Who will be the breakout player of the season?
Jeremy - I cannot resist the allure of another dose of Ameer Abdullah hype. I loved Abdullah coming out of Nebraska. Whether it be via trade offers or draft, he has alluded me in the CRFL, but I'm still a huge believer in his talent. I'm predicting this is the year he stays healthy and gets the Lion's share (see what I did there?) of the carries for Detroit this season and ends up being a Top 10 RB.
Scott - In a system made for Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacy had 2,200 rushing yards in his first two seasons with Green Bay, and then began to struggle with injury. Now with the Seahawks, this situation is scary reminiscent to when Beast Mode came to Seattle. This system is made for a RB like him, and if healthy, I think he could be a Top 7 RB this year.
Who will be the biggest bust of the season?
Jeremy - I'm going to go bold here and predict that Antonio Brown will be the biggest bust of the 2017 season. Ben Roethlisberger has been hinting at retirement for awhile now, and frankly his heart might not be 100% in football anymore. Add in the fact that injuries are a staple of Big Ben's career, and I'm going to predict that the combination of a lack of desire and injuries see Brown's fantasy stock plummeting to Earth this season.
Scott - While I adore him as a person and loved watching his time in Seattle, I believe Marshawn Lynch is going to get hurt very quickly and be a big bust. He struggled very much in his last 2 years in the NFL staying healthy he is only older, and had time away from the game. While as fan I don't want this to be true, I don't think he will last very long before he falls to the injury bug.
Who will be the breakout rookie of the season?
Jeremy - Of course the homer in me wants to say Dalvin Cook, but I'm going to break a fantasy football rule and predict that O.J. Howard beats down past trends of rookies TEs and thrives immediately. I think the Bucs offense is going to blow up this fall, and Howard might grab 7-9 TDs this season. I expect the pool of top TEs to thin even further this season, making Howard a valuable commodity.
Scott - I want to be a homer and say Joe Mixon, which I don't believe is a far off idea at all. But for the sake of not choosing someone that I have on my team, I'm going to stick with Leonard Fournette, because I think his talent will overwhelm teams, quite like AP did when entering the league. He is still an absolute top talent. He could reach as high as Top 6 RBs this year in my opinion.
Who will be the biggest disappointment among the rookies?
Jeremy - Will not hesitate: Christian McCaffrey. I put my money where my mouth is with this pick by drafting Dalvin Cook ahead of McCaffrey, despite C-Mac going a full round before Cook did in the NFL draft. Bottom line: I think McCaffrey isn't built for an extensive role at RB. He'll be a weapon for Carolina, but I don't think he sees even action to ever warrant RB1 status. He's a Reggie Bush, C.J. Spiller type.
Scott - This is the easiest answer, Christian McCaffrey. He is all hype, and a talented player, but not even close to the value you should get for a early round pick. I don't think he falls in the Top 15 RBs this year.
Who will be the surprise breakout team in the CRFL this season?
Jeremy - Huskerfan has fought well enough to be in the playoff discussion every season, but hasn't broken through when it comes to genuinely contending. I think with Ajayi anchoring the squad and reinforced receiving depth (including Gronk), I think this is the year Huskerfan breaks out with anywhere from 8-10 regular season wins.
Scott - Huskerfan is loaded at WR, which truly helps win games. His only downfall could be Hyde falling early in the season and lack of reliable RB depth. But if his WRs pan out, he could be upgrading at RB in the early parts of the season.
Who will be the surprise bust in the CRFL this season?
Jeremy - I'm going to play the statistics here. Historically, the Wind River Bison have been a league doormat. 2-5 win team almost every season from 2011-2015, but then shocks the league with a 10-3 season in 2017. I'll take a random stab and say that was an aberration and the Bison regress.
Scott - Since reaching the Championship last year, the Spokane Spartans has taken a hard hit from core players on his roster getting old, or replaced. Big Ben is barley alive, Rawls is losing his starting job, and Stewart is on his way out, things are not looking promising for the Spartans this year.
Point blank: Who wins the CRFL in 2017 and why?
Jeremy - Well, the Kaneohe Ikaika Warriors seem to avoid misfortune and bad luck every season. Even though I'm predicting a down year for Antonio Brown; Aaron Rodgers, LeVeon Bell, and Julio Jones are still a terrifying combination. I think the Northern Lights give them a real push in conference, but once again the Warriors manage to win the league.
Scott - Gem State Bruins. Period. He has Top 10 talent at almost every postion. Gem State's RBs, WRs, and Defense (did you forget how important that is this year?) are ALL better than Warriors RBs, WRs, and Defense. And they are equal at QB. I also believe Gem State won't see the Warriors in the Championship this year. Warriors players are too old, and his depth his weak. I believe Northern Lights overthrows Warriors this year.
