Fuck the Vikings. First team to ever go 0-17 is my prediction.

The Minnesota Vikings are a team I’m on a seesaw about. To be honest, I think the seesaw began once I found out I got 2nd pick in my work draft and know Dalvin Cook will be staring at me.

Griffen is back for Minnesota and has to go on an apology tour after saying that Kirk Cousins was ass a few months ago.

If Jefferson can stay healthy, he will remain elite. A lot of people are falling off of Thielen though because of the emergence of JJ. Dalvin is Dalvin. Elite but injury prone as a mofo. The loss of his father (who got him to play football) will either motivate him to be the RB1 this season or be a reason why Dalvin just doesn’t have the same passion for the game anymore.

Definitely an interesting team in a very winnable division.

Winnable division. Mmhmm.

I forgot to mention Irv Smith. He’s either going to be a beast or a bust. Either way, his ADP is too delicious to pass up if you waited on a TE.

16. Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers are really banking on Brandon Staley being a panacea for the issues that held them back last season. They need him to replicate his impactful aggressive defence from his time on the other side of LA, and they need him to bring a steady hand in late game situations. His stock is so high, but this is still a lot to ask of someone who has just one year of coordinator experience in the NFL.

Justin Herbert was perhaps the biggest surprise of last season - a relatively unsupported prospect who had a lot of doubters drafted at #6 quickly put any of those questions to doubt on his way to winning OROY. His only problem now appears to be replicating his performance in a new offensive scheme under Joe Lombardi - who has spent a long time as an assistant in New Orleans, but prior attempt to branch out as an OC lasted just 7 games in Detroit back in 2015. Herbert's two best weapons staying healthy will go a long way to helping him match his now lofty expectations, Austin Ekeler and Keenan Allen both missed some time last season. Behind Allen they have a couple of deep threat weapons in Mike Williams and Tyron Johnson who are good fits for Herbert's live arm - but they need the offensive line to play better to set up these big plays. The line is revamped, with Corey Linsley at center being the major addition, reuniting with former Packers teammate Bryan Bulaga. Rashawn Slater is the first round rookie selection to man the blindside at left tackle, while free agent guards Feiler and Aboushi aren't stars but should be better than what they've fielded in the past.

Staley is going to have to be at his best to get a great deal of impact out of this defence, they have a couple of stars but the talent level quickly drops off behind them. The pass rush wasn't great last season, tallying just 27 sacks, and there's no-one that stands out being able to improve that. Uchenna Nwosu will move up the depth chart to be the #2 behind Joey Bosa following Melvin Ingram's departure, but he only has 10 sacks in three seasons. MLB Kenneth Murray improved over his rookie season and is a good run stopper, and he'll benefit from the return of Drue Tranquill who is a good coverage guy. In the secondary, Derwin James is going to be key to Staley's scheme which uses two high safeties. He's a bonafide superstar but has only played five games in the past two seasons because of injury, and with Nasir Adderley the only other experienced guy on the roster, James needs to stay on the field this time. Cornerback is similarly thin, Michael Davis is unspectacular, Chris Harris isn't as dominant as he once was in the slot, and they'll be likely asking a lot of rookie Asante Samuel Jr in man coverage.

It's worth noting special teams, where the Chargers ranked last in DVOA in 2020. They're somewhat surprisingly sticking with both Michael Badgley and Ty Long despite poor seasons, and their return game was also disappointing.

I think it really comes down to how quickly Staley can implement his scheme and whether he has the dogs to create a similarly aggressive, playmaking defence that he had with the Rams. With Herbert they look like they have a offense that will be good enough to win games for many years into the future, but productive quarterbacking has never really been the Chargers problem. They need to stay healthy, and avoid all of the bungles that marred Anthony Lynn's tenure as head coach.

What a panacea?

I love the Chargers. They might not be great but they should be fun to watch and I think Linsley can and should make all the difference in the world for Herbert.

Still don’t know what to make of their defense but Staley should be able to elevate the talent a bit.

Aug 25, 2021 0:34:41 GMT UT said:

What a panacea?

I love the Chargers. They might not be great but they should be fun to watch and I think Linsley can and should make all the difference in the world for Herbert.

Still don’t know what to make of their defense but Staley should be able to elevate the talent a bit.

Solution for all problems. 

Maybe not entirely fair because they'd made more changes to that offensive line than I thought, but generally speaking it was a pretty quiet offseason.

I understand why UT loves the Chargers. It’s basically where people go to get old after blocking for Aaron Rodgers. @admin seems to like this division a lot too.

I don’t know how to feel about the Chargers. The coaching change puts a lot of question marks on what kind of team this will be from now on. It can’t get worse then Anthony Lynn, right? That guy has to be the second stupidest HC I have seen besides Adam Gase. What an idiot that guy is.

I’m not drafting Justin Herbert in any of my leagues. He doesn’t excite me. I still don’t know why he cut his Rockstar hair, but he could be the real deal for years to come. I’m just pumping the brakes on it for now. He’s going to need to prove it to me some more.

Keenan Allen continues to be one thing. Consistent. Consistently finishing well as a WR1 the past few years and consistently getting injured. I can’t draft this guy ever. I just wouldn’t feel comfortable. I would rather watch him do well on someone else’s roster then watch him do well and worry every week if this is going to be the week he gets hurt. Dude caught a lot of passes last season but mostly short yardage. I’m completely OUT on Keenan Allen.

The interesting player once again for the Chargers is Mike Williams. He is the WR version of Joe Mixon. We are told he is greater then he looks but every year disappoints you. He’s on his final year under contract for the Chargers so I expect him to Will Fuller it up this year. He will have a career year and then go on to burglarize a franchise next season when he signs for big money only to spend most of it hurt. I will definitely buy Mike Williams this season if the price is right, but I wouldn’t get too upset if I miss out on him.

Then there’s the man who many in the fantasy world are hailing as the “NEXT KAMARA”. Everyone assumes Antonio Gibson is the next CMC too. I guess as soon as a coach moves from one superstar to another team, they are automatically going to make that other player that former superstar. Aren’t we all still waiting for Matt Nagy to produce the next Kelce? Trey Burton was supposed to be it. Failed. Everyone was rubbing their cocks for Trautman this season and now he’s injured. The point is; pump your brakes!

If you ask Austin Ekeler, who by the way is super down with fantasy football, he is the RB to draft. I believe him. If my pick falls anywhere from 8-12, I’m grabbing Ekeler. He might not score a lot but he will get receptions and those points are beautiful in fantasy. I’m not going to draft him and expect the new Kamara but I’ll take the mans word on it. I believed Ridley last year when he said he was going to explode and I’ll believe Ekeler now too.

Fuck Jared Cook.

I think the Chargers finish the season 6-11.

Not sure I have Pats over Bolts, knowing AFC East might be more stronger than AFC West(West got best side of the 8 teams though). Can't trust Mac and/or Cam for 17 games and how they handle it. Coaching and revamped defense can only mean so much but that offense is a work in progress for Pats. Feel like QB and playmakers on offense are better for the Bolts.

I think it comes down to coaching and a known quantity versus a complete unknown.

I don’t completely understand the Staley hire but I have no clue. I am just in on Lombardi and the offense more than anything.

Wentz health also scares me somewhat for Colts, and even then can he be righted by Reich so quickly? The QB spot is the thing that can anchor what is otherwise a divisional round worthy team like Indy. That and if Paye can't get pressure on QBs, Colts will have lacked a premier pass rush that is needed to go to the top. 

Blindy, the Chargers being lower then the Patriots and Colts makes perfect sense.

A- They play in a tougher division then the Patriots and Colts play in.
B- The Chargers haven't proven shit. Especially with a new regime. At least we know what the Colts and Patriots are about.

I think AFC East is a bit stronger than AFC West, West has the best team of em all though. Broncos>>Jets, Dolphins>>>>Raiders, Chiefs>Bills.

And Anthony Lynn lost LAC games last year if anything, Staley can't do worse. They may have upgraded coaching. Health/injuries is out of anyone's realm. 

Aug 25, 2021 14:40:04 GMT Blindy said:

I think AFC East is a bit stronger than AFC West, West has the best team of em all though. Broncos>>Jets, Dolphins>>>>Raiders, Chiefs>Bills.

And Anthony Lynn lost LAC games last year if anything, Staley can't do worse. They may have upgraded coaching. Health/injuries is out of anyone's realm. 

Eh, you're not too far off I guess in comparing the 2 divisions. I just look at the Jets as such a bad team that the division automatically looks easier. 

Aug 25, 2021 14:43:18 GMT KING KID said:

Aug 25, 2021 14:40:04 GMT Blindy said:

I think AFC East is a bit stronger than AFC West, West has the best team of em all though. Broncos>>Jets, Dolphins>>>>Raiders, Chiefs>Bills.

And Anthony Lynn lost LAC games last year if anything, Staley can't do worse. They may have upgraded coaching. Health/injuries is out of anyone's realm. 

Eh, you're not too far off I guess in comparing the 2 divisions. I just look at the Jets as such a bad team that the division automatically looks easier. 

I don't think Denver's far superior maybe outside of defense and playmakers. OLine about the same and QB Jets have the upside going for them. Fangio isn't anything to write home about either, same with Shurmur at OC. Saleh and M LaFleur are . 

Oh shit.

The Broncos have named Teddy Bridgewater the Week 1 starter.

Teddy Two Glove at Mile High! He's just the safer pick for them to play defensive , slow the game down football and probably won't kill them as much as Lock. Though Lock has the upside - he clearly hasn't made enough progress and is now headed face first towards the bust category.

KJ HAMLER SZN.

The Chargers consistently lose close games. I don't trust them.

The early season schedule is not doing the Chargers any favors either. It's no question that these teams in this division are competing for 2nd in the division and a wildcard spot. I just think that the Chargers could open 0-3 and division foes, the Broncos could start off 3-0. We all know starting off 0-3 is not the end of the world, but if you look further it doesn't really ease up until the final 4 of 5 games of the season. I stand by a 6-11 season for the Chargers.

The Chargers first 3 games are:

@ Washington
vs Dallas
@ KC

The Broncos first 3 games are:

@ NYG
@ Jacksonville
vs NYJ

If you're going to be streaming defenses to open up the season, you can't ask for a better 3 game open then what Denver has.

15. New Orleans Saints

We know all about the stability the Saints have had at quarterback the past fifteen years. Now after enjoying a position most of the rest of the league envied for so long, they find thesmelves in a similar situation to most - with a big question mark at the most important position. The battle between Winston and Hill is such an interesting one because they are such different players - Jameis an aggressive deep passer that can be productive but also a loose cannon, Taysom a limited passer but an interesting running threat who has shown he can win games as starter. Either will work with an offence with some elite strengths but a number of question marks. The offensive line is the best in the league, not a single weakness and two truly elite tackles in Armstead and Ramczyk, and they have arguably the most dynamic offensive weapon around in Alvin Kamara. But with Michael Thomas unavailable until at least midway through the season, there is a big question mark at wide receiver where they will need one or more of their young players to set up. Marquez Callaway has shown in preseason that it might possibly be him.

On defence there are even more question marks, where last seasons unit became the real casualty of the Saints pushing the salary cap to the limit in recent years. Cameron Jordan didn't record as many sacks as usual last season but he's still a top player. Someone will need to fill Trey Hendrickson's role as the cleanup guy, Marcus Davenport and first round draft pick Payton Turner the frontrunner. Defensive tackle doesn't look to have the same depth without Malcom Brown and Sheldon Rankins in the rotation. Demario Davis is the proven guy at the second level, and the three safeties Jenkins, Williams and Ceedy Duce are all back. Marshon Lattimore is the CB1 but the depth behind him looks like a real issue following Patrick Robinson's retirement. As it stands they're going to be relying on Ken Crawley who was fairly recently way down the depth chart, and rookie Paulson Adebo.

New Orleans pushed all their chips in at the end of Drew Brees' career to try and win a second Super Bowl only to come up shorter than their roster felt like it should have. They now don't have the same level of completeness we've come to expect. They've still got some big time strengths, but it wouldn't come as a total surprise if the bottom falls out. There might not be a team with a bigger gap between their ceiling and floor win total.

I thought the Saints were already on the list, but I think it's just because UT and I were talking about them earlier.

Well, the question for what kind of team this is going to be comes down to who the QB is. If it's Jameis Winston, then we can expect some high powered offense or an attempt to live that way. The injuries have already started coming for the Saints. We all know the Michael Thomas drama and the 'fantasy experts' new TE obsession of Trautman was also carted off at practice. This opens up a lot of possibilities for someone else to step up in this offense OR for their best player to really explode.

Their best player is obviously Alvin 'SUPER' Kamara! By explode, I don't only mean finishing as the RB1 like he did last season. I mean, EXPLODE as in have a career year. This is definitely in the realm of possibilities IF Jameis Winston is the starter. If Sean Payton stays true to some backdoor promise he gave to Taysom Hill and names him the starter, then Kamara runs into issues. With Drew Brees as the starter last season, Alvin Kamara had a 21% target share! 21%! With Taysom Hill under center, the number dropped to 13%. That's an 8% difference and in the fantasy world; that is HUGE!

It does seem like Jameis Winston will be the Week 1 starter, which does well for Alvin Kamara. He was paid to be the future of this team and even though he doesn't usually get 20+ carries a game, he does have an affect on the ground. For fantasy purposes; check this stat out!

"Kamara has stockpiled 1,305 PPR fantasy points up to this point in his career. McCaffrey (1,180) ranks second, and Todd Gurley (1,148) is third in points since 2017."

That's also including the 2019 season in which Kamara was battling injuries and had his worst season to date. That's a fantasy football MONSTAR.

The only thing that scares me away from drafting him in the Top 3 this season is the uncertainty of what this team will look like. Will Jameis the Gunslinger really be that good for Alvin Kamara? Winston doesn't seem like the dump off type of guy and that has to make people nervous in drafting Super Kamario. Some may argue that Alvin Kamara had a career year last year and he's not stopping anytime soon. Either way, Alvin Kamara feels like an even riskier pick then he did last year after coming back from injury and spinal injections during the offseason. It's risky, but last season the risk paid off in a major way. By major, I mean he scored 6 TDs in the Championship week of fantasy football and got people PAID!

Let's focus on Jameis Winston a little bit. Everyone imagines Winston as this fantasy superstar because he slings it like crazy. However, it was only his last season with Tampa Bay where he finished as a Top 12 fantasy QB. Before that, he had two finishes of QB22 and one finish as the QB13. Maybe the reluctancy to name him the starter by Sean Payton does mean something. He might not be that good. He also doesn't have Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to throw the ball to with this New Orleans offense so tamper your expectations with him.

Taysom Hill is not a good QB. He was great for fantasy, though. If they name him starter, then he's a helluva add. ESPECIALLY in 2QB leagues if you wait awhile to grab that 2nd QB. He puts up the points with those legs, especially by stealing goal line TDs from the likes of Alvin Kamara.

The rest of the offense is not really fun to talk about. Yes, everyone loves Marques Callaway right now. I'll admit, I am intrigued also. I just don't see myself being comfortable enough to start him even if he explodes Week 1. Maybe it's a Traquan Smith thing where he only pops on peoples benches, but I'm just not really too interested in the receivers here. Yes, even Michael Thomas. I don't got time to draft someone to put them in the IR especially with an unknown return date. I like this saying in the fantasy world.


"DON'T GO LOOKING FOR INJURIES. THE INJURIES WILL FIND YOU."


A name I want people to look into is their other Tight End. The one nobody was talking about because they were too enamored by Adam Trautman as the Jared Cook replacement. His name is JUWAN JOHNSON. If he doesn't work at TE for the Saints; then I have an idea! Sean Payton can start Jameis Winston at QB and Taysom Hill at TE! AH, THE MADNESS~!

Anyways; I'm probably going to stay away from all of the Saints players this season unless Kamara falls to me out of the Top 5. Even then, I still might take someone like Austin Ekeler or Nick Chubb ahead of him. I'm trying to avoid players on teams with a lot of question marks. Someone with the talent of Kamara is always worth the gamble, but I got lucky with him last year. I don't want to test my luck too much.

As for the Saints; I can see a 9-8 finish just because it's Sean Payton and I just have to assume he'll figure out a way to walk out with a winning record. Let's see what the Post-Brees Life is going to look like. 

Aug 25, 2021 4:51:55 GMT KING KID said:

I understand why UT loves the Chargers. It’s basically where people go to get old after blocking for Aaron Rodgers. @admin seems to like this division a lot too.

I don’t know how to feel about the Chargers. The coaching change puts a lot of question marks on what kind of team this will be from now on. It can’t get worse then Anthony Lynn, right? That guy has to be the second stupidest HC I have seen besides Adam Gase. What an idiot that guy is.

I’m not drafting Justin Herbert in any of my leagues. He doesn’t excite me. I still don’t know why he cut his Rockstar hair, but he could be the real deal for years to come. I’m just pumping the brakes on it for now. He’s going to need to prove it to me some more.

Keenan Allen continues to be one thing. Consistent. Consistently finishing well as a WR1 the past few years and consistently getting injured. I can’t draft this guy ever. I just wouldn’t feel comfortable. I would rather watch him do well on someone else’s roster then watch him do well and worry every week if this is going to be the week he gets hurt. Dude caught a lot of passes last season but mostly short yardage. I’m completely OUT on Keenan Allen.

The interesting player once again for the Chargers is Mike Williams. He is the WR version of Joe Mixon. We are told he is greater then he looks but every year disappoints you. He’s on his final year under contract for the Chargers so I expect him to Will Fuller it up this year. He will have a career year and then go on to burglarize a franchise next season when he signs for big money only to spend most of it hurt. I will definitely buy Mike Williams this season if the price is right, but I wouldn’t get too upset if I miss out on him.

Then there’s the man who many in the fantasy world are hailing as the “NEXT KAMARA”. Everyone assumes Antonio Gibson is the next CMC too. I guess as soon as a coach moves from one superstar to another team, they are automatically going to make that other player that former superstar. Aren’t we all still waiting for Matt Nagy to produce the next Kelce? Trey Burton was supposed to be it. Failed. Everyone was rubbing their cocks for Trautman this season and now he’s injured. The point is; pump your brakes!

If you ask Austin Ekeler, who by the way is super down with fantasy football, he is the RB to draft. I believe him. If my pick falls anywhere from 8-12, I’m grabbing Ekeler. He might not score a lot but he will get receptions and those points are beautiful in fantasy. I’m not going to draft him and expect the new Kamara but I’ll take the mans word on it. I believed Ridley last year when he said he was going to explode and I’ll believe Ekeler now too.

Fuck Jared Cook.

I think the Chargers finish the season 6-11.

Okay. Austin Ekeler. I'm sold! RB1!


Austin Ekeler is offering fantasy football players additional incentive for rostering him this season.



The Los Angeles Chargers running back says he will give away free autographed jerseys throughout the season to fantasy football players who start him in their weekly lineup and post their victories on social media.



Ekeler said in a tweet Wednesday night that winners "will be chosen each week" throughout the season and sent the signed jersey.

It's smart branding for Ekeler to lean into the Fantasy crowd. He owes as much to PPR rules as guys like Andrew Whitworth owe to PFF grades.

Aug 26, 2021 23:03:08 GMT @admin said:

It's smart branding for Ekeler to lean into the Fantasy crowd. He owes as much to PPR rules as guys like Andrew Whitworth owe to PFF grades.

Absolutely. He was on my favorite podcast also the other day. Fantasy Footballers. Shh. It’s my little secret place. 

The dude said he realized how big fantasy football was in his second year and has been getting more involved with that community ever since. 

14. New England Patriots

Another team used to quarterback stability now facing an interesting decision that will be key to their season - New England staggered their way through an unremarkable 2020 whilst watching their former hero win another Lombardi elsewhere. The Patriots seem very committed to Cam Newton, going surprisingly far to defend him as he's sidelined due to breaking Covid protocols. But his absence can only open the door for Mac Jones who has been particularly impressive so far in preseason, and has a greater willingness/ability to throw the ball downfield. Whichever quarterback plays will have a better supporting cast to work with than last season, such was the aggressive offseason born out of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Big money was spent to upgrade the pass catchers, tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, and wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne almost certainly will be more effective than those that fill the positions last season. The Pats running game is strong, especially with Cam at quarterback, Damien Harris ran for 5 yards per carry and is now the clear lead dog with Sony Michel departed, and James White is still effective in the passing game out of the backfield. They run behind a strong group which regains Trent Brown from his brief time with the Raiders, allowing Michael Onwenu who was PFF's top rated rookie o-lineman, to move inside to guard to replace Joe Thuney. 

The 2020 Patriots defence was really decimated by free agent departures and Covid opt outs, and it's reasonable to expect them to return to being much more Belichickian this season. They couldn't stop the run to save themselves last season, so brought in a number of FA d-lineman, as well as drafting Christian Barmore, Mac Jones' national champion teammate from Alabama to fortify their interior. The biggest loss last season was Dont'a Hightower who returns to captain their defence, and he'll be joined in the linebacker group by new acquisition Matt Judon who has consistently notched sacks during his time with the Ravens. The secondary is largely unchanged, still very strong at cornerback with the trio of Gilmore, Jackson and Jones, and the ever reliable Devin McCourty at safety. Jalen Mills is Patrick Chung's replacement, and they'll be hoping for a sophomore stepup from Kyle Dugger. 

New England are obviously no longer the powerhouse they were for so many years, but it was very clear that one season out of the playoffs was more than enough for Belichick, he's not planning on being out of the picture for long. The defence is reinforced, and huge contracts were handed out to offensive weapons to upgrade the uninspiring group of pass catchers. Whether it's Newton, hopefully healthier than he was last season, or the rookie Jones under center - they should be a lot more competitive this season.

13. Indianapolis Colts

Phil Rivers made sense for this team, but it feels a lot harder to trust Carson Wentz. The situation wasn't great for him last season with Philadelphia, but he was one of, if not the worst quarterback in football, and it's now a number of seasons since his best campaign in 2017. The upshot is that he's reunited with his coach from that season, and there's a solid supporting cast. Jonathan Taylor came on particularly strong in the second half of the season, and combined with third down back Nyheim Hines they totalled a very impressive 19 touchdowns. Marlon Mack is also back in the picture after tearing his Achilles. Wentz will probably get significantly better protection than he did last season in Philly, but there is some injury concerns over Fisher, Nelson and Kelly at this stage. The pass catchers have a lot of potential but there's question marks over most of them. We got some hints at how good Michael Pittman can be, but he needs to do it more often as TY Hilton trends further into veteran status. Parris Campbell is probably on his last chance after spending most of his two seasons in the league on the injury list. We know Wentz likes to hit the tight ends a lot but Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox are more veteran blocker/red zone types so I'm not sure there's a lot of upside there.

The big improvement on defence will hopefully come in the form of a fiercer pass rush. Chris Ballard is one of the league's most respected GMs but he's struggled to draft impactful EDGE players. He's banking on getting it right this time picking Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo (also coming off an Achilles tear) in the first two rounds of this year's draft. They need someone on the outside to supplement the elite play of DeForest Buckner on the inside, who was well worth the first round draft pick sent to the 49ers to acquire him last offseason. Darius Leonard is the other elite guy on the defence, and has been rewarded with his new contract making him the highest-paid linebacker in the league. The secondary is solid if not spectacular, with Kenny Moore being the standout and one of the more underrated players in football. Xavier Rhodes is decent, but Rock Ya-Sin hasn't quite become what they would have hoped.

The Colts feel like a very solid team with a lot of reliable contributors, but perhaps lack top talent in the dynamic positions like WR and EDGE that can get you really pumped up about a team. They are really relying on Wentz to provide them that upside, but it's difficult to be confident about that given how long it's been since we've seen him in that type of form.

Is this considered a reboot or a remake or a sequel....

.... or a new beginning filled with revenge and gore?!

I don't know the difference. Quite frankly, only UT knows the difference.

Anyways, I think Cam Newton is being overlooked highly this season. Sure the Patriots offense didn't excite anyone last season. There was that one primetime game where Cam Newton and Julian Edelman (who I was off of last season; BANG~!) exploded against Seattle and they lost in heartbreaking fashion. Speaking of heartbreak, Bill Belichick also experienced such watching Tom Brady win a Super Bowl. Here's another not so important fact. I just learned how to spell 'Belichick' and I have been spelling it wrong and making it hard on myself for decades! Bellicheck is how I spelled it. Look at all those letters!

Bird, plane, SUPERMAN~! If you wait until the later rounds to draft a QB, I don't care what anyone says, you can't go wrong with drafting Cam Newton. You'll probably have to stream a QB for Weeks 3 and 4 as you wouldn't want to start him against New Orleans or Tampa Bay, but that's if you're being smart. The chances of Cam Newton going SUPERNATURAL (BAZINGA~! SUPERMAN~!) against Tom Brady and Co to make Bill Belichick proud are not something I would bet against either.

I also wouldn't bet against Mac Jones being the starter by Week 4. Cam is currently under COVID protocol, but it seems like Bill Belichick understands that it wasn't for something Cam really did. Moreso miscommunication. However, anything can happen in this violent and unpredictable sport of football. Mac Jones vs Tom Brady is as likely to be the match up as is Cam Newton vs Tom Brady. IN MY OPINION.

As for who these guys will be throwing to; things have changed in New England. As things have changed, some things have stayed the exact same. We'll start with the SAME. Jacobi Meyers looking like a superstar in preseason. With his low ADP, it is totally worth a shot in drafting him. Sure, the new additions lower his ceiling, but when you see a potential good match up (week 2 vs the Jets) why not put him in? Do I trust that he will truly break out this season? No, but I wouldn't be against rostering him at his ADP either.

I'm not worried about Nelson Agholar or Kendrick Bourne. Funny story about Kendrick. This cocksucker caught a Hail Mary in the fantasy semi finals for my opponent and those extra points were part of the reason I lost by 3 points in the semi finals. From a guy who he put in his 2nd FLEX spot in the final minutes. So yeah, fuck that cocksucker. To be honest; I highly doubt I roster any of these receivers from this team.

The reason behind that is I feel the signings of Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry are way more important to this teams identity then these average at best receivers. Hunter Henry is not looking too great so far already dealing with injuries. Injuries that have hampered him throughout his career. I know Jonnu might not excite people as a TE but if you go RB/WR heavy and don't have a starting TE, I do not see what's wrong with Jonnu Smith as your starter. The dude is a TD machine. Sure, Cam could steal them by running it in and they do have RBs they could use also, but I would not be surprised if Jonnu matched his career high of TDs from last season and finished the year with 8+. 

The runningback room, as usual, is something I want to avoid. I like the hype I'm hearing about Stevenson but in typical Bill Belichick fashion; the Sony Michel trade makes it seem like they have a lot of confidence in Damien Harris. At least, that's what they are trying to paint. I'm not buying it. I'm not buying Harris, even at a decent ADP where he sits now. I'd rather take my shot later in the draft by grabbing Stevenson in case he becomes a breakout rookie sensation but I wouldn't hold my breath. James White is still there, too. This team is not a team I ever want to touch with their RBs.

The fantasy outlook on this team does not excite me. If I left the draft without a single Patriot on my roster, I wouldn't flinch. If I had to take someone, I wouldn't mind Cam or Jonnu at their ADPs. I might take a look at Jacobi, but even that is highly unlikely. I can't picture myself happily starting him whereas I wouldn't be too against having Jonnu as my TE or streaming Cam. 

As for the team as a whole. I know we talk about the Aaron Rodgers 'Last Dance', the Tom Brady 'Encore', the Patrick Mahomes 'Revenge Tour', but don't you forget that this is the Bill Belichick 'Anything you can do, I can do better' tour. Just like Skip Bayless never bets against Tom Brady; I'm not betting against Bill Belichick. This defense will rank top 5 in the league this year and they will find a way to win football games and they will beat the Buccaneers on Primetime. 

BOLD PREDICTION:
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (12-5) WIN THE AFC EAST.

Look at @admin spoiling us (me) by doing a double header of teams!

I have been predicting the Colts to make it to the Super Bowl for 2 seasons with Philip Rivers. They were a playoff team, but just like a usual Rivers team, not good enough for the playoffs. Speaking of Rivers; he just won his coaching debut in his High School game. Good for you!

As the Colts organization moves on (again) they test their 'LUCK' with Carson Wentz. From watching Nick Foles win a Super Bowl with his team to being on Oprah with his wife, to battling an offseason injury; this Ginger is telling a story! 

The Colts have been giving out bad vibes all offseason, though. At the beginning, the hype was REAL! Jonathan Taylor was being drafted as a Top 6 RB, Michael Pittman was the top guy to be the breakout player this season and this was going to be the revival reunion of Carson Wentz. However, that's not how things have been panning out so far. Injuries to key linemen and to Wentz have sent everyones ADP all over the place. To make matters more confusing, it went from 'could miss some time' to 'could be ready to go for Week 1'. You're either buying Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman at great value ADPs now off of the fear OR you're buying into a team that's not really going to be a highlight of your fantasy team.

I'm betting against Indianapolis. Both fantasy wise and sports betting wise.

I don't see the appeal of drafting Jonathan Taylor 1st round. I don't understand it just like I didn't understand why people were drafting rookie CEH in the first round. Same vibe I'm getting this year with Taylor. Draft at your own risk OR look at what's going on with Indy. They retained Marlon Mack who they could've easily let go and told him to go see how he's recovered from his injury with some other team. Instead, they kept him and said 'we like you and we trust you in our offense'. That's not saying much for Jonathan Taylor, in my opinion. People love drafting Nyheim Hines, too. He's another reason I'm against JT, but I'm also not taking Hines either. Hines will put him 1 point one week in your lineup, 11 points the following week and then breakout for a 21 point performance one week before disappearing for 3 more. I'll pass on that volatility and I'll pass on the Colts run game. 

PS- I could easily be wrong on JT, but I'm OUT.

The receiving core and TE core does not excite me. If I'm looking for lower tier guys like Hilton or Pittman, I'm looking for either a steady floor or an extremely high ceiling. Neither one of these 2 have that for me and not on this offense.

Indy is going to look to beat you in some good ol fashioned football. They're not going to be lighting up scoreboards and stat sheets with air yards. A 3 man RB group which could have anyone step up whenever on some random week is good for their football team, but not good for fantasy. I'm passing on the Colts this fantasy season unless Michael Pittman has fallen completely under his ADP. Blankenship is not a bad kicker to have though. GOGGLES!

I am out on Indy this season in fantasy and in football. I don't see the Colts making it to the playoffs this season. There will only be 1 and that's wild considering the Colts get to face the Jaguars and Texans twice each. I see them finishing 8th in the AFC with a 9-8 record.

The difference between Wentz behind a bad line and good one is night and day. There was a stat out there somewhere for it and as bad as he was last year - he had arguably the worst situation in the league so I’m willing to give him some leeway with the Colts with a running game and great offensive line.

I also don’t think Rivers was that great , there were stretches where he was right there with Wentz as worst starter in the league.

I think Indy will be fine. I think they can win the division if Wentz is even a Top 16 quarterback.