Has the Fantasy Landscape Changed?
July 27th, 2007 | by aaron |How has the landscape of fantasy football changed due to unsigned rookies, injuries, retirements, and other proceedings that I just assume not talk about? We haven’t even entered the month of August and some very serious changes have already occurred.
If you’ve read my Atlanta Falcons preseason fantasy ranking you may remember me having Jerious Norwood rated as a top sleeper and that he would show his true fantasy value as the 2007 season progressed. Well, with the recent herniated disk surgery undergone by Warrick Dunn, Norwood’s stock may have changed. Is it better or worse? My idea for having him a sleeper was due to Warrick Dunn’s consistent fast starts and his slowing down towards the end of season. This made Norwood a hot commodity as leagues were gearing up for fantasy playoffs. With fresh legs, I envisioned Norwood contributing in a major fashion towards the middle parts of the season. However, now that Norwood will shoulder the load until Dunn is fully healthy I see somewhat of a role reversal which could potentially hurt owners who draft Norwood too early.
Joey Harrington: Many fantasy owners believe that Harrington will never produce the type of numbers that will guarantee him a spot as a #1 quarterback. In my opinion, most are correct in their thinking, but Harrington could be a solid #2. However, if you have seen my QB rankings Harrington could very easily become a controversial backup, especially if you don’t have the position secured with one of the top-seven quarterbacks.
Calvin Johnson:Why isn’t he signed and in training camp? I know things take time, but how would this change the landscape of fantasy football if Johnson doesn’t sign for weeks to come. Everyone suffers, Kitna, Williams, and whoever they plan to start at runningback.
Larry Johnson: What’s going through Johnson’s mind now that Priest Holmes is back in the picture. Wow, how dirty are the Chiefs? If Priest comes in strong (he works with one of the best strength/conditioning coaches in the country) then Larry may get his wish and end up traded to a terrific situation. If this happens, Johnson propels back into the top 2, thus changing the entire landscape of any fantasy draft.
Priest Holmes: If Priest has clearance to play then it means he’s healthy. How much value does he add and what type of effect will he have on the season? He may not change the landscape of the draft, but he definitely changes the landscape on the season. Whoever drafts him will get Priest around the 6-8 rounds and getting Priest in this late could add tremendous depth to their fantasy roster.
Tarik Glenn: Bigger news than one may care to admit. We know what happens when defenses put heavy pressure on Manning. Glenn’s retirement may not appear to be a big change, but whenever a quarterback loses his blindside security, things change. It may not hurt Manning as much as it does others around him, but the Colts have to address this situation immediately.
It’s pretty amazing when you think about how one or two players can change the entire outcome of a fantasy football draft or the NFL in general. It’s like a puzzle, if you’re missing pieces you may as well throw it away.
