Sleepers and Busts, two of the most important terms in the Fantasy Football community. Sleepers can propel you to a long playoff run while just one or two busts can turn your season on its head. Here are some of the guys I think you should take a risk on later in the draft, as well as some guys that are too risky to select early.
Sleepers:
Mecole Hardman WR/KC
Coming out of Georgia, Hardman is an enticing prospect in an amazing offense. His potential is somewhat dependent on the availability of Tyreek Hill. Although it looks as though Hill will be playing in 2019, Hardman has incredible big play potential that could see him action early in the 2019 campaign. He has a significant chance to outplay Sammy Watkins and feature as the 2nd wideout.
James Washington WR/PIT
With the departure of Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster is set to lead the Steelers in targets. But don’t forget Big Ben loves having a second receiver in the mix. Look for Washington to grab that spot as WR2 for the high powered Pittsburgh offense.
Devin Singletary RB/BUF
With LeSean McCoy aging and facing nagging injuries throughout the last few seasons, Singletary seems primed to get a shot at some major playtime in his rookie season. Although the Bills offense is quite unpredictable as of now, Singletary will no doubt have a role.
Ronald Jones III RB/TB
After an underwhelming rookie season, many people forget that the Bucs used a 2nd round pick of Jones III in 2018. The Bucs didn’t add any other Running Backs this offseason so they must still believe in him. Certainly a nice buy-low prospect in this years draft.
Kalen Ballage RB/MIA
Ballage is heading to Miami where Kenyon Drake is set to be the lead back. The intriguing proposition here is that Drake has never been an every down type of back, totaling an average of only 126.5 carries over the last two seasons. This could change due to the departure of Frank Gore, but nevertheless, Ballage has upside in the later rounds.
Busts:
Jordan Howard RB/PHI
Coming from a run heavy offense in Chicago, Howard now calls Philly home. With Carson Wentz at full health Howard should definitely get his chances near the end zone, but Doug Peterson has shown that he likes to run a backfield by committee, a death sentence for fantasy owners.
Sammy Watkins WR/KC
Playing in one of the best offenses in the league, Watkins still seemed to be an afterthought for most of last year. Yes, he only played 10 games but injuries always seem to keep him off the field at some point throughout the long NFL season. Hold off on selecting Watkins until the later rounds.
Lamar Miller RB/HOU
Over the last three seasons, Miller has seen his fair share of workload. Even with an average of 239 carries per season over the last three, Miller has only averaged 6 TDs per year. It wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see D’Onta Foreman capture the starting role at some point this year.
Leonard Fournette RB/JAX
Fournette is undoubtedly a tremendous talent and athlete, but a combination of injuries and team circumstances makes his outlook more unknown. The Jaguars hired John DePhilippo as their new OC, paired with new QB Nick Foles to revitalize their passing game. DePhilippo is known for heavy passing schemes, which comes at the expense of Fournette.
Emmanuel Sanders WR/DEN
A 32 year old receiver coming off of an Achilles tear is a scary sight. Factor this into the emergence of young talented WRs on Denver such as Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton and you can see why Sanders may not be worthy of an early round pick in 2019.
Quarterbacks are always a topic of discussion amongst Fantasy Football lovers. It really depends on your league and its scoring. In ESPN standard scoring leagues, QBs are often not selected until the later rounds, even though they might end up being your highest scoring player at the end of the year. The reason for this is the quantity of excellent QBs that are in the game, along with the fact that most leagues have you only starting one QB per week. Throwing Patrick Mahomes aside, the next 8 best QBs in per game scoring was within 2.7 points of each other. You can spend an early round pick on Mahomes, who is no doubt a game changer every week, but the drop off from elite RBs/WRs is a much steeper cliff. It will be difficult for Mahomes, who averaged 26.1 points/game in ESPN standard scoring to recreate those video game type numbers, especially after DCs have a full year of tape to game plan against him.
Spend your early-mid draft selections on FLEX players, assuming standard scoring (PPR or not). Instead of spending a mid round pick on a superstar QB, grab a flex position that you know will have a role in an offense, because you can still find excellent value QBs at very late rounds. If you play in a league where passing TDs count for 6 points, or a league where you start 2 QBs/week, it is much more crucial to grab one of the top guys earlier.
1. Patrick Mahomes
The obvious first QB taken in every single fantasy draft this year. With a 50 TD 5000 yard performance last year, the only question is how far will some reach to grab the reincarnation of Brett Farve.
2. Andrew Luck
Coming off a full season without injury, Luck is poised for another great year. The Colts ranked 5th in PPG last year largely in part to their terrific passing game, which ranked 6th in Passing Yards/Game last year. With a young and improving offensive line, Luck should see unbreakable pass protection which will allow for his continued success along and health. Luck is no doubt one of the best fantasy QBs available.
3. Aaron Rodgers
Even in the down year most would say Rodgers had, the man still threw for over 4400 yards, 25 TDs and a mere 2 INTs! There was clearly turmoil in how the offense was conducted under Mike McCarthy. With new coach Matt LaFleur taking charge, look for Rodgers to seek vengeance on the NFL and return to premiere fantasy QB standing.
4. Drew Brees
Not much you have to explain about Drew Brees playing with Sean Payton. The two have proven to be a deadly pairing on the offensive side of the ball, and their fantasy ranks show just that. The man hasn’t totaled less than 4000 yards since 2005, and 2017 was the only year since 2007 that Brees hasn’t totaled 30 TDs. The epitome of fantasy consistency.
5. Russell Wilson
Even in the most run heavy offense of 2018, Wilson still found a way to throw for 35 TDs. Wilson also has averaged 5.75 rushing attempts/game, with an astounding 5.6 yards/rush. Even if he doesn’t score many rushing TDs, this volume helps solidify his presence as a QB1.
6. Cam Newton
Another great example of a dual threat QB. Cam averages 7.5 rush attempts/game and 5.2 yards/carry. While Cam has proven he can be a great thrower at times, the consistency isn’t always there. Where the bulk of his value lies in fantasy in his ability to score on the ground, which constitutes 6 fantasy points vs. the 4 points he would get through the air (Standard Scoring).
7. Ben Roethlisberger
Big Ben led the league in passing yards last year with 5,129, and with his best receiver gone, Roesthlisberger will be forced to be at his best. With all the drama hanging over the Steelers last year, Big Ben quietly ended as the 3rd best fantasy QB (standard scoring). Look for him to continue his statistical relevance, but will it be enough to propel the Steelers to contention again?
8. Deshaun Watson
With a full year of game play in 2018, Watson proved he can be a fantasy stud. He threw for 4,165 yards and 26 TDs with another 551 yards and 5 TDs on the ground. This stat line led him to be the #4 ranked QB in standard scoring, which should be an encouraging sign for years to come.
9. Carson Wentz
People forget that Wentz is only two years removed from an MVP campaign. With the QB situation in Philly stable now along with his full health, look for him to have a great comeback year.
10. Matt Ryan
2010 was the last year Matty Ice threw for less than 4000 yards. Ryan is a very solid fantasy option, although his TD total year to year is somewhat of a roller coaster. Ryan was 3rd in passing yards last year and tied for 3rd in throwing TDs. Oh, and playing in a dome 8 times per/year doesn’t hurt his stock either.
11. Baker Mayfield
Coming off of an impressive rookie season in which Mayfield broke the record for most passing TDs by a QB with 27, Mayfield is destined for a great career. In an offense loaded with talent, Mayfield should continue to blossom into a star this year. Mayfield will be a consistent fantasy QB for a long time.
12. Phillip Rivers
It is unfathomable that Rivers is still overshadowed after throwing for over 4000 yards in every season besides 1 since 2007. Rivers has always and will always be a gunslinger, which is the jackpot for any fantasy owner. He is always around the 30 TD mark as well, which means you absolutely know what you’re getting when you draft Rivers.
13. Jared Goff
Coming off two outstanding seasons with an average of 4200 passing yards and 30 TDs, Goff has proven that he can play at a high level in this league. Jeff (8-8) Fisher is digging in his grave after watching how Sean McVay transformed the U-Cal Berkeley talent. In the most high-powered, well run offense in the league, Goff is another great option at QB.
14. Kirk Cousins
Although his big-game performances are in question, there is no denying Cousins success behind center in his last four seasons. In each of the last four years, Kirk has topped 4000 passing yards and 29 TOT TDs. A steady fantasy option, but certainly not top tier.
15. Kyler Murray
The first and only real question mark of this list. With Kingsbury in charge, Murray will undoubtedly get his chance to shine this year, but just how bright? Murray’s throwing accuracy and power in overshadowed by his ability to run. He really has a great arm and the Cardinals will need all the offense they can get to stay competitive in the nasty NFC West.
Early Wednesday morning news broke that the Houston Texans had requested to interview New England Patriots director of player personnel, Nick Caserio for their newly vacant general manager position. This isn’t the first time that Houston came sniffing around New England’s front office. In January of 2018, the Texans made a request to speak with Caserio that the Patriots swiftly denied.
This time around it seems as if Bill O’Brien and Houston were not taking no for an answer. Without receiving the official okay from New England, rumor has it that the Patriots believe that the Texans have tampered in their pursuit of Caserio. The connection, former Patriots chaplain and current Houston executive vice president of player development, Jack Easterby. Easterby was present at New England’s Super Bowl ring ceremony on Friday–the same night that the Texans announced they were firing general manager Brian Gaine after one year on the job.
If New England feels that Easterby had conversations with Caserio about the Texans opening that could verify filing tampering charges. According to the NFL’s anti-tampering policy: “Any interference by a member club with the employer-employee relationship of another club or any attempt by a club to impermissibly induce a person to seek employment with that club or with the NFL.”
Caserio is a critical part of New England’s front office, while Bill Belichick has the title of general manager and often has the final say in decisions, Caserio is easily the Robin to his Batman. In a December 2014 interview, Belichick said Caserio, “contributes in a lot of different ways and I’m glad I have him. I need him.” In 2017 Belichick noted that Caserio’s impact in coaching and scouting are part of his “rare” role that he couldn’t envision another person in the NFL being able to pull it off. The last time the Patriots gave an opposing team permission to interview Caserio for a front office position was in 2014 when the Miami Dolphins requested it.
Caserio received a finance degree from John Carroll University–aka Patriots U; six members of New England’s staff attended John Carroll including offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The ties to the lone organization the 43-year-old has worked for are deep and strong, however, with the league flush with cash Caserio could be attempting to gauge his value in the open market. Houston, led by two former Patriot employees (Easterby and O’Brien) would definitely have to pay up to steal him away, but having familiarity with the higher-ups already in place and a talented roster are big bonuses for the Texans in their chase of Caserio.
With New England not committing to allowing Houston to speak with Caserio it’s likely that he remains with the Patriots and sees either a pay raise or a change of title. Either way, it’s clear that New England feels that Houston has crossed the line in their attempts to get Caserio to speak to them. With multiple black spots on their franchise resume, it will be interesting to see how this plays out for the Patriots. After “Spygate” and “Deflategate” finally settled into the back of the collective fans’ minds, are we about to enter “Interviewgate”? Only time will tell.
After starting the season 6-2 the Carolina Panthers looked well on their way to becoming one of the top teams in the NFL. The reason? Quarterback Cam Newton was setting the league ablaze in his first year operating within offensive coordinator, Norv Turner’s system. Newton had logged 15 touchdowns to just four interceptions. If that production had remained level for the rest of the season Newton could’ve challenged Patrick Mahomes in the 2018 NFL MVP race.
Yet, the Panthers lost six of their final seven games and ultimately missed the playoffs. What changed during the second half of the season? Cam Newton’s health. The team reported in Week 16 that he had been experiencing pain in his throwing shoulder and with Carolina’s postseason hopes all but gone they opted to rest the face of the franchise for the remainder of the season. By then, Newton petered off and finished with 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions on the year.
Newton would undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his right shoulder nearly a month later on January 24th. It would be his second shoulder surgery–rotator cuff surgery in March 2017–in as many years, doubt was seeping in around the organization of what the future would look like for their superstar quarterback. The Panthers would even select West Virginia quarterback Will Grier in the third round this spring.
It is obviously great news that Newton is on the field and throwing a ball less than five months after surgery, however, Newton was still slightly limited. The pecking order for reps went as follows: Will Grier, Kyle Allen, Taylor Heinicke, Cam. Also during the drills shown Newton was selective in the attempts he took. Newton connected with D.J. Moore (twice), Chris Hogan (twice), Curtis Samuel, and Greg Olsen on a combination of shorter routes (hitches, quick outs, drags, and speed ins).
Word out of Carolina is that he’s limited right now to throwing to stationary targets only. The feeling is that the team doesn’t want to stress the shoulder so early into his recovery with throws that would put more force and wear on the surgically repaired shoulder. The Panthers felt that before Newton was sidelined for the final two games a year ago that when he was healthy he showed great progress in the footwork department and had the requisite zip and tight spiral on his throws.
It is unknown whether or not Carolina will choose to stream a portion of practice for the remainder of their minicamp, but even if they don’t, this short glimpse of Cam on the field served its purpose. Though the attempts were few and far between and the reps didn’t always come with the first-team, Newton looked like his usual self. He was bouncing around, dancing, laughing, talking, being an energetic and exuberant presence that the team could rally around.
The Panthers firmly believe that they have the necessary pieces around Newton to be an elite team. In the end, it won’t matter how great those players are if Cam can’t get back and stay on the field.
Yesterday, the Philadelphia Eagles announced that they reached an agreement with quarterback Carson Wentz on a contract extension that keeps him with the team until 2024. Wentz now is under contract for six years for $154 million (with over $107 million guaranteed).
The Eagles have planted their flag with the fourth-year pro and former second overall pick. They are all-in on Wentz being the face of the franchise and their quarterback for now and in the future. In his second season in the NFL Wentz had a breakout campaign; the Eagles went 11-2 with him as their starter and he threw for nearly 3300 yards and 33 touchdowns–with only seven interceptions.
However, Wentz would miss the remainder of what ultimately became a Super Bowl-winning run due to a torn ACL. He then led Philadelphia to a disappointing 5-6 record before being sidelined once again for the rest of the year with a stress fracture in his back.
He’s cleared and back on the field and obviously, Philadelphia isn’t worried about his health. With the Eagles committing so heavily to Wentz at this juncture it allows us to turn our eyes elsewhere and see who is the next quarterback to be shown the money.
1. Patrick Mahomes
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The reigning MVP of the NFL is going to be the highest paid player in the NFL soon. In just his second year in the league, he revolutionized the position single-handedly. Mahomes ability to make plays inside and outside of the pocket combined with a rocket launcher for an arm he looked like the most-skilled quarterback since Aaron Rodgers.
Kansas City was all-in on Mahomes since they traded up to the 10th overall slot in the 2017 NFL Draft to select him. After taking a year to learn Andy Reid’s system, Mahomes tore through the entire league during his first season as a starter.
With weapons in the backfield and in the receiving corps, the Chiefs are positioned to be one of the better offensive teams for the foreseeable future.
The Dallas Cowboys are finally making their way back to sustained consistency. After dominating the late-80s and mid-90s, the star had lost some of its shine. Yet, Dallas also struck gold in the 2016 NFL Draft when they found Dak Prescott in the fourth round.
Since becoming the starter, Dallas has won two-thirds of their games (32-16) and have made the playoffs in two of the three seasons.
Prescott was known as more of a running quarterback during his time at Mississippi State, but he’s eclipsed the 3300-yard plateau each year and only completed less than 67 percent of his passes in one season (2017).
Jerry Jones knows how important Prescott has been to the turnaround in Dallas and making sure he’s properly compensated should be priority number one going forward. However, with the deals of Ezekiel Elliott and Amari Cooper nearing completion as well, that means Jones might have to go very deep into his pockets to keep the current iteration of these Cowboys together.
3. Jared Goff
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The Los Angeles Rams are fresh off a trip to the Super Bowl and had one of the most explosive offenses in recent NFL history. But in that final game, their offense stalled out and they only managed to score three points as they were defeated by the New England Patriots.
Over the duration of the 2018 season, Goff was critical to the Rams success. In totality though, running back Todd Gurley was the engine behind the high-powered Sean McVay system and the Super Bowl put a big spotlight on that as the Patriots were able to bottle up Gurley–who was also dealing with knee issues.
Under the tutelage of McVay, Goff has been reborn as a signal caller. His rookie year might have been one of the worst for a first overall pick. Yet, he has looked like a different player since McVay took over for Jeff Fisher.
As long as Los Angeles believes that Goff will continue to develop and could one day be the key cog of the offense then a big deal is coming down the pipeline and the earlier they decide on that the more money they will likely save themselves.
4. Deshaun Watson
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Another quarterback in Texas is on the cusp of a big payday. Houston Texans starter Deshaun Watson is entering the penultimate year of his rookie deal and he’s easily been the best quarterback the franchise has had since they entered the league in 2002.
After starting just six games as a rookie, he started every game last year and led Houston to an 11-5 record and a Wild Card game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Watson rose to prominence in college at Clemson and led them to an upset victory in the national championship game against Alabama in 2017. He’s brought along glimpses of that star power to the NFL, but the Texans as a team have yet to capitalize on it while Watson remains on a below-market-rate deal.
Time’s running out for this team as it’s unlikely they will allow Watson to get to his fifth-year option without extending him first. If the team can’t put things together this season then they may have wasted their chance to repeat the formula of teams like the Rams and Chiefs. Firing their general manager likely makes getting a deal locked in even harder for the two sides.
5. Mitchell Trubisky
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When the Chicago Bears drafted Mitchell Trubisky with the second overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft it caught many people off guard. However, after a big turnaround in his second year with the team, he’s now the third member of the 2017 draft class to appear on this list.
Even though he was taken before Mahomes and Watson, it would clearly seem that he sits behind those other two when re-ranking the trio of quarterbacks selected in the first round that year.
However, unlike the Texans, Chicago has done a much better job of filling out their roster to take advantage of having a cost-controlled quarterback. Trading for Khalil Mack last season vaulted this team into the upper echelon, but they fell short of making noise as they lost to the Eagles in the Wild Card round last season.
Hiring Matt Nagy has had a similar impact on Trubisky’s play as the Rams bringing in Sean McVay with Jared Goff. As long as Nagy’s offense continues to put Trubisky in situations to excel he will be worth the money.
For the longest time the NFL has been defined by the names of Brady, Rodgers, Brees, Rivers, Watt, Miller, however with every passing season there are new names that find themselves entering the lexicon of NFL fans across the country. Last year it was players like James Conner, Phillip Lindsay, Derwin James, Juju Smith-Schuster, Jamal Adams that turned the page from hotshot upstart to Pro Bowl-caliber player.
As minicamps begin to open, teams are getting their first look at their full rosters this summer. There will be names that come out of nowhere and become contributors. There will be players who take the leap from solid to stud. There will be opportunities opened up where there once wasn’t a chance.
Here is our first look at a select group of players who could become dominant forces in 2019.
Damien Williams, RB (KC)
The storyline for the majority of the Kansas City Chiefs rise to the top seed in the AFC last season was focused on Patrick Mahomes’ rise from backup to MVP. Mahomes put on a stellar display in his first season as a starter and the Chiefs obviously have their man at quarterback for the foreseeable future.
Yet, another key piece didn’t have as great of a second season in Kansas City. Their star running back, Kareem Hunt, was released by the team at the end of November following news of a physical altercation with a woman in a hotel. In his absence, the team started to fill that vacated spot by opting to go with a committee approach in the backfield. During the playoffs there was another unsung hero rise to the occasion for the Chiefs, running back Damien Williams.
The little-used fifth-year pro came to Kansas City after four seasons with the Miami Dolphins. With Hunt gone, Williams took the opportunity to plant himself firmly as the man in the Chiefs backfield. In two playoff games, he contributed 250 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns as the starter. His ability to contribute both as a runner and a receiver make him an integral piece for Andy Reid’s offense going forward.
In the Chiefs divisional round game against the Indianapolis Colts, he made his impact on the ground, carrying the ball 25 times and racking up 129 yards and a touchdown. The next week he diced up the eventual Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots as a receiver to the tune of 66 yards and two touchdowns on five receptions.
With most of the league still trying to crack the code on slowing down Mahomes, Williams will certainly see a benefit. Opponents will be unable to load up the box to slow the run which means fewer defenders for Williams to worry about when attacking the line of scrimmage; even if teams do commit more players to the line of scrimmage then Kansas City can exploit the numbers advantage by targeting Williams in the passing game. Following years of being an afterthought, Williams could breakthrough in a big way this upcoming season.
David Njoku, TE (CLE)
The two names that have created the most headlines for the Cleveland Browns since the end of the season have been Hunt–the Browns signed him in February–and Odell Beckham Jr.–the team traded for him in March. However, in this new revamped Browns offense that we will see this upcoming season the player that could have the best season is tight end David Njoku.
Selected with the 29th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Njoku has the physical profile (6-foot-4, 246 pounds, 4.64 40-yard dash time, 37.5-inch vertical jump, and a 6.97 three-cone time) of a player that should make easy work of most linebackers and safeties. Given the attention that wide receivers Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry will require from secondaries, most opposing teams will be forced to use lesser options as the main defenders against Njoku.
After starting only five games and amassing 32 receptions, 386 yards, and four touchdowns, Njoku upped his starts (14), catches (56), and yards (639) outputs in his second season in the NFL. His two games with double-digit targets came after Baker Mayfield supplanted Tyrod Taylor as the team’s starter at quarterback.
With a full summer to build upon the rapport, they developed last year expect for Njoku’s touchdown totals to see a bump this year. It’s going to be impossible for defenses to adequately distribute the proper resources to slow down all three of these weapons on every down. Look for this offense to produce multiple big plays a game this year with Mayfield calling the shots.
Mayfield is believed to be the guy to break the long-running curse at quarterback in Cleveland following a stellar rookie season. At Oklahoma, we saw him spread the ball around to all of his weapons on his way to winning the Heisman trophy. Heading into his second season he now has the same volume of weapons to space out his targets in Cleveland. Having a true red zone and middle-of-the-field threat in Njoku makes life easier for quarterbacks.
Tevin Coleman, RB (SF)
After years of operating as part of a running back duo in Atlanta with Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman had the backfield to himself last year after Freeman missed most of last year with a collection of injuries (hamstring, foot, and groin). Coleman surpassed 1,000 total yards for the first time in his career (1076) as he had a career year across the board.
Following the mini-breakout season, Coleman entered free agency and decided to team up with former Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco. In their one year together in the 2016 season, Coleman scored a career-best 11 total touchdowns and averaged a career-best 6.3 yards per touch.
Coleman’s 528 career attempts are 105 more than the entire San Francisco team attempted a season ago. He’s coming into the 49ers as a relatively fresh option at running back. The Niners top ball carriers totaled 153 (Matt Breida) and 111 (Alfred Morris) carries last year so it’s unlikely Coleman will be overloaded right off the bat.
This is the second straight offseason where the 49ers sought out a running back free agency. Last year they spent big on Jerrick McKinnon, but a torn ACL kept him from contributing. The initial thought would be that Coleman is leaving one running back committee for another, However, early reports out of San Francisco is that Coleman has emerged as the team’s lead back.
With Jimmy Garappolo coming back from an ACL injury of his own, the 49ers are attempting to push all of their chips into the middle of the table this season. Garappolo has operated best out of play action, and in order for that to work, they first need to establish the run game. With Coleman as the primary back, that means he’s likely to repeat the numbers he produced in 2016 but on a bigger volume.
Jaylon Smith, LB (DAL)
The 2016 NFL Draft was very good to the Dallas Cowboys. They got their quarterback and running back tandem of the future in Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott. As the seasons have passed more and more praise has been heaped onto the organization for these moves, however, the pick that they really nailed was drafting linebacker Jaylon Smith of Notre Dame with their second-round choice.
Smith was on track to being a top-10 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft before an ACL injury in his final college game. The initial thought was that the knee injury could possibly ruin his NFL career, however, Smith has managed to appear in all 34 games–starting in 24 of them–with the Cowboys since being drafted.
Last season, the Cowboys got a version of Smith that looked more in line with what was expected of him pre-injury. He was second on the team in tackles (121 total), forced and recovered two fumbles, and scored Dallas’ only defensive touchdown. Smith’s ability to play sideline-to-sideline and make an impact against the run and pass make him a mainstay on the Cowboys.
The risk that Jerry Jones and co. took with drafting Smith looks to be paying off and as long as he remains healthy then the decision to take him in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft will look better and better going forward.
Teamed with 2018 first-round pick Leighton Vander Esch Dallas has put together a formidable linebacker duo. We’ve seen the importance of protecting and defending the middle of the field and Dallas has that area of the field locked down now and going into the future thanks to their smart moves in the last few drafts.
Desmond King II, CB (LAC)
The Los Angeles Chargers defense was led by players like Joey Bosa, Derwin James, and Melvin Ingram III last year. All three were phenomenal at their position and wreaked havoc all over the field for opponents. The Chargers main goals on defense were forcing turnovers (19 combined interceptions and recovered fumbles) and capitalizing off them as well (two defensive touchdowns).
In the end, it was a complete 11-man effort down-after-down that made Los Angeles’ defense stingy throughout the season. Within that collective style of play, cornerback Desmond King II started to shine through. He tied with James for a team-high three interceptions last year.
Coming out of Iowa, King II’s knack for getting his hands on the ball (14 career interceptions and three fumbles recovered) made him stand out. However, a down senior season and inconsistent performance at the NFL Draft Combine led him to fall to the fifth round.
With the Chargers though he has found his role on the big stage as a slot cornerback, a position of increasing value in the NFL today. King II’s performance in Week 6 against Jarvis Landry and the Cleveland Browns was his pièce de résistance last season. Targeted four times, Landry only had one catch for seven yards when covered by King II. He also baited Baker Mayfield into throwing an interception on a crossing route.
If King II can continue his dominance in the slot he will be a big piece of the Chargers evolving defense going forward. He also adds the benefit of being the primary punt returner for the team. Los Angeles wants the ball in King II’s hands and so far he has obliged.
Lamar Jackson, QB (BAL)
Coming out of Louisville, Heisman trophy winner Lamar Jackson was often penciled in as the second coming of Michael Vick. Jackson is an incredible athlete, whose ability to stretch plays outside of the pocket and down the line of scrimmage make defensive coordinators have to alter their game plans when they face him.
After sitting behind Joe Flacco for the majority of his rookie season, Jackson was handed the reigns to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11. Over the final seven weeks of the year Baltimore went 6-1 with their only loss coming on the road to the Kansas City Chiefs—a game the team lost by three points.
Jackson was a breath of fresh air for a stale Ravens offense. Baltimore changed its entire philosophy seemingly overnight. They became a option-heavy running team with Jackson toting the ball for an average of 17.1 carries a game. With little to no time for opposing teams to scout what the Ravens and Jackson were doing, opponents often entered the game against Baltimore playing on their heels.
Yet, in the team’s Wild Card loss to the Los Angeles Chargers (playing Baltimore for the second time in two weeks) Jackson’s inability to consistently and accurately make plays in the passing game was a fatal flaw for the Ravens.
Heading into year two of the Lamar Jackson experience, Baltimore is once again changing their offense. They don’t want Jackson in as many designed running plays and by drafting speedster Marquise “Hollywood” Brown in the first round their hoping to stretch the field with Jackson’s arm just as much as they did last year with Jackson’s legs. With a full offseason knowing that he is the starter in Baltimore expect Jackson to come back noticeably improved in his second season.
