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About Leonard Francis II - RotoBaller
Former slightly above average athlete who now types words chronicling the things others do while playing sports. I pledge allegiance to the Giants, Yankees, & Knicks... Part-time husband, and father.
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Leonard Francis II - RotoBaller has written 176 articles so far, you can find them below.
Devontae Booker the Odd Man Out
After a preseason running back "battle" which wasn't really a battle, Denver Broncos running back Devontae Booker stood out as the odd man out as he watched rookies Royce Freeman and Phillip Lindsay steal the show in the Broncos 27-24 win over the Seahawks. Booker saw just two carries in the game, picking up four yards,... Read More
Royce Freeman Solid in Debut
Denver Broncos running back Royce Freeman picked up 71 yards on 15 carries Sunday afternoon in the Broncos 27-24 victory over Seattle. His preseason touchdown streak came to an end, but it's only a matter of time before he's dancing following his first career NFL TD. Freeman saw zero targets in the game, decreasing his value in... Read More
Phillip Lindsay Finds the End Zone in First Career Game
Denver Broncos rookie running back Phillip Lindsay vindicated former Broncos great Terrell Davis' decision to allow him to don his No. 30 this season late in the first quarter on a 29-yard touchdown reception which put Denver on the board en route to a 27-24 victory over the Seahawks on Sunday. Lindsay finished the day... Read More
Interceptions Ruin Case Keenum's Regular Season Debut
Denver Broncos quarterback Case Keenum went 25-for-39 for 329 passing yards and three passing touchdowns Sunday afternoon in the Broncos 27-24 victory over Seattle -- a stat line which would leave Broncos Nation (and fantasy owners alike) buzzing in anticipation for what the future holds, if not for the three interceptions. Nonetheless, Keenum finished the day with... Read More
Marquise Goodwin Questionable to Return
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Marquise Goodwin has exited Sunday's contest against Minnesota after colliding with Vikings defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson. Goodwin was able to leave the field mostly under his own power, but was clearly favoring his right leg and was noticeably frustrated on the sideline. The 49ers have since announced the speedy receiver... Read More
Monday Night Football Matchups and Starts/Sits (Week 1)
If I had even the slightest of onomatopoeia skills what you'd see here would be a textual rendition of the Monday Night Football theme song. I don't, though, so let's progress with the analysis instead. Since 2006, the NFL has graced us with a Monday Night Football doubleheader in Week 1 - a tradition which... Read More
Courtland Sutton Earns Teammates' Approval
"He's a dog. He's an animal. Chris Harris Jr. calls him 'Mini Megatron.' He's big, man. He's big. He can go up and get the ball, he has good routes, he's smart. I feel like if we do what we're supposed to, there's no reason why he shouldn't have 10-plus touchdowns," wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders said... Read More
Royce Freeman a Top-20 Option in Week 1
After finishing 2017 with more rushing attempts than all but seven teams, Denver Broncos head coach Vance Joseph suggested the Broncos will remain committed to the ground attack heading into their Week 1 matchup against Seattle. "We have to stay with it," Joseph said. "Obviously, this [Seahawks] defense, it’s a really, really stout front. They... Read More
Case Keenum Offering Intriguing Upside in Week 1
The once imposing Legion of Boom is now merely a legion. Free safety Earl Thomas is still holding out for a new contract and isn't likely to play in Week 1 "until something changes," per Ian Rapoport, leaving some major question marks around this already Richard Sherman-less Seattle secondary which allowed 224.5 passing yards per... Read More
Broncos Defense A Top-10 Play in Week 1
Finishing 13th with 117 fantasy points (ESPN standard scoring), the Denver Broncos once vaunted defense/special teams unit returned to Earth in 2017 after a multi-year reign of fantasy dominance. Denver's DST averaged 6.5 fantasy points per game when accumulating two or fewer sacks last season, but nine when sacking the opposing signal caller three or... Read More
Broncos Place Su'a Cravens on Injured Reserve
After missing Denver's first three preseason games with knee soreness, safety Su'a Cravens played well in his return to the field for the Broncos final preseason game. Unfortunately, it came at a cost, as his knee does not seem to have responded well and the Broncos have subsequently placed him on Injured Reserve. After a... Read More
Isaiah McKenzie Gets Another Shot On The 53-Man Roster
After waiving Denver Broncos wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie on Saturday, the Broncos announced they've brought the second-year WR back after placing safety Su'a Cravens on Injured Reserve due to a lingering knee ailment. With the presence of wideouts Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Courtland Sutton and Daesean Hamilton, it's not likely McKenzie sees many snaps at receiver if... Read More
Broncos Cut De'Angelo Henderson
We officially live in a world where Denver Broncos quarterback Paxton Lynch makes a 53-man roster over an eternally more promising running back De'Angelo Henderson - as the latter missed the cut Saturday. Henderson, a second-year back out of Coastal Carolina, looked special at times with the ball in his hands. Many even favored him over the... Read More
Broncos Add Veteran Adam "Pacman" Jones
Former Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones will make the switch from the black and orange of Cincinnati to the navy and orange of Denver after signing a one-year deal with the Broncos on Sunday. Turning 35 next month, Jones appeared in just nine games for the Bengals in 2017 due to a suspension and groin... Read More
Brandon McManus Returns to Form
After a disappointing 2017 - which saw 19 kickers put up more fantasy points than Brandon McManus - the leg of the Broncos looks ready to turn things around in 2018 as he went 5-5 in Friday's preseason win against the Redskins. McManus hit from 56, 50, 45, and 34 yards (twice), showing that he... Read More
Jeff Heuerman Still a Huge Question Mark
Denver Broncos tight end Jeff Heuerman may be using hot tub film sessions to build chemistry with Case Keenum, but the on-field results were not exactly on display in the Broncos 29-17 win Friday. Heuerman saw just one target - a six yard reception - which matched that of Jake Butt - who brought in... Read More
Emmanuel Sanders Finds the End Zone Friday
Denver Broncos wide receive Emmanuel Sanders is an explosive playmaker - which OC Bill Musgrave would be wise to exploit - but do not expect to see Sanders put up many rushing TDs when it is all said and done. The bigger takeaway from the Broncos' 29-17 victory Friday night is that Sanders has now averaged... Read More
Royce Freeman Among A Platoon In Denver
If you were hoping Friday's "dress rehearsal" would provide some clarity into which Broncos' RB you will want to own in 2018, we are sorry to disappoint. As expected, both Royce Freeman and Devontae Booker saw work with the first team (as did Phillip Lindsay) - five carries for Freeman, three for Booker. While Freeman... Read More
Case Keenum Continues to Make His Case For Fantasy Consideration
Denver Broncos quarterback Case Keenum saw just two drives and looked everything but comfortable in the Broncos preseason opener. Since then, though? A 65% completion rate and 226 yards in about three quarters of play - including his 12-for-18, 148 yard performance Friday night in Landover. At his current ADP of 193, Keenum is the... Read More
Ryan Grant (WR, IND) - 2018 Fantasy Football Draft Sleeper
BALLER MOVE: Target ~220 CURRENT ADP: ~230 ANALYSIS: Andrew Luck is back, and wide receiver Ryan Grant now plays for the Colts. True, Grant was largely underwhelming over his four seasons for the ‘Skins, but he did show flashes of brilliance and is coming off the best season of his career – 573 yards, four TDs. He is... Read More
Paul Richardson (WR, WAS) - 2018 Fantasy Football Draft Sleeper
BALLER MOVE: Target ~160 CURRENT ADP: ~165 ANALYSIS: Washington Redskins wide receiver Paul Richardson is a burner. Now calling Washington home, Richardson will be on the receiving end of Alex Smith’s passes. Hence, fantasy owners will instantly make the Tyreek Hill comparison. Obviously, Washington is not Kansas City, so we cannot simply pencil Richardson in for the 1,183... Read More
Case Keenum Looks Better Saturday
After going 1-for-4 for 25 yards in the Denver Broncos preseason opener, quarterback Case Keenum looked much better in Denver's 23-24 Week 2 loss to the Bears. Going 8-for-13 and putting up 78 yards, Keenum led the offense on two scoring drives and while inaccurate at times, he looks to be gaining confidence in the offense... Read More
Royce Freeman Continues to Shine
You've likely heard of Saquon Barkley, Sony Michel and Nick Chubb, but it's an unheralded rookie running by the name of Royce Freeman who may emerge from the pack with the most productive rookie campaign. The Denver Broncos rookie followed up his four-carry, 38-yard, touchdown preseason debut with six carries for 20 yards - including a... Read More
Wide Receiver Stat Sleepers - Fantasy Points Per Target
How much value to place on targets is one of the biggest problems fantasy owners face when it comes to evaluating wide receivers. The logical assumption is that you can’t catch a ball that isn’t thrown your direction; meaning more targets equal more opportunities to produce. But, go ask Demaryius Thomas owners how that worked... Read More
2018 ADP Throwdown - JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. Allen Robinson
Fantasy football draft season is upon us and RotoBaller is here to help! In this series, two RotoBaller experts will discuss the merits of two players with similar value and average draft position (ADP). Remember that situations will change for all players over the course of the summer and it may impact where they are... Read More
Bradley Chubb A Defensive Rookie of the Year Candidate
Bovada recently released their odds for Defensive Rookie of the Year. At 4/1 odds, Denver Broncos rookie defensive end Bradley Chubb is the clear favorite to take the title. Most expect a big year from the former North Carolina State standout and lining up alongside the likes of Von Miller and Brandon Marshall definitely don't... Read More
Chad Kelly's Stock On The Rise
The Chad Kelly bandwagon is rolling along full steam, but as long as Denver Broncos quarterback Case Keenum is healthy, Kelly warrants no consideration in season-long fantasy formats. Now, if you're playing the long game in a dynasty league? Maybe. But, it's probably best to hold off on making any rash decisions based on one preseason... Read More
Sam Bradford - 2018 Fantasy Football Sleeper
There’s this Discover commercial where a lady calls their customer service department to inquire about these new social security alerts and ends up speaking to herself. The gist is that you’ll receive as good of service from their customer service representatives as you’d give to yourself. Not a bad marketing campaign, in theory, until you... Read More
Stack 'Em - Teams with Favorable Schedules for Top Players
Using last year’s results alone to predict this season’s outcomes is borderline foolish. Luckily, when it comes to the task of projecting the upcoming NFL season there are a few other factors which can increase our odds of success. I mean sure, you could draft based on talent and opportunity alone, but the number of... Read More
Boom or Bust - Player Predictions for Young QBs
Surely, you’ve seen one of those court shows which dominate daytime television. Judge Judy, Divorce Court, Judge Mathis… Whatever, you’ve seen at least one. If you haven’t (and happen to be a law-abiding citizen of the utmost regard who’s never had the pleasure of going to court), here’s a quick rundown of the judicial process.... Read More
