Author: Brandon Murchison, Staff Writer
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target="_blank" href="http://rotoexperts.com/250947/ravens-have-holes-to-fill-in-this-draft/" target="_blank">Ravens –Redskins – Lions – Buccaneers – Broncos – Giants
Team Needs: LB, OG, CB
Projected Top Three Picks:
First Round- Forrest Lamp, OG, Western Kentucky
Second Round- Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida
Third Round- Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
The Dolphins will come into the draft looking to bolster their offensive line and add pieces to a defense that will be under new coordinator Matt Burke, who coached the linebackers last season.
With their first rounder, the Dolphins will upgrade the offensive line with the addition of Lamp. Lamp played primarily at tackle in college, but will be moved to guard in the Dolphins’ scheme. He should thrive in this move, as he excels in both areas, but his strength lies in his run blocking. With the Dolphins looking to employ a more ground-based attack on the shoulders of Jay Ajayi, the selection of Lamp will help this offense.
Does Jay Ajayi have what it takes to finish as a Top 5 RB in 2017? Photo by Shelley Lipton/Icon Sportswire
Going into the second round, the Dolphins go to the defensive side of the ball and select Davis. Even with the signing of Lawrence Timmons, the unit could use some youth mixed in with the veterans for rotational purposes. Davis will fit that mold, as he is an all-around talent. He can move out in coverage or play close to the line to stop the run and has the talent to make an immediate impact.
The intriguing pick is that of Jones in the third round. Jones had high first round potential before he tore his Achilles during Washington’s Pro Day. There is speculation Jones could be ready by October, and if he can come in and play well during the second half of the season, the Dolphins will have themselves a steal. The Dolphins’ defense could emerge as one of the better Ds in Fantasy if Jones lives up to his pre-injury hype.
This will be a make-or-break year for Ryan Tannehill, who has been a sleeper pick the past two seasons, only to come up lame. He has the physical tools and the weapons around him to be a must-start option for Fantasy owners, yet he continues to falter. If he doesn’t put it all together this year, head coach Adam Gase and the front office might begin looking for another long-term option. Tannehill will again be a name you look at on your draft board, but keep your expectations to a minimum, although he is a perfect late-round target to use as a streaming option.
The Dolphins sport a slew of WRs to choose from. Jarvis Landry is a target monster that racks up catches on a weekly basis and is the primary option in this passing game. The only knock on him is that he doesn’t score often (13 TDs in 288 career receptions). He is a surefire WR2 that could perform up to a WR1 if the TDs improve. For now, you should be able to grab him around the fifth round. Kenny Stills and DeVante Parker are mirror images. Both are downfield threats that are TD-dependent on their values. Stills signed a new contract to stay in Miami after a career-best nine touchdown receptions, while Parker has yet to stay healthy enough to live up to his hype. It’s a coin toss between the pair as to who will perform better on a weekly basis, so it’s hard to gauge who to draft first. For me, I like the upside of Parker, and think he’s a WR4 in drafts. I have Stills as a low-end WR4, just below Parker in value, but would not be shocked to see him have another good year in this offense.
This offense is going to center around Ajayi in 2017. He proved he can be a three-down back and rewarded the faith of owners who didn’t bail out on his slow start. With a passing game that forces defenses to respect it, Ajayi will be able to find running lanes. Nearly half of his 1,272 rushing yards came in three games, so consistency will be key with him this season. He should be up to the task and has all the potential to finish among the Top five at the position. Look for Ajayi to come off the board in the middle of round two in drafts, and if you start your draft with a stud wideout, you’ll have the foundation of a very nice squad. Kenyan Drake and Damien Williams are both behind Ajayi and only hold appeal either in PPR formats in the later rounds or as handcuffs to Ajayi. Neither should see many rushing attempts through the season unless Ajayi goes down with an injury.
Team Ranks:
Passing Offense- 218.8 YPG (26th)
Running Offense- 114.0 YPG (9th)
Points Per Game- 22.7 PPG (17th)
Top Fantasy Performers:
QB- Ryan Tannehill, 180 points
RB- Jay Ajayi, 177 points
WR- Jarvis Landry, 128 points
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