Who Will be the 2016 Fantasy MVP?
The Fantasy Footballers recently had a very special episode that included fantasy industry experts and their picks for the players that will lead you to a #FootclanTitle. Here are their picks for the 2016 Fantasy MVP:
Andrew Luck, QB Indianapolis Colts
“Andrew Luck is my Fantasy MVP. I think he’s going to have a monster year. Luck was the number one quarterback in fantasy in 2014. He didn’t forget how to play, he got hurt. The team had a bad year, but Luck is healthy and I love the receivers this year, and more importantly I hate the running backs. They’re going to throw a ton of touchdowns this year.”
-Adam Aizer, @AdamAizer (CBS Sports and the Fantasy Football Today Podcast)
Devonta Freeman, RB Atlanta Falcons
“Alright, I don’t understand life right now because no one is into Devonta Freeman. It makes zero sense to me. The guy was third in targets among running backs, just behind Danny Woodhead and Theo Riddick. By the way, he had 92 targets. That’s right-92. The next guy-75. He was fourth in carries last year as well so even if he loses some carries, he’s still probably going to be in the top-10. He had 265 last year, but more important than that, he’s going to be more productive. They added Alex Mack to that line and supposedly at practice, he’s been killing it at practices. Consider him the new Matt Forte and Matt Forte was amazing for fantasy owners so I’m not sure why we’re not grabbing a hold of this guy. Go for Devonta Freeman, you will not regret it.”
-Brandon Marianne Lee, @BrandonHerFFB (Pro Football Focus, Bleacher Report Radio, Her Fantasy Football on Sirius XM Radio Fantasy Channel)
C.J. Anderson, RB Denver Broncos
“C.J. Anderson will be your Fantasy MVP. Not only will he be a RB1 like we hoped and believed he would be last year, but he will be a top-10 running back and you’re getting him in the third round, likely fourth in PPR leagues.
Don’t lose the faith, this is the year. C.J. Anderson, your fantasy MVP, huge value, top-10 RB. Lock it in!”
-Jake Ciely, @allinkid (Rotoexperts.com, FNTSY Sports Network)
Bruce Ellington, WR San Francisco 49ers
“This is a guy that I think will get a ton of targets from the slot in Chip Kelly’s Offense. We saw Jordan Matthews be productive there. If you watch some of his game film and look at his Reception Perception from a brief standpoint in his first few years, you see that this is a candidate that’s ready to breakout. I think you’re going to be happy if you draft him. He’s going to be my MVP candidate this season.”
-Matt Harmon, @MattHarmon_BYB (NFL.com, Founder of Reception Perception)
Steve Smith Sr., WR Baltimore Ravens
“I’ll take a wild swing on another old guy- Steve Smith. No clue if he can come back from a double-torn Achilles, but if he is the same guy he will come at a huge discount and was still mighty good before he got hurt last year.”
-Chris Harris, @HarrisFootball (Harris Football Podcast)
Marvin Jones, WR Detroit Lions
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He’s not necessarily the MVP of fantasy football but he’s a huge huge value pick and that’s Marvin Jones. Players over the last three years with a better touchdowns per target rate than Marvin Jones include Rob Gronkowski, Tyler Eifert, Allen Robinson, Dez Bryant, and Julius Thomas. That’s it. Those are the only players who have been better red zone threats on a per target basis. Golden Tate’s not a traditional red zone threat as he’s scored 6 times last year with 4 of those coming on designed plays from one or two yards out. Detroit’s been one of the most pass-heavy teams with non-injury-prone Matthew Stafford under center which should easily allow Jones to see well well over a 100 targets. So you have volume, you have opportunity to be a deep and intermediate threat without Calvin Johnson, you have opportunity to be a huge red zone threat. He may not be the MVP of fantasy football, but Marvin Jones is certainly a huge huge bargain at wide receiver for you.”
-JJ Zachariason, @LateRoundQB (Editor-in-Chief of Number Fire, Host of Living the Stream Podcast)
Antonio Gates, TE San Diego Chargers
“In drafts, right now Antonio Gates is going way too late. He’s going in the 11th, 12th, 13th rounds and what he affords you is the luxury to wait on tight end. So while guys are taking Gronk, Jordan Reed even Delanie Walker, Ladarius Green, and Coby Fleener in the middle rounds, what you can do is continue to build your core of receivers and running backs. Pad that depth and make sure you have some impact guys at those positions because Antonio Gates, he’s going to be fine. He’s going to be a top-5 tight end, so make sure you get him on your team.”
-Pat Mayo, @ThePME (FNTSY Sports Network, RotoExperts)
Robert Griffin III/Terrelle Pryor, QB/WR Cleveland Browns
“I’ve got a Fantasy MVP. His name is Robert Griffin III. Robert Griffin III is going to have Corey Coleman, who I like… I don’t want to overhype him… but I like him. He’s going to have Gary Barnidge who’s nice and steady. He’s going to have Duke Johnson catching 60 passes and he’s going to have Terrelle Pryor, and I think the two are tied together. The performance of Terrelle Pryor, and [excited gibberish] I haven’t brought up Josh Gordon yet who’s going to be back in Week 5 most likely, but Terrelle Pryor is going to catch a ton of passes, is going to be an important part of this offense. He can catch 800 yards, 6 or 7 touchdowns. So that’s my guy. RG3 and Terrelle Pryor. My guys.”
-Nando Di Fino, @NandoDiFino (FNTSY Sports Network)
Dwayne Allen, TE Indianapolis Colts
“This year I think it’s Dwayne Allen’s turn. With Coby Fleener out of the way, Allen has the tight end position to himself in Indianapolis. It’s a tight end friendly offense under Rob Chudzinski. The [tight ends] have accounted for 21% of the targets, 20% of the yards, and 31% of the touchdowns in the last three years, so I think Dwayne Allen will have a big role especially in the red zone where he can catch double-digit touchdowns. Chud was there with Jordan Cameron’s breakout year in 2013. He also coached Greg Olsen in his best season to date prior to that in Carolina. Before that in Cleveland, he was there for Kellen Winslow’s Pro Bowl season in 2007 when he had 82 catches for 1,100 yards. Things are sitting really nicely for Allen. He just needs to stay healthy. He’s a little bit injury prone so I always back him up if I can with Zach Miller out Chicago who came out real strong down the stretch with Martellus Bennett sidelined.”
John Paulsen, @4for4_John (4for4.com)
Mark Ingram, RB New Orleans Saints
“The funniest part about Mark Ingram, my Fantasy MVP, is he’s going even later than when I talked about him in March. He’s going at the top of the third round. Between Weeks 1 and 13, he was the RB4. He was a top-4 fantasy running back because in 12 games he gave you almost 800 yards on the ground, 6 TDs, and it was the targets that changed everything for Mark Ingram’s fantasy output. 60 targets turned into 50 catches, which by the way he had 464 yards after the catch in the twelve games which put him 7th for running backs. 484 yards after contact-that puts him 14th. The last three years he’s been a very very solid runner. He’s on one of the
best offenses in the entire league and I think in the third round, he’s now a value pick. I love starting my drafts going WR-WR if I think I can get Mark Ingram at the top of the third.”
-Mike Wright, @FFHitman, The Fantasy Footballers Podcast
Latavius Murray, RB Oakland Raiders
“My Fantasy MVP for 2016 is Latavius Murray. Latavius Murray is going at the 11th pick of the third round. This is not about last year. I’m not making this argument about last year where he had 266 carries, over 1,000 yards, and 6 touchdowns. I’m not making it about last year when he had 616 yards after the catch-fifth best in the league. I’m making it about this year. He is extremely durable. He played every game last year, he’s going to do it again this year. Every report out of camp is that he’s cruising through as that RB1. He’s basically a fourth round pick-he’s almost going in the fourth round and now you go and give him Pro Football Focus’ second-best offensive line and a team that wants to run the ball. A guy who dominated when he was put in a position to run against less than eight in the box with Derek Carr, Amari Cooper, and Michael Crabtree. When he was running against Dime formations, he was the best in the league. I just like what Latavius Murray gives you as a workhorse back. Give me Latavius as my RB2. I think he’s a guaranteed RB1 this year. At the end of the year when the numbers pan out, he’s going to be in that top-12. At the value level, he’s my Fantasy MVP.”
-Andy Holloway, @andyholloway, The Fantasy Footballers Podcast
Lamar Miller, RB Houston Texans
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My guy is Lamar Miller. Lamar Miller, last year in PPR, was the number-5 RB and the knock on Lamar Miller is not on him, it’s that he doesn’t get the volume-he doesn’t get the opportunity. His whole motivation for going to [Houston] was to do something special on the field and help his team win. He has 45 games with under 15 carries, in fact in those games, he’s averaged 8.9 carries. He also has 12 games with over 15 carries. In those games, he’s averaged 18+ carries a game and in those games, he has been phenomenal. He’s averaged 15 fantasy points in those games, which would have made him the number-3 running back at that workload. That being said, his workload should be much higher than that. If he gets the same level of carries that Alfred Blue got, his carries will be higher, but he’s going to get in between Alfred Blue and Arian Foster. I believe that Lamar Miller is safe, but I also think his ceiling is through the roof. I am confident with Lamar Miller. He is my Fantasy MVP.”
-Jason Moore, @jasonffl, The Fantasy Footballers Podcast
Be sure to check out the full episode from Thursday, August 11, 2016 – The Fantasy MVP Episode w/Expert Picks Ep. #240