[h=1]Weekend wrap: Hakeem Nicks gains value
By [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Eric Karabell[/FONT] | ESPN.com
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[FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Indianapolis Colts[/FONT] wide receiver [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Hakeem Nicks[/FONT] doesn't seem like the most well-liked fantasy option for this season, as he is appearing outside the top 40 at his position in [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]ESPN ADP[/FONT], and it's easy to understand why. For one, Nicks really burned fantasy owners who made him a top-10 wide receiver two seasons ago, and those who invested last year were rewarded with nary a touchdown catch. That's right, he was the only one of the top 75 wide receivers in ESPN standard scoring who didn't score, though he ended up 32nd in receiving yards and really wasn't so bad. Plus, he managed to participate in 15 games, tying a career best. It doesn’t necessarily prove he's durable, but hey, 15 games work for us!Nicks was the story in Saturday's 27-26 loss to the New York Giants -- the Giants scored all their points in the meaningless fourth quarter -- with five receptions for 53 yards. It should have been a greater performance, but his silly taunting penalty erased a long gain. Nicks and quarterback Andrew Luck were certainly clicking, and while the receiver admitted that proving a point to his old team was a motivating factor, fantasy owners should be paying attention for potential value. After all, when I see the Colts offense, I see a unit that doesn't figure to boast a strong running game -- I'm not believing in Trent Richardson -- and while Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton figure to start, neither is a lock for stardom. All three wide receivers should matter.
I know, Wayne has been so good despite being on the other side of 30 years old and, yes, I saw what Hilton achieved in the stirring comeback playoff win over the Kansas City Chiefs, but have an open mind. Wayne is 35 years old and coming back from a torn ACL. He and Luck have worked splendidly together in the past, but there could be some growing pains in September. Wayne isn't likely to play in a preseason contest, and there is some risk, but also value as he is going in the eighth round. Hilton is going a full round earlier, which is reasonable based on his electric upside, but he's so dependent on big plays that it forces me to reconsider selecting him for higher volume, more consistent options. Hilton scored all five of his regular-season touchdowns in two games. The second half of his season, sans Wayne, was definitely underwhelming.
Nicks is a nice 12th-round value in ESPN ADP because I expect the Colts to throw more and opportunity could certainly be knocking. Luck was not among the top 10 quarterbacks in pass attempts, but the team has implied with added aggressiveness in play calling and other signs this month that could change. A healthy, productive Nicks could push one of these guys out of the starting lineup and return to 1,000 receiving yards; after all, while few were apparently watching last season, with Eli Manning throwing seemingly half his passes to the other team, Nicks had 896 yards. I'm moving Nicks up my rankings into the top 40 wide receivers, not because of how he performed Saturday but because I have underrated the possibility of intriguing relevance.
QB report: Dallas Cowboys starter Tony Romo made his preseason debut Saturday and didn't seem restricted from back surgery that has apparently scared away fantasy owners. This is a borderline top-10 fantasy quarterback going at a far cheaper value, and he is statistically underrated. … St. Louis Rams starter Sam Bradford played for the first time since an ACL tear midseason, and he led several effective drives. Bradford isn't fantasy relevant in standard formats, but for multi-QB ones, there is upside for him to crack the top 20. … The Cleveland Browns play Monday night, and word is the starting quarterback for Week 1 will be announced Tuesday, perhaps depending on Monday's performances. Whatever. Brian Hoyer isn't on the fantasy radar, Johnny Manziel is worth your backup spot if your starter is safe, and this isn't affected by who starts Week 1. Manziel's value is in the longer term, for bye weeks and upside.
RB report: Chiefs star Jamaal Charles, my No. 1 overall pick, is dealing with a bruised foot. And I don't care. If it remains a problem in a week or so, then I'll revisit. … Ray Rice of theBaltimore Ravens injured a shoulder Saturday, but remember, he doesn't need to be ready for Week 1. He is suspended two games. I'm avoiding Rice in my leagues and think backupBernard Pierce has a golden opportunity to seize the starting job. … Not that anyone was drafting Rams running back Isaiah Pead anyway, but the third-year man is lost for the season with an ACL tear. Nothing really changes for rookie Tre Mason, as he battles Benny Cunningham to be next in line behind Zac Stacy. … Scratch Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookieCharles Sims off sleeper lists; he had right ankle surgery and might not play this season. I've spoken of my concerns with Doug Martin, and Mike James and Bobby Rainey are the ones threatening his playing time. The loss of Sims doesn't make me like Martin more or as a top-10 running back.
WR/TE report: The Chicago Bears, already blessed with terrific wide receivers in Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, signed free agent Santonio Holmes, now 30. Holmes hasn't been relevant in fantasy since 2011, and even then he wasn't great, but the Bears needed depth. If one of the starters gets hurt, even knowing what we know about Holmes, it's silly to dismiss him as a free-agent or waiver-wire pickup. Just don't draft him yet. … Tennessee Titans youngster Justin Hunter caught 111 yards worth of passes for two touchdowns Friday, continuing his rise as a fantasy sleeper by many, but it's worth pointing out he's third on the team's depth chart behind Kendall Wright and Nate Washington. Hunter has a bright future, but is he a top-30 wide receiver yet? Probably not. … Select Chiefs veteranDwayne Bowe if you like, but he has been suspended for Week 1 for a previous off-field issue. Bowe shouldn't have been scheduled to be in anyone's Week 1 lineup anyway. Or in September lineups. … Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Mohamed Sanu converted an Andy Dalton bomb Saturday for a touchdown and figures to be securing a starting role whileMarvin Jones is out with a broken foot. Sanu is a late pick at best, though. … Buffalo Billsrookie Sammy Watkins hurt his ribs Saturday, but it shouldn't affect his fantasy stock. He also shouldn't be relied on as a fantasy starter yet, but there's always someone in every league too excited about the kids! … Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph hauled in a 51-yard touchdown from Matt Cassel on Saturday, which could hike his draft stock even more, if that's possible. He's already top-10 at the position, but with everyone citing the Norv Turner factor as reason to really love Rudolph, watch him become a tad overrated.
By [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Eric Karabell[/FONT] | ESPN.com
[FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Indianapolis Colts[/FONT] wide receiver [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Hakeem Nicks[/FONT] doesn't seem like the most well-liked fantasy option for this season, as he is appearing outside the top 40 at his position in [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]ESPN ADP[/FONT], and it's easy to understand why. For one, Nicks really burned fantasy owners who made him a top-10 wide receiver two seasons ago, and those who invested last year were rewarded with nary a touchdown catch. That's right, he was the only one of the top 75 wide receivers in ESPN standard scoring who didn't score, though he ended up 32nd in receiving yards and really wasn't so bad. Plus, he managed to participate in 15 games, tying a career best. It doesn’t necessarily prove he's durable, but hey, 15 games work for us!Nicks was the story in Saturday's 27-26 loss to the New York Giants -- the Giants scored all their points in the meaningless fourth quarter -- with five receptions for 53 yards. It should have been a greater performance, but his silly taunting penalty erased a long gain. Nicks and quarterback Andrew Luck were certainly clicking, and while the receiver admitted that proving a point to his old team was a motivating factor, fantasy owners should be paying attention for potential value. After all, when I see the Colts offense, I see a unit that doesn't figure to boast a strong running game -- I'm not believing in Trent Richardson -- and while Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton figure to start, neither is a lock for stardom. All three wide receivers should matter.
I know, Wayne has been so good despite being on the other side of 30 years old and, yes, I saw what Hilton achieved in the stirring comeback playoff win over the Kansas City Chiefs, but have an open mind. Wayne is 35 years old and coming back from a torn ACL. He and Luck have worked splendidly together in the past, but there could be some growing pains in September. Wayne isn't likely to play in a preseason contest, and there is some risk, but also value as he is going in the eighth round. Hilton is going a full round earlier, which is reasonable based on his electric upside, but he's so dependent on big plays that it forces me to reconsider selecting him for higher volume, more consistent options. Hilton scored all five of his regular-season touchdowns in two games. The second half of his season, sans Wayne, was definitely underwhelming.
Nicks is a nice 12th-round value in ESPN ADP because I expect the Colts to throw more and opportunity could certainly be knocking. Luck was not among the top 10 quarterbacks in pass attempts, but the team has implied with added aggressiveness in play calling and other signs this month that could change. A healthy, productive Nicks could push one of these guys out of the starting lineup and return to 1,000 receiving yards; after all, while few were apparently watching last season, with Eli Manning throwing seemingly half his passes to the other team, Nicks had 896 yards. I'm moving Nicks up my rankings into the top 40 wide receivers, not because of how he performed Saturday but because I have underrated the possibility of intriguing relevance.
QB report: Dallas Cowboys starter Tony Romo made his preseason debut Saturday and didn't seem restricted from back surgery that has apparently scared away fantasy owners. This is a borderline top-10 fantasy quarterback going at a far cheaper value, and he is statistically underrated. … St. Louis Rams starter Sam Bradford played for the first time since an ACL tear midseason, and he led several effective drives. Bradford isn't fantasy relevant in standard formats, but for multi-QB ones, there is upside for him to crack the top 20. … The Cleveland Browns play Monday night, and word is the starting quarterback for Week 1 will be announced Tuesday, perhaps depending on Monday's performances. Whatever. Brian Hoyer isn't on the fantasy radar, Johnny Manziel is worth your backup spot if your starter is safe, and this isn't affected by who starts Week 1. Manziel's value is in the longer term, for bye weeks and upside.
RB report: Chiefs star Jamaal Charles, my No. 1 overall pick, is dealing with a bruised foot. And I don't care. If it remains a problem in a week or so, then I'll revisit. … Ray Rice of theBaltimore Ravens injured a shoulder Saturday, but remember, he doesn't need to be ready for Week 1. He is suspended two games. I'm avoiding Rice in my leagues and think backupBernard Pierce has a golden opportunity to seize the starting job. … Not that anyone was drafting Rams running back Isaiah Pead anyway, but the third-year man is lost for the season with an ACL tear. Nothing really changes for rookie Tre Mason, as he battles Benny Cunningham to be next in line behind Zac Stacy. … Scratch Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookieCharles Sims off sleeper lists; he had right ankle surgery and might not play this season. I've spoken of my concerns with Doug Martin, and Mike James and Bobby Rainey are the ones threatening his playing time. The loss of Sims doesn't make me like Martin more or as a top-10 running back.
WR/TE report: The Chicago Bears, already blessed with terrific wide receivers in Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, signed free agent Santonio Holmes, now 30. Holmes hasn't been relevant in fantasy since 2011, and even then he wasn't great, but the Bears needed depth. If one of the starters gets hurt, even knowing what we know about Holmes, it's silly to dismiss him as a free-agent or waiver-wire pickup. Just don't draft him yet. … Tennessee Titans youngster Justin Hunter caught 111 yards worth of passes for two touchdowns Friday, continuing his rise as a fantasy sleeper by many, but it's worth pointing out he's third on the team's depth chart behind Kendall Wright and Nate Washington. Hunter has a bright future, but is he a top-30 wide receiver yet? Probably not. … Select Chiefs veteranDwayne Bowe if you like, but he has been suspended for Week 1 for a previous off-field issue. Bowe shouldn't have been scheduled to be in anyone's Week 1 lineup anyway. Or in September lineups. … Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Mohamed Sanu converted an Andy Dalton bomb Saturday for a touchdown and figures to be securing a starting role whileMarvin Jones is out with a broken foot. Sanu is a late pick at best, though. … Buffalo Billsrookie Sammy Watkins hurt his ribs Saturday, but it shouldn't affect his fantasy stock. He also shouldn't be relied on as a fantasy starter yet, but there's always someone in every league too excited about the kids! … Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph hauled in a 51-yard touchdown from Matt Cassel on Saturday, which could hike his draft stock even more, if that's possible. He's already top-10 at the position, but with everyone citing the Norv Turner factor as reason to really love Rudolph, watch him become a tad overrated.
