Player News – Page 98 – FantasySP Blog

Don’t Even Think About Braylon

With the ink still wet from Braylon Edwards’ one year deal with the Niners- his fantasy value is now next to nothing.

Analysis: Braylon Edwards has went from a very solid depth wide out for your fantasy squad to worthless. Edwards had a decent year with the Jets in 2010, amassing 904 yards with seven scores. Now, with Alex Smith as his quarterback all hope for Edwards is lost for the 2011 season. Smith brings so much to the table- his 72.1 career passer rating, his 51 TD to 53 INT ratio and of course the fact that he’s never thrown for 3,000 yards or twenty touchdowns in a year. We also cannot ignore that Vernon Davis is still Smith’s go-to-guy and Michael Crabtree is a good wide out despite his numbers. At this point depth wide outs in Edwards’ ADP range that do have some upside include Mike Walker and Lance Moore. Edwards may be one of the more electrifying receivers in the NFL at times but he’s playing with a JV quarterback. Even if Michael Crabtree’s left foot is a severe injury which it doesn’t appear to be, don’t even think about Braylon come draft day.

Is LeSean McCoy Still Elite?

The addition of Ronnie Brown to the Eagle backfield leaves some interesting questions concerning LeSean McCoy’s fantasy value in standard leagues.

Analysis: LeSean McCoy is still being taken as the sixth back off the board in standard league mock drafts as if Ronnie Brown signed up for five carries a game. Ronnie Brown is a quality back who may get injured often but is still just twenty-nine years old. Brown has averaged 4.3 yards per carry for his career despite never having the threat of a passing attack in Miami. The 230 pound Brown will take away goal line carries from McCoy who only had nine total touchdowns of his own last year. McCoy as a top six back is questionable in standard leagues at this point when considering he barely hit 1,000 yards on the ground last year despite averaging an unsustainable 5.2 yards per carry. McCoy was on the end of 207 carries last year and if Brown stays healthy do not expect “Shady” to sniff 185 carries this year. In PPR leagues it may be a different story but in standard leagues McCoy cannot be relied upon for double digit touchdowns or 200 carries in the pass happy Philly offense. He’s still a RB1 but he certainly isn’t a top eight back in standard leagues anymore.

Improved Fantasy Defenses

With all the chaos of free agency a few solid NFL defenses look to be very good heading into the 2011 season.

Analysis: Whether your strategy is drafting one of the elite defenses(PIT/NYJ) or to stream all year depending on match ups, free agency has made things even more interesting. The addition of Albert Haynesworth alongside Vince Wilfork to a young and athletic New England defense may make them a top seven fantasy defense. Mayo, McCourty, Meriweather are all near elite defenders and Haynesworth just make take the Pats D to the next level. Consider they play Buffalo and Miami twice as well as Washington and Denver in the first round of the fantasy playoffs and you have a defense with much potential.

The New Orleans Saints’ signing of the 320 pound Aubrayo Franklin gives the Saints one of the most talented front four rotations in the NFL this year. Franklin will join Shaun Rogers and Sedrick Ellis in the interior of the Saints’ front four, making life easier for the weakest part of the Saints defense- their linebackers. The Saints may return to their 2009 form where they led the NFL in turnovers forced. At the worst they remain a second tier, top eight defense with the potential for elite production deep into a fantasy draft.

Is Ahmad Bradshaw A RB2?

With New York Giant running back Ahmad Bradshaw re-signing it’s time to assess his fantasy value.

Analysis: In mock drafts Bradshaw is coming off the board as the sixteenth running back but it is unlikely he will repeat his 2010 performance. His 2010 season actually was not without flaw. Bradshaw did fumble the ball seven times in 2010 and that is not what you look for in a fantasy running back. But more importantly we must consider that Brandon Jacobs will get more than the 147 carries he received in 2010. If Jacobs wants a new contact/restructured deal from the Giants we’ll see the best of Jacobs in 2011 and that means less of Bradshaw. I’m not saying Bradshaw won’t near 200 carries this year but the 276 carries he amassed last year is out of the question. Last year was Bradshaw’s celing in terms of touches and production and to bank on it again at an ADP of 33 is reckless. Ryan Mathews and LeGarrette Blount are being taken around Bradshaw’s ADP and each offer more upside and little threat in terms of touches. If you factor in the nagging injuries Bradshaw always has- you have an unreliable RB2, but a RB2 nonetheless.

NFL- Fantasy Value Down

With the addition of Sidney Rice to the Seattle roster, the 6-5 230 pound Mike Williams will no longer be the number one wide out on the squad. Mike Williams had a great year in 2010, catching 65 balls for 751 yards in just fourteen games played. He figured to be the perfect sleeper in fantasy drafts this year but it is no longer the case. Before the trade Williams was rated as a borderline WR3/WR4 but now he is certainly a mid tier WR4. With Sidney Rice you’re getting an explosive playmaker and an even better red zone target than Williams. Rice’s value now appears to be a top 25 wide out and a WR2 with the potential for more if he stays healthy.

Deion Branch was another sleeper that was going to have himself a huge fantasy campaign with a full season with Tom Brady. But fast forward to August 2011 and you have another WR4 who will not be getting the looks in the red zone to be fantasy relevant on a consistent basis. The addition of Chad Ochocinco doesn’t hurt the Patriot tight ends as much as it does Branch. This is just another case of a potential sleeper gone bad due to trades and/or free agency.