Fantasy Football Fanhouse

LeSean McCoy Heads List of 'Other' Fantasy Relevant Players

Matt Snyder — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:10:00 EST

We've already given a single post to each of the seemingly most relevant fantasy football impact players from the NFL Draft -- we say seemingly because bust-hood is always a possibility in this business -- but those are by no means the only players who might matter in this coming season. With that in mind, here are the rest of the guys who's impact will be felt:

LeSean McCoy, RB, Eagles (Round 2): If you end up with Brian Westbrook, you absolutely must have McCoy. The shifty stud from Pittsburgh is exactly the type of back Westbrook is, which means he can thrive in this offense.

Obviously, you can't expect McCoy to be Westbrook immediately, if ever, but he's got the physical ability to have a few significant fantasy games. As an illustration, Westbrook pretty much always misses time during the season. It's as much a given as some sort of a T.O. meltdown. Last season, Correll Buckhalter -- physically less gifted than McCoy -- had four big fantasy weeks, one of which was huge (178 total yards and a score).

If you don't get Westbrook and are looking for running back depth (RB4-range), it can't hurt to "cuff-block" (steal the Westbrook owner's handcuff) with a McCoy selection. A little draft day drama adds to the fun of the league anyway.

Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Lions (Round 1): Down the road he'll develop into a nice option, but it's hard to imagine a tight end finding huge success in Detroit for this coming season. Look at him as a low-end TE2 for now. He'll be a TE1 quite soon, so keeper league players take note.

Brian Robiskie, WR, Browns (Round 2)/Mohamed Massaquoi, WR, Browns (Round 2): For now, we'll have to wait and see what the Browns do with Braylon Edwards. It appears they will trade him, and, if they do, both receivers will see plenty of playing time.

Pat White, Wildcat Participant, Dolphins (Round 2): This might be the most intriguing pick of the draft. White can run, pass and receive. The way the Dolphins use their personnel on offense, you could make the argument White has the potential to become one of the league's most exciting players. If you play in a larger league (14-16 teams) with a deep roster, it wouldn't hurt to take a last round flier on White. The odds are that he'll be a much more exciting real-life option than fantasy commodity, though.

Shonn Green, RB, Jets (Round 3): Well, here's Thomas Jones' replacement. It's probably not going to happen this season, but he will find his fair share of between-the-tackles work. If Jones leaves (unlikely) or gets hurt for a stretch, Green will probably form an inside-outside duo with Leon Washington. He can leave him undrafted or look at him toward the end of deeper drafts -- assuming Jones sticks around for this season.

Derrick Williams, WR, Lions (Round 3): He'll help the Lions in the slot and in the return game. For this year, it's hard to see Williams having a huge fantasy impact considering the Lions also added Bryant Johnson and Ronald Curry to the receiving corps. The real hope is for him to show enough big play potential to draw some defense off Calvin Johnson. Ignore initially, and watch his progress.

Mike Wallace, WR, Steelers (Round 3): He could slip right into the dearly departed Nate Washington's role. The only issue is if the development of Limas Sweed clouds matters on how the Steelers' offense is shaped. Ignore intially, and watch his progress.

Jared Cook, TE, Titans (Round 3): He's a freakishly talented pass-catching threat. Assuming he develops as the Titans would hope, Bo Scaife will be shown the door after 2009. Heading into this season, Cook won't be worth drafting in normal-sized leagues, but he's definitely one to watch. Remember the name.

Chase Coffman, TE, Bengals Round 3): The only reason his stock knocked him down to the third round was because he's been injured recently and scouts grew worried about his lack of quick recovery time. Assuming he can get healthy before the season begins, he'll start getting playing time in Cincy immediately. Draft him as a TE2 and watch his growth. You could be using him weekly be season's end.

Juaqiun Iglesias, WR, Bears (Round 3): Well, everyone has been harping on the whole who is Jay Cutler going to throw to? riff. It looks like the Bears are going to provide him with Devin Hester, Earl Bennett and Iglesias. Hardly a murderer's row of receving talent. Still, Cutler made non-first-rounders into stars in Denver (Brandon Marshall was a 4th-rounder and Eddie Royal went in the 2nd), so Iglesias is worth a late-round pick in deep leagues.

Louis Murphy, WR, Raiders (Round 4): Shocking the Raiders drafted him, considering his blazing (4.32 40) speed. He gives them another player who can stretch the field, and that should help the development of rocket-armed JaMarcus Russell. Murphy shouldn't be drafted in fantasy leagues, though. Just monitor his growth as it pertains to Russell, Darren McFadden and Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Shawn Nelson, TE, Bills (Round 4): He's probably going to start immediately, but the Bills have Lee Evans and Terrell Owens on the outside, in addition to leaning some on the run game. He'll be used over the middle to take attention away from the outside guys, but won't get enough targets to warrant use in most leagues. Ignore, but track progress.

Austin Collie, WR, Colts (Round 4): Really only relevant because the Colts didn't fill the need at WR until here. Marvin Harrison is gone, and Anthony Gonzalez will probably have to slide outside now. The Colts use three receiver sets quite frequently. I've seen some scouts compare him to Brandon Stokley, who had good fantasy value with the Colts. A last round flier as a WR5 is reasonable.

Nate Davis, QB, Niners (Round 5): There are two ways to take this pick. The first is that the Niners haven't totally given up on Alex Smith, otherwise they would have gone after one of the first-round quarterbacks. The other is that Davis has enough upside that he can eventually take the torch from Shawn Hill while Smith wastes away on the bench. They do have some solid receivers, so the winner of the job (probably Hill) out of camp is worth a low-end QB2 selection. Davis should be ignored in all formats.

Tom Brandstater, QB, Broncos (Round 6): He's relevant because he's the first quarterback the Broncos drafted. Translation: Kyle Orton is their man -- at least until next year when they use one of their two first-rounders on a QB after finding out he's not very good.

Bernard Scott, RB, Bengals (Round 6): His rap-sheet probably makes PacMan Jones jealous, but there's a reason Scott won't go away. He's insanely talented. The Bengals running back situation isn't exactly stellar -- unless you, unlike me, really believe in Cedric Benson -- so it's possible he emerges "unexpectedly" sometime during the season. He's definitely not worth drafting in any format, but we're just listing him so you'll remember the name. It might matter at some point -- even if just in a police blotter.

LeSean McCoy Heads List of 'Other' Fantasy Relevant Players originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kenny Britt to Titans: Fantasy Spin

Matt Snyder — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:05:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Draft Analysis

The Tennessee Titans finally broke down and drafted wide receiver in the first round, and he's a dynamic talent. Kenny Britt, a Rutgers product, has the physical tools to be a star receiver in the NFL. There are some questions about his attitude, but it's hard to imagine the Titans not doing their due diligence on a kid after the fiasco they just went through with PacMan Jones (to be fair, it's apples vs. oranges: Britt doesn't have any legal issues, just is seen as arrogant by some). I have faith in Jeff Fisher and Kerry Collins to bring this kid along properly.

So, what does Britt's addition mean to the rest of the Tennessee offense from a fantasy perspective?

Britt: He's not entering the offense where he can be a fantasy star, that's for sure. The Titans win football games with running and defense, and they aren't about to change just because they landed a receiver at pick 30. The Titans do plan on using him right away, and he does have the tools to help Collins garner more passing yards. It's worth grabbing him as a WR5 in normal sized leagues just to monitor his development, but he probably won't be of much use this season. In big keeper leagues, I like him less than all other first round receivers, but he should be owned.

Collins: You never want him as your starter, not even in bye weeks in normal-sized leagues. He's more of a depth quarterback, used to safeguard against injury woes that would force you to go with Jim Sorgi or Caleb Hanie. That being said, if you play in a 14-team league or bigger, I can see Collins as a low-end QB2. He could have an unexpected solid statistical games -- like against the Bears last season -- but it will likely be too unpredictable to have him in the lineup. Still, he's not going to make enough mistakes to kill you.

Nate Washington: He had several good fantasy games the past three seasons in a Pittsburgh offense where he was usually the third, fourth or even fifth option through the air. In Tennesee, he'll now begin as their featured deep threat. He takes a step backward in terms of the quarterback slinging him the rock, but Collins is an adequate passer. With Britt in the house and the presence of Chris Johnson in the flats on passing downs, you have to like Washington's chances to shake free occasionally. Don't go crazy, but he's worth drafting as a reserve and using as a bye-week replacement in moderately sized leagues. I'm looking at a low-end WR4 or high-end WR5 in 12-team leagues.

Justin Gage: His value has been decimated this offseason, but, really, how valuable was he really going to be anyway? They desperately needed to replace their starting receivers. It's a wonder teams didn't put like 10 dudes in the box each game in 2008. Gage will still see the field plenty, especially at the start of the season, but he's not going to accrue nearly enough stats to matter in fantasy football. If you find yourself drafting him, you're either reaching, or play in a league where way too many receivers are owned.

LenDale White/Chris Johnson: The additions of both Washington and Britt actually give a slight bump to the value of both running backs. Keeping players out of the box last year was a problem for the Titans, for obvious reasons. It will still be a bit of one, but Washington and Britt have a bit more talent than Gage and Brandon Jones. It never hurts to have that strong safety keeping one eye on the outside.

Kenny Britt to Titans: Fantasy Spin originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hakeem Nicks Added to Giants Young Receiving Corps: Fantasy Spin

Matt Snyder — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:26:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Draft Analysis

Instead of trading a bunch of draft picks for either Anquan Boldin or Braylon Edwards, the Giants elected to address the need to replace Plaxico Burress via draft. Nicks is a solid possession receiver and should see the field with regularity in 2009. Of course, the Giants have spent several draft picks on receiver in recent years -- Steve Smith (2nd round), Sinorice Moss (2nd), Mario Manningham (3rd) -- and they also added Domenik Hixon, so it's really tough to tell how everything shakes out as of now.

They'll be hoping Nicks develops into their go-to guy in the future, but the transition to that role in the pros will take more than a season. Let's check out the fantasy spin on the passing game after the jump.

Eli Manning: He doesn't have near as much value as he did entering last season with Amani Toomer and Burress, and the team will continue to lean on the running game with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. The fact of the matter is that last year Eli was in the mid-teens in fantasy points last year (variations due to different scoring systems), and that was with a half-season from Burress. His name and leadership have much more sparkle than stat-lines. He's a QB2 in normal-sized leagues, and adding Nicks to the mix doesn't really do a ton to change it -- at least not this season.

Nicks: He's got too much talent to be ignored, but we aren't expecting a huge season here. Not just yet. As stated above, the Giants are still going to be moving the chains via the ground-game. When they do throw, Smith will play the possession receiver and Hixon will be the deep threat. Expect Nicks to get plenty of looks as the possession option, and some from the slot, but he'll be learning this year. I've seen him compared to Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Roddy White, so he's definitely worth a look in keeper leagues. In yearly formats, he's a late-round flier with the potential to pay modest dividends, but nothing more.

Smith: He's not going to blow by anyone, as his longest catch was only for 30 yards last season. He did catch 57 balls, and the departures from last year's receiving corps will mean an increase in targets. He's worth a look in PPR (point-per-reception) leagues, as it's possible he grabs 65-70 catches this season. His yards per catch is pretty low, though, and he rarely finds the end-zone (once in 21 career games). If you don't get points for his receptions, you're looking at 4-6 points a week. I'll pass.

Hixon: This 24 year-old screams upside. He'll be the Giants outside deep threat -- and Nicks can't take away looks from this role, because he's a possession receiver -- and he started to show consistency late last season. In his last six games, he had 28 catches for 341 yards. That prorates to a full season of 75 grabs and 909 yards. I like some growth and a few more scores for him, now that he's unchallenged as the starting receiver who can beat guys deep. I could see 75 catches, 1,050 yards and 5 touchdowns. Grab him late and slot him as a WR4 to begin the season.

Moss and Manningham: They'll each get looks in the slot, but won't be worth using with any regularity in fantasy football.

Hakeem Nicks Added to Giants Young Receiving Corps: Fantasy Spin originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:26:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeremy Maclin Already Fantasy Relevant

Matt Snyder — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:35:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Draft Analysis

When the Eagles selected Missouri's Jeremy Maclin in the first round of the NFL Draft, surely a smile was brought to the face of Donovan McNabb. In addition to the versatile DeSean Jackson -- whom they drafted last season -- McNabb now has one of the most talented wideouts in football. Maclin only needed 28 games to score 32 career touchdowns in college. It's possible the explosive wideout doesn't yet realize his full potential during 2009, but, as with all first round draft picks, his impact will be felt across the entire roster.

We'll fantasy spin the fallout after the jump.

McNabb: With all due respect to the crappy receivers he's had to deal with while quarterbacking the Eagles -- an obnoxious, divisive presence notwithstanding -- it's amazing he's never made more of a fuss about the lack of quality wideouts he's been forced to work with. No more. With Jackson and Maclin, the Eagles have a duo with the potential to be among the NFL's best 1-2 punches. They can't be Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, but they can work into the range that Cincy had with T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson. McNabb had almost 4,000 yards passing last season, along with 23 touchdown passes. Those totals will rise, and he's really pushing the elite tier of fantasy quarterbacks. Take him early and enjoy the growth at the receiver position.

Jackson: Some might say this pick means Jackson won't see as many touches, but it will actually help in his development. He won't receive as much attention as Brian Westbrook or Maclin, so he'll benefit. With continued growth and no double-teams, expect Jackson to easily eclipse the 1,000 yard mark in 2009. Look for him to begin as a WR3, with the chance to leak into the WR2 range by the end of the season.

Maclin: He'll probably be drafted before Jackson in most leagues, but that would be a mistake. Rookie receivers often struggle to make the transition. Check out the difference between Calvin Johnson's rookie year and year two, for example. He's got tons of potential, though, so he's worth a later-round pick. You'll get inconsistency, but we will see some flashes of what he can be. Hopefully when you be using him as a bye-week replacement if/when those moments occur. Eventually, though, he's going to be a WR1, as soon as 2010. Keeper-league players, take note.

Kevin Curtis, Jason Avant , Hank Baskett, Reggie Brown: With Maclin and Jackson being worked in, in addition to the importance the Eagles place on the running back in the passing game, none of these guys are worth owning in ordinary fantasy leagues. In fact, a few of them are gonna be cut before training camp breaks.

Jeremy Maclin Already Fantasy Relevant originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Harvin to Instantly Impact Fantasy Football Value of Vikings' Offense

Matt Snyder — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Draft Analysis

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.

Harvin to Instantly Impact Fantasy Football Value of Vikings' Offense originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Josh Freeman: Not a 2009 Fantasy QB

Matt Snyder — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 13:08:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Draft Analysis

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers think they finally have a franchise quarterback, in Kansas State's Josh Freeman. They very well might, but that doesn't make him a good fantasy football option for this coming season. In fact, I don't think he should be drafted in any league as of right now.

The Bucs currently have Byron Leftwich, who will probably be starting this season, while the rookie is brought along, a la Carson Palmer waiting behind Jon Kitna in Cincinnati. It's possible for the Bucs to cut Leftwich -- since they didn't give him a signing bonus it wouldn't cost them any money -- but most in the know believe Freeman's not ready to immediately come in and start.

Even if Freeman does win the starting job out of camp, though, he's going to be brought along slowly. The Bucs offense will heavily rely upon the running game, of which they have added Derrick Ward to the battered duo of Earnest Graham and Cadillac Williams. Like nearly all rookie quarterbacks, you can expect Freeman to be either mistake-prone or handled with some incredibly tight kid gloves.

Thus, I don't see any reason to rank Freeman as better than a QB3 in the biggest of yearly fantasy leagues.

The Bucs core for the offensive future lies in Freeman, Ward, Antonio Bryant and Kellen Winslow. He does have the tools to develop into a quality fantasy quarterback, but it's likely he'll never get better than being a low-end QB1 option. Thus, he's worth a shot in dynasty fantasy leagues, but not keeper leagues where you only hold onto a small handful of players.

Josh Freeman: Not a 2009 Fantasy QB originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sun, 26 Apr 2009 13:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Donald Brown Pick Illustrates Colts' Lack of Faith In Joseph Addai

Matt Snyder — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Draft Analysis

When the Colts used their first-round pick on a running back (Donald Brown of Connecticut), I was quite surprised. I knew they needing running back depth, but defensive tackle, middle linebacker and wide receiver seemed much more pressing -- all with quality options on the board. However, I'm not about to question a first-round pick by Bill Polian. Click through this link to see his history with the Colts.

What the pick does mean, though, is that Joseph Addai has probably fallen out of favor with the Colts, at least as the every down starter. Let's try to envision the fantasy fallout for this coming season and beyond.

First of all, let's just get it out of the way that the passing game won't really be affected. It certainly helps them open it up a bit, but Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark are just fine and dandy as elite options at their positions regardless of the backfield situation.

For Addai, this is bad news. He was banged up in 2008 and was playing behind a banged up offensive line, so you could have made the case that he'd fall too far down draft boards in 2009 fantasy drafts. Now, I'm not so sure. Brown has all the tools to be a solid every-down back in the NFL, and Polian's not wasting a first-rounder, especially when the team had other needs. I believe Polian is basically telling Addai his days as the starter are numbered in Indianapolis with this pick.

That said, neither back is an elite option heading into 2009 at this point. It's very possible there will be a learning curve with Brown, just as there was with Addai early in his rookie season. Running back is a very easy position for the college-to-pro transition, but the Colts have an incredibly complex offensive scheme.

Both Addai and Brown appear to be low-end RB2s heading into the season. If pressed and I was forced to choose between them, I'd definitely take Brown, with my eyes on him taking over the full-time gig by Week 5.

In keeper leagues, Brown is an outstanding pick. The Colts offense is very conducive to huge running back stats.

Donald Brown Pick Illustrates Colts' Lack of Faith In Joseph Addai originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beanie Wells Lands in a Superb Fantasy Situation With the Arizona Cardinals

Will Brinson — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:50:00 EST

Filed under: Dynasty Diaries, NFL New Studs, NFL Draft Analysis

The Arizona Cardinals, for years, have been "fantasy death." But recently, a resuscitation in the desert allowed the Cardinals to suddenly become valuable to fantasy owners. They drafted Beanie Wells of Ohio State in the first round on Saturday, and that's only more good news for fantasy owners.

See, Wells was supposed to land in a situation that would involve him sharing carries. Instead, word on the street is that Edgerrin James will be released and, if that happens, Wells will find himself in a fantastic situation.

Injuries are a concern with Wells, but here's the good news: because the Cardinals pass so much, there's tons of room to run and he doesn't have to be a total workhorse. For further example, look at what Tim Hightower did last year, emerging as a fantasy stud.

So, presuming James is released, go ahead and pencil in Wells as "that guy" who you want to draft in the sixth to seventh round in a Matt Forte kind of way. He's got the talent, and if he stays healthy, he's a perfect RB3/Flex option that will be relatively cheap.

Beanie Wells Lands in a Superb Fantasy Situation With the Arizona Cardinals originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michael Crabtree Falls to the Niners, Fantasy Spin

Will Brinson — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Dynasty Diaries, NFL New Studs, NFL Draft Analysis

Michael Crabtree was supposed to be a top five pick. He was supposed to be drafted by the Seattle Seahawks and slot right into the west coast offense that they run. Then the crazy first round of this year's NFL Draft happened and Crabtree was in a freefall.

He landed with the San Francisco 49ers and for fantasy owners, that's freaking horrible news (like finding out you posed for the picture to the right).

Crabtree seemed like the type of guy that could make a legitimately impactful, um, impact in 2009. He's not the fastest guy, he's not the biggest guy, but he might just have been the most talented guy in the entire draft.

So to see him land in a situation where he has to catch balls from either Alex Smith, Shaun Hill or Damon Huard is a major, major disappointment. Of course, as Ryan mentioned, if they can actually land someone to get Crabtree the ball, then it's a different story.

But at this point, it seems destined that Crabtree will perform really well in situations that don't matter, people will hype him up, he'll get drafted in the sixth or seventh round and then he'll disappoint greatly because he doesn't have a competent quarterback. Early reaction: avoid.

Michael Crabtree Falls to the Niners, Fantasy Spin originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Knowshon Moreno to the Broncos, the Fantasy Spin

Will Brinson — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dynasty Diaries, NFL New Studs, NFL Draft Analysis

The Broncos drafting Knowshon Moreno was undoubtedly a shock, considering it was with their first, and 12th overall, pick in the NFL Draft. And it's kind of a shame for fantasy players.

That's because Moreno has a ton of talent, even if he's not a lock-down feature back. But he has nice hands, he has enough speed, and he can break off runs. Which would have made him a perfect fit for the Eagles or the Chargers (although the fantasy boost would have been delayed on both). Instead, he's headed to Denver to work under Josh McDaniels' scheme and alongside Kyle Orton.

Perhaps McDaniels, who used to work for a pretty good Patriots team, might have folks salivating over the prospect of turning Moreno into a dominating running back. One problem: who was the awesome back for those Patriots teams? Exactly -- players were good, not great, and certainly not dominant.

And now Moreno is dealing with Orton. It's an odd pick in real life and one you want to avoid in fantasy, unless you can get him at a steep discount.

Knowshon Moreno to the Broncos, the Fantasy Spin originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sat, 25 Apr 2009 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darrius Heyward-Bey Taken by the Raiders, the Fantasy Spin

Will Brinson — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 17:15:00 EST

Filed under: Dynasty Diaries, NFL New Studs, NFL Draft Analysis

You know when Herm Edwards loves your pick, you've done something wrong. And he was trying to justify the Raiders selecting Darrius Heyward-Bey, which means if Al Davis can hear him, he should probably realize he's in trouble.

From a fantasy standpoint, Heyward-Bey is actually kind of interesting. He's fast but we're not sure if he can actually run routes. And JaMarcus Russell isn't going to be spectacular just yet. BUT ...

... and, yes, it's a large but ... you'll be able get Heyward-Bey whenever you want in fantasy drafts, and he has some upside because he's so fast and Russell has such a cannon.

He's certainly not worth more than a very late round pick on this Raiders team, and he's certainly a horrible selection by Oakland with Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin still on the board, but, hey: UPSIDE, BABY, UPSIDE!

Darrius Heyward-Bey Taken by the Raiders, the Fantasy Spin originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sat, 25 Apr 2009 17:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mark Sanchez to the Jets via Cleveland; Fantasy Football Spin

Will Brinson — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dynasty Diaries, NFL New Studs, NFL Draft Analysis

Mark Sanchez was the wild card heading into this year's draft. He had a limited number of starts at USC and no one knew where he would get drafted, but it still seemed likely that he could be a nice QB2 because his upside in the right system grew exponentially as the draft approached.

If Seattle pulled the trigger on Sanchez, though, his fantasy value would be sunk because Matt Hasselbeck isn't going anywhere right away. Then the Jets made a trade with the Browns and were suddenly in the five spot, causing high-fives and smiles all around in the Sanchez household in California.

And there could be smiles for fantasy owners too -- the word on the street is that people are falling in love with his accuracy, football intelligence and his footwork. And he should start for the Jets from Day 1. Because of that, he has immediate fantasy value -- Jerricho Cotchery and Thomas Jones are nice weapons to have -- as a later round pick.

For keeper leagues, Sanchez, in my opinion, is going to be worth a pretty high pick. There are more talented offensive players -- Michael Crabtree comes to mind -- but Sanchez is going to end up being the most valuable quarterback in this draft, at least from a fantasy standpoint.

Mark Sanchez to the Jets via Cleveland; Fantasy Football Spin originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sat, 25 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lions Select Matt Stafford, Fantasy Owners Don't Care

Ryan Dembinsky — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Dynasty Diaries, NFL Position Rankings, NFL Draft Analysis

With the first pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions surprised nobody by inking a deal with the former Georgia Bulldog quarterback, Matthew Stafford. Long before the draft began at 4 pm this afternoon, Detroit and Stafford agreed on Friday night to a six-year deal worth $78 million with $41.7 million guaranteed.

While most young quarterbacks might be tempted to pull the Elway and start singing, "I gotta get out of this place, if it's the last thing I ever do," Stafford, on the contrary, seems genuinely excited to be a Lion and up to the challenge of turning this team around under his leadership. This, combined with a pretty savvy contract by the Lions that puts a lot of that $78 million in incentives based on playing time, looks like a recipe for success. So, the question remains, does Matt Stafford have fantasy value for the upcoming season in Detroit as a rookie?

The reality from a fantasy perspective on Stafford is that he becomes a valid late round flier at best, but probably more of a waiver wire pickup around about week four. I highly doubt he will come in and start every snap, but rather take his time learning the playbook behind the newly lean Daunte Culpepper. Stafford's contract in year one makes some provisions for him to play a minimum of 35% of the snaps, so I would expect him to start within the first 5 or 6 games, but keep in mind his supporting cast. Culpepper will be the tackling dummy for week one, while Stafford eases his way into the league.

Also, don't get swept up into thinking that Matt Stafford to Calvin Johnson is an automatic touchdown machine. Calvin Johnson will be fine and he will continue his ascent to one of the league's elite wide receivers, but the real issue for Stafford is the Lions still have a poor offensive line and no running game whatsoever. The Gosder Cherilus pick in the first round last season certainly improved the offensive line last season, but this is the area to watch to gauge Stafford's worth. If the Lions do not fortify these areas throughout the draft and free agency by focusing on the line and running game, expect Stafford to spend a lot of time on his back and make a lot of bad decisions as he'll be under a lot of pressure.

In the long run, Stafford should be a good fit for the Lions. Offensive coordinator, Scott Linehan, likes throwing in the red zone and is known to air it out for the long ball, so once this team gets its nuts and bolts back in order, Stafford should be a solid fantasy quarterback in the league. Believe it or not, the Lions just selected a first round pick that will actually pan out. So, to sum it up Stafford makes a decent long-shot pick for dynasty keeper leagues, but other than that, just keep one eye on his progress and the other eye on the waiver wire.

Lions Select Matt Stafford, Fantasy Owners Don't Care originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sat, 25 Apr 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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