Scheme Changes That Will Impact Fantasy Football: Liam Coen

From Ben Johnson's arrival in Chicago to Kellen Moore's departure from Philadelphia, this series will examine how coaching and scheme changes will impact fantasy football in 2025 and beyond.

In the NFL, talent can only get a team so far. Some of the best-constructed rosters have faltered due to poor coaching, simplistic offensive schemes, and a failure to utilize personnel appropriately. Fantasy managers feel those failures, with disappointing draft picks anchoring a team to the floor of their league. Similarly, early recognition is critical (just ask the American Red Cross… CPR-trained folks will appreciate this — I’m sorry to everyone else). Fantasy managers who identify how coaching changes will impact fantasy upside early are most prepared to capitalize on value.

This offseason saw several coaching changes, with over a third of the league having some fallout. Let’s examine how these changes will impact your fantasy rosters. Next up, we’ll dive into Liam Coen’s impact on the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Liam Coen ▶ Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars have been one of the most disappointing teams since 2021, with what should be a superstar quarterback at the helm and a dynamic rushing attack. What transpired, though, was a combination of failures from the pass catchers, a turnover-prone quarterback, and a disappointing few seasons from Travis Etienne. Coen’s evolution from a stagnant, heavy-personnel play caller to an adaptable innovator should fix many of Jacksonville’s offensive woes. Coen’s ability to play out of any personnel package last year elevated Tampa Bay’s offense to a level that fanatical optimists couldn’t fathom. The Buccaneers ranked:

• 3rd in yards per game

• 4th in yards per play

• 5th in rushing yards per game

• 4th in passing yards per game

• 4th in points per play

• 4th in points per game

They were an elite offense on the shoulders of Baker Mayfield. Mayfield had a career year in 2023, and Coen’s arrival tested the “offensive coordinator or quarterback growth” question. The answer? Both. Coen put Mayfield in legitimate MVP consideration with an elite rushing attack that opened things in the passing game. Coen’s offense puts linebackers in hell, and Jaguars fans and fantasy managers should expect more of the same in 2025.

The rushing attack is the driving force behind everything Coen does. His ability to run a traditional downhill scheme with pulling guards and tackles out of heavy personnel is better than nearly every offense in the league. Tank Bigsby, Travis Etienne, and Bhayshul Tuten should all excel here, provided the offensive line plays to its potential. It doesn’t take much vision to gain yards in Coen’s offense, as he schemes up massive running lanes with short shifts to create forward momentum for blockers to generate an immediate push. His rushing attack pulls from Mike McDaniel’s passing attack: get a head start.

His passing attack builds on those principles. Here, the Bucs run motion into play action, pulling the linebackers completely out of the play and forcing the cornerbacks into too shallow a drop. This allows Mike Evans to easily get into the middle of the field with room to create after the catch.

With Coen’s ability to generate easy pitch-and-catches out of under-center play action, you’d think he lived in it in the way Sean McVay used to with Jared Goff. That couldn’t have been further from the case in 2024, though.

Dear Readers,

We’re an independent site thriving thanks to the support of our valued members. By signing up for our Substack or Patreon, you’re directly contributing to keeping our business running. Subscribing to Patreon grants you access to Substack content and our exclusive material. Your support is crucial, and we sincerely appreciate your commitment.

Thank you for helping us continue our work.