Studs

Tua Tagovailoa/Tyreek Hill – We knew the Dolphins and Chargers had the potential to be high scoring and that’s just what we got. This dynamic duo could not be stopped as Hill hauled in 11 receptions for 215 yards and totaled 39 FP in Half PPR. Tagovailoa had a league high 466 yards including 3 passing touchdowns for a total of 28.1 FP. If Tagovailoa can stay healthy this offense will hum all season long.

Dallas Cowboys D/ST – The Cowboys absolutely dismantled the New York Giants on Sunday night. If you started the Cowboys defense you are likely winning your matchup as they finished with 37 FP. The Giants offense never had a chance to get going as their o-line failed to protect Daniel Jones all night long. This could be a long season for Jones and the Giants if they don’t fix their protection issues.

Brandon Aiyuk – The San Francisco 49ers had another dominating performance this time in Pittsburgh. Aiyuk led the way with 8 receptions on 8 targets. He hauled in 2 receiving touchdowns and had 129 receiving yards on the day. Aiyuk very much looks to be the #1 WR for the 49ers as he had a 28.6% target share. If he can stay consistent and healthy he is in for a big year.

Aaron Jones – Jones was one of our recommended starts in our week 1 start ’em, sit ’em column. He finished as RB1 on the day before he left the game with an apparent hamstring issue. We will have to monitor the hamstring but Jones remains a must-start for the foreseeable future.

Duds

Drake London – We expected London to take the next step in his trajectory for year 2 but he was non-existent on Sunday. London finished with 0 catches on only one target. Don’t bail just yet on him but this opening game dud is not ideal.

Tee Higgins – The entire Bengals offense was stuck in the mud for much of the game vs. Cleveland on Sunday. Credit the Browns defense but these stats don’t look good. Somehow Higgins finished with 0 receptions despite having 8 targets. That is one crazy stat.

Antonio Gibson – Gibson had a day to forget for the Washington Commanders. There was a lot of hype surrounding how Gibson would be utilized in Eric Bieniemy’s offense this year. A costly fumble limited Gibson to just 4 touches on the day. Again don’t bail on Gibson just yet but I wouldn’t be starting him.

Monday Night Football Preview

We have a juicy matchup on tap when the Buffalo Bills visit the New York Jets tonight. For the Bills, you’re obviously starting Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs. Beyond that, I am not yet ready to start James Cook or Dalton Kincaid. The Jets defense is once again loaded and it will be tough sledding for the Bills offense.

On the Jets side of the ball, I am starting Garrett Wilson but sitting Aaron Rodgers. I need to see how this offensive line protects before starting Rodgers. Also, I am staying away from the Jets running backs until I see how they are utilized.

The post 2023-24 Week 1 Fantasy Football Recap appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Antonio Gibson took a step back in the Commanders offense last season. With rookie Brian Robinson Jr. taking touches away from him, Gibson had to settle for a backup type of role. Gibson was involved more in the passing game but never had a breakout type of moment. He finished the season with 142.9 fantasy points (Half PPR) and never was able to crack the top 10 in weekly finishes. Despite the down year, there is a buzz coming out of Washington for next season. With that said let’s take a closer look at what do if you’re a Antonio Gibson dynasty manager or interested in him.

2022

When the 2022 season started Antonio Gibson had the backfield to himself. Brian Robinson Jr. was recovering from 2 gunshot wounds to his leg and wouldn’t be available until week 5. Despite the majority of the touches, Gibson wasn’t able to produce much of anything in the running game. He was however able to offer some value in the passing game. In the season opener against Jaguars, Gibson had 7 receptions for 72 yards on 8 targets. Unfortunately, this was his highest output of the season as his targets dropped as the year went on.

As we’ve stated before Gibson, didn’t really offer many highlight reel plays throughout the 2022 season. His best play came in the week 7 win against the Green Bay Packers. Gibson caught a dart from Taylor Heinicke and toe tapped for the touchdown. This was Gibson once again showing off his receiving skills.

2023

As we now look ahead to the 2023-2024 NFL season there is some hope for Gibson. Eric Bieniemy’s offensive system in Washington will look to get Gibson more involved. It has been a talking point this offseason and it has caused Gibson’s value to steadily rise. How much more involved will Gibson be? We can only predict as it stands now and will have to wait and see heading into the Fall. One key factor to keep an eye on is if the Commanders sign Kareem Hunt. If that happens Gibson’s value will obviously take a hit.

Antonio Gibson’s Dynasty Value

What should be done with Anotonio Gibson dynasty shares going forward? Right now Gibson is a RB32 at KeepTradeCut, this has him higher than the likes of Dalvin Cook and AJ Dillon. The hype is building thanks to his potential in this new Commanders offense. My advice at this time is to SELL Antonio Gibson at this current value. His value may take a hit if Washington does indeed pull the trigger on Hunt.

The post Antonio Gibson Dynasty Outlook Right Now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

According to a recent report from Josina Anderson, Kareem Hunt is on the Washington Commanders radar. The free agent running back has yet to sign on with a team this offseason. In Cleveland, Hunt’s primary role was 3rd down back but his production dropped last year for the Browns. Hunt’s YPC (yards per carry) in 2022 was only 3.8 and despite being healthy all season he could only muster 678 all-purpose yards. At age 27, Hunt can still make an impact on the field if he goes to the right situation.

Familiar System in Washington

When Eric Bieniemy became the Washington Commanders Offensive Coordinator, I expected some ex-Chiefs to follow him. Washington did sign former Chiefs OL Andrew Wylie in free agency but no other former Kansas City players of note. It doesn’t shock me that Bieniemy would be interested in his former running back but is there room for him in DC?

The Commanders already have Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson in the running back room and they drafted Chris Rodriguez Jr. from Kentucky. Robinson and Gibson should carry a majority of the load and Rodriguez Jr. is a wild card. The Commanders likely want a veteran presence that knows Bieniemy’s system to mentor the young players. While the role would likely be minimal, adding Hunt as an additional weapon is not a bad idea. The key will be if they can get him at a reasonable price.

Fantasy Angle

In terms of fantasy, this would not be an ideal scenario. Robinson and Gibson’s overall value would take a hit if the Commanders signed Hunt. More so Gibson, as Robinson has carved out his role as the goal-line back. Gibson’s ADP has been steadily rising as his potential in this offense is exciting. The addition of Hunt would tamper that hype and he would take away some touches from Gibson. There are still unknowns with this offense and how these roles will be defined.

The post Is Kareem Hunt a Fit for the Commanders? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

There was a time when we didn’t know if Brian Robinson Jr. would be able to play football again. He was a victim of a carjacking attempt in Washington D.C. and was shot multiple times in the leg. In a miraculous turn of events, Robinson was able to return to football and make his NFL debut in week 5. A true testament to his physical and mental strength.

When the Washington Commanders drafted Brian Robinson in the 3rd round of the 2022 NFL Draft it was a bit of a surprise. Antonio Gibson was already on the roster and developing nicely yet the Commanders were looking for a true bruiser/red zone running back. The rookie out of Alabama showed he could handle a full-time role but would need to adjust in the NFL to complement Gibson. In the end, Robinson showed flashes but didn’t produce enough to be a top-tier running back.

Brian Robinson finished the season with 108.2 FP (Half PPR). He had 3 total touchdowns on the season, 2 rushing and 1 receiving. On top of that, he had 205 rushing attempts which was good for #19 amongst running backs. Keep in mind, that is with missing 4 games along with sharing the load with Gibson. The Commanders looked to give him the majority of the workload but he didn’t produce as much as we liked. Let’s now dive deeper into his 2022 season and forecast his value.

2022

As you can expect it was an emotional day when Brian Robinson made his debut in week 5. Robinson was eased into the game plan and rightfully so, he just had surgery on his leg and was getting used to the pro game. The following week against the Chicago Bears, Robinson scored his first NFL touchdown. We also saw his volume go up as he finished with 60 yards on 17 carries.

In week 12 against the Atlanta Falcons, Robinson had his best output of the season. He rushed for 105 yards on 18 carries including his first receiving touchdown. It was exactly what owners were looking for as Robinson finished in the top 5 with 19.5 fantasy points. One thing is for certain, Robinson did not lack touches, especially in the red zone. He just didn’t hit paydirt as much as we would’ve liked.

In the chart below were his projected vs actual fantasy points in Half PPR for 2022. As you can see, he exceeded his projections 5 times but the projections were mostly in the single digits.

2023

As we look ahead to the upcoming season and start to project Brian Robinson’s value there are some key factors to consider. Washington fired offensive coordinator Scott Turner and brought in Eric Bieniemy. This has me excited for the Commanders offense as a whole but we don’t know yet how all the pieces will fit. Head Coach Ron Rivera has had an old-school mentality and prefers to control the clock with the run game. If Bieniemy has his way, we will see exotic packages and a more up tempo offense. It will be fascinating to watch how this plays out.

Brian Robinson’s Dynasty Value

Where do I rank Brian Robinson’s dynasty value right now? He is currently RB29 in my recently updated dynasty football rankings. This is +6 in terms of the FantasyPros ECR. It’s also right around his current position on KeepTradeCut which is RB35. There is a lot of hype surrounding Antonio Gibson in the new-look Washington offense. Although Gibson has the better upside, I still have him below Robinson. You can expect more rushing touchdowns in year 2 for Robinson and at this current value, he is a BUY for me.

The post Brian Robinson Dynasty Outlook Right Now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Zach Kurt

Many people are in Panic mode 2 weeks into the season and I am going to address 3 Rbs drafted as top 12 RBs in most dynasty startups this year. The three backs I am going to highlight are Saquon Barkley, Clyde Edwards-Helaire (CEH), Antiono Gibson (Gibby). These are some high-profile guys who have had a less than stellar start to the 2021 season. As a dynasty owner, what are you supposed to do with these assets? I will tell you!

Saquon Barkley (RB-NYG) BUY!!

This one is the easiest decision of the three for me and it’s not particularly close. Saquon is the best running back in the NFL when healthy. He is a great pure runner of the ball and a pass-catching savant. He can turn any play into a TD and you don’t get that ability from many RB’s in the NFL (CMC, Henry, Dalvin, Saquon). He has been on a slow start this season. The man is coming off an ACL tear.

Let’s get some perspective here. Jamaal Charles tore his ACL in 2011 and in 2012 his first 2 games totaled 25 touches. Saquon in his first 2 games tallied 26 touches. It is okay to start slow as a skill player coming off this injury. If people are worried about him you absolutely should buy him he is the best running back in the NFL when healthy and he is a few weeks from being there. Buy! Buy! Buy!

Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB-KCC) Hold

CEH was heavily hyped a lot this offseason with the upgrades to the Chiefs O-line. Through two games in pass-heavy game scripts, CEH has been involved but not what you want for the workhorse back we were expecting him to be. It has been ugly for CEH thus far and despite the game scripts not being in his favor, he hasn’t impressed on any front. I believe that his trade value has taken a gigantic hit in the last two weeks that it is not smart to trade him right now. I have a few shares of CEH and have sent some offers out and the return I have been looking at is Chase Edmonds and Myles Gaskin. He is absolutely not worth selling for that. Wait for him to get a great majority of touches in a positive game script and his price will rocket back up because he is on the Cheifs.

Antonio Gibson (RB-WFT) SELL

Over this offseason, Antonio Gibson may have been the most hyped player in the fantasy community. People have been calling him CMC 2.0, Believing he would get a similar role to CMC. I had a lot of red flags when it came to this claim with Gibby and through a two-week sample, they seem to be coming true. J.D. McKissic was still there and was going to be the 3rd down back, Gibson was in for touchdown regression, and the more touches he saw his efficiency started to drop. All of those things have been happening two weeks in and I am a firm believer that they continue to happen. If you can sell Gibby for Saquon, Chubb, or David Montgomery I would sell Gibson for any of those guys very quickly. 

These first two weeks of NFL action have been peculiar but I believe that some of the evidence we have seen on the field is telling. None of what I have laid out here is a guarantee however sometimes it pays to buy low and sell high. Like I always say, send trade offers because Dynasty Never Rests.

The post Buy, Hold, Sell: Elite RB edition appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Daniel Racz @Danny___Dimes

Introduction

In fantasy football land, top-performing running backs are coveted. In the National Football League, efficient backs on rookie contracts are valuable. A sophomore running back still has three years remaining on their rookie deal, but often has the chance to produce at league-leading levels. Last year, Miles Sanders and Josh Jacobs were given pre-season hype from their coaches. These comments led the fantasy community to expect them to take the sought-after sophomore breakout. However, David Montgomery was the back that took the jump. Sanders and Jacobs were expected to receive more targets and secure a three-down role, but both did not meet expectations. Montgomery’s jump occurred after Tarik Cohen tore his ACL, causing Monty to receive most of the team’s running back targets.

The 2020 running back class is one of the best in recent memory. Though Clyde Edwards-Helaire was the only first-round running back, five other running backs came off the board between picks 35 and 66. D’Andre Swift, Jonathan Taylor, Cam Akers, J.K. Dobbins, and Antonio Gibson are all primed to be the lead backs on their team. In 2020, Taylor was the Colts’ premier runner once Marlon Mack went down with an Achilles injury during week one. D’Andre Swift is on a Detroit Lions team that can be described as a work-in-progress as best, so it is unlikely he becomes a star this year. Though Akers has the opportunity to dominate for the Rams, his injury-riddled 2020 season did not impress. However, the rest of those sophomores stand a great chance to lead their teams to the playoffs and bring fantasy managers to their championships.

Antonio Gibson

The Washington Football Team won the NFC (L)East with a losing record in 2020. Their defense played as expected, with star defensive lineman Chase Young, Montez Sweat, Jonathan Allen, and Daron Payne leading the unit. Despite lackluster Quarterback play, the weapons on the team excelled. Wide Receiver Terry Mclaurin proved that he was a premier outside playmaker, even if his Quarterbacks could not throw the ball more than 20 yards downfield. 

The Football Team made numerous additions to their offensive during the offseason. During Free Agency, the team signed Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, Wide Receiver Curtis Samuel and Offensive Tackle Charles Leno.The Football Team selected tackle Samuel Cosmi and Wide Receiver Dyami Brown during the 2021 NFL draft. All of this is to say that the new-look Football Team could be far better than we anticipate. 

If Washington’s offense improves, Antonio Gibson will be a key benefactor. Offensive coordinator Scott Turner has already said that he wants to prioritize getting the ball to Antonio in the passing game. Gibson, a former college receiver, was an afterthought in the passing game because JD McKissic, another college wideout, received a majority of the backfield targets. McKissic received a position-leading 110 targets last season with Captain Checkdown, Alex Smith, at Quarterback. McKissic’s slot usage will take a hit because of Curtis Samuel and Dyami Brown’s presence. There is a chance that McKissic is irrelevant altogether if Gibson takes on more receiving work. 

Antonio Gibson played his first year at running back in the highest level of professional football, and he fared pretty well. His natural athleticism, specifically his 4.39 speed at 228 pounds, came through on countless breakaway runs. Gibson will only get more comfortable at the position with more playing time and his first full offseason. If Washington’s offense takes a step forward and decides to unleash Antonio Gibson in the receiving game, the sky’s the limit for him.

Projected Statline: 272 carries, 1,306 yards, 70 targets, 61 receptions, 447 receiving yards, 12 total touchdowns

277.8 .5 PPR Fantasy Points (16.3 Fantasy Points Per Game)

J.K. Dobbins

The best pure football player coming out of the 2020 draft at the running back position was J.K. Dobbins. His blend of track star speed (4.30 Forty time) and impeccable vision make him a premier back in the National Football League. Dobbins rushed for a position-leading 6.0 yards-per-carry last year. The fact that he is not regarded as a top back in the league is baffling, yet understandable at the same time. On the one hand, Dobbins was a hyper-efficient running back on an electric offense with versatility as a receiver. On the other hand, Dobbins only carried the ball 134 times last season and barely eclipsed 800 yards while competing with Gus Edwards for touches. 

The Chiefs should have picked Dobbins over Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round of the 2020 draft, but Dobbins fell to the 55th pick in the second round. The Ravens saw how much success Dobbins had running beside Justin Fields, so they paired with their dual-threat quarterback, Lamar Jackson. Any running back benefits from a mobile quarterback, as it makes defenders key in on multiple potential runners every play. However, J.K.’s skillset relies on making defenders miss in short areas. If Dobbins only has one defender to beat to the edge, he can use his video game-like change-of-direction to juke them out and take any run to the end zone. 

Throughout the first few weeks of minicamp and OTAs, the Ravens vocalized their desire to use Dobbins as a wide receiver. Dobbins would undoubtedly improve the Ravens’ passing attack. However, there is a chance that the Ravens are giving the public “Coach Speak” and misleading the public. If the Ravens do only give Dobbins 1-2 targets a game, he will still be a solid contributor. 

However, the upside that Dobbins possesses can transform the Baltimore offense and boost your fantasy team. The chance to get targets in the most run-heavy offense in the league is rare, but the Ravens keep touting Dobbins. His 2020 season was littered with drops, but the Ravens’ confidence in the young man indicates that he will move past the rookie errors. Though Dobbins will not see a Christian McCaffrey, or even Antonio Gibson, type workload, he does not need to. The lead back in the Baltimore committee is undervalued, and you should take advantage before the public catches on.

Projected Statline: 231 carries, 1,331 yards, 48 targets, 38 receptions, 285 receiving yards, 11 touchdowns

246.6 .5 PPR Fantasy Points (14.5 Fantasy Points Per Game)

The post Why Antonio Gibson and J.K. Dobbins will dominate in 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.