⏎ Target These Kick Returners

A dual sport flashback and the Brandon Aiyuk Sweepstakes

Author

Jen of Deep Dive Fantasy
August 07, 2024

This edition of the Deep Dive Fantasy Newsletter addresses a new wrinkle in the fantasy realm and dishes out some of the latest NFL scoop. 📰

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Kick Returners have become a spicy topic of conversation this offseason based on the new NFL kickoff rules which are a variant of the XFL’s rules from 2023. For a full explanation and breakdown of what it all means, this article at 4for4 goes over every detail.

With this new wrinkle in the NFL, some leagues are adding return yards to their scoring as it’s fun to expand scoring in different directions, especially in leagues that have been together for many years. While it’s still early and some of the returners are TBD, there are a few players who can fit the bill as both a redraft player and potential returner if applicable in your leagues.

⚜️ Rashid Shaheed, Saints (ADP: 138, WR58) - He’s the poster boy for a dual threat this season as Shaheed is the WR2 for New Orleans but is also projected as their returner. He was the WR43 last year in half-PPR scoring and with Michael Thomas no longer in town and a likely more creative offense under OC Klint Kubiak, a WR3 outcome is possible. Shaheed is draftable even without returner scoring and is a must-have if your league rewards those yards.

🐴 Marvin Mims, Broncos (ADP: 196, WR77) - The Denver offense is not looking like the most exciting for real-life or fantasy purposes in 2024, but that’s why they play the games. Mims will likely be competing with Josh Reynolds for WR2 duties behind Courtland Sutton and doesn’t have much redraft value, but he’s a decent stab in best ball formats and seems to be locked into the returner role for the Broncos after a solid effort there in 2023.

🏴‍☠️ Bucky Irving, Buccaneers (ADP: 203, RB59) - Rachaad White is the lead back for Tampa Bay but young Bucky Irving boasts pass-catching talent and has already showcased his wheels in the return game at camp. Irving is inexpensive and worth a bench stash late in redraft leagues and becomes even more intriguing in formats with return-yard scoring.

With the 2024 Paris Olympics in full swing, I figured a look back at a guy who was both an Olympian and an NFL player was apropos. Jeremy Bloom was the youngest male freestyle skier to make the United States Ski Team at just 15 years old and went on to two Olympic Games in the moguls event in Salt Lake City in 2002 and Turin in 2006.

Bloom also played college football at the University of Colorado as a wide receiver and punt returner and holds the record for the most combined return yards in a single game (250), set against Baylor University on October 4, 2003.

Drafted by the Eagles in Round 5 at pick 147, Bloom is seen here talking with reporters on the first day of training camp on the campus of Lehigh University in 2006. He suffered a hamstring injury during camp, was put on IR, and missed his rookie year. Philly released him after the 2007 preseason and Bloom signed with the Steelers on that New Year’s Eve. He began training camp there in 2008 but was released before the season, sadly ending his NFL career.

Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

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  • Trade talks regarding Brandon Aiyuk are heating up and also cooling off, it’s enough to make your head spin. The latest team to fold in their cards is the Patriots, who are “excited about their young receivers”. Sure they are.

  • This bit of news isn’t fantasy-related but is uplifting. I wanted to share it with you all, considering the entire NFL news cycle right now is about Aiyuk.

  • There’s also Bills QB Josh Allen with a really cute dog 🐶.

Still not a 4for4 subscriber? Our new packages are out for the 2024/2025 season so for the best rankings, highly actionable content for redraft, DFS and betting, and much more, head to 4for4 and check it all out!

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