Week 13 was flooded with incredible plays like Saquon Barkley juking out what seemed to be an entire defense and Travis Kelce terrorizing the Raiders. Chances are that you saw that and the other top highlights, but likely missed some of the finer details of the games. Fortunately, I get paid to watch as much football as possible and am able to see every game through the condensed games on NFL Game Pass. Today, I’ll tell you the biggest takeaways from what I saw on this week’s tape.
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#5) Dalvin Cook is going to be the steal of fantasy drafts next year
Cook was among the most disappointing high picks in fantasy drafts this year. Much of that, of course, had to do with his extended absence from the Vikings’ lineup, but even when he has been active, the production has been lacking. That may be true from a fantasy perspective, but the underlying picture tells the story differently. It seems as though every time Cook touches the ball he is forcing a missed tackle, and it just so happens that he leads the NFL in missed tackles per touch. Latavius Murray should be gone next year as well, and while Mike Boone is an ultra-talented backup, we’ve seen Cook as a bell-cow running back and it would make sense for him to slide back into thay role if he is able. Once he is a year removed from the ACL tear, he may return to the 21 touch-per-game freak that we saw prior to the injury. The big reason for his mediocre numbers this year has been the poor performance of the offensive line. With the rest of their team seemingly in place, you’d have to think they attack that weakness this off-season and when they do, Cook is still good enough to become a top-five superstar once again.
#4) Chris Carson is substantially better than most realize
With Rashaad Penny apparently breathing down his neck long term, many are wondering if Carson has much of a future ahead of him. Although Penny is oozing with upside, I see no chance outside of an injury that Carson losses this job. He runs with authority, making strong decisive cuts, and while he doesn’t carry the true bell-cow upside of stars like Le’Veon Bell and David Johnson, he is among the best in the league at finding that final seem in a play to add on yards after contact. With the Seahawks’ scheme built on the run, we could be looking at one of the safest RB2s in fantasy football for next year’s drafts.
#3) Royce Freeman is still one of the best rookie backs
Phillip Lindsay is a certified monster for the Broncos. There is no doubt about that so the Broncos will be sticking with him as their starter in the foreseeable future, but that doesn’t mean we should be selling Freeman in dynasty leagues quite yet. Rather, I’d encourage everyone to put in a call for a potential trade. Talent has a way of finding touches and rising to the top. Whether it happens through an injury or trade, Freeman will have a chance to lead some team in touches before long. When he does, we are looking at a durable bully of a running back with the upside to lead the league in touchdowns some day.
#2) Curtis Samuel is a one of a kind weapon
It seemed as though the Panthers would never realize what a gifted player they had in Samuel, but this week he was finally given the 11 targets he deserves. It is no secret that he has been making big plays nearly every game, but the question is whether he can sustain that rare efficiency. The answer is yes. If he were your run of the mill run after catch specialist, he would have a career as a WR4 with a few big games here and there, but this kid is a unicorn. Not only is he among the fastest players in the game but he has vision and acceleration that free him to make countless big plays. While he isn’t the same mold of player that DeSean Jackson is, his breakaway ability truly rivals it. Combine that with a Laveranues Coles motor and feel for the game and we may just have something never seen before in fantasy football.
#1) Justin Jackson can be an RB1 in the right situation
If you’ve ever watched Melvin Gordon play, I don’t need to tell you that there is no chance outside of an injury that Jackson ever sniffs the starting lineup for the Chargers. With that said, if they believe in Austin Ekeler as the 3rd down back enough, there is a chance L.A. could move Jackson to a RB-needy team like the Ravens or Bears this off-season. In either situation, Jackson would excel because he’s got unbelievable agility. He doesn’t accelerate through holes as well as most stars in the league, but in terms of elusivity, he is as good as you’ll find. Any time Jackson gets a one on one situation, you can expect him to win the battle. This off-season make sure to scoop Jackson up in your dynasty league when his owner has written him off because of Gordon’s return.
Additional Notes
- The Saints pass-rush may have passed into elite territory
- Cam Newton is playing injured. His arm strength is suddenly abysmal
- T.J. Carrie and Denzel Ward are going to be a nasty CB combo for Cleveland
- Kenneth Dixon is far and away the best RB on the Ravens’ roster
- DeVante Parker should breakout next year in a different offense
- Trent Sherfield may be a late-season breakout case for the Cardinals
- Saquon Barkley might be better than even Barry Sanders
- Christian McCaffrey is the most durable back in the NFL
- Rex Burkhead is still not near 100%
- Jeff Wilson is a fringe NFL talent
- Kalen Ballage looks exactly like Latavius Murray on tape
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