New on Sports Illustrated: 2021 Fantasy Football: 10 Breakout Candidates - Second-Year Studs Will Shine

-

SI Fantasy analyst Michael Fabiano points out 10 players primed for breakout seasons

Josh Allen. David Montgomery. Jonathan Taylor. Justin Jefferson. DK Metcalf.

That's right; the 2020 NFL campaign had its share of players who broke out in the stat sheets. Those statistical monsters became league winners for countless fantasy managers. Finding players who are in a great position to break out can be the difference between a good season and one that leads to a fantasy championship.

With that in mind, here are 10 players who I like to become next season's fantasy heroes.

Cam Akers, RB, Los Angeles Rams

It took a little longer than we hoped, but the Rams did showcase Akers in the second half of his rookie season. He averaged 21.7 touches and 16.3 fantasy points over his final seven games (including the playoffs), proving he has the tools to be a fantasy star. The Rams added Matthew Stafford, who will keep defenses honest, and Malcolm Brown is no longer on the roster. All this should equate to a breakout season for Akers in 2021.

Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Harris is in a great position to become the best rookie in fantasy football this season. A three-down back at Alabama who rushed for nearly 1,500 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2020, Harris should earn a featured role in Pittsburgh right out of the gate. Coach Mike Tomlin has preferred to use one main runner for most of his time in the Steel City, so a season with 250-plus touches is certainly in the cards for Harris in his rookie season.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

Edwards-Helaire was considered a disappointment in this rookie campaign, as injuries and the addition of Le'Veon Bell cost him a chance at stardom. To his credit, CEH did average 21.3 touches and 15.9 fantasy points in his first six games before the Chiefs added Bell to the roster. Coach Andy Reid's offenses have often produced star running backs, and I don't see Darrel Williams or Jerick McKinnon as major threats.

J.K. Dobbins, RB, Baltimore Ravens

Dobbins is a versatile stats machine who led all running backs with a 6.0 yards per rush average as a rookie. The offseason release of Mark Ingram creates a projected starting role for Ohio State, and he’s in a good spot to lead the Ravens run-based offense in carries. It might not be a true featured role with Gus Edwards on the roster, but Dobbins will get more than enough touches to emerge into a potential top-15 fantasy runner.

Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Football Team

McLaurin posted 87 catches for 1,118 yards last season, which some would suggest is a breakout campaign. He scored just four touchdowns, though, and his 14.5 points-per-game average ranked just 20th among wideouts. I think he'll make a move to a more elite level of receivers with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center and Curtis Samuel to help draw defenses. I think McLaurin could push for low-end No. 1 fantasy totals in 2021.

CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys:

Lamb finished his rookie year ranked 22nd among wideouts based on fantasy points, but it could have been a much higher finish. In five games with Dak Prescott under center, he averaged 17.1 fantasy points and was on pace to nearly equal the production of Justin Jefferson. Don't be surprised if it's Lamb and not Amari Cooper, who leads Cowboys wideouts in 2021. He’ll be worth every bit of a top-40 overall selection in all redrafts.

Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Chase enters a dream scenario to become this season's version of Jefferson. He will be reunited with his former college quarterback, Joe Burrow, so there's an already built-in rapport. The Bengals also had 104 targets open when A.J. Green left for the Cardinals, and Burrow was on pace to throw the ball almost 650 times as a rookie. The game script is also in Chase's favor, so I wouldn't be shocked if he had a top-25 fantasy campaign.

Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers

Aiyuk finished a ho-hum 35th in fantasy points among wideouts as a rookie, but he also averaged 20.8 points during a six-game stretch that opened the eyes of fantasy fans. A playmaker ranked tied for ninth among wideouts in broken tackles, Aiyuk is a good bet to finish in the top two in targets for the Niners. Regardless of whether it’s Jimmy Garoppolo or Trey Lance under center, he has the upside to be a solid No. 2 wideout.

Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles traded Carson Wentz to the Colts this offseason, which opens the door for Hurts to take over the top spot in Philadelphia. He started and finished three games as a rookie, averaging 79.3 rushing yards and over 25 fantasy points. His skills as a runner make him a dangerous dual-threat, and mobile quarterbacks can be valuable assets in fantasy land. Hurts needs to improve as a passer, but he still has top-10 fantasy upside.

Irv Smith Jr., TE, Minnesota Vikings

Smith Jr. didn't put up big numbers overall last season, but he ranked fourth in fantasy points among tight ends over the final four weeks. Often, such a late-season run can indicate a potential breakout the following year. The former Alabama standout is now the unquestioned tight end in Minnesota too, as the Vikings parted ways with Kyle Rudolph in the offseason. Smith Jr. could push for top-10 numbers at the position.

MORE NFL:

    Breer: 2021 Offseason May Foreshadow the NFL's FutureShapiro: Falcons Offered a First-Round Pick for Julio JonesBreer: Mailbag - Could the Chiefs Trade for Julio Jones?
MORE ARTICLES FROM MICHAEL FABIANO

Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for your late-breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

New on Sports Illustrated: NBA Draft Big Board 3.0: Top 80 Prospect Rankings

-
Image
Ranking the top 80 players in the 2021 NBA draft with the NCAA tournament in the rearview. View the original article to see embedded media. With three months until draft night and the NBA’s regular season winding down , the league at large has begun shifting full focus to the off-season. Players have until May 30 to declare as early entrants for the draft, after which point the predraft process will open up in full, leading up to the combine and lottery at the end of June . Our Big Board is long overdue for an update, and fully expanded out to 80 prospects as we all attempt to make sense of the big picture moving forward. As usual, the Big Board is primarily based on my personal evaluations from both live viewings and on film, in many cases dating back several years. The rankings also incorporate feedback and opinions I glean from NBA executives, scouts, and others around the industry. This is not a mock draft, and team fit is not considered, but it is also intended to be somewhat
Read more

New on Sports Illustrated: The Patriots’ Post-Brady Era Begins Now

-
Image
In Mac Jones, Bill Belichick drafted a Round 1 quarterback for the first time ever—and looks to usher in a return to dominance. Of course the first time Bill Belichick drafts a first-round quarterback, it’s one for whom he could get an unvarnished scouting report from good buddy Nick Saban —and without even having to do any draft-day maneuvering. Now, the post-Tom Brady era in New England really begins. The Patriots treated 2020 as something of a gap year, with a league-high eight opt-outs due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a starting quarterback, Cam Newton, who didn't sign with the team until June. They were, for the first time in two decades, mediocre, but that 7–9 record bought them the ticket to a fresh start: the No. 15 pick, which they used Thursday night on Alabama QB Mac Jones. The oft-cited statistic that Belichick had never drafted a QB higher than pick No. 62—used on Jimmy Garoppolo in 2014—was inherently flawed, given that Belichick had Brady as a starter for 19 of
Read more

New on Sports Illustrated: NCAA Board of Governors Unanimously Votes to Extend Mark Emmert’s Contract

-
Despite recent controversy, the NCAA Board of Governors voted unanimously to extend Mark Emmert's contract through 2025. The NCAA Board of Governors unanimously voted to extend president Mark Emmert's contract through Dec. 31, 2025. The news was announced Tuesday as a one-line news item buried within a larger update after the board's quarterly meeting. He's the fifth president in NCAA history and has been in the role since 2010. Emmert previously held high-ranking roles at Washington, LSU, Connecticut and Montana State. His base salary is reportedly $2.7 million.  Within the announcement, the Board reaffirmed its commitment to updating name, image and likeness rules. Dellenger: Inside the Hidden Industry of Name, Image and Likeness and the Changing World for College Athletes Emmert came under fire after disparities were shown between the men's and women's college basketball tournaments this year, specifically the weight room. Prior to the public backlash,
Read more