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How likely is every NFL stadium to host WrestleMania? An investigation
With the announcements of WrestleManias 37, 38, and 39, some users were critical of WWE selecting the same venues every year. Every WrestleMania since 23, with the exception of three in Orlando (two at the Citrus Bowl/Camping World Stadium and one at the Performance Center due to COVID-19), has been held at an NFL stadium. As something of an NFL stadium expert, I decided to examine each NFL stadium's likelihood of hosting a future WrestleMania. Please note that some stadiums are located just outside of the city limits listed, but I listed the major city most associated with it (so for instance, while AT&T Stadium is technically in Arlington, it hosts the Dallas Cowboys, so I listed Arlington.) I'm also giving WWE a significant benefit of the doubt and assuming they'd be interested in hosting a Mania outside of their usual go-tos. Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Stadium Profile: A $1.9 billion stadium opened in 2020 to house the newly-moved Las Vegas Raiders. Starting in 2021, it will host the Pro Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl, and the Pac-12 Championship Game. As of yet, it has not hosted any fans. It has a capacity of 65,000.
City Profile: Las Vegas is the 28th biggest metro area in the US. Las Vegas previously hosted WrestleMania IX in a temporary arena built at Caesars Palace, and the recently-built T-Mobile Arena hosted 2016 Money in the Bank and 2018 Elimination Chamber.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Very high. I'm honestly surprised it didn't host one of the next three Manias given its attractive location and massive new stadium. I suspect it will host one very soon in the future.
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Stadium Profile: Arrowhead is the third-oldest stadium in the NFL, having been built in 1972. It had a renovation completed in 2010 and seats 76,416. It's known for its incredibly-loud fans, as they currently hold the world record for loudest crowd at 142.2 decibels.
City Profile: Kansas City is the 31st biggest metro area in the US. Kansas City has hosted four PPVs, most notably 1999 Over the Edge with the death of Owen Hart and most recently 2010 Money in the Bank.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: None. Arrowhead's age and Kansas City being a smaller market (and not an attractive vacation destination) mean that Missouri won't be hosting WrestleMania any time soon.
AT&T Stadium, Dallas, TX
Stadium Profile: "Jerryworld", a pioneer in the billion-dollar stadium craze, opened in 2009 with a listed capacity of 80,000, though it can hold up to 100,000 for special events like WrestleMania and the Super Bowl, which it hosted in 2011. It also hosts the annual Cotton Bowl game.
City Profile: Dallas is the 4th largest metro area in the US. Dallas hosted WrestleMania 32 at AT&T Stadium and most recently hosted 2017 Great Balls of Fire.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Confirmed, as it will host WrestleMania 38 next year. I suspect this will not be the last.
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Stadium Profile: A largely no-frills stadium, Bank of America Stadium was built in 1996 and has a seating capacity of 75,523. In addition to hosting the Charlotte Panthers, it will host Charlotte FC starting in 2022 and has hosted an NCAA bowl game since 2002 and the ACC Championship Game most years since 2010. Though it was renovated in 2017 (and soccer renovations are currently underway), Panthers ownership has expressed a desire for a new stadium.
City Profile: Charlotte is the 22nd biggest metro area in the US. Nearby Charlotte Coliseum hosted 2019 Clash of Champions, its first PPV in 13 years, and nearby Greensboro has been considered one of wrestling's hotbeds.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Low. If memory serves, Charlotte was floated as a potential Mania site, but unless they get a new stadium I don't see this nearly as likely as more attractive Southeast locations like Atlanta or Florida.
Bills Stadium, Buffalo, NY
Stadium Profile: The NFL's fourth-oldest stadium, the former Ralph Wilson Stadium houses 71,608. It was the site of the first NHL Winter Classic in 2008 as the Buffalo Sabres hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins.
City Profile: Buffalo is the 49th biggest metro area in the US. The last PPV Buffalo hosted was 2013 Battleground.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: None. With many bigger cities nearby and an aging stadium, Buffalo will never host a WrestleMania. Sorry, Bills Mafia.
Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, CO
Stadium Profile: Replacing the historic-but-aging Mile High Stadium in 2001, Empower Field seats 76,125. Notably, 84,000 were in attendance on the last night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention for Barack Obama's acceptance speech.
City Profile: Denver is the 19th biggest metro area in the US. The nearby Pepsi Center has only hosted one PPV - 2003 Vengeance.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: None. Denver's high altitude doesn't do it any favors, but WWE has been hesitant to run Denver in the past and I suspect with shinier stadiums out West, it will not do so here.
FedExField, Washington, DC (stadium located in Landover, MD)
Stadium Profile: Once the NFL's largest stadium, FedExField opened in 1997 and currently has a capacity of 82,000. Many upper-level seats were blockaded off in 2011. Even in 2007, Sports Illustrated rated it fourth-lowest in "NFL Fan Value Experience".
City Profile: Washington is the 6th biggest metro area in the US. Capital One Arena hosted 2005 SummerSlam, 2009 Survivor Series, and most recently 2016 Battleground, but also hosted the inaugural episode of AEW Dynamite.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: None. A DC 'Mania might sound attractive, but FedExField's unpopularity will keep it off WWE's list. Nationals Park could be an option if WWE chooses to downsize.
FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, OH
Stadium Profile: Sitting on Lake Erie's shore, the "Factory of Sadness" opened in 1999 to host the second incarnation of the Cleveland Browns. It has a capacity of 67,431.
City Profile: Cleveland is the 34th biggest metro area in the US. It hosted Fastlane in both 2016 and 2019 and also hosted SummerSlam in 1996.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: None. I'm cold just thinking about late March in Cleveland.
Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Stadium Profile: Built in 2002 as a downtown replacement to the Pontiac Silverdome, Ford Field seats 65,000. It's hosted a bowl game every year since its opening and also hosted Super Bowl XL.
City Profile: Detroit is the 14th biggest metro area in the US. The Pontiac Silverdome was the site of perhaps the most famous WrestleMania (III), and Ford Field hosted WrestleMania 23 twenty years later. Detroit has also hosted several PPVs, most recently 2017 Hell in a Cell.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Low. Though WWE has run WrestleMania in Detroit twice in the past, that it has not done so in nearly 20 years seems to indicate it's looking at newer stadiums and more attractive locations.
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
Stadium Profile: Wedged between Boston and Providence, Gillette Stadium was built in 2002 as a replacement to the aging Foxboro Stadium. It seats 65,878 and hosts the New England Patriots as well as the MLS's New England Revolution.
City Profile: Boston is the 11th largest metro area in the US. The FleetCenter, now TD Garden, hosted WrestleMania XIV and has hosted several other Big 4 PPVs. It last hosted 2017 Clash of Champions.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: None. An indoor Boston stadium might be more attractive, but the cold weather serves as a major detriment, especially with NYC nearby.
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FL
Stadium Profile: Opened in 1987, the stadium with 11 different names seats 65,326. It's home to the Miami Dolphins, University of Miami football team, and the Orange Bowl game and formerly housed the Florida Marlins baseball team. Amid deterioration, it underwent a massive overhaul in 2015.
City Profile: Miami has hosted 6 Super Bowls, 5 College Football National Championships, and WrestleMania XXVIII with Miami native The Rock headlining. However, its last PPV was 2013 Hell in a Cell.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Medium. The new stadium overhaul has made it an attractive location for other high-profile events, but WWE seems to have other Florida venues in mind. Perhaps they'll be back to Miami in the coming years.
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA
Stadium Profile: Opened in 2001 along with next-door PNC Park as a replacement to Three Rivers Stadium, Heinz Field seats 68,400. Its open south end has made it one of the toughest places for kickers. It's also hosted two NHL games: the 2011 Winter Classic and 2017 Stadium Series.
City Profile: Pittsburgh is the 27th largest metro area in the US. It was home to perhaps the most famous match in WWE history, Undertaker vs. Mankind's Hell in a Cell match in 1998. It also hosted the 2014 Royal Rumble and most recently 2018 Extreme Rules.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: None. As much as I'd love to see a WrestleMania in my home city of Pittsburgh, it's not exactly the biggest destination city in the world, and WWE seems to have shunned Pittsburgh from high-profile events after several negative crowd responses.
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
Stadium Profile: The NFL's second-oldest stadium, Lambeau Field - named after Packer great Curly Lambeau - opened in 1957. Though single-bowled for most of its life, it added an upper deck at the south endzone in 2013. Most of its 81,441 seats are bleachers.
City Profile: Green Bay is the 158th biggest metro area in the US. It has never hosted a PPV, though Milwaukee has hosted several, most recently 2017 Fastlane.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: None. Maybe negative.
Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Stadium Profile: Home to the San Francisco 49ers (though San Francisco is about an hour drive north), Levi's Stadium opened in 2014 and holds 68,500. Its large glass press box has led to criticism for making the stadium too bright and hot during the daytime. Levi's hosted Super Bowl 50, WrestleMania 31, and the 2015 NHL Stadium Series.
City Profile: San Francisco is the 12th biggest metro area in the US, and San Jose is the 35th biggest metro area in the US. San Francisco has never hosted a PPV (likely to change in the coming years with the opening of the Chase Center). San Jose hosted the 1998 Royal Rumble, 2001 SummerSlam, and most recently 2018 TLC.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Very low. With the opening of SoFi Stadium ensuring multiple WrestleManias in California in the coming decades, accompanied with poor reception to the stadium and to The Undertaker having to make a daytime entrance, WWE probably won't be back to Levi's.
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
Stadium Profile: Opened in 2003, "The Linc" sits in Philadelphia's famed Philadelphia Sports Complex in the same location as classic venues Veterans Stadium and The Spectrum. Lincoln Financial Field seats 69,796, and in addition to the Philadelphia Eagles and Temple Owls is the usual host of the Army-Navy Game.
City Profile: Philadelphia is the 8th biggest metro area in the US. Perhaps wrestling's most notorious crowd thanks in part to it being the home of ECW, Philadelphia has hosted a number of high-profile events over the years including WrestleMania XV, the 2015 and 2018 Royal Rumbles, and most recently 2019 Extreme Rules.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Low to medium. Philadelphia has been floated as a WrestleMania city before, and though it's not the best climate in early spring, you'd have to imagine a WrestleMania crowd in a normally-raucous city would be a sight (and sound) to behold.
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
Stadium Profile: Indy sure does love its indoor stadiums. After the Colts moved into the Hoosier Dome (later RCA Dome) in 1984, they opened the retractable-roof Lucas Oil in 2008 with a capacity of 67,000. It's also the host of the Big Ten Championship Game, Super Bowl XLVI, and given Indy's status as a college basketball hub, will host at minimum two Final Fours in the future (2021 and 2026).
City Profile: Indianapolis is the 33rd biggest metro area in the US. The Hoosier Dome hosted WrestleMania VIII in 1992 and has since hosted a SummerSlam, a Survivor Series, and most recently 2016 Clash of Champions. It's also known to wrestling fans as the city where The Shield was formed in 2012 and where they broke up in 2014.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Low. While a beautiful stadium, Lucas Oil hasn't brought in as many events as Indianapolis surely hoped, in part due to its small market.
Lumen Field, Seattle, WA
Stadium Profile: Built in 2002 as a replacement to the literally-crumbling Kingdome, the former Qwest and CenturyLink Field holds a nice 69,000. Known for its triangular end zone stand and loud fans known as the "12th Man", it houses the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders.
City Profile: Seattle is the 15th largest metro area in the US. Next-door Safeco Field, home to the Mariners, hosted WrestleMania XIX in 2003, and KeyArena has only hosted two PPVs (most recently 2011 Over the Limit), though a major overhaul to the venue will likely change this once WWE resumes touring.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Very low. Safeco Field was WWE's venue of choice in 2003, and while it could be an attractive Rumble target in the coming years, I suspect Lumen won't be on their list.
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD
Stadium Profile: Home to the Baltimore Ravens, it opened in 1998 with a capacity of 71,008. Its most notable feature is its jumbotrons sandwiched between its upper and lower bowls. It's also hosted several Army-Navy games.
City Profile: Baltimore is the 21st largest metro area in the US. Baltimore has hosted several PPVs, most recently 2017 Extreme Rules.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: None. Though Royal Farms Arena is a common stop on WWE's touring schedule, M&T Bank is surely way low on the list of potential WrestleMania stadiums as it hasn't even been seriously considered in years past.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Stadium Profile: Jokingly nicknamed "Megatron" due to its distinctly-shaped exterior and retractable roof, Mercedes-Benz Stadium opened in 2017 at a cost of $1.6 billion and seats 71,000. It hosts the Falcons, Atlanta United, the Peach Bowl, Super Bowl LII, and will surely host more Super Bowls and NCAA championships (both football and basketball).
City Profile: Atlanta is the 9th biggest metro area in the US and is also home to the world's busiest airport. Atlanta was the host of the 1996 Summer Olympics. The now-demolished Georgia Dome hosted WrestleMania XXVII, and Phillips Arena most recently hosted 2015 Survivor Series.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Extremely high. The only thing I see as a detraction is WWE being petty about TNT getting back in the wrestling business. Otherwise, this massive, futuristic stadium would be a perfect WrestleMania host.
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Stadium Profile: One of the most famous stadiums in sports, the Superdome (brother) opened in 1975, though it is currently undergoing a massive renovation. It seats 73,208 and has hosted seven Super Bowls (scheduled for #8 in 2025), two WrestleManias, five Final Fours, and is the annual home of the Sugar Bowl.
City Profile: New Orleans is the 45th biggest metro area in the US, though it's become a cultural hub. WrestleMania 34 was the last PPV hosted in the city.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: High. WWE has hosted here twice before, and a massive renovation will continue to make it an attractive target.
MetLife Stadium, New York, NY (located in East Rutherford, NJ)
Stadium Profile: Located across the river from the heart of New York City, MetLife Stadium opened in 2010 as home of both the Giants and Jets and seats 82,500. Its price tag of $1.6 billion made it at the time the most expensive stadium in the US. It's hosted two WrestleManias (29 and 35) and is the only open-air northern city to host the Super Bowl.
City Profile: What else is there to say about New York? It's the largest metro area by far, it's a massive cultural hub, and in wrestling context has hosted many of wrestling's most memorable events including six WrestleManias.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Medium to high. NYC always has to be on the list when hosting large events, and given WWE has been to MetLife twice, you'd have to think they're willing to go again. The massive downside is the intense difficulty some fans had with leaving the stadium, although that's something that can be remedied with a little better planning.
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
Stadium Profile: Opened in 1999 to house the newly-christened Tennessee Titans, Nissan Stadium seats 69,143 and is also host to the annual Music City Bowl. It will be the centerpiece of a Nashville street circuit coming to the IndyCar calendar in 2021.
City Profile: Nashville is the 36th largest metro area in the US. Nashville last hosted 2014 Night of Champions, although a house show under the name "Smackville" was aired on the WWE Network in 2019.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Very low. I don't want to say zero, but this is as close to zero as it gets. Memphis is by far the more popular wrestling destination in the state, but it doesn't have a stadium capable of hosting a modern 'Mania.
NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Stadium Profile: Built in 2002 to house the expansion Houston Texans, the Astrodome's spiritual successor houses 72,220. It's hosted two Super Bowls, two Final Fours, and is also on the schedule to host another Final Four and a College Football National Championship. NRG, then Reliant Stadium, hosted WrestleMania XXV.
City Profile: Houston is the 5th largest metro area in the US. In addition to XXV, the Astrodome - despite no longer having any tenants - hosted WrestleMania X-Seven, often regarded as the best WrestleMania (and possibly the best WWE PPV ever). Houston has hosted numerous PPVs, including the 2020 Royal Rumble at Minute Maid Park and several other Big 4s.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Low. Though the Toyota Center is a common PPV host, Dallas seems to be the preferred destination in the state for WrestleMania. Still, NRG holds its weight, and perhaps it'll get another WrestleMania down the line.
Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
Stadium Profile: Like many cookie-cutters of the 70s, Riverfront Stadium was replaced by two stadiums; Paul Brown, opened in 2000, was the first, and it seats 65,515. An odd quirk in the contract with the city states that Cincinnati must pay for anything that 10 other NFL stadiums have, including holographic replays.
City Profile: Cincinnati is the 30th biggest metro area in the US. As it is not home to an NBA or NHL team, the outdated US Bank Arena hasn't hosted much for WWE, only 2006 Cyber Sunday and 2018 Starrcade (a rebranded house show).
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: None. As highly of Moxley speaks of it, Cincinnati isn't a wrestling hub by any stretch, nor is it a big enough market to justify a high-profile event.
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Stadium Profile: Opened in 1998, this stadium seats 65,890 and has been home to the Outback Bowl, two Super Bowls (it'll host its third later this month), and the 2017 College Football National Championship. Its most prominent feature is a giant pirate ship that fires its cannons when the home Buccaneers score.
City Profile: Tampa is the 18th largest metro area in the US. It hosted a few Big 4s decades ago, but prior to COVID last hosted 2014 Battleground. Sister city St. Petersburg will end up hosting several upcoming PPVs as it is the second home of the WWE Thunderdome.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Confirmed, as it will host WrestleMania later this year as a make-good for the Mania scrapped last year due to COVID-19. I'll admit that I was surprised to see Tampa on the schedule, and I can't imagine it'll come back after this year.
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Stadium Profile: LA residents, I feel bad that you're on the hook for the $5 billion price tag of this megaplex that houses the Rams and Chargers. Opened last fall, it seats 70,420 on game day but can be expanded to over 100,000. It will also be the epicenter of the 2028 Summer Olympics and will likely be a major part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It also has next year's Super Bowl and 2023's College Football National Championship on its radar. Incidentally, it has yet to host fans.
City Profile: Los Angeles is the 2nd biggest metro area in the US. It's been home to numerous Big 4s including 3 WrestleManias (a fourth if you count nearby Anaheim) and was the regular host of SummerSlam for years.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Confirmed, as it is the host of WrestleMania 39 (pushed back from 37, presumably to allow California ample time to recover from COVID-19). It was intentionally over-built for high-profile events like WrestleMania, and I'm confident they will be back for many more.
Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
Stadium Profile: One of the classic sports venues, Soldier Field was built in 1924 but didn't host the Bears until 1971. A National Historic Landmark until 2002, it was delisted to allow the seating bowl to be gutted and rebuilt. Its signature Roman columns now reside at the stadium's gate.
City Profile: Chicago is the 3rd biggest metro area in the US. It's a popular site of Big 4s, but it's hosted just two WrestleManias, both in arenas (2 and 22). It most recently hosted 2019 Survivor Series. Most WWE shows are held not in the United Center but instead at the Allstate Arena in nearby Rosemont.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Very low. I have to say I'm surprised Chicago's not hosted WrestleMania in so long given how raucous its crowds are and given Chicago's giant market. However, Soldier Field is not the most advanced stadium in the world, and WWE seems to like warmer buildings.
State Farm Stadium, Phoenix, AZ
Stadium Profile: At the time of its opening in 2006, State Farm was perhaps the highest-tech stadium ever built. It notably features not just a retractable roof but a retractable field, allowing its Bermuda grass to get some sunlight. It's also hosted a Super Bowl, 3 College Football National Championships, and a Final Four, with another Super Bowl and Final Four coming in the next few years.
City Profile: Phoenix is the 10th biggest metro area in the US. Phoenix's first PPV was 2003 SummerSlam and it's hosted many since, including WrestleMania XXVI and most recently the 2019 Royal Rumble at Chase Field.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Low. You'd think if WWE were headed back to Glendale, it would've done so by now. Once the most high-tech stadium in America, its successes have since been duplicated by countless others.
TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, FL
Stadium Profile: Do I really have to do this one? Jacksonville Municipal Stadium was built in the 1930s, but it was overhauled in 1995 to welcome the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars, who are owned by the Khan family - the same family that owns AEW. It's also hosted Super Bowl XXXIX.
City Profile: Jacksonville is the 40th biggest metro area in the US. Without a NBA or NHL team, it's hosted just one PPV: 2007 One Night Stand.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: None, as long as AEW is around.
US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
Stadium Profile: Built in 2016 as a replacement to the Metrodome and seating 66,655, US Bank's distinct exterior was built to resemble a viking ship. In its short life so far, it's already hosted a Super Bowl and a Final Four.
City Profile: Minneapolis is the 16th biggest metro area in the US. Minneapolis hosted 1999 SummerSlam andlast hosted 2019 TLC. Surprisingly, the Metrodome never hosted WrestleMania.
Likelihood of hosting WrestleMania: Medium to high. US Bank Stadium is a technological marvel, but Minneapolis is far from the most attractive location.
Juicy's First Official 2021 NFL Mock Draft (3 Rounds). Trades At The Top. Pick By Pick Analysis Continued In Comments.
Trades: Broncos trade 2021 RD1#12, 2021 RD4 #105 and 2022 RD1 for Cowboys 2021 RD1#4 Panthers trade 2021 RD1#7 and 2021 RD4 #102 and 2022 RD4 for Chargers 2021 RD1#5 Jaguars Trade 2021 Rd1#25 and 2021 RD3#66 for Raiders 2021 RD1#25 The 49ers trade 2021 RD2 #47, 2022 4th and Jimmy Garapolo for Patriots 2021 RD2 #46 and 2022 RD6 Steelers Trade 2021 RD2#64, 2021 RD4#128 and 2021 RD7#239 for Seahawks 2021 RD2#58 Football Team trades 2021 RD3 #75 and 2021 RD4 #106 for Seahawks 2021 RD2 #64 Seahawks Trade 2021 RD4 #122 and 2022 RD4 Via Jets for Packers 2021 RD3 #93 Steelers trade 2021 Rd3 #96 and Conditional 2022 Pick (2nd or 3rd) For Jets QB Sam Darnold 1. *Jets*- Trevor Lawrence-QB-Clemson Sometimes you just don’t need to overthink it. Darnold’s failure in the Garden State wasn’t his own fault but you don’t pass on free, generational QBs like Lawrence. While you can try to get cute and make cases for Fields, Lance or Wilson, you really shouldn’t, especially with the 2021 scheme still TBD. Lawrence has the arm talent, IQ, athleticism, size and character to fit well in any scheme and any coaching staff. His only weakness I see is a reckless streak to force balls to his first option through tight windows. IMO this is simply a result of being more talented than the competition, throwing to receivers more talented than the opposition and having better scheming than the opposition. It should go away with NFL reps. Slam dunk pick. It’s time to bring sunshine to the garden state. 2. *Jaguars*- Justin Fields-QB-Ohio St For as poor as their record is, the Jags actually have some pretty good pieces to build around. This has to be one of the youngest teams in football and with Coughlin gone, maybe they can actually start bringing in free agents and keeping stars in house. James Robinson, Laviska Shenualt, DJ Chark and a surprisingly good interior O-line lead by a potential all-pro in Brandon Linder give the offense a good baseline to build around. Give Justin Fields some good protection, an emerging young RB who can catch passes, an OC who can scheme first reads into space and a playmaking receiving group and we have a good chance to do something. For my money, Fields is the most accurate QB in the class and arguably the best at grasping route-tree concepts. Like Lawrence, he struggles to come off of his first read at times and for very similar reasons, though in his case it leads to less yolo balls and more tucking and running while second reads run free. He will need reps to come off of this, but in a quick-hitting system with playmakers, he could really hit the ground running. 3. *Bengals*- Penei Sewell-OT-Oregon This pick is the easiest in the entire draft. Best LT I’ve personally scouted coming out to a team that needs it more than any other team, with an injured 1-1 QB who looked every bit the part in his rookie year. If it were any more obvious, Avril Lavigne would write a song about it. 4. *Broncos Via Cowboys*- Zach Wilson-QB-BYU Either John Elway’s good will in Denver will be good enough to get him one last shot at drafting his QB, or a new regime will come in and want to draft their own QB. Either way, a new QB is coming, which is exciting given that they actually have some really good pieces on offense. Going with the idea that Elway remains, I can see Elway falling in love with either guy, likely seeing more of himself in Wilson, but Lance likely blowing him away in interviews and more importantly being slightly taller. In the end, while I have Lance rated higher, I think Elway will want to go the perceived safer route in Wilson, who is still a high ceiling player in his own right and has experience playing at high altitudes for BYU. Either way, I think Denver trading into the top 5 for a QB is one of the biggest locks of the draft. Dallas has a plethora of needs, but a healthy Dak Prescott has looked like a top 5 QB in recent years and is simply too good to walk away from. Since I have CB as their top need and Sewell off of the board, it makes sense for them to grab draft capital and still likely land a top 2-3 CB. 5. *Panthers Via Chargers*- Trey Lance-QB-NDSU With Wilson off of the board, the Panthers pay a slight price to flip with the Chargers and ensure they get their QB. While I have Lance rated higher than Wilson for most teams, I actually slightly prefer Wilson in Carolina if they got their choice, but Lance is far too good to pass on. While Brady may not be able to run his full concept year one with Lance, Teddy’s still tentative nature has held back the offense at times and still lead to too many turnover worthy plays. They will need to slow down the game a bit for Lance if he starts from day one, but they have the pieces to do so. Lance will add a game-breaking dynamic to open up the entire field with his arm, while taking pressure off of CMC and demanding QB spies. This should really open things up for Brady to slowly unleash Lance. They have the pieces to have one of the best offenses in football (and the coaching) if this hits. With so many targets schemed into space and a heavy dose of CMC to make defenses respect the run, Lance’s potential accuracy issues will be muted and he has the ability to drive the ball in ways that help receivers functionally be more open than with a touch passer. They are also perfectly situated to start a cheap Teddy until Lance is ready with a long term minded coaching staff and ownership. Really like this fit and team. 6. *Eagles*- Caleb Farley-CB-Virginia Tech I could see a case for the Eagles going after Chase here, but with how poor the Eagles secondary has been this year outside of an aging Darius Slay, I can’t see them passing on a talent like Farley. Jim Schwartz likes to put a ton of pressure on his secondary and Maddox/NRC simply don’t have the size or physicality to deal with what’s asked of them. IMO Farley has the highest ceiling of any CB i’ve scouted since Ramsey and similarly has the rare combo of size, speed and football IQ to match up with any receiver or QB in the game. The former QB still knows how to think like a CB and has the ball skills that made him highly recruited as a WR before he transitioned to CB. Farley checks every physical box, every mental box, every playmaking box and is said to have a home run character. If i’m searching for an issue, he can take an occasional miss-step in zone, but Schwartz is famously averse to soft zone. Farley has a bit of an injury history and is still fairly new to the position, but he has all-pro potential, a high floor and is a much needed good fit for this Eagles secondary. They can’t afford to pass on him. 7. *Chargers Via Panthers*- Samuel Cosmi-OT-Texas The Chargers traded back, acquiring two fourths to make stomaching reaching for a tackle a bit easier. Still they have to do it. They look to have a franchise QB and play-action can only mask so much. The line is simply terrible. Per PFF, the Chargers line ranks as follows: tackles Sam Tevi and Brian Bulaga (71st and 56th out of 78 with Pipkins ranked 77th getting snaps), Trai Turner and Forrest Lamp (81st and 74th of 83) at guard and Dan Feeney (35th of 36) at center. Oof. The only borderline passable starter is a Bulaga at RT who will be 32 next year. With a QB who has wheels and big money tied to a fleet footed Ekeler, I think adding lateral mobility and athleticism to the line is a must. Cosmi isn’t a finished product technically or physically but he has the frame to add good weight while maintaining plus athleticism at the blind side and is used to playing with a mobile QB who will make life tougher on him. He rarely fully loses reps and should provide an immediate upgrade from Tevi, while having an extremely high ceiling. It’s time to change the identity of that line and lean into the play action game that is keeping the offense functional, even if I have Darrishaw rated slightly higher, I prefer this fit. 8. *Football Team*- Ja’Marr Chase-WR-LSU People seem to be forgetting how good Ja’Marr Chase is after a year off. Justin Jefferson has been one of the best receivers in the entire NFL his rookie year, Terrace Marshall is a borderline round one guy, CEH was a first round pick and yet the most impressive skill player on that 2019 LSU team was Chase. While the Football Team clearly doesn’t have a long term solution at QB, the top 4 guys are gone and I’m not sure they have the skill players or line for a new QB to ever be successful anyways. When your receivers 2-5 are Steven Sims, Cam Sims, Dontrell Inman and Isaiah Wright, you don’t pass on a Ja’Marr Chase. Easily the worst 2-5 in the NFL. Logan Thomas isn’t a top 30 TE either. There are some pieces in DC. McLaurin is a stud and Gibson is everything I hoped he would be. The line has some good pieces, but have two weak links in Martin and Christian that need to be replaced before it can become functional. With a year left on Smith’s deal and 50 mil in cap space, the FT can afford to bring back Scherff, upgrade from Martin and take a swing on a mid round QB. Worst case scenario they go all in on a 2021 QB but actually have the pieces in place for him to hit the ground running. 9. *Lions*- DeVonta Smith-WR-Alabama The Lions currently have Quintez Cephus and Geronimo Allison as receivers under contract in 2021...that’s it. They have approximately 1.23M in available cap space as it currently stands. I still expect them to figure out a way to bring back Kenny G, but even then, they are going to need a day one starter at WR. My mind is telling me Jaylen Waddle’s speed will get him to top 10, but I don’t love how his game meshes with Stafford nor am I fully confident he’s ready to go day one in 2021. Smith may be built like a teen who just hit a growth spurt but he’s a day one starter in the NFL and his game meshes really well with both Stafford and compliments Golladay’s. I’m really interested to see who takes in Detroit next year, but whoever it is, a potential unit of Kenny G, DeVonta Smith, an emergent TJ Hockenson and D’Andre Swift isn’t the worst place to start. 10. *Falcons*- Kwity Paye-Edge-Michigan The Falcons need a pass rusher off of the edge, we all know that, it just comes down to which one; so having Rousseau, Paye and Parsons all still on the board is a dream scenario. While I personally have them rated Parsons, Rousseau and then Paye, it’s close enough between all three to go by fit. I honestly think the Falcons have a very strong linebacker corps and won’t get the greatest usage out of Parsons and while I love the idea of Rousseau sliding inside next to Grady Jarrett on 3rd and long, I think they need to go for day one impact and mainly the best all around true edge. For me, that makes Paye the best fit. Always a true freak athlete (which, check out Bruce Feldman’s freak list (https://theathletic.com/1938659/2020/07/21/bruce-feldmans-freaks-list-2019-college-football-top-athletic-performances-2/) but in 2020 he has made a herculean jump in production and polish. This a day one starter, with incredibly rare athletic traits, a feel good backstory and immediate impact at a gigantic need. 11. *Dolphins Via Texans*- Micah Parsons-LB-Penn St I don’t need to go into too much detail here. The Dolphins have one of the NFL’s few good defenses thanks to a strong secondary and simply elite play calling and positioning from Flores/Boyer. That’s despite Elandon Roberts and Jerome Baker’s poor play and general talent. So what if we gave them a uniquely talented player who can play inside, outside and even play as a pure edge while fitting what the scheme wants to do perfectly? I can’t wait to find out. I think Parsons is still somewhat raw as a player and will have a few rough moments early on, simply because he’s been so so so much more naturally gifted than his competition for his entire life and hasn’t been punished for small mistakes. That said, I can’t think of a better landing spot at getting the most out of him early on and putting him in positions to succeed, nor can I think of a better player at mentoring him than Kyle Van Noy. Parsons will be an immediate upgrade and the potential for what he could grow into in Miami is tantalizing. Thanks Houston. 12. *Cowboys Via Broncos*- Patrick Surtain II-CB-Alabama The Cowboy’s trade back pays off. I would have been between Surtain and Farley at 4th overall and while I would have leaned Farley, the gap certainly isn’t a 2022 (likely somewhat early) 1st rounder and a 4th. Pairing Surtain up with his college counterpart in Diggs should allow Diggs to go back to his natural 2 spot and provide an immediate upgrade from the triumvirate of Awuzie, Brown and Lewis. Surtain may not be the fastest straight line runner, but his hips are as smooth as they come and he makes up for any long speed deficiencies with elite mirroring and physicality. Surtain has improved as a tackler in 2020 and is probably the best day one starter at CB in this class. The Cowboys will need some safety help over the top against speed receivers, but this is an easy pick. 13. *Bears*- Christian Darrisaw-OT-Virginia Tech The Bears would love a top 4 QB to fall into their laps at 13, but I just don’t know if they have the assets to afford a move into the top 5 right now. With Nick Foles more expensive to cut than to keep and only 2 mil in expected cap room in 2021, they will need to clear up some space. They happen to have two expensive tackles that are playing solidly but are the only non Akiem Hicks way to open up a big chunk of cap. With Ifedi a free agent expecting to see a bigger contract in 2021, the Bears have a day one need at tackle. Luckily for them, my #2 rated tackle is still on the board and is an absolute monster when he’s set and moves extremely well for his size. There are some issues getting set, but he has an extremely high ceiling and could help open up some much needed cap space for Chicago, while providing a long term solution to a two tackles who are due a lot of money, are cheap to cut and getting onto the wrong side of 30 (and coming off of a severe knee injury in Massie’s case). A receiver is an option here if they cant bring back A-Rob, as could be CB if they cut Fuller. Safety appears as a need as well, but nobody is close to a value this early. Darrishaw is the best value to need for me. 14. *Vikings*- Gregory Rousseau-Edge-Miami (FL) I looooove this pick. A lot of people are low on Rousseau since he isn’t a finished product, but I think that’s pretty unfair. Rousseau, in his first year as a starter managed 15.5 sacks and 19.5 TFL. While his pressure rate made the sack total seem unsustainable, this is a player who will always have a high sack to pressure ratio due to his insane length, absurd speed to power and insane closing burst. Rousseau is unlikely to be a finished product in 2021, he needs to improve his move repertoire and would do well to use his length to shut down passing lanes. But he has a much higher floor than people give him credit for because he does such a good job of using his length to keep defenders outside of his body and can always detach from blocks. He physically resembles Jevon Kearse, which is something I’ve never said before and his athletic testing is going to be nutty. From a traits perspective this is a once every 5-10 years prospect. Minnesota has done a great job developing high ceiling players and have needs across the D-line. Rousseau setting an edge on run downs and sliding inside for passing downs (where he will be a nightmare from day one) will be a huge asset for the Viks. I can’t see them passing on Rousseau should he be on the board at 14 barring a sliding Trey Lance. 15. *Patriots*- Jaylen Waddle-WR-Alabama It baffles me that a great defensive mind like BB has allowed himself to have such a slow receiver group, but I can’t imagine him just allowing it to remain as is. The Pats have holes along the D-line and would love a franchise QB, but have played themselves out of contention for the clear round one talents. While I have to imagine Kyle Pitts would be extremely enticing here, he doesn’t offer the ability to play in-line/move nor would he be functional slid in at FB. Without the ability to disguise playcalls, I see Waddle as the pick here to add some much needed electricity and field stretching ability despite having Pitts rated slightly higher. Jakobi Meyers has emerged as a solid receiver for the Pats and the ghost of Julian Edelman remains. With Waddle demanding defensive attention, perhaps he can open up some free space for N’Keal Harry to finally realize some of the yac ability that got him drafted so highly. Edge has to be tempting, but with Rousseau and Paye both off of the board the gap between what Waddle brings to the table vs a second round receiver and a Basham type vs who will be there at 46 leans heavily in Waddle’s favor. Assuming he’s fully healthy at the combine, I think this is Waddle’s floor. 16. *49ers*- Jaycee Horn-CB-South Carolina The 49ers would love to see a top 4 QB fall to 16 and have to be somewhat interested in Trask and Jones as scheme fits, but they also currently have literally zero cornerbacks under contract for 2021, nor are they particularly flush with cap space nor do they have a third round pick. Jaycee Horn is not only my clear cut CB3 (maaaybe can see a case for Stokes) but he’s also a great fit for what Saleh wants to do should he remain in town. This is one of the easier picks in the first for me. Good fit, arguably best player available and absolutely massive,gaping, day one need. Wyatt Davis is a strong 1B for me though. 17. *Jaguars Via Raiders*- Kyle Pitts-TE-Florida The Jags have a ton of picks early this year, a coordinator who excels at using athletic receiving TE, a rookie QB who they will be heavily invested in succeeding, a clear need at TE and a likely willing trade partner in Las Vegas. Trading up to grab Pitts is a no-brainer for me. He’s a top 10 talent in the class who could legitimately compete for WR1 in the class should he be listed that way. Is he a great blocker? No. But he’s literally breaking records at catching contested balls, runs the crispest routes i’ve ever seen from a TE and is going to be a prime Jimmy Graham level end-zone threat who can win at every point on the field. Who matches up with this guy? Not a CB, not an LB, maaaaaybe Isaiah Simmons on his best day or a Derwin James? Factor in Jay Gruden knowing exactly how to use this kind of talent and how ridiculously accurate Justin Fields is and you have to make this trade. A Justin Fields offense with this receiving group and Gruden calling plays gets me excited. Just need a tackle and a defense and we may just have something here. Jason Mendoza would be ecstatic. 18. *Ravens*-Wyatt Davis-IOL-Ohio St The Ravens are reeeeally missing Marshall Yanda and Davis is easily the top IOL in this class for me. I think the Ravens are trying to move away from their 2019 offensive strategy since the don’t have the pieces, but the answer is actually to rebuild around what actually worked. That has to start in the trenches. Wyatt Davis embodies Ravens football. He is a genuine people mover, but he doesn’t sacrifice speed or mobility to achieve that power. He’s pure controlled aggression, and if that’s not a Harbaugh player, I don’t know Harbaugh. If Davis played any other position, he wouldn’t be on the board at 18. Plug and play week one starter who can help get the Ravens back to the 2019 glory. If Pitts is off of the board, this has to be the pick. 19. *Giants*- Joseph Ossai-Edge-Texas The Giants situation isn’t as bad as I thought at first glance. They haven’t had the best offensive line pay, but with Nate Solder set to return in ‘21, Andrew Thomas starting to look closer to a top 10 pick and Matt Peart as an interesting developmental piece, it felt early to reach on a tackle and I don’t love any interior lineman enough to pull the trigger here. Receiver is a glaring need, but I think there will still be impact starters to get in round two and money to spend in FA as needed. I don’t hate Daniel Jones from my looks and think if the line and skill positions improve around him, he still has a chance to develop into a second contract sort of guy. He deserves his 40 start sample size. With Saquon set to return, that leaves edge as the most glaring need. Leonard Williams and Dalvin Tomlinson are both free agents (though should imo be brought back) and Kyle Fackrell doesn’t deserve another season as a starter. In Patrick Graham’s multiple 3-4 front, there happen to be two exciting players who fit the rush LB mold extremely well and fit value wise. Azeez Ojulari and Jospeh Ossai. I have Ossai rated slightly higher on my board and love his fit in this defense as a better early down linebacker with a higher athletic ceiling in coverage and better length to entice Gettleman while avoiding combo blocks. The dude is no slouch as a pass rusher either. I love the player and love the fit in a defense that might just emerge in ‘21 if things go right. 20. *Cardinals*- Eric Stokes-CB-Georgia The Cardinals 2021 will have Patrick Peterson, Johnathan Joseph and Dre Kirkpatrick all hitting free agency next year, leaving just slot corner Byron Murphy and a soon to be 33 year old Robert Alford coming off a broken leg to end 2019, torn pec that cost him all of 2020 who can be cut to clear 7.5M of cap space. Corner jumps out as a need both long term and potentially from day one. Few players in this class have impressed me as much as Stokes has. Stokes has always been a technically sound player who shines bright outside in press, with loose hips and long arms to obscure passing lanes. But in 2020, he’s taken that next step into a playmaker. Despite teams tending to avoid throwing at him, he’s flashed greatly improved ball skills and even housed two of the picks he has. I think this is a true all around outside corner who can fit in any scheme and do whatever is asked of him. I don’t exactly see a pro bowl ceiling here, but I think Stokes might be the safest CB in this entire class and it wouldn’t shock me if he had the best rookie year of this solid corner class. People tend to underrate a good, polished CB2 chasing upside that doesn’t always fully develop. Draft good football players. 21. *Buccaneers*- Azeez Ojulari-Edge-Georgia In a down IDL class, I’m tempted to reach for Barmore here and with Donovan Smith able to be cut to clear 14.25M in 2021, a polished tackle like Eichenberg is somewhat enticing. But with both Lavonte David and Shaq Barrett set to be expensive free agents next year, I think a rush LB/edge hybrid is the biggest need and it just so happens Ojulari is still on the board. When I watch Ojulari I pretty much see Shaq Barrett. A smaller, still long bursty/bendy player who can rush the passer at an elite rate, but will struggle setting an edge. Barrett is a good player, but he’s going to demand a contract that will pay him more than he’s worth and take him into the wrong side of 30. Ojulari can replace something very close to Barrett on rushing downs while a cheap Anthony Nelson is already an elite edge setter on run downs. Lavonte David is a much harder player to replace IMO and they should give him the big contract. Between Nelson and Ojulari, I think they can replace Barrett for 20M less a year and honestly, the pairing has a higher ceiling if everything comes together. It will also help the Bucc’s line get younger, which is much needed for future outlook. I can’t think of a better coach than Todd Bowles to max out a guy like Ojulari. Love this fit. 22. *Dolphins*- Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah-LB-Notre Dame After addressing linebacker with pick number 11, the Dolphins double down and draft another at pick 22. If you’re going to start two monster rush LB like Kyle Van Noy and Micah Parsons, it sure as hell won’t hurt to have an absolute speed freak to fly around and neutralize both TE and speed backs. The closest thing I’ve seen to Owusu-Koramoah is basically the 2020 Seahawks version of Jamal Adams (minus the injury) undersized for an LB but incredibly fast, incredibly good at deciphering plays and a surprisingly good blitzer. The dude finishes tackles against future sunday morning players too. As mentioned earlier, Elandon Roberts and Jerome Baker ain’t it, especially in a mainly odd front defense. JOK offers a truly unique skill set that not only compliments the pieces already there well, but will be maximized by a coach like Flores. The Dolphins have needs on the O-line, receiver and RB, but you won’t find another JOK in the second round, where they have two picks. Perhaps they can target Owusu-Koramaoh’s son, Travis Etienne with one of those picks. 23. *Colts*- Jaelan Phillips-Edge-Miami (FL) The Colts have needs at WR,CB and will likely do their due diligence on the remaining QBs. However, the Colts top 3 snap getters on the edge (Houston, Muhammad and Autry) are all free agents, only Houston has been performing well and he’s already 32. Even if he returns, edge will be a need. While Phillips won’t be the top edge available on every team's board here due to a very small sample size and a long injury history, I have to imagine Ballard will be head over heals for this player. Ballard has shown in the past he wants to target athletes with length and Phillips has both in spades. The former #1 overall recruit has insane length, insane burst, elite bend,elite speed to power and knows how to use all four to be first to contact and shed tackles like snake skin. Phillips measurables and 2020 tape are clear cut first round grades and had he had three healthy years, he might be the top edge in the class. The dude even wins in coverage at 6’5 265. The question is, do you trust him to stay healthy. He’s the type of player that will be top 15 on 8 teams boards, mid day two on 10 teams boards and completely off of 14 teams boards. I think Ballard is going to fall in the first group of GMs and he will rush to the podium to get Phillips in the building. 24. *Browns*- Zaven Collins-LB-Tulsa The Browns have clear needs at edge and linebacker. If Owusu-Koramoah were on the board, he’d be the pick and Dylan Moses has to make them think. But I think they instead get them somebody who can do both. Andrew Berry has shown a strong correlation of draft picks to PFF grades and guess who PFF’s top graded LB in all of college football is? Zaven Collins. More than just questionably important player grades at Tulsa, Zaven Collins has the unteachable traits you can’t coach and scouting teams will love. 6’4 260 pound men shouldn’t be able to move like this. Collins is nimble and agile and is going to blow up the combine. I’d bet money on that. He uses this blend of size and agility to simple avoid blocks at Tulsa but has the size and length to easily disengage at any level. He is borderline elite in coverage and has bullied American conference passers into 2 pass deflections and 4 picks (which he’s returned for 152 yards and 2 TDs) in just 6 2020 games. Collins can rush the passer as well and has legit edge size. Collins currently plays more fast (which he is) than powerful (which he also is). I’d like to see him learn to use his size to initiate contact and bully people at the point of contact because he absolutely can, but I guess why do it when you can just avoid them completely. The game speeds up from the American conference to the AFC North, but I think Collins is a day one LB, special teams force and has potential to develop into a very special player. Watching him play, he reminds me of a cross between KJ Wright and Jamie Collins, but bigger. Fun Player and easy fit. 25. *Raiders Via Jaguars*- Christian Barmore-IDL-Alabama After trading back and acquiring an extra top 70 pick, the Raiders select the player they wanted all along. The Raiders need a more consistent pass rush. Clelin Ferell has taken a huge step forward in 2020, but he will always be a stop the run player more than a sack artist (as is Nassib), while I’m not ready to give up on Maxx Crosby, he hasn’t been the same player he was in 2019 (or close to it). Maurice Hurst has been their only good pass rusher for my money, but he will need help inside. Johnathan Hankins is a free agent, soon to be on the wrong side of 30. Vickers and Collins certainly aren’t the answer. In a down IDL class, Barmore is the only player I can see ging round one and is easily my top IDL in the class. Is he a polished player and tactician? Nope. NFL double teams will likely eat him if he can’t add more moves or play with better leverage. That said, if you try to double him, Hurst is gonna murder your quarterback. Barmore has rare length, bend and power for an interior player. He already wins against SEC lineman and can play all across the line despite being 310 pounds. When he wins, he wins quickly and is an immediate disruptive force up the middle. Put him outside in short yardage situations and back inside on clear passing downs and he will immediately be an upgrade for the black and silver. He won’t be a 3-down guy year one, but that doesn’t mean he won’t make an impact. Long term, the sky is the limit. This is the only IDL in this class I can envision making a pro bowl. He also just so happens to come from the winning culture that Gruden?Mayock love. It just makes too much sense not to happen. 26. *Jets Via Seattle*- Carlos Basham-Edge-Wake Forest It’s still TBD who will be the Jets DC in 2021, but I think they have personnel best suited for a true multiple front but could certainly use a genuinely polished power edge suited to play both 3-4 and 4-3 edge. Basham is that guy and while Joe Douglas has a love for quick twitch athletes off of the edge, I think Boogie Basham would make too much sense to pass up on here. Basham (who’s cousin Tarrell is a current Jet likely to be brought back for 2021) is a relentless load to handle on the perimeter who has the kind of day one polish this team needs. Basham has a fantastic grasp on how to clog gaps on run downs, is a sure tackler with his massive wingspan, sheds blocks with a very impressive and polished array of moves, never seems to be out of position, doesn’t over pursue and get out of position and man knows how to use his long-limbed frame to create chaos. Across his last 19 games, he has forced 7 fumbles and tipped 4 passes despite being double and triple teamed week in, week out. Basham isn’t a poor athlete by any means, but I would say he’s more of a day two bend/burst combo than typical day one. That said, he has day one starter polish at 285, makes the players around him better and creates turnovers. This isn’t your 10 sack a year guy, but it’s your 6-8 sack a year, consistent 3 down/scheme versatile edge who makes the players around him better and brings much needed leadership skills. 27. *Titans*- Dylan Moses-LB-Alabama I expect this to be one of my most controversial picks in this mock. With Clowney a free agent again, edge is a glaring need, but unless you want to reach big time for an edge there isn’t anybody left. With only 10M of cap space currently in 2021, Corey davis has likely priced himself out of town with a boom season. WR is a need but one that can be addressed later. Daquan Jones will need to be replaced at DT. But with Jayon Brown likely gone in 2021, I have to think the former LB and the former Patriot in Mike Vrabel is going to fall in love with Dylan Moses the player; as well as Dylan Moses the person. Moses is a freak athlete with a freak work ethic who clearly just loves the game of football. The movement skills, power and tackling ability are all special. That said, he’s had a somewhat down year. He has good instincts, but you can visually see him second guess himself and overthink plays. RPO’s, sudden moves and good routes have eaten him up in 2020. Who better to teach a special ball of clay how to turn his brain off than Vrabel? Moses will be a day one starter, immediate locker room leader and running back neutralizer in day one for the Titans. There will be some rough moments early on, but this is the kind of player Vrabel loves and the ceiling is really high for this pairing. A reach for Jason Oweh or Jay Tufele feel possible here as well, as could a Bateman or Marshall pick. 28. *Bills*- Shaun Wade-CB-Ohio St Bills could use an edge if they can’t bring back Murphy, would have to take a long look at Moses if he were on the board and could really use a Pat Freiermuth...but if the draft falls like this I expect them to run to the podium. Josh Norman, Levi Wallace and Daryl Worley are all free agents in 2021 and Taron Johnson isn’t particularly good. With just 4.8M in 2021, this likely means the Bills will need a minimum of one cheap starting CB and likely both a slot and outside guy. Wade can fill both roles and is simply too talented to remain on the board here. Easy pick to make. 29. *Packers*- Rashod Bateman-WR-Minnesota Do the Packers seemingly ever draft WR round one? No. Should they? Yep. Do they currently have the cap space to bring back Allan Lazard? Lol no. They have -18M in cap space next year. It’s worth noting that this means they are extremely unlikely to be able to resign Aaron Jones, which explains the weird AJ Dillon reach and opens up RB as a possibility. That makes me tempted to grab Kadarius Toney as a Kamara role hybrid, but that doesn’t seem like a Packers move. Terrace Marshall feels like a Packers pick, but he doesn’t block as well as Bateman and won’t be quite as good day one. I think Gutekunst will fall in love with Bateman’s boundary receiving skills, Rodgers will lobby hard for a receiver that wins with a skillset similar to Davante Adams and LaFleur will fall in love with Bateman’s alpha run-blocking game. Toss in the fact that Bateman in Green Bay will rip the heart out of Vikings fans and it’s an all around win. Linebacker is an absolutely glaring need, but all the good ones are gone and the Packers seem to hate drafting them even more than hate drafting receivers. Love this fit and pick. 30. *Chiefs*- Rashawn Slater-OT-Northwestern The Chiefs have had one hell of a run, but 2021 will be the beginning of having to pay the piper. Even without resigning Sammy Watkins, Charvarius Ward, Breeland, Nieman, Wilson, osemele, Rieters, Remmers, Wylie, Robinson, Lev Bell, Sorenson,kpassagnon and Pennell among players who saw heavy snaps in 2020; they will be -15M in 2021 cap space. And that’s BEFORE the roster gets expensive in 2022. This means, at minimum two of the Honey Badger, Mitchell Schwartz and Eric Fisher will be cap casualties. Basically the entire o-line and secondary will be needs, as well as 1-2 WR. Rashawn Slater of “the only player not to be sucked into the void by Chase Young in 2019” fame can play 4 of the line slots, moves incredibly well for a man his size, can play in cold weather and is apparently loved by “NFL types”. This feels like a pick the Chiefs have to make. 31. *Saints*- Tyson Campbell-CB-Georgia If you thought the Chiefs cap situation was bad….the Saints currently have -95M of cap space in 2021. -95M. Jared Cook, Alex Anzalone, Sheldon Rankins, Marcus Williams and Trey Hendrickson are impact free agents who won’t be able to be resigned. Making LB, FS, Edge and IDL big needs. Ryan Ramczyk, Marshon Lattimore, Malcolm Brown and Kwon Alexander almost 100% have to be cut. It’s a bad spot to be in. Tackle, QB, LB, DT and CB all stand out as the biggest needs. With two QB’s fully guaranteed over 33M in dead cap in 2021, reaching for a QB round one doesn’t seem likely. Jaylen Mayfield or a Liam Eichenberg seem possible, as could a Jay Tufele but there will be more potential day one starters there round two than CB. Tyson Campbell has injury concerns and has had a pretty poor 2020, but he looks built in a lab to be a CB1. I think this is the replacement for a Lattimore that the Saints simply can’t afford next year. It’s a very wide range of possible outcome player, but it’s a risk they have to take. 32. *Steelers*- Jalen Mayfield-OT-Michigan The Steelers are yet another team in 2021 cap hell. Sitting pretty at -20M in 2021, the Steelers will have Bud Dupree, Juju, James Conner, Matt Feiler, Cam Sutton, Mike Hilton, Robert Spillane and Tyson Alualu as free agent starters. Edge, OT, CB and RB all jump out as big needs even before cap casualties and the QB of the future still isn’t in the building. In particular, tackle, edge and RB jump out as needs. Jalen Mayfield is a lab built tackle with great length, power and agility wrapped up in a prototypical frame. He is not yet a finished product, who struggles against speed to power and gets over his toes at times. But he has the traits you can’t teach and should thrive in a power concept. Year one will be up and down and in a perfect world, he’d have a year or two to season. Maybe Eichenberg will be a better fit. But he just screams Steelers power football when he gets his lower half right. I can’t see Mike Tomlin go for a RB with the ball security issues Etienne has and while Harris will be tempting, the needs up front are just too much to pass up on a potential starter.
Yesterday my team had a bad day. Whenever they don't play well, we call them the Seachickens. As part if our healing, my family had some fun listing alternative loser names for all 32 teams. Original - Loser: Arizona Cardinals - Arizona Pigeons Atlanta Falcons - Atlanta Duckies Baltimore Ravens - Baltimore Crows Buffalo Bills - Buffalo Sauce Carolina Panthers - Caroilna Kittens Chicago Bears - Chicago Beards Cincinnati Bengals - Cincinnati Gingers Cleveland Browns - Cleveland Tan Dallas Cowboys - Dallas Jockies Denver Broncos - Denver Ponies Detroit Lions - Detroit Liars Green Bay Packers - Green Bay Cheez-its Houston Texans - Houston Whitney's Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Foals Jacksonville Jaguars - Jacsonville Calicos Kansas City Chiefs - Kansas City Chefs Las Vegas Raiders - Las Vegas Villagers Los Angeles Chargers - Los Angeles Static Los Angeles Rams - Los Angeles Sheep Miami Dolphins - Miami Fish Minnesota Vikings - Minnesota Looters New England Patriots - New England Patties New Orleans Saints - New Orleans Taints New York Giants - New York Smurfs New York Jets - New York Kites Philadelphia Eagles - Philadelphia Cheez Whiz Pittsburgh Steelers - Pittsburgh Stealers San Francisco 49ers - San Fransisco Onsies Seattle Seahawks - Seattle Seachickens Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Tampa Bay Buckaroos Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Minions Washington Football Team - Washington Georges What alternative names do you have for your team? What new rivalries would you like. Personally, I'm looking forward to these primetime matchups: The Georges vs The Whitneys The Cheez-Its vs The Cheez Whiz The Looters vs The Villagers The Taints vs The Beards The Jockies vs The Ponies The Kittens vs The Foals The Gingers vs The Tan The Chefs vs The Sauce And the logos and Moscots!! Anybody up for designing a Seachicken? We have also have a place in AZ, damn flying rats! If your team is still in it, may the odds be in your favor. If you're out, I find a healthy distraction helps.
Standings if NFL games this season only counted the SECOND half.
Rules: Only the second half points are counted. OT is not counted except if the teams are tied (e.g. in a 14-14 tie, the OT period would be used as a tiebreaker, essentially meaning the teams have to end both halves tied for OT to be counted). This is a follow-up to my previous post yesterday about first half records.
Team
Current Record
Hypothetical Record
AFC East
New England Patriots
4-6
6-4
Miami Dolphins
6-4
4-5-1
Buffalo Bills
7-3
3-7
New York Jets
0-10
2-8
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers
10-0
8-2
Baltimore Ravens
6-4
6-4
Cincinnati Bengals
2-7-1
4-6
Cleveland Browns
7-3
2-7-1
AFC South
Indianapolis Colts
7-3
7-3
Tennessee Titans
7-3
5-5
Houston Texans
3-7
4-5-1
Jacksonville Jaguars
1-9
4-6
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs
9-1
8-2
Denver Broncos
4-6
5-5
Las Vegas Raiders
6-4
5-5
Los Angeles Chargers
3-7
4-6
NFC East
Washington
4-7
8-3
Philadelphia Eagles
3-6-1
5-5
Dallas Cowboys
3-8
4-7
New York Giants
3-7
3-7
NFC North
Chicago Bears
5-5
6-3-1
Minnesota Vikings
4-6
5-5
Detroit Lions
4-7
3-8
Green Bay Packers
7-3
2-8
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
7-4
7-2-2
New Orleans Saints
8-2
5-5
Atlanta Falcons
3-7
3-7
Carolina Panthers
4-7
3-8
NFC West
Los Angeles Rams
7-3
9-0-1
Arizona Cardinals
6-4
9-1
Seattle Seahawks
7-3
5-4-1
San Francisco 49ers
4-6
3-6-1
Notes:
In the scenario where only the 1st half is played, the Bills would've lost to the Jets in their second meeting. In this scenario, the opposite occurs, and the Bills would've lost to the Jets in Week 1.
In either scenario, the Jets would be 2-8, with their other first half victory being vs. NE, while their other 2nd half victory would be vs. LAC.
New England is the favorite to win the AFC East for a twelfth consecutive season, and on the playoff hunt.
Pittsburgh does not go undefeated if only either half is played. In both cases, it would have an upset loss -- in the former, vs. BoB's Texans, in this scenario, vs. Denver.
Baltimore would start 5-0, before losing four of their last five beginning with a loss at Philadelphia. Similarly, Cincinnati would start 3-1, with a 3 game winning streak, before losing five of their last six.
The AFC West isn't very interesting in this scenario, win/loss totals would only go up or down by 1 for each team. Broncos are on the playoff hunt however, with the sixth and seventh seeds currently going to 5-5 teams.
Eagles would lose vs. Cincinnati but win at 49ers, vs. Ravens and Browns.
Washington hangs in there! This team doesn't quit. It would lose to "good" teams: the Ravens, Browns and Rams, but it would also be undefeated in division play.
My Packers would've lost their last seven consecutive games after starting 2-1 with a loss at Minnesota. (Oddly enough, Matt LaFleur is 11-5 in 2019 with the second half only) Likewise, Lions would start 3-1 before losing their their last seven straight.
Saints start 0-4, before winning five of their last six (with their lone loss a 1-point loss vs. Carolina).
Tampa is the lone team to have two ties (vs. Chicago and Los Angeles).
The Rams are undefeated! They have a tie against Tampa Bay. Cardinals are also a 9-win team, but they have a loss (against Washington, of all teams). They are the only NFC West team to not have a draw.
The 49ers would have a 1-1-1 record after 3 weeks.
There are no winless or 1-win teams. Scraping the bottom of the barrel are the Packers, Jets and Browns.
No division has a sub .500 division leader; every single one has at least a 6-win team.
Interestingly, Sean McVay and Sean McDermott have amazing records leading at halftime. McVay is 32-0, McDermott is 24-2. However, McVay would gain 2 wins in this scenario, while McDermott's Bills would go to last in the division.
Both teams that are 1-9 in the first half, Jacksonville and Washington, have many more. Jacksonville has 4, Washington has 8. (Although in the first half scenario, WFT has moved to 2-9 after yesterday's Dallas game)
The race for the NFC's lone by week is led by the Rams, followed by the Cardinals and Football Team.
On the AFC side, it's a dead heat between Kansas City and Pittsburgh, both sitting pretty at 8-2.
1 New England Patriots (12-4) 2 Buffalo Bills (10-6) 3 New York Jets (7-9) 4 Miami Dolphins (5-11)
Coaching Changes
The Jets did not make any major coaching changes this offseason, retaining HC Adam Gase, OC Dowell Loggains, and DC Gregg Williams.
Free Agency
Players Lost/Cut
Player
Position
New Team
Trevor Siemian
QB
Free Agent
Bilal Powell
RB
Free Agent
Ty Montgomery
RB
New Orleans
Robby Anderson
WR
Carolina
Demaryius Thomas
WR
Free Agent
Kelvin Beachum
LT
Arizona
Brent Qvale
LG
Houston
Ryan Kalil
C
Free Agent
Tom Compton
RG
San Francisco
Brandon Shell
RT
Seattle
Brandon Copeland
EDGE
New England
Paul Worrilow
ILB
Free Agent
Albert McClellan
ILB
Free Agent
Trumaine Johnson
CB
Free Agent
Darryl Roberts
FS
Detroit
Rontez Miles
FS
Free Agent
Blake Countess
DB
Free Agent
Lachlan Edwards
P
Free Agent
The Jets reshaped their weapons for Sam Darnold this offseason, losing three veterans and bringing in a number of free agents and draft picks. GM Joe Douglas opted not to re-sign RB Bilal Powell who the Jets drafted in 2011, and he remains a free agent. Most significantly, Douglas allowed his top offensive weapon in WR Robby Anderson to walk to Carolina on a 2-year, $20.0 MM deal, creating a void at outside receiver. The team has also not re-signed WR Demaryius Thomas, who filled in for Quincy Enunwa last season and remains a free agent.
The biggest change that the Jets made to their personnel this offseason was along the offensive line, and as such there were a number of veteran casualties. LT Kelvin Beachum started for the Jets from 2017 to 2019, but he seems to have regressed, but he projects to compete for Arizona on a 1-year deal. The Jets also let C Ryan Kalil go, who unretired to snap for Sam Darnold last offseason but disappointed and got injured, and he remains a free agent. RG Tom Compton was forced into action last season with the injury to Brian Winters, and he, as is characteristic of his NFL career thus far, struggled massively in run blocking and pass pro, but he projects to compete anyway next year for San Francisco on a 1-year deal. Joe Douglas and Adam Gase never expressed interest in RT Brandon Shell for the long term, benching him for the raw Chuma Edoga early in 2019, so it was not a surprise to see the Jets let Shell go to start for Seattle on a 2-year contract.
The Jets mostly kept their 7th-ranked total defense in tact this offseason, only losing two key pieces. EDGE Brandon Copeland left for New England on a 1-year contract, which is not a surprising location, as Copeland is a great utility player, functioning as a rush linebacker, an off-ball linebacker, and a core special teamer for the Jets in 2019. Similarly, Joe Douglas has not re-signed the versatile FS Rontez Miles, who has played high safety, box safety, and a key special-teams role during his seven-year Jets tenure, and he remains a free agent.
The Jets cut CB Trumaine Johnson, which was virtually a no-brainer after two injury-plagued seasons in which his lack of speed was frequently exposed. The only real decision was whether to cut Johnson immediately, which would have resulted in a $12.0 MM dead cap hit in 2020, or to designate Johnson as a post-June 1 cut, which would have resulted in a $4.0 MM dead cap hit in 2020 and a $8.0 MM dead cap hit in 2021. Joe Douglas opted for the latter, meaning that the Jets saved a total of $11.0 MM by cutting Johnson in 2020. Grade: A
The Jets cut FS Darryl Roberts in mid-March. The Jets had high hopes for Roberts following the 2018 season, prompting them to sign him to a three-year contract with an out after one year. Roberts had a rocky first eight games of the season at cornerback before injuring his calf and being benched in favor of Maulet and Austin. Roberts remained a special-teams asset and good safety depth in December, but ultimately GM Joe Douglas decided he could cut Roberts, save $6.0 MM, and look elsewhere for a replacement. Grade: B
Players Signed
Player
Position
Old Team
Length
Salary
Joe Flacco
QB
Denver
1 year
$1.5 MM
David Fales
QB
NY Jets
1 year
$0.9 MM
Frank Gore
RB
Buffalo
1 year
$1.1 MM
Breshad Perriman
WR
Tampa Bay
1 year
$6.5 MM
Josh Doctson
WR
Minnesota
1 year
$0.9 MM
Daniel Brown
TE
NY Jets
1 year
$0.8 MM
Alex Lewis
LG
NY Jets
3 years
$18.6 MM
Greg Van Roten
LG
Carolina
3 years
$10.5 MM
Josh Andrews
LG
Indianapolis
1 year
$1.0 MM
Connor McGovern
C
Denver
3 years
$27.0 MM
George Fant
RT
Seattle
3 years
$27.3 MM
Jordan Jenkins
EDGE
NY Jets
1 year
$3.9 MM
Neville Hewitt
ILB
NY Jets
1 year
$2.0 MM
Patrick Onwuasor
ILB
Baltimore
1 year
$2.0 MM
James Burgess
ILB
NY Jets
1 year
$0.9 MM
Pierre Desir
CB
Indianapolis
1 year
$4.0 MM
Arthur Maulet
CB
NY Jets
1 year
$0.9 MM
Quincy Wilson
CB
Indianapolis
1 year
$1.3 MM
Brian Poole
NCB
NY Jets
1 year
$5.0 MM
Bennett Jackson
FS
NY Jets
1 year
$0.7 MM
Jets GM Joe Douglas used to work in Baltimore, where he was supposedly very influential in the decision to draft QB Joe Flacco, so this signing is far from surprising. While Joe Flacco may be trending down in his play, $1.5 MM feels like a bargain for the chance at solid veteran insurance for Sam Darnold. However, his neck surgery will supposedly keep him out for the opening of the season. Grade: B
After the draft, the Jets signed RB Frank Gore to a 1-year, $1.1 MM deal to ensure that he will play his 16th season in green and white. Gore is a physical back who played under Jets HC Adam Gase in San Francisco in 2008 and in Miami in 2018. Gore can take some of the pressure off of starting RB Le'Veon Bell in 2020 as the Jets move towards a "runningback by committee" system. Grade: B
The Jets-Ravens connection proved strong again with the signing of WR Breshad Perriman. Perriman was a first-round pick for the Ravens in 2015 while current Jets' Director of Player Personnel Chad Alexander was with Baltimore, and though he never really produced at a high level there, he had a resurgence in 2019 for the Buccaneers. Especially in November and December, where he performed at a 1000-yard rate projected over a whole season, Perriman proved to be a legitimate outside option across from Mike Evans with Chris Godwin in the slot. Perriman is a big, athletic receiver who projects to be worth the $6.5 MM deal to get a shot on the outside. Grade: A
Yet again, the Jets signed a former Ravens player, re-signing LG Alex Lewis, who played 2016 through 2018 with Baltimore before GM Joe Douglas traded for him in the 2019 offseason. Lewis stepped in for Kelechi Osemele last season and was a serviceable starter. Lewis is good in pass pro, versatile, and a good zone fit as a guard. However, Lewis could touch up on his penalties and overall run blocking for 2020. GM Joe Douglas only gave Lewis a 3-year, $18.6 MM deal which actually has an out after 1 year, which seems like a solid price to get another look at a 28-year-old guard who might be part of the team's future. Grade: B
The Jets' biggest free-agent singing in 2020 in terms of guaranteed money was former Broncos' C Connor McGovern at $18.0 MM. McGovern is an athletic lineman with experience at guard and center. He is a powerful center, and that serves him well in the run game. However, McGovern has a weak anchor and inconsistent pad level and leverage in the pass game. For this reason, despite the need at center, Joe Douglas' decision to commit two years to a center who is, perhaps, below average in pass pro is worthy of scrutiny. Grade: C
The biggest heavily-scrutinized acquisition that the Jets made in 2020 was probably signing former Seahawks RT George Fant to a 3-year, $27.3 MM contract. Fant functioned primarily as a swing tackle and as a sixth offensive lineman in Seattle, as he could not see the field as a starter over Germain Ifedi. Fant remains a very raw pass protector in terms of his anchor and the fluidity of his kickslide, and his ability in the run is only theoretically a strength in zone blocking. While Fant's contract has an out in 2021, it is a bit strange to see him making a similar salary to Bryan Bulaga and Halapoulvaati Vaitai. Grade: D
The Jets were patient in re-signing their own free agents, which probably helped get good value retaining EDGE Jordan Jenkins. Despite notching 15 combined sacks over the past two seasons, Jenkins only got $3.9 MM from the Jets. The sack number is a bit misleading, though, due to a high quantity of "coverage sacks" and a relatively modest pressure rate. However, Jenkins is a fine run defender, and he'll slot in as EDGE #1 again for the Jets in 2020. Grade: B
The Jets also acquired a former Raven on defense with LB Patrick Onwuasor, and they only paid $2.0 MM to bring him in. Onwuasor is an undersized linebacker but a good linear athlete, and while he struggles reading offensive cues and getting off of blocks to stop the run, he is a really good coverage player with the ability to get home as a pass rusher. Onwuasor has played next to CJ Mosley before, and he could potentially contribute in subpackage and base 4-3 looks, in addition to in a depth capacity and on special teams. Grade: A
With the cuts of Trumaine Johnson and Darryl Roberts, GM Joe Douglas decided to fill a starting cornerback spot with former Colts CB Pierre Desir on a 1-year, prove-it deal. Desir lacks longspeed, but he is a long, physical corner with decent short-area quickness. However, Desir lacks refinement in press and zone. With that said, $4.0 MM is a reasonable price to get a fill-in outside cornerback in 2020. Grade: B
This signing probably didnt get much national coverage, but re-signing CB Arthur Maulet could pay huge dividends for the Jets in 2020. In 2019, Trumaine Johnson and Darryl Roberts failed to hit expectations, forcing Maulet, Nate Hairston, and rookie Blessuan Austin into the outside cornerback rotation. Maulet is the only one of that group who was not benched for performance reasons. For a mere $0.9 MM, retaining a guy in Maulet who is familiar with the defense who will compete to start in 2020 is seemingly a no-brainer. Grade: A
Instead of making another draft choice, the Jets decided to trade pick 211 for former Colts CB Quincy Wilson. Wilson, a former 2nd-round pick, was a raw prospect coming out of Florida, and his penalties and lack of zone instincts followed him to the pros and led to his benching. However, Wilson is a big, long, and athletic corner, and at only 23 years of age, it makes sense that GM Joe Douglas wants to bring him on board to compete in an iffy cornerback room. Grade: C
This signing went somewhat under-the-radar, but Jets fans were thrilled when the team retained NCB Brian Poole to play slot on a 1-year, $5.0 MM contract. Poole is a good run defender with an ability to rush the passer, and he had a career year in coverage in 2019. Brian Poole is a good fit for Gregg Williams' defense, so retaining him to start in 2020 for a mere $5.0 MM seems to be a good value. Grade: B
Draft
Round
Number
Pos
Player
School
1
11
LT
Mekhi Becton
Louisville
2
59
WR
Denzel Mims
Baylor
3
68
FS
Ashtyn Davis
Cal
3
79
EDGE
Jabari Zuniga
Florida
4
120
RB
La'Mical Perine
Florida
4
125
QB
James Morgan
FIU
4
129
LT
Cameron Clark
Charlotte
5
158
CB
Bryce Hall
Virginia
6
191
P
Braden Mann
Texas A&M
The eleventh pick, Louisville LT Mekhi Becton, was my favorite acquisition that the Jets made during the 2020 offseason. While there were other options on the board, namely Tristan Wirfs, Henry Ruggs, and CeeDee Lamb, that the Jets presumably could have considered, Becton was the exact player I thought the Jets should take when he fell to 11. The first thing that stands out about Becton is his massive size, as he's 6'7", 364 lbs, with a monstrous 83-inch wingspan. Becton, however, is much more than a heavy lineman, as he defies expectations with his exceptional 5.1-flat movement skills. Becton is a hulking run blocker who is inexperienced but a fluid mover in pass pro. Becton projects to replace Kelvin Beachum and slide in at left tackle immediately in his rookie season. Grade: A
Wanting to add more picks to build the Jets in his image in his first year as GM, Joe Douglas opted to move down from 48 to 59 in the second round. This was a costly move, as it caused the Jets to miss out on AJ Epenesa and Darrell Taylor, but the Jets managed to grab a falling Senior Bowl standout in Baylor WR Denzel Mims. Mims is a height-weight-speed freak with good length, hands, and blocking. Mims should start at outside receiver across from Breshad Perriman in year one. Grade: B
The Jets' first third-round pick of 2020 was a real surprise to many fans, as although the team already had arguably the best safety tandem in football with Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye, the Jets drafted Cal FS Ashytn Davis with the 68th-overall draft selection. Davis is a freak athlete who played high safety, box safety, and even slot corner at Cal and would almost definitely have been drafted significantly higher but for teams' inability to medically check his groin post-surgery. It's possible that Gregg Williams will utilize Davis as a big nickel defender this year, but this selection could also give the Jets flexibility if Marcus Maye, who is a free agent in 2021, or Jamal Adams, with whom the Jets are supposedly far apart on a long-term contract, depart. Grade: B
Despite having a starting EDGE tandem consisting of Jordan Jenkins and Tarell Basham and losing Brandon Copeland to New England, the Jets did not add outside talent to the position group before the draft, forcing GM Joe Douglas to pick Florida EDGE Jabari Zuniga at 79 overall. Zuniga is a good linear athlete with a decent ability to set the edge and some interior versatility, and he could project to replace Jordan Jenkins as a starter in 2021. However, Zuniga struggles with stiff hips and slow reaction time at the snap, and plus he missed most of the 2019 season with ankle injuries. The Jets probably hit the right position with Zuniga, who should factor into the pass-rush rotation with Jenkins, Basham, and Kyle Phillips, but it's hard to justify drafting Zuniga with guys like Jonathan Greenard, Terrell Lewis, and DJ Wonnum still on the board. Grade: C
With his first day-3 selection as GM, Joe Douglas chose Florida RB La'Mical Perine. Perine is a physical runner with some receiving versatility out of the backfield. However, Perine doesn't really offer very much in terms of speed or vision, and drafting a RB instead of going offensive line, pass rush, receiver, or cornerback with Le'Veon Bell already in the fold was a curious move. Grade: D
The second of the Jets' 4th-round picks probably stirred up the most intrigue, as most casual football fans probably didn't expect the Jets to draft a quarterback. With that said, the Jets have gone a combined 0-6 over the past two seasons in games that Darnold did not start, and at this time David Fales was slated to be the backup quarterback, so drafting FIU QB James Morgan in the fourth round, which I thought was a value anyway, was a good choice. Morgan is a thick quarterback with a live arm with developmental potential. Grade: B
With their third pick in the fourth round, the Jets chose a player with the potential to start soon on the offensive line in Charlotte LT Cameron Clark. Clark is a powerful lineman who started at left tackle in his rSo, rJr, and rSr seasons and has good short-area quickness despite his 5.29 forty. Some have floated Cameron Clark as a potential convert to guard for the Jets due to his sloppy pass-pro footwork. Grade: B
The Jets addressed the secondary in round 5, taking Virginia CB Bryce Hall at 158 overall. Hall is a long, tall corner who moves well, has zone instincts, and contributes in the run game. However, Hall's struggles in press and off-man probably project him better as a safety in the NFL rather than as a corner, which doesn't seem to be a need with Adams, Maye, and Davis already in the fold, and Hall's ankle injury prevented him from working out at the Combine, leaving teams in a state of uncertainty about his health and his testing numbers. Grade: C
With their 6th-round pick, the Jets went special teams with Texas A&M P Braden Mann. Mann has a big leg and can handle kickoff duties. Mann projects to replace Lachlan Edwards, but this may have been a tad high for a punter. Grade: C
The Jets had an intriguing undrafted free agent class with a number of guys who warranted day-3 draft consideration, but two guys that I liked pre-draft stood out as being worth mentioning. Georgia WR Lawrence Cager is a physical receiver at the line of scrimmage and a redzone threat. Alabama NCB Shyheim Carter played the STAR role in Nick Saban's defense, and he proved his versatility as a college approximation of a nickel corner, a box safety, a high safety, and a subpackage linebacker, and he likely would have been drafted if teams had been able to conduct medical rechecks on him after a minor injury prevented him from working out at the Combine.
Other Offseason News
After tensions flared at the trade deadline last season, SS Jamal Adams expressed his frustrations with a lack of a contract extension on social media before supposedly requesting a trade in June. However, according to Connor Hughes at The Athletic, the Jets still hope to sign Adams to a long-term contract. Reportedly, over half of the teams in the NFL have expressed interest in adding the defensive star, but the Dallas Cowboys have gotten the most traction as a potential trade partner, with La'El Collins and Michael Gallup coming up as potential trade targets. Jamal Adams is still on his rookie contract for 2020, and the Jets accepted his fifth-year option for 2021.
Also, this isn't really news, but former Jets' All Pro CB Darrelle Revis continued his spat with 49ers' All Pro Richard Sherman, culminating in this unusual Tweet:
3 facts here. @RSherman_25 •I’m more handsome than him according to women. •I’m better at corner than him according to everyone. •Shutdown corners are paid more than Zone 3 corners which I’m currently still am today.
Projected Starting Lineup
Pos
1
2
3
4
off
QB
Sam Darnold
J Flacco
J Morgan
RB
Le'Veon Bell
F Gore
L Perine
T Cannon
WR
Breshad Perriman
J Smith
WR
Denzel Mims
V Smith
SWR
Jamison Crowder
B Berrios
TE
Chris Herndon
R Griffin
D Brown
LT
Mekhi Becton
C Clark
LG
Alex Lewis
G Van Roten
C
Connor McGovern
J Harrison
RG
Brian Winters
RT
George Fant
C Edoga
def
EDGE
Jordan Jenkins
K Phillips
EDGE
Tarell Basham
J Zuniga
DT
Henry Anderson
N Shepherd
F Fatukasi
DT
Quinnen Williams
S McLendon
ILB
CJ Mosley
N Hewitt
B Cashman
ILB
Avery Williamson
P Onwuasor
H Langi
CB
Pierre Desir
B Hall
CB
Arthur Maulet
Q Wilson
NCB
Brian Poole
S Carter
SS
Jamal Adams
A Davis
FS
Marcus Maye
M Farley
spec
K
Sam Ficken
P
Braden Mann
LS
Thomas Hennessy
Roster Bubble (In): RB Trenton Cannon, WR Jeff Smith, ILB Harvey Langi, NCB Shyheim Carter, K Sam Ficken
Roster Bubble (Out): WR Josh Doctson, TE Trevon Wesco, LG Josh Andrews, EDGE John Franklin-Myers, CB Blessuan Austin
Position Group Strengths and Weaknesses
QB - Neutral/Weakness Jets fans aren't going to love this one, but Sam Darnold is arguably still a bottom-third passer going into 2020. Darnold has been surrounded by a poor supporting cast over the past two years, including a turnstile of receivers with drop issues across Robby Anderson and linemen with pass-pro issues, but he certainly has not dominated like other young quarterbacks such as Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, and Carson Wentz. The Jets have a good group behind Darnold, though, including Joe Flacco, who supposedly won't be ready for week 1, and James Morgan, a 4th-round rookie out of FIU.
Backfield - Strength Le'Veon Bell, who is making $15.5 MM this season, is an all-around back in terms of running between the tackles, receiving, and pass protecting. The Jets also signed the ageless wonder Frank Gore to take some of the pressure off of Bell. Joe Douglas also drafted La'Mical Perine to contribute in the backfield.
Pass Catchers - Neutral/Weakness In 2020, the Jets are banking on production from unproved pass catchers who have performed well in limited sample sizes. Joe Douglas signed Breshad Perriman, who had a very productive end to his 2019 season, to man one of the outside receiver spots. He also drafted Denzel Mims out of Baylor to presumably also start as a rookie. Jamison Crowder broke out last year as an above-average slot receiver, and Chris Herndon missed virtually all of last season but played well in his rookie season as a tight end. The receiver depth lacks standout names, with Vyncint Smith as the presumptive WR4, but the tight end depth is strong, with Ryan Griffin returning on a multi-year extension.
Offensive Line - Weakness The Jets entirely remade their offensive line, and while each position is arguably improved on paper, it is still young and unproven. Most significantly, at LT, Joe Douglas drafted Mekhi Becton at 11, who is already a really good run blocker with the tools to grow in pass pro. Douglas also re-signed Alex Lewis, who is probably serviceable but below average, to start at left guard, but he could face competition from 4th-round rookie Cameron Clark. The Jets signed Connor McGovern to start at C, and while he should solidify the position for at least the next two years, he is not extraordinary. Right guard shapes up to be an open competition between incumbent Brian Winters, who is serviceable when healthy, and new acquisition Greg Van Roten. At RT, the Jets signed George Fant, who played mostly as a swing tackle or sixth offensive lineman for Seattle to compete with Chuma Edoga.
Defensive Line - Weakness This is a tough pill to swallow for Jets fans, but the days of Muhammad Wilkerson, and Leonard Williams are over. At EDGE, the Jets have arguably the worst duo in the NFL with Jordan Jenkins and Tarell Basham presumably playing as starters, with rookie 3rd-round pick Jabari Zuniga and 2019 UDFA Kyle Phillips playing rotationally and John Franklin-Myers competing for snaps. Starting on the interior, the Jets have Quinnen Williams, the former third-overall selection who notched 2.5 sacks and 4 TFLs in his rookie season and was arrested in March on a weapons charge, and Henry Anderson, a nimble interior penetrator who had a breakout year in 2018 before regressing to the mean in 2019. Nathan Shepherd, Steve McLendon, and Foley Fatukasi should all see plenty of tread on the DL, as well.
Linebackers - Strength The Jets had a nearly-comical number of injuries at off-ball linebacker last season, but on paper, the unit appears very strong. CJ Mosley, 2019 FA acquisition, missed almost the entire 2019 season with a groin injury, but when healthy, he is one of the best linebackers in football. Avery Williamson, who projects to start across Mosley in 2020, is a good run defender but missed the entire 2019 year with a torn ACL. Returning starter Neville Hewitt, cheap FA acquisition Patrick Onwuasor, and promising second-year player Blake Cashman could each play in various base or subpackage roles, in addition to on special teams.
Secondary - Neutral Similar to the defensive line, the Jets secondary is a tale of two halves, in this case safeties and cornerbacks. At safety, the Jets have reigning All Pro Jamal Adams and solid free safety Marcus Maye returning, in addition to the versatile 3rd-round pick Ashtyn Davis out of Cal. Outside cornerback is in flux, as new acquisition Pierre Desir should lock up one spot, while Arthur Maulet, Quincy Wilson, 5th-round rookie Bryce Hall, and Blessuan Austin could compete for the other starting spot, with last year's breakout player Brian Poole locking up the slot. Nate Hairston and Shyheim Carter could compete for other key depth roles in the secondary.
Special Teams - Strength/Neutral At kicker, the Jets had a rocky performance last year, so they brought in Brett Maher to compete with last year's starter Sam Ficken. At punter, the Jets have rookie Braden Mann, who handles kickoffs and whose 47.1 yards per punt would have ranked 4th in the NFL last year. At longsnapper, Thomas Hennessy is an asset in coverage and will return in 2020. Additionally, WR Vyncint Smith and FS Matthias Farley project to play major roles in kick coverage next season, with other jobs up for grabs.
Schedule Predictions
Week 1 at Buffalo: L - Other than the loss of Shaq Lawson and the additions of Stefon Diggs and AJ Epenesa, the Bills mostly had a quiet offseason, though with encouraging performances from young players in Josh Allen, Ed Oliver, Tremaine Edmunds, and Tre'Davious White and with the team coming off of a 10-6 campaign, there’s a lot about which to be enthusiastic in Buffalo. The Bills, who went 10-6 last year and made the playoffs, beat the Jets here in their home opener. Record: 0-1
Week 2 vs San Francisco: L - The 49ers took a huge leap in 2019, marching through the NFC and into the Super Bowl, and the additions of Trent Williams, Brandon Aiyuk, and Javon Kinlaw should keep them competitive in 2020. If Jamal Adams is on the team, he might be able to get in George Kittle's way, but nevertheless the 49ers should be one of the NFL's most well-rounded football teams, and so it would be difficult to envision the Jets winning in week 2. Record: 0-2
Week 3 at Indianapolis: L - The Colts had a big free agency period, signing Philip Rivers and adding DeForest Buckner in a trade while retaining their entire offensive line. While the Jets went 7-9 last season, just like the Colts did, the Colts probably are the favorites to win at home, especially with the advantage that the Indianapolis offensive line should have over the New York pass rush. Record: 0-3
Week 4 vs Denver: L - While the Broncos went 7-9 last season, they have championship aspirations in 2020, as they went 4-1 in Drew Lock's starts last year and added Melvin Gordon, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, and Albert Okwuegbunam to a group of weapons already containing Philip Lindsay, Courtland Sutton, Noah Fant, and Jeff Heuerman while retaining defensive stars in Von Miller, AJ Johnson, and Justin Simmons. Though it is a home game, the Jets should be seen as heavy underdogs in week 4. Record: 0-4
Week 5 vs Arizona: W - The Cardinals look poised to improve in 2020, with the additions of DeAndre Hopkins, Jordan Phillips, and Isaiah Simmons, but questions remain with the offensive line and defensive line, in addition to with the poor playcalling from Kingsbury and Joseph at times during last season. This could be a key game for Quinnen Williams, Henry Anderson, Steve McLendon, and the interior defensive line to feast on a poor Cardinals' interior offensive line and for Gregg Williams to outmatch Kingsbury and Murray at home. Record: 1-4
Week 6 at LA Chargers: L - The Chargers revamped their team this offseason, adding Justin Herbert in the draft and surrounding him with Bryan Bulaga, Trai Turner, and Joe Reed on offense and Kenneth Murray and Chris Harris on defense. Though the quarterback situation is in flux in LA, it’s unlikely that the Jets will go on the road to the West Coast and beat an otherwise well-rounded team. Record: 1-5
Week 7 vs Buffalo: W - The Jets have beat the Bills at least once in 8 of the last 10 seasons, and so the Jets should have a shot to win one at home. Record: 2-5
Week 8 at Kansas City: L - The Chiefs has a pretty quiet offseason aside from locking up Patrick Mahomes and Chris Jones on long-term deals, as they added Mike Remmers, Taco Charlton, Willie Gay, and Lucas Niang while losing Stefen Wisniewski, Emmanuel Ogbah, Reggie Ragland, and Kendall Fuller. Despite the offseason losses, Reid and Mahomes should easily be able to storm past the Jets at home. Record: 2-6
Week 9 vs New England: W - The Patriots took a hit this offseason, obviously headlined by the loss of Tom Brady but also supplemented by key defensive losses in Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins, and Duron Harmon in addition to a general lack of attention towards improving a lackluster wide receiver corps. The Jets haven't beat the Patriots since their week 16 overtime thriller in 2015, but a November home game could be a good chance to do it, as the Patriots don't really possess the weapons to exploit issues with the Jets' cornerbacks nor the pass rush to exploit issues with the Jets' offensive line. Record: 3-6
Week 10 at Miami: W - The Dolphins had a very poor 2019, finishing 5-11 with the 27th-ranked total offense and the 30th-ranked total defense, and as such they had an incredibly busy offseason, adding Matt Breida, Ereck Flowers, Ted Karras, Kyle Van Noy, Shaq Lawson, Emmanuel Ogbah, Elandon Roberts, and Byron Jones in free agency and Tua Tagovailoa, Austin Jackson, Noah Igbinoghene, Robert Hunt, Raekwon Davis, and Solomon Kindley in the draft. However, in Miami before the bye would be a good chance for Adam Gase to get a revenge game win, seeing as the Dolphins still have weaknesses all over their roster including quarterback, offensive tackle, and edge rusher. Record: 4-6
WEEK 11 BYE
Week 12 vs Miami: L - With all their offseason additions, the Dolphins figure to match up fairly evenly with the Jets in 2020, and so it's likely that the two teams will split the season series. Record: 4-7
Week 13 vs Las Vegas: W - The Raiders had a very busy offseason, adding Jason Witten, Maliek Collins, Nick Kwiatkoski, Prince Amukamara, and Damarious Randall in free agency and Henry Ruggs, Damon Arnette, Lynn Bowden, Bryan Edwards, and Amik Robertson in the draft with their only major losses being Darryl Worley and Karl Joseph. At home against a West Coast opponent, the Jets would be wise to take advantage of some of the Raiders’ weaknesses in this game, including inexperience at wide receiver, edge rusher, linebacker, and cornerback. Record: 5-7
Week 14 at Seattle: L - The Seahawks went 11-5 last season and were one play away from securing the top seed in the NFC, so their offseason was pretty quiet, mostly focusing on the offensive line with the losses of Germain Ifedi, DJ Fluker, and George Fant and the additions of free agents Brandon Shell, BJ Finney, and Cedric Ogbuehi, and draft pick Damien Lewis. Pete Carroll is one of the best coaches in football today, and in this late-season matchup at Seattle he’ll have the personnel advantage against the Jets offense, which lacks talented weapons and blockers. Record: 5-8
Week 15 at LA Rams: L - The Rams regressed to 9-7 last year and then had a difficult offseason, losing Todd Gurley, Brandin Cooks, Dante Fowler, and Nickell Robey-Coleman, with their only major addition being A’Shawn Robinson. The 2020 Rams are not the Super Bowl Rams of the past, but with both McVay and Goff still on board, the Rams have to be favorites to take this late-season home game against the Jets. Record: 5-9
Week 16 vs Cleveland: W - The Browns had a busy offseason, hiring head coach Kevin Stefanski, losing Greg Robinson, Joe Schobert, and Damarious Randall, signing Austin Hooper, Jack Conklin, Andrew Billings, Karl Joseph, and Damarious Randall, and drafting Jedrick Wills, Grant Delpit, and Jacob Phillips. Despite these additions, however, Cleveland still has a new, inexperienced offensive playcaller at head coach and a question mark at quarterback, and Gregg Williams generally handles quarterbacks who struggle with post-snap reads well with disguised coverages and aggressive blitz packages. Record: 6-9
Week 17 at New England: L - With the expanded playoffs, the Patriots have an even greater chance to make the postseason this year than they otherwise would, so this late-season match in Foxborough could be a consequential, divisional-revenge game for New England. Record: 6-10
Final Record: 6-10 While I firmly believe that the Jets improved significantly this offseason, especially in terms of the offensive line and getting players back from injury, this year’s schedule is substantially more difficult that last year’s, which could result in less games in the wins column for 2020. Last year, the Jets closed out the back-half of their season going 6-2 playing against rookie Daniel Jones, rookie Dwayne Haskins, Carr, Dalton, Fitzpatrick, Lamar Jackson, rookie Devlin Hodges, and Matt Barkley, and this year the Jets have to play both the AFC West and the NFC West, which is a jump in competition level.
Training Camp Battles
WR #2: Denzel Mims vs Vyncint Smith Jets fans would hope that starting receiver isn’t much of a battle, but since rookie wideouts traditionally are been known to take longer learning the playbook, the other receiver spot next to Perriman and Crowder is in flux. Denzel Mims, the rookie receiver from Baylor, is the odds-on favorite to get a starting role and to play as a deep threat and red-zone threat in year one. However, if Mims proves to be too raw off the bat, the Jets could fall back on Vyncint Smith, who had 17 receptions last year and showed his value as a deep threat.
Left Guard: Alex Lewis vs Cameron Clark Following a 2019 season where Alex Lewis spot-started in place of Kelechi Osemele, the Jets rewarded him with a 3 year, $18.6 MM contract, and he goes into 2020 as the favorite to start at left guard once again. With that being said, the possibility exists that rookie tackle Cameron Clark out of Charlotte will kick inside and compete at left guard.
Right Guard: Brian Winters vs Greg Van Roten After a 2019 season in which Brian Winters went down with a shoulder injury in week 10, many expected the Jets to cut him, but he instead will return as the incumbent starter at right guard. However, new free agent acquisition Greg Van Roten could switch to the right side and compete against Winters to start.
Right Tackle: George Fant vs Chuma Edoga After the Jets had a poor performance form their offensive line in 2019, GM Joe Douglas brought in competition at all position, including at right tackle. George Fant, former Seattle swing tackle, is the presumptive favorite to land the starting job, despite his lack of starting experience. Chuma Edoga could compete as well, but his performance in both run blocking and pass pro was so shaky last year that he needed extensive help from tight ends.
EDGE #2: Tarell Basham vs Kyle Phillips vs Jabari Zuniga vs John Franklin-Myers The Jets started Jordan Jenkins and Tarell Basham at edge rusher last season, so it was somewhat of a shock to see them add absolutely no outside talent until the middle of the third round, and so now Gregg Williams and the defensive staff are forced to make the pitiful decision between starting Basham, Kyle Phillips, Jabari Zuniga, or John Franklin-Myers across from Jenkins. Basham, who the Jets claimed off waivers in 2018, is the odds-on favorite to start once again after only notching 2 sacks and 4 quarterback hits in 54% of the Jets' defensive snaps. Kyle Phillips, the second-year player from Tennessee who was a five-star high-school recruit, is a thicker lineman best suited to play on run downs who could push for starting snaps as well. Jabari Zuniga, 3rd-round rookie out of Florida, is a third contender for the starting job, but his interior versatility and similarity to Jenkins in terms of his stiffness and poor pad level could suggest the Jets envision him in more of a rotational role. Franklin-Myers, a large and athletic pass rusher who missed last season with an undisclosed injury after the Jets claimed him off waivers from the Rams, could compete for a large snap share with a strong camp.
DT #2: Henry Anderson vs Nathan Shepherd This battle won't get much media coverage, as both Anderson and Shepherd project to get plenty of tread on the New York defensive line, but nevertheless the two will compete in training camp for the upper hand in the snap count. Henry Anderson, incumbent starter and penetrating defensive lineman, saw his production fall off a bit in 2019, in part due to a nagging shoulder injury. Nathan Shepherd saw his role increase in the back half of the season after a suspension sidelined him from weeks two through eight, and with a good camp, he could establish himself as the primary nimble-footed complement to the heftier, run-stopping trio of Williams, McLendon, and Fatukasi.
CB #2: Arthur Maulet vs Quincy Wilson vs Bryce Hall vs Blessuan Austin The outside cornerback spot across from Pierre Desir is probably the most open starting battle on the team. Arthur Maulet, the undersized but physical cornerback out of Memphis, is probably the favorite to start after outplaying Johnson and Roberts last season to win the left cornerback job. Quincy Wilson, the former second-round pick, should be Maulet's primary competition after the Jets traded a draft pick to acquire him from the Colts. Bryce Hall, the rookie 5th-round corner from Virginia, is a darkhorse to start as well if he is healthy to start the season. Blessuan Austin, the former 6th-round pick, might factor into the competition, but he'll have to climb out of Gregg Williams' doghouse after reacting poorly to his week-16 benching last season.
Kicker: Sam Ficken vs Brett Maher Sam Ficken, who hit 70% of his kicks last season, will compete with Brett Maher, who hit 67% of his kicks last season, for the starting kicker job, but neither candidate should have to handle kickoffs with rookie punter Braden Mann in the fold.
Offensive and Defensive Schemes
Adam Gase, head coach and offensive playcaller for the Jets, runs a zone-blocking, short-passing offense mostly out of 11 personnel while also mixing in some 2-TE sets. In the run game, Gase is willing to run gap concepts based on his offensive line personnel, but he favors his inside zone running playcalls. In the pass game, Gase likes to stack his receivers, throw checkdowns, split his backs out wide, and utilize the sidelines.
Gregg Williams, defensive coordinator for the Jets, runs a 3-4 hybrid, blitz-heavy defense with an emphasis on zone coverage. In the front seven, Williams has used both 3-4 and 4-3 base packages, though he mostly uses nickel fronts and one-gapping penetration schemes. In the secondary, Williams stresses MOFC shells, press-zone concepts, and disguised coverages and blitzes.
Plays and Fades: NFL Week 3 Fantasy Football Predictions
Every NFL week, we'll go game by game and name a Play and a Fade for each contest. Plays and fades are relative to their consensus rankings and salaries on DraftKings and FanDuel. Meaning the Play will not always be the player I expect to have the most fantasy points for a given game and the Fade will not always be a player I expect to get zero snaps.
Miami Dolphins vs Jacksonville Jaguars
PLAY: James Robinson
The Jacksonville Jaguars like to have a workhorse running back and have made it clear that James Robinson is the guy for them. The undrafted rookie RB is averaging a solid 5.1 YPC on 32 carries. The Miami Dolphins have been decent against the run, but I expect the Jags to hop in front of this one and give Robinson a large workload.
FADE: Keelan Cole
Keelan Cole has been on fire to start the season. 11 catches for 105 yards and 2 TDs in Week 1 and Week 2 combined. However, those 11 catches came on 12 targets. I am not expecting Cole to keep up that type of efficiency. DJ Chark has been lightly used to start the season and I'm expecting more targets to go his way as the season goes on. Odds are Cole does not complete the hat trick and find the endzone for the 3rd week in a row.
Chicago Bears vs Atlanta Falcons
PLAY: Allen Robinson II
Allen Robinson has been lackluster, to say the least. He hasn't found the endzone yet this season and has barely surpassed 100 yards receiving. Although, he has seen some positive usage with 18 targets across Week 1 and Week 2. The trade rumors are behind us and now in Week 3, he goes up against a leaky Atlanta Falcons defense. I'm expecting a nice bounce-back here for A-Rob.
FADE: Matt Ryan
Matty Ice tore up the first two weeks throwing for 6 TDs and 700+ yards passing while only tossing one interception. His weapons may be as good as he’s ever had with Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Russell Gage at WR, Hayden Hurst at TE, and Todd Gurley II in the backfield. BUT, the Falcons are coming off of a devastating Week 2 loss against the Cowboys and now have to face a good Chicago Bears defense. The Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 and the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2 were both great matchups for game flow. The Chicago Bears are a different opponent. Did someone press the sim button? I expect the clock to be running often in this one. Matty Ice may have a couple of TDs, but the yardage won't be there.
Los Angeles Rams vs Buffalo Bills
PLAY: Cooper Kupp
Tyler Higbee hogged all the TDs in Week 2 and Malcolm Brown hogged all the TDs in Week 1. Similar to Bill Belichick, Sean McVay is a master at finding what works and riding that strategy until his opponent figures it out. Rumor has it McVay grew up playing Blitz the video game and couldn't be stopped with "Da Bomb". Why would you run any other play when you can't be stopped? I'm expecting Cooper Kupp to be the beneficiary this week against the Buffalo Bills. I'm a fan of the Bills defense, but they let up big numbers to Jam Crowder in Week 1 and Mike Gesicki in Week 2.
FADE: Stefon Diggs
Stefon Diggs has been a stud. 16 receptions on 22 targets for 239 yards and 1 TD in the first two weeks. He's quickly built chemistry with Josh Allen and it's showing. I'm expecting the Rams to focus on Stefon Diggs which will open up some opportunities for John Brown and Cole Beasley. I love Diggs in season-long, but I'm being cautious with him for DFS in Week 3.
Washington Football Team vs Cleveland Browns
PLAY: Logan Thomas
The Logan Thomas hype team went all out in the lead up to Week 2. Everyone in the fantasy industry only had positive things to say about the guy. And then he was a full dud… catching 4 passes for 26 yards. Brutal stat line. However, he did see 9 targets. I’m expecting the targets to be there again in Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns and this week he’ll scoop them in and rack up bigger numbers.
FADE: Nick Chubb
Nick Chubb looked awesome in Week 2. He’s a stud. I just don’t trust the Cleveland Browns…. That is all. You’re obviously starting him in any season-long league, but I’d like to have exposure elsewhere in DFS.
Tennessee Titans vs Minnesota Vikings
PLAY: Justin Jefferson
Does Adam Thielen have 5 defensive backs on him every time he goes out for a route? That’s the way it feels. The Minnesota Vikings and Kirk Cousins have to catch on. I love Thielen, but I’m expecting the Vikings to pivot and spread the ball around. The first-round rookie draft pick Justin Jefferson is my pick to click in Week 3 for the Vikings. He’s been efficient in his first two weeks with 5 receptions on 6 targets for 70 yards.
FADE: Adam Thielen
See the above thoughts on Justin Jefferson. Mike Vrabel is going to throw the kitchen sink at Adam Thielen in an attempt to shut him down. If the Vikings can get ahead and Dalvin Cook gets hot early, Adam Thielen may get free for some play-action passes.
Las Vegas Raiders vs New England Patriots
PLAY: Julian Edelman
The fantasy community wrote Julian Edelman off once Tom Brady left town. Sunday night against the Seahawks he went off and showed why he is a Super Bowl MVP. He seems to be the same target/reception machine he’s always been even with Cam Newton throwing him the ball. This massive game for Edelman was not a blip on the radar.
FADE: Damiere Byrd
In Week 1, Damiere Byrd had a goose egg. In Week 2, he came to play posting 6 catches for 72 yards on 9 targets. In Week 3, I think we’re looking at another goose egg. They won’t need to keep up with the Raiders the same way they had to keep up with the Seahawks. I know the Raiders are coming off of a big win against the Saints, but now they have a short week and have to prepare for Bill Belichick.
San Francisco 49ers vs New York Giants
PLAY: Giants DEF
The 49ers offense is beat up. At the time of this writing, I’m not expecting any of Jimmy G, Raheem Mostert, George Kittle, or Deebo Samuel to play. The NYG’s defense could be a sneaky start. The opening line is 49ers -4 points.
FADE: Jordan Reed
Jordan Reed had a great Week 2 with George Kittle sidelined and hauled in 2 TDs. He looked like the elite receiving target we all know the uninjured Jordan Reed to be. Unfortunately for Reed, both of those TDs were thrown by Jimmy G. I’m not trusting Reed in Week 3 if Mullens is taking snaps. Obviously, this point is moot if Jimmy G does in fact play.
Cincinnati Bengals vs Philadelphia Eagles
PLAY: AJ Green
Fantasy owners were psyched to see what a healthy AJ Green could do. Especially with the rookie Joe Burrow throwing him the ball. Thursday Night Football against the Browns was a major disappointment. It was impossible to scroll through Twitter that night without coming across the AJ Green hate hype. AJ Green ended up with 3 catches for 29 yards on 13 targets! It was clear Joe Burrow was trying to force him the ball, but the connection was just not there. I happen to be a buyer of AJ Green. 22 targets in 2 games is hard to ignore AND he has a good quarterback. Joe Burrow is the real deal. It’s just a matter of time before these two start moving the ball down the field and into the endzone.
FADE: DeSean Jackson
The Eagles have looked bad, but the Bengals have looked worse. I’m expecting a big day for the TE duo and Miles Sanders. The Eagles are most likely going to be playing ahead in this one. DeSean Jackson is going to have to get going early if he wants to rack up any stats.
Houston Texans vs Pittsburgh Steelers
PLAY: JuJu Smith-Schuster
JuJu is looking at a big bounce-back week in Week 3 against the Houston Texans. He caught 7 of his 8 targets in Week 2, but it only added up to 48 yards and 0 touchdowns. Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, and James Conner took all the TDs and had the big plays for the Steelers. The Steelers offense is looking decent now that Big Ben is back. JuJu should get his share of big plays and get in the endzone in Week 3.
FADE: Deshaun Watson
Deshaun Watson hasn’t been good. To make matters worse, it looks like he will not have the often injured Will Fuller in Week 3. I’m avoiding Watson until he shows any sign of life. I could see a case for him in GPPs if you’re looking for a low owned option at QB, but it’s a meta play I’m not going to make. Deandre Hopkins is laughing his way to Week 3 at 2-0.
New York Jets vs Indianapolis Colts
PLAY: Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan Taylor is a chalky call, but it’s hard to find anyone playable in this matchup. I had Jonathan Taylor as a play in Week 2’s Plays and Fades, but I was not expecting that massive usage he got in Week 2. He finished the game with 26 carries and out-touched Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins by a wide margin.
FADE: TY Hilton
TY Hilton was a fade in Week 2’s Plays and Fades. We’re going to fade him again. He hasn’t shown any chemistry with Phil Rivers. This is another situation that I’m avoiding until I see any positive signs here. Playing TY is a blind dart throw.
Carolina Panthers vs Los Angeles Chargers
PLAY: Keenan Allen
Keenan Allen is back! And by that I mean he has Justin Herbert throwing him the ball. Herbert looked mechanical back there like a robot programmed to play QB. With HerBot as the QB, Keenan Allen had 7 receptions for 96 yards on 10 targets. This is going to be a landslide victory for the Chargers going up against a McCaffrey-less Carolina Panthers. Keenan Allen will get his. Note: Anthony Lynn has suggested Tyrod Taylor may still be the starting QB. Nothing against Tyrod Taylor, but I’m not buying what Lynn is selling. If Tyrod does indeed start, I take back Keenan Allen as a “Play”. Unless of course Tyrod plays and Keenan Allen has a good game. In that case, I’m sticking to it.
FADE: Mike Davis
Mike Davis is going to be chalky this weekend at RB. He secured all 8 of his targets for 74 yards in Week 2 and had a nice week. He’s the likely benefactor with Christian McCaffrey out. The “fade” is purely coming from a DFS perspective on this one. I’m avoiding him Week 3 because I think he’ll be highly owned. I’m playing Mike Davis in cash and fading him in GPPs. If he’s on waivers, grab him.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Denver Broncos
PLAY: Leonard Fournette
Leonard Fournette is clearly the best talent in the Bucs backfield. It was just a matter of time before he became the de facto lead back. He out-touched Ronald Jones by a slim margin, but he took his opportunities and ran with them. 12 carries for 103 yards and 2 TDs for Fournette vs 7 carries for 23 yards and a TD for RoJo in Week 2. I’m expecting them to lean more and more on Fournette when push comes to shove.
FADE: Tom Brady
I’m not on the “Tom Brady hasn’t looked like himself yet” kick. I think he looks fine and is helping his team win. The Bucs are a work in progress and they’re going to get better and better as the season goes on. I’m fading him from a fantasy football perspective in Week 3 as I’m not expecting big numbers from Brady. The injuries at the WR position aren’t helping. After Week 3, he may be a nice buy-low opportunity in season-long.
Detroit Lions vs Arizona Cardinals
PLAY: Kyler Murray
Kyler Murray’s passing stats have been mediocre at best, but luckily for him, he’s a stud running the football. In two games he already has 158 yards rushing and 3 TDs! When it comes to juicy matchups, the Detroit Lions are as juicy as it gets. Kyler Murray is going to go off Week 3 and take the Arizona Cardinals to 3-0.
FADE: TJ Hockenson
TJ Hockenson was a fade in Week 2’s Plays and Fades. He’s here as a fade again in Week 3 for the same reason. The usage is just not there. Hockenson has to be extremely efficient to turn his limited targets into production. He has caught all 9 of his targets for 118 yards and 1 TD so far this season. Even with the high efficiency, the production is mediocre.
Dallas Cowboys vs Seattle Seahawks
PLAY: Dak Prescott
It was hard to pick a “play” in this one. Everyone looks like a good play. This game is ripe for fantasy greatness.
FADE: Chris Carson
It was hard to pick a “fade” as well. I’m expecting a high scoring affair with most of the action in the passing game. I don’t feel strongly about this one and could see it backfiring.
Green Bay Packers vs New Orleans Saints
PLAY: Alvin Kamara
There is a strong case for Alvin Kamara to be the #1 overall pick in redraft leagues. He’s a stat monster and the Saints know how to use him. The Packers DEF have already allowed 3 rushing TDs against opposing RBs this season. I’m expecting Kamara to have another multi-touchdown game.
FADE: Aaron Jones
In Week 2’s Plays and Fades, we faded Josh Jacobs against the Saints on MNF and received a lot of hate for it. Jacobs had a touchdown-less 105 yards on 30 touches… The game flow was there and he didn’t do much with it. I’m a buyer of this Saints DEF against opposing RBs. That’s where this fade is coming from. Aaron Jones was the clear MVP of Week 2 from a fantasy football perspective. His performance brought W’s to fantasy owners and $’s to DFS players. People are going to blindly fire him up in there Week 3 lineups, but this is a tough matchup for him.
Kansas City Chiefs vs Baltimore Ravens
PLAY: Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson hasn’t been great from a fantasy perspective this year. He set the bar extremely high with his 2019 showing. But this a Monday Night Football game of Patrick Mahomes vs Lamar Jackson. ESPN (and the refs) will make sure this one lives up to the hype. Lamar Jackson will be special.
FADE: Mark Ingram II
JK Dobbins was the Week 2 fade in the Baltimore Ravens game. That obviously turned out to be the right call. I’m still buying Ingram as the lead back for the Ravens, but it’s too crowded to feel comfortable firing him up in your lineups. Gus Edwards got a lot of play and JK Dobbins looked unreal when he was in. The only fantasy owners feeling good about this backfield are JK Dobbins dynasty owners. Editor's Note:Optimal DFSis the #1 app for building fantasy lineups for DraftKings and FanDuel in Apple's App Store. Download Optimal DFS in the App Store to build customized optimized lineups and get breaking news before everyone else in your league.Optimal DFSis not responsible for any decisions made, financial or otherwise, based on information provided by this application or blog. Optimal DFS cannot guarantee the correctness of the information contained within our application or blog. Read the original post here: https://optimaldfs.substack.com/p/plays-and-fades-week-3-fantasy-football
Every NFL week, we'll go game by game and name a Play and a Fade for each contest. Plays and fades are relative to their consensus rankings and salaries on DraftKings and FanDuel. Meaning the Play will not always be the player I expect to have the most fantasy points for a given game and the Fade will not always be a player I expect to get zero snaps. Editor's Note:Optimal DFSis the #1 app for building fantasy lineups for DraftKings and FanDuel in Apple's App Store. Download Optimal DFS in the App Store to build customized optimized lineups and get breaking news before everyone else in your league.
Miami Dolphins vs Jacksonville Jaguars
PLAY: James Robinson
The Jacksonville Jaguars like to have a workhorse running back and have made it clear that James Robinson is the guy for them. The undrafted rookie RB is averaging a solid 5.1 YPC on 32 carries. The Miami Dolphins have been decent against the run, but I expect the Jags to hop in front of this one and give Robinson a large workload.
FADE: Keelan Cole
Keelan Cole has been on fire to start the season. 11 catches for 105 yards and 2 TDs in Week 1 and Week 2 combined. However, those 11 catches came on 12 targets. I am not expecting Cole to keep up that type of efficiency. DJ Chark has been lightly used to start the season and I'm expecting more targets to go his way as the season goes on. Odds are Cole does not complete the hat trick and find the endzone for the 3rd week in a row.
Chicago Bears vs Atlanta Falcons
PLAY: Allen Robinson II
Allen Robinson has been lackluster, to say the least. He hasn't found the endzone yet this season and has barely surpassed 100 yards receiving. Although, he has seen some positive usage with 18 targets across Week 1 and Week 2. The trade rumors are behind us and now in Week 3, he goes up against a leaky Atlanta Falcons defense. I'm expecting a nice bounce-back here for A-Rob.
FADE: Matt Ryan
Matty Ice tore up the first two weeks throwing for 6 TDs and 700+ yards passing while only tossing one interception. His weapons may be as good as he’s ever had with Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Russell Gage at WR, Hayden Hurst at TE, and Todd Gurley II in the backfield. BUT, the Falcons are coming off of a devastating Week 2 loss against the Cowboys and now have to face a good Chicago Bears defense. The Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 and the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2 were both great matchups for game flow. The Chicago Bears are a different opponent. Did someone press the sim button? I expect the clock to be running often in this one. Matty Ice may have a couple of TDs, but the yardage won't be there.
Los Angeles Rams vs Buffalo Bills
PLAY: Cooper Kupp
Tyler Higbee hogged all the TDs in Week 2 and Malcolm Brown hogged all the TDs in Week 1. Similar to Bill Belichick, Sean McVay is a master at finding what works and riding that strategy until his opponent figures it out. Rumor has it McVay grew up playing Blitz the video game and couldn't be stopped with "Da Bomb". Why would you run any other play when you can't be stopped? I'm expecting Cooper Kupp to be the beneficiary this week against the Buffalo Bills. I'm a fan of the Bills defense, but they let up big numbers to Jam Crowder in Week 1 and Mike Gesicki in Week 2.
FADE: Stefon Diggs
Stefon Diggs has been a stud. 16 receptions on 22 targets for 239 yards and 1 TD in the first two weeks. He's quickly built chemistry with Josh Allen and it's showing. I'm expecting the Rams to focus on Stefon Diggs which will open up some opportunities for John Brown and Cole Beasley. I love Diggs in season-long, but I'm being cautious with him for DFS in Week 3.
Washington Football Team vs Cleveland Browns
PLAY: Logan Thomas
The Logan Thomas hype team went all out in the lead up to Week 2. Everyone in the fantasy industry only had positive things to say about the guy. And then he was a full dud… catching 4 passes for 26 yards. Brutal stat line. However, he did see 9 targets. I’m expecting the targets to be there again in Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns and this week he’ll scoop them in and rack up bigger numbers.
FADE: Nick Chubb
Nick Chubb looked awesome in Week 2. He’s a stud. I just don’t trust the Cleveland Browns…. That is all. You’re obviously starting him in any season-long league, but I’d like to have exposure elsewhere in DFS.
Tennessee Titans vs Minnesota Vikings
PLAY: Justin Jefferson
Does Adam Thielen have 5 defensive backs on him every time he goes out for a route? That’s the way it feels. The Minnesota Vikings and Kirk Cousins have to catch on. I love Thielen, but I’m expecting the Vikings to pivot and spread the ball around. The first-round rookie draft pick Justin Jefferson is my pick to click in Week 3 for the Vikings. He’s been efficient in his first two weeks with 5 receptions on 6 targets for 70 yards.
FADE: Adam Thielen
See the above thoughts on Justin Jefferson. Mike Vrabel is going to throw the kitchen sink at Adam Thielen in an attempt to shut him down. If the Vikings can get ahead and Dalvin Cook gets hot early, Adam Thielen may get free for some play-action passes.
Las Vegas Raiders vs New England Patriots
PLAY: Julian Edelman
The fantasy community wrote Julian Edelman off once Tom Brady left town. Sunday night against the Seahawks he went off and showed why he is a Super Bowl MVP. He seems to be the same target/reception machine he’s always been even with Cam Newton throwing him the ball. This massive game for Edelman was not a blip on the radar.
FADE: Damiere Byrd
In Week 1, Damiere Byrd had a goose egg. In Week 2, he came to play posting 6 catches for 72 yards on 9 targets. In Week 3, I think we’re looking at another goose egg. They won’t need to keep up with the Raiders the same way they had to keep up with the Seahawks. I know the Raiders are coming off of a big win against the Saints, but now they have a short week and have to prepare for Bill Belichick.
San Francisco 49ers vs New York Giants
PLAY: Giants DEF
The 49ers offense is beat up. At the time of this writing, I’m not expecting any of Jimmy G, Raheem Mostert, George Kittle, or Deebo Samuel to play. The NYG’s defense could be a sneaky start. The opening line is 49ers -4 points.
FADE: Jordan Reed
Jordan Reed had a great Week 2 with George Kittle sidelined and hauled in 2 TDs. He looked like the elite receiving target we all know the uninjured Jordan Reed to be. Unfortunately for Reed, both of those TDs were thrown by Jimmy G. I’m not trusting Reed in Week 3 if Mullens is taking snaps. Obviously, this point is moot if Jimmy G does in fact play.
Cincinnati Bengals vs Philadelphia Eagles
PLAY: AJ Green
Fantasy owners were psyched to see what a healthy AJ Green could do. Especially with the rookie Joe Burrow throwing him the ball. Thursday Night Football against the Browns was a major disappointment. It was impossible to scroll through Twitter that night without coming across the AJ Green hate hype. AJ Green ended up with 3 catches for 29 yards on 13 targets! It was clear Joe Burrow was trying to force him the ball, but the connection was just not there. I happen to be a buyer of AJ Green. 22 targets in 2 games is hard to ignore AND he has a good quarterback. Joe Burrow is the real deal. It’s just a matter of time before these two start moving the ball down the field and into the endzone.
FADE: DeSean Jackson
The Eagles have looked bad, but the Bengals have looked worse. I’m expecting a big day for the TE duo and Miles Sanders. The Eagles are most likely going to be playing ahead in this one. DeSean Jackson is going to have to get going early if he wants to rack up any stats.
Houston Texans vs Pittsburgh Steelers
PLAY: JuJu Smith-Schuster
JuJu is looking at a big bounce-back week in Week 3 against the Houston Texans. He caught 7 of his 8 targets in Week 2, but it only added up to 48 yards and 0 touchdowns. Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, and James Conner took all the TDs and had the big plays for the Steelers. The Steelers offense is looking decent now that Big Ben is back. JuJu should get his share of big plays and get in the endzone in Week 3.
FADE: Deshaun Watson
Deshaun Watson hasn’t been good. To make matters worse, it looks like he will not have the often injured Will Fuller in Week 3. I’m avoiding Watson until he shows any sign of life. I could see a case for him in GPPs if you’re looking for a low owned option at QB, but it’s a meta play I’m not going to make. Deandre Hopkins is laughing his way to Week 3 at 2-0.
New York Jets vs Indianapolis Colts
PLAY: Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan Taylor is a chalky call, but it’s hard to find anyone playable in this matchup. I had Jonathan Taylor as a play in Week 2’s Plays and Fades, but I was not expecting that massive usage he got in Week 2. He finished the game with 26 carries and out-touched Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins by a wide margin.
FADE: TY Hilton
TY Hilton was a fade in Week 2’s Plays and Fades. We’re going to fade him again. He hasn’t shown any chemistry with Phil Rivers. This is another situation that I’m avoiding until I see any positive signs here. Playing TY is a blind dart throw.
Carolina Panthers vs Los Angeles Chargers
PLAY: Keenan Allen
Keenan Allen is back! And by that I mean he has Justin Herbert throwing him the ball. Herbert looked mechanical back there like a robot programmed to play QB. With HerBot as the QB, Keenan Allen had 7 receptions for 96 yards on 10 targets. This is going to be a landslide victory for the Chargers going up against a McCaffrey-less Carolina Panthers. Keenan Allen will get his. Note: Anthony Lynn has suggested Tyrod Taylor may still be the starting QB. Nothing against Tyrod Taylor, but I’m not buying what Lynn is selling. If Tyrod does indeed start, I take back Keenan Allen as a “Play”. Unless of course Tyrod plays and Keenan Allen has a good game. In that case, I’m sticking to it.
FADE: Mike Davis
Mike Davis is going to be chalky this weekend at RB. He secured all 8 of his targets for 74 yards in Week 2 and had a nice week. He’s the likely benefactor with Christian McCaffrey out. The “fade” is purely coming from a DFS perspective on this one. I’m avoiding him Week 3 because I think he’ll be highly owned. I’m playing Mike Davis in cash and fading him in GPPs. If he’s on waivers, grab him.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Denver Broncos
PLAY: Leonard Fournette
Leonard Fournette is clearly the best talent in the Bucs backfield. It was just a matter of time before he became the de facto lead back. He out-touched Ronald Jones by a slim margin, but he took his opportunities and ran with them. 12 carries for 103 yards and 2 TDs for Fournette vs 7 carries for 23 yards and a TD for RoJo in Week 2. I’m expecting them to lean more and more on Fournette when push comes to shove.
FADE: Tom Brady
I’m not on the “Tom Brady hasn’t looked like himself yet” kick. I think he looks fine and is helping his team win. The Bucs are a work in progress and they’re going to get better and better as the season goes on. I’m fading him from a fantasy football perspective in Week 3 as I’m not expecting big numbers from Brady. The injuries at the WR position aren’t helping. After Week 3, he may be a nice buy-low opportunity in season-long.
Detroit Lions vs Arizona Cardinals
PLAY: Kyler Murray
Kyler Murray’s passing stats have been mediocre at best, but luckily for him, he’s a stud running the football. In two games he already has 158 yards rushing and 3 TDs! When it comes to juicy matchups, the Detroit Lions are as juicy as it gets. Kyler Murray is going to go off Week 3 and take the Arizona Cardinals to 3-0.
FADE: TJ Hockenson
TJ Hockenson was a fade in Week 2’s Plays and Fades. He’s here as a fade again in Week 3 for the same reason. The usage is just not there. Hockenson has to be extremely efficient to turn his limited targets into production. He has caught all 9 of his targets for 118 yards and 1 TD so far this season. Even with the high efficiency, the production is mediocre.
Dallas Cowboys vs Seattle Seahawks
PLAY: Dak Prescott
It was hard to pick a “play” in this one. Everyone looks like a good play. This game is ripe for fantasy greatness.
FADE: Chris Carson
It was hard to pick a “fade” as well. I’m expecting a high scoring affair with most of the action in the passing game. I don’t feel strongly about this one and could see it backfiring.
Green Bay Packers vs New Orleans Saints
PLAY: Alvin Kamara
There is a strong case for Alvin Kamara to be the #1 overall pick in redraft leagues. He’s a stat monster and the Saints know how to use him. The Packers DEF have already allowed 3 rushing TDs against opposing RBs this season. I’m expecting Kamara to have another multi-touchdown game.
FADE: Aaron Jones
In Week 2’s Plays and Fades, we faded Josh Jacobs against the Saints on MNF and received a lot of hate for it. Jacobs had a touchdown-less 105 yards on 30 touches… The game flow was there and he didn’t do much with it. I’m a buyer of this Saints DEF against opposing RBs. That’s where this fade is coming from. Aaron Jones was the clear MVP of Week 2 from a fantasy football perspective. His performance brought W’s to fantasy owners and $’s to DFS players. People are going to blindly fire him up in there Week 3 lineups, but this is a tough matchup for him.
Kansas City Chiefs vs Baltimore Ravens
PLAY: Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson hasn’t been great from a fantasy perspective this year. He set the bar extremely high with his 2019 showing. But this a Monday Night Football game of Patrick Mahomes vs Lamar Jackson. ESPN (and the refs) will make sure this one lives up to the hype. Lamar Jackson will be special.
FADE: Mark Ingram II
JK Dobbins was the Week 2 fade in the Baltimore Ravens game. That obviously turned out to be the right call. I’m still buying Ingram as the lead back for the Ravens, but it’s too crowded to feel comfortable firing him up in your lineups. Gus Edwards got a lot of play and JK Dobbins looked unreal when he was in. The only fantasy owners feeling good about this backfield are JK Dobbins dynasty owners. Editor's Note:Optimal DFSis not responsible for any decisions made, financial or otherwise, based on information provided by this application or blog. Optimal DFS cannot guarantee the correctness of the information contained within our application or blog.
Live betting odds for Green Bay Packers vs San Francisco 49ers - Sunday, November 24, 2019 at Levi's Stadium on Sunday, November 24, 2019. Up to date offshore betting odds of over 30+ sportsbooks The Green Bay Packers won the NFC North last year and tied for the most regular-season victories in the conference with 13, but they might have been more fortunate than good with an unsustainable 8-1 record in one-score games. Sunday's opener at division-rival Minnesota, the North favorite for 2020, also figures to be close with the Vikings as 2.5-point favorites on the NFL odds. This year Green Bay took care of business at home in the wild-card round, sending Aaron Rodgers and company to San Francisco to face a well-rested 49ers defense. San Francisco got a win over Arizona in Week 17 to edge the Packers for a first-round bye and closed the season by winning five of its last seven, with the lone setbacks coming on the road. The Green Bay Packers (5-2) visit the injury-ravaged San Francisco 49ers (4-4) at Levi’s Stadium for Thursday Night Football in Week 9. Kickoff will be at 8:20 p.m. ET. Below, we preview the Packers-49ers betting odds and lines and make our NFL picks and predictions.. Packers at 49ers betting odds and lines Back in November, the 49ers beat the Green Bay Packers by 29 at Levi's Stadium. So it should come as no surprise that San Francisco opens as a heavy favorite over Green Bay in next Sunday's NFC Championship Game. The 49ers are favored by seven points over the Packers, according to SuperBookUSA. Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers NFL Betting Odds, Game Props & Player Props 11/24/19 Sunday, November 24, 2019 Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers The Green Bay Packers will face the San Francisco 49ers in Week 9 on Thursday Night Football. Vegas Insider provides all the betting odds, predictions and picks for this NFL matchup between these NFC clubs. Green Bay Packers vs San Francisco 49ers Odds - Sunday November 24 2019. Live betting odds and lines, betting trends, against the spread and over/under trends, injury reports and matchup stats for bettors. In the fractional NFL Futures Odds format below, you simply take the odds and multiply by the amount wagered. Ex. Green Bay (8/1) to win the Super Bowl. The Packers are listed as an 8/1 betting choice to win the Super Bowl. If you wager $100 on Green Bay to win the NFC and they capture the championship, then you would win $800 (8 ÷ 1 x 100). Packers vs 49ers Predictions and Picks. The Green Bay Packers defense was embarrassed in Week 8, and they will want to take that out on this injured 49ers team, and the result should be a Packers win in Week 9. Pick: Packers -3.5 . How to Watch Packers vs 49ers
NFL Odds: Green Bay Packers vs San Francisco 49ers Pick ...
Packers vs 49ers Week 4 pick and prediction; Hoping to extend their undefeated record, the Green Bay Packers (3-0) travel to take on the San Francisco 49ers ... The Green Bay Packers will hit the highway to meet the San Francisco 49ers in a week three NFL pro football preseason game on tap for Friday. Start Time: 10P... Green Bay Packers vs San Francisco 49ers Odds and NFL Free Picks: http://www.betdsi.com/articles/football/nfl/green-bay-packers-vs-san-francisco-49ers-predi...