2022 Finding ‘The Next Deebo’ (LA Rams vs. Seattle) -- March Madness Tourney
Intro: We all know what the phrase ‘next Deebo’ means – a player who works at one position primarily but takes on a second position (in-game) beyond just a random 1-2-3 carries or targets…that they become a real dual-threat option for their team, and thus a great producer for Fantasy Football.
Before there was ‘Deebo’ (midway through the 2021 season), there was ‘Cordarrelle’ as the breakout WR who started also taking a good workload at RB…so much so he became the team’s lead RB, but then got all but dropped on his WR aspect.
Before ‘Cordarrelle’ there was Curtis Samuel trying to breakthrough as a ‘nails’ WR in 2020, but also a guy taking 3-5 carries a game in CMC’s absence and looking like he might make the turn – but then he went to Washington in free agency, got hurt, and barely played/impacted in 2021.
Before Samuel there was everyone looking for the ‘next Tyreek’. We might forget that Tyreek started out as a low target WR taking 1-2 carries a game, and then taking every carry for a 50+ yard TD…then he was converted over from random WR/RB to main WR, and they stopped pushing him in the running game the past two years (definitely don’t get that guy the ball more, whatever you do).
We’ve had some promising guys try to breakdown this ‘Deebo’ wall, but Cordarrelle really was the one who kicked in that door to start 2021 season (then ATL went away from it)…after the door was kicked in, then Deebo ran right through it 2nd-half of 2021 and became the ultimate/best dual threat of our lifetimes – so much so every analyst is running around saying certain players ‘can be their Deebo’, and you’re going to get sick of hearing about it they say it so much now. But credit to Deebo (really, credit to Kyle Shanahan) the ‘Deebo’ role is a thing now…I think some teams are going to copy because of its success, as they should…as they should’ve created it years ago. It’s the evolution of the game – players/weapons who you don’t know where they’re gonna lineup or what they’re going to do, and they’ll draw plenty of mismatches to expose.
With that in mind, we’re going to have a ‘next Deebo’ tournament/FFM daily series for the next few weeks during March Madness time.
I am going to nominate one player from each NFL team to be the possible ‘next Deebo’…the ‘their Deebo’ hopeful. I’ll explain why I choose that player, and why not others if there was a close option – and then like March Madness, we’ll pit two of them against each other/state the case and I’ll choose a winner…the one most likely to be used as ‘the next Deebo’ for the 2022 season.
We’ll go by division, matchups by 2021 record (so #1 v. #4, #2 v. #3 in the division), one matchup/winner declared each day into April until we have one AFC rep and one NFC rep and then we’ll declare a final ‘Super Bowl of Deebo’ winner.
Now, San Francisco has their own Deebo already…so he is not in this tournament. For the SF slot, there will be a play-in game between two current draft prospect options. Unsigned free agents will be an option for the team they were last on in 2021, so like a heavy Final Four favorite, but current free agent (as of this writing), Cordarrelle Patterson, will be an option for Atlanta. Got it? Good. Let’s go…
Today’s Matchup: NFC West LA Rams vs. Seattle
RB Jake Funk, LAR
vs.
WR D.K. Metcalf, SEA
Jake Funk is a talented running back, built like/kinda works like Christian McCaffrey but not as obvious a pass catcher/not as WR-like as McCaffrey of what we’ve seen so far. Funk does have breakaway speed…a 4.49 runner with a 6.71 three-cone and 22 bench reps at 204 pounds in 2021 (Pro Day). He’s one of the most ‘hidden gem’ RBs in the league. Two ACLs in college is what held him back from more prominence coming out of Maryland in 2021.
Funk worked some 3rd-downs for the Rams in 2021. He’s an OK receiver. He’s a better runner, for speed and power, than he is showing as a WR-like pass option. We assume the Rams will push Cam Akers as their lead dog, but we saw Darrell Henderson work some as a wheel route options out of the backfield in the Super Bowl for an extra wrinkle. Henderson could be the ‘Deebo’ option here as well, but I think Jake Funk could make a push to be the #2 back here in 2022, and the Rams send Henderson away in a deal if so.
I bet when you saw D.K. Metcalf listed here, you were like…huh? And then after it settled in, you’re like…hell yeah, why hasn’t this happened already!?! I mean, the guy is 6’3”+/225+ pounds of pure muscle with 4.3+ speed. Imagine if they added the wrinkle of Metcalf lining up as some Derrick Henry-like beast for a few carries. Why wouldn’t they try it?
I don’t know if the Rams will really push Funk in 2022. It may be a year early. But I know this – Sean McVay will be plotting and scheming to copy things Kyle Shanahan did successfully. In fact, it was McVay that got this ball rolling more with his always-successful jet sweeps with Robert Woods 2019-2020. But I think McVay will more likely draft a player that fits the Deebo role vs. trying to make Funk or DHendo that guy.
I will advance DKM, for the simple fact that if we saw the Rams split out Henderson for a few routes in the preseason…we’d take note, have some curiosity…but not get too worked up. However, the moment you saw Metcalf with his hands on his knees, bent over waiting for the snap as the single set back RB on a play, we’d all collectively lose our minds. And there’s so much you could do with an athletic beast like DKM. Someone in Seattle has to be thinking about it…Metcalf should be asking to get some touches in that manner heading into a potential contract year. So, for the upside promise, DKM is our winner of this matchup.
WINNER = D.K. Metcalf
Photo credit: PeakDill
