NFL Training Camps begin in just one short month from now. There will be several of high impact players to monitor from a fantasy football standpoint as training camp kicks off, leading us into the pregame season.
Whether it be a rookie, or change in a teams’ roster, some team incumbents will be in competition to keep their starting jobs while a new member of the team competes to edge them out. This ultimately impacts these players fantasy value as we approach start of 2014 season.
Here are some training camp battles to monitor through the remainder of the preseason.
Maurice Jones-Drew versus Darren McFadden, Running Backs, Oakland Raiders
Jones-Drew, formerly of Jacksonville, was signed by the Raiders during the free agency period, and McFadden remains a staple running back with the team. McFadden, in his six years with the Raiders has never once played a full season because injury to him is as definite as snow is every winter in Minneapolis.
On the other hand, Jones-Drew is no spring chicken either as he begins his ninth year in the NFL. Injuries and wear are setting in, which could make for one long season for the Raiders running game.
From a fantasy football perspective, each should be watched as training camp gets started, however, Jones-Drew is the less injury-prone of the two, coming to his new team with everything to prove. He has averaged 4.5 carries per yard to McFadden’s 4.2. Therefore, it makes sense that Jones-Drew, being the healthier and more productive of the two will be given the chance to start for the Raiders. However, the team won’t leave their veteran running back in the cold, so look for McFadden to receive a substantial amount of work too.
If both get dinged up over the season, the Raiders could plug in second-year running back, Latavius Murray, who didn’t play in 2013 due to injury.
Regarding the fantasy value of Jones-Drew and McFadden, it wouldn’t be wise to draft either of them with any higher expectations other than that of a flex or RB2 at best.
Marcus Lattimore and Carlos Hyde versus Frank Gore, Running Backs. San Francisco 49ers
Gore is now beginning his 10th season in the NFL and with the 49ers. He has been incredibly dependable and solid, completing all 16 games of the regular season the past three years, along with a Super Bowl appearance and post season playoffs in 2013.
However, in order to keep Gore fresh, Lattimore, now healthy, and drafted by the team in 2013, stands to share a bigger piece of the running game this season. Plus, we must take into account, the newly drafted rookie Hyde, who averaged an amazing 6.1 yards per carry while at Ohio State. Hyde is already been making quite a fine impression in minicamps thus far too. So, ultimately, this could easily become a three-headed running back situation to monitor as training camp plays out.
When all is said and done, either one or both Lattimore and Hyde look to take a substantial bite into Gore’s fantasy value for 2014.
Chris Johnson versus Chris Ivory, Running Backs, New York Jets
Since signing with the Jets in 2013, Ivory has not exactly proven his worth, as he only managed three touchdowns and 833 yards when brought in to revamp the team’s run game. Obviously, this is why the Jets looked further for help, and signed Johnson during the free agency period.
Johnson, who expresses that he got a bad rap with his former Titans’ team, enters the Jets to show what his old team will be missing. The Jets didn’t mind paying Johnson what he thought he is worth, and the fact is, Johnson has rushed for well over 1,000 yards in every season since his NFL start in 2008, with his standout 2,006 yards in 2009.
Barring any injuries during training camp, Johnson will prove to be the clear leader inline to see the lion’s share of the running back duties for the Jets. Ivory and Bilal Powell will likely just see the short yardage. Johnson should confidently be drafted as a high-end RB2 with RB1 upside.
Riley Cooper versus Jeremy Maclin, Wide Receivers, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles released their No. 1 receiver DeSean Jackson earlier this spring, so this leaves the team with veterans, six-year Maclin, who missed the 2013 season due to knee injury, and Cooper, now entering his fifth year. If this is sounding a bit anticlimactic, the Eagles probably agreed, and that is why they just drafted rookie receivers Jordan Matthews in Round 2, followed by Josh Huff in the third round to strengthen their crew.
As training camp battles unfolds, Maclin and Cooper will look to gain the No. 1 slot, however, Cooper with just splashes of stardom here and there competing with Maclin who has been out for a year could make any potential drafter a bit hesitant. Throw in the rookies, Matthews, who turned heads in minicamps and Huff, and the Eagles appear to be adequately covered in the receiving position, which could put a damper onto the starter’s fantasy value.
Cooper and Maclin surely need to be monitored during training camp to see if either one emerges as a clear No. 1 receiver. If no one stands out and the rookies seem to be making an impact, their fantasy football outlook in 2014 will be questionable.
Teddy Bridgewater versus Matt Cassel and Christian Ponder, Quarterbacks, Minnesota Vikings
Already receiving praises from new offensive coordinator, Norv Turner, the rookie, Bridgewater is making a favorable impression on his new team, which should have veterans Cassel and Ponder feeling a bit nervous approaching training camp.
Neither veteran has much of an upstanding record to base their potential 2014 outlook upon. Cassel has played with three teams since entering the NFL in 2005 as a seventh-round draft pick by New England. He has only played all 16 games one season, and stands with a 59.0 percent passer rating entering 2014.
Ponder has been quite far from stellar during his past three seasons with the Vikings, and his best season boasts a mediocre 2,935 passing yards and 18 touchdowns. This all looks pretty awful on paper as Bridgewater, who is coming off his last season at Louisville with 3,970 passing yards and 31 touchdowns, will look to compete against Cassel and Ponder for the start in 2014.
Bridgewater clearly will win this training camp battle in the end, emerging as the starter, and he potentially makes a quality backup quarterback to your fantasy football roster.
Michael Vick versus Geno Smith, Quarterbacks, New York Jets
This has already been an ongoing verbal battle between many as to whether the recently signed, Vick, entering into his 12th year with the NFL will edge out second-year Smith from the Jets starting quarterback position.
Vick has age, wisdom, and years of experience over Smith, however, the elder of the two constantly battles injury when on the field. Smith is still incredibly raw in many areas, however, it appears that Vick is resigning to being Smith’s backup for the job which is only Smith’s to lose.
The Jets quarterback battle is obviously over-hyped, but is worth continuing to follow during training camp just in case there happens to be a change in the tides. For now it would be safe to say Smith will retain his starting role, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Vick used when Smith gets a case of the turnovers.
As far as fantasy value, either one makes nothing more than a backup quarterback at this time.
Johnny Manziel versus Brian Hoyer, Quarterbacks, Cleveland Browns
Manziel versus Hoyer will be the highlight of the quarterback training camp battles to salivate over for the next couple of months.
The Browns head coach, Mike Pettine remains firm at this time, that Hoyer will start for the team, and that Manziel is there as a backup. This is only because Hoyer showed just a sprinkle of hope to go on before he ended last season early due to a knee injury. Of course the team would stick to this this claim. Can you imagine the media frenzy if the Browns just conceded right now that their plan is to have “Johnny Football” start? It is hard enough to escape all the media attention that Manziel brings to the team with his offseason escapades, so it makes sense that the Browns are playing things on the down-low for now.
Are the Browns really going to start Hoyer, just coming off of having his knee reconstructed, who has only played a total of 18 NFL games over his five year career start while Manziel waits around on the bench?
Watch the training camp façade of a battle the Browns want us to believe is upcoming, and plan to see Manziel, who completed 7,820 passing yards, 63 touchdowns and 2,169 rush yards during his two years at Texas A&M get the start Week 1.
If you like a bit of a risk, Manziel has the potential of a suitable backup, who might surprise as a starter sometime during the 2014 fantasy season.
Soon enough, fantasy football drafting will be taking place, so it will be important to keep up-to-date on the lastest in the training camp battles to see who will retain their startng role, or emerge as potential new starters.