An Early-Round Fantasy Football Landmine?
In today's Fantasy Life Newsletter, presented by Paramount+, we break down a concerning update out of LA, top QB targets outside of the top 15, and more.
In today's Fantasy Life Newsletter, presented by Paramount+:
Lost in the shuffle of yesterday’s roster cut-down madness was a nugget from Sean McVay that can’t be ignored.
During a Zoom interview on Tuesday, he casually mentioned that RB Kyren Williams will be returning punts this season.
**record scratch**
Um, what?
There are lots of ways to spin this news, but I assure you none of them are positive for Kyren’s fantasy value.
We don’t get points for punt returns and they open him up to unnecessary injury risk. Even if he continues to dominate high-value touches (pass-catching work, goal-line carries, etc.), this is an unwelcomed development.
It’s also pretty clear from McVay’s quotes that the rookie, Blake Corum, is going to have a bigger role than many initially expected.
That’s the negative, but let me leave you with a positive note. Kyren’s price already baked in him sharing some of the work. If there weren’t a split, he would be going in the Top 3 overall picks and not in the middle of the second round:
What else is in today’s newsletter?
- Kendall’s Roundtable: QB sleepers
- WATERCOOLER: 2 key players continue to miss practice
Kendall’s Roundtable: QB Sleepers
Welcome back to the Roundtable! This season I will try to get as many fantasy football analysts (and friends) to give us their best advice, overreactions, and maybe even some life lessons along the way. This is meant to be insightful, but also fun—so please be sure to enjoy and also give everyone a follow!
Today's Roundtable contributors include my amazing SiriusXM co-host Adam Ronis and the incredible Chris Vaccaro! Let's get into it…
Who is your favorite QB outside the Top 15?
Adam: Will Levis. Last season was awful for Levis outside of his first start, but the environment is completely different. The offensive line was awful last year and there was a lack of weapons and a team focused on the run. Brian Callahan takes over as coach after being the offensive coordinator with the Bengals for the last few seasons. The offensive line was upgraded and Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd were added to go along with DeAndre Hopkins. Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are good receivers out of the backfield. All the ingredients are there for Levis to succeed.
Chris: The quarterback I see outside of the top 15 who can outperform his ADP is Bryce Young. I can’t really understand why drafters aren’t taking a late-round shot on him as a backup QB on their deep rosters and he goes undrafted in almost all high-stakes leagues still here in late August with an ADP of 240+ and is QB30 off the board in NFFC drafts. I think we have to give Young a pass for his rookie season and wipe the slate clean coming into his second year where he gets a fresh start under new head coach Dave Canales, who did wonders with Baker Mayfield last year and brings in his new system for Young to grow in.
They also added a legit WR1 for Young in the offseason acquisition of Diontae Johnson and first-round pick Xavier Legette to help Young take that big second-year leap I expect him to. I can totally see Bryce Young hitting the board as a top-15 fantasy QB when all is said and done, and paying off as one of the best values on the QB Board for 2024.
Kendall: Trevor Lawrence is currently going as the QB18, which seems absolutely outrageous. Sure, the last three seasons haven't been exactly eye-popping for fantasy football—in fantasy points per game he has finished as the QB29, QB11, and most recently QB15, respectively.
Still, when looking at the Jaguars’ offense for the 2024 season, I can't help but be a little more excited for Lawrence and his growth. According to Ian Hartitz, the Jaguars have had the league’s 28th, 20th, and 30th-ranked offenses in “Supporting Cast Rating” over the past three seasons. Now this team brings back Christian Kirk and Evan Engram, while also adding rookie Brian Thomas and Gabe Davis (yes, I'm still mentioning him, OK). Lawrence also had an injury-riddled 2023 season, so if he can stay healthy and really elevate his game with new offensive weapons then we should see him seriously outperform his current ADP.
RELATED CONTENT:
- Ian Hartitz breaks down players who should see added opportunity after impressive preseasons.
- He also sat down with Dwain McFarland to discuss risers and fallers in the RB rankings after NFL cut day.
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The latest fantasy nuggets, silliness, and NFL gossip from our merry band of football nerds:
😬 We may be fading these players, but it’s certainly causing our blood pressure to rise…
🚀 Un-retiring a number for your rookie WR…is extremely bullish.
📊 NFL cut day caused some movement in the rankings. The risers and fallers.
🤝 The Commanders land their Dotson replacement. Nice fit, tbh.
➕ The Chiefs add an RB. The Carson Steele stuff was fun while it lasted.
📰 Mike Tomlin names his starting QB. How long will it last, though?
🚑️ A couple of injuries I’m starting to worry about. One in Miami and one in LV.
🤝 The Chargers get Herbert insurance. How’s he doing??
