FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT KIT

No analysis available.

Lewis will fight with Galloway for playing time as the #3 receiver but there is no reason to expect fantasy significance from either player. Even in the best case Lewis would be inconsistent and unproductive.

(-Risk) The Browns used their 2.04 pick in the draft to snag the Ohio State star and so far the returns appear to be very good. His college career produced 127 receptions for 1866 yards and 24 touchdowns and he brings a tall 6-2 frame with long arms and very soft hands. Robiskie can make the tough catches over the middle and is a polished receiver that was considered as NFL-ready as any other rookie wideout. He’s already wowed the coaching staff with his catches and route running and there was already talk in the offseason of Robiskie inheriting the #2 spot across from Braylon Edwards.

In a redraft league, consider Robiskie’s value as being not fantasy relevant and short of a tremendous training camp (which cannot be ruled out). In a dynasty league, he should be far more valuable since he has Edwards on the other side to attract attention and can gain chemistry with Brady Quinn as he too learns the NFL game.

Northcutt is no youngster at 32 but he hangs onto his spot as the slot receiver and can always jump up and play either starting position when necessary. These last three years have seen him consistently turn in around 550 yards, 45 catches and a couple of scores. No reason to expect anything less and if Mike Walker doesn’t stay healthy, Northcutt could end up the flanker once again.

06-27-09 Update: Northcutt was traded to the Lions where he'll play special teams and just add depth.

(-Risk) Branch enters his fourth season in Seattle but his first three have been disappointments that always end with injury. He missed eight games last year and was limited to 30 catches for 412 yards. Even his first season in Seattle missed two weeks and every season has resulted in exactly four touchdowns. Branch may play split end across from Houshmandzadeh but he is coming off a knee scope in the offseason and missed all the spring work. Barring a trade, expect Branch to disappoint once again while offering just enough decent play to keep him on someone’s fantasy roster.

Burton is in the mix to be a starter this year after a rookie season with 13 catches for 172 yards because the Rams just have no depth. He’ll be competing with Laurent Robinson to be the #2 receiver and early expectations are that he’ll likely secure it by week one. Burton has no vested experience though since the offense is changing and Robinson has far more experience in his two seasons so it is no given that Burton starts. Track it during training camp but know regardless the #2 in St. Louis may never be worthy of a fantasy start this season.

The sixth-round pick out of Mount Union had a minimal rookie season with only four catches for 23 yards but has been singled out for looking much improved in minicamps this offseason. Garcon will compete with Roy Hall and rookie Austin Collie for the slot role this year and may have an inside track on week one but smart money says that Collie takes it away at some point this year. Training camp will unravel this though the slot has not been very productive in recent years since the Colts go to fewer three wideout sets.

Curtis underwent groin surgery in the offseason and is expected to be ready for training camp. It was a follow-up procedure on his sports hernia from last year. But the addition of Jeremy Maclin this year should see Curtis lose his job as starting split end and that could happen as early as well one depending on training camp. There is little reason to ever draft Curtis who had his one moment of glory back in 2007 thanks only to a couple of monster games. Maclin is the one to own here and Curtis may return to just be the speedy guy running down the sideline a few times per game.

Wallace was the 3.20 pick by the Steelers this year and OC Bruce Arians says that he will be in the mix for the #3 receiver job. That’s more a statement against Limas Sweed than for Wallace. The Mississippi wideout has run a 4.30/40 before and is a bit lanky at 6-0 and 180 pounds. It is worth a watch in training camp but expect Sweed to win the job and Wallace to use 2008 as a learning year.

No reason to expect more than the standard 400 to 500 yards per season that Reed invariably produces, If anything, he will see a reduced role now that Terrell Owens has arrived and pushed Reed to a slot role. His mediocre season average will be hard enough to meet this year.

(-Risk) (+Upside) The 49ers made Crabtree the second wide receiver drafted this year when they spent their 1.10 pick on the Texas Tech star (thanks to Al Davis’ advancing dementia taking Darius Heyward-Bey). Crabtree required foot surgery early in the preseason but his productivity in college was undeniable; his gaudy stats and back-to-back Biletnikoff Awards are testament to that. He has good size, though he measured a little shorter than expected at the Combine, and he’s strong and physical much like Anquan Boldin. Crabtree’s ball skills are legendary, as he consistently battled double coverage and came away with the football. His hands are excellent—Crabtree caught 94 percent of passes thrown to him and he has both the strength to break tackles and the elusiveness to avoid them once he makes the grab.

The only question is when will Crabtree become the starting split end? He’s fallen behind a bit because of the foot injury rehab and has to learn a new offense along with the rest of the team. No doubt Crabtree will be considered for slot work at a minimum but training camp will be needed to determine what his role will be on week one. His talent will be evident soon enough but he has ground to make up quickly in camp. A definite watch this summer and in dynasty leagues an obvious pick that eluded Al Davis but should not get past you.

08-08-09 Update: Michael Crabtree says he's willing to sit out the entire year and re-enter the 2010 draft. He's missing crucial camp time right now that sets him back in the best case scenario.

08-28-09 Update: Crabtree actually may sit out the 2009 NFL season and he just about might as well since he has missed all the camp anyway. He's dropping like a rock even in a dynasty league draft.

09-04-09 Update: Yeah, you show him who the man is, Mike. He's already effectively thrown away the 2009 season anyway so sitting out won't do him any more harm until next year when he is no longer the 10th pick wanting to be paid like he is #5. Benson poisoned his career in Chicago. If Crabtree holds out all year, he's going to poison his NFL career.

No analysis available.

Obomanu has fully recovered from the broken clavicle he suffered in the 2008 preseason and will contend for at least slot work this year. He’ll have to beat out third round pick Deon Butler but likely will for at least the start of the season. No reason to draft Obomanu and all he can really do this year is delay Deon Butler from playing.

Smith enters his fourth season but has never had more than 32 catches for 325 yards and will struggle to do that well in 2009 as the #4 wideout on a team with a rookie quarterback.

No analysis available.

(+Upside) The ex-Sooner was drafted with the 3.35 pick and while he was just the 15th wideout taken in April, there is a decent chance we’ll get to see him play as a rookie. Iglesias is not blessed with top speed and only ran a 4.5 at the combine so he’s not considered a deep threat but at 6-0, 210 pounds he has enough size to work the middle of the field as he did in college. While perhaps he wasn’t the most heralded receiver in the draft, at least Iglesias has landed in perhaps as opportune as any place in the NFL. The Bears have added Jay Cutler and yet done little else to improve upon one of the least productive passing attacks last season. That means a nice opportunity to grow along with Cutler and he’s already shined in mini-camp. The intention is that he will contend for and hopefully win the slot position. Granted – that hardly held much promise in Chicago in the past but Cutler has never played there. Keep an eye on Iglesias this summer and bump him up in your dynasty league rankings.

The Bengals third round pick last year didn’t do much with just 11 catches but neither did any other receivers once Palmer was gone. Caldwell is still a year away from having fantasy value if he even does then. Worth tracking for the future if Ochocinco does actually leave. Caldwell will play special teams but also has Jerome Simpson to contend with for playing time.

Williams projects to be the Lions’ primary kick returner and could also see some looks in any Wildcat formations Detroit adds, given his experience in that role at Penn State. He may also challenge Ronald Curry for playing time as the slot receiver, though in the Lions’ new offense that role hardly sets up to be a breeding ground for fantasy success. The scouts’ knock on Williams is primarily that he never lived up to his potential in college, though subpar quarterback play may have contributed to his subdued stats. While that shouldn’t be a problem in Detroit (for the first time in a long time) there just doesn’t appear to be much of an opportunity for Williams to have much if any fantasy impact right out of the gate.

Parrish will see his offensive role reduced this year with Owens inserted into the depth chart. He has no fantasy value other than a special teamer since he has scored on a punt return for three straight years. Parrish may see some work in the slot this year.

Hardy is on the active/PUP list and may enter the season by missing the first six games. He hands off in all but deep dynasty leagues.

The Denver Broncos tried to snag the restricted free agent Anderson during the offseason but the Texans matched the three-year $4.5 million deal to keep him in Houston. That will ensure that Anderson still plays on special teams and likely plays the slot role that is rarely used in this offense. The fourth year player had a career year but still only managed 19 catches for 241 yards and two scores in 2008. That should increase but only marginally this year.

Stovall battled injuries for much of last year and still has a back problem during the offseason. Stovall will compete along with Dexter Jackson for the slot but the new offense won’t often need that position. No fantasy value here.

A disappointing rookie year left the LSU star with only 14 catches for 90 yards and still no NFL touchdown to his credit. With Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston on the roster, Doucet never got much chance to show what he could do. Expect Doucet to battle with Jerheme Urban for the #4 spot but Doucet is still worth watching regardless. His progress is slow so far but he still could show up this year or next.

Finneran should be back for another season but at the age of 33, his already mediocre skills are starting to diminish and after years of catching just two scores per season, he only managed one touchdown in 2008 and only 21 catches for a paltry 8.0 yard per catch average. Leave him alone from now on.

Gaffney will try to make the team and hope for the slot but he’s likely to be no better than a #4 in this offense and that has no fantasy value.

No analysis available.

(-Risk) Davis underwent surgery on his abdomen and groin at the end of last season and the first round pick from 2007 has been constantly injured and a complete nonfactor so far. Watch him in the offseason to see if he can wrest the #3 spot from Malcolm Floyd but so far nothing he has done indicates he will do anything more than get injured.

Look for the third year player to mainly focus on his special teams role where he scored on two punt returns last year. Barring catastrophic injuries to other players, Jones has no fantasy value.

Moss will likely see time as the slot receiver and should hold off Mario Manningham for a position that has not meant much in fantasy terms for the Giants. Three seasons in New York have only produced two career touchdowns and never more than 21 catches in a year. Moss will figure in but not enough for fantasy merit.