I’m not buying the Titans hitching their Franchise Wagon to Zack Mettenberger.  I also don’t care that Mariota isn’t a Ken-Whisenhunt-type QB; who says this pick is even Whiz’s to make?  The Titans either try to extort some team (I’m looking at you NY/Philly) for a ton of picks, or they simply roll with the best signal caller available.

The NFL is all about QB play on offense and getting after the QB on defense.  Three “Edge” defenders get called in the first eight picks.  Beasley’s athleticism is the tie-breaker with Fowler.

Vic Beast-ley

Eli Manning has gotten rag-dolled the last two years playing behind make-shift lines.  Surely going into his last contract, the Giants best chances of winning is keeping Eli upright in the pocket (and peppering ODB with 150+ targets)!

As the Saints overhaul their offensive philosophy, a potential franchise tackle falls into their laps at pick 13.  Speaking of value, DeVante Parker absolutely has the skill set to be the best wide receiver in this draft class; the 49ers have a glaring hole at WR to boot.

Dorial Green-Beckham is the wildcard of this draft.  We all know about this ability’s both on and off the field.  I’m sure there are a number of teams that will completely take him off their draft boards.  The Chiefs take a shot on his upside and completely remake their (league worst) WR depth chart from last year.

Please don’t end up in Cleveland, please don’t end up in Cleveland, please…

Waiting on RBs has been en vogue in recent years.  I’m bucking that trend and Melvin Gordon makes it two running backs selected in the first round (Gurley to Houston at 16).  The Broncos are shifting to a more balanced offensive attack for two reasons: their high-flying aerial assault doesn’t work against elite defenses (see Super Bowl beatdown) and because Peyton is rapidly losing velocity on his fastball.

Alright, you know the drill.  Lots of guys are on bye this week.  Properly navigating the waiver wire separates the truly great from the average.  Religiously reading The Machine will put you at the top of the game (and increase your sex life).  Receiver is of key importance, as several of the top guys (Jordy, Julio, Megatron, Brandon Marshall, Golden Tate) are off.  Loyal Machine readers have prepared for this by picking up Odell Beckham, Jr. weeks ago, when he was only owned in 6% of leagues.  Now, he’s owned in 61%, so you’ll have to look elsewhere.  Luckily, you can still look here for our top waiver wire picks of the week.

I’m back! (for now).

Robert Griffin, III, QB Washington (47%)

RGIII is back in action this week, as should be a must add in your lineup.  He may not be the long term solution for the Redskins, but he could be the short term solution for your team.  Lost in all of the QB shuffle in Washington is that the Skins love to throw the ball.  Jay Gruden and his brother’s offensive scheme are 5^th in the league in passing yards per game, and that’s with Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy.  With RGIII behind center, the Skins should continue their aerial assault.  Both teams are 3-5 and going nowhere.  The only reason to watch is for fantasy purposes.  If you’re looking for a replacement for Aaron Rogers or Mathew Stafford this week, RGIII provides a nice bridge.

Malcolm Floyd, WR San Diego (41%)

Love the powder blue!

There are a lot of receivers on bye this week (Jordy, Julio, Brandon, Megatron, Golden Tate) so finding a serviceable replacement is a must.  Floyd is that and more.  Malcolm has worked his way into a leading role in San Diego’s offense, he’s averaged 7 targets in each of the past three weeks.  He should get that against Miami, which puts him in line to reach double digit points for the 6^th time this season.

Lorenzo Taliaferro, RB Baltimore (35%)

Thanks Ray!

The three headed rushing attack in Baltimore has turned in to a two-man game, with Justin Forsett and Lorenzo leading the charge.  Taliaferro’s biggest asset is that he’s a goaline vulture.  He scored two touchdowns last weekend, and lead the Ravens in receiving yards.  Baltimore plays Pittsburgh this week, and this game should be smash-mouth football.  That works in Taliaferro’s favor, as he’s their short yardage and goaline specialist, and we also catch a few passes.  Plus, with Forsett banged up, that only results in more touches for Lorenzo.  He’s a low end RB2/Flex play this week.

Dwayne Bowe, WR Chiefs (48%)

Once a no brainer WR1, Bowe has fallen to the ranks of consistent bench player.  But, if you’re desperate for a receiver, he’s worth a look.  He’s scored double digits each of the past two weeks, and caught all 6 targets last week.  The Chiefs are also playing the Jets, who are awful.  Bowe is a WR4/5 and worth a look if you’re really in need of a receiver.

Donte Moncrief, WR Colts (14%)

Donte had his coming out game last week, going 7/113/1 against Pittsburgh.  His problem is getting on the field, as the Colts have a ton of offensive weapons (TY, Reggie, Dwayne Allen, Ahmad Bradshaw).  Good news is that it looks like Moncrief has passed Hakeem Nicks on the depth chart, which should give him some more playing time.  The Colts play the Giants this week, and, because of the attention the aforementioned Colts will receive, Moncrief could get lost in the shuffle, making him an easy target for Luck.

Bonus Pickup: 

Jonas Gray, RB Patriots (18%)

Stock’s rising. Buy low.

The jury’s still out on Gray, but he burst on the scene last week for New England, rushing for 86 yards and having a td called back for a false start.  He out-touched Shane Vereen 17-5.  We don’t like his (or Vereen’s) matchup this week against Denver, but Jonas deserves a spot on your bench now.  Who the hell knows what Belichcik will do with him…but the upside is there.