Weekly Twitter Observations
In this series of Twitter Observations, we will focus on some of the interesting tweets you may have missed. Twitter can be overwhelming with the amount of information that streams live, but it also proves to be one of the fastest and easiest ways to communicate. In 140 characters or less you can learn something about a player you may have never thought of from trends, stats or analysis. Let’s review some of the best tweets I’ve captured this week.
News
Ian Rapoport
#Patriots gave RB James White a 3-year extension worth $12M base, source said. $4.69M guaranteed. $15M is the max. Was to make $690K in ’17.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 19, 2017
The Patriots backfield has been a position of uncertainty for years, however running back LeGarrette Blount finished as the RB9 in PPR last season, showing that there are fantasy points to be had. There, are certainly touchdown opportunities, as Blount finished with a crazy 18 scores on the ground.
Predicting who will be in-line for the workload and ultimately the fantasy points will be anyone’s guess. The Patriots signing both James White and Rex Burkhead is a clear indication that they value players who provide matchup advantages versus opposing defenses increasingly setup to defend the pass. With the Patriots extending an offer to Mike Gillisee, it would put them above average in cap percentage tied to running backs.
With the Patriots investing in a stable of running backs, I will be staying clear of acquiring any of them. However, their ADP in mocks is still relatively low. Give me the cheapest option at a shot of the high reward. White at 191 seems like a bargain with a decent shot of beating his cost.
Houston Texans
Smith on QB Savage starting: “I think he’s proven that he understands this offense and can play at a high level. I’m comfortable with that.”
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) April 21, 2017
Texans GM Rick Smith gave some positive words regarding Tom Savage. There’s no denying Savage lacks pedigree or high end talent. However, many viable starters currently in the NFL don’t either. Quarterbacks Kirk Cousins, Trevor Siemian, Tyrod Taylor and yes, Tom Brady all were drafted in the fourth round or later. And while Tom Savage is likely not going to break top 12 in quarterbacks for fantasy, there’s definitely history to suggest we shouldn’t worry about this type of a quarterback’s capability to support top 24 wide receiver level production.
Stats
Graham Barfield
The Yards Created Breakdown for 2017 RBs went up earlier this week. More data than ever for incoming rookies: https://t.co/oN7a2Hb9P5 pic.twitter.com/wHXBBTpCqu
— Graham Barfield (@GrahamBarfield) April 15, 2017
Graham is doing some excellent work charting the rookie running backs. Be sure to check it out.
Alex Gelhar
Most yards from scrimmage, RBs, 2013-2016:
6,430 – LeSean McCoy
6,420 – DeMarco Murray
6,142 – Matt Forte
6,050 – Le’Veon Bell— Alex Gelhar (@AlexGelhar) April 19, 2017
I loved this stat for two reasons. One is just how awesome Le’Veon Bell has been in in his early career. The other reason is that LeSean McCoy, DeMarco Murray, and Matt Forte all did this when they were in their perceived back end of their careers. Forte is looking like he is fading out; however, Murray and McCoy may have one or more years left to go.
Jeremy Funk
L. Miller is a great example of how RB production is dramatically altered by ankle injury.
Wk12 low-grade sprain
Wk15 recurrent high sprain pic.twitter.com/oMLZMBQo3K— Jeremy Funk (@DLF_Deuce) April 20, 2017
Jeremy is doing incredible work on evaluating injuries and tying that impact on performance. Admittedly I have been low on Lamar Miller for years now, however there is something to be said for his injuries hindering his effectiveness. In Miami, I questioned his usage and if the Miami coaching staff had issues with Miller handling a heavy workload. In 2016, Miller finished with 268 carries despite playing through injury. If Miller can find balance between health and a moderate workload, I expect his current ADP of 39 could be at a proper value.
Fantasy News
Salvatore Stefanile
Created a campaign to raise funds for National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (@NCADV). Get your shirt here: https://t.co/CZpUkIlUsw pic.twitter.com/E1X6iYRNw0
— Salvatore Stefanile (@2QBFFB) April 8, 2017
This is another example of the fantasy football community doing what they can to give to a great cause. Please check it out and consider contributing in whichever way you can.
With so much information on Twitter, there are so many great minds contributing great discussion, articles, and bits of data, truly a hot bed of fantasy goodness. I will be doing my best to capture the highlights of the week and mining it out in one place for you.
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