Refresh your team with these players

Jones, Davis, Leinart could strengthen your fantasy lineup

By Kelly Breckunitch

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Wide Receiver

Marcus Henry – senior – 6-foot-4, 210 pounds – 25 receptions, 316 yards, 12.6 yds per catch, 3 TD

Dexton Fields – junior – 5-11, 205 pounds – 45 receptions, 455 yards, 10.1 yds per catch, 5 TD

Dezmon Briscoe – freshman – 6-3, 200 pounds – First team all-district at Cedar Hill High School

Marcus Herford – junior – 6-1, 205 pounds – eight receptions, 137 yards, 17.1 yds per catch, 1 TD

Raymond Brown – junior – 6-2, 205 pounds – played cornerback in 2006 (11 tackles)

Tight End

Derek Fine – senior – 6-3, 250 pounds – 28 receptions, 355 yards, 12.7 yds per catch, 5 TD

Marc Jones – senior – 6-2, 250 pounds – appeared in nine games, recorded no catches

Naps are meant to refresh the body. There is nothing better than taking a nap in the afternoon to regain some energy. These players will refresh your fantasy team and help you regain the fantasy championship in your league.

RB Thomas Jones,

NY Jets

Why would a first year starter in the NFL be ranked higher than the player he backed up in the preliminary fantasy rankings? I don’t know, but that’s the case with Cedric Benson and Thomas Jones.

According to Scouts Inc., Chicago’s Benson will be a better fantasy back this year. Yet, as of now he hasn’t proven himself in the NFL, and Jones has rushed for more than 1,000 yards the past two seasons and 948 yards in his first season in Chicago.

But the Bears decided to trade Jones to the New York Jets this off-season.

The move will be extremely beneficial to Jones, who can balance out a passing game lead by inconsistent and often-injured quarterback Chad Pennington. The Jet’s offensive scheme should make more of Jones’s elusiveness and catching ability than Chicago’s simple running style.

Don’t be surprised if Thomas Jones helps get the Jets back into the playoffs this year and makes some noise in the AFC East.

TE Vernon Davis,

San Francisco

Vernon Davis was highly touted coming into his rookie season last year. But an injury and the presence of veteran tight end Eric Johnson diminished his role. Now, Johnson is in New Orleans and Davis is healthy.

The addition of Darrell Jackson and the emergence of Frank Gore should ease Davis into his first year as the featured tight end.

San Francisco drafted Davis for his athletic ability and with the depth at tight end this year you can wait awhile to draft Davis. Davis should post big numbers in his first true season as a starter.

QB Matt Leinart,

Arizona

Matt Leinart fell to the 10th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. The situation couldn’t have worked out better for the prospective top five pick. He wound up in a pass-oriented Arizona offense. The team had just signed free agent Edgerrin James to boost the running game.

Leinart has the job, and he has two of the best targets in the NFL, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, to throw to in games. The multiple tools he has on offense, plus the hiring of new coach Ken Whisenhunt, should help Leinart mature into a star in the NFL.

Leinart threw for 2,547 yards last year, with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Expect for his numbers to increase drastically this season.

Everyone knows who the star players are in the NFL. Take some pride in trying to find hidden gems in your fantasy draft. These players are a good place to start.

­— Edited by Elizabeth Cattell

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