Same Face, New Place 2014
With each new season comes the unwavering reality of players finding new situations. In the salary cap era, it is very difficult for any team, both good and bad, to remain the same from year to year. The important thing for us as fantasy football freakazoids, is to identify which movers will be shakers and which movers will be stankers. Here is a guide to some of the more important moves from this NFL offseason!
QBs
Matt Schaub (Hou-Oak) – Schaub wore out his welcome last year in Houston thanks in large part to his epic run of pick 6s. Oakland isn’t the softest landing spot to recover considering their weapons are nothing compared to what Houston had.
Move Excitement Level: Real Low
Josh McCown (Chi-TB) – McCown turned a great run in Chicago covering for Jay Cutler into a cushy new chance to start in Tampa Bay. Sure they have 2nd year Mike Glennon, but new coach Levie Smith is not tied to Glennon and will give the veteran McCown every chance to lead his offense. With Vincent Jackson, Doug Martin, and the additions of Mike Evans and Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, their are some weapons to be excited about if he wins.
Move Excitement Level: Medium-High
Other Moves
Ryan Fitzpatrick (Buf-Hou)
Michael Vick (Phi-NYJ)
Mark Sanchez (NYJ-Phi)
RBs
Chris Johnson (Ten-NYJ) – CJwhostiredoffiguringouthowmanyK has moved on from his Tennessee days. He takes with him his cocky attitude but unlikely the abilities that led him to be cocky. Rex will definitely try and run the ball in New York and the Jets might do some fun things with CJ and the Geno/Vick combo at QB, but it just hasn’t looked like CJ has had anything left in the tank (career low 3.9 YPC last year). Even if his motivation was renewed.
Move Excitement Level: Medium
Knowshon Moreno (Den-Mia) – Knowshon finally had a year like the Broncos had hoped for when he was drafted in the first round year ago. And how does he get rewarded?? He moves onto the mess that is the Miami Dolphins. A couple troubling things about Knowshon: Reports that his knee might require surgery and that even before that, Lamar Miller has been running circles around him at OTAs. Remember Lamar Miller?
Move Excitement Level: Low
Ben Tate (Hou-Cle) – It may not seem like it, but Cleveland has actually produced some decent RB fantasy years. Peyton Hillis a few ago and Trent RIchardson just a couple season past. Tate has been expected to blow once beyond the shadows of Arian Foster for awhile now but early impressions are that the OTA workload is already wearing on his body. What?! The OTA workload???? Sounds reliable……
Move Excitement Level: Medium
Toby Gerhart (Min-Jac) – Ok, let’s not get complicated. He’s the workhorse, he plays on Gus Bradley’s team (a guy from the Seahawks, who is trying to emmulate the Seahawks) and Gerhart is a big boy. They will give him the load, he will average between 3.8 and 4.1 YPC and he will get goal line work. Probably not a huge upside, but should be a solid back field option this season in Jacksonville.
Move Excitement Level: Medium High
Other Moves
Darren Sproles (NO-Phi)
Maurice Jones-Drew (Jac-Oak)
WRs
Desean Jackson (Phi-Was) – Good for you Chip Kelly. You made your point for your team that they had better buy in or they will be GONE! Welp, your loss is RG3s gain. RG3 loves to chuck it deep and guess what all my little fantasy fans….. D Jax loves to go deep. Love this addition.
Move Excitement Level: High
Emmanuel Sanders (Pit-Den) – I could tell you things like Sanders had 67 catches last year for the Steelers, or 37 first downs, or talk about how shifty he is and so on and so forth… blah blah blah… right? He’s starting on Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos…. any questions?
Move Excitement Level: High
Steve Smith (Car-Bal) Great player in his day, couldn’t make a big impact as Cam’s number 1 target, don’t see it as Flacco’s number 3. Yawn.
Move Excitement Level: Low
Hakeem Nicks (NYG-Ind) – I still remember the monster he was a couple years ago. I know injuries have sapped some of that monsterness over the past couple years but for some reason I am very intrigued by him joining Andrew Luck’s offense. Sometimes, a change of scenery does wonders for situations like these. Just remember his monsterness.
Move Excitement Level: Medium High
Golden Tate (Sea-Det) – We do this every year right? The new kid on the block opposite Calvin. Hey, it’s going to hit Blackjack sooner or later folks. And Golden is a playmaker. Big time.
Move Excitement Level: High
Eric Decker (Den-NYJ) – Sure, it was cute when it was with Peyton. Lots of catches, yards, TDs, he looked the part. Now he’s on the Jets, against number 1 corners, with two possible inaccurate QBs. Meh, somebody else can give it a whirl.
Move Excitement Level: Low
Other Moves
James Jones (GB-Oak)
Stevie Johnson (Buf-SF)