During his rookie campaign, Buffalo Bills running back James Cook did not get many chances to showcase his skills. For the most part, Cook was stuck behind Devin Singletary and was limited to 110 total touches. Despite the limited usage, Cook had some bright spots that show promise for the future. Cook finished last year with 97 fantasy points (Half PPR) and 3 total touchdowns. He is now in line to be the lead back in one of the league’s most prolific offenses. Let’s take a more detailed look at what to do if you’re a James Cook dynasty manager or looking to acquire him.

2022

When the Buffalo Bills drafted James Cook from Georgia there was hope that he could carve out a big role. The Bills had Devin Singletary but he wasn’t exactly a league winner. Unfortunately, it took Cook a while to adjust to the NFL and it showed in his debut. He fumbled the ball on his first ever NFL carry which was less than ideal. It wasn’t the start Cook was looking for but he responded in week 2 when rushed for 53 yards on 11 carries. He showed some of his elusiveness and breakaway speed on a 33-yard run late in the 4th quarter. It was the type of run that we hoped he build momentum on but that didn’t happen.

In the next 7 games, Cook didn’t make much noise. He all but disappeared from the Bills offensive gameplan until week 11 vs the Cleveland Browns. Cook once again showed that if you give him touches he will produce. Against Cleveland, Cook had 86 yards rushing and averaged 7.8 yards per carry. His best game of the season came in a blowout win at the Chicago Bears. Cook had a season-high 99 yards rushing and a season-high 16.8 fantasy points. If you’re looking for a game to get excited about Cook, this was the one.

2023

James Cook will now get his chance to solidify his role as the Bills starting running back. This offseason, Devin Singletary signed on with the Houston Texans clearing the way for Cook. The Bills also brought in Damien Harris and Latavius Murray but they will likely compete for the backup role. Buffalo drafted Cook for a reason and they want to give him every chance to succeed. Cook has all the intangibles to be a star running back, including elite breakaway speed.

James Cook’s Dynasty Value

What is the current value of James Cook dynasty shares right now? Currently, his value is staying pretty steady on KeepTradeCut and he is currently listed as RB30. This is right in line with our dynasty trade value chart where we have him listed as RB27 with a trade value of 23.53. The potential for Cook in his second year in the Buffalo offense is too big to ignore. My advice at this time is to HOLD on Cook and watch how develops as the starting running back for the Bills.

The post James Cook Dynasty Outlook Right Now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

PRESEASON EXPECTATIONS

Rhamondre Stevenson was slated as the Patriots’ RB 2 behind Damien Harris. New England does multiple RB packages so they are fresh. He had a decent rookie season where he ran for 606 yards and five TDs. It was hopeful that he would have better stats as he did have 22.70 FP in Week 17 in 2021.

DRAFT EXPECTATIONS

Rhamondre had an ADP of 110.1. With this ADP, he was the 37th RB taken in fantasy football. He would be taken around the 9th round which would be reserved for the bench. That would be a good value for someone who had a good rookie season.

OVERALL SEASON PRODUCTION

Congratulations to owners if you drafted Rhamondre Stevenson as he took over the starting job with Damien Harris getting injured. He blew everyone’s expectations after a season that put him as the 7th-best RB in all of football and 30th overall player. Through 17 games he ran for 1040 yards and five TDs. He caught an impressive 69 passes for 421 yards and a TD. Another great season is expected for Rhamondre.

CRITICAL MOMENTS DURING THE SEASON

Week 3 vs Baltimore Ravens

The Rhamondre Stevenson breakout season began in Week 3 against the Ravens. He rushed 12 times for 73 yards and a one-yard TD in the final quarter to make it a smaller lead for the Ravens. He also caught four passes for 28 yards. The combo of Stevenson and Harris was working at this point.

Week 6 vs Cleveland Browns

Week 6 was the first game where Damien Harris wasn’t available so Rhamondre had the keys to the offense. He ran through the Browns with 19 rushes for 76 yards and two TDs. He rushed for a 31-yard TD late in the 2nd quarter and a six-yard TD late in the 4th quarter to seal the deal. It looked like Rhamondre owned the backfield and Damien Harris owners would have to find alternatives. He had a season-high 25.10 FP.

Week 15 vs Las Vegas Raiders

The Patriots vs. Raiders game was one of the most memorable games of the season. What is forgotten is Rhamondre’s season-high rushing performance. Stevenson ran for 172 yards and a 34-yard TD that put the Pats up 24017 with four minutes left in the game. What will only be remembered is the Jakobi Meyers pass to Chandler Jones and the stiff arm to Mac Jones for the game-winning TD.

The post 2022-2023 Fantasy Football Review: Rhamondre Stevenson appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The New England Patriots beloved running back James White is a free agent in 2022. White has been a hero for the Pats for quite some time. He was the bowling ball half-back that powered his way for the winning touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. Many fans believe White should have won the Super Bowl MVP.

White has been an important part of Josh McDaniels offense since he was drafted in the 2014 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and Bob Dylan’s song named “The Times They Are a-Changin” hits home for White and the Pats. It would make sense if they move on from the 30-year-old RB that’s coming off a season-ending injury.

If White isn’t brought back to Belichick’s empire, who could replace him and be productive with Damien Harris (15 rushing touchdowns in 2021)? Well, here are a few fascinating options.

Giovani Bernard

The long-time Cincinnati Bengals RB will have a less popular market than James White, but he is still very athletic and productive in the run and pass game. Bernard was in the shadow of Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones in 2021, but he ousted 771 total yards and six total touchdowns in 2020. We witnessed Darren Sproles be an asset late in his career and I expect Gio to be beneficial to a sharp scheme and culture like the Patriots.

Phillip Lindsay

The former UDFA star for the Denver Broncos could be tempted to join the Pats on a prove-it deal. Lindsay had a down season in Houston (as it did the whole team), but he could look to oust another 700+ yard rushing season in New England. If Lindsay doesn’t fill in the shoes for Melvin Gordon in his old home in Denver, he should come to NE in 2022. Harris and Lindsay would be like “thunder and lightning”.

Justin Jackson

Justin Jackson doesn’t hold the same resume and playoff success as White, but he does have a much higher ceiling than the Pats RB. The 25-year-old unveiled 542 total yards and two touchdowns in 2021 with the LA Chargers. Jackson is also the PFF’s ninth-best RB in the free agency group. He’s been in the shadow of Austin Ekeler, but he would be very involved with Mac Jones’s offense for years to come.

The post Free agent running back targets for the New England Patriots appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By Chris Moore (Twitter: @fantasy_moore)

Sony Michel used to be viewed as an upcoming star at the running back position when the Patriots drafted him in 2018. Michel battled with injuries during his tenure in New England. Due to the emergence of Damien Harris and Michel’s injuries, the Patriots decided to move on from Michel this offseason. The Patriots traded him to the Rams for a sixth-round pick in 2022 and a fourth-rounder in 2023. It was clear both parties needed a fresh start, as Michel will now fill the Rams’ massive need at running back while the Patriots added some draft capital. Following his arrival in Los Angeles, Michel is now the backup for Darrell Henderson.

Big Opportunity?

Through two weeks of the NFL season, Michel has 11 carries for 51 yards. Michel hasn’t seen a heavy workload yet, but this weekend may be his first shot at receiving a larger workload as the season goes on. The Rams starting running back Darrell Henderson suffered a rib injury in the Rams Week 2 victory over the Colts. As of the time I am writing this article, Henderson is a game-time decision for Week 3. If Henderson were to miss Week 3, Michel would be in line to receive a heavy workload versus the Buccaneers.

The Buccaneers currently have one of the best defensive lines in the entire league, and it will be hard for the Rams to get anything going on the ground this week regardless of who the starting running back is. But, this would be a huge opportunity for Michel to show he still belongs in the league. A strong showing out of Michel may have the Rams rethinking their current backfield. Michel may have a chance this week to show he deserves more playing time in this backfield.

What’s Left In The Tank

While the Patriots believed they didn’t need Michel’s services anymore, I still believe Michel can be a viable running back in the league. Michel looked good in the preseason for the Patriots, averaging 4.6 yards per carry in the two games he played. Michel also showed improvement in the passing game, as Michel caught every target he saw in the preseason (4) for 37 receiving yards. Michel looked like a better player than the one he was last season. Michel took over last week when Henderson left the game and had a strong showing. Rushing 10 times for 46 yards, with his longest run being 11 yards.

He might not be the impressive rookie running back he used to be, but Michel has an opportunity to establish a greater role for himself in the Rams backfield starting this week. Michel looked prepared when he took over for Henderson last week, and I expect that to be the case if he starts in Week 3 for the Rams. Michel is an established running back in the league, who’s looking for another chance, and he might get one.

The post Why Sony Michel will dominate in Week 3 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Zach Hurts

Who here values talent, opportunity, and good situations? I have a few people that I view as values right now with all the stars are aligning for them. This is what I call a buy window. A buy window is a moment in time that allows you to trade for a player at their current price and reap the benefits when they breakout and skyrocket in value. There are a few players that I have been watching during the NFL and college that just seem poised for a big season in the NFL this year and beyond. 

First up is Jerry Jeudy! This man is one of the best route runners in the NFL and I don’t say that about very many players. I want to break Jerry Jeudy’s rookie season down for you he had 52 receptions for 856 yards and 3 touchdowns. A very solid rookie season at face value. However, let’s take a look at some advanced metrics. Jeudy had 26 uncatchable targets last season which happened to lead the NFL. If you want a percentage that is nearly 25% of his targets were uncatchable. Now I know that Jerry Jeudy struggled with some drops last year and that is a small cause for concern. Teddy Bridgewater should change the inaccuracy problems with the Bronco’s QBs last year. Bridgewater finished 5th in completion percentage last season. Jeudy will be Teddy’s #1 WR and is on his way to being an elite option at the WR position. 

This WR has been shadowed by Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase.  Terrace Marshall is going to burst onto the scene this year. He is 6’3’’ 205 and a physical freak. When Marshall was at LSU without Chase and Jefferson due to Chase opting out Marshall commanded 28% of the receptions 33% of the team yards and 59% of their receiving touchdowns. 59% percent of the receiving TD’s is extremely impressive and with D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson not being big red zone threats Marshall fits perfectly. When he was the #1 on his team he balled out and we will see that translate to the NFL similar to Justin Jefferson’s transition. He is on a similar offensive scheme to LSU he will start as the WR3 but will have the opportunity to surpass Anderson and be a top 2 receiving option on this team. He is very underpriced in dynasty and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to send offers out on him. 

Similar to Jerry Jeudy this RB hails from the Alabama regime. Damien Harris ever since he has entered this league he has been an undervalued asset. In his rookie season unfortunately he sat on the bench all year and was not used heavily. Last season he was used in more of a starting RB towards the latter half of the year. He averaged over 5 YPC (Yards Per Carry) which is one of the better YPC in the NFL tied for 6th among RB’s. Last year Rex Burkhead and Sony Michel were involved in the run scheme and now they are both on different teams. Damien Harris will have most of the carries in this offense and will break 1000 yards on the ground this season barring injury. Cam Newton also took a large number of rushing TD’s last year making Harris’s TD upside limited. Harris is still being undervalued even with the backfield clearing up. He has little competition and could very likely see a three-down role. 

The last player on this list is a lean mean rushing machine that can also throw a deep ball with perfection. It’s not Russell Wilson, but It’s Jalen Hurts. Hurts was a beast in college who played very well in Alabama except for his first National Championship appearance which ended up losing him his job. He then came into the national championship the following year and led them to a victory. He transferred after he wasn’t the starter. He played lights out in Oklahoma and was second in the Heisman race behind Joe Burrow. This is very unmentioned. He had low accuracy in year one largely because his receiving core was bad.: Greg Ward, Alshon Jeffery, and Dallas Godert. His weapons are already drastically better. He was a beast on the ground having “12 rush attempts per game”. Hurts should continue to be effective. Outside of a new receiving core this year, he has had a whole year of training camp and preseason to develop and adjust to the speed of the NFL. He has the potential to be a top 5 QB in fantasy for several years to come but for some reason, he gets no respect. People love him in redraft but he will be a franchise QB, not just a 1 year transitional QB.

Overall all of these players have a lot of talent and have an immense opportunity to breakout. You want to buy them before the breakout happens. I am confident that all of these players have the situation, the opportunity, the talent to change their startup value by several rounds. As I always say send trades because Dynasty Never Rests!

The post Which Dynasty assets will skyrocket in value in the next 8 weeks? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.