2019 NFL Hall of Fame Game Preview

2019 NFL Hall of Fame Game Preview

Featured

by | Aug 1, 2019 | Featured, NFL

Dust off those recliners, reconnect the surround sound speakers, make sure the flat-screen picture is crisp because FOOTBALL IS BACK!

Nearly six months after the New England Patriots captured their sixth Super Bowl victory, the rest of the league will get their chance to knock them off the top; starting tonight with the first preseason game of 2019.

The Denver Broncos will face off against the Atlanta Falcons in the Hall of Fame Game, live from Canton, OH (8 PM EST).

As the kickoff to the first week of preseason, tonight’s game won’t exactly feature a who’s who of NFL talent—Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones announced he would not play any preseason games—but there are still plenty of reasons to tune in to the debut of the 2019 season.

1. Denver Broncos Backup QBs

There was a lot of change on the Denver Broncos roster this offseason but nowhere was that change bigger than in the quarterback room. Ever since Peyton Manning led the team to a Super Bowl victory in 2016, Denver has been searching for a replacement at the most key position.

Brock Osweiler, Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch, and Case Keenum have come and gone without having much of an impact on the franchise. They traded for former Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Joe Flacco, added Kevin Hogan, and drafted Missouri quarterback Drew Lock in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

We won’t see Flacco tonight, but Hogan, Lock and undrafted free agent Brett Rypien will take center stage. Though Locke has the highest upside of the three, Broncos head coach, Vic Fangio, was quoted as saying that Locke is “not a quarterback yet”.

2. Rookie Debuts

Prior to training camps getting underway, the 2019 NFL Draft was the last big event on the football offseason calendar. Atlanta made two first round picks (Chris Lindstrom and Kaleb McGary) but McGary won’t play after undergoing a minor surgical procedure on Wednesday. For Denver, they selected tight end Noah Fant out of Iowa with the 20th overall selection. Tonight we will get to see them play in the NFL for the first time.

Though they aren’t the only rookies taking part in the game, as first round selections more eyes will be on these players.

However, this is an opportunity for players taken in later rounds or the ones signed as undrafted free agents to truly put themselves on the map. Maybe they don’t remain with the Falcons or Broncos when the regular season begins but this game—and the rest of the preseason—offers them an opportunity to be seen.

3. Vic Fangio

The highly thought of defensive coordinator is a coordinator no more. After spending 39 years on the sidelines (including high school and college coaching stints), Fangio will get his first shot at being a head coach tonight.

A moment 40 years in the making was nearly put on hold when the coach went to the hospital earlier today due to discomfort and was diagnosed with kidney stones. Thankfully, Fangio was released and cleared to coach this evening.

In his new role as a head coach, Fangio has more responsibility to meet and talk with the media. The floodgates have opened and what he’s given the world has not only been accepted but a welcome addition to what is usually boring coach speak. A fiery individual who holds nothing back, regardless of the outcome of tonight’s game we will surely get a great quote or two out of Fangio.

There will certainly be highlights (and lowlights) from this game and much more than these three reasons will be responsible for them. Having the NFL back is a blessing for all sports fans. The 2019 season begins tonight and it’s a debut we all have been longing for.

In the end, it’s only one preseason game but with no other games for a week be prepared for plenty of overreactions following tonight’s game.

Follow along live with us on Twitter @NFL_SR as we’ll be live-tweeting throughout the game.

Aug 1, 2019 No Comments
NFC East Fantasy Outlook – 2019- 2020

NFC East Fantasy Outlook – 2019- 2020

Featured

by | Aug 1, 2019 | Featured, NFL

The NFC East used to be one of the most volatile divisions in the whole NFL. Year to year, there was a new division champion. Heading into the 2019-2020 season, only two of the four teams seem relevant in the playoff discussion. Nevertheless, this division is still loaded with fantasy talent. Once again this is why fantasy football is the best. It makes meaningless games matter for fans outside the division. 

 

 

Dallas Cowboys:

QB: Dak Prescott

RB: Ezekial Elliott, Tony Pollard, Alfred Morris

WR: Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, Randall Cobb

TE: Jason Witten, Blake Jarwin

D/ST: Position Rank = 18

The Dallas Cowboys are in a very interesting position as of August 1st. Their superstar RB Ezekiel Elliott is holding out of training camp due to an ongoing contract dispute. Elliott still has two years left on his current deal, but given his volume and productivity he is worth so much more than the mere $4M he will be making this upcoming season. If the Zeke situation is figured out by week 1, which no one knows after the Le’Veon Bell fiasco of last year, Elliott is a top 3 pick in every draft, regardless of the league scoring. Zeke is an absolute force on the field and in fantasy, and his improvement in the passing game in 2018 is a sign of a bright future ahead. Pay the man, Jerry! Besides Zeke, Amari Cooper is the next best fantasy option. After being traded mid-season to Dallas last year, Cooper put up 725 yards and 6 TDs in the 9 games he played. Michael Gallup and Randall Cobb are serviceable, but shouldn’t be considered starting options at the WR position in fantasy as of right now. Jason Witten is returning to the team after retiring for a season. Witten won’t have too much fantasy value, as they won’t want to overwork the older veteran. Overall, after Elliott is selected in the first round, look for Cooper in the middle of the 3rd round, as that is great value for a #1 WR on a good offense. Gallup and Cobb should only be drafted in 12 man leagues, somewhere in the very late rounds of the draft. 

Philadelphia Eagles:

QB: Carson Wentz

RB: Jordan Howard, Miles Sanders, Corey Clement, Josh Adams, Wendall Smallwood

WR: Alshon Jeffery, Desean Jackson, Nelson Agholor

TE: Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert

D/ST: Position Rank = 26

The Eagles finally have a healthy Carson Wentz back and reports from training camp say he has lost a few pounds and looks much “leaner”. If this translates to a full, healthy season for Wentz, The Eagles are going to be a force in the NFC. The Eagles traded for Jordan Howard and drafted rookie Miles Sanders at RB. They have so many quality RB on the roster that it is difficult to project who will be the lead back. Sanders has been the first RB drafted from Philly in most drafts, as he has the most upside throughout the long season. Corey Clement and Wendall Smallwood will definitely still see action on passing downs. Eagles coaches believe that Sanders has the possibility to become an every down back, but for now all we have is hope. Alshon Jeffery is a great red zone target, but Wentz has shown the tendency to force feed the ball to TE Zach Ertz. Ertz should be the first pass catcher off the board from the Eagles. If you can snag Ertz in the 4th or 5th rounds, that is amazing value and the volume will be there. Ertz broke the single season record for receptions by a TE last year with 116. Desean Jackson and Nelson Agholor are both super volatile players that can win or lose you a week. They have the capability to go for 160 yards and 2 TDs, or they can get practically a 0 for the week. Very risky plays, especially at the beginning of the year, which is why they shouldn’t be touched until at least the 10th round. 

Washington Redskins:

QB: Dwayne Haskins, Case Keenum

RB: Darrius Guice, Adrian Peterson, Chris Thompson, Bryce Love

WR: Josh Doctson, Paul Richardson, Trey Quinn

TE: Jordan Reed, Vernon Davis

D/ST: Position Rank = 16

Perhaps the most unknown offense heading into 2019, the Washington Redskins. It looks as though Dwayne Haskins will be the day 1 starter, which throws even more uncertainty in the mix. Darrius Guice is rehabbing a torn ACL that held him on the sideline for the entire 2018 season. Adrian Peterson showed flashes last year but you can’t trust that heading into his age 34 season. Chris Thompson is a high floor play, as game flow will force him onto the field on passing plays. They have some talent at WR, but there is no one that is a lock to produce. Doctson was inconsistent all of last year, they acquired Paul Richardson from Seattle who could end up being a good deep ball threat, and Trey Quinn is a solid slot guy. Since many believe the Redskins will have trouble scoring and moving the ball, a suggestion would be to stay away from this offense altogether. Taking a late shot at Darrius Guice or Paul Richardson isn’t the worst idea, but don’t expect anything too major from this offense. Jordan Reed’s health concerns and Vernon Davis’ age don’t make me very interested in their TE’s either. 

New York Giants:

QB: Eli Manning, Daniel Jones

RB: Saquon Barkley, Wayne Gallman

WR: Sterling Shepard, Golden Tate, Cody Latimer

TE: Evan Engram

D/ST: Position Rank = 27

The New York Football Giants had a very questionable offseason. They drafted QB Daniel Jones with the 6th overall pick, and they traded one of their best offensive talents in OBJ. The offensive line still doesn’t look great, and they lost potentially their best defender in safety Landon Collins. What does all of this mean for fantasy football though? Well first of all, Saquon Barkley is still a top 4 pick no matter how you slice it. Barkley will put up numbers, and even if the offense has trouble moving the ball, he will still be involved through the short yard passing game. After Barkely, the next best option is Evan Engram. Engram has WR skills at the TE position. With news of Sterling Shepard breaking his hand and Golden Tate being suspended, Engram will have an enormous amount of the target share early on. I have Engram as the 5th best TE, and someone you should look for in rounds 5-7. When Shepard and Tate return from injury/suspension, they do hold some value. Shepard will be the #1 option at WR and even in a low-tier offense, that is valuable. Look to draft him in rounds 10-13 as some league members will see he is injured and lose interest. Tate will be a nice addition to the slot, but there is no way he will replicate some of the years he had with Matthew Stafford in Detroit. 

 

Aug 1, 2019 No Comments
2019 NFL Training Camp Holdout Updates

2019 NFL Training Camp Holdout Updates

Featured

by | Aug 1, 2019 | Featured, NFL

With the Hall of Fame game kicking off the on-field action of the 2019 NFL Season, things are starting to ramp up at training camp across the country. We’re about a week into training camp for most teams. For some of them that week has come and gone without their most talented players participating.

Michael Thomas (Saints)

Michael Thomas was drafted 47th overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. He was the sixth receiver selected and through three seasons he has not only outperformed all of those taken ahead of him but he’s been on a record-setting pace. Thomas’ 321 receptions are the most of any NFL wide receiver in their first three seasons.

Entering training camp, Thomas had one year left on his contract that was worth around one million dollars. Obviously, Thomas felt that he had proven himself worth more than that lowly sum and so the Pro Bowler refused to attend practice until the Saints negotiated an extension with him.

The gamble paid off as it was announced today that he would be rewarded with a five-year $100 million contract extension with $61 million guaranteed. Thomas now becomes the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. He will report to camp tomorrow.

Trent Williams (Redskins)

The Washington Redskins used their first-round pick on Ohio State quarterback, Dwayne Haskins. The team views Haskins as a franchise quarterback and hope that he will be leading the team for years to come. With a lot invested into a young quarterback, a good way to make sure that he is given ample opportunity to succeed is to keep him upright. That got harder for Washington when stud left tackle Trent Williams opted to holdout.

Williams has been one of the top left tackles in the league for the past few seasons. Not only is the big man looking for a new contract from Daniel Snyder but he is also unhappy with the Redskins’ medical staff. Williams underwent surgery to remove a tumor from his scalp that went undiagnosed during last season. He is expected to make a full recovery but there are multiple bridges to be mended before these two sides reunite.

It seems like the two remain at an impasse. The latest reports are that Washington has started to listen to trade offers for their disgruntled left tackle. Would Williams seek a new deal if sent to another franchise or would he play the year out and then try to get paid on the open market? Either way, it’s likely that when Williams returns to action it won’t be with the Redskins.

Melvin Gordon (Chargers)

Melvin Gordon was the first major holdout of the 2019 season. The Los Angeles Chargers running back would’ve been playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract. Yet, with his position becoming a less pivotal piece of how the game of football is being played in the NFL, Gordon knows that his chance to capitalize financially is slim.

Not only did Gordon choose to holdout but he also gave the Chargers an ultimatum: pay me or trade me. It’s not necessarily the Le’Veon Bell path but it’s just as bold. Even though the value of running backs have diminished overall, there are still teams that would be willing to meet Gordon’s demands of a contract in the $52.5-$57.5 million range that Bell and Todd Gurley were recently given.

Word came out on Monday that this holdout might not last much longer. Rumor has it that there’s a discrepancy of about two million dollars keeping a contract from being agreed upon. Los Angeles had the depth to get by without Gordon unlike the two previous holdouts, however, it seems like they are going to pony up the money to keep him on board.

Yannick Ngakoue (Jaguars)

Two years ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars defense almost singlehandedly carried the team to a Super Bowl appearance. A defensive line that was as good rushing the passer as it was stopping the line. Versatile linebackers who could drop into coverage as easily as they could blitz undetected. Rounded out by a defensive back group that not only played like one of the best units of all-time but had the swagger to tell you so.

Last year, the defense remained one of the best in the league but the team’s record spiraled as they fell from the top of the AFC to the bottom. In the midst of that fall, Yannick Ngakoue had his third solid year for the Jaguars. He totaled 9.5 sacks and started all 16 games for the second consecutive year. Taken in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Ngakoue is in the final year of his rookie deal.

Knowing how well he’s done so far Ngakoue is holding out in hopes of getting paid like a premium edge rusher in the league. Regardless of whether or not Jacksonville decides to give him an extension, Ngakoue is likely to see his demands met on the open market. Not much has been said on the status of negotiations but as long as Ngakoue remains away from the team the Jaguars defense won’t be as strong.

Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys)

Ezekiel Elliott is the player who is most crucial to his team’s success on this list. In Melvin Gordon’s section we referenced that the running back position is being devalued but in Texas the Dallas Cowboys have reinvented themselves around Elliott. He was drafted fourth overall in the 2016 NFL Draft and immediately turned things around in Jerry World.

Dallas has their other two offensive studs (Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper) entering the final years of their deals. Meanwhile they would be able to exercise the fifth-year option on Elliott’s contract paying him just a shade over nine million dollars for the 2020 season. That trio is as promising of a group of players to wear the star on their helmet since Tory Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin we’re winning Super Bowls.

Though Elliott is under team-control for another two seasons (three-to-four if you include potential franchise tag scenarios) he has been the definition of a workhorse tailback since entering the league. In two of the three years he’s played, he’s had over 300 carries. We’ve seen the Cowboys run their premiere runner into the ground (see: Murray, DeMarco). By holding out Elliott is trying to make sure that the franchise is paying him in accordance with how they’re using him. Reports are that the two sides remain far apart in negotiations.

Aug 1, 2019 No Comments