Five League Winners
Wed Jun 7 1:52pm ET
By JEFF PAUR @jeffpaur
Sr Fantasy Writer
There are players every year that end up being real difference makers for fantasy teams. I like to call them league winners. These are guys that can help you win your league and separate you from your league mates. There are never any guarantees, but I think the following five players can be real difference makers this year. I am targeting all of them come draft day.
David Montgomery, RB, Lions. Montgomery was looking pretty good to fantasy teams before the draft. But the Lions used a first-round pick on Jahmyr Gibbs. After that pick, panic set in to fantasy owners when it comes to Montgomery. There is certainly reason to panic some if you are a Montgomery owner, but don’t jump off the bandwagon just yet. Gibbs might start but he has never been a three-down back that has gotten a huge workload. It would be a surprise if he gets 300-plus touches. The Lions are still going to use Montgomery and he could be the goal-line back. Remember, Jamaal Williams had 17-rushing touchdowns last season as the goal-line back for the Lions.
Montgomery is going to get his work. He should get 200-plus touches. The Lions ran the ball 480 times last year, which was the 13th highest total in football. And the team ran the ball 427 times the previous year, giving two backs 150-plus carries each. It would not be a stretch to see both Montgomery and Gibbs get 200-plus touches in this offense.
So don’t be afraid to take Montgomery this year. He might not post Williams numbers from last year, but he can be a productive fantasy back. He will get a chance to run behind the best offensive line of his career and play in an explosive offense. Montgomery has an ADP of 72.69, meaning you can get him as No. 3 back. I would take that chance all day long. He can be a difference maker at that price tag.
Jahan Dotson, WR, Commanders. Dotson seems to be getting overlooked come draft day for whatever reason. But he gets a new offensive coordinator that was a part of some of the best offenses of all time and likely an upgrade at quarterback with Sam Howell starting from day one. Remember, Dotson missed five games because of injury and was still 51st overall in fantasy receiver scoring. He showed his huge potential down the stretch, having double-digit fantasy points four of his last five games. Dotson seems a great fit for the new offense and should flourish in year two. And his price tag is dirt cheap with an ADP of 98.27. You can get him as a reserve receiver come draft day.
Justin Herbert, QB, Chargers. Herbert didn't have quite as big of a season as the previous one, but played well, especially if you consider the injuries the Chargers had along the offensive line and at receiver. Herbert was still eighth overall in fantasy quarterback scoring. He had nine of 17 games with 20-plus fantasy points, showing very good consistency. He gets new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore calling plays for him, which should be a big positive for Herbert. The Chargers have been pass happy the past few years, but Moore gives the team a new dimension in the passing game. He was a highly thought of play caller just a few years back and will look to get his career going in the right direction with a new team. Moore has a lot to prove and will look to be considered a top head coach candidate once again.
Plus, Herbert gets another talented pass catcher to work with this season, getting Quentin Johnston to play alongside Mike Williams and Keenan Allen. Everything is lined up for Herbert to have his best season to date. And currently, Herbert is the seventh quarterback off the board come draft day with an ADP of 53.62.
Garrett Wilson, WR, Jets. I am all in on Wilson this year. Last season, he had one of the worst quarterback situations to deal with in all of football. He still managed to finish 21st overall in fantasy receiver scoring. He topped 80 receptions and 1,100 yards his rookie season. He gets Aaron Rodgers throwing him passes this season. Talk about an upgrade. Rodgers might not be the same quarterback from earlier in his career, but he is still a huge plus for Wilson. Rodgers has produced some huge fantasy receivers for his No. 1 receiver. Expect more of the same from Wilson this year. He is going to take his game to a new level and can be a top-five fantasy receiver by season’s end.
Miles Sanders, RB, Panthers. Sanders had the best season of his career last year, hitting the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the first time in his career. He was 15th overall in fantasy running back scoring in the Eagles high-flying offense. And he had just 20 receptions on the season while failing to top 100-receiving yards. So he did nearly all his damage on the ground.
He signed with the Panthers this offseason and should get his chance to be a three-down back for his new team. Look for a big increase in targets in the passing game. Remember, he had 50 receptions in 2019, so he is more than capable of catching passes and doing well in that role. His touchdown numbers might decrease some with his new team, but look for his overall touches to increase, especially in the passing game. He is going to get a lot more work with the Panthers. It would not surprise to see him finish as a top 15 fantasy back. And right now, his ADP is 40.9. He is a fourth or fifth round pick come draft day.