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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Fantasy Football: 2025 rookie QBs could ultimately pay dividends, but don't expect an immediate impact
With a chance to further digest the results of the NFL Draft, it felt like a good time to dig into Pro Football Reference and see just how well the key positions have performed as rookies in the fantasy era. The series started with tight ends, and now we're onto the quarterbacks (we'll also be covering the RBs and WRs). [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Daniels helps history repeat itself All through the storybook Washington Commanders season last year, I couldn't help but think, I've seen this movie before. Advertisement Flash back to 2012. Washington's team feels shipwrecked, coming off a 5-11 season. The team drafts dual-threat quarterback Robert Griffin III at No. 2 overall, fresh off a Heisman Trophy campaign. The quarterback is an instant star, the team improves by five games and makes the playoffs. Hope is restored in DC. And now we return to 2024. Washington's team feels shipwrecked, coming off a 4-13 season. The team drafts dual-threat quarterback Jayden Daniels at No. 2 overall, fresh off a Heisman Trophy win. The quarterback is an instant star, the team improves by eight games and makes the playoffs. Hope is restored in DC. Daniels just missed being the highest-scoring fantasy rookie quarterback of all time. If we go by raw score, Cam Newton edges him by 13.5 points. If we shift to points per game, Deshaun Watson, Newton, Justin Herbert and Griffin are slightly above Daniels. None of these exact rankings matter too much, of course. The key thing is that Daniels was extremely affordable in last year's draft season, and he smashed his ADP. 2024 QB class will be one to remember Daniels was far from the only rookie difference-maker. The 2024 class put its thumbprint all over the all-time rookie ledger. Bo Nix had the fifth-best rookie QB season of all time, scoring over 300 points, and Caleb Williams landed at No. 12 overall. Drake Maye only made 12 starts in New England and was surrounded by shaky offensive teammates, but nonetheless cobbled together 187.1 fantasy points, which is 32nd all time. Advertisement The stories are still unwritten for Michael Penix Jr. (late-season cameo, 105 pass attempts) and J.J. McCarthy (a knee injury cost him the entire season). But we'll be talking about the 2024 quarterback draft for years to come. The top of the historical QB rookie leaderboard is dominated by rushing quarterbacks. The top 11 on the list averaged 456.9 yards and 5.8 rushing touchdowns in their debut seasons. Nobody scored less than three times. (Heck, if you want to spin the up-and-down season Williams had, note he scored the most first-year QB points ever from a quarterback who didn't have a rushing score.) So when we're projecting the freshmen QBs, we need to consider legs as well as arms. Advertisement [2025 Fantasy Draft Rankings: QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/ST | Kickers] What will 2025 rookie QBs offer? After seeing six quarterbacks taken in the first round last year, we watched a different shape to the draft this time around. Although QB Cam Ward was the first overall pick, only one other quarterback was selected in the first round. And heck, to a large degree the draft was defined by someone who fell significantly — Shedeur Sanders, at one point seen as a likely early pick, tumbled all the way down to the fifth round. He wasn't even the first quarterback Cleveland selected. So this year's rookie QB debates won't be as long or as spirited. There's less fantasy turf at stake. Advertisement Ward is unlikely to have a legendary debut like Newton or Daniels or Griffin. Ward is athletic and resourceful as an occasional runner, but he's not considered a true dual-threat quarterback. He finished with a modest 406 yards rushing over three years with Washington State and Miami, though he did have 17 touchdowns. (Keep in mind, sacks are subtracted from rushing yards in college; they are handled separately in the NFL.) It could take time for Tennessee to upgrade its receiver room. Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett are at the top of the depth chart; Ridley enters his age-31 season and Lockett steps into his age-33 campaign. Maybe rookie Chimere Dike will turn into something eventually, but he was merely a fourth-round pick in April. If Ward could approach what Maye did in New England last season (13.4 points per game), I'd mark it as a win. Jaxson Dart was the other first-round pick, and his rushing resume at Ole Miss was interesting (1,498 yards over three years). But Dart won't be the opening-day starter for the Giants — Russell Wilson is set there — and New York also has Jameis Winston hanging around. Dart's fantasy upside is probably something we'll discuss midseason; he's not going to be drafted in most season-long formats. Advertisement The other rookie quarterback likely to be starting in Week 1 is Tyler Shough of the Saints. New Orleans drafted Shough with the understanding that Derek Carr likely wouldn't be available — since the draft, Carr has retired. With Shough turning 26 in September — he was in college for seven years — he's the type of player you select thinking short term, not long term. The future is now. Assuming Shough can beat out Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener, he steps into a New Orleans huddle that has some promise. Alvin Kamara is still an effective back, and when healthy, receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed can threaten every part of the field. Veteran Brandin Cooks was added in a depth move, coming back to New Orleans after leaving nine years ago. Shough was a pocket passer in college, so there's little rushing upside here. But maybe he can make some Bayou magic from the pocket. Second-round picks have rarely made a fantasy impact, but it's not impossible. Andy Dalton's the only Round 2 quarterback to score over 200 points in his rookie season. Five other Round 2 QBs have gone for 100 or more points in their debut lap, tracking just the fantasy era: Geno Smith, Carr, DeShone Kizer, Jalen Hurts and Will Levis. A handful of other intriguing Round 2 picks — Drew Brees, Jimmy Garoppolo, Colin Kaepernick — saw limited playing time as rookies. Obviously no one is expecting Shough to become another Brees or Hurts. If he could approach what Smith or Dalton were able to do, the Saints surely would be thrilled.
Boston Globe
20 hours ago
- General
- Boston Globe
Former Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall, one of the famed ‘Purple People Eaters,' dies at age 87
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Though sacks weren't officially tracked by the NFL until 1982, Pro Football Reference recently completed a retroactive compilation of the primary pass-rushing statistic and credited Marshall with 130½ sacks, which is tied for 22nd all time. Two other Purple People Eaters rank ahead of him: Alan Page (148½) is eighth, and Carl Eller (133½) is tied for 18th. Advertisement Marshall remains the NFL career record-holder, now tied with Jason Taylor, for opponent fumbles recovered with 29. One of those infamously came on Oct. 25, 1964, at San Francisco when, after the Vikings forced 49ers running back Billy Kilmer to cough up the ball, Marshall scooped it up and scampered 66 yards into the end zone — the wrong way. Advertisement After he tossed the ball in the air and turned toward the touchdown celebration with his teammates he was expecting, Marshall stopped in his tracks and put his hands on his hips in disbelief upon realizing he'd cost his team a safety. The Vikings went on to win 27-22. 'It took a lot of guts for me to go back on that field, because I took football very seriously and I had made the biggest mistake that you could probably make,' Marshall once said in an interview with NFL Films for a segment on the NFL's worst plays. Marshall took the gaffe in stride, a graciousness made easier by his stature on the team and within the league. Long a favorite of hard-nosed head coach Bud Grant, Marshall played through the 1979 season, his final game coming two weeks before his 42nd birthday. 'Maybe we've taken it for granted that Jim Marshall plays hurt,' Grant said after Marshall announced his retirement. 'But durability is the most important ability you have. You can't achieve greatness without durability, and that is personified in Jim Marshall. He has been hurt. But he doesn't break. He bends. He heals. He has a high pain threshold. Jim not only plays hurt, he plays as well when he's hurt as when he isn't. That's what's important.' Advertisement After Favre broke Marshall's record of 270 consecutive regular-season games started in 2009, the Vikings invited Marshall to their practice facility to speak to the players. He was asked then in an interview session with reporters what he thought about a quarterback overtaking his prized mark. 'He's the guy we were trying to hurt,' Marshall said with a laugh. 'Every defensive lineman that he plays against is trying to hurt him. That's a tough way to earn a living.' Marshall's determination and longevity took its physical toll, like many of his peers from an era when player safety and injury prevention were minimal. In an interview with the Minnesota Star Tribune in 2017, Marshall recounted his long list of post-career surgeries on his knees, ankles, hips, shoulders, back, neck, heart, eyes, and ears. 'I didn't quite accomplish all the things I wanted to, but I sure tried,' Marshall said. 'I sacrificed. I gave it my best shot.'
New York Post
21 hours ago
- General
- New York Post
Vikings legend Jim Marshall dead at 87 after ‘lengthy hospitalization'
Minnesota Vikings legend Jim Marshall died Tuesday after a 'lengthy hospitalization,' the team announced. He was 87. Known as 'The Captain,' Marshall joined the Vikings in their inaugural season in 1961 after being traded to Minnesota from the Browns after his rookie season. The defensive end would then play 270 straight games over 19 seasons with the Vikings, setting an NFL record that stood for three decades until quarterback Brett Favre broke it in 2009. 3 Jim Marshall pictured in his Vikings uniform in 1964. New York Post Never missing a game, Marshall was a headliner among Minnesota's iconic 'Purple People Eaters' defense. 'The entire Minnesota Vikings organization is mourning the loss of Jim Marshall. No player in Vikings history lived the ideals of toughness, camaraderie and passion more than the all-time iron man,' said Vikings president Mark Wilf, Vikings owner Zygi Wilf and the Wilf family ownership group in a statement. 3 Jim Marshall (left) sits on the Vikings bench alongside fellow defensive linemen Carl Eller (middle) and Alan Page (right).'A cornerstone of the franchise from the beginning, Captain Jim's unmatched durability and quiet leadership earned the respect of teammates and opponents throughout his 20-year career.' Marshall was a team captain for 14 seasons, a two-time Pro Bowler and played in all four of the franchise's Super Bowl appearances. He won an NFL Championship in 1969 in the final season before the NFL-AFL merger in 1970. 3 Jim Marshall pictured in 2018. Star Tribune via Getty Images While sacks were not an official statistic throughout Marshall's 20 years in the league, Pro Football Reference credited him for 130.5 sacks, which ranked third at the time of his retirement and would currently tie him at 22nd in league history. 'Jim led by example, and there was no finer example for others to follow,' the Wilf family continued in their statement. 'His impact on the Vikings was felt long after he left the field. Jim will always be remembered as a tremendous player and person. Our hearts are with his wife, Susan, and all of Jim's loved ones.'
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Saints linebacker Demario Davis disrespected in PFF rankings
Saints linebacker Demario Davis disrespected in PFF rankings Demario Davis is the latest Saints player to be undervalued in the PFF position opinions. It's been commonplace over the years for Pro Football Focus to disrespect and overlook New Orleans Saints players in their yearly positional rankings. After a 5-12 finish last year, the Saints have been widely overlooked in most national circles this offseason. The latest to feel the disrespect is New Orleans linebacker Demario Davis, who has frankly been underrated most of his career. PFF analyst Mason Cameron ranked the NFL's top 32 NFL linebackers coming into the 2025 season. Demario Davis was slotted in at No. 21 by PFF, in the fifth tier of their six tier rankings. Here's what Cameron wrote for his reasoning. ''Although Davis took a step back in 2024, he is still one of the most effective and decorated linebackers in the NFL, even at 36 years old. His 73.2 PFF overall grade ranked in the top 20, marking his eighth consecutive season of going above 70.0. While he won't have Dennis Allen as his head coach in 2025, Davis brings ample experience to excel for however long he decides to play.'' Davis, 36 and entering his 14th NFL season, is the oldest player on the New Orleans roster. He was also one of the very few bright spots on an otherwise abysmal Saints defense in 2024. Davis had 136 total tackles, the most of his career and the eighth straight year with at least 105 stops. He also added 2 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, an interception, broke up 7 passes, allowed just 67.3% completion percentage in coverage, and was credited with a 7.5% missed tackle percentage according to Pro Football Reference. Davis' pressure numbers weren't nearly as high as they've been throughout his other six years with the Saints. Additionally, his five tackles for loss were the fewest of his New Orleans tenure by far. However, there is still no denying his impact and importance to whatever success the Saints have defensively. While he is closer to the end of his career than the beginning, Davis is still one of the best all-around defenders in the NFL. PFF graded Davis as the second-highest linebacker in the NFC South. He was four spots below former Saint Kaden Elliss of the Atlanta Falcons and one spot above Lavonte David of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. PFF had former Saints linebacker and current Philadelphia Eagles star Zack Baun rated No. 2 in their rankings. What PFF typically fails to recognize at this position are the more versatile off-ball linebackers, which is one reason why more one-dimensional and lesser players were graded above him. Grades and ratings are certainly subjective, whether made by legitimate analysts or by people that don't watch a position closely. No matter where someone has him rated, there is no doubting the importance that Demario Davis has to the New Orleans Saints and new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley in 2025.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
97 days until Saints' season opener: Every player to wear No. 97
97 days until Saints' season opener: Every player to wear No. 97 There are 97 days to go until the New Orleans Saints open up their 2025 season, so we're opening up the franchise history books to reflect on every player who has worn No. 97 for New Orleans. Right now it belongs to defensive tackle Khristian Boyd, who the Saints drafted in the sixth round out of Northern Iowa last year. It's a number with a mixed history. Some of the greatest defensive linemen in Saints history have worn it, like La'Roi Glover and Renaldo Turnbull, but so have major draft busts like Johnathan Sullivan. Before Boyd picked it up No. 97 was used by backup defensive tackle Malcolm Roach, one of several Saints players to join Sean Payton on the Denver Broncos in recent years. With 97 days to go until kickoff, here's a look back at each player to use No. 97 with the Saints (via Pro Football Reference): Khristian Boyd (2024-Present) Malcolm Roach (2020-2023) Mario Edwards (2019) Al-Quadin Muhammad (2017) Sam Barrington (2016) Glenn Foster (2013-2014) Jeff Charleston (2008-2011) Josh Cooper (2006-2007) Johnathan Sullivan (2003-2005) La'Roi Glover (1997-2001) Renaldo Turnbull (1990-1996) Jumpy Geathers (1984-1989)
