Week one is in the books, leaving you either really happy or really disappointed in your team.
It’s never a good idea to doubt your team just after one week, but rather build upon it.
If there’s one consistent pattern in fantasy sports, it’s that your season doesn’t have to be decided based on your draft results.
As a fantasy owner, you should constantly be thinking like a pro team general manager. Whether you’re searching the waiver wire for gems or burning up the phone lines to get a deal done, you have to constantly think two steps ahead at all times.
A lot of owners will look to jump all over the hot names from opening weekend, most of the time overspending in budget leagues, but there are very few players that will be worth keeping on your roster.
Entering Week 2, you have to analyze whether or not your targeted free agent is going to be a quick fix or a permanent contributor.
Just continue to use the mindset of judging players based on whether you expect them to perform versus you thinking that they could do well.
Let’s take a look at the players that you need to add to your team today…
Alfred Morris (18% owned) The starting running back for Mike Shanahan will forever be a must-own. He tried to keep it a secret up until game time, but we were able to get to news out about this former Florida Atlantic standout. Morris rushed 28 times for 96 yards and two touchdowns in his debut against the Saints. We all saw how he made a name for himself during the pre-season, so the fact that his debut was in a dome shouldn’t be a factor against his ability. You’d like to see him be more of a dual threat, but that will come with time. Morris can be a solid number two running back option for your team, so cash in while he’s still available.
Stephen Hill (7% owned) He has to be one of the most underrated pickups available in waivers today. Hill continued the trend of successful Georgia Tech receivers transitioning to the NFL, looking to make an impact in the Jets passing attack. He has the size and speed to stretch the field, he’s a great red zone target, and he won’t command as much attention as Santonio Holmes and Dustin Keller for a while. Everyone knocks Mark Sanchez’s ability as an elite fantasy quarterback, but he’s never had an immense amount of elite targets. Hill can be a great flex option for you, even as a number two receiver. It’s best to view him as a flex option for now, just to temper your weekly expectations, but he has the upside to be a solid weekly contributor.
Kyle Rudolph (9% owned) Name all of the quality receiving targets in Minnesota not named Percy Harvin…that’s what I thought. Even though he only caught five passes against the Jaguars, there weren’t that many tight end options that even caught that many. Christian Ponder will look to take a lot of pressure off of Adrian Peterson on offense and Rudolph will soon become one of his safety nets. He was undervalued coming out of Notre Dame, but that shouldn’t keep you from considering him. If you weren’t able to get a quality tight end in the draft, you might want to consider the up-and-coming Rudolph.
WATCHLIST PLAYER
Alshon Jeffery (11% owned) Can we expect the Bears to score 41 points every week? Probably not. When you have Brandon Marshall, Matt Forte, and Michael Bush to utilize on offense, there doesn’t leave much room for others. The flip side to that is when defenses start to focus in on those three, then more opportunities begin to open up for the other players on the field. Alshon Jeffery is talented enough to one day be a number one target, but he’ll enjoy benefiting from playing opposite of Marshall. Even though he only caught three passes against the Colts, they went for 80 yards and a touchdown. He had a productive day, fantasy wise, but he has a ways to go before becoming a must-start. Jeffery has the upside to be a solid fantasy contributor, but let’s not forget that he was playing against the Colts. This week’s matchup against the Packers will give a better view on how effective he can be in this offense, so try not to get trigger happy with this pickup just yet.
STORYLINES TO FOLLOW THIS WEEK
-Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch will not be suspended for offseason DUI
-Titans WR Kenny Britt returns from suspension
-Lions WR Titus Young could be held out of this week’s game for disciplinary reasons
-Packers WR Greg Jennings could sit out Thursday’s game vs Bears
-Chargers RB Ryan Matthews set to return this week
For all of the latest on Fantasy Football news, follow Tim Finnigan @TFinnWNSP & @WNSPSportsRadio
