Ben Tate and Ryan Mathews are being overvalued

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Fantasy Football is always exciting, even when you are having a bad season. I cannot preach it enough, that no matter how bad you start, you can always come back. My brother started out 0-5 two years ago and came all the way back to go 7-6 and make the playoffs.

Allen won a lot of leagues for people last year. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

As some of you know, I have a Facebook page called Fantasy Football Insight and every year someone tells me “I quit, I’m 0-5”. Winning and losing in Fantasy Football can be the difference between picking up a Keenan Allen or a Nick Foles on the waiver wire and not getting either of them. If you start out 0-5 but do well on the waiver wire, you are going to win some games and give yourself a chance to win.

Last year, I had a special fantasy season that started out really bad. I started 0-2 and then I made a trade that changed everything . I got rid of Tom Brady and Marques Colston and got Matthew Stafford and Stevan Ridley in return, which ended up working out fantastically. I went on to win 14 straight fantasy games, and ended up winning the championship.

In my five years of playing fantasy football, I have never had a season quite like that. In order to have those seasons, you have to nail the sleepers. Like those of you that nabbed Josh Gordon did last year.

Here is a list of the players that I like and don’t like at each position, starting with the quarterbacks. This will focus on the running backs.

Greene could be even better than anticipated. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports

These are the running backs I like currently going outside the of the top-24 at running back:

Shonn Greene (Tennessee Titans)- Okay, so I know that everyone wants to anoint Bishop Sankey as “the guy” in Tennessee. However, I am not there yet. I think Greene is going to get a lot of carries, and will steal all the goal line work. I realize he is coming back from a knee injury, but he started and looked fine in the first preseason game. Currently Shonn Greene is going as the 45th running back of the board according to ESPN.com’s ADP. He could be worth a lot more than that.

Andre Williams (New York Giants)- Honestly, he wasn’t supposed to be on the list. I like the his ability to run the football, but he has a long way to go in pass protection and catching the ball if he wants to become an every down back in this league. However, I looked at Rashad Jennings’ injury history, and with this offensive line, things could get ugly. Jennings has missed a ton of time due to injury and if he misses any more, there is a huge chance that the job is Andre Williams’ for good.

Stevan Ridley (New England)- Ridley has had a history of fumbling the football. However, this year I think he holds onto it and outperforms his average draft position of 30th among running backs. I think Ridley is the running back you want from New England this year. I’ve seen James White, and I don’t think he is a real threat to take the bulk of the work this season. Next year will be a different topic because of Ridley’s contract.

Deep Sleeper:

Kenjon Barner (Carolina Panthers)- He was poor in the first preseason game, however, back when he was drafted I thought he could be at least an average running back in this league. He has yet to be given the opportunity, so honestly we have no clue if my assessment was right or wrong. Why Kenjon? Back when he was drafted, he did sports science and had similar finishing numbers to Adrian Peterson. I’m not saying he is better or is even close to Peterson, but it got me really excited for what he is capable of. He is a guy I am watching.

Lynch reached the dreaded 400 touch plateau in Super Bowl XLVIII. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Players I don’t like currently going in the top-24 at running back

Ryan Mathews (San Diego Chargers)- Mathews has a history of getting injured and fumbling the football. Well, in the first preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys, he fumbled the goal line carry and turned it over. ON THE GOALLINE! Of course, it’s preseason, but it could be a signal that the fumble issue is back, which could kill his workload.

Marshawn Lynch (Seattle Seahawks)- The 400-touch workload is dangerous ground to reach, and he reached it last year in the Super Bowl. If you don’t know the “400-touch” rule, I will just say it is not a good category to be in. The running backs in that category usually follow the next season with injuries. Lynch held out, plays in a tough division, and is on a team with unproven wide receivers.

Ben Tate (Cleveland Browns)- It is really about his history of not staying on the field. Tate is usually banged up, and the system tends to fit Terrence West better. Tate is well outside of my top 24 because of that division and his history of having trouble staying on the field. Plus, is Ben Tate going to get the goal line carries? I think it will be more of a committee backfield than people are talking about, which means Tate is being overvalued.