Eric Sorenson
The 2014 fantasy football season is here! Whether you’re a first timer or an experienced fantasy football veteran, NFL.com has the league for you. Set up your FREE and customizable league on NFL.com today!
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 14th) with the Fantasy Sports Writer’s Association Hall of Famer.
Where are you on Arian Foster right now? “When he’s been on the field he’s been great. He is an elite fantasy running back. His problem has been injuries and that’s what I was worried about coming into the season…he’s coming off back surgery, then he had the hamstring. He didn’t do anything in the preseason so that’s why I was concerned. Right now he is hot. He’s red-hot and you ride a guy like this when he’s hot. Maybe you sell high on him if you’re worried about injuries creeping up again but right now he looks pretty healthy and as long as Foster is healthy and playing well, he’s gotta be a must-start on your fantasy football team. This is a guy who was the top running back in fantasy football a couple of years ago and it looks like he’s trying to re-claim that throne, although DeMarco Murray may have something to say about that.”
How about Ben Tate in Cleveland? “Ben Tate, he’s a talented guy. He’s very talented. He just was always behind Arian Foster in Houston and he’s always had problems with injuries. He’s another guy. He’s not on Foster’s level from a fantasy perspective but when he’s healthy, at worst he’s a high-end flex starter and at best he’s a high-end RB2.”
Have you seen enough recently to trust Torrey Smith again? “Unreliable. To be honest with you Torrey Smith is a guy you should look to trade now because his value is not going to be any higher. Steve Smith is the main wide receiver in Baltimore this year and Torrey is very inconsistent. Again, not a guy that I trust. A guy that I would try to sell high on right now.”
Better fantasy performer to this point in 2014: Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck? “Throw up a coin in the air and see where it lands. They’re both phenomenal but Luck has been the better quarterback this year so far. He has broken out. He has become one of the three elite quarterbacks in this league. He’s surpassed Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees at the position and it’s a battle between he and Peyton Manning. Either way you’re starting those guys regardless of the match ups but the addition of Hakeem Nicks to T.Y. Hilton and the return of Dwayne Allen and Reggie Wayne coming back and an actual running game with Ahmad Bradshaw and Trent Richardson, as well has really helped him and they’re throwing the ball more. Remember, Pep Hamilton is his offensive coordinator from Stanford so he’s got Luck back in the shotgun…he is so good. Coming out of college everybody knew he was going to be a phenomenal quarterback but he has taken it to the next level from a statistical level and that’s why he’s such a king in fantasy right now.”
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