Skip to main content

How to handle the Antonio Brown situation

Following this Antonio Brown debacle has been ... interesting to say the very least.
But what do you do with him if you drafted him?

Chances are, if you drafted Antonio Brown, you've been following along with the never-ending saga that's been playing out in Oakland.

Even if you faded Brown in drafts, it's like a train wreck ... you. just. can't. look. away. 


Let's recap this hot mess of an offseason for Brown: 
  • Frostbitten feet
  • Filed a grievance about his helmet
  • Said he wouldn't play without wearing his old helmet
  • Sat out of preseason practices
  • Showed back up to camp
  • Sent the discipline letter he received out on social media
  • Issues emotional apology ... and it was accepted
  • Was fined more than $250K and his $29M guaranteed was revoked
  • Demanded he be released ... via Instagram
  • Raiders hit him with the nah wave and released him
And the latter four all happened in a matter of hours. It's been a hell of a last 48 hours. God bless Twitter, that's all I have to say. 

So, let's say you DID decide to invest in AB. Depending on when you drafted, you may have been able to get him near the end of the third round, but, according to Fantasy Football Calculator's average draft position, you likely had to spend second-round draft capital on the diva wideout. Needless to say, if you were one of the believers that took him in the second, you're in a wee bit of a pickle. 

The AB Plan

The first thing you need to do: Cool your jets, (wo)man 

Yes, Brown has been released and won't be playing in Week 1. That's tough. But, the matchup wasn't THAT great to begin with, you were just banking on volume to get you through. You likely have a semi-decent option on your bench anyway. If you don't, shame on you for not recognizing the risk that came with taking AB. 

Second: Peep Tyrell Williams  

With Brown out of town -- intentional rhyme, sorry not sorry -- SOMEONE has to step in and be the No. 1 option in Oakland. That is almost assuredly going to be Williams. Scour your waiver wire and see if he's available. Add him if you absolutely NEED an option for Week 1. 
Tyrell Williams is likely the new No. 1 in Oakland
now that Antonio Brown has been released. If you
absolutely need an option for Week 1, Williams
is at least worth a look. 
IMPORTANT: DO NOT DROP BROWN FOR HIM
... OR ANYONE. 

Third: Sit tight. 

It sucks, but you might have to sit with a dead roster spot. At least for a few weeks. It's unlikely Brown will struggle mightily to find work. All-world talents like him don't just disappear. Some team will take chance on him, so until that time comes, you're going to have to wait. It's no different than drafting a player who was slated to miss a certain amount of games to start the season due to a suspension or holdout of some sort -- i.e. Melvin Gordon, Golden Tate. 

In short, hold Brown, keep an eye on the news -- every hour, because his news cycle is even more rapid than Donald Trump's -- and hope he finds a new home quickly (and I think he'll find a new home by Week 4 at the latest).  

Possible landing spots: Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers ... and my dark horse, New York Jets. 

-- By Nathan Joyce
@nd_joyce
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Adell says "Hello From the Other Side"

Will Jo Adell be the latest prospect to set the league on fire upon callup? Get Ronald Acuña Jr. on your team. This should be the first step to winning every fantasy baseball league every year for the foreseeable future. However, unless you’re blessed with the top pick in your fantasy draft you’re going to have to identify the next Acuña before his meteoric rise to stardom. Last season, we saw the future of the league be turned over to prospects who even average fantasy players knew were going to be some of the best in baseball the moment they stepped onto the diamond. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatís Jr. and Eloy Jiménez -- those names were drummed into our heads so often we knew they were coming, like an offspeed pitch at a Houston Astros' home game. Everyone knows these players and their value is already really high just like this season Wander Frano, Luis Robert or Casey Mize are trending the moment they take the rubber or pick up a bat, so this article isn...
Post a Comment
Read more

Week 4 DraftKings Picks, Fades & Stacks

After a pair of tough matchups, it's looking like DeAndre Hopkins might come in with lower ownership than we're used to seeing, which could be a prime spot to jump on him in tournaments.   The Plays Kerryon Johnson, RB, $5,400 (vs. Kansas City) Pick yourself up off the floor. I know recommending Johnson comes as a shock. For as much as I've been a nonbeliever, how can I suggest playing him? Well, DraftKings pricing makes this viable. Well, that and the juicy matchup with Kansas City. This game carries a 54.5 total, with the Lions implied for 24 points. So they're not huge underdogs and implied for some feeble total like the Dolphins and Jets. If the Lions have any chance of winning this game, it seems the best avenue to that would be keeping the ball on the ground, and that means a lot of Johnson. He received 20 carries against an impressive Philadelphia run defense. Granted, he didn't do much with the carries, but he GOT them. And that's what matters. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Madrigal Might Be More Than A "One-Hit Wonder"

Nick Madrigal could just hit his way into a prospect laden White Sox lineup (NBC Chicago) Like Morpheus searching the Matrix, I think I've finally found the one. A slappy little fast guy without any real power who is worth rostering. Nick Madrigal 2B Chicago White Sox Highest level: AAA Age: 22 ETA: Early 2020 Now most players who lack the ability to hit more than 10 home runs in a season should be left on the waiver wire, or at least be a catcher. Madrigal has found a way to transcend his inability as a hitter by maximizing what he's good at, he doesn't strikeout. Across three leagues last year, Madrigal set a minor league-low 3.3 percent strikeout rate. Additionally, he's not just a tough out -- he produced a slash line of  .331/.398/.424. After being drafted by the White Sox in 2018, Madrigal seemed advertised as a guy who was going to be an asset at the top of the lineup as a single and maybe score kind of asset. However, he took an even greater ...
Post a Comment
Read more