Tag: tom brady fantasy football

Fantasy football reaction: Julio Jones is a Tampa Bay Buccaneer

Does the Hall of Fame-bound wideout have anything left in the tank?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rolled the dice on free-agent wide receiver Julio Jones by signing the veteran to a one-year deal, and fantasy football owners must ask themselves if he has anything left in the tank entering his age-33 season.

The Bucs inking the veteran may suggest Chris Godwin (knee) isn’t quite yet right from his ACL tear, but the more likely hope is Jones can give this offense a downfield threat it was sorely lacking.

Jones’ days of being a WR1 for any team are obviously behind him, and it’s unlikely he even could be a No. 2 after the injury-decimated season he endured in Tennessee last year.

The move also makes a dent in the expected returns from fellow former Atlanta Falcon Russell Gage. He came over in the offseason at the beckoning of none other than Tom Brady himself, though Gage’s natural traits as a possession receiver indicate Jones is not much of a threat to his role.

Mike Evans, of course, is the alpha of this receiving corps, and he’s going to get his no matter who lines up alongside this scoring machine. Having Evans to draw doubles and an eventually healthy Godwin to help attract underneath coverage frees up Jones for isolated defensive scrutiny.

Fantasy football takeaway

Whether he can remain healthy long enough to capitalize on it is anyone’s guess, but we’ve seen enough history to lean toward fading him on draft day. If spry and still able to get deep after a spat of lower-body injuries, Jones may provide more help to guys like Gage, Godwin and tight end Cameron Brate than Jones’ fantasy owners. Clearing defenders is quite possibly the best attribute he has left.

A reasonable expectation sees a low-volume role with an outsized ratio of touchdowns to catches — and we’re still talking single-digit scores coming from a star receiver who effectively has been allergic to the end zone in his illustrious career. That alone makes Jones a headache to roster, let alone play, as knowing when to deploy him will be maddening. Jones’ best utility may be best-ball and daily fantasy action, provided he even makes the final roster.

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Can Kyle Rudolph find fantasy football success in the twilight of his career?

Will the cagey vet resurrect his career in Tampa?

The most recent retirement of Rob Gronkowski opened the door for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to add a veteran to the roster — the impetus to longtime NFL tight end Kyle Rudolph being signed.

One of the most underappreciated aspects of Gronk’s game among casual fans was his masterful blocking skills, which especially was overlooked in fantasy football since points aren’t awarded for doing the dirty work. The Buccaneers won’t be able to one-for-one replace his receiving skills, but the duo of Cameron Brate and rookie Cade Otton will give it their all. Acting as a line extension happens to be where Rudolph fits in best. Another rookie, Ko Kieft, also could be in the mix as a blocker.

Also see: Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE outlook (before Rudolph)

Entering what will become his age-33 season in November, Rudolph is a 12-year fixture who spent all but last year with the Minnesota Vikings before signing with the New York Giants. He hasn’t played a full campaign in the last two years (27 of 33 games), and we have to go back to 2016 to find his career-best stat line of 83-840-7. Since that season, Rudolph has generated 12 total touchdowns and 958 yards in 63 appearances.

Fantasy football outlook

It would be foolish to expect a strong fantasy season from him, but there is still room for utility in best-ball formats or if Brate gets injured. Tom Brady loves to spread the ball around to as many weapons as possible, and there will be added emphasis on working in the peripheral players while wide receiver Chris Godwin (knee) recovers from a Week 15 ACL tear. He may need time to get back into football shape, which could come at the expense of missing a few games or being limited early on.

The Bucs could work in both veterans for a one-two punch, although the praise placed on Otton and him being cleared for camp (November ankle surgery) warrants a close eye over the next six weeks.

Barring a setback in Otton’s recovery and/or an injury to Brate, it’s tough to see Rudolph offering frequent service in fantasy lineups. He could score a few touchdowns here and there, particularly with the attention paid to Mike Evans and a healthy Godwin. Nevertheless, Tampa’s backfield will get its receptions, and Rudolph has to prove himself following three straight years with fewer than 370 yards as well as consecutive one-TD seasons. Avoid him in drafts for now.

Fantasy football injury outlook: WR Chris Godwin, Buccaneers

Where does Godwin’s rehab stand, and is he worth the risk in fantasy?

In Week 15 of the 2021 season, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin, the most targeted player in Tampa Bay’s pass-happy offense, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament. As is often the case, the timetable for returning to full speed from such an injury is nine to 12 months, especially for wide receivers putting a lot of pressure on healthy ligaments when making separation-creating cuts.

In trying to determine the prognosis for any injured player recovering in the offseason, there are two primary factors that are taken into consideration – what is the team saying about the extent of the injury, and did the organization come up with a backup plan.

In the case of the Buccaneers, it was both.

The team sent out a positive sign this spring when, despite the injury, the Buccaneers signed Godwin to a three-year contract extension worth $60 million with $40 million in guarantees. In the salary cap era, teams don’t make that kind of financial commitment without having a high level of confidence that the injured player will return to pre-injury form.

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However, Tampa Bay also signed Russell Gage, formerly of the Atlanta Falcons, to a three-year contract in free agency. Ideally, Gage would be the No. 3 receiver in the offense, but the deal is worth $30 million – a heavy tax to pay for a No. 3 receiver. It would appear that the Bucs wanted to make sure that Tom Brady has the weapons he needs as he returns for another run at a Super Bowl, and TB12 himself recruited Gage, so it’s hard to say if there’s more to it than that….

The arrival of Gage gives Tampa Bay options when it comes to how it approaches the timetable for Godwin’s return. Earlier this month, Bucs officials said that Godwin is progressing well with his timetable to return, which would be little to no contact in training camp and the preseason and determining in Week 1 if he is healed enough to be a full-time player. Gage gives the team insurance either way.

Fantasy football outlook

He hasn’t been seen on the field in real-world football situations, leaving some to speculate as to whether Godwin will be able to be on the field Week 1. Fantasy auctions and drafts will come and go before anyone has a true handle on the level of readiness Godwin has, which could play into the hands of owners who are willing to take some risks.

With the uncertainty, Godwin could be devalued on draft day. At best, he will be a low-end WR2 in a conventional league. That said, all accounts coming out of Tampa Bay say his rehab is going as hoped and his target date for a full return is Week 1. In this case, don’t let his injury prevent you from making a move on him because, as a low-end WR2, he’s a value pick if he’s good to go. Just prepare for a sluggish start to his sixth pro season, and draft accordingly because of his long-term track record of durability issues.

Fantasy football reaction: Rob Gronkowski retires again

Gronk has retired once more, so where can fantasy owners turn for production?

For the second time in three offseasons, star tight end Rob Gronkowski has opted for stress-free pool parties rather than grueling two-a-days under the summer sun.

While during Gronk’s time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had not resembled the height of his fantasy football production, the departure of Tom Brady‘s BFF opens the door for someone to step up. This is especially true over the first couple of months of the season as standout receiver Chris Godwin recovers from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered late in the 2021 season.

Where will the vacated targets be directed, and is there any fantasy value to be found?

Fantasy football team previews: NFC South

Key coaching changes and QB news have dominated the NFC South’s offseason.

The 2022 fantasy football draft season is starting to heat up now that we’ve gone through the height of free agency and all of the chosen rookies have been assigned to their professional home cities.

The landscape has changed a great deal for many franchises after a whirlwind offseason, and our divisional preview series will help you stay on top of all of the changes to date.

AFC divisional previews

East | North | South | West

NFC divisional previews

East | North | South | West

Tom Brady unretires to rejoin Buccaneers

The GOAT unretires to rejoin the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

After about six weeks of enjoying the retired life, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady took to social media to rescind his decision to step away from the game. He’ll return for his 23rd season at the age of 45 to captain the Bucs for another run at the Lombardi Trophy.

While Brady has made a legendary career out of defying Father Time, but it’s always something fantasy footballers need to keep in mind when adding him in drafts. A selection of TB12 guarantees the need to select a backup with starter capability earlier than anyone would like, but thankfully the position is rather deep.

The Buccaneers franchise tagged wideout Chris Godwin, who is recovering from a torn ACL but figures to be ready for Week 1, barring a setback. Mike Evans returns as the top target in the offense.

After those two, there are plenty of question marks that will be answered in free agency this upcoming week. One has to assume Rob Gronkowski re-signs with Tampa, and then it comes down to the backfield. Both Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones are unrestricted free agents. The offensive line has to figure out what to do with free-agent center Ryan Jensen. Guard Aaron Stinnie was re-signed as Alex Cappa hits the market, and retired left guard Ali Marpet might have second thoughts now.

Tampa has the eighth-least cap space entering free agency, which means several contracts will need to be restructured. The defense is full of key free agents, too, and the team still needs to sign its draft class, which will take at least $10 million. The current projection is more than $3 million in the hole, meaning the front office will need to get creative — and it also will test which players are willing to take a pay cut to make this work out.

Once all of that dust settles, it will be easier to give a more accurate assessment of his fantasy outlook, but Brady remains a No. 1 quarterback … the question is whether it’s the No. 1 or a lower QB1 placement in the rankings.

NFL Player Prop Bet Payday: Week 2

These Week 2 player prop bets are money in the bank!

As we get into Week 2, there is a paranoia among the 16 teams with a 0-1 record. Drop to 0-2 and you have a hole you’re digging out of for a month or more.

The prop bets for this week are based on the belief that the number adjustments on prop bets is being made a little too hastily.

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook (updated Friday, Sept. 17, at 10:50 p.m. ET) … If you’re in CO or NJ, place all of your legal, online sports wagers with Tipico Sportsbook. 

Ride the Ell Train

In Week 1, the Dallas Cowboys decided they were going to play Tampa Bay’s game and throw 100 times between them. How did that work out? They lost. A week later, the Cowboys are an underdog against the Los Angeles Chargers – a far lesser team. By his standards, Ezekiel Elliott has a shockingly low rushing yardage Over/Under (60.5 yards at -114 for both the Over and Under). Dallas won’t come into this game assuming it has to get into a track meet. The Cowboys will take their time and pick their shots. If Elliott gets more than a dozen carries, he should hit this number. If he gets 20? He blows it out of the water. Take the Over.

It’s the Story of a Man Named Brady

In the opener against the Cowboys, Tom Brady threw 50 times, while his team ran the ball just 13 times with its two-headed running back tandem of Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones. Against the Atlanta Falcons, they should be able to take care of their business to the point that they take their foot off the gas and don’t feel obligated to get into the same kind of pass-happy mindset. Brady has an absurd passing yardage Over/Under (312.5 yards at -144 Over, -114 Under). The Bucs should run the ball 25 or more times in this game, which makes achieving that number very hard to hit, barring an assignment collapse. Take the Under.

Mister Christian (Oh, the time has come)

Christian McCaffrey returned healthy to the Carolina Panthers after an injury-marred 2020 season and did what he does – account for 180 total yards with nearly equal amounts rushing and receiving. Against the New Orleans Saints, he has a modest rushing yardage Over/Under (66.5 yards at -114 for both the Over and Under). Coming off their big win against Green Bay, then Saints are chest-thumping knowing that, historically, they have kept McCaffrey in check in the run game. One big run will get half of this total covered. It’s what he does with the other 15+ that will get the job done. Take the Over.

Ain’t Kissin’ Cousins

One thing Kirk Cousins isn’t adept at is being able to make up for a bogus offensive line and put an offense on his shoulders. His passing yardage Over/Under (268.5 yards at -114 for both the Over and Under) is significant. With an offensive line incapable of holding up in a 7-yard drop situation, his options are to try to Dalvin Cook as long as is practical or complete short slant passes before he gets hit. To hit this number, he either needs to complete 30 passes or be so far behind that the run game isn’t an option. The Vikings should hang around long enough that the panic button doesn’t get hit too early. Take the Under.

My Kupp Runneth Over

It’s always tough to predict yardage Over/Under numbers for Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp. He’s going to get his, it’s only a matter of what he does when he gets the ball in his hands in traffic. However, his reception Over/Under (5.5 receptions at -144 Over, -114 Under) is far less of a gamble. The Indianapolis Colts secondary is weakened and, even if Kupp catches six passes for 40 yards, he still hits the number needed to head to the pay window. Take the Over.

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Fantasy football draft: Where to target Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady

Analyzing Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady’s 2021 fantasy football ADP and where you should target him in your drafts.

Coming off his seventh Super Bowl win, Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady is set for another strong fantasy football season with the same supporting cast. Below, we look at Tom Brady‘s 2021 fantasy football average draft position (ADP) and where you should draft him.

Brady will be 44 years old before the start of the season, but he should continue to thrive in an offense that gives him full control. He ranked as the eighth-best fantasy football quarterback among those with at least six games played in points per game last season.

Tom Brady’s ADP: 48.10

(ADP data courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com)

Brady is being taken as the 11th quarterback in drafts so far. He’s one below Tennessee Titans QB Ryan Tannehill. Despite his receivers having big-play potential, Brady is typically the first Buccaneers player taken off the board.

He’s gone as high as No. 4 and as low as No. 227. The lower bracket of leagues selecting Brady are standard leagues with fewer than 10 teams, while the upper end is two-QB leagues.

Brady threw for the second-highest touchdown total of his Hall of Fame career last year while playing in all 16 games.

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Tom Brady’s 2020 stats

Games: 16

Passing yards: 4,633

Touchdowns: 40

Interceptions: 12

Rushing yards: 6

Rush. Touchdowns: 3

Where should you take Tom Brady in your fantasy football draft?

Brady isn’t going to be taken off the board in the first wave of quarterbacks. Part of the reason his value is lacking is due to his inability to run the ball.

That said, Brady should be taken at the start of the second wave of quarterbacks. In 12-team standard leagues, that should happen around the sixth round. In two-QB leagues, Brady is a second-round pick.

While he’ll be 44, Brady should still be retained in dynasty leagues. He’s going to be capable of putting up 35-plus touchdowns and over 4,000 yards. WR Mike Evans and Chris Godwin will be key reasons why Brady succeeds this season.

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Will Tom Brady be bad for fantasy football owners in 2020?

Tom Brady will be taking over a loaded Buccaneers offense, but is it possible he won’t be as big a fantasy football star as some hope?

The Buccaneers went just 7-9 last season during Jameis Winston’s historically bizarre season in which he threw for 5,109 yards, 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. While the former Heisman Trophy winner had hoped to secure a long-term contract from the Bucs for his 2019 performance, the team opted instead to let him walk after they signed Tom Brady to take over the offense.

While Brady is almost guaranteed to find some form of success in an offense that features both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, not to mention All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski, many are wondering if the six-time Super Bowl champion will be the fantasy football star they are hoping he will be.

Bucs writer Greg Auman of The Athletic recently joined The Athletic‘s fantasy football podcast to discuss that and other topics. Here’s a snippet on his thoughts about Brady.

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