RADIO
In the latest installment of our NFL Draft 32 for 32 series, we will now look at the Jacksonville Jaguars - a team in flux and searching for their identity. The pieces are there for this offense to provide value, but it all hinges on the performance of QB Gardner Minshew II.
The focus of this series is to dive into each NFL team's needs to project their draft picks in this year's draft, which will go on as planned in late April. I will predict the first three selections and give fantasy football owners perspective on how this affects fantasy value. Whether it be a positional player or players on the defensive side of the ball, all selections made can help in some way when it comes to fantasy scoring.
As we have seen in recent memory, some rookies can enter this league and make an immediate impact. Based on the appropriate landing spot, this year's crop of prospects has the potential to create some very fantasy-friendly situations. When you're done here, look back on our previous installments covering the Bengals, Lions, Redskins, Dolphins, Giants, and Chargers.
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2019 Review
In a season of additions, the 2019 campaign for the Jaguars just did not go their way. The free-agent acquisition of Nick Foles was meant to provide some stability to the passing attack. But he went down to injury in Week 1, so in came Gardner Minshew. In 14 games, Minshew took a team with very few household names on offense and turned in a top-20 finish at the position. There were of course ups and downs with his performance. He was top-three in throws over 20 yards on the season, but on the other hand, he committed several turnover-worthy plays. As with most rookies, he would tend to lock onto his first read (60% of his throws) which were spread out among four receivers for the most part.
DJ Chark (89 targets) was the fantasy darling of the group, turning in a WR2 performance after going undrafted in most fantasy formats. Dede Westbrook turned in 660 yards and three TD on 79 targets on the season but was a disappointment as he was expected to provide the stats that ultimately went to Chark. Chris Conley (69 targets) flashed on occasions but would go quiet for weeks on end.
Then there is Leonard Fournette. He showed a new facet in his game as a receiver (76 catches) and appeared in all 16 games on the year. The rushing numbers were there (1,152 yards) but the lack of production in the scoring department was alarming with only three TD.
All in all, this Jaguars offense shows enough promise that there is something to build on as we head towards the draft. Fournette and Chark will be highly-drafted commodities for fantasy owners, while the remainder of the supporting cast will remain as bench options moving forward.
The real need of this team for the 2020 season will be a focus on the defensive side of the ball. I expect this team to spend a lot of draft capital acquiring new talent as they rebuild what was once an amazing defense. There are needs at every level on this defense now that Jalen Ramsey and AJ Bouye are both gone. The more they can improve, it will only help the progression of the young players on offense. So what moves will this team make to improve fantasy fortunes in 2020? Let's find out.
Jacksonville Jaguars - 2020 Outlook
TEAM GRADES
Offense: 66.5 (26th)
Defense: 60.6 (30th)
Overall: 66.9 (30th)
TEAM NEEDS
CB, LB, DL
First Selection (1.09)
Derrick Brown, DT Auburn
Brown enters this draft as the top prospect on the interior defensive line. He has a rare combination of size and quickness. He can power into gaps rather fast off the snap but where he excels is stalling double teams to create space for defenders behind him. He has the flexibility to play multiple spots on the line and with success.
He may not contribute much in the stat sheet, but what he will do with his pressuring ability will allow others to do so. He will not provide much punch as a fantasy asset in IDP formats but will be a nice building block for the Jaguars Defense.
Second Selection (1.20)
C.J. Henderson, CB Florida
Henderson fits right in with a Jaguars defense in need of a boost in talent at the cornerback position. His size and athleticism will allow him to cover most receivers regardless of the defensive scheme. His long speed and recovery burst will help him track vertical routes down the field. Henderson also has a twitchy acceleration that can give a quarterback a false sense of security that there is a window to throw into.
He is a willing tackler and good in run support but has the occasional whiff on open-field tackles. The fluidity and ball skills that he possesses will make Henderson a CB1 in this league for several years. He will also own some appeal as an IDP prospect for fantasy but more-so as a matchup based player.
Third Selection (2.10)
Jordyn Brooks, LB Texas Tech
Brooks is a steady but not eye-popping prospect at linebacker. The production was subpar if you take into account his athletic traits and above-average instincts. He is well built with plus NFL size. He's very quick to diagnose and snuff out run plays. He also does a very good job of moving through blocks, setting himself up for plenty of solo tackles.
But the knock on him is that he can tend to get himself out of position far too often. Brooks could also be more aggressive attacking blockers at the next level, but that will be something that will have to be coached out of him. He will be a solid but not exciting addition to the Jaguars defense that needs more consistency.
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