RADIO
Draft season is in full swing and Week 1 of the NFL season keeps inching closer. At RotoBaller, we continue to provide you with all the information you need to make informed decisions, including breakdowns of the players who are at the top of our draft lists.
I'm going through various positions and league types to list such players with detailed explanations. Among those are my original must-have list, along with additional running back must-haves, and wide receiver must-haves.
Now, let's see which players carry more weight in Superflex leagues and should be higher on your draft list.
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Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints
It's official - Famous Jameis is the man in the Big Easy. The battle between him and Taysom Hill ended after Winston completed 9 of his 10 pass attempts for 123 yards and two touchdowns in the preseason game versus Jacksonville. There had already been indications before this performance, however, and it seems his teammates are enthused about the decision.
Jameis Winston is receiving significant locker-room support this week for the #Saints starting QB job, with many teammates treating him as if he is the starter or giving indications he will get the job, per sources.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) August 27, 2021
Winston's ups and downs are well-documented. A former No. 1 overall pick, he led the league in passing yards in 2019 with Tampa. He also led the league with 30 interceptions and has a too-high 3.4% INT% for his career. Drew Brees didn't post an INT% over 1.5% in his last four years as a Saint. Of course, Brees' average target depth was 6.4 last year and 6.9 the year before while Winston's was second-highest in the league at 10.7 in 2019, his last year as a starter. Can Sean Payton really transition from one polar opposite to the other successfully?
It's what he wants and it's likely we'll see a different version of this offense with more deep balls to exploit the strengths of receivers Marquez Callaway, Tre'Quan Smith, and Lil'Jordan Humphrey. The dump-off to Alvin Kamara remains a viable option and should keep Winston's floor somewhat intact.
We don't know how many W's he'll be eating this year but it doesn't matter. As long as he puts up yards and touchdowns, Superflex league GMs can keep riding him all season long.
Trey Lance, San Francisco 49ers
Lance's QB20 ADP in late August reveals concerns that he may not be the starting quarterback for a while as Jimmy Garoppolo holds onto the job. That might not happen even for the season opener.
For the second straight practice Garopplo and Lance shuffled off and on the field alternating reps 1-2 at a time with the offense.
Lance spent a short series with the 1s, Garoppolo with the 2s in red zone drills
— Jennifer Lee Chan (@jenniferleechan) August 26, 2021
Whether Lance is the starter in Week 1 doesn't matter; there's almost no chance Garoppolo hangs onto the job all season and it probably won't take but a couple of weeks before the transition is made.
The Kyle Shanahan offense is known for being running back-friendly but it's also quarterback-friendly. With an assortment of QBs including Jimmy G, Nick Mullens, and C.J. Beathard, the Niners somehow finished 10th in team passing yards. Targets like George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and Deebo Samuel will make things easy for Lance once inserted.
The other concern is how long Lance will take to acclimate to the pros. He played just one game in college last season, so there's bound to be rust. He also hails from North Dakota State, Carson Wentz's alma mater, so the matter of preparedness against high-level competition will always be in question. It wasn't a problem for Wentz, at least initially, and shouldn't be for Lance. His preseason completion rate isn't impressive at 13 of 28 but he's thrown three scores versus one interception. What hasn't shown up in the statbook yet but eventually will is his rushing ability. Lance ran for 1,110 yards and 14 touchdowns in college and will bring a new element to San Fran's offense.
It may take a couple of games for him to truly get going but the second half could be special and that's what matters most in fantasy. The 49ers have a dream schedule in Week 14-17 playing the likes of Cincinnati, Atlanta, Tennessee, and Houston. Those are defenses that Lance can feast on and reward those who have him in their Superflex slot.
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
A QB1 that can be drafted as a mid-range QB2? Yes, please.
It's far from certain that Tagovailoa will finish as a top-12 fantasy quarterback but this preseason has brought nothing but promise.
Really good breakdown from @danorlovsky7 on this play from @Tua #Dolphins #NFL #Finsup @_TuaTime_ @ian693_ @PhinManiacs @FinsPhanatics @wsvn pic.twitter.com/cNyvzLK52E
— Josh Moser (@TheMozKnowz) August 27, 2021
Skepticism about his progress and the potential of this passing offense has kept his ADP suppressed to the point he's not even a top-20 QB in many drafts. Miami did finish 18th in pass attempts last year but that was partly due to the lack of options at wide receiver and admitted lack of readiness by Tagovailoa. That has all changed in his favor this year thanks to a full offseason to heal and learn the offense under new co-coordinators as well as more weapons in Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle. A healthy Preston Williams and Albert Wilson returning after opting out in 2020 bring even more depth.
The recent rumors that the Dolphins are still somehow angling for Deshaun Watson and are leading candidates to get him should just serve to make Tagovailoa an even better draft value. Even if Miami mortgages their immediate future by sending all their draft picks to Houston, Tagovailoa would stay on board. Watson may not play this season regardless of what team he is on because of ongoing legal issues and a potential suspension by the league. There's no doubt Tagovailoa is the starter and a solid QB2 in fantasy.
Giovani Bernard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
But Gio isn't a QB! I know. But there may come a time when one of your quarterbacks is hurt and another is on a bye week. Or, in the case of a rookie like Lance, he simply hasn't been inserted as the starter just yet. In that case, you need a non-QB to put in your Superflex spot. Ideally, you've drafted a team full of stud wide receivers and are grateful for the chance to put your fifth option in the starting lineup. Chances are, that won't happen.
In case of emergency, break glass and insert a pass-catching running back with a high weekly floor like Bernard a.k.a. the new James White. You were never excited about White in your lineup but didn't complain when he caught seven passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. The upside is similar with Bernard in Tampa and he will be available to scoop up around pick 150.
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