|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
  Sidelines Week in Review  Feeding Frenzy Fantasy Virgin What did we learn? IDP Waiver Wire Waiver Wire Wonders  Projections Rankings Start/Bench Sidelines Podcast Observation Deck  Grey Report IDP Cheatsheet  The Prognosticator Games to Watch BetBot IDP Studs & Duds Against the Odds Survivor Pool  Risers and Fallers Intelligence Report  Game Day   Friend Us Follow Us   NFL ESPN CBS Sports CNN/SI Pro Football Weekly Sporting News USA Today Fantasy Football Links  Article Archives  Official Rules Great White Shark Whale Shark I Whale Shark II The WALL I - IDP Only The WALL II - IDP Only  Who are We? Contact Us Buttons and Banners  MyFantasyLeague Fleaflicker      Friend Us Follow Us   |
Were you one of the many fantasy owners who had elected to stay 10 miles away from Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White on draft day? I’m not criticizing your decision; there were plenty of legitimate reasons to pass on the fourth-year pro at the time. Were you worried about White playing in what we thought would be a heavy run-first offense under the direction of a new offensive coordinator? Were you worried about White catching passes from rookie quarterback Matt Ryan? Were you worried about the talented White facing constant double-teams? Were you worried that White’s outstanding 2007 season was just a fluke? Were you having doubts about White because he had supposedly “prevented” former
On the other hand, were you one of the many fantasy owners who had “settled” for White on draft day? You probably weren’t happy with the pick at the time. Let me guess: You needed a wide receiver, and White represented the best available value on your cheat sheet. Guess what? Heading into Week 9, White ranks No. 5 (tie) in the league in receptions (43), No. 3 in receiving yardage (679), No. 2 (tie) in touchdowns (five) and No. 4 in total targets (76), so you’re obviously very happy now about owning White. Unless you’re in a league full of idiots, you won’t find White on the waiver wire. However, keep him in mind when you prepare for your 2009 drafts. It is my opinion that we are currently watching the rise of a true elite fantasy receiver.
Roddy’s Football Résumé
Sharod “Roddy” Lamor White was born November 2, 1981, in James Island, South Carolina. He played college football at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
White earned second-team All-Conference USA honors as a junior (2003). During his senior season (2004), he led the country in receiving yardage, ranked No. 3 nationally in yards per catch and notched six 100-yard receiving games, earning All-Conference USA first-team honors and a selection to the Associated Press third-team. The Falcons selected White with their first-round pick (No. 27 overall) in the 2005 National Football League draft.
Coming out of college, the 6-foot, 208-pound White was recognized for his superior athletic prowess, speed and hands. However, he supposedly lacked consistency, and there were questions about his toughness over the middle. His first NFL season was obviously unimpressive from a statistical perspective, but we all know that it’s common for rookie receivers to struggle. White notched three scores and one 100-yard receiving game, but he failed to top the 65-yard receiving mark in any other contests.
In 2006, White’s numbers ticked up a bit, but he topped 90 yards receiving in just three games and failed to find the end zone during the entire regular season. Many Falcons fans and some in the organization had already concluded that White was a bust. Looking back now, however, it’s obvious that White’s development had been severely hindered, because (1) he was not getting the ball enough due to Vick’s inconsistent, erratic passing, and (2) the club did not utilize a bona fide downfield passing attack.
Although the 2007 campaign was a frustrating and tumultuous one for his team, the gifted White finally lived up to his vast potential, enjoying a breakout season. Vick, as you probably remember, was booted off the team after his arrest in connection with running a dog fighting ring. That entire fiasco left a dark cloud lingering over the Falcons organization. During his first and only season with
White’s Fantasy Forecast
There is no question that White has picked up where he left off in 2007:
Roddy White - 2008 REGULAR SEASON STARTS
OPPONENT
RESULT
REC
YDS
AVE
TD
Week 01
W, 34 - 21
2
54
27.0
0
Week 02
@
L, 09 - 24
4
59
14.8
0
Week 03
W, 38 - 14
5
119
23.8
1
Week 04
@Carolina
L, 09 - 24
7
90
12.9
0
Week 05
@Green Bay
W, 27 - 24
8
132
16.5
1
Week 06
W, 22 - 20
9
112
12.4
1
Week 07
BYE
-----
---
---
---
---
Week 08
@Philadelphia
L, 14 - 27
8
113
14.1
2
PER-GAME AVERAGES
6
97.0
15.8
0.71
White obviously got off to a slow start, but that was to be expected with the rookie Ryan throwing him passes. Since Week 5 (three games played), White has averaged eight receptions for 119 yards and 1.33 touchdowns per contest. If you project White’s current per-game averages over a full 16-game schedule, you come up with 97 catches for 1,555 yards and 11 touchdowns. Although it’s not realistic to expect a receiving yardage total that high, the reception and scoring projections are attainable for White.
Here is
DATE
WEEK #
OPPONENT
RANK VERSUS THE PASS
Nov. 02
Week 09
@Oakland
19
Nov. 09
Week 10
27
Nov. 16
Week 11
28
Nov. 23
Week 12
9
Nov. 30
Week 13
@San Diego
32
Dec. 07
Week 14
@New Orleans
27
Dec. 14
Week 15
7
Dec. 21
Week 16
@Minnesota
20
Dec. 28
Week 17
26
In the title of this article, I stated that White is a future fantasy stud receiver, and I stand by that opinion. Why?
1.
White is one of the most talented wide receivers in the league.
2.
White is the No. 1 big-play guy in the Falcons passing game.
3.
Enemy defenses expect White to be the focus of the
4.
White has the talented, albeit young Ryan throwing him the football. Ryan looks like he has Pro Bowl potential and should continue to improve.
5.
The Falcons defense will be a work-in-progress for at least the next two years and will struggle to stop enemy offenses. Ryan should have to throw frequently to keep the team competitive in games, which obviously bodes well for White.
Bottom line - White should be considered a Top 10 fantasy receiver now and heading into the 2009 season. My final thought: Many of you surely remember when quarterback Peyton Manning was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in 1998. He started during his rookie season, just like Ryan is. Manning quickly developed some strong on-the-field chemistry with a then-little known wide receiver named Marvin Harrison, and you know what happened with that duo. I’m getting a Manning/Harrison vibe from Ryan/White. In my humble opinion, the duo of Ryan and White has the potential to be just as productive as Manning/Harrison in the years to come.
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Home | Top | Contact Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Advertise Part of the USA Today Sports Media Group Copyright © 2012 by Sharks Fantasy Sports, LLC |
