Despite character concerns surfacing before the draft, Percy Harvin still found himself a first-round selection, and he fits rather nicely in the Minnesota Vikings' offense. The dynamic play-maker, who can score from anywhere on the field at any point in the game, can fit in the slot or outside. He can be put in position to run the football with some creative play-calling. The impact Harvin should have on the real football field won't be measured just in his stats, though. If he realizes his potential, he'll take some attention away from both Adrian Peterson and Bernard Berrian. He'll accrue some personal numbers of his own, though. Check out the fantasy football ripple effect after the jump.
Harvin: It's very possible that you'll see a few 30-point weeks. It's also entirely possible that you'll see several zero-point weeks. Think Reggie Bush with less consistent touches. Think Devin Hester with less attention being paid to him while being used more aptly. Making him a WR3 is a safe area, because getting a 30-point week from that slot is what makes a championship-caliber team. Anything higher than that, though, and he'll murder your consistency.
Peterson: Well, he was already the top fantasy football player, but this draft pick even further solidifies it. Harvin is a home-run hitter, and teams who ignore him will pay. Thus, defenses have to keep a few sets of eyes on him. Indirectly, that leaves a bit less attention being paid to Peterson. That's danger as well.
Berrian: He does have a better quarterback in Sage Rosenfels this time around, so his value was already a bit better this year. Having Harvin in the slot will bring more attention to the middle of the field on passing situations, which can only help the outside burner. He had 48 catches for 964 yards and 7 touchdowns. With everything that has happened in terms of offensive personnel, I expect Berrian to get into the 60 catch, 1,100 yard, 10 touchdown range. He's a solid WR2, and could qualify as a low-end WR1 if you fill all the other positions first and wait on a wideout in bigger leagues.
Rosenfels: I actually like Rosenfels as a sleeper right now, but that could build him into a bust. Meaning: "Sleeper" is related to perceived value versus performance. If everyone in the world starts touting him as a sleeper, too many people start taking him too high and all of a sudden he's a bust. For now, though, it's a pretty cushy position to have Adrian Peterson behind you, Harvin's versatility at your disposal, and Berrian's home run capabilities. Draft him as your QB2, and be ready to deal your QB1 for an elite return if Rosenfels turns into a low-end QB1. It's very possible in larger (14-16 team) leagues if you have strong players elsewhere.
Visanthe Shiancoe: There are several weapons on this Vikings team who could take away opportunities for Shiancoe, but he's a tight end who scored 7 touchdowns last season. He'll be a red-zone target, and should find himself open quite a bit with Peterson, Berrian and Harvin around. He's a nice low-end TE1.
Sidney Rice and Bobby Wade: They'll be on the field often, and will be receiving little defensive attention. Thus, it's possible for either one to have the occasional productive game. With the many mouths to feed before theirs, however, there's no way you could count on consistent statistical production. Therefore, unless you play in a gigantic league with upwards of six starting receivers, you can ignore both for fantasy purposes.
