There's nothing wrong with conventional wisdom. But being predictable is usually a pretty good way to get beat. Sometimes it's best to zig when people zag. Yin when people yang. Be unpredictable like an M. Night Shyamalan film (one of the good ones). That's where this column comes in. The tips below aren't for everyone and not all of them may be appropriate for your draft. But keep these handy when you want to throw your league-mates a curveball each week.
Around us, it was night. We moved through the darkness using whatever vague clues we could see to light the way. Together we moved forward, leaning on each other for support. There were missteps and wrong turns. But overall, we progressed steadily toward our ultimate destination. And now we've arrived, having crawled through the abyss of the offseason, we've landed in the sunshine of the regular season.
Let's start in Tampa Bay where as many questions surrounding the running backs than the quarterback:
Buccaneers RBs
Tired -- Avoid them at all costs. There's little reason to get excited about the Bucs running backs. We know what Peyton Barber is -- and it's pretty average, at best. Ronald Jones was a disappointment last year and it doesn't appear that he's made significant progress this offseason. Plus, the Bucs are built to be a pass-heavy team which doesn't bode well for any of their running backs.
Wired -- Dare to get Dare. If you squint hard enough, you can see the makings of a late-round gem in Dare Ogunbowale. The untested running back has carved out a role as Tampa's passing-down back. That's encouraging on a team that could be throwing the ball quite a bit. He'll definitely be a matchup-based play in deeper leagues but he could end up being as valuable as the other two main backs on the roster -- maybe even more so.
Starting QBs
Tired -- Start your studs. There's a reason you bucked the trend and spent a relatively high draft pick on someone like Patrick Mahomes or Matt Ryan. Why would you pick a player like that and immediately throw him on your bench? You picked them because they're good and can overcome tough matchups.
Wired -- Don't tempt fate and stream. There really are no such things as must-start quarterbacks any more. Maybe Mahomes. Maybe. But beyond that, tough defenses can overcome great quarterbacks. (Looks at Aaron Rodgers.) With the depth at the position, there are usually lots of good options on the waiver wire. Take a look around for Jameis Winston, Kirk Cousins, Dak Prescott or even Matthew Stafford. You can be bold or be smart. The choice is yours.
Eagles WRs
Tired -- Can you trust anyone beyond Alshon? Everyone thinks Carson Wentz is set up for a big year. Zach Ertz is going to eat again and the hydra backfield should see plenty of touches. But what about the receivers? Alshon Jeffery is in line to be the top wideout target but how many will he get? Then there's the issue of DeSean Jackson hanging around to get those deep shots. Plus ... whatever do we do about Nelson Agholor or even J.J. Arcega-Whiteside? Maybe it's best to just avoid the whole mess until we get more clarity.
Wired -- Swag with Agholor. It might not be an every-week thing, but Nelson Agholor can certainly be a Week 1 thing. Not only is the overall matchup favorable against a bad Washington defense but Agholor is likely to work out of the slot against Fabian Moreau, who struggled mightily covering slot receivers last season.
Marcas Grant is a fantasy analyst for NFL.com and a man who somehow dodged the Antonio Brown bullet like he was Neo. Send him your tales of surviving the Matrix or fantasy football questions on Twitter @MarcasG or Instagram at MarcasG.
