Hard Knocks with the Cleveland Browns and your fantasy football draft
The themes and storylines vary season to season on Hard Knocks depending on the team and its history or expectations. The personalities, characters and individual story lines vary too, based on what interesting or entertaining characters the producers have to work with (Myles Garrett’s appreciation of poetry, Rob Ryan’s eating habits, the Atlanta Falcons’ receivers being surprisingly good bowlers). Those all make good, unique elements that help draw you in and add to the overall quality of the show.
From a fantasy football standpoint, there are a couple consistent, proven story lines and characters seen over and over. These are Hard Knocks’ lining up in the I and running off-tackle. There’s no flash in the pan wildcat offense, no trick plays. You know what’s coming and it doesn’t matter.
1. The Franchise Player
Either a proven All-Pro, one of the best players on this team, or a younger guy with incredible talent poised to become a perennial All-Pro. The team’s success rides on this guy’s shoulders. He’s a household name or at least well-known to football fans and typically regarded as a top-five player or top-five talent at his position.
If you didn’t realize how good this guy was, Hard Knocks will make sure you do with montages of perfect throws, one-handed catches and blockers or corners getting repeatedly torched off the line. Just to drive the point home, you’ll see teammates going nuts and hear coaches making comments like “he’s just been unguardable” or “I’m glad he’s gonna be on our side when the season starts.”
If you weren’t drawn in enough by watching this guy on the field, you’re about to be endeared to him off of it by seeing him in a completely different light. Visiting his hometown, spending time with grandma, changing a diaper, teaching his toddler how to say a word or juggling kids with his very attractive wife. At some point, you’ll hear him talk about why he plays football, what the game means to him, what it does for his family, or why he cares so much about this team and this season.
2. The Motivated Veteran
This could be the 31-year-old perennial Pro Bowler who has two good years left, the guy coming off on an injury trying to bounce back, someone out to make the team that cut him or chose not to re-sign him regret it. It might even be a player in the middle of his prime who just joined the team after a massive payday or in search of a change of scenery.
He’s going to be featured prominently in the first two episodes. He’ll be making plays on the field, rubbing off positively on his new teammates and developing chemistry with the rest of the offense or defense. Expect to hear some form of “that’s why we went out and got him” from a GM to a coach after he makes big play.
Off the field, Liev Schreiber will have eloquently explained his situation and what’s riding on this season for him. He’ll be talking to the camera about whoever counted him out, wrote him off, or whatever’s driving him. You’ll also him with his family and moving boxes or empty walls and hear the phrase “our new home” from his wife or girlfriend, in cases of off-season additions.
3. Top Draft Pick
Liev Schreiber will fill us in on his college career, probably referring to him as “the former Badger” or making some reference to alma mater.
If things are going well: Expect to hear things like “turning heads” or “the future may be sooner…” You’ll see the rookie making numerous big plays and going above and beyond in terms of dedication with extra reps or film study. The GM or head coach will say “that’s why we used a first round pick” or “you can’t teach that” after they unique talent or otherworldly athleticism in practice.
If struggling: Expect to see him make mistakes in drills or scrimmages (technique, picking up blitzes, wrong routes, wrong reads, etc). You’ll be seeing a lot of his position coach in one on one coaching scenes, conversations and film sessions. If the position coach talks to either the camera or head coach, you’ll hear one or both of “he’s just gotta learn….” or “he’s coming along though”.
Off the field, it’ll be a new bachelor pad or a new apartment/house with his college sweetheart, fiancé, etc. (you’ll be told how they met). Potential bonuses: still driving a 1997 Toyota Corolla, just bought new car, playing Madden with team as himself mentioning that he had to sub himself in over a veteran and/or Madden undersold with only a 81 acceleration.
So how have these players performed historically compared to where they’re drafted?