Week 5 QB Upgrade/Downgrade (1 Viewer)

[BassNBrew]

In week 3 FBG presented us with the following information.

QUARTERBACK UPGRADE

QB Tom Brady, NE

QB Trevor Siemian, DEN  (waiver wire: 7-15%)

QB Carson Wentz, PHI

QB Derek Carr, OAK

QB Jay Cutler, MIA  (waiver wire: 5-10%)

QB Deshaun Watson, HOU  (waiver wire: 3-5%)

QB Joe Flacco, BAL  (waiver wire: 1-3%)

QB Josh McCown, NYJ  (waiver wire: 1-3%)

QB Mitchell Trubisky, CHI  (waiver wire: 1% in very deep or 2QB/superflex)

QB C.J. Beathard, SF  (waiver wire: 1% in very deep or 2QB/superflex)

QB Teddy Bridgewater, MIN  (waiver wire: 1% in very deep or 2QB/superflex)

QB Case Keenum, MIN  (waiver wire: 1% in very deep or 2QB/superflex)

QB A.J. McCarron, CIN  (waiver wire: 1% in very deep or 2QB/superflex)

QUARTERBACK DOWNGRADE

QB Sam Bradford, MIN

QB Andy Dalton, CIN

QB Tyrod Taylor, BUF

QB Russell Wilson, SEA

QB Eli Manning, NYG

QB Mike Glennon, CHI

QB Brian Hoyer, SF

QB DeShone Kizer, CLE

QB Cam Newton, CAR

QB Kirk Cousins, WAS

QB Jameis Winston, TB

The bold that were on the upgrade list are on this week's downgrade list and the bold on the downgrade list are on this week's upgrade list.  

8 of the 11 downgrades from last week are upgrades this week.  That's not a good track record.  The upgrade list looks a little better on the surface with only 5 of the 13 recommended upgrades getting the dreaded down arrow this week.  However when you dig deeper 5 of those 13 were backups, 4 of whom are backups to QBs who move to this weeks upgrade list making them defect downgrades.  That means 9 of the 13 upgrades last week filmed out.  

Based on this, I give you next weeks upgrade list.

Quarterback Upgrade Week 5

QB Joe Flacco, BAL

QB Cam Newton, CAR

QB Jay Cutler, MIA

QB Trevor Siemian, DEN

QB Philip Rivers, LAC

QB Derek Carr, OAK

QB Ben Roethlisberger, PIT

QB Carson Wentz, PHI

I hate to bag on Bloom as I really like him, but this is one area that changes need to happen.  This article is almost 100% reactionary based solely on the prior week performance or injury (which I can get from an injury report).  It's not just this week, it's been consistently inaccurate for quite some time.  There really needs to be some forward thinking here.  We'd be much better served if these lists were cut down by about 2/3s and we're getting double the analysis on those that remain.  It almost appears as if he's getting paid by the word for this article.  I'd challenge him to create this list as if he's getting paid on the outcome of his calls.  Based on the results from last week, using this content is more of a detriment to the reader rather than being a benefit.  How many subscribers are burning their waiver wire budget on guys who are downgraded the falling week.  I'd suggest poopcaning it and letting Bloom focus on the things he does really well or off loading it to one of Otis's interns and call it the Hawkgrade Report.

 

[-OZ-]

.  This article is almost 100% reactionary based solely on the prior week performance or injury (which I can get from an injury report).  It's not just this week, it's been consistently inaccurate for quite some time.  

It's the same with any position. IDP is the article I read first yet rarely is there anything really worthwhile looking forward. These have become a "these guys did well, these didn't" each week. We don't need that, we need players whose roles are changing going forward. Of course they won't necessarily know that, but it's like paying a financial manager, we expect you to do better than we would on our own.

 

[MattFancy]

The upgrade/downgrade list has never made much sense to me.

Travis Kelce had a horrible game last week, but now we're downgrading him? To what? TE2?

 

[matuski]

Useless.

 

[CowboysHomer]

For the last 3-4 years, it's always been a "this guy did good, this guy did bad" last week.   I agree that the 'trends" would be better.  This report in its current state is useless though

 

[msudaisy26]

I always use this list to make sure I don't miss a waiver guy, I also don't like that the list is made Monday. I miss the Monday night game sometimes and may miss a breakout performance. 

 

[Interseptopus]

Every year they have the upgrade/downgrade list and every year someone points out how ridiculous and over-reactionary it is. I laugh at it. Use it for what it's worth- what FAs might be worth taking a look at. It's useless otherwise 

Last season C-Mike was on the upgrade list before even being on the active roster. Bloom said to bid 50+% FAAB on him two weeks in a row. Then the third week said to drop him. Then the following week said to pick him up again. So if you listened to Bloom, you likely spent 100% of your FAAB before C-Mike was even active  

 

[tombonneau]

Preferred when upgrade/downgrade and waiver report were separate. Once they conflated it became too much info. 

Up & down should be like 3-5 guys each category max and should be based on last 2-3 games. So for me, I'd have this week up:

• Goff
  
• Watson
  

And for down maybe:

• Flacco
  
• Cam
  
• Kizer
  

Basically, the thrust of the upgrade report should be alerting me about who is currently and projected to continue to exceed their perceived value, and downgrade should inversely inform me who is underperforming and might continue to do so. 

That would be far more helpful than a basic regurgitation of who did well/poor last week. 

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

One way may be to make more of a bold stand/commentary and put more guys in the "hold" column instead of just downgrading them based on one game's performance.

Bloom et al can take more of a stand that a performance seemed more like a one-week aberration than a continuous trend. A good example is Carr, who is downgraded. This seemed like OAK walked right into a trap game against a much better prepared team that was hungrier to win at home. 

I'm biased, but I think many might agree that Carr and the Raiders are too talented to fall apart like that going forward and that it isn't a sign that Carr is now benchable against a division opponent where the win matters that much more (which is what the column suggests). If they soil the bed next week and Cooper/Crab continue to show terrible catching skills, that's where it becomes a trend and something to worry about and downgrade. 

 

[Interseptopus]

One way may be to make more of a bold stand/commentary and put more guys in the "hold" column instead of just downgrading them based on one game's performance.

Bloom et al can take more of a stand that a performance seemed more like a one-week aberration than a continuous trend. A good example is Carr, who is downgraded. This seemed like OAK walked right into a trap game against a much better prepared team that was hungrier to win at home. 

I'm biased, but I think many might agree that Carr and the Raiders are too talented to fall apart like that going forward and that it isn't a sign that Carr is now benchable against a division opponent where the win matters that much more (which is what the column suggests). If they soil the bed next week and Cooper/Crab continue to show terrible catching skills, that's where it becomes a trend and something to worry about and downgrade. 

I laughed when I read that he said Carr is benchable... As if he was QB 10-12 taken off the board... 

 

[dino259]

Yep, more of a good game/bad game than anything else.