I want to welcome you back to our journey through the league as we choose a breakout player from each team. Our second stop is the AFC North. Did you like my picks for the NFC North? If yes, fantastic! If no, maybe we can agree on these. Either way, let’s still be friends, ok?
Here we go!
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
Player — WR Breshad Perriman, 3rd season, age 23
Perriman has every opportunity to put some respect on his name in Baltimore this coming season. Ravens fans got a taste of what he could do when he finally got to perform last year but this year is different.
“Dustin, the Ravens literally just signed Jeremy Maclin and still have Mike Wallace, you know that right?” Guys, I wouldn’t forget that! Here’s why I want to give Perriman a chance. Read what Wallace said to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley about Perriman at the end of May.
“He’s going to surprise a lot of people. He’s going to be one of the top receivers in the league this year. … You can tell it’s night and day with the confidence level. I know exactly how he’s going to play. I’m the most confident person in him in the whole world.”
He missed his entire rookie campaign and was held out of training camp last summer due to knee injuries. Last season was the only the beginning.
Let’s hope Perriman can stay healthy in ’17, he and Joe Flacco seem to be on the same page this offseason.
Welcome to the Breshad Perriman Era! Continues to make big plays in #Ravens camp!
Re-Draft Ranking inside my TOP 40 WRs. #FantasyFootball pic.twitter.com/85NiwyYWgf
— PirateLife Football (@PirateLifeFF) June 9, 2017
CINCINATTI BENGALS
Player — RB Joe Mixon, 1st season, age 20
Yes, I did do it. I picked a rookie to have a breakout season. Is that even a thing? I’m making it one right now because Mixon has a real good chance to make some noise in his first NFL season.
The running back situation in Cincy isn’t clear and there’s a lot of hype around Mixon’s name. Check out NFL.com writer Marc Sessler‘s (condensed) take on Mixon.
“Coach Marvin Lewis often slow-cooks his rookies, but Mixon is ticketed for major snaps right away. With phenomenal size, speed and footwork, the former Sooner led one scout to say, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: ‘He’s Adrian Peterson who returns kicks. Great receiver, not a good receiver. He can line up wide or as a slot. He’s a bigger, better Ezekiel Elliott. He can do more.’ If so, securing a Pro Bowl berth won’t be an issue.”
Mixon hasn’t even played an NFL snap yet and Sessler thinks he can make the Pro Bowl squad in his first season. Reports from Bengals camp are saying Mixon “looks like a beast”.
If Mixon flops in his rookie year, Sessler will look worse off than me with his pro bowl prediction so I’m not too worried.
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Player — RB Isaiah Crowell, 4th season, age 24
This pick was tough. I had Corey Coleman as my guy but couldn’t commit to him because injuries may have gotten in his way once again. *Sigh*
Enter Isaiah Crowell. There are so many reasons to jump on the Crowell hype train for 2017. Let me get you on board.
We all know the Browns stunk it up last year, but do we know what Crowell did when no one was watching? In his third season, Crowell rushed for a career-high 952 yards along with seven touchdowns. He finished ninth in the league in yards per carry at 4.81. The Browns made massive upgrades at offensive line this offseason, providing Crowell with more opportunities to shine in ’17.
Kirby Wilson, Browns running backs coach and run game coordinator, knows Crowell’s ready to build off last season.
“He’s not even in his prime yet and he saw what happens when last year, you work extremely hard, good things happen for you. I think he enjoys that feeling of success and he’s hungry and eager and looking for even more this season.”
Browns fans, get hype! This could be a fun year. Fun as in more than one win can be expected! You might even get to see Crowell break 1,000 yards rushing and that’s something to cheer about.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Player — CB Artie Burns, 2nd season, age 22
I did not even know much about this guy until I did some research but seeing some highlights made me fall in love with this pick.
Burns started in his rookie year, putting up decent numbers with 52 tackles and three interceptions.
What do I love about this guy? His quickness. Check out Burns’ coverage on Chiefs Tyreek Hill last year.
Artie Burns has killer speed! ????#HereWeGo #Steelers pic.twitter.com/IcZKGEPyFT
— SteelCityUnderground (@steelcityundrgr) January 14, 2017
I love his chances of breaking out in ’17 because he was thrown into the fire his first season, lining up against opponents top receivers.
This offseason, he’s been covering Antonio Brown and has impressed Steelers Secondary Coach Carnell Lake.
“He’s being really physical. He’s challenging Antonio Brown, arguably one of the best receivers in the league, every day. That’s just going to make him better. The more competent he is covering somebody like AB, he should be able to transfer that to our competitors when we get ready to start the season.”
There’s nothing else to be said, Burns is a stud and he will only get better.
Coming soon — NFC South.
