Quarterly Report- First Quarter 

Four weeks are in the book, but now is the time to make those key moves to replace injured and underperforming players on your roster. Every quarter of the season, I will show each roster with the critical players' comments and availability in public ESPN leagues. It’s always a great idea to check your league to see if some heavier rostered players are available or get dropped during the bye weeks ahead. One of the best strategies is to pick up a guy who floated in waivers during his bye week, grabbing them in the secondary market before everyone else goes after him the following week. Good luck getting your rosters ready for the bye weeks in fake football. 

Arizona Cardinals- Fantasy Worthy Players (Showing ESPN Availability) 

QB: Joshuia Dobbs: Two solid games out of three this season shows promise for a guy nobody expected to start this season.  

RB: James Conner: Old reliable is never a sexy pick in drafts but consistently solid three solid games in four weeks. It's worthy of a non-first-round draft pick offer in dynasty formats. (4% Available) 

WR: Marquise Brown: Hollywood is developing an excellent rapport with Dobbs and has three solid games in four starts this season. (14% Available) 

WR: Mike Wilson: Promising rookie had his breakout game with his first career TDs and converted seven of seven targets into receptions. It's a good waiver wire target in deeper leagues. (98% Available)

WR: Rondale Moore: There is too much other talent around at WR to be consistent, but he is an excellent guy to roster very late in best ball formats only. 

TE: Zach Ertz: Another old reliable has two solid weeks out of four, which isn’t bad at the TE position. He is an excellent replacement TE on waivers in any format. (43% Available)

Deep Roster Players

RB: Emari Demarcado: If anything happens to Conner, this guy will likely get a shot ahead of the other RBs on the roster. 

TE: Trey McBride: Excellent TE to trade for in dynasty formats because he will take over if/when they move on from Ertz.

Atlanta Falcons

QB Desmond Ridder QB: It can’t be long before the Falcons switch to Taylor Heinecke, who can’t be worse for Fantasy Football than Ridder. 

RB: Bijan Robinson RB: Starting to see most of the snaps, but teams can just stuff the box to attempt to slow Bijan down. 

RB: Tyler Allgeier: Went from a solid “Play Em’ Both” option in week one to only an emergency backup or handcuff to the rookie by week four. 

WR: Drake London: Sensational player stuck in a run-first offense with a below-average QB, which dooms him to Fantasy Football mediocrity this year. It is worth a Dynasty investment for the future.  

WR: Mack Hollins: Getting the WR2 level of snaps on the Falcons but has no fantasy football value in any format going forward. 

TE: Kyle Pitts: This incredible athlete is showing up missing on milk bottles all over the ATL and in the fridge of every Fantasy Football player who drafted him expecting the breakout that hasn’t come yet. 

Deep Roster Players

TE: Johnu Smith: This is only a viable player in a deep roster dynasty that starts 2 TE. 

Baltimore Ravens

QB: Lamar Jackson: Nobody can take over a game like the former MVP, who, along with his star TE, are the only guys keeping this Ravens offense going right now.  

RB: Gus Edwards: The Bus has his moments of looking like the player that stunned the Fantasy Football world a few years ago and keeps getting fed the ball but is a 6-12 point range guy. (54% Available) 

RB: Melvin Gordon: If anything were to happen to Gus, then the Ravens might have to lean on the old guy a bit more, but not worthy of a start right now in even the deepest formats. 

RB: Justice Hill: Those who chase points instead of what matters spent too much on this guy. 

WR: Zay Flowers: The rookie is starting to be Lamar’s second favorite target, and that target share could continue to build, making him an excellent start in deeper formats. (12% Available) 

WR: Rashod Bateman: Injuries combined with a lack of consistent playing time have doomed this excellent athlete to barely being worthy of a roster spot in deeper leagues. (92% Available)

WR: Odell Beckham Jr.: He looked like a shadow of his former self and is now fighting injury issues, making him challenging to roster in all but the deepest leagues. 

TE: Mark Andrews: One of the two elite TEs in the fake football game, always Lamar’s favorite target in the red zone every game. 

TE: Isaiah Likely: I expected we might see more of Likely in two te sets with Andrews, but he hasn’t seen over 20 snaps in the last two games. 

Deep Roster Players

RB: Owen Wright: Went to high school in Bethesda, Maryland, and is an undrafted rookie out of Monmouth College. Does anyone on the active roster impress you? 

Buffalo Bills

QB: Josh Allen: Put up some gaudy statistics with the TD passes and spread the ball out to Stephon Diggs and Gabe Smith while adding his usual rushing points. 

RB: James Cook Now has three games in a row with over 100 total yards or a TD scored. While he is the undisputed leader of this backfield, his volume is capped in the low to mid-teens most games. 

RB: Damien Harris Would be more likely to step in as the 3-down back if anything happened to Cook but has lost out on TD vulture duties, making him only a handcuff play. (87% Available) 

RB: Latavious Murray Will continue to get some goal-line work, making him an OK replacement if you are thin at RB in any format. (96% Available) 

WR: Stephon Diggs: He is one of the more consistent WRs at hitting a 10-point PPR floor (89%) and one of the big play guys that can win your matchup often. (42% over 20+ Points over the last 38 games)

WR: Gabe Davis: A crazy thing happened this year during draft season; Gabe Davis dropped to WR43, where he became quite a bargain with upside in more than just the best ball formats. (21% Available)

TE: Dawson Knox: If you are desperate at the TE position, you could do worse than Knox right now, who at least gives you an occasional red zone target. (87% Available)

TE: Dalton Kincaid: Death, taxes, and tight ends starting their career slowly as a rookie are three things you can count on in life. Don’t give up on Kincaid; he will grow in this lineup. (47% Available)

Carolina Panthers

QB: Bryce Young: It can be a long way to the top if you want to Q and B in the NFL. (My apologies to AC/DC Fans) He's well behind the other two rookie starters right now. 

RB: Miles Sanders: Being the underperforming part of a split backfield situation is never great for one’s job security going forward. 

RB: Chuba Hubbard: The window on adding Hubbard will close soon if he continues to do a better job with his chances than Sanders, but the upside of this rushing offense might be low. (82% Available)

WR: Adam Thielen: The big question at the beginning of the season was whether the cagey veteran or the athletic rookie would take over the lead of this WR Room; it’s the veteran. (19% Available)

WR: Jonathon Mingo: He could emerge later in the season, but right now, he needs to catch up with the other WRs not named Thielen. It's worth an add anywhere he is available for later. (90% Available)  

WR: DJ Chark: This was one free-agent move I didn’t understand in the offseason because I wasn’t sure Chark was a consistently better player than Terrace Marshall. It's not worth adding. 

TE: Hayden Hurst Started the season like gangbusters, and I thought one of my late-round Best Ball TE targets would be a hit. Stuck at under 60% snap count right now. (86% Available) 

Chicago Bears

QB: Justin Fields: First, the good news is that Fields looked much better last week. The bad news is that everyone will look like a superstar against the Broncos. (9% Available) 

RB: Khalil Herbert: Every week, it seems like Herbert and Roschon Johnson are fighting for playing time, and each week, the other guy looks better; Herbert looked great last week. (23% Available)

RB: Roschon Johnson: During the preseason, I expected Roschon to be a better all-around football player than Herbert and win about 70% of the touches, but I still need to do so. (54% Available)  

WR: DJ Moore: DJM was one of those “Love Em’ or Hate Em’” guys leading up to the fake football drafts. I was a conditional “Love Em’” guy, understanding bad games are part of it. (8% Available) 

WR: Darnell Mooney: There are moments when you think Mooney might be worthy of that last WR spot on your roster, but his upside is even more limited with DJM around. Not worthy of rostering. 

WR: Chase Claypool: This will go down in history as Ryan Pole’s worst moves while leading the front office for the Chicago Bears. Expect him to be cut before their bye week. 

TE: Cole Kmet: An incredible natural NFL tight end, he can sometimes have those mind-boggling multiple TD games like he had last week and then give you 3-7 points the next ten weeks. (31% Available) 

Deep Roster Players

WR: Tyler Scott: This rookie 4th-round pick out of Cincinnati has lots of raw talent and could be a solid WR in the NFL. He is worthy of a deep roster to add and hold. 

Cincinnati Bengals 

QB: Joe Burrow: What has happened to Joe Cool? This man returned from a severe knee injury in less than a year, so he should be able to play through this injury.

RB: Joe Mixon: You are not likely to get a massive game from Mixon very often, but he is as steady as they come because he is the only RB getting volume in this offense. 

WR: Ja’Marr Chase: It’s his QB’s fault that fantasy managers are not getting their usual high level of production from one of the most dynamic playmakers in the league. 

WR: Tee Higgins: Higgins is the clear second choice in this offense, and it usually has enough passing volume to make that worthwhile in fake football formats. A rib injury will slow him down more. 

WR: Tyler Boyd: The injury to Higgins will open up a chance for him to be more than an emergency flex or best ball option for the next few weeks. It's a great pickup, assuming Burrow improves. (56% Available)

TE: Irv Smith: Not even in the deepest of two TE premium leagues should he be rostered. 

Deep Roster Players

WR: Andrei Iosivas Was one of the guys who gained some steam among fantasy analysts heading into the draft, but the Bengals had too much talent ahead of him on the roster until injuries. (99% Available)

Cleveland Browns

QB: Deshaun Watson Missed last week due to injury and has been better in real football terms than fake football so far, but all the other parts and pieces missed him last week. 

RB: Jerome Ford Has filled the shoes of the injured Nick Chubb and anyone who could take the place of the Browns’ stud RB. The team was concerned enough to bring back Hunt. (15% Available)

RB: Kareem Hunt: He had lost a step last year, so they didn’t sign him to a multiyear deal before the draft. Only added him because he knew the system. I wouldn’t roster him. (49% Available)  

WR: Amari Cooper: He was a little too expensive to have the WR18 be in such a run-heavy offense. The issue is the lack of consistency in an offense that doesn’t pass a higher percentage of the time. 

WR: Elijah Moore: I didn’t understand the infatuation with Moore in one-year games because his best case was to be the 2nd best WR on a run-first team. Not worth rostering. 

WR: Cedric Tilman: He could develop into the best WR on the roster over time, but the problem is that the timeframe is in years rather than weeks. 

TE: David Njoku: If you miss the better TEs, you are faced with some exciting decisions later in the draft. Around the TE9 point of the draft, you could do much worse with Njoku. (27% Available)

Deep Roster Players

RB: Pierre Strong: While some people are big fans of the next man up, I am a fan of the next man up to the next man up, which would be Strong. (98% Available) 

Dallas Cowboys

QB: Dak Prescott: Dak got blamed for the Cowboy's woes last year and for many more fake football teams. It's still a solid Superflex play, but I wouldn’t trust in 1QB. (19% Available) 

RB: Tony Pollard: Last year, he made the third-best RB in the history of the franchise expendable. He has been a solid addition in any fantasy football format this season. 

RB: Rico Dowdle: Nobody will be challenging Pollard this season, but if there is an injury, the next man up is Dowdle, who has a solid skill set that will be able to take up the slack. (94% Available) 

WR: Cee Dee Lamb: While you won’t see those super gaudy Tyreek-like games from Lamb, you will see solid games that will help your team 75-80% of the time. 

WR: Brandin Cooks: Unless there are injuries, I don’t see much upside weekly with Cook. Even if something happened to Lamb, I think one of the others would step up. Not worth rostering. 

TE: Jake Ferguson: This offense likes to utilize the TE position, and the rookie Luke Schoonmaker doesn’t appear ready yet. Ferguson has scored OK in 3 of 4 starts this season. (75% Available) 

Deep Roster Players

WR: Michael Gallup: Do you remember that Gallup has a 1000-yard-plus season in his career? Has the dynamic skills to take over but is just a grab-and-hold type player. (58% Available)

Denver Broncos           

QB: Russ Wilson: The good news for Broncos fans is that Coach has fixed Chef Russ. The bad news is that he has broken the defense, but that’s excellent news to Russ’ fake football managers. 

RB: Javonte Williams: His hip injury was concerning towards the end of the game against the Bears, and he hasn’t been the player we remembered before his injury yet. 

RB: Samaje Perine: They got him in the offseason, but he has yet to see more than eight touches since the season's first week. Didn’t get much more work when Williams departed. He is not worthy of the roster now.  

RB: Jaleel McLaughlin: This undrafted rookie came through well down the stretch last week when Williams left with an injury. The bad news is that it was only against the Bears. It's still worth adding to your roster this week. (99% Available) 

WR: Jerry Jeudy: He is still coming back from injury but should be back to his former production level shortly. Sit him on the bench because he is worth the wait. 

WR: Courtland Sutton Has been the featured WR, with Jeudy slow to come back, Tim Patrick on IR, and the rookie up to speed. It could be a more even split of important touches soon. 

WR: Marvin Mims: The late second-round rookie pick has made some sensational ESPN Sports Center-worthy highlights this season, but his volume is low. Speculative addition only. (82% Available)

TE: Adam Trautman: Solid player for real football who offers very little, if any, upside in fake football. He is not worth rostering in any format. 

Detroit Lions

QB: Jared Goff Had some wicked home/away splits last year, but upon further review, his worst games were road games in windier conditions. Outstanding QB on the roster. (42% Available)   

RB: Jahmyr Gibbs: If anyone is dumb enough in your league to drop this guy when they need to make bye-week additions, you better scoop him up fast because the best is yet to come. 

RB: David Montgomery: Welcome to the new NFL, where both RBs will get lots of work. I hope you were smart enough to draft or pick him up when he got dinged up. (10% Available) 

WR: Amon-Ra St. Brown Has quickly become one of the most consistent PPR WRs in the fake football game because the volume is King, and the Sun God is the Target King. 

WR: Jameson Williams: He was released from his suspension early, making him the FAAB King for this week. Will he be rusty coming back from his break? Proceed with caution this week. (83% Available)

TE: Sam LaPorta: Forget everything you thought you knew about rookie TEs in fake football. Yes, there will be some lean weeks because there are many mouths to feed, but more good weeks. (17% Available)

Deep Roster Players

RB: Zonovan Knight: If something were to happen to the top two RBs in their rotation, it could be Bam Time going forward, albeit in a smaller volume. (99% Available) 

Green Bay Packers

QB: Jordan Love: How good will Love be in the real NFL going forward? We shouldn’t care, except in dynasty leagues. He has the job and is producing solid fake football numbers. (38% Available)

RB: Aaron Jones: Heading into this season, I had less exposure to Jones in one-year leagues because I was concerned that he had worn down. That fear could be coming true. 

RB: AJ Dillon: Since I am a Cubs fan, I am used to the never-ending chorus of, “Wait until next year.” The AJ takes over the backfield season and might never get here. (25% Available) 

WR: Christian Watson: The rookie season for Watson finished strong, but his sophomore campaign started late due to injuries. Looked solid last week, but more mouths to feed this year. 

WR: Romeo Doubs: He has scored as many TDs in the first four weeks as he did all last season with Watson out. He is criminally under-rostered right now in short-bench leagues. (66% Available) 

WR: Jayden Reed: A second-round rookie pick with a high NFL IQ. Reed has taken to the pro game fast but could lose snaps to the top two WRs going forward. (77% Available) 

TE: Luke Musgrave: Another exciting rookie that gives Love an easy target, especially in the red zone. Could develop into a solid player in both natural and fake football. (65% Available)

Deep Roster Players

RB: Emmanuel Wilson: Undrafted rookie free agents from Fort Valley State are true longshots, but if anything happens to Jones or Dillon, he is the next man up who hasn’t stumbled yet. (99% Available)

WR: Dontayvion Wicks: A fifth-round rookie pick from Virginia is earning snaps early in the season and has shown he has good hands, too. (99% Available)  

Houston Texans

QB: CJ Stroud: It is no surprise that Stroud has done this well as a rookie because he was the most NFL-ready QB in the draft, but he has been a pleasant surprise for fake football. (68% Available)

RB: Dameon Pierce: Will he get better as the season progresses and teams realize they can’t let Stroud beat them? Last week was an indicator that he might be getting that chance. (6% Available)

RB: Devin Singletary Might be the perfect compliment at RB in real football for the Texans and is a must-have handcuff if you roster Pierce. (67% Available) 

WR: Nico Collins: He has put up some Madden-like numbers in two of four games this season. Has matched his two-season career total in just four games! (21% Available) 

WR: Tank Dell: Forget the “He is too small to be effective in the NFL” talk. This speedster can tear the top off a defense and has that significant playability you want in your flex position in multi-flex leagues. (27% Available)

WR: Robert Woods: The cagey veteran is helping teach these youngsters how to play in the NFL, but he shouldn’t be on your fake football roster going forward. 

TE: Dalton Schultz: One of the questions in the offseason was if their new TE could lead their team in targets this season. The answer is an emphatic NO, but he still has value in fake football. (45% Available)

Deep Roster Players

RB: Gerrid Doaks: If anything were to happen to the starting duo of Texans’ RBs, this would be the next man up, which is why he is worthy of a stash if you have an empty roster spot. 

WR: John Metchie: Just getting back to the NFL after a severe illness last year has been a massive milestone for Metchie, but now the WR Room has gotten crowded with talent ahead of him.  

Indianapolis Colts

QB: Anthony Richardson: We all knew it would be an exciting ride with AR, one of the more dynamic QBs to enter the league since Lamar Jackson. The completion percentage dropped last week but still accounted for 3 TDs. (15% Available) 

RB: Jonathon Taylor Could return to action sooner than later, but whether it will be with Indy or some other team is still in doubt. (4% Available) 

RB: Zach Moss Has done a solid job and has been getting most of the volume in JT’s absence. What the mix will be IF JT stays with the Colts is a big mystery. (13% Available) 

WR: Michael Pittman: Expect a few lean weeks playing with a rookie QB, but when AR is on his game, you can expect Pittman to be the alpha target at WR. (6% Available) 

WR: Josh Downs: This rookie speedster has already established a significant role in this offense, and this offense will continue to get better the rest of the year. (87% Available)

WR: Alec Pierce: Every team needs these role-playing WR types to have a great offense, but players like Pierce differ from those you want on your fake football roster. 

TE: Kylen Granson: A solid split in snaps among the many TEs with the Colts is probably not the recipe for consistent success in fake football, but Granson did find the endzone once in four games. 

Jacksonville Jaguars

QB: Trevor Lawrence: Can anyone determine why this Jaguars offense is in such a funk? T-Law took a step backward in his development but should turn it around. (9% Available)

RB: Travis Ettienne: I feared an RB split in volume with the rookie this season, but right now, ETN is getting a massive majority of the touches, which should turn into great fake football production. 

RB: Tank Bigsby: This talented third-round rookie from Auburn looked like he could get more volume, but after week one, it’s been all ETN all DAY. It should be rostered more. (85% Available) 

WR: Calvin Ridley: When Lawrence plays well, Ridley is a guy you want in your starting lineup every week. When Lawrence struggles, he will work, but that should be less often. 

WR: Christian Kirk: When all three of the Jaguars starting WRs were healthy in week one, Kirk got lost. With Jones out, Kirk has been the Captain again. (13% Available)

WR: Zay Jones: We haven’t seen Jones active after an intense week one. When he comes back, and this offense is clicking, this guy deserves a roster spot. (61% Available) 

TE: Evan Engram: Having a TE with five or more targets is rare, and that’s why he is once again looking like the best of the discount TEs from this season’s draft. (6% Available) 

Kansas City Chiefs

QB: Patrick Mahomes: OMG, for the first time in his career, Mahomes got beat out by another QB in a game in all the statistics that count. Things will come back to normal this week. 

RB: Isiah Pacheco: They are starting to feed the angriest runner on their roster, and there isn’t a weakness in this second-year player’s game right now. (7% Available)  

RB: Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Injuries have taken a step away from this once-promising runner that a majority of the fake football world likes to hate. 

RB: Jerrick McKinnon: You would think being the obvious passing down guy in such an explosive offense would have more upside, but one of his best talents is blocking. 

WR: Skyy Moore: Will any of the WRs in this room become the everyday guy you can depend on in fake football? If so, Moore is the guy I have more confidence in being that guy. (40% Available)

WR: Rashee Rice: The rookie is getting as many snaps as anyone else in the WR Room right now, and he could develop into a much better player. It should be rostered in all formats! (89% Available)

WR: Kadarious Toney: I’m reminded of a line from the movie “Moneyball” when it comes to Toney. Let me change it around a little. “If he’s such a great player, why doesn’t he play great more often?” 

TE: Travis Kelce: Don’t worry, folks, when it comes to his minor injury, he will shake it off in no time flat and return to his usual Fantasy Football God status soon. 

Las Vegas Raiders

QB: Jimmy Garoppolo: This could be a long season for the Raiders. Jimmy G is just holding the spot until they can draft their next chance at Franchise QB. 

RB: Josh Jacobs: It took a while for the big guy to get in the groove despite being the apparent guy for every team to stop. Over the last 36 games, he has had nine games over 20 PPR pts and ZERO under 5 points. 

WR: Davante Adams: It’s been a while ride for Adams, going from a future Hall of Famer at QB to his old college buddy to a solid but unspectacular guy to a raw rookie. He is indeed QB-proof! 

WR: Jakobi Meyers: This was a great landing spot for Meyers for fake football results. Yes, he is behind a natural alpha WR, but the Raiders will be throwing a lot out of necessity. (13% Available)  

Deep Roster Players

RB: Zamir White: If anything did happen to Jacobs, this would be the next guy up, albeit about a 30-40% decline in fantasy football weekly value. (98% Available)

TE: Michael Mayer Will eventually become a solid player, but that might not be until later this season or next year. 

Los Angeles Chargers

QB: Justin Herbert: Yes, it was terrible play calling that had Herbert not looking great last season. The Chargers offense could be in lots of shootouts, too. 

RB: Austin Ekeler Should be healthy after the Bye week for all of us who spent that high first-round pick on one of the two best dual-threat RBs in the league. 

RB: Joshua Kelley Has been an inferior imitation of Ekeler in this offense. If you can’t produce solid fake football stats in this offense, you don’t deserve to stay on a roster. 

WR: Keenan Allen: Death, taxes, and Allen scoring ten or more PPR points are the three things you can count on in this life, and why he was going way too late in drafts this year. 

WR: Quentin Johnson: The rookie has much to learn in the NFL, but the injury to Mike Williams and a conveniently placed bye week break will allow him to be ready in week six. (47% Available) 

WR: Joshua Palmer: This third-year pro has always been a solid compliment as the 3rd WR but, once again, will be thrust into a more important role due to injury. Has the skill to be reliable. (53% Available)

TE: Gerald Everett: Too much of a split of snaps at the position to make any one player worthy of playing weekly in fake football games. Rostering him will yield too many sub-5-point weeks.   

Los Angeles Rams

QB: Matthew Stafford: Wasn’t this guy’s arm supposed to be shot? Stafford is proving that his Super Bowl year wasn’t a fluke. Criminally under-rostered in 1QB formats heading into Bye weeks. (66% Available)

RB: Kyren Williams: Made Cam Akers expendable and has shown that management knew what they were doing. Three out of four games have over 15 PPR points already. (3% Available) 

RB: Ronnie Rivers: Rivers will have zero value to your fake football team unless anything happens to Williams. But the next man up certainly has value, so it makes a great handcuff. (99% Available) 

WR: Cooper Kupp Will return from injury soon, but not this week. The big question is how healthy he will be, and he will no longer have to be the only guy worth throwing the ball to. 

WR: Puka Nacua: The rookie surprise of the season to many, although I’m proud to say he was on many of my new dynasty and best ball teams taken in the 19th round. No worries, even with Kupp back soon. 

WR: Tutu Atwell: This speed ball has already earned five or more targets in 3 of 4 games. Has become a dynamic playmaker and makes a nice flex spot even when Kupp returns. (27% Available) 

TE: Tyler Higbee: He hasn’t found the endzone yet but is getting consistently targeted in this offense. On pace to earn 85 or more targets for the fourth year out of the last five. (26% Available)   

Deeper Roster Players

RB: Zach Evans: This 6th-round rookie is worth a stash only if you have an empty roster slot.                 

Miami Dolphins

QB: Tua Tagliavoa: The leader of this high-powered offense has done a better job of avoiding big hits. His consistency might suffer a bit in some games when they concentrate on the running attack more. 

RB: De’Von Achane: Nobody seemed to know the proper pronunciation of his name, defenses haven’t figured out a way to slow him down yet, and he plays bigger than his size. (17% Available) 

RB: Rhaheem Mostert: Lost volume to Achane last week, but just how this backfield volume gets divided in the future is a vast mystery, and Wilson does return soon. (5% Available)

RB: Jeff Wilson: The only larger RB on this roster, he will return from injury soon. While a 3-way split of the volume would leave out some weeks, he might get game-scripted volume. (69% Available)

WR: Tyreek Hill is still the fastest man on a team of speedsters. His bad weeks will still be fine for your fake football team, and his great ones will be Madden-like. 

WR: Jaylen Waddle: The Dolphins would beat anyone in the league in the four-by-one-hundred relay race, and Waddle is a big reason why they would win, but does his fantasy stats get lost occasionally? 

TE: Durham Smythe: An excellent real football TE but way down the food chain for fake football purposes. Not worthy of a roster spot on your team.  

Minnesota Vikings

QB: Kirk Cousins: Cousins was one of my favorite later QB options this year and was a steal at QB14. The defense is so bad he will be throwing early and often all season. (6% Available) 

RB: Alexander Mattison: Last year, Dalvin Cook’s weekly value dropped significantly in this offense. Mattison was a significant drop off from Cook and now shares the duties. 

RB: Cam Akers: While he could eventually take over a substantial amount of the volume from Mattison, this is different from the guy I want on my fantasy football rosters, too. (28% Available) 

WR: Justin Jefferson: Picking JJ as the top WR in fantasy football was by far the most accessible forecast in this industry. Has exceeded 24 PPR points in each of four games. 

WR: Jordan Addison: The rookie was brought in to replace Adam Thielen and did great his first three games until disappearing last week. (14% Available) 

WR: KJ Osborn: It might be tough getting consistent volume behind the best WR in the NFL and a promising rookie, but Osborn is worthy of the occasional flex play. (75% Available)   

TE: TJ Hockenson: Last week was the first bad week of the season for Hock in your fake football lineups. Over the past 32 games, he has failed to hit 10 PPR points 38% of the time.  

Deeper Roster Plays

RB: Ty Chandler: There is a universe where the Vikings are no longer satisfied with their duo at RB and give the second-year player a chance next, which is why he is worthy of a spot in super deep leagues. 

New England Patriots

QB: Mac Jones: Just when you thought it was safe to trust Mac Jones, he reverts to last year’s form, which could be conveniently blamed on no offensive coordinator. Beware! (90% Available)

RB: Rhamondre Stevenson: Trusting Coach B is never fun for fake football managers because the future Hall of Fame coach loves to taunt us with his weekly volume decisions. 

RB: Ezekiel Elliott: Last week was supposed to be the revival game for Zeke, but he got his second-lowest volume for the year. Never trust those experts, and don’t trust Zeke on your roster. 

WR: Devante Parker: Calling the Patriots WR room a “Hot Mess” would be an incredible insult…to hot messes everywhere. Parker might be the most consistent but is not worthy of a roster spot. 

WR: Kendrick Bourne: The most talented of this bunch in real football but is now stuck just over 50% of snap share, which could be better for his fake football success. 

WR: JuJu Smith-Schuster Seems to already be in the Coach’s doghouse. Beware! 

TE: Hunter Henry: The passing game will likely continue to go through the TE position, and the Patriots have two solid players. Henry should be rostered more. (44% Available) 

TE: Mike Gesecki: It was neck and neck who would emerge as the better fake football TE on this roster, and Gesecki finished second in that race to Hunter Henry. 

New Orleans Saints

QB: Derek Carr: It’s been a rough start for the cagey veteran, and it seems to make more sense every week why the Raiders gave up on him. Three out of four games were at the danger zone level. 

RB: Alvin Kamara: How did you celebrate the National Holiday known as “Alvin Kamara Day” last Sunday? A lousy defensive matchup couldn’t contain Kamara in PPR scoring.  

RB: Jamaal Williams Will be eligible to come off of IR in the not-too-distant future and is worth a stash if someone in your league discarded him. (50% Available) 

RB: Kendre Miller: He was disappointed when he got his shot to lead this offense. He is still worth a stash in deeper leagues, but in short bench leagues, he is expendable. 

WR: Chris Olave: This dynamic playmaker has been able to post 3 of 4 games over 14 PPR points despite once again having a less-than-great QB at the helm of the offense. 

WR: Michael Thomas Answered the question quickly on whether he had lost a step and could be a practical WR in the league and not get lost in the offense with another great WR on the roster. (17% Available) 

WR: Rashid Shaheed: Shaheed is a big play guy who will also make the highlight reels as a kick returner, and in some deeper leagues where they score return yards, he is an excellent bye-week play. (82% Available) 

TE: Juwan Johnson: Consistency will not be his thing, but if you need to stream a TE during the bye week, you could do much worse than Johnson when he is healthy. (82% Available) 

Deeper Roster Plays

QB: Jameis Winston: It might be worth stashing Winston because if Carr continues to struggle, they will have to do something to spice up this attack, and he did throw for 30 TDs in a season. (Of course, that same year, he also threw 30 INTs.)  

New York Giants

QB: Daniel Jones: It’s tough to figure out how much of Danny Dimes’ poor play is because of a poor offensive line and terrible decision-making from Jones. He's not a guy I want on my roster. 

RB: Saquon Barkley: This question is for the Saquon owners in Dynasty formats. Do you ever wonder how great he might be on a better team? 

RB: Matt Breida Has done an OK job filling in for Barkley this season but is only worth rostering in deep leagues. 

WR: Parris Campbell: This might be one of the tougher WR Rooms to figure out in fantasy football, but when Campbell is the most appealing guy, that shows how much to avoid this group. 

WR: Wan’Dale Robinson: When he is healthy, he adds a specific pop to this offense that nobody else in this WR room can add. It's worth an add only in the deepest leagues. (95% Available) 

WR: Isiah Hodgins: He was a fun story last season, but his snap count data shows he is no longer worth having on your roster in any format. 

TE: Darren Waller: Maybe Waller has lost a step? Jones may not be the right QB to bring out the best in him. Maybe the defenses know this is the only guy on the roster other than Barkley that can beat them? This season has been disappointing for a guy who should be in the TE5 discussion. 

Deeper Roster Plays

RB: Eric Gray: The rookie got demoted from punt return duties because of a fumble but is supposed to get a chance again starting this week. It's worth a stash in the Deep Dynasty. 

WR: Jalin Hyatt: This rookie has not found a consistent role in this offense and is searching for someone to step up at WR. The offensive situation makes him a deep league stash only right now.  

New York Jets

QB: Zach Wilson: He looked OK against a tough Chiefs defense last week and got a super easy matchup this week, making him an attractive bye-week streamer. (90% Available)

RB: Breece Hall: They have been bringing him back really slow from injury, and I wonder if Breece Lightning is the kind of RB that needs more volume to get in the flow of the game. (7% Available)

RB: Dalvin Cook: He just doesn’t seem to have that quickness that he once had, and now it’s more apparent why the Vikings thought he was expendable. Not for my rosters. 

WR: Garret Wilson: The best playmaker on this team, and that’s saying a lot when your team also has Breece Hall! Do not sit him this season despite questions at QB because the volume is king in fake football. 

WR: Allen Lazard Might not be the worst bye-week streamer at WR, especially in week five when they get a favorable defensive matchup.  (72% Available) 

TE: Tyler Conklin Has earned 40 or more snaps in every game and should be an okay choice to stream if you are desperate for the TE position. (85% Available) 

Philadelphia Eagles

QB: Jalen Hurts: Showing why he is in that top 3 discussion at QB in real or fake football this season. You can build a dynasty-format team around this QB for many years. 

RB: D’Andre Swift Might be one of the best bargains at the RB position for the 2023 fake football season. After a mysterious week one, he has three excellent weeks. 

RB: Kenneth Gainwell: Still a good change of pace from Swift, and if anything happens to Swift, they know after week one that they can count on Gainwell. Nice add for bye weeks. (60% Available)  

WR: AJ Brown: The Eagles should add a particular coaching position to get AJ Brown to argue with his QB regularly on the sidelines because he is all world since the cameras caught that confrontation. 

WR: Devonta Smith: This formidable one-two punch in real football also yields excellent results in the fake football game. Three out of four solid games to start the season. 

TE: Dallas Goedert: It’s been a slow start to the season for the usually reliable TE in fake football, but as teams try to find a way to slow other parts of this offense down, Goedert should benefit. (8% Available) 

Deeper Roster Plays

WR: Quez Watkins has been slowed down by a hamstring injury this season. The third WR on this potent offense would usually be an excellent player to target, but Watkins is only a thing in deeper leagues. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

QB Kenny Pickett: The sophomore season has been challenging for Pickett. Dealing with injuries and a leaky offensive line has made it challenging to play Pickett, even in deeper Superflex leagues. 

RB: Najee Harris: In the past, he was a guy worth playing due to high volume, even in an offense that wouldn’t wow you, but now he splits the book, making him challenging to start. 

RB: Jaylen Warren Has looked to be the most effective RB on this team so far this season, and that has translated to 2 games over 10+ points while splitting the volume. It's worth snagging in case they give him more of the volume. (35% Available) 

WR: Diontae Johnson: They could be targeting a week seven or eight return for Johnson, who would quickly be the best WR option on this team. (26% Available)

WR: George Pickens: This is the classic case of a good player stuck on an ineffective offense in fake football. You can get him on the cheap in dynasty formats. 

TE: Pat Friermuth Can make some big plays even in this offense but is having a tough time staying healthy this season. A week-seven return for him, too. (31% Available)  

San Francisco 49ers

QB: Brock Purdy: He has gone from “Mister Irrelevant” to the following long-term solution at QB for the 49ers. He is super solid; in fake football, he is super consistent. (26% Available)

RB: Christian McCaffrey: The only justification for not making him the consensus number-one pick in 1QB redraft leagues this year was a concern of injury. They are posting Madden-like numbers so far this season. 

RB: Elijah Mitchell has been struggling with a minor knee injury, but it is a long season, and you know the 49ers will not want to give CMC the same high volume. (67% Available)  

WR: Deebo Samuel: Getting Deebo at WR17 in this year’s drafts was a steal. Don’t worry about last week when he posted a donut hole; he was limited due to a minor injury. 

WR: Brandon Aiyuk: All 17 of his receptions this year have gone for first downs or touchdowns! How did this guy slip to WR28 in drafts this season? 

TE: George Kittle Can have those big weeks at times, but with so much firepower on this offense, he is too inconsistent to still qualify as an elite TE in the fake football game. 

Deeper Roster Players

RB: Tyrion Davis Price: If something were to happen to the top two RBs on their roster, then TDP might get a chance and is worth a stash in deep leagues. 

WR: Ronnie Bell: This year’s seventh-round steal could get a chance if Deebo or Aiyuk were to miss time. 

Seattle Seahawks

QB: Geno Smith: One of the feel-good stories from last season, Geno is the only guy I like to roster in fake football as my third QB in a Superflex league. (35% Available)  

RB: Kenneth Walker III: KW3 was a super bargain in fake football drafts this year because everyone seemed to fear the shiny new rookie. It's a great start to the season, but watch out for the volume to drop. 

WR: Zach Charbonnet: A dynamic playmaker, but rookie RBs have to earn trust in real football, which can sometimes limit their start in fake football. Should be on more rosters and will have a significant impact in the second half of the season. (62% Available) 

WR: DK Metcalf: He might not post the gaudy games in this offense most weeks, but he is as consistent as they come and a huge red zone threat. 

WR: Tyler Lockett: Still a threat to go deep, but this offense looks pretty conservative lately, cutting into his fake football value. 

WR: Jaxon Smith-Njigba: This guy has tons of talent but is stuck on a roster with two excellent receiving options. Look for a considerable increase in volume as the season goes along. (37% Available)

TE: Noah Fant: The three-person split at the TE position that works excellently in real football sure can hamper the upside value of Fant in the fake football game. It's still a good streaming option. (97% Available)

Tampa Bay Bucs

QB: Baker Mayfield: Baker is having an outstanding season in real football, leading his team to a 3-1 start. Not a bad 2nd or 3rd QB in a Superflex league, but that’s about it in the fake football game. 

RB: Rachaad White: This has not been or will be an explosive rushing attack, but right now, White is getting the volume, making him a marginal flex play every week. 

RB: Sean Tucker: This undrafted rookie free agent is the only real option to step in if White has an injury, but he has been very ordinary in limited work. (99% Available) 

WR: Mike Evans: An injury is the only thing that could throw some cold water on a hot start to the season for this cagey veteran who was a massive bargain during draft season going WR32. 

WR: Chris Godwin: Both talented Buccaneer WRs were huge bargains in fake football drafts this year, and Godwin is also off to a great start. 

TE: Cade Otton: You won’t get a consistent week-in and week-out result from Otton, but he is starting to be more of a factor on this offense and, therefore, a good streaming option in fake football. (98% Available) 

Deeper Roster Players

WR: Trey Palmer Had a nice increase in snap counts when Evans went out with an injury in week four and might be worth a grab in case injuries drop either of their top WRs.  

Tennessee Titans

QB: Ryan Tannehill Has some solid weapons, but this run-first offense and Tannehill’s current skill set are not a combo that I could recommend in any format of fake football. 

RB: Derrick Henry: The King still has something left in the tank. His consistency might suffer a bit going forward, but he is still a lock-and-load guy until further notice. 

RB: Tyjae Spears: Getting enough work to be worthy of a flex play, especially as we go through the bye weeks. His usage in the passing game gives a floor. (76% Available) 

WR: Deandre Hopkins: I wasn’t crazy about the landing position on this offense, and the first four weeks have shown that I was right to be worried. 

WR: Treylon Burks: Stuck behind a veteran with some excellent skills and with a QB that doesn’t seem to get him the ball consistently so he can make plays. 

TE: Chigoziem Okonkwo: Had an excellent finish to the season last year, even in a low-volume situation. He hasn’t been used much this year, so that I will pass on him for now.  

 Washington Commanders

QB: Sam Howell: His running ability should give him more of a floor than we sometimes see in the fake football game for Howell. Will he retain the starting role all season? I will pass on him in artificial football. 

RB: Brian Robinson: Consistently getting a high volume percentage and has been able to cash that in for solid production in three of four weeks. It's a huge bargain this season!

RB: Antonio Gibson: You would think a former WR in college would be used more in the passing game at the pro level, but Gibson needs to be more balanced in all formats of fake football.   

WR: Terry McLaurin: Because I was unsure about the QB situation and how this offense would look this season, I was in avoidance mode for the Commanders WRs. McLaurin has been solid but could have been more spectacular. 

WR: Curtis Samuel: Has considerable playability and is an excellent streaming option during the bye weeks. He could be a cheap option if he continues to get a higher volume than Dotson. (85% Available)

WR: Johan Dotson: On another team, Dotson might be an intriguing player in fake football. But he gets lost with McLaurin and Samuel as better options on many plays. 

TE: Logan Thomas: Leading up to the season, I was concerned whether Cole Turner would take over as the top TE for the Commanders. Thomas is a solid red zone threat and could be an excellent fake football option with increased volume. Worth rostering.  (92% Available) 

Conclusion 

Keep this guide handy as injuries occur in the weeks ahead so you are ahead of your competition. When you lose a player to injury, look for one of these deeper next-guy-up players before getting into a FAAB bidding war to get them on your roster. I will have another updated quarterly report after week eight. Good luck!