RSP Writers Project Team: Jene Bramel, Footballguys.com


Like Jets fullback John Conner, Jene Bramel is a badass. So of course, Conner is on Bramel’s RSP Writers Team. Photo by Jeffery Beall.

Jene Bramel’s football writing career is filled with three-letter abbreviations: NFL, IDP, PUP, ACL, MCL, and FBG. The Footballguys writer is one of the most well-regarded fantasy analysts for injuries and individual defensive players. The author of the injury blog Second Opinion also contributes to the RSP once in a while. He was also a significant part of getting this RSP Writers Project off the ground.

Bramel’s RSP team is youthful, talented, and potentially a schematic nightmare on defense. Stay tuned for Bramel’s, and Joe Goodberry’s, Q&A in the coming days. For more reads along these lines, check out the rest of the RSP Writers Team’s here.

Offense

I was somewhat surprised that Bramel selected Jake Locker as his starter, but there’s no doubt that the former Washington star has the promise to become a franchise starter. Photo by Neon Tommy
Quarterback Depth Chart
Starting Position Role (optional) Name Value Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and/or fit within the system)
QB1 Jake Locker 10.5 Must develop, but has the measurables to grow into a solid long term starter
QB3 Greg McElroy 1 Skilled enough to become long term backup, good locker room presence
QB2 Chandler Harnish 1 Athletic project with upside
Running Back Depth Chart

Who needs C.J. Spiller to pair with Fred Jackson when you can get Bernard Scott to fill that role? That’s Bramel’s logic, and I can get with it. Photo by FujiMatt.
Starting Position Role (optional) Name Value Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and fit within the system)
RB1 Fred Jackson 6 Will be effective in any running scheme, capable receiver and blocker
RB2 Bernard Scott 2 Better inside runner than you’d think, some passing down upside, potential KR
Wide Receiver Depth Chart

Denarius Moore is just one of a quintet of receivers with the upside to make this a dangerous team. From the standpoint of physical talent, I could see a lot of run-and-shoot concepts with these receivers one day.. Photo by Wade Rackley.
Starting Position Role (optional) Name Value Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and fit within the system)
WR1 Denarius Moore 5.5 Able to stretch the field, nice play action target, still room to improve route running to become true WR1
WR2 Emmanuel Sanders 3.5 Arguably as talented as Antonio Brown, good possession talent with upside
WR3 Golden Tate 1.5 Athletic slot receiver with kick return value, could move outside if needed
WR4 T.Y. Hilton 2.5 Burner who can play in the slot or move outside on passing downs to stretch the field
WR5 Rod Streater 0.5 Back end roster project with upside
Fullback and Tight End Depth Chart

He might look like a mannequin in a department store, but Joel Dreessen is a serviceable tight end for depth chart and capable backup to Kyle Rudolph. Photo by The Brit_2
Starting Position Role (optional) Name Value Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and fit within the system)
FB Jason Snelling 1 FB/HB tweener, strong in pass protection, short yardage option
FB John Conner 2.5 Lead blocker, solid pass protector, special teams talent
TE1 Kyle Rudolph 3 Move TE, likely red zone option
TE2 Joel Dreessen 1.5 Underrated, all-around receiver and blocker
TE3 D.J. Williams 0.5 Athletic, move TE project, special teams contributor
Tackle Depth Chart

Andrew Whitworth for some odd reason reminds me of “The Swede” in “Heartbreak Ridge.” (Everyone in their lowest voice) “Or he’ll throw you in the brig…” Photo by Clay J Seal.
Starting Position Role (optional) Name Value Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and fit within the system)
LT1 Andrew Whitworth 8.5 Better run blocker than he showed in 2011, very good pass blocker
RT1 Eric Winston 8.5 Consistent run blocker, solid pass protection from right side
Bobby Massie 3 Swing tackle project
Guard Depth Chart
Starting Position Role (optional) Name Value Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and fit within the system)
RG1 Kevin Zeitler 6.5 Athletic enough to pull, strong enough to win in power scheme
LG1 John Jerry 2.5 Disappointment so far, but talented
Trai Essex 1 Capable of playing multiple position, including tackle
Center Depth Chart
Starting Position Role (optional) Name Value Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and fit within the system)
C1 John Sullivan 4 Value priced interior lineman capable of executing zone running scheme
Chris Spencer 1 Experienced, versatile backup at all interior line positions

Defense

Lardarius Webb and Patrick Peterson are a frightening combo and should make the front seven’s job a little easier. Photo by Keith Allison.
Cornerback and Safety Depth Chart
Starting Position Role (optional) Name Value Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and/or fit within the system)
LCB1  Patrick Peterson 9 Has shutdown corner potential and ball skills, athleticism to play zone effectively
RCB1  Lardarius Webb 8 Quietly one of better all-around corners in the league
FS1  Morgan Burnett 5 Ball hawking safety, strong in run support
SS1  Da’Norris Searcy 1.5 Big, athletic run support who projects well enough in coverage
LCB2  Brice McCain 1 Slot corner with upside
RCB2  Aaron Berry 2 Rotational corner
 Kyle Wilson 0.5 Former first round talent with confidence issues
FS2  Mike Adams 1 Dime defensive back who can play multiple positions
SS2  Haruki Nakamura 1 Run support/cover safety with special teams value
 Dwight Lowery 0.5 Cheap swing secondary player with limited coverage value
 John Wendling 0.5 Special teams talent
Linebacker Depth Chart

Another vote for Von Miller. Photo by Jeffery Beall.
Starting Position Role (optional) Name Value Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and fit within the system)
SLB1  Von Miller 9.5 Elite pass rush upside that can move across alignment, solid run supporter
WLB1  Bruce Carter 4 Run and chase Will with pass rush/coverage upside
MLB2  Jameel McClain 1 Versatile linebacker that can play multiple 4-3, 3-4 positions if needed
WLB2  D.J. Smith 0.5 Capable WLB/WILB with special teams value
SLB2  Jamaal Westerman 0.5 Scheme versatile
 Arthur Moats 0.5 Situational pass rusher
 Everette Brown 0.5 Situational pass rusher in need of maturing/coaching
 Dom DeCicco 0.5 Special teams talent, developmental ILB
MLB1  E.J. Henderson 2 Strong between the tackle ILB, veteran huddle presence
Defensive End and Tackle Depth Chart

Willie Young is another talented, young prospect with scary upside. Keep an eye on him….quarterbacks will. Photo by AkulaWolf.
Starting Position Role (optional) Name Value Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and fit within the system)
RDE1  Robert Quinn 8.5 Elite edge rushing upside, could stand up in subpackages
LDE1  Cameron Jordan 3 Edge setting LDE, versatile in subpackages
LDE2  William Hayes 0.5 Rotational LDE
RDE2  Willie Young 1.5 Situational pass rusher
NT  Antonio Garay 4 Capable of playing shade nose techniques in 3-4 or 4-3, strong run stuffer
DT2  Christian Ballard 2 Rotational 3-tech with upside
DT3  Drake Nevis 0.5 Depth/developmental 3-tech
DT1  Corey Liuget 0.5 Scheme versatile, DE in 3-4, DT in 4-3, has subpackage value
Final Special Teams Roster
Kicker and Punter Depth Chart
Starters Name Value Commentary (Why did you choose the player for special teams and what Role (optional) will he play?)
K1 Neil Rackers 1.5 Veteran placekicker
P1 Pat McAfee 1.5 Solid punter that can kickoff
Kick Coverage Team
Role (optional) Name Commentary (Why did you choose the player for special teams and what Role (optional) will he play?)
D.J. Williams
John Conner
Dom DeCicco
D.J. Smith
John Wendling
Haruki Nakamura
Kyle Wilson
Emmanuel Sanders
William Hayes
Arthur Moats
Punt Coverage Team
Role (optional) Name Commentary (Why did you choose the player for special teams and what Role (optional) will he play?)
Jameel McClain
Jamal Esterman
Kyle Wilson
DaNorris Searcy
Mike Adams
Golden Tate
Willie Young
John Conner
D.J. Smith
Haruki Nakamura

2 responses to “RSP Writers Project Team: Jene Bramel, Footballguys.com”

  1. Looks like just about everyone who’s participated in this has had Brice McCain on their team. Interesting.

    With John Conner on the team at least the Doc’s squad will be all set when SkyNet goes live. 🙂

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

%d