By: Evan Krueger
It seems like an eternity ago that the Colts had dominant corners like Vontae Davis and.... yeah just Vontae Davis. But at least he was respectable, and, until last year, not made out of pipe cleaners and balsa wood. But the powers that be in Indy decided that giving Andrew Luck a $140 Million contract was sufficient to get the Colts back to the playoffs. Who needs a defense/running game/secondary, amiright?!? Haha no. No I'm not. If these first 2 weeks of the season have shown anything, it's that no one in the Colts organization has any idea what they're doing. Ryan Grigson (who is now the Midwest's resident Jeff Fisher) has assembled a defense on par with last year's horrible-terrible-no-good-very-bad Saints (coached by the worst coordinator in the NFL, Rob Ryan, the Ryan family's resident Jeff Fisher). Jim Irsay is off at some bar doing Jim Irsay things (although, to be fair, he would probably be doing that anyway). Andrew Luck is still picking the grass out of his teeth after Sunday's shellacking at the hands of the Broncos. All of this begs the question: how can this be? How can a team that was supposed to make it to the Super Bowl last year regress so much? The answer seems clear to me: the Colts are suffering from Peyton Manning syndrome. When Manning was the quarterback in Indy, the attitude seemed to always be "We have Peyton Manning, we're good", and then nothing would be done to bolster the running game or defense. They couldn't run the ball, and they couldn't play defense. That's why Peyton only won one ring in Indy. When Andrew Luck was drafted, the promise was that his best years wouldn't be wasted on a team with a poor supporting class. And now, here we are, 4 years later, and Andrew Luck's best years are being wasted on a team with a poor supporting cast. Giving Luck a huge contract was never going to make the Colts better. Drafting Ryan Kelly was a smart move, but that isn't enough to shore up the Colts lackluster pass-blocking. Frank Gore is past his prime. The Colts secondary, even healthy, is about as skilled as a night shift worker at McDonald's. They can't generate pressure on defense. I wish that the Colts front office would realize that Andrew Luck is not enough to mask all of the shortcomings of this team. There are too many of them. Am I overreacting to 2 bad games? Possibly. But as far as I can tell, this team doesn't have what it takes to win the AFC South, or even make the playoffs. This team may need a rebuild before it can dream of competing for a championship. I may just be an uninformed kid that happens to have a laptop, but I'm intelligent enough to recognize this current truth: the Colts suck.
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By Rhett Coblentz
By simply looking at the title of this article, you may think I'm absolutely bonkers. And yeah maybe I am. But not about this topic. Think about it with me for a second here, The Colts, even though they missed the playoffs last season, have Andrew Luck. He's enough to make the team great. Houston has a ridiculously talented defense, and that's huge for them. Plus Deandre Hopkins on offense is kinda good. The Jaguars have a rising quarterback in Blake Bortles as long as he doesn't keep throwing picks, and TJ Yeldon is up-and-coming as well. The Titans have a little while before they hit a point where they contend for a playoff spot, but Marcus Mariota showed some great signs last season. Which division is the worst you ask? The NFC East. Who's gonna win it? It's currently a battle between the Cowboys and the Giants, and neither team is extremely competitve. Anyways, this article isn't about the NFC East, it's about the AFC South, so here we go. 1. Indianapolis Colts (10-6) The Colts are coming off of a rough 8-8 year that consisted of 9 games played without Andrew Luck. Luck returns for this upcoming season, which is the biggest reason that the Colts have success. Their success depends upon whether or not Andrew Luck stays healthy this season. TY Hilton and Philip Dorsett look to be key receivers for this year's squad, and Frank Gore will handle the rushing duties once more. If Luck stays healthy, and the Colts don't completely lack a run game, then they'll finish 10-6. 2. Houston Texans(9-7) I don't quite know what to make of Brock Osweiler here. He showed some signs of promise in Denver, and in Houston he has lots of weapons to help, like Deandre Hopkins, Jaelen Strong, and the newcomer speedster Braxton Miller. The best thing about the Texans is that their defense is stellar. JJ Watt anchors the defense, as he's a perennial MVP candidate. If Jadeveon Clowney stays healthy, then the Texans will have the best defensive end combo in the entire NFL. This team could be like the Broncos, with an offensive ineptitude, but a defensive juggernaut. If Osweiler doesn't deliver, the Texans won't be good. But if he plays well, they could win the division. It's a tight race for this division crown, but the Texans have a lot of room to go up or down this season. 3. Jacksonville Jaguars(6-10) The Jaguars are riiiiiiiight on the cusp of being a playoff contender, but they won't quite be there this season. Blake Bortles is developing nicely, but his turnovers are an issue. He threw 18 picks last year, which he needs to cut down on if the Jaguars are going to be successful. The Jaguars also have an underrated receiving corps, with Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns, and Julius Thomas. TJ Yeldon is also an underrated running back, and their defense is underrated too. Basically, this whole team is underrated, but within the next two years, we'll see them in the playoffs. 4. Tennessee Titans(5-11) The Titans are a bit of a wild card when it comes to season success. Marcus Mariota is going to be a good quarterback, but the rest of their team is shaky. Demarco Murray is old. And not too great anymore, but if he has moderate success, then the Titans can be successful. Tennessee is definitely headed the right direction, but they're at least 5 years from the playoffs. If Mariota builds on his success from last year, then the Titans can improve year by year. By: Evan Krueger
I began to write my NFC North preview earlier this week, and in it I wanted to discuss how the balance of power was finally shifting away from the Green Bay Packers. The Minnesota Vikings captured the NFC North title in 2015, and with a dominate running back, emerging defense, and an exciting young quarterback, I figured this would be the year when the Vikings would assert their dominance and complete the shift of prominence in the Great North.... And then Teddy Bridgewater blew out his knee. So.... we're back to square one. And the Packers are going to win the NFC North, hands down. No offense to the now Shaun Hill-led Vikings, but a career journeyman backup is no match for the brilliance of Aaron Rodgers, especially with the return of Jordy Nelson. In a league where quarterbacks are king, the Packers have the definite edge. And as for the rest of the NFC North, the Lions and Bears are just too incomplete to challenge the Packers for the title. So here follows my prediction of how the NFC North will play out. 1. Green Bay Packers (11-5) Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers. This team's success hinges almost entirely on their star-quarterback. The Packers' defense was average at best last year, finishing 15th in total defense. As previously mentioned, the return of Jordy Nelson should give the Packers offense a shot in the arm. While the Packers may not be dominant on the NFL stage, they should have no trouble winning the now Teddy Bridgewater-less NFC North. 2. Minnesota Vikings (9-7) Even though the Vikings are down a starting quarterback, which will definitely hurt them, they are not down-and-out. They still have one of the best young defenses in the NFL (which finished 5th in yards given up per game in 2015), and the NFL's leading rusher from 2015, Adrian Peterson. Will this be enough to get the Vikings back to the playoffs? I don't think so. Quarterbacks are just too important in today's NFL, and unless their defense can play like the Broncos from last year's playoffs all year, they will struggle to win games. Also Adrian Peterson is getting older, and I expect him to start suffering statistical regression sometime soon, especially considering the work load he gets. So the Vikings will be good but not great, and they won't have the firepower to keep up with the Packers. 3. Detroit Lions (8-8) After a poor start to 2015, the Lions clawed themselves back to marginal respectability with a 7-9 finish. Even though Matthew Stafford was very good at times, the Lions struggled because of their lack of a running game and poor defense, which finished 23rd in scoring. Make no mistake, the Lions will be no better than an average team. But with a former 5,000-yard passer at the helm, the Lions should be able to put up a lot of points, even if their defense is a porous as it was last year. 4. Chicago Bears (6-10) The Monsters of the Midway weren't quite so scary in 2015. The Bears finished 21st in total yards offensively and 20th in points given up defensively. Not a great recipe for success. An odd trend from this team was that they finished 1-7 at home and 5-3 on the road. With Jeremy Langford taking over for the departing Matt Forte at running back, the offense might get a boost in running production. Nonetheless, it's hard to expect great things from a team that's quarterbacked by Jay Cutler. I wouldn't look for too much success from this Bears team, unless the defense can really toughen up and become much more stingy. ![]() Part two of the RationalFanz college football preview kicks off in The Great Lakes. The Big Ten is headlined by three perennial national contenders in the East. Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State all look to seek their claim atop the Big Ten. While it the West a two team race for the top spot seems to be the most likely scenario. The quarterback play of many teams will be a big question mark this season. The two Big Ten champions from last season return their starting quarterbacks in CJ Beathard and JT Barrett. Without further ado, part two of the RationalFanz college football preview. Big Ten East- 1. Michigan 2. Ohio State 3. Michigan State 4. Indiana 5. Penn State 6. Maryland 7. Rutgers Big Ten West- 1. Iowa 2. Wisconsin 3. Nebraska 4. Northwestern 5. Minnesota 6. Illinois 7. Purdue Conference Championship Game: Michigan over Iowa Offensive Player of the Year: J.T. Barrett, QB Ohio State Defensive Player of the Year: Jabril Peppers, LB Michigan QB Rankings: 1. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State 2. CJ Beathard, Iowa 3. Tommy Armstrong, Nebraska 4. Tyler O'Connor, Michigan State 5. Wes Lunt, Illinois 6. John O'Korn, Michigan 7. Mitch Leidner, Minnesota 8. Bart Houston, Wisconsin 9. Clayton Thorson, Northwestern 10. Richard Lagow, Indiana 11. Trace McSorley, Penn State 12. Chris Laviano, Rutgers 13. David Blough, Purdue 14. Perry Hills, Senior Last season, Derrick Henry thundered his way through offensive lines and ran his way to the Heisman Trophy. Henry has left college football, yet two Heisman contenders from last year remain in college football. Those two men are the front runners for this year's honor, but there are other contenders to challenge them. Welcome to the Rational Fanz Heisman preview.
DESHAUN WATSON The Clemson gunslinger finished third in the 2015 Heisman voting, behind very deserving Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey, and 2015 winner Derrick Henry of *cringe* Alabama. Watson guided the Tigers to a 14-0 record until they ran into Alabama (geez, Alabama just has a real knack for stopping Clemson). Watson compiled 4,109 yards on the 2015 campaign, as well as racking up 35 touchdowns to 13 interceptions. He also utilized his legs to gain 1,105 yards on the ground, and 12 touchdowns with his legs. He returns this season, with loads of experience under his belt and something to prove. He wants another shot at Alabama, and I think he can guide Clemson back to the playoff this season. He's got a great arm, and he can use his legs to get him around and out of some tricky situations. Watson is the front runner in my opinion for this year's trophy, but our next contender is a close second. Watson can use his experience from last year to help him win the Heisman this year, and I think that will come in handy for him. CHRISTIAN McCAFFREY Oh boy, where do I start with Christian McCaffrey? The Stanford running back may not have the most rushing touchdowns (8) but his rushing yards were through the ROOF. 2,019 yards in 13 games comes out to around 155 per game. Geez that's a lot. McCaffrey's contributions were also seen through his 645 receiving yards and his 1,070 return yards. McCaffrey seemed to be a jack-of-all-trades and he was really good at every single one. McCaffrey had 17 total touchdowns between rushing, receiving, and returns. McCaffrey comes back this season with that same firepower, and I expect him to be all over the field as well. McCaffrey can build on his success from last year, and I'll be looking for his touchdown numbers to be up from last year. McCaffrey isn't far behind Watson to start off the year in my mind, and the race should be tight for a long time. The tough parts of the Pac-12 and ACC schedule will test them both, and that's when they can pull away from their counterpart. DALVIN COOK The speedy Florida State running back came in seventh in last year's Hesiman voting, but his junior season should tell a different story. Cook rushed for 1,691 yards and 19 touchdowns last year, and I think he can build on that solid ground. Florida State starts the season off with some uncertainty at quarterback, as Sean Maguire looks to grab the starting job, but a stress fracture is keeping him out for the first few games of the season. The other option is Deondre Francois, an unproven redshirt freshman. The bottom line of not having a solid starting QB is that Cook will get a lot of touches. If Florida State doesn't figure out their QB situation, Cook may end up looking like the early season Leonard Fournette of last season, rushing all over offenses with nobody to catch him. Cook has an explosive speed off the line that made him so hard to catch because before you know it, he would be at your linebackers and they couldn't react nearly quick enough. A perfect example is against Clemson, when he ran for 194 yards on 21 carries, and he torched a solid Clemson defense. Look for Cook to explode onto the scene early, but maybe fade towards the end. I think he has a shot to win the Heisman, but he needs to be consistent, even when teams focus their defense on him and make FSU throw the ball. BAKER MAYFIELD JALEN HURD Hurd quietly performed at a high level for the 8-4 Tennessee Volunteers last season, and he has extreme potential to explode this season. Hurd rushed for 1,285 yards and 12 touchdowns, while quietly being the offenzive force the Vols needed. Unfortunately for Hurd, he had many ups and downs and didn't perform too consistently last season. I view him as a little bit of a wild card in the Heisman race, as there isn't much data to see about him. A junior this season, he under performed in 2014, and increased his production in 2015, and his upward trend should continue this season. As of right now, I don't consider him in the top three of the Heisman race, but as the season progresses, he should rocket up. LEONARD FOURNETTE Fournette was the front runner last year, until the second half of the season started and defenses started to focus on him more. He still gained 1,953 yards and ran for 19 touchdowns, but what killed his shot at the Heisman was his severe drop off from multiple 200+ yard games. He was held to 31 yards against Alabama, and bang bang down came his chances at the Heisman. Fournette is looking to bounce back this season, and I think he can do it. After Alabama broke him and LSU, his mindset seemed to be altered, and he didn't quite run with the same intensity he had to start the season. This junior year can be a lot kinder to him, and he could use his speed to run all over defenses this season. He just needs to maintain a strong mind, and keep running hard the whole season. JT BARRETT By Mason Gray
We are a little over a week away from the official start of college football. You'll be able to hear the shouts of War Eagle and Roll Tide all across the deep south. (Dare I say Auburn vs Alabama is a better Rivalry than Michigan vs Ohio State living in Northern Indiana?) Alabama once again looks to have a strong hold on the SEC West. With LSU, Ole Miss and Texas A&M being the top contenders to take down the reigning national champs. While in the SEC East Florida, Tennessee and Georgia compete in a three team race to play in the SEC Championship game. Over the next five days we will be previewing each power five conference including; projected standings, offensive and defensive player of the year for the conference and ranking each teams starting quarterback. Sec West Standings- 1. Alabama 2. LSU 3. Ole Miss 4. Texas A&M 5. Auburn 6. Arkansas 7. Mississippi St. Sec East Standings- 1 Tennessee 2. Florida 3. Georgia 4. Kentucky 5. Vanderbilt 6. Missouri 7. South Carolina SEC Championship Game- Tennessee over Alabama Offensive player of the year- Jalen Hurd RB Tennessee Defensive player of the year- Myles Garrett DE Texas A&M Qb Rankings- 1. Chad Kelly, Ole Miss 2. Joshua Dobbs, Tennessee 3. Trevor Knight, Texas A&M 4. Jacob Eason, Georgia 5. Brandon Harris, LSU 6. Austin Allen, Arkansas 7. Luke Del Rio, Florida 8. Cooper Bateman, Alabama 9. John Franklin, Auburn 10. Brandon Mcllwain, South Carolina 11. Drew Barker, Kentucky 12. Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi St. 13. Kyle Shurmur, Vanderbilt 14. Drew Lock, Missouri As always be sure to follow us on Twitter @RationalFanz By Evan Krueger
Few activities captivate the hearts and minds of the American public like watching gridiron savants hurl the pigskin to new strata, the likes of which have never been seen in the history of American professional sports. 2016 promises to be a year in which the quarterback position is of more consequence than ever before. Those teams which possess the coveted "franchise quarterback" are like the gods sitting atop Mount Olympus, hurling lightning bolts down at the mere mortals of the NFL (sorry Cleveland). But which quarterbacks will have the best seasons, and which will crash and burn? Let's dig into the stats, examine the trends, and grade every starting quarterback to determine which team is most likely to climb the mountain to the top. Chicago Bears QB- Jay Cutler 2015 Stats Passing Yards:3,659 TD: 21 INT:11 QBR:92.3 Jay Cutler missed time with injuries in 2015, but when he played he actually wasn't THAT bad. His QBR of 92.3 ranked him 16th of all quarterbacks that attempted at least 300 passes in 2015. However, his reputation as an interception thrower and poor locker-room presence hurt his stock, as well as the fact that the Bears have been perennially mediocre since he joined them. GRADE: C Cincinnati Bengals QB- Andy Dalton 2015 Stats Passing Yards:3,250 TD:25 INT:7 QBR:106.2 For Bengals fans, 2015 was the season they had been waiting for from Andy Dalton. He finally broke the mold of "most average quarterback" and started heading toward that sacred elite category of quarterbacks.... until he got hurt, and crushed the hopes and dreams of Bengals fans around the world. However, with Dalton back healthy in 2016, he should look to have a very good year, and possibly end the Bengals' playoff win drought, especially when he has AJ Green to throw to. GRADE: B+ Buffalo Bills QB- Tyrod Taylor 2015 Stats Passing Yards:3,035 TD:20 INT:6 QBR:99.4 In 2015, Tyrod Taylor surprised everyone by being a good quarterback for Buffalo, unheard of since the days of Jim Kelly. He managed to minimize his turnovers, which is an impressive feat for such an inexperienced quarterback. Now, I'm not ready to crown Tyrod Taylor as a next generation star. However, his 2015 probowl season is good enough to garner a decent grade from this sports writer. Whether Taylor will continue his upward trend remains to be seen. GRADE: B- Denver Broncos QB- Mark Sanchez 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 616 TD: 4 INT: 4 QBR: 80.7 I'm not even going to entertain the prospect that Mark Sanchez will be a good quarterback this year. With the loss of Peyton Manning to retirement and Brock Osweiler to free agency, the Broncos were forced to scrape the bottom of the quarterback barrel. I sincerely doubt that Sanchez will retain the starting job the entire year. Plus, you know, butt fumbles and stuff. GRADE: D Cleveland Browns QB- Robert Griffin III 2015 Stats: None Robert Griffin III was on IR for all of 2015 after being benched in favor of Kirk Cousins. Griffin is an injury prone quarterback, without much success since his spectacular rookie year. It is highly unlikely that he will achieve his former glory considering that he is trying to resurrect his career with the (shudder) Cleveland Browns. GRADE:D+ Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB- Jameis Winston 2015 Stats Passing Yards:4,042 TD:22 INT:15 QBR:84.2 Jameis Winston turned out an impressive rookie year. Although his inexperience showed at times, he also showed flashes of brilliance. He's a definite standout, but he still has a lot to prove. Whether Winston can cut down on interceptions is a key part of whether he will trend upward or have a sophomore slump. GRADE:B- Indianapolis Colts QB- Andrew Luck 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 1,881 TD:15 INT:12 QBR: 74.9 Andrew Luck's 2015 season was disappointing. When he was on the field, his play was obviously hindered by the injuries that he had suffered. However, if Luck is truly healthy, the odds are good the he will return to his near-MVP form of 2014 when he threw for more than 40 TD's. That's a big if, and Luck has always seemed to have a penchant for poorly thought through throws resulting in interceptions. Luck's plan this year is to get the ball out quickly, before pass rushers can get to him. If his decision-making and timing improve this year, look for him to have a great season. GRADE:B Arizona Cardinals QB- Carson Palmer 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 4,671 TD:35 INT:11 QBR:104.6 Carson Palmer's 2015 campaign was spectacular. He transformed the Cardinals into an offensive juggernaut that fell just one game shy of the Super Bowl. Common sense dictates that Palmer, with a strong supporting cast, will replicate his success in 2016. However, there is one big question mark that hangs around Palmer. He is getting up there in age, and he has been injury-prone for much of his career. If Palmer stays healthy, though, he will most likely have another very good season. GRADE:B+ San Diego Chargers QB- Philip Rivers 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 4,792 TD:29 INT:13 QBR:93.8 Philip Rivers's huge sum of passing yards is a little deceiving because his Chargers spent most of 2015 playing from behind. This is completely a reflection on him because he has been cursed with a poor defense for much of his tenure in San Diego. Rivers is not an elite quarterback, and his prime is fading fast, but he is still a reliable option that could potentially keep the Chargers in contention in the AFC West. GRADE:B- Kansas City Chiefs QB- Alex Smith 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 3,486 TD:20 INT:7 QBR:95.4 Alex Smith is a game manager. He has been for years, and that is never going to change. He will never win games with his arm, but he will never lose them either. He rarely turns the ball over, and every once in a while he can come up with key conversions with his legs. Nevertheless, I don't foresee Alex Smith taking the Chiefs anywhere past the first 2 rounds of the playoffs, even with their quality defense. GRADE:C+ Dallas Cowboys QB- Tony Romo 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 884 TD:5 INT:7 QBR:79.4 Tony Romo had a rough 2015. He spent most of the season sitting out with injuries, notably a broken collar bone that ended his season. One can't exactly claim that he was successful when on the field in light of his spectacular Thanksgiving Day debacle against the Panthers. He has only 2 playoff wins in his career, and Romo now has the ominous "injury prone" label attached to him. It is most likely that Romo's glory days are behind him, though no one knows that for certain. He is certainly still a better option at quarterback than many others in the league. GRADE:C+ Miami Dolphins QB- Ryan Tannehill 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 4,208 TD:24 INT:12 QBR:88.7 Ryan Tannehill is an enigma. Every time he seems to take a step forward, he soon takes a step back. He quaterbacked his Dolphins to a disappointing 6-10 finish in 2015. If Tannehill ever wants to become a franchise quarterback, he will need to step up and lead his team to the playoffs. Average play won't be good enough to keep the Dolphins in contention in the AFC East. Does Tannehill have the skills? I would say so. Will he make it happen? That remains to be seen. GRADE-C+ Philadelphia Eagles QB- Sam Bradford 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 3,725 TD:19 INT:14 QBR:86.4 Sam Bradford just hasn't been able to get off the ground. He's been in the league 8 years now, and he's been plagued by injuries. Though he did show occasional flashes of success last year, Eagles fans have largely turned against him. Curiously, after giving Bradford a (largely undeserved) sizable contract of $36 million dollars over 2 years, the Eagles drafted quarterback Carson Wentz, seemingly demonstrating their lack of faith long-term in Bradford. How long Bradford will retain his starting job is anyone's guess. GRADE-C Atlanta Falcons QB- Matt Ryan 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 4,591 TD:21 INT:16 QBR:89.0 The Falcons started out hot last year. However, after their 5-0 start, they fell flat on their faces and wound up missing the playoffs. Despite his vast amount of passing yards, Ryan was largely inefficient, throwing only 21 touchdowns despite having Julio Jones at his disposal. The Falcons have only had a few very good seasons with Matt Ryan, and the window is closing for him to make the leap to the top tier of quarterbacks. GRADE-B- New York Giants QB- Eli Manning 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 4,432 TD:35 INT:14 QBR:93.6 Eli Manning gets a bad rap. He has a reputation as an interception thrower, but last year he threw only 14 compared to an excellent 35 touchdowns. Even still, outside of his 2 Super Bowl seasons, Eli hasn't led the Giants to much success. The Giants look to bounce back in 2016 with a bolstered defense, and if Eli can once again limit his interceptions, he will keep his Giants in contention in the NFC East. GRADE-B Jacksonville Jaguars QB- Blake Bortles 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 4,428 TD:35 INT:18 QBR:88.2 Blake Bortles is still very young, but he has a bright future ahead of him. His inexperience showed at times during his 2015 campaign, and his numbers are a bit bloated because his Jaguars spent most of the year playing from behind, but he also showed flashes of brilliance. If he continues his upward trend, he could soon be labeled as a franchise quarterback. Even still, he has quite a way to go before he can be crowned a next-generation star. GRADE-B- New York Jets QB- Ryan Fitzpatrick 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 3,905 TD:31 INT:15 QBR:88.0 Ryan Fitzpatrick revived his career in 2015 with the Jets. He had one of the best seasons any Jets quarterback has ever had. However, he was far from perfect. He threw a costly interception in Week 17 that kept the Jets out of the playoffs. Even still, Fitzpatrick is a good option at starting quarterback and will keep the Jets in contention in the AFC East. GRADE-B- Detroit Lions QB- Matthew Stafford 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 4,262 TD:32 INT:13 QBR:97.0 Matthew Stafford had a good season last year. It's hard for people to admit that because of the Lions' poor showing for most of the season. Stafford's numbers may be a bit bloated because of the Lions' over-reliance on the passing game, but even still his 2015 numbers are nothing to sneeze at. As a former 5,000 yard passer, we know that Stafford has the tools to succeed. The biggest questions for him right now are about the supporting cast the Lions will put around him, especially with the legendary Calvin Johnson retiring. GRADE-B Green Bay Packers QB- Aaron Rodgers 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 3,821 TD:31 INT:8 QBR:92.7 Aaron Rodgers had a "down" year in 2015. That is, if you consider throwing 31 touchdowns to just 8 interceptions down. Amazingly enough, Aaron Rodgers does. He has consistently been the best quarterback in the NFL for most of the past 8 years or so. Most of the Packers' offensive struggles in 2015 can be attributed to the poor play of Eddie Lacy and their wide receivers being unable to get any separation. However, with Jordy Nelson back from injury, look for Rodgers and the Pack to have a stellar 2016 season. GRADE-A Carolina Panthers QB- Cam Newton 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 3,837 TD:35 INT:10 QBR:99.4 Cam Newton was nearly unstoppable in 2015, as he led his Panthers to a 15-1 record and a spot in Super Bowl 50, collecting an MVP trophy on the way. In addition to his passing numbers, Newton also racked up 636 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. I don't see any reason why Newton won't continue this trend in 2016, especially with the return of Kelvin Benjamin. GRADE-A New England Patriots QB- Tom Brady 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 4,770 TD:36 INT:7 QBR:102.2 While Tom Brady will be suspended for the first 4 weeks, rating Jimmy Garropolo seems like a waste of time considering he is nothing more than a place filler for Brady. As soon as week 5 hits, Brady will be back, and back with a vengeance. However, Tom Brady is not immortal, no matter how much Patriots fans wish it to be so. While he shouldn't see a significant dip in his production this year, it is coming. Nevertheless, Tom Brady is still one of the nest QB's of all time, and as long as he is on the field he makes the Patriots better. GRADE-A- Washington Redskins QB- Kirk Cousins 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 4,166 TD:29 INT:11 QBR:101.6 Kirk Cousins surprised everyone in 2015. He was efficient and productive, and led the Redskins to a playoff berth. But to crown him as the next great thing seems hasty. Remember when we did the same thing with RG3? Redskins fans should rightly be optimistic about his future, but that should also come with caution. We've seen flukes before, and completely attaching the bandwagon to someone after just his first productive is risky. Nevertheless, Cousins will most likely at least match his success from last year. GRADE- B Oakland Raiders QB- Derek Carr 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 3,987 TD:32 INT:13 QBR:91.1 Derek Carr had a very good rookie season. He and Amari Cooper proved to be a dynamic duo, and they played a huge part in bringing the Raiders up from the NFL cellar. The fear with every QB that has a good rookie year is a sophomore slump, but Carr appears to have the tools to overcome that. However, he is still inexperienced, and the journey from average to contender in the NFL is a tough one. So while he is definitely promising, caution should be taken when assessing him. GRADE-C+ Los Angeles Rams QB- Case Keenum or Jared Goff This is a tricky one because, as of right now, Case Keenum is the starter for the Rams. However, past history tells us that Keenum won't have much success, and most expect the rookie Jared Goff to take the starting job sometime this year. Regardless of who plays, one shouldn't expect much from either quarterback this year. GRADE- D Baltimore Ravens QB-Joe Flacco 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 2,791 TD:14 INT:12 QBR:83.1 Oh, Joe. Ever since the Ravens won Super Bowl 47 and Flacco reeled in his massive contract, his performance just hasn't been on par with his pay. Before his 2015 campaign was cut short by injury, he turned out some very poor play. This formerly "elite" quarterback has dropped out of the elite category entirely. GRADE-C New Orleans Saints QB- Drew Brees 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 4,870 TD:32 INT:11 QBR:101.0 One should be careful when assessing Brees' 2015 season. While he did throw for the most yards in the NFL, he did so because his Saints spent much of the year playing from behind. Nevertheless, he did prove to be an effective quarterback, even with his increasing age. This former Super Bowl champion should have another good season through the air, with a host of young weapons around him. GRADE-B+ Seattle Seahawks QB- Russell Wilson 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 4,024 TD:34 INT:8 QBR:110.1 Russell Wilson is one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL. He rarely turns the ball over, and he is effective on the ground as well as through the air. One may argue that his success has been due to the Seahawks' crushing defense, which may be true. But you can't overlook his talent and heart, which he has plenty of. Look for him to be even better through the air in 2016. GRADE-A- Pittsburgh Steelers QB- Ben Roethlisberger 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 3,938 TD:21 INT:16 QBR:94.5 Ben Roethlisberger was hampered by injuries in 2015, and it showed in his play. As Big Ben gets older, he just can't afford to take the kind of punishment that he does on a regular basis. While he does have the best wide receiver in the NFL to throw to, Antonio Brown, it won't matter if he isn't on the field playing. He still has a big arm and a lot of talent, but injuries are the biggest knock on him heading into 2016. GRADE-B Houston Texans QB- Brock Osweiler 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 1,967 TD:10 INT:6 QBR:86.4 How good is Brock Osweiler? No one really knows the answer to that question. While getting benched in favor of a returning legendary is no knock on him, his interim performance was short of inspiring. While he guided the Broncos to a winning record in Manning's absence, much of that can be attributed to the Broncos stifling defense. The Texans are largely putting an unknown at quarterback, and only time will tell if Osweiler can prove his 2015 performance was no fluke. GRADE-C+ Tennessee Titans QB- Marcus Mariota 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 2,818 TD:19 INT:10 QBR:91.5 Marcus Mariota came out of the gate firing in 2015, throwing 4 touchdowns in his first game. He cooled off as the season progressed, and he was hampered by injuries. Nonetheless, he provided a glimmer of hope for Titans fans. With a season under his belt and no injuries, Marcus Mariota will look to keep the Titans in the race for the AFC South. However, I don't expect him to be quite at the franchise quarterback level just yet. GRADE- C Minnesota Vikings QB- Teddy Bridgewater 2015 Stats Passing Yards: 3,231 TD:14 INT:9 QBR:88.7 Teddy Bridgewater played most of 2015 as a game-manager, handing the ball off to Adrian Peterson. He also proved at times that he could step up and make some big throws. But 14 touchdowns is a dismal total for a starting quarterback, and the aging Peterson can't carry the Vikings forever. Teddy Bridgewater will really need to step up his game if he wants to become a big time QB in the NFL. GRADE- C+ San Francisco 49'ers QB- Colin Kaepernick, Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder Yikes. This collection of odd-balls is enough to make any football fan shudder. Colin Kaepernick is a washed-up has-been, Christian Ponder is the Ponder-est Ponder to ever Chirstian Ponder, and Blaine Gabbert... somehow looks decent by comparison. Expecting any production out of this sad group this year seems like an overreach. GRADE-F Based on my grades, I can see the Panthers and Packers having the best seasons because of their incredibly talented quarterbacks. ![]() It's nearly fantasy draft time if you haven't already participated in your draft already. It's finally time to roll out the RationalFanz consensus fantasy draft rankings. The RationalFanz crew offered their top 10 and compiled a consensus among the four RationalFanz fantasy experts. Each expert will also offer a sleeper or steal option and a bust at each position. QB: 1. Cam Newton 2. Aaron Rodgers 3. Russell Wilson T4. Andrew Luck T4. Ben Roethlisberger 6. Drew Brees 7. Carson Palmer 8. Tom Brady 9. Eli Manning T10. Blake Bortles T10. Phillip Rivers Sleepers: Mason- Brock Osweiller Evan- Tyrod Taylor Nate- Matthew Stafford Rhett- Blake Bortles Busts: Mason- Tony Romo Evan- Kirk Cousins Nate- Carson Palmer Rhett- Joe Flacco RB: 1. Todd Gurley 2. Adrian Peterson 3. David Johnson 4. Ezekiel Elliot 5. Leveon Bell T6. Jamaal Charles T6. Lesean Mccoy T6. Lamar Miller 9. Mark Ingram 10. Devonta Freeman Sleepers: Mason- Jamaal Charles Evan- Danny Woodhead Nate- Dion Lewis Rhett- Lamar Miller Busts: Mason- Devonta Freeman Evan- Devonta Freeman Nate- Adrian Peterson Rhett- Mark Ingram WR: 1. Antonio Brown 2. Odell Beckham Jr. 3. Julio Jones 4. AJ Green T5. Dez Bryant T5. Deandre Hopkins 7. Allen Robinson 8. Brandon Marshall 9. Jordy Nelson T10. Demaryius Thomas T10. Stefon Diggs Sleepers: Mason- Kelvin Benjamin Evan- Eric Decker Nate- Stefon Diggs Rhett- Amari Cooper Busts: Mason- Golden Tate Evan- Brandin Cooks Nate- Brandon Marshall Rhett- Keenan Allen TE: 1. Rob Gronkowski (Only consensus number one) 2. Jordan Reed T3. Greg Olsen T3. Travis Kele 5. Delanie Walker 6. Tyler Eiffert 7. Coby Fleener 8. Martellus Bennett 9. Gary Barnidge 10. Zach Ertz Sleepers: Mason- Martellus Bennett Evan- Benjamin Watson Nate- Martellus Bennett Rhett- Gary Barnidge Busts: Mason- Gary Barnidge Evan- Travis Kelce Nate- Jordan Reed Rhett- Martellus Bennett ![]() Do you think you have what it takes to be crowned Fantasy King? RationalFanz is rolling out a brand new fantasy league with a major twist. We are looking to run a very large fantasy league, hoping for 60 teams. This will be split into separate leagues of 10 or 12 depending on the number of entries. The entry fee will be $5 and help RationalFanz purchase new podcast equipment and the winner will receive a very large trophy. Each division winner will be put into a larger playoff off ESPN and on the RationaFanz website. A number of wildcard teams will be selected based on the number of entries in the league. If there any questions email us at [email protected]. If you have spent any time at all listening to our podcasts, then you are aware that Mason is a huge bandwagon fan. Rhett came up with the idea to illustrate just how bad he is through a fandom map, showing the location of each of his favorite teams. Evan, Nate, and Rhett all got maps too, and here they are to illustrate the fandom of each RationalFanz expert.
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