Fantasy Football News & Notes (7/31)

It’s official, it’s football season and I (Bruno Boys Larry) couldn‘t be more excited. NFL training camps are opening all over the country and fantasy football fever is running rampant. With the NFL season right around the corner it’s time to start preparing for your fantasy football draft.

Whether you play in a seasonal draft or keeper league, one thing many of us fantasy football fanatics like to do is find the rookie in this year’s class that you can land in your draft that will add value to your team. There are usually a few rookies each season that exceed expectations, and if you land the right one, he can put your team over the top.

Rookies do have a disadvantage over veteran NFL players. There is a huge difference in the talent level and the speed of the game from college to the pros. The best rookies during a season are usually the ones that get into camp on time. It helps to give them time to learn their teams offensive system and it also gets them extended playing time in preseason games.

In this week’s Fantasy Football News and Notes, we will take a look at some of the current NFL rookies who could have and immediate fantasy football impact this season, but are not yet signed with their respective teams as training camps open. The sooner these players are signed and in camp with their teams, the better chance they will have to make a fantasy football impact this season. 
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WR Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers)

The former standout wide receiver from Texas Tech amassed 231 receptions for 3,127 yards with 41 touchdowns in just two years in college. He was expected to go as early as No. 2 overall in April’s NFL draft, but to the delight of the 49ers, he slipped to them at No. 10.

Crabtree who is currently ranked as the No. 40 wide receiver by the Bruno Boys has a chance to make an immediate impact for a San Francisco team that could use some help at wide receiver. He will likely compete with second year man Josh Morgan for the No. 2 receiver spot opposite veteran Isaac Bruce. If he avoids a lengthy holdout, Crabtree has a chance to get 50 receptions as a rookie and could become a solid red zone target.

RB Knowshon Moreno (Denver Broncos)

The Denver Broncos surprised many people when they used the No. 12 overall pick to select the University of Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno. The Broncos backfield already seemed pretty crowded with the addition of free agents Correll Buckhalter and LaMont Jordon to go with holdovers Peyton Hillis and Ryan Torain, but the Broncos could not pass on Moreno who may have been the most talented running back in this year’s NFL draft.

Moreno is currently ranked as the No. 32 running back by the Bruno Boys. A crowded Denver backfield could keep him from having a rookie of the year type of season, but he has enough talent to take a flier on as a RB3 this season.

WR Jeremy Maclin (Philadelphia Eagles)

The Eagles added a speedy wide receiver last year with great results when they selected DeSean Jackson, so they thought they would try it again this year when they moved up to No. 19 overall to select the equally quick Maclin. In 2008, Maclin had 102 catches for 1,260 yards with 13 scores for the University of Missouri. Over 28 games in college in two years, he totaled 32 touchdowns, while totaling over 5,500 all-purpose yards.

He is the No. 51 ranked wide receiver by the Bruno Boys and he may have been drafted into the best situation of any rookie. The Eagles have an extremely talented and well balanced offense, led by veteran quarterback Donovan McNabb. If Maclin can avoid a lengthy holdout, we believe he has a chance to catch 45-50 passes and total 700-800 yards.

WR Percy Harvin (Minnesota Vikings)

The Vikings spent the No. 22 overall pick on University of Florida big-play man Percy Harvin. He is classified as a wider receiver, but he actually split time at running back and wide receiver for the Gators. He is a very versatile player who had 17 touchdowns last season for the National Champs.

Harvin has a chance to make an immediate impact for the Vikings as he is an excellent fit for their West Coast offense. He is ranked as the No. 53 wide receiver by the Bruno Boys. At 5’11” he has battled his share of injuries and there are some character concerns after a failed drug test at the NFL combine, but there is no denying his talent. He is worth a late round flier in drafts this summer.

RB Donald Brown (Indianapolis Colts)

After a season in which Joseph Addai struggled through injuries and never really looked like the running back we saw in 2007, the Colts drafted University of Connecticut running back Donald Brown with the 27th overall pick. Brown is expected to share carries with Addai while filling the role left by Dominic Rhodes, who went to Buffalo as a free agent.

Brown started 23 games in college and totaled 3,800 rushing yards with 33 touchdowns. If he can avoid a long holdout, he is in a good situation playing for one of the NFL’s most talented offenses. He is currently ranked as the No. 35 running back by the Bruno Boys.

WR Hakeem Nicks (New York Giants)

After releasing troubled wide receiver Plaxico Burress and veteran Amani Toomer in the off-season, the New York Giants had to address the wide receiver position in this year’s draft, which they did selecting University of North Carolina wide out Hakeem Nicks with the 29th overall pick. Nicks is the Tar Heels all-time leader in receptions with 181 and he added 21 touchdowns in his college career.

If Nicks can get into camp soon, he is expected to battle for a starting wide receiver spot for the Giants. His competition includes Steve Smith, Dominick Hixon, Sinorice Moss and Mario Manningham. Nicks is ranked as the No. 64 wide receiver by the Bruno Boys and is worth a late round flier as a WR4, especially if he can earn a starting spot in training camp.

RB Chris “Beanie” Wells (Arizona Cardinals)

After parting ways with veteran Edgerrin James during the off-season the Cardinals needed to find a compliment to second-year man Tim Hightower at running back. They did so by drafting Beanie Wells with the 31st overall pick in April’s NFL draft. Wells had 207 carries for 1,197 yards with eight touchdowns last season for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He has good athleticism, but he comes with some durability concerns.

Wells is expected to split carries with Hightower and if he avoids a lengthy holdout, he has a chance to earn the starting job in Arizona. Hightower was given a chance to start last season, but did not live up to the Cardinals expectations. Wells is the No. 30 ranked running back by the Bruno Boys, as the powerful back has a chance to be a solid RB3.

WR Brian Robiskie (Cleveland Browns)

The Cleveland Browns used their second round pick, No. 36 overall, to select Ohio State University wide receiver Brian Robiskie. Considered by many as the most NFL ready wide receiver in the draft, Robiskie has a great chance to make an immediate impact. The Browns are very thin in their receiving core. They traded tight end Kellen Winslow to Tampa Bay in the off-season and wide receiver Donte’ Stallworth will likely miss the season after serving jail time for DUI manslaughter, after he struck and killed a man with his car in March.

Robiskie whose father Terry is a former NFL running back and current NFL assistant with the Atlanta Falcons is an excellent route runner and has good hands. He is worth a late round flier as a WR4 and is currently ranked as the No. 66 wide receiver by the Bruno Boys.

Keep on eye on the contract situation of all these rookies, as the longer they holdout, the less chance they will have to make an immediate fantasy impact this season. If you would like to see the player write-ups on these rookies or any NFL player, download the 2009 Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets Webazine available as a free PDF, located on our homepage at www.brunoboys.net.