Last week was anything but quiet in the halls of the NFL. The Giants depart ways with a troubled receiver and possible major distraction, while the Bears and Broncos decide to pull off one big surprising deal. All of these happenings are certainly going to have some effect on the upcoming fantasy season and I have my thoughts on what to expect…
My Take…
QB JAY CUTLER TRADED TO BEARS
In a surprising move the Broncos dealt their problem child away to the Chicago Bears, where they will hope the disgruntled quarterback will resume his pro bowl level of play. Cutler was traded in exchange for the Bear’s starter, Kyle Orton and draft picks. There’s no question the Bears offense receives a huge upgrade at the QB position. But without much of a supporting cast, Cutler a top five fantasy quarterback is likely to fall out of the top ten unless Lovie Smith can find some help.
RB CARNELL WILLIAMS EXPECTED BACK IN JULY
The Buc’s running back is expected to return to the field in July. This is his second major knee injury in as many seasons. While it looks as though Williams will be at full strength when training camps open in July, the odds are stacked long against him returning to the field in Tampa. With the team signing running back Derrick Ward to back-up Earnest Graham and his history of injuries, his chances seem remote at best. Fantasy owners should also note, the Cadillac could be garaged (on the PUP list) to start the season.
QB KYLE ORTON A BRONCO
While the move was a surprise, there’s probably no one happier in Denver than Kyle Orton fantasy owners. The former Purdue Boilermaker was impressive in his collegiate days throwing the rock in a pro-style spread offense and now he’ll return to a similar offense that is very quarterback friendly. Orton’s skill level may be limited, but he should be a more productive fantasy starter for owners in 2009 and worth a mid-level quarterback selection in most drafts.
WR BRANDON MARSHALL HAS SURGERY
The Bronco’s receiver would seem to be the most affected by the whole Cutler-for-Orton deal, but fantasy owners should take note that the impact won’t be nearly as great as first conceived. With Marshall expected to get hit with an eight game suspension, by the time he returns to the field the smart fantasy owners that passed over him, may be looking to play “let’s make a deal” later in the season. Marshall will likely have his biggest impact around fantasy playoffs, but that is a long time from now and a lot can happen.
WR PLAXICO BURRESS IS RELEASED
The biggest impact here is not how this will affect Plaxico. He’s out of football for sometime it now appears. Two players that will be most affected will obviously be one, quarterback Eli Manning who will have to search high-n-low to find a new go-to, but the other affected will be running back Brandon Jacobs. Without a legitimate threat on the outside, opposing teams are going to stack the line and make it difficult for Jacobs to repeats his solid 2008 performance. Fantasy owners will need to watch the Giants offseason moves, because it’s going to take more than a rookie pick to fill this void.
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