Fantasy News
For the second year in a row in our Speed Bumps we'll feature a collection of short and speedy WRs. There are plenty we could choose from but we go with these four (alphabetically): Donnie Avery, Lee Evans (a holdover from this 2009 poll), Eddie Royal and Golden Tate. In PPR-based average draft position rankings (MFL), Tate, Evans and Avery are in exact succession to one another [WRs ranked 46-48] and Royal is a few spots higher at 42. In magazine rankings, however, Evans easily ranks highest of the four.
In somewhat of a surprise move, the Rams made Donnie Avery the first overall wide receiver taken in the 2008 draft at the 2.02 draft slot. Even though 35 WRs were drafted (the most of any position that year), it was the first time since the common draft began in 1967 that not a single WR was selected in the 1st round. It was a brutal draft for receivers as the top WRs selected (2nd rounders) included Avery, Jordy Nelson, James Hardy, Eddie Royal, Jerome Simpson, DeSean Jackson, Malcolm Kelly, Limas Sweed and Dexter Jackson. Despite being the first receiver selected, through two NFL seasons Avery has been out-produced by undrafted Davone Bess from the same draft (130-1312 to 100-1263). Entering his third NFL season, Avery has a slight trajectory down in both receptions (from 54 to 47) and yards (from 684 to 589) from his rookie season. Avery has been handicapped by the poor play of Marc Bulger (71.1 QB rating over the last two seasons) and will welcome rookie and #1 overall pick Sam Bradford as the team's new signal-caller.
Entering 7th NFL season, Lee Evans is off a career-worst 612 receiving yards as he played second-fiddle to Terrell Owens last year. Evans also had his worst per catch average in his career at 13.9 yards. The Bills quarterback situation doesn't look to be any prettier this year although Evans certainly looks positioned to be the team's #1 wideout - he'll make massive coin this year at $5.4M plus a $3M roster bonus and has two 1,000-yard seasons on his resume. Evans and the Bills also have a new head coach this season in Chan Gailey.
This time last year Eddie Royal's draft price was absorbing the sudden trade of Jay Cutler and anticipating a role where he would be "the team's Wes Welker" with the addition of new HC Josh McDaniels from New England. To say that didn't happen is putting it mildly. As a rookie Royal collected 91 receptions (the 2nd-most in the history of the NFL by a rookie) and finished as the #16 fantasy WR. Last season he dropped to 37 receptions, 345 yards (versus 980 as a rookie) without a single receiving TD on the season (he had 5 as a rookie). Royal was just the 93rd-best PPR fantasy receiver last year, getting taken by such players as Brandon Stokley, Chansi Stuckey and Dennis Northcutt – brutal.
Despite garnering the Biletnikoff Award winner last season as the top receiver in college football, Golden Tate nearly slipped to the 3rd round of the NFL Draft, getting selected 60th pick overall [2.28] by Seattle. A two-year starter, Tate left Notre Dame having re-written their record books. He finished with 157 receptions (3rd in school history), 2,707 yards (1st) and 26 TDs. His best statistical season came in 2009 when he caught 93 passes (best in school history for a single season) for 1,496 yards and 15 TDs. Through seven polls, Tate is the 4th rookie added to the fun, joining Jahvid Best, Mike Williams and Montario Hardesty thus far.
Which short and speedy WR are you taking here? Through seven polls, the odds of getting all seven correct (randomly guessing, or the number of mathematical combinations) has reached 1 in 9,216.
Vote in the official Dynasty Rogues Speed Bump Challenge: http://dynastyrogues.com/headline/?id=222
Speed Bump 1 - Best vs Grant vs Thomas
Speed Bump 2 - 2009 AFC Breakout WR Battle
Speed Bump 3 – NY Giant vs. Oakland RBs
Speed Bump 6 - Running Back Value Pile
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Posted by KEVIN WEAKLAND | Aug. 01 at 07:30 AM
Santana Moss should have been a part of this conversation but given that he wasn't I guess I like Evens the best because TO is no longer there. Hey who else are the Bills going to throw to?
Posted by KEVIN WEAKLAND | Aug. 02 at 10:02 AM
I suppose you could be right. I suspect Seattle will be throwing the ball a lot because they'll be playing from behind often.