Welcome back to Cap’s Fantasy Corner, your go-to article series for all of your fantasy football needs! In this week’s edition, I’m breaking down 3 players I believe could be league-winners at their current ADP. If you want the best fantasy football tools, personalized fantasy coaching, and team of experts at your disposal this season, then be sure to sign-up for our premium fantasy football season pass.
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1. Jalen Hurts, Quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles
I know, the Eagles are projecting to be one of the worst teams in the NFL, but projections can be wrong. Everyone is acting like the Eagles will look like the same team as last season and I believe that couldn’t be further from the truth. Last season, the Eagles were without a healthy offensive line, healthy pass-catchers, and reportedly had a toxic QB-Head Coach dynamic going on. How could they possibly have been successful in those circumstances? With a new coaching regime in-town, dedication (at least for this year) to sophomore QB, Jalen Hurts, a fully healthy offensive line, and an improved receiving corps; and I’d expect the Eagles to be a much better offense overall this season. In just a small 4-game sample size, Hurts was the QB3 overall for fantasy football in points per game. He lit the fantasy world on fire, and that was with the terrible circumstances I just mentioned.
In the modern-day NFL, the trend of rushing quarterbacks has become more of the norm. For fantasy football purposes, a quarterback that runs the football at an effective clip is a cheat code for your team. They have a much higher ceiling and can single-handedly win you weeks, and at the end of the season, championships. I am drafting Hurts all day at his ADP of QB12 overall and in the 11th round of drafts. I think Hurts can shape up to be this year’s great, late-round quarterback option for fantasy football.
2. D’Andre Swift, Running Back, Detroit Lions
Reports out of Lions training camp and recent practices are saying Swift is coming along just fine from his early groin injury. Head Coach Dan Campbell has said it’s mostly a conditioning issue at this point, so I’m not concerned about the injury itself when drafting Swift this season. It reminds me of the David Montgomery situation this time last year: talented running back who figures to see a lot of volume on a bad roster pulls his groin and his ADP suffers because of it. I’m “buying the dip” on Swift while I can, because I think he has legitimate league-winning upside at his current ADP. Let me contextualize this claim with one kicker: only in PPR formats. If you’re in a non-PPR format, then Swift becomes much less appealing.
Swift’s appeal is the same as a player like Austin Ekeler and Alvin Kamara–they’re going to get a lot of catches. Much was made earlier in the offseason about new Offensive Coordinator Anthony Lynn’s comment on Swift being the “B-Back” of this offense. This is not a bad thing. Do you know who played the B-Back role in the offense when Anthony Lynn was with the L.A. Chargers? Austin Ekeler. Ekeler finished as the RB4 overall in 2019 (Full-PPR). I believe Swift is a better rusher than Ekeler and has shown an early nose for the end zone. If the Lions’ offense exceeds the rock bottom expectations everyone has them projected for this season, then I believe a Top-5 season is firmly within Swift’s range of possible outcomes, but only in PPR formats. Swift is currently going off the draft board as the RB20 overall and in the late 3rd round of drafts. At the draft capital, I’ll likely have Swift on almost every roster this season.
3. A.J. Brown, Wide Receiver, Tennessee Titans
The second Julio Jones got traded to the Titans, everyone threw A.J. Brown down the rankings like a hot potato. Why? I understand the argument that now he will have less volume than before, which should be true–but if A.J. Brown has shown us one thing during his time in the NFL–it’s that he is hyper-efficient with the targets he gets. Since taking over as the starting QB in Tennessee, Ryan Tannehill has been one of the most efficient passers in football, and Brown one of the most efficient pass-catchers with him. Remember, Brown played last season with injuries to both knees, and through only 14 games, finished as the WR14 overall. Coming into Year 3, which historically has been a breakout year for wide receivers in their career, Brown should be even better. While Jones will take some targets away from Brown, we have to remember that the team lost Corey Davis via free agency, so Jones figures to absorb the majority of those targets.
I see the Jones move as addition by subtraction for Brown. Brown will face less-to-no double coverage and should be able to take great advantage of the mismatches it will provide. With the Titans projecting to be more pass-heavy in recent years due to improved offensive weapons and a subpar defense, I still believe Brown has a top-5 finish within his reasonable range of outcomes this season (if he stays healthy of course). With an ADP of WR8 overall and in the 2nd round, Brown is being drafted close to his ceiling–but I believe there is still some value to be had at the current draft price.
