Slow week from a fantasy football perspective. Here is what we have…
NEWS ITEM: Brandon Marshall was a no-show in day one of a three day mini-camp and arrives for day two only to meet with Broncos owner, Pat Bowlen, and leave camp with packed boxes.
Fantasy Impact
This guy has surpassed Chris Henry as the biggest bonehead in the NFL. He wants a raise after two seasons riddled with suspensions and self-inflicted injuries that slowed him down, made him miss games, and hurt the team. After learning last week that he would not be suspended for the first of two domestic violence charges we recommended upgrading him to the 11-14 range in our WR rankings. Keep him there for now. Four things may happen; he can get shipped out to a better fantasy situation, he can get sent to a worse situation, he can get suspended, or he can stay put and they find a way to make things work. In any event, Eddie Royal is looking better from a fantasy perspective every day.
NEWS ITEM: Seahawks TE John Carlson to see role expanded according to OC Greg Knapp and QB Matt Hasselback.
Fantasy Impact
This is big news. There is an elite group of four tight ends that occupies the top tier (Gates, Gonzalez, Clark, Witten) and after those four second tier that Carlson may just have vaulted to the top of (Carlson, Cooley, Daniels, Olson). The sophomore TE should be ranked 5 or 6 among your TEs. A great strategy may be to take him 3 rounds after the top tier TEs are taken and load up on RBs.
NEWS ITEM: Plaxico Burress hearing, scheduled for June 15, is continued.
Fantasy Impact
Timing is a real issue here. No team is going to consider adding the talented but moronic WR with this hanging over his head. Until he is either cleared or (more likely) sentenced, teams cannot invest money in him. Teams have no idea what they would be investing in. He may be sentenced to a year or more in prison and then be hit with a league suspension on top of that. Plaxico is non-factor in fantasy leagues right now.
NEWS ITEM: Donovan gets a raise.
Fantasy Impact
We are pretty high on McNabb this year. I still am puzzled by a raise for a guy paid more than Tom Brady with no extension. This news does not change our projections or ranking of McNabb for the 09 season. We see him having his best fantasy year to date. He is ranked #8 right now in our rankings and we see him throwing for 3,900 yards and 25 TDs. He’ll go too high in Philadelphia-area drafts, probably ahead of the likes of Rivers and Rodgers who we have ranked above him, but in national leagues he may be a steal.
NEWS ITEM: Marijuana charges against Santonio Holmes dismissed.
Fantasy Impact
This is good news for Holmes and those who own him in leagues, but the impact is a bit unclear. We have read several opinions about whether or not Holmes can still be suspended for one game based on league conduct rules. It seems that if charges are dismissed that there would be no evidence of an official offense, but he we assume he has to be entered into the league’s substance abuse program.
