All posts by Kevin

Bengals Betting: Tyler Eifert Could Be Out Until Week 6?

Sports News & Picks, , , , , , , , , ,

The Cincinnati Bengals have known all summer that they could start the 2016 NFL season without star tight end Tyler Eifert. Eifert suffered an ankle injury during last year’s Pro Bowl and struggled so much to recover from it that he wound up going under the knife.

Eifert Still Not Ready

Eifert was hoping for a week one return, but recent reports suggest that’s just not likely. In fact, per NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport, the Bengals may not be banking on their stud tight end to return to the starting lineup until week four at the earliest.

As of now, Eifert may be facing a lengthy 4-6 week return time table and those aspirations of a week one return look less and less realistic.

Hits Keep Coming

It’s bad news for a Bengals offense that has certainly taken their lumps since the end of the 2015 NFL season. On top of Eifert’s injury, they lost offensive coordinator Hue Jackson and watched wide receivers Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu leave in free agency. In addition, they brought in Brandon LaFell to help with the losses at receiver, and he himself has struggled to stay healthy.

Needless to say, Andy Dalton could be severely short-handed in the passing game to start the season. That could put unwanted pressure on Dalton to perform, with stud number one wide receiver and rookie Tyler Boyd as his only reliable weapons in the passing game.

The Bengals could opt to lean on their versatile running game harder than ever, while shifty scat-back Giovani Benard could be used more as a receiver, perhaps both out of the backfield and in the slot.

Betting on Bengals

The Bengals were fantastic for much of 2015, looking like a legit Super Bowl contender before losing Andy Dalton to an untimely thumb injury. They still held on to win the AFC North division title and only lost the the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the playoffs because of a Jeremy Hill fumble.

On paper, the Bengals still might be the team to beat in their division, and the fact that Vegas still likes them enough (+190 odds to win the AFC North) suggests they could be right back in the thick of things again. The Steelers still edge them out in odds there, though, and Cincy isn’t a top title contender at the moment (+700 odds to get to the Super Bowl and just +2000 to win it).

Needless to say, despite their talent and potential, the stock is dropping a bit for the Bengals. Eifert missing anywhere close to this nasty 4-6 week time table could be absolutely devastating.

That feeling grows stronger with one quick look at Cincy’s schedule through the first six weeks of the 2016 season:

  • Week 1 @ Jets
  • Week 2 @ Steelers
  • Week 3 VS. Broncos
  • Week 4 VS. Dolphins
  • Week 5 @ Cowboys
  • Week 6 @ Patriots

Cincinnati is a deep and balanced team that clearly could make up for Eifert’s absence with other weapons, a ball control offense and a solid defense. Still, this is a murderer’s row on paper, with road dates with the Jets, Steelers, Cowboys and Patriots easily turning out to be losses. Even a week three home date with Denver could be trouble, given the Broncos’ elite defense. On paper, the Bengals still look to be the better team than the Dolphins, and this may be their only clear game where they look like the overwhelming favorite.

Cincinnati could still pull out wins over all of these teams, but a very rough start can’t be ruled out. Suffice to say, betting on the Bengals for the first 4-6 weeks could be problematic.

Fantasy Football Impact

There is more than betting at risk here, as Eifert takes a serious value hit in season long fantasy football leagues. The mounting issues in Cincinnati also could easily negatively impact Andy Dalton and a number of other top shelf Bengals options.

The one guy that probably makes it out of this cleanly is A.J. Green, who should be a target monster in all fantasy formats for as long as Eifert remains out. We should also see solid bumps for Tyler Boyd, Brandon LaFell, Tyler Kroft and Giovani Bernard. All of these options could end up being sneaky plays in random weeks in daily fantasy football, as well.

2016 NFL Predictions: Will Browns Trade Josh Gordon?

Sports News & Picks, , , , , , ,

The Cleveland Browns don’t seem like they really know what they want to do with star wide receiver Josh Gordon. Recently reinstated by the NFL, Gordon finally has a chance to redeem himself for past failed drug tests, following a four-game ban to begin the 2016 season.

Josh Gordon Trade Rumors

The big question, of course, is if Cleveland cares to see if he’ll actually make good on what figures to be his final chance.

Just this week reports emerged that the Browns were taking in trade offers for Gordon, and not too look after, there were whispers that the team itself sparked the Josh Gordon trade rumors by releasing the info, themselves.

Shortly after, the team came forward and declared they now are not interested in trading Josh Gordon, and probably never seriously considered doing so.

Can Gordon Be Trusted?

The Browns are a tough organization to believe here, for a couple of reasons. For one, Gordon is impossible to truly trust. This is a kid who was a red flag coming into the league and has been suspended two games or more every year since 2013. He missed all of 2015 with a year-long ban and even still hangs out with fellow headcase, Johnny Manziel.

On paper, Gordon is a major liability.

There’s more to hate. New head coach Hue Jackson comes in with a whole new system and approach and his fresh start had the Browns cleaning house in a massive way. The team cut ties with most of it’s previous receiving talent, cut Manziel and numerous other high profile talent and then drafted four new receiving options in the 2016 NFL Draft. The big one was first round wide receiver Corey Coleman, while Terrelle Pryor’s heavy inclusion in camp and preseason play suggests he could be in for a huge role, as well.

Very quickly, the excitement around a Josh Gordon return has turned into hesitance to fully bring him back.

So Much Upside

That being said, if Gordon can keep his head on straight and get back to being the player that dropped a ridiculous 87-1,646-9 line on the league back in 2013, the Browns would be foolish to pass on him. Right?

Perhaps, but if the Browns already love their other receiving talent, don’t trust Gordon for the long-term and think they can get something of value in return, it’d actually make even less sense not to cut ties with him.

Josh Gordon Prediction

So, what happens with Gordon, then?

This probably says it best: Josh Gordon has a price.

It’s true that’s probably the case with most players, but guys like Aaron Rodgers and J.J. Watt simply aren’t getting traded. Gordon very well could.

There are without a doubt a long line of interested teams that both have a serious need at wide receiver and also may be willing to part with the right draft picks to make a deal happen.

If Cleveland is smart, they make a play for the best available offer and deal Gordon. Not only is he a liability to get suspended again, but after this season he is due for a new contract. Is that a situation the Browns really want to be in – one way or another losing a star talent potentially for nothing? That’s very doubtful.

Again, the list is long, but the teams that need wide receiver help or could be willing to throw caution to the wind the most are the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers and the St. Louis Rams. Cleveland would be wise to deal Gordon outside of the division, as well as the entire AFC, putting the likes of the Eagles, Panthers and Rams largely under the microscope. It’s also possible Gordon doesn’t get dealt, thrives in Cleveland, re-signs to  a massive deal and ends up being one of the best receivers ever. Cleveland has to know all of that is a longshot, however.

What Are the Odds Tim Tebow Makes it in Major League Baseball?

Sports News & Picks, , , , , , , , ,

The Tim Tebow rumors won’t stop. No, not the chatter of him striving to live out his dream as an NFL quarterback – he seems to have given up all hope for that.

Tebow to MLB?

It’s the Tim Tebow MLB talk that is heating up again, as recent reports suggest he’s giving it a full go via a tryout in front of over 20 MLB teams later this month.

Some Major League Baseball teams have opted to bypass Tebow’s workout, but the other teams will get an up close and personal look and what he can bring to the table on August 30th.

More Than a Circus?

It’s unclear what will happen from there. Tebow has displayed an unwillingness to truly earn his way into a competitive situation in the NFL, as he’s thus far denied offers from CFL and Arena League teams. That unwillingness to start from the bottom has apparently stretched to baseball, as Tebow doesn’t appear too excited about the prospect of working his way up from the minors.

That’s probably his only realistic bet, but given his past experience and the success of other two-sport athlete’s, it’s still not completely impossible someone flat out signs him and brings him to the majors. In fact, he’s even drawn praise from legendary MLB player Gary Sheffield and the Toronto Blue Jays GM also spoke highly of his swing:

Tim Tebow MLB Odds

The thing with Tebow is that he is absolutely half circus here, but there might actually be a chance this works out. No one is understating the difficulty of playing professional baseball – let alone first starting at age 29 – over 11 years since the guy last played the sport competitively.

That being said, Tebow has always been a bit of a freak athlete and no one would confuse him with a small, weak, non-athletic person. He’s quite big, has exceptional strength and by all accounts can really mash the heck out of the ball.

None of that means Tebow lands an MLB contract anytime soon (or ever), but given his power, determination, work ethic and past success at the sport, we’ll give him 50-1 odds to get signed and play in the minors. Assuming he accepts a small opportunity (for him) like that, we then would give Tebow 250-1 odds to actually ever play Major League Baseball. That might even be generous. However, this is Tim Tebow we’re talking about, and nothing is impossible.

Colts Could Be Tough Bet Without Vontae Davis

Sports News & Picks, , ,

The Indianapolis Colts are making headlines for the wrong reasons at the moment. Per reports, the team just signed regressing 32-year old veteran cornerback Antonio Cromartie in an effort to shore up a decaying defensive backfield.

Injury Bug

The team was already bracing for the worst in regards to the health of Vontae Davis and Patrick Robinson, their two listed starters for 2016 at the position. The news on Davis wasn’t good, either, with reports recently suggesting ligament damage in his ankle could rob him of the entire month of September.

Considering Davis is one of the top corners in the game, it’s not an injury the Colts can just brush off. Their entire defensive game plan depends on him locking down one side of the field and his absence could put the Colts in some rough spots to start the year.

Lift From Cromartie

The signing of Cromartie does give the Colts some terrific experience and a healthy body that is aiming to prove he isn’t done yet. Cromartie looked to be finished after a down 2015 season, but was playing some of his best football as recently as the 2014 season. It’s still possible Cromartie could regain his form, should a nagging hip issue no longer be something that could slow him down.

In addition to a one-month stop-gap, Cromartie could slide back and provide top shelf depth for Indianapolis upon Davis’ return.

Bad Bet?

We can’t know for sure how long Davis is out or how effective Cromartie will be in his place. For now, we can probably assume he won’t play at all in September and may even miss time in October. The loss of Davis is huge, as Indy’s pass defense will see a big drop-off in consistency. That will put added pressure up front on a shaky pass rush, and in turn could ask too much out of Andrew Luck and the offense.

Naturally, with September consisting of showdowns with the Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers, Indy could have cause for concern. That being said, the Lions and Chargers were not playoff teams in 2015 and the Broncos – although defending Super Bowl champions – have a serious red flag at the quarterback position.

It’s tough to assume the Colts were going undefeated in September even with Vontae Davis, but the silver lining is two-fold: there are just three games in the first month of the 2016 NFL regular season and at least on paper, they come against beatable opponents. The Colts will still have their work cut out for them defensively, however, so they should feel good if they can enter October at 2-1.

While there is still optimism for Indy to enjoy a solid start to the year even with Vontae Davis injured, that doesn’t make them a safe bet for those first three weeks. In fact, if the odds support the logic, NFL bettors may want to consider betting against them in September.

Why Denver Broncos Need to Start Paxton Lynch at Quarterback

Sports News & Picks, , , , ,

The Denver Broncos are in an interesting spot for a team attempting to defend a Super Bowl title. With Peyton Manning retired and Brock Osweiler now in Houston, the Broncos have inched ahead with three questionable options at quarterback and they still may not have a clear-cut answer at the position.

Sanchez Odd Man Out?

Per reports, backup passer Trevor Siemian is set to start Denver’s third preseason game this week, and may have already leap-frogged proposed starter Mark Sanchez for the right to battle for the starting job. Instead of Siemian battling Sanchez, whispers in Denver suggest it’s now Siemian versus rookie passer Paxton Lynch for the top job.

The writing on the wall may suggest Sanchez is the odd man out, both because he’s due over $4 million if still on the roster when the season begins and his play through two preseason games has been inconsistent, at best. Sanchez has been back to his old turnover ways, and while he did throw a touchdown pass in his first preseason game, he hasn’t made the gap between him and his competition wide enough.

Tough Call

It’s not an easy call for head coach Gary Kubiak, as he clearly has to consider the finances with Sanchez’s salary, but if Sanchez does give the Broncos their best shot at repeating as NFL champions, he may need to keep the former Jet in town.

Siemian winning the job probably isn’t Denver’s ideal situation, either. Flashing in camp and preseason is one thing, but Siemian has no experience to fall back on and was never a highly touted prospect coming out of Northwestern. Instead, the Broncos have to hope Sanchez either regains his footing, or prized first round pick Paxton Lynch steps up and wins the job.

Time is running out for the three quarterbacks to make the decision an obvious one, however. Regardless of what happens in the team’s third preseason game, a tough decision looms.

Denver’s 2016 Playoff Odds

No matter what, the Broncos are down an experienced quarterback with a history of high level success, as Manning is done for good. Even with Sanchez, they’d be getting solid experience, but a turnover-prone passer who has never been overly accurate or consistent. Sanchez also hasn’t been a proven winner since his first two seasons in the league.

All of that can be said of Siemian, too, so the Broncos are undoubtedly in a tough spot with either Sanchez or Siemian under center for a lengthy period of time in 2016. That is also likely the case if Lynch steals the job, but Lynch at least has immense upside on paper and has the skill-set to perfectly fit into Gary Kubiak’s system. On paper, if Lynch could mature throughout the year and the Broncos could lean hard on their defense and ground game, they’d have a chance to remain competitive.

Per Bovada, it probably doesn’t matter who starts under center. Denver still oddly remains the favorites to win the NFC West division (+190), largely because of that elite defense, good coaching and a stellar supporting cast on offense. Their Super Bowl odds aren’t nearly as locked in, of course, with Vegas giving them +1800 odds to repeat as the league champion.

It Has to Be Lynch

The harsh reality here is that Paxton Lynch can’t be any worse than Siemian and the gap between these three guys just isn’t enough to hold the talented rookie back.

In an ideal world, Lynch would sit back and learn on the sidelines, but he’s already performed above expectation and starting him right away is not throwing him to the wolves. If he didn’t have a nice stable of running backs, have the ability to move outside of the pocket, have an elite defense backing him or have guys like Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders to throw the ball to – then sure. If that weren’t all the case, then tossing a raw rookie passer into the starting lineup wouldn’t make any sense.

Sanchez is going to turn the ball over, pass the ball inaccurately and take bad sacks. He’s going to lose Denver games because, despite the experience he’s racked up, he still commits errors and doesn’t always make the right decision.

Denver can’t possibly expect Siemian to be a whole lot better, while his experience edge on Lynch is minute and his talent edge is non-existent.

The only way to go here for Denver is to throw caution to the wind, cut Sanchez and move forward with Paxton Lynch as their franchise quarterback and week one starter. Worst case, Lynch struggles and the Broncos suffer through a Super Bowl hangover and miss the playoffs. Best case, Lynch is the real deal and his elite supporting cast helps keep Denver in playoff contention and maybe even sets them on another deep run to defend their title.

There is middle ground here, too. The point is, the Broncos really should have only ever considered not starting Lynch if Sanchez blew them away or Lynch was atrocious in camp and preseason play. Neither has been the case. The future is now for the Broncos and Lynch. Let’s just hope they realize it.

2016 MLB Betting: 4 Upsets to Chase For Friday Night

Sports News & Picks, , , , , ,

Fewer things are more exciting than Friday night baseball, and we get a full slate of MLB goodness with 15 games schedule for tonight.

While that means some fun in daily fantasy baseball leagues and good television watching, it could also make for some interesting MLB betting. Aside from your usual bets, this massive slate is going to tempt you to make some underdog picks, as well.

We’re here to point out the sleeper picks that may be worth targeting over the others. Here are our four favorite MLB upset picks for tonight, along with the betting odds:

Phillies Over Cardinals

The Cardinals open this one up as the favorite (-173), seeing as they’re the much better team on the year and have one of the best offenses in all of baseball. That roster going up against the very beatable Adam Morgan looks like a win on paper, which is why Vegas is so adamant that they’re the lock.

Perhaps it isn’t to be, however. There are two big things working against the Cards here. They’re on the road, for one, where the Phillies tend to be at their best in 2016.

They’re also shoving Adam Wainwright to the dogs yet again, and he’s been absolutely atrocious lately, giving up 19 earned runs on 31 hits over his last five outings. He’s 0-2 during that span and with Philadelphia’s better than advertised power, he could be in for another tough outing. Should the St. Louis bats not come to play, this one could tilt in the Phillies’ (+158) favor.

Marlins Over Pirates

Need a little more upside with your MLB underdog bet? Okay, how about the Marlins (+170) heading into Pittsburgh to try to take down the Pirates (-190)?

It doesn’t sound very logical at first glance, as these two teams are headed in opposite directions: Pirates are 7-3 in last 10 games and Marlins are 3-7 during same span. Miami also recently lost serious power with masher Giancarlo Stanton being lost for the year, so there is no denying their offense may be lacking their usual bite.

Of course, Miami still has a potential playoff spot to fight for, is surprisingly decent (31-31) on the road and could have the perfect matchup against a shaky Gerrit Cole. Once a franchise cornerstone, Cole has really been up and down throughout 2016, and he’s been especially sloppy lately. He’s just 1-2 in his last three starts and was horrific in his most recent trip to the mound, getting knocked around by the Dodgers to the tune of 12 hits and five earned runs.

Cole needs to be much better tonight at home, where he’s oddly been below average (2-4) on the season. It could be a great opportunity for the Marlins to start to get their groove back, and it could also be a fun spot for you to pile up some cash.

Rockies Over Cubs

Anytime good offenses stroll into Coors Field, we’re looking at a toss-up. The Cubs (-144) come in red hot after a mash-job over the Brewers last night, and there is little reason to think they’ll fall flat in a hitter’s park.

Of course, there are some things to consider here. Tyler Anderson certainly isn’t an elite arm, but he’s weirdly been really solid at home (4-1 with a respectable 3.04 ERA in eight starts). He’ll also be opposing a usually solid Kyle Hendricks that has been very average on the road and allowed three runs on eight hits the last time he faced these very Rockies (+134).

Colorado tends to elevate their play at home and Charlie Blackmon leads the way in the midst of one of the hottest hitting runs we’ve seen in some time. Chicago is understandably the favorite, but this park could give way to a ton of runs and it’s not like the Rockies are going up against Jake Arrieta here. They’re a fun underdog to roll with tonight.

Mets Over Giants

Johnny Cueto takes the mound for the Giants at home tonight, which guarantees the Giants get their 68th win of the year, right? Not so fast. The Giants have not really been themselves lately (4-6 over last 10 games) and have an interesting matchup with rookie Seth Lugo.

This marks Lugo’s first career start and puts both him and the Giants in uncharted territory. Logic does not suggest Lugo wins a duel with Cueto, but crazier things have happened and not knowing a pitcher is often just as bad as facing an elite one you do know. Even if Lugo doesn’t churn out a good game here, there is also the mysterious case of Cueto, who has not been elite lately.

Cueto has actually been bombing, as he’s failed to notch a win in any of his last six starts and has given up 19 runs during that span. Cueto has usually done enough to at least avoid a loss (0-2 during that six-game stretch), but he clearly isn’t in top form. If he doesn’t bring his A game tonight and Lugo merely hangs around, the Giants could be Friday’s upset special.

Love/hate our MLB upset picks? Got some of your own for Friday’s slate? Tell us all about it in the comments below!

Daily Fantasy Football Preseason Targets For Thursday Night

Sports News & Picks, , , , , , , ,

The second week of the 2016 NFL preseason is alive and well on Thursday night, which means now is a good time to figure out who you’re going to use in tonight’s daily fantasy football games over at DraftKings.

Unlike the first week of preseason play, week to should open the door a bit more for the starters, as we’ll see some stars that have so far been absent or limited, and we may see some big names lasting beyond the first quarter and maybe even up until half-time. Keep in mind that is never set in stone, and we still need to stay on top of last second inactives on Twitter and the like.

Also, extra playing time from some regular players doesn’t totally discount the backup options that could have some appeal. You can play the starters at your own risk, but we’ll show you our favorite plays for the night:

QB: Jimmy Garoppolo (Patriots), Brett Hundley (Packers) and A.J. McCarron (Bengals)

We’re looking mostly at backups that should get a good amount of time tonight, but if you want starters who could impress with a little more time on the field, consider Andy Dalton, Matt Ryan and Matthew Stafford. Derek Carr could also be in play if he’s active tonight against the Packers.

This trio makes more sense, however, as they’ve had ample preseason success and they figure to see the field for a good chunk of time. Jimmy G still needs to get ready to start the first four games of the season, so you can safely bet the Pats will play him a quarter or two again tonight. The same goes for McCarron, assuming the aforementioned Dalton doesn’t play too much.

The big play here could be Hundley, who figures to make his 2016 preseason debut. He was a preseason star last year, as he can run the ball and his big arm allows for huge plays down the field.

RB: Daryl Richardson (Steelers), John Crockett (Packers), Zach Zenner (Lions), Duke Johnson (Browns) DeAndre Washington (Raiders), Alex Collins (Seahawks) and Tyler Gaffney (Patriots)

There are even more running backs to consider, as this is without a doubt the most volatile position with so many random guys hitting the field during the preseason.

That being said, Gaffney scored in his debut, D-Rich played well and Duke Johnson may have the most upside in this entire group. Crockett and Zenner were both very good and should once again see strong playing time. Crockett is trying to secure a roster spot in Green Bay, while Zenner is still trying to lock up the third running back role in Detroit.

Alex Collins and DeAndre Washington are two other big name rookies to consider, as they were disappointing in their debuts, but could have big roles as they fight to earn some playing time in year one.

WR: Terrelle Pryor (Browns), Jared Abbrederis (Packers), Sammie Coates (Steelers), Tyler Boyd (Bengals) and Laquon Treadwell (Vikings)

Corey Coleman remains out yet again for the Browns tonight, which should push Pryor into a big role for the second straight game. He is going to be hit or miss, but he and RG3 connected twice in week one and he makes for as good a play as anyone.

Abbrederis was decent in his preseason debut, and he could be in for a bigger role tonight with Green Bay’s main starters (specifically Jordy Nelson) likely out. Jeff Janis (hand) is also done for the preseason, so Abbrederis could get some more chances to secure a roster spot.

Treadwell and Boyd both looked solid enough in their preseason debuts and both will look to improve even more if they hit the field tonight. Boyd had one big play in his first preseason game, and with Brandon LaFell out for a while, he could get a shot at working his way into a starting role.

Coates needs to be considered despite a terrible week one effort, where he did catch three passes but also fumbled the ball twice. If he ends up redeeming himself, however, you’re going to wish you used him.

TE: Martellus Bennett (Patriots), Trey Burton (Eagles) and Jesse James (Steelers)

Tight end is extremely hit or miss during the preseason, so take our favorite three plays with a huge grain of salt. None of these guys have done anything yet this month, but all three have reportedly looked good in camp and could be fighting for bigger roles.

Burton is the one that probably is more just worried about a roster spot, but he’s been great in camp and was also a stat-stuffer last preseason. After doing nothing in week one, the Eagles could try to get him going tonight.

You probably will have better luck with Bennett and James, as Bennett likely will play more tonight with Rob Gronkowski sitting out and James should get every chance to win Pittsburgh’s starting tight end gig. LaDarius Green’s career may be over, so the Steelers need to find a starter somewhere.

A strong effort tonight by James could cement his role with the team.

DEF: Patriots, Steelers, Falcons and Seahawks

Defense is a total toss-up in DFS preseason games, as we never know how the first unit will perform or how long it will be out on the field.

Atlanta really isn’t a scary unit, but RG3 did throw a pick in his preseason debut, so perhaps they can sack him and force a turnover early. The Steelers and Pats are easy tries, as they’ve both made some big plays in preseason so far, while the Legion of Boom certainly carry monster upside at home tonight.

2016 Fantasy Football ADP: Why You Can Wait on Tight End

Sports News & Picks, , ,

One thing has become abundantly clear in fantasy football: there is Rob Gronkowski and there is everyone else. That isn’t to say that guys like Travis Kelce, Tyler Eifert or Jordan Reed haven’t played themselves into that “elite tight end” conversation. But with Jimmy Graham being traded and later injured in Seattle last year, the throne rose up a few hundred miles.

Gronk is Still Tops

The proof was in the pudding in 2015, when The Gronk had almost 30 more fantasy points than any other tight end. Closest to him was the random Gary Barnidge, the often hurt Reed, the over-compensating Greg Olsen, Delanie Walker and the aforementioned Eifert and Kelce.

There are problems with associating these guys with Gronkowski, however. Barnidge could easily be a one-hit wonder, Reed has a sketchy injury history, Olsen needed to be huge last year with Kelvin Benjamin hurt, Eifert has been hurt more often than not and Kelce works out of a system that continues to curb his upside.

Of the entire lot, only Walker is truly “safe”, but he lacks the upside any of those guys possess.

Fluctuating Position

Of course, this is all simply in the “#1 tight end talk”. From there, the pack is far from Gronkowski, which tells us we can take a shot on Gronkowski early in drafts, but if we can’t get him (or don’t want him), there is little reason to press the issue at the position.

Tight end is better now than it has been in the past, partially because of talent, but also due to fluidity. Barnidge, Eifert, Ben Watson, Richard Rodgers and Zach Ertz all climbed the fantasy ladder, while Graham, Jason Witten, Antonio Gates and Martellus Bennett all fell.

The point? Get Gronkowski early if you want, but then choose wisely from that point on. The harsh reality is you can roster two solid tight ends and really just stream the position throughout the year, based on trends and matchups.

ADP Shows Value

The ADP data over at FantasyFootballCalculator.com shows us where the value is, too.

Gronkowski is going off of fantasy football draft boards around round two, with Jordan Reed coming off two rounds later in round four. On average, fantasy owners can expect to see the next best option going off the board in each successive round, with the likes of Kelce, Eifert, Olsen and Julius Thomas all being picked between rounds 5-7.

This is where the value comes in, as Coby Fleener is steadily rising up draft boards due to his athletic upside as the main option in New Orleans. That’s assuming his bad awareness, drops and the presence of Josh Hill don’t collectively become an issue.

In the case of Fleener, his upside is seeing him drafted in round six, ahead of more stable guys (who also possess plenty of upside) like Julius Thomas, Gary Barnidge, Delanie Walker and (gasp!) Tyler Eifert.

If that value wasn’t jaw-dropping enough, guys like Antonio Gates (#2 tight end in 2014), Zach Ertz (10th tight end in 2015), Jason Witten and Jared Cook (interesting sleeper now that he’s in Green Bay) are all also available after Fleener is typically drafted.

Overall, the value is clear at the tight end position. With so much talent and risk involved, it probably doesn’t pay to take a tight end early. Unless, of course, his name is Rob Gronkowski.

Are Eagles Playoff Contenders After Trading For Dorial Green-Beckham?

Sports News & Picks, , , , ,

The Philadelphia Eagles made a splash move to improve their passing game on Tuesday morning, pulling the trigger on a trade for Tennessee Titans wide receiver, Dorial Green-Beckham.

DGB to Philly

Dorial Green-Beckham had reportedly been falling out of favor with the Titans due to inconsistent practice performances and reports about a shoddy work ethic, but the Eagles made a play for an elite talent that was available for the right price. That price wasn’t at all steep for the Eagles, who shipped versatile offensive lineman Danny Kelly to the Titans to land DGB.

Questionable Decision

The trade made waves in the NFL ream on Tuesday, as it appeared like a knee-jerk reaction by the Titans due to DGB’s inability to separate himself from a vanilla receiving corps. There was no denying Green-Beckham’s sketchy past or his up and down rookie season last year.

However, DGB is a top shelf talent that at 23 years old, hasn’t even begun to tap into his full potential. That looks something like this:

Whether it was due to a lack of motivation or his surroundings, Green-Beckham arguably needed a fresh start, and it looks as though he’ll get that in Philly.

On paper, Green-Beckham brings terrific size and play-making ability to the table. If he comes in focused and develops a rapport with starting quarterback Sam Bradford, he might even have a chance to blossom into the special talent people having been raving about over the last few years.

Eagles’ Playoff Hopes

The move likely forces the under-performing Rueben Randle out of town and also likely pushed Nelson Agholor to the slot. Should DGB be the guy the Eagles hope they’re getting, there is a very real possibility Philadelphia is getting a very dangerous down field threat that can make plays over the middle of the field, down the sideline and especially in the red-zone.

Coming out of college, Green-Beckham was compared to Dez Bryant. If he can get himself into top shape and be dialed in for the start of the season, the Eagles could have landed themselves a massive steal.

Of course, that still may not change much in the way of winning games. The Eagles still looked like a floundering unit last year and if new head coach Doug Pederson has his wish, his team will probably run more than they pass.

Still, this has to give the Eagles a boost as a bet in the NFC East, where their odds are currently at the bottom of the division (+400). And forget about their Super Bowl odds (+6600), as the Eagles still have a lot of questions to answer elsewhere. Their defense still has a lot to prove, while stud offensive lineman Lane Johnson is also slated to miss the first 10 games of the year due to a performance enhancing drug suspension.

While the odds are still against the Eagles to win their division or make a random run at the Super Bowl, this big trade at least puts them back on the playoff radar. With those poor division odds at Bovada, they’re slowly looking like an interesting bet coming out of the NFC East. It also could be a good idea to temper our expectations, as DGB needs to lock down a big role and actually make a week-to-week impact first.

Marlins’ World Series Odds Take Hit With Loss of Giancarlo Stanton

Sports News & Picks

The Miami Marlins are in the same spot they were a year ago; wondering what it will take to win games consistently without star masher, Giancarlo Stanton.

Big Loss

The team learned this week that their best power hitter would need to be shut down for the remainder of the 2016 MLB season, thanks to a a groin injury that turned out to be much more serious than originally thought. Stanton injured his groin late this past Saturday and was immediately placed on Miami’s 15-day disabled list.

Stanton did not initially have a clear time table for return, but the team learned quickly following an MRI that his injury would knock him out for the rest of the year. It’s a big loss for Miami, as Stanton had been heating up over the past month and had churned out 25 home runs and 70 RBI on the season.

Realistic Contenders

Unlike dealing with Giancarlo Stanton’s injury a season ago, this time the Marlins have more than some pride to lose, as they’re still currently in the running for a NL playoff spot.

At 61-56, the Marlins stand atop the New York Mets in the NL East and are still 8.5 games behind the Washington Nationals. Catching the Nats even with a healthy Stanton always felt unrealistic, but the team was still within reach of the NL wild card spot, which the Los Angeles Dodgers currently hold with a mild four-game lead.

Replacing Stanton

Losing Stanton is massive on paper, but there is still hope the Marlins can overcome the huge loss and continue their solid play. Miami still has a very balanced unit, with a defense paced by elite pitching ace, Jose Fernandez. With some other arms such as Tom Koehler, Adam Conley and even David Phelps stepping up over the past few weeks, there is optimism Miami’s defense can help get them closer to the Dodgers in the wild card race.

Miami will undoubtedly need someone to step up and continue Stanton’s ability to power in runs, however, and that’s where the Marlins probably aren’t exactly sure of what to do at the moment.

There had been some speculation surrounding a potential union with former New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez, but it doesn’t look like a deal will be coming to fruition.

Still, Miami may need to make a play, both to secure another fielding option and also help fill Stanton’s shoes offensively. Doing so completely is next to impossible, but Miami could slowly slip out of the playoff race if they can’t find an answer for the massive loss.

World Series Odds

Miami continues to be a weak World Series bets (+3300 odds), but their chances should dip even more in the coming weeks. Should their odds dip and they remain competitive, they could quickly become a sneaky bet to go the distance. That being said, Miami for now loses a major power hitter and is much more likely to gradually fall out of the mix for the NL wild card spot.