Fantasy Impact 2007 (1 Viewer)

[Benchwarmers]

What kind of fantasy impact can I expect from these players in 2007? Any?

Keith Lewis S 49ers

James Sanders S Patriots

Ellis Hobbs CB Patriots

Greg Spires DE Bucs

Keith Ellison LB Bills

Eric Alexander LB Patriots

Mike Anderson RB Ravens

D.J. Hackett WR Seahawks

Rod Smith WR Broncos

Thanks in advance...

 

[Jene Bramel]

What kind of fantasy impact can I expect from these players in 2007? Any?

Keith Lewis S 49ers

James Sanders S Patriots

Ellis Hobbs CB Patriots

Greg Spires DE Bucs

Keith Ellison LB Bills

Eric Alexander LB Patriots

Mike Anderson RB Ravens

D.J. Hackett WR Seahawks

Rod Smith WR Broncos

Thanks in advance...

I'll focus on the IDPs for you.Keith Lewis should retain most of his value and he definitely looked the part down the stretch. Still, you're talking about a guy who had trouble breaking out of a rotation with replacement level talent like Mark Roman, Mike Adams, and Tony Parrish. His statlines will take a hit if the Niners can find any kind of MLB/ILB talent. He may also lose value if the Niners go back to the 3-4 as their base front.

James Sanders is probably going to be pimped in some circles as a sleeper for 2007 if/when Rodney Harrison is let go. I'm not buying it. Sanders has struggled in Belichick's complicated system. While there was some improvement this year, I don't think it'll be near enough to put him in the class of a Sean Jones, Kerry Rhodes or Rodney Harrison (circa 2003-04) in this scheme.

Ellis Hobbs is what he is. Shaky in run support with ball skills that aren't particularly sexy. That's not a particularly good skill set in any scoring system. He's the kind of corner you watch over the first month and wait to see if the trend suggests a career year in the statlines before you invest much.

Greg Spires won't have any increased value next year. Simeon Rice is gone and Dewayne White (if he's re-signed) is in but that won't have any positive impact on Spires. If he plays all season, he's still healthy enough to provide his usual 35-40 solo tackles and 5-7 sacks with very little upside.

Keith Ellison is probably the most intriguing name on the list. Could end up in either of the money ROLB/MLB roles if London Fletcher-Baker moves on or he could end up in the not-so-productive LOLB spot. He played much better down the stretch than earlier in the season, when teams were running right at him and blowing him off the ball. Could have nice upside depending on where he aligns.

Eric Alexander has some potential as an ILB but he sure didn't look like he'd hold up against any kind of blocking against the Colts last week when the Pats used him inside to "improve their team speed". If he progresses in the off-season and wins the LILB job he's got some upside, but he's probably little more than a special teams guy long term. It's very possible that the best NE LB IDP option is acquired during the off-season.

 

[Benchwarmers]

Here's some more to comment on. Thanks JB for your comments

Leon Williams LB Cleveland

Juqua D. Thomas DE Eagles but will be FA

 

[TheGreatest]

Here's some more to comment on. Thanks JB for your commentsLeon Williams LB ClevelandJuqua D. Thomas DE Eagles but will be FA

I like Leon Williams to win a starting gig next year. Whether or not its taking over for W. McGinest outside or else taking a spot away from one of the insiders D. Jackson & A. Davis. He is big, athletic, and fast. He could be a definite impact player next year. I would stash him away in deeper leagues.

 

[DocNiner52]

The 9ers have plenty of cap room so I'm hoping they explore the possibility of getting D.J.Hackett. I think he'd surely be better than Antonio Bryant. Looks like the big draw for FA receivers could be Donte Stallworth. He'd be fine too but God I hope they wouldn't spend a huge amount to get him, which some teams may be willing to do. I think he's gonna be overpaid for wherever he goes. I'd rather settle for Hackett.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Here's some more to comment on. Thanks JB for your commentsLeon Williams LB ClevelandJuqua D. Thomas DE Eagles but will be FA

I like Leon Williams to win a starting gig next year. Whether or not its taking over for W. McGinest outside or else taking a spot away from one of the insiders D. Jackson & A. Davis. He is big, athletic, and fast. He could be a definite impact player next year. I would stash him away in deeper leagues.

I like Williams as a player too, but it sounds like he'll get stuck at the LOLB position if he starts in 2007. That won't leave much value for him. Davis got a pretty nice extension recently and Jackson should be a fine player long term. It's possible that Williams an inside linebacker job next season. If he does, it'll shake up the value of all three guys significantly.Thomas is interesting. I don't know that he'd thrive outside of a rotation like the one he was in with the Eagles this year, especially since he's unlikely to be a major contributor in run support. Still, if he ends up signing elsewhere and is given a starting job his pass rush capability makes him a sleeper candidate, especially in big play scoring systems.

 

[TheGreatest]

I would like to get some thoughts on these guys possible impact next year......

Offense

D. Williams (Bal)

D. Carter (Car)

D. Williams (Davis) (Hou)

G. Jones (Jax)

M. Pittman (TB)

Defense

R. Hayward (Jax)

R. Edwards (Min)

G. Blue (Min)

Y. Bell (Mia)

A. Smith (Pit)

V. Fox (Was)

 

[lord_helmet]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Keith Lewis a soon to be UFA ? If he is re-signed I think he'll be a pretty good DB option for next season, they might even move him to SS

 

[Patoons]

J. Gaffney (NE) - Looked solid in the playoffs, Brady seems to like him

M.Stovall (TB) - If they do not draft C.Johnson - little other options in TB - he's got a solid frame and is a big target they need

B.Marshall (DEN) - Looks like he should be solid - him and Cutler look to have chemistry

A.Battle (SF) - Started coming on this season - He'll never be a #1 WR - I think they need a better #1 than Bryant and Battle should thrive.

B.Calhoun (DET) - As much as people are back on the K.Jones, I think this guy could be great in that offense - the injury this year hurt his shot - he would have gotten some nice starter time - may be a year too early on this

T.Jackson (MIN) - Impressed me with his arm strength - needs to make better decisions - maybe it's refined with some more time practicing with the first unit / mini-camps

Agree on Drew Carter.

ETA: I see you weren't asking for our own.

Mike Anderson RB Ravens - I see them going draft with RB - or will give Musa/Daniels a shot - Don't see him having much impact

D.J. Hackett WR Seahawks - Solid - only problem is that it's a crowded WR corp - Needs to wait til Djax or Branch leave town to reach potential

Rod Smith WR Broncos - See above - I think Marshall takes over this year - Smith has run his course

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

You guys might want to check out the end of year Dynasty Watches, we covered 130 guys and their forward looking prospects.

I remember Hackett, let me find his....

 

[Bri]

Jim Sanders either made a big play or gave one up. I don't imagine BB will have much patience for that. Artrell Hawkins was OK in spots. IIRC Tebucky Jones and Mel Mitchell are still Pats.

I didn't see anything good from Eric Alexander against the Colts.

Rod Smith is 90, it'll depend how late he's available in drafts.

Hackett has been an up N comer for a while now. I'm not sure if he's taken the next step toward becoming a very dependable option. Not many #3s are worth your time in FF unless the QB has a very high amount of faith in the player. Most of their catch opportunities will be third and long.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

From the third Dynasty Watch in the postseason:

D.J. Hackett, WR, Seattle Seahawks (Weeks 7, 16)



Accomplishments - D.J. Hackett caught 47 passes on 65 targets for 610 yards and four touchdowns this past season, solid numbers for a guy who wasn't even the #4 option at the beginning of the year. Hackett worked his way into the lineup once openings started to present themselves via injuries, then he took advantage of his opportunities. The fact that he caught over 70% of his targets is worth noting on a team that had multiple issues with dropped passes by wide receivers over the past two seasons.

Dynasty Watch Reasons, then and now - Seattle once again started to experience the loss of wide receivers to injury, as both Bobby Engram went down with a thyroid problem early in the year, and then Darrell Jackson had health problems late in the year. With Hackett's rapport with QB Seneca Wallace, he started to perform well in the second half of the year and then built upon that momentum for the rest of the way once Matt Hasselbeck returned from his injuries.

Future prospects (2007 and beyond) - Hackett is a restricted free agent for Seattle, but in all likelihood he will be playing in the Emerald City once again next year. With both Deon Branch and Darrell Jackson in front of him, Hackett seems destined to be no better than the #3 WR in Seattle for 2007. The Seahawks also still have Nate Burleson, but Bobby Engram's contract is up and there are questions as to whether Seattle will bring him back. Both QBs for Seattle saw what Hackett could do and targeted him often in the second half of 2006, so look for Hackett's role to increase in 2007 and 2008.

Three of four have been posted. Check out the Dynasty Watch Year End Recaps for more.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Keith Lewis a soon to be UFA ? If he is re-signed I think he'll be a pretty good DB option for next season, they might even move him to SS

You're correct. He's an UFA now. My same concerns hold whether he plays SS or FS in San Francisco. With some bigger names available -- Michael Lewis, Ken Hamlin, Adam Archuleta (probably) -- I think he's probably likely to stay in SF.

 

[Jene Bramel]

I would like to get some thoughts on these guys possible impact next year......

Offense

D. Williams (Bal)

D. Carter (Car)

D. Williams (Davis) (Hou)

G. Jones (Jax)

M. Pittman (TB)

Defense

R. Hayward (Jax)

R. Edwards (Min)

G. Blue (Min)

Y. Bell (Mia)

A. Smith (Pit)

V. Fox (Was)

Reggie Hayward -- Even if Hayward recovers fully from the Achilles tear, he's not a great bet to run up double digit sacks. Since he's nothing special in run support, he's a depth option only unless you play in a sack heavy league. The Achilles tear could be an issue for him. Many, even professional athletes with superior training and rehab, struggle to regain form. Hayward's best attributes were a pretty good first step and power rush, which he may not fully recover.Ray Edwards -- I like Edwards a lot. He showed some good potential as a two way end during the season and at times looked the the Vikings' best pass rusher. Still, despite the injuries to Erasmus James and Darrion Scott (briefly) and the ineffectiveness of Kenechi Udeze, he didn't get much playing time. Certainly a guy to keep an eye on.

Greg Blue -- Blue is interesting. His scouting reports suggested that he'd be a poor fit as a safety in a Cover-2 heavy scheme, knocking him for poor instincts in zone coverage. He wasn't anything special when he filled in for Dwight Smith in a couple games, but looked better than expected. Off-season rumblings suggest that both Dwight Smith and Darren Sharper will be back in 2007, but the new DC could change that, especially if the hire plays a more traditional 4-3 and likes to use a safety in-the-box. Blue could have sneaky good value if things break right for him.

Yeremiah Bell -- Sounds like the Dolphins will keep many of the same schemes with Capers "re-hired" as the defensive coordinator. Bell has solid value in that system as a guy who'll support the run with some big play ability in coverage as well. He may be inconsistent depending on the matchup, but should finish in DB3 range. I'm not too concerned with Jason Allen bumping Bell either.

Anthony Smith -- I like Smith a lot as a player. As FS next to a guy like Polamalu, though, in a 3-4 defense or in a future Tampa-2 scheme won't have elite IDP value. His ceiling probably isn't much higher than Chris Hope's production in 2005.

Vernon Fox -- I'm probably going to come down on the bearish side on Fox after the free agency period. It's possible he could sign someplace where he'll have good value, but he's really just a journeyman undrafted free agent guy who isn't anything special. He was in the right place at the right time in Washington. Adam Archuleta was made a scapegoat for his relatively poor coverage ability, then Troy Vincent got hurt. Fox played well enough and the Redskins may re-sign him because of his special teams play, but he's unlikely to be seen as a long-term answer at safety. From an IDP standpoint, he's probably a decent DB3 if he plays a lot of run support. Since that's not a given with Sean Taylor around and his future value is still in question, he's a risky guy to be counting on for now.

 

[TheGreatest]

Outstanding review Jene. Thanks!

 

[Rick Blaine]

LB James Anderson, CAR ???

Thanks in advance!

 

[Rick Blaine]

LB Michael Boley, ATL

Thanks again!

 

[Jene Bramel]

LB James Anderson, CAR ???

Thanks in advance!

LB Michael Boley, ATL

Thanks again!

Oh, I'll go all day. Place settings, candlesticks, crystal stemware...Seriously though, while I'm happy to talk IDPs in this thread, there are a bunch of others in the IDP Forum who have thoughts as good or better than I. And more opinions are always better. Feel free to start up another stream-of-consciousness thread over there.

Anyway, Rick, there are a couple of very good threads on young LBs (here's one) from last month and earlier. Anderson and Boley were discussed among many others and it's a good read if you haven't seen them already.

James Anderson -- Almost certainly gets a starting role next year and, depending on whether the Panthers bring in some real talent at LB, could be a very good option in 2007. Chris Draft, Na'il Diggs, and Adam Seward are replacement level talent. Dan Morgan is, well, Dan Morgan. Anderson probably lands at the Will, but the Panthers thought enough of him to play him at SLB when Thomas Davis got dinged mid-season. In my mind, that suggests they see him as a versatile option and that him seeing time at MLB isn't out of the question. He'd have great value in the middle. It's also very possible he could have Will Witherspoon value at WLB if a guy like Chris Draft is the final answer at MLB.

Michael Boley -- Boley's a tough call right now. New DC Mike Zimmer loves quick sideline-to-sideline talent regardless of size (in his Dallas 4-3 days he was successfully running Dat Nguyen and Dexter Coakley out there) and Boley fits that bill. Problem is, Boley has been so successful at SLB over the past year and a half that he may be pigeonholed in that role. Which, despite his three down role, leaves Boley an inconsistent future option. Since the coaching staff has changed, there's a small possibility that Boley could end up in the middle when Hartwell is benched (which I think is inevitable with this staff) so he's worth watching closely this off-season. Still, it's much more likely that Demorrio Williams moves into the Will spot with Keith Brooking shifting to the middle so Boley's value will probably stay about the same.

 

[Rick Blaine]

LB James Anderson, CAR ???

Thanks in advance!

LB Michael Boley, ATL

Thanks again!

Oh, I'll go all day. Place settings, candlesticks, crystal stemware...Seriously though, while I'm happy to talk IDPs in this thread, there are a bunch of others in the IDP Forum who have thoughts as good or better than I. And more opinions are always better. Feel free to start up another stream-of-consciousness thread over there.

Anyway, Rick, there are a couple of very good threads on young LBs (here's one) from last month and earlier. Anderson and Boley were discussed among many others and it's a good read if you haven't seen them already.

James Anderson -- Almost certainly gets a starting role next year and, depending on whether the Panthers bring in some real talent at LB, could be a very good option in 2007. Chris Draft, Na'il Diggs, and Adam Seward are replacement level talent. Dan Morgan is, well, Dan Morgan. Anderson probably lands at the Will, but the Panthers thought enough of him to play him at SLB when Thomas Davis got dinged mid-season. In my mind, that suggests they see him as a versatile option and that him seeing time at MLB isn't out of the question. He'd have great value in the middle. It's also very possible he could have Will Witherspoon value at WLB if a guy like Chris Draft is the final answer at MLB.

Michael Boley -- Boley's a tough call right now. New DC Mike Zimmer loves quick sideline-to-sideline talent regardless of size (in his Dallas 4-3 days he was successfully running Dat Nguyen and Dexter Coakley out there) and Boley fits that bill. Problem is, Boley has been so successful at SLB over the past year and a half that he may be pigeonholed in that role. Which, despite his three down role, leaves Boley an inconsistent future option. Since the coaching staff has changed, there's a small possibility that Boley could end up in the middle when Hartwell is benched (which I think is inevitable with this staff) so he's worth watching closely this off-season. Still, it's much more likely that Demorrio Williams moves into the Will spot with Keith Brooking shifting to the middle so Boley's value will probably stay about the same.

Thanks Jene! And sorry to hijack.