Factoid
When Jake Delhomme got hurt last year, that pretty much killed off Steve Smith as an elite fantasy player. Smith caught 4 TDs in three games that Delhomme started. He scored only 3 TDs in 12 games without him.
Unlike Carolina’s other quarterbacks, Delhomme is able to hook up with Smith downfield. Put the ball up and let him make a play. The Panthers offense didn’t have that ability last year, particularly when David Carr was at quarterback. Vinny Testaverde wasn’t much better, and we saw the same kind of trend the previous year, when Chris Weinke started three games.
STEVE SMITH’S STATISTICS IN 2006-2007
Smith with Delhomme (14 games)
No-Yds-Avg-TD
89-1326-14.9-13
average = 95 yards per game
Smith without Delhomme (15 games)
No-Yds-Avg-TD
81-842-10.4-3
average = 56 yards per game
Conclusion: As long as Jake Delhomme (elbow) stays healthy this year, Smith looks like a safe bet to be a top-4 wide receiver.
--Ian Allan
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