Coach: Andy Reid 6 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 he didn’t know what direction to watch a sunset. 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: Devonta Freeman 22 PPG, Evan Engram 18 PPG, Amari Cooper 16 PPG, TY Hilton 16 PPG, Alshon Jeffery 15 PPG, (6th men: Marvin Jones 15 PPG, OJ Howard 11 PPG)
Devonta Freeman is the biggest determining factor in Kyle’s success. You need studs to compete and Freeman has shown he is capable to be a 400 point player. I’m not projecting him to reach those heights again, but if he stays healthy, he’s good for a cool 350. Freeman is as solid of a back as you can get fresh off signing a contract extension. Coleman is on his way out in 2019, so it’s possible Coleman is more involved than in years past to get the most out of him. Freeman is still the starter in a potent offense. Kyle should ride him until he dies.
Evan Engram was one of my favorite rookies coming out of college last year and boy did he not disappoint, shocking the tight end world in 2017, shockingly recording the most receiving yards by a rookie tight end since Jeremy Shockey’s 894 in 2002. Many people think that this has a lot to do with OBJ, Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard all struggling with injuries last year. Those people would be right, to an extent. Engram isn’t going anywhere, and it’s possible we see Engram eclipse last year’s numbers with more rapport early on with Eli and less attention given to him with OBJ and Shepard being 100%.
Poor Amari Cooper. Fantasy football aside, he’s had a stellar first three years of his career and has a very long way to go before it’s over. Last year there was mega Cooper fever and everyone was expecting a breakout, instead, we saw Cooper set career lows in yards and struggle with injuries and ineffectiveness. New head coach Jon Gruden (I can’t believe I typed that) has vowed to make Cooper their go-to receiver and feature him like never before. That’s tailored into Cooper’s projection and should be a low-end WR1 like his first two seasons.
TY Hilton is another stud muffin WR that just needs solid quarterback play to return to relevancy. Incoming is Captain Andrew Luck with his new stem-celled shoulder ready to throw rockets to the end zone. Hilton led the league in receiving in Luck’s last healthy season, so the upside is there for another monster campaign from Hilton if everything goes right. There are few weapons in Indy to contend for targets, so Hilton is a sneaky sleeper pick to be one of the most improved assets in the league.
Alshon Jeffery was a difference maker for the Eagles in the playoffs but was kind of lackluster production-wise for a player that is considered a WR1. The Philly offense in 2017 loved to spread the ball around and Jeffery saw his value come from red zone looks, not receptions. That’s not a good thing in our type of league, which takes away a bit of the allure, however, he’s in prime position to increase his targets for 2018.
PK: Matt Prater 10 PPG
PN: Marquette King 11 PPG
DT: Kenny Clark 10 PPG
In a 3-4 defense, it’s rare to see a nose tackle be as productive as Clark was in 2017. He was a top 10 DT, doing a fine job both in the tackle and sack categories. The Packers improved their defensive line, adding Muhammad Wilkerson which could lead to more opportunities for production for Clark. I’m not willing to bet on a nose tackle in a 3-4. I would be surprised if Clark continued his production, especially with a new defensive coordinator coming to town who may ask Clark to eat up space more versus go after the runner.
DE: Khalil Mack 20 PPG, Aaron Donald 17 PPG
Glory to Breeze! Mack is finally back to the position he was always meant to be at, defensive end. Years taken away from elite production is a damn shame, but it’s the reality we live in playing IDP. Mack is going to dominate and be an amazing asset for the next half-decade. While Kyle insanely paid Mack over $12 million to be an OLB, $14 million is not an overpay for a 300 point defensive end. There are very few players in the IFL who are as sure things as Mack.
Another player marred by a recent position change is Aaron Donald, who is not nearly as valuable since the switch from defensive tackle to end. Nevertheless, Donald is one of the best players in the NFL and gets to play next to another newly signed, Ndomukong Suh. Donald is a DE1 in the IFL and will look to again exceed 10 sacks for the third time in his career.
LB: Raekwon McMillan 14 PPG, Malcolm Smith/Fred Warner 14 PPG, Jatavis Brown 14 PPG
Raekwon finally returns from injury and should be a factor quickly in IDP leagues. The new MLB for the Dolphins will be one to eat up tackles on a defense that will see the field more than they like. McMillan is a strong run defender and struggles in coverage. It’s possible we see Raekwon take some time off in nickel packages. A 14 PPG projection at this point seems safe, but it can go up if he’s doesn’t come off the field.
Malcom Smith will forever be known as the MVP of Super Bowl 53, but has never been a consistent starter over the course of his career. Smith has struggled to stay healthy but was projected to be the WLB in San Francisco last year before a shoulder injury ended his season in training camp. Now Smith is in what will be a fierce competition with 3rd round pick Fred Warner. Kyle owns both backers, so there will be no points lost due to injury or benching.
Jatavis Brown is in a precarious position, as he’s not inked in as a starter for the Chargers. As a rookie, Brown was incredibly productive as the WLB and was shaping up to be one of the next great linebackers in the NFL. Somehow, the train flew off the rails and down the (raven) ridge, being benched for some random mid-season. Brown will now reset and fight for his starting job. Most signs point to Brown reclaiming the spot, but there are no guarantees. It’s imperative that Kyle can find some help at linebacker especially if Brown isn’t the starter.
CB: James Bradberry 13 PPG, Shaq Griffin 12 PPG
The last two years had seen Bradberry as one of the elite corners for fantasy. It’s possible he takes a step back in 2018 as he’s projected to play opposite Keyvon Seymour. Bradberry is an above average talent and could be avoided by offenses if they wish to target a more vulnerable defender.
Shaq Griffin is now in Richard Sherman’s role. Good luck filling those shoes. The right side of the Seahawks defense has been locked down for years, so it will be interesting to watch how much offenses wish to target Griffin, who was mediocre his rookie year but showed promise. The Hawks are hoping for a second-year leap from Griffin.
S: Derwin James 15 PPG, Kevin Byard 13 PPG, Von Bell 11 PPG
Derwin James slid to the Chargers and damn they were happy to take him. Safety was a big need from them the year prior but went with question mark Mike Williams. James is shaping up to be the strong safety in Gus Bradley’s scheme, which would be HUGE for his fantasy value. So much so, James should be a top 5 option to being the year. The scheme and the talent are that good.
Kevin Byard when nuts last year with the interceptions and racked up an efficient number of tackles to boot. This year, it’s safe to expect a regression in both departments as it’s very difficult for the very best at free safety to repeat that type of production. It’s not because Byard isn’t talented, it’s because he’s not put in a position to succeed as an IDP. Byard will still put up elite free safety production, which put him as a safe S2.
The 11th defender is a question mark for Kyle, which is a problem before training camp. Von Bell is the third safety for the Saints, however, they play many three-safety looks. That won’t help Bell in base sets, but he should provide bye-week fill-in numbers for Kyle over the course of the season.
Off: Los Angeles Rams 14 PPG
2018 PPG: 308
Outlook: Kyle should be pretty stoked with this projection, and should be in the running for a wild card. The offense is looking solid and the defensive line is elite. Red flags at linebacker and safety need to be rectified if Kyle is going to be a serious contender. He could also use another stud. Overall, things are looking up in Cleveland.
W-L: 8-8
