LestersLegends.com

Written by Eric Stashin of www.rotoprofessor.com

When Glen Coffee suddenly retired, it looked like the 49ers would be left with little behind star running back Frank Gore.  Less then three weeks later, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Not only did they bring Brian Westbrook into the mix, but sixth round pick Anthony Dixon has emerged from obscurity.  While a lot of his impressive preseason statistics came against marginal NFL players, at best, it still is hard to overlook.

He led the NFL with 300 rushing yards (Michael Bennett was second with 236). He led the NFL with four rushing touchdowns.

Then again, he had 20 more carries then any other running back, at 74.  When you have that big of a lead in carries, it’s easy to out rush the competition by such a great margin.

Despite coach Mike Singleton telling Comcast Sports Net California that, “When you have a guy like that, there’s going to be a role”, it’s impossible to think the role is going to be anything too special at this point.

With the options that the team has in front of him, it’s going to take a lot for Dixon to get regular touches.  Granted, Westbrook certainly is an injury risk, but even if he were the primary understudy to Gore would you expect him to develop into usability?

Gore has played in 14 or more games each of the past four years, only once having less then 1,100 yards during that span (1,036 in 2008).  He’s a workhorse, and should remain to be the main man in San Francisco.

Coffee, as the primary backup to Gore in 2009, got just 83 carries for 226 yards and a touchdown (plus 11 catches for 76 yards).

An impressive preseason is nice, but Dixon just isn’t likely to make an impact in 2010.  Don’t bother getting caught up in any attention he may be receiving.  There are much better options that should be available to you.

Keep an eye on him, just in case, but there certainly is no reason to be making a move right now.

What are your thoughts of Dixon?  Is there any chance he develops into a usable option in 2010?  Why or why not?

Make sure to check out Rotoprofessor’s 2010 rankings:

• Top 25 Quarterbacks
• Top 40 Running Backs
• Top 60 Wide Receivers
• Top 20 Tight Ends
• Top 15 Kickers

You can also check out my Week 1 Rankings:
Week 1 QB Rankings
Week 1 RB Rankings
Week 1 WR Rankings
Week 1 TE Rankings
Week 1 K Rankings
Week 1 DEF Rankings
Week 1 IDP Rankings

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A typical fantasy football league consists of 12 teams nine starters (QB, two RBs, three WRs, TE, K, D) and anywhere from five to seven bench players. If you go with the latter bench allotment, you’re looking at 16 roster spots or 192 draft picks. By that definition, any sleeper should have an average draft position about 180 or higher.

Denver Broncos WR Jabar Gaffney doesn’t quite reach the 180 threshold, checking in with a ADP of 170 (61st WR) according to Mock Draft Central. He is, however, undervalued as the Broncos’ number one receiver.

He will not confuse anyone for Brandon Marshall, and in some ways that’s a good thing. He quietly goes about his business. Last year he hauled in 54 passes for 732 yards and 2 TDs. Head Coach Josh McDaniels is comfortable with Gaffney, having brought him over from New England last year.

So far Gaffney has had a productive preseason. He caught two passes for 37 yards in the opener against the Bengals. He followed up with six catches for 98 yards in the second game against Detroit.

The Broncos have several talented young WRs, but they will have growing pains. Eddie Royal is in his third season, but was an utter disappointment last year when many were expecting him to put up Wes Welker numbers. The Broncos drafted rookies Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker, but both have battled foot injuries. Unfortunately Thomas’ injury was an aggravation of a previous foot injury and it is still lingering, while Decker battled multiple injuries in college.

Thomas is the most talented WR on the Broncos, and will eventually take over as the top receiver. I just don’t see that happening this season. When you are adding WR depth late in your draft, don’t be afraid to take an unsexy pick like Jabar Gaffney. You don’t have to be sexy, as long as you’re steady.

What are your thoughts on the Broncos’ WRs?

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The last couple of rounds of fantasy drafts is the time when you take a flier on players that may or may not pan out for you. If they do, great. If they don’t, no sweat. You can pick up someone that plays well in the first couple of weeks of the season. Here are some guys that you can draft in the closing rounds of your fantasy drafts.

Derek Anderson, QB, Arizona Cardinals
Obviously DA will have to win the starting gig from Matt Leinart, but it appears the writing is on the wall as Anderson is starting the Cardinals’ third preseason game.

Kareem Huggins, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It looks like Huggins could win the #2 RB role for the Bucs. I know the backup RB of a team that finished 3-13 isn’t necessarily the most desirable fantasy player, but given Cadillac Williams injury history he could find himself as a lead back.

Anthony Dixon, RB, San Francisco 49ers
I try not to put too much faith in the preseason, but Dixon has looked good. The rookie scored in the first two preseason games, including a nifty four-yard TD run against the Vikings first unit.

Andre Brown, RB, New York Giants
Brown likely took hold of the Giants #3 RB spot when D.J. Ware suffered another concussion. Given Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs’ injury histories, it’s conceivable Brown gets meaningful carries at some point in the season.

Jordan Shipley, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
We all know who the Bengals’ two starting WRs are. Antonio Bryant very well could be cut or inactive (knee). Shipley could win the slot receiver gig from Andre Caldwell, which would put him in line for plenty of looks making him an intriguing PPR option.

Laurent Robinson & Brandon Gibson, WRs, St. Louis Rams
With Donnie Avery (knee) injured, Robinson and Gibson will have a chance to step up and make some plays. Keenan Burton can find himself in the mix, but has less upside.

Greg Camarillo, WR, Minnesota Vikings
Camarillo is better suited for the Vikings’ slot position than Greg Lewis. If he can get open, Brett Favre will get him the ball. He shouldn’t have trouble getting open because of all the attention Percy Harvin, Bernard Berrian, Andrian Peterson, and Visanthe Shiancoe garner.

Louis Murphy, WR, Oakland Raiders
With Chaz Schilens sidelined with a knee injury, Murphy has a chance at fantasy relevance. He’ll have to improve his hands, but Murphy, who had a 15.3 ypc average last year, should be the Raiders’ top choice in the vertical attack.

Rob Gronkowski & Aaron Hernandez, TE, New England Patriots
Gronkowski has three TDs in two preseason games thus far. Randy Moss and Wes Welker will command attention making Gronkowski an easy target for Tom Brady. Hernandez is another quality weapon at TE for the Pats.

Happy Birthday Janelle!

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A typical fantasy football league consists of 12 teams nine starters (QB, two RBs, three WRs, TE, K, D) and anywhere from five to seven bench players. If you go with the latter bench allotment, you’re looking at 16 roster spots or 192 draft picks. By that definition, any sleeper should have an average draft position about 180 or lower.

Houston WR Jacoby Jones has an ADP of 186 (64th WR) according to Mock Draft Central. His 27 catches for 437 yards last year did not raise any eyebrows, but his 6 touchdown catches did. As did his finish when he caught seven passes for 144 yards and a pair of scores in the final two weeks.

He is in a stiff battle with Kevin Walter (53-611-2) for the number two receiver role opposite of Andre Johnson. The Texans will operate in plenty of three-receiver sets so it’s not like the loser will not get their share of targets. Still, whoever wins the battle will have the higher value, which is pretty much a given. Walter has been fairly productive the past three seasons, but Jones has more potential.

My assumption is that Jones will take hold of the flanker position, relegating Walter to the slot. Jones will be more productive in standard scoring leagues while Walter will be more productive in PPR leagues. Walter’s ADP is 136 (49th WR), making Jones a significantly better value. I feel both WRs are worthy of making a fantasy roster. Right now I prefer Walter (click to see my WR rankings), especially with his 6’3″, 218 lb. frame as a red zone target, but if Jones can win the starting job, my opinion will change.

What are your thoughts on Jacoby Jones? Kevin Walter?

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No, I am not talking about the Mike Williams who is trying to shed the bust label with the Seahawks. Though I am quietly rooting that he can turn his career around, I am more excited about the Tampa Bay rookie WR that shares the same name.

Tampa Bays’ Mike Williams is a 6’2″ WR out of Syracuse that has been turning heads in training camp. He is slated to start for the Bucs and could easily emerge as their #1 passing option. He had a nifty grab in Tampa’s preseason opener that went for 30 yards. As he gets more familiar with the offense and the speed of the NFL, as well as building a stronger rapport with Josh Freeman, that type of big play should happen much more frequently.

Williams is going for a steal now according to his Mock Draft Central ADP of 213 (75th WR taken). As the buzz gets out, look for him to fly up the draft boards. Williams would have been a more highly coveted player if it weren’t for his off-the-field issues. As long as he keeps his nose clean, he will be able to showcase his immense talent. He should provide good WR depth that could end up outperforming some of your starters. He is even more valuable in deep keeper leagues.

What are your expectations for Tampa’s Mike Williams?