Buffalo Bills - Fantasy News

LeSean McCoy 2017 Fantasy Projections

by Tom Joyce

8/13/17

NFL

Buffalo Bills

LeSean McCoy

LeSean McCoy is a perennial Pro Bowl candidate coming off one of the better years of his career for the Buffalo Bills. The team’s passing game is not particularly sharp, and they do not have a crowd of running backs heading into the 2017 NFL season.

It is clear McCoy will be one of the most valuable running backs in fantasy football this upcoming NFL season and is set to be one of the safer picks in drafts this year.

Why LeSean McCoy Will Be A 2017 Fantasy Football Stud

McCoy was among the top running backs in the league in 2016. He received 234 touches and ran for 1,267 yards and 13 touchdowns. It was a performance that was good for 18.69 Dober Fantasy Points per contest. His production has been consistent, too, as he has been a Pro Bowler in each of the past four seasons.

The team’s two leading wide receivers, Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin, are gone, as is the most talented man from last year's group, Sammy Watkins. That might give McCoy an advantage when it comes to the passing game. He was effective catching the ball last year, making 50 receptions on 57 targets for over 350 yards. Perhaps his 87.7 percent catch rate will entice quarterback Tyrod Taylor to throw to him more since the team does not have a particularly strong group of wide receivers.

Plus, the Bills have a new offensive coordinator in Rick Dennison. McCoy has already said he is excited for what his role in the team’s passing game could be this season, which may indicate even more touches.

When a team goes out and grabs running backs in the offseason, one has to wonder how it will impact the team’s veteran backs. In Buffalo, however, it could benefit McCoy. The Bills grabbed fullbacks Patrick DiMarco and Mike Tolbert this offseason. The two are more blockers than runners, so their prowess in that category should prove beneficial for McCoy.

Why LeSean McCoy Will Be A 2017 Fantasy Football Bust

Minor injuries have to be a slight concern when it comes to McCoy. Last year, he sat out Week 8 against the New England Patriots with a hamstring injury. The year before, he missed four games because of injuries.

It is not fair to expect McCoy to run for double-digit touchdowns once again despite having 13 last year. Sure, he punched in 17 scores in 2011, but in 2015 he only ran for three and was limited to just five touchdowns despite running for over 1,300 yards the year prior. The Bills might consider using their fullbacks in those short-yardage situations this season.

In his third year as the Bills starting quarterback, Taylor may have earned more trust with the coaching staff—especially the new OC. He was an efficient player in 2015 and 2016 (37 touchdown passes and just 12 interceptions), so it is possible the Bills do end up throwing more. If they do, it will take away from McCoy’s touches on the ground, which would decrease his odds of putting up 100-yard rushing performances.