Round 8 all but brings into focus the middle of the draft. The best part being that there may still be a few gems available and a number of positions yet to be touched such as defences and kickers. Will any be going early or will there be a mad scramble later on?
Pick 113: The Aberdeen Oilers Select Allen Lazard, Wide Receiver, Green Bay
Points Last Year: 142.5 Points
Average Per Game: 10.2 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 47th
Last Year Rank NFL: 126th
Aaron Rodgers has to throw to somebody and Aberdeen takes Green Bay's first wide receiver option in Allen Lazard. With Davante Adams now out of the team, a huge share of the targets will now be distributed around and it may just be Allen who steps up his production in 2022. His end to last season was pretty strong too with five touchdowns in his last five games, making him capable of standing and delivering. There is star potential there, he just has to see the bulk of the ball.
Pick 114: The Dublin Brewers Select Tyler Boyd, Wide Receiver, Cincinnati
Points Last Year: 183.84 Points
Average Per Game: 11.5 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 31st
Last Year Rank NFL: 82nd
If you purely look at receptions, there isn't much to gawk at with Tyler Boyd, he's a solid 3-5 catches a game. But if you look at his average yards, especially late on in the season, he would average in his last five games nearly 17.5 yards per play. This is only set to be a system where he can get free and get more availability in the pass game as one of the most reliable slot receivers in the league. Dublin have a quietly good selection here and while his share has dropped since 2018, he is still a dependable set of hands.
Pick 115: The Cardiff Dragons Select Hunter Henry, Tight End, New England
Points Last Year: 164.3 Points
Average Per Game: 10.3 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 10th
Last Year Rank NFL: 100th
Hunter Henry had to shake off competition from Jonnu Smith last season as to who was the premier tight end in fantasy terms and with that understanding, Henry becomes a crucial goal-line weapon for the New England Patirots and by comparison, the Cardiff Dragons. Most of his points last season were scored in a steady stream, leaving a lot usefulness potentially to be targetted more in the open field. With additions like Devante Parker out wide, there could still be more room for distraction and a few more points this season.
Pick 116: The Bristol Buccaneers Select James Cook, Running Back, Buffalo
Points Last Year: 0.0 Points
Average Per Game: 0.0 Points
Last Year Rank Position: N/A
Last Year Rank NFL: N/A
So you come into the NFL, from one of the best colleges in the country in Georgia, you join a team in Buffalo who are on a march as one of the elite teams in football currently and to top it all off, your older brother just so happens to be a first rounder in this draft? Good luck James Cook. James will be used more in the back to begin with behind Devin Singletary but with a 4.42 40 yard dash, what will give James good value for the Bristol Buccaneers is that during college, he never dropped a pass.
Pick 117: The Newport Coal Miners Select Melvin Gordon III, Running Back, Denver
Points Last Year: 195.1 Points
Average Per Game: 12.2 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 20th
Last Year Rank NFL: 75th
Melvin Gordon is a very good running back whose only issue this season is the other really good running back he has to share the field with in Javonte Williams. When both Denver running backs can manage a top 20 in fantasy, it should be a great omen that points can be found but with Melvin at 29, how likely will it be that as the season goes, more and more responsibility will be handed off to Javonte? That's why he goes in the eighth round, and why Newport at least early on have a decent selection.
Pick 118: The Glasgow Pipers Select Rhamondre Stevenson, Running Back, New England
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70120953/1351890005.0.jpg)
Points Last Year: 114.9 Points
Average Per Game: 9.6 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 47th
Last Year Rank NFL: 162nd
Rhamondre managed to get some good reps as a rookie last season, highlighted with two 100+ yard rushing games against Cleveland and Jacksonville. His job is also made a lot easier with Brandon Bolden getting a trade to the Raiders, meaning that Glasgow have a solid RB2 in a team that does have a tendancy to make use of running backs. The ceiling of his work is going to be where the bigger worries are with Stevenson needing Harris to take less work and hope that the passing game out the back also fails.
Pick 119: The Belfast Giants Select Nyheim Hines, Running Back, Indianapolis
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69360521/usa_today_15436072.0.jpg)
Points Last Year: 112.6 Points
Average Per Game: 6.6 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 48th
Last Year Rank NFL: 164th
When the head coach of your team says pick Nyheim Hines in fantasy this year, you sit up and pay attention. The points per game last year were a little murky considering the best player in the draft just so happens to be Indianapolis' primary weapon so what does that mean to Frank Reich's comments? Most likely, it leads to more passing opportunities for Hines which could see him vault up in value. I am very curious to see how this pick works out and whether the mix of targets and Matty Ice helps him out.
Pick 120: The Birmingham Bulls Select Dawson Knox, Tight End, Buffalo
Points Last Year: 164.1 Points
Average Per Game: 10.9 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 11th
Last Year Rank NFL: 101st
There will be an element of concern around the slowdown in the final stages of last season which saw Knox slip out of the top ten in fantasy. 4 separate 18 plus point games gives a lot of promise at the position and is a stark indicator that he could be one of the few tight ends out there that you might choose to flex. I do like this pick for Birmingham who already have Pat Freiermuth which could easily mean Knox becomes the number one choice and with players like Cole Beasley and Emmanuel Sanders away from the team, more could be coming.
Pick 121: The Swansea Smelters Select Noah Fant, Tight End, Seattle
Points Last Year: 159.0 Points
Average Per Game: 9.9 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 12th
Last Year Rank NFL: 106th
As part of the blockbuster deal to get Russell Wilson over to Denver, Noah Fant had to go the other way. He should comfortably fit in at tight end and as Seattle's leading option but in terms of production, I would expect a similar showcase of performance to last season at Denver. With Drew Lock as the current quarterback, there shouldn't be much to leave to the imagination of a player who managed just 670 yards last season and 4 touchdowns. Swansea have a very reliable pick here at 121.
Pick 122: The Nottingham Sheriffs Select Trey Lance, Quarterback, San Francisco
Points Last Year: 64.92 Points
Average Per Game: 10.8 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 39th
Last Year Rank NFL: 251st
The average per game last season was skewed heavily for Trey Lance who was able to be used in a gadget capacity early on but was relied upon nicely when Jimmy Garoppolo was injured. This season though marks his promotion to the number one role and one which should see him kick on from the average of 17 points per game as a starter. With Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk as targets, he should be looking to charge forward, along with a good set of legs that makes him a versatile dual threat quarterback.
Pick 123: The Cork City Rebels Select David Njoku, Tight End, Cleveland
Points Last Year: 107.6 Points
Average Per Game: 7.2 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 23rd
Last Year Rank NFL: 171st
The philosophy of unfulfilled potential should be something to keep in mind with David Njoku. Everyone knows he has the ability to be an amazing tight end but for whatever reason, Cleveland and tight end points tend not to mix. I fear that early on, that might be the same again with the looming suspension of at least 6 games for Deshaun Watson. The biggest showcase of what Njoku can do came in week 5 last season with nearly 150 yards receiving and a touchdown. The Cork City Rebels need that Njoku to show up.
Pick 124: The Dundee Spinners Select Kirk Cousins, Quarterback, Minnesota
Points Last Year: 300.34 Points
Average Per Game: 18.8 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 11th
Last Year Rank NFL: 20th
Kirk Cousins last season was an incredibly dependable quarterback with 33 touchdowns to only 7 picks. With the incredible trio of Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, it is a wonder how Minnesota isn't in a superbowl push right now. Yet, Kirk's push as a fantasy option does have him limited on a rushing front and ever the more reliant on the arm. A certain Tom Brady is the same but for Kirk, he needs to push on closer to a 5000 yard season to be a truly elite option. Very good pick though still for Dundee.
Pick 125: The London Steelers Select Christian Watson, Wide Receiver, Green Bay
Points Last Year: 0.0 Points
Average Per Game: 0.0 Points
Last Year Rank Position: N/A
Last Year Rank NFL: N/A
It will be a race against time for Christian Watson who is currently listed as out for the opening fixure of the season. Showing his talents at North Dakota State, he looked athletically impressive at just about everything during the combine and seemingly could do everything including kick return, which could be a cheeky 6 points if London are lucky. Luck shouldn't be a mainstay though for his work as he could move from strength to strength with Aaron Rodgers throwing to him on a consistent basis. London do like rookie wide outs called Chris.
Pick 126: The Barry Islanders Select Skyy Moore, Wide Receiver, Kansas City
Points Last Year: 0.0 Points
Average Per Game: 0.0 Points
Last Year Rank Position: N/A
Last Year Rank NFL: N/A
Skyy Moore is set to be promising not just by team but also by what he was able to achieve at Western Michigan. Getting 32% of the targets while there, Skyy was indeed the limit of what they could do, being not just an all around the field talent but also a 90% adjusted catch rate. At Kansas City, with no true leader set right now at wide receiver, the door is potentially open for a lot of targets and yards for Skyy Moore which would make the Islanders really happy. Time will tell if the points will match the position.
Pick 127: The Galway Tribesmen Select Jameson Williams, Wide Receiver, Detroit
Points Last Year: 0.0 Points
Average Per Game: 0.0 Points
Last Year Rank Position: N/A
Last Year Rank NFL: N/A
Jumping to Alabama may have been the greatest thing that's ever happened to Jameson Williams. He flew forward into an incredible season, however the one problem going into this season is the torn ACL he got in the national title game. Galway may have to stash him on their injury reserve early on and hope for his production later on in the season, but with his rehab progressing well, it may be sooner rather than later that Jameson Williams will be able to showcase his skills.
Pick 96: The Edinburgh Knights Select Jahan Dotson, Wide Receiver, Washington
Points Last Year: 0.0 Points
Average Per Game: 0.0 Points
Last Year Rank Position: N/A
Last Year Rank NFL: N/A
The fourth straight rookie wide receiver to end the eighth round, Jahan Dotson immediately slots in at Washington as either their second or third best option depending on how Curtis Samuel does after dealing with injury. Jahan had a great season last year with Penn State and very much like Skyy Moore, has a small stature but made up with skill and great hands. He could be a very solid third option for Edinburgh and with Carson Wentz at quarterback, on a must make season, Jahan may have the tools to make a good season in 2022.
With round 8 fully completed, we can take a look at the positional and team data from this round of the draft and overall.
Round 8 By NFL Team:
Green Bay: 2
New England: 2
Buffalo: 2
Cincinnati: 1
Denver: 1
Indianapolis: 1
Seattle: 1
San Francisco: 1
Cleveland: 1
Minnesota: 1
Kansas City: 1
Detroit: 1
Washington: 1
Overall By Position:
Wide Receiver: 57
Running Back: 41
Quarterback: 15
Tight End: 15
Overall By NFL Team:
Buffalo: 6
Tampa Bay: 5
Dallas: 5
Las Vegas: 5
Philadelphia: 5
Arizona: 5
Green Bay: 5
Cincinnati: 5
Denver: 5
Seattle: 5
San Francisco: 5
Kansas City: 5
Los Angeles Chargers: 4
Baltimore: 4
Miami: 4
New York Jets: 4
Los Angeles Rams: 4
Pittsburgh: 4
New Orleans: 4
New England: 4
Cleveland: 4
Minnesota: 4
Detroit: 4
Atlanta: 3
Jacksonville: 3
Tennessee: 3
New York Giants: 3
Indianapolis: 3
Washington: 3
Carolina: 2
Chicago: 2
Houston: 1
Halfway in the Draft as Fantasy Football Intended will be coming up next when the 9th round of the draft will take effect. Make sure to keep your eyes on this space for more updates! Artwork was illustrated by Althea Charlie.
Pick 119: The Belfast Giants Select Nyheim Hines, Running Back, Indianapolis
Points Last Year: 112.6 Points
Average Per Game: 6.6 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 48th
Last Year Rank NFL: 164th
When the head coach of your team says pick Nyheim Hines in fantasy this year, you sit up and pay attention. The points per game last year were a little murky considering the best player in the draft just so happens to be Indianapolis' primary weapon so what does that mean to Frank Reich's comments? Most likely, it leads to more passing opportunities for Hines which could see him vault up in value. I am very curious to see how this pick works out and whether the mix of targets and Matty Ice helps him out.
Pick 120: The Birmingham Bulls Select Dawson Knox, Tight End, Buffalo
Points Last Year: 164.1 Points
Average Per Game: 10.9 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 11th
Last Year Rank NFL: 101st
There will be an element of concern around the slowdown in the final stages of last season which saw Knox slip out of the top ten in fantasy. 4 separate 18 plus point games gives a lot of promise at the position and is a stark indicator that he could be one of the few tight ends out there that you might choose to flex. I do like this pick for Birmingham who already have Pat Freiermuth which could easily mean Knox becomes the number one choice and with players like Cole Beasley and Emmanuel Sanders away from the team, more could be coming.
Pick 121: The Swansea Smelters Select Noah Fant, Tight End, Seattle
Points Last Year: 159.0 Points
Average Per Game: 9.9 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 12th
Last Year Rank NFL: 106th
As part of the blockbuster deal to get Russell Wilson over to Denver, Noah Fant had to go the other way. He should comfortably fit in at tight end and as Seattle's leading option but in terms of production, I would expect a similar showcase of performance to last season at Denver. With Drew Lock as the current quarterback, there shouldn't be much to leave to the imagination of a player who managed just 670 yards last season and 4 touchdowns. Swansea have a very reliable pick here at 121.
Pick 122: The Nottingham Sheriffs Select Trey Lance, Quarterback, San Francisco
Points Last Year: 64.92 Points
Average Per Game: 10.8 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 39th
Last Year Rank NFL: 251st
The average per game last season was skewed heavily for Trey Lance who was able to be used in a gadget capacity early on but was relied upon nicely when Jimmy Garoppolo was injured. This season though marks his promotion to the number one role and one which should see him kick on from the average of 17 points per game as a starter. With Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk as targets, he should be looking to charge forward, along with a good set of legs that makes him a versatile dual threat quarterback.
Pick 123: The Cork City Rebels Select David Njoku, Tight End, Cleveland
Points Last Year: 107.6 Points
Average Per Game: 7.2 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 23rd
Last Year Rank NFL: 171st
The philosophy of unfulfilled potential should be something to keep in mind with David Njoku. Everyone knows he has the ability to be an amazing tight end but for whatever reason, Cleveland and tight end points tend not to mix. I fear that early on, that might be the same again with the looming suspension of at least 6 games for Deshaun Watson. The biggest showcase of what Njoku can do came in week 5 last season with nearly 150 yards receiving and a touchdown. The Cork City Rebels need that Njoku to show up.
Pick 124: The Dundee Spinners Select Kirk Cousins, Quarterback, Minnesota
Points Last Year: 300.34 Points
Average Per Game: 18.8 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 11th
Last Year Rank NFL: 20th
Kirk Cousins last season was an incredibly dependable quarterback with 33 touchdowns to only 7 picks. With the incredible trio of Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, it is a wonder how Minnesota isn't in a superbowl push right now. Yet, Kirk's push as a fantasy option does have him limited on a rushing front and ever the more reliant on the arm. A certain Tom Brady is the same but for Kirk, he needs to push on closer to a 5000 yard season to be a truly elite option. Very good pick though still for Dundee.
Pick 125: The London Steelers Select Christian Watson, Wide Receiver, Green Bay
Points Last Year: 0.0 Points
Average Per Game: 0.0 Points
Last Year Rank Position: N/A
Last Year Rank NFL: N/A
It will be a race against time for Christian Watson who is currently listed as out for the opening fixure of the season. Showing his talents at North Dakota State, he looked athletically impressive at just about everything during the combine and seemingly could do everything including kick return, which could be a cheeky 6 points if London are lucky. Luck shouldn't be a mainstay though for his work as he could move from strength to strength with Aaron Rodgers throwing to him on a consistent basis. London do like rookie wide outs called Chris.
Pick 126: The Barry Islanders Select Skyy Moore, Wide Receiver, Kansas City
Points Last Year: 0.0 Points
Average Per Game: 0.0 Points
Last Year Rank Position: N/A
Last Year Rank NFL: N/A
Skyy Moore is set to be promising not just by team but also by what he was able to achieve at Western Michigan. Getting 32% of the targets while there, Skyy was indeed the limit of what they could do, being not just an all around the field talent but also a 90% adjusted catch rate. At Kansas City, with no true leader set right now at wide receiver, the door is potentially open for a lot of targets and yards for Skyy Moore which would make the Islanders really happy. Time will tell if the points will match the position.
Pick 127: The Galway Tribesmen Select Jameson Williams, Wide Receiver, Detroit
Points Last Year: 0.0 Points
Average Per Game: 0.0 Points
Last Year Rank Position: N/A
Last Year Rank NFL: N/A
Jumping to Alabama may have been the greatest thing that's ever happened to Jameson Williams. He flew forward into an incredible season, however the one problem going into this season is the torn ACL he got in the national title game. Galway may have to stash him on their injury reserve early on and hope for his production later on in the season, but with his rehab progressing well, it may be sooner rather than later that Jameson Williams will be able to showcase his skills.
Pick 96: The Edinburgh Knights Select Jahan Dotson, Wide Receiver, Washington
Points Last Year: 0.0 Points
Average Per Game: 0.0 Points
Last Year Rank Position: N/A
Last Year Rank NFL: N/A
The fourth straight rookie wide receiver to end the eighth round, Jahan Dotson immediately slots in at Washington as either their second or third best option depending on how Curtis Samuel does after dealing with injury. Jahan had a great season last year with Penn State and very much like Skyy Moore, has a small stature but made up with skill and great hands. He could be a very solid third option for Edinburgh and with Carson Wentz at quarterback, on a must make season, Jahan may have the tools to make a good season in 2022.
With round 8 fully completed, we can take a look at the positional and team data from this round of the draft and overall.
Round 8 By Position:
Wide Receiver: 6
Running Back: 4
Tight End: 4
Quarterback: 2
Wide Receiver: 6
Running Back: 4
Tight End: 4
Quarterback: 2
Round 8 By NFL Team:
Green Bay: 2
New England: 2
Buffalo: 2
Cincinnati: 1
Denver: 1
Indianapolis: 1
Seattle: 1
San Francisco: 1
Cleveland: 1
Minnesota: 1
Kansas City: 1
Detroit: 1
Washington: 1
Overall By Position:
Wide Receiver: 57
Running Back: 41
Quarterback: 15
Tight End: 15
Overall By NFL Team:
Buffalo: 6
Tampa Bay: 5
Dallas: 5
Las Vegas: 5
Philadelphia: 5
Arizona: 5
Green Bay: 5
Cincinnati: 5
Denver: 5
Seattle: 5
San Francisco: 5
Kansas City: 5
Los Angeles Chargers: 4
Baltimore: 4
Miami: 4
New York Jets: 4
Los Angeles Rams: 4
Pittsburgh: 4
New Orleans: 4
New England: 4
Cleveland: 4
Minnesota: 4
Detroit: 4
Atlanta: 3
Jacksonville: 3
Tennessee: 3
New York Giants: 3
Indianapolis: 3
Washington: 3
Carolina: 2
Chicago: 2
Houston: 1
Halfway in the Draft as Fantasy Football Intended will be coming up next when the 9th round of the draft will take effect. Make sure to keep your eyes on this space for more updates! Artwork was illustrated by Althea Charlie.
No comments:
Post a Comment