By: Jake Rajala

The Chicago Bears don’t have the best experience at their wide receiver position. PFF also didn’t show optimism for their WR group, as they ranked the Bears unit as the worst WR group in the league. The old, top-tier WR Allen Robinson is out of Chicago and in an LA Rams uniform. CHI carries the third-year WR Darnell Mooney, the fourth-year wideout Byron Pringle, and the rook Velus Jones Jr.

Mooney is an ascending wideout — as he unleashed 81 receptions, 1,055 yds, and 4 touchdowns last season. Mooney had a stout 74.7 grade by PFF. He is also embracing the leadership role, as the Bears Wire stated. He is expected to be the scariest weapon in CHI-town moving forward.

Velus Jones will plan to break free in his first season as a pro. His veteran teammate has already expressed a positive impression of the speedster thus far. Jones Jr stated per NBC, “One guy, Velus, man. When he gets the ball, y’all are going to see. He can fly. He can be a playmaker for sure for us.”

Pringle may not have the sexiest production in his career as a Chief, but he did oust a modest stat line last season: 568 yds and 5 TDs. He had a modest outcome, despite being the third-best WR and fourth-most targeted weapon.

It’s no secret that the Bears have a questionable WR unit. They certainly need Velus Jones to be productive early in his career. It may also be wise if they add a FA WR soon, as well. They may miss out on the OBJ sweepstakes, but they could target one of the following WRs: Will Fuller, T.Y. Hilton, Cole Beasley, and Emmanual Sanders. After all, Justin Fields deserves to be the next young, superb QB in the NFL.

The post Chicago Bears wide receiver outlook right now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Los Angeles Rams crisp wide receiver Cooper Kupp will seek to win the triple crown (receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns) for the second season in a row. Kupp should also feel delighted that Davante Adams is no longer a Green Bay Packer.

Kupp signed a three-year contract extension that was worth $80 million in early June. Les Snead didn’t lose his touch – as the Rams also gave Aaron Donald a hefty new deal – which also made him the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history.

Kupp was of course joined by Allen Robinson this off-season. It already appears that he will have a very unique role. Per PFT, the Rams OC Liam Coen stated, “I think his route tree is extremely expanded from probably years ago, or maybe what we’ve had our other receivers do.” It’s clear that Sean McVay had a crystal-clear vision of A-Rob in the Rams offense – who had 102 receptions, 1,250 yds, and six touchdowns in 2020.

His QB has already been impressed with Robinson’s growth this off-season, as well. Per NFL.com, Stafford stated, “I’ve been very, very impressed with his ability to grasp our offense, his role in our offense”. After Stafford and A-Rob squared off against each other in the NFC North, it’s obvious that the two sides are excited to be on the same unit.

Van Jefferson will be a sleeper WR in the league next season, to say the least. Jefferson recorded 50 receptions, 802 yds, and six touchdowns in his sophomore season. He should be a 1,000+ yd WR with more development and excellent match-ups across the two big WRs in LA. As Fantasy Pros mentioned, he should also really blossom if an injury to Kupp or Robinson (five missed games last season) occurs.

The post Los Angeles Rams WR outlook right now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Los Angeles Rams have really made bright free agent moves after winning Super Bowl LVI. Sean McVay has brought in the superb Allen Robinson and he managed to retain his starting center, Brian Allen.

On March 22nd, it appears that McVay still has a few tricks up his sleeve and he’s going to keep the gas on the pedal with Aaron Donald still playing on an unearthly level. With that said, who could the Rams look to add to their dream team roster? Well, here are a few faces that would make a ton of sense for LA.

• Odell Beckham Jr.

I honestly foresee the Rams keeping OBJ for at least another season. He was clearly playing well in their system and he will have another excellent opportunity to win back-to-back Super Bowl rings. According to NBC Sports, Les Snead absolutely wants Odell Beckham Jr. back in a Rams uniform.

I had an itch that OBJ would return to the Big Easy, but I expect him to be more appealed to playing with Matthew Stafford than Deshaun Watson Jameis Winston in 2022.

• Jadeveon Clowney

I wouldn’t be surprised if Clowney took slightly less money to have a strong chance of unveiling a career season next to Aaron Donald and Leonard Floyd in 2022. The Rams have been fortunate to sign DL studs like Clay Matthews, Ndamukong Suh, and Von Miller. It would make a ton of sense if the Rams were very aggressive to bring in another elite DL in their prime Super Bowl window. If they can’t swing big on OBJ, I really expect the Rams to target Clowney to replace Von Miller.

• Trey Flowers

The Rams have been in hot pursuit of big-name pass rushers over the McVay era, but they have also acquired underperforming edge players with a lot of talent like Dante Fowler Jr. If the reigning Super Bowl champions can’t lure in Clowney, they should fall back on Trey Flowers. From 2016 to 2019, Flowers had 6.5+ sacks in each regular season. Flowers only played in 7 sacks in each of the past two seasons, but he is healthy and looking to return to a fierce pass rusher in the right situation.

The post Remaining free agent targets for the LA Rams appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The New York Jets have a lot of ammunition (third-most in cap space, fourth pick in draft) to be a potent team in 2022. Robert Saleh will surely press the pedal to the metal, as his marriage with Zach Wilson is entering year two.

The Jets will look to be a very active squad in the 2022 free agency period. They certainly need to strike big on a few profiles and they have the firepower to do so. Well, who exactly is atop of the Jets free agency wishlist? Well, here are a few names.

• Allen Robinson – WR – Chicago Bears

Allen Robinson would be the focal point of the Jets offense and he would make a ton of money in the process. According to Heavy., the Jets could sign A-Rob on a prove-it deal. Their former BYU QB would needs his own juice in an AFC East division that features Josh Allen, Ma Jones, and Tua Tagovailoa. Robinson ousted 102 catches, 1,250 yards, and six touchdowns with Micthell Trubisky often starting at QB in 2020.

• Tyrann Mathieu – S – Kansas City Chiefs

The Honey Badger would be a very exciting signing for the Jets and he might be fascinated by the big lights in the Big Apple. Mathieu could arguably receive the biggest offer from the Jets and he could be a star in NY under Saleh. The Jets likely need to replace Marcus Maye, who is coming off an injury and may not be brought back. I’d like to see them target a safety like the Honey Badger or Marcus Williams over Maye, too.

• Chandler Jones – DE/OLB – Arizona Cardinals

If Chandler Jones (10.5 sacks in 2021) doesn’t want to return to the Cardinals, I have a feeling he will be overpaid by a team elsewhere. The Jets could honestly be the team to give him a universal amount of money. The Dolphins overpaid for Ndamukong Suh and I believe Jets could cough up the most for Jones. Still, I do believe he will not be a bust and he could be a pivotal factor in the Jets pass rush.

Jones and Quinnen Williams would be a surreal duo on the Jets DL. He could likely play 4-5 more seasons at a high level and that will be important for the Jets in the AFC who look to make a quick turnaround, just as Cincy did recently in their same conference.

The post Dream free agent targets for the New York Jets appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Dylan Clemons

The Chicago Bears are coming into this season hoping that their offense will improve. The offense the last three seasons since Matt Nagy has taken over as Head Coach has ranked, 21st, 29th, and 26th in total yards. In points scored in those three seasons, they ranked 9th, 22nd, and 29th. To put it nicely those numbers aren’t good, considering Nagy was brought in as an offensive-minded coach from the Andy Reid coaching tree.

Coming into this season, The Bears have made a few changes to the offense. The big change is at quarterback, moving on from former first-round pick Mitchell Trubisky. They brought in veteran Andy Dalton via free agency and drafted Justin Fields in the first round. Chicago also added a ton of speed to that side of the ball as well bringing in running back Damian Williams, and wide receivers Dimare Byrd and Marquise Goodwin.

The Bears hope those changes can at least bring their offense to at least the middle of the pack in the league. Now, I’m going to jump into who I believe are the three most important players on the offensive side of the football for the Bears to have success this season.

Allen Robinson, Wide Receiver

Allen Robinson has been the most consistent offensive player on the team during his three years in Chicago. No matter who the quarterback is, Robison always seems to produce. In Robinson’s three seasons with the team, he has caught passes from Mitchell Trubisky, Nick Foles, and Chase Daniels.

Those quarterbacks are nothing to write home about. However, it hasn’t hurt his production. Robinson saw 151 targets last season while catching 102 balls for 1,250 yards and six touchdowns. He also so the 4th most red-zone targets in the NFL last season with 19, so maybe with better quarterback play, the touchdowns will go up.

With all this production you would think that signing Robinson to a long-term extension would be a top priority for the Bears. Unfortunately, the two parties haven’t been able to come to terms with an extension during the last two off-seasons. Robinson will be playing the season on the franchise tag, which is something he isn’t happy about.

If Allen Robinson where to go down with injury the Bears would lack a true number one option in the passing game. They have some depth at receiver position with Anthony Miller, Darnell Mooney, Damiere Byrd, and Marquise Goodwin. However, all of them guys don’t have skills, or the body types to be a true number one option in an offense. For the bear as offense to take a step forward this season, Robinson will have to be a huge part in the offense.

Teven Jenkins, Offenisve Tackle

The Bears drafted Teven Jenkins out of Oklahoma State with the 39th pick of the NFL Draft. It was a surprise to many, that he had fallen to the second round, considering he was projected by most to be a 1st round pick. However he played mostly at the right tackle position in college, but the Bears project him to be the left tackle of the future.

The Offensive line has been a struggle for the Bears over the past few seasons. According to PFF, the Bears finished as the 20th best offensive line in football last season. That was helped by a late-season shuffle of the line. Adding Sam Mustipher to the lineup as the center, and moving pro-bowler Cody Whitehair to left guard, where he was graded as the third-best Left guard in football.

Jenkins was drafted to take the spot of seven-year starter Charles Leno. Leno was kind of a disappointment his last few seasons for the Bears, which led him to get cut this off-season. But as a former 7th round draft selection, it’s safe to say Leno outplayed his expectations.

Teven Jenkins was a first-team all-conference in the Big 12 in his senior season. He is known to be somewhat of a mauler as an offensive lineman. He Projects to be a solid run-blocker with his ability to flatten the edge for running backs. However, his short arms may hurt him in pass-blocking, with Longer athletic pass rushers can stab and separate from him. 

Some scouts and the Bears believe Jenkins can come in and be a solid starter on the line. Hopefully, that is true, because the Bears don’t have much depth behind him at left tackle. With Justin Fields most likely starting at some point this season, it’s important for a rookie QB to feel comfortable in the pocket. Especially with Jenkins being on Fields’ blind side.

Andy Dalton, Justin Fields, Quarterbacks 

I felt like it would be criminal to leave the quarterback position off this list. But it is impossible for me to only talk about one of these guys. 

I have a feeling it’s going to be a similar situation to what the Dolphins did last season. The Dolphins were 3-3 with Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback, who was playing pretty well. But the Dolphins couldn’t fight off the temptation of the first-round pick Tua Tagovailoa and they made the switch. I see the same thing happening to Andy Dalton with Justin Fields.

Andy Dalton spent last season with Dallas Cowboys. He ended up having to take over for the injured Dak Prescott in Week 6. Dallas was 4-5 with Dalton at the helm. Dalton was very serviceable, throwing 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 65% of his passes. I see Dalton being solid as the starter, but he’s obviously not the long-term plan.

Justin Fields is the long-term plan at quarterback in Chicago. He will be coming into the season as the QB2 in this offense. I don’t expect that to be the case for very long though. The Bears have been searching for a franchise quarterback for the entirety of their existence. Coach Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace are on the hot seat, so I don’t believe they can wait very long.

In 2019 Fields rushed for 484 yards with 10 rushing touchdowns at Ohio State. Fields also ran a 4.46 40 yard dash on his pro day. He also happened to throw 41 touchdowns as well compared to only three interceptions. I have a feeling that Fields will take over at quarterback in Week 4 against the bad Detroit Lions team. That game gives him a solid confidence boost as he takes the reigns of the offense for the rest of the season.

The post Previewing Chicago Bears Top 3 Most Important Offensive Players appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

A few short months ago I was writing articles about general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy’s impending firings, so I understand as well as anyone that a Chicago Bears Super Bowl run sounds a bit farfetched right now, but NFL franchises often flip the script overnight in this league and it can all start with one move.

Now I know I just finished saying that Chicago’s chances aren’t reliant on Fields’ immediate stardom, and they’re not, but his potential as a generational quarterback talent is certainly the conductor of the hype train.

Truth is, I have been against this regime for quite some time. The trade up for the unproven Mitchell Trubisky, the horrid playcalling by Nagy that seemed to stunt the growth of not only Trubisky but running back David Montgomery, the indecision at QB and the miserable ideas to bring in Nick Foles and Andy Dalton as “saviors” when every NFL fan under the sun knows that these veterans are no more than underwhelming game managers. Yes, I know Foles won a Super Bowl, but that Philadelphia Eagles roster was built like a tank and this Bears one is not.

It’s been a tough road for Bears fans ever since Vic Fangio’s defense (led by Khalil Mack) shattered expectations in 2018. Not tough like 1-15 record tough, but more “what could have been” tough. The knowledge that your putrid offense is holding back and possibly wasting a championship caliber defense is difficult to stomach (especially when you traded a ton of your future draft capital for the catalyst of that unit in Mack).

This defense has a window, and that window is closing fast. Mack is under contract till 2025, but his cap hit is exorbitant after 2021 (unless Chicago takes the potential out next offseason at a $24 million dollar hit). That 2018 group has already seen losses like Fangio (DC), Kyle Fuller (CB1), Adrian Amos (S), Prince Amukamara (CB2, age caught up fast here), Bryce Callahan (slot), Leonard Floyd (edge) and more. Mack’s departure could be the final nail in the coffin, sealing that window for good.

The emergence of a unique prospect like Fields at QB gives Chicago a shot in 2021, but there are a few other factors that have a Jets fan like me all aboard the Bears bandwagon.

1. NFC in Decline

With Drew Brees retiring, the NFC East in total dissarray, Aaron Rodgers wanting out of Green Bay, and the NFC West all beating up on eachother, there aren’t many Super Bowl favorites in the NFC outside of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

In what has become a conference shift in strength, we now see a lot of the bright young quarterbacks in the AFC (Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Baker Mayfield and Deshaun Watson should he return to Houston) while the NFC is left wanting.

An Aaron Rodgers trade to a franchise like the Denver Broncos could totally blow the doors off this conversation. Not only that, it would leave a gaping hole in the NFC North with the Detroit Lions rebuilding and the Minnesota Vikings as a playoff bubble team at best. The Green Bay Packers are one of the NFC’s (and Bears’) strongest competitors left, and if there’s any truth to the rumors, that Cheesehead locomotive may have already flown off the tracks.

2. Phenomenal ’21 Draft

We all know about the Justin Fields selection, but the Bears 2021 draft went much further than that. Pace was drafting like his job was on the line and he answered the bell with some really solid picks.

Just after trading up to get the franchise QB, Pace was able to nab the left tackle to pair with him for years to come, in Teven Jenkins. Many thought the Oklahoma State Cowboys 6’6″ tackle would go in the first, but he slipped to day two and the Bears did not hesitate. Later on he bulked the offensive line again, drafting upside guard prospect Larry Borom out of Missouri.

One trouble area may be cornerback with Fuller gone, but sixth rounder Thomas Graham Jr. had sleeper grades from many analysts out of Oregon. The former Duck could help fill the void, but Chicago will also need something from 2020 second rounder Jaylon Johnson (just turned 22 in April), and free agent flier Desmond Trufant.

3. Key Vets Returning After 2020 Season

I wasn’t particularly high on the 2020 Bears defense, in part because I knew the offense would struggle, but also because some instrumental pieces were missing.

One major cog to account for was nose tackle Eddie Goldman, a 2020 COVID opt-out. Goldman had 40-plus tackles in 2017 and ’18 as one of the premier run-stuffers in the game. 2021 is only his age-27 season, so Chicago will count on the DT to return with avengeance after a year on the pine.

Alongside Akiem Hicks, Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn, this unit is still very formidable up front. The linebacker core also flaunts Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan in the middle, with free safety Eddie Jackson over the top. LB Christian Jones joins this crew, and they’ll also look to re-sign or replace strong safety Tash Gipson before preseason begins. Gipson started all 16 games with the Bears a season ago, and is currently an unrestricted free agent.

Let’s not forget the offensive side of the ball, as Pace held onto wide receiver Allen Robinson for dear life. New faces like Damien Williams, Damiere Byrd, Dazz Newsome, Khalil Herbert and Marquise Goodwin add some versatility to a group that needs to get more creative behind Fields and Nagy.

This defense may be slightly diminished from 2018, but it’s still pretty darn good, and this offense could theoretically become much more dynamic with a quarterback like Fields at the helm. Am I slightly worried that Nagy may just be a terrible coach? Absolutely. This is a make or break season for the HC though, so I expect him to pull out all the stops.

At the very least, I see the Bears as a playoff team again in 2021, but at +4800 odds right now on FanDuel Sportsbook, Chicago may just be the biggest sleeper pick to win Super Bowl LVI.

The post The Chicago Bears are top NFC Super Bowl Sleepers in 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Rachel Marie – @rachmariesports

With the entire new coaching staff nearly assembled and the front office bursting with enthusiasm, it’s time to look at free agent wide receivers and running backs that could help take the Detroit Lions to the next level in 2021.

1. Allen Robinson

I wrote about why the Lions should consider Robinson in a previous article for Pro Football Mania, but I feel that here and now is the right time to write about said consideration again. With Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones Jr. and Danny Amendola all set to be free agents, the Lions will be seriously lacking in veteran receiver talent. This, of course, can only be addressed through free agency and Robinson tops most lists at the position.

In 2020, with Mitchell Trubisky at the helm, Robinson notched 120 receptions, 1,250 yards and six touchdowns. Now pair his abilities with those of Jared Goff, who I expect to come into Detroit with a chip on his shoulder and looking to get back to his 2018 numbers, and this could be a QB/WR duo that could set the league on fire.

Plus, the addition of veteran wide receiver talent will be necessary to ensure that Goff’s transition to Detroit is as successful as possible. I expect Lions general manager Brad Holmes to carefully select the pieces that he places around Goff, considering Holmes is credited for drafting Goff in 2016 and seeing his NFL potential. Rumor has it over at Detroit Sports Nation that Robinson may already be on Holmes’ list.

2. Corey Davis

Hailing from Western Michigan, Corey Davis is another intriguing free agent that may want to come “home” and the Lions should certainly be taking a look at making him the offer.

In the 2020 season, Davis caught 65 passes for a career-high 984 yards, averaging 15.1 yards per reception, and scored five touchdowns. At just 26, Davis is set to test the waters of free agency for the first time as he opted out of his 5th year option with the Tennessee Titans.

This move could end up a much more cap friendly deal for the Lions compared to Robinson. According to TitansWire, “As far as his market value goes, Spotrac estimates that Davis will receive a contract worth $39.4 million over four years, which works out to an annual average salary of $9.8 million”.

And then, maybe the Lions will be the team doing the burning in situations like the one below, instead of the other way around:

3. Kenyan Drake

Kenyan Drake is an intriguing prospect with a high ceiling. After being traded to the Arizona Cardinals in week 9 of the 2019 season, Drake led the Cardinals in rushing yards with 643 and rushing touchdowns with eight over the final eight games of the season.

In 2020, Drake totaled 239 carries for 955 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also finished the season with 25 receptions for 137 yards, an average of 5.7 yards per reception. That’s pretty impressive continued productivity for the 2016 third round pick from Alabama.

Now, picture the five year veteran alongside Lion’s young up-and-coming running back D’Andre Swift and that paints a mighty pretty picture for any backfield. Plus, a veteran presence in the locker room, if Detroit does not retain Adrian Peterson, is always an added bonus. From SEC to DET. Sounds good to me.

4. Mike Davis

With Christian McCaffrey’s injury leaving him out the majority of the 2020 season, Mike Davis was able to show us that he is a more than serviceable back. According to SI’s All Panthers site, “Davis didn’t just step up and get the job done, he had a career year. He finished the season with a career-high in carries (165), rushing yards (642), rushing touchdowns (6), receptions (59), receiving yards (373), and receiving touchdowns (2). Had he been “the guy” from start to finish, you’re probably talking about tacking on another 200 or so more rushing yards”.

Bringing in a back like Davis would not only be a nice pairing alongside D’Andre Swift, Detroit’s RB1, but it would end up working out perfectly for the Lions as far as cap space is concerned.

Davis is also familiar with, and comfortable with, splitting touches. He is quoted as saying, “Yeah I mean, that would be nice to have (being a starting RB somewhere) but I’ve been put in that situation before where that was supposed to be the case and it didn’t end up working out being that way. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side’.

That attitude and complementary play style could start brewing big things in Detroit in the backfield.

The post Wide Receiver and Running Back Free Agent Targets for the Detroit Lions appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Target Packers RB Aaron Jones and Bears WR Allen Robinson in dynasty

Ben Cunningham @benc1357

What is your last memory of Aaron Jones? A fumble and an injury that held him out of the rest of the NFL Championship. What about Allen Robinson? Sneaking into the playoffs on a poor team and having a below-average game in a loss in the “Super” Wild Card round. Two players with negative vibes to start the dynasty offseason filled with uncertainty about their futures due to potential free agency. This is when the value of a player can sink below their actual value to a dynasty team, and we should consider being buyers at the right price. Most dynasty players love certainty, and upcoming free agents provide enough uncertainty that savvy players can swoop in and take advantage.

If dynasty football had a Human Resources department there would be constant allegations of age discrimination. NFL players would have legitimate complaints of being dismissed for younger, and cheaper, employees. While the “age cliff” is a real concern there are values to be found in veteran players, especially if you can acquire them at the right cost in startup drafts or through trades. There is a strong emphasis here on acquiring them at the right cost, we should not overpay for aging veterans. Jones will be 26 during the 2021 season and Robinson turns 28 just before the season starts, these ages often scare many dynasty players away and rightfully so. However, let’s explore these aging studs to see if we should be investing in them as they search for new teams in the coming free agency period.

Aaron Jones

Aaron Jones’ career got off to a slow start, after being drafted in the 5^th round out of UTEP he took a while to get going due to injuries in his first and second seasons. Over the past two seasons Aaron Jones has been a league winner. 2019 was his banner year with 19 touchdowns to go with 1,558 yards from scrimmage and 49 receptions, good enough to finish as the RB2 behind the historic season by Christian McCaffrey. He followed that performance with a RB5 finish in this past season, again missing some time to injury and conceding volume to Jamaal Williams and rookie AJ Dillon. And then, that fumble happened.

Why is this important? Dynasty players have a tendency to over react, and that is putting it lightly. The best players have long memories and good patience, but many over react. When thinking of Jones many players will think of constant nagging injuries, uncertainty around where he will play in 2021, and the fumble that ended his season. Those negative thoughts could lead players to draft him later or be more willing than they were just a month ago to trade the soon to be free agent. One could argue, and I would, that Jones is the top free agent running back this season and should be a top target for dynasty players.

The Green Bay Packers currently have the fourth least projected salary cap space in the NFL in the upcoming season. This means some tough decisions are coming for a team that has gone all in only to lose two NFC Championship games in a row. They have an aging QB that consumes 21% of their salary cap and a certain stud WR that needs a new contract. While decisions and creativity around Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams’ contracts could create some cap relief, teams in situations like this are usually best served not investing heavily at RB. Combine the above with the team drafting AJ Dillon in the second round of the 2020 draft and it appears Jones has played his last game on the Frozen Tundra.

Early projections from many rookie draft experts suggest that 2021 may be a lean year for rookie RB talent. Add this to the list of NFL teams with the salary cap space to afford a veteran RB salary and a few potential destinations for Jones emerge. The Jaguars, Jets, Buccaneers, Dolphins, Broncos, 49ers, and Cardinals all stand out as teams that could use a RB upgrade and will have the resources to consider signing a player like Jones. Any potential landing spot is likely to be a downgrade in overall offense compared to the Packers thus limiting touchdown upside, however if the new team commits to true workhorse volume (unlike the maddening committee approach in Green Bay) Jones could still finish as a RB1. Many players are concerned about RBs entering their late 20s, however at 782 career touches Jones is relatively lightly used leading a new team to potentially run him into the ground over the next couple of seasons. That high volume, while not great for Jones’ health long term could be a gold mine for dynasty players who like to see their RBs do things like this.

Given all of these circumstances targeting Jones in the late 3^rd or early 4^th round of a startup could be a winning strategy if he falls that far. In terms of trade value a middle or late 1^st round rookie pick should get the deal done if you feel your team is one RB away from glory and the other player is looking to sell. If the pieces fall in place to acquire Aaron Jones dynasty players should seriously consider doing so.

Allen Robinson

Would most dynasty players be able to tell you that Allen Robinson was the WR9 in PPR scoring in 2020? Surrounded by sexy names like DK Metcalf and Justin Jefferson it is no surprise that a veteran player on an average team with a perceived bad offense would be easily forgotten. Yet after the Bears week 11 bye Robinson’s output improved and he was the WR5 through the end of the fantasy playoffs. In the coming offseason Robinson will likely be looking for the third team of his career after up and down stints with Jacksonville and Chicago.

An unfortunate truth about Robinson’s career is that he has never had a good quarterback throwing him the ball. A vast majority of the targets in his career have come from Blake Bortles and Mitch Trubisky, hardly future Hall of Famers. Yet Robinson has continued to produce WR1 levels nearly every season, a testament to just how elite he is and how great he could be with competent quarterback play. Because his name is not in lights each week this can create a lack of perceived value by dynasty players that don’t realize what they have. In case they forgot, here is a reminder.

There is a chance that Robinson is retained by the Bears. The team is middle of the road in terms of available salary cap space and behind him there are no dominant WRs ready to assume the WR1 role (Darrell Mooney is a name to keep track of though). Robinson had the second highest salary cap hit in 2020 behind Khalil Mack, so the money could be there to work something out. However, one would not blame him for testing free agency to see if he can find a landing spot with a better quarterback and chance to win. 

In free agency many teams with cap space to burn could use a stud WR. Depending on what the Colts decide to do at quarterback that could be a good situation, imagine Matthew Stafford and Robinson meeting up in Indy. With Chris Godwin an upcoming free agent Tampa Bay is another interesting possibility. A dream scenario, though highly unlikely due to cap space, would be replacing Sammy Watkins in Kansas City to match with Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Given Robinson’s consistent production and the likelihood that his quarterback support can only improve he should be poised for at least 2-3 more years of WR1 production for your dynasty team.

When doing a startup dynasty draft most players tend to target young assets with their picks, which is understandable. However after drafting early youth Allen Robinson would make a nice target in the 5^th or 6^th round if he is still available. There are two approaches in trading for Robinson that players should consider. He likely can be acquired for a mid first round rookie pick, some may even move him for a late first round pick if you are on the clock and rookie fever sets in. Another approach to consider is trading a 2020 rookie WR that you have lost confidence in. Maybe you didn’t like what you saw from Henry Ruggs or Jerry Jeudy, yet some players may be enticed by making their roster younger and be willing to move Robinson for them. You may have to add a smaller piece to get that deal done, so remember to always be willing to throw in a late round rookie pick to seal the deal.

In conclusion, there appears to be a decent chance that both Aaron Jones and Allen Robinson will be on new teams that will offer similar or improved fantasy scoring opportunities in 2021. However, due to the uncertainty of their futures and some questions from their pasts, their value may be depressed enough that a sharp player can take advantage. Go send an offer to your opponent that is rostering these two studs and see what you can accomplish.

The post Dynasty: Why You Should Be Targeting Aaron Jones and Allen Robinson appeared first on Pro Football Mania.