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RotoBaller Writer Predictions: 2016 Fantasy Football Comeback Player of the Year

RotoBaller's NFL writing team makes their predictions for who will have the biggest bounceback season in fantasy football in 2016

This piece continues our series of articles with predictions for the upcoming season from RotoBaller's football writers. In this column, we'll see the predictions on who will be the Fantasy Football Comeback Player of the Year in 2016.

What does that mean exactly? The Fantasy Football Comeback Player of the Year is a player who is coming off of a down season in 2015, and bounces back to make a big impact in 2016.

Editor's Note: Purchase a full season NFL Premium Pass (including Draft Kit + DFS Premium), and also get MLB Premium + DFS for free through October. Premium DFS lineup picks, expert lineups, tools and more - seven days a week. You can see screenshots of our NFL Premium and MLB Premium and DFS tools. What are you waiting for?

 

2016 Fantasy Comeback Player of the Year Predictions

 

Dez Bryant, Cowboys WR

Joey Christopoulos(Tudddyguy)

It has to be Dez Bryant. Dez, when healthy is a machine, a fantasy monster who only grows stronger as he scores more points. Last season was simply no fun. Not for Dallas, not for fantasy owners, not for Dez. He's back now and there will come a time in the season when he makes a play so spectacular that we'll all look at each other wistfully and say, "I missed that." NFL fans deserve a healthy Dez Bryant. Before his foot-injury plagued season last year, Dez had caught 50 touchdowns in the previous four years. I will take more of that please.

 

Eddie Lacy, Packers RB

Andrew Bua(@Andrew_Bua)

This award has the possibility of going to quite a few previous top-notch fantasy performers: Lacy, Jordy Nelson, Dez Bryant, Jamaal Charles, just to name a few. While it’s a tough decision, I’m going to go with Lacy. The big advantage Lacy has here over most of the players attempting a comeback is that he didn’t need to recover from a bad injury, whereas several of the other candidates do. By all accounts, Lacy has looked fantastic and in shape all summer long, which seemed to be the major part of his downfall last year. In an offense that should be completely rejuvenated (Nelson’s comeback included), Lacy should easily finish in the top-10 at his position, and could even crack the top-five.

 

Jeremy Hill, Bengals RB

Pierre Camus(@Pfunk00)

Yes, I'm a believer. The Bengals rode Andy Dalton's magical season all the way to the playoffs and then Hill promptly fumbled away a victory. Cincy fans may never forgive him, but fantasy owners should. His season was not as bad as perceived, as he still scored 11 TDs and almost topped 800 yards. To label Hill a bust is more a result of his insanely-high ADP last season, as he was taken in the first round by many. The 3.6 Y/A is concerning, but it's too early to write off a third-year player because of a slight downward turn. The Bengals figure to return to their run-first ways due to a thinner receiving corps and the realization that their true offensive strength lies in the backfield. I'm not making him a RB1, but Zero-RB enthusiasts should be willing to jump all over him in the middle rounds.

 

Jamaal Charles, Chiefs RB

Joe Sorensen

Charles was his normal, productive self before he hurt his knee last season in Week 5. This season, while it may seem like Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West have earned their share of carries, it is hard to take carries away from Charles when he is healthy. When he was fully healthy, Charles has shown what he is capable of doing with limited touches, roughly 15-18 each game. With a respectable passing game that developed in his absence, Charles should have plenty of room to run around this season.

 

Mike Wallace, Ravens WR

Tyger McGuiggan(@Tyger_McG)

Wallace was one the best deep threats in football and finished as a top-10 receiver twice in the three years where he started in Pittsburgh. He was considered to be the best receiver on the team over Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders. He spent the past three years on two of the worst deep-ball teams in the entire league with the Dolphins and Vikings, but now he is catching passes from Joe Flacco, one of the NFL’s best deep-ball throwers. I know Breshad Perriman is lurking in the shadows, but don’t be surprised to see Wallace turn himself into a high-end WR2 in 2016.

 

Melvin Gordon, Chargers RB

Nate Williams(@FFCatalyst)

Last year, if you look at the statistics, Melvin Gordon had a very bad season. However, there were some tidbits that show he does have potential, including his efficiency in the passing game. So far he seems to be seeing the field better this year, as well as fighting through contact in training camp and the preseason. Gordon is now a low-risk mid round RB with RB1 potential.

 

Matt Ryan, Falcons QB

Nathan Powell(@NPowellFF)

Matt Ryan had the worst year of his career in 2015, but I am expecting a bounce back from the once-reliable veteran. Devonta Freeman vultured most of the short-yardage touchdowns, limiting Ryan's touchdown upside. Ryan is the ideal QB2 target in the mid-late rounds of a superflex/2QB draft. Ryan should see some positive regression in the passing game and the Falcons will likely continue to be a bad team, meaning they will be throwing early and often, especially to Julio Jones.

 




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