Scott Engel 
Savvy Fantasy players well know that coaches are often lying or twisting the truth somehow when they are talking to the media. What do they really mean and how does it apply to Fantasy Football and DFS this week? In this new feature, we operate as your Fantasy NFL Coach translator, breaking down the quotes from press conferences and reporters for Fantasy purposes.
Patriots NFL coach Bill Belichick on facing John Brown this week: “Yeah, he’s definitely fast. He’s a good player. He’s really made a big impact on their team; he’s made some big plays for them.”
Coachspeak Fantasy translation: Do not use Brown in seasonal leagues or DFS this week. Belichick and his staff have watched film on Brown and will shut him down.
Giants RB coach Craig Johnson on Wayne Gallman: “He certainly has shown flashes when he has gotten his opportunity to do it. He’s proven it this year, he’s run at a high level, he’s caught the ball well, he’s protected well. That’s what you have to be able to do. As a starter, you have to be able to do that for the length of the game. That’s what has yet to be determined.”
Coachspeak Fantasy translation: Gallman has yet to show us anything at all to believe he can be an effective option. You will save money on him in DFS, but he is not inspiring any confidence to back spending on him. Use Gallman in seasonal leagues if you have to, but don’t expect him to be better than adequate rushing yardage wise.
Chargers NFL coach Anthony Lynn on Melvin Gordon playing this week, via NFL Network: “I’ve said all along there’s a chance. He’s in good shape, but he hasn’t been practicing football, so obviously he’s not ready to go back in there and carry the load right now, but you never know. We have to be careful with if he plays, how much he plays, and if he even played.”
Coachspeak Fantasy translation: With Justin Jackson out, the Chargers are very thin at RB heading into Sunday’s game with Miami. Austin Ekeler may get most of the work when the game is hanging in the balance, but Gordon could see some touches when the Chargers pull ahead comfortably. If Miami gets blown out as expected, Gordon could be able to use garbage time as his version of preseason action. That’s not enough of a scenario to downgrade Ekeler as a must-start our have any real confidence in Gordon as a DFS play or to use him in most seasonal scenarios.
Pete Carroll on Chris Carson: “You’re going to see absolute support for our guy. There’s been a lot of players over the years – through the ages – that have had issues at times. They’ve put it to rest, it’s behind them and all that and that is what is going to happen here.”
Coachspeak Fanatsy translation: Carroll is indeed more patient than other coaches, and will continue to give Carson a chance to fix his sudden fumbling issues. Look for Carson to be handed the ball early and frequently. But if the issues persist, Rashaad Penny is likely to return this week and could soon see more of the workload. A healthy Penny has a lot of Fantasy upside for seasonal players if he is utilized more frequently. But Carson has a friendly matchup and should be started in most formats. He may be lower owned in DFS and could reward you with a big rebound outing.
NFL coach Matt Nagy on David Montgomery and the Bears running backs, via the Daily Herald: ““David’s doing a lot of good things right now and all three of them are. I think for us it’s a good problem to have because we’ve got three guys we really trust.”
Coachspeak Fantasy translation: As much as Fantasy players and Bears fans want Montgomery to emerge as the clear lead RB, Nagy is still trying to flesh out his RB picture and while he may eventually come to the conclusion Fantasy players want him to, you should steer clear of Montgomery for now in a tough matchup vs. Minnesota in seasonal leagues if you can. Nagy’s goal may actually to have a more effective committee approach, we will have to wait and see.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor on Joe Mixon: ‘“We feel really good about the direction of our run game and what those backs (Mixon and Giovani Bernard) provide for us. We feel like we have a lot of playmakers we need to get the ball to in order to get us going.”
Coachspeak Fantasy translation: The Bengals can’t depend on anyone right now. They can’t rely on Mixon like they did last season. The Steelers defense is not a bad play for Week 4.
Vikings NFL coach Mike Zimmer on the Bears not allowing a 100-yard rusher yet: “Maybe we don’t get 100 (yards rushing), but we get 98, so who cares?”
Coachspeak Fantasy translation: No one can stop Dalvin Cook right now. Not even Chicago. He may not be widely owned in DFS this week because of the matchup, so you should stick with him.
Browns NFL coach Freddie Kitchens on facing an improved Lamar Jackson this week: ““I think he is making good decisions and making good quick decisions. He is getting the ball out of his hands when it is there. The one he does, just as any quarterback, is he continues to look down the field when he gets outside of the pocket, which creates big plays for them.”
Coachspeak Fantasy translation: There is no way that Cleveland will be able to contain Jackson this week, especially with key injuries in the secondary. Kitchens knows his defense is about to get roasted. Jackson is a superb cash game play.
Saints NFL coach Sean Payton on Dak Prescott: ““Like any quarterback, you just see a little bit more growth, decision-making. He has beaten teams in the pocket. Obviously, he can escape. I think he’s very effective when he’s outside the pocket on the move. He’s run for touchdowns. I think you also see a calmness and a really good leader.”
Coachspeak Fantasy translation: The Saints may try to defend Prescott like they did Russell Wilson, who they did not sack at all. They don’t want him to throw on the move and hope they can keep him in the pocket, but that may not work too well. Prescott is a must-start in seasonal leagues and worth the DFS spend.
Panthers coach Ron Rivera on Cam Newton keeping his job, and evaluating Kyle Allen, via the Charlotte Observer: ““He’s our quarterback and he’s who we rely on,” Rivera said about Newton. “But for now, we’re going to stick with Kyle, and we’ll keep rolling and see how things unfold as we go forward.”
Coachspeak Fantasy translation: Rivera likes what he sees so far, but one good game, especially against Arizona, is not enough to create a QB controversy yet. Allen is a worthy DFS play this week, though, as the Houston secondary is vulnerable. You should consider him as a GPP play if you roll out multiple lineups.
Featured Image via John Minchillo
