Re-Evaluating Fantasy Players After Draft

Re-evaluating a player's situation is key
September 27, 2007

By Jason Lake

Do you have the post-draft blues?

Most fantasy draft lists started with LaDainian Tomlinson, Steven Jackson and Larry Johnson. That hasn't worked out too well so far. Tomlinson has 51.80 fantasy points after three weeks, good for 36th among all players and eighth among running backs. But at least he's way better than Jackson (36.30 points) and Johnson (31.30 points).

Things aren't happening for a lot of quarterbacks, either. Drew Brees was pre-ranked fourth among QBs and ninth overall for the draft. His 25.00 fantasy points, though, put him 28th among all pivots, below the likes of Joey Harrington (44.90 points) and Josh McCown (37.90 points).

Is it time to pull the trigger on some of these clods? Or is patience the right approach? The first thing you need to do is re-evaluate these players and their situations. All four of the struggling players we've mentioned are operating in different circumstances that they were in 2006 - or even Week 1 of this season.

The common thread with this gruesome foursome is the offensive line. The deeper committed football analysts delve into what makes a team tick, the more they realize that - aside from the quarterback - the most important players on the gridiron are those unsung heroes on the offensive line, especially the center and whichever tackle is protecting the QB's blindside. If the line is shaky, the team is sunk.

Of these four players, Jackson is in the worst position. His line has lost tackle Orlando Pace and guard Mark Setterstrom for the season. Tackle Richie Incognito may return this week against the Cowboys, but there simply isn't enough talent remaining to open up running lanes for Jackson once he does return to action from a groin injury.

Brees is also in big trouble behind a poor offensive line and without RB Deuce McAllister for the remainder of the year. But there is reason to believe better things are coming for Tomlinson and Johnson. The Chargers may have downgraded at coach with Norv Turner, but they still have talented personnel, and tackle Shane Olivea should be ready to play this week. And Johnson's offensive line may be weak following the retirement of guard Will Shields, but he should improve as he plays himself back into health, and the Chiefs' schedule gets much easier from here after starting the season against the defenses of Houston, Chicago and Minnesota.

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