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Full10Lookahead – Week 2

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Week 2 is already here folks. Time flies when you are having fun!

Hope everyone enjoyed their stay at overreaction town, now it’s time to depart for context city, where hopefully you’ll be able to see some indicators as to what was the real deal and what were outliers from last week.

Here are 10 things we are looking forward to this week in the NFL:

Me-Cam-ical Issues?

The Panthers QB will be looking to rectify a performance from week 1 that was classic Cam. Some good plays but also a few errant and shocking high passes.

66% completion rate is about where Cam has been with Norv Turner pulling the strings but if it wasn’t for Christian McCaffrey, these numbers would not be great at all. You could argue that this is now the offence the Panthers will employ going forward.

As per next gen stats, Cam only attempted 1 pass over 20 yards in the week 1 game vs the Rams which agrees with the narrative that the offence is going to show similar results this season. Yes he attempted around 40 passes, but if they are averaging on 5 yards in the air, is it really a proper NFL throw?

The players they have in McCaffrey, DJ Moore and Curtis Samuel suit the style they are trying to enforce on other teams but I think this merely could be covering over some cracks. Is this the play style because of Cam’s shoulder or is this a coincidence?

The problem is, every team needs a vertical threat; if it becomes too predictable and similar to the chart above, Christian McCaffrey may struggle to be as efficient as he has been thus far because teams will just load the box and ask Cam throw longer passes. Below is DJ Moore’s routes run vs the Rams, not even an indication that there was an interest in throwing deep. Unfortunately, i dont have Curtis Samuel or Greg Olsen’s routes run because i feel these would probably be a bit more vertically orientated.

Back to Cam though, the reason I say all this is and that it is something we are intrigued in seeing in week 2 is that we still probably require further confirmation that Cam’s shoulder is #fine and that his play is not restricted by the multiples surgeries endured over recent years. We’d all love to see him at least attempt a few more deeper passes right?

What wont help is a short week this early on in the season so all eyes will be on Cam in Thursday Night Football as we try to ascertain whether or not everything is ok with #1.

Da do Ron Run Run da do Ron Run

Arguably the single most disappointing rookie performance by anyone drafted in the top two rounds of last year’s draft was Tampa Bay’s Ronald Jones II, who recorded 44 yards at 1.9 a pop in the whole season. Already Jones has almost doubled his performance with 75 yards on the ground in Week 1 (at 5.8 a carry) along with an 18-yard catch. If Jones keeps up this rate of rushing he can end up with 1,200 yards of ground and pound.

The Buccaneers face the Panthers in Week 2, a team that gave up over 150 yards rushing and two scores to the Rams combo of Gurley and Brown. Jones may not be listed as the starter but if his contributions remain positive then he will take carries away from Peyton Barber. Buccs fans will likely be in for another season of mediocrity but they could have bit of a dusty gem that is starting to sparkle in the Florida sunshine.

Don’t You Forget About Me!

Image Credit – Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

It’s easy to forget that Sammy Watkins came off the draft board earlier in 2014 than both Mike Evans and OBJ. The former Clemson star has often been out performed when compared to his peers in the same draft class, but maybe, just maybe 2019 will be different. Watkins exploded out of the gate on Sunday with a 9 catch, 198 yard, 3 touchdown performance. Showing plenty of breakaway speed to pile up yards after the catch, he was the best friend of Pat Mahomes to open up the season. With the news that Tyreek Hill will miss 4-6 weeks through injury, Watkins is in a prime position to remind everyone of the talent he possesses for a red hot Chiefs offence that will surely have too much for the Raiders. Let’s see if his week 1 performance wasn’t just another tease of his brilliance and he can find some consistency.

Hype Train Derailed?

Image Credit – Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports

Freddie Kitchens wanted to know how his team would handle adversity, He gets his wish in week 2. Humbled by the Titans in a week 1 blow out, the eyes of the nation will be looking for a response on Monday Night Football. The talent in the skill positions offensively appears to be in place but can the Browns find a way to keep Baker Mayfield upright? He was harassed all throughout the opener as the obvious preseason concern was exposed by Cameron Wake and co. One storyline that has slipped under the radar in this one, is the fact that the Jets DC is now Gregg Williams who was actually the man in charge of the Browns during their renaissance in the 2nd half of last year. He will be out to inflict more misery on his former employers after not securing the job permanently. With the Rams ahead on the week 3 schedule could we already be talking about a must win game for the off seasons most talked about franchise?

Time to call a Gardner

After winning a Super Bowl by coming off the bench in the regular season, the irony is not lost in Jacksonville, as the Jaguars starting quarterback Nick Foles is now the one injured whilst his backup is now in the spotlight. The big difference here is the guy in the spotlight is the 2019 version of Nick ‘who the hell is that’ Mullens.

Gardner Minshew bounced around three colleges in four years of eligibility, starting at tiny Northwest Mississippi Community College (who gave us Damon ‘Snacks’ Harrison) and ending up at Washington State, helping them to 11 wins in 2018. The Jaguars drafted Minshew in the sixth round of this year’s draft, and we all know what happened to a certain gentleman who got drafted in the sixth round. Minshew’s surprise debut was special, 88% completion rate, two tds and almost 300 yards in the air.

Minshew will be an underdog against the Texans, but we have seen they are vulnerable in the air (Brees torched them for 370 yards in Week 1) so this suddenly becomes a fascinating contest where we get to see if the grass is greener when you use a Gardner.

I’m arriving on a Jet plane

The Antonio Brown saga has taken a turn this week that is beyond any form of joke, but keeping this strictly on the field the Jets are now part of this extrapolated storyline after the Patriots traded Demaryius Thomas to the Big Apple, the green ones of course.

Thomas comes into the Jets just as the incredibly unlucky Quincy Enunwa is put on season-ending I/R with a recurrence of a neck injury that cost him the 2017 season. Thomas is four years older than Enunwa and is more prone to dropping the ball, but the important factor of chemistry will be eased by the fact Demaryius was coached by Jets head coach Adam Gase when he was receivers coach and offensive coordinator in Denver from 2010-2014. Sam Darnold and Enunwa had worked on exclusive routes together and now it will be a case or re-establishing part of the offensive game-plan.

The Jets face the Burst Bubble Browns in Week 2 and they match-up well against Cleveland. It might only be Week 2 but the loser here goes 0-2 and starts facing a lot more scrutiny. Worth staying up for in the unsavoury hours of Tuesday morning to see how this one plays out.

Best Of A Bad Bunch?

Image Credit – Aaron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

They say that defence wins championships, the Broncos will be hoping that statement rings true based on the state of their quarterback room. Joe Flacco looked as advertised in week 1, not the worst quarterback in the league but immobile (always) and inaccurate (at times).

Vic Fangio, the former Bears DC who will surely have a perfect game plan to get the best of the Bears at home whilst also trying to confuse Trubisky with disguised coverages, I expect a turnover feast.

Both sides need to bounce back from opening week defeats and maybe for one of the few times this year, Denver will get superior quarterback play.

Sh*tcago?

IMAGE CREDIT: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Talking of Chicago, many folk in Illinois including Matt Nagy, were not happy with the way the Bears performed on opening night.

“3 points is ridiculous” said the Bears HC after the game and he’s right. You do not win games scoring 3 points.

How will he, Trubisky and the Bears team rebound?

It gets even spicier once you realise that they travel to Denver, an already difficult away destination to get a W from. Why is it spicy? They not only travel to a hard and hostile environment, but they also travel to play a team whose HC is Vic Fangio, a guy who will know a hell of a lot about the team after being their DC last year.

Other storylines include how will the Chicago backfield work in the rotation? Will they lean to their defence once again to try and get a win on the road?

More importantly, are Chicago in trouble??

As for Mitch Trubisky, you want to give young guys time and we shouldn’t forget he only started 13 games in college but the fact is he still looks like a rookie in year 3. Several of his passes give opponents chances for picks, particularly when he throws across his body to the left.

Lot’s of intrigue in this one, just like a cabaret (Chicago reference).

DOING THE BARE MIN-IMUM

Staying in the NFC North, a tasty game for the eyeballs at Lambeau.

This game is another one of those that the fully guaranteed Vikings QB Kirk Cousins has to try and get the monkey off his back in the sense that he can’t do it when it matters.

Only attempted 10 passes in week 1, so his arm is going to be sore and you would expect him to throw more in this one.

Packers squeaked a win at Soldier field on opening night whilst the Vikings could not have been more dominant vs a fancied Falcons team.

A win for a the Cheeseheads here wouldn’t mean at the very worst, split records against their divisional rivals, something Minnesota probably need to avoid to have a chance at winning the division or perhaps even a wildcard spot.

The same fixture last year ended in controversial tie with 2 missed Field Goals both at the end of the game and 2 in OT, multitude of bad referee calls on hits. It had everything. The final spice in the melting pot.

If Minnesota get the win here, it’ll be another “really unique” thing for Cousins this season.

Remember, dont do the wave!

Revenge time!

Every angle has been covered about the notorious non PI call from last year’s championship game (wonder if Paddy Power will do a special on whether a PI call will be reviewed).

Luckily for the Rams, this isn’t back at the scene of the crime but judging by LA’s fanbase, there will be a lot of Saints fans in the stands with referee uniforms on.

Can emotions stay in check for the Saints? Can Goff and company put the saga to rest? And will there be any more incidents as bad as that one back in late January?

Both of these teams met in a classic in the regular season too and this one should be no different. Two high powered offences with great players and playcallers. One for the everyone to sit down and enjoy on the late slate of games. Both will no doubt be expecting to make the post season and likely write in another log of this recently fierce rivalry.

Supply Lines – Clemson Wide Receivers By Lee Wakefield

blog, College, Lee

Welcome back for another episode of Supply Lines, this week I am looking at Clemson wide receivers and this is just about one of the most prolific supply lines that there has been in recent years for a certain position! Not only have Clemson supplied the NFL with 10 receivers in 10 years via the draft but the quality of those receivers has been very high indeed… and that’s not even counting undrafted receivers that have made it to the NFL.

To this tune the Clemson athletics website proudly boasts,

“10 former Clemson wide receivers are on NFL rosters, the most players from one position in school history in the NFL at the same time.”

What’s more, the trend doesn’t show any hints of slowing down with the likes of Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross currently on the Tigers depth chart. Higgins, a Junior enters this coming college football season as one of the best receivers in the country and is draft eligible, should he choose to enter the 2020 NFL draft. Ross is a Sophomore and will have to wait until 2021 at the earliest to get drafted. Both of these guys are on course to get drafted high whenever they come out – which will prolong the Supply line even further. I mean, it doesn’t hurt that they both have Trevor Lawrence throwing them the ball.

Anyway, more of those two guys later on, right now, I want to talk about the guys who are currently plying their trade in the NFL.

So, I’m going to come right out and say it and I don’t think it’s a hot take at all. The current, best wide receiver in football right now is DeAndre Hopkins, a former Tiger.

In 6 years in the league, Hopkins has amassed, 7,437 yards and an eye-popping 47 touchdowns. Nuk has missed and grand total of one game in all that time and maybe most impressively, did not drop one, single ball in the 2018 season.

Hopkins has vice-like mits, he displays mind-bending body control and concentration on catches and is his QB throws it up as a 50/50 ball, well… it’s not a 50/50 ball. Hopkins is just too strong for almost anyone who guards him… I’d say, at worst Hopkins instantly makes it a 70/30 ball in his favour.

Yeah, he’s pretty special. He was also pretty damn good when he was representing the Tigers too. 39 games in 3 years, yielded 3,020 yards and 27 TD’s, 18 of which came in his Junior season, before he was drafted 27th overall in the 2013 draft by the Texans and was the second wide receiver taken in the first round.

Just imagine being a St. Louis Rams and having the 8th overall pick, needing a receiver and drafting Tavon Austin instead of Hopkins…

Talk about things you hate to see.

It’s almost like after Hopkins, the NFL then realised that Clemson really produces top talent at the position, because since Hopkins, Clemson has had two top 10 receivers drafted; Sammy Watkins, 4th overall in 2014 and Mike Williamsm 7th overall a couple of years ago.

Let’s talk about those two guys.

Both Sammy Watkins and Mike Williams have had their ups and downs in the NFL. Watkins has looked excellent at times but injuries have taken their toll, both on his body and also on his reputation in the minds of fans – despite only just having turned 26 years old this summer, not many see him as a premier wide receiver and some even see him as over the hill. Watkins has played in high powered offenses the past couple of seasons for the Rams and the Chiefs but hasn’t topped 600 yards either year, so perhaps those detractors are correct. A far cry from the guy who was drafted 4th overall and racked up just under 1,500 yards in his final year for Clemson and possessed elite, track-star speed which caused no end of problems to cornerbacks.

Mike Williams is another former Tiger who has had his injury issues and serious injuries at that. Williams suffered a vertebra fracture in his neck in college, which was then followed by a herniated disc in his back, during his rookie training camp. These injuries had a huge bearing on his rookie year and he was facing an uphill battle in year two but my, oh my… Wiliams answered those questions by looking every bit the dominant wide receiver he was when he played in South Carolina. A jump-ball, red-zone monster for the Chargers last year as he accumulated 10 receiving touchdowns and also ran one in, against Kansas City in the big victory at Arrowhead Stadium late in the season.

Whilst Williams did his damage by way of scoring TD’s last year and not so much by gobbling up yardage (664 yards last year) like he did at Clemson, where he topped 1,000 yards twice, we can kind of excuse this when there are so many mouths to feed over in L.A. I mean, not many offenses could draft a wideout 7th overall and be ok with him not being the WR1 on the roster.

Two receivers who are in different moulds who have enjoyed fantastic collegiate success before reaching the NFL and were drafted in the top 10 of their respective drafts. However, neither holds the record for career catches at Clemson… And nor does DeAndre Hopkins.

Who am I talking about?

You can stop searching the past few NFL drafts for the answer because this guy wasn’t even drafted.

The guy you’re looking for is Artavis Scott. 245 career receptions, 5 more than the aforementioned Watkins and before you look, no, Scott didn’t achieve this because he simply played for longer – both players played for three years in college.

Of course, Scott is a pure chain mover, a possession receiver with sure hands and not nearly as athletically gifted as those mentioned before him but to have that many receptions for a top class programme like Clemson is no mean feat and exactly why he has a chance to claim the Chargers WR3 job behind his friend and former college running mate, Mike Williams.

It’s not only high end draft talent that Clemson produce at the wide receiver position; the supply line ticks over with guys who can do a job, fill a role and have some success too. Aside from Scott, this would apply to Martavis Bryant, who was decent a few years back for the Steelers, until his off-field habits caught up with him. Then after that we have roster fillers such as Jordan Leggette, Deon Cain and Ray-Ray McCloud all of whom could come good should the opportunity arise. As I’ve said all through this series, schools can’t kill it every year but this is clear evidence of a supply line.

Fast forward to present day and we have rookie, Hunter Renfrow in his first training camp for the Oakland Raiders. An undersized, 5th rounder who walked on at Clemson after only being offered scholarships to play FCS football. A few years later and Renfrow is about as sure-handed and gritty of a receiver as you can find; he’s very much in the Julian Edelman mould.

Really looking forward (as much as a Chargers fan can) to seeing what Renfrow does in the NFL. I think he could quickly become a trusty friend to Derek Carr what a shaky offense in 2019. Knowing that Carr struggles down the field, their new man (and ex-Charger) Tyrell Williams could turn into an expensive decoy and clear space for Renfrow to work in underneath.

Watch this space!

SO! The big question, one that I hinted at earlier in the piece, is, who is next off the conveyor belt?

Well, I gave you guys the answer earlier on, it’s Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross.

Higgins is entering his first draft eligible season hoping to continue his upward trajectory and cement his place at the top table of wide receivers this coming season. Nice footwork and route running ability, married to good long speed at 6’4, 205lbs and then sprinkle in the ability to make contested catches down the field and you have something special. Trevor Lawrence or not… Watch out for the young man.

Not to be upstaged is Sophomore, Ross… When you get 1,000 yards as a freshman, you turn some heads and Justyn Ross does just that, especially when the yards come at over 20 yards a pop. Look for the second year man to reel in more than 46 catches for Clemson this year and probably go beyond the 1,000 yard mark again. If he does that, Ross will have fans coming down with Leonard Fournette syndrome*.

That said, if Ross does increase his numbers in catches and yardage, and maybe even touchdowns… Maybe I will be struck down too.

I can feel it coming on now actually and all because this is one hyper-productive supply line.

*An illness where a fan becomes so hyped up by a prospect that they make numerous social media posts chastising the NCAA/NFL for not allowing supremely talented student athletes to declare prior to completing their Junior year of college.

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Thanks for reading this weeks’ edition of Supply Lines. Be sure to be back next week when we talk Ohio State edge defenders.

Follow Full 10 Yards College Football @Full10YardsCFB on Twitter

Follow Lee on Twitter @Wakefield90

5 Early Fantasy Sleepers

blog, Fantasy, Lawrence

Written by Lawrence Vos – 27/5/2019

Early non-playing season sleepers

I feel for all the British railway historians and weekend landscape gardeners who will Google this article hoping to find glorious pictures of blocks of abandoned wood they can drool over.

A sleeper for this particular article is defined as a relatively unknown or non-famous NFL player (veteran or rookie) who is projected to far outweigh his previous production, and breakout by exceeding his expected statistics, based on traditionally being a mid-to-late draft pick.

Before we dive into the 2019 fantasy pool Eric ‘The Eel’ Moussambani like, wearing a pair of borrowed swimming trunks, let’s take a look at some of the outstanding 2018 sleepers who were highly unlikely to have been drafted in any fantasy leagues before the end of August last year, but ended up breaking out.

2018 actual sleeper breakouts

Nick Mullens, San Francisco 49ers (2017 Practice Squad)

Mullens came in for C.J Beathard, who himself was subbing for injured starter Jimmy Garoppolo. Mullens ended up starting the entire second half of the season and recorded a respectable 2,277 yards through the air alongside 13 passing touchdowns. Nobody drafted Mullens to their fantasy team for week 1, but by the latter part of the 2018 season he was proving to be a half-decent waiver wire or late bye pickup. Mullens is not someone to draft or roster in 2019, but he gives the 49ers a low cost reliable backup, if he makes the 53-man roster.

James Conner, Pittsburgh Steelers (2017 3^rd round pick)

Philip Lindsay, Denver Broncos (2018 Undrafted Free Agent)

Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens (2018 Undrafted Free Agent)

Lindsay and Edwards were not drafted but both started for their teams. Edwards played 11 games, including 6 starts, helping to act as a battering ram taking handoffs from silky running quarterback and fellow rookie Lamar Jackson. Edwards ended up as the fifth leading rookie rusher. The person who finished three slots above him for rookie rushing was Philip Lindsay. The former Colorado player not only went over 1,000 yards (1,037) he became the first undrafted offensive rookie to make the Pro Bowl. Not so much a sleeper, more like someone coming out of a coma to run a marathon. James Conner’s story to date is remarkable, having recovered from cancer in 2016, he was somewhat of an afterthought when drafted by the Steelers at pick #105 in 2017, as LeVeon Bell was wowing the planet with his unique ‘delay and dash’ running style. Nobody thought Bell would hold-out the entire 2018 season, but he did and Conner came in to register just under 1,500 all-purpose yards (973 rushing and 493 through the air). Conner started the 2019 Pro-Bowl over Lindsay.

Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals (2016 2^nd round pick)

Ok this is a bit of an anomaly to the traditional sleeper criteria as Boyd was picked #55 in the 2016 NFL draft. What gives Boyd the title is his progress from 2017 (1 start and 22 catches) to 2018 (14 starts 76 catches). In 2018 Boyd recorded his first 1,000-yard season (1,028) and led the Bengals in targets, catches, yards and touchdowns (7 – tied with John Ross). Boyd benefitted from a major injury to All-Pro wide-out A.J. Green, but circumstance does not generate statistics, effort, consistency and trust from your quarterback does.

Chris Herndon, New York Jets (2018 4^th round pick)

Herndon was the sixth tight-end to be drafted last year and as of Week 1 he was the fourth-string behind a rag-tag bunch that included Eric Tomlinson, Neal Stirling and Jordan Leggett, names only their mother loves (or knows about). In a position that is notoriously punishing to first-year players Herndon ended up on the 2018 All-Rookie Team. His 39 catches led all rookie tight-ends and his 502 yards only trailed fellow rookie tight-end Mark Andrews of the Ravens (552). Achieving this with a rookie quarterback was pretty remarkable too, as Herndon ended up the second leading receiver on the team.

Five 2019 offensive sleeper candidates

So where does this lead us to in 2019? Who is sitting there like an about-to-be disturbed roof full of asbestos in a 1960s primary school, ready to join Baker Mayfield’s ‘dangerous club’, in experiencing an external transformation? Here are five offensive sleeper candidates:

Drew Lock, Denver Broncos (2019 2^nd round pick)

The Broncos have struggled at quarterback since the retirement of Peyton Manning at the end of 2015. Four passers have started since then, namely Brock Osweiler (4), Paxton Lynch (4),Trevor Simien (24), and Case Keenum (16). None are considered a franchise quarterback, and to top it off John Elway moved for past-his-prime quarterback Joe Flacco in free-agency. Still searching for a future star the Broncos drafted Drew Lock in the second round of this year’s NFL draft. Many draft-nicks had Lock getting selected in the first round, but he fell, and Denver had to move up and trade with the Bengals to acquire his John Hancock. Lock is the current backup on the depth chart, but he could be on the field by Week 6 if Flacco fails to get the Broncos moving smoothly. Lock was a highly productive college quarterback at Missouri throwing for over 12,000 yards and 99 touchdowns in 46 starts. Nobody is drafting Flacco in fantasy, but you may want to consider taking a flier on Lock on your bench.

Ronald Jones III, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2018 2^nd round pick)

To say Ronald Jones’s rookie season was a disaster would be a gross understatement. If his inept performance was caused by injury there would be a valid reason to relax, but Jones participated in 9 games. His one touchdown (in a 26-23 win against the Browns) was a lone highlight. Besides that his 44 rushing yards and 33 receiving yards were barely worth typing in this sentence. Currently listed as number two on the Tampa depth chart, behind Peyton Barber, Jones has the opportunity for a fresh start under new head coach Bruce Arians. The Buccs didn’t draft a running back this year, another good sign for Jones to have some genuine fantasy impact in 2019. He is durable, as indicated by a 591 carry college career at USC, including a 1,550 rushing performance in 2017. Jones can go from zero to hero and with a good start to his season he could end with 1,000 all-purpose yards.

Malcolm Brown, Los Angeles Rams (2015 Undrafted Free Agent)

The dictionary definition of an insurance policy, Brown is crouching in the weeds whilst the news of Todd Gurley’s knee ailments appears to be gaining growing concern by Rams coaches and fans alike. Brown has already been subject to a poaching bid earlier in the year by the Detroit Lions, with the Rams deciding he was too valuable to let go. Brown averaged a respectable 4.9 yards a carry in 2019. He missed the Rams playoff run to the Super Bowl having gone on injured reserve in December. Much like a cockroach after the apocalypse Brown has been on the Rams roster for four seasons now, and is one Gurley injury from one of the biggest opportunities of his career. Much like James Conner in Pittsburgh Brown is in a great positing to have immediate fantasy impact. You only need look at the production of C.J. Anderson as Gurley’s backup in 2018 to see how impactful a back in L.A. can be. Brown has fresh legs and knows the offense inside out. As a #2 he can get 400-500 rushing yards. As a starter he has the capability to go over 1,250 all-purpose yards in 2019.

WR
Demarcus Robinson, Kansas City Chiefs (2016 4^th round draft pick)

Former Florida Gator wide-receiver Demarcus Robinson has been like a Velcro-covered ball that has been rolled around some freshly mowed grass, he has the potential to stick and hit the target but hasn’t quite managed to yet. The Chiefs have had Robinson on their roster for three seasons now, but he has only started 13 games (out of 48 he played in) and this has resulted in underwhelming statistical production (43 catches for exactly 500 yards and four scores). Where Robinson elevates his sleeper status over other wide-outs is not just potential, its opportunity. With Tyreek Hill (I shudder even typing his name) facing a major suspension and current #1 WR Sammy Watkins missing 18 games over the last four seasons, Robinson can easily triple or even quadruple his average production over the past two years. Yes the Chiefs drafted Mecole Hardman, but with few exceptions, rookie receivers struggle to have a huge impact. With the NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes throwing to him in 2019 its time for Robinson to step up to the NFL dance floor.

Matt LaCosse, New England Patriots (2015 Undrafted Free Agent)

Up there with Snow White, Rip Van Winkle and Dracula Matt LaCosse is a classic sleeper. Another winner through self-destruction around him by others, not just pure talent, LaCosse is in a pretty perfect place at a pretty perfect time. With perhaps the greatest tight-end in NFL history now retired in New England, and ageless-wonder Ben Watson recently suspended, all the 6ft 6inch man mountain has to do is beat Austin Seferian-Jenkins to the starting spot for Week 1. LaCosse had a mini breakout of his own with the Broncos in 2018, with 24 catches for 250 yards. Prior to that LaCosse generated no impact with the Giants (two-stints), spent six days as a New York Jets player, and was on injured reserve throughout 2016. His three catches prior to 2018 were barely worth a Wikipedia note. LaCosse is the sort or reclamation project that Bill Bellichick will love to get his evil claws right into. Staying on the field both as a starter and part of some two tight-end sets could see LaCosse generate over 50 catches for over 650 yards and 6-8 touchdowns. That would be a viable starting output from someone who will be only slightly rising up fantasy draft boards at the moment.