Welcome to Week 3 of the 2023 Footballguys Roundtable. Our intrepid panel of fantasy pundits discusses and debates four topics every week. We split the conversation into separate features.
This week's roundtable features these four topics:
- For Real, Fool's Gold
- The Footballguys' Subscriber Contest
- Week 1 vs. Week 2 (see below)
- Replacement RB Strategy
Let's roll.
Week 1 vs. Week 2
Matt Waldman: Let's discuss fantasy football narratives from the past two weeks:
- Name a narrative from Week 1 that you believe Week 2's performance dispelled.
- Name a narrative from Week 1 that you believe Week 2's performance confirmed.
- Name a narrative that was consistent during Weeks 1-2 that you believe will be dispelled eventually this year.
- Name a narrative that was consistent during Weeks 1-2 that you believe won't change.
Go.
Jeff Haseley: So far, the Steelers are content with a thunder and lightning approach in the backfield between Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. I don't feel like Warren will fully overtake Harris. He doesn't have the build for it. I do think we will continue to see a committee that should improve as the Steelers offense improves. I think Week 2's outcome with Warren dispels Week 1's idea that he'd beat out Harris during the year.
Houston realized that Tank Dell needed to be utilized more after Week 1. They called his number, and he didn't disappoint in Week 2. The volume should continue to be there for him this season.
Something is amiss with the Chiefs offense for the past two weeks, even with Travis Kelce back. The offense as a whole is performing like Kelce returning from injury - slow, but still capable of making some plays. Outside of Kelce, they are throwing darts at the board, hoping one hits a bullseye. Once they figure out their complementary attack after Kelce, things should improve.
I have come to the realization that the division is a long-term goal for Carolina. The primary goal is to sustain drives, resulting in scores, and to stop scoring drives on defense. The rest will work itself out once that becomes a common theme. The immediate goal is for each game to be better than the last. It is taking Bryce Young some time to learn the ropes with an offense that is devoid of weapons and receivers who can separate. It may come around eventually, but the past two weeks reveal that the hill is steeper than I originally thought.
Daniel Harms: The idea that Etienne is a top-ten back will be dispelled. Etienne had a 21-yard rushing touchdown and 5 receptions to boost his Week 1 performance. The receptions will fall off, and the boom-or-bust player will return.
However, Nico Collins is for real. The connection with C.J. Stroud is there, and the Texans view him as their number-one receiver. The volume should continue.
Matthew Stafford has upended the notion that he's not a startable quarterback in redraft. Cooper Kupp will be back, and that passing attack will continue to cook.
Hockenson is a top-three tight end this season, and that fits the same narrative. The Vikings' defense is terrible, and they could be in many negative game scripts this season. Wheels up for Hockenson!
Dan Hindery: Daniel Jones was an unmitigated disaster during the first six quarters of the 2023 season, and the narrative that he is terrible was starting to take hold. Then he went out and threw for 250 yards, rushed for 50, and accounted for 3 touchdowns in the second half of the Week 2 game to lead a comeback that keeps the Giants alive. Jones is going to have some rough weeks, especially against elite defenses, but he's better than the Week 1 narrative would have you believe.
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