I've been watching a lot of film lately, namely of players who surprised me in 2013 and players on the move so far in 2014. There will be two separate stories on the website in the coming weeks.
Two players covered are Rashad Jennings and Ben Tate, both of whom changed teams this offseason. I've been on the record as someone who has pooh-poohed Jennings and last year I wasn't too keen on Tate either.
I've watched three-plus games of Jennings and I must admit I've come away fairly impressed with how he did last year. Without giving too much away of the analysis I'm working on, I think the Giants did themselves a solid by signing him -- and for a million and a half fewer dollars guaranteed than Toby Gerhart got from the Jaguars!
Tate is supposed to be the big fish in the running back free agency pool. I'm fine with him as a No. 2 Fantasy rusher so long as he doesn't have to share much. As it stands now the Browns backfield has Chris Ogbonnaya, Fozzy Whittaker, Edwin Baker, Dion Lewis and Jamaine Cook behind Tate. If it holds that way through training camp then Tate could get to 300 touches without a problem. That would be dreamy. But I bet the Browns draft another running back and slash their depth at the position. It could mean something like 240-250 touches for Tate. And since he's not a breakaway back and not in an offense that will consistently move the chains, I'm a little nervous about calling him a Top 15 running back.
Also on my hit list of things to do this offseason: Review of new offensive playcallers, a big-time study on tight ends and of course in-depth looks at the 2014 rookie class.
