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LGHL You’re Nuts: Aside from C.J. Stroud, which Buckeye are you targeting in fantasy football?
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You’re Nuts: Aside from C.J. Stroud, which Buckeye are you targeting in fantasy football?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Not only do we have college football kicking off over the next few weeks, just a couple days after Labor Day the NFL season will kick off. Around this time of year is usually when the majority of fantasy football drafts are held. Last year anyone that drafted Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud looked like a genius. Even though Stroud was drafted with the second pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, not many were expecting to put up the numbers that he did in his rookie year, especially considering the previous history of Ohio State quarterbacks in the NFL.
Today we want to know what Ohio State player you are targeting in your fantasy football draft. The only caveat to this question is C.J. Stroud is off the table since he is the obvious top pick, especially after the Texans added Stefon Diggs to their loaded receiving corps. Even without Stroud, there are a ton of talented Buckeyes in the NFL who will be key parts on fantasy football championship teams across the country this year. Or maybe you have a sleeper in mind that will likely be available later in the draft who will end up shocking people and putting up some big numbers.
There certainly are a plethora of great Ohio State wide receivers in the NFL right now, so naturally I’m most interested in a running back that has had some injury issues in his first few years in the NFL. So far in his professional career, J.K. Dobbins has carried the football just 234 times since being drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. After a strong rookie season, Dobbins suffered a torn ACL in the 2021 preseason, followed by a torn Achilles tendon in the season opener in 2023.
Baltimore decided not to bring back Dobbins for another year, leaving the former Buckeye to sign with the Los Angeles Chargers and Jim Harbaugh. Despite Harbaugh being a Michigan Man and a massive cheater, I think he will use Dobbins a lot this year if the running back can stay healthy. Just look at how much the Wolverines ran the football last year, despite having quarterback J.J. McCarthy and some talent at wide receiver.
Another reason we could see a bounce-back season from Dobbins is that he will be reunited with offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who held the same position with the Ravens during Dobbins’ first three seasons in the NFL. Also joining Dobbins with the Chargers is running back Gus Edwards, who was also in Baltimore while Dobbins was. Having some familiar faces with him in a new place will likely help the transition to a new team easier for Dobbins.
Is Dobbins going to run for 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns? Not likely. He isn’t going to be the first running back taken, or even one of the first five running backs taken. What he will be is a solid pickup in the mid-to-late rounds, which will allow you to target other areas of need first. As long as he can stay healthy, Dobbins has a lot to prove this year, especially since is on a one-year contract. With his back against the wall, I trust Dobbins to be hungry this year and remind the rest of the league how talented he is.
I know that Mike Tomlin said that he would name a starting quarterback by the “end of the work week,” but I’m taking Justin Fields now anyway. There are obviously myriad Buckeye wide receivers that you could grab, but when it comes to fantasy football, WRs are fairly replaceable. What isn’t replaceable is a quarterback who can score points with both his arms and his legs.
So, I am taking Fields and hoping that Tomlin does the right thing and makes him the Pittsburgh Steelers starter. The alternative is Russell Wilson who is coming off of two suboptimal seasons with the Denver Broncos (although he was pretty ok in terms of fantasy points last year). But this will be Year 13 for the former Wisconsin Badger, no NFL player — especially QBs — gets better that long into his career.
Fields, on the other hand, is coming into Year 4 and is finally in a competent organization with a head coach who knows how not to absolutely suck. Despite his struggles in Chicago over the last three seasons, the Buckeye legend was still a consistent fantasy performer. In 2023, depending on your scoring system, Fields was two or three spots behind Wilson in terms of the fantasy ratings for quarterbacks, and that was dealing with all of the BS that horrific Bears staff put him through.
So, given the chance to show his talent and work ethic for a coaching staff that was not completely incompetent, there’s no reason to think that Justin won’t be even better. Now, I don’t know that I would go taking him in the first round or anything, but I think that Justin Fields is a really smart selection in late rounds. If he ends up being the Steelers’ starter, chances are that he will put up fantasy numbers that are even more impressive than his real football numbers. With the constant possibility of rushing yards and touchdowns, it’s probably a pretty good risk the deeper you get in your draft.
Also, I haven’t played fantasy football in nearly a decade, so don’t come for me when this turns out to be a terrible take!
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Not only do we have college football kicking off over the next few weeks, just a couple days after Labor Day the NFL season will kick off. Around this time of year is usually when the majority of fantasy football drafts are held. Last year anyone that drafted Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud looked like a genius. Even though Stroud was drafted with the second pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, not many were expecting to put up the numbers that he did in his rookie year, especially considering the previous history of Ohio State quarterbacks in the NFL.
Today we want to know what Ohio State player you are targeting in your fantasy football draft. The only caveat to this question is C.J. Stroud is off the table since he is the obvious top pick, especially after the Texans added Stefon Diggs to their loaded receiving corps. Even without Stroud, there are a ton of talented Buckeyes in the NFL who will be key parts on fantasy football championship teams across the country this year. Or maybe you have a sleeper in mind that will likely be available later in the draft who will end up shocking people and putting up some big numbers.
Today’s question: Aside from C.J. Stroud, which Buckeye are you targeting in fantasy football?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: J.K. Dobbins
There certainly are a plethora of great Ohio State wide receivers in the NFL right now, so naturally I’m most interested in a running back that has had some injury issues in his first few years in the NFL. So far in his professional career, J.K. Dobbins has carried the football just 234 times since being drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. After a strong rookie season, Dobbins suffered a torn ACL in the 2021 preseason, followed by a torn Achilles tendon in the season opener in 2023.
Baltimore decided not to bring back Dobbins for another year, leaving the former Buckeye to sign with the Los Angeles Chargers and Jim Harbaugh. Despite Harbaugh being a Michigan Man and a massive cheater, I think he will use Dobbins a lot this year if the running back can stay healthy. Just look at how much the Wolverines ran the football last year, despite having quarterback J.J. McCarthy and some talent at wide receiver.
Another reason we could see a bounce-back season from Dobbins is that he will be reunited with offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who held the same position with the Ravens during Dobbins’ first three seasons in the NFL. Also joining Dobbins with the Chargers is running back Gus Edwards, who was also in Baltimore while Dobbins was. Having some familiar faces with him in a new place will likely help the transition to a new team easier for Dobbins.
Is Dobbins going to run for 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns? Not likely. He isn’t going to be the first running back taken, or even one of the first five running backs taken. What he will be is a solid pickup in the mid-to-late rounds, which will allow you to target other areas of need first. As long as he can stay healthy, Dobbins has a lot to prove this year, especially since is on a one-year contract. With his back against the wall, I trust Dobbins to be hungry this year and remind the rest of the league how talented he is.
Matt’s answer: Justin Fields
I know that Mike Tomlin said that he would name a starting quarterback by the “end of the work week,” but I’m taking Justin Fields now anyway. There are obviously myriad Buckeye wide receivers that you could grab, but when it comes to fantasy football, WRs are fairly replaceable. What isn’t replaceable is a quarterback who can score points with both his arms and his legs.
So, I am taking Fields and hoping that Tomlin does the right thing and makes him the Pittsburgh Steelers starter. The alternative is Russell Wilson who is coming off of two suboptimal seasons with the Denver Broncos (although he was pretty ok in terms of fantasy points last year). But this will be Year 13 for the former Wisconsin Badger, no NFL player — especially QBs — gets better that long into his career.
Fields, on the other hand, is coming into Year 4 and is finally in a competent organization with a head coach who knows how not to absolutely suck. Despite his struggles in Chicago over the last three seasons, the Buckeye legend was still a consistent fantasy performer. In 2023, depending on your scoring system, Fields was two or three spots behind Wilson in terms of the fantasy ratings for quarterbacks, and that was dealing with all of the BS that horrific Bears staff put him through.
So, given the chance to show his talent and work ethic for a coaching staff that was not completely incompetent, there’s no reason to think that Justin won’t be even better. Now, I don’t know that I would go taking him in the first round or anything, but I think that Justin Fields is a really smart selection in late rounds. If he ends up being the Steelers’ starter, chances are that he will put up fantasy numbers that are even more impressive than his real football numbers. With the constant possibility of rushing yards and touchdowns, it’s probably a pretty good risk the deeper you get in your draft.
Also, I haven’t played fantasy football in nearly a decade, so don’t come for me when this turns out to be a terrible take!
Continue reading...
LGHL Mitchell Melton is finally healthy, but will he get enough snaps to make an impact?
- News
- 0 Replies
Mitchell Melton is finally healthy, but will he get enough snaps to make an impact?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
After back-to-back ACL tears, Melton is hoping to achieve his potential in his fifth year in Columbus.
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our ”Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Akron.
It’s been a bumpy road to the field for Ohio State linebacker-turned-defensive lineman Mitchell Melton. After being a top-200 prospect in the 2020 recruiting class, the Olney, Maryland native has seemed like he was ready to burst through the Buckeye backlog at nearly every turn only to be sidelined due to injury.
In the spring of 2021, Melton tore his left ACL. He then rehabbed for an entire calendar year only to tear his right ACL in the 2022 spring game. After the knee injuries kept him out for two full years, Melton had to start over in 2023. He played 63 defensive snaps and 58 on special teams last year coming in with a very good 78.7 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus in his limited action.
The process has not been easy for Melton, but throughout it all, he has had support to keep him focused on his ultimate goals.
“I think my support system has been great,” he told the media last week. “My family and my teammates, they’ve all reached out and given me the resources I need to stay mentally enthused and motivated because I understand my ability and what I can do on the field.”
Now that he has been healthy for over a year, and has a full season in the rotation under his belt, Melton is now slotted into a defensive end spot that will hopefully take full advantage of his natural athleticism and pass-rushing ability. His ability to finally contribute to the team in the way that he has always wanted to is leading to a much different mindset from the fifth-year player.
“It’s definitely a mental struggle,” Melton said. “Teaching my mind to not let the little parts of the game or something that held me back before keep holding me back in the future ... I’ve never loved football so much until right now. I think that was the biggest thing coming back, was trying to find a love for it and keep my confidence at a high level. I think I’ve done that ... I feel great.”
Despite how great Melton feels, it’s still not exactly clear how defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and defensive line coach Larry Johnson see him working into the defense. Though he came in as a linebacker, all of his 2023 snaps were on the line. For years, he has been held up as a potential example of what the “Jack” or “Leo” position could be in a Knowles defense, but that spot has never really materialized for anyone. So how exactly will Melton be deployed on the field this season?
“We call it playing basketball on grass,” Johnson said. “That’s what he has. That crossover move in basketball, he can put you to sleep. Just with his head movement. He’s really unique, he’s fast, he’s coming.”
Melton is clearly it is as an edge rusher, in the way that we have seen OSU’s defensive line work in recent seasons. But Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau are firmly entrenched as the starters, and then last year’s backups Kenyatta Jackson and Caden Curry return to bring even more depth to the rotation. So, just how many snaps are available for a healthy Melton, especially when five-star end Eddrick Houston is also likely competing for playing time?
While a Rushman Package of three or four ends is always possible, Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton are incredibly strong up the middle, so how often do the Buckeye coaches want to bring them off the field? We’ve heard that linebacker C.J. Hicks could be used as a third-down blitz machine, potentially taking away snaps from Melton as well.
There has always seemingly been a push and pull between how Knowles and LJ envision the defensive line rotation, but word out of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center makes it clear that there is excitement about what Melton could potentially do this season. There is palpable hype for what he brings to the mix, but as it often is on the defensive line, it becomes a question of just how many snaps he can get.
One of the major conversations from the OSU coaching staff this offseason has been about the potential to play 17 games — although Ryan Day and company often couch it as 16, assuming a first-round bye — if they make the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. The coaches seem to realize that two additional games will bring a significant amount of extra wear and tear on players’ bodies, especially when you could be playing five postseason games against high-quality competition.
So, if Larry Johnson can figure out how to best make use of all of his weapons, then there is reason to believe that Melton could finally have a significant impact on the field for the Buckeyes this fall. While the fifth-year senior knows that the unit still has to prove it on the field, he has high hopes for his defensive line compatriots.
“I hope we’re known for doing our job and playing at a violently high level,” Melton said, “each and every snap going as hard as we can. If that’s who we are, then I think we can hang our hat on that for sure.”
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
After back-to-back ACL tears, Melton is hoping to achieve his potential in his fifth year in Columbus.
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our ”Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Akron.
It’s been a bumpy road to the field for Ohio State linebacker-turned-defensive lineman Mitchell Melton. After being a top-200 prospect in the 2020 recruiting class, the Olney, Maryland native has seemed like he was ready to burst through the Buckeye backlog at nearly every turn only to be sidelined due to injury.
In the spring of 2021, Melton tore his left ACL. He then rehabbed for an entire calendar year only to tear his right ACL in the 2022 spring game. After the knee injuries kept him out for two full years, Melton had to start over in 2023. He played 63 defensive snaps and 58 on special teams last year coming in with a very good 78.7 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus in his limited action.
The process has not been easy for Melton, but throughout it all, he has had support to keep him focused on his ultimate goals.
“I think my support system has been great,” he told the media last week. “My family and my teammates, they’ve all reached out and given me the resources I need to stay mentally enthused and motivated because I understand my ability and what I can do on the field.”
Now that he has been healthy for over a year, and has a full season in the rotation under his belt, Melton is now slotted into a defensive end spot that will hopefully take full advantage of his natural athleticism and pass-rushing ability. His ability to finally contribute to the team in the way that he has always wanted to is leading to a much different mindset from the fifth-year player.
“It’s definitely a mental struggle,” Melton said. “Teaching my mind to not let the little parts of the game or something that held me back before keep holding me back in the future ... I’ve never loved football so much until right now. I think that was the biggest thing coming back, was trying to find a love for it and keep my confidence at a high level. I think I’ve done that ... I feel great.”
Despite how great Melton feels, it’s still not exactly clear how defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and defensive line coach Larry Johnson see him working into the defense. Though he came in as a linebacker, all of his 2023 snaps were on the line. For years, he has been held up as a potential example of what the “Jack” or “Leo” position could be in a Knowles defense, but that spot has never really materialized for anyone. So how exactly will Melton be deployed on the field this season?
“We call it playing basketball on grass,” Johnson said. “That’s what he has. That crossover move in basketball, he can put you to sleep. Just with his head movement. He’s really unique, he’s fast, he’s coming.”
Melton is clearly it is as an edge rusher, in the way that we have seen OSU’s defensive line work in recent seasons. But Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau are firmly entrenched as the starters, and then last year’s backups Kenyatta Jackson and Caden Curry return to bring even more depth to the rotation. So, just how many snaps are available for a healthy Melton, especially when five-star end Eddrick Houston is also likely competing for playing time?
While a Rushman Package of three or four ends is always possible, Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton are incredibly strong up the middle, so how often do the Buckeye coaches want to bring them off the field? We’ve heard that linebacker C.J. Hicks could be used as a third-down blitz machine, potentially taking away snaps from Melton as well.
There has always seemingly been a push and pull between how Knowles and LJ envision the defensive line rotation, but word out of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center makes it clear that there is excitement about what Melton could potentially do this season. There is palpable hype for what he brings to the mix, but as it often is on the defensive line, it becomes a question of just how many snaps he can get.
One of the major conversations from the OSU coaching staff this offseason has been about the potential to play 17 games — although Ryan Day and company often couch it as 16, assuming a first-round bye — if they make the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. The coaches seem to realize that two additional games will bring a significant amount of extra wear and tear on players’ bodies, especially when you could be playing five postseason games against high-quality competition.
So, if Larry Johnson can figure out how to best make use of all of his weapons, then there is reason to believe that Melton could finally have a significant impact on the field for the Buckeyes this fall. While the fifth-year senior knows that the unit still has to prove it on the field, he has high hopes for his defensive line compatriots.
“I hope we’re known for doing our job and playing at a violently high level,” Melton said, “each and every snap going as hard as we can. If that’s who we are, then I think we can hang our hat on that for sure.”
Continue reading...
