Fantasy Radar

When a player’s coordinates are known, they land on Radar.

Radar is a weekly series I will be doing on my blog, Undrafteds.com, focusing primarily on fringe Fantasy Football players just beginning to make some noise, but I will also throw in general NFL and FF discussion. Input is as always encouraged.

Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor

Running Backs

Adrian Peterson, Vikings. The most impressive running back since ? Watching A.P. run last night I was trying to answer this question and I am having a hard time. ‘The most impressive running back since’ L.T. in his prime? Edgerrin James in his rookie season? Priest Holmes? Clinton Portis in his rookie year? Marshall Faulk? As great as all these guys are/were, A.P. just seems to offer even more. Who is the most recent great running back that is as good or better than Peterson? Do we really need to go all the way back to Barry Sanders and Walter Payton?

Chester Taylor, Vikings. These two just feed off of each other’s energies. Chester is a beast too. He is a #1 caliber tailback and is fun to watch in his own right.

Chris Brown

Chris Brown, Texans. I admit it, I wrote Brown off, but he showed me something last night. Running with authority, he should be a fine compliment to Steve Slaton this year. Fantasy ballers beware of the goal line vulture!

Mike Goodson

Mike Goodson, Panthers. I thought this was going to be the DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart show for years to come. Then the Panthers draft Goodson in the fourth round, who is getting rave reviews. Being touted as the only other Panther with moves as sick as Steve Smith’s, calling him a gamebreaker. If that is true he is sure to get some touches and may develop into a handcuff for one or both of the aforementioned.

James Davis

James Davis, Browns. Davis is averaging nearly 8 yards per carry in the preseason and offers something Jamal Lewis cannot, young legs. I think they will both get a lot of touches. Jerome Harrison figures to be part of the mix when he gets healthy too.

Kelley Washington

Wide Receivers

Kelley Washington, Ravens. Another player I had written off, he is now 30 years old and has never lived up to his third round draft status. His best year in Cincinnati he caught 31 balls for 378 yards. He did carve out a Special Teams role with the Patriots for two years, and now here he is actually catching balls again and I am saying something I never thought I’d say: Is Kelley Washington “back”?

Austin Collie/Pierre Garcon

Austin Collie/Pierre Garcon, Colts. Both of these wideouts are viable because their quarterback is Peyton Manning and they are battling it out for the #3 WR role. Garcon was thought to be in good standing at the beginning of the year with one year under his belt but fourth round selection rookie Collie is making a strong case to win the job.

Jermichael Finley

Tight End

Jermichael Finley, Packers. Creating quite a buzz in his second season, apparently he is dominating in practice and should get at least 50% of the touches this year between he and Donald Lee. Another fast, big and athletic player to keep an eye on.

Dan Orlovsky

Quarterbacks

Dan Orlovsky, Texans. If Matt Schaub and Rex Grossman are both hurt, Orlovsky could develop into a decent starter. He showed poise and leadership last night and made some great long throws down field.

Andrew Walter

Andrew Walter, Patriots. So the Pats cut backup QB Kevin O’Connell on Sunday but I don’t understand what all the fuss is about. I am confident Walter is as tutorable as Matt Cassel, and he already has more NFL starts than Cassel did when he took over for Tom Brady last year. Plus he is 6′6″ with a huge arm a la Joe Flacco.

Mario Williams

Defense

Mario Williams, DE, Texans. He gets better and better every year. Remember all the hysteria surrounding the Texans not drafting Reggie Bush #1 and the flack they took for taking Williams? Fools, fools I tell ya. Mario is a beast and will dominate this year. How about that Bush fella? B-U-S-T.