With rosters locked for the rest of the season, it is time to shift some focus to next year. Why? Impressions and information will never be fresher than they are now, and seeds of future championships are sometimes sewn the year prior.
Key pieces to some of my championships were uncovered the previous year, down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs. Looking as far back as 2004, the Carolina Panthers had struggled through multiple seasons of futility and poor quarterback play, which held down talented wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad. But that fateful year, newcomer Jake Delhomme developed a special chemistry and connection with the aging veteran. The very next season, the 31-year-old exploded for career highs in TDs (16) and receiving yards (1,405), which led me to the winners circle everywhere I owned him. Le’Veon Bell’s 2014 breakout was evident to me late in 2013, when the Steelers used him lined up as a receiver. Though the numbers didn’t show it yet, the film revealed how good Bell was at his craft and how some bad luck had suppressed his receiving stats late in his rookie season.
Now is the time to uncover next year’s Muhsin Muhammad or Le’Veon Bell. Whether injuries open up playing time or teams give up on the season wanting to take a look at some of their youngsters, study film with an eye towards 2019. Sticking with the Carolina theme, DJ Moore and Curtis Samuel deserve a close look. In Week 12, Devin Funchess was sidelined and Torrey Smith was limited to just 13 snaps against the Seahawks, opening the door for the rookie’s career high in targets and the second-year former Buckeye’s season-high snap count. This week, the duo led the Panther wide receiver corps against Tampa Bay this week, with Samuel’s 6-88-0 line leading the way. Could this be a changing of the guard with Funchess sliding down the depth chart?
San Francisco has nothing to play for except perhaps a better draft spot. That means they could take a look to see what they have in Dante Pettis. In any event, both Pierre Garcon and Marquise Goodwin have been banged up of late. Pettis brought down two catches, including a touchdown, against Minnesota on Sunday. He is still worth scouting as the season winds down to inform exactly where he should be in our 2019 cheat sheets. While we’re on the 49ers, take a look at former North Texas running back Jeff Wilson. Even though Kyle Shanahan seems determined to avoid having a bell cow, his running scheme is successful for most backs with merely average skills. The rookie flashed on Sunday, racking up 134 total yards and eight receptions on nine targets.
We touched upon emerging Raiders wide receiver Marcell Ateman. Derek Carr targeted the rookie 10 times against the Ravens on Nov. 25, though he was only able to corral three of them for 16 yards. The Raiders’ emerging weapon grabbed a TD on two receptions the following week. The opportunities should continue in an otherwise feeble aerial attack. It’s worth a look to gauge whether Ateman will be in the running for WR1 duties next training camp.
Justin Jackson should be on everyone’s watch list. Nominally the backup to Austin Ekeler while Melvin Gordon is out, the rookie from Northwestern sported a 4.52 at the combine and on Sunday showed good burst, vision, and an ability to change directions quickly, making him dangerous in space. I’m already anxious to see what his ADP will be next spring in early drafts. I view him as a high-ceiling handcuff playing behind a talented lead back with multiple knee issues and lots of mileage.
This type of film study will become useful after week 16, when I start to compile my 2019 positional cheat sheets/target list. Yes, a lot can affect these, with coaching and scheme changes, but it’s a great starting point for the 2019 fantasy season to get started on the right foot, all the while focusing or anticipating players that might be undervalued in terms of their ADP.
Alex Collins has been placed on injured reserve. Owners of Gus Edwards and/or Ty Montgomery may want to take notice that Deion Jones is finally expected to return to bolster the Atlanta Falcons run defense. If you were on the fence between someone in the Ravens stable or another option at flex, Jones’ return may cause you to lean in another direction.
Jarvis Landry has been a colossal bust, and things have only gotten worse under new offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens, who has unveiled the Nick Chubb show. Part of the problem has been bad game scripts recently. The other problem is that, even with a high number of targets, the former Dolphin has become one of those players you can’t start but you can’t drop. Tired of his act, I broke the seal and cut him loose. That means you can probably get him into your lineup, as he will now undoubtedly go off.
