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The Patriots made a big splash earlier in the day by adding Albert Haynesworth. They made a bigger fantasy splash later in the day by acquiring Chad Ochocinco. This give Tom Brady one more weapon and Chad Ochocinco gets a nice boost in value. I now consider him a low-end WR2/high-end WR3.
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Reggie Bush is taking his talents to South Beach. The controversial former USC Trojan and Super Bowl winner with the New Orleans Saints was traded to the Miami Dolphins. His acquisition likely marks the end of Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown’s runs with the Dolphins. Bush will team up with rookie Daniel Thomas.
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Big surprise! Arizona won the Kevin Kolb Sweepstakes. It was pretty much common knowledge that Kolb was going to Arizona, but now it’s official. Now that Kolb has a starting job again he regains some fantasy value. I’m not buying into him as much as I did last year because he has fewer weapons. Sure Larry Fitzgerald, whose value increases with the acquisition, is an elite receiver, but there’s little else. That said, Kolb is a solid QB2. I wouldn’t downgrade DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Brent Celek, or LeSean McCoy, but they are riskier options now that the Eagles have lost their safety net should Michael Vick get hurt again.
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As expected the Titans released Vince Young. He’ll land somewhere. Maybe Philly. Stay tuned.
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It didn’t take New Orleans long to replace Reggie Bush. They added Darren Sproles, who is one of the few players in the league that have a similar skill set to Bush. The passing game should hum as usual. Mark Ingram takes a small hit while Pierre Thomas is just about dealt a death blow.
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The Bills added Brad Smith. It could be a bigger blow to the Jets than it will be a gain for fantasy owners. He’s a good football player, but doesn’t get enough touches for the reality to match the fantasy.
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Also check out:

• 2011 Fantasy Football QB Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Football RB Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Football WR Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Football TE Rankings

Click here to enter the 2011 LestersLegends fantasy football team name contest!
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Santonio Holmes re-signed with the Jets to a five-year extension. Holmes caught 52 catches for 746 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games last year after missing the start of the year to a suspension. Now that he’s back in the fold, Mark Sanchez doesn’t take the hit to his fantasy value that would have been incurred if Holmes walked. Holmes was going to be the top wide receiver wherever he landed so his fantasy value wasn’t likely to change dramatically. That said, he is in a better situation than he would have been with the Redskins, which was the Jets’ main competition for Holmes.
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DeAngelo Williams is staying with the Carolina Panthers, much to the dismay of Jonathan Stewart fantasy owners. The running backs compliments each other well and have shown they can both be productive fantasy backs. A split, though, would have likely led both running backs to be potential RB1s. Now that they are linked together again, they are better suited as RB2s.
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Donovan McNabb is heading to Minnesota. He had little to work with in Washington and did not have a good working relationship with Mike Shanahan. The change of scenery could do McNabb good, but his fantasy value is limited based on his age and the question marks at receiver for the Vikings. That said, he’s a QB2 in most leagues.
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Matt Hasselbeck is joining the Tennessee Titans. With the shortened offseason program it would have been unrealistic for Jake Locker to start right away. Hasselbeck will serve as a bridge for the next year or two. He has value in two-quarterback leagues, but he’s no more than a backup in standard fantasy leagues.
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Jacoby Jones is staying with the Houston Texans. Jones probably means more to the Texans’ return game than he does to their offense and fantasy football team owners. He’ll have the occasional big game, but will be hard to rely on. He’s clearly behind Arian Foster, Andre Johnson, and Owen Daniels in the Texans’ pecking order.
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Lance Moore will remain with the Saints. He could be a valuable commodity in PPR leagues working the slot if and when Reggie Bush is released.
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Jabar Gaffney is heading to Washington to join the Redskins. He joins a wide receiver trio of Donte’ Stallworth and Santana Moss. Gaffney and Stallworth are nothing more than WR5s at this point considering the lack of talent the Redskins have at quarterback.
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The Benglas acquired Bruce Gradkowski from the Raiders. He could start at some point of the season, even the first few weeks, if Andy Dalton is not ready to lead the way. Gradkowski doesn’t provide fantasy value, though he does ofter a safety valve for the Bengals’ skill position players.
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Also check out:

• 2011 Fantasy Football QB Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Football RB Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Football WR Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Football TE Rankings

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The signings today were nothing major from a fantasy football persepective. Devin Aromashodu signed with the Minnesota Vikings. He gives them some insurance in case  Sidney Rice doesn’t return, but he’s not much of a fantasy option either way. Aromashodu was a bit of a sleeper last year, but managed just ten catches for 149 yards.
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Alex Smith re-signed with the San Francisco 49ers. He’ll get one more year to prove his worth and hold off rookie Colin Kaepernick. Smith should only be used in two-quarterback leagues.
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The Seahawks signed former Vikings QB Tarvaris Jackson as expected. Matt Hasselbeck won’t be back so he’ll likely at least get a chance to start. Even if he does, I don’t like his fantasy prospects.
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Santana Moss re-signed with the Washington Redskins. He has limited fantasy value without an upgrade at quarterback.
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Roy Williams will be released from the Cowboys. He should have some fantasy value once he finds a new home.
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Also check out:

• 2011Fantasy Football QB Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Football RB Rankings
• 2011 Early Fantasy Football WR Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Football TE Rankings

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Assuming NFL free agency eventually begins, there will be be some frantic player movement. Teams are already behind the eight ball considering the NFL Draft has come and gone. The teams that failed to address their holes in the draft will be looking do so in free agency. A lot of the movement will depend on the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The assumption is that the league will operate under last year’s system. If you are interested in free agency in greater detail, KFFL did a great job breaking it down.
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Quarterbacks
Matt Hassellbeck is the cream of the crop, though Marc Bulger could get some run depending on where he lands. Both of those veterans have some potential in two-quarterback leagues, but probably aren’t even worth roster spots in standard leagues.
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Running Backs
DeAngelo Williams could be the top prize, if he is available. The Panthers will look to bring him back. It will depend on whether he is a restricted free agent or not. Wherever he lands, D-Will will be a solid fantasy asset, though he will likely be part of a committee like in Carolina. That said, he’s been quite effective in that role.
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Cedric Benson is even more likely to stay put. The Bengals’ draft clearly indicates that they are committed to having him in their rebuilding plans. Benson is a strong option wherever he lands, which will most like be in Cincy.
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Ahmad Bradshaw will be an attractive free agent option if he is granted unrestricted free agency. If he gets the restricted tag, he’s likely to remain a Giant. Like D-Will, Bradshaw is a solid fantasy option that will operate out of a RBBC once again wherever he lands.
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Mike Tolbert tentatively has a second round tender as a restricted free agent. Given the injuries and ineffectiveness of Ryan Mathews, Tolbert won’t make the free agency splash that Michael Turner did a few years back. My guess is that Tolbert will be overdrafted this year as Mathews plays a larger role.
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Ronnie Brown has likely played his last game in South Beach. He will draw plenty of interest, but his days of being a primary back are over. At best he is the lead back in an RBBC.
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Ricky Williams will be 34 when and if the season begins. He may have some value to an NFL team, but his days of fantasy glory are over.
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Wide Receiver
Perhaps the biggest prize in the free agent market is Vincent Jackson. The Chargers could try to bring him back, but wherever he lands he should have a much more productive season.
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Sidney Rice is another big prize.  If he is an unrestricted free agent, he’s as good as gone. Rice has dealt with injuries during his career, most notably the hip injury that cost him most of last season, but he had a huge 2009 campaign. When healthy he can both separate from cornerbacks and jump over safeties.
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Santonio Holmes is a curious case. He has already stated that he won’t sign a restricted free agent tender. He wants a long-term deal. If he’s unrestricted, he will go the highest bidder, making him hard to quantify as a fantasy prospect. That said, he will be a WR2 or a WR3 regardless of where he lands. If he is restricted and the Jets don’t want to offer a long-term deal, he will holdout.
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Braylon Edwards is also a potential free agent. He would like to return to the Jets, but could make a healthy payday if he tests the waters. His hands keep him from being a WR2, but he does have value wherever he lands.
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James Jones is one to keep an eye on. If he is an unrestricted free agent he is gone. Depending on where he lands he could be a nice WR3. If he stays in Green Bay, I’d pencil him in as a WR4.
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Then you have the old divas Randy Moss and Terrell Owens. Who knows where they will land? They are a risk in the locker room and on your fantasy team.

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Brian Westbrook finally has a new home. After spending his first eight seasons with Philadelphia, Westy is headed West to San Francisco to join Frank Gore in the Niners’ backfield. Westy is an electric playmaker when healthy. He has dealt with an assortment of injuries in the past, but it is his string of concussions that have his career in jeopardy. Even when he was limited to eight games last year, he managed 25 catches as well as a 4.5 ypc on 61 carries. One more concussion could end his career so don’t expect him to be much more than an insurance policy should Frank Gore go down. Anthony Dixon had a strong showing in the Niners’ preseason opener, and will challenge Westbrook for the backup spot.

Westbrook wasn’t he only former NFC East runner moving westward. Ladell Betts also spent eight years with his first team, in his case the Washington Redskins. Betts only topped 100 carries once in his career, and isn’t expected to do so with his new club. Betts will essentially replace Lynell Hamilton as RB depth for the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. While Westbrook has limited fantasy value, Betts has even less. Even if Pierre Thomas were to go down, I would not expect Betts to even match the production Mike Bell had last year.