Colts are one team that isn't wishing for a do-over of 2012 draft
Some QBs from the 2012 class have been suspect, but Andrew Luck isn't one of them. And, fantasywise, neither is Nick Foles.
IT'S SAFE TO SAY the Colts, who selected Andrew Luck No. 1 overall, would not want to redo the 2012 NFL draft. They have a quarterback to build their franchise around.
But betcha the Redskins wouldn't mind a do-over, exchanging oft-injured Robert Griffin III, the No. 2 pick. The Redskins also took Kirk Cousins with the 102nd pick. Their franchise is at a crossroads.
Miami might be OK with Ryan Tannehill (No. 8). Cleveland, which took Brandon Weeden at No. 22, definitely wishes it still had the receipt.
The Broncos selected Brock Osweiler at No. 57 with the hopes that newly acquired Peyton Manning would return from injury to elite status. He has, and Osweiler has been holding a clipboard ever since.
Seattle, with that neat little Super Bowl trophy, is probably happy it landed Russell Wilson at No. 75. So are the Eagles, who scooped up Nick Foles at No. 88.
Looking at the quarterbacks drafted in 2012, the top two, fantasywise, meet on the Monday night stage when Foles and the Eagles visit Luck and the Colts.
Luck is widely viewed as the better real quarterback, based especially on mobility and experience. This is Luck's third season as the Colts' starter and the playoff game he won last year, erasing a 38-10 second-half deficit against the Chiefs, is the stuff of legend. Luck's touchdown on a fumble recovery is the contemporary football equivalent of Derek Jeter's flip play in the 2001 playoffs.
"You can see why he was taken where he was taken and he's had the success in 2 years that he's had," Eagles defensive coordinator Bill Davis said. "He's a rare talent, and he is a young guy that we are going to be dealing with for a long time in the NFL."
Foles is more of a mystery, but he's starting to become more Agatha Christie than Nancy Drew. He, too, has moxie, is smart, has a good arm and is almost as appealing, from a fantasy perspective.
"[In general], I'd take Luck over Foles for fantasy purposes," said Joe Dolan, managing editor of FantasyGuru.com. "He's more mobile and more talented, and I often look for legs when it comes to my fantasy teams, because rushing production means a lot for quarterbacks."
Luck is the more elusive quarterback, but Foles' rushing totals in his first 17 starts compare quite favorably with Luck's first 17. Luck had only a few more yards (293-265) and two more touchdowns (6-4).
"I have Foles on two teams, Tannehill on three, and RGIII on one," Dolan said. "I like Luck the best of the group, but he was typically [being drafted] too early."
Not for the Colts, he wasn't.
Shirt happens
Bob Lunny is the first fantasy football contest winner of the year. We asked readers last week to project the number of rushing yards for LeSean McCoy against Jacksonville. Lunny guessed 71, which came closest to Shady's total of 74. As a result, we'll give the Horsham resident a Daily News fantasy T-shirt.
Fantasizing
Andy Reid blamed himself for KC running back Jamaal Charles getting only 11 touches Sunday. Sure don't miss those days . . . After getting vultured by a LeGarrette Blount touchdown late in the first quarter, Pittsburgh's Le'Veon Bell finished with 21 touches to Bell's four . . . Take Washington's Jordan Reed (hamstring) out of active lineups. The Giants' Larry Donnell, against Arizona, is an option for the TE-challenged . . . Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks is a borderline WR2 against Cleveland, which last week allowed Pittsburgh's Markus Wheaton to post six catches for 97 yards. New Orleans QB Drew Brees raved about Cooks, a rookie from Oregon State, all summer, then targeted him a healthy eight times in Week 1 . . . Because of Joe Flacco's ridiculous 62 pass attempts, Baltimore wide receiver Steve Smith had a league-best 15 targets last weekend. Tight end and teammate Dennis Pitta was tied for second (with Green Bay's Jordy Nelson) with 13. The Ravens trailed the whole game and had no running game to speak of. As we learned this week, that situation isn't improving anytime soon.
Adds/drops
The most popular (and unpopular) players on the waiver wire this week according to CBSSports.com:
Most added
1. Justin Forsett, RB, Ravens
2. Allen Hurns, WR, Jaguars
3. Isaiah Crowell, RB, Browns
4. Bobby Rainey, RB, Buccaneers
5. Larry Donnell, TE, Giants
Most dropped
1. Ray Rice, RB, Ravens
2. Chiefs defense/special teams
3. Jordan Reed, TE, Redskins
4. Bears defense/special teams
5. Rueben Randle, WR, Giants
Week 2 rankings (Posted Sept. 11)
QUARTERBACKS
1. Peyton Manning
2. Drew Brees
3. Aaron Rodgers
4. Matthew Stafford
5. Colin Kaepernick
6. Nick Foles
7. Andrew Luck
8. Matt Ryan
9. Ben Roethlisberger
10. Tom Brady
11. Jay Cutler
12. Tony Romo
13. Andy Dalton
14. Cam Newton
15. Ryan Tannehill
16. Philip Rivers
17. Russell Wilson
18. Carson Palmer
19. Joe Flacco
20. Robert Griffin III
RUNNING BACKS (Based on point-per-reception scoring)
1. Adrian Peterson
2. LeSean McCoy
3. Matt Forte
4. Marshawn Lynch
5. Jamaal Charles
6. Montee Ball
7. DeMarco Murray
8. Le'Veon Bell
9. i-Eddie Lacy
10. Arian Foster
11. Giovani Bernard
12. Frank Gore
13. Knowshon Moreno
14. Alfred Morris
15. Rashad Jennings
16. Terrance West
17. C.J. Spiller
18. Zac Stacy
19. i-Andre Ellington
20. Joique Bell
21. Doug Martin
22. Mark Ingram
23. Bernard Pierce
24. Shane Vereen
25. i-Reggie Bush
26. Chris Johnson
27. i-Toby Gerhart
28. Darren Sproles
29. Darren McFadden
30. Steven Jackson
WIDE RECEIVERS (Based on point-per-reception scoring)
1. Calvin Johnson
2. Demaryius Thomas
3. Dez Bryant
4. i-A.J. Green
5. Antonio Brown
6. i-Brandon Marshall
7. Julio Jones
8. Michael Floyd
9. i-Roddy White
10. Jordy Nelson
11. i-Andre Johnson
12. i-Alshon Jeffery
13. Randall Cobb
14. Reggie Wayne
15. i-Michael Crabtree
16. Emmanuel Sanders
17. Percy Harvin
18. Pierre Garcon
19. Brandin Cooks
20. Kelvin Benjamin
21. Marques Colston
22. Mike Wallace
23. Torrey Smith
24. Jeremy Maclin
25. DeSean Jackson
26. Golden Tate
27. CordarrellePatterson
28. Keenan Allen
29. Markus Wheaton
30. Steve Smith
TIGHT ENDS
1. Jimmy Graham
2. Julius Thomas
3. Vernon Davis
4. i-Rob Gronkowski
5. i-Jordan Cameron
6. Kyle Rudolph
7. Jason Witten
8. Zach Ertz
9. Dennis Pitta
10. Greg Olsen
11. Dwayne Allen
12. Travis Kelce
13. Heath Miller
14. Martellus Bennett
15. Charles Clay
16. Antonio Gates
i: Dealing with injury.
Daily News sports writer Ed Barkowitz hosts a fantasy football chat each Thursday at noon at Philly.com. A full transcript of yesterday's discussion is on the website.