The season crawls toward us & a deluge of info drowns us. The good news is you can start to see the patterns & use that in your 2016 NFL fantasy football draft prep.
Some of the patterns I’ve seen:
- Steeler hype is huge! I’ve seen many drafts with Brown & Bell going #1/#2. Rapey McQB going in the 2nd round? I’m not behind it yet. An aging fat QB, superstars coming off massive injuries, suspension & retirement to passing targets, & possible RB rotation makes things very murky to me.
- Everyone loves Gurley. A guy who has a rookie QB, tough ass division, & no talent around him. He hasn’t played a full season as a starter in college or Pro?!
2012 he had 7 games w/ 12 carries or less. 2013 injured for 3 games
2014 injured for 8
2015 missed 3 games
Don’t get me started on his performance against a stacked box. - Finding a 20+carry RB might be the most important 1st round pick. I’ve always said Pass catchers but the talent there is deeper & the RB’s are in a transition year. Old guys fading, new guys coming in.
- People forget Luck’s problem wasn’t a lacerated liver but a poor run game, lack of a good play caller, & bad decisions.
- When did Coby Fleener become so good? He had one season with 8tds but has never shown any skill to run after the catch nor WR catching ability. Everyone expects Fleener to play Graham’s role. Graham has proven in Seattle he isn’t a TE but a tall slow WR. Fleener is a real TE in size & style but won’t do well as a real hybrid. I will be taking Niles Paul before Fleener. (Unless he balls out in preseason.)
- My current top-tier 2016 NFL Fantasy Football player count:
QB: 4
RB: 3
WR: 7
TE: 4 - If you play in a 14+ team large league you need to get a productive high touch back. It’s the one thing you can’t replace in Free agency. In my first run this year using my projections I looked for the highest value players to replace. Newton went first & then 3 RB’s. I did weigh expected touches per game higher than ever before. The lack of true 20+ carry bellcow rushers getting 100yds/2tds a game is tilting my projections like never before.
- I’m not seeing TEs being as vital in passing attacks this year. Between QB & OC changes the better pass catching TEs will be on run attack teams.
- Playing the role of Aaron Hernandez will be Martellus Bennett. Might be a great sle
eper pick.
My next projection run will be a simple top 50. Remember any projections made now by anyone is basically bullshit. Just FYI.