Post by Cincinnati Bengals (Chris) on Sept 9, 2018 2:12:22 GMT -5
NFC EAST
We’ve arrived gentlemen: The eighth and final division of the Canton Dynasty Football League’s Preseason Divisional Preview Series. It’s a division that saw two playoff teams a year ago, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Washington Redskins—despite the fact that it looked like Dave was gunning for a higher draft pick. It’s a competitive division that has seen three of the current four GMs win division titles (Andrew (4), Aaron (3), Dave (1)), and multiple shifts in power. Aaron rejoins the fold this year, after a two-year hiatus. Can he wrest back control of the division from Philadelphia? Will Dave get back to where he was in 2015 when he won the NFC East? Or will he continue to just be playoff spoiler from the 8-seed? Or can Malachi at long last get unfurled and enter the division race against these three league legends? Let me know what you think about my projections and post you own comments. Also, DON’T FORGET to vote in the poll, as that’s the whole point.
Dallas Cowboys (Aaron)
Last year’s finish: 26th (Division: 4th)
Outlook: We welcome Aaron back after he replaces Ty, who did an admirable job of keeping the seat warm for him—finishing 11-13 in two years, drafting Mitchell Trubisky, Derrick Henry, Chris Godwin, and Yannick Ngakoue, and acquiring Jack Doyle, Trey Flowers, and Ezekiel Ansah. Speaking of drafts, Aaron looks like he killed it in his first draft back, adding Calvin Ridley to complete a pretty underrated but likely to outperform receiving corps, and Ronald Jones, a potential future second starting running back for the Cowboys, despite his preseason struggles. Outside of the aforementioned players offensively, Aaron also acquired Jordy Nelson, who is no longer the player he once was (Despite the bullshit the Raiders are spewing), and obtained rookies Boston Scott (Who was recently practice-squaded, but has a future kick return role at a minimum), Tre’Quan Smith (Who has impressed so much in New Orleans, there are rumors that his role will surpass that of Cameron Meredith for the Saints, and Jordan Akins, a young and raw, but talented TE. It’s a solid offense even now, but expect it to be an even bigger factor down the home stretch this year, particularly as some of these rookies’ roles increase. On the opposite side of the ball, Aaron has some big-time problems. Of course, as referenced before, the defensive line is in great shape, with Ty holdovers Flowers, Ngakoue, and Ansah, as well as the ultimate holdover—the only player that Aaron left behind that is still on the roster, Jurell Casey. But it’s the linebacker position that is of particular import for Dallas. Currently, it’s only a two-member group; Devon Kennard and Jordan Jenkins, both of whom have been around the 5 PPG level recently, and neither of whom project for a bigger fantasy impact this year. That’s a big part of the reason that Dallas is listed as No. 31 in the league right now at LB according to Fantasy Pros. Defensive back is similarly listed 31st at the moment. After the loss of Jason Verrett for the year, Dallas is down to only two bodies there, Robert Alford and Patrick Chung, both of whom have been very solid, if unspectacular options, and so I have to imagine that the ranking there reflects the dearth of bodies and not talent. That said, at present, this is still likely a bottom half defense at the moment that needs reinforcements at both of those positions.
X-factor: Linebacker. The most important position for Aaron achieving his goals this year has to be position he is most lacking. Without it, he’s going to struggle to hang with and pull away from the elite teams. He could still very easily nab one of the final playoff spots in an uncompetitive bottom of the NFC this year, but short of adding at one or both of those positions, he’s not going anywhere further in his return season.
Projected division finish: 3rd
New York Giants (Malachi)
Last year’s finish: 25th (Division: 3rd)
Outlook: Malachi went all-in a year ago, and as it turns out, it was at least a season too early to do so. Now, he’ll have to navigate the waters of the NFC East with three of the better players who have ever played in the league as his division mates. The Giants do have a substantial amount leftover from that run on offense, including Kirk Cousins at quarterback, Theo Riddick and Kenneth Dixon at running back (Though neither are projected for a lead role right now), Corey Davis and Randall Cobb at wide receiver, and Charles Clay at tight end. It’s a group that has some serious chops talent-wise, but may not reach the sum of those talents for various reasons—a terrible offensive line protecting Cousins (A mistake prone QB), running backs buried on the depth charts, and receivers sidelined by injury. Additionally, behind them…is not much: Two free agents, a suspended player, and a fifth receiver. That’s an issue, especially given the injuries that the receiving corps has suffered through in their recent past. Defense is also not without their skills. Gerald McCoy fronts a defensive line that includes Adolphus Washington and Taco Charlton, both potential contributors with rotational roles, and linebackers Mason Foster and Manti Te’o have been elite options in the past, with Matt Judon and Ramon Humber even approaching those levels last year. Additionally, a speculative add of Ryan Shazier won’t help this year, but could in the future (Though his gait at the Hall of Fame Game suggests otherwise). At defensive back, Da’Norris Searcy is the only member who is projected to start, though Tavon Wilson may log third safety duties for Detroit. Beyond those two though, it’s a pretty bare unit, and one that Fantasy Pros ranks 27th in our league. All in all, the Giants are a team not without talents, but that overall just falls short of being anything special.
X-factor: Growth and depth. Filling the bench out with quality rostered (Key) options may seem tedious and insignificant, but nothing can be further from the truth. The starting lineup that Malachi has built is decent, but injuries occur in football, and right now, he is one of the worst prepared teams in the league for this certainty. If he wants any chance of upsetting the division order and contending for a playoff spot, he has to shore up those issues immediately. Otherwise, New York may only garner the honor of being perhaps the best last-placed team in a division this year.
Projected division finish: 4th
Philadelphia Eagles (Andrew)
Last year’s finish: 11th (Division: 1st)
Outlook: Andrew has won the division a record four times, three of which have come in the last four years, giving him a virtual stranglehold on the division, right? Wrong (Said in Donald Trump’s voice)! Here’s why: Despite his dominance, Andrew only won the division twice with Aaron in the league (And once in Aaron’s last year, when his activity had fallen off), and Dave won as recently as 2015. Additionally, this version of Andrew’s Eagles looks to be the weakest in some time, at least as it looks Week 1. Jimmy G leads an offense that should do very well at WR, with the threesome of Michael Thomas, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Brandin Cooks making up one of the best WR corps in the league (Not to mention exciting rookie D.J. Moore as well). Running back (Currently ranked 23rd in the league by Fantasy Pros) looks like the biggest issue to Philly’s offensive capabilities, as Javorious Allen seems to be Baltimore’s super-handcuff to Alex Collins, and Rashaad Penny failed to impress and was injured for most of the preseason. If one of those doesn’t become a solid fantasy option, the Eagles could be in trouble come division and playoff time. Tight end is also just average, as George Kittle is flanked by Mark Andrews, an intriguing rookie who is blocked for significant playing time in Baltimore’s overcrowded TE room. Defense for the Eagles is also not without its warts. While it’s hard to imagine a stronger front two than J.J. Watt and Calais Campbell, linebacker and defensive back are both question marks. At linebacker, Tahir Whitehead and rookie Darius Leonard should make for a solid top-two at the position, but Matt Milano, Anthony Walker, and rookie Leon Jacobs are less sure bets. Also, the loss of Keanu Neal for the year at defensive back really hurts, and Morgan Burnett, his direct replacement, losing his job to a rookie doesn’t bode well. It’s something of a good two players at each spot, DL, LB, and DB, but no more sure bets. That’s where Andrew is going to have to do his work over the next couple of weeks to craft this team into not only a division contender, but also a contender for the league title, because as of right now, it’s on the fringes of that latter group.
X-factor: Running back and depth. Running back, as mentioned before, could be a problem spot for this team. But especially with how good the Eagles are at wide receiver, it should pull them through, particularly if Penny’s role increases in time. Depth-wise, there’s a lot to do as well to turn this into the kind of team that we’re accustomed to seeing from Andrew. Right now, it feels like an 8-4 squad with not a lot going for it beyond that, but first impressions can certainly be wrong.
Projected division finish: 1st
Washington Redskins (Dave)
Last year’s finish: 8th (Division: 2nd)
Outlook: Dave made the playoffs last year, and once again as the eight seed, wreaked havoc on the number one seed, defeating Cecil in an upset extraordinaire. Of the three times Dave has earned the eight seed, he has two upsets of #1 teams (PHI in 2014 and SEA in 2017), both by large margins, and a near-upset of Cecil’s Hawks in 2016 as well, only losing by five points. Basically, being a number one seed and seeing Dave as your opponent should strike fear into the hearts of teams. For his part, Dave hopes to climb higher than that Robert Horry-esque honor this year. To do it, he brings back a core of Ben Roethlisberger, LeSean McCoy (For now), Allen Robinson, and Sammy Watkins, three of whom he has rostered going all the way back to 2015. To supplement those players, Dave drafted rookie WR Michael Gallup, a decent bet to return value based on the dumpster fire that is the Dallas receiving corps. The Redskins also offer second year TE Gerald Everett to round out their starting lineup, but he’s a risky bet and hard to predict. Outside of Rex Burkhead, the bench is filled with players who offer high upside, many of them long-term, but aren’t likely to have 2018 roles. Defensively, Dave has crafted a strong group, led up front by Danielle Hunter and Akeim Hicks. Muhammad Wilkerson and Robert Quinn, now a DE, also mix in to form one of the league’s premier units at the position. At linebacker, Jordan Hicks and Tyler Matakevich form an okay 1-2, and Will Compton may scratch out some value as the top backup (And actual backup in Tennessee), but Washington probably needs to add here. Defensive back offers the considerable talents of Kevin Byard, Eric Weddle (No matter how much his abilities seem to drop off with each successive year), and Xavier Woods, who is presently out with a hamstring injury. Dave could probably stand to add another body here too, but it’s a good group overall as is.
X-factor: Linebacker. It’s the biggest concern on an otherwise solid at every position roster. Little tweaks can be made here and there, but it definitely appears that we’re looking at a playoff team, especially in a down NFC.
Projected division finish: 2nd
Thank you for reading the Divisional Previews. This wraps it up. I will post Preseason PRs before the start of games today, and will be handling the weekly PRs as in years past during the season as well. Enjoy, and let’s have our best season yet.
We’ve arrived gentlemen: The eighth and final division of the Canton Dynasty Football League’s Preseason Divisional Preview Series. It’s a division that saw two playoff teams a year ago, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Washington Redskins—despite the fact that it looked like Dave was gunning for a higher draft pick. It’s a competitive division that has seen three of the current four GMs win division titles (Andrew (4), Aaron (3), Dave (1)), and multiple shifts in power. Aaron rejoins the fold this year, after a two-year hiatus. Can he wrest back control of the division from Philadelphia? Will Dave get back to where he was in 2015 when he won the NFC East? Or will he continue to just be playoff spoiler from the 8-seed? Or can Malachi at long last get unfurled and enter the division race against these three league legends? Let me know what you think about my projections and post you own comments. Also, DON’T FORGET to vote in the poll, as that’s the whole point.
Dallas Cowboys (Aaron)
Last year’s finish: 26th (Division: 4th)
Outlook: We welcome Aaron back after he replaces Ty, who did an admirable job of keeping the seat warm for him—finishing 11-13 in two years, drafting Mitchell Trubisky, Derrick Henry, Chris Godwin, and Yannick Ngakoue, and acquiring Jack Doyle, Trey Flowers, and Ezekiel Ansah. Speaking of drafts, Aaron looks like he killed it in his first draft back, adding Calvin Ridley to complete a pretty underrated but likely to outperform receiving corps, and Ronald Jones, a potential future second starting running back for the Cowboys, despite his preseason struggles. Outside of the aforementioned players offensively, Aaron also acquired Jordy Nelson, who is no longer the player he once was (Despite the bullshit the Raiders are spewing), and obtained rookies Boston Scott (Who was recently practice-squaded, but has a future kick return role at a minimum), Tre’Quan Smith (Who has impressed so much in New Orleans, there are rumors that his role will surpass that of Cameron Meredith for the Saints, and Jordan Akins, a young and raw, but talented TE. It’s a solid offense even now, but expect it to be an even bigger factor down the home stretch this year, particularly as some of these rookies’ roles increase. On the opposite side of the ball, Aaron has some big-time problems. Of course, as referenced before, the defensive line is in great shape, with Ty holdovers Flowers, Ngakoue, and Ansah, as well as the ultimate holdover—the only player that Aaron left behind that is still on the roster, Jurell Casey. But it’s the linebacker position that is of particular import for Dallas. Currently, it’s only a two-member group; Devon Kennard and Jordan Jenkins, both of whom have been around the 5 PPG level recently, and neither of whom project for a bigger fantasy impact this year. That’s a big part of the reason that Dallas is listed as No. 31 in the league right now at LB according to Fantasy Pros. Defensive back is similarly listed 31st at the moment. After the loss of Jason Verrett for the year, Dallas is down to only two bodies there, Robert Alford and Patrick Chung, both of whom have been very solid, if unspectacular options, and so I have to imagine that the ranking there reflects the dearth of bodies and not talent. That said, at present, this is still likely a bottom half defense at the moment that needs reinforcements at both of those positions.
X-factor: Linebacker. The most important position for Aaron achieving his goals this year has to be position he is most lacking. Without it, he’s going to struggle to hang with and pull away from the elite teams. He could still very easily nab one of the final playoff spots in an uncompetitive bottom of the NFC this year, but short of adding at one or both of those positions, he’s not going anywhere further in his return season.
Projected division finish: 3rd
New York Giants (Malachi)
Last year’s finish: 25th (Division: 3rd)
Outlook: Malachi went all-in a year ago, and as it turns out, it was at least a season too early to do so. Now, he’ll have to navigate the waters of the NFC East with three of the better players who have ever played in the league as his division mates. The Giants do have a substantial amount leftover from that run on offense, including Kirk Cousins at quarterback, Theo Riddick and Kenneth Dixon at running back (Though neither are projected for a lead role right now), Corey Davis and Randall Cobb at wide receiver, and Charles Clay at tight end. It’s a group that has some serious chops talent-wise, but may not reach the sum of those talents for various reasons—a terrible offensive line protecting Cousins (A mistake prone QB), running backs buried on the depth charts, and receivers sidelined by injury. Additionally, behind them…is not much: Two free agents, a suspended player, and a fifth receiver. That’s an issue, especially given the injuries that the receiving corps has suffered through in their recent past. Defense is also not without their skills. Gerald McCoy fronts a defensive line that includes Adolphus Washington and Taco Charlton, both potential contributors with rotational roles, and linebackers Mason Foster and Manti Te’o have been elite options in the past, with Matt Judon and Ramon Humber even approaching those levels last year. Additionally, a speculative add of Ryan Shazier won’t help this year, but could in the future (Though his gait at the Hall of Fame Game suggests otherwise). At defensive back, Da’Norris Searcy is the only member who is projected to start, though Tavon Wilson may log third safety duties for Detroit. Beyond those two though, it’s a pretty bare unit, and one that Fantasy Pros ranks 27th in our league. All in all, the Giants are a team not without talents, but that overall just falls short of being anything special.
X-factor: Growth and depth. Filling the bench out with quality rostered (Key) options may seem tedious and insignificant, but nothing can be further from the truth. The starting lineup that Malachi has built is decent, but injuries occur in football, and right now, he is one of the worst prepared teams in the league for this certainty. If he wants any chance of upsetting the division order and contending for a playoff spot, he has to shore up those issues immediately. Otherwise, New York may only garner the honor of being perhaps the best last-placed team in a division this year.
Projected division finish: 4th
Philadelphia Eagles (Andrew)
Last year’s finish: 11th (Division: 1st)
Outlook: Andrew has won the division a record four times, three of which have come in the last four years, giving him a virtual stranglehold on the division, right? Wrong (Said in Donald Trump’s voice)! Here’s why: Despite his dominance, Andrew only won the division twice with Aaron in the league (And once in Aaron’s last year, when his activity had fallen off), and Dave won as recently as 2015. Additionally, this version of Andrew’s Eagles looks to be the weakest in some time, at least as it looks Week 1. Jimmy G leads an offense that should do very well at WR, with the threesome of Michael Thomas, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Brandin Cooks making up one of the best WR corps in the league (Not to mention exciting rookie D.J. Moore as well). Running back (Currently ranked 23rd in the league by Fantasy Pros) looks like the biggest issue to Philly’s offensive capabilities, as Javorious Allen seems to be Baltimore’s super-handcuff to Alex Collins, and Rashaad Penny failed to impress and was injured for most of the preseason. If one of those doesn’t become a solid fantasy option, the Eagles could be in trouble come division and playoff time. Tight end is also just average, as George Kittle is flanked by Mark Andrews, an intriguing rookie who is blocked for significant playing time in Baltimore’s overcrowded TE room. Defense for the Eagles is also not without its warts. While it’s hard to imagine a stronger front two than J.J. Watt and Calais Campbell, linebacker and defensive back are both question marks. At linebacker, Tahir Whitehead and rookie Darius Leonard should make for a solid top-two at the position, but Matt Milano, Anthony Walker, and rookie Leon Jacobs are less sure bets. Also, the loss of Keanu Neal for the year at defensive back really hurts, and Morgan Burnett, his direct replacement, losing his job to a rookie doesn’t bode well. It’s something of a good two players at each spot, DL, LB, and DB, but no more sure bets. That’s where Andrew is going to have to do his work over the next couple of weeks to craft this team into not only a division contender, but also a contender for the league title, because as of right now, it’s on the fringes of that latter group.
X-factor: Running back and depth. Running back, as mentioned before, could be a problem spot for this team. But especially with how good the Eagles are at wide receiver, it should pull them through, particularly if Penny’s role increases in time. Depth-wise, there’s a lot to do as well to turn this into the kind of team that we’re accustomed to seeing from Andrew. Right now, it feels like an 8-4 squad with not a lot going for it beyond that, but first impressions can certainly be wrong.
Projected division finish: 1st
Washington Redskins (Dave)
Last year’s finish: 8th (Division: 2nd)
Outlook: Dave made the playoffs last year, and once again as the eight seed, wreaked havoc on the number one seed, defeating Cecil in an upset extraordinaire. Of the three times Dave has earned the eight seed, he has two upsets of #1 teams (PHI in 2014 and SEA in 2017), both by large margins, and a near-upset of Cecil’s Hawks in 2016 as well, only losing by five points. Basically, being a number one seed and seeing Dave as your opponent should strike fear into the hearts of teams. For his part, Dave hopes to climb higher than that Robert Horry-esque honor this year. To do it, he brings back a core of Ben Roethlisberger, LeSean McCoy (For now), Allen Robinson, and Sammy Watkins, three of whom he has rostered going all the way back to 2015. To supplement those players, Dave drafted rookie WR Michael Gallup, a decent bet to return value based on the dumpster fire that is the Dallas receiving corps. The Redskins also offer second year TE Gerald Everett to round out their starting lineup, but he’s a risky bet and hard to predict. Outside of Rex Burkhead, the bench is filled with players who offer high upside, many of them long-term, but aren’t likely to have 2018 roles. Defensively, Dave has crafted a strong group, led up front by Danielle Hunter and Akeim Hicks. Muhammad Wilkerson and Robert Quinn, now a DE, also mix in to form one of the league’s premier units at the position. At linebacker, Jordan Hicks and Tyler Matakevich form an okay 1-2, and Will Compton may scratch out some value as the top backup (And actual backup in Tennessee), but Washington probably needs to add here. Defensive back offers the considerable talents of Kevin Byard, Eric Weddle (No matter how much his abilities seem to drop off with each successive year), and Xavier Woods, who is presently out with a hamstring injury. Dave could probably stand to add another body here too, but it’s a good group overall as is.
X-factor: Linebacker. It’s the biggest concern on an otherwise solid at every position roster. Little tweaks can be made here and there, but it definitely appears that we’re looking at a playoff team, especially in a down NFC.
Projected division finish: 2nd
Thank you for reading the Divisional Previews. This wraps it up. I will post Preseason PRs before the start of games today, and will be handling the weekly PRs as in years past during the season as well. Enjoy, and let’s have our best season yet.