Pro Football 101: Fantasy Busts Zeros In on Wide Receivers In 2009

 

 

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A Boy and His Broncos

In turbulent times such as these, it’s important to get back to the roots. With players like Brandon Marshall and Jay Cutler bringing us to the height of frustration, it is critical to remember why we love this team and why we continue to give them our allegiance. Let me tell you why a boy from behind the burnt orange curtain of, Austin, Texas is a true Broncomaniac.

 

When I was five years old, my dad (an ear, nose and throat surgeon under contract with the United States Army), relocated to a small town called Alamosa, Colorado. Alamosa is nestled deep in the Rocky Mountains, at the very bottom/center of the state. It is a town of potato farmers, carpenters, small time musicians, Adams State College faculty and other hard working men and women who create the lifeblood of a community of 15,000.

 

First of all, take a look at the picture I’ve provided. You’ll notice there’s no argument that this team dominates the Rocky Mountain Region. In fact, the closest NFL team is over 600 miles away. This is why the Broncos claim a strong fan base in Wyoming, Montana, Utah, New Mexico, Idaho, Nevada and Oklahoma. Needless to say, the entire state of Colorado’s football identity is defined by the blue and orange.

 

When I was seven years old, hardly capable of understanding the greatness of the team I would grow to love, my dad threw a party for Super Bowl XXII against the Redskins. Wrapped up in the excitement, my sister and I painted our faces orange and blue in preparation for the game. We got destroyed. My parents’ friends left early with their heads hanging low. Two years later, the same thing happened, only this time the 49ers were the culprit. Being so young, I felt little disappointment, but developed a pride for the team that would take hold of me much later on.

 

When we played the Packers in Super Bowl XXXII, we achieved the upset we’d been waiting for and achieved a goal we’d been searching for all those years. I drove my Ford Explorer downtown and , cruised up and down a packed main street honking my horn and cheering for two hours. It was the greatest solidarity I had seen in that little town. When it happened again a year later, I was so entrenched in my teenage rebellion that I was all but focused on our reign at the top. My eighteen-year-old mind was ready to leave Alamosa, Colorado, my parents, my local high school authority figures and all the things I didn’t know I would miss so much.

 

Four-and-a-half years at Arizona State was awesome. I got my first taste of live football and keg parties that didn’t end with underage kids jumping out of windows and fleeing from the cops through chico bushes. For awhile, I forgot about Mike Shanahan as he struggled to keep a once-great team afloat.

 

When I graduated and started working full time, I fell into the routine of most football fans. On Saturday I continued to root for the Devils and on Sundays I began reconnecting with the team I had forgotten about a few years before. I also realized that we were struggling more than a little bit. What really got me hyped was when Jake the Snake Plummer became our leading man and turned more than a few Arizona folks into fellow Broncos fans. You have to realize, this was a few years before the Cardinals were even respectable.

 

Luckily, some of my high school friends had also made Tempe, Arizona home and my friend Kyle Barron hosted two back-to-back playoff parties. I watched our matchup with the Patriots with great anticipation. I was amongst a host of Broncos fans from all over the country and I realized there was something special about this team; about this vibe they created. Unfortunately, we lost that second game to the Steelers. It was also the symbolic end of the Snake.

 

Since then, I have moved to Austin, Texas and grown more and more annoyed with the fanaticism of Longhorn fans. Mack Brown and his team deserve a lot of respect, but it makes you realize who your team is. Although most of my family are alumni, jumping on the UT bandwagon just doesn’t do it for me. For the last few years, the Denver Broncos have been the connection to my childhood, to Colorado and to a team spirit that, thankfully, I have rediscovered.

 

Yes, last year I had high hopes and thought Shanahan would soon put the pieces together on defense. I thought Cutler would be our next Elway. I thought Marshall would be our next Rod Smith or better. Most importantly, I maintained optimism. I was reaching the pinnacle of my Broncos fandom.

 

Over the 2009 offseason, I have been floored by the changes we have undergone. I have come to understand that a new coach was a good thing, and yes, I will give McDaniels the benefit of the doubt. I was steaming mad after the Cutler trade. I realize though, especially amidst the boos of his latest visit to Mile High, that he wanted out of Denver the second he realized he wouldn’t be coddled by a coach that revolved the team around the quarterback. In the McDaniels/Cutler blame game, an old geezer named Bus Cook has largely escaped his due criticism. Keep that in mind.

 

We’re still dealing with a superstar wide receiver that, while he is one of the keys to our team, remains a glaring distraction. We still don’t know if Knowshon will produce or be a Know-Show. However, we’ve got players that bring me back to my childhood. Players like Peyton Hillis and Eddie Royal. Players who realize they play for a team that will give back to them what they contribute. Players who realize they now play for a coach who is as great, if not more, of a mastermind of NFL offense than his successor. These are players who are proud and will not whine.

 

I want to thank Sayre Bedinger, Chaz Mattson and the rest of you for doing a great job of sharing your gifts of writing and football knowledge to the readers on this site. Most of all, I’d like to thank each and every one of you who write and read these articles because they love this team. I am thankful to the fans who look forward to every Mile High Salute and proudly send it back. I am proud to say I am at a new pinnacle of hope for this season and the future.

 

Go Broncos!!!

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Attention, Brandon Marshall: NFL Needs Receivers, Not Guys Who Can’t Get a Grip

I would really hate to be a Denver Bronco fan right now.

First, your premier quarterback throws a hissy fit because new Head Coach Josh McDaniels threatens to trade him, and now Brandon Marshall. Marshall decides he also wants out of Denver, so how does he deal with it? Well, pretty much the same way his good pal Jay Cutler decided to deal with it: throw a temper tantrum.

Now, Cutler’s reason to be traded held more water than Marshall’s reasoning. McDaniels wanted to trade for his former prodigy when he was an offensive coordinator in New England quarterback Matt Cassel, therefore setting off franchise quarterback Jay Cutler which ultimately sent him on a one-way ticket to Chicago.

Marshall wants to be traded for no reason.

But regardless of why he wants to be traded, Marshall is far from classy in his way of asking for one. You see, in the real world (not Brandon’s world), when an athlete wishes to be traded, he calmly asks his coach/manager who begins to shop him around. Not Marshall, who simply acts like an imbecile at practice by batting balls away that were thrown to him, punting balls away from the ball boys rather than politely handing it to them, and publicly commenting on his situation, calling out McDaniels and the Broncos organization.

Because of his actions, the Broncos have in fact suspended Marshall for “conduct detrimental to the team.” In my opinion, a fantastic move McDaniels, way to take control of your club.

You see, for Head Coach Josh McDaniels, he’s publicly commented that “Marshall isn’t going anywhere,” which is a complete 180 degree turn-around from how he handled the Jay Cutler situation. It seems that finally Josh McDaniels is getting an idea of how this whole NFL Head Coach thing works. By suspending Marshall, he’s sent a message that says “I’m still in control, and I can choose whether or not to trade you away or make you sit.”

Nonetheless, it’s a shame what Brandon’s doing to the Broncos. Not only have they lost their star quarterback, but Brandon is still Denver’s top wide receiver. Now that offense is in shambles, and regardless if Brian Dawkins is there or not, that defense doesn’t look too great either.

It’s time for Brandon to stand up and be a man, get back on track, and help Denver win some football games in 2009.

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Marshall, Marshall, Marshall: Denver Receiver’s Name May Be Called by N.Y. Jets

“There are no discussions whatsoever taking place between the Denver Broncos and any team in the National Football League regarding Brandon Marshall,” Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels said. “We are looking forward to having Brandon back on the sixth of September and starting our preparation for Cincinnati with him.”

About an hour later, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Broncos were interested in New York Jets middle linebacker David Harris, and that two sources confirmed the interest.

As it is understood by Schefter, the Broncos would like a player who can help them this season, as well as a draft pick that will help them next season and beyond.

Marshall’s unofficial asking price was a first and a fourth round pick, so a trade return of Harris and a third round pick would be enticing to the Broncos, especially for a player that has serious attitude issues.

 

Projected Trade

Jets get

WR Brandon Marshall

Broncos get

MLB David Harris

2010 third round pick

 

This seems like a very even trade for both sides. The Jets get a premier wide receiver for rookie Mark Sanchez to sling the ball to, and the Broncos continue to revamp their defense with a young, up-and-coming linebacker and a high draft pick in 2010.

Acquiring an extra third round pick would also equip the Broncos to move up in the 2010 NFL Draft if they so choose.

Still, this trade seems unlikely. McDaniels’ statements could be seen as a smokescreen, as he said roughly the same thing about quarterback Jay Cutler.

If the Broncos deal Marshall, it would be upsetting on multiple levels. Not only would they have given in to his petty demands, but they would also be sending a message to the other players on the team that all they have to do is throw a temper tantrum and they can leave.

I still believe the best option for the Broncos is to keep Marshall for the 2009 season and trade him next offseason.

It is a gamble, but one they have to take.

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Entry To The Brandon Marshall Circus Is Too Expensive.

I’m sure a lot of you are getting a little tired of all the Brandon Marshall articles; especially ones that revolve around a possible deal that would land him in New York as part of the improving New York Jets.

Well today, two NFL sources relayed information to ESPN analyst Adam Schefter that the Denver Broncos would ask for inside linebacker David Harris in any potential deal.

For a Jets fan who was unsure as to whether he would welcome the circus to New York, the entry price has just tilted the scales in favor of a decision.

If you were to ask me the top two aspects of the 2009 New York Jets team that I was most excited about, I would say the play of Mark Sanchez and the combination of David Harris and Bart Scott as the inside linebackers.

Now we are being told that if we want to bring a man with more issues to be resolved than a episode of this is my life by Isiah Thomas, we’ll have to break up this partnership before it ever had the chance to show it’s true potential.

That price for me is simply too steep.

David Harris led the Jets in tackles in 2007 with 127, 90 of those being solo, and he also racked up 5 sacks. He took a step back in 2008 as he battled injuries, recording a solid 75 tackles, 52 solo and a single sack.

Do people seriously think that breaking up a partnership that by all accounts looks to be one of the most productive ILB tandems in the NFL in 2009, for a man who brings attitude and legal issues is a good idea?

Not for me.

To add to that, rumors suggest that the Broncos will also look for draft picks in any potential deal- a 4th or 5th round selection. Not to live in the past, but the mid rounds have been kind to the New York Jets over the previous year. Leon Washington/Kerry Rhodes and Jerricho Cotchery were both fourth round selections.

Throw in that Brandon Marshall is coming off a injury plagued off-season where he barely participated, and you wonder what the Jets are even thinking.

On the other hand, David Harris has spent the off-season working hard.

In the three pre-season games, I would argue that not only has he been the most consistent player on the Jets roster, but also the most impressive. Sack’s, Interceptions, tackles- he is popping up all over the field, and the obvious chemistry he is building with Bart Scott should have every Jet fan excited for the future.

Despite speaking against any potential deal for Brandon Marshall, I have persisted to admit that this obvious talent on the field may be a great asset to this team, whose perceived lack of ability at the WR position is penciled in to be their downfall in 2009.

However, for a team that is looking to play smash mouth football, would we be comfortable with Cummings, Westerman or Izzo starting opposite Bart Scott?

I wrote a piece a few days ago on Jamaal Westerman, where I highlighted his future potential, however, 2009 and a starting spot I fear is a little too soon for that potential to be realized.

So the price of David Harris alone is too much for this team. But Harris and a future draft choice?

Well, you can rest assured that this Jet fan will not be running away to join the circus.

http://twitter.com/D_Wyatt13

 

 

Jets Trade Talks For Brandon Marshall Heat Up

Talks between the New York Jets and the Denver Broncos regarding disgruntled wide receiver Brandon Marshall heated up on Wednesday night.

Well, sort of.

The Broncos’ initial asking price was said to be a first round draft pick (at the minimum), and considering their apparent distaste with their defensive depth (especially at linebacker), they are interested in acquiring defensive help.

Unfortunately for the Jets, that “help” is turning out to be quality linebacker, David Harris.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Broncos appear to be willing to make the swap, but only if Rex Ryan and the Jets defense can handle losing one of their best defenders.

While the Broncos are not content with Andra’ Davis on the inside, the Jets are fairly thin at the position themselves, as second-year man Vernon Gholston is being thrust into the line-up while Calvin Pace serves a suspension to start the season.

Still, talks remain on-going, despite “tampering” rumors that surfaced within the past 24 hours.

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Brandon Marshall: You’re an IDIOT

It’s been a while, Bleacher Creatures. After a nice stay in my home country in Lebanon, just a few minutes outside Beirut and a free tour of Cairo, Egypt prior to a connecting flight, I am officially re-energized.

Well, sort of. The dreaded writer’s block did me in for a few weeks, but I’m here ready to conquer it at the expense of Brandon Marshall.

While I was gone, it didn’t surprise me to see Brandon Marshall continually bitch and complain like past primadonna wide receivers. Sure, he has certainly outplayed his current contract and is a Pro Bowl receiver, but there are different ways of asking for a new contract than disrupting your already distraught franchise.

If it wasn’t bad enough for Denver Broncos’ owner Pat Bowlen to fire longtime friend and coach Mike Shanahan, trade away his crybaby franchise quarterback Jay Cutler to the Bears, and draft players that are good, but not the defensive help his team was looking for, now he has to worry about Brandon Marshall.

Yes, the same Brandon Marshall that went to the Pro Bowl. The same Brandon Marshall that when on his game is one of the best in the league. He’s also the same Brandon Marshall that choked, along with the rest of his team, during last year’s AFC West division race with the rival San Diego Chargers.

Marshall should take advice from The Governator.

And as much as I dislike Terrell “T.O.” Owens, at least his teams have made the playoffs—and Super Bowl.

Some people may still be hung up on Keyshawn Johnson’s departure from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004 in which he was deactivated the final seven games of the 2003, but KJ didn’t necessarily want a new deal—he hated Jon Gruden. Oh, by the way, he also helped lead his team to a Super Bowl title the previous year.

Let’s see…How many playoff appearances have the Broncos had since Marshall was drafted in 2006? Zero. How many Super Bowls? Zero.

Yes, B-Ran, you did outplay your current deal. You also exceeded expectations in contending for the Pacman Jones Award for Off the Field Distractions. It’s quite impressive. Much more impressive than your accomplishments off the field. Let’s take a look!

Courtesy of Wikipedia and The Associated Press archives because I sure as heck don’t feel like typing up all this crap:

Halloween 2004: While a student at UCF, Marshall was arrested in Orlando on charges of assault on a law enforcement officer, refusal to obey, disorderly conduct, and resisting an officer.

March 26, 2007: Marshall was arrested in the Highlands Ranch suburb of Denver on suspicion of domestic violence after his girlfriend reported that following a domestic dispute, Marshall prevented a taxi she was in from leaving his house.

October 22, 2007: Marshall was arrested in the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area at the intersection of 14th and Blake St. for driving under the influence of alcohol. A trial was scheduled for Sept. 16, but Marshall instead agreed to a plea bargain four days earlier; he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of driving while ability impaired. He was sentenced to one-year probation and 24 hours of community service.

June 12, 2008: Marshall was ticketed for an illegal lane change, then found to be without his license and proof of insurance. The case was eventually dropped as part of a plea bargain for the Oct. 22, 2007 driving incident involving alcohol.

September 17, 2008: article on CompleteColorado.com stated that the solicitor’s office in Fulton County, Georgia filed misdemeanor battery charges on Sept. 10 for an alleged incident on Mar. 4, 2008, in Atlanta, Georgia. Marshall was booked on Mar. 6, then released the next day after posting a $1,000 cash bond. The case was assigned to Judge John Mather in Georgia state court. On Aug. 14, 2009, a jury in Atlanta found Marshall not guilty.

March 1, 2009: Marshall was arrested in Atlanta for disorderly conduct after allegedly being involved in a fight with his fiancee, Michi Nogami-Campbell. Marshall was released on a $300 bond. The charges were dropped the following day.

End of ridiculously-long rap sheet

 

As my buddy and former WCW World Champion Ron Simmons would say “DAMN!”.

Even the Florida State football legend dislikes Marshall’s antics…

That rap sheet is longer than most have had in a lifetime. So let’s see, if I decided to constantly get arrested, put myself in a position to be in trouble, and complained in a diva-like way at my retail job in an undisclosed location, I would NOT be asking for a raise, no matter how much I’ve sold.

And if I did, I would do it in the nicest possible way, while showing my boss at the same time, I can stay out of trouble, be a model citizen, and perform when the lights were on brightest. Especially since I wouldn’t always have the luxury of being traded (in my case, transferred) to another store.

Must be nice for Brandon Marshall to potentially have that luxury, should a proposed trade by the New York Jets goes through.

The thing that really got me to write this column wasn’t just the fact that I needed someone other than Tony Romo to use as a literary and cinematical (I know that’s not a word, but if The Rock can create “Smackdown” then I can create cinematical) punching bag.

 

Heck, at least Romo has guided his team to winning seasons, behaved for the most part, and taken the ‘Boys to the playoffs (minus last season).

 

What really got me to thinking Brandon Marshall lacked serious common sense was a statement Keyshawn Johnson made on ESPN, saying that when he wanted to be traded by the New York Jets back in 2000, he calmly wrote a letter to management stating his request.

 

He didn’t belittle the team, nor make a complete ass out of himself during practice in front of rookies, veterans, authority, and media.

 

Only an idiot would do that. Wait, Brandon Marshall DID do that. Well, I hope for Mr. Marshall’s sake, he learns to act like a professional, in addition to just being an athlete.

 

Maybe one day he can stop getting accused of doing things that make people end up in jail and the NFL purgatory (Freddie Mitchell says “Hi.”) and become a wide receiver that can bring positivity to his team, community, and others around him both professionally and personally.

 

I hope that day comes for him. People can change. Too bad that day can’t come soon enough for the Denver Broncos.

 

Until then…

 

Brandon Marshall—YOU’RE AN IDIOT.

 

 

 

Fred “The F-Bomb” Richani is an actor and writer for BleacherReport.com and 411Mania.com, and has been featured on ProWrestlingTorch.com, LayUpDrill.com, 1Wrestling.com, GOOGLE News, and CBSSportsline.com. He is also the host of his own web series FRIDAY NIGHT F-Bomb (Youtube.com/FBombAndCo). He currently resides in Freehold, NJ with his family and cat Bella.

 

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Denver Broncos Options for Brandon Marshall

As the Brandon Marshall saga rolls on in Denver, other NFL teams are looking at the four-year veteran as a possible trade option. Newsday reports that the New York Jets are “seriously considering” making a move for the suspended wideout.

Head Coach Josh McDaniels has assured that he wants Marshall to play for the Broncos under his current contract. This draws similarities to the coach’s confidence that Jay Cutler would be Denver’s quarterback in 2009-2010, and Cutler is now in Chicago.

The worst case scenario for Denver is if Marshall comes back under current terms, puts up mediocre statistics, and skips town at season’s end.

If Marshall decides to hold out instead, the Broncos must be prepared to pay or trade him to maximize his value.

Pay

Denver has already lost one franchise player this offseason and cannot afford to let another one go. With the less capable Kyle Orton at quarterback, Marshall’s ability to gain yards after the catch would provide a significant edge to the Bronco passing game. He also has an opportunity to become a leader on offense as one of its most senior and talented members.

Despite the obvious upside, Denver would be foolish to invest millions of dollars in a player not committed to the franchise. If Marshall wants a new contract in Denver, he will have to prove to coaches and teammates that he deserves it, by giving his maximum effort both in practices and games.

Trade

Any trade for Brandon will likely result in a better deal for the team receiving Marshall than for Denver. Interested teams like the Jets are counting on a trade similar to Cutler’s, in which they can get a Pro Bowl caliber player for less than his actual value.

Should the Broncos have to trade Marshall, McDaniels cannot settle for anything less than a first and fourth round pick. This value will allow the coach to address needs at the end of year one through multiple high round picks in the 2010 draft.

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Rocky Mountain Low? Denver Broncos Offseason Plunging Further Into Despair

The Broncos are in the middle of the end—of one of the most tumultuous offseasons in NFL history.

The Broncos are coming off a .500 season.

Average.

Since then, things have taken a nosedive straight to the bottom of the abyss.

The offseason started with the firing of head coach Mike Shanahan. His replacement? Former New England Patriots’ Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels.

The season really started to go downhill when rumors leaked that McDaniels wanted to bring in QB Matt Cassel from the Patriots. On February 28, ESPN reported the Broncos considered trading Jay Cutler in a three-way trade with the New England Patriots and either the Lions or the Buccaneers.

The deal would have sent Cutler to Detroit or Tampa Bay, while Cassel would join the Broncos and be reunited with his former coach, McDaniels.

Cutler was not happy about the rumors. He asked the Broncos for a trade.

Cutler was already running his mouth off during the regular season. He claimed he had a better arm than Brett Favre and Bronco and Hall-of-Famer John Elway.

Broncos fans began to paint him as a disrespectful cry-baby. I think he’s pretty bad, but Broncos fan are exaggerating. He’s not that bad.

Since the Broncos couldn’t keep him, they decided to trade him to his favorite childhood team: the Bears.

In return, Denver received QB Kyle Orton and three draft picks.

Since being traded to Chicago, Cutler been cast into a somewhat unfair light by the media. Meanwhile, Broncos fans have had Cutler jersey burning and shredding parties.

And things back at Mile High have gotten even worse.

With Chris Simms already injured, Kyle Orton had to be taken out of a preseason game due to a cut on his hand. Now the Broncos’ top QB is Tom Brandstater, a rookie out of Fresno State.

While Brandstater is good as far as 3rd stringers go, he is in no way prepared for the rigors of being an NFL starter. Denver will have to hope for speedy recoveries from Simms or Orton.

And now reports say that another Pro-Bowler wants out of Denver. Brandon Marshall was suspended by Josh McDaniels for insubordination, which in this case means not trying at practice. Marshall has stated he wants out of Denver.

The New York Jets are looking at Marshall, and reports say that they are interested. However, the lovable (except by their players) Broncos accuse the Jets of tampering with Marshall, who led the AFC with 104 receptions.

Could it get any worse?

It could if the Broncos are worse on the field than in the front office. Denver could be looking at a last place finish this season.

If you want my opinion, I think the Broncos will only win 4 games.

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Eddie Royal Is Now Denver’s First WR Option, But Is He a Second-Year Flop Too?

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?

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This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football.

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