Possible #1 Selections in This Year’s Draft

I think there is only one player worthy of the #1 pick in this years fantasy draft (Jamaal Charles), but there are other players who can be possibilities at #1 as well.

 

Jamaal Charles, KC- Jamaal Charles won the MVP for Fantasy Football last year by a landslide. He’s a fantasy owner’s dream of a dual-threat back, racking up 1,287 yards on the ground and 693 yds through the air.  Charles led the Chiefs in rushing, receiving AND receptions. He also had 19 total TD’s that’s right 19. When a running back can get 70 receptions in a season, 1,000+ yards and almost 20 TD’s there’s really no argument on why you shouldn’t take him #1 overall.

Jamaal Charles dominated Fantasy Football last season.

Adrian Peterson, MIN- Adrian Peterson will always be a Top-3 pick for however long he plays, but for this season I have him going 2nd or 3rd overall in most drafts.  Peterson had a solid season (1,266 yds, 10 TD’s) but nagging injuries kept him from reaching the stellar performance he had 2 seasons ago when he hit 2,000 yards. Unlike Charles, Peterson is not really a threat in the receiving game, but can make up for it with his running. An argument can be made for Peterson at #1 overall, but there a little things that keep him from being a definite at #1.

LeSean McCoy, PHI- Like Charles, McCoy can be a receiving threat, racking up 52 receptions for 539 yds last season.  He also can get it done on the ground, running for 1,607 yds and 9 Rushing TD’s. McCoy is very talented and in my opinion shouldn’t go past #2 in most drafts, but he definitely has the potential to go #1 overall and I have him before Adrian Peterson in my Fantasy Top 25. I believe it will come down to McCoy or Charles for the #1 pick in this years draft with Charles having a slight edge.

 

 

Intriguing Fantasy Players to Avoid for the Upcoming Season

There are some very talented players in the NFL, but their talents do not always translate well into Fantasy Football.  It all comes down to statistics, and if the team they’re on doesn’t help them put up good numbers, then they are useless to your team. Here are some players that are tempting to pick this year, but I think will only hurt your team in the long run.

 

Eric Decker, NYJ- Eric Decker had an amazing year last year (87 Rec’s, 1,288 yds, 11 TD’s) but you have to keep in mind that his quarterback was Peyton Manning.  Going from Peyton Manning, one of the best quarterbacks of all time to Michael Vick/Geno Smith is a serious downgrade at QB for Decker.  He is also the only guy the Jets that can be a serious threat on the field, making him the one who is shadowed by the opposing teams top cornerback. This was something he never had to worry about in Denver, since he had Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas and Wes Welker as well. The Jets haven’t had a good track record as of late with signing big name receivers (Santonio Holmes), so I’d try to avoid Decker in this year’s draft.

     

Knowshon Moreno, MIA- Like Decker, Moreno had his best year yet as a Bronco (1,038 yds, 10 TD’s), but he will not do as well as a Dolphin. The Dolphin offensive line is a complete mess, and did not open up anything big for Lamar Miller of Daniel Thomas all of last season.  Most running backs are only as good as their blocking up front, and if Moreno has no room to run, don’t expect him to do anything spectacular.

C.J. Spiller, BUF- Last season, everyone expected Spiller to have a career year because of his speed and explosiveness out of the backfield. This did not happen at all he ending up splitting carries with Fred Jackson more times than not.  He finished the season with 933 yds, but he did not have many huge weeks in fantasy. His low TD number (only 2) is another reason to avoid him for upcoming season, but hey if he’s available in later rounds, it doesn’t hurt to have him as a bench player.

Steven Jackson, ATL- I thought Jackson would continue his consistent play when going to Atlanta but I was wrong by a longshot.  Father Time simply hasn’t been kind to Jackson and the amount of wear on his tires showed last season, when injuries weakened his performance on the field. Even when he did play, he did not impress.  I would stay away from Jackson completely this season because he is simply unreliable as an every week RB.

Ray Rice, BAL- Last season was extremely disappointing for RB Ray Rice.  He couldn’t find any room to run behind his O-Line, and was not used in the passing game as much as he usually is.  His offseason troubles will only hurt him even more for the upcoming season.  The Ravens haven’t done much to fortify their offensive line, and Rice isn’t getting any younger.  I wouldn’t trust him as a starting RB this season in your lineup.

Russell Wilson, SEA- Yes, I know Wilson lead his team to a Super Bowl Championship last year and he played well. However, he is not a reliable Fantasy QB.  The Seattle offense is built around Marshawn Lynch and their running game, and the receiving core of Seattle is too mediocre for Wilson to blow up next season. Also take into account that he only threw over 300 yds twice last season. He may be a winner, but he will average only 16-19 Fantasy Points a week.

 

Breakout Candidates for 2014

Like every year in fantasy, there are always those unknown players who come out of nowhere and become fantasy studs. Last year guys like Josh Gordon and Alshon Jeffery who were on most people’s benches or free agents at the start of the season, but had career seasons that made many owners very happy. Below are players that I believe will have their own breakout years.

 

DeAndre Hopkins, HOU- DeAndre Hopkins was drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft last year to be the long awaited compliment and succeder of superstar Andre Johnson.  Hopkins had a decent year (802 yds, 2 TD’s), but quarterback issues in Houston hampered his performance. Hopkins has all the physical and mechanical tools to be a breakout candidate this year, it all comes down to who’s under center for Houston come 2014.

With a new coach in Houston, Hopkins may be able to breakout this season

Cordarrelle Patterson, MIN-  Patterson has all the abilities to be a fantasy star.  The Tennessee product can do it all. He can get yards after the catch, get rushing yards from end around plays and score in the end zone, but like Hopkins, Minnesota has QB issues themselves.  If they can find a solid replacement for the Ponder/Cassel Combo, Patterson is sure to have a very good year.

Rashad Jennings, NYG- Rashad Jennings has been a backup for most of his career, rather for Maurice Jones-Drew in Jacksonville or Darren McFadden in Oakland.  When both went down with injury, Jennings was able to turn nothing into something, having good campaigns when he got the opportunity. He has the tools to be an every-down back, with good vision, acceleration and strength. Now he will be looked at as the premiere back in New York, with former 1st rounder David Wilson recovering from neck surgery.  If Jennings is able to play as he has in the past, expect him to win and keep the starting job and perform well over his expectations.

Jennings finally has an opportunity to be an every down back

 

Fantasy Top 25

 

Below are my Top 25 for the upcoming Fantasy Season

 

1. Jamaal Charles
2. Lesean Mccoy
3. Adrian Peterson
4. Marshawn Lynch
5. Matt Forte
6. Calvin Johnson
7. Peyton Manning
8. DeMarco Murray
9. Jimmy Graham
10. Alfred Morris
11. Josh Gordon
12. AJ Green
13. Tom Brady
14. Drew Brees
15. Arian Foster
16. Eddie Lacy
17. Aaron Rodgers
18. Brandon Marshall
19. Larry Fitzgerald
20. Vincent Jackson
21. Demaryius Thomas
22. Andre Johnson
23. Antonio Brown
24. Doug Martin
25. Frank Gore

Fantasy Standouts That Can Build off of Last Year’s Performance

After every season of fantasy, there are those who end on good notes and seem to show no signs of slowing down. Here are 5 players I have that I believe can do even better then their performances last year.

Keenan Allen has potential to be a Top-10 Fantasy Wide Receiver this upcoming season.

1. Keenan Allen, SD- Keenan Allen was taken in the 3rd round of the NFL draft last year and was just viewed as another Chargers receiver not named Antonio Gates. But after injuries to Danario Alexander and Malcolm Floyd, Allen exploded onto the scene and eventually became Philip Rivers new favorite target. Since he came on later in the year, he only racked up 1,076 receiving yards. Coming into this year being the #1 receiver and a much improved Philip Rivers, I can see Allen finishing this season with over 1,200 yards and double digit TD’s.

2. Nick Foles, PHI- After injuries hampered Michael Vick (again) Nick Foles took advantage of the opportunity and had a stellar season.  Unlike Vick, Foles rarely turned the ball over and was a touchdown throwing machine, which is impressive with a guy like Lesean Mccoy in the Eagle offense.  Now with a full season ahead of him, I see Foles only moving forwards from here and is one of the hot, rising, young QB’s in the NFL.

3. Zac Stacy, STL- Unfortunately for Zac Stacy, it took Jeff Fisher and The St. Louis Rams too long to realize that he was their #1 guy. But when it came time for Stacy’s time to shine, he made the best of it, racking up 973 yards and 8 TD’s on the season. His power in the backfield made him a scoring machine along with his quickness and agility. Coming into to training camp as the undisputed #1 back in St. Louis, Stacy has a strong chance of going well over 1,000 yards this season and even scoring 10+ TD’s.

4. DeMarco Murray, DAL- When DeMarco Murray is healthy, damn is he good. When healthy Murray has the ability to score on the goal line, hit running holes hard and catch passes out of the backfield. The guy can do it all and proved himself as a #1 fantasy back last year with 1,471 total yards (1,121 rushing, 350 receiving) and 10 TD’s ( 9 rushing, 1 rec.). If he can keep himself healthy for next year, I can seem him having over 1,500 total yards and being an undisputed 1st round pick.

5. Julian Edelman, NE- The patriots thought Danny Amendola would be their new “Welker-Like” receiver for Tom Brady. Wrong. Amendola proved to be what he always was, an injury prone receiver who would have a couple good games and get hurt right after. Enter Julian Edelman, who became Brady’s new best friend, finishing the year with 105 rec’s, 1,056 yards and 6 TD’s. In a pathetic Patriot receiving core consisting of two pass dropping rookies and a tight end who no game announcer could pronounce, Edelman was the one bright spot of all of it. Being Brady’s top guy is always a good thing and with a new contract, I see Edelman only getting better from here.

5 Rookies Who Can be of Fantasy Value

Rookies are the most unpredictable players when it comes to fantasy.  You don’t really know who they are unless you follow college football and the NFL Draft and no one is ever really sure how their talents will transition to the NFL.  Some are able to shine their first year and even become your top fantasy players (RGIII, Eddie Lacy, Doug Martin) and those who are simply busts (Trent Richardson, David Wilson).  Below are future NFL Rookies that I believe will make an impact wherever they land.

 

1. Eric Ebron, UNC- When I look at Eric Ebron I see a large, athletic, pass-catching tight end who can open up the field for his quarterback.  He has great size and speed that will make him a match-up nightmare for opposing defenses. Ebron has potential to be a red-zone threat and I’ve learned that having a tight end who can rack up a lot of touchdown passes is a key weapon to have on your fantasy team. I see him as a Vernon Davis type of player who can use his body to make difficult catches and his raw talent to help him succeed.

 

2. Sammy Watkins, Clemson- Sammy Watkins is simply a dynamic playmaker that I would want on my team come fantasy season.  Unlike Tavon Austin, Watkins has the size and physical ability to get open on the outside along with the playmaking ability Austin had last season. What makes him stand out from other rookie wide receivers is his ability to get yards after the catch, which is huge for fantasy.  If Watkins is still available in the 6th or 7th round of your draft, I’d definitely take the chance on him. Watkins has #1 receiver potential no matter where he ends up, but I would have him as a WR2 or WR3 in my lineup.

Sammy Watkins has the potential to be the next great NFL Wideout

3. Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M- Say what you want about Johnny Football, but I believe his ability to extend and create plays is worth something in fantasy.  He may not be your starting QB, but having him as a backup doesn’t hurt.  If he is able to explode onto to NFL scene, similar to what RGIII did his rookie season, you can see Manziel become a big asset to your team rather as a QB1 or trade bait. I know many are against Manziel, but I believe that he’s something special that you should keep your eye out for in the later rounds of your draft.

 

4. Blake Bortles, UCF- Blake Bortles is an interesting type of player. The guy was basically a nobody until December when his size, accuracy and athleticism had him projected as the #1 pick in some mock drafts.  Don’t get me wrong, Bortles is still a very raw player who needs to learn a lot before being considered a fantasy worthy quarterback, but like Manziel, I see him as someone you grab at the end of your draft to put on the bench and see what happens.

Blake Bortles has the ability to become a top fantasy quarterback if given the opportunity

5. Mike Evans, Texas A&M- Mike Evans was simply a beast this year and helped his fellow Aggie Johnny Manziel succeed even more. At 6-5 225 lbs and blazing speed for a man of his size, Evans will become one of the top red zone threats in the NFL for years to come. As he showed in college, he was able to use his large size to simply manhandle opposing in order to create space up the field. He has great hands especially in the red-zone and a receiver who can score TD’s is always a plus on a fantasy team. If Evans is available in the 8th or 9th round, I’d grab him. As of now i see him as a WR3 or WR4.