A Preview of the Upcoming NFL Season

Nothing excites me more than the start of a new NFL season. Yeah, I like baseball a lot, but over the years I have realized just how much football really means to me. Since I go to a university that does not have a football team just makes watching games with a bunch of my buddies that much more enjoyable because that is the only football that we really get. That being said, here are a few things that I will be paying close attention to for the next 7 months.

Will the Eagles keep riding the victory train? Or will they fall off the tracks?

Last year they played at an extremely high level. Obviously they won the Super Bowl and we know that they did it with a backup quarterback for the entire playoffs. Many thought, including myself, that the Eagles had no shot at going deep in the postseason after the injury to their franchise quarterback, Carson Wentz. But, their savior Nick Foles came to the rescue and the rest is history. Now, the Eagles face the challenge of continuing their momentum from last season into this one. The Eagles now have a target on their backs and will get each team’s best shot.

The return of Carson Wentz should put the Eagles back into a position where they can make a deep playoff run. However, I do not think they will return to the grand stage to defend their title. I may be the only one who feels this way, but I am having a tough time putting my full faith into the Eagles. I’m not saying that their Super Bowl win was a fluke (anytime you beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl it’s more than a fluke), but I just can’t seem to trust this team. I would really need to see more than just one year of great play before I can say that this team will compete for a championship year in and year out.

So do I think that the Eagles will keep playing at high level into the 2018 season? Yes. But I think they will fall short in the playoffs.

Will the Patriots be alright after losing the Super Bowl, saying “good-bye” to Brandin Cooks, and having Julian Edleman suspended for PED’s? Not to mention the drama between Brady, Gronkowski, Belichick, And Kraft!

Yes. The Patriots will be fine. Brady is still the best Quarterback of all time and Belichick is still a master of the game. Drama is for the offseason. But once the pads go on and the games get real, all the “turmoil” will be forgotten and, as much as I hate to say it, we will remember that the Patriots are still one of the best teams in the league.

Saquan Barkley could very well break the single season rushing yards record for a rookie.

It’s a bit of a stretch, but 1,800 yards seems reachable for Barkley in my opinion. Eric Dickerson set the record with 1,808 yards as a rookie in 1983. Barkley would need to average 113 yards per game in order to tie Dickerson’s record. I really think that could happen. Mainly because he is not the only piece in the Giants’ offense that will be asked to carry the workload. Odell Beckham Jr. is returning from injury so Eli Manning will have his favorite target returning to the field and I think Evan Engram and Sterling Shepherd will step up and really contribute. With those pieces stepping up, it will take a lot of pressure off of Barkley. I think the rookie is definitely going to have a big season and will come close to, or break, Dickerson’s record. At the very least, he will make a lot of fantasy football owners happy.

To continue on with the theme of rookies, let’s talk about the rookie quarterbacks taken in the first round.

There were five quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. None of which were surprises, however where they were drafted may have shocked a few people. Baker Mayfield being drafted 1st overall by the Cleveland Browns was a shock to me. I really didn’t think he was the best quarterback in the draft, but for whatever reason the Browns fell in love with him and pulled the trigger. That being said, I don’t think he sees the field in the regular season this year (unless Tyrod Taylor gets hurt which is always a possibility). I think Tyrod will play up to his full potential this season with some very talented weapons that he can throw to. Weapons that he has not really had before. Taken with the 4th pick by the New York Jets was Sam Darnold who is probably the most prepared for the NFL. Darnold isn’t extremely gifted athletically but the one thing that stands out the most about him is that he is very intelligent when it comes to football knowledge. I could see Darnold as the starting QB by week 5 if things don’t get off to a great start for the Jets. But they don’t want to rush Darnold. I think it would be wise to give the future of their franchise as much time as he needs. Josh Allen was taken by the Buffalo Bills with the 7th pick in the draft. I think Allen will be the first to start out of all the rookies. My prediction for Allen: Week 1. Who else is there to compete against him? Nate Peterman and A.J. McCarron? I’ll take the guy with the most upside to lead the team who’s return to the playoffs last years was a fluke. Allen has a cannon of an arm and, much like Darnold, has a very high football IQ.  The next quarterback to be taken in the draft was Josh Rosen at 10 by the Arizona Cardinals. Rosen may have the biggest chip on his shoulder that I have ever seen. Rosen believed that he was the best quarterback in the draft and felt disrespected when he saw three other quarterback taken before him. I believe that we will see Rosen become the starter in the second half of the season after Sam Bradford fails to lead the team the way the Cardinals are expecting him to. To round out the group, Lamar Jackson was taken 32nd overall by the Baltimore Ravens. Jackson is by far the most athletic quarterback of the five and he will continue to show that in Baltimore. While I don’t think Jackson will take over as the starting QB this year, I do think that he will see the field. Baltimore has been “in the lab” this offseason and creating some trick plays where Jackson and starting quarterback Joe Flacco both touch the ball. Being drafted by the Ravens was the best situation for Jackson to land in. He will have time to grow and learn under Flacco and Robert Griffin III and will not be forced into the starting spot.

Fantasy football advice from someone who has lost in the championship more times than I would like to mention.

Fantasy football has been a part of my family for as long as I can remember. It has pretty much become a tradition where we all come together and have our draft party at my uncle’s house. When I was about 9 or 10, my dad and I co-owned a team. We were the Crazy Gators (named after my former favorite team, the Florida Gators). Together we won a championship. But after that championship I decided that it was time for me to spread my wings. My dad and I split and I was on my own. The first year by myself I made it to the championship and ended up losing. Long story short, I still have yet to win a champion and my dad has gone on to win 3 more. (I guess we know who really carried the Crazy Gators to victory.) Nonetheless, I still love fantasy football and this year I have tried to pay very close attention. So here is some advice I have to anyone reading. First: quarterbacks are overrated. Yes, quarterbacks are probably going to get you the most points on your team, but they’re going to do that for everyone else in your league too. And other than 3 or 4 elite level quarterbacks, there are a lot in the league that will get you around the same amount of points. So, there is no need to go out and spend your first and second round picks on a quarterback. Second: wide receivers and tight ends are overrated too. With the exception of Julio Jones, Odell Beckham Jr., Antonio Brow, Travis Kelce, and Rob Gronkowski, WRs and TEs are players that I would be cautious on drafting in the first few rounds too.  Much like QBs, there are a lot that are bunched together that are all going to produce about the same amount of points. Third: running backs are the way to go this year. With more running backs being involved in the passing game than ever, RBs are going to rack up a lot of points this year ESPECIALLY if you are in a PPR (points per reception) league. Running backs will be coming off the board very quickly this year so make sure you have a plan going into your draft. Fourth and final: don’t shy away from the kickers and defenses. Having a good kicker and a good defense can give your team the edge in a tight match. And having a bad kicker and bad defense could lead to some close losses and a lot of frustration.

So there you have it folks. Those are the things I am going to be paying attention to this season.

So there you have it folks. Those are the things I am going to be paying attention to this season.