logo
How likely is a monster fantasy season from Braelon Allen?

How likely is a monster fantasy season from Braelon Allen?

Yahoo18 hours ago
Yahoo Fantasy's Matt Harmon and Justin Boone discuss Jets RB Braelon Allen and if he can take over the Jets backfield at some point this season. Hear the full conversation on the 'Yahoo Fantasy Forecast' podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.
View more
Video Transcript
And Bruce Hall was the lead back, and Raylen Allen was out there working with him, and Raylen Allen was the more effective back between the two.
Raylen Allen is the one that's been getting all the camp buzz.
You have guys like Albert Breer tweeting that everything they're hearing from their sources is that Raylen Allen is in store for a monster year this year, and that what we're seeing in the preseason in terms of his efficiency is showing that he could potentially do that.
And then you're wondering, maybe we're doing too much, but you wonder about some of these guys that had the rumors off season that they could be on the trade block.
Bruce Hall is one of them.
And your question is, is this a scenario where they really like their young 21 year old, you know, 6'1, I think he's 235 pounds, this like tank of a running back that is just maybe coming into his own that has like a little Derrick Henry to his game, potentially maybe.
Want to hand the keys over to him, especially if they like Isaiah Davis that much.
So you'll wonder, does Bruce Hall get moved, maybe not even before the season, maybe during the season, once, you know, things aren't going great, they move him before the trade deadline.
I think there's a lot of ways that this backfield could go, but Raylen Allen to me is one of the spots that I am more than happy to grab him, where he's going in drafts with the potential to give you flex numbers as part of a committee, or to maybe at some point take this over in one of several ways that that could happen.
He's a guy that if I'm going like hero RB or zero RB, I just did a draft yesterday where I didn't really plan to do either of those, and I ended up going running backs very late.
Raylen Allen was like a must draft at that point because he is one of those guys that could turn into a starter potentially this year or at worst, give me some flex production until I can find somebody else to be a starter for me.
Close
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Fantasy Football: 7 players who can help lead you to a championship title in 2025
Fantasy Football: 7 players who can help lead you to a championship title in 2025

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Fantasy Football: 7 players who can help lead you to a championship title in 2025

Identifying the players who could define the fantasy football season is one of my favorite exercises to do each year. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] While it's unlikely you'll be able to draft all the names on this list, building your roster around even a few of these players can significantly increase your odds of reaching the fantasy playoffs and hopefully bringing home the championship. Jayden Daniels, QB, Commanders It might feel like I'm cheating by going with the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year and one of the best fantasy quarterbacks out there, but this year more than ever I've found myself drafting an elite QB. There's a bit of a dead zone in the third and early fourth rounds with only a couple running backs and receivers worth targeting in that range. That creates a window to secure a high-end quarterback and guarantee yourself a massive advantage at the position. Since Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen tend to be the first two quarterbacks selected, I'll highlight Daniels in this space — just know that all three are going to give a multi-point edge over your competition. While Jackson and Allen finished as the top two fantasy QBs in 2024, Daniels was a step behind in fifth place. The reason for that was a midseason rib injury that caused his production to dip for a month and brought down his overall totals. However, through his first six NFL games Daniels was averaging the fourth most fantasy points in the league (22.7) at his position. Once he was unbothered by the rib issue, the 24-year-old reached a new level with 30.8 fantasy points per contest over his last five full regular-season appearances. During that stretch, when fantasy scoring is most important — Daniels was putting up over six more fantasy points per outing than any quarterback not named Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson. Though Terry McLaurin's contract issues might scare some people, it's extremely rare for a player to holdout into the season. The Commanders have also added to the offense with one of the best pass-blocking left tackles in Laremy Tunsil, a versatile veteran receiver in Deebo Samuel and an explosive rookie running back who's generating plenty of buzz in Jacory Croskey-Merritt. The truth is we're just scratching the surface of Daniels' talent heading into his sophomore season and he has a better supporting cast to work with. While his ADP is much higher this year, he's still one of the best quarterbacks to target. Chase Brown, RB, Bengals Brown was one of the breakout stars of the 2024 fantasy season and is ready to build on that performance this year. Zack Moss was actually leading the way in the Bengals' backfield last September, but injuries sent him to the sidelines, which opened the door for Brown's ascension. Over the final 15 weeks last season, Brown was the seventh highest scoring fantasy running back with eight weekly finishes inside the top-12 at his position. Since then, Moss has been released meaning Brown's only competition for touches will come from sixth-round rookie Tahj Brooks and veteran passing-down back Samaje Perine. Brown proved he can handle a significant workload in college, but any doubts about his ability to do so in the NFL were put to rest last year. Now the question becomes: how high can his fantasy star rise? From a volume standpoint, the 25-year-old should see as much volume as many of the backs going in the first round of fantasy drafts. During the second half of last season, he was second in the league with 23.6 touches per game. 'Brown is going to, by the end of the season, be a household name,' Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher told Yahoo Sports' Jori Epstein. It's hard to disagree. Brown is a player you can get in the late second or early third round, but who can return first-round value and has an outside shot to push some of the top names at his position in 2025. Kenneth Walker, RB, Seahawks From the moment Mike Macdonald arrived in Seattle last year, he began talking up Kennenth Walker as a star running back who could be the engine of their offense. Walker answered the call and opened his first season under Macdonald with 109 scrimmage yards and a touchdown, but suffered an abdomen injury that kept him out of the next two games. He returned in Week 4 with a monster 116-yard, three-TD performance and stayed healthy for nine games before again missing time with calf and ankle injuries down the stretch. To his credit, Walker was still the RB12 in fppg even in PPR leagues where some questioned his pass-catching ability. Walker actually averaged over four catches per game in 2024, which would have landed him second in running back receptions if he had stayed healthy and kept that up over the whole season. Staying healthy is the key. When Walker missed time this summer with a lingering foot issue, it was hard not to overreact and move him down the rankings. Especially when he has one of the best backups in the league behind him in Zach Charbonnet. But Walker returned to practice this week and is expected to be a full go the rest of the way leading into the season. It's also exciting to see new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's scheme generating huge performances from all the other backs on the roster in the preseason. The use of motion and misdirection combined with the physicality of the offensive line has been opening huge holes for their runners to rip off big gains. Wait until we see what Walker does in this system. I'm approaching Walker the same way I've approached James Conner over the last few seasons — only Walker offers a higher ceiling. While he might miss games, I know the production will be there whenever he's on the field. And if he does sit out some weeks, I trust myself to find replacements to make up the difference. There aren't many running backs in the fourth round who can return Round 1 value, so don't let Walker get past you on draft day. And if you're worried about his durability, it's not crazy to spend up and get Charbonnet, as well. Nico Collins, WR, Texans Collins doesn't get treated like an elite receiver yet, but he deserves to be considered as part of that club. Two years ago while catching passes from rookie C.J. Stroud, he broke out and finished as the WR6 overall in fppg. It seemed like Collins was making another leap early last season, when he was leading the league with 567 receiving yards through the first five weeks (WR4 overall in fppg), before suffering a hamstring injury that cost him five games. When he returned in Week 11, the production wasn't the same but neither was the Texans offense. Now that they've had an offseason to address their issues and prepare to rebound, Collins is poised to repeat his fast start from last September and hopefully keep it going over a full 17-game schedule. The Texans open the year with three matchups against opponents who were inside the top-12 in most fantasy points allowed to a receiver a year ago (Rams, Buccaneers, Jaguars). Joe Mixon's status is also in doubt for Week 1, which could put even more emphasis on Houston's passing attack. There are also growing red flags around some of the players close to Collins' ADP. Puka Nacua has the lingering uncertainty of Matthew Stafford's health, Malik Nabers has been dealing with toe and back issues and missed 11 straight days of practice and De'Von Achane has a lower-body soft tissue injury that's going to keep him out until at least Week 1. When confronted with those concerns at the Round 1-2 turn, you don't need to inherit that kind of risk. Just take Collins. Drake London, WR, Falcons London is a 24-year-old receiver who finally got decent quarterback play last season and erupted for the fifth most fantasy points at his position behind only Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Brian Thomas Jr. And we're not even at the top of this mountain yet. When the Falcons turned to Michael Penix Jr. in the final three games, London led the league in targets during that span and was tied for the most fantasy points among wideouts. With Darnell Mooney dealing with a shoulder injury that could put his availability in question at the start of the season and Kyle Pitts remaining a fantasy enigma, London is set up to challenge for the most targets in the league in 2025 and perhaps even compete for the No. 1 overall fantasy receiver spot. Being able to select a player like that in the second round as the ninth receiver off the board feels like stealing. London's fantasy outlook is the perfect combination of talent and volume, which has made him one of my most drafted players this year. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Panthers Everything is pointing in the right direction for McMillan to have a difference-making fantasy season as a rookie. The Panthers used the eighth overall pick on the 22-year-old in an effort to give Bryce Young a true No. 1 receiver, and by all accounts McMillan has been filling that role from Day 1. Since Carolina's Week 11 bye last season, we've seen a different version of Young, who's been more comfortable — and as a result, more productive — in Dave Canales' offense. Now he's showing signs of real chemistry with the 6'5', 219-pound McMillan, who profiles as an Alpha wideout in a WR room filled with role players like Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker and Hunter Renfrow. Even as a rookie, McMillan should be projected for a significant target share and could easily finish top-10 league-wide in targets. Remember, this is a player who averaged 1,361 yards and nine touchdowns per season over his final two college campaigns. A breakout from Young will be an important part of McMillan reaching his fantasy ceiling, but I expect both things will happen in 2025. If McMillan is there in the fifth round, don't hesitate. Tucker Kraft, TE, Packers Everyone is on Kraft at this point and I already wrote about him in my breakouts column a few weeks ago. But if you don't get one of the elite tight ends (Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, George Kittle) in the first three rounds, then Kraft should be one of your top targets who comes at a much more reasonable price in the eighth round or later. A groin injury has caused him to miss some time this month, but that might be the only thing holding back his fantasy stock. He's coming off a 50-catch, 707-yard, seven-touchdown campaign that snuck him into the top-12 tight ends in fppg. The 24-year-old also led his position in yards after the catch - a great sign for his fantasy potential moving forward. We've heard his quarterback Jordan Love and others admitting one of the team's offseason goals has been to get the ball in Kraft's hands more often, which is the final step in the recipe for fantasy success. So entering his third season, Kraft has proven TE1 production, adds value after the catch and could see even more volume in 2025. Sometimes fantasy doesn't have to be that difficult.

Fantasy Football Roundtable: Here's the player we're fading at every position going into drafts in 2025
Fantasy Football Roundtable: Here's the player we're fading at every position going into drafts in 2025

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Fantasy Football Roundtable: Here's the player we're fading at every position going into drafts in 2025

In preparation for your fantasy football draft, you're going to want to compile a list of players you want to target and players to avoid. It always feels tough figuring out which players you want to fade because there's always a chance you make the wrong decision. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Fortunately, the Yahoo fantasy football staff has you covered. We're joined by Scott Pianowski, Ray Garvin, Justin Boone and Matt Harmon, who will provide a player at each position that they think you should be fading in your fantasy football draft this season. Quarterback Scott: Baker Mayfield just had the season of his life, setting new personal marks in a slew of key categories. But the architect of that breakout, Liam Coen, has departed to Jacksonville. We try to be careful when a career season arrives late — Mayfield played his age-29 campaign last year — and he might not have Chris Godwin for a while. Given how deep the QB pool is this year, I'll nod to Mayfield in that second tier but leave him alone. Ray: Drake Maye has all the talent in the world and long term he's going to be really good. But for 2025, we need to pump the brakes. He's stepping into a new system with Josh McDaniels and Mike Vrabel, and everything about this offense suggests a run-first identity with Rhamondre Stevenson, second-rounder TreVeyon Henderson, and fresh investment in the offensive line. Maye averaged just 14 fantasy points per game as a rookie with only two top-10 weekly finishes. People pointing to 2020 Ryan Tannehill as the blueprint forget that was the best fantasy season any quarterback has had under Vrabel, finishing as QB9 at 22 points per game. Expecting Maye to make that kind of eight point per game leap in Year 2 feels ambitious. Justin: Jared Goff. Goff had a career year in 2024, throwing for 37 touchdowns and finishing as the eighth highest scoring fantasy quarterback on a per game basis. However, that was his best fantasy result in a long time. Over the previous four seasons, Goff was the QB15, QB16, QB25, QB22 and QB21. His lack of rushing production puts an increased emphasis on big yardage and TD totals, which will be harder to come by this season with offensive coordinator Ben Johnson leaving for Chicago and significant losses on the interior of the line (Frank Ragnow, Kevin Zeitler). The Lions QB also faces the fifth hardest fantasy schedule among passers this year and will have to play more games outside, where his numbers have taken a hit in the past. There are too many quarterbacks with higher ceilings to pay up for a guy like Goff. Matt: Patrick Mahomes. So, 99 times out of 100, if you're fading a player, it doesn't mean that you hate the player or even think that they're destined for a bad year. Usually, it's for structural or ADP-based reasons. That's the exact case with Mahomes, who is the best player at his position and could well be MVP and/or Super Bowl champ once again in 2025. My third tier of quarterbacks goes all the way from QB6 to QB17. It's super flat. Since Mahomes is the first name in that tier, there's just about no chance I click his name at his 50th overall ADP. I can buy that the Chiefs offense gets more high-flying this season but I just won't pay that opportunity cost to find out. Running back Justin: Joe Mixon. I'll take the low hanging fruit on this one and remind people to be very cautious about drafting Mixon, who remains on the non-football injury list. The Texans have been evasive when asked about Mixon's foot injury and there's been no update on his projected return from what's being called a 'complicated medical issue.' His status for Week 1 is definitely in doubt. Injury analyst Jeff Mueller said multiple sources have provided information that made him take Mixon off his draft board entirely. The other layer to consider is that even when Mixon returns, he'll have more competition with Woody Marks, Nick Chubb and Dameon Pierce all vying for touches. Count me among those who are staying away from Mixon this season. Matt: Ashton Jeanty. Let's hunt a big fish on this one. Typically, the best running backs in fantasy football play for the best teams and great offenses. I think the Raiders will be competent under their new coaching staff and with Geno Smith at quarterback, but they still may struggle to rank in the top-15 in points per game as an offense. The line is middling and even if the scoring unit shows out, they don't have the secondary or overall defensive talent to keep the team in run-first situations. That's troubling when volume of carries is the primary variable in Jeanty's fantasy appeal, besides the fact that he's good at the game. I'm not predicting some mega-bust season for Jeanty but I have him ranked between 14th and 16th overall and his ADP is 11th or 12th. So, I'll just have to enjoy his rookie season without having him on many teams. Ray: Kenneth Walker is a dog! I mean that in a good way. He's explosive, he's violent, and when he's on the field he can flip a game with one run. But that's the problem he hasn't stayed on the field. He's yet to play a full 17 game season and was limited to just 11 contests in 2024, posting career lows in yardage and yards per carry. Meanwhile, Zach Charbonnet, a tank in his own right, has been the steady one, suiting up for 33 of 34 games across his first two years while flashing three-down ability. Seattle is going back to a run first identity under Mike Macdonald, but this looks like a committee, not a Walker feature show. At cost, Walker is being drafted like a high-end RB2, but you're paying for production he hasn't delivered. I'd rather wait and take Charbonnet later. He's the one who's always available and in fantasy that matters just as much as talent. Scott: When I say I'm fading Saquon Barkley, understand what that means — I still see him as a first-round pick, but I'm a bit nervous after the 482-touch workload last year. Barkley also needs to score his touchdowns from distance — he didn't have a single one-yard plunge last year, and his average spike came from 29.4 yards away. In other words, his touchdown count could easily regress, too. If I select a running back in the first pass, it will be an ascending, up-escaltor talent like Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs. Wide receiver Matt: D.J. Moore. I think that Moore can have a bounce-back, real-life season under Ben Johnson. I'm excited to hear he's being used across the formation and even taking reps from the backfield. This is the exact style of deployment I've been wanting to see for him to get into space for years now and it's certainly quite the opposite from what we saw last year in a boundary X-heavy role. However, I think the odds that Rome Odunze emerges as the top target on this team are 50/50 as the new staff completely re-evaluates the old in-house options. Since Odunze goes 32 picks later overall and there's a whopping 15-player gap in their positional spots in consensus rankings, I'll just take Odunze, who I thought was a terrific prospect and played better than credited in isolation last year. Justin: Zay Flowers. Flowers is an exciting young receiver playing in one of the league's most potent offenses and yet his fantasy outlook doesn't paint a picture of someone who's going to propel you towards a title. Last year, Flowers went over 1,000 yards for the first time, but was held outside the top-30 fantasy receivers in 10 different weeks — with just three WR1 finishes and three WR2 results. If you're hoping for increased touchdown scoring to help Flowers break out, just know that Mark Andrews will enter the season healthy (unlike last year) and the Ravens signed veteran DeAndre Hopkins, whose biggest contribution will likely come around the red zone. Flowers is a solid wideout in real life, he's just not someone worth his fifth-round price tag as the WR25. Scott: Puka Nacua is a star receiver, but the Rams haven't figured out how to use him around the goal line. Last year, Nacua saw just three targets and one catch inside the 10, a big reason why he stalled at three touchdowns. The news out of Rams camp isn't very Nacua friendly — Davante Adams is around to soak up goal-line opportunities, Kyren Williams was signed to an extension (he's a red-zone monster, too), and Matthew Stafford is dealing with a cranky back on the eve of his age-37 season. Nacua also might bring on some injury risk himself, given his checkered health resume from college. I respect the player, but I haven't been close to drafting Nacua yet this season. Ray: Garrett Wilson has been one of the most heavily utilized receivers in football, averaging 156 targets, 93 catches, and over 1,080 yards per season across his first three years. Yet despite all that volume, his fantasy production has been capped just 13.3 points per game on average, with finishes of WR18, WR30, and WR32. Now the Jets pivot to Justin Fields, a quarterback whose legs are his best weapon, paired with a coaching staff that wants to lean on the run behind a rebuilt offensive line. That screams less passing volume, not more. People are expecting Wilson to ascend in 2025. I see the opposite. If he hasn't cracked the WR1 tier with 150-plus targets annually, what happens when that dips? I'd be looking to spend my third-round draft capital elsewhere. Tight end Ray: Let me be clear, my real answer to the biggest tight end fade is anyone after the big three. George Kittle, Brock Bowers, and Trey McBride are the only guys I see with true league-winning upside. Everyone else is replaceable, and the gap between TE6 and TE18 is razor thin. For the sake of the greater good, I'll plant my flag on Tucker Kraft. He's a solid player, but Jordan Love is already dealing with a thumb injury, and we saw him miss time last season. If Malik Willis has to step in, that doesn't give me more confidence in Kraft's consistency. He averaged nine fantasy points per game last year, yet Yahoo drafters are taking him as a top-10 tight end. That's too rich when you can stream similar production rounds later. Scott: Some respected pundits in the industry disagree with me on the Evan Engram fade, and I get it. Whenever a name player joins a Sean Payton offense, the ears perk up. But Engram's last four seasons have been defined by a lack of explosiveness (a modest 8.9 yards per catch), and he's never been dynamic in the red zone — only 19 of his last 619 targets have gone for touchdowns, and he hasn't made it past four spikes since 2017. Maybe Bo Nix and Payton can give Engram a bump with the better offensive infrastructure, but I'm going to keep expectations modest as Engram enters his age-31 season. Matt: Sam LaPorta. I have nothing against the Lions tight end and have no reason to think he will have a bad season. However, he goes around the 49th overall pick and I am just not hunting tight ends in that range. He's at the top of my second tier of tight ends but there's a massive gap between him and some of the other options in that group, who all fall between pick 60 and 87. Frankly, I just don't take many tight ends inside the top-70 picks at all this year. It's a boring, structural justification, but that's fantasy football for you. Justin: Travis Kelce. Kelce will turn 36 during the season and is coming off arguably his worst statistical season in over a decade. His 823 receiving yards and 8.5 yards per reception were career lows — with the latter being over two yards under his previous low, which he set the year before. In addition to declining physical abilities, he's also surrounded by a much improved young receiving corps with Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown and Jalen Royals. Kelce will still be the safety net for Patrick Mahomes, but he's not the engine that drives this offense anymore. This doesn't mean Kelce can't be a stable mid- to low-end TE1 on your roster, you just have to recalibrate your expectations because he's no longer a difference-making fantasy starter.

Giants' Abdul Carter Takes Shot at Jets After Viral Clip
Giants' Abdul Carter Takes Shot at Jets After Viral Clip

Newsweek

time2 hours ago

  • Newsweek

Giants' Abdul Carter Takes Shot at Jets After Viral Clip

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Following the New York Giants' second preseason matchup against the New York Jets, Abdul Carter hopped on social media and realized that a highlight from one of his plays went viral on X. For Carter, you could consider the video a lowlight—and it was posted directly from the NFL's official account. via @NFL: Watch the chip block from @nyjetsTE Stone Smartt on Abdul Carter 😤 Watch the chip block from @nyjets TE Stone Smartt on Abdul Carter 😤 — NFL (@NFL) August 17, 2025 When Carter saw the clip, it's safe to say he didn't like the fact that his worst moment of the preseason generated over 5.5 million impressions on social media. The rookie pass rusher took that opportunity to send shots at the Jets. via @1NCRDB1: might be the only highlight of the Jets all season⬇️ and we put BTA. weak [expletive] chip ate that mf like bbq. might be the only highlight of the Jets all season⬇️ and we put BTA. weak ass chip ate that mf like bbq. — Abdul Carter (@1NCRDB1) August 17, 2025 Carter made headlines for his first preseason performance with the Giants against the Buffalo Bills for positive reasons. Although he played just six snaps, Carter rushed the quarterback in half of those snaps, which accounted for every pass blocking scenario. It proved just how dominant he could be at the NFL level. While Saturday's incident against the Jets seemed like a "Welcome to the NFL" moment for Carter, the first-round pick hasn't backed down with a lack of confidence; instead, he took a moment to take a shot at the Giants' in-state rival. Abdul Carter #51 of the New York Giants during rookie minicamp at NY Giants Quest Diagnostics Training Center on May 09, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Abdul Carter #51 of the New York Giants during rookie minicamp at NY Giants Quest Diagnostics Training Center on May 09, 2025 in East Rutherford, New in the spring, the Giants called on Carter as their third overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The rookie was wrapping up a three-year run at Penn State. He started half of the 13 games he played during his freshman season, then remained a starter throughout the final two years of his college career. Carter played in 39 games in the NCAA. He registered 172 tackles, 23 sacks, and five forced fumbles. The former Penn State product was viewed as one of the top players in the rookie pool, and the Giants made sure he went top-three after Carter was named an Unanimous All-American in 2024. Throughout his first NFL offseason, Carter has lived up to the hype with the Giants so far. His performance during spring practice sessions generated a lot of excitement for what was coming at training camp. Carter hasn't disappointed since throwing on the pads. As a whole, the Giants' pass rushing unit has garnered a lot of positive attention, and Carter plays a big role in that. He still has a lot to prove, but the rookie has gained plenty of recognition early on. For more New York Giants and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store