Draft Review: NFC East

Mo Brewington

The four teams in the NFC East went heavy on the defensive side of the football in this year’s draft. Only 13 of the division’s 34 combined picks were offensive players, and the Giants were the only team to choose an offensive player in the top-100. Of those 13 offensive players selected by the Giants, Cowboys, Redskins, and Eagles, perhaps three have even a remote chance of starting in year one.

Luckily for us, we play in dynasty leagues and make long-term investments. This superior taste in fantasy formats requires us to take the long-view on prospects and there are several players with a shot at becoming long-term contributors. Let’s sort through these players and see if we can find a few worthwhile dynasty investments.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles entered the draft with pressing needs on both sides of the ball. In the end, they prioritized fixing their pass rush and secondary over adding a three-down running back or a stud wideout, early on. Philly did, however, manage to find three mid-round prospects, who could have a dynasty impact in the coming years.

Mack Hollins, WR, 4.12 (No.118 overall)

Hollins is billed as a special teams ace. This seems irrelevant to your fantasy sensibilities, but it shouldn’t. It’s actually a crucial bit of info when it comes to targeting sleepers who could actually make an impact on Sundays. Hollins’ special teams ability is the reason he will make the Eagles’ 53-man roster this September, and Dorial Green-Beckham will not.

Playing a role on special teams also makes it a certainty Hollins will be active on gameday — something which can’t be taken for granted with most late-round receivers. Aside from playing special teams, Hollins is a deep-threat, who averaged over 20 ypr for his collegiate career. Throw in his ability as a downfield blocker, and there’s a visible path to playing time for Hollins.

The three receivers atop the Eagles’ depth chart — Alshon Jeffery, Jordan Matthews, and Torrey Smith —  are each, essentially, on one-year contracts. There’s a real possibility one or two of them could wind up playing elsewhere next summer. All of this makes Hollins an ideal receiver to stash on your dynasty roster.

Donnel Pumphrey, RB, 4.26 (No.132 overall)

Like Hollins, there’s reason to believe Pumphrey has a future in Philadelphia. He’ll serve his apprenticeship behind Darren Sproles, (who’s already said 2017 will be his final NFL season,) while assuming a new role as a punt returner — something Pumphrey did not do at San Diego State. Aside from his return duties, the Eagles are experimenting with Pumphrey in the slot. He may not make a ton of noise in Year One, but Pumphrey appears to be on his way to becoming the team’s designated third-down back, with RB3 potential in PPR leagues.

Shelton Gibson, WR, 5.22 (No.166 overall)

Betrayed by the stopwatch, Gibson is reported to be faster than his 4.50-second 40-time indicates. He may eventually become the Eagles’ deep threat, but first Gibson needs to become a more consistent pass catcher. He’s had trouble hauling in the football early OTAs, a sign which doesn’t bode well for his prospects of earning a role in 2017. With at least 12 receivers on the Eagles 90-man roster, Gibson will have to fight to earn his spot. If he makes the 53-man roster, he’s likely to spend a few Sundays in street clothes, as a gameday inactive.

New York Giants

The Giants were the only team in the division to make an offensive selection in the top-100 picks, taking both, tight end Evan Engram at 1.23, then quarterback Davis Webb at 3.23.

Evan Engram, TE, 1.23 (No. 23 overall)

Engram’s landing spot would have received more fanfare if not for the signing of Brandon Marshall, which fulfilled the Giants’ need for a big red zone threat. Incumbent tight end Will Tye will continue to see action, yet Engram is simply too talented not to carve out his own niche in the offense. Eli Manning has always loved a big receiver he can chuck prayers to when times get tough. Look for Ben McAdoo to get Engram on the field in three and four-wide sets. Conservatively, Engram could wind up seeing 50 to 70 targets in year-one.

Davis Webb, QB, 3.23 (No. 87 overall)

Webb is currently behind both, Manning and Geno Smith on the Giants’ depth chart. He has the physical tools to succeed, making the idea of serving an apprenticeship behind Manning for two seasons a rather intriguing one. Those looking to stash him on their taxi squads may eventually run out of patience waiting for Manning to step down. Webb is best left undrafted, unless something unforeseen happens to Manning in the coming months.

Wayne Gallman, RB, 4.34 (No.140 overall)

Gallman’s role will be interesting, as the “loss” of Rashad Jennings leaves 181 carries up for grabs in a running back room with no clear-cut leader. Gallman failed to generate much excitement during his run at Clemson, making it equally difficult to get excited about his prospects in the Big Apple. But somebody has to take those carries, especially down around the goal line. The opportunity alone demands that you draft Gallman as an RB4/5, but be advised, McAdoo has already named Paul Perkins the starter, so Gallman will have to do something special to unseat him.

Washington Redskins

Just four of the Redskins’ ten draft picks were reserved for the offensive side of the ball, one of them being a center. Still, Washington addressed their needs well and could have provided us with one this season’s safer rookie picks.

Samaje Perine, RB, 4.07 (No.114 overall)

Largely overshadowed by his college teammate’s scandals, Perine is a workhorse, who maintained a lofty 6.0 ypc and scored nearly 50 touchdowns in a timeshare at Oklahoma. He’ll again be in a timeshare in Washington, this time with Chris Thompson who finished as RB37 last season, and “Fat” Rob Kelley, who was RB26. Perine is a better “between the tackles” runner than either incumbent and should see a decent amount of carries, even if he never locks down the No.1 spot. The potential for a “hot-hand” rotation makes this a frustrating race to have a horse in.

Jeremy Sprinkle, TE, 5.10 (No.154 overall)

Sprinkle is a utility tight end, who’s blocking ability should help him get past Derrick Carrier and Niles Paul on the Redskins’ depth chart. He has good athleticism and measurables, and could eventually see his role expand into the passing game. The combination of Vernon Davis’ age and Jordan Reed’s injury history make Sprinkle an interesting dynasty stash, particularly for Reed owners.

At his best, Sprinkle could be a more athletic “Heath Miller-type”, which equates to consistent production on the right team. Yet, with the wealth of prospects at the tight end position this year, (a trend which we’re likely just seeing the beginning of,) you may want to pause before spending your draft capital on Sprinkle in dynasty.

 

Robert Davis, WR, 6.25 (No.209 overall)

Every year, a there are a few “looks like Tarzan” late-round wideouts who dynasty owners project huge potential onto. Davis is one of those guys this season. He crushed the Combine with a 4.44-second 40-yard dash, 41-inch vertical, and 136-inch long jump. He’ll contend with Matt Hazel, Ryan Grant, and Brian Quick for looks at the back end of Washington’s receiving corps.

Special teams ability is largely overlooked in fantasy circles. Yet, when it comes time for teams to decide on keeping a gifted, yet unpolished receiver like Davis on the 53-man roster, much less activating him to the game day 46-man roster, his special teams contributions will be weighed against Grant’s, Quick’s, and Hazel’s, leaving those roster spots to the players who offer the team the most in the game’s third phase.

Dallas Cowboys

After losing three-fourths of their starting secondary along with a trio of linemen, the Cowboys were forced to address their defense early in this year’s draft. They added depth to their receiving corps, but it may take time to pay dividends in dynasty.

Ryan Switzer,WR, Pick 4.27 (No. 133 overall)

Switzer gives the Cowboys another talented weapon from the slot, as well as in the return game. Don’t expect Switzer to challenge Cole Beasley’s position as the team’s designated slot receiver. He’s more likely to carve out his own role on the other side. Dallas threw out of four-wide sets on 35 percent of their passing attempts in 2016, a number which may increase slightly in Dak Prescott’s sophomore campaign.

Switzer is currently taking first-team reps, as Beasley nurses a hamstring injury, which is notable. Early OTA-hype reports Switzer looking “crisp” in practice, as most players with his level of quickness do at this time of year.

Noah Brown, WR, Pick 7.21 (No.239 overall)

Brown is a very good blocker, whose resumé is light in the receiving department. He posted just 33 career catches, for 411 yards during his time at Ohio State. All but one of those catches came in 2016 — where Brown scored seven touchdowns as a senior, including four in a game against Oklahoma. While the Cowboys’ depth chart and Brown’s lack of production make him an unlikely fantasy contributor, his run blocking and ability in the red zone could endear him to Dallas’ coaching staff… so never say never.

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mo brewington
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