Rotoprofessor

Mike Sims-Walker emerged last season as the best receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars, accumulating 63 catches for 869 yards and 7 TD.  While those numbers may not bowl you over…

OK, there isn’t a “but” coming.  The numbers just aren’t that impressive, and the problem is that the Jaguars just aren’t a passing team.  The offense is built to go through Maurice Jones-Drew and, as long as he is healthy, that’s not going to change (I know the rumors about the knee, but at this point it appears he is going to be fine for the regular season).

Jacksonville attempted 519 passes in 2009, tied for 23rd in the league.  That was done just as much to keep defenses honest as anything else, with just six passing plays to go for at least 40 yards (tied for 20th in the league).  With David Garrard back behind center, there is little that appears to have changed there.

Don’t get me wrong, Garrard is solid and does a good job of protecting the football (only 10 INTs) and managing the game, but he’s not going to blow anyone away.  Last season he threw for 3,597 yards (16th in the league) and just 15 TD (22nd in the league).  Considering he started all 16 games, there’s just not a lot to like. Read the rest of this entry »

Last season Laurent Robinson made a small splash early in the season, with 11 receptions for 141 yards and 1 TD over the first two weeks of the season.  He appeared to be the go to guy for the Rams, but in Week 3 he suffered a high ankle sprain and fractured fibula, ending his season.

Now, recovered from surgery and seeing the man expected to be the Rams top receiver in 2010, Donnie Avery, go down with a torn ACL, Robinson has again emerged as the Rams’ #1 receiver.  It’s easy to overlook Robinson, being the best receiver on a team likely to struggle offensively, but that would be doing your fantasy team a disservice.  At least you would think.

Robinson was not able to catch a pass in third preseason game and has just two catches for 27 yards thus far.  Plus, there has been word that Robinson is struggling with a foot injury himself.

With last season’s injury still fresh in our minds, it’s impossible to ignore this latest news.  Hopefully it’s minor and he will be ready to play in Week 1, but can we really be sure? Read the rest of this entry »

Will Jermichael Finley emerge as a fantasy stud?  That is just one of the many questions surrounding what is certainly the most unpredictable positions in fantasy football.  I feel like a broken record, but from week-to-week, you really just never know who could come out of nowhere to post a huge week.

With that said, let’s take a look at how my finally rankings look (outside of some major news between now and the start of the season):

1. Dallas Clark - Indianapolis Colts
2. Antonio Gates - San Diego Chargers
3. Vernon Davis - San Francisco 49ers
4. Jason Witten - Dallas Cowboys
5. Jermichael Finley - Green Bay Packers
6. Tony Gonzalez - Atlanta Falcons
7. Brent Celek - Philadelphia Eagles
8. Kellen Winslow - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
9. Zach Miller - Oakland Raiders
10. Chris Cooley - Washington Redskins Read the rest of this entry »

Jacoby Jones is often an overlooked receiving option, playing second fiddle to Andre Johnson.  However, dismissing him would be a mistake for fantasy owners.

He currently has an ADP of 172.25, meaning he’s going in the fourteenth round.  In fact, in many leagues he’s going undrafted completely.  The real question is, why?  He certainly has the makings of a great sleeper for those in formats that require three wide receivers.

Last season, while he managed only 27 catches, he made the most of those opportunities.  He averaged 16.2 yards per reception (437 yards), as well as catching 6 TD passes.  Considering he was sixth on the team in receptions, it says a lot that he was second in TD (behind only Andre Johnson’s nine).

While Kevin Walter may still be listed as the starter opposite Johnson, Jones has made his presence felt in the preseason.  He has 12 receptions for 131 yards and 1 TD, tied with Johnson in receptions while being second in yards.  Walter has just 3 catches for 65 yards. Read the rest of this entry »

Next up in our final rankings (unless there is a major move that shakes things up) are wide receivers.  Here, there is a real wild card in Vincent Jackson, who has the potential to provide a big change before Week 1.  Will he be traded?  Will he sit out the year?  He’s forcing fantasy owners to take a huge leap of faith at this point, that’s for sure.

That’s not the only story, however.  Sidney Rice’s injury had some ripple effects, as did the Cardinals QB situation.  Let’s take a look at how everything currently stands:

1. Andre Johnson - Houston Texans
2. Randy Moss - New England Patriots
3. Reggie Wayne - Indianapolis Colts
4. Larry Fitzgerald - Arizona Cardinals
5. Calvin Johnson - Detroit Lions
6. Miles Austin - Dallas Cowboys
7. Roddy White - Atlanta Falcons
8. Brandon Marshall - Miami Dolphins
9. DeSean Jackson - Philadelphia Eagles
10. Greg Jennings - Green Bay Packers Read the rest of this entry »