What a whirlwind off season we have had in the NFL this year. OBJ out of New York? Mr. Big Chest aka Antonio Brown in the silver and black? Le’veon Bell landing with the Jets in New York? Unreal. For our loyal GCF Fam you know we are all about the fantasy football ramifications of these deals. So lets break down exactly what to expect from these big off season moves.
Odell Beckham to Cleveland:
Arguably the best wide receiver in football was shipped out to Cleveland in a move that shocked the world. But is OBJ still a first round pick in your league next year?
Short Answer: Hell Yes.
OBJ is an absolute monster. With more yards at this point in his career than the legend Jerry Rice had, he is on a path to possibly become the greatest ever. That being said, we are not sure how he will fit in this offense. We saw a lot of slot receiver touchdowns from our boy Baker Mayfield, and presumably that’s here we will see a lot of OBJ this year. He is an absolute monster in the slot, and I personally think OBJ will have a career year in 2019. Barring any health issues, target OBJ with a top 5 pick.
Le’veon Bell to the New York Jets:
Bell is one of the most dangerous weapons in the NFL. And there is no debate. The 27 year old vet sat out last year, and comes back to the AFC with fresh legs, $30+ Million guaranteed, and a new perspective. From a fantasy standpoint Bell has left a BAD taste in his owners mouths over the years. But in this offense he should get ample opportunity to be the lead work horse. Dump offs from Darnold, heavy amounts of carries, as well as multiple goal line opportunities should see his production sky rocket. the jets signed this guy to a pretty good sized deal, and they plan to get their money’s worth. I don’t like Bell above guys like Barkley, Mccaffery, and Zeke Elliot, but after them, you have to grab Bell.
Antonio Brown forces his way to Oakland:
Mr. Big Chest himself finessed the entire NFL and got exactly what he wanted. More guaranteed money, and a chance to be “the man” at a marquee franchise. Antonio Brown gets a lot of flack for his move. Some fair, some not. But at the end of the day this is fantasy football we are talking about. not front office politics.
Brown could thrive in Oakland, but will have to work extra hard to do so. He will be the only major target Derek Carr has, and if I know that the rest of the NFL knows it. He will face double team, after double team. Something he is used too, but as he gets older it will be harder to deal with. The other issue is his head coaches offense. Jon Gruden is not the type of guy to bomb it deep 15 times a game. Which is why it will be interesting to see how exactly he will use AB. Derek Carr isn’t going to trick you into thinking he is Peyton Manning out there, but he can get the ball to AB with no issues.
The other issue is the question on every ones mind. Who will be the Raiders QB in 2019? They have the fire power to shoot up to #1 if they so choose to. Kyler Murray could be throwing bombs to AB for all we know. But until then Brown is an early second rounder.