A clean bill of health, new weapons – all signs point to a bounce back season for RGIII.
QB Robert Griffin III
(2013 QB Rank—#19, 21.0 FPts/G)
The conventional wisdom says Robert Griffin III rushed back too quickly from his torn ACL injury, which led to a decline in his production from his rookie season. The word out of OTAs is that Griffin has flashed his dynamic 2012 form and looked “extremely explosive.” In 2012, Griffin threw for 3,200 yards with 20 touchdowns and five interceptions while also rushing for 826 yards with another seven touchdowns. In 2013, his rushing yards were nearly cut in half and he failed to score a rushing touchdown, while also regressing as a passer. Griffin spent the offseason working on his mechanics with quarterback instructor Terry Shea. Mike and Kyle Shanahan are no longer in Washington, and Robert Griffin III will now work with offensive-minded head coach Jay Gruden and new offensive coordinator Sean McVay. In addition, the team brought in more dynamic weapons for their young quarterback, signing former Eagle DeSean Jackson and former Cardinal Andre Roberts in free agency. All signs are pointing to a great fantasy football season from RGIII and the fickle masses just may forget how valuable of a weapon he was in 2012 after his disappointing 2013. Griffin is still one of the most dynamic runners in the league and Gruden has stated that while he may not use the read option often, he won’t necessarily ask Griffin not to run the ball when the opportunity arises. Any potential drop off in Griffin’s rushing production should be offset by an uptick in his passing statistics. Combine Griffin’s offseason work and health, Gruden’s offensive mind and the influx of talent in the passing game, and it’s hard to imagine Washington’s passing offense not taking a leap forward in 2014.
RB Alfred Morris
(2013 RB Rank—#14, 11.1 FPts/G)
Predictions for Alfred Morris’ 2014 fantasy value will likely be the most volatile of any running back in the league. There’s a mostly universal agreement that in PPR leagues his value is hurt by his lack of usage in the passing game – after all Morris has only caught 20 passes in two seasons. It’s in standard leagues where the opinions diverge greatly. Morris was the prototypical Mike Shanahan back. He did come out of nowhere to make an impact, but more importantly, his one-cut-and-go running style was tailor-made for the zone-blocking scheme. His doubters will argue that losing Shanahan is not a good thing for a “Shanahan product” and his supporters will point to his two-year track record of production. To complicate matters further, new head coach Jay Gruden is known to favor the passing game, but Morris doesn’t excel as a pass catcher. Furthermore, the pass-heavy offense would result in a drop in carries for Morris, potentially further reducing his value. While early reports indicate that Morris will still be a major factor in the Washington offense, it should be noted that Morris already saw a significant drop in his workload from his rookie to sophomore season, which naturally lowered his production. Morris went from 335 carries in 2012 to 276 carries in 2013. It should be disconcerting to potential Morris owners that Gruden has already stated to the press that he does not see Morris as a player who possesses natural hands. Keep in mind this is the time when most coaches throw around praise for their players. Morris could be a risky pick in all formats.
RB Roy Helu
(2013 RB Rank—#50, 4.8 FPts/G)
Former Nebraska standout Roy Helu could stand to receive a major value boost in the team’s transition from Mike Shanahan to Jay Gruden. During his two healthy seasons in Washington, Helu caught 49 balls and 31 balls, respectively, and could see his role increased if the team transitions to a more pass-centric offense. Helu is expected to hold onto his role as a third down back, but could face a challenge from second-year player Chris Thompson if he stays healthy. Helu was the favorite to take over the feature back role in Washington heading into his second NFL season, but injuries opened the door for Alfred Morris to take the job and run with it. Gruden’s offense in Cincinnati last season was very effective while featuring a committee approach with BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Giovani Bernard, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Washington backfield using that model. Helu is likely not talented enough to earn as big a share in the committee as Bernard had, but in an offense expected to be much improved, Helu makes an intriguing mid- to late-round pick in PPR leagues.
WR Pierre Garcon
(2013 WR Rank—#13, 10.4 FPts/G)
Pierre Garcon seems to be perpetually underrated in fantasy football circles. When he was signed by Washington, many thought that any success he had in Indianapolis would be a direct result of Peyton Manning. An injury-plagued first season in the nation’s capital helped further the belief that he lacked true talent, even though he excelled when he was healthy. In 2013, however, Garcon put up a 113-1,346-5 stat line and the narrative changed, given his league-leading 182 targets that led to his success. Garcon’s targets are very likely to drop with DeSean Jackson now in the mix; however, don’t forget about the chemistry that Garcon has with Robert Griffin. Garcon should also be more efficient on his targets, since he will no longer constantly see bracket coverage and double teams with more dangerous options than Leonard Hankerson and Santana Moss in the Washington passing attack. He should find more open areas in the defense and while his receptions may drop his efficiency, his touchdowns should increase.
WR DeSean Jackson
(2013 WR Rank—#10, 11.7 FPts/G)
Coming off a career year in 2013 when he caught 82 balls for 1,332 yards and nine touchdowns, DeSean Jackson is a candidate to be over-drafted in fantasy drafts this summer. Playing in Chip Kelly’s complex and up-tempo passing game, Jackson saw his numbers rise dramatically across the board last year in Philadelphia. It should be noted that prior to last season, Jackson averaged only 55 receptions in five years. This year’s drafters should likely use the midpoint of that average and his 82 receptions last season as a baseline for projecting reception totals for Jackson. He is still one of the more dynamic players in the league with the ball in his hands and the Washington offense is expected to be pass heavy, so he’s still a solid bet for WR2 production. Don’t draft him based on last year’s top-10 finish, though, or you could be very disappointed at year’s end.
WR Andre Roberts
(2013 WR Rank—#74, 3.7 FPts/G)
Many dynasty owners were holding the talented Andre Roberts hoping he would finally escape from the desert and out of the shadows of Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd. They had to be pleased when Roberts signed with Washington as presumably the No. 2 receiver with Robert Griffin III. A few weeks later DeSean Jackson was acquired much to the chagrin of those same owners and to Roberts himself, as he would once again act as a WR3 on his team. He is now said to be a candidate to return kicks for Washington and will play in the slot in three wide receiver sets. In deeper leagues, Roberts can still hold some value to cover bye weeks in what is expected to be a pass-heavy offense. In his best season of 2012, he managed a stat line of 64-759-5 and that is likely his ceiling in Washington this season barring an injury to Garcon or Jackson.
TE Jordan Reed
(2013 TE Rank—#22, 7.7 FPts/G)
On a points per game basis Jordan Reed was a fantasy TE1 in 2013, despite being a rookie who got off to a slow start. He missed the last six games of the season, though, after he suffered a major concussion, his fourth including his college years. The threat of a reoccurrence is the only dark cloud hanging over Reed this season and beyond. In what may seem to be classic offseason hyperbole, Robert Griffin III called him “one of the most talented tight ends in the league.” Looking at his numbers when healthy, that may not be such an outlandish statement after all. Sean McVey as the offensive coordinator could help Reed even more, since he is Reed’s former position coach. Already, Reed is expected to be a big part of the offense. He’s been favorably compared to fellow Florida alumnus Aaron Hernandez in physicality and playing style, and his rookie season production helps to further make that comparison apt. Projecting the eight full games he played in 2013 out to a full season, Reed would have finished with an 88-974-6 stat-line. While it may be a little too optimistic to project those numbers for his 2014 season, a top-five finish is well within his reach if he stays healthy.
