Leary is a solid journeyman starter (Broncos), but gets dinged up and has missed time each season.
Chad wonders why no (apparent) efforts are being made to sign ex-Viking starter Josh Kline (30) who started for Comrade Stefanski in the same system in 2019.
Several Vikings pundits wondered why Kline was terminated in the first place; he was generally regarded as a solid starter.
I couldn't find Kline's draft profile, or much other info on him, other than PFF's grade on him of 61.-something (average) overall for 2019.
The Vikings might want Kline back at a discount, or have a young, emerging stud ready to take his job (average is average, after all).
In this case, Comrade Stefanski is the Kline-expert, and it appears that they simply think Ronald Leary is a better player. Indeed, they might prefer Wyatt Teller over Kline (PFF graded Teller 5 points lower) (Leary got 58--margin of error close).
I can't afford to subscribe and read this whole article by Ellis L Williams (or renew my low end subscription to PFF) right now (and will never do the former anyway screw you guys), but Ellis blames only 7 of Comrade Mayfield's 18 interceptions last season on the QB.
That was great to read (before the "stick 'em up" popup covered the article).
Dammit.
Anyway Ellis broke down the Comrade's footwork on some of those to illustrate what Alex Van Pelt was talking about, and I encourage you fatcats to check it out.
I don't need to see it anyway. I remember those "big lurches" Alex talked about. They zinged over my head when I saw them in games; I was oblivious, like 98% of you guys.
Instead of dropping normally, Mayfield jumped back with his feet wide apart. This told the defense he was going deep, and even where he was aiming.
...if Ellis didn't say that, he should have.
Ellis no doubt talked about Mayfield's "base", and inability to adjust (fine-tune) his throw with his feet so far apart---all of which is also valid.
I just want to add that forcing the ball to OBJ instead of spreading it around (like he had for his whole life instinctively) messed him up much worse than his feet did.
Everybody blames Freddie Kitchens for that clusterfuck, but I repeat: Kitchens was John Dorsey's puppet.
Back off! If YOU were Kitchens, with that chance to get rich all at once, YOU would have told John Dorsey "ok. You call the shots."
The 2019 Browns benched David Njoku and Rashard Higgins (not Dorsey guys) and forced Comrade Mayfield to force the ball to a physically-impaired 5'11" 190 lb X-receiver who couldn't separate (*due to his injury*) because HE was the crown jewel of a bockbuster John Dorsey trade and...well..
I don't know how good or bad Freddie Kitchens "unchained" might have been in 2019. All I know is, what we saw was a JOHN DORSEY offense.
I listened to Fantasy Radio all day today.
These guys like Nick Chubb a lot, and OBJ somewhat, but nobody else on the offensive roster.
This shouldn't bug you. Even Nick Chubb is ranked 4-7 among RBs due to Kareem Hunt's presence on this roster. I'm even surprised that these guys see OBJ as a bargain in the 3rd or 4th round.
These guys are real pros, but I feel they overlook some of the Browns (a little):
To their credit, they see a 50/50 split between Hunt and Chubb as laughable, which is why they generally agree that Nick Chubb is a smart low first round pick.
But I suspect that these brainiac Fantasy guys are being influenced by this "2-3 Tight End Stefanski system" hyerbole almost as much as the local punditry (with one exception blush-blush):
None of them paid any attention to Kareem Hunt at all!
Sigh here we go again: Comrade Stefanski would be an IDIOT to bench Kareem Hunt DO YOU UNDERSTAND!?!
Now then, Kareem Hunt is obviously the third receiver sometimes, lead or max-protect blocker sometimes, 3rd-and-long RB, and Chubb's backup and reliever.
Ok so Chubb gets 20 carries and 5 targets per game. Hunt gets 10 carries and 8 targets per game.
Based on these 2 players' histories' (and ignoring Stefanski's RB-freindly system), that's over 100 yards on the ground and 3 catches for 20 yards for Chubb and 45+ yards and 4 catches for 45+ yards for Hunt.
I'm being very pessimistic here, as both these guys are in the top 10% in catch-rates, and they've averaged over 4.6 YPC in a...
But I digress: In a PPR (Points per Reception) Fantasy League, Kareem Hunt is currently being massively undervalued, especially as a "handcuff" to Nick Chubb!
So is TE Austin Hooper, who is now officially Comrade Mayfield's "roommate".
The 2019 Vikings TEs combined for about 80 catches and 800 yards.
Austin Hooper will monopolize that in 2020, which is why Njoku asked to be traded. (Still with me here? Kareem Hunt RB/Receiver/blocker did any of that sink in?)
Austin Hooper was never mentioned by these guys, and I think you fatcats who can afford season-long Fantasy Football need to check him out in the lower rounds.
He averages over 10 yards per-reception and is THE MOST reliable TE in the NFL.
Matt Ryan has never "leaned on" Tight Ends much, but Comrade Mayfield LOVES them (including Njoku btw).
There are issues about Hooper vs man as opposed to zone etc, but the Falcons never had Chubb, Hunt, every kind of zone-blocking, RPO's...
...ok I'm just saying that Austin Hooper should prosper here, partly because they don't dare commit any defender to man up on him!
Matt Ryan is a great QB, but much different than Comrade Mayfield. Matt Ryan is a traditional pocket passing deep-thrower. He "resorted" to Hooper when Julio Jones got hurt.
Pearls before swine anyway in this offense and with this QB (and Kareem Hunt) Austin Hooper might well catch 80 passes for 1,000 yards and numerous TDs.
If I could afford to play fantasy like you guys, I would scoop Austin Hooper up for chump-change in garbage-time.
Ok
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