Tag: Fantasy Football

Fantasy football best-ball gambles: Wagers of the week

There’s less than two weeks left to bet on your fantasy football knowledge in best-ball drafts.

Fantasy football best-ball drafts are a blast. My preferred league platforms for these drafts are RTSports.com and SportsHub’s “Best-Ball 10s” services. Neither company sponsored this article … I just like what they do in the space. Check ’em out, or look around the web to find competitors.

Let’s dive right into my four favorite gambles for this upcoming week’s drafting action:

Fantasy football best-ball gambles of the week

QB Drew Lock, Denver Broncos: Going in 14th round, on average, Lock is a fine QB2 target for gamers who spent an early pick on the position or preferred to wait for a tandem of late-rounders with upside. Wide receiver Courtland Sutton has been nothing short of awesome in training camp, and the short-term loss of rookie slot receiver K.J. Hamler opens the door for veteran DaeSean Hamilton to reclaim his role on the inside. Rookie Jerry Jeudy has shown the game isn’t too big for him without a formal offseason program, and tight end Noah Fant can house it from anywhere on the field. Invest with confidence in the big-armed Lock.

RB Darrynton Evans, Tennessee Titans: Evans, a third-round pick from Appalachian State, is the primary backup to Derrick Henry. The 2019 rushing champ is the obvious engine to this offensive vehicle, although it won’t stop rushing should he go down with an injury. Evans is a capable receiver and could even be featured in such a way — an element this system didn’t employ in 2019. The rookie has missed several practices of late with an undisclosed injury, so this one is a gamble inside of a gamble. Feeling lucky?

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WR John Hightower, Philadelphia Eagles: While Alshon Jeffery is nearing a return from Lisfranc midfoot surgery, he’s still going to be rusty and is fragile. The latter also can be said for DeSean Jackson. Rookie first-rounder Jalen Reagor was turning heads before suffering a torn shoulder labrum, an injury expected to sideline him up to a month. In training camp, another rookie, Hightower, has been a stud and appears poised to man the starting job as long as Reagor is out.

TE Greg Olsen, Seattle Seahawks: Reports of considerable chemistry between Olsen and Russell Wilson shouldn’t be ignored. The Seahawks have weapons on the outside in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, but it’s rather slim pickings behind them. Olsen will pair with Will Dissly, who is coming off of a consecutive major injury. The veteran, 35, still has the skills to exploit linebackers and some safeties enough to be relevant. Even if the volume isn’t great, gamers could hit the occasional jackpot via multi-touchdown efforts.

For more fantasy football tips, insight and expertise to win your league, visit TheHuddle.com today! Use the code SBW20 to take $10 off of your 2020 subscription. Valid for new customers only, offer expires 9/30/2020.

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Fantasy football best-ball gambles: Wagers of the week

There’s less than two weeks left to bet on your fantasy football knowledge in best-ball drafts.

Fantasy football best-ball drafts are a blast. My preferred league platforms for these drafts are RTSports.com and SportsHub’s “Best-Ball 10s” services. Neither company sponsored this article … I just like what they do in the space. Check ’em out, or look around the web to find competitors.

Let’s dive right into my four favorite gambles for this upcoming week’s drafting action:

Fantasy football best-ball gambles of the week

QB Drew Lock, Denver Broncos: Going in 14th round, on average, Lock is a fine QB2 target for gamers who spent an early pick on the position or preferred to wait for a tandem of late-rounders with upside. Wide receiver Courtland Sutton has been nothing short of awesome in training camp, and the short-term loss of rookie slot receiver K.J. Hamler opens the door for veteran DaeSean Hamilton to reclaim his role on the inside. Rookie Jerry Jeudy has shown the game isn’t too big for him without a formal offseason program, and tight end Noah Fant can house it from anywhere on the field. Invest with confidence in the big-armed Lock.

RB Darrynton Evans, Tennessee Titans: Evans, a third-round pick from Appalachian State, is the primary backup to Derrick Henry. The 2019 rushing champ is the obvious engine to this offensive vehicle, although it won’t stop rushing should he go down with an injury. Evans is a capable receiver and could even be featured in such a way — an element this system didn’t employ in 2019. The rookie has missed several practices of late with an undisclosed injury, so this one is a gamble inside of a gamble. Feeling lucky?

Building your championship roster begins today with signing up for The Huddle’s premium service!

WR John Hightower, Philadelphia Eagles: While Alshon Jeffery is nearing a return from Lisfranc midfoot surgery, he’s still going to be rusty and is fragile. The latter also can be said for DeSean Jackson. Rookie first-rounder Jalen Reagor was turning heads before suffering a torn shoulder labrum, an injury expected to sideline him up to a month. In training camp, another rookie, Hightower, has been a stud and appears poised to man the starting job as long as Reagor is out.

TE Greg Olsen, Seattle Seahawks: Reports of considerable chemistry between Olsen and Russell Wilson shouldn’t be ignored. The Seahawks have weapons on the outside in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, but it’s rather slim pickings behind them. Olsen will pair with Will Dissly, who is coming off of a consecutive major injury. The veteran, 35, still has the skills to exploit linebackers and some safeties enough to be relevant. Even if the volume isn’t great, gamers could hit the occasional jackpot via multi-touchdown efforts.

PFF examines Bills fantasy football situation

Pro Football Focus examines Buffalo Bills fantasy football situation via Josh Allen, Devin Singletary and Zack Moss.

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Devin Singletary enters this season at the top of the depth chart for Buffalo Bills running backs. The second-year player out of FAU earned more snaps as his rookie season progressed, ultimately leading the team in rushing with 775 yards on the ground in 12 games played.

On the field for the Bills, we’re all curious to see what that translates to in his second season in the pros. But what about fantasy football wise?

Singletary projects to be a strong flex play in fantasy football this year. He is coming off draft boards somewhere in the range of RB22-RB30 for backfield players, as highlighted in averages by Yahoo! Sports and ESPN.

Buffalo has moved on from veteran Frank Gore as the complement in the backfield. That duty falls to third-round pick Zack Moss. The Utah product projects to be the downhill, power back for Buffalo this season. The question that many will consider with this due: How will the Bills divvy up touches between the duo? Pro Football Focus gives us a glimpse into how the Bills could divide the backfield duties this fall.

PFF highlights, “Singletary emerged as a reliable three-down back as a rookie and played at least 65% of the offense’s snaps in every game in which he wasn’t either injured or just returning from a layoff.” Singletary was reliable and healthy as a rookie. The three-down back idea is important, as Singletary is viewed as a player who can get the ball in all situations.

Last year, he carried the ball 151 times, as compared to Gore’s 166. However, the balance shifted toward the midpoint of the season. Singletary was ranked 18th among running backs in PPR leagues from Weeks 7-16, per PFF.

Among backfield carries, Singletary is expected to see an uptick in his workload. The PFF analyst projects a 60-40 split in snap rate between Singletary and Moss, with Singletary garnering the larger workload.

There is an X-factor in this whole rushing discussion, and it’s quarterback Josh Allen. Last year, Buffalo had three players carry the ball over 100 times: Gore (166), Singletary (151), and Allen (109). Allen also led the team in rushing touchdowns, adding nine to his career ledger last year. Allen was labeled as a “vulture” for the rushing attack because of the work he does himself.

In the end, Allen limits the value of both Singletary and Moss. The outlet highlights that both running backs will see about “10-15 opportunities per game that don’t figure to be of the fantasy-friendly variety.”

Even if Singletary is limited with respect to touches, his ability to break off a massive run should make fantasy owners interested in selecting him as an RB2 for 12-team leagues and a Flex for 10-team leagues. Moss, for his part, could steal carries late in the game as he fits the need for a downhill, grind-it-out runner to seal games for Buffalo. Moss is a nice late-round addition to the bench of your roster.

No matter what, both players are in line to get a decent amount of touches to make something happen for your fantasy team.

 

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Best values at TE for your 2020 fantasy football draft

Derek Okrie delivers the best values at the tight end position for the 2020 fantasy football season.

In each fantasy draft, they will likely be an owner or two that will take a tight end late in the first or early in the second round. Many think that these players will give you a distinct competitive advantage as those top tight ends will score substantially more points than other players at that position.

Let’s take a deeper look at this logic.

The top tight end in 2019 was Travis Kelce (Chiefs) and he scored 157 points in a standard league. The tenth tight end was Dallas Goedert (Eagles) who scored 87 points in that same type of league format. A point differential of 70 points is legitimate, but is it enough to spend a precious top pick on a tight end?

If you complete this same exercise at running back, you will notice the difference is 160 points. At receiver, it’s a 60 point swing.

This is why I draft running backs early and make them a priority. You can get an advantage at tight end if you take one early, but it will put you behind the eight ball on running backs. It also means you will also be passing on elite wide receivers who produce significantly score more points than tight ends overall.

Below, I have ranked in order my top tight end value picks for your 2020 fantasy football draft.

Best TE values for 2020:

Jonnu Smith, Titans, Average Draft Position (ADP) 148 – Smith is a physical freak and will finally get his opportunity now that Delanie Walker is no longer in Tennessee. Expect Smith to be a name that helps many fantasy owners win their league this year. Projected round: 14th Round

Hayden Hurst, Falcons, ADP 112 – Hurst was drafted in the first round, but was rarely used in Baltimore. Now that he has been traded to Atlanta, where they let their top tight end (Austin Hooper) go this off-season, it seems like the perfect spot for Hurst to finally show what he can do on the field. 11th Round

Austin Hooper, Browns, ADP 98 – He is changing teams, but don’t expect his production to change. He will be used often in Cleveland, and that is clear based on the large contract they gave him. 9th Round

Dallas Goedert, Eagles, ADP 154 – The city of Brotherly Love has two talented tight ends. Goedert played well last year and the team expects him to be even better this season. With Zach Ertz also on the roster, you will never see elite numbers for Goedert, yet he is still a good value if you wait until the later rounds for your tight ends. One injury would make him a top tier player for Philly. 15th Round

Noah Fant, Broncos, ADP 115 – The Broncos really started to use Fant well towards the end of his rookie season. He has lots of talent and appears to be a focal point in their offense for years to come. 11th Round

O.J. Howard, Buccaneers, ADP 186 – A top draft pick that has not done much in his first couple of seasons in the NFL. Most have him buried on their draft board, but Tom Brady has always like throwing the ball to his tight ends. Howard could be that player running those deep seam routes for big touchdowns. 18th Round

Chris Herndon IV, Jets, ADP 201 – Injured, suspended, and injured again seemed to be the story of his 2019 season. Although, his rookie year in 2018 was very productive. Expect Herndon to return as one of Sam Darnold’s favorite targets in 2020. 20th Round

Irv Smith Jr., Vikings, ADP 213- He will be the pass-catching tight end in  Minnesota’s offense and a late-round fantasy pick that could easily outplay that draft position now that there are fewer weapons to throw to. 21st Round

Mike Gesicki, Dolphins, ADP 122 – Gesicki has always had great athletic ability, but it never really translated to production in the NFL. Last year, it seemed to start to click for Gesicki, and he is another great value target with a chance for great opportunities this year in Miami. 12th Round

Greg Olsen, Seahawks, ADP 183 – Olsen is poised for the broadcast booth when he is done playing, but he is giving it one more run in Seattle. Foot injuries have really hampered his career, but it appears to be a great situation for the veteran with Russell Wilson throwing him the football. 18th Round

Who is Derrick Henry’s handcuff in fantasy football for 2020?

Who should fantasy football owners draft as Derrick Henry’s handcuff for 2020?

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry is primed to be one of the best at his position in fantasy football in 2020, but who should owners draft as his handcuff?

The answer is 2020 third-round pick, Darrynton Evans, who stands to be one of the few new wrinkles in the Titans’ offense this season.

Evans was drafted to be the complement to Henry, as his explosive, 4.41 40-yard dash speed makes him a great change-of-pace back, and we’ve seen him flash that explosiveness several times during training camp.

With Dion Lewis no longer on the team, Evans will also be tasked with making an impact in the passing game, where Henry traditionally hasn’t made much of a dent during his career.

Because of that, Evans has some standalone value in full and half point-per-reception (PPR) formats, but you’ll have to pick your spots based on matchup.

It’s also possible that Evans soaks up some carries on a weekly basis should Tennessee look to lessen Henry’s workload a bit after he led the NFL in carries last season.

The only concerns for Evans at the moment is that he’s missed four practices in a row with an undisclosed injury, and it isn’t clear if he’s done enough in pass protection during practice to earn the trust of coaches in order to get passing-down snaps from the jump.

However, if Henry were to get hurt at any point during the season, there will be a ton of touches up for grabs in the Titans’ offense and Evans has the best chance to get the majority of that work with less-than appealing options behind him.

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Fantasy football risers and fallers

Which players are trending up and down two weeks before the NFL season opener?

Seasoned fantasy football drafters know how important it is to keep up with the latest player trends. An easy way to get an overall feel is by looking at average draft placement (ADP) charts, but sometimes the numbers aren’t as quick to respond as gamers need to a clear representation of the landscape.

Note: All ADP figures are courtesy of FantasyFootballCalculator.com and are PPR scoring, unless noted otherwise. “N/A” represents not enough selections to warrant inclusion in the ADP charts.

Fantasy football risers

QB Gardner Minshew | Jacksonville Jaguars | ADP: 13:04

Minshew’s fantasy stock has gone up incrementally over the past two months, peaking at his current ADP this week. It’s mostly a product of more gamers participating in recent weeks, thus increasing the volume of drafts in which he is being selected. The Jaguars have done a decent job of putting more weapons around him this offseason, and the play-caller is a veteran coach in Jay Gruden. Don’t hesitate investing in the second-year mustachioed quarterback.

RB Sony Michel | New England Patriots | ADP: 8:07

After weeks of seeming like he wouldn’t be activated from the physically unable to perform list prior to Week 1, Michel was indeed recalled to the active roster. He is expected to be worked in slowly after undergoing foot surgery earlier in the offseason. He also has to contend with second-year back Damien Harris and veteran Lamar Miller. The latter may not even make the final roster now that Michel is back on the field. Be cautiously optimistic for Michel servicing an RB3 or flex role.

RB LeSean McCoy | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | ADP: 13:12

The news of rookie Ke’Shawn Vaughn being relegated mostly to a role on special teams has gamers willing to invest more in McCoy, despite him looking washed up in 2019. The cost of finding out if he still has something in the tank is inconsequential. Given the drastic difference in receiving ability, Ronald Jones may rarely see the field on third downs. To make things more interesting, Jones suffered a foot injury in Friday’s practice; it isn’t expected to be serious, according to Bruce Arians. As long as that holds, McCoy is a flier in PPR and a fringe handcuff to Jones.

RB David Montgomery | Chicago Bears | ADP: 4:07

A groin strain after a non-contact injury in practice will cost the second-year rusher two to four weeks. Pay close attention to his weekly status updates, since the two-week end of the range could get Montgomery back on the field in time for Week 1. Groin injuries can be tricky, and consider him no better than an RB3 on draft day.

RB Bryce Love | Washington Football Team | ADP: 11:05

Love has garnered more attention after showing well for himself in training camp. The Washington backfield is a mess for fantasy purposes, although there’s potential value to be found in Love. Adrian Peterson cannot do it forever, and he’s not going to see much action on third downs, which is where rookie Antonio Gibson is likely make his mark. Love’s best path to serious action is outplaying Peterson. Love is a reconstructed knee and a year-plus removed from a second-place showing in the Heisman race.

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RB Zack Moss | Buffalo Bills | ADP: 8:07

Despite being a rookie in this pandemic-afflicted offseason, Moss is quickly gaining steam in the backfield utilization share with Devin Singletary. Buffalo is committed to the ground game, regardless of improving its personnel in the passing attack. The best approach in standard formats is to handcuff him to Singletary, although there’s a hint of appeal for gamers buying on speculation. Cautiously approach all rookies in 2020.

WR Alshon Jeffery | Philadelphia Eagles | ADP: 14:02

Head coach Doug Pederson recently commented about Jeffery being close to returning “soon” from Lisfranc surgery last December. Unfortunately, this is a vague term and wasn’t contextualized. Nevertheless, Jeffery appears to be nearing a return and, even at 30, offers upside in relation to the limited risk associated with drafting him at this stage ADP-wise.

WR Jamison Crowder | New York Jets | ADP: 9:06

Crowder’s ADP has risen almost a full round in the last few weeks. Gamers are coming around on his utility after his WR26 season in PPR a year ago. Rookie receiver Denzel Mims has a bum hammy and is missing seriously valuable time, whereas Crowder remains a consistently reliable outlet for Sam Darnold. Yours truly has been touting Crowder’s undervalued status for two years now, and it’s nice to see more people are finally coming around.

WR Auden Tate | Cincinnati Bengals | ADP: N/A

The Bengals briefly lost A.J. Green for a few practices this week, and rookie Tee Higgins is still learning his way. Tate has been impressive in practice and offers a huge target for Joe Burrow. The passing game will be erratic while the rookie quarterback figures out things on the fly, but Tate has late-round appeal in deep leagues. His optimal worth will come in best-ball and DFS action.

Fantasy football fallers

QB Joe Burrow | Cincinnati Bengals | ADP: 12:08

Burrow’s ADP has fallen nearly a round in the last two weeks, which is most likely a market correction as we continue to get farther away from all-rookie drafts in dynasty leagues. Even with settings show just redraft formats since Aug. 1, his numbers fall off, as well. The 2020 No. 1 overall draft pick is a flier in best-ball leagues and shouldn’t be drafted in any single-year format of 12 teams or less.

RB Damien Harris | New England Patriots | ADP: 10:10

Michel coming off of the PUP is the worst thing going against the largely inexperienced Harris. The veteran runner underwent foot surgery earlier in the offseason, and that opened the door for Harris, as second-year back with just four totes to his name as a pro. The Pats have four capable running backs, and Cam Newton is always a threat to steal touchdowns. Toss in the loss of right tackle Marcus Cannon and this situation becomes less likely by the minute.

RB D’Andre Swift | Detroit Lions | ADP: 5:10

An undisclosed injury has the second-round rookie missing several practices, and it now appears his Week 1 status could be “negatively impacted,” according to Dave Birkett, of the Detroit Free Press. Keep close tabs on Swift’s situation as draft season reaches its crescendo.

WR Tee Higgins | Cincinnati Bengals | ADP: 14:01

It’s not so much that Higgins is necessarily falling, per se, but more of a case where the rise of Tate has helped plateau the rookie receiver’s rising stock. He’s being chosen in only about 38 percent of drafts since Aug. 1, and there’s little upside in selecting a rookie receiver who’ll be catching passes from a rookie QB.

WR Mike Williams | Los Angeles Chargers | ADP: 14:03

The Chargers’ No. 2 wideout has a sprained shoulder and could miss the first couple of games in 2020. His draft stock already was depressed thanks to a disappointing 2019 and a drop-off in quarterback talent from Philip Rivers to Tyrod Taylor. Williams has a chance to emerge as the year wears on, so there could be a hint of late-round undervalued status going on here.

Gators News: August 28, 2020

Another week is nearly in the books—and by the end of this weekend, August as well—and all systems are “go” for fall football in the SEC.

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Another week is nearly in the books — and by the end of this weekend, another month as well — and all systems are “go” for fall football in the Southeastern Conference, as well as the Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conferences. But the road from here to Sept. 26 is anything but a smooth one, with more potholes than a Michigan road due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

We begin today’s news with the question, “Is anyone actually thinking of tailgating amid a pandemic?” Only three Power Five schools — Boston College, Duke and West Virginia — have said they will not host fans at the beginning of the season, with others considering hosting partial capacity stadiums.

While we still have a week before the Football Bowl Subdivision kicks off its season, the Football Championship Subdivision kicks off its schedule on Saturday night as Central Arkansas and Austin Peay face off at 9 p.m. ET, which will be broadcast on ESPN. The match represents the first college football game played during the COVID-19 era.

For those of you interested in fantasy football this fall, USA TODAY Sports has put together a draft kit for the upcoming season. They’ve got you covered with this quick one-stop-shop for fantasy football rankings, draft strategy and everything else you need to dominate your draft.

Around the Swamp

It’s great to be a Florida Gator!

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Fantasy football IDP sleepers: Target these individual defensive players on draft day

The top IDP sleepers to target for 2020 fantasy football defensive player drafts.

Fantasy football individual defensive player (IDP) leagues aren’t for everyone, but if a new experience is in your 2020 wheelhouse (because, why not?), having a few sleepers in your back pocket is a great place to start.

IDP leagues tend to work counterintuitively, especially in the secondary. Star defensive backs, like Marcus Peters or Stephon Gilmore, don’t get thrown at enough to rack up the necessary counting stats to matter. Identifying players that will get picked on by offensive coordinators is a good place to start, and understanding matchups is imperative, particularly once we start setting lineups.

Fantasy football IDP player rankings

Defensive linemen | Linebackers | Defensive backs

Fantasy football defensive linemen

Matt Ioannidis, Washington Football Team: Averaging eight sacks over the past two seasons, Ioannidis quietly has posted steady numbers for gamers. He finally played in all 16 contests in 2019 and dramatically improved against the run. He’s trending in the right direction at 26 years old in his fifth season, and the coaching change in the offseason brings in two of the better defensive minds in Jack Del Rio and Ron Rivera. Ioannidis is surrounded by first-round picks and isn’t likely to be a technical starter, which isn’t particularly meaningful in 2020 with a heavier than usual rotation expected as the team transitions to a 4-3. He will be most valuable in run-heavy matchups.

Davon Godchaux, Miami Dolphins: Trajectory matters, and the 25-year-old Godchaux enters his fourth year after consecutive seasons of growth across the board. He is capable of playing nose tackle and lining up as a traditional five-technique in 4-3 fronts. Miami will bounce between 3-4 and 4-3 alignments in effort to maximize its personnel vs. the matchups, much like we saw New England do under Miami’s coach Brian Flores. While Godchaux’s game is mostly built around being a big-bodied run-stuffer, he’s not incapable of getting to the quarterback on occasion.

Alton Robinson, Seattle Seahawks: The rookie entered training camp up to 277 pounds from his 259-pound playing weight in 2019 at at Syracuse. He has been thoroughly impressive in camp, flashing quickness for his size (4.6 speed) and improved power. Robinson racked up 19 sacks in 35 NCAA games. The Seahawks desperately need a defensive edge presence, and Pete Carroll is no stranger to throwing rookies into the fire. Rasheem Green and L.J. Collier shouldn’t feel safe right now. At a minimum, Robinson will be rotated in frequently as long as the other two are holding up their end of the deal.

Fantasy football linebackers

Nick Kwiatkoski, Las Vegas Raiders: The former Chicago Bear as an opportunity to step up his game in Las Vegas after honing his craft in and out of the starting lineup in Chicago over the past four seasons. Kwiatkoski hasn’t exactly been a fantasy stud to date, averaging no more than 5.9 fantasy points a game in any season. The 2019 campaign illustrated his versatility as he logged 76 combined stops, 3.0 sacks, four passes defensed, an INT and a forced fumble. In the desert, he will play cleanup along side fellow newcomer Corey Littleton behind an up-and-coming defensive line.

Christian Kirksey, Green Bay Packers: A 2014 third-rounder, Kirksey began to showcase his skills in 2015 for the Cleveland Browns. By the end of 2017, he was a fantasy stud who contributed in five categories. He was on pace for another quality season in 2018 before missing nine games after suffering multiple injuries. He was limited two only two contests last year thanks to a pectoral tear. Kirksey moved on to Green Bay and has a fine forecast in a strong defense that helped the departed Blake Martinez punish ball-carriers for the past few seasons. There’s definite risk of another injury, and in his age-28 season, Kirksey is a worthwhile gamble for an LB3 with upside.

Jerome Baker, Miami Dolphins: Just 23 years old entering Year 3, Baker’s on-field leap from his rookie to sophomore season was promising but not so meteoric that expecting another leap is asking for too much. A look at his per-game results, Baker didn’t post more than 9.5 fantasy points in any of his first eight games. He flipped the switch in Week 10 and posted double figures in four of his final eight appearances. Baker briefly was on the reserve/COVID-19 list and has been activated. Miami’s overall defensive efforts will improve in the second year of Flores’ tenure, and Baker will be at the center of it.

Fantasy football defensive backs

Johnathan Abram, Las Vegas Raiders:

One of a trio of 2019 first-round picks by the Raiders, Abram missed effectively the entire year with a shoulder injury. He’s an aggressive tackler and as fierce as they come, but his ball skills could use some refinement, so understand what you’re getting. He plays on volume 11 at all times, and the Raiders will find creative ways to get him into the offensive backfield to disrupt plays. Abram is a fine investment as a No. 2 defensive back.

Ronnie Harrison, Jacksonville Jaguars: The third-year Alabama product took a major step forward in 2019 and spread his talents across the spectrum of stats. The 6-foot-3 enforcer can play in the box and is not a total slouch in coverage, recording three interceptions in 28 NFL games. He has a trio of sacks to his credit, as well. Durability could be an issue for this No. 3 defensive back target.

Bradley McDougald, New York Jets: Remarkably consistent, McDougald has averaged at least 5.6 fantasy points per game in four of his last five seasons. He has been a steady tackler and offers a hint of bonus action in coverage. The trade of Jamal Adams brought McDougald to New York, and there is a serious hole to be filled from a fantasy perspective. Gamers won’t get a special player, but the consolation is a weekly No. 2 lineup candidate without fail.

Khari Willis, Indianapolis Colts: As a rookie, in 14 games, Willis racked up 71 total stops playing playing half the snaps of the rests of the players in the top 15. He has another year of mastering the system under his belt, and Indy as a whole should be much better on both sides of the ball. There is a limited ceiling here, especially when it comes to any stat outside of tackles, since Willis is far more of a box-oriented defender than a proper pass defender.

Fantasy football IDP deeper sleepers

DL Ifeadi Odenigbo, Minnesota Vikings: The loss of Everson Griffen in free agency gives Odenigbo a legit shot at reaching double-digit sacks against single attention opposite Danielle Hunter.

DL/LB Chase Winovich, New England Patriots: New England lost so many key defensive contributors after last season. Winovich has been a monster in training camp and is poised to capitalize on a strong rookie season.

LB Ja’Whaun Bentley, New England Patriots: After learning behind several standout linebackers, Bentley gets his chance to shine on the heels of a personnel exodus. Opportunity is the mother of inventions … and fantasy sleepers.

LB Duke Riley, Philadelphia Eagles: Running with the starters, Riley gets a chance to show off his athleticism in a division that will feature plenty of running game.

DB Marquise Blair, Seattle Seahawks: Blair’s versatility will give him a chance to make plays. The second-year defender has stood out in practice and appears locked into the “big nickel” role.

DB Karl Joseph, Cleveland Browns: The season-ending Achilles tear suffered by rookie Grant Delpit, in addition to the significant loss of LB Mack Wilson, improve his odds of success. Joseph’s biggest enemy is a lack of durability.

DB Duron Harmon, Detroit Lions: The former Patriot heads to a familiar defense in Detroit, which is invaluable in this offseason. Harmon brings ball skills and range to a defense that will be consistently tested.

Bud Light offers fantasy players free beer for drafting Gardner Minshew in first-round

If you want free Bud Light, drafting Gardner Minshew II in your fantasy league could be the key to getting it.

Many Jacksonville Jaguars fans already planned on picking up Gardner Minshew in their fantasy drafts, but they now have a good reason to take him in the first-round. On Tuesday, Bud Light and Minshew announced that any fantasy players would be eligible to win free beer that selects Minshew in the opening round of their draft.

Additionally, fantasy owners will have a chance to win free beer for a football season if they can pull off a win in their league’s with Minshew starting.

Sounds like an interesting proposition!

“Free beer, that’s what this country was built on, I’m pretty sure,” Minshew said to USA TODAY Sports. “Fantasy football, and really just engagement with fans this year is so important because with everything going on, I think football can be a great outlet for people. I think it’s going to be a really fun way with all of us to connect.”

Minshew just might be up for a breakout 2020 season after accumulating a 60.6% completion rate for 3,271 yards, 21 touchdowns, and six interceptions in 12 starts. While those aren’t eye-popping stats it’s worth noting he wasn’t expected to start last season, but a Week 1 injury to veteran Nick Foles forced him into action in his first regular season game and the rest is history.

The Jags’ front office came into 2020 looking to add around Minshew after moving on from Foles and trading him to the Chicago Bears in March. Afterward, they drafted big target receivers Laviska Shenault Jr., and Collin Johnson in the 2020 NFL Draft and both have been solid in camp so far. They were also able to add veteran Tyler Eifert in free-agency, who hasn’t been the healthiest player but offers great upside if he can remain on the field.

However, Minshew’s favorite target in camp so far has been D.J. Chark, who he built a strong connection with last year and aided to his first Pro Bowl. The two have continued to routinely link up for explosive plays since returning to the practice field this summer, and it’s been such a strong connection that Chark looks like the MVP of Jags training camp so far.

Another key variable to watch when considering Minshew in fantasy leagues is the new offensive coordinator the Jags brought in, Jay Gruden. He has a track record for getting the best out of young quarterbacks like Andy Dalton and Kirk Cousins, both of whom were solid players in the early stages of their careers. That said, if Gruden can have the same early career impact on Minshew as he did for the two aforementioned names, those who select him in Round 1 could end up with Bud Light’s unique prize.

To enter, fantasy owners simply have to screenshot Minshew as their first-round pick and use the hashtag #BudLightMinshewDraft and #Sweepstakes on social media with the post.

Fantasy Football: potential busts to avoid in 2020

Some names to pass on.

Last week, we gave you a look at some sleepers at each position to target in your 2020 fantasy football draft.

This time around? Our Charles Curtis — who covers all things fantasy football for FTW — gives you some names to avoid at each position, including some surprises (yes, you should avoid Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes at quarterback unless they drop from their current ADPs) who could be busts at their current values in order to help you win your league in what promises to be a very weird 2020.

Watch the video above and good luck in your upcoming fantasy drafts.

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