiving yards (1,400) and tied for the league-high in receiving TDs (14 touchdowns). Granted, those were career-highs for both players last year, so a drop-off is expected.
2. Who caught your eye this past weekend in preseason?
Halpin: Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry, who ran 10 times for 74 yards and a TD as the Titans unveiled their "Exotic Smashmouth" offense. I've had Henry pegged as a playing-time risk, being on the short end of an early-down carry split with DeMarco Murray. It now seems obvious - and maybe should have been already - that the Titans will run enough to let Henry make a decent impact. Let's put Henry solidly in the RB4 range, as he wasn't quite there for me before. He looked great against the Chargers.
Fowler: The Ravens backfield. Before Cowboy Nation screams "Didn't you mean Dak Prescott?!" hear me out. Baltimore lists Justin Forsett as their No. 1 running back on the initial depth chart. The 30-year-old back was a fantasy stud two years ago, but underperformed in 2016 before breaking his arm. Now, the Ravens employ Buck Allen, Terrance West and rookie Kenneth Dixon. West and Dixon combined for 18 carries and 69 yards with two touchdowns by West in the first preseason game. Now, by all accounts West is having a solid training camp, but what owners should recall is how the Browns were applauded for "stealing" the Towson product in the third round of the draft two years ago. He, like so many Browns' skill position players, was in a bad place in Cleveland before ping-ponging to a few different squads and landing with Baltimore. What I'm getting at is the Raven's backfield is going to be a quagmire as they figure out who will replace Forsett when the time comes. I don't believe there is a de facto back in Baltimore and may not be the entire season.
Meyer: Is it just me, or was Dak Prescott surprisingly good in the first preseason game? He was 10-for-12 for 139 yards and two TDs against the Rams on Saturday night. If Tony Romo sustains another serious injury, the Cowboys future might not be as bleak as expected.
3. Towards the end of the draft, which D/ST are you targeting?
Halpin: If I miss out on the stud units like the Seahawks - and since I won't pick a D/ST until the second-to-last round, I'll probably miss - the Eagles will be high on my list due to their Week 1 home matchup with the Browns. RGIII and company will be as likely as any unit in the NFL to turn the ball over, and since I tend to stream fantasy defenses, I'll start here. Heck, I already devoted an entire article to this topic.
Fowler: Carolina. Next question.
Meyer: I agree 100 percent with Fowler. Carolina is the correct answer. When drafting a fantasy football defense, it is important to look at the first three or four games on the schedule. They get Mark Sanchez, probably, in Week 1. Then, the Panthers host the 49ers and Vikings in back-to-back weeks. Draft Carolina and you won't have to worry about the D/ST portion of your lineup until October.
If you have a fantasy football question that you would like us to answer, post it in comments section below and we might all answer it in next Monday's post.
