NFL trends and fantasy implications

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kamihamster
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NFL trends and fantasy implications

Postby kamihamster » Tue Feb 21, 2017 12:52 pm

The NFL game is always changing. For example, the days of the work horse running back like LT, P.Holmes, T.Barber are gone and now it's all about the RBC. The NFL is becoming a passing league so the pass catching RBs are desired in order to say on the field for all three downs.

How do you project the NFL game to change? And how can fantasy players take advantage of the changing landscape?

Fantasy wise, I think changes made to the NFL game impact the RB position most. From work horse RBs to RBCs to good receiving RBs, it seems that how teams utilize the RB position is based off how NFL defenses and rules have changed. Because of player safety you can't light people up when they are trying to make a catch. So the game has moved to a passing game. WRs and TEs still catch balls so you don't see drastic changes in their roles as much, but pass catching RBs like Bell, DJ, Freeman/Coleman, and Montgomery are highly sought after players because of this shift. This is why I like Cook over Fournette as the 1.01 this year.

I'm beginning to notice more hybrid defensive players. LBs that can be linemen, and LBs that can be safties or play coverage. Some of the adaptation of the defenses is because of the use of the pass catching TE. Run stopping LBs couldn't cover pass catching TEs so defenses adapted with the hybrid LB. How will offenses adapt to the adaptation of defenses? How will NFL offenses adapt to these new defensive looks? I think offenses will see that LBs are getting smaller so they'll try to take advantage of that by getting bigger/stronger RBs that can shed tackles of smaller LBs at the second level OR RBs will get even smaller (think Sproles or Pumphrey) to be able to continue to juke out the more agile LBs.

So as LBs become more middle of the road in terms of size you'll see more extreme RBs to either power though or out wiggle their way past them.

It was really hard for me to organize those thoughts and it doesn't seem that organized even after a few edits... but i'm curious what your observations are and how can we adapt as fantasy players.
NTL (est 2016): (8-0)
12-team, PPR, 1QB,2RB,3WR,1TE,1FLX
QB: A.Rodgers, D.Jones
RB: A.Kamara, K.Johnson, K.Drake, Da.Henderson, C.Anderson, K.Ballage, T.Montgomery, J.Wilson, D.Ogunbowale, Dw.Washington, J.Kelly, P.Perkins, A.Blue
WR: O.Beckham, D.Hopkins, C.Kupp, D.Chark, R.Foster, A.Wilson, J.Reynolds, S.Morgan, B.Pringle, O.Johnson, D.Williams, D.Willis
TE: J.Cook, M.Andrews, A.Shaheen, B.Jarwin
2020 Picks: 3, 4
2021 Picks: 1, 2, 3, 4
2022 Picks: 1, 2, 3, 4

Home League (est 2014): 2018 Champ (6-2)
12-team, NPPR-6ptTD, 1QB,2RB,3WR,1TE,2FLX,1K,1DST,4IDP
QB: P.Mahomes, J.Goff
RB: D.Cook, A.Kamara, J.Mixon, M.Breida, S.Michel, F.Gore, D.Guice, K.Ballage, D.Ogunbowale, R.Bonnafon, J.Scarlett, W.Gallman, J.Kelly, J.Wilson
WR: D.Adams, J.Smith-Schuster, T.Boyd, A.Robinson, L.Fitzgerald, Jo.Brown, M.Valdes-Scantiling, K.Harmon, Z.Pascal
TE: E.Engram, A.Hooper
DST: NOS
K: W.Lutz
2020 Picks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
2021 Picks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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