Don’t fall for false fantasy prophets
THE INJURY bug may have taken a bite out of some big names in Week 6, but the long-term damage probably affected just one owner in your league.
Recurring disappointment from expected top-performers, however, continues to be an issue for many. Julio Jones, still hasn’t scored a touchdown, Derek Carr looked far from 100 percent, and neither Marshawn Lynch nor Ameer Abdullah seem to be able to pull their weight.
What makes it worse is when you see how many touchdowns were scored by players on your waiver wire. Frustrated owners will start sifting through many of these unknowns with the hope of catching lightning in a bottle for Week 7.
Unfortunately, as you go through the player list, you’ll see that most, if not all, of these players are exactly where they belong. One good week may bring them to the foreground, but these are just fleeting blips on the fantasy radar.
When the Falcons opened up their offense Sunday, Matt Ryan threw a deep pass and connected on a 4 0 -ya rd touchdown to give Atlanta a 10-0 lead. But the pass didn’t go to Julio Jones. It didn’t even go to Taylor Gabriel. It landed square in the arms of Marvin Hall, who took it to the house for his first touchdown of the season. Who?
On absolutely no one’s radar entering Week 6, Hall, a recently signed practice squad fill-in, closes the week a notable name in fantasy circles. The casual fantasy owner will see that highlight and look to add him and waste their bid dollars or waiver priority. The intelligent owner understands we may never hear this guy’s name again, and if we do, it won’t be with any real consistency. If you look to pick him up, understand that you already missed his best week of the season.
Players like Hall were a dime a dozen this past week. Braxton Miller won’t be catching touchdowns regularly for the Texans. Chris Ivory probably enjoyed his one shining moment for the Jaguars. Drew Brees may have found tight end Michael Hoomanawanui in the end zone Sunday, but he’ll be looking more for Coby Fleener in the future. And no, Dion Sims, Troy Niklas and Seth DeValve are not tight-end streamers for the future.
In life we’re told to beware false prophets. In fantasy, you should be told the same. There is a difference between a successful waiver add and a one-week wonder. Save your claims for someone who matters, because Aldrick Robinson isn’t winning anyone a fantasy championship.
Howard Bender is the VP of operations and head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 4-6 p.m.