Skip to main content
Scott Pianowski photo

Scott Pianowski

Yahoo! Sports

Featured Pros: Early Bust Candidates
Thu, Jul 5
Featured Pros: Early Bust Candidates
What RB in our consensus top 24 should fantasy owners fear the most as a bust candidate?
LeSean McCoy hits his age 30 season and he's surrounded by one of the worst offenses in football. There's no one else on the Bills you're proactively drafting here, and I dare McCoy to somehow make this work. Buffalo did all it could to get Tyrod Taylor out of town, but this year's quarterback play will likely be worse - this organization will take a step or two backwards before it moves forwards again. If you don't like the overall setup, you can't trust McCoy in Round 2. (I also think Jerick McKinnon's ADP is crazy-expectant; Kyle Shanahan is a heck of a coach, but it's not like he's never wrong on personnel. And McKinnon did ordinary things with a perfect setup in Minnesota last year.)

What WR in our consensus top 24 should fantasy owners fear the most as a bust candidate?
I have no problem saying no to Allen Robinson at his current ADP. He might as well not even be on my board. He's coming off a torn ACL and he was an inefficient mess in 2016. We haven't seen good football from him in three years. Wideouts changing teams always make me a little nervous, and although I am hopeful the new, modern coaching regime can make some sparks fly with the Bears offense, Robinson is not where I'd place my chips. You're paying for the high end of his range.

Featured Pros: Breakout Candidates
Thu, Jun 7
Featured Pros: Breakout Candidates
What RB has the best shot of having a breakout year in 2018?
Rex Burkhead hardly played in 2016 and he still scored eight touchdowns. This Patriots offense, it pushes you into the end zone. Sure, Sony Michel was a first-round pick, but he's still unproven in the NFL, and he brings a history of fumbling. I'll be looking to scoop cheaper New England options this summer, with Burkhead at the top of that target list.

What WR has the best shot of having a breakout year in 2018?
Corey Davis will show up on a lot of breakout lists, so one could argue the value won't be right. Nonetheless, you have to have a conversation about him. Davis's first year was ruined by injuries and an old and dated coaching staff. The injuries are healed, the staff replaced. The last time we saw Davis in a real game, he was (finally) visiting the end zone, scoring twice at New England in the playoffs. I've long held respect for TE Delanie Walker and RB Rishard Matthews, but Davis is the upside play in Tennessee.

What TE has the best shot of having a breakout year in 2018?
Tight end is a difficult position for a rookie; if a fresh TE can simply play adequate football as a rookie, he's so far ahead of the game. With that in mind, I'm interested in George Kittle's second season. He's working with a tandem everyone likes, Jimmy Garoppolo and Kyle Shanahan, and the 49ers do not have a dynamic alpha WR or a touchdown-gobbling one. Kittle could easily lead this team in touchdown receptions.

Against the Spread: Super Bowl Picks
Fri, Feb 2
Against the Spread: Super Bowl Picks
Game: Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots (-4.5)
Pick: New England Patriots (-4.5)
A coaching and QB edge is obviously gigantic, especially with extra prep time. New England's wide usage tree is also a key here.

Game: Will the combined score be over or under 48 points?
Pick: Under

Game: What will the total combined points be at the end of the game?
Pick: I have the final score as 27-20, Patriots, so that's 47 in all. Math!

Against the Spread: Conference Round Picks
Thu, Jan 18
Against the Spread: Conference Round Picks
Game: Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots (-9)
Pick: New England Patriots (-9)
Hopefully Brady's hand is no big deal. Jags can't hide Bortles in this one.

Game: Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles (+3)
Pick: Philadelphia Eagles (+3)
Two solid teams, but feel Philly's defense and home-field edge are getting a little underplayed here.

Which game pick are you most confident with?
Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles (+3)

Against the Spread: Divisional Round Picks
Thu, Jan 11
Against the Spread: Divisional Round Picks
Game: Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles (+3)
Pick: Philadelphia Eagles (+3)
The Eagles need Foles to not throw up on himself, but this is still a solid team with home field. And I learned all through 2017, do not trust the Falcons.

Game: Tennessee Titans at New England Patriots (-13.5)
Pick: New England Patriots (-13.5)
My favorite highlight of the week was Belichick talking up the Titans on Wednesday, as if they were the 1979 Steelers. The Dick LeBeau defense will be an easy solve for New England.

Game: Jacksonville Jaguars at Pittsburgh Steelers (-7)
Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars (+7)
Jacksonville won't be intimidated, and obviously it knows it can win here. But we haven't seen dominant Fournette in three months.

Game: New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings (-4.5)
Pick: New Orleans Saints (+4.5)
Line is getting too high, all the value is with the Saints. But the Vikings are clearly the NFC's best team.

Which game pick are you most confident with?
Tennessee Titans at New England Patriots (-13.5)

Against the Spread: Wild Card Picks
Thu, Jan 4
Against the Spread: Wild Card Picks
Game: Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs (-8)
Pick: Kansas City Chiefs (-8)
Mike Mularkey. Also, the Chiefs plugged their leaks nicely about a month ago, finished strong.

Game: Atlanta Falcons at Los Angeles Rams (-5)
Pick: Los Angeles Rams (-5)
Steve Sarkisian. Hey, let's take all the plays that worked so well last year - like the passes to the backs - and throw them in the trash.

Game: Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars (-8.5)
Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars (-8.5)
Hardest game on the card. I think Buffalo is just happy to be here.

Game: Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints (-6)
Pick: New Orleans Saints (-6)
Cam Newton looked injured last week, so many throws off target. He's never been the epitome of accuracy, but something looks wrong.

Which game pick are you most confident with?
Atlanta Falcons at Los Angeles Rams (-5)

Nothing found for Notes
Nothing found for News

Go to the Fantasy Accuracy Reports to see how this expert stacks up.