Fantasy Football 2015: All-Comeback Team Predictions

Richard JanvrinSep 2, 2015

Last season, we saw quite a few key NFL players land on injured reserve, having significant fantasy football impact.

This season, those players are back and, hopefully (for our own selfish fantasy reasons), with a vengeance.

In this slideshow, I have compiled (as the title says) an all-comeback team. This will consist of a QB, 2 WR, 2 RB, TE, K, DEF.

To qualify for the team, a player must have been placed on season-ending injured reserve at some point during the 2014 season.

Each of these players should be able to help your team this season, too.

QB: Sam Bradford, Philadelphia Eagles

1 of 8

Jon Durr/Getty Images

If you've been following the preseason at all, you know Sam Bradford is pretty good.

However, last preseason was not so kind to Bradford, as he tore his ACL for the second year in a row. Not only is he a comeback player from last year, he also missed nine games in 2013 with an ACL tear.

Before the previous preseason game, I may have put Carson Palmer here, but after watching preseason Week 3, Bradford looks pretty darn flawless.

We may all think Chip Kelly is a bit of a maniac (and maybe he is), but one thing is for sure—he's found his quarterback.

He's set up perfectly to succeed, inheriting what was ranked as the top overall offensive line in 2014 (yeah, I know Evan Mathis was cut), adding DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews, drafting Nelson Agholor, and Jordan Matthews going into his second season.

Last season, Nick Foles averaged just over 42 attempts-per-game (if you do not include the Houston game in which he was injured), and while that may be a bit much to expect from Bradford, he has nearly averaged 36 attempts-per-game in his career.

He'll get the attempts, he'll get the chances, and he has the weapons.

Bradford is going to bounce back in a big way, and he should be your quarterback on your 2015 fantasy team.

Projections: 4,350 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, 14 interceptions

RB1: Andre Ellington, Arizona Cardinals

2 of 8

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Andre Ellington is not getting nearly enough love.

After landing on injured reserve last season with a hernia, Andre Ellington will join a backfield that added rookie running back David Johnson to the fold.

While adding David Johnson is making people go crazy, I want you to take a deep breath, because what I'm about to tell you is an interesting (and probably crazy) concept, but hear me out.

Andre Ellington is a better fantasy player the less he does.

Let that sink in for a minute. How can a player be better if he does less? Don't running backs need all the volume they can?

While there is some truth to that, Ellington is actually more efficient and reliable. Of course, I have some stats to back this up.

In 2013, Andre Ellington did not carry the ball more than 15 times per game. He averaged 5.5 yards-per-carry, and had 118 total carries. During that season, he carried the load with Rashard Mendenhall, who had over 200 carries.

In 2014, Ellington had to carry the ball over 200 times, and was by far less effective at 3.3 yards-per-carry. In theory, he's more effective when he runs the ball less.

After examining 2014, in games in which he ran the ball less than 18 times (not including the Seattle game), he averaged over five yards-per-carry. Another little tidbit—Ellington was only one of four running backs to carry the ball over 200 times and have 45 or more receptions. The other backs? DeMarco Murray, Matt Forte and Le'Veon Bell.

Fantasy owners should be fine with David Johnson getting the majority of the carries and Ellington being utilized as the third-down/receiving back in 2015. He'll mostly be valuable in points-per-reception leagues.

Draft him, and relax.

Projections: 625 rushing yards, 4 touchdowns; 50 receptions, 475 receiving yards, four touchdowns

RB2: Danny Woodhead, San Diego Chargers

3 of 8

Harry How/Getty Images

I'll get this out of the way: Danny Woodhead only has real value in points-per-reception leagues.

Last season, Danny Woodhead's season was cut short after breaking his fibula in 2014, so we didn't really get a feeling for how his season was going to go.

In 2013, however, Woodhead caught more than 80 balls—that's insane!

This season, the Chargers added Wisconsin product Melvin Gordon in the draft. You would think with them adding Gordon it may hurt his value, but it really doesn't. One of Melvin Gordon's weaknesses coming out was his pass-catching ability, and his stats in college show that.

Don't fret over "MG3." Danny Woodhead will return to pass catching prominence.

Projections: 80 carries, 300 yards, one touchdown; 75 receptions, 585 receiving yards, five touchdowns

TOP NEWS

Bleacher Report1w

Bleacher Report1w

Bleacher Report1w

WR1: Brandin Cooks, New Orleans Saints

4 of 8

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

If there were an award for "Guy Who Got Hurt Last Season, But Will Be a Top Player at His Position," Brandin Cooks would win that.

In the offseason, the Saints lost three of their top five pass catching targets—Pierre Thomas, Kenny Stills and Jimmy Graham. Additionally, the team added center Max Unger in the Jimmy Graham trade. If you put two-and-two together, this is a team with an intent to run the ball.

However, Drew Brees is one of the best quarterbacks in the league, so someone has to catch the ball, and that man is Brandin Cooks.

Last season, Brandin Cooks had 53 receptions through 11 games before landing on injured reserve, and that was with Brees' other weapons. This season, he's going to blow those numbers out of the water.

He should have close, if not over 100 receptions in 2015, and there's no real reason to think otherwise.

Projections: 100 receptions, 1,200 receiving yards, 10 touchdowns

WR2: Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars

5 of 8

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

If you read my recent keepers article, you'll know I'm high on Allen Robinson.

There's really nothing not to like about him. Yeah, there is the whole "Blake Bortles is his quarterback" notion, and while true, this guy is going to be a stud.

Last season, before landing on injured reserve with a broken foot, Allen Robinson had garnered over 75 targets, and 48 receptions in 10 games.

To start this season, the Jaguars will be without tight end Julius Thomas for the first few games, and that only helps "ARob" in that short period of time.

He will be a top-20 wide receiver this season.

Projections: 85 receptions, 1,150 receiving yards, seven touchdowns

TE: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

6 of 8

Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

2014 is nothing to be concerned about when it comes to Austin Seferian-Jenkins, regardless of him landing on injured reserve.

As previously mentioned, you should stay away from rookie tight ends anyway.

Of course, every pass-catching option on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should get an uptick in value due to Jameis Winston taking over the reins.

In theory, rookie quarterbacks find comfort with their tight ends.

In 2014, Seferian-Jenkins had a tough go of it, but with tight end being such an up-in-the-air position, finding late value at the position is key, and Seferian-Jenkins offers that.

I expect Winston to use Seferian-Jenkins in the red zone and as a security blanket in 2015.

Projections: 65 receptions, 650 receiving yards, six touchdowns

K: Shayne Graham, Free Agent

7 of 8

George Gojkovich/Getty Images

A free-agent kicker made the list!

There wasn't another kicker who landed on any kind of injured reserve (and yes, he breaks the rule of season-ending injured reserve) except for Shayne Graham, so he wins this slide by default.

Yes, he's a free agent now, but he's been an effective kicker his entire career and should get a job at some point if another kicker struggles.

We're all looking for that sleeper kicker, so stay on the lookout for a Graham comeback!

Projections: He'll kick the ball at some point this season