How much are you willing to spend for 12 games out of Le’Veon Bell?

It has been an active month for big news in the NFL. We finally had an end to Deflategate, the number one fantasy RB was suspended by the league for 4 games, and a highly talented WR was surprisingly granted reinstatement into the NFL after multiple drug suspensions. There is no shortage of quandaries when it comes to drafting a fantasy team this year.

So what are you willing to spend on a question mark? There may not be a right answer, but it won’t stop us from trying to find one. We’ve asked our featured experts below four pressing questions relating to Le’Veon Bell, Josh Gordon, Tom Brady and Tyler Eifert (foot injury).

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Q1. With an expected 4-game suspension, when should fantasy owners look to draft Le’Veon Bell?

“He’d make sense anywhere in the 2nd round if we knew we were getting 12 games of 2014 Bell. We don’t. Can he put the pot down and avoid another suspension? How’s that knee he hurt last year? Will he cede some work to DeAngelo Williams? Those questions push Bell into the 3rd round in my rankings.”
– Jared Smola (Draft Sharks)

“I think he’s a third-round pick, but I have no problem with someone waiting longer. The bottom line is your goal should be to go 2-2 while Bell is out, and you can still do that without a third-round pick depending on who else you have. It obviously gets easier to achieve that record if you get Bell in the fourth or fifth round, but someone will jump on him.”
– Matt Lutovsky (Sporting News)

“Bell is widely viewed as a rare difference maker who can win a week for you… Including the bye week he’ll be unavailable for five of your 13 regular season weeks, but if he can still deliver wins in several of those eight weeks he can get you into the playoffs. Then you have him in the playoffs, and probably fresher from the suspension too. He’s a high second rounder at worst.”
– Dave McKay (The Fantasy Sports Brain)

“While it’s understandable to have concerns, this would be a time that I’m buying him at the discount and hoping I can figure it out the first four weeks. You should be drafting multiple options at running back that can start weeks 1-4 for you anyway, so as long as you’re responsible there it’s survivable. If anything, this gives him an extra four weeks to recover from last year’s knee injury.”
– Russell Clay (Daily Fantasy Cafe)

Q2. How early are you willing to draft Josh Gordon and what should owners expect?

“We saw Gordon’s ceiling and floor in his last 2 seasons. He led all WRs in fantasy points back in 2013. But in 5 games the following year, Gordon scored at just a WR38 pace. Now he hasn’t played in almost 2 years and will be in a new offense with a new QB. I’d bet on him finishing closer to WR38 than WR1 — and that’s not factoring in the 4-game suspension. Gordon needs to get to the 7th or 8th round for me to be interested.”
– Jared Smola (Draft Sharks)

“Gordon is nothing more than a mid-to-late-round flier in my opinion – a guy you take after you have your three starting WRs. Never mind the four missed games or the Browns’ dismal offense – he hasn’t played in two years and could easily get in trouble again.”
– Matt Lutovsky (Sporting News)

“You can expect someone to reach for him since there is so much hype. The talent is unbelievable but there are a million reasons for doubt. I’d love to grab him in round 12 but he’s probably gonna go in round nine.”
– Dave McKay (The Fantasy Sports Brain)

“Josh Gordon isn’t someone I’m willing to invest in, especially at what he’s going to cost very soon. The general consensus has been looking for a reason to buy back into Gordon for over two years now, and they finally have their reason. There won’t be a draft where I’m the highest on him, so it’s unlikely there’s a scenario he ends up on my team. Eighth or Ninth round would probably be where I’d start looking.”
– Russell Clay (Daily Fantasy Cafe)

Q3. How early are you willing to draft Tom Brady and what would be your draft strategy if taking the suspended QB?

“Same thing as Bell… You want to get into the playoffs and then have the best team when you get there. Brady is another year older and I’m not convinced he’ll be elite this year. I would take him in round nine but he’s likely to be gone by then.”
– Dave McKay (The Fantasy Sports Brain)

“Brady’s suspension hurts less than Bell’s and Gordon’s because it’s easier to find a replacement at QB. Philip Rivers and Kirk Cousins have favorable matchups those first 4 weeks and are usually available into the double-digit rounds. Pair either guy with Brady and you’re looking at top 5 QB production over the course of the season.”
– Jared Smola (Draft Sharks)

“I’d take Brady around the seventh or eighth round, but obviously, you need to act fast with another QB like Philip Rivers or Tony Romo or whoever else is available around there to cover you for those first four games. I wouldn’t wait a long time to grab someone like Jimmy Garopolo.”
– Matt Lutovsky (Sporting News)

“Brady is someone that’s a worthy candidate to draft, much like Bell. His upside for the rest of the season averages out the issue of making something happen at quarterback in the first four weeks. The position itself is so replaceable that finding high-end quarterback weeks like Brady can produce has a lot of value.”
– Russell Clay (Daily Fantasy Cafe)

Q4. How early are you willing to draft Tyler Eifert and why?

“Eifert was overvalued in early drafts before he had ankle surgery in May. (He’s bound for significant TD regression after scoring 13 times on 52 catches last year.) But he’s sunk 2-3 rounds in drafts since then. I’m willing the pull the trigger in the 8th or 9th. Some of that TD regression should be offset by an increase in volume. Cincinnati lost 153 targets (30.3% of the team total) from last year when Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu bolted in free agency.”
– Jared Smola (Draft Sharks)

“Eifert is saying that he thinks he’ll be ready for week one. If that’s true he could be more valuable than last year. Andy Dalton lacks weapons and is likely to lean on his tight end.”
– Dave McKay (The Fantasy Sports Brain)

“He’s a mid-rounder, but with plenty of talent available at the TE position, I’m not sure he’s worth the risk. Let someone else deal with the headache unless he really falls.”
– Matt Lutovsky (Sporting News)

“Tyler Eifert won’t be someone I own this year. Ankle injuries can linger even when a player gets back to being able to play, and one wrong move and they’re right back to square one. Where he’s being drafted isn’t something I’d be comfortable investing in.”
– Russell Clay (Daily Fantasy Cafe)

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Thank you to the experts for helping answer some pressing questions. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter and leave you feedback in the comments section below.

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