Fantasy Football Intel Report 1.3

Blake Bortles, QB Jacksonville Jaguars

Source- Conor Orr, nfl.com Contributor

According to a report put out by Conor Orr, he points out what some of the Jacksonville coaching staff has to say about Blake Bortles. Basically, there were two responses. One side noted that he is a Zach Mettenberger-type of guys with wheels, as the other side were caught saying that hopefully they won’t put the time and weapons there to develope him because if they did, look out. What does this mean for the former third overall pick?

Analysis: The Jaguars haven’t exactly stacked the deck for this guy. They did bring in Julius Thomas, who has scored 12 touchdowns in each of the past two seasons. There is some speculation as to whether or not Thomas is a truly great tight end, or if he was simply a product of Peyton Manning. Bortles was sacked 55 times last year, and the Jaguars haven’t done much this offseason to fix that. I’m not drafting this guy at all this year.

Oakland Raiders, Offensive Line

Source- Bill Williamson, ESPN Writer

The Raiders were expected to make some blockbuster moves this offseason, considering they had a lot of money they could spend. That didn’t exactly happen, but one of their biggest move was taking center Rodney Hudson. According to Mr. Williamson’s piece, the Raiders “raved” about Hudson in offseason workouts and expect him to set the tone for this unit.

Analysis: The Raiders are moving in the right direction. They scored a great free agent in Hudson, veteran left tackle Donald Penn will do well, and left guard Gabe Jackson gets better every year. These guys will open up some nice holes for Latavius Murray, and help buy some time for Derek Carr to make plays. There are some concerns on the right side, but offensive line coach Mike Tice is one of the premiers in the league when it comes to o-line play. Expect some good things out of Murray, Carr, and rookie Amari Cooper.

Danny Amendola, WR New England Patriots

Source- Fantasy Pros

According to a report by Mark Daniels, “It was not hard to notice Danny Amendola.” Brandon LaFell has been sitting out due to a foot injury. In offseason workouts, LaFell has been seen wearing a walking boot at times. Amendola has reportedly stepped up to the task in lieu of LaFell’s injury.

Analysis: These are crucial times for the Patriots. Receivers need to get their first team reps in with Jimmy Garoppolo, because as it stands right now he’s their guy for the first four games. It’s likely that LaFell will be ready when the season begins, but consistent outstanding play by Amendola could mean a role reversal for him and LaFell. There is no concrete evidence supporting this claim. We’ll continue to watch LaFell’s status, and report major changes if and when they happen.