Fantasy options abound in AFC East

by | Apr 14, 2010 | Fantasy Football, NFL Random Thoughts

Two big trades have improved the status of several fantasy football players in the AFC East heading into the NFL draft next weekend.

Last week the New York Jets traded a fifth round pick to Pittsburgh for Santonio Holmes. Holmes will miss the first four games via suspension and he’s maddeningly inconsistent at times. But he A) provides Mark Sanchez another weapon at wide receiver, B) takes coverage away from Braylon Edwards and Dustin Keller and C) provides yet another option on offense to take pressure off of the run game.

The Jets are my mid off-season pick to win the AFC Championship and they are building an offense to match the suffocating defense that developed last season.

From a fantasy standpoint Sanchez is still a wildcard at quarterback and that uncertainty could still drop Edwards, Holmes, Jerricho Cotchery and Keller in drafts. But I already liked Shonn Greene a lot and the Holmes addition only makes him more appealing as a top-notch running back option.

The price the Miami Dolphins paid for Brandon Marshall was considerably higher – second round picks in 2010 and 2011. But as long as the Dolphins can keep Marshall from getting in trouble on South Beach, his acquisition might be even bigger. The Dolphins were trotting guys like Davone Bess, Greg Camarillo and Brian Hartline out as number one wideouts. Those guys might have roles on good teams but clearly none are number one options.

Marshall is a top five or six wideout in the NFL, however, if not higher. And his addition not only takes the focus away from those guys but provides up-and-coming quarterback Chad Henne with a true ace.

I really, really liked what I saw from Henne in his first chance to play. I think with a number one wideout he becomes a borderline top 10 quarterback – and I definitely would take a chance on Henne before I would pick up Kyle Orton, Marshall’s field general in Denver last season.

Yet with Orton, Marshall still managed 101 catches and 10 touchdowns. I think he’ll approach that many catches, exceed 10 touchdowns and probably surpass his 1,120 yards as well.

Add the new found firepower of the Jets and Dolphins to the long-standing power that is New England and the AFC has made itself one of the first places to look for fantasy football firepower.

McNabb to Redskins … interesting

by | Apr 4, 2010 | 2010 Trades, NFL Random Thoughts

The trade that sends Donovan McNabb to Washington will certainly be an interesting addition to the transactions sections of newspapers Monday morning. But does the move make Washington substantially better?

McNabb is probably a top 10 or so quarterback in the NFL, sure. But Washington went 4-12 last year not because Jason Campbell played poorly … well, maybe in part because Campbell played poorly.

But there was much more to it. First, Clinton Portis got hurt and missed half the season – and when he was healthy he appeared to be showing his age anyway.

Second, the Redskins offensive line was terrible – and that was before decade-long mainstay Chris Samuels suffered a career-ending neck injury.

Finally, the defense was no top-notch unit for the most part and head coach Jim Zorn was a lame duck from day two or three.

The Redskins did address the coaching situation by bringing in Mike Shanahan. The Portis situation … well, the Redskins have brought in Larry Johnson and Willie Parker, two veterans older than Portis who also looked to be declining in skills over the last season or two. So to say it has been addressed could be arguably accurate but to say it’s been addressed well is a question that won’t be answered for several months.

And to date the Redskins have done nothing of note to address the offensive line situation. So whether the Redskins roll with McNabb, Campbell, Joe Theismann or Sonny Jurgensen, the quarterback at this point will most likely be running for his life. And they’ve traded their second round pick this year in the deal to get McNabb.

I do think Washington will be better in 2010 just due to the better coaching staff. And McNabb likely is an upgrade over Campbell.

But I think it’s going to take more than what has gone on so far during this offseason to put the Redskins in a position to challenge for a playoff spot anytime in the near future.