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Every Wednesday during the season NFL Network and NFL.com Senior Fantasy Analyst Michael Fabiano joins Sports360AZ.com’s Brad Cesmat to share his insight on building and developing your fantasy team for success.
Here are some hi-lights from our most recent conversation (October 1st) with the Fantasy Sports Writer’s Association Hall of Famer.
Is it time for owners of Broncos’ running back Montee Ball to start worrying a little bit? “A little bit. Ya know, he’s a guy I really thought was going to have a breakout season. He’s only played three games but so far that sample size has not been really good and if you look at that Cardinals defense…one of the best run defenses in the National Football League. You’re talking about one of the tougher match ups for any running back in the entire league this week. In their last nine road games, they’ve only given up three rushing touchdowns and in those games only Frank Gore has rushed for over 100 yards so if you have backfield depth I would absolutely consider benching Montee Ball this week. I’d take Matt Asiata over him this week.”
Who’s been your biggest fantasy disappointment through the first quarter of the 2014 season? “Well, boy there have been no shortages of disappointments…LeSean McCoy. He hasn’t done anything outside of one game this year and last week he was held under five fantasy points. He’s been a major disappointment. There’s been a lot of those, unfortunately over the first few weeks of the season.”
How about the biggest surprise? “Ahmad Bradshaw is the fourth-best running back in fantasy football after four weeks. Ahmad Bradshaw! He wasn’t even drafted in most leagues and if he was he drafted after the 10th-round and he’s sharing the load with Trent Richardson. He’s not a true featured back maybe that says more about the state of the running back position because it’s really been tough this year when you talk about the [Adrian] Peterson situation, the Ray Rice situation, the injuries that have gone on. Ryan Mathews banged up…I would say Bradshaw. No one saw that coming. So far he’s been fantastic. I will tell you this. I would try to sell him high right now.”
Is Steve Smith becoming a fantasy must-play every week? “I can’t believe what he’s done. He’s an older wide receiver. I believe he’s 35 and he’s having the best season of his career. Here’s a guy who was an elite wide receiver in Carolina years ago. The last few years he hasn’t been that good from a statistical perspective but Joe Flacco loves him and at this point he’s a must-start week-in and week-out until further notice. Again, I’m really into making trades. If you’re not trading, you’re not trying so if you can sell high on Steve Smith right now I’d absolutely do it because I don’t think his value is going to get any higher than it is heading into Week 5.”
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