NFL training season is here, ladies and gentlemen. Prepare yourself for the onslaught of information, rumors and exaggerated articles. But Fantasy Football coaches shouldn’t worry about the flow of information – Scott Pianowski offers one important piece of information for every team. Next up is the NFC West.
San Francisco 49ers
George Kittle might be the most exciting tight end in the league; No one at the position makes more plays than him. He has scored 11 touchdowns outside the red zone over the past three seasons, six more than any other tight end. But these types of plays aren’t always repeatable year after year, and Kittle has to develop his fantasy with very modest opportunities; he has seen 94 or fewer targets in four consecutive seasons.
You often have to separate fantasy value from real-life value, and this is one of those cases. Kittle’s game features an infectious joie de vivre and he’s probably building a Hall of Fame resume, but heading into his age-31 season, I don’t think I’ll be proactively recruiting Kittle.
Seattle Seahawks
Geno Smith lost a lot of believers during the 2023 season, but I’m not ready to write him off. Seattle’s offensive line fell apart in the season opener, which held the offense back for weeks. Smith played better in the second half and finished the season above code on most efficiency metrics — YPA, completion percentage, sack and interception prevention, and QB rating. His touchdown rate was lower than league average, but that’s probably more luck than anything.
There are tools for Smith to succeed here – three capable receivers and new coordinator Ryan Grubb. Smith makes sense as a cheap, low-cost QB2 for your bench or a possible starter for those playing in Superflex formats.
Los Angeles Rams
Kyren Williams was fantasy royalty last year, finishing RB4 in cumulative scoring and RB2 if we switch to a per-game model. With that established, early Yahoo writers pushed Williams into the second round (ADP around 16), and that seems like a prudent move.
Williams is undersized for the position, weighing in at 5-foot-10 and 194 pounds. Sean McVay has a history of featuring a primary defender, but is smart enough to work with the available talent. The Rams spent an early draft pick on Michigan tailback Blake Corum, which is thicker and faster than Williams. Chasing Williams’ monstrous stats from last season seems like a fool’s errand, especially when you consider he has lost pieces of time in each of his two professional seasons.
Arizona Cardinals
Hotshot rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is the flashy name in Arizona’s passing game, but watch tight end Trey McBride, who had a sneaky breakout year in his second season.
McBride secured a starting job for good in Week 8 and was fantasy royalty the rest of the way. During this period, McBride totaled 66 receptions (third at the position), 85 targets (second) and 655 yards (third). He achieved a TE4 rating in that span, using PPR scores of half a point.
McBride achieved an impressive target share of 26.7% during the second half of the year, a number that certainly won’t be repeated with Harrison on board. However, McBride’s modest touchdown count (three) will likely increase, especially with Kyler Murray playing a full season. The Cardinals don’t have great receiver depth other than Harrison, and the offense’s octane will likely improve in 2024. McBride isn’t a cheap tight end option with an ADP outside the top 50, but he has the profile and setup to meet or exceed its draft day cost.
