Connect with us

NFL

Building a Depth Chart With Micah Parsons, Jordan Davis, and Jaylen Waddle

Published

4 months ago

on


Some of the best NFL players in the whole league are under 25. While some positions are more difficult to assimilate to at the NFL level, requiring some projection in a starting lineup, what’s the fun in ranking a bunch of players comprised largely of wide receivers and offensive linemen?

Best NFL Players Under 25

Note: Players must still be under 25 when the season begins on Sept. 8 to be considered for the exercise. 

Many of the names are no-brainers. We’ll spend some time on the more difficult internal dialogues among the team members.

Offense

Quarterback: Trevor Lawrence
Running Back: Jonathan Taylor
Wide Receiver No. 1: Justin Jefferson
Wide Receiver No. 2: Ja’Marr Chase
Wide Receiver No. 3: Jaylen Waddle
Tight End: Kyle Pitts
Left Tackle: Rashawn Slater
Left Guard: Landon Dickerson
Center: Creed Humphrey
Right Guard: Trey Smith
Right Tackle: Tristan Wirfs

Perhaps if Breece Hall remains healthy, he has the chance to usurp Taylor at running back, but Taylor’s size, athleticism, and vision make him a home-run threat every time he touches the ball.

Wide receiver and tackle were the two most difficult positions to sort through on the offensive side of the ball. Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase are non-negotiable. Jefferson is the best all-around wide receiver in the NFL, and Chase is arguably the most dangerous deep threat in the entire league.

The third spot was incredibly difficult. Jaylen Waddle and CeeDee Lamb are outstanding players that have both spent significant time playing in the slot. Although Waddle spent most of his time playing out wide a season ago, he was in the slot about 60% of the time the year before.

But that’s not even the end of the conversation. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tee Higgins deserve their flowers as well. Higgins couldn’t beat out his teammate or Jefferson on the outside, and St. Brown doesn’t have quite the same juice as Lamb or Waddle in the slot. But it is incredible to see how much talent there is at the position that is still under 25.

And it doesn’t stop there. Offensive tackles have one of the most difficult assignments in professional sports. But there is a heap of young men doing it at an incredibly high level at a very young age.

MORE: Best NFL Offenses 2023 

Jedrick Wills falls just outside the conversation at tackle, but he has been far from disappointing for the Browns in his three NFL seasons.

The conversation came down to Rashawn Slater, Andrew Thomas, and Christian Darrisaw on the left side, while the argument on the other side was between Tristan Wirfs and Penei Sewell.

Sewell has been incredible, but Wirfs hit the ground at an All-Pro level as a rookie and hasn’t let up. The conversation between Thomas and Slater was more difficult.

Darrisaw was fantastic a season ago for the Vikings, but he probably would have had to play at that same level the year before to be a true contender against Slater and Thomas.

Thomas got better as his rookie season went on and was outstanding in his second season. However, what Slater did as a rookie was on another level. And it’s safe to say he would have done the same had he stayed healthy a season ago. His 2021 tape gave him the nod over Thomas, who is already one of the best left tackles in the game.

Pro Football Network's top NFL players under the age of 25 is unveiled.

Defense

EDGE No. 1: Micah Parsons
EDGE No. 2: Jaelan Phillips
Defensive Tackle No. 1: Jordan Davis
Defensive Tackle No. 2: Christian Barmore
Linebacker No. 1: Nick Bolton
Linebacker No. 2: Patrick Queen
Cornerback No. 1: Patrick Surtain II
Cornerback No. 2: Sauce Gardner
Defensive Back: Devon Witherspoon
Safety No. 1: Jevon Holland
Safety No. 2: Antoine Winfield Jr.

Creating the defensive depth chart was a bit more grueling than the offensive side of the ball.

Quinnen Williams, Dexter Lawrence, and Jeffery Simmons all missed the age cutoff. Linebacker has become a bit undervalued at the NFL level, and the mental side of the position often means the best in the league are often close to or over 30.

And surprisingly enough, defensive end and outside linebacker were a bit thin as well. Micah Parsons is the most obvious name on the entire team.

Jaelan Phillips lines up on the opposite side after a really strong sophomore season. Adding Vic Fangio and Jalen Ramsey to the Dolphins’ defense will likely keep the ball in the opposing QB’s hand for a tick longer, and Phillips could feast in his third year. But a season ago, he finished sixth in the league with 77 defensive pressures.

MORE: Best NFL Defenses 2023 

Derrick Brown aged out, or he would have been one of the defensive tackles. Christian Barmore had a disappointing sophomore campaign playing only 10 games, but he is the only legitimate pass rusher to choose from on the interior. The nose tackle position came down to Jordan Davis and Alim McNeill, but it’s fair to expect Davis to begin excelling soon, given his absurd athleticism.

Cornerback was easily the most satisfying position group to choose. Leaving Tariq Woolen off the list hurt, but Patrick Surtain and Sauce Gardner might be the two best cornerbacks in the entire NFL. And in this case, who do we feel comfortable playing in the slot? We’ll throw in Woolen’s teammate, Devon Witherspoon.

Witherspoon plays with the type of tenacity and gnat-like coverage ability that teams covet in the slot. He can fill the alley against the run and make sure opposing pass catchers can’t breathe along the route stem. Is it a bit audacious to add a rookie onto the team above other defenders who have proved it at the NFL level already? Absolutely. But Witherspoon deserves the hype.

This team is playing a whole lot of Cover 3 and 1 variants. That means we need someone to roam as a center fielder adequately, and another to play down in the slot, come downhill as a buzz player, and defend the run.

Jevon Holland was an easy pick for free safety. But Antoine Winfield Jr. and Talanoa Hufanga had an absolute battle for the second safety spot. And while Hufanga was voted an All-Pro a season ago, Winfield’s slot versatility gave him the edge on this particular team.



Source link

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

NFL

Targets Include Matt Gay, Ka’imi Fairbairn, and Others

Published

27 mins ago

on

September 25, 2023

By


Week 3 isn’t even officially in the books yet, but it’s time to start looking ahead to the next week and identifying the players that can help us win our fantasy football matchups!

With that in mind, here are my top Kicker streaming options for Week 4 and early rankings!

Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer and Start/Sit Optimizer to help you make the right decision!

Top Kicker Streamers For Week 4

Matt Gay, Indianapolis Colts – 9% Rostered

It’s now been two back-to-back weeks of solid production for Matt Gay here in Indianapolis, and he had a dominant performance in Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens.

MORE: Fantasy Buy Low, Sell High Week 4

Gay had 4 50+ yard field goals this past week, and he now gets a matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. He’s already a solid pickup based on what he just did, but a little revenge narrative never hurt anyone, right?

Ka’imi Fairbairn, Houston Texans – 1% Rostered

We’ve seen Ka’imi Fairbairn have his stretches of being a solid fantasy asset, but no one anticipated that being the case here in 2023 for the Houston Texans. This offense just may end up being better than we anticipated, and Fairbairn’s getting onto the field.

In a matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers defense in Week 4, we could see the Texans settle for field goal opportunities over touchdown drives, which will put the veteran kicker onto the field quite a bit.

Dustin Hopkins, Cleveland Browns – 2% Rostered

AFC North matchups always come down to field goals. These are tightly contested games that feature defense, running the football, and low-scoring outputs. This means that kickers have a greater opportunity to get onto the field and make a long attempt to fall.

Dustin Hopkins is coming off of a solid performance against the Tennessee Titans, and his momentum could continue into this one against the Baltimore Ravens.

Early Kicker Rankings for Week 4

These are my very early Kicker rankings for Week 4, but make sure to check in on our PFN Consensus Rankings throughout the week to see how these shifts and change as we get closer to kickoff.

1) Harrison Butker | KC | (@ NYJ)
2) Justin Tucker | BAL | (@ CLE)
3) Jake Moody | SF | (vs. ARI)
4) Cameron Dicker | LAC | (vs. LV)
5) Jake Elliott | PHI | (vs. WAS)
6) Tyler Bass | BUF | (vs. MIA)
7) Brandon Aubrey | DAL | (vs. NE)
8) Brandon McManus | JAX | (vs. ATL)
9) Younghoe Koo | ATL | (@ JAX)
10) Jason Myers | SEA | (@ NYG)
11) Riley Patterson | DET | (@ GB)
12) Jason Sanders | MIA | (@ BUF)
13) Greg Joseph | MIN | (@ CAR)
14) Matt Gay | IND | (vs. LAR)
15) Daniel Carlson | LV | (@ LAC)
16) Evan McPherson | CIN | (@ TEN)
17) Dustin Hopkins | CLE | (vs. BAL)
18) Ka’imi Fairbairn | HOU | (vs. PIT)
19) Brett Maher | LAR | (@ IND)
20) Wil Lutz | DEN | (@ CHI)
21) Blake Grupe | NO | (vs. TB)
22) Nick Folk | TEN | (vs. CIN)
23) Chase McLaughlin | TB | (@ NO)
24) Anders Carlson | GB | (vs. DET)
25) Chris Boswell | PIT | (@ HOU)
26) Graham Gano | NYG | (vs. SEA)
27) Joey Slye | WAS | (@ PHI)
28) Eddy Pineiro | CAR | (vs. MIN)

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Fantasy Podcast on our Fantasy YouTube channel.



Source link

Continue Reading

NFL

‘It Was Just Bad Football’

Published

1 hour ago

on

September 25, 2023

By


In a devastating 28-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3, the Dallas Cowboys saw less of the complementary football they had seen in the first two weeks of action. 

Cowboys Defense Struggles After Loss of Trevon Diggs

After an emotional week in which star cornerback Trevon Diggs was ruled out for the season with an ACL tear, the defense was tested and had trouble adjusting. The lack of productivity on the defensive end prevented the offense from getting into a rhythm, putting the game out of reach for the Cowboys. 

The Cowboys struggled to slow down the Cardinals run game, an issue that was not prominent in their first two matchups.

MORE: NFL Week 3 Winners and Losers

Missed tackles and an inside zone run from the Cardinals for an easy touchdown sum up the Cowboys’ defense in today’s game. In the wake of losing Diggs, major improvements will need to be made going into Week 4.  

“A lot went wrong, and it was just bad football,” Jayron Kearse said postgame. “They ran a lot of pull schemes, got downhill … We weren’t good enough. Myself included.”

In Week 2, the team played complementary, with two receiving touchdowns, two interceptions, three sacks, and five field goals. Week 3 was a different story, as the Cowboys forced no turnovers and had only one player find the end zone. 

Additionally, penalties plagued the team and cost them 107 total yards. Red zone offense also continues to be an issue for the team as they failed to find the end zone on four of their five trips within the 20.

“We knew what type of game it was going to be,” Kearse said. “I guess their will was just stronger than ours, and it showed throughout the game. I don’t have many words. It was just bad. We didn’t help our offense enough.”

Defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa said the team will move forward from the mistakes and continue to do what they know they are capable of. 

“We got to play better ball, it’s that simple,” Odighizuwa said. “We have to get back to our standards and do what we know we can do and being the team we know we can be.”





Source link

Continue Reading

NFL

Every Record Set by Miami Dolphins vs. the Denver Broncos

Published

3 hours ago

on

September 25, 2023

By


MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins didn’t have a once-a-generation game Sunday against the Denver Broncos.

They had a once-a-half-century game — and maybe even that might be selling them short.

In addition to putting a scare into the NFL’s single-game record for points scored and yards gained, they broke or tied a staggering 13 franchise records, per the team’s postgame notes compiled by Brett Brecheisen, the team’s excellent senior manager of football communications.

Miami Dolphins Records Set vs. Denver Broncos

Those 13 records set or tied (including the postseason) are:

  • Most points in a game in team history: 70
  • Most touchdowns in a game in team history: 10
  • Most total yards in a game in team history: 726
  • Most rushing yards in a game in team history: 350
  • Most points scored in the second half of a game in team history: 35*
  • Most PATs in a game in team history: 10
  • Most touchdowns in a game by a rookie: 4 – De’Von Achane
  • Most points scored in a game: 24* – Raheem Mostert, De’Von Achane
  • Most touchdowns in a game: 4* – Raheem Mostert, De’Von Achane
  • Most rushing yards in a game by a rookie: 203 – De’Von Achane
  • Most passing yards through three games in Dolphins history: 1,024 – Tua Tagovailoa
  • Most receiving yards through three games in Dolphins history: 412 – Tyreek Hill
  • Most PATs in a game: 10 – Jason Sanders

* tied team record

Other Amazing Stats From Broncos-Dolphins

But there’s more.

The Dolphins also scored the most points (70) by any NFL team since 1966 and tied for the third-most in any game in NFL history: (1. Chicago, Dec. 8, 1940, at Washington 73; 2. Washington Nov. 27, 1966 vs. N.Y. Giants 72. The Bears’ 73 points came in the playoffs.)

Miami’s 726 total yards were the second-most in a game in NFL history and most since 1951: (L.A. Rams, Sep. 28, 1951 vs. N.Y. Yankees, 735.)

The Dolphins’ 130 points and 1,651 total yards are the most through three games of any NFL since at least 1970.

The Dolphins won for the 13th time in their last 15 games at home, which is the team’s best 15-game stretch at Hard Rock Stadium in the regular season since going 13-2 from Oct. 7, 2001 to Dec. 15, 2002.

The Dolphins on Sunday improved to 11-1 in games that Tua Tagovailoa starts against teams with a head coach that won a Super Bowl, including 10 wins in a row.

Running backs De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert are the second pair of teammates in NFL history to score four touchdowns each in the same game. The other? Chiefs backs Priest Holmes and Derrick Blaylock, who did so on Oct. 24, 2004 vs. Atlanta.

MORE: NFL Standings

Achane and Mostert become the fourth and fifth players in Dolphins history to total four touchdowns in a game

Achane’s 203 rushing yards were the most by any NFL player in the first or second game of his career in the Super Bowl era (since 1970). He had one career carry prior to Sunday.

Listen to the PFN Dolphins Podcast

Listen to the PFN Dolphins Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Dolphins Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Dolphins Podcast on our NFL YouTube channel.

Adam Beasley is Pro Football Network’s Director of Original Content and Brand Development. You can read all of Adam’s work here and follow him on Twitter: @AdamHBeasley.





Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending