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Posted by Bill in Fantasy Advice on Apr 20th 2009 (Print This)
The tour of all 32 NFL teams continues today with visits with two playoff teams in 08. Our first stop brings us to the Super Bowl runner ups the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals are still dealing with the huge distraction that is WR Anquan Boldin. In Baltimore the Ravens look to rebuild on the defensive side of the ball. The defection of their Defensive Coordinator, and players favorite Rex Ryan and LB Bart Scott could effect the entire team. At Fantasy Brothers we look forward to hearing your questions and comments.
NFL TEAM: ARIZONA CARDINALS
MOVES THAT MATTER: The Cards resigned QB Kurt Warner after briefly flirting with San Francisco…. Warner returns to a team that has some questions on the offensive side of the ball…. The biggest question continues to be the status of WR Anquan Boldin….. Boldin pouted in the NFC championship game and was more concerned about his self than the team….. The Cards were able to put the distraction aside for the Super Bowl…. Boldin continues to ask for a trade and that may happen in the near future as the NFL Draft is only a few weeks away…. The future of RB Edgerrin James remains clouded as Edge could become a salary cap casualty…. RB Tim Hightower doesn’t look to be the answer as a number one back…. Look for Arizona to draft a running back early, and if Boldin gets moved the Cards will probably draft a WR in the first day of the draft…. WR Early Doucet, and WR Jerheme Urban played well when filling in for Boldin…. TE Leonard Pope was resigned to a one year contract…. Pope has continued to disappoint all with his numbers…. Pope has the size and speed to become a viable option in the Cards offense but continues to struggle.
FANTASY IMPACT: QB Kurt Warner had a fantastic season and was easily a top 5 QB…. You probably won you your league if you drafted Warner late or picked up on waivers first…. Warner was drafted very late in most drafts because QB Matt Leinart was given the starting job heading into Training camp…. Can Warner at 37 reproduce similar numbers even with out Boldin opposite WR Larry Fitzgerald? WR Larry Fitzgerald and WR Anquan Boldin both had stellar seasons ranking 1 and 5 (Boldin missed 3 games) in Fantasy rankings respectively. Fantasy owners will watch the Boldin situation carefully though the chances of Anquan remaining a Card are slim and none…. If Boldin goes does Fitz’s numbers suffer? Can WR Steve Breaston step up as Boldins replacement and put up similar numbers on a full time basis? Does WR Jerheme Urban become the next great Cards slot man? Or will Arizona look to WR Early Doucet who looks like he was built to play the slot…. RB Tim Hightower will enter the training camp as the number one back, no matter how the James situation gets resolved…. Hightower was the goaline back accruing 10 rushing TDs, the upside to Hightower is during the playoffs Hightower caught 2 td passes and will look to improve his versatility in 09….
DRAFT PROJECTION: RB Knowshon Moreno, RB LeSean McCoy
NFL TEAM: BALTIMORE RAVENS
MOVES THAT MATTER: The biggest off season moves for the Ravens have been on the defensive side of the ball…. The defense last year allowed the Ravens to keep ball games close and allow their rookie QB Joe Flacco to manage games…. Baltimore will return their three-headed monster of RB LeRon McClain Willis McGahee, and Ray Rice…. McClain will head into training camp looking to secure his hold on the starting spot…. The ageless WR Derrick Mason who has started every game since 2003 continues to lead the receiving corps…. The Ravens signed oft injured TE L.J. Smith as insurance to back up the oft-injured TE Todd Heap become one of the most unintentional comedy situations heading into 09
FANTASY IMPACT: QB Joe Flacco can easily improve on his numbers this year…. If the defense is suspect Flacco will probably have to throw more, that could be a good thing…. The depth at receiver is suspect…. WR Derrick Mason continues to defy mother nature even at 35 and is always a late round steal…. WR Mark Clayton’s numbers have been putrid the last two seasons for a starting WR…. Look for an early draft choice at receiver in the NFL Draft….Here is to hoping that the Ravens, and fantasy owners will be allowed to some how combine Heap and Smith and get a full year of production out of the TEs….The splitting carries method brought Baltimore to the playoffs, but if you drafted McGahee early chances are you didn’t make your playoffs….McGahee’s early injuries cost him his job and McClain got stronger as the year went on making him the waiver wire hero…. Don’t be surprised if McGahee is jettisoned before the season starts….RB Ray Rice will never be asked to carry the load unless there is an injury to the other backs, but their is upside to him in a PPR league.
DRAFT PROJECTION: OLB Brian Cushing, WR Kenny Britt, Percy Harvin, OLB Clay Matthews
This weekend we make stops in New Orleans, and Philadelphia