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Tennessee Titans Offseason Breakdown

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Tennessee Titans Offseason Breakdown

Six short months ago, the Tennessee Titans went 2 for 3 in a commendable playoff run, defeating the Patriots dynasty in the Wild Card round and upsetting the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens. The game is something I’ll weirdly remember as fan-level revenge for the upset Baltimore pulled on Tennessee during their 2008 13-3 season, (led by Kerry Collins of all people) but more importantly for 2020 it will be known as the game that proved establishing the run, good defense, and a dash of trickery can beat any team. Well, any team other than the Kansas City Chiefs, that is.

Despite coming back to Nashville without hardware, the Titans look to run it back in 2020 with the same throwback gameplan and a near-identical roster. After showing off a seemingly unsustainable rate of efficiency in 2019, what should redraft fantasy managers expect for this season?

Offense: An Overview

The Titans offseason, like most of their offseasons, remained largely uneventful outside of retaining their key playmakers. They agreed to a four-year, $118 million extension with Ryan Tannehill and, as of Wednesday, July 15th, signed Derrick Henry to a reported four-year, $50 million deal, maintaining continuity in the roster for the foreseeable future. To supplement Henry, the Titans selected rookie running back Darrynton Evans out of Appalachian State in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

As for the offensive line, the Titans lost Jack Conklin to the Cleveland Browns for a three-year, $42 million deal. Fortunately, they were able to re-sign tackle Dennis Kelly to a three-year contract, and they reloaded at the position by taking Isaiah Wilson, a tackle out of Georgia, in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Wilson may jump right into starting work given his youth and talent, while Kelly should be more-than-serviceable swing tackle/depth piece for the team.

Lastly, the Titans waived 35 year-old veteran tight end Delanie Walker from the roster in March, leaving potential breakout Jonnu Smith as the #1 tight end on the Titans depth chart. The Titans also opted to not sign wide receiver Tajae Sharpe or running back Dion Lewis back to the team. Between these three former Titans, 98 targets have been vacated from the offense, which can be allocated to other players on the team in projections.

Quarterback

Ryan Tannehill

Tannehill was the savior the Titans needed last year to escape from Marcus Mariota’s middling-at-best play and get a shot at the playoffs. His efficiency as a passer could not have been better. To put it in perspective, Tannehill’s touchdown percentage on pass attempts (7.7%) and his yards per attempt (9.6) were both higher than Matt Ryan’s 2016 MVP season stats (7.1 TD% and 9.3 YPA, respectively.)

Tannehill’s efficiency is primed for regression, and this is factored into his rankings (QB16) and ADP. As such, I would only consider Tannehill as an option to begin the season in Superflex and 2QB leagues. If he continues to show hyper-efficiency in the early part of the season, I would consider picking him up off the waiver wire for the upside.

Running Back

Derrick Henry

There’s not much to say here other than Henry is a towering, stiff-arming, gridiron Goliath that the Titans have chosen to center their offense around over anyone else. Fantasy Football success comes from a combination of talent and opportunity, and Henry clearly has both. The majority of the public agrees that Derrick Henry is, for lack of better words, “Just That Good.” From polls that I ran on Twitter and had retweeted by MyFantasyLeague to expand the sample size, Henry falls in between the following players:

  • Dalvin Cook
  • Joe Mixon
  • Derrick Henry
  • Miles Sanders
  • Kenyan Drake
  • Austin Ekeler

The public has Henry pegged as the RB7 in 2020 PPR redraft leagues, and despite the receiving upside of Sanders/Drake/Ekeler, you should be comfortable drafting Henry here. I would not value Henry nearly as high in Dynasty, simply because he could be on another team in two years (given his contract structure.)

Click on the tweet below to see the full thread of polls.

Darrynton Evans

The Titans’ third round draft pick has been brought in to be a complementary piece that has the versatility necessary to lighten a portion of the load for Henry. Evans has 96th percentile speed according to PlayerProfiler.com and chalked up 5 touchdowns on 21 receptions in his final year at Appalachian State, so I see Evans as the replacement to Dion Lewis with upside for even more receiving work. Should anything happen to Derrick Henry injury-wise, Evans would become a must-have on redraft rosters. Also, for what it’s worth, Blake Hampton published a predictive model for rookie running backs on our site, and in that model Evans is projected to outscore the likes of Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Zack Moss over the first three seasons of their respective careers.

Wide Receiver

A.J. Brown

I’ve written about fading A.J Brown before on our site, and I’ll say it again here: The efficiency in the Titans’ passing game is set to regress, and that could have a material affect on Brown’s own efficiency and production in the offense. Brown should see a full complement of targets going into his second year, but he’ll also draw top corners from opposing defenses. I expect to see a good amount of weekly WR1 performances, but I won’t be surprised if he gets shut down from time to time, or the Titans don’t need to use him heavily certain weeks to win. He’s a true boom-bust prospect in my book.

Corey Davis

Corey Davis truthers (myself included) have held on far too long to the potential of a Top-5 NFL draft pick. After finishing as a Top-30 wide receiver in 2018 and being touted as a bit of a sleeper going into 2019, Davis  did nothing to impress in 2019. He finished the year with an underwhelming 43 receptions, 601 yards, and 2 TDs. Specifically because of Tennessee’s tendency to run the ball, I can’t in good conscience recommend drafting Davis in redraft. There are other #3 wide receivers in places like Atlanta that should see better production than Davis this year, simply because the team throws more. If I’m in Dynasty, I would probably hold Davis in case he unlocks his potential late a la DeVante Parker for an 8-game stretch, otherwise I would try to flip him for a future third- or second-round pick where you can take a shot on an overlooked rookie wide receiver.

Adam Humphries

It’s always difficult for wide receivers to transition from one team to another. This transition could not have gone worse for Adam Humphries. After piling up 76 receptions, 816 yards, and 5 touchdowns in his last season in Tampa Bay, Humphries became another cog in the Titans’ run-first offense and only managed 37 receptions for 374 yards and 2 touchdowns. Humphries is a mega-deep stash in dynasty formats (maybe if his situation changes he can be a flex?) and is undraftable in 2020 redraft leagues.

Tight End

Jonnu Smith

Smith flashed in multiple ways last year on limited volume, and it’s those highlights along with stellar metrics that have many a fantasy draftnik identifying Smith as a breakout candidate for 2020. From my time watching the Titans play last year, I’d say Smith is easily the second-best pass catching option on the team.

I mean, just look at him. The man is READY to PLAY:

Smith’s 12th-round ADP has stabilized over the past couple months, meaning he should remain a solid sleeper target in your 2020 drafts. I would not, however, rely on him as the only tight end on my roster in redraft or dynasty, in case he does not see the target volume we expect to see from a typical TE1.

Our own Vivek Iyer details the potential for Smith’s breakout further in the Twitter thread below:

Anthony Firkser

Firkser is the backup tight end to Jonnu Smith. At age 25, he has been in the league for two years, but has not seen much opportunity as of yet. The reason I bring him up here is because he caught two touchdowns in three postseason games last year, a sign that he could take some production away from Smith. It’s going to be annoying, but not any more annoying than when a backup on any other NFL team scores instead of the player in your fantasy lineup. Firkser is a name to know if (God forbid) Smith misses time due to injury.

Final Thoughts

I wanted to write this offseason breakdown because I’ve been a Titans fan since 2000. So, feel free to take everything I’ve written here with a grain of salt. However, in an uncertain season, and more importantly an abnormal offseason, I continue to favor continuity when projecting fantasy success.

The Titans are running it back with their key playmakers from down the stretch in 2019: Ryan Tannehill, Derrick Henry, A.J. Brown, and Jonnu Smith. While this core of continuity is small, I expect these players to be the engines of the Titans offense, leading to a high concentration of fantasy points. Remember: Talent + Opportunity = Success!

Los Angeles Rams Offseason Breakdown

Vivek Iyer
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Los Angeles Rams Offseason Breakdown

The Rams began their offseason with key departures, cutting star RB Todd Gurley in a shocking turn of events. The Rams took on $20.15 million in dead cap for this move, severing ties with Gurley despite signing him to a 4-year extension just before the 2019 season. Subsequently, Los Angeles traded Brandin Cooks (and a 2022 fourth rounder) to the Houston Texans in exchange for a second round pick. In the NFL Draft, the Rams selected Cam Akers and Van Jefferson in the second round, drafting offensive players with four out of their nine picks. The Rams also signed Kevin O’Connell to be the team’s offensive coordinator. With all of these changes, there are numerous fantasy ramifications. Let’s examine these impacts in this Los Angeles Rams Offseason Breakdown.

Offense: A Breakdown

The Rams offense is one of the most difficult offenses to evaluate heading into the 2020 season. While several key members remain in place such as head coach Sean McVay and quarterback Jared Goff, their scheme shifts from last year make this year tricky to project. Before their Week 9 bye, the Rams ran 11 personnel (3 WR, 1 RB, 1 TE) 80% of the time, and 12 personnel (2 WR, 2 TE, 1 RB) only 11% of the time. After their bye week, the Rams ran 67% of snaps in 11 personnel and 30% of snaps in 12 personnel. This meant reduced snaps for players such as Cooper Kupp (as the slot receiver is not typically used in 12 personnel), and increased playing time for tight end Tyler Higbee, who turned into an absolute fantasy superstar when the scheme change occurred. The Rams had a 5-3 record pre bye week and a 4-4 record after their bye week. Going forward, projections for players in this offense will depend on the anticipated scheme implemented, making this offense difficult to navigate.

Quarterback

Jared Goff

Jared Goff is the new Kirk Cousins of fantasy football. Goff is a fine option, but is not exciting to draft and start. Goff finished last year as the QB13 overall, placing him as more of a QB streamer than an every week starter. Goff has shown upside in the past, finishing as the QB7 in 2018, but lacks the top-4 potential that can be found in other late round quarterbacks. I aim for upside with late round quarterbacks in 1QB leagues, as streaming the position is a viable option if a late-round quarterback doesn’t pan out. This makes Goff a low-end QB2 for me in redraft leagues, recognizing that he will likely finish as a strong QB2. In dynasty, Goff is a solid QB2 given his real-life production and stability.

Running Back

Cam Akers

Cam Akers was drafted in the second round this year out of Florida State. Akers projects to handle most of the first and second down work, and is a capable pass catcher that will garner significant receiving work in this offense. Akers has proven college production, totaling 231 carries and 30 receptions last season. He has a workhorse frame at 5’10” and 217 lbs, which is increasingly rare in today’s NFL with all the running back by committees out there. He needs to improve his pass protection to become an every-down option, but if he does he has a chance to take over this backfield in year one. Due to rookie uncertainty, Akers is a fringe RB2/3 with upside in redraft leagues, however in dynasty Akers is a solid RB2 due to his age, talent, and potential opportunity.

Darrell Henderson

Darrell Henderson was disappointing for fantasy managers last year. Despite early third round draft capital and Gurley’s arthritic knee, Henderson was unable to get onto the field and receive meaningful opportunity, finishing the year with only 39 carries. Henderson was an explosive prospect coming out of college, averaging 8.9 YPC at Memphis (albeit against weaker defenses). In his limited sample size last year, Henderson ranked sixth in yards created per touch behind an atrocious offensive line that ranked 31st by PFF in 2019. Henderson projects to be used as a change of pace back behind Cam Akers, and could have fantasy value if he outperforms his opportunity and earns more touches. In redraft, Henderson has upside as a later round pick, and has intriguing dynasty value given his draft capital and potential opportunity (as Cam Akers is unproven at the NFL level).

Wide Receiver

Robert Woods

Robert Woods is continually undervalued by the fantasy football community. In 2018, Woods finished as the WR11 despite being drafted outside of the top 100 picks. In 2019, Woods outperformed his ADP once again, finishing as the WR14 in PPR leagues while being drafted at pick 43 overall. In this year’s ADP, pick 43 corresponds with the WR17 off the board. Woods was dominant after the bye week, finishing as the WR6 in PPR from Week 10 to Week 17. Woods is a full-time starter in this offense, regardless of them using 11 or 12 personnel, and that stability makes him valuable for fantasy. While Woods does not have the touchdown upside of Cooper Kupp or other weapons, he is a candidate for positive touchdown regression as he only had 2 receiving TDs last year. He should be valued as a high-end WR2 for redraft leagues, despite his low ADP of WR19. In dynasty, Woods’ value should be downgraded to that of a low-end WR2 due to his age (28) and the appeal/upside of younger options.

Cooper Kupp

Cooper Kupp’s season was fragmented into two stretches; one of fantasy dominance and another of relative disappointment. Before his bye week, Kupp was one of the best receivers in football, averaging 99 receiving yards per game and nearly 11 targets per game in 8 games played. During this period, Kupp was the WR 3 in PPR points per game. With the transition to 12 personnel after Week 9, Kupp’s snap percentages tanked, finishing the year with inconsistent playing time (72% / 28% / 92% / 61% / 61% of snaps over the last 5 games). This negatively impacted his production, and he finished the year as the WR21 from Week 10 onward. Due to the impact of 12 personnel on slot receivers, Kupp has a wider range of outcomes than his ADP would otherwise indicate. With that in mind, Kupp has the highest TD upside on this team, and the departure of Todd Gurley could increase his red zone usage. He has a legitimate chance to lead the league in receiving touchdowns, finishing second last year with 10. Kupp is a high-end, volatile WR2 in redraft leagues with the upside to finish as the WR1 overall. In dynasty, Kupp maintains similar value as a strong WR2 with upside.

Josh Reynolds

Josh Reynolds stands to benefit from the departure of Brandin Cooks in the offseason, filling in as the #3 WR in this offense. The Rams played at least three wide receivers on the field 77% of the time last year, and this didn’t decline when Cooks suffered injuries from Weeks 8-11 last season. In fact, during that time period, the Rams ran at least three wide receivers on the field 79% of the time, meaning that Reynolds will get significant opportunity in this offense. During this time, Reynolds was the WR41 in PPR points per game. He was also the WR36 in 2018 from Weeks 11-17 when Cooper Kupp was out of the lineup (despite the Rams Week 12 bye). Reynolds can be serviceable during bye weeks, despite the addition of Van Jefferson (who projects as more of a slot receiver, and thus might not hurt Reynolds’s production/playing time). As the current WR85 in ADP, Reynolds presents a solid value for fantasy players, and should be valued as a bye week fill-in for redraft leagues. In dynasty, Reynolds is a solid bench depth piece.

Van Jefferson

Van Jefferson was drafted in the second round this year out of Florida. Jefferson is a talented route runner that projects to be a slot receiver in the NFL, likely working behind Cooper Kupp and receiving playing time in four wide receiver sets. With his high draft capital, Jefferson has intriguing dynasty value as a rookie sleeper, however for redraft leagues he should go undrafted.

Tight End

Tyler Higbee

Tyler Higbee is the most difficult tight end to evaluate for 2020. Higbee had two “careers”. One from before Week 13 last season and the other post-Week 13. Higbee had never surpassed 25 receptions or 300 yards in his first three years, and was completely irrelevant for fantasy football purposes. On the contrary, Higbee finished as the TE1 from Week 13-Week 17 last season, averaging 21.4 points per game (The TE2 was Travis Kelce, who finished 23.2 points behind him during this stretch). Higbee never had fewer than 7 receptions during this period, and finished with four of five games of over 100 receiving yards. This coincided with a dramatic increase in snaps, as Higbee played 91% / 97% / 85% / 89% / 96% of snaps in those five games. So should we believe the end of last year? Or is that simply recency bias? The truth is likely between these two “careers.” Higbee’s production was simply unsustainable, as maintaining such production would catapult him to an “all-time great” trajectory, which cannot be predicted based on this small sample size. Still, Higbee’s performances should garner attention from the coaching staff, and will bode well for his redraft and dynasty value. Higbee projects as a mid-low tier TE1 for redraft leagues, however has the upside to finish within the top 3 tight ends this year. On the other hand, he has the potential to absolutely bust given that he had been irrelevant for fantasy before the end of last year. In dynasty, Higbee’s value should be downgraded to that of a fringe TE1 due to long-term production uncertainty.

Gerald Everett

Let’s get one thing out of the way… Gerald Everett has never been fantasy reliable for long stretches, even before Tyler Higbee’s emergence as Goff’s preferred target. Before Week 9 (their bye week), when Higbee was the TE29, Everett was the TE13 in PPR points per game. He was effectively a high-end streamer, and this is actually the best he has performed for fantasy in his career. He finished as the TE43 in 2017 (his rookie season), and the TE22 in 2018. Everett is extremely athletic, ranking 80th percentile or higher in 40-yard dash speed, burst score, agility score, and catch radius. He is a pass-catching tight end that cedes snaps to Higbee for blocking, however towards the end of last year even Everett’s pass catching took a back seat to Higbee’s. Everett is irrelevant for redraft leagues, however still has some dynasty value due to his contract expiring and his athleticism/skill set.

Brycen Hopkins

Brycen Hopkins was drafted in the fourth round out of Purdue this year. Hopkins is a smooth route-running tight end that was used downfield in college, never averaging less than 13.6 yards per reception over his three collegiate seasons. He is an athletic tight end, with a 75th percentile speed score and 82nd percentile 40 yard dash. Hopkins needs to work on his blocking to garner every down usage. This year, Hopkins has no fantasy relevance as two tight ends are ahead of him on the depth chart, however he has sneaky deep-roster dynasty value since Everett is an unrestricted free agent following this season.

Final Thoughts

The Rams are one of the most difficult teams to evaluate heading into the 2020 season. The differences in offensive scheme pre- and post- bye week last year had massive impacts on production for key players such as Cooper Kupp and Tyler Higbee, adding an element of volatility to the team’s fantasy outlook. With the departure of Brandin Cooks and Todd Gurley, and the arrival of Cam Akers and Van Jefferson, the offense will look significantly different next year. Regardless of these changes, this offense is still loaded with fantasy relevant players for 2020 and beyond.

Follow Vivek Iyer on Twitter for more offseason breakdowns and fantasy football content! If you would like to read more offseason team breakdowns, there are many more published on cantcutlist.com, including the entirety of the NFC South. Thank you for reading!

San Francisco 49ers Offseason Breakdown

Randal Kennedy
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San Francisco 49ers Offseason Breakdown

Adaptive Draft Strategy

Michael Reedy
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Adaptive Draft Strategy

What IS Adaptive Draft Strategy?

There are countless draft strategies out there going by the names of Zero RB, Zero WR, Late Round QB, and Value Based Drafting.   All of them can work, and all of them can fail.  You need to have a plan when drafting if you want to have success, but you also need to be able to adapt to the draft.  This is where Adaptive Draft Strategy comes into play.

Why use Adaptive Draft Strategy instead of Zero RB draft for instance?  Zero RB is a draft strategy in which is the person drafting will draft wide receivers heavily in the early rounds and wait on a running backs.   Well what if you are drafting with other players all trying to do Zero RB, and a couple of running backs you have rated very high slide to you, do you pass on them to stick to your strategy?  Even though the wide receivers you thought would be there are gone?  The answer is simply no, oh my god, no.  Draft those running backs and adapt to what is coming your way.

To get you to understand my philosophy on life and in this case drafting,  I believe you need to have a plan, and a big part of that plan is to adapt to things that are occurring.  There is a quote from Charles Darwin: “Adapt or Die.” I literally say this to people all the time.

What the F%@$ does that mean Mike, why are you such a nerd that you bring Darwin into drafting for fantasy football?  Well, I am going to let Bruce Lee help me explain this as well. Bruce Lee created a style of martial arts called Jete Kune Do. A famous quote from Bruce Lee is, ‘When the opponent expands, I contract. When he contracts, I expand. And when there is an opportunity, I do not hit. It hits all by itself.”

I work in IT and when things (often) do not go as planned, we can adapt the plan, or we can stick to a plan that is failing us.  Plan in a way that you can change what you are doing to have success with, even when your original plan isn’t working. You need to be prepared for how the draft will change your plan and you need to adapt on the fly.

How does all that pertain to drafting? I zig when they zag. If everyone is drafting running backs, it is amazing how many awesome wide receivers are immediately available that you didn’t think would be there.  So, draft a wide receiver.  If people start a tight end trend, don’t panic and fall into it, draft a running back that might be higher on your board.  It is a combination of dictating what you are doing and letting the draft come to you at the same time. Remember, it does not matter which position or which player points come from, what matters is that you get more points than your opponent week to week during the season.

There is a caveat though: In order to use an Adaptive Draft Strategy like this, you have to be prepared.

Preparing for the Draft

  1. Ranks –  Either take rankings from known resources such as The Undroppables, ESPN, Yahoo, or perhaps the ones I have made available here: https://t.co/cgo52PuOtG?amp=1
  2. Tiers – Lay out players in tiers by placing players that will produce relatively the same amount of points over the season in groups together. I typically do this by position and then have an understanding of who I find more valuable overall.  Placing players in tiers also allows you to stay focused on the tier and not individual players.  When there are five players in a certain tier and I am looking to draft one player from that tier, I do not usually care which one I get, as long as I get one of them.
  1. ADP – Average Draft Position (ADP) gives you an idea of where a player should be drafted. Understanding where players may go in the draft will help you plan for when a player should be drafted. If there are players you are really high on, it will also give you an idea of when you may want to reach for someone that you really want.
  1. League Scoring Settings – You need to understand the scoring settings of you league as that will change the value of certain players. If you play PPR, then running backs that can catch passes become more valuable than running backs that don’t.  Wide receivers that see a lot of targets also become much more valuable than big play guys in PPR.  Know the scoring settings it will have a drastic effect on how you should value players.
  1. Rosters – You want to know how many players start at each position, number flex spots, and bench spots there are on your roster. You may also play in a league where you can only draft a certain number of players at each position.  This information is needed prior to the draft.
  1. Bye Weeks – It is important to know when are occurring for your players so you can field a team every week.  But I will throw out there I don’t pay as much attention to bye weeks as others do.  If there is high value on a player and the bye week is the only thing keeping you from drafting that player,  draft the player.  Don’t talk yourself out of the best player available because you might have too many players with the same bye week.  A lot of things can change between your draft and Week 3.
  1. Reaching – I say it all the time to people, but do not be afraid to reach for someone you want or need. If you look and see someone that you want to draft, all your research made this payer a target of yours.  Draft that player and don’t risk that they won’t come back to you.  It is your team and you should get the guys you will provide success.
  1. Getting Sniped – This is when someone right before you drafts the player you had in the queue. Don’t get mad!  You should feel good that others agree with where you see value.  This is the reason for putting players into tiers.  That way, you will be able to find someone else in the same tier you have laid out.
  1. Draft Board – Be aware of other teams needs if possible. If it’s a live draft and that is up in front of you, it’s easy to see other teams needs. If you don’t have a player at a certain position and someone else also has that need as the draft progresses, you both may be vying for the same player.  You’ll want to be aware so you can fill your positional needs with the best players available.
  1. Late Rounds – I tend to look for high upside players in the late rounds. Players that have the potential to become valuable.  The backup running back to an injury prone running back. Players that have new coaching staffs or have joined new teams where they will get the opportunity to produce.  You want to be the guy at the draft when you name a player and almost everyone else says, “who, who the hell is that?”  It is fun and it makes them all question themselves.
  1. Mock – Do some mock drafts prior to your draft. I typically use Yahoo for this.  I like to do a mock per week leading up to the draft.  It will help you understand ADP and where some players really will be taken in your own draft.  Plus, it’s fun.
  1. Draft on the turn – If you are drafting first or last in a snake draft, you get to draft on the turn. One of my favorite things is to draft on one of the turns.  Often you get to dictate the next round when you pick here.  Doing a running back, running back or a tight end tight end on the turn can cause havoc to your league mates and put them in panic mode.  The turn is a great place to dictate how others will draft.  It allows you to see if they can adapt to you.

Wrapping it up

Be prepared with player rankings and some sort of understanding of ADP.   Know your league settings for scoring and rosters.  Lay out players in tiers or groupings of players that will produce at relatively the same level for the season.  Adapt to what is occurring, and don’t feel the need to stick to drafting a running back in the third round if a player at a different position has higher value. Most importantly have fun! Don’t stress out. Fantasy football is supposed to be fun.

If you need help to prepare, you can find me, @MikeReedyFF, on Twitter.

Can’t Cut List | Samuel Wallace

Chalk
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Can’t Cut List | Samuel Wallace

Can’t Cut List is our way of showcasing the friends, partners, and affiliates of The Undroppables. Fantasy Football has been a way for us to connect with people all over the world, allowing us to make strong bonds and friendships. Throughout the way, we’ve been fortunate enough to connect with the industry’s top upcoming names. Meet some of the brightest minds that have influenced us in our processes.

Humble Roots

I remember when Samuel Wallace first entered the fantasy football scene less than a year ago. Young, hungry, and humble are the words that come to mind when thinking about Sam and who he is. From my countless interactions with him, talking football and life, there has been one constant which is Sam’s genuine desire to be a nice guy and uplift others. Hailing from just outside Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sam was born and raised in the Midwest and attended Wisconsin Lutheran College, a small D3 school.

After graduating, Mr. Wallace went into teaching at a local high school where he still teaches 9th grade social studies and economics and personal finance for junior and seniors. When I asked him why he chose the teaching profession, his answer was not surprising: Sam had a lot of great teachers growing up so he wanted to give back and do the same. Whether it’s working hands-on with the students or interacting with parents and faculty, Sam truly enjoys his day job as he gets to focus on education and helping shape the next generation. When he’s not teaching class about economics or schooling Twitter about the next WR breakout, Sam likes to run (huh?!) and get outdoors with some camping or hiking.

Non-Stop

One thing I’ve noticed about Sam is that he doesn’t stop. Ever. He started off off with Dynasty Football Factory but is currently one of the top writers over at RotoViz. He is always churning out content and I consider him one of the most prolific content creators in this community. If you asked his friends what Sam is like, you’d get the same sentiment: that this guys never stops grinding! From a fantasy football perspective, his research and analysis focuses on the wide receiver position as it has always intrigued Sam. As he puts it, the league is becoming more pass-happy which usually produces 2-3 FF viable WRs on each team.

Taking Action

When Sam identifies a player who interests him and he will take a deeper dive, whether it’s a change in perceived value from coach-speak or news update, something will pique his interest. From there, he is looking for actionable insights. But in the end, fantasy football is just a game to him and he’s more interested in building relationships with people in the community (which is a big part of the reason we connected when he first joined the community). And unlike many of us, Sam’s notion of success isn’t about winning titles necessarily or money – it’s all about the community.

Hat Tips

Some of Sam’s strongest influences are Kane Fossell, who originally asked him to join DFF, Shane Manila and our very own Paul Lundgaard. He also gives a lot of credit to his boss man at RotoViz, Curtis Patrick.

Always Building

As I mentioned earlier, Sam looks out for others first and foremost. And that is what makes him an absolute gem in this community and someone I was excited to get to know better. If you ever have questions about fantasy football or even life, Sam’s DMs are always open. I know cause I’ve reached out plenty of times and will continue to do so.

Words of Vizdom

“Be passionate, be willing to learn, and be a good person. It’s so easy to look at experts in the industry who are at the top of data analysis, film analysis, DFS, high stakes and it’s easy to compare yourself to them. Find your passion and go with it!”

 

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