The new Fantrax Weekly FAAB Guide will help you manage your Free Agent Acquisition Budget and tell you how much to spend on the available players you are considering. We’ll tell you who is worth the larger bids and who you may be able to acquire for lower rates.
For those playing in leagues with waiver runs, you can also use this guide to help you prioritize your claims based on who has the largest to lowest recommended bid amounts. We will work with a projected $1000 budget for the season in this guide, but those utilizing other FAAB caps can simply apply it to their own formats as well.
If your league operates with a $100 budget, you can simply operate at a 10 percent rate of what is given here. Always add a few dollars to our recommended bids, as bidding 405 dollars rather than 400 can help you win a bid outright in some cases. If you have a dire need at a specific position, always feel free to go higher than what is recommended here. In high stakes formats, you certainly will have to do so for the most coveted players.
Week 2 FAAB Guide
RUNNING BACKS
Malcolm Brown, Rams (40% ownership in Fantrax Leagues): As indicated in the preseason and despite the recent coach speak/lying, Todd Gurley will operate in an apparent timeshare. Brown may also continue to get frequent goal-line carries. Recommended FAAB Bids: 40 percent of your budget if you have Gurley, as Brown may be lead back if he goes down and 30 percent if you need RB help or a flex option.
Raheem Mostert, 49ers (0.5%): The Tevin Coleman injury could open up some serious work for Mostert who has the speed to tear off long runs or score from anywhere on the field. He should operate in a timeshare, and although he likely won’t be asked to be a lead RB at any point, he has some upside as a flex play. Recommended FAAB Bids: 25 percent of your budget if you need RB or flex help, 20 percent just to take a shot on him otherwise.
Chris Thompson, Redskins (58%): There is a possibility he could be available in your league, especially if it is a 10-teamer. The loss of Derrius Guice could mean he gets a few more carries, but he already caught seven of 10 targets for 68 yards in Week One. He won’t rush too often, but the Redskins will play from behind a lot. He’s a quality PPR add. Recommended FAAB Bid: 14 percent of your budget.
Dontrell Hilliard, Browns (21%): He painfully vultured a TD run from Nick Chubb in Cleveland’s season opener. He is the definite handcuff to Chubb for now and should be more widely rostered by those owners. It shouldn’t take much to get him. Recommended FAAB Bid: Three percent of your budget should land him.
WIDE RECEIVERS
John Ross, Bengals (31%): The Bengals offense appeared to be instantly rejuvenated in the season opener, and Ross looked like he can finally deliver on his considerable potential. Upcoming opponents may start to give him more defensive attention and that could lead to some inconsistency, but he may be a more regular fantasy contributor than some of the rookies that also went off in the first week. A.J. Green will return at some point, but Ross will still have a role as a deep threat. Recommended FAAB Bid: Do keep in mind he may be boom or bust and don’t bid more than 35 percent of your budget. Anything more may be an overreaction to Week One.
Terry McLaurin, Redskins (25%): The Redskins desperately need someone to step forward at WR and the rookie answered the call in the opener. Even if there is a QB change at some point, McLaurin does have the advantage of having played with Dwayne Haskins at Ohio State. But now he will also command more defensive respect going forward, so there will be some down outings. Recommended FAAB Bid: 28 percent of your budget.
A.J. Brown, Titans (51%): He finished with 100 yards in his pro debut and appeared to provide the Titans with a new downfield dimension. Brown is a refreshing add for Marcus Mariota in a pivotal season. Rookies will struggle with inconsistency, but Brown is an intriguing add. Recommended FAAB Bid: 23 percent of your budget.
D.J. Chark, Jaguars (26%): He had a career outing in the season opener, with 146 yards and a TD. But the Jaguars now go to a backup QB, and as impressive as Gardner Minshew looked in relief of Nick Foles, he will likely struggle much more when defenses prepare for him now. Chark looks less appealing going forward. Recommended FAAB Bid: Nine percent.
NOTE: Marquise Brown is available is only 29 percent of Fantrax leagues. The Ravens drafted him to be an immediate contributor for Lamar Jackson and he was widely regarded as the best rookie WR available. He is another explode or go silent type, as are many of the WRs in this week’s report, but he and McLaurin may have the best opportunities to be prominent contributors in their respective passing games. Bid 37 percent of your FAAB budget on Brown if he is available.
TIGHT ENDS
C.J. Uzomah (14%): He looked like the best TE on the roster in the opener and could be more of a frequent fantasy producer this season in what is looking like an improved Bengals offense. Uzomah caught four passes for 66 yards and is definitely worth a flier. It won’t take much to get him either. You may have to bid more for another TE but I say go for Uzomah first and spend a bit less. Recommended FAAB Bid: Four percent of your budget should easily get him.
Vernon Davis (10): He finished with 59 yards and a TD in the opener and has played well or adequately at times when Jordan Reed has been out. But ultimately he still figures to be a TE2 type. Recommended FAAB Bid: No more than five percent of your budget. I don’t look for much upside here.
Scott Engel is an inaugural member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association’s Hall of Fame and a four-time award winner. He was one of the driving content forces in the rise of RotoExperts.com and was the lead host on the RotoExperts in the Morning for six years on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio. He was also instrumental in the launch of the FNTSY Sports Network. Scott was the first-ever Senior Writer and Managing Editor at CBS SportsLine and won a company Hall of Fame Award. He was also an Associate Editor and Fantasy analyst for ESPN.com. He has been the featured Fantasy Writer on Seahawks.com since 2012 and his work has been syndicated to the Associated Press, NFL.com, New York Daily News, New York Post, Yahoo Sports, Bloomberg Sports, Sports Illustrated and many others. He is a credentialed media member who won an FSWA award in 2016 for his Insider Fantasy Reporting. Known as “The King”, Scott is on Twitter @scotteTheKing
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