Jamaal Charles, Jameis Winston, Julius Thomas. Three men on the brink of greatness. Fantasy football greatness, that is.
I’d draft these three men in a heartbeat, not because of a biased love for them, but because of a feeling. A feeling that everything is going to be alright. A sense of security, trust and faith. Here’s why:
Jamaal Charles: At 30 years old, I do not consider this fantasy great’s work to be done. Sure, he tore his ACL, but players have come back from worse. Last year, I drafted this once-elite running back and kept him on the team all throughout his injury, not out of stupidity but out of respect. The man once scored 55 points in a single game.
Now with the Denver Broncos (and with no real numbers to show from last season), he’ll be looked over and missed by many. But I’m telling you that Jamaal Charles will produce numbers out of this world for a backup. The starter ahead of him, C.J. Anderson, is also coming off of injury from last season. Who knows how he will play. As the rushing game becomes more prominent in Denver, Jamaal Charles is probably the best backup in the game and a great add for your fantasy team and maybe even a low-grade FLEX position.
Jameis Winston: Oh, Jameis. While he was in college, I was not a big fan. In fact, I could not stand the guy. But now he’s becoming one of the best in the business and a true dual-threat QB.
Add in that DeSean Jackson joined the team – oh, baby! Jackson is a real threat with amazing speed and great hands. Watch out for this combination. Sure, he didn’t consistently put up big time numbers last year, but there are other reasons for that … like his quarterback.
Jameis Winston is better than Kirk Cousins. I said it.
Since the rise of Mike Evans, the quarterback/receiver duo has turned Tampa Bay into a real NFC South threat. That doesn’t even include rookie tight end O.J. Howard. A consistent best at his position in college, this man will shred the NFL with his dynamic abilities.
Ultimately, solid numbers and top-tier receivers will make Jameis a QB1 in fantasy football this season. If you haven’t drafted yet and prefer to focus on running backs and wide receivers, Jameis should be hanging around on the board until the later rounds. If he’s still around, snag him.
Julius Thomas: Thomas was once the best and most feared tight end in all of fantasy football – unfortunately, the key word here is once. After Peyton Manning left the Broncos, so did Thomas and his fantasy relevance.
With the Jaguars, he had a slump season. In fairness, who wouldn’t slump in Jacksonville? (Side note, seriously – avoid Jaguars players. Drafting, trading or otherwise. Avoid them. One good week does not make them worth the add.)
With the Jaguars, Julius Thomas was unrecognizable. But this year, he has a new team in the Miami Dolphins and a new quarterback in Jay Cutler. As a Bears fan, I am not big on Jay Cutler. But coming from Blake Bortles, any upgrade is a huge upgrade. Cutler is a solid QB who can make tight throws and loves to hit his tight ends over the middle.
Julius has already proven that he can destroy your opponent’s chances of winning a game, and I don’t see that changing this year. He’ll remain a solid choice for FLEX or even your TE1.
