Why Josh Allen may be a league winner in 2019

The NFL season is almost upon us, and Fantasy Football fans everywhere are preparing for their drafts, looking for that diamond in the rough that will propel them into fantasy glory.

  The key to building a championship team is to find elite players that will give you the potential of mega ceilings without paying the price to match. The most recent example of that was Patrick Mahomes last season, whom many of you, me included, drafted him in the last few rounds of most fantasy drafts. Getting that premium value late provided the perfect recipe that created many playoff and championship teams in 2018.

Who will be that guy in 2019? The quarterback position will be so deep this season, that it’s possible any number of guys could be the one to return maximum value. The one player not getting enough love though is Josh Allen. After an incredible stretch to end 2018, Allen could be the key to your fantasy football championship in 2019.

Center of Attention

Allen had 631 rushing yards last season and eight touchdowns on the ground, second-most for all NFL quarterbacks in 2018. This was not by design but mainly because the pocket quickly collapsed on him frequently and pass protection was very inconsistent from his offensive line. The Buffalo Bills made every attempt to ensure that the high percentage of drop back pressure Allen faced (44.9%) won't be repeated in 2019. The first step in their desired improvement came via free agency in the form of Mitch Morse, the veteran center who was the anchor of that offensive line in Kansas City that gave Patrick Mahomes the vital time he needed to work his magic. In 800 snaps last season, Morse allowed zero sacks and only five total pressures, allowing the second-year quarterback the ample time needed in the pocket to connect with his receiving unit and make big plays downfield.

 In 2018, Pro Football Focus gave Morse an 82.7 in pass blocking, which ranked him seventh among all centers. Rounding out the Free agency additions to the improved offensive line are, Ty Nsekhe, LaAdrian Waddle, Quinton Spain, and guards Spenser Long and Jon Feliciano, giving Allen a vast improvement in his protection heading into this season.

Built "Ford" Tough

Along with Morse, the Bills drafted All American Cody Ford from Oklahoma 38th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. Ford is 6'4 330lbs and a phenomenal talent who has prior experience in protecting mobile quarterbacks as he effectively protected the number one overall pick, Kyler Murray, back in his days as a Sooner. With his size and speed, Ford should be very effective in pass protection against some of the more speedier edge rushers in the NFL. Ford has great lateral movement and footwork, good balance and stays under control well enough to be able to easily change directions quickly when defenders try to get to the inside. Ford has the skills and potential to be a top tier guard in this league.

New Weapons

Zay Jones and Robert Foster both finished 2018 on a high note. In the last seven games of the season, Jones finished as a top twenty wide receiver with 27 receptions for 353 yards and six touchdowns while Foster looks to continue his role in the offense as the deep threat he proved to be, and with offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who coached Foster back in Alabama, will look to find more ways to showcase the young receivers talents in 2019.  The Bills added two more receivers in John Brown and Cole Beasley, that will help bolster this receiving unit. Brown, who was well on his way to a 1,000-yard season before Flacco was injured, brings another speedster and deep threat option alongside Foster. Beasley should see a considerable number of targets from the slot, giving Allen a great target underneath as a safety blanket and attacking zone coverage. 

Buffalo addressed the running attack by adding 36-year old immortal Frank Gore, who not only brings veteran leadership to the locker room but also can help spell LeSean McCoy, keeping him fresh and hopefully injury-free. With the upgraded offensive line, and the soft interior pressure that he may now face because of more receiving weapons to draw the defense, McCoy may finally get back to form and finish as a top 15 back this year. With an ADP currently in the eighth round, McCoy should also be considered a draft day value.  

 T.J. Yeldon and third round pick Devin Singletary both will serve as a change of pace backs and good receiving options out of the backfield for Allen. Singletary is talented enough to garner more touches and could be used as a three-down back but for now it's still McCoy’s backfield to lose, but it's something to keep a close watch on as the season progresses.

 Tight- End Upgrade

Dawson Knox, the third-round pick from Ole Miss will get the chance to make an instant impact and thrust into the rotation because off-season Free Agent acquisition Tyler Kroft broke his foot during the first practice of OTA's. Kroft could start on the PUP list and be out for most of the season, forcing the talented young rookie into the starting line up earlier than anticipated. Knox was ranked the fifth-best tight end in this year's draft. He is a very good athlete and a decent receiver who hauled in 605 yards off of 39 grabs and keep in mind, Knox was on a team with two of the top wide receiver prospects in the 2019 draft, D.K. Metcalf and A.J. Brown, so there weren't  many targets to go around. Knox has a very high ceiling and could provide to be a great red-zone target for Allen.  

  A Winning Mentality

Brian Daboll, the Bills offensive coordinator brings a championship pedigree to the coaching ranks as Daboll was the Co-Offensive coordinator & quarterbacks' coach for the National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide in 2018, and was a part of the Patriots coaching staff that won Superbowl LI against Atlanta. It is not far-fetched to believe that Daboll will implement some of the schemes that were used in New England where another quick, undersized slot receiver excelled. Beasley could be an "Edelman" like weapon for Josh to lean on this season. 

Coach McDermott and the front office has put together all the pieces needed in this Bills offense to give their second-year quarterback the opportunity to excel in 2019 and become an elite QB1,and you could get him at the end of your draft, just like another young gunslinger from KC that led many of you to Fantasy Championships far and wide.