Kenyan Drake

Waiver Wire Adds: Week 1

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Waiver Wire Adds: Week 1

By Tim Lazenby

 

The 2022-23 Season is officially upon us tomorrow and although waiver wire adds aren't really necessary at this point, it can't hurt to have some names in mind.  Keep in mind, most of these players should be available except for deeper leagues.  Some of these players can pay immediate dividends, while others are only an injury away from greatness.  If you're looking to stay ahead of the game, keep these names in your back pocket.

 

Wide Receivers

 

Devin Duvernay - Baltimore Ravens @ NY Jets

(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

For many, the Ravens receiving room is still wide open.  We all know that Rashod Bateman is the receiver to have in Baltimore, but you're kidding yourself if you think Lamar Jackson will only be throwing to Bateman and Mark Andrews.  There's also the possibility that they spread the ball more as Bateman is untested.  The team, and the league for that matter, loves Duvenay for what he does on special teams and I think he's ready to turn heads on the offense.

 

Jarvis Landry - New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta

The last couple seasons haven't been spectacular for Landry, but it's hard to place the entire blame on him.  Moving into a situation with a rejuvenated and healthy quarterback, paired with a fantastic opportunity, many are sleeping on Juice.  It may take Michael Thomas time to take the reigns, if he even can.  And Chris Olave, although talented, may take time to gain trust.  This leaves Landry with an excellent landing spot and super cheap for you.  It doesn't hurt that his next game is at Detroit either.

 

Jalen Guyton - Los Angeles Chargers vs Las Vegas

Oh so many weapons for Justin Herbert!  The name that is often lost is Guyton.  Last season, he served very admirably as the number three, but with the emergence of dynasty darling, Josh Palmer, many are leaving Guyton at the draft table.  Make no mistake, there is plenty to go around at the table for the Chargers and you can have a great piece in Guyton for free in many cases.

 

Jamison Crowder - Buffalo Bills @ LA Rams

The Buffalo Bills are in need of a slot receiver with Emmanuel Sanders no longer employed by the team.  And while the fantasy accolades at wide receiver usually go to Stefon Diggs, Sanders did quite well in his own rite for Josh Allen.  The dynasty community may have already crowned a different winner, but Crowder already has the experience and has shown he can succeed in the slot with less than great quarterback play.

 

Running Backs

 

Ameer Abdullah - Las Vegas Raiders @ LA Chargers

Abdullah, like many running backs for the list will have a difficult time succeeding immediately, but with the release of Josh Jacobs' old handcuff that we'll talk about shortly, the door is wide open for Abdullah.  Sure, there is rookie competition, but with the team making massive improvements and Abdullah costing next to nothing, it makes a lot of sense to snatch him up while you can.

 

Kenyan Drake - Baltimore Ravens @ NY Jets

Drake is an anomaly.  He never gets to stay in one place very long, but when given the opportunity, he can make the most of it.  We all want JK Dobbins to succeed, but in the off chance he doesn't, there aren't too many backups that can make the most of it like Drake can.  And Baltimore is a running back's dream come true.  Just ask Devonta Freeman managers how they enjoyed his time there.

 

D'Ernest Johnson - Cleveland Browns @ Carolina

In his limited starting capacity last season, Johnson was stellar.  And with Kareem Hunt asking for a trade officially, this opens the door to the possibility of handcuff anxiety in Cleveland.  We all also know that as much as we want Nick Chubb to get the entire backfield to himself, he actually thrives on sharing and getting the golden touches.  When Hunt moves Johnson will be unobtainable, so get him while you can.

 

Sony Michel - Los Angeles Chargers vs Las Vegas

So far Michel has been somewhat of a fantasy flop thus far.  And since leaving the Patriots, it's been a whirlwind of movement but now he lands with the Chargers.  Most leagues have already prepared themselves with Joshua Kelley as Austin Ekeler's handcuff, but he hasn't made the best of his opportunities thus far in his career.  And while Michel hasn't been stellar either, I wouldn't mind a piece of this offense that is free in some leagues.

 

Quarterbacks

 

Jameis Winston - New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta

If you are playing superflex, virtually no starting quarterbacks will be available, but in one quarterback or smaller leagues, you may be lucky enough to have Winston available.  Last year he was a new man and now he has the best weapons he has arguably ever had.  With a weak week one, even if you don't intend to keep him, he could turn you a nice profit if he's able to dominate the game like he should.

 

Carson Wentz - Washington Commanders vs Jacksonville

Just like with Winston, in many leagues you won't be able to get Wentz, but I was surprised to see how low the ownership was on him.  Many consider this Wentz's last chance, but don't fool yourself into thinking he was terrible last season.  While there was bad games, he also had some great ones too.  He now has more to throw to in a less run heavy offense and Jacksonville should ease him into his new role.  Week 2 he plays Detroit too, so that doesn't hurt his chances of getting off on the right foot.

 

Tight Ends

 

David Njoku - Cleveland Browns @ Carolina

The situation for a receiver in Cleveland certainly isn't peachy for the first 11 weeks.  But Jacoby Brissett isn't as bas as people make him out to be.  With a massive new contract and a new receiver room, I'm certain that the Browns will lean heavily on Njoku like they haven't done before.  If you missed out on one of the top tight ends earlier, Njoku is a cheap option that will massively outperform his expectations from the community.  Also, week two gives him the chance to play the NY Jets, so that should help.

 

Evan Engram - Jacksonville Jaguars @ Washington

Engram has been truly maddening to fantasy managers in the past.  He took us on highs and lows, but since his rookie season, he's been less than consistent to understate the obvious.  The new change of scenery with a generational quarterback in Trevor Lawrence and lack of star power should be just what the doctor ordered to kickstart his career back into TE1 relevance.

Dynasty Weather Report: Kenyan Drake and the Raiders Backfield

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Dynasty Weather Report: Kenyan Drake and the Raiders Backfield

By Darren Smith

 

Welcome to the Dynasty Weather Report - a segment that provides you with reactions to breaking news and how players are affected in terms of Dynasty. Each player will be compared to a type of weather based on how they are affected by the news. For example, if a player has positive implications, they will be compared to sunny weather.

 

Today’s Forecast: Cloudy with a chance of Kenyan Drake being CUT.

News broke today that Kenyan Drake is expected to be cut from the Raiders. The 28 year old running back spent the 2021 season in Las Vegas backing up Josh Jacobs commanding some of the 3rd down and goal line work. Drake flashed at times and excelled in the passing game in the beginning of last season, but started to fall off in the second half and then fell victim to season ending injury. It seems like Josh McDaniels has seen enough, and the Raiders are ready to move on. What does this mean in terms of Dynasty?

 

Sunny Weather and Clear Skies

Josh Jacobs

The sun shines brightly for Josh Jacobs, who now has full reign of the backfield and could easily be an every down back. Jacobs' Dynasty value has been falling over the past few months with the news that Vegas would not be picking up his 5th year option. Jacobs could be elsewhere next season however he has every opportunity to boost his stock with a monster 2022 season. Without Drake, Jacobs should be more involved in the pass game, and also get some more work at the goal line. He’s a buy for contending teams at a cheap cost.

 

Thunder and Lighting

Zamir White

Lightning strikes fast and powerful, just like how Zamir White has an opportunity to have an immediate strong impact in the Raiders backfield. White was drafted 122nd overall in the 4th round out of Georgia. He impressed at the Combine with 4.40 speed and has a physical presence on the field, and the Raiders are excited to see what he can do as he scored the opening drive touchdown in the Preseason game against Miami. Expect White to fill in the “Kenyan Drake” role eventually - it’s Jacobs backfield now, but White could bring the thunder down the stretch of this season and is worth the stash in Dynasty Leagues.

 

Clouds and Heavy Rain

Kenyan Drake

Kenyan Drake feels the rain falling down today as he heard he was likely getting cut and even tweeted a goodbye to #RaiderNation. Drake could potentially get signed to a team sometime this season, but don’t expect the veteran to have much fantasy implications going forward. Kenyan will be added for depth and for a locker room presence and may see a few touches here and there, but will ultimately be a roster clogger. He can be dropped in all formats.

How do you feel about today’s Dynasty Weather Report? Let me know how you think the Raiders backfield is going to turn out this season by following @FFBirdGang and commenting on the linked tweet.

NFC West 2020 Fantasy Breakdown

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NFC West Fantasy Breakdown

By Steve Uetz

We now head west to cover our 3rd  division! We will be covering the NFC West but first here are some reminders about what my breakdowns are all about:

The team breakdowns will contain an overarching theme for each team or more specifically each offensive core. The offensive cores will be organized into four categories: FADE, NEUTRAL, BUY, and BIG BUY! ADP and auction values will somewhat reflect this but I will be adding some personal perspective with keeping some rules of thumb in mind.

Rule of Thumb #1: Each offensive core may have specific player exceptions.

Rule of Thumb #2: Every player has value at the right price.

The breakdowns will include the players to target from each team, the players’ ideal positional count for your roster, target cost for auction budget % and round #, league type preferences, along with optional blurbs from yours truly. Throughout the team breakdowns be sure to keep your eyes wide open looking for the players with coveted “Ladder Pick” label. The “Ladder Pick” players are who I have identified as those who will help you climb the ladder of fantasy football success for the 2020 season.

I have 6 teams whose offensive core make up the BIG BUY category, 8 teams in the BUY category, 12 teams in the NEUTRAL category, and the remaining 6 teams will generally be considered as a FADE. Just so we are on the same page…BIG BUY=offensive cores to target aggressively; BUY=offensive cores that are reach worthy; NEUTRAL=offensive cores (with some players exceptions both positive and negative) to be drafted at value – not to be reached for nor to be shied away from; FADE=offensive cores to pass on at consensus ranking, players to be drafted weighing risk, or players to be drafted only if at a value, larger the discount the better; always!

Seattle Seahawks

I want to BUY offense with elite QBs; Russell Wilson is elite! Seattle remains a BUY despite some question marks.

QB Russell Wilson: QB1 6-7% auction budget, round 6-7, one of absolute favorite players. Efficient passing and rushing ability makes him a defensive nightmare. As long as Wilson is playing football at a high level. I honestly don’t care how corny he is. Absolute Stud!

RBs Chris Carson (RB2, 10-11%, round 4, fade at his current ADP), Rashaad Penny (priority FA), and Carlos Hyde (RB6, $1 deep auction, round 14/priority FA). This situation is a big mess. Carson’s health is a big concern for me. I love the player but hate the ADP. As of now I can’t imagine leaving a draft with him as my RB2. RB3 and exercise patience, sure.

However this is difficult to justify considering his ADP. Any RB in this offense that gets a decent work load is worth owning because Russell Wilson opens up the offense extremely well.

Carson and Penny's health issues are legitimately worrisome and in the first 5 rounds (Carson being a round 3-4 pick) I want to be as least risk averse as possible. Hyde may start the season as a tremendous value, get him for $1 in an auction, get him as the last RB on your bench and hope he does well week 1 and sell high baby!

WRs Tyler Lockett: (WR2, PPR stud, 14-15% auction, round 5) and DK Metcalf (low end WR2/high WR3, 11-12% auction budget, round 6, Best Ball target) are very different players and compliment eachother incredibly well; Russell Wilson is a lucky man. This duo will continue to shine and likely outperform their ADP. I prefer Lockett as a more reliable week to week player.

TEs Will Dissly, Greg Olsen, and Jacob Hollister are all undraftable in 12 team non-TE premium leagues and should be considered priority FAs. I want pieces of this offense so keep a close eye!

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals come in as a BIG BUY this year, already trending up, the addition of DeAndre Hopkins puts them over the top!

QB Kyler Murray: QB1, 6-7% auction budget, Round 6, an impressive rookie campaign was a wonderful showing of how he won the bet on himself choosing to go into the NFL rather than the MLB. First world problems, am I right? Murray will be the primary beneficiary of this offense that is ready to feast with one of the league best WR trios.

RB Kenyan Drake: Low-end RB1/high-RB2, 18-20% auction, early round 2, plenty of upside being the lead RB in this high powered offense. Expect Drake to have favorable looks as opposing defenses need to account for Murray’s rushing ability and the lethal trio of WRs.

RB backups Chase Edmonds (RB5, 1-2% auction, round 13), and Eno Benjamin (RB6, $1 deep auction) are late round stashes, Edmonds stash in all leagues, Benjamin deep league stash.

WR DeAndre Hopkins: WR1, 23-24% auction, late round 1,

WR Christian Kirk: WR3, 6-7%, round 8

WR Larry Fitzgerald: WR5, $1, round 14

Hopkins remains an elite WR with a new team and will lead this fantastic trio of WRs. Kirk is an excellent complimentary piece opposite Hopkins with big play ability. Fitzgerald is still solid, the addition of Hopkins hurt his targets/catches upside, but certainly worth grabbing at the end of drafts.

San Francisco 49ers

I love me a Kyle Shanahan offense but for the offense I consider them NEUTRAL overall. Fair ADP all around.

QB Jimmy Garroppolo: QB2, priority FA bye week/injury replacement candidate, I wish Jimmy G was as consistently useful for fantasy as he is handsome. Wait what? Never mind...Perhaps I’m too low on him but maybe I’m too distracted by his beautiful smile. *slapping myself in the head* STICK TO THE FOOTBALL dang it!! Good weapons, better looks, I wish Deebo was 100% (don’t we all)

RB Raheem Mostert: Low-RB2, high-RB3, 9-10% auction, round 7, a very unique career path has lead him to be a starter in a good offense. He’s a great story of determination and perseverance. He would be valued higher if he wasn’t in such a crowded backfield.

RB Tevin Coleman: RB4, 2-3% auction, round 9/10, I really love the idea of Tevin Coleman, but the reality of Tevin Coleman often leaves much to be desired. Despite mixed success, struggles with health, and being in a crowded backfield, he is still a fine depth RB selection.

RB Jerick McKinnon: RB5, $1, end of bench RB/priority FA (especially if Mostert/Coleman were to miss time). Despite not having played in an NFL game in 2 years, he is still an intriguing player, same cautions as above, but a cheap option in a good offensive system seems like a smart move.

WR Deebo Samuel: WR4, 3-4% auction, round 10, the versatile playmaker is being valued below ADP since he will start the season nursing a broken foot. If you love your draft depth and he is still available, get him and be patient, enjoy him as a flex when healthy or use him as trade bait. Love him but wish he were 100%!

WR Brandon Aiyuk: WR5, 2-3%, round 12, this dynamic prospect enters into a great opportunity with Deebo missing time. Solid depth stash can be used as a trade bait early on to a WR needy team.

TE George Kittle: TE1, 12-13%, round 2, Kittle is awesome he is worth the cost, he has that crazy look in his eye (in a good way) and is heat seeking missle that wants to destroy everything it’s way. Sign me up!

Los Angeles Rams

Sean McVay leads the way. Woods and Kupp are trending up. Jared Goff could go off. Henderson and Akers are ankle breakers. Tyler Higbee will be a bust, his ADP I do not trust. This NEUTRAL offensive core should give fantasy points galore.

QB Jared Goff: High-QB2, $1, deep league late round stash, Best Ball target. Surrounded by great weapons and a with an offensive-minded head coach, Goff could be an absolute steal in drafts!

RB Cam Akers: RB3, 5-6% auction, round 8, an intriguing prospect lands in a great offense. In the 2nd round of the 2020 draft The Rams drafted Cam Akers as their first selection which is significant since they did not own a 1st rounder. He has big shoes to fill with Gurley gone, however he lands in a crowded backfield.

RB Darrell Henderson: RB3 if robust WR with elite TE, ideal RB4, 5-6% auction, round 9, left much to be desired last year, perhaps expectations were too high for him. He is one of the first player I add to my queue in drafts. Am I the only one who uses the queue?!

WR Robert Woods: Low-WR1, high WR2, PPR target, 14-15 %, round 4, if he falls to round 5 smash his name and await the groans in the draft chat. Am I the only one who looks at the draft chat during a draft?!

WR Cooper Kupp: WR2, 13-14%, round 5, Kupp and Goff have unique chemistry, having the QBs’ eye and trust is a quality trait. Draft him with confidence!

TE Tyler Higbee: High-TE2 for me, 2-3% auction, round 11, generally for me he is a fade. We can’t talk about Higbee without mentioning the way he ended his season last year. It was literally unbelievable! Dude balled out! Gerald Everett was injured during that span. Can Higbee do it again? Sure, maybe, good offense and should get good matchups. I just really worry that consensus rankings and ADP hold too much recency bias. Look, if he falls far enough I will not hesitate to draft him. He is a fade at his current ADP but every draft is different, prepare to zig when the draft zags. TE Gerald Everett is no slouch, priority FA; I want to keep a close eye on players in good offenses!

10 Bold Predictions

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10 BOLD Predictions

by Bob Miller

10. Brandon Cooks will finish as a top-15 WR in PPR.

104 receptions. 150 targets. 1165 yds with 7 touchdowns. That’s what DeAndre Hopkins' numbers were last year. Now he’s gone, leaving all those targets behind. By now everyone knows that you can’t count on Will Fuller to play in more than a handful of games each year, which opens things up for Brandin Cooks. Don’t worry about Randall Cobb. Deshaun Watson doesn’t look at the slot. He looks down field, and that’s where Cooks will be. Watson averaged 36 passes a game last year and ranked 4th in deep ball attempts. With Watson’s ability to extend plays and Cooks’ route running, you can expect a very productive season from a WR going in the 9th round and outside the top 40 WRs.

 

9. Cam Akers will finish as an RB1 this season.

If you think that Darrell Henderson or Malcom Brown will be a factor, stop kidding yourself. If the Rams thought that, they wouldn’t have drafted Cam Akers so high. The Rams ran the ball 25 times a game, and that shouldn’t change with them lining up more in the 12 personnel this season. Todd Gurley finished as a top 15 RB last year, and LA was conservative with him. Akers is explosive and has good hands. I predict him to finish with 1,027 yds, 8 TDs with 41 rec, 287 yds, 2 rec TDs. That’s RB1 numbers.

 

8. Austin Hooper will finish outside the top-15 TEs

69. That’s usually a good number, but not in this case. Unfortunately 69 is the total amount of passes thrown to Tight Ends last year in Cleveland. Hooper finished as a top 10 TE last year in Atlanta on 97 targets. He’s not getting those targets in Cleveland folks. Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry get the targets. They had 271 between them, and no other pass catcher had even 30 targets. He’s going to be one of those very good NFL players but an average fantasy asset. With a top 10 TE ADP, I’m staying far far away. In fact, if you own him in dynasty I’d strongly recommend cashing out on him while you still can.

 

7. Daniel Jones will finish as a top-7 QB

Jones looked great as a rookie. He put up some strong numbers with a limited cast around him. This year will be different. A healthy Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram with the emergence of newcomer Darius Slayton will provide plenty of weapons for the 2nd year quarterback. Oh, and let’s not forget about that running back for the Giants. What’s his name again? Oh yeah. Saquon Barkley, who is as good of a running back as we’ve seen in years. Don’t listen to the Madden Rankings. Those rankings are an embarrassment. Don’t be afraid of taking a chance on Danny Dimes. The Giants will be involved in a lot of shootouts. It’s going to pay off.

 

6. Kenyan Drake will finish as a top-6 RB

Let’s hope you weren’t playing against Drake in the fantasy playoffs last year. If that’s the case, then you probably lost. Drake was a league winner last year posting 39.50 points in week 15 and 33.40 points in week 16. It took Drake a little while to adjust after being acquired by the Cardinals mid season last year. He had 151 touches in the final 8 games. Greg Rosenthal of NFL.com believes that Drake could surpass 350 touches this season. The acquisition of DeAndre Hopkins is going to open things up even more for Drake. He is excellent in the open field. With all of the receiving threats the Cardinals have, he will see a lot of touches in the open field. He is in the perfect situation, and very well could be this year’s Aaron Jones and lead the league in touchdowns. If Drake is your RB2 consider yourself lucky. If you have an opportunity to get him in dynasty, I’d strongly advise it. 

 

5. Marquise “Hollywood” Brown will be a WR1 this season

Here’s a popular name as of late. There are quite a lot of people on the Hollywood Brown hype train, and for good reason. I have been high on Hollywood all off-season. Brown played with a screw in his foot last season and caught 7 touchdowns. Things are different now. Hollywood is healthy and motivated. He’s in the best shape of his life after adding 23 pounds of muscle this offseason. He has spent quite a bit of time with Lamar Jackson working on routes and timing. I expect big things from Brown this year as the Ravens’ clear number one wide receiver. With Lamar’s ability to extend plays, you can expect Marquise Brown to break free for a lot of big plays. Brown should exceed 70 rec, 1,000 yds, and 9 TDs. With players like Julian Edelman and Keenan Allen falling out of the top 12 WRs, expect Hollywood to join the WR1 club this season.

 

4. Leonard Fournette finishes as a top-8 RB

Pretty bold. I know, but I’m sticking to it. Jacksonville shopped Fournette this offseason with no takers. That’s good news for you Fournette owners out there. Last season, Fournette had 265 carries for 1152 yds and only 3 TDs. He also added 76 rec for 522 yds. That was good for 6th overall in PPR leagues. Just like last season, he is going to see a lot of touches. Expect similar carries and yardage with positive TD progression. He won’t have as many receptions due to the addition of Chris Thompson, but with Thompson’s injury history I’d still expect 50+ receptions for Fournette. He is an RB1 that you can get in the 4th or 5th round. Draft Fournette with little concern. 

 

3. Mike Evans will not finish as a top-24 WR.

This could be the boldest prediction of them all. The truth is that the addition of Tom Brady is bad news for Mike Evans owners out there. Brady just doesn’t throw the ball to outside WRs. The last outside WR to have any fantasy relevance was Josh Gordon a few years ago. Before that it was Randy Moss way back in 2007. Brady just doesn’t go that direction. In fact, no outside WR saw more than 54 targets last season in New England. Brady only works the middle of the field due to his loss of arm strength. None of this is good for Evans. I predict 56 rec, 928 yds, and 5 TDs. Finishing outside the top 24 WRs.

 

2. Cooper Kupp finishes as a top-3 WR in PPR. 

Kupp finished as a top 6 WR in PPR last year, so is this considered bold to say he finishes top 3? I’d say yes, because finishing top 3 puts you into elite status. Kupp had 94 catches on 134 targets last season with 1162 yds and 10 touchdowns. With Brandin Cooks gone I fully expect Kupp to see over 150 targets. As Jared Goff’s top red zone target, Kupp should eclipse double digit touchdowns again. The Rams should use more two tight end formations, but that won’t affect Kupp at all. He is Goff’s favorite target and will be peppered with targets again. I expect Kupp to have over 150 targets resulting in 111 rec, 1257 yds, and 13 touchdowns. With a 4th round ADP, he is an absolute steal similar to Chris Godwin last season.

 

1. Chris Godwin finishes as the overall #1 WR in PPR.

Tom Brady in Tampa is bad news for Mike Evans owners but it’s fantastic news for Godwin owners. We all know that Brady loves his slot receivers. Julian Edelman has flourished in Tom Brady’s offense for years. Edelman had 100 rec on 153 targets last season with 1117 yds and 6 touchdowns in New England. Last season in Tampa Godwin had 86 rec on 119 targets with 1333 yds and 9 touchdowns. That was good enough to finish #2 in PPR leagues. With Godwin expected to see 150+ targets this season I have him finishing as the #1 overall WR with 125 rec, 1475 yds, and 11 touchdowns. He is currently going in the 2nd round in most drafts. Take advantage.

*All predictions are based on PPR scoring.

You can follow me on twitter @DynastyProBob

Mid/Late Round Players that will Finish Top-12

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Players Drafted Outside the Top-12 that will Finish Inside the Top-12

by Bob Miller

 

Quarterback

Matthew Stafford: Before Stafford had to be sidelined for the last eight games in 2019 due to a back injury, he was on fire. He threw for almost 2,500 yards, 19 TDs and only five interceptions. He was on pace to have a career-year, similar to 2011 when he threw for over 5,000 yards and 41 TDs. He is currently being taken outside the top-12 and should finish as a QB1 if healthy, easily making him a fantastic value pick, especially in Superflex leagues.

 

Ryan Tannehill: All Tannehill did last year after taking over in Week 7 was rack up fantasy points. In fact, from Week 7 on, the only QB to outscore Tannehill was Lamar Jackson. So why is he being drafted so low this year? Sure, he probably won’t repeat the same performance as last year, but he should put together another fantastic season with his rushing ability and weapons around him. With an ADP of 130 (#20 QB), he should drastically outperform his current price. At only 31 years old, he could be a nice bargain in dynasty leagues.

 

Ben Roethlisberger: Big Ben should be considered a back-end QB1 if he's healthy and firing on all cylinders. He is fully expected to be 100% and ready to roll for Week 1 and he's my favorite for Comeback Player of the Year. JuJu Smith-Schuster should also experience a nice rebound season after a 2019 to forget without Roethlisberger slinging him the rock. Roethlisberger, with all his weapons around him, should be a fantastic pickup late in your draft that can payoff big time.

 

Running Back

Kenyan Drake: Drake is in a high-octane offense that’s trending upwards and should put up insane numbers this season. Greg Rosenthal of NFL.com states that Drake could get over 350 touches. Wow! There are a lot of great options in the top 10 RBs right now, but you can wait. Drake has legit potential to explode this season and a top-6 finish is not out of the realm of possibility.

 

Cam Akers: There is rumor that the Rams backfield could be a RBBC, but LA wouldn’t have spent a 2nd round pick on Akers if they believed in Darrell Henderson or Malcom Brown. We all know what a running back is capable of in this offense after watching Todd Gurley for the last few seasons. Even though the Rams have lost some guys on the O-Line, Akers is primed to be the early down back to start the season and could take over full time very quickly. It will be hard to keep him off the field, making him a double digit touchdown threat. He can definitely finish as a top-12 back.

 

James Conner:  There is no doubt that Conner is a fantasy stud...when he’s on the field. That’s the question. Can he stay healthy? Regardless, the Steelers have one of the best offensive lines in the league, and Conner has proven that he can shine behind them. He is a contract year player and extremely motivated to stay in Pittsburgh. If Conner can stay healthy, he will drastically outperform where he's being drafted right now. Take full advantage, as the risk is worth the reward.

 

Todd Gurley: Just like in 2017, Todd Gurley can be a league winner again. Gurley is going to be given all the touches he can handle in this Falcons offense, if he can stay healthy. If he shows that he can handle a significant workload, he'll easily outperform his ADP in 2020. Atlanta has the 3rd easiest schedule this season, which makes Gurley hands down one of my favorite values.

 

Wide Receiver

Cooper Kupp: Cooper Kupp may end up being one of the biggest steals in your draft this year. He was incredibly productive through the first half of 2019. In fact, from Weeks 1-8, Kupp was the WR2 in all of fantasy football. He finished as the #6 WR in PPR with 94 rec, 1,162 yds, 10 TDs on 134 targets. With Brandin Cooks gone, Kupp could see over 150+ targets this year. As Jared Goff’s security blanket, especially in the Red Zone, it’s very possible that Kupp could finish as a top 3 WR in PPR Leagues this year. With a current ADP of WR15 (35th overall), Kupp is a steal at this price.

 

Marquise “Hollywood” Brown: I know there’s a ton of hype around Hollywood this year, but it’s for good reason. He is the current #1 Wide Receiver in Baltimore’s offense. He showed what he was capable as a rookie with a bad foot hauling in 584 yds with 7 touchdowns on 46 receptions. Now imagine what he will do with a year’s experience under his belt, a healed and healthy foot, and a whole offseason working out with Lamar Jackson. He is primed to blow up this season. I have him projected to have 74 rec, 1,089 yds, and 9 TDs. That’s 239 PPR points, which would have been top 7 last season. Currently being drafted as a WR3/FLEX, he could be a league winner this year.

 

Jarvis Landry: “Old Reliable” is what I refer to Landry as. Wait.. old? Nope. He’s only 27 years old. The same age as Michael Thomas and younger than DeAndre Hopkins, meaning Jarvis Landry has plenty of good years ahead of him. He may be coming off an injury, but he has never missed a game in his NFL career...Never. He averages 94 catches a year, so why is he being drafted outside the top 30 WRs? I have no idea, but I absolutely love it. He is a wonderful target in the mid-rounds, which gives you an opportunity to stock up on RB or QB (if you’re in a Superflex league). He is as close to a sure thing to have 80+ receptions this year as you can get. Like Hollywood Brown, Landry is currently being drafted as a WR3/FLEX. He is a high end WR2 with WR1 upside in a Browns offense that should be improved.

 

Tight End

Blake Jarwin: Jarwin is finally free! Free from playing behind Jason Witten. He's in a great situation this season in a very dynamic and powerful offense. He’s very athletic and can stretch the field extremely well for a TE, which will result in some good chunk plays. He's going to see plenty of work and should be a back-end TE1 this season. Currently being drafted outside the top 20 TEs, Jarwin can pay off big time as a late round pick.

 

 

Hayden Hurst: Hurst is no sleeper by any means, and he is getting more hype as the season gets closer. This is a player with an ADP of the #21 TE a month ago. He has now creeped up into the Top 15. That’s still not bad, because he can still be the biggest surprise at TE this year. Hurst has a very good chance and path to finishing as a Top 5 option at the end of this season. Hurst is a tremendously talented tight end who is finally going to be given a full-time opportunity in Atlanta's dynamic offense. He will be a homerun pick in the later rounds of your draft. If you are in a dynasty league, go trade for him. You may have to pay more than you’d want, but it could still be a great bargain.

 

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