DLF’s 2019 Predictions: Fantasy Comeback Player of the Year

It’s now been over 200 days since the Patriots defeated the Rams in Super Bowl LIII. That’s over 200 days of content including research, articles, podcasts and more getting ready for the next fantasy season. Well, the wait is almost over, as the 2019 NFL Football season is right around the corner.

That also means that it’s time for DLF’s 2019 Fantasy Predictions. As we do every year, we have several different prediction articles for you in the following categories:

• Fantasy Comeback Player of the Year
• Best Dynasty Sell
• Best Dynasty Buy
• Fantasy Sleeper
• Bust of the Year
• Sleeper Rookie of the Year (outside our top 24)
• Fantasy Rookie of the Year
• Fantasy MVP

We’ll kick off the series with our picks for Fantasy Comeback Player of the Year:

Hunter Henry, TE LAC

If Melvin Gordon does holdout through the 2019 season, a majority of the shallow passing routes that Gordon executed on will be given to Hunter Henry. With Mike Williams and Keenan Allen taking the defense down the outside, the middle of the field will be wide open for Henry to make his comeback and finish no lower than the TE7. – Noah Ballweg

Odell Beckham Jr., WR CLE

What a difference a year makes. Going from Eli Manning to Baker Mayfield should really ignite one of the game’s best receivers. After his last two seasons have been cut short due to injuries, I am expecting a huge year from Beckham. – Kyle Holden

Devonta Freeman, RB ATL

Freeman has gotten a bit lost in the running back shuffle. I keep hearing that he is “injury prone” (whatever that means), but through his first four seasons, he missed three games. It was only last year that he missed substantial time. Yes, he has had lingering injuries which are always something to be careful of. With Tevin Coleman now gone, he has no one with any experience or real talent behind him, so he should be able to feast in that high octane offense. – Levi Chappell

Jordan Reed, TE WAS

Sexy, no, but one of the most talented tight ends in the league who (finally) played a full healthy season again last year. He’s TE23 right now in DLF ADP and 29 years old (same age as Zach Ertz and younger the Travis Kelce). Last year he only had seven red-zone targets, or else he could have been 2018’s Comeback Player of the Year. – Peter Howard

Devonta Freeman, RB ATL

Freeman is going to return to RB1 status. It was a tough season if you had him on your roster last year, but a return to more than 1,500 total yards and a dozen scores like 2015 and 2016 is likely, and Freeman is going to return huge for where you take him. – Dwight Peebles

Tyler Eifert, TE CIN

Ugh. I go down this road every year. If Eifert can stay healthy, he has proven to be one of the NFL’s top offensive weapons at his position. Currently, C.J. Uzomah is listed ahead of Eifert on the team’s official depth chart, but if that is intended to help preserve Eifert’s body. He is the type of player who can be productive on fewer touches. With the tight end position being a fantasy wasteland, Eifert can produce as a fantasy contributor once again in 2019… if he can stay healthy. – John Di Bari

Le’Veon Bell, RB NYJ

While I’m sure many will argue that Bell shouldn’t qualify for this particular award, he was away all year last year and has come back this year. He should still have a few fine fantasy seasons left in him and I expect Bell to play with a chip on his shoulder this season. – James Koutoulas

Delanie Walker, TE TEN

After missing most of last season with a leg injury, he should go right back to being Marcus Mariota’s security blanket. – Doug Green

Jimmy Garoppolo, QB SF

He gets coached by a great offensive mind, and gets to compete against one of the best young defenses in the league. He’s getting stronger and better every day. Welcome back, Jimmy G! – Mike Havens

Devonta Freeman, RB ATL

Devonta Freeman is no longer a sexy pick, and those types generally provide good value. Freeman’s value is down due to a lost season but he is back healthy and has little competition on the depth chart. He’s locked-in to big volume on a productive offense; those types of assets are rare. – Rob Willette

Dalvin Cook, RB MIN

Cook has seen his dynasty ADP recover in the last couple of months as he now sits at RB9 and 17th overall. After missing a good chunk of 2018 with a hamstring injury, Cook returned to reward players with a top-five finish for the fantasy playoffs. This year he is 100% healthy, Latavius Murray is in New Orleans, and running back/offensive line whisperer Gary Kubiak is on board to kick start the run game. This offense has Pro Bowl level talent at every level with Kirk Cousins, Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen and Kyle Rudolph so he should never see a stacked box. Get all the Dalvin Cook! – Eric Olinger

Cooper Kupp, WR LAR

Kupp was well on his way to a 1,000-yard, double-digit touchdown season before he tore his ACL midway through. Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods continue to garner more attention, as they should, but I think we’ve all learned by now that a Sean McVay offense can produce several fantasy-relevant players. – Michael Moore

Marvin Jones, WR DET

Prior to his injury, Jones was on pace for a line approaching 70 receptions, 1,000 yards, and ten touchdowns. Apart from Kenny Golladay, there aren’t any other huge threats in town. This isn’t a high volume offense, but it’s easy to see him blowing by 100-120 targets, and finishing the year as a low-end WR2. – Eric Hardter

Devonta Freeman, RB ATL

It’s so easy to forget Freeman exists after only playing seven snaps last year. Move Tevin Coleman to San Francisco, add some depth with Calvin Ridley, and revive their injury-plagued defense with Deion Jones and Keanu Neal, and you’re looking at the same Devonta Freeman we all knew and loved circa 2015-2016! I’m all aboard the Freeman hype train for 2019, and gladly scooping him up in dynasty redrafts (with a three-year focus). – Ryan Miller

Devonta Freeman, RB ATL

One injury and it seems the fantasy community has forgotten Freeman finished in the top 13 of fantasy RBs every season from 2015-2017 (RB1, RB6, RB13). Tevin Coleman making his new home in San Francisco is more good news for those with shares of Freeman. I’ve been drafting him in dynasty and redraft leagues alike and so should you. – Josh Brickner

Cooper Kupp, WR LAR

After last season’s Super Bowl trip, it looks like the Rams’ offense has solidified itself as one of the league’s best offenses (despite its three-point performance in said Super Bowl). Kupp put up over 800 yards in his rookie season, in an offense that threw for roughly 700 fewer yards than it did last season. Indeed, Kupp was on pace to break 1,000 yards before he went down with an injury. That impressive, immediate production, combined with the fact that LA hasn’t added anyone to threaten that production, promises a strong bounce-back season for Kupp. – Stephen Gill

Leonard Fournette, RB JAX

He has a new outlook on life, slimmed down, and has zero competition for touches. He won’t lead the league in rushing, but with newfound targets and goal-line touchdowns, Fournette is shaping up for a big 2019. – Austin DeWitt

Delanie Walker, TE TEN

Walker should return to reliable fantasy form and makes for an extremely affordable addition to your starting lineup. – Jacob Wolf

Hunter Henry, TE LAC

Henry missed the entire 2018 season with an ACL, and when we look at a tight end landscape with so few sure things, the right bet can really pay off. I love Henry’s game and I think this is the year he finally makes the most of his talents and this offense. – Ryan Finley

There you have it. Who do you like for Fantasy Comeback Player of the Year? Comment below!