Los Angeles Chargers

Right off the bat we start with the obvious choice in the Chargers. Star running back Austin Ekeler has recently requested permission to seek a trade as he and the Chargers failed to agree on an extension. More than likely the two sides will come to terms but if they don’t the Chargers will have huge shoes to fill. Elliott would seem like a no-brainer move as he already has ties to new OC Kellen Moore and knows his system. Zeke is mainly a 1st and 2nd down back in this stage of his career that can thrive in goal-line situations.

Seattle Seahawks

Another good fit would be for Zeke to join the Seahawks. Seattle recently lost running back Rashaad Penny to the Philadelphia Eagles and have that hole to fill. Elliott could step in and immediately fill that role working along side rookie sensation Kenneth Walker. The Seahawks are a team on the rise with the surprise success of Geno Smith. I could see them making a playoff run next year.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers look to be in rebuild mode. Leonard Fournette was recently released and they will have a new face at quarterback with Tom Brady retiring. I could see a fit here for Zeke as the Buccaneers have hired ex-Cowboys running back coach Skip Peete to their staff. Peete and Elliott seem to have a good relationship and with the departure of Fournette I could see the Buccaneers making the call.

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By: Jake Rajala

The fantasy football landscape is heating up with the main entree of Week 5 kicking off tomorrow. There were more surprises, failures, & steady performances from fantasy profiles last week. In particular, there were fascinating RB performances in Week 4. With that said, I’m going to highlight the RB position by unveiling one elite RB to buy, two elite RBs to sell, and an elite RB to hold at this point. Let’s begin.

Buy: Josh Jacobs

It’s easy to hate Josh McDaniels, but it’s hard to not love the Week 4 effort by RB Josh Jacobs. The Raiders RB1 unleashed 144 rushing yards on 28 carries and 2 rushing TDs against the pitiful Denver Broncos. After not being able to oust 70+ rushing yards in each of his first three contests, he really yielded his will a week ago. Jacobs will have a favorable match-up in Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs and in Week 7 against the Houston Texans (after a bye week in Week 6). Jacobs is slotted as the 12th-best RB by Fantasy Pros, but I believe he should continue to climb the ladder moving forward.

Sell: Joe Mixon

Steve Schwarz of FF Today nicely noted how Mixon is dragging his feet this season, largely because the Bengals OL is embarrassing up to this point. Mixon has only averaged 2.7 YPC on a whopping 82 attempts. The Bengals OL may have brought in new faces this off-season, but their continuity clearly isn’t working out. I don’t love Mixon or Burrow’s 2022 outlook — which may have hangover spelled all over it.

Sell: Leonard Fournette

Playoff Lenny was like a lightning bolt in Week 1 by ousting 127 rushing yards in Week 1. He then slid down the point of no return by registering 65 rushing yds in Week 2, 35 rushing yds in Week 3, and somehow -3 rushing yds in Week 4. Furthermore, rookie Rachaad White had 38% of the snaps last weekend. Fournette also doesn’t have the most glorious schedule moving forward (which includes the Steelers and the Rams in the near future).

Hold: Alvin Kamara

Alvin Kamara should have the green light in Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks, but it’s well noted that he hasn’t been an all-purpose machine. He has a mere five catches on the season & it’s worth mentioning that Jameis Winston has been MIA or a loose cannon (four touchdowns and five ints on the season). With that said, I do really anticipate Andy Dalton to continue to be effective. Dalton had a 108.6 passer rating against the Vikings last week — despite not having Michael Thomas and Kamara. He should be the worst-case scenario at QB moving forward.

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

By: Jake Rajala

Week 1 was so entertaining that it seemed more like a simulation than real-life. It’s clear that the dynasty fantasy football landscape has been exhilarating following Week 1 – especially at the pivotal RB spot. With that stated, I’m going to simply untwine a few faces at the RB spot to ship out for dynasty owners.

Alvin Kamara

I love Michael Thomas & I don’t love Alvin Kamara, particularly the long-term outlook for AK. Thomas really proved to the world that he deserves to garner expectations to be a Top-5 WR with a healthy form. Furthermore, I expect Jameis Winston to continue to toss it around the yard to Jarvis Landry, who might have had his best-ever day as a deep threat in Week 1. The Saints will still incorporate 2022 first-round pick Chris Olave more and more into their aerial attack. I don’t believe AK will be overly involved as a pass-catcher moving forward (which may seem surprising) and it should be noted that Kamara still has a date with a suspension in 2023. I believe it would be best to ship him out soon.

James Cook

The Buffalo Bills dropped 31 points on the mighty Los Angeles Rams defense in Week 1 without the help of the expected rookie star James Cook. Well, the brother of Dalvin Cook had a nightmare intro to his NFL career — as he had a fumble on his only carry in the second quarter. I believe Cook, who is slotted as the 28th best RB in dynasty RB rankings by Fantasy Pros, is overrated & should be sent off your team.

Leonard Fournette

Leonard Fournette is fresh off a monster performance (127 rushing yds, 6.0 YPC), but I don’t believe his hype will maintain itself. Playoff Lenny only ousted a 100+ rushing yard contest twice last season. He’s also missed 3+ games in each of the past two seasons. He’s also having issues with a hamstring right now, too. I believe a team may overcompensate for the recent, unusually productive performance by the 27-year-old RB.

The post Dynasty: 3 RBs to trade away right now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

Week 2 is on the horizon & it’s clear that fantasy football has already been more intense than the Avatar 2 trailer. With that said, I’m going to take a critical angle by untwining seven players to sit in Week 2. Let’s begin.

• Joe Burrow

The Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow may not have shown his true colors in Week 1 (five turnovers), but I don’t foresee him bouncing back against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2. Micah Parsons had two sacks against Tom “GOAT” Brady and the Boys defense didn’t give up more than 20 points to TB12. It would be an understatement to say I’m worried about Burrow and his pass protection in Week 2.

• Mike Evans

The meme with Shila Bleouf shouting “zero” in the classic “Holes” movie could be appropriate for the potential receptions Mike Evans will have against Marshon Lattimore in Week 2. Lattimore has certainly transformed into Deion Sanders when facing Evans by sometimes not allowing him to have a single catch. The gifted Saints CB also had a couple of mental errors in Week 1, so he should be extra motivated to shine in Week 2.

• Leonard Fournette

Don’t take the bait — the Saints definitely don’t have a weak run defense. The Saints were bleeding against Marcus Mariota, but let’s not forget that Jalen Hurts has also constantly found success against the Saints. The Saints have an elite front seven with Cameron Jordan, Marcus Davenport, Pete Werner, and Demario Davis, but they still struggle against dual-threat QBs.

• Corey Davis

The Jets may be heavily relying on Corey Davis (984 yards and 5 TDs in 2020) in their Zach Wilson-less offense, but I don’t love his chances against the very superb CB Denzel Ward (who was voted the 87th best player in 2022) on Sunday. I expect Flacco to look for Garrett Wilson a lot more with his match-ups in Week 2.

• Derrick Henry

The Titans 6’4, 250 lb RB Derrick Henry didn’t look like a Thor-like figure in Week 1 (82 rushing yards, 3.9 YPC) & I don’t believe he’s in line to be an unstoppable force against the mighty Buffalo Bills in Week 2. I honestly don’t feel like the Titans will be able to feed Henry, as they may be down two-three scores early in the game.

• Justin Fields

I’m not sold on Justin Fields being a Pro Bowl-caliber QB in his sophomore year just yet. He will face an angry (after being embarrassed by Justin Jefferson) and talented Green Bay Packers defense that will be licking their chops at dominating in Week 2. The Packers still have a very good secondary and I’d be shocked if Fields has an above-average performance with his less-than-talented WR group next week.

• Tyler Boyd

Tee Higgins may sit out in Week 2 via a concussion, but don’t anticipate Tyler Boyd to go off in the WR2 spot. As previously mentioned, I’m iffy about Burrow having a superb outcome against the Dallas Cowboys. I’m only placing my trust in Ja’Marr Chase (who should have the edge over Trevon Diggs), who has similar gifts as Justin Jefferson, to shine in any circumstance.

The post Fantasy: 7 players to sit in Week 2 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers can’t rely on Tom Brady to carry the team on its shoulders in 2022 – as they need a potent rushing attack displayed in their offense. The Bucs don’t have R-Jo (who left for Kansas City this off-season), but they still carry Leonard Fournette, the 2022-third round pick Rachaad White, Ke’Shawn Vaughn, and Giovani Bernard. The lead horse is unequivocally Playoff Lenny (and he ousted a strong 812 rushing yds and 8 rushing TDs in 14 contests a season ago). He garnered a fine 73.9 grade by PFF in 2021. It was certainly wise for the Brady bunch to bring back Fournette on a three-year deal worth $21 million dollars.

Fournette is definitely the bowling ball RB, while Rachaad White can be the pass-catching threat from the RB spot. Besides rushing for 1,000 yds and 15 TDs last season, White recorded 456 yds receiving yards. As noted by The Sun Devils, he was the second-highest-graded player in the Pac 12 & the second-highest graded RB in the FBS. Greg Auman of The Athletic reported that White stood out during the first week of camp with size and sure hands. White is technically competing with Vaughn for the RB2 ticket, but It’s safe to say that White is primed to be the Bucs RB2 at this moment.

Vaughn (third-round pick in the 2020 draft) ran for 180 yds (with 5.0 YPC) and 2 TDs in 2021. He proved his worth in the back-end of the 2021 season with his best outing against the Philadelphia Eagles: 7 rushing attempts, 70 rushing yds, and 1 rushing TD. He may be slightly overshadowed by White, but he is still a superb RB3. The last Bucs RB is none other than Giovani Bernard. He might be a bit more washed than his 45-year-old QB, but he should make the roster and find a way to be involved in moments of the 2022 season. The former Bengals RB garnered 123 receiving yds and 3 receiving TDs last season.

The Bucs will most likely not rank in the Top 15 of rushing yds in the upcoming season, but they can absolutely be efficient and deadly in the right moments (such as against the Saints stingy run defense and in playoff match-ups) w/ their bruising RB1 and the rook from Arizona State. I believe the Bucs rushing attack will make their fans feel comfortable about its ability in the post-Brady era (hence, when the Bucs aren’t comfortably leading the league in passing attempts).

The post Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back outlook right now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have two soon-to-be free agent running backs in Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones. They both will most likely not return to Tampa, but I expect the Bucs to prioritize bringing back Jones. Per Sports Illustrated, the Bucs all-purpose Rojo appears to be the RB that the Bucs are more likely to bring back, as well.

If the Bucs lose Playoff Lenny, I expect Arians to be aggressive for a modest RB2. They may not have the GOAT Tom Brady, but they want to retool and not rebuild in Tampa Bay. So, who could the Bucs target at RB in the 2022 free agency? Well, here are a few potential fits.

Alex Collins

The Seattle Seahawks RB Alex Collins is a nice, downhill RB that plays with a similar style of running as Fournette. Collins registered a modest 411 yards in 2021 and he was the lead rusher for Seattle down the stretch last season. Collins quietly knocked out 973 yards in 2017 as a Baltimore Raven. I believe the 27-year-old would be a nice value pickup and complement to “Rojo” for the next few seasons.

James Conner

The Bucs might be looking to strike the gold and pick up the impressive RB James Conner. Conner unleashed 15 rushing touchdowns last season! The former Steelers RB might be intrigued by the possibility of playing in an offense that features Mike Evans and potentially Chris Godwin. Bruce Arians may want to ink a big RB to help the young Kyle Trask in 2022.

We witnessed former Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston throw the most interceptions in the league, so the Bucs will need to make sure they have a non-Brady plan at QB. Arians may want to improve the running game to help ease the load off the second-year Trask (assuming he starts).

Latavius Murray

The 2021 Baltimore Ravens RB Latavius Murray still has some gas left in his legs. Murray unveiled 501 rushing yards last season while splitting reps with Devonta Freeman and Lamar Jackson. The 32-year-old Murray, who is very familiar with the Bucs (former Saints RB), would be a smart RB to sign if Conner or a younger RB isn’t available. I expect the Ravens to lean on the younger, healthy Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins in 2022. The Ravens ought to use resources to ink a free agent WR not named Sammy Watkins to take the field with their All-Pro TE Mark Andrews, as well.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette is one of the most polarizing free-agent RBs this offseason. Fournette has obtained one Super Bowl ring, 14 regular-season rushing touchdowns, and 1,079 rushing yards in the past two seasons combined. Fournette, also known as “Playoff Lenny”, lost his seven-time Super Bowl champion QB in 2022. It seems that the Bucs “dream team” is broken apart after Brady’s departure. Fournette and the Bucs WR Chris Godwin could potentially head elsewhere in free agency.

Fournette is 27 years old and he will likely look to cash on a team other than his Tom Brady-less squad. The question is: where will Fournette sign this offseason? Well, here are a few squads that would make the most sense.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks were once a Top 3 rushing offense in the league, but their rushing attack has lost its compass in recent times. The Seahawks saw Rashaad Penny unveil a career-high rushing yard mark in 2021 (749) and he also averaged a very impressive 6.3 yards per carry. Although, they need more juice in the backfield in 2022. Chris Carson is coming off neck surgery and he’s a free agent in 2022. All signs point towards the Seahawks replacing Carson this offseason.

The Hawks should really get back to their roots and please Russell Wilson with the signing of the smash-mouth RB Fournette. Wilson also needs to have fewer rushing attempts at this stage in his career (34 years old). Pete Carroll’s squad has the seventh most cap space in the league, too. They need to reel in a quality weapon and it would make sense to strike gold at the RB position in free agency. Wilson would be licking his chops at the idea of playing with Penny, Fournette, D.K. Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett.

Miami Dolphins

Mike McDaniels has the golden ticket in cap space (most cap space in the NFL). The hipster and motivated Dolphins coach will look to improve a Dolphins squad that won seven games in a row last season. He can certainly boost the Dolphins RB position, which will likely lose Phillip Lindsay in free agency.

The Dolphins are the best fit for Fournette, according to Heavy. Fournette might just be the missing link in the Dolphins offense featuring the all-purpose RB Duke Johnson, speed-demon WR Jaylen Waddle, and big-arm QB Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins play Bill Belichick and the NFL’s top defense in the Bills twice a season. It may be wise for McDaniels to ink a few offensive weapons and Fournette would be a smart addition.

New York Jets

The New York Jets need to show signs of life in 2021. They may have had a “first-year head coach and first-year QB”, but they have to show fans in the Big Apple that positive steps are being taken. The Jets, who are fifth in cap space, could make a splash addition at RB with playoff Lenny. The Jets have WR talent in Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, Denzel Mims, and Jamison Crowder. Still, they could use a jolt at their half-back position featuring Michael Carter (639 rushing yards, 4 rushing touchdowns in 2021).

The Jets were 27th in rushing yards per game last season, so they clearly need improvement at rushing the football. If the Jets can run the ball well with Fournette and Carter behind an improved offensive line, Wilson will be in a lot more manageable third-down situations.

New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints will likely lose Alvin Kamara to a six-game suspension. The news surrounding Kamara might have faded, but his outcome should change soon. The Saints may be in cap hell, but they are still trying to win a Super Bowl with their elite defense, Thomas, and Kamara in the near future.

The Saints were linked to Allen Robinson, but I would enjoy them snagging a familiar RB instead. Mark Ingram was a pleasant surprise in 2021, but he is 32 years old. It would be wise to get a more fresh RB that can fill in for Kamara in 2022 and really be a fine complement to AK for many years to come. The Saints QB that will likely be Jameis Winston, will surely benefit from the return of Cantguardmike. Furthermore, he would be able to have more weight off his shoulders, if the Pete Carmichael offense can nicely utilize the former LSU stud in the rushing game.

Honorable mentions:

Buffalo Bills

The Bills mafia are expected to bring in a new running back to help Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs win an AFC Championship. The Bills had the number one defense and a perfect performance from Josh Allen, but they couldn’t beat Patrick Mahomes in the divisional round. The Bills have Devin Singletary, but he’s not close to being an elite RB like Derrick Henry, Joe Mixon, or even Elijah Mitchell.

If they Can’t acquire Saquon Barkley or Christian McCaffrey, I expect them to reel in a strong, downhill RB like Fournette or James Conner. Josh Allen logged 646 rushing attempts in 2021 and that’s not a recipe for Allen to play well into his late 30s.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are the perfect wild-card team to land Fournette in my mind. They have the fourth most cap space in the league and a need for a backup RB to Mixon. The Bengals could follow a similar path as the 2021 Rams. Zac Taylor may decide to swing big on many free agents this offseason and really capitalize off the continuity with Burrow, Chase, Boyd, and Tee Higgins.

The Bengals were also 22nd in rushing yards last season, so their rushing attack was a slight disappointment. Samaje Perine is also a free agent in 2022, so they could use a replacement for him. If Taylor had the 2021 CPOY Joe Burrow, 2021 OROY Ja’Marr Chase, Mixon, and Fournette, a few new faces on their OL and defense, the Bengals ought to be Super Bowl favorites next season.

The post Leonard Fournette landing spots in 2022: Seahawks top the list appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Tompa Bay Buccaneers got smacked by the New Orleans Saints in their second regular-season matchup last season by a score of 38-3. Of course, the blood-thirsty Tom Brady-led Buccaneers offense would put the pedal to the medal, lose only two regular-season games after, roll through the playoffs (with a playoff win against the Saints), and ultimately obtain a Lombardi trophy. 

In 2021, it’s well noted that the Buccaneers got throttled by the underdog divisional Saints squad once again. With that being said, I believe the story of 2020 post the second Saints defeat could rewrite itself once again in this near 2022 season. I’m not sure if the Buccaneers will lose two regular-season games as they did last year after their second defeat against the Saints, but they certainly hold lots of talent to win another Super Bowl in back-to-back seasons. Here are three reasons why I believe TB12 and his golden arm could raise an eighth Lombardi! 

• Front seven 

There’s no denying the Buccaneers offense, but it’s their defense that crippled its opponents in last year’s playoff gauntlet. Once again, I believe their secret sauce rests with their ferocious pass rush to complement its offense. To obtain the gold, the Bucs have the tools to do it. The Bucs nightmare defense can affect not only NFC QBs but Patrick Mahomes with just their front four DL. 

Shaq Barrett should get back just in time for playoffs, per NBC Sports. We witnessed the Saints pass rush gain an energy level against the Bucs OL in Week 15. Expect a healthy Barrett, non-injured JPP, and a battle-tested Joe Tryon to turn up the heat and make life miserable for opposing QBs in the NFC ”¦.. Like Aaron Rodgers 

• Dominance over Green Bay Packers

I believe two out of these three squads: the Buccaneers, the Rams, and the Packers will be squaring off in the NFC Championship. It wouldn’t be a surprise or more poetic if the two biggest MVP candidates at the QB position once again face-off in the biggest NFC dance. With that being said, there’s not a high-end team that the Buccaneers should more feel comfortable playing than the Green Bay Packers. 

The Bucs beat the Pack 38-10 in the 2020 regular season and 31-26 in last year’s playoffs.

• Healthy Leonard Fournette

They call Leonard Fournette “Playoff Lenny” for a special reason. Playoff Lenny was a pleasant surprise and dynamite for the Bucs last regular season. If Fournette doesn’t run wild, the play-action game is far less efficient for the then 43-year-old QB, and the lack of positive run game would allow defenses to tee off on the MVP QB. 

Fournette was the second Bucs weapon to suffer a brutal injury against the Saints, but it’s well documented how the bowling ball RB will be back for the playoffs. A fresh Fournette could be extra dangerous against NFC foes and the stingy Aaron Donald – led LA Rams run defense if they meet up. 

The post 3 reasons why the Buccaneers can be Super Bowl champions again appeared first on Pro Football Mania.