Fabiano’s Fantasy Focus Week 9, Volume I

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Every Wednesday during the season NFL Network and NFL.com Senior Fantasy Analyst Michael Fabiano joins Sports360AZ.com’s Brad Cesmat to share his insight on building and developing your fantasy team for success.

Here are some hi-lights from our most recent conversation (October 29th) with the Fantasy Sports Writer’s Association Hall of Famer.

Is Cam Newton a viable starting option Thursday night against the Saints? “He’s had one big game all year. Just one and he is way off the pace that he has set the last three years from a fantasy perspective so, if you have depth at quarterback…if you have a quarterback who’s hot right now, Cam Newton’s a guy you can really think about sitting…the Saints have not been tough on quarterbacks this year but in his career Cam has not put up good yards and many touchdowns there against New Orleans.”

Getting frustrated with Marshawn Lynch–is it time to give up and consider moving him..is he one of those guys? “No, he’s not because Marshawn Lynch, while he definitely is in a cold stretch right now, he’s still one of the better running backs in fantasy football right now. I mean, you can’t get frustrated with a guy after he has two or three bad games. Marshawn Lynch is still currently in the top six among fantasy running backs and we’re talking about a position that has Justin Forsett in its’ top 10 right now. I don’t know if that says more about Forsett or the state of running backs right now.”

How about Andre Johnson in Houston? “Andre Johnson, if you’re in a standard league, is a match-up based guy. If you’re in a PPR league, you play him. He catches five or six passes every week but he doesn’t score touchdowns anymore. Really, he never has and to be quite honest with you he just isn’t giving you the production that warrants being a no-brainer starter in fantasy leagues anymore. Again, unless you’re in a PPR league.”

Carson Palmer or Philip Rivers this week? “Rivers. Rivers has been too good to bench. He’s scored 19+ fantasy points in all but two games this year and if you actually look at the numbers the Dolphins actually haven’t been good against the pass on their home field and Rivers has averaged over 300 passing yards in his last three games against Miami so I think this is actually a pretty easy one. Palmer’s numbers have been good but the Cowboys defense is tough on quarterbacks, typically.”

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