Fantasy Football: NFL Free Agent Blog

Here's my NFL free agent blog for Thursday and how these changes specifically affect the scope of fantasy football:

News: Wide receiver Laurent Robinson inks lucrative deal with Jaguars

Views: In recent years, I have poked fun at Jacksonville's lagging commitment with drafting/developing quality receivers to counterbalance Maurice Jones-Drew's greatness. But those days are gone, regardless, if Robinson (11 TDs with Dallas last season) immediately morphs into the Jaguars' leading receiver, thanks to the arrival of head coach Mike Mularkey.

Sure, Mularkey was under fire here in Atlanta for his play-calling choices whenever the Falcons encountered a crucial 4th-and-1 in their own territory; and yes, Mularkey might have handled Matt Ryan with kid gloves early in the quarterback's development.

That aside, Mularkey is a progressive, resourceful leader for a passing game—and a franchise—that desperately needs to attract new fans (and rejuvenate the old ones) with an up-tempo, go-for-broke offensive attack. Robinson, blessed with good size and blazing speed, can be the anchor to a receiving corps that could use a significant upgrade (Jarett Dillard has intriguing long-term potential).

Drafting Justin Blackmon, Michael Floyd or Mohamed Sanu would be another positive step in that direction.

Robinson projections: 64 catches, 1,071 yards, 8 TDs

News: Running back Peyton Hillis joins the Chiefs' crowded backfield

Views: My strong personal feelings for Jamaal Charles aside, the Chiefs crafted a savvy move with the addition of Hillis (717 total yards, 3 TDs with Cleveland last year), who may be the NFL's best backup tailback that currently isn't involved in a time-share scenario.

Translation: Hillis has No. 1 talent, but there's no way he's going to displace a healthy Charles (recovering from an ACL tear) between the 20s, on third down or in goal-line situations. And what about Dexter McCluster? Where does he fall into this new arrangement?

Before injuring his knee against Detroit in Week 2, Charles was well on his way to becoming the LeSean McCoy of the AFC—a reliable threat for 1,600 total yards and 16 TDs. If Charles should need time to ease back into the game come September, a full-time Hillis would be a safe bet for 95 total yards and 0.5 TDs every Sunday.

He's great insurance for Charles and McCluster, but like most talented understudies on the Broadway circuit, Hillis may never be called into active duty.

News: The dog-and-pony show for Peyton Manning will finally end in—Arizona

Views: If it's true that Manning has pared his final list of potential suitors to four teams—the Titans, Dolphins, Cardinals, Broncos—then I must put on my Wolf Blitzer projections hat (and white beard) before declaring Arizona the winner, due to the presence of one man: Larry Fitzgerald.

Have you ever watched Manning prepare for a 1 p.m. game on a random fall Sunday? Instead of fraternizing with opponents during warm-ups, or sucking up to the NFL Films cameramen or lazily trying to recite lyrics to a Coldplay song playing over the loud speaker, Manning takes the field with the sole intent of obsessively going through the 'Route Tree' with four receivers, three tight ends, two ball boys and the one guy responsible for putting pylons in the end zone. Basically anyone who can help him nail the timing for crucial throws that must be perfect during live action. Moving west, Fitzgerald has a similarly intense approach to game preparation. Put it all together and these guys are a match made in heaven for a team that's brimming with young talent and anxious to become this year's version of the 49ers.

Manning's signing would also be a boon to the Dolphins, Broncos or Titans; but if No. 18 is looking for a soulmate for the next four seasons, it's Fitzgerald (and the Cardinals). A no-brainer move, really.

Manning projections (with Arizona): 4,108 yards passing, 31 TDs

Jay Clemons can be reached on Twitter, day or night, at @ATL_JayClemons.