By Dalton Del Don
Marshawn Lynch’s three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy will be upheld – Lynch improved his skills as a receiver dramatically last season, but his 4.1 YPC mark for his career still leaves a lot to be desired. However, he got 4.8 YPC over the final seven games last year, and with the addition of Terrell Owens, there remains plenty of upside for the third-year back. Still, the offensive line is a big question mark, losing Jason Peters and starting a different player at all five positions compared to 2008. On one hand, Lynch could be considered a steal if you’re sure to draft Fred Jackson and can make the playoffs, as Lynch is often going after the top-20 running backs because of the suspension. On the other, unlike a rotisserie league like fantasy baseball, him missing the first three games is crucial, as that’s almost 25 percent of the regular season, and it’s awful tough digging out of a 0-3 hole in a head-to-head format.
DeShawn Wynn has been pushing Brandon Jackson as the backup running back to Ryan Grant – There’s a realistic chance the Packers boast the No. 1 offense in the NFC this season, so the running back position cannot be ignored. Grant is coming off a hugely disappointing season (3.9 YPC), but he battled a hamstring injury and makes for a decent buy-low target in 2009. However, he offers nothing as a receiver, and matchups in Chicago and in Pittsburgh during Weeks 14 and 15 limit his upside. While Grant is the unquestioned starter, he has little pedigree being undrafted, and he’ll need to show dramatic improvement from last year’s performance if he wants to keep the RB1 job, so the backup is certainly noteworthy. Jackson impressed with 5.5 YPC and was active in the passing game last season, but a lot of that production came on situations where Jackson was able to get in space, and he’ll never be mistaken for a tough runner. There’s been a lot of talk about Wynn actually being the most talented back on the roster, so he’s a deep sleeper.
Plaxico Burress was indicted on two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and one count of reckless endangerment Monday – Antonio Pierce, meanwhile, was not indicted. Burress faces a minimum prison sentence of 3.5 years if convicted. As much as the Jets hoped otherwise, it really looks like he won’t be playing in the NFL for quite a while.
Antonio Gates is looking completely healthy in the early days of training camp and is running and cutting in a way that he has not been able to in recent years – Gates’ yardage output dropped last year, but he was playing at significantly less than 100 percent throughout the season. He’s still not 30 years old, and the former basketball star finally attacked the weight room like a football player should this offseason and enters 2009 fully healthy. With Philip Rivers developing into a superstar, Gates could be in store for a monstrous 2009 campaign. The tight end position is particularly deep right now, and Vincent Jackson will demand targets, but LaDainian Tomlinson and the running game continues to decline, so Gates is an intriguing option after the top-20 receivers are off the board.
Reggie Bush was held out of practice Monday after his surgically-repaired left knee became inflamed following Sunday’s two hour, 25 minute workout in pads – This latest setback is supposedly minor, but it’s worth noting Bush has missed 10 games over the past two seasons, including leaving a few others early. For the most part, he’s still being undervalued in 2009, but the knee problems are a pretty big long-term concern.
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