Welcome to Week 7 of the 2022 Footballguys Roundtable. Our intrepid panel of fantasy pundits discusses and debates four topics every week. Topics are now split into separate features.
This week's roundtable features these four topics:
- Love/Hate (see below)
- Dynasty Buy-Sell-Hold
- Going Nuclear? Candidates for A Second-Half Surge
- Label 'Em: The Wide Receiver Edition
Love/Hate
Matt Waldman: Name a player in the fantasy industry who gets too much hate and one that earns too much love.
Phil Alexander: Leonard Fournette gets too much hate in a walk-off. The most useful fantasy advice I've ever given was to ignore the negativity swirling around Fournette prior to the 2021 season. He went on to finish as the RB6 in PPR scoring from an ADP in the RB40 range. You would think after making such a dramatic statement in 2021, he would have earned the industry's respect. Instead, Dave Kluge had to remind you not to make the same mistake as last year. Fournette still finished the preseason as a third-round draft pick with an ADP of RB14. Through six weeks, he is (predictably) a top-5 PPR running back. Can we finally stop the madness?
Waldman: I hope so. He may be a limited player in terms of the type of run schemes where he's a fit, but every team that has ever considered him knows this. He's an excellent football player.
Jeff Haseley: Tom Brady. You either love him or hate him, right? And it's all because he's good. Scratch that. He's great. He's the GOAT. It's easy to hate a player who wins all the time. Rings, trophies, a trophy wife (too soon?). Aside from all of that hate, we should take a step back and appreciate him for all his accomplishments and longevity. My favorite Tom Brady stat: He has started in 19% of all Super Bowls ever played. He has won 13% of all Super Bowls ever played.
Odell Beckham gets too much love. He was great for three years, but then the injuries started to pile up. Since 2017, he has one finish in the top 60. He can't stay healthy, and he lacks consistency. You can blame his quarterback play to an extent, but ultimately it boils down to his ability to make a difference when he is on the field, which hasn't been much lately.
Waldman: I'm sorry you're stuck with Baker Mayfield in Carolina, Jeff. Maybe you'll begin to feel what it was like for Beckham. D.J. Moore is. Maybe he should have argued with his coach.
Haseley: Low blow . . .
Christian Williams: Justin Fields gets too much hate. Despite a plethora of challenges around him out of his control, Fields has managed to turn in good fantasy performances. While he hasn't received the volume fantasy managers prefer, he has been a viable fantasy option in the last two weeks. He is still a work in progress as a player, but the talent still oozes off the tape, and many fantasy analysts will be surprised when the situation around him improves.
D.J. Moore gets too much love. His inability to turn in fantasy relevance in 2022 has been disappointing, but many identified him as one of the NFL's top receivers. That hasn't been the case throughout his career, and his dynasty value will begin to catch up if the Panthers cannot find a quarterback in 2023.
Waldman: Jeff, Christian gets it as a Browns fan. He saw this Baker Mayfield thing coming for Moore.
Haseley: Now you're just piling on.