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Offseason Moves in the
AFC
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4for4.com Exclusive
By Dale Lolley
Courtesy of the Observer-Reporter
05/21/06
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Now that free agency has calmed down and the draft is behind us in the NFL, fantasy owners are trying to figure out what to make of all of the offseason moves in the league.
Here’s a look at each AFC team and how its offseason roster moves should affect fantasy production in 2006.
Baltimore: The Ravens are the likely destination of former league MVP Steve McNair, who would take over for ineffective quarterback Kyle Boller. If it happens, McNair will hook up with wide receiver Derrick Mason once again. Mason was his favorite receiver in Tennessee before joining the Ravens last season following his release by Tennessee. The Ravens also added former 1,000-yard rusher Mike Anderson to help light a fire under Jamal Lewis, who has been an enigma since his 2,000-yard campaign.
The team got a steal in the fourth round of the draft in wide receiver Demetrius Williams, a solid route runner with good hands. Look for him to be the No. 3 receiver behind Mason and Mark Clayton. Running back P.J. Daniels, also a fourth-round pick, could help ease the loss of pass-catching back Chester Taylor, who left as a free agent for Minnesota.
Buffalo: The Bills shocked a lot of people around the league by bringing veteran Peerless Price back to replace Eric Moulds. Price never lived up to his billing as a No. 1 receiver, flopping in Atlanta and then Dallas. But Buffalo plans to line him up opposite Lee Evans to form a speedy starting duo. Andre Davis was also brought in from New England. The question will be which quarterback will be throwing them the ball under new head coach Dick Jauron, Kelly Holcomb or J.P. Losman. Holcomb is No. 1 for now. The team also signed veteran running back Anthony Thomas, a former 1,000-yard rusher under Jauron in Chicago, to back up Willis
McGahee.
Cincinnati: Much of the offseason focus with the Bengals will be on quarterback Carson Palmer’s injured left knee suffered in a playoff loss to Pittsburgh. Palmer insists he will be ready by the start of the regular season, but the team, which lost veteran backup Jon Kitna, brought in Anthony Wright from Baltimore just in case. If Palmer is out to start the season, everybody in the Bengals’ lineup will see their numbers drop, as Wright isn’t much of a fallback option.
Also keep an eye on wide receiver Chris Henry’s ongoing legal problems. They could cost the team’s talented and valuable No. 3 wideout some playing time if the league steps in with a suspension.
Cleveland: The Browns went out and acquired possession receiver Joe Jurevicious from Seattle in free agency to serve as a security blanket for second-year quarterback Charlie Frye. Jurevicious had a nice season in Seattle last year and should continue to be a safe pick as a No. 2 fantasy receiver, especially if Braylon Edwards is slow coming back from a knee injury. Wide receiver Travis Wilson was acquired in the third round of the draft, but don’t expect much right away.
The team traded quarterback Trent Dilfer to San Francisco for Ken Dorsey, leaving no doubt that Frye is the man.
Denver: Denver made two bold moves on draft day, trading for disgruntled - and injured - Green Bay receiver Javon Walker, and moving up in the first round to get QB of the future Jay Cutler. Walker, if healthy, will be an immediate upgrade for the offense and push perennial underachiever Ashlie Lelie to the bench. With Walker and veteran Rod Smith catching passes, Jake Plummer should again be a solid fantasy pick.
The team did let running back Mike Anderson, one half of their running back duo, go, meaning Tatum Bell will carry more of the load for the Broncos, with Ron Dayne spelling him.
Second round draft pick Tony Scheffler, a tight end out of Western Michigan, is a solid pass catcher and could surprise.
Houston: The addition of wide receiver Eric Moulds should help take some pressure off of quarterback David Carr and star wideout Andre Johnson. Moulds isn’t the deep threat he once was, but he gives the Texans a No. 2 receiver they haven’t had since their inception, which should help this offense immensely. Moulds will be out to prove Buffalo was wrong to let him go as well. The team also signed running back Antowain Smith to back up Domanick Davis.
Nobody was happier than Davis keeper league owners to see the Texans pass on Reggie Bush in the draft. That was really the only big news of fantasy note for the Texans on draft day, though the team did add offensive linemen Charles Spencer and Eric Winston in the mid-rounds. Both could end up as starters to help keep Carr upright. If not, the team did bring in Sage Rosenfels from Miami to back up Carr.
Indianapolis: Edgerrin James is now in Arizona, breaking up Indianapolis’ once-famed triplets. Dominic Rhodes is a capable replacement for now, but he’ll be pushed by first-round draft pick Joseph Addai, a tough inside runner who also catches the ball well out of the backfield. Addai had injury problems in college, so he and Rhodes will likely share the running back duties in this still-explosive offense.
The team’s biggest offseason addition is placekicker Adam Vinatieri, who was already one of the most reliable kickers in fantasy football. Kicking for this team in the dome, Vinatieri is now the unquestioned top fantasy placekicker, just don’t get carried away and take him in the third round. Most leagues don’t give any extra points for game-winning field goals.
Jacksonville: The Jaguars continued to try to add to their offensive arsenal by grabbing pass-catching tight end Marcedes Lewis in the first round of the draft. Lewis will provide Byron Leftwich with a nice red zone target opposite last year’s top pick, Matt Jones. Lewis is a nice sleeper tight end this season. Looking for an eventual replacement for Fred Taylor, the Jags took Lewis’ UCLA teammate Maurice Drew in the second round. The speedy Drew will likely open the season as a third-down back and return man, both of which he excelled at in college.
With Jimmy Smith’s retirement, Jones steps into the No. 1 receiver role. Don’t forget about Ernest Wilford, though. He’s a nice sleeper pick in 2006.
Kansas City: The biggest offseason question mark in Kansas City has yet to be answered. What is Priest Holmes’ situation. Holmes insists he plans on playing in 2006, but has stayed away from the team’s headquarters. Even if he comes back, it would be tough for him to push Larry Johnson out of the starting role again. Johnson could be the top pick in this year’s fantasy drafts.
The draft brought quarterback Brodie Croyle in the third round. Croyle will battle Damon Huard for the backup job to Trent Green.
Miami: The Dolphins scored one of the biggest prizes of the offseason, landing quarterback Daunte Culpepper from Minnesota. Culpepper is coming off a major knee injury, but knows former Vikings’ offensive coordinator Scott Linehan’s offense, so the adjustment will be negligible. With better offensive weapons around him, Culpepper should rebound in 2006. Miami did lose Ricky Williams to yet another drug suspension, so Ronnie Brown takes over as the sole feature back, bumping his value up considerably. Culpepper has always been fond of throwing to the tight end, so Randy McMichael could thrive this season.
The team selected wide receiver Derek Hagan in the second round of the draft, but he’ll likely open the season as number three or four on the depth chart.
New England: The Patriots lost wideout David Givens to Tennessee and placekicker Adam Vinatieri to hated rival Indianapolis. They replaced Vinatieri with Martin Gramatica, a solid kicker, but not anywhere near Vinatieri’s class. Reche Caldwell was added to help ease the loss of Givens, as was second-round draft pick Chad Jackson. Caldwell will likely begin the season as a starter, so keep him in mind on draft day. Ageless Troy Brown and Bethel Johnson also may have some value.
Speedy running back Laurence Maroney was the team’s first-round draft pick and will back up Corey Dillon, who is getting up there in age and battled injuries in 2005.
New York Jets: Patrick Ramsey takes over under center for the Jets this season, coming over from Washington, where he was no longer in the plans. The Jets figure to be awful again in 2006, so Ramsey could have decent fantasy value so long as he can remain upright. The team addressed that situation in the draft by grabbing tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson and center Nick Mangold with its first two picks.
The draft also brought quarterback Kellen Clemens of Oregon, who won’t be expected to play early, running back Leon Washington, who could be the backup to Curtis Martin, and converted quarterback-now-wide receiver Brad Smith. Smith could be a utility-type player, seeing time as a wideout, running back and sometimes quarterback.
Oakland: After years of disappointing fantasy owners in New Orleans, Aaron Brooks takes his erratic game to Oakland. Maybe the change of scenery and working with Randy Moss and Jerry Porter will revive Brooks’ once-promising career. He replaces the equally disappointing Kerry Collins, who was released.
The team drafted heavily on the defensive side of the football, which was probably a good move.
Pittsburgh: The team lost wide receiver Antwaan Randle El in free agency, hurting not only the passing game, but its return game as well. Then again, Randle El had just 35 receptions and one touchdown catch last season, so Cedrick Wilson or top draft pick Santonio Holmes should at least be able to replace that production. Jerome Bettis’ retirement opens the door for Duce Staley to get back into action after largely taking 2005 off. Staley could have decent value as a short-yardage back behind Willie Parker, who will be forced to show 2005 wasn’t a fluke.
In addition to Holmes, the draft yielded return man Willie Reid, who was outstanding at Florida State as a punt
returner.
San Diego: With Drew Brees now in New Orleans, the Chargers are rolling the dice that Phillip Rivers is ready to take over at quarterback. Expect some ups and downs, but with LaDanian Tomlinson at running back and Antonio Gates at tight end, Rivers will have some fantasy value and should make a decent backup.
Tennessee: The utter and complete demise of the Tennessee Titans will be complete when the team finally cuts ties with quarterback Steve McNair, something that is likely after the team would not allow him to work out at its facilities this offseason. The case is currently in arbitration, but McNair had a deal worked out on draft day with the Baltimore Ravens and if he’s released as the team’s latest in a long line of salary cap casualties, that’s his likely destination. McNair’s departure would leave the quarterbacking duties in the capable hands of Billy Volek, who will keep the position warm until first-round draft pick Vince Young is ready to play. That likely won’t happen this year, so keep Volek in mind on draft day. The Titans were patient in allowing McNair to develop and won’t rush Young into the lineup. Volek will have an improved receiving corps to throw to as wide receiver David Givens was added to line up opposite Drew Bennett. Givens is a solid No. 2 receiver and considering the Titans will be behind a lot, he’ll have good value.
In addition to Young, the Titans grabbed former USC back LenDale White in the second round of the draft. The position is deep with Chris Brown and Travis Henry already on the roster. But Brown is an injury waiting to happen. Take a flier on White in the later rounds of your draft and hope the team at least makes him a short-yardage back, something he excelled at in college.
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