Expectations for WRs Acquired During Free Agency

Byron Lambert, Rosterwatch.com



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The NFL’s 2012 Free Agent signing period has been a whirlwind as usual. All of the drama was centered around the QB market, but most of the action was on the WR exchange. Several key WR signings occurred and this is the fantasy football impact as I see it:

Pierre Garcon (Redskins): Makes the offense faster and gives RG3 or Andrew Luck a nice weapon that stretches the field. Peg him for 55 rec, 875 yd, 6 td w/ some upside. A great #3 WR or low end #2 Fantasy WR. Look to draft him in the 7th-8th round. He should be the 1st Redskins WR drafted. We still love TE Fred Davis as the best value among Redskin receiving options. It’s funny because he could have stayed in Indy and still would have played with either of these QBs. (7.7 pts/gm)



Vincent Jackson (Tampa Bay): Gives the Bucs the big time WR they sorely needed. Jackson is a legitimate #1 Fantasy WR. I’m reducing my expectations for him relative to previous seasons, though. Josh Freeman is a downgrade from Philip Rivers and a new offense will be implemented. Freeman’s fantasy value may be the primary beneficiary here. Don’t overdraft VJAX. Nab him in the 4th round or later for a nice payoff. Expect 75 rec, 1150 yd, 9 td w/ quite a bit of upside. Jackson is capable of being a top 10 fantasy WR. (10.5 pts/gm)

Brandon Lloyd (New England): At Rosterwatch we call him Spiderman. Enough said. Temper expectations due to the nature of the offense and the wealth of receiving options in New England. Still, I like Lloyd as a #2 Fantasy WR. Target him in the 6th round, but if you really like him you may have to pull the trigger in the 5th. This acquisition should support Brady’s continued status as an elite fantasy option. 60 rec, 960 yd, 8 td. (9.0 pts/gm)

Mario Manningham (San Francisco): Adds speed and quickness to the 49er offense. Interesting quartet with Randy Moss, Michael Crabtree, and Vernon Davis in the mix. Don’t forget it’s still Alex Smith slinging the ball around. I think Manningham is what he is. A lot of dropped balls. Might be worth a late round flyer. Don’t get crazy. 45 rec, 590 yd, 5 td. (5.6 pts/gm)



Brandon Marshall (Chicago): The Bears acquired Marshall via trade. The Dolphins later came out and said they would have cut him if they hadn’t been able to trade him. Take that for what you will. I like him playing with Jay Cutler again. Consider him a #2 Fantasy WR with enormous upside and draft accordingly. Somewhere in rounds 3-6 seems appropriate. Chalk up 80 rec, 1200 yd, 10 td. (11.3 pts/gm)



Robert Meachem (San Diego): A divergence from the typical Charger WR, Norv Turner says Meachem can be a strong #1. I don’t believe it. The offense is prolific though and Rivers gets the ball downfield. Could be an 8th rd steal. I might not touch him until round 9 or 10, but could see upside for 65 rec, 1000 yd, 8 td which would slot him around guys like Lloyd. (9.3 pts/gm)

Randy Moss (San Francisco): Feels like a bit of a re-tread in the Bay but I get a sneaky feeling he’ll be pretty good. I expect him to be kind of Plaxico Burress-ish circa 2011. Still a nice target. 50 rec, 770 yd, 8 td. That would represent a nice value late in the draft. (7.8 pts/gm)

Laurent Robinson (Jacksonville): He was terrific in Dallas last year after showing flashes during his time in St. Louis. A young player with nice potential. Blaine Gabbert sucks, though. This offense still runs through MJD. Consider Robinson as a late round value or maybe even better as a late keeper pick. If Gabbert grows this year, Robinson could develop into a productive option in the future. Keep in mind the Jags did bring in Chad Henne. If Henne takes over, Robinson has a chance to be fantasy-relevant sooner. 48 rec., 700 yd., 6 td. (6.6 pts/gm)



Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis): I guess the Colts wanted their fans to recognize some semblance of their beloved former offense coming into 2012. A nice weapon and seasoned veteran for Andrew Luck or RG3 to walk in to. Not quite the player he was with a new offense to learn. No longer a #1 Fantasy WR you can still draft him as a low end #2 or a great #3. Worth a look in the 6th-7th round. 65 rec, 885 yd, 7 td. (8.2 pts/gm)

