The DLF Mailbag

Eric Hardter Posted On June 29, 2015

sanders

Welcome to the latest edition of the weekly mailbag.

Send me your questions using the DLF Mailbag Form and I’ll include the best in future articles. Remember the guidelines to have the best chance at seeing your question get posted:

1.) Dynasty questions only, no start/sit questions

2.) Help me help you by providing sufficient information about your league (e.g. line-up requirements/PPR or non-PPR/etc.), and include your first name and where you’re from.

3.) Your chance of getting your question answered is inversely proportional to the length of the question.

Let’s get to it!

*Editor’s Note – For total team evaluations, please be sure to use the DLF Newsletter Team Advice Form!*

I feel that I need a stronger WR2 after Randall Cobb in my 10-team, non-PPR league. I have been offered Jeremy Maclin for Davante Adams and a 2016 2nd round pick. What are your thoughts? – Mike in MD

I’ve never been a fan of former Philly receiver Jeremy Maclin, and his departure to the fantasy wasteland that is the Alex Smith-led Kansas City offense surely didn’t help things. Maclin was never a 1,000-yard receiver under coach Andy Reid as an Eagle, and Smith has topped out as at 3,313 yards and 23 passing scores…in nine years as a pro. Suffice it to say, that’s not good.

However, I’ll still take the WR1 of a poor offense over the WR3 of a great offense, even if the latter is helmed by the transcendent Aaron Rodgers. Since 2008 (Rodgers’ first year as a starter), the Packers’ WR3 has only surpassed 700 yards once, in 2012 when starter Jordy Nelson missed four games due to injury. For Davante Adams to make any sort of noise this year, owners will be counting on the same occurrence.

So I’ll take the Maclin side of this swap. The future second doesn’t do anything to sweeten that pot, and I just don’t see Adams offering you the stronger WR2 you desire. I think you should stand pat, or seek an alternative deal.

In a post start-up draft trade where Team B is a major Steeler fan, Team A gave Antonio Brown, Justin Forsett, Jay Cutler and a 2016 4th round pick to Team B for AJ Green, Eddie Lacy, Tom Brady, 2016 2nd round pick. Do the rest of the owners get to resent Team A for the rest of history for pulling off a trade that was egregiously unfair, or should we give kudos to Team A for making smart moves for his team’s future? Is this a bad way to start a league? Is the trade kosher? – Yeti in the North

[inlinead]I don’t think there’s anything to be resentful about. Though rational minds may differ, I prefer Pittsburgh receiver Antonio Brown to his divisional counterpart, AJ Green. The difference isn’t enough to mitigate the drop-off from Packers running back Eddie Lacy to Baltimore veteran Justin Forsett, but that’s part of what makes dynasty football great. Team B’s owner clearly plays favorites and defers to his hometown team, and the truth is Brown has averaged 3.0 PPR points per game more than Green over the course of the past two years. The other pieces in the deal are largely trivial, so honestly I don’t see a ton to get upset about – it’s not a deal I would make if I was Team B, but yes, I think the trade is kosher.

In my TD-only league with bonuses for TD-length I have a solid team that’s somewhat weak at running back. I was thinking about trading one of the following players: Jamaal Charles, Jimmy Graham, Emmanuel Sanders or Jordy Nelson. What do you think is a realistic value for each of them? Charles and Sanders are the guys I would prefer to move based on injuries and future value. In our league LeSean McCoy was just traded for pick 1.03 in the upcoming draft. I believe Charles is worth more, but I’m just not sure where to start. – Mike in MI

In a league where touchdowns take such precedence, I’m not sure why you’re looking to sell Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles. In two years under head coach Andy Reid he’s averaged 1.1 touchdowns per game, solidifying his place as an elite asset. He should easily net you the 1.01+, but again, you’re already weak at the position – I’d look to sell elsewhere.

As such I think you should try to unload Broncos receiver Emmanuel Sanders. He scored nine times last year, setting a career high in the process. But given the potential shift to more of a run-based offense it’s fair to wonder if he’ll keep up the pace. Sanders should be able to net you a mid-first round pick, and parting with him is preferable to losing your other pair of scoring machines in Seattle tight end Jimmy Graham and Green Bay receiver Nelson.

In a start-up, 12-team PPR superflex league I have pick 11. Being (essentially) a 2QB league should I draft two quarterbacks with my first two picks? What would your strategy be for the first few rounds? – Aaron in Australia

While it’s true getting quarterbacks early and often in superflex/2QB leagues is typically a sound strategy, I don’t necessarily think you should force yourself into it here. There’s a good chance at least five to seven signal callers will come off the board before your first pick, meaning you should have a shot at an elite receiver or running back, and perhaps even Rob Gronkowski. No, other positional options don’t typically score like the men under center, but taking a tier-one positional player could potentially afford you an even bigger relative upgrade. If you’re able to snag someone like Joe Flacco, Nick Foles, or Colin Kaepernick in the late third or early fourth round, I think that would make a lot more sense than waiting until pick 35 to grab a skill position player.

I am in a 12-team keeper league, where you keep 12 players each year. Our draft will include players that weren’t kept, as well as rookies. There are two free agents running backs that have potential, Joseph Randle and Latavius Murray. How would you rank those two compared to the incoming rookie RB class? – Evan in IN

I’m not overly bullish on either. For the Cowboys’ Joseph Randle, the opportunity is certainly there, if nothing else. If he stays healthy and stops trying to help himself to free undergarments, I could easily see him sequestering 60% of Dallas’ backfield workload – whether that run game is as efficient or voluminous as last season remains to be seen, but there’s potential. I’d valuate him as a late second round pick.

As for the Raiders’ Latavius Murray, I just don’t foresee the same breakout as others do. I’m not simply trying to play the contrarian when I say I think Roy Helu is the best running back on the roster, I actually believe it. No, Helu hasn’t done much apart from carrying Alfred Morris’ jock the past couple seasons, but it wasn’t that long ago when he functioned as the Redskins’ starter – truth be told he showed more of a “starter-worthy” portfolio than Murray did last year! I’d likely spend an early-to-mid second on Murray, but would want to ensure I grabbed Helu later as well.

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Eric Hardter

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

Eric is a Boston College chemistry grad school survivor with a minor in dynasty football. He prefers to utilize both statistics and sarcasm whenever possible, believes in process over results and thinks "Hot Takes" are the scourge of the fantasy landscape.