Ian Allan answers your fantasy football questions. In this edition: Ben Roethlisberger's home-cooking magic. Looking ahead for top PPR running backs for the 2018 season.
Question 1
What factors are there that may effect Big Ben’s away performances? Whats different for home games?
CRAIG LEEDY (Sacramento, CA)
He probably has a comfort level playing at home, where he used to stadium and field. Crowd noise could be a factor. They might be more comfortable using audibles and taking chances when they are at Heinz Field. It might not be just Roethlisberger. The various factors could also cause Todd Haley to call the plays differently when they’re at home. Maybe they tend to get more conservative when playing in hostile territory. But it’s definitely real. Roethlisberger puts up much better stats when playing at home. In his last 32 games on the road (two seasons worth of work) he’s thrown 39 touchdowns and 29 interceptions. Not very good.
| ROETHLISBERGER: LAST 32 ON ROAD | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Opp | Score | Yards | TD | Int |
| 2013 | Balt. | L 20-22 | 257 | 2 | 0 |
| 2013 | G.B. | W 38-31 | 167 | 2 | 1 |
| 2014 | Balt. | L 6-26 | 217 | 0 | 1 |
| 2014 | Car. | W 37-19 | 196 | 2 | 0 |
| 2014 | Jac. | W 17-9 | 273 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 | Clev. | L 10-31 | 228 | 1 | 1 |
| 2014 | NYJ | L 13-20 | 343 | 1 | 2 |
| 2014 | Tenn. | W 27-24 | 207 | 1 | 1 |
| 2014 | Cin. | W 42-21 | 350 | 3 | 0 |
| 2014 | Atl. | W 27-20 | 360 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | N.E. | L 21-28 | 351 | 1 | 1 |
| 2015 | St.L. | W 12-6 | 192 | 0 | 1 |
| 2015 | Sea. | L 30-39 | 456 | 1 | 2 |
| 2015 | Cin. | W 33-20 | 282 | 0 | 1 |
| 2015 | Balt. | L 17-20 | 220 | 0 | 2 |
| 2015 | Clev. | W 28-12 | 349 | 3 | 2 |
| 2016 | Wash. | W 38-16 | 300 | 3 | 1 |
| 2016 | Phil. | L 3-34 | 257 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016 | Mia. | L 15-30 | 189 | 1 | 2 |
| 2016 | Balt. | L 14-21 | 264 | 1 | 1 |
| 2016 | Clev. | W 24-9 | 167 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | Ind. | W 28-7 | 221 | 3 | 0 |
| 2016 | Buff. | W 27-20 | 220 | 0 | 3 |
| 2016 | Cin. | W 24-20 | 286 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 | Clev. | W 21-18 | 263 | 2 | 1 |
| 2017 | Chi. | L 17-23 | 235 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 | Balt. | W 26-9 | 216 | 1 | 1 |
| 2017 | K.C. | W 19-13 | 252 | 1 | 1 |
| 2017 | Det. | W 20-15 | 317 | 1 | 1 |
| 2017 | Ind. | W 20-17 | 236 | 2 | 1 |
| 2017 | Cin. | W 23-20 | 290 | 2 | 1 |
| 2017 | Hou. | W 34-6 | 226 | 2 | 0 |
In his last 32 games at home (again, two NFL seasons worth of work) he’s averaged 59 more yards per game. He’s thrown over twice as many touchdowns in those games – 85 of them. Huge difference.
| ROETHLISBERGER: LAST 32 AT HOME | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Opp | Score | Yards | TD | Int |
| 2013 | Buff. | W 23-10 | 204 | 1 | 1 |
| 2013 | Det. | W 37-27 | 367 | 4 | 0 |
| 2013 | Mia. | L 28-34 | 349 | 3 | 0 |
| 2013 | Cin. | W 30-20 | 191 | 1 | 1 |
| 2013 | Clev. | W 20-7 | 179 | 1 | 2 |
| 2014 | Clev. | W 30-27 | 365 | 1 | 1 |
| 2014 | T.B. | L 24-27 | 314 | 3 | 0 |
| 2014 | Hou. | W 30-23 | 265 | 2 | 0 |
| 2014 | Ind. | W 51-34 | 522 | 6 | 0 |
| 2014 | Balt. | W 43-23 | 340 | 6 | 0 |
| 2014 | N.O. | L 32-35 | 435 | 2 | 2 |
| 2014 | K.C. | W 20-12 | 220 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 | Cin. | W 27-17 | 317 | 2 | 1 |
| 2015 | S.F. | W 43-18 | 369 | 3 | 0 |
| 2015 | Cin. | L 10-16 | 262 | 1 | 3 |
| 2015 | Oak. | W 38-35 | 334 | 2 | 1 |
| 2015 | Clev. | W 30-9 | 379 | 3 | 1 |
| 2015 | Ind. | W 45-10 | 364 | 4 | 0 |
| 2015 | Den. | W 34-27 | 380 | 3 | 2 |
| 2016 | Cin. | W 24-16 | 259 | 3 | 2 |
| 2016 | K.C. | W 43-14 | 300 | 5 | 0 |
| 2016 | NYJ | W 31-13 | 380 | 4 | 0 |
| 2016 | Dall. | L 30-35 | 408 | 3 | 0 |
| 2016 | NYG | W 24-14 | 289 | 2 | 1 |
| 2016 | Balt. | W 31-27 | 279 | 3 | 2 |
| 2017 | Minn. | W 26-9 | 243 | 2 | 0 |
| 2017 | Jac. | L 9-30 | 312 | 0 | 5 |
| 2017 | Cin. | W 29-14 | 224 | 2 | 0 |
| 2017 | Tenn. | W 40-17 | 299 | 4 | 0 |
| 2017 | G.B. | W 31-28 | 351 | 4 | 2 |
| 2017 | Balt. | W 39-38 | 506 | 2 | 0 |
| 2017 | N.E. | L 24-27 | 281 | 2 | 1 |
Question 2
It’s never too early to speculate about next year. Assuming no major injuries, trades, retirements, etc., my way too early top 5 RBs, in order, PPR, are Gurley, Bell, Elliott, David Johnson, and Kamara. Just missing the top 5 are Hunt, Ingram and Gordon. Look about right?
STEVEN MATH (Austin, TX)
Looks good to me. Same five I would go with. In PPR, you want guys who are going to catch passes, so I might even put Kamara a couple spots higher. He’s a playmaker as a runner and will score touchdowns, but I think he might also catch 80 passes. David Johnson is also an elite pass catcher and I’m not concerned at all about the wrist injury that shelved him for almost all of this year, but who’s coaching Arizona in 2018? If it’s not Bruce Arians, then that entire offense could be re-worked. The 2017 season re-affirmed the value of coaches, with Sean McVay turning around the Rams and the Falcons really suffering without Kyle Shanahan. You didn’t mention Dalvin Cook. If he’s right physically (which granted is an if) he might be the No. 7 back on my board (behind Kareem Hunt).