Fantasy Football Discord Mailbag: Drake London, Kyren Williams, Kirk Cousins

We live in a time where artificial intelligence can rule the world. It can deliver information in the blink of an eye. It can create art, articles, and more. At FantasyPros, we even have our AI to help you navigate research as quickly as possible. Today, we will journey through an exercise where we take questions from our FantasyPros fantasy football discord, run the questions through the AI and agree or disagree with the machine. Today, I will face off against the machine for fantasy football world domination!

First, join our Discord, where you can talk about fantasy football and other sports with over 49,000 other enthusiastic fans!

Fantasy Football Discord Mailbag

Our first question comes from @t10074, who asked,

“Will the Atlanta Falcons’ skill players finally become unlocked this season?”

To answer this question, we must look at the most critical position on the field: quarterback. In the offseason, the Atlanta Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to elevate their play and bring their team to the next level this season.

We asked our Fantasy Football AI coach, “What are Kirk Cousins’s projections for the 2024 season?”

The coach responded to us: For the 2024 season, Kirk Cousins is projected to score 154.7 fantasy points, with an average of 19.3 points per game. His projected average points per game is slightly lower at 16.0. Notably, 100% of experts recommend him, indicating strong confidence in his performance.”

We hit our coach with this follow-up question:

“With those projections, where would Kirk Cousins finish in the quarterback rankings this season?

“Based on the projection of 154.7 total fantasy points and an average of 19.3 points per game, Kirk Cousins is ranked around 17th to 20th among quarterbacks for the 2024 season by various experts. This places him in the low-end QB2 range, making him a viable option in deeper leagues or as a backup quarterback.”

Do I agree with the coach? I don’t, and here is why:

Last season, Desmond Ridder finished 22nd overall as a quarterback in total fantasy points with 188.1. Ridder had four games where he didn’t start or threw for less than 15 attempts last season. If we project Cousins’ 19.3 points per game (PPG) over the 13-game span for Ridder as the primary quarterback, we would receive 250 points.

Our coach is projecting that the injury will possibly affect the season, whereas I believe you shouldn’t sign Kirk Cousins if you think he will need to sit for four-plus games. You especially shouldn’t draft a “project” for Michael Penix if you believe he will miss significant time.

In this scenario, we believe man beats machine, and Kirk Cousins should finish closer to a low-end QB1. That finish will be the best the skill players such as Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson have seen since entering the league.

Our second question comes from 1Merc1 asking:

“Will Blake Corum eat into Kyren Williams‘ production this season?”

We first asked the coach what the projections for Kyren Williams in 2024 were. We received the answer:

“For the 2024 season, Kyren Williams is projected to score 223 fantasy points, averaging 18.6 points per game. These projections suggest that he will have a significant role and perform well throughout the season. Additionally, all experts unanimously recommend him, indicating strong confidence in his potential.”

We followed up with the same question for Blake Corum and received this answer:

This information shows that the FantasyPros AI coach and I are on the same page. Kyren Williams should continue his dominance in the Rams’ offense. This backfield belongs to him, barring any injuries. We should see Blake Corum spelling Williams, allowing the Rams to keep Williams fresh. Last season, Kyren Williams averaged 19 carries per game in his 12 games played. Williams also produced an 85% I5 (inside-the-five) rate. We should expect more of the same in goal-line opportunities, with perhaps a slight regression in carries per game. My prediction would be to land him closer to the 15-17 carries per game range with Blake Corum in town.

Our final question for today was asked by Hoopwa, who wants to know,

“When is it worth it to draft a player who was injured in the preseason?”

When we asked our FantasyPros AI coach, they told us, “Drafting a player who was injured in the preseason can be a strategic decision that depends on several factors:

Severity and Nature of the Injury: Evaluate the severity of the injury and the expected recovery time. Minor injuries that don’t significantly impact the player’s performance or keep them out for an extended period might be less concerning.
Player’s Previous Performance and Potential: Consider the player’s past performance and potential upside. If the player has a history of solid performance and the injury isn’t expected to have long-term effects, they might be worth the risk.
Depth of Your Roster: If you have a robust and deep roster and can afford to stash an injured player, it might be worth the risk. Ensure you have adequate backups to cover for the injured player.
Draft Value and ADP: Assess where the player is drafted relative to their Average Draft Position (ADP). If the injury causes their draft stock to fall significantly, they might present a good value if you can get them at a discount.
Updates and Reports: Monitor the latest updates and reports about the player’s recovery. Medical staff reports, team statements, and practice participation can provide valuable insights.
League Format: In a dynasty league, a player’s long-term potential might make it worth drafting an injured player who could return to form in future seasons. In redraft leagues, the focus is more on immediate performance.

Drafting an injured player involves weighing the risk against the potential reward. If you believe the player can return to form and contribute significantly to your team, and you can manage the short-term impact, it can be a worthwhile gamble.”

In this instance, we wholeheartedly agree with the machine. When you approach them within your draft, there is a risk with recently injured players. My best advice is to play into the player’s average draft position (ADP). If the player has fallen multiple rounds and the reports are something you are comfortable with, you should take your shot.

The most crucial point is that these players may not immediately pay dividends. Also, remember that soft tissue injuries can linger, so the style of injury does matter and needs to be accounted for when making this decision.

We hope you enjoyed man vs. machine as we worked hand in hand with our programs here in FantasyPros to bring you the best advice in the world. Remember to join our free Discord, try our AI coach for yourself and read all the fantastic work here at FantasyPros. Good luck with your drafts this offseason!