Fantasy Football: 2021 All-NFC South Preseason Team
The final Sunday without NFL football has come and passed, and as fans worldwide prepare their tailgates and kickoff parties, others prepare for a Fantasy Football season with a lot on the line. Every fantasy season carries stress, whether it is bragging rights, cash, or avoiding a painful punishment.
When it comes down to counting on guys from the NFC South to rely on, these guys should be stress-free options. Here is a look at my 2021 Fantasy Football All-NFC South Preseason Team.
QB1: Tom Brady, Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady (12) drops back to pass against the New Orleans Saints.
Credit: USA Today Sports
Tom Brady, the ageless wonder, concluded his 21st NFL season with a Super Bowl title and an 8th place finish among Fantasy Football Quarterbacks (349.92 fantasy points). With the majority of Tampa Bay's weapons returning, there is little doubt that the Buccaneers remain the team to beat heading into 2021, which should bode well for Brady's production in his second season with the Buccaneers.
By no means is Brady going to be a Top-5 option across all leagues this season but with a division full of unknowns at quarterback Brady seems to be the safest bet. However, look out for a Jameis Winston to claim the top spot in Fantasy within the division by the end of the season. His big arm and a new offense may spring him back to the top of Fantasy quarterbacks.
RB1: Alvin Kamara, Saints
New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) rushes for one of six touchdowns on Christmas Day against the Minnesota Vikings.
Credit: USA Today Sports
This seems like a gimmie... Honestly, I could break up the running back position into RB1 (A) and RB1 (B), but for the sake of rankings, I will select the man with 21 total touchdowns last season, Alvin Kamara. The 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year was the highest-scoring running back in PPR leagues last season (377.8 fantasy points) and carried the Saints offense that missed Michael Thomas and Drew Brees during parts of the season.
A quarterback's best friend is a good running game, and that is what AK provides to Jameis Winston in his first year as the Saints starter. Expect Kamara to crack the top-five in scoring running backs in standard leagues and top-three in PPR.
RB2: Christian McCaffrey, Panthers
Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) runs out of the tunnel ahead of a matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
© Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Christian McCaffrey appeared in just three games last season but averaged 30.1 PPG in PPR leagues in those matchups. In 2019 the former Stanford Cardinal was the cream of the crop at running back, becoming just the fourth player to record a 1,000-1,000 season (471.2 fantasy points).
As I said above, this is truly an RB1 (A) and RB1 (B) situation. You could not go wrong picking either back, as they will be the focal point of their respected offense. And just like Kamara, McCaffrey has a new quarterback in town, which means he will be relied on heavily throughout the NFL season. Look for a bounce-back season for CMC and a top-five positional finish.
WR1: Mike Evans, Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) runs the ball during the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium.
© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mike Evans has been a model of consistency throughout his NFL career. In standard scoring leagues, Evans has produced at least 132 points in each of his NFL seasons, including two seasons of over 200 points. In 2020, Evans ranked 8th among wide-outs (178.6 standard scoring fantasy points) and second among NFC South players.
Tampa Bay returns most of its championship-winning team from last season, and Evans will remain Tom Brady's top target. All nine of Evans' touchdowns last season came in the red zone, just another reason he should be atop the best scoring wide receivers in the league.
WR2: Calvin Ridley, Falcons
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley (18) runs the ball against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first half at SoFi Stadium.
© Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
It is tough to drop Ridley to WR2 on this list after his stellar 2020 season, but this has more to do with another Atlanta Falcon taking touches away rather than a knock on Ridley. 2020 was a breakout year for the former Alabama star finishing as the fourth rated receiver in standard-scoring leagues despite missing a week of action (191.5 fantasy points).
NFC South fans know Ridley is so much more than just a burner, but his elite route running and blazing speed make him a nightmare for corners week in and week out. Ridley holds the reigns as the Falcons' number one wide receiver without Julio Jones but will compete with another Falcon on this list for touches, particularly in the red zone. Expect a slight dip in production, but Ridley should finish a top-ten receiver again in 2021.
FLEX: Robby Anderson, Panthers
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Robby Anderson (11) carries the ball against Green Bay Packers cornerback Kevin King (20) in the third quarter at Lambeau Field.
© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
One of the most underrated signings from last summer, Robby Anderson, put up great numbers for the Panthers in 2020 earning him another payday. In his first year in Carolina, Anderson produced 129.2 standard scoring fantasy points ranking him among the best WR 2 options in the league (8.1 PPG).
This season Anderson is reunited with quarterback Sam Darnold who was traded from the Jets to the Panthers. In two seasons with Darnold tossing him the pigskin, Anderson produced 1,531 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. An old friend in town and Curtis Samuel now in Washington Anderson could creep up from a FLEX play to a true WR2 by the end of the regular season.
TE: Kyle Pitts, Falcons
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (8) catches a pass during warmups before their game against the Cleveland Browns.
© Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Kyle Pitts, the NFL Draft's most intriguing prospect, lands with the Atlanta Falcons, who are in the midst of a change in identity. Without Julio Jones and with a new head coach, there is a mix of concern and excitement in Atlanta, and a lot of the excitement surrounds number 8.
I rarely put much hype around rookies in Fantasy, but there is always an exception to the rule. Pitts appeared to be an NFL-ready offensive threat coming into April's draft and can make a huge splash playing with emerging star Calvin Ridley and a future Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback in Matt Ryan. The 6'6 target will be an immediate upgrade in the red zone and is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. This early rookie of the year candidate should serve as a top-eight tight end in 2021.
D/ST: New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) leads the team in a pre-game huddle.
Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
The 2020 New Orleans Saints defense was one of the best Sean Payton has had during his tenure in the Bayou. The league's best-run defense has lost some vital pieces to their success from a season ago but looks to have reloaded with an impressive training camp and preseason.
The biggest concern for the team is at the No. 2 CB position. The Saints' defense could easily find themselves among the league's best after a stellar fantasy season in 2020 (124.0 fantasy points) that ranked them 7th in the league and best in the NFC South.
K: Younghoe Koo, Falcons
Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo (7) makes a field goal as punter Sterling Hofrichter (4) holds bathe ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium.
© Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The kicker is a position that can make or break you a week to week as an NFL Head Coach and as a Fantasy Football league manager. The key to being an NFL kicker is consistency, and Younghoe Koo showed that throughout last season for the Atlanta Falcons. Koo finished as the second scoring kicker in Fantasy previous season (168.0 points) and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl.
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