Latest news with #MattHarmon
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Is Bills WR Keon Coleman ready to seize the WR1 role in Buffalo?
Is Bills WR Keon Coleman ready to seize the WR1 role in Buffalo? | Yahoo Fantasy Forecast In our latest Yahoo Fantasy Forecast Matt Harmon and Destination Devy's Ray Garvin attempt to identify this year's breakout wide receiver in fantasy. The two analyze Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman breaking out in 2025. Hear the full conversation on the 'Yahoo Fantasy Forecast' podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen. View more Video Transcript I do think it's worth throwing Keyon Coleman out here, Ray, because I, look, all of that could be true. Advertisement You know, you can look at his deep red reception perception route tree and still think he's a good pick at wide receiver 51 or 52 just because look, you're attaching again, I know, I, I know he's got, look, nobody knows better than me that he's got problems as a separator. I, I don't think his best deployment is out there at ex-receiver. For every single snap, but based on last year, based on their comments so far this offseason, that's the role that they want Keyon Coleman to have, to be their ex-receiver. I think he'd be better maximized as the guy that you use off the line of scrimmage, a guy that's more of a power slot player. Advertisement He never gonna play in the slot because they got Khalil Shakir, and I think they've kind of ticketed Josh Palmer to be that outside guy that moves around a little bit more than Keyon Coleman. So I, I'm, I'm projecting him as their ex-receiver. Don't love him in that role long term being like a consistent high targeted player. That being said, he's not useless. He's really good on slant routes. He's, he's not great, but he's solid in contested situations, and he's actually really, really good in the same way that Gabe Davis was as a A guy, like, honestly, not a not a good separator, not an ideal fit at X, but just like Gabe Davis, Keon Coleman showed as a rookie. Advertisement He's really good at like getting free on these improv scramble drill plays, which is gonna put big plays in the box score when you got number 17, Josh Allen, as your quarterback. So, um, he might be like a Best ball only guy, but for all my problems with the way the Bills use Keyon Coleman and sort of his player profile, I absolutely don't mind taking a shot on him outside the top 50 receivers. He probably needs a role change or to really, really take a step as a player to be the next JSN, but he's somebody again at that 80P that I don't mind drafting. I, I, I'll just say this, I too, despite some things that concern me when watching Keyon Coleman play, I, I'm a little excited for year two, Keyon Coleman, and I'll just say this, when I'm looking at a result of percent of targets that result in a first down or a touchdown, when I'm lined on the outside, I've got all the receiver names that we talked about today. Advertisement Now all the receiver names on there, uh. Keon Coleman, 40.8%. The only people higher than him was Ricky Piersall, Chris Olave, and Jackson Smith and Jigba. So, I, I mean a better target conversion percentage when aligned on the outside than Downs or Doomsday, R Reed, Pickens, and DeMario. Douglas. So if he can be a more consistent, that's the thing, right? The consistency, the, the talent is there. He absolutely has the talent and the ability to win in the NFL and therefore return fantasy points for us. Can he develop that consistency? The environment should be there. Uh, his role seems to be pretty solidified. Advertisement He wants some more consistency out of Keyon Coleman, but I too, despite a very red, very red tree, Matt, I'm still a little bit in on Keyon Coleman. Reluctantly, because you're just what you're trying to project is him just ascending, right? Natural progression of somebody that we hope works hard, goes out there and he gets a little bit better, right? And I think that is OK to project for Keon Coleman.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Who are the best defenders in the NFL?
Who are the best defenders in the NFL? | Football 301 Yahoo Sports NFL analyst Nate Tice, fantasy analyst Matt Harmon and NFL writer Charles McDonald discuss their choices for the top players on the defensive side of the ball - and why two players in particular stand out. Hear the full conversation on 'Football 301' - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , YouTube or wherever you listen. View more Video Transcript Playing cornerback is so, so hard. Advertisement I think they have the toughest job in the NFL like covering these, uh, especially nowadays were number one receivers travel all over the place, like you just don't get a lot of guys like Pater Tan who tracks the number one wide receiver, who, you know, maybe doesn't go into the slot all the time, but when he does, he can be just as, you know, uh, much of a force of racing player as he is on the outside. He's a man coverage on 40% of the snaps. Johnson's 21%. Patrick Pierson is his year is 23%. This is lockdown. This is like, this is what it looks like. This is Revis Island. This is what these dudes look like, size. Advertisement He's an unbelievable tackler. Only one missed tackle last year, 45 or 46 tackle attempts, lowest missed tackle rate among any defender in the entire NFL and he's a corner. And just looking back at his combine, it was honestly crazier than I remember. 62208. Uh, 1.57, 10 yard, 441 40, 40 inch vertical, almost 11 ft on the broad jump. I mean, long arms too, right? Yeah, long arms 2, 32.5. So that's like offensive, yeah, it's pedigree and was coached by Nick Saban. And he was the 2nd quarter selected. Figure that one out. Figure that one out. But you had Micah Parsons at #1, so did I. But why did you have Parsons at 1? Advertisement After Micah came back from injury last year, dude, he was feral, like absolutely feral, and every single snap, he was dedicating his entire life force to try and get a win for the Cowboys. And what that looks. is someone who is basically unblockable and has quarterbacks like running for their lives every single snap. I think this year, if you need to pick up back where he left off, I, I think this could potentially be a career year for him, uh, and I just don't think he really has any holes in his game. He had 11 sacks from week 10 to week 18. He had 11 sacks in one half of a season. I, I don't know if anyone knows needs. Advertisement this, but 11 times 2 is 22. So you basically at a 20 sack rate, he had 8 pressures when he was double teamed. Next highest, highest was Next highest was 4. He's a force of nature, so I totally agree with you. Anybody that criticizes him for being like online too much or like doing a podcast, like, well, is he really putting the work in? Like, I mean, shut the hell up. Like, yeah, like watch him play for 2 seconds.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why is everyone obsessed with Shedeur Sanders? ft. Bomani Jones + Top 10 NFL defenders in 2025
Why is Shedeur Sanders still such a hot topic in the sports world? Special guest Bomani Jones joins Charles McDonald on this episode of Football 301 to discuss the Cleveland Browns QB situation, whether Aaron Rodgers makes the Pittsburgh Steelers more interesting and more! Later on in the show, Nate Tice, Matt Harmon and C Mac count down their top 10 defenders in the league entering the 2025 NFL season. Advertisement (00:20) - Bomani Jones joins the show (31:00) - Defenders 10-8 (41:40) - Defenders 7 & 6 (49:30) - Defenders 5 & 4 (1:01:20) - Top 3 defenders Why do people get so worked up about Shedeur Sanders? (Photo by) (Photo by) 🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts
Yahoo
5 days ago
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Can Marvin Harrison Jr. Live Up To the Hype In Year 2?
Can Marvin Harrison Jr. Live Up To the Hype In Year 2? originally appeared on Athlon Sports. There was just no way for Marvin Harrison Jr. to live up to the expectations that followed him into his first season in the NFL. Advertisement The No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Harrison's dad already has a gold jacket playing the same position, which had many measuring Junior for his own before he had even played at down in the league. Instead, Harrison's modest rookie campaign in the NFL featured 62 receptions for 882 yards and eight touchdown catches, averaging 52 yards per game. He finished fifth in receiving yards among his fellow rookies, trailing Brian Thomas Jr., Malik Nabers, Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey. On the latest episode of "Best Podcast Available," I sat down with Matt Harmon of Yahoo! Sports (and the guru behind the fantastic "Reception Perception" profiles that track and project wide receiver success) to break down Harrison's rookie season, and what we can expect from him in Year 2 and beyond. "There was just an obnoxious level of expectation put on him," Harmon said of Harrison's rookie season. "He was coming off the board as a Round 1-2 turn pick (in fantasy drafts), so he would have needed to have Puka Nacua's record-breaking rookie season in order to pay off that ADP. There was always gonna be a really high bar for him to not come in as a mild disappointment." Harrison had a solid rookie season, but it didn't meet the sky-high preseason Rondone/The Republic-USA TODAY NETWORK There's never just one reason why a player doesn't live up to the hype right away, but while there's plenty of blame to go around, Harrison has some obvious areas that need growth heading into Year 2. Advertisement "I think as a player, he does deserve part of the blame there, but I think you have to split this pie of blame into at least three slices," Harmon said. "For Harrison's part, he showed out really well against press coverage, getting off the line of scrimmage. I thought he generally worked zone coverage over the middle of the field and on out-breaking routes really well. That intermediate was a good spot where he separated, but he was average to below-average on 9 (go) routes and curl routes. And you saw that when you watched him play. He doesn't really have the speed to challenge you vertically down the field, and he also struggles a little bit working back to the quarterback and playing physical football." "There are guys who are really good starting receivers in the NFL where I could throw out that same criticism across their entire careers, but if you want to get to that true elite status . . . which, if you take someone at No. 4 overall, you're certainly hoping that eventually, he gets into that group . . . you want him to play a bit more physical working back to the football, and in contested catch situations, in particular," Harmon continued. Harrison's areas of struggle as a rookie didn't come as much of a surprise, though, as they were the same ones that showed up on his college tape for those who looked deep enough into a player who was billed as as near-flawless prospect. Improving his physicality at the catch point should be a point of emphasis for Harrison in Year Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images "His contested-catch rate was just really poor, which I actually wrote about in his prospect profile (heading into the 2024 draft), that this was like a minor critique of his game. I undersold it," Harmon admitted. "It was actually a major problem in his first season. That doesn't mean it's gonna be forever." Advertisement The rest of the "blame pie," as Harmon put it, goes to other variables that aren't changing for Harrison and the Cards in 2025. For starters, he'll have the same offensive coordinator in Drew Petzig, who didn't exactly set Harrison up for success when it came to his alignments and usage last season. "I just didn't love the deployment for him," Harmon said. "He was one of those purely outside/on the line of scrimmage type of receivers. All of the best receivers in the NFL, those Tier 1 guys, none of them get deployed that way anymore. These guys are moving around the formation, they're playing in the slot more, they're getting work off the line of scrimmage. There was almost none of that for Harrison in his first season." "Hopefully, after seeing him for a year, they can alter that deployment." Kyler Murray can help Harrison by improving his consistency when throwing over the Sabau-Imagn Images Then there's Kyler Murray, who will be back behind center for Arizona this season. At 5-9, Murray's small stature makes it a challenge to find consistent success throwing over the middle, where Harrison does his best work. Advertisement "I just don't know that their games perfectly overlap," Harmon said. "Harrison's best route, and the one he ran most often, was the dig route. He's really good working over the middle of the field. We can talk around it, but Kyler's a shorter quarterback. He doesn't see those plays all that well." Harrison clearly has all the talent to become a superstar pass-catcher at the next level, but his ceiling will always be limited to a degree by the help he gets from his supporting cast. While there are ways to improve individually which Harrison can control, he'll have to rely on Petzig and Murray to pull their weight in the equation if he wants to take a big leap in Year 2 and start delivering on those lofty predraft expectations. "A lot has to change for him to take that next step after his rookie season, beyond the fact that Harrison himself has to get slightly better as a player," Harmon said. "I don't have too many concerns about him as a player, but the environment is worth discussing." To check out the entire conversation, including a deep dive on the rest of the 2024 receiver class following Year 1, watch the entire episode of BPA: Related: Can Caleb Williams and the Bears Shock the NFC North in 2025? Related: What In the World Is Going On With the Saints? This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Which NFL WRs Are Primed to Break Out in Year 2?
Which NFL WRs Are Primed to Break Out in Year 2? originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Heading into the 2024 NFL Draft, the wide receiver class was already the stuff of legend. There was a three-headed monster at the top of the group, but also a loaded second tier that featured a long list of potential high-end starters at the next level. Seven were selected in the first round, and nine more head their names called on Day 2. Advertisement While there was a trio that made a massive impact right away in their respective rookie campaigns (Malik Nabers, Ladd McConkey, Brian Thomas Jr.), many others experienced a soft open to their pro careers. On the latest episode of "Best Podcast Available," I sat down with Matt Harmon of Yahoo! Sports to talk about what's ahead for that star-studded receiver class, and he highlighted two members who are set up for a big jump in Year 2. Rome Odunze should benefit from big improvements to the Bears' coaching staff and J. Rebilas/Imagn Images The first name was easy: Rome Odunze, the No. 10 overall pick to the Chicago Bears in 2024. "He was really good in isolation (as a rookie), and we know that Ben Johnson is there now, and he's so good at catering wide receiver roles," Harmon said. "Even if he's not gonna be in that Amon-Ra St. Brown role for this offense, I think they're gonna get the right deployment for him, which just didn't happen for anybody in that Bears offense last year." Advertisement Even though he's an obvious choice, Harmon encouraged any doubters not to get hung up on the negatives they might find buried in the box score with Odunze from a 2024 campaign in which the entire Bears offense was held back by the coaching staff and scheme. "I think Odunze's gonna make a big leap, but he's a guy who went in the top 10, and most people know about him," Harmon said. "As long as you're not micro-focusing on per-route stats, which . . . nobody looks good from the Bears offense last year in the advanced metrics, because it wasn't a good offensive environment . . . I think we know he's gonna have that breakthrough second season." The less obvious choice for Harmon was San Francisco 49ers first-rounder Ricky Pearsall, who had a harrowing offseason before his NFL career even started. Pearsall finished his rookie season strong after recovering from a gunshot Kupbens-Imagn Images Just days before the 2024 regular season was set to begin, Pearsall suffered gunshot wounds to his chest during an attempted robbery following an autograph signing. After making a full recovery, Pearsall was back on the field for the 49ers in October. Advertisement "We've got to say that anytime we talk about this guy," Harmon said. "Lucky to be alive, let alone lucky to play football in Week 7 of last year. This guy is so impressive, just for getting out there." Harmon says despite early speculation that Pearsall would be a replacement for one of the 49ers' veteran receivers, his skill set and subsequent usage were swift indications that he brought different capabilities to the table, ones of which his new coaching staff were going to take full advantage. "I really liked him as a prospect," Harmon recalls. "I liked the route-running, I liked the hands a lot. When the 49ers took him in the first round, I think it was a signal about where their offense is going. Immediately, people started speculating about them trading Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk, but he plays a completely different role from either of those guys. And you saw that before he really even started producing last season. He's running these whip routes, these return routes from the slot, and that's just not something we've seen from a wide receiver and the 49ers in this offense under Kyle Shanahan. It's much more like what the Rams have done with a guy like Cooper Kupp." Related: Can Caleb Williams and the Bears Shock the NFC North in 2025? Once he started to hit his stride late in his rookie season, Pearsall was making opposing defenses pay for putting him in 1-on-1 situations. Advertisement "By the end of the season, he was just smoking man coverage," Harmon said. "I think the coaching staff started to see that, too, because he had his big, breakout game against that Lions team that's so man coverage heavy in Week 17. But you really started seeing it during the two weeks prior." Though he's currently nursing a hamstring injury, everything about how Pearsall finished his first NFL season indicates he's primed for big things in 2025. "As long as he's healthy, he's primed for a breakout performance in Year 2," Harmon said. To check out the entire conversation, including a deep dive on the entire 2024 receiver class as they head into the 2025 season, watch the full episode of BPA: Related: Can Marvin Harrison Jr. Live Up To the Hype In Year 2? This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
