16 NFC Dynasty Questions Answered

Photo: Mark J. Rebilas, USA Today Sports

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Over the summer, we did 32 storylines that would significantly impact dynasty leagues for years to come. After the 2021 season, we revisit the 16 NFC questions. You can find the AFC revisit here.

Is Daniel Jones the answer for the Giants?

Daniel Jones entered the 2021 season at a crossroads and showed little progression in the 11 games he played before his season ended from a neck injury. Jones improved from 6.6 to 6.7 yards per attempt, hardly the jump necessary to put him on a successful track. Jones also saw a drop in QBR from 54.0 to 41.5. Jones performed slightly above expectation (+0.2) in completion percentage, and suffered from an underperforming set of offensive weapons, but time may be running out on his future as a potential franchise quarterback.

Can Antonio Gibson ascend to the elite?

Antonio Gibson finished as RB8 on the season with his first 1000 yard rushing season. Gibson also took the jump from 12.1 attempts per game to 16.1 in 2021. Much of the jump the dynasty community hoped from Gibson was expected to be in the passing game, but he maintained the same 2.6 receptions per game as his rookie season, with a jump from 17.6 receiving yards per game to 18.4 receiving yards per game. Gibson will need to take a big leap in the receiving game which he has not done to date in his career.

Can the Dallas Cowboys' pre-Prescott-injury offense return?

With Dak Prescott’s 2020 season cut short in Week 5 from a broken leg, Dallas’s offense struggled. In 2021, the Dallas offense took a jump, leading the league in total yards while finishing second in yards per play (6.0), tied for second in passing yards (4800), and ninth in rushing yards (2119). The Dallas offense produced four starters in Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, CeeDee Lamb, and Dalton Schultz, with Tony Pollard and Amari Cooper just missing. Prescott finished as the sixth quarterback in completion percentage over expectation with +2.2 but came in below his career average in yards per attempt (7.5).

Is Jalen Hurts the quarterback of the future?

Jalen Hurts produced as a QB10 in season-long and points per game. Hurts led the league in quarterback rushing attempts (140), rushing yards (782), and rushing touchdown (10) while performing in the middle of the position with 7.3 yards per attempt and a near median 48.6 QBR. Philadelphia has the ability to look for other options with three first-round picks in the draft, but Hurts has played well enough to warrant more opportunity as a starting quarterback, especially on a rookie deal.

What is the wide receiver future in Chicago?

Allen Robinson was a disappointment finishing as WR84 in season-long points, in by far Robinson’s worst year outside of his injury-shortened 2017 season. Darnell Mooney stepped up to a WR23 finish in 2021, giving the Bears a potential in-house replacement if Robinson leaves in free agency in the offseason.

How will DAndre Swift progress?

Despite offseason concerns about the role of D’Andre Swift, Swift performed well in 2021 when healthy. Swift finished with 62 receptions, the fourth-best mark at the running back position, but carried the ball 151 times to 153 carries for Jamaal Williams in 13 games. Swift is a top 5 dynasty running back but there should remain concerns about his ultimate rushing upside with the coaching staff committed to deploying two running backs in the ground game.

What will happen with Aaron Rodgers?

Aaron Rodgers returned to the Green Bay Packers and won his second consecutive MVP. Rodgers finished in the top 8 of quarterbacks, despite a broken toe that all but eliminated his practice time during portions of the season. While most signs point to him staying in Green Bay, Rodgers could potentially be on the move in the offseason, which should be one of the 2022 offseason storylines to watch.

Is Kellen Mond a consideration for Minnesota’s future franchise quarterback?

The progress of Kellen Mond should be in doubt since the general manager and coach who drafted him are no longer employed. Kirk Cousins is still under contract for another season but is a subject of potential trade rumors. When given the opportunity to audition Mond, former Head Coach Mike Zimmer chose to play Sean Mannion instead. Mond should be a heavy underdog to be a long-term starter in Minnesota.

How will the Atlanta offense look under new Head Coach Arthur Smith?

Smith was dealt a subpar hand, with Julio Jones traded before the season and Calvin Ridley taking personal time away from the team. On a positive note, Smith was the first coach to successfully deploy Cordarelle Patterson and had a historic season out of rookie tight end Kyle Pitts. Smith has shown to be able to adapt to his circumstances as a play-caller first in Tennessee and now in Atlanta, a good sign for the future of the offense.

Will Sam Darnold ascend to a franchise quarterback?

Many held hope Sam Darnold could rebound after leaving Adam Gase’s influence behind. Darnold saw a drop from 6.6 yards per attempt in his three years in New York, to 6.2 yards per attempt in Carolina. Darnold’s QBR was the third lowest amongst qualifiers, with only Zach Wilson and Justin Fields performing worse. Darnold is signed through 2022 but is unlikely to ascend to the role of a franchise quarterback.

Who is the successor to Drew Brees?

Drew Brees retired at the conclusion of the 2020 season, leaving a hole in the New Orleans offense. Jameis Winston won the starting job, but New Orleans structured the offense to limit the damage Winston could do instead of giving him full reigns of the offense and dropping him to 23 attempts per game more than 10 less than any year in his tenure in Tampa Bay. Taysom Hill, Trevor Siemian, and Ian Book played the final half of the season in the aftermath of Winston’s injury. New Orleans could be in the veteran trade market in 2022 in their first year in the post-Sean Payton era.

Who is the starting running back in Tampa Bay?

Leonard Fournette became the clear starter in the backfield. Giovani Bernard was limited to early season two-minute work, which Fournette consolidated after Bernard was injured. Ronald Jones II operated as a pure injury-away running back behind Fournette and disappointed during the stretch run of the season. Fournette finished third in the league in receptions, and his 4.9 receptions per game ranked second behind Christian McCaffrey in 2021. Fournette, Jones, and Bernard are all free agents in 2022, with a highly lucrative position up for grabs, particularly if Fournette ends back in Tampa.

Is Kyler Murray an elite passer?

Kyler Murray was below expectation in completion percentage (-1.5) before he grew in 2020 (+2.5) and took another leap in 2021 (+3.9), which was the second-best performance in the league. His yards per attempt also jumped from 7.1 in 2020 to 7.9 in 2021. Murray was better at the beginning of the season but struggled after being injured and missing three games. Murray’s end of the season and recent drama deleting Instagram posts and back in forth in the media with the Cardinals will be a must-watch this offseason.

How much will Matthew Stafford transform the Rams’ offense?

The Rams struck gold, winning the Super Bowl after trading for Matthew Stafford in the offseason. Stafford elevated Cooper Kupp to a triple crown Wide Receiver performance, leading the league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. The Rams were able to win the Super Bowl despite losing Robert Woods, Tyler Higbee, and Odell Beckham along the way.

Which offense will Seattle showcase in 2021?

The new-look Seattle offense was thrown off by Russell Wilson’s mallet finger injury in October. Wilson likely returned too soon and struggled from his Week 10 return through the end of the season. Wilson’s best performance passing yardage in the final nine weeks of the season was 260 passing yards. DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett finished as WR15 and WR16 respectively, a drop from top 10 finishes in 2020. Wilson’s contract and potential trade request will be a watch this offseason.

What is the pecking order of the San Francisco running backs?

Raheem Mostert was injured in Week 1, and it was Elijah Mitchell instead of Trey Sermon, who took over as the starter. Mitchell averaged 15 points per game in 11 games, finishing as RB26 in total points. Jeff Wilson also started four games when Mitchell was injured, with Wilson (79) out carrying Sermon (41) on the season. While Mostert and Wilson are free agents, Deebo Samuel’s role as a rusher will cap the ceiling from the San Francisco backfield.