- Greg Pokriki - Fantasy Focus
In most MLB fantasy leagues, you only need to start one catcher and carry a max of two on your roster. Taking a chance at the position is a high risk, low reward proposition unless you snag Buster Posey. Orioles catcher Matt Wieters is returning from Tommy John surgery, a rare injury for a player at his position. The rarity itself is cause for concern on his return and how completely he will recover.
Catching nearly everyday of a MLB season is arguably one of the most strenuous jobs in the league, leaving Wieters’ risk for re-injury presumably somewhat high. In addition to the Tommy John surgery, Wieters has recently been diagnosed with elbow tendinitis.
The diagnosis is likely just a bump in the road, causing him only to miss a few days. However, when it comes to your fantasy team, with the amount of more reliable options around him, it makes sense to leave Wieters for someone else to draft.
When it comes to Wieters, why risk it? With fantasy trophies often decided by which team stays the healthiest, you should err on the side of caution. Better options include catchers like Brian McCann or Russell Martin.
- Tim Haberin - Fantasy Focus
Brandon Phillips - 2B, Cincinnati Reds
Phillips' name recognition, along with the overall dearth of fantasy production at second base, has exaggerated perceptions of his MLB fantasy value for a while now. Once a good bet for around 20 homers and 80 RBI, his offensive numbers have steadily declined and there is little reason to think that won't continue as he turns 34 this year. His OPS plummeted from .810 to .678 in the last four seasons, and his increasing lack of plate disciple (15% strikeout rate last year) won't help matters. The speed element of his game has evaporated as well: after averaging 22 steals from 2006-2012, he has swiped only seven total in the last two seasons. Don't fool yourself into thinking Phillips is still top-15 at his position.
Victor Martinez - 1B, Detroit Tigers
V-Mart enjoyed a tremendous 2014 campaign, putting up a Major League-best .974 OPS on his way to All-Star honors and a second-place finish in AL MVP voting. But there are more than a few reasons to be skeptical of an encore performance in the upcoming season. Not many players have a career year at age 35, and Martinez has been battling familiar knee trouble this spring. His 32 home runs last year were a career-high by a decent margin; he had not broken 20 since 2009. Though his ability and track record are undeniable, his preseason value is inflated by the striking numbers he produced last year. Several rankings place him as a top-50 player, which is too bold for 2015.
Yadier Molina - C, St. Louis Cardinals
Like Phillips, the preeminent Molina brother is another player whose popular reputation will lead to him being drafted too early. As far as catchers go, he's still one of your better options, but unless his name is Buster Posey, I'm not using a premium pick on a backstop. Renowned for his consistence and durability, Molina showed some cracks in 2014. A thumb injury limited him to 110 games, the lowest total since his debut season. His batting average dipped below .300 for the first time since 2010, and his power numbers have taken a nosedive as well (.386 SLG last year, down from .501 in 2012). At 32 years old, the physical demands of the position often take their toll, so it's hard to see Molina reasserting himself as a top-5 catcher.
Ryan Braun - OF, Milwaukee Brewers
Braun's various issues are well-documented, but he has remained a relevant player for fantasy purposes. It's hard to justify, however, ranking him as a top-10 outfielder for 2015 as some have done. He's missed significant time to injury the last two seasons and has seen a fair amount of pop leave his bat, due in large part to the career-low 8% home run to fly ball ratio he posted last year. His 2014 second half was particularly brutal, in which he hit .226 with 8 home runs and 29 RBI. Even if offseason thumb surgery helps keep him on the field, Braun is yet another player on the wrong side of 30 unlikely to reclaim past glory and not worth risking with a first or second round pick.
Basketball News
Fantasy basketball owners are reeling after losing Thunder PF Serge Ibaka during the first week of the fantasy NBA playoffs. Ibaka underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Tuesday and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. The surgery to clean out his right knee puts Oklahoma City in a difficult place, as well as Ibaka's fantasy basketball owners.
The prolific shot blocker only missed 4 games total in the last 4 years, but will now be out for at least a month. He had been very productive this year, posting averages of 14.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per contest, making him not only one of the better fantasy NBA players at his position but also very tough to replace. Ibaka is a lost cause for this season, but should obviously be retained for Dynasty and Keeper leagues.
In order to make up for this great loss, the Thunder will look for Enes Kanter and Steven Adams to step up in Ibaka's absence. Kanter will probably be the bigger benefactor, absorbing Serge Ibaka's scoring and rebounding duties.
Kanter has turned it up as of late, going for 19.8 points and 12.6 rebounds per game over his last 5 games. He will continue to be the starting power forward and most likely even increase his production once Kevin Durant comes back and takes the attention of opposing defenses.
Steven Adams will also need to help out with scoring and grabbing boards, but his focus will have to be on protecting the rim. Over his last 5 games, he has averaged 1.8 blocks, and will continue to be prominent on the defensive end of the floor.
If Enes Kanter and Steven Adams are available, they should be added in all standard leagues. Expect them to put up more consistent numbers as they grow more comfortable with their increased roles. Forward Mitch McGary should also see an uptick in value as one of the only valuable big men available to come off the bench.
- Greg Pokriki - Fantasy Focus
With the upcoming draft, we have been covering a wide variety of fantasy baseball sleepers, but this list is more about the potential busts. Pitchers who have limited upside and would be better off on any other team besides yours.
Mike Fiers - Milwaukee Brewers
Calling Fiers’ 2014 campaign lucky is unfair and a discredit to a collection of solid outings. Plenty of owners saw Fiers fall into their lap late off the waiver wire. He registered an outstanding August and a fine September, though he wasn’t going as deep into games. Fiers September included an increase in hits and walks allowed. In 2015, he likely will return to those workman like numbers. His personal dip is indicative of the entire Brewers team in 2014, which saw the wheels fall off the wagon of their division lead and playoff spot late in the regular season. There is no need to avoid Fiers like the plague, but certainly be aware that his previous production certainly isn’t sustainable for 2015.
CC Sabathia - New York Yankees
Though Sabathia was injured for the majority of 2014 and it’s unfair to judge him on that alone, his steady decline in production over this latter half of his career is reason enough to avoid. In his last full season of work, 2013, Sabathia allowed the most runs in MLB. He tallied his worst ERA+ in his career and also allowed 28 home runs, a career high for the former ace. Sabathia’s decline is written on the wall. Add a trying injury recovery to that and you have a player to steer clear of in 2015.
Corey Kluber - Cleveland Indians
Kluber put in an outstanding 2014, securing the Cy Young Award—and rightfully so. But, there is reason for hesitation. A Cy Young Award does not guarantee future continued dominance—just ask RA Dickey. There is no reason to solely look at Kluber’s 2014 campaign in the same sense that you can’t just assume Justin Verlander is a bum pitcher because he struggled last season. When drafting a fantasy baseball team, you have to factor in a pitchers' entire body of work. 2014 was Kluber’s first year with more than 25 games started and 150 innings pitched. He also had never previously had a season with an ERA+ over 100, the league average, or a FIP under 3.30. It’s fair to think that Kluber figured it out in 2014 and will be a stud from now until the day he calls it quits. But it’s also fair to hold out reservations and not overspend on him in an auction draft.
A. J. Burnett - Pittsburgh Pirates
At 38-years-old, Burnett has announced that this will be his final season. He obviously sees his own decline, and you should too. Last season he posted one of his highest career WHIP and worst career ERA+. He is headed back to the Pirates, so he should see an increase in wins from last year, where he only posted eight. However, Burnett is no longer investing in his own future, and neither should you. With his age and decline, Burnett’s best days are behind him.
- Tim Haberin - Fantasy Focus
Season-ending pitching injuries have piled up recently, including two suffered by players we recently named as potential fantasy baseball sleepers. Blue Jays hurler Marcus Stroman underwent a procedure to repair a torn ACL, while Tommy John surgery will snuff out Zack Wheeler's hopes of pitching for the Mets this season. Fortunately for fantasy owners, there are still plenty of appealing starters who could provide unexpected boosts to their rotations.
Kevin Gausman - Baltimore Orioles
Starting 20 games for the O's in 2014, Gausman put up respectable numbers within a challenging division in his first extended action at the Major League level. He surrendered less than a hit per inning on his way to 7 wins and a 3.57 ERA. His youth (age 24) and fastball (topping out near 100 mph) make him an intriguing prospect for fantasy owners. If the walks come down a bit (3.0 BB/9 last year), he has a shot to reach even greater heights this season and is worthy of a late-round flyer.
Drew Pomeranz - Oakland Athletics
Leaving the rarefied air of Coors Field for spacious Oakland Coliseum paid dividends for Pomeranz last year. Though he started just 10 games for the A's, they were promising ones in which he put up a 2.58 ERA over 52.1 IP and held opposing batters to a miniscule .205 average. With the departures of Jon Lester and Jason Hammel, the 26-year-old lefty will be counted on for more innings in 2015 and is primed for the taking with one of your last few draft selections.
Shane Greene - Detroit Tigers
Imported by the Tigers from the Bronx this offseason, Greene quietly did a very admirable job filling in for a plethora of injured Yankees starters in 2014. Though his stuff doesn't pop quite as much as some of the other pitchers on this list, Greene throws four different pitches capably and posted a strong 9.3 K/9 rate last season. Moving out of a hitter's park and support from a more potent offense should help him improve significantly on last year's 5 wins and 3.78 ERA.
Noah Syndergaard - New York Mets
A legitimate fantasy alternative to Wheeler may be the man who could replace him on the Mets' staff. Scouts rave about Syndergaard's high-90s fastball and all-around overpowering stuff, which helped him rack up an impressive 145 Ks in 133 IP for Triple-A Las Vegas last year. Even if the Mets don't break camp with the 22-year-old in their rotation, it's a good bet he'll be first in line to receive a big league call-up. Though his control needs some refining, Syndergaard will likely offer some immediate punch in the strikeout department whenever he makes his debut. Owners looking to get ahead can stash him with a late draft pick.
- Aneesh Ahuja - Fantasy Focus
Mike Trout - Los Angeles Angels
Arguably the best player in MLB Fantasy, Trout is poised for another MVP season. Trout, just 23 years old has been on a tear since he has come into the league. The 2014 MVP finished batting .287 with 36 HR and 11 RBI. That was his lowest batting average since he has come into the league but his power numbers continue to get better. Trout has vowed to become a better hitter and strikeout less. He will help your fantasy team in every facet of the game is worth the first overall selection in the draft.
Andrew McCutchen - Pittsburgh Pirates
The 2013 MVP, is next up on our list. Andrew McCutchen has been unbelievable for the Pirates in the last few seasons finishing in the top 3 in MVP voting the past couple of years. If it wasn’t for Clayton Kershaw’s remarkable 2014 season, McCutchen could have easily been holding 2 MVP trophies. He finished last season batting .314 with 25 HR an 83 RBI. He's been dealing with a lower back issue, but is expected to be completely healthy for the upcoming season. Look for his power numbers to stay steady as well as his batting average. McCutchen is as close to a sure thing you can find in this years draft.
Giancarlo Stanton - Miami Marlins
Stanton is coming off an incredible 2014 campaign. His season was cut short after his terrifying injury but he is completely healthy for the 2015 season. Stanton finished last season with 37 HR and 105 RBI batting .288. Stanton is often considered the most feared hitter in the league because of his ability to take any pitch to any part of the park. His unbelievable power to go along with his great eye makes Stanton one of the premier players in our game today. Stanton will look to lead the Marlins to the playoffs, and will only do so by having a similar season to last years.
Paul Goldschmidt - Arizona Diamondbacks
Goldschmidt’s 2014 season ended only 109 games because of a left hand fracture. We only saw glimpses of the type of player Goldschmidt can become. In 2013, Goldschmidt had a stellar campaign batting .302 with 36 HR and 125 RBI. He brings a big power bat to your lineup as well as the ability to hit for a high average. If he is able to stay healthy throughout the 2015 season, he will likely have another great season and prove to fantasy owners that he is one of the top bats in the league.
- Aneesh Ahuja - Fantasy Focus
American League
Felix Hernandez - Seattle Mariners
Hernandez is coming off another stellar MLB fantasy season in 2014. Corey Kluber took home the 2014 AL CY Young trophy but Hernandez was not far behind. Hernandez pitched 236 innings with a 15-6 record. More importantly, Hernandez had a 2.14 ERA and 248 strikeouts. To put it in simple terms, the guy is unhittable. He has recorded more than 200 strikeouts in the past six seasons and that stuff does not seem to be going away. Hernandez has been able to stay healthy throughout his career, so that is not an issue. Look for Hernandez to continue to put up unbelievable numbers and maybe win the CY Young award.
David Price - Detroit Tigers
Price was traded to the Tigers mid season and was somewhat of a disappointment for the Tigers. Don’t expect that trend to continue with David Price in 2015. Price talked about how he was drained out at the end of last season and did not have his best stuff. After a healthy offseason for Price, look for him to get back to his CY Young numbers from a couple years ago. Price is entering a contract year and is looking to make Max Scherzer type of money. The only way for him to do so is have a CY Young type of year.
National League
Clayton Kershaw - Los Angeles Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw is undoubtedly the best pitcher in the game today. He has won three of the last four NL CY Young Awards and also won the 2014 MVP. His production has been unbelievable and does not look like he is slowing down anytime soon. He has a 1.77 ERA last season which is unheard of in the modern era, but it looks like he’s going to continue to get better. After his first bullpen session, AJ Ellis , the Dodgers catcher, said that was the best he has seen Kershaw thrown. Kershaw, on the other hand, described the session as terrible. That shows that Kershaw will never be content with the way he is pitching. Major League Baseball needs to watch out because Kershaw is not just going for the CY Young three peat but back-to-back MVP awards.
Max Scherzer - Washington Nationals
Max Scherzer signed a 7 year $210 million contract with the Washington Nationals this offseason. He joins arguably the top rotation in the MLB this season and will not look to disappoint. Last season, Scherzer was 18-5 with a 3.15 ERA and 252 strikeouts. He will look to grow on those numbers this season and become a better all around pitcher. Scherzer has always had the strikeout number but will now look to be smarter on the mound with his pitches. Now pitching in the NL, Scherzer has an advantage and will be better than his days in Detroit. Scherzer will try and join a short list of pitchers to win CY Young in both leagues.
- R.C. Fischer - Fantasy Football Metrics
I simply want to ask: “What was such a problem that required a complete overhaul of the Philadelphia Eagles?” Someone define for me the problem with the Eagles that needed a nuclear bomb solution?
Let this upcoming thought sink in before you pass by it too quickly, because I have written it a few times in the past weeks/months…
Nick Foles was 15-4 (78.9%) as a starter for Chip Kelly (including one game he didn’t start, but came in quick for Vick…and won the game). With the awful, ‘wrong for the system’, lead-footed Nick Foles…Chip Kelly won 78.9% of his NFL games. In a 16-game season, a 78.9% winning percentage equates to 12.6 wins in a full season.
My question remains—what was so radically wrong with that pace that the entire thing had to be blown up?
How many wins were being left on the table?
LeSean McCoy was there too. So was DJax in 2013, then Maclin returned 2014. The crazy gambling defense was there as well. Chip Kelly was there…and they won 78.9% of their games—under Foles.
How many yachts can you waterski behind, Mr. Gekko?
You do a minor tweak to a 78.9% winning percentage ‘system’…you don’t fire sale it within two weeks and replace all the parts.
My wife’s minivan had no issues for the first two-years of its ‘life’. It has been a champ. The other day our van had a very slight hesitation when I hit the gas pedal coming off a light, but it never happened again the rest of the day. That little blip did not cause me to rush the van back to the dealership and ask them to replace the engine, transmission, and frame because of a minor hiccup.
In Chip Kelly’s case, in my minivan analogy, he has not only taken the no-problem van into the dealership for a massive overhaul—he then replaced all those key components with rebuilt parts that had mostly failed in other vehicles prior. He definitely did not check the Carfax. Most of the new parts have serious wear and tear, and have failed (physically/injury-wise).
How the world generated such a hatred for a 78.9% winning percentage QB–I have no idea. Tim Tebow was lauded as ‘a winner’, as was/is Marcus Mariota….both ’winners’ due to a ‘system’.Nick Foles won in a ‘system’ too…a lot. He is reviled for it. I have no words left to explain why this is.
The world, and Chip Kelly, DID love Michael Vick as Kelly’s anointed starter in 2013…and Vick went 1-3 (25.0%) as the main QB for Philly—and Kelly’s was ridiculed as a joke following an embarrassing blowout at Denver. Somehow the ‘system’ that makes all QBs great didn’t work with Vick. Thankfully, Foles would come in and save Kelly’s precious ‘system’, and took the Eagles to the division title.
The world loved Matt Barkley—“best player in the draft,” many experts told you in January 2013. They would later backpedal from that, and Barkley would fall all the way to Kelly at pick #98 in the draft—despite having Vick and Foles under contract. Barkley was perfect for the ‘system’ per Chip Kelly. However, last season Barkley was doing so well he was discussed as likely to be cut. He was beyond a nightmare in his one start (0-1, 0.0%) in 2013. However, Barkley stays, and Nick Folesmust go.
You think Chip Kelly knows QBs? He picked Michael Vick to start over Nick Foles in 2013…which was a massive mistake; history judged. Matt Barkley is/will be judged a disastrous bust—another ‘system’ guy surrounded by massive weapons in college who then flopped in the NFL…FLOPPED in the ‘system’.
Kelly’s QB brilliance also led to Mark Sanchez being pushed as better than Nick Foles. Sanchez took a 6-2 team on its way to winning another division title, and went 3-4 as a full starter (42.8%) when it mattered (excluding the meaningless Week 17 win over NYG). Once the spotlight got hot…Sanchez lost three in-a-row, and did what he always does…gets rattled, and throws inexplicable picks. That darn ‘system’ couldn’t fix Sanchez or Vick…and couldn’t make Barkley a real QB. FYI, Sanchez signed an extended two-year/$9M deal, and Nick Foles must go.
But trust me…Chip Kelly has got his next QB move figured out…
I thought Chip Kelly was going to have the most brilliant offseason in NFL history. The man who is single-handedly re-defining offense, and practice methods, etc. would certainly use his smarts to run circles around the NFL in personnel moves, right? Wrong.
I still think Chip Kelly is a football genius, but he has totally destroyed everything he has built in a matter of two weeks. He has lost credibility with the football community and players. He has the fans ready to turn on him (the ones who haven’t already). If/when all this personnel overhaul activity fails in a glorious hailstorm…it will undermine everything interesting he was doing in the other areas.
History will recall these past two weeks as the time NFL owners will conclude going forward that no head coach would ever have full personnel power ever again.
I now totally get what Jerry Jones is thinking. An outsider can do this just as well (or poorly) as an insider, or a football ‘genius’. Jerry Jones’ personnel moves are evolving, and improving—while, I don’t know what you call what Chip Kelly just did the last two weeks.
When you look at these major moves in time-line order, the illogical nature and abject desperation of them takes more shape. There have been so many flashy, coffee-talk moves to debate we could lose sight of what happened in totality. Let’s take a walk through the time-line:
McCoy-Alonso trade…
I loved this deal. RBs are in high supply and mostly interchangeable in today’s NFL. You especially do not want to spend huge chunks of your payroll and large guarantees on the position where the asset is most likely to be hurt or decline in performance. Kelly ditches McCoy and saves $10M in salary cap instantly for 2015, and gets a useful linebacker (Kiko Alonso) who is cheap (less than $1M in 2015)…with an NFL Draft class upcoming without a ton of ILB options. It’s a brilliant move.
The Eagles address the LB need, so that’s taking +1 step ahead. The Eagles save $10M on a RB, and can deploy that money all over–that’s +2 steps ahead in total. This is a great start to the offseason, but it will become unraveled soon enough.
Scoreboard: Approx. $9M cap space banked for 2015 from this move
Jeremy Maclin walks…
Another smart move. I like Maclin, just not for the likely $8-10M per season it would take to keep him. You can draft a much cheaper WR, if needed…especially if everything is about ‘system’. Maclin cost $5M last year, so now that’s opened up too. This is smart if you redeploy the money properly.
Scoreboard: Approx. $14M cap space opened up for 2015 from the trade and no more Maclin
Cary Williams cut…
This was a bit of a shocker, to me.
Williams was playing like a #1 CB last year. Realize in today’s NFL when you get hung out on an island like the Eagles do with their CBs, and the rules favor ‘no touching’—you will give up some yards and points as a CB. The Eagles did do just that, but if you single out Cary Williams and equivocate his play as the reason for Philly’s yards allowed–you’re out your mind. It was the ‘system’…on defense.
Williams’ crime was more questioning the coach’s methods publicly. Thus, he had to go. The coach (Kelly) can be a noted ‘questioning authority’, football anarchist—it’s just his players cannot question the coach. The coach can humiliate the former GM/current employee publicly by proclaiming his prior year #1 draft pick (Marcus Smith) a bust in multiple press conferences, but a player cannot question the coach’s decision-making in public.
Understand how it works now?
So Cary Williams, a top CB is ditched. It’s a loss of a talented CB, but is also money saved towards cap, and we all assume it will be spent on a DB for sure…you’d think–maybe Darrelle Revis orDevin McCourty?
As we’ve seen the offseason unfold—Williams questioning the coach’s mindset and system last year may have been a reality–a reality, that I (and others) wasn’t ready to hear. Williams may have been right all along…something might have been rotten in Denmark.
Williams would have cost $8M this year, with a year remaining, but did cost a $1.7M hit for 2015 to cut.
Williams just signed a sweet deal with Seattle. So why couldn’t Kelly have traded Williams instead of cold cutting him? This is now twice in my memory banks that the Eagles have given away assets of some value with nothing in return—cutting DJax only see him have a mega-deal signed, and now Williams to a smaller degree. Why weren’t they traded for something, anything?
Scoreboard: Approx. $20M cap space saved so far with all the moves above.
Enter…Byron Maxwell?
Get rid of Cary Williams all you want, but Byron Maxwell is your ‘big answer’? He’s savvy, but athletically limited going into a system that requires solo-island coverage by the CB. Seattle cut the field in half because of Richard Sherman, plus had great defensive talent all over, and opposing teams could only have success throwing at Maxwell—and they had some, even though everyone knew it was coming. Maxwell was a solid CB on the most favorable system and team he could ever be on…now he is going to a team with a wide-open style that’s completely different, and bucking up against his talents. *Unless they change defensive philosophy in 2015…
At best, Maxwell is no better than Williams…at worst this is going to be a disaster. If you thoughtBradley Fletcher struggled at times in this ‘system’, watch Byron Maxwell.
Philly filled a need here, I guess. However, this took a big hit from their 2015 cap space–which is $8.5M this year for Maxwell with $26M guaranteed committed. Devin McCourty accepted $28M guaranteed from the Pats…about 10% more than Maxwell. Do you think McCourty is more than 10% a better player than Maxwell? I don’t think Maxwell is 90% of Cary Williams…and Seattle says, “Thank you, Chip!”
Scoreboard: Approx. $12M in cap space savings left for 2015, based on all the moves above….and a fresh $26M guaranteed commitment to Maxwell.
“Piss off to you, sir (Chip Kelly)”…
The Wizard of Oz curtain started to get a real yank when Mark Ingram was desired by Philly, but went to the Saints. Oz/Kelly really got exposed by Frank Gore agreeing to a deal in principle with Chip…and then walking away from it to go to Indy.
If a head coach is respected and/or liked and/or is building something magical…he will get players taking a minor discount to come join in the fun. However, key veteran players are actually snubbing Philly at this stage in the time line (no McCourty, no Ingram, no Gore, etc.). Out of nowhere Chip Kelly went from being seen as a ‘mystic’ that would attract free agents, to turning Philly into a somewhat toxic team free agent players eschew…the Eagles have suddenly become Raiders East or Jacksonville North, in a sense. It’s a situation where you can’t get talented players to come willingly or at any friendly discount, so you and your giant offseason bank account have to overspend frantically…and often overspending on lesser players…your 3rd and 4th options at various positions.
Kelly is taking hits in local and national media for ditching respected players and veterans like McCoy, Maclin, and DJax. Kelly is taking massive hits locally and nationally as appearing to have no real personnel plan. It may be all over-sensationalized, but the reality is that many players appear to be voting against Chip Kelly with their feet, and bank accounts. Thus, he is left to pursue the Ryan Mathews’ of the world.
Frank Gore’s snub might have been the Happy Days “Jumping the shark” moment on Chip Kelly. Kind of like Rick Pitino’s cosmic blaze entry into the NBA, and then disastrous ending running the Boston Celtics (Robert Parish never did walk through those doors, did he?). In case you forgot,John Calapari used to coach and run the New Jersey Nets. On field geniuses with huge personalities and bravado don’t always instantly win as personnel heads at the next level…great in college, but they rub pros/adults the wrong way. People with options tend to exercise them…away from situations like this. Not every great head coach can evaluate and properly price talent to the marketplace—a marketplace they have little familiarity with because they are extraordinarily busy coaching. It’s a (dual) role that lends itself to failure for most all who traverse its rocky path.
Foles for Bradford…
I like Sam Bradford as a QB talent. I think everyone did. It’s just that most of us have a brain with memory capability. I recall that Bradford has racked up so many injuries back to college that it is sad and tragic. The re-occurrence of injury is almost assured in the next 1-3 years. I’ve had multiple medical people tell me, when I did a little research on ACL injuries: “One ACL repair is OK to overcome. Two to the same knee—it’s pretty much over in the NFL.”
Bradford is definitely not something you or I or the Rams would invest heavy on in 2015…because of the fear of a looming re-occurrence…but not Chip Kelly. Not only is he an unconventional offensive genius, he also has no need for conventional biology. He went ahead and added a QB due $13M in 2015…with just the one-year remaining on his contract.
This Bradford move is breathtakingly bad for business.
If the Browns did something like acquire Bradford for a conditional 3rd-round pick, and paid him $13M for one-year as well, I would clap my hands. The Browns have to take shots on players like that. No one wants to join Cleveland willingly…that’s not a cheap joke; that’s reality. We’d all clap and hope it worked out well for the Browns. We would absolutely expect it NOT to work out, but we would get their ‘reasonable desperation’. The Browns have been lovable NFL losers for a while now, and have trouble bringing in talent…we all get that.
However, Chip Kelly spit at a 78.9% winning percentage QB (Foles), and basically gave him away to the Rams in exchange for a QB who is 78.9% likely to blow out his knee again…or shoulder…or whatever body part. The only player more likely to get injured this year is Ryan Mathews…and, oh so close on the Eagles landing him too (update: Of course, they added Mathews. This week couldn’t be complete without one more injury-history reach-signing).
Sam Bradford has never produced a winning record in the NFL as a starter.
Sam Bradford racked up a 15-26 (36.5%) record in his first three NFL seasons…Nick Foles was 15-9 (62.5%) in his first three NFL seasons.
Sam Bradford threw 45 TDs in 41 games (1.1 per game) in his first three NFL seasons… Nick Folesdropped 46 TDs (1.6 TD passes per game) in his first three NFL seasons, and ohhh by the way: More TDs thrown, but played in 13 less games than Bradford in his first three seasons.
Sam Bradford threw 34 picks in 41 games (0.8 per game) in his first three NFL seasons…the god-awful turnover machine (so says the media) Nick Foles threw 17 picks in 28 games (0.6 per game) in his three NFL seasons.
Sam Bradford posted a 58% completion percentage in his first three NFL seasons… Nick Foles - 61.6%.
Sam Bradford achieved a 75.0 QB rating in his first three seasons…Nick Foles 94.2 QB rating.
Sam Bradford had two ACL surgeries on the same knee in the last two seasons… Nick Foles none, ever.
Let’s not even mention the fact that Bradford was drafted, and handed everything—the starting job, and had WRs and TEs acquired for him, and working with the ‘first-team’ ever since day one. Nick Foles was racking better numbers while working under two radically different head coaching philosophies, and barely working with the first-team in his first two years prior to stumbling into the starting lineup.
Hey, maybe if Bradford stays healthy all year, and really picks up the Chip Kelly ‘system’—he could have a great season. I mean, almost like what Nick Foles was producing in said ‘system’. If the Eagles don’t win 13+ games in 2015…then this borders on a failed experiment compared to Foles’ winning percentage.
You cannot trade Nick Foles for Sam Bradford, plus pay 10x as much payroll to him for one season in the hope Bradford stays healthy against all odds…so that if everything goes right, he’ll be about as good as Foles. It’s the stupidest, most expensive gamble I’ve seen…it didn’t need to happen. There was no reason this HAD to happen.
It is the height of Chip Kelly arrogance…and really amazing stupidity. Not that Kelly is stupid, obviously he is not. He is way smarter than I am, but not on personnel/risk management…sorry. Sam Bradford is/was a great QB prospect…Kelly’s not chasing after a Johnny Manziel or anything silly. I get liking Bradford, but you cannot build your whole fortune on Bradford not getting hurt…or letting down. There was no problem to solve. The Browns have problems. The Jaguars and Bills have problems. Nick Foles and his 78.9% winning percentage was not a problem needing a weak-handed, ‘all-in’ change.
All these Chip Kelly moves have been so swashbuckling that Kelly has now painted himself into a corner he almost cannot escape—everything has to go right and no key player with a history of injury issues gets hurt again, and thus he gets the Eagles deep into the playoffs…OR he will be forcibly removed from the ‘city of brotherly love’ by its inhabitants by this time next season…or by October this year. Everyone is ready to draw and quarter him—he did it to himself.
He is drawing to a near impossible ‘inside straight’ here, and discarding all the wrong cards…and drawing even worse ones.
Scoreboard: The Eagles are now approx. $1M more spent in salary cap toward 2015 after all the moves listed above….plus the extra $26M guaranteed commitment (Maxwell).
What does it mean when Jerry Jones has more fiscal discipline and personnel restraint than your coach/GM, Philly? A.K.A. welcome to Philly, hated Demarco Murray!
The last one off the Chip Kelly bandwagon, please turn off the lights.
I thought the LeSean McCoy trade was genius because super-expensive RBs are the most ridiculous investment in the NFL. One-year heavy deals make sense for the best RBs, but you don’t want to lock in long-term with big guarantees. When McCoy was traded—I thought Kelly was a genius. However, all he did is flip McCoy, and spent even more on Demarco Murray. If ditching McCoy was smart…then making a last-second overspend on Murray (who brilliantly used your panic to his advnatage) is beyond ridiculous planning.
If Murray was the plan all along, that deal would have been done a while ago…with no other RB flirting. There would not have been a Frank Gore ‘thing’, nor a Ryan Mathews one-night stand (later a commitment). All Chip Kelly looks like now is a desperate person who will sign or trade for anybody…as long as there is some questionable injury history. There is no plan. Kelly is flailing away, as we all watch him burn.
The last few weeks have been the greatest/fastest destruction of a football idol, that I think I have ever seen.
If you take all these high-profile moves together, it looks like this:
Murray for McCoy (Even exchange? In 2013, you would have laughed this out of existence. In 2015 it’s supposedly brilliant)
Maxwell for C. Williams (Even-ish?)
Bradford for Foles (Let’s say Bradford is better…do you really think he won’t get hurt again?)
Money saved with passing on Maclin, but used for Brandon Graham and Mark Sanchez (yikes)
Kiko Alonso for Trent Cole (Will be OK, if Alonso doesn’t go down again)
Would you trade?…
McCoy, C. Williams, Foles, Cole, and Maclin
FOR
Murray, Maxwell, Bradford, Sanchez, B. Graham, Alonso?
If you think it looks like an even swap of talent…what if I told you doing the deal would cost you about $6-10M more dollars in 2015 payroll, and lock you into $55M+ more in fresh guaranteed contracts ahead.
Hey, at least you have a QB for the future who is definitely never going to get hurt again…and will probably weasel a $50M contract extension in April just to add nitroglycerine to this forest fire.
LATE ADD: No way Ryan Mathews gets hurt…
I was a fan of Ryan Mathews…before I realized he would be hurt every other week. I really likedSam Bradford, before injury ripped his career away. Now they are together…all under one roof.
You know, I love Colin Cowherd, but he has lost his mind—when McCoy was traded he went on all day about how RBs are meaningless, and that the move was so smart to free up cap space…and I absolutely agreed. Since then, Philly has added $26M in guaranteed dollars with RBs Murray and Mathews…plus another $3.5M guaranteed due to Darren Sproles…but he’s now talking about how brilliant these RB adds are? Colin, come on!
What I noticed with Mathews’ deal, and then went back and looked at Murray’s too—I see what is happening. The deals are being back-loaded. The bigger money is due later. Either Chip Kelly’smaster plan pays off in 2015 with a Super Bowl worth of future insolation from scrutiny…or if it fails, the payroll burden shifts to the future GM.
Conclusion:
The last laugh is on you, Philly fans.
If all this doesn’t work out, Chip Kelly leaves for any college program he wants in January 2016…for even more money than he makes now. To start 2016, Eagles fans could be left with no coach, a bunch of guaranteed contracts plus a super expensive RB (in an era where that is totally stupid) and a free agent QB (Bradford) with Mark Sanchez as the listed starter. Kelly will have the last laugh, and land on his feet and then some.
Howie Roseman has to be laughing his ass off right now. However, Kelly cannot hear him from the other building he was banished to.
OR
Everyone stays healthy. Bradford leads the Eagles to a 14+ win season and the Super Bowl, and I write a few thousand words about how I was wrong. That might happen, Chip Kelly is that good—I just think it’s a ticking time bomb now. We will look back at this period in 3-5 years and marvel at the wreckage that was the Phill 2015 offseason.
They will probably make a documentary about in 20 years or so on like a ‘30-for-30’.
Fantasy Football implications…
— This is a minor FF-hit (bad) for Nick Foles. Not because of the precious ‘system’, but because of the volume of plays/activity in Philly vs. St. Louis. There likely is a small tick down in FF-output—if not just for less rushing action/TDs from Foles, as he ran the ball decently in Chip’s ‘system’, for a lead-footed guy.
There is an upside hope: Foles lands in a great spot here—eight home/dome games. The hidden bonus to me: As Jeff Fisher landed in St. Louis, he started off as a run-centric team with a limited Sam Bradford at first…and then Fisher started cutting Bradford loose later. When the passing game ramped up, Bradford’s numbers started humming…and then he got hurt. It showed me Fisher is not just sold out to the running game (from his days in Tennessee). I thought Bradford was a sleeper every year…and was really having a nice 2013 when it got derailed by injury. Foles now steps into the same dynamic.
I like Foles for 2015+, because I think he could be great as it is, but I think additional 2015 FF-excitement with Foles hinges on what STL does at WR in the draft. This looks a whole lot better withAmari Cooper or Kevin White at pick #10…which means don’t get too excited for Stedman Bailey or Kenny Britt just yet.
I could ‘dig’ Cordarrelle Patterson being traded there as well.
— Sam Bradford is a really good QB. I don’t want that lost here—I just think you cannot bank on a multiple-ACL + major shoulder injury guy.
The same people who scoff at Ryan Mathews being a walking injury waiting to happen, are probably constructing stories on how Bradford has to be clean in order to be traded for, etc. Sam Bradfordbefore his injuries = terrific. Post-multiple injuries = skeptical and doubtful. Good to take a cheap Dynasty risk on (too late now), but not to bank on.
— Jordan Matthews is fine. He did even better with Mark Sanchez last year…he is coming into his own. He’s fine with Bradford or Sanchez…especially with Maclin gone. He could be a breakout NFL fantasy star this season.
— Zach Ertz, to me, was connected with Foles. I am not a fan in general, but even less so minus Foles.
— Jared Cook maybe is an ounce more interesting. Foles spreads it around, and Cook cannot catch well…so I’m not too hot.
— Tavon Austin gets a bump assuming Cooper or White joins the fray.
— You would have never believed LeSean McCoy having a total and utter collapse in 2014 after his 2013…so don’t be cocky on Demarco Murray + Chip Kelly = McCoy-2013…it may mean it equals McCoy-2014.
More on all this and other NFL player news when our Fantasy Football Draft Guide hits this summer!
**Fantasy Football Metrics and College Football Metrics IDP Dynasty (three-year) projections now exist on the Fantasy Football Management technology: “The Machine.” See “The Machine” here (link): The Machine via FFM
– R.C. Fischer is an NFL Draft analyst for College Football Metrics.com, and a football projections analyst and writer for Fantasy Football Metrics.com. He is also a lead writer for ‘Play The Draft.com’. His group also provides player projections for Advanced Sports Logic’s football software “The Machine.” See “The Machine” here: The Machine via FFM
TE Fantasy Football News
One of the most impactful trades of this offseason was fantasy TE beast Jimmy Graham being shipped from the New Orleans Saints to the Seattle Seahawks. The Saints exchanged Graham for center Max Unger and the Seahawks’ first-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.
It's not like the Seahawks needed much help to begin with, but having a huge red red zone target will make Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson even more dangerous. Wilson hasn’t had that elite pass-catching weapon during his tenure with the Seahawks. Adding Graham to an already potent offense makes the Seahawks a prime contender for another trip to the Super Bowl.
Now let’s slow down a bit and lower some expectations for Graham and the Seahawks. During his time with the pass-happy Saints offense Graham caught 386 passes for 4,752 yards and 51 touchdowns in his four seasons. Graham will add some much-needed help on the red-zone offense and stretch the field out wherever he’s placed, but he won’t produce those gaudy numbers like he did for the Saints.
The Saints obviously want to focus on other things except offense by making a move like this. New Orleans had one of the worst defenses in the NFL by numbers. Now that the Saints have acquired an additional first-round draft pick they can take two defensive players in the 2015 draft.
Saints fans shouldn’t panic too much even with this loss of Graham. The offense will still be above-average with Drew Brees at the helm and Sean Peyton calling the plays. Max Unger is a terrific offensive center and Saints fans should be happy to have him – we know Brees will be. With the Saints re-signing Mark Ingram and gaining a great offensive lineman, maybe we are seeing a shift in emphasis from passing to running.
Only time will tell how this trade pans out. As of now we give the edge to the Seahawks simply because this trade makes so much sense for them. They get an all-pro tight end for Wilson to throw to and some pressure taken off Marshawn Lynch and the run game. This will be an exciting team to watch next season.
For the most comprehensive fantasy football TE news, keep reading ASL!
- Greg Pokriki - Fantasy Focus
By now you have likely heard the unfortunate fantasy baseball news that Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman will miss the 2015 season with an ACL injury. Stroman injured his ACL during a Blue Jays fielding drill. The 23-year-old obviously has zero value for your 2015 fantasy baseball season, but in keeper or dynasty fantasy leagues, he’s one player you should really hold on to.
Stroman was poised for a huge year this season and was listed as on of the top sleeper picks. Some fantasy projection sites had him with the upside of becoming a top-20 starting pitcher. Stroman struck out 111 batters in 130.2 innings and held a 1.17 WHIP throughout 2014. So, it’s fair to assume that in 2016, Stroman could be in line for a huge season assuming he has a complete recovery.
If you can grab Stroman for maybe $1 or in the last round of your 2015 draft, fantasy owners could have an ace up their sleeves for 2016. Surely it is difficult to carve out a spot for an injured player for an entire season, but the upside is undeniable.
Drafting injured players is always a risk, and this is no different, but Stroman may very well be the future face of the MLB pitching landscape and this is a great opportunity to make him yours for years to come.
Stay tuned to ASL for the most updated info on NFL fantasy sleepers, fantasy football keepers, and MLB fantasy keepers and sleepers.
