SDS Mailbag: SEC sleepers in the NFL, ACC dark horses and a 350-team NCAA Tournament
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Well, folks, we’ve made it. This Saturday, we have a full slate of football games, including some Power 5 action for the first time this fall!
Yes, we’re still waiting on the SEC to start on Sept. 26, and there have been some rumblings about a potential Pac-12/Big Ten restart in late-October or November, but that remains to be seen.
Oh, and the NFL is back this weekend, too! It’ll be weird watching games with limited capacity stadiums or no fans at all, but it’s better than nothing, that’s for sure.
Anyway, here are your questions for this week’s Mailbag:
@Dobbe8:
Which non-Round 1 pick from the 2020 NFL Draft from the SEC will have the best season this fall?
Well, if you want to believe the hype out of the Los Angeles Rams’ camp, a safe pick would be former Florida WR Van Jefferson. He was a Round 2 pick and has been earning praise all summer. I do think he’ll have a decent year, but I’ll give you another name, too.
Former Alabama CB Trevon Diggs is another guy who has been having success during camp. He’s been listed as a starter for the 2020 season already. Interestingly, he’ll potentially face off against Jefferson in Week 1, as the Cowboys visit the Rams.
I also like former Mizzou TE Albert Okwuegbunam teaming up with Drew Lock again with the Denver Broncos this season, but that is probably a bit of a homer pick. Should be fun, though!
@SChinni12:
Do you see anyone challenging Clemson in the ACC? Who will be the second-best team in the conference if not?
No, I don’t see anyone challenging Clemson for the ACC title this year, not even temporary ACC member Notre Dame. Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne are incredible, and even with the unfortunate loss of Justyn Ross, the offense will be darn-near unstoppable.
However, I do really like North Carolina. Mack Brown has already done a fantastic job with the program and is only entering Year 2 in Chapel Hill. He has a star quarterback coming back in Sam Howell and 2 of the ACC’s best receivers in Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome.
I don’t think the Tar Heels are ready to challenge Clemson this season, but they’re on the right track. Brown has also put together a top-15 2021 recruiting class thus far. That’s what he’ll need to do consistently to knock the Tigers off the ACC throne.
Joe:
The ACC coaches this week proposed an all-inclusive 2021 NCAA Tournament with all 350 Division I teams making the field. What do you think of that idea?
That would truly be some March Madness.
Bad puns aside, I think it would be a mistake. Fortunately, the NCAA weighed in this week and said there are no plans to expand the tournament.
I understand what the ACC coaches were doing, but the 68-team tournament is one of the best sporting events of the year. Don’t mess with that.
If you’ll allow me to go on a bit of a rant, not everything needs to be expanded. Yes, I’m in favor of expanding the College Football Playoff to 8 teams, but once we get there, I know there are going to be people who want 16 teams. No.
Major League Baseball expanded its postseason this year. The NFL will do the same. I don’t like it. It’s a blatant money grab, but it really waters down the postseason experience. More than half of the NBA teams make the playoffs each year. That’s ridiculous.
Let’s keep the NCAA Tournament at 68. It’s great. The first week of the tournament is probably my favorite week of the year (partially because my birthday usually falls during that week, but still). A 350-team tourney would be too much.
Rachel:
As a first-time fantasy football player who got roped into a league with my husband and some of our friends, do you have any tips for me?
I could give you a lot of advice, as I’ve been playing fantasy sports since I was a freshman in high school (maybe before, I can’t remember my first year, but I remember Daunte Culpepper was still one of the best players in the league).
But instead of telling you to snag a top running back in Round 1 or talking about handcuffing your backs or whatever, I’ll keep it a bit simpler and focus on your enjoyment of the league.
My advice is this — draft players you like. Not a fan of a particular team? Don’t draft guys from that team. Unless you really hate the Kansas City Chiefs, avoiding 1 particular squad won’t hurt you too much.
Fantasy football is more fun when you actually enjoy rooting for the guys on your team. Do I sometimes overpay for Aaron Rodgers? Sure. But it makes me root that much harder for him and the Packers every Sunday. Will you win? Maybe not, but it’ll keep you coming back year after year if you have fun — win or lose.
Have a question for next week’s Mailbag? Tweet at us using #SDSMailbag or email me at ASpencer@SaturdayDownSouth.com.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
