TAP FOR 6 MONTHS OF PREMIUM FREE 💰
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

NFL Coaching Changes - Which Players Will Thrive?

A new NFL season naturally means new head coaches across the league. There will be seven new coaches roaming the sidelines next season, with four of them--Matt Nagy for the Bears, Frank Reich for the Colts, Pat Shurmur for the Giants, and Jon Gruden for the Raiders--coming in with backgrounds as offensive coaches.

We have a good amount of evidence from their past work as head coaches and coordinators that suggests how their new roles will affect the players on their new teams, so let's take a look at how these four coaches will increase the fantasy prospects of their new teams.

Below, you'll find one player from each of these four teams that should see an increase in their fantasy output next season due to their new role. These are players who are already on everyone's fantasy radars but might be worth grabbing a little earlier in drafts after 2017 seasons that might not have been representative of the heights these guys can reach.

Featured Promo: Looking for some more fantasy football action? Adopt a dynasty orphan team over at FFPC. Sign up today and get $25 off any FFPC league. Sign Up Now!

 

Chicago Bears

Jordan Howard, RB

The Bears hired former Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. While the popular opinion would be to say that quarterback Mitchell Trubisky ends up benefiting the most, I want to instead highlight a player who has hyped heading into the 2017 season and then ended up as a bit of a disappointment. Jordan Howard will bounce back in 2018 because of the Nagy hiring.

Nagy handled play calling duties for the last five games of Kansas City's season. In the six games before that, the Chiefs rushed for over a hundred yards just once. Over the five games where Nagy handled those duties, the team rushed for 100 or more yards in all five games. Nagy's background as a quarterbacks coach comes into play here as well; even modest improvement by Trubisky should push more defenders back into pass coverage. Among running backs with 200 or more rushing attempts last season, Howard faced a stacked box on the second most percentage of his runs. It's part of why Howard seemed to always get hit at the line of scrimmage. With Nagy on board, expect Howard to break off big plays more often and to find his yards per carry trend upwards.

 

Indianapolis Colts

Whoever The Colts Quarterback Is

Look, I'm not going to sit here and confidently type something about how Andrew Luck is going to be back in 2018 because last season proved that something is definitely up with the franchise QB. Maybe he'll be back and will be fine. Maybe he won't. Maybe Jacoby Brissett will be the quarterback. Maybe they'll draft someone and throw him into the fire.

Here's what I do know. Reich was either quarterback coach or offensive coordinator for the Chargers for three years. Those years featured Philip Rivers leading the league in completion percentage one time and passing for a career high 4792 yards in 2015. Maybe the most important thing about those years, though, is the fact that in 2012, Rivers passed for his fewest yards and touchdowns since 2007. Reich's presence on the coaching staff helped steady Rivers.

Then there's the story of Carson Wentz, who was an MVP candidate last season before going down with a knee injury, and his replacement, Nick Foles, who looked washed up as a Ram and then went on to be the Super Bowl MVP. Reich doesn't get all the credit for that, but he should get some of it. Whoever winds up as the Colts quarterback should have a strong season under Reich's tutelage. Who knows--maybe Jacoby Brissett learns some of Reich's comeback moves and leads the NFL in fourth quarter passing yards.

 

New York Giants

Evan Engram, TE

Kyle Rudolph caught eight touchdowns in 2017, tying him with Rob Gronkowski for the second most touchdown receptions by a tight end. In fact, let's take a quick look at how tight ends have performed on Shurmur teams in recent years.

2011 (Cleveland): Ben Watson finished with 410 yards and two touchdowns while starting just 11 games and playing in 13. That was good enough for the third most receiving on the team that season.

2012 (Cleveland): Watson again finished third on the team in receiving yards and third in receiving touchdowns.

2013 (Philadelphia): Brent Celek and Zach Ertz combined to catch 68 passes for 971 yards and 10 touchdowns.

2014 (Philadelphia): Ertz had 58 receptions for 702 yards.

2015 (Philadelphia): Ertz had 75 catches for 853 yards.

2016 (Minnesota): Shurmur served as the tight end coach. Kyle Rudolph caught 83 passes for 840 yards and seven touchdowns. Rudolph nearly doubled his yardage total from the previous season.

2017 (Minnesota): Rudolph saw his yardage total drop to 532, but that can partly be blamed on injuries that lowered his effectiveness late in the season. He still caught eight touchdowns.

Important Facts to Know

  1. Pat Shurmur uses his tight ends frequently in the passing game.
  2. Evan Engram looked like a potential top-tier tight end at times during his rookie season.
  3. Engram's target share is likely to benefit greatly with Shurmur in New York.

 

Oakland Raiders

Derek Carr, QB

I don't want to use statistical data from Jon Gruden's last stint as an NFL head coach for this because it came so far back that I'm not sure how well it even applies here, but I will say this: Gruden turned around the career of Rich Gannon. The veteran had never thrown for 20 touchdowns in a season before coming to Oakland in 1999 and did it for four straight seasons, the first three of which came under Gruden's tutelage. He also coached a late-career Brad Johnson to a couple of his best seasons. In 2005, he made Chris Simms and Brian Griese look serviceable. In 2007, he coached a 37-year-old Jeff Garcia and made him into a Pro Bowler. There's something about Gruden and quarterbacks. Maybe it isn't to the level that ESPN hyped it to with their years-long focus on Gruden as a QB whisperer, but he has rejuvenated the careers of veteran quarterbacks multiple times.

Enter Derek Carr, who isn't quite a veteran yet but will enter his fifth year and is coming off a season that saw him a lower completion percentage, fewer yards, fewer touchdowns, and more interceptions than in 2016. That regression is part of what turned the Raiders from a playoff team into a team that missed the playoffs. Gruden should be able to create schemes that help Carr out. The one question mark right now involves who Carr will be throwing the ball to, as the team is likely to move on from veteran Michael Crabtree and has Amari Cooper coming off a disastrous season. The Raiders need to hope Cooper looks more like he did during his first two seasons, especially with him having to be the focal point of the receiving game. The Raiders will also need to grab either a veteran receiver in free agency or spend a draft pick on someone that they think can be a stud next to Cooper.

For what it's worth, I considered Cooper for this spot. I think he'll bounce back next season as the undisputed top receiver on the Raiders, but I think natural regression to the mean and an increase in opportunities will have more to do with that than Gruden's coaching style will.

 

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Vladislav Namestnikov

Out Week-to-Week
Nino Niederreiter

Recovering From Surgery
Colton Parayko

Doubtful for Sunday
Zach Benson

Activated From Injured Reserve
Anthony Cirelli

a Game-Time Decision Saturday
Roope Hintz

Remains Out Saturday
Andrei Kuzmenko

Out Week-to-Week After Meniscus Surgery
Starling Marte

Royals Agree With Starling Marte
Rafael Devers

Being Shut Down for 2-4 Days With Hamstring Tightness
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Hits Grand Slam in Grapefruit League Game
J.J. Wetherholt

JJ Wetherholt Homers for First Spring Hit
Bryce Miller

Shut Down for Five Days With Side Soreness
Spencer Strider

Diminished Velocity a Cause for Concern?
Xander Bogaerts

Can Xander Bogaerts Play a Fully Healthy Season in 2026?
Jordan Beck

Can Jordan Beck Be a 20/20 Outfielder in 2026?
Otto Lopez

Profiles as a Projectable Middle-Infield Option in 2026
Alec Burleson

Carries a Safe Production Floor Heading into 2026
Luis Castillo

May Be Showing Signs of Decline Heading into 2026
Trey Yesavage

to be Ramped Up While in Toronto's Rotation
Alex Lyon

Picks Up Victory Against Former Club
Mikko Rantanen

Likely to Miss More Than Two Weeks
A.J. Brown

Patriots "Have Explored Trade Talks" Involving A.J. Brown
Shane Bieber

Throwing at 120 Feet, Timeline Remains Fuzzy
Josh Lowe

Still Bothered by Oblique
Starling Marte

Royals Discussing Deal With Starling Marte
Ceddanne Rafaela

Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela Fine After Collision, Playing on Saturday
Isaac Paredes

Making Spring Debut on Saturday
Josh Jung

Diagnosed With Grade 1 Adductor Strain
Jackson Holliday

Throwing, Scheduled to Swing Next Week
Kyle Stowers

Scratched With Hamstring Tightness
Deni Avdija

Likely to Miss Another Game
Dallas Mavericks

Tyus Jones Set to be Waived by Dallas
Phoenix Suns

Cole Anthony Parts Ways with Phoenix
Quenton Jackson

Earns Three-Year Deal with Pacers
Mason Plumlee

Staying with Spurs For Remainder Of Season
Devin Booker

Targeting Return Tuesday Or Thursday
Keegan Murray

Out at Least Two Weeks
Tyler Myers

Not Expected to Play Saturday
Luke Hughes

Could Return Saturday
Oskar Sundqvist

Available Saturday
Uvis Balinskis

Exits Early Friday Night
Mark Scheifele

Vladimir Namestnikov Hurt in Friday's Loss
Joel Eriksson Ek

Leaves Game With Facial Injury
Logan Thompson

Defeats the Golden Knights
Norman Powell

Considered Week-to-Week
Pierre-Luc Dubois

Scores Twice in Victory
Jabari Smith Jr.

to Miss Game Vs. Heat
Kristaps Porzingis

Questionable Vs. Lakers
Draymond Green

On Track to Play Saturday
Julian Strawther

Spencer Jones, Julian Strawther Good to Go Vs. Thunder
Jamal Murray

Jalen Pickett Cleared To Play Friday
Tyler Soderstrom

Off to Strong Start This Spring
Dejounte Murray

Won't Play on Saturday
Trey Murphy III

is Ruled Out for Saturday's Game
Caleb Martin

is Unavailable on Friday
Klay Thompson

is Resting on Friday
P.J. Washington

to Remain Out on Friday
Tyler Seguin

Offically Out for Rest of Season
Zach Benson

Could Be an Option Friday
Tom Wilson

Good to Go Friday
John Carlson

to Miss At Least Two More Games
Lone'er Kavanagh

Set For UFC Mexico City Main Event
Brandon Moreno

Looks To Bounce Back
David Martinez

Set For UFC Mexico City Co-Main Event
Marlon Vera

In Dire Need Of Victory
King Green

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Daniel Zellhuber

Aims To Snap Two-Fight Skid
Felipe Bunes

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Édgar Cháirez

Edgar Chairez A Favorite At UFC Mexico City
George Pickens

Cowboys Not Interested in Trading George Pickens
Cedric Coward

to Miss Sixth Straight Game
Taj Gibson

Agrees to Deal With Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies

Kyle Anderson Agrees to Buyout, Plans to Join Timberwolves
Ashton Jeanty

Not in Line for Workhorse Role in 2026?
Anthony Richardson Sr.

Colts Give Anthony Richardson Sr. Permission to Seek a Trade
Kyler Murray

Prefers to be Released
Derek Carr

"Strong Belief" That Derek Carr is "Very Serious" About Unretiring
Andy Dalton

Is Andy Dalton Available for a Trade?
Keith Mitchell

Making The Comfortable Return to PGA National
CFB

Chandler Morris Suing NCAA for Seventh Year of Eligibility
Chris Kirk

Searching for a Spark at Cognizant Classic
Brooks Koepka

Making Third PGA Tour Start at Cognizant Classic
Mackenzie Hughes

a Steady Option at Cognizant Classic
Seamus Power

Seeking More Green in Florida
PGA

Haotong Li Back From a Break as Florida Stretch Starts
Stephan Jaeger

Trying to Put Four Rounds Together in Florida
PGA

Nico Echavarria Again Attempting to Make the Weekend
Patrick Fishburn

Looking for a Spark at Cognizant Classic
Blades Brown

Set for Cognizant Classic Debut
Michael Thorbjornsen

Looking to Bounce Back at Cognizant Classic
Maxx Crosby

Raiders Expect Maxx Crosby to Return
Billy Horschel

Looks to Improve Season at Cognizant Classic
Kyle Pitts Sr.

Falcons Place Franchise Tag on Kyle Pitts Sr.
Joe Highsmith

Returns to Defend at Cognizant Classic
Quinshon Judkins

Out of Walking Boot, Will be Ready for Training Camp
Breece Hall

Jets Will Use Franchise Tag on Breece Hall if Extension isn't Reached
Joel Dahmen

Needs Better Consistency Heading Into The Florida Swing
Daniel Berger

Looks to Improve Putting as PGA Tour Begins Its Florida Swing
Kirk Cousins

Falcons Plan to Release Kirk Cousins
Zach Ertz

Plans to Return for 14th Season
Davis Thompson

Struggling to Find Birdies as Florida Looms
Tom Kim

Not Quite Cutting It in 2026
Nicolai Hojgaard

Wants to Build Momentum from Scottsdale
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Returns After Extended Break for Florida Event
CFB

Gunner Rivers Follows His Father, Commits To North Carolina State
Will Zalatoris

Set to Make Tournament Debut at Cognizant Classic
Rasmus Hojgaard

Trending Up at the Cognizant Classic
Anthony Hernandez

Suffers Third-Round TKO Loss
Sean Strickland

Gets Back In The Win Column
Kyle Pitts Sr.

Falcons Planning to Use Franchise Tag on Kyle Pitts Sr.
Geoff Neal

Suffers Back-To-Back Knockout Losses
Uros Medic

Shines At UFC Houston
Dan Ige

Gets Finished For The First Time In His Career
Melquizael Costa

Extends His Win Streak To Six
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Falls Short of Victory at EchoPark Speedway
Carson Hocevar

Rallies to Fourth At EchoPark Speedway After Early Struggles
Ross Chastain

Finishes Third At EchoPark Speedway
Chase Briscoe

Scores First Career Top-Five Finish at EchoPark Speedway
Tyler Reddick

Nabs His Second Win of the Season At EchoPark Speedway
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF