XDSFL Breakdown - P IN THE V

P IN THE V ROSTER (Current as of 04/06)

Last year I said on a pretty regular basis that Ben had the best team with the worst luck. He'd put up a ridiculous amount of points and just happen to run into someone else who was having just having a better week. There's a lot to like about his team at first glance. While inconsistent on an NFL level, Romo is a true Fantasy QB1. MJD looked like his best days were behind him 2 years ago only to have an amazing resurgence on an awful team this year. If/when Wallace gets paid, he'll be 25 years old and an elite WR1 for the next 5 years. The addition of Peyton Manning will only benefit Decker (I see him at the WR1 over Thomas). Gronk turned out to be a far bigger monster than I think anyone could have realized last year. If he can get his health back to 100% and McDaniels doesn't rob him of too many targets, he'll be TE1 level for another 6 or 7 years.

On the flip side, once you get past the amazing 1st level of each of the players on Ben's team, there isn't much else. Reggie Bush had an extraordinary year last year with Daniel Thomas sidelined and the offense finally opening up with Morre and Marshall. Now Marshall is gone, Moore is unlikely to start and Thomas will be splitting carries again. Felix Jones and Ben Tate are both great Backs stuck behind monsters and will never see consistent points. Tolbert ended up in the worst position possible as a 3rd down Fullback in Carolina. The rest of the receiving corps is a mish mash of WR3 level Receivers. Manningham has the potential to be a sleeper but the offensive system doesn't suit his style and he'll be floundering among a sea of Receivers in a short yardage West Coast offense.

The team is in need of retooling for depth in order to consistently compete. The level of talent between the 1st line and the rest is far too large to be relied on for steady wins.

PLAYER ANALYSIS
The following players should not be moved short of both their core position being replaced with at least a lateral move PLUS another player or draft pick of quality.


Tony Romo
Maurice Jones Drew
Mike Wallace
Rob Gronkowski
Packers Defense


If this was a year ago, I would have considered MJD a sell high. The load the Jaguars put on him every year is disgusting. If Rashad Jennings hadn't gone down in the pre-season, I'm convinced that MJD would have seen a drastic change in the way he was used. Those believing him to be a sell high would have been proven right and life goes on. Of course things didn't go that way at all. Not only did he not drop in production, he had the best year of his career in terms of all purpose yardage. MJD just turned 27 and if he can sustain this kind of production 3 more years then it'd be insane to suggest moving him right now. 29 may be another story.

The Packers are a garbage NFL defense but they're a fantastic Fantasy defense. They only had 1 negative point game all of last year and that was in week 17 giving up 41 points to the Lions. Shockingly it was only a -1 point night. The reason being the Packers are huge in terms of take aways. 31 Interceptions, 29 Sacks, 7 Fumble Recoveries and 5 Defensive TD's. It was good enough for a 5th place Fantasy Finish vs 29th overall in the NFL Rankings.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Ben's immediate needs are at Wide Receiver. With the exception of Wallace and to a lesser extent Decker, the rest of the players could be waived and I wouldn't consider it a detriment to his team. His first priority coming into the draft should be grabbing one of the many talented Receivers available. He should end up with a player like Wright, Jeffrey or Randle at 7th overall. The 2.07 spot is tough as the pool of talent thins quickly after 1 - 15. I think at 2.07 and considering his needs, I'd look to either trade up for a higher 2nd rounder or trade the pick + player for immediate help in the WR2 range.

FINAL THOUGHTS
If Ben can find one more RB2 + WR2 it'll make all the difference this coming season. There's a lot of what ifs this year, especially at Running Back. If things go badly, the team is going to be crippled past it's 4 big players. It all comes down to depth.