We recently discussed quarterbacks,
running backs, and wide
receivers that could fall from the ranks of the Top 10 this
coming season. Now it’s time to talk about the trusted fantasy
hands or up and comers who could take their places..
Note: All
rankings are based on FFToday’s default standard scoring.
A quick reminder of the Top 10 fantasy RBs from last season…
Adrian
Peterson, MIN: With apologies to Jamaal Charles, there’s
only one LeBron James of the NFL and his name is still Adrian Peterson.
Though nobody on earth possesses James’ seemingly superhuman blend
of size, speed, and strength, Minnesota’s generational meal ticket
comes mighty close. And now defenses may be forced to do something
they’ve rarely had to do in Peterson’s seven seasons and change
in the league: reckon with Peterson’s teammates.
The struggle was real in Minny last year after AD was stunningly
exiled before Week 2 due to child abuse allegations. The Vikes were
desperately outgunned at the quarterback position already (Matt
Cassel) and were now forced to use the plodding Matt Asiata at tailback.
Throw in Cordarrelle Patterson’s failure to launch and you
had all the makings of a truly disastrous season in the Land of
10,000 Lakes. Except it didn’t really turn out that way. Teddy
Bridgewater performed admirably once Cassel (mercifully) succumbed
to injury, Jerick McKinnon showed tremendous promise as Asiata’s
eventual replacement; and Charles Johnson transformed from waiver
wire castoff to No.1 wideout in just a few short months. What looked
like an impending train wreck turned into a quite respectable 7-9
campaign for the purple guys.
While his teammates were gaining valuable game experience and getting
better, Peterson was presumably training like Rocky for the Drago
fight. He was also, more importantly, getting completely healthy
and sparing his body another year of NFL wear and tear. Opposing
defenses didn’t put that King James-sized chip on Peterson’s
shoulder (Roger Goodell did) but they’ll be the ones charged
with trying to knock it off this fall. If Minnesota’s promising
youngsters continue to blossom and Mike Wallace adds a vertical
threat to the passing game, expect a Top 5, not just Top 10, season
out of #28.
LeSean McCoy is going to get as many attempts
as he can handle in Rex Ryan's run-first offense.
LeSean
McCoy, BUF: Bron Bron’s Browns will struggle mightily
this year thanks to a quarterbacking situation that ranks as one
of the league’s worst. The very worst collection of NFL quarterbacks,
however, belongs to Rex Ryan, now toiling away three hours further
up Lake Erie. This is nothing new for Ryan, of course, who worked
with Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith at his previous stop. If only he
had it so good now. The Bills aim to head into the 2015 season with
either EJ Manuel, Tyrod Taylor, or the aforementioned Matt Cassel
taking the snaps. Stop laughing.
Actually, it’s OK to laugh so long as you understand Buffalo’s
going to win plenty of games this year. Ryan is brash, ballsy, and
possibly nuts, but he gets the most out of the talent he has and
will have plenty to work with, aside from that glaring deficiency
under center. The defense is already great (fourth overall in 2014)
and Ryan will make it better. Sammy Watkins is a future superstar
if someone can get him the ball. The offensive line is rebuilt around
the most Ryan-esque free agent signee possible, Richie Incognito,
a former Pro Bowl guard. Finally, there’s a stable of viable
running backs waiting to carry the load.
Which brings us to the Bills’ prized acquisition, LeSean McCoy.
Shady wasn’t himself last season, rushing for “just”
1,319 yards instead of the 1,607 he tallied in 2013 despite the
exact same number of carries (314). Where McCoy really struggled,
though, was in the passing game, where his 30 receptions and 155
receiving yards were easily career worsts. Buffalo holdover Fred
Jackson more than doubled that output so, QB issues notwithstanding,
McCoy will shake off his recent hamstring issue by Week 1 and should
easily regain the run/receive balance that made him outstanding
just two years ago.
Carlos
Hyde, SF: Jim Tomsula’s 49ers will probably look
a lot like Rex Ryan’s Bills in 2015. Wait, Jim Tom-who-la?
Yeah, that’s exactly what I thought when the proud SF franchise
interviewed eight men to replace Jim Harbaugh (including Ryan) and
picked the one with the least amount of experience. The Niners’
brass talked about “continuity” and “familiarity,”
but it’s hard not to view Tomsula as anything but an anti-Harbaugh,
the York family’s personal Manchurian candidate/coach who
will do precisely what he’s told and won’t cause waves.
Apparently not content to tap a virtual no-name for the head spot,
San Francisco doubled down this off-season by promoting quarterbacks
coach, Geep Chryst, to offensive coordinator, a spot vacated by
Greg Roman (who, ironically, followed Ryan to Buffalo). Again, this
was sort of an odd hire considering the 49ers sported the NFL’s
20th best offense last season and saw its franchise quarterback
regress in a major way. That would be the same franchise quarterback
Chryst was personally responsible for as position coach.
So, where am I going with all this and how does it relate to Hyde?
Tomsula is a former defensive line coach who has literally no experience
coaching offense. Geep Chryst is a former quarterbacks coach who
hasn’t held an offensive coordinator post since the year 2000
(with the Chargers). Are we really expecting these two to turn the
San Francisco offense into a pass-heavy juggernaut overnight? If
he’s smart (he did go to Princeton, after all), Chryst will
focus on getting Colin Kaepernick back to his roots as a zone-read
demon. That can only benefit the talented Hyde, who replaces the
venerable Frank Gore as lead back. When Kap was a threat to score
on any play, Frank Gore thrived. With Gore out of the way, Hyde
could too.
