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NFL Mock Draft 2009 Draft of 2009 Lacks Star Power NFL Draft 2009: Getting Started Super Bowl Well Worth Tuning In For
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Prospects On Center Stage NBA Preview 2008/09: Final Call
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Fantasy Impact of the 2009 NFL Draft By Ron Jumper As is tradition, I crank out an article right after the NFL draft to kick start our Fantasy Football coverage. It can be interesting to try and determine what rookies will have an impact on the fantasy landscape. The ones that make an impact aren’t just talented, but they had to also land on a team where they will get an opportunity to contribute. Sometimes, the drafting of a skill position player can hurt the value of another already established player. Truthfully, I win some and lose some when it comes to projecting how these rookies will do. Last year, I was dead on about Matt Forte but, wow, was I wrong about Chris Johnson. I just felt Johnson was a little too small to be anything more than a 3rd down back or kick returner. It turned out that him and Lendale White complimented each other perfectly, not to mention the Titans had a great year as a team in general. I didn’t think McFadden would have the breakout year everyone thought he would, and recommended passing on him that early in the draft. That turned out good, I thought Jonathon Stewart would have been better but who could have seen DeAngelo Williams becoming so ridiculously good? Throw in Steve Slaton, Felix Jones, and Tim Hightower, and that was arguably the best crop of rookie running backs ever. Not to burst your bubble, but the 2009 class isn’t going to have the same kind of impact as the 2008 class did. There is no Matt Ryan in this class, there probably isn’t even a Joe Flacco. There certainly isn’t the kind of depth at running back. At receiver, there just might be some playmakers there though, a couple of tight ends also. Quarterback: Looking at Mathew Stafford and his situation in Detroit, it doesn’t scream fantasy success. The smart thing would be to let him learn under Culpepper, but will they since they are paying him so much money? Either way, the offensive line is still a huge concern and, after Calvin Johnson, they lack playmakers. Mark Sanchez has the best shot of being relevant in fantasy football, as he will likely start at some point this season. I expect them to lean on the running attack with Thomas Jones, Leon Washington, and Shonn Greene so huge fantasy numbers are doubtful even if he does play well. Josh Freeman probably won’t be ready to play as a rookie but, if he does, the Bucs lack many playmakers and should be towards the bottom of the league in the standings. Two or three years from now, Freeman just might as good as Stafford or Sanchez but don’t expect much right now. Running Back: Knowshon Moreno is a pretty talented back, but he landed in Denver. The Broncos are deep at running back after signing 4,374 backs in the off-season. Head coach Josh McDaniels will likely implement a running back-by-committee approach. Watch this situation closely throughout the season. Donald Brown seems like an ideal fit for the Colts system, as his running style and size is comparable to Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes. With Rhodes gone, Brown should become the second back and basically split carries with Addai. I think either back would be fantasy gold by themselves in that system, but together they make it a headache knowing which one to start each week. Also, the Colts running game wasn’t as effective as it has been in year’s past last season. Brown is probably just a backup for your fantasy team most weeks but, if Addai gets injured, Brown could be a solid fill in. When looking at the depth chart, Chris Wells has a great shot at starting for the Cardinals. However, as far as his ability, I’m just not convinced he is going to be a great NFL running back. If he had a little bit quicker burst, I would feel better about his ability. Either way, he should get 10-15 carries splitting the load with Tim Hightower. Because the Cardinals have such a high scoring offense, Wells should get a vulture touchdown from time to time. LeSean McCoy was considered an elite prospect at one time, but fell to the second round. I think he is a little raw and will struggle to take away touches from Brian Westbrook. As it is, Andy Reid gets a little pass happy so there is unlikely to be enough touches for a second back to have any fantasy value. The wildcard in this draft was Iowa’s Shonn Greene. As far as talent, I felt like this was a guy that could be a special back in the NFL. As far as character, he has issues. Looking at the depth chart, there is Thomas Jones and Leon Washington. If he were to get an opportunity, I think he could really produce. Jones is getting older, if he were to suffer an injury or lose a step then I think Greene would be a solid pick up for your fantasy team. If you are looking at a sleeper or two to grab in the last round of the draft, I’ve got two in mind. I’m going James Davis, out of Clemson, since Jamal Lewis is getting close to the end of the road in Cleveland. After that, I’m going Rashad Jennings, of Liberty, to become the backup to Maurice Jones-Drew down in Jacksonville. Wide Receiver: I’m not going to sit here bashing the Raiders over and over about their draft, I’ll just say that either way Darrius Heyward-Bey is a project that is going to take time to groom before he can have a substantial impact. The Raiders are also a running team with a young QB at the helm. Now, if the 49ers can get consistent QB play, Michael Crabtree just might be the best rookie in terms of fantasy production in this draft. Crabtree will become the top option in the passing game and, if he lives up to his billing, should be a solid value in the 9th or 10th round of your fantasy draft. The Eagles passing game should be pretty explosive, but who will lead the team in receptions? Are there enough balls to go around for Desean Jackson, Brian Westbrook, and now Jeremy Maclin? Consider 10 guys had at least 247 yards receiving on the Eagles roster, taking away the fantasy value of any of them individually. When looking at Percy Harvin and Kenny Britt, I see some talented players but I don’t see an opportunity to put up big numbers. Hakeem Nicks might have a shot to emerge as a top option since the Giants lack much depth at the wide receiver position. As far as some guys to keep an eye on, I’m going Derrick Williams out of Penn State. Williams should emerge as the slot receiver and kick returner. After that, the super sleeper is Cal Poly’s Ramses Barden. At 6’6 235, Barden is very raw and played at a lower level of competition in college, but he has so much size and ability that it might be hard to keep him off the field. Tight End: The Lions took Brandon Pettigrew in the first round, but I’m not anticipating a big year fantasy wise. Pettigrew is a very good blocker, but blocking doesn’t score points in fantasy. Towards the end of the year, he might serve as a fill in but I wouldn’t count on him to be your starter. The Bengals have needed a tight end that could catch some balls for years now and I believe they have found him in Chase Coffman. If Coffman can prove that he can block and not just catch balls, he might emerge as a worthy fantasy pickup. The sleeper is Shawn Nelson, as the Bills needed a tight end and this guy is a stud. Nelson was a very good tight end at Southern Miss but always stayed below the radar in Conference USA. He can certainly catch passes and create separation, as he has above average speed and quickness for a tight end. Defense: Quietly, the Bengals ranked 12th in the league in total defense last season. After adding Rey Maualuga and Michael Johnson, this defense might be ready to break into the top 10. I’m looking forward to seeing how this defense performs once the season gets underway. The Green Bay Packers added two studs to their defense in DT B.J. Raji and OLB Clay Mathews, so how much better does this make their defense? They finished 2008 ranked 20th in total defense, so maybe they can jump up the list in 2009. They are also switching to a 3-4 scheme, so there might be an adjustment period in there as well. This is a wildcard defense because, in terms of talent, they should be competitive but the youth and transition to the 3-4 could lead to some growing pains. The Atlanta Falcons drafted 7 defensive players with their 8 draft picks. They drafted 3 defensive lineman, most notably Peria Jerry, and 3 defensive backs, most notably William Moore. If those guys can at least provide depth, this defense should emerge from 24th to closer to the middle of the pack. The Dolphins rush defense was pretty good in 2008, as they ranked 10th in rushing yards allowed. However, the pass defense ranked 25th. Enter CBs Vontae Davis and Sean Smith to shore up that secondary. If those guys can have an impact early, this could become a pretty solid defense. May 4, 2009 |
| NCAA Football | |
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Be Careful What You Wish For
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Jumpology: My Bracket Jumpology: Scouting The Heavyweights Jumpology: Reviewing The Bracket
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