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Jameis Winston deserved a better ending to his 2021 season, just like fans of “Seinfeld” and “The Sopranos” deserved better endings to their shows.
Winston was arguably on his way to one of the best years of his inconsistent NFL career, if not the best, in his second season with the New Orleans Saints. In seven games, the turnover-prone passer had the best touchdown-to-interception ratio he had ever had in a single season (14 to 3) and had a QB rating over 100 for the first time in his professional life. He had offensive mastermind Sean Payton teaching him how to play mistake-free football, while top tailback Alvin Kamara took the pressure off him with his running and by turning Winston’s two-yard passes into long gainers. Winston did not make Saints fans or fantasy football managers forget about Drew Brees, but he did a decent job making them forget about his 30-interception fiasco from 2019.
Winston’s season ended unceremoniously thanks to a dreaded torn ACL, so he only managed to suit up for seven games. Those seven games might make him multimillions this offseason, though. With so many NFL teams in the search for a starting signal-caller and the quarterback carousel spinning at a record rate with Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, and Carson Wentz’s destinations now set, Winston could command top dollar on the open market. His fantasy value for 2022 hinges on where he ends up.
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Where Should Jameis Winston Play in 2022?
Should he step in for Russell Wilson as the new guy throwing to DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett in Seattle? Should he be the one handing off to Jonathan Taylor in Indianapolis?
I think the answer is he should stay right where he is/was. He should celebrate at Mardi Gras, treat himself to weekly dinners of gumbo and jambalaya, and give himself the chance to play a full season with the Saints and a coaching staff who was able to get more out of him than most coaching staffs have in the past. He should stay in New Orleans.
I know what you’re thinking. Payton is no longer there to guide Winston. Kamara could get suspended for his offseason assault in Las Vegas. Taysom Hill is still on the roster making millions, so he will need to be under center a few snaps every game. I still think the positives outweigh the negatives for Winston staying as a Saint, though. Here are three reasons why Winston should stay put:
The NFC South
The NFC South has no chance of being the best division in the NFL in 2022. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers just watched Tom Brady retire and unretire, so they will be the favorites again to win the division. It is unclear how much of the band will be back together, though. Winston will have revenge on his mind since the Bucs were the ones who injured his knee last season, plus head coach Bruce Arians and Winston were never a good match when Winston was in Tampa Bay.
The Carolina Panthers have no quarterback and are listening to trade offers for franchise linchpin Christian McCaffrey. And the Atlanta Falcons just lost top target Calvin Ridley for the 2022 campaign due to his illegal gambling and have so many holes on offense and defense that they would drive a trypophobic insane. They also lost out on the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes. So at least a half-dozen of Winston’s games with New Orleans would be winnable and against beatable competition.
The Triumphant Return of Michael Thomas
Remember this guy? He used to be one of the top wide receivers in the NFL and fantasy football. Thomas led the NFL in receptions and receiving yards in 2019. You know, back before COVID was running rampant and Prince Harry left the Royal Family. Thomas makes quarterbacks better. The guy catches anything in his zip code when he is healthy, and after two years of nonstop ankle problems, Thomas is ready to return and should be a contender for Comeback Player of the Year. Winston was able to do okay with a subpar receiving corps and tight end group last year, so adding Thomas back into the pass-catching mix would certainly catapult Winston’s fantasy value upward.
No Other Threat on the Roster at QB
Taysom Hill proved that he cannot be counted upon as an every-down quarterback after he tossed more picks than touchdowns last season. He has a unique skill set and should be utilized at moments during games, but unless his passing improved exponentially, there is no way he should be starting 17 times for the Saints in 2022. That is why bringing Winston back and having them reform their quarterback tag team would make perfect sense for all parties involved, especially Winston. Payton might have hung up his headset, but the rest of the Saints' staff is there, including offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, who was a big reason Winston had the success he did in New Orleans.
On paper, for fantasy stats purposes, it would behoove Winston to be the starting QB for the Seahawks, who arguably have more talent and depth at receiver and tight end than the Saints. But fantasy managers know what happens when Winston is left to throw however he wants without repercussions. He might finish with 4,000 passing yards, but he might also finish with 20-30 interceptions that will lose fantasy managers more games in the end. Winston has it good in New Orleans as a fantasy QB2/QB3, and he might be better with Thomas as his go-to guy. I hope he sticks with the Saints and shows fantasy footballers he can be more of a help than a hindrance in 2022.
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