Over the past few years during the NFL season, Ted Schuster and I have been doing a segment on the SiriusXM radio show called “Right, Wrong or Indifferent.” Basically what this means is a scorecard for all of the predictions, rankings and recommendations we gave out during the previous week for fantasy football.
I feel very strongly about users (readers, listeners, customers, etc) holding fantasy analysts responsible for the information and advice they pass along. To be honest, its way too easy for us to disguise our analysis on a week in and week out basis because there are thousands of excuses to be made. After all, we aren’t the ones playing the game, right? Well, nah, eff that. We need to be held accountable. If we aren’t then its too easy to become soft and not pay as much attention or not watch the games that we are trying to make sense out of. You guys deserve better.
Thus, I will be putting our radio segment down on paper and posting it right here each week on the Fantasy Alarm site. I encourage you to help be hold myself (and Ted!) accountable for the information that we provide. Now be careful here because if you are going to try and come at me with blame for something I didn’t say or take my thoughts out of context than I reserve the right to fire back at you. And you had better believe that I will. Just stick to the actual things that I say and we should have no problems.
This is a good spot to post your submissions for our Haterade segment on the SiriusXM show as well. Just light me on fire in the most negative way possible in the comments section, on the Fantasy Alarm Forums or on Twitter (@Jeff_Mans).
Here is my Right, Wrong & Indifferent for Week 9:
RIGHT
Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons
I am taking partial credit here for a choice I made over a week ago when publishing the DFS NFL Monday-Thursday Optimal Lineups. Ryan has been having a magical season and tore the Bucs up on Thursday night football by finding all of his secondary receivers. The less he has to depend on Julio Jones the more consistent of a fantasy performer than he will be.
Colin Kaepernick, QB, 49ers
Ever since Kaepernick regained the starting job here in San Francisco I’ve been ranking him considerably higher than most others in the fantasy industry. Then, just about every week he ends up right here in the “right” category. This week Kaepernick was one of my DFS NFL Playbook QB’s and he went on to throw for the most yardage (398 yards) of all week nine QB’s. As long as his salary stays low like this, Kap will be an easy target to return 2x-3x week in and week out.
Mark Ingram, RB, Saints
I fought the world once again this week and once again…I won. Last week Ingram was public enemy number one and Tim Hightower was the guy who everyone went for on waivers. But going into what was a legendary matchup against the historically bad 49ers rush defense, there was little chance that Ingram wasn’t going to see enough of the field to produce. So, I shouted from the mountain tops that Ingram was a must start this week and he responded with 171 total yards and two touchdowns.
DuJuan Harris, RB, 49ers
This one is for my boy Ted Schuster as he was the first and really only analyst who touted Harris as early as last Wednesday. I got hip to Harris over the weekend naming him as a must play in DFS if Carlos Hyde was out which of course he was. Harris put together a real nice game and wound up as the fourth highest scoring RB of the week.
Peyton Barber, RB, Buccaneers
It wasn’t a great call by any means but it isn’t easy to go against what literally every other person is saying about a platoon situation. I just looked at the Bucs RB setup and realized that there was little chance that Antone Smith would be able to accumulate enough snaps and touches to be a fantasy contributor. Barber I said would at the very least be the primary back with red zone privileges which he indeed turned out to be. If he could have converted one of those touches into a touchdown this would have looked much, much better.
Michael Thomas, WR, Saints
I have loved Michael Thomas since he was taken by the Saints in the second round back in the NFL Draft. I said it then and I have never wavered for a moment that he would be a huge asset for Drew Brees and this Saints offense as well as fantasy owners. All summer I had Thomas as the number two dynasty league selection next to Ezekiel Elliott and that is paying off in spades already. This week I had Thomas as a WR2 in seasonal and as my top receiving option in the highly provocative Saints/49ers matchup.
Mike Wallace, WR, Ravens
Never underestimate the power of a narrative. Wallace facing off against his former team who also just so happen to give up a lot of yards after the catch and big plays to WR’s was enough for me to have him as a WR2 and in 75% of my DFS Optimal Lineups this week.
Stefon Diggs, WR, Vikings
As bad as the Vikings have been playing as a team lately, it hasn’t slowed down the Sam Bradford/Stefon Diggs connection at all. The duo has combined for 27 targets, 21 receptions, 156 yards and one touchdown over the past two weeks.
Michael Crabtree, WR, Raiders
Remember, I am the official Crabtree whisperer and once again was right on target with the fade Crabtree verdict issued on Friday’s Fantasy Alarm Show.
Antonio Gates, TE, Chargers
There were two TE’s that I had in play this week and who I loved above all others. The first one was the Chargers Antonio Gates and the other will be showing up in the next column.
Cameron Brate, TE, Buccaneers
Sure his touchdown came on the Bucs final drive with Mike Glennon as the QB but he did have one called back earlier when the referees said that he was down by contact. So I suppose his garbage time production was justified and the recommendations of him and Austin Hooper both on Thursday night is something that I am very proud of this week.
Others I Was Right About
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers
Jameis Winston, QB, Buccaneers
Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys
Matt Forte, RB, Jets
Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers
Tyrell Williams, WR Chargers
Austin Hooper, TE, Falcons
WRONG
Andrew Luck, QB, Colts
Literally the only QB that I missed on this week and even that can be argued a bit. Luck led the Colts offense to an upset of the Packers at Lambeau Field without throwing for a single touchdown pass. The 281 yards were a very fine total but the lack of touchdowns and the projection I put on Luck made him one of my biggest misses of the week.
Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers
You would think that I would get tired of missing on Gordon week after week. Well you’re right. But I’m not the type to shy away from my beliefs and this matchup was not one that I thought Gordon would be able to take advantage of. So of course he goes out and scores the most fantasy points of any player this week. One of these days I will learn…
Charcandrick West, RB, Chiefs
The opportunity was there, the matchup was right and the injuries to Alex Smith and Jeremy Maclin were in his favor as well. But it didn’t work out as West as he totaled just 74 total yards and didn’t get in the box this week.
Jerick McKinnon, RB, Vikings
I hate myself for falling for McKinnon late in the week once again. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me a third time and I deserve a swift kick to the nuts. I am done with McKinnon and this entire Vikings running game for the rest of 2016.
Devontae Booker, RB, Broncos
The Raiders defense came into this week as the third worst in surrendering rushing yards per attempt and fifth worst in rushing yards per game. Booker laid an egg and may have even lost his job to Kapri Bibbs as a result. I really thought that Booker would come bounce back from a disappointing first start but it went completely the other way.
Brandon Marshall, WR, Jets
If exchanging words and slaps with Byron Maxwell resulted in fantasy points, Marshall would have been one of the highest scorers of the week. Alas, he hauled in 6-45 and barely paid off his salary in DFS this week.
Sammie Coates, WR, Steelers
I figured that as long as Ben Roethlisberger was playing this week and Coates was healthy, there would be a big play in his future. Of course he had three drops in this game including a would be 35 yard TD that Big Ben placed right in his hands that Coates couldn’t hang on to.
Zach Ertz, TE, Eagles
I don’t know if I have it in me to every play another member of the Philadelphia Eagles again this season. Ertz was terrific and I didn’t see it coming. But I am not going to go back to chasing this offense that clearly has no identity or idea what it is that they want to do.
Others I Was Wrong About
Latavius Murray, RB, Raiders
Devonta Freeman, RB, Falcons
Terrance West, RB, Ravens
Dez Bryant, WR Cowboys
Ty Montgomery, WR, Packers
Jason Witten, TE, Cowboys
Eric Ebron, TE, Lions
INDIFFERENT
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Drew Brees, QB, Saints
It isn’t very often that 323 yards and 3 TD’s are taken as “indifferent” but when it comes to Drew Brees against the 49ers that is where we are at. I was a little back and forth on Brees this week while locking in more on their running game. Though I had Brees as my number two QB, I didn’t play him at all in DFS.
Alfred Morris, RB, Cowboys
One of my bold predictions for this week was that Alfred Morris would outproduce Ezekiel Elliott against the Browns due to garbage time production. Indeed, Morris had just two less touches as Zeke in this game and wound up being a useful fantasy RB overall. He didn’t outproduce Zeke of course but this was still a pretty good call all things considered.
Rishard Matthews, Titans
I mentioned Matthews a couple of times on the radio show this week mostly because I was starting him in multiple leagues as a flier. I still cannot believe he got in the box twice as I never would have expected that or anything close. But it was still pretty damn crazy that I singled Matthews out in a week that he just so happened to go off. I can’t take full credit though because I really didn’t help anybody actually use him which is obviously very unfortunate.
Donte Moncrief, WR, Colts
Once again people undervalued Moncrief heading into this week and I especially loved his matchup with the struggling Packers secondary. Though he caught another touchdown this week, he only hauled in three receptions and that just wasn’t enough for what I thought he would produce. He didn’t hurt anybody this week but he didn’t live up to my projection either.
Kyle Rudolph, TE, Vikings
Thank God that I didn’t do as I was tempted to do and roll out Rudolph as my only TE in daily this week. Antonio Gates saved my ass in that regard. Realistically, Rudolph should be in the wrong pile this week but the unfortunate lack of quality TE’s allows this one to skate. Rudolph only had three targets on Sunday which by itself is a crime against humanity given the matchup against the Lions. But he only caught one pass for one yard as well. Sure that was indeed a TD grab but my dear lord this was a disappointing effort from him this week.