LestersLegends.com

We’re kicking off a new series called the Fourth & 1 Debate in which one fantasy football writer posts a question to a panel of fantasy football writers from some of the top fantasy football sites.

Our friend Eric Stashin, the Rotoprofessor, kicked things off.  Click here to see the full article. 

Here’s my response:

While it is difficult to make any rash decisions after one game, the fact of the matter is that some players are to good to drop, but too bad to play.  Sometimes those players snap out of their funk.  Other times they just continue to struggle and when you finally do cut them, you missed out on all of the early season surprises.

One player I would consider cutting is Laveranues Coles.  In his debut with the Bengals he caught just one pass for 11 yards. He wasn’t facing the mighty Pittsburgh defense, rather the lowly Denver Broncos, who ranked 26th against the pass last year.  He was targeted just five times, and managed to drop three passes.  Chad Ochocinco was clearly Carso Palmer’s go-to-guy, and second-year WR Andre Caldwell looked good with 6 receptions.  Preseason superstar Chris Henry played a limited role because of a thigh injury, but his role should expand going forward.

Aside from having a lot of competition for touches, Coles is playing in a offense that could struggle to put points on the board.  Palmer is going to take some time to work off the rust.  At this point, I’m not that confident he’ll do it anytime soon.  With a bye and four games against Baltimore and Pittsburgh in the next eight weeks, there wouldn’t be many opportunities to even give Coles a shot.  At this point, I think it would be best to cut ties with Coles and pick up someone with more upside.

Panelists
Junkyard Jake of www.junkyardjake.com
Ryan Lester of www.lesterslegends.com
Paul Greco of www.fantasypros911.com
Bryce McRae of www.kffl.com
Kurt Turner of www.top-fantasy-football.com
Eric Stashin of www.rotoprofessor.com
Lee of www.footballjabber.com
Smitty of www.fantasyfootballxtreme.com

Image from ESPN Photos

As long as Carson Palmer is healthy, he’s likely the best QB Coles has ever played with (at the time, relax Favre fans).  Though he throws a good deep ball, he also made a living hitting Housh on shorter routes.  Now that Housh is gone, Coles can fill that role. Plus, if Chad Ochocinco is truly back to form, Coles should find plenty of opening to do his thing.  He’s a good route runner with terrific hands and toughness.  I don’t know if he can match the TD total (7) from last year simply because Chris Henry is Palmer’s weapon of choice in close, but Coles should be a good value, especially in PPR leagues.

Coles will likely be selected in the 7th or 8th round of your fantasy draft, and should be good for 85 receptions for 1000 yards and 5 TDs.  I wouldn’t be enamored with his as my WR2, but he’s a solid WR3.

Image courtesy of Icon SMI

Carson Palmer is one of the more difficult players to predict this year.  He is coming of an elbow injury, his top WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh split for the riches in Seattle, and his obnoxious former top WR Chad Ochocinco basically admitted he phoned in the 2008 season.  However, when he’s healthy Palmer has as much talent as any QB in the league, Laveranues Coles should fill Housh’s void, Chris Henry should play a
full season, and if Ochocinco commits himself he can become a dynamic WR again.

He has a decent schedule with two games against the Browns, the Broncos, the Lions, and the Chiefs.  His fantasy playoff schedule works out so he doesn’t have to face either the Ravens or the Steelers.  He goes up against Minnesota, San Diego, and Kansas City, which doesn’t seem too bad.

Palmer averaged around 4000 yards and 28 TDs from 2005-2007 and has a career completion percentage of 63.7%.  The Bengals drafted TE Chase Coffman, who should help the passing game, and Andre Smith, who should bolster the line.  The talent is there.  It all hinges on #85 whether or not he’s going to be elite again.  I’m figuring him to be a top ten QB that finishes with 3800 yards and 25 TDs, which should be an excellent value in the 6th-8th round.

It didn’t take long for the Cincinnati Bengals to replace their classy possession receiver with another classy possession receiver.  The similarities don’t stop there.  They are just three months apart in age and have both made one Pro Bowl.  Plus, both Cincinnati and Seattle have used the nickname Queen City.

The Bengals signed Coles to a four-year, $28 million deal.  Houshmandzadeh’s deal with the Seahawks was five years at $40 million.  Coles hasn’t been as productive in recent years, but is consistent with 5-7 TDs in seven of his last eight seasons.  He doesn’t attract as much attention as Houshmandzadeh, which could play well with Chad Ocho Cinco. 

Coles is the second key Offensive players signed in the past two days.  Yesterday the Bengals signed Running Back Cedric Benson.  The combined contracts of Benson and Coles is $5 million less than the one inked by Housh.

The other big news in New York was Giants related.  Brandon Jacobs signed a four-year, $25 million extension with the Giants.  $13 million of it was guaranteed.  Jacobs had 1089 yards and 15 TDs.  This almost ensures that Derrick Ward will not be back.

The Rams cut QB Trent Green and WR Drew Bennett.  At 38 with a history of concussions, Trent should hang it up.  Bennett never lived up to the six-year, $30 million deal he signed with St. Louis.  Neither of these moves have fantasy implications.

Trent’s former team, Kansas City, cut Damon Huard.  That also doesn’t have fantasy implications.