Post by John on Jun 23, 2006 17:02:45 GMT -4
Draft Preview: Bush leads strong rookie class
Dave Richard By Dave Richard
Senior Fantasy Writer
There aren't many jobs in America where you get paid big bucks before you start to work, then have millions of eyeballs watching your every move once you begin to practice, but such is the life of being a rookie in the National Football League. Every year, new players enter the game and attract the attention of not just football diehards but Fantasy owners as well. Naturally, those people want to know about the best players coming in before they start to rack up the stats.
That's where we come in. Here's a look at our top 15 Fantasy rookies (offense only) from the 2006 class:
ROOKIES
Joseph Addai, RB, Indianapolis
Addai has the dubious task of filling in for all-world running back Edgerrin James. Replacing a potential 2,000-total-yard and 15-touchdown back won't be easy, but he's actually versatile and speedy enough to take a big bite into what James left behind. Look for him to split time until he gets the hang of the gig, but he should be effective. He'll be a good early- to middle-round pick.
Projection: 764 RuYds, four RuTDs; 313 ReYds, two ReTDs
Reggie Bush, RB, New Orleans
Bush should ignite a Saints offense that already had plenty of firepower. Look for him to be used not only as a running back, but also as a receiver lining up anywhere from split out to in the slot to in the backfield. There are concerns about him handling a full load, but he should wind up being a boon for New Orleans. He shouldn't last past the middle of Round 3 in drafts.
Projection: 967 RuYds, six RuTDs; 422 ReYds, three ReTDs
Brian Calhoun, RB, Detroit
A third-round pick, Calhoun could make an impact as a third-down back early on. He's a tremendous outside runner with very good hands but is light on his feet and could stand to add some bulk. He should see limited work unless Kevin Jones comes slow out of the gate again. If that happens, then Calhoun could be a steal. Expect to hear his name called in the second half of drafts.
Projection: 324 RuYds, one RuTD; 74 ReYds
Vernon Davis, TE, San Francisco
Davis is a freakish football talent with the size of a linebacker and the speed of a slot receiver, but remember that he's still a rookie. He has to be given time to adapt to the NFL level, and he has a second-year quarterback in Alex Smith who is still trying to adapt to the NFL level. He's worth a long look this preseason and should be taken with a middle-round selection.
Projection: 581 ReYds, six ReTDs
Maurice Drew, RB, Jacksonville
Drew is in a honey of a spot in Jacksonville, where he could be the heir apparent to Fred Taylor. He's fast, intelligent and can catch the ball, but he's very small and may not be durable. Look for him to start off on special teams before mixing with the offense. Note that Drew may be in a little trouble with the law stemming from an incident in Los Angeles in May. Drew is a quality late-round sleeper.
Projection: 245 RuYds, two RuTDs; 51 ReYds
Stephen Gostkowski, PK, New England
Gostkowski will compete with Martin Gramatica for the right to kick for AFC East contender New England, but unless he totally whiffs he should land the gig. The job vacated by Adam Vinatieri offered 25 field-goal attempts in 2005 (and 30 or more from 1998-2004) plus 41 extra-point shots. Gostkowski should kick early and often for the Pats, and be taken very late in drafts if at all.
Projection: 15 FG, 19 XP
Santonio Holmes, WR, Pittsburgh
The Steelers lost Antwaan Randle El to free agency, and Holmes appears to be the long-term replacement. He should be a fairly reliable option as a receiver and eventually develop into a legit 1,000-yard threat. He has excellent speed, quickness and hands to match, so it's probably just a matter of the Steelers finding a way to get him involved. Consider him with a middle- to late-round pick.
Projection: 17 RuYds; 608 ReYds, three ReTDs
Chad Jackson, WR, New England
Jackson landed in the perfect spot to be brought along at the right pace. There is a stigma about being a Florida receiver, but Jackson has the speed, size and hands to bunk that. Starting Jackson could be an option for Bill Belichick, who loves playing the matchups on a weekly basis. The potential is there, but the stats should come slowly for Jackson, who is worth a middle- to late-round pick in drafts.
Projection: 271 ReYds, two TDs
Matt Leinart, QB, Arizona
Leinart will be tabbed as the Cardinals' No. 2 QB, but he won't see much playing time unless Kurt Warner gets hurt. That happens to be a near-certainty since Warner hasn't played a full season since 2001. Leinart has the brains to quarterback in the NFL now and the arm to master at least the short-yardage game. He's must-have insurance for Warner and is otherwise worth taking with a late-round pick.
Projection: 351 PaYds, three PaTD, three PaINT
Marcedes Lewis, TE, Jacksonville
Lewis dazzled during offseason minicamps, earning praise from head coach Jack Del Rio and quarterback Byron Leftwich. The former UCLA Bruin should find ways to be involved on offense, especially now that veteran Jimmy Smith has retired and somebody will have to step up. Lewis could be a nice sleeper to keep on your roster for his rookie season. Draft him late this summer.
Projection: 239 ReYds, two TDs
Laurence Maroney, RB, New England
Maroney is the long-term solution to replacing Corey Dillon in New England, but he will definitely find playing time as a rookie, especially since Dillon is fairly injury prone to begin with. Maroney has awesome size, very nice speed and fabulous hands to give the Patriots an option as versatile as their offensive gameplan is. He'll be an early- to middle-round selection in drafts this year.
Projection: 487 RuYds, three RuTDs; 185 ReYds
Sinorice Moss, WR, N.Y. Giants
Moss was a second-round pick of the Giants and should earn a role on special teams as well as their No. 3 or 4 receiver. Don't expect tons from Moss as he should be given time to develop into a quality receiver for Eli Manning. He has the bloodlines to be an NFL gem (brother Santana lit it up for Washington in '05), and he was a stud for the Hurricanes in college. Moss is a late-round selection in non-keeper drafts.
Projection: 19 RuYds; 268 ReYds, two TDs
Leonard Pope, TE, Arizona
Pope is a 6-foot-8, 257-pound behemoth who is a good blocker and receiver and should be a red-zone matchup problem. He's on the wrong team, though, because with a trio of talent already on staff, Arizona possesses plenty of point-scoring power. He'll be Green's pet project this season and probably won't make a Fantasy impact until 2007. Consider him with a late-round pick in keeper leagues.
Projection: 332 ReYds, three TDs
LenDale White, RB, Tennessee
White's draft stock slipped when he couldn't work out because of a sore hamstring and wound up overweight, but he should fill an important role for the Titans as a short-yardage and goal-line back. If he succeeds there and veteran runners Chris Brown and Travis Henry stumble, then White could emerge as the Titans' every-down back. White will be picked in the early-to-middle rounds of drafts.
Projection: 847 RuYds, five RuTDs; 143 ReYds
DeAngelo Williams, RB, Carolina
Williams will back up DeShaun Foster to start 2006, but everyone knows how injury prone Foster is, so expect to see plenty of the rookie this season. Keeper-league owners should keep very close tabs on this shifty, speedy, versatile runner. Williams could be Carolina's starter by the end of the season and is expected to be off draft boards by the end of Round 8 in most leagues.
Projection: 487 RuYds, three RuTDs; 185 ReYds
Other rookies to keep an eye on in 2005:
Jay Cutler, QB, Denver
Derek Hagan, WR, Miami
Greg Jennings, WR, Green Bay
Joe Klopfenstein, TE, St. Louis
Maurice Stovall, WR, Tampa Bay
Dave Thomas, TE, New England
Vince Young, QB, Tennessee
Dave Richard By Dave Richard
Senior Fantasy Writer
There aren't many jobs in America where you get paid big bucks before you start to work, then have millions of eyeballs watching your every move once you begin to practice, but such is the life of being a rookie in the National Football League. Every year, new players enter the game and attract the attention of not just football diehards but Fantasy owners as well. Naturally, those people want to know about the best players coming in before they start to rack up the stats.
That's where we come in. Here's a look at our top 15 Fantasy rookies (offense only) from the 2006 class:
ROOKIES
Joseph Addai, RB, Indianapolis
Addai has the dubious task of filling in for all-world running back Edgerrin James. Replacing a potential 2,000-total-yard and 15-touchdown back won't be easy, but he's actually versatile and speedy enough to take a big bite into what James left behind. Look for him to split time until he gets the hang of the gig, but he should be effective. He'll be a good early- to middle-round pick.
Projection: 764 RuYds, four RuTDs; 313 ReYds, two ReTDs
Reggie Bush, RB, New Orleans
Bush should ignite a Saints offense that already had plenty of firepower. Look for him to be used not only as a running back, but also as a receiver lining up anywhere from split out to in the slot to in the backfield. There are concerns about him handling a full load, but he should wind up being a boon for New Orleans. He shouldn't last past the middle of Round 3 in drafts.
Projection: 967 RuYds, six RuTDs; 422 ReYds, three ReTDs
Brian Calhoun, RB, Detroit
A third-round pick, Calhoun could make an impact as a third-down back early on. He's a tremendous outside runner with very good hands but is light on his feet and could stand to add some bulk. He should see limited work unless Kevin Jones comes slow out of the gate again. If that happens, then Calhoun could be a steal. Expect to hear his name called in the second half of drafts.
Projection: 324 RuYds, one RuTD; 74 ReYds
Vernon Davis, TE, San Francisco
Davis is a freakish football talent with the size of a linebacker and the speed of a slot receiver, but remember that he's still a rookie. He has to be given time to adapt to the NFL level, and he has a second-year quarterback in Alex Smith who is still trying to adapt to the NFL level. He's worth a long look this preseason and should be taken with a middle-round selection.
Projection: 581 ReYds, six ReTDs
Maurice Drew, RB, Jacksonville
Drew is in a honey of a spot in Jacksonville, where he could be the heir apparent to Fred Taylor. He's fast, intelligent and can catch the ball, but he's very small and may not be durable. Look for him to start off on special teams before mixing with the offense. Note that Drew may be in a little trouble with the law stemming from an incident in Los Angeles in May. Drew is a quality late-round sleeper.
Projection: 245 RuYds, two RuTDs; 51 ReYds
Stephen Gostkowski, PK, New England
Gostkowski will compete with Martin Gramatica for the right to kick for AFC East contender New England, but unless he totally whiffs he should land the gig. The job vacated by Adam Vinatieri offered 25 field-goal attempts in 2005 (and 30 or more from 1998-2004) plus 41 extra-point shots. Gostkowski should kick early and often for the Pats, and be taken very late in drafts if at all.
Projection: 15 FG, 19 XP
Santonio Holmes, WR, Pittsburgh
The Steelers lost Antwaan Randle El to free agency, and Holmes appears to be the long-term replacement. He should be a fairly reliable option as a receiver and eventually develop into a legit 1,000-yard threat. He has excellent speed, quickness and hands to match, so it's probably just a matter of the Steelers finding a way to get him involved. Consider him with a middle- to late-round pick.
Projection: 17 RuYds; 608 ReYds, three ReTDs
Chad Jackson, WR, New England
Jackson landed in the perfect spot to be brought along at the right pace. There is a stigma about being a Florida receiver, but Jackson has the speed, size and hands to bunk that. Starting Jackson could be an option for Bill Belichick, who loves playing the matchups on a weekly basis. The potential is there, but the stats should come slowly for Jackson, who is worth a middle- to late-round pick in drafts.
Projection: 271 ReYds, two TDs
Matt Leinart, QB, Arizona
Leinart will be tabbed as the Cardinals' No. 2 QB, but he won't see much playing time unless Kurt Warner gets hurt. That happens to be a near-certainty since Warner hasn't played a full season since 2001. Leinart has the brains to quarterback in the NFL now and the arm to master at least the short-yardage game. He's must-have insurance for Warner and is otherwise worth taking with a late-round pick.
Projection: 351 PaYds, three PaTD, three PaINT
Marcedes Lewis, TE, Jacksonville
Lewis dazzled during offseason minicamps, earning praise from head coach Jack Del Rio and quarterback Byron Leftwich. The former UCLA Bruin should find ways to be involved on offense, especially now that veteran Jimmy Smith has retired and somebody will have to step up. Lewis could be a nice sleeper to keep on your roster for his rookie season. Draft him late this summer.
Projection: 239 ReYds, two TDs
Laurence Maroney, RB, New England
Maroney is the long-term solution to replacing Corey Dillon in New England, but he will definitely find playing time as a rookie, especially since Dillon is fairly injury prone to begin with. Maroney has awesome size, very nice speed and fabulous hands to give the Patriots an option as versatile as their offensive gameplan is. He'll be an early- to middle-round selection in drafts this year.
Projection: 487 RuYds, three RuTDs; 185 ReYds
Sinorice Moss, WR, N.Y. Giants
Moss was a second-round pick of the Giants and should earn a role on special teams as well as their No. 3 or 4 receiver. Don't expect tons from Moss as he should be given time to develop into a quality receiver for Eli Manning. He has the bloodlines to be an NFL gem (brother Santana lit it up for Washington in '05), and he was a stud for the Hurricanes in college. Moss is a late-round selection in non-keeper drafts.
Projection: 19 RuYds; 268 ReYds, two TDs
Leonard Pope, TE, Arizona
Pope is a 6-foot-8, 257-pound behemoth who is a good blocker and receiver and should be a red-zone matchup problem. He's on the wrong team, though, because with a trio of talent already on staff, Arizona possesses plenty of point-scoring power. He'll be Green's pet project this season and probably won't make a Fantasy impact until 2007. Consider him with a late-round pick in keeper leagues.
Projection: 332 ReYds, three TDs
LenDale White, RB, Tennessee
White's draft stock slipped when he couldn't work out because of a sore hamstring and wound up overweight, but he should fill an important role for the Titans as a short-yardage and goal-line back. If he succeeds there and veteran runners Chris Brown and Travis Henry stumble, then White could emerge as the Titans' every-down back. White will be picked in the early-to-middle rounds of drafts.
Projection: 847 RuYds, five RuTDs; 143 ReYds
DeAngelo Williams, RB, Carolina
Williams will back up DeShaun Foster to start 2006, but everyone knows how injury prone Foster is, so expect to see plenty of the rookie this season. Keeper-league owners should keep very close tabs on this shifty, speedy, versatile runner. Williams could be Carolina's starter by the end of the season and is expected to be off draft boards by the end of Round 8 in most leagues.
Projection: 487 RuYds, three RuTDs; 185 ReYds
Other rookies to keep an eye on in 2005:
Jay Cutler, QB, Denver
Derek Hagan, WR, Miami
Greg Jennings, WR, Green Bay
Joe Klopfenstein, TE, St. Louis
Maurice Stovall, WR, Tampa Bay
Dave Thomas, TE, New England
Vince Young, QB, Tennessee