Mitchell Leidner

Leidner enters the 2016 season as one of the most seasoned quarterbacks in the country with 29 career starts under his belt, but he’s far from the most polished signal caller in the game. His physical tools as a big (6-4, 230) and mobile quarterback have led to some serious buzz, including a spot on the Maxwell Award Watch List and a mention in a recent Todd McShay mock draft as a possible first round candidate. While it is true that Leidner checks several of the boxes talent evaluators look for in a quarterback, his actual in-game performance leaves plenty to be desired. After being used much more as a running quarterback in a smashmouth offense that featured bruising back David Cobb in 2014, Leidner was asked to do a lot more as a passer last season and the results were mixed. He completed a respectable 59.5 percent of his passes, but only averaged 6.6 YPA (T-86th in the nation) while posting 14 touchdowns against 11 interceptions and a whopping five lost fumbles. Even if Leidner takes steps forward as a passer this season, there is a dearth of legitimate receiving options around him with K.J Maye no longer on the team. Leidner’s most bankable skill is his ability to convert with his legs on short yardage and goal line situations (5 RZ TDs in 2015), but Minnesota’s deep backfield featuring Shannon Brooks and Rodney Smith limits the need for Leidner to be a workhorse near the goal line. He should still be able to be a reasonably productive running quarterback, but his limitations as a passer along with his underwhelming supporting cast of receivers put a cap on his fantasy upside.