Opportunity is just as much of a factor as talent when it comes to finding the next fantasy football sleeper. Ryquell Armstead is entering his second year in the league after the Jaguars made him the second pick in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He comes from a small school, Temple University, whose toughest in-conference opponents were UCF and Cincinnati. Even while playing against the less-than-stellar competition, Armstead was only able to rush for 1000 yards his senior year, despite getting at least 150 carries in each of his last three years. His 4.45 40 yard dash was particularly impressive considering his 220-pound frame, but otherwise, he did not wow anybody at the combine. It is no surprise that he was the twelfth running back off the board.
Category: Dynasty
Cooks has been a wanted man in the NFL since being drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 2014. In 13 months, Cooks was traded from the Saints to the Patriots to the Rams. Cooks was moved arguably before his prime, too, between the ages of 23 and 24.
The Seahawks were perfectly adequate last season. 11-5 and won a playoff game. Certainly enough to keep all the coaching positions safe, but not enough to start seeing coaches getting poached to lead other teams. As a result, head coach Pete Carroll will return to continue his streak as the 5th longest tenured head coach in the NFL. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and defensive coordinator Ken Norton will return as well.
Matthew Stafford is currently being drafted as the 18th quarterback off the board in dynasty leagues according to myfantasyleague.com ADP data. Stafford is being taken around the 13th quarterback off the board in both redraft and best-ball leagues, according to fantasypros.com. Stafford would have been the QB 3 in 2019 if he continued on his pace for the whole season.
Not much to say here. It's not like head coach Kyle Shanahan is on the hot seat after making the Super Bowl. He also doesn't have an offensive coordinator that can be poached as Shanahan is his own offensive coordinator. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh was considered a head coaching candidate elsewhere, but wound up staying put.
The Texans had a solid season last year, making the playoffs with a 10-6 record. They eventually collapsed against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. During the off-season, Bill O'Brien made one of the most egregious trades in NFL history. They traded star WR DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals for David Johnson and his massive contract. Texans brought in Brandin Cooks and Randall Cobb and tried to fix the defense. Can the new-look offense provide any fantasy value? What WR will set himself apart from the pack? Will DJ return close to his 2016 form? Let's find out.
This article will make a case for three players at each position who are draft day values that I believe have a chance to finish as the #1 at their respective position. Keep these underappreciated guys in mind when you miss out on one of the favorites, and you might just be surprised. Even in dynasty leagues, teams in "win now" mode should consider these aging players to lead them to the promised land even if only for a year or two.
On the one hand, watching a juggernaut offense completely crash and burn because its star QB misses most of the season is rough. On the other hand, the Steelers were this close to making the playoffs anyway thanks to a top 5 defense that specialized in forcing turnovers. Head coach Mike Tomlin wasn't on the hot seat before, and the surprisingly solid finish in spite of severe adversity isn't going to put him there. He'll return for 2020, as will his offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner and his defensive coordinator Keith Butler.
Zac Taylor’s first season as head coach of the Bengals did not go as planned. Star wideout AJ Green missed the entire season, and John Ross lost the majority of the season after starting the year off on fire. The O-line was in shambles, and the defense was awful. This year Cincy drafted their franchise QB, and they return key members of their offense. The Cincinnati offense is a very sneaky unit to target in redraft and dynasty drafts. Let’s take a look at their skill positions and outlook for 2020.
The Eagles offense hasn't been bad since Frank Reich left, but it definitely hasn't been what it was when they won the Super Bowl two years ago. Head coach Doug Pederson is the primary schemer and playcaller, but he does lean on his offensive coordinators to help script sections of the game. After two down years, Mike Groh was fired from the OC position. Instead of hiring a replacement, Pederson will cut out the middle man and simply fill the position himself this year. Jim Schwartz will stay on as the defensive coordinator.
