Fantasy Football Notes: Don’t Waste Your Pick With Vick

So Michael Vick will be able to play in Week 3, which seems like an adequate punishment considering the amount of time he already lost. 

I’m not going to say money too, because if he didn’t break the law, he’d still be rolling in the dough. I’m not going to pity someone for their own stupidity. 

Vick has been a trendy last round pick in fantasy drafts.  If you’re just taking him for laughs and plan on dropping him for a kicker, which to me is what the last round of fantasy drafts are reserved for, then I’m on board with you. 

If you’re holding out hope that he’s going to make a fantasy impact this year, let me remind you that he barely had fantasy value when he was at the height of his career.  He’s not going to run for a ton of yards, which is what gave him value.  He’s certainly not going to throw for a lot.  You’re basically hoping for some rushing TDs.  Unless he gains RB or WR eligibility in your fantasy league, he’s not even useful as a flex player.

David Clowney had a nice game for the Jets with 108 receiving yards, thanks to a 73-yard TD.  He’ll still be the Jets No. 3 WR so don’t get too excited.  Danny Woodhead had 158 yards on 18 carries (8.8 ypc) with 2 TDs.  Get in line though, Woodhead.  The Jets are loaded at RB.

Maurice Jones-Drew left the Jags’ preseason game against Washington with a leg injury.  My question is why is your starting RB and best weapon even playing in the final preseason game?  Come on Del Rio.  You’re better than that.

It used to be all that Chris Henry did was get in trouble.  He’s seemed to put that nonsense behind him.  Now all he does is catch TDs.  Maybe he can give Pacman or Brandon Marshall a call.  Scratch that, Pacman is a lost cause.

Hakeem Nicks was a big play threat again with a 64-yard TD.  He’s left with a hip injury.  Hopefully it’s not serious.  Sinorice Moss must have felt the heat as he turned in a strong performance with 2 catches for 35 yards.  Both of his receptions were TDs. 

Benjarvus Green-Ellis made his case for a role in the Patriots’ rushing attack with 125 yards on 29 carries with 3 TDs.  He showed some versatily with four catches for 22 yards.  Sammy Morris could be the odd man out.

Vince Young played well again.  He’s not likely to take Kerry Collins’ job barring injury, but I’d like to see him get his life and career back on track.

Steve Slaton owners must have lost some of their swagger when they heard today’s news.  Turns out Chris Brown is taking over the goal line duties.  He’ll still get a ton of yardage, and receptions for you PPR players, but if he’s not reaching paydirt, he’s not really a legit RB1.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com.

Fantasy Football Preseason Heroes

Here are some players that have played well in the preseason.  Let’s evaluate them to see if they can translate their preseason production into fantasy worth when the season begins.

Quarterbacks
Matt Leinart, Arizona Cardinals – Leinart is the preseason leader with 517 passing yards.  He also has completed 61.3% of his passes with 3 TDs to 1 INT.  His passer rating of 97.3 is the fourth best.  If Warner goes down, I think he’ll be ready to finally produce.

Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens – Joe is looking like a decent QB2 this season completing 65.6% of his passes for 470 yards and 1 TD.  He has yet to throw a pick and sports a 94.3 passer rating. 

Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks – Hasselbeck continues to have an outstanding preseason completing a ridiculous 71.7% of his passes for 414 yards and 4 TDs.  He has thrown one pick and has a robust passer rating of 111.7.  He’s looking like a solid low-end QB1.

Vince Young, Tennessee Titans – VY solidified his backup role with the Titans.  He is 5th in the league with 377 yards.  He has completed 59.6% of his passes with 3 TDs and 3 INTs.  His passer rating is 75.0.  I would not draft Vince Young and only consider picking him up should he play well for a couple games should Kerry Collins go down.

Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears – Cutler had a nice game in a hostile environment as he returned to Denver.  He has completed 63.6% of his passes for 329 yards and 2 TDs.  His passer rating is solid at 92.0.  He is a low-end QB1 with the potential to move up.

Running Backs
Glen Coffee, San Francisco 49ers – Coffee had 34 yards on 8 carries (4.3 yards per carry) and 3 catches for 27 yards in San Francisco’s win over Dallas.  Coffee leads all RBs with 230 yards on 38 carries (6.1 ypc).  He also has five receptions for 35 yards.  He’s not good enough to use as a flex player or bye week replacement in typical leagues, but he should be on fantasy rosters as a Frank Gore handcuff.

James Davis, Cleveland Browns – Davis has been impressive during the preseason with 149 yards on 19 carries (7.8 ypc) with a TD.  He has added 7 receptions for 44 yards.  He had 28 yards on 5 carries (5.6 ypc) and 4 catches for 27 yards in a Win over Tennessee.  He may not open the season as the starter, but if Jamal Lewis struggles, it will be hard to keep Davis off the field.  Do not let him go undrafted. 

Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants – Bradshaw had another solid game against the Jets with 8 carries for 47 yards (5.9 ypc) and 2 catches for 5 yards.  In the preseason he has 136 yards on 19 carries (7.2 ypc) with 1 TD and 6 catches for 21 yards.  He is a decent flex option and a excellent handcuff to Brandon Jacobs.

Kory Sheets, San Francisco 49ers – Sheets is tied for the lead with 3 preseason TDs.  He has also ran for 144 yards on 33 carries (4.4 ypc).  He punched two in against Dallas while running for 42 yards on 11 carries (3.8 ypc).  He’s battling for a roster spot, but doesn’t have much fantasy value.

P.J. Hill/Lynell Hamilton, New Orleans Saints – Lynell and P.J. are battling for roster spots.  Lynell has 143 yards on 31 carries (4.6 ypc) with 4 catches for 16 yards.  He had 95 yards on 16 carries (5.9 ypc)  in the win over Oakland.  P.J. is tied for the lead with 3 TDs.  He also has 113 yards on 22 carries (5.1 ypc) with 1 catch for 2 yards.  He had 83 yards on 12 carries (6.9 ypc) with 2 TDs against Oakland.  With Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush, and Mike Bell ahead of them on the depth chart neither have much fantasy value.

Leon Washington, New York Jets – Leon has 119 yards on 19 carries (6.3) with 6 catches for 40 yards in the preseason.  In their recent win over the Giants he had 62 yards on 9 carries (6.9 ypc) and 3 catches for 7 yards.  Thomas Jones has just 61 yards on 29 carries (2.1 ypc) with 2 TDs.  If his struggles continue, Leon can work his way into a larger role in the Jets offense.  He’s a good flex option with a ton of upside.

Wide Receivers
Troy Williamson, Jacksonville Jaguars – Troy still leads the NFL in receiving yards with 232, but his one catch, 11 yard performance against Philadelphia is a reminder that he shouldn’t be counted on for fantasy production.  Yeah, he’ll catch the occasional deep ball, but consistency will be an issue.

Chris Henry, Cincinnati Bengals – Henry scored for the third straight preseason game.  He had 2 catches for 62 yards.  So far he has 13 grabs for 217 yards and 3 TDs.  If he can stay out of trouble, he could have double-digit TDs.  Considering he’s going in the later rounds, he should be a great value pick.

Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants – Nicks had a monster 6 catch, 144 yard, 2 TD performance against the Jets to put him on the fantasy radar.  That gives him 8 catches for 208 yards.  I don’t see him having much fantasy value as he’ll likely share split end duties with Domenik Hixon.

Robert Meachem, New Orleans Saints – Meachem caught one pass for 71 yards in the win over the Raiders giving him 177 yards on 6 catches for a ridiculous 29.5 yards per catch.  He also has competition for playing time, but has a much better QB and passing game with Drew Brees and the Saints.

Maurice Stovall, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Stovall had 6 catches for 74 yards against Miami to bring him to 12 for 123 yards in the preseason.  He could earn a few starts based on Antonio Bryant and Michael Clayton’s health, but I don’t see him being much of a factor.  I’d look elsewhere for WR depth.

Tight Ends
Jared Cook, Tennessee Titans – Jared continued to produce with 5 catches for 39 yards in a loss to Cleveland. He has 17 catches for 159 yards this preseason.  The Titans could be using a lot of two TE sets with Cook and Bo Scaife.  He’s a decent TE2 option.

Jonathan Stupar, Buffalo Bills – Stupar had 15 receptions for 155 yards and a score.  He went without a catch in their loss to Pittsburgh.  Look for other options for your TE2.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com.

Fantasy Football Preseason Heroes: Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Jonathan Stupar, Buffalo Bills—Stupar leads the NFL with 15 preseason receptions for 155 yards and a TD. He’s third on the Bills’ tight end depth chart, so don’t get any thoughts of fantasy worth.

Jared Cook, Tennessee Titans—Cook is a TE with some fantasy value. The rookie out of South Carolina has 12 catches for 120 yards in the preseason. With Tennessee’s limited options in the passing game, Cook could become one of their more reliable targets. He’s worth taking as a TE2.

Chris Henry, Cincinnati Bengals—As long as he can stay out of Roger Goodell’s office, Henry has a chance to really break out this year. He has 11 catches for 155 yards and two TDs. Now that he seems to have put his troubles behind him, he could put up huge numbers in a full season. He’s going in the later rounds of fantasy drafts, and could end up putting up WR2 or WR3 numbers. 

Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs—For all the talk of Bowe not fitting into the Chiefs’ system or being at odds with Todd Haley, he has looked good in the preseason with eight catches for 107 yards and a TD. If you moved him down in your WR rankings, you may want to move him back up.

Troy Williamson, Jacksonville Jaguars—The former No. 1 bust leads the NFL with 221 preseason receiving yards on seven caches. He caught a pair of deep balls for the bulk of the yardage. It’s great to see him make some plays, but I wouldn’t trust him to continue to produce. His hands have long been a question mark.

Chad Ochocinco, Cincinnati Bengals—Ocho has 142 yards on 5 catches.  He even added a PAT. More importantly, he has kept relatively quiet. If he can avoid being a distraction, he should be a real nice WR2 this year.

David Clowney, New York Jets—Clowney is hoping to be the next third-year WR to break out. He has five receptions for 135 yards and two TDs this preseason. He is fighting with Chansi Stuckey to start opposite Jerricho Cotchery.

Justin Harper, Baltimore Ravens—Harper has been productive in the preseason, with six catches for 119 yards, but has dropped too many passes in practice. For a team with a limited passing game, dropping passes is a good way to be buried on the depth chart.

Laurent Robinson, St. Louis Rams—Laurent has taken advantage of Donnie Avery’s foot injury by catching seven passes for 117 yards. He is going to start for the Rams, so he’s worth grabbing in deep leagues, but he likely won’t be a viable fantasy option this year.

Robert Meachem, New Orleans Saints—Meachem has been a sleeper candidate the past two years now. He has five catches for 106 yards, including a 64-yard TD. If he can get on the field, he has a great chance to be productive in that offense. Draft him as a fantasy reserve and hope for the best.

Legedu Naanee, San Diego Chargers—This list is littered with third-year WRs.  Legedu has five catches for 84 yards and two TDs. He is buried as the Chargers No. 4 WR behind Vincent Jackson, Chris Chambers, and Malcom Floyd. 

It’s also an offense that throws heavily to TE Antonio Gates and RBs LaDainian Tomlionson and Darren Sproles. Don’t expect much from a fantasy perspective from Naanee this year.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com.

Fantasy Football Preseason Heroes: Running Backs

Here are some running backs putting up serious preseason numbers. Let’s take a look and see if they have a chance to translate some of that preseason production into fantasy worth in regular season play.

Glen Coffee, San Francisco 49ers

Coffee leads all RBs with 196 preseason rushing yards. He is averaging 6.5 yards per carry (YPC). He also has two receptions for eight yards, but has failed to score a TD.

The rookie out of Alabama is doing all the right things to serve as Frank Gore’s primary backup. 

If Gore goes down, Coffee’s value skyrockets. He is a great late round value as a Gore handcuff or trade bait.

Tyrell Sutton, Green Bay Packers

Sutton has 140 yards on 27 carries (5.2 YPC) with a TD. This could earn him a gig on a practice squad somewhere or a spot in the UFL.

Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons

The preseason means little, but it’s nice to know “the Burner” is picking up where he left off, with 128 yards on 13 carries (9.8 YPC) and a pair of TDs.

He is clearly a top four pick, with a bump in non-PPR leagues.

James Davis, Cleveland Browns

Davis has been shooting up fantasy draft boards with an amazing preseason.

He has looked great in practices and showed a glimpse of his big play potential with a 81-yard TD run against the lowly Detroit Lions en route to a 12 carry, 116 yard game. 

Through two preseason games, the rookie from Clemson has 121 yards on 14 carries (8.6 YPC) and three receptions.

He has plenty of competition in Jamal Lewis and Jerome Harrison, but let’s face it: The Browns are bad now and will be bad for a while.

It’s only a matter of time before they start planning for the future, and Jamal Lewis isn’t the future. Harrison is better suited for the change of pace role, meaning Davis could get the bulk of the carries.

Kory Sheets, San Francisco 49ers

Sheets has 102 yards on 22 carries (4.6 YPC), but only has a shot at making the team because of Thomas Clayton’s knee injury. He has no fantasy value.

Mike Bell, New Orleans Saints

Bell is an interesting option. I obviously wouldn’t carry him on my roster as long as Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas were healthy, but he could be productive if one of them went down with an injury.

He has 100 yards on 10 carries (10.0 YPC) this preseason with a 46-yard TD.

Ryan Grant, Green Bay Packers

Again, I know it’s only the preseason, but it’s nice to see Grant find the end zone.

He has scored twice while running for 71 yards on 16 carries (4.4 YPC). He has also added a couple of receptions.  If he can score more than the four TDs he had last year, he’ll be one of the best RB2s in fantasy leagues this year.

Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants

Bradshaw appears poised to pick up Derrick Ward’s slack with 89 preseason yards on 11 carries (8.1 YPC) and four catches for 16 yards. He has the burst to break a big play and the soft hands to catch the ball out of the backfield.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com.

A Look at the NFL’s Best Third-Year Receivers

It’s a pretty well known fantasy football axiom that it often takes two years in the NFL before a Wide Receivers is ready to break out.  Past breakout WRs were Steve Smith and Braylon Edwards, among many others.

Let’s take a look at this year’s crop:

Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs – Already has two solid season under his belt.  Not a candidate.

Steve Breaston, Arizona Cardinals – Breaston broke out last year with a 1000 yard season.  If he can somehow increase his TD total, he’ll have more value, but he’s already being drafted as a WR4 so it wouldn’t be a big time breakout.  It would be more like Chad Ochocinco’s third year breakout.  That said, I don’t see a big jump in Breaston’s numbers.

David Clowney, New York Jets – Here’s our first real breakout candidate.  He has good speed and the Jets aren’t exactly loaded at WR.  If he can somehow crack the starting lineup, moving Chansi Stuckey to the slot, the potential for big plays is there.  I wouldn’t recommend drafting him, but keep an eye on him.

Craig Davis, San Diego Chargers – The talent is there, but Davis can’t seem to stay healthy.  Ironically, it would take an injury to Vincent Jackson, Chris Chambers, or Malcom Floyd for Davis to make his mark, but stranger things have happened.  Just remember his name in case one of the Charger WRs goes down.

Ted Ginn, Jr. – Ginn had 34 catches for 420 yards as a Rookie and 56 for 790 last year.  He exploded for 175 yards in Week 8 against Buffalo so the big game potential is there.  I expect Ginn, Jr. to crack the 1000 yard barrier this year making him a nice breakout candidate.

Anthony Gonzalez, Indianapolis Colts – Gonzalez is another player who has played well, but could make the leap this year.  He’s had a couple years to build a rapport with Peyton Manning, and now that he’s the clear cut No. 2 look for Gonzalez to put up big numbers as a solid WR2.

Johnnie Lee Higgins, Oakland Raiders – The Raiders aren’t very fantasy friendly for WRs, but Higgins had a nice second season as a return man, and could make the leap to become a decent fantasy backup WR this year.

Dwayne Jarrett, Carolina Panthers  – Jarrett hasn’t done much to date (16 career receptions), but could take a step forward as the Panthers No. 3 WR this year.  Muhsin Muhammad is not the long-term answer for Carolina so Jarrett will get a chance to prove his capable of being the No. 2 next year.  I’d only take him as a WR5.

Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions – Megatron is a beast and one of the game’s best WRs.

Jacoby Jones, Houston Texans – It would take and injury to Andre Johnson or Kevin Walter for Jacoby to really make a splash.  He has the physical tools, it’s the mental side that’s been holding him back.  Don’t draft him, but keep an eye on him.

James Jones, Green Bay Packers – Jones took a big step back with Favre’s departure going from 47 catches for 676 yards to 20 for 274.  With Jordy Nelson pushing for time, don’t expect Jones to make too big of splash in 2009.

Robert Meachem, New Orleans Saints – Meachem was supposed to make a big leap last year, so perhaps everyone was a year off on him.  He has the tools and the QB to make a major impact.  It’s just a matter of whether he can get the opportunity.  I’d consider drafting him as your WR5 or WR6.

Legedu Naanee, San Diego Chargers – Like Davis, Naane will only be valuable if Jackson, Chambers, or Floyd go down.  Naanee is probably ahead of Davis at this point.

Sidney Rice, Minnesota Vikings – Rice is a big target that excels in the red zone.  With Brett Favre’s tendency to let his WRs make plays, Rice could be in for a big jump this year.  When healthy has has been able to beat Defensive Backs deep.  He just never had a QB who could deliver the ball like Brett.  I would take Rice as a backup WR.

Laurent Robinson, St. Louis Rams – Laurent is expected to start the first couple of weeks while Donnie Avery is out.  If he impresses, he could hold onto the job as he is currently ahead of Keenan Burton in the battle for the Rams’ No. 2 WR.  That said, I wouldn’t expect much from him as The Greatest Show on Turf is a distant memory.

Steve Smith, New York Giants – Smith made a jump from 8 receptions as a Rookie to 57 for 574 yards last year.  He will slide into Amani Toomer’s role and his targets should increase even more.  Though he isn’t much of a TD threat, he could catch as many as 80 passes this year making him a nice breakout candidate.  His value increases in PPR leagues.  Smith makes for a nice WR4.

Chansi Stuckey, New York Jets – Stuckey could be forced into slot duty if Clowney can move ahead of him on the depth chart.  If he holds onto the No. 2 job he could have some fantasy value during the bye weeks.

Mike Walker, Jacksonville Jaguars – Troy Williamson has been taking advantage of Walker’s ankle injury.  As long as he return soon, he should hold onto his starting role.  Torry Holt is the only Jag WR worth drafting, but keep an eye on Walker if he gets on a roll.  He had six catches for 107 yards against Pittsburgh last year, so the potential is there.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com.

Witten, Gates, Gonzalez, Clark: Fantasy Football Tight Ends Profile

I’m interested to see whether or not T.O.’s departure will hinder Jason Witten’s production. Love him or loathe him, T.O. did make life easier for Witten when he wasn’t making his buddy Tony Romo nuts.

Despite turning in a solid season with 81 catches for 952 yards and four TDs, Witten’s numbers were way off his outstanding 96-1,145-seven 2007 performance.

Of course, Tony Romo missed weeks seven through nine, during which Witten had just seven catches for 52 yards.

The Cowboys at least brought in Jon Kitna to be Romo’s backup, which is a major upgrade over Brad Johnson.

With a healthy and happy Romo, who not only got rid of the T.O. headache, but the Jessica one as well, and a good insurance policy, I see Jason Witten as the top tight end again in 2009.

He’ll likely go in the fourth round of fantasy drafts and should be the first one off the board.

As Romo’s most reliable weapon, I expect Witten to catch 100 passes for 1,150 yards and eight TDs. 

Considering the season Philip Rivers had, it’s amazing that Antonio Gates had “just” 60 catches for 704 yards and eight TDs. While they are impressive numbers for a TE, they are far below the 79-993-10 he averaged the previous four years.

He battled through foot and ankle injuries that took away his leaping ability, which is one of Gates’ best assets.

Gates committed to working harder on his conditioning in the offseason and is in great shape. With his explosiveness back, Gates can make a run at reclaiming his title of best fantasy TE.

Gates will be anywhere from the second to fourth TE selected in fantasy drafts, most likely in the late fourth/early fifth round.

He should be good for 80 catches, 1,000 yards, and 10 TDs.

Tony Gonzalez made the move from Kansas City to Atlanta, going to an offense with more weapons (Roddy White, Michael Turner, Michael Jenkins, Jerious Norwood) and a much better QB.

Matt Ryan had a solid rookie season, and with the addition of Gonzo, he should take the next step toward fantasy greatness.

Atlanta will run more than KC did so I look for Gonzalez’s numbers to drop a little. I know he still produced for KC when they ran a lot, but he was younger and playing in a better offense.

I still expect Gonzo to be a top three TE, so it’s not like I don’t value him. He’s going in the fifth round of fantasy drafts.

I’m putting him on a 70 catch, 900 yard, seven TD season.

Dallas Clark is on the low end of the elite TE, but there is a drop off after he goes off the board (likely in the late fifth/early sixth round).

Clark put together another solid season with 77 catches for 848 yards and six TDs, showing the 58-616-11 he put up in 2007 wasn’t a fluke.

With Marvin Harrison gone, Clark should figure to be one of Peyton Manning’s primary targets.

I actually expect him to take a little step back this year simply because he was so productive last year. I’m looking for him to have 65 catches for 850 yards and seven TDs.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com.

Fantasy Football Profiles: Maclin, Crabtree, Robiskie, Harvin, Nicks

Fantasy Football Profiles: K. Walter, Ginn, Jr., D. Avery, J. Cotchery

Kevin Walter recorded his second straight 800+ yard season.  He doubled his TD output from four to eight though, which gave him significantly more fantasy value.  His is pretty much the choice when defenses are forced to pick a poison.

With Andre Johnson, Steve Slaton, and Owen Daniels attracting so much attention, Walter is able to do his thing.  Consistency is his big issue. 

He had nine games with fewer than 50 yards, and only one of those games did he salvage with a TD catch.  He also disappeared down the stretch with just 5 catches for 48 yards in Weeks 15-17.  You hate to see a player end on such a low note, but that could help you land him at a discount. 

He’s going around the eighth round of fantasy drafts and is best used as a WR4 for spot starts and bye week fill-ins.  I think he’ll see a slight dip in his production as his TD total goes down, but he should still catch 60 passes for 800 yards and 5 TDs.

Ted Ginn, Jr. made a big leap last year going from 34 catches for 340 yards to 56 catches for 790 yards.  He also ran for 73 yards and two scores.  Even with those two rushing TDs, Ginn, Jr. had just four last year, a number he’ll need to improve on if he is going to rise in the ranks of fantasy WRs. 

Consistency was also a problem he had with nine games with less than 50 yards, including a game where he finished with -1 yards.  Not only did he not score any points for those who started him, but he actually took .1 away. 

Two games later he caught 7 passes for 175 yards.  Ginn, Jr. is going around the ninth round in fantasy drafts.  He is not a reliable WR3, but makes a decent WR4 or WR5.  I expect him to continue to improve in his third season with 70 catches for 1000 yards and 5 TDs.

Donnie Avery’s stock is slipping a bit because of he’s out the rest of the preseason with a foot injury, and Marc Bulger’s broken pinkie.  Avery had a nice Rookie season with 53 catches for 674 yards and 3 TDs. 

It’s tough to pick a second year player without seeing how he’s progressing and with a questionable QB situation at best.  Marc Bulger is not and won’t be the player we once figured him to be.  Kyle Boller, his backup, doesn’t have the best track record. 

I would take Avery as a WR5, but would not want to rely on him as my main backup.  Avery has been going around the eighth round of fantasy drafts, but that number is bound to drop with the aforementioned injuries.  I expect 65 catches for 725 yards and 5 TDs for Avery.

Jerricho Cotchery played better without Brett Favre.  He averaged 82 catches for 1045.5 yars and 4 TDs in the two years before Favre’s arrival and had 71 catches for 858 yards and 5 TDs without him.  Laveranues Coles moved on to Cincinnati leaving Cotchery as the main weapon for whoever wins the Kellen Clemens/Mark Sanchez battle. 

I like him a little more if Sanchez is his starting QB.  Either way he should be targeted early and often.  Cotchery makes a nice WR4, going in the eighth round of fantasy drafts.  I expect 80 receptions for 950 yards and 4 TDs. 

Originally published at LestersLegends.com.

Eddie Royal and Lance Moore: Fantasy Football Profiles

Eddie Royal made a smashing debut last seaon with 91 catches for 980 yards and five TDs. Pro Bowl QB Jay Cutler has moved on to Chicago, but Eddie’s prospects remain high. 

First of all, Kyle Orton doesn’t have the cannon that Cutler had. The Broncos could rely more on dinks and dunks than the deep ball. That plays right into Royal’s hand. 

Plus, with new coach Josh McDaniels coming over from New England, he has had plenty of Wes Welker comparisons. His yardage wasn’t consistent, but he had his share of targets.  He had 11 games with five or more receptions, including four with nine or more making him especially value in PPR leagues. 

His TD total wasn’t great, but he did add an additional 109 rushing yards. 

Royal is a real nice WR3 and possibly a WR2 if he can find the end zone more often. His fantasy draft stock is rising, and he’s currently going in the fifth rounds of fantasy drafts.  He easily could challenge for the league lead in receptions. 

I think he’ll have 105 catches for 1,250 yards and six TDs.

Lance Moore was one of the biggest fantasy football surprises in 2008 with 79 receptions for 928 yards and 10 TDs. 

Moore was very inconsistent last year with eight games with fewer than 40 yards (he salvaged one of those with a TD) and eight games with 76-plus yards. 

It’s hard to imagine a player with nearly 1,000 yards and 10 TDs taking a major step back in just his fourth year, but that’s what I see. 

First of all, Marques Colston is healthy and should return to his role of teacher’s pet. 

Second, Reggie Bush and Jeremy Shockey should have increased production provided they stay healthy. Plus, Robert Meachem has looked good this preseason and could finally show his potential, which would almost be the beginning of the end for Moore. 

Finally, I don’t see Drew Brees throwing for nearly as many yards. With Pierre Thomas entrenched in the starting tailback job, I expect a more balanced attack in 2009. 

Moore is going in around the seventh round of fantasy drafts, which which leads me to believe he won’t live up to the expectations that come with a seventh round pick. 

I surely wouldn’t trust him as a WR3. He could possibly be a decent WR4, but I think consistency will be an issue for him once again. 

I think he takes a step back with 55 catches for 650 yards and five TDs.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com.

Fantasy Football Profiles: Bowe, Marshall, R. Williams, Holmes, Welker

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