Keeper advice needed

I am taking over for someone in a league and I was just making sure my brain was working properly. I felt Ekeler was the easiest overall choice. Should I keep him, choose someone else or just take the chance at drafting someone?

Since you have to start 7 WRs and only 1 RB, I’d probably keep AJ Green, because I think his skillset most closely matches your scoring system.

Your other three keepers can be Matt Gay, since Kickers are wildly valued under this scoring system, the Broncos D/ST, since you don’t get to pick defenses in the draft, and Taylor Heinecke, because I can see how backup QBs will be important with these lineup requirements.

Good luck!

…and maybe next time think about including relevant league set-up information.

In this league they start, 1 QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, 1 TE, 1 Flex and a defense.

Your brain is working properly, Ekeler is the player to keep here.

Ekeler or Punt in my view.

I believe Ekeler is the man!

The little contrarian in me has to speak up here, since we have so much kumbaya singing going on.

It’s Hurts. Here’s why:

Ekeler is 27 years old, coming off the best year of his career, with 20 td’s. Can you say “touchdown regression”? I knew you could. Add to that RB Isaiah Spiller, and this latest note:

Isaiah Spiller taking first-team reps in camp

Chargers rookie RB Isaiah Spiller was reportedly taking first-team reps at camp.

Fantasy Impact

Spiller is reportedly the only Chargers running back other than Austin Ekeler to have received first-team reps in camp, so it sounds like he is firmly the Chargers No. 2 running back at the moment. Spiller is a very intriguing double digit round target in fantasy drafts this season and he could even offer standalone RB2/flex value.

Now I know this will cause Axel Foley to cough up a lung, but Hurts has been the Ghost of Josh Allen Past…until AJ Brown showed up, playing Stefon Diggs’ ghost. Do I need to remind everyone that Josh Allen has been the #2 overall player in fantasy football points scored for all positions the last 2 seasons? Do you remember what Josh Allen was before Stefon Diggs arrived in Buffalo? Josh Allen WAS Jalen Hurts. If AJ Brown can play the Diggs to Hurts’ Allen, we could be looking at the birth of another QB star.

Ekeler is a good RB who will have a decent year. Keeping him is a safe play, but it won’t win your league.

Hurts is a better fantasy QB than he is an NFL QB.

The only reason Hurts kept the job last year was that he started hot, with two 325+ games and one 250+ game in the first month. He topped 250 yards one (1) more time on the season. He also threw 7 of his 16 TDs in those first four games. And, it didn’t hurt anything that the Eagles won 6 of the last 8 games Hurts played.

But now that they have invested in Brown and Smith, you better believe that Nick Sirianni (a former QB and WR coach) wants to get the ball in their hands. So a) even if Hurts keeps the starting job, you can count on less support from his running stats, and b) if Hurts doesn’t get better at throwing the deep ball, the Air Raid sirens will go off (did you know both backup QBs on the Eagles’ roster were Air Raid QBs in college–coincidence???), and the proven arm of Minshew will be starting by October.

2020: The Eagles, with QB Carson Wentz, went 4-11-1.
2021: The Eagles, starting second year QB Jalen Hurts, went 9-8 (8-7 with Hurts, who missed 2 games) , and lost a wild card game.

Even in Philly, one of the toughest sports towns around, that buys you some time.

I think that’s what I said…

But you didn’t defend it with stats! I win! :rofl: