kaleemThe NFL is back! And with it, fantasy football is also back. In case you haven’t noticed, there are a lot of changes in the league this season. The big story is Ezekiel Elliott’s retirement, but that’s not the only one. There are new starters on every team and new players who have been added to rosters since last season ended. The biggest question among fantasy managers is: Which players will step up? Who will be this year’s Josh Gordon or Christian McCaffrey? Let’s look at some of these questions as we get ready for Week One next month...
All 32 NFL teams have new starters, new players and new prices as fantasy football returns.
In addition to the usual suspects, there are a few new players and teams in this year’s game. The most notable of these is Dak Prescott, who replaces Tony Romo at quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. He’s been priced at $8 million, which is less than half of what Romo cost last year (and less than half of what Matt Ryan costs). That makes him look like a good value pick–but is he?
- New starters are cheaper than last year. For example:
- New starters are more expensive than last year. For example:
- New starters are less expensive than last year but have potential for growth as they build chemistry with teammates or improve their skills over time as rookies develop into seasoned veterans
The biggest fantasy story this offseason is the retirement of Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott. Where do you rank Elliott in your top-five running backs?
Zeke’s a top-five running back. He was one of the best players in the league and had an amazing career, so I think he’ll be missed by fans and fantasy owners alike.
Zeke was also a good teammate, which is something that can’t be said about all players in the NFL these days. He did some great things for Dallas as well as for fantasy owners who drafted him over the past three years or so (he missed most of 2018 due to suspension).
But now it’s time for us all to move on from this era of Cowboys football and look forward to what’s next with Dak Prescott at quarterback–and hopefully another star RB on the roster!
Another big question is who will step up to replace Nelson Agholor as WR2 on the Eagles?
Another big question is who will step up to replace Nelson Agholor as WR2 on the Eagles? Agholor was not a great player, but he was an important piece of this offense. The team has a lot of options in terms of who can step up and fill that role.
Robby Anderson, Paul Richardson Jr., and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside look like locks for playing time on opening day with DeSean Jackson returning from injury next year. But we need another receiver that can get open downfield and make plays after the catch because those are two things that Agholor did well last year (before he got hurt).
The Eagles should be looking for someone who plays on the outside or in the slot when they draft their next wideout because there’s no guarantee any of those guys would be able to handle deep routes if they came into camp as backups behind Zach Ertz at tight end or Josh Adams/Darren Sproles at running back (assuming both players stay healthy throughout training camp).
Who is going to be the third wide receiver for the Patriots behind Julian Edelman and Demaryius Thomas?
Julian Edelman is the WR1, Demaryius Thomas is the WR2. Who will be the third receiver?
The Patriots’ wide receiver depth chart is very thin and their only other options are Phillip Dorsett and Maurice Harris. Dorsett has been on four teams since he was drafted in 2015, so he’s not exactly a lock to make this team either. Harris has had his moments in Washington but hasn’t proven himself as an NFL starter yet.
How much does he cost?
In a PPR league (points per reception), you should expect to pay around $3-$4 for him if he makes it onto your roster at all. If he starts getting consistent targets from Tom Brady then his price could rise even higher than that depending on how many catches he gets each week compared with Julian Edelman and Demaryius Thomas (if one of them gets injured).
Who will be the No. 1 RB in Cleveland next season? Is Duke Johnson Jr. still a top-10 running back?
Duke Johnson Jr. is a top-10 running back, and he should be your first pick in fantasy drafts this season. He’s been one of the most consistent backs in the league since being drafted by Cleveland in 2015, averaging 5.3 yards per carry on his career with 10 touchdowns and 11 catches per game.
Johnson Jr.’s value has never been higher after he led all RBs with 814 receiving yards last year (he also scored nine times). His role on offense has only increased over time–he saw 30 more targets than any other player at his position last year–and it will continue to grow as long as Baker Mayfield is under center for the Browns.
What will happen with Lamar Jackson after his breakout year? Will he be a starter or will Joe Flacco return from injury?
One of the biggest questions of the offseason is whether or not Joe Flacco will return from injury. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback missed most of last season due to a hip injury, and many fantasy owners are wondering if Lamar Jackson will be able to build on his breakout year in 2019.
If you ask me, there’s no question about it: Jackson should be your starter next year. He was outstanding down the stretch this past season (averaging 24 points per game over his final five contests), but his numbers were even better in Weeks 1 through 4 when he averaged 35 points per game! That means if you started him all year long, then chances are good that your fantasy team made the playoffs–and maybe even won them all!
When will Kyler Murray take over as Arizona’s starting QB after Josh Rosen finished strong last season? How much does Murray cost in fantasy drafts this year?
Murray is a top-10 quarterback in fantasy drafts this year, and he will likely cost you around $20 in your auction draft.
Rosen, who finished strong last season after taking over as Arizona’s starter, is a good backup option at QB if you go with Murray at 1B. He could be had for less than $2 in most leagues if he doesn’t win the job outright from Murray early on.
The 2019 season is just around the corner!
The 2019 season is just around the corner. The NFL has announced that it will begin on September 5 and end on January 6, 2020. That’s right–the season is longer than ever before!
The 16-game schedule will be broken up into four quarters of 4 games each, with teams playing one opponent from each quarter twice during their schedule (home and away). Each team plays a total of eight games against divisional opponents as well as two games against all other teams within their conference and/or non-divisional cross-over games against members from another conference based upon where they finished in their respective divisions at season’s end last year (for example: if you finish first place in your division then you’ll play another first place finisher).
Conclusion
We’re looking forward to another great season of fantasy football!
