TE Devin Funchess, Lions (3 Viewers)

[stbugs]

What's to defend? Cam just keeps it himself anyway. 

Well, in addition to Cam's 10 rushing TDs, they did have another 9 rushing TDs and 35 receiving TDs. Not all of them red zone TDs, but there will be plenty of those.

Olsen has 13 TDs (7 in 2015, 6 in 2014) the past two years, with only 2 outside of 27 yards. All 5 of Funchess' TDs on 31 receptions were 16 yards or less. Brown only had 2 of 4 inside the red zone. All 7 of Stewart's TDs in 2015 (6 rush, 1 rec) were from inside the 16. All 4 of Tolbert's were inside 12. 2 of Cotchery's 3 TDs were inside of 15. Amazingly enough, 6 of Ginn's 10 TDs were 14 yards or less. Both of Dickson's TDs were from inside the 4 yard line. Both of Fozzy's and Artis-Payne's TDs were inside of the 16.

So, if we extend the red zone to 27 yards (only 3 were from 21-27) and ignore all 10 of Newton's TD runs, there were still 37 non-Cam red zone TDs. So, Cam keeping it himself was 21%, RBs were 28%, TEs were 17% and WRs were 34%. It may seem like Cam kept it a lot, but 10 other players scored red zone TDs. They just scored a lot.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Ginn's red zone TDs drop, Cotchery's will be gone and Cam's rushing TDs go down. I wouldn't be surprised if they scored close to what they did last year. Schedule is tougher, but the offense looks to be really, really good. Funchess/Benjamin both getting 8+ TDs wouldn't surprise me at all.

 

[stbugs]

I was perusing the DGB thread and I remember in the draft being disappointed that he went before our trade up. Now it feels like we may have done real well with Funchess at pick 41 considering Perriman went 20, Dorsett 29, Devin Smith 37 and DGB 40. It's early, but Funchess looked decent as a rookie and if he's taken the next step, he may be a great pick.

 

[Faust]

 

ESPN Panthers reporter David Newton expects Devin Funchess to emerge as the team's No. 2 receiver this season.
Funchess generally served as Carolina's No. 4 wideout as a rookie, playing behind Ted Ginn, Jerricho Cotchery, and Corey Brown. Cotchery is gone, while Ginn and Brown's roles figure to lessen with Kelvin Benjamin returning healthy. After a rough beginning to his rookie year, Funchess emerged as one of the Panthers' most efficient offensive players. He will offer some breakout potential if Benjamin (ACL) returns anywhere short of full strength.

 
 
Source: Mike Clay on Twitter 
Jul 6 - 10:34 PM

 

[Ilov80s]

This seems like the best buy of the Panhers receiving core. KB is going too high for my liking. Olsen is getting overdrafted for a guy with a real limited ceiling. Funchess is basically free in redrafts this year. The buzz was building around him big time at camp.

 

[Steed]

strange thing to say about a te that's more than likely gonna get you 1000 yards and 6-7 tds.  I can live with that ceiling.

That said, funchess is the ultimate dynasty buy-low.  He gets no love amongst the draftnik crowd, and is 18 months younger than Doctson.  Reminds me of the lack of buzz leveon was getting after his so-so rookie year.

 

[Shutout]

strange thing to say about a te that's more than likely gonna get you 1000 yards and 6-7 tds.  I can live with that ceiling.

That said, funchess is the ultimate dynasty buy-low.  He gets no love amongst the draftnik crowd, and is 18 months younger than Doctson.  Reminds me of the lack of buzz leveon was getting after his so-so rookie year.

You hit on a true key for me.  Funchess' age. He is SO young and has already played a year of experience and truly did show a progressive step down the stretch last year.  He may never be in the same breath of discussion as top 10 guys but he could be an Anquan Boldin, Eric Decker, maybe at best surprise us all and be Allen Robinson.  THe NFL is so much about the mental aspect and opportunity that a young guy in a great situation like FUnchess is with Carolina could be a true steal/surprise that is worth gambling on a bit in dynasty FF.

 

[Faust]

Receiver Devin Funchess more trusting in second season, promises unselfish attitude

 

[pghrob]

https://youtu.be/doyuFrONsUo

 

[Faust]

Appearing on Mike Clay's Sirius XM Fantasy show, ESPN Panthers reporter David Newton suggested Devin Funchess could outproduce Kelvin Benjamin this season.
Newton called Benjamin's conditioning "still a concern," and Funchess a "sleeker, faster version of Benjamin." It was disappointing to see Benjamin dominate first-team snaps in Carolina's preseason opener as Funchess shuttled between the ones and twos, but Funchess' role could grow quickly if Benjamin takes any steps back. Funchess remains an intriguing double-digit-round fantasy pick.
 

Related: Kelvin Benjamin
 
Source: Mike Clay on Twitter 
Aug 15 - 4:11 PM

 

[Faust]

Panthers' Devin Funchess set for breakout season?

 

[stbugs]

Looking forward to seeing him out there this year. To think, I remember being a bit disappointed that DGB went one pick before where we traded up to in the 2nd. So glad we traded up to get the right WR.

 

[Faust]

Devin Funchess hauled in 5-of-10 targets for 49 yards Friday night against the Patriots.
Funchess was heavily involved when on the field, but he continued to play behind both Kelvin Benjamin and Ted Ginn. He also lost some snaps to Brenton Bersin. Even so, Funchess made several nice grabs Friday night and continues to earn praise for his performance in practice. If he keeps playing well, Carolina will have to put him on the field.

 

[pghrob]

http://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/panthers-devin-funchess-casting-heat-upon-no-1-wr-benjamin/

 

[AtomicDogg97]

Is he going to start or not?

 

[shadyridr]

Is he going to start or not?

Probably not at first but Carolina likes to rotate their wrs so if he plays well it's only a matter of time imo.

 

[BobbyLayne]

I like him a lot this year. He's come a long way for a guy who only switched from TE to WR in 2014. That 9 targets in the first half of the dress rehearsal is pretty telling. Ginn will start the first week, but I think Funchess will be heavily involved this year.

 

[Faust]

Panthers' Devin Funchess: Limited role in opener

 

[Biabreakable]

Matt VenselVerified account‏@mattvensel


Captain Munnerlyn on Devin Funchess: "We weren't really worried about him. It was Kelvin Benjamin. ... I don't think he is that good, #17."

 

[Righetti]

Matt VenselVerified account‏@mattvensel


Captain Munnerlyn on Devin Funchess: "We weren't really worried about him. It was Kelvin Benjamin. ... I don't think he is that good, #17."

The Funk needs to come out and shut some people up

 

[Faust]

Ron Rivera: Panthers could have used Devin Funchess better

 

[stbugs]

Ron Rivera: Panthers could have used Devin Funchess better

Doesn't matter. I am taking a hiatus from FF this year, but believe me as a Panthers fan, Funchess will not be fantasy relevant. Too many mouths to feed and he's certainly going to be behind Olsen and KB for primary targets and likely behind McCaffery and Samuel. Panthers don't pass it enough to make him fantasy relevant. I hope he plays well, but you'll be chasing that one good to great game all year and guessing wrong.

 

[Faust]

ESPN Panthers reporter David Newton projects Devin Funchess to start opposite Kelvin Benjamin this season.

Starting Funchess should be a no-brainer for Carolina after losing Ted Ginn to the Saints in free agency. After Ginn out-snapped him 690-493 last season, the 2015 second-round pick can expect a much bigger workload in 2017. The fantasy community hasn't shown Funchess much love this summer—his ADP is in the 200s—but he's an acceptable late-round flyer and could offer some upside as a cheap DFS option in favorable matchups.

Source: ESPN.com

Jul 23 - 8:58 AM

 

[FF Ninja]

Russell Shepard going to steal that job from him.

 

[spider321]

Russell Shepard going to steal that job from him.

In 3 receiver sets where Stewart is in the backfield, McCaffrey and Samuel should be the other 2 WR's.

 

[FF Ninja]

In 3 receiver sets where Stewart is in the backfield, McCaffrey and Samuel should be the other 2 WR's.

I was talking about 2 WR sets.

But to address your comment, I strongly disagree that a rookie slot WR + rookie RB should be on the field as your WR2 and WR3 in 3 WR sets.

 

[spider321]

Your disagreement is noted.

In 2 WR sets with Stewart in the backfield, Benjamin and McCaffrry should be the WRs.

In 2 WR sets with McCaffrey in the backfield, Benjamin and Samuel should be the WRs.

The season may not start that way, but I'd expect things to "shake out" that way.  Funchess and Shepard are JAGs.

Imo, the Panthers wouldn't have taken 2 skilled, multi-positional players in rounds 1 and 2 unless they planned on using them.

 

[FF Ninja]

Your disagreement is noted.

In 2 WR sets with Stewart in the backfield, Benjamin and McCaffrry should be the WRs.

In 2 WR sets with McCaffrey in the backfield, Benjamin and Samuel should be the WRs.

The season may not start that way, but I'd expect things to "shake out" that way.  Funchess and Shepard are JAGs.

Imo, the Panthers wouldn't have taken 2 skilled, multi-positional players in rounds 1 and 2 unless they planned on using them.

Feels like typical offseason rookie love/hype. In reality, they're still unproven rookies with a lot to learn. I'm sure they'll see the field, but neither will be the default WR2. Just not going to happen.

I understand the logic behind assuming a team drafted them early so they'll use them but time has proven that's faulty logic... we have all seen:

1. players take a year or two or three before they are truly NFL ready - a small % of players are truly impact players as rookies
   
2. players flat out bust - actually, the odds are one of these two players will be a long-term bust, not just a slow developer
   
3. teams draft players with a plan to use them, but that plan never comes together
   

Funchess himself was a 2nd round pick after all...

 

[spider321]

Yes, Funches was a 2nd rounder.  Many were not thrilled about the Panthers picking the big, slow, underachieving WR with a TE's athleticism from Michigan.  Lol

I get where you're coming from in regards to rookies, and maybe McCaffrey and Samuel aren't the answer, but I think we already know Funchess and Shepard aren't the answer.

 

[FF Ninja]

Yes, Funches was a 2nd rounder.  Many were not thrilled about the Panthers picking the big, slow, underachieving WR with a TE's athleticism from Michigan.  Lol

I get where you're coming from in regards to rookies, and maybe McCaffrey and Samuel aren't the answer, but I think we already know Funchess and Shepard aren't the answer.

Shepard was a QB converted to a WR and has spent most of his first four years as a special teams ace. He got glowing praise while working with the 1's in OTAs. I wouldn't write him off just yet for the rookie flavor of the month.

But I agree that Funchess was a questionable pick at the time and has looked the part of a bad draft pick. I was just using him as an example of a 2nd rounder who didn't contribute in year 1 and may never contribute meaningfully. 

 

[spider321]

I'm guessing you own some fantasy stock in Shepard.

 

[Rookie_Whisperer]

JMO, the Funchess pick seemed more like an insurance policy for K Benjamin. They have similar skill sets in that neither is a dynamic mover and are both big bodied guys who can post up, use their bodies and win the 50/50 against smaller defenders. When KB went down, Funchess should have just stepped into that role which didn't not happen. The success Benjamin had as a rookie, again I think, led the scouts and coaches to think they found some match-ups they could exploit on a regular basis. That really didn't turn out to be the case with Funchess.  

With the addition of McCaffrey as the joker back and Samuel who is projected to fill Ted Ginn's deep-ball role as well as Cotchery's role in the slot, Funchess doesn't have a set place in the rotation barring injury. Rivera is on the record as wanting to feature the slot receiver going forward, and that is not Funchess' skill set.

Also, the addition of Lance Taylor (McCaffrey's RB coach at Stanford) and Cotchery as the WR coaches doesn't really bode that well for the big bodied guys IMO. That offense is evolving and not towards featuring the twin towers.

 

[FF Ninja]

I'm guessing you own some fantasy stock in Shepard.

Nah, he's just a deep sleeper I've been watching so I figured I'd throw that call out in this thread when I saw this thread pop up. Like he's a guy I'd love to get for $1 in the FBG subscriber contest...

Full disclosure, I did pick him up as a redraft injury replacement for a week last year (got me a TD, IIRC) so that's what put him on my radar. My interest was piqued when he signed with Carolina - a team that lost Ginn (95 targets) and only has Funchess left as competition for WR2.

 

[Pwingles]

Nah, he's just a deep sleeper I've been watching so I figured I'd throw that call out in this thread when I saw this thread pop up. Like he's a guy I'd love to get for $1 in the FBG subscriber contest...

Full disclosure, I did pick him up as a redraft injury replacement for a week last year (got me a TD, IIRC) so that's what put him on my radar. My interest was piqued when he signed with Carolina - a team that lost Ginn (95 targets) and only has Funchess left as competition for WR2.

that 95 missing targets could easily get eaten up by CMC, Samuel, Olsen, KB tho

 

[FF Ninja]

that 95 missing targets could easily get eaten up by CMC, Samuel, Olsen, KB tho

I don't disagree. There are lots of ways those 95 targets could go. I'm not saying anyone should draft Shepard today. Just keep an eye on him if he wins the job.

 

[Pwingles]

I don't disagree. There are lots of ways those 95 targets could go. I'm not saying anyone should draft Shepard today. Just keep an eye on him if he wins the job.

Im sure he would do more with them than Funch and KB. Lord help Carolina if they give the majority of that 95 targets to those two stone handed goons

 

[Slapdash]

Your disagreement is noted.

In 2 WR sets with Stewart in the backfield, Benjamin and McCaffrry should be the WRs.

In 2 WR sets with McCaffrey in the backfield, Benjamin and Samuel should be the WRs.

The season may not start that way, but I'd expect things to "shake out" that way.  Funchess and Shepard are JAGs.

Imo, the Panthers wouldn't have taken 2 skilled, multi-positional players in rounds 1 and 2 unless they planned on using them.

Funchess himself was a player who wasn't really a WR and never has developed into one.  I wouldn't get bullish on this same team figuring out how to convert two RBs into WRs, particularly in year 1.

 

[spider321]

Funchess himself was a player who wasn't really a WR and never has developed into one.  I wouldn't get bullish on this same team figuring out how to convert two RBs into WRs, particularly in year 1.

I'm just guessing here, but it's probably a lot easier to "convert" guys who have athleticism than guys who do not.

 

[Slapdash]

Devin Funchess is getting a lot of training camp fluffing so far.

 

[Ilov80s]

Devin Funchess is getting a lot of training camp fluffing so far.

I think we finally see him pass Kelvin. It's been coming.

 

[spider321]

I think we finally see him pass Kelvin. It's been coming.

Unless Kelvin added another 100 pounds, no.

 

[Ilov80s]

Unless Kelvin added another 100 pounds, no.

I'm not worried about the big, slow, old guy that is always getting out of shape in the offseason. 

 

[spider321]

I'm not worried about the big, slow, old guy that is always getting out of shape in the offseason. 

Problem is, Funchess is a less talented, big, slow young guy. 

 

[Slapdash]

I think we finally see him pass Kelvin. It's been coming.

He was 4th in snap counts last year.  Would just be happy if he can lock down a role with more snaps. 

 

[Ilov80s]

Problem is, Funchess is a less talented, big, slow young guy. 

lol yeah Funchess hasn't been impressive and I always thought he disappointed at Michigan (although Denard didn't do him any favors). Funchess is still younger than some of the rookie WRs this year, so there is at least a way to believe he can develop into a quality player. 

 

[Pwingles]

lol yeah Funchess hasn't been impressive and I always thought he disappointed at Michigan (although Denard didn't do him any favors). Funchess is still younger than some of the rookie WRs this year, so there is at least a way to believe he can develop into a quality player. 

his size is always going to be intriguing for dynasty owners, after watching the one time KB and Cam had a good season, people are going to be hoping for that result in Funch

I have seen him do some good things, I wonder what the actual problem is that is leading to this lack of success so far. Is he not smart? Surely he is athletic enough considering KB has had a bit of success. The offense seems pretty easy from my couch anyway. Rivera hate him?

 

[spider321]

lol yeah Funchess hasn't been impressive and I always thought he disappointed at Michigan (although Denard didn't do him any favors). Funchess is still younger than some of the rookie WRs this year, so there is at least a way to believe he can develop into a quality player. 

Yeah, he's young and big.  I just don't think he has NFL talent.

Hopefully, I'm wrong.

 

[Ilov80s]

his size is always going to be intriguing for dynasty owners, after watching the one time KB and Cam had a good season, people are going to be hoping for that result in Funch

I have seen him do some good things, I wonder what the actual problem is that is leading to this lack of success so far. Is he not smart? Surely he is athletic enough considering KB has had a bit of success. The offense seems pretty easy from my couch anyway. Rivera hate him?

If there is a reason it hasn't come together other than Funchess just isn't good, it's his age. He is still younger than Golladay, Cooper Kupp, Jos Doctson, Michael Thomas, Sterling Shephard

 

[Pwingles]

If there is a reason it hasn't come together other than Funchess just isn't good, it's his age. He is still younger than Golladay, Cooper Kupp, Jos Doctson, Michael Thomas, Sterling Shephard

in what way? like physical maturation?

 

[Ilov80s]

in what way? like physical maturation?

Physical and mental. Being a rookie at 21 is tough. 

At the age of 21, Kelvin Benjamin had 500 yards and 4 TDs.

At the age of 21, Devin Funchess had 470 yards and 5 TDs. 

The difference is at age 21 Kelvin Benjamin was playing college football and at age 21, Devin Funchess was playing professional football. 

 

[tangfoot]

Appearing on Mike Clay's Sirius XM Fantasy show, ESPN Panthers reporter David Newton suggested Devin Funchess could outproduce Kelvin Benjamin this season.

Newton called Benjamin's conditioning "still a concern," and Funchess a "sleeker, faster version of Benjamin." It was disappointing to see Benjamin dominate first-team snaps in Carolina's preseason opener as Funchess shuttled between the ones and twos, but Funchess' role could grow quickly if Benjamin takes any steps back. Funchess remains an intriguing double-digit-round fantasy pick.

Panthers' Devin Funchess set for breakout season?

Devin Funchess hauled in 5-of-10 targets for 49 yards Friday night against the Patriots.

Funchess was heavily involved when on the field, but he continued to play behind both Kelvin Benjamin and Ted Ginn. He also lost some snaps to Brenton Bersin. Even so, Funchess made several nice grabs Friday night and continues to earn praise for his performance in practice. If he keeps playing well, Carolina will have to put him on the field.

Fool me once, shame on you...