Photo: Imagn Images

Have you ever sat outside under the stars? Maybe it was with a loved one, or it could be by yourself. Either way, you’re looking up at the vastness of space and pondering all of life’s wonders. Then, as if out of nowhere, the sky lights up, and a shooting star soars across the sky. It's fast, bright, spectacular. It takes your breath away to see one of the world’s most random and exciting events. Last season, football fans saw the player version of a shooting star when second-year corner DaRon Bland had one of the greatest seasons a corner has ever had! He ascended into one of the most talked about players on the most talked about team in all professional sports. Many people feel this ascension was the beginning of a career filled with moments like we saw last season. Unfortunately, I am here to be the clouds covering the sky. DaRon Bland will Bust in 2024.

Who is DaRon Bland?

Coming into last season, you likely had never heard the name DaRon Bland. Don’t beat yourself up, not many people follow defensive players, and even fewer follow a second-year corner who originally was drafted in the fifth round. Bland had by all accounts a good rookie year. He had over 50 total tackles and five interceptions. If you are brave enough to have a corner on your team, a rookie corner is usually a good spot, and Bland provided a best-case scenario with his production on the field. So, a good rookie year is one thing, but how did the kid do in year two? He had arguably the greatest season any corner has ever had. Bland had 69 total tackles, nine interceptions, 15 defended passes, and SCORED 5 TOUCHDOWNS! If you want to talk about a league winner, look no further than the 2023 version of Bland. He broke the NFL record for interceptions returned for touchdowns, but also had a good tackle floor and a fantastic number of defended passes. This was a good enough resume to be in the top 20 of all players in IDP Fantasy Football.  

So What's the Problem?

Everything is great, right? He’s the GOAT at the position and will continue to improve upon those numbers! Unfortunately for IDP fans and Cowboys fans alike, I am saddened to say he will fall off the cliff this year, and you need to avoid him at all costs. There are various issues with players like Bland, who play the corner position. When you prove to teams that you’re a credible threat to disrupt the passing game, they flat-out avoid throwing your way. It is a compliment to your play when teams are scheming to avoid throwing the ball your way. Bland may be in the rarified air that some of the all-time greats were in at their peak. Darrelle Revis, Richard Sherman, Deion Sanders, and Charles Woodson were all players who, when given the opportunity 1-1 with receivers, had just as good of a chance at coming down with the ball as the offensive player. When teams noticed this, they did everything in their power not only to eliminate the opportunities these players had but, in some cases, didn’t target receivers matched up against them!  Maybe Bland isn’t at that caliber quite yet, but when you have 14 interceptions in just 33 games played, and you’re beginning to take them back for touchdowns, the NFL will adjust to your play style.