TOP 6 WORST FRanchise tagged players

​By: Kyle "FCF Stathead" Sheridan

Welcome to part two of my franchised players list.  We’re looking at the Top 6 Worst Franchised Players in season 1. A reminder: these lists aren’t meant to bash or hype players, it's more to evaluate the season they had. I genuinely have a high respect for all of these athletes and wish to see them succeed. And a reminder of the rules for this list: I’m only doing the tags for weeks 1-4, so none of the defensive backs will be on this list. This list is based on overall impact for the team, playing consistency, and of course statistics. A second reminder: these players are not bad overall but they didn’t perform well in the season.

1. Anthony Jones - Zappers (Tagged: Week 2)

I went into this in my first top 6 list, Anthony Jones was the poster child of underutilization. He showed flashes of being a dual threat power and receiving back, but the ball just never went his way. He only had 5 attempts, 2 Receptions, 16 total yards, 4 total touchdowns, and 1 lost fumble. There isn’t much else to say other than he was not used at all by the Zappers. If Galloway isn’t available next season, look out for the Wild Aces (or an expansion team) to pick him up now that fans gained a better appreciation for the run.

2. Johnny Manziel - Zappers (Tagged: Week 1)

I will start this with -  I am not a big Johnny Football fan. I don’t think he’s bad per say, I just think he never developed or improved since college. With a 78.164 passer rating, only 1 passing TD, 237 total yards, and 2 rushing TDs it almost mirrored his NFL Career. I said this in part 1 of these lists, Manziel is not a traditional QB in a bad way. Watching him, it’s as if he doesn’t make any reads and instead chooses one of two options: hit the open man downfield or run for positive yards. Once the Zappers got a taste of Marchi, it was over for Manziel. When he took the field the Zappers looked like the Zippers (as Greg Miller would say). Not to mention that he seemed to have given up on the team in the playoffs. I understand WHY he was tagged, he was the draw of the FCF but he played exactly how I thought he would. I wish him luck with his golf career.

3. Richaud Floyd - Wild Aces (Tagged: Week 3)

So this is an interesting tag because it was not bad, at all. The pair of Floyd and Leonard is deadly on paper, but only Leonard seemed to shine. Floyd was only targeted five times, catching only one and dropping the other. So where does his value shine? 7 completed point after attempts, so he brings something to the aces. He’s number three because I wanted to see more from him, he can be the corner in one on ones so why not throw more his way? If he comes back, I’d like to see him in the slot or as an across the middle receiver. Leonard seemed more of the deep and red zone threat, so look for Floyd on the slant or the crossing route.

4. David Pindell - Glacier Boyz (Tagged: Week 1)

This one hurts because, A) I’m a Glacier Boyz fan and B) Pindell could’ve been better. The most notable fault is he was never clutch, and we kept asking him to be so. He played well in the first half, but in the second half he seemed to succumb to pressure. In the People’s Championship game he made wild throws on the final drive, throwing into traffic and ultimately making poor decisions that led the Aces to stuff us on our final 5 snaps. He has the worst passer rating among QBs with 30+ attempts. I don’t see him leaving quite yet, but I definitely see him as playing a more backup role which wouldn’t hurt him. I like Pindell, he can be good, he just needs to work on his two-minute drill and to keep a cool head under pressure. Make better decisions in the pocket, and please please please hold onto the ball.

5. Troy Evans Jr. - Beasts (Tagged: Week 1)

Another underutilized player that was tagged way too early. Now granted, when he DID get the ball (5 catches out of 7 targets and 1 drop) he was pretty effective. He surpassed 100 yards, averaging 22 yards a catch, with 2 touchdowns. He has potential, but for someone tagged in week 1, he never quite lived up to those standards. I had hoped he would breakout with the addition of Christian Saulsberry, but it’s like he was an afterthought. Hopefully if he returns for season 2 teams will look his way more. Maybe a pairing with Floyd will see the two getting more looks?

6. TJ Edwards II - Beasts (Tagged: Week 3)

The story of TJ Edwards II is an interesting one. He was a super effective backup QB, that played well in short doses, notching a game winning TD under his belt. While he is #2 in int thrown, he is #1 in completion percentage. He was a good QB, until he joined the Beasts. So here we have the reverse problem with Crouch and Francois, while they needed a permanent home to thrive, I think Edwards did not. If he returns next season, I think it’d be best for him and Pindell to jump from place to place and be put into situations where they can thrive, instead of relying on them to carry a team. It also didn’t make much sense since the Beasts had a clear number one QB in Quinton Flowers, so it would’ve made more sense to go after a different position. 


Let me know what you guys think of my list, in the comment. Do you think these players can improve, or do they even belong on here? I read all the comments and love to have a conversation about this