NFC East-Fantasy Football Do's & Don'ts

Most of the key free agents have found homes and the season is starting to come in to focus.  We are less than a week from the first preseason games.  Here is a look at the NFC East's notable fantasy players. 

Dallas Cowboys

Romo looks to bounce back
from a season ending injury

Tony Romo was off to a great start before his season ended in Week 7 of 2010.  Romo finds himself at a crossroads on an inpatient team with annual high expectations.  I expect a solid bounce back and see Romo as a high second tier fantasy QB.  If you miss out on the studs while stocking up on backs and receivers you can still grab Romo and round out your starters and walk away happy. 

Marion Barber is gone and Felix Jones inherits the starting job in the backfield for the Cowboys.  The bad news is that the backfield is still crowded with the talented Tashard Choice and rookie Demarco Murray.  Jones should get the majority of the carries, but not enough to make him a star running back.  Project Jones as a low RB2 with a little upswing in PPR leagues.  Choice and Murray are deep league fliers or injury insurance but should be on your radar as serviceable fantasy backs if given the opportunity. 

The Cowboy's receiving corp is anchored by Miles Austin and Dez Bryant.  Austin is a top flight receiver with Romo under center.  He should put up 80/1,300/10 stats.  If Bryant can keep his head level he has the talent to replicate Austin's numbers.  He should be good for a solid WR2.  The Cowboys have a litany of offensive weapons for Romo to spread the ball around to.  His favorite option is tight end Jason Witten.  Witten is a top option at tight end.  If you play in a PPR league he may well be the top option.  He could approach 100 grabs with 1,000 yards and ten TDs. 


NY Giants
The Giants are lead by the other Manning at quarterback.  Eli is not nearly as talented as his brother but can be useful in fantasy football in small stretches.  Eli is a good QB2 or has potential value when rotating two QBs based on match up.  Manning is nothing flashy, but you can pencil in a middle of the road stat line and rest easy. 

Ahmad Bradshaw shopped his services around then elected to resign with the Giants.  Bradshaw pairs with Brandon Jacobs to form a dependable backfield.  Both players have value in fantasy football.  Bradshaw is the higher rated player but because of the timeshare only projects to be a solid RB2.  Jacobs is more valuable in TD leagues and is a quality reserve. 

Hakeem Nicks enters his third season with the opportunity to not only breakout, but to catapult to top five status.  He posseses the skill and ability to take any reception to the end zone for a touchdown.  Nicks is a trendy receiver pick so he is likely to be overvalued on draft day.  If you can get him for value grab him as a solid WR1, but don't reach and overpay.  I have a terribly hard time getting excited about Mario Manningham.  He is wildly inconsistent.  Last year he posted five 100+ yard games but also turned in six games of less than 60 yards receiving.  He did manage to get 9 TDs and has fantasy value as a WR3-4, but play your match ups carefully. 

Philadelphia Eagles

#1 QB or #1 Risk...YES!

The Dream Team...OK maybe not, but they do have several key fantasy players on their team.  Michael Vick headlines the team and is the ultimate boom or bust pick.  He can take over a game as he did last season against Washington when he accounted for over 400 yards and six TDs.  He doesn't come without a considerable risk, however.  Vick's ability to get outside the pocket and run also make him susceptible to injury.  He is a top tier QB now, but make sure you grab your backup quicker than you might with other top signal callers. 

Lesean McCoy is a PPR machine capable of being a top five back.  I expect nearly 2,800 total yards and 13 TDs out of a solid mid first round pick.  Vet Ronnie Brown signed with the Eagles and is decent backup if you are in a position to handcuff a McCoy draft pick. 

The Eagles have two elite receivers in DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, but their talents being on the same team manages to slightly drag each other's value down.  Both guys enter the season with questions swirling about them.  Jackson is a top 10 receiver who has the talent to be a WR1.  He is holding out of camp and will likely show some rust early in the season due to the lack of reps.  Maclin has been held out of camp and is said to be visibly lighter than last year.  The Eagles are not disclosing his illness.  When healthy Maclin is a good WR2.  Monitor both situations throughout camp and draft accordingly. 

The emergence of Vick came at the expense of tight end Brent Celek.  Celek caught far fewer passes for nearly 500 less yards while having his TD total slashed in half.  He is not worth a starting spot and can not be counted on from week to week with the Eagles' new offensive focus.


Washington Redskins
How is it that the team that used to treat free agency like a fantasy football draft barely has any guys worth fantasy consideration?  The Redskins have unanswered questions at all the skill positions.  The QB situation is unsettled, and will not stabilize the team this season.  Ryan Torain came up big last year when he stepped in to the starting role...then he proceeded to get injured.  His inconsistency and Mike Shanahan's commitment to drive fantasy owners crazy are enough to lead me to stay away.  The Skins picked up Tim Hightower and he expects to have a shot at the claiming the starting job.  Torain and Hightower are worth a RB3-4 slot on your team and if one guy manages to claim the majority of the snaps may have starter value.  Rookie Roy Helu is in the mix and will likely be picked late in deep leagues, but joins in a congested backfield with value that is yet to be determined. 



Serviceable not spectacular

 Not surprisingly the Redskins' top receiver is only worth fantasy team consideration as a reserve.  Santana Moss is a dependable, not spectacular reserve.  He is a solid by week fill in.  You will get consistent stats but rarely an offensive explosion or difference maker.  Anthony Armstrong is not as solid as Moss but has more upside.  He can be claimed later and will make a good late round flier.  Chris Cooley is a low end starting tight end.  He will not put up great numbers but could be the beneficiary of an abbreviated off season and shaky quarterbacking situation and be the target of check downs on a weekly basis.