By Vidur Malik

notjustagame23@gmail.com

After the 2009 season, we highly recommended Vikings receiver Percy Harvin for you to pick up in the 2010 fantasy draft.

He followed up his rookie season with another great year in 2010, and he has really emerged as one of the NFL’s most dangerous playmakers this season. Those of you that have him on your team have been reaping the rewards as of late. After not getting in the end zone through the air for the first 10 weeks of the season, Harvin has caught four touchdowns in the past three weeks, including two in the Vikings’ 35-32 loss to the Broncos on Sunday. Harvin had his best receiving stats of the year in that game, catching eight passes for 156 yards. He has clearly become a favorite target for rookie quarterback Christian Ponder. Harvin has caught at least six passes in the last four games, and has a touchdown in the last three. He’s at 59 catches for 710 yards and four touchdowns for the year, and going off of his recent production, he should end this season with career-high totals in all those categories.

Combine his receiving skills with his kick return abilities, and you’ve got yourself an elite scoring threat. He’s run back one kick return for a touchdown this season, and got his name in the record books with a 104-yard run in week 12, which is the longest non-scoring play in NFL history. He also has a rushing touchdown this season, so he can really impact a game in many ways.

There are quite a few playmakers in the NFL who can score at any time in one particular situation. Whether it’s a deep-threat receiver or a kick returner who can take it the distance at any time, these types of players are pretty common. The player who has all these qualities, however, is rare. Consider Harvin in that class. After three years of playmaking as a receiver and kick returner, it’s time to put Harvin in that elite group of guys who must be accounted for by both defenses and special teams. Darren Sproles is probably the only other player who fits this mold, but other than him, there really isn’t anyone else who can put up solid offensive numbers while also returning kicks with the best of them.

If you didn’t draft Harvin this season, make sure to get him next year and for many years to come. You won’t regret it.

What people aren’t really talking about is the flipside of that acquisition. In order to sign Houshmandzadeh, the Ravens traded wide receiver Mark Clayton to the St. Louis Rams along with a seventh-round draft pick, and got a sixth-round draft pick from the Rams. Though Clayton may not have had all-pro numbers in his time in Baltimore, he was a dependable receiver who consistently put up solid numbers. While Houshmandzadeh can make an impact in Baltimore, Clayton can do the same in St. Louis.

In his five seasons as a Raven, Clayton recorded over 3,100 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Those aren’t impressive numbers, but they show that he’s been a good number two or three receiver for a long time. His best statistical season was in 2006, his second season, when he put up 939 yards and five touchdowns. Those numbers could be considered on the verge of number one receiver status, so he’s shown in the past that he can play a big role in an offense.

Going to St. Louis can be a great opportunity for Clayton to establish himself as a crucial part of the offense, and a good target for rookie quarterback Sam Bradford. With last year’s number one receiver Donnie Avery out for the season after suffering a torn ACL in the preseason, Clayton has a chance to become the main guy in St. Louis. The other Rams wide receivers are an up and coming group, but they’re young, and lack Clayton’s experience. Laurent Robinson is entering his fourth season, and his second as a Ram, and is coming back from a broken leg in 2009. He should be able to compete for a starting spot this year. Danny Amendola had 43 catches for 326 yards in his rookie year last year after bouncing around practice squads, and should also be involved in the competition at wide receiver. Rookie Mardy Gilyard played well during training camp according to reports, and should be in the mix for playing time as well.

Clayton figures to be the early number one among the receivers because of his experience. If he can build chemistry with Bradford, who has impressed in the preseason, Clayton can become the unquestioned number one receiver in St. Louis, and can up his numbers to the 1,000 yard level. Bradford has the intelligence and ability to be a smart quarterback, and having Clayton to throw to should make things easier for him. Elite running back Steven Jackson is in the backfield, and having a great back can be extremely helpful to young quarterbacks by taking the pressure off of them to win games.

Though the Rams are in a rebuilding phase, Clayton seems to be in a great situation. Don’t be surprised if he records big numbers this season.

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Though Seattle decided to cut their losses with TJ, their loss is another teams gain. Seattle was worried about their long term investment, and was comfortable enough with their young emerging receivers to part ways. TJ virtually had his choice of where he wanted to land and play for a year. As Seattle still will pay the majority of his salary with the Ravens paying the veterans minimum portion.  With the Ravens gearing up for a big run towards the Super Bowl any additional pieces could play a huge part.

We’d say trading away Mark Clayton for Housh is a distinguishable upgrade.

Baltimore’s bread and butter will continue to be the running game. Ray Rice is an emerging back who stormed on the scene in a feature role last season. Carries will continue to rise for him and the offense will officially be catered towards him. Behind Rice is veteran McGahee whose role will likely be scaled back further but provide the needed power in the fourth quarter.

Too shake up things Baltimore will need Joe Flacco to show more of the efficiency he displayed his rookie season. Their long time number one receiver Derrick Mason has been one of the only Ravens receivers to show up consistently each year. With Mason whispering on retirement last year Baltimore knew they finally need to make some moves at receiver. Bringing in Anquan Boldin was a major move in itself but now with Housh they can toy with defenses. Coordinators will not know which poison is worse, which early on in the year will likely be to leave it on Flacco’s arm.

They’ll load up in the box and create big pass play opportunities for Mason, Boldin, and Housh. It’s hard to say how potent the Ravens offense will be, but it’s safe to say they will be top ten in the league for points scored. Where we love Housh’s value is looking at Boldin and Mason. Mason has aged and will likely move to the slot position saving his legs and keeping him fresh throughout the season. Anquan Boldin is number one in the league at the receiver position for physicality. He goes all out and gives his body more of a beating than opposing defenders. That style of play has caused him to miss several stints of action almost every year.

Baltimore is taking all precautions to ensure the “IF” factor in the NFL. They’ve already reinsured on Donte Stallworth who is out with a broken foot, and has proven to be an unreliable receiver. Drafting or picking up Housh on waivers is a definite solid idea. Even though he disappointed many owners last season it was more of the team than the player. He still had 79 catches for over 900 yards. Basically he is going to continue to be the possession receiver he has always been. In Seattle that didn’t translate to the same numbers because they couldn’t run the football. Obviously, Baltimore is going to be in the top three in the league for rushing, which will give Housh his old red zone opportunities just like in Cincinnati.

David Thomas- The Saints might be the only team in the NFL that has backup players at every position that could be starting. Tight end David Thomas is no exception. While Jeremy Shockey has been solid as the team’s starting tight end, Thomas showed last year that he could deliver if given playing time. Thomas spent his first three seasons with the New England Patriots, and didn’t record impressive numbers there, but caught 35 passes for 356 yards and a touchdown last year while Shockey was hurt. In an offense with so many weapons, it will be tough for Thomas to get starter-level stats, but he’s shown that he deserves a spot in the Saints’ arsenal, and if any quarterback can get everyone involved, it’s Drew Brees. He may not get much playing time this season, but a few good weeks in a row for him should be enough for you to claim him off waivers.

Delanie Walker- Like Thomas, Delanie Walker is playing behind an elite tight end, but has some skills of his own. Like 49ers starter Vernon Davis, Walker has the speed to stretch the middle of the field and provide another downfield threat. After Davis’s breakout 2009, he figures to be a crucial part of the offense in 2010. That will reduce Walker’s minutes, but in two tight end sets, or when the 49ers put more receivers on the field, Walker can be just as big a threat as anyone else on any given play. His career numbers so far are nothing special, and he may not significantly improve upon them, but it would be smart to keep an eye on him this year. During the preseason, Walker and quarterback Alex Smith have looked like they have good chemistry, which should translate to the regular season. He’s got the quickness to create mismatches, and with the talented players around him, he should get opportunities when he’s on the field.

Two Steve Smith’s at the same position and not much separating them to rate one higher than the other. Rankings happen for a reason and one of the Smith’s has to be the top dog. A year ago this was not even a question. Carolina’s Smith had been a top ten receiver for several years. While the Giants, Smith, had struggled to find his niche ever since the Giants drafted him. Playing behind long time Giants veteran Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress must have paid off in some fashion. Smith is the Giants clear cut receiver leader and he has fought off young talented receivers Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham in the process.

The first area we are going to analyze is both teams offensive balance. It’s no secret that Carolina has the best tandem of backs in the NFL. Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams have proven and shown that they can and will carry the Panthers with a minimum thirty combined carries a game. Even though Matt Moore is taking over that will not halt Carolina’s plans. It wouldn’t be shocking to see the carries per game claw up an extra six to eight a game.

Another glaring area with Carolina is they’ve lacked a legitamate second receiver behind Steve Smith for years. Take a second and think of who has played behind Smith……the Jeopardy five second buzzer has just sounded. Mushin Muhammed was a suitable possession receiver for a long time but not fantasy reliable. Carolina has never truly had a receiver you could draft besides Smith. Were sad to say but Dwayne Jarrett’s an absolute bust. Going into 2010 with Jarrett opposite Smith is only going to make things harder for Smith.

Age and Smith’s injuries the past few seasons have to raise some concerns. He is still a strong top fifteen receiver but we have him behind the Giants Smith.

The Giants style of offense has went more to the air. Partly because the running game has struggled since Tiki Barber departed. Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward had a decent year together but 09’ saw that Jacobs will always need help. Another down year from him and he’ll likely be replaced via the draft or free agency.

A quarterback just doesn’t go from averaging between 3,200 and 3,300 yards three straight years and jump to over 4,000 yards. New York is officially an air attack team and Manning’s favorite target is Steve Smith. The cast of the Giants receivers does overshadow Carolina’s making it difficult to spread the ball to all, but were going to say take the Giants Smith over Carolina’s.

For a minute the football world looked like it would be TO free for 2010. The media was jumping on the fact that Terrell Owens had little interest for months. Teams would speculate at the possibility but ultimately say they were going to look in a different route. The Jets, Seahawks, etc. all decided that Terrell wasn’t worth a years deal. By looking at what happened last season it was not too hard to predict this was coming. Buffalo was pretty much the only team that had strong interest last off-season. Were pretty sure if Terrell had serious options he would have went elsewhere. Come on, who would sign on to play where they knew getting the football would be as hard as Jamarcus Russell throwing an accurate pass over five yards?

A team that is not afraid to be contrarian is the Cincinnati Bengals. They’ve brought in and resigned troubled players in the past like Chris Henry and Tank Johnson. They’ve been subjected to numerous internal issues with players getting in trouble off the field. As the business goes any signing is a risk. Faulting a team for making a mistake is the way things go. No one expected Cedric Benson to resurrect his career. Turning from a third or fourth running back on many fantasy teams to being the main running back. It paid off.

The signing of Terrell Owens is as sneaky as can be. He goes in without having to have the responsibilities of the sole main option at receiver. All the years Terrell Owens has been a number one receiver he played opposite second receivers that were more comparable to a third or fourth receiver. In San Francisco it was JJ Stokes, Philadelphia Reggie Brown, and in Buffalo Lee Evans followed by a bunch of no names. Call it a perfect link but teaming up with Chad Johnson and Antonio Bryant is Owens best fit maybe of his career. Balls are going to be a plenty as well. Definitely at a higher clip than was in Buffalo. Throw last year out, and Cincinnati had some formidable years with there receivers one through three putting up fantasy stats. Chad Johnson, TJ Housh, and Chris Henry were one of the best triple threats in the league.

A Hall of Fame player such as Owens may be putting on the Hollywood smile right now. Away from the camera he is on a mission to show that he still has it. He wants to prove to teams and owners throughout the league that not entertaining or submitting an offer to him was a big mistake. Sure he may have lost a step but he has the smarts, physical tools, and playmaking ability to be that additional threat that makes Cincinnati a scary team.

Compared to last season things look golden for TO. The Bills pathetic offense had a hard time mustering 100 yards a game through the air, and that was a losing team usually down early. Carson Palmer had his ups and downs last season but is now two full years from his 2008 season ending elbow injury. Besides that last year Palmer struggled to find other options besides Chad Johnson. Chris Henry was out with injury before his tragic death, and they had let Housh go. Guys that had been with Carson for years were gone and the high hopes for Lavernues Coles meeting expectations just didn’t happen.

The Bengals have upgraded their offense a few notches with TO and Antonio Bryant. We expect TO to be an above average second receiver. Lots of owners will probably be able to be lucky enough to have TO as their third fantasy wide receiver. Even as a second fantasy wideout on your teams we believe he will pay huge dividends. The yardage totals may not be as large as his prime years but hovering near double digit touchdowns should become an actuality. Last year we had TO on our list of top ten busts, this year we love him. What a difference a one year contract makes.

Around the league, talented wide receivers seem to keep on sprouting up year after year. Every team has multiple receivers who can have breakout games any given week. Because there are so many productive wide outs, there are bound to be players that can help your fantasy team who won’t be picked on draft day. If one of your players isn’t getting it done, you should be able to drop him for another receiver who can help your team. Picking up one of these players during the season off of waivers can boost your point totals, and gives you the opportunity to make a more educated decision, because you can make your choice based on how the player has performed during the season, which you can’t do in the off-season. Rookies who you want to keep an eye on before adding them to your team, number two or three wide outs who aren’t enough of a lock to use a draft pick on, or veterans who need to show that they have enough left in the tank are examples of receivers who are great for mid-season pickups. Here are five guys to look out for if you want to switch up your roster during the season:

Terrell Owens- Until T.O. signs with a team, picking him up off waivers is the only way you can have him on your squad. If he does participate in a training camp and settles down somewhere, he is still worth keeping an eye on. Last year was a down year for Owens, who had 829 receiving yards and five touchdowns, and even though he might not be a number one receiver anymore, there is nothing to suggest that he can’t get it done anymore. If he lands on a team and isn’t drafted in your league, he could be a valuable addition.

Brian Hartline, Miami Dolphins- The addition of Brandon Marshall should open things up for other Dolphins receivers. Hartline should benefit from more looks with Marshall occupying defenses. Davone Bess had a solid year for the Dolphins last year, and he should see an improvement from his two touchdown catches last year. Bess is worth a late draft pick, so Hartline is a guy to look at during the season. He caught 31 passes last year for just over 500 yards and three touchdowns, and if he can take advantage of the opportunities he will get, he will be a smart addition to your team.

Mark Clayton, Baltimore Ravens- Anquan Boldin and Derrick Mason will be reliable targets for quarterback Joe Flacco, and if Clayton can become another option, the Ravens offense will take off. Clayton caught 34 balls last year for 480 yards and two touchdowns, which were dips in production for him compared to previous seasons. With the addition of an All-pro wideout in Boldin, and expectations of a big year from Flacco, Clayton could be a guy who gets overlooked, but ends up having a good year.

Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos- The Broncos used their first-round draft pick on Thomas, a big receiver out of Georgia Tech. At 6’3” and 229 lbs., Thomas can get rough with defenders, and seems to have the physical ability to be a productive receiver. Because Brandon Marshall is gone and the quarterback situation in Denver isn’t wrapped up, it would be wise to keep Thomas on your radar early in the season. If he puts up good numbers consistently, he could be a great acquisition.

James Jones, Green Bay Packers- Jones had a solid rookie season in 2007, but had a down year in 2008 after suffering an injury. He came back with a productive 2009, with 440 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 32 catches, and is a player who can see a big jump in numbers this year. Greg Jennings and Donald Driver are locks to have good seasons, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers is a surefire elite NFL quarterback. Jones should get plenty of opportunities to become a consistent contributor to the Packers offense. If he isn’t drafted, he should be a very productive receiver for the owner who has the smarts to get him.

The NFC East is full of young and talented receivers who look to be part of the new school of top wide outs. The Eagles’ DeSean Jackson, the Cowboys’ Miles Austin, and the Giants’ trio of Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, and Hakeem Nicks have all proven to be reliable sources for catches and touchdowns for their quarterbacks. The Washington Redskins should be able to join their divisional opponents in that category, with Devin Thomas.

The Redskins are going through a transitional stage, but after things settle down in D.C., look for Thomas to emerge as a playmaking threat.   His 2009 numbers (325 yards, 3 touchdowns) aren’t very impressive, but he’s got the physical tools to withstand the beatings that NFC East defenses give out. At 6’2’’ and 215 pounds, he can fit right in to one of the hardest-hitting divisions in football.

Thomas may end up getting owners more points than they might expect if they select him. He seems to be the only target on the Redskins’ offense who has not proven himself to be a consistent player, but with an experienced quarterback under center, and other receivers who will be targeted by opposing defenses, Thomas seems to have everything necessary for a transition from talented wide out to a focal point of the offense. Chris Cooley has shown that he is a top tight end, and if he can come back from the ankle injury he suffered last year, he can be a consistent option for new quarterback Donovan McNabb. Santana Moss still has breakaway speed, and can benefit from McNabb’s strong arm. McNabb’s past success as an Eagle should also help Thomas improve. Being in the same division as his old team, McNabb should be able to get Thomas accustomed to what he will see from defenses. That should be a big advantage considering the pressure that teams like the Cowboys and Eagles apply to offenses.

Thomas might not become the number one receiver in D.C. next year, but there is reason to believe his numbers will improve significantly from last year, and in a division with so much talent on both sides of the football, the Redskins will need players to step up. The defense has been reliable, and will be crucial this year, because of the weapon-heavy NFC East they will be going against. The Redskins’ offense will have to improve along with the rest of the division if they want to compete. If Thomas can become the NFC East’s next Miles Austin or Steve Smith, the Redskins will have a better shot at improving upon the 4-12 record they put up last year. All the tools for that to happen are in place, and fantasy owners should consider taking a chance on Thomas.