Player Spotlight: Derrick Mason (1 Viewer)

[Jason Wood]

2006 Player Spotlight Series

Over the course of the offseason, we will be evaluating a multitude of players at every fantasy position. One such way we go about that is through the Player Spotlight series. Think of the Spotlights as a permanent record on some of the more intriguing players for the upcoming season. Each Spotlight will be featured in an article on the main website.

Thread Topic: Derrick Mason, WR, Baltimore Ravens

Player Page Link: Derrick Mason Player Page

Each article will include:

Detailed viewpoint from a Footballguys staff member
Highlighted member commentary from the message board threads
FBG Projections
Consensus Member ProjectionsThe Rules

In order for this thread to provide sustainable value, we ask that you follow a few simple guidelines:

Focus commentary on the player in question, and your expectations for said player
Back up your expectations in whatever manner you deem appropriate; avoid posts that simply say "I hate him" or "He's the best"
To be included in the final synopsis and consensus outlook, you MUST provide projections for the playerProjections should include (at a minimum):

For QBs: Passing Yards, Passing TDs, Ints, Rush Yards, Rush TDs
For RBs: Rushes, Rushing Yards, Rush TDs, Receptions, Receiving Yards, Receiving TDs
For WRs & TEs: Receptions, Receiving Yards, Receiving TDsBest of Luck and ENJOY!

 

[oswizzle]

80 rec 1100 Yds 8 tds

 

[Bankerguy]

I love the McNair signing for Baltimore and for Mason. These two have history and great chemistry. They have a coach who is not scared to throw the ball and a running game that makes you want to throw the ball.

Mason= sleeper.

85

1050

8

 

[Deuce'sWild]

Heap is still the #1 redzone option. I don't see Mason getting 8tds, but I like him for 1050 yards and 6-7 tds.

McNair's injury history scares me...but if he can stay healthy I like the chemistry.

McNair has looked TE for much of his career, so if anyone gets 8tds it may be Heap.

 

[joffer]

an interesting WR. You'd think McNair being in Baltimore would definitely help him, but how many games will McNair play?

He's not really a deep threat anymore, or much of a red zone threat, but he's about as consistent as it gets, and in a ppr league, he'll be a solid WR2.

81/1014/5

 

[jerseyh8r]

As others, I believe a healthy McNair helps Mason tremendously.

79-1020-6 if Boller can saty off the field.

 

[Musesboy]

Derrick Mason impressed me last year. Not only did he change teams, he went to a team with one of the weakest passing games in the league. Kyle Boller had improved the previous year, but he had still only posted 2559 passing yards and 13 TDs. Boller ended up getting hurt again in 2005 and Anthony Wright had to start seven games.

Mason was already facing the challenge of learning a new offense, and I believe he did extremely well to achieve as much as he did with the QBs he had to play with. Mason caught 86 passes for 1073 yards. Unfortunately, he only converted three of those receptions into TDs or he would have pushed for a top 15 fantasy finish. I was high on Mason this year before they signed Steve McNair.

The addition of McNair should lift the passing game even more. It's a nice bonus that McNair and Mason played together for eight seasons while in Tennessee. The running game should be improved as Jamal Lewis will have a full preseason to get ready this year and Mike Anderson is waiting to take over should Lewis falter.

The Ravens could actually have a very strong offense with Clayton looking good at the end of last season and Todd Heap ready to play at his best again. Those two alternative options in the passing game will probably prevent Mason from posting the 90+ receptions he enjoyed in his last two seasons in Tennessee, but I think he will do well again.

Prediction

80 receptions 1040 yards 6 TDs

 

[fruity pebbles]

90 catches 1150 yards 6 TDs

 

[Force]

Derrick Mason impressed me last year. Not only did he change teams, he went to a team with one of the weakest passing games in the league. Kyle Boller had improved the previous year, but he had still only posted 2559 passing yards and 13 TDs. Boller ended up getting hurt again in 2005 and Anthony Wright had to start seven games.

Mason was already facing the challenge of learning a new offense, and I believe he did extremely well to achieve as much as he did with the QBs he had to play with. Mason caught 86 passes for 1073 yards. Unfortunately, he only converted three of those receptions into TDs or he would have pushed for a top 15 fantasy finish. I was high on Mason this year before they signed Steve McNair.

The addition of McNair should lift the passing game even more. It's a nice bonus that McNair and Mason played together for eight seasons while in Tennessee. The running game should be improved as Jamal Lewis will have a full preseason to get ready this year and Mike Anderson is waiting to take over should Lewis falter.

The Ravens could actually have a very strong offense with Clayton looking good at the end of last season and Todd Heap ready to play at his best again. Those two alternative options in the passing game will probably prevent Mason from posting the 90+ receptions he enjoyed in his last two seasons in Tennessee, but I think he will do well again.

Prediction

80 receptions 1040 yards 6 TDs

Mason has been one of the most consistent receivers the last five years.

90 / 1100 / 6

 

[CalBear]

I am not one who believes that McNair's signing in Baltimore will bring back the magic that sent both Mason and McNair to the Pro Bowl in 2003. McNair has played quite poorly in the past two years, and now having only two months to pick up a new offense will not put him in a good position to excel. It's very possible that the situation will wind up like Brunell's signing with Washington, where the incumbent young QB was expected to be shelved, but instead winds up competing for the job as the big-name free agent fails to impress.

But the QB drama won't matter that much to Derrick Mason, who is a solid receiver and a consummate professional. The Baltimore passing game was slated to be in better shape even before McNair arrived, and Mason can expect a return to his traditional production, whether Boller or McNair is behind center.

I think McNair will lean a bit more towards Mason than Heap based on previous history; if Boller starts for any length of time, bump Mason's numbers down a bit from these projections, but still above last year's totals:

90 receptions, 1150 yards, 7 TD. Good for approximately WR#12. An excellent value as Mason is currently being selected as WR22.

 

[rzrback77]

Derrick Mason is an awesome possession receiver. He has been extremely consistent over a long period. Consider his stats:

2000 63 for 895 and 5 TDs with McNair

2001 73 for 1128 and 9 TDs with McNair

2002 79 for 1012 and 5 TDs with McNair

2003 95 for 1303 and 8 TDs with McNair

2004 96 for 1168 and 7 TDs with McNair and Volek

2005 86 for 1073 and 3 TDs with Boller

I think that the Ravens were trending upward with their passing offense last year and will continue that in 06, whether McNair stays healthy or Boller replaces him. With Mark Clayton coming on and if Todd Heap can stay healthy, the pieces are all in place for some serious damage through the air. Heap and Clayton will minimize the double teams on Mason and he will have another big year.

90 catches for 1120 yards and 7 TDs.

Current ADP is 62 and WR 22 while projected at WR 20 and I think that he can better that. Good value on draft day.

 

[nygiants56]

95-1200-9

a few things McNair has in Baltimore that he didn't have in Tenn the past two seasons: a better o-line and a better group of WR's /TE's..

The Ravens also have a better defense than Tennessee had, so they should be able to stop opponents more frequently, allowing McNair to have more possessions to work with..

 

[Cool in the pocket]

95-1200-9

a few things McNair has in Baltimore that he didn't have in Tenn the past two seasons: a better o-line and a better group of WR's /TE's..

The Ravens also have a better defense than Tennessee had, so they should be able to stop opponents more frequently, allowing McNair to have more possessions to work with..

I think the above projections are a little lofty for sure. A better O-line and better D could also translate into more running and clock control. There can be no doubt that McNair is an upgrade over Boller and he has built in chemistry with Mason, but he is subject to the injury bug. I think Mason's real value lies in PPR leagues--the TD's may be a little tougher to come by with a strong redzone option like Heap, but he will haul in a ton of passes. Clayton was developing nicely at the end of last year as well and even though it may take time to develop chemistry with McNair, he isn't going to fall off the map either. I think the Ravens D & Jam/MA will dictate which offense we will see. If they return to a top unit and stifle opposing O's regularly and Jam/Ma are decent, McNair won't have to air it out, he can run a balanced, controlled attack. McNair will bring the ability to win a game through the air O, I'm just not sure he'll need to. Mason will still get his catches and decent yards though and if his ADP stands, will be solid value on draft day.82 rec 950 yards, 5 TD's

 

[jdoggydogg]

Derrick Mason is one of the most underrated WR in the league. Mason is still one of the best route-runners in the NFL, and he has great hands.

On a weak Baltimore passing team in 2005, Mason posted a solid 86 rec. and 1073 yards. These numbers were earned with a QB in Kyle Boller who hasn't proven to me that he is a legitimate starting NFL passer. Steve McNair isn't the McNair from 2003, but most would agree that McNair is a substantial upgrade over the underachieving Boller.

In 2003 and 2004, McNair and Mason hooked up for great numbers:

2003 - 95 rec. 1303 yards 8 TD

2004 - 96 rec. 1168 yards 7 TD

Certainly, time has passed since those numbers. However, Mason will pick up where he left off in 2004 and continue to get open for McNair.

Prediction:

89 receptions 1100 yards 7 TD

 

[Evilgrin 72]

I, like many others, don't see an explosion for Mason, but he's been very reliable in terms of receptions, is only 30 years old, and has a rapport with new Ravens' QB Steve McNair. I expect a slight uptick in his receptions and yards due to McNair's increased familiarity with Mason as opposed to the other receivers, and an increase in TDs, as McNair is virtually guaranteed to engineer more scoring drives than the incredibly inconsistent Kyle Boller.

92 catches 1136 yards 7 TD

Will be a very servicable #2 or an excellent #3 with an ADP in round 6. Value.

 

[mlball77]

Although I think McNair may lock onto Mason a bit early due to their history together, I think that McNair is smart enough to move the ball around and get both Heap and Clayton involved a lot. Basically, I see the ball being spread around quite a bit between Baltimore's main three receiving threats.

Recs: 71

Rec Yds: 900

Rec TDs: 5

 

[Bri]

Derrick Mason has averaged 85 catches for 1136 yards with 6 TDs over the last 5 years. 4 years with McNair, 1 year without. Last year, his stats were "off" a little bit from his average but not much at all at 86 catches for 1073 yards and 3 TDs. 3 touchdowns is low but "all in all" a very standard type Derrick Mason season.

I project 85 catches 1136 yards with 6 TDs. His average over the last 5 years just fits too perfectly so I'll roll with that. Steve McNair is a fine QB but in my opinion Derrick is "a pro's pro" and would put up the same stats anywhere. I don't think Steve McNair improves his stats dramatically.

Some might say the two of them have a repoire and while that's true, defenses are well aware of this and their double coverage and schemes will counteract this positive.

At 31, Derrick gets it done and is a pro's pro

From PFR

| 2001 ten | 15 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 73 1128 15.5 9 |

| 2002 ten | 14 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 79 1012 12.8 5 |

| 2003 ten | 16 | 3 11 3.7 0 | 95 1303 13.7 8 |

| 2004 ten | 16 | 1 -3 -3.0 0 | 96 1168 12.2 7 |

| 2005 bal | 16 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 86 1073 12.5 3 |

 

[losgalacticos]

I think Mark Clayton will be better than many think, and McNair will realize he is flying open a lot, and he will not be able to ignore him. The Mason decrease I predict is not terrible, but I think Clayton will be closer than most expect.

So Mason, approx 78-1050-4.

 

[LHUCKS]

Mason's last two year withs McNair:

+--------------------------+-------------------------+ | Rushing | Receiving |+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+| Year TM | G | Att Yards Y/A TD | Rec Yards Y/R TD |+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+| 2003 ten | 16 | 3 11 3.7 0 | 95 1303 13.7 8 || 2004 ten | 16 | 1 -3 -3.0 0 | 96 1168 12.2 7 |+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+90 - 1125 - 7

very low risk with proven reward

 

[Bri]

Mason's last two year withs McNair:

                +--------------------------+-------------------------+                 |          Rushing         |        Receiving        |+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+| Year  TM |   G |   Att  Yards    Y/A   TD |   Rec  Yards   Y/R   TD |+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+| 2003 ten |  16 |     3     11    3.7    0 |    95   1303  13.7    8 || 2004 ten |  16 |     1     -3   -3.0    0 |    96   1168  12.2    7 |+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+90 - 1125 - 7very low risk with proven reward

those were also his career years

 

[Bri]

I think Mark Clayton will be better than many think, and McNair will realize he is flying open a lot, and he will not be able to ignore him. The Mason decrease I predict is not terrible, but I think Clayton will be closer than most expect.

So Mason, approx 78-1050-4.

I've heard some actually compare Clayton to Mason. Think they're similar?

 

[LHUCKS]

Mason's last two year withs McNair:

                +--------------------------+-------------------------+                 |          Rushing         |        Receiving        |+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+| Year  TM |   G |   Att  Yards    Y/A   TD |   Rec  Yards   Y/R   TD |+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+| 2003 ten |  16 |     3     11    3.7    0 |    95   1303  13.7    8 || 2004 ten |  16 |     1     -3   -3.0    0 |    96   1168  12.2    7 |+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+90 - 1125 - 7very low risk with proven reward

those were also his career years

exactly

 

[Musesboy]

Predicted

80 receptions 1040 yards 6 TDs

Actual

68 receptions 750 yards 2 TDs

I didn't foresee this big a drop for Mason and was targeting him in the fifth or sixth round. Luckily, I only got him in one league, and I had Lee Evans rated ahead of him and was able to draft him in others.

mlball77 and Cool in the pocket were the only two to project Mason with less than 1000 yards

Derrick Mason impressed me last year. Not only did he change teams, he went to a team with one of the weakest passing games in the league. Kyle Boller had improved the previous year, but he had still only posted 2559 passing yards and 13 TDs. Boller ended up getting hurt again in 2005 and Anthony Wright had to start seven games.

Mason was already facing the challenge of learning a new offense, and I believe he did extremely well to achieve as much as he did with the QBs he had to play with. Mason caught 86 passes for 1073 yards. Unfortunately, he only converted three of those receptions into TDs or he would have pushed for a top 15 fantasy finish. I was high on Mason this year before they signed Steve McNair.

The addition of McNair should lift the passing game even more. It's a nice bonus that McNair and Mason played together for eight seasons while in Tennessee. The running game should be improved as Jamal Lewis will have a full preseason to get ready this year and Mike Anderson is waiting to take over should Lewis falter.

The Ravens could actually have a very strong offense with Clayton looking good at the end of last season and Todd Heap ready to play at his best again. Those two alternative options in the passing game will probably prevent Mason from posting the 90+ receptions he enjoyed in his last two seasons in Tennessee, but I think he will do well again.

Prediction

80 receptions 1040 yards 6 TDs

 

[Bri]

you're a bumpin madman Muse

 

[Musesboy]

you're a bumpin madman Muse

I was just interested to see how we had done in the spotlight threads that I replied to Had to make myself accountable for my crazy predictions

 

[Slider]

How about a museboy spotlight recap thread?

 

[mlball77]

Wow, one that I was a bit better on than the average poster... I don't think this was the case too often (unfortunately for me).

My numbers were still a bit high, but I bucked the trend of being high on Mason due to his reunion with McNair. I generally called it right when I commented that they may hook up a lot very early, but then McNair would really start spreading the ball around more and specifically using Heap and Clayton.

Mason averaged 9.00 targets per game in the first four weeks and only 5.67 the rest of the way (using stats from FFtoday).

 

[Bri]

you're a bumpin madman Muse

I was just interested to see how we had done in the spotlight threads that I replied to

yeah me tooI was kinda glad you did. Page 1 is a little clutterred with preseason posts but eh whatever, I thought it was interesting.