Posted by Howard Bender (@rotobuzzguy) on 08/20/2013 | 0 Comments
Tags: fantasy football, NFL, rookies, Montee Ball, Le'Veon Bell, Eddie Lacy, Johnathan Franklin, Tavon Austin, DeAndre Hopkins, Giovani Bernard, Zac Stacy, Cordarrelle Patterson, Stepfan Taylor
Let’s face it, whether it’s a keeper league or a re-draft league, everyone loves their rookies. They signify something new, something fresh, something that adds the delicious element of the unknown. They have potential, they have upside and they bring hope to those in search of lightning in a bottle. Some are obviously more highly-touted than others but they all offer up a level of promise that many of your veterans do not.
Making an impact in the NFL as a rookie can be incredibly tough. As well as college ball may prepare someone for a high level of play, the NFL is still at a level far superior. You hear people say it all the time – the pro game moves a lot faster and players hit a whole lot harder. But still, every once in a while, you find a player whose skill set is so off-the-charts, that they simply cannot be contained. Calvin Johnson immediately comes to mind. But while this year’s rookie class doesn’t offer you someone of that magnitude, it still has a number of hopefuls that fantasy owners will be looking to get their hands on.
Here are my thoughts on 10 rookies who could have a strong fantasy impact this year:
Montee Ball, RB DEN – There were high hopes for Ball after he was drafted as the Broncos were looking for someone to take charge of the running game. They ditched Willis McGahee, pushed Knowshon Moreno aside and the stage was set for the Era of Ball to begin. But Denver is a Peyton Manning-led team and that means it’s all about the passing game, so pass-blocking for running backs is the key. And that edge apparently goes to Ronnie Hillman who now sits ahead of Ball on the team depth chart. Ball should be used in short-yardage situations and probably at the goal-line as well which should keep his value at some level of legitimacy, but he won’t be an every-down back until the coaches are satisfied with his pass-blocking skills.
Le’Veon Bell, RB PIT – He was all set to be the number one back in Pittsburgh, but this recent foot sprain that he is currently dealing with could derail those plans for the early part of the season. An MRI revealed no ligament damage and confirmed that there was no Lisfranc fracture, but the injury is expected to keep him on the sidelines for the final two preseason games and possibly beyond. I’ll still draft him ahead of the likes of Jonathan Dwyer, Isaac Redman and LaRod Stephens-Howling, but his true value won’t be seen until a few weeks into the regular season.
Eddie Lacy, RB GB – The former Alabama star is primed and ready for lead running back duties this season as he has apparently won the job this summer. Either Johnathan Franklin (whom we’ll touch on below) or DuJuan Harris will handle the complementary stuff, but Lacy is expected to be the lead runner in this offense. Granted, it’s an Aaron Rodgers-led offense which is a pass-heavy scheme, but Lacy should see a strong number of carries each week and because of the threat of such a high-octane passing game, he should find plenty of running room.
Zac Stacy, RB STL – Limited in practice due to “general soreness,” Stacy has fallen down to third on the Rams depth chart behind Daryl Richardson and Isaiah Pead and will likely stay there until he can show the coaches that he can stay on the field consistently and withstand the rigors of the NFL. He still has late-round value and long-term keeper potential, but for right now, he cannot be counted on as anything but depth to hold for, at best, later on in the season.
Tavon Austin, WR STL – He’s got fantastic potential and similarly to Lacy, should make a strong impact for fantasy owners this year, especially in leagues that count return yardage. He’s had himself a strong camp and while he failed to record a single catch in the Rams’ first preseason game, he drew seven targets and made four catches for 27 yards in the team’s second contest. There’s no questioning his talent level, but he was criticized for some rookie mistakes, so there’s still some learning that he needs to do. But overall, he’s primed for a big season if quarterback Sam Bradford can consistently and accurately get him the ball.
Giovani Bernard, RB CIN – While most are expecting Bernard to supplant BenJarvis Green-Ellis as the primary back, I see him more as a complementary player this year. That’s not to say that he won’t eventually, but I just don’t think it will be this year. Great keeper value, for sure though. However, while Bernard has great tools, he’s a fairly undersized back and is going to take a lot of punishment when he starts trying to break away and finds safeties gunning for him. I see Green-Ellis taking it between the tackles and in short-yardage situations with the passing downs being dominated by Bernard. Together, they could form a fantastic duo in the backfield, but that’s not usually a good thing for fantasy purposes.
Johnathan Franklin, RB GB – Well, no surprise here as the Lacy section already spelled it out. Franklin will compete with DuJuan Harris for the complementary role in Green Bay and while he may be worthy of a late-round flier, there are way too many things that need to happen in order for him to post any real fantasy value this year.
Cordarrelle Patterson, WR MIN – Patterson is in a similar situation as Austin, but with fewer good things working in his favor. He’s got great hands, excellent speed and is a strong route runner. He’s got all the makings of a quality wide receiver. He’s also a big part of the retun game so his value gets a boost in leagues that count that. Unfortunately, Patterson is in a run-first offense and has Christian Ponder as his quarterback. Unless Ponder somehow becomes this great passer, capable of an accurate throw beyond 20 yards, Patterson is nothing more than a mid to late round option to use as a bye week filler.
Stepfan Taylor, RB ARI – The Stanford grad is currently buried down on the Cardinals depth chart right now but given the current issues and/or injury history of those in front of him – Rashard Mendenhall, Ryan Williams and Andre Ellington – his time could come sooner than many people think. He’s a short-yardage grinder by trade so you can’t expect big numbers from him, but he could post a strong value in touchdown-only leagues if he starts getting the goal-line work. For now, consider him a late-round flier with decent potential for the future.
DeAndre Hopkins, WR HOU – Provided that the concussion that he is currently dealing with does not keep him out for an extended period of time, Hopkins has the chance to make a nice impact this year as the starting wide receiver opposite Andre Johnson this season.* He’s got big play capabilities and can also come down with the ball in the clutch if he’s needed on a key third down. Johnson will likely see the majority of targets, but Hopkins will still see enough to make his a decent WR3; possibly even a WR2.
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Howard Bender has been covering fantasy sports for over a decade on a variety of web sites. You can find his personal musings on RotobuzzGuy.com and for questions, thoughts or comments, you can follow him on Twitter at @rotobuzzguy or email him at rotobuzzguy@gmail.com.
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Tags: fantasy football, NFL, rookies, Montee Ball, Le'Veon Bell, Eddie Lacy, Johnathan Franklin, Tavon Austin, DeAndre Hopkins, Giovani Bernard, Zac Stacy, Cordarrelle Patterson, Stepfan Taylor
Let’s face it, whether it’s a keeper league or a re-draft league, everyone loves their rookies. They signify something new, something fresh, something that adds the delicious element of the unknown. They have potential, they have upside and they bring hope to those in search of lightning in a bottle. Some are obviously more highly-touted than others but they all offer up a level of promise that many of your veterans do not.
Making an impact in the NFL as a rookie can be incredibly tough. As well as college ball may prepare someone for a high level of play, the NFL is still at a level far superior. You hear people say it all the time – the pro game moves a lot faster and players hit a whole lot harder. But still, every once in a while, you find a player whose skill set is so off-the-charts, that they simply cannot be contained. Calvin Johnson immediately comes to mind. But while this year’s rookie class doesn’t offer you someone of that magnitude, it still has a number of hopefuls that fantasy owners will be looking to get their hands on.
Here are my thoughts on 10 rookies who could have a strong fantasy impact this year:
Montee Ball, RB DEN – There were high hopes for Ball after he was drafted as the Broncos were looking for someone to take charge of the running game. They ditched Willis McGahee, pushed Knowshon Moreno aside and the stage was set for the Era of Ball to begin. But Denver is a Peyton Manning-led team and that means it’s all about the passing game, so pass-blocking for running backs is the key. And that edge apparently goes to Ronnie Hillman who now sits ahead of Ball on the team depth chart. Ball should be used in short-yardage situations and probably at the goal-line as well which should keep his value at some level of legitimacy, but he won’t be an every-down back until the coaches are satisfied with his pass-blocking skills.
Le’Veon Bell, RB PIT – He was all set to be the number one back in Pittsburgh, but this recent foot sprain that he is currently dealing with could derail those plans for the early part of the season. An MRI revealed no ligament damage and confirmed that there was no Lisfranc fracture, but the injury is expected to keep him on the sidelines for the final two preseason games and possibly beyond. I’ll still draft him ahead of the likes of Jonathan Dwyer, Isaac Redman and LaRod Stephens-Howling, but his true value won’t be seen until a few weeks into the regular season.
Eddie Lacy, RB GB – The former Alabama star is primed and ready for lead running back duties this season as he has apparently won the job this summer. Either Johnathan Franklin (whom we’ll touch on below) or DuJuan Harris will handle the complementary stuff, but Lacy is expected to be the lead runner in this offense. Granted, it’s an Aaron Rodgers-led offense which is a pass-heavy scheme, but Lacy should see a strong number of carries each week and because of the threat of such a high-octane passing game, he should find plenty of running room.
Zac Stacy, RB STL – Limited in practice due to “general soreness,” Stacy has fallen down to third on the Rams depth chart behind Daryl Richardson and Isaiah Pead and will likely stay there until he can show the coaches that he can stay on the field consistently and withstand the rigors of the NFL. He still has late-round value and long-term keeper potential, but for right now, he cannot be counted on as anything but depth to hold for, at best, later on in the season.
Tavon Austin, WR STL – He’s got fantastic potential and similarly to Lacy, should make a strong impact for fantasy owners this year, especially in leagues that count return yardage. He’s had himself a strong camp and while he failed to record a single catch in the Rams’ first preseason game, he drew seven targets and made four catches for 27 yards in the team’s second contest. There’s no questioning his talent level, but he was criticized for some rookie mistakes, so there’s still some learning that he needs to do. But overall, he’s primed for a big season if quarterback Sam Bradford can consistently and accurately get him the ball.
Giovani Bernard, RB CIN – While most are expecting Bernard to supplant BenJarvis Green-Ellis as the primary back, I see him more as a complementary player this year. That’s not to say that he won’t eventually, but I just don’t think it will be this year. Great keeper value, for sure though. However, while Bernard has great tools, he’s a fairly undersized back and is going to take a lot of punishment when he starts trying to break away and finds safeties gunning for him. I see Green-Ellis taking it between the tackles and in short-yardage situations with the passing downs being dominated by Bernard. Together, they could form a fantastic duo in the backfield, but that’s not usually a good thing for fantasy purposes.
Johnathan Franklin, RB GB – Well, no surprise here as the Lacy section already spelled it out. Franklin will compete with DuJuan Harris for the complementary role in Green Bay and while he may be worthy of a late-round flier, there are way too many things that need to happen in order for him to post any real fantasy value this year.
Cordarrelle Patterson, WR MIN – Patterson is in a similar situation as Austin, but with fewer good things working in his favor. He’s got great hands, excellent speed and is a strong route runner. He’s got all the makings of a quality wide receiver. He’s also a big part of the retun game so his value gets a boost in leagues that count that. Unfortunately, Patterson is in a run-first offense and has Christian Ponder as his quarterback. Unless Ponder somehow becomes this great passer, capable of an accurate throw beyond 20 yards, Patterson is nothing more than a mid to late round option to use as a bye week filler.
Stepfan Taylor, RB ARI – The Stanford grad is currently buried down on the Cardinals depth chart right now but given the current issues and/or injury history of those in front of him – Rashard Mendenhall, Ryan Williams and Andre Ellington – his time could come sooner than many people think. He’s a short-yardage grinder by trade so you can’t expect big numbers from him, but he could post a strong value in touchdown-only leagues if he starts getting the goal-line work. For now, consider him a late-round flier with decent potential for the future.
DeAndre Hopkins, WR HOU – Provided that the concussion that he is currently dealing with does not keep him out for an extended period of time, Hopkins has the chance to make a nice impact this year as the starting wide receiver opposite Andre Johnson this season.* He’s got big play capabilities and can also come down with the ball in the clutch if he’s needed on a key third down. Johnson will likely see the majority of targets, but Hopkins will still see enough to make his a decent WR3; possibly even a WR2.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Howard Bender has been covering fantasy sports for over a decade on a variety of web sites. You can find his personal musings on RotobuzzGuy.com and for questions, thoughts or comments, you can follow him on Twitter at @rotobuzzguy or email him at rotobuzzguy@gmail.com.
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