RADIO
Week 1 is in the rearview mirror. We learned a lot from one slate of games, but it’s important to remain patient and not jump off the deep end. We saw a few players that did better than expected. On the contrary, we saw some household names face plant on our fantasy lineups.
Paying attention to the warning signals on all of these players will allow fantasy gamers to make the appropriate decisions for their fantasy teams. Holding a roster clogger curtails the upside of your overall lineup. It’s important to not overreact because that could cause you to drop a player who is on the verge of turning things around from your team.
With all that being said, let’s take a look at some of the warning signals heading into Week 2.
Quarterback
Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns
Mayfield was booked for a prime fantasy matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs in week one. The Browns were up 22-10 on the Chiefs at half-time, putting the offense in more of a run-first situation to control the clock which forced a 46.43 percent run rate.
The Browns tallied four rushing touchdowns. Nick Chubb crossed the goal line twice. Kareem Hunt was available to pick up a score. We also saw Jarvis Landry hit the end zone on a rushing attempt.
He has rushed for 437 yards in his first three seasons which is a big indicator Mayfield has to get it down through the air with multiple passing touchdowns and 300-yard games for him to consistently reach QB1 status in fantasy.
Against the Chiefs, he provided just one rush attempt for seven yards. He doesn’t have the rushing floor to provide stable production in fantasy which means he has to take advantage of these key matchups in order for him to be a productive asset for his fantasy managers.
Over the course of his career, he has averaged 14.9 fantasy points per game. Last year he finished as the QB17, making him a QB2 in fantasy. In real football, he played a good game and was almost able to sneak out of week one with the victory. However, in fantasy, he produced less than optimal results, delivering a QB25 performance.
Running Back
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants
It’s too early in the season to give up on Barkley. He’s a very talented running back and can be a reliable option in the passing game. Coming out of college he was considered a generational prospect. Fantasy gamers enjoy ten RB1 weeks from him during his rookie season.
Everyone was worried about his workload and his ability to hold up due to coming back from a devastating knee injury that he endured in week two of last season. Prior to week one, we got the news that he was all systems go to play. The only thing we had to worry about from that point was whether the coaching staff was going to handcuff him with a pitch count.
We were so caught up in the impact and the status of Barkly’s knee injury that we forgot to account for how the Giants’ inability to consistently move the chains can prevent him from hitting his potential.
The Denver Broncos were a bad matchup, to begin with. They were ready to plug the run game along with the rest of the offense. Daniel Jones was off-the-mark on a lot of his passes. Barkley was playing in a negative game script that wasn’t optimal for fantasy production. The Broncos controlled 58.33 percent of the time of possession, giving the Giants little time to cut into the gap.
We always want to say that talent trumps situation. The matchups for the Giants offense won’t be this tough on a weekly basis. There will be opportunities for Barkley to put up big numbers. However, it’s concerning to know that we may not see him hit his true potential in this stagnant offense.
Wide Receiver
Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers
Aiyuk did not receive a target in week one against the Detroit Lions. Trent Sherfield played over him. This was a surprise to many, as everyone expected Aiyuk to be a key part of the 49ers’ offense since he caught 60 balls for 748 yards and five touchdowns during his rookie season last year.
After a hot start to training camp, Brandon Aiyuk tailed off dramatically. He is still learning how to be a pro. Kyle Shanahan, clearly, favors some of the other WRs right now. Message sent. https://t.co/EobXOVruN5
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) September 12, 2021
News finally broke that his play slipped at the end of training camp and the coaching staff felt more comfortable play other receivers ahead of him. On top of a hamstring issue that he was dealing with going into week one, the news that he still has a lot of work to do in order to be considered a dependable option in the passing game is very concerning. This is a warning signal that it could be a long year for Aiyuk.
Fantasy gamers shouldn’t jump ship. After all, he did showcase more than enough ability to compete at a high level last season. Managers will just need to monitor his usage and workload in the coming weeks to determine if he deserves a spot on your fantasy teams.
Tight End
Blake Jarwin, Dallas Cowboys
Jarwin was out-snapped by Dalton Schultz 48 to 57. Schultz also caught all six of his targets for 45 yards. This is not good for Jarwin since he’s not seeing enough workload to deliver consistent production. Many fantasy gamers were taking stabs at the two tight ends in drafts this year due to the volume of the passing offense. Unfortunately, it looks like Jarwin is not the tight end to roster in Dallas. He is seeing a sizable snap share, but with him being the sixth to seventh option in the passing game, the odds of him helping your fantasy team are slim to none.
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