The talk of the NFL recently has been about the Baltimore Ravens picking up wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and their potentially high-scoring offense that will take the field this season.

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.

By Vidur Malik

Drew Brees’ ability to spread the ball around to all his targets is great for the New Orleans Saints’ offense, but it can force fantasy owners to make some tough decisions. Unless you have the entire Saints offense on your team, you’re going to have to guess when to start or sit players based on who you think is going to be a target for Brees. I had this issue last season when I picked up Saints receiver Devery Henderson, but he should be able to start more this season, and be a number three receiver on your team.

With Henderson, Marques Colston, Robert Meachem, and Lance Moore, the Saints are loaded at the receiver spot. Jeremy Shockey is a receiving threat at tight end, and David Thomas has become another tight end option as well. Add in running backs Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas, who can both catch the ball out of the backfield, and you’ve got a toss-up for who will be the main target on any given game day. Even with all the weapons around him, Henderson put up 804 receiving yards and two touchdowns last year. He did this despite another productive year from Colston, and a breakout season from Meachem, who didn’t record as many yards as Henderson, but did have nine touchdowns. When he is healthy, Colston is one of the NFL’s best receivers, and is the Saints’ number one option, but he has been injury-prone throughout his career. Meachem is probably the number two receiver. He had toe surgery during the off-season, but reports indicate that he should be able to participate in training camp. Henderson was also injured with a sports hernia in the off-season, and had surgery for it in May, but he should be good for training camp according to reports. If anyone else isn’t at full strength this year, Henderson is someone who can become a more reliable option.

Though he only caught two touchdowns last year, he is a big play threat who can stretch the field. He equaled his regular season touchdown total in the postseason, with a touchdown in the Saints’ victories over the Cardinals and the Vikings. He didn’t catch a touchdown in the Saints’ Super Bowl win, but he did have a game-high seven receptions, which tied him with Colston and Colts tight end Dallas Clark in that category. His production in the regular season and playoffs indicates that he is a player who can be counted on. The criticism he took earlier for dropping passes seems to be gone now, and if he gets close to the 15.8 yards per catch average he had last year, he can get fantasy points even if he doesn’t catch as many touchdowns as other Saints receivers. If he can team up with Brees on a few more big plays this year, he can record 800+ receiving yards, and get more touchdowns. Though he may not be the go-to guy every week for the Saints, Henderson can score at any time, and will be a helpful addition to a fantasy team.