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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.
Justin Forsett Owners Must Add Javorius Allen
FAAB Bid: $3 - 5, 8% owned in Fleaflicker Don't look now, but the Ravens are running really thin on running backs. Justin Forsett does appear to have managed the dreaded high ankle sprain, but his health is a question mark going into Week 6. Lorenzo Taliaferro is usually Forsett's backup, but he himself missed Week... Read More
Jay Cutler Should Not Be On Any Week 6 Waiver Wires
FAAB Bid: $3 - 4, 40% owned in Fleaflicker Look, he gets a bum rap, but he pulled out a victory for the Bears against the Chiefs - even though he was missing his top two wide receivers and was working with the backup center. As of Monday midday, he is the QB12 scoring-wise on Fleaflicker, meaning... Read More
Theo Riddick Is A Sneaky PPR Waiver Wire Add
FAAB Bid: $6 - 8 (PPR Leagues), 15% owned in Fleaflicker Riddick deserves a lot more love in PPR leagues, but it turns out he's not a total throwaway in standard leagues either. Ameer Abdullah fumbled the ball twice in the first half of the Lions' game against the Arizona Cardinals, and he was benched for... Read More
Allen Hurns Is A Priority Waiver Wire Add
FAAB Bid: $6 - 8, 54% owned in Fleaflicker I said last week not to think of Hurns as the lead dog in Jacksonville, and Allen Robinson did come back to show that he is the number one for the Jaguars this week. That said Hurns was again great, posting another 116 yard and one touchdown... Read More
Dion Lewis: Here to Stay
Dion Lewis had another stellar game for the New England Patriots, turning 11 targets into eight receptions into 59 yards and an amazing Houdini-like touchdown, with six carries for 34 yards (5.6 YPC). Lewis continues to show that he is an elusive talent, making four Cowboys' defenders miss on his way into the end zone... Read More
Eli Manning and Larry Donnell Propel Giants to Win On Spectacular Catch
Being a New York Giants fan is not for the faint of heart, but Sunday night paid off for the Giants' faithful with a late rally that was capped off by an incredible throw from Eli Manning into the back of the end zone that tight end Larry Donnell brought down over his head for... Read More
Blake Bortles Impresses in Losing Effort
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles made a Week 5 loss in Tampa Bay very close, finishing the game on Sunday with 23 completions on 33 attempts for 303 yards, four touchdowns and a lone interception. While no one is going to say that Bortles lit the world on fire with his performance, the completion percentage... Read More
Justin Forsett Hurts Ankle Late in Overtime Loss
Baltimore Ravens running back Justin Forsett had been running well all day against the Cleveland Browns. He ripped off a long run down the right sideline only to get tackled awkwardly and twist his ankle. He did not return to the game (although do note that there was very little game left at this point). Hopefully it... Read More
Tim Wright (TE, DET) - Week 5 Lineup Booms?
The Lions are in a spot where their secondary is really struggling. Their run defense has graded out at 13.3 according to PFF, while their pass coverage has gotten a -12.5 grade. Carson Palmer and company should open up their aerial assault, and the Lions should find themselves needing to throw. Eric Ebron is hurt,... Read More
Willie Snead (WR, NO) - Week 5 Lineup Booms?
Snead has come along nicely for New Orleans, and he ended up having the second most snaps for New Orleans' receivers in Week 4. He's seen six targets in each of the past three games for the Saints, and now appears to have leapfrogged Brandon Coleman and Marques Colston for playing time. Last week's game... Read More
Antonio Gates (TE, SD) - Week 5 Lineup Booms
Just have to throw this out, as Gates is back. He is not coming off of injury, and he has an established chemistry with Philip Rivers. The Chargers are banged up with Stevie Johnson and Malcom Floyd getting hurt last week, and Gates is the favorite for red zone looks when he's on the field. We... Read More
Derek Carrier (TE, WAS) - Week 5 Lineup Booms?
Well, Jordan Reed is hurt again. Enter Derek Carrier. It's a real punt type play, but just because Jordan Reed is out now doesn't mean that all of a sudden Kirk Cousins won't instinctively look for his tight end just as he is accustomed to doing. The Falcons should have their way with the Washington... Read More
T.J. Yeldon (RB, JAX) - Week 5 Lineup Booms?
This is going to be a very intriguing game, because there are so many mistakes that could be made at the hands of both quarterbacks. Here are the facts though, PFF grades the Buccaneers out as the worst against the run with a pathetic -26.2 grade. T.J. Yeldon is the guy in Jacksonville, he played 78... Read More
Leonard Hankerson (WR, ATL) - Week 5 Lineup Booms
Remember when I said how Julio Jones has that great matchup? Well Leonard Hankerson gets the same one. While Julio is matchup proof, it still benefits him that DeAngelo Hall is out and injuries have shuffled things for Washington. On the season though, the Redskins rank out as ninth best against opponents' number one receivers... Read More
C.J. Spiller (RB, NO) - Week 5 Lineup Booms
It's possible that C.J. Spiller's long game winning play on Sunday night will crank up the spotlight on Spiller. But the Saints being on the road, and Brees' still ailing along with questions of sustainability outside of big plays, should keep that ownership level tempered. The Eagles are playing exceptionally well against the run (fourth... Read More
Jay Cutler (QB, CHI) - Week 5 Lineup Booms
Smokin' Jay might see more ownership than projected because people will chase the big green 32nd next to the Kansas City name, representing how they've performed against opposing quarterbacks. Yeah, it hasn't been good. To be fair they've gone against Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, and Andy Dalton, so it's not entirely their fault. All the same,... Read More
Josh McCown (QB, CLE) - Week 5 Lineup Booms?
My computer wanted to run a virus scan after I typed that. I feel ill. Seriously folks, McCown has actually played well these past two weeks. Sure, the image of him being helicoptered by the Jets in Week 1 is seared pretty deeply in my mind, but the Browns seem to finding a groove. Travis... Read More
Week 5 DraftKings Deeper Sleeper Tournament Plays
So you probably noticed that Week 4 felt a lot more "normal" compared to that Week 3 carnival of points. Unless you double dipped on Devonta Freeman, in which case we should be best friends and talk a lot on Saturdays. Week 5 looks to have a plenty of studs in A+ matchups - which... Read More
Brandin Cooks, Matt Jones - Fantasy Football Fallers
Brandin Cooks - WR, New Orleans Saints This guy was taken early in most drafts, and boy has he stunk. He had eight targets this week, but only turned that into four receptions for 25 yards, turning in his worst PFF grade of the year with a -2.3 rating (he has been negative in three out of... Read More
Jimmy Graham (TE, SEA) - Fantasy Football Fallers
I guess he needs to have some more unconfirmed reports of discontent. The Seahawks offense is tied with the horrid 49ers for the league's lowest offensive touchdown total (five), so it isn't as if there's a ton of production going around that Graham isn't a part of. All the same, consider what @JacsonBevens tweeted last night in... Read More
Mike Evans (WR, TB) - Fantasy Football Fallers
In Week 4, he went against young stud cornerback Josh Norman, and he was shut down pretty effectively. While Jameis Winston and the Buccaneers continue to show growing pains, it is clear that Winston can't support both Evans and Vincent Jackson, although each week there should be enough volume for one of them to turn in some... Read More
Golden Tate (WR, DET) - Fantasy Football Fallers
He continues to be underutilized in an offense that is sputtering. Yes, the Lions got screwed on a bad call in Week 4, but overall it doesn't take away from the fact that Matthew Stafford is really looking awful, and the rest of the team is following suit. The running game is a bust (Ameer... Read More
C.J. Anderson (RB, DEN) - Fantasy Football Fallers
His stock has to be at an all-time low, and if I can scoop him up anywhere for desperately cheap, I am. The Broncos schedule is about to get really tasty, and even if Anderson is just a 1B to Hillman's 1A in a worst case scenario, he may produce enough for a flex role. With a... Read More
Joe Flacco (QB, BAL) - Fantasy Football Fallers
Going against one of the worst secondaries in the league, Flacco should have been able to produce a decent game, but instead he churned out 20 completions on 33 attempts for 189 yards, throwing one touchdown and one interception. It would be one thing if that was the worst of it, but in addition to... Read More
C.J. Spiller, Charles Clay - Fantasy Football Risers
C.J. Spiller - RB, New Orleans Saints He wasn't doing anything special before he ripped off the 80-yard touchdown in overtime, but that showed his big-play ability, which is why owners wanted him on draft day. You aren't going to get a ton of volume out of the guy, at least not yet, but he's so... Read More
Andy Dalton, Allen Hurns - Fantasy Football Risers
Allen Hurns - WR, Jacksonville Jaguars People might think Hurns was simply a product of being the WR2 for the Jaguars against the Vontae Davis-anchored Colts secondary, but consider that in Hurns' first three games he had lines of 5-60-0, 4-68-0, and 2-70-1. Week 4's line of 11-116-1 is just someone cranking up the dial... Read More
Drew Brees (QB, NO) - Fantasy Football Risers
It's no surprise that Drew Brees' arm is not what it used to be, and it's probably something he's going to continue to deal with. That being said, his stock was plummeting on the heels of a missed game and the gigantic unknown of what he was really capable of coming off an injury. He ended... Read More
Mike Wallace (WR, MIN) - Fantasy Football Risers
This was certainly an encouraging game that Mike Wallace owners or speculators really needed to see. While the Vikings had been doing little through the air in the first three weeks, Mike Wallace finally came through with eight receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown on ten targets. He had seen 14 targets in the first... Read More
Todd Gurley (RB, STL) - Fantasy Football Risers
Quite the buzz around this guy eh? Gurley, and pretty much the Rams in general, have been the source of many question marks so far in 2015. Benny Cunningham had a fun PPR game in Week 1 against the Seahawks, but in general the Rams have struggled mightily in the run game. Tre Mason hadn't... Read More
Chris Ivory (RB, NYJ) - Fantasy Football Risers
Any questions about Chris Ivory's health and effectiveness were written off early on Sunday as he turned in a stellar 29-carry, 166-yard effort (while also finding the end zone). Adding to the performance from a fantasy standpoint is Bilal Powell's groin injury. Zac Stacy did come in as the Jets were out in front for much... Read More
