Making the Leap

We see it each year.  Certain guys go from being bench players/bye-week fillers to every-week starters.  This year is no different, and some players have already emerged. Below are five players whose stock has risen dramatically in the first two weeks of the season, to the point where they can safely be considered every-week starters.  

1. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs.  Mahomes has lit the fantasy world on fire so far in 2018.  He has tossed 10 touchdowns and ZERO interceptions, and is averaging almost 300 passing yards per game.  He’s bound to regress, for sure, but he has at least shown that he is capable of elite performances. And he’s only three starts into his career!

2. Kenny Golladay, WR, Lions.  The man known as “Babytron” (hat tip to J.J. Zachariason) is exploding onto the scene in his sophomore campaign.  He is in the top 10 among wide receivers in receiving yards through two games, totaling 114 yards in the opener and 89 yards and a touchdown in Week 2.  He is tethered to a reliable quarterback in Matthew Stafford, and has other formidable weapons on his team (Marvin Jones, Golden Tate) that should prevent him from being double-teamed.  He’s averaging better than 10 targets per game, so it is likely that his production keeps up. And he’s also averaging better than 15 yards per catch, so it is likely that he will continue to make plays in big chunks. He seems destined to finish the season as a WR2… if not better.
    

3. Keelan Cole, WR, Jaguars.  Cole was featured in the Weekly Hail Mary column this week, and for good reason.  The dude can flat out ball. His production in four of his last six regular season games has been ridiculous:
   
   Week 14, 2017: 3 catches, 99 yards, TD
   Week 15, 2017: 7 catches, 186 yards, TD
   Week 16, 2017: 6 catches, 108 yards
   Week 2, 2018:  7 catches, 116 yards, TD
   
   And that’s despite having the erratic Blake Bortles at quarterback! What’s more, he averages better than 17 yards per reception since the start of last season, which is one of the best averages in the league. And did you see the one-handed grab he made against Patriots DB Eric Rowe in Week 2? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR12XxgKGeM. If that doesn’t convince you of this guy’s talent, nothing will. Like Golladay, Cole seems to have the chops to finish the season as a WR2.

4. Phillip Lindsay, RB, Broncos.  Lindsay, the 5’8” undrafted free agent out of Colorado, has burst onto the scene as Denver’s best runner.  He is third in the NFL in rushing yards, just one yard behind Cincinnati’s Joe Mixon and six behind San Francisco’s Matt Breida.  He is getting consistent use, touching the ball 15 times in Week 1 and 17 times in Week 2. If he continues to average 16 touches per week, that will translate to more than 250 touches on the season, which is certainly enough to lead to a RB2 finish.
   

5. James Conner, RB, Steelers.  Who knows how long it might last but, with Le’Veon Bell out, Conner has demonstrated that he can carry the load.  In Week 1, he managed 135 yards rushing, five receptions for 57 yards, and two rushing touchdowns. In Week 2, he added another touchdown on the ground, as well as a two-point conversion, while he continued to produce in the passing game with five receptions for 48 yards. As long as Conner has the lead job in Pittsburgh, he should be confidently fired up as a RB1.

Be sure to check back later in the season for more articles and analysis on players that have emerged as every-week starters.