Team Talk: Jacksonville Jaguars

By Adam Filadelfo (@Frostt24)

The Jaguars haven't been relevant to the NFL or fantasy owners the last few years. With a new signal caller in Jacksonville, that may change. While the starting quarterback has yet to be determined, it doesn't look like much may change from a fantasy perspective in 2014. Let's take a look at the players from Jacksonville that may or may not impact fantasy owners this season.

Chad Henne- Appearing in 15 games last season, Henne did not provide much fantasy value to owners. He averaged under 15 fantasy points per game and threw more interceptions than touchdowns. If Henne is the starting quarterback in 2014, there's no reason to think he will be useful to fantasy owners this season either.

Blake Bortles- Drafted in the first round with the third overall pick by the Jaguars in the 2014 draft, Bortles will probably end up being the starting quarterback sooner rather than later. His college career at Central Florida saw Blake Bortles throw for a total of 7,598 yards and 56 touchdowns so it stands to reason the Jaguars are anxious to see what he can do at the next level. As of now, the plan is to let Bortles learn before he takes the reigns as the teams starting quarterback.

Justin Blackmon- Blackmon is a highly talented fantasy receiver who just can't get out of his own way. Facing suspension for multiple games and maybe even the entire season, it's difficult to rely on Blackmon for fantasy purposes due to the fact he can be suspended at any given moment. When Blackmon does play, he's a highly productive wideout who is capable of making big plays and helping fantasy owners in the process. Until the NFL gives the final word on Justin Blackmon regarding the 2014 season, it's too much of a risk to draft him.

Cecil Shorts- Coming off of a season where Shorts saw 125 targets, he should have another season in 2014 where he sees a lot of targets again. Shorts missed a few games last season but still managed to finish with 66 catches for 777 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged just over seven fantasy points per game and should be a decent option for fantasy owners again this season.

Ace Sanders-  Ace Sanders had a quietly good fantasy season in 2013. He finished with 51 receptions for almost 500 yards and a touchdown. He really didn't make much of an impact that fantasy owners took notice but if Bortles can be a consistent quarterback for the Jaguars, Ace Sanders could be a dark horse in 2014. Especially if Blackmon is out for the season.

Marqise Lee- The rookie out of USC was the second round pick of the Jaguars in this years draft and is expected to contribute right away in 2014. His three seasons at USC saw Lee with 248 catches for over 3,600 yards and 29 touchdowns. While fantasy owners aren't expecting anything close to that right away in the NFL, Lee could be worth a late round pick in fantasy drafts this year. Especially in keeper or dynasty leagues.

Toby Gerhart- Gerhart proved to be a capable backup in Minnesota the last few seasons. The problem was Adrian Peterson never really missed much time for Gerhart to play. Now the lead back in Jacksonville, Gerhart will get the chance to prove what he can do on a weekly basis for fantasy owners. He could end up being a draft day steal.

Jordan Todman- Todman made himself known to fantasy owners in 2013 when MJD just couldn't go. While Todman didn't light up fantasy radars by any means, he did provide some nice value late in the season right around the time the fantasy football playoffs came around. Todman was more productive in the passing game than he was on the ground hauling in 14 balls for 116 yards and a touchdown. He averaged
less than four fantasy points per game and if Toby Gerhart runs well, probably won't get much playing time to start the 2014 season.

Denard Robinson- Robinson is kind of a jack of all trades. A slash type of player. Problem is, there really wasn't much playing time for him last season. He averaged less than one fantasy point per game but if used more this season, could end up having some big games. Right now, Robinson isn't on any fantasy radars heading into the season.

Marcedes Lewis- Lewis saw 10 games in 2013 and caught 25 passes for 359 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged six fantasy points per game and while he won't be a top tight end off the board come draft day, fantasy owners can do worse than Marcedes Lewis in 2014.