Same Faces New Places 2017

By Armando Marsal

One of the first things most fantasy owners tend to do when starting their research for their fantasy leagues is to look at the previous season’s stats. The question is, what do you do when a player is no longer on the same team? Going into a new offense potentially leads to a new system that may or may not benefit a player. Below are some players who fantasy owners are familiar with, but have found a new place to call home. Let’s take a look at what we can expect from these players in their new offenses.

Brandin Cooks – NE: Cooks goes from catching passes from one of the better quarterbacks to play the game, to arguably the greatest of all time. The Patriots offense becomes even more powerful with the addition of Cooks and his presence adds a deep threat that Tom Brady can rely on. Cooks has topped 1,100 yards in back-to-back seasons, while scoring a combined 17 touchdowns. In the past two years, he has also been targeted 246 times. This offense is loaded with options for Brady and the Patriots like to spread the ball around, so consistency could be a concern for those taking a shot on Cooks. That being said, Brady has attempted over 580 passes in all five of his last full seasons, so Cooks should still see plenty of looks. His third round ADP is a bit steep for me, but I can totally see the merit in taking a chance on him as he does offer plenty of upside.

Brandon Marshall – NYG: Marshall will be the No. 2 receiver on his team, which is something we are not used to saying and although he is past his prime, I believe there is still some gas left in the tank. I understand he is coming off of one of his worst seasons, but it was a terrible situation and this year he is on a pass happy offense. He will also not demand the opposing team’s best defender like he has in the past. Eli Manning has attempted over 595 passes in three consecutive seasons and the Giants have no run game, so the opportunity should be there for Marshall to receive some targets. I can also see how the Giants utilize Marshall often in the red zone. He was one of the top targeted receivers in the red zone last season. With Odell Beckham Jr. on the opposite side, 100+ receptions is very unlikely for Marshall. However, 80+ receptions for 1,000+ yards and 8-10 touchdowns is certainly possible, which is a decent return on investment for those taking him in the 6-7 rounds.

DeSean Jackson – TB: The speedster will play for his third NFL team since joining the league in 2008. This is a good landing spot for him as he will pair up with Jameis Winston who has a cannon for an arm and also joins an offense with a star receiver, so opposing defenses will not be focusing in on Jackson. He has never been a consistent receiver on a weekly basis for fantasy owners, so it would be silly to think that he will become one this year, but the 30 year old could be in for another 1,000+ yard season on this offense. He is currently being drafted in the eighth round, which is a fair price for him. With that said, I feel much better about taking him in best ball formats than I do in redraft leagues.

Alshon Jeffery – PHI: The Eagles inked Jeffery on a one-year deal which means that he has a lot to play for this season. While there are several mouths to feed on this offense, Jeffery is the most talented receiver on the team. We have seen his upside and efficiency, but injuries have kept him from being one of the top fantasy receivers on a year-to-year basis. The Eagles finished sixth in the NFL last season with 609 pass attempts, which makes this a good situation to be in for Jeffery. He will be catching passes from Carson Wentz this season, which is not really a downgrade from his previous quarterback. Drafting Jeffery is risky, but there is so much reward that can follow with this pick as he is very talented and is playing for a potential long-term and big contract. I do not have an issue taking a shot on him, but just be wary of what you are getting yourself into.

Terrelle Pryor – WAS: I am on the minority when it comes to Pryor this season as I am not that high on him. However, I cannot deny how good of a situation he is in compared to the one last year. He is on a better offense with a better quarterback. The Redskins finished seventh in the league with 607 pass attempts last year and although they have better weapons than the Browns did, they lost DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon who accounted for 214 targets last season. There is definitely target opportunity here, but I also see players such as Jordan Reed, Jamison Crowder, and second year receiver Josh Docston to see a bump in usage as well. My main issue with Pryor is that he is currently being drafted ahead of receivers such as Jarvis Landry, Martavis Bryant, and Alshon Jeffery, all of which I would rather take before him. Due to his price, I will likely have minimal shares of Pryor this season.

Martellus Bennett – GB: Bennett is a very talented tight end and will play for an offense with one of the better quarterbacks to ever play the game. However, the Packers have had only one tight end get more than 53 targets since the 2013 season. In addition, there are plenty of mouths to feed on this offense, so consistency is something that may be an issue for Bennett. Green Bay did finish fifth last season with 620 pass attempts, but even though that was the case, only three players finished with more than 60 receptions. All of which are on the roster this season. Bennett may not be a high-volume tight end this season, but offers plenty of touchdown upside and can still be considered a low-end TE1.

Dwayne Allen – NE: The Patriots traded for Allen this offseason, essentially replacing Martellus Bennett. Allen is in a good position to have a decent opportunity on this offense. Last season, Bennett was peppered with 73 targets, which was good for 13 percent of the pass attempts for the Patriots. Rob Gronkowski was sidelined for some time last season, which led to some of the volume that Bennett had, but Gronk has not played a full 16 games since 2011. It is worth noting that initial reports are that Allen is not doing well in camp and that he is not a lock to make the roster, which is something to keep an eye on as this system has been troublesome for some players to pick up. Ultimately, Allen’s role will be determined by his ability to pick up this offense and possible other players getting injured. There will be weeks that the Patriots run out two tight end formations and he will likely be productive in those contests, but it will be a guessing game as to when that may happen. Taking a flier on him in th
e late rounds of your drafts is fine with me as he does provide some upside.

Adrian Peterson – NO: Peterson will play for a different team for the first time since being drafted in 2007 by the Vikings. He joined the Saints, a high-powered offense, but also joins a crowded backfield with Mark Ingram, Travaris Cadet, and rookie Alvin Kamara who is expected to have an immediate role. Ingram and Kamara both have better hands that AP, so we could see him come off the field on third downs in some instances. You should also expect Ingram to come in during some drives and get carries. This is looking like it will be a full-blown running back by committee and a situation where I would rather take the cheapest back on this backfield. Peterson is going in the fifth round according to his ADP and Ingram in the late sixth and early seventh. You are essentially going to have to draft them in back-to-back rounds if you want them both. Keep a close eye on training camp and the preseason as we could receive a lot of information on what to expect from this backfield.

Eddie Lacy – SEA: Lacy heads to Seattle who, aside from last year, was a team that finished in the top three in rush attempts every season since 2012. Last year Seattle dealt with injuries to their backfield, which could have led to them relying less on the run game. Lacy has been a disappointment that last two season, but finds himself in a really good situation for a potential bounce back season. Despite his struggles in recent years, he has managed to keep his yards per carry above four. His weight issues is something he has to be conscious about, but if he can manage to stay in shape, we could see more of the 2013-2014 Lacy. This is an offense that likes to run the ball and he is the favorite to get the bulk of the work. His current seventh round ADP is very enticing and hopefully it does not move much higher than that as it is one of the better potential values in the draft this season.

Others:
Latavius Murray – MIN: The Vikings have replaced Adrian Peterson with Latavius Murray and rookie Dalvin Cook. Murray will open camp on the active/PUP list after coming off of ankle surgery, but is hopeful to be ready for the start of the season. This offensive line is not as good as the one he had in Oakland, but does come in ranked 14th in PFF’s rankings. He will be competing for the starting job, but he is still a proven back and could be utilized in the red zone on this offense. He comes at a cheap price and is worth taking a shot on.

Danny Woodhead – BAL: Woodhead is coming off of a season-ending ACL injury, but is currently working with no restrictions in camp on his new team in Baltimore. The Ravens do not have a deep backfield, so Woodhead should have a significant role. He will not run between the tackles, but should be peppered with targets out of this backfield and receive plenty of red zone work.

Jamaal Charles – DEN: I want to be a believer in Charles, but I simply cannot. He has now played just eight games in the last two seasons and is on a new team. The Broncos offensive line comes in ranked 25th overall, which is not something I want for a 32 year old back who is coming off of multiple knee injuries. You also have to factor in C.J. Anderson who will receive plenty of work too. If Charles stays healthy, at best, he will be in a running back by committee. This is a situation I am avoiding all around.

Pierre Garcon – SF: Garcon heads to the West Coast to join the 49ers. He will be catching passes from newly acquired quarterback Brian Hoyer, who has displayed his ability (small sample) to be efficient. With the lack of talent on this offense, Garcon could be in for plenty of targets.

Ted Ginn jr. – NO: Ginn joined the Saints and should once again play the deep threat role, but this time it is in a high-powered offense with a gun slinging quarterback. Although he will not be reliable on a week-to-week-basis, Ginn makes for a solid best ball option.

Kenny Britt – CLE: This is someone I do not mind taking a shot on considering his 11th round ADP. The Browns parted ways with several pass catchers that accounted for over 200 targets, so Britt could see a decent amount a volume in an offense that will likely be trailing often this season.

Torrey Smith – PHI: The Eagles will likely use Smith in a deep threat role, but the volume will likely not be enough to give him much consideration in most leagues. He has far more value in best ball formats.

Lance Kendricks – GB: He joins a crowded offense and will likely be utilized the majority of the time as a blocker. He is not the tight end want to own in Green Bay.

Mike Glennon- CHI: The Bears gave Glennon a $45 million deal with $18.5 million guaranteed and then drafted rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky with the No. 2 overall pick. In addition, they also signed Mark Sanchez. Glennon is expected to begin the season as the Bears starting quarterback, but at some point it is likely Trubisky will be under center. This is a situation worth avoiding in re-draft leagues, but Trubisky could be someone to consider in dynasty leagues.

Brock Osweiler – CLE: After a big pay day last season from the Texans, Osweiler fell flat on his face and was traded to the Browns this season where he is competing for a starting job. There is no fantasy value here and he can be completely ignored.