Tag: Peyton Barber

Derrius Guice is gone in Washington, so what happens now?

Guice was rightfully released from Washington on Friday after turning himself into the police, so it will be next man up in Washington.

The competition for starting running back on the Washington Football Team just got a bit more interesting.

Groundbreaking news dropped late on Friday afternoon, as it was announced that RB Derrius Guice had turned himself in to the police for an alleged domestic violence incident, and minutes later the team released him altogether. Despite what happens for Guice and his future in football, which might be a bit dicey considering his lengthy injury history to go along with a potential legal timeline, it’s clear that he is not in the cards for the future in Washington.

So where does that leave them? Not in a terrible position, to be honest. Thankfully, running back is one of the deeper positions on the team in Washington, where five players now stand to compete for a spot on the roster. We have speculated in the past that Washington might choose to carry four backs on the 53-man roster, but now it could stand to reason that they will keep all five — Adrian Peterson, Bryce Love, Antonio Gibson, Peyton Barber, and J.D. McKissic — and protect against depth or lack of production down the road.

It would be easy to believe that the RB1 job is Peterson’s to lose at this point, as he’s held that role for much of the past two seasons, and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. There are also high hopes for both Love and Gibson, who fans in Washington have yet to see outside of some impressive college careers. Both Barber and McKissic, who might have struggled to find a spot on the roster before Guice’s release, will now likely be members of the team going forward, and they can add some crucial depth when called upon.

So is the news about Guice unfortunate? Absolutely. Any domestic violence issue is abhorrent and shameful, and should not be taken lightly. Credit to Ron Rivera and the team for releasing him immediately, showing that this type of behavior absolutely has no place in Washington. Will the team be able to make due going forward? Again, absolutely. It will be the next man up for the Washington Football Team, and luckily there are a lot of men waiting in line for that RB spot.

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Ranking the Redskins running backs by level of job security in 2020

With six viable candidates at running back, the Redskins will likely have to cut at least one or two players before the final roster is set.

One of the main questions surrounding the Washington Redskins offense is what they’re going to do when it comes to the running back personnel. Across the board, there are some concerns about depth at certain positions, with a hope that the players slotted on the depth chart at TE and WR can live up to the billing.

At the running back position, however, the Redskins have no shortage of bodies that they can throw in there, and a lot of the players should instill a good bit of confidence as well. So while Adrian Peterson and Derrius Guice are seemingly locked, alongside offseason additions like Antonio Gibson (Draft), Peyton Barber (FA), and J.D. McKissic (FA), who will still be standing by the time week 1 rolls around? There’s also Bryce Love, who was drafted in 2019, hoping to make a return before long as well. With six viable options at the RB spot and a reasonable expectation that Washington may only keep four or five on the roster, somebody is going to get the short end of the stick. But who? Let’s break it down.

Tier 3 — On the Cut Block

Players: Bryce Love, J.D. McKissic, Peyton Barber

Is it harsh to say that any one of these three players are on the chopping block without having had a chance to even prove themselves in Washington yet? Absolutely. Do you feel confident staking your life that any of these players will be on the roster in Week 1 of the 2020 season? Absolutely not.

Let’s start with Love. The Redskins drafted Love in the 2019 draft, and he was meant to be a play for the future, seeing as he was recovering from a torn ACL, and not expected to play for much of his rookie season. That recovery has unfortunately taken a bit longer than expected, and we are still without a clear idea of when he will return to the field. Assuming that he can come back and play this season, it will be extremely interesting to see what he can do on the field. Judging by his time at Stanford, where he was nominated for the Heisman Trophy in 2017, the talent is there. However, if he can’t get on the field, then it becomes no question.

As for McKissic and Barber, both are coming into a tough situation. Both have had decent careers in the NFL, though nothing spectacular, and now they are being asked to crack an RB rotation in Washington where they’re playing from behind right out of the gate. While the Redskins are likely to deploy offenses that match both of their skill-sets — Barber is a power-runner, and McKissic is a great pass-catching third-down back — it seems highly unlikely that both men will get the job come September if either does at all.

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JD McKissic says pass-catching ability sets him apart from other Redskins RBs

McKissic knows it will be a tough competition for RB snaps this offseason, but he knows his ability as a pass-catcher will help set him apart.

The Washington Redskins will be dealing with a number of new things in 2020. Whether that be new players, new coaches, or new schemes, everything will be a bit fresh for the majority of players on the roster, and the coaches will have to manage that newness while they try to navigate an uncertain offseason.

This is one of the reasons Washington made a point to focus on veteran players who they have some familiarity with this offseason. Players like Kendall Fuller, Thomas Davis, and Kyle Allen. Players that they won’t have to hold the hand of through every step of the learning period.

Another player that could be fit into this category is running back JD McKissic. The Redskins added the four-year pro to their deep stable of running backs, hoping he can compete for a share of the workload and find his way into offensive success. Lucky for McKissic, he has a leg up on other players on the depth chart, seeing as he is the lead pass-catching back on the roster. The others are capable, but McKissic is proficient, and that matters in Scott Turner’s new offense.

Think about Christian McCaffery, who had over 1,000 yards receiving and four touchdowns in 2019 alone. He was operating in Turner’s system — a system that is now in Washington, looking for a pass-catching back to shoulder some of the load. McKissic is a great candidate, seeing as he played wide receiver at Arkansas state in college. While his size forced him to transition into a scat-back role in the NFL, that doesn’t change his mindset.

“I will always feel like I’m a receiver just because I’ve done it my whole life,” he said, via NBC Sports Washington. “I never want to lose my receiver ability. I feel like it’s kept me in the league to do something different. That’s what sets me apart from a lot of other guys.”

It will have the chance to set him apart in Washington as well. Turner’s offense excels with a pass-catching back on the roster, and outside of McKissic, there are few people to fill that role. Adrian Peterson is better used elsewhere; Derrius Guice proved able in 2019, though it’s too small of a sample size to glean anything from. Who knows if Bryce Love will be healthy, and Peyton Barber has never had more than 20 receptions per season in his career.

That leaves McKissic. In a highly-competitive battle for playing time, he has a way to set himself apart from the rest.

“I got to keep my route running up. I can’t let them forget that I was a wide receiver.”

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RB Peyton Barber agrees to two-year deal with Redskins

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are down a running back after Peyton Barber agreed to a two-year deal with the Washington Redskins.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have quarterback Tom Brady in the mix now, but they may want to get him some more help in the backfield. While second-year running back Ronald Jones ended up as the team’s starter midway through last season, Peyton Barber still provided the Bucs with 470 rushing yards and six touchdowns.

Now, Barber is saying goodbye to the Bucs after four seasons and heading up to Washington to join Ron Rivera and the Redskins.

In his time with the Bucs, Barber amassed 1,987 rushing yards to go along with 15 rushing touchdowns. He also had 349 receiving yards and two scores.

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Redskins sign RB Peyton Barber for two-year, $3 million contract

The Redskins will now add Peyton Barber to their deep stable of running backs, and on a cheap contract as well.

The Washington Redskins have added yet another running back to their roster this offseason, signing former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Peyton Barber on Tuesday.

Barber has had a decent career in Tampa Bay, and he led the team in rushing in 2018, racking up, 11 touchdowns over the past two seasons. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, he will be signing a two-year contract with the Redskins that is worth $3 million, with $600K guaranteed.

Barber is now one of six running backs on the Redskins depth chart, joining Adrian Peterson, Derrius Guice, Bryce Love, J.D. McKissi and Josh Furgeson. Assuming that all area healthy by the start of the 2020 season, it will be extremely interesting to watch the battle for carries play out.

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Fantasy football free agency roundup

NFL free agency will drastically help reshape the fantasy football landscape as the new league year begins.

(Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports)

Now that NFL free agency is upon us, here is where we’ll run through the fantasy football outlooks for trades, re-signings, midrange players and tag recipients.

This analysis will be updated as players sign/re-sign in free agency, so be sure to check back regularly.

Signed with new team or traded

Links to individual analysis

TE Austin Hooper, Cleveland Browns

WR DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals

RB David Johnson, Houston Texans

TE Hayden Hurst, Atlanta Falcons

Re-signed/extensions

QB Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans: A four-year, $118 million extension was signed on the eve of the tampering window, securing Tannehill’s role as the starting quarterback for the near future. He developed a rapport with 2019 rookie wideout A.J. Brown and has one of the best running games to keep defenses honest, provided Derrick Henry indeed signs his franchise tender and doesn’t pull a Le’Veon Bell. Tannehill is among the more intriguing back fantasy picks and will be chosen as a rotational starter by gamers willing to wait on the position.

QB Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings: There’s not a lot to say here since he wasn’t facing free agency, and Cousins’ 2020 situation doesn’t change by getting this extension (two years, $66 million). Keep tabs on Stefon Diggs possibly getting dealt, though. Cousins, for now, remains a top-tier backup with matchup utility, especially when it appears the Vikes may struggle to run the ball.

Franchise/TRANSITION tagged

QB Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys: Prescott will not be able to negotiate with any team but the Cowboys, and the goal is to work out a long-term deal. The offensive system will remain the same as in 2019 with Kellen Moore coming back as the playcaller under new head coach Mike McCarthy. Dak is a top-five fantasy quarterback if Amari Cooper returns.

RB Derrick Henry: Tennessee Titans: Unless Henry refuses to sign his tender and holds out most or all of the year, he will be the bell cow once again in Tennessee. There remains a chance he signs a long-term contract before things could get ugly. All things equal, short of losing his right tackle, life appears to be business as usual. RB1 all day long.

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WR A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals: A rookie quarterback as Cincy’s 2020 starter is all but etched into stone, which is a likely detriment for Green. However, he remains the most gifted wideout in an offense that won’t be scared to throw it when needed, so he has that working for him. Expect WR2 stats as a ceiling, and the combo of age and injuries are conspiring against Green.

TE Hunter Henry, Los Angeles Chargers: This one isn’t as cut and dried as some of the above inclusions, because we don’t know LA’s quarterback for Week 1 yet. Some signs say Tom Brady, others suggest a rookie or even Tyrod Taylor as a stopgap. On talent alone, Henry is a midrange No. 1 in fantasy, but other factors, like an undeniable injury risk and this being the first full year of playcalling responsibility for Shane Steichen, should give owners pause.

RB Kenyan Drake, Arizona Cardinals: No more David Johnson, or his punitive salary, could lead to this transition tag be little more than formality before a long-term deal is reached. Drake exploded in this system late last year, and now the addition of WR DeAndre Hopkins has to get the juices flowing. Drake is risky, and now the Air Raid system may be fully deployed, which could force the former Miami Dolphin to be overly reliant on efficiency. Those concerns aside, don’t go overboard on draft day for a player whose career has largely been a disappointment, even if not entirely his fault. Give him the old RB2 treatment in all single-year formats.

Remains unsigned

RB Devonta Freeman, free agent:

RB Lamar Miller, free agent:

RB Dion Lewis, free agent:

RB LeSean McCoy, free agent:

RB Theo Riddick, free agent:

RB Peyton Barber, free agent:

RB Frank Gore, free agent:

WR Randall Cobb, free agent:

WR Devin Funchess, free agent:

WR Breshad Perriman, free agent:

TE Jimmy Graham, free agent:

TE Jordan Reed, free agent:

TE Delanie Walker, free agent:

TE Vance McDonald, free agent:

TE Jason Witten, free agent:

TE Tyler Eifert, free agent:

Report: Buccaneers one of the top landing spots for Derrick Henry

Could the NFL’s rushing leader from 2019, Derrick Henry, find a home in Tampa Bay with the Buccaneers?

The NFL’s 2019 rushing champion, Derrick Henry, is set to become a free agent on March 18th, and while the Tennessee Titans are presumed as the favorites to retain their starting running back, Jordan Dajani at CBS Sports is reporting that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be the most popular landing spot outside of the Titans.

Notably, the Buccaneers struggled running the ball with Ronald Jones and Peyton Barber sharing the workload out of the backfield last season, only notching one game with a back exceeding the 100-yard mark, and that was Jones in the final game of the season. Collectively, Jones and Barber combined for 1,521 yards on the ground for the entire season. Henry, meanwhile, finished the 2019 season with 1,540 yards. So, it’s safe to say that if the Buccaneers are truly looking to upgrade at running back, Henry is on their radar.

Henry’s projected market value from Sportrac is around 4-years at $55.3 million with an average yearly salary of $13.8 million. While an upgrade at running back could be nice, and Jones has shown flashes of being a very solid running back in the league, the Buccaneers have a lot to focus on when it comes to free agency. Coach Bruce Arians has said that he wants to keep the entire defense together, and that the possibility of doing so is ‘“very realisitic.” Jameis Winston will also be a free agent, although Arians has said that he, and the team, already know what they are doing at the QB position.

Since the franchise tagging period has opened, as expected, the Buccaneers have not placed the franchise tag on Winston, and if the organization cannot work out a long-term deal with Shaquil Barrett, he will most likely be the recipient of that franchise tag. The tagging period started on February 27th and will close on March 12th.

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6 stats that speak to Le’Veon Bell’s 2019 struggles

The Jets didn’t use Bell properly in 2019, and he finished with some of his worst numbers since his rookie season in 2013.

Let’s not mince words: Le’Veon Bell had a terrible season in 2019.

He suffered career lows in almost every statistical category in his first season with the Jets after he took a year off of football and rarely looked like the superstar running back he was in his five seasons with the Steelers. Part of his abysmal season can be blamed on the Jets’ horrendous roster – particularly its porous offensive line – as well as Adam Gase’s utilization of the multi-faceted back.

Bell should have been the featured player of the Jets offense after signing a lucrative four-year, $52.5 million contract last offseason with $27 million in guaranteed money. Instead, he saw a decrease in touches, yards and touchdowns. The Jets will have a big decision this offseason on what to do with Bell given his age (he’ll turn 28 in February), contract and obvious dip in production two years after he touched the ball 406 times and scored 11 touchdowns for the Steelers. General manager Joe Douglas didn’t sign Bell, Gase reportedly never wanted him, and the offense performed similarly when he missed one game this season. All signs point to Bell sticking around for at least another season, but his stats are worrisome for a player who was at one point the most dynamic player in the league.

Here are six stats that show how much Bell struggled in first season in New York.

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7 fantasy football waiver wire claims to make ahead of Week 14

Fantasy football waiver wire claims and adds to make ahead of Week 14.

Need a fresh face for your fantasy football roster this week?

It’s never too late for a few extra points to add to your win column. Especially since it could be playoff time now.

Here are seven waiver wire claims to make in fantasy football ahead of Week 14:

Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

QB Ryan Tannehill

Ryan Tannehill has quietly put up three-straight games which have included two touchdown passes in each. Of course, the yards haven’t always been there, limiting his fantasy football value. This week Tannehill’s Titans are on the road, but against the Raiders. They’ve allowed 27 passing touchdowns to date and rank as the No. 24 team defending the pass, allowing an average of 258.2 yards per game. They’re not great.

Percent owned in ESPN fnatasy leagues: 23.6%

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9 fantasy football sleepers for Week 14

Quarterbacks Gardner Minshew and Devlin Hodges highlight Touchdown Wire’s Week 14 list of fantasy football sleepers.

NFL coaches and players always talk about how the playoffs bring a whole new level of intensity. It’s true.

The same is true of fantasy football and its playoffs are now upon us. At this point, you have to go for broke. Sometimes, desperate measures are needed. That sums up what the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars are doing in reality.

The Jaguars have no margin for error for the playoffs. The Steelers don’t have much more room for error. But they’re going with rookie quarterbacks Devlin Hodges in Pittsburgh and Gardner Minshew in Jacksonville for the rest of the season.

Are they good enough to start in fantasy? I say yes.

Let me explain my reasoning a little deeper as Hodges and Minshew highlight Touchdown Wire’s weekly list of nine fantasy football sleepers.

9. Gardner Minshew, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

The Jaguars benched high-priced quarterback Nick Foles last week after falling behind, 25-0, last week. The turned back to the rookie Minshew, who went 4-4 as a starter when Foles was injured early in the season and he sparked the Jaguars to two quick scores. That led to the Jaguars announcing that Minshew will be the starter the rest of the season. Minshew has a favorable matchup against the struggling Los Angeles Chargers this week.

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