Don't Doze: NFC South

By: Josh Frey-Sam

The NFC South feels as wide open — in a good way — as it has in a while.

From a betting perspective, the New Orleans Saints intrigue me the most. I think that team could take a jump to the top of the division under Kellen Moore.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the favourites for a reason, and we have every reason to have high expectations for that offence, in particular.

Though the Carolina Panthers stayed quiet for the most part, I really liked their off-season and some of the additions they made, especially on defence.

And then there’s the Atlanta Falcons, who feel like they’ll field an improved offence and perhaps even have a quietly respectable defence.

From a fantasy perspective, I think there’s as much to be excited about in this division as there has been in many years.

Let’s look at one sleeper from each team who could help you win this season.

Atlanta Falcons: Zachariah Branch, WR

Frankly, it’s tough to trust anyone not named Drake London, Bijan Robinson or Kyle Pitts this season.

I was interested in coining Jahan Dotson for this spot, but I, and the Falcons, are a bit more interested in seeing what Branch can unlock for their offence — even if Dotson will likely be on the field more in the early goings of the season.

What’ll be interesting to see is how the Falcons deploy Branch beyond being a returner. I could see him strictly being a gadget guy if he doesn’t grab onto the playbook fast enough, but I could also see him being a key playmaker outside of the Falcons’ “Big 3.”

Kevin Stefanski said he views Branch as a guy who can line up all over the field, but my concern is whether he is simply used on screens and shorter routes, or whether he is asked to run more of the route tree.

Branch fits the mould of a Tyreek Hill pretty well. He’s an elite separator because of his speed, but he’s not necessarily an exceptional route runner.

One thing we know is that Branch is electric with the ball in his hands — perhaps the most exciting player in this class, in that respect — and with a questionable WR room, he could be asked to play a bigger role right out of the gates.

He’s shown to have reliable hands, only being charged with two drops last season. He also ranked 39th in yards per route run (2.56) among players who were targeted at least 50 times.

He’s going undrafted right now.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jalen McMillan, WR

Is there a world in which Chris Godwin Jr. gets phased out of the Bucs’ offence this season?

I believe there is, especially if he were to miss any time and give the Bucs a glimpse into the future of their receiving corps. The 30-year-old is in the second of a three-year contract extension, and with the Bucs having a club option next in 2027, this really feels like his last year in Tampa Bay.

And so, it could make sense if Godwin’s role begins to be reduced to more of a reliable chain-mover and not the volume-based weapon he’s been for years.

If Godwin gets less looks, that likely means second-year WR Jalen McMillan is getting more. The third-year WR is coming off a season that was derailed by a frightening neck injury suffered in training camp that kept him out until Week 15.

Thus far, McMillan is known for finishing his rookie season on a torrent stretch of play that saw him haul in 24 balls for 316 yards and seven touchdowns across five games. He won some people their leagues that year.

Proving that wasn’t a fluke, he made seven grabs for 114 yards in Week 17 against Miami last season, which was his third game back.

He’s built a rapport with Baker Mayfield, and while Emeka Egbuka will be No. 1 target in this passing attack, McMillan could blossom into a trusted No. 2 this season.

And if Godwin were to miss any time, McMillan becomes one of the clear beneficiaries.

The best part is he’s still going undrafted right now.

New Orleans Saints: Tyler Shough, QB

If you read my latest mock draft write-up, you’d know that this season is filled with high-upside quarterbacks late in drafts.

Second-year signal-caller Tyler Shough is in that group. Currently going at the end of drafts, Shough is entering his sophomore campaign with a ton of steam as he’s now in an offence headlines by Chris Olave, Jordyn Tyson, Travis Etienne Jr., Juwaun Johnson and Oscar Delp.

From the time Shough took over in Week 9, he was the QB9 overall the rest of the season. While we expect him to make a jump as a passer, the thing you like the most about Shough is his willingness to run. He logged 45 rush attempts for 186 yards and three touchdowns last season, which would project as 90/372/6 over the course of a season.

When talking about QBs with high upside, we need to be targeting players with rushing ability, and Shough is just that.

Carolina Panthers: Jalen Coker, WR

I’ve been in on Coker since, well, last season really. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury in training camp derailed my prediction of him being a breakout candidate, but I’m buying into him again.

Coker signed a three-year contract extension this off-season, which points to the Panthers viewing him as a big part of their future. You don’t pay someone unless you plan to use him.

None of his metrics really scream “breakout candidate,” but this is more of a feel thing, having watched him for a couple of years when he’s been healthy and now with his extension.

I like Coker’s game as a big slot, and he is easily the No. 2 option in the Panthers passing attack entering this year.

He’s going in the 11th round of drafts right now. It’s been tough to pass on him in mock drafts, but he’s going in the same range as another favourite of mine: Matthew Golden.

Of course, Bryce Young is the concern here, but I’m going to continue to put my trust in Dave Canales’ ability and hope Young can continue to grow.

Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

Josh