5 Reasons to Draft Santana Moss in Your Fantasy Football League

Santana Moss significantly underwhelmed in 2011, but don't count him out as a fantasy option just yet. 

As a team, the Washington Redskins disappointed last year, but they will look substantially different in 2012, with a new and exciting quarterback under center. 

Moss isn't the top-level fantasy option he once was, but this season may very well be the time when he provides owners with the best overall fantasy value of his career. 

Robert Griffin III Is Throwing Him Passes in 2012

The quarterback situation was an utter disaster last year in Washington. 

There's no doubting that. 

The Redskins were in trouble from the beginning, actually. 

The training camp quarterback battle was a tightly contested one between signal-callers that hadn't previously taken the NFL by storm in John Beck and Rex Grossman. 

The two combined for 18 touchdowns and 24 interceptions en route to another disappointing season from the Redskins quarterback position. 

In comes reigning Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III with all his natural abilities. He's easily the most gifted and most accurate pocket passer Washington's had in a long time. RG3 adds considerably more big-play opportunities to the Redskins offense—something that could prove to beneficial to Moss in 2012. 

He's Finally in Shape

According to Zac Boyer of the Fredericksburgh Free Lance-Star, Moss loss a significant amount of weight this offseason, which should help him regain some of the quickness and acceleration that made him one of the NFL's most dangerous downfield threats in the mid-2000s: 

"

#Redskins WR Santana Moss officially lost 16 pounds (205 to 189). TE Fred Davis lost 11 (258 to 247) and S DeJon Gomes lost 7 (208 to 201).

— Zac Boyer (@ZacBoyer) July 25, 2012"

Playing at 205 certainly limited his explosiveness in 2011, but a more in-shape Moss could help a resurgence to the way he played in 2010, when he had 93 grabs. 

He Neared 100 Targets Last Season

Truly viable fantasy receivers should, at the very least, near 100 targets in a given season. In a tumultuous 2011 that was marred by a quarterback carousel and simply bad quarterback play, Moss received 96 targets. 

To put that number in perspective, 96 targets were the same amount Julio Jones and Jordy Nelson received, and it was nine less than Anquan Boldin. 

Although Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan will likely take away some targets from Moss, with Robert Griffin III likely creating a more electric passing dynamic in Washington this season, expect Moss to get close to, if not eclipse, the 100-target plateau in 2012.  

He's the Most Established Receiver on the Redskins' Roster

In fantasy leagues across the country, the trendy Redskins wideout will undoubtedly be free-agent acquisition Pierre Garcon. 

He's young, he showed glimpses of immense potential while on the Indianapolis Colts and he is a newcomer. 

But no pass-catching option on Washington's roster has as much veteran savvy or is as established as Moss. Sure, there's chance he's not as electric down the field as he used to be, but he knows how to get open and understands what it takes to make the most out of the passes thrown his way. 

Like we saw with an aging Steve Smith last season with Cam Newton in Carolina, don't be shocked if RG3 is the most comfortable throwing in Moss in 2012. 

He Could Play out of the Slot More in 2012

According to Rotoworld.com Santana Moss recently said the following regarding where he'll play in 2012: "Right now, I'm a slot guy. It's something I've played the last few years here, but I'll probably be playing it more."

While it seems like that means he's been relegated to the No. 3 WR role, playing in the slot more often could help Moss' production in a major way. 

It'll give him more favorable matchups against weaker nickel and dime corners, and he'll have more field in which to operate. He could become deadly on the famed seam route down the middle for RG3.