A lot of things can happen on draft day. The big question is which teams will see the biggest improvement from their draftees' immediate impact. Well, the only difference between speculation the day before the draft and speculation the day after is where the prospects have actually landed. One good example of that is the Matt Leinart situation. Speculation before the draft had him going very early, possibly even first, which would have likely put him on a team that wasn't necessarily setup for success. Instead, he fell all the way to the number 10 slot, where the Cardinals scooped him up as their (not too distant) future signal caller. Quite frankly, most likely next year.
So now that we know where the players are headed, let's examine who can make the greatest fantasy impact for their team, and all of ours!
Quarterbacks:
Vince Young - As the winning quarterback in the National Championship game, Vince Young saw his stock skyrocket, only to slowly decent as the draft crept closer. Whether the first quarterback picked is the most meaningful or has the biggest bust potential, it often carries a potential for immediate impact. Case in point; last year the 49ers desperately needed a QB, and it just so happens that the highly rated kid, Alex Smith, happened to play that position. Although, we feel that the QB position is shaky ground in the fantasy world with a rookie at the helm. Yes, there are the Roethlisbergers of the world, but baptism by fire for quarterbacks is typically an accident waiting to happen. At least for the first year. If you're in a keeper league, this changes things a bit, but the receiver situation in Tennessee isn't the greatest, and with Volek in front of him on the depth chart Young's days to shine might be a little ways off. Even still, if you're patient, he may be a decent pick, but we feel there are better choices out there.
Matt Leinart - It's probably safe to say that Leinart will see his NFL career unfold much the same way his USC predecessor's did in Cincinnati. The Bengal's benched Carson Palmer his rookie year to watch and learn and, despite Jon Kitna's amazing season, was secured the starting position in year two. Like the Bengal's, the cards are poised to light up the passing game. With an injury prone Warner at the helm, and Navarre holding the number two spot, Leinart may not see much playing time this year. Though by the time mid season rolls around, we expect Warner to be out with an injury, and Leinart having learned the offense enough through watching and learning, we expect him to pass up a lackluster Navarre to carry the team for at least a few games. So there's our prediction. If you have a starting quarterback with a bye in the mid to late season, and are the gambling type, grab Matt. Hell, Paris has...
Jay Cutler - One scary word. Vanderbilt. A diamond in the rough? It happens. Although usually the diamonds in the rough are the ones that aren't highly touted on draft day. They tend to emerge later. Though like some past successful quarterbacks, Steve Young for example, Cutler is joining a well-oiled team with a good mentor-type quarterback. Ol' Jake the Snake has made his mistakes in the past, but he could definitely help put Cutler on the right track. That being said, I don't think Plummer is going anywhere. Not this year, any likely not even next year. So, my recommendation is, unless your "injury hunch" for this year lies on the Snake, pass on this rookie.
Summary: Rookie quarterbacks aren't the best bang for your fantasy buck. However, whether your looking for a backup with some upside, a future scoring machine for your keeper league team or this year's Big Ben, we think your best bet for this year is Matt Leinart. As for next year, well, that's a different article.
- A REDD5 Editorial -
Also read:
Running Back
Coming Soon...
Wide Receiver
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