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1B - July 20, 2016 www.charlestonchronicle.net SECTION B The Chronicle SPORTS Can A.J. Green become the NFL's best wide Green was once the consensus number two wideout in the NFL. Is it possible for receiver in 2016? him to become football's top pass-catcher? By Connor Howe seemingly minimized the respect tially see reduced targets with but he has only officially missed point of this article isn't to prove bye; afterwards, he'll face a very toward Green as a premiere re- new weapons entering the fold four games in his five-year career Green is the best fantasy value at beatable schedule. Once upon a time, at the end of ceiver. Fantasy analysts will be on their respective offenses (Mo- (though I'd argue he's missed wide receiver (which he currently It also helps that the four cor- the 2013 season, A.J. Green was the first to point out Green's in- hamed Sanu and Will Fuller, re- six, as he left two games by the is, until analysts give him a bump ners Green is slated to face in the consensus number two wide juries, but they oftentimes fail to spectively). Fantasy analysts have end of the first drive). due to Eifert's injury); it's to ques- primetime are Byron Maxwell, receiver in football. It's hard to re- recognize that Green, unlike deemed Green as injury-prone, That aside, let's re-focus. The tion whether Green can return to Janoris Jenkins, William Gay member, as the emergences of guys like Bryant and Jordy Nel- the pinnacle of his performance. and Jonathan Joseph. Maxwell Dez Bryant, Julio Jones, Antonio son, is durable enough to put up And to me, there's nothing that and Jenkins are very streaky, Brown, Odell Beckham Jr. and 1,000 yards every season, suggests otherwise. while Green has gotten the best others all coincided right around whether injured or not. The Bengals' offense will depend of Gay in year's past. Joseph and 2014, a season in which Green Despite Green's yearly consis- on the Dalton-Green connection the Texans' defense could chal- was frequently absent due to in- tency, analysts disrespect him on more than it ever has in 2016, and lenge the Bengals as always, but jury. On top of that, plenty of a yearly basis. Also, can I just Andy Dalton has finally learned beating the Texans in primetime young wide receivers, such as De- point out how funny it is that that he doesn't need to force the would obviously be huge, as Andre Hopkins, Allen Robinson Adam Rank, who predicted the ball to Green, which is always a Cincinnati has been terrible and Sammy Watkins, are quickly Bengals to be "4-12 bad" in 2016, good thing. Though the Bengals against Houston throughout climbing the totem pole. is higher on Green than the rest will understandably attempt to Green's career. There's no question whether of his colleagues? get Jeremy Hill back to his 2014 Green couldn't be facing better Green is among the NFL's best But seriously, it's insane that form to start the season, Green circumstances; if he bests Revis when it comes to wide receivers; analysts are more willing to be- should continue thrive in the red in Week 1, he'll immediately step Green is one of two receivers in lieve that Bryant, Robinson and zone, especially in Eifert's poten- into the forefront of the wide re- NFL history to record at least Nelson are going to be better tial wake. ceiver discussion. From Week 2 1,000 yards receiving in his first fantasy players than Green next The competition Green faces will on, Green will face a beatable five seasons. Not only did Green season. Someone please back me also play a factor. He'll have an op- schedule and could potentially put up those big numbers, but he up on this. Green is going to portunity to face--and potentially see the most targets he's seen in did it with an equally young quar- feast on an insane amount of tar- outperform--Darrelle Revis, Aqib his career. Establishing himself terback while oftentimes playing gets this season, and that's not Talib, Joe Haden, Josh Norman as the league's top receiver will through--or missing time due to-- even considering whether Tyler and a few other very talented cor- certainly be a possibility for injury. Eifert misses time due to injury ners. In Green's favor is that he Green, but it's up to the wideout Injuries haven't derailed Green's or not. Meanwhile, guys like Green was a star at Summerville High School faces the majority of the top cor- to capitalize on his opportunities career in any sense, but they've Jones and Hopkins could poten- prior to making it to the NFL. ners on the schedule before the and execute in 2016. Non-Conference To Pit Cougars vs. Defending National Champs Villanova (CofCSports.com) - The Col- or UCF in the next round on SEC, Atlantic 10 and American. Season tickets are priced at: $225 End Zone, $150 for CofC Fac- For more information, please lege of Charleston men’s basket- Nov. 18. Conference foes UNCW ad- for Lower Level & Upper Side ulty & Staff and $99 for CofC contact the CofC Ticket Office ball non-conference slate will pit The home slate also features re- vanced to the NCAA Tourna- Court, $150 for Upper Level Young Alumni. at: (843) 953-COFC. the Cougars against defending matches with Navy on Dec. 1 ment, Hofstra to the Postseason national champion Villanova, and former Southern Confer- NIT and Towson to the Vegas and six other teams which ad- ence rival and NIT participant 16. vanced to postseason play a year Davidson on Dec. 4 at TD Under the direction of third- ago. Arena. USC Upstate travels to year head coach Earl Grant, The Cougars will travel to the the Lowcountry for a post- CofC returns CAA Rookie of home court of the Wildcats in a Thanksgiving break matchup on the Year, All-CAA Third Team non-bracketed game of the Nov. 27 at TD Arena, while the and All-CAA Rookie Team se- ESPN Gildan Charleston Clas- Cougars will play host to Ander- lection Jarrell Brantley (Colum- sic on Nov. 23 at The Pavilion in son University in a post-final bia, S.C.), All-CAA Third Team Villanova, Pa. It will mark a exams game on Dec. 11 at the and All-Defensive Team selec- third-time meeting between both North Charleston Coliseum – tion Cameron Johnson (Athens, schools and the first since the site of the 2017 Colonial Athletic Ga.), All-CAA Defensive Team opening-round game of the 2006 Association Men’s Basketball member Payton Hulsey (Mem- Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Championship on March 3-6, phis, Tenn.) and All-CAA Islands. 2017 in North Charleston, S.C. Rookie Team selection Mar- CofC will host Allen University Aside from the Villanova game, quise Pointer (Jonesboro, Ark.). (S.C.) in its lone exhibition game road trips also include at CIT in the preseason on Nov. 4, fol- semifinalist Coastal Carolina on SEASON TICKET lowed by its season opener ver- Nov. 14 in Conway, S.C., at East INFORMATION sus crosstown rival The Citadel Carolina on Dec. 15 in on Nov. 11 at TD Arena. Greenville, N.C., at LSU on College of Charleston Basket- This year’s edition of the ESPN Dec. 19 in Baton Rouge, La. ball season tickets can be re- Gildan Classic will feature And at CBI participant Western newed starting today and new CofC, Boise State, Mississippi Carolina on Dec. 22 in Cul- season tickets will go on sale on State, UCF, UTEP, Villanova, lowhee, N.C. Aug. 1. This year’s season-ticket Wake Forest and Western Game times, television games package includes 13 home games Michigan. The Cougars will face and the CAA schedule will be re- at TD Arena (excluding the free Boise State in a first-ever meet- leased at a later date. Last sea- admission exhibition game on ing in the opening round on son, the Colonial was rated as Nov. 4, the ESPN Gildan Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. (ET) on the ninth-best conference in the Charleston Classic on Nov 17, 18 ESPN3 at TD Arena. They will country behind the Big 12, Pac- & 20 and the North Charleston then face either Mississippi State 12, ACC, BIG EAST, Big Ten, Coliseum game on Dec. 11). College of Charleston Cougars Menʼs Basketball Team players Pough Headlines “Seventh Annual SC Coaches For Charity” Greenville. Nearly 300 guests summer camps. will be in attendance. Additionally, each coach hon- The head football coaches from ors his annual recipient of Jerry the South Carolina universities Richardson Community MVP will share the stage with Coach Award. Coach Pough's 2016 Pough: Mike Ayers (Wofford), Award honoree is Doug Bruce Fowler (Furman), Will Tourville. And former Bulldogs Buddy Pough Muschamp (South Carolina), coach Willie Jeffries will also be Greenville, SC -- South Carolina Brent Thompson (The Citadel) in attendance as an Honorary State Head Football Coach and Dabo Swinney (Clemson). Chairman. Buddy Pough will once again Each will bring their supporters Proceeds raised from the event join the football coaches from to Greenville to help raise money are split between the coaches' around the state in the name of for their respective charities. charities. Coach Pough has once charity. The seventh annual Money is also raised during the again chosen the BCO Tri- South Carolina Coaches for evening to help sponsor single- County FCA as his beneficiary.