By: Adam Hulse

There was much concern about Ezekiel Elliot heading into the 2021 NFL season. He was coming off his worst year ever in 2020, setting new career lows in many different categories. His 979 rushing yards, four yards per carry, six rushing touchdowns, eight total touchdowns, and 6.5 yards per reception were all new career lows for Elliot. He did set one new career high last year, but unfortunately it was in a negative category, losing five total fumbles. That’s the same amount of turnovers that he had in the rest of his entire career combined.

2020 Struggles

It was a rough 2020 campaign for Elliot, but there were reasons why some of it could be somewhat understandable. With Dak Prescott being injured in week five and missing the rest of the season, defenses were stacking the box against the run without the threat of a real passing game. In addition, the Cowboys suffered a ton of injuries to their offensive line last year as well, including to their top two blockers in Tyron Smith and Zack Martin.

All of the injuries to key players in the Cowboys offense may have made Elliot feel extra pressure to perform last season. He may have been trying to to force things a bit too much, would could possibly explain the fumbles. Playing with a backup quarterback and loaded defensive box for the majority of the season can in a way explain why his production averages fell off. Regardless, it was clearly the worst season of his career by far and the concern about him no longer being the same dominant force that he used to be was justified, especially considering the short life span of running backs in the NFL.

2021 Campaign

Elliot entered the 2021 NFL season determined to prove that 2020 was a fluke and that he still has plenty left in the tank. Week one was an unimpressive performance, touching the ball 13 times and only producing 39 total yards against one of the best rushing defenses in the NFL, the Tampa Bay Bucs. He improved in week two against the LA Chargers, getting 18 touches for 97 yards and a touchdown. His big breakout was in week three against the division rival Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, producing 116 total yards and two touchdowns on 20 touches.

It was a much needed dominant performance by Elliot on a big stage. He helped the Cowboys demolish the Eagles in a premium game. This performance should provide him with a huge confidence boost moving forward. Additionally, the emergence of Tony Pollard should help keep Elliot more fresh. He can now receive a few less touches so he will have an opportunity for a quality over quantity situation. Pollard has been explosive as the second back in Dallas this year, turning his 35 touches into 248 total yards and a touchdown. His contributions will take some of the burden off of Elliot while keeping him at full strength.

The post RB Ezekiel Elliot is not done yet appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

The defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Bucs have one of the better defenses in the entire NFL. They ranked 6th last season with 327.1 yards allowed per game and 8th in scoring with 22.2 points allowed per game. Much of this can be credited to their stout run defense, which was the best in the league by allowing just 80.6 rushing yards per game. Their front seven is extremely strong and talented, also contributing the 5th most sacks with 48 total last season.

On the other hand, their pass defense was not nearly as impressive. They ranked a disappointing 21st with 246.6 passing yards allowed per game and were middle of the road at 18th with a 94.3 passer rating against. They did rank 10th in interceptions forced with 15 total last year, but that may be more because of their solid pass rush as opposed to tight coverage. In fact, they were terrible in opponent completion percentage, ranking 29th in the NFL by allowing 69 percent of pass attempts to be completed against them in the 2020 season.

New Year, Same Results

In week one of this year, the Bucs hosted the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football to kick off the 2021 NFL season. The Bucs secondary picked up right where they left off last season, getting torched by Dak Prescott and the Cowboys passing attack. They allowed the Cowboys offense to march up and down the field through the air, with Prescott completing 72.4 percent of his passes for 391 yards and three touchdowns while posting an impressive 101.4 passer rating. In fact, if not for two missed field goals and a missed extra point by Cowboys kicker Greg Zuerlein, the Bucs may very well have lost this opening game of the season. Prescott put up a performance that would win most games but ultimately could not finish the job in this one.

Probably most concerning for the Bucs secondary is that the Cowboys found success through the air on every level. It was not just a matter of the Bucs having one weak spot but an inability to stop any aspect of the Cowboys passing game. Amari Cooper was unstoppable on the perimeter with 13 receptions for 139 yards and two touchdowns while CeeDee Lamb did all of his damage from the slot with seven receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown. The Dallas tight ends combined for 65 yards on 9 receptions and even the running backs contributed six receptions for 35 yards. Clearly, the Bucs pass coverage could not stop anything in the Cowboys passing scheme.

Making Matters Worse

Unfortunately, the Bucs lost Sean Murphy-Bunting due to an elbow injuring during the game with the Cowboys. His timetable for return is unclear at this point but he could be out anywhere from the minimum three weeks on IR to a full season. This is a big loss for the Bucs considering he is one of their very best in man coverage. He works on the outside of their base defense while sliding into the slot for nickel and dime coverage schemes. In his absence, Jamel Dean, among others, will have to step up and play a much larger role.

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By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

After some unfortunate injuries leading up to Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season, including JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards, the stable of running backs for the Baltimore Ravens is going to look much different than expected. Their rushing attack, in addition to quarterback Lamar Jackson of course, will now likely come from a combination of multiple running backs. This is not uncommon for the Ravens, who use a creative run-heavy scheme and can support multiple running backs from a fantasy football perspective.

The distribution of carries in Baltimore is going to be something to keep a very close eye on over the early weeks of the season. They have a few different options for who could receive the biggest workload, including Ty’Son Williams, Devonta Freeman, and Le’Veon Bell, but the leading candidate to have the most production is their newest addition to the roster, Latavius Murray. It may take a week or two to get him up to speed, but as soon as he is fully acclimated with his new team, he will likely take over as their RB1. Here is why Murray is a buy in fantasy leagues and the top choice of who to own in the ravens backfield.

Consistent and Reliable

Across his seven seasons in the NFL, Murray has only missed four games total. He has consistently solid production including 713 rushing yards and 6 rushing touchdowns per season, 4.2 yards per carry, and just two lost fumbles in his entire career. He played in three very different schemes with the Raiders, Vikings, and Saints but that never impacted his steady output so changing teams again would not appear to have any negative effect on his game. He is used to playing in situations where he has to compete for carries so being in the Ravens currently crowded backfield is no different. He has always delivered positive results when given the chance and this may be his biggest opportunity for more touches in over five years. A bigger workload in an extremely RB-friendly scheme could mean big things for Murray this year.

Weak Competition

None of the other RB options on the Ravens are nearly as dependable as Murray. Freeman has been unable to stay healthy over the last three seasons, playing in just 21 games combined, and his yards per carry have steadily decreased. His 3.5 yards per carry over the last three years are significantly lower than his career 4.1 average, which indicates regression. Williams has not played an NFL game yet but was not at all a high prospect coming out of college. In fact, he was undrafted, which speaks to his perceived low potential as a player. Bell is an interesting situation but it appears that his best days are behind him at this point.

In his five seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bell was one of the very best backs in the NFL with a very dynamic skill set. He eclipsed 2200 total yards back in the 2014 season and came close to the 2000 yard mark twice more in both 2016 and 2017. After sitting out the entire 2018 season because of a contract dispute, he has never been quite the same. Playing in 26 games over the last two seasons, he has recorded just 1716 total yards combined. In his prime that would be a down year for just a single season total. Now 29 years old and 4 years removed from elite status, it is more than likely that his best days are long gone.

Considering all of the question marks and inconsistencies with all of the other options, Murray is by far the most reliable back in Baltimore. All of them will get carries at some point and their play on the field will likely determine the share of touches moving forward. Murray is the newest to the team so he may not get too much of a workload in week 1 but as the season continues on it should increase drastically. All things considered, he is the leading candidate to be the RB1 for the Ravens and has an opportunity to have a huge season in this run heavy scheme. If there is one back to buy in fantasy right now, Murray is the best investment.

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By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

The 2021 NFL season kicks off on Thursday night September 9th with the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Bucs hosting the Dallas Cowboys. The Bucs are a pretty big favorite currently, as they should be, but it is not going to be as easy for them as the betting line may suggest. Here are some reasons why the Cowboys can open the season with a big upset of the defending champs.

Dak is Back!

Dak Prescott returns for the 2021 NFL season after missing the large majority of 2020 due to a gruesome ankle injury. The Cowboys are a completely different team when Prescott is healthy and the numbers prove it. In the 2019 season, when he last played a full season, the Cowboys offense was absolutely dominant. In addition to being the number one ranked offense in the league that season, they were statistically the best offense since the 2013 Denver Broncos. Their 431.5 yards per game were the most that year by a very wide margin, ahead of the second ranked Baltimore Ravens by nearly 24 yards per game. In 2020 before the injury, Dak was on a ridiculously scorching hot pace. If he continued on his per game averages for a full season, he would have set a new NFL passing yardage record for a single season.

Prescott will look to pick up right where he left off and he could really be an even better version of himself this season. Now that he has received the mega-contract that he has been waiting for, there will be a weight lifted off his shoulders. This could allow for him to play looser and more confidently with a bit less pressure on him. This could help the Cowboys offense be even better than it already was, and that is a scary thing for opposing defenses, starting with the Bucs in the season opener.In addition, a healthy Prescott could also very well mean a big bounce-back season for Ezekiel Elliot because the defense has to respect the passing game much more. That in turn should open up more running lanes for Zeke. The other thing that will improve the Cowboys is their new weapon, CeeDee Lamb, that Prescott has not had the luxury of using for a full season yet.

The CeeDee Lamb Effect

Lamb had an excellent rookie season in 2020, recording 74 receptions for 935 yards and 5 touchdowns. What makes that even more impressive is that it was Andy Dalton throwing him the ball for most of the season rather than Prescott. He should be even better this year now that the Cowboys have their true starting quarterback and the short time that the two of them played together last year is a glimpse at what’s to come in the future. Across the five games that Prescott played last season, Lamb registered his only two games with over 100 receiving yards, his only game with multiple touchdowns, and had at least 5 receptions in each of those 5 games. He is lined up to have a monster season out of the slot for the Cowboys, with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup working on the outside.

Improved Defense

In the 2019 NFL season, the Cowboys had the 9th ranked defense at 327 yards allowed per game. Despite bringing back almost all of their defensive roster, they regressed big time in 2020, allowing 386.4 yards per game and ranking 23rd. This lead to defensive coordinator Mike Nolan being fired after just one season. The Cowboys hired a huge upgrade for the job in Dan Quinn, who was the mastermind behind the famous Legion of Boom defense in Seattle. This will, in theory, help the Cowboys get back to playing more like a top 10 defense once again. Drafting Micah Parsons, a highly rated prospect who can do a little bit of everything, should also help them get back on track. This new look Cowboys defense may catch the Bucs off guard in week one. It has yet to be seen exactly how Quinn is going to scheme with his new team and that element of surprise could be an advantage for Dallas.

Timing Matters

There is no doubt that the Tampa Bay Bucs are one of the very best teams in the NFL. They are the favorites to once again win the NFC conference, as they should be. The fact that the Cowboys get to play them the first week of the season, rather than later on, may be the very best time for a possible upset. In the first couple of weeks in an NFL season, many teams come out a little but rusty, making upsets more likely. It sometimes takes a couple of games before teams really hit their stride and get the team chemistry down. A highly motivated Prescott getting this big opportunity in week 1 with new weapons and a better defense could be the perfect recipe for a huge upset in the very first game of the 2021 NFL season.

The post Why the Cowboys can Win Week 1 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

The 2021 NFL season is now less than a week away. The preseason has been completed and rosters are being finalized as teams prepare for week 1 of the regular season. Now is as good a time as any to start projecting how each team will perform this year. In particular for this article, let’s predict who the top five defenses in the NFL can be this season, counting down from 5th place and continuing all the way to the number one spot.

5. Buffalo Bills

The Bills were an average defense last year, ranking 14th in yards allowed per game with 352.5 and 16th in scoring with 23.4 points per game allowed. What’s encouraging is that they played much better defensively late in the season than they did earlier. For example, in their final six regular-season games following their bye week, they held four of their six opponents to under 20 points and then also held the Ravens to just three points in a playoff game. That gives reason for optimism heading into the 2021 NFL season, especially because head coach Sean McDermott is defensively focused. In addition, they addressed their lack of “true pass rushers” in the NFL Draft this year with first round pick Greg Rousseau and second round pick Boogie Basham. With the improved pass rush and renewed focus on defense, the Bills can get back to playing like they did in 2019 when they ranked 2nd in scoring defense at 16.2 points per game and 3rd in total defense at 298.3 yards per game.

4. San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers suffered an extreme amount of injuries in the 2020 NFL season, including their top two pass rushers in Nick Bosa and Dee Ford. Despite the fact that neither of them played much at all, in addition to all of the other injuries as well, they still managed to finish ranked 5th in total defense at 314.4 yards allowed per game. They only recorded 30 team sacks in 2020 but that number should greatly improve with their overall health, as demonstrated by their 48 team sacks in the 2019 NFL season. Lead by superstar linebacker Fred Warner, the 49ers should have another great year defensively, even without Robert Saleh as the defensive coordinator anymore after he accepted the New York Jets head coaching job.

3. Washington Football Team

Last season WFT ranked 2nd in yards allowed per game with 304.6 and 4th in scoring defense with 20.6 points allowed per game. There is good reason to believe that they could be even better this season than they were last season because of the development and progress of their young and dominant front seven. Chase Young and Montez Sweat are already one of the very best EDGE duos in the NFL and should continue to improve as they mature a bit more. The team ranked 6th in sacks last year with 47 and that number will likely go up this season. The front seven was the biggest strength of the team last season but that didn’t stop them from using their first round draft pick on linebacker Jamin Davis out of Kentucky. As long as they can keep this unit together, WFT will have one of the top defenses for many years to come.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

The center piece to their defense, linebacker Devin Bush, only played in five games last season due to injury but the Steelers still ranked 3rd in both scoring and total defense with 19.5 and 305.8 respectively. They did lose pass rusher Bud Dupree to free agency but replaced him with a very capable veteran in Melvin Ingram. He was plagued by injuries last season, but from 2015 to 2019 he recorded 43 total sacks with the Chargers. He will pair with one of the best EDGE players in the NFL in TJ Watt, whose 15 sacks helped the Steelers lead the league in team sacks last year with a massive 56 total. In just four seasons, Watt has already accumulated 49.5 sacks and 17 forced fumbles. The Steelers have an absolute stud at all three levels of their defense, with Minkah Fitzpatrick on the back end to go with Watt on the EDGE and Bush in the middle.

1. Los Angeles Rams

The Rams were the most dominant defense in the NFL last season. Their 281.9 yards per game allowed was best in the league by a very wide margin of more than 22 yards per game. In addition, they lead the NFL in scoring defense at 18.5 points allowed per game and were second in team sacks with 53 total. They have, arguably, the best cornerback in the entire NFL in Jalen Ramsey and he’s not even their best defensive player. That is, of course, Aaron Donald. He is not only the best defensive player in the NFL but he very well may be the best overall player period. In seven season with Rams he has only missed two games total while accumulating 85.5 sacks, 19 forced fumbles, and 6 recovered fumbles despite being double or triple teamed on every single play. He is the “favorite” to once again win the Defensive Player of the Year award this season, as he should be favored every year. Based on their dominance last season, as long as they have Donald and Ramsey then there is no real reason to believe that they will regress as a defensive unit.

The post Predicting the Top 5 defenses this season appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

Gardner Minshew has officially been traded from the Jacksonville Jaguars to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a conditional 6th round draft pick that could become a 5th rounder based on playing time. This news came very shortly after head coach Urban Meyer announced that first overall pick Trevor Lawrence would be the day one starter for the Jags. There was apparently a “quarterback competition” in camp but let’s be honest, it was always going to be Lawrence named as the starter. He is a generational talent that has been labeled “the best QB prospect of all time” by several professional scouts.

The official announcement is what made Minshew available via trade and the Eagles organization did not waste much time in acquiring him. In a corresponding move, third-string QB Nick Mullens was released from the team. Minshew will now likely serve as the backup to starter Jalen Hurts entering the 2021 NFL season but his role could actually mean more than just that. He has proven to be a capable player and has the ability to push Hurts and serve as an alternative option if things don’t work out as planned.

Gardner Minshew: Exceeding Expectations

Though his two seasons with the Jaguars were not great, Minshew demonstrated that he is a capable quarterback at the NFL level. In 23 total games played, he completed 63 percent of his passes for 5530 yards and 37 touchdowns with just 11 interceptions. While these numbers are mediocre, it’s fairly impressive considering the circumstances. He was only a 6th round draft pick out of Washington State and was considered more of a development project at best. He far exceeded those initial expectations and did it on a team with very little offensive talent surrounding him. Furthermore, he lacks the overall athleticism and arm talent of a typical NFL quarterback so it’s encouraging that he was able to overcome that and still find success.

Expected Role with the Eagles

Considering the very low price tag that the Eagles gave up to get him, this trade makes perfect sense for them. He is a safer option than anything they could draft in the 5th or 6th round because he has already proven that he can play at the professional level. The only other quarterback on the roster, besides Hurts, is Joe Flacco. His best days are long behind him and probably are never coming back considering he is already 36 years old. With the Eagles being a rebuilding team right now, Minshew makes a ton more sense than Flacco does as a back up. If the Hurts plan does not work out the way they want it too, they now have a realistic second option in Minshew.

This concept can also provide extra motivation for Hurts now that he knows there is a true backup on the roster behind him instead of just a roster filler and emergency replacement like Flacco. Hurts was decent last season, but he will have to progress as a player this year to gain the confidence from the Eagles organization that he is their long-term solution at quarterback. Last year in his rookie campaign, Hurts eventually took over the starting job from the disaster that was Carson Wentz. Hurts started the final four games of the season but appeared in 15 games total, completing 52 percent of his passes for 1061 yards and six touchdowns against four interceptions.

Based on passing statistics alone, Minshew actually has a much better track record so far. Granted it’s an extremely small sample size for Hurts, but that is definitely something to keep an eye on. Hurts will have to improve his passing numbers this season to show that he can be a starting quarterback moving forward. The thing that Hurts brings to the table that Minshew lacks is athleticism and in particular the ability to contribute in the rushing game. Hurts recorded 63 rushing attempts for 354 yards and three touchdowns last season in his limited role with the team and are expected to be a part of the rushing attack this season by design. In conclusion, Hurts will definitely begin the season as the starting quarterback, but the Eagles now have a “real backup plan” if he does not develop his passing game the way they hope he will.

The post What does Gardner Minshew bring to the Eagles? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

Times are changing in Atlanta for the Falcons. They have started the process of moving on from the “Matt Ryan Era” and into a new future. Two major moves were made by the organization this offseason to indicate that the time has come to move forward. First, they hired a brand new head coach in Arthur Smith, who is a young and innovative offensive-minded coach. A move like this usually means a new QB is soon to follow and that is probably what will happen with the Falcons. They do not have a real replacement yet for the 36-year-old Matt Ryan, so that will likely be the number one focus in the 2022 NFL Draft.

The young options that they do have on the roster, Josh Rosen and Felipe Franks, are less than inspiring to say the least while AJ McCarron has proven to be no more than a solid backup in his career. When an organization brings in a young and exciting head coach, it only seems right to allow him to seek out a young and exciting quarterback to pair with him. The Draft is the best place to do that, especially considering the Falcons will likely have a top 10 pick this year. The rebuild has already started, and is signaled by the second major move they made this offseason. That is of course trading their superstar wide receiver, and probably the best WR in the NFL over the last decade, in Julio Jones. All of that being said, here is who the Falcons can target at QB in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma

Oklahoma and the Lincoln Reilly offensive system have been a factory for quarterbacks in recent years, producing first overall picks and Heisman Trophy winners in Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield. Next up is Spencer Rattler and he has all of the tools to follow in their footsteps. He is the preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy and is projected to have a huge season with the Sooners. He had a solid 2020 season passing for 3031 yards and 28 touchdowns while also rushing for an additional six touchdowns. He is a very high upside prospect, especially coming from this program that has proven they can develop NFL-ready quarterbacks. If Rattler lives up to his expectations he very well may command the first overall pick in the draft, which is unlikely to be the Falcons pick. If he falls a bit, or Atlanta trades up, Rattler would be a very intriguing pairing for head coach Arthur Smith.

Malik Willis, Liberty

Willis is an incredible athlete with extreme raw talent and has some of the highest upside of any player in the entire country. He fits the modern-day style of NFL quarterback with his true dual-threat ability. In the 2020 season, he threw for 2250 yards with 20 touchdowns and added an additional 944 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. Of course, playing at Liberty means that he is not exactly going against the toughest of competition, but those types of numbers are extremely impressive regardless. Arthur Smith is a creative offensive mind and a talent like Willis would open up endless possibilities for schemes and designs. It would be an exciting opportunity for Smith and an ideal situation for Willis, especially considering the Falcons have a reputation for being very patient with the growth of their coaches and key players. If all things play out the way they “should” than this is an ideal match.

Sam Howell, North Carolina

In two seasons as the starting quarterback for the Tar Heels, Howell has passed for 7227 yards with 68 touchdowns and only 14 interceptions. Many scouts believe that he is the best pure pocket passer available with the best arm talent in the country. While he is less dangerous with his legs than some of the other quarterback options, he is still mobile enough to roll out of the pocket and make things happen on the move. He has the “typical build for a quarterback” at 6’1 and 220 pounds with elite accuracy and very respectable throwing power. He is still only 20 years old so he can realistically still get even bigger and can definitely improve his game and raise his rating as a prospect even higher than it already is. Like Rattler, Howell is an early candidate for the Heisman and for the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Arthur Smith would be excited to work with Howell if he ends up in Atlanta.

The post Falcons QB targets in the 2022 NFL Draft appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

The 2021 NFL season is now less than 3 weeks away. The preseason is halfway completed and rosters are being finalized as teams prepare for week 1 of the regular season. Now is as good a time as any to start projecting how productive each team will be this year. In particular, let’s predict who the top offenses in the NFL can be this season, counting down from 5th place and continuing all the way to the number one spot.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The defending Super Bowl champion Bucs finished last season as the 7th ranked offense in the NFL with 384.1 yards per game. This is very impressive considering it was the first year for Tom Brady in a brand new style of offense. Going from the “Patriot way” to the air it out style of Bruce Arians is a drastic change so it took Brady a few weeks before he really got things rolling last year. Now that he has had a full season and offseason to learn the new system and tweak it a bit to fit his own style, it is likely that the Bucs offense will take a step forward this season. They are returning pretty much their entire championship roster from 2020 so another year of chemistry should work in their favor as well. Their combination of weapons is one of the best in the entire league, including one of the top wide receiving groups in the NFL of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Antonio Brown. They helped lead the Bucs to the second best passing offense last year with 289.1 yards per game.

4. Buffalo Bills

The Bills finished the 2020 season tied for the second ranked offense with 396.4 yards per game. Most of this was due to the MVP caliber play of quarterback Josh Allen who really had a break out season. He put up by far the best numbers of his career throwing the ball, completing 69.2 percent of his passes for 4544 yards and 37 touchdowns, which were all new career highs. It appears that one of the main keys to unlocking his potential was the addition of wide receiver Stefon Diggs. In his first year in Buffalo, he had the best season of his career while leading the NFL in both receptions with 127 and receiving yards with 1535. The chemistry between Allen and Diggs appears to be extremely strong and this combination should have the Bills as one of the top offenses for many years to come. Having the creativity of one of the top young offensive coordinators in Brian Daboll definitely helps them as well.

3. Kansas City Chiefs

Last season the Chiefs finished as the top offense in football by an incredible margin of nearly 20 yards per game over second place. To show just how wide that gap is, the separation between the second and 12th place offenses was 20 yards. Clearly the Chiefs offense at 415.8 yards per game was absolutely dominant last season and as long as they keep their core together there is no reason at all to believe that they won’t be in the top five every season. The combination of Andy Reid at head coach with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback is a seemingly perfect match, as demonstrated by finishing as the number one ranked offense in two out of their three seasons together. They have the best “tight end” in football with Travis Kelce and one the top, and fastest, wide receivers in Tyreek Hill. Also, second year running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire should take a step forward this year as a true dual threat now that he is more comfortable in this system.

2. Tennessee Titans

Tied for second last season on offense with the Bills were the Titans. Unlike the Bills who relied heavily on their passing game, it was the rushing game in Tennessee that was the key to their success. They ranked second in rushing yards per game with 168.1 while superstar running back Derrick Henry eclipsed the 2000 yard mark. In addition, Ryan Tannehill is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the NFL and his fourth ranked QBR of 78.3 demonstrates that. To make this great offense even better than it already was, the Titans added Julio Jones this offseason to pair with emerging star AJ Brown in what is now one of the best wide receiver tandems in the entire league. In just two season, Brown already has accumulated 122 receptions for 2126 yards and 19 touchdowns in the passing game. Jones, who is one of the best receivers of the past decade, recorded 1000 or more yards in every season of his career that he has played in at least 14 games. Between Henry, Brown, and Jones the Titans create an absolute nightmare situation for opposing defenses to try and match up with. They are in line for a monster season on offense.

1. Dallas Cowboys

In 2019, which was the last full season for quarterback Dak Prescott, the Cowboys lead the NFL in offense by a very wide margin with 431.5 yards per game. In addition to the fact that they were about 24 yards per game clear of second place, they totaled the most offensive yards in a season by any team since the Denver Broncos in 2013. Before Prescott was injured in 2020 they were off to yet another scorching hot start for offensive production. In particular, Prescott was on an absolutely ridiculous pace that could have set a new single season record for passing yards if he did not get hurt. As long as he fully returns to health this season, the Cowboys should have another huge year on offense and could be even better than before with the addition of second year wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. In the five games last season that Prescott started, Lamb registered 29 receptions for 433 yards and two touchdowns. This is a connection to watch this season and could really be something special moving forward. Of course, Prescott will also still have the luxury of his usual arsenal of weapons too with Ezekiel Elliot, Amari Cooper, and Michael Gallup.

The post Predicting the Top 5 Offenses This Season appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

The entire month of August, as well as the beginning of September, is prime time for fantasy football drafts as the 2021 NFL season quickly approaches. Draft day is by far the most important day of the entire fantasy football season because it plays the biggest role in determining which teams will be competing for a championship. It’s very important to enter the draft with a clear strategy based on personal research and preparation of all the available options. It’s crucial to have some idea of both players to target as well as players to avoid. Based on their current ADP in redraft leagues, here are 3 WRs to avoid when it comes time to make a selection.

1. Kenny Golladay, New York Giants

For the first time in his career, Kenny Golladay hit the open free-agent market this offseason. Ultimately, he decided to leave the Detroit Lions and join the New York Giants for the 2021 NFL season. From his perspective as a professional and competitor, this is an excellent career move. He upgraded to a better team with more of a chance to win while also scoring himself a huge contract. On the other, from a fantasy football perspective, it hurts his projected production for a couple of reasons. He has downgraded from Matthew Stafford to Daniel Jones at quarterback, will now be in a run first style of offense, and will get less garbage time production than he did with the Lions who were often trailing big in games.

Besides the situational decline of changing teams, another red flag for Golladay was his injury-plagued 2020 season. He was only able to appear in five games and recorded 20 receptions on 32 targets for 338 yards and two touchdowns. The reason he was given such a big contract were his highly productive seasons in 2018 and 2019 where he eclipsed 100 targets and 1000 receiving yards in both years. All things considered with where he is now, it’s not likely that he will fully return to those totals this season. It’s also important to point out that last season the Giants ranked 29th in the NFL in passing offense at 189.1 yards per game while the Lions ranked 10th at 256.5 yards per game.

These are all signs that point to regression from Golladay in terms of fantasy production. He can still turn out to be a solid player for the Giants, and the true number one WR that they have been missing, but that does not mean it will translate to big fantasy points, especially with Saquon Barkley returning from injury and commanding a ton of touches. Golladay is a WR to avoid at his current ADP where there are other options in better situations with more upside. Some examples would be players like DJ Moore and Tyler Lockett.

2. Odell Beckham Jr, Cleveland Browns

The biggest concern for Odell Beckham Jr heading into the 2021NFL season is his recovery from ACL surgery. This is one of the most difficult injuries to bounce back from and WR is one of the most challenging positions to do it from. Health is always a major risk when it comes to fantasy football. In particular, it is a huge factor when looking at players with high ADP because that is the core of the team being constructed. Losing one of the first few drafted players on a particular team can derail an entire season. That’s not to say that Odell can’t fully bounce back, because he absolutely can, but it’s just always something to keep in mind on draft day.

The knee injury is not the only concern that comes with Odell and his high ADP. In the seven games that he did play in the 2020 season, he was not as productive as his usual self. He recorded 23 receptions on 43 targets for 319 yards and and 3 touchdowns. The target average is something to be aware of as it dipped from over 8 per game in 2019 to just about 6 per game in 2020. A big reason for this is the run heavy style of offense implemented by new head coach Kevin Stefanski. The Browns ranked third in the NFL last season in rushing offense at 148.4 yards per game which is a huge increase from their 118.8 rushing yards per game in 2019 before Stefanski arrived.

Considering the drastic change in offensive scheme, the deduction in targets per game, and the difficult injury situation all qualify Odell as a WR to avoid in fantasy drafts this season. He still may have a very productive season and could be a really nice pick up if he falls later in the draft, but given his current ADP there are safer options as well as ones with much more potential to possibly have huge years. Some of these types of WRs in this spot include Chase Claypool and Brandon Aiyuk.

3. Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals

Now entering his sixth season with the Bengals, Tyler Boyd has been a very productive WR in recent years. He really broke out in in the 2018 season with 76 receptions on 108 targets for 1028 yards and seven touchdowns. He then followed that up in 2019 with another impressive season of 90 receptions on 148 targets for 1046 yards and five touchdowns. He then saw a slight dip in production in the 2020 season but still totaled a solid 79 receptions on 110 targets for 841 yards and four touchdowns. This is an excellent three year run that would usually make him a safe target in fantasy drafts, but there are some red flags.

The biggest concern for Boyd and his projected production is the fact that the Bengals used their first round draft pick on WR Ja’Marr Chase out of LSU, where he and QB Joe Burrow developed a special chemistry. He is expected to be featured heavily in this offense as a weapon of choice for Burrow. In addition to Chase is the break out rookie star from last season in WR Tee Higgins. He had one of the best rookie WR seasons in the NFL last year and his usage will almost definitely start to increase as he continues to grow as a player. Finally, star running back Joe Mixon was only able to play in six games last year so now that he is returning for the 2021 NFL season he will go back to getting a large number of touches as he usually does.

The arrival of Chase, the break out of Higgins, and the return of Mixon are three things that create a recipe for a possible huge let down season for Boyd. The Bengals are not exactly a high-powered offense, at least not yet, and there just may be too many mouths to feed to justifiably carve out a huge role for Boyd. It is highly unlikely that he would be featured more than Chase or Higgins and this offense is probably not anywhere near the level that is good enough to fully support three WRs from a fantasy football perspective. Rather than Boyd, there are much better options with similar ADP who are in better offensive situations with more upside and likelihood for a higher usage rate. Some candidates here include Antonio Brown and Jerry Jeudy.

The post 3 WRs to Avoid in Fantasy Football Redraft appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

It’s never too early to start planning for the NFL Draft. The 2021 football season is quickly approaching, for both college and professional, so it’s about time to start looking at preseason projections. Much can change during the course of a season, and almost always does, but this 2022 NFL mock draft will be based on expectations. The two main things to consider when making this list are the draft order based on projected team record and what kind of season the top college prospects will have. All things considered, here are the top ten picks of a preseason 2022 NFL mock draft.

1. Houston Texans: QB Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma

The Houston Texans are an absolute mess heading into the 2021 NFL season and much of that has to do with superstar quarterback Deshaun Watson. Between his ongoing legal issues that came up this offseason, paired with the fact that he wants to be traded, it is unknown if or when he will even play this year. If he doesn’t play the Texans will almost definitely be the worst team in the NFL and still could be even if he does play. Despite Watson leading the NFL in passing in 2020 with 4823 yards the Texans still only finished with four wins. It’s time to completely start over and rebuild in Houston. That process has already started with a new general manager and head coach so the quarterback should be next on the list.

Oklahoma and the Lincoln Reilly offensive system have been a factory for quarterbacks in recent years, producing first overall picks and Heisman Trophy winners in Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield. Next up is Spencer Rattler and he has all of the tools to follow in their footsteps. He is the preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy and is projected to have a huge season with the Sooners. He had a solid 2020 season passing for 3031 yards and 28 touchdowns while also rushing for an additional six touchdowns. If all goes as expected, he will be the number one pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by Houston.

2. Detroit Lions: QB Sam Howell, North Carolina

Like the Texans, it’s rebuilding time for the Detroit Lions as well. They went through many changes this offseason including hiring a new general manager and head coach while also trading away franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Goff and a package of draft picks. It seems unlikely that Goff is their future plan at quarterback so they will probably look to the draft for an answer. With how weak their current roster construction is, they should be selecting very high and will have the opportunity to take one of the top quarterback prospects in Sam Howell.

In two seasons as the starting quarterback for the Tar Heels, Howell has passed for 7227 yards with 68 touchdowns and only 14 interceptions. Many scouts believe that he is the best pure pocket passer available with the best arm talent in the country. While he is less dangerous with his legs than some of the other quarterback options, he is still mobile enough to roll out of the pocket and make things happen on the move. A big season in 2021 for Howell will put him right in the mix to be a top selection in the 2022 NFL Draft.

3. New York Jets: EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon

The Jets are a team that has already started a rebuild of their own, bringing in a new head coach this offseason and drafting their quarterback Zach Wilson at second overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. They are making progress in roster construction but they aren’t quite there yet so another high draft pick is likely coming this year. Here they will get the opportunity to select one of the best overall players in the country in Thibodeaux, who has 12 sacks and 23.5 TFL in his two seasons so far. He will improve their pass rush immediately, pairing up with newly signed Carl Lawson, and make their defense better as a whole. Their new defensive-minded head coach Robert Saleh would be thrilled to add this type of player to the roster.

4. Philadelphia Eagles: CB Derek Stingley Jr, LSU

The Eagles have been rebuilding their offense in recent years, filling it with a ton of young talent such as QB Jalen Hurts, RB Miles Sanders, WR Jalen Reagor, and WR DeVonta Smith. It’s now time to start focusing on the future of the defense. Stingley is not only the top cornerback prospect in the draft but one of the best overall players too. In two seasons he has recorded six interceptions and is widely classified as a lockdown corner with elite athleticism. LSU is notorious for producing good defensive backs, such as Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu, so Stingley is hopeful to be the next one in line. He has all of the tools to be an NFL starter from day one and would be a great tandem next to Darius Slay in Philly.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: DB Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame

It’s a new era in Jacksonville now that they have a generational talent at quarterback with rookie Trevor Lawrence and an exciting new head coach in college legend Urban Meyer. The combination of the two, along with a very young and talented roster, provides a ton of optimism for a bright future. This is probably not the year where it all comes together for the Jags quite yet, so they will likely still have a very high draft pick. This gives them a great opportunity to select a uniquely elite talent on defense in Hamilton. He is a super-utility defensive back who can contribute in a wide variety of ways. He will help in just about every area of defense with no holes at all in his game. In terms of skill set and usage, he is a similar style of a player as Derwin James. If he can produce like Derwin, he is an excellent building block for any defense in the entire NFL.

6. Atlanta Falcons: QB Malik Willis, Liberty

The Falcons are yet another team that is now rebuilding. This offseason they hired a young and exciting new head coach in Arthur Smith and traded away veteran WR Julio Jones. Current QB Matt Ryan will be 37 years old when the 2022 NFL Draft arrives so it is time to start thinking about the future of the most important position in Atlanta. Willis is an elite athlete with extreme raw talent and has some of the highest upside of any player in the entire country. He fits the modern-day style of NFL quarterback with his true dual-threat ability. In the 2020 season, he threw for 2250 yards with 20 touchdowns and added an additional 944 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. Smith is a progressive and new school style of coach so a player like Willis may really get him excited. This would be an interesting pairing to watch with unlimited creative potential if it works out.

7. New York Giants: EDGE Drake Jackson, USC

With head coach Joe Judge in charge, the Giants have shown that they are going to focus on defense as a priority. They are already solid in the secondary with players like James Bradberry and Logan Ryan while they look to improve their pass rush by trading for Leonard Williams and drafting Azeez Ojulari. They can continue to make progress in this department with one of the top-ranked EDGE prospects in Jackson. He looks the part at 6’4 and 255 pounds with good athleticism and a consistently improving skill set. There are good signs that he will continue to develop and polish his game as he further matures. In 17 games played at USC, he has totaled 7.5 sacks and 17 TFL.

8. Cincinnati Bengals: OL Evan Neal, Alabama

The Bengals have really built a young and talented offense of the future in Cincinnati. Two years ago they selected QB Joe Burrow with the first overall pick and also took WR Tee Higgins, who had a very impressive rookie season. In the 2021 NFL Draft, they went with a WR again in Ja’Marr Chase with their first pick, who was the favorite target of Burrow when they played together at LSU. Now that Burrow has the weapons he needs on offense, it’s time for the organization to focus on protecting him at all costs. Neal is currently the highest rated offensive line prospect and should be an easy pick for the Bengals if he is available when they are on the clock. He has the ability to play either guard or tackle and will look to join a very long list of successful Alabama offensive lineman at the NFL level.

9. Las Vegas Raiders: LB Christian Harris, Alabama

It seems like it’s always been an adventure in recent years when the Raiders are on the clock. By most standards, they have often “reached” with their selections and have been overall unpredictable about the way they are trying to build the roster of this team. It almost feels like a sort of randomness at times from owner Mark Davis, GM Mike Mayock, and HC Jon Gruden on draft day. Some of these selected players by the Raiders in the first round in recent years that qualify for this label are Clelin Ferrell, Damon Arnette, Henry Ruggs, and Alex Leatherwood. The one thing that all of these players have in common is that they come from the very top college programs in the country. Maybe they stick with that trend and select the top LB prospect, who happens to be from Alabama, but who really knows when it comes to the Raiders.

10. Carolina Panthers: EDGE George Karlaftis, Purdue

The Panthers are well aware that they need to improve on the defensive side of the ball and they began working on it by selecting CB Jaycee Horn with their first pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. It’s a good start to the process, but the main thing they really need now is more of a pass rush. In the 2020 season, they ranked 24th in the NFL with just 29 total sacks on the season. Karlaftis is a solid all-around player who could immediately help them in this category. In his freshman season in 2019, he recorded an impressive 7.5 sacks and 17 TFL across 12 games played. Unfortunately, a frustrating 2020 season filled with injuries and Covid issues only allowed for him to play in two games, but he still did find a way to add two more sacks to his career total. He is looking to have a big season in 2021 now that he is fully healthy again and is definitely a player to keep an eye on because of his great potential at a prime position.

The post 2022 NFL Mock Draft: Top 10 Picks appeared first on Pro Football Mania.