NFC West
Aug 9, 2020 0:38:24 GMT -5
Carolina Panthers (Justin), New York Giants (Malachi), and 1 more like this
Post by Cincinnati Bengals (Chris) on Aug 9, 2020 0:38:24 GMT -5
NFC WEST
Welcome to the seventh year of the CDFL Divisional Previews. When I took over writing these in 2014, they were seemingly done in arbitrary order, skipping from one division to another with no rhyme or reason. That’s why, following Jordan’s suggestion from last year, I will be publishing the Divisional Previews in the order of divisions easiest to predict to the hardest. Therefore, just as last year, I’m starting with the division that has the biggest runaway team—The NFC West.
In 2019, the NFC West was the most competitive that it has been since 2014. For the first time since that year, Cecil’s Seahawks didn’t go 3-0 in division—in fact, he suffered two losses to the brothers Mett, and finished just a game above Trey and the Rams for the division crown. Additionally, it was quite a coda by Mett (ARI) to beat Cecil twice in his six years in the league: both on his first try, and his last. Also for the first time since 2013, three teams in that division all posted winning records (The fourth team, San Francisco, was dead last in the league). That said, Seattle did hang on to win the division, and put up another impressive season, that only slightly felt like a disappointment due to how dominant his 2018 season was. While he didn’t add another league championship, Seattle is very much in the discussion once again in 2020. Can Trey continue to put the pressure on with another team that feels just short of elite, will Mario make Arizona a contender after taking over for our former co-commissioner, and will Nate finally be able to field a winning team? 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.
Arizona Cardinals (Mario)
Last year’s finish: 15th (Division: 3rd)
Outlook: 2019 saw Mett right the ship to some degree after posting his worst outing, in 2018, since joining the league. He made some bold trades in the offseason, aimed at adding more talent and depth at the expense of downgrading several key positions. It’s reasonable to question whether those deals worked, though it’s also hard to say that his counterparts cashed in on them in any meaningful way either. It’s likely that the moves, on the whole, improved his team’s performance, though the largest criticism of them may be that they drained his team of future assets (A potential top-starting QB in Carson Wentz, and a mid-2nd Round pick). Additionally, while he showed prudence by signing Gardner Minshew when Nick Foles went down, he clearly did not have faith in him (At $1/1y), and forced himself into an expensive $4/3y to retain the services of one of the better young starting QBs in the league. But, now he leaves Mario a roster with a lot of potential, should he manage it right. Offensively, there’s a fair amount to like from this core. Outside of Minshew, who presumably now has little worry of being yanked around, Mario employs committee back (But perhaps the larger part) Jordan Howard, the oft-injured but supremely-talented Marquise Brown, and Josh Allen safety net Dawson Knox. While others of potential import are in the fold, mainly Danny Amendola, Kendrick Bourne (Who is one part of the million-headed dragon that is the San Francisco wide receiver corps), Malcolm Brown, Royce Freeman, Auden Tate, and Nick Foles, it’s hard to project any of them to breakout with any accuracy at this time. On Defense, Fred Warner returns as one of fantasy’s best-starting linebackers, as well as Jordan Poyer, one of the game’s top-defensive backs. Added to that is the versatile rookie Isaiah Simmons, whom we’re told will focus on LB as a rookie. Beyond those, once again, there is a steep drop-off, though several players (Including Justin Houston, Christian Wilkins, Damien Wilson, and Nicholas Morrow) all profile as role players who can buoy the unit to some degree. Ultimately, more is needed on both sides of the ball before Arizona could be considered a serious contender.
X-factor: Further impact players. The core of Minshew, Brown, Knox, Warner, Poyer, and Simmons is a strong one, and leaves Mario with a lot to build from. But, it is clear that they cannot shoulder the scoring loads themselves without any outside help, and if no other players take up the mantle significantly, he’s going to be on the wrong side of the scoring most weeks, promise be damned.
Projected division finish: 3rd
Los Angeles Rams (Trey)
Last year’s finish: 11th (Division: 2nd)
Outlook: Trey’s history in the league prior to last year had been a mediocre one, as I think he’d be first to admit. But after a 2018 that saw him make the postseason for the first time, he capitalized on it by cementing one of the more one-sided (At least at the time of the trade) deals in the history of the league, making a speculative move for Lamar Jackson, which paid off in spades. While he lost the services of Drew Brees, he ultimately got three of three-of-the-top-four assets in that deal at the time, also receiving Marlon Mack, and Tyrell Williams in the trade. While both struggled to stay healthy at times, Mack proved to be one of the better running backs in the league, and a dynamic that Trey had sorely missed over the years—and while Williams was impactful when on the field (Which wasn’t often enough), he didn’t quite have the impact that Trey probably imagined he would when he was the Raiders’ clear #1 target entering the season. Defensively, the unit was once again 5th in the league in total points. Entering 2020, Trey has made some further fortifications; namely, acquiring Matt Breida at the trade deadline a year ago, and re-signing him (A move that looks even better now), and basically swapping a member of one muddled backfield for another (Marlon Mack for Justice Hill—though it ultimately brought him the picks that allowed him to acquire Antonio Gandy-Golden—the second biggest recent departure from Liberty—and Anthony McFarland Jr.). While the move could certainly hurt him this year, as Mack was a steadying presence that he had not before had in his lineup, it is probably a better move for the future, as Hill becomes more involved in Baltimore’s passing game. However, if McFarland breaks out, perhaps at the expense of James Conner, then the Rams have lengthened their quality RB depth. The other prize of the deal, Gandy-Golden, may take some time, as he played small conference football, and had some of the worst explosion off the line/separation times in this year’s class. But, he also may have plenty of opportunity on a disasterpiece of a team this year in Washington. He joins a receiving corps of Tyrell Williams (Now relegated to Oakland’s second-best option, at best), Steven Sims Jr., Adam Humphries, and Tim Patrick—a group of players all with a wide range of variance in what their production could end up being this year. Gerald Everett flashed in a short span last year, only to be lapped by fellow LAR tight end Tyler Higbee, who blew up in his first extended action. He’ll probably hold down the fort at a position mired in an all-time worst in terms of fantasy output, but will fail to do so in any spectacular sort of way. Defensively, it is a very solid overall unit again. While gone are 2019 fantasy standouts Preston Smith and Kenny Clark (As well as Quinton Dunbar, who soon may be gone somewhere else entirely) Trey has done a decent job replacing each—acquiring Dante Fowler Jr. (Listed as a DL—for now at least), Shaq Lawson, and Kendall Fuller. That said, outside of the star power of anchor Cory Littleton, and Jabrill Peppers, no other stands out as an elite performer. Perhaps, as he has now done twice before, Trey will rely on his above-average core to do the rest. Could he be in for another top-5 finish on this side of the ball? Oh, also Trey has this guy named Lamar Jackson. Ever heard of him?
X-factor: Receivers. Again. Trey performed as expected in this area last year (Bottom-10 in catches, yards, and bottom-5 in touchdowns), based off of this prognosticator’s projections. Even with the additions of Steven Sims Jr. and Gandy-Golden, it’s hard to project a sizeable improvement there. It’s still a bottom half unit, at best. Coupled with the potential for a downgrade in consistent week-to-week floor of RB (Though with higher upside), and even a little bit of Lamar Jackson regression, it really could be the area that holds him back from contention. Short of avoiding those things, I can’t see the division being as close this year, though the Rams are still clearly ahead of Arizona and San Francisco.
Projected division finish: 2nd
San Francisco 49ers (Nate)
Last year’s finish: 32nd (Division: 4th)
Outlook: It’s hard to envision a team that has done more for itself in one offseason than Nate has this year. At quarterback, Nate’s last-placed finish allowed him to nab Tom Brady in the UFA Draft. In the Rookie Draft, Nate utilized his picks to come home with arguably one of the best hauls: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Ke’Shawn Vaughn, KJ Hamler, La’Mical Perine, and KJ Hill. While this prognosticator was not a fan of some of those players, individually, he does recognize opportunity, and many of those players have it right away—or at least have a chance to seize it. Add that to last year’s pick of Irv Smith Jr., and you have a functional offense and future core starting to take shape. On the other side of the ball, things are very preliminary, and in general, several steps behind their offensive counterparts. While the defensive line has a bright future, with several members starting to become viable, in Marcus Davenport, Clelin Ferrell, and Taven Bryan, the rest of the defense is a mess. San Francisco’s linebacking corps, in particular, threatens to be the worst in the league again. Improving that must be a clear point of focus for SF going forward.
X-factor: Defense/Depth. For the second-straight year, this will remain Nate’s key: The defense must be brought up to a competitive level if the Niners want to compete. As it is not this year, he’ll take his licks. Additionally, I’m not sold on his WR corps being anything special as of now. But to be clear, he has some building blocks, and at least the signs are there that progress is being made after posting one of the worst records in league history through two years.
Projected division finish: 4th
Seattle Seahawks (Cecil)
Last year’s finish: 5th (Division: 1st)
Outlook: What to say? Cecil continued his dominant stretch in 2019, though he fell off of his league-record pace set in 2018 by over 400 points. He still finished second in points, behind CIN. That just shows how phenomenal he was in 2018: that his 2019—a top-10 single season points finish on its own, is, comparatively speaking, viewed as a massive drop-off. Part of that can be chalked up to a mid-season injury to all-world talent and Super Bowl MVP (And newly-minted richest player in sports) Pat Mahomes, the engine that drives the Seahawks’ train. Anyone would struggle to weather the storm without him, and clearly the league’s biggest behemoth is no exception. Additionally, missed time at wide receiver by superstar Mike Evans, and a finally coming into his own John Ross, exposed the Seahawks’ lack of depth at the position, forcing unsavory starting option John Ursua into the fold. One of the primary upgrades that Cecil has made in the offseason, comes at that position (For now), in speed and tackle-avoidance freak Antonio Gibson. It is yet to be determined what his role will be for the “Football Team,” or if he’ll live up to his lofty expectations (He only had 77 career touches in college). The potential is through the roof, but with so little to go off of--outside of some dazzling tape—its hard to count on him to immediately fill that role for Cecil in 2020. Running back, however, is once again a strength, with Chris Carson, Todd Gurley, and rookie Jonathan Taylor. Likely gone are the days where the Seahawks field two of the top-5 RBs in the league (Or even four of the top-20), but make no mistake: this is clearly still one of the top-two the RB corps in the league—though Andrew may have something to say about that top spot by season’s end. Tight end, while not as star-studded as some of his previous iterations, is the deepest in the league, with three, maybe four players who could easily be deployed as starters. Defensively, it’s a knockout unit once again, deploying many of the top-IDP names from recent draft classes (Myles Garrett, Deion Jones, Devin White, Derwin James, Taylor Rapp, Jamal Adams, and Budda Baker). Additionally, Cecil has other names like Brian Burns, Jonathan Abraham, and Marquise Blair, all 2019 picks—the latter two of whom missed time in 2019 due to injury—who should contribute this season. All in all, it’s definitely one of the top-5 units in the league, even if Cecil only currently fields one DL.
X-factor: Bench depth. Again, nothing is going to stop Cecil’s everyday lineup in this division (And few teams could go toe-to-toe with him, even in one of his bad weeks). But if injuries crop up, as was the case last year—especially with COVID-19 potentially factoring in—Cecil’s biggest issue is reinforcing the back of his WR corps and defensive bench. Even despite those concerns, he should be able to enjoy smooth sailing to the playoffs as the division-winner for a record sixth season in a row. Even with an improved division all-around, he’s just too powerful to be stopped.
Projected division finish: 1st
Remember to watch out for the second of our divisional previews, this time the NFC North, which should drop later this week. Thanks again guys.
Welcome to the seventh year of the CDFL Divisional Previews. When I took over writing these in 2014, they were seemingly done in arbitrary order, skipping from one division to another with no rhyme or reason. That’s why, following Jordan’s suggestion from last year, I will be publishing the Divisional Previews in the order of divisions easiest to predict to the hardest. Therefore, just as last year, I’m starting with the division that has the biggest runaway team—The NFC West.
In 2019, the NFC West was the most competitive that it has been since 2014. For the first time since that year, Cecil’s Seahawks didn’t go 3-0 in division—in fact, he suffered two losses to the brothers Mett, and finished just a game above Trey and the Rams for the division crown. Additionally, it was quite a coda by Mett (ARI) to beat Cecil twice in his six years in the league: both on his first try, and his last. Also for the first time since 2013, three teams in that division all posted winning records (The fourth team, San Francisco, was dead last in the league). That said, Seattle did hang on to win the division, and put up another impressive season, that only slightly felt like a disappointment due to how dominant his 2018 season was. While he didn’t add another league championship, Seattle is very much in the discussion once again in 2020. Can Trey continue to put the pressure on with another team that feels just short of elite, will Mario make Arizona a contender after taking over for our former co-commissioner, and will Nate finally be able to field a winning team? 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.
Arizona Cardinals (Mario)
Last year’s finish: 15th (Division: 3rd)
Outlook: 2019 saw Mett right the ship to some degree after posting his worst outing, in 2018, since joining the league. He made some bold trades in the offseason, aimed at adding more talent and depth at the expense of downgrading several key positions. It’s reasonable to question whether those deals worked, though it’s also hard to say that his counterparts cashed in on them in any meaningful way either. It’s likely that the moves, on the whole, improved his team’s performance, though the largest criticism of them may be that they drained his team of future assets (A potential top-starting QB in Carson Wentz, and a mid-2nd Round pick). Additionally, while he showed prudence by signing Gardner Minshew when Nick Foles went down, he clearly did not have faith in him (At $1/1y), and forced himself into an expensive $4/3y to retain the services of one of the better young starting QBs in the league. But, now he leaves Mario a roster with a lot of potential, should he manage it right. Offensively, there’s a fair amount to like from this core. Outside of Minshew, who presumably now has little worry of being yanked around, Mario employs committee back (But perhaps the larger part) Jordan Howard, the oft-injured but supremely-talented Marquise Brown, and Josh Allen safety net Dawson Knox. While others of potential import are in the fold, mainly Danny Amendola, Kendrick Bourne (Who is one part of the million-headed dragon that is the San Francisco wide receiver corps), Malcolm Brown, Royce Freeman, Auden Tate, and Nick Foles, it’s hard to project any of them to breakout with any accuracy at this time. On Defense, Fred Warner returns as one of fantasy’s best-starting linebackers, as well as Jordan Poyer, one of the game’s top-defensive backs. Added to that is the versatile rookie Isaiah Simmons, whom we’re told will focus on LB as a rookie. Beyond those, once again, there is a steep drop-off, though several players (Including Justin Houston, Christian Wilkins, Damien Wilson, and Nicholas Morrow) all profile as role players who can buoy the unit to some degree. Ultimately, more is needed on both sides of the ball before Arizona could be considered a serious contender.
X-factor: Further impact players. The core of Minshew, Brown, Knox, Warner, Poyer, and Simmons is a strong one, and leaves Mario with a lot to build from. But, it is clear that they cannot shoulder the scoring loads themselves without any outside help, and if no other players take up the mantle significantly, he’s going to be on the wrong side of the scoring most weeks, promise be damned.
Projected division finish: 3rd
Los Angeles Rams (Trey)
Last year’s finish: 11th (Division: 2nd)
Outlook: Trey’s history in the league prior to last year had been a mediocre one, as I think he’d be first to admit. But after a 2018 that saw him make the postseason for the first time, he capitalized on it by cementing one of the more one-sided (At least at the time of the trade) deals in the history of the league, making a speculative move for Lamar Jackson, which paid off in spades. While he lost the services of Drew Brees, he ultimately got three of three-of-the-top-four assets in that deal at the time, also receiving Marlon Mack, and Tyrell Williams in the trade. While both struggled to stay healthy at times, Mack proved to be one of the better running backs in the league, and a dynamic that Trey had sorely missed over the years—and while Williams was impactful when on the field (Which wasn’t often enough), he didn’t quite have the impact that Trey probably imagined he would when he was the Raiders’ clear #1 target entering the season. Defensively, the unit was once again 5th in the league in total points. Entering 2020, Trey has made some further fortifications; namely, acquiring Matt Breida at the trade deadline a year ago, and re-signing him (A move that looks even better now), and basically swapping a member of one muddled backfield for another (Marlon Mack for Justice Hill—though it ultimately brought him the picks that allowed him to acquire Antonio Gandy-Golden—the second biggest recent departure from Liberty—and Anthony McFarland Jr.). While the move could certainly hurt him this year, as Mack was a steadying presence that he had not before had in his lineup, it is probably a better move for the future, as Hill becomes more involved in Baltimore’s passing game. However, if McFarland breaks out, perhaps at the expense of James Conner, then the Rams have lengthened their quality RB depth. The other prize of the deal, Gandy-Golden, may take some time, as he played small conference football, and had some of the worst explosion off the line/separation times in this year’s class. But, he also may have plenty of opportunity on a disasterpiece of a team this year in Washington. He joins a receiving corps of Tyrell Williams (Now relegated to Oakland’s second-best option, at best), Steven Sims Jr., Adam Humphries, and Tim Patrick—a group of players all with a wide range of variance in what their production could end up being this year. Gerald Everett flashed in a short span last year, only to be lapped by fellow LAR tight end Tyler Higbee, who blew up in his first extended action. He’ll probably hold down the fort at a position mired in an all-time worst in terms of fantasy output, but will fail to do so in any spectacular sort of way. Defensively, it is a very solid overall unit again. While gone are 2019 fantasy standouts Preston Smith and Kenny Clark (As well as Quinton Dunbar, who soon may be gone somewhere else entirely) Trey has done a decent job replacing each—acquiring Dante Fowler Jr. (Listed as a DL—for now at least), Shaq Lawson, and Kendall Fuller. That said, outside of the star power of anchor Cory Littleton, and Jabrill Peppers, no other stands out as an elite performer. Perhaps, as he has now done twice before, Trey will rely on his above-average core to do the rest. Could he be in for another top-5 finish on this side of the ball? Oh, also Trey has this guy named Lamar Jackson. Ever heard of him?
X-factor: Receivers. Again. Trey performed as expected in this area last year (Bottom-10 in catches, yards, and bottom-5 in touchdowns), based off of this prognosticator’s projections. Even with the additions of Steven Sims Jr. and Gandy-Golden, it’s hard to project a sizeable improvement there. It’s still a bottom half unit, at best. Coupled with the potential for a downgrade in consistent week-to-week floor of RB (Though with higher upside), and even a little bit of Lamar Jackson regression, it really could be the area that holds him back from contention. Short of avoiding those things, I can’t see the division being as close this year, though the Rams are still clearly ahead of Arizona and San Francisco.
Projected division finish: 2nd
San Francisco 49ers (Nate)
Last year’s finish: 32nd (Division: 4th)
Outlook: It’s hard to envision a team that has done more for itself in one offseason than Nate has this year. At quarterback, Nate’s last-placed finish allowed him to nab Tom Brady in the UFA Draft. In the Rookie Draft, Nate utilized his picks to come home with arguably one of the best hauls: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Ke’Shawn Vaughn, KJ Hamler, La’Mical Perine, and KJ Hill. While this prognosticator was not a fan of some of those players, individually, he does recognize opportunity, and many of those players have it right away—or at least have a chance to seize it. Add that to last year’s pick of Irv Smith Jr., and you have a functional offense and future core starting to take shape. On the other side of the ball, things are very preliminary, and in general, several steps behind their offensive counterparts. While the defensive line has a bright future, with several members starting to become viable, in Marcus Davenport, Clelin Ferrell, and Taven Bryan, the rest of the defense is a mess. San Francisco’s linebacking corps, in particular, threatens to be the worst in the league again. Improving that must be a clear point of focus for SF going forward.
X-factor: Defense/Depth. For the second-straight year, this will remain Nate’s key: The defense must be brought up to a competitive level if the Niners want to compete. As it is not this year, he’ll take his licks. Additionally, I’m not sold on his WR corps being anything special as of now. But to be clear, he has some building blocks, and at least the signs are there that progress is being made after posting one of the worst records in league history through two years.
Projected division finish: 4th
Seattle Seahawks (Cecil)
Last year’s finish: 5th (Division: 1st)
Outlook: What to say? Cecil continued his dominant stretch in 2019, though he fell off of his league-record pace set in 2018 by over 400 points. He still finished second in points, behind CIN. That just shows how phenomenal he was in 2018: that his 2019—a top-10 single season points finish on its own, is, comparatively speaking, viewed as a massive drop-off. Part of that can be chalked up to a mid-season injury to all-world talent and Super Bowl MVP (And newly-minted richest player in sports) Pat Mahomes, the engine that drives the Seahawks’ train. Anyone would struggle to weather the storm without him, and clearly the league’s biggest behemoth is no exception. Additionally, missed time at wide receiver by superstar Mike Evans, and a finally coming into his own John Ross, exposed the Seahawks’ lack of depth at the position, forcing unsavory starting option John Ursua into the fold. One of the primary upgrades that Cecil has made in the offseason, comes at that position (For now), in speed and tackle-avoidance freak Antonio Gibson. It is yet to be determined what his role will be for the “Football Team,” or if he’ll live up to his lofty expectations (He only had 77 career touches in college). The potential is through the roof, but with so little to go off of--outside of some dazzling tape—its hard to count on him to immediately fill that role for Cecil in 2020. Running back, however, is once again a strength, with Chris Carson, Todd Gurley, and rookie Jonathan Taylor. Likely gone are the days where the Seahawks field two of the top-5 RBs in the league (Or even four of the top-20), but make no mistake: this is clearly still one of the top-two the RB corps in the league—though Andrew may have something to say about that top spot by season’s end. Tight end, while not as star-studded as some of his previous iterations, is the deepest in the league, with three, maybe four players who could easily be deployed as starters. Defensively, it’s a knockout unit once again, deploying many of the top-IDP names from recent draft classes (Myles Garrett, Deion Jones, Devin White, Derwin James, Taylor Rapp, Jamal Adams, and Budda Baker). Additionally, Cecil has other names like Brian Burns, Jonathan Abraham, and Marquise Blair, all 2019 picks—the latter two of whom missed time in 2019 due to injury—who should contribute this season. All in all, it’s definitely one of the top-5 units in the league, even if Cecil only currently fields one DL.
X-factor: Bench depth. Again, nothing is going to stop Cecil’s everyday lineup in this division (And few teams could go toe-to-toe with him, even in one of his bad weeks). But if injuries crop up, as was the case last year—especially with COVID-19 potentially factoring in—Cecil’s biggest issue is reinforcing the back of his WR corps and defensive bench. Even despite those concerns, he should be able to enjoy smooth sailing to the playoffs as the division-winner for a record sixth season in a row. Even with an improved division all-around, he’s just too powerful to be stopped.
Projected division finish: 1st
Remember to watch out for the second of our divisional previews, this time the NFC North, which should drop later this week. Thanks again guys.