2016 Fantasy Football: Five Potential Breakout Candidates

The 2016 fantasy football season is only a month away and it’s never too early to prepare. Fantasy football is one of the most stressful, yet enjoyable aspects of an NFL season. Each year there are a number of players who are the “breakout candidates.” These breakout candidates are usually players who aren’t expected to amount to much, but eventually burst onto the scene at some point in the season. Here is a list of a five players who are breakout candidates for the 2016 NFL season.

Lamar Miller

Fantasy football analysts have been saying Miller will be a top running back since he was drafted. The year 2016 is officially going to be his year. Miller has loads of talent, but he is too streaky to be considered a number one option. Now that he’s a member of the Houston Texans, things are going to be a little different. It is possible Brock Osweiler may have a tough time transitioning into the Texans offense or may not pan out to be the starter they imagined him to be at all. In either scenario, Miller will be called out to take the pressure off Osweiler. Arian Foster thrived in Bill O’Brien’s offense when he was healthy and has the talent to do the same.

Ezekiel Elliott

This choice kind of speaks for itself. Everyone in the NFL already knows that Elliott was the best running back in the 2016 NFL draft. Elliott has the potential to be a superstar running back with the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive line blocking for him. This past May, Darren McFadden broke his elbow. This puts Cowboys’ coach Jason Garrett in a position to start Elliott. The odds are that McFadden is in no condition to even have a competition with Elliott, whether he is healthy or not. Elliott is completely worth an early flier in every NFL draft format.

Eli Manning

Manning has to be one of the most avoidable fantasy football options for years. That was because Manning constantly had games where he was completely “on” or “off.” This year, Manning has the ability to be one of the leagues’ top quarterbacks. Every NFL fan already knows what Odell Beckham can do. Throw in another play-making rookie like Sterling Shepard with the return of Victor Cruz and you have a very dynamic offense. Manning has also ranked in the top 10 fantasy quarterbacks since Ben McAdoo became offensive coordinator. Now that McAdoo has full control of the team and an arsenal of weapons at his disposal, 2016 will be the year Manning takes his game to the next level.

Marcus Mariota

Mariota is undoubtably one of the most gifted players in the league. He is a dual threat being able to both pass and run the ball. Mariota had one of the greatest first performances by a rookie quarterback throwing for four touchdowns and 200 yards in his first game. His season was cut short by an injury, so it isn’t fair to estimate the kind of numbers he may have put up. The Titans are doing all they can to strengthen their offensive line and help Mariota. With the addition of another solid offensive lineman in this year’s draft, Mariota should be in a good position to do some major damage.

Ladarius Green

Ladarius Green hasn’t proved himself yet because of his situation with the San Diego Chargers. He played behind Antonio Gates, who hasn’t really been feeling the effects of his age. Green got some limited playing time when Gates was serving his suspension and didn’t do much with the opportunity he was given. Now that Green is a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, his situation is going to change. He is taking the place of Heath Miller, who did produce in the Steelers’ high-octane offense. Green will have no issue getting into the groove on things and producing along the same level as Miller, who had a number of great years statistically.

[Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/ Getty Images]