Randy Moss Trade: How Does This Effect Your Fantasy Team?
Fantasy football players are probably more shocked than the NFL that Randy Moss is changing teams. Moss switched from the New England Patriots to his first club, the Minnesota Vikings.
What does this trade mean for your fantasy? After all, Moss has 151 career TDs and 14,604 yards receiving.
Here is a breakdown of Moss' rippling affects.
Tom Brady: No Significant Change
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Tom Brady’s value might dip a little. He has 911 yards, 9 TDs and only 2 picks to begin the season.
Good stats.
However, Moss accounted for 9 receptions for 139 yards and 3 TDs.
Moss was his receiver, connecting for 50 scores and 3,904 yards in 3 plus years of working together.
Brady might find it more difficult to find open receivers because Moss stretched the field and Brady lost experience as he now has to throw to young players like Aaron Hernandez and Bradon Tate. Still, Brady should start.
Wes Welker: Down
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Welker began the year strong for fantasy with 26 receptions for 217 yards and 3 TDs. How will Moss’ absence affect his value?
It should be negative. Moss was New England’s No. 1 receiver, adding the vital vertical threat.
Welker is a possessions receiver and might find it difficult to get open now that he is the Patriots’ best wide out. He probably will start facing more double coverage.
Aaron Hernandez: Up
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Aaron Hernandez’s stock should rise with Brady now going to him more often without Moss to bail him out. The Florida tight end has 240 yards on 18 catches, but no scores. Also, he is a rookie, so he might wear down as the 17-week season progresses.
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Brandon Tate: No Significant Change
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The second-year North Carolina graduate will take more of a load in the Patriots’ starting line up.
But he will probably not gain much value as the Patriots’ don’t have a vertical threat at receiver. New England is also using Hernandez in a more tight end based offense.
Vikings' Offense: Up
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If there was a need an offense in need of a boost, the Minnesota Vikings’ offense was it. The Vikings are averaging 14.3 points a game and only 185 passing yards, 25th in the league.
After last year’s dominance, fantasy players picked the Vikings’ for overall points because of players like Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson and crew put up points and yardage.
Moss will desperately improve the Vikings’ offensive effectiveness like Popeye’s spinach. If you held onto the Vikings defense, you are lucky.
Brett Favre: Up
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Age seemed to have caught up to Favre as he began the season with 2 TDs and 6 INTs with a QB rating of 60.4.
Now, a Hall of Fame quarterback will throw to a Hall of Fame receiver. And the two have 650 TDs between the two, which is fantasy heaven.
If you panicked and traded Favre, you are out of luck. If you benched him, start him immediately. This tandem might be better than Brady-Moss was.
Percy Harvin: Down
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Harvin will be up as he does not have to be the No. 1 receiver now.
But Harvin has made a good case of being a No. 1 by having 790 yards and 6 TDs last year.
Moss will draw double coverage and special coverage schemes, leaving Harvin and Favre room to work.
Visanthe Shiancoe: Down
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Shiancoe was Favre’s top target for first down possessions, leading the team in receiving yards after three weeks. Moss will hurt his value, dropping Shiancoe to an iffy starter in your league.
You might want to shop around to see if someone is hurting in that position to strengthen a position of need. If not, don’t cut him as he had 11 TDs from Favre in 2009.
Adrian Peterson: Up
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The star running back has 3 TDs and 392 yards after three games.
Now with a strengthened passing game, Peterson should have more gaps to break a big run as defenses will drop their backs to cover Moss and Harvin.
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.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
