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.

Las Vegas Raiders

One of the biggest moves of the day was the Raiders signing quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. This move made sense for a bunch of reasons. The obvious one is the connection with head coach Josh McDainels. On top of that the Raiders offense is full of weapons. Josh Jacobs is coming back on the franchise tag. You have one of the best receivers in the game in Davante Adams and if Darren Waller is healthy watch out. The Raiders also made another sneaky good move this morning acquiring former Patriots stand out Jakobi Meyers. Adams, Meyers and Hunter Renfrow on paper can be one of the best wide receiver groups in the league.

Chicago Bears

The Bears are having an excellent offseason. Not only did they get a haul of picks for the #1 pick in this year’s draft they also acquired stud WR D.J. Moore in the deal. On Monday the Bears worked to sure up one of their biggest weaknesses by acquiring two stud linebackers. Tremaine Edmunds was arguably the best linebacker available and he signed a 4 year deal with Chicago. They also signed LB T.J. Edwards who was a solid piece for the Eagles defense last year. I still expect the Bears to pick up some offensive lineman in the coming weeks.

Atlanta Falcons

Another team that impressed on day 1 of NFL free agency was the Falcons. Early in the day they acquired TE Jonnu Smith from the Patriots while only giving up a 7th round pick. I am really intrigued on how Smith will fit with Kyle Pitts and expect the duo to work well together. Later in the day the Falcons signed former Bengals S Jessie Bates. Bates is underrated in my opinion. He is an excellent safety whom is great against the run. The Falcons were not done as early this morning they picked up QB Taylor Heinicke on a 2 year deal. Heinicke showed in Washington he is an excellent back up that can be called upon if needed to win big games.

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10. Jakobi Meyers

By many metrics, 2022 was Jakobi Meyers’s best season so far. Yes, he had more overall yardage in 2021, but he had a higher yardage per reception in ’22 and four additional receiving touchdowns despite playing in three less games. At 26, he’s also in the midst of an athletic prime that should last 3-4 more years.

Meyers has improved in each of his NFL seasons with the New England Patriots and looks to make a solid free agent acquisition for somebody this offseason.

9. Jessie Bates III

Former second-team All-Pro free safety Jessie Bates III has had a solid tenure with the Cincinnati Bengals, having a career high four interceptions in 2022. He’s been a big player in the emergence of the Bengals as one of the better defensive units in the NFL over the last couple of seasons.

It seems the Bengals’ focus will be on extending quarterback Joe Burrow this offseason and that probably means Bates winds up on a new team.

8. Jamel Dean

Jamel Dean may not be the greatest ballhawk to ever play the cornerback position, but he is a solid pass defender at his best. With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beginning a new era post-Tom Brady, that probably means not resigning free agent pieces which would further complicate the team’s salary issues.

Dean would make a solid addition to a team looking to strengthen their depth in the defensive secondary and, as a Super Bowl champion, would bring solid leadership to any locker room.

7. Lavonte David

He may now be 33 years old, but Lavonte David remains one of the better linebackers in the NFL. His entire career has been spent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but like with Jamel Dean, it’d be nearly impossible for the team to keep him this offseason. Somebody’s likely to get a excellent veteran addition to their roster.

David routinely puts up seasons with well over 100 tackles, including last season when he racked up a total of 124. He’ll surely be able to do that again in 2023.

6. Jordan Poyer

Will the Buffalo Bills bring back Jordan Poyer in 2023? They may not, and the veteran safety who will be 32 by season’s start, could get a decent short-term contract somewhere else. His best seasons have been had in recent years, which is the upside for this safety. The downside is that he spent much of 2022 dealing with injuries that limited his production.

Poyer is one of the NFL’s best safeties and that means he’ll be a hot commodity this offseason regardless of the injuries he dealt with in ’22.

5. Javon Hargrave

One of the defensive anchors for the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles in 2022, Javon Hargrave had a career best 11 sacks. Because it appears the Eagles intend to resign C.J. Gardner-Johnson, is it likely that the defensive tackle ends up somewhere else for the 2023 season? Keep in mind, the Eagles have several other soon-to-be free agents to contend with.

Simply put, there’s no defense in the NFL who couldn’t use a player like Hargrave on their roster. He’s going to get paid by somebody and immediately improve their defense.

4. Derek Carr (Signed with the New Orleans Saints)

Derek Carr seems to be one of the current villains of the NFL, only more fitting having played for a franchise known for its villainy. But the Raiders are done with him. He’s always been pretty good, just not good enough to make a whole lot of noise across the league. Not that the Raiders ever did much to support his efforts (signing of Davante Adams excluded, naturally).

With Carr, it’ll be interesting to see what some team is willing to put around him. The New York Jets have been mentioned and that makes a lot of sense. The Jets are a good young team, and they would benefit immensely from the free agent quarterback.

3. Josh Jacobs (Signed franchise tag with the Las Vegas Raiders)

Remember when Zamir White was supposed to surpass and bench Josh Jacobs? What a laugh that turned out to be. The disrespected Jacobs only led the NFL in rushing yards, rushing yards per game, and yards from scrimmage in 2022. But the Raiders need a quarterback, so might the running back be found somewhere else in 2023?

Jacobs’s ascendance from average running to one of the league’s best happened seemingly overnight. Having just turned 25, somebody had better pay him now, because his ascendance may not be finished yet.

2. Lamar Jackson (Signed franchise tag with the Baltimore Ravens)

Lamar Jackson is a great football player. That said, he’s now missed a lot of playing time in each of the last two seasons and that’s an undeniable problem. His place among the NFL’s best quarterbacks isn’t in question, but his ability to stay on the field now is. What are the Baltimore Ravens going to do?

Jackson’s move to a different roster for 2023 would be the story of the offseason, but it may well happen. Talent and ability have never been an issue with the former MVP, but he needs to stay healthy.

1. Saquon Barkley (Signed franchise tag with the New York Giants)

The New York Giants went as far as Saquon Barkley took them in 2022 and the running back proved himself more than capable of coming back from past injury-plagued seasons. There are a few notable teams in the NFL who are a piece away from Super Bowl contention, and if the Giants don’t bring Barkley back, he could easily find his way to one of those teams.

The 26-year-old is reaching his athletic prime and now that any lingering questions about his durability seem to be put to rest, some team in the league is going to get one of the best running backs in the game.

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By: Jake Rajala

The New England Patriots lead wide receiver DeVante Parker will aspire to torch his previous team twice a season and the rest of his opponents moving forward. Parker’s best season came in 2019 – where he notched 1,202 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns. Peter Parker obtained 515 yds and 2 touchdowns in 10 games last season. He will be a FA in 2024, so it may be wise for BB to extend the 6’3 weapon next off-season.

The Pats also have their elusive wideout Jakobi Meyers — as he garnered 866 receiving yards in 2021 (after hauling in 729 yds in 2020. He also garnered a potent 74.9 grade by PFF in 2021. Emperor Belichick re-signed Meyers to a one-year deal worth $3.96 million dollars this off-season.

The Pats will still have Kendrick Bourne — as he garnered 800 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns last season. He had a 75.6 grade by PFF last season. He inked a three-year deal worth $15 million with NE this off-season.

The exciting youngblood in Tyquan Thornton (2022 second-round pick) should also be a factor next season. Thornton clocked a ridiculous 4.28 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. The Pats will anticipate him being more potent than former second-round pick Aaron Dobson, to say the least.

The Pats also have Nelson Agholor — as he is entering his second season with the Pats. His best season arrived in 2020 — where he unleashed 896 yds and 8 TDS with the Raiders. He ousted 473 yards and 3 touchdowns with NE last season.

The Pats have a complex WR group, but I believe they have a lot of potential. If Parker can get in sync with Mac Jones early on and Thornton can dazzle in his first season, then they should have an above-average WR unit in the league next season.

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By: Jake Rajala

The cheerful Mac Jones had an admirable rookie season – as he unveiled 3,801 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns, and led his team to a 10-7 record (including a pivotal playoff berth). The former Alabama product has a larger chip on his shoulder in his sophomore season. It would be hard for Jones to not carry an infinite amount of motivation, as his team was blown out of the wild-card round by his despised divisional foe in the Josh Allen-led Buffalo Bills.

The Pats made a very underrated re-signing in WR Jakobi Meyers. The deep-threat WR garnered 126 targets and 866 yards last season. It will be a serious challenge for defenses to prepare for the speed of Meyers while stopping the Jones-Devante Parker connection. The former Dolphin wanted to be traded to Belichick’s squad and he will really strive to return to unveil outcomes similar to his 2019 season (1,202 yards and 12 touchdowns).

DeVante Parker is arguably the Pats best “WR” since the days of Wes Welker in 2012.

The Pats didn’t only gift Parker in Jones’s second season in the system, but they also brought back the versatile RB James White (who suffered a season-ending injury after three games) on a two-year contract. The Super Bowl LI hero nicely notched 751 receiving yds in 2018, 645 receiving yds in 2019, and 375 receiving yards in 2020. He can absolutely be a secret weapon for Jones out of the backfield.

The 23-year-old Jones will not only tear down a poster of Josh Allen each morning and practice with his most explosive offense thus far, but he will also prepare to face favorable competition in 2022. Bill Belichick and Jones ought to be licking their chops, as they have the 25th most difficult schedule. Tom Brady and a half of Gronk may be in Tampa Bay, but the tides appear to be really turning for Jones and his crew in 2022.

The post Mac Jones’s outlook in 2022: Expect growth from the Pats QB appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Carolina Panthers officially compete in the Tom Brady-less NFC South. The crowd that surfaced to hear ” the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything” in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, moved to the south to rejoice that TB12 is out of their beloved NFL division.

Matt Rhule’s NFL squad was 5-12 in 2021 and they clearly need to kick things up a notch in 2022. The NFL free agency period is around the corner and Rhule will surely have his sights set on adding a few quality faces. With that said, here are a few profiles that would be ideal fits for the Panthers.

Jadeveon Clowney

The former first overall pick Jadeveon Clowney would be the perfect complement to Haason Reddick. Clowney, who shook the earth with his hit against the University of Michigan in the Outback Bowl, really bounced back in 2021 with 9 sacks.

I sadly expect the Panthers to lose Stephon Gilmore to the 49ers, but I expect them to hit another home-run signing with Clowney. The Panthers play the loaded Buccaneers and Saints offense, so they could use more firepower in their pass-rushing arsenal. If the Panthers can find a talented QB this offseason and they can ink Clowney, the Panthers should be seen as NFC South favorites.

Jakobi Meyers

I believe Jakobi Meyers is the ultimate underdog in the free agent WR pool this offseason. Meyers somehow quietly unveiled 866 receiving yards and two touchdowns last season. The 25-year-old is in the shadow of wideouts like Allen Robinson and JuJu Smith-Schuster, but he can be a Pro Bowl WR in the right system. If the Panthers lose Robby Anderson, it would be wise to target Meyers. He could reunite with Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas, but he could attract a more lucrative offer from the Panthers team that already misses Curtis Samuel.

Riley Reiff

The 2021 AFC Champion Riley Reiff is a free agent in 2022 and it appears the Cincinnati Bengals will look to replace Reiff with a younger OT. Reiff has injury issues, but that’s why he could be a quality value pickup by the Panthers. He should be available for the Panthers beyond the early stages of free agency and that would be perfect for the OT-needy Panthers team.

Reiff can play LT and RT so that versatility could provide huge dividends for the Panthers. Reiff might be 33 years old, but he can play at a modest level for many more years at the age-less LT position.

Honorable mentions:

P.J. Williams

The Panthers are all too familiar with the talent of the Saints safety/cornerback P.J. Williams. The former Florida State defensive back had his best season in 2021, as he notched two sacks, three interceptions (including a pick-six against Tom Brady), four QB hits, and he routinely thumped wide receivers in the middle of the field. Williams would be a fine, versatile replacement for the Panthers if they can’t retain Gilmore.

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By: Jeremy Trottier

The New England Patriots are currently seeming to trend upwards as a team after a very solid offseason and returns of players who opted out last season.  Signings like Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Matt Judon, Jalen Mills, and others will help this team move forward and continue the success of an already strong franchise.  With that in mind, the wide receiver position for the Patriots is a relative unknown, and it is pretty hard to predict who will be their lead receiver.  In this article, I will be going over their three main options to lead the receiver group, as well as why they would each be viable options.

Nelson Agholor – #13

First up, we have one of the Patriots more interesting free agent acquisitions in Nelson Agholor, who had a pretty solid season last year.  The move from Philadelphia to Las Vegas clearly helped Nelson out, as he was able to perform at a pretty mid to high level compared to his previous years.  He put up the following statline last season:

• 16 games played (13 games started)
• 48 receptions in 82 targets (58.5% catch rate)
• 896 yards, 18.7 yards per reception, 8 touchdowns

One more worthy stat to note would be his yards per target, which was 10.9.  This is absolutely amazing from a receiver, as he averaged over a first down for every target he had, not every reception, every target.  Being able to get a first down on every time the ball is thrown your way (on average) shows his ability to make plays and get open to the point where he can benefit the passing game a ton.  This capability would help the Patriots a ton as his very high amount of yards per target would only go up with more receptions likely, which being WR1 would give him.

Jakobi Meyers – #16

The Patriots young receiver entering his third season this year was able to break out in 2020-2021, being given the reigns of sorts to the Patriots receiving room.  The NC state product had a relatively uneventful rookie season, however was able to take it up a notch in his sophomore season and prove he was ready to at the very least be a starter with Cam Newton at the helm.  Meyers put up the following:

• 14 games played (9 started)
• 59 receptions on 81 targets (72.8% catch rate)
• 729 yards, 12.4 yards per reception, 0 TDs, 9.0 yards per target

Something else to notice is that Meyers did not play every game, as he was inactive for two of them, and only started just one game over half the season, which makes this statline even more impressive.  You could justify nearly doubling this stat sheet (considering it will be a 17 game season, nearly double what he played last season) and get an idea of his starting production.  Overall his youth and capabilities with having really good hands and solid route trees would definitely make the WR1 position more complete.

Kendrick Bourne – #84

Finally, we have another free-agent addition in the former San Francisco 49ers receiver Kendrick Bourne.  Bourne has shown some flashes as a receiver and started 13 games in four seasons for SF.  His catch rate has pretty much consistently remained above 63% aside from his rookie year, and he has been a quality starter when placed there.  He is not an extremely flashy big-play receiver by any means, but he is reliable, and he makes plays when he needs to, which is something the Patriots desperately need.  

In 2020 he put up a decent stat line, which was comprised of:

• 15 games played (5 games started)
• 49 receptions on 74 targets (66.2% catch rate)
• 667 yards, 13.6 yards per reception, 2 touchdowns, 9.0 yards per target

I would not shoe Kendrick in for WR1 as of day one, no.  However, I think he has the potential to work into that role over time if Belichick can continue his development, as Bourne is still only 25 years of age, and has only played for four seasons.

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