-2021 NFL Schedule -Strength of Schedule
MOCK DRAFT
Ask the Commish.Com 2021 Draft Kit
Let's just call it as it is: Coleman is essentially undrafted at this point in the offseason. He's not great, but he's going to be the starting running back for the Jets when the season begins. As time goes on, I fully expect Michael Carter to push him for that job (he's better than Coleman), but Coleman was brought to New York because he knows the offense. But still, a starting running back should be taken as a top-50 option.
Drake signed a massive deal - for a RB - in free agency to come to Las Vegas, but he's certainly going to take a dip in production from what we've seen over the past couple of years. He'll be heavily involved as a receiver all over the formation in this offense, but it's unlikely to lead to consistent fantasy production week after week. Drake's now in the territory of a low-upside FLEX play that will need Jacobs to miss time with an injury to see his workload increase.
I'm not sure I'm seeing the allure that some do to Williams as a handcuff in Detroit. Williams isn't a bad running back by any means, but it's more about the offense and their want to use a timeshare at running back. It's the same reason D'Andre Swift is falling into middling RB2 range of drafts - it's not because of his talent. Even if Swift were to miss time, the Lions would likely bring in another running back to share the workload. They already brought Todd Gurley in for a visit, so they clearly haven't taken their minds off adding another running back. Not just that, but it's also likely to be a low-scoring offense, which just doesn't give you a lot of upside/potential.
By now, you've most likely seen the pictures circulating on social media of Gio's quads. While that's incredibly impressive, it unfortunately does not mean a direct correlation to fantasy football success. Bernard should be involved as the reliable pass-catching option out of the backfield for Tom Brady, but his usage isn't going to be predictable enough that he's worth drafting early on. If you're in a Full PPR format and want to take Gio with one of your last picks, it's a fine investment. Otherwise, there are better players to take chances on in that range. My Very Early Projection: 43-136-0 rushing & 44-340-1 receiving.
Conner's coming over from Pittsburgh to take on the vacated Kenyan Drake role, but we know by now that Conner's not exactly 100% of what he used to be. He's coming off of a disappointing season with the Steelers and he'll look to get back on track in this potentially dynamic offense. With splitting work with Edmonds, plus Murray stealing work around the goal line, there's only so much potential here for Conner in this offense. He'll be a fine RB3 for your roster that can start on some bye weeks, but fantasy managers shouldn't be holding out hope for him to be anything more than that.
Burkhead was just signed by the Houston Texans, but he's now involved in a backfield that has the potential to be just absolutely repulsive for fantasy football. David Johnson, Mark Ingram, Phillip Lindsay, and Dontrell Hilliard all are other pieces of this rotation, which most likely means that no one is going to provide consistent production. Burkhead's not on the redraft radar this season.
Cordarrelle Patterson could be used in a more traditional roleCordarrelle Patterson will be a major part of the special team's plan in Atlanta. He's most likely to be used in a gadget role but could also see a more traditional role for the Falcons. Fantasy ImpactThe depth chart at running back behind Mike Davis is wide open and it's possible Patterson could carve out a role as a gadget player in the backfield. However, a more traditional role may result in the former Bear playing more snaps at receiver where the Falcons are also lacking options behind Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage. Ultimately, the eight-year pro is unlikely to receive enough touches every week to be a dependable fantasy asset. Patterson continues to be off the radar for redraft and dynasty purposes except in the biggest of formats that score return yards.
Would Ingram have signed with the Texans had he known all the moves that have taken place? I'm guessing not. He's now stuck on a depth chart that has David Johnson, Phillip Lindsay, and Rex Burkhead on it, while Tyrod Taylor is under center on what's expected to be a low-scoring Texans offense. You should avoid the Texans if you can help it, especially Ingram.