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In two postseason contests, Cam Akers averaged an impressive 22.1 Fantasy Points per Game. He caught all three of his targets for an explosive 51 receiving yards and finished with two rushing touchdowns. But the main takeaway to file in our minds heading into the offseason is that he had become the workhorse in the backfield by season’s end. Across the final four regular season games and both playoff matchups, Akers totaled 132 carries, 561 rushing yards, and three rushing touchdowns.

Depending on where Leonard Fournette lands, keep in mind that he’ll turn 26 years old heading into the 2021 season. Although he finished 2020 with a +5.9 (No. 24 among qualified running backs) Production Premium, he only totaled 130 (No. 47) Yards Created and a 15.8-percent (No. 53) Juke Rate. We’re riding high on the Playoff Lenny postseason hype, but he’s more of a sell high in dynasty leagues.

Donald Parham isn’t on everyone’s radar. Though his Snap Share increased late in the season, he never once eclipsed four targets in 2020. With Hunter Henry likely out of the picture, L.A. may opt to draft a tight end or add one in free agency. Even so, Parham has a legit shot at the starter spot in a best-case scenario and would make for good depth in the worst case. Either way, the man needs to be rostered in dynasty leagues.

Despite being the fourth or fifth receiving option on a team that averaged 32.9 (No. 29) Pass Plays per Game, Harrison Bryant had some impressive metrics. He averaged 8.7 (No. 7 among qualified tight ends) yards of Average Target Distance and drew five (No. 20) five Deep Targets. Furthermore, he posted a, 88.9-percent (No. 11) True Catch Rate. He’s sure to have a breakout sophomore campaign if given the snaps to operate.

The story to watch for Patrick Mahomes entering the Super Bowl is his offensive line protection. He ended the 2020 season with an 83.9-percent (No. 21 among qualified quarterbacks) Protection Rate, the second straight time he’s finished outside the top-20. His 43.1-percent (No. 11) Pressured Completion Percentage is a slight dip from his 44.5-percent (No. 5) mark in 2019, but without Eric Fisher, the Chiefs will struggle to limit pressure to Mahomes.

Leonard Fournette, aka “Playoff Lenny,” is a prime example of why Matt Kelley doesn’t take L’s in fantasy football. During the season, Fournette’s 66.5 (No. 54) Run Blocking Efficiency rating contributed to his porous 3.5 (No. 65) True YPC average. With improved production on the ground this postseason, will he continue to see a 43.3-percent (No. 18) Base Front Carry Rate?

While Irv Smith will not see that many targets in a slow offense that averaged 34.8 (No. 25) Team Pass Plays per Game, his 25.0-percent (No. 6 among qualified tight ends) Red Zone Target Share was higher than all but four of last year’s top 12 tight ends. Kyle Rudolph will vacate 37 (No. 39) targets when he is released. With 70 targets a reasonable expectation in 2021, and provided he continues to stay involved in the red zone, Smith will become the latest late-round, league-winning tight end.

PlayerProfiler followers know that Matt Kelley and the RotoUnderworld team LOVE Adam Trautman. His rookie season did not see him dominate in the box score, but the analytics and advanced stats were promising. He did not record enough stats to qualify for ranking in many of our metrics, but his +6.1-percent Target Premium and +24.6 Production Premium reveal a more efficient option in the passing game for the Saints than the departing Jared Cook.

Tyler Boyd being available as my first WR in the seventh round validated my decision to go ZeroWR. Diontae Johnson also proved vital for the first few weeks before I became trigger-happy and swapped him for Chase Claypool after the rookie’s 40-burger in Week 5. Miles Sanders going into one of my IR slots to start the year allowed me to pick up Robby Anderson to tie the WR core together for the year, though leaving his 20-plus points on the bench almost cost me a Week 1 victory.

My 11th-round selection of Cam Newton ensured that I wouldn’t be locked into starting him all season and could play waivers as needed, even in a 14-team league since not many teams rostered backups with the shallow benches. The QB Frankenstein of players I started at least once: Newton, Gardner Minshew, Teddy Bridgewater, Tom Brady, Taysom Hill and Jalen Hurts. The Hurts pickup proved particularly vital, as he single-handedly lifted me to victory in the semifinals.

For those who missed his productive moments during the 2020 season, Marquez Callaway should not be wasting away on waivers. He played well during Michael Thomas’ absence, including an eight-catch, 75-yard performance in Week 7 against Carolina. Michael Thomas has been making enemies in his own locker room; not even his future in New Orleans is secure. When 2021 plays out, it’s possible Callaway is a very important piece to this Saints offense.

Entering his third season in the NFL, and under coach Frank Reich, Ashton Dulin can take advantage of the looming vacancies at the wide receiver position in Indianapolis. Between his workout metrics, highlighted by a stellar 60.9-percent (99th-percentile among qualified wide receivers) College Dominator Rating and near-perfect 18.3 (99th-percentile) Breakout Age, it’s easy to see how his talent can carry him to relevancy in the near future.

With Mark Ingram out and Gus Edwards a restricted free agent, there’s a solid chance Justice Hill ends up the No. 2 in Baltimore behind starter J.K. Dobbins in 2021. With an elite 4.40 (97th-percentile among qualified running backs) 40-yard Dash and 133.0 (95th-percentile) Burst Score, Hill has the tools to be a great piece to the offense, even as the No. 2 back.

Though he wasn’t invited to the Combine and his player profile lacks workout metrics, Xavier Jones’ college production is noticeable. His 28.6-percent (63rd-percentile) College Dominator Rating is solid, while his 9.6-percent (71st-percentile) College Target Share is excellent. With Malcolm Brown a free agent, the Rams will rely on Darrell Henderson and Cam Akers to lead the backfield. Don’t count out Jones making some noise in 2021 as well.

Teams should have moved past the whole “taking running backs in the first round” thing. But Daniel Jeremiah clearly thinks his old mate Joe Douglas hasn’t, and that leads to his mocking Travis Etienne to the Jets. You can’t argue that the Jets need to not only improve their backfield, but also add playmakers all over their offense. But I’m not sure his landing with the Jets would do too much for his dynasty stock, even as the first running back to be taken.

Like Henry Ruggs, Jaylen Waddle has shown a talent for flipping the field with a 20.0 (93rd-percentile among qualified wide receivers) College Yards per Reception mark. But his 12.8-percent (9th-percentile) Target Share and 15.4-percent (12th-percentile) College Dominator Rating are concerning for a first-round prospect. As is his Breakout Age, because he doesn’t have one. This selection would ask me to give the Giants, and Jason Garrett, the benefit of the doubt. And to that I say no.

It’s hard to glean too many conclusions given the limited opportunities and a weak Jets offense. However, I’m ready to buy back into Denzel Mims in 2021 redraft leagues and buy low in dynasty leagues. Without Adam Gase as the head coach, it’s stock up for all Jets players, particularly Mims since Gase tends to tank a player’s value. Fantasy managers will likely draft him near his 2020 ADP, so eat that draft value up all day.

Michael Pittman projects as the Colts’ top wide receiver since T.Y. Hilton is an unrestricted free agent. The team also has question marks at the quarterback position with Philip Rivers announcing his retirement. Pittman should earn more opportunities, but temper expectations based on his team being run-heavy and having an uncertain quarterback situation. 

Chris Godwin and/or Antonio Brown leaving the Buccaneers is a guarantee, and it opens a starting spot for a team that averaged 40.5 (No. 10) Team Pass Plays per Game. The next man up would be Scott Miller, who had the year’s quietest 500-yard receiving campaign. Finishing 2020 with averages of 1.90 (No. 34 among qualified wide receivers) Yards Per Route Run and 1.93 (No. 37) Fantasy Points per Target, he’s a great stash candidate entering the 2021 season. 

Not only does Buffalo cutting John Brown make sense financially, it also opens up more opportunity for a younger, better player in Gabriel Davis to contribute more in an offense that averaged 38.9 (No. 13) Team Pass Plays per Game. Chase Claypool is the only rookie wide receiver to score more touchdowns than Gabriel Davis’ seven (No. 19) this season. Not bad for a player overlooked in dynasty rookie drafts because 14 wide receivers were picked before him in the NFL Draft.