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Fantasy Football Week 13 Sleeper: Knowshon Moreno
Published: December 3, 2009
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Since draft day, everyone has been waiting for Knowshon Moreno to emerge as a go-to fantasy option. Over the season’s first nine weeks, that type of optimism appeared like it was going to be a complete bust.
He had just one rushing touchdown. He had rushed for 75 yards or more just three times. His best game saw him overage 4.6 yards per carry (and he had four games averaging less than four yards per carry, including one where he was at 0.6).
Over the past three weeks he suddenly has put things together. He’s rushed for 265 yards, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. He’s also found the end zone once and is getting the ball regularly.
That’s not to mention, he’s also done it against some pretty good defenses:
- Washington—currently allowing 127.9 yards per game, best in the league
- San Diego—currently allowing 118.1 yards per game
- New York Giants—currently allowing 107.8 yards per game
I know the Giants defense is not playing as good as their ranking. I know you can probably point to things (like injuries) regarding both the Redskins and Chargers defenses as well. I know that these are not the best defenses; in fact, only the Giants are in the top half in the league. Still, when someone starts to perform you have to take notice.
This week he gets an even better matchup, taking on the Kansas City Chiefs, currently allowing the sixth most yards per game (134.5). They are also 11th in the number of rushing touchdowns at 11 (the league leader is at 17). While they did manage to contain LaDainian Tomlinson this past week, the three prior to that saw big performances:
- Week Nine: Maurice Jones-Drew—97 yards
- Week 10: Michael Bush—119 yards
- Week 11: Rashard Mendenhall—80 yards
Considering what he’s done in recent weeks, the positive matchup certainly has to excite fantasy owners, even though he is likely to continue sharing carries with Correll Buckhalter. He is on a roll these days and he’s worth considering in all formats.
What do you think? Is Moreno a player you would use? How good do you think he may be in Week 13?
Make sure to check out our Week 13 Rankings:
This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football
Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com
Eddie Royal Is Now Denver’s First WR Option, But Is He a Second-Year Flop Too?
Published: September 2, 2009
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In 2008, rookie Eddie Royal looked like a budding superstar. He was the No. 2 wide receiver on his team, yet he was on the receiving end of 91 catches for 980 yards and five touchdowns.
He was lucky enough to have a Pro Bowl quarterback at his disposal. His reception total was the second most ever by a rookie (to Anquan Boldin’s 101).
Unfortunately, as we close in on the start of the 2009 season, everything has changed.
First of all, he’s now the main man on the outside for the Broncos, thanks to the antics of Brandon Marshall. Will Marshall ultimately take the field this season as a member of the Broncos? Unless something major changes, he certainly will, but his new role could be limited thanks to his suspension during training camp and the wedge he’s driven between himself and the franchise.
Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler also had a falling out with the organization, leading to his trade to the Chicago Bears. That leaves Kyle Orton to lead the offense, a certain downgrade.
Last season Orton completed just 34 passes of 20 yards or more compared to Cutler’s 55. He had three completions of 40 yards or more compared to Cutler’s seven.
We’ll find out soon enough if it is the system, conditions, or supporting cast, but you would be hard-pressed to find someone who would consider Orton even close to the QB Cutler is. Cutler has emerged as one of the elite, while Orton is anything but.
Now that we’ve covered the obvious, where exactly does that leave Royal? Last season the Broncos put the ball in the air 620 times, third most in the NFL. That allowed Marshall and Royal to combine for 195 receptions. However, it is highly unlikely that the trend continues.
With Knowshon Moreno brought in to improve a rushing offense that saw its leader have 343 yards, there should be a renewed focus on a ground attack. Coupled with the regression in quarterback play, the strategy shouldn’t be a surprise.
Thanks to Marshall’s indiscretions, there’s one fewer receiver to target. That’s good, because his receptions are going to go to someone. It’s bad, because it is one less star on which defenses must focus. In turn, Royal could see some double-coverage this season, especially early on if Marshall does not take the field.
While he was a second-round draft choice, you also have to consider that his college career numbers at Virginia Tech were nowhere close to his professional success. For his four-year career, he had just 119 receptions and 12 touchdowns.
Obviously, there’s no correlation, but you have to wonder if he will be able to repeat last season’s success, especially if Marshall is not a main focus of the offense and with Cutler no longer on the roster.
Here’s what I expect from him this season: 87 catches, 1,010 yards, six TDs.
Everything appears to be stacked against him taking a huge next step forward this season.
That doesn’t mean that I would expect him to completely disappear into football obscurity, however. He showed too much last season and should be able to post at least similar statistics, making him a low-end WR2, but more of a great WR3 in my book. He was initially ranked as the No. 25 WR on our Top 25 list (click here to view), further cementing my view on him.
What do you think of Royal for next season? Do you think he’ll take a step forward? Regress? Post similar numbers?
This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football.
Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com
