Fantasy Football: Hot Take Predictions for Every AFC South Team

‘Hot Take:

Noun

a piece of commentary, typically produced quickly in response to a recent event, whose primary purpose is to attract attention.’

It’s hot take season in the world of NFL journalism. Everyone has an opinion on each team. Some are good, some are bad, some are right, and some are wrong.

Here, I take a look at each team and talk about a prediction I think may come to fruition. Many will disagree with me, some will agree. Have a read about these four teams and come to your own conclusion.

---

#1 Houston Texans

I know, gross isn’t it. I can’t believe I’m saying it myself, but let's have a look into this ludicrous statement. Miller has struggled to perform consistently over the past few seasons.

He has a few good games, but unfortunately, they are becoming more and more sparse. I think that is all about to change. Firstly, Miller is the guaranteed starter at the position for the start of the season.

His main competition, D’onta Foreman is still recovering from his horrible Achilles injury that he suffered last season.

Foreman is Miller’s heir apparent, but I think he may have to wait another season. Other Running Backs who have had the same injury struggle to get back to their usual form, speed and acceleration until two years post operation. He may even be starting this season on the PUP list (Physically Unable to Perform).

That leaves Alfred Blue as the only competition to start the season. Miller is by far the more talented back, although Blue did start taking snaps away from him towards the end of last season. Still, the job is Miller’s to lose.

My next point is who he will be playing with at Quarterback.

He has had to endure playing with Brock Osweiler and Tom Savage, meaning defences have stacked boxes against him. Deshaun Watson is now the starter in Houston and he was unbelievable in his rookie year until it was ended prematurely due to a torn ACL.

With Watson under centre, Miller had outings of 29 and 22 points, totalling 104 points in 7 games. That averages out at 14.8 points per game. If you project Miller to have that same average over a 16 game period, he would have finished with 237.7 points, which would have had him ranked as RUNNING BACK 8 ON THE SEASON. That’s ahead of players such as Leonard Fournette, Jordan Howard and Christian McCaffrey. I rest my case. Lamar Miller will be a Top 15 Running Back

#2 Indianapolis Colts

Jordan Wilkins will record the most rushing yards on the team

Jordan Wilkins is currently slated to be the RB3 on the Colts depth chart. He is behind Marlon Mack and fellow rookie Nyheim Hines.

Mack will get the first crack at winning the starting job, but I can’t see him being a workhorse in this offence.

Mack flashed at times last season but failed to deliver on a consistent basis. He averaged a horrible 3.8 YPC, which led the Colts to draft both Hines and Wilkins in this year’s draft. The fact that the Colts drafted them both shows that they don’t have too much faith in Mack being the workhorse back.

With Frank Gore moving on to Miami, there is a real chance for one of these young backs to make the job their own.

This year Andrew Luck will hopefully back under centre, so that will help whoever is in the backfield as there will be less stacked boxes. I can see Wilkins being the starter after a few games, reducing Mack to more of a complimentary change of pace role.

#3 Jacksonville Jaguars

Blake Bortles will finish as a Top 10 QB

Before you all jump down my throat saying ‘he’s garbage’, hear me out. This is a fact that might surprise you…’Blake Bortles has never finished worse than QB13 since he’s been a starter in the league’.

I know, that’s nuts, because he seems to have been poor on so many occasions. However, Bortles has a rushing upside that is so vital for QBs and their fantasy production. He finished with 322 yards on the ground which was seventh amongst QBs. In 2017, Bortles also recorded his best competition percentage and fewest interceptions thrown. This is largely due to the change of approach from the Jaguars.

Last season, they leaned heavily on Leonard Fournette and the running game. But it could also be down to Bortles ‘levelling up’. From week 12 onwards, Bortles scored 22.6, 25.1, 18.5, 25, and 22.4 points before absolutely tanking a game against the Titans.

They are performances that would please any fantasy owner. If he continues that form and surprises the majority of the footballing world, then he will be a force in this league in 2018.

#4 Tennessee Titans

Rishard

Matthews will finish as the highest scoring Titans WR

Rishard Matthews is an absurdly underrated Wide Receiver in this league. He has been a consistent weapon for Mariota in the passing game and caught 53 passes for 795 yards in 2017.

Everyone is projecting Corey Davis to have his breakout season in 2018, after struggling with a hamstring injury for the majority of his rookie season. I do expect Davis to improve on his 2017 displays as he is a talented Receiver. However, he will face some tough coverage from opposing Cornerbacks.

Davis will have to face up against the best CB in the league, Jalen Ramsey twice, as well as Casey Hayward, Tre’Davious White, Xavien Howard, Trumaine Johnson, Josh Norman, Stephon Gilmore, Jimmy Smith plus others. That’s eight of the Top 20 CBs in the league. I think he might struggle in a few of these matchups, meaning Mariota will look to Matthews more often than not. I am hoping that I’m wrong and Davis breaks out, and goes on to show the world why the Titans drafted him with fifth overall pick in 2017.

However, he has struggled with two separate injuries since being drafted and could end up getting the ‘injury prone’ tag if it continues.

Matthews is currently going at pick 11.12 according to FFCalculator, compared to Davis’s 6.05. I know who I will be drafting with those ADPs.