Fantasy Football News and Rumors

[SmokingMonkey]

New kickoff test run this season, I like that the league is putting effort into making the parts that became boring on their own (XPs) and that became boring due to rule changes (kickoffs) into potentially exciting plays with more 2pts conversions and less touch backs

 

[averagejoe]

New kickoff test run this season, I like that the league is putting effort into making the parts that became boring on their own (XPs) and that became boring due to rule changes (kickoffs) into potentially exciting plays with more 2pts conversions and less touch backs

NFL owners voted to adopt the XFL’s kickoff rules for the 2024 season.

Twenty-nine of the league’s 32 teams approved of the change, with the Niners, Packers, and Raiders voting against the rule adoption. Under the new rules, any kickoff that ends up in the “landing zone” — between the goal line and the 20 yard line — must be returned. The changes will essentially stop touchbacks, which would award the ball at the 35 yard line. Once implemented, the hybrid kickoff will make kickoffs a far more important part of the game. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said NFL officials hope the rule change can “will yield what it wants: fewer injuries and more returns” in 2024 and beyond.

 

[Shanemansj13]

CoachSpeak!

Hey @averagejoe didn't you start a thread about this?

Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell said he believes Sam Darnold’s “best football is ahead of him.”

The Vikings inked Darnold to a one-year, $10 million deal this offseason. Currently in line to be the Vikings QB1, Darnold’s season-long outlook will be directly tied to what the Vikings do in the upcoming draft. Currently holding two 2024 first-round picks, the Vikings have been rumored as a heavy favorite to trade up in attempt to land one of the top quarterbacks in this year’s draft, which could put a hard cap on the number of games Darnold starts in 2024. Darnold started only one game for the 49ers last season and threw for 297-2-1 on 46 passes. With an elite group of offensive weapons already in place in Minnesota, Darnold could make for an interesting streaming option for fantasy as long as he is starting games.

 

[Chef99]

Sadly, I agree.

 

[TREFF]

NFL owners voted to adopt the XFL’s kickoff rules for the 2024 season.

Twenty-nine of the league’s 32 teams approved of the change, with the Niners, Packers, and Raiders voting against the rule adoption. Under the new rules, any kickoff that ends up in the “landing zone” — between the goal line and the 20 yard line — must be returned. The changes will essentially stop touchbacks, which would award the ball at the 35 yard line. Once implemented, the hybrid kickoff will make kickoffs a far more important part of the game. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said NFL officials hope the rule change can “will yield what it wants: fewer injuries and more returns” in 2024 and beyond.

So from what I understand-
Touchbacks in the endzone still exist, out to the 30 yard line for the change of possession.
no more fair catches outside the end zone that essentially used to be considered 'touchbacks'
the receiving team's 30-40 yard lines will be full of 10 dudes from the kicking team, and at least 9 members of the receiving team, who can't move until the ball lands, or is touched by a receiving team member.
Onside kicks will have to be declared, and will still use the ridiculous 'new' setup' that we've seen the past couple years which result in a near zero success rate.
Any kicks that land ahead of the receiving team's 20 yard line, are dead at the spot, which means no more squibs (most likely)


So to me..this will put a little more emphasis on the skill of the kicker attempting to hit sky balls on kickoffs that will land inside the five, but not the endzone, as opposed to just practicing 60 yard field goals and blasting it out the back of the end zone.

And if the special teams coach is any good, maybe some real value to those Rb's, WR's and DB's (in IDP leagues) that return kicks..kinda like the good old days

Sounds good to me.

 

[wilwhite]

Are the Cowboys just taking their lumps this season to set themselves up for next season?

Looks like the opposite of what the 49ers and Eagles experienced with a cheap QB and money for the rest of the roster.

This will be what it looks like when a QB who doesn't really take over games gets hellacash and the team doesn't want to extend him, so they can't spread out the hit.

 

[TREFF]

Are the Cowboys just taking their lumps this season to set themselves up for next season?

Looks like the opposite of what the 49ers and Eagles experienced with a cheap QB and money for the rest of the roster.

This will be what it looks like when a QB who doesn't really take over games gets hellacash and the team doesn't want to extend him, so they can't spread out the hit.

tough to say..I can only assume they've identified some targets in the draft that they'll be happy with, and are willing to rummage through the leftovers in the second wave of free agency after the draft for anything else.

I can't understand for the life of me why they haven't/won't extend/restructure Dak, only thing I could imagine would be that they actually think Trey Lance can take over soon, which is just crazy to think about at the moment.

They certainly aren't in a position to 'set themselves up' for a great draft spot next year..with Dak/Lamb/Cooks and one of the best D's on paper in the league, there's little to no chance they are bad enough to have a top 10 pick, let alone something better. Especially in a division with the G-men and the Commanders in full on rebuild modes. They'd REALLY have to try hard to be that bad.

Really, all they are truly lacking in is a center, a LG or a LT, and a RB. maybe they think they've got starters with the back up lineman they already have? Maybe that's the target in the first round, with a RB in the 2nd or the third? And if they miss out in the draft on a RB, Rashaad Penny, Zeke, Hunt..all would be cheap alternatives that can handle whatever is needed between them and R. Dowdle/M. Davis. Be a huge mistake IMHO to get CEH or Akers..basically the same type of back Dowdle/Davis are.

Regardless it takes between 10-15 mill to sign a full draft class and they currently are sitting at just over 6mill, so they'll still have to do something anyways (as will the other 12 teams with less than 10 mil to spend.)

 

[Chef99]

tough to say..I can only assume they've identified some targets in the draft that they'll be happy with, and are willing to rummage through the leftovers in the second wave of free agency after the draft for anything else.

I can't understand for the life of me why they haven't/won't extend/restructure Dak, only thing I could imagine would be that they actually think Trey Lance can take over soon, which is just crazy to think about at the moment.

They certainly aren't in a position to 'set themselves up' for a great draft spot next year..with Dak/Lamb/Cooks and one of the best D's on paper in the league, there's little to no chance they are bad enough to have a top 10 pick, let alone something better. Especially in a division with the G-men and the Commanders in full on rebuild modes. They'd REALLY have to try hard to be that bad.

Really, all they are truly lacking in is a center, a LG or a LT, and a RB. maybe they think they've got starters with the back up lineman they already have? Maybe that's the target in the first round, with a RB in the 2nd or the third? And if they miss out in the draft on a RB, Rashaad Penny, Zeke, Hunt..all would be cheap alternatives that can handle whatever is needed between them and R. Dowdle/M. Davis. Be a huge mistake IMHO to get CEH or Akers..basically the same type of back Dowdle/Davis are.

Regardless it takes between 10-15 mill to sign a full draft class and they currently are sitting at just over 6mill, so they'll still have to do something anyways (as will the other 12 teams with less than 10 mil to spend.)

Even if they let Dak go FA next year, they still have to pay him 40 mil.

On the other hand, if they extend his contract, probably gonna cost around 200 mil, but they'll have him around for what, another 4 years?

I find it hard to believe that they are so disenchanted with him, they'll eat the 40 mil, but who knows?

I can't figure out the Jones Boys thinking process at all this year.

 

[obxyankeefan]

Even if they let Dak go FA next year, they still have to pay him 40 mil.

On the other hand, if they extend his contract, probably gonna cost around 200 mil, but they'll have him around for what, another 4 years?

I find it hard to believe that they are so disenchanted with him, they'll eat the 40 mil, but who knows?

I can't figure out the Jones Boys thinking process at all this year.

Jones has been enamored with the high number fantasy QB over the past 10 to 15 years. When they were winning SBs with Aikman, he was not a good fantasy QB. Aikman would be the guy you take if you skipped on QB and needed one late.

 

[TREFF]

Dunno why rotoworld doesn't seem to care, but Josh Reynolds has signed with the Broncos

 

[Chef99]

As @SmokingMonkey remarked before, Carolina is trying.

Panthers signed EDGE Jadeveon Clowney, formerly of the Ravens, to a two-year, $20 million contract.


Ian Rapoport was first with the scoop and Adam Schefter later added the contract details. Clowney most recently played in Baltimore, racking up 9.5 sacks and nine TFLs in his only season as a Raven. Now a mercenary, Clowney has played for four different teams in five years since finishing out his rookie contract with the Texans. Even at 31 years old, Clowney is still a top-end pass-rusher. He will join a Carolina front seven looking to retool after a disappointing 2023 campaign.

 

[TREFF]

I don't recall seeing anything on him, but shortly after the new kick return rules were announced, C. Patterson signed, for pretty decent money, 2 years to the Steelers.

Sneaky great signing for them. They've got a great situational/ gadget type guy who does whatever it takes to get the job done, and one of the premier returners in the league, right when they SHOULD start to matter again.

Maybe that's where RB's regain their value these days? Without the defense having a 20-40 yard running head start and hitting you like cruise missiles, a kickoff return will essentially be a running play. You've got 9 blockers, and a lead blocker, vs 10 tacklers and a kicker, spread out across 50 yards of space, none of whom can move until you've got the ball, and you get the running head start, you know where those 9 blockers are setting the hole.. if you're a 'lead back', why not add returner to your resume (if not already)? Seems like a good way to get a f-ton more money these days

 

[TREFF]

In that same train of thought..the Chiefs and this Rugby player could be an interesting thing to moniter - especially as a kick returner.

There's been a sprinkling of rugby guys trying the NFL, they rarely do more than bounce around a few practice squads, on rare occasion make a game day roster, but never really make any impact.

But given its the Chiefs, and Andy Reid, and Mahommes - and that they have NOTHING behind Pacheco at the moment..AND they didn't just sign him, they gave him a 3 year contract, with guarantees, there could be something brewing.

At this point, with so few RB's being actual dependable producers, and fantasy owners sometimes being forced into starting those guys who only get 5-8 touches any given week..he could be an option.

 

[SmokingMonkey]

I don't recall seeing anything on him, but shortly after the new kick return rules were announced, C. Patterson signed, for pretty decent money, 2 years to the Steelers.

Sneaky great signing for them. They've got a great situational/ gadget type guy who does whatever it takes to get the job done, and one of the premier returners in the league, right when they SHOULD start to matter again.

Maybe that's where RB's regain their value these days? Without the defense having a 20-40 yard running head start and hitting you like cruise missiles, a kickoff return will essentially be a running play. You've got 9 blockers, and a lead blocker, vs 10 tacklers and a kicker, spread out across 50 yards of space, none of whom can move until you've got the ball, and you get the running head start, you know where those 9 blockers are setting the hole.. if you're a 'lead back', why not add returner to your resume (if not already)? Seems like a good way to get a f-ton more money these days

I'm thinking those shifty WRs that take end arounds and backfield snaps will be very good in this new format. Deebo coming out of a formation with 9 blockers instead of the 5 or 6 he usually has in front of him would be fun to see

 

[Bandit]

I think you might actually get some of the more athletic offensive lineman playing on the kickoff return team now too since the defenders aren't going to be getting as much of a running start, so I don't see any reason that you can't put some guys that actually know how to block out there since as Treff said it's going to be a lot more like a running play than a kickoff.

 

[TREFF]

Mostert signs extension.

Ain't gonna lie, when I saw Mostert's name flash on the screen, my first assumption was that he tore his ACL or MCL or hammy in a conditioning drill

 

[Bandit]

Mostert signs extension.

Ain't gonna lie, when I saw Mostert's name flash on the screen, my first assumption was that he tore his ACL or MCL or hammy in a conditioning drill

Or just walking to the refrigerator.

 

[TREFF]

Captain Obvious's weekly 'no shit sherlock' report winner:

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Cowboys and RB Ezekiel Elliott have mutual interest in a reunion.

it ain't sexy or exciting, but it would fill a hole. And really screw up the possibility of a rookie RB being an obvious early selection.

 

[redskinsfan1963]

not NFL news,it did anybody see that kid kick A 64h yard fg for michingn in the new league Saturday?

 

[obxyankeefan]

not NFL news,it did anybody see that kid kick A 64h yard fg for michingn in the new league Saturday?

You have to remember the air is thin in Detroit and lots of kickers kick 60+ yard FGs there to end games.

Tom Dempsey 63
Justin Tucker 61 and 66
Jake Bates 64 first one for a Detroit team