NFL Preview by Sarasota Herald-Tribune

FANTASY

PREDICTIONS

ROOKIE REPORT

FULL SCHEDULE

NFLPREVIEW FALL 2015

the

BEST right now AND THE WORST EXPECTED CELLAR-DWELLERS

MALCOLM BUTLER WHAT’S NEXT FOR ER SUPER BOWL ED BY HERO

PO W

2015 NFL PREVIEW

AP PHOTO/MICHAEL DWYER

SUPER BOWL STAR

Malcolm Butler likely to start for champion Patriots Worcester (Mass.) Telegram & Gazette

FOXBORO — Like the rest of his teammates, Malcolm Butler is trying to put Super Bowl XLIX behind him, but his heroics in that game really gave him momentum coming into training camp. The Gillette Stadium crowd cheered Butler during Aug. 13’s preseason game against the Packers. “It feels pretty good,” Butler said after the Patriots’ 22-11 loss, “but at the same time moving forward off the Super Bowl. Trying to build off it and establish whatever I got coming for me.” Through 12 practices and one preseason game, it seems Butler has solidified himself as one of the Patriots’ starting cornerbacks for 2015. He’s had a strong camp — Butler was the first to intercept Tom Brady — started on the left side against the Packers, played 15 snaps and broke up an Aaron Rodgers pass intended for Davante Adams late in Green Bay’s first drive. “I think it went well,” Butler said, “but me, myself, the whole unit still

have a lot to prove. Just got to get back here and fix a couple of errors and continue to strive to get better.” Butler made the Patriots last season as an undrafted free agent. As a rookie, he played in 11 games with one start. With 20 seconds left in the Super Bowl, he famously picked off Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson at the goal line to preserve the Patriots’ victory. It’s been evident this summer that Butler is playing with some confidence. “You got to have confidence to play defensive back,” he said. “That’s not being a butthole or anything like that, bragging or anything, but you got to have confidence to play defensive back.” The losses of corners Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, as well as Kyle Arrington and Alfonzo Dennard, in the offseason left the Patriots with some questions in their secondary. It looks like they’ve found one answer in Butler, but who will be starting opposite him has yet to be determined. Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer. toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JennTandG.

FULL PAGE AD

AP PHOTO/CHARLES KRUPA

By Jennifer Toland

2015 NFL PREVIEW

FANTASY

THE BEST right now By Matt Miller BleacherReport.com

Overall Rank

You can find rankings and analysis for every position on our B/R NFL 1000 main page, bleacherreport.com/ nfl-1000-rankings.

Justin Houston

Overall Player Position Overall Rank Score 133 Cameron Jordan 4-3 DE 87 132 Delanie Walker TE 87 131 Travis Frederick C 87 130 Zack Martin G 87 129 Dan Williams DT 87 128 Charles Clay TE 87 127 Mike Evans WR 87 126 Kenny Britt WR 87 125 Arian Foster RB 87 124 Jurrell Casey 3-4 DE 87 123 Jerry Hughes 4-3 DE 87 122 Jared Veldheer LT 87 121 LeSean McCoy RB 87 120 Jimmy Graham TE 87 119 Joe Haden CB 87 118 Kam Chancellor S 87 117 Marquette King P 88 116 Dan Carpenter K 88 115 Stephen Gostkowski K 88 114 Adam Vinatieri K 88 113 Kelechi Osemele G 88 112 Sen’Derrick Marks DT 88 111 Kyle D. Williams DT 88 110 Jeremiah Ratliff DT 88 109 Malik Jackson 4-3 DE 88 108 Malcom Floyd WR 88 107 Anquan Boldin WR 88 106 Doug Baldwin WR 88 105 Golden Tate WR 88 104 Sean Smith CB 88 103 Mario Williams 4-3 DE 88 102 Branden Albert LT 88 101 Calais Campbell 3-4 DE 88 100 Sheldon Richardson 3-4 DE 88 99 Casey Hayward CB 88 98 Teddy Bridgewater QB 88 97 Carson Palmer QB 88 96 Patrick Willis ILB 88 95 Randall Cobb WR 88 94 Dont’a Hightower ILB 88 93 Joe Flacco QB 88 92 C.J. Mosley ILB 88 91 Brad Nortman P 89 90 Sam Martin P 89 89 Pat McAfee P 89 88 Kyle Long G 89 87 T.J. Lang G 89 86 Kawann Short DT 89 85 Junior Galette 4-3 DE 89 84 Brandon Marshall 4-3 OLB 89 83 Zach Ertz TE 89 82 Julius Thomas TE 89 81 Travis Kelce TE 89 80 Julian Edelman WR 89 79 Alshon Jeffery WR 89 78 Matt Ryan QB 89 77 Tony Romo QB 89 76 Andy Lee P 90 75 Thomas Morstead P 90 74 Matt Bosher P 90 73 Johnny Hekker P 90 72 Johnathan Hankins DT 90 71 Jason Witten TE 90 70 DeSean Jackson WR 90 69 Pierre Garcon WR 90 68 Kendall Wright WR 90 67 Keenan Allen WR 90

Player

Position

Overall Score

66 DeAndre Hopkins WR 90 65 Emmanuel Sanders WR 90 64 A.J. Green WR 90 63 Larry Fitzgerald WR 90 62 Joel Bitonio G 90 61 Jason Pierre-Paul 4-3 DE 90 60 Everson Griffen 4-3 DE 90 59 Cameron Wake 4-3 DE 90 58 Glover Quin S 90 57 Joe Staley LT 90 56 Eddie Lacy RB 90 55 Harrison Smith S 90 54 Earl Thomas S 90 53 Ben Roethlisberger QB 90 52 Sharrif Floyd DT 91 51 Marcell Dareus DT 91 50 Mike Daniels 3-4 DE 91 49 Greg Olsen TE 91 48 Evan Mathis G 91 47 Jeremy Maclin WR 91 46 Gerald McCoy DT 91 45 Robert Quinn 4-3 DE 91 44 Von Miller 4-3 OLB 91 43 Calvin Johnson WR 91 42 Marshawn Lynch RB 91 41 Matt Forte RB 91 40 Drew Brees QB 91 39 Desmond Trufant CB 91 38 Bobby Wagner ILB 91 37 Brandon Fields P 92 36 Ezekiel Ansah 4-3 DE 92 35 Robert Ayers 4-3 DE 92 34 Fletcher Cox 3-4 DE 92 33 Khalil Mack 4-3 OLB 92 32 T.Y. Hilton WR 92 31 Julio Jones WR 92 30 Russell Wilson QB 92 29 Le’Veon Bell RB 92 28 Andrew Luck QB 92 27 Ndamukong Suh DT 93 26 Aaron Donald DT 93 25 Jordy Nelson WR 93 24 Demaryius Thomas WR 93 23 Jamaal Charles RB 93 22 Tom Brady QB 93 21 Peyton Manning QB 93 20 Chris Harris Jr. CB 93 19 Andrew Whitworth LT 94 18 Nick Mangold C 94 17 Marshal Yanda G 94 16 Jason Peters LT 94 15 Eric Weddle S 94 14 Michael Bennett 4-3 DE 94 13 Antonio Brown WR 94 12 Joe Thomas LT 94 11 Rob Gronkowski TE 94 10 Darrelle Revis CB 94 9 Vontae Davis CB 94 8 Luke Kuechly ILB 94 7 Odell Beckham Jr. WR 95 6 Dez Bryant WR 95 5 Justin Houston 3-4 OLB 95 4 DeMarco Murray RB 96 3 Richard Sherman CB 97 2 Aaron Rodgers QB 98 1 J.J. Watt 3-4 DE 98

Rob Gronkowski

Darrelle Revis

Luke Kuechl

J.J. Watt

Odell Beckham Jr.

Dez Bryant

AP PHOTOS

Criteria are weighed for a possible best score of 100. Potential is not taken into consideration, nor are career accomplishments.

DeMarco Murray

Aaron Rodgers

ho is the best player in the NFL? Not based on the past 10 years or one game, but over the past year: Who was the best? Good luck answering that one without starting a fight, right? Well, that’s what the NFL 1000 aims to do by scouting, grading and then ranking the best players at each position before putting them in order and breaking ties to come up with the top 1,000 players. No narratives, no fantasy football points, no quarterback rating: This is cold, hard scouting. You can find rankings and analysis for every position on our B/R NFL 1000 main page, bleacherreport.com/nfl-1000-rankings. The B/R 1000 metric is based heavily on scouting each player and grading the key criteria for each position. The criteria are weighed according to importance for a possible best score of 100. Potential is not taken into consideration, nor are career accomplishments. In the case of ties, our team asked, “Which player would I rather have on my team?” and set the rankings accordingly. Subjective? Yes. But ties are no fun. Each player was scouted by me and a team of experienced evaluators (Dan Bazal, Cian Fahey, Dan Hope, Marshal Miller, Justis Mosqueda) with these key criteria in mind. The following scouting reports and grades are the work of months of film study from our team.

Overall Overall Player Position Rank Score 200 Aqib Talib CB 84 199 Orlando Scandrick CB 84 198 Reshad Jones S 84 197 DeAndre Levy 4-3 OLB 84 196 Duane Brown LT 84 195 Ryan Tannehill QB 84 194 Jimmy Smith CB 84 193 Rodney Hudson C 84 192 Tress Way P 85 191 Mike C. Adams S 85 190 Tashaun Gipson S 85 189 Robert Blanton S 85 188 Maurkice Pouncey C 85 187 Kevin Zeitler G 85 186 Damontre Moore 4-3 DE 85 185 Kroy Biermann 4-3 DE 85 184 Kelvin Beachum LT 85 183 Antonio Gates TE 85 182 Brent Celek TE 85 181 Brandin Cooks WR 85 180 Wes Welker WR 85 179 Andrew Hawkins WR 85 178 Harry Douglas WR 85 177 Michael Floyd WR 85 176 Dwayne Allen TE 85 175 Ahmad Bradshaw RB 85 174 Darren Sproles RB 85 173 Kareem Jackson CB 85 172 Jason Verrett CB 85 171 Sammy Watkins WR 85 170 Lavonte David 4-3 OLB 85 169 Philip Rivers QB 85 168 Xavier Rhodes CB 85 167 Patrick Peterson CB 85 166 Dustin Colquitt P 86 165 Bryan Anger P 86 164 Connor Barth K 86 163 Matt Bryant K 86 162 Josh Brown K 86 161 Anthony Sherman FB 86 160 Orlando Franklin G 86 159 Terrance Knighton DT 86 158 George Johnson 4-3 DE 86 157 Martellus Bennett TE 86 156 Markus Wheaton WR 86 155 Terrance Williams WR 86 154 Jarvis Landry WR 86 153 Kenny Stills WR 86 152 Terrell Suggs 3-4 OLB 86 151 Josh Sitton G 86 150 Brandon Williams DT 86 149 Pernell McPhee 3-4 OLB 86 148 Jeremy Hill RB 86 147 Charles Johnson 4-3 DE 86 146 Chris Borland ILB 86 145 Cam Newton QB 86 144 Matthew Stafford QB 86 143 Jamie Collins ILB 86 142 Devin McCourty S 86 141 Muhammad Wilkerson 3-4 DE 86 140 Tyron Smith LT 86 139 Justin Tucker K 87 138 Brandon Brooks G 87 137 William Hayes 4-3 DE 87 136 C.J. Anderson RB 87 135 Knile Davis RB 87 134 Cliff Avril 4-3 DE 87

2015 NFL PREVIEW

Signing Josh McCown to a multiyear deal is not exactly a vote of confidence for 2014 first-round pick Johnny Manziel. The Browns insist they haven’t given up on Johnny Football, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Northeast Ohio Media Group.

RANKINGS WORST 5

32 BEST AND WORST TEAMS COMING INTO THE SEASON By Nick Selbe BleacherReport.com

The calendar is nearing September, which means that all 32 NFL teams are almost ready for the season. And it means it’s time for the never-too-early NFL power rankings for 2015. The list on the following pages ranks the top five worst teams and the top five best teams. This ranking reflects how each team stacks up for the upcoming season. It’s based on last year’s performance, freeagency acquisitions, trades, drafted players, overall team health and any ongoing player discipline issues.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2014 record: 2-14, 4th in NFC South The Bucs were 30th in the league in total offense in 2014 and 25th in total defense, so there is work to be done all over this roster. Head coach Lovie Smith already named rookie QB Jameis Winston the starter for Week 1 during a press conference. While he’s the better choice over Mike Glennon, it’s tough to expect him to be a star right away considering how much this team struggled last season. A major determining factor to how Winston (and the offense as a whole) performs is the play of running back Doug Martin. Martin took the league by storm during his rookie season, with 1,926 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns, and appeared to be a star in the making. Injuries have limited Martin to just 17 games in the two seasons since, and he’s entering the final year of his rookie contract. The Bucs’ offensive line ranked last in the league in adjusted offensive line yards and sacks allowed, according to Football Outsiders, so that unit’s performance will need to improve for Winston and Martin to get the offense moving in the right direction. AP PHOTOS

Washington Redskins 2014 record: 4-12, 4th in NFC East First-year general manager Scot McCloughan is considered one of the best talent evaluators in the league but dealt with some personal issues involving alcohol that led to his resignation from his front office position with the Seahawks in April 2014. Now with the Redskins, McCloughan will try to turn around the franchise after a disastrous 2014 season. The Redskins started three different quarterbacks and lost four of their last seven games by 20 or more points. Head coach Jay Gruden enters his second season desperately needing to show significant improvement. QB Robert Griffin III posted his worst statistical season yet, playing in just nine games and posting career lows in total QBR and rushing yards per carry. Griffin has already been named the starter for this season, and Washington picked up his $16 million 2016 option this offseason, a strong vote of confidence by the organization. The Redskins also added Ricky JeanFrancois, Stephen Paea and Terrance Knighton to bolster their defensive line. Washington tied for 29th last season in points allowed, and in a division with the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants all boasting lethal offenses, the Redskins will need to get much better on that side of the ball to contend.

Tennessee Titans 2014 record: 2-14, 4th in AFC South Tennessee ended 2014 on a 10-game losing streak, and as a result, it picked second in the draft and chose 2014 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota. The Titans were 30th in scoring offense and tied for 29th in scoring defense last season. Much like the Bucs, Tennessee will be relying on a rookie quarterback to turn things around in 2015. Mariota will start Week 1 for the Titans, and he won’t have too many great weapons around him. Bishop Sankey should be the starting running back, and receiver options Kendall Wright, Harry Douglas and Hakeem Nicks are a little uninspiring. The Titans did improve on defense in the offseason, signing outside linebacker Brian Orakpo, cornerback Perrish Cox and safety Da’Norris Searcy. All three are expected to start this season. Tennessee used five of its first six picks in the draft on offensive players and focused largely on defense in free agency. With few proven veterans on offense, it will be difficult for Mariota to excel in his first year. His knack for protecting the football, though, will serve him well.

Cleveland Browns 2014 record: 7-9, 4th in AFC North After a Week 12 win against the Atlanta Falcons, the Browns were 7-4 and in the thick of the AFC playoff hunt. Then things fell apart, and the season ended with five straight losses. Now Cleveland must pick up the pieces as the franchise heads in a new direction on offense.

The Browns decided not to bring back 29-year-old QB Brian Hoyer, who signed a two-year deal with the Houston Texans, but then brought in 36-year-old QB Josh McCown on a three-year, $14 million contract in February. Together, those moves seem puzzling, and signing McCown to a multiyear deal is not exactly a vote of confidence for 2014 first-round pick Johnny Manziel. The Browns insist they haven’t given up on Johnny Football, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Northeast Ohio Media Group, though their actions might suggest that he is not expected to be a major contributor this season. In other free-agency moves, the Browns made some minor additions who will help. Wide receiver Brian Hartline will be a reliable target for whoever starts at quarterback, though he’s no replacement for Josh Gordon, who will miss the entire season while serving a suspension. Cleveland brought in Tramon Williams, and he should start at cornerback opposite Pro Bowler Joe Haden. If McCown can recapture some magic from the 2013 season in which he threw 13 touchdowns and just one interception, the Browns can be competitive in the AFC North. But considering how much he struggled for the Bucs last season, it would be a surprising outcome.

Jacksonville Jaguars 2014 record: 3-13, 3rd in AFC South The youth movement in Jacksonville is in full swing. Blake Bortles played in 14 games last season, including 13 starts. After throwing 12 interceptions in his first six games, Bortles took much better care of the ball and threw just five in his next eight. Jacksonville’s top three returning

2014 NFL PREVIEW

2015 NFL PREVIEW 13

When Tom Brady returns, the offense will be just as potent as it was last season. Defensively, the Patriots must replace both starting cornerbacks, which will be a challenge considering how well Darrelle Revis played last season.

WORST 5

When Brady returns, the offense will be just as potent as it was last season. Defensively, the Patriots must replace both starting cornerbacks, which will be a challenge considering how well Darrelle Revis played last season. The burden of defending a championship can be taxing, but the Patriots are as equipped as anyone to get it done. When we’re this close to the top of the list, every detail matters, and Brady’s suspension keeps New England from being ranked higher than the next two teams.

TOP 5

Denver Broncos 2014 record: 12-4, 1st in AFC West; lost to Colts in divisional round Mark Twain once said, “The report of my death was an exaggeration,” and that quote figuratively applies to Peyton Manning. Yes, Manning looked like a shell of his former self in the Broncos’ loss to the Colts in last year’s divisional round. He’s 39 and is about to begin his 18th season. He’s not in his prime. But he’s also not done yet, and the numbers at FiveThirtyEight support that. Manning in a declining phase is still among the best quarterbacks in the league. The Broncos lost some key players in free agency, such as Julius Thomas, Rahim Moore and Orlando Franklin. Still, with Manning running the show, Denver should put up points. The Broncos were third in the league in total defense, so expect them to be back in the hunt for a championship.

Dallas Cowboys 2014 record: 12-4, 1st in NFC East; lost to Green Bay Packers in divisional round Dallas rewarded Dez Bryant with a $70 million contract this offseason, and he will be the key for the Cowboys to make another playoff run. Dallas replaced DeMarco Murray, who was the epitome of durability last season, with Darren McFadden, who has been the opposite of that his entire career. McFadden did not miss a game

last season, but he also has averaged 134.5 carries per season the past two years, and the Cowboys’ backup options — Lance Dunbar and Joseph Randle — are both unproven. Defensively, the addition of Greg Hardy will be a big boost. He’ll miss the first four games while serving his suspension for conduct detrimental to the league. The Cowboys came inches from reaching the NFC Championship Game, and they have the pieces in place to make another run. Another strong year from quarterback Tony Romo should have them back in business.

New England Patriots 2014 record: 12-4, 1st in AFC East; defeated Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX In case you hadn’t heard, the Patriots will be without quarterback Tom Brady for the first four games for his alleged role in Deflategate. Jimmy Garoppolo is expected to start in his place. He has virtually no experience in the regular season but has the tools to be successful, according to Eric Edholm of Yahoo! Sports.

Seattle Seahawks 2014 record: 12-4, 1st in NFC West; lost to Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX The Seahawks were on the cusp of repeating as Super Bowl champions, and now they will try to get back to the big one. Seattle made a big move by bringing in Jimmy Graham, one of the most dangerous passcatchers in 2013. The Seahawks’ core is almost completely intact on both sides of the ball, and quarterback Russell Wilson signed a four-year, $87.6 million extension this offseason. The Seahawks are still the league’s best defense and have plenty of firepower on offense. The team once heralded as a potential dynasty still has a chance to fulfill those lofty goals.

Green Bay Packers 2014 record: 12-4, 1st in NFC North; lost to Seahawks in NFC Championship Game The Packers are your team to beat heading into the 2015 season. Green Bay reached the NFC Championship Game with a hobbled Aaron Rodgers, and it still took an epic collapse for the Seahawks to get by. The Packers didn’t add much in free agency, and it’s because they didn’t need to. last season, the talented secondyear players should make big strides after promising rookie campaigns.

FULL PAGE AD

2015 NFL PREVIEW

Nelson Agholor’s a versatile receiver and can do some damage after the catch, although he doesn’t have great size at 6’0” and 198 pounds. However, the loss of Maclin leaves a gaping hole in the receiving corps, which Agholor is expected to fill as a starter.

dominate. Not only is he a great route-runner, but he’s also a reliable pass-catcher. That gives the Raiders two wide receivers with excellent hands since they also have Michael Crabtree, who will start opposite Cooper this season. Cooper will step into a major role immediately and should be the top target of second-year QB Derek Carr, who had a decent rookie season but has a long way to go in his development. However, Carr didn’t have much talent in his receiving corps last year and gets big upgrades in both Cooper and Crabtree.

Todd Gurley

Ameer Abdullah

AP PHOTOS

ROOKIES

Now hear this THESE NEWBIES COULD MAKE SOME NOISE THIS SEASON

By Matt Camp

a three-down back and may explain why the team’s RB coach, Curtis Modkins, didn’t want to put that label on the rookie when he spoke with Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. In the worst-case scenario, Abdullah should be a regular contributor in the Bush role because he’s a great receiver and ran a lot of routes while at the University of Nebraska.

BleacherReport.com

You might be paying more attention to rookies than ever before after the 2014 class gave us strong debuts from wide receivers such as Odell Beckham Jr., Sammy Watkins, Jordan Matthews, Mike Evans, Kelvin Benjamin, Brandin Cooks and Jarvis Landry. The running back group wasn’t as deep but still contained Jeremy Hill, Tre Mason and Jerick McKinnon, although they had varying levels of success and didn’t necessarily contribute for the entire season like most of the wide receivers. There’s an array of talent in this year’s rookie class, but that doesn’t mean fantasy production is a given. If the situation isn’t ideal, such as with Marcus Mariota in Tennessee, then expectations should be very low. In other instances, such as Amari Cooper in Oakland, talent should shine through no matter what happens. It comes down to opportunity, and the players on this list should have plenty of it in 2015.

Todd Gurley Selected in the 1st round, 10th overall Gurley ended the two-year drought of no running backs going in the first round, and for good reason. He can do it all and may be the most talented back to come out of college since Adrian Peterson in 2007. That statement might sound extreme, but if the Rams were willing to take Gurley that high coming off an ACL tear last November, they obviously believe he’ll be a special player. If Gurley wants to beat a defender with power, he will. If he wants to juke a would-be tackler, he’ll make him look foolish. At 6’1” and 227 pounds, Gurley has the size, speed and ability to be an everydown back in the NFL and dominate for years to come. But will that happen this year? The Rams didn’t put him on the active/PUP list to start training camp, which was a great sign in terms of his recovery. It’s hard to imagine the Rams limiting Gurley for very long once the season gets underway, especially since they don’t have an abundance of talent in their passing game and a new QB in Nick Foles leading the way.

Ameer Abdullah Selected in the 2nd round, 54th overall Initially, this landing spot looked good but not great for Abdullah. He was joining a backfield that already featured a solid all-around back in Joique Bell and a pass-catching specialist in Theo Riddick. With Reggie Bush gone, it made sense to pencil Abdullah into that role with Bell leading the way. Hopefully, those plans were written in pencil. Bell remains on the active/PUP list, as he continues to recover from offseason procedures on his knee and Achilles. While he’s progressing quickly, according to Tim Twentyman of the team’s website, he didn’t participate in any offseason workouts, which opened the door for Abdullah to take first-team reps. Abdullah stands 5’9” and 205 pounds, which isn’t the typical size of

Amari Cooper

Selected in the 1st round, 4th overall The Raiders haven’t shown a real commitment to excellence in quite some time and have become a fantasy wasteland where players go to ruin their careers. In Cooper, they now have a rookie looking polished and ready to

Cosell of NFL Films noted. Concerns about the Jaguars’ offensive line remain, and while Yeldon may fit the scheme, he may only go as far as their blocking lets him. Also, the team isn’t very good, which could cost Yeldon some touches if they are consistently playing from behind. With an ADP around 65 as the 25th running back off the board, Yeldon is fairly classified as a low-end RB2 in a 12-team league. The Jaguars aren’t a team to invest heavily in this year, but Yeldon looks like a good fit and should be a reliable fantasy option on a weekly basis.

Melvin Gordon

Breshad Perriman

Selected in the 1st round, 15th overall Other than Jameis Winston going to the Buccaneers with the top pick, one of the easiest calls in this year’s draft was Gordon landing with the Chargers. He filled a clear need with the team needing a new lead back when they decided to move on from Ryan Mathews after five tumultuous seasons. But what is Gordon’s role? If you look at his ADP, fantasy players are drafting him as a high-end RB2 around the 34th pick as the 15th running back off the board. It’s tough to say a player is overrated before he even plays a down in the NFL, but for fantasy, that’s a fair assessment based on unfair expectations. Much like any rookie back, the question of pass protection has been there for Gordon, and so far, he’s not easing any concerns. According to Kevin Acee of the U-T San Diego, Gordon has struggled as a blocker. That gives the team even more reason to get a healthy Danny Woodhead involved and use him on third downs.

Selected in the 1st round, 26th overall Back in 2011, the Ravens were forced to turn rookie WR Torrey Smith into a starter when veteran Lee Evans went down with an ankle injury. The story could be a similar one for Smith’s replacement, Perriman. When Perriman is brought up, his issues with drops usually follow pretty quickly. They were a problem at UCF and plagued him during offseason workouts but not enough to hurt his standing as a starter on the depth chart. The 6’2”, 218-pound Perriman has a strong combination of size and speed to be dominant, especially as a downfield option. A knee injury has sidelined Perriman for much of training camp, but offensive coordinator Marc Trestman doesn’t believe Perriman is falling behind, according to ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley. That’s good news since Trestman’s offenses in Chicago were very fantasy-friendly and helped turn Alshon Jeffery into a top-15 fantasy WR.

Duke Johnson

Nelson Agholor Selected in the 1st round, 20th overall Over the last two offseasons, the Eagles have cut DeSean Jackson and lost Jeremy Maclin to free agency, so addressing wide receiver was a priority in this year’s draft. Agholor’s a versatile receiver and can do some damage after the catch, although he doesn’t have great size at 6’0” and 198 pounds. However, the loss of Maclin leaves a gaping hole in the receiving corps, which Agholor is expected to fill as a starter on the outside. Head coach Chip Kelly has been fantasy-friendly through his first two years with the team, which should continue in 2015 — good news for Agholor. The Eagles ran more plays than anyone else last year, and they have 143 targets to make up with Maclin gone.

Nelson Agholor

T.J. Yeldon Selected in the 2nd round, 36th overall Yeldon gives the Jaguars a back they can lean on to play a big role immediately, which is very important since second-year QB Blake Bortles is a long way off from carrying this offense. The 6’1”, 226-pound Yeldon has the size you want in a lead back but is also a good fit for the team’s zone scheme since he can slash through small cracks, as Greg

Melvin Gordon

Selected in the 3rd round, 77th overall Almost every other player on this list figures to be in the starting lineup come Week 1, and while that’s not likely for Johnson, he can still finish the season as Cleveland’s best fantasy back. The Browns didn’t get nearly enough out of their ground game last year, and that put too much pressure on a passing game that had bad QB play from Brian Hoyer (and Johnny Manziel) and one of the worst receiving corps in the league without Josh Gordon. Josh McCown, Dwayne Bowe and Brian Hartline were brought in to improve those problems, but they are not ideal solutions. Once again, the Browns need to get a lot out of their rushing attack and are hoping Johnson can be the boost they were missing last year. Neither Isaiah Crowell nor Terrance West emerged as the team’s lead back despite plenty of opportunities. Obviously, Johnson needs to get healthy to get back into the mix for an important role coming out of training camp. However, with little faith in West or Crowell, the Browns should give Johnson plenty of chances to succeed. All rankings and statistics are from FantasyPros unless otherwise noted.

2015 NFL PREVIEW

2015 NFL PREVIEW 19

NFL season

SCHEDULE Note: All times are in Eastern

NFL WEEK 1

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

8:30 p.m.:

STEELERS AT PATRIOTS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

1 p.m.: COLTS AT BILLS 1 p.m.: DOLPHINS AT REDSKINS 1 p.m.: PANTHERS AT JAGUARS 1 p.m.: SEAHAWKS AT RAMS 1 p.m.: PACKERS AT BEARS 1 p.m.: BROWNS AT JETS 1 p.m.: CHIEFS AT TEXANS 4:05 p.m.: SAINTS AT CARDINALS 4:05 p.m.: LIONS AT CHARGERS 4:25 p.m.: RAVENS AT BRONCOS 4:25 p.m.: BENGALS AT RAIDERS 4:25 p.m.: TITANS AT BUCCANEERS 8:30 p.m.: GIANTS AT COWBOYS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

7:10 p.m.: EAGLES AT FALCONS 10:20 p.m.: VIKINGS AT 49ERS

NFL WEEK 2

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

8:25 p.m.: BRONCOS AT CHIEFS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

1 p.m.: RAMS AT REDSKINS 1 p.m.: FALCONS AT GIANTS 1 p.m.: TITANS AT BROWNS 1 p.m.: CHARGERS AT BENGALS 1 p.m.: PATRIOTS AT BILLS 1 p.m.: TEXANS AT PANTHERS 1 p.m.: CARDINALS AT BEARS 1 p.m.: 49ERS AT STEELERS 1 p.m.: BUCCANEERS AT SAINTS 1 p.m.: LIONS AT VIKINGS 4:05 p.m.: DOLPHINS AT JAGUARS 4:05 p.m.: RAVENS AT RAIDERS 4:25 p.m.: COWBOYS AT EAGLES 8:30 p.m.: SEAHAWKS AT PACKERS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

8:30 p.m.: JETS AT COLTS

NFL WEEK 3

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

8:25 p.m.: REDSKINS AT GIANTS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

1 p.m.: BUCCANEERS AT TEXANS 1 p.m.: EAGLES AT JETS 1 p.m.: SAINTS AT PANTHERS 1 p.m.: FALCONS AT COWBOYS 1 p.m.: CHARGERS AT VIKINGS 1 p.m.: COLTS AT TITANS 1 p.m.: RAIDERS AT BROWNS 1 p.m.: BENGALS AT RAVENS 1 p.m.: JAGUARS AT PATRIOTS 1 p.m.: STEELERS AT RAMS 4:05 p.m.: 49ERS AT CARDINALS 4:25 p.m.: BILLS AT DOLPHINS 4:25 p.m.: BEARS AT SEAHAWKS 8:30 p.m.: BRONCOS AT LIONS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

8:30 p.m.: CHIEFS AT PACKERS

NFL WEEK 4

BYE WEEK: PATRIOTS, TITANS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1

8:25 p.m.: RAVENS AT STEELERS

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4

9:30 a.m.: JETS AT DOLPHINS 1 p.m.: EAGLES AT REDSKINS

1 p.m.: GIANTS AT BILLS 1 p.m.: PANTHERS AT BUCCANEERS 1 p.m.: JAGUARS AT COLTS 1 p.m.: CHIEFS AT BENGALS 1 p.m.: RAIDERS AT BEARS 1 p.m.: TEXANS AT FALCONS 4:05 p.m.: BROWNS AT CHARGERS 4:25 p.m.: RAMS AT CARDINALS 4:25 p.m.: PACKERS AT 49ERS 4:25 p.m.: VIKINGS AT BRONCOS 8:30 p.m.: COWBOYS AT SAINTS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5

8:30 p.m.: LIONS AT SEAHAWKS

NFL WEEK 5

BYE WEEK PANTHERS, DOLPHINS, VIKINGS, JETS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8

8:25 p.m.: COLTS AT TEXANS

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11

1 p.m.: SEAHAWKS AT BENGALS 1 p.m.: REDSKINS AT FALCONS 1 p.m.: BEARS AT CHIEFS 1 p.m.: SAINTS AT EAGLES 1 p.m.: JAGUARS AT BUCCANEERS 1 p.m.: RAMS AT PACKERS 1 p.m.: BILLS AT TITANS 1 p.m.: BROWNS AT RAVENS 4:05 p.m.: CARDINALS AT LIONS 4:25 p.m.: BRONCOS AT RAIDERS 4:25 p.m.: PATRIOTS AT COWBOYS 8:30 p.m.: 49ERS AT GIANTS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12

8:30 p.m.: STEELERS AT CHARGERS

NFL WEEK 6

BYE WEEK: COWBOYS, RAIDERS, RAMS, BUCCANEERS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15

8:25 p.m.: FALCONS AT SAINTS

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18

1 p.m.: REDSKINS AT JETS 1 p.m.: CARDINALS AT STEELERS 1 p.m.: CHIEFS AT VIKINGS 1 p.m.: BENGALS AT BILLS 1 p.m.: BEARS AT LIONS 1 p.m.: BRONCOS AT BROWNS 1 p.m.: TEXANS AT JAGUARS 1 p.m.: DOLPHINS AT TITANS 4:05 p.m.: PANTHERS AT SEAHAWKS 4:25 p.m.: CHARGERS AT PACKERS 4:25 p.m.: RAVENS AT 49ERS 8:30 p.m.: PATRIOTS AT COLTS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 19

8:30 p.m.: GIANTS AT EAGLES

NFL WEEK 7

BYE WEEK: BEARS, BENGALS, BRONCOS, PACKERS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22

8:25 p.m.: SEAHAWKS AT 49ERS

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25

9:30 a.m.: BILLS AT JAGUARS 1 p.m.: VIKINGS AT LIONS 1 p.m.: FALCONS AT TITANS 1 p.m.: SAINTS AT COLTS 1 p.m.: BUCCANEERS AT REDSKINS 1 p.m.: STEELERS AT CHIEFS 1 p.m.: JETS AT PATRIOTS 1 p.m.: BROWNS AT RAMS 1 p.m.: TEXANS AT DOLPHINS 4:05 p.m.: RAIDERS AT CHARGERS 4:25 p.m.: COWBOYS AT GIANTS

8:30 p.m.: EAGLES AT PANTHERS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26

8:30 p.m.: RAVENS AT CARDINALS

NFL WEEK 8

BYE WEEK: BILLS, JAGUARS, EAGLES, REDSKINS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29

8:25 p.m.: DOLPHINS AT PATRIOTS

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1

9:30 a.m.: LIONS AT CHIEFS 1 p.m.: VIKINGS AT BEARS 1 p.m.: CHARGERS AT RAVENS 1 p.m.: BENGALS AT STEELERS 1 p.m.: TITANS AT TEXANS 1 p.m.: CARDINALS AT BROWNS 1 p.m.: BUCCANEERS AT FALCONS 1 p.m.: GIANTS AT SAINTS 1 p.m.: 49ERS AT RAMS 4:05 p.m.: JETS AT RAIDERS 4:25 p.m.: SEAHAWKS AT COWBOYS 8:30 p.m.: PACKERS AT BRONCOS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2

8:30 p.m.: COLTS AT PANTHERS

NFL WEEK 9

BYE WEEK: CARDINALS, RAVENS, LIONS, TEXANS, CHIEFS, SEAHAWKS

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5

8:25 p.m.: BROWNS AT BENGALS

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8

1 p.m.: DOLPHINS AT BILLS 1 p.m.: JAGUARS AT JETS 1 p.m.: TITANS AT SAINTS 1 p.m.: REDSKINS AT PATRIOTS 1 p.m.: RAMS AT VIKINGS 1 p.m.: RAIDERS AT STEELERS 1 p.m.: PACKERS AT PANTHERS 4:05 p.m.: GIANTS AT BUCCANEERS 4:05 p.m.: FALCONS AT 49ERS 4:25 p.m.: BRONCOS AT COLTS 8:30 p.m.: EAGLES AT COWBOYS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9

8:30 p.m.: BEARS AT CHARGERS

NFL WEEK 10

BYE WEEK: FALCONS, COLTS, CHARGERS, 49ERS

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12

8:25 p.m.: BILLS AT JETS

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15

1 p.m.: COWBOYS AT BUCCANEERS 1 p.m.: LIONS AT PACKERS 1 p.m.: SAINTS AT REDSKINS 1 p.m.: PANTHERS AT TITANS 1 p.m.: BROWNS AT STEELERS 1 p.m.: JAGUARS AT RAVENS 1 p.m.: BEARS AT RAMS 1 p.m.: DOLPHINS AT EAGLES 4:05 p.m.: VIKINGS AT RAIDERS 4:25 p.m.: PATRIOTS AT GIANTS 4:25 p.m.: CHIEFS AT BRONCOS 8:30 p.m.: CARDINALS AT SEAHAWKS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16

8:30 p.m.: TEXANS AT BENGALS

NFL WEEK 11

BYE WEEK: BROWNS, SAINTS, GIANTS, STEELERS

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19

8:25 p.m.: TITANS AT JAGUARS

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22

1 p.m.: COLTS AT FALCONS 1 p.m.: JETS AT TEXANS 1 p.m.: BUCCANEERS AT EAGLES 1 p.m.: RAIDERS AT LIONS 1 p.m.: BRONCOS AT BEARS 1 p.m.: PACKERS AT VIKINGS 1 p.m.: RAMS AT RAVENS 1 p.m.: COWBOYS AT DOLPHINS 1 p.m.: REDSKINS AT PANTHERS 4:05 p.m.: BENGALS AT CARDINALS 4:25 p.m.: 49ERS AT SEAHAWKS 8:30 p.m.: CHIEFS AT CHARGERS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23

8:30 p.m.: BILLS AT PATRIOTS

NFL WEEK 12

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26

12:30 p.m.: EAGLES AT LIONS 4:30 p.m.: PANTHERS AT COWBOYS 8:30 p.m.: BEARS AT PACKERS

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29

1 p.m.: RAMS AT BENGALS 1 p.m.: SAINTS AT TEXANS 1 p.m.: BUCCANEERS AT COLTS 1 p.m.: VIKINGS AT FALCONS 1 p.m.: GIANTS AT REDSKINS 1 p.m.: DOLPHINS AT JETS 1 p.m.: BILLS AT CHIEFS 1 p.m.: RAIDERS AT TITANS 1 p.m.: CHARGERS AT JAGUARS 4:05 p.m.: CARDINALS AT 49ERS 4:25 p.m.: STEELERS AT SEAHAWKS 8:30 p.m.: PATRIOTS AT BRONCOS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30

8:30 p.m.: RAVENS AT BROWNS

NFL WEEK 13

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3

8:25 p.m.: PACKERS AT LIONS

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6

1 p.m.: JETS AT GIANTS 1 p.m.: TEXANS AT BILLS 1 p.m.: CARDINALS AT RAMS 1 p.m.: FALCONS AT BUCCANEERS 1 p.m.: PANTHERS AT SAINTS 1 p.m.: SEAHAWKS AT VIKINGS 1 p.m.: RAVENS AT DOLPHINS 1 p.m.: BENGALS AT BROWNS 1 p.m.: JAGUARS AT TITANS 1 p.m.: 49ERS AT BEARS 4:05 p.m.: BRONCOS AT CHARGERS 4:05 p.m.: CHIEFS AT RAIDERS 4:25 p.m.: EAGLES AT PATRIOTS 8:30 p.m.: COLTS AT STEELERS

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7

8:30 p.m.: COWBOYS AT REDSKINS

NFL WEEK 14

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10

8:25 p.m.: VIKINGS AT CARDINALS

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13

1 p.m.: CHARGERS AT CHIEFS 1 p.m.: COLTS AT JAGUARS 1 p.m.: 49ERS AT BROWNS 1 p.m.: LIONS AT RAMS 1 p.m.: SAINTS AT BUCCANEERS 1 p.m.: FALCONS AT PANTHERS 1 p.m.: REDSKINS AT BEARS 1 p.m.: PATRIOTS AT TEXANS 1 p.m.: STEELERS AT BENGALS 1 p.m.: TITANS AT JETS 1 p.m.: BILLS AT EAGLES

4:05 p.m.: RAIDERS AT BRONCOS 4:25 p.m.: COWBOYS AT PACKERS 8:30 p.m.: SEAHAWKS AT RAVENS

MONDAY, DECEMBER 14

8:30 p.m.: GIANTS AT DOLPHINS

NFL WEEK 15

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17

8:25 p.m.: BUCCANEERS AT RAMS

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19

8:25 p.m.: JETS AT COWBOYS

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20

1 p.m.: TITANS AT PATRIOTS 1 p.m.: TEXANS AT COLTS 1 p.m.: FALCONS AT JAGUARS 1 p.m.: BEARS AT VIKINGS 1 p.m.: CARDINALS AT EAGLES 1 p.m.: PANTHERS AT GIANTS 1 p.m.: CHIEFS AT RAVENS 1 p.m.: BILLS AT REDSKINS 4:05 p.m.: PACKERS AT RAIDERS 4:05 p.m.: BROWNS AT SEAHAWKS 4:25 p.m.: BRONCOS AT STEELERS 4:25 p.m.: DOLPHINS AT CHARGERS 8:30 p.m.: BENGALS AT 49ERS

MONDAY, DECEMBER 21

8:30 p.m.: LIONS AT SAINTS

NFL WEEK 16

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24

8:25 p.m.: CHARGERS AT RAIDERS

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26

8:25 p.m.: REDSKINS AT EAGLES

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27

1 p.m.: COLTS AT DOLPHINS 1 p.m.: JAGUARS AT SAINTS 1 p.m.: PATRIOTS AT JETS 1 p.m.: COWBOYS AT BILLS 1 p.m.: BEARS AT BUCCANEERS 1 p.m.: PANTHERS AT FALCONS 1 p.m.: TEXANS AT TITANS 1 p.m.: BROWNS AT CHIEFS 1 p.m.: 49ERS AT LIONS 1 p.m.: GIANTS AT VIKINGS 4:25 p.m.: RAMS AT SEAHAWKS 4:25 p.m.: PACKERS AT CARDINALS 8:30 p.m.: STEELERS AT RAVENS

MONDAY, DECEMBER 28

8:30 p.m.: BENGALS AT BRONCOS

NFL WEEK 17

SUNDAY, JANUARY 3

1 p.m.: JETS AT BILLS 1 p.m.: PATRIOTS AT DOLPHINS 1 p.m.: BUCCANEERS AT PANTHERS 1 p.m.: SAINTS AT FALCONS 1 p.m.: RAVENS AT BENGALS 1 p.m.: STEELERS AT BROWNS 1 p.m.: JAGUARS AT TEXANS 1 p.m.: TITANS AT COLTS 1 p.m.: RAIDERS AT CHIEFS 1 p.m.: REDSKINS AT COWBOYS 1 p.m.: EAGLES AT GIANTS 1 p.m.: LIONS AT BEARS 1 p.m.: VIKINGS AT PACKERS 4:25 p.m.: CHARGERS AT BRONCOS 4:25 p.m.: SEAHAWKS AT CARDINALS 4:25 p.m.: RAMS AT 49ERS

FULL PAGE AD