Is it too early to start thinking about fantasy football?
The answer is no.
It's never too early to get ahead of your fantasy league, that way you can crush the one's you love come the Fall. Best way to do that, find diamonds in the rough. The guys who will be drafted rounds after they should be...and I've found 4 candidates that fit the bill.
Tyreek Hill: The only thing holding Hill back last year from being a complete fantasy monster was volume, and now with Maclin gone, that's exactly what he'll get. Hill had 12 total touchdowns last season and was used more as a utility player. Imagine what he can do as the Chiefs #1 guy. (Average rank: WR 26)
Jeremy Maclin: We'll call this one a win-win-win. Maclin going to Baltimore is best for all parties involved. It's great for Hill, great for Maclin, and great for the Ravens. The Ravens have lacked a true #1 for years. Boldin and Steve Smith were on the tail end of the tail end of their careers when they played for B-More, Maclin provides them with some new spunk at the position, plus he's really good. For Maclin it's great as well, simple fact; he just went from weenie arm Alex Smith to Joe Flacco. Did you know...The Ravens averaged more pass attempts per game than any other team in 2016. More than the Saints, Patriots, Packers, and Colts. That's a volume increase for Maclin that I'm sure he'll take advantage of. (Average rank: WR 45)
OJ Howard: Who loves their tight end more than Jameis Winston? He's made stars out of average talents like Nick O'Leary @ FSU, and Cameron Brate in Tampa. OJ Howard steps into the NFL and is already a top 5 talent at the position. Think about this...In a loaded TE class in the 2017 draft, OJ Howard was the first taken. This is a position that was so deep, Jake Butt went on day 3. That's how coveted he was as a talent, he should be incredible this year and moving forward. (Average rank: TE 11)
Eli Manning: Eli is a top 12 fantasy QB if you average his totals vs other QB's for the last 3 years. This past year was a rough one, he finished the season as the 20th ranked QB. That ranking however, is not as bad as it sounds. These days, QB's aren't separated by very many points at the end of the season. For example, if he just had one 40 point performance added to his season total, he would've gone from QB20 to QB6. That's how bunched up the position is. Eli has 2 brand new shiny targets to throw to as well. The addition of Brandon Marshall and the drafting of Ole Miss TE Evan Engram will help Manning crack the top 10. The Giants quietly have one of the best receiving cores in the entire NFL heading into 2017. (Average rank: QB 16)