Welcome to Week 3 of the 2022 Footballguys Roundtable. Our intrepid panel of fantasy pundits discusses and debates four topics every week. From this point forward, we're splitting the topics into separate features.
This week's roundtable features these four topics:
- For Real or Fool's Gold
- Tackling the Subscriber Contest (see below)
- Running Back Tandems
- Panic or Relax
Let's roll with Jeff Haseley, Chad Parsons, and Matt Waldman sharing their contest entries.
Tackling the Subscriber Contest
We're two weeks in. Please share the following:
- Your roster.
- Your construction strategy.
- Are you still alive?
- If so, what are you enthused and worried about?
Share your entry, strategy, and current thoughts after two weeks.
Chad Parsons: I was eliminated in Week 2, easily my worst finish in the history of the contest. My typical flaw is not spending on alpha receiving options and my secondary choices among wide receivers and/or tight ends not working out enough.
Week 2 was the perfect storm of zero big (enough) games across my entire roster. For example, my two most expensive running backs were Dalvin Cook and A.J. Dillon. Cordarrelle Patterson had a down game.
Dameon Pierce was a free square based on his early locked-in salary and a projected lead role, but his receiving and goal-line opportunities have been nearly zero through two weeks.
Jeff Wilson was one of my stash running backs, but he had a low-level streaming start in Week 2 as well. Kyle Pitts was my splurge selection at tight end. He has been horrific through two weeks production-wise and my others (Brevin Jordan, Mo-Alie Cox, Taysom Hill) have been no better. Kirk Cousins and Jameis Winston were electric in Week 1, only to have a disappointing week at the same time in Week 2.
Jeff Haseley: My roster consists of 18 players, which is the minimum in this contest. I already know that my roster is not built for the long haul and that it is only a matter of time before my weekly score slides south of the cut-off. Through the graces of Stefon Diggs, I am still alive.
- QB Trey Lance, Kirk Cousins
- RB Derrick Henry, Javonte Williams, Rhamondre Stevenson, Dameon Pierce, Rachaad White, Zamir White
- WR Stefon Diggs, Courtland Sutton, Elijah Moore, JuJu Smith-Schuster, K.J. Osborn, Isaiah McKenzie, Romeo Doubs
- TE Kyle Pitts
- Def San Francisco
- K Rodrigo Blankenship
I tried something different this year - limiting my tight end, defense, and kicker to one participant each. This allowed me to increase my spending in other areas. I wanted to have a rushing quarterback and a veteran at a decent price. I came up with Trey Lance and Kirk Cousins. With Lance out for the year, I am down to Cousins to save my roster.
At running back, I wanted two solid players followed by decent, upside picks who can be a receiving threat and/or have the potential to supplant the starter. I am still hoping Stevenson, Pierce, or one of the rookies will get a chance to put up some points.
At wide receiver, I wanted an elite receiver followed by three good receivers with decent price tags. Stefon Diggs has carried my disappointing receivers, Smith-Schuster, and Elijah Moore. To be fair, Diggs has carried my entire team, including perhaps the biggest disappointment, Kyle Pitts.
San Francisco has turned out to be a strong defense to target. I liked their opening schedule, so I made them my sole defense.
Rodrigo Blankenship was released from the Colts, and now I have no kicker. Maybe he will get signed by another team, but it might be too late by then.
Waldman: My team is still alive after two weeks and typically, my squads last 7-8 weeks. Last year, my team went deeper and finished second or third to Andy Hicks' unit among the staff.
This year, I began with 27 players but whittled it down to 22 before the deadline. Last year's expanded roster relative to my previous season was an influence but I didn't embrace that successful track as much. This may prove to be my Achilles heel.
- QB: Russell Wilson and Derek Carr
- RB: A.J. Dillon, Kareem Hunt, Josh Jacobs, James Cook, Raheem Mostert, and Tyrion Davis-Price
- WR: Allen Robinson, Michael Thomas, Jaylen Waddle, Courtland Sutton, and Hunter Renfrow
- TE: David Njoku, Albert Okwuegbunam, Foster Moreau
- PK: Rodrigo Blankenship, Kaimi Fairbairn, and Cario Santos
- DEF: Eagles and Dolphins
I initially went back to the well with Tom Brady and had him paired with Jameis Winston. However, my choices at other positions required me to go cheaper. I am all-in on the Raiders' offense as a source of quality performances this year, and Carr came through last week, whereas Wilson was fine the week before. As you may know, it's cool to be a Wilson hater, but it won't be productive. He looks fine to me.
I'm not satisfied with my choices at running back, but I know Dillon and Hunt have great upside and solid floors relative to their cost. I needed this if want to roll with at least three tight ends and three kickers. Losing Blankenship is a reason why having at least 3-4 kickers is a good idea.
Jacobs and Mostert were intentional picks against consensus because everyone seemed down on them, and I like their skills. Both look good when given touches, but they aren't getting enough touches. That said, they out-produced Hunt and Dillon last week and were my top-two starters.
Davis-Price was a lotto pick for the ever-elusive 49ers' backfield. Zack Moss has foiled my early-season hopes with Cook.
I love my receivers despite varying degrees of public concern about them. Robinson showed last week that he's not washed up. Thomas is back to his pre-injury form. Waddle is up there with JaMarr Chase and Justin Jefferson as a talent but underrated because of how the Dolphins' had to use him last year.
Sutton is the primary option and big-play threat in Denver despite one big play from Jerry Jeudy in Week 1 that will make the box score watchers have false hope, otherwise. Renfrow still earned a compelling target share in Week 1 after Davante Adams' 17-target game. He followed it up with a solid outing in Week 2. He'll be fine.
Njoku is far from my favorite option for a tight end, but he was cheap for my remaining budget. The same with Okuegbunam, who I liked a lot more, but his effort seems to be in question. I love Moreau and decided I'd take a shot at him earning a much bigger role either due to Josh McDaniels' scheme or if Darren Waller gets hurt.
I simply took the cheapest kickers. The Eagles and Dolphins were calculated choices. Both had strong defensive fronts, and the Dolphins' Xavien Howard and Brandon Jones are difference makers.
If I had to do it over again, I would have taken fewer backs and opted for Nick Chubb. I just didn't want to risk an injury and lack the bodies to compete.
If you'd like to see the rest of the topics, once again, you can find them here:
Thanks, and good luck this week!