Are they worth a start – Ryan Fitzpatrick and Pat Mahomes
Through the first two weeks of the season, the two most impressive quarterbacks have been Ryan Fitzpatrick and Pat Mahomes. You could not find two QB’s further apart on the experience spectrum, as Fitzpatrick, a journeyman quarterback entered his 14th NFL season as the backup in Tampa to Jameis Winston; while Mahomes, Kansas City’s first round pick in 2017 out of Texas A&M was given the starting job this offseason, when the Chiefs traded Alex Smith to Washington. Due to Winston’s suspension, Fitzpatrick was given the starting spot and in his first two games has lit up the scoreboard throwing for a total of 819 yards and 8 TDs. Meanwhile, Mahomes has been even better, as he has set the NFL record for TD passes in the first two games of the year with 10.
The question is, are either or both of these two QBs worth a start this week in a fantasy lineup? With the stats that both Mahomes and Fitzpatrick have amassed, most people would say that it is a no brainer, that of course you start them. However, it may not be that simple, in that it is probably safe to assume that neither of these QBs were drafted high in most fantasy drafts, and in Fitzpatrick’s case, it is probably an even better bet that he was not drafted at all. So, then the decision that you have to make is whether Mahomes and Fitzpatrick are preferable this week over my #1 starter?
Let’s assume that the top seven QBs (Brady, Rodgers, Brees, Rivers, Newton, Stafford, Wilson) in most fantasy drafts are must starts, no matter what. Past that, it can be a questionable choice depending on matchups. This week Fitzpatrick and the Bucs are home against the Steelers. This Steeler defense has been lit up the first two weeks, giving up a total of 947 yards of total offense to the opposition, including Mahomes’ 6 TD performance last week. So, there is a good chance that Fitzpatrick will continue with his torrid start against a struggling Steeler defense. However, Fitzpatrick has 14 years behind him and his history tells us that at some point he will return to his journeyman status and start to struggle, but will this be the week that this happens, that is the risk that you would take by starting him. My suggestion would be to gauge the matchups that you see regarding the other QB on your roster, if they are outside that top seven then you have to make that tough decision.
As for Mahomes, he will be at home as well, as the Chiefs face the San Francisco 49ers. This is matchup could be a little more problematic as the 49ers defense has played alright in the first two weeks against some strong fantasy offenses in Minnesota and Detroit. But Mahomes has the hot hand and with Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Travis Kelce and Kareem Hunt flanking him on offense, I don’t see a drastic slowdown in Mahomes stats going forward. With another game this week similar to the first two, Mahomes will move into that upper echelons of QBs and we may have to adjust his status to must start in all games for the foreseeable future.
Giovanni Bernard vs. Phillip Lindsay
You see Joe Mixon is out for the Bengals with a meniscus tear in his knee, the projection is that he will miss about 3 weeks. In his place, Cincinnati is going to start Giovanni Bernard this week at the Carolina Panthers. Then there is a rookie running back in Denver that has busted out of the gates and after the first two games sits among the league leaders in rushing yards and he is not Royce Freeman, in fact it is Phillip Lindsay.
Let’s start with Bernard, if Mixon is out for 3 weeks, Bernard will be facing the Panthers, Falcons and Dolphins as the potential starter. In the first two games of the season, only the Dolphins have shown a strong rush defense, giving up an average of 3.3 yards/carry. The Panthers and Falcons, rank towards the bottom of the league giving up an average of 4.9 and 5.2 yards/carry respectively. Cincinnati has been middle of the pack this year in both total rushing yards and yds/carry from their running backs. Over his 5 previous seasons, Bernard has proven to be a dependable back up running back, averaging around 40 yards per game and 3 touchdowns per season, he could also be a threat as a pass catcher out of the backfield as he has averaged 47 receptions a season, a good incentive for anyone in a PPR league. So, should you start Bernard if you have him on your roster? This would depend on your team’s running back depth. At the moment, Bernard should be seen as an RB2 or flex option, with this week’s matchup against Carolina and the fact that he will see a bulk of the carries, along with the potential deficiencies in the Carolina rush defense, starting Bernard is not an unwise decision.
Phillip Lindsay went undrafted in this year’s draft after a stellar career at the University of Colorado, where he would set multiple school records, and would finish second all-time in rushing yards. His knack for setting records seems to have followed him to the NFL as he would become the first undrafted rookie to amass over 100 yards from scrimmage in his first two games. The question with Lindsay, is whether this is just a short-term thing, or has Denver found the ultimate diamond in the rough. The original plan was that he would be third on the Denver RB depth behind fellow rookie Royce Freeman and veteran Devontae Booker. However, after the first two games, it looks like Lindsay may be moving up the depth chart quickly. So, is he worth a look as a depth RB on your fantasy roster? I would say that he may be a wait and see, but keep a close eye on him. He has shown that he can rack up yards on the ground, although he will not maintain his 6.1 yards/carry average, and his history in college suggests that he has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield as well, which is always a good thing, particularly for those in PPR leagues. Don’t be in a rush to stash Lindsay onto your roster, unless you have the space to do it, but he is definitely someone you want to keep your eye on, and if he continues to produce as he has, I would make sure I am the first person to put in a free agent claim for him.
