Bengals | Tee Higgins the go-to guy?
Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins could 'possibly emerge' as the No. 1 receiver for QB Joe Burrow as soon as 2021, according to Jay Morrison of The Athletic.
Link to story
Dolphins | Mike Gesicki popular in red zone
Miami Dolphins TE Mike Gesicki was one of four tight ends to see double-digit end zone targets during the 2019 season.
Link to story
Mike Gesicki player page
Giants | Saquon Barkley finished on high note
New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley averaged 131 rushing yards on 6.24 yards per carry in the final three games of the 2019 season, and he scored five of his eight total touchdowns in that span.
Link to story
Saquon Barkley player page
Bills | Josh Allen in rare company
Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen has 17 rushing touchdowns in 27 career starts. Only free-agent QB Cam Newton (Panthers) has had more rushing touchdowns in his first 27 starts.
Link to story
Josh Allen player page
Bengals | John Ross dangerous after the catch
Cincinnati Bengals WR John Ross averaged 7.3 yards after the catch in 2019 - tied for the fourth-highest average in the league among players who amassed 50 targets last season.
Link to story
John Ross player page
Rams | Robert Woods a YAC monster
Los Angeles Rams WR Robert Woods registered 613 yards after the catch in 2019 - the third-highest total in the league.
Link to story
Robert Woods player page
49ers | George Kittle a nightmare in the open field
San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle has compiled two of the three best seasons for a tight end in terms of producing yards after the catch since at least 2015 over the last two years. His 871 receiving yards after the catch in 2018 are the most by any player over the last five seasons (and 208 more yards than second-place Travis Kelce compiled in 2016), while his 623 receiving yards after the catch in 2019 led all tight ends and trailed only Chris Godwin (629) among all players last season.
Link to story
Travis Kelce player page
Chris Godwin player page
George Kittle player page
Jets | No shortage of receiving work for Le'Veon Bell
New York Jets RB Le'Veon Bell has enjoyed a target share of between 17 and 18 percent in four of his last five seasons, with the only exception coming in 2015 (15 percent). His 17.3 percent share in 2019 was the second-highest mark of his career.
Link to story
Le'Veon Bell player page
Browns | Kareem Hunt heavily used in passing game
Cleveland Browns RB Kareem Hunt ranked sixth among running backs with 44 targets from Week 10 until the end of the 2019 regular season. Additionally, Hunt's 49 slot snaps also ranked sixth among running backs in the league for the year despite playing only eight games.
Link to story
Footballguys view: Expect this type of usage to continue all season long. Hunt will work behind starter Nick Chubb, but he's going to get plenty of touches in this offense. That role gives him plenty of flex appeal for Fantasy GMs in 2020.
Kareem Hunt player page
Dolphins | Preston Williams busy prior to injury
Miami Dolphins WR Preston Williams (knee) attracted at least seven targets in six of his eight games last season, including nine in the Week 9 win over the New York Jets in which he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament. In the four games in which he logged at least 50 offensive snaps, Williams also compiled at least eight targets, four catches and 68 yards receiving three times.
Link to story
Footballguys view: Williams looked good before he went down with a knee injury. He's had plenty of time to fully recover but we're expecting the team to ease him into action when training camp rolls around. We'll see if he can look like his old self in the preseason.
Preston Williams player page
Falcons | Calvin Ridley erupted after Mohamed Sanu trade
Atlanta Falcons WR Calvin Ridley was on track for 66 catches for 853 yards and nine touchdowns on 101 targets prior to the Falcons trading Mohamed Sanu to the New England Patriots following a Week 7 loss. Over his final six games and before succumbing to an abdomen injury that ended his season prior to Week 15, Ridley's 16-game pace over the final six contests was 91 receptions for 1,315 yards and eight touchdowns on 131 targets.
Link to story
Footballguys view: Ridley's touchdown rate is among the highest in the NFL over the past two seasons. We'll see how TE Hayden Hurst works into the passing game this year as the Falcons picked him up to replace Austin Hooper. Ridley could be in for career-best numbers in 2020 and might surpass 1,000 yards receiving for the first time in his pro career.
Calvin Ridley player page
Vikings | Irv Smith picked it up sans Adam Thielen
Minnesota Vikings TE Irv Smith amassed a mere seven scoreless catches on eight targets over his first six NFL games in 2019. Beginning in Week 7 when WR Adam Thielen suffered a hamstring injury - an ailment that limited him to three receptions and three games the rest of the regular season - on his only catch of the game, Smith totaled 29 catches on 39 targets and scored two touchdowns.
Link to story
Footballguys view: Smith did a good job as a rookie, working in a TEBC with Kyle Rudolph. That duo will continue to make a difference this season. We'll see if guys like Smith help pick up the slack with WR Stefon Diggs traded away to the Bills.
Irv Smith player page
Redskins | Dwayne Haskins took a huge step forward late
Washington Redskins QB Dwayne Haskins took a combined three sacks and went 31-of-43 (72 percent) as a passer for 394 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions over his final two starts of 2019. In his first seven appearances as a pro (five starts), he was sacked an average of 3.7 times and went 88-for-160 (55 percent) as a passer for 971 yards, three touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Link to story
Footballguys view: There is no doubt that Haskins flashed ability as a rookie...he just didn't get much time to prove himself. He'll compete in training camp with Kyle Allen for the starting job. The last coaching regime brought in Haskins as a first-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft. He'll have to prove himself to new head coach Ron Rivera, and if he plays like he did late last year then that shouldn't be a problem.
Dwayne Haskins player page
Broncos | Several TEs may compete for two spots
Denver Broncos TEs Albert Okwuegbunam, Austin Fort and Jake Butt are expected to be competing for two roster spots during training camp. Okwuegbunam is considered a favorite for one of the spots.
Link to story
Footballguys view: Okwuegbunam was a favorite target of Drew Lock during their playing days together in college at Mizzou. He caught 17 touchdown passes from Lock in two seasons and could be a red-zone threat for the Broncos in 2020 and beyond. Fort looked good in training camp last year as an undrafted rookie out of Wyoming. A knee injury forced him to miss all of 2019. Speaking of knee injuries, Jake Butt just can't stay healthy due to a few knee issues that have plagued his game in college and the pros.
Jake Butt player page
Ravens | Lamar Jackson may go deep more often
Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson hopefully will try more downfield throws this upcoming season when the team faces one-on-one coverage, according to head coach John Harbaugh. 'Those corners are going to be one-on-one and those safeties are going to be one-on-one against receivers, especially on downfield throws, and we got to make them pay for it,' Harbaugh said. 'I really do believe that's the next step for this offense from an execution standpoint. I really do believe Lamar is going to take the next step and our receivers are going to take the next step.'
Link to story
Footballguys view: So long as his targets are healthy (Marquise Brown specifically), Jackson should be able to have quite a bit of success as a deep passer. His rushing ability means teams are going to be sucked up to the line in order to contain Jackson as a runner. That leaves deep shots in 1-on-1 situations that Jackson could take advantage of.
Lamar Jackson player page
Browns | Cleveland may use top RBs together
Cleveland Browns RBs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt probably will be on the field at the same time on occasion this upcoming season, in the opinion of The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot.
Link to story
Footballguys view: The Browns have a talented duo and using both just makes the most sense. Chubb will be the primary back and should be a fantasy force as a RB1 must-start every week. Hunt has flex appeal in PPR leagues because of how the team can use him as a runner and receiver out of the backfield. Chubb has a current ADP of RB10 (2.02) while Hunt is going off the board at RB28 (5.11) in 12-team PPR leagues.
Kareem Hunt player page
Nick Chubb player page
Bills | Stefon Diggs only working with Josh Allen
Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs has only worked with QB Josh Allen during drills at the recent workouts in Florida.
Link to story
Footballguys view: Allen and Diggs should be the top duo for the Bills and their passing attack this year. The Bills needed an upgrade at the position and they get that when they traded for Diggs. Allen needs to be more accurate and have better pass placement but having a receiver like Diggs (who can go up and get it no matter where the throw is placed) should greatly help. Allen's rushing ability makes him a potential top-10 fantasy quarterback. If Allen plays better, then Diggs could easily outperform his current ADP of WR21 (5.03) in 12-team PPR leagues.
Stefon Diggs player page
Josh Allen player page
Source: footballguys.com