Author: Kyle Francis

POSTS BY kyle francis

Franchise Guys: 2021 Eligible

We see people planting flags on Twitter every day. We see discussions about who was first on a player every draft season. We all have our favorite players. That’s part

August 12, 2020

“Close your eyes… Picture Clyde Edwards-Helaire… Make an internal review of the discussions you’ve had in regards to him on Twitter over the past two weeks. If you feel angry when you think about him and/or you’ve engaged in numerous vitriolic debates about him and other NFL running backs, please allow me to make some unsolicited suggestions: Unplug from Twitter. Start with 72 hours. If you are still enraged when you return, take a longer break. Instead of logging on, do something that brings you joy. Go outside. Seek out legitimate face-to-face or mask-to-mask interactions. Sweat. Laugh. Breathe. Picture yourself five years from now… Will you be glad you spent time arguing on the internet about fantasy football running backs and degrading others with a contrasting viewpoint or will you wish you spent that time with your significant other or your children? You are probably a kind person; there is no reason to be mean to another human over something this trivial. It’s gonna be okay!” – Friar Franchise

August 7, 2020

Franchise Guys: 2023 Eligible

Listed below – by position – are My Guys in the 2023 draft-eligible class. I don’t typically draft freshmen in Devy, so this is a mix of players that I’ve spent extended time scouting for the publication, or I’ve targeted them in Campus 2 Canton leagues. Full disclosure: I usually don’t take strong positions on lots of players that haven’t taken a snap in college. While it can be fun to be “first,” it typically doesn’t help bolster my fantasy teams, which I’m most concerned about. I’ve got a strategy that I try to stick to in both Devy and CFF, and that typically doesn’t include targeting the high profile, incoming freshmen.

August 5, 2020

BAG MAN: July 31, 2020

How many wins does Jeremy Pruitt need to be considered better than Dan Mullen? @atldan

A Gnat flew over the meadow with much buzzing for so small a creature and settled on the tip of one of the horns of a Bull. After he had rested a short time, he made ready to fly away. But before he left, he begged the Bull’s pardon for having used his horn for a resting place. “You must be very glad to have me go now,” he said. “It’s all the same to me,” replied the Bull. “I did not even know you were there.” – The Gnat & the Bull

July 31, 2020

BAG MAN: July 24, 2020

“As all born teachers, he was primarily a student.”

― Steven Pressfield, Gates of Fire

What team is the best landing spot for Brock Purdy when he does leave for the NFL? @LeviRStev

I’m going to roll with four teams. This is a combination of my perceived personnel match as well as the practicality of where teams may be targeting a QB in the 2021 or 2022 drafts.

July 24, 2020

2020 CFF Previews: Sun Belt

Tony Petersen had one main thing to tell Shawn Clark when the former interviewed to become Appalachian State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Whether you hire me or not, Petersen recalled, don’t change a thing. “I’ll bring my little things here and there, but we’re going to run App State’s offense,” Petersen said after the first day of spring practices on Feb. 18. “Same thing, in three or four years, someday if I’m gone or somebody’s gone or one of the coaches, it’s still going to stay App State’s offense.”

July 17, 2020

2020 CFF Previews: CUSA

Charlotte 49ers head football coach Will Healy has announced the promotion of quarterbacks coach Mark Carney to Offensive Coordinator. Carney will also retain his role as quarterbacks coach. “Mark was such a critical part of our success last season,” Healy said. “He is incredibly deserving of this opportunity, which we believe gives us the best chance to provide continuity and take additional steps on offense. I greatly value Mark’s friendship and who he is as a person and a coach. This is someone I have trusted and thought highly of since I played for him in college, and it’s been a joy to have Mark and his family on this journey with us.” Carney, who has 16 years of collegiate coaching experience, including five as an offensive coordinator, was the quarterback’s coach during Healy’s playing career at Richmond. He served as offensive coordinator at both Baldwin-Wallace and Virginia State before being named quarterbacks coach for the 49ers. “Coach Healy and I have a long history together, and I know what a fantastic coach and person he is,” Carney said. “I’m humbled and grateful that he is entrusting me with this position and I can’t wait to continue what we began a year ago. I know our personnel and what we are capable of and I’m excited to get to work with these guys in 2020.”

July 13, 2020

2020 CFF Previews: MAC

From Fansided, “ Few teams in college football bring back a more experienced offense than Akron in 2020. According to Bill Connelly’s returning production rankings at ESPN, the Zips return 89 percent of their offensive production from last season, third-best across the FBS. As a veteran group gets a second year of experience in offensive coordinator Tommy Zagorski’s scheme, they should show massive improvement. Of course, there is no direction to go but up after the way the unit performed last season. Akron ranked dead last in the FBS in scoring offense, averaging only 10.5 points per game. No team at the top level of college football gained fewer yards per game than the 243.2 that the Zips averaged in 2019, and their running game also ranked 130th out of 130 teams in the country at only 47.6 yards per game. Two places where the Zips really must improve is in limiting negative plays and turnovers. Akron finished 2019 last in the FBS in sacks allowed and 128th in total tackles for loss conceded. They also struggled to hold on to the football, coughing up 14 interceptions and 12 fumbles to rank third from last in the FBS in turnover margin.

July 10, 2020

2020 CFF Previews: MWC

Donald “DJ” Hammond is a terrific QB. Seemingly every year, I want to like the AFA quarterback in CFF, but it’s usually not a great gamble. Hammond is a rare athlete for the position, due to his passing abilities. He’s not a great passer by any stretch of the imagination, but he’s much more capable than the majority of option quarterbacks. I believe that 20 fantasy-points-per-game is a reasonable floor for Hammond, but his ceiling doesn’t reach much higher. I can see some appeal in him in a deep, best-ball league, but I don’t think he should be rostered in most standard-sized leagues. As a senior, I’m excited to see him, purely as a football fan.

July 6, 2020

2020 CFF Previews: ‘Merican

Cincinnati Bearcats HC: Luke Fickell OC: Mike Denbrock The Athletic posed some interesting perspective on the UC quarterback battle in ’20, “Fickell doesn’t shy away from position battles. He encourages

July 3, 2020