Midseason Review and Second Half Breakout Candidates
What a year this 2021 season has been! The best part is we are only halfway through. First thing that comes to mind while thinking about the season is the number of significant injuries there has been. The second thing that comes to mind is just the absolute lack of production of the league’s superstars. This season has been one to remember so let’s dive into the review!
It’s fair to call this year the year of the backups. Before the regular season started, we had J.K Dobbins, Gus Edwards, Cam Akers, and Travis Etienne all go down with season ending knee and ankle injuries. All of these guys were projected to have great seasons. Personally, I had a couple of these guys at potential RB1’s. Perhaps no loss was bigger (literally) than the loss of Derrick Henry. He was on pace to smash all the rushing records and was a legitimate MVP candidate. Even missing this past week, he still leads the league in rushing by over 100 yards.
A few names that us as fantasy managers have had to lean on for either a short time or an extended time are names no one was talking about to start the year. Khalil Herbert has been great in the absence of David Montgomery, who had left in week 4 to a knee injury. Herbert rushed for 100 against the fortress that is the Tampa Bay Bucs rushing defense. He has been more than serviceable in Monty’s absence and should earn a bigger role moving forward. Darrell Henderson has made the most of the Cam Akers injury as he sits at RB12 on the season. Next up is Darrel Williams who has been very solid in relief of CEH. The Chiefs have been a shell of their former selves, but Williams has looked great.
Some of our fantasy darlings have not performed well so far this season. The biggest bust in my mind has to be Allen Robinson. I saw Allen Robinson go as early as the third round in drafts. It’s no secret if you follow or know me that I might be the biggest A-Rob Stan in the world. He has failed to break 70 yards in ANY game this season. In his time in Jacksonville and even pre-Fields in Chicago Robinson was a target monster. Justin Fields has a ton of hype around him and was claimed to be “the best QB Robinson has ever played with”. So far this season Fields has not lived up to the hype and it shows in the production of Robinson. This is painful to say but I believe he is droppable (if you haven’t already) in all redraft leagues.
Patrick Mahomes might have gone as the first QB in most fantasy drafts this season. He currently sits at QB6. Something even more surprising to me personally is, he leads the league in turnovers! In his last 3 games Mahomes has only thrown 2 touchdowns. He just does not look good. Andy Reid is an offensive mastermind so they should be able to break this little funk they are in and get back to smashing teams and helping our fantasy rosters. Heading into week 9 Mahomes didn’t target Travis Kelce in the end zone. The struggles of the team are not all Mahomes but with a porous defense and a pretty bad offensive line Mahomes has to play way better than he is now. Mahomes should get through this slump and he is a main target to buy low on. His value has never been lower.
With all the bad things that have transpired this year there has been some bright spots. The 44-year-old Tom Brady has not skipped a beat and continues to put up unreal numbers. Lamar Jackson has seemingly gotten even better than he has been, which has correlated into Hollywood Brown having a breakout year. He has always been a competent passer but this year it looks like he is leveling up and becoming an elite passer. Cooper Kupp has been just balling out this year with the offseason acquisition of Matthew Stafford. Rookie sensation and preseason bust candidate Ja’Marr Chase has delivered and is on pace for an all-time great rookie season. Jonathan Taylor is doing his best to make me look like an idiot for fading him, as he is sitting at second in the league in rushing yards with no sign of slowing down as he just went for 172 and 2 TD’s.
Second Half Breakout Candidates
Those guys are elite and are helping out all of our fantasy rosters. Here are some of my favorite players that are poised to have a second half breakout.
Note: I did not plan this but all my breakout players are rookies.
Javonte Williams, RB, Broncos
First breakout candidate is my favorite rookie of the class, Javonte Williams. To start the season, he and Melvin Gordon have been as close to a 50/50 split as a backfield can get. It is evident that Williams is the better of the 2 backs. In his last game he went over 100 yards for the first time in his young career. He was very impressive and should start to get more and more work as the season drags on. He has the easiest remaining schedule for running backs. If you weren’t lucky enough to draft Javonte, I would try to get him on your roster ASAP.
Rashod Bateman, WR, Ravens
My second breakout is Rashod Bateman. This guy spent most of the first half of the season or IR but since he made his debut, he has made an immediate impact. He has a 20 percent target share in this new look Ravens offense. The Ravens spent a first-round pick on this guy so they obviously see something in him and his production and use is mirroring that. If he is available on your waiver wire PICK HIM UP!!
Pat Freiermuth, TE, Steelers
My final breakout is Pat Freiermuth. Oh baby, the Muth is officially being set Looth and I am here for it. Last night Big Ben and Freiermuth connected 5 times for 43 yards and 2 TD’s. Juju Smith- Schuster and Ebron are both sidelined, Juju being for the year. We’ve seen this sort of connection before in Pittsburgh with Ben and Heath Miller. Ben so far this year has been less than desirable both in fantasy and real- life. His arm is shot and he is having to throw short passes and dink and dunk the offense down the field. In his last 3 games he has hauled in 16 catches and 3 TD’s. I think the chemistry and trust is building between the Muth and Ben. I am calling it now, I think Freiermuth finishes this year as a top 10 TE and someone who can be trusted in all lineups moving forward.
What a wild season this has been. Good luck to all of you guys in the second half of this season! I can be found on Twitter @ParkFFB. Go download the Yards Per Fantasy app and check out all of the amazing features and articles the team has been putting out, you will not regret it!
