Fantasy football breakdown
A Kansan sports writer explains the good, the bad and the potential for some NFL athletes to be injured in the 2008 NFL football season.
By Kelly Breckunitch (Contact)
Tuesday, August 26th, 2008
Let’s talk about an issue I know everyone is dying to tackle: Brett Favre. You haven’t heard enough about his career over the summer, right? Sarcasm aside, I want to look at Favre’s melodrama from another angle. How effective will he be considering the lingering effects of the Madden Curse?
Electronic Arts must be kicking themselves for choosing Favre as their cover boy. They probably thought they could get past the stigma of the Madden Curse by putting a retired athlete on the cover. Then Favre decides he isn’t done playing football after all.
Everyone will now be watching Favre’s season very closely, not just because of the three-ring circus he created over the summer, but also to see if the Madden Curse will live on.
Maybe Favre thought he could avoid the curse by being traded. From a fantasy stand point I am really wary of Favre. He could have a pretty good season, at least better than either one of the Jets’ previous quarterback options, but the Madden Curse has proven time and time again that it is bent on wreaking havoc on some of the best players in the NFL. Favre may end up being a more legitimate bench quarterback for your fantasy team this year. Take him in one of the middle rounds of your draft and exercise caution in playing him.
I know you’re tired of hearing about Favre so let’s take a look at some other players that switched uniforms and how effective they could be for your fantasy team.
Alge Crupler,
tight end,
Tennessee Titans
Alge Crumpler was one of the top tight ends in the NFL while he played with Michael Vick for Atlanta. The absence of Vick created harsh times for Crumpler and his numbers suffered. The addition of deep-threat wide receiver Roddy White also contributed to diminishing Crumpler’s role in Atlanta’s passing game. Now Crumpler is in Tennessee where the wide receivers are a bit more lackluster when compared to the Falcons, and he is working with another mobile quarterback similar to Vick — Vince Young. Crumpler should see his numbers come up dramatically after a disappointing year last season for Atlanta. You can put off taking a tight end until about the eighth round if you wait for Crumpler and bide your time drafting some of the top running backs and wide receivers.
Projected Stats: 763 receiving yards, 68 receptions, 7 touchdowns
Javon Walker,
wide receiver, Oakland Raiders
Javon Walker has been injury prone throughout his career in the NFL, that’s no secret, but when he is healthy he is one of the best wide receivers in the league. Three years ago, the Packers couldn’t risk any more of his injury problems and the Broncos traded for Walker at a fairly low price. Walker has only played two complete seasons, but they have both been stellar with more than 1,000 receiving yards and at least eight touchdowns in each season. If the Raiders get the same success that the Broncos got from Walker in his first season with the team, Walker could be a steal between the seventh and ninth rounds
Projected Stats: 1,134 receiving yards, 82 receptions, 9 touchdowns
Thomas Jones,
running back,
New York Jets
Thomas Jones didn’t get traded or sign with a new team, but the talent the Jets have surrounded him with are high enough to get excited about the possibility of Jones as a viable fantasy threat. The Jets added one of the best fullbacks in the game in Tony Richardson as he’s combined with all Pro left guard Alan Faneca and right tackle Damien Woody. The revamped line and Richardson should help clear a lot of running room for Thomas Jones. And then there’s Favre. Don’t be afraid to take Jones in the third round because he may be gone by the time you draft in the fourth round.
Projected Stats: 1,327 rushing yards, 312 carries, 10 touchdowns
Isaac Bruce,
wide receiver,
San Francisco 49ers
Isaac Bruce is getting old and I would normally advise you to avoid old wide receivers like the plague, but Bruce may be in for one last hoorah. He teams up with his old head coach, Mike Martz, who is now the offensive coordinator in San Francisco. Bruce has been overshadowed in the past by Torry Holt in St. Louis, but none of San Francisco’s receivers are a major threat to decrease Bruce’s playing team. In fact, his gracefulness and superb route running will be a welcome addition to the San Francisco passing game. It is only a question of how effective the quarterbacks can be in San Francisco that could make or break Bruce’s season. Bruce is projected as a tenth round pick. It is doubtful he will go that high, so look to draft him if he is still available in the thirteenth round.
Projected stats: 988 receiving yards, 78 receptions, 8 touchdowns
Minnesota’s defense
Jared Allen won’t make an individual difference on your fantasy roster, but he could make all the difference on the Minnesota Viking’s defense. The Vikings were the best run defense in the league last year. Allen will bring pressure to opposing offenses in the Viking’s pass defense. The secondary is serviceable, but the heat Allen can bring to opposing backfields will give wide receivers less time to get away from Minnesota’s secondary. If you can wait to take a defense in the eleventh or twelfth rounds, Minnesota should still be there.
- Edited by Andy Greenhaw
Discussion
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Come on, let's see some serious reporting. The Madden Curse is not a reason to affect your picks. That being said, I'm not big on Favre as he doesn't have any good targets other than Jerricho Cotchery.
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