NFC West (Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Arizona Cardinals)
St. Louis Rams Fantasy Preview:
Remember when these guys were the "Greatest Show On Turf"? I know. Think harder. This team used to be such a boon for fantasy football talent, but that isn't necessarily the case anymore. Age started catching up to this team, and free agency, coaching turn over (where is Mike Martz when you need him?) and injuries have taken its toll on this team. Still, there is some hope. Stephen Jackson is still a top 5 running back in any format, and as long as he's around, there is hope. Let's just hope he stays healthy. If he does, he will be worthy of a high first round draft pick. Gone are Jeff Wilkins (retired) and Issac Bruce (released, now with the San Francisco 49ers). Marc Bulger SHOULD be ready to go after injuries forced him to miss time last year, and he will still have stud (though aging) wide receiver Torry Holt to throw to, as well as Randy McMichael at tight end, who should get more offensive attention this year. Drew Bennett has been promoted to #2 WR, so it remains to be seen if he is capable of filling Bruce's shoes. Newly acquired kicker Josh Brown should at least come close to his numbers from last year.
This defense spent much too much time on the field last year, but still has a few impact players in ILB Will Witherspoon, DE Leonard Little, and S Corey Chavous. The drafting of #2 overall pick Chris Long can only help, but this is a defense to leave on the waiver wire.
As mentioned above, DE Chris Long should have an immediate impact on the defense, but that may take a while to translate into strong IDP numbers or team defensive numbers. WR Donny Avery (2nd rd) is a small speedy receiver and seems destined for the slot. Neither is a good draft candidate this year.
Fantasy Surprise for 2008: Drew Bennett, WR
Its time for Bennett to put up or shut up. He has all the tools to make an impact on this team, and he has the confidence of the coaching staff (which is why they let Issac Bruce walk). Torry Holt is on the decline, and this offense desperately needs another receiver to return to the balance it once had and spread the field more for Stephen Jackson. I say this is the year he puts it all together and has a fantasy worthy performance.
Fantasy Disappointment for 2008: Brian Leonard, RB
A lot of people were high on Leonard coming out of college, and with good reason: he's a versatile runner who can do a lot of things with the ball in his hands. He was a good handcuff to Jackson last year, and made the most of his opportunities to start. Unfortunately, that role now belongs to Antonio Pittman, and Leonard will be relegated to mostly blocking duties. If you're looking to draft a handcuff for Jackson, don't make the mistake of taking Leonard.
Best Fantasy Draft Value for 2008: Marc Bulger, QB
Marc Bulger was having a great season before he was derailed by injuries last year. If Drew Bennett & Randy McMichael can pick up some offensive slack (and if Stephen Jackson stays healthy), Bulger should once again be a top producer. He should slide down draft boards based on his production last year, and is a good later round gamble to take with lots of upside.
Next Up: Arizona Cardinals
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment