Burning questions for 2021

It’s June, which means minicamps are upon us and training camps are more than a month away. We’re headed toward the slow, dog days of summer when not much excitement is to be had and the days of the calendar slowly pass by.

Around the MFFL, franchise tags are locked in and salaries have been paid. And while rosters are far from complete, teams are starting to take shape and questions are being posed.

Here’s one burning question for each team at the start of the new league year.

Bangkok Blitz: Who’s going to lead that wide receiver corps?

MFFL teams can play up to four running backs, and the Blitz quite likely will be trotting out that many on any given week. But they still have to start two wide receivers and D.J. Moore and JuJu Smith-Schuster are penciled in for those roles at the moment. Is Michael Gallup in for a rebound season with his quarterback returning? Will the Mike Williams hype train finally reach its destination? Will Antonio Brown churn out a full season of what he displayed in flashes last year? These are all great questions, but the bottom line remains this: who is going to be the clear-cut, dependable No. 1 receiver they so desperately crave? It’s well-documented by now that the Blitz have a ton of money and not many roster spots to fill, so it’s just a matter of picking the right one.

Christmas Island Crabs: Shabalaba-fubbalubba-bubbadubba-Chumbawamba?

(Translation: that’s about one hundred questions being asked by the Crabs’ fanbase at the same time.) The truth is, there is no “one” question suitable for this spot. The Crabs spent the offseason dismantling the remnants of its 2019 Super Bowl team after it failed to defend its crown. And the fanbase, while surely despondent about the upcoming misery that awaits them, will have no choice but to trust the ownership that brought them a title in the first place. If ownership has its eyes set on the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 MFFL Draft, perhaps they’re pulling a Rachel Phelps power move. In which case, the goal will be to sign the biggest “collection of stiffs” the league has ever seen, which would give even Roger Dorn pause. Truth be told, if they were so inclined, the Crabs legitimately could put together a competitive squad this year that would make the playoffs and possibly even win a postseason game — all without giving up their stacks of draft capital. Somehow I don’t see that happening, but it would make for an interesting experiment.

Ecuador Ewoks: To rebuild, or not to rebuild?

The Ewoks find themselves in quite the predicament. They have a QB1 and an RB1, plus a pretty strong defense and a promising young tight end. Outside of that, they need to fill their roster and most of their starting lineup. They do have $73.1 million to spend, by far the most in the MFFL. In theory, they could sign four strong starters, draft a wide receiver at Pick 6 and fill out the rest of their roster with bargain-bin dart throws and they could still field a fairly competitive lineup. But is “competitive” good enough? Will it be enough to overcome the force that is the San Juan Scorpions, their West Division rivals? Can they compete with some of the other big dogs in the league? The alternative move would be to sell assets now and compete with Christmas Island for the No. 1 overall pick next year. The Ewoks could get an arm and a leg for Ezekiel Elliott. They might be able to land something for Ryan Tannehill, given that there are a handful of teams looking for a QB1. And rather than spend their money on win-now players in the auction, they can instead load up on prospects with 2-3 year windows. Ultimately, the Ewoks have to pick one side or the other. No more dipping their toes in the shallows. They either need to dive head-first into the deep end, or back out completely and go visit the beach bar.

Egypt Pharaohs: Can Joe Mixon live up to his billing?

As the old saying goes, it’s “put up or shut up” time for Joe Mixon. The veteran running back is entering his fifth season in the league, having never fully lived up to expectations. Then again, he’s never been as poised for an outstanding season as he is right now. At least, not with as strong a surrounding cast. He’s the clear-cut No. 1 back in his offense, has no real competition and is not part of the dreaded committee approach. He’s capable of catching passes and will receive a heavy workload. On top of it all, he has RB1 talent. With all that said, he’s never topped double-digit touchdowns and has only played one full season. He needs to stay healthy to help himself, but also to help the Pharaohs. Ronald Jones turned out a strong third season last year, but is mired in a muddled backfield. Sony Michel is headed downward fast. The Pharaohs need a strong presence in the backfield and can’t afford to have Mixon get hurt or underperform again in 2021.

Jamaica Jerks: Who is going to be sharing the load with Dalvin Cook?

In theory, the Jerks don’t need to start another running back. Dalvin Cook can score enough for two slots and the Jerks can load up on receivers to fill their FLEX spots. But realistically, they need more depth. Yes, the Jerks have Cook’s handcuff in Alexander Mattison. But handcuff players are only good for short-term play. If they were any better, they’d be part of a committee. Jamaica needs to find a complementary back to help shoulder the load and be a realistic long-term fill-in should Cook miss considerable time. The team has strength at wide receiver and they’re hopeful for a second-year breakout for Joe Burrow. Tight end Rob Gronkowski might be able to churn out one more year of respectable output. But landing that other starting running back has to be top of mind for this franchise to help them sustain a playoff push.

Nagasaki Kamikazes: Is D’Andre Swift enough to get it done?

The Kamikazes had two RB1s a season ago who were both unrestricted free agents and were shipped away this offseason. The team is loaded at wide receiver with three players in the Top 7 and another pair of strong WR3s. They’re also strong at both quarterback and tight end, fielding some of the best players at their respective positions. But the team traded away three draft picks, including two No. 1s, for second-year pro D’Andre Swift, and now Swift is getting no love from the experts heading into his sophomore campaign. With Swift currently ranked as a low-end RB2, the Kamikazes will be looking to further bolster their running back room. They have two picks in the Top 3 of this year’s draft, but even rookies don’t always pan out or contribute right away. To make a serious run at a title, they’ll have to look to shore up the running back position. Or, Swift will just have to prove all the doubters wrong.

Russia Renegades: Who’s going to step up and separate from a crowded backfield?

The Renegades got strong production from their running back room a season ago, fielding two RB1s. But circumstances have changed, as they so often do in the world of professional football. The team acquired some extra help in the backfield by trading for David Montgomery and Miles Sanders, giving the team four solid RB2s with Josh Jacobs and Kareem Hunt returning. The dilemma, of course, is choosing the right player to start each week. Can RB2 production be enough to win a title? There hasn’t been a good track record of that. The Renegades are hoping that enough strength at the other positions can cover for any perceived deficiency from the running back room. Or, alternatively, they’re hoping one of the backs can rise to the occasion and surpass expectations. Either way, all eyes are fixed on that position.

San Juan Scorpions: Can Alvin Kamara prove the skeptics wrong?

It’s too easy to just ask, “Can the Scorpions repeat?” That’s the same burning question for every champion on a yearly basis. Instead, we’ll take another angle. Last year’s MFFL MVP, Alvin Kamara, has been slowly sliding down the running back rankings this offseason, and it all has to do with his surrounding cast. To the experts out there, a change in quarterback is spelling doom for the veteran entering his fifth season. Okay, not “doom” … he’s still ranked in the Top 7 at the moment. But this is a guy who finished as RB1 last year. The Scorpions certainly don’t need another Top 3 finish from him. They have enough surrounding talent to absorb even the slightest regression from Kamara in 2021. But, obviously, they’d like him to continue to be the same kind of playmaker he’s been since entering the league. Interestingly, with Kamara sliding down the charts, teammate Nick Chubb has been ascending. The duo still gives the Scorpions the best running back tandem in the league, even if their roles might be flipped.

Switzerland Squirrels: For the love of all that’s holy … who is going to throw the football!?

Is it Groundhog Day? I feel like we’re living the same question over and over again for the Squirrels. Who is going to quarterback this team back to the playoffs? It’s been a consistent struggle for years now trying to find the signal caller to lead this offense. Switzerland has made great strides this offseason turning over its roster. The team brought in Aaron Jones to pair with James Conner, and are hoping for a second-year leap from Zack Moss. They have a trio of strong wideouts in Michael Thomas, Cooper Kupp and D.J. Chark. They have Mark Andrews on a Transition Tag. In short, the Squirrels could be much better in 2021 than the 1-12 squads they’ve had in back-to-back years now. But, with Derek Carr and Jameis Winston as the only quarterbacks on the roster right now, they really need to find a stronger, more consistent option to get them over that hump.

Turkey Jerky: Is it time to sell Derrick Henry while his stock is high?

Turkey is a team that is in a bit of a transition. They had a strong central core of players last year and just weren’t able to make any headway in the postseason picture. Now they’re kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place, figuring out if it is best to go all-in and try to compete with some tough competition in the league, specifically within their own division, or rebuilding for the future. If they choose to do the latter, the first step is placing Derrick Henry on the trading block and gathering all offers for him. Surely there will be takers for one of the best backs in the league, and this is a point in Henry’s career where his stock may never be higher. If they can’t get good value for Henry, then obviously it’s better to keep him than to undersell. But I’m sure they could get several nice building blocks for a player of his caliber.

Ukraine Grainers: Where will the quarterback carousel stop if Watson misses time?

The Grainers have quite the quarterback depth with four strong players on their Active Roster. If all was right in Ukraine’s world, Deshaun Watson would be out of perceived legal trouble, would be happy and content staying where he is, and he would once again be the undisputed starter and churn out Top 5 production. Unfortunately, that’s not the current reality that the Grainers are living in. Watson’s legal troubles and his desire to be traded are causing many headaches for the organization. If he misses action, either by holding out or being suspended, what will become of the Grainers’ quarterback position? The veteran Matthew Stafford is a logical choice to be a short-term fill-in. He’s perennially been a strong quarterback and his fortunes improved this offseason. However, another player rising up the ranks is second-year pro Jalen Hurts. Is Hurts really ready for the prime time, though? That remains to be seen over the course of a full season. The team also has Carson Wentz on the roster. And although he looks to be headed for a rebound, he probably doesn’t offer as much upside as the other two options.

Wake Island Wookiees: Who’s going to be catching passes in this offense?

The Wookiees are under new leadership this year and there are certain questions that are looming among the organization. Among those is who will be slinging passes this year, and who will be catching them? The team is getting Saquon Barkley back from injury. They acquired James Robinson in the offseason. He appears to be headed for regression, even if he still has a prominent role. But at wide receiver, the team has some holes to fill. Currently, only Breshad Perriman and Preston Williams are under contract. Neither looks to be headed for a huge season, despite Perriman’s strong odds to receive a good deal of playing time. The Wookiees will need to address that position and bring in several bodies to compete for playing time. Whether they go all in on one or two players, or diversify a little and bring in more depth will be the big question.