Tag: Fullbacks

4 fullback options for Chiefs to consider in 2023 NFL draft

The #Chiefs will be in the market for a fullback this April. @goldmctNFL took a look at four they’re likely to consider in or after the 2023 NFL draft.

The Kansas City Chiefs will be on a hunt for a new fullback after Mike Burton reunited with Sean Payton on the Denver Broncos.

Now, you might be thinking, “Why do the Chiefs even need a fullback?” The answer is that Andy Reid has always had a fullback on his roster as long as he’s been a head coach in the NFL and I don’t expect him to change his line of thinking now. Look no further than the split-back play called in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LVII to understand why Reid still carries a fullback on the roster.

Fullbacks in the NFL aren’t exactly the dying breed they’re made out to be, but the position is evolving. The players who can do the most are the ones who end up having the most success in the NFL. Whether that means wearing multiple hats on offense, playing special teams, or otherwise varies from player to player.

Here’s a look at four members of the upcoming 2023 NFL draft class who could end up as the next fullback for the Chiefs:

North Dakota State unleashed 4 fullbacks in lineup for amazing touchdown run

North Dakota State unleashed four fullbacks on this awesome touchdown run.

Fullbacks are people, too!

Long football’s most underappreciated position, the North Dakota State Bison showed the love to the big boys Saturday by unleashing a four-fullback set in its game against the Youngstown State Penguins.

The lead fullback on the play, senior Hunter Luepke, joined his fullback brethren on the gridiron on a fourth-and-one red zone chance for the Bison. The play call called for Luepke to get the handoff, and his fellow fullbacks and offensive linemen to bulldoze the way forward.

The football gods smiled on North Dakota State’s respect for the fullback, granting Luepke a clear lane to scamper in for a touchdown.

The score got the Bison up on the Penguins 14-0 to close out the first quarter.

North Dakota State instantly shouted out the four-fullback touchdown play. Even the Bison’s merch shows great respect for the fullbacks on the team.

A Walter Payton Award candidate, Luepke has already had a phenomenal start to the season at fullback for the Bison. He’s rushed for 333 yards and six touchdowns and hauled in an additional 87 yards and two scores in the air through four games. Saturday’s fullback-friendly touchdown only adds to his possible candidacy for the top award in FCS for an offensive player.

The 3-1 Bison will try to hold on to their lead over the Penguins heading into the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game.

A win puts them at 4-1, and adds further proof to the power of the fullback.

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Rating of Ravens FB Patrick Ricard in Madden NFL 23 revealed

Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard found himself as one of the best rated players at his position in EA Sports’ Madden NFL 23

The ratings of players for EA Sports’ “Madden NFL 23” have been slowly released over the last week. The Baltimore Ravens found players like tight end Mark Andrews, kicker Justin Tucker, cornerback Marlon Humphrey, quarterback Lamar Jackson and defensive lineman Michael Pierce rated in the game’s top-10 list of players at their positions.

Another player on the team that was rated as a top-10 player at his position by the game was Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard. The Pro Bowler was rated as an 81 overall, good for the No. 2 spot among all fullbacks.

Ricard, known as “Project Pat,” is known for his ability to do whatever the team asks of him. He can be a fullback, line up as a tight end, and even play defensive line if needed. Ricard has become one of the elite fullbacks in the NFL today.

Individual ratings that got Ricard to an 81 overall included a 95 lead block rating, a toughness rating of 90 and a 90 strength rating. The best rated at the position in Madden NFL 23 is former Ravens and current San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk with an 88 overall.

Through five NFL seasons, Ricard has caught 29 passes for 167 and five touchdowns on 167 receiving yards while also adding 18 combined tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and fumble recovery in 70 games. Ricard has also been selected to the Pro Bowl in each of the last three seasons.

What Andy Janovich adds to the Cleveland offense

Fullback Andy Janovich might serve a critical role in the Cleveland Browns’ offense going forward.

When the Cleveland Browns hired Kevin Stefanski as their new had coach, and then acquired tight end Austin Hooper at the start of free agency, every NFL writer immediately thought of one number:

12.

12 as in 12 offensive personnel, the two tight end package that the Minnesota Vikings – and Stefanski – ran almost exclusively in 2019. Last year Minnesota used that personnel grouping on 34% of their offensive snaps, second only to the Philadelphia Eagles. Scheme writers and fantasy analysts alike had visions of Hooper and either David Njoku or Harrison Bryant being used on the boot-action and play-action designs that Stefanski used with Kirk Cousins, only now with Baker Mayfield pulling the trigger.

But another acquisition from the Browns flew a bit under the radar, yet it might end up being hugely consequential for the Cleveland offense: The trade for fullback Andy Janovich. Sure, fullbacks seem to be going the way of the dodo, as teams emphasize athleticism, spread formations and speed in today’s NFL. But the other personnel package the Vikings used heavily in 2019 under Stefanski? 21 offensive personnel, or two running backs. Only the San Francisco 49ers used it more than Minnesota, who implemented that on 21% of their plays.

What does a fullback bring to an offense? Blocking angles, the ability to quickly create four-man surfaces up front, and the ability to get the opposition to play with their base personnel, so you can then throw against them.

All things we saw from Janovich and the Browns against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night: