RADIO
Each year, NFL teams enter the draft with hopes that they can bolster their squad into a powerhouse. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t.
Nevertheless, there are certainly teams that improved their offenses through this past draft, adding a solid skill position player or even their potential QB of the future.
Though a lot of teams added one solid rookie to their roster, the teams included in this article will only be those that added a rookie(s) who could be a game-changer and/or fills a huge area of need. Let’s look at some improved offenses:
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Jacksonville Jaguars
This was the easiest selection by far. The Jags secured a generational talent at QB in Trevor Lawrence and can now hopefully move forward without any more issues at the position as they had endured so much in the past (think the Blake Bortles era most recently).
Lawrence is coming off two stellar seasons at Clemson. In 2019, he finished with 3,665 yards passing with 36 touchdowns and eight picks along with 103 rushes for 563 yards and nine rush touchdowns. In 2020, he had 3,153 yards passing with 24 touchdowns and five picks along with 68 rushes for 203 yards and eight rush touchdowns. The Jags are getting a proven winner, which is something they haven’t done much of at all, and a leader who can potentially turn the franchise around in the coming years. I mean, anything could be better than the carousel of Gardner Minshew II, Mike Glennon, and Jake Luton that was utilized in 2020, right? Well, Jacksonville is upgrading from that trio and in the biggest way possible. Lawrence is in the QB2 tier this fantasy draft season.
In addition, the Jags added Lawrence’s former Clemson teammate, RB Travis Etienne, to his arsenal. The Jags already employ a 1,000-yard rusher in James Robinson and further solidified the RB room with Etienne. The former Clemson Tiger showed remarkable talent during his four seasons there, including finishing with over 1,600 rushing yards in 2018 and 2019. He also proved lethal in the passing game, hauling in at least 37 receptions and 432 receiving yards in two of his four seasons. From a fantasy perspective, Etienne and Robinson both take a hit heading into the draft season as we don’t know how their touches will work out.
In addition to having already solid WRs, the Jags upgraded at QB and RB in a big way and now look very formidable on offense. And who can forget good old Tim Tebow may be joining the mix in a TE role?
New York Jets
The Jets jettisoned QB Sam Darnold to Charlotte this offseason to pick up BYU QB Zach Wilson with the second overall pick in the draft in hopes the youngster can hopefully be their franchise QB under a new coaching regime headed by former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.
In three years with BYU, Wilson kept improving his game before having a breakout 2020 with 3,692 passing yards, 33 pass touchdowns, and three picks on 73.5% completion along with 70 rushes for 254 yards and 10 rush touchdowns. While it’s too early to tell how Wilson will fare in the Big Apple, there is hope this hapless franchise can turn around with the guidance of a new gunslinger. Because we don’t know how he will play, Wilson should only be in the QB3 tier in fantasy for now.
The team also went out and added Ole Miss WR Elijah Moore to Wilson’s receiving arsenal that already included former Titan Corey Davis, sophomore Denzel Mims, and the reliable Jamison Crowder.
Despite not being the biggest guy (5-10, 185), Moore has displayed incredible talent at Ole Miss, which culminated in a stellar 2020 season with 86 receptions for 1,193 yards and eight scores along with even 64 rushing yards. Moore won’t be the WR1 in New York, but he can certainly try and fight for the WR3 role and the addition of Wilson and Moore should hopefully bolster this passing offense into something very respectable.
Philadelphia Eagles
For the past few years, it seems the Eagles could never catch a break at WR, either running thin on manpower or having a lack of talent. In 2020, the team’s leading receiver was a guy by the name of Travis Fulgham (bet you didn’t think of drafting him for your fantasy team) who finished with 38 receptions for 539 yards and four scores on 67 targets. Rounding out the top-five receivers was TE Dallas Goedert, WR Greg Ward, WR Jalen Reagor, and TE Richard Rodgers. None of these guys really instill any fear in opposing DBs nor are they players many fantasy managers seriously consider as studs for their fantasy team.
This past draft, the Eagles addressed their lack of receiving firepower by getting Heisman-winning receiver DeVonta Smith out of Alabama. The former member of the Tide had a prolific 2020 season, garnering an incredible 117 receptions for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns.
Now, let’s do some math. Smith’s 2020 receptions total (117) nearly matched that of the Eagles’ top three receivers (137), his receiving total (1,856) nearly matched that of Philly’s top-four receivers (1,878), and his touchdown total (23) beat out the ENTIRE Philly receiving corps (22). Smith is easily in the conversation for WR1 on this team and projects as a flex heading into drafts.
Pittsburgh Steelers
With James Conner heading to the desert this offseason, the Steelers needed an RB in the worst way possible and they got a workhorse back in Najee Harris out of Alabama in the first round. The back is coming off his best collegiate season where he posted 1,466 rush yards and 26 rush touchdowns on 251 attempts. Overall, the back finished with at least 1,200 rush yards in his last two college seasons. He also had at least 27 receptions and 300 receiving yards in his last two college seasons as well. Harris can add a whole other element to this offense as a workhorse back and take the pressure of an aging QB in Big Ben Roethlisberger.
Harris’ 2020 rush total was higher than the ENTIRE Steelers RB room last year and this shows the back can bring tremendous value to this backfield. The Alabama product is expected to be the RB1 on this team without any significant competition and pencils in as an RB2 heading into 2021 fantasy drafts.
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