Matt Waldman's RSP Cast

A weekly phone conversation between fantasy veterans Bob Harris and Matt Waldman is a quick and dirty run-down of NFL players, units, or teams. Week 6 Reactions https://youtu.be/DTRTqFANMJc 1. Bailey Zappe 2. Darius Slayton 3. Kenneth Walker 4. Rhamondre Stevenson 5. Kenny Pickett 6. Austin Ekeler 7. Leonard Fournette 8. Russell Wilson 9. Skylar Thompson 10. Taysom Hill 11. Joe Burrow 12. Randall Cobb 13. Alec Pierce 14. Rondale Moore 15. Raheem Mostert 16. Allen Robinson 17. Tyler Higbee 18. Tevin Coleman 19. Dyami Brown 20. Gabriel Davis 21. Khalil Shakir 22. Najee Harris Enjoy. And of course, if you want to know about the rookies from this draft class, you will find the most in-depth analysis of offensive skill players available (QB, RB, WR, and TE), with the 2022 Rookie Scouting Portfolio for $21.95. Matt’s new RSP Dynasty Rankings and Two-Year Projections Package is available for $24.95If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.  Best yet, proceeds from sales are set aside for a year-end donation to Darkness to Light to combat the sexual abuse of children. 

Matt Waldman’s RSP Cast continues a new podcast and film series devoted to scouting reports of past NFL players and what made them great. This month, Matt reviews the film and explains why RB James Brooks is an underrated great.  James Brooks Was Tiki Barber and Austin Ekeler In the NFL's Weaponized Era The 1980-90s were the weaponized era of the NFL. Athletes were reaching the peak of their size and speed at the position. Steroid use became more notable. And players realized that better equipment allowed them to maximize the intensity of contact behind their enhanced athletic ability. It was an era where concussions remained an injury to shake off, clear the cobwebs, and keep it moving if you could. The league and the mass media, who signed lucrative deals to cover the game promoted the human missile mentality of the game. You Got Jacked-Up! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ELj-79jbqA In the middle of this era where running the football with a feature back remained a central focus of many offenses, James Brooks excelled. Selected 24th overall in the 1981 NFL Draft, Brooks was an all-purpose player: tailback, receiver, and return specialist for the Air Coryell Chargers. Paired with Chuck Muncie in the backfield, Brooks bloomed early as a kick returner and earned the change-of-pace role in the backfield. After three years, the Chargers traded Books for fullback Pete Johnson, a bruiser who compiled 64 rushing touchdowns during his first seven years in the league, including two 14-score seasons and a 12-score campaign that earned him Pro Bowl honors during an era of runners of more renown. In hindsight, the Chargers gave away a player at age 26 who offered far more to an offense than his former team estimated. Brooks' peak years of his career came between the ages of 30-33. Barber, another late statistical bloomer, actually began his run of excellence between 27-31. Barber was more prolific than Brooks during his peak and while Barber also played at the tail end of the weaponized era, he had one more compelling advantage over Brooks that actually makes Brooks' feats all the more impressive. The 205-pound Barber was 25 pounds heavier than Brooks. What Makes Brooks Great The stats are compelling: * 41st overall in history in All-Purpose Yards with 2 top-ranked seasons during his career. * 73rd overall in Yards from Scrimmage with 3 seasons in the top 10 of all-time. * 20th in NFL history with 4.7 yards per rush attempt. * 52nd in history with career touches in the weaponized era at 5-10, 180 pounds. That's right, Brooks was 5-10 and 180 pounds. You don't earn his stats and simply run draws and play in space. Brooks could accelerate and attack at the collision point. He had top-end acceleration and speed — the juice to ward off the Rod Woodson's of the era in the open field  — but he could also get the better end of a collision with Junior Seau because he knew how to finish. If you’ve been reading the Rookie Scouting Portfolio’s running back evaluations for any length of time, you know that much of what people say is intangible can be defined and graded. You have to go to the film. This week, I studied the tape on Brooks — past games as well as career highlights and retrospectives on YouTube — and it was easy to see why Bill Walsh remarked on a national broadcast that he couldn't believe San Diego traded Brooks away. In this week’s podcast, I share the insights I gained from Brooks' game as a technician, a decision-maker, an athlete, and a receiver. Listen to the pod and/or watch some of the videos below,

Footballguys staff writer Adam Harstad joins RSP Film and Data as Matt Waldman’s cohost for the 2022 football season to discuss practices that will make you a better fantasy GM and NFL fan. There are a lot of excellent writers and analysts in the fantasy industry. There are few that I hold in as high a regard as Adam. He’s a forthright human being with a tremendous intellect whose approach to analysis in this space differs from most. He’s also an excellent fantasy GM in re-draft and dynasty formats. Unlike Dwain McFarland, whose work delves into the statistical process, Adam spends a lot of time examining results and dealing with broad themes of decision-making that help us become better fantasy players and fantasy analysts: * How Braess' Paradox fits into NFL and fantasy football decision-making. * What Is Actionable Data? * Why Footballguys' Bob Henry is a first-ballot Hall of Fame fantasy analyst and what we can learn from him? * The differences variables between re-draft and dynasty leagues. * Advice and perspective about dynasty rankings. * Lessons Adam and Matt have learned in life that they return to regularly. And of course, if you want to know about the rookies from this draft class, you will find the most in-depth analysis of offensive skill players available (QB, RB, WR, and TE), with the 2022 Rookie Scouting Portfolio for $21.95.  Matt’s new RSP Dynasty Rankings and Two-Year Projections Package is available for $24.95 If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   Best yet, proceeds from sales are set aside for a year-end donation to Darkness to Light to combat the sexual abuse of children. 

Montreal Alouettes' head of scouting Russ Lande and the RSP's Matt Waldman go position-by-position and project what traits and skills will gain or lose value for NFL teams in future NFL Drafts if the two-high shells continue to drive NFL offenses to run the football. The run has statistically gained ground on the passing game in the NFL thanks to the spreading out of opposing defenses and their response to employ two-high shells. If this continues, and there's no reason to think it won't, the NFL will be forced to adapt to a reality where the best offenses control the football. Montreal Alouettes U.S. Head of Scouting, Russ Lande, and Rookie Scouting Portfolio author Matt Waldman undertake a strategic exercise to project how this impacts team building. They go position-by-position, discussing the traits and skills that will gain or lose value for NFL teams in future NFL Drafts if the two-high shells continue to drive NFL offenses to run the football. * What type of offensive linemen will benefit or lose value in future drafts? * Which teams are already ahead of the curve? * Will the Gilbert Brown archetype at defensive tackle be back in vogue? * Why the under-tackle will play a pivotal role if the Gilbert Brown archetype comes into play and who is a quintessential under-tackle in this league right now? * Where the NFL may sacrifice on the athletic front at linebacker to account for what they'll need to stop the run. * How will safeties' roles change? * Where there will be more roles for certain types of running backs and potentially more running back conversion projects from wide receivers, but specific skills will remain a barrier to entry. * Will the quarterback position go the route of long-form journalism? * Quarterbacks who could have long careers in the NFL as journeymen thanks to this potential change. * Quarterbacks who are so close to being ideal for this change, but their lack of confident action at the point of release remains a core obstacle. * Which positions could lose the most value in future drafts? Another great pod that's appointment listening. https://youtu.be/48XbVz8Igh8 And of course, if you want to know about the rookies from this draft class, you will find the most in-depth analysis of offensive skill players available (QB, RB, WR, and TE), with the 2022 Rookie Scouting Portfolio for $21.95.  Matt’s new RSP Dynasty Rankings and Two-Year Projections Package is available for $24.95 If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   Best yet, proceeds from sales are set aside for a year-end donation to Darkness to Light to combat sexual abuse of children. 

Matt Waldman uses a pair of masterful receptions from Larry Fitzgerald's college tape to illustrate the value of receivers who can track the ball directly over their head. . Not All Receivers Are Good Ball Trackers This post features Larry Fitzgerald, but it begins with a player finishing up his career in the CFL.  Whenever I think about tracking the football I think of this one-time NFL prospect with an early-round contract. For NFL fans, the receiver is a recent punchline. It's not meant to be. This player is good enough to get paid to play football, which is better than most people who've ever donned a helmet and pads. It's vital to have this perspective about evaluating football talent because fans and media are too quick to react to the extremes with information. Media corporations generate a lot of revenue by fostering environments that encourage reactionary thinking. "Best or worst" thinking is a plague of our present society but it's profitable. This receiver was an elite NFL athlete with promising production at a good SEC program. It led to a healthy amount of pre-draft buzz for him that reached its peak during his week at the Senior Bowl. While watching this player on the practice field, I got a text from a veteran scout and analytics professional with a lot of consulting projects for most of the NFL GMs in the league. "If the South Squad spent five minutes with the drill where a receiver's back is to the thrower and the ball arrives over his head, the coaches would learn fast that [the player not mentioned here] has difficulty tracking the ball." When I got back to my office, I pulled clips of as many vertical targets as I could find from this player's games. There were plenty of targets where he tracked the ball over his shoulder — enough for highlight packages on YouTube. If you went deeper, this receiver was often facing the quarterback when he caught a vertical target and his wins over the shoulder had some technical flaws. Tracking difficulties were a notable part of this receiver's struggles in the NFL. The bigger question is why players earn early-round picks and significant playing time only to wash out because of a flaw that, as a scout mentioned to me, would take five minutes to uncover. It comes back to the law of supply and demand. The top college programs draw elite athletes with promising receiving skills. Most college programs have to make a choice: * Recruit a strong athlete and hope he becomes a technically good receiver. * Recruit a strong technician and hope he becomes a better athlete. Sometimes players from both categories improve on these hopes to the extent that they can become successful professionals. More often than not, the NFL is evaluating prospects who became an elite athletes and gained marginally better technique or elite technicians and gained marginally better athletic ability. There are also physical skills that don't always earn the focus they should. Tracking the football is one of the common ones. It's assumed that if you play wide receiver, you're inherently a good ball tracker. However, as the demands of the game increase with the level of play, the required skills for tracking the football become far more demanding. There Are Layers to Tracking the Ball The simplest definition for Tracking the Ball is the act of finding the ball in the air and looking it into your hands. This is enough for teaching a kid to play catch. There's a lot more involved with receiver play: * Identifying the trajectory of the ball: Simply finding the ball in the air can be more difficult for some routes than others. * Gauging the trajectory of the target and reacting with the optima...

  TD Wire’s Laurie Fitzpatrick returns to Matt Waldman’s RSP Quick Game in Week 3 to break down the resurrection of the ground game, Trevor Lawrence and Jalen Hurts, the highs and lows of QB and WR development, Atlanta's offensive woes, and thoughts on Kenny Pickett, Geno Smith, and Cooper Rush. Topics: * Why is the NFL running the ball more this month than in recent years? * Details on the rise of TE/FB usage. * Details on the rise of gap blocking. * Trevor Lawrence and Jalen Hurts have a lot of window dressing in their offenses, can this remain effective? * Why is quarterback play not as strong as it used to be but wide receiver play is getting better? * Breaking down the "Josh Allen Plan," and why it's more than a statement that fits any struggling second-year quarterback. * Is Kenny Pickett ready to be a winning starter? What to look for. * Are the Cowboys a real threat with Cooper Rush? And of course, if you want to know about the rookies from this draft class, you will find the most in-depth analysis of offensive skill players available (QB, RB, WR, and TE), with the 2022 Rookie Scouting Portfolio for $21.95.  Matt’s new RSP Dynasty Rankings and Two-Year Projections Package is available for $24.95 If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   Best yet, proceeds from sales are set aside for a year-end donation to Darkness to Light to combat sexual abuse of children. 

A weekly phone conversation between fantasy veterans Bob Harris and Matt Waldman is a quick and dirty run-down of NFL players, units, or teams. Week 4 Reactions https://youtu.be/vDmWsu5OkC8 1. Patrick Mahomes scrambling antics/heroics 2. Geno Smith 3. Rashaad Penny 4. Will Dissly 5. Darnell Mooney 6. T.J. Hockenson 7. Kyle Pitts 8. JaMarr Chase 9. Noah Brown 10. Tony Pollard 11. Zach Wilson 12. Kenny Pickett 13. Teddy Bridgewater 14. Joe Mixon 15. Josh Jacobs 16. Tyler Allgeier 17. Caleb Huntley 18. Marcus Mariota 19. D.J. Moore 20. Dameon Pierce 21. Chig Okonkwo 22. Jonathan Taylor 23. Alec Pierce 24. Bailey Zappe Enjoy. And of course, if you want to know about the rookies from this draft class, you will find the most in-depth analysis of offensive skill players available (QB, RB, WR, and TE), with the 2022 Rookie Scouting Portfolio for $21.95. Matt’s new RSP Dynasty Rankings and Two-Year Projections Package is available for $24.95If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.  Best yet, proceeds from sales are set aside for a year-end donation to Darkness to Light to combat sexual abuse of children. 

Footballguys staff writer Adam Harstad joins RSP Film and Data as Matt Waldman’s cohost for the 2022 football season to discuss practices that will make you a better fantasy GM and NFL fan. There are a lot of excellent writers and analysts in the fantasy industry. There are few that I hold in as high a regard as Adam. He’s a forthright human being with a tremendous intellect whose approach to analysis in this space differs from most. He’s also an excellent fantasy GM in re-draft and dynasty formats. Unlike Dwain McFarland, whose work delves into the statistical process, Adam spends a lot of time examining results and dealing with broad themes of decision-making that help us become better fantasy players and fantasy analysts: * The difference between Knowledge (Matt's strength) and Metaknowledge (Adam's strength) and how it plays out in football analysis. * The difference between being contrarian and contrarian for contrarian's sake. * How do we deal with our analysis when it conflicts with conventional wisdom? * What do we make of the trend of QB ratings falling and run efficiency and play percentage rising at a significant rate? And of course, if you want to know about the rookies from this draft class, you will find the most in-depth analysis of offensive skill players available (QB, RB, WR, and TE), with the 2022 Rookie Scouting Portfolio for $21.95.  Matt’s new RSP Dynasty Rankings and Two-Year Projections Package is available for $24.95 If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   Best yet, proceeds from sales are set aside for a year-end donation to Darkness to Light to combat sexual abuse of children. 

Matt Waldman defines the Route Stair-Step in this edition of the RSP NFL Scouting Glossary with the help of a play from TCU NFL Draft Prospect, Quentin Johnston. What is the Stair Step? The Route Stair Step is a method of manipulating defenders playing man-to-man or zone coverage. The receiver establishes position with the initial track (stem) of their route heading inside or outside, turns downhill to sell the threat of the vertical route, and then hits the brakes with a sharp turn inside or outside at their breakpoint. The path of the route as well as the method of manipulation of the defender are figuratively and literally stair-stepping the manipulation of the defender. The Stair Step is an effective storytelling device for intermediate routes. It reinforces the receiver's consistent effort to sell the potential of the vertical route with every rep while using that potential for the deep route against the defender. The Stair Step on Film Here's TCU's Quentin Johnston delivering a well-designed Stair Step against man-to-man coverage. The separation Johnston earns with the route gives him space to efficiently transition downhill and outrun the defense for a breakaway score. https://youtu.be/szB8Xtm37J8 You can also find more scouting criteria on my YouTube Channel, Matt Waldman's RSP Film Room, and in the RSP Cast below. And of course, if you want to know about the rookies from this draft class, you will find the most in-depth analysis of offensive skill players available (QB, RB, WR, and TE), with the 2022 Rookie Scouting Portfolio for $21.95.  Matt’s new RSP Dynasty Rankings and Two-Year Projections Package is available for $24.95 If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   Best yet, proceeds from sales are set aside for a year-end donation to Darkness to Light to combat sexual abuse of children. 

Campus to Canton's Felix Sharpe and the RSP's Matt Waldman discuss the differences between scouting Devy prospects and NFL Draft prospects, the underrated Michael Penix, Jr., and what quarterbacks Justin Fields, DJ Uiagelelei, and Anthony Richardson and their coaches have in common.  Every other week, Felix @sharpereview of @campus2canton will be joining me to discuss college and NFL talent, many of them underclassmen (Devy). The show will be focused solely on these aspects of fantasy football so you can get familiar with them for your Devy, dynasty, and re-draft leagues. This week's topics: * The trap doors of Clemson QB DJ Uiagelelei's game. * How Uiagelelei, Anthony Richardson, and Justin Fields are dealing with similar coaching challenges in contrast to Josh Allen's development in Buffalo. * How Tyler Van Dyke's benching in Miami tells us a lot about the rise and fall of draft capital for college players. * The differences in scouting for Devy and the NFL: Necessary perspective when the hype machine is in full gear. * The underrated play of Michael Penix, Jr. Learn more about Campus2Canton Leagues. https://youtu.be/zd1LKvVpb60   And of course, if you want to know about the rookies from this draft class, you will find the most in-depth analysis of offensive skill players available (QB, RB, WR, and TE), with the 2022 Rookie Scouting Portfolio for $21.95.  Matt’s new RSP Dynasty Rankings and Two-Year Projections Package is available for $24.95 If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   Best yet, proceeds from sales are set aside for a year-end donation to Darkness to Light to combat sexual abuse of children. 

A weekly phone conversation between fantasy veterans Bob Harris and Matt Waldman is a quick and dirty run-down of NFL players, units, or teams. Week 3 Reactions 1. Alec Pierce 2. Clyde Edwards-Helaire 3. Jelani Woods 4. Amari Cooper 5. Jacoby Brissett 6. DeVante Parker 7. Laviska Shenault 8. D.J. Moore 9. Khalil Herbert 10. Darnell Mooney 11. Josh Reynolds 12. Irv Smith 13. K.J. Osborn 14. Tyler Conklin 15. Garrett Wilson 16. Mack Hollins 17. Derrick Henry 18. Robert Woods 19. Devin Duvernay 20. Jahan Dotson 21. Travis Etienne 22. J.K. Dobbins 23. Tua Tagovailoa https://youtu.be/hqWAb987QcY And of course, if you want to know about the rookies from this draft class, you will find the most in-depth analysis of offensive skill players available (QB, RB, WR, and TE), with the 2022 Rookie Scouting Portfolio for $21.95.  Matt’s new RSP Dynasty Rankings and Two-Year Projections Package is available for $24.95If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.  Best yet, proceeds from sales are set aside for a year-end donation to Darkness to Light to combat sexual abuse of children. 

Matt Waldman's RSP Cast kicks off a new podcast series devoted to scouting reports of past NFL players and what made them great. This month, Matt reviewed the film and explains why Bears' Punky QB Jim McMahon's greatness is vastly underrated.  Jim McMahon Was A Cultural Stamp of the 1980s He arrived at the Chicago facility in a limousine drinking cans of Budweiser. George Halas, the father of the NFL, greeted him with a gruff assessment: He had a bad eye, he was too small, and his arm was suspect. Halas wondered aloud if his new quarterback was better off in the CFL. McMahon probably knew Papa Bear was testing him and didn't hesitate with his answer. "Then why did you draft me, old man?" McMahon took over Mike Ditka's offense, an unimaginative scheme that probably inspired the worst of McMahon's teammate and future head coach, Jeff Fisher. Shackled with a predictable run game despite having an all-time great in the backfield, McMahon changed the plays as he saw fit. His aggressive forays downfield coupled with his keen strategic mind for the game swept the clouds of dust from Soldier Field and catalyzed a championship-caliber team. McMahon was the quarterback that the football movies of that era tried to emulate and failed. Fans and media never understood what John Madden knew: When at the height of his powers, McMahon was arguably the best quarterback of the era — a bold statement bordering on insanity when considering that Joe Montana and Dan Marino ruled the 80s and were among the greatest to ever throw a football in any era. Madden may have been entertaining, but he was no hot-take con artist. If you scout the game and take a closer look without the mainstream stat-based or "QB wins" mindset, you'll arrive at a similar conclusion. I did. What Makes McMahon Great Definitely not his stats. This is the measuring stick for most who judge quarterback play. It means that even those who have an appreciation for McMahon often cite the intangibles as the foundation for his greatness. If you've been reading the Rookie Scouting Portfolio's quarterback evaluations for any length of time, you know that much of what people say is intangible can be defined and graded. You have to go to the film. This week, I studied the tape on McMahon — past games as well as career highlights and retrospectives on YouTube — and it was easy to see why former BYU teammate Steve Young credited McMahon as much, if not more, than Joe Montana for being the template he needed to learn the position. In this week's podcast, I share the insights I gained from McMahon's game as a technician, a decision maker, an athlete, and a leader and compare him to other quarterbacks of the past with more on-field acclaim. Listen to the pod, watch some of the videos below, and you'll get a glimpse at why McMahon's quarterbacking has subtlety, guts, and technical and strategic greatness. It's ironic that at the height of his career and celebrity, McMahon had a huge sponsorship where he uttered the words: "Image is everything," because his image became the historical narrative overshadowing that greatness. Links to the videos (the NFL blocked them from viewing outside of YouTube): Part I Part II Part III And of course, if you want to know about the rookies from this draft class, you will find the most in-depth analysis of offensive skill players available (QB, RB, WR, and TE), with the 2022

Footballguys staff writer Adam Harstad joins RSP Film and Data as Matt Waldman’s cohost for the 2022 football season to discuss practices that will make you a better fantasy GM and NFL fan. There are a lot of excellent writers and analysts in the fantasy industry. There are few that I hold in as high a regard as Adam. He’s a forthright human being with a tremendous intellect whose approach to analysis in this space differs from most. He’s also an excellent fantasy GM in re-draft and dynasty formats. Unlike Dwain McFarland, whose work delves into the statistical process, Adam spends a lot of time examining results and dealing with broad themes of decision-making that help us become better fantasy players and fantasy analysts: * Why Adam encourages fantasy GMs to spend a vast majority of one's FAAB on one player, save the rest for rotating streamers on kicker and defense, and devote more energy to preemptive picks in FCFS. * The difference between descriptive and predictive stats. * Why yards per carry can have value but are misused. * The greatness of Billy Howton, Del Shofner, Henry Ellard, William Andrews, and John Jefferson and the events that altered their potential to earn the acclaim they deserve. * How the media's relationship has changed with the NFL and why Vincent Jackson's contract impasse with the Chargers would have been seen in a different light. * The ways fans and media pathologize player personalities inaccurately: Odell Beckham, Tom Brady, Antonio Brown, and Russell Wilson. * Why Momentum Exists and Running Backs Matter, but the way analytics-driven media communicate their points tarnishes their ideas. And of course, if you want to know about the rookies from this draft class, you will find the most in-depth analysis of offensive skill players available (QB, RB, WR, and TE), with the 2022 Rookie Scouting Portfolio for $21.95.  Matt’s new RSP Dynasty Rankings and Two-Year Projections Package is available for $24.95 If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   Best yet, proceeds from sales are set aside for a year-end donation to Darkness to Light to combat sexual abuse of children. 

Montreal Alouettes' head of scouting Russ Lande and the RSP's Matt Waldman discuss Brian Daboll's management tack with his wide receiver corps, scheme and matchup players, notable scouting reports of the past, gamesmanship between coaches and GMs, and behaviors that attract/repel NFL teams.  This week's Scout Talk provides valuable perspective on how the league operates when it comes to player scouting and coaching as well as the challenges of hiring leaders at all levels of the organization. * The likely positives but the potential negative of Brian Daboll's handling of Kadarius Toney and Kenny Golladay. * Scheme Players vs. Match-up Players * The difference. * How long does it take for the league to neutralize schemed players? * Can a scheme-reliant quarterback be a perennial starter in the NFL? * Player behaviors that attract/repel NFL teams. * Matt's evolution with scouting contact balance in running backs. * Russ' approach regarding elite athletes vs. finesse technicians with scouting offensive tackles. * Why quarterbacks may need a certain amount of narcissism for long-term success. Appointment listening. https://youtu.be/tf2rXUkk9Sk And of course, if you want to know about the rookies from this draft class, you will find the most in-depth analysis of offensive skill players available (QB, RB, WR, and TE), with the 2022 Rookie Scouting Portfolio for $21.95.  Matt’s new RSP Dynasty Rankings and Two-Year Projections Package is available for $24.95 If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   If you’re a fantasy owner and interested in purchasing past publications for $9.95 each, the 2012-2020 RSPs also have a Post-Draft Add-on that’s included at no additional charge.   Best yet, proceeds from sales are set aside for a year-end donation to Darkness to Light to combat sexual abuse of children. 

Matt Waldman's RSP NFL Scouting Glossary details the release stance and motion that he seeks from NFL Draft prospects at wide receiver, using Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba as an example. Why is the Release Stance Important? Wide receiver play bears a lot of similarities to pass rushing. Receivers and pass rushers are both trying to gain ground on an opponent from a static stance. Both positions have to manipulate the opponent to generate an advantageous path. And both positions have to know maneuvers where they attack and defend their leverage. The stance is the foundation for all of these requirements and it means that the stance has to do three things: * Facilitate explosion and pose a threat that every release will lead to a vertical route. * Eliminate the potential for any wasted movement that can give an opponent a first-move advantage if playing the receiver tight. * Disguise the receiver's true intentions with a neutral body position and that net neutral for receiver play is "every route potentially being a deep vertical route." When a wide receiver has an efficient and comfortable stance, he can do a lot of things that will get him separation. Here's Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba's stance and release motion explained. https://youtu.be/ixRUo_KQo8I You can find a summary of the components of a good release stance and release motion below. Components of a Good Release Stance These are the elements of a good stance for a receiver. The components have enough leeway for the receiver to be comfortable and efficient with their stance and movement. * Feet staggered with the back knee aligned with the front heel. * A balanced stance with ~ an 80/20 weight ratio with the front foot and the back foot. * This facilities explosion off the line. * It limits the potential for wasted movement. * It reduces the potential for defender contact to knock the receiver off balance. * The stance should include some bend in the knees and hips. * It's an athletic stance to facilitate balance. * The bend shouldn't be too low or defenders can easily jam the receiver. * The arms should be uncrossed and hanging on either side of the front knee. * This allows for the receiver to efficiently pump his arms for acceleration if not jammed. * It also allows for the receiver to efficiently use his hands to counter jam attempts. This sets the stage for the receiver to deliver an efficient and explosive release motion. Components of A Good Release Motion The release motion is the initial step from the stance. The best route runners sell the potential of the vertical route, specifically, the deep go (or nine-route) with every route release. Receivers do this because if they can compel the defender to believe it's a deep route, the defender will turn his hips downfield to keep up. This allows receivers to set up their actual route. But, what if the route is actually a deep go?  While true that receivers may try to manipulate the opponent into believing they are running a shallow route when running a deeper route by using a slower pace, it's still an exceptional circumstance. Most receivers still begin a deep route with an explosive release motion and manipulate it in a different manner because it's harder for defenders to guess a route if every route begins the same way. The release motion that helps receivers achieve this goal has these components: * Going from "low" to "lower" in the stance and exploding outward with the pads down. * Rolling off the front foot with no rocking or extra steps with the ...