Tony Cutillo
The shot heard around the sports world was Sam Bradford being given a one-way ticket to Minnesota yesterday, which was facilitated by the unfortunate injury suffered by Teddy Bridgewater earlier this week. By now, we have heard all the stories surrounding what it means for the Eagles and Vikings this season and beyond, but I’m here to break down the fantasy side of the deal.
With all due respect to the Philadelphia Eagles, the fantasy implications of this trade will come to a screeching halt. Chase Daniel came into camp as the impending starter if something were to happen to Bradford, and Carson Wentz was supposed to spend the season carrying a clipboard while watching how many times Dougie P adjusted his visor throughout an entire game. However, after witnessing a horrendous preseason campaign from Daniel that left us having a Bubby Brister renaissance nightmare, it looks like, if healthy, the Wentz Wagon will lead the charge in Week 1.
Barring an Andrew Luck like performance, Wentz likely will not be a viable fantasy asset for owners in 2016. This is by no means a knock on his ability, but instead a look at history that suggests it takes a year or two to gain relevance within the fantasy circle for a quarterback. On the flip side, Bradford owners or future drafters could benefit greatly from this move. Let’s not forget, the Vikings are built to win now and are expected to contend for a Super Bowl.
When training camp broke and about 60 percent of drafts were completed, drafting Bradford wasn’t even an option. The most overhyped preseason quarterback in NFL history was stuck in a rebuilding program who adopted a defensive philosophy heading into 2016. He was coming off an offseason where his future was in doubt and his chance to grab one last big payday was all in the hands of a receiving core that still had some major question marks.
But what a difference a few hours makes. He is now engulfed in an offense that includes one of, if not the, best running backs in the game in Adrian Peterson, a revamped receiving core that includes first-round pick Laquon Treadwell and a much underrated tight end in Kyle Rudolph. We also can’t forget wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who proved to be a revelation for fantasy players leading him from waiver wire fodder to starting lineup consideration last year.
When Norv Turner arrived in Minnesota, fans were enthusiastic about his exciting offense with its emphasis on the vertical pass. It is built with a seven-step drop, fitting for a quarterback like Bradford who has as much mobility as Sebastian Janikowski attempting to make a touchdown-saving play on special teams. History shows with guys like Jeff George and Kerry Collins, the system works for many drop-and-pop QBs. Bradford says he is thrilled with the move and now I am starting to see why. The question now is, Are his fantasy followers just as ecstatic?
Looking at the past success Norv Turner has had throughout his career, the obvious answer to this question is a resounding Yes! Guys by the likes of Gus Frerotte (1996), Troy Aikman (1991, 1992, 1993), Brad Johnson (1999) and most recently Philip Rivers (2009, 2010, 2011) all let the Turner offense catapult them into a Pro Bowl appearance. Even without Pro Bowl numbers, he turned guys like Jason Campbell and Brandon Weeden into very serviceable QBs in a time of need. With Bradford looking to cash in on one last big contract, this could be the exact situation he needs.
When preseason rankings came out, Bradford was ranked anywhere from 28-30 across a high percentage of draft boards. That number should now change drastically. Remember this was a No. 1 overall pick who finally seemed to ramp up his ROI in 2012 when he threw for 3,700 yards and 21 TDs. After this step closer to respectability, he started off 2013 on fire with 14 TDs in seven games. Unfortunately, we all know how the rest of the story goes. This time around, I think he will be a more than serviceable fantasy QB and one that will be a nice starting option. While defenses zone in on AP, Sam will have plenty of time to pick apart the opposing defenses.
In my opinion, Bradford climbs up the charts from 28 to that middle ranking on the board that includes guys named Tannehill, Fitzpatrick, and Ryan. He goes from waiver wire garbage to a guy who could possibly win you a lot of games. Looking at the numbers from a guy who passed for over 3,700 yards in 14 games last year while leading a dysfunctional offense, a line of 4,000+ yards and 22+ touchdowns certainly isn’t out of the question. Nothing about fantasy is ever certain, but for Bradford’s sake, at least his big sleeves will be well warranted in the balmy confines of Minnesota.
More from me:
Your Fantasy Football Third-Year Wide Receiver Candidates: Low Cost and High Reward
Running Backs Who Live in the Later Rounds and Can Help You Win in 2016
Your 2016 Fantasy Football Overview: Keeping the Wide Receiver in Mind
As always, you can stop by my Facebook page (Fantasy Sports Addiction) or tweet me (@TCutillo23) for questions or some nice fantasy debates. I can also be heard weekly via the internet stream live at WENG RADIO every Monday at 4:00 P.M. ET for a weekend sports wrap. But most importantly, you can catch me here at Pi!
For Fantasy purposes, all my article are predicated upon a PPR based system.