21 Major takeaways from the 2020 NFL season so far
By Zach Cohen
6. It’s probably still not a great idea to give running backs huge contracts
I will cut Christian McCaffrey and Joe Mixon some slack here because they have dealt with injuries all season, though they haven’t lived up to their massive contracts, yet. Austin Ekeler and Tariq Cohen also secured the bag prior to the season, and they also have been injured. The Cowboys opted to give Ezekiel Elliott his money instead of Dak Prescott and Elliott has responded with his worst season yet.
Mark Ingram and Melvin Gordon are also both in big contracts, and they haven’t lived up to their worth in 2020. Of course, not every rich running back has disappointed. Alvin Kamara and Dalvin Cook have been probably the two best running backs the season after getting big paydays in the offseason. It’s a tale as old as time: Running backs are replaceable. Just look at how well rookies James Robinson and Antonio Gibson have played while being paid next to nothing.
If I’m an NFL team, I’d spend my money elsewhere 8-of-10 times.
5. It’s a bad year for fantasy owners
Between COVID-19 and a vast array of injuries (which may or may not be related), it’s been a frustrating year to play fantasy football. To best provide support for this, let’s look at the 12 players who were the most common first-round picks in fantasy drafts, according to FantasyPros.com.
Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, Michael Thomas, Joe Mixon and Nick Chubb have all missed significant time this season, so they definitely haven’t been worth their price. Clyde Edwards-Helaire hasn’t lived up to sky-high expectations, though he’s still been all right. As I just said, Elliott has been a major letdown. Only Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs, Alvin Kamara and Dalvin Cook have really matched their worth. Even then, Adams has also dealt with injuries and Kamara hasn’t looked the same in recent weeks.
You can put in as much time and effort you want when preparing for fantasy football, but in the end, luck will always have an iron grip on how your season plays out. Here’s to 2021!
4. The NFL needs to end the one-helmet rule
This is more an ode to fellow uniform enthusiasts like myself. Seven years ago, the NFL created a rule that banned NFL teams from using two different-colored helmets. Basically, it means teams like the Buccaneers and the Steelers can’t wear their beloved throwback helmets, such as the white creamsicle look.
It seems like the noise has grown louder in favor of overturning this rule. Man, would I love that to happen.
Think of all the new uniform combos we can get back: Buccaneers’ creamsicle throwbacks, Falcons’ red helmets, Chargers’ all-navy look, Steelers’ yellow helmets, Eagles’ Kelly green helmets. I’m sure I missed a few great examples, but it would just make the games so much more fun to watch. It could also be a nice new source of revenue following the COVID-19 season. If anyone has Roger Goodell on speed dial, tell him to give the fans what they want.