NFL Scouting Combine Week was held in Indianapolis as one of the first stops on the new season's calendar. While you may not see the same pool of elite talent as you used to, it's still a place where a lot of team business happens and where you can find your way to your dynasty team.
Here, we talk about the current NFL players who are making waves on social media this week.
travis aggressive
Travis Etienne Jr. will be just one of five running backs to rush for over 1,000 yards in 2022 and 2023 💥 pic.twitter.com/IHUAWjVoAY
— PFF JAX Jaguars (@PFF_Jaguars) February 26, 2024
Since his first (healthy) season in the league, Travis Etienne has been a model of consistency. He appeared in all 34 games scheduled to appear in 2022 and 2023, surpassing 1,000 yards rushing and at least 300 yards receiving in each year. He was a middling RB2 in fantasy scoring in 2022, but jumped to third in 2023 thanks to his 12 total touchdowns.
So it was a little disappointing to hear Jaguars coach Doug Pederson mention plans to reduce Etienne's workload. To be fair, there are cases to be made on both sides of this argument. Etienne, on the other hand, is only 25 years old and has only played two full seasons in the league. Now is probably not the time to pump the brakes when it comes to his involvement in the offense. Etienne, on the other hand, had 40 more carries in 2023 and his yards per carry decreased by more than a yard from 5.1 to 3.8. This offseason could tell us a lot about the Jaguars' plans for Etienne.
Dynasty influence: After ranking fourth in highest ADP among running backs, Etienne's dynasty value settled at eighth.
So, while not exactly elite, he's still a starting running back on a dynasty team. Pederson's comments aren't what you want to hear, but keep an eye on what the Jaguars are doing. Tank Bigsby's experiment fails and he is not considered a viable option for absorbing contact. They also could make big losses in free agency between pass rusher Josh Allen and receiver Calvin Ridley, potentially leading to draft capital being spent on replacing those positions instead of running backs. .
At the same time, the free agent pool at the position is strong, and the Jaguars have some money to spend, and they could make even more money by releasing a player like Allen.
Bottom line: don't panic about Pederson's comments just yet. Until someone comes along who poses a real threat to his workload, Etienne is still an RB1 and should be evaluated as such.
push/push the envelope
Troy Vincent told PFT Live that there was no support within the competition committee for banning tush-pushing, and that the rule change would punish teams for doing good things. https://t.co/gV1ECYR83S
— Pro Football Talk (@ProFootballTalk) February 29, 2024
If the NFL has to have a conversation about how to play the game and whether it's legal or not, they need to be doing the right thing as teams and players. Ever since the Eagles dreamed up a tush push, there has been debate about whether it's a fair approach. Huge quarterback Jalen Hurts lines up behind his massive offensive line, and other huge players line up behind him to push him across the goal line. When it comes to watching soccer, it's a real Rorschach test: either the play is meant to take advantage of a player, or it's a shortcut to scoring. Either way, the league has had the same discussion each of the past two offseasons since it became clear that MO was the culprit when it came to their short-yardage offense, rather than just a gadget play for the Eagles.
Dynasty influence: No player stands to lose more from a potential rule change than Jalen Hurts. Utilizing his now famous tush push, Hurts has scored 38 points on the ground since taking over as starter three seasons ago. Not only is this an impressive number for a quarterback, his 38 rushing touchdowns led the league in that span, and he scored more points than studs like Derrick Henry and Austin Ekeler. are doing.
It was the one thing that elevated Hurts above almost every other quarterback, the fact that he could supplement passing touchdowns with rushing touchdowns, pushing him into top-three status in terms of dynasty value.
And in a league where passing touchdowns are only 4 points, while rushing touchdowns are 6 points, that was an even bigger advantage. Banning it wouldn't have eliminated Hart's rushing stats, but it would have significantly reduced his number of touchdowns on the ground. The fact that it lasts, even if it's just one more year, stabilizes the value of the Hearts dynasty. don't let him go.
passion pit(tman)
Starring Michael Pittman Jr. #colts WR1 for at least one more season.
“One thing you don't have to worry about with that guy is he'll empty the tank,” Chris Ballard said. “He absolutely empties the tank.”
Meet one of the fiercest competitors in the NFL: https://t.co/NXIX5yuv9R
— Nate Atkins (@NateAtkins_) February 28, 2024
Michael Pittman Jr. isn't flashy, but he's as solid as ever when it comes to fantasy work. Over the past three seasons, he has averaged 99 receptions, 1,050 yards and five touchdowns. It's not quite as good as WR1, but it's not unbootable either. And it comes with a big-name group that includes different quarterbacks, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, and Gardner Minshew, who lead the team in snaps under center in their respective seasons.
So it was no surprise that the Colts intended to keep Pittman around for at least one more season. 2024 will (hopefully) be the year former No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson takes over after missing his rookie season due to injury, allowing Pittman to finally pair up with a quarterback who isn't clean. right.
Dynasty influence: At first glance, Pittman being stuck in an offense that utilizes the ground game with the likes of Richardson and running back Jonathan Taylor might not seem like a good fit for fantasy. However, the Colts finished just 18th in pass attempts last season. And in 2021, Pittman's best fantasy season to date, the Colts ranked 27th in pass attempts. That allows him to produce even when the Colts are running.
Pittman is a rare case where his fantasy finishes still don't match his dynasty rankings. But I think it's correct in this case. Pittman established himself as the top (and only?) receiver in Indianapolis. Richardson's chances are great if he can relate to the fantasy with the characters he has had to suffer.
Michael has been playing fantasy football for over 20 years, with his mother funding his first team when he was in fourth grade. He has contributed to various fantasy football publications, most recently Pro Football, where he spent five years writing on the fantasy side.
