JULIOOOO JONES!!!

This week is going to be short since I have work deadlines to meet, but my god was this a fun week for fantasy. Besides the Rams stealing the Patriots talent all space jam style, everything was fairly normal. There was plenty of good football to watch, including Julio becoming the 6th player to reach 300 receiving yards. Not many injuries happened and the ones that did don’t look to be season long. Looking forward to week 5 I hope all of your seasons are off to a good start but there is still a long way to the finish line as we look into this weeks waivers.

Waiver Pick of the Week: Cameron Brate

This week I don’t feel like there is any one player that demands your #1 waiver priority. Over the last few weeks players have gone down and opened a huge roles to fill but this week there is no clear cut must have. How your team is shaping up will most likely determine who you should pick up but considering how bad the tight end position is looking, this could be the week to lock it down.

Cameron Brate, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11% Yahoo 5% NFL.com)

Brate’s story is another that is less about him and more about his competition. Over the last year ex-teammate Austin Seferian-Jenkins has been a hyped fantasy sleeper who could just not stay on the field. Sefarian-Jenkins has been either injured or held out for off field reasons. The constant aura of negativity around him finally came to a conclusion two weeks ago, when he was released by the Buccaneers in response to his arrest for a misdemeanor DUI.

Sefarian-Jenkins has a small sample size but he was a super efficiency last season, he ranked first among tight ends in fantasy points per snap, second in fantasy points per route run, second in yards per route run, and fourth in fantasy points per catchable target. All of these states should be getting you excited because there is a new sheriff in town.

Looking at the numbers

I’v said it a thousand times but opportunity not talent is what makes fantasy points. Brate’s fantasy value has been limited with Jenkins on the field but going forward he will be the main show. He may not have impressed preseason but quarterback Jameis Winston loves to throw to his tight ends. Last year the Buccaneers finished #12 in points scored at the position and so far this year the they are #5. With only two weeks as the teams number one, Brate is already the leagues 8th most targeted tight end.

He is going to get a ton of volume and standing at 6’5”, 235 lbs he is a prime redzone target. In week 3 against the Rams Brate received 4 different redzone targets. Even in a tough matchup against Denver, Brate saw 8 targets and reeled in 5 of them to lead the team in receiving yards. Winston clearly seems him as a safety blanket and will continue to target him in the middle of the field. There aren’t many tight ends that you can rely upon week to week but based on the last year of Tampa Bays tight end usage and what we have seen so far Brate should be looked at as a starting TE from her on.

Surprisingly good matchup!

Next week Brate and the Buccaneers face a Panthers Defense that just allowed a TD to each of Atlanta’s tight ends. The Panthers aren’t the same without Norman and its not going to get any tougher than Denver. If you don’t have Gronk, Olsen, or Reed, Brate has a great matchup before the bye and solid year long value.

The end of the injuries?

Things have been hectic last week and I didn’t have time to write about bloody Sunday. Even though there weren’t as many injuries this weekend, the list of hurt starters is still longer than the line to the woman’s restroom. Fantasy teams are just scraping by and there is only one place to look when your lineup is in the dumps.  So with out further adieu lets dig into the waivers for this week.

Waiver Pick of the Week: Jordan Howard

With so many injuries, it is no surprise that the pick of the week is a backup. Nearly every fantasy team that I have looked at has at least one hurt running back. Last week Jerick McKinnon was a top waiver target but only one owner was lucky enough to snag him. If you missed on him then this could be your chance to solve your running back woes.

Jordan Howard, RB, Chicago Bears (25% Yahoo 1.4% NFL.com)

Howard may be a rookie in a bad offense, but out of all the players recently propelled into starting roles he has the best rest of season outlook. Howard started the season as the 4th man on the Bear’s depth chart but has quickly moved up the ranks. Team mate Ka’Deem Carey is sidelined with a hamstring injury and Sunday night Jeremy Langford was carted off the field with a severe high ankle sprain. Langford looks to miss between 4 to 6 weeks of football and Howard has the chance to lock down the starting job before he returns.

Opportunity not talent is what makes fantasy points. Luckily, Howard has a little bit of both. He stands 6’0” 220lbs and is a decisive runner. He does a good job of pass protection and best of all he isn’t a slouch catching the ball. While he isn’t the fastest runner in the open field, his quickness and explosiveness both pass the eye test. Its not often that your starting running back goes down and your team begins to perform better, but this weekend that is exactly what happened for the Bears. After Langford left in the second quarter Howard went on to rush 9 times for 45 yards and caught 4 passes to add on another 47 through the air. Normally head coach John Fox doesn’t like giving rookies work, but Howard’s performance and the situation has made it impossible to keep him off the field.

Looking at the numbers

Normally this is where I talk up a players performance and I will be doing that, but in this situation it is actually less about good Howard has looked and more about how poorly Langford has. Last year Langford was inefficient with his touches and his fantasy value was kept aloft by workload. His 3.6 YPC was the 4th worst out of the 44 running backs who carried the ball at least 100 times. He only had 7 Missed tackles. The least of any back who had over 88 touches. His horrible 1.8 Yards after contact was one of the worst in the league. Even in the passing game his 26.67 drop percentages left nothing to be desired. Starting off 2016, Langford has not looked any better. Before his injury he was averaging only 3.7 YPC. Its no wonder why there has been speculation of him losing the starting role.

Howard has a very limited sample of NFL play but so far he has averaged 5.6 YPC and has looked good while doing it. He was far more decisive than Langford and took what his line gave him. Besides tearing up Dallas, he ran for 107 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and caught two passes for 33 yards in Chicago’s 4th preseason game. Hamper your excitement about that one, because it was against Cleveland backups, but with such a small sample size we don’t have a lot to look at. We can’t expect Howard to beat real NFL teams that badly but even at half of that performance he would be out performing Langford.

College Performance

In college Howard averaged 6.2 yards per carry with 24 total touchdowns in his last 21 games. The Bear’s running back coach Stan Drayton remembers Jordan Howard’s season at Indiana. He stated ‘‘You saw people not wanting to tackle him,’’  and went on to say ‘‘We wanted to bring some power to the offense, a guy who can play past contact, get in a four-minute situation and wear a defense down,’’ ‘‘We feel, in time, that this kid will be able to do that for us.’’ Well Drayton, It looks like that time is sooner than later.

In the 4 to 6 weeks that Langford is injured, Howard will be a great fill in for many peoples decimated running back roster, but even after he returns it is likely that Howard will have become the clear starter. There was already mention of Howard’s increased usage before Langford got hurt and now if Howard continues to like he has the coaches will be hard pressed to take him off the field. His skill set matches more with the Bear’s offense, not only has he shown that he is a better runner but when they fall behind he is the teams best catching back. Howard isn’t exactly Matt Forte but the Bears have shown that they can make a player with his skill set very fantasy relevant.

Get him while you can!

Next week Howard and the Bears face a Lions Defense that is allowing a league-high 5.1 yards per carry. The Bears aren’t an offensive juggernaut, but with the field of running backs so slim if you don’t jump on him now then you can be sure someone else will.

Welcome Back Football!

Football is back in full swing and boy was it an exciting weekend. Four different games were decided by less than 1 point with others lost in the last seconds by a missed field goal. Hopefully you all won your matches but no matter the case its time to begin looking toward week Two.

Dont Over React

It is easy to overreact after week one so I am going to preface this article with a quick warning. This early in the season the real fantasy gold isn’t who is on the Waiver wire. Its the players that get dropped after one bad week. Last year, before he was seen as a fantasy stud, Allen Robinson put up 2 points in week one. He was a likely drop candidate for owners who believed the Jaguars would be bad once again. The owners who picked him up were greeted with the  years fourth best wide receiver. Im not saying to go grab every player dropped in your league but keep an eye on what turns up and give a second though about who you are dropping. Now for the pick of the week.

Waiver Pick of the Week: Tajae Sharpe

As I said there were plenty of surprises at WR this week. Texans rookie Will fuller was targeted more than Deandre Hopkins, Quincy Enunwa more than Brandon Marshall, and Davante Adams ended the night with more fantasy points than Jordy Nelson. Plenty of people are going to go out and take a shot on these guys but there is someone who should be higher on your radar.

Tajae Sharpe, WR, Tennessee Titans (46% Yahoo 9% NFL.com)

While Fuller, Enunwa, and other big week one performers may be tempting none of them has the season long out look of Sharpe. If you were reading fantasy articles in the off season then you have already probably heard his name. During the preseason he reeled in 9-of-12 targets for 163 yards, but until this week the fifth-round pick has been all hype. On Sunday he lead the team in targets, catching 7 of 11 for 76 yards and solidified his role as the #1 wide receiver in Tennessee.

Sharpe is 6’2” 194lbs of great route running. His ability to stutter, shift, and quickly accelerate allows him to create doubt in cornerbacks. He can work outside and from the slot and is quick to learn concepts and where he fits into them. Quarter Back Marcus Mariota talked up Sharpe saying “He is a very versatile athlete. He has done a lot for us already and he gets great separation on and out of his routes.” Its not just Mariota that likes him though. The Titans traded away the physical monster Dorial Green-Beckham for almost nothing, confirming the Coaches trust in Sharpe. His work ethic and willingness to learn has him already looking like a second or third year receiver.

Looking at the numbers

Tennessee isn’t know as a receiving powerhouse, in fact last year the Titan’s wide receivers ranked dead last in fantasy points. That shouldn’t scare you away from Sharpe though. The Titans total passing yards has historically been much higher since they focus their tight end as their lead receiver.

Last year Mariota’s yards per attempt averaged out to 7.6 and he averaged 33 attempts per game. That comes out to about 250 yards of passing per game. He should significantly improve upon those numbers this year. They came when he was a rookie in an offense with the terrible running backs and Kendall wright as the best receiver. Now between Henry and Murray the Titan’s have not one but two quality running backs to keep the defense honest. With two legitimate receiving threats in Walker and Sharpe, I think its safe to say that he will see far more 300 yard games.

You shouldn’t expect Sharpe to see 11 targets every game but he is going to be Mariota’s go to throughout the season and has a serious chance to eclipse 1000 yards. In a week where the Titans run game was on point Sharpe was still a focal point of the offense and that should hold true all season.

Get him while you can!

Next week Sharpe and the Titans face a Lions Defense that gave up over 450 passing yards to Andrew Luck. The Titans aren’t the passing juggernaut that the Colts are, but If you don’t jump on him now then you can be sure someone will after he goes off next week.

 

Wings, pizza, and beer, football is finally here! After an eternity of an off-season, the last preseason games are just around the corner. Training camp battles, surprise roster cuts, and dreaded injuries await, as fantasy owners gather round the television and draft season winds to a close . We have all heard the saying “start your studs,” but what about the players just outside of the top 10? For those of you who are drafting now or are just looking forward to the regular season, here is a preview of what you can expect from the semi elite wide receivers entering week one.

Semi Elite Wide Receiver Rankings

#11 Amari Cooper – WR – OAK

Last year the AC/DC connection was electric! Owners rejoiced when he started off the season averaging over 10 fantasy points per game. One of the most exciting rookies to watch, his cuts and footwork were on an NFL level before he ever stepped on the field. If it were not for a lingering foot injury down the stretch, Cooper could have finished as a top ten wide receiver. Coming into 2016 he has had an entire off-season to heal and is looks better than ever. Cooper has been rooming with quarterback Derek Carr to build more chemistry, and you can expect the pair to leverage it in their opening game against a horrible Saints DST. With an increase in targets and one of the best match ups in the league, Cooper will be a low end WR1 right out of the gate.

#12 Sammy Watkins – WR – BUF

Watkins is an elite talent that has been constantly plagued by injuries. In 2015 he battled with foot issues to start the year and underwent surgery during the off-season. You should keep an eye on his health during the preseason, but when he’s healthy he is one of the best. He finished last year as a legit WR1 averaging 5.4 catches for 100 yards and a touchdown over his last nine games. With no real competition in Buffalo he will continue be a prime touchdown candidate and should burn Baltimore’s weak cornerbacks in a great week one matchup.

#13 T.Y. Hilton – WR – IND

Last year was a rough one for the Colts. Their hopes of becoming “threepeat” AFC south champions were shattered by a plethora of year long injuries to their star quarterback Andrew Luck. Their offense looked anemic at times under backup Matt Hasselbeck, but even through their struggles Hilton was able to finish his third season in a row with over 1000 yards. In 2016, teammates Donte Moncrief and Phillip Dorsett should draw plenty of coverage forcing defenses to have a hard time dealing with Hilton’s sharp route running. With Luck’s return Hilton should improve upon his 2016 performance against Detroit in week one.

#14 Brandin Cooks – WR – NO

Cooks was another strong finisher last year. He started the season out slow but finished his last 10 games averaging 12.8 fantasy points. In 2015 Cooks was thought to be a breakout candidate, but his ceiling was kept in check by Drew Brees’ vision and ability to spread around the ball. Although he has shown that he is a talented receiver, the addition of tight end Colby Fleener certainly doesn’t help Cooks’ 2016 outlook. Fleener will steal away looks in the red zone, but Cooks should remain a fantasy high end WR2 in a passing focused offense. Be sure to start him week one as Oakland runs up the score against a cardboard Saints defense and the game likely becomes a shootout.

#15 Brandon Marshall WR – NYJ

Coming off of a career 2015 season, Marshall is the reason the Jets signed QB Ryan Fitzpatrick for twelve million dollars. He pushed the higher ups to bring back the long time journeyman in hopes that he could become 2016’s number one wide receiver. Marshall is getting up there in age, but physically he is still in great shape. At 6’4” and 225 pounds his physical size allows him to hold off defenders and gain yards after the catch. There is plenty of upside in New York, but temper expectations a little bit as Marshall’s stats will likely regress toward his career average. Week one is a tough matchup against Cincinnati, but his fantasy outlook will hold up by a high volume of targets.

#16 Demaryius Thomas – WR – DEN

In recent years, Thomas has been one of the leagues top wide receivers. Even in Peyton Manning’s decline Thomas was able to finish as the thirteenth best wide receiver in 2015. Although the Broncos new quarterback Mark Sanchez is not expected to light up the world, he will be hard pressed to underperform “noodle arm” Manning. Sanchez should allow the Broncos to return to throwing the ball down field and Thomas can continue being one of the leagues’ elite deep threats. Expect Thomas to be a low end WR1 most weeks, but starting week one against an impressive Carolina defense you should be prepared for the game to turn into a low scoring slugfest.

#17 Golden Tate – WR – DET

Golden Tate had a monster season in 2014. With teammate Calvin Johnson suffering from an ankle injury, Tate finished the year with over 1,300 yards and just shy of 100 receptions. He showed us a glimmer of greatness and just how talented he is after the catch. His numbers may have regressed in 2015 with Johnson’s return, but 2016 is a different affair. Johnson’s retirement has paved the way for Tate to become the top threat in one of the leagues most pass heavy teams. Behind the Lions unimpressive o-line Tate will continue to be Stafford’s security blanket and the new addition wide receivers Marvin Jones and Anquan Boldin should allow Tate to work further downfield. Tate has a high ceiling in a game that could become a shootout against the newly rejuvenated Colts offense.

#18 Randall Cobb – WR – GB

After a top 10 finish in 2014, Cobb’s 2015 season was incredibly disappointing. Teammate Jordy Nelson tore his ACL during the preseason and Cobb was set up to be top receiver on the leagues’ most high-powered offense. What followed was one of the most surprising under performances in recent memory. They entered the season as a super bowl top contender, but the entire team quickly floundered. Nelson wasn’t there to open the field, “Cheeseburger Lacy” had lost his explosiveness, and Cobb couldn’t get open against the leagues top defenders. Fantasy owners might be avoiding the Packers due to recency bias but they should get over it quickly. Going into 2016 they have one of the easiest wide receiver schedules and one of the best quarterbacks throwing the ball. The Jaguars have improved their defense during the off-season, but their fresh blood will be in for a rude awakening, when Aaron Rodgers and the Packers pick them apart. Nelson will catch the deep ball, Lacy looks to have left his fat suit at home, and Cobb will once again be taking advantage of mismatches in the slot. All lights are a go in Green Bay.

#19 Mike Evans – WR – TB

After a phenomenal rookie season Evans failed to crack the top twenty-five receivers last year. He improved in both catches and yards, but he finished the season with only three touchdowns. This year he has looked great in camp and over the off-season Evans has built up rapport with sophomore quarterback Jameis Winston. Entering his third season, Evans should have fewer drops, kick his allergy to touchdowns, and possibly crack into the top 10 receivers. Coming in at 6 foot 5 inches, Evans’ size will allow him to be a threat against any defenders, but tamper expectation for him, while the Bucks face some stout defenses early in the season. For week one against the Falcons expect Evan’s value to be largely carried by volume. In 2015 Atlanta gave up the second least fantasy points to wide receivers and they don’t look to be handing them out now.

#20 Jarvis Landry – WR – MIA

Last year Landry was a shining light on an otherwise dim Miami offense. During his first two seasons he has already reeled in 195 passes and has shown himself as a great value pick in PPR, but in standard leagues he has been underwhelming. Landry has been terribly inefficient, averaging less than 10 yards per catch and only 5 touchdowns per year. He has needed volume to make fantasy waves, but could be in for a decrease in targets, with the addition of 1st round pick Devante Parker and preseason stand out Kenny Stills. While not very fast or athletic, Landry has great route running and steady hands. He should remain the team’s top receiver and Ryan Tannehill’s go to under pressure in the Dolphin’s season opener against a fierce Seattle DST.

 

What is Value?

In fantasy football the word value is thrown around often. A player can be undervalued or overvalued, but what does that mean? A player’s value is based on their end of the year statistics compared to their average draft position. If two players are expected to end the year with similar fantasy points, but player A is being drafted in round 3 and player B is being drafted in round 6 you could say that either player A is being overvalued or player B is being undervalued. As you can imagine to build the best team you will need to get as much value with your picks as you can.

How do you find Value?

To find out which players are under or over valued you have to put things into context. Depending on what site you are drafting on, a player’s value will be different. Each draft site whether it be Yahoo, ESPN, or NFL.com all rank players differently. By taking a deeper look into the difference between site rankings you can find discrepancies and use them to find the players who are over or undervalued in your draft.

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Under Valued Players: The guys you want to draft

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Yahoo

Danny Woodhead – RB – SD

Every year Woodhead goes under valued but this year it is especially true in Yahoo leagues. I don’t promise that he will return as a RB1 again, but he is ranked as their RB39 and you can get him in the 9th or 10th round of your draft. Compare that to ESPN’s and NFL.com’s RB29 and RB24 where he is going a full 3 rounds sooner. If you are looking for a solid flex or a RB 2 in PPR Woodhead is an absolute steal in Yahoo leagues.

Ameer Abdullah – RB – DET

Abdullah should start the season as Detroit’s #1 RB but Yahoo sure isn’t valuing him that way. Between the three sites he is positionally ranked the same but, overall he is going a full 2 rounds later on yahoo. ESPN and NFL.com have Abdullah going as the 77th overall player while Yahoo has him as the 99th overall. Taking a teams starting RB in the 8th round can be considered almost a sure thing, he should be a RB2 and will provide at the least flex value.

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ESPN

Keenan Allen – WR – SD

An early round pick that is likely to fall around further than expected. He is the WR9 and WR10 on Yahoo and NFl.com but is WR16 on ESPN. As the 18th overall player on both Yahoo and NFL.com he will be taken in the 2nd round, but Allen is the 31st ranked player on ESPN. If you have an early draft spot it is quite possible that Allen could become your WR3.

Dwayne Allen – TE – IND

The second undervalued Allen on ESPN. If you are going to be one of those players waiting until the late rounds to grab a TE then Allen maybe the guy for you. He is going as TE13 on both Yahoo and NFL.com but on ESPN he is going as TE 17, a full 6 rounds later. In the past Allen has been great when Colby Fleener did not play. Now with Fleener traded to the Saints, Allen is a possible breakout candidate that will likely go to undrafted in ESPN leagues.

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NFL.com

Andrew Luck – QB – IND

Not the biggest difference in ADP, but for a player who could end the season as the #1 fantasy QB I thought it was enough to mention. Ranked as QB 4 on both Yahoo and ESPN, Luck is ranked as QB8 on NFL.com. In the early rounds of a draft the talent drop-off is far steeper than in the late rounds. Being able to fit in another WR or RB before your QB can be a difference maker to your season.

Marvin Jones – WR – DET

With Calvin Johnson’s retirement there are a lot of targets to go around in Detroit and between the three sites there is a good amount of variation on who will get them. Yahoo has Jones as the 68th overall player while on ESPN you can get him a round later at 80th overall, and on NFL.com a round after that at 92nd overall. If you take Jones and he becomes the #1 WR in Detroit he will be a home run at his price. Even if he stays as the teams #2WR for a 7th round pick he wont be half bad.

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Over Valued Players: The guys you want to avoid

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Yahoo

Tavon Austin – WR – LA

Even though his Positional ranking is pretty close between sites, Austin is going a full round sooner on Yahoo. He is being taken as the 88th player off the board, while on ESPN and NFL.com he is the 99th and 100th player. This far into the draft a one round price shouldn’t be enough to turn you away, but if you aren’t sold on Austin then it would be wise not to reach for him.

Marvin Jones – WR – DET

Just as Jones is undervalued on NFL.com he is overvalued on YAHOO. Yahoo has Jones as the 68th overall player while on ESPN you can get him a round later at 80th overall, and on NFL.com a round after that at 92nd overall. If you take Jones in the 5th you better hope he becomes the #1 WR in Detroit while on the other sites he has some good leeway to be worth the pick.

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ESPN

Thomas Rawls – RB – SEA

Now I already am not a fan of Rawls for 2016. He is coming back from an injury and has a high possibility of being part of a timeshare, but even if you think he will be the guy in Seattle, he is a bad pick in ESPN drafts. Ranked as their RB10 you will have to take him in the second round, while Yahoo and NFL.com have him ranked as the RB16 and RB 21 going a full round or 2 later.

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NFL.com

Jarvis Landry – WR – MIA

Landry was a PPR stud last year but if you want him on NFL.com you are going to have to pay more. Even in standard he is going as WR 18 at a 3rd round cost. Compared to WR 24 and WR21 on Yahoo and ESPN you will have to take Landry a whole round sooner than on other draft sites.

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How should you use this to your advantage?

Player rankings differ every where you look, but what is important is to make sure to compare your own rankings against whatever draft site you are using. The best idea is to try to do some mock drafts and find which players consistently fall below your rankings. If you know you will be able to grab one of your favorite running backs late in the draft, then you can aim to take a good receiver early. More causal players will be tempted to take the sites best player available while you will know they are being over rated and can focus on building a better team with your value picks.

Not everyone has time to do in depth research and keep up with everything happening in the NFL. For those who don’t have time to listen to an hour long podcast the Lunch Box will be just for you. A short 5-10 minute rundown of the most recent happenings, fluff excluded.

The Fantasy Lunch Box Ep 3 : Draft Spark Notes

Preseason is here and draft season has begun. A bit longer than a normal episode this is a SparkNoted rundown of players to target and who to avoid.

 

Not everyone has time to do in depth research and keep up with everything happening in the NFL. For those who don’t have time to listen to an hour long podcast the Lunch Box will be just for you. A short 5-10 minute rundown of the most recent happenings, fluff excluded.

The Fantasy Lunch Box Ep 2 : Clarity in Atlanta

News breaks that there will be a committee in Atlanta. Is Devonta Freeman still a 2nd round pick?

 

Not everyone has time to do in depth research and keep up with everything happening in the NFL. For those who don’t have time to listen to an hour long podcast the Lunch Box will be just for you. A short 5-10 minute rundown of the most recent happenings, fluff excluded.

The Fantasy Lunch Box Pilot : “Flash” is Back!

 

Fantasy football has exploded over the last few years and with it so has the number of formats. Points per reception, 2QB, Super flex and most recently the explosion of daily fantasy. Each has their own rankings and analysis, but there is one format that Iv noticed is always lacking in information, return yard leagues.

Most leagues give points to a player for returning a touchdown, but return yard leagues also award points for the distance that they return the ball. Points awarded can range anywhere from 1 point per 25 yards to 1 per 10. Depending on the scoring system this can greatly increase the value of kick and punt returners.

Now part of the reason that there isn’t as much information on return yard leagues is that the kick/punt depth charts change often. There will be plenty of battles for positions during training camp and throughout the season, so it is important to to pay close attention as the season nears.

Keeping in mind how volatile the position is, here are my top 5 Return specialists to target in 2016.

• Tyler Lockett – WR – Seattle Seahawks: Lockett heads into his sophomore year as a dual threat. Both a kick and punt returner Lockett made his way to the Pro Bowl finishing the 2015 season as the leagues return leader with 1,231 return yards. He has shown himself to be a big playmaker and was one of two players to return both a punt and a kick for a touchdown. Already he is being hyped for his skills as a WR and looks to have an increased role in the Seahawk’s offense. Last year he caught 51 passes for over 600 yards and 6 touchdowns. There aren’t many players who are dual threat returners and have an actual position on an offense. As long as they hype around him doesn’t inflate his ADP too high you can expect him to finish as mid to high WR2 with an incredibly consistent floor.
• Ameer Abdullah – RB – Detroit Lions: Abdullah was the league leader in kick returns last season. He averaged 29.1 yards per attempt and you can expect his return success to continue into 2016. His return position is in no danger and for now it looks as if Abdullah will be the main back for Detroit. Not only has the Lions offensive line looks to have improved since 2015 but they have released Joique Bell leaving only Theo Riddick as competition for passing downs. Depending on your leagues scoring system he goes from low RB2 to a potential RB1 as he will gain 4-6 points a game from returns.
• Darren Sproles – RB – Philidelphia Eagles: Ending the season with 447 return yards and two touchdowns, Sproles was the leagues top punt returner in 2015. He averaged 11.7 yards per return while also being a prominent part of the offense. Sproles finished the season with 705 total yards, 55 receptions and 4 touchdowns. He has already been talked up as a “very good fit” in Doug Pederson’s offense and doesn’t have much in the way of competition. Injury Prone Ryan Mathews will get most early down work and Sproles will be getting most of the passing work. For 2016 you can expect his floor to be near his 2015 numbers but his ceiling could make him a sneaky RB2 in PPR Return leagues.
• Corey Coleman- WR – Cleveland Browns: With previous punt returner Travis Benjamin headed to San Diego, the position in Cleveland is now open and Coleman looks to be a perfect fit for the job. Drafted in the first round, this rookie is poised to make an impact on offense along with special teams. He will enter the season as the Brown’s WR1, giving him plenty of opportunities to show off his incredible athleticism. He goes into the fantasy season as a high upside WR3 but could make a suitable WR2 when taking into his account his 28.4 yard kick return average at Baylor.
• Bruce Ellington – WR – San Fransisco 49ers: Another kick and punt returner, Ellington’s value has come almost fully from his work on special teams. Last year he posted  an unimpressive 153 receiving yards but added over 800 more yards returning the ball. Ellington will be going undrafted in nearly all leagues, but with veteran receiver Anquan Boldin  leaving the team, Ellington has cemented his place as the 49ers’ WR2. You can expect his usage on offense to increase and he is a potential sleeper candidate in return yard leagues. Depending on your leagues scoring Ellington still might be off the table but for those leagues that favor returns heavily he could be a in the WR3 conversation.

Warning!!! – Players to be cautious of in 2016

• Jarvis Landry – WR – Miami Dolphins: Last year Landry did it all, receiving, rushing, punts and even a kick return a few times. He was fourth in punt returns last year with 356 yards and a touchdown. You can expect Landry to return to 2016 as one of the Dolphins top offensive play makers but don’t make a reach for him based on his return performance. During the off season the Dolphins have added rookie Jakeem Grant to the roster. Grant was a kick returner in college and looks to be added as a special teams only player. For now Landry still looks to have grasp of punt returns but training camps are just starting and Grant may likely end up as the teams full time returner. If Landry does keep his punting role, he has WR1 potential in PPR and will be a good WR2 in standard, just don’t reach for him expecting return yards to be a sure thing.
• David Johnson – RB – Arizona Cardinals: Johnson already has a Round 1 ADP. Most people drafting him will be doing so with or without return yards, but for those of you who were bumping him in your ranking you shouldn’t count on them. Johnson ended 2015 with nearly 600 extra yards from kick returns. Normally that would be something to get incredibly excited for, but now that he claimed the #1 RB spot in Arizona you can expect him to be taken out of the return game. Teammate J.J Nelson looks to be taking on the kick return duties with the plan to lower Johnson’s wear and tear.

It’s that time again! The best fantasy experts all know the real key to a successful season is a good team name. We have picked some of our favorites for 2016 and made logos to go along with them. To download just [right click] the image and select [save image as].

Check back as the season goes on for more logos and leave any requests in the comments or tweet them @CoryKocurekTFG

2016 Fantasy Football Team Logos

The Nuks of Hazzard – DeAndre “Nuk” Hopkins

The Green Mile– A.J. Green

The Big Gronkowski – Rob Gronkowski

Zeakazoid! – Ezekiel Elliott

Miller Time – Lamar Miller

Wreck-it-Rawls – Thomas Rawls

The Ertz Locker – Zach Ertz

2015 Fantasy Football Team Logos

Cooper Troopers – Amari Cooper

 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Bortles – Blake Bortles

 

1.21 JJWatts – J.J. Watt

 

Gotta Catch Jamaal – Jamaal Charles

 

Saved By Le’V Bell – Le’Veon Bell

 

 Game of Throws

 

The Walking Dez – Dez Bryant