By: Andy Davies

When Arthur Smith was hired as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, he came into the role with a great reputation for improving players after a two-season spell as the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans.

One player he helped improve was quarterback Ryan Tannehill. The former first-round pick arrived after a mixed spell with the Miami Dolphins. Tannehill improved massively, earning the award for Comeback Player of the Year after his first season with the franchise despite starting the season as the backup to Marcus Mariota. When Smith was promoted to offensive coordinator, he only got better.

Smith was predicted by many to help Matt Ryan get back to his former MVP self after what he did for Tannehill. Ryan has not improved or regressed in 2021. Instead, it has been Cordarrelle Patterson that has been the biggest improver under Smith. 

Here is why Patterson is Smith’s new Tannehill. 

Overcoming Expectation

The Falcons experimented with the idea of bringing Todd Gurley back to his best in 2020 but this only lasted one season. Instead of giving Gurley a new deal, they went for the versatile Patterson in Free Agency who signed a one-year $3 million deal. 

Patterson has been seen as somewhat of a journeyman during his NFL career, with the Falcons his fifth organisation since being drafted 29^th overall in 2013. For a while, he was seen as a great return specialist at best, with the occasional snaps as a running back or wide receiver.

He is a Super Bowl champion, earning a ring with the New England Patriots after their 13-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 53. However, he had just two rushing attempts for 7 yards and two receptions for 14 yards as well as a 38-yard kick return. He did not exactly have a big role in the game, in what is the lowest scoring Super Bowl in history. 

Patterson has started eight games this season. This is tied for the most games he has started, alongside his 2016 campaign with the Minnesota Vikings. The growth of Patterson and improvement made under Smith can be seen when you compare these two seasons.

In 2016, he recorded 43 rushing yards from 7 attempts and 453 yards from 52 receptions. In 2021, he has so far recorded 489 rushing yards from 106 carries and 518 receiving yards from 44 catches. He is having the best season of his career by some distance. 

The Falcons need to make sure he is at the franchise for more than one season. Giving him a new contract should be number one on the list of priorities for this team. He has been a brilliant addition to the Falcons offense. Kyle Pitts leads the team in receiving yards this season (770), but Calvin Ridley announced midseason that he would take a break from the sport for personal reasons. With the offseason departure of Julio Jones, Patterson’s rise in form has come at the perfect time. They currently sit at 6-7 with a chance of making the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 campaign.

Smith’s Influence

The aforementioned Tannehill spoke about Smith during the 2021 offseason.

“He’s a great coach. Everything you look for in a coach and a leader and a great offensive mind.”

It is not just Tannehill that saw massive improvement under Smith. Running back Derrick Henry was seen as just a good running back during his first three seasons but saw his best two seasons alongside Smith. He recorded 2,293 rushing yards across his first three seasons in the NFL. His next two (2019 and 2020) saw him combine for 3,567 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns, becoming just the eighth player in NFL history to record over 2,000 rushing yards in a single season when he had 2,027 in 2019. 

Smith clearly knows how to work with running backs, as can be seen with Henry. The same is happening again with Patterson. After their 21-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in November, Smith was in high praise of Patterson.

“He’s a warrior. He’s a big physical presence that can do a lot for us.”

This was proved when he was listed as a back safety earlier this month.  It is a sign of a good coach when they can get the best out of a player and see their potential. Not even the greatest head coach of all time in Bill Belichick realised Patterson’s potential. Smith has taken a player seemingly on the wrong end of his career, to now being one of the best players this season. Some are even viewing him as an outside MVP candidate.

Patterson has a lot to thank Smith for. 

The post Is Cordarrelle Patterson Arthur Smith’s New Ryan Tannehill? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Marcel Boudreau (@Marcel_BFF)

In order to get an upper hand on your opponents, it is important to buy values wherever you can. This article serves a purpose to highlight 3 wide receivers that have an opportunity to become fantasy relevant this season and moving forward. There were a lot of “sleeper” wide receivers that could have been on this list, but their managers are likely reluctant to let them go. Players such as Bryan Edwards and Marquez Callaway have been getting a lot of hype and would be easy to put on this list, but their managers will likely be asking for too much in return. Below is a list of three wide receivers that you can buy at a discount that have the potential to return great value.

Parris Campbell

Although he sits between WR64 and WR66 in dynasty Superflex start-ups, for leagues who have been established for over two years, the fantasy manager of Parris Campbell has likely been extremely frustrated with him on their bench or IR (injury reserve) due to his plethora of injuries beginning in week 3 of his rookie season that’s only allowed him to play in 9 of 32 games. So why should you go after Campbell? 

“Players are injury-prone until they’re not” ”“ Jason Moore of The Fantasy Footballers

I have investigated the timeline and types of injuries that have happened to Campbell. They are very “freak” accidents and mostly un-related leading to a lower re-injury rate than most would expect. Aside from those injuries, were the timelines in which they happened, and without using my physiotherapy degree to go into too much more detail, Parris Campbell is the healthiest he has been since Week 3 of 2018. 

How about Parris Campbell the player? This is a guy who has 4.31 speed (faster than Tyreek) at 6 feet tall and 205lbs. That combination with above-average route running abilities and 66% catch rate (on passes from Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett) is something special. He was drafted in the second round and can play both the slot and on the outside. The Colts made it a point of emphasis to get the ball in his hands last year by targeting him 9 times for 6 receptions and 71 yards in week 1 before spraining his knee early in week 2 forcing him to miss the rest of last year. From the media buzz, it appears like Campbell and Pittman will be the starting receivers in 2 WR sets, and Hilton will come in for 3-WR sets, which means plenty of snaps to match what we saw last year being on the field for 83% of offensive snaps. 

Darnell Mooney

Mooney will not be the cheapest of buys, but when combining his rookie season on-field metrics with hopeful better QB play going forward, Darnell Mooney just might be a diamond in the rough. This is a team that after only 2 regular seasons games, decided to shift Anthony Miller’s target to Mooney, and coming out of their week 11 Bye, Mooney has become the clear-cut WR2 on this team, demanding 8 targets a game over the last 6 weeks. Mooney never had a “shiny” box score game, which helps disguise his true value, as he never once topped 100 yds, or had a multiple touchdown game.

The main reason Mooney failed to have explosion-type games was due to QB play. He was targeted the 11^th most in the league deep down the field and was 10th in unrealized air yards, which is a clear indication that the team trusts him on these high-value fantasy targets, but when checking the film, he was vastly under or over-thrown on these deep targets. Being completely transparent with Mooney, he could have had better success on some catches, but this was a rookie who never had the chance to build chemistry with his QBs as the team continued to flip flop the starter between Foles and Trubisky. Yes, Andy Dalton is set to start week 1, but once the QB shift to Justin Fields happens, we are going to see the offense settle into a rhythm, which was barely established last season. 

Mooney has sub-4.40 speed and is a crisp route runner. Justin Fields has the arm strength, talent, and pocket escapability to extend plays and make monster gains downfield. It’s a pairing that will grow together over the next couple of seasons, which may I mention that Allan Robinson may be out the door after this season, leaving Mooney at the top of the WR depth chart. Yes, they are likely to bring someone in, but that newcomer will not have the established chemistry that Mooney and Fields will be building. Mooney is currently being drafted as the WR50 (118^th overall ”“ 10.10), and with a concentrated passing attack from the Bear’s, he’s not only going to pay off in re-draft, but he’s going to make a lot of dynasty manager happy they acquired him before the breakout. 

Josh Palmer

There are many reasons to want Josh Palmer on your dynasty roster. Over the next 4 seasons, two things will remain true: He will be connected to a stud young QB in Justin Herbert, and he will never face the opposing top corner as Keenan Allen is under contract until 2025. Another fact is that former first-round pick Mike Williams, the current WR2 on the roster, is likely not returning to the Chargers following this season. 

Josh Palmer’s athletic metrics are less than exciting, but he’s a very good route runner who was never fortunate enough to have a great QB throw him the ball. That will all change in LA. Palmer’s ability to get open and secure catches all over the field and through traffic is something that will draw the attention of Herbert as the year progresses. This is also a team that has made little investments in the tight end position, hopefully leaving more of the market share in favor of the receivers. Austin Ekeler is not going anywhere, and between him and Keenan Allen, they will hog around 45% of the targets, but that is more than okay as their talent will draw a lot of attention off Palmer, leaving him with more single coverages and increased target efficiency. 

Josh Palmer was drafted in the middle-to-late third round in rookie drafts this summer, which is a steal of its own, but you can attempt to use this leverage to either buy him cheap, or you can swap him with an aging player that may carry name value such as AJ Green and T.Y Hilton who the opposing manager may believe have better chances at 2021 production. 

Conclusion

This article was not written in the sense of broking your team’s bank to get these players but is to highlight some players that are going undervalued in drafts for what their ceilings and futures could be. Stats and data were provided by, playerprofiler.com, sleeper.app, sportsreference.com, 4for4.com. Thanks for reading!

The post Dynasty: 3 Sleeper WRs to buy appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Michael Welsh

Training camp is in full force around the NFL and football is officially back. The Cleveland Browns have one of the most complete rosters in the NFL and are stacked on both sides of the ball. On the offensive side, there is a plethora of talent at wide receiver. In Kevin Stefanski’s run-heavy offense, it will be intriguing to see how he schemes all of this talent week in and week out. Quarterback Baker Mayfield is great at spreading the ball around, so the wide receivers should all get plenty of opportunities. Let’s take a look at stat predictions for Cleveland’s pass catchers going into the 2021 season.

Odell Beckham Jr

Coming off an ACL tear, it is hard to fully know how good OBJ will be this season. All indications point towards a great bounce-back year, though. He is ahead of schedule in his rehab and is looking good in training camp so far. There is a lot of pressure for him and Mayfield to click on all cylinders this year, but people tend to forget that OBJ was having a good season before his injury in 2020. With consistency on the offense in terms of system, scheme, and players, OBJ should enjoy a “Comeback Player of the Year” type season.

85 receptions, 1,220 yards, 9 touchdowns

Jarvis Landry

Since Baker’s 2018 rookie year, Jarvis Landry has been extremely consistent in a Cleveland uniform. Him and Mayfield are almost always on the same page and there is no reason to think that 2021 will be any different. He is never gonna be the guy to stretch the field and catch a lot of touchdowns, but he is clutch and helps move the chains. He should join Beckham in breaking 1,000 yards this season, similar to how they did in 2019.

73 receptions, 1,078 yards, 5 touchdowns

Rashard Higgins

The chemistry between Baker Mayfield and Rashard Higgins is simply incredible. When OBJ went down with his injury in 2020, Higgins stepped up big and made countless big plays on the back half of the season. He will most likely be the third string receiver, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be plenty of opportunities for him. There is a good chance Stefanski’s offense will evolve and have more of the receivers involved at once. Higgins isn’t the fastest guy, but he acts a security blanket for Mayfield. Look for him to have a similar year to what he had in 2020.

41 receptions, 520 yards, 5 touchdowns

Donovan Peoples-Jones

There is a decent chance the Donovan Peoples-Jones beats out Rashard Higgins for the third string roster spot. DPJ looked really good as a rookie in 2020 and he is arguably having the strongest camp of any player on the Browns this year. He has bulked up and gotten faster, and one can assume that Stefanski will have to find ways to get him on the field this year. He stepped up big time when OBJ got injured in 2020 and has proven to have great hands at the NFL level. He only had 14 catches in his rookie campaign, but averaged and impressive 20 yards per catch.

26 receptions, 467 yards, 4 touchdowns

Anthony Schwartz

The last wide receiver that will be fighting for playing time is rookie Anthony Schwartz. He definitely needs a lot of time to develop, but that doesn’t mean he won’t have a role in 2021. Being extremely fast, he could help take the top off the defense in certain situations. However, with all of the other talent on the offense, don’t expect him to get a lot of touches. His main role will most likely be on end around and trick plays.

16 catches, 185 yards, 2 touchdowns

The post Projecting the stat lines for the Browns WRs appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Grant Schwieger

The wide receiver position is often one of the most heavily scrutinized positions when it comes to training camp position battles across the NFL. Teams almost always carry a minimum of five WRs on their 53-man roster with 6 WRs being fairly common as well. The 2020 Vikings actually carried 7 wideouts on their initial roster: Adam Thielen, Justin Jefferson, Chad Beebe, Bisi Johnson, Tajae Sharpe, KJ Osborn, and Dan Chisena. So, which pass-catchers will make the 2021 Week 1 roster, and how many will there be in total?

Six of the seven WRs from 2020 are on the 2021 Vikings training camp roster to this point, with Sharpe being the only one no longer in Minnesota. The Vikings did take a hit to their depth when it was announced that Bisi Johnson tore his ACL in practice last Friday and is going to miss the 2021 season. Johnson has proven to be a capable backup outside WR so far in his career, amassing 836 snaps in the last two seasons since being a seventh-round pick in 2019. Minnesota will now have to look elsewhere on the roster to fill Johnson’s role, however, they thankfully have a few alternatives that could suffice.

Less than a week before Johnson went down, the Vikings signed former Jaguars wideout Dede Westbrook to a one-year deal. With the Minnesota WR room not having much spunk outside of Jefferson and Thielen, the Westbrook move was much applauded at the time. Now, with one less able body to catch passes, the move looks even better. Westbrook has yet to practice fully after tearing his ACL last season, but the hope is he will be a full-go once the season begins. He caught 66 passes in back-to-back seasons for Jacksonville in 2018-2019, so for the sake of this article, we will assume, if healthy, he makes the roster.

The only other two locks at the position to make the team are obviously Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen. Jefferson has looked absolutely fantastic based on reports coming out of camp, and Thielen has not shown any signs of slowing down quite yet either as he turns 31 later this month.

If the Vikings were to keep six WRs on the 53-man roster, that leaves three spots left for Chad Beebe, KJ Osborn, 2021 5^th round pick Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Dan Chisena, and 2021 UDFAs Blake Proehl, Whop Philyor, and Myron Mitchell. After about of week of camp, the leader among that group appears to be Osborn. After not registering a single offensive snap in 2020, he has been the talk of camp seemingly every day, making big play after big play.

A positive development from Osborn would be a very welcome sight to see for Vikings fans, as he did not impress on special teams in 2020 and the team sorely needs a third receiver to make any sort of impact on the team. With Westbrook not healthy yet and Beebe not a lock to remain WR3 by any means, Osborn has taken full advantage of his opportunities thus far in 2021.

As for Beebe, he was the Vikings de facto WR3 in 2020, however, his 314 snaps all year trailed CJ Ham and Tyler Conklin’s snaps, so he was not necessarily a vital piece of the offense. He has excelled at getting open from the slot in short-yardage situations with 21 of his 27 targets coming between 0-9 yards downfield per PFF. Kudos should be given to Beebe for carving out a role in the NFL with limited size and speed, but when it comes to roster spots in 2021, he does not exactly scream “lock.”

Ihmir Smith-Marsette came out of Iowa boasting a 4.43 40-yard dash time and after a few days of camp has shown off his speed on multiple occasions. Most of his reps have come against the 2^nd and 3^rd string defense but regardless it is alleviating to see him make plays already. The majority of his snaps in college came from the outside, and with Beebe and Westbrook playing mostly out of the slot in their careers, Smith-Marsette may find himself battling with Osborn to replace Johnson as the backup outside WR.

That leaves Chisena, Proehl, Philyor, and Mitchell as potential odd men out if Minnesota rolls with only six wideouts. Chisena was a bit of a shock to make the roster in 2020 so he cannot be ruled out at this point. While his position is listed as WR, he is more of a special teams player that just needs a designated position. It remains to be seen if the Vikings will need Chisena to be a core special teamer again in 2021 as the team’s overall depth is much better now than it was a year ago.

Proehl and Philyor both had solid college careers at East Carolina and Indiana, respectively. Neither one has been bad by any means so far in camp, they just have an uphill battle to climb when it comes to the wideouts in front of them on the depth chart. They have both performed well enough to possibly garner a spot on the practice squad, which might be a more attainable goal for them. Injuries and covid can easily derail a position’s depth, though, and Proehl and Philyor will surely both be eager to step up if needed.

As for covid, Myron Mitchell is unfortunately currently on the Reserve/Covid-19 list so his first training camp out of UAB will have to be put on pause for now. That will put him at a disadvantage once he is eventually able to return, and a practice squad spot might be what he ends up battling for as well.

Once preseason games begin and we are able to see this group play live, the cream of the crop will start to rise to the top and we will have a better understanding of how the coaches view the WR depth chart. As for now, everyone behind Jefferson and Thielen will continue to slug it out for the final four or five roster spots. My current prediction? The Vikings will roster six wideouts come Week 1: Jefferson, Thielen, Westbrook, Osborn, Smith-Marsette, and Beebe.

The post Which Vikings WRs Are Making cases for roster spots? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The professional football league showcases many elite groups of weapons and more talent is undoubtedly being displayed on the field in 2021 than in any previous time period. Bill Barnwell, who is an iconic staff writer for ESPN, recently put out a list of the 32 groups of NFL offensive weapons. At the very top of the list, he marked the Tampa Bay Buccaneers skill group as the utmost best unit in the league. 

I believe the defending Super Bowl champions carry players with elite talent and prominent depth all around, but I believe it’s far-fetched to put them at number one. In my opinion, the true number one group is clear. The top offensive skill group is none other than the Minnesota Vikings. To further state my case, I will give three reasons why the Vikings and not the Bucs display the top weaponry in the NFL. 

• Vikings have a stronger WR duo 

The stories and myths surrounding Vikings WR Adam Thielen may have started to slowly fade, but he can still operate at a high playing level. The Bucs number one WR in Mike Evans may have hauled in a whopping 13 touchdowns last season, but the Vikings number two WR unveiled 14 receiving touchdowns on the table. Thielen’s career-high touchdown count and 926 yards clearly show he’s one of, if not the best WR2 in the league.

Chris Godwin may have been a stat machine in the days of Jameis Winston leading the league in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and then interceptions, but he hasn’t shown to be a dominant force of late. Godwin had 840 yards and likely would have been floating around 1,000 yards if he stayed healthy for the long season, but his touchdown count was just half (7) of what the freakish Thielen was showing. It’s fair to say that Thielen’s resume and talent is a step ahead of Godwin and he’s been playing in a far less explosive passing attack. As far as the number one WR spot between the Bucs and Vikings, the honors actually go to Vikings Justin Jefferson. 

Jefferson was fourth in the whole NFL last season in receiving yards (1,400). The Vikings WR was just a rookie last season and didn’t get into sync until a short period into the season. Going into year two, Jefferson could realistically show he’s the best WR in the NFL. Evans screams consistent high-level play, but he’s not quite rubber-like when it comes to route running, nor can he take the top off a defense as the second-year Vikings WR can. Buccaneers Antonio Brown is a very quality number three WR, but I believe the Vikings WR duo can take over games individually. Thielen’s clutch ability and Jefferson’s explosion with any route concept deep down the field make them very reliable and hard to cover with one or two defenders.

• Dalvin Cook is significantly more impressive than the Bucs running game

The Bucs have an admirable duo with all-purpose back Ronald Jones and 2021 playoff hero Leonard Fournette, but both of them combined don’t match Dalvin Cook’s playmaking ability. Dalvin Cook was second in the league in rushing yards (1,416) and rushing touchdowns (16). It’s worth noting that Cook put this damage on defenses despite missing two games. Leonard Fournette compiled 367 rushing yards and six touchdowns during the span of the 16 game season, while Ronald Jones captured a stout of 978 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. The Bucs RB duo is a nice assist to Tom Brady’s passing game, but they don’t stack up to the production that Cook lays out with even a combined effort. 

All in all, the Buccaneers should be labeled as a Top 5 offensive group of weapons. Yet, I believe an overrated factor of the defending Super Bowl title on their nameplate combined with the fact that these slightly dissolving household players like Antonio Brown and Leonard Fournette just happened to make their biggest plays in the most recent game (Super Bowl), helped them garner the number one spot. The Vikings may have been a 7-9 squad with no impressive number three wideout, but I believe the talent is above and beyond to earn them the first place standing.

The post Why the Vikings and not the Buccaneers have the best skill players appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Introduction

The Green Bay Packers are a mess right now. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers may not play another snap for the franchise, and wide receiver Davante Adams will likely not re-sign with the Packers. During minicamp, Adams said that he would not hold out nor miss games to negotiate an extension, so barring a trade fans should expect Adams to be in Green Bay in 2021. 

If Adams hits the free-agent market after the 2021 season, he will be coveted throughout the league. However, after refusing to sign for anything less than a market-setting contract, the team that signs Adams will have to spend a large portion of their salary cap. Other factors, like pre-existing connections and quarterback play, will undoubtedly also play a part in Adams’ decision.  

Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders are the most likely destination for Adams, and rightfully so. The 2020 wide receiver draft picks Henry Ruggs, Bryan Edwards, and Lynn Bowden–who was traded before his rookie year–all look like busts. The Raiders have an alpha weapon in tight end, Darren Waller. Pairing Waller with Adams will give Derek Carr two top receivers to combine with Josh Jacobs at running back. 

Derek Carr has had a relationship with Adams since their time in college. Together, the two dominated at Fresno State University and both went on to be second-round picks in the 2014 NFL Draft. A reunion has publicly been discussed and it could propel the Las Vegas Raiders to the playoffs. 

Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears have a wide range of outcomes for the 2020 season. If the Bears stick with Andy Dalton and he does not play well, the franchise will be in a bad position. Additionally, if the Bears start Justin Fields and do not win games, the Bears will have a gloomy outlook. The Bears traded their 2022 first-round pick to the Giants when they traded up for Fields, so they can not add a playmaker in the first round.

Allen Robinson has stopped negotiating a long-term extension with Chicago, so the Bears will likely be without a playmaker on the roster for next year. If the Bears do not offer Robinson a massive extension after the season is over, they will look towards the free agent group of wide receivers. Players like DJ Chark and Michael Gallup are solid contributors, but Adams is the cream of the crop. The Bears adding Davante would give Justin Fields a premier wide receiver to work with for the rest of his rookie contract. With Davante, the Bears could be the favorites in the NFC North for the foreseeable future.  

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts have yet to splurge on a big-name free-agent since Chris Ballard took on their general manager role. The Colts have been conservative with their offseason moves, making sure that they would have space for extensions for players like Darius Leonard, Quentin Nelson, and Braden Smith.

The Colts’ wide receivers are some of the worst in the league. Michael Pittman Jr. flopped as a rookie, Parris Cambell has yet to stay healthy for a whole season, and T.Y. Hilton is no longer an above-average player. Davante Adams may command a 4-100 extension, but given his play the past few seasons he is worth it. The Colts need to give Carson Wentz a capable wide receiver if they want him to play well, and Davante is the best in the league right now. 

The post Top Free Agent Destinations For Davante Adams appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jeremy Trottier

Arguably one of the more underrated players to date, and one of the more interesting players as well, we have Percy Harvin.  Most people who have watched the NFL intently for a while have seen Percy’s 87-yard kickoff return touchdown in Super Bowl XLVIII.  However many do not remember the legacy he left behind for players to follow due to his variety of different skill positional play.  

In this article, I will be reliving the three main components of his career, his rushing, receiving, and returning.  For each part, I will bring up his career totals in the respective category, as well as some plays that show off his skills at them.  

Rushing

To be completely fair, his rushing was probably what he was least known for of the three sides of his game.  With that said, he had some impressive breakaway type plays during his career while taking the handoff.  His longest career rush was for 51 yards in 2014, which was rather controversial as he was believed to step out of bounds during this run.  

Regardless, his capabilities in the rushing game were extremely strong for someone who primaried as a receiver.  He utilized the jet sweep to his advantage as his raw speed got him to the edge almost immediately and then he could turn the corner and be gone.

Overall in his career, his rushing stats looked like this:

• 146 rushes
• 927 yards (12.4 YPG, 6.3 yards per attempt)
• 40 first downs, 5 touchdowns, and as previously mentioned his longest rush was 51 yards (if not counting this one, it was 39 yards)

Certainly nothing to scoff at, considering this was not his primary focus as a player, and he was not given the ball a ton in the backfield.

Receiving

What he did when not on special teams was as a receiver mostly, and his numbers show this.  In his only eight years in the league, he had a significant amount of receiving yards, almost 500 a season roughly, and that was when he was not necessarily being targeted a large amount.  

His best year from a receiving standpoint was in 2011, in his third professional season he almost had 1000 receiving yards (967) and six touchdowns, as well as a 71.9% catch rate percent.  Overall, compared to a true WR1 in this era his numbers may seem relatively mediocre, but combining this with the fact that he took the large majority of kick returns as well as rushing at times shows its true colors.

His receiving statline over his career is impressive nonetheless, accruing the following stats:

• 353 receptions on 519 targets (68% catch rating)
• 4026 yards with 11.4 yards per reception
• 22 touchdowns, 178 first downs, and 7.8 yards per target
• Longest career reception is 53 yards

Kick Returning

Finally, we have arguably his most notable contributions to his teams, that being special teams returns.  He never returned a punt in his NFL career, but he sure did return the kickoff with some of the best.  As mentioned before, likely his most notable play, at least in my eyes, was his 87 yard return touchdown in the Super Bowl, which was quite the spectacle to witness.  

His career stats as a return man are very, very impressive.  Here are the totals for his career:

• 152 kick returns 
• 4127 kick return yards (9080 All Purpose yards)
• 5 kick return touchdowns, 105 yard return is his longest
• Notable mention: only returned one kick in 2013, and it was for 58 yards

To close up, Percy Harvin was one of the few players in NFL history to be able to do these feats in all three categories of football.  Despite his relatively short lived career, he definitely made the most of it and left a lasting impact on football that cannot and should not be forgotten.

The post Reliving the legacy of one of the most utilized Swiss-army knives: Percy Harvin appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Chandler Hyler

As the 2021 NFL Draft approaches, I expect the first round of this draft to one of the more heavy offensive-centered draft in recent memory. If I were to guess as of today, I would say there is potential the entire top 10 selections will be offensive players. With that said, I can see up to five wide receivers being selected in the first round.

Does former LSU wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. fit that mold?

Rounding out his junior season at LSU, Marshall produced a stat line of 48 receptions for 731 yards and a very solid 10 touchdown receptions. This stat line compares well to the statistical production he laid out his sophomore season as well, as he had 46 receptions for 671 yards and 13 touchdowns. The two things that stand out the most to me with Marshall would be his consistency and his touchdown accumulation.

Having 23 touchdown receptions in what was basically two years of collegiate play is impressive, as his freshman season, he did not see the field much. No matter what team you are, having a big-bodied, 6-foot-3 red zone target will make you more efficient. Marshall could come in and be a solid number two option for a team immediately and become their number one option in the red zone.

Knowing that you have someone on the outside who can give you a solid four to five catches a game, that can win one-on-one battles, will only make your offense better. After watching Marshall’s tape, I came away thinking that he reminded me of a Courtland Sutton type receiver.

With many of his touchdowns, he would use his size to box out defenders and attack the football. His frame would allow him to get on top of the defensive back. Marshall is a big play waiting to happen.

It’s understood that he isn’t in the tier one group of receivers that include former teammate of Marshall, Ja’marr Chase, and the 2021’s duo of first-round Alabama wide receivers, Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. That being said, I could certainly see multiple scenarios where he sneaks into the back end of the first round, which would actually benefit his future as he would be going to already bonified playoff rosters.

In these scenarios, he wouldn’t wind up with a franchise that has an unknown commodity at the quarterback position neither. Which receiver needy teams could we see take a flier on the strong, consistent, touchdown machine Marshall.

1. Green Bay Packers

Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers has seemed disgruntled with the usage of the Packers’ premium picks as of late. The last “wide receiver” they selected with what I describe as a premium pick (day 1 or day 2 pick) was now converted running back, Ty Montgomery.

This was back in 2015, as the former third-round pick is a member of the New Orleans Saints as a running back. While they have one of the receivers who’s in the bonified conversation for best in the league with Davante Adams, their options are thin behind him. After spending a first-round pick on quarterback Jordan Love last year and a second-rounder on running back AJ Dillion, could the Packers finally bring in someone to help the future Hall of Famer?

If they do decide to finally address the wide receiver position, Terrace Marshall would absolutely be an ideal fit for this team. They have Tae Adams on one side, crossing up defenders and drawing consistent attention from the defense. This could benefit the Packers’ offense as if teams try to run a cover one look with a safety patrolling the top, he would certainly lean over to Adams’ side, as he simply can’t be covered man-to-man.

Marshall would then be placed in one-on-one scenarios, and with a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers, he would feast in the red zone. Rodgers is a man of ball placement. Seeing him drop bucket throws, fades, and back shoulder passes to a strong receiver like Marshall could be a match made in heaven.

Rodgers has been looking for a complementary receiver since the likes of Jordy Nelson retired. Tae Adams was young then, and still perfecting his craft. Marshall fits the mold as a complementary receiver to Adams. It also wouldn’t hurt to actually invest in the talent of Rodgers, instead of making him make chicken salad out of chicken poop.

2. Baltimore Ravens

Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens certainly aren’t a wide receivers “dream.” They are a run-heavy offense, that predicates itself on the dual threat ability of their pro-bowl quarterback.

Regardless, they are still a team in need of a strong playmaker on the outside. In 2019, they selected speedster Marquise “Hollywood” Brown in the first round, but he isn’t a do it all wide receiver. He excels in certain areas, but also has weaknesses in areas, like the red zone. They also added free-agent, yet oft-injured WR Sammy Watkins.

Marshall could come in immediately, along with tight end Mark Andrews, and give this team multiple options when the field shrinks. Many have made the argument that like Rodgers, Jackson has not been provided with the weapons he needs to succeed. By adding Marshall, Jackson would multiple options and should take this passing game to the next level of competency.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In every post, I like to add in what would be a “wildcard” team, and for Marshall, it is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They brought back the entire starting roster from the eventual 2020 Super Bowl Championship team. This says that they do not really have any needs to fill for the upcoming season.

With heavy money invested in the WR position, it would be wise to instill some youth here. Yes, the Buccaneers are already loaded here, but Mike Evans is scheduled to make 18 million per in 2022 and 2023. Chris Godwin is playing under the franchise tag in 2021, while they would like to strike an extension, his future is still unknown.

Marshall could come in and be the potential replacement for Godwin or Evans if necessary, or could even just make this offense even more lethal as a luxury pick. Marshall would also benefit from coming in and learning under these veteran receivers, who seem like great teammates.

Evans was willing to restructure his contract in whatever way to ensure that this team would stay intact, and that is a good sign of an excellent teammate. Also, who wouldn’t want to come in and play with the GOAT himself, Tom Brady. Being able to learn from Tom Terrific in his rookie campaign would do wonders for the potential first-round pick.

Terrace Marshall, in my opinion, will make the team that selects him delighted. He gets overlooked, in a seemingly top-heavy draft class at the wide receiver position, but he shouldn’t. I’ve used the word strong many times, but it is the best way to describe Marshall’s ability.

As well as staying on top of defenders at the attack point, he is a YAC machine. Scoring touchdowns in the National Football League will get you paid, and that is Marshall’s specialty. He is a big play waiting to happen, and would be a steal for a team at the back end of round one.

The post Potential Fits for Terrace Marshall Jr. appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

1. Bryan Edwards

I saw Bryan Edwards this year as a stud & while that hasn’t changed, what has changed is all of our outlook on Nelson Agholor.

Edwards turned into this team’s WR1 & had some monster games. Bryan Edwards had an injury during the season that only allowed him to play 12 games–leading his stats to be 11 receptions on 15 targets for 193 yards.

I watched more Raiders games than I ever thought I would because I love watching Darren Waller & they never had designed plays to get Edwards open & really didn’t have a desire to get him heavily involved in this offense.

I believe that really set his confidence back & caused him to be the true number 4 option in the passing game. I don’t want to say sell, but when Tyrell Williams returns from injury he will move to option number 5. He is a great player, but everyone in the NFL is a great player & he is not someone I am wanting to go into next season with.

2. Devin Duvernay

Devin Duvernay is an interesting sell because if he was on any other team I don’t believe I could sell him & I know you are saying then why should we sell him? The Lamar Jackson effect is why & believe me it is a very real thing if you don’t believe me you should @ Hollywood Brown & ask him how he was feeling mid-way through the season as an afterthought in that offense.

His career-best game this season was 3 targets for 3 receptions & 45 yards & his season stats were 20 receptions on 26 targets for 201 yards. When you think about the team you have Hollywood Brown, Mark Andrews, Jk Dobbins, Gus Edwards, Willie Snead, & Miles Boykin.

His career-high will continue to “be his career-high” as the mouths to feed in Baltimore stays the same with an offense that doesn’t desire to have too many pass catchers being relevant.

3. Michael Pittman Jr

I watched Michael Pittman Jr today & wanted to take him off this list so badly because his season stats were 40 receptions on 61 targets for 503 yards. He is a really good receiver, but he is in a crowded offense with big quarterback uncertainty next year.

If it does end up being Phillip Rivers he will have to continue to battle Hilton, Pascal, & Campbell, but if his QB ends up being Carson Wentz that doesn’t seem to be an upgrade to me for this receiving core at all. It will be a run-heavy scheme focused on Johnathan Taylor.

He isn’t a clear superstar on this team where you see a couple of these second-year receivers who will be clear superstars heading into next year, so looking at Michael Pittman Jr next season I am going to sell.

4. Van Jefferson

A wide receiver I want to see explode, but he is so entrenched in the depth chart I don’t see a route for him to take on a bigger role heading into next season.

He has had shots to burst onto the scene this year, but he didn’t take full advantage of the opportunities. His stats for this season were 19 receptions on 31 targets & 220 yards & if the Rams are keeping Goff at the QB position this is not a receiver I want. They will continue to ride Cam Akers just like McVay did with Gurley a few years ago while having Woods & Kupp on the outside.

I know McVay wants to get him more opportunities, but he has to fight behind Kupp, Woods, & Reynolds. I am looking to sell Van Jefferson heading into next season.

5. Jalen Reagor

A guy everyone was truly so high on & why wouldn’t you be with the talent, speed, & big-play ability, but who saw the decline of Wentz in this system & the issues with Doug Peterson at the captain’s chair. It has truly created a mess for the Eagles & Jalen Reagor has reaped the effects of this leading his season stats to be 31 receptions on 54 targets for 396 yards.

Jalen Hurts is a good quarterback, but not the most accurate passer & the Eagles aren’t sold on him being their guy of the future. This team is a mess with quarterback problems & head coach problems.

It will be an interesting offseason seeing what the Eagles do as I fully expect to see Carson Wentz traded. I don’t love the outlook for Jalen Reagor next year in this offense with the uncertainty at the quarterback position.

The post Fantasy: Five Second Year WRs to Sell appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Cody Molla (Twitter: @cmolla1)

For most, the fantasy football season has ended. However, in dynasty leagues, the work never stops. The end of the season are when opinions and feelings about players is the freshest and most prominent. This can lead to value in stock for some players heading into the off season. It’s also extremely early to project for next year but if you have good feelings about guys declining and superstars in the making now is the time to get bang for your buck and trade!

The WR position is the deepest position out of the premium spots in fantasy. Guys pop up on to the scene each year meanwhile stars decline and fade away. Here are three WRs I’m looking to move on from and get value back in dynasty leagues.

Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons WR

One of the most talented receivers of all time and arguably the best receiver in the NFL over the last decade. Jet Jones is the all-time leader in receiving yards per game with 95.5 ypg, top 20 in career receiving yards with nearly 13,000, and top 30 in career catches. Julio Jones produces every year and is one of the highest projected WRs in fantasy football every year, why should we trade him?

The 31-year-old does have some question marks moving forward. Julio has had injury concerns throughout his career but has played over 13 games every year but two, which includes this season (9). He consistently has played through the nagging foot, toe, and leg issues but as he gets older his body won’t be able to recover as well and may miss more games moving forward. The 6’3 220, pound frame wears down after time and we may be seeing the beginning of that now.

Another reason to trade Julio is the emergence of Calvin Ridley. Ridley has exploded onto the scene and become an elite WR. He has proven he is a WR 1 on his way up to become among the top 5 in the league. This is similar to when Julio was a young player in the Falcons organization and Roddy White was the WR 1 when Julio entered the league. Julio took over the role and became the focal point of the passing game.

Julio has played his entire career with Matt Ryan at QB. With the Falcons struggles there have been rumors Matt Ryan may not return next year. It won’t matter who the QB is for Julio as he can be a downfield threat as well as an elite possession WR. However, that chemistry will not be there and it may take some time to get that and be a dominant fantasy producer immediately. Julio’s career is not nearly over, nor is his days as a fantasy producer. If you need to create some depth on your dynasty roster Julio is a piece to sell as hard as it is. But staying ahead of the curve is the way to stay atop of the dynasty league ranks. You will be able to get back a great haul when trading Julio.

Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks WR

The former Kansas State speedster is completing his sixth season as a pro all with the Seahawks. He is on pace for his second straight 1000 yard receiving year if he can get over 36 in the final week. Lockett’s overall production in fantasy points may end up as WR1 in fantasy. Despite the success in total points, it’s been very inconsistent and Locketts boom-bust point production has been on display.

He is a solid fantasy option but if are looking for 15 points every week Lockett is not the guy to have on your roster. In eight weeks thus far Lockett has scored 10 or fewer fantasy points in a PPR league. Since Week 7 Lockett has one TD and no 100-yard receiving games.

Of course, we all know Lockett has the ability to explode for a big day every once in a while as he’s had outings this year of 37 and 53 points. In a season where the Seahawks let Russ cook we would like the production of Lockett to be similar to that of his first month of the season. However, it’s just not possible. With DK Metcalf as the best option in the passing game, Lockett will never get the bulk of looks.

I also think the Seahawks have realized they do need to run the ball still and will get back to a more run-centric offense in the future which also will limit targets. Because of Lockett’s ability to get 30 fantasy points in a game, he will be of interest to people in acquiring him. Trading Tyler Lockett should be able to net depth at the RB position if need or even add multiple WR3 or RB2 type of players to add depth and value to your team.

Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings WR

Believe it or not, Adam Thielen is 3^rd in the NFL in receiving TDs in 2020. He is right behind speedster Tyreek Hill and three behind Tae Adams arguably the best WR in the NFL right now. Thielen is nowhere near as athletic as these guys, and that just shows his commitment to the game and his work ethic. Undrafted in 2013 Thielen has improved every year in his production. He posted back to back 1000 yard season in 2017 and 2018 before being injured last year in 2019 and missing half the season.

He is at 868 yards this year and has a chance to achieve another 1000 yard season while missing a game due to covid. He is having a career year in TDs and his value heading into the offseason will be as high as ever. Trading Adam Thielen may raise some questions considering he’s a top 10 fantasy receiver this year. However, if you need to add depth and building blocks to your dynasty team Thielen is the gateway to doing so. The emergence of Justin Jefferson and Irv Smith as playmakers in the passing game will limit targets moving forward. The youngsters have got their footing in the NFL and been some of the best producers in points at their position the second half of the season.

The Vikings also have an elite RB in their run heavy offense. Dalvin Cook sees 30 touches a game and is the primary option in their offensive scheme. The Vikings are amongst the bottom of the league in passing attempts and unless there’s a change in coordinator it will stay that way. Trading away Thielen won’t be a good feeling but if you get multiple players back to build moving forward it’s a trade worth doing.

The post Dynasty Fantasy Football: 3 WRs to Trade Away appeared first on Pro Football Mania.