Buffalo Bills: Top 5 Fantasy Players to Target
Buffalo Bills: Top 5 Fantasy Players to Target
The Buffalo Bills are not the first team you think of when you are looking for impact players in your fantasy league. The Bills ranked 19th in the NFL in yards per game last season and 21st in points per game. Those numbers don’t exactly inspire confidence in owners, and with their quarterback situation up in the air, the Bills are likely to struggle again offensively.
In spite of these negatives, there is still some fantasy value in Buffalo. The obvious place to look is the two-headed running back monster of C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson. Spiller enjoyed a breakout year last season, especially following Jackson’s ankle injury. Spiller is one of the most explosive backs in the league, and he will be a first round pick in almost every league. Jackson will see his role reduced because of Spiller’s emergence, but he still has value in deeper leagues. Additionally, he is one of the most talented backups in the league, and should Spiller get hurt Jackson would have tremendous value.
Unfortunately, there are not so many positives in the passing game for the Bills. The team finally realized its mistake in giving Ryan Fitzpatrick a big contract, and they drafted Florida State quarterback E.J. Manuel in the first round. Manuel will compete with veteran Kevin Kolb for the starting job, though he is very, very raw. Neither quarterback will be a major fantasy contributor this year, though Manuel could be worth a late round flier, especially in keeper leagues. Buffalo’s pass catchers may see their value slip as a result of the unsettled quarterback situation, but there is enough talent there to keep the group on fantasy owners’ minds.
The fantasy value of Bills players not named C.J. Spiller is significantly affected by league depth, so keep both that and scoring format in mind as you decide on these players on draft day. Buffalo is not the first place to turn for fantasy production, but these five players are certainly worthy of consideration.
5. Fred Jackson
Jackson has dealt with various injuries the last two seasons, and at 32 years of age his days as a top running back are over. However, he still has some value in fantasy, especially to those in deep leagues. Jackson is a good runner and receiver, and the Bills should look to find ways to use him and Spiller in the same backfield. Jackson could also steal significant goal line carries from Spiller, though it is difficult for an owner to bank on vultured touchdowns for value. One thing to keep in mind with Jackson, however, is that he is one of the best pass blocking backs in the league. That will get him on the field in numerous third down situations, where he could see increased touches. In standard leagues Jackson is likely no more than a necessary handcuff for Spiller owners, but in deep leagues he could still have some value as a flex player.
4. Scott Chandler
Scott Chandler has emerged as a productive tight end over the last two seasons, and he caught 43 passes for 571 yards and six touchdowns last season, all career bests. Chandler is big body and one of the better red-zone targets at the tight end position. There are two major issues with Chandler, however. The first is the torn ACL he suffered at the end of last season, placing his status for the beginning of this season in serious jeopardy. Secondly, his value is hugely dependent on his ability to get into the end zone. If Chandler avoids the PUP list and is playing at the start of the season, his value will certainly increase. Another potential value boost could come from rookie QB E.J. Manuel. Young quarterbacks frequently target their tight ends as a security blanket, and if Chandler develops that comfort level with Manuel he could see a nice boost in production. He is probably not a fantasy starter early in the season, but Chandler could be a big contributor down the stretch.
3. Robert Woods
Normally I would not recommend drafting rookie receivers, but I am making an exception in the case of Robert Woods because not many rookie receivers are as polished as he is. Woods was extremely productive at USC, catching 252 passes in just 38 games as a Trojan. The Bills will be thrilled if he can produce similar numbers for them, and there are reasons to think he can. First of all, Woods was undoubtedly the best route runner in the draft this season, and he arguably had the best hands too. He is not the most explosive player on the outside, but he is pro-ready and reliable so he should quickly gain the trust of whichever quarterback starts for the Bills. Woods is likely to get a ton of work on shorter routes, and he should have plenty of opportunities to make plays. This is certainly risk in ranking him this high, but I am a big Woods fan and I am willing to put my money where my mouth is on this one. Woods is a sleeper candidate and by no means a sure thing, but owners who take a late flier on him could be richly rewarded.
2. Steve Johnson
Steve Johnson has been remarkably consistent the last three seasons, topping 1,000 yards in each while never totaling less than six touchdowns. Not bad considering he’s been stuck with the weak armed Fitzpatrick throwing to him. Johnson will see more time in the slot this season so that the Bills can focus on getting the ball into the hands of their best receiver more often. This is music to fantasy owners’ ears, and you can safely expect Johnson to break 1,000 yards again with around seven touchdowns. Unfortunately, the questionable quarterback situation will again hold his production back. He may be better off when the strong armed Manuel is under center to take advantage of Johnson’s ridiculous athleticism on deep balls, but even that won’t boost his value too much. Johnson will be the focal point of opposing secondaries every week, and he will face frequent double teams. Due to the situation he’s in more than his ability, Johnson’s upside is limited to a low end WR2 or a high end WR3, depending on the depth of your league.
1. C.J. Spiller
Spiller was one of the breakout stars of fantasy last season, running for 1,244 yards on just 207 carries, good for a ridiculous 6.0 YPC. He also caught 43 balls for another 459 yards, and scored eight total touchdowns on the way to the first of what figures to be many Pro Bowl appearances. Following Fred Jackson’s injury, Spiller was one of the most productive running backs in fantasy last season, and he is only going to get better. He will certainly get more touches this season, and the rest of his numbers should increase accordingly. Spiller is probably the fastest running back in the league not named Chris Johnson, and his quickness and elusiveness are off the charts. Spiller is deadly in the open field, and the Bills’ offense will have the singular focus of getting their best player the ball in space. If there is any major concern with Spiller it is that opponents will stack the box to stop him. However, he is equally adept in the passing and running games, and with his open field abilities he should have no problem eluding defenders. Spiller should be a first round pick in every league, and he is by far the best fantasy option on the Bills.
Greg Sulik is a New York Jets writer at Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter at @GregSulik or add him to your network on Google
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