Coach: Mike Zimmer 7 PPG
QB: Jared Goff 27 PPG
I still can’t believe Jared Goff’s turnaround after the disastrous rookie year. I was thoroughly convinced that he would flame out, especially when did didn’t know what direction to watch a sun set. McVay came in and revolutionized the Rams offense, turning their 32nd ranked offense into the 1st ranked offense in the NFL! Goff is a short-intermediate passer who excels with simple plays. His third year will show his progression as McVay introduces more to the offense. Will Goof succeed? Very possible, but I still have my doubts about if he has a cerebral mind. That will be what takes him to the next level, not McVay’s coaching.
RB/WR/TE: LeSean McCoy 25 PPG, DeAndre Hopkins 23 PPG, Odell Beckham 22 PPG, Isaiah Crowell 15 PPG, Robby Anderson 15 PPG (6th man: Charles Clay 14 PPG)
Ahhhhh LeSean McCoy. Is the fate of his 2018 season still in balance? It appears it will come down to whether he will come down to if he is placed on the Commissioners Exempt List, which is less and less likely every day. McCoy is a true difference maker for Tiffany, as losing her best player for any length of time would be devastating. McCoy will be the Bills’ offense in 2018, as Josh Allen’s poise in the third preseason game rivaled a deer in headlights and couldn’t process reads fast enough behind a horrid offensive line. McCoy also has the whole hitting a wall and declining thing to worry about, but that 25 PPG appears a safe bet as long as he plays.
DeAndre Hopkins, man purse and looks like he’s going to be a stud receiver for awhile tied together with Deshawn Watson. Hopkins was easily the best IFL receiver when Watson was healthy and that may not change when he’s fully healthy again. The Texans don’t have many options to look for production along their offense other than their elite QB/WR tandem. No reason to dock points on Hopkins for anything, he’s going to be a top 16 option on offense.
OBJ is back and ready to take the NFL back storm once again. Last season saw OBJ leave the field crying twice, but the second time for the last time. Entering 2018, Beckham will look to regain the explosiveness that makes him such a dangerous route runner out of his breaks. Eli Manning’s regression will need to take a pause and the offense should flow through him. Barkley and OBJ on the same team sound like an awesome combination, and I’m curious if both can sustain elite production. They both probably will.
Crowell goes from one horrible team to another. The Jets are in no position to be competitive this year and it will take another solid offseason or two of roster building to be competitive. That comes at the determent of Crowell, who won’t be utilized effectively because of game scripts. The 15 PPG prediction is right in line with what he did in Cleveland, becoming invisible when the Jets were forced into passing situations. Crowell generally doesn’t give an offense a spark they need, being below average in YPC over the course of his career and shouldn’t be relied upon as more than a 4/5 starter.
Robby Anderson was a stud muffin delux to finish off the 2017 year and could be in line for an uptick in production if Sam Darnold can perform at least sub-par. The Jets will be behind most games and Anderson appears to be ready to be the Jets’ number one receiving option. Targets are up for grabs as their 2016 receiving leader, Quincy Enunwa has returned from a serious neck injury. Anderson will probably have some big bust weeks, but profiles as a solid 5th starter.
PK: Justin Tucker 11 PPG
PN: Bradley Pinion 10 PPG
DT: Kawann Short 13 PPG
Short is the traditional 4-3 3-tech you look for in IDP. A guy who can explode at any time and win you a week, Short is a yearly top 5 option at the position. Heading into 2018, there is no reason for regression or progression. He’s going to provide 7-8 sacks and 50 tackles.
DE: Mario Addison 14 PPG, Mike Daniels 12 PPG
Mario Addison is incredibly underrated, given that he outscored Dunlap by one point last year, but isn’t regarded as a same tier of asset. The 30-year-old wasn’t a factor for most of his career as a situational pass rusher, but has recently moved to increased snaps. Addison hit double-digit sacks for the first time in his career in ’17 and should have a similar usage in ’18. I would bet on a tiny regression, but he should be a surefire DE2.
Mike Daniels is exactly what we hate about IDP, a fantastic real-life player, but unproductive versus his value in real life. Daniels disappears at times and doesn’t score anywhere near you need him due to his unfortunate usage in a 3-4. Despite this, he still is a low-end DE2 and could have a career year in what could be the best defense he’s played on the last few years.
LB: Tremaine Edmunds 17 PPG, Myles Jack 17 PPG, Wesley Woodyard 17 PPG, Darron Lee 15 PPG
Edmunds slides right into the Preston Brown role in Buffalo that saw him average 17 PPG. It’s very possible Edmunds eclipses that number this year, but I’m not going to project a 20-year-old rookie to perform better than Brown, who has been a middle linebacker in the NFL for years. Edmunds is an elite dynasty prospect, but thinking he’s going to be a top 5 option is absurd. The upside is there, but his age and this positions prior production signify a top 20 option at the position for his rookie year.
Myles Jack is going to be a force in 2018, finally taking full responsibility of the defense in the middle for the Jags. No longer will Poz take away run defense snaps and restrict Jack’s value. The 17 PPG projection is a bit conservative if he can be was Poz was in his heyday, a top 5 linebacker. I would like to see Jack be elite next to Telvin Smith before anointing him to top 5 numbers, but if Poz can do it, I think Jack can as well.
Wesley Woodyard had himself a career year in 2017, with over 120 tackles and 4 sacks. The Titan team captain has struggled for fantasy viability in the past as he’s struggled as a run defender and not always been placed in an opportunity to succeed. That won’t be the case this year, as he’s expected to lead the Titans to an AFC South title. Woodyard will never leave the field, but it’s a near lock his tackle numbers decrease with Rashaan Evans in town.
Another youngster that has disappointed is Darron Lee, who through two years hasn’t been what the Jets were expecting him to be, particularly in coverage. Rated as one of the worst linebackers by PFF, it’s possible the Jets move on from Lee within the next couple years after using a 1st round pick on him in 2016. Lee is in an important season to fulfill his potential and still has a starting job next to newly signed Avery Williamson. Due to volume, Lee is projected at 15 PPG, same as last year.
CB: Kyle Fuller 12 PPG, Kendall Fuller 12 PPG
Virtual high five to Tiff for getting the Fuller brothers as her best corners. Kyle Fuller had himself a career year and finished as a top IDP option. It’s likely Kyle will not be targeted nearly as much and instead offensive coordinators will target Prince Amukamara. Either way, Kyle is a playmaker and should slide back into the CB1 ranks.
When Alex Smith was traded to the Redskins, Kendall Fuller seemed to get more fanfare than the underappreciated quarterback. Fuller was an elite slot man for the Redskins last year and will be asked to be a full-time outside corner for the Chiefs in 2018. The Chiefs’ defense is looking all sorts of bad and more time on the field naturally means more tackle opportunities. Like his brother, I like his prospects of being an elite option.
S: Harrison Smith 14 PPG, Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix 13 PPG
Harrison Smith is the best safety according to me and Madden. That’s all you really need to know. Smith has been dominant since coming into the NFL and there are few players you can rely on like Smith. He’s struggled a bit with injuries in the past, but a position like safety that sees so much transition, it’s nice to be able to rely on someone to get you points.
Ha-Ha easily owns the best name in the entire NFL and he has a top notch game to back it up. Dix is one of the premier safeties in the NFL as he somehow manages to be an annual reliable option despite playing center field for the Packers. 2017 was actually a down year for the 4th year pro, but signs are pointing to him reclaiming low-end S1 numbers. There’s a bit of variance with a new defensive coordinator, but he shouldn’t be used much differently.
Off: Jacksonville Jaguars 11 PPG
PPG: 322
Outlook: I’m not going to sit here and try to explain Tiffany’s moves this offseason. The Odell Beckham trade was not my cup of tea but probably didn’t hurt herself as much as myself (and others) promoted it to. Tiffany’s squad has weaknesses, but her studs on offense and linebackers are certainly playoff worthy. It’s time to start giving her the respect she deserves as her PPG ranks tied for 4th in the conference. Things that aren’t going for Tiffany are lack of in-season experience and McCoy’s situation being precarious at best. These are caked into her W-L projection. For a first-year GM, it’s going to be a fun year to watch and she will compete for the NFC East. A rookie playoff berth could very well be in her future.
W-L: 9-7
