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About Nick Mariano - RotoBaller
Senior MLB/NFL Fantasy Analyst & Editor here at RotoBaller, I've been lucky enough to work here since 2015. Spent two seasons writing for MLB.com as well.
FantasyPros ranked me as 2018's most accurate fantasy baseball draft dude, and I'm a three-time top-12 ranker in their fantasy football weekly accuracy competition as well. I rank the things good, or something.
NY born and raised, but now you can find me in Boston with my awesome Star Baker of a wife. Addicted to apples, peanut butter, learning about cognitive biases, and baseball cards. Lots of baseball cards...
Feel free to reach out on Twitter or ride with me on Peloton: @NMariano53
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Nick Mariano - RotoBaller has written 1887 articles so far, you can find them below.
Ladarius Green (TE, PIT) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Stream in 10- and 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 52% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Ladarius Green didn’t score a touchdown in Week 15, but still returned to form with a 5-72-0 line on eight looks against the Bengals. It wasn’t fantastic, but it was a much-needed effort after the 2-25-0 flop from Week 14. Luckily, he and the Steelers will... Read More
Ty Montgomery (RB/WR, GB) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Stream in 12-Team PPR Leagues OWNED IN: 39% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Montgomery was given the start at running back in the frigid cold against the Bears, and averaged over 10 yards per carry for 162 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, with two catches for one yard. The passing line isn’t fantastic, but he truly dazzled as... Read More
Tim Hightower (RB, NO) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12- and 14-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 43% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Hightower didn’t gain a lot of yardage against Arizona (48 total) but tallied two rushing scores to entrench himself as an RB1 in Week 15. He wasn’t great compared to Mark Ingram (and trust me, Ingram let his coaches know this on the sideline in a tantrum),... Read More
Hunter Henry (TE, SD) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Stream in 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 39% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Well, if you’re going to be dependent on scoring touchdowns then at least be damn good at it. Henry has now hauled in a TD in three of San Diego’s four games since their bye, and four of his last five games since returning from injury. While he... Read More
Kenneth Farrow (RB, SD) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Stream in All Leagues if Melvin Gordon remains injured OWNED IN: 24% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Farrow flopped in relief of the injured Melvin Gordon to the tune of 15 carries for 39 yards and two catches for 14 yards alongside a fumble lost. Yuck. It’s pretty clear that Farrow isn’t ready to be a viable starter in this... Read More
Jared Cook (TE, GB) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Stream in 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 34% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Jared Cook caught 77 of his 85 yards in the first half against the Bears before Chicago remembered they were playing a football game, but we were still reminded of Cook’s potential here in Green Bay’s resurgent offense. With a gritty divisional game against Minnesota on deck for... Read More
Ryan Griffin (TE, HOU) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Stream in 12- and 14-Team Leagues if C.J. Fiedorowicz remains out OWNED IN: 5% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: With C.J. Fiedorowicz out with a concussion, Griffin saw eight targets against Jacksonville in Week 15. He caught all eight of them for 85 yards, though most of them came after Brock Osweiler was benched for Tom Savage. What a world... Read More
Dion Lewis (RB, NE) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 10-Team PPR and 12-Team STD Leagues OWNED IN: 42% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Lewis finally had a big game, as he eclipsed 100 total yards against the Broncos with the Pats utilizing his agility against a horrible rush defense. He should be employed in a similar fashion against a Jets defense that is strong against north-south... Read More
New York Giants (DEF, NYG) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Stream in 12- and 14-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 33% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: If the Giants are somehow still out there, you should look into scooping their 2007-like selves with a date against Carson Wentz and the low-flying Eagles in Week 16. Opponents have only topped 16 points against them in one of their last... Read More
San Diego Chargers (DEF, SD) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Stream in 12- and 14-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 30% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: The Chargers have lost their last three games, but their defense hasn’t exactly folded on itself in the process. Even against a powerful Oakland offense in Week 15, they only allowed 19 points alongside two sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery.... Read More
Matt Barkley (QB, CHI) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Stream in 14- and 16-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 3% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Matt Barkley hasn’t been incredible, but he’s been a solid fantasy asset ever since he took over for Jay Cutler back in Week 12. He threw for a whopping 362 yards on 30-for-43 passing, connecting for two touchdowns to mitigate the three... Read More
2017 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Third Base (3B)
While many of you are sweating fantasy football's crescendo, the 2017 fantasy baseball world has been creeping up on the horizon. With the Winter Meetings in the rearview mirror, we've got enough to go on to make your holidays truly happy with some fresh RotoBaller staff rankings! Today we'll cover third base. As a reminder,... Read More
Week 15 Rankings Analysis: Nick Mariano vs. Industry Consensus
It was a very hit-or-miss week, with Philip Rivers not being a top-10 QB while Joe Flacco was definitely worth the bump. Spencer Ware flubbed with Charcandrick West stealing the red-zone TD, but Rob Kelley was certainly an RB2. Believing in DeAndre Hopkins again was simply idiotic of me. Kyle Rudolph had a nice week,... Read More
Cameron Brate (TE, TB) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 60% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Brate’s 47 yards were actually Tampa Bay’s highest receiving total in Week 14, as the Bucs ground out a slugfest en route to a 16-11 victory over the Saints. While it was disappointing in a fantasy vacuum, the gameflow just destroyed Tampa Bay’s offensive fantasy value all... Read More
Ladarius Green (TE, PIT) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Stream in All Leagues OWNED IN: 52% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: One might look at Green’s paltry 2-25-0 line and think that he plummeted back down to Earth after last week’s beautiful 6-110-1 contribution, but the fact is that Pittsburgh didn’t really have to do much else to win than hand it off to LeVeon Bell in Week... Read More
Dennis Pitta (TE, BAL) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12- and 14-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 47% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: There are a lot of people interested to see how Pitta will follow up his 90-yard, two-touchdown renaissance party in Week 13, myself included. Monday night will be quite the test for Pitta’s viability during the fantasy playoffs, as New England’s defense ranks out at... Read More
Bilal Powell (RB, NYJ) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 48% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: With Matt Forte going in for an MRI on his knee, Powell is the clear pickup in New York. He absolutely destroyed the weak 49ers defense in Week 14, racking up 145 rushing yards and two TDs on 29 totes. He also caught all five of his... Read More
Kenneth Farrow (RB, SD) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 10-Team Leagues as a Melvin Gordon handcuff/replacement OWNED IN: 3% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: With Ronnie Hillman inactive, it was Farrow who shouldered the rushing load (16 carries for 55 yards, six catches for 23 yards) after Melvin Gordon went down with a hip injury. Initial reports are that Gordon should be fine, but he’ll undergo... Read More
Kenneth Dixon (RB, BAL) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Stream in 10-Team PPR Leagues OWNED IN: 33% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: If there were ever a game where Baltimore might need their versatile pass-catching back early and often, it would be Week 14 against the powerful Patriots. Last week Dixon rushed the ball 13 times for a middling 49 yards, but did tack on 31 receiving yards... Read More
Charles Sims (RB, TB) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Stream in 10-Team PPR and 12-Team STD Leagues OWNED IN: 48% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Charles Sims looked good in his return to action against the Saints in Week 14, as he rushed the ball four times for 17 yards with three catches for 33 yards. He out-touched Jacquizz Rodgers seven to two and should have some RB3 PPR... Read More
Jerick McKinnon (RB, MIN) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Stream in 12-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 43% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Jerick McKinnon had an awful game on the ground, rushing for only 31 yards on 14 carries for a shoddy 2.2 YPC, but redeemed himself in PPR formats with six catches for 38 additional yards. His skill set should come into play against an oft-burned Colts defense that... Read More
James White (RB, NE) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 10-Team PPR and 12-Team STD Leagues OWNED IN: 48% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: White was in on 29 snaps in Week 13, compared to 20 for Dion Lewis (48% Owned). LeGarrette Blount had 36. It would appear that Bill Belichick is more than content to let White continue working in with Lewis, and making steady contributions... Read More
Week 15 NFL Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds
Welcome to the post-Week 14 installment of the Waiver Wire weekly series for the 2016 fantasy football season.Below are my Week 15 waiver wire pickups and sleepers (depending on league size) to consider adding for your fantasy teams. As always, ownership levels are from Fleaflicker leagues. It’s going to take a while for the dust to... Read More
Waiver Wire Express - Week 15 Lightning Round
This column is published early every week, and then updated on a daily basis. Over the course of each week, we also publish more in-depth waiver wire analysis for all positions. But in efforts of bringing you timely information, as fast as possible, consider this the waiver wire lightning round heading into Week 15. Waiver... Read More
Dontrelle Inman (WR, SD) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12- and 14-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 23% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Dontrelle Inman has now scored in three consecutive contests, with this latest effort yielding a 6-71-1 line against a Panthers defense that really can’t guard receivers anymore. He’s got some serious momentum going into matchups with Oakland and Cleveland, which offer two... Read More
Anquan Boldin (WR, DET) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12- and 14-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 34% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Anquan Boldin may have let many down with a no-show Week 13, but he hauled in his seventh touchdown of the season as part of a three-catch, 49-yard showing against the Bears in Week 14. He’s clearly a primary read for Matthew... Read More
Ty Montgomery (WR, GB) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12- and 14-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 37% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Ty Montgomery showed some signs of life here after fading into the background with some injuries after Week 9, as he put up 86 total yards and a touchdown on 12 touches. He played very well at the outset of the game,... Read More
Houston Texans (DEF, HOU) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Stream in 12- and 14-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 44% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Facing Jacksonville is a pretty good look these days, with Blake Bortles still being his turnover-prone self and many of Jacksonville’s offensive pieces dealing with injuries. Bill O’Brien and the Texans’ defense just held Andrew Luck and the Colts to a mere... Read More
Green Bay Packers (DEF, GB) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Stream in 12- and 14-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 32% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: The Bears may be performing admirably relative to their circumstances, but this is still a very bad offense that is attempting to play within its means while its defense tries to hold the boat steady. Green Bay is getting healthier and more... Read More
Atlanta Falcons (DEF, ATL) - NFL Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Stream in 12- and 14-Team Leagues OWNED IN: 43% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: The Falcons just put the smackdown on the Rams and now get to square off against the 49ers at home in Week 15. With Atlanta and Tampa Bay currently tied for first place in the NFC South, this is not a team... Read More
