What is Steve Smith’s Fantasy Value?
“He was always made for this. Steve Smith’s hard-nosed, take-no-prisoners, “ice up, son” attitude always seemed custom-fit to the AFC North and its old school, kick-in-the-teeth atmosphere. However, Smith went to much warmer and more welcoming climates when selected in the third round of the NFL Draft 13 years ago. Since then, Smith has proven to be a reliable – and at times elite – talent for his Carolina Panthers, despite pre-draft concerns about his diminutive 5’9”, 185-pound frame.
Yet, he never quite fit. Sure, Carolina made a few playoff runs with Smith on the team, but he was a slot receiver who transcended the mold, a number one wideout who didn’t have the right frame. With a young team finally on the up and up, though, “Smiff” turned 35 this May and was due a $7 million base salary for 2014. The career Panthers legend became very expendable very quickly. The Baltimore Ravens saw an opportunity to improve their own thin wide receiver corps and snapped him up, however, and now Smith will have a chance to show what he can do on northern ice as the second wideout behind Torrey Smith.”
Can he step up for your fantasy team?
6 Bold Predictions About the 2014 Fantasy Football Season
Six numberFire writers collaborated and each came up with a bold prediction for the upcoming season:
“Surprises happen in football each year. Whether it’s a running back who comes out of nowhere and becomes a full-blown stud (Alfred Morris), or a backup quarterback who ends up playing like an elite one for a stretch of games (Josh McCown), we all know that the unlikely will happen in the NFL each and every year.
Because we know this to be true, a handful of the numberFire football writers got together and wanted to give some bold predictions – things that may be unlikely to happen, but things we truly believe will happen.
Six injuries that could impact fantasy drafts
NFL.com Fantasy writer Matt Franciscovich discusses several key injuries heading into the fantasy football season. LINK
Preseason Week 2 Flames/Lames: Justin Hunter is no longer on the clearance rack
Yahoo Fantasy Sports writer, Brad Evans, lists a few flames and a few lames, ranging from sleepers to guys going in the early rounds. LINK
No. 3 wide receivers can offer sleeper fantasy value
Marcas Grant of NFL.com explains the rise of the 3rd WR and which ones are primed for a good fantasy season in 2014. LINK
Why the Ravens’ Marlon Brown Will Have to Wait for His Potential Breakout Campaign
Leo Howell of numberFire details why fantasy owners will have to hold off on their expectations of Marlon Brown in 2014:
“Fantasy football is ultimately just a game, which means it attracts those who enjoy other games. The competitive nature of fantasy sports attracts those who like poker, board games, and even video games. So it’s no surprise when lots of fantasy football teams wind up looking a lot like Madden teams.
That includes an infatuation with young players who have “skills” and “upside.” It’s part of the motivation behind Sammy Watkins and T.Y. Hilton’s elevated average draft positions at the moment, as fantasy players often love the video-game-like skills they possess. This logic carries over into a generally flawed line of thinking about all football players.”
