Dynasty Football Fan

The North beat the South 23-13 this weekend and I took some time to watch the game and take some notes as I watched.  Here are some thoughts on some fantasy relevant players that came up during the game:

• The South got the ball first and Brandon Weeden, Vick Ballard, Joe Adams and Juron Criner were the skill position starters.
• Vick Ballard runs to high and seems to slow to make it in the NFL unless he bulks up and moves to FB.
• I’ll be mostly focused on offense in this article but will note some good IDP play too.
• Weeden has good footwork on his three step drops.
• North starters are Russell Wilson, Chris Polk, TJ Graham, Brian Quick
• Chris Polk didn’t get great feedback at his weigh-in this week and didn’t look as quick and fluid as other backs.  The first couple of carries he got in the game and he looked pretty solid.  He made a couple of cuts, made some guys miss and gained a few good yards.
• Janoris Jenkins may be small, but he sure is aggressive.  He is not afraid to take on guys much bigger than he is.
• Wilson had a chance for a TD but he threw high in the corner.
• WR Dwight Jones had a nice one handed catch on a 5 yard out.  He sure looks big in that white uni!
• RB Terrence Ganaway had a nice 15 yard run but it was more due to good blocking, he wasn’t touched until he was 13 yards down field.  2 plays later he lost 4 yards when he tried to be shifty
• Jeff Fuller caught it with his hands on a long 3rd down and did the best he could.  I liked how he looked on that play.
• Russell Wilson just doesn’t look like a pro QB.  On his second drive he just floats a high ball in the middle of the field for an easy TD.
• Weeden also looks like he has a lot of work to do.  Although it’s been a slow offensive game at the beginning.
• Wilson gets the first TD and had a pretty good 4th series.  He’s still not a NFL quality QB and a fantasy non-factor.
• Ryan Lindley comes in to replace Weeden and promptly hands off a couple of times.  His first throw his footwork still looks uneasy from under center.  He looked uncomfortable on his first bootleg but it was to his off-side.  Lindley to Criner for 2 first downs on this drive prior to the 5o yard line.  Lindley also pats the ball once or twice before he throws it.  He certainly has the size of an NFL QB.
• Joe Adams is electric.  I really like this guy, not as a #1 fantasy WR but as a Randall Cobb type of guy.  He’ll be productive if he finds a team that knows how to use him.
• Lindley had a chance for a TD but was way off target.  On replay it looked like he didn’t step into his pass.
• Kellen Moore replaced Wilson midway through the second quarter.  His first few throws he makes good decisions but clearly has a weak arm compared to the other QBs that have been in the game so far.
• Quinton Coples, DE from UNC has been a monster this series.  He sacked Moore, knocked a ball down and seems to have the motor running.
• Zach Brown, LB also from UNC makes a great play on a screen by getting around a blocker and making a one handed tackle on Dan Herron.
• Lindley is still looking inaccurate in his second series.
• Kirk Cousins hits the field for the 2 minute drill and looks pretty good.  Nice zip on a mid-range throw.  In the red zone I notice that he looked off the defense and went backside to the fullback.
• Doug Martin had a great week of practice and looked good at the beginning of the second half with some shifty runs, he made the most yards he could on every play and certainly looked like a small but potentially decent fantasy RB
• Kirk Cousins seems like the best QB out here so far.  He’s played smart, within himself.  He’s been accurate, good footwork, nice zip on the ball and has made good reads.  His touchdown was a broken pocket where he zipped the ball to the middle crossing route and Robinson lumbered (man for a WR he took forever) into the end zone.  Cousins will raise his draft stock with this game and while he’s not a fantasy stud, he’s worth keeping an eye on if he gets into a nice situation.
• Nick Foles comes in for the South and looks pretty good under center.  He’s also been pretty accurate, good footwork for a spread option QB.  I’ve seen him read the defense a couple of times and go to the backside play which is good.  The bad news is that he’s looked a bit inaccurate on underneath throws and he’s had a lot of success throwing to his former teammate WR Juron Criner.
• Speaking of Criner, he looks like a solid #2 receiver in fantasy football.  He doesn’t have the speed to be a big strong #1 guy but he has size and great hands.
• Joe Adams is electric.  Oh, I said that already.  He turned a 2-yard loss into a 5-yard gain on 3rd and 4 and broke a tackle of two guys to do it.  The kid has heart, that’s for sure.
• Dan Herron just does nothing that makes me feel like he’s an NFL worthy RB.

So, to recap.  Cousins, Adams, Foles, Criner, Martin worth keeping an eye on.  Lindley, Weeden, Herron, Wilson, Moore don’t bother with.