I have Last Chance U on my television right now.
You could say I am ready for football. It's been SIX months, my good people! The time is upon us.
OTAs are in the books, training camps and preseason have been in full-effect for everyone, and Fantasy Drafts are going down. I'm not sure any of us can truly be as "lit" as JuJu Smith-Schuster, but I'm going to try and get us there.
Anybody else's highlight of the year last year?
Let's dive in.
All of the moves this offseason should have you, football enthusiasts of America, hyped. The Cleveland Browns themselves have been the headline, and not just because of Hard Knocks. I am almost certain they will win a game this season with the amount of talent they picked up. Baker Mayfield and Tyrod Taylor are battling for the starting QB role. Josh Gordon is back in action. Jarvis Landry signed a five-year, $75-million contract in April to accompany Flash.
The Browns have managed to make themselves contenders within the AFC North. For the record, it has been more than a decade since the Browns have had a winning season. How many of us were alive when the Browns last reached the playoffs? It's irrelevant... but necessary.
This guy. "Bless 'em."
Now let me remind you that preseason means nothing, not even a little bit. Cleveland went 4-0 during last year's preseason (okay, I'm done with Browns). Do not let Saquan Barkley's first rush get you ready to tattoo a 'NY Giants Super Bowl LIII Champions' logo on your body. The 39-yarder was a thriller, but it is simply too soon. I am semi-confident that the rook will do damage this year especially with his set of sa-quads, but he could be the next Cedric Benson or Trent Richardson.
That is not to say that I wouldn't take Barkley within the first couple rounds of my Fantasy draft, but you get the point.
Hit 'em with the Heisman then!
Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, D.J. Moore, Calvin Ridley, and Sony Michel all went during the first round of this year's NFL draft. First-rounders have not always been the most explosive dudes in the past, but Johnny Football seems to be doing decent in the Canadian Football League so draft at your own risk.
Rashaad Penny may thrive in Seattle considering they have one playmaker on the squad... and it's their QB. He rushed for over 2,200 yards and logged 23 touchdowns during his final season at San Diego State.
We're not sure who will be the starting QB taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers for Week 1, but considering their wide receiver weapons it might not matter. Whenever Antonio Callaway was on the field in Florida he delivered. In 2015 he led the SEC in receiving yards per reception. In 2016 he was #1 in the SEC with punt returns and kick return touchdowns. Those guys in the SEC are the closest thing you can get to NFL players without being in the NFL. Callaway has had some off-the-field issues, but let's hope those are just a thing in the past. Talking about Callaway is only referencing just one of the Browns wide receiver weapons. Again, they have Jarvis 'Juice' Landry.
Other wide receivers who are bound to embarrass some cornerbacks and safeties include Michael Thomas, DeAndre Hopkins, and Julio Jones.
Am I missing anyone? No? *insert smirking emoji here*
Mr. Minnesota Miracle signed a five-year extension, expect him to ball out. T.Y. Hilton gets his boy back in Andrew Luck.
Antonio Brown continues to 'Call God' so that Madden curse no longer exists and Odell Beckham Jr. is bouncing back from injury. We're passed that whole proposal to the kicking net, yeah?
Boomin'
My key predictions are coming soon, sit tight.
Is it safe to say that we now live in the league dominated by dual-threat running backs? Who are you all pressed to get early on in your PPR Fantasy Football Leagues? The Le'Veon Bells of the world, maybe a Todd Gurley late in round one.
A dominating dual-threat running back may have been hard to come by in the past, but now we have a few to choose from.
The two guys previously mentioned, Ezekiel Elliott, Shady McCoy, Alvin Kamara, and Leonard Fournette are just to name a few.
It is important to recall that Mark Ingram is serving a four game suspension at the beginning of the year so Kamara's role will only increase.
Mood.
For the record, my sleeper is a running back. Three of Royce Freeman's four years at Oregon he rushed for over 1,300 yards and a total of 51 touchdowns. He's a power back that will find himself grinding at the goal line for Denver this year.
Covering wide receivers and runnings backs is cool and all, but quarterbacks are the guys who get to have all the fun.
Jimmy Garoppolo is dating a porn star so his season might have ended before it began. I am sure that the 'beef' between Cam Newton and Kelvin Benjamin will not be lasting long and Superman could produce another MVP season... given that his playmakers run the right routes and what not.
Matt Ryan suffered the infamous Super Bowl hangover last season with just 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, but the cure to that is Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Mohamed Sanu.
Don't forget about Marcus Mariota either.
Is Tom Brady on that downward slope yet? Am I silly for asking that question? He just celebrated his 41st birthday for crying out loud. He did lose Danny Amendola and Brandin Cooks, so...
Anybody hi-five him yet?
Speaking of the GOAT though, Nick Foles beat Tom Brady in February to wrap up Philly's historical season. Yes, that actually did happen. It was not a dream. Nick Foles or Carson Wentz, it does not matter who is under center.
I mentioned that Andrew Luck guy. He has an opportunity to write one of the most notable comeback stories in NFL history. Who doesn't love a good comeback story?
Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees do not get talked about as much as they deserve, yet they both consistently perform. These seasoned veterans are soon on their way out (*tears*) and will be giving their all during this 2018-19 season. If the football gods feel like blessing us, maybe we will see this matchup go down in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3rd.
Naturally I insert Jalen Ramsey here after talking QBs...
What's a sports discussion without some irrational predictions?
My top 4 NFC teams:
- New Orleans Saints
- Minnesota Vikings
- Los Angeles Rams (seriously... stacked)
- Dallas Cowboys
My top 4 AFC teams:
- Houston Texans
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Kansas City Chiefs
You can @ me on those by the way.
Whatever you are most looking forward to, I am here for it all. I know some of the rule changes may have us throwing objects at our tv at times this season, but can we just take a moment and pray that those guys in the black and white stripes let them play a little bit?
Our withdraws are almost over. Join #BadAsh in hyping up this lovely thing we call football. Time for kick off.
Still #Shalieving
My shameless defense plug... y'all ready to see these brothers dominate?
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