Will Danny Woodhead Be a Fantasy Football Contributor in 2011?

Danny Woodhead exploded out of obscurity to a Madden cover contender when he came over to the Patriots from the Jets last year. With 547 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns to go along with 379 receiving yards and another score, Woodhead had the makings of a solid bench option in PPR leagues.

That was before the Patriots turned their attention to the running back position in the 2011 NFL draft.

Woodhead, whose size doesn’t nearly match his heart, got some as the Patriots added Shane Vereen in the second round and Stevan Ridley in the third round.

Will their arrival crush Woodhead’s fantasy value?

I wouldn’t go as far to say it will crush it, but their arrival certainly isn’t doing Danny any favors, especially when you consider that BenJarvus Green-Ellis will also likely be in the mix for the bulk of the carries.

Woodhead has some things going for him though. He is dynamic and versatile. He is very similar in style to Wes Welker, who is a favorite of both Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Woodhead fits perfectly into the Patriots system, which gives him a leg up on the youngsters.

Though he’s not exactly a rugged veteran, he still has completed his learning curve. It’s going to take some time for Vereen and Ridley to get accustomed to the speed of the pro game. Not having OTAs will hurt the rookies.

Rookies often have trouble in blitz protection. Without the extra OTA reps, that could be even a bigger issue in 2011. Knowing how to pick up blitzes and when to slip out to give Brady another option will take practice. BenJarvus Green-Ellis could be affected more than Woodhead as Belichick will want him in the game on third downs.

Woodhead won’t take a healthy investment. He is the 52nd-ranked running back according to MockDraftCentral. That makes him an RB5 to provide depth. He gets a bump in PPR leagues where he could likely serve as a RB4.

If you only intend on using him during bye weeks and as an injury replacement in PPR leagues, you shouldn’t be disappointed.

Also check out

• 2011 Early Fantasy Football QB Rankings
• 2011 Early Fantasy Football RB Rankings
• 2011 Early Fantasy Football WR Rankings
• 2011 Early Fantasy Football TE Rankings