Week 3 #PowerRankings - Keep / Trade / Cut Edition

I’m doing a Keep / Trade / Cut Edition this week, where I’m trying to provide my humble opinion on which players to keep, trade, and cut on each team. I’ve tried to limit my selection to players that are either on the bench or fringe Flex plays (or injured) instead of the obvious “Luke, you should keep Saquon Barkley.” Enjoy!

1. Love thy Naber (Jeff Lin) (3-0) [1]

Jeff Lin pulls out an impressive win against Eric in what could be the championship matchup. Jeff’s biggest weakness is at QB and TE, but he’s been able to get by with streaming options in the past, so I would expect the same moving forward.

Keep: Tank Dell hasn’t been spectacular, but I believe he’ll get his moment to shine sometime soon.

Trade: Carson Steele - it looks like he got the majority of the RB work for KC, and could return decent value for an RB-needy team.

Cut: Caleb Williams - I know Jeff just picked him up after an impressive Week 3 performance, and Williams should have an easier schedule moving forward, but that Chicago offense doesn’t look great. This might be my Panthers bias speaking, but I’d lean towards Dalton instead.

2. MyRavensStackIsntWorkingOut (Eric) (2-1) [2]

Mark Andrews with one target and zero receptions is very alarming. What Eric does moving forward at TE will be interesting to see. At least he still has the strongest RB corps to anchor his team, and while Lamar Jackson isn’t throwing the ball to Mark Andrews, he’s at least putting up decent points.

Keep: Mark Andrews - I hate to say it, but Eric just has to continue rolling with Andrews unless a better option arises, either through waivers or through a trade.

Trade: Jameson Williams - it might be a week too late, but trying to get a return at TE for Williams based on his 1st 2 weeks would help Eric out a lot.

Cut: Ladd McConkey - it may be a bit premature to cut the rookie, but I don’t see a pathway for him to be a reliable starter in this run-heavy Chargers offense with Quentin Johnson looking like the primary receiving option.

3. Breece Mode (Haji) (1-2) [4]

Haji’s team pulled out an impressive win against Aaron, not only getting his first win for the season but putting up the most points in Week 3 in the process. I knew trusting the process and regression to the mean would work. If Amari Cooper, Chuba Hubbard, and Devin Singletary can continue to put up numbers, not to mention Goedert and Shakir, Haji’s team could be scary. Just writing that feels kind of gross, though.

Keep: Isaiah Likely has fallen hard since Week 1, but I think he’s still worth keeping with the TE landscape being so dire.

Trade: Chuba Hubbard - I’d strike while the iron is hot. I think Hubbard will continue to produce with an improved Panthers offense, and there are quite a few teams who could use an RB2 (myself included).

Cut: Michael Pittman Jr - I hate to say this, since MPJ was one of Haji’s Keepers, but the rest of season outlook for him just doesn’t look great.

 

4. Spider Pig (Luke) (3-0) [7]

I have to start putting some respect on Luke’s team. Starting 3-0 after autodraft graced him with a terrible team is impressive. Losing Puka and still going 3-0 is even more impressive. Saquon has been the answer. Charbonnet filling in while Kenneth Walker has been hurt has helped. DeVonta Smith benefiting from AJ Brown’s absence has also helped. And Austin Ekeler? I would not have expected this from him. Luke’s team still doesn’t look pretty on paper, but it has undoubtedly gotten the job done.

Keep: Jordan Addison still has some issues and question marks, but if the Vikings offense continues to roll, Addison could emerge as a valuable fantasy asset.

Trade: Sam Darnold may surprisingly have some trade value with how well he’s done and with a few teams needy at QB.

Cut: Blake Corum - I know he’s a handcuff for if Kyren goes down, but the fact he didn’t do much with his opportunities in Week 2 against a bad Cardinals Defense tells me he’s probably not going to explode if they need him to take over for Kyren.

5. Terrific Tortoises (David) (1-2) [5]

CMC going to Germany for a 2nd opinion can’t be good news for David. At least Rashee Rice has been a reliable WR1, and David’s been able to piece together some things to still have a respectable Points For.

Keep: Tyjae Spears - this is mostly out of necessity as an insurance policy for Tony Pollard, but I know it doesn’t feel great for David.

Trade: Christian McCaffery - I think David can still get value for CMC even with all the question marks surrounding his Achilles, just based on his big name.

Cut: Josh Downs - I don’t think Anthony Richardson is good enough to support more than one primary receiving option at the moment, and I don’t think Downs is that primary option.

6. Run It Back! (Gabs) (2-1) [6]

Gabs got a big boost from Diontae Johnson, Jonathan Taylor, and the Jets Defense to make up for Anthony Richardson’s poor performance. Gabs’s bench is also pretty deep, so things are looking pretty good for his team, minus a questionable QB.

Keep: Bucky Irving was a good draft pick for Gabs, and should see his role continue to increase.

Trade: Quentin Johnson has been a bright spot in the Chargers offense, and Gabs could probably find some value in return from a WR-needy team.

Cut: Ezekiel Elliott - he’s washed.

7. choubacca (Aaron) (1-2) [3]

Aaron’s team seems to be in a free fall. Miami’s QB situation will continue to hinder Tyreek Hill’s performance, Sam LaPorta may miss time with injury, and Bucky Irving looks like he might take over for Rachaad White. Aaron’s team has posted back-to-back disappointing weeks, and until further notice, I’ll have to keep his team lower in the rankings. His lack of depth is showing through with his big name players faltering.

Keep: Emmanuel Wilson is a smart handcuff RB if something happens to Josh Jacobs.

Trade: Rachaad White might still be valuable on some teams as a low-end RB2 option

Cut: Tyler Johnson hasn’t stepped up, and if / when Puka and / or Cooper Kupp return, Johnson will have no value.

8. 第六 (Abraham) (1-2) [12]

Abraham’s team put together a surprise performance with Kyren doing much of the heavy lifting. Solid production from all of his NFC South WRs and Gibbs definitely helped too. Abraham’s still counting the days until Jordan Love returns - hopefully soon.

Keep: Braelon Allen was such a good pickup by Abraham, and not only is he a good insurance RB if Breece gets hurt, he’s even a startable Flex option in a pinch.

Trade: Drake London - I feel like Abraham could capitalize on how well London has performed the past few weeks, maybe in a package deal.

Cut: Taysom Hill - not only is he hurt, but realistically, what situation would you start Taysom in, Abraham?

9. Unicorn QueenZ (Tim) (2-1) [10] 

My team’s Points For is middle-of-the-pack and things look a little more optimistic after another win. However, there are clear weaknesses in my team that I’m just hoping will fix itself. Namely, my RB depth is very much lacking, and I’m just counting down the days until Jonathan Brooks gets healthy. The Panthers offense looking competent in Week 3 gives me hope on many fronts.

Keep: Xavier Worthy has shown flashes of greatness, although his streakiness concerns me. 

Trade: Jayden Daniels has probably the most value on my bench right now.

Cut: Kareem Hunt - why did I spend FAAB on him again?

10. Maybabyboo (Laura) (1-2) [9]

Laura’s team had another rough week, with Purdy and James Cook being the two bright spots. At least Laura’s bench did pretty well, but some tough decisions will have to be made whether to start the more sure shot names like Jaylen Waddle or Zay Flowers or go with the unproven names like Rome Odunze or Darnell Mooney.

Keep: Darnell Mooney looks like he’s Kirk Cousins’s favorite target, and he should continue to be in Laura’s starting lineup moving forward.

Trade: Jaylen Waddle has been disappointing, but is still a big name and could rebound if Tua returns. Perhaps another team is willing to take that gamble and Laura could get something more startable in the short term for him.

Cut: D’Andre Swift - I know he’s a starting RB in the league, and with RB depth being so shallow, it’s hard to cut someone like that. But he just feels like a wasted roster spot. The fact that Laura is willing to start Cam Akers over him should say something.

11. I am not sacko! (Jeff Chen) (1-2) [11]

Jeff has gotten some solid production from David Montgomery and Nico, and more recently from DK Metcalf as well. While starting Burrow in Week 3 would have given Jeff more Points For, it still wouldn’t have given him the win. At least his team still isn’t the worst.

Keep: Drake Maye will get his chance at some point soon, so it’s worth waiting until then to see if he’s a startable QB.

Trade: Raheem Mostert might still be injured, but he may still have some trade value based on last year’s performance.

Cut: Gus Edwards - I get that he backs up JK Dobbins and could have a bigger role if Dobbins gets hurt, but his production has been useless.

12. Go DJ that’s my CJ (and AJ) (Andrew) (0-3) [8]

Andrew’s team put up a dud of a week in Week 3 and sits (un)comfortably at #12 in our league standings. His team is also last in Points For, so it’ll be an uphill battle to dig himself out of last place these next few weeks. He has a winnable matchup against Laura in Week 4, but if AJ Brown remains sidelined, Andrew may be facing another loss. At least Derrick Henry still looks good.

Keep: Rico Dowdle looks to be taking over for Zeke, so he may end up helping Andrew at RB2 / Flex if he’s desperate. 

Trade: Rashid Shaheed put up a goose egg, but his 1st 2 weeks cannot be ignored, and I think he still has value as a deep threat in what looks to be a good offense.

Cut: Javonte Williams and the Denver backfield look washed, so he feels like a roster spot clog.

Week 2 #PowerRankings - Let’s overreact! edition

After 2 weeks, we have enough data to start noticing trends, but also enough data to be dangerous in how we interpret these trends. Don’t worry, that’s why I’m here to help us all overreact appropriately!

1. Love thy Naber (Jeff Lin) (2-0) [2]

I don’t know how Jeff Lin is doing it again, but he has separated himself from the rest of the pack early on this season. Baker’s hot start has definitely helped. While losing Cooper Kupp for some time is a big blow, it looks like Marvin Harrison Jr is ready to pick up the slack. Given how many players have gotten injured so far this season, Jeff has a good amount of bench depth to give his team cushion in case another one of his starters goes down, including his recent FAAB spend on Carson Steele.

Let’s overreact! Baker continues to cook for Jeff, his rookie WRs play past their potential, and Achane stays healthy. Jeff makes the championship game again, giving him a Top-2 finish in 4 of his 5 years in the league.

2. PleaseGiveMeSomeWRs (Eric) (2-0) [4]

I still can’t get over Eric’s RBs - Kamara’s 43 points catapulted Eric’s team into Week 2 #HighScore but Bijan and Josh Jacobs also provided solid performances. Has Eric fixed his WR problem? Not really, but I’m more confident in Pickens than I was during preseason, and Jameson Williams has shown he can put up points. It also probably provided Eric some relief that Mark Andrews had a better Week 2.

Let’s overreact! Kamara stays hot, Jacobs stays healthy and gets the workload he needs to be fantasy relevant, Mark Andrews returns to form and re-establishes himself as Lamar Jackson’s favored target, and Eric’s WRs play way past their potential. Eric plays Jeff Lin in the championship game and wins his first championship since 2004.

3. choubacca (Aaron) (1-1) [1]

Aaron’s team fell flat in Week 2, scoring the least amount of points in the league (against Jeff Chen, of all people), and things are starting to look a little questionable. How will Tua’s injury impact Tyreek? Can Dak bounce back after 2 mediocre weeks? Will Rachaad White miss time? Can Sam LaPorta and the Detroit offense figure things out?

Let’s overreact! Aaron’s team underwhelms and slips to the middle of the pack because of erratic performances from Dak, Tyreek, and LaPorta. Conner and CeeDee help stabilize things so the slippage isn’t worse, but Aaron’s bench doesn’t help much.

4. Breece Mode (Haji) (0-2) [5]

In spite of the loss, I’m bumping Haji’s team up because it is actually pretty good on paper. He’s just had unfortunate matchups against high-scoring teams (3rd in Points For, 1st in Points Against). Of course, the injury bug has also bitten Haji’s team with Deebo Samuel and Justin Jefferson getting injured in Week 2. So these next few weeks may be a struggle if he’s having to start Amari Cooper as his WR1 or WR2. Breece Hall will continue to get his work in, and Josh Allen is one of the best QBs in the league, so reversion to the mean is bound to happen. Haji will get his wins at some point.

Let’s overreact! But somehow, as these things always go, reversion to the mean doesn’t happen, and Haji is this season’s David - he is plagued with unlucky matchups and can’t string enough wins to even make the playoffs.

5. Terrific Tortoises (David) (1-1) [6]

David was able to continue to rely on Jordan Mason in the absence of CMC, and Tony Pollard has been surprisingly productive. Hopefully ARSB won’t have to miss time, but David’s team still looks strong with Rashee Rice emerging as an important part of the Chief’s offense and Jalen Hurts getting the job done. 

Let’s overreact! CMC never returns to form, but that’s actually better for David, as Jordan Mason fills that role perfectly and the rest of David’s team continues to roll into the playoffs.

6. Run It Back! (Gabs) (1-1) [3]

Anthony Richardson is looking like a less reliable option than he did at the beginning of the season. Garrett Wilson should get better, and Diontae Johnson’s opportunities should increase with Andy Dalton under center. Gabs may continue to struggle with Kenneth Walker out, but at least Brock Bowers and Brian Thomas Jr are a couple of bright spots on his team.

Let’s overreact! Anthony Richardson is unreliable and too boom / bust, Kenneth Walker can’t stay healthy, and Garrett Wilson doesn’t live up to the pre-season hype. Gabs still ends up middle of the pack off the backs of Richardson’s good weeks and his rookie TE / WR. 

7. Spider Pig (Luke) (2-0) [10]

Props to Luke for capitalizing on the Chargers defense against a terrible Carolina offense. His D scored 8 points more than Andrew’s, which was what he needed to win their matchup. Starting Austin Ekeler was also a bold move, although it may have been more out of necessity. Luke’s team is definitely performing better than expected, but the question remains how long he can sustain this, especially if Puka misses more time than expected, and if Charbonnet takes a back seat once Kenneth Walker returns. In the meantime, Luke should just enjoy this unexpected 2-0 start.

Let’s overreact! Saquon continues to dominate in a good offense, Luke catches some breaks with Kenneth Walker + AJ Brown missing more time and Charbonnet + DeVonta Smith continuing to roll, Aiyuk returns to game form after holding out for too long, and there’s an uptick in Mahomes’s production with the loss of Pacheco. Luke surprisingly makes playoffs and vies for a three-peat against all odds.

8. Go DJ that’s my CJ (and AJ) (Andrew) (0-2) [7]

With AJ Brown out, Andrew had a tough decision to make, but ended up making the right one with Rashid Shaheed. Now the question is, does he start Shaheed over DJ Moore or McLaurin? What does he do with JSN? His RB situation seems pretty solid, but he’ll definitely need more production at WR to win games.

Let’s overreact! AJ Brown misses more time than expected, and DJ Moore and McLaurin continue to struggle with rookie QBs. Andrew makes the decision to go with the less proven WRs, but they end up being too boom-bust, and CJ Stroud and Justin Fields continue to be mid options at QB. Andrew finds himself fighting to stay out of Sacko in spite of solid RB play.

9. Maybabyboo (Laura) (1-1) [8]

Laura’s team fell back to earth on Sunday after a hot start from James Cook on Thursday night. Add in the injury to Joe Mixon, Tua’s injury impacting Jaylen Waddle, and Christian Kirk not living up to expectations, and things are looking a little iffy for Laura. On the bright side, Zay Flowers is the target leader for Baltimore, and I think better days are ahead for Travis Kelce.

Let’s overreact! Laura’s team continues to be boom-bust depending on how her RBs and Zay Flowers perform, which is enough to keep her out of Sacko contention but not enough for playoffs.

10. Unicorn QueenZ (Tim) (1-1) [9]

Losing Pacheco sucks. And Jeff Lin outbidding me for whoever that white RB guy is also sucks. Maybe Kareem Hunt is (not) the answer, but I was hoping to get a little more time out of my RBs before Jonathan Brooks returned to play. It looks like I’ll need to rely on QB / WR / TE to carry my team. 

Let’s overreact! Pacheco doesn’t return to form, JaMarr Chase continues to be a dud, and my team implodes on itself because Brian Robinson has to be my RB1 rest of season and I never start the right players on any given week. I don’t end up getting Sacko, but close enough for concern.

11. I am not sacko! (Jeff Chen) (1-1) [12]

Jeff Chen beating Aaron was funny, and while I think Jeff’s team looks better than last place, I need more proof before putting his team much further up in the rankings. I’m ready to admit I was wrong about Nico Collins - it’s looking like he’ll end up a WR1 this season - but question marks still abound with Mike Evans’s age, JK Dobbins’s injury history, and Jeff’s lack of bench depth.

Let’s overreact! Jeff Chen blows away everyone’s expectations, and Nico Collins ends up WR1, JK Dobbins stays healthy in a run-heavy offense, David Montgomery continues to produce, and Burrow, Kittle, and Metcalf return to form. Jeff is playoff bound and laughing in all of our faces.

12. 第六 (Abraham) (0-2) [11]

Abraham’s itching for Jordan Love to return, because 6.64 points from Matthew Stafford isn’t going to cut it. Things looked better for Abraham’s NFC South WRs, and Abraham’s RB production was also solid, but his team just fell short. Braelon Allen was a nice last-minute insurance pickup. But the biggest holes are QB and TE for Abraham, and right now it’s slim pickins.

Let’s overreact! Jordan Love misses more time, Abraham’s WRs are boom-bust, and Abraham finds himself training for a 5K this winter.

Week 1 #PowerRankings

Week 1 has finally come and gone, for better or worse. While I was glad to have football back, I was also not glad to have football back. To have waited 8 months for what was supposed to be an improved team and end up being sorely disappointed with how much things have not improved - in fact, they have gotten worse - is definitely demoralizing. And the sad thing is you probably don’t know if I’m referring to the Panthers or to my fantasy team. Both. It’s both. But alas, the #PowerRankings are not all about me, so on to the important stuff..

1. choubacca (Aaron) (1-0) [1]

Aaron’s team had a solid showing in Week 1, as expected. CeeDee + Tyreek will continue to be the top WR duo in our league. Dak didn’t need to throw much since Dallas was beating Cleveland so badly, so better days will be ahead of him. LaPorta will also be fine. Rachaad White, James Conner, and Zack Moss look to be serviceable RBs as well, until further notice. With what ought to be an easy Week 2 against Jeff Chen, I expect Aaron’s team to continue to cruise.

2. Hawk Tua (Jeff Lin) (1-0) [3]

Jeff Lin makes a statement in Week 1 by putting up the highest score in the league. Cooper Kupp with 21 targets is ridiculous, and with Puka out for a while, Kupp will continue to roll if he stays healthy. Tua’s schedule gets harder the next few weeks, so picking up Baker as some insurance was smart. Marvin Harrison’s poor Week 1 performance might be a little concerning, but I would expect things to turn around for him. If Achane misses time, Jeff will be a little weak at RB, but he’s got a decent enough bench to move things around and make it work. Kyle Pitts’s potential may finally end up being unlocked this season, too. Jeff has a way of winning, and this season has started off accordingly. Of course, it helps to get 20+ each from your Kicker and Defense too.

3. Run It Back! (Gabs) (1-0) [2]

Gabs got just what he needed from Garrett Wilson and SF Defense to eke out a win against Andrew. While the production from Wilson should have been better, the number of targets he’s receiving is at least encouraging. Jonathan Taylor and Kenneth Walker will continue to be a solid RB duo for Gabs, and Anthony Richardson should continue to produce with his running ability. Props to Gabs for starting rookies Brock Bowers and Brian Thomas Jr - their futures look bright. Diontae Johnson (I should say, the Panthers in general) probably isn’t a viable start in the near future, but I can see Gabs shuffling some things around to maximize his team’s potential, including bumping Ezekiel Elliott into the Flex position while he still has some juice early in the season.

4. PleaseGiveMeSomeWRs (Eric) (1-0) [9]

The position I thought was Eric’s weakest ended up showing up Week 1. Not only did Stefon Diggs and George Pickens have above-average weeks, Eric got impressive WR production from his bench in Ladd McConkey and Jameson Williams. Bijan, Josh Jacobs, and Kamara should continue to anchor his RB corps, and Lamar Jackson will get his. The biggest concern for Eric now is Mark Andrews - can he continue to be relied on as a startable TE? But otherwise, his team is looking pretty solid moving forward, especially if he can continue getting good production from his WRs.

5. Breece Mode (Haji) (0-1) [5]

Haji was probably encouraged to see the production from his team this week, but was just in an unlucky matchup against Laura. Josh Allen (who hopefully will be ok with his finger injury) was the 2nd-highest scoring QB in Week 1. Justin Jefferson appears to be QB-proof. Breece Hall had solid numbers in spite of his inefficiency. And Deebo Samuel will continue to put up numbers if he’s healthy. Haji’s weakness at RB2 was on full display this week, and Chuba is not going to get the job done. Amari Cooper got 9 targets, but only caught 2 of them - he ought to be fine, but there’s definitely some concern about whether the Cleveland offense can figure things out. Michael Pittman Jr. ought to be serviceable as a Flex option. I’m not too worried about Haji’s team outlook moving forward.

6. Terrific Tortoises (David) (0-1) [6]

David was smart and quick enough to swap out Jordan Mason for CMC on Monday Night, avoiding what could have been an even worse Week 1, which would have landed him at the very bottom of the league standings. Who knows how long CMC will be out, but at least Mason provides a bit of insurance moving forward. Tony Pollard’s usage made him seem like the preferred RB in Tennessee, so he might be a decent play at RB2 moving forward. Rashee Rice’s involvement in KC’s offense was very encouraging to see, and Amon-Ra St. Brown is too good to have a repeat dud performance like he did in Week 1. Jalen Hurts did decently enough, but David will need a lot of help at TE and even Flex. It was a rough week for David with CMC out, and it didn’t help that his K and DEF got him next to nothing. Brighter days are ahead, though - David still has a solid team.

7. Go DJ that’s my CJ (and AJ) (Andrew) (0-1) [7]

It was a close loss for Andrew, but the encouraging thing was he got solid production where he was expecting it from - AJ Brown, Rhamondre Stevenson, Derrick Henry, and CJ Stroud all had significant contributions to help Andrew’s team break triple digits, but it just wasn’t enough for the win. I would have expected more from DJ Moore and Terry McLaurin as WR1s on their respective teams, but both have rookie QBs throwing to them, so this year may be a rollercoaster ride for those players. At least he has some help on the bench, with Shaheed seeming to be Carr’s favored deep target, and Doubs getting a decent target share (once Love returns).

8. Maybabyboo (Laura) (1-0) [10]

Laura got points where she needed it. Her kicker Jake Moody saved the day with 26 points in MNF, and getting 17 from Dallas D helped as well. Joe Mixon looks to be a solid RB1 moving forward, with James Cook as a decent RB2 option as well. Kelce will have better games, but I’m not so sure about Christian Kirk and D’Andre Swift. At least Zay Flowers got the bulk of targets from Lamar, which should make him a reliable starting option. Laura’s team is definitely trending up, and we’ll see if she can continue the momentum against Eric this week.

9. Unicorn QueenZ (Tim) (0-1) [4]

I admittedly ranked my team too high in the preseason rankings. I overvalued Pacheco, Kyler, McBride, and Ridley. I thought Davante still had something left. I didn’t think JaMarr Chase’s contract-whatever-he-was-trying-to-do would affect much. I guess it also would have helped to start the players that actually scored the most points. The silver lining is that there is potential on my bench, now it’s just a matter of when to pull the trigger on starting, say, a Xavier Worthy or Jayden Reed over a Davante Adams or Calvin Ridley.. sigh.

10. Spider Pig (Luke) (1-0) [11]

Luke got the win in Week 1, but it wasn’t pretty. Outside of Saquon’s impressive performance and Devonta Smith’s solid showing, there wasn’t too much Luke could get excited about. Puka’s injury deals a big blow to Luke’s already weak team. If Kenneth Walker misses time, Charbonnet will be a nice asset for Luke. Mahomes does have the potential to blow up on any given week, but Luke’s got a lot of work to do if he wants to three-peat.

11. 第六  (Abraham) (0-1) [8]

Abraham had some solid production from his RBs, as well as Chris Godwin. But losing Jordan Love for at least a few weeks will be tough. It doesn’t look great for Drake London and Chris Olave either, and I would have expected more from Kincaid. I’m sure they’ll have better weeks, but Abraham’s got an uphill battle to climb.

12. I am not sacko! (Jeff Chen) (0-1) [12]

I’m not sure if much elaboration is needed, but Jeff Chen’s team needs some work. In spite of rostering 3 QBs, Jeff’s QB situation looks to be in dire straits. Even if he was able to combine the scores of all 3 QBs each week, that would probably make a high-end QB2. Raheem Mostert and Gus Edwards did not get the job done, and even though there was some good bench production from JK Dobbins and David Montgomery, I don’t know if that will be enough for Jeff to rely on. There was good production from Mike Evans and Nico Collins, but he’ll need much more than that.