Tag: Sam Bradford

NFL Players At The Crossroads

Football, NFL, Sports

Usually when players are at the crossroads of their careers, it’s based on their  performances, inability to stay on the field, or just bad timing. A few players were actually successful at the pivotal moment (Drew Brees and Reggie Bush). And then there were players, recently, who might have officially ended up on the wrong side (Trent Richardson, Tim Tebow, RG3, Matt Flynn, Jonas Gray). The RG3 situation is an unusual one that I’ll explain in the next couple of days. For now, here are a few players who’s currently at the fork in the road.

image

Jay Cutler
When Jay Cutler was first traded to Chicago in 2009, I was excited. He was coming off a Pro Bowl season. The Bears haven’t had a real quarterback in ages. Cutler has all the talent to be a great quarter, especially his extravagant arm strength. John Fox is his 3rd head coach since being in the Windy City and has had plenty of offensive coordinators including Mike Martz. This could possibly be his best season yet. However, his terrible decision-making and only 1 playoff win in his tenure makes him a viable candidate for this list.

image

Jonathan Stewart
The 28-year-old and former Oregon Duck is a good underrated running back. You probably couldn’t tell because he was splitting carries with DeAngelo Williams and… his inability to stay on the field. In Stewarts first 4 seasons, he only missed 2 games. However, he has missed 20 in the past 3 seasons. What will Stewart do as the feature back this season is the question…

Sam Bradford
The former number overall pick back in 2010 is on the list because of his injury history. It was bad enough his best weapon on offense was an aging Stephen Jackson back in St Louis. He has had two consecutive seasons ended due to a torn ACL and doesn’t need to happen a 3rd time. In a Chip Kelly offense, Bradford is due for a prime year, only…. if he can stay healthy.

image

Darren McFadden
Run DMC has the talent to be a top 10 back in this league. He has great acceleration and lateral quickness. He now plays behind the best offensive line in football. But just like him and the past 2 players I just mentioned, he has a history problem. Personally, I want to see him destroy the NFL but only his legs will tell. He also has to get over the hurdle of being second on the team’s depth chart behind Joseph Randle.

image

Doug Martin
The “Muscle Hamster” caught defenses off guard with is powerful running tactics during his rookie campaign. The next couple of years, his production declined due to injuries (how surprising) and a bad offensive line. Doug Martin appears to be healthy, but he needs to stay that way because Charles Sims is sitting there hovering his starting job.

Michael Crabtree
The former college All American has yet to live up to expectations in the NFL. He has been in an inconsistent, run heavy offense in San Francisco, but he has had key drops in crucial game moments as well. According to Richard Sherman, he’s just a Mediocre’ Receiver. Now, across the bay in Oakland, he has a chance to resurrect his career. The clock is ticking.

JGood

Fantasy Football: Top 5 Sleepers

Fantasy Football, Football, Sports

image

A few days ago I did a blog about fantasy football players that you should avoid (hopefully some people took my advice). I guess it’s only right to release a list of players that MIGHT make your fantasy football teams shine depending on how you already drafted.

Of course, you should draft the can’t miss players like Jamaal Charles, Adrian Peterson, Antonio Brown, Aaron Rodgers, Julio Jones, Le’Veon Bell, and so on… but when you starting to get beyond round 5, things can get interesting, especially if you’re drafting without a strategy (sad but it happens). I’m going to take a page out my own play book and share my top 5 sleeper list for 2015.

Here’s a few other players you should keep your eye on as well:

Brandon Cooks (NO)
Mike Wallace (MIN)
Davante Adams (GB)
Amari Cooper (OAK)
Jarvis Landry (MIA)

Top 5:

image

5. Ameer Abdullah

The rookie from Nebraska has caught quite a few people’s attention during the preseason. I know it’s just preseason (believe me I know), but he’s shown his value. He’s a dual threat (rushing and receiving) with a great combination of speed and agility. If Joique Bell continues to be hit with the injury bug, Abdullah’s upside is tremendous.

image

4. Tyler Eifert

The former Stud from Notre Dame can be exactly what is missing from the Cincinnati Bengals’ passing game. With A.J. Green and Jeremey Hill receiving majority of the attention on offense, Eifert should be able to get open, especially with his size and speed. Andy Dalton will find this man so he should find his way to your starting line up.

image

3. Todd Gurley

The former Georgia Bulldog is coming off an ACL injury. Typically, it takes 2 years to get back and be productive (Adrian Peterson doesn’t apply here), but taking a chance on Gurley should almost be required. He is going to be the face of the franchise due to his special ability as a ball carrier. Another appealing feature is that fact that St. Louis doesn’t have an identity or a real offense. By default, Todd Gurley is the offense once he returns.

image

2. Martavis Bryant

Martavis Bryant has shown flashes of superstardom with his ability to make spectacular catches and ability to get open. Even though he’s suspend for the first quarter of the season, he’s worth stashing on your bench. With Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell receiving majority of the attention from opposing defenses, Bryant should have favorable matches every week in an offense that’s looking to score 30 points per game, according to Big Ben.

image

1. Sam Bradford

An accurate quarterback plus a chip Kelly offense equals instant success (only if he stays healthy). Sam Bradford is actually in an offense that has weapons and not just replacement players. Chip Kelly’s quarterbacks have ranked in the top 5 for fantasy points ever since he became head coach. In addition, this is a pivotal moment in Bradford’s career so he’s playing with an edge. Drafting Bradford would be a steal pass round 8.

 

JGood