With NFL Preseason starting up, rumors, story lines, and the ever lasting need for a Fantasy Football Championship is running through the news and minds of all. Today I am writing an article for all of you fantasy football players who want to get a couple of those “late round steals” that make you look like a genius and make everyone else look like fools. These late round steals can either be key to a block buster trade that will take your team from a pretender to contender or contender to champion. Below are two players I really believe will also go from unnoticed to starters.
Trent Richardson– Indianapolis Colts RB:
I can hear you groaning now. Oh how disappointed we all were last year with Richardson’s production after he was traded to the white and blue horseshoes of Indy. At first, when Colts GM Ryan Grigson traded Indy’s first rounder to Cleveland for Richardson, we all thought this was something out of a video game. Two top players from the same draft in Andrew Luck and Trent Richardson teaming up in Indy, WOW! However, Richardson proved to be a big disappointment. Excuses were made, from the difficulty of learning a new playbook a quarter of the way through the year, the injuries the Colts sustained, or the terrible play that came from the Colts offensive line (which sustained major injuries), Richardson was flat out terrible. A fantasy bust, and the furthest thing from an “amazing” trade for the Colts. In fact, many people were willing to put the nails in the coffin last year and declare this trade one of the worst in history. I am not so quick to turn my back on this trade though, quite the contrary. I am actually happy that such a terrible year by Richardson took place. I feel a golden apple is sagging quite low to the ground but out of sight for most people to see. Richardson could be the difference between a championship gloating year or a top pick next year when your team struggles to win.
Here are my projections: Trent Richardson- 1,387 Rushing-yards, 12-Touchdowns, 2-Fumbles, 46-Catches, 502-Yards, 4-Touchdowns ! ! Knowing what he did last year this may seem a bit drastic, but reports coming from Colts’ camp is that “T. Rich” has come in to camp stronger, faster and more confident then ever before. Even with such terrible production out of Richardson, and the re-signing of Ahmad Bradshaw and Jake Ballard coming back from injury, the Colts have declared that Richardson will be their 3 down back. This is a good sign for fantasy owners reading this or those who have already seen the light. The Colts brass see something exciting in Richardson, and with an improved Offensive-line and run-blocking scheme with Donald Thomas back from injury, Jack Mewhort being drafted out of Ohio St, who can play any position on the Offensive-line and Dwayne Allen, who is one of the best run blocking Tight Ends in the game, coming back from injury. Combine that with the additions to the pass-attack and this should open up Richardson to an abundance of positive plays. Look how deep this Colts receiving core is with Reggie Wayne, T.Y. Hilton, Hakeem Nicks, Dwayne Allen and Colby Fleener. This will open up the run game as teams will now have to work on stopping the ever improving Andrew Luck, who is becoming one of the best QB’s in the league and a valuable fantasy quarterback. My recommendation is to draft this Richardson and either keep this him as your number 2 RB or your flex position RB. This former Alabama player will be a RB1 talent at the end of the year. You can always trade him in a block buster deal that will bring an abundance of talent to your team.
The downside to Trent Richardson and that is his health, mentally. Physically this guy didn’t seem to have any issues last year, even though he has been injury prone most of his high school, college, and NFL career. Last year his mental health seemed to be the problem. His confidence was shot and his ability to dominate the way he was expected was even worse. I truly believe that this year will be different and so do the Colts brass. This guy will be available late in your draft, and I advise you draft him so your opponents will look at you like the Vince Lombardi of your Fantasy League. Good hunting people, and now for the next sleeper pick.
Toby Gerhart– Jacksonville Jaguars RB–
The Jags improved from their abysmal performance last year, which isn’t saying much, as this was one of the worst teams in the NFL. The Jags averaged 23.6 rushes per game which ranked 28th in the NFL last year, only beating out the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, and Atlanta Falcons. Gerhart has a career average of 4.7 yards per rush; yet last year, he averaged 7.9 yards per rush on only 36 attempts. He was behind arguably the best running back in the NFL (Adrian Peterson). He performed like an MVP last year, which made it tough for Toby to get opportunities to run the ball. When he did, however, he took advantage with 36-rushes for 283-yards 2-touchdowns and a 7.9 average. Jacksonville will have to run the ball this year to relieve some pressure off of young rookie Blake Bortles. With Bortles, Jacksonville should have a legitimate passing game this year and Defenses will have to worry about stopping him, not Maurice Jones-Drew like they did last year. With MJD bolting to the Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville felt that Gerhart could take over the RB throne in Jacksonville and really play well for them. Gerhart was the runner up in the 2009 Heisman voting and has never really lived up to his hype as his entire career was spent backing up Peterson. This is the year, I see Gerhart showing the NFL that he is a viable Running Back option for a subpar team, which improved this year.
My projections for Gerhart are: 1,257-yards rushing, 10-Touchdowns, 1-Fumble, 38-Catches, 278-yards 5-Touchdowns. I believe with a young inexperienced Quarterback in Bortles, Jacksonville will need to run the ball, to relieve some pressure as well as pass to Gerhart out of the backfield, when the pocket breaks down. One of the biggest problems for rookie and young signal-callers in general is their timing. They tend to hold onto the ball too long especially when the pocket breaks down. Gerhart has surprisingly good hands out of the backfield and should be a true asset for Bortles, as the pocket breaks down. If Gerhart hits or exceeds my projections, he will be a Top-Six Rusher (if stats look anything like last year) and tied for fourth in TDs. I think Bortles has the ability to move the chains in Jacksonville, but may not have enough targets to put up a lot of points or score in the Red zone. Gerhart would help with his ability to fight for extra yards and his surprising speed may not burn you for a long TD, but could get past linebackers in the Red zone and push around DB’s to force his way into the End zone. Here is another player you could draft late, that would prove to be a great pick as youhoist up your Fantasy trophy and talk a lot of smack to all of the people you ran over for it.
David Harris is a Writer for Couch Rider Report. Follow us on Facebook or twitter.