Fantasy Football

WR/QB Most Likely to Improve this Season

• Tyreek Hill

• Derek Carr

Tyreek Hill

Before the season, Hill faced scrutiny for an off the field situation while he was in college. The severity of the incident caused Oklahoma State to dismiss him after his only season. The Chiefs later took a chance and drafted Tyreek Hill with the 165th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Hill went on to have an outstanding rookie year with the Chiefs. His primary position was receiver, but he was productive at many different positions. In 2016, Hill racked up 1,836 All-Purpose Yards on 138 touches. (13.3 Avg.) He reached the end zone 12 times in his rookie campaign. His unbelievable speed on Special Teams earned him a spot in the 2017 Pro-Bowl and First-Team All-Pro as a punt returner. Hill’s rookie season will be hard to top, given all that he accomplished. He is in the perfect position to take the next step. During a Sirius Radio interview at the Pro Bowl, Coach Andy Reid stated that, "Maybe he can double that or at least take it up a couple notches and allow him to get in more in a starting role. We use him a lot on special teams, obviously. When he came to us, that’s what we originally thought we had. He then said, ‘Listen, I can do this offensive thing.’ He’s innately a smart kid. We kept adding to it, and he got it. I’d expect him to learn that whole (playbook) by the end of all the OTAs and training camp and then be more of a threat." Hill was the Chiefs leading wide receiver with 593 receiving yards, while only seeing 40 percent of the team’s offensive snaps. He finished as a WR23 in PPR Leagues. Reid later stated that he felt that increasing Hill’s role is the key to improving their offense. Reid plans to feature Hill as slot receiver that takes the tops off defenses and opens up opportunities for fellow wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and tight end Travis Kelce. The upside for Hill is great because unlike most receivers, Hill’s guaranteed touches. As a kickoff/punt returner, the fastest player in the league is, without a doubt, going to score points at some point this season.

Derek Carr

Derek Carr took over the reigns in Oakland right before the 2014 season, as a rookie, passing Matt Schaub and never looking back. He went on to have a productive year as a rookie. Fast forward to 2016. Derek Carr breaks franchise record for passing yards in a game (513) in week 8 and went on to lead the Raiders to clinch a playoff berth. He earned a spot in the Pro-Bowl, but was unable to attend due to the fact that he suffered a broken tibia in week 16. Carr had 3,937 yards, 357 completions, and a career-low 560 attempts with 28 touchdowns in his third year in the league. This season also seems pretty difficult to top. At some points in the season, Carr was considered an MVP candidate, due to his dominance. During the offseason, the Oakland Raiders made some of the biggest moves around the league to strengthen an already lethal passing attack and fortify their run game. They started by adding Cordarrelle Patterson from the Vikings. Patterson holds the record for longest touchdown in NFL history (109) and was selected for a Pro-Bowl his rookie year. He’s an underrated speedster that can change games. The addition of tight end Jared Cook from the Packers also filled a gap that offense needed. His 6’5" 248 pounds frame paired with a receiver-like catching ability make him a nightmare for opposing defensive backs. Finally, after many rumors circulated on its legitimacy, my favorite move of the offseason actually happened. The Oakland Raiders traded the Seattle Seahawks traded to obtain running back Marshawn Lynch. Lynch, 31, is the final piece this offense needed to go from great to elite. His skill set brings this offense something it hasn’t had in years. Lynch’s ability to make plays, partnered with a lethal receiving corps that’s headed by Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, and the fourth best offensive line in the league, according to ProFootballFocus.com, make up arguably the best offense in the entire league.