Last summer, the demand for home additions surged by more than 50 percent, according to data collected by Houzz. It's no surprise after millions of Americans pivoted to spending more time inside the house.

Despite the promise of reemergence, interest in home additions is still going strong. This comes as families continue to allocate space for home offices, adult children who have returned home, and dining rooms ready to host long-awaited dinner parties. Whether you want to add on a second floor or transform a garage into a playroom, these genius home addition ideas cover every need and budget.

Photo by We Are Free Bird; design/build by Rebel Builders

(Image credit: We Are Free Bird for Rebel Builders)

The kitchen may have once been a place reserved for preparing meals, but today it serves as the family HQ. Think Zoom conferences, dinners, and neighborhood happy hours. Adding/expanding a kitchen is one of the pricier home additions (between $25,00 and $45,000, according to Home Guide), but kitchen remodels typically have good ROI when it comes to resale value of your home.

The lower end of the spectrum refers to entry-level appliances and a standard 10-by-10 kitchen. Prices increase and can go as high as $100,000 or more) depending on the luxury of appliances and square footage.

To save money, expand outward from an existing footprint. Keeping water and electric hookups where they are can save big. For this Massachusetts home addition, Rebel Builders transformed a small kitchen into the heart of the home by digging out and extending the basement.

Porch renovation by Cathy Angelini, Flamingo Interior Design

(Image credit: Cathy Angelini, Flamingo Interior Design)

Have a screened-in porch you'd like to transform into a sunroom? This home addition type is popular thanks to its ease and affordability. It can cost as little as $8,000 (and up to $80,000 according to Home Guide), depending on the climate. Three-season sunrooms in mild climates will be much more affordable than a four-season room in a colder region.

If your existing structure has a solid foundation and roof, you can expect to pay much less, since you won't need a slab foundation and roofing materials. Handy homeowners can do some of the work themselves, like flooring and paint.

(Image credit: Amber Interiors)

If you have the yardage, don't count out an outdoor room! An outdoor kitchen is a great way to extend the footprint of your home and encourage alfresco entertaining. According to Landscaping Network, the cost of your project will range from about $2,000 for a cooking area with a patio, grill, and countertop to $50,000 and as much as $100,000 for a luxury design with top-of-the-line appliances.

You'll also want to think about coverage from the elements, so add on the cost of a pergola or overhang.

Screened-in porch by Stratton Exteriors.

(Image credit: Stratton Exteriors)

Though it isn't cheap to add a screened-in porch (it will cost between $18,000 and $24,000), its enhanced curb appeal can bolster the value of your home. According to Home Guide, that can add up to as much as 60% ROI.

This home addition by Stratton Exteriors makes a screened-in porch feel luxurious, thanks to a gable roof, skylights, and a grilling station with metal roof.

Bathroom addition by O'Rourke Homes.

(Image credit: O'Rourke Homes )

Bathroom additions also offer a handsome return on investment, recouping 50 percent of your costs on average according to the National Association of Realtors. Of course, it is also one of the more expensive additions, since you'll need to think about plumbing. To save money, opt for stock vanities and cabinets as opposed to custom, and talk to your builder about the ideal location for water lines.

Second story addition by Hammer & Hand.

(Image credit: Hammer & Hand)

Adding on a second story can essentially double the footprint of your home. All that space does come for a pretty penny as much as $350,000 depending on the size and material selection. That's because, as Home Guide explains, you need to build an entire new house on top of your house.

Think plumbing, electrical wiring, framing, and drywall. But, since you're drastically growing the size of your home, you can expect a good return on investment nearing 60 percent.

Door and photo by 1925 Workbench; pantry designed by Signify Design.

(Image credit: 1925 Workbench)

Home organization has never been more popular. Just take popular Netflix shows Tidying Up With Marie Kondo and Get Organized With The Home Edit. But if your spices and baking ingredients are trapped in cluttered cabinets, it can be difficult to streamline things.

Enter: a pantry addition. Talk to a builder about the best way to utilize your space. You can transform a coat closet into your dream pantry with a few ideal built-ins. Or, carve out space to build a butler's pantry off of your kitchen. This relatively affordable remodel will pay dividends in getting organized.

(Image credit: Smart D2 Playrooms)

Garage conversions are a great way to turn cluttered storage areas into usable space outside of your home. If your garage already has a strong foundation and electricity, you only need to think about adding insulation, heat, and flooring.

Close off half of a two-car garage to build a home office. Add a rug, sofa, and bar for the ultimate hangout space. Or, install a climbing wall and jungle gym for the ultimate "smart" playroom.

You can also build a new garage or add a second floor to your existing footprint. Note that if your garage doesn't have a strong enough foundation to add a second floor, it will be more costly.

Mudroom addition by Hammer & Hand.

(Image credit: Hammer & Hand)

Mudrooms became the real workhorse of the home this past year. They are responsible for containing clutter as well as preventing dirt and germs from entering the rest of the house. Thankfully, adding a mudroom is one of the more affordable home additions. According to Home Guide, it will run you about $7,500 for a 50-square-foot mudroom.

Family room addition by Brian Neeper with Jessica Neeper interiors.

(Image credit: Brian Neeper)

Family rooms are one of the pricier kinds of home additions, since you'll need to build out from your existing footprint. That means a new foundation, roofing, and outside walls with insulation and siding. (Plus electrical and plumbing work.)

The result can cost anywhere from $34,000 to $83,000, depending on size and materials. This farmhouse-inspired addition boasts soaring ceilings with exposed beams.

(Image credit: Gibson Taylor Thompson)

You'll need to front the most cash for the addition of an in-law suite, complete with a bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette, living room, and laundry. Most spend an average of $90,000 on this home addition, but for good reason.

In-law suites are great for housing out-of-town guests, college students home for the summer, and extended family members (as its name suggests). The space can also be rented out on sites like Airbnb when not in use. Aside from the convenience to you, in-law suites are a great investment. They add so much value to your home that you'll recoup your costs 100%.

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11 home addition ideas for budgets of all sizes - Real Homes

What happens if you love the home youre in but theres just not enough space? When you want to keep your roots planted without sacrificing on those dream additions, you have several choices to add square footage: building up, digging down, adding on or building out.Today, we want to share a few tips for building out. Here are 5 ideas to help you build your dream guesthouse on time and on budget.1. Codes & Permits With the construction of a new guest house, or even conversion, youll likely need to get some permitting done before you proceed otherwise, you risk stalling the project later when youre not up to code. A quality contractor will be able to help you understand and expedite this process.2. Views When choosing the location of your guest house especially if you have a large and scenic property consider the view. What will guests gaze at from the kitchen window? What does their porch overlook? How might the guest house alter the views from the main house?3. Scale Now its time to determine the scale of your project. Will the guest house be fully functional, with a full bathroom and kitchen? Or will it offer lodging and some comforts, but still require guests to be dependent on the main house for certain things? Consider which features like central air or a second story are a priority, and build from there.4. Floor Plan To maximize the space inside a guesthouse, try to keep the floor plan open. Think about traffic flow, and consider how your guests will move through the space. Consult your contractor if you want more advice to maximize the use of your new addition.5. Yard Give your guesthouse more of a personal, secluded feel by adding a small patio or a walled-off garden. Want to get extra fancy? Add some outdoor kitchen features like a built-in grill, or turn it into a romantic getaway with outdoor bathing options, such as a rain shower or spa-tub.Now that youve got the dream, call Randal G. Winter Construction Inc. at 661-799-8089 to make it a reality. For more information, visit http://www.rgwinter.com.

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Five Steps to Planning the Perfect Guest House Build - Magazine of Santa Clarita

"Having a location in the city of St. Louis just steps from Busch Stadium is a dream come true"

ST. LOUIS Ballpark Village has added two new concepts to its lineup a restaurant and a retail store both of which opened this month after the recent completion of its $260 million, 700,000-square-foot second phase that also included the Pennant Building, the PwC-anchored office tower and the One Cardinal Way apartment tower.

Arch Apparel, a local clothing brand known for its St. Louis-inspired apparel and accessories, opened its doors earlier this month at 771 Clark Ave. adjacent to Busch Stadium. The retail store will be open seven days a week and will offer a mix of baseball-centric gear, game day specials and all of its classic apparel. An elevated DJ booth for weekend home games also will be available inside the store.

"Having a location in the city of St. Louis just steps from Busch Stadium is a dream come true," Aaron Park, owner and CEO, said in a statement.

Park founded Arch Apparel in 2016, which began as a home-based business that has since expanded to include three store locations in St. Louis, Brentwood and St. Charles.

"Having unique St. Louis businesses like Arch Apparel as part of the dynamic mix of amenities in Ballpark Village has been part of our plan since Day One, and we are thrilled to see the vision continue to come to life,"Mike LaMartina, COO for Ballpark Village, said in a statement.

In addition to Arch Apparel, Ballpark Village on Monday also added barbecue restaurant Salt + Smoke to its lineup. This is the fifth location for Salt + Smoke in the St. Louis region, and will be located at the corner of Clark and Broadway, on the ground and second floors of One Cardinal Way, a new, 29-story apartment tower.

"It took us a little longer to open this location because of the pandemic, but our team was determined to get it done," Tom Schmidt, owner of Salt + Smoke, said in a statement. "We can't wait to open our doors to the best fans in baseball and to become a part of the 365-day atmosphere that Ballpark Village offers."

Click here for the full story and to view more photos.

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Take a peek inside at the two latest additions to Ballpark Village's lineup - KSDK.com

In July of 2001, the christening of the Chicagoland Speedway ended with a young Kevin Harvick winning the first NASCAR Cup Series race at the brand new track in Illinois. Alongside Kansas Speedway, Chicagoland was one of two brand new tracks on the 2001 NASCAR schedule.

But before long, they gradually became the last of their kind.

After a boom period of building new racetracks in major markets, NASCAR's schedule became an immovable object for many years, with only one major addition to the schedule - Kentucky Speedway in 2011 - interrupting what became an otherwise gradual settling of worn-out faces into worn-out places. As NASCAR went through lean years in terms of relevance, the schedule became a major sore point.

Even, Harvick -- 14 years after that win at Chicagoland -- called the Cup Series schedule the "most stagnant thing" in NASCAR. But now, that's all changed.

As part of the realignment of the 2021 schedule, NASCAR will visit a brand new track for the first time in a decade on Friday when it travels to Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. Opened in 2012, this weekend will mark COTA's first NASCAR races after previously having hosted Formula 1's United States Grand Prix, as well as other road racing and sportscar events.

And it also marks a refreshing challenge for Harvick, who has mastered all other tracks as a Cup veteran of two decades.

"I think for me, it's actually been a lot of fun," Harvick told CBS Sports of preparing for COTA. "I think as I look at our road race stuff in the past, and really just going to Sonoma and Watkins Glen for a number of years, you kind of just took that for granted and just prepared on what you did last year in the simulator one time and know the racetracks like the back of my hand."

The 2021 schedule has brought with it an unprecedented emphasis on road racing in NASCAR, as a total of seven road courses were placed on the Cup Series schedule. Circuit of the Americas joined Road America in Wisconsin, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Daytona International Speedway road courses as outright new additions to a schedule that also included Sonoma Raceway, Watkins Glen International and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.

Those changes, as well as other additions to the schedule, have made for new -- and in Harvick's mind, overdue -- challenges to be embraced by competitors.

"I think as you look at the schedule, we could have been way ahead if (NASCAR) would have just listened five or six years ago, right?" Harvick said. "I think it's very refreshing to see the change in the schedule. I think as you look at today's world from my perspective, everybody likes something different, something new, something fresh.

"We're going to a new market, we're going to a great racetrack that's obviously already building its own racing legacy. And however the race turns out this weekend -- It matters, but it doesn't. I think the event is the story this weekend because of the fact that we're going to a great facility in a huge market. And we're gonna go there and compete."

When Harvick was a Cup Series rookie in 2001, the culture surrounding road course racing with stock cars was distinctly different than what it is now. While a select few drivers made a point to be good road racers, others simply tried to survive the weekends, and some even stepped out of their cars to allow road racing specialists -- "Ringers" like Boris Said, Ron Fellows, and more -- to give their teams a better chance of competing for wins.

But over time, road racing became more popular with fans and other stakeholders. As Harvick explained it, Sonoma Raceway in California's wine country became a "destination point" for sponsors, while Watkins Glen in upstate New York became a "fan hit" with sellout crowds.

Meanwhile, drivers began to put more time and effort into road racing as it took on greater importance towards determining the Cup Series Playoff grid and Championship. And with seven road races now on the schedule -- and perhaps more to come as NASCAR grows and expands -- road racing has become more important than ever.

"... I think road racing in general has become a part of what we do," Harvick said. "In order to expand, you're gonna have to be able to go to road races, especially if you want to go back to Canada or back to Mexico City (both markets where the NASCAR Busch Series raced in the mid-2000s) and do all the things that we need to be doing that we've done in the past, and really opens up a whole new outlet of racetracks for us to be able to go to."

Sunday's race at Circuit of the Americas has added importance for Harvick and his team: it will mark the first race of the Mobil 1 Thousand promotion, which will award $1,000 or more to a fan if a driver using Mobil 1 wins a Cup race this season. The jackpot begins at $7,000, with Harvick running a gold, dollar bill-laden paint scheme aboard his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford this weekend.

"Obviously Mobil is very involved from the performance side of what we do with the racecar, a huge part of the development process with the engine shop at Roush Yates and trying to always create something more durable, something that creates more power, whether it's in the engine or the transmission or the rear end," Harvick said. "Whatever that lubricant is, Mobil wants it to be the best ... those people at Mobil that are developing those products to make our cars run faster are very much a part of what we do."

Through 13 races, Harvick currently sits eighth in points with four Top 5 and 10 Top 10 finishes, His best finish was coming in second at Kansas. However, Harvick's season to date has been framed more around the idea of shock that he's yet to visit Victory Lane -- a surprise given that Harvick won a career-high nine races in 2020.

Harvick acknowledged that he has a tough act to follow, but he is nonetheless pleased with what he and his team have done so far as they work to re-capture their dominant speed from last season.

"I think our team has done a great job of dotting the Is and crossing the Ts and really making sure that we're getting the most out of our cars on a weekend," Harvick said. "... Every year there's changes to the cars. I think comparing last year to any year in my career, it'd look like a real bummer, right? Because of the fact that last year was so successful.

"There's always gonna be critics whether it's good or bad. You're never good enough, and that's why we just kind of keep our head down and pay attention to the things that we can control and keep grinding away."

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Kevin Harvick is embracing the 'refreshing' challenge of NASCAR's first trip to Circuit of the Americas - CBS Sports

When it comes to fantasy football, volume is king. We want players who generate the most targets and touches more opportunities leads to more fantasy points. But not all opportunities are created equal.

End-zone targets, deep targets (20 yards or more), air yards and carries inside the 5-yard line are prime examples of high-value opportunities. We want players who have a command of their teams high-value touches because that maximizes their fantasy upside.

In PPR formats, an end-zone target is worth nearly double a normal target. Deep targets net 1.3 times as much. A carry inside the 5-yard line more than quadruples the rate of fantasy points on a normal carry.

Identifying players with high-usage roles is critical to gaining an edge over the competition. Thats why Ive broken down the high-usage roles across all 32 NFL teams to unearth as much value as we can heading into the 2021 fantasy football season.

ARZ | ATL | BLT | BUF | CAR | CIN | CHI | CLE | DEN | DAL | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAX | KC | LVR | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WFT

Kenyan Drake was no stranger to seeing carries inside the opponents 5-yard line. The ex-Arizona Cardinals running backs 21 rushing attempts inside the 5-yard line tied for the third-most in the league last season.

With him off to greener pastures in Las Vegas Jon Gruden laid out some real cheddar the goal-line duties look to be split in a three-way committee between Kyler Murray, Chase Edmonds and James Conner.

Murray has a chance to see a Cam Newton-esque workload rushing the ball inside the 5-yard line if he emerges as the favorite. He and Drake were tied with six rushing attempts inside the 5-yard line before Murrays shoulder injury.

Drake's goal-line carries didn't skyrocket until after Murray was banged up. He totaled nearly 72% of his goal-line attempts (15) starting in Week 11 Murray only had two the rest of the way.

Conner is the biggest threat to carve out the main goal-line role.Since 2018, Conner is PFF's second-highest graded (81.6) rusher inside the 5 (32 carries). His touchdown/first down conversion rate ranks third-best (62.5%).

Edmonds has one goal-line carry over the past two seasons, which doesnt bode well for his fantasy upside. Neither does the addition of second-round wide receiver Rondale Moore. The Purdue products YAC-ability will attract targets close to the line of scrimmage, an overlap that will likely limit RB receiving production in Kliff Kingsburys horizontal Air Raid offense.

No RB saw a higher percentage of snaps from the slot than Edmonds in 2020 (26%).

As for other high-value opportunities, theres not much in the Arizona offense. The departures of veteran wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and tight end Dan Arnold adds up to the 10th-most vacated targets, but neither of those players was earning any type of premium touches.

Newcomers like Moore and free-agent signing A.J. Green are going to slide into the pre-existing roles, which doesnt leave a ton of room for upside. Fourth-year WR Christian Kirk should slide back into the slot a more natural fit for his skill set but that might not be enough to salvage his fantasy value.

Kirk ranked second on the team last year in deep targets, and he still finished outside the top 45 wide receivers in fantasy points per game.

Simply put: Outside of DeAndre Hopkins and Murray, nothing is alluring about any of these Zona players in fantasy football.

Calvin Ridleys dominant 2020 campaign was fueled by high-value touches. The superstar wideout finished first in air yards and second in end-zone targets.

Although the pass-catching corps projects to be more crowded in 2021 with a healthy Julio Jones andNo. 1-ranked rookie tight end Kyle Pitts, Ridley is the No. 1 option for fantasy football. Any hit to his 24% overall target share from last season will be balanced out by uber-efficient targets.

Ridley finished last season first in target rate on 20-plus yard targets (58%) and fourth in target rate on pass attempts to the end zone (48%). Matt Ryan simply cant get Ridley enough high-value targets.

But if anyone is going to eat into Ridleys share of precious end-zone targets, it would be the 6-foot-6 red-zone monster, Pitts. The stud from Florida led all of college football in end-zone target rate (59%) at the tight end position and was PFFs highest-graded receiver (94.6) on those targets.

Last year, we saw Arthur Smith orchestrate an offense that heavily used tight ends third-most fantasy points scored at the position especially in the end zone. Jonnu Smith tied Corey Davis for the lead in team end-zone targets (10) while also ranking first in end-zone target rate (46%) at the tight end position.

Pitts is going to hit paydirt a ton in 2021 and will ned to in order to pay off his costly ADP as the TE5.

Ridleys target share was identical to Titans WR1 A.J. Brownlast season. Projecting Julio Jones to see a Corey Davis target share (20%) and Pitts a Jonnu Smith target share (14%) isnt too far-fetched.

Todd Gurleys exit from the Atlanta Falcons offense leaves nearly three-quarters of the team's goal-line touches up for grabs in 2021. Mike Davis looks to take over that role after he led the Panthers in goal-line carries a season ago.

Recall that Gurley was the RB6 through the first nine weeks of the season, averaging a rushing touchdown per game in Atlantas high-powered offense.

The Ravens passing attack was completely reliant on Mark Andrews and Marquise Brown seeing the lions share of high-value opportunities. Andrews finished sixth in team end-zone target share (39%, second-most at TE), and Brown finished with the leagues highest percentage of a teams 20-plus yard targets. The speedy wideout commanded 50% of Lamar Jacksons deep balls (33).

Unfortunately, these high-end market share numbers arent likely to continue with the teams additions of veteran Sammy Watkins, 2021 first-rounder Rashod Bateman and fourth-rounder Tylan Wallace. Based on their productive college profiles, the two rookies have a non-zero chance of making noise in the Baltimore offense.

Bateman commanded a convincing 41% air yards share (sixth-best), and Wallace saw 50% of Oklahoma States end-zone targets in 2019.

J.K. Dobbins (43%) and Gus Edwards (39%) nearly split carries from inside the 5-yard line, but the former got the most run when the Ravens turned to him down the stretch. Dobbins earned 80% of the goal-line carries in his nine healthy games after Week 11, so we should expect him to reprise the role in 2021.

Buffalo Bills WRs scored more fantasy points than any other team thanks in part to Stefon Diggs blow-up season. The wideout finished third in total air yards and third in overall target share (29%). But the sneaky name to highlight is incoming second-year WR Gabriel Davis his command of high-value targets was utterly impressive as a rookie.

The former UCF standout finished with just two fewer deep targets (26 versus 28) and posted an identical 25% end-zone target share to Diggs. He also posted a higher air yards share (19%) than established veterans John Brown and Cole Beasley.

The addition of Emmanuel Sanders after Browns departure will not hold Davis back. Hes got a second-year breakout written all over him.

The consensus is down on Zack Moss because of how little the Bills utilize running backs. But we cant overlook the fact that Moss was banged up all last season and was the teams primary ball carrier when healthy at the goal line in 2020.

Look past Moss box score last season, and focus on the fact that he is going to be the lead back on a top-five NFL offense. More times than not, running backs in those situations produce for fantasy. Scoop up the discount.

D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson cannibalized almost all of the team air yards and end-zone targets from a season ago (both finished top-10), so Curtis Samuels absence from the offense doesnt necessarily create a pristine situation for rookie Terrace Marshall Jr.

Carolinas top two WRs will continue to command the lions share of air yards and targets, leaving Marshalls chance of a Year 1 impact on the shoulders of end-zone targets. Last season, passing to the end zone was a real issue for the Panthers offense. Anderson and Moore saw a combined 18 end-zone targets but had zero end-zone touchdowns. Ex-Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was PFFs worst-graded quarterback in the red zone (29.0).

With red-zone woes a clear issue, Marshall provides a perfect fix. He ranks 12th in end-zone targets over the past two seasons, and his PFF receiving grade on those targets ranks fourth-best (93.5). He graded higher than former teammates JaMarr Chase (84.1) and Justin Jefferson (82.6) during their final collegiate seasons.

Marshall is my dark horse candidate to lead the 2021 wide receiver class in touchdowns this season.

The minute rookie quarterback Justin Fields hits the field in the preseason, Darnell Mooneys ADP will be sent to the moon. The former fifth-round pick flashed as a deep-ball threat last season, commanding an almost identical percentage of 20-plus yard throws as teammate Allen Robinson II (30% versus 29%).

Fields finished second in passing touchdowns of 20-plus yards (29) and third in air yards percentage (71.2%) since the start of the 2019 season, showcasing his affinity to throw the ball downfield.

The former Ohio State QB also ranked fifth in passing touchdowns on end-zone throws, which bodes well for Robinson. The Bears No. 1 wideout earned a 35% end-zone target share last season (10th) but only hauled in 31% (21st) of passes thrown his way.

Nick Foles and Mitchell Trubisky combined for a 48.6 passer rating when targeting the end zone last season, the fourth-worst mark in the league.

Its a breath of fresh air for drafters to invest in Robinson this year knowing hes going to catch passes from the best quarterback hes ever played with.

Get on the Cincinnati Bengals fantasy bandwagon. Upgrading from the aged A.J. Green to highly touted rookie JaMarr Chase is like going from zero to 100 real quick. Green led the Bengals in air yards share (31%) and end-zone target share (30%) but did little to nothing to translate his five-star opportunities to fantasy production.

His 1.02 yards per route run (101st) and 7.0 fantasy points per game (92nd) tell the entire story.

Bengals WRs finished fifth in total expected fantasy points, but due to Greens ineffectiveness, they ended with the most points scored under expectation. Because expected fantasy points are a better predictor of future production especially when theres a clear scapegoat for why the team underperformed this passing game can only improve in 2021 with Green out the door in favor of Chase.

Green was considered open on just one of his deep-ball targets last season. In 2019, Chase earned a near-perfect PFF receiving grade (99.0) on targets of 20-plus yards and totaled 24 receptions, 860 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns on deep targets alone.

A healthy Odell Beckham Jr. has a golden opportunity to prove all the haters wrong. He led the team in deep targets, end-zone targets and ranked sixth in the league in air yards before going down with a gruesome injury in Week 7.

Beckham saw more deep targets (12) than Jarvis Landry saw during the entire season (10). He also finished fifth in target rate on deep routes run (52%).

With a lack of legitimate competition for high-end touches in the Browns passing offense between Landry, veteran Rashard Higgins, second-year WR Donovan Peoples-Jones and the one-trick pony rookie speedster from Auburn, Anthony Schwartz, OBJ is shaping up to be a fantasy value in 2020. Alpha WRs arent readily available, let alone in the middle rounds of fantasy football drafts.

Tight end Austin Hooper is the only other candidate I could envision having a large role as an end-zone target. He finished last season second on the team in end-zone target share (18%). Browns tight ends collectively finished sixth in expected fantasy points, meaning theres more meat on the bone for production from that position in this offense.

Theres no doubt that Nick Chubb would be a top-three fantasy running back if Kareem Hunt wasnt in the fold. The split between the two backs ultimately limits Chubbs fantasy ceiling, most notably when it comes to carries at the goal line. Chubb is the primary option when healthy (11 carries inside the 5), but Hunt is hot on his tail (eight carries inside the 5).

Chubb is difficult to rank too high in fantasy for that reason, but the situation gives Hunt solid RB2 status that is rare to find from one teams backfield.

Slot receivers don't usually rank highly in terms of deep targets.CeeDee Lambs 28% 20-plus yard target share tied Michael Gallup for the team lead in 2021.

Even more shocking, Dallas No. 3 receiver, Gallup, led the team in end-zone target share (32%) in front of both Lamb (26%) and Amari Cooper (21%). Its ironic that Cooper is viewed as the No. 1 receiver because of his team-leading target share (21%) too few people areconsidering his share of premium touches in the Cowboys offense.

Gallups under-the-radar opportunities from a season ago are a reminder that hes a screaming value going several rounds later than his teammates. Lambs share of high-value touches make him nearly as valuable as Cooper.

Dak Prescott peppered Lamb with high-value targets before his injury. The rookie led the team in end-zone targets and hauled in seven deep balls from Prescott more than all other Dallas WRs combined (six).

Ezekiel Elliott finished second in the NFL in carries inside the 5-yard line, and that role alone is worth pure gold in fantasy football. All signs are pointing to this offense being explosive with Prescott back in action, so buying Zeke at the back of the first round is a discount too good pass. Even if backup Tony Pollard does see more touches after his impressive 2020 campaign, its going to still be #FeedZeke when the team looks to punch its ticket into the end zone.

All hail air yards king, Jerry Jeudy. The Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver finished seventh in total air yards a season ago, but alas only 59% were deemed catchable the third-worst mark in the league.

Luckily for him, Teddy Bridgewater is vastly more accurate than Drew Lock, so Id expect the former to improve his receiving efficiency. Teddy B finished third in the league in adjusted completion percentage (80%) while Lock finished third-worst (68.7%).

Jeudys rookie season is eerily similar to that of Curtis Samuels second season: tons of air yards and deep targets downfield but horrible quarterback play. Only 60% of the passes thrown his way were deemed catchable, which ranked 79th in 2019. Fast forward to 2020, and that rate rose to 86% (first) with Bridgewater at QB.

Its the perfect case study for backing Jeudy as a fantasy target in 2021. His rookie season gave us the opportunity, and the efficiency can only go up from here.

One of the worst parts about Jared Goffs game is that he doesnt create high-value opportunities for his receivers. The Los Angeles Rams offense ranked 31st in end-zone passes and 29th in deep targets. So, really, the Lions arent an offense that we should get too excited about outside of pure volume, albeit of the inefficient variety.

Detroit has the most vacated targets and air yards, which is at least great for TE1 T.J. Hockenson to see a massive boost in targets. The vast amount of opportunities also opens doors for DAndre Swift to catch more passes hes the teams second-leading returning receiver in addition to ancillary receivers like veteran Breshad Perriman and rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Just be aware that many of these targets are not going to be of much value, so dont over-invest in Detroit receivers solely based on volume.

Jamaal Williams also has a chance to see a bigger workload working in tandem with Swift. The ex-Packers back could easily seize Adrian Petersons 52% of goal-line carries as the teams A-back.

Its crazy but factual: Marquez Valdes-Scantling finished with more air yards than Davante Adams. OK, Adams missed a few games which lent MVS the slight edge when it comes to raw totals, but this guy has become a complete afterthought in fantasy football. His 31% team air yards share is on the same level as guys like Chase Claypool, Marvin Jones and A.J. Brown, and his deep-ball percentage ranked 15th in the NFL.

Green Bay drafted rookie receiver Amari Rodgers in this years draft, but his style of play does not overlap at all with Valdes-Scantling. Rodgers played exclusively as the Clemson Tigers slot wideout, leading the nation in receptions (68) when lined up inside. His claim to fame was turning short passes into yards after the catch, as he finished first in that category in 2020. MVS finished sixth in the league in deep targets. If anything, Rodgers insertion into the offense will overlap with incumbent slot receiver Allen Lazard.

At the running back position, Jamaal Williams is out and A.J. Dillon is in as the teams RB2. Dillons fantasy buzz came crashing down after Aaron Jones re-signed with the team, but its fallen too far. Green Bay has a history of using two RBs, and Dillon could easily see a role at the goal line. Williams earned 38% of the teams goal-line carries in 2019, so Dillon should carve out a similar role.

Houston ranks fifth in vacated air yards and fourth in vacated targets, creating a situation for an unknown player to make a splash. Brandin Cooks will presumably take on his role as the teams No. 1 after leading the team in air yards share (29%) and target share (22%) in 2020.

But we want to know about sleepers that could emerge from this offense. Ive got two in mind: rookie wide receiver Nico Collins and veteran tight end Jordan Akins. Keke Coutee and Randall Cobb are going to cannibalize each others slot targets, leaving Collins to start on the outside opposite Cooks.

Collins measured at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds at his pro day plenty of size to play on the outside at the NFL level. From 2018-2019, he finished second in contested-catch rate (63.2%), sixth in passer rating generated (120.8) and fourth in yards per target (18.2) among WRs in his draft class when targeted from an out-wide alignment. Collins also finished with 17 end-zone targets during his final season at Michigan.

Akins is more of a stretch, but hear me out: Houston moved on from veteran tight end Darren Fells, who consistently forced himself into a timeshare with Akins. At 29 years old, Akins fits the archetype of a Darren Waller or Logan Thomas an older tight end who breaks out well after their start in the NFL.

But what could be most telling about Akins potential is that he doesnt block like, ever. His 24% block snap rate was the lowest percentage at the tight end position for any starter.

As weird as it sounds, Akins has the athleticism and opportunity to be the tight end who jumps from total disregard to fantasy starter. Last year, he set a career-high in PFF receiving grade (74.6), which ranked 12th in the league. Since 2018, he ranks sixth in YAC/reception (6.0) among all tight ends.

And amid more competition last season in the Texans offense, Akins finished third in end-zone target share (12%).

Maybe its the summer fever getting to me, but Im not afraid to call Akins my breakout tight end of 2021.

T.Y Hilton is coming off his worst season to date career-low yards per route run (1.68) and at 32-years old he cannot be a player to target in fantasy football. Weve only seen him function as a consistent producer with Andrew Luck under center, and No. 12 isnt stepping into the Colts facility anytime soon.

But Hiltons losses are massive gains for other receivers in the Colts offense because he had an extremely attractive role last season. The veteran receiver commanded a top-12 end-zone/air yards share with little competition around him.

Fantasy gamers should fully expect Michael Pittman Jr. and/or Parris Campbell to eat heavily into Hiltons premium touches from a season ago. Pittmans rookie season was derailed by a serious calf injury, but we saw him deliver worthwhile fantasy performances later on. In Week 10, he caught seven balls for 101 yards. In the playoffs, he commanded a season-high nine targets and hauled in five for 90 yards.

Campbells career has been plagued by several injuries, but all signs suggest he is all systems go for 2021. He should take over as the teams starting slot receiver, which could be tantalizing for fantasy. New Colts quarterback Carson Wentz loves the slot.He owns the fifth-highest target rate to the slot over the past two years.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have the third-most vacated targets and fourth-most vacated air yards from last season, so embrace the Travis Etienne wide receiver hype across social media. He is going to be heavily involved in the passing game.

If anything, take advantage of the negative buzz and get ETN while hes discounted because no one thinks he's going to see 15-plus carries per game. *Spoiler*: His body of work at Clemson told us that was going to be the case at the next level.

The vast majority of available opportunities in the offense also gives me an excuse to talk about another sleeper: wide receiver Collin Johnson. The 2020 fifth-rounder is a 6-foot-5 monster and finished second on the team in end-zone targets (8) despite playing only two games with at least a 50% snap share. He also led the team in yards per route run (1.60).

Taking Johnson in the last round of a best-ball draft is a great way to differentiate your roster.

Third time's the charm, right? The stage is set for Mecole Hardman to go nuclear in 2021 all that remains is for him to execute because theres a golden opportunity for him to progress with Patrick Mahomes. Sammy Watkins is long gone, and Kansas City didnt heavily invest in anyone else at the position.

Hardman tied Travis Kelce in deep targets (18) a season ago, and only Demarcus Robinson out-paced him in end-zone targets among the Chiefs ancillary WRs. The third-year wideout has a chance to see additional high-end targets in 2021, which he needs to capitalize on because hes never going to see an abnormally large target share playing alongside certified studs like Tyreek Hill and Kelce.

His passer rating generated when targeted (132.2) ranks No. 1 in the league among players with at least 100 targets. Hardman will have a chance to produce as long as he's connected to Mahomes.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire ran ice cold at the goal-line, which means his efficiency can only heat up in 2021. CEH was K.C.s primary goal-line back to start the 2020 season, but he went 0-7 on his efforts to hit paydirt.

The actual production is less important as we look toward the future the fact that he got the carries to start last season bodes well for him to reprise the role. And with a revamped offensive line, fantasy players can expect some strong positive touchdown regression for the second-year RB.

Nelson Agholors 36% end-zone target share is the highest by any player who switched teams this offseason. He and Darren Waller actually combined for 64% of the Raiders' end-zone targets in 2020.

With Agholor off to the New England Patriots, we should expect Waller to lead the team in end-zone targets in 2021. Hes also likely to challenge for the top spot in terms of raw target share based on his 27% target share last season, which ranked fourth-best among all positions (No. 1 at TE).

It's not clear who will step up behind him.Second-year wide receivers like Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards seem like the most logical candidates for expanded roles. I lean toward Edwards as the bigger threat in the end zone. I'm not exactly high on Ruggs entering the 2021 season, and Edwards has the more requisite size at 6-foot-3 to be a force in the end zone.

Ruggs is much more likely to operate as the teams deep threat. As a rookie, he finished second on the team in deep targets (18) behind Agholor. Veteran John Brown shouldnt be forgotten, either. Hes just one year removed from leading the Buffalo Bills in end-zone targets in 2019.

Regardless of preference, its worth taking stabs on any of the Raiders trio of wideouts late in drafts somebody else will have to catch passes in the offense behind Waller.

Theres a real chance third-round rookie Josh Palmer makes some noise in Year 1. Last years No. 3 receiver, Jalen Guyton, finished second on the team in 20-plus yard targets (20) and 13th overall in routes run. The former Tennessee standout is no stranger to hauling in deep targets. He was featured heavily downfield with a very high aDOT (17.1, 12th in 2020) at the collegiate level in addition to commanding a significant share of his teams end-zone targets (48%).

The end-zone prowess should serve him well considering Hunter Henry and his 12 end-zone targets last season are no longer in the picture. If Palmer can ascend to the No. 3 pass-catcher role for Justin Herbert, he could quickly become a fantasy contributor.

But the real value in the Chargers offense has to be No. 2 receiver Mike Williams. The big-bodied wideout took home the high-value triple crown last season, leading the team in air yards share (29%), end-zone target share (27%) and deep-target share (37%).

Receivers that command such a high level of premium targets should not be available where Williams is being drafted. He has to be one of fantasys best-kept secrets.

Going from Jared Goff to Matthew Stafford will substantially elevate the fantasy production of all the Rams pass-catchers. As mentioned, Goff never gave his offensive personnel high-value targets. Case in point, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp each only saw five end-zone targets last season. They also both ranked outside the top-45 in team air yards share.Despite this, each finished as a solid WR2 option in fantasy. With Stafford entrenched as the starter, the days of Woods and Kupp being viewed as safe-floor options are long over. This year, they're going to be dangerous.

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Fantasy Football: Breaking down high-value touches and targets for all 32 NFL teams | Fantasy Football News, Rankings and Projections - Pro Football...

For the second consecutive game, the Cincinnati Reds starting lineupwas missing two players who have been everyday starters in the infield forWednesday's game against the San Francisco Giants.

Mike Moustakas hasnt started since Friday as he recovers from a heel injury, and Nick Senzel was out of the starting lineup for the second straight game on Wednesday.

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Cincinnati Reds third baseman Nick Senzel (15) throws to first base for an out in the fifth inning during a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Monday, May 17, 2021, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. (Photo: Kareem Elgazzar)

Even though Moustakas has come off the bench in each of the Reds last two games, manager David Bell said Moustakas would benefit from another day out of the starting lineup.

He's not in the lineup today, but he'll be available in the same capacity, maybe even a little more, Bell said. I talked to him last night and there was thought of him being available to be back in the lineup today. We thought it was maybe a day early. A little bit of a stretch, he's still dealing with some pain.

Senzel has dealt with both a heel contusion and knee soreness this week. Senzel started Monday against the Giants and made a few highlight plays at third base, but he hasnt appeared in a game since.

(Senzel) may be in the lineup tomorrow, Bell said. Hoping to have him available off the bench again tonight.

Before Wednesdays game, neither Moustakas nor Senzel participated in pregame defensive workouts with the rest of the infielders.

The Reds promoted outfielder Mark Payton from the Minor Leagues on Tuesday, so the Reds bench has additional depth with Senzel and Moustakas recovering.

Reds starting pitcher Jeff Hoffman said hes still frustrated with the play that cut his last outing short on Sunday against the Colorado Rockies. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Hoffmans throw to first on a bunt was off-target, and his error was the biggest reason for a five-run fourth inning for the Rockies.

Aside from that play, Hoffman said he pitched better than he has recently.

The line wasnt anything special obviously, but the ball and the way I felt with the ball coming out of my hand, I had all four pitches, Hoffman said. I was locating the fastball, the fastball had some good life to it. I felt like we made a lot of pitches. Obviously, I shot myself in the foot with that bunt throw.

Entering his start against the Giants on Thursday, Hoffman is coming off four straight starts that didnt go longer than four innings. He allowed two earned runs in four innings in Colorado, and he has a 7.84 ERA in May.

Hoffman has only pitched five-or-more innings in three starts this season, and he said that needs to change.

At least five innings is necessary, Hoffman said. Obviously six you can get the quality start, seven you start helping out your pen. Anything less than five is not acceptable.

Of the eight players in the Reds bullpen, three werent with Cincinnati at the start of spring training. Since the middle of March, the Reds have claimed Michael Feliz and Carson Fulmer and signed Heath Hembree.

Cincinnati also promoted rookie Ryan Hendrix from the Minor Leagues during the season and added veteran Sean Doolittle in February.

The only holdovers from the 2020 bullpen are Tejay Antone, Lucas Sims and Amir Garrett, and Garrett said the new additions have helped the Reds.

Everybody in that bullpen roots for one another, Garrett said. We want each other to do good every time we get the ball. Its only going to benefit the whole bullpen. Its going to help the whole team.

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Cincinnati Reds notes: Nick Senzel and Mike Moustakas remain out of the starting lineup - The Cincinnati Enquirer

Kudos to Nate McMillan for keeping it real. And shame on the NBA for fining him because he did.

If you missed it, the Hawks interim coach earned the ire of the league this week, to the tune of a $25,000 hit to his wallet, when he suggested the NBA wants and needs the Knicks in the postseason and that theres going to be a lot of calls that probably wont go our waythanks, in large part, to the huge crowds expected at Madison Square Garden.Hes right, of course, because having one of the most glamorous franchises and its absurdly loyal fan base in the postseason for the first time in eight seasons will be nothing short of awesome and officials, studies have shown, are subject to the influence of the audience.

Knicks-Hawks, the 4-5 matchup in the Eastern Conference featuring Julius Randle vs. top 10 point guard Trae Young, is one of the most exciting series of the first-round of the NBA Playoffs as youll see outlined below. The postseason mercifully tips off Saturday after a tumultuous regular-season that saw COVID ruin everyones good time, too many injuries to too many of the leagues superstars, and more blowouts than we can reasonably count.

Were beyond hyped for meaningful, extremely intense, and truly consequential basketball, and it starts with the Heat visiting the Bucks at 2 p.m. ET tomorrow and doesnt end until July when the NBA crowns a new champion becauseyou heard it here firstthe Lakers arent repeating. Heres a run-through of all eight first-round playoff series to get you primed for the next two weeks with predictions on how long each one will last.

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Predicting the Winner of Every First-Round Series of the NBA Playoffs - Complex

Julio Jones is reportedly on the trade market and the Ravens are one of the teams favored to land the veteran wide receiver.

However, at this point, the move does not make much sense.

With the addition of Rashod Bateman and Tylan Wallace in this year's draft, Baltimore now has seven players vying for perhaps six roster spots. Newly acquired Sammy Watkins, Marquise Brown, Miles Boykin, Devin Duvernay and James Proche all should be ready to compete when training camp opens in July.

Adding Jones to the mix would create a bigger logjam.

Jones is a seven-time Pro-Bowler who would be an immediate boost to Baltimore's floundering passing attack. Jones would also provide Lamar Jackson with a sure-handed target downfield and in the red zone.

Over 10 NFL seasons, Jones has caught 848 passes for 12,896 yards (15.2 yac) with 60 touchdowns.

Jones will earn a $15.3 million base salary, while carrying a cap hit of $23 million, according to Spotrac. The Ravens would likely need to restructure his deal.

Jones turned 32 on Feb. 8 so that could be an issue as far as injuries. Last season, he missed seven games because of a hamstring issue, but still managed 51 receptions for 771 yards with three touchdowns.

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Trade Talk: Are the Ravens Still Enticed by Julio Jones? - Yardbarker

PFFs quarterback rankings are based on grading every player on every play and tapping into multiple years of data to project future performance. We go beyond just last seasons performances, and the grading works to isolate each quarterbacks performance from that of his supporting cast, making for more effective projections.

Here are the PFF QB rankings heading into the 2021 NFL season.

The 25-year-old prodigy is PFFs highest-graded quarterback over the past three seasons. With an MVP award and a Super Bowl ring already in hand, Mahomes is already rewriting the record books. And head coach Andy Reid and the Chiefs have done a phenomenal job this offseason of trying to shore up an offensive line that held the team back in Super Bowl 55.

Mahomes tends to get sloppy at times while drifting back in the pocket, putting pressure on his tackles, so the offensive line isn't the only culprit. The signal-caller finished second in big-time throws (50) but also ended the year in the top three in turnover-worthy plays (23). Mahomes features playmaking ability not only from the pocket but also when extending plays with his arm and legs. That makes him the biggest threat in the NFL.

Brady capped an incredible 2020 season with his seventh Super Bowl win, and his overall performance was the catalyst for elevating the Bucs to their second championship in franchise history. Not only did he accomplish that after changing teams, but he endured a reduced offseason while having to learn a whole new offense, which makes it that much more remarkable.

He ranked second in passing yards on 20-plus-yard throws during the regular season while taking care of the ball better than any Bruce Arians quarterback since 2006. Not to mention, Tampa Bay has re-signed every significant player from last year. Brady will be more familiar and comfortable in the Arians passing attack with even more supporting cast continuity from last year.

The biggest question entering the season will be whether Rodgers is wearing a Packers jersey at all. He led the league in overall passing grade (94.7) and passing grade on 20-plus-yard throws (99.5) in 2020 en route to taking home the MVP award.

Rodgers is a stud, playing with timing and rhythm we havent seen from him in years. His average time to throw was his lowest in over a decade. The most impressive thing about Rodgers in 2020 was his patience with the offense and ability to let it work for him. He managed to stay on course and operate the attack while sprinkling in his playmaking ability. There is no doubt Green Bay is primed for a Super Bowl run, but that all depends on if the team can smooth over relations with Rodgers.

Wilson started the season on fire as the front-runner for the MVP title over the first eight games of the year, as he was PFF's top-ranked quarterback in overall grade (93.3). The wheels soon fell off, though, with Wilson taking the most sacks in the NFL through the second half of the season.

He has been one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the league for a long time and appears primed to bounce back from last year, particularly after the offseason drama of him wanting to be traded. He wants his value to continue to rise, and that it will. Over the past five years, Wilson has dominated the NFL to the tune of the most big-time throws (214) while tying Rodgers and Brady for the best passing grade on 20-plus-yard throws (99.9).

Surrounded by the leagues second-least efficient running game and second-least efficient overall defense last season, Watson was arguably the best quarterback in the NFL. Couple that with the Texans trading away his top-five receiver and firing his head coach, and Watson clearly put the team on his back.

The most impressive thing about his 2020 campaign was how rarely he made mistakes in structure and how consistently he created positive plays out of structure. He played well from a clean pocket and under pressure while also taking care of the football. Watson had 42 big-time throws to only 14 turnover-worthy plays after making 27 turnover-worthy plays in 2019.

Josh Allen improved more in 2020 than any quarterback in recent years. The Bills have done a phenomenal job building around him on his rookie contract and also scheming the offense to fit his strengths.

Allen led the league in play-action passing attempts last season, throwing 17 touchdowns to only three interceptions. His accuracy stuck out, too. He finished with a 79.1% adjusted completion rate the sixth-best mark in the league after ranking in the 30s last year. The only concern with Allens game now is his ability to protect the football. He had the second most turnover-worthy plays (23), trailing only Carson Wentz during the regular season.

Dak is back. Prescott was on pace for the best season of his career before going down to a season-ending ankle injury in Week 5 last year. For the second straight season, the Cowboys' offense was moving the ball effectively through the air. But will the unit pick up where it left off before Prescott got injured?

Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and Prescott are going on seven years together two as a player and the rest as a coach. They know what each other likes and how to make this offense roll. In Prescotts four full NFL seasons, hes had two top-10 finishes in PFF grade but also two finishes closer to the 20s. With Dallas' bevy of playmakers on the outside, I would expect this offense to again find its footing once Prescott dusts off the cobwebs.

Regression is likely when coming off an MVP campaign, and we saw that from Jackson. The Ravens' offense was less effective in the run game and the offensive line struggled at times this past season.

Still, Jackson continued to prove he is one of the most dynamic playmakers in the NFL, if not the most. If the Ravens can help him out with a more efficient and effective pass game tied into their run concepts, then I would expect Jackson to get back to MVP form. Baltimore has a tough schedule ahead compared to last year, so Jackson will have to shoulder the load to prove he can take the Ravens back to the promised land.

Matt Ryan teaming up with new head coach Arthur Smith could be a good look. The play-action pass game could elevate Ryans performance back to the days when he was with Kyle Shanahan or at least back to consistent play on a week-to-week basis.

The addition of Kyle Pitts will be a matchup nightmare for defenses, too. Ryan is a top-10 quarterback, and the Falcons' 2021 schedule could allow them to get back to competing sooner than some may think. It will be up to Ryan to be as productive as Ryan Tannehill was in this offense, if not more.

Give Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski a ton of credit for how he helped set up his quarterback for success. The Browns protected Mayfield early in the season, but when Stefanski opened up the playbook, Baker excelled. He was the second-highest-graded quarterback in the league from Week 7 through the playoffs. He also ranked in the top five from a clean pocket, on standard dropbacks and on early downs for the entire season all of which are important and stable metrics.

Considering the offensive weapons Mayfield has around him and his offensive line's league-leading 84.4 pass-blocking grade last year, expect him to pick up where he left off for the 2021 season.

Sean McVay must be the happiest coach of the offseason. He can finally dial up the deep passing game he's probably always dreamt of. The addition of Matthew Stafford makes this offense that much more dangerous.

Stafford offers the same steady stream of passing on intermediate-level throws, but he will excel on passing plays of 20 or more yards downfield. But lets not take for granted what Tom Brady accomplished in a first-year offense; it does take some time to get new terminology down. That will be the biggest hurdle for Stafford, but if the transition is smooth, the Rams could be taking another trip to the Super Bowl.

Tannehill has been spectacular thus far in Tennessee, so its hard not to acknowledge his recent play. He is viewed as a very good NFL starter now, but the departure of offensive coordinator Arthur Smith may impact his progression going forward.

He is certainly a product of an offensive scheme that gave him the second-most non-RPO play-action pass attempts in the 2020 regular season, but he still grades at a very good or borderline elite level on straight dropbacks, as well. Tannehill has also done a great job utilizing his legs in key situations, which makes it hard on defenses on third downs when he takes off. With his athletic ability and consistency as a Titan, Tannehill can be counted on to continue playing at a high level.

Derek Carr finished 2020 with the eighth-best PFF passing grade and more than doubled his big-time throws from the previous season. He also engineered the only meaningful loss the Chiefs experienced during the regular season. Carr and the Raiders finished that game with 265 yards on six explosive (15-plus yard) pass plays.

That being said: Why are there still lingering questions every offseason about Carr and his future with the Raiders? He continues to prove himself as a pure passer from the pocket and also showed the ability to be more aggressive downfield, but the game is changing. There comes a time when a QB must tuck it and run for a first down or make a play in a key situation. Sometimes Carr gets careless with the football in the pocket, and he's prone to sack fumbles. Carr has yet to get the Raiders over the hump, and they are not a contender in the playoff picture.

Cousins operates very well when the conditions around him are good. The Vikings hit on replacing Stefon Diggs with Justin Jefferson in the draft, and they have a top-five rushing attack and a great offensive scheme that fits what Cousins excels at.

Minnesota has to clean up its offensive line play, though. The unit ranked 29th in combined pass-blocking grade in 2020. One of these years, Cousins will fulfill the prophecy and be the most unlikely NFL MVP of all time, but last year wasnt that year. The clock is ticking to make that happen. With the addition of Kellen Mond, the pressure rises, forcing Cousins to find a way to get the Vikings back to the playoffs.

Herbert exploded onto the scene in 2020, setting the rookie touchdown record. He was the king of high-variance and high-leverage situations, producing a better passer rating when hurried than he did when kept clean. This is a concern because Herbert will have more opportunities to execute from a clean pocket rather than always under pressure, especially with what the Chargers did this offseason to help build up their offensive line.

Herbert did more than impress during his rookie campaign, but the consistency with his accuracy is going to be the big question mark going forward. Will we see a slump in Year 2, or will Herbert continue to make big plays with more protection upfront?

Ben Roethlisberger proved his toughness by coming back at 38 years old after elbow surgery and helping the Steelers to an 11-0 start. But something just didnt seem right during that hot streak, and Pittsburgh finished the year 1-5 in its last six games.

New offensive coordinator Matt Canada has a tall task in trying to figure out what will make this offense tick. Roethlisberger ranked last out of 36 qualifying quarterbacks on play-action attempts last season. He subsequently led the league in shotgun pass attempts (640) and pass attempts under 10 yards. He did a decent job of getting the ball out of his hand quickly, but it didnt translate into many explosive plays, as the Steelers ranked 26th in explosive pass-play percentage (11.7%).

Murray took a nice step forward in Year 2, raising his passing grade by over 16 points and adding 822 yards on the ground. The Cardinals did well to utilize his skill set, as his rushing stats were a mix of designed quarterback runs and scrambles.

With the NFC West being as competitive as ever, Arizona continues to do a good job building around Murray. However, the signal-caller has to show more development in the intermediate passing (10-19 yards) game, where he ranked 24th while in rhythm. It's an area where he can raise his level of play and make the players around him better.

Burrow had the fifth-best passing grade (92.5) when targeting throws 10-19 yards downfield, but he ranked 32nd out of 36 qualifying quarterbacks on 20-plus yard throws. He had a passer rating of just 50.8 on those 20-plus yard passes. But the good news is that deep passing can fluctuate from year to year.

The Bengals added some key weapons outside with the addition of Burrows former teammate JaMarr Chase, who should help with the downfield attack. We still need to see Burrow fully healthy, and the Bengals need to do a better job of protecting him. He showed a lot of promise as a rookie based on the number of snaps he took and the volume of the playbook he was executing.

Fitzpatrick continues to play his best football the longer he stays in the league the veteran ranks 15th in PFF passing grade since 2018. Last year in Miami, he had the team rolling until Brian Flores took the QB room for a rollercoaster ride. It's rare for a veteran quarterback placeholder to join a solid football team, but this will be the best team Fitzpatrick has been on in quite some time. Fitzpatrick brings energy, leadership and a wealth of knowledge to a locker room, but his Achilles heel is protecting the football. If he is able to play smart and deliver on explosive plays, Washington will be a playoff contender.

This is a big year for Daniel Jones to establish himself as a franchise quarterback, and the Giants are doing everything in their power to surround him with help. Last year, the team had the lowest pass-blocking grade in the league and the eighth-worst receiving grade, but new additions from free agency and the draft should help.

This is the first offseason Jones will be in the same offense, which will offer more familiarity going into his third season. Jones must eliminate the boneheaded decisions and turnover-worthy plays that hold the team back. With his toughness and ability to make plays with his legs, Jones can make a big leap forward.

Lawrence was a three-year starter at Clemson, leading them to a 34-2 record, three straight College Football Playoff appearances and one National Championship trophy. He has been the best player at every level of football he has played. The question is whether he will be able to continue that trend in the NFL.

Lawrence is the only quarterback in the PFF College era to earn an overall grade of 90.0 as a true freshman and he repeated that the last two seasons. His skill set should fit perfectly in the Urban Meyer/ Darrell Bevell offense, which will be designed to help the young QB reach his NFL potential. Bevell used a lot of play-action pass in Detroit these concepts are easy for a young quarterback to read out with pure progressions and reliable check downs.

Injuries have become the story for Garoppolo, as he has started less than 50% of the 49ers' games since the beginning of the 2018 season. He did manage to lead the Niners to a Super Bowl appearance the year he came back from his torn ACL. Things are different now, as he has Trey Lance waiting in the wings in case he is either injured or shows a stretch of inconsistency.

Garoppolo has shown hes capable of executing Shanahans offense at a high level, but he tends to make a few questionable decisions or throws per game. Lance did a phenomenal job of protecting the football in college. It will be interesting to see how this plays out expect Garoppolo to have a good year even under such pressure.

Wentz led the NFL last season in turnover-worthy plays (24) and didnt even play after week 14. Can Frank Reich work his magic and get Wentz back to his 2017 form and build his confidence back up? Wentz was on an MVP-caliber tear in 2017 when he earned an overall PFF grade of 84.9 just behind Drew Brees and 20 grading points higher than his 2020 grade. He was playing lights-out in key situations, with a91.9 grade on third and fourth downs and a passer rating of 125.0 with 16 touchdowns in those situations. Coaching plays a big role in key situations, so the Colts have some reason to think Wentz will play better under Frank Reich. A tough schedule and erratic big plays in key situations will make for an interesting year.

Its been 15 years since Sean Payton had to really worry about who would be the Saints' starting quarterback heading into a season. Payton made the decision to go with Taysom Hill over Jameis Winston when Brees missed four games last season. It was a smart move considering that Hill plays multiple roles in the Saints offense and was already in the flow of the season. Even though Hill went 3-1 during that four-week stretch, that doesnt mean he has the leg up going into 2021.

As a starter, Winston annually ranked among the league leaders in positively graded throws, but hes always right there near the top in turnover-worthy-play percentage as well. The Saints offense ranked 31st in deep pass attempts (38) last season Winstons aggressiveness will give this offense a facelift and the opportunity to cash in on more explosive plays in the passing game. Winston brings tremendous physical ability and was able to back up Brees a year ago and observe how he prepares on a daily basis. Sean Peyton's offensive mind and ability to call plays could revitalize Winstons career.

Justin Fields was the only quarterback in college football to rank in the top 10 in both passing and rushing grade. While Fields' rushing ability will certainly help at the next level, it's his downfield accuracy that could make him special he had the highest accuracy rate on passes thrown 10 or more yards downfield (65%) in 2020.

The Bears put up just 40 passing touchdowns on 10-plus-yard throws during the Trubisky era (30th in the NFL). It will be interesting to see how Matt Nagy and his staff utilize Fields skill set. The rookie will have to play quicker and more decisive at the next level because he needs space to release the ball and the pocket collapses a lot faster and tighter in the NFL.

A fresh start does players wonders, especially at the quarterback position. It also doesnt hurt when you get a vote of confidence and your team takes Penei Sewell to protect you over some highly sought-after first-round quarterbacks. The Rams were third in the league in play-action pass attempts and tied for fifth in screen pass attempts. It will be imperative that the Lions help their QB and design an offense around what hes comfortable with. Goff has a top-five passing grade when he has a clean pocket, is in rhythm and targets intermediate throws 10-19 yards downfield. He struggled when targeting 20-plus yard throws in the same scenario, earning the 29th-ranked passing grade out of 36 qualifying quarterbacks.

Getting the ball downfield in 2020 was a struggle, whether it was missed throws or negatively graded throws. This is probably why Goff led the league in passing yards on completions of 5 yards or less a season ago. The Lions seem to be building around Goff, and this is exactly what he needs to get his confidence back up so he can play at a high level again.

Newton didnt join the Patriots until late in the offseason, which meant he had to learn a new offense in a shorter amount of time with no on-field work. He has another opportunity in the same system that catered to his strengths early in the season, which led to a league-high 12 rushing touchdowns. Newton's inconsistency as a passer ultimately held the offense back, as he posted sub-60.0 passing grades in eight of his 14 starts. The additions the Patriots made this offseason through free agency and the draft, coupled with another year in the system, offer Newton a good opportunity to prove he can still play. Rookie Mac Jones will be waiting in the wings for his opportunity if things sputter.

The No. 3 overall pick in 2018 will try to resurrect his career with Carolina. Darnold had the worst passing grade last year out of 36 qualifying quarterbacks, but he also didnt get much help from the leagues second-lowest-graded receiving unit. How much changes in Carolina? He will be surrounded by a more stable organization and leadership, as well as offensive weapons that will help take the pressure off. Hes athletic, tough and able to make plays out of structure, but that is unpredictable. Lets not forget Darnold has the fourth-highest uncatchable pass rate (21.9%) since 2019, so his accuracy will have to improve to utilize his weapons on offense.

Its hard to adjust to the speed of the game as a rookie, especially when you dont know when you're going to be pulled for a savvy veteran. Tua has an opportunity this year to take control of the offense and show he belongs. The Dolphins continue to make solid roster moves through trades, free agency and the draft to surround their young QB with weapons. Tua was exceptionally conservative last year, with only seven big-time throws all season. That's not the worst thing,but he also had 13 turnover-worthy plays.

Wilson is as natural as it comes at throwing the football. He also brings the type of athleticism and off-platform throws we see from the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He had the highest single-season passing grade of the PFF College era (95.5). Only 13.6% of Wilsons throws beyond the line of scrimmage were deemed uncatchable this past season, the lowest rate in the FBS. The big question will be how fast he can learn the playbook and adapt to the speed of the game. The biggest adjustment for young quarterbacks is how fast the pocket collapses and making good decisions while it happens.

Jalen Hurts will get his opportunity to showcase not only his skills but his leadership heading into 2021. Hurts provided an immediate spark last season, but the wheels started to fall off after that. Hurts must manage the game with better decision-making. He finished the season with nine turnover-worthy plays in the last four games. If Hurts wants to be the guy in Philadelphia, then he needs to protect the ball better. His leadership and poise will bring the team together, but production and winning football games must follow.

The reason the Broncos acquired veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to compete with Lock for the starting job is because Lock had the 32nd-ranked passing grade (63.4) out of 36 qualifying quarterbacks. He must find a way to clean up his 23 turnover-worthy plays and make better decisions. Lock shows promise at times he had the eighth-best passing grade (92.3) when throwing between 15-20 yards and executing play-action pass. The leash wont be long. If given the opportunity, Lock has to play consistently and smart for Fangio to stick with his young quarterback.

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PFF Quarterback Rankings: All 32 starters ahead of the 2021 NFL season | NFL News, Rankings and Statistics - Pro Football Focus

Source: Daniel Bader / Android Central

When Diablo Immortal was initially announced in November 2018, it didn't get the greatest reception. Fans weren't happy that Blizzard was turning to the mobile market, and had fears of microtransactions and pay-to-win features bogging down the game.

Since then, Blizzard has done a lot to quell any fears that players might have, and Diablo Immortal has gone from the black sheep to bell of the ball, with two successful closed alphas and a ton of love, both critically and from fans.

As the game continues its second alpha test period, we got the chance to sit down with Senior Combat Designer Julian Love and Senior Narrative Designer Justin Dye of Blizzard, We spoke about Diablo Immortal's design, narrative, and how the team was excited to return to some of the biggest moments in Diablo's history for a game that may already be one of the best Android games out there.

One of the first thing players may notice when they get the chance to jump into Diablo Immortal is that it takes place right in between Diablo 2 and 3. This wasn't by accident; Blizzard wanted to look back in the timeline and figure out how things came to be.

"Honestly, there's this very interesting period between Diablo 2 and 3 that just doesn't have enough detail at the moment," Dye said. "It was a huge opportunity, right? There's so much ground to tell story there."

Story isn't the only thing that features callbacks to the world of Diablo. Many of the dungeons found within Diablo Immortal are crammed with lore and locations from past games. When asked whether or not it was tough to strike a balance between bringing in new content and utilizing their vast backlog of lore, Dye noted that there wasn't a metric for these kinds of design choices, but there was never a struggle in coming up with decisions.

It's entirely new for Diablo immortal, but it brings on themes and and world building from the past and lets you kind of be there in a new way.

"Usually someone will pitch the idea, we'll kick it around, see how it feels," said Dye. "But in general, I don't think that there's ever been too much of an honest struggle in that kind of thing, because in truth, we sort of just follow the passions and see where they go. So in general, if anything, I feel like getting those has been easy."

"The game right now takes place in only about 10 areas," Dye continued. "Many of them are not even from Diablo 2, and a whole bunch of them are new places we've never been to before. So in general, it's a fun challenge."

The decision to include things from Diablo's past doesn't just extend to its narrative. Diablo Immortal features many classes from past Diablo games, fitted with entirely different movesets to help things flow better in a mobile game.

According to Love, shifting movesets for classes was an opportunity for Blizzard to once again merge the new with the classic. "We want to bring back favorite classes that are very familiar, that people love, and so that that's sort of what informs the lineup," Love said. "And then there are some challenges that you always face when you bring a game to a different platfor. Those usually show up in the size of the screen, how far away you are from it, and then, of course, the controls and the inputs are different."

Some examples of that can be found in the Crusader's Falling Sword skill, which is now a two-step skill that lets you place your AOE damage. "We always kind of want to do stuff like that with a PC version of Diablo, but it just never felt right with that input scheme because of all the pressure that it puts on your mouse hand to constantly dance around the screen," Love said. "But here, with this control set, it felt really natural because you're just moving your thumbs around."

"There are some challenges that you always face when you bring a game to a different platform."

Speaking of the Crusader, the classic Diablo character made its way into Immortal in the latest closed alpha session, and gave players the chance to experience some new mechanics. Love explained that deciding to bring back any class always stems from the excitement the team at Blizzard has, as well as how fans may receive it.

"The first thing you want to test is, what's the team's excitement for it? And then we also look out in the world and see well, what was the temperature of the audience for it? What did they love? What do we think that they would like based on what they're doing today and the response that they had? Then, that goes to inform the decision."

Aside from the Crusader class, one of the other major additions to the most recent alpha was the Helliquary. This system allows players to track down elite demon enemies and take them down in groups. Once you defeat a demon, you'll be rewarded with gear that can permanently buff your character and change the way you play.

Because the mode is so new, Blizzard isn't sure if they'll implement any limits onto how much the Helliquary can be ranked up, but they're excited at what it can bring to the game.

"This is another [way to] collect and make decisions around what you think are the buffs that play better to your playstyle or your characters kit choices," said Love.

"Of course, as those kit choices change, you may go back and rethink some of this. So there's a lot of tension between the Helliquary buffs and your other overall kit. Then, of course, this can get tweaked again by your goals with what you're doing with respect to Challenge Rifts. So there's a lot of opportunity for depth and strategy in that system." Dye also explained that Blizzard will be watching the system carefully as players get acquainted with it, and that they'll always be looking at things and trying to figure out how to make it better based on feedback from players.

One of the biggest challenges that Diablo Immortal faces as it grows is how to adapt a game like Diablo known for some of its co-op abilities to mobile devices. When asked if co-op gameplay is something the team is focusing on, Love mentioned that they were, but that there's two sides.

"I think that if I'm going to paint two different sides to the equation, one is its value as a thing that players on their own are working towards," Love explained. "And that's very akin to goals that players used to assign themselves in games like Diablo 2 where there wasn't really an endgame system, and so they would make things up for themselves like 99 became the very first big goal that was obvious."

Love went on to say that the other aspect of the design is making sure that players don't ever feel as if there's only ever one outcome for any given situation. "But the other side of it is an opportunity to group up, right? To share that moment with other people and to take that big monster down, that's a really valuable thing too. The negative that can come out of that, though, is if the answer is always group up, and nobody finds value in doing it as a single-player experience, then that that might be a reason for us to question how that works, and the way that that players are going about it.

"We are still looking at systems throughout the entire game with a focus on how much time does something take"

Another huge focus on Diablo Immortal is in making sure that players don't feel like moments take too long. "We are still looking at systems throughout the entire game, with a focus on how much time does something take. How are the players who are playing alpha now engaging with those things?" Love said. "For instance, are they doing things to subvert the time length that something takes because that's the problem for them, is that this takes too long? And that's an opportunity for us to make make adjustments to get it into the zone."

Love went on to say that he knows players will always try to circumvent things regardless of what's implemented so the team is trying to find the best balance in how players play and how things are designed. "No matter how you design it, if there's a way for them to change it, they will always do that to their advantage. So we have to design with those two ideals in mind."

One of the last things we talked about regarding Diablo Immortal is the recently announced PvP system, known in-game as the Cycle of Strife. Asked if the team faced any challenges implementing such a large system into the game, Love spoke about how bringing a system like that into Diablo Immortal was a big design challenge, but that the team was steering things to a healthier gameplay experience. Dye chimed in to discuss the thematics of the Cycle of Strife, and how Blizzard hopes to make the mode give players the feeling that they're really part of a group.

"There's an almost endless number of dark houses that can be formed. You can build your own right now, and get your friends together and be the next Immortals, right?" Dye said. "That's the spirit of the system. So the Shadows have that renegade, get a group together, change the world kind of feeling. Meanwhile, the Immortals, while they are often separated to do things, the goal is to make them feel unified. You have 500 people, but they're at the same time together."

Diablo Immortal may not have been announced to much fanfare, but Blizzard developers have put in the work to prove that they are more than serious about making this game something that will effortlessly slot into the world of Diablo. With a heavy focus on lore, gameplay that doesn't fall into the trap that many mobile games do, and a committment to keep the fans involved, the studio looks to have a potential hit on their hands whenever Diablo Immortal releases to the masses.

In the meantime, you can still try out Diablo Immortal if you happen to live in Australia and are on an Android device. The game is currently going through its second round of alpha testing, so if you want to dive back into the world of Sanctuary, sign up and see if you're one of the lucky players to be invited.

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Diablo Immortal interview: Blizzard devs talk about merging the old with the classic in newest entry - Android Central