Every season, despite the multitude of practices and reporting, there are always situations that remain murky. Still, it's August, and everyone has either already started drafting or will be very soon.
Footballguys, of course, has official projections and staff rankings. However, it can be beneficial to delve into these unclear situations in more detail.
To that end, we've asked our staff to focus on five teams:
We came into this season lower on Breece Hall, mainly due to what his numbers would look like with Fields under center. But now the drumbeats are confusing because some of the beat writers are talking up a 1a/1b split with Braelon Allen. However, others, including offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, are also discussing Hall as the centerpiece of the new offense. It's challenging to get a clear understanding of how to model this one accurately at the moment.
Jeff Haseley: I believe that Justin Fields often checks down to his running backs, which is good news for Breece Hall, who would handle that receiving role out of the backfield. I think the Jets are looking to duplicate what the Lions have done with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. A thunder and lightning approach. Both backs can have value, but you also need to include Fields' rushing output as well. The ground game could be potent, especially if it yields results early in the season.
Meng Song: It sounds like this will be more of a committee backfield with Breece Hall utilized more as a receiver. In theory, this would be good news for Hall, given how important receiving usage is for fantasy. However, target volume and accuracy are both concerns with Justin Fields under center. At ADP, Hall has mostly been a pass for me in favor of strong wide receiver options.
Ben Cummins: This is a tough one to read. On one hand, Breece Hall is an incredible prospect. He's an amazing athlete at 217 pounds. He racked up elite production in college, totaling 1,149 yards and 10 touchdowns as a freshman, 1,752 yards and 23 touchdowns as a sophomore, and 1,766 yards and 23 touchdowns as a junior. And he has already demonstrated proven production in the NFL, both before and after his rookie-season ACL tear.
On the other hand, I think Braelon Allen is a good player and believe the coaching staff's reports that they are going to use him more in his second season. Allen is a 235-pound running back and has solid athleticism to go with that size. Allen is a unicorn of sorts, as most running backs in the league are not that big. If I had to choose between the two at their individual costs, I would opt for Allen over Hall this season.
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