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Each week NFL Network and NFL.com Fantasy Football Editor Michael Fabiano joins Sports360AZ.com’s Brad Cesmat to share his insight on building your fantasy team for success.
Here are some hi-lights from our most recent conversation (November 6th) with the Fantasy Sports Writer’s Association Hall of Famer as we kickoff Week 10 with the Vikings hosting the Redskins on Thursday night.
If you’re a fantasy owner of now injured Aaron Rodgers who are some popular options you’re seeing available on waiver wires as a stop-gap? “Well, clearly Nick Foles is going to come to mind because of the seven touchdowns he had last week but people shouldn’t chase fantasy points with him. He is clearly now a low-end quarterback one but the fact of the matter is that was probably the best game he’ll ever have his entire career so pick him up with tempered expectations. But in a Chip Kelly offense which has a bunch of weapons like DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy he is a very good option. Another player to keep tabs on is Jay Cutler. A lot of people dropped him when he was injured initially and thought to be out for about a month. Now it looks like he could be back sooner so check your waiver wire and see if Jay Cutler’s available. Ben Roethlisberger’s got a really good matchup this week. He’s somebody you could pick up.”
Who are some under-the-radar wide receivers to target on the wire this week, as well? “If you’re looking for players way down, Mike Brown comes to mind from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Justin Blackmon suspended for the rest of the season so Mike Brown becomes the starter there. Marlon Brown for the Baltimore Ravens is another player that comes to mind. Riley Cooper had a big game last week. He’s a player that comes to mind. Doug Baldwin is another one. The Seattle Seahawks not likely going to have Percy Harvin back this week but you also have Golden Tate in that offense. He’s been available in some leagues on waiver wires that I’ve seen. Marvin Jones is potentially available on the waiver wire, as well. Michael Floyd.”
Terrelle Pryor or Andrew Luck this week? “Andrew Luck no doubt about it. He is extremely good at home and if Andrew Luck proved anything last week is that he’s a darn good quarterback even though his number one wide receiver is out for the season and that’s Reggie Wayne. He still produced over 20 fantasy points on the road against a good Houston Texans pass defense. This kid is for real. I’ve been saying it all season. I [said] it all pre-season. This guy is going to be a top five fantasy quarterback on the 2013 campaign is over and to be quite honest with you, Luck is likely going to be a number one starter in all leagues unless you have Drew Brees and Andrew Luck or, for example, Cam Newton and Andrew Luck…if you do well, I want to join your league.”
What are your early impressions of the Houston’s Case Keenum? “He’s looked good. Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, who’s one of our analysts on ‘NFL Fantasy Live’ hit it right on the head with Case Keenum the second he was granted the starting job in Houston. Now with that being said, this is a tough matchup this week in Arizona. He did have a tough matchup in his first start in Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium and he played well but he still scored fewer than 14 fantasy points and I’m sort of expecting the same kind of production this week. 14-15 fantasy points. Somewhere around there. Not bad but in the day and age of the quarterback it’s not great, either.”
To hear the rest of the interview click here.
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Eric Sorenson
A Valley native, Eric has had a passion for the Arizona sports scene since an early age. He has covered some of the biggest events including Super Bowls, national championships and the NBA and MLB playoffs in his near 20 years in local media.