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4 DRAFT BOARD 6 SLEEPERS & BUSTS 9 DRAFT STRATEGY 10 FANTASY FOCUS 12 MOCK DRAFT 16 MOCK AUCTION 19 OFFENSIVE LINES Ranking the players by position.
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PREVIEW 2016
• 32 team previews • NFL player ratings • Updated rosters • Depth charts • NFL player ratings • The Way We See It • Predictions, stats CHECK YOUR LOCAL NEWSSTANDS
Players who will make or break a draft. Tips for Daily Fantasy Football leagues.
A look at players who have changed teams.
PFW’s 12-round snake draft.
Let the bidding begin! Plus, our suggested player values. Ranking each team’s men in the trenches from 1-32.
2 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
FANTASY PLAYER REPORTS
QUARTERBACKS. . ......... 22 RUNNING BACKS.......... 36 WIDE RECEIVERS......... 56 TIGHT ENDS........................ 78 PLACEKICKERS............... 88 DEFENSES.. ............................ 96 INDIVIDUAL DEFENSIVE PLAYERS (IDPs). . ................. 102 2016 PREVIEW Previews and inside information for all 32 clubs, as well as how coaching changes, new offensive schemes and new personnel figure to impact their performances.
ARIZONA CARDINALS ........108 ATLANTA FALCONS.............109 BALTIMORE RAVENS............110 BUFFALO BILLS..................... 111 CAROLINA PANTHERS.........112 CHICAGO BEARS..................113 CINCINNATI BENGALS.........114 CLEVELAND BROWNS.........115 DALLAS COWBOYS..............116 DENVER BRONCOS...............117 DETROIT LIONS....................118 GREEN BAY PACKERS...........119 HOUSTON TEXANS..............120 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS..........121 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS.... 122 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS......... 123 LOS ANGELES RAMS........... 124 MIAMI DOLPHINS............... 125 MINNESOTA VIKINGS......... 126 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS.... 127 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS...... 128 NEW YORK GIANTS............. 129 NEW YORK JETS.................. 130 OAKLAND RAIDERS..............131 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES...... 132 PITTSBURGH STEELERS..... 133 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS...... 134 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS..... 135 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS.......... 136 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS.... 137 TENNESSEE TITANS............ 138 WASHINGTON...................... 139
2016
2015 REVIEW
Panthers’ Cam Newton is PFW’s top-ranked fantasy quarterback
2015 STATISTICS: Skill-position fantasy scoring.....................140 2015 final individual statistics................................ 143 Team rankings......................152 Individual defensive statistics................................154
PLUS:
Fantasy player index............155 NFL weekly schedule...........156
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
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PFW FANTASY
Draft board BASED ON A PERFORMANCE SYSTEM
( FOUR POINTS FOR PASSING TOUCHDOWNS, SIX POINTS FOR RUSHING/RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS, PLUS YARDAGE BONUSES) .
QUARTERBACKS RK. PLAYER / TEAM
1. Cam Newton, Panthers 2. Russell Wilson, Seahawks 3. Aaron Rodgers, Packers 4. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers 5. Andrew Luck, Colts 6. Drew Brees, Saints 7. Tom Brady, Patriots 8. Blake Bortles, Jaguars 9. Eli Manning, Giants 10. Carson Palmer, Cardinals 11. Tony Romo, Cowboys 12. Philip Rivers, Chargers 13. Andy Dalton, Bengals 14. Derek Carr, Raiders 15. Tyrod Taylor, Bills 16. Marcus Mariota, Titans 17. Matthew Stafford, Lions 18. Kirk Cousins, Washington 19. Jameis Winston, Buccaneers 20. Matt Ryan, Falcons 21. Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins 22. Jay Cutler, Bears 23. Brock Osweiler, Texans 24. Joe Flacco, Ravens 25. Alex Smith, Chiefs 26. Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings 27. Robert Griffin III, Browns 28. Sam Bradford, Eagles 29. Mark Sanchez, Broncos 30. Jared Goff, Rams
RUNNING BACKS RK. PLAYER / TEAM
1. Le’Veon Bell, Steelers 2. Todd Gurley, Rams 3. David Johnson, Cardinals 4. Adrian Peterson, Vikings 5. Devonta Freeman, Falcons 6. Jamaal Charles, Chiefs 7. Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys 8. Doug Martin, Buccaneers 9. Mark Ingram, Saints 10. Lamar Miller, Texans 11. Thomas Rawls, Seahawks 12. LeSean McCoy, Bills 13. Eddie Lacy, Packers 14. Matt Forte, Jets 15. C.J. Anderson, Broncos 16. DeMarco Murray, Titans 17. Carlos Hyde, 49ers 18. Jeremy Hill, Bengals 19. Dion Lewis, Patriots 20. Jeremy Langford, Bears 21. Jonathan Stewart, Panthers 22. Latavius Murray, Raiders 23. Ryan Mathews, Eagles 24. Jay Ajayi, Dolphins 25. T.J. Yeldon, Jaguars 26. Frank Gore, Colts
BYE
7 5 4 8 10 5 9 5 8 9 7 11 9 10 10 13 10 9 6 11 8 9 9 8 5 6 13 4 11 8
BYE
8 8 9 6 11 5 7 6 5 9 5 10 4 11 11 13 8 9 9 9 7 10 4 8 5 10
27. Giovani Bernard, Bengals 28. Melvin Gordon, Chargers 29. Matt Jones, Washington 30. Danny Woodhead, Chargers 31. Ameer Abdullah, Lions 32. Derrick Henry, Titans 33. Chris Ivory, Jaguars 34. Duke Johnson, Browns 35. Charles Sims, Buccaneers 36. Isaiah Crowell, Browns 37. Rashad Jennings, Giants 38. Justin Forsett, Ravens 39. Karlos Williams, Bills 40. Javorious Allen, Ravens 41. Arian Foster, Free Agent 42. Paul Perkins, Giants 43. LeGarrette Blount, Patriots 44. Kenneth Dixon, Ravens 45. Jordan Howard, Bears 46. Bilal Powell, Jets 47. Tevin Coleman, Falcons 48. DeAngelo Williams, Steelers 49. Shane Vereen, Giants 50. Theo Riddick, Lions
WIDE RECEIVERS RK. PLAYER / TEAM
1. Antonio Brown, Steelers 2. Odell Beckham Jr., Giants 3. Julio Jones, Falcons 4. DeAndre Hopkins, Texans 5. Dez Bryant, Cowboys 6. Allen Robinson, Jaguars 7. A.J. Green, Bengals 8. Alshon Jeffery, Bears 9. Jordy Nelson, Packers 10. Sammy Watkins, Bills 11. Brandon Marshall, Jets 12. Mike Evans, Buccaneers 13. Demaryius Thomas, Broncos 14. Amari Cooper, Raiders 15. Brandin Cooks, Saints 16. Keenan Allen, Chargers 17. Julian Edelman, Patriots 18. T.Y. Hilton, Colts 19. Eric Decker, Jets 20. Jeremy Maclin, Chiefs 21. Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers 22. Jarvis Landry, Dolphins 23. Doug Baldwin, Seahawks 24. Randall Cobb, Packers 25. Michael Floyd, Cardinals 26. Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos 27. Golden Tate, Lions 28. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals 29. Jordan Matthews, Eagles 30. Allen Hurns, Jaguars 31. DeVante Parker, Dolphins 32. John Brown, Cardinals 33. DeSean Jackson, Washington 34. Michael Crabtree, Raiders
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9 11 9 11 10 13 5 13 6 13 8 8 10 8 8 9 8 9 11 11 8 8 10
BYE
8 8 11 9 7 5 9 9 4 10 11 6 11 10 5 11 9 10 11 5 7 8 5 4 9 11 10 9 4 5 8 9 9 10
35. Tyler Lockett, Seahawks 36. Donte Moncrief, Colts 37. Steve Smith, Ravens 38. Dorial Green-Beckham, Titans 39. Kevin White, Bears 40. Stefon Diggs, Vikings 41. Corey Coleman, Browns 42. Marvin Jones, Lions 43. Vincent Jackson, Buccaneers 44. Willie Snead, Saints 45. Markus Wheaton, Steelers 46. Laquon Treadwell, Vikings 47. Travis Benjamin, Chargers 48. Josh Gordon, Browns 49. Breshad Perriman, Ravens 50. Devin Funchess, Panthers
TIGHT ENDS RK. PLAYER / TEAM
1. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots 2. Greg Olsen, Panthers 3. Jordan Reed, Washington 4. Tyler Eifert, Bengals 5. Travis Kelce, Chiefs 6. Coby Fleener, Saints 7. Zach Ertz, Eagles 8. Jimmy Graham, Seahawks 9. Gary Barnidge, Browns 10. Delanie Walker, Titans 11. Julius Thomas, Jaguars 12. Martellus Bennett, Patriots 13. Jason Witten, Cowboys 14. Antonio Gates, Chargers 15. Ladarius Green, Steelers 16. Eric Ebron, Lions 17. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Bucs 18. Charles Clay, Bills 19. Benjamin Watson, Ravens 20. Kyle Rudolph, Vikings 21. Zach Miller, Bears 22. Jared Cook, Packers 23. Jordan Cameron, Dolphins 24. Dwayne Allen, Colts 25. Clive Walford, Raiders
PLACEKICKERS RK. PLAYER / TEAM
1. Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots 2. Steven Hauschka, Seahawks 3. Justin Tucker, Ravens 4. Graham Gano, Panthers 5. Brandon McManus, Broncos 6. Chandler Catanzaro, Cardinals 7. Mason Crosby, Packers 8. Dan Bailey, Cowboys 9. Blair Walsh, Vikings 10. Adam Vinatieri, Colts 11. Josh Brown, Giants 12. Cairo Santos, Chiefs 13. Matt Prater, Lions 14. Mike Nugent, Bengals 15. Dan Carpenter, Bills 16. Chris Boswell, Steelers
5 10 8 13 9 6 13 10 6 5 8 6 11 13 8 7
BYE
9 7 9 9 5 5 4 5 13 13 5 9 7 11 8 10 6 10 8 6 9 4 8 10 10 BYE
9 5 8 7 11 9 4 7 6 10 8 5 10 9 10 8
17. Dustin Hopkins, Washington 18. Robbie Gould, Bears 19. Josh Lambo, Chargers 20. Roberto Aguayo, Buccaneers
DEFENSES/ SPECIAL TEAMS RK. PLAYER / TEAM
1. Seattle Seahawks 2. Arizona Cardinals 3. Denver Broncos 4. Houston Texans 5. New York Jets 6. Kansas City Chiefs 7. Minnesota Vikings 8. Carolina Panthers 9. Cincinnati Bengals 10. Los Angeles Rams 11. New England Patriots 12. Buffalo Bills 13. Pittsburgh Steelers 14. Green Bay Packers 15. Jacksonville Jaguars 16. Oakland Raiders 17. Baltimore Ravens 18. Washington 19. Philadelphia Eagles 20. Detroit Lions
9 9 11 6
BYE
5 9 11 9 11 5 6 7 9 8 9 10 8 4 5 10 8 9 4 10
Antonio Brown
TOP 200 REGARDLESS OF POSITION RK. POS / PLAYER / TEAM
1. WR Antonio Brown, Steelers 2. WR Odell Beckham Jr., Giants 3. WR Julio Jones, Falcons 4. RB Le’Veon Bell, Steelers 5. RB Todd Gurley, Rams 6. WR DeAndre Hopkins, Texans 7. RB David Johnson, Cardinals 8. RB Adrian Peterson, Vikings 9. WR Dez Bryant, Cowboys 10. TE Rob Gronkowski, Patriots 11. RB Devonta Freeman, Falcons 12. WR Allen Robinson, Jaguars 13. WR A.J. Green, Bengals 14. RB Jamaal Charles, Chiefs 15. RB Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys 16. WR Alshon Jeffery, Bears 17. RB Doug Martin, Buccaneers 18. WR Jordy Nelson, Packers 19. WR Sammy Watkins, Bills 20. RB Mark Ingram, Saints 21. RB Lamar Miller, Texans 22. QB Cam Newton, Panthers 22. RB Thomas Rawls, Seahawks 23. RB LeSean McCoy, Bills 24. WR Brandon Marshall, Jets 25. WR Mike Evans, Buccaneers
BYE
8 8 11 8 8 9 9 6 7 9 11 5 9 5 7 9 6 4 10 5 9 7 5 10 11 6
26. WR Demaryius Thomas, Broncos 27. RB Eddie Lacy, Packers 28. RB Matt Forte, Jets 29. RB C.J. Anderson, Broncos 30. QB Russell Wilson, Seahawks 31. WR Amari Cooper, Raiders 32. QB Aaron Rodgers, Packers 33. WR Brandin Cooks, Saints 34. WR Keenan Allen, Chargers 35. QB Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers 36. QB Andrew Luck, Colts 37. TE Greg Olsen, Panthers 38. TE Jordan Reed, Washington 39. QB Drew Brees, Saints 40. RB DeMarco Murray, Titans 41. RB Carlos Hyde, 49ers 42. RB Jeremy Hill, Bengals 43. WR Julian Edelman, Patriots 44. WR T.Y. Hilton, Colts 45. WR Eric Decker, Jets 45. WR Jeremy Maclin, Chiefs 46. RB Dion Lewis, Patriots 47. RB Jeremy Langford, Bears 48. TE Tyler Eifert, Bengals 49. WR Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers 50. WR Jarvis Landry, Dolphins 51. WR Doug Baldwin, Seahawks 52. RB Jonathan Stewart, Panthers 53. RB Latavius Murray, Raiders 54. WR Randall Cobb, Packers
11 4 11 11 5 10 4 5 11 8 10 7 9 5 13 8 9 9 10 11 5 9 9 9 7 8 5 7 10 4
55. WR Michael Floyd, Cardinals 9 56. WR Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos 11 57. QB Tom Brady, Patriots 9 58. WR Golden Tate, Lions 10 59. RB Ryan Mathews, Eagles 4 60. WR Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals 9 61. WR Jordan Matthews, Eagles 4 62. WR Allen Hurns, Jaguars 5 63. RB Jay Ajayi, Dolphins 8 64. RB T.J. Yeldon, Jaguars 5 65. TE Travis Kelce, Chiefs 5 66. RB Frank Gore, Colts 10 67. QB Blake Bortles, Jaguars 5 68. RB Giovani Bernard, Bengals 9 69. RB Melvin Gordon, Chargers 11 70. WR DeVante Parker, Dolphins 8 71. WR John Brown, Cardinals 9 72. RB Matt Jones, Washington 9 73. WR DeSean Jackson, Washington 9 74. WR Michael Crabtree, Raiders 10 75. WR Tyler Lockett, Seahawks 5 76. WR Donte Moncrief, Colts 10 77. RB Danny Woodhead, Chargers 11 78. TE Coby Fleener, Saints 5 79. TE Zach Ertz, Eagles 4 80. WR Steve Smith, Ravens 8 81. WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Titans 13 82. WR Kevin White, Bears 9 83. WR Stefon Diggs, Vikings 6 84. RB Ameer Abdullah, Lions 10 85. QB Eli Manning, Giants 8 86. QB Carson Palmer, Cardinals 9 87. TE Jimmy Graham, Seahawks 5 88. TE Gary Barnidge, Browns 13 89. TE Delanie Walker, Titans 13 90. WR Corey Coleman, Browns 13 91. WR Marvin Jones, Lions 10 92. QB Tony Romo, Cowboys 7 93. TE Julius Thomas, Jaguars 5 94. TE Martellus Bennett, Patriots 9 95. RB Derrick Henry, Titans 13 96. RB Chris Ivory, Jaguars 5 97. RB Duke Johnson, Browns 13 98. QB Philip Rivers, Chargers 11 99. QB Andy Dalton, Bengals 9 100. QB Derek Carr, Raiders 10 101. WR Vincent Jackson, Buccaneers 6 102. WR Willie Snead, Saints 5 103. WR Markus Wheaton, Steelers 8 104. QB Tyrod Taylor, Bills 10 105. QB Marcus Mariota, Titans 13 106. TE Jason Witten, Cowboys 7 107. TE Antonio Gates, Chargers 11 108. TE Ladarius Green, Steelers 8 109. WR Laquon Treadwell, Vikings 6 110. RB Charles Sims, Buccaneers 6 111. RB Isaiah Crowell, Browns 13 112. RB Rashad Jennings, Giants 8 113. QB Matthew Stafford, Lions 10 114. QB Kirk Cousins, Washington 9 115. QB Jameis Winston, Buccaneers 6 116. QB Matt Ryan, Falcons 11 117. RB Justin Forsett, Ravens 8 118. RB Karlos Williams, Bills 10 119. RB Javorious Allen, Ravens 8 120. RB Arian Foster, Free Agent 121. WR Travis Benjamin, Chargers 11 122. WR Josh Gordon, Browns 13 123. WR Breshad Perriman, Ravens 8 124. WR Devin Funchess, Panthers 7 125. TE Eric Ebron, Lions 10 126. TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Bucs 6 127. RB Paul Perkins, Giants 8
1 28. RB LeGarrette Blount, Patriots 9 129. RB Kenneth Dixon, Ravens 8 130. TE Charles Clay, Bills 10 131. TE Benjamin Watson, Ravens 8 132. WR Tavon Austin, Rams 8 133. WR Will Fuller, Texans 9 134. WR Kendall Wright, Titans 13 135. WR Nelson Agholor, Eagles 4 136. DEF Seattle Seahawks 5 137. WR Pierre Garcon, Washington 9 138. WR Rueben Randle, Eagles 4 139. QB Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins 8 140. QB Jay Cutler, Bears 9 141. RB Jordan Howard, Bears 9 142. RB Bilal Powell, Jets 11 143. DEF Arizona Cardinals 9 144. DEF Denver Broncos 11 145. RB Tevin Coleman, Falcons 11 146. RB DeAngelo Williams, Steelers 8 147. WR Anquan Boldin, Free Agent 148. WR Mohamed Sanu, Falcons 9 149. WR Terrance Williams, Cowboys 7 150. WR Mike Wallace, Ravens 8 151. TE Kyle Rudolph, Vikings 6 152. TE Zach Miller, Bears 9 153. TE Jared Cook, Packers 4 154. DEF Houston Texans 9 155. RB Shane Vereen, Giants 8 156. RB Theo Riddick, Lions 10 157. QB Brock Osweiler, Texans 9 158. QB Joe Flacco, Ravens 8 159. WR Sterling Shepard, Giants 8 160. WR Josh Doctson, Washington 9 161. WR Ted Ginn Jr., Panthers 7 162. WR Phillip Dorsett, Colts 10 163. DEF New York Jets 11 164. DEF Kansas City Chiefs 5 165. QB Alex Smith, Chiefs 5 166. RB C.J. Prosise, Seahawks 5 167. RB Devontae Booker, Broncos 11 168. RB Chris Thompson, Washington 9 169. RB Tim Hightower, Saints 5 170. RB James Starks, Packers 4 171. WR Rishard Matthews, Titans 13 172. WR Michael Thomas, Saints 5 173. WR Kamar Aiken, Ravens 8 174. DEF Minnesota Vikings 6 175. DEF Carolina Panthers 7 176. TE Jordan Cameron, Dolphins 8 177. TE Dwayne Allen, Colts 10 178. QB Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings 6 179. QB Robert Griffin III, Browns 13 180. QB Sam Bradford, Eagles 4 181. WR Victor Cruz, Giants 8 182. WR Kenny Stills, Dolphins 8 183. RB C.J. Spiller, Saints 5 184. RB Darren McFadden, Cowboys 7 185. DEF Cincinnati Bengals 9 186. RB Charcandrick West, Chiefs 5 187. RB Andre Ellington, Cardinals 9 188. WR Stevie Johnson, Chargers 11 189. WR Sammie Coates, Steelers 8 190. WR Jeff Janis, Packers 4 191. DEF Los Angeles Rams 8 192. RB Jerick McKinnon, Vikings 6 193. DEF New England Patriots 9 194. DEF Buffalo Bills 10 195. WR Brandon LaFell, Bengals 9 196. RB Ronnie Hillman, Broncos 11 197. WR Jermaine Kearse, Seahawks 5 198. RB Darren Sproles, Eagles 4 199. WR Jamison Crowder, Washington 9 9 200. WR Tyler Boyd, Bengals
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
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SLEEPERS & BUSTS
Players who offer risk and reward By
ARTHUR ARKUSH
B
@ ArthurArkush
efore we try and identify this year’s Blake Bortles, Devonta Freeman, Doug Baldwin and Gary Barnidge, some of 2015’s best sleepers, it helps to explain the common signs – it’s not all luck! – that can help us find a slumbering giant. Bortles and Freeman took massive sophomore strides, a common term used not only to identify sleepers but among NFL teams. Don’t discount the importance of a first full NFL offseason for pending sophomores, when their NFL bodies and minds can start to reach peak performance. Bortles’ excellent supporting cast also foreshadowed his increased success, while it took an injury to Tevin Coleman for Freeman to fully emerge. Baldwin and Barnidge illustrate that NFL veterans can also qualify as sleepers. Their circumstances improved – in Baldwin’s case, the maturation of Russell Wilson and Seattle’s increased willingness to air it out; in Barnidge’s, simply the departure of Jordan Cameron and arrival of Josh McCown – helping them to bloom a bit later and become their team’s go-to weapons. As for the busts, we had Peyton Manning, DeMarco Murray and Arian Foster, among others. The common refrain with Manning, Foster and, oftentimes with busts, is rapid aging and injury concerns. With Murray, his surroundings changed for the worse, which can happen whether a player switches teams or some of his key teammates or
coaches depart. Unlike with sleepers, busts frequently are higher-profile and early-round investments that can sabotage a fantasy team because of the commitment they require and, ultimately, squander.
SLEEPERS MATT RYAN
QB / ATLANTA FALCONS He has four top-8 fantasy finishes in his career but plummeted to the 19th-scoring QB a season ago, his first with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and without Roddy White as a dependable WR2. Rumblings about a mystery injury and his own admission of being overwhelmed in a new offense were undoubtedly contributors, but it was Ryan’s uncharacteristic gaffes (tied a career-high with 21 giveaways, including five inside the opponent’s 20) at the root of his and the Falcons’ demise. Matt Schaub had his career year and a No. 3 fantasy finish in his second season in Shanahan’s system, known for taking time to master. Ryan had two of his five 300-yard passing days in the final three weeks of 2015. He still has arguably the best receiver on the planet and added perhaps the NFL’s best center (Alex Mack) to clean up some of the shoddy execution. He’ll be on the QB1 radar again, now at a bargain.
ROBERT GRIFFIN III
QB / CLEVELAND BROWNS Please don’t misinterpret this as an endorsement to draft RG3 as your fantasy starter. But we certainly approve of using a late-rounder to secure what’s still a ton of upside, now in position to
6 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
be unlocked by the creative Hue Jackson, who’ll command the former No. 2 pick’s respect and allow him to use the athleticism that makes him special. Cleveland’s willingness to forego drafting a QB in the first round can only help repair Griffin’s confidence. No, he doesn’t have a lot of weapons, but neither did Washington in his scintillating rookie season.
TYLER LOCKETT
WR / SEATTLE SEAHAWKS Lockett checked in at No. 42 in fantasy scoring among receivers as a rookie, whereas Doug Baldwin was seventh overall. Could it be reversed in Year Two? It’s bold but wouldn’t be a total shocker, either. Lockett is a versatile home-run hitter whose speed and suddenness trump Baldwin’s, giving him that kind of upside in Russell Wilson’s ascending offense. One shouldn’t count on return scoring, but Lockett was the NFL’s only specialist to take a kickoff and punt to the house. Remember, a return threat is all Seattle expected from its third-round rookie. The Seahawks have recalibrated their expectations –
there’s an injury risk, but it’s more palatable when spending a mid-to-later-round investment like the one Miller will require.
CARLOS HYDE
RB / SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS Let’s try this again, shall we? Hyde’s appearance on this list comes as little surprise; he was expected to explode last year, before a broken foot derailed him. Hyde’s back, trimmed down and revved up for Chip Kelly’s fantasy-friendly scheme, one Kelly and Trent Baalke have called ideal for the pulverizing Hyde. The quarterback and O-line questions will be viewed by many as red flags, but we saw journeyman Shaun Draughn produce in Hyde’s place, alongside Blaine Gabbert. Healthy again, Hyde’s three-down skills don’t bode well for Draughn, but they do for fantasy owners who’ve been waiting and waiting for this talented back’s grand introduction.
STERLING SHEPARD WR / NEW YORK GIANTS
Matt Ryan
and you should do the same.
MARVIN JONES WR / DETROIT LIONS
Did Detroit overspend – $20 million guaranteed – to sign Jones as part of its life-after-Megatron plans? Yes. Fantasy owners won’t have to extend the way the Lions, or Jones skying for a jump ball, have. He’ll be selected well behind Golden Tate, but has a chance to outpace him because he’s a red-zone warrior – 16 touchdowns in 21 career starts – and definitely hasn’t reached his ceiling. Matthew Stafford finished 2015 on a terror. Opportunities abound with all of the targets Johnson absorbed. The old narrative regarding fantasy receivers flopping in new environments has been dispelled (see: Tate, Emmanuel Sanders,; Brandon Marshall; Jeremy Maclin, among others).
SAMMIE COATES
WR / PITTSBURGH STEELERS By most measures, Coates is a superior physical specimen to Martavis Bryant, the man he’s tasked with re-
placing in potentially fantasy’s pre-eminent attack. Bryant’s absence creates a lot of home-run swings from Big Ben that could be headed for Coates if he endears himself to his quarterback and coaching staff as a sophomore. Being on the same field as Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell inherently creates more chances. Coates is a better complement to Brown than Markus Wheaton, yet he’ll be drafted in the later rounds because he’s unproven. Proving time starts now – and you want him proving it for your fantasy team.
ZACH MILLER
TE / CHICAGO BEARS This list isn’t limited to second-year leaps and reclamation projects. Here, we find space for a player who revitalized his career a season ago and is poised to build on his breakthrough, now a true No. 1 TE for the first time in his career at age 31 after Martellus Bennett’s exit. Miller has seam-threatening speed, as evidenced by his robust 12.9 yards per catch, and five end-zone trips on just 34 catches illustrate how his size also stresses defenses. Sure,
This second-round slot machine has outstanding quickness, competitiveness and deep-ball tracking ability, making him an ideal fit in a Big Blue offense flanked by home-run hitter Odell Beckham. Shepard’s route running and chops inside, not to mention entrance into experienced Eli Manning’s stable, should help alleviate any rookie growing pain concerns. We still haven’t seen what Victor Cruz can do alongside OBJ, but Shepard’s arrival means we don’t have to wait because a new, electrifying option whose coach likened him to Randall Cobb is taking over.
BUSTS
CARSON PALMER
QB / ARIZONA CARDINALS We love Bruce Arians for the NFL and fantasy purposes. But we have a bad feeling about Palmer, coming off a postseason disaster rivaling Brian Hoyer’s, another year older – ditto for Larry Fitzgerald – and looking for his first consecutive 16-game seasons since his final Cincinnati years. Palmer probably will still be a viable QB1, but his best season ever, at age 35, drives up his price tag while being awfully hard to replicate. Palmer’s O-line underwent a lot of changes. He has a cross-country trip to begin the fantasy postseason and a visit to Seattle for championship week. We just don’t trust Palmer to stay healthy, and his
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
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SLEEPERS & BUSTS play suffers when he isn’t.
TYROD TAYLOR QB / BUFFALO BILLS
Buffalo seems content allowing Taylor to play in a contract year. Teams don’t do that if they’re sold on him as a franchise QB. We can’t argue with Taylor’s results in his breakthrough starting debut – 24 total touchdowns to just seven turnovers and Bills QB record 568 rushing yards – but we want to see him do it again. Taylor has boom-orbust qualities because of his propensity for throwing deep and reliance on his legs, both potentially increasing his injury vulnerability. His pass-catching corps lacks an ideal Sammy Watkins sidekick and only one team – Minnesota – attempted fewer passes than Buffalo. Had he played 16 games, Taylor would’ve been in rarified QB1 air. He didn’t and probably won’t again.
JAMAAL CHARLES
RB / KANSAS CITY CHIEFS We now know the Chiefs’ offense can function fine without Charles. We also know how they feel about Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West, who capably replaced Charles after his Week Five ACL tear, helping the Chiefs go 10-1 and receiving matching extensions in March. Meanwhile, Charles, 29 and coming off his second knee reconstruction in five seasons, could be a 2017 cap casualty. Regardless of next offseason, Charles isn’t in line for the nearly 300 touches he’s averaged over his past four healthy campaigns. We hope we’re wrong because he’s one of the game’s most exciting players, but Charles’ fantasy outlook is trending downward.
JEREMY LANGFORD RB / CHICAGO BEARS
Perception: The Bears chased their No. 2 rusher in franchise history out of town to anoint Langford to be their new three-down workhorse after he proved to be an immediate asset in fantasy and reality as a fourth-round rookie. Reality: Chicago desperately wanted C.J. Andeson as their Matt Forte replacement after Langford managed 3.6 yards per carry and collected nearly half of his rookie production during a two-week stretch. Moreover, John Fox favors a hot-hand approach to a workhorse, but he found a power back capable of heavy lifting and goalline work in rookie Jordan Howard. We like Langford, but not the early-round draft investment he’ll require.
A’SHAWN ROBINSON
Carson Palmer
MATT JONES
RICHARD RODGERS
Speaking of second-year backs who watched the clear starter ahead of them depart this offseason, Jones, unlike Langford, has received a public endorsement by his coaches as a potential feature guy. Unlike Langford, Jones doesn’t display big-play ability, strong ball security or durability. Other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln? Seriously, fumbling and frequenting the training room are the two biggest detriments for any aspiring back – and Jones struggled with both in key moments.
Mr. Rodgers’ neighborhood became more crowded this offseason with the arrival of Jared Cook and return of Jordy Nelson. Perhaps we’ve chosen Rodgers as a bust partially because Cook has worn out his welcome in fantasy sleeper territory? Nonetheless, Cook and Nelson won’t be tackled by air like Rodgers, and they are formidable red-zone threats whose presence greatly hinders touchdown-dependent Rodgers’ value after checking in as fantasy’s No. 9 scoring TE. If you were already sufficiently turned off by Rodgers, here’s a bonus bust: Benjamin Watson isn’t repeating his TE8 finish after leaving the fertile fantasy grounds in New Orleans.
RB / WASHINGTON
DEZ BRYANT
WR / DALLAS COWBOYS It’s been a while since we’ve seen dominant Dez, but not since witnessing disruptive and physically deteriorating Dez. Will the Cowboys’ senseless decision to rush Bryant back from ankle surgery last November, less than four months after giving him $45 million guaranteed, be costly? It might’ve contributed to Bryant requiring a second surgery on his right ankle in January and third since entering the NFL. When healthy from 2012-14, Bryant was a TD machine. He also had a dominant DeMarco Murray in two of those three seasons and motivation to chase the record contract. We’re not suggesting the fiercely competitive Bryant has taken his foot off the gas. But that right foot and his volatility make a first-round draft pick too risky.
8 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
TE / GREEN BAY PACKERS
WILL FULLER
WR / HOUSTON TEXANS Fuller is the definition of boom-orbust, an elite vertical threat with inconsistent hands and time needed inside an NFL strength and conditioning program before he’ll consistently get off the line against bigger corners. Someone should take advantage of playing with DeAndre Hopkins — we’re just not sold on it being Fuller. Even with Braxton Miller’s unpolished receiving skills, we’d rather spend a late-rounder on his potential than spending up for Fuller, like the Texans, whose marked offensive improvement is both incredibly exciting on paper but also involves a lot of projecting given the newness and Brock Osweiler’s limited resumé.
DFS 101: Basic strategies for Daily Fantasy Football Want to play on DraftKings or FanDuel but don’t know how? Here’s our handy guide JOHN SAHLY
L By
ast year, Daily Fantasy Sports, commonly called DFS, exploded into the mainstream. And while you couldn’t avoid the ads, – and depending on what state you’re in while reading this, DFS may not be legal – DFS is a defined part of the fantasy landscape. So what if you want to give it a try this year on a site like FanDuel or DraftKings? Here’s a guide to help you.
Game selection
This is arguably the most important aspect of DFS: Know what you’re entering. The two main types of games are cash games and tournaments, and you need different strategies to be successful in both.
CASH GAMES
Head-to-head: The safest version of a cash game, where entrants face each other in a one-on-one contest. It’s considered the safest because even a poor lineup is capable of cashing. 50/50: A league in which the top 50 percent of entrants are paid, typically a little less than double the entry
fee, and the bottom 50 percent do not cash. 50/50 leagues aren’t as safe as head-to-head leagues because a bad lineup can still win a head-to-head, but likely not a tournament.
TOURNAMENTS
GPP: Guaranteed Prize Pool. The prizes are guaranteed, no matter if the contest fills or not. Often substituted with tournament, GPPs typically have a high amount of prize money, and about the top 10 percent get paid. DraftKings’ Millionaire Maker tournament is an example of a GPP. Satellite/Qualifier: A tournament where the winner or winners come away with a ticket to another larger contest, typically a GPP. The payout structure is similar to a GPP.
Strategy CASH GAMES
We want safety in cash games. We’re not trying to take down a field of 10,000+ people, we’re trying to either beat one person in a head-to-head matchup or finish in the top half of a 50/50. So we want consistent players who will provide the safety of a high floor. What does that mean? We’re looking to pay up, or spend more of our salary cap, on low-variance positions. Quarterback and running back have the lowest variance from week-
to-week because they’re the ones touching the ball the most. QBs who also run the ball can also give you that safe floor, because they don’t have to have as great of a day through the air. The same concept is true for running backs who get regular targets in the passing game. When we’re looking at a player’s price in cash games, we want him to score about three times his salary, so keep that in mind when looking at high-priced WRs and TEs.
TOURNAMENTS
This is where we’re chasing higher-variance players. Consider paying down at QB and RB for players that will still find plenty of touches, but show less consistency. We also want to consider stacking, or pairing a quarterback with his wide receiver, tight end, running back, or combinations of those instances more in tournaments. A recent Rotoworld analysis found that more than 50 percent of the top-10 GPP lineups in DraftKings and FanDuel’s largest tournaments throughout the 2015 season had a QBWR stack. It makes sense, because they’re dependent upon each other for production. So if Ben Roethlisberger throws two touchdowns and 200 yards to Antonio Brown, you’ll get all of those points.
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
|9
How will top fantasy options fare with their new teams? antasy football is a challenging game of evaluation because despite all the data out there, past performance remains no guarantee of future success. And when a player switches teams, his past performance is almost secondary to new factors such as scheme and reliance. They’re moving targets. This year’s free-agency frenzy resulted in a number of moves that sent talented fantasy players to uncharted territories. Here’s a look at some of the biggest names and how they might fit in with their new organizations:
Texans finished tied for 28th with 3.7 yards per carry last season, and when Arian Foster was healthy, he had the hardest time finding daylight with defenses gunning right for him. Adding a better quarterback in Osweiler will help but, let’s face it, Osweiler’s far from elite. Houston is banking on rookie Will Fuller to be the receiver to stretch the field and terrify defenses off play-action. So it’s no foregone conclusion that Miller will dominate this year like he has flashed at times the past two seasons. But if you’re going to invest in a running back, it’s wise to do so with a 25-year-old in a bellcow role who hasn’t missed a game in three years. Think low-end RB1 for now.
LAMAR MILLER
BROCK OSWEILER
Miller, 24, comes to the Texans as a prized free agent following back-toback years with at least 1,200 all-purpose yards and nine scores in Miami. He was fantasy football’s sixth-highest scorer among backs last year, and he only became more valuable once Dan Campbell took over as interim coach and the offense moved more through the running game. Miller has a nice blend of size and speed, suiting him for a variety of game situations. He should consistently get carries in Houston based on his pay grade ($14 million guaranteed) and the team’s need to bring Osweiler along early in the season. Houston’s defense is one of the best at keeping points off the scoreboard, meaning games will be tight and suited for running, or Houston will be looking to run the clock out with a lead. Unfortunately for Miller, Houston’s run blocking is nothing special. The
As for Osweiler, he remains a big mystery, having started just seven relatively easy games in Denver. If Fuller becomes a downfield star, Osweiler will have more fantasy value, but for now, he has backup consideration in a league with so many proven fantasy quarterbacks.
By
NATE ATKINS
RB / HOUSTON TEXANS
Brock Osweiler
10 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
QB / HOUSTON TEXANS
DeMARCO MURRAY RB / TENNESSEE TITANS
DeMarco Murray’s 2015 season is a classic example of just how much scheme and fit matter, even for the league’s most talented players. The league’s leading rusher in 2014 switched from the Cowboys to the Eagles and remained a fantasy pick in the top two rounds in many leagues based on that natural talent. But he was a bad fit for Chip Kelly’s East-West offense, and he had a nightmare running the ball after Kelly dismembered the guard spots, allowing opponents to destroy
Chris Ivory
BEST OF THE REST
•
RB Chris Ivory / Jaguars: Ivory broke out as a top-10 running back last year, but we’re unsure he can repeat it given his boom-orbust route to gaining that production. He’ll split carries with T.J. Yeldon in a pass-first offense in Jacksonville, and the interior of the line is still a major problem. We see him as a low-end RB3. TE Coby Fleener / Saints: Drew Brees loves his tight ends, consistently elevating them to new levels of production. The 27-year-old Fleener comes from a split-rep situation in Indianapolis, and his production took a step back last season with Andrew Luck injured, as he finished with just 491 yards and three scores. Now as a full-time starter in an offense lacking weapons out wide and a need to score because of a bad defense, the sleek Fleener should stuff the stat page as a sure fantasy starter. WR Marvin Jones / Lions: Someone’s gotta try to replace Calvin Johnson. This talented career underachiever received far more money than he earned from the panicked Lions, and we wonder if that’ll get to his head. Still, Matthew Stafford loves to sling it out wide, and Jones is coming off his best season as well as two straight years without missing a game. We’re betting on volume more than efficiency here, and he should be a WR3. TE Ben Watson / Ravens: The 35-year-old Watson is coming off a career year with the Saints, when he posted 825 yards and six scores. He has soft hands and, although his age remains a big risk, few offensive coordinators feed their tight ends more than Marc Trestman does. Watson is a decent backup. TE Jared Cook / Packers: An Aaron Rodgers tight end always has value – even Richard Rodgers last year. Cook is one of those players who never performs up to his talent level, and his production has slipped as he’s aged. We bet playing with Rodgers returns it to respectable levels again, making him a backup consideration. QB Robert Griffin III / Browns: This should only be a late flier move, given the unknowns in Cleveland and RGIII’s long injury history, but it’s also exciting to think of the distant possibilities of a dual-threat talent working in Hue Jackson’s system. He’d have Gary Barnidge to work with and a long shot at throwing to Josh Gordon again. It’s equally likely to blow up in the brutal AFC North behind a patchwork offensive line that gave up the second-most sacks in the league in 2015. It’s the definition of boom or bust.
•
•
DeMarco Murray
movement with stunts. But this year, Murray flipped the script, moving to a great situation while significantly slashing his contract. Now, he’ll play with a quarterback in Marcus Mariota who can draw attention and freeze defenders on zoneread plays, and Murray should get back to being a downhill runner. The second-round addition of Derrick Henry might temper expectations for Murray, but he’ll still be the bellcow. We’re confident in this one because Tennessee coach Mike Mularkey loves running the ball as much as Kelly loves tempo. The Titans’ line still isn’t a strength of this team, but with Mariota’s own rushing threat and the way his connection with Dorial Green-Beckham can back off safeties, Murray should find plenty of opportunities like he never did in Philadelphia. He could be an RB1 in a deeper league.
MATT FORTE
RB / NEW YORK JETS For the past eight years, no bet has been surer than Matt Forte, which is
hard to say for a running back these days. He’s one of four players ever to post at least 800 yards rushing and 300 receiving in eight straight seasons. At 30, he’s just a tough evaluation these days. Forte will now run for the Jets, who averaged 4.2 yards per carry last season (Chicago was 4.0). His line should be a slight upgrade over the injury-riddled Bears club. He’ll continue to split carries with other backs now that he’s 30, but if he’s able to avoid the knee injury that cost him three games last season – he’d only missed one game in three seasons prior – his volume should be similar to last season, when he finished as fantasy’s No. 9 running back. The Jets have a couple of strong weapons at wideout in Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. The quarterback situation is up in the air, as of press time, but that might mean more of a reliance on the running game. At his age and guarantee to split carries, Forte isn’t worth an RB1 slot, but he should still be productive.
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PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
| 11
RD
2016
PFW 1 Mock 2 Draft Staff members from Pro Football Weekly held a mock draft in advance of the 2016 season. The purpose of the draft is to illustrate how things can turn out on draft day – and how they can stray from one’s draft board. The owners drafting teams were not forced to use PFW’s player rankings, which can be found in the draft board on Pages 4-5. Players were drafted based on their health and playing status at the time of the mock draft. Drafting was based on a basic scoring system (four points for passing TDs, six points for rushing/receiving TDs) that includes some yardage bonuses (one point for every 10 yards rushing or receiving, one point for every 30 yards passing). Each team had to draft a starting lineup (one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, one PK and one defense). Outside of those requirements, each participant could fill out his roster however he wanted. Team One picked first in Round One, last in Round Two, and followed that format through Round 16.
TM
1
DAN McCALEB
ANTONIO
PFW EXEC. DIRECTOR
PETER SHAW
SHAW MEDIA TRUSTEE
TM
3
RYAN GLAB
PFW CONTRIBUTOR
Le’VEON
TODD
Rode AB to league title last season.
No. 1 overall player on my board
Could be league’s best RB in 2016.
EDDIE
Need RB here; best left on my board.
3 4 RB 5 QB 6 7 WR TE 8 9 WR 10 QB 11 RB 12 TE 13 DEF 14 WR PK 15 16 RB
BRANDON
DEMARYIUS
THOMAS
Didn’t fall how I hoped; too much talent to pass.
Assuming good health, he’ll be Seattle’s workhorse.
LeSEAN
SAMMY
Hopefully a repeat of 2015.
2nd half of ‘15 re-punched Shady’s Stud Card.
Special talent but shaky QB outlook.
JONATHAN
JEREMY
TYLER
Panthers ‘O’ will be solid again.
WR TDs are a good thing, now Alex Smith knows.
His 13 TDs most among TEs in 2015.
EZEKIEL
ELLIOTT
Zeke is a freak and will be behind Big D’s O-line.
CARSON
PALMER
Injury always a concern.
DeSEAN
JACKSON
Should have taken John Brown.
GARY
BARNIDGE
Hoping 2015 was no fluke.
TRAVIS
BENJAMIN
Better QB in SD means better numbers, I hope.
WR BALDWIN WR SANDERS QB BORTLES WR MATTHEWS TE THOMAS WR GREEN-BECKHAM DOUG
EMMANUEL
If he and Wilson continue to click, he’s my No. 1 WR.
A good safety valve for Denver’s new QB.
BLAKE
JORDAN
Raise your Bortles! Jax comes off bus throwing.
Good value here and a better role in 2016.
JULIUS
DORIAL
Season-long stack attack, Bortles’ No. 2 target.
A bit of a reach, but talent is there.
RB GORE WR CRABTREE FRANK
Frank the (may have something left in the) Tank.
MICHAEL
Found home in Oakland and a Carr to drive him.
TE COOK RB ALLEN JARED
Wasted talent in STL; could shine in GB.
JAVORIUS
Could push for the starting job in Baltimore.
RB WILLIAMS QB DALTON WR WILLIAMS WOODHEAD WR SNEAD DEF BRONCOS QB FLACCO EBRON ELI
MANNING
DeANGELO
ANDY
Needed decent backup for Palmer.
No. 1 handcuff for my top pick.
Was having great 2015 until injury.
DANNY
WILLIE
TERRANCE
Even at 11, a reach; hope he gets receptions.
Got a need for... well, a bye fill-in or trade bait.
Good No. 2; will play better with healthy Romo.
ERIC
DENVER
JOE
Still has to have some talent, right?
A solid D/ST can win a few weeks.
Has much to prove after down year.
HOUSTON
TEXANS
TED
GINN JR.
Why not in the 14th? Had long TDs last season.
JUSTIN
TUCKER
PFW’s J.C. Talon says he’s a stud.
12 |
2
WR BROWN RB BELL RB GURLEY RB LACY WR THOMAS RB RAWLS WR MARSHALL RB McCOY WR WATKINS RB STEWART WR MACLIN TE EIFERT
Needs to show up for whole season.
Antonio Brown
TM
SHANE
VEREEN
Think I’ve owned him 3 straight years.
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
TM
4
ARTHUR ARKUSH PFW WRITER
TE GRONKOWSKI RB MARTIN
ROB
Fair price for fantasy’s No. 1 positional advantage.
DOUG
KANSAS CITY
BRANDIN
Colston gone, time for him to be Brees’ No. 1.
DREW
Stacks, stacks, stacks. I love stacks.
WR FLOYD RB IVORY
MICHAEL
It says here Fitz falls off and Floyd picks up slack.
CHRIS
Jags didn’t give him $10 million gtd. to feed Yeldon.
TYLER
WR COOPER RB LANGFORD AMARI
Will build on stellar rookie season.
JEREMY
Should produce in No. 1 RB role.
WR DECKER WR HURNS
ERIC
Had 1,000 yds and 12 TDs. Needs Fitzpatrick.
ALLEN
With Bortles as QB, Hurns will shine again.
RYAN
DERRICK
LADARIUS
DeMarco Murray is fragile and Henry is better RB fit.
Move to Pittsburgh should help the big TE.
MATT
RASHAD
Not sold on Jones but opportunity knocks.
Decent bye-week replacement with this lead RB.
TE BENNETT WR FUNCHESS RB CROWELL WR AGHOLOR QB COUSINS QB RYAN MARTELLUS
DEVIN
Gronk insurance; Marty in contract year, great spot.
Wanted Benjamin, Olsen; settled for Funchess.
ISAIAH
NELSON
Hue’s committed to run; is Crowell fully committed?
No. 2 WR should get more looks.
KIRK
MATT
I wanted Ryan. How do you like that, Kirk?
Over 4,500 yards the past four years.
PHILLIP
CINCINNATI
Took a flier on the No. 1 pick for my third QB.
Fortunately, fantasy won’t dock for personal fouls.
JOSH
Seahawks put up points, and so will Hauschka.
With impending run on kickers, snatched good one.
Don’t trust him but too talented not to take here.
Another flier; likely a waiver-wire victim.
DEVONTA
If production matches the volume, solid backup.
Rookie RB sleeper. These are so hard to hold onto.
Lead back now that DeMarco Murray is gone.
RONNIE
It’s a QB league, and he’s the best.
More likely to repeat Baldwin’s ‘15 than Baldwin.
DEVONTAE
CAM
WR LOCKETT RB MATHEWS RB HENRY TE GREEN RB JONES RB JENNINGS
BRANDON
QB NEWTON RB FREEMAN
WR COOKS QB BREES
Speed, expanding role, Luck returns. Why not?
STEVEN
PFW CONTRIBUTOR
All about sacks, interceptions and touchdowns.
JARED
BRENT MARING
Was waiver-wire find in ‘15. Found him again.
Aiken was a must-start when Ravens WRs hurt.
MATTHEW
5
Hoping he stays healthy, hungry after new deal.
WR AIKEN DEF CHIEFS WR DORSETT QB STAFFORD QB GOFF DEF BENGALS PK HAUSCHKA PK McMANUS WR GORDON RB BOOKER RB HILLMAN PK SANTOS KAMAR
TM
CAIRO
No. 7 fantasy scorer in ‘15 and offense improved.
DEF RAMS TE GATES
LOS ANGELES
Solid ‘D’. Will bring it to new home.
ANTONIO
Getting older but still productive.
PK GANO WR CRUZ
GRAHAM
Attempts to be had in high-scoring offense.
VICTOR
Hoping he gets back to 2012 form.
MOCK TM
6
J.C. TALON
ODELL
PFW FANTASY WRITER
WR BECKHAM JR. RB MILLER Third choice, but I can live with 25 TDs in two years.
LAMAR
Underutilized in Miami, hoping for change in Houston.
TM
7
NATE ATKINS
TM
PFW WRITER
8
JON STYF
JULIO
ADRIAN
PFW CONTRIBUTOR
WR JONES RB PETERSON WR NELSON RB CHARLES QB BRADY WR EVANS
One of the surest fantasy bets in that ‘O.’
Eventually his production will fade, but not yet.
JORDY
JAMAAL
The Packers know how badly they missed him.
Went with big potential knowing the injury risks.
TM
9
DRAFT
KEVIN FISHBAIN PFW WRITER
TM
PAT FITZMAURICE
BEN
Could be top fantasy QB if he plays 16 games.
KELVIN
TOM
MIKE
Marty Bennett, Jonathan Cooper improve that ‘O.’
Evans/Winston will become one of league’s best combos.
JORDAN
RANDALL
If he picks up where he left off, this is a steal.
Set for a moster year with Kirk Cousins.
With Jordy back, Cobb’s game elevates too.
MATT
LATAVIUS
CARLOS
AARON
DAVID
A.J.
ALSHON
He’s scary-good; it’s just a matter of health.
A gamble but best Fantasy wideout if healthy.
MARK
KEENAN
Was on pace for 134 catches last year.
Titans will ride him like Cowboys did in ‘14.
JULIAN
C.J.
He’s teased us before, but I love how he finished ‘15.
Huge difference between Gronk, Olsen and rest.
JEREMY
DION
TRAVIS
GOLDEN
Maybe a tad early, but love the upside.
The Cowboys’ RB will score points.
He’s worth way more than he showed in ‘15.
Ascending talent and No. 2 pass catcher in KC.
Remember how good he was in ‘14 with Calvin out?
LAQUON
JOHN
DeVANTE
Hard to figure Cincy backfield, but good value.
He’s still Joe Flacco’s best WR.
Has looked NFL-ready since high school.
Speedster could supplant Fitz as Cards’ No. 1.
Probably a reach this early, but he’s a young gem.
ZACH
STEFON
MARVIN
KARLOS
TONY
Should have taken Fleener.
He’s still Teddy Bridgewater’s top target.
Safer pick after taking a chance on Treadwell.
High upside in run-heavy Bills offense.
Has strong supporting cast, plays in a weak division.
WR WHEATON WR JACKSON QB RIVERS PK GOSTKOWSKI RB BLOUNT WR AUSTIN RB COLEMAN WR WRIGHT TE MILLER DEF PANTHERS RB POWELL QB MARIOTA MARKUS
VINCENT
PHILIP
With Bryant gone, makes nice tandem with Big Ben.
Old reliable, as in old and reliable.
Will throw a ton and be serviceable starter.
STEPHEN
LeGARRETTE
TAVON
Next guy taken? Devin Funchess. I rest my case.
He’ll score points if he stays Incredible athlete set to healthy. pair with top rookie QB.
TEVIN
KENDALL
ZACH
If he can stay healthy, he could produce.
A nice connection with Mariota before injury.
Safer bet if Graham goes bust again.
CAROLINA
BILAL
MARCUS
No. 1 in picks and No. 6 in sacks last season.
Matt Forte will need some rest.
Had his moments in rookie season. Will he progress?
WR COLEMAN TE FLEENER RB MORRIS WR PERRIMAN QB WINSTON RB FOSTER COREY
JERMAINE
CHARLES
Hope I don’t have to play him much.
One of the league’s up-andcomers.
Too good to still be sitting there this late.
JASON
NEW ENGLAND
Being Drew Brees’ top TE could be lucrative.
ALFRED
Ready for liftoff after rookie year wiped out by injury.
JAMEIS
Chances are he’ll land with a team that needs him.
TE ALLEN DEF BILLS DWAYNE
No more Fleener, Allen will be top red-zone target.
BUFFALO
Buying in to Rex’s hype for a turnaround.
CHARCANDRICK
MOHAMED
Flier in case Charles’ injury bug returns.
Julio Jones’ complement is a good spot to be in.
PITTSBURGH
DAVID
Good spot to be opposite A.J. Green.
If he’s in Chip Kelly’s offense, look out.
Didn’t think too hard on this.
Taking a flier here on Titans youngster.
JORDAN
If he gets Bears No. 2 job, goal-line opportunities.
ADAM
Expect a bounceback for Colts offense.
JOSH
Big leg ... Former MLS goalkeeper.
ARIAN
High-scoring games coming this year for Jameis.
Still a productive unit despite pass-rush losses.
COLIN
BRESHAD
Complement to Elliott will get his touches.
Guy is an iron man, provides nice value.
TYLER
COBY
Rookie speedster a boomor-bust option.
QB TANNEHILL WR KEARSE RB SIMS TE WITTEN DEF PATRIOTS RB WEST WR SANU WR BOYD QB KAEPERNICK DEF STEELERS RB COBB RB HOWARD PK VINATIERI PK LAMBO PK GOULD RYAN
GREG
Plenty of targets coming for a Brady favorite.
STEVE
DeMARCO
Hope he builds off last year’s breakout.
GIOVANI
DEZ
Had to get a WR1 before they were gone.
A dynamic player, though durability is a concern.
JIMMY
RUSSELL
Got top-three fantasy scorer at 11.
Good value here if he lives up to 2015 hype.
Wasn’t hell-bent on going RB, but I rank him 2nd.
Oakland’s line upgrades will Fits 49ers new offense well, really help. can be true workhorse.
DARREN
PFW EDITOR
Hard to find a more reliable fantasy producer.
Thought this was great value in Round Five.
KEVIN
HUB ARKUSH
QB RODGERS RB JOHNSON QB WILSON WR GREEN WR JEFFERY WR BRYANT RB INGRAM WR ALLEN RB MURRAY WR EDELMAN RB ANDERSON TE OLSEN
QB ROETHLISBERGER WR BENJAMIN TE REED WR COBB RB FORTE RB MURRAY RB HYDE RB HILL RB LEWIS WR WHITE RB McFADDEN TE GRAHAM TE KELCE WR TATE RB BERNARD WR SMITH WR TREADWELL WR BROWN WR PARKER TE ERTZ WR DIGGS WR JONES RB WILLIAMS QB ROMO
TM
10 PFW FANTASY WRITER 11
ROBBIE
Big and dependable leg for improving offense.
WR FITZGERALD RB YELDON LARRY
Hoping I got the guy from ‘15 playoffs.
T.J.
Simply the best RB still on the board.
RB AJAYI WR MONTCRIEF
JAY
Got Dolphins starting RB in 7th round.
DONTE
Along for the ride as Luck bounces back.
CHRIS
ANDREW
Sprint to him if he’s available here in your draft.
T.Y.
Stacking works in DFS, why not here for season-long?
TE WALKER WR LANDRY
DELANIE
Walker had 62 more targets than next Titans WR in ’15.
JARVIS
A sixth-round WR with 165 targets in ’15.
RB ABDULLAH RB GORDON
AMEER
If he cuts his fumble rate, the talent is there.
MELVIN
Post-hype sleeper, but still a risk.
DUKE
DEREK
AUSTIN
ARIZONA
Guessing he and Winston are a good match.
Chandler Jones addition makes them scary.
SEATTLE
JAY
JEFF
Consider this an endorsement of Mike Zimmer.
Ready for a breakout season.
Competent kicker on one of the NFL’s better teams.
QB LUCK WR HILTON
CHANDLER
’15 breakout year was for real. I’ve got 2 top-10 WRs.
Great insurance for Luck; Carr threw 32 TDs in 2015.
To be honest, I’m not sure why.
ALLEN
I should get 200 carries out of a 10th rounder.
Decent TE option with a fairly safe floor.
Martavis Bryant’s suspension creates an opportunity.
JUSTIN
SAMMIE
Stud WR and target monster gets a better QB.
WR COATES PK CATANZARO
DeANDRE
Somebody has to run the ball in Cleveland.
Lockett gives defense/ special teams a boost.
MINNESOTA
WR HOPKINS WR ROBINSON
A hunch he’s Pats’ next Edelman/Welker.
Surprised he slipped; very productive fantasy QB in ‘15.
CHARLES
JOHN SAHLY
WR HOGAN RB JOHNSON RB FORSETT QB CARR TE SEFERIAN-JENKINS DEF CARDINALS
QB TAYLOR DEF SEAHAWKS TE CLAY QB CUTLER DEF VIKINGS WR JANIS TYROD
TM
12 PFW DIGITAL EDITOR
WR DOCTSON RB STARKS JOSH
More complete rookie WR than Treadwell or Coleman.
JAMES
If Lacy can’t get job done, Starks a great handcuff.
TE WALFORD DEF JETS
CLIVE
21 targets in final four games. Value if healthy.
PK AGUAYO QB GRIFFIN III PK CROSBY ROBERTO
Best kicker coming out of school in years.
ROBERT
What if the 2012 RG III is back?
NEW YORK
Can’t believe Jets were available here.
MASON
Solid, reliable; I’ll take that in my kicker.
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
| 13
MOCK
TEAM ONE
DRAFT
A N A LY S I S
TEAM TWO
TEAM THREE
DAN
PETER
RYAN
PFW EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
SHAW MEDIA TRUSTEE
PFW CONTRIBUTOR
McCALEB
THOUGHT PROCESS: At No. 1 overall, you have to hit big on your first pick since you don’t make another one in forever. I figured Antonio Brown was the safest bet, so I went with him over Julio Jones and Le’Veon Bell. FAVORITE PICK: This could be the steal of the draft. Ezekiel Elliott is a stud and as close as you can get to a sure thing for a rookie running back. And with that Cowboys offensive line? Think Todd Gurley but healthy entering his rookie year. RISKIEST PICK: Given their injury histories, both Eddie Lacy in the second round and Carson Palmer in the sixth could come back to bite me. Keeping my fingers crossed for some good fortune and good health. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: I always seem to wait a round too long to pick my handcuff, so I wasn’t surprised when John Sahly took James Starks ahead of me in the 13th round.
TEAM FOUR
SHAW
THOUGHT PROCESS: I was either taking Antonio Brown or Le’Veon Bell. The next four picks need to be the best two WRs and RBs, unless Jordan Reed or Tyler Eifert were there in Round 4. The No. 1 spot and I alternated WR and RB for the first five rounds and each found good value in QB in the sixth, however, I’ll take Blake Bortles every time at that spot. FAVORITE PICK: Seattle is done with Beast Mode, Doug Baldwin ushered in Score Mode. Also, job No. 1 of a Le’Veon Bell owner is to handcuff him with DeAngelo Williams. That insurance might be worth a Round 8/9 pick. RISKIEST PICK: Shady re-punched his stud card, but he also allegedly punched an off-duty police officer. DeMarco Murray might have been the pick here. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: Seeing Thomas Rawls taken right before me in Round 2 and the same with Eifert in Round 4 hurt. Demaryius Thomas and Maclin could be great but not what I was looking for.
TEAM FIVE
GLAB
THOUGHT PROCESS: I wanted two workhorse RBs in the first couple rounds. Then I went heavy on WRs and TEs, hoping to find playmakers. If you don’t nab an elite QB, you might as well hold off because the second tier of QBs is deep and balanced. I also landed a top defense and kicker. FAVORITE PICK: If Todd Gurley stays healthy and plays 16 games, he could be the NFL’s rushing champ and the city of L.A.’s new sports icon. RISKIEST PICK: I reached a bit on Dorial Green-Beckham. He has the talent to be special but must play consistently well. I have a lot riding on Sammy Watkins, who doesn’t exactly have a world-beater at QB. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: I settled on Watkins after my preferred choice, Brandon Marshall, went two picks earlier. I also was eyeing Philip Rivers – who quietly had a great 2015 – but waited too long and wound up with the “Red Rifle” instead.
TEAM SIX
ARTHUR
BRENT
J.C.
PFW WRITER
PFW CONTRIBUTOR
PFW FANTASY WRITER
ARKUSH
THOUGHT PROCESS: I finally followed the NFL trend, devaluing RBs and loading up in the passing game, beginning with a Gronk spike. After securing my bellcow in Doug Martin, I targeted unheralded backs in intriguing situations and undervalued receivers oozing with upside. FAVORITE PICK: Tyler Lockett in Round 7 makes me warm and fuzzy inside. He’s a home-run hitter and the most talented receiver on one of the NFL’s up-andcoming offenses. He’s my WR3 but with elite WR2 potential. RISKIEST PICK: ‘Muscle Hamster’ in Round 2 is a little unnerving because he’s had two monster years and two duds, plus he just got paid. I love the offensive surroundings and upside, but he isn’t the lock like I prefer with my premium picks. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: Though I’m high on Chris Ivory, he isn’t the Jaguar I targeted in Round 6. That’s Allen Hurns, but considering I recovered with Ivory, then my favorite pick as WR3 in Round 7, it seems to have worked out. I also wanted Matt Ryan, not Kirk Cousins, as my QB2.
MARING
THOUGHT PROCESS: Normally, I’m not one to take a quarterback with my first pick. Running back first has long been my mantra. But I saw too many fantasy teams get burned by top-tier running backs last year (including me with Eddie Lacy). I figured I’d go with the No. 1 scorer in all of fantasy last year in Cam Newton. From there, it was getting the best RBs and WRs. FAVORITE PICK: Ryan Mathews in the seventh round was a small steal. Although he will continue to compete with Darren Sproles, he’s now the Eagles’ lead back after DeMarco Murray was traded to Tennessee. Antonio Gates in the 14th was a great find, too. RISKIEST PICK: Jeremy Langford showed flashes of brilliance last year running and receiving, but can he become an elite back in 2016? HEARTBREAK HOTEL: I was hoping to pair Kelvin Benjamin with Cam Newton. Unfortunately, he was chosen one pick before I was going to snag him.
14 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
TALON
THOUGHT PROCESS: I like picking sixth – you have plenty of time to regroup between selections. I have Ben Roethlisberger ranked just behind Aaron Rodgers, but I figured I could wait a round. You never want to be the first guy to take a kicker, but I can’t believe how long the other guys waited. FAVORITE PICK: I was very happy with two of my picks: Kelvin Benjamin in the fourth and Matt Forte in the fifth. They both represent great value in those rounds. RISKIEST PICK: Not in love with Lamar Miller in the second. I think he was the best RB option, but there is always some risk when a guy joins a new team. If he bombs, I wasted my No. 2 pick. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: I was hoping C.J. Anderson would make it back to me in Round 4, but he went four picks prior to my selection of Benjamin. I had buyer’s remorse immediately when I selected Ertz instead of Coby Fleener. I also thought I had a chance at Michael Crabtree in Round 9, but Peter nabbed him.
MOCK
TEAM SEVEN
DRAFT
A N A LY S I S
TEAM EIGHT
TEAM NINE
NATE
JON
KEVIN
PFW WRITER
PFW CONTRIBUTOR
PFW WRITER
ATKINS
THOUGHT PROCESS: Picks in the middle of the round are the best. I wanted to jump on the top receivers early so I could settle for the value that falls later on in the draft. My RBs worry me, but after last year’s wrath of injuries, I think they’d worry me regardless. FAVORITE PICK: I have a feeling LeGarrette Blount is going to be really productive for as long as he stays healthy, given his ability to score and the lanes the Patriots’ passing game will open up with Rob Gronkowski, Martellus Bennett and Julian Edelman all healthy. Getting him in the 10th round, given my RB situation, was clutch. RISKIEST PICK: At age 39, Tom Brady could start regressing this year, as they all do, and we shouldn’t forget how quickly Peyton Manning fell off around the same age. Plus, as of press time, Brady is suspended the first four games of 2016. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: I took Brady because J.C. Talon snatched Big Ben the pick before. He’s much better value with more weapons, little chance to regress and no suspension (at least not yet).
TEAM 10
STYF
FISHBAIN
THOUGHT PROCESS: I didn’t go in thinking I would start with two running backs, but when you can get both Adrian Peterson and Jamaal Charles from the eighth spot, you do that, even though Aaron Rodgers was tempting in the first round. FAVORITE PICK: Carlos Hyde was sitting there in a great situation, ready for me to snatch him in Round 5. He’s an above-average starter, and I simply didn’t think such a good player in a good situation would be available there. RISKIEST PICK: Laquon Treadwell is a rookie, which usually means he won’t be highly productive this season. But his incredible talent means he might just be able to buck that trend. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: In the sixth round, I was really hoping that Jarvis Landry would fall. That ultimately led to the early Jimmy Graham and Laquon Treadwell picks.
TEAM 11
THOUGHT PROCESS: I went as safe as I could with the top two picks of Aaron Rodgers and A.J. Green. I figure it’s important to be top-heavy in such a crapshoot like fantasy. Wanted to grab ascending players like John Brown and Karlos Williams, too. FAVORITE PICK: Brown had 1,003 yards and seven TDs last season and he’s only 26 entering his third year. He should only get better in one of the top offenses, and he’s only my No. 3 receiver. Low floor, high ceiling. RISKIEST PICK: Going with a guy like Ingram as my RB1 is not the most comfortable spot. He has played in more than 12 games only one time in his career, has never gone over 1,000 yards rushing and had only six scores last year. The Saints’ offense should be better in 2016, though. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: I hoped to go back-to-back with running backs in the third and fourth rounds with either DeMarco Murray or C.J. Anderson as my No. 2 back, but both were taken in front of me, forcing me to go WR and wait to get Jeremy Hill in the fifth.
TEAM 12
PAT
HUB
JOHN
PFW FANTASY WRITER
PFW EDITOR
PFW DIGITAL EDITOR
FITZMAURICE
THOUGHT PROCESS: It’s always good to stay flexible and take draft value where you can get it, but I figured I’d pound the RB and WR positions early on, and that’s what happened. No reason to jump on a QB early with so much depth at the position. FAVORITE PICK: He might not have been a steal at No. 34 overall, but Keenan Allen seemed like a pretty good value there. He was on pace to put up insane numbers before he went down last season, and he should get a boatload of targets this year. RISKIEST PICK: Alshon Jeffery, Keenan Allen, Dion Lewis, Tony Romo … take your pick. I didn’t exactly shy away from injury risk with this bunch. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: I would have taken Dez Bryant with pick 15 if Hub hadn’t taken him one spot earlier, and Hub snaked me again later in the draft when he snatched Jeff Janis away from me in the 15th round.
ARKUSH
SAHLY
THOUGHT PROCESS: Starting at 11 and 14, I wasn’t going to worry about positions, and I wanted to draft the top scorers available whenever possible while being sure to fill out my depth chart. I’ve got a lot of points 1 thru 5 and a lot of potential 6 thru 16. FAVORITE PICK: I think Greg Olsen at 35 and Larry Fitzgerald at 59 are tremendous values and the rest of the league will cry when Jeff Janis gives me 10 TDs as my 14th-round pick. RISKIEST PICK: It has to be Dez Bryant. I’m not all that worried about him staying healthy, but Tony Romo is another story. And if – or I guess I should say when – Romo goes down, I could be in big trouble. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: Jarvis Landry was my man in the sixth round, and John Sahly grabbed him right in front of me. T.J. Yeldon was the one pick I made that I really wasn’t prepared for.
THOUGHT PROCESS: Given I’m at the end of the first round and start of the second, I wanted to make sure I got two top-10 wide receivers to start. Given how many running backs ended up in the top 15 at the end of last year that were late picks or plucked off the waiver wire, I felt I could wait on RBs and fill out other spots first. FAVORITE PICK: Andrew Luck. Look, I know he was hurt last season, but Luck was a consensus first-round pick the past couple of years. His talent is too good for the price of a pick at the end of the third. RISKIEST PICK: Ameer Abdullah. The fumbles worry me. The Lions worry me. He could be back on the waiver wire by Week Two. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: Why did I end up with Ameer Abdullah? Because Hub Arkush took Jay Ajayi one pick before me. Ajayi has concerns about his knee, but he’s a young, talented starting running back available in the seventh round. I wanted that one.
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
| 15
RD
2016
TM
1
ERIC OLSON
AARON
TM
QB RODGERS
ROB
1 PFW mock TE 2 auction RB 3 WR 4 WR 5 WR 6 RB 7 PK 8 WR 9 RB 10 QB 11 RB 12 RB 13 DEF 14 WR 15 WR 16
.......... $38
Rodgers was first up for bid and goes at good price.
GRONKOWSKI....$40
Best TE in the game. Got to have him.
Staff members from Pro Football Weekly held a mock draft for the 2016 season in late April. The purpose of the draft is to illustrate how things can turn out on draft day – and how they can stray from one’s draft board. The owners drafting teams were not forced to use PFW’s player rankings, which can be found in the draft board on Pages 4-5. Players were drafted based on their health and playing status at the time of the mock draft. Drafting was based on a basic scoring system (four points for passing TDs, six points for rushing/receiving TDs) that includes some yardage bonuses (one point for every 10 yards rushing or receiving, one point for every 30 yards passing). Each team had to draft a starting lineup (one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, one PK and one defense). Outside of those requirements, each participant could fill out his roster however he or she wanted. Team One bid first in Round One, last in Round Two and followed that format through Round 16.
MATT
FORTE........................... $20
He’ll have a standout year proving the Bears wrong.
GOLDEN
TATE............................... $16
Should have a higher ceiling this season.
MOHAMAD
SANU..............................$5
Maybe a change of scenery helps him.
JEREMY
MACLIN................ $19
A top receiver in his prime for fair price.
CHRIS
IVORY............................$10
Let’s see if his downhill style flies in Jacksonville.
ADAM
VINATIERI...............$1
Kickers with indoor home stadiums are good play.
ERIC
DECKER....................$8
Bargain price for wideout with knack for catching TDs.
LeGARRETTE
BLOUNT.......................$6
I like Blount’s goal-line game.
PHILIP
RIVERS......................... $7
You could do worse for a backup QB.
LATAVIUS
MURRAY................$10
A 1,000-yard rusher, will he last in Oakland?
GIOVANI
BERNARD...............$8
Decent production potential for the money.
CAROLINA
PANTHERS......$4
I’ll pay a premium for a high-performing D.
STEVE
SMITH.........................$4
Nice that someone almost as old as me can still play.
STERLING
SHEPARD............$4
Rookie will have his chances thanks to Eli, Odell.
Aaron Rodgers
16 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
2
TOTAL: $200
TM
NATE ATKINS
WR BROWN ANTONIO
................ $48
Overspent early, but he’s the safest fantasy bet.
3
HUB ARKUSH
CAM
QB NEWTON
.............. $44
Top Fantasy scorer can improve passing game.
WR EDELMAN $18 RB JOHNSON
JULIAN
DAVID
............ $42
........
Tom Brady’s only reliable WR is just good value.
Played a hunch on breakout star.
GREG
QB WILSON RUSSELL
..................$33
Last year’s progress has to carry over some.
WR WATKINS
SAMMY
TE OLSEN
WR BENJAMIN $22
......... $26
............................$23
Big drop off after first two or three tight ends. KELVIN
.....
Sammy’s insistence on targets is good for fantasy.
RB WILLIAMS
Tried to save on wideouts with big upsides.
RB MURRAY
RB AJAYI
RB STEWART
KARLOS
........... $9
He’s the TD machine in Rex’s running machine.
DeMARCO
................ $15
PK HAUSCHKA $2 STEVEN
.......
Take him every year, why stop now?
WR SANDERS EMMANUEL
........... $11
With Mariota in Mularkey’s offense, yes please.
Seemed like a real bargain to me.
JAY
..................................$8
I’ll have Adam Gase’s starting RB for cheap.
RB HYDE
................................ $10
Elite talent when healthy; new ‘O’ should help.
TE KELCE TRAVIS
WR BALDWIN DOUG
..........$13
If he’s 70 percent of last year, how cheap is this?.
WR FITZGERALD $11
................................$8
............ $12
Just give me one healthy season and look out.
CARLOS
JONATHAN
LARRY
....
With Alex Smith, the definition of reliable.
He sure bounced back last year; one more in him.
DEF CHIEFS
KANSAS CITY
......................$4
I overpaid a bit for a playmaking unit. ELI
WR FLOYD
Time to step out of Larry Fitzgerald’s shadow.
QB GRIFFIN III ROBERT
.......... $2
This boom-or-bust pick is definitely worth a late flier.
WR GORDON
JOSH
PK BROWN JOSH
......................... $1
He’s old but coming off career year in great offense.
RB JENNINGS
RASHAD
................ $1
Yeah, I see the Giants scoring a lot.
TOTAL: $200
LAQUON
......
Who else will Bridgewater throw to?
RB GORE FRANK
................................... $3
It was getting late and the blue light went on.
TE BENNETT
MARTELLUS
...................$4
Brady will love him when Gronk is getting doubled.
RB COLEMAN
............... $3
Like RGIII, he’s worth a small bet to get right again.
WR TREADWELL $4
MICHAEL
........................... $9
.....
............ $5
A reliable bet for a backup QB.
SEATTLE
Counting on Tyler Lockett to make this huge.
QB MANNING
DEF SEAHAWKS $3
TEVIN
............. $3
Sorry, but I’m not buying Devonta Freeman.
TE MILLER ZACH
.......................... $2
He’s likely to be Cutler’s new security blanket.
QB CUTLER
JAY
........................ $1
Cheap insurance policy if Cam goes down.
TOTAL: $200
MOCK TM
4
PETER SHAW
TM
5
ARTHUR ARKUSH
Le’VEON
ALSHON
RB BELL
..................................$40
Top two overall, 7 went for more $
WR HOPKINS
DeANDRE
Had Nuk in two 2015 leagues, won them. JAMAAL
RYAN GLAB
TOM
WR JONES
................$33
Overpaid assuming Bears won’t and he’s motivated. JULIO
....................... $45
Brown set WR market and I happily obliged with WR1.
RB CHARLES
WR JEFFERY
6
..........$40
TM
Resilient, and Reid prefers an RB1, not RBBC.
AMEER
ALLEN
Low bids were too enticing. T.J.
QB WINSTON JAMEIS
..............$6
Consistent QB2 with upside, STEFON
I love the sleeper in Seattle. WR corps is loaded!
TE ALLEN
DWAYNE
RB LACY
TE ERTZ
...................................... $3
EDDIE
Fork down, his value back up. GB offense will steady.
TE COOK
Cheap stud TE. Total bargain.
In case it isn’t Allen’s year. Love Cook’s new kitchen.
QB DALTON ANDY
.......................$4
QB1 for less than the back up – wait on QB..
TE GREEN
LADARIUS
Most interesting TE. Stud, bye week fill or trade bait.
DEF RAMS
LOS ANGELES
............................ $1
Could the new QB help the DST even more?
WR CRABTREE
MICHAEL
........ $2
Surprised he was available and this cheap.
PK McMANUS
BRANDON
A kicker. What else is there to say?
RB WILLIAMS
DeANGELO
RB McFADDEN DARREN
RB HENRY
......... $1
Hello waiver wire? We will see.
TOTAL: $200
DERRICK
MARVIN
........................... $5
He’s no Megatron, but good value for backup.
RB SIMS
.................... $44
WR BRYANT
Decent backup for dirt cheap.
He’ll be extremely focused in second season.
WR BROWN
Underrated playmaker on the rise.
CHANDLER
JEREMY
........................................ $9
Everyone’s down on him after 2015. I’m not.
WR COLEMAN COREY
.........$4
RB MATHEWS RYAN
..........$4
Someone’s got to carry the ball for the Eagles.
QB RYAN MATT
Pretty reliable ‘backup’ who is poised to rebound. ROBBIE
JULIUS
JASON
RB FORSETT JUSTIN
................... $2
Most established back in offense poised to rebound.
WR COATES SAMMIE
...................... $1
Favorite pick. Martavis ban is Coates’ boon.
WR SNEAD
WILLIE
.......................... $1
More to go around in top passing ‘O,’ sans Colston..
TOTAL: $198
Should come back strong from 2015 injury.
TE BARNIDGE GARY
One of top TEs in 2015 for low cost.
DEF BENGALS
CINCINNATI
............ $3
On a mission after playoff meltdown.
PK TUCKER
JUSTIN
TE WITTEN
........................ $1
Quickly becoming one of best kickers in NFL.
TOTAL: $193
QB ROETHLISBERGER $25 QB CARR
If I’m on board with Cooper…
JORDAN
Good value for one of top three or four tight ends.
The hype is real, people. #FreeLamarMiller
TE REED
..................................$23
RB MARTIN DOUG
If he can duplicate last year’s numbers, a bargain.
WR GREEN A.J.
RB JONES MATT
................................ $1
Only $1 for Washington’s top back? Thanks, guys.
DEF BILLS
QB PALMER
Beefed up front seven in draft, should be better.
WR JACKSON DeSEAN
.............. $3
Boom-or-bust works for me as a final pick.
TOTAL: $191
CARSON
WR COBB
........................... $16
You know I think Packers’ pass game will be on.
RB STARKS
Has proven he can be effective starter.
QB MARIOTA MARCUS
............... $7
Another deal at QB for backup.
WR ADAMS DAVANTE
...................... $1
Shot in the dark on guy who didn’t produce.
TE GRAHAM JIMMY
..................$4
Banking on a comeback year here.
WR AUSTIN
....................... $1
An athletic freak with a new QB.
RB ALLEN
RB CROWELL
JAVORIUS
................................ $1
The right price for a guy nicknamed “Buck”.
TOTAL: $200
................ $1
Low risk, potential reward pick here?
QB STAFFORD
WR WHEATON MARKUS
DREW
........................... $14
DEF CARDINALS $4 ....
RB JOHNSON
Just looking for a serviceable backup at this point.
DUKE
................$4
Will compete for more touches in new offense.
TE FLEENER COBY
................... $11
Out of a 50-50 timeshare, could explode this season.
WR PARKER DeVANTE
....................$8
He’s healthy. He’ll start. Insanely talented. A steal.
RB LEWIS
......... $2
ARIZONA
Given losses elsewhere, could be top scoring ‘D’.
........... $2
Two bucks for a decent backup? Hell yeah.
........................ $2
TAVON
Got better on ‘D’, but love the return game.
MATTHEW
......................... $18
QB BREES
PITTSBURGH
........... $1
RANDALL
JAMES
DEF STEELERS ISAIAH
KEENAN
Underpriced WR gets a chance at a bounce-back.
GRAHAM
.................................. $1
................... $11
Right price for a guy who will throw a ton.
BUFFALO
.............................. $1
Will just get better as Jameis Winston develops.
........................$31
He’s getting older, but this is too low a price for Brees.
.......................$25
LAMAR
WR ALLEN
...................... $34
MIKE
RB MILLER
...................$27
And so begins my search for bargains.
WR EVANS
................................$13
Ben has weapons to spare. Just has to stay healthy.
JEREMY
DEREK
....
............$27
BEN
He’ll have chances with clear path to starting job.
......................... $1
Couldn’t ask for a better TE complement.
............ $5
......
................... $3
......
And he thinks Buffalo is lowballing him...
It’s high, and I was willing to go higher. Top-10 WR.
RB LANGFORD $14 PK GANO
............................. $1
.............................$6
DEVONTA
...............$25
Julio went for $45, so I’ll take this.
............... $20
Set for a big year in Adam Gase’s offense.
...................................$4
Big leg. Better offense. Easiest $1 I’ve spent.
TONY
JARVIS
AMARI
.....
RB HILL
Expanded role expected; big season ahead?
QB ROMO
WR LANDRY
ODELL
Stacking Jaguars and buying into the hype.
......................... $1
....................... $1
....
WR BECKHAM JR. $43 WR COOPER
Hoping he takes advantage I’m starting to love my of opportunity again. pass catchers.
Numbers likely to rise in third season.
TYROD
MASON
......
Will wind up being Titans’ top receiver.
Need to grab some desert strike stock.
QB TAYLOR
PK CROSBY
...
DONTE
........................$32
Banking on him coming back healthy, a big if.
DORIAL
....
......
THOMAS
WR GREEN-BECKHAM $7 RB FREEMAN
PK CATANZARO $1 WR MONCRIEF $4 TE THOMAS
RB RAWLS
................... $20
WR MATTHEWS $13 PK GOULD JORDAN
................$35
Got a kicker I wanted at the best price.
WR COOKS
....................$8
JORDY
Maybe a little steep, but he’ll catch a ton of passes.
.............. $20
May have overpaid but Jags put up points.
................... $7
JOHN
BLAKE
BRANDIN
WR NELSON
................$37
Best receiver in Browns’ offense is worth $4 to me.
RB GORDON MELVIN
DEZ
QB BORTLES
CHARLES
...................................$4
............................. $5
Funny feeling it’s his backfield sooner than later.
............ $1
Bell plus D. Will = Super Saiyan.
Scary good personnel. Expect top 5 fantasy finish.
.......... $1
WR JONES
MINNESOTA
................. $1
.............................. $3
DEF VIKINGS
Most TDs by TE in 2015. That’ll work for me.
STEPHEN
TODD
Drew Brees’ high-octane target.
........................... $15
.......................$17
TE EIFERT TYLER
.................................. $5
LeSEAN
Too good not to give a second chance.
................................ $28
JARED
RB McCOY
DENVER
I know, too much for a kicker. But he’s the best.
...................... $14
C.J.
JOHN
Panicked as lost out on top RBs. Overspent here.
I’ll take Dez vs. any corner with Romo throwing.
Could be dynamic option for Cutler.
................................ $5
........................... $3
The games he flashed in 2015 equal worthy flyer.
ZACH
.............$13
This is the year Allen puts it all together. Cheap!
WR DIGGS
TYLER
KEVIN
TM
10 SAHLY
Wanted a good defense, got one early.
WR WHITE
DAN McCALEB
Has been productive no matter who the QB is.
.................... $19
9
.........
Could be this year’s best running back.
T.Y.
TM
JON STYF
....
Hoping rushing champ can stave off old age again.
.................... $18
WR LOCKETT
....................... $9
Should have started the bid at $1… oops.
EZEKIEL
I love everything about the player, situation and price.
RB YELDON
RB ELLIOTT
BRANDON
.......
................................$27
His first down year provided a bargain price.
........... $18
ADRIAN
ANDREW
8
RB PETERSON $42 RB GURLEY Will rebound nicely off down year.
Emerged as a true fantasy monster in 2015. DEMARYIUS
Motivated to upstage Peyton’s title (e.g., 2007).
TM
KEVIN FISHBAIN
WR MARSHALL $32 DEF BRONCOS $3 RB ANDERSON $31 PK GOSTKOWSKI $4
........................ $30
He and Detroit O-line have to be better, right?
...
WR THOMAS
QB BRADY
.......
WR ROBINSON $34 QB LUCK
7
RB ABDULLAH $10 WR HILTON
............. $34
TM
AUCTION
DION
.............................. $9
Coming off ACL injury, his talent is worth the risk.
WR BENJAMIN $6 WR HURNS
TRAVIS
ALLEN
........
........................$8
Browns top long-range threat now has a QB in SD.
A 1,000-yard, 10-TD receiver for $8? LOL.
DELANIE
RB VEREEN SHANE
......................... $1
Seems like I always end up with Shane. Not sure why.
TE WALKER
.................. $10
Mariota’s favorite target; now I’ve got 2 quality TEs.
RB WOODHEAD $1 DEF TEXANS
DANNY
HOUSTON
.....
.................. $7
Not excited about this pick. But for $1, oh well.
Had too much money; now I’ve got two elite D/STs.
WR GINN JR. TED
.................. $1
A total steal for $1 if he can duplicate ’15.
TE EBRON ERIC
.............................. $1
Still has talent. But can he produce?
TOTAL: $200
WR DOCTSON JOSH
..........$4
I think he’s the best rookie WR in the bunch.
RB INGRAM
MARK
...................$17
Saints top RB added a nice receiving component.
TOTAL: $187
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
| 17
MOCK
AUCTION
B
ased on our fantasy football player rankings, below are suggested dollar amounts for 2016 auction drafts. On the previous page, you can see how our writers and editors handled their money when bidding on players while attempting to build the team that had the best overall blend of expected production and dollar values. Getting surefire RB1s like Le’Veon Bell and Todd Gurley typically requires approximately one-fourth of your total budget. Similarly, securing a topfive signalcaller generally necessitates a $30-$40 commitment, but patience is often rewarded with fantasy QBs, as seen in the stark drop-off after the top 6. It’ll also require a substantial bid to acquire a blue-chip WR or TE, but owners should play close attention to our suggested values for PKs and team defenses — even the top tier shouldn’t cost more than $1-2, the same price needed for many bench players.
Le’Veon Bell
SUGGESTED PRICE LIST
Based on a 12-team league with a $200 budget per team and the following starting lineup configuration: 1 QB, 2 RBs, 3 WRs, 1 TE, 1 PK and 1 defense. Total roster composed of 16 spots. Outside of the starting nine mentioned above, participants could fill out the roster however they wanted.
QUARTERBACKS 1. Cam Newton, Panthers........$40 2. Russell Wilson, Seahawks... $37 3. Aaron Rodgers, Packers....... $37 4. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers... $35 5. Andrew Luck, Colts............... $35 6. Drew Brees, Saints................ $35 7. Tom Brady, Patriots............... $32 8. Blake Bortles, Jaguars.......... $27 9. Eli Manning, Giants............... $22 10. Carson Palmer, Cardinals..... $22 11. Tony Romo, Cowboys............$18 12. Philip Rivers, Chargers..........$17 13. Andy Dalton, Bengals............$12 14. Derek Carr, Raiders................$12 15. Tyrod Taylor, Bills...................$12 16. Marcus Mariota, Titans.........$12 17. Matthew Stafford, Lions........ $9 18. Kirk Cousins, Washington...... $9 19. Jameis Winston, Bucs............ $9 20. Matt Ryan, Falcons................. $6 21. Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins.........$3 22. Jay Cutler, Bears.......................$3 23. Brock Osweiler, Texans...........$3 24. Joe Flacco, Ravens.................. $2 25. Alex Smith, Chiefs................... $2 26. Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings.... $1 27. Robert Griffin III, Browns........ $1
RUNNING BACKS 1. Le’Veon Bell, Steelers...........$50 2. Todd Gurley, Rams................ $49 3. David Johnson, Cardinals..... $49 4. Adrian Peterson, Vikings .....$48 5. Devonta Freeman, Falcons.. $45 6. Jamaal Charles, Chiefs......... $45 7. Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys....... $45 8. Doug Martin, Buccaneers.... $43 9. Mark Ingram, Saints.............$40 10. Lamar Miller, Texans.............$40 11. Thomas Rawls, Seahawks...$30 12. LeSean McCoy, Bills..............$30 13. Eddie Lacy, Packers ..............$30
14. Matt Forte, Jets .................... $28 15. C.J. Anderson, Broncos ....... $28 16. DeMarco Murray, Titans...... $28 17. Carlos Hyde, 49ers................ $28 18. Jeremy Hill, Bengals ............. $28 19. Dion Lewis, Patriots.............. $26 20. Jeremy Langford, Bears ....... $26 21. Jonathan Stewart, Panthers.... $25 22. Latavius Murray, Raiders..... $25 23. Ryan Mathews, Eagles......... $23 24. Jay Ajayi, Dolphins ...............$20 25. T.J. Yeldon, Jaguars ..............$20 26. Frank Gore, Colts....................$18 27. Giovani Bernard, Bengals .....$18 28. Melvin Gordon, Chargers......$18 29. Matt Jones, Washington ......$16 30. Danny Woodhead, Chargers...$16 31. Ameer Abdullah, Lions..........$12 32. Derrick Henry, Titans.............$10 33. Chris Ivory, Jaguars................ $8 34. Duke Johnson, Browns........... $8 35. Charles Sims, Buccaneers......$7 36. Isaiah Crowell, Browns ..........$7 37. Rashad Jennings, Giants ........$7 38. Justin Forsett, Ravens ............$7 39. Karlos Williams, Bills ............. $5 40. Javorious Allen, Ravens......... $5 41. Arian Foster, Free Agent ........ $5 42. Paul Perkins, Giants ............... $5 43. LeGarrette Blount, Patriots..... $4 44. Kenneth Dixon, Ravens ......... $4 45. Jordan Howard, Bears............ $4 46. Bilal Powell, Jets..................... $4 47. Tevin Coleman, Falcons ......... $4 48. DeAngelo Williams, Steelers.... $4 49. Shane Vereen, Giants ............ $4 50. Theo Riddick, Lions ................$3 51. C.J. Prosise, Seahawks........... $2 52. Devontae Booker, Broncos .... $1 53. Chris Thompson, Washington.... $1 54. Tim Hightower, Saints............ $1 55. James Starks, Packers ........... $1
56. C.J. Spiller, Saints .................... $1 57. Darren McFadden, Cowboys .$1 58. Charcandrick West, Chiefs .... $1 59. Andre Ellington, Cardinals ..... $1 60. Jerick McKinnon, Vikings ...... $1
WIDE RECEIVERS 1. Antonio Brown, Steelers...... $55 2. Odell Beckham Jr., Giants.... $55 3. Julio Jones, Falcons............... $55 4. DeAndre Hopkins, Texans.... $53 5. Dez Bryant, Cowboys........... $53 6. Allen Robinson, Jaguars.......$50 7. A.J. Green, Bengals...............$50 8. Alshon Jeffery, Bears............ $45 9. Jordy Nelson, Packers........... $43 10. Sammy Watkins, Bills...........$40 11. Brandon Marshall, Jets.........$40 12. Mike Evans, Buccaneers...... $35 13. Demaryius Thomas, Broncos... $35 14. Amari Cooper, Raiders.......... $33 15. Brandin Cooks, Saints.......... $33 16. Keenan Allen, Chargers........ $33 17. Julian Edelman, Patriots.......$30 18. T.Y. Hilton, Colts.....................$30 19. Eric Decker, Jets....................$30 20. Jeremy Maclin, Chiefs..........$30 21. Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers... $27 22. Jarvis Landry, Dolphins........ $27 23. Doug Baldwin, Seahawks.... $25 24. Randall Cobb, Packers......... $25 25. Michael Floyd, Cardinals...... $25 26. Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos... $25 27. Golden Tate, Lions................. $25 28. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals... $23 29. Jordan Matthews, Eagles..... $23 30. Allen Hurns, Jaguars............. $23 31. DeVante Parker, Dolphins.....$20 32. John Brown, Cardinals.........$20 33. DeSean Jackson, Washington...$17 34. Michael Crabtree, Raiders....$17 35. Tyler Lockett, Seahawks.......$15 36. Donte Moncrief, Colts...........$15
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37. Steve Smith, Ravens .............$13 38. Dorial Green-Beckham, Titans....$12 39. Kevin White, Bears................$12 40. Stefon Diggs, Vikings............$12 41. Corey Coleman, Browns........$10 42. Marvin Jones, Lions...............$10 43. Vincent Jackson, Bucs..........$10 44. Willie Snead, Saints............... $6 45. Markus Wheaton, Steelers.... $6 46. Laquon Treadwell, Vikings..... $5 47. Travis Benjamin, Chargers..... $5 48. Josh Gordon, Browns.............. $5 49. Breshad Perriman, Ravens.... $5 50. Devin Funchess, Panthers..... $5 51. Tavon Austin, Rams................ $5 52. Will Fuller, Texans.....................$3 53. Kendall Wright, Titans............ $2 54. Nelson Agholor, Eagles........... $1 55. Pierre Garcon, Washington.... $1 56. Torrey Smith, Ravens.............. $1 57. Rueben Randle, Eagles............ $1 58. Anquan Boldin, FA................... $1 59. Mohamed Sanu, Falcons........ $1 60. Terrance Williams, Cowboys... $1
TIGHT ENDS 1. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots.....$48 2. Greg Olsen, Panthers............ $35 3. Jordan Reed, Washington....$30 4. Tyler Eifert, Bengals..............$30 5. Travis Kelce, Chiefs............... $25 6. Coby Fleener, Saints..............$15 7. Zach Ertz, Eagles....................$15 8. Jimmy Graham, Seahawks...$15 9. Gary Barnidge, Browns.........$13 10. Delanie Walker, Titans...........$13 11. Julius Thomas, Jaguars.......... $8 12. Martellus Bennett, Patriots....$7 13. Jason Witten, Cowboys.......... $5 14. Antonio Gates, Chargers........ $5 15. Ladarius Green, Steelers........ $5 16. Eric Ebron, Lions...................... $5 17. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Buccaneers...$3
18. Charles Clay, Bills..................... $1 19. Ben Watson, Ravens................ $1 20. Kyle Rudolph, Vikings.............. $1
PLACEKICKERS 1. Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots.... $1 2. Steven Hauschka, Seahawks.... $1 3. Justin Tucker, Ravens............... $1 4. Graham Gano, Panthers.......... $1 5. Brandon McManus, Broncos... $1 6. Chandler Catanzaro, Cardinals.... $1 7. Mason Crosby, Packers........... $1 8. Dan Bailey, Cowboys............... $1 9. Blair Walsh, Vikings................. $1 10. Adam Vinatieri, Colts............... $1 11. Josh Brown, Giants.................. $1 12. Cairo Santos, Chiefs................ $1 13. Matt Prater, Lions..................... $1 14. Mike Nugent, Bengals ............ $1 15. Dan Carpenter, Bills................. $1 16. Chris Boswell, Steelers........... $1 17. Dustin Hopkins, Washington... $1 18. Robbie Gould, Bears................ $1 19. Josh Lambo, Chargers............. $1 20. Roberto Aguayo, Bucs............. $1
DEFENSE/ SPECIAL TEAMS 1. Seattle Seahawks................... $2 2. Arizona Cardinals.................... $2 3. Denver Broncos....................... $2 4. Houston Texans....................... $2 5. New York Jets........................... $1 6. Kansas City Chiefs................... $1 7. Minnesota Vikings................... $1 8. Carolina Panthers..................... $1 9. Cincinnati Bengals................... $1 10. Los Angeles Rams.................... $1 11. New England Patriots.............. $1 12. Buffalo Bills............................... $1 13. Pittsburgh Steelers.................. $1 14. Green Bay Packers................... $1 15. Jacksonville Jaguars................ $1
Ranking the men in the trenches who help your skill guys to score By
HUB ARKUSH
O
@ Hub _ Arkush
ne key to drafting running backs and quarterbacks for your fantasy team is having a really good feel for the offensive lines playing in front of them. No position group in the NFL relies more on teamwork and timing than the O-line. So how do you rank them? These rankings are based on 2015 performances of O-line groups in total rushing, average gain per rush, sacks allowed, third-down efficiency, fewest false starts and fewest holding penalties. Each of the 32 teams was ranked in each category and its points were totaled and then divided by six to give each club a statistical ranking. Each club then received one deduction for any category in which it was 20th or worse. After all the statistics were considered, some adjustments were made to favor teams with top-ranked players at their positions, returning stars who were injured last year and key additions and losses due to free agency, trades, retirements and the draft.
1. CAROLINA PANTHERS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 1st The Panthers were second running the ball last year, had the fifth fewest holding penalties in the league and were the only team to rank in the top 10 in at least five of our six categories. Ryan Kalil was the best center in football, Trai Turner made the jump from solid rookie to Pro Bowl guard and Michael Oher was one of the top free-agent signings in the league taking over at left tackle. Youngsters Andrew Norwell and Mike Remmers round out the group that allowed to Panthers to lead the NFL in scoring and win the NFC title.
2. ARIZONA CARDINALS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 2nd The Cardinals had the fewest holding penalties in the league and were sixth in fewest sacks allowed. Average gain per rush (12th) and false starts (27th) were the only areas they didn’t excel. Jared Veldheer and Mike Iupati form as solid a left side as you’ll find in the league. With Evan Mathis signed to take over at right
guard and last year’s first rounder D.J. Humphries taking over the right tackle spot, the Cards’ O-line is loaded again this year.
3. DALLAS COWBOYS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 2Oth Left tackle Tyron Smith, center Travis Frederick and right guard Zack Martin are all Pro Bowlers, La’el Collins at right guard may be better than all of them in this his second year in the league, and right tackle Doug Free is no slouch either. This clearly should be the best group in the league, but they certainly didn’t play like it last year, finishing 17th in sacks allowed, 18th in holding penalties and 31st in false starts. Certainly they missed Tony Romo, but by itself that’s no excuse for how less than mediocre they were in 2015.
4. PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 6th
Ryan Kalil
was obviously more about their quarterbacks than the O-line, they would have been top five. Greg Robinson (23), Rodger Saffold (28), Tim Barnes (28), Jamon Brown (23) and Rob Havenstein (24) should be together for a while and only get better with time.
7. HOUSTON TEXANS
Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro are as good as it gets at center and guard, and Ramon Foster and Marcus Gilbert keep getting better at left guard and right tackle. Left tackle is a bit of a question mark with Kelvin Beachum leaving via free agency and Ryan Harris coming from Denver to compete with the massive Alejandro Villanueva, who filled in nicely when Beachum went down with a knee injury last year. Offensive line coach and Hall of Famer Mike Munchak always gets the best out of his guys.
The Texans didn’t play to this ranking last year, but the biggest issue was a 28th ranking in average gain per rush. Lamar Miller should improve that immediately. Duane Brown is still one of the best left tackles in football, Derek Newton is extremely solid at the other tackle and free agent Jeff Allen and second-round draft choice Nick Martin are really nice gets at guard and center.
5. NEW YORK JETS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 16th
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 14th
8. CINCINNATI BENGALS
These guys were the fourth best in the league last year in our statistical analysis with James Carpenter, Nick Mangold, Brian Winters and Breno Giacomini across the front from left guard to right tackle. All should be back for the group that was second in the league in fewest sacks allowed and third in fewest holding penalties. The question will be, can All-Pro Ryan Clady stay healthy trying to replace retired All-Pro D’Brickashaw Ferguson at left tackle?
The Bengals are better than they played last year and, like Dallas and the Rams, were hurt a bit statistically by losing their starting QB, Andy Dalton. Andrew Whitworth is one of the most under-rated players in the league at left tackle and Kevin Zeitler is a Pro Bowl-lever performer at right guard. Left guard Clint Boling, center Russell Bodine and right tackle Eric Winston are solid pros. And the Bengals expect youngsters Cedric Ogbuehi and Darryl Baldwin to push for playing time.
6. LOS ANGELES RAMS
9. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Didn’t see this one coming, eh? Neither did we, but statistically the Rams were a top-10 line last year and, had they not finished 32nd on third down, which
This is another 2015 statistical performance you have to take with a grain of salt as left tackle Nate Solder went down for the year Week Five, Sebastian
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 4th
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 8th
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 22nd
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Vollmer moved over from the right side and then he was banged up late in the season. Oh, and the interior guys were all banged up, too. With the addition of Jonathan Cooper at guard, better health and really bright futures for Shaq Mason at guard and Bryan Stork at center, this No. 9 ranking is extremely conservative.
10. MINNESOTA VIKINGS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 3rd This was perceived as a need going into 2015 and then the Vikings lost John Sullivan and Phil Loadholt for the season and were still statistically the third best line in the league. The big problem last year was they were 31st in sacks allowed with Teddy Bridgewater at QB, or they might have ranked first. The emergence of Joe Berger at center along with the returns of Sullivan and Loadholt and freeagent additions of Alex Boone and Andre Smith could make this unit an embarrassment of riches. The big question will be the play of Matt Kalil at left tackle.
11. DENVER BRONCOS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 11th The Broncos actually were pretty mediocre in every statistical category except penalties, where they were top 10, avoiding both false starts and holding calls. But the loss of Ryan Clady really hurt and they were good enough to win a Super Bowl. Clady is gone now, but the additions of Russell Okung – if he can stay healthy – and Donald Stephenson make them solid if not better at tackle. Max Garcia and Matt Paradis are solid at left guard and center. Second-year player Robert Myers’ ability to step in at right guard will be key.
12. NEW YORK GIANTS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 9th The Giants were surprisingly efficient last year and with first-round picks Ereck Flowers and Justin Pugh at left tackle and left guard, Weston Richburg at center and John Jerry at guard, they should continue to improve. The weak link could be journeyman Marshall Newhouse at right tackle, who may be challenged by 22-year-old Bobby Hart.
13. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 7th This is a case of statistics sometimes lying as Seattle finished the year in decent shape numbers-wise but really struggled up front the first two-thirds of 2015. They are ranked this high as much because of line coach Tom Cable and his ability to make chicken salad as anything else. Garry Gilliam was just average starting 16 games at right tackle last
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Minnesota Vikings offensive line
year, and he will slide to the left side. The ’Hawks hope rookie Germain Ifedi can take the right guard spot from J’Marcus Webb.
14. BALTIMORE RAVENS
GRADE: 18.50 | STATISTICAL RANKING: 23rd Baltimore was No. 1 in the NFL last year in fewest sacks allowed but really struggled in the ground game. Some of that can be chalked up to defenses stacked to stop the run after Joe Flacco went down. Marshal Yanda is the best guard in football and Eugene Monroe is a plus at left tackle when healthy, but the loss of Kelechi Osemele has to hurt. Can Ronnie Stanley play guard until he eventually takes over for Monroe?
15. GREEN BAY PACKERS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 21st With David Bakhtiari, Josh Sitton, Corey Linsley, T.J. Lang and Bryan Bulaga from left to right, this should be one of the best lines in football. But they were banged up and really struggled last season. They are much deeper with the additions of rookies Jason Spriggs and Kyle Murphy. If they’re healthy this year, they could play well above this ranking.
16. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 5th
The Bucs were a lot better than this last year, actually fifth in the league according to our statistical breakdown, but the talent disputes the numbers. While Logan Mankins had slipped a bit, he was still solid and the best of this unit. His retirement will be felt. Rookies Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet were solid at left tackle and right guard, but this is a unit still in need of reinforcements.
17. WASHINGTON
GRADE: 15.17 | STATISTICAL RANKING: 13th Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams
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is a stud, last year’s first pick Brandon Scherff was a plug-and-play success from Day One, and Kory Lichtensteiger is solid at center. But Spencer Long and Morgan Moses at left guard and right tackle can be targeted, and the depth of this group is suspect.
18. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 10th This group is a bit of a puzzle. Eric Fisher has not played like the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, yet they were solid last year. Donald Stephenson might have been their most consistent blocker, but he’s now in Denver and being replaced by Cleveland free agent Mitchell Schwartz. Mitch Morse was a Day One starter as a rookie at center last year and is very promising, but guards Jarrod Pughsley and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif are just guys.
19. ATLANTA FALCONS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 12th Jake Matthews is going to play left tackle for a long time for these guys, and prying Alex Mack out of Cleveland to play center is a really nice free-agent get. But this group was 27th in the league in holding penalties last year and just 25th in average gain per rush in spite of Devonta Freeman’s breakout season. Andy Levitre is not the player he once was at left guard, and right guard James Stone and right tackle Ryan Schraeder are pedestrian at best.
20. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 15th The Saints’ focus on protecting Drew Brees from the inside out and Max Unger is one of the game’s better centers. But 2015 first-rounder Andrus Peat and Tim Lelito at guard don’t exactly summon images of Carl Nicks, Ben Grubbs or Jhari Evans. Terron Armstead is a
and starting just two last year.
24. CHICAGO BEARS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 19th Kyle Long is one of the best guards in football. After being forced out to right tackle last season, he is slated to move back to guard with the signing of free agent Bobby Massie from Arizona. 2015 third-rounder Hroniss Grasu will compete with Manny Ramirez at center, and free agent Ted Larsen will compete with rookie Cody Whitehair at left guard after the Bears cut last year’s starter, Matt Slauson. Charles Leno Jr. gets a second year at left tackle unless last year’s sixth-round pick, Tayo Fabuluje, makes a quantum leap forward to compete. These guys also led the NFL in holding penalties last year.
25. MIAMI DOLPHINS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 30th solid left tackle and Zach Strief won’t get you beat on the right side. Drew Brees still unloads quickly enough that pass protection isn’t a concern, but the Saints were just 24th running the ball last year and 27th in average gain per rush.
21. OAKLAND RAIDERS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 26th Kelechi Osemele is a great acquisition from Baltimore, but how much does he help a group that was 28th running the ball last year and led the league in false starts? Donald Penn, Rodney Hudson, Gabe Jackson and Austin Howard are all dependable NFL vets, but off their performances last year how can we move them any higher than this with Osemele the only change?
22. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 18th
This was our top-ranked group a year ago – how the mighty have fallen. Jason Peters was once the game’s best left tackle, but he’s 34 and fading now. Lane Johnson is solid on the right side, but Chip Kelly’s exile of Evan Mathis and Todd Herremans last year backfired as Allen Barbre and Matt Tobin at guard and Jason Kelce at center really struggled inside. Philadelphia did spend $21 million guaranteed on mammoth free agent RG Brandon Brooks and a third-rounder on versatile Isaac Seumalo.
23. BUFFALO BILLS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 17th Cordy Glenn played his way into a long-term deal last year at left tackle and Richie Incognito was a must re-sign in free agency as well. But Eric Wood is barely average at center these days, and on the right side John Miller is unremarkable at guard. The Bills hope Cyrus Kouandjio, drafted high out of Alabama in 2014, can handle the right tackle spot after playing in 12 games
There is too much talent here to be as bad as they were last year with Branden Albert at left tackle and Mike Pouncey at center. Rookie head coach Adam Gase brings former Pro Bowl left tackle Jermon Bushrod with him from Chicago to add depth and factor in at guard or tackle, and first-round draft pick Laremy Tunsil will get a shot at starting at left guard while Albert remains healthy. Ja’Wuan James started strong at right tackle before he got hurt last year and should be solid this season.
26. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 28th Anthony Castonzo is better than average at left tackle and Jack Mewhort was drafted two years ago to be the future at right tackle. First-round pick Ryan Kelly should be a Day One starter and upgrade at center, and the Colts hope third rounder Le’Raven Clark and fifth-rounder Joe Haeg can push either Joe Reitz and Hugh Thornton at guard or Mewhort at right tackle.
27. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 25th
Not a soul thought the Jaguars could pass on Jalen Ramsey in the draft, but Luke Joeckel has been a disappointment at left tackle and, all the way across the line – free-agent addition Mackenzy Bernadeau, Luke Bowanko, 2015 third-rounder A.J. Cann and right tackle Jermey Parnell – they are uninspiring. The lone exception is Cann. The big surprise was the Jaguars completely ignored this group in the draft, but newcomer Kelvin Beachum could supplant Joeckel.
28. TENNESSEE TITANS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 29th This group was bad last year, but 2015 first-round pick Taylor Lewan and the Titans’ ’16 prize, Jack Conklin, offer hope of being one of the league’s best pairs of bookends for years to come.
Left guard Chance Warmack was a first-rounder three years ago who’s had his moments, but the Titans still need improvements from either left guard Ben Jones and center Brian Schwenke or to replace them.
29. CLEVELAND BROWNS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 24th Left tackle Joe Thomas is the best offensive lineman in football, and this unit was the one strength of the Browns until they allowed center Alex Mack and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz to escape via free agency. Joel Bitonio is an upand-comer at left guard, but center Cam Erving struggled at guard last year, and right guard John Greco and right tackle Austin Pasztor are probably just placeholders until the future arrives.
30. DETROIT LIONS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 26th Riley Reiff was serviceable at left tackle but is better suited to the right side and will be a free agent after this season. Larry Warford is a player at guard but needs to stay healthy. Last year’s first-round pick, Laken Tomlinson, is still a project at guard. The Lions drafted Taylor Decker in the first round this year to be the left tackle of the future. They hope third-round pick Graham Glasgow can take over at center and that fifth-rounder Joe Dahl can demand playing time at guard or tackle.
31. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 31st
Joe Staley has slipped the last year or two but can still be a quality left tackle, and we believe Anthony Davis will return from a self-imposed one-year hiatus to play right tackle. But after Mike Iupati left last year in free agency, Alex Boone has skipped town this year and the 49ers were 32nd in 2015 allowing sacks. The Niners made a bizarre trade into the back of the first round this year to take guard Joshua Garnett out of Stanford, and they hope veterans Zane Beadles, Ian Silberman, Daniel Kilgore and rookies John Theus and Fahn Cooper can fill in the blanks.
32. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
2015 PFW STATISTICAL RANKING: 32nd We love Joey Bosa, too, but how the Chargers could stand pat on the NFL’s worst O-line with Tunsil, Stanley and Conklin all on the board might be the eighth wonder of the world. King Dunlap, Orlando Franklin, Chris Watt, D.J. Fluker and Jamie Barksdale from left to right were hobbled and/or awful last year, 31st running the football and with the third-most holding penalties in the NFL. But they gave Dunlap $13 million guaranteed to stay and added just third-round center Max Tuerk and seventh-round guard Donovan Clark.
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POSITION
REPORTS
FANTASY
Quarterbacks Will Newton repeat 2015’s remarkable success? J.C. TALON
W By
hen evaluating the quarterbacks in last year’s magazine, we proclaimed there was a “new sheriff in town.” Although Aaron Rodgers sat atop our rankings, we felt that Andrew Luck was “right on the heels of Rodgers.” Well, we were right about one thing: There indeed was a new sheriff in town, but his name was Cam Newton, not Andrew Luck. Newton emerged in 2015 as the leading fantasy scorer in almost all formats. He was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player. So, like any good prognosticator, we’ve focused solely on last season and moved Newton to the top of this year’s quarterback rankings. But if you sense some hesitation on our part, you are to be admired for your perceptiveness. The concern with Newton is the degree of improvement he flashed last season. He nearly doubled his TD passes from 2014 (35 from 18), and he doubled his TD runs (10 from five). In 2015, Newton recorded career bests in TD passes, passer rating (99.4) and rushing attempts (132). He posted career lows in interceptions (10) and sacks (33). Is it reasonable to think he can repeat such a phenomenal performance? Newton has never ranked higher than 10th in passing yards during
CONSENSUS
Top FANTASY QUARTERBACKS 1. CAM NEWTON | PANTHERS 2. RUSSELL WILSON | SEAHAWKS 3. AARON RODGERS | PACKERS 4. BEN ROETHLISBERGER | STEELERS 5. ANDREW LUCK | COLTS 6. DREW BREES | SAINTS 7. TOM BRADY | PATRIOTS 8. BLAKE BORTLES | JAGUARS 9. ELI MANNING | GIANTS 10. CARSON PALMER | BENGALS 11. TONY ROMO | COWBOYS 12. PHILIP RIVERS | CHARGERS 13. ANDY DALTON | BENGALS 14. DEREK CARR | RAIDERS 15. TYROD TAYLOR | BILLS 16. MARCUS MARIOTA | TITANS 17. MATTHEW STAFFORD | LIONS 18. KIRK COUSINS | WASHINGTON 19. JAMEIS WINSTON | BUCCANEERS 20. MATT RYAN | FALCONS his five years in the league. And his 10th-place finish was during his rookie year. Since then, he has finished 13th, 15th, 21st, and 16th, respectively, in total passing yards. Playing in a more basic offensive scheme than some of the other QBs ranked near the top of our list, Newton’s fantasy production depends almost as much on his legs as his powerful right arm. It also depends on him finding the end zone, both through the air and on the ground. He’s not going to justify his high draft position on passing yards alone. That said, Newton had such a
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stellar performance last year, he could experience some drop off in 2016 yet still finish as fantasy’s top scorer. He’s only 27 years old, and the Panthers should be contenders again this season. Newton is our top guy, but it’s hard to shake that little voice in the back of our head. Russell Wilson is another guy who had a career year in 2015. Based on his dual-threat capabilities, he comes in at No. 2 on our list. Wilson has improved his passing yards in each of his four NFL seasons. Last year, he cracked 4,000 passing yards for the first time. He also threw a career-best 34 TDs and added 553 rushing yards. Rodgers, our No. 3 QB, did not come anywhere near a career year in 2015. We expect the return of Jordy Nelson to help Rodgers round back into form. Ben Roethlisberger moves up our list to No. 4. The Steelers seem poised to do big things on offense. The key will be whether or not Big Ben can play all 16 games. Old standbyes Drew Brees (No. 6) and Tom Brady (No. 7) follow Luck (No. 5). Many prognosticators tabbed Luck as the top fantasy QB heading into the 2015 season. Multiple injuries caused the fourthyear player to miss nine games, and he didn’t look great in the seven he played. The dual issues of injury and whether or not the Colts will contend in 2016 will have to be considered for those contemplating using an early pick on Luck. Our No. 8 quarterback, Blake Bortles, is similar to Newton and Wilson in that he would appear to be on the rise. It’s a small sample size, however. Eli Manning and Carson Palmer round out our top 10. Manning, an iron man who has never missed an NFL game, is the more conservative pick. Palmer probably has more upside, but his injury history is a concern.
WR
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QB
POSITION
REPORTS
1 CAM NEWTON | PANTHERS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 CAR 16 16 | 292 473 | 3,379 | 24 13 1 | 585 6 ’14 CAR 14 14 | 262 448 | 3,127 | 18 12 1 | 539 5 ’15 CAR 16 16 | 296 495 | 3,837 | 35 10 3 | 636 10 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 300 500 | 3,900 | 36 12 4 | 600 7 BYE: WEEK 7
BOOM: In 2015, Newton surpassed – and then obliterated – his previous season-high of 24 TD passes. He finished the regular season with 35 touchdowns through the air and 10 more on the ground. Newton was fantasy’s top scorer in most formats. Only one QB (Tom Brady) threw for more TDs than Newton in 2015. He led his team to Super Bowl 50, where it lost to Denver, 24-10. Newton was able to post career numbers despite having few options in terms of wide receivers. Top wideout Kelvin Benjamin missed the entire ’15 season, leaving Ted Ginn as Carolina’s No. 1 WR. Benjamin is set to return in 2016, which should lead to more downfield throws from Newton, who has missed only two games in his career. A serious car accident in 2014 cost him one game. He is truly a dual-threat: He has run for 3,207 yards and 43 TDs in his five-year career. Unlike most NFL quarterbacks, Newton gains many of his yards on designed runs, not just on scrambles. BUST: It will be interesting to see how Newton responds to his setback on football’s grandest stage. His post-game pouting episode brought national scorn. Most of the quarterbacks in our top 10 have dealt with major setbacks in their football careers. From Tom Brady lasting until the sixth round to Aaron Rodgers’ green room humiliation to Russell Wilson losing his starting job in college and then being doubted because of his height, most successful NFL QBs have developed a chip on their shoulder. The adversity has served them well during the inevitable tough times. No one has ever doubted Newton’s physical gifts. He’s been lauded at every level: five-star recruit, national champion, Heisman Trophy winner, first pick in the NFL Draft, Rookie of the Year, Super Bowl appearance – Newton has led a charmed life. Any adversity he has faced can be traced directly to his own bad decisions. Super Bowl losses have devastated teams in the past. After the 49ers lost the 2012 Super Bowl, they finished second in the NFC West in 2013, third in 2014 and dead last in 2015. BOTTOM LINE: There would seem to be no tangible reason to think Newton can’t keep performing at an elite level in 2016. He might be a sore loser, but he’s also a really, really talented sore loser. If
Russell Wilson
you possess the first pick in your league’s draft, Newton is worthy of consideration.
2 RUSSELL WILSON | SEAHAWKS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 SEA 16 16 | 257 407 | 3,357 | 26 9 2 | 539 1 ’14 SEA 16 16 | 285 452 | 3,475 | 20 7 2 | 849 6 ’15 SEA 16 16 | 329 483 | 4,024 | 34 8 1 | 553 1 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 330 475 | 4,000 | 35 10 2 | 550 2 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: Wilson was the NFL’s highestrated passer in 2015. He posted careerhigh marks in touchdown passes (34), passing yards (4,024) and passer rating
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(110.1). He added 553 yards on the ground and finished as his team’s second-leading rusher. Only five QBs last season threw for more touchdowns. Of the top 10 QBs, only Brady had fewer interceptions. Wilson’s 8.3 yards per passing attempt in 2015 were also a career best and a significant improvement from the 7.7 YPA he recorded in 2014. Wilson caught fire after tight end Jimmy Graham was lost for the season. After averaging 237 yards passing in the first 10 games, he averaged 274 yards and went 5-1 in his last six starts. Wilson has started all 64 regular-season games during his four-year NFL career. BUST: Wilson is great on the move,
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With Nelson back in the fold, Rodgers could be poised to post something more like his ’14 numbers: 4,381 passing yards and 38 TDs. Rodgers is a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time NFL MVP (2011 and 2014). His best fantasy season was 2011, when he threw for 4,643 yards and 45 TDs. Rodgers has thrown at least 30 TDs in five of his seven full seasons as a starter. He finished second in passing touchdowns in 2011 and 2012. BUST: Sixteen quarterbacks threw for more yards than did Rodgers in 2015. His 92.7 passer rating was the lowest of his career. Rodgers is generally good for at least a couple of rushing TDs, but he found paydirt on the ground just once in 2015. In short, 2015 was one of his worst seasons as a professional. Rodgers has never finished in the top three in passing yards. After finishing fourth in both 2008 and 2009, he finished seventh in 2010, fifth in 2011, and eighth in 2012. He missed half of 2013 with an injury, he finished seventh in passing yards in 2014, and he was a disappointing 17th last season. Rodgers was sacked 46 times last season. Only Blake Bortles (51) was sacked more. BOTTOM LINE: After ranking Rodgers as the No. 1 QB in the 2014 and 2015 editions of this magazine, we are tempted to move him down farther than third. He hasn’t finished in the top five in passing yards since 2011, and he hasn’t ranked top five in passing TDs since 2012. We believe, however, that having Jordy Nelson healthy will make a big difference for Rodgers. Throwing for 4,000 yards and 35 TDs is well within reason. That might not get Rodgers his third MVP award, but it’s good enough for you to invest an early-round fantasy pick. If last season’s numbers cause him to linger a while in your draft, he offers tremendous value.
4 BEN ROETHLISBERGER | STEELERS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
Aaron Rodgers
but don’t expect too many scores on the ground. He had only one rushing TD in both 2013 and 2015. He averages three rushing touchdowns per season. He lost three lost fumbles in 2015. He has fumbled 34 times and lost 11 in his career. Those who draft Wilson will have to hope that the Seahawks find a better way to use Graham. Obviously, what they were doing last season was not working. BOTTOM LINE: Heading into his fifth pro season, Wilson’s game is on the upswing. He has proved that he’s an elite NFL quarterback, not just a great athlete playing quarterback. His passing game alone would make him a top-10 fantasy
QB, and the yards created by his legs push him up near the top of the list.
3 AARON RODGERS | PACKERS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 GB 9 9 | 193 290 | 2,536 | 17 6 4 | 120 0 ’14 GB 16 16 | 341 520 | 4,381 | 38 5 8 | 269 2 ’15 GB 16 16 | 347 572 | 3,821 | 31 8 3 | 344 1 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 345 550 | 4,100 | 35 9 4 | 250 1 BYE: WEEK 4
BOOM: Despite missing top target Jordy Nelson for the entire 2015 season, Rodgers still managed to throw 31 touchdowns against only eight picks.
’13 PIT 16 16 | 375 584 | 4,261 | 28 14 5 | 99 1 ’14 PIT 16 16 | 408 608 | 4,952 | 32 9 9 | 27 0 ’15 PIT 12 11 | 319 469 | 3,938 | 21 16 8 | 29 0 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 350 560 | 4,400 | 33 13 6 | 30 0 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Last season, in just 11 starts, Big Ben threw for 21 TDs and 3,938 yards. That’s more passing yards than Rodgers or Newton had in 16 starts. Pittsburgh’s offense in 2015 was ranked third overall and third in passing. In 2014, they were ranked second overall and second in passing. In 2014, Roethlisberger threw 32 touchdowns against just nine INTs, and he produced a mammoth total of 4,952 passing yards. BUST: Roethlisberger was intercepted 16 times last season. Only Peyton Manning
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
| 25
QB
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and Blake Bortles were picked off more often. Had he played all 16 games, and been picked off at the same rate, he would have finished with 23 INTs. Jay Cutler – known for producing prodigious INT numbers – has thrown 23 picks in just one of his 10 NFL seasons (2009). Big Ben has played all 16 regular season games just three times in his 12-year career. BOTTOM LINE: Unlike the other QBs ranked in our top five, durability is a consideration with Roethlisberger. But it’s important to note that he has never missed more than four games in any season. He gets dinged up, but he generally answers the bell. The Steelers have a dynamic offensive attack and their star QB could be in for a monster year. The INT numbers in 2015 are a concern, however. Roethlisberger was throwing about 40 times per game last season, and there were a high percentage of aggressive downfield throws. We think the INT numbers will moderate a bit in 2015. But the Steelers are aggressive and there will be turnovers. There also will be some 300-yard/three-TD games for Big Ben. For whatever reason (the nagging injuries, the INTs, his checkered past), Roethlisberger seems to last longer than he should in many fantasy drafts. If you can first grab two or three backs/ receivers, and still draft Roethlisberger, your team should be in good shape. Ben Roethlisberger
5 ANDREW LUCK | COLTS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 IND 16 16 | 343 570 | 3,822 | 23 9 3 | 377 4 ’14 IND 16 16 | 380 616 | 4,761 | 40 16 10 | 273 3 ’15 IND 7 7 | 162 293 | 1,881 | 15 12 2 | 196 0 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 360 580 | 4,400 | 32 16 8 | 275 1 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: Headed into the 2015 season, many prognosticators ranked Luck as the league’s top fantasy quarterback, and with good reason: Luck had never missed a game in his three NFL seasons. He was coming off a 40-touchdown, 4,700-yard year, and the Colts looked primed for a Super Bowl run. Luck improved during each of his first three seasons. He finished 2014 first in touchdown passes and third in passing yards. In his first three seasons, he scored a combined 12 touchdowns rushing. Colts management has vowed to better protect Luck. If he’s healthy, there’s no reason to think he can’t get back to his 2014 form. He is only 26 years old. BUST: In last season’s PFW Fantasy Preview, we referred to Luck as “the poster boy for durability.” (Uh, sorry about that one.) The reported injuries Luck suffered in 2015 included (but were not necessarily limited to) multiple fractured ribs, kidney laceration, abdominal tear
and shoulder separation. Other than that, he was pretty healthy. The Indianapolis franchise appears to be dysfunctional, and the weird offseason reconciliation between GM Ryan Grigson and coach Chuck Pagano seems … well, really weird. BOTTOM LINE: We’d be less worried about Luck if he had suffered a single injury. Monitoring his status through camp and the preseason will be vital. We also wonder about Indy’s management and if they will be able to put the 2015 discord behind them and get back to being a contender. The Colts were struggling even before Luck was injured. But the main issue – from a fantasy perspective – is Luck’s health. If he plays all 16 games, he has a relatively high floor and a very high ceiling.
6 DREW BREES | SAINTS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 NO 16 16 | 446 650 | 5,162 | 39 12 11 | 52 3 ’14 NO 16 16 | 456 659 | 4,952 | 33 17 8 | 68 1 ’15 NO 15 15 | 428 627 | 4,870 | 32 11 10 | 14 1 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 425 625 | 4,400 | 32 13 7 | 10 0 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: Although 2015 was not one of his better performances, Drew Brees
26 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
“quietly” led the NFL with 4,870 passing yards. Brees has thrown at least 32 touchdown passes for eight consecutive seasons. No other NFL quarterback has ever accomplished that. Not Brett Favre, not Dan Marino, not Tom Brady … no one … ever. Brees has led the NFL in passing yards four out of the past five seasons. The only time in the past five years he didn’t win the passing title (2013), he finished second in yards. His consistent production over the past five years is unmatched by any current or former NFL quarterback. The Saints might have 99 problems, but offense ain’t one. In fact, since 2009, the Saints’ offense has finished the regular season ranked first, sixth, first, second, fourth, first and second, respectively. Their passing attack is even better, finishing 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2015 with the league’s most passing yards. They were second in passing yards in 2013 and third in 2010 and 2014. Their offensive production is nothing short of historic. Only New England could make an argument that they’ve been as effective over the past seven seasons. BUST: Brees is 37 years old, and unlike Brady, he is showing some signs of slowing down. Last season, he missed his first
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game as a Saint due to injury. He produced his fewest number of TD passes (32) since 2007. Brees has fumbled 23 times and lost eight over the past four seasons. BOTTOM LINE: Other than the age thing, it’s hard to get too down on Brees. In an “off” year in 2015, he led the league in passing yards and connected on 32 touchdowns. The Saints might miss the playoffs again this year, but it would be surprising if Brees didn’t produce. He likely will wind up lasting too long in most fantasy drafts.
7 TOM BRADY | PATRIOTS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 NE 16 16 | 380 628 | 4,343 | 25 11 6 | 18 0 ’14 NE 16 16 | 373 582 | 4,109 | 33 9 5 | 57 0 ’15 NE 16 16 | 402 624 | 4,770 | 36 7 7 | 53 3 ’16 Proj: 12 12 | 300 480 | 3,200 | 27 5 4 | 30 1 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Brady led the NFL in touchdown passes last season with 36. He has finished in the top five in that category in five of the past six seasons. He also led the NFL in touchdown passes in 2007 and 2010. The future first-ballot Hall-of-Famer shows no signs of slowing down. Last season, at age 38, he threw for 4,770 yards, the fourthhighest total of his 16-year career. He added three touchdowns on the ground and was picked off only seven times. His 102.2 QB rating in 2015 was the third-best of his career. He has thrown at least 30 TD passes in five of the past six seasons (he had 25 in 2013). His 58,028 career passing yards are fifth-best in NFL history. Among active players, only Drew Brees has more yards. His 428 passing TDs are tied with Brees for third-best in NFL history. Both Brady and Brees have excellent shots at surpassing Peyton Manning (539) for most TD passes. No NFL team has scored more points than the Patriots over the past six seasons. Since 2010, they have finished first, third, first, third, fourth, and third, respectively, in total points. Although fantasy owners never quite know which Patriots receiver or back is going to be featured week to week, it’s a safe bet that Brady will get his points. BUST: Deflategate is the gift that just keeps on giving. As of this writing, Brady was set to serve a four-game suspension to open the 2016 season. Outside of that lingering cloud, the only negative you can pin on Brady is his age. He’ll be 39 when the 2016 season kicks off. Much has been made about New England’s problems in pass protection, and Brady was sacked 38 times last year. It was the third-highest sack total of his career. Still, eight NFL QBs hit the ground more often than Brady did in 2015. BOTTOM LINE: True, this run can’t last forever. Father Time is undefeated,
Blake Bortles
as they say. But based on recent seasons, there is no reason to think that Brady will run out of gas in 2016. A monster year is never out of the question with Brady and New England, even if it’s in 12 games instead of 16. The suspension will have to be monitored, of course. Those who draft Brady might want to invest a later-round pick in Jimmy Garoppolo.
8 BLAKE BORTLES | JAGUARS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’14 JAX 14 13 | 280 475 | 2,908 | 11 17 1 | 419 0 ’15 JAX 16 16 | 355 606 | 4,428 | 35 18 6 | 310 2 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 380 625 | 4,400 | 31 17 6 | 300 1 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: Bortles surprised many last season by posting an impressive stat line of 4,428 yards and 35 TD passes. Only Brady had more TD passes, and he was seventh in passing yards. He added two touchdowns on the ground and rushed for 310 yards on 52 attempts. Bortles improved dramatically from his rookie season of 2014, more than tripling his TDs and raising his passer rating from 69.5 to 88.2. Since taking over as the starter in Week Four of his rookie season, Bortles has started every game. The Jaguars have
28 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
numerous offensive weapons for Bortles to utilize. His arrow is most definitely pointed skyward. BUST: We were a little hesitant to rank Bortles this high based on the small sample size. He was surprisingly productive in 2015, but he also was sacked a league-high 51 times. In Week 17 alone, he was sacked eight times against Houston. He threw a league-high 18 interceptions and fumbled an additional 14 times (losing five). BOTTOM LINE: Based solely on last season, Bortles could be the second or third QB off the board. The turnovers and the lack of experience push him down a bit. His upside, however, is intriguing.
9 ELI MANNING | GIANTS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 NYG 16 16 | 317 551 | 3,818 | 18 27 3 | 36 0 ’14 NYG 16 16 | 379 601 | 4,410 | 30 14 5 | 31 1 ’15 NYG 16 16 | 387 618 | 4,432 | 35 14 6 | 61 0 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 375 600 | 4,300 | 32 14 5 | 50 0 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Manning might not get a lot of fantasy hype, but he’s been a very solid performer over the past two years.
POSITION In 2015, he finished tied for second in TD passes with 35 and sixth in yards with 4,432. In 2014, he finished sixth in yards and ninth in TD passes. He has thrown for 65 touchdowns in the past two seasons combined. His 93.6 passer rating in 2015 was the best of his career. We won’t jinx him by calling him “the poster boy of durability,” but he has played in all 16 games for 11 consecutive seasons. Manning’s 2014 resurgence coincides with the arrival of super-stud wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.. The Giants remain hopeful that Victor Cruz will return from his calf injury. Cruz hasn’t played since October of 2014. If Manning has both Beckham Jr. and Cruz in his arsenal, plus the addition of rookie Sterling Shepard, he could be in for a career year. BUST: Manning has produced 30 or more passing TDs just three times in his 12 NFL seasons. In fairness, two of those 30-plus seasons were 2014 and 2015. Don’t expect anything from his legs – he has only five rushing TDs in his career and only two in the past seven years. He was intercepted 14 times apiece in 2014 and 2015, which was a huge improvement from the 27 picks he threw in 2013. He’s fumbled 25 times in the past three seasons, losing 10. BOTTOM LINE: Manning is the Rodney Dangerfield of fantasy quarterbacks. No one ever went home and said, “Hey honey, guess who I got in the fifth round of my fantasy draft: Eli… frea-kin’… Manning!” But Manning is a solid performer and a bona fide starter in most formats. His lack of panache could cause him to fall too far in some fantasy drafts. That fall could create value opportunities for fantasy owners who are more concerned with winning than impressing the spouse.
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first in total yards and second in passing yards and points scored. They’ve got a plethora of premier targets for Palmer, including wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd and John Brown and running back David Johnson. BUST: Football is a violent game, and Palmer knows that as well as anyone. He has suffered numerous injuries that include a torn ACL in the 2005 playoffs. He re-tore the same ACL in November 2014 and missed the rest of that season. He had been injured earlier in 2014 and had missed three games in September and October. He missed the majority of the 2008 season with an elbow injury. Palmer turns 37 in December. BOTTOM LINE: Given the durability and consistency of Brady, Brees and Eli, you can probably trust an older quarterback. Looking at potential upside, you might roll the dice on a guy coming off an injury, like Luck, Dalton or Mariota.
Those who draft Palmer will be taking a chance on an older quarterback with a significant injury history. Based on his production in 2015, it would be hard not to rank him among the top quarterbacks. Palmer could offer value if he lasts a while in your draft. Just be sure to draft another viable QB as an insurance policy.
11 TONY ROMO | COWBOYS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 DAL 15 15 | 342 535 | 3,828 | 31 10 4 | 38 0 ’14 DAL 15 15 | 304 435 | 3,705 | 34 9 1 | 61 0 | 5 7 1 | 13 0 ’15 DAL 4 4 | 83 121 | 884 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 320 400 | 4,000 | 31 10 3 | 25 0 BYE: WEEK 7
BOOM: Romo is just a season removed from leading the NFL in passer rating (113.2) and tossing 34 touchdowns. From 2011 through 2014, he averaged 31 touchdown passes and 4,155 passing
10 CARSON PALMER | CARDINALS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 ARI 16 16 | 362 572 | 4,274 | 24 22 5 | 3 0 ’14 ARI 6 6 | 141 224 | 1,626 | 11 3 2 | 25 0 ’15 ARI 16 16 | 342 537 | 4,671 | 35 11 9 | 24 1 ’16 Proj: 14 14 | 300 490 | 4,100 | 32 10 6 | 20 0 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Palmer had an outstanding 2015. He finished fourth in passing yards (4,671), and tied for second with Bortles and Manning with 35 passing TDs. His 104.6 passer rating was the best of his career, and third among starting quarterbacks. He was sacked only 25 times, which is especially important to the Cardinals given Palmer’s value and injury history. He even added a rushing touchdown for good measure. Palmer’s prolific 2015 earned him his third Pro Bowl selection. Arizona has a high-powered offense when Palmer is at the helm. In 2015, the Cardinals finished
Carson Palmer
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
| 29
QB yards per season. In the seven seasons in which he has played 15 games or more, he has never failed to finish among the top-10 QBs in passing touchdowns. In four of those seven seasons, he was among the top five. Romo has one of the best receivers in the game to throw to in Dez Bryant and should have a much-improved rushing attack with Ezekiel Elliott. BUST: Since solidifying his role as a starter, Romo has missed 27 games due to injury. Of those, 24 have occurred since 2010. Romo fractured his collarbone twice last season and was able to play in just four games. He hasn’t made it through a full 16-game season since 2012. He did not play very well in the four games he did play in 2015. As of March of this year, he was still undergoing surgical treatments for the injuries. Although mobile, he has just five rushing TDs in his career and none since 2012. He is 36 years old. During Romo’s career, he has often finished among the leaders in passing yards and TDs, but he has never finished
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first in either category.
BOTTOM
LINE: From a fantasy
perspective, Romo is similar to Palmer but carries even more risk. Palmer, at least, is coming off a healthy season. Romo’s rehab, camp and preseason will have to be carefully monitored. Fantasy owners who invest in Romo as a starter will need to also select a dependable No. 2.
12 PHILIP RIVERS | CHARGERS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 SD 16 16 | 378 544 | 4,478 | 32 11 5 | 72 0 ’14 SD 16 16 | 379 570 | 4,286 | 31 18 4 | 102 0 ’15 SD 16 16 | 437 661 | 4,792 | 29 13 8 | 28 0 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 400 620 | 4,200 | 29 14 6 | 25 0 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: Rivers is coming off yet another productive season. He finished second in the NFL with 4,792 passing yards and threw 29 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He has finished in the top 10 in passing yards eight times in the past
10 seasons. He has been in the top five on four occasions (including last year). Throughout his career, Rivers has thrown for more than 41,000 yards to go along with 281 scores. He has started all 16 regular-season games for 10 consecutive seasons. BUST: Rivers has never thrown 33 TDs in a season. He is only a dual-threat if you consider his trash-talking to be an asset. Rivers has just three rushing touchdowns in his 12-year career. He last ran for a score in 2011. The Chargers finished 4-12 last year and didn’t exactly win the offseason. BOTTOM LINE: Rivers is solid and dependable, but he comes with a limited ceiling. He will score a reasonable number of fantasy points based on his yardage total, but the Chargers’ mediocre offense greatly reduces the chance of him being an elite fantasy QB. He is a low-level starter in larger formats, but he is an ideal backup, especially if your starter is Romo or Palmer.
13 ANDY DALTON | BENGALS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 CIN 16 16 | 363 586 | 4,293 | 33 20 5 | 183 2 ’14 CIN 16 16 | 309 481 | 3,398 | 19 17 3 | 169 4 ’15 CIN 13 13 | 255 386 | 3,250 | 25 7 4 | 142 3 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 325 500 | 4,000 | 29 11 5 | 125 1 BYE: WEEK 9
Philip Rivers
30 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
BOOM: The Red Rifle connected on 25 TD passes in 2015 and threw just seven interceptions. His passer rating of 106.2 was 17 points higher than his next best season. Dalton had never missed a start in his five-year career prior to Week 14 of last season. He was on pace for 31 touchdown passes and more than 4,000 yards before a thumb injury ended his season. Last season was not a complete anomaly: He threw 33 TDs in 2013. Dalton is surprisingly athletic and has run for 14 touchdowns in his career, including seven scores in the past two seasons. It’s always going to help a quarterback when he’s throwing to A.J. Green. BUST: Dalton has had some killer slumps during his career. In 2014, he produced just 19 TDs and threw 17 picks. The Bengals lost receivers Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones to free agency this offseason. The pair combined for 98 catches and more than 1,100 yards in 2015. Particularly, Jones and his stat line of 65-814-4 will be missed. Dalton’s thumb injury was significant enough for him to miss the final month of the season as well as the deflating playoff loss to Pittsburgh. BOTTOM LINE: Assuming the thumb is fully healed, Dalton is going to be drafted in almost all fantasy formats. He’s
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a borderline starter in larger leagues but an excellent No. 2, regardless of format. Like Rivers, Dalton is an ideal backup for Romo or Palmer.
14 DEREK CARR | RAIDERS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’14 OAK 16 16 | 348 599 | 3,270 | 21 12 1 | 92 0 ’15 OAK 16 16 | 350 573 | 3,987 | 32 13 6 | 138 0 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 360 600 | 4,000 | 30 13 5 | 125 0 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: The second-year QB took a big step forward in 2015, throwing for nearly 4,000 yards and 32 touchdowns. Carr finished tied for seventh in TD passes last season. He has started all 32 games in his two NFL seasons. In Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, Carr has one of the NFL’s better receiving duos to exploit. The two produced a combined 157 receptions, 1,992 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns in 2015. BUST: Carr completed just 61.1 percent of his passes in 2015 and 59.6 percent over his two pro seasons. He has never scored a rushing touchdown. In 2015, the Raiders’ offense was ranked 24th in total yards. BOTTOM LINE: Carr is emerging as a solid fantasy quarterback. Last season, he demonstrated remarkable improvement from his rookie year. There are two factors keeping him from being ranked higher on this list: 1. Small sample size – he has produced just one quality NFL season. 2. The Raiders have been mediocre offensively (for about 50 years now). Some pundits have Oakland making a playoff run in 2016. If that turns out to be the case, Carr could wind up being a top-10 fantasy QB. 15 TYROD TAYLOR | BILLS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
| 0 1 0 | 64 0 ’13 BAL 3 0 | 1 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 0 0 | -3 0 ’14 BAL 1 0 | 0 0 ’15 BUF 14 14 | 242 380 | 3,035 | 20 6 0 | 568 4 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 285 450 | 3,600 | 26 11 1 | 600 3 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: Taylor was a bit of a surprise last season. He wound up being better than average in his first season as an NFL starter. Taylor posted an impressive 99.4 rating — the same as Newton and better than Roethlisberger, Rivers and Manning. Taylor is a rare commodity in fantasy as an actual dual-threat QB. He rushed for 568 yards and four touchdowns. During a Week Five come-from-behind victory against the Titans, he became just the fifth QB in NFL history to throw for at least 100 yards, run for at least 70 yards and catch a pass in a single game. In Week 12 at Kansas City, he threw for 291 yards and three TDs. He ran for at least 40 yards nine
Derek Carr
times in 14 starts. Although he fumbled nine times, he lost only one. BUST: Taylor was 23rd in passing yards in 2015. He threw just 20 TDs in 14 games and missed two games with injury. In addition to his 104 rushing attempts, he was sacked 36 times in 14 games. That’s a lot of abuse for anyone, especially a 215-pounder. Taylor missed two games last season with an MCL sprain. BOTTOM LINE: Taylor is an intriguing prospect based on his potential for rushing yardage and touchdowns. However, his sample size is even smaller than Carr’s, and he takes a lot of punishment. He’s a terrific fantasy backup, especially if you draft a durable starter, like Wilson, Brady or Manning. It’s doubtful you’d ever start Taylor over Wilson or Brady, but if the young QB has a breakout season, you’ll possess tremendous capital for a trade.
16 MARCUS MARIOTA | TITANS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’15 TEN 12 12 | 230 370 | 2,818 | 19 10 2 | 252 2 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 275 430 | 3,500 | 27 13 4 | 250 3 BYE: WEEK 13
BOOM: The second overall pick in the 2015 draft, Mariota threw nearly twice as many TDs as interceptions (19 to 10). He also produced 252 yards and
two touchdowns on the ground. Mariota outpaced first overall pick Jameis Winston in several categories, including passer rating, touchdown-to-interception ratio, completion percentage and rushing yards. Mariota had some terrific performances last year. In the season opener, he bested Winston and Tampa Bay with four TD passes. In Week Nine against New Orleans, he again threw four TDs and scorched the Saints for 379 passing yards. Against Jacksonville in Week 13, he threw for three TDs and added another TD on the ground. He’ll have a much better rushing attack to complement his throws with DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry. BUST: It was feast or famine in 2015. Mariota went without a TD pass in five of his 12 starts. He fumbled 10 times and lost six in just 12 starts. Mariota was sacked 38 times in just 12 games, a rate of 3.17 sacks per game, tied with Bortles for highest sack rate in the league. Considering that he left the game very early in Week 15, Mariota might have been the NFL’s most sacked QB had he been able to play all 16 games. Two separate knee sprains caused him to miss Weeks Seven and Eight, and Weeks 16 and 17. As good as the backfield is, the Titans are not flush with talent at wide receiver. BOTTOM LINE: If you draft a solid,
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QB dependable QB as your starter, it makes sense to look for a No. 2 with a high ceiling. After all, it doesn’t make much sense to back up Brady with, say, Rivers. You know you’re probably going to start Brady every week (save for his bye), and you also know that Rivers will give you only so much value in a trade. A guy like Mariota, however, could get you something great in return if he has a breakout year. (And we understand that’s a big IF.) It’s concerning that Mariota missed four games in his rookie campaign. Quarterbacks tend to fall in two categories: durable or injury prone. It’s too soon to tell which category will claim Mariota. If you give the young QB the benefit of the doubt on the injury question, he is a premier fantasy backup in all formats.
17 MATTHEW STAFFORD | LIONS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 DET 16 16 | 371 634 | 4,650 | 29 19 6 | 69 2 ’14 DET 16 16 | 363 602 | 4,257 | 22 12 4 | 93 2 ’15 DET 16 16 | 398 592 | 4,262 | 32 13 3 | 159 1 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 360 550 | 4,000 | 27 14 3 | 100 1 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: After making the playoffs in 2014, the Lions got off to a terrible 0-5 start last season and finished a disappointing 7-9. Stafford, however, managed to post pretty solid numbers. He was eighth in passing yards with 4,262, and he threw 32 TDs against just 13 interceptions. Stafford is a former No. 1 overall pick who came to the NFL with lofty expectations. Stafford has started all 16 games for five consecutive seasons. In those five seasons, he’s finished top 10 in passing each year. He was second in passing yards in 2012, and he was third in both 2011 and 2013. He has averaged 4,635 yards per season (290 yards per game) since 2011. His 97.0 passer rating was the second-best of his seven-year career. It might seem like he’s been around a long time, but Stafford is a relatively young 28 years old. BUST: Stafford is capable of disappointing his fantasy owners: He threw 22 TD passes in 2014 and just 20 in 2012. He’s been sacked 89 times in the past two seasons. Stafford lost his top target in the offseason when Calvin Johnson decided to retire. The loss of Johnson creates a huge void for Stafford and the Lions. The vast majority of Johnson’s 83 touchdowns were thrown by Stafford. BOTTOM LINE: Since the 2011 season, Stafford has posted roller-coaster yearly TD totals of 41, 20, 29, 22 and 32. Some of that inconsistency can be traced back to the mediocre team for which Stafford has played. During that same 2011-2015 period, however, his yardage totals have been fairly consistent with a low of 4,257
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in 2014 and a high of 5,038 in 2011. Fairly or unfairly, his hit-or-miss touchdown totals have earned him a reputation in fantasy circles as an underachiever. That reputation will cause him to last too long in most fantasy drafts.
18 KIRK COUSINS | WASHINGTON
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
| 4 7 1 | 14 0 ’13 WAS 5 3 | 81 155 | 854 ’14 WAS 6 5 | 126 204 | 1,710 | 10 9 2 | 20 0 ’15 WAS 16 16 | 379 543 | 4,166 | 29 11 7 | 48 5 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 375 540 | 4,000 | 27 13 5 | 50 1 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: If someone would have told you before the 2015 season that Kirk Cousins would rank top 10 in passing yards, you probably would have replied, “I admire the confidence in your son, Mrs. Cousins.” In his fourth NFL season, Cousins emerged from seemingly nowhere to start all 16 games and throw for 4,166 yards and
Kirk Cousins
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29 TDs. Not known for being fleet afoot, Cousins added another five scores on the ground. His TD/INT ratio was nearly 3:1. His 2015 passer rating of 101.6 was fifth among starting quarterbacks. He led the league in completion percentage at 69.8. Approximately 75 percent of NFL starting QBs were sacked more times than Cousins (26). BUST: Cousins is not a runner and his five rushing TDs could have been a bit of a fluke. He ran 26 times in 2015, gaining just 48 yards. He had started just nine games before the 2015 season. He dramatically improved last season in the turnover department. After throwing nine picks in just five starts in 2014, he threw 11 picks in 16 starts last season. Despite the improvement, Cousins is still capable of throwing some real “what-was-hethinking” interceptions. BOTTOM LINE: The worry with Cousins is that he could be a one-year
POSITION wonder. It’s a bit risky after a single season to assume that his ascension from fringe guy to top-10 QB is complete. Cousins is a solid fantasy backup, but you probably don’t want to bank your season on his continued production. If he matches or improves on his 2015 numbers, you can expect to see him considerably higher on next year’s list.
19 JAMEIS WINSTON | BUCCANEERS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’15 TB 16 16 | 312 535 | 4,042 | 22 15 2 | 213 6 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 325 550 | 4,200 | 24 15 3 | 200 3 BYE: WEEK 6
BOOM: Like Newton, Luck, Manning,
Palmer, and Stafford, Winston entered the NFL with the associated pressure of being a No. 1 overall pick. In his rookie season, he responded as well, if not better, than most on that list. He became just the third rookie in NFL history to throw for more than 4,000 yards. Winston showed some surprising pep in his legs, scoring six touchdowns on the ground. In Week 11 at Philadelphia, he threw for five touchdowns and amassed a 131.6 rating. The five TD passes tied a Bucs franchise record for most TD passes in a game and also tied the NFL record for TD passes in a game by a rookie. He finished the season on a roll against some fairly tough defenses. In Week 15, he threw for 363 yards and two scores in St. Louis. In the season’s final game in Carolina, he threw for 325 yards. BUST: The rookie’s first NFL pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Winston completed less than 60 percent of his passes (58.3 percent) and had only 22 TD passes against 15 picks. He was intercepted four times against the Panthers in Week Four, and he had multiple interceptions in four games. BOTTOM LINE: Winston showed a lot of promise in his rookie year. The 22 TD/15 INT line is disappointing but hardly surprising for a rookie joining a struggling franchise. The fact that he was sacked just 27 times and answered the bell for all 16 games is an encouraging sign. Winston has the potential to become an elite fantasy QB. It’s unlikely he’ll take that step in Year Two, but you never know.
20 MATT RYAN | FALCONS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 ATL 16 16 | 439 651 | 4,515 | 26 17 7 | 55 0 ’14 ATL 16 16 | 415 628 | 4,694 | 28 14 6 | 145 0 ’15 ATL 16 16 | 407 614 | 4,591 | 21 16 5 | 63 0 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 400 600 | 4,100 | 26 15 5 | 50 0 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: In an off year in 2015, Matty Ice still finished fifth in the NFL in passing
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with 4,591 yards. He has finished in the top 10 in passing yards for six consecutive seasons. Arguably his best season was 2012, when he finished fifth in TD passes with 32 and fifth in yards with 4,719. In 2013, he was fourth in passing yards and ninth in TD passes. Ryan is durable: He has missed only two starts in his career and none since 2009. He also gets to throw to Julio Jones, a top fantasy receiver. BUST: His 89.0 passer rating was his lowest rating since the 2009 season. The only year Ryan threw for 30 touchdowns was 2012, when he had 32. Last season, 18 QBs had as many or more TD passes than Ryan’s 21. He has never placed higher than fifth in touchdown passes in his career. He has thrown 107 interceptions in his eight NFL seasons. His TD/INT ratio last season was a dismal 1.31. BOTTOM LINE: By now, you pretty much know what you’re going to get with the Ice Man: a full 16 games, a lot of passing yards, probably not a lot of TDs and more interceptions than you’d like. He is a solid fantasy backup, but his career arrow seems to be pointing in the wrong direction.
21 RYAN TANNEHILL | DOLPHINS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 MIA 16 16 | 355 588 | 3,913 | 24 17 5 | 238 1 ’14 MIA 16 16 | 392 590 | 4,045 | 27 12 2 | 311 1 ’15 MIA 16 16 | 363 586 | 4,208 | 24 12 6 | 141 1 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 350 575 | 4,100 | 23 12 5 | 100 0 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Tannehill was ninth in the NFL last season with 4,208 passing yards. During his first three NFL seasons from 2012-2014, he showed steady improvement, posting more yards and touchdowns and improving his completion percentage and passer rating each year. Although his TDs, passer rating and completion percentage dipped in 2015, he did manage a career high in yards, and tied his career low (12) in interceptions. Tannehill has never missed a start during his four-year pro career. BUST: Heading into the 2015 season, Tannehill looked like he was on the rise. After displaying significant improvement in each of his first three seasons, Tannehill and the Dolphins suffered a disappointing and chaotic 2015 season. Tannehill has been sacked an average of 50 times per season since 2013. He has been sacked more than any other QB during that time frame. BOTTOM LINE: New coach Adam Gase helped Jay Cutler improve last season and he could have the same impact with Tannehill. In Cutler’s case, Gase helped the veteran become better at ball protection. He took a more conservative approach. Tannehill has only thrown 24 picks in the past two seasons combined, but he
has been sacked 91 times in that same period. If his protection improves, it is conceivable that Tannehill could produce a career year. That still won’t necessarily make him a fantasy starter, but it could easily make him a decent (or better) No. 2.
22 JAY CUTLER | BEARS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 CHI 11 11 | 224 355 | 2,621 | 19 12 2 | 118 0 ’14 CHI 15 15 | 370 561 | 3,812 | 28 18 4 | 191 2 ’15 CHI 15 15 | 311 483 | 3,659 | 21 11 3 | 201 1 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 325 500 | 3,800 | 23 13 3 | 150 1 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Cutler posted a career-best passer rating of 92.3 in 2015. He threw just 11 interceptions, the lowest total of any season in which he played 15 games or more. Since becoming a starter for Denver in 2007, he has played in 15 or more games seven times in nine years. He has thrown a respectable 49 TDs over the past two seasons. If Kevin White is fully healthy heading into the 2016 season, he will team with Alshon Jeffery to give Cutler a potentially lethal receiving tandem. BUST: Although most in the media seemed to have tabbed 2015 as a “success” for Cutler, fantasy owners might not agree with that assessment. Eighteen quarterbacks threw for more yards than Cutler in 2015. Though he has been generally durable, he has not started 16 games in a season since 2009. Since joining the Bears in 2009, Cutler has turned the ball over 152 times. Only Eli Manning has more (153). Manning, however, has played in 15 more games than has Cutler in that time frame. He has never thrown for 30 TDs and has crested 4,000 yards just one time. In Cutler’s best season, he finished third in the NFL in passing yards with 4,526. That was 2008 – eight seasons ago – when he played for Denver. BOTTOM LINE: At this point, we can quit waiting for Cutler’s “big year.” If everything clicks, the most you could possibly hope for is 30 TDs and 4,000 yards. Those are very good numbers and would make him a solid fantasy starter … but that’s probably his ceiling. Realistic expectations would be something along the lines of 23 TDs and 3,500 yards. These numbers make him a low-level fantasy backup. 23 BROCK OSWEILER | TEXANS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
| 0 0 0 | 2 0 ’13 DEN 4 0 | 11 16 | 95 | 1 0 0 | 0 0 ’14 DEN 4 0 | 4 10 | 52 ’15 DEN 8 7 | 170 275 | 1,967 | 10 6 1 | 61 1 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 380 590 | 3,800 | 22 14 2 | 100 1 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Flush with a mammoth fouryear, $72 million dollar deal, the Texans are
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QB expecting big things from Osweiler this season. Taking over for Peyton Manning last year, he averaged 246 yards per game. Manning averaged just 225 yards in his nine starts. Osweiler appeared in eight games last season and threw at least one TD in seven of those games. Arguably, his best game was Week 15 in Pittsburgh when he threw for 296 yards and three scores. DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller give Osweiler a nice tandem at receiver. BUST: Osweiler has started seven games in his entire career, and he was pulled for ineffectiveness from one of those. The big guy is not much of a runner. He did score one rushing TD last season, but he had just three in his Arizona State college career. Last season, Osweiler was sacked at an alarming rate – more than three sacks per start. Manning was being sacked at the rate of 1.8 times per game. It is clear that Osweiler still has a lot to learn. BOTTOM LINE: Based on a very small sample size, there is not much to get excited about with Osweiler. On the other hand, because of that sample size, you might want to consider him ahead of veterans like Cutler and Ryan. With guys like that, you pretty much know what you’re getting. With Osweiler, there’s at least a chance for upside. Of course, there’s also a chance that he’ll bomb in his new role as Houston’s starter.
24 JOE FLACCO | RAVENS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 BAL 16 16 | 362 614 | 3,912 | 19 22 3 | 131 1 ’14 BAL 16 16 | 344 554 | 3,986 | 27 12 5 | 70 2 ’15 BAL 10 10 | 266 413 | 2,791 | 14 12 5 | 23 3 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 350 575 | 3,800 | 22 15 5 | 50 1 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Before last season, Flacco had gone seven consecutive seasons without missing a game. His best season was 2014, when he threw for 3,986 yards and 27 TDs with only 12 picks. In that 2014 season, he was sacked just 19 times in 16 games. Among starting QBs, only Peyton Manning was sacked fewer times. He has scored nine rushing touchdowns in the past four seasons, including three last year in 10 games. BUST: Flacco missed the final six games of 2015 with a torn ACL. He has never thrown for 4,000 yards or 30 TDs. He’s crested 25 TDs just twice – in 2014 and 2010. Flacco has never (repeat, never) been in the top 10 in total passing yards in a season. That’s quite an accomplishment considering he started 122 consecutive regular season games from his rookie season in 2008 through the 10th game of 2015. BOTTOM LINE: From a fantasy perspective, about the best thing you can say about Flacco is that he is durable. Even that argument takes on a little water now
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that he suffered a torn ACL. The fact that he has never cracked the top 10 in passing yards in eight seasons as a starter should tell you all you need to know. Flacco is a backup, at best, in all formats. He might go undrafted in smaller leagues.
25 ALEX SMITH | CHIEFS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 KC 15 15 | 308 508 | 3,313 | 23 7 0 | 431 1 ’14 KC 15 15 | 303 464 | 3,265 | 18 6 1 | 254 1 ’15 KC 16 16 | 307 470 | 3,486 | 20 7 1 | 498 2 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 300 460 | 3,500 | 21 7 1 | 300 1 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: Smith posted a career-high 3,486 yards passing in 2015. He threw 20 TDs and just seven interceptions. A terrific athlete, Smith also posted a career-best 498 yards rushing last year. His 2015 passer rating of 95.4 was the second-best of his career. He was the first overall pick of 2005 and has now had fairly successful runs with both the 49ers and the Chiefs. BUST: Smith has never thrown for even 3,500 yards or 25 TDs in a single season. In fact, his passing yards make Flacco look like Dan Marino. His best TD production was 2013 when he notched 23 scoring passes. Smith might be capable of producing impressive yards on the ground, but at this stage in his career, he takes the yards that are there – he doesn’t force the issue. He’s scored just eight rushing TDs in his 11 NFL seasons. He’s run for 300 yards or more in a season just twice (last year and 2013). BOTTOM LINE: Speaking of knowing what you’re getting, Smith is a solid NFL QB, but he won’t help your fantasy team very much. Kansas City runs a very conservative offense. Even if Smith posts career highs in 2016, his stats are unlikely to be very impressive fantasy-wise. 26 TEDDY BRIDGEWATER | VIKINGS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’14 MIN 13 12 | 259 402 | 2,919 | 14 12 3 | 209 1 ’15 MIN 16 16 | 292 447 | 3,231 | 14 9 2 | 192 3 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 300 455 | 3,300 | 17 11 3 | 215 2 BYE: WEEK 6
BOOM: Bridgewater avoided the sophomore jinx last season by leading the Vikings to their first playoff berth since 2012. He started all 16 games and threw for 3,236 yards. He completed 65 percent of his passes and rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Minnesota used their first-round draft choice on Laquon Treadwell, a big, talented wide receiver who should be a reliable go-to target for Bridgewater. BUST: The young QB did not regress in his second season, but he didn’t exactly take a huge step forward either. He
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threw just 14 TDs – matching his rookie campaign when he started 12 games – and nine interceptions. Despite not missing a start the entire 2015 season, Bridgewater was 22nd in passing yards. BOTTOM LINE: With another year under his belt and another quality target in Treadwell, Bridgewater is likely to improve his fantasy production in 2016. However, given Minnesota’s conservative approach and Bridgewater’s pedestrian stats thus far in his career, it’s hard to envision him as a quality fantasy starter. His ceiling is most likely quality backup/ solid spot-starter.
27 ROBERT GRIFFIN III | BROWNS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 WAS 13 13 | 274 456 | 3,203 | 16 12 3 | 489 0 ’14 WAS 9 7 | 147 214 | 1,694 | 4 6 1 | 176 1 ’15 WAS Inactive for entire season ’16 Proj: 13 13 | 255 430 | 2,900 | 14 10 2 | 250 1 BYE: WEEK 13
BOOM: In his 2012 rookie season, Griffin emerged as the NFL’s breakout star. A true dual-threat QB, RGIII threw 20 TDs against only five picks and ran for 815 yards and seven touchdowns. The Browns signed him this offseason and seem fully intent on giving him the opportunity to win the starting job. New Cleveland coach Hue Jackson has a solid record of success working with QBs, including Dalton, Palmer and Flacco. Cleveland drafted speedster Corey Coleman in the first round to give Griffin a dangerous downfield target. BUST: In the three seasons since his rookie year, he has started just 20 games, throwing a total of 20 TDs and 18 interceptions. His tumble has been nothing short of remarkable. In addition to Griffin’s on-the-field issues, there are reports that he fell well short of being a leader in the Washington locker room. Starting late in his rookie season, and continuing into the following year, Griffin battled significant injury issues. It seemed people had found his kryptonite: punish him when he leaves the pocket. He was unable to withstand the punishment, and his game fell apart. When Washington hired new coach Jay Gruden, RGIII struggled mightily to adjust to a more traditional NFL offense. True, he was a phenom in 2012, but even then he did not post great yards through the air. He finished his rookie year ranked 21st in passing yards. BOTTOM LINE: Drafting RGIII is the fantasy equivalent of a Hail Mary pass. He is four seasons and several injuries removed from fantasy relevance. Recapturing his rookie magic seems highly improbable. Even if he does become a serviceable NFL QB – far from a lock, by
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Broncos stuck to their guns and refused to overpay for other quarterbacks. Instead, they drafted Paxton Lynch in the first round. By all accounts, Lynch is a bit of a developmental prospect, and Sanchez has a chance to be “the man” in Denver. Of all the possible scenarios facing Sanchez as the 2015 season wound down, things could not have worked out any better for him. BUST: OK, good for Sanchez, but fantasy owners need not get too excited. The No. 5 overall pick in the 2009 draft has played in a total of 13 games in the past three seasons. He has not been a regular starter since 2012. In his “heyday” with the Jets from ’09 to ’12, he never crested 3,500 yards, and he threw for 20 TDs just once (2011). With only 86 career TDs, he has thrown a staggering 84 interceptions. He has a putrid career QB rating of 74.3. Denver will take a very conservative approach on offense, and if Sanchez truly is their starter, no one could blame them for that approach. BOTTOM LINE: We’re all for second – and third – chances. It would be a great storyline if Sanchez were able to resurrect his career in the Mile High City. There’s just nothing in his career that suggests he has the ability to be anything more than a caretaker.
30 JARED GOFF | RAMS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
Teddy Bridgewater
the way – he’s more likely to post numbers similar to Alex Smith than to Cam Newton. For leagues with expansive rosters, he’s worth a shot as a No. 3 quarterback.
28 SAM BRADFORD | EAGLES
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 STL 7 7 | 159 262 | 1,687 | 14 4 1 | 31 0 ’14 STL Missed season with injury ’15 PHI 14 14 | 346 532 | 3,725 | 19 14 5 | 39 0 ’16 Proj: 12 11 | 310 500 | 3,200 | 15 11 3 | 28 0 BYE: WEEK 4
BOOM: Like Newton, Luck, Manning, Palmer, Smith and Mariota, Bradford is a former No. 1 overall draft pick. He has shown some flashes since entering the league in 2010. His best season was probably 2012 when he threw for 3,700 yards and 21 TDs while playing for the Rams. Last year in Philadelphia, he posted a career high in yards (3,725) despite playing in 14 games. He also posted a career-best in completion percentage (65 percent) and threw 19 touchdowns. The Eagles have maintained that they want Bradford to be their starter in 2016 with new arrival Carson Wentz learning from the bench. BUST: Bradford has played a complete season just twice in five years. He has been
racked by injuries including two serious ACL tears. Even when he has played an entire season, he has posted pedestrian numbers. If that weren’t enough to cool you on Bradford’s prospects, the Eagles have the No. 2 overall pick (Wentz) waiting in the wings to take over at QB. Bradford’s childlike response to the drafting of Wentz makes the situation even more tenuous. Plus, the Eagles have a high-paid backup QB in Chase Daniel. BOTTOM LINE: In the unlikely event that Bradford starts all 16 games in 2016, he could be a mediocre fantasy backup. His less-than-solid status, however, will push him to the end, or out, of most drafts.
29 MARK SANCHEZ | BRONCOS
PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD
’13 NYJ Missed season with injury ’14 PHI 9 8 | 198 309 | 2,418 | 14 11 4 | 87 1 | 4 4 0 | 22 0 ’15 PHI 4 2 | 59 91 | 616 ’16 Proj: 13 12 | 230 400 | 2,500 | 16 10 2 | 76 1 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: Desperate to find a serviceable starting quarterback, the world champions signed Sanchez in the offseason. Despite reports that Denver might trade for Colin Kaepernick or sign Ryan Fitzpatrick, the
’16 Proj: 14 14 | 300 520 | 3,400 | 13 11 3 | 57 0 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: In three seasons at Cal, Goff threw 96 touchdowns, including 43 in 2015. He was selected No. 1 overall by the Rams and, like Winston and Mariota last season, he’ll get a chance to be his team’s starter from Day One. Having Todd Gurley in the backfield should make Goff’s life easier. BUST: The Rams had the worst offense in the NFL last season. That was partly because of pathetic play at the QB position, but it’s also partly due to their coaching and offensive scheme. The Rams had the No. 28 offense in 2014 and the No. 30 offense in 2013. Jeff Fisher might just be the most overrated coach in the NFL, and it’s a head-scratcher how he has retained his job despite the comical offensive production. BOTTOM LINE: Goff might well be a very good NFL QB some day. But even if he plays well, rookie QBs rarely – if ever – post impressive fantasy numbers. Winston had a very good 2015, but he was still a bottom-of-the-roster guy in most fantasy formats. Playing for the anemic Rams really stacks the cards against the young QB. Goff is a solid pick in keeper leagues, along with Wentz.
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POSITION
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FANTASY
Running backs Fantasy RBs value declines in new NFL By
PAT FITZMAURICE
T
ake a walk back in time 20 years with us to 1996, when fantasy football was just starting to gather momentum as a national hobby. That year, 11 running backs logged 300 or more rushing attempts, led by Ricky Watters’ 353. There were 13 RBs with 250 or more carries and 19 runners with 200 or more carries. In 2006, a mere decade ago, Larry Johnson led the NFL with an astonishing 416 carries. He was one of 10 running backs with more than 300 rushing attempts that year. There were 17 RBs with 250 or more carries and 27 with 200 or more carries. Last season, Adrian Peterson was the lone runner to top the 300-carry mark, toting the ball 327 times. Only five running backs had 250 or more rushing attempts and just 15 had 200 or more attempts. (Interestingly, five of those 15 – Chris Ivory, Darren McFadden, Ronnie Hillman, Alfred Morris and DeAngelo Williams – aren’t even projected to start for their respective teams this season.) We’ve entered a new era at the RB position. A lot of fantasy owners still like to load up at running back early in drafts, perhaps going RB-RB in the first two rounds. That approach made sense in 1996 and 2006 because the NFL was flush with easily identifiable workhorse running backs, but does an RB-centric approach still make sense in 2016? Early-round running backs have been busting at an alarming rate in recent years. The RB-by-committee approach is now commonplace in the NFL. Yes, it still makes sense to aggressively target the talented bell cows who figure to get the vast majority of RB touches for their
CONSENSUS
Top FANTASY RUNNING BACKS 1. Le’VEON BELL | STEELERS 2. TODD GURLEY | RAMS 3. DAVID JOHNSON | CARDINALS 4. ADRIAN PETERSON | VIKINGS 5. DEVONTA FREEMAN | FALCONS 6. JAMAAL CHARLES | CHIEFS 7. EZEKIEL ELLIOTT | COWBOYS 8. DOUG MARTIN | BUCCANEERS 9. MARK INGRAM | SAINTS 10. LAMAR MILLER | TEXANS 11. THOMAS RAWLS | SEAHAWKS 12. LeSEAN McCOY | BILLS 13. EDDIE LACY | PACKERS 14. MATT FORTE | JETS 1 5. C.J. ANDERSON | BRONCOS 16. DeMARCO MURRAY | TITANS 17. CARLOS HYDE | 49ERS 18. JEREMY HILL | BENGALS 19. DION LEWIS | PATRIOTS 20. JEREMY LANGFORD | BEARS respective teams. But there aren’t many running backs who fit that description anymore, and it makes little sense to force the issue in the early rounds, bypassing high-caliber players at other positions (particularly the talent-rich WR position) to take runners ticketed for time-share roles. And although it’s rare for wide receivers and quarterbacks to emerge from obscurity to become major fantasy contributors, it happens all the time at the RB position. When you take that into consideration, along with the high early round bust rate, you have to wonder whether it still makes sense to invest massive draft capital in the position. One of the true workhorse RBs
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is the Steelers’ Le’Veon Bell, the No. 1 running back on our board this season. Bell isn’t going to be a unanimous choice as the top running back this year after tearing his MCL and PCL in early November, and any news of a setback in his recovery could send his draft stock tumbling. But Bell has averaged 119 yards from scrimmage over 35 career regularseason games, with 22 TDs, and he’s still only 24 years old. He’s a complete back who blends speed, power and pass-catching ability. The list of top-tier running backs also includes Todd Gurley, David Johnson and Adrian Peterson. Gurley turned in a phenomenal rookie year and should be a coveted fantasy football asset for years to come. After tearing up his knee in his final college season at Georgia, Gurley was held out of the Rams’ first few contests and used sparingly in his debut, but he still ran for 1,106 yards and 10 TDs in only 13 games. Johnson, also a rookie in 2015, was a third-stringer behind Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington for much of the year, but he took over as the starter in Week 13 and put up terrific numbers through the end of the regular season and in the playoffs. Peterson picked up where he left off after missing nearly the entire 2014 season due to a personalconduct suspension, rushing for a league-leading 1,485 yards and posting a double-digit TD total for the eighth time in his career. One player generating a great deal of attention is rookie RB Ezekiel Elliot of Ohio State. Dallas drafted Elliott fourth overall, and a lot of fantasy owners are drooling over the thought of what this talented young runner might be able to do behind the Cowboys’ elite offensive line. Elliott will probably be a first-round draft pick in a lot of leagues, maybe in most leagues. Many fantasy owners view him as a top-five running back, and he’s even been the first RB off the board in some early mock drafts. That’s a little aggressive for our tastes. We also think highly of Elliott, but we have him slotted behind several veteran backs with established NFL track records.
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1 Le’VEON BELL | STEELERS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
‘13 PIT 13 13 | 244 860 3.5 | 8 1 | 45 399 ’14 PIT 16 16 | 290 1,361 4.7 | 8 4 | 83 854 ’15 PIT 6 6 | 113 556 4.9 | 3 3 | 24 136 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 257 1,208 4.7 | 9 5 | 65 586 BYE: WEEK 8
0 3 0 |3
BOOM: The Steelers might have the NFL’s most explosive offense, and Bell is an indispensible part of it. After finishing second among RBs in fantasy scoring in 2015, Bell was averaging 92.7 rushing yards and 14.5 fantasy points per game last season when he suffered a seasonending knee injury in Week Eight. He’s been one of the league’s few true workhorses in recent years, averaging 22.8 touches per game over his three-year career. Bell has averaged 15.6 fantasy points per game over his first three seasons, and over the last two years he’s produced 100 or more yards from scrimmage in 17 of 22 regularseason contests. The versatile Bell led all RBs in receiving yardage in 2014 and was second among RBs in receptions. He’s averaged 4.3 yards per carry and 9.1 yards per catch over his first three seasons, with 22 TDs in 35 regular-season games. The Steelers have a good run-blocking offensive line, and QB Ben Roethlisberger and WR Antonio Brown prevent opponents from keying on the run. BUST: We’d like to assume that Bell will be back in top form after tearing the MCL and PCL in his right knee, but what if he’s not? Even if Bell is back to 100 percent, the Steelers might lessen his burden this season by giving more work to veteran backup DeAngelo Williams, who was terrific last season after Bell went down. BOTTOM LINE: Bell’s knee injury is a concern, but an uber-talented, multidimensional running back with a terrific supporting cast isn’t going to last very long in fantasy drafts. If Bell is on track to play in Week One, he’ll be a top-five overall pick. 2 TODD GURLEY | RAMS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’15 STL 13 12 | 229 1,106 4.8 | 10 5 | 21 188 0 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 278 1,306 4.7 | 12 7 | 24 215 1 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Gurley was named the NFL’s
offensive rookie of the year despite missing the Rams’ first three games while continuing to recover from a knee injury suffered in his final college season at Georgia. Starting with a 146-yard rushing day against the Cardinals in Week Four, Gurley strung together four consecutive 100-yard rushing games over a stretch that included individual runs of 52, 55,
Todd Gurley
48 and 71 yards. Gurley also had fivegame and three-game TD streaks as a rookie, along with a pair of two-TD games. Despite the soft start to his season, he finished fifth in RB fantasy scoring. Gurley was a collegiate superstar and aced the eye test in his first NFL season. BUST: The ongoing impotence of the Rams’ passing game is worrisome. There was a late-season stretch where Gurley averaged 42.8 rushing yards per game and 3.1 yards per carry because he seemed to be facing stacked boxes every time he took a handoff. Even though Los Angeles drafted QB Jared Goff with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, the passing game still isn’t scaring anyone. BOTTOM LINE: Coming off a wildly
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impressive rookie season, Gurley figures to be one of the first three running backs off the board, and he may well be a firstround fantasy pick for years to come.
3 DAVID JOHNSON | CARDINALS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’15 ARI 16 5 | 125 581 4.6 | 8 1 | 36 457 4 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 243 1,142 4.7 | 10 4 | 47 428 3 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: After serving a three-month rookie apprenticeship behind veterans Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington, Johnson took over as the Cardinals’ workhorse in December and was dynamite down the stretch, racking up 599 yards from scrimmage and five TDs
POSITION over a four-game stretch from Week 13 through Week 16, then producing 206 yards from scrimmage and a TD in Arizona’s two playoff games. Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians said earlier this year that Johnson has done enough to be considered a “bell cow,” and he was used that way in Arizona’s final six games (playoffs included), averaging 20 carries and five receptions. The 6-1, 221-pound Johnson is a terrific athlete with both the speed to turn the corner and the power to run effectively between the tackles. He’s also a terrific pass catcher who averaged 12.7 yards on 36 regular-season catches. Johnson plays in a talented, well-balanced offense and works behind an offensive line that has become one of the better run-blocking units in the league. BUST: Can Arians be trusted with regard to his RB usage? Two years ago he talked about giving Andre Ellington 25-30 carries a game, which turned out to be a gross overestimation. Last year, he kept David Johnson buried behind Chris Johnson and Ellington for the first 11 games of the season even though it seemed obvious that David Johnson was the best of the bunch. To Arians’ credit, he gave Johnson ample work late in the regular season and in the playoffs, but the continued presence of the other two RBs is mildly concerning. BOTTOM LINE: Johnson was a revelation late in his rookie season and enters his sophomore campaign as a topfive fantasy running back.
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games. If we’re picking nits, Peterson doesn’t offer much as a pass catcher. His modest total of 222 receiving yards in 2015 was actually a five-year high, and he’s had just five TD catches over his nine-year career. Oh, and there’s also that annoying little fumbling tendency Peterson has, which can hurt his fantasy teams in some leagues. Perhaps the most worrisome thing about Peterson from a fantasy perspective is that he’s 31, though he’s shown few if any signs of decline. BOTTOM LINE: Some fantasy owners make it a point to avoid RBs over 30. It’s not a bad rule of thumb, but Peterson warrants an exception. He remains one of the game’s finest running backs and a linchpin for fantasy teams.
5 DEVONTA FREEMAN | FALCONS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’14 ATL 16 0 | 65 248 3.8 | 1 0 | 30 225 1 ’15 ATL 15 13 | 265 1,056 4.0 | 11 4 | 73 578 3 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 265 1,054 4.0 | 9 4 | 67 522 3 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: Freeman’s breakout was perhaps the most pleasant surprise of
the 2015 fantasy season. He led all RBs in fantasy scoring and put owners on his back during a torrid early-season stretch in which he scored 10 TDs in five games. From Week Three to Week Eight, Freeman averaged 159.3 yards from scrimmage per game, with four 100-yard rushing days. After cooling off in November and early December, Freeman finished the season well, with 290 yards from scrimmage and two TDs in his last three games. BUST: After piling up impressive rushing totals in six consecutive games, Freeman hit a wall for a spell. He averaged 39.6 rushing yards per game and 3.0 yards per carry over a five-game span from Week Nine to Week 14 (though he left one of those games with a concussion after just three carries). Freeman’s backup, Tevin Coleman, is a talented second-year man who could make a push for playing time. BOTTOM LINE: Which is the real Freeman – the electrifying performer who was the toast of fantasy football during the first half of the season, or the more earthbound performer we saw during the second half? The guess is that he’ll settle
4 ADRIAN PETERSON | VIKINGS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
‘13 MIN 14 14 | 279 1,266 4.5 | 10 5 | 29 171 1 ’14 MIN 1 1 | 21 75 3.6 | 0 0 | 2 18 0 ’15 MIN 16 16 | 327 1,485 4.5 | 11 7 | 30 222 0 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 303 1,364 4.5 | 12 7 | 29 232 0 BYE: WEEK 6
BOOM: After missing nearly all of the 2014 season due to a suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, Peterson was back in customary form last year, leading the league in rushing yardage and tying for the lead in rushing TDs. Discounting 2014, Peterson has never failed to produce double-digit rushing TDs and has never finished worse than eighth in fantasy scoring among RBs. He averaged 92.8 rushing yards per game last season, only slightly off his career average of 97.3 per game. Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner has traditionally worked his lead backs hard, and the man nicknamed “All Day” has proven over the years that he can handle a heavy load. BUST: Peterson tapered off a bit down the stretch last year, rushing for fewer than 70 yards in five of his last seven
Adrian Peterson
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somewhere in between, which still makes him a top-10 running back.
6 JAMAAL CHARLES | CHIEFS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 KC 15 15 | 259 1,287 5.0 | 12 4 | 70 693 ’14 KC 15 15 | 206 1,033 5.0 | 9 1 | 40 291 ’15 KC 5 5 | 71 364 5.1 | 4 1 | 21 177 ’16 Proj: 14 14 | 228 1,140 5.0 | 8 5 | 56 460 BYE: WEEK 5
7 5 1 3
BOOM: Consistently productive when healthy, Charles was off to a strong start last year before tearing his right ACL in Week Five, averaging a touchdown per game and 108.2 yards from scrimmage. Since his second year in the league (2009), Charles has played 15 or more games five times, finishing top-eight in RB fantasy scoring in each of those seasons. Charles has a career average of 5.5 yards per carry, the highest mark among active running backs with at least 750 career attempts. He’s scored 62 TDs in 100 regular-season games. The Chiefs’ offensive line graded out as a top-five run-blocking unit last season, according to Football Outsiders, and Andy Reid typically keeps Charles extremely busy. BUST: Charles is now 29 and has torn the ACL in both knees. (He tore his left ACL in 2011.) Backups Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware combined for 1,000 rushing yards last year after Charles went down, and both signed contract extensions with the Chiefs in the offseason. BOTTOM LINE: The Chiefs’ doeverything running back should continue to be a top fantasy performer, but Charles’ injury history and advancing age ratchet up the risk factor.
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McFadden and Alfred Morris – and probably won’t give their prized rookie the same sort of punishing workload they gave DeMarco Murray two seasons ago. BOTTOM LINE: Elliott seems like a perfect fit for the Cowboys and has a good chance to be a major difference maker right away. But while a lot of people think Elliott will instantly be a top-five fantasy running back, we’re taking a slightly more cautious approach.
8 DOUG MARTIN | BUCCANEERS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 TB 6 6 | 127 456 3.6 | 1 1 | 12 66 0 ’14 TB 11 11 | 134 494 3.7 | 2 1 | 13 64 0 ’15 TB 16 16 | 288 1,402 4.9 | 6 4 | 33 271 1 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 266 1,170 4.4 | 7 5 | 28 233 1 BYE: WEEK 6
BOOM: Martin finished second in rushing last year behind Adrian Peterson, was third in RB fantasy scoring and
averaged a career-best 4.9 yards per carry. He has a key advocate in Dirk Koetter, who was the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator last season and has now taken over as head coach. Martin strung together three consecutive 100yard rushing games last October and had 235 rushing yards against the Eagles in November – the second 200-yard rushing game of his career. The Tampa Bay offense was much improved last season with Jameis Winston taking over at QB, and Martin will be the centerpiece of the Buccaneers’ running game. BUST: Martin missed 15 combined games in 2013 and 2014, and he wasn’t very good when he was on the field in those two seasons, averaging 3.6 yards per carry and 5.2 yards per catch. After scoring 12 TDs as a rookie, Martin has scored 10 TDs in 33 games over the last three years. Backup Charles Sims is a terrific pass catcher who figures to get a lot of third-down work and could steal
7 EZEKIEL ELLIOTT | COWBOYS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’16 Proj: 15 15 | 250 1,100 4.3 | 9 5 | 32 223 2 BYE: WEEK 7
BOOM: Widely considered the most talented and well-rounded running back in this year’s NFL Draft, Elliott wound up in a seemingly perfect landing spot in Dallas. The Cowboys have arguably the best offensive line in the league, a roadgrading unit known for creating wide rushing lanes. Elliot has the potential to be a three-down workhorse. A punishing runner with prototypical NFL size, Elliott also has good speed and can cut on a dime. He ran for more than 1,800 yards in each of his last two seasons at Ohio State, with 41 TD runs over those two years. BUST: Elliott logged more than 300 touches in each of his last two college seasons, and his physical style invites a lot of hard hits. The Cowboys have two capable veterans behind Elliott – Darren
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Doug Martin
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some early-down snaps. BOTTOM LINE: The Martin-Koetter marriage seems to be a harmonious one, and Martin’s fantasy outlook for 2016 is bright. He figures to be a solid RB1.
9 MARK INGRAM | SAINTS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 NO 11 3 | 78 386 4.9 | 1 1 | 7 68 0 ’14 NO 13 9 | 226 964 4.3 | 9 4 | 29 145 0 ’15 NO 12 10 | 166 769 4.6 | 6 1 | 50 405 0 ’16 Proj: 14 14 | 228 981 4.3 | 8 2 | 47 357 0 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: Ingram was on pace for a 1,000-yard rushing season in 2015 before a torn rotator cuff put him on the shelf after 12 games. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry last season and has averaged 4.5 yards per carry over the past three years. Perhaps the biggest selling point here is Ingram’s sudden emergence as a premier pass-catching RB. After averaging barely one reception per game over the first four years of his career, Ingram had 50 catches in an injury-shortened 2015, averaging an impressive 8.1 yards per catch. BUST: Injuries have been a hindrance throughout Ingram’s career. He’s missed 18 games in five years and has completed a full 16-game slate only once. Ingram has never produced 1,000 rushing yards or double-digit TDs in a single season. He’s averaged 0.42 TDs per game over his career and is still looking for his first TD catch as a pro. BOTTOM LINE: Ingram’s newfound versatility bodes well for his 2016 fantasy outlook, thrusting him into the upper echelon of running backs. If he can stay healthy all season, he’ll have an excellent chance to finish among the top 10 at the position. 10 LAMAR MILLER | TEXANS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 MIA 16 15 | 177 709 4.0 | 2 1 | 26 170 ’14 MIA 16 16 | 216 1,099 5.1 | 8 2 | 38 275 ’15 MIA 16 16 | 194 872 4.5 | 8 3 | 47 397 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 241 1,060 4.4 | 8 4 | 38 277 BYE: WEEK 8
0 1 2 0
BOOM: Free Lamar Miller! Fantasy owners who groused about the way Miller was used in Miami – or misused, they would contend – were no doubt pleased about his offseason move from the Dolphins to the Texans, for whom he’s expected to have a steadier diet of carries. Despite averaging 4.6 yards per carry during his four years in Miami and playing all 16 games in each of the past three seasons, Miller never averaged more than 13.5 carries per contest in any year. He averaged 12.2 carries over the
Mark Ingram
last three seasons and only twice had 20 or more carries in a single game. With his impressive speed, nifty moves and commendable pass-catching ability, Miller has the potential to be a top fantasy back if he gets a workload befitting his talents. BUST: Did the Dolphins know something the rest of us didn’t? Was there a valid reason they were reluctant to use Miller in bell-cow fashion? The Dolphins have made some curious decisions in recent years, but we can’t completely dismiss the possibility that there was reasonable cause (inadequate pass blocking, perhaps?) for keeping Miller on a tight leash. BOTTOM LINE: A change of scenery could do wonders for Miller’s fantasy value. If he can withstand the rigors of what figures to be a substantially larger workload, he has a chance to be a very valuable fantasy asset.
118.7 rushing yards, with three 100yard rushing games and a 209-yard day against the 49ers in Week 11. BUST: Rawls is slightly built at 5-9, 215 pounds, and his rookie season ended with an injury. Some fantasy owners may be wary of a running back who found plenty of trouble before transferring from the University of Michigan and going undrafted. The Seahawks drafted Notre Dame RB C.J. Prosise, who some consider one of the most talented backs from among the rookie class. BOTTOM LINE: One of the more intriguing RBs on the board, Rawls flashed big-time talent as a rookie and has a chance to seize a leading role for one of the NFL’s top teams. But the sample size is small, so there’s an inherent risk if you choose to invest.
12 LeSEAN McCOY | BILLS
11 THOMAS RAWLS | SEAHAWKS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’15 SEA 13 7 | 147 830 5.6 | 4 4 | 9 76 1 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 238 1,119 4.7 | 7 4 | 16 136 1 BYE: WEEK 5
’13 PHI 16 16 | 314 1,607 5.1 | 9 7 | 52 539 ’14 PHI 16 16 | 312 1,319 4.2 | 5 4 | 28 155 ’15 BUF 12 12 | 203 895 4.4 | 3 3 | 32 292 ’16 Proj: 14 14 | 238 1,023 4.3 | 5 4 | 30 207 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: With the mercurial Marshawn Lynch retiring at the end of last season, Rawls is expected to take over as Seattle’s No. 1 running back. The undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan turned in a scintillating rookie season before breaking his ankle in December. In the six regular-season games in which he had double-digit carries, Rawls averaged
BOOM: It was widely assumed that a move from Philadelphia to Buffalo would bode ill for McCoy’s fantasy prospects, but the veteran was productive when healthy during his first season with the Bills, averaging 12.2 fantasy points per game. McCoy had three 100-yard rushing games in 2015 and produced more than 100 yards from scrimmage on eight different
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
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RB occasions. He averaged 19.6 touches per game in Buffalo’s conservative offense, and the Bills figure to be run-oriented again this season since Tyrod Taylor isn’t an air-it-out type of quarterback. BUST: McCoy tore his MCL last December (though he’s expected to be ready for Week One) and also endured hamstring and shoulder injuries. He’ll be 28 by the time the season begins and has considerable mileage on his odometer, though he’s been relatively durable throughout his career. Backup Karlos Williams turned in an impressive rookie campaign for Buffalo last season, averaging 5.6 yards per carry, and could press for more work. McCoy has scored only 10 TDs in 28 games over the past two seasons. BOTTOM LINE: McCoy’s TD totals have been on the wane, but he’s still a dependable yardage producer, and he figures to have a prominent role in the Bills’ offense. He projects to be a low-end RB1.
13 EDDIE LACY | PACKERS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 GB 15 15 | 284 1,178 4.1 | 11 4 | 35 257 0 ’14 GB 16 16 | 246 1,139 4.6 | 9 3 | 42 427 4 ’15 GB 15 12 | 187 758 4.1 | 3 3 | 20 188 2 ’16 Proj: 15 14 | 233 1,002 4.3 | 9 4 | 31 271 2 BYE: WEEK 4
BOOM: Lacy was terrific in 2013 and 2014, finishing as the sixth-leading fantasy scorer among RBs in each of those seasons. Though his 2015 season was a disappointment, Lacy still had three 100-yard rushing games and averaged a respectable 4.1 yards per carry. Lacy let his weight get out of control last year, but he’s reportedly slimmed down and gotten himself in much better condition in the offseason. Although the Green Bay attack lost its way last season, the Packers figure to have one of the better offensive units in football this year. BUST: Weight might be an ongoing issue for Lacy, who had gotten just plain fat by the end of 2015. Even if he’s in shape for training camp, it’s possible that he could fall back into bad habits. When Lacy struggled last season, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy didn’t hesitate to slash his workload and give more snaps to James Starks. As one of the slower running backs in the league, Lacy doesn’t break many long runs, so he needs a steady dose of carries in order to produce for his fantasy owners. BOTTOM LINE: There are those who will be gun-shy after Lacy’s weightrelated woes in 2015, but there’s still a lot to like here. Actually, we’re hoping there’s a little less of Lacy to like this year,
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because in terms of his girth, less is more.
14 MATT FORTE | JETS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 CHI 16 16 | 289 1,339 4.6 | 9 5 | 74 594 3 ’14 CHI 16 16 | 266 1,038 3.9 | 6 3 | 102 808 4 ’15 CHI 13 13 | 218 898 4.1 | 4 1 | 44 389 3 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 240 960 4.0 | 5 3 | 41 336 2 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: After eight fruitful seasons with the Bears, Forte signed with the Jets in the offseason, and the size of his contract – $12 million over three years, with $8 million guaranteed – suggests that the Jets will use him in a lead role. Forte has been one of the more dependable workhorses in recent memory. He’s logged 2,522 regularseason touches for an average of 21.0 per game. He ranks 49th in all-time yards from scrimmage with 12,718, putting him just a few hundred yards behind the likes of Roger Craig and Herschel Walker. When Forte was out for three games with a knee injury last year, it was the first time he’d been sidelined since 2012. Over the past three seasons, Forte has scored 29 TDs in 45 games. BUST: Those 2,522 career touches attest to Forte’s durability, but it’s fair to wonder how well he’ll age as a runner in light of all that mileage. (Forte turns 30 in December.) Forte could lose some snaps to Bilal Powell, a fine pass blocker, on obvious passing downs. Forte has never been particularly effective at the goal line, and his TD total has declined for two straight seasons. BOTTOM LINE: Forte’s resume is rock-solid, but with all the tread on his tires, the bottom could drop out quickly. We’re not saying that you shouldn’t invest, but if you do, you might want to have an exit plan. 15 C.J. ANDERSON | BRONCOS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 DEN 5 0 | 7 38 5.4 | 0 0 | 0 0 0 ’14 DEN 15 7 | 179 849 4.7 | 8 2 | 34 324 2 ’15 DEN 15 6 | 152 720 4.7 | 5 2 | 25 183 0 ’16 Proj: 15 10 | 209 961 4.6 | 7 2 | 33 268 0 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: As the Broncos made their stretch drive toward an eventual championship, they ramped up their usage of Anderson, and he responded with some of his best performances of the season. Anderson scored four TDs and averaged 80.4 rushing yards and 5.2 yards per carry over Denver’s final five games, playoffs included, and the Broncos went 5-0 in those games. He was terrific down the stretch in 2014, too, averaging 104.0
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rushing yards per game and scoring nine TDs over Denver’s final seven games. The Broncos matched the Dolphins’ fouryear, $18 million offer to Anderson and are expected to roll him out as their lead runner this season. BUST: There also was a lot of positive fantasy buzz about Anderson at this time last year, but he completely belly-flopped out of the gate, producing fewer than 44 rushing yards in each of his first six games. The Broncos’ QB situation is unsettled following the retirement of Peyton Manning, which could have a residual effect on the Denver running game. Ronnie Hillman is still around, and the Broncos drafted Devontae Booker, an intriguing RB prospect out of Utah, so Denver could very easily take a full-on committee approach at running back yet again. BOTTOM LINE: Last season’s strong finish has rekindled optimism that Anderson can be a top-tier fantasy performer, but those who invested in him in 2015 were disappointed. A career average of 4.8 yards per carry speaks to Anderson’s talent. If there’s a discount to be had following last season’s letdown, take it.
16 DeMARCO MURRAY | TITANS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
‘13 DAL 14 14 | 217 1,121 5.2 | 9 3 | 53 350 ’14 DAL 16 16 | 392 1,845 4.7 | 13 12 | 57 416 ’15 PHI 15 8 | 193 702 3.6 | 6 1 | 44 322 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 232 975 4.2 | 6 3 | 47 329 BYE: WEEK 4
1 0 1 0
BOOM: Murray simply wasn’t a good fit for Chip Kelly’s offense last year in Philadelphia, but he figures to be more comfortable in Tennessee, where he fills a screaming need at the RB position for the Titans. And, obviously, no one has forgotten that magnificent 2014 season with the Cowboys in which Murray ran for 1,845 yards, totaled 2,261 yards from scrimmage and scored 13 TDs. Murray has averaged 4.6 yards per carry for his career, and if you discount his dismal season in Philadelphia, his career average climbs to 4.8 yards per carry. Murray is a capable pass catcher who’s averaged better than 50 receptions over the last three years. BUST: Murray wasn’t able to get comfortable in Philadelphia, and now he has to adjust to another new system in Tennessee. Was Murray simply a poor system fit last year, or was he out of gas after logging 497 touches for the Cowboys (playoffs included) two seasons ago – and might he be out of gas for good? He’ll also have to share the load with second-round rookie Derrick Henry. BOTTOM LINE: Murray was flat-out dominant in 2014, but he was playing
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say, a torn patellar tendon can be, it isn’t exactly reassuring to have a powerfully built runner sustain a significant foot injury so early in his career. Hyde isn’t much of a pass catcher, with 23 receptions in 21 professional games. And then, of course, there’s the matter of Hyde’s weak supporting cast. The third-year runner could be facing a lot of eight-man fronts this year. BOTTOM LINE: Hyde is a solid RB1 on talent alone, and we’re intrigued by what he might be able to do in Chip Kelly’s offense. But be cautious: Hyde’s limitations in the passing game give him a lower ceiling than some of the other top RB prospects, and last season’s foot injury gives us pause.
18 JEREMY HILL | BENGALS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’14 CIN 16 8 | 222 1,124 5.1 | 9 5 | 27 215 0 ’15 CIN 16 15 | 223 794 3.6 | 11 0 | 15 79 1 ’16 Proj: 16 14 | 221 840 3.8 | 9 2 | 22 152 0 BYE: WEEK 9
C.J. Anderson
with an elite offensive line and was seemingly a perfect fit for the Cowboys’ offense. If he’s more comfortable in Tennessee than he was in Philadelphia, Murray could again be a premier fantasy back, but the range of potential outcomes here is wide
17 CARLOS HYDE | 49ERS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’14 SF 14 0 | 83 333 4.0 | 4 0 | 12 68 0 ’15 SF 7 7 | 115 470 4.1 | 3 1 | 11 53 0 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 248 1,067 4.3 | 6 4 | 15 88 0 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: The long-awaited Carlos Hyde breakout could be upon us. It appeared that it was going to happen last year, but a foot injury ended Hyde’s season after just seven games. Hyde rocked the Vikings for
168 rushing yards and two TDs on opening night, but he was concussed the following week, suffered a thigh injury soon after, and then incurred the foot injury, which he tried to play through before being shelved. In other words, Hyde wasn’t healthy after Week One, and it didn’t help that opponents were stacking the box against the Niners because they had no fear of the San Francisco passing game. New 49ers head coach Chip Kelly runs a fast-paced offense, and Hyde has reportedly dropped weight to prepare for a heavy workload. He should fit well into Kelly’s zone-blocking run scheme. BUST: How comfortable would you be drafting a projected high-usage running back who’s coming off foot surgery? Although Hyde’s stress fracture isn’t the sort of career-threatening injury that,
BOOM Hill’s 2015 yardage total wasn’t what his fantasy owners had hoped for, yet he hit pay dirt 12 times and has now banged in 21 TDs over his first two NFL seasons. Hill had four multiple-TD games last year, including a three-TD day against the Chiefs in Week Four. After averaging 12.4 carries over the first 10 games of the season and producing no more than 63 rushing yards in any game during that stretch, Hill averaged 16.5 carries in Cincinnati’s last six regular-season games and ran for 86 or more yards in three of them. BUST: Hill’s yardage per carry plum meted by 1.5 yards from his rookie season to his sophomore campaign. He averaged 2.3 yards after contact in 2014 but only 1.5 yards after contact last year. Hill is basically a nonfactor in the passing game. He’s also a bit butterfingered. Hill lost three fumbles in the 2015 regular season, then coughed up a costly late fumble in the Bengals’ playoff loss to the Steelers. BOTTOM LINE: Hill has established himself as a prolific TD scorer, which gives him RB2 value, but there might not be as much yardage upside as we thought there was after his strong rookie season. 19 DION LEWIS | PATRIOTS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’15 NE 7 6 | 49 234 4.8 | 2 0 | 36 388 2 ’16 Proj: 13 8 | 99 475 4.8 | 3 0 | 71 677 4 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: The electrifying Lewis was a revelation for the Patriots and one of the biggest surprises of 2015 before tearing his ACL in early November. A marvelous fit for New England’s short passing
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RB game, Lewis averaged 88.9 yards from scrimmage and scored four TDs in seven games. Lewis is still only 25, and he signed a two-year contract extension with the Patriots last October. Although the Patriots can be expected to use some sort of unpredictable RB rotation this season, as is their wont, it is a fairly safe bet that a healthy Lewis will have a key role. BUST: Quickness and the ability to stop and cut on a dime are what made Lewis special last year, and a major knee injury is worrisome for a player who depends so heavily on acceleration and change of direction. Lewis is only 5-9, 195 pounds, so it’s fair to worry about his durability. He’ll never be a heavy-duty runner – only once did Lewis have more than eight carries in a single game last season. And as fantasy owners know, Bill Belichick’s inscrutable usage of his running backs can be frustrating to anyone with a stake in the Patriots’ backfield. BOTTOM LINE: Lewis was a surprisingly useful fantasy asset over the first half of the 2015 season, and it’s reasonable to expect more of the same this year, though fantasy owners should factor in the injury risk.
20 JEREMY LANGFORD | BEARS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’15 CHI 16 2 | 148 537 3.6 | 6 0 | 22 279 1 ’16 Proj: 16 13 | 211 823 3.8 | 7 2 | 24 200 0 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Seemingly satisfied with the performance of Langford last season, the Bears let longtime workhorse Matt Forte walk in free agency. Langford figures to enter training camp atop the RB depth chart for Chicago. When Forte missed three games with a knee injury last year, Langford averaged 21.3 touches per game and 122 yards from scrimmage over that stretch, scoring four TDs. Langford had 20 catches over the Bears’ last nine games, including a 7-109-1 receiving day against the Rams. Bears head coach John Fox and GM Ryan Pace have talked up Langford in the offseason, suggesting that he’s going to get a lot of work this year. Langford was the fastest running back at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine with a 40 time of 4.43 seconds. BUST: As good as Langford looked while Forte was out last season, the former Michigan State star still averaged a mere 3.6 yards per carry as a rookie. And while Langford figures to play a prominent role this season, rookie Jordan Howard and third-year man Ka’Deem Carey could push for snaps. BOTTOM LINE: Websites that track average draft position indicated that
POSITION
REPORTS
Langford was being selected as a top-15 running back in the offseason. That seems a tad high for a youngster with a scant track record. Keep him on your radar but don’t go overboard.
21 JONATHAN STEWART | PANTHERS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 CAR 6 1 | 48 180 3.8 | 0 0 | 7 44 0 ’14 CAR 13 8 | 175 809 4.6 | 3 2 | 25 181 1 ’15 CAR 13 13 | 242 989 4.1 | 6 2 | 16 99 1 ’16 Proj: 14 14 | 231 946 4.1 | 5 4 | 20 152 1 BYE: WEEK 7
BOOM: J-Stew has finished as a top-25 fantasy running back in each of the past two seasons and has a relatively high degree of job security as the Panthers’ lead back. With longtime platoon partner DeAngelo Williams having left Carolina for Pittsburgh, Stewart logged a career-high 242 carries last season, averaging 18.6 carries per start. Stewart has collected 2,078 yards from scrimmage over the past two years. BUST: Durability has been an issue for Stewart throughout his career. He missed three games in each of the past two seasons and has been on the shelf for 23 games over the last four years. After averaging 4.8 yards per carry over his first four seasons, Stewart has averaged 4.1 yards per carry over the last four. He hasn’t had a 1,000-yard rushing season since 2009, and he doesn’t offer much help as a pass catcher. BOTTOM LINE: Stewart provides steady if unspectacular numbers when healthy, and a safe role makes him a fairly sound fantasy option. 22 LATAVIUS MURRAY | RAIDERS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’14 OAK 15 3 | 82 424 5.2 | 2 1 | 17 143 0 ’15 OAK 16 16 | 266 1,066 4.0 | 6 2 | 41 232 0 ’16 Proj: 15 13 | 214 877 4.1 | 5 2 | 31 206 0 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: In his first season as the Raiders’ No. 1 running back, Murray finished sixth in the league in rushing and was 10th in fantasy scoring among running backs. He had nine runs of more than 20 yards, tying for fourth in that category. Murray has blazing speed and is a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball. Although Murray is apt to have more competition for carries this year, he still figures to play a significant role for Oakland. BUST: After getting off to a good start last season, Murray faded badly down the stretch, averaging 3.2 yards per carry over his last seven games. The flaccid finish seemed to erode the Raiders’ confidence
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in Murray, and rookie DeAndre Washington could cut into his workload. Murray has great long speed but has yet to prove that he can gain consistent yardage between the tackles. Although Murray contributed 41 receptions last season, he averaged only 5.7 yards per catch and didn’t have a TD reception. BOTTOM LINE: Murray’s 2015 season was a mixed bag, and after stumbling down the stretch, he probably isn’t going to enter the 2016 season with a featured role. But Murray is an explosive young runner who could still provide fantasy help even if stuck in a committee.
23 RYAN MATHEWS | EAGLES
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 SD 16 14 | 285 1,255 4.4 | 6 6 | 26 189 1 ’14 SD 6 6 | 74 330 4.5 | 3 1 | 9 69 0 ’15 PHI 13 6 | 106 539 5.1 | 6 1 | 20 146 x ’16 Proj: 14 14 | 189 851 4.5 | 6 3 | 22 167 0 BYE: WEEK 4
BOOM: With DeMarco Murray having left the Eagles for the Titans, Mathews has a chance to be Philadelphia’s No. 1 running back. The six-year veteran averaged a career-high 5.1 yards per carry last year despite playing through a groin injury that required offseason surgery. Mathews has a career average of 4.5 yards per carry and has averaged at least 4.3 yards per carry in all but one season. He ran for six TDs last year on only 106 carries. Mathews is a capable if slightly sporadic contributor in the passing game. BUST: Mathews has a reputation of being brittle. He’s missed 23 games in six seasons and has played a full 16game slate only once. Mathews settled into a part-time role last season, and the Eagles seemed reluctant to increase his usage even when Murray was struggling. Chances are Mathews will be a contributor to a rotation rather than a lead back. BOTTOM LINE: Mathews has been productive when healthy for most of his career, but injuries have been frequent, and his role is unsettled. He profiles as an RB3 with upside. 24 JAY AJAYI | DOLPHINS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’15 MIA 9 0 | 49 187 3.8 | 1 0 | 1 15 0 ’16 Proj: 15 14 | 237 924 3.9 | 6 2 | 23 208 1 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Lamar Miller’s departure opens up a major opportunity for second-year man Ajayi. The former Boise State star performed capably in a backup role last season and figures to be in line for a much more substantial workload this season. Ajayi is a versatile performer who was the only FBS college player to ever produce
POSITION 1,800 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in a single season. The arrival of offensive guru Adam Gase as Miami’s new head coach could be a boon to Ajayi’s fantasy value. BUST: Ajayi was very lightly used as a rookie, so there isn’t much to go on here. The Dolphins made Miller an offer to stay before he opted to sign with Houston, and they also made an offer to C.J. Anderson, so it doesn’t appear that they’re entirely comfortable plugging Ajayi into a featured role. Ajayi tore his ACL in 2011, and a number of teams reportedly had concerns about his knee going into the 2015 draft. BOTTOM LINE: An intriguing yet somewhat mysterious fantasy prospect, Ajayi should play a larger role for Miami this season and might have the talent and versatility to shine. But with his minimal NFL track record, spending anything more than a late-round pick on Ajayi will require a leap of faith
25 T.J. YELDON | JAGUARS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’15 JAX 12 12 | 182 740 4.1 | 2 1 | 36 279 1 ’16 Proj: 14 13 | 188 790 4.2 | 4 2 | 40 311 1 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: The former University of Alabama star quickly became a depend able workhorse for the Jaguars, playing 77 percent of the snaps in his 12 games and averaging 18.2 touches per contest. He was a true three-down back, contributing 36 receptions in the passing game. Yeldon averaged 84.9 yards from scrimmage and churned out at least 60 yards from scrimmage in all but one game. The Jaguars’ offseason addition of Chris Ivory is perceived as a blow to Yeldon’s fantasy value, but a lower usage rate could help keep Yeldon healthy and fresh. BUST: The signing of Ivory was depressing news for Yeldon enthusiasts. Ivory is a very capable runner who figures to put a significant dent in Yeldon’s workload and might also take away goal-line carries. And speaking of goalline carries, Yeldon owners were upset that their young RB didn’t get enough of them last year. The Jaguars occasionally (and inexplicably) brought in either Toby Gerhart or Denard Robinson for goal-line work last season, and often they simply threw in those situations instead of running the ball. Yeldon missed four games with groin and knee injuries last year. BOTTOM LINE: Yeldon demonstrated as a rookie that he’s capable of being a productive NFL running back for years to come. The lack of TDs is a concern, and the addition of Ivory deals a blow to Yeldon’s fantasy value. Still, we’re inclined
to bet on Yeldon’s talent and trust that he’ll earn a suitable amount of work.
26 FRANK GORE | COLTS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 SF 16 16 | 276 1,128 4.1 | 9 3 | 16 141 0 ’14 SF 16 16 | 255 1,106 4.3 | 4 4 | 11 111 1 ’15 IND 16 16 | 260 967 3.7 | 6 0 | 34 267 1 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 242 871 3.6 | 5 2 | 30 228 0 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Despite his advancing age and a litany of minor injuries, Gore didn’t miss a game last season and had his highest touch total (294) since 2011. Despite working with a bad offensive line and spending most of the year without Andrew Luck at quarterback, Gore managed to churn out 1,234 yards from scrimmage and seven TDs. The 49ers had neglected to use Gore in the passing game in recent years, but in his first season with the Colts he had 34 receptions, his highest total since 2011. Luck’s return should brighten Gore’s outlook, and the Indy offensive line probably can’t be any worse than it was last year. BUST: Entering 2015, Gore had run for more than 1,000 yards in eight of his past nine seasons, but he missed the 1,000yard mark last season despite playing all 16 games. Gore averaged a career-worst 3.7 yards per carry and didn’t have a 100yard rushing day all season. Gore is 33, and the track record of 33-year-old NFL running backs is less than stellar. BOTTOM LINE: Gore’s grit is admirable, but we’re not inclined to place any significant wagers on a 33-year-old running back, even if he’s the lead runner in what could a pretty good offense. 27 GIOVANI BERNARD | BENGALS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
‘13 CIN 16 ’14 CIN 13 ’15 CIN 16 ’16 Proj: 16
RB
REPORTS
0 | 170 695 4.1 | 5 0 | 56 514 9 | 168 680 4.0 | 5 1 | 43 349 1 | 154 730 4.7 | 2 1 | 49 472 2 | 150 630 4.2 | 3 1 | 50 450 BYE: WEEK 9
3 2 0 2
BOOM: Bernard amassed 1,202 yards from scrimmage last season and has produced more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage in each of his first three seasons as a pro. His 730 rushing yards in 2015 were a career high, as was his average of 4.7 yards per carry. Bernard has averaged 49.3 catches per season and has an impressive career average of 9.0 yards per catch. He’s missed only three games and has fumbled only once in three years. BUST: Bernard’s numbers fell off late last season. After averaging 87.1 yards from scrimmage over Cincinnati’s first
11 games, he averaged 48.8 yards from scrimmage in the last five. Bernard is stuck in a time-share with Jeremy Hill, and Hill is certain to be the one getting goalline carries. Bernard scored a career-low two TDs last year after averaging 7.5 TDs in his first two seasons. BOTTOM LINE: You pretty much know what you’re getting with Bernard: around 12-15 touches a game, solid yardage numbers and relatively few TDs.
28 MELVIN GORDON | CHARGERS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’15 SD 14 12 | 184 641 3.5 | 0 0 | 1 6 0 ’16 Proj: 15 12 | 199 776 3.9 | 5 2 | 31 193 0 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: It isn’t easy to put a positive spin on Gordon’s underwhelming rookie campaign, but let’s give it a shot. The Chargers remained committed to Gordon despite his struggles, giving him doubledigit carries in 14 of his 16 games. San Diego’s offensive line ranked 31st in run blocking last year, according to Football Outsiders’ metrics, and should be at least marginally better this year, if only by virtue of improved health. Gordon has an elite college pedigree: He ran for 4,196 yards and 41 TDs in his final two seasons at the University of Wisconsin. BUST: Gordon failed to score a single TD in his first NFL season despite getting 217 touches. He had serious ball-security issues, coughing up six fumbles and losing four of them. And for all the lengthy runs he had in college, his longest run as a rookie covered only 27 yards. If San Diego’s firstround pick from 2015 doesn’t ramp up his production in a hurry, he could lose snaps to Danny Woodhead and others. BOTTOM LINE: If you like to invest in depressed assets, Gordon is your man. His value has tumbled after a miserable rookie season, but there are still glimmers of hope. The range of possible outcomes is wide: Gordon could potentially provide a big return on investment, but he could also fail to return fair value on even a lateround draft pick. 29 MATT JONES | WASHINGTON
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’15 WAS 13 0 | 144 490 3.4 | 3 1 | 19 304 1 ’16 Proj: 14 13 | 210 777 3.8 | 5 3 | 21 185 0 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Jones had a couple of phenomenal games last season, gashing the Rams for 123 rushing yards and two TDs in Week Two, and dropping 187 yards from scrimmage on the Saints in Week 10, highlighted by a 78-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown. At 6-1 and 231 pounds, Jones is an imposing physical specimen who
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RB runs with power and has the potential to be an effective goal-line runner. Now that Alfred Morris has left for Dallas, Jones is expected to get the first crack at being Washington’s primary ballcarrier. BUST: Although he had some great games last year, Jones also had a bunch of lousy ones. He had fewer than 50 rushing yards in 10 of his 13 games, and after his two TD runs against St. Louis in Week Two, he had only one more TD run the rest of the way. Jones’ physical style invites punishment from defenders, and he missed three games last season with hip and tow injuries. Jones coughed up five fumbles last season, losing four of them. BOTTOM LINE: The rugged Jones is an interesting speculative play who had moments of brilliance last season and is in line for an expanded role with Washington. But Jones’ lack of consistency as a rookie is a big red flag, and it’s probably wise to exercise some caution with a young
POSITION
REPORTS
runner who averaged just 3.4 yards per carry last season.
30 DANNY WOODHEAD | CHARGERS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 SD 16 ’14 SD 3 ’15 SD 16 ’16 Proj: 15
2 | 106 429 4.0 | 2 0 | 76 605 6 0 | 15 38 2.5 | 0 0 | 5 34 0 2 | 98 336 3.4 | 3 0 | 80 755 6 4 | 87 304 3.5 | 1 0 | 75 656 4 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: The perennially underrated Woodhead usually manages to make the most of a limited role, and last year was no exception. His 1,091 yards from scrimmage and nine TDs in 2015 were career highs, as were his 80 receptions and 755 receiving yards. Woodhead tied Theo Riddick for first in RB receptions and led all RBs in receiving yardage. Woodhead’s role as the Chargers’ passing-down back is assured, and he could pick up some additional carries if Melvin Gordon is unable to
improve upon a dismal rookie season. BUST: Central casting has Woodhead pegged as a supporting actor, not a leading man. He’s never had more than 106 carries in a single season, and considering that Woodhead has averaged 3.3 yards per carry over the past two seasons, it’s hard to make the case that he deserves a bigger role in the running game. Woodhead stands only 5-8, 200 pounds, and he’s 31 years old. BOTTOM LINE: Woodhead plays a very specific role, and he plays it well. You know what you’re getting when you draft him: a fairly low ceiling but a high, rocksolid floor.
31 AMEER ABDULLAH | LIONS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’15 DET 16 9 | 143 597 4.2 | 2 0 | 25 183 1 ’16 Proj: 16 15 | 177 761 4.3 | 4 2 | 24 185 0 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: Abdullah led the Lions in rushing as a rookie, and his average of 4.2 yards per carry was more than a half-yard better than any other Detroit running backs. Abdullah was wildly productive during his college career at the University of Nebraska and could conceivably shine if he can escape committee duty and play a featured role. The Lions’ offense improved dramatically late last year when Jim Bob Cooter took over as offensive coordinator, and Abdullah could benefit from having Cooter calling the plays for a full season. BUST: Abdullah performed erratically throughout his rookie season, especially early on, and he scored only one TD in Detroit’s final 13 games. He stands only 5-8, 203 pounds, and as conservatively as the Lions used him last year, it’s fair to wonder whether they think he can withstand the punishment inherent to a featured role. Abdullah has a reputation of being a fumbler and he put the ball on the ground four times as a rookie. BOTTOM LINE: After a rookie season that raised more questions than it answered, Abdullah might start to slip in this year’s fantasy drafts, and owners might be able to get a deal on a young runner with compelling upside. 32 DERRICK HENRY | TITANS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’16 Proj: 16 1 | 133 572 4.3 | 8 1 | 11 85 0 BYE: WEEK 13
Ameer Abdullah
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BOOM: The 6-3, 247-pound Henry is a remarkable physical specimen who runs like a freight train and has shown that he can handle an enormous workload. Henry had a whopping 395 carries in his
POSITION final season at Alabama, rushing for 2,219 yards and 28 TDs. His extraordinary size and power make it likely that he’ll be used as a goal-line runner right from the start. The drafting of Henry in the second round and road-grading OT Jack Conklin in the first round make it clear that the Titans want to run the ball down opponents’ throats. BUST: With DeMarco Murray slated to get a huge dose of carries for the Titans, this was hardly an ideal landing spot for Henry. And will Henry be able to withstand the rigors of a 16-game NFL schedule after shouldering such an absurdly large workload for the Crimson Tide last year? Henry had only 17 receptions in three years at Alabama and doesn’t figure to offer much as a pass catcher. BOTTOM LINE: Yes, most NFL teams take a committee approach at running back these days, but still, it would have been nice to see a rookie runner as promising as Henry end up with a team that didn’t already have a heavy-duty running back. Henry’s value may be limited early on as he serves in a complementary role, but if he’s able to gain a bigger share of the carries, look out.
33 CHRIS IVORY | JAGUARS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 NYJ 15 6 | 182 833 4.6 | 3 3 | 2 10 0 ’14 NYJ 16 10 | 198 821 4.1 | 6 2 | 18 123 1 ’15 NYJ 15 14 | 247 1,070 4.3 | 7 3 | 30 217 1 ’16 Proj: 14 1 | 134 576 4.3 | 7 1 | 24 169 0 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: Ivory is coming off the best season of his six-year career, having established career highs in rushing yardage, receiving yardage and touchdowns. The rugged Ivory has a career average of 4.6 yards per carry and hasn’t averaged fewer than 4.1 yards per carry in any season. Not much of a receiving threat in the past, Ivory had a career-high 30 receptions last year, which was more than he had in his five previous seasons combined. Ivory is tentatively expected to handle goal-line carries for the Jaguars in 2016. BUST: Jacksonville doesn’t seem like the best landing spot for Ivory, since the Jaguars used T.J. Yeldon in a featured role last season and were quite happy with what they got from him. Ivory carried the ball 20 or more times on six different occasions last season, but it’s hard to envision him getting that many carries in any game this year as long as Yeldon is healthy. BOTTOM LINE: The offseason move from the Jets to the Jaguars delivers a blow to Ivory’s fantasy value. Had he gone to a more RB-needy team, he might
RB
REPORTS
have been a top-20 fantasy running back. In light of the awkward time-share arrangement with Yeldon, Ivory looks to be RB3 material.
34 DUKE JOHNSON | BROWNS
an increased rushing load. BOTTOM LINE: An exciting, versatile talent, Sims is limited only by his role. Even with a restricted diet of carries, he’s a solid RB3.
36 ISAIAH CROWELL | BROWNS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’15 CLE 16 7 | 104 379 3.6 | 0 0 | 61 534 2 ’16 Proj: 16 6 | 121 436 3.6 | 1 0 | 70 574 3 BYE: WEEK 13
BOOM: As a rookie, Johnson finished fourth among NFL running backs in receptions and fifth in receiving yardage while hauling in an impressive 82.4 percent of his targets. Former Browns head coach Mike Pettine and his staff didn’t use Johnson much on early downs, and it’s possible that new head coach Hue Jackson will give Johnson more carries. Jackson has long been noted for his dedication to the running game, and Johnson and Crowell could form a diverse one-two punch. BUST: Johnson showed us little as a runner last season, rushing for more than 46 yards in a game on only one occasion and failing to record a TD run. Crowell has showed more as a ballcarrier and might continue to get the bulk of the rushing load for the Browns. A weak supporting cast could limit Johnson’s upside. BOTTOM LINE: At worst, Johnson should be a productive third-down back, but there’s potential for more, depending on how Hue Jackson elects to use the shifty second-year back. We’re intrigued. 35 CHARLES SIMS | BUCCANEERS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’14 TB 8 0 | 66 185 2.8 | 1 0 | 19 190 0 ’15 TB 16 0 | 107 529 4.9 | 0 0 | 51 561 4 ’16 Proj: 15 1 | 101 475 4.7 | 1 0 | 52 525 3 BYE: WEEK 6
BOOM: Sims may be No. 2 on the depth
chart, but he’s a valuable contributor. Even with Doug Martin enjoying a superb 2015 season, Sims was still able to rack up 1,090 yards from scrimmage, thanks to a robust average of 6.9 yards per touch. The elusive Sims is a terrific pass catcher who hauled in 72.8 percent of his targets. He finished seventh among running backs in receptions and fourth in receiving yardage. Even though Martin will be the Buccaneers’ primary ballcarrier, Sims will get a ton of work on passing downs, and he’d get a tremendous spike in value if anything happened to Martin. BUST: As long as Martin is in the picture, Sims won’t get enough carries to be in the RB1 conversation. Sims doesn’t fit the profile of a classic feature back, and we don’t know how well the 6-0, 211-pound Sims would be able to handle
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’14 CLE 16 4 | 148 607 4.1 | 8 0 | 9 87 0 ’15 CLE 16 9 | 185 706 3.8 | 4 1 | 19 182 1 ’16 Proj: 16 10 | 171 684 4.0 | 6 1 | 15 126 0 BYE: WEEK 13
BOOM: Crowell made a late charge down the backstretch, averaging 5.2 yards per carry and scoring three TDs over his last five games. He rocked the 49ers for 145 rushing yards and two TDs in Week 14. Crowell has scored 13 TDs in his first two seasons — impressive scoring production when you consider that he plays for the Browns. The arrival of run-minded offensive wizard Hue Jackson could bode well for the Cleveland rushing attack. The rugged Crowell hasn’t missed a game in his first two seasons. BUST: Crowell’s production has been erratic. He’s destined to share work with Duke Johnson, who has a higher draft pedigree and may have the higher ceiling. Crowell has averaged fewer than one reception per game over the last two years. Perhaps the biggest blemish on Crowell’s fantasy outlook is a supporting cast that figures to rate somewhere from abysmal to below average. BOTTOM LINE: The 23-year-old Crowell has flashed impressive potential, and Hue Jackson’s arrival could provide a bump in value, but Cleveland’s lack of offensive talent and the presence of Duke Johnson could keep a lid on Crowell’s fantasy value. 37 RASHAD JENNINGS | GIANTS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 OAK 15 8 | 163 733 4.5 | 6 2 | 36 292 0 ’14 NYG 11 9 | 167 639 3.8 | 4 1 | 30 226 0 ’15 NYG 16 16 | 195 863 4.4 | 3 2 | 29 296 1 ’16 Proj: 14 12 | 151 619 4.1 | 4 1 | 26 208 0 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: After spending most of the 2015 season stuck in an unwieldy multiple-RB time-share, Jennings was given a larger dose of work late in the year and responded by rushing for 432 yards and two TDs in the team’s last four games. Despite being on the wrong side of 30, Jennings held up well, playing all 16 games and finishing with a career-high 195 carries. He averaged a career-best 10.2 yards per catch and had his first TD reception as a pro. Although Jennings is 31, he entered the league at age 24
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RB and doesn’t have a ton of mileage on his odometer – he’s had only 749 career carries. BUST: It isn’t clear whether the Giants are going to make Jennings their lead back, and even if they do, Shane Vereen is still going to replace Jennings on obvious passing downs. Jennings never has been much of a TD scorer, with 20 touchdowns in 80 career games. BOTTOM LINE: Jennings could enter the season as the Giants’ No. 1 running back, but it’s a good bet that other backfield members will make significant contributions. Jennings would make a fine RB3, and he might even offer RB2 production if the Giants give him the sort of workload that he handled late last year.
38 JUSTIN FORSETT | RAVENS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
‘13 JAX 9 0 | 6 31 5.2 | 0 0 | 15 82 0 ’14 BAL 16 14 | 235 1,266 5.4 | 8 5 | 44 263 0 ’15 BAL 10 10 | 151 641 4.2 | 2 2 | 31 153 0 ’16 Proj: 14 9 | 131 616 4.7 | 3 1 | 30 174 0 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Forsett produced 1,529 yards from scrimmage in 2014, and he was on pace for 1,270 yards from scrimmage last season before breaking his arm in Week 11. He has a career rushing average of 4.9 yards per carry, and he’s useful in the passing game, with 75 receptions over the past two seasons. The sure-handed Forsett has fumbled only five times in his career and hasn’t lost a fumble since his rookie season. BUST: Baltimore is likely to take a committee approach at running back, with Forsett sharing time with the younger and bigger Javorius “Buck” Allen and rookie Kenneth Dixon. Forsett’s average of 4.2 yards per carry last season was his lowest since 2011, and he had a laughably low average of 4.9 yards per catch. After scoring eight TDs in 2014, Forsett scored only twice last year on 182 total touches. Forsett turns 31 in October. BOTTOM LINE: Forsett’s 2014 season was an unexpected surprise, but his 2015 campaign was far less fruitful. He’s still capable of making a worthwhile contribution in a part-time role, but the upside isn’t what we thought it was a year ago. 39 KARLOS WILLIAMS | BILLS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’15 BUF 11 3 | 93 517 5.6 | 7 2 | 11 96 2 ’16 Proj: 14 1 | 111 543 4.9 | 7 1 | 12 91 0 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: A fifth-round draft pick out of Florida State, Williams turned in a highly impressive rookie season in a backup
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role. He became only the second player in NFL history to score a touchdown in his first six NFL games, joining former Patriots running back Robert Edwards in that exclusive club. Williams also scored a touchdown in each of his last two games, and for the season he scored a TD on 8.7 percent of his touches. He had two 110yard rushing days (both of them against Miami). Williams once again projects to be a backup, but he’s backing up a highmileage runner, LeSean McCoy, who’s about to reach 2,000 career touches and who tore his MCL last December. BUST: Williams dealt with multiple injuries last year. A concussion and, later, a shoulder problem caused him to miss five games, and he also left the final game of the Bills’ season with a minor knee injury. Williams wasn’t very involved as a receiver, catching 11 passes in 11 games. BOTTOM LINE: An essential handcuff for LeSean McCoy owners, Williams showed exciting potential as a rookie and could become a major fantasy asset if he were to inherit a larger supply of carries.
40 JAVORIUS ‘BUCK’ ALLEN | RAVENS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’14 KC 12 3 | 14 113 8.1 | 1 0 | 23 156 0 ’15 BAL 16 6 | 137 514 3.8 | 1 0 | 45 353 2 ’16 Proj: 16 4 | 96 365 3.8 | 1 0 | 48 379 3 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: After a solid rookie season in which he showed off his impressive passcatching ability and also demonstrated competence as a runner, Allen is expected to compete with Justin Forsett for a starting gig, and even if Allen doesn’t win that competition, he’s still likely to get ample playing time. From Week 11 through Week 17, with Forsett sidelined by a broken wrist, Allen ranked sixth among running backs in standard scoring, third in PPR scoring. He had 37 catches over that seven-game stretch, including a 12-catch game against Miami in which Allen totaled 170 yards from scrimmage. BUST: Forsett obviously has more experience than Allen and probably brings more to the table as a runner. Also competing for work will be promising rookie Kenneth Dixon. With only one rushing touchdown and an average of 3.8 yards per carry, Allen still has to prove that he can be effective as a ballcarrier and not just as a pass catcher. Lorenzo Taliaferro and perhaps others could also push for time in the Baltimore backfield. BOTTOM LINE: A terrific pass catcher, Allen will provide PPR value even if he doesn’t win the starter’s job coming out of training camp. If he’s giving a suitable snap count, Allen might even have RB1
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upside in PPR leagues and RB2 potential in standard leagues.
41 ARIAN FOSTER | FREE AGENT
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 HOU 8 8 | 121 542 4.5 | 1 2 | 22 183 ’14 HOU 13 13 | 260 1,246 4.8 | 8 7 | 38 327 ’15 HOU 4 4 | 63 163 2.6 | 1 0 | 22 227 ’16 Proj: 9 6 | 95 390 4.1 | 3 1 | 27 243 BYE: WEEK X
2 5 2 1
BOOM: Foster remained a free agent as this magazine went to press, but he reportedly has no intention of retiring. The positive spin on Foster’s free-agent status is that if someone signs him, it will almost assuredly be a team that needs RB help. Foster has been wildly productive when healthy, averaging 115 yards from scrimmage over his seven NFL seasons, with 68 TDs in 76 career regular-season games. BUST: Long considered a major injury risk, Foster tore his Achilles last October. He’s missed 36 games over the course of his career and hasn’t played a full 16game season since 2012. Foster sustained a major groin injury in training camp last year, and though he was able to return in Week Four, he was averaging just 2.6 yards per carry for the Texans when he blew out his Achilles. Foster will be 30 when the new season begins. BOTTOM LINE: As terrific as Foster has been throughout his career, he’ll undoubtedly draw fantasy interest if he signs with a new team. The injury risk is enormous, and the potential rewards might not be what they used to be, but it’s certainly worth keeping tabs on such an accomplished player. 42 PAUL PERKINS | GIANTS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’16 Proj: 16 4 | 108 497 4.6 | 4 0 | 25 192 1 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Perkins may well have the best array of moves of any running back in this year’s rookie class. He’s a creative slasher with good vision and the sort of jump-cutting ability that can make would-be tacklers look silly. He had 24 or more receptions in all three of his college seasons at UCLA. He joins a Giants backfield that has an abundance of bodies but no true standouts, so Perkins has a good chance to carve out a meaningful role right away. BUST: The slightly built Perkins stands only 5-10, 208 pounds, and might not have the build to be anything more than a part-time contributor. Perkins also has fairly ordinary straight-line speed. His skill set might be best suited for passing-down work, but the Giants already have veteran
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to make an educated guess about the fantasy value of the three Ravens running backs before the preseason.
45 JORDAN HOWARD | BEARS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’16 Proj: 14 3 | 114 525 4.6 | 4 1 | 13 116 0 BYE: WEEK 9
LeGarrette Blount
passing-down back Shane Vereen. BOTTOM LINE: It’s hard to tell exactly how Perkins will fit into a crowded Giants backfield. He could end up being the best of the bunch, but there’s also a distinct possibility he’ll get locked into a committee role.
nonfactor in the passing game; only once in his career has he caught more than a half-dozen passes in a single season. BOTTOM LINE: Blount doesn’t produce consistently, but he scores enough TDs to be a worthwhile fantasy asset. He’s far more valuable in standard-scoring leagues than in PPR leagues.
43 LeGARRETTE BLOUNT | PATRIOTS
44 KENNETH DIXON | RAVENS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 NE 16 ’14 PIT/NE 16 ’15 NE 12 ’16 Proj: 13
7 | 153 772 5.0 | 7 1 | 2 38 0 1 | 125 547 4.4 | 5 1 | 10 54 0 6 | 165 703 4.3 | 6 1 | 6 43 1 7 | 164 673 4.1 | 6 1 | 6 47 0 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: This 250-pound battering ram has been an effective TD scorer whenever he’s been wearing a Patriots uniform, scoring 17 TDs in 33 regular-season games with the Pats. Blount had a handful of big games last year, including a three-TD performance against the Jaguars in Week Three and a 29-129-1 rushing day against Washington in Week Nine. Although Bill Belichick’s RB usage patterns can be unpredictable, it’s a near certainty that Blount will play a prominent role for New England. BUST: A hip injury sustained in Week 14 forced Blount to go on IR, and his physical style invites a lot of punishment. Dion Lewis was a revelation for the Patriots last season before tearing his ACL, and once Lewis is healthy, he figures to get the lion’s share of RB snaps. Blount is a
BOOM: The 6-foot, 230-pound Howard is a powerfully built runner who has good vision and runs with aggression. Last year at the University of Indiana, he turned in some big days against quality defenses, rushing for 174 yards and two TDs against Iowa, than rushing for 238 yards and two TDs against Michigan the following week. Some observers think Howard is capable of becoming an NFL workhorse, and there may be a vacancy for one in Chicago now that Matt Forte has left town. BUST: Jeremy Langford figures to get the first crack at the lead RB role for the Bears, and Ka’Deem Carey is in the mix, too. Howard takes a lot of hits due to his style. He sat out four games due to injury and missed parts of several others. Howard is seen as a one-speed runner, and he had only 24 receptions in his three college seasons. BOTTOM LINE: Langford enters training camp as the Bears’ No. 1 back, but after averaging 3.6 yards per carry last season, he doesn’t exactly have an iron grip on the job. The talented Howard will have an opportunity to earn substantial work as a rookie, competing with Carey.
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’16 Proj: 16 3 | 129 517 4.0 | 4 1 | 18 139 0 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: A physical, competitive runner who packs a lot of power into a compact frame, Dixon can be counted on to provide top effort whenever he has the ball in his hands. He racked up 87 TDs in four college seasons and finished as Louisiana Tech’s all-time leading rusher. He’s a credible pass catcher who had 63-84913 as a receiver over his final two college seasons. Dixon will have to compete with Justin Forsett and Javorius Allen, but he may well be the best runner of the bunch. BUST: Dixon finds himself competing for work with not just one but two capable NFL running backs. He has very ordinary speed, and at 5-10 and 215 pounds, his physical style might not play as well in the NFL as it did in Conference USA. He’s also considered to be a suspect pass blocker. BOTTOM LINE: Dixon might be talented enough to make a splash as a rookie, but the Baltimore RB situation is extremely murky, and it will be hard
46 BILAL POWELL | JETS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
‘13 NYJ 16 11 | 176 697 4 | 1 0 | 36 272 ’14 NYJ 15 1 | 33 141 4.3 | 1 0 | 11 92 ’15 NYJ 11 2 | 70 313 4.5 | 1 0 | 47 388 ’16 Proj: 14 1 | 76 319 4.2 | 1 0 | 30 240 BYE: WEEK 11
0 0 2 2
BOOM: Powell may be vastly underrated, but his talents are appreciated within the Jets organization, which gave him $11.25 million dollars over three years ($6 million of it guaranteed) to re-sign. Powell, who compiled 701 yards from scrimmage in 11 games last season, excels in the passing game as both a blocker and a receiver. He had career highs in catches and receiving yardage last year. BUST: With his array of passingdown skills, Powell was the perfect complement to Chris Ivory, who had the skill set of an early-down back. But Ivory signed with Jacksonville in the offseason, and the Jets signed Matt Forte, who’s long been one of the better pass-catching RBs in the league. That adds a degree of uncertainty to Powell’s role, though
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RB his new contract suggests that he’ll be prominently involved. But the fact is, Powell is more valuable to a real football team than to your fantasy team. He’s never had more than 697 rushing yards or scored more than four TDs in any of his five NFL seasons. BOTTOM LINE: Powell has some fantasy utility as a PPR contributor and as a handcuff for Forte owners, but he doesn’t offer much upside.
47 TEVIN COLEMAN | FALCONS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’15 ATL 12 3 | 87 392 4.5 | 1 1 | 2 14 0 ’16 Proj: 15 0 | 108 497 4.6 | 2 1 | 10 74 0 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: With Devonta Freeman enjoying a breakout year in 2015, it’s easy to forget that Coleman won a training-camp battle against Freeman and started the first two games of the season for Atlanta before being knocked out of action for two weeks with broken ribs. Coleman turned in a respectable Week One performance against the Eagles, rushing 20 times for 80 yards, and in November he had 18 carries for 110 yards against the Vikings. The former University of Indiana star has blazing speed, as evidenced by the fact that 14 of his 28 TD runs at Indiana covered 43 or more yards. BUST: After Coleman broke his ribs in Week Two, Freeman seized the opportunity and became a star for the Falcons, and the proverbial genie would seem to be out of the bottle for good. That leaves Coleman as a backup (albeit a very promising one). Coleman had only two receptions as a rookie. And as for his running ability, some scouts have opined that Coleman is a one-dimensional speed back who lacks creativity and needs to be a more patient runner. BOTTOM LINE: Fantasy owners who spend an early-round pick on Devonta Freeman would be wise to spend a lateround pick on Coleman as an insurance policy.
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and he tied for the league lead in TD runs. Williams had four 100-yard rushing games and four multiple-TD games. He posted career highs in catches and receiving yardage, and his average of 4.5 yards per catch was his best since 2011. With Bell coming off a major knee injury, the Steelers are apt to be judicious about his usage, at least in the early going, which could mean a significant number of snaps for Williams. BUST: Bell will be the Steelers’ lead back when healthy, putting a cap on D-Will’s value. Williams is 33, which makes him positively geriatric for the position. BOTTOM LINE: Fantasy owners willing to invest a premium pick in Bell despite last year’s knee injury would be wise to back him up with Williams, who showed last year that he still has gas left in the tank despite his age.
He’s averaged just a shade under four receptions per game over the past three seasons, and his role as the Giants’ thirddown back is assured. BUST: Vereen has never had more than 391 rushing yards in a single season, and despite his sterling reputation as a pass catcher, he hasn’t had 500 receiving yards in any season. Vereen scored only four TDs last year and has never scored more than five. BOTTOM LINE: Far more valuable in PPR formats than in standard scoring, Vereen is a good bet to catch more than 50 passes for the Giants, but you won’t get much rushing yardage out of him, and he probably won’t score many touchdowns.
50 THEO RIDDICK | LIONS
49 SHANE VEREEN | GIANTS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 NE 8 1 | 44 208 4.7 | 1 1 | 47 427 3 ’14 NE 16 16 | 96 391 4.1 | 2 0 | 52 447 3 ’15 NYG 16 0 | 61 260 4.3 | 0 0 | 59 494 4 ’16 Proj: 16 0 | 54 229 4.2 | 0 0 | 51 429 3 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Quieting the doubters who wondered how he would fare once removed from the Patriots’ offense, Vereen established new career highs in receptions, receiving yardage and TD catches in his first season with the Giants.
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 DET 14 ’14 DET 14 ’15 DET 16 ’16 Proj: 15
0 | 9 25 2.8 | 1 0 | 4 26 0 0 | 20 51 2.6 | 0 0 | 34 316 4 1 | 43 133 3.1 | 0 0 | 80 697 3 1 | 30 91 3.0 | 0 0 | 73 643 3 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: A significant asset in PPR leagues, Riddick tied Danny Woodhead for first in receptions among running backs last year and was second in receiving yardage. He had five or more receptions in 10 games last season, including a 10-catch performance against the Cardinals in Week Five. Riddick will fill the
48 DeANGELO WILLIAMS | STEELERS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 CAR 15 15 | 201 843 4.2 | 3 1 | 26 333 1 ’14 CAR 6 6 | 62 219 3.5 | 0 0 | 5 44 0 ’15 PIT 16 10 | 200 907 4.5 | 11 4 | 40 367 0 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 61 269 4.4 | 3 0 | 15 134 1 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: D-Will was terrific when called upon last year, first when Le’Veon Bell had to serve a two-game suspension to start the season, then again after Bell ripped up his knee in Week 8. Williams finished fourth in RB fantasy scoring despite being used sparingly in the six games Bell played,
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Shane Vereen
POSITION same role this year and should rack up receptions from the get-go. BUST: The one-dimensional Riddick isn’t going to provide much in the way of rushing numbers. He has a career average of 2.9 yards per carry and has averaged fewer than two carries per game in three NFL seasons. Riddick has scored only eight TDs in 44 career games. BOTTOM LINE: Vastly more valuable in PPR leagues than in standard-scoring leagues, Riddick should continue to amass impressive receiving totals and unhelpful rushing totals.
51 C.J. PROSISE | SEAHAWKS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’16 Proj: 15 1 | 95 456 4.8 | 3 1 | 24 214 0 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: An impressive athlete with good NFL size (6-foot, 220), Prosise was a college safety and wide receiver who switched to running back during his final season at Notre Dame and excelled immediately. His background as a receiver could help him make an immediate contribution on third downs. BUST: Although he was very impressive in his one season as a running back for the Fighting Irish, Prosise still has a lot to learn about the position and may not be ready to make a significant contribution right away. He’s likely competing with Christine Michael to be the No. 2 to Thomas Rawls. BOTTOM LINE: Prosise has talent but, barring injury to Rawls, he’s more likely a bye week replacement. 52 DEVONTAE BOOKER | BRONCOS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’16 Proj: 15 3 | 84 353 4.2 | 3 1 | 28 200 0 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: With his heady, decisive running style and his advanced passcatching ability, Booker might be able to make the transition to the NFL look easy. In two seasons at the University of Utah, Booker had 2,773 rushing yards, 622 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns. He joins a Broncos offense that will probably look to run more this season now that Peyton Manning has retired and the team is going through a transitional period at quarterback. BUST: Booker is considered slow by NFL standards, and at 5-11, 212 pounds, he’s also slightly undersized. He tore the meniscus in his left knee last November. C.J. Anderson appears to have a firm grip on the starting role, and Booker will have to compete with veteran Ronnie Hillman for the No. 2 spot. BOTTOM LINE: Booker has a lot of
RB
REPORTS
competition in Denver, but he’s talented enough to work his way into the mix. Monitor his battle with Hillman come August.
and he might even be able to provide some additional fantasy value, though it’s unlikely he’ll ever be as valuable as he was in last year’s fantasy playoffs.
53 CHRIS THOMPSON | WASHINGTON
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 WAS 4 ’14 WAS 2 ’15 WAS 13 ’16 Proj: 14
0 | 0 0 0.0 | 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 3 12 4.0 | 0 0 | 6 27 1 0 | 35 216 6.2 | 0 0 | 35 240 2 1 | 62 304 4.9 | 0 0 | 44 308 2 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: After getting only nine touches as a rookie, Thompson became a key contributor in the passing game last year, with 35 catches in 13 games. He had six or more receptions on three different occasions. Now that Alfred Morris has signed with the Cowboys, Thompson figures to get more work, and he could open the season as Washington’s primary third-down back. BUST: Thompson is unproven as a runner, and at 5-8, 193 pounds, he isn’t built for a heavy dosage of carries. Thompson had surgery to repair a torn labrum in late January, which could cost him valuable reps in OTAs. BOTTOM LINE: In line for an expanded role, Thompson could provide value in PPR formats. 54 TIM HIGHTOWER | SAINTS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’15 NO 8 3 | 84 321 3.8 | 1 1 | 12 129 0 ’16 Proj: 13 1 | 83 316 3.8 | 4 0 | 22 158 0 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: What a great story. Out of the league since 2011 due to a torn ACL and an infection that slowed his recovery, Hightower played a huge role for New Orleans in the final weeks of the season and wound up winning championships for a lot of fantasy owners. Over the Saints’ last four games, Hightower had 84-327-4 rushing and 12-129-0 receiving. In Week 16 — championship week in most fantasy leagues — he had 169 yards from scrimmage and two TDs, earning himself a permanent place in the hearts of thousands of fantasy owners. The Saints re-signed Hightower in April, and he’ll compete to be the primary backup to Mark Ingram. BUST: Hightower just turned 30 and has the ugly medical history with his knee. Despite everything he did for his fantasy owners last December, Hightower averaged only 3.9 yards per carry last season. BOTTOM LINE: No matter what happens in the rest of his career, Hightower will always have December of 2015. It’s nice to see him back with the Saints,
55 JAMES STARKS | PACKERS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 GB 13 ’14 GB 16 ’15 GB 16 ’16 Proj: 16
1 | 89 493 5.5 | 3 1 | 10 89 1 0 | 85 333 3.9 | 2 0 | 18 140 0 4 | 148 601 4.1 | 2 1 | 43 392 3 1 | 100 401 4.0 | 1 0 | 22 178 1 BYE: WEEK 4
BOOM: The Packers’ dependable backup had the best season of his career in 2015, taking up the slack when an out-of-shape Eddie Lacy wasn’t meeting expectations. Starks established singleseason highs in nearly every statistical category and finished with 993 yards from scrimmage. He ran for 112 yards and scored two TDs against the Chargers in Week Six, and he had 103 yards from scrimmage and two TDs against the Cowboys in Week 12. Starks figures to get more work than the typical backup RB this season, and he might seize an even bigger role if Lacy can’t stay in shape. The Packers clearly value Starks, giving him a two-year, $6 million deal to re-sign in the offseason. BUST: Lacy is still the presumed starter, and he’s reportedly slimmed down in the offseason. Starks is 30, and until last season he’d never been seriously considered for a starting role. BOTTOM LINE: A worthwhile handcuff to Eddie Lacy, Starks demonstrated last year that he can provide fantasy value when called upon to play a prominent role. 56 C.J. SPILLER | SAINTS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 BUF 15 10 | 202 933 4.6 | 2 4 | 33 185 0 ’14 BUF 9 5 | 78 300 3.8 | 0 0 | 19 125 1 ’15 NO 13 2 | 36 112 3.1 | 0 0 | 34 239 2 ’16 Proj: 14 1 | 63 245 3.9 | 1 0 | 40 263 1 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: It’s hard to find a silver lining to Spiller’s disastrous debut season in New Orleans, but Saints GM Mickey Loomis suggested that it could be attributed to a nagging knee injury. Some other reasons for optimism: Spiller has been an effective run-catch threat in the past, his style seems ideally suited for the fast surface of the Superdome, and there’s typically a lot of fantasy value to go around in an offense triggered by Drew Brees. BUST: Spiller was a complete washout in his first season with the Saints. If you exclude his 99-yard TD catch in overtime to beat the Cowboys in Week Four, Spiller
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totaled only 252 yards from scrimmage in 13 games. He averaged a career-low 3.1 yards per carry last season, and he’s gone two years without a TD run. Spiller has missed 10 games over the past three seasons. BOTTOM LINE: If Spiller can stay healthy, he could be a serious bounceback candidate. His 2015 season was so dismal that most fantasy owners will have written him off, and it’s possible that his career is toast. But this is a penny stock with the potential to provide a major payoff. Keep an open mind.
57 DARREN McFADDEN | COWBOYS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 OAK 10 7 | 114 379 3.3 | 5 1 | 17 108 0 ’14 OAK 16 12 | 155 534 3.4 | 2 0 | 36 212 0 ’15 DAL 16 10 | 239 1,089 4.6 | 3 5 | 40 328 0 ’16 Proj: 15 1 | 61 267 4.3 | 1 0 | 16 132 1 BYE: WEEK 7
BOOM: Long scorned by fantasy owners for failing to live up to the promise of his sublime 2010 season, McFadden finally earned some goodwill with a surprisingly strong 2015 campaign. Pressed into a bigger-than-expected role after Joseph Randle flopped and Lance Dunbar ripped up his knee early on, McFadden churned out 1,417 yards from scrimmage and ran for 100 or more yards on five different occasions. Despite the heaviest workload of his career, McFadden finished the season in style, with at least 92 rushing yards in each of his last four games. The Cowboys have arguably the finest offensive line in football, which makes life easier for Dallas running backs. BUST: The arrival of rookie Ezekiel Elliott casts McFadden into a reserve role, and McFadden must now compete for leftovers with Alfred Morris and Lance Dunbar. Despite touching the ball 279 yards, McFadden scored only three TDs last year, and he hasn’t scored more than five TDs in any of his last five seasons. BOTTOM LINE: Despite earning new respect with his 2015 performance, McFadden’s 2016 fantasy value appears minimal thanks to the arrival of Elliott. 58 CHARCANDRICK WEST | CHIEFS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’14 KC 6 0 | 0 0 0.0 | 0 0 | 0 0 0 ’15 KC 15 9 | 160 634 4.0 | 4 1 | 20 214 1 ’16 Proj: 15 1 | 65 273 4.2 | 2 0 | 22 212 1 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: West helped the Kansas City offense stay on track when Jamaal Charles sustained a season-ending knee injury, producing 791 yards from scrimmage and five TDs in the 10 games after Charles went down. West scored four TDs in a
C.J. Spiller
three-game stretch from late October to early November, with 276 rushing yards over that span. The Chiefs were pleased enough with West to sign him to a threeyear contract extension in the offseason. BUST: With Charles back, West will be relegated to a change-of-pace role, and he’ll probably have to share backup duties with Spencer Ware, who also had some strong games for the Chiefs after Charles was injured. BOTTOM LINE: West performed well last season when the Chiefs needed him, but with Charles healthy again and Ware still in the picture, West doesn’t have a clear path to a meaningful workload.
59 ANDRE ELLINGTON | CARDINALS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 ARI 15 1 | 118 652 5.5 | 3 1 | 39 371 ’14 ARI 12 12 | 201 660 3.3 | 3 0 | 46 395 ’15 ARI 10 2 | 45 289 6.4 | 3 0 | 15 148 ’16 Proj: 12 0 | 47 174 3.7 | 1 0 | 26 223 BYE: WEEK 9
1 2 0 1
BOOM: The speedy Ellington has had his moments in three seasons with the Cardinals, providing his fair share of big plays and racking up respectable yardage totals when healthy. A versatile run-catch threat, Ellington had more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage in each of his first two seasons in Arizona. He has admirable career averages of 4.4 yards per carry and 9.1 yards per catch. BUST: Ellington has missed 10 games over the past two seasons, raising questions as to whether his 5-9, 199-pound frame can withstand weekly NFL punishment. Ellington has been inconsistent throughout his career, and he isn’t much of a TD scorer, averaging four per season. Ellington has fallen to third on the Cardinals’ depth chart
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behind the Johnsons, David and Chris, so it would probably take an injury for Ellington to get any sort of meaningful playing time. BOTTOM LINE: An inconsistent, injury-prone performer who occasionally teases us with big-play ability, Ellington’s fantasy stock has tumbled to the point where he figures to go undrafted in a lot of leagues. But circumstances can change, and Ellington has shown us enough that he shouldn’t be written off entirely.
60 JERICK McKINNON | VIKINGS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’14 MIN 11 6 | 113 538 4.8 | 0 2 | 27 135 0 ’15 MIN 16 0 | 52 271 5.2 | 2 0 | 21 173 1 ’16 Proj: 15 1 | 61 293 4.8 | 1 0 | 25 166 0 BYE: WEEK 6
BOOM: One of the more intriguing backup running backs in the league, McKinnon demonstrated his potential during Adrian Peterson’s nearly seasonlong suspension in 2014, averaging 81.5 yards from scrimmage over his last eight games of the year. McKinnon had some nice games down the stretch in 2015, catching four passes for 76 yards and a TD against the Bears in Week 15 and producing a 7-89-2 rushing line against the Giants the following week. If anything were to happen to Peterson, McKinnon’s value would soar. BUST: When Peterson was out in 2014, McKinnon’s week-to-week productivity was hit and miss, and when the Vikings reached the goal line, he usually gave way to Matt Asiata (who’s still with the team). McKinnon has only two TDs on 165 career carries. BOTTOM LINE: McKinnon isn’t going to get many carries when Adrian Peterson
POSITION is active, but the speedy third-year runner would become a hot property if anything were to happen to Peterson.
catcher, Sproles can provide help in PPR leagues, though he’s reaching an age at which decline is imminent.
61 RONNIE HILLMAN | BRONCOS
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David Johnson now the clear No. 1 in the Cardinals’ RB stable, CJ’s immediate fantasy value is minimal.
65 ALFRED BLUE | TEXANS
63 KHIRY ROBINSON | JETS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 DEN 10 0 | 55 218 4.0 | 1 0 | 12 119 0 ’14 DEN 8 4 | 106 434 4.1 | 3 2 | 21 139 1 ’15 DEN 16 10 | 207 863 4.2 | 7 4 | 24 111 0 ’16 Proj: 15 3 | 72 292 4.0 | 3 0 | 19 115 0 BYE: WEEK 11
’13 NO 10 0 | 54 224 4.1 | 1 0 | 0 0 0 ’14 NO 10 3 | 76 362 4.8 | 3 0 | 8 63 0 ’15 NO 8 0 | 56 180 3.2 | 4 0 | 17 115 0 ’16 Proj: 12 0 | 65 273 4.2 | 3 0 | 16 119 0 BYE: WEEK 11
’14 HOU 16 3 | 169 528 3.1 | 2 1 | 15 113 1 ’15 HOU 15 9 | 183 698 3.8 | 2 3 | 15 109 1 ’16 Proj: 16 0 | 88 326 3.7 | 2 1 | 13 100 0 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Before re-signing on a one-year
BOOM: After three solid seasons of backup duty with the Saints, Robinson signed with the Jets, who might be in need of a goal-line runner, considering that fellow newcomer Matt Forte has never been particularly adept at scoring in short-yardage situations. Robinson has good size and runs with power. He’s averaged a respectable 4.1 yards per carry for his career and has eight TDs on only 186 career rushing attempts. BUST: Robinson figures to be a thirdstringer behind Matt Forte and Bilal Powell. Since Forte and Powell are both highly skilled in the passing game, Robinson will probably be limited to a few early-down snaps per game unless one of the other two backs gets hurt. Robinson missed the final eight games of 2015 with a broken leg BOTTOM LINE: Robinson is a capable runner, but as the No. 3 man on the Jets’ depth chart, it would probably take an injury or two for him to acquire any significant fantasy value.
contract, Hillman drew tepid interest on the free-agent market. Hillman had four 100-yard rushing games for Denver last season and shattered his previous singleseason high in rushing yardage. He also ran for a career-high seven touchdowns. Though he doesn’t have the build to be a featured back, Hillman’s quickness and pass-catching ability make him a candidate for a change-of-pace role. BUST: Hillman’s performance really fell off as the 2015 season went on. He averaged 3.5 yards per carry from Week Nine through the end of the playoffs, and he averaged a meager 1.7 yards per carry in the postseason. That Hillman drew little interest in free agency speaks volumes about the perception of him league-wide, and now he must compete for work with not only C.J. Anderson but also rookie Devontae Booker. BOTTOM LINE: Hillman isn’t without his merits, but his deteriorating numbers late in the 2015 season are cause for concern, and he’s destined to be a backup this year.
62 DARREN SPROLES | EAGLES
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
4 | 53 220 4.2 | 2 0 | 71 604 0 | 57 329 5.8 | 6 0 | 40 387 4 | 83 317 3.8 | 3 0 | 55 388 0 | 46 193 4.2 | 1 0 | 42 322 BYE: WEEK 4
BOOM: With Arian Foster unable to stay healthy, the Texans have needed Blue to log 352 carries in his two seasons with the Texans, and he’s acquitted himself reasonably well. His per-carry average improved substantially from his rookie year to his sophomore season. Blue finished strong last season: Of his three 100-yard rushing games in 2015, Blue had two of them in Houston’s final three games of the season, and he also had a 99-yard rushing day in the Texans’ playoff loss to the Chiefs. Blue will enter training camp as the primary backup to new arrival Lamar Miller. BUST: Blue has scored only six TDs on 382 NFL touches, and while his per-carry average improved last season, it was mediocre nevertheless. Blue has only 30 receptions in 32 NFL games. Although he’s proven himself a capable backup, Blue hasn’t made a convincing case for a bigger role. BOTTOM LINE: A competent yet limited backup, Blue will serve as the No. 2 running back for the Texans and will get a big bump in fantasy value if anything happens to Miller.
’13 NO 15 ’14 PHI 15 ’15 PHI 16 ’16 Proj: 15
64 CHRIS JOHNSON | CARDINALS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
2 0 1 1
BOOM: Sproles has totaled more than 700 yards from scrimmage in seven consecutive seasons, averaging 61.6 catches and 539 receiving yards per season over that span. Despite standing only 5-6, 190 pounds, Sproles has missed only five games in the past eight years. Still a high-quality punt returner and thirddown back, Sproles should continue to have a role in Philadelphia and offer some fantasy value, particularly in PPR leagues. BUST: Sproles will be 33 when the season begins. He hasn’t had more than 329 rushing yards in a season since 2011. His average of 3.8 yards per carry was his lowest since 2009, and his average of 7.1 yards per catch was his lowest since 2007. BOTTOM LINE: Still an adept pass
’13 TEN 16 16 | 279 1,077 3.9 | 6 2 | 42 345 4 ’14 NYJ 16 6 | 155 663 4.3 | 1 1 | 24 151 1 ’15 ARI 11 9 | 196 814 4.2 | 3 4 | 6 58 0 ’16 Proj: 15 0 | 67 275 4.1 | 2 0 | 14 124 0 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: With his career seemingly on a
downward trajectory, Johnson surprised a lot of fantasy owners by performing well as the Cardinals’ lead runner before breaking his leg in Week 12. Johnson had four 100-yard rushing days and averaged a healthy 4.2 yards per carry. The eightyear veteran seems to be a good fit for Arizona head coach Bruce Arians’ system, and the Cardinals endorsed C.J. by giving him a one-year contract in the offseason. BUST: Johnson turns 31 in September, has a lot of mileage on the odometer and is returning from a broken leg. David Johnson will be Arizona’s lead runner, leaving Johnson to share backup duty with Andre Ellington. BOTTOM LINE: Johnson proved last season that he isn’t done yet, but with
66 CAMERON ARTIS-PAYNE | PANTHERS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’15 CAR 7 0 | 45 183 4.1 | 1 0 | 5 58 0 ’16 Proj: 14 2 | 71 285 4.0 | 1 0 | 14 123 0 BYE: WEEK 7
BOOM: As a rookie, Artis-Payne acquitted himself reasonably well in backup duty. With Jonathan Stewart sidelined late in the year, Artis-Payne had 93 yards from scrimmage in a Week 15 win over the Giants and 44 rushing yards and a TD in a Week 17 win over the Buccaneers. Payne will compete to be the top backup behind the oft-injured Stewart — a role that could offer ample touches if Stewart’s body doesn’t cooperate. BUST: Stewart is the lead back, and QB Cam Newton takes a lot of goal-line opportunities away from the Carolina running backs, so Artis-Payne doesn’t have much TD potential. Although he didn’t get a very extensive audition, there was little about Artis-Payne’s rookie year to suggest future stardom. BOTTOM LINE: Artis-Payne is undraft
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RB able in most fantasy leagues but will become a hot waiver-wire addition if anything happens to Stewart.
67 JAMES WHITE | PATRIOTS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’14 NE 3 0 | 9 38 4.2 | 0 0 | 5 23 0 ’15 NE 14 1 | 22 56 2.5 | 2 0 | 40 410 4 ’16 Proj: 14 1 | 26 96 3.7 | 0 0 | 26 241 2 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: After Dion Lewis tore up his knee in the middle of the season, White became New England’s primary passingcatching back and provided some unexpected fantasy value down the stretch, especially in PPR leagues. White scored six TDs in the Patriots’ final seven games. He had 10 catches for 115 yards and a TD against the Eagles in Week 13, and 7-71-1 against the Titans in Week 15. BUST: If Lewis is healthy, it will be hard for White to find snaps. Although White had two TD runs last year, he averaged a mere 2.5 yards on 22 carries, and his longest run covered only eight yards. BOTTOM LINE: As a pass-catching back positioned behind an extraordinary pass-catching back on the depth chart, White doesn’t appear to have much fantasy value. But in light of what he did down the stretch last year, it’s worth keeping him in your free-agent Rolodex. 68 SHAUN DRAUGHN | 49ERS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 Bal 3 0 | 4 2 0.5 | 0 0 | 0 0 0 ’14 SD 10 0 | 10 19 1.9 | 0 0 | 0 0 0 ’15 CLE/SF 11 6 | 78 273 3.5 | 1 0 | 27 176 0 ’16 Proj: 14 1 | 70 238 3.4 | 1 0 | 33 221 0 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Draughn joined the 49ers last November when Carlos Hyde’s foot injury created a void at running back for San Francisco, and he capably handled a large workload despite being surrounded by a poor supporting cast. The journeyman RB averaged 16.8 touches and 73.0 yards from scrimmage in his six games with the Niners. He had five or more receptions in three of those six games. The 49ers liked Draughn enough to re-sign him to a oneyear deal, and he figures to get plenty of work on passing downs. BUST: If Hyde’s foot is sound, he’s going to get a ton of work, and there might not be many carries left to go around. The 49ers’ lack of offensive talent puts a dent in the fantasy value of the San Francisco RBs. BOTTOM LINE: Draughn is a good pass catcher who would be a compelling asset in PPR leagues if Carlos Hyde were to get hurt again.
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69 ALFRED MORRIS | COWBOYS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
‘13 WAS 16 16 | 276 1,275 4.6 | 7 3 | 9 78 0 ’14 WAS 16 16 | 265 1,074 4.1 | 8 1 | 17 155 0 ’15 WAS 16 16 | 202 751 3.7 | 1 1 | 10 55 0 ’16 Proj: 16 0 | 57 228 4.0 | 1 0 | 7 50 0 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Morris ran for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons before falling short of the 1,000-yard mark in 2015. He also had 28 rushing touchdowns in his first three years in the league. Alf’s numbers really fell off last season, but if he ever gets a crack at significant playing time with the Cowboys, he’ll have a chance to regain his old form behind one of the best runblocking offensive lines in football. BUST: With the Cowboys taking Ezekiel Elliott in the first round of this year’s draft, Morris is ticketed for backup duty and might be used sparingly. Morris delivered only one TD last season on 202 carries. His yardage per carry has declined in every season since his rookie year. With 47 receptions in 64 career games, he offers next to nothing as a receiver. BOTTOM LINE: Alf’s numbers are trending in the wrong direction. It’s possible that a change of scenery could rejuvenate his career, but with Elliott slated to be the Cowboys’ bell-cow running back and Darren McFadden still in the Dallas backfield, it would probably take an injury for Morris to become fantasy-relevant. 70 ROBERT TURBIN | COLTS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 SEA 16 ’14 SEA 16 ’15 DAL 7 ’16 Proj: 15
0 | 77 264 3.4 | 0 0 | 8 60 0 3 | 74 310 4.2 | 0 0 | 16 186 2 0 | 32 139 4.3 | 1 0 | 5 15 0 1 | 70 279 4.0 | 1 0 | 14 123 0 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: Turbin is a versatile backup who can be useful in the passing game as both a receiver and blocker. He’ll compete for backup work behind the venerable Frank Gore, who’s 33 and dealt with a variety of minor injuries last season while logging more than 200 carries for the 10th time in his career. If you’re speculating on backup running backs, the backups to a 33-yearold are a good place to start. BUST: Having spent three seasons as a backup to Marshawn Lynch and then ping-ponging between the Browns and Cowboys last season, Turbin doesn’t have much of a track record as a runner. He’s scored only one rushing touchdown in four seasons. Turbin will have to compete
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with Jordan Todman and perhaps other for the No. 2 role. BOTTOM LINE: If he winds up being the top backup to the aging Frank Gore, Turbin could conceivably end up having some fantasy value.
71 ZACH ZENNER | LIONS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’15 DET 6 1 | 17 60 3.5 | 0 0 | 2 11 0 ’16 Proj: 14 0 | 50 195 3.9 | 1 0 | 8 64 0 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: An interesting sleeper, Zenner earned a roster spot last year by virtue of an eye-opening preseason, then got 15 carries in three October games before going on IR with broken ribs and a collapsed lung. Zenner had a wildly productive college career at South Dakota State and has legitimate NFL size (5-11, 222 pounds). With Ameer Abdullah still relatively unproven and Theo Riddick strictly a pass-catching specialist, Zenner has a chance to earn a role in the Detroit running game. BUST: Zenner has logged only 17 professional carries and lacks a majorcollege pedigree. His best-case scenario is probably a committee role, and he might need another strong preseason just to make the team. BOTTOM LINE: Everyone loves an underdog, and this undrafted free agent has a lot of supporters. There’s some compelling talent here; Zenner has a real chance to work his way into meaningful playing time. 72 Ka’DEEM CAREY | BEARS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’14 CHI 14 0 | 36 158 4.4 | 0 0 | 5 57 0 ’15 CHI 11 1 | 43 159 3.7 | 2 0 | 3 19 1 ’16 Proj: 14 0 | 50 201 4.0 | 1 0 | 5 41 0 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: With Matt Forte having left for the Jets, Carey has a chance to earn significant snaps after carrying the ball only 79 times over his first two NFL seasons. Carey was wildly productive during his college career at the University of Arizona, rushing for 3,814 yards and 42 TDs in his final two seasons there. He’s a physical, competitive runner capable of making good yardage after contact — a profile that could make him suitable for goal-line work. BUST: There’s little to go on here. Only twice has Carey had more than 10 rushing attempts in a game with the Bears. While he could force his way into a time-share or perhaps even a leading role, Carey is behind second-year man Jeremy Langford on the depth chart, and fifth-round rookie
POSITION Jordan Howard will compete for that complementary role. Carey has just eight receptions in his first two seasons. BOTTOM LINE: Forte’s departure has left a big void in the Chicago backfield, and Carey is among the candidates to help fill it. Monitor his progress in training camp and the preseason, then decide whether he’s worth a speculative investment.
Forsett and Javorius Allen around, and if the Ravens end up using a multi-back rotation, the fantasy value of all three members could be diluted. BOTTOM LINE: Yes, he’s a reserve, but Taliaferro at least has a skill set that differentiates him from the two RBs ahead of him on the depth chart, and his TD potential keeps us interested.
73 CHRISTINE MICHAEL | SEAHAWKS
75 DAVID COBB | TITANS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’13 SEA 4 0 | 18 79 4.4 | 0 0 | 0 0 0 ’14 SEA 10 0 | 34 175 5.1 | 0 0 | 0 0 0 ’15 SEA/DAL 8 2 | 54 243 4.5 | 0 0 | 3 16 0 ’16 Proj: 13 0 | 41 189 4.6 | 1 0 | 2 16 0 BYE: WEEK 5
’15 TEN 7 1 | 52 146 2.8 | 1 0 | 1 -2 0 ’16 Proj: 11 0 | 38 137 3.6 | 1 0 | 4 30 0 BYE: WEEK 13
BOOM: Michael’s potential has been touted for years, and at age 25, he still has time to deliver. Michael has averaged 4.7 yards per carry over his four years with Seattle, albeit on only 106 rushing attempts. He figures to be no worse than No. 2 on the depth chart, and Michael could play a significant role early in the season if the Seahawks take a cautious approach with Thomas Rawls, who broke his ankle last December. BUST: For all the speculation about how good Michael might become, he’s never been able to carve out a consistent role for himself in Seattle. He’s now entering his fifth NFL season, so you have to wonder if it will ever happen. Rawls was terrific last season and will clearly be the lead back once healthy, and there’s no reason to think he won’t be healthy by Week One. Michael still hasn’t scored a single touchdown as a professional. BOTTOM LINE: We can’t completely dismiss the possibility that Michael will turn into a worthwhile fantasy contributor, but if it was going to happen, you’d think that it would have happened by now. 74 LORENZO TALIAFERRO | RAVENS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
’14 BAL 13 0 | 68 292 4.3 | 4 0 | 8 114 0 ’15 BAL 3 0 | 13 47 3.6 | 1 0 | 5 29 0 ’16 Proj: 12 0 | 40 169 4.2 | 1 0 | 11 86 0 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: A 225-pound banger, Taliaferro
has shown flashes as a power runner during his first two seasons in Baltimore. He has a chance to earn early-down work and perhaps some goal-line carries, too. BUST: Taliaferro isn’t the only power back in the Baltimore RB stable now that the team has added rookie Kenneth Dixon. A foot injury limited Taliaferro to three games last season, and the mysterious nature of the injury is somewhat concerning. Taliaferro isn’t going to get any passing-down work with Justin
RB
REPORTS
RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD
BOOM: Cobb wasn’t much of a factor as a rookie, but he ended his first season with the Titans on a high note, rushing 19 times for 73 yards and a TD against the Colts in Week 17. The 5-11, 229-pound Cobb is a thickly built power runner who had 2,831 rushing yards in his final two college seasons at the University of Minnesota and might have some goal-line potential. BUST: Cobb will be behind free-agent addition DeMarco Murray and rookie Derrick Henry on the depth chart, and he may have to compete with Antonio Andrews for a roster spot. Cobb had only one catch as a rookie and isn’t likely to factor into the passing game. BOTTOM LINE: Cobb’s rookie season didn’t give us much of an idea of what he can do. It’s probably not a good sign that Cobb had a fairly easy path to significant playing time last year and wasn’t able to take advantage. Now, he’ll have to compete to be a backup to the Titans’ new lead runner, DeMarco Murray.
BEST OF THE REST 76 KENYAN DRAKE | DOLPHINS Shifty and fast, Drake has a chance to earn a meaningful role in Miami, where carries are somewhat up for grabs now that Lamar Miller has left town. Jay Ajayi is first in line to replace Miller, but Drake could press for a major share of carries as a rookie. 77 WENDELL SMALLWOOD | EAGLES After running for 1,519 yards and nine TDs in his final season at West Virginia, Smallwood will compete for carries in Philadelphia. He’s worth monitoring, since he’s behind the oft-injured Ryan Mathews. 78 SPENCER WARE | CHIEFS After starter Jamaal Charles and backup Charcandrick West went down with injuries last season, Ware took advantage of the opportunity, rushing 72 times for 403 yards (an average of 5.6 yards per carry) and six TDs. Charles figures to be healthy again, and West is still in the
picture, so Ware is apt to be used sparingly early on. Still, he’s demonstrated what he’s capable of if he finds his way into a substantial role.
79 LANCE DUNBAR | COWBOYS The major knee injury that Dunbar sustained last October makes it unclear when we’ll see him back in action. When healthy, Dunbar is a fine pass catcher who can offer help in PPR leagues. He had 21 catches in four games last season before wrecking his knee. 80 STEVAN RIDLEY | LIONS Ridley had 19 rushing touchdowns for the Patriots over the 2012-2013 seasons, but he tore his ACL in 2014 and has played only 15 games the last two years. If his knee is sound, Ridley has the potential to be an early-down contributor for the Lions, and he’s a prime candidate for goalline carries. 81 ORLEANS DARKWA | GIANTS Darkwa acquitted himself well last year as a sparingly used contributor to the Giants’ unwieldy four-RB rotation, averaging 4.3 yards on 36 carries. If injuries or other developments thin the herd in the Giants’ backfield and Darkwa inherits a more prominent role, he could be a worthy waiver-wire pickup. 82 BENNY CUNNINGHAM | RAMS A capable third-down back, Cunningham has caught 71 passes over the past two years and has a career average of 8.6 yards per catch. As long as Todd Gurley is healthy, Cunningham isn’t likely to get much earlydown work, but he should continue to get some snaps in passing situations. 83 TRE MASON | RAMS Mason is a solid backup who turned in a pretty good rookie season in 2014, rushing for 765 yards and four TDs, but he was marginalized in 2015 by the arrival of Todd Gurley. Mason’s offseason legal problems could lead to a suspension. 84 ANTONIO ANDREWS | TITANS With the Titans painfully thin at running back last year, Andrews made 10 starts and carried the ball 143 times, rushing for an underwhelming 520 yards and three TDs. Seeking more, Tennessee ac quired DeMarco Murray in a trade with Philadelphia, and Andrews will now have to battle second-year man David Cobb for backup work. 85 JOIQUE BELL | FREE AGENT Still a free agent as this magazine went to press, Bell is a decent, versatile running back who struggled with injuries in 2015 and was released after four seasons in Detroit. Bell averaged 969 yards from scrimmage per season during his run with the Lions, and if healthy, he could be a part-time contributor somewhere.
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POSITION
REPORTS
FANTASY
Wide receivers WRs replacing RBs atop many draft boards PAT FITZMAURICE
Y By
ou generally get what you pay for at the WR position. Unlike the RB position, where you can sometimes get away with cutting corners, very rarely can a fantasy owner take shortcuts at wide receiver and get lucky. That’s not to say there aren’t pleasant surprises. Take Allen Robinson, for instance. After an injury-shortened rookie campaign in which he caught 48 passes for 548 yards and two touchdowns, Robinson went berserk in 2015, with 84 catches for 1,400 yards and 14 TDs. But Robinson didn’t exactly come out of nowhere. A second-round draft choice with an alluring combination of size and speed, A-Rob acquitted himself well in his abbreviated rookie season, and onlookers said he was virtually uncoverable in training camp last year. A lot of fantasy owners sensed that Robinson was a 2015 breakout candidate, and those who acted on their instincts were handsomely rewarded. That sort of year-to-year leap is rare, however, and fantasy owners can’t afford to ignore the WR position in the early rounds. Failure to stockpile talent at wide receiver can be ruinous to your championship aspirations. The good news is that the talent runs deep. Mike Evans and Amari Cooper, two terrific young receivers with vast upside, don’t crack the top 10 in our rankings. Neither does veteran Demaryius Thomas, who’s been among the top four in WR fantasy scoring in three of the past four seasons. So even if you fail to land one of the very best at the position, there are still some gems
CONSENSUS
Top FANTASY WIDE RECEIVERS 1. ANTONIO BROWN | STEELERS 2. ODELL BECKHAM JR. | GIANTS 3. JULIO JONES | FALCONS 4. DeANDRE HOPKINS | TEXANS 5. DEZ BRYANT | COWBOYS 6. ALLEN ROBINSON | JAGUARS 7. A.J GREEN | BENGALS 8. ALSHON JEFFERY | BEARS 9. JORDY NELSON | PACKERS 10. SAMMY WATKINS | BILLS 11. BRANDON MARSHALL | JETS 12. MIKE EVANS | BUCCANEERS 13. DEMARYIUS THOMAS | BRONCOS 14. AMARI COOPER | BEARS 15. BRANDIN COOKS | SAINTS 16. KEENAN ALLEN | CHARGERS 17. JULIAN EDELMAN | PATRIOTS 18. T.Y. HILTON | COLTS 19. ERIC DECKER | JETS 20. JEREMY MACLIN | CHIEFS to be had. Just don’t wait too long to start mining. So, who’s our No. 1 fantasy receiver for 2016? The same guy who finished No. 1 in 2014 and 2015: Antonio Brown. The Steelers’ star wideout has been working on his Hall-of-Fame résumé, piling up 375 receptions, 5,031 receiving yards and 31 TD catches over the past three years. Not far behind him is the Giants’ precocious young star, Odell Beckham Jr., an acrobatic scoring machine who’s cranked out 25 touchdowns in his first 27 NFL games. Our No. 3 and No. 4 receivers are Julio Jones and DeAndre Hopkins, who also carry first-round grades. Jones merely produced the second-best single-
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season totals of all-time in receptions and receiving yardage last year while Hopkins churned out 111 receptions, 1,521 receiving yards and 11 TDs. The depth at the position is bolstered by two noteworthy returns. Jordy Nelson tore his ACL in a preseason game last year and missed the entire season. Nelson was a top-10 fantasy receiver in 2013 and 2014, and he should once again be the top target in the dangerous Green Bay passing attack. Also coming back from a torn ACL is the Panthers’ Kelvin Benjamin, who had 73 catches for 1,008 yards and nine TDs as a rookie in 2014. Speaking of rookies, this year’s freshman class probably won’t make the same sort of splash that the last few classes have, though there are certainly some fantasy-relevant newcomers. Corey Coleman of Baylor might have the biggest impact of any rookie. The speedy Coleman went to the Browns, a team with bare cupboards at wide receiver, and could be the go-to receiver in Cleveland right off the bat. Laquon Treadwell of Ole Miss figures to be an immediate starter for the Vikings. Will Fuller of Notre Dame could start right away for the Texans. Michael Thomas (Saints), Sterling Shepard (Giants) and Tyler Boyd (Bengals) also are positioned to get significant snaps this year. And let’s not forget a couple of intriguing redshirt freshmen. The Bears’ Kevin White and the Ravens’ Breshad Perriman were first-round draft choices in 2015 who were both out with injuries all of last season. White is projected to start for Chicago this year, and Perriman figures to play a key role for Baltimore. There are a couple of changes of venue worth noting. Marvin Jones left Cincinnati for Detroit, where he’ll try to help fill the void created by the retirement of the great Calvin Johnson. The diminutive but speedy Travis Benjamin moved from Cleveland to San Diego, where he gets a major QB upgrade but might play a lesser role. Among the other receivers joining new teams: Mohamed Sanu (Falcons), Rueben Randle (Eagles) and Rishard Matthews (Titans).
WR
Antonio Brown PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
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WR 1 ANTONIO BROWN | STEELERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 PIT 16 14 | 110 1,499 13.6 | 8 5 | 23 6 | 166 ’14 PIT 16 16 | 129 1,698 13.2 | 13 8 | 19 4 | 181 ’15 PIT 16 16 | 136 1,834 13.5 | 10 9 | 25 8 | 193 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 135 1,835 13.6 | 11 9 | 26 7 | 197 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: The outlandishly productive Brown has been the top-scoring fantasy receiver in each of the past two years, becoming the first receiver in NFL history to post consecutive 125-catch seasons. He tied Julio Jones for the league lead in receptions last year, finished first in 2014 and was second in 2013. Over the past three years, Brown has averaged 180.7 targets, 125 receptions, 1,677 receiving yards and 10.3 TDs. He had a 16-catch game and a 17-catch game last
POSITION
REPORTS
year, becoming the first player to catch 16 or more passes twice in one season. Capable of lifting a fantasy team on his back in any given week, Brown has topped the 100-yard mark 22 times and had nine multiple-TD games over the past three years. He plays in an explosive offense and works with one of the league’s better quarterbacks, Ben Roethlisberger. With Martavis Bryant facing a yearlong suspension, Roethlisberger may need to lean on Brown more than ever. BUST: Brown’s production is tethered to the health of his quarterback, and Roethlisberger takes more than his share of hits. When Big Ben missed four games with a knee injury last year, Brown averaged just 58.8 receiving yards per game over that span and was held without a touchdown. The absence
of Bryant could conceivably bring Brown more defensive attention. BOTTOM LINE: Brown has been on a statistical rampage over the past three seasons, and there’s no reason to think it will end in 2016. There’s a strong case to be made for making Brown the No. 1 pick in your fantasy draft.
2 ODELL BECKHAM JR. | GIANTS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’14 NYG 12 11 | 91 1,305 14.3 | 12 7 | 16 6 | 130 ’15 NYG 15 15 | 96 1,450 15.1 | 13 8 | 19 8 | 159 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 102 1,550 15.2 | 13 8 | 20 7 | 164 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Beckham has broken the record previously held by Randy Moss for most receiving yards by a player in his first two NFL seasons, and he needed only 27 games to do it. An outrageously prolific TD scorer, Beckham has hit pay dirt 25 times for an average of 0.93 TDs per game. He’s finished fifth in WR fantasy scoring in each of his first two seasons despite missing four games in 2014 and one game in 2015. Beckham had a streak of six consecutive 100-yard games last year and has topped the 100-yard mark 15 times over his brief career. He’s scored multiple TDs on six different occasions. The freakishly athletic Beckham has flypaper hands and makes acrobatic catches look almost routine. And to think that he’s just 23 years old. BUST: Beckham missed the first four games of his rookie season with a torn hamstring, and hamstring tightness has been an issue for him at other times. Beckham was mostly held in check by Panthers CB Josh Norman in a Week 16 game last year, and the cheap shots Beckham took against Norman in that game led to a one-game suspension. Can OBJ be thrown off his game by a combination of tight coverage and trash talk? BOTTOM LINE: Capable of putting up dazzling numbers every time he steps on the field, the absurdly talented Beckham is a top-three fantasy receiver and a surefire first-rounder. 3 JULIO JONES | FALCONS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 ATL 5 5 | 41 580 14.1 | 2 1 | 9 3 | 60 ’14 ATL 15 15 | 104 1,593 15.3 | 6 7 | 31 3 | 163 ’15 ATL 16 16 | 136 1,871 13.8 | 8 9 | 25 5 | 204 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 124 1,786 14.4 | 10 9 | 27 8 | 189 BYE: WEEK 11
Odell Beckham Jr.
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BOOM: Jones’ 136 catches and 1,871 receiving yards in 2015 were the secondbest single-season totals of all time. His 204 targets last season were the most since Calvin Johnson had 205 in 2012.
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Jones has averaged 184 targets, 120 receptions and 1,732 receiving yards over the past two years. He finished second in fantasy scoring among wide receivers last year, third among all non-quarterbacks. His 9-178-1 receiving day in Week 16 against the Panthers and their ace CB at the time, Josh Norman, suggests that Jones might be completely matchupproof. Jones is 27 and should be entering the prime of his career. BUST: For all the gaudy numbers Jones has produced over the past two years, his TD totals have been rather ordinary. He’s averaged 0.52 TDs per game for his career, and he hasn’t reached double digits in touchdowns since 2012. Jones has had two surgeries on the fifth metatarsal of his right foot after fractures in 2011 and 2013. He also missed three games in 2011 with a hamstring injury and one game in 2014 with a hip injury. BOTTOM LINE: A mammoth season in 2015 further cemented Jones’ reputation as one of the top playmakers in football, and his outlook for 2016 is bright. He’s a top-three wide receiver and should be taken in the top half of the first round in fantasy drafts.
4 DeANDRE HOPKINS | TEXANS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 HOU 16 16 | 52 802 15.4 | 2 1 | 12 2 | 91 ’14 HOU 16 16 | 76 1,210 15.9 | 6 4 | 12 2 | 127 ’15 HOU 16 16 | 111 1,521 13.7 | 11 6 | 19 3 | 192 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 115 1,553 13.5 | 12 8 | 20 4 | 191 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Hopkins just keeps getting better and better, with year-to-year increases in receptions, receiving yardage and touchdowns ever since his 2013 rookie season. He finished sixth in fantasy scoring among wide receivers last year, but ranked third in receptions and receiving yardage. Hopkins topped the 100-yard mark six times last season and never went more than two games without scoring a touchdown. He caught seven or more passes in nine games last year, and he saw double-digit targets 13 times. Hopkins hasn’t missed a game in three pro seasons. The arrival of Brock Osweiler, who signed as a free agent, raises hope that Houston might get better QB play in 2016. BUST: Osweiler didn’t exactly set the world on fire last year and might not be a significant upgrade over Brian Hoyer. The Texans may not have another wide receiver good enough to keep opponents from double-teaming or rolling coverage toward Hopkins. BOTTOM LINE: Hopkins has officially joined the ranks of the elite receivers and should be a first-round pick in
Julio Jones
fantasy drafts. Just imagine what he could do if the Texans finally solved their QB problems.
5 DEZ BRYANT | COWBOYS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 DAL 16 16 | 93 1,233 13.3 | 13 4 | 14 4 | 160 ’14 DAL 16 16 | 88 1,320 15.0 | 16 4 | 22 5 | 137 ’15 DAL 9 9 | 31 401 12.9 | 3 1 | 3 2 | 74 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 87 1,227 14.1 | 13 6 | 18 5 | 136 BYE: WEEK 7
BOOM: Bryant had produced doubledigit touchdowns and more than 1,200 yards in three consecutive seasons before a foot injury limited him to just nine games last year. From 2012 to 2014, Bryant had no fewer than 88 catches, 1,233 yards and 12 TDs in any season, and he finished in the top six in WR fantasy scoring in each of those years. Over his first five years in the league, Bryant scored 56 TDs in 75 games. He’s averaged 8.9 targets per game since 2012 and should continue to be a target monster. QB Tony Romo, who also missed significant time to injury last year, is healthy again, and the Cowboys appear
to have a solid, well-balanced offense. BUST: Bryant said he wasn’t right last season after coming back from his foot injury, and his unusually lackluster numbers would seem to bear that out. He’s undergone two foot and ankle surgeries since the end of last season. BOTTOM LINE: If Bryant is completely healthy – and there’s no reason to think he won’t be 100 percent by Week One – he figures to be a top-10 fantasy receiver. If all systems are go for him in training camp, don’t hesitate to grab him somewhere around the first round/ second-round turn.
6 ALLEN ROBINSON | JAGUARS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’14 JAX 10 8 | 48 548 11.4 | 2 0 | 5 2 | 81 ’15 JAX 16 16 | 80 1,400 17.5 | 14 6 | 31 6 | 153 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 86 1,367 15.9 | 12 6 | 26 5 | 159 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: After a promising rookie campaign, A-Rob took a quantum leap in his second season, finishing fourth in WR fantasy scoring at the tender age of
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22. Robinson’s average of 17.5 yards per catch was tops among receivers with more than 50 receptions, and he tied Doug Baldwin and Brandon Marshall for the league lead in TD catches. Robinson topped the 100-yard mark in five of his last nine games and had multiple TDs on three different occasions. The 6-3, 215-pound Robinson has nearly ideal size and is terrific at making contested catches. Jaguars QB Blake Bortles upped his game last year and still has room for further growth, and the same can be said of Robinson. BUST: It’s hard to find warts, but one minor concern is that the Jaguars were extremely pass-heavy last year and are likely to strive for more offensive balance, particularly after adding Chris Ivory to a RB stable that already included T.J. Yeldon. A busier Jacksonville running game could put a minor dent in A-Rob’s target total. Robinson doesn’t have great pure speed, though you wouldn’t know it by looking at his numbers. BOTTOM LINE: In light of what Robinson accomplished last season at age 22, it’s exciting to imagine what the future might hold for him. He should be a top-six receiver in redraft leagues, and he’s worth consideration for the No. 1 overall pick in dynasty startups. A.J. Green
7 A.J. GREEN | BENGALS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 CIN 16 16 | 98 1,426 14.6 | 11 6 | 18 9 | 178 ’14 CIN 13 13 | 69 1,041 15.1 | 6 5 | 13 3 | 116 ’15 CIN 16 16 | 86 1,297 15.1 | 10 4 | 19 5 | 132 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 101 1,514 15.0 | 10 7 | 20 6 | 174 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Consistency, thy name is A.J. Green. The sixth-year receiver has produced more than 1,000 yards in each of his five NFL seasons, averaging 83 catches and nine touchdowns per year. He finished eighth in WR fantasy scoring last season and has been in the top 10 in three of the past four years. Green’s 2015 reception and yardage numbers probably would have been slightly better were it not for a late-season injury to QB Andy Dalton. (Green caught 10-128-2 in the three games Dalton missed.) The Bengals should once again have an above-average offense, and Green remains the go-to guy in the Cincinnati passing game. His 6-4 frame and graceful athleticism make him one of fantasy football’s most dependable TD scorers. He’s hit double digits in touchdowns in three of the last four seasons. BUST: It’s hard to find blemishes in Green’s profile. He was a bit streaky last season, producing fewer than 70 receiving yards in 10 of his 16 games, but
that’s a small nit to pick. BOTTOM LINE: Durable and productive, Green remains a safe WR1, though he lacks the top-end potential of Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr. and Julio Jones.
8 ALSHON JEFFERY | BEARS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 CHI 16 14 | 89 1,421 16.0 | 7 5 | 20 7 | 150 ’14 CHI 16 16 | 85 1,133 13.3 | 10 3 | 17 3 | 145 ’15 CHI 9 8 | 54 807 14.9 | 4 4 | 14 3 | 93 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 90 1,350 15.0 | 10 6 | 19 5 | 153 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Jeffery averaged 87 catches, 1,277 yards and 8.5 TDs for the Bears over the 2013-2014 seasons, and that was when target monster Brandon Marshall was still in Chicago. Jeffery played only nine games last season due to hamstring, calf and groin injuries, but was on pace for more than 90 catches and more than 1,400 yards. He’s the undisputed No. 1 wideout for the Bears and figures to see all the targets he can handle. The 6-3, 216-pound Jeffery has prototypical size and has one of the best sets of hands in the league, routinely snaring balls thrown well outside the frame of his body. BUST: It’s concerning that Jeffery was beset with so many soft-tissue injuries last year, though he played all 16 games
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the two seasons prior. The potential emergence of promising young WR Kevin White, who missed all of his rookie year due to injury, could siphon a few targets away from Jeffery. BOTTOM LINE: If he can put his health issues behind him, Jeffery will have a strong chance to be a top-10 fantasy receiver.
9 JORDY NELSON | PACKERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 GB 16 16 | 85 1,314 15.5 | 8 5 | 22 3 | 127 ’14 GB 16 16 | 98 1,519 15.5 | 13 7 | 19 8 | 151 ’15 GB (Injured Reserve) ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 88 1,346 15.3 | 10 6 | 20 7 | 140 BYE: WEEK 4
BOOM: Nelson missed all of 2015 after tearing his ACL in a preseason game, but he’s reportedly on track to be ready for Week One. He was fabulous in 2014, tying for second in TD catches and finishing fourth in receiving yardage, seventh in receptions. Nelson was the secondleading fantasy scorer among WRs in 2014. He also ranked second in 2011 and was 11th in 2013. Nelson has extraordinary chemistry with Aaron Rodgers, one of the finest QBs in the game, and no receiver is better at working the deep sideline. BUST: Will the 30-year-old Nelson
POSITION be the same player after ripping up his knee last year? It’s fair to at least wonder if he might lose a valuable halfstep. The Packers’ passing game was uncharacteristically dysfunctional last season, and while some of that can be attributed to Nelson’s absence, there were assorted other problems, too. BOTTOM LINE: A tireless worker who plays with one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks, Nelson is likely to pick up where he left off in 2014, and you might be able to get a slight injury discount.
10 SAMMY WATKINS | BILLS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’14 BUF 16 16 | 65 982 15.1 | 6 4 | 14 4 | 128 ’15 BUF 13 13 | 60 1,047 17.5 | 9 5 | 18 7 | 96 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 85 1,326 15.6 | 10 6 | 22 7 | 151 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: Watkins really picked up steam
as the 2015 season went on. He averaged 100 receiving yards over his last nine games, and in his last six games he averaged 9.5 targets, 5.8 catches, 113.2 yards and one touchdown. Watkins closed his impressive sophomore season by light ing up Jets CB Darrelle Revis for 11 catches and 136 yards in Week 17. Watkins was a big-play machine, scoring nine TDs in 13 games and making seven catches of 40 yards or longer. Among receivers who had more than 50 catches last year, Watkins finished just a tick below leader Allen Robin son in yards per catch. And like Robinson, Watkins’ breakout season came at age 22, which portends big things in his future. BUST: Only the Vikings attempted fewer passes than the Bills last season, and Buffalo’s offense is apt to be conservative again this year, with Rex Ryan’s “groundand-pound” mindset potentially limiting Watkins’ upside. Tyrod Taylor was a pleasant surprise for the Bills last season but still has a long way to go to become an upper-echelon passer. BOTTOM LINE: Watkins made exciting progress last year and is ready to continue his ascension as he enters his age-23 season. There’s WR1 potential here, but with the Bills running a conservative offense, it might be better to view Watkins as a high-end WR2.
11 BRANDON MARSHALL | JETS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 CHI 16 16 | 100 1,295 13.0 | 12 6 | 16 3 | 163 ’14 CHI 13 13 | 61 721 11.8 | 8 2 | 5 4 | 106 ’15 NYJ 16 16 | 109 1,502 13.8 | 14 10 | 19 5 | 174 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 100 1,309 13.1 | 10 7 | 16 3 | 162 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: The 32-year-old Marshall is aging like a fine Bordeaux. His 14 TDs last
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season tied for the league lead and were the most of his 10-year career, and he finished just six yards off his career high in receiving yardage. Marshall ranked third in fantasy scoring among wide receivers last season and has finished in the top five in three of the past four years. He finished fourth in receiving yardage last season and tied for fifth in receptions. Open as often as your local 7-Eleven, Marshall has averaged 10.4 targets a game over the last four seasons. BUST: Marshall has shown no discernible signs of slowing down, but time isn’t kind, and he’s racked up a lot of mileage over his 10 seasons as a pro. The Jets’ QB situation is less than ideal, and WR Eric Decker is a fine sidekick who figures to see a good number of targets himself. BOTTOM LINE: Marshall’s age brings some risk, but it’s hard to imagine a complete collapse – or even a partial one, for that matter – from such a terrific receiver. He’s still capable of anchoring a fantasy team’s WR corps.
12 MIKE EVANS | BUCCANEERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’14 TB 15 15 | 68 1,051 15.5 | 12 3 | 20 4 | 123 ’15 TB 15 14 | 74 1,206 16.3 | 3 5 | 21 2 | 147 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 77 1,246 16.2 | 10 6 | 21 3 | 147 BYE: WEEK 6
BOOM: There’s no question that Evans went through a sophomore slump in 2015, but he still managed to catch 74 passes for 1,206 yards. When those numbers qualify as a disappointing output from a 22-year-old receiver (he turns 23 in late August), it’s obvious that we’re talking about a special talent. Evans set a high bar with a tour-de-force rookie season in which he had 12 TD catches. The 6-5, 231-pound Evans is a remarkable physical specimen. His catch radius is enormous, and he’s capable of physically dominating opponents. Evans figures to have better chemistry with QB Jameis Winston now that they’ve spent a year working together. It’s worth remembering that Evans played only one year of high school football and two years of college ball, so he still has ample room for development and refinement. BUST: Evans caught only 50.3 percent of his targets last year and had doubledigit drops for the season. After scoring a dozen times as a rookie, he reached the end zone just three times last year. When he wasn’t dropping passes, Evans was often lobbying officials for passinterference calls, and he was ejected from the Buccaneers’ final game for arguing with the zebras. The Buccaneers were reportedly unhappy with Evans’
preparation and work habits last season. BOTTOM LINE: Evans has intoxicating potential, but he needs to sharpen his focus in order to reach it. If you’re eager to buy in, you’re going to have to make a blind bet on the motivation level of a player who’ll have just turned 23 by the time the season begins. On the other hand, Evans put up 1,200 yards in a “bad” year, so maybe the potential rewards outweigh the risks.
13 DEMARYIUS THOMAS | BRONCOS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 DEN 16 16 | 92 1,430 15.5 | 14 6 | 19 5 | 142 ’14 DEN 16 16 | 111 1,619 14.6 | 11 10 | 25 6 | 184 ’15 DEN 16 16 | 105 1,304 12.4 | 6 4 | 14 4 | 176 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 96 1,248 13.0 | 9 6 | 18 4 | 171 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: Despite the obvious decline of Peyton Manning last season, Thomas still managed to catch more than 100 passes for the second consecutive year. He finished in the top five in WR fantasy scoring every year from 2012 to 2014, and even with Manning a shell of his former self last year, Thomas still managed to rank 13th. He’s finished in the top four in receiving yardage for four consecutive seasons. Thomas scored only six TDs last year but had put up double-digit TD totals in each of the previous three years. The 6-3, 229-pound Thomas is a wellbuilt warrior who hasn’t missed a game since 2011. BUST: When Thomas was enjoying a remarkable statistical run from 2012 to 2014, Peyton Manning was still near the top of his game. It’s admirable that Thomas was still able to produce good catch-andyardage totals last season with Manning unraveling, but his TD total plummeted, and with Manning’s retirement and Brock Osweiler’s departure via free agency, the Broncos’ QB situation may be even more problematic than it was last season. BOTTOM LINE: Thomas has been one of the top receivers in the game over the past four years, and there’s no reason to expect a decline in performance, but the uncertainty of the Denver QB situation makes Thomas a riskier fantasy play than he’s been in recent seasons. 14 AMARI COOPER | RAIDERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’15 OAK 16 15 | 72 1,070 14.9 | 6 5 | 16 6 | 130 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 86 1,229 14.3 | 8 5 | 20 6 | 151 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: Selected fourth overall in last year’s NFL Draft, Cooper lived up to expectations in his first pro season, leading all rookies in receptions and
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Amari Cooper
receiving yardage. He got off to a fast start, catching 45-662-4 over the first half of the regular season, including three 100-yard games in his first six outings, before tailing off late due in part to a nagging foot injury. Cooper had five 100yard games on the season and dropped 6-120-2 on the Packers in Week 15. Cooper clicked nicely with QB Derek Carr, and the two youngsters should form a nice pitchand-catch combo for years to come. BUST: Cooper struggled down the stretch, producing 20 yards or fewer in late-season games against divisional foes Denver, San Diego and Kansas City. The Broncos really had Cooper’s number, holding him to 4-47-0 in two games, including a Week 14 shutout. BOTTOM LINE: Look for the talented Cooper to build on a successful rookie campaign. Though his best seasons are probably still a few years away, he should nonetheless be a solid WR2 in 2016.
15 BRANDIN COOKS | SAINTS
16 games. Cooks averaged 10.4 yards per catch as a rookie and was at 10.8 four games into the 2015 season, but he averaged 14.4 yards per catch the rest of the way, challenging the notion that he’s all about catch volume. Cooks has caught an impressive 68.8 percent of his targets in his first two NFL seasons. He’ll once again play a key role in an offense triggered by future Hall of Fame QB Drew Brees. BUST: It’s a little surprising that Cooks averaged 8.1 targets per game last year and finished with 36 fewer targets than similarly skilled Dolphins WR Jarvis Landry despite playing in a better offense. Although Cooks bumped up his yardage per catch last season, he isn’t a field stretcher and is somewhat volume-dependent. BOTTOM LINE: Cooks made nice strides in his second season, and it’s reasonable to expect further growth. He figures to be slightly more valuable in PPR leagues than in standard leagues, but his TD binge over the last nine games of 2015 shows that he’s no slouch in standard formats.
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’14 NO 10 10 | 53 550 10.4 | 3 0 | 4 2 | 69 ’15 NO 16 12 | 84 1,138 13.5 | 9 4 | 18 5 | 129 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 86 1,058 12.3 | 9 4 | 22 7 | 137 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: Cooks was cookin’ last season from November on, with eight TD catches over his last nine games. He was remarkably consistent in PPR formats, catching at least four passes in 15 of his
16 KEENAN ALLEN | CHARGERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 SD 15 14 | 71 1,046 14.7 | 8 5 | 16 1 | 104 ’14 SD 14 14 | 77 783 10.2 | 4 3 | 6 0 | 122 ’15 SD 8 8 | 67 725 10.8 | 4 3 | 8 0 | 89 ’16 Proj: 14 14 | 92 1,049 11.4 | 8 4 | 11 0 | 140 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: After a disappointing 2014 season, Allen got off to a torrid start last
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year and was on pace for more than 130 catches and more than 1,400 yards before a lacerated kidney in Week Eight ended his season. Allen had some huge games last year, including 15-166-0 against the Lions in Week One, 12-133-2 against the Vikings in Week Three, and 14-157-0 against the Packers in Week Six. (What did the NFC North do to upset Allen?) He figures to once again be the undisputed No. 1 receiver for veteran QB Philip Rivers, who peppered Allen with 11.1 targets per game last year. BUST: Injuries and inconsistency have been issues for Allen. An impressive 1,000-yard rookie year was followed by a disappointing sophomore season, with Allen failing to score a TD in his first seven games and producing fewer than 40 yards on six different occasions. He missed the last two games of that season with a broken collarbone. Allen has averaged only 10.5 yards per catch over the last two seasons, and it would probably be generous to describe Allen’s speed as ordinary relative to other NFL receivers. BOTTOM LINE: Allen appeared to be on track for a big year in 2015 before a lacerated kidney wiped out the second half of his season. Injuries are a concern, and he’s endured some alarming dry spells, but Allen still looks to be a WR2 with WR1 potential.
17 JULIAN EDELMAN | PATRIOTS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 NE 16 1 | 105 1,056 10.1 | 6 4 | 9 2 | 151 ’14 NE 14 13 | 92 972 10.6 | 4 1 | 7 3 | 134 ’15 NE 9 9 | 61 692 11.3 | 7 1 | 8 1 | 88 ’16 Proj: 14 14 | 93 1,004 10.8 | 7 3 | 8 2 | 136 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Edelman has been a PPR machine over the past three seasons, averaging 6.6 catches over 39 regularseason games and catching 10 or more passes six times over that span. Edelman ramped up his TD output last year, scoring a career-high seven touchdowns in only nine games. A savvy veteran who excels at working the middle of the field, Edelman is a critical cog in the Patriots’ short-passing game, and he’s long been a favorite weapon of Tom Brady, who remains an elite quarterback. Edelman has a 67.8 percent catch rate for his seven-year career. BUST: A broken foot limited Edelman to nine regular-season games last season, and he’s missed 16 games over the past four years. Edelman has averaged only 10.5 yards per catch for his career, and in the three seasons that he’s been a prominent part of the New England passing attack, he’s averaged 0.44 TDs
POSITION per game. Edelman turned 30 in May. As of this writing, Brady was suspended the first four games for ‘Deflategate.’ BOTTOM LINE: A PPR stud, Edelman piles up receptions when healthy, but he’s missed time with injuries in three of the last four seasons and hasn’t been a prolific TD scorer.
18 T.Y. HILTON | COLTS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 IND 16 10 | 82 1,083 13.2 | 5 5 | 13 6 | 138 ’14 IND 15 15 | 82 1,345 16.4 | 7 6 | 21 6 | 131 ’15 IND 16 15 | 69 1,124 16.3 | 5 2 | 17 6 | 134 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 75 1,162 15.5 | 5 4 | 15 6 | 128 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: Despite getting to play only seven games with stud QB Andrew Luck last year, Hilton still finished with more than 1,000 receiving yards for a third consecutive season. A dangerous deep threat with a knack for making big plays, Hilton has had 23 catches of 40 or more yards during his four years with the Colts, and he has a career average of 15.6 yards per catch. If Luck is able to stay healthy for a full season, Hilton is more likely to produce the sort of numbers he put up in 2014 than the less impressive numbers he put up last season. BUST: Hilton was held without a touchdown in 13 of his 16 games last year, and he was held to 45 or fewer yards on six occasions. At 5-9, 180-pounds, Hilton doesn’t fit the profile of a highvolume NFL receiver. Donte Moncrief is a talented young wideout who could conceivably finish with better numbers than Hilton, and second-year man Phillip Dorsett might be ready to make a bigger contribution after catching 18 passes as a rookie. Hilton hasn’t had more than seven TD catches in any of his first four seasons in the league. BOTTOM LINE: Hilton is the sort of big-play receiver who can meet his weekly scoring quota with a single catch. Improved health for Andrew Luck would help perk up Hilton’s overall numbers and put him in the WR2 category. 19 ERIC DECKER | JETS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 DEN 16 16 | 87 1,288 14.8 | 11 5 | 19 6 | 136 ’14 NYJ 15 15 | 74 962 13.0 | 5 2 | 12 4 | 114 ’15 NYJ 15 13 | 80 1,027 12.8 | 12 1 | 16 0 | 132 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 73 964 13.2 | 8 2 | 13 3 | 116 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: Decker delivered week in, week
out in 2015, producing either 80-plus yards or a TD in each of the 15 games he played. He finished ninth in fantasy scoring among wide receivers last season and was eighth in 2013, sixth in 2012. He’s averaged 10.3
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TD catches over the past four seasons, hitting double digits three times. Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey likes to line up Decker in the slot, often presenting the 6-3, 214-pound receiver with physical mismatches. The Jets don’t use their tight ends in the passing game very much, which leaves ample targets for Decker and Brandon Marshall. BUST: Decker has gotten his fair share of targets over the past two seasons, but with Marshall around, Decker has probably maxed out his target ceiling. The Jets now have two excellent passcatching RBs, Matt Forte and Bilal Powell, to potentially steal some receptions from the Jets’ wideouts. BOTTOM LINE: The perennially under rated Decker is often picked later than he should be in fantasy drafts. If he slips in yours, grab him.
20 JEREMY MACLIN | CHIEFS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 PHI (Injured Reserve) ’14 PHI 16 16 | 85 1,318 15.5 | 10 4 | 21 7 | 143 ’15 KC 15 15 | 87 1,088 12.5 | 8 3 | 14 3 | 124 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 86 1,092 12.7 | 8 3 | 15 2 | 126 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: Concerns that the conservative nature of Chiefs QB Alex Smith would harm Maclin’s fantasy value were unfounded. Maclin had a career-high 87 catches last year despite missing a game with a concussion and turned in his second consecutive 1,000-yard season. Since missing all of 2013 with a torn ACL, Maclin has played 31 of 32 regular-season games and has averaged 86 receptions, 1,203 yards and nine TDs per year. He finished the 2015 regular season with flair, scoring six TDs in his last six games. Maclin has fit nicely into head coach Andy Reid’s offenses in both Philadelphia and Kansas City. BUST: Maclin has torn his right ACL twice – once in the NFL, once during his college career at Missouri. He’s missed seven other games over six seasons due to various injuries. Although Maclin and Smith clicked nicely last year, Smith’s cautious style might limit Maclin’s topend potential. BOTTOM LINE: Maclin’s injury history is a concern, but only a mild one. He’s a solid WR2. 21 KELVIN BENJAMIN | PANTHERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’14 CAR 16 15 | 73 1,008 13.8 | 9 3 | 14 2 | 145 ’15 CAR ( I njured Reserve) ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 71 944 13.3 | 8 3 | 13 2 | 142 BYE: WEEK 7
BOOM: After missing all of 2015 with a torn ACL, Benjamin will look to pick up
where he left off. He enjoyed a fine rookie year for the Panthers in 2014, finishing 16th in WR fantasy scoring. The 6-5, 245-pound Benjamin makes an inviting target for QB Cam Newton, especially in the red zone. He knows how to use his gigantic frame to outmuscle smaller defenders. Carolina’s division rivals – the Saints, Falcons and Buccaneers – all appear to have shaky pass defenses. BUST: Benjamin caught only half of his targets as a rookie. He came into the league with a reputation for unreliable hands, and he’s not always precise with his route-running. Benjamin wasn’t especially fast to begin with, and now he’s coming off ACL surgery. BOTTOM LINE: Benjamin is one of the more intriguing wide receivers on the board. He put up impressive numbers as a rookie and is a physical marvel with a huge catch radius. But he also has some flaws in his game, and he’s coming off a major knee injury. Place your bets.
22 JARVIS LANDRY | DOLPHINS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’14 MIA 16 11 | 84 758 9.0 | 5 0 | 6 0 | 112 ’15 MIA 16 14 | 110 1,157 10.5 | 4 3 | 10 3 | 166 ’16 Proj: 16 14 | 97 974 10.0 | 5 2 | 9 2 | 138 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: A high-volume receiver who figures to be a fixture in fantasy lineups for years to come, Landry produced what should be the first of many 1,000-yard seasons in 2015. He was a busy man last year, finishing fourth in the league in receptions, sixth in targets, 13th in receiving yardage and sixth in yardage after the catch. Landry had double-digit targets in all but five games last year. He had three games with double-digit receptions, and he had seven or more receptions on nine occasions. Landry is a remarkably efficient receiver who’s caught 70.3 percent of his targets over the past two years. He also adds a bit of value as a runner: Landry had 18 carries last year for 113 yards and a TD. The arrival of Adam Gase, a widely respected offensive architect, could further boost Landry’s numbers. BUST: Landry’s receiving totals are more about quantity than quality. He’s averaged just 9.9 yards per catch over his first two seasons, with only nine TD receptions. DeVante Parker, injured for much of his rookie season, could become much more involved in his second year, potentially cutting into Landry’s market share of the Miami passing game. Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill seems to have plateaued as an average (at best) NFL starter. BOTTOM LINE: Better in PPR leagues than standard leagues, Landry has a
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WR decent chance to catch 100-plus balls for a second straight year, but his TD total might leave you wanting more.
23 DOUG BALDWIN | SEAHAWKS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 SEA 16 9 | 50 778 15.6 | 5 0 | 14 3 | 73 ’14 SEA 16 16 | 66 825 12.5 | 3 2 | 15 2 | 98 ’15 SEA 16 16 | 78 1,069 13.7 | 14 3 | 16 3 | 104 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 73 971 13.3 | 6 3 | 15 3 | 113 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: Baldwin tipped the balance of power in a lot of fantasy leagues last year, going on a remarkable and rather unexpected late-season rampage that helped propel many owners to league championships. He scored 11 TDs over the final six games of the regular season. Baldwin had 10 TDs in a four-game stretch from Week 12 to Week 15, with at least two touchdowns in each of those contests. Thanks to the late scoring deluge, Baldwin finished as the fourth-leading fantasy scorer among wide receivers. With RB Marshawn Lynch retiring and TE Jimmy Graham trying to come back from a torn patellar tendon, Seahawks QB Russell Wilson may need to lean heavily on Baldwin this year. BUST: Nothing in Baldwin’s history suggested that he was capable of the feats he performed down the stretch last year. In four previous NFL seasons, he never had more than 825 receiving yards or five touchdowns. Over the first 10 games of 2015, he averaged 53.9 receiving yards per game and scored three TDs. During the touchdown binge over his last six games, 32.4 percent of Baldwin’s catches were TDs. Before that, only 7.5 percent of Baldwin’s career regular-season receptions had been TDs, suggesting that his post-Thanksgiving score-a-thon was something of a fluke. BOTTOM LINE: It’s difficult to trian gulate Baldwin’s 2016 fantasy value. How do we weigh his amazing late-season run in 2015 against 4.5 seasons of ordinary numbers? Baldwin should probably be one of the first 25 receivers off the board in fantasy drafts, but owners who hit the jackpot with Baldwin last season should avoid the temptation to reach for him. 24 RANDALL COBB | PACKERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 GB 6 4 | 31 433 14.0 | 4 2 | 6 1 | 47 ’14 GB 16 16 | 91 1,287 14.1 | 12 5 | 24 3 | 127 ’15 GB 16 15 | 79 829 10.5 | 6 1 | 11 1 | 129 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 83 963 11.6 | 6 3 | 16 1 | 122 BYE: WEEK 4
BOOM: For his supporters, the hope is that Cobb’s disappointing 2015 season can be attributed to the knee injury that kept Packers WR Jordy Nelson out for the entire
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season and made the Green Bay passing game much easier to defend. After all, just two seasons ago, with Nelson healthy, Cobb finished sixth in WR fantasy scoring. Although his numbers were down across the board last year, Cobb still caught 79 passes, and over the past four seasons he’s averaged 5.3 catches per game. QB performance obviously has a large bearing on a wide receiver’s numbers, and Cobb works with one of the best quarterbacks in the game in Aaron Rodgers. BUST: The normally prolific Green Bay passing attack encountered turbulence last season, and not all of it was connected to Nelson’s absence. Going into last season, Cobb had a career catch rate of 73.9 percent, but his catch rate plunged to 61.2 percent last year. After averaging better than 14 yards per catch in each of his two previous seasons, Cobb averaged 10.5 YPC last year. He had 24 of his catches go for 20 or more yards in 2014, but only 11 of his catches last year covered 20-plus yards. BOTTOM LINE: Viewed by many as a top-10 receiver going into last year’s fantasy drafts, Cobb might not be a top20 receiver in your draft this year. The guess here is that Cobb’s relatively poor 2015 season was just a hiccup, and that the return of Jordy Nelson will restore some of the luster to Cobb’s numbers.
25 MICHAEL FLOYD | CARDINALS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 ARI 16 16 | 65 1,041 16.0 | 5 2 | 17 3 | 112 ’14 ARI 16 14 | 47 841 17.9 | 6 3 | 15 6 | 99 ’15 ARI 15 6 | 52 849 16.3 | 6 5 | 13 3 | 89 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 59 980 16.6 | 6 3 | 15 5 | 114 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: A hand injury that Floyd sustained in training camp led to a slow start last season, but Floyd caught fire down the stretch, producing more than 100 yards in five of his last eight games. He also had five TDs over a four-game stretch in the middle of the season. The 6-2, 220-pound Floyd has an enticing combination of size and speed, making him a dangerous playmaker. He’s averaged at least 16 yards per catch in each of the past three years. Floyd plays in a high-octane passing attack triggered by aggressive downfield passer Carson Palmer, and he’s entering a contract year. Floyd has missed only one game in four NFL seasons. BUST: For all of his immense potential, Floyd hasn’t been able to put it all together yet. He’s been streaky throughout his career, and he hasn’t scored more than six TDs in a single season. The presence of Larry Fitzgerald and John Brown makes Floyd’s target total a week-to-week crapshoot. BOTTOM LINE: The 26-year-old Floyd
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has been something of an enigma thus far in his career, but his performance last year from mid-October on suggests that perhaps big things lie ahead. The question is whether Floyd will be able to author a breakout season while having to share targets with Fitzgerald and Brown.
26 EMMANUEL SANDERS | BRONCOS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 PIT 16 10 | 67 740 11.0 | 6 0 | 12 3 | 112 ’14 DEN 16 16 | 101 1,404 13.9 | 9 7 | 24 4 | 141 ’15 DEN 15 15 | 76 1,135 14.9 | 6 4 | 12 6 | 137 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 71 966 13.6 | 5 3 | 12 3 | 129 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: Sanders has flourished during his two seasons in Denver, racking up 177 receptions, 2,539 yards and 15 TDs. He finished 15th in the league in receiving yardage last year, fifth in 2014. Sanders has posted seven 100-yard receiving games since joining the Broncos, and he’s had nine games in which he recorded eight or more receptions. Sanders finished 17th in fantasy scoring among wide receivers last year and ranked seventh in 2014. He averaged a career-high 14.9 yards per catch last season. BUST: Peyton Manning has retired, leaving the Broncos in a transitional phase at the QB position. Sanders’ TD total slipped last year, and only once in his career has he had more than six TD catches in a single season. After catching 71.6 percent of his targets in 2014, Sanders caught only 55.5 percent of his targets last year, and that catch rate might not bounce back with Sanders having to get acclimated to a new starting quarterback. BOTTOM LINE: Sanders’ numbers slipped a bit last year as the play of QB Peyton Manning slipped. The Broncos’ passing game is under repairs, so it’s wise to keep your expectations for Sanders modest. 27 GOLDEN TATE | LIONS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 SEA 16 13 | 64 898 14.0 | 5 2 | 12 3 | 98 ’14 DET 16 16 | 99 1,331 13.4 | 4 5 | 17 5 | 144 ’15 DET 16 16 | 90 813 9.0 | 6 0 | 7 1 | 128 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 96 1,037 10.8 | 5 4 | 14 2 | 139 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: The Lions signed Tate in 2014 to be a complementary receiver to star Calvin Johnson, but during his time in Detroit, Tate has done his best work when Megatron was injured. Now that Johnson has announced his retirement, Tate could be in line for an increased role and bigger numbers. In 2014, when Johnson missed three games with an ankle injury, Tate caught 24-349-2 while his teammate was sidelined, including a pair of 150-
POSITION yard games. Last season, when Johnson was dealing with another ankle injury and had only five catches for 79 yards over a three-game stretch in December, Tate had 23 catches and four TDs over the same period. Tate played well over the second half of the season, after the Lions promoted Jim Bob Cooter to offensive coordinator, with 46 of his 90 receptions and five of his six TD catches coming in the last seven games of the season. Tate finished fourth among wide receivers in yardage after the catch last season. BUST: Megatron is gone, but the Lions signed Marvin Jones, who was probably the best receiver available in free agency and should get a lot of targets. Tate had a career average of 13.4 yards per catch going into 2015 but averaged only 9.0 yards per catch last season. He’s had only 25 TD catches in 90 career games. BOTTOM LINE: Tate has operated in Calvin Johnson’s shadow for most of the past two seasons but put up good numbers whenever Megatron was ailing, and Tate also fared well late last year in offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter’s system. With Johnson out of the picture and Cooter calling the plays all year, Tate could be poised for a big season.
28 LARRY FITZGERALD | CARDINALS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 ARI 16 16 | 82 954 11.6 | 10 2 | 11 3 | 134 ’14 ARI 14 13 | 63 784 12.4 | 2 2 | 11 1 | 104 ’15 ARI 16 16 | 109 1,215 11.1 | 9 3 | 17 1 | 146 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 90 999 11.1 | 6 3 | 12 0 | 135 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Fitzgerald enjoyed a renaissance season at age 32, establishing a new career high in receptions and posting his highest yardage total since 2011. He caught 75.2 percent of his targets – easily the best catch rate of his career – and finished as a top-10 fantasy receiver for the first time since 2011. Fitz tied for fifth in the league in receptions and ranked ninth in receiving yardage, 13th in yardage after the catch. He saved his best game of the season for the playoffs, torching the Packers for 8-1761 in the divisional round and scoring the game-winning TD in overtime. Cardinals QB Carson Palmer leaned on Fitzgerald as a possession receiver last season, and with deep threats Michael Floyd and John Brown keeping opposing safeties occupied downfield, Fitzgerald should have ample room to roam underneath. BUST: Fitz will be 33 when the season begins and has made 1,018 regular-season catches over his 12-year career – an awful lot of mileage. He averaged a careerlow 11.1 yards per catch last season and doesn’t do much damage downfield these days, making him extremely volume-
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dependent. If Floyd and/or Brown play bigger roles this year, Fitzgerald could take a hit in targets. BOTTOM LINE: He may be entering the twilight of his career, but Fitzgerald proved last season that he’s still a worthwhile fantasy asset. Better in PPR leagues than standard leagues, Fitz should continue to accumulate strong reception totals.
29 JORDAN MATTHEWS | EAGLES
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’14 PHI 16 10 | 67 872 13.0 | 8 3 | 20 2 | 103 ’15 PHI 16 12 | 85 997 11.7 | 8 4 | 14 3 | 128 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 71 923 13.2 | 7 3 | 15 2 | 120 BYE: WEEK 4
BOOM: New Eagles head coach Doug Pederson plans to move Matthews from the slot to the outside, which should bump up Matthews’ snap percentage and give him the chance to make more plays downfield. Matthews played 79 percent of the Eagles offensive snaps last season, usually coming off the field in two-TE sets. Matthews got off to a sluggish start last year but came on late, scoring six TDs in his last six games. He had 21 catches for 317 yards and four TDs over the Eagles’ final three contests. At 6-3, 212 pounds, Matthews has good size to go with decent speed. He’ll only be 24 when the season begins and has already established himself as a credible NFL starter. BUST: Moving from the slot to the outside might boost Matthews’ snap percentage, but the Eagles’ overall snap count figures to drop substantially now that they won’t be playing at the breakneck pace favored by former head coach Chip Kelly. Matthews is also likely to encounter tougher CB matchups on the outside. The Eagles’ QB stable of Sam Bradford, Chase Daniel and rookie Carson Wentz could be a limiting factor for Matthews. BOTTOM LINE: On the plus side, Matthews should continue to improve, and the move outside probably bodes well. On the minus side, the Eagles’ QB situation is in a state of flux, and the pace of the Philadelphia offense will be slower. Matthews has a good chance to finish as a top-25 receiver, but the QB situation could keep a lid on his upside. 30 ALLEN HURNS | JAGUARS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’14 JAX 16 8 | 51 677 13.3 | 6 2 | 11 4 | 97 ’15 JAX 15 15 | 64 1,031 16.1 | 10 5 | 19 3 | 104 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 60 936 15.6 | 6 3 | 16 4 | 112 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: While Allen Robinson was staking his claim to stardom last season, the Jaguars’ other second-year receiver
was quietly enjoying a breakout season of his own. With a 1,000-yard season and 10 TDs, Hurns finished 13th in WR fantasy scoring despite missing one game with a concussion and being bothered by a thigh injury late in the year. Hurns had a TD catch in seven consecutive games covering a period from late September to mid-November, and he topped the 100yard mark five times last season. The former undrafted free agent averaged a robust 16.1 yards per catch last year, ranking ninth in that category among receivers with 50 or more receptions. With Robinson on the other side, Hurns won’t often have to go up against an opponent’s No. 1 cornerback. BUST: There are reasons to believe that Hurns may have statistically maxed out in 2015. For one, the Jaguars were exceedingly pass-happy last year and will probably run the ball more frequently this season with the one-two punch of T.J. Yeldon and Chris Ivory. Also, Robinson has turned into an absolute monster, and while Hurns made the most out of his 104 targets last season, he’s unlikely to make gains in his target share. BOTTOM LINE: Overshadowed some what by teammate Allen Robinson, Hurns has blossomed into a fine receiver in his own right. That said, Hurns will probably have a hard time equaling his 2015 numbers and should be regarded as a WR3.
31 DeVANTE PARKER | DOLPHINS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’15 MIA 14 4 | 26 494 19.0 | 3 1 | 9 2 | 51 ’16 Proj: 15 14 | 56 930 16.6 | 6 2 | 14 2 | 100 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: The foot injuries that plagued the Dolphins 2014 first-round draft pick throughout his rookie season should be behind him. Though he played fewer than half of Miami’s offensive snaps for the season, Parker played 91 percent of the Dolphins’ snaps from Week 12 on and had 22 catches for 486 yards and three TDs in those six games. At 6-3, 218 pounds, Parker has good size, and new Dolphins head coach Adam Gase has a good track record with big receivers, having coordinated offenses that featured Demaryius Thomas in Denver and Alshon Jeffery in Chicago. Parker averaged 19.0 yards per catch last season, and while he did it on only 26 receptions, it hints at his big-play potential. BUST: There’s not a lot to go on here, since the foot issues robbed Parker of valuable snaps last year. Dolphins WR Jarvis Landry finished sixth in the league in targets last year and figures to once again be a target hog. Parker had a catch rate of only 51 percent last season. BOTTOM LINE: Parker has immense
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potential, and new Dolphins head coach Adam Gase could help ramp up Miami’s offensive production. With injuries setting him back in 2015, Parker is still largely unproven, but he’s an intriguing speculative play.
32 JOHN BROWN | CARDINALS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’14 ARI 16 5 | 48 696 14.5 | 5 1 | 11 2 | 102 ’15 ARI 15 11 | 65 1,003 15.4 | 7 2 | 11 6 | 101 ’16 Proj: 16 10 | 65 968 14.9 | 5 2 | 11 4 | 104 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: After showing flashes of promise as a rookie, Brown became a more consistent contributor in his second professional season, joining the 1,000-yard club. Brown caught only 46.6 percent of his targets as a rookie but boosted his catch rate to 64.3 percent last season, an impressive figure considering that he averaged a healthy 15.4 yards per catch. Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians oversees a high-volume passing attack, and Carson Palmer is an upper-echelon quarterback. Palmer has said that he thinks Brown is the fastest receiver in the league, and while that may or may not be true, there’s no disputing that Brown has phenomenal wheels. BUST: At 5-11, 179 pounds, Brown isn’t built to be a high-volume receiver. And frankly, target volume may be hard for Brown to come by on a team that also includes WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd. BOTTOM LINE: The speedy Brown is a key contributor to Arizona’s soupedup passing attack and has a bright future, but as part of a three-headed WR situation, Brown’s week-to-week fantasy production could be volatile. 33 DeSEAN JACKSON | WASHINGTON
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 PHI 16 16 | 82 1,332 16.2 | 9 5 | 25 8 | 125 ’14 WAS 15 13 | 56 1,169 20.9 | 6 6 | 16 13 | 95 ’15 WAS 9 9 | 30 528 17.6 | 4 1 | 10 4 | 49 ’16 Proj: 13 13 | 48 849 17.6 | 6 3 | 14 5 | 87 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Jackson played only nine games last season but was reasonably productive when healthy, scoring four TDs over his last six regular-season games. The eight-year veteran has gone over the 1,000-yard mark four times in his career, and he’s had more than 900 yards in every season in which he played at least 14 games. The speedy Jackson is a dangerous deep threat who’s had 52 catches of 40-plus yards in his career, including 13 such receptions in 2014. Jackson ranks first among all qualifying active receivers with an average of 17.7
DeVante Parker
yards per catch. Although it seems as if he’s been around forever, Jackson won’t turn 30 until December. BUST: A streaky performer whose big games are often sandwiched between clunkers, Jackson is a weekly wild card for his fantasy owners. Jackson isn’t a highvolume receiver; only once in his career has he caught more than 62 passes in a single season. He’s missed nine games in the last five years and missed six games with a hamstring injury last season. BOTTOM LINE: The unpredictable Jackson should continue to oscillate from game to game, giving his fantasy owners a huge lift some weeks and coming up nearly empty in others. With his low catch volume and high yardage per catch, Jackson is more valuable in standard leagues than in PPR leagues.
34 MICHAEL CRABTREE | RAIDERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 SF 5 5 | 19 284 14.9 | 1 1 | 3 2 | 33 ’14 SF 16 16 | 68 698 10.3 | 4 0 | 10 2 | 108 ’15 OAK 16 15 | 85 922 10.8 | 9 3 | 15 0 | 146 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 77 839 10.9 | 6 1 | 13 1 | 136 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: Injury-plagued in 2013 and unproductive in 2014, Crabtree joined
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the Raiders in 2015 and enjoyed a revival season. He tied career highs in receptions and TDs, and he posted the second-highest yardage total of his seven NFL seasons. Crabtree also saw a career-high 146 targets. Second-year WR Amari Cooper figures to draw coverage from opponents’ top cornerbacks, leaving Crabtree to work against lesser cover men. The Raiders’ offense seems to be on the rise, and Derek Carr is a promising young quarterback who should continue to improve in his third season as a starter. BUST: Crabtree has produced just a single 1,000-yard season over his sevenyear career. He’s averaged under 11 yards per catch in each of the last two seasons. Crabtree has scored 35 touchdowns in 95 career games — an uninspiring per-game TD average of 0.37. Although Crabtree had more targets and receptions than Cooper last season, Cooper is clearly the No. 1 receiver in Oakland and will likely have a bigger market share of the passing game this season. BOTTOM LINE: It was nice to see Crabtree enjoy a comeback season in 2015 and re-establish himself as a receiver worth owning in fantasy leagues. Still, his career has largely been a disappointment. Crabtree turns 29 in September and isn’t
POSITION suddenly going to blossom into a star, but he can be a useful backup for fantasy owners.
35 TYLER LOCKETT | SEAHAWKS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’15 SEA 16 8 | 51 664 13.0 | 6 1 | 9 2 | 68 ’16 Proj: 16 10 | 59 761 12.9 | 7 2 | 10 3 | 84 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: The fact that the Seahawks traded up to select Lockett in the third round of last year’s draft suggested they had big plans for him, and that was indeed the case. In addition to serving as Seattle’s primary return man on kickoffs and punts, Lockett played 61 percent of the team’s offensive snaps and contributed 51 receptions and half a dozen touchdowns. He was a remarkably efficient receiver as a rookie, posting a 75 percent catch rate and averaging an impressive 1.5 fantasy points per target. Lockett had a pair of two-TD outings and scored five times in Seattle’s last seven regular-season games. BUST: Lockett is still Seattle’s No. 3 receiver, and while the Seahawks get him a lot of work in multiple-receiver sets, a limited snap count lowers his ceiling as a fantasy contributor. Lockett didn’t have more than seven targets in any game last season, and he had fewer than five targets in half of his 16 games. BOTTOM LINE: Lockett is an exciting playmaker with a knack for finding the end zone as both a receiver and a return man, but his fantasy potential is somewhat limited by his role. Obviously, Lockett gains immense value in leagues that include return yardage. 36 DONTE MONCRIEF | COLTS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’14 IND 16 2 | 32 444 13.9 | 3 2 | 7 3 | 49 ’15 IND 16 10 | 64 733 11.5 | 6 2 | 9 0 | 105 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 71 901 12.7 | 5 3 | 9 1 | 127 BYE: WEEK 10
numbers. Moncrief averaged a pedestrian 11.5 yards per catch last season. BOTTOM LINE: With a healthy Luck, the talented young Moncrief will be a prime 2016 breakout candidate. v 37 STEVE SMITH | RAVENS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 CAR 15 15 | 64 745 11.6 | 4 0 | 4 2 | 110 ’14 BAL 16 16 | 79 1,065 13.5 | 6 4 | 15 5 | 134 ’15 BAL 7 7 | 46 670 14.6 | 3 3 | 13 2 | 73 ’16 Proj: 14 14 | 61 817 13.4 | 4 2 | 10 2 | 113 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Smith had intended for 2015 to be his swan song, but after rupturing his Achilles’ in Week Eight, he eventually reconsidered retirement and announced that he’ll return for one more year. Smith was having a terrific season when he went down, on pace for 105 receptions and 1,531 receiving yards. He had three 100-yard games, including a monster 13-186-2 day against the Bengals in Week Three. Last year was the first time since 2004 that Smith didn’t catch at least 64 balls, and he’s had seven 1,000-yard seasons over the last 11 years. Smith once again projects to be the No. 1 receiver for the Ravens. BUST: The 37-year-old Smith will be the oldest receiver in the league. He defied Father Time last year at age 36, but now he’s coming back from a major injury. Smith’s TD production has been ordinary for years. He hasn’t scored more than seven TDs in a single season since 2006, and he’s averaged just 4.3 TDs a season since 2010, which works out to an average of 0.31 TDs per game. BOTTOM LINE: There’s obviously some risk here, but if anyone can turn in a big season at age 37, it’s the feisty Smith. If healthy, he should produce good catch and yardage totals, but don’t count on a lot of touchdowns. 38 DORIAL GREEN-BECKHAM | TITANS
BOOM: Moncrief upped his receiving totals across the board in his second NFL season, though his totals probably would have been significantly better if QB Andrew Luck hadn’t missed nine games. Moncrief had a TD catch in five of the seven games Luck played last season. He won’t turn 23 until August, but Moncrief already has 96 NFL receptions. His physical tools are impressive: Moncrief has good size (6-2, 222 pounds) and 4.4 speed. BUST: Fellow Colts WR T.Y. Hilton has produced three consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns and has been targeted 130 times or more in each of those seasons. If Luck is healthy, there should be ample targets to go around, but Hilton’s prominence in the Indianapolis passing attack could put a cap on Moncrief’s
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REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’15 TEN 16 5 | 32 549 17.2 | 4 2 | 10 1 | 66 ’16 Proj: 16 14 | 51 765 15.0 | 5 2 | 14 2 | 101 BYE: WEEK 13
BOOM: Green-Beckham has all the physical tools. At 6-5, 237 pounds, he has an enormous catch radius. He runs well for such a big receiver and has soft hands. DGB showed some flashes late last season, catching 5-119-1 against the Jaguars in Week 13 and 6-113-0 against the Patriots in Week 15. He averaged 17.2 yards per catch for the season. Titans QB Marcus Mariota showed immense promise as a rookie, and he and GreenBeckham could blossom into a potent pitch-and-catch combo. BUST: Green-Beckham had a litany
of off-the-field problems in college and was kicked off the football team at the University of Missouri. DGB made only sporadic contributions as a rookie, and his first NFL season didn’t exactly suggest that superstardom is just around the corner. The Titans signed underrated WR Rishard Matthews in the offseason, Kendall Wright is still around, and Delanie Walker is one of the league’s best passcatching tight ends. That’s a lot of competition for targets. BOTTOM LINE: If Green-Beckham can harness his seemingly limitless physical potential, he might become one of the NFL’s top wide receivers. But DGB has a troublesome history of off-the-field problems, and it’s fair to wonder whether his issues will sidetrack a promising career. Green-Beckham is the walking definition of “boom or bust.”
39 KEVIN WHITE | BEARS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’15 CHI ( I njured Reserve) ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 58 737 12.7 | 5 1 | 12 2 | 100 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: White was sidelined for his entire rookie season with a stress fracture in his shin, but his considerable physical tools could help him quickly make up for lost time. White is 6-3, 215 pounds. At the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds and did 23 reps in the bench press. In his final college season at West Virginia, White had 109 catches for 1,447 yards and 10 TDs. The presence of Alshon Jeffery could help White make a smooth transition to the NFL, since Jeffery is apt to draw significant defensive attention. BUST: Technically, White isn’t a rookie, but he’s effectively a redshirt rookie who may need time to get acclimated to the pro game. Jeffery remains the Bears’ No. 1 receiver and figures to be a target hog. The Bears’ offense is now being coordinated by Dowell Loggains rather than respected offensive guru Adam Gase, who’s now head coach of the Dolphins. BOTTOM LINE: The seventh overall pick of the 2014 draft, White is a gifted physical specimen with the potential to make significant contributions to the Bears and to his fantasy teams right off the bat 40 STEFON DIGGS | VIKINGS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’15 MIN 13 9 | 52 720 13.8 | 4 2 | 13 1 | 85 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 64 857 13.4 | 4 3 | 15 1 | 106 BYE: WEEK 6
BOOM: After being inactive for the Vikings’ first three games of 2015, Diggs
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WR burst onto the scene with 25 catches for 419 yards and two TDs in his first four outings as a pro. Despite sitting out those first three games, Diggs led Minnesota in targets, receptions and receiving yardage last year. The Vikings didn’t add any veteran wide receiver in free agency, so there’s a good chance Diggs will go into the 2016 season as the Vikings’ top receiver, ahead of rookie Laquon Treadwell in the pecking order. BUST: After bursting out of the gate with four strong games, Diggs was fairly quiet the rest of the way, aside from a twoTD game against the Bears in Week 15. Diggs didn’t have more than 66 receiving yards in any of his last nine games, and he was held without a TD in all but one of those contests. The Vikings attempted fewer passes than every other NFL team last season, and QB Teddy Bridgewater has yet to demonstrate that he can be an effective downfield thrower. BOTTOM LINE: This fifth-round draft pick was a pleasant rookie surprise and looks as if he’s going to be a solid contributor for years to come, but the punchlessness of the Minnesota passing game limits his potential for 2016.
41 COREY COLEMAN | BROWNS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’16 Proj: 16 15 | 61 836 13.7 | 5 3 | 12 3 | 118 BYE: WEEK 13
BOOM: Coleman won the 2015 Biletnikoff Award as the top college receiver in college football, catching 74 passes for 1,363 yards and 20 TDs. Coleman was good enough to become a starter for Baylor as a freshman and showed steady improvement over his three years in Waco. He’s a speedy vertical receiver who can really stretch a defense. No team needed receiver help more than the Browns this season, and Coleman immediately becomes their top receiver. He figures to lead all rookie receivers in targets this season. BUST: Although Coleman will play a significant role in the Cleveland offense right away, the problematic state of the Browns’ QB situation will be a limiting factor. At 5-11, 194 pounds, Coleman isn’t built to be a high-volume receiver. Although he was effective as an outside receiver in college, his size might force him into the slot. He’s been somewhat drop-prone, and some scouts have questioned his concentration. BOTTOM LINE: With the amount of targets he’s going to see, Coleman has immediate WR3 potential for fantasy owners, but if the Browns don’t get decent quarterback play, Coleman’s numbers could fluctuate wildly from
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week to week.
42 MARVIN JONES | LIONS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 CIN 16 3 | 51 712 14.0 | 10 1 | 10 2 | 80 ’14 CIN ( I njured Reserve) ’15 CIN 16 13 | 65 816 12.6 | 4 0 | 13 4 | 103 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 62 800 12.9 | 4 2 | 12 3 | 102 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: The Lions gave Jones a fiveyear, $40 million deal in free agency, suggesting that they see him as a potential No. 1 receiver. With Calvin Johnson having retired, there are plenty of targets to go around in Detroit, and Jones figures to get a bigger target share in the Motor City than he did in Cincinnati, where he operated in the shadow of A.J. Green. Jones established career highs in targets, receptions and receiving yardage last season. He had 10 TDs for the Bengals in 2013. At age 26, Jones is entering the prime of his career. BUST: Jones’ receiving numbers today are rather unremarkable, though in fairness, it’s hard to shine when you’re playing second fiddle to A.J. Green. Although Jones won’t have to compete with Green for targets, he’ll have to compete with Golden Tate, who’s averaged 135 targets per year since joining the Lions in 2014. The standout number in Jones’ statistical profile – his double-digit TD total in 2013 – was somewhat fluky in that four of his 10 TDs came in a blowout of the Jets. That game was also Jones’ lone 100-yard receiving performance in 43 career games. Jones missed the entire 2014 season with a broken foot. BOTTOM LINE: A change of venue could give Jones’ numbers a boost, since he figures to play a bigger role for the Lions than he did for the Bengals. But Jones’ résumé is somewhat thin, so don’t overpay for a statistical leap that might not come. 43 VINCENT JACKSON | BUCCANEERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 TB 16 16 | 78 1,224 15.7 | 7 4 | 19 5 | 160 ’14 TB 16 16 | 70 1,002 14.3 | 2 3 | 12 3 | 142 ’15 TB 10 9 | 33 543 16.5 | 3 1 | 13 0 | 63 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 57 883 15.5 | 3 2 | 10 3 | 113 BYE: WEEK 6
BOOM: Jackson has produced more than 1,000 yards in four of his last five seasons and six of his last eight. His failure to reach 1,000 yards last year and in 2010 can be attributed to missed games: A knee injury limited him to 10 games last season, and he played only five games in 2010 due to a contractual impasse. Jackson has a career average of 17.0 yards per catch and averaged 16.5 last year despite his
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knee issues. Before missing time in 2015, Jackson had played 16 games in four consecutive seasons. The presence of talented young WR Mike Evans will keep double teams away from Jackson. BUST: Jackson is 33, and at his age it’s fair to wonder if the knee issues he encountered last season portend more injuries to come. Over the past two seasons, Jackson has scored five touchdowns in 26 games, and Mike Evans has clearly usurped his role as the Buccaneers’ biggest red zone threat. V-Jax has never been an especially highvolume pass catcher, and the presence of Evans could throw a blanket on Jackson’s target and catch totals. BOTTOM LINE: Now entering his 12th NFL season, Jackson may well be in the decline phase of his career. His TD production has really tapered off over the past two years, and Mike Evans is clearly the go-to guy for young Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston. Jackson is still capable of doing damage, as he showed with a 10147-1 receiving day against the Panthers last October, but his days of top-drawer production are likely over, and he’s best viewed as a WR4.
44 WILLIE SNEAD | SAINTS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’15 NO 15 8 | 69 984 14.3 | 3 2 | 15 3 | 102 ’16 Proj: 15 14 | 60 840 14.0 | 4 2 | 14 2 | 88 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: After spending his professional first season bouncing around between the practice squads of the Browns, Panthers and Saints, this former undrafted free agent became a solid contributor for New Orleans last year, falling just 16 yards short of a 1,000-yard season. Snead had 100-yard games against the Eagles and Buccaneers, a two-TD game against the Giants and a 10-catch game against the Lions. He started eight games last season and projects as a starter this year, which should mean ample snaps in a strong passing game quarterbacked by stat machine Drew Brees. Snead is still only 23. BUST: Snead was a lightly regarded prospect coming out of Ball State and may not have as much potential as some of the other young receivers in the league. He’s only 5-11, 195 pounds, and doesn’t have exceptional speed. Snead scored only three touchdowns last season and failed to produce a score over his last seven games. BOTTOM LINE: A pleasant surprise in 2015, Snead stands to benefit from a prominent role in a good passing attack. He’s certainly draftable in most fantasy leagues, but there may not be a great
POSITION
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REPORTS
away, Treadwell went to a team with an extremely conservative offense. QB teddy Bridgewater doesn’t like to push the ball downfield, so Treadwell’s playmaking opportunities may be limited. Treadwell ran the 40-yard dash in 4.63 seconds at his pro day and is relatively slow for the WR position. He may end up being a possession receiver at the pro level rather than a true playmaker. BOTTOM LINE: One of the top receivers in this year’s rookie class, Treadwell figures to play right away, but the Minnesota offense could limit his fantasy potential this year.
47 TRAVIS BENJAMIN | CHARGERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 CLE 8 3 | 5 105 21.0 | 0 0 | 4 0 | 13 ’14 CLE 16 0 | 18 314 17.4 | 3 0 | 8 1 | 46 ’15 CLE 16 15 | 68 966 14.2 | 5 3 | 12 6 | 124 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 47 738 15.7 | 4 2 | 10 4 | 90 BYE: WEEK 11
Willie Snead
deal of upside with him.
45 MARKUS WHEATON | STEELERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 PIT 12 1 | 6 64 10.7 | 0 0 | 1 0 | 13 ’14 PIT 16 11 | 53 644 12.1 | 2 0 | 5 2 | 86 ’15 PIT 16 8 | 44 749 17.0 | 5 1 | 9 5 | 79 ’16 Proj: 16 14 | 62 880 14.2 | 5 3 | 11 5 | 111 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: With Steelers WR Martavis Bryant suspended for a year, Wheaton is expected to be a starter for perhaps the NFL’s best offense. The quick-footed Wheaton scored a TD in four of his last six regular-season games in 2015, and he dropped a 9-201-1 stat line on the vaunted Seattle defense in Week 12. Wheaton averaged 17.0 yards per catch last season. He was extremely productive in college, becoming Oregon State’s all-time leader in receptions. Working opposite stud WR Antonio Brown, Wheaton will see a lot of single coverage against opponents’ No, 2 cornerbacks. BUST: Will Wheaton be able to seize the opportunity created by Bryant’s suspension? Bryant missed the first five games of 2015 (four due to suspension and one because the Steelers deemed him unprepared to return), and Wheaton had only nine catches for 228 yards and one TD over that stretch. The 5-11, 189-pound
Wheaton is a smaller receiver who doesn’t complement Brown’s game as well as Bryant does. Second-year receiver Sammie Coates could push Wheaton for playing time. BOTTOM LINE: As a starter in a high-flying passing game, Wheaton will rightly generate some fantasy interest. But Wheaton has been unable to gain significant traction in the NFL, and Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell both figure to see a lot of targets. Despite his role, Wheaton can be considered no more than a WR4.
46 LAQUON TREADWELL | VIKINGS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’16 Proj: 15 13 | 60 678 11.3 | 6 1 | 9 0 | 101 BYE: WEEK 6
BOOM: Treadwell may have the best ball skills of anyone in this year’s rookie WR class, and he’s drawn raves for his competitiveness. The 6-2, 221-pound Treadwell is well built and should have no trouble adjusting to the physicality of the NFL, particularly after playing three seasons of SEC football. He caught 821,153-11 in his final season at Ole Miss. Treadwell landed with the receiverneedy Vikings, so he’ll probably be a Week One starter. BUST: While he may well start right
BOOM: Over his first three seasons in Cleveland, Benjamin served primarily as a return man and was only a peripheral contributor to the Browns’ passing game. That all changed in 2015, as he moved into the starting lineup and emerged as a surprisingly productive contributor. He had three 100-yard receiving games and had six or more receptions on five different occasions. Benjamin signed a free-agent deal with the Chargers in the offseason, and the change of venue could bolster his fantasy outlook. With Malcom Floyd retiring, San Diego is counting on the speedy Benjamin to stretch the field, giving WR Keenan Allen and TE Antonio Gates room to work underneath. Benjamin said he signed with the Chargers because he wanted to play with a good quarterback, and Philip Rivers remains one of the better pure passers in the league. BUST: Allen and Gates figure to dominate targets for the Chargers, and Stevie Johnson is a high-quality No. 3 receiver who also figures to see quite a few targets in three-WR sets. After scoring four TDs in his first three games of 2015, Benjamin scored only one more touchdown the rest of the way. And if the 5-10, 175-pound Benjamin isn’t producing touchdowns, he’ll have dubious fantasy value, since he isn’t likely to see heavy target volume. BOTTOM LINE: Is the move from Cleveland to San Diego really a net gain for Benjamin in terms of his fantasy potential? He’ll be playing in a better offense and benefits from a QB upgrade, but Benjamin may well be playing a lesser role for a team that doesn’t need to lean on him as heavily as the Browns did last season. Benjamin has fantasy value, but
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WR don’t overestimate the fantasy benefit of his move to San Diego.
48 JOSH GORDON | BROWNS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 CLE 14 14 | 87 1,646 18.9 | 9 6 | 30 9 | 159 ’14 CLE 5 5 | 24 303 12.6 | 0 1 | 3 0 | 47 ’15 CLE (Suspended) ’16 Proj: 8 8 | 37 611 16.5 | 4 3 | 10 3 | 69 BYE: WEEK 13
BOOM: If Gordon plays in 2016, he’ll undoubtedly be a difference maker. The last time he played the majority of a season, in 2013, he put up mind-blowing numbers, catching 87-1,646-9 in just 14 games – he was suspended for the first two games of the year – to lead all receivers in fantasy scoring. He became the first receiver in league history to produce back-to-back 200-yard games, rolling up an incredible 498 yards in Weeks 12-13 of that year. The 6-3, 225-pound Gordon is a playmaker extraordinaire who’s averaged 17.1 yards per catch over his brief career. If he’s on the field, Gordon will unquestionably be the focal point of the Browns’ passing game. Gordon and Browns QB Robert Griffin III were teammates at the University of Baylor. BUST: Gordon’s status with the league was in limbo as of this writing and might still be unclear by the time you read this. He can apply for reinstatement on Aug. 1. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has expressed confidence that Gordon will play in 2016, but that’s an opinion worth taking with a grain of salt. Gordon has been suspended three times for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. He missed two games in 2013, 10 games in 2014 (when he was also suspended by the Browns for the final game of the season) and the entire 2015 season. The last time Gordon played, in 2014, he put up disappointing numbers, failing to score a TD in five games. Despite his familiarity with Gordon, RG3 is a big question mark at quarterback for Cleveland. BOTTOM LINE: Gordon is certainly worth your attention if he’s eligible to play, but in light of his history of suspension, the risk of drafting him is immense. 49 BRESHAD PERRIMAN | RAVENS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’15 BAL ( I njured Reserve) ’16 Proj: 14 8 | 39 667 17.1 | 3 1 | 9 4 | 76 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Perriman missed his entire rookie season with a partial tear of his PCL, but the 26th overall pick of last year’s draft should be ready to contribute in 2016. The 6-2, 218-pound Perriman has a nearly ideal combination of size and
POSITION
REPORTS
speed. He ran a pair of sub-4.3 times in the 40-yard dash at his pro day, and he’s also an explosive leaper. Perriman’s speed could make him a favorite downfield target of Ravens QB Joe Flacco, who throws one of the best deep balls of any quarterback in the league. Perriman has NFL bloodlines: He’s the son of former Lions WR Brett Perriman. BUST: It’s concerning that a receiver whose calling card is speed has already endured a significant knee injury. Perriman was considered to be a somewhat unrefined WR prospect coming out of the University of Central Florida, and the PCL injury robbed him of a year of routerunning work and other skill development. Perriman also has a reputation for unreliable hands. Target hog Steve Smith has decided to return for another season and figures to be Flacco’s go-to guy, and the Ravens signed Mike Wallace as a free agent. If Perriman can’t get the job done, Wallace could usurp most of his snaps. BOTTOM LINE: Perriman has extra ordinary physical tools and has the potential to make an immediate impact, assuming his knee problems are behind him. But Perriman is also thought to have some holes in his game, so it’s possible that he’ll need a year or two of seasoning before he’s ready to make a substantial fantasy contribution.
50 DEVIN FUNCHESS | PANTHERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’15 CAR 16 5 | 31 473 15.3 | 5 1 | 5 2 | 64 ’16 Proj: 16 7 | 45 653 14.5 | 3 1 | 7 2 | 89 BYE: WEEK 7
BOOM: Funchess showed encouraging potential as a rookie, averaging 15.0 yards per catch and scoring five TDs despite a limited role that had him playing fewer than half of Carolina’s offensive snaps. The 6-4, 225-pound Funchess is a huge target, and with the 6-5, 245-pound Kelvin Benjamin coming back from a torn ACL that kept him out for all of 2015, the Panthers will be able to deploy the biggest WR duo in the league. Funchess is only 22 and still developing his talents. He seemed to get better as his rookie year went on, and he finished the regular season with a 7-120-1 day against the Buccaneers. BUST: Funchess was erratic and inefficient as a rookie, catching 48.4 percent of his targets. Benjamin is sure to see a lot of targets upon his return, and with Benjamin and TE Greg Olsen both on the field, Funchess probably won’t get many red-zone looks from QB Cam Newton. (WR Ted Ginn Jr. is still around, too.) Funchess has ordinary speed, and scouts considered his hands questionable when he was coming out of the University
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of Michigan last year. BOTTOM LINE: After a solid rookie showing in 2015, Funchess could use more snaps this season, though the return of Kelvin Benjamin raises questions about how Funchess will be utilized. It might be another year or two before Funchess reaches his full potential.
51 TAVON AUSTIN | RAMS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 STL 16 15 | 40 418 10.5 | 4 1 | 5 2 | 69 ’14 STL 15 8 | 31 242 7.8 | 0 0 | 2 0 | 45 ’15 STL 16 15 | 52 473 9.1 | 5 0 | 5 2 | 86 ’16 Proj: 15 9 | 46 441 9.6 | 4 0 | 5 1 | 77 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Austin’s 2015 receiving totals were unexciting, but with his 434 rushing yards and four TD runs factored in, he finished 23rd in fantasy scoring among wide receivers. Brian Schottenheimer, the Rams’ offensive coordinator during Austin’s first two NFL seasons, never figured out how to best use the speedy little receiver. But the Rams’ offensive coordinator last season, Frank Cignetti, had a more effective plan for deploying his jack-of-all-trades as both a pass catcher and a runner. Austin’s 52 catches and 52 rushing attempts were both career highs, and he averaged 8.7 yards per touch. Austin scored more TDs from scrimmage last year (nine) than he had in his two previous seasons combined. BUST: Will the Rams keep finding creative ways to make the most of their unique weapon? With his unconventional skill set, Austin could easily go back to being the sporadic offensive contributor he was during his first two seasons in the league. The team fired Cignetti late in the season, and TE coach Rob Boras was promoted to offensive coordinator. Boras hasn’t been a coordinator at the NFL level. BOTTOM LINE: The multidimensional Austin finally emerged as a useful fantasy weapon last season. The question is whether the Rams can continue to manufacture touches for this one-of-akind contributor. 52 WILL FULLER | TEXANS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’16 Proj: 16 12 | 44 739 16.8 | 6 2 | 10 3 | 87 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Fuller is capable of taking the top off a defense with his speed. He had 29 TD catches over his final two seasons at Notre Dame and averaged 20.3 yards per catch for the Fighting Irish last fall. He’s a perfect fit for the Texans, who needed a deep receiver to clear out space for DeAndre Hopkins. With Hopkins
POSITION demanding so much defensive attention, Fuller could get a lot of one-on-one opportunities. BUST: The Houston passing game revolves around Hopkins, so Fuller isn’t likely to get a ton of targets. At 6-0, 186 pounds, Fuller is somewhat slightly built for an outside receiver. There are serious questions about the reliability of his hands, and he does far too much body-catching. BOTTOM LINE: A big-play, boom-orbust receiver, Fuller figures to be a weekly wild card as a rookie.
53 KENDALL WRIGHT | TITANS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 TEN 16 12 | 94 1,079 11.5 | 2 2 | 17 1 | 140 ’14 TEN 14 11 | 57 715 12.5 | 6 1 | 10 1 | 93 ’15 TEN 10 9 | 36 408 11.3 | 3 1 | 4 1 | 61 ’16 Proj: 14 14 | 54 626 11.6 | 4 1 | 12 0 | 95 BYE: WEEK 13
BOOM: Wright averaged 71.7 catches a year and 4.8 catches a game over his first three NFL seasons, and if he can stay healthy, he can be a useful fantasy asset, particularly in PPR leagues. An efficient possession receiver, Wright has caught 63.1 percent of his career targets. The continued development of Titans QB Marcus Mariota could be the rising tide that lifts all boats in the Tennessee passing game, and Wright is anchored into one of the starting WR spots. BUST: Plagued by knee and rib injuries, Wright produced the worst numbers of his career in 2015. He didn’t have more than four receptions or 46 yards in any of his last seven games. Wright also lost a pair of games to injury in 2014. Wright isn’t exactly a big-play guy, with 15 touchdowns in four seasons and a career average of 11.3 yards per catch. The talented Dorial Green-Beckham could become a more prominent contributor to the Titans’ passing game this season. WR Rishard Matthews came aboard in free agency and will vie for snaps and targets, and Delanie Walker is a high-volume target at tight end, so it’s hard to see a major uptick in Wright’s usage. BOTTOM LINE: After an injuryplagued year, Wright is a candidate for a rebound, but his ceiling is still pretty low. He’s a low-impact possession receiver who might not get the volume he needs in order to be a worthwhile fantasy asset. 54 NELSON AGHOLOR | EAGLES
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’15 PHI 13 12 | 23 283 12.3 | 1 0 | 3 2 | 44 ’16 Proj: 15 8 | 38 487 12.8 | 3 0 | 8 1 | 71 BYE: WEEK 4
BOOM: Despite an unproductive rookie year, Agholor is still penciled in
WR
REPORTS
as a starter for the Eagles. In Agholor’s defense, Chip Kelly’s use of Jordan Matthews as a slot receiver last year meant that Matthews got to face slot cornerbacks while Agholor lined up outside and often had to face opponents’ top cover men. Agholor spent time going against the likes of Darrelle Revis, Patrick Peterson and Desmond Trufant. With Matthews moving back outside this year, he’ll often draw the tougher CB matchup, while Agholor gets to go against lesser cover men. Agholor was highly productive in his final college season at USC, catching 104-1,313-12. BUST: It’s hard to fathom how Agholor’s numbers were so bad last season when he played 73 percent of the Eagles’ offensive snaps. He didn’t have more than three receptions in any game, and only twice did he have more than 35 receiving yards. Matthews and TE Zach Ertz are clearly the top weapons in the Eagles’ passing attack, and Philadelphia doesn’t figure to have a very effective aerial game considering the unsettled state of the QB position. BOTTOM LINE: Some fantasy owners will write off Agholor after his disappointing rookie campaign, but he could be a sneaky late-round value pick.
55 PIERRE GARÇON | WASHINGTON
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 WAS 16 16 | 113 1,346 11.9 | 5 5 | 16 2 | 181 ’14 WAS 16 14 | 68 752 11.1 | 3 1 | 8 3 | 105 ’15 WAS 16 16 | 72 777 10.8 | 6 0 | 7 0 | 110 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 61 647 10.6 | 3 0 | 7 0 | 102 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Garcon is ensconced as a
possession receiver in a passing game that improved markedly last season with QB Kirk Cousins at the helm. Garcon had five or more catches in nine games last season, and only once did he fail to catch at least three passes. He’s seen at least 105 targets in three consecutive seasons, and he hasn’t missed a game since 2012. BUST: More about quantity than quality, Garcon offers little in the way of fantasy upside. With consecutive seasons of fewer than 800 receiving yards, Garcon’s career year in 2013 seems a distant memory. His yardage per catch has dropped in each of the last three seasons. He hasn’t scored more than a half-dozen TDs in any of his eight seasons as a pro. In the context of a career in which his second-best yardage total was 947 yards, Garcon’s 1,346-yard season in 2013 looks like a complete anomaly. BOTTOM LINE: Garcon can be of some utility in PPR leagues, but in standard-scoring leagues, his ceiling is
lower than that of a basement bar.
56 TORREY SMITH | 49ERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 BAL 16 16 | 65 1,128 17.4 | 4 2 | 20 8 | 137 ’14 BAL 16 16 | 49 767 15.7 | 11 0 | 13 2 | 95 ’15 SF 16 12 | 33 663 20.1 | 4 1 | 8 5 | 61 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 50 800 16.0 | 5 3 | 14 4 | 98 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: The fleet-footed Smith had always been a dangerous deep-ball threat, and his average of 20.1 yards per catch last season was a career best. Smith has averaged 17.3 yards per catch over his career, and he’s only two years removed from an 11-TD season. The 49ers are short on proven receivers, and as the most accomplished member of the group, Smith figures to get more than the 61 targets he saw last year. Smith hasn’t missed a game over his five-year career. BUST: Smith had career lows in targets, catches and receiving yardage last season and tied a career low in TD catches. The 49ers’ passing game is still in dire shape, and San Francisco’s QB situation might be the worst in the league. Smith has excellent speed but isn’t a complete receiver and hasn’t been able to evolve into anything more than a one-dimensional field stretcher. BOTTOM LINE: Smith has been a decent fantasy performer in the past, but the 49ers’ bleak situation at quarterback casts a pall over his fantasy prospects. 57 RUEBEN RANDLE | EAGLES
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 NYG 16 3 | 41 611 14.9 | 6 1 | 16 0 | 79 ’14 NYG 16 13 | 71 938 13.2 | 3 3 | 12 2 | 127 ’15 NYG 16 16 | 57 797 14.0 | 8 1 | 13 5 | 90 ’16 Proj: 16 14 | 45 621 13.8 | 3 1 | 11 2 | 80 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: After scoring a career-high eight TDs in 2015, Randle left the Giants for the Eagles, where he’ll no longer have to dwell in the shadow of Odell Beckham Jr. Although he’s projected to be a No. 3 receiver for the Eagles, Randle may have a chance to beat out Nelson Agholor for a starting spot. Although he hasn’t quite met expectations, Randle’s career has been decent so far: Over the past three years, he’s averaged 56.3 catches, 782 yards and 5.7 TDs. Randle seems to have a knack for strong finishes. He had a TD catch in each of his last four games in 2015, and two seasons ago he racked up 290 receiving yards in his final two games. The durable Randle hasn’t missed a game in his four-year career. He’s still only 25 and might still be young enough
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WR to take a step up in class. BUST: Randle just hasn’t offered much for fantasy owners to chew on. He had only four games last year in which he produced 60 or more receiving yards. Over the last three years, Randle has averaged 48.9 receiving yards and 0.35 TDs per game. The Philadelphia passing attack isn’t likely to be very prolific, so there probably won’t be a statistical windfall for the Eagles’ second and third receivers BOTTOM LINE: He’s still young enough to improve, and a change of venue might do him good, but Randle has provided fantasy owners with little reason for optimism thus far in his career. He might be worthy of a bench spot in deeper leagues, but that’s about it.
58 ANQUAN BOLDIN | FREE AGENT
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 SF 16 16 | 85 1,179 13.9 | 7 2 | 19 3 | 129 ’14 SF 16 16 | 83 1,062 12.8 | 5 1 | 14 1 | 131 ’15 SF 14 13 | 69 789 11.4 | 4 2 | 10 1 | 110 ’16 Proj: 15 10 | 52 587 11.3 | 4 0 | 7 0 | 83 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: A free agent as of this writing,
Boldin has said he intends to continue playing and will take his time in deciding with whom to sign. Boldin turns 36 in October, and while his best years are behind him, he’s demonstrated that he can still be a significant contributor. He averaged 79 receptions a season with the 49ers over the last three years, with 1,000-yard seasons in 2013 and 2014. Boldin caught 62.8 percent of his targets last season and had a catch rate of 64.1 percent during his three seasons in San Francisco. BUST: Boldin’s yardage per catch has dropped in each of the last four seasons, and his 789 receiving yards last season were his fewest since 2004. He’s had nine TD catches over the past two years and has scored more than five TDs only once in the past five years. BOTTOM LINE: The end is coming soon for Boldin, but he says he’s not ready for retirement yet, and fantasy owners might be able to squeeze just a bit more value out of him if he lands in a good spot.
59 MOHAMED SANU | FALCONS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 CIN 16 14 | 47 455 9.7 | 2 0 | 4 0 | 78 ’14 CIN 16 13 | 56 790 14.1 | 5 2 | 9 3 | 99 ’15 CIN 16 4 | 33 394 11.9 | 0 0 | 8 1 | 50 ’16 Proj: 16 15 | 54 664 12.3 | 5 1 | 9 1 | 89 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: The Falcons gave Sanu a fiveyear, $32.5 million deal in free agency, and Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff has
POSITION
REPORTS
said that Sanu will be the team’s No. 2 receiver, starting alongside star Julio Jones. Obviously, Jones commands a huge amount of defensive attention, which will leave Sanu with a lot of favorable matchups and single coverage. Roddy White and Leonard Hankerson are both out of the picture for Atlanta, so Sanu has a good chance to at least double the 50 targets he saw last season in Cincinnati. BUST: Sanu started 27 games for the Bengals in 2013-2014 and produced uninspiring numbers, so it’s hard to believe he’ll turn into a fantasy force as a starter for the Falcons. He caught only 33 passes last season and was plagued by drops. Julio Jones had a league-high 204 targets last season and is obviously going to dominate targets again for Atlanta. BOTTOM LINE: Sanu’s move to Atlanta gives him an uptick in fantasy value, as he goes from No. 3 receiver to starter. But is Sanu good enough to take advantage of the opportunity? His four-year track record in Cincinnati provides little reason for enthusiasm.
60 TERRANCE WILLIAMS | COWBOYS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 DAL 16 8 | 44 736 16.7 | 5 1 | 12 3 | 74 ’14 DAL 16 16 | 37 621 16.8 | 8 0 | 10 4 | 65 ’15 DAL 16 13 | 52 840 16.2 | 3 1 | 13 1 | 94 ’16 Proj: 16 15 | 40 660 16.5 | 5 1 | 11 3 | 72 BYE: WEEK 7
BOOM: Asked to do more last season with Dez Bryant missing 11 games with a foot injury, Williams established career highs in targets, receptions and receiving yardage. Williams’ numbers would have been still better had Tony Romo not missed most of the season with a broken collarbone. But realistically, Williams is better suited to be a No. 2 receiver, and he makes a nice field-stretching complement to Bryant. Williams has a career average of 16.5 yards per catch and has averaged better than 16.0 yards per catch in each of his three seasons. BUST: Williams didn’t truly step up his game when Bryant was out last season. Williams had five or more receptions in only two games, and his only 100-yard game of the season came in the regularseason finale. His best finish so far in WR fantasy scoring has been 38th. Despite playing only three professional seasons, Williams turns 27 in September, so there’s little reason to think he’s going to show sudden improvement. BOTTOM LINE: Williams had done an adequate job for the Cowboys as a designated field stretcher, but he’s never given fantasy owners any reason to trust him in their lineups, and it’s hard to see why that would change.
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61 MIKE WALLACE | RAVENS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 MIA 16 16 | 73 930 12.7 | 5 4 | 11 5 | 141 ’14 MIA 16 16 | 67 862 12.9 | 10 1 | 10 2 | 115 ’15 MIA 16 12 | 39 473 12.1 | 2 0 | 6 0 | 72 ’16 Proj: 16 8 | 44 620 14.1 | 4 1 | 9 3 | 78 BYE: WEEK 6
BOOM: A vertical receiver who does his best work on deep routes, Wallace was badly miscast in the Minnesota’s West Coast offense last season and didn’t click with Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater, who doesn’t have a powerful arm. Wallace should fare much better in Baltimore, where he’ll try to establish chemistry with cannon-armed Joe Flacco, who throws one of the best deep balls in the league. Wallace hasn’t been in an offense suited to his talents since leaving Pittsburgh following the 2012 season, and yet he’s only two years removed from a 10-TD season with the Dolphins. Before going to Minnesota, Wallace had averaged 7.8 TD catches over his first six seasons. Wallace has been an iron man over his seven-year career, missing only one game. BUST: Steve Smith Sr. figures to remain Flacco’s go-to receiver, and the Ravens’ first-round draft pick in 2014, WR Breshad Perriman, could come on quickly after missing all of his rookie season due to injury. Wallace hasn’t had a 1,000-yard season or averaged more than 13.1 yards over the past four seasons, and although he wasn’t a good fit for the Miami and Minnesota offenses, that four-year stretch also includes his final season in Pittsburgh. Wallace turns 30 in August. BOTTOM LINE: After three seasons of playing in offenses that didn’t suit him and trying to catch balls from quarterbacks who aren’t good at throwing the deep ball, Wallace landed in a great situation with the Ravens and with strong-armed QB Joe Flacco. But Wallace is now past his prime and will have to fend off talented young Breshad Perriman just to secure his role as the Ravens’ No. 2 receiver. The range of possibilities for Wallace this season is wide. 62 STERLING SHEPARD | GIANTS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’16 Proj: 15 5 | 49 627 12.8 | 4 1 | 9 1 | 78 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: A darling of draft analysts, Shepard is a gamer who should be able to make an immediate contribution. He’s a terrific route runner with dependable hands, and he also has a reputation for being a hard worker who’s completely dedicated to his craft. He caught 86-1,28811 last year at the University of Oklahoma. With Odell Beckham Jr. around, Shepard is
POSITION going to get a lot of favorable coverage. BUST: Beckham commands so many targets that there might not be many left for Shepard, particularly if Victor Cruz is able to stay healthy this year. Shepard probably would have been a top-15 draft pick this year if he were 6-2, but alas, he’s 5-10, 194 pounds. And while he’s quick, Shephard doesn’t have exceptional straight-line speed. BOTTOM LINE: A highly skilled receiver with ordinary physical traits, Shepard has a high floor but a relatively low ceiling.
63 JOSH DOCTSON | WASHINGTON
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
catch over the last three years. BUST: Ginn’s history suggests that last year’s TD outburst was a fluke. In eight previous seasons, he had 11 TD catches in 120 games. Ginn had a woeful catch rate of 45.8 percent last season, and he’s caught only 50.8 percent of his career regular-season targets. Ginn played only 65 percent of the Panthers’ snaps last season, and that percentage could drop this season now that Benjamin is back. BOTTOM LINE: Likely to be overdrafted, Ginn was a fantasy hero in 2015, but his 10-TD season will almost surely be remembered as a statistical anomaly. Expect a precipitous drop-off in Ginn’s fantasy value.
’16 Proj: 15 4 | 28 387 13.8 | 3 0 | 7 1 | 73 BYE: WEEK 9
65 PHILLIP DORSETT | COLTS
BOOM: A smooth playmaker with good height and strong hands, Doctson left TCU as the school’s all-time leader in receiving yardage. He had 143 receptions and 25 TD catches in his final two seasons with the Horned Frogs, and in his final year he averaged 7.8 receptions a game, catching 24.2 percent of the team’s passes despite missing three games with a wrist injury. BUST: The 207-pound Doctson has a slim build, and some observers have expressed concern about his ability to deal with press coverage at the NFL level. There’s also some concern that he ran a limited route tree at TCU. Doctson’s landing spot wasn’t ideal. He’ll be behind starters DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon, and Jamison Crowder is locked in as the slot man. BOTTOM LINE: Doctson might be the best receiver in the rookie class, but he could have a hard time getting snaps in 2016. 64 TED GINN JR. | PANTHERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 CAR 16 2 | 36 556 15.4 | 5 0 | 10 2 | 68 ’14 ARI 16 0 | 14 190 13.6 | 0 0 | 3 0 | 26 ’15 CAR 15 13 | 44 739 16.8 | 10 1 | 10 5 | 97 ’16 Proj: 15 11 | 35 532 15.2 | 4 1 | 8 4 | 76 BYE: WEEK 7
BOOM: Ginn was a surprisingly prolific touchdown man last year, scoring 10 TDs and finishing 25th in WR fantasy scoring. Ginn had four two TD games, and he came up big for his owners in the fantasy playoffs, rattling off three consecutive two-TD games from Week 14 to Week 16. With big and relatively plodding WRs Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess as two of the primary targets in the Carolina passing game, the Panthers need a burner to stretch the field, and Ginn fills that role. He averaged 16.8 yards per catch last season and has averaged 15.8 yards per
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REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’15 IND 11 0 | 18 225 12.5 | 1 0 | 4 0 | 39 ’16 Proj: 15 1 | 30 449 15.0 | 2 0 | 8 2 | 55 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: The Colts drafted Dorsett late in the first round last year, and though he didn’t do much of anything as a rookie, his sub-4.3 speed makes him an intriguing and potentially lethal weapon, and Colts QB Andrew Luck might be just the man to unlock Dorsett’s potential. With Andre Johnson not returning to the team, Dorsett is expected to become the No. 3 receiver behind T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief. Dorsett played only 29 percent of the Colts’ offensive snaps last year but should see a major uptick in his snap count this year. BUST: Dorsett simply wasn’t ready to contribute last season, and it’s hard to tell how soon he’ll be ready to help fantasy owners. He wasn’t exactly a prolific pass catcher at the University of Miami, with a single-season high of 871 receiving yards. Dorsett has almost no chance of passing Hilton or Moncrief on the depth chart based on merit, and he may find targets hard to come by. At 5-10 and 185 pounds, Dorsett is unlikely to become a highvolume receiver. BOTTOM LINE: Dorsett’s blinding speed and the Andrew Luck factor are compelling reasons to take a late-round flier on him, but Dorsett is raw and is a long shot to be fantasy-relevant this year.
career highs in catches, receiving yardage and TDs despite playing only 11 games. The Titans coaxed Matthews out of Miami with a three-year, $15 million deal, and he is expected to see ample playing time in three-receiver sets with Dorial GreenBeckham and Kendall Wright. Matthews showed surprising ability as a playmaker last season, averaging 15.4 yards per reception while managing to catch 70.5 percent of his targets. BUST: Although he figures to see a good number of snaps in Tennessee, Matthews will still be a No. 3 receiver for a team whose passing game remains a work in progress. Matthews has never had more than four TD catches in a season. BOTTOM LINE: Matthews’ new contract recognizes his value as an NFL receiver, but he’ll be more valuable to the Titans than he will be to fantasy owners. Matthews is probably only draftable in deeper fantasy leagues.
67 MICHAEL THOMAS | SAINTS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’16 Proj: 16 3 | 40 524 13.1 | 4 1 | 8 1 | 74 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: The Saints were in need of a big receiver now that the Marques Colston era has reached an end, and Thomas could be a suitable replacement. The 6-3, 212-pound Thomas is tall and has a chiseled, NFL-ready body. Powerful and athletic, he has a chance to become an effective red-zone receiver for one of the top passing attacks in the league. BUST: Thomas didn’t produce exciting numbers at Ohio State, partly because he wasn’t asked to run many deep patterns. His route running needs work, and Thomas could very well be the sort of developmental WR prospect who’ll need a couple years of seasoning before he’s ready to make a significant contribution. Thomas will be behind Cooks and possibly Willie Snead in the pecking order for targets, and he may have to compete with Brandon Coleman. BOTTOM LINE: Draft analysts considered Thomas to be a boom-or-bust pick, but it helps that he goes to a team with a strong passing game and a need for a big receiver.
66 RISHARD MATTHEWS | TITANS
68 KAMAR AIKEN | RAVENS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 MIA 16 5 | ’14 MIA 14 0 | ’15 MIA 11 11 | ’16 Proj: 14 9 |
7 0 | 64 2 0 | 22 10 4 | 61 10 2 | 67
’13 NE 1 0 | 0 0 0.0 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 0 ’14 BAL 16 0 | 24 267 11.1 | 3 0 | 2 0 | 33 ’15 BAL 16 14 | 75 944 12.6 | 5 1 | 11 2 | 127 ’16 Proj: 16 0 | 39 483 12.4 | 3 0 | 7 1 | 63 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Matthews is fresh off the best season of his four-year career, hitting
BOOM: When Steve Smith Sr. ruptured his Achilles’ in Week Eight, Aiken became
43 662 15.4 | 2 1 | 12 135 11.3 | 2 0 | 43 662 15.4 | 4 2 | 45 585 13.0 | 4 1 | BYE: WEEK 13
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
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WR Baltimore’s de facto go-to receiver and finished with 29 more receptions than anyone else on the team. Over the second half of the regular season, Aiken averaged 10.4 targets, 6.3 receptions and 76.4 receiving yards per game. BUST: With Smith and Breshad Perriman returning from injuries and Mike Wallace added via free agency, Aiken doesn’t figure to get nearly as much work as he wound up getting last season. BOTTOM LINE: Forced into a highvolume role last year, Aiken performed admirably and offered surprising fantasy value, especially in PPR leagues. But Aiken is expected to be a backup this year and will likely see a drastic reduction in snaps and targets. It’s possible someone in your league will overdraft him based on last year’s numbers.
69 VICTOR CRUZ | GIANTS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 NYG 14 12 | 73 998 13.7 | 4 4 | 10 3 | 122 ’14 NYG 6 6 | 23 337 14.7 | 1 2 | 7 1 | 41 ’15 NYG ( I njured Reserve) ’16 Proj: 11 10 | 34 459 13.5 | 3 0 | 8 1 | 58 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Cruz has proclaimed himself to be completely healthy after tearing his patellar tendon in 2014 and then injuring his calf last year while trying to work his way back. If healthy, he’ll nicely complement star WR Odell Beckham Jr. as either a No. 2 or No. 3 receiver. Cruz was a valuable fantasy property just a few years ago, producing 168 receptions, 2,628 receiving yards and 19 TD catches over the 2011 and 2012 seasons. BUST: Few players have been able to make successful comebacks from torn patellar tendons, and Cruz’s road to recovery has been bumpy. Cruz was a star for the Giants in the pre-Beckham era, but he’ll be no more than a supporting actor this year if he’s able to remain healthy. BOTTOM LINE: With his devastating knee injury nearly two years behind him, Cruz might be healthy enough to contribute, but we’re not likely to see many of his salsa dances now that Odell Beckham Jr. has become the undisputed alpha dog of the Giants’ WR corps. 70 KENNY STILLS | DOLPHINS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 NO 16 10 | 32 641 20.0 | 5 1 | 7 5 | 50 ’14 NO 15 7 | 63 931 14.8 | 3 2 | 10 6 | 84 ’15 MIA 16 8 | 27 440 16.3 | 3 0 | 10 3 | 63 ’16 Proj: 16 9 | 34 551 16.2 | 3 0 | 10 4 | 71 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: New Dolphins head coach Adam Gase talked up Stills in the
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offseason, saying he wants to get him more involved. With his lethal speed, Stills can take the top off a defense. His career average of 16.5 yards per catch attests to his downfield playmaking abilities. Yet despite being a vertical receiver, Stills has a career catch rate of 61.3 percent, a very good figure for a receiver who tends to run deeper routes. Despite being a threeyear veteran, Stills is only 24. BUST: Stills posted the worst numbers of his career in his first season in Miami, and that probably isn’t a coincidence. Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill isn’t very adept at throwing the deep ball (as exDolphin WR Mike Wallace would certainly attest). Stills’ catch rate over his first two years in the league was 69.9 percent, but last year with the Dolphins it plummeted to 42.9 percent. Stills will have to settle for being a No. 3 receiver behind the heavily targeted Jarvis Landry and the talented young DeVante Parker. BOTTOM LINE: The Dolphins’ offense appeared to be a poor match for Stills’ skill set last year, but perhaps Gase can figure out a way to better utilize the young receiver. With Ryan Tannehill’s limitations as a downfield passer, we’re not betting on a Stills breakout.
71 STEVIE JOHNSON | CHARGERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 BUF 12 12 | 52 597 11.5 | 3 1 | 6 1 | 101 ’14 SF 13 1 | 35 435 12.4 | 3 1 | 8 0 | 50 ’15 SD 10 8 | 45 497 11.0 | 3 0 | 7 0 | 65 ’16 Proj: 13 6 | 44 497 11.3 | 3 0 | 7 0 | 69 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: Johnson is one of the better third receivers in the league, with three 1,000-yard seasons on his résumé. He caught 69.2 percent of his targets last season and had three consecutive sevencatch games in November. Johnson has now had a year to get comfortable in the San Diego offense and attune himself to the rhythms of QB Philip Rivers. Although he’s not projected to start, Johnson will get plenty of snaps in multiple-receiver formations, and an injury to one of the Chargers’ starting receivers would thrust Johnson into an even bigger role. BUST: Johnson’s days of being a No. 1 receiver seem to be well behind him. The arrival of Travis Benjamin via free agency makes Johnson a No. 3 receiver for the Chargers. Johnson missed six games with groin and hamstring injuries last season, and injuries have cost him 13 games over the past three seasons. He hasn’t scored more than three TDs in a single season since 2012. BOTTOM LINE: Johnson can still be productive when healthy, but he’s struggled with an array of injuries
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in recent years, and now he’s being squeezed for playing time in San Diego. Johnson will probably go undrafted in most leagues, but he could very well become a compelling waiver wire option at some point of the season.
72 SAMMIE COATES | STEELERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’15 PIT 6 0 | 1 11 11.0 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 2 ’16 Proj: 15 2 | 27 453 16.8 | 3 1 | 5 2 | 53 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: After catching just one pass as a rookie, Coates could end up playing a significant role for the Steelers in 2016. Martavis Bryant will serve a season-long suspension, leaving a void at receiver. Markus Wheaton is expected to start in Bryant’s place, but Wheaton has done little to establish his bona fides over his three NFL seasons, and the bigger Coates (6-1, 212 pounds) is probably the more similar doppelgänger to Bryant and might be a better complement to Antonio Brown. The speedy Coates was a dangerous deep threat at the University of Auburn who averaged a whopping 21.4 yards per catch during his college career and could give the Steelers the same sort of field-stretching ability that Bryant has provided. BUST: Coates’ hands are considered unreliable: He dropped a lot of balls at Auburn. Even if Coates ends up getting a lot of playing time and showing better hands than he showed in college, he’s apt to be an erratic source of fantasy points because deep routes are such a big part of his game. There might be days when he delivers a home run or two, but there will probably be numerous days when he comes up empty. Coates will probably open the season No. 3 or No. 4 (behind Brown, Wheaton and perhaps Darrius Heyward-Bey) on the depth chart, and Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger has a lot of mouths to feed. BOTTOM LINE: Coates is an intriguing sleeper who has a chance to shine in Martavis Bryant’s absence, but as a deep-ball specialist, his production could oscillate wildly from week to week. 73 JEFF JANIS | PACKERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’14 GB 3 0 | 2 16 8.0 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 2 ’15 GB 16 0 | 2 79 39.5 | 0 0 | 2 1 | 11 ’16 Proj: 15 1 | 26 455 17.5 | 3 1 | 8 2 | 46 BYE: WEEK 4
BOOM: After playing 11 percent of the Packers’ regular-season snaps and catching just two passes, Janis exploded in Green Bay’s divisional-round playoff loss to Arizona, catching 7-145-2 after injuries
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the fantasy value of any one receiver (with the notable exception of Doug Baldwin late last season). Kearse has never reached 700 receiving yards in a season, and he’s scored 10 TDs in four years. BOTTOM LINE: A solid yet fairly ordinary receiver in a spread-it-around offense, Kearse appears to have limited fantasy value.
76 JAMISON CROWDER | WASHINGTON
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’15 WAS 16 6 | 59 604 10.2 | 2 1 | 7 1 | 79 ’16 Proj: 16 3 | 48 482 10.0 | 2 0 | 5 0 | 66 BYE: WEEK 9
Jeff Janis
to other receivers forced him into duty. With James Jones let go, Janis is expected to compete with the underachieving Davante Adams to be the Packers’ No. 3 receiver, a potentially lucrative fantasy role since the Packers make frequent use of three-receiver sets. The 6-3, 219-pound Janis has good size to go with big-time speed and leaping ability. BUST: For reasons that weren’t entirely clear, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy was reluctant to increase Janis’ role last season and only did so in the playoff game against the Cardinals after injuries forced his hand. Jordy Nelson is returning from his knee injury, and if Janis can’t beat out Adams for the No. 3 spot, targets will be hard to come by. Janis failed to make any sort of regular-season impact in his first two seasons, and he’ll have to prove that he can do more than just run “9” routes. BOTTOM LINE: An interesting developmental prospect with a full set of tools in his toolbox, Janis could come on quickly in one of the NFL’s top passing attacks, but his track record is pencil-thin.
74 BRANDON LaFELL | BENGALS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 CAR 16 16 | 49 627 12.8 | 5 1 | 5 1 | 85 ’14 NE 16 13 | 74 953 12.9 | 7 2 | 10 2 | 119 ’15 NE 11 7 | 37 515 13.9 | 0 1 | 7 2 | 74 ’16 Proj: 15 10 | 48 629 13.1 | 4 2 | 7 1 | 90 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: LaFell signed a one-year deal with the Bengals in March and will be asked to help fill the void created by the free-agent departures of WRs Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu. Primarily used as an outside receiver during his two
years in New England, LaFell is expected to occasionally line up in the slot for Cincinnati, potentially creating some size mismatches for the 6-3, 210-pound receiver. LaFell is just two years removed from a career-best 74-953-7 season. BUST: LaFell will have to battle rookie Tyler Boyd for a starting job. Star A.J. Green will stake a big claim on targets, and stud TE Tyler Eifert will see plenty of balls, too. LaFell appeared in only 11 games last season due to foot problems and was drop-prone when he played. BOTTOM LINE: Despite leaving one of the NFL’s best passing attacks, LaFell could benefit from a change of scenery since he has a chance to start for the Bengals and figures to be no worse than a No. 3 receiver. Still, he’s just a late-round flyer in deeper fantasy leagues.
75 JERMAINE KEARSE | SEAHAWKS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 SEA 15 5 | 22 346 15.7 | 4 0 | 5 2 | 38 ’14 SEA 15 14 | 38 537 14.1 | 1 0 | 7 3 | 69 ’15 SEA 16 16 | 49 685 14.0 | 5 1 | 13 1 | 68 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 44 625 14.2 | 4 1 | 10 2 | 73 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: Kearse is coming off the best season of his four-year career, establishing career highs in catches, receiving yardage and touchdowns, and the Seahawks rewarded him with a threeyear, $13.5 million contract. A dependable target for QB Russell Wilson, the surehanded Kearse caught 72.1 percent of his targets last year. BUST: Seattle doesn’t exactly have an air-raid passing game, and Wilson typically spreads targets around, limiting
BOOM: Taken in the fourth round of last year’s draft, Crowder slid comfortably into the slot-receiver role for Washington and will have that job again in 2016. Over a seven-game span from late September to mid-November, he caught 40 passes for 395 yards. He closed the regular season with a 5-109-1 performance against the archrival Cowboys. Crowder posted an impressive catch rate of 74.7 percent. BUST: Like a lot of slot men, Crowder is more about quantity of receptions than quality of receptions. He had just two TD catches as a rookie and averaged 10.2 yards per catch. At 5-8, 185 pounds, the diminutive Crowder is never going to make a lot of plays down the field. BOTTOM LINE: Crowder was a productive slot man as a rookie and should continue to fare well in that role for years to come. However, the low-impact value of his receptions makes him little more than a depth provider in PPR leagues. 77 TYLER BOYD | BENGALS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’16 Proj: 16 6 | 39 444 11.4 | 2 0 | 5 0 | 69 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Boyd caught 254 passes during his collegiate career at the University of Pittsburgh and made a big impact right from the start, with 85 catches for 1,174 yards and seven TDs as a freshman. Known for his excellent hands and savvy route running, Boyd has a chance to be an effective possession receiver early in his pro career. Boyd lands with a Bengals team that has quite a few targets to replace, having lost WRs Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu in free agency. BUST: With average to below average speed and quickness, Boyd probably isn’t going to produce a lot of big plays. He averaged 10.2 yards per catch and scored six TDs in his final season at Pittsburgh. Boyd isn’t especially big and doesn’t break a lot of tackles after the catch. A.J. Green is the alpha dog of the
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Bengals’ WR corps, so Boyd’s fantasy potential is somewhat limited. BOTTOM LINE: Boyd isn’t likely to make a huge splash as a rookie, but he’ll get a chance to contribute right away and could become a nice depth option for fantasy owners.
78 DAVANTE ADAMS | PACKERS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’14 GB 16 11 | 38 446 11.7 | 3 1 | 5 1 | 66 ’15 GB 13 12 | 50 483 9.7 | 1 0 | 6 1 | 93 ’16 Proj: 15 1 | 39 425 10.9 | 2 0 | 4 0 | 70 BYE: WEEK 4
BOOM: Adams has caught 88 passes in two seasons with the Packers, and at age 23, he still has plenty of room for growth. He was a reception machine in college, catching 233 passes and scoring 38 TDs in only two seasons at Fresno State. The Packers figure to have one of the better passing games in the league, and if Adams can win the No. 3 receiver role, he’ll get ample playing time for a team that uses three-receiver sets on a huge percentage of its offensive snaps. Adams dealt with ankle and knee injuries last year that may have affected his performance. BUST: Adams was just plain bad last year, committing some egregious drops and all too often failing to gain separation from defenders. He caught 53.8 percent of his targets and has a two-year catch rate of 55.3 percent. Adams has scored four TDs in 29 career games. If he can’t beat out Jeff Janis for the No. 3 receiver spot, he might not see many snaps, and he might not even be able to hang on to a roster spot. BOTTOM LINE: Adams’ collegiate numbers and his potential role in a highoctane passing game make him worth monitoring, but he has a lot to prove after a poor 2015 season.
than 450 receiving yards or four TD catches in a season, and he has a career average of 11.0 yards per catch. TE Rob Gronkowski, WR Julian Edelman and RB Dion Lewis are going to eat up a lot of targets, leaving Hogan to contend with the Patriots’ other wide receivers for what could be mere table scraps. As of this writing, Brady was suspended the first four games for ‘Deflategate.’ BOTTOM LINE: A fantasy afterthought during his first three NFL seasons, Hogan has a chance to be relevant now that he’s hooked up with Tom Brady and the Patriots, but it might take an injury or two for Hogan to be startable in fantasy leagues.
80 LEONTE CARROO | DOLPHINS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’16 Proj: 15 1 | 22 376 17.1 | 3 0 | 6 1 | 45 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM:
Carroo was a big-time playmaker for some mediocre Rutgers teams, catching 29 TD passes in 30 games over his last three seasons, with a career average of 19.5 yards per catch. At 6-0, 211 pounds, Carroo is well built and can be hard to bring down after the catch. He has good body control and a soft pair of hands. BUST: Carroo isn’t very tall and doesn’t have exceptional speed, so he might have trouble separating at the professional level. Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill isn’t much of a downfield playmaker, and Carroo will likely be behind Jarvis Landry, Devante Parker and Kenny Stills on the depth chart. BOTTOM LINE: Carroo is an intriguing rookie, But Miami probably wasn’t the best of landing spots for him. He’s worth monitoring but probably not worth drafting.
81 JUSTIN HARDY | FALCONS
79 CHRIS HOGAN | PATRIOTS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 BUF 16 ’14 BUF 16 ’15 BUF 16 ’16 Proj: 16
0 | 10 83 8.3 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 61 2 | 41 426 10.4 | 4 0 | 5 0 | 61 4 | 36 450 12.5 | 2 0 | 6 2 | 59 8 | 36 417 11.6 | 2 0 | 5 1 | 52 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Hogan goes from a conservative
offense in Buffalo to a potent, pass-heavy offense in New England. The Patriots gave Hogan a three-year, $12 million contract in free agency, which suggests that they have a plan for him. Hogan has played mostly in the slot, but the Pats reportedly will use Hogan outside on at least some of his snaps, and at 6-1, 220 pounds, he has the size to be effective as an outside receiver. BUST: Hogan has never totaled more
REPORTS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’15 ATL 9 1 | 21 194 9.2 | 0 0 | 2 0 | 36 ’16 Proj: 15 3 | 43 409 9.5 | 2 0 | 5 0 | 64 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: Hardy is being penciled in as
the Falcons’ slot receiver this season, a role that could make him useful in PPR leagues. He served an apprenticeship in that role late last season, catching 21 passes in Atlanta’s last nine games. The East Carolina product is college football’s all-time FBS leader in receptions with 387, which is 38 more than the next-closest player on the all-time list. With the dangerous Julio Jones drawing attention downfield, Hardy should have ample space in which to operate underneath. BUST: Hardy is small (5-10, 192 pounds)
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and not very fast for an undersized receiver. He doesn’t figure to be much of a red-zone threat because of his slight frame. Jones led the NFL in targets last season and will continue to be the focal point of the Atlanta passing game. BOTTOM LINE: The college reception king has yet to make a splash in the NFL, but Hardy started to get involved in the Atlanta offense late in the season and has a chance to become a worthwhile asset in PPR leagues this year.
82 NATE WASHINGTON | PATRIOTS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 TEN 16 15 | 58 919 15.8 | 3 3 | 11 3 | 104 ’14 TEN 16 11 | 40 647 16.2 | 2 1 | 11 2 | 72 ’15 HOU 14 14 | 47 658 14.0 | 4 2 | 9 3 | 95 ’16 Proj: 14 7 | 26 385 14.8 | 2 0 | 5 2 | 46 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: The Patriots signed Washington to a modest one-year deal in March, and he’ll have a chance to contribute to a team that seems perennially starved for production from its outside receivers. Washington was decent in a supporting role for the Texans last season. He’s racked up at least 40 receptions in eight straight seasons and has a robust career average of 15.2 yards per catch. His competition for snaps includes non-luminaries such as Chris Hogan, Keshawn Martin and Aaron Dobson. BUST: Washington turns 33 in late August and hasn’t produced more than four TDs since the 2011 season. Targets figure to be sparse for Washington if highvolume pass catchers Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman are both healthy. As of this writing, QB Tom Brady was suspended the first four games for ‘Deflategate.’ BOTTOM LINE: A chance to play with Tom Brady could pump some life into Washington’s fantasy stock, but the venerable vet will likely be relegated to a supporting role. 83 CHRIS CONLEY | CHIEFS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’15 KC 16 5 | 17 199 11.7 | 1 0 | 2 1 | 31 ’16 Proj: 15 12 | 31 447 14.4 | 3 1 | 8 1 | 56 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: A second-year receiver with good size (6-2, 205) and sub-4.4 speed, the 23-year-old Conley could develop into a dangerous playmaker. He had 17 regular-season catches while getting acclimated to the Chiefs’ offense and had a five-catch day in Kansas City’s playoff loss to Pittsburgh. Conley has a chance to earn a place in the Chiefs’ starting lineup this year, and at worst he figures to be the No. 3 receiver behind Jeremy Maclin and
POSITION Albert Wilson. BUST: Conley is a vertical receiver in an offense predicated on short and intermediate passes. With conservative, safety-first QB Alex Smith directing the offense, Conley won’t get a chance to make many plays downfield. The Chiefs rarely went to their second and third receivers last year. With Maclin and TE Travis Kelce dominating targets, Conley and Wilson were targeted a combined 88 times. BOTTOM LINE: With his impressive physical tools, Conley should be of interest to dynasty league owners. But this fleet-footed field stretcher is unlikely to make much of a fantasy splash this year on a team that rarely throws deep.
84 DANNY AMENDOLA | PATRIOTS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’13 NE 12 ’14 NE 16 ’15 NE 14 ’16 Proj: 13
6 | 65 648 10.0 | 2 3 | 8 1 | 83 4 | 27 200 7.4 | 1 0 | 1 0 | 42 7 | 65 648 10.0 | 3 2 | 5 1 | 87 5 | 37 359 9.7 | 2 0 | 4 0 | 50 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: A potentially useful commodity in PPR leagues, Amendola has averaged 4.1 receptions per game over his sevenyear career. Asked to do more after RB Dion Lewis and WR Julian Edelman went down with injuries in November, Amendola caught 32 passes for 304 yards over a four-game stretch late in the season. He’s a good fit for a New England offense that does much of its damage with short passes. BUST: Amendola isn’t very helpful in standard scoring leagues. He’s had 13 TD catches in 84 career regular-season games, and he has an anemic career average of 9.4 yards per catch. Amendola probably won’t see a lot of targets if Edelman, Lewis and Rob Gronkowski are all healthy, and the Patriots brought in WRs Chris Hogan and Nate Washington in the offseason. As of this writing, QB Tom Brady was suspended for the first four games (‘Deflategate’). BOTTOM LINE: Amendola doesn’t appear to have much fantasy value in his present situation, but owners in PPR leagues might want to keep him on speed dial in the event that injuries thrust him into a larger role. 85 JAELEN STRONG | TEXANS
REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG
’15 HOU 10 1 | 14 161 11.5 | 3 0 | 2 1 | 24 ’16 Proj: 11 6 | 27 340 12.6 | 2 0 | 4 0 | 50 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Strong’s rookie season with the Texans was something of a
WR
REPORTS
disappointment, but he had his moments, catching 2-53-2 in his Week 5 NFL debut (including a 42-yard catch of a Hail Mary to end the first half), then catching six passes for 56 yards in Houston’s regularseason finale. Highly productive during his college career at Arizona State, Strong is a physical possession receiver with good size (6-2, 217) and strength. BUST: Strong was arrested in late February for possession of marijuana and could face league discipline. He also reportedly found himself in Texans head coach Bill O’Brien’s doghouse last year for being overweight. DeAndre Hopkins will dominate targets for the Texans, with Strong left to battle rookies Will Fuller and Braxton Miller as well as veteran Cecil Shorts for leftovers. BOTTOM LINE: There isn’t a clear path to fantasy relevance for Strong, but the second-year receiver has some talent and a solid college pedigree, so it’s worth keeping tabs on him.
BEST OF THE REST 86 EDDIE ROYAL | BEARS Plagued by knee issues during his first season in Chicago, Royal played only nine games but still managed to catch 37 passes. However, he averaged a meager 6.4 yards per catch. Royal is expected to serve as the Bears’ No. 3 receiver, and with the king-sized duo of Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White challenging defenses downfield, Royal could have a lot of room to work underneath. 87 KENNY BRITT | RAMS It seems as if Britt has been around forever, but he’ll be 27 when the new season begins. (He’ll turn 28 on Sunday of Week Two.) Plagued by injuries early in his career, Britt has quietly played consecutive 16-game seasons, averaging 42 catches, 715 receiving yards and three TDs over the last two years. That might be the ceiling for Britt this year since the outlook for the Rams’ passing game is bleak. 88 COLE BEASLEY | COWBOYS The 5-8, 180-pound slot receiver caught 52-536-5 last year, and if Tony Romo can stay healthy this season, Beasley might be able to produce useful PPR numbers. Just don’t expect a lot of big plays. 89 SETH ROBERTS | RAIDERS Penciled in as the Raiders’ No. 3 receiver behind Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, Roberts will work primarily from the slot. An undrafted free agent, Roberts spent the 2014 season on Oakland’s practice squad before chipping in 32-4805 last season. He averaged 15.0 yards per catch and scored touchdowns on 9
percent of his targets.
90 BRIAN QUICK | RAMS Re-signed to a one-year deal, Quick will once again try to gain some sort of career traction with the Rams. He seemed ready to break out in 2014 but then tore his rotator cuff, and the injury lingered into the early part of the 2015 season. Quick has missed 12 games over the past two seasons. His breakout prospects for 2016 are grim since the Rams will almost surely get subpar QB play this season. 91 DARRIUS HEYWARD-BEY | STEELERS It’s hard to believe the oft-maligned exRaider is still kicking around, but HeywardBey caught 21-314-2 for Pitsburgh last season and might get a bump in snaps now that Steelers WR Martavis Bryant is suspended for the season. The potency of the Pittsburgh passing game makes Heyward-Bey a potential waiver add. 92 ROBERT WOODS | BILLS Is there a starting NFL receiver who generates less fantasy excitement than Woods? He’s started 38 of his 44 games for the Bills over the last three seasons and is again projected to start opposite Sammy Watkins. But Woods is a low-impact possession receiver who’s averaged 3.7 TD catches per year. 93 CODY LATIMER | BRONCOS It’s been two years since Latimer entered the league, and his dynasty owners are growing impatient. The Broncos are talking about giving him a bigger role, but he’s had only eight receptions over his first two seasons, and Denver’s QB situation is sketchy. This could be a makeor-break season for Latimer. 94 COREY BROWN | PANTHERS The artist formerly known as Philly Brown caught 31-447-4 for the Panthers last season and had 4-113-1 in Carolina’s NFC Championship Game win over Arizona. He projects as either a No. 3 or No. 4 receiver this season, but the 24-year-old Brown has shown intriguing ability in his first two seasons and might be of interest to fantasy owners at some point in the season. 95 BRANDON COLEMAN | SAINTS The Saints released 10-year veteran Marques Colston in February, and they’re hoping the 6-6, 225-pound Coleman can become Colston 2.0. After turning heads in the preseason, Coleman had seven catches in his first two regularseason games but then caught only seven passes over his next nine games. He re-emerged down the stretch, with 16 receptions over his last five games, and he now has a chance to play a role for the pass-happy Saints.
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FANTASY
Tight ends With Gronk the clear No. 1, the questions are:
Who’s next and when to draft a TE? By
J.C. TALON
B
arring preseason catas trophe, it’s a virtual lock that Rob Gronkowski will be the first tight end taken in your fantasy draft. And, barring injury, there is a high probability that he’ll finish the 2016 season as the top scoring fantasy tight end. He has led tight ends in receiving yards the past two seasons and in three of the last five. Last season, he was selected in the first round of most fantasy drafts. That is likely to be true again in 2016. For the past few drafts, it’s been Gronk and Jimmy Graham … and everyone else. With Graham coming off the dual whammy of a mediocre season and a serious knee injury, we’re down to just Gronkowski … and everyone else. So, if we can agree that Gronk is far and away the top fantasy tight end, the questions become who’s next, and when should they be drafted? Let’s answer the second question first: Be patient. The second tight end probably doesn’t need to come off the board until the middle rounds, after you’ve secured starters at QB, RB and WR. The “who” is a bit more complicated. We have Greg Olsen ranked No. 2. He’s coming off perhaps his best season as a pro and shows no signs of slowing down at age 31. Olsen’s durability is what ranks him ahead of Jordan Reed. On the other hand, Reed has tremendous upside and has the potential to be a fantasy differencemaker. Reed is perhaps the only tight end with the ability and the opportunity to unseat Gronkowski as the unquestioned No. 1 at the position.
CONSENSUS
Top FANTASY TIGHT ENDS 1. ROB GRONKOWSKI | PATRIOTS 2. GREG OLSEN | PANTHERS 3. JORDAN REED | WASHINGTON 4. TYLER EIFERT | BENGALS 5. TRAVIS KELCE | CHIEFS 6. COBY FLEENER | SAINTS 7. ZACH ERTZ | EAGLES 8. JIMMY GRAHAM | SEAHAWKS 9. GARY BARNIDGE | BROWNS 10. DELANIE WALKER | TITANS 11. JULIUS THOMAS | JAGUARS 12. MARTELLUS BENNETT | PATRIOTS 13. JASON WITTEN | COWBOYS 14. ANTONIO GATES | CHARGERS 15. LADARIUS GREEN | STEELERS 16. ERIC EBRON | LIONS 17. AUSTIN SEFERIAN-JENKINS | BUCCANEERS 18. CHARLES CLAY | BILLS 19. BENJAMIN WATSON | RAVENS 20. KYLE RUDOLPH | VIKINGS Reed played in 14 games last year. Projected over 16 games, he would have finished with 99 catches, 1,079 yards and 13 touchdowns. And Reed finished 2015 on a roll – he caught 25 balls and five TDs combined in Weeks, 14, 15 and 16. But Reed is undersized for a tight end and has missed 14 games in his three-year career. He’s high risk and high reward. Tyler Eifert and Travis Kelce
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round out our top five. Eifert vs. Kelce presents a similar dynamic as Olsen vs. Reed: Eifert has far more upside than Kelce, but Kelce has been more durable. Coby Fleener, Zach Ertz, Jimmy Graham, Gary Barnidge, and Delanie Walker are ranked six through ten, respectively. None of them are a lock. Fleener is on a new team; Ertz has a new coach; Graham is coming back from major knee surgery; Barnidge has a new coach and a new quarterback; and Walker plays for a Titans team that had the 25th-ranked passing attack in 2015. They are all bona fide fantasy starters, but they come with more question marks than those ranked in the top five. Ranked 11-15: Julius Thomas, Martellus Bennett, Jason Witten, Antonio Gates and Ladarius Green. Thomas is coming off a disappointing first season with the Jaguars and it is yet to be determined how New England will utilize Bennett. We believe he’ll be at least reasonably productive and he’s a little higher on our list than he is on most other fantasy projections. Witten and Gates are nearing the end of their respective careers, but both are capable of starter’s production. Green might have the most upside of the five ranked 11-15, but Pittsburgh’s passing attack under OC Todd Haley has not previously featured the TE. You can wait a while to draft your tight end, but don’t wait too long. The options fall off the cliff after Green. Our list of 16-20 is Eric Ebron, Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, Charles Clay, Benjamin Watson, and Kyle Rudolph. Ebron and SeferianJenkins have some potential, but you don’t want to head into your fantasy season with any of the five as your starter at TE.
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1 ROB GRONKOWSKI | PATRIOTS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 NE 7 6 | 39 592 15.2 | 4 3 | 10 1 ’14 NE 15 10 | 82 1,124 13.7 | 12 3 | 19 1 ’15 NE 15 15 | 72 1,176 16.3 | 11 5 | 22 5 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 72 1,125 15.6 | 11 4 | 20 3 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: In his sixth season, Gronkowski enjoyed a career-high 16.3 yards per catch in 2015. He finished the year with more receiving yards (1,176) than any other tight end. He was eighth among tight ends with 72 catches and second – behind only Tyler Eifert – with 11 touchdowns. He has led tight ends in receiving yards in three of the four seasons in which he played 15 games or more. The only full season he did not finish with the most yards among TEs was his rookie campaign of 2010. He has led tight ends in touchdown receptions four times, including 2012, when he appeared in only 11 games. (He tied for the TD lead with Antonio Gates in 2014 and with Gates and Marcedes Lewis in 2010). BUST: Gronkowski averaged 4.8 catches per game last season, the first time since his rookie season when he averaged fewer than five. The addition of Martellus Bennett could reduce Gronk’s targets. As of press time, Tom Brady remains suspended for the first four games of 2016, and backup Jimmy Garoppolo is untested. The big tight end has an injury history – he has not played in all 16 regular season games since 2011. BOTTOM LINE: Although injuries are going to be a concern with anyone who gets as many touches as Gronkowski, he has missed just one game in each of the past two seasons. The game he missed in 2014 was not injury related. Like his teammate Stephen Gostkowski, Gronk is head and shoulders above the next best fantasy option at his position. While Brady’s suspension is not ideal, Gronkowski remains a first-round pick. 2 GREG OLSEN | PANTHERS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 CAR 16 16 | 73 816 11.2 | 6 0 | 12 0 ’14 CAR 16 16 | 84 1,008 12.0 | 6 3 | 9 0 ’15 CAR 16 16 | 77 1,104 14.3 | 7 3 | 20 1 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 75 1,100 14.7 | 8 3 | 17 1 BYE: WEEK 7
BOOM: Among tight ends, only Gronkowski had more receiving yards in 2015 than Olsen. His 1,104 yards last season were a career high, besting his previous career high (2014) by nearly 100 yards. His 14.3 yards per catch was also a career best. Averaging 76 receptions over the past four years, Olsen is clearly
Greg Olsen
Cam Newton’s favorite target. Not only did he lead the Panthers in receptions last year, he had 33 more catches than Carolina’s second leading receiver, Ted Ginn. Although it seems like he’s been around forever, at 31, Olsen is younger than Delanie Walker, Antonio Gates, Jason Witten, Benjamin Watson and Owen Daniels. He is incredibly durable; he has played in all 16 games for eight consecutive seasons. BUST: That durability translates into mileage. Olsen has played in a combined 150 regular season and playoff games in his nine-year career. Kelvin Benjamin should be back from injury this season, and that could reduce Olsen’s targets. His seven TDs last season were a high-water mark during his time in Carolina. BOTTOM LINE: One might instinctively think that Benjamin’s return would limit
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Olsen, but the facts don’t support that notion. Olsen had a career-high 84 catches in 2014 when Benjamin caught 73 balls. Olsen probably won’t get you double-digit TDs, but his combination of consistent production and durability make him fantasy’s second-best option at tight end.
3 JORDAN REED | WASHINGTON
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 WAS 9 4 | 45 499 11.1 | 3 1 | 3 0 ’14 WAS 11 2 | 50 465 9.3 | 0 1 | 4 0 ’15 WAS 14 8 | 87 952 10.9 | 11 2 | 14 0 ’16 Proj: 14 13 | 85 950 11.2 | 10 2 | 15 0 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Reed burst on the scene in 2015 during his third NFL season. The beneficiary of a surprisingly effective Washington offense, he posted career
POSITION
REPORTS Reed, however, Eifert has struggled to stay healthy. He dislocated his elbow in the first game of 2014 and missed the rest of that season. Injuries cost him three games last year, although he returned for the final game of the regular season and for the playoff loss against Pittsburgh. Eifert left this year’s Pro Bowl in a walking boot due to a sprained ankle. BOTTOM LINE: There are a lot of similarities with Reed and Eifert. Both have tremendous upside, but neither is a great bet to play 16 games.
5 TRAVIS KELCE | CHIEFS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 KC 1 0 | 0 0 0 | 0 0 | 0 0 ’14 KC 16 11 | 67 862 12.9 | 5 1 | 15 0 ’15 KC 16 16 | 72 875 12.2 | 5 1 | 10 1 ’16 Proj: 16 16 | 70 850 12.1 | 5 1 | 12 0 BYE: WEEK 5
Jordan Reed
marks in catches (87), yards (952) and touchdowns (11). Among tight ends, he finished the year tied for second in touchdowns, second in receptions, and fifth in yards. Reed was the team’s leading receiver last season and has established himself as Kirk Cousins’ primary target. He caught nine balls in a playoff loss to Green Bay. The former third-rounder out of Florida consistently beats safeties and linebackers in man-to-man coverage. BUST: At 6’2”, 237 pounds, Reed is a bit undersized for the position. He has missed time due to injury in all three of his professional seasons. On the bright side, his games played have increased in each respective season (9, 11, 14). BOTTOM LINE: Reed probably has more upside than Olsen. He is a matchup nightmare for defenses. However, until he makes it through an entire NFL season,
fantasy owners who select Reed also will need to draft a competent backup at TE.
4 TYLER EIFERT | BENGALS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 CIN 15 15 | 39 445 11.4 | 2 0 | 5 2 ’14 CIN 1 1 | 3 37 12.3 | 0 0 | 1 0 ’15 CIN 13 12 | 52 615 11.8 | 13 1 | 8 0 ’16 Proj: 14 12 | 60 750 12.5 | 11 1 | 9 0 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: And speaking of bursting onto the scene in his third NFL season, Eifert led all tights end in 2015 with 13 touchdowns. He also posted career-bests in catches (52) and yards (615). He was fourth amongst tight ends with 11.8 yards per reception. BUST: Unlike Reed, Eifert (6-6, 250) is ideally sized for an NFL tight end. Like,
BOOM: Another tight end from the Class of ’13, Kelce sat out his rookie season with a knee injury. He became Kansas City’s starter the fifth week of the 2014 season and hasn’t looked back since then. His ’14 and ’15 seasons are remarkably similar: In 2014 he had 67 catches for 862 yards and five TDs. Last year, he caught 72 passes for 875 yards and, again, had five scores. Kelce has caught at least four balls in 22 games over the past two seasons. His 12.2 yards per catch last year was fifth among tight ends with 50 or more receptions. Kelce caught 14 balls in KC’s two playoff games in January. BUST: It’s a little concerning that he didn’t take more of a step up during his second full season in the league. Kelce scores at the rate of one TD per 14 receptions, the lowest rate among our top-five ranked TEs. Kelce has fumbled six times, losing five, in two years. The Chiefs are a run-first team. QB Alex Smith has thrown an average of 21 touchdowns per season during his three years in Kansas City. BOTTOM LINE: Based on recent history, Kelce offers less upside, but more stability than Reed and Eifert. All three of them are entering their fourth NFL season. Once Gronk and Olsen are off the board, fantasy owners will have to decide if they want to go for the home run with Reed or Eifert, or to take the solid double with Kelce. 6 COBY FLEENER | COLTS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 IND 16 12 | 52 608 11.7 | 4 1 | 7 2 ’14 IND 16 12 | 51 774 15.2 | 8 2 | 16 2 ’15 IND 16 11 | 54 491 9.1 | 3 0 | 4 1 ’16 Proj: 16 12 | 53 700 13.2 | 6 0 | 10 1 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: Last year with the Colts,
Fleener
recorded
a
career-high
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POSITION catches. Throughout his Indy career, Fleener routinely shared snaps with Dwayne Allen, which undoubtedly limited his production. Still, he was able to record 183 catches, 2,154 yards and 17 TDs in four seasons. Fleener was the more durable of the two – he only missed four games combined, and none in the past three seasons. Having signed a five-year, $36 million deal in New Orleans, Fleener should get his chance to shine as the main TE option. BUST: The Colts focused on signing Allen, not Fleener, this offseason. Despite Allen’s injury history and lack of receiving production (just 16 catches in 13 games last year), Indy presumably felt Allen was the better overall player. BOTTOM LINE: Any deficiencies in
REPORTS
Fleener’s game would be related to his ability to block in the running game. You can bet Drew Brees missed Graham last season, and you can bet he will find a way to take advantage of his new tight end’s receiving abilities.
7 ZACH ERTZ | EAGLES
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 PHI 16 3 | 36 469 13.0 | 4 0 | 8 0 ’14 PHI 16 5 | 58 702 12.1 | 3 1 | 9 0 ’15 PHI 15 7 | 75 853 11.4 | 2 2 | 11 2 ’16 Proj: 15 7 | 70 800 11.4 | 5 1 | 10 1 BYE: WEEK 4
BOOM: Yet another tight end drafted in 2013, Ertz finished 2015 on a roll. He caught 35 passes in the last four weeks of the season. Despite missing Week 12
with a concussion, he finished 2015 sixth among tight ends in receptions (75) and seventh in yards (853). He was rewarded in January with a five-year, $42.5 contract extension. Ertz is durable; he has played in 47 of 48 regular-season games in his three-year career. BUST: Despite the impressive receiving stats, Ertz found the end zone just twice in 2015. He has only nine TDs in three professional seasons. He did suffer a concussion last season. BOTTOM LINE: It might be unfair to pin the dearth of touchdowns on Ertz. It wasn’t always clear what former coach Chip Kelly was trying to accomplish on offense. New coach Doug Pedersen runs more of a West Coast offense, which could result in more trips to the end zone for the talented fourth-year tight end.
8 JIMMY GRAHAM | SEAHAWKS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 NO 16 12 | 86 1,215 14.1 | 16 6 | 19 5 ’14 NO 16 13 | 85 889 10.5 | 10 1 | 8 0 ’15 SEA 11 11 | 48 605 12.6 | 2 1 | 11 1 ’16 Proj: 13 13 | 65 800 12.3 | 5 2 | 15 0 BYE: WEEK 5
Jimmy Graham
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BOOM: Before Graham was lost for the season in Week 11 with a torn patellar tendon, he was on pace for a respectable 70-catch, 880-yard season. Among tight ends, those numbers would have been good enough for 10th in receptions and sixth in yards. He was far off the pace he set in New Orleans, however, when he routinely registered 85 catches and 1,000 or more yards. Still, he was tracking to finish as Seattle’s No. 2 receiver behind Doug Baldwin. At 6-7 and with great hands, Graham remains a formidable goal-line option. Just 29 years old and possessing freakish athletic ability, Graham is capable of producing a monster season. BUST: Many would characterize Graham’s first season in Seattle somewhere between disappointing and epic fail. He scored only twice in 11 contests. The Seahawks offense actually seemed to improve when Graham went down. Russell Wilson was averaging 237 yards passing per game with Graham. He averaged 274 yards after the big tight end went down with his knee injury. The Seahawks went 5-1 down the stretch playing without Graham. His knee injury was serious. There is no guarantee that Graham will be 100 percent healthy by Week One. BOTTOM LINE: Graham’s production last season was a bit of a head scratcher. You would think that OC Darrell Bevell would have found a way to better utilize the gifted receiver. At times, it seemed as if they were forcing the ball Graham’s
POSITION
REPORTS the Browns had enough confidence in him to extend him for three years. Barnidge might be ranked higher if the QB situation in Cleveland were more stable.
10 DELANIE WALKER | TITANS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 TEN 15 11 | 60 571 9.5 | 6 0 | 5 0 ’14 TEN 15 14 | 63 890 14.1 | 4 2 | 13 2 ’15 TEN 15 10 | 94 1,088 11.6 | 6 1 | 13 2 ’16 Proj: 15 12 | 75 870 11.6 | 4 1 | 12 1 BYE: WEEK 13
BOOM: Walker had seven more receptions last season than any other tight end in the league. His 94 catches in 2015 were 31 more than he had in any of his previous nine seasons. Walker also eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the first time last season, finishing with 1,088. He posted a strong finish in 2015, catching 18 balls over the last two weeks of the year. He’s clearly at home in Nashville. During his three seasons with the Titans, Walker has averaged more than 72 catches. He averaged fewer than 18 per year during his seven seasons in San Francisco. BUST: Walker tends to miss one or two games each year due to injury. He has never scored more than six TDs in a season. He’ll be 32 years old when the 2016 season opens. BOTTOM LINE: Walker played well last year regardless of whether it was Marcus Mariota or Zach Mettenberger under center. Duplicating his 94 receptions would be a tall order, and he may not score TDs in bunches, but Walker heads into 2016 as a bona fide fantasy starter. Gary Barnidge
11 JULIUS THOMAS | JAGUARS
way. With the coaching staff more familiar with the player – and vice versa – look for Graham to be more productive than he was last season, but not as productive as he was in New Orleans. If Graham is healthy (and that is a big if – be sure to monitor his status), he could wind up lasting too long in many fantasy drafts.
9 GARY BARNIDGE | BROWNS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 CLE 16 12 | 13 127 9.8 | 2 0 | 1 1 ’14 CLE 13 2 | 13 156 12.0 | 0 0 | 1 0 ’15 CLE 16 13 | 79 1,043 13.2 | 9 3 | 16 1 ’16 Proj: 15 12 | 65 800 12.3 | 5 2 | 14 1 BYE: WEEK 13
BOOM: Browns fans sorrowed by the loss of Jordan Cameron to free agency before the 2015 season found that there was another quality tight end already on Cleveland’s roster. Barnidge emerged,
seemingly from nowhere, to finish third among NFL tight ends with 79 catches, fourth in yards (1,043), and fourth in touchdowns (nine). Barnidge led the Browns in receptions, receiving yards and TD catches. He was rewarded at season’s end with a three-year, $12 million extension. BUST: Many fantasy owners might assume that Barnidge is a newcomer. After all, who had ever heard of him before last season? Fact is, he is heading into his eighth NFL campaign. He caught more balls, gained more yards, and scored more TDs last year than in his first seven seasons combined. In his first seven seasons, he had never recorded more than 13 catches. BOTTOM LINE: Hey, better late than never. Whatever it is that ails the Browns, it’s not Barnidge. Although he has only produced during one of his NFL seasons,
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 DEN 14 14 | 65 788 12.1 | 12 2 | 10 2 ’14 DEN 13 10 | 43 489 11.4 | 12 1 | 7 0 ’15 JAC 12 10 | 46 455 9.9 | 5 1 | 5 0 ’16 Proj: 13 10 | 50 500 10.0 | 7 0 | 5 0 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: Thomas snared 24 combined touchdowns for Denver in the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Thomas was able to capitalize on that performance to sign a five-year, $46 million deal in March 2015 with Jacksonville. At the time of the signing, he was the highest-paid tight end in the NFL. His 46/455/5 stat line was a bit disappointing given the size of his deal. However, Thomas missed the first four weeks of 2015 with a hand injury. Projected over 16 games, Thomas would have had a more respectable 61/607/7 performance. BUST: Injuries have cost Thomas some time in each of the last three seasons –
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and the trend is going the wrong way. He missed two games in 2013, three games in 2014, and four games last season. Twenty tight ends had more receptions last year than the 46 Thomas recorded. Thomas’ longest reception of 2015 was 34 yards and he had just two receptions of 30 yards or more. He caught only four passes over the final two games of the season, and went scoreless in the final three games of 2015. BOTTOM LINE: In 2013-2014, Thomas caught 108 passes and 24 touchdowns in just 27 games. Of course, his quarterback was a relatively healthy Peyton Manning. Jacksonville is improving on offense, but Thomas is the third option behind Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns. If Thomas can stay healthy, he has a chance to be a solid fantasy starter. He has not answered the bell 16 times in any of his previous five seasons, however.
12 MARTELLUS BENNETT | PATRIOTS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 CHI 16 15 | 65 759 11.7 | 5 0 | 11 1 ’14 CHI 16 15 | 90 916 10.2 | 6 2 | 11 0 ’15 CHI 11 11 | 53 439 8.3 | 3 0 | 5 0 ’16 Proj: 12 2 | 55 550 10.0 | 5 0 | 7 0 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Fantasy owners who want to think big can look back to the 2011 season when the TE combo of Gronk and Aaron Hernandez combined for 169 receptions, 2,237 yards and 24 TDs. The Patriots once again have a Dynamic Duo at tight end, this time with Martellus Bennett playing Robin to Gronk’s Batman. Bennett’s best season was 2014 with Chicago, when he led all tight ends with 90 catches and had 916 receiving yards and six TDs. He was on pace for 77 catches last season, but sat out the final four games with what was officially listed as a rib injury. The Chicago Tribune reported in March, however, there was a divide between Bennett and team management. According to the report, that divide led to an end-of-season benching and precipitated the trade to New England. BUST: It remains to be seen how Bennett will fit with the Pats’ offensive scheme. Playing as the second tight end for New England in 2015, Scott Chandler had just 23 receptions. If Bennett’s mercurial personality was indeed a problem in Chicago, it’s a safe bet that Bill Belichick will be less than flexible if there is a repeat performance. BOTTOM LINE: Bennett is in the last year of his contract and should be sufficiently motivated to play well. His numbers are likely to pale in comparison to Gronkowski’s, but the Patriots will creatively find ways to utilize Bennett’s
Julius Thomas
considerable talents. He is a low-end fantasy starter and an ideal TE2 with upside.
13 JASON WITTEN | COWBOYS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 DAL 16 16 | 73 851 11.7 | 8 3 | 13 0 ’14 DAL 16 16 | 64 703 11.0 | 5 0 | 7 0 ’15 DAL 16 16 | 77 713 9.3 | 3 0 | 4 0 ’16 Proj: 15 15 | 70 700 10.0 | 2 0 | 2 0 BYE: WEEK 7
BOOM: Despite the Cowboys miserable 4-12 season, Witten managed to catch 77 balls, tying Olsen for fourth most catches among tight ends. Witten has at least 70 receptions in eight of the last nine years (he had 64 in 2014). In his 13 NFL seasons, he has over 1,000 receptions, 11,000 yards and he has scored 60 touchdowns. His toughness and durability are second
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to none: he has played all 16 games for 12 consecutive seasons. Witten is one of Tony Romo’s favorite targets and is especially lethal on third downs. BUST: He averaged just 9.3 yards per reception in 2015, the lowest average of his career. Among the top 10 TEs in receptions, only Heath Miller averaged fewer YPC (8.9). With Romo missing much of last season with clavicle injuries, Witten found the end zone only three times. He is 34 years old and has taken a good number of hits over the years. BOTTOM LINE: Witten’s limited trips to the end zone and 9.3 YPC have little to do with a diminishment of skills and everything to do with Romo’s absence. As long as Romo is on the field, Witten is likely a Top 10 TE. Because of Romo’s recent surgeries, fantasy owners who draft Witten would be wise to also secure
POSITION a top-end TE2.
14 ANTONIO GATES | CHARGERS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 SD 16 15 | 77 872 11.3 | 4 2 | 11 1 ’14 SD 16 14 | 69 821 11.9 | 12 0 | 12 0 ’15 SD 11 4 | 56 630 11.3 | 5 0 | 5 1 ’16 Proj: 12 6 | 55 600 10.9 | 4 0 | 3 0 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: In 2015 at age 35 and in his 13th NFL season, the ageless wonder continued to produce. Despite playing in only 11 games, Gates managed to catch 56 balls for 630 yards and five touchdowns. Projected over a 16-game season, Gates would have totaled 81/916/7. In 2014, Gates produced 69/821/12 and finished tied with Gronkowski for most TDs by a tight end. He signed a two-year extension in March and the Chargers allowed highly regarded backup Ladarius Green to sign with Pittsburgh. BUST: Gates missed the first four games of 2015 for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. He spent much of the rest of the season battling through hip and knee issues. Anyone who has had Gates on their fantasy team can attest to the fact that he is no stranger to the weekly injury report. In fairness, he played all 16 games in 2014 and 2013 and missed only one start in 2012. He will be 36 years old this season. BOTTOM LINE: Because of the tread on his tires, Gates could well offer fantasy owners tremendous value after the first ten or so tight ends have been selected. He can be considered a low-end TE1 in most formats, but be sure to pick up an insurance policy for the veteran. 15 LADARIUS GREEN | CHARGERS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 SD 16 10 | 17 376 22.1 | 3 0 | 9 1 ’14 SD 14 4 | 19 226 11.9 | 0 0 | 5 0 ’15 SD 13 11 | 37 429 11.6 | 4 0 | 5 0 ’16 Proj: 14 10 | 45 540 12.0 | 5 0 | 6 0 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: Playing backup to Gates most
of the season, Green was still able to rack up a career-high 37 catches for 429 yards and four scores in 2015. Although his career production has been severely limited by playing behind Gates in San Diego, Green’s talent was no secret in NFL circles. Pittsburgh signed him to a four-year, $20 million contract in March. At $5 million per season, the Steelers are expecting Green to perform in the top tier of NFL tight ends. BUST: During his four-year career, Green has never been featured in his team’s offense. His career numbers (77/1,087/7) would be a decent year for
REPORTS
Olsen and a below-average season for Gronkowski. Five tight ends equaled or bettered his career reception total (77) in 2015. Playing as TE1 for Pittsburgh, Heath Miller scored a grand total of three TDs over the past three seasons. BOTTOM LINE: There always are some questions when a free agent joins a new team. Anyone who drafted Jimmy Graham early in last year’s fantasy draft is well aware of that dynamic. Green has tremendous physical ability and his upside in Pittsburgh is high. He’s no sure thing, however. Those drafting Green as their TE1 will want a solid backup plan. His upside makes him a solid TE2 option.
16 ERIC EBRON | LIONS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’14 DET 13 7 | 25 248 9.9 | 1 0 | 1 0 ’15 DET 14 8 | 47 537 11.4 | 5 0 | 5 2 ’16 Proj: 15 9 | 50 500 10.0 | 5 0 | 5 1 BYE: WEEK 10
an improving Bucs offense. BUST: Generally, it’s a good thing when a player takes the field 16 times. In SeferianJenkins’ case, however, it’s taken him two full seasons to play 16 games. ASJ has a lengthy injury history, dating back to his college days at Washington. His injuries seem to linger and he is on the verge of earning a reputation as “fragile” and or “soft.” He has just 42 catches in his career. His potential needs to turn into production soon, or his next label will be “bust.” BOTTOM LINE: If Seferian-Jenkins can play a full season, it’s possible that his production could go beyond that of a solid fantasy starter. Performing as a top fantasy tight end is not out of the question, especially if Winston improves in his second season. However, until Seferian-Jenkins can demonstrate some semblance of durability, he is a purely speculative fantasy pick.
18 CHARLES CLAY | BILLS
BOOM: Ebron was universally regarded
as the top tight end in the 2014 NFL Draft. Selected with the 10th overall pick by Detroit, Ebron had a rather disappointing rookie campaign. He took a big step last season, nearly doubling his receptions (25 to 47) and more than doubling his yards (248 to 537). After finding the end zone just once in his rookie campaign, Ebron had five touchdowns in 2015. BUST: Ebron has never had more than five grabs in a game. If Brandon Pettigrew remains with the Lions in 2016 (an iffy proposition given his big cap hit and December ACL tear), he could cut into Ebron’s targets. BOTTOM LINE: Ebron is an intriguing pick with reasonable upside. If you wait a while to draft your TE1, consider taking Ebron as a backup within the next couple of rounds.
17 AUSTIN SEFERIAN-JENKINS | BUCCANEERS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’14 TB 9 9 | 21 221 10.5 | 2 0 | 3 0 ’15 TB 7 3 | 21 338 16.1 | 4 1 | 7 2 ’16 Proj: 14 10 | 40 500 12.5 | 5 0 | 0 1 BYE: WEEK 6
BOOM: Seferian-Jenkins played well at the end of the 2015 season. In the final five games, he caught 14 passes for 199 yards and two scores. That production projected over a full season equates to a stat line of 45/637/6 – not great, but OK. The former 38th overall selection has flashed tremendous ability – at times – in his brief two-year career. ASJ has terrific potential and turns just 24 years old in September. He should be an imposing red-zone target for Jameis Winston and
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 MIA 16 15 | 69 759 11.0 | 6 1 | 10 3 ’14 MIA 14 14 | 58 605 10.4 | 3 1 | 9 1 ’15 BUF 13 13 | 51 528 10.4 | 3 1 | 9 1 ’16 Proj: 14 14 | 50 525 10.5 | 5 1 | 8 1 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: In his first season in Buffalo, Clay was second on the team with 51 receptions. He also produced 528 yards and three scores, including a 40-yard TD in Week 13 against Houston. In Miami in 2013 and 2014, Clay caught a combined 127 passes for 1,364 yards and nine scores. BUST: Although the Bills improved offensively last season, it had little to do with their 28th-ranked passing attack. Clay has missed at least two games in four of his five NFL seasons. His 51 receptions last year were his lowest production since 2012. BOTTOM LINE: There’s not much to get excited about here. Clay is worth a roster spot in most leagues, but is more of a spot starter. 19 BENJAMIN WATSON | RAVENS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 NO 15 7 | 19 226 11.9 | 6 0 | 4 0 ’14 NO 16 8 | 20 136 6.8 | 2 0 | 0 0 ’15 NO 16 16 | 74 825 11.1 | 2 2 | 13 1 ’16 Proj: 14 12 | 60 660 11.0 | 3 0 | 9 0 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: After Graham departed for Seattle, Watson helped fill the void for New Orleans by posting a huge season. His 74 receptions, 825 yards and six TDs were the best marks of his 12-year career (he also had six TDs in 2007 with New England). He was sixth in the NFL among tight ends in receptions. He has
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POSITION been durable throughout his career. He has missed just one game in the past four seasons. BUST: He turns 36 in December. A Baltimore tight end has not eclipsed 50 catches in a season since Dallas Clark in 2013. The Ravens are going to spread the ball around and Watson will be competing with several tight ends – including former second-rounder Maxx Williams. BOTTOM LINE: You have to admire Watson’s production last year at age 35. He’s in a different environment this year, however. Anything more than 600 yards and a handful of TDs (at most) would seem to be wishful thinking.
20 KYLE RUDOLPH | VIKINGS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 MIN 8 8 | 30 313 10.4 | 3 0 | 6 0 ’14 MIN 9 8 | 24 231 9.6 | 2 0 | 2 0 ’15 MIN 16 16 | 49 495 10.1 | 5 1 | 4 1 ’16 Proj: 14 14 | 45 450 10.0 | 5 0 | 5 0 BYE: WEEK 6
BOOM: For just the second time in his five-year career, Rudolph played in all 16 games and finished 2015 as Minnesota’s second-leading receiver. His 49/495/5 stat line was his best production since 2012. He had a 47-yard TD against Green Bay in Week 11 and a 28-yarder in Week 16 against the Giants. BUST: Being the second-leading receiver for the Vikings is a bit like being the second-fastest guy at fat camp. Stefon Diggs led the Vikes with only 52 catches. Teddy Bridgewater was efficient enough, but not very explosive. Only the Rams produced fewer passing yards than the Vikings in 2015. BOTTOM LINE: Rudolph is a solid TE2. His upside is limited by Minnesota’s lowoctane passing attack. If Bridgewater takes a big step up – and his TE can remain healthy – Rudolph could be a solid fantasy starter. 21 ZACH MILLER | BEARS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’15 CHI 15 14 | 34 439 12.9 | 5 1 | 7 1 ’16 Proj: 14 10 | 45 500 11.1 | 4 x | xx x BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: After three unproductive and
injury-marred seasons in Jacksonville, Miller was reborn in Chicago. Despite backing up Bennett for much of the season, Miller posted career bests in receptions (34), yards (439) and TDs (5). Bennett is gone, and Miller has a chance to be the go-to tight end for the Bears. He had an 87-yard grab-and-run touchdown in St. Louis, and he made a spectacular, one-handed, game-winning
REPORTS
catch in San Diego. BUST: The Bears had the 23rd-ranked passing attack in 2015. Coach John Fox prefers a conservative, run-first approach. The Bears tried to sign Josh Hill in the offseason, even after Miller had been signed. Miller is not a lock to hold onto the starter’s role, and he has an injury history. BOTTOM LINE: Miller has a lower floor – but also a higher ceiling – than Rudolph, Clay and Watson. If he’s around at the end of your draft, he is definitely worth a flier.
with 35 receptions. He had a breakout 2013 season in Cleveland, finishing third among tight ends with 80 receptions for 917 yards and seven scores. BUST: There were 25 tight ends in 2015 with more receptions than Cameron’s 35. Injuries have cost him some time in four of his five NFL seasons. BOTTOM LINE: Cameron is only 28 and Miami’s passing game should be improved under new coach Adam Gase. Cameron has not produced in a couple of seasons, but he’s worth drafting as a TE2.
22 JARED COOK | PACKERS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
24 DWAYNE ALLEN | COLTS CATCHES 20+ 40+
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 STL 16 13 | 51 671 13.2 | 5 1 | 9 1 ’14 STL 16 6 | 52 634 12.2 | 3 0 | 7 1 ’15 STL 16 12 | 39 481 12.3 | 0 0 | 7 1 ’16 Proj: 16 10 | 45 550 12.2 | 3 0 | 7 0 BYE: WEEK 8
’13 IND 1 1 | 1 20 20.0 | 1 0 | 1 0 ’14 IND 13 13 | 29 395 13.6 | 8 0 | 6 1 ’15 IND 13 12 | 16 109 6.8 | 1 0 | 1 0 ’16 Proj: 13 12 | 39 450 11.5 | 3 0 | 2 0 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: Cook is a physical specimen who ran a 4.49 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. He has, occasionally, flashed elite skills. The Packers generally do their homework on free agents, and Cook reportedly received interest from the Panthers, Falcons and Bears. BUST: A classic underachiever, Cook is likely to disappoint a third team in 2016. Cook spent his fist four years with the Titans and was never able to crest 50 receptions in a single season. He signed a massive free-agent contract with the Rams before the 2013 season, but failed to deliver the type of impact St. Louis was expecting. After recording 51 catches in 2013, and 52 in 2014, Cook’s total fell to 39 last season. He was also shutout on touchdowns in the 2015 season and has scored just 16 times in his seven-year career. BOTTOM LINE: If you’re looking for positives, Cook is on a one-year prove-it deal. He’s clearly been limited in his career by playing with subpar QBs in Tennessee and St. Louis. That will not be the case with the Packers. On the other hand, Cook is the classic, “looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane” prospect scouts often reference. Cook is a great late-round “what-if” option, but not a player you’d draft as a TE1.
BOOM: In case you were wondering how the Colts valued their top tight ends, in March they signed Dwayne Allen to a four-year pact worth nearly $30 million. They let Fleener leave in free agency. Allen, presumably, was considered more valuable due to his abilities as a blocker and a receiver. Allen’s best year as a receiver was his rookie season of 2012, when he caught 45 passes for 521 yards and three TDs. A lethal goal-line option, Allen scored eight TDs on just 29 receptions in 2014. BUST: Allen had just 16 catches in 2015 and has just 46 total since 2013. He missed 15 games in 2013 and three games in both 2014 and 2015. BOTTOM LINE: It’s possible that Allen could re-emerge as a viable receiving option in Indy. It’s far from a lock, however. In fact, it’s no lock that he’ll be the most productive receiving TE on the Colts. In fantasy terms, consider Allen a backup, end-of-the-roster-type guy.
23 JORDAN CAMERON | DOLPHINS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’13 CLE 15 14 | 80 917 11.5 | 7 2 | 11 1 ’14 CLE 10 9 | 24 424 17.7 | 2 1 | 8 4 ’15 MIA 16 16 | 35 386 11.0 | 3 0 | 4 0 ’16 Proj: 14 14 | 45 500 11.1 | 3 0 | 6 0 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Cameron started all 16 games last year in his first season with the Dolphins. He had at least one catch in every game and was fourth on the team
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25 CLIVE WALFORD | RAIDERS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’15 OAK 16 2 | 28 329 11.8 | 3 0 | 5 0 ’16 Proj: 16 8 | 40 450 11.3 | 3 0 | 6 0 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: Walford caught at least one pass in every game from Week Five through the end of his rookie year. Walford had an impressive 11.8 YPC and finished with 28 catches for 329 yards and three TDs. BUST: The Raiders utilize three tight ends. Lee Smith was considered the starter, but he caught just 12 passes. Mychal Rivera actually caught more passes (32) than did Walford. It’s questionable which TE (if any) will
POSITION
REPORTS
emerge in Raider-land.
BOTTOM LINE: Considering the various options for Derek Carr in the Oakland passing game, it’s unlikely that any of their tight ends will produce much in terms of fantasy numbers. However, if an Oakland TE does emerge, it will most likely be Walford. 26 HUNTER HENRY | CHARGERS
YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG
REC 100 TD YDS
CATCHES 20+ 40+
’16 Proj: 12 2 | 35 400 11.4 | 2 0 | 3 0 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: Henry had 51 catches, 739 yards and three TDs in 2015 for the University of Arkansas. He was first-team ALL-SEC and ran a 4.66 40-yard dash at his Pro Day. BUST: Unlike running backs, tight ends have a steep learning curve when adjusting to the NFL game. BOTTOM LINE: Henry landed in an OK spot in San Diego with Philip Rivers as his quarterback. Rookie TEs always are risky, though.
BEST OF THE REST 27 DARREN FELLS | CARDINALS The Cardinals rarely utilize tight ends in the passing game. On top of that, they have three viable TEs on the roster in Fells, Jermaine Gresham and Troy Niklas. Fells did lead Arizona tight ends last season in catches (21), yards (311) and TDs (3). He averaged 14.8 yards per reception. 28 RICHARD RODGERS | PACKERS Rodgers would be ranked significantly higher if the Packers had not signed Cook in the offseason. He was 12th last year among tight ends in receptions (58) and he found the end zone eight times. If Cook flames out, Rodgers is a low-end TE1 option. 29 JACE AMARO | JETS After recording 38 catches his rookie season in 2014, Amaro missed all of 2015 with a torn labrum. In his first season, he struggled with drops and adjusting to the pro game. He has upside, but he’s on a short leash with the Jets. 30 WILL TYE | GIANTS Tye was a little-known rookie from Stony Brook in 2015, but he impressed with 42 catches for 464 yards and three TDs. He caught 32 passes in the last seven games and emerged as the Giants’ most productive tight end. 31 VANCE McDONALD | 49ERS An underperforming Vernon Davis was shipped off to Denver in November, and McDonald emerged as an option in San Francisco’s passing game. His most productive period was Weeks 11-12, when he caught 10 balls for 136 yards and two
Zach Miller
touchdowns. The fifth-year player will compete with Garrett Celek and Blake Bell for reps and targets. 32 RYAN GRIFFIN | TEXANS Last year, Griffin caught 20 passes and two touchdowns in nine games. C.J. Fiedorowicz is listed as the starter, but Griffin was more active in the passing game during the second half of last season. 33 MAXX WILLIAMS | RAVENS The Ravens selected Williams in Round Two of the 2015 draft. The Minnesota product had a disappointing rookie season (32 catches, 268 yards). He did play better toward the end of the year. He caught 13 balls over the last three weeks of the season, including six for 53 yards in Week 17 at Cincinnati. Baltimore’s offseason signing of Watson would seem to suggest the Ravens don’t think Williams is ready
to take on a featured role.
34 JOSH HILL | SAINTS Heading into 2015, it appeared that Hill would be the most likely recipient of the lion’s share of the departed Graham’s targets. That honor, however, went to a resurgent Watson. This season, Hill will play second fiddle to Fleener in New Orleans. Last season he caught just 16 balls for 120 yards. The Saints thought enough of Hill to match an offer sheet from the Bears to retain his services. However, unless Fleener goes down, Hill is more likely to be utilized by the Saints as a blocker. 35 VERNON DAVIS | WASHINGTON 36 JACOB TAMME | FALCONS 37 VIRGIL GREEN | BRONCOS 38 JERMAINE GRESHAM | CARDINALS 39 BLAKE BELL | 49ERS
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FANTASY
Placekickers Gostkowski dominates kicker position By
J.C. TALON
T
he most dominant active fantasy player at his position might just be … a kicker? You might not have taken notice, but New England’s Stephen Gostkowski has been dominating his position at an incredible level. For starters, Gostkowski has led the league in scoring for four consecutive years from 2012-15. That feat is unprecedented in the modern NFL. In fact, the only other time a player won four consecutive scoring titles, the country was embroiled in World War II, there were 11 teams in the NFL, and one of those teams was named the Brooklyn Tigers. (Don Hutson won five consecutive scoring titles from 1940 to 1944). For his career, Gostkowski has won five scoring titles, and he has placed in the top five on seven occasions. He has missed being in the top 10 only twice – his rookie year of 2006 and an injury-shortened campaign in 2010. Five of his seasons register in the top 20 all-time single-season scoring totals in NFL history. He is 32nd all time in scoring with 1,330 points. He could easily kick for another 10 years or more (he is 32). Barring injury or meltdown, he should catch all-time scoring leader Morten Andersen (2,544 career points). Adam Vinatieri remains active at age 43 and is third all-time in scoring with 2,253 points. To put Gostkowski’s achievements in perspective, Vinatieri has won just one scoring title in his career (2004). Andersen never won a scoring title in his 25-year career. Perhaps more remarkable is how Gostkowski has outperformed his peers over the past four years. From 2012-15, Gostkowski registered 618 points, far and away the most points scored in the span. Justin Tucker of Baltimore is second with 529 points. That 89-point differential could represent an entire season for a kicker in, say, Cleveland or San Francisco. Since 2012, only five kickers besides Gostkowski and Tucker have produced
CONSENSUS
Top FANTASY PLACEKICKERS 1. STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI | PATRIOTS 2. STEVEN HAUSCHKA | SEAHAWKS 3. JUSTIN TUCKER | RAVENS 4. GRAHAM GANO | PANTHERS 5. BRANDON McMANUS | BRONCOS 6. CHANDLER CATANZARO | CARDINALS 7. MASON CROSBY | PACKERS 8. DAN BAILEY | COWBOYS 9. BLAIR WALSH | VIKINGS 10. ADAM VINATIERI | COLTS 11. JOSH BROWN | GIANTS 12. CAIRO SANTOS | CHIEFS 13. MATT PRATER | LIONS 14. MIKE NUGENT | BENGALS 15. DAN CARPENTER | BILLS 16. CHRIS BOSWELL | STEELERS 17. DUSTIN HOPKINS | WASHINGTON 18. ROBBIE GOULD | BEARS 19. JOSH LAMBO | CHARGERS 20. ROBERTO AGUAYO | BUCS even 500 points: Steven Hauschka of Seattle (522), Dan Bailey of Dallas (513), Blair Walsh of Minnesota (504), Matt Prater of Denver and Detroit (502), and Vinatieri of Indianapolis (501). But is Gostkowski really that good, or does he simply reap the benefits of New England’s high-octane offense? The answer to that is “yes and yes.” During Gostkowski’s four-year scoring dominance, the Patriots have been the league’s highest-scoring team just once. They were No. 1 in points and yards in 2012; they finished 2013 No. 3 in scoring and No. 7 in yards, in 2014 they were No. 4 in scoring and No.
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11 in yards; and last season they were No. 3 in points and No. 6 in yards. The Patriots give Gostkowski plenty of opportunities, and he makes the most of them. His career conversion rate on field goals is an exemplary 87.3 percent and he has been good on 77.3 percent (17of-22) from 50 yards or more. He’s gone nine consecutive seasons without having a FG or PAT blocked. And he’s done all this kicking in the challenging confines of Foxborough. That’s not to say Gostkowski is perfect. He did miss a PAT – once – in his rookie year. He’s 502-of-503 in the regular season for his career, including 52-of-52 from the longer distance introduced in the 2015 season. Of course, only one team in your fantasy league is going to get Gostkowski, and it’s a pretty safe bet Gostkowski will be the first kicker off the board. What’s a fantasy owner to do once the New England PK is drafted? We have Hauschka ranked second and Tucker third. Hauschka does not have the leg Tucker does, but Seattle would seem to be in a better position to score points than Baltimore. Though we’re not sold on the Ravens, Tucker is an excellent young kicker and he’s been in the top 10 in scoring in each of his four NFL seasons. Graham Gano of Carolina is ranked fourth. He’s not as talented as the top three, but Carolina plays in a soft NFC South and should again put up a lot of points. Denver’s Brandon McManus has a big leg, but there are questions about Denver’s offense. Arizona’s Chandler Catanzaro is a leading candidate to unseat Gostkowski. The only thing keeping him from a higher ranking is a small NFL sample size. Mason Crosby (Green Bay), Dan Bailey (Dallas), Blair Walsh (Minnesota), and Vinatieri round out our top 10. Fantasy owners should be confident heading into their season starting any one of our top 10 kickers. This season, things get a little dicey after the top 10 placekickers. If you’re looking for end-of-draft value with potential upside, consider Cairo Santos of Kansas City (No. 12) or Chris Boswell of Pittsburgh (No. 16).
WR
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1 STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI | PATRIOTS
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
TOTAL PTS
’13 NE 16 | 44 44 | 38 41 5 | 158 ’14 NE 16 | 51 51 | 35 37 1 | 156 ’15 NE 16 | 52 52 | 33 36 4 | 151 ’16 Proj: 16 | 49 49 | 33 36 4 | 148 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: One would be hard-pressed to rank another kicker in the top spot. Gostkowski has led NFL kickers in scoring for four consecutive years – a record of dominance that is nearly unprecedented. The last season he did not lead the league in scoring was 2011, when he placed third behind David Akers and John Kasay. Gostkowski has been remarkably consistent: the past four years he has finished with 153, 158, 156 and 151 points, respectively. Last season was typical Gostkowski: 33-of-36 field goals made (92 percent), four field goals over 50 yards, including a career long of 57 in Week Five at Dallas, and a perfect 52-of-52 on PATs. Over his career, he has converted 87.3 percent of his field goal attempts and is 17-of-22 (77 percent) on attempts over 50 yards. If you are looking for more justification to trust Gostkowski, he hasn’t missed an extra point in the regular season since 2006. He has converted 502-of-503 career PAT attempts. BUST: There isn’t much negative that jumps off the stat sheet when evaluating Gostkowski’s career. He will be 33 in January. That’s not old by any stretch, but perhaps he has peaked. His streak of leading the NFL in scoring can’t last forever. As of press time, Tom Brady remains suspended for the first four games of the season. Although Gostkowski has proven to be fairly immune to weather conditions, Foxborough can offer a challenging environment late in the season. Yes, we’re splitting hairs here. BOTTOM LINE: Gostkowski, Gronkowski, Stepnoski, Mike Wazowski … It can get confusing. But fantasy owners would be well served not to lose sight of this “ski.” This is a case of talent and opportunity converging to create outstanding production. Gostkowski is perhaps the most dominant player at his position in fantasy football (the possible exception being the Pats’ other “ski”). 2 STEVEN HAUSCHKA | SEAHAWKS
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
TOTAL PTS
’13 SEA 16 | 44 44 | 33 35 3 | 143 ’14 SEA 16 | 41 41 | 31 37 2 | 134 ’15 SEA 16 | 40 44 | 29 31 6 | 127 ’16 Proj: 16 | 42 44 | 33 36 5 | 141 BYE: WEEK 5
BOOM: Hauschka was a bit of a journeyman kicker during his first four
Steven Hauschka
seasons, but since joining the Seahawks in 2011, he has established himself as one of the NFL’s best. In the past three years he has averaged 135 points and has finished in the top 10 in scoring in each of those seasons. After finishing fourth in scoring in 2013 and 2014, he slipped to eighth in 2015. That drop, however, had more to do with Seattle’s offensive struggles than with any deficiency with Hauschka. In many ways, 2015 was one of his best seasons. He nailed 29-of-31 of his FG tries (94 percent), including a remarkable six of six from 50 yards or more. Hauschka has plenty of leg – he has connected on at least one 50+ kick in each of his five seasons in Seattle. BUST: With 127 points last season, Hauschka tied with Chicago’s Robbie Gould for eighth in scoring. You’ll find
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Gould much farther down this list. Every kicker is at the mercy of his team’s offense. Fantasy owners who draft Hauschka relatively early will have to feel good about the Seahawks being (at least) better than average on offense. The longer PAT distance seemed to have rattled Hauschka. He missed four of his 44 PAT tries last season. That 90.9 percent conversion rate was below the league average of 94 percent. BOTTOM LINE: There’s no sense pulling the trigger on Hauschka too soon. He’s never finished higher than fourth in the league in scoring. However, he’s as good a candidate as anyone to be the next best kicker on the board after Gostkowski. Hauschka represents excellent fantasy value as soon as three or four other kickers have been selected.
POSITION If the Seahawks get back to form in 2016, Hauschka has the leg to be a difference maker for your fantasy team.
3 JUSTIN TUCKER | RAVENS
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
TOTAL PTS
’13 BAL 16 | 26 26 | 38 41 7 | 140 ’14 BAL 16 | 42 42 | 29 34 4 | 129 ’15 BAL 16 | 29 29 | 33 40 4 | 128 ’16 Proj: 16 | 40 40 | 33 38 4 | 139 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Tucker has been an incredibly consistent scorer since he entered the league in 2012. He has been ranked in the top 10 in scoring in all four of his NFL seasons and scored a career-high 140 points in 2013. In a “down” year, he still finished seventh in scoring last season. Tucker also has one of the strongest – if not the strongest – legs in professional football. He has connected on 18 field goals of 50 yards or more including a 61-yarder in 2013. He has never had fewer than four successful 50-plus kicks in any of his NFL seasons. BUST: Last year was a disappointing season for the Ravens and for Tucker. His 82.5-percent success rate on field goals was a career low, and he hit on just four of his 10 tries from 50 yards or more. In fact, he has made good on just 42 percent (8-of-19) of his 50-yard attempts over the past two seasons. The longer PAT distance did not rattle Tucker as he made good on all of his conversion tries in 2015. However, the slumping Ravens offense gave him just 29 PAT attempts the entire season. BOTTOM LINE: Tucker was more productive in his first two seasons than he was in 2014 and 2015. We don’t believe this downward trend is significant enough for fantasy owners to worry. Tucker is just too good not to bounce back. A more valid concern might be the Ravens offense. We don’t have much faith in OC Marc Trestman and would not be surprised if this were his last season in Charm City. Still, Tucker is likely to last a little longer in this year’s draft than he has in the past. He’s never finished out of the top 10 in scoring and is a quality fantasy starter in all leagues.
PK
REPORTS
league-high 56 PATs. In his seventh NFL campaign, Gano ended the 2015 regular season with 146 points, behind only Gostkowski. He made 15-of-20 attempts of 40 yards or more. Over his career, he has made 64-of-89 (72 percent) of 40plus attempts. BUST: 2015 was Gano’s fifth full season (he had partial seasons in 2009 and 2012). In his four previous 16-game campaigns, he averaged just 113 points. In fact, the 146 points he scored last year were 25 better than his previous best season (2014). His career 79.9 percent on field goal attempts is below average. Gano missed three extra points last season. He has converted just 58 percent (14-of-24) of his lifetime attempts over 50 yards. He had just two field goals last season from 50-plus. BOTTOM LINE: Gano will go as far as the Panthers’ offense takes him. He is a solid kicker, but perhaps not as consistent as the other kickers ranked in this year’s top five. If you believe Carolina’s offense will continue to roll in 2016, you should
feel fine about taking Gano off the board as one of the top two or three kickers.
5 BRANDON McMANUS | BRONCOS
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
TOTAL PTS
’14 DEN 15 | 41 41 | 9 13 0 | 68 ’15 DEN 16 | 35 36 | 30 35 5 | 125 ’16 Proj: 16 | 39 40 | 33 36 5 | 138 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: The thin air in Denver, combined with the typical success enjoyed by the Broncos franchise, generally means that Denver’s kicker will be a valuable asset for fantasy owners. The 24-year-old McManus is no exception to that rule. In just two seasons, he has established himself as an accurate kicker with a powerful leg. In 2015, he converted on 30-of-35 field goal attempts and 35-of-36 PATs. He hit on five of his seven attempts from more than 50 yards last season. Did we mention he has a big leg? He is one of only three kickers in NFL history to convert multiple kicks of 56 or more yards
4 GRAHAM GANO | PANTHERS
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
’13 CAR 16 | 42 42 | 24 27 ’14 CAR 16 | 34 34 | 29 35 ’15 CAR 16 | 56 59 | 30 36 ’16 Proj: 16 | 51 53 | 29 35 BYE: WEEK 7
6 1 2 1
TOTAL PTS
| 120 | 122 | 146 | 138
BOOM: After finishing the 2013 and 2014 seasons 18th and 13th in scoring, respectively, Gano burst on the scene in 2015, converting on 30 field goals and a
Justin Tucker
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in the same game. McManus is also good in the clutch: He nailed all ten of his field goal tries during Denver’s postseason run last season. BUST: Perhaps you’ve heard … Denver has issues at quarterback. It’s no lock that they’ll have a top-10 – or even a top-15 – offense in 2016. Nine other kickers had more total points than McManus had in 2015. He has only one complete season under his belt as a full-time kicker. The Broncos signed Connor Barth to replace McManus in the middle of the 2014 season. McManus stayed with Denver as a kickoff specialist and, to his credit, won the job back from Barth to open 2015. BOTTOM LINE: There is a small sample size here, but we love what we’ve seen of McManus thus far. The bigger concern is probably Denver’s ability to score points. However, the Broncos likely will find a way to compete and McManus’ leg will factor into that equation. Provided Denver again boasts a strong running attack, McManus has an excellent shot to finish as a topfive fantasy kicker.
REPORTS
is the five missed PATs in 2015. NFL coaches will not tolerate a 91 percent PAT conversion rate for very long. The PAT misses combined with the fact that Catanzaro has made good on just two of five attempts of 50+ (with a career long of just 51 yards) keeps him out of the top tier of fantasy kickers. Arizona’s offensive production, however, makes Catanzaro a solid starter in all league formats.
7 MASON CROSBY | PACKERS
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
TOTAL PTS
’13 GB 16 | 42 42 | 33 37 5 | 141 ’14 GB 16 | 53 55 | 27 33 4 | 134 ’15 GB 16 | 36 36 | 24 28 0 | 108 ’16 Proj: 16 | 43 44 | 31 37 2 | 136 BYE: WEEK 4
BOOM: Coming off a season in which he scored just 108 points and finished 16th among kickers in total scoring, ranking Crosby this high might seem a bit
generous. But the 2013 and 2014 seasons tell a much different story. Crosby was fifth in scoring in 2013 with 141 points and fourth in 2014 when he scored 134 points. His 137.5 total points average over those two seasons would have ranked him as the third-highest scorer in 2015. Going on his tenth NFL season, Crosby has spent his entire career in Green Bay. He has a career FG accuracy rate of 80 percent and has hit on 86 percent of his tries over the past three seasons. His powerful leg is well suited for Wisconsin’s challenging climate. He is 27-of-52 lifetime from 50 or more yards and has hit at least one kick from 54 or more yards in each season dating back to 2010. Crosby nailed all 36 of his PAT conversions in 2015. BUST: Crosby’s fall-off was a direct result of Green Bay’s precipitous drop in offensive production. In 2014, the Packers led the league in scoring and were sixth in yards gained. Last season, they fell all the
6 CHANDLER CATANZARO | CARDINALS
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
TOTAL PTS
’14 ARI 16 | 27 27 | 29 33 2 | 114 ’15 ARI 16 | 53 58 | 28 31 0 | 137 ’16 Proj: 16 | 51 54 | 29 33 1 | 138 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: After finishing the 2014 season 17th in total points, Catanzaro vaulted all the way to third in 2015. The 25-yearold has been accurate in both his NFL seasons, converting 88 percent and 90 percent of his attempts, respectively. The big difference for Catanzaro in 2015 was the Arizona offense. After attempting a paltry 27 PATs in 2014, the Cardinals more than doubled their TD output in 2015. Catanzaro was rewarded with 58 PAT attempts. In his brief career, he has converted on 57-of-64 (89 percent) field goals. BUST: Catanzaro missed five of his 58 PATs last season. In fact, he was only slightly more accurate on PATs than he was on FGs (91 percent vs. 90 percent). After connecting on two of his three attempts from 50 or more yards in 2014, he missed both his 50-plus attempts last season. BOTTOM LINE: Although the sample size is small, our guess is that last year’s 137 points is more likely in 2016 than the 114 points Catanzaro produced in 2014. Arizona’s offense nosedived in 2014 after several QB injuries. Carson Palmer is always an injury risk, but Drew Stanton is one of the NFL’s best backups and he just signed a two-year, $6.5 million deal in March. The greater area of concern
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Mason Crosby
POSITION
PK
REPORTS
way to 15th in points and 23rd in yards. Crosby is prone to slumps. He endured a miserable season in 2012 when he missed 12 of his 33 field-goal tries. It says a lot about Packers management – and their faith in Crosby – that they stuck with him through the tough times. BOTTOM LINE: Your view of Crosby largely will depend on your view of the Packers. Was their anemic performance in 2015 the start of their demise, or was it merely a blip on the radar? We are leaning toward the latter. Green Bay is a wellrun franchise with an elite QB in Aaron Rodgers. With a slimmer Eddie Lacy and the return of Jordy Nelson, it’s a good bet that Crosby will see ample scoring opportunities this season.
8 DAN BAILEY | COWBOYS
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
TOTAL PTS
’13 DAL 16 | 47 47 | 28 30 6 | 131 ’14 DAL 16 | 56 56 | 25 29 5 | 131 ’15 DAL 16 | 25 25 | 30 32 5 | 115 ’16 Proj: 16 | 38 38 | 32 36 5 | 134 BYE: WEEK 7
BOOM: In Bailey’s five NFL seasons, he has finished as high as fifth in scoring (2011) and the worst he has fared is 12th (2015). His scoring has been about as consistent as it gets in the NFL. Over his five-year career, he has scored 135, 124, 131, 131 and 115 points, respectively. In each of those seasons, he’s produced a minimum of two field goals of 50 or more yards. In the last three seasons, he has converted on an astonishing 16-of-20 kicks from 50-plus. He also is extremely accurate from all yardages, boasting a career FG percentage of 91 percent (144-of-159). At 28 years old, he’s in his prime and plays in the climate-controlled confines of AT&T Stadium. BUST: Our concern with Bailey heading into the 2015 season was that Dallas might actually be too good at getting in the end zone. PATs are OK, but fantasy owners want three points from their kickers, not one. A high-octane offense turned out to be the least of worries for Bailey owners. After kicking 47 PATs in 2013 and 56 in 2014, Bailey had just 25 PAT attempts in 2015 (he made all of them). As so often is the case with Jerry Jones, the Dallas plan at backup QB has drifted from mysterious into ridiculous. If Tony Romo goes down – he’s 36 and coming off multiple collarbone surgeries – Bailey’s production is likely to go down with him. BOTTOM LINE: If you owned an NFL franchise and could select any kicker on the planet, you’d probably narrow the list down to Gostkowski, Tucker and Bailey. From a fantasy perspective, Gostkowski is
Blair Walsh
the top dog, based on the team he plays for. Like Tucker, Bailey can be a top-five kicker, provided he gets a little help from his friends on offense.
9 BLAIR WALSH | VIKINGS
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
TOTAL PTS
’13 MIN 16 | 43 44 | 26 30 2 | 121 ’14 MIN 16 | 29 29 | 26 35 5 | 107 ’15 MIN 16 | 33 37 | 34 39 6 | 135 ’16 Proj: 16 | 40 42 | 30 37 5 | 130 BYE: WEEK 6
BOOM: After toiling in fantasy obscurity in 2013 and 2014, Walsh burst back onto the scene in 2015, producing 135 points and finishing fourth in the NFL in scoring. Last season, he connected on 34 of his 39 (87 percent) field goal attempts and knocked in six of eight from 50 or more yards. He has been accurate throughout his four-year career, converting 85 percent of his field goal tries and 72 percent (23of-32) from 50-plus. BUST: Walsh has sandwiched two mediocre seasons (2013 and 2014) with
two excellent seasons (2012 and 2015). The Vikings are improving, but they are far from an offensive juggernaut. Walsh missed four of his 37 PAT attempts last season. Minnesota’s season ended in stunning fashion when Walsh missed a chip shot against Seattle in the playoffs. It will be interesting to see how the 26-yearold responds the next time he lines up for a crucial kick. BOTTOM LINE: Walsh is an excellent kicker, but until the Vikings establish some consistency on offense, he will likely be selected in the second tier of kickers in fantasy drafts.
10 ADAM VINATIERI | COLTS
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
TOTAL PTS
’13 IND 15 | 34 34 | 35 40 6 | 139 ’14 IND 16 | 50 50 | 30 31 3 | 140 ’15 IND 16 | 32 35 | 25 27 4 | 107 ’16 Proj: 16 | 40 42 | 30 35 3 | 130 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: The 21-year veteran converted on 93 percent of his field goal attempts
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last season and converted four of five kicks from beyond 50 yards. The Colts had a horrendous 2015, and Vinatieri suffered as a consequence. However, in 2014 – when QB Andrew Luck was healthy – Vinatieri finished third in the NFL in scoring and averaged 8.8 points per game. Vinatieri is the oldest player in the NFL, but he shows no sign of slowing down. In the first 12 years of his career, he made only eight field goals of 50 yards or more. In his last five seasons, he has nailed 17 from that distance. Some of that has to do with the climatecontrolled environment of Indianapolis (Vinatieri played his first 10 seasons in New England), but it also speaks to the kicker’s work ethic and vigilant fitness regime. BUST: There have been conflicting reports concerning Luck’s health, although the most credible sources suggest he’ll be ready to go this season. Until Luck proves he’s back, there will be some risk in selecting Vinatieri. Regardless of his physical condition, Vinatieri will turn 44 this season. Injuries cost him one game in 2013 and ten games in 2009. BOTTOM LINE: Because of his age and Indy’s miserable 2015 season, Vinatieri likely will last longer than he should in most fantasy drafts. Fantasy owners should take advantage of this value opportunity … but select a backup kicker, just in case.
REPORTS
stronger. The Giants may not have a Super Bowl in their immediate future, but they are a good bet to score a reasonable number of points. In fantasy terms, Brown is a lower-level starter or a top backup, depending on league size.
12 CAIRO SANTOS | CHIEFS
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
TOTAL PTS
’14 KC 16 | 38 38 | 25 30 1 | 113 ’15 KC 16 | 39 41 | 30 37 4 | 129 ’16 Proj: 16 | 38 39 | 30 36 2 | 128 BYE: WEEK 5
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
BOOM: The Chiefs are not known for lighting up the scoreboard, but only five other kickers produced more points last season than Santos. He booted 30 field goals including a long of 53 yards, and added 39 PATs. In his two-year career, Santos has made five fields goals from beyond 50 yards. BUST: Accuracy is OK (82 percent) but not great. Santos has plenty of leg, but has missed as many 50+ attempts (five) as he has made. BOTTOM LINE: Not a lot to get excited about here. Santos is a solid kicker on a good team. He’s going to be drafted in most leagues, and is probably a starter in larger formats. If Kansas City continues to improve offensively, Santos does offer some upside.
YR TEAM GP
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
’13 NYG 16 | 31 31 | 23 26 ’14 NYG 16 | 44 44 | 24 26 ’15 NYG 16 | 44 45 | 30 32 ’16 Proj: 16 | 43 44 | 29 33 BYE: WEEK 8
1 4 3 4
TOTAL PTS
| 100 | 116 | 134 | 130
BOOM: Finishing fifth in scoring with
134 points, Brown had a career year in 2015. Because of their porous defense, the Giants found themselves in a lot of high-scoring affairs. They averaged 26.2 points per game, sixth best in the NFL. Brown seems to have gotten better with age. In the past two years, he has converted 54-of-58 (93 percent) field goal attempts, and is a perfect seven of seven from long range (50-plus yards). His career field-goal percentage is a respectable 84 percent. BUST: Brown is 37 years old and is heading into his 14th season. He has been incredibly accurate the past two seasons, but injury or decline is a greater risk given his age. BOTTOM LINE: Brown has been in the league a long time, but shows no sign of decline. In fact, he seems to be getting
14 MIKE NUGENT | BENGALS
13 MATT PRATER | LIONS 11 JOSH BROWN | GIANTS
Prater was suspended the first four games of 2014 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. There have been no further reported issues since Prater joined the Lions five games into the ’14 season. BOTTOM LINE: If Detroit is competitive in 2016, Prater has the type of leg that could make him a solid fantasy starter. If the Lions perform like they did last season, he’s more of a situational starter.
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
TOTAL PTS
’13 DEN 16 | 75 75 | 25 26 6 | 150 ’14 DET 11 | 21 21 | 21 26 3 | 84 ’15 DET 16 | 36 39 | 22 24 5 | 102 ’16 Proj: 16 | 40 42 | 27 31 3 | 121 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: Prater finished 2015 with just 102 points, but was five of six from 50 yards or more. His 59-yarder in Week 17 in Chicago was the longest kick of the year in the NFL. For the season, he was 22-of-24 (92 percent) on field goals and 36 of 39 (92 percent) on PATs. Prater was actually more accurate on longer kicks, nailing 11-of-12 attempts from outside of 40 yards. He played 11 games for the Lions in 2014 and averaged 7.6 points per game. Projected over a 16-game season, Prater would have finished with a respectable 122 points. During his 10-year career, Prater has connected on 29-of-38 kicks from 50 yards or more. BUST: His 102 points in 2015 were four fewer than the 106 produced by Travis Coons of the Browns. Ouch. The Lions hope to improve on offense this season, but there are no guarantees. His lifetime field-goal accuracy is an OK 82.6 percent.
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YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
’13 CIN 16 | 52 53 | 18 22 ’14 CIN 16 | 39 39 | 26 33 ’15 CIN 16 | 48 49 | 23 28 ’16 Proj: 16 | 45 47 | 25 29 BYE: WEEK 9
3 0 2 2
TOTAL PTS
| 106 | 117 | 117 | 120
BOOM: Nugent had one of the better seasons of his 11-year career in 2015. He finished 11th in scoring with 117 points and connected on 23-of-28 (82.1%) field goals and 48-of-49 PATs. He was good on two of three from beyond 50 yards and 12-of-16 from 40 yards or more. The Bengals finished the season seventh in the NFL in scoring and probably would have fared better if QB Andy Dalton had not been lost to injury late in the season. BUST: There’s not much here to grab a fantasy owner’s attention. Nugent’s career field goal percentage of 81 percent is average at best. He’s converted on just 11-of-25 from 50 yards or more and has not kicked a 50+ in five of his 12 campaigns. He is five seasons removed from his best season of 2011, when he finished seventh in scoring with 132 points. BOTTOM LINE: If you feel like the Bengals will be as good or better than they were in the first half of 2015, Nugent offers fantasy value as one of the last starting kickers selected. He has a low floor, but also a low ceiling. A pretty large sample size suggests that he’ll score between 105 and 125 points, placing him on the fringes of being a starting fantasy kicker. 15 DAN CARPENTER | BILLS
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
TOTAL PTS
’13 BUF 16 | 32 32 | 33 36 4 | 131 ’14 BUF 16 | 31 32 | 34 38 6 | 133 ’15 BUF 16 | 34 40 | 23 27 3 | 103 ’16 Proj: 16 | 36 39 | 27 33 3 | 117 BYE: WEEK 10
BOOM: Carpenter connected on 23-of27 (85) of his field goal attempts in 2015, including 10-of-13 from 40-plus, and three
POSITION of five from 50-plus. He’s been good on 85 percent of field goal attempts and 59 percent from beyond 50 yards over his eight-year career. He has converted 13 kicks from beyond 50 yards in the past three seasons, including six in 2014. He has enough leg to successfully battle the elements in Buffalo. Additionally, the Buffalo offense is improving, jumping from 26th in scoring in 2014 to 13th in scoring last season. BUST: After scoring 131 and 133 points, respectively, in 2013 and 2014, Carpenter’s output dropped to 103 points in 2015. The 30-year-old is heading into his ninth NFL season and he has never finished higher than sixth in scoring (2014). The longer PATs were not a friend to Carpenter; he missed six of his 40 attempts. Only Jason Myers missed more PAT attempts. BOTTOM LINE: The Bills have more offensive playmakers than they have had in recent years. Carpenter has a chance to finish as a top-10 fantasy kicker. He has enough leg to handle the elements in Buffalo and he is accurate enough. He offers potential value once 10 to 15 kickers are off the board.
16 CHRIS BOSWELL | STEELERS
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
TOTAL PTS
’15 PIT 12 | 26 27 | 29 32 2 | 113 ’16 Proj: 16 | 45 48 | 24 29 2 | 117 BYE: WEEK 8
BOOM: Despite not joining the Steelers until the fifth game of the 2015 season, Boswell finished the year 14th in scoring with 113 points. He converted on 29-of-32 field goal attempts (91 percent) and was good on both of his attempts from 50plus yards. He made good on 26-of-27 of his PAT attempts. BUST: Boswell has not yet played an entire NFL season. Pittsburgh has little invested in him and any prolonged slump likely will lead to walking papers. Heinz Field is a tough place to kick. The Steelers are more likely than any other team to attempt a two-point conversion, which could reduce Boswell’s PAT tries. BOTTOM LINE: The Steelers have a dynamic offense and if they had a more experienced kicker, he’d probably be a top-five fantasy PK. Boswell is worth drafting and offers plenty of upside. 17 DUSTIN HOPKINS | WASHINGTON
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
TOTAL PTS
’15 WAS 15 | 39 40 | 25 28 2 | 114 ’16 Proj: 16 | 35 36 | 26 30 2 | 113 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Hopkins joined Washington in Week Two and provided some much-
needed stability at PK. He converted 25of-28 field goal tries and 39-of-40 PATs. Washington surprised many by taking the NFC East title. BUST: Hopkins spent a little time in 2013 on Buffalo’s roster and was unemployed in 2014. There’s a small sample size here. Washington has little invested in Hopkins and there is no guarantee that Washington’s offense won’t regress in 2016. BOTTOM LINE: Hopkins is a decent option as your backup kicker, but you probably don’t want to go into your season depending on him as your starter. If he does not get drafted, look for him to be one of the first PKs picked up as a byeweek replacement.
18 ROBBIE GOULD | BEARS
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
PK
REPORTS
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
TOTAL PTS
| 45 46 | 26 29 3 | 123 ’13 CHI 16 ’14 CHI 12 | 28 29 | 9 12 0 | 55 ’15 CHI 16 | 28 29 | 33 39 7 | 127 ’16 Proj: 16 | 28 29 | 28 33 4 | 112 BYE: WEEK 9
BOOM: Gould experienced resurgence in 2015, finishing tied for eighth in the NFL in scoring with 127 points. It was the 12-year veteran’s highest output since the Bears won the NFC title in 2006. For his career, he has converted 85 percent of his field goal attempts. Gould is 23of-31 on attempts of 50 or more yards. Last season, he made good on seven of nine attempts of 50-plus, including a 55-yarder. His career-long is a 58-yarder in 2013. BUST: Gould is scheduled to be the second-highest paid kicker in 2016, behind only Tucker. It’s possible he could become a cap casualty. He missed some clutch kicks last season, costing the Bears potential wins against Washington and San Francisco. BOTTOM LINE: Gould is a generally reliable veteran who has proved he can handle the adverse conditions in Soldier Field. Provided he’s with the Bears on opening day, he’s a draft-worthy fantasy kicker with starter’s potential. 19 JOSH LAMBO | CHARGERS
tries and 28 of 32 PATs. BUST: San Diego can’t be happy about the rookie whiffing on four of his PATs. Similar results in 2016 could cost Lambo his spot on the roster. BOTTOM LINE: A small sample size combined with so-so stats will leave Lambo undrafted in many leagues. If the Chargers have a bounce-back year, he could be a popular add as the year goes on.
20 ROBERTO AGUAYO | BUCCANEERS
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
TOTAL PTS
’16 Proj: 16 | 26 28 | 24 28 0 | 98 BYE: WEEK 11
BOOM: Tampa must have a ton of confidence in Aguayo as the Bucs traded up in the 2016 draft to select him in the second round. He converted 69-of-78 FG attempts in three seasons at Florida State, and never missed inside of 40. BUST: Aguayo was not great from longer distances. While Tampa’s offense is improving with Jameis Winston under center, it still has a ways to go. Most importantly, Aguayo’s a rookie. He hasn’t proven anything in the NFL. BOTTOM LINE: Maybe a backup in larger leagues, but don’t trust him as your kicker week in and week out.
BEST OF THE REST 21 ANDREW FRANKS | DOLPHINS The rookie attempted only 16 field goals last season. He made 13 of them including a long of 53. He converted 33-of-36 PATs. Miami must improve on offense for Franks to have any fantasy value. 22 NICK NOVAK | TEXANS Novak has bounced around the league a little bit. If he sticks in Houston, he could be a fantasy sleeper. 23 CODY PARKEY | EAGLES Parkey suffered a brutal groin injury last September. If he’s healthy and he holds off Caleb Sturgis, Parkey could be a solid fantasy kicker in 2016. As a rookie in 2014, he scored 150 points and was second in the league in scoring.
’15 SD 16 | 28 32 | 26 32 4 | 106 ’16 Proj: 16 | 31 33 | 25 30 3 | 106 BYE: WEEK 11
24 JASON MYERS | JAGUARS Myers missed more extra points than any other kicker in the NFL last season. He did boot a 58-yarder and was a respectable 26-of-30 on field goal tries.
BOOM: Lambo joined the Chargers last season as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Texas A&M. He had an up-and-down season, but held onto the job throughout the year. He converted 26-of-32 field goal
25 KAI FORBATH | SAINTS The Saints go through kickers like Donald Trump goes through orange makeup. Forbath is a speculative pick, albeit with some upside.
YR TEAM GP
XP XP MADE ATT
FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS
TOTAL PTS
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FANTASY
Defenses Seahawks, Cardinals, Broncos are our top DSTs, but don’t reach By
T
PATRICK FITZMAURICE he defense/special teams slot is often regarded as the ugly stepsister of a fantasy football roster. Many fantasy owners ignore it until the final rounds of the draft and use a streaming strategy throughout the season, restlessly working the waiver wire to find DSTs with favorable weekly matchups. That approach is a sensible one, as investing major draft capital into the DST position can be a fool’s errand. Defensive fantasy scoring is highly dependent on turnovers, which can be an unpredictable, wildly fluctuating stat. Few teams are able to produce high takeaway numbers year after year, and teams with extremely high or low turnover totals in one season often experience regression (whether upward or downward) the following season. Take the Panthers, for example. Carolina forced a league-high 39 turnovers last year, six more than any other team. That was a big jump for a team that forced 26 a year earlier (a number right around the league average). Carolina’s odds of forcing 39 more turnovers this season are remote, and they might not come close. The Panthers should still have an above-average defense this season, even after losing star cornerback Josh Norman. But Carolina’s DST will be among the first chosen in most fantasy drafts, and plenty of owners will reach for
CONSENSUS
Top FANTASY DEFENSES 1. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 2. ARIZONA CARDINALS 3. DENVER BRONCOS 4. HOUSTON TEXANS 5. NEW YORK JETS 6. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 7. MINNESOTA VIKINGS 8. CAROLINA PANTHERS 9. CINCINNATI BENGALS 10. LOS ANGELES RAMS 1 1. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 12. BUFFALO BILLS 13. PITTSBURGH STEELERS 14. GREEN BAY PACKERS 15. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 16. OAKLAND RAIDERS 17. BALTIMORE RAVENS 18. WASHINGTON 19. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 20. DETROIT LIONS
this unit earlier than they should. Of course, not all defensive fantasy scoring is turnover-based. Sack totals and the ability to keep points off the board also factor prominently into DST value, and these things are far easier to predict than turnover frequency. The Seattle, Arizona and Denver defenses were all excellent last
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season, and we expect them to remain among the best in the league in 2016. They are the top three DSTs in our rankings. The Broncos —who had last year’s top-scoring fantasy defense—and the Seahawks both lost a couple of key contributors in free agency but remain well stocked with defensive talent. The Cardinals’ only defensive weakness last year was their pass rush, and they addressed that area in a big way during the offseason by trading for edge rusher extraordinaire Chandler Jones and drafting DE Robert Nkemdiche of Ole Miss. There are two up-and-coming defenses we’re excited about for 2015: Jacksonville’s and Oakland’s. Both units received major talent infusions in the offseason. The Jags landed ex-Broncos D-end Malik Jackson in free agency, drafted DB Jalen Ramsey and LB Myles Jack, and will get DE Dante Fowler (the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2015) back from a torn ACL. The Raiders added CB Sean Smith, OLB Bruce Irvin and FS Reggie Nelson in free agency. Just realize that it will probably take some time for the Jaguars and Raiders to fully consolidate their new talent. We don’t expect Jacksonville and Oakland to field top-10 fantasy defenses this season, but these should at least be middleof-the-pack units. Kick returners are also part of the DST package (hence the “ST” in “DST”), but there are few who are good enough to singlehandedly elevate their team’s fantasy value. The three best are probably the Seahawks’ Tyler Lockett, the Vikings’ Cordarrelle Patterson and the Giants’ Dwayne Harris, each of whom ran back two kicks for touchdowns last season.
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DEF 1. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS BOOM: The excellence of the Seattle
defense has been one of the few constants in fantasy football over the past five years. The Seahawks have finished in the top seven in defensive fantasy scoring every year since 2011, ranking fifth last year. Seattle had the No. 1 run defense last year and was No. 2 against the pass and in total defense. The Seahawks also allowed a league-low 17.3 points per game. The secondary should once again be rocksolid, anchored by shutdown CB Richard Sherman and the extraordinary safety duo of Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. DEs Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril bookend a strong defensive line, and Bobby Wagner is among the top middle linebackers in the game. Second-year man Tyler Lockett ran back a kickoff and a punt for TDs as a rookie and might already be the best return man in the league. BUST: Seattle has ranked in the bottom half of the league in takeaways in each of the past two years, holding down its fantasy scoring. The Seahawks lost unsung DT Brandon Mebane and dangerous edge rusher Bruce Irvin in free agency. BOTTOM LINE: There doesn’t appear to be a clear-cut choice for the No. 1 fantasy defense heading into the 2016 season, but the consistent excellence of the Seattle defense makes it our choice, and the return skills of Lockett are a nice bonus.
2. ARIZONA CARDINALS BOOM: The Cards ranked third in defensive fantasy scoring last year and have been in the top 10 for four consecutive seasons. They had 33 takeaways last season, finishing second behind only the Panthers. Arizona was strong against both the run and the pass, ranking sixth in the former category, eighth in the latter. The Cards ranked fifth in total defense and eighth in points allowed. Arizona added serious juice to a so-so pass rush by acquiring DE/OLB Chandler Jones in a trade with the Patriots and by drafting DE Robert Nkemdiche of Ole Miss. Patrick Peterson remains one of the top cornerbacks in the game, and S Tyrann Mathieu is a playmaker. BUST: Mathieu tore his ACL late last season, and the Cardinals are thin at safety behind him. Arizona ranked in the bottom half of the league in sacks last year, though the addition of Jones and Nkemdiche should help in that department. Arizona’s 2015 fantasy scoring was bolstered by 14 fumble recoveries, the third-highest total in the league, and fumble-recovery numbers tend to be random from year to year, largely the product of luck.
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BOTTOM LINE: With the additions of Jones and Nkemdiche to a unit that was already among the best in the league, you could make a case for ranking Arizona as the No. 1 defense.
3. DENVER BRONCOS BOOM: Defense carried the Broncos all the way to a Super Bowl victory last season, and fantasy owners who invested in Denver’s team defense weren’t disappointed, as the Broncos led the league in defensive fantasy scoring. This unit was especially effective early in the season, finishing top-10 in defensive fantasy scoring in each of its first eight games. The Broncos ranked first in total defense, first against the pass, third against the run and fourth in points against. They also scored five defensive TDs last season after scoring three in 2014. The Broncos had a league-high 52 regular-season sacks last year, and their opponent passer rating was the fourthbest in the league. Denver features perhaps the best CB duo in the NFL in Chris Harris and Aqib Talib, along with a terrific pair of pass-rushing linebackers in Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware. And of course, it’s worth noting that this unit is run by Wade Phillips, one of the best defensive coordinators in the game. BUST: The Broncos are in flux at quarterback, and if Denver’s new starter can’t keep the chains moving, the Denver defense is going to spend more time on the field, giving up more points and yardage and becoming less effective as it fatigues. The Broncos had a couple of significant defensive losses in free agency, most notably ILB Danny Trevathan and DE Malik Jackson. BOTTOM LINE: The Denver defense was terrific last season, and most of the key pieces are still in place. Even with some regression, the Broncos should have one of the better fantasy defenses in 2016.
4. HOUSTON TEXANS BOOM: The best part of investing in this unit is getting a stake in human wrecking ball J.J. Watt. The NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year has rung up 69 sacks over the past four seasons and almost single-handedly gives fantasy cred to the Texans’ defense. But just imagine how good the Houston defense could be if it started getting its money’s worth from OLB Jadeveon Clowney, the first overall pick in the 2014 draft. Houston ranked sixth in defensive fantasy scoring last year and second in 2014. The Texans were tough on opposing quarterbacks, recording 45 sacks and 14 interceptions. They were one of only six teams to hold
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opposing quarterbacks to a completion rate of less than 60 percent. Houston also ranked a respectable 10th against the run. BUST: Aside from Watt and perhaps the enigmatic, injury-prone Clowney, Houston’s defensive personnel is pretty average. The Texans didn’t make any significant defensive signings in free agency, and they didn’t draft a defensive player until the fifth round. With Colts QB Andrew Luck back from injury, the Jaguars’ offense vastly improved and the Titans’ offense now featuring QB Marcus Mariota and DeMarco Murray, the Houston defense will have some stern challenges within its division. BOTTOM LINE: Propelled by the indomitable J.J. Watt, the Texans should once again field an upper-tier fantasy defense.
5. NEW YORK JETS BOOM: The biggest name in this defense is that of CB Darrelle Revis, still one of the top cover men in the game. But the Jets also are laden with talent along the defensive line, including Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams. All that beef helped give the Jets one of the NFL’s best run defenses in 2015. The team gave up only four TD runs all season and held opponents to 3.6 yards per carry. The Jets also were stingy against the pass under defensiveminded head coach Todd Bowles, holding opponents to the lowest completion percentage in the league (57.1 percent) and finishing in the top 10 in opponent passer rating and yards per pass attempt. They ranked fifth in interceptions and tied for 12th in sacks. BUST: As stingy as the Jets’ defense was for much of last season, it didn’t necessarily translate to fantasy football. The Jets ranked 16th in defensive fantasy scoring and were one of only two teams that didn’t score a defensive touchdown last season. (The Bears were the other.) Revis will be 31 when the season begins, and though he’s still a fine cover man, he had trouble against Buffalo’s Sammy Watkins and Houston’s DeAndre Hopkins last season, and his time as a true shutdown cornerback might be running out. BOTTOM LINE: A goose egg in defensive touchdowns torpedoed the fantasy value of this unit last season, but the Jets should again have one of the stingier defenses in the league. Don’t hesitate to bet on the talent and on defensive mastermind Bowles.
6. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS BOOM: The Kansas City defense came through in almost every possible way last season. The Chiefs finished
POSITION second in fantasy scoring, just one point behind the division-rival Broncos. Kansas City tied for the league lead with six defensive touchdowns and finished fifth in takeaways with 29, fourth in sacks with 47 and second in interceptions with 22. The Chiefs ranked in the top 10 against both the run and the pass. They allowed only seven TD runs all year, and their opponent passer rating of 76.0 was the second-stingiest mark in the league. Fantasy owners should note that in Weeks 15 and 16 (the height of the fantasy playoffs in some leagues), the Chiefs face the rebuilding Titans and the QBchallenged Broncos. BUST: Odds are against the Chiefs scoring six defensive touchdowns again, and it seems unlikely that CB Marcus Peters will come up with another eight interceptions (even though he proved his worth during his rookie year). Pass rusher extraordinaire Justin Houston had offseason knee surgery on his ACL, and although the Chiefs say his ACL wasn’t torn and are vowing that he’ll play in 2016, it’s hard to tell when he’ll suit up again. Sean Smith, a solid cornerback, left Kansas City for Oakland in free agency. BOTTOM LINE: This should once again be a strong unit, but some of 2015’s statistical achievements will be hard to repeat, and the status of Houston’s knee is a major concern.
7. MINNESOTA VIKINGS BOOM: It’s usually not a bad idea to bet on a defense orchestrated by Mike Zimmer. The Vikings ranked 14th in defensive fantasy scoring in 2014, Zimmer’s first season as head coach, and improved to eighth in 2015 – and that was with several of their top defenders missing multiple games with injuries. Minnesota finished fifth in the league in points allowed and tied for seventh in sacks with 43. The Vikings are brimming with defensive talent under the age of 30, led by DT Linval Joseph, OLB Anthony Barr and FS Harrison Smith. Players such as DE Everson Griffen, DT Sharrif Floyd, MLB Eric Kendricks and CB Xavier Rhodes make for a strong supporting cast. Cordarrelle Patterson might not be much of a receiver, but he’s a dynamic return man who brought back two kickoffs for touchdowns last year. BUST: The Vikings’ defense was a middle-of-the-pack unit in a lot of categories last year, ranking 12th against the pass, 17th against the run, 13th in total defense and tied for 18th in takeaways. Strong safety and left defensive end are potential trouble spots, and the Vikes might or might not be able to squeeze one more decent year out of 33-year-old OLB
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Chad Greenway.
BOTTOM LINE: With an abundance
of defensive talent adroitly directed by defensive mastermind Zimmer, the Vikings’ defense has a good chance to be a top-10 fantasy unit.
8. CAROLINA PANTHERS
interceptions last season. Burfict has a history of injury problems, and he’ll be suspended for the first three games of the season for repeated violations of safetyrelated playing rules. BOTTOM LINE: The Bengals will once again field a solid veteran defense, and this is a group that can be drafted with confidence in fantasy leagues.
BOOM: The Panthers had a leaguehigh 39 takeaways last season, six more than the Cardinals and nine more than anyone else. Carolina led the league in interceptions (24) and fumble recoveries (15) and finished sixth in sacks (44). The Panthers ranked fourth against the run, yielding just 88.4 rushing yards per game, and were sixth against the pass, allowing just 6.2 yards per pass attempt. Carolina’s opponent passer rating of 73.5 was the best in the league. The Panthers’ defensive front seven is terrific, featuring star MLB Luke Kuechly, havoc-wreaking DT Kawann Short and ageless OLB Thomas Davis. The defensive line also includes run-stuffing DT Star Lotulelei, improving young DE Kony Ealy and rookie DT Vernon Butler, the team’s first-round draft pick. BUST: The sudden loss of CB Josh Norman in late April was a devastating blow. Now with Washington after Carolina GM Dave Gettleman rescinded his franchise tag, Norman was arguably the best cornerback in the league last season. His absence will hurt, particularly in a division that includes WRs Julio Jones and Mike Evans. The Panthers are also destined to experience some turnover regression after recording the highest takeaway total since the Seahawks had 39 in 2013. BOTTOM LINE: Carolina’s defense is sure to be among the first drafted based on last year’s numbers, but with Norman gone and a turnover regression coming, fantasy owners would be wise to fade this unit.
BOOM: Fueled by one of the best defensive lines in the league, the Rams finished ninth in defensive fantasy scoring last year, tying for ninth in takeaways and ranking 11th in sacks. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams runs an attacking 4-3 scheme that turns up the heat on opposing quarterbacks, and he has a group of linemen who can generate intense pressure. DT Aaron Donald is only 25 but has turned into an unblockable force. DE Robert Quinn missed half the 2015 season with injuries but had doubledigit sacks in each of the three previous seasons. DT Michael Brockers and LB Alec Ogletree are also fine young talents. Tavon Austin is a dangerous kick returner who has run back a punt for a TD in each of his first three NFL seasons. BUST: The Rams lost one of the NFL’s better cover corners, Janoris Jenkins, in free agency, and even with Jenkins, they ranked 23rd against the pass last season. The release of veteran LB James Laurinaitis leaves another hole to be filled, and the Rams are attempting to do so by moving Alec Ogletree inside and shifting veteran Mark Barron from safety to linebacker – a somewhat risky gambit. BOTTOM LINE: Seattle still has the best defense in the NFC West, but the Los Angeles ‘D’ is on the rise. Led by Donald, the Rams should finish in the top 10 in sacks and will probably force their fair share of takeaways.
9. CINCINNATI BENGALS
11. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
BOOM: The Bengals fielded one of the
NFL’s better defenses in 2015, ranking second in the league in points allowed and 11th in yardage allowed. The Bengals were 10th in defensive fantasy scoring, finishing sixth in takeaways and 10th in sacks. DT Geno Atkins and DE Carlos Dunlap are the driving forces behind a strong pass rush. LB Vontaze Burfict is a tackling machine, and the Bengals are well stocked with highly drafted cornerbacks, including this year’s first-round pick, William Jackson III. The Bengals were able to re-sign free-agent S George Iloka, an important contributor to this defense. BUST: Although the Bengals kept Iloka, they lost their other starting safety, Reggie Nelson, who led the league in
10. LOS ANGELES RAMS
BOOM: The Patriots ranked 11th in defensive fantasy scoring in 2015, and it was the first time since 2009 that they haven’t finished in the top 10. New England ranked ninth in total defense, 10th in points allowed and ninth against the run. Although the Pats only ranked 17th against the pass, their 49 sacks were second only to the Broncos’ 52. The core members of this group – LBs Jamie Collins and Dont’a Hightower; DBs Malcolm Butler, Devin McCourty and Logan Ryan; and D-linemen Jabaal Sheard and Malcom Brown – are all in their 20s. BUST: The New England pass rush was fierce last year, but will the Pats be able to generate the same sort of pressure now that they’ve traded away Chandler Jones,
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DEF one of the best pass rushers in the game? The Patriots signed DE Chris Long in an attempt to fill the void, but Long is 31, has battled injuries the past two years and isn’t in the same class as Jones. BOTTOM LINE: Fantasy owners can feel comfortable drafting a defense that’s finished no worse than 11th in fantasy scoring over the past six years
12. BUFFALO BILLS BOOM: From a fantasy perspective, the Buffalo defense underachieved last year, but this talented group has the potential to be one of the better units in the league. CBs Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby are both quality cover men, and DTs Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus give Buffalo an imposing pair of run stuffers in the middle. The Bills complemented their veteran talent by loading up on defense in the draft, with DE Shaq Lawson of Clemson and LB Reggie Ragland of Alabama projected to start right away. This unit has now had a full season to adapt to head coach Rex Ryan’s 3-4 scheme, and that experience could yield rewards in 2016. BUST: Some players reportedly complained that Ryan’s scheme is too complicated. Rex’s brother, Rob, has replaced Dennis Thurman as defensive coordinator, and Rob Ryan presided over some awful units in New Orleans. Buffalo ranked 20th in defensive fantasy scoring last year and 19th in total defense. The Bills ranked 31st in sacks, getting to the quarterback only 21 times. BOTTOM LINE: With a wealth of talent and a full year of experience with Rex Ryan’s scheme, the Buffalo defense is poised to be a strong fantasy unit in 2016.
13. PITTSBURGH STEELERS BOOM: So much for the notion that
the Pittsburgh defense was in decay. The Steelers cranked up their pass rush last season, forced a lot of turnovers and wound up as the No. 7 fantasy defense. They ranked third in the league in sacks with 48 and tied for third in takeaways with 30. The Steelers were miserly against the run, giving up just six rushing touchdowns and 3.8 yards per carry. Pittsburgh ranked 14th in points allowed, allowing 19.9 per game. Long known for its playmaking linebackers, the modern incarnation of the “Steel Curtain” features the top-notch ILB combo of Ryan Shazier and Lawrence Timmons. Antonio Brown is ever dangerous returning punts. BUST: Pass defense was a problem area last season. Rookie CB Artie Burns of the University of Miami (Fla.) should help but perhaps not right away. The Steelers ranked 30th against the pass last year, giving up
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271.9 passing yards per game and allowing 7.5 yards per pass attempt. Shazier is one of the best young linebackers in the league, but he’s had trouble staying healthy, missing 11 regular-season games over the past two years. BOTTOM LINE: This might not be the glass-eating Pittsburgh defense of old, but it’s a competent unit that finished in the top 10 in fantasy scoring last year and has a chance to do so again in 2016.
14.GREEN BAY PACKERS BOOM: The Packers had one of the better pass defenses in the league last season, ranking sixth in passing yards allowed, tying for seventh in sacks and giving up only 20 TD passes. Green Bay ranked a respectable 15th in defensive fantasy scoring in 2015 and finished fifth in 2014. Clay Matthews is still among the best linebackers in the league, and the Packers plan on moving him back outside so his speed can be more fully utilized. DE Mike Daniels is an unsung stud, and the secondary is young, talented and deep. BUST: The Packers were soft against the run last year, ranking 21st in that category and giving up 4.5 yards per carry. Inside linebacker is a major weak spot now that Matthews is shifting back outside, and other than Daniels, the defensive line is average at best. BOTTOM LINE: The Packers had a solid, middle-of-the-road defense last year under longtime coordinator Dom Capers, and although this isn’t a unit fantasy owners will want to start week in and week out, it will be a good streaming option for games when the Packers face below-average offenses.
15. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS BOOM: The Jaguars are brimming with young defensive talent, and if it all gels quickly, Jacksonville could have the most improved defense in the league. The Jags took versatile DB Jalen Ramsey with the fifth overall pick in this year’s draft and then got a second-round discount on LB Myles Jack, whose knee issues scared away most teams. The No. 3 overall pick of the 2015 draft, DE Dante Fowler, will make his Jaguars debut this season after missing his entire rookie year with a torn ACL. Jacksonville made a splash in free agency by giving a six-year, $90 million deal to DE Malik Jackson, who helped propel the Broncos to a title last season. BUST: With so many new pieces, it might take time for head coach Gus Bradley and new defensive coordinator Todd Wash (who’s never been a coordinator at the professional level) to fit everything together. Jack’s knee is a medical wild card, and Fowler and DT
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Sen’Derrick Marks are both returning from major injuries themselves. The Jaguars ranked 24th in total defense and 31st in scoring defense last year, giving up 28 points per game. BOTTOM LINE: It’s going to be fun to watch the Jacksonville defense this year. The Jaguars have an impressive collection of young talent, but it might take time for everything to coagulate. Fantasy owners should expect improvement from this group, though it might take a year or two for it to become a top defense.
16. OAKLAND RAIDERS BOOM: Flush with money to spend in the offseason, the Raiders were aggressive in free agency, signing solid CB Sean Smith, pass-rushing OLB Bruce Irvin and ball-hawking FS Reggie Nelson (who led the league in interceptions last year) to shore up their defense. The Raiders also spent their first three draft picks on defense, starting with hard-hitting S Karl Joseph in the first round. DE Khalil Mack had 15 sacks last year after making the transition from linebacker. The 25-year-old Mack is a true difference-maker and one of the best young defenders in football. Oakland ranked 19th in defensive fantasy scoring last season but finished in the top half of the league in sacks and takeaways. Although the Raiders ranked 26th against the pass, their pass defense was better than that ranking suggests, finishing 11th in opponent passer rating (86.8) and eighth in yards per pass attempt (6.8). BUST: It won’t be easy for Oakland to replace future Hall of Famer Charles Woodson, who retired at the end of last season. Woodson was an inspirational leader who was still making plays last season at age 39. Oakland ranked 22nd in total defense and gave up 24.9 points per game. BOTTOM LINE: An already-improving Oakland defense got a major talent infusion in the offseason. Led by Mack, one of the league’s top young stars, this is a unit on the rise.
17. BALTIMORE RAVENS BOOM: The Baltimore defense had its problems in 2015, but this unit finished on a major upswing. After ranking 24th in total defense over the first half of the season, giving up 383.6 yards per game, the Ravens ranked second in total defense over the final eight contests of the regular season, yielding just 291.1 yards per battle. The team plugged a hole at safety in the offseason by signing Eric Weddle, a nineyear veteran who brings toughness and ball-hawking skills to Baltimore. Veteran sack artist Terrell Suggs returns from a torn Achilles to help invigorate the pass rush.
POSITION BUST: After ranking seventh in defensive fantasy scoring in 2014, the Ravens tied for 23rd in 2015. They ranked 30th in takeaways and were one of only three teams to force less than one turnover per game. Baltimore’s opponent passer rating of 99.6 ranked 27th in the league, and the Ravens allowed 30 TD passes and recorded only six interceptions. BOTTOM LINE: Many fantasy owners will look at the Ravens’ 2015 defensive numbers and dismiss this unit out of hand, but the Baltimore defense really tightened up down the stretch and could be a sneaky-good fantasy play in 2016.
18. WASHINGTON BOOM: Washington finished 12th in defensive fantasy scoring last season and dramatically upgraded its secondary in the offseason by signing CB Josh Norman, who became a free agent in late April when the Panthers abruptly removed the franchise tag from him. Norman is a game-changer. Washington now has one of the best cover men in the league to help contend with the likes of Odell Beckham Jr. and Dez Bryant, two prominent divisional foes. Washington also drafted S Su’a Cravens of USC just days after the Norman signing. Washington finished in the top half of the league in takeaways and sacks last year. BUST: Washington ranked 26th against the run in 2015, giving up a whopping 4.8 yards per carry. They were 25th against the pass, yielding 7.8 yards per pass attempt. The defensive line remains shaky despite the free-agent addition of DE Kendall Reyes, a competent starter. BOTTOM LINE: The Washington defense was a sneaky source of fantasy points last season, and it’s gotten a major upgrade with the addition of Josh Norman, one of the finest cover corners in the league.
19.PHILADELPHIA EAGLES BOOM: New defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will bring his attacking 4-3 scheme to Philadelphia, and he’ll have a group of aggressive defensive linemen who appear to be good fits for his system, which doesn’t involve a lot of blitzing and relies on pressure from the front four. D-linemen Fletcher Cox, Connor Barwin, Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham play a downhill style suited to Schwartz’s scheme. Schwartz presided over some good defenses as a coordinator in Tennessee and as a head coach in Detroit, and before taking a year off, he coordinated a Bills defense that finished third in defensive fantasy scoring in 2014. Despite their defensive woes last season, the Eagles still ranked 13th in defensive fantasy scoring, forcing 26 turnovers and
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notching four defensive touchdowns. They ranked first in defensive fantasy scoring in 2014. Former Eagles head coach Chip Kelly ran a fast-paced offense, which meant a load of extra snaps for a fatigued defense. The pace will be more deliberate this year under new head coach Doug Pederson. BUST: The Eagles ranked 30th in total defense last year, allowing 401.6 yards per game. They ranked 28th in scoring defense, giving up 26.9 points per game. Philadelphia ranked dead last against the run and 28th against the pass. BOTTOM LINE: For all of its flaws, the 2015 Eagles defense was still a respectable unit for fantasy purposes. Now, with Schwartz calling the shots and a more deliberate pace keeping defenders fresher, this could be a much-improved unit.
20. DETROIT LIONS BOOM: This under-the-radar unit has some nice pieces and could offer surprising fantasy value if it’s able to generate more turnovers. Young sack specialist Ezekiel “Ziggy” Ansah keys a strong pass rush that tied for seventh in the league in sacks last year with 43. Haloti Ngata and rookie A’Shawn Robinson, a rookie out of Alabama, should give the Lions a strong pair of defensive tackles. CB Darius Slay has developed into a top cover man, and S Quin Glover is a terrific safety. The Detroit defense will get a huge boost from the return of DeAndre Levy, a do-it-all linebacker who missed nearly all of last season with a hip injury. BUST: The Lions generated only 18 turnovers last year, which was a big reason why they finished 21st in defensive fantasy scoring. Detroit’s 2015 opponent passer rating of 100.9 was fifth-worst in the league, and the Lions gave up 7.7 yards per pass attempt. The Detroit defense yielded 18 rushing touchdowns, the third-highest total in the league. BOTTOM LINE: The Lions’ defense offered little fantasy value in 2015 because of its inability to generate takeaways, but this is a solid group that could surprise in 2016 if it gets better luck in the turnover category.
BEST OF THE REST 21. CHICAGO BEARS
Bears coach John Fox and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio deserve credit for coaxing a decent performance out of mediocre defensive talent last year. The cupboard won’t be nearly as bare this season, as Chicago signed free-agent LBs Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman and DT Akiem Hicks, then traded up to select University of Georgia LB Leonard Floyd with the ninth overall pick in this year’s
draft. The additions boost the playmaking potential of a Bears defense that forced only 17 turnovers last year and didn’t score a single defensive touchdown.
22. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
The Buccaneers were sturdy against the run in 2015, giving up only 3.4 yards per carry, but they yielded an opponent passer rating of 102.5, the second-worst mark in the league. They tried to address their pass rush and coverage deficiencies in the offseason by signing DE Robert Ayers and CB Brent Grimes and drafting CB Vernon Hargreaves III and DE Noah Spence. The Bucs’ defense will have to adapt to a new coordinator, former Falcons head coach Mike Smith.
23. NEW YORK GIANTS
The Giants fortified their defense in the offseason by bringing in three quality players via free agency – DE Olivier Vernon, DT Damon Harrison and CB Janoris Jenkins – and taking CB Eli Apple in the first round of this year’s draft. The new talent provides a major upgrade to a unit that ranked dead last in pass defense and 30th in sacks. Return man Dwayne Harris ran back a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns last year.
24. MIAMI DOLPHINS
Miami landed four new defensive starters over a two-day span in early March, signing DE Mario Williams and S Isa Abdul-Quddus in free agency and trading for LB Kiko Alonso and CB Byron Maxwell. The Dolphins are hoping the new blood will help upgrade an underachieving defense that forced only 16 turnovers last year and tied for 25th in sacks.
25. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
The Colts ranked 14th in defensive fantasy scoring last season, but that was fueled largely by their five defensive TDs. The Colts ranked 25th against the run last season, 24th against the pass, and they finished in the bottom half of the league in sacks. LBs Robert Mathis, Trent Cole, D’Qwell Jackson and Erik Walden are all in their 30s.
26. CLEVELAND BROWNS
The Cleveland defense was a sieve in 2015, giving up 28.6 points per game, 4.5 yards per carry and 8.2 yards per pass attempt while finishing 29th in sacks and tying for 22nd in takeaways. But new coach Hue Jackson brought in Ray Horton as his defensive coordinator, providing reason for optimism. When Horton was Cleveland’s coordinator in 2013, the Browns ranked ninth in total defense after ranking 23rd the year before. Horton also oversaw strong Cardinals defenses in 2011-2012 and a Titans defense that overachieved in 2014-2015.
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POSITION
FANTASY
IDP
Individual defensive players
IDP format allows for more complete experience PAT FITZMAURICE
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he IDP format continues to gain popularity, attracting owners who crave an immersive fantasy football experience. Why limit your league to offensive players when there are hundreds of stat-generating players on the other side of the ball? If you’re ready to take your fantasy football obsession to the next level, it’s time for you to join a league that uses individual defensive players – also known as an IDP league. Let’s face it: Team defenses don’t add much to fantasy leagues. It’s far more challenging and rewarding to bring individual defenders into the mix. You’ll even watch NFL games differently, paying closer attention to which defenders end each play with a tackle. It’s a blast to see your stud linebacker put together a 14-tackle game, and just ask an IDP owner how fulfilling it is to watch your defensive end strip-sack a quarterback, or to see your safety pick off a wayward pass and take it to the house for six points. IDP veterans, feel free to skip the next paragraph. Newbies, here’s a brief overview of IDP leagues and strategy: Defensive players are awarded points for big plays like TDs, sacks, interceptions, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries. But the primary unit of currency in most IDP
CONSENSUS
Top FANTASY DEFENDERS 1. J.J. WATT | TEXANS 2. LUKE KUECHLY | PANTHERS 3. NAVORRO BOWMAN | 49ERS 4. LAVONTE DAVID | BUCCANEERS 5. CC.J. MOSLEY | RAVENS 6. BOBBY WAGNER | SEAHAWKS 7. KHALIL MACK | RAIDERS 8. TELVIN SMITH | JAGUARS 9. ALEC OGLETREE | RAMS 10. AARON DONALD | RAMS 11. EZEKIEL ANSAH | LIONS 12. D’QWELL JACKSON | COLTS 13. RYAN SHAZIER | STEELERS 14. JAMIE COLLINS | PATRIOTS 15. RESHAD JONES | DOLPHINS 16. HARRISON SMITH | VIKINGS 17. SEAN LEE | COWBOYS 18. ERIC KENDRICKS | VIKINGS 19. DEONE BUCHANAN | CARDINALS 20. EVERSON GRIFFEN | VIKINGS leagues is the tackle. Touchdowns, turnovers and sacks are worth more points than tackles, of course, but those plays are relatively rare, whereas nearly every play from scrimmage ends with a tackle. IDP scoring systems differ from league to league, and some leagues place added emphasis on the big plays. In most leagues, however, finding top tacklers is of the essence. Middle and insider linebackers are the tackle kings and are typically the most valuable defensive players in IDP leagues. Outside linebackers tend to be less valuable than their inside counterparts, though there are a few outside ’backers who
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consistently produce big tackle numbers. Some OLBs, such as Khalil Mack, can generate a lot of value with big sack totals. Safeties also can be valuable because of their tackle numbers – far more valuable than cornerbacks in IDP leagues. Defensive tackles are less valuable than defensive ends, who generally get more tackles and sacks. As noted earlier, IDP scoring systems can vary wildly, but J.J. Watt has been the most valuable defender in virtually every IDP league over the past two seasons regardless of format. The Texans’ unblockable defensive end has registered 38 sacks over the past two years and has led all defensive linemen in tackles during that span. Whereas the drop-off between our top-ranked linebacker and our second-ranked linebacker isn’t that steep, there’s a vast chasm between Watt and our second-ranked defensive end. Our top-rated linebacker and second-ranked individual defensive player overall is Carolina’s Luke Kuechly, who’s averaged 147.8 tackles over his first four seasons in the league and also has 11 career interceptions (not counting the two INTs he returned for touchdowns in last season’s playoffs). Our topranked defensive back is Miami’s Reshad Jones, who led all DBs in sacks last year and has been a consistent tackle producer. A quick word of IDP wisdom: Pay attention to position eligibility. Chandler Jones has been among the more valuable defensive linemen in recent years, but he’s expected to play outside linebacker for the Cardinals this season, where he won’t be as valuable to IDP owners. Make sure you know whether your league considers him a linebacker or a defensive end. The same advice applies to his teammate, Deone Bucannon. Last year, Bucannon shifted from safety to linebacker. His tackle numbers are less valuable at linebacker, but some stat-tracking websites still list him as a safety.
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IDP DEFENSIVE LINEMEN 1. J.J. WATT | TEXANS
The most dominant defender in the NFL, Watt should be the first defensive player chosen in either IDP redraft leagues or start-up IDP dynasty leagues. Watt had a league-high 17.5 sacks last year after recording 20.5 sacks in 2014. He had 76 tackles last season, ranking second in the league among defensive linemen behind only Khalil Mack and has averaged 78.8 tackles over the past four years. He’s also forced 15 fumbles and recovered 10 fumbles over the past four years. Watt won his third Defensive Player of the Year award last season despite dealing with a groin injury late in the season. Now healthy and still in his prime at age 27, he should be as dominant as ever. The unbreakable Watt hasn’t missed a game in his five NFL seasons.
2. KHALIL MACK | RAIDERS
The switch from linebacker to defensive end last season helped Mack flourish as a pass rusher. He recorded 15 sacks, second only to J.J. Watt. Mack also led all defensive linemen with 77 tackles. The fifth overall pick in the 2014 draft, Mack is the centerpiece of an improving Oakland defense, and at age 25, he still has room for growth. The Raiders signed free-agent edge rusher Bruce Irvin in the offseason, which should help deter opponents from double-teaming Mack on passing downs.
3. AARON DONALD | RAMS
Some IDP leagues distinguish between defensive ends and defensive tackles rather than just lumping all defensive linemen together. Donald is the best of the defensive tackles and is the rare DT good enough to outrank some of the top DEs. He bumped his sack total to 11 last season after recording nine sacks as a rookie. He also had 69 tackles last season, which ranked fifth among all defensive linemen and second among defensive tackles behind only the Giants’ Damon Harrison. Donald is entering his third pro season and will only be 25 when the new season begins, but he’s already established himself as one of the most dominant and disruptive linemen in the league.
4. EZEKIEL ANSAH | LIONS
Best known as “Ziggy,” Ansah blossomed in his third NFL season, recording a career-high 14.5 sacks. The Ghana native entered the league with limited football experience, having only started playing midway through his time at Brigham Young University, but he’s starting to come into his own. The 6-5, 278-pound Ansah has remarkable athleticism and explodes off the line of scrimmage. He’s racked up 30 sacks and 128 tackles over his first three NFL seasons and has room to get even better.
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5. EVERSON GRIFFEN | VIKINGS In the two seasons since the Vikings hired defensive guru Mike Zimmer to be their head coach, Griffen has collected 22.5 sacks. He’s an explosive edge rusher who reportedly once ran the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds. Griffen has 99 tackles over the past two seasons, though he slipped from 55 in 2014 to 44 last year. But as long as Griffen is starting for Zimmer, he should be among the more valuable defensive linemen in IDP leagues.
6. ROBERT QUINN | RAMS Injuries limited Quinn to just eight games and five sacks last season. A back issue eventually forced the Rams to place him on injured reserve, and he also dealt with a hip ailment. In the three previous years, Quinn had notched 40 sacks, hitting double digits in each of those seasons and ringing up 19 sacks in 2014 to finish just half a sack off the league lead. Some IDP owners might see the emergence of Rams DT Aaron Donald as a negative for Quinn’s fantasy stock, but Donald will help keep Quinn relatively free of double teams. There might also be an enticing injury discount on Quinn this year.
7. CARLOS DUNLAP | BENGALS Dunlap had a career-high 13.5 sacks last season to rank fourth in the league. He had 55 tackles in 2015 and has averaged 59.7 stops over the past three years. He’s also forced 12 fumbles and recovered six fumbles over the past four seasons. Dunlap can be maddeningly inconsistent, but his sack ceiling is high, and he benefits from the disruptive presence of DT Geno Atkins in the middle of the Cincinnati defensive line.
8. CAMERON JORDAN | SAINTS Jordan has developed into a steady sack man and might yet be able to boost his totals a bit higher as he enters his sixth pro season. Jordan had 10 sacks last year. He’s averaged 9.5 sacks and 52.5 tackles over the past four seasons. The Saints spent their first-round draft pick on Louisville’s Sheldon Rankins, a penetrating defensive tackle who could help free up Jordan on passing downs. Jordan hasn’t missed a game during his NFL career.
9. GENO ATKINS | BENGALS After producing only three sacks in 2014, Atkins rebounded with 11 last season, his highest total since 2012. He also had 42 tackles, an impressive total for a defensive tackle. Over his six professional seasons, Atkins has built a hard-earned reputation as one of the top DTs in the league. Let your league format determine how aggressively you target Atkins; he’ll be far more valuable in leagues that separate defensive tackles and defensive ends than in leagues that combine the two positions.
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10. MUHAMMAD WILKERSON | JETS
Wilkerson would rank higher than this if not for a couple of factors. First, he was at a contractual impasse with the Jets as of this writing. Wilkerson wanted a longterm deal, but the Jets elected to place the franchise tag on him instead, and now a training-camp holdout is a distinct possibility. Second, Wilkerson broke his leg in the Jets’ final game of the season. He’s expected to be ready for the start of the season, but you have to wonder if the injury will rob him of any of his explosiveness. Still only 26, Wilkerson had a career-high 12 sacks last season and has averaged 60 tackles a season over his five-year career.
11. CALAIS CAMPBELL | CARDINALS
Campbell isn’t one of the NFL’s premier sack artists, but he’s typically one of the leading tacklers at the DE position and has averaged a respectable 6.9 sacks per season over the past seven years. Campbell recorded 61 tackles in 2015 and has made no fewer than 58 tackles in any of the last six seasons.
12. KAWAAN SHORT | PANTHERS
Short came into his own last season, ringing up 11 sacks, the most by a defensive tackle in Panthers team history. That sack total could easily dip, as he had just five during his first two years in the league, but Short has turned into a dominant defensive player. He also had 55 tackles last season and forced three fumbles. With DT Star Lotulelei and DE Kony Ealy around, opponents will double team Short at their own peril.
13. OLIVIER VERNON | GIANTS
Vernon has moved from the Dolphins to the Giants, where he’ll work in tandem with DE Jason Pierre-Paul. Vernon’s 2015 sack total (7.5) wasn’t particularly impressive, but he was among the league leaders in QB hits. He saw more double teams over the second half of last season after Dolphins DE Cameron Wake tore his Achilles in late October, but Vernon still managed to record 5.5 sacks in the nine games Wake missed. A durable defender who hasn’t missed a game as a pro, Vernon has averaged 8.5 sacks and 54.7 tackles over the past three seasons.
14. MICHAEL BENNETT | SEAHAWKS
Bennett had 10 sacks and 52 tackles last season, career highs in both categories. He’s averaged 8.6 sacks over the past four years and has forced seven fumbles over that span. The Seahawks like to move Bennett around the defensive line to create mismatches for him.
15. CAMERON WAKE | DOLPHINS
Wake tore his Achilles tendon last October, but he was practicing in a limited capacity at a Dolphins minicamp in late April and is expected to be ready
POSITION for the start of the season. Coming off a major injury at age 34, Wake’s IDP stock has unquestionably slipped, but this is still a player who averaged 11.5 sacks a year from 2010 through 2014. Wake was off to a good start last year before his season ended prematurely, with seven sacks and four forced fumbles in just seven games.
16. FLETCHER COX | EAGLES
After playing defensive end in a 3-4 system last season, Cox will be a defensive tackle in a 4-3 scheme this year. That takes a small bite off his fantasy value, but he still profiles as a top-20 defensive lineman in IDP leagues that combine ends and tackles. Cox played DT for the Eagles as a rookie in 2012, so it’s not as if he’s unfamiliar with the position. He had 9.5 sacks and 71 tackles last season, career highs in both categories. Cox ranked fourth in tackles among all defensive linemen last year.
17. JURRELL CASEY | TITANS
Still only 26, Casey has recorded 283 tackles over his five-year career, an average of 56.6 stops per season. He had seven sacks in 2015 and has averaged 7.5 sacks over the past three seasons. The Titans showed their reverence for Casey in the offseason by giving him a four-year, $36 million contract extension.
18. GERALD McCOY | BUCCANEERS
One of the top inside pass rushers in the league, McCoy has had 8.5 sacks in each of the past two years, and he had 9.5 sacks in 2013. A double-digit sack total could be the next step for McCoy, who might have gotten there already if he hadn’t missed four games over the last two seasons.
19. DeMARCUS LAWRENCE | COWBOYS
Lawrence is expected to miss the first four games of the season while serving a suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. It’s still worth taking him and stashing him on your bench for the first few weeks. After doing little as a rookie and starting slowly in 2015, Lawrence went berserk down the stretch last season, ringing up seven sacks over the Cowboys’ last eight games. He also had 55 tackles last season, and he’s only 24 years old.
20. ROB NINKOVICH | PATRIOTS
The 32-year-old Ninkovich might be starting to slow down, but for years he’s been one of the most dependable tackle collectors at the DE position. Ninkovich had 52 tackles last season, his lowest total since 2009, but over the past six years he’s averaged 66.5 tackles and hasn’t missed a single game. Ninkovich also has collected at least 6.5 sacks in each of the last five seasons.
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LINEBACKERS 1. LUKE KUECHLY | PANTHERS
Kuechly led the NFL in tackles in two of his first three seasons and might have finished No. 1 last year if he hadn’t missed three games due to an earlyseason concussion. He’s averaged 9.7 tackles per game and 147.8 stops per season over his four seasons as a pro. A terrific cover linebacker who stays on the field on passing downs, Kuechly had four interceptions in the 2015 regular season, one of which he returned for a TD. (He also ran back a pair of interceptions for touchdowns in the playoffs.) Because of his gaudy tackle totals, Kuechly is a nobrainer choice as the top linebacker in IDP leagues, and he should be the second defensive player to come off the board behind only DE J.J. Watt.
2. NaVORRO BOWMAN | 49ERS
The 2016 season could be the perfect storm for Bowman’s IDP league owners. The 49ers are likely going to be bad, which means that they’ll often be trailing, which means opponents will run the ball frequently to protect their leads, which means Bowman will be extremely busy wrapping up running backs. There’s also the Chip Kelly factor to consider. Kelly favors a fast pace on offense, which means a higher-than-average number of snaps in games Kelly is coaching, which means more snaps for Bowman. As it is, Bowman has averaged 147.5 tackles over the last four seasons and led the NFL last year with 154 tackles.
3. LAVONTE DAVID | BUCCANEERS
Still only 26, David has already amassed 577 career tackles. He’s finished in the top 10 in tackles in each of his four NFL seasons, ranking third in each of the past two years. David finished with a careerhigh 147 stops in 2015. He also added three sacks, two forced fumbles and three interceptions last year, returning one of those INTs for a touchdown.
4. C.J. MOSLEY | RAVENS
After finishing seventh in the league in tackles as a rookie with 133, Mosley fell out of the top 10 last season, making 117 stops. Despite the dip, the needle is still pointing up. A first-round draft pick in 2014, Mosley will be only 24 when the new season begins, and the Ravens might need him to step up after losing ILB Daryl Smith in free agency.
5. BOBBY WAGNER | SEAHAWKS
Wagner has finished in the top 20 in tackles only once in the last three years, but that can largely be attributed to injuries: He’s missed eight games over that span. Wagner has recorded at least 104 tackles in each of the last three seasons despite missing time, and he remains the
Luke Kuechly
sturdy backbone of the Seattle defense.
6. TELVIN SMITH | JAGUARS
In his second year in the league, Smith racked up 128 tackles last season to finish sixth in that category despite missing a pair of games with a shoulder injury. Smith, who had 104 stops as a rookie in 2014, should continue to sport big tackle numbers in a rapidly improving Jacksonville defense.
7. ALEC OGLETREE | RAMS
Ogletree averaged 114 tackles over his first two seasons and averaged better than 10 tackles per game last season before sufferng a season-ending ankle injury in Week Four. Ogletree is now making the shift to middle linebacker, where he’ll take over for James Laurinaitis, whom the Rams let go in the offseason. The move could pump up Ogletree’s tackle totals and make him one of the most valuable IDP linebackers around.
8. D’QWELL JACKSON | COLTS
Jackson has been a tackle machine in recent years, with 140 or more stops in each of the past three seasons. Jackson ranked second in tackles last year, sixth in 2014 and seventh in 2013. He’s also recorded seven sacks over the past two seasons. Jackson remains a very safe play in IDP leagues.
9. RYAN SHAZIER | STEELERS
There’s little question about Shazier’s playmaking ability; the question is whether he can stay healthy while throwing his body around the way that he does. Shazier has yet to make it through a full 16-game season. Knee and ankle injuries limited him to nine games as a rookie. He missed four games due a shoulder injury last season but also suffered a concussion and dealt with a knee issue. Shazier had 87 tackles in 12 games last year and also recorded 3.5 sacks and an interception.
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He’s potentially a special player who’s worth the injury risk.
passes since entering the league in 2009, running back two of them for TDs.
10. JAMIE COLLINS | PATRIOTS
15. MYCHAL KENDRICKS | EAGLES
More of a big-play guy than a tackle machine, Collins had 5.5 sacks last year and tied for the league lead with five forced fumbles despite playing only 12 games due to a thigh injury and a virus. He also averaged 7.4 tackles per game, a rate that would have put him in the top 15 if he’d played a full 16-game season. The sacks and forced fumbles weren’t just a single-season anomaly, as Collins had four sacks and four forced fumbles in 2014 to go along with 116 tackles.
Kendricks is expected to play weakside linebacker for new Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz — a potentially lucrative role in terms of tackle numbers. DeAndre Levy was playing the weak side for Schwartz in Detroit in 2014 when he posted a career-high 151 tackles. Kendricks had 86 stops last year in 13 games. He’s been productive when healthy, but he’s missed time in each of his four seasons as a pro.
11. SEAN LEE | COWBOYS
A first-round draft pick out of Clemson last year, Anthony started all 16 games for the Saints as a rookie and notched a teamhigh 112 tackles. He’d rank higher on this list were it not for the Saints’ offseason addition of former Rams MLB James Laurinaitis. If Laurinaitis was brought in to be a backup, or if the Saints shift to a 3-4 scheme under new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, Anthony shouldn’t lose any IDP value. But if he’s moved to outside linebacker to make room for Laurinaitis in the middle, Anthony’s tackle numbers could suffer.
Moved from the middle to the weak side in 2015, Lee thrived in his new role, finishing tied for sixth in the league with 128 tackles despite missing a pair of games. There’s little doubt that Lee will be productive if healthy, but he’s been plagued by injuries over the past four years. Lee missed 10 games with a toe injury in 2012, five games with hamstring and neck injuries in 2013, the entire season with a torn ACL in 2014, and two games with a concussion and a hamstring injury last season. (Lee actually suffered two concussions last year, but one of them didn’t cause him to miss any time.)
12. ERIC KENDRICKS | VIKINGS
The younger brother of Eagles LB Mychal Kendricks turned in a solid rookie season for the Vikings, making 92 tackles in 14 games and averaging 7.3 tackles over his last 10 contests. Vikings OLB Chad Greenway has decided to play one final season, which means that Kendricks will continue to patrol the middle for Minnesota rather than shifting over to his more natural weak-side position. That should bode well for Kendricks’ 2016 tackle totals.
13. KWON ALEXANDER | BUCCANEERS
A fourth-round draft pick out of LSU last year, Alexander started the Buccaneers’ first 12 games and recorded 93 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions before being suspended the last four games for violating the league’s policy on performanceenhancing drugs. (Alexander claims an energy drink caused him to fail a PED test.) Alexander is expected to roam the middle again for the Bucs in 2016, and he deserves serious consideration from IDP league owners based on his rookie-year results.
14. DeANDRE LEVY | LIONS
Levy appeared in only one game last season due to a hip injury, but he’s expected to be back at full capacity in time for Week One. Levy had 151 tackles in 2014, finishing second in the league behind only Luke Kuechly. One of the top cover linebackers in the game, Levy had six interceptions in 2013. He’s picked off 12
16. STEPHONE ANTHONY | SAINTS
17. BRANDON MARSHALL | BRONCOS
Marshall has collected 215 tackles for the Broncos over the past two seasons and could see a boost in his tackle count now that ILB Danny Trevathan has left Denver for Chicago. Marshall had 102 stops last season despite playing with two screws in his right foot (which have since been removed).
18. VONTAZE BURFICT | BENGALS Burfict will be suspended for the first three games of the season for violating the league’s policy on player safety. The punishment came in response to a vicious, concussion-causing hit on Antonio Brown in the wild-card round of last season’s playoffs. Burfict also delivered a knee to Ben Roethlisberger’s injured shoulder in that game. In addition to the suspension, there’s also the matter of Burfict’s health: He’s missed 17 regular-season games due to injury over the past two years. But when Burfict plays, he collects tackles at an extremely high rate. He had a league-high 171 stops in 2013, finishing nine tackles ahead of his next-closest pursuer.
19. VON MILLER | BRONCOS In most IDP leagues, linebackers with big tackle numbers are more coveted than elite edge rushers who produce big sack numbers (though there are IDP leagues that run counter to this by offering big rewards for sacks). Miller had only 35 tackles last season and has averaged 52 tackles over his five pro seasons, but he’s such a prolific sack artist that he warrants
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top-20 consideration even in traditional IDP leagues. Miller had 11 sacks last year, has recorded double-digit sacks in four of his five seasons and has averaged 0.83 sacks per game over his career.
20. DANNY TREVATHAN | BEARS This former sixth-round draft pick was given a four-year, $28 million contract by the Bears in free agency, and he’ll once again work with his former Denver mentor, John Fox, who became the Bears’ head coach in 2015. After playing only three games in 2014 because of leg and knee injuries, Trevathan had 109 tackles in 15 games for the Broncos last season and will play a key role as an inside ’backer in Chicago’s 3-4 defense. The question is whether fellow newcomer Jerrell Freeman will eat into Trevathan’s tackle numbers.
DEFENSIVE BACKS 1. RESHAD JONES | DOLPHINS
Jones had 135 tackles for Miami last year, ranking fourth in the league among all defensive players and first among defensive backs. He also had a career-high five interceptions, two of which he ran back for TDs. Over the past three years, the only time Jones failed to reach triple digits in tackles was 2014, when he served a fourgame suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. He deserves to be the first defensive back selected in IDP redraft leagues.
2. HARRISON SMITH | VIKINGS Smith missed three games with knee and hamstring injuries last season, and while his average of 5.1 tackles per game was a career low, he’s averaged 6.1 tackles per game over his four NFL seasons and should be able to get back to that level if healthy. A dangerous playmaker, Smith has 12 interceptions, 5.5 sacks and four defensive touchdowns in 53 career regular-season games.
3. DEONE BUCANNON | CARDINALS
Position eligibility is the key here. Bucannon is basically a hybrid linebacker, but a lot of IDP leagues consider him a safety. His role with the Cardinals sets him up for a lot of tackles, and if he’s eligible at safety, he should be one of the first defensive backs to come off the board in IDP drafts. Bucannon had 112 tackles last year and also recorded three sacks.
4. LANDON COLLINS | GIANTS
Collins was a productive tackler as a rookie, making 112 stops to tie for fifth among defensive backs. He had at least eight tackles in each of his last six contests. A second-round draft pick out of Alabama, Collins started all 16 games for the Giants last year. He’s an in-the-box safety who struggled in coverage and recorded only one interception last year, but his ball-
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2014 seasons, but he was bothered by a groin injury for much of the 2015 campaign and recorded only 78 tackles in 13 games. He also failed to record a single interception for the first time in his career. With better health, expect Weddle to bounce back this year with the Ravens, even though he’s starting to get long in the tooth.
10. KAM CHANCELLOR | SEAHAWKS
hawking instincts should improve with experience.
The hard-hitting Chancellor staged a two-game holdout at the start of last season and later missed three games with a tailbone injury, but he was productive when he played, averaging 6.7 tackles per game and recording two interceptions. He’s missed seven games over the past two years, but Chancellor averaged 100 tackles over the 2012-2013 seasons.
5. HA HA CLINTON DIX | PACKERS
11. MALCOLM JENKINS | EAGLES
Reshad Jones
Clinton Dix hit the century mark in tackles last season, climbing to 100 after notching 94 stops as a rookie. He also showed a knack for the big play, recording three sacks and a pair of interceptions. A first-round pick out of Alabama in 2014, Clinton Dix has been as good as advertised coming out of the college ranks, and his numbers should continue to improve.
6. MORGAN BURNETT | PACKERS
In 2014, Burnett led all defensive backs in tackles with 129. A nagging calf injury caused him to miss five games last season, and he finished with only 68 stops. But Burnett seemed to be back to his old form by the end of the season, averaging 8.2 tackles in his final five games, including the playoffs. He made 13 tackles in Green Bay’s wild-card victory over Washington.
7. JOHNATHAN CYPRIEN | JAGUARS
Cyprien has established himself as one of the most consistent tackle producers among the league’s defensive backs. Over his first three NFL seasons, Cyprien has averaged 108.7 tackles, recording at least 104 stops every year despite missing at least one game in each of those seasons. The knock against him is that he doesn’t make many big plays. Cyprien has only two interceptions and one sack in 44 career games.
8. COREY GRAHAM | BILLS
Graham thrived in Rex Ryan’s defense last year, racking up 127 tackles to finish eighth in the league in tackles among all defensive players, second among defensive backs. He also had a pair of interceptions, returning one for a TD. The rugged Graham hasn’t missed a single game over the past eight seasons.
9. ERIC WEDDLE | RAVENS
After nine seasons in San Diego, the 31-year-old Weddle is making a fresh start in Baltimore after signing a four-year, $26 million deal in the offseason. Weddle had 229 tackles for the Chargers over the 2013-
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Jenkins had 109 tackles in 2015 to tie for fifth among defensive backs. He also had two interceptions, one of which he ran back for a score, and forced three fumbles. Jenkins has five interceptions and has forced five fumbles since leaving New Orleans for Philadelphia two years ago, and he’s run back an interception for a touchdown in each of the past two seasons.
12. KENNY VACCARO | SAINTS
A former first-round draft pick out of Texas, Vaccaro had a career-high 104 tackles last season. The incompetence of the New Orleans defense boosted Vaccaro’s tackle numbers, as opposing runners and pass catchers spent an inordinate amount of time rampaging through the Saints’ secondary. Any defensive improvement in New Orleans is likely to be incremental, so Vaccaro figures to again be a busy man in 2016.
13. T.J. WARD | BRONCOS
In his two years with the Broncos, Ward hasn’t produced the sort of premium tackle numbers that he had in two of his four years with the Browns, partly because he’s had trouble staying on the field. He missed four games with an ankle injury last year, and he missed a game in 2014 for violating the NFL’s personalconduct policy. Ward had 123 tackles as a rookie with Cleveland in 2009, then had 112 tackles in his farewell season with the Browns in 2013. He’s had only 135 tackles in 27 regular-season games with Denver, but he’s shown a knack for the big play, recording four sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles over that span.
14. TYRANN MATHIEU | CARDINALS
A pure playmaker who can be used to blitz, play in the box, cover slot receivers or play deep, the “Honey Badger” has notched eight interceptions, two sacks, two forced fumbles and a defensive touchdown over his first 40 regular-season games. He also established a career high in tackles last year with 80 despite missing
the last two games of the season. Mathieu tore his ACL in December and has vowed to make it back for Week One. But even if he does, will he be able to stay on the field? Mathieu has now torn the ACL in both knees, and he’s missed eight games in his first three seasons.
15. ERIC BERRY | CHIEFS
The inspirational Berry, who’s battled Hodgkin’s lymphoma, had only 61 tackles last season but posted better tackle numbers early in his career and should be able to return to those levels. He’s recorded 10 interceptions in 69 career regular season games and has run three of them back for touchdowns.
16. EARL THOMAS | SEAHAWKS
Thomas had a career-low 64 tackles last year, but he tied a career high with five interceptions. Although his tackle stats have been inconsistent, Thomas has made 97 or more stops in three of his six seasons. He has 21 career interceptions, and he hasn’t missed a game since entering the league in 2010.
17. RON PARKER | CHIEFS
Parker emerged as one of the better blitzing safeties in the league last season, collecting five sacks. He also picked off a pair of passes and forced a fumble. Parker made a modest 78 tackles last season but had notched 94 stops in 2014.
18. MARCUS PETERS | CHIEFS
Peters was terrific as a rookie, tying for the league lead with eight interceptions and running two of them back for TDs. The first-round draft pick out of the University of Washington also recorded 60 tackles, a fine total for a cornerback. Interception and tackle totals can vary wildly from year to year for cornerbacks. But while the talented Peters might not be able to equal his 2015 interception total, he should still make more than his share of big plays.
19. KARL JOSEPH | RAIDERS
Selected 14th overall in this year’s NFL Draft, Joseph is a hard-hitting safety out of West Virginia who figures to start immediately for Oakland, which has a major void in the back end following the retirement of Charles Woodson. Joseph loves to hit and averaged 6.7 tackles a game during his college career with the Mountaineers. He had five interceptions in just four games as a senior, missing most of the year after tearing his ACL in a noncontact drill.
20. PRINCE AMUKAMAURA | JAGUARS
The rare cornerback who produces decent tackle numbers when healthy, Amukamaura has averaged 4.1 tackles a game over his first five seasons. The trick for Amukamaura is staying healthy: He’s missed 25 games since entering the league, an average of five games per season.
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2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Cardinals 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 New England WK 2 Tampa Bay WK 3 at Buffalo WK 4 Los Angeles WK 5 at San Francisco WK 6 N.Y. Jets WK 7 Seattle WK 8 at Carolina WK 9 BYE WK 10 San Francisco WK 11 at Minnesota WK 12 at Atlanta WK 13 Washington WK 14 at Miami WK 15 New Orleans WK 16 at Seattle WK 17 at Los Angeles
In a wide-open offense designed to go the distance on every play, the Cardinals could very well lead the league in top-grade fantasy performers in 2016. Venerable veteran QB Carson Palmer, sparkling sophomore RB David Johnson and WRs Larry Fitzgerald, John Brown and Michael Floyd all deserve legitimate fantasy heavyweight status. Palmer is coming off a tremendous 2015 campaign, throwing for an NFC-best 4,671 yards with a sterling 35-11 TD-interception ratio. But he also comes with a caveat, considering his injury history. Two years ago, the Cardinals went down in flames after Palmer tore an ACL in Week 10. And late last season, Palmer went down in flames in the playoffs after dislocating his finger in Week 15. The sky’s the limit for Johnson after becoming the first player to score on a running play, pass reception and kickoff return in his first two NFL games and finishing his rookie season with 13 total touchdowns. Fitzgerald projects as the Cardinals’ top fantasy wideout on paper after one of his most productive seasons ever, but keep a close eye on Floyd, who came on strong as the 2015 season wore on with six TDs and five 100-yard outings in his last 10 games.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
CARSON PALMER DREW STANTON RUNNING BACKS
DAVID JOHNSON CHRIS JOHNSON ANDRE ELLINGTON WIDE RECEIVERS
LARRY FITZGERALD MICHAEL FLOYD JOHN BROWN J.J. NELSON TIGHT ENDS
JERMAINE GRESHAM TROY NIKLAS PLACEKICKER
CHANDLER CATANZARO
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS CARSON PALMER
CHRIS JOHNSON
DAVID JOHNSON
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 NO WK 2 @ CHI WK 3 SF WK 4 STL WK 5 @ DET WK 6 @ PIT WK 7 BAL WK 8 @ CLE WK 10 @ SEA WK 11 CIN WK 12 @ SF WK 13 @ STL WK 14 MIN WK 15 @ PHI WK 16 GB WK 17 SEA SEASON TOTALS u
37 24 304 2 0 108.0 32 19 307 3 0 122.8 24 17 185 4 1 115.5 32 20 311 2 1 102.5 46 29 352 1 1 84.7 14 11 161 3 0 154.2 45 29 421 1 2 83.7 29 20 275 2 0 122.1 38 23 374 4 1 117.7 47 29 363 3 1 98.1 31 20 317 4 2 111.2 40 24 271 0 0 80.3 40 26 356 2 0 110.0 35 25 310 2 0 117.6 32 20 274 1 0 100.3 27 18 265 2 1 107.8 537 342 4,671 35 11 104.6
10 37 0 20 72 0 22 110 2 16 83 0 11 103 0 14 40 0 18 122 1 30 109 0 25 58 0 18 63 0 12 17 0 Injured reserve — DFR Injured reserve — DFR Injured reserve — DFR Injured reserve — DFR Injured reserve — DFR 196 814 3
LARRY FITZGERALD
JOHN BROWN
TD
MICHAEL FLOYD
RUSHING ATT YDS
0 0 0 5 42 7 25 3 18 3 6 3 9 3 5 1 4 0 0 2 9 8 21 22 99 19 92 29 187 9 39 11 25 125 581
ANDRE ELLINGTON
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 1 0 8
12 69 Inactive Inactive Inactive 3 63 1 7 5 21 3 0 5 61 2 2 5 24 Inactive Inactive Inactive 7 40 2 2 45 289
DAVID JOHNSON
KERWYNN WILLIAMS
TD
1
1 0 0 0 1 0 0
0 0 3
DARREN FELLS
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
Practice Squad 1 3 Practice Squad Practice Squad Practice Squad Practice Squad Practice Squad Practice Squad Practice Squad Practice Squad Practice Squad 6 59 6 2 6 34 8 44 0 0 27 142
0
1 0 0 0 0 1
J.J. NELSON
GAME OPP
RUSHING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 NO WK 2 @ CHI WK 3 SF WK 4 STL WK 5 @ DET WK 6 @ PIT WK 7 BAL WK 8 @ CLE WK 10 @ SEA WK 11 CIN WK 12 @ SF WK 13 @ STL WK 14 MIN WK 15 @ PHI WK 16 GB WK 17 SEA SEASON TOTALS u
8 6 87 0 9 8 112 3 11 9 134 2 9 7 99 0 7 5 58 1 10 8 93 0 5 3 39 0 11 9 84 1 14 10 130 0 13 8 90 0 14 10 66 0 11 8 55 0 6 5 41 0 5 3 43 0 5 4 29 1 7 6 55 1 145 109 1,215 9
7 4 46 1 5 5 45 0 5 3 62 0 10 7 75 0 4 4 73 1 14 10 196 0 6 4 65 1 Did not play 3 0 0 0 3 3 43 1 7 5 99 0 8 6 113 0 5 4 78 1 9 3 38 1 4 3 25 1 11 4 45 0 101 65 1,003 7
1 1 18 0 1 0 0 0 5 1 12 0 7 5 59 0 3 1 15 0 8 5 50 1 4 3 59 1 8 4 106 1 9 7 113 2 Inactive 2 1 14 0 12 7 104 0 9 5 102 1 8 5 70 0 8 6 111 0 4 1 16 0 89 52 849 6
2 1 55 1 2 1 3 0 3 3 16 0 10 4 63 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 8 0 2 2 19 0 2 2 44 0 1 1 8 0 2 2 17 1 4 2 8 0 3 2 21 1 7 5 31 0 4 4 42 0 6 3 88 0 8 3 34 0 57 36 457 4
5 4 82 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 13 0 1 1 17 0 2 2 25 1 2 1 9 0 Inactive Inactive 4 3 21 0 2 1 18 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 22 0 4 3 43 0 3 3 54 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 7 0 28 21 311 3
3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 0 0 0 0 4 3 70 0 Inactive 6 4 142 1 5 2 53 0 3 2 34 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 27 11 299 2
108 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
T E A M A N A LY S I S
ATLANTA
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Falcons 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
Tampa Bay at Oakland at New Orleans Carolina at Denver at Seattle San Diego Green Bay at Tampa Bay at Philadelphia BYE Arizona Kansas City at Los Angeles San Francisco at Carolina New Orleans
How will Matt Ryan respond from a down year (21 TD passes, his lowest since his rookie year)? His second season in Kyle Shanahan’s system should be smoother, but he is in the QB2 tier heading into 2015. What makes Ryan enticing, though, is his consistency. He hasn’t missed a game since 2009. The best fantasy weapon on the Falcons is Julio Jones. One of the most physically gifted receivers we’ve ever seen, Jones had 136 catches last season and should be the first wideout off the board after Antonio Brown. Savvy fantasy owners will need to monitor Mohamed Sanu, the former Bengal who is replacing Roddy White. Production can be had at that WR2 spot in Atlanta. Justin Hardy has sleeper potential for deeper leagues. RB Devonta Freeman was the ultimate surprise of the 2015 fantasy season with 14 total touchdowns and 1,634 total yards. Can he do that again, or will Tevin Coleman cut into his touches more? Freeman is an RB1 for sure, but we doubt his ceiling is higher than last year. Jacob Tamme was productive at tight end (59 receptions), but one touchdown won’t cut it from a fantasy perspective. He’s a TE2.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
MATT RYAN MATT SCHAUB RUNNING BACKS
DEVONTA FREEMAN TEVIN COLEMAN WIDE RECEIVERS
JULIO JONES MOHAMED SANU JUSTIN HARDY DEVIN HESTER TIGHT ENDS
JACOB TAMME AUSTIN HOOPER LEVINE TOILOLO PLACEKICKER
MATT BRYANT
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS MATT RYAN
DEVONTA FREEMAN
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 PHI WK 2 @ NYG WK 3 @ DAL WK 4 HOU WK 5 WAS WK 6 @ NO WK 7 @ TEN WK 8 TB WK 9 @ SF WK 11 IND WK 12 MIN WK 13 @ TB WK 14 @ CAR WK 15 @ JAX WK 16 CAR WK 17 NO SEASON TOTALS u
34 23 298 2 2 90.1 46 30 363 1 0 96.6 36 24 285 2 0 109.1 27 19 256 1 0 112.6 42 24 254 0 2 55.1 44 30 295 2 0 102.0 38 22 251 1 2 64.7 45 37 397 2 1 109.0 45 30 303 1 0 93.1 46 25 280 3 3 67.3 31 22 230 1 2 76.0 45 30 269 1 1 80.7 34 22 224 0 1 71.2 35 22 246 1 1 81.4 30 23 306 1 0 119.6 36 24 334 2 1 103.2 614 407 4,591 21 16 89.0
10 18 12 25 30 141 14 68 27 153 13 100 25 116 21 88 12 12 3 43 Inactive 14 47 12 40 25 56 22 73 25 76 265 1,056
JACOB TAMME
RODDY WHTE
TEVIN COLEMAN
TD
0 1 3 3 1 1 0 0 0 0
RUSHING ATT YDS
20 80 9 32 Inactive Inactive 2 3 4 40 3 14 3 11 1 3 17 48 18 110 3 13 3 15 4 23 Inactive Inactive 87 392
0 0 1 1 0 11
LEONARD HANKERSON
JULIO JONES
TD
0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
JUSTIN HARDY
DEVONTA FREEMAN
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
11 9 141 2 15 13 135 0 20 12 164 2 6 4 38 0 10 5 67 0 10 6 93 0 17 9 92 1 13 12 162 1 17 10 137 0 15 9 160 0 7 5 56 0 17 8 93 0 10 7 88 0 13 9 118 1 11 9 178 1 11 9 149 0 203 136 1,871 8
4 3 29 0 8 4 34 0 5 5 52 0 6 5 81 0 8 7 44 0 10 8 56 1 3 2 14 0 8 6 43 0 10 8 67 1 0 0 0 Inactive 11 10 56 0 5 3 22 0 10 7 45 0 5 3 17 0 4 2 18 1 97 73 578 3
NICK WILLIAMS
PATRICK DiMARCO
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 PHI WK 2 @ NYG WK 3 @ DAL WK 4 HOU WK 5 WAS WK 6 @ NO WK 7 @ TEN WK 8 TB WK 9 @ SF WK 11 IND WK 12 MIN WK 13 @ TB WK 14 @ CAR WK 15 @ JAX WK 16 CAR WK 17 NO SEASON TOTALS u
3 3 19 0 6 4 77 0 1 1 8 0 Inactive 10 8 94 0 5 3 32 0 6 3 36 0 12 10 103 1 10 6 61 0 3 1 16 0 6 5 69 0 4 3 26 0 5 4 26 0 1 0 0 0 4 4 29 0 5 4 61 0 81 59 657 1
8 4 84 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 8 0 4 2 23 0 4 3 23 1 4 3 48 0 3 2 24 0 2 1 20 0 9 4 24 0 8 6 60 0 4 3 33 0 5 4 35 0 4 3 47 0 6 5 67 0 4 1 10 0 70 43 506 1
4 2 16 0 11 6 77 1 6 3 45 0 8 6 103 1 4 1 13 0 6 4 37 0 0 0 0 0 Inactive Inactive 7 4 36 1 Inactive Not On Team Not On Team Not On Team Not On Team Not On Team 46 26 327 3
Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 4 2 21 0 4 4 17 0 2 1 7 0 2 2 21 0 3 2 34 0 7 1 9 0 5 3 36 0 3 2 15 0 6 4 34 0 36 21 194 0
1 1 5 0 1 1 12 0 1 1 6 0 1 1 8 0 4 1 13 0 1 1 11 0 5 3 43 0 Inactive 1 0 0 0 Inactive 4 3 16 1 2 1 5 1 4 4 40 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 17 159 2
0 0 0 0 1 1 19 0 1 1 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 18 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 8 0 0 0 0 0 4 3 21 2 0 0 0 0 2 2 18 0 3 2 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 7 0 17 13 110 2
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
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T E A M A N A LY S I S
BALTIMORE
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Ravens 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
Buffalo at Cleveland at Jacksonville Oakland Washington at N.Y. Giants at N.Y. Jets BYE Pittsburgh Cleveland at Dallas Cincinnati Miami at New England Philadelphia at Pittsburgh at Cincinnati
Under the direction of offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, the Ravens threw a league-leading 676 passes last season. While that number should shrink with the team striving for more balance, there still figures to be plenty of opportunities for impressive fantasy numbers from a host of Ravens receivers, as well as QB Joe Flacco, who has more inviting targets than ever with free-agent additions Benjamin Watson and Mike Wallace added to the mix at tight end and wide receiver, respectively. Flacco tied his career high with five 300-yard passing games before suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 11 last season, but his mediocre 14-12 TD-interception ratio was a definite fantasy turn-off. If you are in search of serious fantasy sleepers, look no further than RB Javorius Allen, who gained 867 all-purpose yards as a rookie, and WR Kamar Aiken, who raised eyebrows replacing the injured Steve Smith with at least five catches in each of the last nine games. Rookie Kenneth Dixon may be an option in deep PPR leagues. As for Smith, forget that he turned 37 in May, and remember that he looked like he was getting better with age before tearing his right Achilles in Week Eight, averaging 96 yards per game and 5.7 yards after the catch.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACK
JOE FLACCO RUNNING BACKS
JAVORIUS ALLEN JUSTIN FORSETT KENNETH DIXON WIDE RECEIVERS
STEVE SMITH MIKE WALLACE BRESHAD PERRIMAN KAMAR AIKEN MARLON BROWN TIGHT ENDS
BENJAMIN WATSON MAXX WILLIAMS PLACEKICKER
JUSTIN TUCKER
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS JOE FLACCO
RYAN MALLETT
JUSTIN FORSETT
JAVORIUS ALLEN
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 @ DEN WK 2 @ OAK WK 3 CIN WK 4 @ PIT WK 5 CLE WK 6 @ SF WK 7 @ AZ WK 8 SD WK 10 JAX WK 11 STL WK 12 @ CLE WK 13 @ MIA WK 14 SEA WK 15 KC WK 16 PIT WK 17 @ CIN SEASON TOTALS u
32 18 117 0 2 38.2 45 32 384 2 1 102.5 49 32 362 2 1 92.4 33 20 189 1 1 73.9 35 19 210 1 0 81.8 53 33 343 2 2 77.8 40 26 252 1 1 80.4 37 25 319 1 0 103.3 45 34 316 3 2 98.0 44 27 299 1 2 70.2 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 413 266 2,791 14 12 83.1
Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Inactive 41 28 274 1 0 95.0 56 30 292 1 2 59.5 97 58 566 2 2 74.5
14 43 0 15 68 0 10 13 0 27 150 0 21 121 1 17 62 0 12 36 1 17 69 0 14 53 0 4 26 0 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 151 641 2
TERRANCE WEST
GAME OPP
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 @ DEN WK 2 @ OAK WK 3 CIN WK 4 @ PIT WK 5 CLE WK 6 @ SF WK 7 @ AZ WK 8 SD WK 10 JAX WK 11 STL WK 12 @ CLE WK 13 @ MIA WK 14 SEA WK 15 KC WK 16 PIT WK 17 @ CIN SEASON TOTALS u
Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Inactive 7 37 8 31 5 16 7 35 14 44 5 17 46 180
KAMAR AIKEN
STEVE SMITH
CROCKETT GILMORE
TD
JAVORIUS ALLEN
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
9 30 1 5 3 12 5 19 8 58 4 13 3 25 4 1 5 19 22 67 12 55 17 63 8 14 4 18 17 77 15 38 137 514
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
JEREMY BUTLER
TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 1 -1 0 7 5 89 0 1 0 0 0 7 5 77 1 9 4 78 0 8 3 22 1 3 1 6 0 6 6 62 0 14 7 73 0 8 5 50 1 10 6 80 1 11 6 48 0 7 5 90 0 12 8 128 1 8 8 66 0 13 5 76 0 127 75 944 5
7 2 13 0 16 10 150 0 17 13 186 2 7 4 24 0 Inactive 10 7 137 1 9 5 78 0 7 5 82 0 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 73 46 670 3
4 2 23 0 6 5 88 2 3 3 40 0 Inactive Inactive 6 3 30 0 7 5 53 0 4 2 8 1 4 4 42 1 8 5 101 0 4 3 20 0 1 1 7 0 Inactive Inactive Injured reserve Injured reserve 47 33 412 4
1 1 4 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 1 8 0 1 1 10 0 4 3 30 0 2 1 4 0 6 5 48 0 5 4 29 1 13 12 107 1 9 5 44 0 1 0 0 0 5 5 35 0 10 6 32 0 40 45 353 2
Practice squad Practice squad Practice squad Practice squad Practice squad Practice squad Practice squad Inactive 1 1 21 0 5 4 45 0 4 3 27 0 5 4 43 0 10 7 72 0 5 3 60 0 6 3 38 0 8 6 57 0 44 31 363 0
110 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
TD
T E A M A N A LY S I S
BUFFALO
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Bills 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
at Baltimore N.Y. Jets Arizona at New England at Los Angeles San Francisco at Miami New England at Seattle BYE at Cincinnati Jacksonville at Oakland Pittsburgh Cleveland Miami at N.Y. Jets
Not sure anyone would have predicted at this time last year that Tyrod Taylor would be the Bills’ 2015 leader in fantasy points. Taylor threw 20 touchdowns to only six interceptions in 14 starts and also ran for 568 yards and four touchdowns. He’s not in QB1 territory yet, but he’s got intriguing tools to be a sleeper. What could have been a cinch for fantasy production is now a frustrating running back situation for fantasy owners. LeSean McCoy found the end zone only five times total, and with the late-season surge by Karlos Williams (seven rushing touchdowns, 5.6-yard average), this is primed to be more of a workshare. Is Sammy Watkins ready to be a WR1? We’ve seen his explosive potential on the field (nine TDs), but he had only 60 catches last season, less than half of what Antonio Brown and Julio Jones put up. Robert Woods is the only other Bills receiver worth monitoring for a starting spot on a roster. At tight end, Charles Clay couldn’t match his output in Miami in 2014, but he did haul in 51 catches. Clay should only be more productive as Taylor and the offense grow in Year Two.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
TYROD TAYLOR EJ MANUEL RUNNING BACKS
LeSEAN McCOY KARLOS WILLIAMS JONATHAN WILLIAMS WIDE RECEIVERS
SAMMY WATKINS ROBERT WOODS MARQUISE GOODWIN MARCUS EASLEY TIGHT ENDS
CHARLES CLAY NICK O’LEARY PLACEKICKER
DAN CARPENTER
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS TYROD TAYLOR
GAME OPP
WK 1 IND WK 2 NE WK 3 @ MIA WK 4 NYG WK 5 @ TEN WK 6 CIN WK 7 @JAX WK 9 MIA WK 10 @NYJ WK 11 @ NE WK 12 @KC WK 13 HOU WK 14 @ PHI WK 15 @WAS WK 16 DAL WK 17 NYJ SEASON TOTALS u
LeSEAN McCOY
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
19 14 195 1 0 123.8 30 23 242 3 3 93.3 29 21 277 3 0 136.7 42 28 274 1 1 82.8 17 10 109 1 0 97.4 Inactive Inactive 12 11 181 1 0 146.5 27 17 158 1 0 91.3 36 20 233 0 0 75.3 38 21 291 3 0 106.4 21 11 211 3 0 127.2 36 19 268 1 1 74.8 27 16 235 2 0 112.4 18 13 179 0 1 80.6 28 18 182 0 0 82.7 380 242 3,035 20 6 99.4
17 41 15 89 11 16 Inactive Inactive 17 90 18 68 16 112 19 112 20 82 19 70 21 112 20 74 10 29 Inactive Inactive 203 895
CHARLES CLAY
ROBERT WOODS
TYROD TAYLOR
TD
0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 3
CHRIS HOGAN
RUSHING ATT YDS
9 41 5 43 3 12 6 15 8 76 Inactive Inactive 10 44 6 12 4 1 5 46 7 28 8 53 9 79 14 67 10 51 104 568
KARLOS WILLIAMS
TD
0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 4
LeSEAN McCOY
RUSHING ATT YDS
SAMMY WATKINS
TD
6 55 6 21 12 110 18 40 Inactive Inactive Inactive 9 110 7 24 6 11 2 5 Inactive Inactive 4 41 17 76 6 24 93 517
1 1 1 0
2 0 0 0 0 1 1 7
SCOTT CHANDLER
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
3 0 0 0 8 6 60 1 2 1 39 0 Inactive Inactive 5 4 48 1 Inactive 8 8 168 1 7 3 14 0 6 3 39 0 10 6 158 2 4 3 109 1 12 5 81 1 10 5 111 2 6 5 84 0 15 11 136 0 96 60 1,047 9
CHRIS GRAGG
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 IND WK 2 NE WK 3 @ MIA WK 4 NYG WK 5 @ TEN WK 6 CIN WK 7 @JAX WK 9 MIA WK 10 @NYJ WK 11 @ NE WK 12 @KC WK 13 HOU WK 14 @ PHI WK 15 @WAS WK 16 DAL WK 17 NYJ SEASON TOTALS u
4 4 43 0 5 3 19 1 7 5 82 1 13 9 111 0 3 1 7 0 13 9 62 0 5 3 26 0 1 1 6 0 6 5 52 0 3 1 14 0 8 5 31 0 7 4 66 1 2 1 9 0 Inactive Inactive IR 77 51 528 3
2 2 27 0 3 3 60 1 5 4 38 0 5 3 33 0 2 1 6 0 6 4 47 0 13 9 84 1 1 0 0 0 7 3 19 0 9 4 44 0 9 3 25 0 5 2 19 1 7 5 106 0 6 4 44 0 Injured Reserve Injured Reserve 80 47 552 3
0 0 0 0 1 1 11 0 4 3 42 1 5 5 43 0 3 3 52 1 5 2 31 0 11 6 56 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 6 95 0 5 3 34 0 3 1 12 0 5 2 20 0 3 1 13 0 4 2 39 0 3 1 2 0 59 36 450 2
4 3 46 0 4 3 27 0 3 1 10 1 Inactive Inactive 4 2 4 0 4 2 36 0 2 2 7 0 5 5 47 0 10 6 41 0 5 3 31 1 1 0 0 0 7 4 35 0 1 1 8 0 Inactive Inactive 50 32 292 2
5 5 79 1 5 4 47 0 8 7 66 0 8 3 26 0 4 0 0 0 Inactive Inactive Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve 30 19 218 1
Inactive Inactive Inactive 1 1 15 0 0 0 0 0 5 5 54 0 7 2 35 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 11 0 1 1 16 0 3 2 19 0 0 0 0 0 20 12 150 0
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
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T E A M A N A LY S I S
CAROLINA
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Panthers 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
at Denver San Francisco Minnesota at Atlanta Tampa Bay at New Orleans BYE Arizona at Los Angeles Kansas City New Orleans at Oakland at Seattle San Diego at Washington Atlanta at Tampa Bay
For leagues that reward quarterbacks, Cam Newton will be the No. 1 overall pick in drafts in 2016. Coming off an MVP season with 35 touchdown passes and 10 TD runs, Newton is now a fantasy star. Oh, and he gets his top pass catcher back. Kelvin Benjamin missed out on all the fun last year because of a torn ACL. He had 1,008 receiving yards and nine scores as a rookie, and with teams focused on Newton’s legs and Greg Olsen over the middle, Benjamin – assuming he’s healthy – can get into WR1 territory. Ted Ginn won owners fantasy games on one catch at times last year, showing his game-breaking abilities with 10 scores. He’s still a boom-or-bust variety, especially with Benjamin back. We’ll see if Devin Funchess takes a second-year leap and gets more production. Olsen is now a top 5 tight end after being the Panthers’ leading receiver. Benjamin will take some red-zone targets away, but Olsen is still a reliable target for Newton and for fantasy lineups. Owners will need to be careful with Jonathan Stewart considering his age and injury history. Keep an eye on Cameron Artis-Payne, Mike Tolbert and Fozzy Whittaker.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACK
CAM NEWTON RUNNING BACKS
JONATHAN STEWART MIKE TOLBERT FOZZY WHITTAKER CAMERON ARTIS-PAYNE WIDE RECEIVERS
KELVIN BENJAMIN TED GINN JR. DEVIN FUNCHESS COREY BROWN TIGHT ENDS
GREG OLSEN ED DICKSON PLACEKICKER
GRAHAM GANO
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS CAM NEWTON
JONATHAN STEWART
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 @ JAX WK 2 HOU WK 3 NO WK 4 @ TB WK 6 @ SEA WK 7 PHI WK 8 IND WK 9 GB WK 10 @ TEN WK 11 WAS WK 12 @ DAL WK 13 @ NO WK 14 ATL WK 15 @ NYG WK 16 @ ATL WK 17 TB SEASON TOTALS u
31 18 175 1 1 71.3 37 18 195 2 1 71.3 31 20 315 2 0 119.7 22 11 124 2 0 97.5 36 20 269 1 2 65.6 24 14 197 1 3 59.2 35 16 248 2 1 76.8 30 15 297 3 1 104.4 25 21 217 1 0 116.2 34 21 246 5 0 123.3 27 16 183 0 0 79.7 41 28 331 5 1 122.1 21 15 265 3 0 153.3 45 25 340 5 0 116.9 30 17 142 0 0 69.0 26 21 293 2 0 139.3 495 296 3,837 35 10 99.4
18 56 17 62 14 52 10 50 20 78 24 125 24 82 20 66 22 91 21 102 21 68 21 82 10 75 Inactive Inactive Inactive 242 989
TED GINN
JERRICHO COTCHERY
CAM NEWTON
TD
0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1
6
COREY BROWN
MIKE TOLBERT
GREG OLSEN
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
14 35 10 76 7 33 12 51 7 30 4 20 10 41 9 57 9 23 4 16 12 45 10 49 3 4 8 100 7 46 6 10 132 636
0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 10
1 12 5 31 5 16 3 7 3 10 3 16 0 0 3 7 3 5 7 5 4 16 2 33 6 17 5 10 2 12 10 59 62 256
0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
3 1 11 0 14 6 70 0 11 8 134 2 6 2 28 0 11 7 131 1 5 3 65 0 12 6 79 1 7 4 66 1 8 8 80 0 6 3 54 1 9 5 70 0 12 9 129 0 4 3 52 0 8 6 79 1 6 4 40 0 2 2 16 0 124 77 1,104 7
DEVIN FUNCHESS
MIKE TOLBERT
ED DICKSON
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 @ JAX WK 2 HOU WK 3 NO WK 4 @ TB WK 6 @ SEA WK 7 PHI WK 8 IND WK 9 GB WK 10 @ TEN WK 11 WAS WK 12 @ DAL WK 13 @ NO WK 14 ATL WK 15 @ NYG WK 16 @ ATL WK 17 TB SEASON TOTALS u
7 2 54 0 9 4 41 1 6 4 93 0 3 2 18 2 4 1 18 0 8 5 59 0 10 2 60 0 4 1 20 0 7 4 45 0 8 5 37 1 0 0 0 0 10 5 80 2 3 2 120 2 14 6 85 2 3 1 9 0 Inactive 96 44 739 10
6 4 45 1 1 1 11 0 Inactive Inactive 4 2 21 0 1 1 13 0 3 2 18 0 6 3 82 0 3 2 6 0 6 4 57 0 6 5 73 0 3 3 26 1 2 2 10 0 6 4 47 0 5 4 24 0 2 2 52 1 54 39 485 3
3 2 13 0 4 3 57 1 0 0 0 0 3 1 3 0 3 2 22 0 5 3 38 0 5 3 42 1 4 2 50 1 1 1 8 0 Inactive Inactive 4 2 7 0 6 3 59 0 4 3 51 1 6 3 39 0 6 3 58 0 54 31 447 4
2 1 9 0 4 1 15 0 4 1 14 0 2 0 0 0 6 2 24 0 2 1 20 0 1 1 8 0 4 3 71 1 2 2 41 0 8 4 64 1 4 2 19 0 3 1 13 1 5 3 25 0 7 2 30 1 1 0 0 0 8 7 120 1 63 31 473 5
2 1 6 0 3 2 4 0 3 3 28 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 1 1 1 40 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 16 0 2 2 5 1 1 0 0 0 3 2 18 1 2 2 13 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 17 0 1 1 5 0 23 18 154 3
2 1 9 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 19 0 2 1 11 0 4 3 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 6 0 3 3 21 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 3 27 0 1 1 4 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 2 0 0 26 17 121 2
112 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
T E A M A N A LY S I S
CHICAGO
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Bears 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
at Houston Philadelphia at Dallas Detroit at Indianapolis Jacksonville at Green Bay Minnesota BYE at Tampa Bay at N.Y. Giants Tennessee San Francisco at Detroit Green Bay Washington at Minnesota
The Bears didn’t re-sign a starting fantasy running back and traded one of the better fantasy tight ends, but feature two second-year players as potential breakout fantasy players in 2016. Jeremy Langford takes over for Matt Forte as the lead back. He showed well as both a receiver and runner last season while also having a nose for the end zone with six scores. At receiver, Kevin White will make his NFL debut after missing his rookie season. He has game-breaking speed and opposite Alshon Jeffery, should see some favorable coverages as defenses figure him out. Jeffery is the team’s top skill player for fantasy purposes, though. The injuries are an issue, but when he’s on the field, Jeffery has WR1 production. If healthy, Eddie Royal can be a WR3 or flex player. Keep an eye on the No. 2 RB spot, where Ka’Deem Carey will compete with rookie Jordan Howard to complement Langford, as John Fox likes a shared backfield. Jay Cutler is not a QB1, but he threw only 11 picks last year and should be better with a full receiving corps this year, staying in a similar offense. He’s got potential for another strong season.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACK
JAY CUTLER RUNNING BACKS
JEREMY LANGFORD Ka’DEEM CAREY JORDAN HOWARD WIDE RECEIVERS
ALSHON JEFFERY KEVIN WHITE EDDIE ROYAL MARQUESS WILSON MARC MARIANI TIGHT ENDS
ZACH MILLER ROB HOUSLER PLACEKICKER
ROBBIE GOULD
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS JAY CUTLER
MATT FORTE
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 GB WK 2 AZ WK 3 @ SEA WK 4 OAK WK 5 @ KC WK 6 @ DET WK 8 MIN WK 9 @ SD WK 10 @ STL WK 11 DEN WK 12 @ GB WK 13 SF WK 14 WAS WK 15 @ MIN WK 16 @ TB WK 17 DET SEASON TOTALS u
36 18 225 1 1 67.5 9 8 120 1 1 116.2 Inactive 43 28 281 2 1 89.4 45 26 252 2 0 88.4 41 26 353 1 1 88.8 33 22 211 1 0 94.4 40 27 345 2 1 100.5 24 19 258 3 0 151.0 32 18 265 0 1 70.4 31 19 200 1 0 90.8 31 18 202 0 1 64.2 31 19 315 2 0 117.0 37 26 231 2 1 93.4 27 20 156 1 0 100.2 23 17 245 2 3 97.5 483 311 3,659 21 11 92.3
24 141 15 61 20 74 25 91 18 71 24 69 10 41 Inactive Inactive Inactive 15 44 21 84 10 45 8 47 11 54 17 76 218 898
MARTELLUS BENNETT
MATT FORTE
JEREMY LANGFORD
TD
1 0 0 0 0 1 0
0 1 1 0 0 0 4
EDDIE ROYAL
Ka’DEEM CAREY
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
1 1 6 21 0 0 1 4 2 -2 5 10 12 46 18 72 20 73 13 25 12 48 12 59 11 37 11 46 19 83 5 14 148 537
0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 6
Inactive Inactive 0 0 Inactive 0 0 0 0 Inactive 7 28 14 56 9 32 Inactive 5 17 0 0 0 0 7 16 1 10 43 159
ZACH MILLER
ALSHON JEFFERY
TD
0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2
MARQUESS WILSON
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
11 5 78 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 11 8 147 1 15 10 116 1 16 10 151 0 4 3 23 0 11 7 90 0 12 4 85 0 9 6 107 1 5 1 10 1 Inactive Injured reserve 94 54 807 4
MARC MARIANI
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 GB WK 2 AZ WK 3 @ SEA WK 4 OAK WK 5 @ KC WK 6 @ DET WK 8 MIN WK 9 @ SD WK 10 @ STL WK 11 DEN WK 12 @ GB WK 13 SF WK 14 WAS WK 15 @ MIN WK 16 @ TB WK 17 DET SEASON TOTALS u
7 5 55 1 6 4 48 0 5 4 15 0 13 11 83 1 11 4 32 0 11 6 59 0 5 3 32 0 9 8 57 1 3 3 18 0 6 2 26 0 Inactive 4 3 14 0 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 80 53 439 3
8 5 25 0 5 4 44 0 3 0 0 0 4 4 64 0 7 5 38 1 5 3 20 0 4 4 28 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive 1 1 9 0 5 5 39 0 2 1 8 0 7 6 57 1 4 3 23 0 3 3 34 1 58 44 389 3
5 1 8 0 8 7 41 0 3 3 17 0 10 7 54 1 Inactive 7 5 49 0 3 3 2 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 2 1 15 0 6 5 31 0 6 5 21 0 Inactive 50 37 238 1
1 0 0 0 2 2 14 0 1 1 21 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 23 1 5 5 107 2 6 3 47 0 7 2 10 1 1 1 6 0 6 5 85 1 6 6 57 0 8 7 69 0 Inactive 46 34 439 5
2 2 59 0 5 1 10 0 2 0 0 0 9 6 80 0 8 6 85 1 4 2 54 0 3 1 14 0 3 1 15 0 3 1 1 0 7 4 102 0 5 4 44 0 Inactive Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 51 28 464 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 19 0 3 2 23 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 10 0 3 3 35 0 2 2 33 0 3 2 37 0 4 3 31 0 3 2 32 0 8 6 80 0 33 22 300 0
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
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T E A M A N A LY S I S
CINCINNATI
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Bengals 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
at N.Y. Jets at Pittsburgh Denver Miami at Dallas at New England Cleveland Washington BYE at N.Y. Giants Buffalo at Baltimore Philadelphia at Cleveland Pittsburgh at Houston Baltimore
Even though the departures of free agent WRs Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu have significantly watered down the Bengals’ passing attack, the team still has plenty of fantasy performers capable of reaching high-water marks in 2016. Start with A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert, who rank among the league’s top fantasy performers at wide receiver and tight end, repectively. Averaging 15.1 yards per catch for the second year in a row, Green reached double digits in touchdowns for the third time in five seasons. Eifert spent an amazing 25 percent of his time on the field in the end zone with 13 TDs on 52 receptions, and he could become even more prolific if he can stay healthy for an entire year after injuries forced him to miss three games last season. RB Jeremy Hill is a high-powered TD machine with 20 rushing scores in two seasons, despite sharing playing time with Giovani Bernard, a threat to go the distance on every play both as a rusher and receiver out of the backfield. QB Andy Dalton made a quantum leap in efficiency with a 25-7 TD-interception ratio in his fifth season after throwing almost as many picks (17) as TDs (19) the previous season.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
ANDY DALTON A.J. McCARRON RUNNING BACKS
JEREMY HILL GIOVANI BERNARD CEDRIC PEERMAN WIDE RECEIVERS
A.J. GREEN BRANDON LAFELL TYLER BOYD BRANDON TATE TIGHT ENDS
TYLER EIFERT TYLER KROFT PLACEKICKER
MIKE NUGENT
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS ANDY DALTON
A.J. McCARRON
JEREMY HILL
GIOVANI BERNARD
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
WK 1 @ OAK WK 2 SD WK 3 @ BAL WK 4 KC WK 5 SEA WK 6 @ BUF WK 8 @ PIT WK 9 CLE WK 10 HOU WK 11 @ AZ WK 12 STL WK 13 @ CLE WK 14 PIT WK 15 @ SF WK 16 @ DEN WK 17 BAL SEASON TOTALS u
34 25 269 2 0 115.9 26 16 214 3 0 126.1 32 20 383 3 1 122.3 24 17 321 1 0 127.1 44 30 331 2 1 95.9 33 22 243 3 0 118.6 38 23 231 1 2 64.7 27 21 234 3 0 139.8 38 22 197 0 1 61.0 39 22 315 2 0 99.8 27 20 233 3 1 121.4 19 14 220 2 0 146.8 5 3 59 0 1 61.7 Inactive Inactive Inactive 386 255 3,250 25 7 106.2
Did not play Did not play Did not play Did not play Did not play Did not play Did not play 0 0 0 0 0 0 Did not play Did not play 1 1 3 0 0 79.2 3 2 19 0 0 84.0 32 22 280 2 2 90.6 21 15 192 1 0 115.6 35 22 200 1 0 87.8 27 17 160 2 0 103.9 119 79 854 6 2 97.1
19 63 10 39 12 21 9 40 8 13 16 56 15 60 15 52 7 15 13 45 16 86 22 98 7 16 19 31 19 63 16 96 223 794
2 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 11
8 63 20 123 13 49 13 62 15 80 8 50 1 12 13 72 8 36 6 18 10 16 5 26 6 40 14 33 8 14 6 36 154 730
0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
ANDY DALTON
GAME OPP
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 @ OAK WK 2 SD WK 3 @ BAL WK 4 KC WK 5 SEA WK 6 @ BUF WK 8 @ PIT WK 9 CLE WK 10 HOU WK 11 @ AZ WK 12 STL WK 13 @ CLE WK 14 PIT WK 15 @ SF WK 16 @ DEN WK 17 BAL SEASON TOTALS u
4 1 5 10 5 10 3 16 7 18 3 -2 6 4 6 5 4 31 8 34 2 4 4 11 0 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive 57 142
A.J. GREEN
TD
0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
3
MARVIN JONES
TYLER EIFERT
GIOVANI BERNARD
MOHAMED SANU
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
8 5 63 0 4 3 45 1 13 10 227 2 10 7 82 0 8 6 78 0 7 4 36 0 17 11 118 1 6 4 53 0 7 5 67 0 12 4 79 0 8 6 61 2 6 5 128 1 9 6 132 1 3 1 37 0 9 5 57 1 5 4 34 1 132 86 1,297 10
3 2 19 0 5 2 48 1 8 5 94 1 2 1 4 0 8 5 61 0 12 9 95 1 5 2 12 0 6 5 78 0 9 4 44 0 9 4 60 0 5 3 25 0 5 5 55 1 8 6 61 0 6 4 89 0 7 3 33 0 5 5 38 0 103 65 816 4
12 9 104 2 5 4 49 1 3 0 0 0 4 3 69 0 12 8 90 2 4 4 30 1 8 4 39 0 6 5 53 3 7 3 26 0 3 3 22 2 4 3 40 1 Inactive 2 2 42 0 Inactive Inactive 4 4 51 1 74 52 615 13
6 6 25 0 3 3 16 0 4 3 34 0 0 0 0 0 8 5 21 0 2 1 23 0 3 2 22 0 1 1 14 0 8 5 43 0 10 8 128 0 3 2 51 0 1 1 9 0 5 3 27 0 4 4 18 0 5 4 29 0 3 1 12 0 66 49 472 0
3 2 34 0 2 1 15 0 4 2 28 0 6 4 84 0 5 5 69 0 4 2 30 0 3 2 10 0 3 3 25 0 2 1 5 0 3 2 19 0 1 1 8 0 1 0 0 0 5 2 24 0 2 2 8 0 3 3 29 0 2 1 6 0 49 33 394 0
114 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
T E A M A N A LY S I S
CLEVELAND
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Browns 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
at Philadelphia Baltimore at Miami at Washington New England at Tennessee at Cincinnati N.Y. Jets Dallas at Baltimore Pittsburgh N.Y. Giants BYE Cincinnati at Buffalo San Diego at Pittsburgh
Former No. 2 overall pick Robert Griffin III has a chance to rekindle some of the dual-threat skills he displayed as the 2012 Rookie of the Year now that he’s working with a renowned quarterback developer in Hue Jackson, but he’s just as likely to get hurt behind a reworked offensive line that gave up the second-most sacks in the league in 2015. RGIII could get to play with 2013 receiving yards leader Josh Gordon, his former teammate at Baylor and a top-10 receiver when on the field, but that won’t be clear until Gordon’s August appeal for reinstatement from a ban for substance abuse. Gary Barnidge is coming off a breakout year in his first season out of Jordan Cameron’s shadow, but he counts as another wildcard, now 31 on a new deal after just one good season. He’ll get some room to work thanks to first-round pick Corey Coleman, a field-stretcher out of Baylor who is probably a high-end WR3. Rookie WRs Ricardo Louis, Jordan Payton and Rashard Higgins will compete for reps with Andrew Hawkins and Brian Hartline. Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson will be intriguing mid-round options with Jackson’s love of running the ball, especially with the deception RGIII can offer in zone-read plays. Johnson is the better option, given his ability to add receiving yards.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
ROBERT GRIFFIN III CODY KESSLER RUNNING BACKS
DUKE JOHNSON ISAIAH CROWELL WIDE RECEIVERS
JOSH GORDON (SUSP.) COREY COLEMAN ANDREW HAWKINS BRIAN HARTLINE RICARDO LOUIS TIGHT ENDS
GARY BARNIDGE EJ BIBBS PLACEKICKER
TRAVIS COONS
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS JOSH McCOWN
AUSTIN DAVIS
ISAIAH CROWELL
DUKE JOHNSON
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
WK 1 @ NYJ WK 2 TEN WK 3 OAK WK 4 @ SD WK 5 @ BAL WK 6 DEN WK 7 @ STL WK 8 AZ WK 9 @ CIN WK 10 @ PIT WK 12 BAL WK 13 CIN WK 14 SF WK 15 @ SEA WK 16 @ KC WK 17 PIT SEASON TOTALS u
8 5 49 0 0 79.7 Inactive 49 28 341 2 1 83.8 41 32 356 2 0 119.1 51 36 457 2 0 111.3 39 20 213 2 2 63.3 32 26 270 0 0 101.8 34 18 211 3 1 89.2 Inactive Inactive 38 21 212 1 0 80.2 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 292 186 2,109 12 4 93.3
Inactive Active, did not play Inactive Active, did not play Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Active, did not play Active, did not play 7 77 1 25 230 0 Active, did not play Active, did not play Active, did not play 24 240 0 56 547 1
12 20 15 72 10 36 12 63 13 49 11 32 8 9 10 14 10 38 6 -5 7 7 11 62 20 145 9 23 16 88 15 53 185 706
0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 4
7 22 12 43 4 3 8 31 9 22 9 38 6 17 1 3 3 0 4 10 7 27 5 2 13 78 4 46 8 26 4 11 104 379
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
GARY BARNIDGE
TRAVIS BENJAMIN
10 38
46 94
DUKE JOHNSON
0 125.8 1 71.2
2 49.2 3 66.2
BRIAN HARTLINE
TAYLOR GABRIEL
ANDREW HAWKINS
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 @ NYJ WK 2 TEN WK 3 OAK WK 4 @ SD WK 5 @ BAL WK 6 DEN WK 7 @ STL WK 8 AZ WK 9 @ CIN WK 10 @ PIT WK 12 BAL WK 13 CIN WK 14 SF WK 15 @ SEA WK 16 @ KC WK 17 PIT SEASON TOTALS u
5 3 38 0 1 1 17 0 10 6 105 1 6 6 75 1 10 8 139 1 9 3 39 2 7 6 101 0 11 7 53 1 7 2 35 0 8 6 65 1 11 7 91 0 8 5 59 0 7 5 84 1 4 3 29 1 8 3 47 0 13 8 66 0 125 79 1,043 9
3 3 89 1 4 3 115 2 10 4 45 1 10 6 79 0 12 6 83 0 13 9 117 0 8 4 47 0 5 3 26 0 6 3 22 0 11 7 113 0 13 6 90 1 2 0 0 0 7 4 41 0 5 3 26 0 5 2 20 0 11 5 53 0 125 68 966 5
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 6 32 0 10 9 85 1 8 6 55 0 4 3 18 0 7 7 73 0 2 2 68 0 4 2 38 1 4 4 18 0 6 5 23 0 4 4 30 0 3 1 6 0 5 5 39 0 4 3 15 0 6 4 34 0 74 61 534 2
5 2 20 0 3 0 0 0 7 5 96 0 1 1 7 0 3 1 5 0 3 0 0 0 3 3 22 0 10 4 32 2 Inactive 9 6 77 0 12 8 74 0 11 8 83 0 10 8 107 0 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 77 46 523 2
4 2 20 0 1 1 -3 0 5 3 28 0 5 4 22 0 5 4 75 0 2 1 5 0 4 4 15 0 7 4 32 0 6 1 3 0 3 2 26 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive 4 2 18 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 48 28 241 0
6 3 24 0 4 3 43 0 6 2 18 0 3 2 27 0 9 7 49 0 4 1 25 0 3 2 21 0 Inactive Inactive 8 7 69 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Injured reserve Injured reserve 43 27 276 0
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
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T E A M A N A LY S I S
DALLAS
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Cowboys 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
N.Y. Giants at Washington Chicago at San Francisco Cincinnati at Green Bay BYE Philadelphia at Cleveland at Pittsburgh Baltimore Washington at Minnesota at N.Y. Giants Tampa Bay Detroit Lions at Philadelphia
The Cowboys live in a feast-or-famine fantasy world. Two seasons ago, they were God’s gift to fantasy football, as Tony Romo, DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant all finished the year ranked among the top point producers at their respective positions. Last season, on the other hand, became a lost one quickly, as both Romo and Bryant suffered serious injuries, and the Cowboys’ offense totally went to hell, although Darren McFadden ended up doing a decent job replacing Murray, who left Dallas for Philly. Will Romo and Bryant feast on opposing defenses like they did in 2014 along with first-round RB Ezekiel Elliott, who is expected to get every opportunity to duplicate Murray’s dominance? Or have they become damaged fantasy goods, forevermore tainted by their injuryriddled 2015 campaigns? The odds are a bit better that Bryant will bounce back in a big way since he is expected to participate in a full offseason training regimen, unlike last offseason when he was too busy haggling over a new contract. The Cowboys’ safest fantasy bet by far is PK Dan Bailey, who is coming off a career season in which he connected on 30-of-32 threepointers, including 5-of-6 from 50 yards or beyond.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
TONY ROMO DAK PRESCOTT RUNNING BACKS
EZEKIEL ELLIOTT DARREN MCFADDEN ALFRED MORRIS WIDE RECEIVERS
DEZ BRYANT TERRANCE WILLIAMS COLE BEASLEY BRICE BUTLER TIGHT ENDS
JASON WITTEN JAMES HANNA PLACEKICKER
DAN BAILEY
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS TONY ROMO
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
WK 1 NYG WK 2 @ PHI WK 3 ATL WK 4 @ NO WK 5 NE WK 7 @ NYG WK 8 SEA. WK 9 PHI. WK 10 @ TB WK 11 @ MIA WK 12 CAR WK 13 @ WAS WK 14 @ GB WK 15 NYJ WK 16 @ BUF WK 17 WAS SEASON TOTALS u
45 36 356 3 2 103.3 27 18 195 0 0 87.7 Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve 28 18 227 2 2 83.5 21 11 106 0 3 27.2 Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve 121 83 884 5 7 79.4
TERRANCE WILLIAMS
JASON WITTEN
DARREN McFADDEN
RUSHING ATT YDS TD 6 16 0
10 31 6 35 10 31 5 16 29 152 20 64 27 117 17 32 29 129 10 11 14 53 9 111 16 100 19 99 12 92 239 1,089
0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3
COLE BEASLEY
JOSEPH RANDLE
RUSHING ATT YDS
16 65 18 51 14 87 11 26 15 62 2 24 Inactive Released Released Released Released Released Released Released Released Released 76 315
ROBERT TURBIN
TD
0 0 3 1 0 0
4
DEZ BRYANT
RUSHING ATT YDS
LANCE DUNBAR
TD
Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team 7 35 2 11 6 12 7 51 3 1 5 23 2 6 32 139
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
DARREN McFADDEN
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
0 0 0 1 8 0 1 5 0 3 54 0 Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve 5 67 0
LANCE DUNBAR
GAME OPP
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 NYG WK 2 @ PHI WK 3 ATL WK 4 @ NO WK 5 NE WK 7 @ NYG WK 8 SEA. WK 9 PHI. WK 10 @ TB WK 11 @ MIA WK 12 CAR WK 13 @ WAS WK 14 @ GB WK 15 NYJ WK 16 @ BUF WK 17 WAS SEASON TOTALS u
8 5 60 0 7 4 84 1 2 0 0 0 10 3 49 1 6 2 30 0 7 4 70 0 2 2 20 0 5 3 27 0 3 2 33 0 4 4 79 1 7 4 39 0 3 2 63 0 5 3 38 0 5 2 13 0 10 4 62 0 9 8 173 0 93 52 840 3
9 8 60 2 8 7 56 0 8 6 65 0 6 4 57 0 6 5 33 0 8 6 73 0 4 2 16 0 8 6 43 0 5 5 42 0 3 2 27 0 6 4 36 0 9 5 46 0 9 5 40 0 5 5 49 0 2 1 12 0 8 6 58 1 104 77 713 3
6 4 49 0 5 4 14 0 4 4 49 0 6 6 62 0 6 4 40 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 11 9 112 2 1 1 8 0 3 1 14 0 7 6 44 1 3 0 0 0 4 3 25 0 7 3 37 0 2 2 29 0 7 5 53 2 75 52 536 5
7 5 48 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 6 2 12 0 8 5 104 1 12 5 45 0 9 4 45 1 8 2 26 0 7 3 62 0 6 1 9 0 9 4 50 1 Inactive Inactive 72 31 401 3
1 1 19 0 2 2 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 9 62 0 2 2 10 0 8 6 49 0 2 1 5 0 4 3 26 0 3 3 20 0 6 4 45 0 1 1 6 0 2 0 0 0 3 2 13 0 1 1 -1 0 8 5 53 0 53 40 328 0
8 8 70 0 5 3 45 0 10 10 100 0 0 0 0 0 Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve 23 21 215 0
116 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
T E A M A N A LY S I S
DENVER
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Broncos 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
Carolina Indianapolis at Cincinnati at Tampa Bay Atlanta at San Diego Houston San Diego at Oakland at New Orleans BYE Kansas City at Jacksonville at Tennessee New England at Kansas City Oakland
Last year, the Broncos looked like another sure boom for fantasy owners, and it just didn’t work out despite their real-life run to the Super Bowl. This year’s group is the epitome of a mystery. We have a hard time seeing the passing game struggling more than it did with a broken-down Peyton Manning, when it finished with just 19 passing touchdowns. Mark Sanchez likely will get the first crack with first-round rookie Paxton Lynch waiting in the wings. Owners may want to avoid Denver QBs this season. Demaryius Thomas didn’t deliver much of anything down the stretch, including just 60 yards in three postseason games. He should bounce back some toward his absurd 2012-2014 levels, when he had at least 1,400 yards and 10 scores in each season, but don’t go expecting that kind of production with a new quarterback. Emmanuel Sanders’ production rose when Brock Osweiler checked in at midseason, and he was at his best in the postseason. TE is also a bit of a question mark with Virgil Green taking over. We know a Gary Kubiak team will run the ball, so give a look to C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman, and even rookie Devontae Booker. You might feel burned by Anderson’s bust of a 2015 campaign, but Denver allotted $7.6 million guaranteed to him for a reason.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
MARK SANCHEZ PAXTON LYNCH RUNNING BACKS
C.J. ANDERSON RONNIE HILLMAN DEVONTAE BOOKER WIDE RECEIVERS
DEMARYIUS THOMAS EMMANUEL SANDERS JORDAN NORWOOD BENNIE FOWLER TIGHT ENDS
VIRGIL GREEN JEFF HEUERMAN PLACEKICKER
BRANDON McMANUS
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS PEYTON MANNING
BROCK OSWEILER
RONNIE HILLMAN
C.J. ANDERSON
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
WK 1 BAL WK 2 @ KC WK 3 @ DET WK 4 MIN WK 5 @ OAK WK 6 @ CLE WK 8 GB WK 9 @ IND WK 10 KC WK 11 @ CHI WK 12 NE WK 13 @ SD WK 14 OAK WK 15 @ PIT WK 16 CIN WK 17 SD SEASON TOTALS u
40 24 175 0 1 59.9 45 26 256 3 1 86.9 42 31 324 2 1 101.7 27 17 213 1 2 68.9 35 22 266 0 2 62.3 48 26 290 1 3 53.3 29 21 340 0 1 96.9 36 21 281 2 2 78.6 20 5 35 0 4 0.0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 9 5 69 0 0 80.3 331 198 2,249 9 17 67.9
Active, did not play Active, did not play Active, did not play Active, did not play Active, did not play Active, did not play Active, did not play Active, did not play 24 14 146 1 1 72.6 27 20 250 2 0 127.1 42 23 270 1 1 72.5 26 16 166 1 1 76.8 51 35 308 0 0 84.4 44 21 296 3 1 83.1 39 27 299 1 0 100.3 22 14 232 1 2 76.3 275 170 1,967 10 6 86.4
12 41 9 34 7 13 11 103 7 21 20 111 19 60 7 1 11 42 21 102 14 59 19 56 12 20 14 48 9 35 15 117 207 863
0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 7
DEMARYIUS THOMAS
EMMANUEL SANDERS
OWEN DANIELS
C.J. ANDERSON
RONNIE HILLMAN
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
12 29 0 12 27 0 8 18 0 11 43 0 11 22 0 13 41 0 14 101 1 7 34 0 2 9 0 12 59 0 15 113 2 7 42 0 Active, did not play 4 14 0 9 73 1 15 95 1 152 720 5
JORDAN NORWOOD
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 BAL WK 2 @ KC WK 3 @ DET WK 4 MIN WK 5 @ OAK WK 6 @ CLE WK 8 GB WK 9 @ IND WK 10 KC WK 11 @ CHI WK 12 NE WK 13 @ SD WK 14 OAK WK 15 @ PIT WK 16 CIN WK 17 SD SEASON TOTALS u
11 7 60 0 14 8 116 0 13 9 92 1 12 9 93 0 8 5 55 0 17 10 111 0 11 8 168 0 7 5 50 0 10 7 71 0 8 3 59 1 13 1 36 0 6 6 61 1 14 10 95 0 12 5 61 2 12 7 59 0 9 5 117 1 177 105 1,304 6
12 8 65 0 14 8 87 2 9 6 87 0 6 3 68 0 12 9 111 0 12 4 109 1 5 2 22 0 11 6 90 1 4 0 0 0 Inactive 9 6 113 0 8 3 19 0 6 2 17 0 16 10 181 1 5 4 67 1 8 5 99 0 137 76 1,135 6
2 2 5 0 5 3 19 0 9 5 28 1 5 2 9 1 5 0 0 0 3 2 24 0 3 3 44 0 9 6 102 1 5 1 14 0 5 4 69 0 6 5 48 0 3 2 13 0 4 3 43 0 5 2 14 0 7 5 70 0 1 1 15 0 77 46 517 3
8 4 19 0 1 1 2 0 1 1 9 0 1 1 27 0 2 2 18 0 4 4 25 0 1 1 5 0 2 1 4 0 1 0 0 0 2 2 13 0 4 4 40 0 1 1 12 0 Active, did not play 3 1 6 0 2 1 8 0 3 1 -5 0 36 25 183 0
0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 1 1 5 0 2 1 5 0 5 3 4 0 2 1 -5 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 9 0 1 1 2 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 9 7 41 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 37 0 3 2 10 0 35 24 111 0
5 2 25 0 5 3 14 0 3 3 27 0 0 0 0 3 2 15 0 2 1 -1 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive 1 1 8 0 Inactive Inactive 1 1 5 0 2 2 29 0 6 4 37 0 4 3 48 0 32 22 207 0
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DETROIT
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Lions 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
at Indianapolis Tennessee at Green Bay at Chicago Philadelphia Los Angeles Washington at Houston at Minnesota BYE Jacksonville Minnesota at New Orleans Chicago at N.Y. Giants at Dallas Green Bay
Neither one man nor one position can replace Calvin Johnson’s production. Marvin Jones was paid to be a No. 1 but expecting more from him than Golden Tate, one of the game’s premier No. 2s, isn’t realistic. Expecting more from Ameer Abdullah and Eric Ebron in Years Two and Three, respectively, is paramount to the fantasy success of Matthew Stafford and Co. Stafford ignited against bad defenses in the second half of 2015 to return to QB1 status after his worst year in 2014. How he responds to not having Johnson for the first time is anyone’s guess, but Stafford’s past reliance on Megatron means relying on the QB as a fantasy starter is too risky. While there are a lot of unknowns in this offense, Abdullah and the running game are poised to improve, and the second-year back has the special traits and enhanced opportunities to break out. We also envision Ebron soaking up some of Megatron’s red-zone chances and making another solid leap, perhaps into the TE1 periphery. Theo Riddick should continue to be a PPR monster, and Stevan Ridley, two years removed from ACL surgery and still just 27, is worth a stash because of his red-zone ability and Abdullah’s greenness.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
MATTHEW STAFFORD DAN ORLOVSKY RUNNING BACKS
AMEER ABDULLAH THEO RIDDICK STEVAN RIDLEY WIDE RECEIVERS
GOLDEN TATE MARVIN JONES JEREMY KERLEY T.J. JONES TIGHT ENDS
ERIC EBRON TIM WRIGHT PLACEKICKER
MATT PRATER
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS MATTHEW STAFFORD
AMEER ABDULLAH
JOIQUE BELL
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 @ SD WK 2 @ MIN WK 3 DEN WK 4 @ SEA WK 5 AZ WK 6 CHI WK 7 MIN WK 8 @ KC WK 10 @ GB WK 11 OAK WK 12 PHI WK 13 GB WK 14 @ STL WK 15 @ NO WK 16 SF WK 17 @ CHI SEASON TOTALS u
30 19 246 2 2 83.5 53 32 286 2 1 79.6 45 31 282 1 2 74.5 35 24 203 0 0 83.4 32 20 188 1 3 50.0 42 27 405 4 1 117.7 26 18 256 2 0 126.4 36 22 217 1 2 64.2 38 24 242 2 1 87.8 35 22 282 0 0 88.0 38 27 337 5 0 137.8 35 23 220 2 0 102.1 46 30 245 2 1 84.1 25 22 254 3 0 148.6 37 29 301 2 0 118.6 39 28 298 3 0 119.4 592 398 4,262 32 13 97.0
7 50 6 9 8 23 13 33 6 16 14 48 8 43 1 3 5 15 12 44 16 63 13 67 7 23 9 77 8 39 10 44 143 597
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2
6 14 4 2 10 6 Inactive Inactive Inactive 3 21 7 56 14 17 6 22 7 25 8 5 7 50 8 71 7 13 3 9 90 311
CALVIN JOHNSON
THEO RIDDICK
ERIC EBRON
THEO RIDDICK
TD
0 0 1
0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 4
LANCE MOORE
GOLDEN TATE
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
0 0 1 5 0 0 1 5 0 0 7 28 3 8 5 17 3 1 6 14 2 6 1 4 3 18 2 3 7 20 2 4 43 133
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 4 24 0 10 6 80 0 7 5 57 0 4 3 29 0 18 8 74 0 8 6 40 1 6 2 14 0 7 6 59 0 4 4 52 0 11 8 73 0 8 7 50 1 10 8 63 0 10 9 60 2 6 6 45 2 5 4 59 0 6 4 34 0 128 90 813 6
AMEER ABDULLAH
JOIQUE BELL
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 @ SD WK 2 @ MIN WK 3 DEN WK 4 @ SEA WK 5 AZ WK 6 CHI WK 7 MIN WK 8 @ KC WK 10 @ GB WK 11 OAK WK 12 PHI WK 13 GB WK 14 @ STL WK 15 @ NO WK 16 SF WK 17 @ CHI SEASON TOTALS u
4 2 39 0 17 10 83 1 13 8 77 0 11 7 56 0 7 5 67 0 9 6 166 1 7 5 86 1 10 5 85 0 9 6 81 0 9 5 88 0 14 8 93 3 8 3 44 1 5 1 16 0 1 1 19 0 10 6 77 1 15 10 137 1 149 88 1,214 9
2 2 37 1 6 5 41 0 10 8 66 0 5 5 31 0 13 10 53 1 6 3 50 0 4 3 40 0 7 6 30 0 3 3 25 0 6 5 72 0 5 5 62 1 6 5 27 0 11 7 44 0 2 2 27 0 8 7 63 0 5 4 29 0 99 80 697 3
5 4 53 1 10 5 43 1 5 4 61 0 3 2 22 0 Inactive Inactive 5 5 89 1 5 3 24 0 8 4 28 0 2 0 0 0 3 2 28 0 2 2 9 1 5 3 27 0 5 4 79 0 5 4 49 0 7 5 25 1 70 47 537 5
2 1 22 0 6 3 14 0 3 2 10 0 3 2 21 0 8 6 55 1 6 5 106 1 1 0 0 0 3 3 29 1 6 3 29 1 2 1 21 0 1 1 14 0 Inactive Inactive 1 1 10 0 1 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 43 29 337 4
4 4 44 0 1 1 9 0 5 2 19 1 5 2 11 0 2 1 9 0 4 3 21 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 1 7 0 2 1 2 0 2 1 12 0 1 0 0 0 2 2 21 0 2 2 12 0 4 4 9 0 1 1 7 0 38 25 183 1
2 2 27 0 2 2 16 0 1 1 -2 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive 2 2 14 0 1 0 0 0 3 2 18 0 1 1 18 0 3 2 57 0 2 2 25 0 2 2 25 0 3 2 30 0 3 2 9 0 2 2 49 0 27 22 286 0
118 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
T E A M A N A LY S I S
GREEN BAY
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Packers 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
at Jacksonville at Minnesota Detroit BYE N.Y. Giants Dallas Chicago at Atlanta Indianapolis at Tennessee at Washington at Philadelphia Houston Seattle at Chicago Minnesota at Detroit
Looking for a safe fantasy bet? Put your money on Aaron Rodgers and the Packers’ offense rebounding in 2016. With Jordy Nelson back after missing all of 2015 with a knee injury, and Eddie Lacy’s pie intake humble-flavored this offseason, three of fantasy’s biggest commodities are poised to again pay off after bottoming out last season. In fairness to Rodgers, he was still fantasy’s No. 7 scorer in 2015, his worst full season since his first as a starter in 2008. With a healthy Nelson and O-line, plus the addition of Jared Cook and increased opportunities for Ty Montgomery and Jeff Janis, Rodgers’ floor should again be as a top-three fantasy scorer, where he’s finished every healthy season from 2009-14. And Nelson’s return as a bona fide WR1 should pay nearly as good of dividends for Randall Cobb, who again projects as an elite WR2 in fantasy and reality. Buoyed by his immensely upgraded QB situation, the big and athletic Cook could put up a career year and enter the TE1 discussion. The big questions are at WR3: can Montgomery and Janis pick up where their 2015 seasons left off early and late, respectively, and if so, would it leave Davante Adams on fantasy’s outside looking in?
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACK
AARON RODGERS RUNNING BACKS
EDDIE LACY JAMES STARKS WIDE RECEIVERS
JORDY NELSON RANDALL COBB TY MONTGOMERY JEFF JANIS DAVANTE ADAMS JARED ABBREDERIS TIGHT ENDS
JARED COOK RICHARD RODGERS PLACEKICKER
MASON CROSBY
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS AARON RODGERS
EDDIE LACY
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 @ CHI WK 2 SEA WK 3 KC WK 4 @ SF WK 5 STL WK 6 SD WK 8 @ DEN WK 9 @ CAR WK 10 DET WK 11 @ MIN WK 12 CHI WK 13 @ DET WK 14 DAL WK 15 @ OAK WK 16 @ AZ WK 17 MIN SEASON TOTALS u
23 18 189 3 0 140.5 33 25 249 2 0 116.9 35 24 333 5 0 138.5 32 22 224 1 0 99.0 30 19 241 2 2 82.8 29 16 255 2 0 107.7 22 14 77 0 0 69.7 48 25 369 4 1 96.6 61 35 333 2 0 83.6 34 16 212 2 0 86.9 43 22 202 1 1 62.4 36 24 273 2 1 96.2 35 22 218 2 0 99.5 39 22 204 1 1 68.8 28 15 151 1 1 66.2 44 28 291 1 1 80.8 572 347 3,821 31 8 92.7
19 85 3 9 10 46 18 90 13 27 4 3 11 38 5 10 Inactive 22 100 17 105 5 4 24 124 11 23 12 60 13 34 187 758
RICHARD ROGERS
DAVANTE ADAMS
JAMES STARKS
TD
1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3
JAMES JONES
AARON RODGERS
RANDALL COBB
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
2 2 20 95 17 32 9 28 5 17 10 112 5 9 10 39 15 42 8 14 7 39 9 15 11 71 9 51 3 11 8 24 148 601
0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2
8 35 6 23 2 16 3 33 8 39 2 14 2 31 4 22 2 8 3 6 4 33 4 27 3 27 1 -1 3 19 3 12 58 344
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1
5 5 38 1 11 8 116 0 12 7 91 3 8 5 44 0 6 3 23 0 5 2 38 0 9 6 27 0 12 4 99 1 10 5 53 0 9 2 24 1 7 6 74 0 5 4 29 0 12 8 81 0 7 5 40 0 3 3 15 0 8 6 37 0 129 79 829 6
JAMES STARKS
EDDIE LACY
TY MONTGOMERY
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 @ CHI WK 2 SEA WK 3 KC WK 4 @ SF WK 5 STL WK 6 SD WK 8 @ DEN WK 9 @ CAR WK 10 DET WK 11 @ MIN WK 12 CHI WK 13 @ DET WK 14 DAL WK 15 @ OAK WK 16 @ AZ WK 17 MIN SEASON TOTALS u
3 3 27 0 4 3 23 1 4 2 15 0 6 5 45 1 8 6 45 0 5 2 34 0 4 2 16 0 9 5 19 2 5 5 32 1 5 3 7 0 7 4 30 0 8 8 146 1 2 1 3 1 4 1 7 0 3 1 2 0 8 7 59 1 85 58 510 8
8 4 59 0 5 5 33 0 2 0 0 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive 2 1 8 0 11 7 93 0 21 10 79 0 4 3 36 0 11 2 14 0 7 4 21 1 3 2 12 0 8 5 32 0 6 3 42 0 6 4 54 0 94 50 483 1
4 4 51 2 3 1 29 1 8 7 139 1 6 5 98 0 3 2 77 1 5 2 30 1 2 1 2 0 6 2 57 0 2 0 0 0 11 6 109 1 6 0 0 0 3 1 19 0 7 4 49 0 9 6 82 1 11 5 46 0 13 4 102 0 99 50 890 8
0 0 0 0 4 4 11 0 1 1 19 0 2 2 11 0 6 3 29 0 2 1 5 1 2 2 9 0 8 6 83 1 7 6 54 0 1 1 30 0 5 4 41 0 7 5 45 0 4 4 32 1 1 1 5 0 0 0 0 3 3 18 0 53 43 392 3
3 2 14 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 41 0 3 1 3 0 1 1 8 0 2 2 17 0 2 1 9 0 1 0 0 0 Inactive 2 1 6 0 5 4 34 1 1 1 -3 0 1 1 24 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 28 1 2 2 7 0 28 20 188 2
0 0 0 0 4 4 37 0 2 2 14 1 6 3 15 0 5 4 59 1 2 2 11 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Injured reserve Injured reserve 19 15 136 2
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T E A M A N A LY S I S
HOUSTON
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Texans 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
Chicago Kansas City at New England Tennessee at Minnesota Indianapolis at Denver Detroit BYE at Jacksonville at Oakland San Diego at Green Bay at Indianapolis Jacksonville Cincinnati at Tennessee
The Texans’ fantasy outlook improved markedly this offseason, as no team’s backfield was upgraded more than Houston’s with young guns Brock Osweiler and Lamar Miller replacing middling Brian Hoyer and medical concern Arian Foster. Plus, rookie Will Fuller adds to the passing game. Miller and DeAndre Hopkins already are established fantasy difference-makers, finishing sixth at their respective positions in scoring last season. Osweiler, despite having more upside than Hoyer or any of the other five QBs to make a start for Houston over the past two seasons, is a complete unknown in the fantasy realm with just seven uneven starts to his name. Is Hopkins’ ceiling higher with Osweiler? Slightly, perhaps, but clearly QB instability didn’t detract from his value in 2015. Paired with Bill O’Brien, Miller should finally get the consistent touches he’s long deserved – and he likely sneaks into Round One and RB1 territory. But hedging your bets on Osweiler as a fantasy starter is a dicey plan, albeit one with enticing potential. Alfred Blue is the proper Miller handcuff, and Tyler Ervin is worth monitoring in camp. Fuller with his speed is in the advantageous No. 2 role alongside “Nuk” Hopkins and figures to be a productive rookie with big-play potential. Sadly, the tight end position O’Brien desperately craves production from continues to lack viability.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
BROCK OSWEILER BRANDON WEEDEN RUNNING BACKS
LAMAR MILLER ALFRED BLUE TYLER ERVIN WIDE RECEIVERS
DeANDRE HOPKINS WILL FULLER JAELEN STRONG CECIL SHORTS TIGHT ENDS
C.J. FIEDOROWICZ RYAN GRIFFIN PLACEKICKER
NICK NOVAK
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS BRIAN HOYER
T.J. YATES
ALFRED BLUE
CHRIS POLK
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 KC WK 2 @ CAR WK 3 TB WK 4 @ ATL WK 5 IND WK 6 @ JAX WK 7 @ MIA WK 8 TEN WK 10 @ CIN WK 11 NYJ WK 12 NO WK 13 @ BUF WK 14 NE WK 15 @ IND WK 16 @ TEN WK 17 JAX SEASON TOTALS u
34 18 236 1 1 72.7 Active, did not play Active, did not play 30 17 232 2 0 103.8 31 24 312 2 1 116.6 36 24 293 3 0 119.3 49 23 273 3 1 76.3 35 23 235 2 0 103.9 22 12 123 0 1 51.9 Inactive 27 21 205 2 1 107.6 43 26 293 3 1 94.4 22 11 155 0 0 73.1 Inactive Inactive 40 25 249 1 1 78.0 369 224 2,606 19 7 91.4
Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Active, did not play 11 5 69 1 0 96.4 34 16 229 2 0 89.0 Active, did not play Active, did not play 2 1 4 0 0 56.2 10 6 68 0 1 40.8 Injured reserve Injured reserve 57 28 370 3 1 80.3
9 42 5 6 31 139 6 17 6 22 0 0 3 8 14 39 12 22 21 58 16 77 4 14 0 0 20 107 15 45 21 102 183 698
0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2
5 22 14 38 5 5 3 27 1 5 8 37 4 4 8 18 4 14 Inactive 6 21 12 61 11 34 4 6 11 38 3 4 99 334
JONATHAN GRIMES
GAME OPP
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 KC WK 2 @ CAR WK 3 TB WK 4 @ ATL WK 5 IND WK 6 @ JAX WK 7 @ MIA WK 8 TEN WK 10 @ CIN WK 11 NYJ WK 12 NO WK 13 @ BUF WK 14 NE WK 15 @ IND WK 16 @ TEN WK 17 JAX SEASON TOTALS u
6 28 2 7 6 19 Inactive Inactive 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 33 6 37 7 25 5 28 7 53 1 1 6 25 4 26 56 282
DeANDRE HOPKINS
TD
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
NATE WASHINGTON
CECIL SHORTS
JONATHAN GRIMES
TD
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
RYAN GRIFFIN
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
13 9 98 2 11 5 53 0 14 8 101 1 22 9 157 0 14 11 169 0 15 10 148 2 12 6 50 0 11 8 94 1 11 5 57 1 12 5 118 2 8 5 36 0 9 5 88 1 6 3 52 0 11 8 94 0 11 7 117 1 12 7 89 0 192 111 1,521 11
11 6 105 0 8 3 63 0 9 4 42 0 0 0 0 0 Inactive Inactive 16 9 127 2 6 4 74 1 5 2 32 0 6 2 13 0 4 3 43 0 11 6 44 0 4 1 49 0 6 3 18 0 5 3 42 1 3 1 6 0 94 47 658 4
8 4 57 0 12 6 34 0 9 6 58 0 10 6 87 1 Inactive 6 4 63 0 Inactive Inactive 7 3 16 0 5 2 51 0 4 3 18 1 10 6 91 0 3 2 9 0 1 0 0 0 Inactive Inactive 75 42 484 2
2 1 2 0 7 6 40 0 4 4 19 0 Inactive Inactive 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 2 12 0 1 1 12 0 3 3 28 0 1 1 8 0 2 2 15 0 2 2 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 4 28 1 31 26 173 1
4 1 18 0 IR to return IR to return IR to return IR to return IR to return IR to return IR to return 6 3 36 0 2 2 6 0 5 4 72 1 5 3 29 1 6 1 20 0 2 2 30 0 1 1 13 0 3 3 27 0 34 20 251 2
120 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
T E A M A N A LY S I S
INDIANAPOLIS
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Colts 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
Detroit at Denver San Diego at Jacksonville Chicago at Houston at Tennessee Kansas City at Green Bay BYE Tennessee Pittsburgh at N.Y. Jets Houston at Minnesota at Oakland Jacksonville
Better luck could make a big difference in the Colts’ fantasy fortunes in 2016. Of course, we’re talking about Colts QB Andrew Luck, who will be looking to bounce back with the kind of fantasy numbers he produced two seasons ago (franchise-record 4,761 passing yards and a league-leading 40 TD passes) after missing nine games with shoulder, kidney and abdominal injuries last season. The loss of Luck for more than half a season had a depressing domino effect on the rest of the team’s fantasy performers, with RB Frank Gore at the top of the list. While Gore did manage to score seven touchdowns in his first season with the Colts (six rushing, one receiving), he averaged a career-low 3.7 yards per carry and failed to gain 100 yards in a game for the first time in his 11-year career with opposing defenses paying more attention to him in a Luck-less offense. Provided Luck can stage a 2014-type rebound, Gore could be a legitimate candidate for double-digit scores along with WRs T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief, who combined for 11 TDs last season, and TE Dwayne Allen, who had an impressive eight TDs two seasons ago on only 29 catches.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACK
ANDREW LUCK RUNNING BACKS
FRANK GORE ROBERT TURBIN JORDAN TODMAN WIDE RECEIVERS
T.Y. HILTON DONTE MONCRIEF PHILLIP DORSETT QUAN BRAY TIGHT ENDS
DWAYNE ALLEN JACK DOYLE ERIK SWOOPE PLACEKICKER
ADAM VINATIERI
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS ANDREW LUCK
MATT HASSELBECK
FRANK GORE
ANDREW LUCK
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 @ BUF WK 2 NYJ WK 3 @ TEN WK 4 JAX WK 5 @ HOU WK 6 NE WK 7 NO WK 8 @ CAR WK 9 DEN WK 11 @ ATL WK 12 TB WK 13 @ PIT WK 14 @ JAX WK 15 HOU WK 16 @ MIA WK 17 TEN SEASON TOTALS u
49 26 243 2 2 63.6 37 21 250 1 3 52.8 30 18 260 2 2 82.6 Inactive Inactive 50 30 312 3 0 98.1 44 23 333 3 2 81.0 47 23 231 2 3 50.9 36 21 252 2 0 98.4 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 293 162 1,881 15 12 74.9
Active, did not play Active, did not play Active, did not play 47 30 282 1 0 87.4 29 18 213 2 0 107.4 Active, did not play Active, did not play Active, did not play Active, did not play 32 23 213 2 2 84.5 42 26 315 2 0 100.8 26 16 169 1 2 61.2 35 18 252 0 0 74.9 30 17 147 1 1 66.9 15 8 99 0 0 74 Inactive 256 156 1,690 9 5 84
8 31 15 57 14 86 17 53 22 98 13 78 9 43 22 70 28 83 14 34 19 24 13 45 16 60 16 44 15 85 19 76 260 967
0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 6
4 20 4 24 6 21 Inactive Inactive 4 35 3 27 6 35 6 34 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 33 196
AHMAD BRADSHAW
T.Y. HILTON
DONTE MONTCRIEF
COBY FLEENER
ANDRE JOHNSON
TD
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0
FRANK GORE
GAME OPP
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 @ BUF WK 2 NYJ WK 3 @ TEN WK 4 JAX WK 5 @ HOU WK 6 NE WK 7 NO WK 8 @ CAR WK 9 DEN WK 11 @ ATL WK 12 TB WK 13 @ PIT WK 14 @ JAX WK 15 HOU WK 16 @ MIA WK 17 TEN SEASON TOTALS u
Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 4 8 0 1 5 0 7 31 0 6 3 0 9 32 0 4 6 0 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 31 85 0
14 7 88 0 7 4 45 0 7 4 94 0 13 7 67 0 9 5 88 0 9 6 74 1 15 4 150 2 7 1 15 0 6 5 82 0 4 2 21 0 12 6 95 2 5 3 36 0 7 4 132 0 5 3 29 0 7 4 64 0 7 4 44 0 134 69 1,124 5
11 6 46 1 8 7 122 1 7 4 32 1 9 6 75 0 3 1 3 0 11 6 69 1 6 4 34 1 7 2 18 0 4 3 30 0 8 5 41 0 9 8 114 0 1 1 33 0 10 3 52 0 7 5 51 1 2 2 15 0 2 1 -2 0 105 64 733 6
1 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 6 4 51 0 12 9 83 1 3 2 9 0 6 3 20 0 5 3 47 0 11 7 43 1 6 4 22 0 5 3 45 0 3 3 27 0 8 4 20 0 4 1 6 0 3 1 12 0 4 2 13 0 7 7 88 1 84 54 491 3
10 4 24 0 7 3 27 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 7 6 77 2 6 3 35 0 4 4 44 0 8 4 81 1 3 0 0 0 2 1 13 0 3 1 22 0 3 2 44 0 5 3 19 0 5 3 32 0 5 3 39 0 6 4 46 1 77 41 503 4
3 2 0 0 1 1 4 0 2 1 8 0 7 5 34 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 16 0 8 5 32 0 3 3 22 0 3 1 19 0 5 5 46 0 3 2 13 0 5 3 49 1 5 1 -1 0 2 1 15 0 4 2 10 0 4 0 0 0 58 34 267 1
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
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T E A M A N A LY S I S
JACKSONVILLE
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Jaguars 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
Green Bay at San Diego Baltimore Indianapolis BYE at Chicago Oakland at Tennessee at Kansas City Houston at Detroit at Buffalo Denver Minnesota at Houston Tennessee at Indianapolis
Jacksonville’s busy offseason has many observers predicting its arrival as postseason contenders in 2016, one year after the Jaguars’ introduction as a lethal and ascending aerial offense. After finishing fourth in overall fantasy scoring in his second season, Blake Bortles could have a new left tackle and backfield battering ram to assist in his continued development. The Jaguars also have as formidable a fantasy pass-catching duo as any NFL club with Allen X 2 – Robinson and Hurns – who combined for 24 touchdowns and more than 2,400 receiving yards, plus Julius Thomas (29 career touchdowns in 35 games) laying in the weeds. If Jacksonville’s ‘D’ capitalizes on its myriad gains, Bortles’ garbagetime production could fade, but it’d mean more work for second-year back T.J. Yeldon and newcomer Chris Ivory. Backfield timeshare doesn’t scream fantasy allure, and both backs have some injury concerns, but Ivory’s violence as a runner and red-zone prowess, plus the Jaguars’ considerable investment (up to $35 million) in his services make him the preferred add and likely biggest beneficiary in this offense. We have more doubt about the number of footballs to go around than the talent of return specialist Rashad Greene and former secondrounder Marqise Lee, making them intriguing late-round fliers.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
BLAKE BORTLES CHAD HENNE RUNNING BACKS
CHRIS IVORY T.J. YELDON DENARD ROBINSON WIDE RECEIVERS
ALLEN ROBINSON ALLEN HURNS RASHAD GREENE MARQUISE LEE TIGHT ENDS
JULIUS THOMAS MARCEDES LEWIS PLACEKICKER
JASON MYERS
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS BLAKE BORTLES
T.J. YELDON
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 CAR WK 2 MIA WK 3 @ NE WK 4 @ IND WK 5 @ TB WK 6 HOU WK 7 BUF WK 9 @ NYJ WK 10 @ BAL WK 11 TEN WK 12 SD WK 13 @ TEN WK 14 IND WK 15 ATL WK 16 @ NO WK 17 @ HOU SEASON TOTALS u
40 22 183 1 2 54.5 33 18 273 2 0 102.2 33 17 242 2 1 83.1 50 28 298 1 0 80.3 33 23 303 4 1 125.4 53 30 331 3 3 70.6 29 13 182 2 1 74.2 40 24 381 2 2 87.6 45 22 188 2 1 65.8 30 21 242 1 1 91.3 49 30 329 2 1 86.2 36 24 322 5 0 134.5 30 16 250 3 0 114.6 38 23 297 1 1 82.9 35 27 368 4 2 124.5 32 17 239 0 2 51.4 606 355 4,428 35 18 88.2
12 51 25 70 11 33 22 105 11 32 Inactive 20 115 14 64 18 61 14 54 9 36 15 57 11 62 Inactive Inactive Inactive 182 740
ALLEN HURNS
JULIUS THOMAS
BLAKE BORTLES
TD
0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0
2
BRYAN WALTERS
DENARD ROBINSON
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
4 26 2 27 3 7 4 31 1 21 4 37 5 -3 4 32 2 25 2 9 6 33 2 -1 4 17 6 44 3 5 0 0 52 310
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2
5 19 1 9 Inactive Inactive Inactive 7 19 0 0 1 2 1 1 7 27 3 23 3 21 14 75 14 41 6 20 5 9 67 266
T.J. YELDON
ALLEN ROBINSON
TD
0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
DENARD ROBINSON
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
1 1 27 0 12 6 155 2 9 4 68 0 12 4 80 0 9 7 72 2 12 6 86 1 9 6 98 1 11 6 121 0 11 5 51 1 7 5 113 0 11 5 56 1 15 10 153 3 4 1 4 1 5 3 57 1 9 6 151 1 9 5 108 0 146 80 1,400 14
MARQISE LEE
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 CAR WK 2 MIA WK 3 @ NE WK 4 @ IND WK 5 @ TB WK 6 HOU WK 7 BUF WK 9 @ NYJ WK 10 @ BAL WK 11 TEN WK 12 SD WK 13 @ TEN WK 14 IND WK 15 ATL WK 16 @ NO WK 17 @ HOU SEASON TOTALS u
7 5 60 0 4 4 68 0 4 2 70 1 15 11 116 1 6 5 116 1 7 2 30 1 8 2 53 1 8 5 122 1 9 5 62 1 4 3 19 0 9 4 42 0 Inactive 4 3 105 1 5 2 44 0 10 8 107 2 5 3 17 0 105 64 1,031 10
Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 2 2 20 0 13 7 78 1 5 1 4 0 8 3 14 0 5 2 23 0 8 5 28 1 10 9 116 1 5 2 15 1 7 5 54 1 9 6 79 0 2 2 12 0 6 2 12 0 80 46 455 5
2 2 17 0 Did not play 3 2 28 0 3 2 27 0 4 4 64 0 12 8 87 0 1 1 5 0 7 5 54 1 5 3 29 0 3 2 35 0 3 1 4 0 2 2 18 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 45 32 368 1
4 3 16 0 4 3 13 0 3 2 9 0 3 2 4 0 6 5 31 1 Inactive 3 1 9 0 3 3 37 0 6 5 6 0 4 3 28 0 5 4 46 0 4 4 79 0 1 1 1 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive 46 36 279 1
2 2 26 0 0 0 0 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive 3 3 19 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 9 0 1 1 2 0 2 1 12 0 10 8 46 0 7 5 50 0 1 0 0 0 30 21 164 0
Inactive 4 2 27 0 2 1 13 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 5 1 8 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 4 1 17 0 4 1 21 0 2 2 46 0 4 3 26 1 6 3 30 0 32 15 191 1
122 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
T E A M A N A LY S I S
KANSAS CITY
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Chiefs 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
San Diego at Houston N.Y. Jets at Pittsburgh BYE at Oakland New Orleans at Indianapolis Jacksonville at Carolina Tampa Bay at Denver at Atlanta Oakland Tennessee Denver at San Diego
Jamaal Charles was primed to be one of the top players in fantasy last year prior to a Week Five ACL tear. He’s now 30 and coming off a serious knee injury, but he still holds rushing and receiving value and plays in an offense that will give him plenty of touches when he’s healthy. Travis Kelce finished his second straight season with 800-plus yards and five touchdowns, matching his 2014 production in almost every way. He doesn’t score at the rate of some other TEs in the league, but he should still be an instant starter with the way Alex Smith relies on him. Still just 28 and playing with an improving quarterback whose pass protection gets a jolt in OT Mitchell Schwartz, the explosive Jeremy Maclin should be on the WR2 radar again. Smith, meanwhile, could be a backup in a deeper league. The opportunistic Chiefs defense receives a boost from a beastly return game, making it one of the best bets out there, even with Justin Houston potentially out for the year. Cairo Santos isn’t the best kicker around, but he’s set to score plenty with an offense that moves the ball but sometimes stalls in field-goal range.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACK
ALEX SMITH RUNNING BACKS
JAMAAL CHARLES CHARCANDRICK WEST SPENCER WARE WIDE RECEIVERS
JEREMY MACLIN CHRIS CONLEY ALBERT WILSON ROD STREATER De’ANTHONY THOMAS TIGHT ENDS
TRAVIS KELCE JAMES O’SHAUGHNESSY PLACEKICKER
CAIRO SANTOS
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS ALEX SMITH
CHARCANDRICK WEST
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 @ HOU WK 2 DEN WK 3 @ GB WK 4 @ CIN WK 5 CHI WK 6 @ MIN WK 7 PIT WK 8 DET WK 10 @ DEN WK 11 @ SD WK 12 BUF WK 13 @ OAK WK 14 SD WK 15 @ BAL WK 16 CLE WK 17 OAK SEASON TOTALS u
33 22 243 3 0 118.6 25 16 191 0 2 53.9 40 24 290 1 1 80.2 45 31 386 0 0 95.2 30 16 181 1 0 82.8 37 22 282 1 0 92.4 32 21 251 1 0 99.9 26 18 145 2 0 108.7 31 17 204 1 0 86.0 25 20 253 0 0 108.8 30 19 255 2 0 112.5 22 16 162 2 0 123.7 23 15 191 1 1 87.4 25 21 171 1 0 108.5 22 15 125 2 1 93.9 24 14 156 2 2 70.8 470 307 3,486 20 7 95.4
0 0 0 0 0 0 5 17 7 31 9 33 22 110 20 97 24 69 11 16 Inactive 9 35 10 54 16 76 14 62 13 34 160 634
JEREMY MACLIN
TRAVIS KELCE
TD
0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 4
ALBERT WILSON
ALEX SMITH
SPENCER WARE
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
9 15 3 15 6 33 5 25 3 21 2 10 3 5 5 78 6 33 7 33 6 35 5 23 5 40 4 17 6 54 9 61 84 498
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2
JAMAAL CHARLES
RUSHING ATT YDS
JAMAAL CHARLES
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
Practice squad Practice squad Practice squad Practice squad Practice squad 0 0 0 2 8 0 2 12 1 2 4 0 11 96 2 19 114 1 7 26 1 8 52 0 0 0 0 5 15 0 16 76 1 72 403 6
16 57 0 21 125 1 11 49 3 11 75 0 12 58 0 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 71 364 4
CHARCANDRICK WEST
CHRIS CONLEY
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 @ HOU WK 2 DEN WK 3 @ GB WK 4 @ CIN WK 5 CHI WK 6 @ MIN WK 7 PIT WK 8 DET WK 10 @ DEN WK 11 @ SD WK 12 BUF WK 13 @ OAK WK 14 SD WK 15 @ BAL WK 16 CLE WK 17 OAK SEASON TOTALS u
9 5 52 0 7 4 57 0 11 8 141 1 13 11 148 0 12 8 85 0 4 3 48 0 Inactive 5 3 35 1 6 3 17 0 6 3 29 0 11 9 160 1 10 9 95 2 9 6 68 0 10 7 50 1 7 5 49 1 4 3 54 1 124 87 1,088 8
6 6 106 2 5 4 58 0 10 6 80 0 7 5 49 0 6 3 35 0 7 5 88 0 6 5 73 0 8 6 49 1 9 5 36 0 7 5 46 0 7 4 69 1 3 2 42 0 5 3 18 0 7 6 73 0 8 6 43 1 2 1 10 0 103 72 875 5
3 3 25 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 Inactive Inactive 6 3 57 1 6 3 71 0 4 3 12 0 4 1 16 0 4 4 56 0 3 3 25 0 3 1 17 0 6 4 87 1 4 4 27 0 4 3 34 0 6 3 24 0 57 35 451 2
8 5 46 1 5 4 2 0 7 5 33 0 6 6 70 0 4 1 26 0 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 30 21 177 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 1 4 0 2 1 5 0 2 1 6 0 5 2 19 0 6 4 25 0 5 3 92 1 2 2 48 0 Inactive 3 2 9 0 1 0 0 0 2 2 9 0 1 1 -1 0 1 1 -2 0 34 20 214 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 16 0 7 2 53 0 3 1 6 0 7 3 16 0 7 6 63 1 1 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 17 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 22 0 31 17 199 1
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
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T E A M A N A LY S I S
LOS ANGELES
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Rams 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
at San Francisco Seattle at Tampa Bay at Arizona Buffalo at Detroit N.Y. Giants BYE Carolina at N.Y. Jets Miami at New Orleans at New England Atlanta at Seattle San Francisco Arizona
Step aside, Adrian Peterson. Make way for Rams bellcow Todd Gurley, a good bet in his second season to become the NFL’s most formidable fantasy back for a long time to come. After missing his first two games as a rookie, all Gurley did was put together the best first month of any running back in league history, stampeding for 566 yards in his first four starts. Starring in a Jeff Fisher offense that always favors the run, the prospect of Gurley running wild for a full season could not be more inviting. Other than Gurley, though, the fantasy goods leave a lot to be desired in “La La Land.” It would be a Hollywood fantasy of the highest order if the Rams’ likely new signal-caller, first-round draft pick Jared Goff, instantly becomes a bona-fide fantasy force, taking into account Fisher’s normally conservative aerial attack and the lack of proven weapons Goff has at his disposal. The pickings also appear depressingly slim at the WR, TE and PK slots, although you could do a lot worse than dangerous triple-threat WR Tavon Austin (five TD passes, four TD runs and a punt-return TD in 2015) at the flex position.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
JARED GOFF CASE KEENUM RUNNING BACKS
TODD GURLEY TRE MASON BENNY CUNNINGHAM WIDE RECEIVERS
TAVON AUSTIN KENNY BRITT BRIAN QUICK PHAROH COOPER TIGHT ENDS
LANCE KENDRICKS TYLER HIGBEE PLACEKICKER
GREG ZUERLEIN
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS CASE KEENUM
NICK FOLES
TODD GURLEY
TAVON AUSTIN
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 SEA WK 2 @ WAS WK 3 PIT WK 4 @ AZ WK 5 @ GB WK 7 CLE WK 8 SF WK 9 @ MIN WK 10 CHI WK 11 @ BAL WK 12 @ CIN WK 13 AZ WK 14 DET WK 15 TB WK 16 @ SEA WK 17 @ SF SEASON TOTALS u
Did not play Did not play Did not play Did not play Did not play Did not play Did not play Did not play 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 26 12 136 1 0 75.2 Inactive Did not play 22 14 124 0 1 59.7 17 14 234 2 0 158.0 23 14 103 1 0 86.0 37 22 231 0 0 77.6 125 76 828 4 1 87.7
27 32 28 24 30 23 23 33 36
Inactive Inactive 6 9 0 19 146 0 30 159 0 19 128 2 20 133 1 24 89 1 12 45 1 25 66 1 9 19 0 9 41 0 16 140 2 21 48 1 19 83 1 Inactive 229 1,106 10
TRE MASON
GAME OPP
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 SEA WK 2 @ WAS WK 3 PIT WK 4 @ AZ WK 5 @ GB WK 7 CLE WK 8 SF WK 9 @ MIN WK 10 CHI WK 11 @ BAL WK 12 @ CIN WK 13 AZ WK 14 DET WK 15 TB WK 16 @ SEA WK 17 @ SF SEASON TOTALS u
Inactive 7 26 9 16 2 -1 2 8 Inactive 15 46 3 3 6 31 Inactive 1 -2 2 13 4 7 3 13 3 3 18 44 75 207
BENNY CUNNINGHAM
TD
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
18 297 1 0 115.8 17 150 1 0 76.3 19 197 0 1 73.1 16 171 3 0 126.9 11 141 1 4 23.8 15 163 0 0 86.0 14 191 1 0 101.9 18 168 0 0 68.8 17 200 0 1 53.0 Did not play 46 30 228 0 3 49.9 35 15 146 0 1 43.3 Did not play Did not play Did not play Did not play 337 190 2,052 7 10 69.0
TAVON AUSTIN
KENNY BRITT
TD
BENNY CUNNINGHAM
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
4 17 4 40 0 0 2 20 3 22 1 21 3 21 8 66 3 18 1 16 4 63 2 14 4 40 4 32 3 12 6 32 52 434
1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 4
LANCE KENDRICKS
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
16 45 1 0 1 12 2 0 0 0 4 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 12 0 0 3 14 2 8 1 0 4 38 37 140
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 2 -2 0 3 1 6 0 5 5 38 0 7 6 96 2 5 2 6 1 7 4 43 0 7 4 98 1 7 4 15 0 4 2 5 0 5 1 5 0 6 6 33 0 3 1 24 0 5 3 19 0 3 3 41 1 7 3 16 0 8 5 30 0 87 52 473 5
3 2 37 0 4 2 44 1 10 7 102 0 1 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 2 1 41 0 2 0 0 0 5 3 87 0 3 1 6 0 5 2 24 0 11 6 63 0 6 2 41 0 5 2 35 0 2 2 71 1 4 3 49 1 5 3 81 0 72 36 681 3
7 4 77 0 6 4 27 0 2 2 18 0 2 2 4 0 2 2 28 0 2 2 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 0 2 1 20 0 3 1 5 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 8 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 14 0 3 3 34 0 36 26 250 0
2 2 42 1 2 1 15 0 5 2 12 0 2 0 0 0 3 2 16 0 Inactive 2 2 7 0 2 2 25 0 3 1 4 0 4 2 43 1 4 3 17 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 3 27 0 2 0 0 0 5 5 37 0 40 25 245 2
124 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
T E A M A N A LY S I S
MIAMI
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Dolphins 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
at Seattle at New England Cleveland at Cincinnati Tennessee Pittsburgh Buffalo BYE N.Y. Jets at San Diego at Los Angeles San Francisco at Baltimore Arizona at N.Y. Jets at Buffalo New England
The expectation in South Florida is that new head coach Adam Gase will only help elevate Ryan Tannehill’s game (24 TDs in 2015), and that in turn would help the skill players around him. Tannehill has big-play potential and can also make plays with his legs, but isn’t near QB1 status for fantasy. With Lamar Miller in Houston, the attention turns to Jay Ajayi, last year’s fifth-round pick who missed the first half of the season with an injury. As a second-year player without much hype, Ajayi has some sleeper potential. Keep an eye on rookie speedster Kenyan Drake out of Alabama. At wide receiver, Jarvis Landry is the top option, especially for PPR leagues. He had 110 catches last season. If defenses start paying more attention to 2015 first-round pick DeVante Parker, that’ll only open more things up for Landry. The Dolphins aren’t deep at wideout behind Landry, Parker and Kenny Stills. Parker is the one with the upside, now healthy and in a new offense, and rookie Leonte Carroo is an intriguing option. Jordan Cameron had only three scores and 386 receiving yards in his first year in Miami, making him a high-end TE2.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACK
RYAN TANNEHILL RUNNING BACKS
JAY AJAYI DAMIEN WILLIAMS KENYAN DRAKE WIDE RECEIVERS
JARVIS LANDRY DeVANTE PARKER KENNY STILLS LEONTE CARROO TIGHT ENDS
JORDAN CAMERON DION SIMS JAKE STONEBURNER PLACEKICKER
ANDREW FRANKS
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS RYAN TANNEHILL
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
WK 1 34 22 226 1 0 93.5 @ WAS WK 2 44 30 359 2 0 108.0 @ JAX WK 3 49 26 297 2 3 59.7 BUF WK 4 44 19 198 2 2 53.0 NYJ WK 6 29 22 266 2 2 97.8 @ TEN WK 7 19 18 282 4 0 158.3 HOU WK 8 44 28 300 0 2 64.6 @ NE WK 9 35 26 307 0 0 100.5 @ BUF WK 10 @ PHI 36 21 217 2 0 94.3 WK 11 24 13 188 2 1 90.3 DAL WK 12 @ NYJ 58 33 351 3 1 84.8 WK 13 BAL 19 9 86 1 0 78.0 WK 14 NYG 41 25 236 1 0 85.0 WK 15 @ SD 34 20 216 0 0 77.6 WK 16 IND 38 26 329 0 1 84.2 WK 17 38 25 350 2 0 112.8 NE SEASON TOTALS u 586 363 4,208 24 12 88.7
LAMAR MILLER
RISHARD MATTHEWS
LAMAR MILLER
JAY AJAYI
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
13 53 10 14 7 38 7 26 19 113 14 175 9 15 12 44 16 43 7 44 5 2 20 113 12 89 9 12 15 31 19 60 194 872
0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 8
JORDAN CAMERON
RUSHING ATT YDS
RYAN TANNEHILL
TD
Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve 5 41 0 6 48 0 4 13 0 3 6 0 4 12 0 5 15 0 6 27 1 9 23 0 7 2 0 49 187 1
KENNY STILLS
RUSHING ATT YDS
3 7 3 17 1 -1 1 4 2 14 1 3 2 -1 2 3 2 -2 3 13 0 0 1 11 4 24 3 4 1 28 3 17 32 141
JARVIS LANDRY
TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
12 8 53 0 10 8 110 0 13 8 67 0 12 4 40 0 4 3 42 0 5 5 83 2 8 6 71 0 12 10 67 0 12 7 52 1 7 4 66 0 16 13 165 1 5 2 5 0 18 11 99 0 10 8 54 0 11 7 111 0 11 6 72 0 166 110 1157 4
DEVANTE PARKER
DAMIAN WILLIAMS
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 @ WAS WK 2 @ JAX WK 3 BUF WK 4 NYJ WK 6 @ TEN WK 7 HOU WK 8 @ NE WK 9 @ BUF WK 10 @ PHI WK 11 DAL WK 12 @ NYJ WK 13 BAL WK 14 NYG WK 15 @ SD WK 16 IND WK 17 NE SEASON TOTALS u
1 1 22 0 6 5 28 0 3 3 27 0 2 1 10 0 3 2 5 0 3 3 61 1 5 5 19 0 7 7 97 0 8 6 50 1 3 2 11 0 4 3 11 0 2 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 12 0 6 5 36 0 2 1 3 0 57 47 397 2
6 4 34 1 7 6 115 0 10 6 113 2 3 1 16 0 6 6 85 0 3 3 75 1 12 7 62 0 4 4 54 0 6 5 93 0 3 1 15 0 1 0 0 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Injured Reserve 61 43 662 4
7 4 73 0 4 3 62 0 8 3 16 0 9 2 19 0 8 3 30 1 2 2 23 0 5 2 34 0 1 1 6 0 3 1 5 0 5 2 21 1 3 2 13 0 3 1 4 0 4 3 35 0 1 1 5 0 3 3 34 0 4 2 6 1 70 35 386 3
3 1 12 0 4 2 8 0 1 0 0 0 8 5 81 1 2 2 46 0 0 0 0 7 3 58 0 5 3 74 0 4 0 0 0 2 2 52 1 10 2 12 0 1 0 0 0 3 2 49 1 6 1 23 0 3 3 14 0 4 1 11 0 63 27 440 3
0 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 7 3 46 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Inactive Did Not Play 0 0 0 10 4 80 1 5 3 63 1 5 2 16 0 6 4 87 0 10 4 93 0 6 5 106 1 50 26 494 3
1 1 3 0 4 3 15 1 3 1 5 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 10 0 1 1 5 0 3 2 11 0 2 2 11 0 3 3 33 0 3 3 38 0 28 21 142 1
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
| 125
T E A M A N A LY S I S
MINNESOTA
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Vikings 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
at Tennessee Green Bay at Carolina N.Y. Giants Houston BYE at Philadelphia at Chicago Detroit at Washington Arizona at Detroit Dallas at Jacksonville Indianapolis at Green Bay Chicago
This isn’t the offseason to worry about a regression from 31-year-old rushing champion Adrian Peterson, not with the huge investment Minnesota has in him and just made in overhauling his blocking by signing LG Alex Boone and RT Andre Smith. It also isn’t the time to start putting your fantasy eggs in additional Vikings baskets. Teddy Bridgewater’s progress in Year Two was minimal; in fact, the passing offense dropped from 28th to 31st in the rankings. Stefon Diggs was impressive but inconsistent as a fifth-round rookie, and a nice sophomore surge should be helped by firstround pick Laquon Treadwell. The former Ole Miss star will have a chip on his shoulder after slipping in the first round and is a physical receiver who will be key in the red zone. Kyle Rudolph proved he could stay healthy but not bring a lot of juice to the passing game in between the twenties. Jerick McKinnon does offer intrigue as the receiving back and obvious handcuff to RB1 Peterson. Jarius Wright, Cordarrelle Patterson and Charles Johnson are tough to roster after falling flat as sleeper candidates the past two offseasons.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACK
TEDDY BRIDGEWATER RUNNING BACKS
ADRIAN PETERSON JERICK McKINNON MATT ASIATA WIDE RECEIVERS
LAQUON TREADWELL STEFON DIGGS JARIUS WRIGHT CHARLES JOHNSON CORDARRELLE PATTERSON TIGHT ENDS
KYLE RUDOLPH MyCOLE PRUITT PLACEKICKER
BLAIR WALSH
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS TEDDY BRIDGEWATER
ADRIAN PETERSON
JERICK McKINNON
TEDDY BRIDGEWATER
STEFON DIGGS
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 @ SF WK 2 DET WK 3 SD WK 4 @ DEN WK 6 KC WK 7 @ DET WK 8 @ CHI WK 9 STL WK 10 @ OAK WK 11 GB WK 12 @ ATL WK 13 SEA WK 14 @ AZ WK 15 CHI WK 16 NYG WK 17 @ GB SEASON TOTALS u
32 23 231 0 1 79.0 18 14 153 1 0 120.6 24 13 121 0 1 50.9 41 27 269 1 0 92.4 31 17 249 1 2 65.1 35 25 316 2 0 118.3 30 17 187 1 1 72.5 21 13 144 0 1 62.4 22 14 140 1 0 96.8 37 25 296 1 0 100.7 28 20 174 0 1 72.6 28 17 118 0 1 55.4 36 25 335 1 0 108.0 20 17 231 4 0 154.4 25 15 168 1 0 93.4 19 10 99 0 1 45.7 447 292 3,231 14 9 88.7
10 31 29 134 20 126 16 81 26 60 19 98 20 103 29 125 26 203 13 45 29 158 8 18 23 69 18 63 22 104 19 67 327 1,485
0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 0 1 0 1 1 11
3 20 3 6 6 18 1 6 1 2 9 36 2 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 33 4 18 0 0 7 10 7 89 4 15 52 271
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2
3 16 6 21 1 -1 3 23 3 -5 3 1 2 21 3 17 2 23 4 43 4 -3 1 2 1 3 4 17 2 12 2 2 44 192
0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3
Inactive Inactive Inactive 10 6 87 0 9 7 129 0 9 6 108 1 12 6 95 1 5 3 42 0 2 2 46 0 9 6 66 0 4 4 31 0 6 2 22 0 7 2 12 0 4 3 55 2 5 4 19 0 2 1 8 0 84 52 720 4
KYLE RUDOLPH
MIKE WALLACE
JARIUS WRIGHT
ADRIAN PETERSON
JERICK McKINNON
MATT ASIATA
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 @ SF WK 2 DET WK 3 SD WK 4 @ DEN WK 6 KC WK 7 @ DET WK 8 @ CHI WK 9 STL WK 10 @ OAK WK 11 GB WK 12 @ ATL WK 13 SEA WK 14 @ AZ WK 15 CHI WK 16 NYG WK 17 @ GB SEASON TOTALS u
7 5 53 0 7 5 30 1 5 2 14 0 4 2 7 0 5 2 9 1 2 2 10 1 2 2 22 0 2 2 30 0 4 1 7 0 9 6 106 1 10 7 53 0 4 3 13 0 6 6 67 0 2 2 21 0 3 2 53 1 1 0 0 0 73 49 495 5
7 6 63 0 3 3 38 0 4 3 49 0 10 8 83 1 9 2 23 0 5 4 36 0 4 0 0 0 6 1 4 0 2 1 22 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 43 0 5 3 42 1 3 3 37 0 6 2 11 0 3 1 22 0 72 39 473 2
4 1 27 0 2 1 17 0 4 3 28 0 0 0 0 3 2 69 0 6 3 31 0 2 1 8 0 3 1 12 0 2 1 2 0 5 4 50 0 2 2 13 0 2 2 24 0 6 5 51 0 3 3 32 0 3 3 57 0 3 2 21 0 50 34 442 0
3 3 21 0 2 2 58 0 0 0 0 0 6 4 13 0 1 1 -3 0 3 3 12 0 2 2 6 0 2 2 18 0 3 2 13 0 2 2 16 0 4 2 29 0 4 4 6 0 1 1 17 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 15 0 1 1 1 0 36 30 222 0
2 2 8 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 11 0 2 1 7 0 3 2 15 0 0 0 0 0 6 3 6 0 1 1 8 0 4 4 76 1 3 2 8 0 4 3 33 0 29 21 173 1
2 2 28 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 8 0 2 2 5 0 3 3 6 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 18 0 1 1 9 0 3 3 17 0 1 0 0 0 2 2 30 0 2 1 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 22 19 132 0
126 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
T E A M A N A LY S I S
NEW ENGLAND
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Patriots 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
at Arizona Miami Houston Buffalo at Cleveland Cincinnati at Pittsburgh at Buffalo BYE Seattle at San Francisco at N.Y. Jets Los Angeles Baltimore at Denver N.Y. Jets at Miami
Stop us if you’ve heard this before: It starts and ends with Brady and Gronk, suspension (as of press time) or not. Tom Brady was second in fantasy scoring last season and savvy owners could get a steal if he drops due to his suspension. Jimmy Garoppolo may be worthy for daily fantasy leagues, and until we know how comfortable he’ll be, it could take a month before the rest of the Patriots’ skill players put up big fantasy points. Rob Gronkowski had 11 touchdown catches last season and is the best and most dependable of the Patriots’ weapons when it comes to fantasy, as long as he stays healthy. Add Martellus Bennett to the lineup, as the Patriots will return to the predominantly twoTE formation that was so successful in 2011. Bennett could get more red-zone looks if teams double (or triple) Gronkowski. The next best bet comes at receiver in the form of Julian Edelman. Even in only nine games, Edelman had a career-high seven touchdown catches in ’15. The other Patriots receivers will be more of the feast-or-famine types in typical Patriots fashion. RB Dion Lewis showed sparks in 2015, then there’s LeGarrette Blount for goal-line situations and James White for PPR leagues. As always, Patriots RBs top out as a No. 2/3 in fantasy.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACK
TOM BRADY RUNNING BACKS
DION LEWIS LeGARRETTE BLOUNT JAMES WHITE WIDE RECEIVERS
JULIAN EDELMAN DANNY AMENDOLA CHRIS HOGAN KESHAWN MARTIN MALCOLM MITCHELL TIGHT ENDS
ROB GRONKOWSKI MARTELLUS BENNETT PLACEKICKER
STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS TOM BRADY
LeGARRETTE BLOUNT
DION LEWIS
GAME OPP
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 PIT WK 2 @ BUF WK 3 JAX WK 5 @ DAL WK 6 @ IND WK 7 NYJ WK 8 MIA WK 9 WAS WK 10 @ NYG WK 11 BUF WK 12 @ DEN WK 13 PHI WK 14 @ HOU WK 15 TEN WK 16 @ NYJ WK 17 @ MIA SEASON TOTALS u
32 25 288 4 0 143.8 59 38 466 3 0 105.6 42 33 358 2 0 118.1 27 20 275 2 0 130.9 37 23 312 3 1 104.8 54 34 355 2 0 94.3 38 26 356 4 0 133.2 39 26 299 2 1 96.0 42 26 334 2 1 92.8 39 20 277 1 1 72.3 42 23 280 3 0 99.3 56 29 312 3 2 71.4 30 22 226 2 0 116.8 35 23 267 2 0 107.7 31 22 231 1 1 89.6 21 12 134 0 0 76.3 624 402 4,770 36 7 102.2
Suspended 2 4 0 18 78 3 13 74 0 16 93 1 3 -3 0 17 72 0 29 129 1 19 66 1 16 56 0 9 27 0 13 54 0 10 53 0 Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve 165 703 6
15 69 0 7 40 1 8 37 1 6 34 0 4 21 0 Inactive 5 19 0 4 14 0 Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve 49 234 2
JAMES WHITE
BRANDON LaFELL
DANNY AMENDOLA
JULIAN EDELMAN
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
BRANDON BOLDEN
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
5 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Inactive 0 0 1 12 1 -3 4 15 4 11 3 22 16 51 10 36 9 30 9 31 63 207
ROB GRONKOWSKI
TD
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DION LEWIS
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
8 5 94 3 13 7 113 1 7 4 101 0 5 4 67 0 5 3 50 1 16 11 108 1 9 6 113 1 5 4 47 0 7 5 113 1 7 2 37 0 10 6 88 1 Inactive 4 4 87 1 11 5 54 1 6 4 86 0 7 2 18 0 120 72 1,176 11
KESHAWN MARTIN
GAME OPP
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 PIT WK 2 @ BUF WK 3 JAX WK 5 @ DAL WK 6 @ IND WK 7 NYJ WK 8 MIA WK 9 WAS WK 10 @ NYG WK 11 BUF WK 12 @ DEN WK 13 PHI WK 14 @ HOU WK 15 TEN WK 16 @ NYJ WK 17 @ MIA SEASON TOTALS u
3 2 24 0 2 1 29 0 5 5 39 1 3 2 6 0 9 7 105 0 9 8 86 1 1 1 11 0 5 4 24 0 11 10 79 0 12 9 117 0 Inactive 13 7 62 1 8 6 46 0 2 1 3 0 Inactive 4 2 17 0 87 65 648 3
12 11 97 0 19 11 97 2 11 8 85 0 5 4 120 1 10 6 50 1 9 5 54 0 9 7 81 2 8 5 55 1 5 4 53 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 88 61 692 7
0 0 0 0 Inactive 4 4 26 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 5 3 26 0 0 0 0 Inactive 1 1 6 0 3 2 32 1 5 2 5 0 13 10 115 1 6 4 38 0 8 7 71 1 5 5 28 1 3 2 63 0 54 40 410 4
PUP PUP PUP PUP PUP 8 2 25 0 7 4 47 0 9 5 102 0 6 2 66 0 8 4 66 0 9 4 36 0 9 4 27 0 8 5 32 0 5 4 88 0 1 1 19 0 4 2 7 0 74 37 515 0
5 4 51 0 9 6 98 0 5 5 30 0 11 8 59 1 6 3 18 0 Inactive 9 6 93 1 5 4 39 0 Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve 50 36 388 2
Not on Team Inactive 3 3 33 1 2 2 23 0 2 1 39 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 1 1 8 0 8 3 45 0 4 3 23 1 4 3 26 0 11 7 68 0 2 1 4 0 37 24 269 2
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
| 127
T E A M A N A LY S I S
NEW ORLEANS
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Saints 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
Oakland at N.Y. Giants Atlanta at San Diego BYE Carolina at Kansas City Seattle at San Francisco Denver at Carolina Los Angeles Detroit at Tampa Bay at Arizona Tampa Bay at Atlanta
The Saints may be coming off back-to-back 7-9 seasons, but don’t avoid Drew Brees in fantasy leagues. He has thrown 32+ touchdowns in each of the past eight seasons and remains a starting QB in fantasy circles. He should remain steady in fantasy and if the Saints can improve the offensive line, he can get back up near 40 scores. Mark Ingram was a pleasant surprise last year as a receiver with 50 catches to go along with six rushing scores. He’s a high-end RB2 with added value in PPR leagues. C.J. Spiller will have a lot to prove after an injury-riddled debut in New Orleans. He’s simply a boom-or-bust flex player at this point. Brandin Cooks has established himself as one of the league’s better deep threats and he is definitely in the WR1 conversation in fantasy. Finding another Saints wideout to be productive in fantasy is tricky, but someone has to pick up Marques Colston’s production. Strong, physical rookie Michael Thomas should be a red-zone target for Brees. Coby Fleener should help any deficiencies at wideout and be another red-zone option. He won’t put up Jimmy Graham numbers, but he’ll be a solid fantasy starter in this offense.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACK
DREW BREES RUNNING BACKS
MARK INGRAM C.J. SPILLER TRAVARIS CADET WIDE RECEIVERS
BRANDIN COOKS MICHAEL THOMAS WILLIE SNEAD BRANDON COLEMAN TIGHT ENDS
COBY FLEENER JOSH HILL MICHAEL HOOMANAWANUI PLACEKICKER
KAI FORBATH
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS DREW BREES
MARK INGRAM
TIM HIGHTOWER
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 @ AZ WK 2 TB WK 3 @ CAR WK 4 DAL WK 5 @ PHI WK 6 ATL WK 5 @ IND WK 8 NYG WK 9 TEN WK 10 @ WAS WK 12 @ HOU WK 13 CAR WK 14 @ TB WK 15 DET WK 16 JAX WK 17 @ ATL SEASON TOTALS u
48 30 355 1 1 83.2 38 24 255 1 1 80.5 Inactive 41 33 359 2 0 119.4 43 26 335 2 1 90.7 39 30 312 1 0 108.1 44 28 255 1 1 77.4 50 39 505 7 2 131.7 39 28 387 3 1 118.2 28 19 209 2 2 83.8 44 25 228 0 1 61.6 42 24 282 3 1 91.6 41 31 312 2 0 113.1 52 34 341 3 0 103.1 36 25 412 3 0 135.4 42 32 323 1 0 105.6 627 428 4,870 32 11 101.0
9 24 0 16 53 1 14 50 1 17 77 0 12 57 0 20 46 2 14 143 1 16 80 0 22 54 0 5 77 0 9 52 0 12 56 1 Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve 166 769 6
BENJAMIN WATSON
WILLIE SNEAD
TD
MARK INGRAM
RUSHING ATT YDS
Not On Team Not On Team Not On Team Not On Team Not On Team Not On Team Not On Team Not On Team 0 0 11 46 0 0 1 2 28 85 13 54 27 122 16 66 96 375
TD
0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 4
MARQUES COLSTON
KHIRY ROBINSON
RUSHING ATT YDS
BRANDIN COOKS
TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
8 19 0 5 48 0 7 12 1 6 16 1 5 30 0 7 23 0 14 28 2 4 4 0 Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve 56 180 4
8 4 49 0 7 5 62 0 8 7 79 0 8 4 25 0 9 5 107 1 5 4 41 0 13 6 81 0 8 6 88 2 6 4 71 1 8 5 98 2 8 5 35 0 10 6 104 1 5 3 29 0 13 10 124 1 7 5 123 1 6 5 22 0 129 84 1,138 9
C.J. SPILLER
BRANDON COLEMAN
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 @ AZ WK 2 TB WK 3 @ CAR WK 4 DAL WK 5 @ PHI WK 6 ATL WK 5 @ IND WK 8 NYG WK 9 TEN WK 10 @ WAS WK 12 @ HOU WK 13 CAR WK 14 @ TB WK 15 DET WK 16 JAX WK 17 @ ATL SEASON TOTALS u
5 3 19 0 4 2 12 0 4 4 42 0 3 3 30 0 5 3 36 1 12 10 127 1 5 4 59 0 10 9 147 1 5 5 60 0 5 3 19 0 9 4 53 0 8 4 38 1 11 7 70 0 12 6 49 1 2 1 5 0 10 6 59 1 110 74 825 6
3 1 63 0 6 4 44 1 7 5 44 0 6 6 89 0 11 6 141 0 5 4 55 0 7 3 25 0 8 6 70 2 10 6 95 0 1 0 0 0 7 4 50 0 Inactive 8 7 122 0 12 10 76 0 6 4 75 0 4 3 35 0 101 69 984 3
9 8 98 0 3 3 5 0 5 5 49 0 7 6 51 0 3 2 17 0 3 3 10 0 2 2 5 0 5 4 39 0 5 4 42 0 4 3 21 0 8 6 45 0 6 4 23 0 Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve 60 50 405 0
7 3 29 0 5 4 69 0 6 4 47 0 5 4 19 0 5 3 36 0 Inactive 3 1 20 0 9 8 114 1 3 3 37 0 5 3 22 0 4 3 38 0 3 1 14 0 8 6 36 2 4 2 39 1 Inactive Inactive 67 45 520 4
Inactive 1 1 19 0 2 2 22 0 5 5 99 1 4 3 -8 0 5 4 17 0 6 6 32 0 4 2 15 1 2 1 2 0 2 2 10 0 3 2 8 0 2 1 0 0 3 3 7 0 5 2 16 0 Inactive Inactive 44 34 239 2
7 4 41 1 6 3 33 0 3 1 9 0 1 1 30 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 24 0 1 1 14 0 3 2 58 0 1 1 14 0 1 0 0 0 7 4 73 1 3 3 32 0 1 0 0 0 4 4 45 0 8 5 81 0 49 30 454 2
128 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
T E A M A N A LY S I S
NEW YORK
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Giants 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
at Dallas New Orleans Washington at Minnesota at Green Bay Baltimore at Los Angeles BYE Philadelphia Cincinnati Chicago at Cleveland at Pittsburgh Dallas Detroit at Philadelphia at Washington
The No. 8 offense in 2015 is headed for another big fantasy season led by one of the top players in Odell Beckham Jr. He wasn’t quite the animal last season that he was in 12 games as a rookie, but he played in all but one contest, so he ended up being even more valuable. Eli Manning is 35, but he’s coming off a careerbest 35 touchdown passes and has never missed a start. His raw totals might dip with New York’s improvements on defense, but expect another strong efficiency season from a player who has really cut down on his interceptions the past two years (28 total). He could be your starter in a deeper league. Victor Cruz returns as a possession receiver at this point, but rookie Sterling Shepard should be a nice target for Manning. Rashad Jennings won’t be a bellcow in this pass-first offense, but he did finish the year with 351 yards on 6.2 yards per carry in his final three games. His concern is scoring; he only had four touchdowns in 16 games last year. PK Josh Brown is 36, but he’s coming off his best year and should get plenty of chances as his team moves the ball.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACK
ELI MANNING RUNNING BACKS
RASHAD JENNINGS ANDRE WILLIAMS SHANE VEREEN PAUL PERKINS WIDE RECEIVERS
ODELL BECKHAM JR. VICTOR CRUZ STERLING SHEPARD DWAYNE HARRIS TIGHT ENDS
LARRY DONNELL WILL TYE PLACEKICKER
JOSH BROWN
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS ELI MANNING
RASHAD JENNINGS
SHANE VEREEN
ANDRE WILLIAMS
ODELL BECKHAM JR.
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 @ DAL WK 2 ATL WK 3 WAS WK 4 @ BUF WK 5 SF WK 6 @ PHI WK 7 DAL WK 8 @ NO WK 9 @ TB WK 10 NE WK 12 @ WAS WK 13 NYJ WK 14 @ MIA WK 15 CAR WK 16 @ MIN WK 17 PHI SEASON TOTALS u
36 20 189 0 0 70.3 40 27 292 2 0 105.4 32 23 279 2 0 119.1 35 20 212 3 1 91.6 54 41 441 3 1 110.2 38 24 189 1 2 62.3 24 13 170 0 0 76.7 41 30 350 6 0 138.2 40 26 213 2 2 74.3 44 24 361 2 0 96.9 51 26 321 2 3 59.4 34 18 297 1 1 80.1 31 27 337 4 0 151.5 46 29 245 4 1 96.7 29 15 234 1 3 50.7 43 24 302 2 0 93.4 618 387 4,432 35 14 93.6
13 52 9 12 11 32 9 38 11 46 13 63 5 19 10 54 13 48 11 39 6 14 5 14 22 81 16 107 14 74 27 170 195 863
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 3
3 14 6 19 6 23 5 21 5 24 4 0 4 56 2 3 6 14 4 14 2 15 4 13 1 0 4 29 1 3 4 12 61 260
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 14 6 43 14 29 11 35 3 0 5 6 4 13 5 7 7 30 2 2 2 1 6 22 3 3 6 21 3 5 5 26 88 257
0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
8 5 44 0 12 7 146 1 9 7 79 1 12 5 38 0 11 7 121 1 8 7 61 1 6 4 35 0 9 8 130 3 17 9 105 0 12 4 104 1 18 9 142 1 11 6 149 1 9 7 166 2 9 6 76 1 Suspended 7 5 54 0 158 96 1,450 13
SHANE VEREEN
RUEBEN RANDLE
WILL TYE
DWAYNE HARRIS
LARRY DONNELL
RASHAD JENNINGS
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 @ DET WK 2 AZ WK 3 HOU WK 4 @ WAS WK 5 ATL WK 6 @ PHI WK 7 @ DAL WK 8 IND WK 9 @ SEA WK 10 SF WK 12 DAL WK 13 @ JAX WK 14 @ TEN WK 15 WAS WK 16 @ STL WK 17 PHI SEASON TOTALS u
5 4 45 0 8 8 76 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 8 86 1 4 1 6 0 3 1 6 0 9 8 60 1 4 4 29 1 4 2 12 0 5 4 21 0 3 2 7 0 2 1 10 0 10 8 43 1 5 2 21 0 8 6 72 0 81 59 494 4
5 3 23 0 2 1 5 0 7 7 116 1 6 3 31 1 6 5 42 0 6 5 44 0 5 2 68 0 9 5 55 0 5 5 40 1 4 3 51 0 6 1 36 1 6 2 22 0 6 5 58 1 5 4 47 1 5 2 80 1 7 4 79 1 90 57 797 8
Practice squad Practice squad Practice squad 1 0 0 0 4 4 48 0 3 2 22 0 2 0 0 0 2 2 7 0 6 2 19 0 7 5 56 0 8 6 74 0 4 3 70 0 5 5 30 1 8 5 43 1 4 3 28 0 8 5 67 1 62 42 464 3
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 5 51 1 8 6 72 0 4 2 18 0 2 2 43 0 7 3 37 2 3 1 1 0 9 6 82 1 5 2 28 0 2 1 8 0 5 5 41 0 3 2 9 0 2 1 6 0 Inactive 57 36 396 4
4 3 21 0 6 4 28 1 6 3 32 0 7 5 38 0 7 6 35 1 5 3 29 0 5 4 18 0 1 1 22 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 41 29 223 2
1 0 0 0 2 2 12 0 3 3 25 0 2 2 54 1 4 4 21 0 3 3 20 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 31 0 1 1 -1 0 3 2 12 0 3 2 14 0 2 1 19 0 2 2 21 0 3 1 0 0 3 2 62 0 5 2 6 0 40 29 296 1
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
| 129
T E A M A N A LY S I S
NEW YORK
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Jets 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
Cincinnati at Buffalo at Kansas City Seattle at Pittsburgh at Arizona Baltimore at Cleveland at Miami Los Angeles BYE New England Indianapolis at San Francisco Miami at New England Buffalo
It’s a new look for the Jets in the backfield, but the top fantasy player for this squad will still be wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Whether it’s Chad Henne, Jay Cutler or Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing to him, Marshall has been productive in his career. He was third among receivers in fantasy points last season thanks to 14 touchdown catches and 109 receptions. Marshall’s presence did not negatively impact Eric Decker, who had 12 touchdown receptions and gets favorable coverages opposite Marshall. We’ll see if 2015 second-rounder Devin Smith can be healthy and a home-run option for Gang Green. As of press time, Ryan Fitzpatrick had not been re-signed, leading to a QB competition between Geno Smith and Christian Hackenberg, neither with much fantasy value. The backfield turns to veteran Matt Forte, one of the most consistent and productive backs in the league over the past eight seasons. He’s solid for PPR leagues and even at 30 should continue to get yards, but he’s never been a touchdown machine. Bilal Powell should get plenty of touches, too, and is going to be a nice PPR option. Can Jace Amaro finally be the player the Jets thought they drafted in 2014? Monitor him, but TE is a position to avoid with this team.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
GENO SMITH CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG RUNNING BACKS
MATT FORTE BILAL POWELL KHIRY ROBINSON WIDE RECEIVERS
BRANDON MARSHALL ERIC DECKER DEVIN SMITH KENBRELL THOMPKINS TIGHT ENDS
JACE AMARO KELLEN DAVIS PLACEKICKER
NICK FOLK
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS RYAN FITZPATRICK
CHRIS IVORY
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 CLE WK 2 @ IND WK 3 PHI WK 4 @ MIA WK 6 WAS WK 7 @ NE WK 8 @ OAK WK 9 JAX WK 10 BUF WK 11 @ HOU WK 12 MIA WK 13 @ NYG WK 14 TEN WK 15 @ DAL WK 16 NE WK 17 @ BUF SEASON TOTALS u
24 15 179 2 1 95.7 34 22 244 2 1 93.3 58 35 283 2 3 62.6 29 16 218 1 1 76.5 26 19 253 2 1 113.1 39 22 295 2 0 97.7 5 4 46 0 0 105.0 34 21 272 2 0 106.5 34 15 193 2 2 57.6 39 19 216 1 2 52.9 37 22 277 4 0 118.9 50 36 390 2 0 107.9 36 21 263 3 0 108.9 39 26 299 1 1 87.4 41 26 296 3 0 109.4 37 16 181 2 3 42.7 562 335 3,905 31 15 88.0
20 91 14 57 Did Not Play 29 166 20 146 17 41 15 17 23 26 18 99 8 36 21 87 10 47 22 101 13 37 11 38 6 81 247 1,070
ERIC DECKER
BILAL POWELL
BILAL POWELL
TD
2 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 7
CHRIS IVORY
RUSHING ATT YDS
12 62 12 38 10 31 0 0 4 -2 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 4 22 6 28 6 17 3 36 6 25 7 56 Inactive 70 313
RYAN FITZPATRICK
TD
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 1 0 1
QUINCY ENUNWA
RUSHING ATT YDS
2 -1 1 6 4 13 9 34 4 31 5 29 1 12 4 0 3 30 5 12 5 21 5 22 3 23 5 13 2 13 2 12 60 270
BRANDON MARSHALL
TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
9 6 62 1 10 7 101 1 14 10 109 1 11 7 128 0 9 7 111 1 7 4 67 0 18 9 108 0 8 4 44 1 10 3 23 1 10 5 47 1 11 9 131 2 13 12 131 1 10 6 125 1 7 4 74 0 10 8 115 2 16 8 126 1 173 109 1,502 14
KENBRELL THOMPKINS
JEREMY KERLEY
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 CLE WK 2 @ IND WK 3 PHI WK 4 @ MIA WK 6 WAS WK 7 @ NE WK 8 @ OAK WK 9 JAX WK 10 BUF WK 11 @ HOU WK 12 MIA WK 13 @ NYG WK 14 TEN WK 15 @ DAL WK 16 NE WK 17 @ BUF SEASON TOTALS u
3 2 37 1 11 8 97 1 Inactive 5 4 46 1 7 4 59 1 12 6 94 0 7 6 60 1 9 6 79 1 11 6 85 1 11 4 81 0 9 5 62 1 12 8 101 0 10 7 74 1 10 6 55 1 6 3 47 1 9 5 50 1 132 80 1,027 12
4 2 16 0 5 4 16 0 8 7 44 0 1 1 12 0 1 1 1 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 7 5 67 0 5 2 7 0 13 8 91 1 5 5 46 1 7 7 54 0 7 5 34 0 Inactive 63 47 388 2
1 1 9 0 2 2 3 0 Inactive 2 0 0 0 3 3 50 0 2 2 12 1 5 3 24 0 3 3 22 0 3 2 36 0 1 1 9 0 2 2 15 0 5 5 22 0 2 1 6 0 2 1 5 0 4 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 37 30 217 1
0 0 0 0 3 1 27 0 10 5 50 0 1 0 0 0 3 2 17 0 Suspended Suspended Suspended Suspended 4 2 22 0 6 2 29 0 4 2 37 0 3 1 10 0 4 4 49 0 4 2 69 0 4 1 5 0 46 22 315 0
Practice Squad Practice Squad Practice Squad Practice Squad Practice Squad Inactive 7 6 41 0 4 4 45 0 4 1 2 0 Inactive Inactive 0 0 0 0 Inactive 5 2 50 0 9 4 27 0 4 0 0 0 33 17 165 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 6 33 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 3 27 1 5 4 63 0 3 2 22 0 3 1 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 16 152 2
130 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
T E A M A N A LY S I S
OAKLAND
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Raiders 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
at New Orleans Atlanta at Tennessee at Baltimore San Diego Kansas City at Jacksonville at Tampa Bay Denver BYE Houston Carolina Buffalo at Kansas City at San Diego Indianapolis at Denver
Get ready to draft some Raiders this year. Oakland’s strides on offense have been no secret, and they took the next step this offseason with the signing of guard Kelechi Osemele. Osemele is a beast in the running game and should create a tough inside wall for Latavius Murray, an up-anddown fumbling risk who should hold RB2 status for the time being. Amari Cooper started hot before hitting a rookie wall of sorts last season, as he failed to score in seven of his final eight games. But he’s a tireless worker who should improve, and a second year working with Derek Carr should boost him to WR2 standards. Michael Crabree, meanwhile, will continue to enjoy the openings he gets opposite Cooper and should serve as a nice WR3. Carr broke out with 32 touchdown passes last season. He’s still not ready to burst into any kind of top tier, but with a more formidable front line than a year ago, he should cross the 4,000yard plateau for the first time, making him a nice backup. TE Clive Walford came on late as a rookie last year and should see more openings with what Oakland’s WRs can do out wide.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACK
DEREK CARR RUNNING BACKS
LATAVIUS MURRAY ROY HELU MARCEL REECE TAIWAN JONES WIDE RECEIVERS
AMARI COOPER MICHAEL CRABTREE SETH ROBERTS ANDRE HOLMES TIGHT ENDS
CLIVE WALFORD MYCHAL RIVERA PLACEKICKER
SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS DEREK CARR
LATAVIUS MURRAY
DEREK CARR
JAMIZE OLAWALE
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 CIN WK 2 BAL WK 3 @ CLE WK 4 @ CHI WK 5 DEN WK 7 @ SD WK 8 NYJ WK 9 @ PIT WK 10 MIN WK 11 @ DET WK 12 @ TEN WK 13 KC WK 14 @ DEN WK 15 GB WK 16 SD WK 17 @ KC SEASON TOTALS u
12 7 61 0 0 71.9 46 30 351 3 1 100.9 32 20 314 2 0 115.9 33 20 196 2 1 84.9 39 26 249 1 1 82.1 31 24 289 3 0 137.7 36 23 333 4 0 130.9 44 24 301 4 1 96.9 43 29 302 2 2 83.7 25 13 169 0 0 73.6 37 24 330 3 0 120.3 48 31 283 2 3 68.3 29 12 135 2 0 79.0 47 23 276 2 2 63.8 38 23 204 1 1 72.7 33 21 194 1 1 77.1 573 350 3,987 32 13 91.1
11 44 15 65 26 139 15 49 13 39 15 85 20 113 17 96 12 48 13 28 22 59 20 86 16 27 21 78 19 79 11 31 266 1,066
0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 6
1 8 2 23 1 -1 1 0 1 -1 2 3 2 -2 2 3 2 12 1 8 4 5 0 0 4 -4 4 42 4 30 2 12 33 138
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 6 Inactive Inactive 1 -1 6 13 2 4 0 0 1 19 5 24 4 12 2 17 2 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 110
AMARI COOPER
LATAVIUS MURRAY
MYCHAL RIVERA
SETH ROBERTS
MARCEL REECE
MICHAEL CRABTREE
TD
0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
8 5 37 0 16 9 111 1 9 4 36 0 6 5 80 0 9 4 54 0 8 6 63 1 12 7 102 1 12 7 108 2 5 4 55 0 11 6 50 0 8 4 19 1 11 5 45 1 5 4 19 0 11 6 70 0 8 6 39 1 7 3 34 1 146 85 922 9
CLIVE WALFORD
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 CIN WK 2 BAL WK 3 @ CLE WK 4 @ CHI WK 5 DEN WK 7 @ SD WK 8 NYJ WK 9 @ PIT WK 10 MIN WK 11 @ DET WK 12 @ TEN WK 13 KC WK 14 @ DEN WK 15 GB WK 16 SD WK 17 @ KC SEASON TOTALS u
9 5 47 0 11 7 109 1 11 8 134 0 9 4 49 1 4 4 47 0 6 5 133 1 9 5 46 0 13 7 88 1 9 5 79 0 4 1 4 0 12 7 115 0 8 4 69 0 8 0 0 0 9 6 120 2 3 2 10 0 5 2 20 0 130 72 1,070 6
7 7 36 0 3 3 22 0 1 1 10 0 5 3 12 0 4 3 18 0 1 1 1 0 2 1 6 0 2 2 -1 0 5 5 29 0 0 0 0 3 1 23 0 6 4 11 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 2 0 5 5 38 0 6 4 25 0 53 41 232 0
2 1 4 0 5 3 15 0 1 0 0 0 3 2 12 0 3 3 33 0 3 2 11 0 0 0 0 3 2 16 0 7 6 46 0 2 1 21 0 2 2 28 0 3 2 13 0 4 3 49 1 6 3 20 0 0 0 0 2 2 12 0 46 32 280 1
6 3 12 0 1 1 12 1 5 3 56 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 1 6 0 1 1 21 0 4 3 73 0 4 1 5 0 2 2 54 0 7 6 113 2 5 4 51 0 4 2 20 1 1 0 0 0 6 2 37 0 3 3 20 0 55 32 480 5
4 3 26 2 2 1 1 0 2 1 16 0 2 1 4 0 2 1 55 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 16 0 1 0 0 0 8 7 49 1 1 1 33 0 3 3 15 0 2 2 42 1 3 3 26 0 3 2 13 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 1 1 2 1 0 0 3 2 18 1 1 0 0 0 3 2 25 0 1 1 7 0 2 1 14 0 3 3 19 0 5 5 53 0 0 0 0 0 7 3 47 0 3 3 37 0 7 2 10 0 3 2 3 0 3 1 22 0 Suspended 4 4 46 0 37 30 269 3 50 28 329 3
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
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PHILADELPHIA
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Eagles Hungry for some fantasy food for thought regarding the Eagles? Check out the effectiveness of the ground game under new head coach Doug Pederson in his previous gig as the offensive coordinator of the Chiefs the past three seasons. From 2012 through 2014, the Chiefs rocked on the run, ranking first in the league in rushing TDs (54), third in yards per carry (4.6) and seventh in rushing
2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
Cleveland at Chicago Pittsburgh BYE at Detroit at Washington Minnesota at Dallas at N.Y. Giants Atlanta at Seattle Green Bay at Cincinnati Washington at Baltimore N.Y. Giants Dallas
VALUE CHART
yards (6,108). Those numbers could bode well for Eagles RB Ryan Mathews, considered one of the league’s most electrifying backs when healthy. Problem is Mathews, the Eagles’ undisputed lead back with DeMarco Murray getting traded to the Titans, has been able to play an entire season only once in his six-year career. Negatives come into play with each of the Eagles’ other prospective fantasy heavyweights. QB Sam Bradford’s penchant for interceptions offsets his careerhigh 3,725 passing yards and 65.0 completion percentage, and how long will Carson Wentz wait on the sideline? WR Jordan Matthews’ impact as a downfield threat offsets his 16 TDs and 1,869 receiving yards in his first two seasons. TE Zach Ertz’s penchant for dropped passes offsets the dominating potential he displayed down the stretch last season (franchise-record 30 catches in the last three games).
QUARTERBACKS
SAM BRADFORD CHASE DANIEL CARSON WENTZ RUNNING BACKS
RYAN MATHEWS DARREN SPROLES WIDE RECEIVERS
JORDAN MATTHEWS NELSON AGHOLOR RUEBEN RANDLE JOSH HUFF TIGHT ENDS
ZACH ERTZ BRENT CELEK PLACEKICKER
CODY PARKEY
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS SAM BRADFORD
DeMARCO MURRAY
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 @ ATL WK 2 DAL WK 3 @ NYJ WK 4 @ WAS WK 5 NO WK 6 NYG WK 7 @ CAR WK 9 @ DAL WK 10 MIA WK 11 TB WK 12 @ DET WK 13 @ NE WK 14 BUF WK 15 AZ WK 16 WAS WK 17 @ NYG SEASON TOTALS u
52 36 336 1 2 77.1 37 23 224 1 2 65.6 28 14 118 1 0 73.2 28 15 270 3 0 122.6 45 32 333 2 2 88.5 38 24 280 1 3 61.3 46 26 205 0 1 58.7 36 25 295 1 0 103.4 25 19 236 1 0 118.1 Inactive Inactive 24 14 120 2 0 99.3 38 23 247 1 1 77.4 41 28 361 2 2 91.6 56 37 380 1 0 91.4 38 30 320 2 1 108.3 532 346 3,725 19 14 86.4
8 9 13 2 Inactive 8 36 20 83 21 112 18 65 18 83 22 61 13 64 14 30 8 24 11 34 2 3 5 27 12 69 193 702
JORDAN MATTHEWS
ZACH ERTZ
RYAN MATHEWS
TD
1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 6
DARREN SPROLES
RUSHING ATT YDS
3 4 1 0 24 108 5 20 8 73 9 40 6 97 11 67 7 18 Inactive Inactive Inactive 13 38 11 58 4 5 4 11 106 539
DARREN SPROLES
TD
1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1
0 0 1 0 6
NELSON AGHOLOR
KENJON BARNER
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
5 50 1 -4 11 17 4 17 5 27 2 4 3 9 5 23 3 0 6 21 2 4 15 66 7 41 6 9 5 9 3 24 83 317
0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3
Inactive Did not play 0 0 0 0 Inactive Did not play Did not play 0 0 Inactive 7 37 7 30 9 39 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 18 28 124
BRENT CELEK
TD
0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
JOSH HUFF
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 @ ATL WK 2 DAL WK 3 @ NYJ WK 4 @ WAS WK 5 NO WK 6 NYG WK 7 @ CAR WK 9 @ DAL WK 10 MIA WK 11 TB WK 12 @ DET WK 13 @ NE WK 14 BUF WK 15 AZ WK 16 WAS WK 17 @ NYG SEASON TOTALS u
13 10 102 0 9 6 80 1 8 6 49 0 8 3 50 0 7 5 44 0 11 6 59 0 7 3 14 0 12 9 133 1 5 3 21 0 4 4 13 0 5 3 60 1 6 3 36 1 5 3 19 0 11 8 159 1 8 6 104 1 9 7 54 2 128 85 997 8
8 3 46 0 7 3 17 0 2 2 30 0 3 2 11 0 7 5 60 0 7 4 43 0 8 5 63 0 6 5 44 0 10 7 68 0 4 2 12 0 Inactive 4 2 9 1 7 5 98 0 13 8 78 1 17 13 122 0 9 9 152 0 112 75 853 2
9 7 76 0 4 4 23 0 6 4 19 0 3 0 0 0 2 1 10 0 2 1 3 0 10 5 31 0 3 2 3 0 6 5 34 0 7 3 38 1 6 4 21 0 6 4 34 0 3 2 4 0 4 3 16 0 9 7 56 0 3 3 20 0 83 55 388 1
2 1 5 0 6 3 31 0 4 0 0 0 4 3 64 0 1 1 5 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive 4 3 32 0 4 3 11 0 2 2 15 0 2 0 0 0 6 3 62 1 1 0 0 0 5 2 35 0 3 2 23 0 44 23 283 1
1 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 10 1 3 3 44 1 0 0 0 0 3 2 11 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 134 0 10 7 79 0 4 2 10 1 1 1 16 0 2 1 1 0 2 2 31 0 1 1 18 0 2 2 38 0 35 27 398 3
3 2 19 0 3 2 20 0 Inactive 0 0 0 0 5 4 78 1 3 3 19 0 5 2 5 0 4 2 10 0 4 3 23 1 1 1 39 1 1 1 11 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 28 0 4 4 52 0 2 1 8 0 2 0 0 0 40 27 312 3
132 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
T E A M A N A LY S I S
PITTSBURGH
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Steelers 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
at Washington Cincinnati at Philadelphia Kansas City N.Y. Jets at Miami New England BYE at Baltimore Dallas at Cleveland at Indianapolis N.Y. Giants at Buffalo at Cincinnati Baltimore Cleveland
The Steelers will continue to be a haven for top fantasy players in 2016. Antonio Brown remains the most explosive receiver in fantasy football. He was the top scoring receiver last year even though Ben Roethlisberger missed four games. When Roethlisberger plays, Brown is as automatic as any player in fantasy. With Martavis Bryant suspended for the year, we expect his targets to be even higher. Roethlisberger’s stock remains high, although he’s always an injury risk. With Brown and a deep receiving depth chart, Roethlisberger fits into a group of top-tier quarterbacks behind Cam Newton. Le’Veon Bell is one of the best players in the game when healthy, but that’s always a concern, as it is for most great RBs. Also a threat in the passing game, Bell should be the first RB taken in your draft. Beyond the big names, Pittsburgh boasts a talented new receiving tight end in Ladarius Green, who steps out of Antonio Gates’ shadow into a perfect spot. Markus Wheaton and Sammie Coates have some sleeper value, and DeAngelo Williams should be your handcuff to Bell. As a result of all this scoring, Chris Boswell becomes a lower-end kicker to look out for.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
BEN ROETHLISBERGER LANDRY JONES RUNNING BACKS
Le’VEON BELL DeANGELO WILLIAMS FITZGERALD TOUSSAINT WIDE RECEIVERS
ANTONIO BROWN MARKUS WHEATON SAMMIE COATES DARRIUS HEYWARD-BEY TIGHT ENDS
LADARIUS GREEN MATT SPAETH PLACEKICKER
CHRIS BOSWELL
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS BEN ROETHLISBERGER
LANDRY JONES
DeANGELO WILLIAMS
Le’VEON BELL
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 @ NE WK 2 SF WK 3 @ STL WK 4 BAL WK 5 @ SD WK 6 AZ WK 7 @ KC WK 8 CIN WK 9 OAK WK 10 CLE WK 12 @ SEA WK 13 IND WK 14 @ CIN WK 15 DEN WK 16 @ BAL WK 17 @ CLE SEASON TOTALS u
38 26 351 1 1 95.4 27 21 369 3 0 155.8 24 20 192 0 1 82.6 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 45 28 262 1 3 57.8 44 24 334 2 1 84.8 33 22 379 3 1 123.2 55 36 456 1 2 82.1 39 24 364 4 0 126.4 39 30 282 0 1 85.6 55 40 380 3 2 94.5 34 24 220 0 2 63.4 36 24 349 3 2 102.7 469 319 3,938 21 16 94.5
Inactive Inactive Inactive Active, did not play Active, did not play 12 8 168 2 0 149.3 29 16 209 1 2 60.8 Active, did not play 6 4 79 0 0 109.7 4 3 23 0 0 88.5 4 1 34 0 2 22.9 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 Active, did not play Active, did not play Active, did not play 55 32 513 3 4 77.3
21 127 20 77 1 2 2 5 5 20 1 -1 4 9 9 71 27 170 17 54 8 29 26 134 23 76 14 26 17 100 5 8 200 907
0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 2 1 2 0 11
Suspended Suspended 19 62 1 22 129 1 21 111 1 24 88 0 17 121 0 10 45 0 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 113 556 3
MICHAEL VICK
ANTONIO BROWN
HEATH MILLER
MARTAVIS BRYANT
MARKUS WHEATON
TD
DeANGELO WILLIAMS
GAME OPP
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 @ NE WK 2 SF WK 3 @ STL WK 4 BAL WK 5 @ SD WK 6 AZ WK 7 @ KC WK 8 CIN WK 9 OAK WK 10 CLE WK 12 @ SEA WK 13 IND WK 14 @ CIN WK 15 DEN WK 16 @ BAL WK 17 @ CLE SEASON TOTALS u
Active, did not play 3 -3 0 2 -2 0 9 33 0 1 24 0 5 47 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 20 99 0
11 9 133 1 11 9 195 1 13 11 108 0 9 5 42 0 6 3 45 0 8 3 24 0 8 6 124 0 11 6 47 1 23 17 284 0 14 10 139 2 12 6 51 0 11 8 118 2 10 7 87 0 18 16 189 2 11 7 61 0 17 13 187 1 193 136 1,834 10
11 8 84 0 2 2 15 1 3 2 17 0 2 1 1 0 3 3 46 0 1 1 5 0 2 0 0 0 13 10 105 0 6 3 32 0 7 4 40 0 6 5 45 0 Inactive 10 10 66 0 5 3 12 0 6 5 49 0 4 3 18 1 81 60 535 2
Suspended Suspended Suspended Suspended Injured 8 6 137 2 8 3 45 1 9 4 49 0 7 3 31 1 10 6 178 1 13 5 69 0 8 4 114 1 9 7 49 0 14 10 87 0 3 1 6 0 3 1 0 0 92 50 765 6
7 3 55 0 4 2 67 0 3 2 16 0 1 1 18 0 3 1 72 1 2 1 8 0 4 2 16 0 2 1 5 0 4 1 -2 0 2 2 18 0 13 9 201 1 6 3 50 1 7 4 65 0 11 6 62 1 5 3 41 0 5 3 57 1 79 44 749 5
1 1 5 0 5 4 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 8 0 4 4 39 0 4 2 55 0 2 1 15 0 7 7 88 0 6 5 31 0 2 2 15 0 6 5 30 0 6 6 53 0 2 2 13 0 47 40 367 0
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T E A M A N A LY S I S
SAN DIEGO
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Chargers 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
at Kansas City Jacksonville at Indianapolis New Orleans at Oakland Denver at Atlanta at Denver Tennessee Miami BYE at Houston Tampa Bay at Carolina Oakland at Cleveland Kansas City
Injuries and horrid O-line play made the Chargers an overpriced fantasy team in 2015, but expect some bounceback. The line is still an issue but should be healthier, and Philip Rivers can play through it with his quick release. With a healthier group and a new downfield threat in Travis Benjamin, Rivers should ascend to near starter level. Benjamin is a tough read because he had one big season in a contract year, and his thin frame makes him an odd fit in San Diego’s quick-pass scheme. He’s worth a WR3 slot. The receiver to look at is Keenan Allen, who was on pace for the receptions record prior to a lacerated kidney. He’s healed and should get back to being a monster, especially in PPR leagues. Antonio Gates, 36, had some injury issues, but nothing in his game shows he can’t still produce at a high level with Rivers throwing his way. Rookie Hunter Henry was the top tight end in the draft and has potential to be productive in this offense. Melvin Gordon is the mystery. He was one of the biggest busts last year, but if he gets his fumbling under control, he could be poised for a bounce-back year. But with the Chargers’ struggles to run block, he shouldn’t be more than an RB3 investment.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
PHILIP RIVERS KELLEN CLEMENS RUNNING BACKS
MELVIN GORDON DANNY WOODHEAD BRANDEN OLIVER WIDE RECEIVERS
KEENAN ALLEN TRAVIS BENJAMIN STEVIE JOHNSON DONTRELLE INMAN TIGHT ENDS
ANTONIO GATES HUNTER HENRY PLACEKICKER
JOSH LAMBO
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS PHILIP RIVERS
MELVIN GORDON
DANNY WOODHEAD
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 DET WK 2 @ CIN WK 3 @ MIN WK 4 CLE WK 5 PIT WK 6 @ GB WK 7 OAK WK 8 @ BAL WK 9 CHI WK 11 KC WK 12 @ JAX WK 13 DEN WK 14 @ KC WK 15 MIA WK 16 @ OAK WK 17 @ DEN SEASON TOTALS u
41 34 403 2 2 103.6 27 21 241 2 1 113.1 34 21 246 1 1 81.2 38 23 358 3 0 118.1 48 35 365 2 1 99.7 65 43 503 2 0 99.7 58 38 336 3 2 83.7 37 28 301 3 0 126.1 42 26 280 1 0 89.4 30 19 178 0 1 65.7 43 29 300 4 0 118.4 35 18 202 0 1 57.1 43 24 263 0 1 64.4 36 26 311 3 2 102.9 49 31 277 1 0 85.2 35 21 228 2 1 86.4 661 437 4,792 29 13 93.8
14 51 0 16 88 0 14 51 0 12 38 0 15 42 0 7 29 0 7 29 0 18 54 0 11 31 0 15 37 0 14 60 0 12 55 0 14 35 0 15 41 0 Injured reserve Injured reserve 184 641 0
KEENAN ALLEN
ANTONIO GATES
TD
STEVIE JOHNSON
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
13 43 7 36 5 11 8 54 4 10 7 8 5 26 3 9 6 33 6 7 4 8 3 10 3 5 8 10 11 55 5 11 98 336
2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3
LADARIUS GREEN
DONALD BROWN
RUSHING ATT YDS
DANNY WOODHEAD
TD
Inactive Inactive Inactive Not on team Inactive 0 0 0 0 Inactive 2 13 0 0 3 2 7 26 0 0 12 90 14 17 21 81 59 229
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
DONTRELLE INMAN
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
6 3 19 0 6 6 68 0 4 3 32 0 4 4 84 0 7 5 66 0 7 5 63 0 12 11 75 2 3 2 36 0 10 6 78 1 2 1 9 0 6 6 39 0 7 3 24 0 6 3 8 0 6 6 50 3 10 8 53 0 10 8 51 0 106 80 755 6
MALCOM FLOYD
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 DET WK 2 @ CIN WK 3 @ MIN WK 4 CLE WK 5 PIT WK 6 @ GB WK 7 OAK WK 8 @ BAL WK 9 CHI WK 11 KC WK 12 @ JAX WK 13 DEN WK 14 @ KC WK 15 MIA WK 16 @ OAK WK 17 @ DEN SEASON TOTALS u
17 15 166 0 4 2 16 0 18 12 133 2 7 4 72 1 10 6 57 0 15 14 157 0 13 9 89 0 5 5 35 1 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 89 67 725 4
Suspended Suspended Suspended Suspended 11 9 92 2 16 9 95 0 Inactive 5 4 56 0 11 6 69 0 3 1 6 0 6 4 53 2 9 6 50 0 8 6 76 0 9 6 88 0 2 2 11 0 5 3 34 1 85 56 630 5
6 6 82 1 6 5 45 1 5 3 46 0 8 4 32 0 Inactive Inactive 8 4 50 0 4 2 28 0 10 7 68 0 8 7 54 0 10 7 92 1 0 0 0 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 65 45 497 3
6 5 74 1 6 5 47 0 Inactive 6 4 53 1 5 5 50 0 4 3 35 1 9 4 45 1 1 1 10 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 9 0 1 1 19 0 6 2 21 0 6 2 26 0 3 2 13 0 7 2 27 0 Injured reserve 63 37 429 4
Inactive 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 3 88 0 2 0 0 0 7 3 18 1 2 2 26 0 2 1 10 0 5 3 28 0 5 3 51 0 9 5 65 1 2 1 15 0 Inactive 5 3 78 0 13 8 82 1 6 3 25 0 63 35 486 3
2 1 29 0 4 2 55 1 7 4 63 0 2 1 20 0 4 3 48 0 12 5 95 0 3 1 7 0 6 4 92 2 1 0 0 0 Inactive 4 1 12 0 4 1 15 0 9 3 56 0 3 1 27 0 6 3 42 0 2 0 0 0 69 30 561 3
134 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
T E A M A N A LY S I S
SAN FRANCISCO
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
49ers 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
Los Angeles at Carolina at Seattle Dallas Arizona at Buffalo Tampa Bay BYE New Orleans at Arizona New England at Miami at Chicago N.Y. Jets at Atlanta at Los Angeles Seattle
It’s likely only one 49ers quarterback could provide reasonable fantasy value in 2016 – Colin Kaepernick. Neither Blaine Gabbert nor rookie Jeff Driskel will be useful for more than an emergency start, but if Chip Kelly can use Kaepernick’s legs the way Jim Harbaugh did between 2012-14, when “Kap” averaged more than 40 rushing yards per regular-season start and totaled 10 rushing scores, that’s enough incentive alone to draft him as a fantasy backup with room to ascend. It appeared Carlos Hyde’s sophomore ascent would be meteoric with Frank Gore gone and Hyde bulldozing for 182 scrimmage yards in Week One, but it proved to be the high-water mark as he was limited to seven games before heading to IR with a broken foot. The talent is there for Hyde, but O-line and passing game limitations could make his fantasy outlook daunting. Torrey Smith’s first season with the Niners was easily his least productive of five in the NFL, and his imposing speed will likely continue to be underutilized but still persuade owners to over-draft him. After the loss of Anquan Boldin, we don’t see a relevant fantasy pass catcher on this lackluster roster.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
COLIN KAEPERNICK BLAINE GABBERT RUNNING BACKS
CARLOS HYDE MIKE DAVIS SHAUN DRAUGHN WIDE RECEIVERS
TORREY SMITH QUINTON PATTON BRUCE ELLINGTON JEROME SIMPSON TIGHT ENDS
VANCE McDONALD GARRETT CELEK PLACEKICKER
PHIL DAWSON
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS BLAINE GABBERT
COLIN KAEPERNICK
CARLOS HYDE
SHAUN DRAUGHN
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 MIN WK 2 @ PIT WK 3 @ AZ WK 4 GB WK 5 @ NYG WK 6 BAL WK 7 SEA WK 8 @ STL WK 9 ATL WK 11 @ SEA WK 12 AZ WK 13 @ CHI WK 14 @ CLE WK 15 CIN WK 16 @ DET WK 17 STL SEASON TOTALS u
Active, did not play Active, did not play Active, did not play Active, did not play Active, did not play Active, did not play Active, did not play Active, did not play 25 15 185 2 2 76.2 34 22 264 1 0 98.2 36 25 318 1 1 94.4 32 18 196 1 0 84.9 28 18 194 1 0 96.4 50 30 295 1 3 58.3 33 22 225 2 0 106.2 44 28 354 1 1 86.7 282 178 2,031 10 7 86.2
26 17 165 0 0 83 46 33 335 2 0 106.7 19 9 67 0 4 16.7 25 13 160 0 1 55.4 35 23 262 2 0 107.1 27 16 340 2 0 128.2 24 13 124 0 0 68.8 41 20 162 0 0 59.2 1 0 0 0 0 39.6 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 244 144 1,615 6 5 78.5
26 168 2 13 43 0 15 51 0 8 20 0 21 93 1 21 55 0 11 40 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 115 470 3
COLIN KAEPERNICK
ANQUAN BOLDIN
TORREY SMITH
QUINTON PATTON
TD
VANCE McDONALD
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team 16 58 0 12 37 0 15 51 0 13 36 1 11 43 0 9 38 0 Inactive Injured reserve 76 263 1
SHAUN DRAUGHN
GAME OPP
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 MIN WK 2 @ PIT WK 3 @ AZ WK 4 GB WK 5 @ NYG WK 6 BAL WK 7 SEA WK 8 @ STL WK 9 ATL WK 11 @ SEA WK 12 AZ WK 13 @ CHI WK 14 @ CLE WK 15 CIN WK 16 @ DET WK 17 STL SEASON TOTALS u
7 41 0 9 51 0 7 46 1 10 57 0 3 23 0 3 10 0 0 0 0 6 28 0 0 0 0 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 45 256 1
5 4 36 0 10 6 60 1 4 2 16 0 7 3 12 0 12 8 107 1 9 5 102 0 7 3 39 0 Inactive Inactive 7 5 93 0 11 8 93 0 13 5 37 0 3 2 22 0 10 8 74 1 5 5 27 0 8 5 71 1 111 69 789 4
3 1 11 0 7 6 120 1 2 0 0 0 5 2 54 0 2 2 42 0 6 3 96 1 1 0 0 0 5 2 19 0 4 2 44 0 3 1 16 0 3 2 51 0 3 2 76 1 2 1 17 0 5 2 33 0 3 2 23 1 8 5 61 0 62 33 663 4
1 0 0 0 4 4 25 0 3 1 7 0 2 2 53 0 3 2 6 0 3 2 38 1 3 1 2 0 4 2 33 0 5 3 70 0 3 2 15 0 6 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 9 5 46 0 5 3 37 0 4 1 28 0 2 1 33 0 57 30 394 1
1 1 5 0 1 0 0 0 Inactive 2 1 7 0 3 2 9 0 1 1 10 0 1 1 1 0 2 1 13 0 5 2 19 0 4 4 65 1 7 6 71 1 3 2 18 0 Inactive 4 1 10 0 7 5 61 1 5 3 37 0 46 30 326 3
Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team Not on team 5 4 38 0 11 8 40 0 5 5 35 0 6 5 50 0 3 2 8 0 2 1 4 0 Inactive Injured reserve 32 25 175 0
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T E A M A N A LY S I S
SEATTLE
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Seahawks 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
Miami at Los Angeles San Francisco at N.Y. Jets BYE Atlanta at Arizona at New Orleans Buffalo at New England Philadelphia at Tampa Bay Carolina at Green Bay Los Angeles Arizona at San Francisco
Is it too much to expect Russell Wilson to pick up where he left off last season after registering a mind-boggling 25-2 TD-interception ratio in the last eight games? On one hand, that sort of fantasy brilliance hardly seems like a stretch with WR Doug Baldwin stoked to repeat as the league’s most potent TD machine after being snubbed in the Pro Bowl, sophomore WR Tyler Lockett looking like a 1,000-yard receiver in the making and normally productive TE Jimmy Graham anxious to make a complete recovery after rupturing his patellar tendon in Week 12. On the other hand, a Seattle offensive line that ranked a lowly 28th in percentage of sacks allowed threatens to put Wilson in harm’s way every week, legitimately scaring the bejeezus out of what is likely to be a record number of fantasy owners. As for Thomas Rawls, the sky’s the limit for the undrafted second-year back who made the injured Marshawn Lynch such an afterthought last season, displaying his fair share of “Beast Mode” qualities. One quality Rawls possesses that Lynch lost the last couple of seasons is an ability to break away on every single play, provided the ankle he broke last season is fully healed.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
RUSSELL WILSON TREVONE BOYKIN RUNNING BACKS
THOMAS RAWLS CHRISTINE MICHAEL C.J. PROSISE WIDE RECEIVERS
DOUG BALDWIN TYLER LOCKETT JERMAINE KEARSE PAUL RICHARDSON TIGHT ENDS
JIMMY GRAHAM LUKE WILLSON PLACEKICKER
STEVEN HAUSCHKA
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS RUSSELL WILSON
THOMAS RAWLS
MARSHAWN LYNCH
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 @ STL WK 2 @ GB WK 3 CHI WK 4 DET WK 5 @ CIN WK 6 CAR WK 7 @ SF WK 8 @ DAL WK 10 AZ WK 11 SF WK 12 PIT WK 13 @ MIN WK 14 @ BALT WK 15 CLE WK 16 STL WK 17 @ AZ SEASON TOTALS u
41 32 251 1 1 90.1 30 19 206 2 1 91.8 30 20 235 1 0 101.4 26 20 287 1 0 125.0 23 15 213 1 1 91.4 30 18 241 1 0 96.7 24 18 235 1 2 84.5 30 19 210 1 1 81.2 32 14 240 1 1 67.2 29 24 260 3 0 138.5 30 21 345 5 0 147.9 27 21 274 3 0 146.0 32 23 292 5 0 139.6 30 21 249 3 0 128.3 41 25 289 2 1 88.4 28 19 197 3 0 123.7 483 329 4,024 34 8 110.1
2 5 0 0 0 0 16 104 0 17 48 0 23 169 1 1 8 0 6 32 0 4 10 0 2 19 0 30 209 1 21 81 1 19 101 1 6 44 0 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 147 830 4
DOUG BALDWIN
TYLER LOCKETT
TD
JERMAINE KEARSE
RUSHING ATT YDS
18 73 15 41 5 14 Inactive Inactive 17 54 27 122 21 71 8 42 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 111 417
TD
0 0 0 1 1 0 1
3
JIMMY GRAHAM
RUSSELL WILSON
FRED JACKSON
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
8 31 10 78 6 28 10 40 3 21 8 53 7 20 6 32 6 52 9 30 4 14 9 51 1 6 5 46 6 38 5 13 103 553
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1
3 13 0 0 2 13 3 21 2 5 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 4 11 1 4 1 5 7 15 0 0 2 11 0 0 26 100
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FRED JACKSON
LUKE WILLSON
GAME OPP
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING ARG REC YDS TD T
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 @ STL WK 2 @ GB WK 3 CHI WK 4 DET WK 5 @ CIN WK 6 CAR WK 7 @ SF WK 8 @ DAL WK 10 AZ WK 11 SF WK 12 PIT WK 13 @ MIN WK 14 @ BALT WK 15 CLE WK 16 STL WK 17 @ AZ SEASON TOTALS u
9 7 35 0 8 7 92 1 3 3 35 0 4 3 36 1 3 3 70 0 4 3 23 0 3 2 19 0 6 3 35 0 10 7 134 1 6 6 60 0 8 6 145 3 7 5 94 2 9 6 82 3 6 4 45 2 10 8 118 1 7 5 46 0 103 78 1,069 14
4 4 34 0 2 2 17 0 1 0 0 0 5 4 58 0 5 2 29 0 2 0 0 0 5 5 79 1 4 3 36 0 1 1 7 0 5 4 48 2 3 3 38 0 7 7 90 0 7 6 104 2 7 5 55 1 7 3 33 0 4 2 36 0 69 51 664 6
10 8 76 0 2 0 0 0 6 6 76 0 2 2 84 0 3 2 38 1 3 0 0 0 4 3 64 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 10 0 5 3 34 0 5 4 47 2 1 0 0 0 8 7 74 0 8 7 110 0 5 3 38 1 3 3 34 1 68 49 685 5
8 6 51 1 2 1 11 0 8 7 83 1 5 4 29 0 5 3 30 0 12 8 140 0 5 2 31 0 10 7 75 0 8 3 41 0 3 3 39 0 8 4 75 0 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 71 48 605 2
1 1 16 0 2 2 16 1 2 2 9 0 4 2 33 0 3 3 29 0 2 2 7 0 4 4 33 0 1 1 9 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 11 0 2 2 7 0 2 2 13 1 4 1 8 0 3 2 17 0 8 5 43 0 1 1 6 0 41 32 257 2
1 0 0 0 4 2 36 0 Inactive 3 2 15 0 3 2 17 0 1 1 16 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 41 1 1 0 0 0 2 2 15 0 1 1 12 0 3 2 36 0 2 1 8 0 2 2 17 0 1 0 0 0 Inactive 26 17 213 1
136 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
T E A M A N A LY S I S
TAMPA BAY
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Buccaneers 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
at Atlanta at Arizona Los Angeles Denver at Carolina BYE at San Francisco Oakland Atlanta Chicago at Kansas City Seattle at San Diego New Orleans at Dallas at New Orleans Carolina
The Buccaneers gained more yards in 2015 than any season in franchise history, and their young skill players are climbing the fantasy draft boards. They just need to find pay dirt more often. Doug Martin was third in the NFL in fantasy points among running backs. His 1,402 rushing yards ranked second, but he had only six rushing touchdowns. Martin can certainly find the end zone more, along with the rest of the offense. He’s a first-round fantasy pick. Martin’s backup, Charles Sims, was productive with 1,090 total yards last season and four receiving touchdowns. He has flex value. At receiver, Mike Evans is in WR1 territory with his 16.3 yards per catch and 1,206 receiving yards, but he had only three touchdowns. Vincent Jackson was limited by injuries, but he’s got value as long as defenses pay attention to Evans. Keep an eye on the battle for the No. 3 WR spot. Jameis Winston should only get better in Year Two with Dirk Koetter as head coach, but he needs to improve his accuracy. He’s a QB2 with a high ceiling. Austin Seferian-Jenkins scored four times in only seven games, giving him sleeper potential at tight end. And of course we must mention second-round rookie kicker Roberto Aguayo.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
JAMEIS WINSTON MIKE GLENNON RUNNING BACKS
DOUG MARTIN CHARLES SIMS MIKE JAMES WIDE RECEIVERS
MIKE EVANS VINCENT JACKSON ADAM HUMPHRIES KENNY BELL TIGHT ENDS
AUSTIN SEFERIAN-JENKINS LUKE STOCKER PLACEKICKER
ROBERTO AGUAYO
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS JAMEIS WINSTON
DOUG MARTIN
CHARLES SIMS
JAMEIS WINSTON
MIKE EVANS
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 TEN WK 2 @ NO WK 3 @ HOU WK 4 CAR WK 5 JAX WK 7 @ WAS WK 8 @ ATL WK 9 NYG WK 10 DAL WK 11 @ PHI WK 12 @ IND WK 13 ATL WK 14 NO WK 15 @ STL WK 16 CHI WK 17 @ CAR SEASON TOTALS u
33 16 210 2 2 64.0 21 14 207 1 0 114.6 36 17 261 1 1 69.3 43 26 287 2 4 57.0 19 13 209 1 0 122.5 29 21 297 2 0 128.1 29 16 177 1 0 85.0 36 19 247 0 0 74.7 39 22 264 0 2 55.9 29 19 246 5 0 131.6 36 20 245 1 1 74.4 27 18 227 1 1 89.6 32 18 182 1 0 83.1 50 29 363 2 1 85.7 29 15 295 2 1 96.2 47 29 325 0 2 64.6 535 312 4,042 22 15 84.2
11 52 21 78 14 46 20 106 24 123 19 136 23 71 11 31 18 63 27 235 14 97 25 95 11 81 18 91 17 49 15 48 288 1,402
0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 6
5 12 8 38 6 11 6 23 12 51 10 49 6 22 8 78 5 18 10 43 4 8 7 56 5 10 7 50 4 45 4 15 107 529
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 18 6 23 0 0 4 12 4 9 1 5 3 24 3 24 3 3 4 0 3 27 5 15 3 24 2 5 4 10 3 14 54 213
0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 6
Inactive 3 0 0 0 17 7 101 0 8 3 32 0 5 3 41 0 12 8 164 1 9 3 48 0 19 8 150 0 13 8 126 0 7 4 63 1 10 5 64 0 7 5 61 1 4 3 39 0 17 9 157 0 8 4 61 0 9 4 99 0 148 74 1,206 3
CHARLES SIMS
DOUG MARTIN
VINCENT JACKSON
ADAM HUMPHRIES
CAMERON BRATE
AUSTIN SEFERIAN-JENKINS
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 TEN WK 2 @ NO WK 3 @ HOU WK 4 CAR WK 5 JAX WK 7 @ WAS WK 8 @ ATL WK 9 NYG WK 10 DAL WK 11 @ PHI WK 12 @ IND WK 13 ATL WK 14 NO WK 15 @ STL WK 16 CHI WK 17 @ CAR SEASON TOTALS u
5 2 23 0 3 3 14 0 2 2 41 1 5 3 30 1 4 4 85 0 3 2 17 0 4 3 24 0 2 1 4 0 5 2 13 0 4 3 26 1 3 3 31 0 3 2 21 0 8 6 64 0 3 3 22 0 5 3 72 1 11 9 74 0 70 51 561 4
1 1 2 0 2 2 20 0 0 0 0 0 5 5 37 0 3 3 35 1 3 3 35 0 1 1 7 0 4 2 12 0 4 4 40 0 1 0 0 0 3 1 1 0 2 1 5 0 3 1 5 0 2 1 6 0 3 1 6 0 7 7 60 0 44 33 271 1
11 4 51 0 5 3 54 1 4 2 40 0 15 10 147 1 3 1 14 0 2 1 13 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive 6 4 56 1 10 4 76 0 5 3 87 0 1 1 5 0 Inactive Inactive Injured Reserve 62 33 543 3
4 2 14 0 0 0 0 0 Inactive 0 0 0 Practice Squad Practice Squad 6 3 14 0 5 5 55 0 3 2 25 0 5 4 50 0 3 2 20 0 1 1 6 0 3 1 6 1 6 6 60 0 2 1 10 0 2 0 0 0 40 27 260 1
Inactive Inactive 0 0 0 0 1 1 7 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 6 0 2 2 48 1 1 1 17 0 2 1 6 0 4 3 47 1 6 5 53 1 2 2 12 0 3 2 16 0 5 3 20 0 1 1 46 0 2 1 10 0 30 23 288 3
7 5 110 2 3 2 29 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 6 3 31 0 6 3 31 0 6 3 29 1 4 2 60 1 7 3 48 0 39 21 338 4
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
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T E A M A N A LY S I S
TENNESSEE
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Titans 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
Minnesota at Detroit Oakland at Houston at Miami Cleveland Indianapolis Jacksonville at San Diego Green Bay at Indianapolis at Chicago BYE Denver at Kansas City at Jacksonville Houston
After a successful but injury-shortened rookie campaign for Marcus Mariota, the Titans addressed an O-line that surrendered the most sacks in the NFL and a running game that ranked 25th by acquiring eighth overall pick Jack Conklin, 2014 rushing champion DeMarco Murray and 2015 Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry. Mariota’s protection and comfort level should be much improved, making the dual-threat quarterback an intriguing middle-round target with immense upside. Owners shouldn’t again overspend on Murray in Round One, especially with Henry behind him, but he’s a strong rebound candidate and RB2 in an offense better-suited for his skills. Mariota’s WR stable also improved with free agent Rishard Matthews, coming off a breakout season in Miami and a strong WR3. Kendall Wright, auditioning for a new regime in a contract year, struggled with injuries but remains a nice PPR asset who hasn’t replicated his college big-play form, unlike the promise Dorial Green Beckham showed as a rookie (four TDs, 17.2 yards per catch in five starts). Although DGB remains a boom-or-bust talent, he should undoubtedly be the first Titan receiver drafted. Delanie Walker, fifth in TE scoring in 2015, is improving with age and an expanded role, and should have another solid TE1 campaign.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
MARCUS MARIOTA RUNNING BACKS
DeMARCO MURRAY DERRICK HENRY ANTONIO ANDREWS BISHOP SANKEY WIDE RECEIVERS
DORIAL GREEN-BECKHAM KENDALL WRIGHT RISHARD MATTHEWS HARRY DOUGLAS JUSTIN HUNTER TIGHT ENDS
DELANIE WALKER PLACEKICKER
RYAN SUCCOP
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS MARCUS MARIOTA
ANTONIO ANDREWS
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 @ TB WK 2 @ CLE WK 3 IND WK 5 BUF WK 6 MIA WK 7 ATL WK 8 @ HOU WK 9 @ NO WK 10 CAR WK 11 @ JAX WK 12 OAK WK 13 JAX WK 14 @ NYJ WK 15 @ NE WK 16 HOU WK 17 @ IND SEASON TOTALS u
15 13 209 4 0 158.3 37 21 257 2 0 96.3 44 27 367 2 2 84.2 32 21 187 0 1 68.1 33 21 219 1 2 67.6 Inactive Inactive 39 28 371 4 0 135.7 24 16 185 0 1 72.4 35 22 231 0 0 82.0 37 17 218 3 2 69.4 29 20 268 3 1 118.2 39 21 274 0 1 65.5 6 3 32 0 0 66.0 Inactive Inactive 370 230 2,818 19 10 91.5
Inactive Inactive 12 49 7 9 9 23 10 57 16 64 19 88 11 8 15 78 11 32 13 58 4 8 14 45 2 1 0 0 143 520
HARRY DOUGLAS
MARCUS MARIOTA
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3
2 6 3 19 0 0 5 47 0 0 Inactive Inactive 1 5 5 24 5 29 1 7 9 112 3 3 0 0 Inactive Inactive 34 252
DEXTER McCLUSTER
TD
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2
TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
2 8 0 10 98 0 5 7 0 8 20 0 5 23 0 5 20 0 3 15 0 8 19 0 3 25 1 2 0 0 Inactive Inactive 4 12 0 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 55 247 1
3 3 43 1 Inactive 10 7 68 0 6 4 36 0 10 8 97 0 9 7 55 0 6 6 62 0 8 7 95 2 4 3 52 0 10 8 109 0 8 6 91 0 12 8 92 1 13 7 71 0 5 2 64 2 15 9 59 0 14 9 94 0 133 94 1,088 6
ANTHONY FASANO
JUSTIN HUNTER
KENDALL WRIGHT
DORIAL GREEN-BECKHAM RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
0 0 0 0 2 1 13 1 3 2 22 1 0 0 0 0 6 3 57 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 12 0 10 5 77 0 2 0 0 0 6 3 40 0 5 1 22 0 6 5 119 1 7 3 53 0 9 6 113 0 3 0 0 0 5 2 21 1 67 32 549 4
0 0 0 0 4 4 26 0 2 1 35 0 1 1 -2 0 4 3 19 1 8 6 48 0 6 4 23 0 4 2 28 0 5 4 27 0 2 2 18 0 Inactive Inactive 5 4 38 0 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 41 31 260 1
1 1 18 0 7 5 84 1 2 1 26 0 1 0 0 0 3 2 1 0 4 3 21 0 1 1 9 0 3 3 33 1 4 1 19 0 2 2 14 0 2 2 22 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 3 21 0 7 2 21 0 0 0 0 0 42 26 289 2
2 1 11 0 2 2 34 0 2 1 29 0 6 4 38 0 4 3 54 0 4 2 17 0 3 2 17 0 4 3 17 1 4 4 47 0 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 31 22 264 1
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 @ KC WK 2 DAL WK 3 @ CIN WK 5 @ IND WK 6 CLE WK 7 JAX WK 8 @ WAS WK 9 HOU WK 10 @ BAL WK 11 PIT WK 12 @ PHI WK 13 @ HOU WK 14 NYG WK 15 NYJ WK 16 @ JAX WK 17 IND SEASON TOTALS u
2 2 24 1 8 1 9 0 6 3 20 0 3 2 17 0 4 1 11 0 Inactive Inactive 5 5 73 0 3 3 26 0 5 2 16 0 8 3 29 1 3 1 8 0 7 3 65 0 4 2 15 0 12 6 79 0 2 2 19 0 72 36 411 2
4 4 101 1 4 2 17 0 12 7 95 1 6 3 29 0 5 4 34 0 8 4 46 1 7 4 21 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive 7 2 19 0 4 3 28 0 Inactive Inactive 3 3 18 0 Inactive 60 36 408 3
138 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
DEXTER McCLUSTER
RUSHING ATT YDS
DELANIE WALKER
T E A M A N A LY S I S
2016 PROJECTED FANTASY
Washington 2016 SCHEDULE GAME
OPPONENT
WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17
Pittsburgh Dallas at N.Y. Giants Cleveland at Baltimore Philadelphia at Detroit at Cincinnati BYE Minnesota Green Bay at Dallas at Arizona at Philadelphia Carolina at Chicago N.Y. Giants
Good news, fantasy owners: drafting Kirk Cousins as your QB1 won’t cost $20 million. Fantasy’s No. 8 scorer in 2015, Cousins will instead require only a mid-round investment, reasonable given his personal incentive chasing a long-term deal and healthy, talented arsenal consisting of Jordan Reed, first-round pick Josh Doctson, DeSean Jackson and Jamison Crowder. “Healthy” remains the operative word relative to Reed, but he set career-highs across the board in 14 appearances. Conversely, Jackson missed seven games after appearing in at least 15 in five of the previous seven seasons. The home run potential is awfully nice if he’s WR3 on a deep roster. Doctson has the size/speed/ athleticism combo worthy of being a productive NFL wideout. Crowder is a sleeper to track in the later rounds after showing promise and versatility as a rookie. An even bigger Year Two opportunity awaits Matt Jones, who’s expected to do the heavy lifting for Jay Gruden and flashed serious potential – and issues with ball security – as a rookie. Jones has both the expected workload and a speed-power combo to become a legit RB2 breakout candidate. Vernon Davis and Pierre Garcon are fading fast and solely roster fillers.
VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS
KIRK COUSINS COLT McCOY RUNNING BACKS
MATT JONES CHRIS THOMPSON WIDE RECEIVERS
DeSEAN JACKSON PIERRE GARCON JAMISON CROWDER JOSH DOCTSON TIGHT ENDS
JORDAN REED VERNON DAVIS NILES PAUL PLACEKICKER
DUSTIN HOPKINS
2015 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS KIRK COUSINS
ALFRED MORRIS
GAME OPP
PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT RTG
RUSHING ATT YDS
WK 1 MIA WK 2 STL WK 3 @ NYG WK 4 PHI WK 5 @ ATL WK 6 @ NYJ WK 7 TB WK 9 @ NE WK 10 NO WK 11 @ CAR WK 12 NYG WK 13 DAL WK 14 @ CHI WK 15 BUF WK 16 @ PHI WK 17 @ DAL SEASON TOTALS u
31 21 196 1 2 68.8 27 23 203 1 0 110.3 49 30 316 1 2 69.8 46 31 290 1 0 91.8 32 21 219 1 2 69.7 43 25 196 1 2 57.9 40 33 317 3 0 124.7 40 22 217 1 1 68.4 25 20 324 4 0 158.3 30 22 207 1 1 89.2 29 20 302 1 0 114.4 31 22 219 1 0 101.4 31 24 300 1 1 104.2 28 22 319 4 0 153.7 46 31 365 4 0 120.3 15 12 176 3 0 155.1 543 379 4,166 29 11 101.6
25 18 6 17 8 11 6 4 15 2 23 6 11 14 17 19 202
PIERRE GARÇON
JAMISON CROWDER
121 59 19 62 15 21 5 10 92 0 78 12 24 84 49 100 751
MATT JONES
TD
RUSHING ATT YDS
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
6 28 19 123 11 38 7 11 11 20 Inactive 9 29 11 27 11 56 5 0 8 19 18 49 18 62 10 28 Inactive Inactive 144 490
CHRIS THOMPSON
CHRIS THOMPSON
TD
0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3
DeSEAN JACKSON
RUSHING ATT YDS
3 11 0 0 2 29 6 53 3 15 5 12 Inactive 0 0 2 54 4 10 2 7 1 6 Inactive Inactive 0 0 7 19 35 216
TD
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
RYAN GRANT
JORDAN REED
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
11 7 63 1 6 6 82 0 9 6 96 0 8 5 37 0 Inactive Inactive 13 11 72 2 7 3 18 1 4 3 29 2 8 6 46 0 9 8 98 0 8 3 33 0 9 9 120 1 7 7 84 2 11 9 129 2 4 4 45 0 114 87 952 11
MATT JONES
GAME OPP
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD
WK 1 MIA WK 2 STL WK 3 @ NYG WK 4 PHI WK 5 @ ATL WK 6 @ NYJ WK 7 TB WK 9 @ NE WK 10 NO WK 11 @ CAR WK 12 NYG WK 13 DAL WK 14 @ CHI WK 15 BUF WK 16 @ PHI WK 17 @ DAL SEASON TOTALS u
8 6 74 0 7 6 23 1 12 5 64 0 8 7 55 1 8 3 51 0 8 5 28 1 6 5 55 0 8 4 70 0 2 2 10 0 4 3 43 0 6 3 35 0 7 5 54 0 7 5 52 0 4 3 34 1 12 7 80 1 4 3 49 1 111 72 777 6
1 1 0 0 1 1 7 0 6 6 45 0 12 7 65 0 8 8 87 0 9 4 40 0 5 5 48 0 8 6 50 0 5 4 60 1 1 1 5 0 4 2 12 0 4 3 29 0 1 1 13 0 3 3 21 0 3 2 13 0 7 5 109 1 78 59 604 2
1 0 0 0 1 1 10 0 11 8 57 1 3 2 24 0 7 6 33 0 10 6 26 0 Inactive 4 2 21 0 1 1 23 0 4 3 7 0 1 1 9 0 4 4 18 0 Inactive Inactive 1 1 12 1 0 0 0 0 48 35 240 2
1 0 0 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 6 3 15 0 5 2 44 0 8 5 87 1 4 2 66 1 7 6 80 1 4 2 43 0 8 6 153 1 6 4 40 0 Active, did not play 49 30 528 4
2 1 15 0 6 3 45 0 5 2 9 0 7 5 45 0 4 1 4 0 4 2 22 0 3 3 54 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 19 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 13 0 3 1 24 0 4 3 18 1 42 23 268 2
0 0 0 0 3 3 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 17 0 Inactive 4 3 22 0 3 2 17 0 3 3 131 1 2 2 12 0 1 1 45 0 1 1 5 0 3 2 24 0 3 1 8 0 Inactive Inactive 25 19 304 1
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
| 139
2015 fantasy stats FANTASY POINTS-TOTAL RANKINGS BY POSITION QUARTERBACKS PLAYER
PASSING RUSHING RECEIVING FUMB 2-PT FUMB FANTASY YARDS TD INT YARDS TD YARDS TD TD CONV LOST POINTS
Cam Newton Tom Brady Russell Wilson Blake Bortles Carson Palmer Drew Brees Aaron Rodgers Kirk Cousins Matthew Stafford Eli Manning Ryan Fitzpatrick Philip Rivers Jameis Winston Derek Carr Alex Smith Tyrod Taylor Ryan Tannehill Andy Dalton Matt Ryan Ben Roethlisberger Jay Cutler Marcus Mariota Teddy Bridgewater Sam Bradford Brian Hoyer Joe Flacco Josh McCown Andrew Luck Blaine Gabbert Brock Osweiler Colin Kaepernick Nick Foles Johnny Manziel Peyton Manning Matt Hasselbeck
3837 35 10 4770 36 7 4024 34 8 4428 35 18 4671 35 11 4870 32 11 3821 31 8 4166 29 11 4262 32 13 4436 35 14 3905 31 15 4793 29 13 4042 22 15 3987 32 13 3486 20 7 3035 20 6 4210 24 12 3250 25 7 4591 21 16 3938 21 16 3659 21 11 2818 19 10 3231 14 9 3725 19 14 2606 19 7 2791 14 12 2109 12 4 1881 15 12 2031 10 7 1967 10 6 1615 6 5 2052 7 10 1500 7 5 2249 9 17 1690 9 5
636 10 - - - - 4 389.08 53 3 36 - - - 2 343.70 553 1 - - - - 3 336.26 310 2 - - - 1 5 316.12 24 1 - - - - 2 309.24 14 1 - - - - 2 304.20 344 1 - - - 4 4 301.24 48 5 - - - 2 3 293.44 159 1 -6 - - - 2 289.78 61 - - - - - 4 287.54 270 2 - - - - 2 285.20 28 - - - - 2 2 284.52 213 6 - - - 1 2 274.98 138 - - - - 1 3 271.28 498 2 - - - 2 - 271.24 568 4 4 - - 1 1 270.60 141 1 9 - - 1 3 257.40 142 3 - - - - 2 244.20 63 - - - - 1 5 233.94 29 - -3 - - 8 - 228.12 201 1 - - - 1 5 226.46 252 2 41 1 - 3 6 210.02 192 3 - - - 1 3 200.44 39 - - - - - 3 194.90 44 - - - - - 2 166.64 23 3 - - - 1 2 161.94 98 1 - - - 2 6 132.16 196 - - - - 1 1 130.84 185 1 - - - - 1 129.74 61 1 - - - - 1 116.78 256 1 - - - 1 1 110.20 20 1 - - - 1 2 96.08 230 - - - - - 3 95.00 -6 - - - - - - 91.36 15 - - - - - 2 91.10
RUNNING BACKS PLAYER
Devonta Freeman Adrian Peterson Doug Martin DeAngelo Williams Todd Gurley Lamar Miller David Johnson Chris Ivory Matt Forte Latavius Murray Danny Woodhead Frank Gore Darren McFadden Jeremy Hill Mark Ingram Jonathan Stewart LeSean McCoy DeMarco Murray Ronnie Hillman Rashad Jennings Giovani Bernard Charles Sims Jeremy Langford James Starks Eddie Lacy T.J. Yeldon Isaiah Crowell Thomas Rawls LeGarrette Blount C.J. Anderson Karlos Williams Charcandrick West
PASSING RUSHING RECEIVING FUMB 2-PT FUMB FANTASY YARDS TD INT YARDS TD YARDS TD TD CONV LOST POINTS
- - - 1056 11 578 3 - - - 1485 11 222 - - - - 1402 6 271 1 - - - 907 11 367 - - - - 1106 10 188 - - - - 872 8 397 2 - - - 581 8 457 4 - - - 1070 7 217 1 - - - 898 4 389 3 - - - 1066 6 232 - - - - 335 3 756 6 - - - 967 6 267 1 - - - 1089 3 328 - - - - 794 11 79 1 - - - 769 6 405 - - - - 989 6 99 1 - - - 895 3 292 2 - - - 702 6 322 1 - - - 863 7 111 - - - - 863 3 296 1 - - - 730 2 472 - - - - 529 - 561 4 - - - 537 6 279 1 - - - 601 2 392 3 - - - 758 3 188 2 - - - 740 2 279 1 - - - 706 4 182 1 - - - 830 4 76 1 - - - 703 6 43 1 - - - 720 5 183 - - - - 517 7 96 2 - - - 634 4 214 1
- - 2 243.40 - - 3 230.70 - - 5 199.30 - 1 2 191.40 - - 1 187.40 - - 1 184.90 - - 1 173.80 - - 2 172.70 - 1 1 170.70 - - 1 163.80 - - - 163.10 - - 3 159.40 - 1 3 155.70 - 1 3 155.30 - 1 1 153.40 - - 2 146.80 - 1 2 146.70 - - 2 140.40 - - 1 137.40 - - 2 135.90 - - - 132.20 - - 2 129.00 - 1 - 125.60 - - 3 123.30 - - 2 120.60 - - - 119.90 - - - 118.80 - - 1 118.60 - - - 116.60 - - 2 116.30 - - 1 113.30 - - 1 112.80
140 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
Ryan Mathews Duke Johnson Chris Johnson Javorius Allen Shane Vereen Theo Riddick Alfred Blue Matt Jones Darren Sproles Ameer Abdullah Justin Forsett Antonio Andrews Bilal Powell Le’Veon Bell Alfred Morris Dion Lewis Joique Bell James White Jamaal Charles Spencer Ware Melvin Gordon Tim Hightower Carlos Hyde Marshawn Lynch Mike Tolbert Joseph Randle Jerick McKinnon Dexter McCluster Andre Ellington Jonathan Grimes Chris Thompson Kyle Juszczyk Chris Polk Arian Foster Khiry Robinson Shaun Draughn Brandon Bolden Marcel Reece C.J. Spiller Denard Robinson Fred Jackson Mike Gillislee Bishop Sankey Tevin Coleman Benny Cunningham Donald Brown Jay Ajayi Andre Williams Ka’Deem Carey Tre Mason Ahmad Bradshaw Cameron Artis-Payne Zach Line Travaris Cadet Lance Dunbar Robert Turbin De’Anthony Thomas DuJuan Harris Christine Michael Jonas Gray
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 41 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
539 6 146 1 379 - 534 2 814 3 58 - 514 1 353 2 260 - 495 4 133 - 697 3 698 2 109 1 490 3 304 1 317 3 388 1 597 2 183 1 641 2 153 - 520 3 174 - 313 1 388 2 556 3 136 - 751 1 55 - 234 2 388 2 311 4 286 - 56 2 410 4 364 4 177 1 403 6 5 - 641 - 192 - 375 4 129 - 470 3 53 - 417 3 80 - 256 1 154 3 313 4 87 - 271 2 173 1 247 1 260 1 289 3 148 - 282 1 173 1 216 - 240 2 3 - 321 4 334 1 109 1 163 1 227 2 180 4 115 - 273 1 176 - 207 - 180 2 36 - 269 3 112 - 239 2 266 1 164 - 100 - 257 2 267 3 29 - 193 1 139 1 392 1 14 - 140 - 250 - 229 1 88 - 187 1 90 - 257 1 7 - 159 2 19 1 207 1 88 - 85 - 64 3 183 1 58 - 10 2 95 1 28 - 214 1 67 - 215 - 199 1 23 - 34 1 140 1 189 - 97 - 243 - 16 - 176 - 76 -
- - 3 104.50 - - - 103.30 - - 2 101.20 - - 2 100.70 - - - 99.50 - - 1 99.00 - - 1 96.70 - - 4 95.40 - - - 94.50 - - 2 92.00 - - - 91.40 - - 1 91.04 - - - 88.10 - - - 87.20 - - - 86.60 - - 1 84.20 - - - 83.70 - - - 82.60 - - 2 80.10 - - - 76.80 - - 4 75.30 - - - 74.40 - - - 70.30 - 1 - 69.70 - - - 65.00 - - - 64.00 - - - 62.40 - 1 2 60.70 - - 1 59.70 - 1 - 59.50 - - - 57.60 - - - 56.40 - - - 56.30 - - 1 55.00 - - - 53.50 - - - 50.90 - - - 50.70 - - - 48.50 - - - 47.10 - - 1 47.00 - - 1 45.70 - - 1 45.60 - - 1 43.20 - - 3 40.60 - - - 39.00 - - - 37.70 - 1 - 35.70 - 1 - 34.40 - - 1 33.80 - - 1 33.50 - - - 32.90 - - - 30.10 - - - 28.50 - - 1 28.20 - - - 28.20 - - - 28.20 - - 1 27.40 - - 1 26.60 - - - 25.90 - - - 25.20
WIDE RECEIVERS PLAYER
Antonio Brown Julio Jones Brandon Marshall Allen Robinson Odell Beckham DeAndre Hopkins Doug Baldwin A.J. Green Calvin Johnson Eric Decker Larry Fitzgerald
PASSING RUSHING RECEIVING FUMB 2-PT FUMB FANTASY YARDS TD INT YARDS TD YARDS TD TD CONV LOST POINTS
- - - 28 - 1834 10 - - - - - 1871 8 - - - - - 1502 14 - - - - - 1400 14 - - - 3 - 1450 13 - - - - - 1521 11 - - - - - 1069 14 - - - - - 1297 10 - - - - - 1214 9 - - - - - 1027 12 - - - - - 1215 9
- 2 2 246.20 1 - 1 239.10 - - 2 230.20 - - - 224.00 - - - 223.30 - 1 - 220.10 - - - 190.90 - - 1 187.70 - - 1 173.40 - - 1 172.70 - - 2 171.50
2015 Brandin Cooks Demaryius Thomas Allen Hurns Jarvis Landry Sammy Watkins Jeremy Maclin Emmanuel Sanders Michael Crabtree Jordan Matthews John Brown T.Y. Hilton James Jones Tavon Austin Amari Cooper Ted Ginn Mike Evans Randall Cobb Rueben Randle Travis Benjamin Kamar Aiken Michael Floyd Martavis Bryant Golden Tate Willie Snead Pierre Garcon Julian Edelman Donte Moncrief Marvin Jones Markus Wheaton Alshon Jeffery Tyler Lockett Terrance Williams Anquan Boldin Jermaine Kearse Stefon Diggs Keenan Allen Torrey Smith Rishard Matthews Nate Washington Kenny Britt Steve Smith Danny Amendola Dorial Green-Beckham Seth Roberts Cole Beasley Marques Colston Devin Funchess DeSean Jackson Jamison Crowder Vincent Jackson Andre Johnson Corey Brown Malcom Floyd Robert Woods Jerricho Cotchery Cecil Shorts Steve Johnson DeVante Parker Dwayne Harris Dontrelle Inman Brian Hartline Kenny Stills Kendall Wright Mike Wallace Albert Wilson Mohamed Sanu Dez Bryant Chris Hogan Brandon Coleman Roddy White Davante Adams Lance Moore Brandon LaFell Marquess Wilson Leonard Hankerson Harry Douglas Josh Huff Quinton Patton Jarius Wright Riley Cooper Andre Holmes Darrius Heyward-Bey Chris Givens Bryan Walters J.J. Nelson
- - - - - - - - - 9 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 36 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 21 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
18 - 1138 9 - - 1304 6 - - 1031 10 111 1 1159 4 1 - 1047 9 14 - 1088 8 29 - 1135 6 - - 922 9 - - 997 8 22 - 1003 7 - - 1124 5 - - 890 8 434 4 473 5 -3 - 1070 6 60 - 739 10 - - 1206 3 50 - 829 6 - - 797 8 12 - 966 5 - - 944 5 - - 849 6 37 1 765 6 41 - 813 6 - - 984 3 - - 777 6 23 - 692 7 - - 733 6 33 - 816 4 - - 749 5 - - 807 4 20 - 664 6 - - 840 3 - - 789 4 - - 685 5 13 - 720 4 - - 725 4 - - 663 4 4 - 662 4 - - 658 4 - - 681 3 - - 670 3 11 - 648 3 - - 549 4 - - 480 5 - - 536 5 - - 520 4 - - 473 5 - - 528 4 2 - 604 2 - - 543 3 - - 503 4 38 - 447 4 - - 561 3 - - 552 3 16 - 485 3 47 - 484 2 - - 497 3 - - 494 3 12 - 396 4 - - 486 3 - - 523 2 - - 440 3 17 - 408 3 6 - 473 2 26 - 451 2 71 2 394 - - - 401 3 4 - 450 2 - - 454 2 - - 506 1 - - 483 1 - - 337 4 9 - 515 - - - 464 1 - - 327 3 -6 - 411 2 - - 312 3 5 - 394 1 29 - 442 - - - 327 2 - - 201 4 - - 314 2 18 - 353 1 - - 368 1 - - 299 2
STATISTICS
- - - 169.60 - - 2 162.40 - - 1 161.10 - 1 - 159.36 - - - 158.80 - - 1 156.20 - - 2 148.40 - - - 146.20 - - 1 145.70 - - 1 142.50 - - - 142.40 - 2 - 141.00 - - 2 140.70 - - 1 140.70 - - - 139.90 - - 1 136.60 1 - - 129.90 - - - 127.70 - - 2 123.80 - - 1 122.40 - - - 120.90 - - 1 120.20 - - 1 119.40 - - 1 114.40 - - - 113.70 - - 1 111.50 - - - 109.30 - - - 108.90 - 1 - 106.90 - - - 104.70 - - 1 102.40 - - - 102.00 - - 1 100.90 - - - 98.50 - - - 97.30 - - 1 94.50 - 1 - 92.30 - - - 90.60 - - - 89.80 - - - 86.10 - - - 85.00 - - 1 83.34 - 1 - 80.90 - 1 - 80.00 - - 2 79.60 - - - 76.00 - - 1 75.30 - - 1 74.80 - 2 1 74.60 - 1 - 74.30 - - - 74.30 - - - 72.50 - - 1 72.10 - - 1 71.20 - - - 68.10 - - 1 67.94 - - - 67.70 - - - 67.40 - - - 64.80 - - 1 64.60 - - - 64.30 - - - 62.00 - - - 60.50 - - - 59.90 - - - 59.70 - - - 58.50 - - - 58.10 - - - 57.56 - - - 57.40 - - - 56.60 - 1 - 56.30 - - 1 55.70 - - - 52.40 - - - 52.40 - - - 50.70 - - 1 50.50 - - - 49.20 - - - 45.90 - - 1 45.10 - - - 44.70 - - - 44.10 - - - 43.40 - - - 43.10 - - - 42.80 - - 1 39.90
Ryan Grant Keshawn Martin Jeremy Butler Josh Bellamy Jaelen Strong Justin Hunter Nelson Agholor Adam Humphries Quincy Enunwa Percy Harvin Eddie Royal Marqise Lee Miles Austin Phillip Dorsett Marc Mariani Nick Williams Andrew Hawkins Jeremy Kerley Ty Montgomery Greg Jennings Chris Conley Brice Butler Rashad Ross Stedman Bailey Taylor Gabriel Adam Thielen Griff Whalen Rashad Greene
- - - - - 268 2 - - - 38.80 - - - 6 - 269 2 - - 1 37.50 - - - - - 363 - - - - 36.30 - - - - - 224 2 - - - 34.40 - - - - - 161 3 - - - 34.10 - - - - - 264 1 - - - 32.40 - - - - - 283 1 - - 1 32.30 - - - - - 260 1 - - - 32.00 - - - - - 315 - - - - 31.50 - - - 31 - 218 1 - - - 30.90 - - - -1 - 238 1 - - - 29.70 - - - 38 - 191 1 - - - 28.90 - - - - - 224 1 - - - 28.40 - - - 17 - 225 1 - - 1 28.20 - - - - - 300 - - - 1 28.00 - - - - - 159 2 - - - 27.90 - - - - - 276 - - 1 1 27.60 - - - - - 152 2 - - - 27.20 - - - 14 - 136 2 - - - 27.00 - - - - - 208 1 - - - 26.80 - - - - - 199 1 - - - 25.90 - - - - - 258 - - - - 25.80 - - - - - 184 1 - - - 24.40 - - - - - 182 1 - - - 24.20 - - - - - 241 - - 1 1 24.10 - - - 89 - 144 - - - - 23.30 - - - - - 205 1 - - 2 22.50 - - - - - 93 2 - - - 21.30
TIGHT ENDS PLAYER
PASSING RUSHING RECEIVING FUMB 2-PT FUMB FANTASY YARDS TD INT YARDS TD YARDS TD TD CONV LOST POINTS
Rob Gronkowski - - - - - 1176 11 Gary Barnidge - - - - - 1043 9 Jordan Reed - - - - - 952 11 Greg Olsen - - - - - 1104 7 Delanie Walker - - - 36 - 1088 6 Tyler Eifert - - - - - 615 13 Travis Kelce - - - - - 875 5 Benjamin Watson - - - - - 825 6 Richard Rodgers - - - 11 - 510 8 Zach Ertz - - - - - 853 2 Antonio Gates - - - - - 630 5 Jason Witten - - - - - 713 3 Eric Ebron - - - - - 537 5 Kyle Rudolph - - - - - 495 5 Julius Thomas - - - - - 455 5 Jimmy Graham - - - - - 605 2 Jacob Tamme - - - - - 657 1 Ladarius Green - - - - - 429 4 Charles Clay - - - - - 528 3 Zach Miller - - - - - 404 5 Owen Daniels - - - - - 517 3 Coby Fleener - - - - - 491 3 Heath Miller - - - 2 - 535 2 Crockett Gillmore - - - - - 412 4 Will Tye - - - - - 464 3 Martellus Bennett - - - - - 439 3 Brent Celek - - - - - 398 3 Austin Seferian-Jenkins - - - - - 338 4 Jordan Cameron - - - - - 386 3 Clive Walford - - - - - 329 3 Vance McDonald - - - - - 326 3 Scott Chandler - - - - - 259 4 Darren Fells - - - - - 311 3 Jared Cook - - - - - 481 - Cameron Brate - - - - - 275 3 Anthony Fasano - - - - - 289 2 Vernon Davis - - - - - 395 - Ryan Griffin - - - - - 251 2 Garrett Celek - - - - - 186 3 Lance Kendricks - - - - - 245 2 Larry Donnell - - - - - 223 2 Mychal Rivera - - - - - 280 1 Maxx Williams - - - - - 268 1 Ed Dickson - - - - - 121 2 Jermaine Gresham - - - - - 223 1 Luke Willson - - - - - 213 1 Craig Stevens - - - - - 121 2 Josh Hill - - - - - 120 2 Michael Hoomanawanui - - - - - 76 3 Virgil Green - - - - 173 1 Clay Harbor - - - - - 149 1 Marcedes Lewis - - - - - 226 - C.J. Fiedorowicz - - - - - 167 1 Derek Carrier - - - - - 141 1
- - - 183.60 - - - 158.30 - - 2 157.20 - - 1 150.40 - 1 - 150.40 - - - 139.50 - 2 2 117.50 - - 1 116.50 - 1 - 102.10 - - 1 95.30 - - - 93.00 - - 1 87.30 - - - 83.70 - - - 79.50 - - - 75.50 - - - 72.50 - - - 71.70 - 2 - 70.90 - - - 70.80 - - - 70.40 - - - 69.70 - 1 - 69.10 - 1 - 67.70 - - - 65.20 - - 1 62.40 - - - 61.90 - - - 57.80 - - - 57.80 - - - 56.60 - - - 50.90 - - - 50.60 - - - 49.90 - - - 49.10 - 1 1 48.10 - - - 45.50 - - - 40.90 - - - 39.50 - - - 37.10 - - - 36.60 - - - 36.50 - - - 34.30 - - - 34.00 - - - 32.80 1 - - 30.10 - - - 28.30 - - - 27.30 - - - 24.10 - - - 24.00 - - 1 23.60 - - - 23.30 - 1 - 22.90 - - - 22.60 - - 1 20.70 - - - 20.10
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
| 141
2015 PLACEKICKERS PLAYER
STATISTICS DEFENSES
PAT FIELD GOALS MADE MADE 0-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+
Stephen Gostkowski 52 Graham Gano 56 Blair Walsh 33 Robbie Gould 28 Josh Brown 44 Steven Hauschka 40 Cairo Santo 39 Chandler Catanzaro 53 Justin Tucker 29 Brandon McManus 35 Dan Bailey 25 Mike Nugent 48 Dustin Hopkins 39 Chris Boswell 26 Mason Crosby 36 Jason Myers 32 Adam Vinatieri 32 Josh Lambo 28 Matt Prater 36 Dan Carpenter 34 Sebastian Janikowski 38 Travis Coons 22 Connor Barth 25 Phil Dawson 20 Caleb Sturgis 35 Greg Zuerlein 26 Nick Novak 29 Randy Bullock 22 Andrew Franks 33 Ryan Succop 29 Matt Bryant 26 Kai Forbath 34
FANTASY POINTS
- 6 11 12 4 159.00 1 10 4 13 2 150.00 - 9 13 6 6 147.00 1 8 10 7 7 141.00 1 6 12 8 3 140.00 - 9 7 7 6 139.00 - 7 10 9 4 137.12 1 12 9 6 - 137.00 - 10 9 10 4 136.00 - 12 8 5 5 135.00 - 9 10 6 5 125.00 - 6 5 10 2 121.00 - 7 9 7 2 118.00 1 9 8 9 2 117.00 1 7 4 8 4 116.00 - 9 8 6 3 116.00 - 7 6 8 4 115.00 - 4 7 11 4 114.00 - 3 8 6 5 112.00 - 5 8 7 3 109.00 - 7 5 5 4 109.00 - 11 10 7 - 106.00 - 9 8 3 3 100.00 - 9 6 6 3 98.00 - 4 8 4 2 93.00 1 2 9 5 3 92.00 - 6 6 4 2 87.00 1 4 6 8 - 79.00 1 3 4 4 1 74.00 - 3 3 7 1 73.00 1 4 3 6 - 68.00 - 2 3 3 2 68.00
FUMB DEF TEAM SACKS INT REC SAF TD
Denver Broncos Kansas City Chiefs Arizona Cardinals Carolina Panthers Seattle Seahawks Houston Texans Pittsburgh Steelers Minnesota Vikings St. Louis Rams Cincinnati Bengals New England Patriots Washington Redskins Philadelphia Eagles Indianapolis Colts Green Bay Packers New York Jets New York Giants Tampa Bay Buccaneers Oakland Raiders Buffalo Bills Detroit Lions Miami Dolphins Jacksonville Jaguars Baltimore Ravens Atlanta Falcons Tennessee Titans Cleveland Browns San Diego Chargers Dallas Cowboys Chicago Bears New Orleans Saints San Francisco 49ers
52 47 36 44 37 45 48 43 41 42 49 38 37 35 43 39 23 38 38 21 43 31 36 37 19 39 29 32 31 35 1 28
14 22 19 24 14 14 17 13 13 21 12 11 15 17 16 18 15 11 14 17 9 13 9 6 15 11 11 11 8 8 9 9
13 7 14 15 8 11 13 9 13 7 9 16 11 8 6 12 13 12 11 8 9 3 9 8 8 8 10 9 3 9 13 3
1 1 2 - - - - - 1 - 1 1 1 1 - - 1 - 2 1 2 - - - - - - - 1 - - -
5 6 6 4 3 3 2 3 3 1 2 3 5 5 2 - 4 3 1 3 2 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 2 - 2 1
RET PTS FANTASY TD ALLOWED POINTS
1 - 1 - 2 - 1 3 1 - - 2 2 - - - 2 - - - - 1 1 1 - - 1 - - - 1 -
276 275 307 298 263 295 319 300 312 261 303 357 412 402 303 308 424 393 377 347 388 369 406 371 339 393 420 366 344 373 464 371
175.00 174.00 168.00 167.00 160.00 149.00 145.00 139.00 138.00 136.00 131.00 131.00 130.00 121.00 119.00 115.00 111.00 103.00 101.00 98.00 97.00 94.00 93.00 93.00 92.00 87.00 84.00 83.00 77.00 75.00 74.00 64.00
Kendall Wright WR Mike Wallace WR Andre Ellington RB Albert Wilson WR Jonathan Grimes RB Mohamed Sanu WR Dez Bryant WR Brent Celek TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins TE Chris Thompson RB Chris Hogan WR Brandon Coleman WR Roddy White WR Jordan Cameron TE Kyle Juszczyk RB Chris Polk RB Davante Adams WR Lance Moore WR Arian Foster RB Khiry Robinson RB Brandon LaFell WR Marquess Wilson WR Shaun Draughn RB Clive Walford TE Brandon Bolden RB Leonard Hankerson WR Vance McDonald TE Harry Douglas WR Scott Chandler TE Josh Huff WR Darren Fells TE Marcel Reece RB Jared Cook TE C.J. Spiller RB Denard Robinson RB Quinton Patton WR Fred Jackson RB Mike Gillislee RB Cameron Brate TE Jarius Wright WR Riley Cooper WR Andre Holmes WR Darrius Heyward-Bey WR Bishop Sankey RB Chris Givens WR Bryan Walters WR Anthony Fasano TE Tevin Coleman RB J.J. Nelson WR
60.50 59.90 59.70 59.70 59.50 58.50 58.10 57.80 57.80 57.60 57.56 57.40 56.60 56.60 56.40 56.30 56.30 55.70 55.00 53.50 52.40 52.40 50.90 50.90 50.70 50.70 50.60 50.50 49.90 49.20 49.10 48.50 48.10 47.10 47.00 45.90 45.70 45.60 45.50 45.10 44.70 44.10 43.40 43.20 43.10 42.80 40.90 40.60 39.90
REGARDLESS OF POSITION FANTASY PLAYER POINTS
Cam Newton QB Tom Brady QB Russell Wilson QB Blake Bortles QB Carson Palmer QB Drew Brees QB Aaron Rodgers QB Kirk Cousins QB Matthew Stafford QB Eli Manning QB Ryan Fitzpatrick QB Philip Rivers QB Jameis Winston QB Derek Carr QB Alex Smith QB Tyrod Taylor QB Ryan Tannehill QB Antonio Brown WR Andy Dalton QB Devonta Freeman RB Julio Jones WR Matt Ryan QB Adrian Peterson RB Brandon Marshall WR Ben Roethlisberger QB Jay Cutler QB Allen Robinson WR Odell Beckham WR DeAndre Hopkins WR Marcus Mariota QB Teddy Bridgewater QB Doug Martin RB Sam Bradford QB DeAngelo Williams RB Doug Baldwin WR A.J. Green WR Todd Gurley RB Lamar Miller RB Rob Gronkowski TE David Johnson RB Calvin Johnson WR Chris Ivory RB Eric Decker WR Larry Fitzgerald WR Matt Forte RB Brandin Cooks WR Brian Hoyer QB
389.08 343.70 336.26 316.12 309.24 304.20 301.24 293.44 289.78 287.54 285.20 284.52 274.98 271.28 271.24 270.60 257.40 246.20 244.20 243.40 239.10 233.94 230.70 230.20 228.12 226.46 224.00 223.30 220.10 210.02 200.44 199.30 194.90 191.40 190.90 187.70 187.40 184.90 183.60 173.80 173.40 172.70 172.70 171.50 170.70 169.60 166.64
Latavius Murray RB Danny Woodhead RB Demaryius Thomas WR Joe Flacco QB Allen Hurns WR Frank Gore RB Jarvis Landry WR Sammy Watkins WR Gary Barnidge TE Jordan Reed TE Jeremy Maclin WR Darren McFadden RB Jeremy Hill RB Mark Ingram RB Greg Olsen TE Delanie Walker TE Emmanuel Sanders WR Jonathan Stewart RB LeSean McCoy RB Michael Crabtree WR Jordan Matthews WR John Brown WR T.Y. Hilton WR James Jones WR Tavon Austin WR Amari Cooper WR DeMarco Murray RB Ted Ginn WR Tyler Eifert TE Ronnie Hillman RB Mike Evans WR Rashad Jennings RB Giovani Bernard RB Josh McCown QB Andrew Luck QB Randall Cobb WR Blaine Gabbert QB Charles Sims RB Rueben Randle WR Jeremy Langford RB Travis Benjamin WR James Starks RB Kamar Aiken WR Michael Floyd WR Eddie Lacy RB Martavis Bryant WR T.J. Yeldon WR Golden Tate WR Isaiah Crowell RB
163.80 163.10 162.40 161.94 161.10 159.40 159.36 158.80 158.30 157.20 156.20 155.70 155.30 153.40 150.40 150.40 148.40 146.80 146.70 146.20 145.70 142.50 142.40 141.00 140.70 140.70 140.40 139.90 139.50 137.40 136.60 135.90 132.20 132.16 130.84 129.90 129.74 129.00 127.70 125.60 123.80 123.30 122.40 120.90 120.60 120.20 119.90 119.40 118.80
Thomas Rawls RB Travis Kelce TE Brock Osweiler QB LeGarrette Blount RB Benjamin Watson TE C.J. Anderson RB Willie Snead WR Pierre Garcon WR Karlos Williams RB Charcandrick West RB Julian Edelman WR Colin Kaepernick QB Donte Moncrief WR Marvin Jones WR Markus Wheaton WR Alshon Jeffery WR Ryan Mathews RB Duke Johnson RB Tyler Lockett WR Richard Rodgers TE Terrance Williams WR Chris Johnson RB Anquan Boldin WR Javorius Allen RB Shane Vereen RB Theo Riddick RB Jermaine Kearse WR Stefon Diggs WR Alfred Blue RB Nick Foles QB Matt Jones RB Zach Ertz TE Johnny Manziel QB Darren Sproles RB Keenan Allen WR Antonio Gates TE Torrey Smith WR Ameer Abdullah RB Justin Forsett RB Peyton Manning QB Matt Hasselbeck QB Antonio Andrews RB Rishard Matthews WR Nate Washington WR Bilal Powell RB Jason Witten TE Le’Veon Bell RB Alfred Morris RB Kenny Britt WR
142 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
118.60 117.50 116.78 116.60 116.50 116.30 114.40 113.70 113.30 112.80 111.50 110.20 109.30 108.90 106.90 104.70 104.50 103.30 102.40 102.10 102.00 101.20 100.90 100.70 99.50 99.00 98.50 97.30 96.70 96.08 95.40 95.30 95.00 94.50 94.50 93.00 92.30 92.00 91.40 91.36 91.10 91.04 90.60 89.80 88.10 87.30 87.20 86.60 86.10
Steve Smith WR Dion Lewis RB Joique Bell RB Eric Ebron TE Danny Amendola WR James White RB Dorial Green-Beckham WR Jamaal Charles RB Seth Roberts WR Cole Beasley WR Kyle Rudolph TE Spencer Ware RB Marques Colston WR Julius Thomas TE Melvin Gordon RB Devin Funchess WR DeSean Jackson WR Jamison Crowder WR Tim Hightower RB Vincent Jackson WR Andre Johnson WR Corey Brown WR Jimmy Graham TE Malcom Floyd WR Jacob Tamme TE Robert Woods WR Ladarius Green TE Charles Clay TE Zach Miller TE Carlos Hyde RB Marshawn Lynch RB Owen Daniels TE Coby Fleener TE Jerricho Cotchery WR Cecil Shorts WR Steve Johnson WR Heath Miller TE DeVante Parker WR Crockett Gillmore TE Mike Tolbert RB Dwayne Harris WR Dontrelle Inman WR Brian Hartline WR Joseph Randle RB Jerick McKinnon RB Will Tye TE Kenny Stills WR Martellus Bennett TE Dexter McCluster RB
85.00 84.20 83.70 83.70 83.34 82.60 80.90 80.10 80.00 79.60 79.50 76.80 76.00 75.50 75.30 75.30 74.80 74.60 74.40 74.30 74.30 72.50 72.50 72.10 71.70 71.20 70.90 70.80 70.40 70.30 69.70 69.70 69.10 68.10 67.94 67.70 67.70 67.40 65.20 65.00 64.80 64.60 64.30 64.00 62.40 62.40 62.00 61.90 60.70
2015
STATISTICS AFC PASSING
Andy Dalton
RK PLAYER (TEAM) 1. Dalton, Andy (CIN) 2. Brady, Tom (NE) 3. Taylor, Tyrod (BUF) 4. Smith, Alex (KC) 5. Roethlisberger, Ben (PIT) 6. Rivers, Philip (SD) 7. McCown, Josh (CLV) 8. Mariota, Marcus (TEN) 9. Hoyer, Brian (HST) 10. Carr, Derek (OAK) 11. Tannehill, Ryan (MIA) 12. Bortles, Blake (JAX) 13. Fitzpatrick, Ryan (NYJ) 14. Osweiler, Brock (DEN) 15. Hasselbeck, Matt (IND) 16. Flacco, Joe (BLT) 17. Luck, Andrew (IND) 18. Manning, Peyton (DEN) NON-QUALIFIERS 19. Clemens, Kellen (SD) 20. Tanney, Alex (TEN) 21. Lindley, Ryan (IND) 22. Weeden, Brandon (HST) 23. McCarron, A.J. (CIN) 24. McGloin, Matthew (OAK) 25. Smith, Geno (NYJ) 26. Yates, T.J. (HST) 27. Vick, Michael (PIT) 28. Manziel, Johnny (CLV) 29. Manuel, E.J. (BUF) 30. Jones, Landry (PIT) 31. Schaub, Matt (BLT) 32. Mallett, Ryan (BLT) 33. Clausen, Jimmy (BLT) 34. Mettenberger, Zach (TEN) 35. Davis, Austin (CLV) 36. Freeman, Josh (IND) 37. Mallett, Ryan (HST)
RK PLAYER (TEAM) 1. Wilson, Russell (SEA) 2. Palmer, Carson (ARZ) 3. Cousins, Kirk (WAS) 4. Brees, Drew (NO) 5. Newton, Cam (CAR) 6. Stafford, Matthew (DET) 7. Manning, Eli (NYG) 8. Rodgers, Aaron (GB) 9. Cutler, Jay (CHI) 10. Ryan, Matt (ATL) 11. Bridgewater, Teddy (MIN) 12. Bradford, Sam (PHI) 13. Gabbert, Blaine (SF) 14. Winston, Jameis (TB) 15. Kaepernick, Colin (SF) 16. Foles, Nick (SL) NON-QUALIFIERS 17. Nassib, Ryan (NYG) 18. McCoy, Colt (WAS) 19. Weeden, Brandon (DAL) 20. McCown, Luke (NO) 21. Keenum, Case (SL) 22. Mannion, Sean (SL) 23. Jackson, Tarvaris (SEA) 24. Anderson, Derek (CAR) 25. Sanchez, Mark (PHI) 26. Romo, Tony (DAL) 27. Moore, Kellen (DAL) 28. Cassel, Matt (DAL) 29. Orlovsky, Dan (DET) 30. Clausen, Jimmy (CHI) 31. Hekker, Johnny (SL) 32. Hill, Shaun (MIN) 33. Stanton, Drew (ARZ) 34. Renfree, Sean (ATL)
COMP 255 402 242 307 319 437 186 230 224 350 363 355 335 170 156 266 162 198
ATT 386 624 380 470 469 661 292 370 369 573 586 606 562 275 256 413 293 331
YDS 3250 4770 3035 3486 3938 4792 2109 2818 2606 3987 4208 4428 3905 1967 1690 2791 1881 2249
AVG 8.4 7.6 8.0 7.4 8.4 7.2 7.2 7.6 7.1 7.0 7.2 7.3 6.9 7.2 6.6 6.8 6.4 6.8
5 10 6 26 79 23 27 28 40 129 52 32 52 58 49 101 56 15 78
6 14 10 42 119 32 42 57 66 223 84 55 80 97 85 166 94 28 147
63 99 58 305 854 142 265 370 371 1500 561 513 540 566 555 935 547 149 770
10.5 7.1 5.8 7.3 7.2 4.4 6.3 6.5 5.6 6.7 6.7 9.3 6.8 5.8 6.5 5.6 5.8 5.3 5.2
LONG 80 76 63 80 69 80 56 61 49 68 54 90 69 72 57 50 87 75
TD 25 36 20 20 21 29 12 19 19 32 24 35 31 10 9 14 15 9
19 29 18 44 66 14 28 61 72 61 58 88 48 39 48 57 42 57 48
1 1 1 3 6 2 2 3 2 7 3 3 3 2 2 4 1 1 3
INT SACK/YARDS RATING 7 20 118 106.2 7 38 225 102.2 6 36 212 99.4 7 45 235 95.4 16 20 141 94.5 13 40 264 93.8 4 23 137 93.3 10 38 258 91.5 7 25 185 91.4 13 31 230 91.1 12 45 420 88.7 18 51 320 88.2 15 19 94 88.0 6 23 151 86.4 5 16 101 84.0 12 16 124 83.1 12 15 88 74.9 17 16 95 67.9
0 0 0 0 2 1 1 1 1 5 3 4 4 2 3 7 3 1 4
0 3 0 2 12 2 3 5 10 19 6 2 3 2 3 13 11 1 4
0 34 0 15 63 20 19 33 53 141 45 17 27 19 8 98 96 7 13
150.0 114.9 109.6 107.7 97.1 88.3 87.9 80.3 79.8 79.4 78.5 77.3 76.0 74.5 70.5 66.7 66.2 65.9 63.6
NFC PASSING
Russell Wilson
COMP 329 342 379 428 296 398 387 347 311 407 292 346 178 312 144 190
ATT 483 537 543 627 495 592 618 572 483 614 447 532 282 535 244 337
YDS 4024 4671 4166 4870 3837 4262 4432 3821 3659 4591 3231 3725 2031 4042 1615 2052
AVG 8.3 8.7 7.7 7.8 7.8 7.2 7.2 6.7 7.6 7.5 7.2 7.0 7.2 7.6 6.6 6.1
LONG 80 68 78 80 74 57 87 65 87 70 52 78 71 68 76 68
TD 34 35 29 32 35 32 35 31 21 21 14 19 10 22 6 7
5 7 71 32 76 6 4 4 59 83 61 119 22 23 1 2 11 3
5 11 98 39 125 7 6 6 91 121 104 204 40 40 4 7 25 7
68 128 738 335 828 31 37 36 616 884 779 1276 201 184 20 15 104 11
13.6 11.6 7.5 8.6 6.6 4.4 6.2 6.0 6.8 7.3 7.5 6.3 5.0 4.6 5.0 2.1 4.2 1.6
25 71 67 25 60 11 17 24 43 39 36 51 23 22 20 9 21 11
1 1 2 0 4 0 0 0 4 5 4 5 1 0 0 0 0 0
INT SACK/YARDS RATING 8 45 265 110.1 11 25 151 104.6 11 26 186 101.6 11 31 235 101.0 10 33 284 99.4 13 44 251 97.0 14 27 157 93.6 8 46 314 92.7 11 29 150 92.3 16 30 206 89.0 9 44 307 88.7 14 28 200 86.4 7 25 164 86.2 15 27 190 84.2 5 28 166 78.5 10 14 98 69.0
0 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 4 7 6 7 1 1 0 0 2 1
0 1 8 1 4 0 1 0 9 6 5 14 0 4 0 1 2 2
0 13 62 0 28 0 6 0 54 35 23 86 0 30 0 11 8 17
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
158.3 133.9 92.1 91.8 87.7 85.1 83.3 82.6 80.7 79.4 71.0 70.6 66.8 58.8 47.9 39.6 22.8 10.7
| 143
2015
STATISTICS
AFC RUSHING RK PLAYER (TEAM) ATT 1 Ivory, Chris (NYJ) 247 2 Murray, Latavius (OAK) 266 3 Gore, Frank (IND) 260 4 Williams, DeAngelo (PIT) 200 5 McCoy, LeSean (BUF) 203 6 Miller, Lamar (MIA) 194 7 Hillman, Ronnie (DEN) 207 8 Hill, Jeremy (CIN) 223 9 Yeldon, T.J. (JAX) 182 10 Bernard, Giovani (CIN) 154 11 Anderson, C.J. (DEN) 152 12 Crowell, Isaiah (CLV) 185 13 Blount, LeGarrette (NE) 165 14 Blue, Alfred (HST) 183 15 Gordon, Melvin (SD) 184 15 Forsett, Justin (BLT) 151 17 West, Charcandrick (KC) 160 18 Taylor, Tyrod (BUF) 104 19 Bell, Le’Veon (PIT) 113 20 Andrews, Antonio (TEN) 143 21 Williams, Karlos (BUF) 93 22 Allen, Javorius (BLT) 137 23 Smith, Alex (KC) 84 24 Ware, Spencer (KC) 72 25 Johnson, Duke (CLV) 104 26 Charles, Jamaal (KC) 71 27 Woodhead, Danny (SD) 98 28 Polk, Chris (HST) 99 29 Powell, Bilal (NYJ) 70 30 Bortles, Blake (JAX) 52 31 Grimes, Jonathan (HST) 56 32 Fitzpatrick, Ryan (NYJ) 60 33 Gillislee, Mike (BUF) 47 34 Robinson, Denard (JAX) 67 35 Mariota, Marcus (TEN) 34 36 McCluster, Dexter (TEN) 55 37 Lewis, Dion (NE) 49 38 Manziel, Johnny (CLV) 37 39 Brown, Donald (SD) 59 40 Bolden, Brandon (NE) 63 41 Luck, Andrew (IND) 33 42 Sankey, Bishop (TEN) 47 43 Ajayi, Jay (MIA) 49 44 West, Terrance (BLT) 46 45 Foster, Arian (HST) 63 46 Cobb, David (TEN) 52 47 Dalton, Andy (CIN) 57 48 Tannehill, Ryan (MIA) 32 49 Carr, Derek (OAK) 33 50 Gray, Jonas (MIA) 31
YDS 1070 1066 967 907 895 872 863 794 740 730 720 706 703 698 641 641 634 568 556 520 517 514 498 403 379 364 336 334 313 310 282 270 267 266 252 247 234 230 229 207 196 193 187 180 163 146 142 141 138 122
AVG 4.3 4.0 3.7 4.5 4.4 4.5 4.2 3.6 4.1 4.7 4.7 3.8 4.3 3.8 3.5 4.2 4.0 5.5 4.9 3.6 5.6 3.8 5.9 5.6 3.6 5.1 3.4 3.4 4.5 6.0 5.0 4.5 5.7 4.0 7.4 4.5 4.8 6.2 3.9 3.3 5.9 4.1 3.8 3.9 2.6 2.8 2.5 4.4 4.2 3.9
LG TD 58 7 54 6 37 6 55 11 48 3 85 8 72 7 38 11 45 2 28 2 48 5 54 4 38 6 41 2 27 0 33 2 38 4 31 4 42 3 38 3 41 7 44 1 49 2 52 6 39 0 34 4 27 3 20 1 24 1 28 2 37 1 19 2 60 3 31 1 87 2 44 1 13 2 34 0 53 1 14 0 25 0 16 1 24 1 17 0 16 1 12 1 12 3 28 1 24 0 16 0
NFC RUSHING RK PLAYER (TEAM) ATT 1 Peterson, Adrian (MIN) 327 2 Martin, Doug (TB) 288 3 Gurley, Todd (SL) 229 4 McFadden, Darren (DAL) 239 5 Freeman, Devonta (ATL) 265 6 Stewart, Jonathan (CAR) 242 7 Forte, Matt (CHI) 218 8 Jennings, Rashad (NYG) 195 9 Rawls, Thomas (SEA) 147 10 Johnson, Chris (ARZ) 196 11 Ingram, Mark (NO) 166 12 Lacy, Eddie (GB) 187 13 Morris, Alfred (WAS) 202 14 Murray, DeMarco (PHI) 193 15 Newton, Cam (CAR) 132 16 Starks, James (GB) 148 17 Abdullah, Ameer (DET) 143 18 Johnson, David (ARZ) 125 19 Wilson, Russell (SEA) 103 20 Mathews, Ryan (PHI) 106 21 Langford, Jeremy (CHI) 148 22 Sims, Charles (TB) 107 23 Jones, Matt (WAS) 144 24 Hyde, Carlos (SF) 115 25 Lynch, Marshawn (SEA) 111
YDS 1485 1402 1106 1089 1056 989 898 863 830 814 769 758 751 702 636 601 597 581 553 539 537 529 490 470 417
AVG LG TD 4.5 80 11 4.9 84 6 4.8 71 10 4.6 50 3 4 39 11 4.1 44 6 4.1 27 4 4.4 38 3 5.6 69 4 4.2 62 3 4.6 70 6 4.1 29 3 3.7 48 1 3.6 54 6 4.8 47 10 4.1 65 2 4.2 36 2 4.6 47 8 5.4 24 1 5.1 63 6 3.6 23 6 4.9 59 0 3.4 39 3 4.1 22 3 3.8 24 3
Chris Ivory 26 Tevin Coleman (ATL) 27 Tim Hightower (NO) 28 Aaron Rodgers (GB) 29 Darren Sproles (PHI) 30 Joseph Randle (DAL) 31 Joique Bell (DET) 32 Andre Ellington (ARI) 33 Jerick McKinnon (MIN) 34 Shaun Draughn (SF) 35 Shane Vereen (NYG) 36 Andre Williams (NYG) 37 Mike Tolbert (CAR) 37 Colin Kaepernick (SF) 39 Chris Thompson (WSH)
87 96 58 83 76 90 45 52 76 61 88 62 45 35
392 375 344 317 315 311 289 271 263 260 257 256 256 216
4.5 3.9 5.9 3.8 4.1 3.5 6.4 5.2 3.5 4.3 2.9 4.1 5.7 6.2
46 26 18 27 37 36 63 68 30 39 35 29 15 42
2 1 0 1 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 3
AFC RECEIVING
RK PLAYER (TEAM) 1 Brown, Antonio (PIT) 2 Hopkins, DeAndre (HST) 3 Marshall, Brandon (NYJ) 4 Robinson, Allen (JAX) 5 Thomas, Demaryius (DEN) 6 Green, A.J. (CIN) 7 Gronkowski, Rob (NE) 8 Landry, Jarvis (MIA) 9 Sanders, Emmanuel (DEN) 10 Hilton, T.Y. (IND) 11 Walker, Delanie (TEN) 11 Maclin, Jeremy (KC)
144 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
NO 136 111 109 80 105 86 72 110 76 69 94 87
YDS 1834 1521 1502 1400 1304 1297 1176 1157 1135 1124 1088 1088
AVG 13.5 13.7 13.8 17.5 12.4 15.1 16.3 10.5 14.9 16.3 11.6 12.5
LG TD 59 10 61 11 69 14 90 14 72 6 80 10 76 11 50 4 75 6 87 5 61 6 61 8
13 Cooper, Amari (OAK) 14 Watkins, Sammy (BUF) 15 Barnidge, Gary (CLV) 16 Hurns, Allen (JAX) 17 Decker, Eric (NYJ) 18 Benjamin, Travis (CLV) 19 Aiken, Kamar (BLT) 20 Crabtree, Michael (OAK) 21 Kelce, Travis (KC) 22 Jones, Marvin (CIN) 23 Bryant, Martavis (PIT) 24 Woodhead, Danny (SD) 25 Wheaton, Markus (PIT) 26 Moncrief, Donte (IND) 27 Allen, Keenan (SD) 28 Edelman, Julian (NE) 29 Smith, Steve (BLT) 30 Matthews, Rishard (MIA) 31 Washington, Nate (HST) 32 Amendola, Danny (NE) 33 Gates, Antonio (SD) 34 Eifert, Tyler (CIN) 35 Woods, Robert (BUF) 36 Green-Beckham, Dorial (TEN) 37 Miller, Heath (PIT) 38 Johnson, Duke (CLV) 39 Clay, Charles (BUF) 40 Hartline, Brian (CLV) 41 Daniels, Owen (DEN)
72 60 79 64 80 68 75 85 72 65 50 80 44 64 67 61 46 43 47 65 56 52 47 32 60 61 51 46 46
1070 1047 1043 1031 1027 966 944 922 875 816 765 755 749 733 725 692 670 662 658 648 630 615 552 549 535 534 528 523 517
14.9 17.4 13.2 16.1 12.8 14.2 12.6 10.8 12.2 12.6 15.3 9.4 17 11.5 10.8 11.3 14.6 15.4 14 10 11.2 11.8 11.7 17.2 8.9 8.8 10.4 11.4 11.2
68 6 63 9 40 9 80 10 35 12 61 5 48 5 38 9 42 5 47 4 88 6 61 6 72 5 33 6 38 4 59 7 50 3 53 4 49 4 41 3 40 5 31 13 37 3 47 4 27 2 52 2 40 3 41 2 37 3
2015
STATISTICS
25 Diggs, Stefon (MIN) 26 Witten, Jason (DAL) 27 Riddick, Theo (DET) 28 Kearse, Jermaine (SEA) 29 Britt, Kenny (SL) 30 Lockett, Tyler (SEA) 31 Smith, Torrey (SF) 32 Tamme, Jacob (ATL) 33 Graham, Jimmy (SEA) 34 Crowder, Jamison (WAS) 35 Freeman, Devonta (ATL) 36 Sims, Charles (TB) 37 Jackson, Vincent (TB) 38 Ebron, Eric (DET) 39 Beasley, Cole (DAL) 40 Colston, Marques (NO) 41 Rodgers, Richard (GB) 42 White, Roddy (ATL) 43 Rudolph, Kyle (MIN) 44 Vereen, Shane (NYG) 45 Cotchery, Jerricho (CAR) 46 Adams, Davante (GB) 47 Cook, Jared (SL) 48 Austin, Tavon (SL) 48 Wallace, Mike (MIN) 50 Tye, Will (NYG) 51 Johnson, David (ARZ) 52 Wright, Jarius (MIN) 53 Bennett, Martellus (CHI) 53 Miller, Zach (CHI) 55 Ingram, Mark (NO) 56 Harris, Dwayne (NYG) 57 Starks, James (GB) 58 Forte, Matt (CHI) 59 Sproles, Darren (PHI) 60 McFadden, Darren (DAL) 61 Murray, DeMarco (PHI) 62 Martin, Doug (TB) 63 Jackson, Fred (SEA) 64 Thompson, Chris (WAS) 65 Spiller, C.J. (NO) 66 Royal, Eddie (CHI)
52 77 80 49 36 51 33 59 48 59 73 51 33 47 52 45 58 43 49 59 39 50 39 52 39 42 36 34 53 34 50 36 43 44 55 40 44 33 32 35 34 37
720 713 697 685 681 664 663 657 605 604 578 561 543 537 536 520 510 506 495 494 485 483 481 473 473 464 457 442 439 439 405 396 392 389 388 328 322 271 257 240 239 238
13.8 9.3 8.7 14 18.9 13 20.1 11.1 12.6 10.2 7.9 11 16.5 11.4 10.3 11.6 8.8 11.8 10.1 8.4 12.4 9.7 12.3 9.1 12.1 11 12.7 13 8.3 12.9 8.1 11 9.1 8.8 7.1 8.2 7.3 8.2 8 6.9 7 6.4
40 35 34 50 60 49 76 41 45 44 44 56 36 55 30 53 61 25 47 37 59 40 49 66 34 45 55 52 24 87 59 38 30 38 35 21 44 25 26 23 80 30
4 3 3 5 3 6 4 1 2 2 3 4 3 5 5 4 8 1 5 4 3 1 0 5 2 3 4 0 3 5 0 4 3 3 1 0 1 1 2 2 2 1
AFC SCORING TDS TDS TDS TDS RK PLAYER (TEAM) TOT RSH REC RET PAT FG PTS
Adrian Peterson
42 LaFell, Brandon (NE) 43 Johnson, Andre (IND) 44 Johnson, Steve (SD) 45 Fleener, Coby (IND) 46 Inman, Dontrelle (SD) 47 Shorts, Cecil (HST) 48 Roberts, Seth (OAK) 49 Bernard, Giovani (CIN) 50 Thomas, Julius (JAX) 51 Wilson, Albert (KC) 52 Hogan, Chris (BUF) 53 Green, Ladarius (SD) 54 Gillmore, Crockett (BLT) 55 Douglas, Harry (TEN) 56 White, James (NE) 57 Wright, Kendall (TEN) 58 Miller, Lamar (MIA) 59 Sanu, Mohamed (CIN) 60 Powell, Bilal (NYJ) 60 Lewis, Dion (NE) 62 Cameron, Jordan (MIA) 63 Walters, Bryan (JAX) 64 Williams, DeAngelo (PIT) 65 Allen, Javorius (BLT) 66 Juszczyk, Kyle (BLT) 67 McCoy, LeSean (BUF) 68 Rivera, Mychal (OAK) 69 Yeldon, T.J. (JAX) 70 Williams, Maxx (BLT)
37 41 45 54 35 42 32 49 46 35 36 37 33 36 40 36 47 33 47 36 35 32 40 45 41 32 32 36 32
515 503 497 491 486 484 480 472 455 451 450 429 412 411 410 408 397 394 388 388 386 368 367 353 321 292 280 279 268
13.9 12.3 11 9.1 13.9 11.5 15 9.6 9.9 12.9 12.5 11.6 12.5 11.4 10.2 11.3 8.4 11.9 8.3 10.8 11 11.5 9.2 7.8 7.8 9.1 8.8 7.8 8.4
54 35 34 57 68 42 43 45 34 44 46 31 46 51 68 52 54 52 25 40 29 31 34 41 39 22 29 67 28
0 4 3 3 3 2 5 0 5 2 2 4 4 2 4 3 2 0 2 2 3 1 0 2 4 2 1 1 1
71 Gore, Frank (IND) 72 Murray, Latavius (OAK) 73 Gordon, Melvin (SD)
34 41 33
267 232 192
7.9 34 1 5.7 23 0 5.8 18 0
NFC RECEIVING
RK PLAYER (TEAM) 1 Jones, Julio (ATL) 2 Beckham, Odell (NYG) 3 Fitzgerald, Larry (ARZ) 4 Johnson, Calvin (DET) 5 Evans, Mike (TB) 6 Cooks, Brandin (NO) 7 Olsen, Greg (CAR) 8 Baldwin, Doug (SEA) 9 Brown, John (ARZ) 10 Matthews, Jordan (PHI) 11 Snead, Willie (NO) 12 Reed, Jordan (WAS) 13 Jones, James (GB) 14 Ertz, Zach (PHI) 15 Floyd, Michael (ARZ) 16 Williams, Terrance (DAL) 17 Cobb, Randall (GB) 18 Watson, Benjamin (NO) 19 Tate, Golden (DET) 20 Jeffery, Alshon (CHI) 21 Randle, Rueben (NYG) 22 Boldin, Anquan (SF) 23 Garcon, Pierre (WAS) 24 Ginn, Ted (CAR)
NO 136 96 109 88 74 84 77 78 65 85 69 87 50 75 52 52 79 74 90 54 57 69 72 44
YDS 1871 1450 1215 1214 1206 1138 1104 1069 1003 997 984 952 890 853 849 840 829 825 813 807 797 789 777 739
AVG 13.8 15.1 11.1 13.8 16.3 13.5 14.3 13.7 15.4 11.7 14.3 10.9 17.8 11.4 16.3 16.2 10.5 11.1 9 14.9 14 11.4 10.8 16.8
LG TD 70 8 87 13 44 9 57 9 68 3 71 9 52 7 80 14 68 7 78 8 63 3 32 11 65 8 60 2 60 6 42 3 53 6 46 6 43 6 50 4 72 8 51 4 39 6 74 10
1 Gostkowski, Stephen (NE) 0 0 0 0 52 33 151 2 Santos, Cairo (KC) 0 0 0 0 39 30 129 3 Tucker, Justin (BLT) 0 0 0 0 29 33 128 4 McManus, Brandon (DEN) 0 0 0 0 35 30 125 5 Nugent, Mike (CIN) 0 0 0 0 48 23 117 6 Boswell, Chris (PIT) 0 0 0 0 26 29 113 7 Myers, Jason (JAX) 0 0 0 0 32 26 110 8 Vinatieri, Adam (IND) 0 0 0 0 32 25 107 9 Coons, Travis (CLV) 0 0 0 0 22 28 106 9 Lambo, Josh (SD) 0 0 0 0 28 26 106 11 Carpenter, Dan (BUF) 0 0 0 0 34 23 103 38 21 101 12 Janikowski, Sebastian (OAK) 0 0 0 0 13 Marshall, Brandon (NYJ) 14 0 14 0 0 0 84 13 Robinson, Allen (JAX) 14 0 14 0 0 0 84 15 Novak, Nick (HST) 0 0 0 0 29 18 83 16 Eifert, Tyler (CIN) 13 0 13 0 0 0 78 17 Hill, Jeremy (CIN) 12 11 1 0 0 0 74 18 Franks, Andrew (MIA) 0 0 0 0 33 13 72 18 Decker, Eric (NYJ) 12 0 12 0 0 0 72 20 Succop, Ryan (TEN) 0 0 0 0 29 14 71 21 Brown, Antonio (PIT) 11 0 10 1 0 0 70 22 Williams, DeAngelo (PIT) 11 11 0 0 0 0 68 22 Hopkins, DeAndre (HST) 11 0 11 0 0 0 68 24 Gronkowski, Rob (NE) 11 0 11 0 0 0 66 25 Bullock, Randy (NYJ) 0 0 0 0 19 14 61 26 Miller, Lamar (MIA) 10 8 2 0 0 0 60 26 Green, A.J. (CIN) 10 0 10 0 0 0 60 26 Hurns, Allen (JAX) 10 0 10 0 0 0 60 29 Folk, Nick (NYJ) 0 0 0 0 19 13 58 30 Crabtree, Michael (OAK) 9 0 9 0 0 0 54 30 Woodhead, Danny (SD) 9 3 6 0 0 0 54 30 Barnidge, Gary (CLV) 9 0 9 0 0 0 54 30 Williams, Karlos (BUF) 9 7 2 0 0 0 54 30 Watkins, Sammy (BUF) 9 0 9 0 0 0 54
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
| 145
2015 35 Maclin, Jeremy (KC) 8 0 8 0 0 0 48 35 Ivory, Chris (NYJ) 8 7 1 0 0 0 48 37 Bryant, Martavis (PIT) 7 1 6 0 0 0 42 37 Edelman, Julian (NE) 7 0 7 0 0 0 42 37 Blount, LeGarrette (NE) 7 6 1 0 0 0 42 37 Gore, Frank (IND) 7 6 1 0 0 0 42 37 Hillman, Ronnie (DEN) 7 7 0 0 0 0 42 42 Walker, Delanie (TEN) 6 0 6 0 0 0 38 42 Landry, Jarvis (MIA) 6 1 4 1 0 0 38 44 Cooper, Amari (OAK) 6 0 6 0 0 0 36 44 Moncrief, Donte (IND) 6 0 6 0 0 0 36 44 White, James (NE) 6 2 4 0 0 0 36 44 Murray, Latavius (OAK) 6 6 0 0 0 0 36 44 Ware, Spencer (KC) 6 6 0 0 0 0 36 44 Thomas, Demaryius (DEN) 6 0 6 0 0 0 36 44 Sanders, Emmanuel (DEN) 6 0 6 0 0 0 36 44 Benjamin, Travis (CLV) 6 0 5 1 0 0 36 52 Kelce, Travis (KC) 5 0 5 0 0 0 34 53 Roberts, Seth (OAK) 5 0 5 0 0 0 32 53 Wheaton, Markus (PIT) 5 0 5 0 0 0 32 53 McCoy, LeSean (BUF) 5 3 2 0 0 0 32 56 Charles, Jamaal (KC) 5 4 1 0 0 0 30 56 Gates, Antonio (SD) 5 0 5 0 0 0 30 56 Hilton, T.Y. (IND) 5 0 5 0 0 0 30 56 Aiken, Kamar (BLT) 5 0 5 0 0 0 30 56 Thomas, Julius (JAX) 5 0 5 0 0 0 30 56 Crowell, Isaiah (CLV) 5 4 1 0 0 0 30 56 West, Charcandrick (KC) 5 4 1 0 0 0 30 56 Anderson, C.J. (DEN) 5 5 0 0 0 0 30 64 Green, Ladarius (SD) 4 0 4 0 0 0 28 65 Taylor, Tyrod (BUF) 4 4 0 0 0 0 26 65 Green-Beckham, Dorial (TEN) 4 0 4 0 0 0 26 67 Gillmore, Crockett (BLT ) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 67 Juszczyk, Kyle (BLT) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 67 Allen, Keenan (SD) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 67 Johnson, Andre (IND) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 67 Scobee, Josh (PIT) 0 0 0 0 6 6 24 67 Washington, Nate (HST) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 67 Chandler, Scott (NE) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 67 Holmes, Andre (OAK) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 67 Lewis, Dion (NE) 4 2 2 0 0 0 24 67 Jones, Marvin (CIN) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 67 Matthews, Rishard (MIA) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 78 Fleener, Coby (IND) 3 0 3 0 0 0 20 79 Blue, Alfred (HST) 3 2 1 0 0 0 18 79 Andrews, Antonio (TEN) 3 3 0 0 0 0 18 79 Parker, DeVante (MIA) 3 0 3 0 0 0 18 79 Stills, Kenny (MIA) 3 0 3 0 0 0 18 79 Bell, Le’Veon (PIT) 3 3 0 0 0 0 18 79 Woods, Robert (BUF) 3 0 3 0 0 0 18 79 Gillislee, Mike (BUF) 3 3 0 0 0 0 18 79 Strong, Jaelen (HST) 3 0 3 0 0 0 18 79 Allen, Javorius (BLT) 3 1 2 0 0 0 18 79 Yeldon, T.J. (JAX) 3 2 1 0 0 0 18 79 Walford, Clive (OAK) 3 0 3 0 0 0 18 79 Greene, Rashad (JAX) 3 0 2 1 0 0 18 79 Mariota, Marcus (TEN) 3 2 1 0 0 0 18 79 Amendola, Danny (NE) 3 0 3 0 0 0 18 79 Flacco, Joe (BLT) 3 3 0 0 0 0 18 79 Reece, Marcel (OAK) 3 0 3 0 0 0 18 79 Johnson, Steve (SD) 3 0 3 0 0 0 18 79 Foster, Arian (HST) 3 1 2 0 0 0 18 79 Floyd, Malcom (SD) 3 0 3 0 0 0 18 79 Brady, Tom (NE) 3 3 0 0 0 0 18 79 Smith, Steve (BLT) 3 0 3 0 0 0 18 79 Bradshaw, Ahmad (IND) 3 0 3 0 0 0 18
NFC SCORING TDS TDS TDS TDS R K PLAYER (TEAM) TOT RSH REC RET PAT FG PTS
1 Gano, Graham (CAR) 0 0 0 0 56 30 146 Catanzaro, Chandler (ARZ) 0 0 0 0 53 28 137 2 3 Walsh, Blair (MIN) 0 0 0 0 33 34 135 4 Brown, Josh (NYG) 0 0 0 0 44 30 134 5 Gould, Robbie (CHI) 0 0 0 0 28 33 127 5 Hauschka, Steven (SEA) 0 0 0 0 40 29 127 7 Bailey, Dan (DAL) 0 0 0 0 25 30 115 8 Hopkins, Dustin (WAS) 0 0 0 0 39 25 114 9 Crosby, Mason (GB) 0 0 0 0 36 24 108 10 Prater, Matt (DET) 0 0 0 0 36 22 102
STATISTICS
11 Barth, Connor (TB) 0 0 0 0 25 23 94 12 Dawson, Phil (SF) 0 0 0 0 20 24 92 13 Sturgis, Caleb (PHI) 0 0 0 0 35 18 89 14 Zuerlein, Greg (SL) 0 0 0 0 26 20 86 15 Baldwin, Doug (SEA) 14 0 14 0 0 0 84 15 Freeman, Devonta (ATL) 14 11 3 0 0 0 84 17 Beckham, Odell (NYG) 13 0 13 0 0 0 78 17 Johnson, David (ARZ) 13 8 4 1 0 0 78 19 Bryant, Matt (ATL) 0 0 0 0 26 14 68 20 Reed, Jordan (WAS) 11 0 11 0 0 0 66 20 Peterson, Adrian (MIN) 11 11 0 0 0 0 66 22 Newton, Cam (CAR) 10 10 0 0 0 0 60 22 Forbath, Kai (NO) 0 0 0 0 33 9 60 22 Ginn, Ted (CAR) 10 0 10 0 0 0 60 22 Austin, Tavon (SL) 10 4 5 1 0 0 60 22 Gurley, Todd (SL) 10 10 0 0 0 0 60 27 Johnson, Calvin (DET) 9 0 9 0 0 0 54 27 Fitzgerald, Larry (ARZ) 9 0 9 0 0 0 54 27 Jones, Julio (ATL) 9 0 8 1 0 0 54 27 Cooks, Brandin (NO) 9 0 9 0 0 0 54 31 Jones, James (GB) 8 0 8 0 0 0 52 32 Rodgers, Richard (GB) 8 0 8 0 0 0 50 33 Matthews, Jordan (PHI) 8 0 8 0 0 0 48 33 Lockett, Tyler (SEA) 8 0 6 2 0 0 48 33 Randle, Rueben (NYG) 8 0 8 0 0 0 48 36 Forte, Matt (CHI) 7 4 3 0 0 0 44 36 Langford, Jeremy (CHI) 7 6 1 0 0 0 44 38 Brown, John (ARZ) 7 0 7 0 0 0 42 38 Stewart, Jonathan (CAR) 7 6 1 0 0 0 42 38 Olsen, Greg (CAR) 7 0 7 0 0 0 42 38 Martin, Doug (TB) 7 6 1 0 0 0 42 38 Mathews, Ryan (PHI) 7 6 1 0 0 0 42 38 Cobb, Randall (GB) 7 0 6 1 0 0 42 38 Murray, DeMarco (PHI) 7 6 1 0 0 0 42 45 Graham, Shayne (ATL) 0 0 0 0 8 11 41 46 Ingram, Mark (NO) 6 6 0 0 0 0 38 46 Hocker, Zach (NO) 0 0 0 0 11 9 38 48 Winston, Jameis (TB) 6 6 0 0 0 0 36 48 Tate, Golden (DET) 6 0 6 0 0 0 36 48 Harris, Dwayne (NYG) 6 0 4 2 0 0 36 48 Floyd, Michael (ARZ) 6 0 6 0 0 0 36 48 Sproles, Darren (PHI) 6 3 1 2 0 0 36 48 Watson, Benjamin (NO) 6 0 6 0 0 0 36 48 Garcon, Pierre (WAS) 6 0 6 0 0 0 36 55 Miller, Zach (CHI) 5 0 5 0 0 0 30 55 Kearse, Jermaine (SEA) 5 0 5 0 0 0 30 55 Beasley, Cole (DAL) 5 0 5 0 0 0 30 55 Cousins, Kirk (WAS) 5 5 0 0 0 0 30 55 Starks, James (GB) 5 2 3 0 0 0 30 55 Rudolph, Kyle (MIN) 5 0 5 0 0 0 30 55 Lacy, Eddie (GB) 5 3 2 0 0 0 30 55 Ebron, Eric (DET) 5 0 5 0 0 0 30 55 Rawls, Thomas (SEA) 5 4 1 0 0 0 30 55 Funchess, Devin (CAR) 5 0 5 0 0 0 30 65 Smith, Torrey (SF) 4 0 4 0 0 0 26 65 Jennings, Rashad (NYG) 4 3 1 0 0 0 26 67 Brindza, Kyle (TB) 0 0 0 0 6 6 24 67 Jones, Matt (WAS) 4 3 1 0 0 0 24 67 Seferian-Jenkins, Austin (TB) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 67 Diggs, Stefon (MIN) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 67 Sims, Charles (TB) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 67 Brown, Corey (CAR) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 67 Randle, Joseph (DAL) 4 4 0 0 0 0 24 67 Robinson, Khiry (NO) 4 4 0 0 0 0 24 67 Bell, Joique (DET) 4 4 0 0 0 0 24 67 Hightower, Tim (NO) 4 4 0 0 0 0 24 67 Tolbert, Mike (CAR) 4 1 3 0 0 0 24 67 Jackson, DeSean (WAS) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 67 Boldin, Anquan (SF) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 67 Moore, Lance (DET) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 67 Colston, Marques (NO) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 67 Vereen, Shane (NYG) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 67 Jeffery, Alshon (CHI) 4 0 4 0 0 0 24 84 Lynch, Marshawn (SEA) 3 3 0 0 0 0 20 84 Jackson, Vincent (TB) 3 0 3 0 0 0 20 84 McFadden, Darren (DAL) 3 3 0 0 0 0 20 84 Bridgewater, Teddy (MIN) 3 3 0 0 0 0 20 88 Hyde, Carlos (SF) 3 3 0 0 0 0 18 88 Huff, Josh (PHI) 3 0 3 0 0 0 18 88 Carey, Ka’Deem (CHI) 3 2 1 0 0 0 18
146 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
88 McKinnon, Jerick (MIN) 88 Evans, Mike (TB) 88 Brate, Cameron (TB) 88 Ellington, Andre (ARZ) 88 Fells, Darren (ARZ) 88 Line, Zach (MIN) 88 Riddick, Theo (DET) 88 Ross, Rashad (WAS) 88 Snead, Willie (NO) 88 Williams, Terrance (DAL)
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
2 0 0 3 0 2 0 0 0 0
1 3 3 0 3 1 3 1 3 3
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18
AFC PUNT RETURNS RK PLAYER (TEAM)
1. Amendola, Danny (NE) 2. Benjamin, Travis (CLV) 3. Clay, Kaelin (BLT) 4. Landry, Jarvis (MIA) 5. Brown, Antonio (PIT) 6. McCluster, Dexter (TEN) 7. Kerley, Jeremy (NYJ) 8. Bray, Quan (IND) 9t. Mumphery, Keith (HST) 9t. Thomas, De’Anthony (KC) 11. Tate, Brandon (CIN)
RET YDS AVG LONG TD FC
23 28 23 36 22 24 48 21 36 29 27
276 12.0 324 11.6 244 10.6 356 9.9 212 9.6 217 9.0 411 8.6 166 7.9 280 7.8 227 7.8 171 6.3
82 78 82 69 71 37 58 33 20 37 18
0 12 1 10 1 3 1 16 1 13 0 15 0 19 0 77 0 14 0 2 0 11
NFC PUNT RETURNS
RK PLAYER (TEAM)
RET YDS AVG LONG TD FC
1. Sproles, Darren (PHI) 2. Ginn, Ted (CAR) 3. Harris, Dwayne (NYG) 4. Rainey, Bobby (TB) 5. Lockett, Tyler (SEA) 6. Murphy, Marcus (NO) 7. Sherels, Marcus (MIN) 8. Peterson, Patrick (ARZ) 9. Austin, Tavon (SL) 10. Tate, Golden (DET) 11. Mariani, Marc (CHI) 12. Hyde, Micah (GB) 13. Crowder, Jamison (WAS)
38 27 34 29 40 28 34 32 34 20 29 27 30
446 11.7 277 10.3 341 10.0 288 9.9 379 9.5 261 9.3 311 9.1 260 8.1 268 7.9 149 7.5 192 6.6 157 5.8 158 5.3
89 37 80 58 66 74 65 38 75 23 20 16 16
2 18 0 22 1 7 0 14 1 21 1 7 1 15 0 17 1 15 0 14 0 22 0 18 0 16
AFC KICKOFF RETURNS RK PLAYER (TEAM)
1. Bray, Quan (IND) 2. Jones, Taiwan (OAK) 3. Davis, Knile (KC) 4. Williams, Damien (MIA)
RET YDS AVG LONG TD FC
21 31 24 21
570 27.1 829 26.7 603 25.1 457 21.8
60 70 54 37
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
NFC KICKOFF RETURNS RK PLAYER (TEAM)
RET YDS AVG LONG TD FC
1. Patterson, Cordarrelle (MIN) 32 1019 31.8 101 2. Abdullah, Ameer (DET) 37 1077 29.1 104 3. Harris, Dwayne (NYG) 22 631 28.7 100 4. Cunningham, Benny (SL) 25 714 28.6 102 5. Johnson, David (ARZ) 22 598 27.2 108 6. Lockett, Tyler (SEA) 33 852 25.8 105 7. Ellington, Bruce (SF) 26 665 25.6 40 8. Ross, Rashad (WAS) 28 684 24.4 101 9. Huff, Josh (PHI) 21 498 23.7 49
2 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
AFC COMBINED YARDS RUSH REC KOR PR TOT RK PLAYER (TEAM) YDS YDS YDS YDS YDS
1 Brown, Antonio (PIT) 28 2 Landry, Jarvis (MIA) 113 3 Hopkins, DeAndre (HST) 0 4 Marshall, Brandon (NYJ) 0 5 Robinson, Allen (JAX) 0 6 Thomas, Demaryius (DEN) 0 7 Benjamin, Travis (CLV) 12 8 Murray, Latavius (OAK) 1066 9 Green, A.J. (CIN) 0 10 Ivory, Chris (NYJ) 1070 11 Sanders, Emmanuel (DEN) 29 12 Williams, DeAngelo (PIT) 907 13 Miller, Lamar (MIA) 872 14 Gore, Frank (IND) 967 15 Bernard, Giovani (CIN) 730 16 McCoy, LeSean (BUF) 895 17 Gronkowski, Rob (NE) 0 18 Hilton, T.Y. (IND) 0
1834 0 212 2074 1157 321 356 1947 1521 0 0 1521 1502 0 0 1502 1400 0 0 1400 1304 0 0 1304 966 0 324 1302 232 0 0 1298 1297 0 0 1297 217 0 0 1287 1135 13 103 1280 367 0 0 1274 397 0 0 1269 267 0 0 1234 472 6 0 1208 292 0 0 1187 1176 5 0 1181 1124 0 16 1140
2015
STATISTICS
Antonio Brown
19 Walker, Delanie (TEN) 36 20 Maclin, Jeremy (KC) 14 21 Cooper, Amari (OAK) -3 22 Amendola, Danny (NE) 11 23 Woodhead, Danny (SD) 336 24 Watkins, Sammy (BUF) 1 25 Barnidge, Gary (CLV) 0 26 Decker, Eric (NYJ) 0 27 Hurns, Allen (JAX) 0 28 Yeldon, T.J. (JAX) 740 29 Jones, Taiwan (OAK) 74 29 McCluster, Dexter (TEN) 247 31 Hillman, Ronnie (DEN) 863 32 Johnson, Duke (CLV) 379 33 Aiken, Kamar (BLT) 0 34 Crabtree, Michael (OAK) 0 35 Anderson, C.J. (DEN) 720 36 Crowell, Isaiah (CLV) 706 37 Kelce, Travis (KC) 0 38 Hill, Jeremy (CIN) 794 39 Allen, Javorius (BLT) 514 40 Wheaton, Markus (PIT) 0 41 Jones, Marvin (CIN) 33 42 West, Charcandrick (KC) 634 43 Gordon, Melvin (SD) 641 44 Blue, Alfred (HST) 698 45 Bryant, Martavis (PIT) 37 46 Edelman, Julian (NE) 23 47 Forsett, Justin (BLT) 641
1088 1088 1070 648 755 1047 1043 1027 1031 279 106 260 111 534 944 922 183 182 875 79 353 749 816 214 192 109 765 692 153
0 0 1124 0 13 1115 0 41 1108 172 276 1107 0 0 1091 0 0 1048 0 0 1043 0 11 1038 0 0 1031 0 0 1019 829 0 1009 285 217 1009 0 0 974 52 0 965 0 0 944 0 0 922 0 0 903 0 0 888 0 0 875 0 0 873 0 0 867 105 0 854 0 0 849 0 0 848 0 0 833 0 0 807 0 0 802 0 81 796 0 0 794
48 Mumphery, Keith (HST) 0 129 338 280 747 49 Blount, LeGarrette (NE) 703 43 0 0 746 50 Moncrief, Donte (IND) 0 733 5 0 738 51 Bray, Quan (IND) 0 0 570 166 736 52 Allen, Keenan (SD) 0 725 0 5 730 53 Powell, Bilal (NYJ) 313 388 20 0 721 54 Andrews, Antonio (TEN) 520 174 13 0 707 55 Smith, Steve (BLT) 0 670 0 32 702 56 Davis, Knile (KC) 72 24 603 0 699 57 Bell, Le’Veon (PIT) 556 136 0 0 692 58 Matthews, Rishard (MIA) 4 662 0 9 675 59 Washington, Nate (HST) 0 658 0 0 658 59 Williams, Damien (MIA) 59 142 457 0 658 61 Tate, Brandon (CIN) 0 59 413 171 643 62 Gates, Antonio (SD) 0 630 0 0 630 63 Martin, Keshawn (NE) 6 269 257 92 624 64 Lewis, Dion (NE) 234 388 0 0 622 65 Eifert, Tyler (CIN) 0 615 0 0 615 66 Williams, Karlos (BUF) 517 96 0 0 613 67 Shorts, Cecil (HST) 47 484 0 70 601 68 Clay, Kaelin (BLT) 0 0 343 244 587 69 Taylor, Tyrod (BUF) 568 4 0 0 572 70 Kerley, Jeremy (NYJ) 0 152 0 411 563 71 Floyd, Malcom (SD) 0 561 0 0 561 72 Woods, Robert (BUF) 0 552 0 0 552 73 Green-Beckham, Dorial (TEN) 0 549 0 0 549 74 Charles, Jamaal (KC) 364 177 0 0 541 75 Thomas, De’Anthony (KC) 34 140 138 227 539 76 Miller, Heath (PIT) 2 535 0 0 537
77 Whalen, Griff (IND) 0 78 Clay, Charles (BUF) 0 79 Roberts, Seth (OAK) 0 80 Sankey, Bishop (TEN) 193 80 LaFell, Brandon (NE) 9 82 Hartline, Brian (CLV) 0 83 Daniels, Owen (DEN) 0 84 Johnson, Andre (IND) 0 85 Smith, Alex (KC) 498 86 Johnson, Steve (SD) 0 87 Parker, DeVante (MIA) 0 88 Fleener, Coby (IND) 0 89 Inman, Dontrelle (SD) 0 90 Robinson, Denard (JAX) 266 91 Douglas, Harry (TEN) -6 91 Walters, Bryan (JAX) 0 93 Wilson, Albert (KC) 26 94 Sanu, Mohamed (CIN) 71 95 White, James (NE) 56 96 Bolden, Omar (DEN) 0 97 Ross, Jeremy (OAK) 2 98 Ross, Jeremy (OAK) 2 99 Thomas, Julius (JAX) 0 99 Grimes, Jonathan (HST) 282 101 Hogan, Chris (BUF) 4 102 Herndon, Javontee (SD) 13 103 Thigpen, Marcus (BUF) -1 104 Polk, Chris (HST) 334 105 Stills, Kenny (MIA) 0 106 Green, Ladarius (SD) 0 107 Wright, Kendall (TEN) 17 108 Ware, Spencer (KC) 403 109 Oliver, Branden (SD) 108 110 Jones, Adam (CIN) 0 111 Gillmore, Crockett (BLT) 0 112 Ross, Jeremy (OAK) 2 113 Ross, Jeremy (OAK) 2 114 Greene, Rashad (JAX) 0 115 Foster, Arian (HST) 163 116 Bolden, Brandon (NE) 207 117 Cameron, Jordan (MIA) 0 118 Cromartie, Antonio (NYJ) 0 119 Marshall, Nick (JAX) 0 120 Givens, Chris (BLT) 24 121 Butler, Jeremy (BLT) 0 122 Stacy, Zac (NYJ) 89 123 Harvin, Percy (BUF) 31 124 Archer, Dri (NYJ) 0 125 Givens, Chris (BLT) -6 126 Gilbert, Justin (CLV) 0 127 Reece, Marcel (OAK) 36 128 Juszczyk, Kyle (BLT) 3 129 Walford, Clive (OAK) 0 130 Thigpen, Marcus (BUF) -1 131 Hankerson, Leonard (BUF) 0 132 Brown, Donald (SD) 229 133 Enunwa, Quincy (NYJ) 0 134 Heyward-Bey, Darrius (PIT) 0 135 Bortles, Blake (JAX) 310 136 Mostert, Raheem (CLV) 0 137 Ajayi, Jay (MIA) 187 138 Gillislee, Mike (BUF) 267 139 Mariota, Marcus (TEN) 252 140 Fasano, Anthony (TEN) 0 141 Norwood, Jordan (DEN) 0 142 Rivera, Mychal (OAK) 0 143 Hawkins, Andrew (CLV) 0 144 Jennings, Darius (CLV) 0 145 Williams, Maxx (BLT) 0 146 Fitzpatrick, Ryan (NYJ) 270 147 Hunter, Justin (TEN) 0 148 Chandler, Scott (NE) 0 149 Dorsett, Phillip (IND) 17 150 Griffin, Ryan (HST) 0 151 Gabriel, Taylor (CLV) 0 152 Jones, Jacoby (PIT) 0 153 Caldwell, Andre (DEN) 3 154 Grant, Corey (JAX) 2 155 Manziel, Johnny (CLV) 230 156 Lee, Marqise (JAX) 38 157 Lewis, Marcedes (JAX) 0 158 Jones, Jacoby (PIT) 0
205 528 480 139 515 523 517 503 0 497 494 491 486 164 411 368 451 394 410 0 88 88 455 173 450 195 0 109 440 429 408 5 112 0 412 88 88 93 227 180 386 0 0 346 363 65 218 0 346 0 269 321 329 0 327 88 315 314 0 0 90 29 41 289 207 280 276 117 268 0 264 259 225 251 241 0 72 13 0 191 226 0
244 0 47 192 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 54 0 80 0 2 0 342 265 265 0 0 0 157 328 0 0 0 0 14 197 235 0 205 205 0 0 0 0 377 346 0 0 204 108 354 0 339 32 7 0 328 0 0 0 0 0 309 20 0 0 0 29 0 0 158 6 0 0 0 12 0 0 220 162 220 0 0 0 220
85 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 73 30 0 0 0 123 109 105 0 0 0 81 118 0 0 0 0 0 0 179 0 109 105 301 0 0 0 0 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 51 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 19 0 0 0 0 0 -4
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
534 528 527 524 524 523 517 503 498 497 494 491 486 484 478 478 477 467 466 465 464 460 455 455 454 446 445 443 440 429 425 422 417 414 412 404 400 394 390 387 386 377 376 370 363 358 357 354 340 339 337 331 329 328 327 317 315 314 310 309 297 296 293 289 287 280 276 275 274 270 264 259 255 251 241 239 237 235 230 229 226 216
| 147
2015 159 Conley, Chris (KC) 0 199 14 0 213 160 Jones, Jacoby (PIT) 0 0 193 19 212 161 Jennings, Greg (MIA) 0 208 0 0 208 162 McBride, Tre (TEN) 8 8 190 0 206 163 Fowler, Bennie (DEN) 0 203 0 0 203 164 West, Terrance (BLT) 180 21 0 0 201 164 Davis, Vernon (DEN) 0 201 0 0 201 164 Holmes, Andre (OAK) 0 201 0 0 201 167 Helu, Roy (OAK) 39 75 85 0 199 168 Luck, Andrew (IND) 196 0 0 0 196 169 Olawale, Jamize (OAK) 110 84 0 0 194 169 Gray, Jonas (JAX) 122 72 0 0 194 169 Davis, Vernon (DEN) 0 194 0 0 194 172 Jones, Jacoby (PIT) 0 0 193 -4 189 173 Thompkins, Kenbrell (NYJ) 0 165 17 0 182 174 Campanaro, Michael (BLT) 17 35 79 49 180 175 Green, Virgil (DEN) 0 173 0 0 173 176 Varga, Tyler (IND) 2 18 151 0 171 177 Fiedorowicz, C.J. (HST) 0 167 0 0 167 178 Mostert, Raheem (CLV) 0 0 164 0 164 179 Boyle, Nick (BLT) 0 153 10 0 163 180 Strong, Jaelen (HST) 0 161 0 0 161 180 Herron, Dan (IND) 42 27 92 0 161 182 Moore, Marlon (CLV) 0 81 77 0 158 183 Herron, Dan (IND) 37 27 92 0 156 184 Herron, Dan (IND) 42 20 92 0 154 184 Hunt, Akeem (HST) 96 39 19 0 154 186 Tannehill, Ryan (MIA) 141 9 0 0 150 186 Gragg, Chris (BUF) 0 150 0 0 150 188 Herron, Dan (IND) 37 20 92 0 149 188 Bradshaw, Ahmad (IND) 85 64 0 0 149 188 Harbor, Clay (JAX) 0 149 0 0 149 191 Dixon, Anthony (BUF) 44 44 59 0 147 191 Moore, Denarius (BUF) 0 0 70 77 147 193 Cobb, David (TEN) 146 -2 0 0 144 194 Dalton, Andy (CIN) 142 0 0 0 142 195 Dobson, Aaron (NE) 0 141 0 0 141 196 Carr, Derek (OAK) 138 0 0 0 138 196 Owusu, Chris (NYJ) 0 80 58 0 138 198 Smith, Devin (NYJ) 0 115 21 0 136 199 Kroft, Tyler (CIN) 0 129 0 0 129 200 Cumberland, Jeff (NYJ) 0 77 50 0 127 200 Sims, Dion (MIA) 0 127 0 0 127 202 Gray, Jonas (JAX) 122 4 0 0 126 202 Gray, Jonas (JAX) 54 72 0 0 126 204 Stevens, Craig (TEN) 0 121 0 0 121 205 Thigpen, Marcus (BUF) -1 0 2 118 119 205 Avant, Jason (KC) 0 119 0 0 119 207 Carrie, T.J. (OAK) 0 0 0 118 118 208 Hammond, Frankie (KC) 0 0 0 115 115 209 Brown, Marlon (BLT) 0 112 0 0 112 210 Allen, Dwayne (IND) 1 109 0 0 110 211 Tipton, Zurlon (IND) 20 57 23 0 100 212 Hewitt, Ryan (CIN) 0 99 0 0 99 212 Thompson, Juwan (DEN) 48 51 0 0 99 212 Vick, Michael (PIT) 99 0 0 0 99 215 McCown, Josh (CLV) 98 0 0 0 98 215 Burkhead, Rex (CIN) 4 94 0 0 98 217 Matthews, Chris (BLT) 0 97 0 0 97 218 Doyle, Jack (IND) 0 72 22 0 94 219 Powell, Walter (BUF) 0 0 77 16 93 220 Williams, Tyrell (SD) 0 90 0 0 90 221 Brady, Tom (NE) 53 36 0 0 89 222 Ridley, Stevan (NYJ) 90 -2 0 0 88 223 O’Shaughnessy, James (KC) 0 87 0 0 87 223 Latimer, Cody (DEN) 1 59 27 0 87 223 Phillips, John (SD) 0 69 18 0 87 226 Smith, Lee (OAK) 0 70 8 0 78 227 Taliaferro, Lorenzo (BLT) 47 29 0 0 76 228 Harris, Demetrius (KC) 0 74 0 0 74 229 West, Terrance (BLT) 51 21 0 0 72 229 Robinson, Josh (IND) 39 33 0 0 72 231 Jackson, Steven (NE) 50 20 0 0 70 232 Gerhart, Toby (JAX) 44 23 0 0 67 233 Pead, Isaiah (PIT) 3 0 63 0 66 234 Manuel, E.J. (BUF) 64 0 0 0 64 234 Brown, Daniel (BLT) 0 64 0 0 64 236 Osweiler, Brock (DEN) 61 0 0 0 61 236 Dray, Jim (CLV) 0 61 0 0 61 238 Grimes, Brent (MIA) 0 0 0 59 59
STATISTICS
239 Bohanon, Tommy (NYJ) 239 Gray, Jonas (JAX) 239 Easley, Marcus (BUF) 242 Goodwin, Marquise (BUF) 242 Fowler, Jalston (TEN) 242 Mostert, Raheem (CLV) 245 James, Jesse (PIT) 246 Sherman, Anthony (KC) 246 Matthews, Chris (BLT) 246 James, LaMichael (MIA) 249 Bowe, Dwayne (CLV) 250 Iosefa, Joey (NE) 251 Worthy, Chandler (NYJ) 252 Stoneburner, Jake (MIA) 253 Demps, Quintin (HST) 254 Peerman, Cedric (CIN) 254 Hoyer, Brian (HST) 254 Todman, Jordan (PIT) 254 Williams, Michael (NE) 258 Jones, Reshad (MIA) 259 Davis, Kellen (NYJ) 259 Toussaint, Fitzgerald (PIT) 259 Daniels, B.J. (HST) 262 Salas, Greg (BUF) 262 Pryor, Terrelle (CLV) 264 O’Leary, Nick (BUF) 265 Magee, Terrence (BLT) 266 Smith, Geno (NYJ) 267 Prosch, Jay (HST) 267 Davis, Austin (CLV) 269 Supernaw, Phillip (TEN) 270 Givens, Chris (BLT) 270 Daniels, B.J. (HST) 270 McCarron, A.J. (CIN) 270 Fisher, Jake (CIN) 274 Graham, Garrett (HST) 274 Weeden, Brandon (HST) 276 Clausen, Jimmy (BLT) 276 Rivers, Philip (SD) 278 Roethlisberger, Ben (PIT) 278 Patmon, Tyler (MIA) 280 Turzilli, Andrew (TEN) 281 Freeman, Josh (IND) 282 Johnson, Will (PIT) 282 Flacco, Joe (BLT) 282 Harper, Chris (NE) 285 Brown, Vincent (SD) 286 Banyard, Joe (JAX) 286 Chung, Patrick (NE) 286 McKelvin, Leodis (BUF) 289 Felton, Jerome (BUF) 289 Alualu, Tyson (JAX) 291 McAfee, Pat (IND) 291 Pierce, Bernard (JAX) 291 Waller, Darren (BLT) 294 Weeden, Brandon (HST) 294 Vaughn, Cassius (SD) 294 Cox, Perrish (TEN) 297 Webb, Lardarius (BLT) 297 Nix, Roosevelt (PIT) 297 Murphy, Tyler (MIA) 300 Alford, Mario (CIN) 300 Johnson, Malcolm (CLV) 300 McGill, T.Y. (IND) 300 Bibbs, Kapri (DEN) 300 Smith, Za’Darius (BLT) 300 Hasselbeck, Matt (IND) 306 Williams, Trey (IND) 307 Mallett, Ryan (BLT) 307 Coates, Sammie (PIT) 309 Spaeth, Matt (PIT) 309 Schaub, Matt (BLT) 309 Poyer, Jordan (CLV) 312 Johnson, Damaris (TEN) 313 Clausen, Jimmy (BLT) 313 Johnson, David (SD) 313 Streater, Rod (OAK) 313 Washington, Tony (JAX) 313 Mettenberger, Zach (TEN) 318 Alexander, Lorenzo (OAK)
148 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
2 54 0 0 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 51 0 0 0 0 44 22 0 0 0 42 6 0 -1 0 5 34 33 33 0 24 6 31 0 0 30 28 28 29 0 0 24 7 23 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 18 11 0 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 12 11 0 0 10 10 6 8 4 0 8 8 0
56 4 58 24 44 0 56 34 54 0 53 0 14 47 0 0 0 0 26 0 18 0 18 41 42 37 2 0 0 0 32 7 18 0 31 30 0 0 0 -3 0 25 0 16 0 6 22 0 0 0 12 19 0 7 18 0 0 0 0 16 16 15 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 10 0 0 0 0 4 8 0 0 0
0 0 0 33 0 57 0 20 0 54 0 0 27 0 46 44 0 22 18 43 24 0 0 0 0 0 28 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 0 0 0 0 0 0 21 17 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 15 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 0 0 4 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 7
58 58 58 57 57 57 56 54 54 54 53 51 50 47 46 44 44 44 44 43 42 42 42 41 41 37 35 34 33 33 32 31 31 31 31 30 30 28 28 26 26 25 24 23 23 23 22 21 21 21 19 19 18 18 18 17 17 17 16 16 16 15 15 15 15 15 15 12 11 11 10 10 10 9 8 8 8 8 8 7
318 Koch, Sam (BLT) 318 Bibbs, E.J. (CLV) 318 Lamm, Kendall (HST) 322 Vigil, Zach (MIA) 322 Parker, Brian (KC) 322 Keo, Shiloh (DEN) 322 Jacobs, Nic (JAX) 326 Mallett, Ryan (BLT) 326 Anderson, Colt (IND) 326 Uzomah, C.J. (CIN) 329 Penn, Donald (OAK) 329 Levine, Anthony (BLT) 331 Thigpen, Marcus (BUF) 331 Mulligan, Matthew (BUF) 331 Branch, Tyvon (KC) 331 Gray, MarQueis (BUF) 331 Mager, Craig (SD) 336 Emanuel, Kyle (SD) 336 Poe, Dontari (KC) 336 Givens, Chris (BLT) 336 Cleveland, Asante (SD) 336 Williams, Tramon (CLV) 336 Whitehurst, Charlie (IND)
7 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 -1 0 0 3 -1 0 0 0 0 0 1 -6 0 0 1
0 7 7 0 6 0 6 0 0 4 3 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 7 1 0 0
0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0
7 7 7 6 6 6 6 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
NFC COMBINED YARDS RUSH REC KOR PR TOT RK PLAYER (TEAM) YDS YDS YDS YDS YDS
1 Lockett, Tyler (SEA) 20 2 Jones, Julio (ATL) 0 3 Abdullah, Ameer (DET) 597 4 Peterson, Adrian (MIN) 1485 5 Martin, Doug (TB) 1402 6 Johnson, David (ARZ) 581 7 Freeman, Devonta (ATL) 1056 8 Beckham, Odell (NYG) 3 9 McFadden, Darren (DAL) 1089 10 Harris, Dwayne (NYG) 12 11 Gurley, Todd (SL) 1106 12 Forte, Matt (CHI) 898 13 Fitzgerald, Larry (ARZ) 0 14 Johnson, Calvin (DET) 0 15 Evans, Mike (TB) 0 16 Austin, Tavon (SL) 434 17 Ingram, Mark (NO) 769 18 Sproles, Darren (PHI) 317 19 Cooks, Brandin (NO) 18 20 Jennings, Rashad (NYG) 863 21 Olsen, Greg (CAR) 0 21 Cunningham, Benny (SL) 140 23 Sims, Charles (TB) 529 24 Stewart, Jonathan (CAR) 989 25 Ginn, Ted (CAR) 60 26 Vereen, Shane (NYG) 260 27 Baldwin, Doug (SEA) 0 28 Patterson, Cordarrelle (MIN) 15 29 Tate, Golden (DET) 41 30 Brown, John (ARZ) 22 31 Murray, DeMarco (PHI) 702 32 Matthews, Jordan (PHI) 0 33 Starks, James (GB) 601 34 Snead, Willie (NO) 0 35 Ellington, Bruce (SF) 7 36 Reed, Jordan (WAS) 0 37 Lacy, Eddie (GB) 758 38 Mariani, Marc (CHI) 0 39 Rawls, Thomas (SEA) 830 40 Jones, James (GB) 0 41 Cobb, Randall (GB) 50 42 Johnson, Chris (ARZ) 814 43 Ross, Rashad (WAS) 0 44 Ertz, Zach (PHI) 0 45 Williams, Terrance (DAL) 0 45 Floyd, Michael (ARZ) 0 47 Riddick, Theo (DET) 133 48 Watson, Benjamin (NO) 0 49 Langford, Jeremy (CHI) 537 50 Huff, Josh (PHI) 0 51 Jeffery, Alshon (CHI) 0 52 Morris, Alfred (WAS) 751 53 Randle, Rueben (NYG) 0
664 1871 183 222 271 457 578 1450 328 396 188 389 1215 1214 1206 473 405 388 1138 296 1104 250 561 99 739 494 1069 10 813 1003 322 997 392 984 153 952 188 300 76 890 829 58 184 853 840 849 697 825 279 312 807 55 797
852 0 1077 0 0 598 0 0 23 631 0 0 0 0 0 16 0 20 0 -7 0 714 0 0 8 321 0 1019 26 0 0 0 0 0 665 0 0 418 0 0 0 0 684 9 9 0 0 0 0 498 0 0 0
379 1915 0 1871 0 1857 0 1707 0 1673 0 1636 0 1634 26 1479 0 1440 341 1380 0 1294 0 1287 0 1215 0 1214 0 1206 268 1191 0 1174 446 1171 12 1168 0 1152 0 1104 0 1104 0 1090 0 1088 277 1084 0 1075 0 1069 0 1044 149 1029 0 1025 0 1024 0 997 0 993 0 984 137 962 0 952 0 946 192 910 0 906 0 890 10 889 0 872 0 868 0 862 0 849 0 849 0 830 0 825 0 816 0 810 0 807 0 806 0 797
2015 54 Jones, Matt (WAS) 490 304 0 0 794 55 Rainey, Bobby (TB) 18 16 469 288 791 56 Boldin, Anquan (SF) 0 789 0 0 789 57 Garcon, Pierre (WAS) 0 777 0 0 777 57 Crowder, Jamison (WAS) 2 604 13 158 777 59 Diggs, Stefon (MIN) 13 720 22 0 755 60 Witten, Jason (DAL) 0 713 0 0 713 61 Kearse, Jermaine (SEA) 0 685 0 0 685 61 Mathews, Ryan (PHI) 539 146 0 0 685 61 Whitehead, Lucky (DAL) 107 16 452 110 685 64 Britt, Kenny (SL) 0 681 0 0 681 65 Smith, Torrey (SF) 0 663 0 0 663 66 Tamme, Jacob (ATL) 0 657 0 0 657 67 Weems, Eric (ATL) 4 11 403 221 639 68 Newton, Cam (CAR) 636 0 0 0 636 69 Bell, Joique (DET) 311 286 11 0 608 70 Graham, Jimmy (SEA) 0 605 0 0 605 70 Beasley, Cole (DAL) 0 536 0 69 605 72 Murphy, Marcus (NO) 0 0 300 261 561 73 Patton, Quinton (SF) 5 394 157 0 556 74 Wilson, Russell (SEA) 553 0 0 0 553 75 Draughn, Shaun (SF) 263 175 106 0 544 76 Jackson, Vincent (TB) 0 543 0 0 543 77 Ebron, Eric (DET) 0 537 0 0 537 78 Jackson, DeSean (WAS) 0 528 8 -5 531 79 Hyde, Carlos (SF) 470 53 0 0 523 80 Rodgers, Richard (GB) 11 510 0 0 521 81 Colston, Marques (NO) 0 520 0 0 520 82 Thompson, Chris (WAS) 216 240 63 0 519 83 White, Roddy (ATL) 0 506 0 0 506 84 Hightower, Tim (NO) 375 129 0 0 504 85 Cotchery, Jerricho (CAR) 16 485 0 0 501 86 Spiller, C.J. (NO) 112 239 149 0 500 87 Lynch, Marshawn (SEA) 417 80 0 0 497 88 Rudolph, Kyle (MIN) 0 495 0 0 495 89 Thompson, Deonte (CHI) 0 81 409 0 490 90 Brown, Corey (CAR) 38 447 0 0 485 90 Janis, Jeff (GB) 0 79 406 0 485 92 Adams, Davante (GB) 0 483 0 0 483 93 Cook, Jared (SL) 0 481 0 0 481 94 Wallace, Mike (MIN) 6 473 0 0 479 95 Funchess, Devin (CAR) 0 473 0 0 473 96 Wright, Jarius (MIN) 29 442 0 0 471 97 McKinnon, Jerick (MIN) 271 173 24 0 468 98 Wilson, Marquess (CHI) 0 464 0 0 464 98 Tye, Will (NYG) 0 464 0 0 464 100 Coleman, Brandon (NO) 0 454 0 0 454 101 Bennett, Martellus (CHI) 0 439 0 0 439 101 Miller, Zach (CHI) 0 439 0 0 439 103 Ellington, Andre (ARZ) 289 148 0 0 437 104 Dunbar, Lance (DAL) 67 215 146 4 432 105 Tolbert, Mike (CAR) 256 154 8 0 418 106 Coleman, Tevin (ATL) 392 14 0 0 406 107 Bryant, Dez (DAL) 0 401 0 0 401 107 Randle, Joseph (DAL) 315 86 0 0 401 109 Celek, Brent (PHI) 0 398 0 0 398 110 Whittaker, Fozzy (CAR) 108 64 209 0 381 111 Draughn, Shaun (SF) 263 1 106 0 370 112 Montgomery, Ty (GB) 14 136 218 0 368 113 Roberts, Andre (WAS) 0 135 231 0 366 114 Jackson, Fred (SEA) 100 257 0 0 357 115 Cooper, Riley (PHI) 0 327 28 0 355 116 Hyde, Micah (GB) 0 0 187 157 344 116 Sherels, Marcus (MIN) 0 0 33 311 344 116 Rodgers, Aaron (GB) 344 0 0 0 344 119 Seferian-Jenkins, Austin (TB) 0 338 0 0 338 119 Moore, Lance (DET) 0 337 0 1 338 121 Robinson, Khiry (NO) 180 115 33 0 328 122 McDonald, Vance (SF) 0 326 0 0 326 123 Nelson, J.J. (ARZ) 0 299 0 13 312 124 Fells, Darren (ARZ) 0 311 0 0 311 125 Peterson, Patrick (ARZ) 0 0 46 260 306 126 Mason, Tre (SL) 207 88 0 0 295 127 Jones, T.J. (DET) -3 132 106 59 294 128 Draughn, Shaun (SF) 10 175 106 0 291 129 Brate, Cameron (TB) 0 288 0 0 288 130 Williams, Kerwynn (ARZ) 142 16 126 0 284 131 Agholor, Nelson (PHI) 0 283 0 0 283 132 Hester, Devin (ATL) 0 0 235 34 269 133 Grant, Ryan (WAS) 0 268 0 0 268
STATISTICS
134 Williams, Andre (NYG) 257 7 0 0 264 135 Humphries, Adam (TB) 0 260 0 0 260 136 Butler, Brice (DAL) 0 258 0 0 258 137 Cadet, Travaris (NO) 16 146 94 1 257 138 Kaepernick, Colin (SF) 256 0 0 0 256 139 Royal, Eddie (CHI) -1 238 0 16 253 139 Cadet, Travaris (NO) 12 146 94 1 253 141 Kendricks, Lance (SL) 0 245 0 0 245 142 Asiata, Matt (MIN) 112 132 0 0 244 143 Artis-Payne, Cameron (CAR) 183 58 0 0 241 144 Harris, DuJuan (SF) 140 97 0 0 237 145 Bellamy, Josh (CHI) 0 224 12 0 236 146 Thielen, Adam (MIN) 89 144 0 0 233 147 Austin, Miles (PHI) 0 224 0 0 224 148 Donnell, Larry (NYG) 0 223 0 0 223 148 Gresham, Jermaine (ARZ) 0 223 0 0 223 150 Carey, Ka’Deem (CHI) 159 19 38 0 216 151 Winston, Jameis (TB) 213 0 0 0 213 151 Willson, Luke (SEA) 0 213 0 0 213 153 Bailey, Stedman (SL) 0 182 28 0 210 154 Michael, Christine (SEA) 192 14 0 0 206 155 Cutler, Jay (CHI) 201 0 0 0 201 156 Murphy, Louis (TB) 0 198 0 0 198 157 Michael, Christine (SEA) 192 2 0 0 194 157 Hardy, Justin (ATL) 0 194 0 0 194 159 Bridgewater, Teddy (MIN) 192 0 0 0 192 160 Celek, Garrett (SF) 0 186 0 0 186 160 Bell, Blake (SF) 0 186 0 0 186 162 Gabbert, Blaine (SF) 185 0 0 0 185 163 Darkwa, Orleans (NYG) 153 31 0 0 184 164 Ward, Terron (ATL) 95 73 10 0 178 165 Cadet, Travaris (NO) 16 66 94 1 177 165 Webb, Joe (CAR) -1 0 178 0 177 167 Cadet, Travaris (NO) 12 66 94 1 173 168 Dye, Donteea (TB) 0 132 37 0 169 169 White, DeAndrew (SF) 0 18 142 4 164 170 Abbrederis, Jared (GB) 0 111 52 0 163 171 Williams, Nick (ATL) 0 159 0 0 159 172 Hayne, Jarryd (SF) 52 27 0 76 155 173 Turbin, Robert (DAL) 139 15 0 0 154 174 Barner, Kenjon (PHI) 124 22 10 -3 153 174 Stafford, Matthew (DET) 159 -6 0 0 153 176 Miller, Bruce (SF) 14 135 3 0 152 177 Thomas, Pierre (WAS) 52 84 15 0 151 178 Line, Zach (MIN) 10 95 43 0 148 179 Turbin, Robert (DAL) 139 8 0 0 147 180 Harris, DuJuan (SF) 49 97 0 0 146 181 Brown, Jaron (ARZ) 0 144 0 0 144 182 Carrier, Derek (WAS) 0 141 0 0 141 183 Street, Devin (DAL) 0 114 22 0 136 184 Helfet, Cooper (SEA) 0 130 0 0 130 185 DiMarco, Patrick (ATL) 0 110 19 0 129 186 Myers, Brandon (TB) 0 127 0 0 127 186 Johnson, Charles (MIN) 0 127 0 0 127 188 Welker, Wes (SL) 0 102 0 23 125 189 Ellison, Rhett (MIN) 0 124 0 0 124 190 Dickson, Ed (CAR) 0 121 1 0 122 191 Hill, Josh (NO) 0 120 0 0 120 191 Meredith, Cameron (CHI) 0 120 0 0 120 193 Bersin, Brenton (CAR) 0 119 0 0 119 194 Draughn, Shaun (SF) 10 1 106 0 117 195 Cadet, Travaris (NO) 16 2 94 1 113 196 Thomas, Pierre (WAS) 12 84 15 0 111 197 Cadet, Travaris (NO) 12 2 94 1 109 198 Gaskins, Kendall (SF) 38 69 0 0 107 199 Quick, Brian (SL) 0 102 0 0 102 199 Perillo, Justin (GB) 0 102 0 0 102 201 Pruitt, MyCole (MIN) 0 89 12 0 101 202 Davis, Mike (SF) 58 38 0 0 96 203 Hoomanawanui, Michael (NO) 0 76 19 0 95 204 Kuhn, John (GB) 28 56 9 0 93 205 White, Myles (NYG) 0 88 0 0 88 205 Marquez, Bradley (SL) 0 88 0 0 88 207 Hanna, James (DAL) 0 79 0 0 79 208 Cassel, Matt (DAL) 78 0 0 0 78 209 Wright, Timothy (DET) 0 77 0 0 77 210 Fuller, Corey (DET) 0 76 0 0 76 211 Turbin, Robert (DAL) 60 15 0 0 75 212 Brown, Bryce (SEA) 72 0 0 0 72 213 Zenner, Zach (DET) 60 11 0 0 71
214 Lockette, Ricardo (SEA) 0 69 0 0 69 215 Turbin, Robert (DAL) 60 8 0 0 68 216 Pettigrew, Brandon (DET) 0 67 0 0 67 217 Rodgers, Jacquizz (CHI) 41 10 15 0 66 218 Michael, Christine (SEA) 51 14 0 0 65 219 Escobar, Gavin (DAL) 0 64 0 0 64 219 Sherman, Richard (SEA) 0 0 0 64 64 221 Ryan, Matt (ATL) 63 0 0 0 63 222 Taylor, Stepfan (ARZ) 58 4 0 0 62 223 Manning, Eli (NYG) 61 0 0 0 61 223 Stocker, Luke (TB) 0 61 0 0 61 225 Fells, Daniel (NYG) 0 60 0 0 60 226 Cunningham, Jerome (NYG) 0 59 0 0 59 227 Moeaki, Tony (ATL) 0 58 0 0 58 228 Bush, Reggie (SF) 28 19 0 9 56 229 Simpson, Jerome (SF) 0 54 0 0 54 229 Nicks, Hakeem (NYG) 0 54 0 0 54 229 Burton, Trey (PHI) 0 54 0 0 54 232 Michael, Christine (SEA) 51 2 0 0 53 233 Cousins, Kirk (WAS) 48 0 0 0 48 234 Toilolo, Levine (ATL) 0 44 0 0 44 235 Smith, Kevin (SEA) 0 43 0 0 43 236 Coffman, Chase (SEA) 0 42 0 0 42 237 Burton, Michael (DET) 2 39 0 0 41 238 Parker, Preston (NYG) 0 40 0 0 40 238 Richardson, Paul (SEA) 0 40 0 0 40 240 Johnson, Austin (NO) 9 30 0 0 39 240 Bradford, Sam (PHI) 39 0 0 0 39 242 Smith, Rod (DAL) 5 6 26 0 37 243 Callahan, Bryce (CHI) 0 0 0 34 34 243 Abdul-Quddus, Isa (DET) 34 0 0 0 34 245 Niklas, Troy (ARZ) 0 33 0 0 33 246 Young, Darrel (WAS) 10 22 0 0 32 246 Coleman, Derrick (SEA) 32 0 0 0 32 248 Quarless, Andrew (GB) 0 31 0 0 31 249 Coffman, Chase (SEA) 0 29 0 0 29 249 Edwards, Ben (NYG) 0 9 20 0 29 251 Shepard, Russell (TB) 0 28 0 0 28 252 Blanton, Robert (MIN) 0 0 27 0 27 252 Housler, Rob (CHI) 0 27 0 0 27 254 Harkey, Cory (SL) 0 26 0 0 26 255 Graham, T.J. (NO) 0 24 0 0 24 255 Davis, Cody (SL) 0 20 0 4 24 255 Palmer, Carson (ARZ) 24 0 0 0 24 255 Tukuafu, Will (SEA) 1 7 16 0 24 259 LaCosse, Matt (NYG) 0 22 0 0 22 259 Sanchez, Mark (PHI) 22 0 0 0 22 261 Golden, Brittan (ARZ) 0 5 0 16 21 261 Crockett, John (GB) 21 0 0 0 21 261 Davis, Geremy (NYG) 0 21 0 0 21 264 Foles, Nick (SL) 20 0 0 0 20 265 Harris, Alonzo (GB) 19 0 0 0 19 266 Ripkowski, Aaron (GB) 0 18 0 0 18 267 Brown, Malcolm (SL) 17 -2 0 0 15 268 Brees, Drew (NO) 14 0 0 0 14 269 Romo, Tony (DAL) 13 0 0 0 13 269 Lane, Jorvorskie (TB) 0 13 0 0 13 269 Williams, Kasen (SEA) 5 8 0 0 13 272 Krause, Jonathan (PHI) 0 11 0 0 11 272 Jerod-Eddie, Tony (SF) 0 0 11 0 11 272 Smith, Antone (CHI) 11 0 0 0 11 275 Davison, Tyeler (NO) 0 0 10 0 10 275 Iupati, Mike (ARZ) 0 10 0 0 10 275 Simonson, Scott (CAR) 0 10 0 0 10 275 Hunter, Danielle (MIN) 0 0 10 0 10 279 Jones, Datone (GB) 0 0 9 0 9 279 Reynolds, Chase (SL) 0 0 9 0 9 281 Masthay, Tim (GB) 7 0 0 0 7 281 Lee, Khari (CHI) 0 7 0 0 7 283 Herzlich, Mark (NYG) 0 0 6 0 6 283 Housler, Rob (CHI) 0 6 0 0 6 285 Jenkins, Janoris (SL) 0 0 0 5 5 285 Keenum, Case (SL) 5 0 0 0 5 285 McClain, Robert (CAR) 0 0 0 5 5 288 Clutts, Tyler (DAL) 0 4 0 0 4 288 Ajirotutu, Seyi (PHI) 0 4 0 0 4 288 Leonhardt, Brian (SF) 0 4 0 0 4 291 Davis, Thomas (CAR) 0 0 3 0 3 292 Hunter, Kendall (NO) 2 0 0 0 2 292 Heath, Jeff (DAL) 2 0 0 0 2 294 Winn, George (DET) 1 0 0 0 1 294 Byrd, Jairus (NO) 0 0 0 1 1
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
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2015 AFC INTERCEPTIONS
RK PLAYER (TEAM) INT 1 Reggie Nelson (CIN) 8 1 Marcus Peters (KC) 8 3 Marcus Williams (NYJ) 6 4 Mike Adams (IND) 5 4 Reshad Jones (MIA) 5 4 Darrelle Revis (NYJ) 5 4 Charles Woodson (OAK) 5 8 David Amerson (OAK) 4 8 Vontae Davis (IND) 4 8 Brent Grimes (MIA) 4 8 Andre Hal (HOU) 4 8 Davon House (JAC) 4 8 Dwight Lowery (IND) 4 8 Logan Ryan (NE) 4 15 Karlos Dansby (CLE) 3 15 Marcus Gilchrist (NYJ) 3 15 Stephon Gilmore (BUF) 3 15 Duron Harmon (NE) 3 15 Adam Jones (CIN) 3 15 Mike Mitchell (PIT) 3 15 Ron Parker (KC) 3 15 Paul Posluszny (JAC) 3 15 Jimmy Smith (BAL) 3 15 Aqib Talib (DEN) 3 15 Jason Verrett (SD) 3 26 Eric Berry (KC) 2 26 Antwon Blake (PIT) 2 26 A.J. Bouye (HOU) 2 26 Preston Brown (BUF) 2 26 Zach Brown (TEN) 2 26 David Bruton (DEN) 2 26 Vontaze Burfict (CIN) 2 26 Malcolm Butler (NE) 2 26 Ross Cockrell (PIT) 2 26 Ronald Darby (BUF) 2 26 William Gay (PIT) 2 26 Tashaun Gipson (CLE) 2 26 Corey Graham (BUF) 2 26 Leon Hall (CIN) 2 26 Chris Harris (DEN) 2 26 Justin Houston (KC) 2 26 Kareem Jackson (HOU) 2 26 Derrick Johnson (KC) 2 26 Josh Mauga (KC) 2 26 Leodis McKelvin (BUF) 2 26 Eddie Pleasant (HOU) 2 26 Jordan Poyer (CLE) 2 26 Calvin Pryor (NYJ) 2 26 Coty Sensabaugh (TEN) 2 26 Sean Smith (KC) 2 26 A.J. Tarpley (BUF) 2 26 Danny Trevathan (DEN) 2 26 Shawn Williams (CIN) 2 26 Steve Williams (SD) 2 55 Will Allen (PIT) 1 55 Nate Allen (OAK) 1
55 David Bass (TEN) 55 Zack Bowman (MIA) 55 Brandon Boykin (PIT) 55 Tyvon Branch (KC) 55 Josh Bush (DEN) 55 Josh Bush (DEN) 55 Darius Butler (IND) 55 T.J. Carrie (OAK) 55 Jamie Collins (NE) 55 Perrish Cox (TEN) 55 Johnathan Cyprien (JAC) 55 Quintin Demps (HOU) 55 Darqueze Dennard (CIN) 55 Marcus Easley (BUF) 55 Kyle Emanuel (SD) 55 Coby Fleener (IND) 55 Jerrell Freeman (IND) 55 Robert Golden (PIT) 55 Michael Griffin (TEN) 55 James Harrison (PIT) 55 D.J. Hayden (OAK) 55 Neville Hewitt (MIA) 55 Will Hill (BAL) 55 George Iloka (CIN) 55 D’Qwell Jackson (IND) 55 Kevin Johnson (HOU) 55 Chandler Jones (NE) 55 Jarvis Jones (PIT) 55 Johnathan Joseph (HOU) 55 Shiloh Keo (DEN) 55 Manny Lawson (BUF) 55 Brandon Marshall (DEN) 55 Rey Maualuga (CIN) 55 Brice McCain (MIA) 55 Devin McCourty (NE) 55 Rontez Miles (NYJ) 55 Barkevious Mingo (CLE) 55 Rahim Moore (HOU) 55 Deiontrez Mount (TEN) 55 Nate Orchard (CLE) 55 Adrian Phillips (SD) 55 Bacarri Rambo (BUF) 55 Vincent Rey (CIN) 55 Kendall Reyes (SD) 55 Craig Robertson (CLE) 55 Patrick Robinson (SD) 55 Bradley Roby (DEN) 55 Da’Norris Searcy (TEN) 55 Ryan Shazier (PIT) 55 Derrick Shelby (MIA) 55 Buster Skrine (NYJ) 55 Daryl Smith (BAL) 55 Malcolm Smith (OAK) 55 Telvin Smith (JAC) 55 Darian Stewart (DEN) 55 Manti Te’o (SD) 55 Neiko Thorpe (OAK) 55 Lawrence Timmons (PIT) 55 Stephon Tuitt (PIT)
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
STATISTICS
55 Lardarius Webb (BAL) 55 B.W. Webb (TEN) 55 Aaron Williams (BUF) 55 Tramon Williams (CLE) 55 Avery Williamson (TEN) 55 Jimmy Wilson (SD)
NFC INTERCEPTIONS
RK PLAYER (TEAM) INT 1 Kurt Coleman (CAR) 7 1 Trumaine Johnson (STL) 7 3 Rashad Johnson (ARI) 5 3 Tyrann Mathieu (ARI) 5 3 Earl Thomas (SEA) 5 6 Thomas Davis (CAR) 4 6 Luke Kuechly (CAR) 4 6 Josh Norman (CAR) 4 6 Glover Quin (DET) 4 10 Kenneth Acker (SF) 3 10 Ricardo Allen (ATL) 3 10 Delvin Breaux (NO) 3 10 Tramaine Brock (SF) 3 10 Lavonte David (TB) 3 10 Micah Hyde (GB) 3 10 Janoris Jenkins (STL) 3 10 Trumaine McBride (NYG) 3 10 Terence Newman (MIN) 3 10 Damarious Randall (GB) 3 10 Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (NYG) 3 10 Sam Shields (GB) 3 10 Walter Thurmond (PHI) 3 23 Kwon Alexander (TB) 2 23 Robert Alford (ATL) 2 23 Justin Bethel (ARI) 2 23 Will Blackmon (WAS) 2 23 Bashaud Breeland (WAS) 2 23 Nolan Carroll (PHI) 2 23 Kam Chancellor (SEA) 2 23 Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (GB) 2 23 Chris Conte (TB) 2 23 Kyle Fuller (CHI) 2 23 Jeff Heath (DAL) 2 23 Jordan Hicks (PHI) 2 23 Tony Jefferson (ARI) 2 23 Malcolm Jenkins (PHI) 2 23 Jeremy Lane (SEA) 2 23 Byron Maxwell (PHI) 2 23 Bradley McDougald (TB) 2 23 Brandon Meriweather (NYG) 2 23 William Moore (ATL) 2 23 Captain Munnerlyn (MIN) 2 23 Patrick Peterson (ARI) 2 23 Perry Riley (WAS) 2 23 Quinten Rollins (GB) 2 23 Richard Sherman (SEA) 2 23 Darius Slay (DET) 2 23 Harrison Smith (MIN) 2 23 Charles Tillman (CAR) 2 23 Justin Trattou (MIN) 2
AFC FIELD GOALS RK PLAYER (TEAM) 1. Gostkowski, Stephen (NE) 2. Santos, Cairo (KC) 3. Tucker, Justin (BLT) 4. McManus, Brandon (DEN) 5. Nugent, Mike (CIN) 6. Boswell, Chris (PIT) 7. Myers, Jason (JAX) 8. Vinatieri, Adam (IND) 9. Coons, Travis (CLV) 9. Lambo, Josh (SD) 11. Carpenter, Dan (BUF) 12. Janikowski, Sebastian (OAK) 13. Novak, Nick (HST) 14. Franks, Andrew (MIA) 15. Succop, Ryan (TEN) 16. Bullock, Randy (NYJ) 17. Folk, Nick (NYJ) 18. Scobee, Josh (PIT) 19. Bullock, Randy (HST) 20. Quigley, Ryan (NYJ)
FGA 36 37 40 35 28 32 30 27 32 32 27 26 21 16 16 17 16 10 6 0
FGM FGBL LNG 33 0 57 30 1 53 33 0 52 30 0 57 23 1 52 29 0 51 26 1 58 25 0 55 28 4 47 26 0 54 23 0 52 21 1 56 18 0 51 13 0 53 14 0 51 14 0 49 13 0 55 6 0 45 5 0 47 0 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1
Reggie Nelson 23 Uani’ Unga (NYG) 23 Paul Worrilow (ATL) 53 Phillip Adams (ATL) 53 Kiko Alonso (PHI) 53 Prince Amukamara (NYG) 53 Jonathan Anderson (CHI) 53 Stephone Anthony (NO) 53 Jonathan Babineaux (ATL) 53 Anthony Barr (MIN) 53 Vic Beasley (ATL) 53 Brandon Browner (NO) 53 Deone Bucannon (ARI) 53 Marcus Burley (SEA) 53 Jairus Byrd (NO) 53 Jonathan Casillas (NYG) 53 Landon Collins (NYG) 53 Will Compton (WAS) 53 Mike Daniels (GB) 53 Quinton Dunbar (WAS) 53 Jay Elliott (GB) 53 Dashon Goldson (WAS) 53 Chad Greenway (MIN) 53 Greg Hardy (DAL) 53 Jayron Hosley (NYG) 53 James Ihedigbo (DET) 53 Kemal Ishmael (ATL) 53 Colin Jones (CAR) 53 Harold Jones-Quartey (CHI) 53 Devon Kennard (NYG) 53 A.J. Klein (CAR) 53 James Laurinaitis (STL) 53 Sean Lee (DAL) 53 Rashean Mathis (DET) 53 Clay Matthews (GB)
2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
53 Rolando McClain (DAL) 53 Robert McClain (CAR) 53 Rodney McLeod (STL) 53 Pernell McPhee (CHI) 53 Terrance Mitchell (DAL) 53 Sterling Moore (TB) 53 Deji Olatoye (DAL) 53 Tracy Porter (CHI) 53 Jerraud Powers (ARI) 53 Cory Redding (ARI) 53 Ed Reynolds (PHI) 53 Xavier Rhodes (MIN) 53 Bobby Richardson (NO) 53 Keenan Robinson (WAS) 53 Trenton Robinson (WAS) 53 Eric Rowe (PHI) 53 Ahtyba Rubin (SEA) 53 DeMeco Ryans (PHI 53 Jamarca Sanford (NO 53 Andrew Sendejo (MIN 53 DeShawn Shead (SEA 53 Eugene Sims (STL) 53 Jaquiski Tartt (SF) 53 Robenson Therezie (ATL) 53 Desmond Trufant (ATL) 53 Alterraun Verner (TB) 53 Jimmie Ward (SF) 53 Tahir Whitehead (DET) 53 J.J. Wilcox (DAL) 53 Michael Wilhoite (SF) 53 Kyle Wilson (NO) 53 Willie Young (CHI) 65 Patmon, Tyler (DAL) 65 Ducre, Greg (WAS)
NFC FIELD GOALS XPA 52 41 29 36 49 27 39 35 24 32 40 39 31 36 31 20 19 7 5 4
XPM XPBL PTS 52 0 151 39 0 129 29 0 128 35 0 125 48 1 117 26 0 113 32 0 110 32 1 107 22 0 106 28 1 106 34 0 103 38 0 101 29 0 83 33 0 72 29 1 71 19 0 61 19 0 58 6 0 24 3 0 18 4 0 4
150 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
RK PLAYER (TEAM) 1. Gano, Graham (CAR) 2. Catanzaro, Chandler (ARZ) 3. Walsh, Blair (MIN) 4. Brown, Josh (NYG) 5. Gould, Robbie (CHI) 5. Hauschka, Steven (SEA) 7. Bailey, Dan (DAL) 8. Hopkins, Dustin (WAS) 9. Crosby, Mason (GB) 10. Prater, Matt (DET) 11. Barth, Connor (TB) 12. Dawson, Phil (SF) 13. Sturgis, Caleb (PHI) 14. Zuerlein, Greg (SL) 15. Bryant, Matt (ATL) 16. Forbath, Kai (NO) 17. Graham, Shayne (ATL) 18. Hocker, Zach (NO) 19. Brindza, Kyle (TB) 20. Parkey, Cody (PHI) 21. Hocker, Zach (SL) 21. Forbath, Kai (WAS)
FGA 36 31 39 32 39 31 32 28 28 24 28 27 22 30 18 13 13 13 12 4 1 2
FGM FGBL LNG 30 4 52 28 0 47 34 1 54 30 0 53 33 0 55 29 1 54 30 0 54 25 1 54 24 1 56 22 0 59 23 0 53 24 2 54 18 0 53 20 3 61 14 0 47 9 2 57 11 1 54 9 0 51 6 0 58 3 0 46 1 0 35 1 0 45
XPA 59 58 37 45 29 44 25 40 36 39 26 21 37 28 26 34 8 12 8 7 1 1
XPM XPBL PTS 56 1 146 53 0 137 33 0 135 44 0 134 28 1 127 40 2 127 25 0 115 39 0 114 36 0 108 36 1 102 25 0 94 20 1 92 35 0 89 26 1 86 26 0 68 33 0 60 8 0 41 11 1 38 6 0 24 7 0 16 1 0 4 1 0 4
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2015 AFC SACKS
50 Dee Ford (KC) 50 Timmy Jernigan (BAL) 50 Derrick Johnson (KC) 50 Karl Klug (TEN) 50 Lorenzo Mauldin (NYJ) 50 Roy Miller (JAC) 50 Arthur Moats (PIT) 50 C.J. Mosley (BAL) 50 Shane Ray (DEN) 50 Malcolm Smith (OAK) 64 Ryan Davis (JAC) 64 Dont’a Hightower (NE) 64 Chris Kirksey (CLE) 64 Ryan Shazier (PIT) 64 Derrick Shelby (MIA) 64 Aldon Smith (OAK) 64 Avery Williamson (TEN) 71 Denico Autry (OAK) 71 Malcom Brown (NE) 71 Chris Clemons (JAC) 71 Trent Cole (IND) 71 Mike DeVito (KC) 71 Jerrell Freeman (IND) 71 Akiem Hicks (NE) 71 D’Qwell Jackson (IND) 71 Corey Liuget (SD) 71 T.Y. McGill (IND) 71 Nate Orchard (CLE) 71 Calvin Pace (NYJ) 71 Daryl Smith (BAL) 71 Erik Walden (IND) 71 Leonard Williams (NYJ) 71 Sylvester Williams (DEN) 71 Frank Zombo (KC) 88 Angelo Blackson (TEN) 88 Ben Heeney (OAK) 88 Paul Kruger (CLE) 88 Antonio Smith (DEN) 88 Telvin Smith (JAC) 93 Tyson Alualu (JAC) 93 Christian Covington (HOU) 93 Jared Crick (HOU) 93 Marcell Dareus (BUF) 93 Demario Davis (NYJ) 93 Dominique Easley (NE) 93 Mario Edwards (OAK) 93 Wallace Gilberry (CIN) 93 Reshad Jones (MIA) 93 Jarvis Jones (PIT) 93 Abry Jones (JAC) 93 Denzel Perryman (SD) 93 Jordan Phillips (MIA) 93 Kendall Reyes (SD) 93 Courtney Upshaw (BAL) 93 Vance Walker (DEN) 93 T.J. Ward (DEN)
RK PLAYER (TEAM) SACKS 1 J.J. Watt (HOU) 17.5 2 Khalil Mack (OAK) 15.0 3 Carlos Dunlap (CIN) 13.5 4 Chandler Jones (NE) 12.5 5 Whitney Mercilus (HOU) 12.0 5 Muhammad Wilkerson (NYJ) 12.0 7 Geno Atkins (CIN) 11.0 7 Von Miller (DEN) 11.0 9 Melvin Ingram (SD) 10.5 10 Jabaal Sheard (NE) 8.0 11 Justin Houston (KC) 7.5 11 Olivier Vernon (MIA) 7.5 11 DeMarcus Ware (DEN) 7.5 14 Jurrell Casey (TEN) 7.0 14 Cameron Heyward (PIT) 7.0 14 Kendall Langford (IND) 7.0 14 Robert Mathis (IND) 7.0 14 Brian Orakpo (TEN) 7.0 14 Cameron Wake (MIA) 7.0 20 Tamba Hali (KC) 6.5 20 Rob Ninkovich (NE) 6.5 20 Stephon Tuitt (PIT) 6.5 23 Jeremiah Attaochu (SD) 6.0 23 Desmond Bryant (CLE) 6.0 23 Elvis Dumervil (BAL) 6.0 23 Ndamukong Suh (MIA) 6.0 27 Shaquil Barrett (DEN) 5.5 27 Armonty Bryant (CLE) 5.5 27 Jamie Collins (NE) 5.5 27 Jaye Howard (KC) 5.5 27 Jared Odrick (JAC) 5.5 27 Za’Darius Smith (BAL) 5.5 27 Derek Wolfe (DEN) 5.5 34 James Harrison (PIT) 5.0 34 Jerry Hughes (BUF) 5.0 34 Malik Jackson (DEN) 5.0 34 Michael Johnson (CIN) 5.0 34 Ron Parker (KC) 5.0 34 Domata Peko (CIN) 5.0 34 Sheldon Richardson (NYJ) 5.0 34 John Simon (HOU) 5.0 34 Lawrence Timmons (PIT) 5.0 34 Mario Williams (BUF) 5.0 34 Wesley Woodyard (TEN) 5.0 45 Allen Bailey (KC) 4.5 45 Jadeveon Clowney (HOU) 4.5 45 Lawrence Guy (BAL) 4.5 45 David Harris (NYJ) 4.5 45 Derrick Morgan (TEN) 4.5 50 Will Allen (PIT) 4.0 50 Andre Branch (JAC) 4.0 50 Aaron Colvin (JAC) 4.0 50 Bud Dupree (PIT) 4.0
4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0
STATISTICS
93 Brandon Williams (BAL) 111 David Bass (TEN) 111 Sergio Brown (JAC) 111 Xavier Cooper (CLE) 111 John Hughes (CLE) 111 Brandon Marshall (DEN) 111 Dan Skuta (JAC) 111 Donte Whitner (CLE) 111 Marcus Williams (NYJ)
2.0 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5
NFC SACKS
RK PLAYER (TEAM) SACKS 1 Ezekiel Ansah (DET) 14.5 2 Aaron Donald (STL) 11.0 2 Kawann Short (CAR) 11.0 4 Everson Griffen (MIN) 10.5 4 Julius Peppers (GB) 10.5 6 Michael Bennett (SEA) 10.0 6 Cameron Jordan (NO) 10.0 8 Robert Ayers (NYG) 9.5 8 Fletcher Cox (PHI) 9.5 8 Ryan Kerrigan (WAS) 9.5 11 Cliff Avril (SEA) 9.0 12 Gerald McCoy (TB) 8.5 13 Dwight Freeney (ARI) 8.0 13 Lamarr Houston (CHI) 8.0 13 Demarcus Lawrence (DAL) 8.0 13 Preston Smith (WAS) 8.0 17 Connor Barwin (PHI) 7.0 17 Jacquies Smith (TB) 7.0 17 Devin Taylor (DET) 7.0 20 Ahmad Brooks (SF) 6.5 20 Brandon Graham (PHI) 6.5 20 Aaron Lynch (SF) 6.5 20 Clay Matthews (GB) 6.5 20 Willie Young (CHI) 6.5 25 Mario Addison (CAR) 6.0 25 Chris Baker (WAS) 6.0 25 Greg Hardy (DAL) 6.0 25 Danielle Hunter (MIN) 6.0 25 Pernell McPhee (CHI) 6.0 30 Thomas Davis (CAR) 5.5 30 William Hayes (STL) 5.5 30 Bruce Irvin (SEA) 5.5 30 Tom Johnson (MIN) 5.5 34 Calais Campbell (ARI) 5.0 34 Tyrone Crawford (DAL) 5.0 34 Kony Ealy (CAR) 5.0 34 Kasim Edebali (NO) 5.0 34 Howard Jones (TB) 5.0 34 Robert Quinn (STL) 5.0 34 Brian Robison (MIN) 5.0 41 Eddie Goldman (CHI) 4.5 41 Jason Jones (DET) 4.5 43 Vic Beasley (ATL) 4.0 43 Jack Crawford (DAL) 4.0
J.J. Watt 43 Mike Daniels (GB) 43 Markus Golden (ARI) 43 Jarvis Jenkins (CHI) 43 Eric Kendricks (MIN) 43 Hau’oli Kikaha (NO) 43 Mike Neal (GB) 51 Anthony Barr (MIN) 51 Vinny Curry (PHI) 51 Trent Murphy (WAS) 51 Nick Perry (GB) 55 Kwon Alexander (TB) 55 Michael Brockers (STL) 55 Deone Bucannon (ARI) 55 Frank Clark (SEA) 55 Adrian Clayborn (ATL) 55 Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (GB) 55 Lavonte David (TB) 55 Jay Elliott (GB) 55 William Gholston (TB) 55 Cullen Jenkins (NYG) 55 Datone Jones (GB) 55 Mychal Kendricks (PHI) 55 Chris Long (STL) 55 Kyle Love (CAR) 55 Frostee Rucker (ARI) 55 Kenny Vaccaro (NO) 71 Kroy Biermann (ATL) 71 NaVorro Bowman (SF) 71 Ryan Delaire (CAR) 71 Quinton Dial (SF) 71 Sharrif Floyd (MIN) 71 Chad Greenway (MIN) 71 Obum Gwacham (NO)
AFC PUNTING RK PLAYER (TEAM)
NO YDS
1 Shane Lechler (HOU) 95 2 Matt Darr (MIA) 92 3 Brett Kern (TEN) 88 4 Pat McAfee (IND) 85 5 Colton Schmidt (BUF) 82 6 Bryan Anger (JAC) 80 7 Marquette King (OAK) 83 8 Britton Colquitt (DEN) 84 9 Ryan Quigley (NYJ) 75 10 Sam Koch (BAL) 74 11 Ryan Allen (NE) 73 12 Dustin Colquitt (KC) 75 13 Andy Lee (CLE) 70 14 Mike Scifres (SD) 72 15 Kevin Huber (CIN) 68 16 Steve Weatherford (NYJ) 4 17 Jordan Berry (PIT) 59
4,497 4,380 4,175 4,052 3,797 3,700 3,697 3,663 3,287 3,454 3,358 3,333 3,270 3,261 3,116 161 2,511
64 70 61 63 65 63 70 62 68 67 67 62 67 68 67 50 79
47.3 47.6 47.4 47.7 46.3 46.3 44.5 43.6 43.8 46.7 46 44.4 46.7 45.3 45.8 40.3 42.6
38.8 39.7 40.3 41.7 41.3 39.5 40.7 39.7 36.5 42.9 39.9 40.8 40.1 38.2 40.5 30.8 39.1
71 Sean Lee (DAL) 71 Haloti Ngata (DET) 80 Maurice Alexander (STL) 80 Jared Allen (CAR) 80 Arik Armstead (SF) 80 Bruce Carter (TB) 80 Jonathan Casillas (NYG) 80 Jason Hatcher (WAS) 80 Anthony Hitchens (DAL) 80 Ricky Jean Francois (WAS) 80 Tony Jefferson (ARI) 80 Lamarcus Joyner (STL) 80 Rolando McClain (DAL) 80 Henry Melton (TB) 80 Alec Ogletree (STL) 80 Alex Okafor (ARI) 80 Caraun Reid (DET) 80 Ahtyba Rubin (SEA) 80 O’Brien Schofield (ATL) 80 Darryl Tapp (DET) 80 Jaquiski Tartt (SF) 80 Walter Thurmond (PHI) 80 Ethan Westbrooks (STL) 80 Tahir Whitehead (DET) 102 Jonathan Babineaux (ATL) 102 Tyeler Davison (NO) 102 Terrance Knighton (WAS) 102 Kareem Martin (ARI) 102 Brandon Mebane (SEA) 102 Stephen Paea (WAS) 102 Eugene Sims (STL) 102 Marcus Smith (PHI) 102 Harrison Smith (MIN)
2.5 2.5 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5
NFC PUNTING
NET NET INS RET YDS LG AVG AVG BP 20 TB FC RET YDS
3,685 3,654 3,550 3,546 3,384 3,158 3,416 3,336 2,775 3,178 2,951 3,063 2,809 2,789 2,793 123 2,306
4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5
0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
24 10 15 60 612 30 10 15 50 526 34 1 23 47 605 28 6 23 36 386 22 3 20 40 353 26 4 22 45 462 40 4 19 30 201 22 4 16 36 247 27 4 14 34 432 29 5 12 35 176 31 3 14 39 347 37 5 21 26 170 25 4 15 37 381 15 2 14 44 432 22 6 15 32 203 0 0 0 3 38 28 2 21 19 165
RK PLAYER (TEAM)
NO YDS
1 Johnny Hekker (STL) 2 Donnie Jones (PHI) 3 Bradley Pinion (SF) 4 Sam Martin (DET) 5 Tim Masthay (GB) 6 Brad Wing (NYG) 7 Pat O’Donnell (CHI) 8 Brandon Fields (NO) 9 Tress Way (WAS) 10 Brad Nortman (CAR) 11 Chris Jones (DAL) 12 Jon Ryan (SEA) 13 Thomas Morstead (NO) 14 Jeff Locke (MIN) 15 Matt Bosher (ATL) 16 Drew Butler (ARI) 17 Jacob Schum (TB)
96 86 91 80 81 76 70 10 70 70 69 68 56 66 58 60 56
4,601 4,038 3,969 3,679 3,554 3,380 3,097 412 3,224 3,175 3,117 3,105 2,551 2,746 2,735 2,575 2,348
NET NET INS RET YDS LG AVG AVG BP 20 TB FC RET YDS
4,192 3,663 3,587 3,356 3,260 2,960 2,820 351 2,826 2,787 2,935 2,579 2,277 2,494 2,383 2,160 2,128
68 64 62 66 62 64 72 57 64 65 61 73 58 61 69 58 60
47.9 47 43.6 46 43.9 44.5 44.2 41.2 46.1 45.4 45.2 45.7 45.6 41.6 47.2 42.9 41.9
43.7 41.6 39.4 42 40.2 38.9 39.7 35.1 39.8 39.8 42.5 37.9 40.7 37.8 40.4 35.4 38
0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0
41 29 31 25 18 33 28 4 21 20 27 24 20 23 24 22 15
6 8 5 3 6 6 4 2 7 5 1 7 4 5 4 6 4
25 23 22 20 14 21 22 1 14 19 22 20 14 21 19 19 15
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
40 42 43 43 41 30 27 2 30 37 24 29 24 29 28 25 27
289 215 282 263 174 300 197 21 258 288 162 386 194 152 272 295 140
| 151
2015
STATISTICS
AFC TEAM STATISTICS OFFENSE
BAL
BUF
CIN
CLE
Yards / Game
359.30
360.9
358.00
331.90 355.50
Yards / Play
5.31
5.68 5.71 5.10 5.39 4.94 4.89 5.51 5.55 5.43 5.71 5.52 5.29 6.26 5.41 5.11
Rushing Yards / Game
92.40
152.00 112.80 95.60 107.40 108.20
Rushing Yards / Play
3.86
4.78 3.87 4.02 4.18 3.67 3.63 4.16 4.69 4.35 3.67 4.17 3.94 4.44 3.46 4.00
Passing Yards / Game
266.90
208.90
Passing Yards / Play
6.32
7.19 7.77 6.21 6.55 6.19 5.98 6.77 6.88 6.48 7.29 6.72 6.41 7.80 6.88 6.36
Interception Rate
3.11
1.94 1.78 1.97
Sacks / Pass Attempt
3.55
9.03 6.34
First Downs / Game
20.20
18.60 20.30 19.20 19.60 20.90
19.40 19.60 18.90 18.20 21.70
Punt Return Avg
11.30
7.50 8.10
11.20 9.80 7.30
6.90 11.60 7.90 10.30 10.10 8.60 6.50 8.30 4.20 8.10
Kickoff Return Avg
25.20
18.80 20.60
25.40 21.80 23.90
24.30 23.30 22.60 22.30 18.8
Field Goals Made
82.50
85.19 82.14
87.50 85.71
92.59 86.67 81.08 81.25 91.67 81.82 80.77 83.33 81.25 87.50
3rd Down Pct
37.61
37.89 40.30 41.85 35.27 38.55 40.00 35.12 38.19 30.73 40.93 40.61 39.09 38.86 41.99 31.84
4th Down Pct
50.00
43.75 58.33 41.67 50.00 31.58 53.85 53.33
Red Zone Pct
48.94
50.00
65.52 38.30 47.73 57.78
Goal to Go%
66.67
61.11
78.13
46.15 63.16
Avg Time of Possession
29:58
31:18
30:41
30:26
29:57
30:48
29:32
27:34
30:55
27:22
30:08
30:59
29:19
29:24
31:34
29:25
Points / Game
20.50
23.70
26.20
17.40
22.20
21.20
20.80
23.50
25.30
19.40
29.10
24.20
22.40
26.40
20.00
18.70
BAL
BUF
CIN
CLE
DEN
HOU
IND
JAX
KC
MIA
NE
NYJ
OAK
PIT
SD
Yards / Game
337.40
356.40
340.80
379.20
283.10
Yards / Play
5.40
5.61 5.28 6.08 4.39 5.03 5.66 5.44 5.08 5.60 5.21 5.03 5.36 5.51 6.04 5.46
Rushing Yards / Game
103.80 108.10
Rushing Yards / Play
3.97
4.39 4.29 4.49 3.28 4.12 4.32 3.68 4.10 4.02 3.98 3.58 4.13 3.82 4.81 3.89
Passing Yards / Game
233.60
248.30
Passing Yards / Play
6.86
6.60 6.15 7.85 5.57 6.09 7.03 7.13 6.09 7.38 6.46 6.26 6.46 6.96 7.42 7.33
Interception Rate
1.10
2.82 3.25 2.15 2.44 2.53
2.91 1.50 3.62 2.40 2.01 3.00 2.18 2.72 2.16 2.19
Sacks / Pass Attempt
6.79
3.49
5.98
First Downs / Game
19.40
20.10 19.20 20.10 18.10 17.60 20.70 22.60 19.60 21.90 18.90 16.90 21.50 20.40 18.70 19.80
Punt Return Avg
5.00
8.80 6.30 10.30 6.90 10.20 10.70 10.30 6.50
10.50 8.90 12.70 6.70 8.70 9.80 12.90
Kickoff Return Avg
25.40
17.20
22.10 18.10 23.80 22.70 22.20 27.50 27.20
3rd Down Pct
39.81
40.48 39.45
4th Down Pct
44.44
23.08 45.00 66.67 35.71 58.33 71.43 50.00 48.15 33.33
Red Zone Pct
53.19
60.00 47.37
Goal to Go%
65.00
66.67
Points / Game
25.10 22.40 17.40 27.00 18.50
19.60 25.50 28.00 17.90 24.30 19.70 19.60 24.90 19.90 24.90 26.40
Point Differential / Game
-4.60
1.30 8.80 -9.60 3.70
1.60 -4.70 -4.50 7.40
-4.90 9.40 4.60
-2.50 6.50 -4.90 -7.80
Yard Differential / Game
21.90
4.60 17.20
37.60
-44.50
-30.10
DEFENSE
245.20
236.40
DEN
248.10
HOU
JAX
347.80 321.40 348.80
239.60
3.80 1.94
8.70 6.44
IND
KC
MIA
NE
NYJ
331.20
331.70 374.40 370.30
OAK
333.50 395.40
6.50
250.80
5.68
231.50 256.80
TEN
371.80 311.80
203.40
238.20
286.70
253.60
242.40
287.70 286.90
218.90
3.07 2.97 1.48 2.04 1.11 2.65 2.31 3.56 1.95 3.09
5.82 5.98 8.40 9.73 7.65 6.04 3.64 5.45 5.59 6.00 9.80
85.19
20.60 18.80 20.70 21.50 18.60
20.80 23.90 24.20 20.80 20.60
66.67 36.36 60.00 42.86 38.46 33.33 33.33 46.67
53.06 53.70 57.41 53.49 65.57 66.04 60.98 60.71 63.64 65.00
68.18 66.67
310.20 379.10
72.41 76.92
375.00 329.30
199.60 210.40 257.10 268.20
9.08 8.14
231.10
5.98 7.74
22.60 21.30 20.30 24.40 19.50 24.00 24.70 39.90 35.24
SD
89.90 92.10 127.80 93.50 87.80 116.80 91.10 107.80 84.90 92.80
60.00 76.47 84.62 66.67 74.19 72.22 82.61
376.20 339.40 318.60 363.60
92.30 128.40 83.60 99.80 122.00 106.80 98.20 126.20 98.80 83.40 104.90
248.50
PIT
28.50 39.21
46.26 33.18
250.00
240.70
235.20
258.80
363.10
361.90 342.20
91.20 125.30 112.30
271.90 236.60
229.90
5.72 8.22 6.49 5.93 7.68 6.27 7.77
43.44 37.33 33.19 37.50 40.00 37.95 42.59 44.44 56.52
52.94 29.17 87.50 33.33
58.06 59.46 56.41 62.26 61.40 60.00 60.00 57.14 35.00 51.72 49.12 50.00 62.26
50.00 73.33 72.22 93.75 69.70 75.00 80.95 84.62
-47.30
72.40
152 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
-57.80 -26.20
1.90
65.00 43.48 55.17 53.33 69.23 75.00
35.00
51.70
32.40
9.90
-30.40
2015
STATISTICS
NFC TEAM STATISTICS OFFENSE
AZ
ATL
CAR
CHI
DAL
DET
GB
MIN
Yards / Game
408.30
374.10
366.90
344.60
335.10
346.70
334.60
321.20 403.80
Yards / Play
6.28 5.58 5.54 5.38 5.53 5.39 5.07 5.28 5.90 5.66 5.29 5.85 5.02 5.18 5.91 5.60
Rushing Yards / Game
119.80 100.40
Rushing Yards / Play
4.24 3.82 4.34 3.96 4.63 3.77 4.24 4.66 3.76 3.99 3.94 4.54 3.96 4.56 4.75 3.65
Passing Yards / Game
288.50
Passing Yards / Play
8.21 7.05 7.16 7.00 6.57 6.66 6.11 6.45 7.45 6.98 6.56 7.75 6.30 5.93 7.20 7.38
Interception Rate
2.31 2.74 2.00 2.29 4.17 2.22 1.40 1.98 1.80 2.25 2.89 1.64 2.28 2.33 2.80 1.98
Sacks / Pass Attempt
4.80 5.15 6.59 6.50 6.25 6.96 8.20 9.91 4.80
First Downs / Game
23.30 22.40 22.30 19.50 19.20 21.10 19.80 18.60 23.80 20.70 21.20 20.90 16.30 15.10 21.00 19.80
Punt Return Avg
7.40 9.40 9.40 7.80 5.50 7.00 5.40 9.10 8.60 10.20 11.40 10.70 7.50 7.70 9.90 4.80
Kickoff Return Avg
24.10 25.70
Field Goals Made
90.32 80.65 83.33 84.62 93.75 91.67 85.71 87.18 69.23 93.75 80.77
3rd Down Pct
46.97 47.14 42.36 42.47 34.55 36.95 33.65 38.19 47.71
4th Down Pct
44.44 52.63 60.00 60.00 50.00 50.00 52.38 45.45 62.50 56.25 50.00 88.89 47.37 30.77 53.85 58.33
Red Zone Pct
60.32 54.72 68.25 48.00 44.44 69.39 53.85 50.00 60.34 44.44 55.81
55.10 43.59 52.78 52.94 61.22
Goal to Go%
70.00 68.97 77.14 68.97 55.56 82.76 60.00 63.64 82.14 66.67 70.83
65.22 55.56 56.25 64.00 76.67
Avg Time of Possession Points / Game DEFENSE
273.70
NO
vNYG
372.30 364.40
142.60 115.90 118.10 83.40 115.60 138.20 93.20 100.60
224.30
228.80
216.90 263.30
PHI
108.90
218.90 183.00 310.60 271.70 255.40
4.33 5.94
SEA
SF
378.60
303.80
STL
TB
297.60 375.90 353.80
141.80 96.50 122.30 135.10
236.90
9.41
WAS
207.30 175.30 240.80
10.08 3.81
5.05
97.90
255.90
4.86
18.50 27.00 25.10 27.70 24.50 28.30 21.60 24.90 20.90 25.50 23.60 24.40 24.10 25.00 93.55 88.89 67.74 72.50 86.67
37.79 39.57 46.48 30.52 25.87 41.58 43.52
32:04
31:56
31:44
31:01
30:59
31:05
30:08
30:23
31:11
28:14
25:59
31:40
26:20
27:35
28:43
31:39
30.60
21.20
31.30
20.90
17.20
22.40
23.00
22.80
25.50
26.30
23.60
26.40
14.90
17.50
21.40
24.30
AZ
ATL
CAR
CHI
DAL
DET
GB
MIN
NO
vNYG
PHI
SEA
SF
STL
TB
WAS
345.40
348.10
349.60
346.70
344.20
413.40
420.30
401.60
Yards / Game
321.70 347.60 322.90
Yards / Play
5.24 5.58 4.88 5.64 5.58 5.60 5.47 5.43 6.64 6.09 5.60 4.93 5.73 5.39 5.22 6.03
Rushing Yards / Game
91.30 105.00 88.40 120.90 120.90 113.00 119.10 109.30 129.40 121.40 134.60 81.50 126.30 113.80 100.40
Rushing Yards / Play
3.91 4.04 3.89 4.47 4.20 4.22 4.54 4.25 4.92 4.37 4.50 3.60 4.01 4.02 3.45 4.83
Passing Yards / Game
230.40
Passing Yards / Play
6.43 6.92 5.77 7.02 7.19 7.17 6.61 6.70 8.35 7.50 6.75 6.14 7.61 6.81 7.11 7.29
Interception Rate
3.32 2.67 3.69 1.56 1.58 1.70 2.90 2.32 1.65 2.35 2.37 2.55
Sacks / Pass Attempt
6.28 3.39 6.77 6.84 6.13
First Downs / Game
17.80 20.90 18.60 19.20 19.80 19.90 18.80 19.90 23.80 22.90 22.80 17.10 22.30 20.00 21.90 20.60
Punt Return Avg
11.80 9.70
Kickoff Return Avg
24.30 27.20 26.60 25.20 23.90 25.40 26.70 26.10 26.50 20.30 20.70 25.50 25.70 22.40 25.20 20.10
3rd Down Pct
35.71 42.93 37.89 44.28 38.94 41.00 35.91 34.47 40.34 46.96 42.86 34.36 39.05 34.67 45.97 37.68
4th Down Pct
47.06 33.33 57.69 41.67 50.00 62.50 47.62 50.00 76.92 57.14 66.67 14.29 54.55 26.67 66.67 55.00
Red Zone Pct
55.32 62.26 52.50 60.00 51.02 62.71 57.14
Goal to Go%
81.82 78.13
Points / Game
19.60 21.60 19.10 24.80 23.40 25.00 20.20 18.90 29.80 27.60 26.90 17.30 24.20 20.60 26.10 23.70
Point Differential / Game
11.00 -0.40 12.10 -3.90 -6.20
-2.60 2.80 3.90 -4.30 -1.40 -3.30 9.10 -9.30 -3.10 -4.70 0.60
Yard Differential / Game
86.60
-2.90
242.60
26.40
234.50
224.60
227.30 236.60
8.14
227.60 234.90
7.80 7.66
284.00
5.70
298.90
267.10
3.61 5.85
291.80 387.40 367.80 340.40
210.30 261.20 254.10
240.00
380.60
122.60
258.00
1.64 2.18 2.04 1.94
6.75 5.10
6.87
7.04
6.71
7.80 7.50 6.80 6.10 4.20 5.20 8.30 10.00 5.10 13.30 6.40 7.20 5.20 8.60
44.19 67.69 53.85 65.57 42.11
59.26 41.67 64.29 55.10
64.71 69.57 76.92 66.67 64.29 58.82 77.14 75.00 68.75 61.54 84.38 52.38 71.88 65.22
44.00
-0.80
-13.10
-12.10
-23.00
-9.60
-48.10
-37.30
86.90
-83.70
-70.30
35.50
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
-26.80
| 153
2015 TOTAL TACKLES
RK PLAYER TEAM TCKL ASST SACK CMB 1 Bowman, Navorro SF 116 38 2.5 154 2 Jackson, D’Qwell IND 89 61 3.0 150 3 David, Lavonte TB 85 62 3.0 147 4 Jones, Reshad MIA 106 29 2.0 135 5 Posluszny, Paul JAX 103 30 1.0 133 6 Smith, Telvin JAX 99 29 2.5 128 6 Lee, Sean DAL 76 52 2.5 128 8 Smith, Malcolm OAK 99 23 4.0 122 8 Graham, Corey BUF 91 31 1.0 122 10 Smith, Daryl BLT 72 49 3.0 121 11 Timmons, Lawrence PIT 77 42 5.0 119 12 Kuechly, Luke CAR 76 42 1.0 118 13 Brown, Preston BUF 63 54 0.0 117 14 Johnson, Derrick KC 95 21 4.0 116 14 Mosley, C.J. BLT 76 40 4.0 116 14 Wright, K.J. SEA 71 45 1.0 116 17 Wagner, Bobby SEA 67 47 0.5 114 18 Barron, Mark SL 76 37 1.0 113 18 Church, Barry DAL 75 38 0.0 113 20 Freeman, Jerrell IND 66 46 3.0 112 20 Anthony, Stephone NO 70 42 1.0 112 22 Cushing, Brian HST 63 47 0.0 110 23 Bucannon, Deone ARZ 90 19 3.0 109 23 Laurinaitis, James SL 61 48 1.0 109 23 Trevathan, Danny DEN 73 36 0.0 109 26 Harris, David NYJ 67 41 4.5 108 26 Collins, Landon NYG 80 28 0.0 108 26 Goldson, Dashon WAS 69 39 0.0 108 26 Dansby, Karlos CLV 62 46 0.0 108 30 Tulloch, Stephen DET 74 33 1.0 107 30 Cyprien, Johnathan JAX 77 30 0.0 107 32 Davis, Thomas CAR 75 30 5.5 105 33 Vaccaro, Kenny NO 71 33 3.0 104 33 Jenkins, Malcolm PHI 86 18 0.0 104 35 Williamson, Avery TEN 63 39 3.5 102 35 Sheppard, Kelvin MIA 72 30 0.0 102 37 Marshall, Brandon DEN 76 25 1.5 101 38 Clinton-Dix, Ha Ha GB 82 17 3.0 99 38 Griffin, Michael TEN 65 34 1.0 99 40 Rey, Vincent CIN 62 33 1.0 95 40 Worrilow, Paul ATL 67 28 0.0 95 42 Minter, Kevin ARZ 72 22 0.5 94 43 Alexander, Kwon TB 59 34 3.0 93 43 Compton, Will WAS 51 42 1.0 93 45 Kendricks, Eric MIN 72 20 4.0 92 46 Collins, Jamie NE 51 38 5.5 89 46 Davis, Demario NYJ 57 32 2.0 89 46 Mathieu, Tyrann ARZ 80 9 1.0 89 49 Coleman, Kurt CAR 53 35 1.0 88 50 Shazier, Ryan PIT 55 32 3.5 87 50 McDougald, Bradley TB 67 20 0.0 87 52 Wilhoite, Michael SF 62 23 0.0 85 53 Woodyard, Wesley TEN 51 33 5.0 84 54 Jones, Christian CHI 59 24 0.0 83 55 Kendricks, Mychal PHI 61 21 3.0 82 55 Te’o, Manti SD 62 20 0.5 82 55 Gilchrist, Marcus NYJ 60 22 0.0 82 55 Durant, Justin ATL 57 25 0.0 82 55 Chung, Patrick NE 49 33 0.0 82 60 Whitner, Donte CLV 58 23 1.5 81 60 McLeod, Rodney SL 59 22 0.0 81 60 Breeland, Bashaud WAS 59 22 0.0 81 60 McClellin, Shea CHI 53 28 0.0 81 64 Casillas, Jonathan NYG 62 18 2.0 80 64 McClain, Rolando DAL 50 30 2.0 80 64 Bynes, Josh DET 54 26 0.5 80 64 Mitchell, Michael PIT 58 22 0.0 80 68 Allen, Will PIT 61 18 4.0 79 69 Parker, Ron KC 67 11 5.0 78 69 Misi, Koa MIA 59 19 0.0 78 69 Conte, Chris TB 58 20 0.0 78 72 Mack, Khalil OAK 57 20 15.0 77 72 Brown, Zach TEN 55 22 0.5 77 74 Watt, J.J. HST 57 19 17.5 76
STATISTICS
74 Lowery, Dwight IND 74 Browner, Brandon NO 74 Carr, Brandon DAL 78 Adams, Mike IND 78 Weddle, Eric SD 78 Maualuga, Rey CIN 81 Jefferson, Tony ARZ 81 Blake, Antwon PIT 81 Burfict, Vontaze CIN 81 Woodson, Charles OAK 81 Ryan, Logan NE 86 Colvin, Aaron JAX 86 Sendejo, Andrew MIN 86 Harper, Roman CAR 89 Joyner, Lamarcus SL 89 Harrison, Damon NYJ 89 Nelson, Reggie CIN 89 Chancellor, Kam SEA 93 Cox, Fletcher PHI 93 Thurmond, Walter PHI 93 Johnson, Trumaine SL 93 Thomas, Michael MIA 93 Jenkins, Jelani MIA 98 Hayden, D.J. OAK 98 Kirkpatrick, Dre CIN 100 Donald, Aaron SL 100 Williams, Tramon CLV 100 Pryor, Calvin NYJ 103 Barr, Anthony MIN 103 Greenway, Chad MIN 103 Allen, Ricardo ATL 103 Darby, Ronald BUF 103 Burnett, Morgan GB 108 Gholston, William TB 108 Perryman, Denzel SD 108 Amos, Adrian CHI 108 Quin, Glover DET 108 Butler, Malcolm NE 113 Matthews, Clay GB 113 Hitchens, Anthony DAL 113 Smith, Harrison MIN 113 Reid, Eric SF 113 Brinkley, Jasper NYG 118 Ingram, Melvin SD 118 Williams, Ian SF 118 Jones, Byron DAL 121 Wilkerson, Muhammad NYJ 121 Tartt, Jaquiski SF 121 Addae, Jahleel SD 121 Hill, Will BLT 121 Lofton, Curtis OAK 121 Palmer, Nate GB 121 Jenkins, Janoris SL 121 Maxwell, Byron PHI 129 Williams, Leonard NYJ 129 Amukamara, Prince NYG 129 Hayward, Casey GB 129 Acker, Kenneth SF 133 Jones, Adam CIN 133 McCourty, Devin NE 133 Ihedigbo, James DET 133 McDonald, T.J. SL 133 Newman, Terence MIN 133 Robinson, Keenan WAS 139 Vernon, Olivier MIA 139 Suh, Ndamukong MIA 139 Campbell, Calais ARZ 139 Hightower, Dont’a NE 139 Ward, T.J. DEN 139 Demps, Quintin HST 139 Berry, Eric KC 139 Thomas, Earl SEA 147 Peters, Marcus KC 147 House, Davon JAX 147 Gipson, Tashaun CLV 147 Lewis, Kendrick BLT
154 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
56 20 63 13 60 16 52 23 52 23 43 32 55 19 62 12 57 17 59 15 58 16 60 13 57 16 46 27 54 18 39 33 50 22 42 30 50 21 52 19 58 13 56 15 50 21 64 6 63 7 44 25 55 14 50 19 54 14 55 13 59 9 61 7 47 21 47 20 58 9 57 10 56 11 56 11 49 17 39 27 49 17 56 10 48 18 52 13 45 20 47 18 39 25.0 51 13 54 10 49 15 45 19 44 20 56 8 53 11 29 34 55 8 55 8 53 10 53 9 49 13 46 16 38 24 52 10 35 27 41 20 39 22 46 15 51 10 50 11 35 26 55 6 42 19 53 7 49 11 42 18 37 23
1.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.5 0.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 4.0 0.5 0.0 2.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 9.5 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 11.0 0.0 0.0 3.5 2.5 1.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 6.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 1.0 10.5 1.0 0.0 12.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 7.5 6.0 5.0 3.5 2.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0
76 76 76 75 75 75 74 74 74 74 74 73 73 73 72 72 72 72 71 71 71 71 71 70 70 69 69 69 68 68 68 68 68 67 67 67 67 67 66 66 66 66 66 65 65 65 64 64 64 64 64 64 64 64 63 63 63 63 62 62 62 62 62 62 61 61 61 61 61 61 61 61 60 60 60 60
151 Dial, Quinton SF 151 Benwikere, Bene’ CAR 151 Stewart, Darian DEN 151 Meriweather, Brandon NYG 151 ‘Unga, Uani NYG 156 Gay, William PIT 156 Rambo, Bacarri BUF 156 McKinney, Benardrick HST 156 Rhodes, Xavier MIN 156 Rodgers-Cromartie, Dominique NYG 156 Jackson, Kareem HST 156 Harris, Chris DEN 156 Joseph, Johnathan HST 156 Slay, Darius DET 156 Sensabaugh, Coty TEN 166 Howard, Jaye KC 166 Mauga, Joshua KC 166 Bradham, Nigel BUF 166 Amerson, David OAK 166 Jarrett, Kyshoen WAS 171 Joseph, Linval MIN 171 Randall, Damarious GB 171 Norman, Josh CAR 171 Johnson, Rashad ARZ 171 Carroll, Nolan PHI 171 Kennard, Devon NYG 177 Dunlap, Carlos CIN 177 Short, Kawann CAR 177 Lawrence, Demarcus DAL 177 Munnerlyn, Captain MIN 177 Abdul-Quddus, Isa DET 177 Logan, Bennie PHI 177 Searcy, Da’Norris TEN 177 Hall, Leon CIN 177 Tillman, Charles CAR 186 Barwin, Connor PHI 186 Heyward, Cameron PIT 186 Casey, Jurrell TEN 186 Tuitt, Stephon PIT 186 Smith, Jimmy BLT 186 Ward, Jimmie SF 186 Webb, Lardarius BLT 186 Fuller, Kyle CHI 186 Skrine, Buster NYJ 195 McPhee, Pernell CHI 195 Baker, Chris WAS 195 Hayes, William SL 195 Kirksey, Christian CLV 195 Williams, Brandon BLT 195 Byrd, Jairus NO 195 Verner, Alterraun TB 195 Brock, Tramaine SF 195 Wynn, Kerry NYG 204 Bennett, Michael SEA 204 Ninkovich, Rob NE 204 Attaochu, Jeremiah SD 204 Hughes, Jerry BUF 204 Johnson, Kevin HST 204 Carrie, T.J. OAK 204 Evans, Josh JAX 204 Robinson, Trenton WAS 212 Orakpo, Brian TEN 212 Graham, Brandon PHI 212 Biermann, Kroy ATL 212 Dareus, Marcell BUF 212 Upshaw, Courtney BLT 212 Toler, Gregory IND 212 Moore, William ATL 219 Mercilus, Whitney HST 219 Kikaha, Hau’oli NO 219 Hyde, Micah GB 219 Powers, Jerraud ARZ 219 Alford, Robert ATL 219 Butler, Darius IND 219 Sherman, Richard SEA 219 Robertson, Craig CLV
32 44 46 43 42 46 44 35 55 52 52 49 48 47 42 36 45 42 52 38 42 51 48 47 41 36 37 36 35 51 40 39 42 44 36 44 39 34 39 48 46 48 46 44 42 26 36 34 35 37 42 45 33 33 33 42 37 47 42 36 34 38 39 31 38 29 44 38 32 31 46 44 42 38 33 30
27 15 13 16 17 12 14 23 3 6 6 9 10 11 16 21 12 15 5 19 14 5 8 9 15 20 18 19 20 4 15 16 13 11 19 10 15 20 15 6 8 6 8 10 11 27 17 19 18 16 11 8 20 19 19 10 15 5 10 16 18 13 12 20 13 22 7 13 18 19 4 6 8 12 17 20
2.5 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.5 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 13.5 11.0 8.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 6.5 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 6.0 6.0 5.5 3.5 2.0 1.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 10.0 6.5 6.0 5.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 7.0 6.5 2.5 2.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 12.0 4.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
59 59 59 59 59 58 58 58 58 58 58 58 58 58 58 57 57 57 57 57 56 56 56 56 56 56 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 51 51 51 51 51 51 51 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50
PLAYER INDEX NAME PAGE Abdullah, Ameer.......................46 Adams, Davante....................... 76 Agholor, Nelson.........................71 Aguayo, Roberto.......................95 Aiken, Kamar............................. 73 Ajayi, Jay....................................44 Allen, Dwayne...........................86 Allen, Javorius...........................48 Allen, Keenan............................ 62 Amaro, Jace............................... 87 Amendola, Danny..................... 77 Anderson, C.J............................42 Andrews, Antonio..................... 55 Artis-Payne, Cameron............. 53 Austin, Tavon............................70 Bailey, Dan................................. 93 Baldwin, Doug..........................64 Barnidge, Gary.......................... 83 Beasley, Cole............................. 77 Beckham Jr., Odell....................58 Bell, Joique................................ 55 Bell, Le’Veon..............................38 Benjamin, Kelvin....................... 63 Benjamin, Travis.......................69 Bennett, Martellus...................84 Bernard, Giovani.......................45 Blount, LeGarrette....................49 Blue, Alfred................................ 53 Boldin, Anquan......................... 72 Booker, Devontae......................51 Bortles, Blake............................28 Boswell, Chris...........................95 Boyd, Tyler................................. 75 Bradford, Sam........................... 35 Brady, Tom.................................28 Brees, Drew............................... 26 Bridgewater, Teddy..................34 Britt, Kenny................................ 77 Brown, Antonio.........................58 Brown, Corey............................ 77 Brown, John...............................66 Brown, Josh...............................94 Bryant, Dez................................59 Cameron, Jordan......................86 Carey, Ka’Deem........................54 Carpenter, Dan..........................94 Carr, Derek..................................31 Carroo, Leonte.......................... 76 Catanzaro, Chandler................ 92 Charles, Jamaal........................40 Clay, Charles.............................85 Coates, Sammie....................... 74 Cobb, David............................... 55 Cobb, Randall............................64 Coleman, Brandon.................... 77 Coleman, Corey........................68 Coleman, Tevin.........................50 Conley, Chris............................. 76 Cook, Jared................................86 Cooks, Brandin.......................... 62 Cooper, Amari............................61 Cousins, Kirk............................. 32 Crabtree, Michael.....................66 Crosby, Mason.......................... 92 Crowder, Jamison..................... 75 Crowell, Isaiah.......................... 47 Cruz, Victor................................ 74 Cunningham, Benny................. 55
Cutler, Jay.................................. 33 Dalton, Andy.............................30 Darkwa, Orleans....................... 55 Decker, Eric................................ 63 Diggs, Stefon............................. 67 Dixon, Kenneth.........................49 Doctson, Josh........................... 73 Dorsett, Phillip.......................... 73 Drake, Kenyan........................... 55 Draughn, Shaun........................54 Dunbar, Lance................................ Ebron, Eric.................................85 Edelman, Julian......................... 62 Eifert, Tyler................................ 81 Ellington, Andre........................ 52 Elliott, Ezekiel............................40 Ertz, Zach...................................82 Evans, Mike................................61 Fells, Darren.............................. 87 Fitzgerald, Larry........................65 Flacco, Joe.................................34 Fleener, Coby............................ 81 Floyd, Michael...........................64 Foster, Arian..............................48 Forsett, Justin...........................48 Forte, Matt................................42 Freeman, Devonta.................... 39 Fuller, Will..................................70 Funchess, Devin.......................70 Gano, Graham............................91 Garcon, Pierre............................71 Gates, Antonio..........................85 Ginn Jr., Ted............................... 73 Goff, Jared.................................. 35 Gordon, Josh.............................70 Gordon, Melvin.........................45 Gore, Frank................................45 Gostkowski, Stephen...............90 Gould, Robbie............................95 Graham, Jimmy.........................82 Green, A.J...................................60 Green, Ladarius.........................85 Green-Beckham, Dorial........... 67 Griffin III, Robert.......................34 Gronkowski, Rob.......................80 Gurley, Todd..............................38 Hardy, Justin.............................. 76 Hauschka, Steven.....................90 Henry, Derrick...........................46 Henry, Hunter............................ 87 Heyward-Bey, Darrius.............. 77 Hightower, Tim..........................51 Hill, Jeremy................................ 43 Hillman, Ronnie........................ 53 Hilton, T.Y................................... 63 Hogan, Chris.............................. 76 Hopkins, DeAndre....................59 Hopkins, Dustin........................95 Howard, Jordan.........................49 Hurns, Allen...............................65 Hyde, Carlos.............................. 43 Ingram, Mark..............................41 Ivory, Chris................................. 47 Jackson, DeSean.......................66
Jackson, Vincent.......................68 Janis, Jeff................................... 74 Jeffery, Alshon...........................60 Jennings, Rashad...................... 47 Johnson, Chris.......................... 53 Johnson, David..........................38 Johnson, Duke........................... 47 Johnson, Stevie......................... 74 Jones, Julio................................58 Jones, Marvin............................68 Jones, Matt................................45 Kearse, Jermaine...................... 75 Kelce, Travis.............................. 81 Lacy, Eddie.................................42 LaFell, Brandon......................... 75 Lambo, Josh..............................95 Landry, Jarvis............................ 63 Langford, Jeremy......................44 Latimer, Cody............................ 77 Lewis, Dion................................ 43 Lockett, Tyler............................ 67 Luck, Andrew............................ 26 Maclin, Jeremy.......................... 63 Manning, Eli...............................28 Mariota, Marcus........................31 Marshall, Brandon.....................61 Martin, Doug.............................40 Mason, Tre................................. 55 Mathews, Ryan.........................44 Matthews, Jordan....................65 Matthews, Rishard................... 73 McCoy, LeSean..........................41 McDonald, Vance..................... 87 McFadden, Darren.................... 52 McKinnon, Jerick...................... 52 McManus, Brandon...................91 Michael, Christine.................... 55 Miller, Lamar..............................41 Miller, Zach................................86 Moncrief, Donte........................ 67 Morris, Alfred............................54 Murray, DeMarco.....................42 Murray, Latavius.......................44 Nelson, Jordy.............................60 Newton, Cam............................ 24 Nugent, Mike.............................94 Olsen, Greg................................80 Osweiler, Brock......................... 33 Palmer, Carson..........................29 Parker, DeVante........................65 Perkins, Paul..............................48 Perriman, Breshad....................70 Peterson, Adrian....................... 39 Powell, Bilal...............................49 Prater, Matt...............................94 Prosise, C.J.................................51 Quick, Brian............................... 77 Randle, Rueben..........................71 Rawls, Thomas..........................41 Reed, Jordan..............................80 Riddick, Theo............................50 Ridley, Stevan............................ 55 Rivers, Philip..............................30
Roberts, Seth............................ 77 Robinson, Allen.........................59 Robinson, Khiry......................... 53 Rodgers, Aaron......................... 25 Rodgers, Richard...................... 87 Roethlisberger, Ben.................. 25 Romo, Tony................................29 Royal, Eddie............................... 77 Rudolph, Kyle............................86 Ryan, Matt................................. 33 Sanchez, Mark.......................... 35 Sanders, Emmanuel.................64 Santos, Cairo.............................94 Sanu, Mohamed....................... 72 Seferian-Jenkins, Austin..........85 Shepard, Sterling...................... 72 Sims, Charles............................ 47 Smallwood, Wendell................ 55 Smith, Alex................................34 Smith, Steve.............................. 67 Smith, Torrey..............................71 Snead, Willie.............................68 Spiller, C.J...................................51 Sproles, Darren......................... 53 Stafford, Matthew.................... 32 Starks, James.............................51 Stewart, Jonathan....................44 Stills, Kenny............................... 74 Strong, Jaelen........................... 77 Taliaferro, Lorenzo.................... 55 Tannehill, Ryan.......................... 33 Tate, Golden..............................64 Taylor, Tyrod...............................31 Thomas, Demaryius..................61 Thomas, Julius.......................... 83 Thomas, Michael...................... 73 Thompson, Chris.......................51 Treadwell, Laquon....................69 Tucker, Justin.............................91 Turbin, Robert...........................54 Vereen, Shane...........................50 Vinatieri, Adam......................... 93 Walford, Clive............................86 Walker, Delanie......................... 83 Wallace, Mike............................ 72 Walsh, Blair............................... 93 Ware, Spencer............................... Washington, Nate..................... 76 Watkins, Sammy.......................61 Watson, Benjamin....................85 West, Charcandrick................. 52 Wheaton, Markus.....................69 White, James.............................54 White, Kevin.............................. 67 Williams, DeAngelo..................50 Williams, Karlos........................48 Williams, Terrance.................... 72 Wilson, Russell.......................... 24 Winston, Jameis....................... 33 Witten, Jason............................84 Wright, Kendall..........................71 Woodhead, Danny....................46 Woods, Robert.......................... 77 Yeldon, T.J..................................45 Zenner, Zach.............................54
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TEAM
A N A LY S I S
2016 NFL WEEKLY SCHEDULE ALL TIMES EASTERN
WEEK ONE
THURSDAY, SEPT. 8 Carolina at Denver, 8:30 p.m. SUNDAY, SEPT. 11 Green Bay at Jacksonville, 1:00 p.m. Buffalo at Baltimore, 1:00 p.m. Chicago at Houston, 1:00 p.m. Cleveland at Philadelphia, 1:00 p.m. Tampa Bay at Atlanta, 1:00 p.m. Minnesota at Tennessee, 1:00 p.m. Cincinnati at N.Y. Jets, 1:00 p.m. Oakland at New Orleans, 1:00 p.m. San Diego at Kansas City, 1:00 p.m. Miami at Seattle, 4:05 p.m. Detroit at Indianapolis, 4:25 p.m. N.Y. Giants at Dallas, 4:25 p.m. New England at Arizona, 8:30 p.m. MONDAY, SEPT. 12 Pittsburgh at Washington, 7:10 p.m. Los Angeles at San Francisco, 10:20 p.m.
WEEK TWO
THURSDAY, SEPT. 15 N.Y. Jets at Buffalo, 8:25 p.m. SUNDAY, SEPT. 18 Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, 1:00 p.m. Tennessee at Detroit, 1:00 p.m. Baltimore at Cleveland, 1:00 p.m. Dallas at Washington, 1:00 p.m. New Orleans at N.Y. Giants, 1:00 p.m. San Francisco at Carolina, 1:00 p.m. Miami at New England, 1:00 p.m. Kansas City at Houston, 1:00 p.m. Seattle at Los Angeles, 4:05 p.m. Tampa Bay at Arizona, 4:05 p.m. Jacksonville at San Diego, 4:25 p.m. Atlanta at Oakland, 4:25 p.m. Indianapolis at Denver, 4:25 p.m. Green Bay at Minnesota, 8:30 p.m. MONDAY, SEPT. 19 Philadelphia at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.
WEEK THREE
THURSDAY, SEPT. 22 Houston at New England, 8:25 p.m. SUNDAY, SEPT. 25 Arizona at Buffalo, 1:00 p.m. Oakland at Tennessee, 1:00 p.m. Cleveland at Miami, 1:00 p.m. Baltimore at Jacksonville, 1:00 p.m. Detroit at Green Bay, 1:00 p.m. Denver at Cincinnati, 1:00 p.m. Minnesota at Carolina, 1:00 p.m. Washington at N.Y. Giants, 1:00 p.m. Los Angeles at Tampa Bay, 4:05 p.m. San Francisco at Seattle, 4:05 p.m. N.Y. Jets at Kansas City, 4:25 p.m. San Diego at Indianapolis, 4:25 p.m. Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, 4:25 p.m. Chicago at Dallas, 8:30 p.m. MONDAY, SEPT. 26 Atlanta at New Orleans, 8:30 p.m.
WEEK FOUR
Byes: Green Bay, Philadelphia THURSDAY, SEPT. 29 Miami at Cincinnati, 8:25 p.m. SUNDAY, OCT. 2 Indianapolis at Jacksonville (LONDON), 9:30 a.m. Tennessee at Houston, 1:00 p.m. Cleveland at Washington, 1:00 p.m. Seattle at N.Y. Jets, 1:00 p.m. Buffalo at New England, 1:00 p.m. Carolina at Atlanta, 1:00 p.m. Oakland at Baltimore, 1:00 p.m. Detroit at Chicago, 1:00 p.m. Denver at Tampa Bay, 4:05 p.m. Los Angeles at Arizona, 4:25 p.m. New Orleans at San Diego, 4:25 p.m. Dallas at San Francisco, 4:25 p.m. Kansas City at Pittsburgh, 8:30 p.m. MONDAY, OCT. 3 N.Y. Giants at Minnesota, 8:30 p.m.
WEEK FIVE
Byes: Jacksonville, Kansas City, New Orleans, Seattle THURSDAY, OCT. 6 Arizona at San Francisco, 8:25 p.m. SUNDAY, OCT. 9 New England at Cleveland, 1:00 p.m. Philadelphia at Detroit, 1:00 p.m.
Chicago at Indianapolis, 1:00 p.m. Tennessee at Miami, 1:00 p.m. Washington at Baltimore, 1:00 p.m. Houston at Minnesota, 1:00 p.m. N.Y. Jets at Pittsburgh, 1:00 p.m. Atlanta at Denver, 4:05 p.m. Cincinnati at Dallas, 4:25 p.m. Buffalo at Los Angeles, 4:25 p.m. San Diego at Oakland, 4:25 p.m. N.Y. Giants at Green Bay, 8:30 p.m. MONDAY, OCT. 10 Tampa Bay at Carolina, 8:30 p.m.
WEEK SIX
Byes: Minnesota, Tampa Bay THURSDAY, OCT. 13 Denver at San Diego, 8:25 p.m. SUNDAY, OCT. 16 San Francisco at Buffalo, 1:00 p.m. Philadelphia at Washington, 1:00 p.m. Cleveland at Tennessee, 1:00 p.m. Baltimore at N.Y. Giants, 1:00 p.m. Carolina at New Orleans, 1:00 p.m. Jacksonville at Chicago, 1:00 p.m. Los Angeles at Detroit, 1:00 p.m. Pittsburgh at Miami, 1:00 p.m. Cincinnati at New England, 1:00 p.m. Kansas City at Oakland, 4:05 p.m. Atlanta at Seattle, 4:25 p.m. Dallas at Green Bay, 4:25 p.m. Indianapolis at Houston, 8:30 p.m. MONDAY, OCT. 17 N.Y. Jets at Arizona, 8:30 p.m.
WEEK SEVEN
Byes: Carolina, Dallas THURSDAY, OCT. 20 Chicago at Green Bay, 8:25 p.m. SUNDAY, OCT. 23 N.Y. Giants at Los Angeles (LONDON), 9:30 a.m. New Orleans at Kansas City, 1:00 p.m. Indianapolis at Tennessee, 1:00 p.m. Minnesota at Philadelphia, 1:00 p.m. Cleveland at Cincinnati, 1:00 p.m. Washington at Detroit, 1:00 p.m. Oakland at Jacksonville, 1:00 p.m. Buffalo at Miami, 1:00 p.m. Baltimore at N.Y. Jets, 1:00 p.m. Tampa Bay at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m. San Diego at Atlanta, 4:05 p.m. New England at Pittsburgh, 4:25 p.m. Seattle at Arizona, 8:30 p.m. MONDAY, OCT. 24 Houston at Denver, 8:30 p.m.
WEEK EIGHT
Byes: Baltimore, Los Angeles, Miami, N.Y. Giants, Pittsburgh, San Francisco THURSDAY, OCT. 27 Jacksonville at Tennessee, 8:25 p.m. SUNDAY, OCT. 30 Washington at Cincinnati (LONDON), 9:30 a.m. Kansas City at Indianapolis, 1:00 p.m. Oakland at Tampa Bay, 1:00 p.m. Seattle at New Orleans, 1:00 p.m. Detroit at Houston, 1:00 p.m. N.Y. Jets at Cleveland, 1:00 p.m. Green Bay at Atlanta, 1:00 p.m. New England at Buffalo, 1:00 p.m. San Diego at Denver, 4:05 p.m. Arizona at Carolina, 4:25 p.m. Philadelphia at Dallas, 8:30 p.m. MONDAY, OCT. 31 Minnesota at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.
WEEK NINE
Byes: Arizona, Chicago, Cincinnati, Houston, New England, Washington THURSDAY, NOV. 3 Atlanta at Tampa Bay, 8:25 p.m. SUNDAY, NOV. 6 Pittsburgh at Baltimore, 1:00 p.m. Dallas at Cleveland, 1:00 p.m. Jacksonville at Kansas City, 1:00 p.m. N.Y. Jets at Miami, 1:00 p.m. Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants, 1:00 p.m. Detroit at Minnesota, 1:00 p.m. Carolina at Los Angeles, 4:05 p.m. New Orleans at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m. Tennessee at San Diego, 4:25 p.m. Indianapolis at Green Bay, 4:25 p.m. Denver at Oakland, 8:30 p.m. MONDAY, NOV. 7 Buffalo at Seattle, 8:30 p.m.
156 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2016
WEEK 10
Byes: Buffalo, Detroit, Indianapolis, Oakland THURSDAY, NOV. 10 Cleveland at Baltimore, 8:25 p.m. SUNDAY, NOV. 13 Green Bay at Tennessee, 1:00 p.m. Minnesota at Washington, 1:00 p.m. Chicago at Tampa Bay, 1:00 p.m. Kansas City at Carolina, 1:00 p.m. Atlanta at Philadelphia, 1:00 p.m. Los Angeles at N.Y. Jets, 1:00 p.m. Denver at New Orleans, 1:00 p.m. Houston at Jacksonville, 1:00 p.m. Miami at San Diego, 4:05 p.m. Dallas at Pittsburgh, 4:25 p.m. San Francisco at Arizona, 4:25 p.m. Seattle at New England, 8:30 p.m. MONDAY, NOV. 14 Cincinnati at N.Y. Giants, 8:30 p.m.
WEEK 11
Byes: Atlanta, Denver, N.Y. Jets, San Diego THURSDAY, NOV. 17 New Orleans at Carolina, 8:25 p.m. SUNDAY, NOV. 20 Pittsburgh at Cleveland, 1:00 p.m. Baltimore at Dallas, 1:00 p.m. Jacksonville at Detroit, 1:00 p.m. Tennessee at Indianapolis, 1:00 p.m. Buffalo at Cincinnati, 1:00 p.m. Chicago at New York, 1:00 p.m. Arizona at Minnesota, 1:00 p.m. Miami at Los Angeles, 4:05 p.m. New England at San Francisco, 4:25 p.m. Philadelphia at Seattle, 4:25 p.m. Green Bay at Washington, 8:30 p.m. MONDAY, NOV. 21 Houston at Oakland, 8:30 p.m.
WEEK 12
THURSDAY, NOV. 24 Minnesota at Detroit, 12:30 p.m. Washington at Dallas, 3:30 p.m. Pittsburgh at Indianapolis, 8:30 p.m. SUNDAY, NOV. 27 Tennessee at Chicago, 1:00 p.m. Jacksonville at Buffalo, 1:00 p.m. Cincinnati at Baltimore, 1:00 p.m. Arizona at Atlanta, 1:00 p.m. N.Y. Giants at Cleveland, 1:00 p.m. Los Angeles at New Orleans, 1:00 p.m. San Francisco at Miami, 1:00 p.m. San Diego at Houston, 1:00 p.m. Seattle at Tampa Bay, 4:05 p.m. Carolina at Oakland, 4:25 p.m. Kansas City at Denver, 4:25 p.m. New England at N.Y. Jets, 8:30 p.m. MONDAY, NOV. 28 Green Bay at Philadelphia, 8:30 p.m.
WEEK 13
Byes: Cleveland, Tennessee THURSDAY, DEC. 1 Dallas at Minnesota, 8:25 p.m. SUNDAY, DEC. 4 Kansas City at Atlanta, 1:00 p.m. Detroit at New Orleans, 1:00 p.m. Los Angeles at New England, 1:00 p.m. Denver at Jacksonville, 1:00 p.m. Houston at Green Bay, 1:00 p.m. Philadelphia at Cincinnati, 1:00 p.m. Miami at Baltimore, 1:00 p.m. San Francisco at Chicago, 1:00 p.m. Buffalo at Oakland, 4:05 p.m. N.Y. Giants at Pittsburgh, 4:25 p.m. Washington at Arizona, 4:25 p.m. Tampa Bay at San Diego, 4:25 p.m. Carolina at Seattle, 8:30 p.m. MONDAY, DEC. 5 Indianapolis at N.Y. Jets, 8:30 p.m.
WEEK 14
THURSDAY, DEC. 8 Oakland at Kansas City, 8:25 p.m. SUNDAY, DEC. 11 Pittsburgh at Buffalo, 1:00 p.m. Denver at Tennessee, 1:00 p.m. New Orleans at Tampa Bay, 1:00 p.m. Washington at Philadelphia, 1:00 p.m. Arizona at Miami, 1:00 p.m. San Diego at Carolina, 1:00 p.m. Cincinnati at Cleveland, 1:00 p.m.
Chicago at Detroit, 1:00 p.m. Houston at Indianapolis, 1:00 p.m. Minnesota at Jacksonville, 1:00 p.m. N.Y. Jets at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m. Atlanta at Los Angeles, 4:25 p.m. Seattle at Green Bay, 4:25 p.m. Dallas at N.Y. Giants, 8:30 p.m. MONDAY, DEC. 12 Baltimore at New England, 8:30 p.m.
WEEK 15
THURSDAY, DEC. 15 Los Angeles at Seattle, 8:25 p.m. SATURDAY, DEC. 17 Miami at N.Y. Jets, 8:25 p.m. SUNDAY, DEC. 18 Green Bay at Chicago, 1:00 p.m. Tampa Bay at Dallas, 1:00 p.m. Jacksonville at Houston, 1:00 p.m. Cleveland at Buffalo, 1:00 p.m. Philadelphia at Baltimore, 1:00 p.m. Tennessee at Kansas City, 1:00 p.m. Detroit at N.Y. Giants, 1:00 p.m. Indianapolis at Minnesota, 1:00 p.m. New Orleans at Arizona, 4:05 p.m. San Francisco at Atlanta, 4:05 p.m. New England at Denver, 4:25 p.m. Oakland at San Diego, 4:25 p.m. Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 8:30 p.m. MONDAY, DEC. 19 Carolina at Washington, 8:30 p.m.
WEEK 16
THURSDAY, DEC. 22 N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia, 8:25 p.m. SATURDAY, DEC. 24 Miami at Buffalo, 1:00 p.m. Tampa Bay at New Orleans, 1:00 p.m. N.Y. Jets at New England, 1:00 p.m. Tennessee at Jacksonville, 1:00 p.m. Minnesota at Green Bay, 1:00 p.m. San Diego at Cleveland, 1:00 p.m. Washington at Chicago, 1:00 p.m. Atlanta at Carolina, 1:00 p.m. Indianapolis at Oakland, 4:05 p.m. Arizona at Seattle, 4:25 p.m. San Francisco at Los Angeles, 4:25 p.m. Cincinnati at Houston, 8:25 p.m. SUNDAY, DEC. 25 Baltimore at Pittsburgh, 4:30 p.m. Denver at Kansas City, 8:30 p.m. MONDAY, DEC. 26 Detroit at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
WEEK 17
SUNDAY, JAN. 1 New Orleans at Atlanta, 1:00 p.m. Baltimore at Cincinnati, 1:00 p.m. New York at Washington, 1:00 p.m. Houston at Tennessee, 1:00 p.m. Carolina at Tampa Bay, 1:00 p.m. Green Bay at Detroit, 1:00 p.m. Jacksonville at Indianapolis, 1:00 p.m. New England at Miami, 1:00 p.m. Chicago at Minnesota, 1:00 p.m. Buffalo at New York, 1:00 p.m. Dallas at Philadelphia, 1:00 p.m. Cleveland at Pittsburgh, 1:00 p.m. Arizona at Los Angeles, 4:25 p.m. Oakland at Denver, 4:25 p.m. Kansas City at San Diego, 4:25 p.m. Seattle at San Francisco, 4:25 p.m.
* — Sunday night games in Weeks 5-16 subject to change.
POSTSEASON
SATURDAY, JAN. 7 AFC and NFC wild-card playoffs SUNDAY, JAN. 8 AFC and NFC wild-card playoffs SATURDAY, JAN. 14 AFC and NFC divisional playoffs SUNDAY, JAN. 15 AFC and NFC divisional playoffs SUNDAY, JAN. 22 AFC and NFC championship games SUNDAY, JAN. 29 Pro Bowl, in Hawaii SUNDAY, FEB. 5 Super Bowl LI, in Houston, TX
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