Fantasy spin: Dallas Receivers without Terrell Owens
by Michael McNeil
BleacherReport
For the third time in his career, Terrell Owens ran his mouth right out of town. While the Cowboys may not publicly admit it, Owens’ corrosive presence in the locker room surely influenced the decision to cut him this offseason.
But losing Owens comes at a steep price. He has been the most productive wide receiver in recent memory for the Dallas Cowboys, throwing down career-defining numbers in Big D. A young Tony Romo took to the challenge of being Owens’ quarterback and fared well, at least as far as the stat book was concerned.
And as far as fantasy owners are concerned, filling the gigantic fantasy black hole left by Owens is going to be difficult. Stud tight end Jason Witten should pick up where he left off, but where will the production come from on the outside? Someone has to catch all of those passes that Owens caught in previous seasons, and there are more than a few candidates on the Cowboys’ roster.
The Rock—Jason Witten
If you need five yards, then he will get you six. Need eight? He will get you nine. Witten has become the No. 1 safety valve for quarterback Tony Romo over the last few years, even more so than Terrell Owens. If Romo was in a tight spot, then he was looking for No. 82. And as long as both guys remain healthy and on the field, then the synergy between the two should not change. Expect another run for Witten as fantasy football’s best tight end this season.
The Project—Roy Williams
Can he be a No. 1 wide receiver in a high-powered offense on a high-stakes team? Sure, he succeeded in near anonymity while in Detroit, but Big D is a different story. Not only is the stage much larger, but so, too, is the ego that just left the building for Buffalo—and the shoes in which that ego fit. TO had his problems in Dallas, but he wanted the ball when it mattered and put up some huge numbers. Williams will not have to match him touchdown-for-touchdown, but he does need to match Owens’ desire in crunch time.
The Kid—Miles Austin
The Jets were so enamored with Austin that they tried to lure the restricted free agent this offseason despite the hefty price it would have cost them. But the Cowboys did what they had to do to retain Austin’s services, whose stock has risen more than any other Cowboy this offseason. The departure of Owens really has opened the door for this home run threat. Savvy fantasy owners will be keeping a very close eye on Austin’s progress this summer. A huge preseason could elevate him past relatively unknown status.
The Sleeper—Martellus Bennett
In three consecutive weeks last season, Bennett hauled in three touchdown passes. He immediately showed up as a tiny blip on fantasy radars, but his stay in the collective fantasy memory was short lived due to low yardage. Now, in his second season, Bennett could be the recipient of a few more looks without the gravity of TO sucking in a majority of the targets. And those touchdowns last year only prove that Bennett is good near the goal line, making him a sneaky option when weapons like Jason Witten, Roy Williams and Marion Barber are garnering almost all of the attention of defenses.
The Forgotten One—Patrick Crayton
He had the opportunity to succeed as a fantasy wide receiver opposite the black hole that is TO, but never quite lived up to it. Sure, there were flashes of brilliance, but they came in between too many injuries and slumps. With Miles Austin climbing the charts, Roy Williams trying to become a true No. 1, and the emergence of Martellus Bennett as a viable option, Crayton appears in line to be the odd man out in the passing game.
BleacherReport
For the third time in his career, Terrell Owens ran his mouth right out of town. While the Cowboys may not publicly admit it, Owens’ corrosive presence in the locker room surely influenced the decision to cut him this offseason.
But losing Owens comes at a steep price. He has been the most productive wide receiver in recent memory for the Dallas Cowboys, throwing down career-defining numbers in Big D. A young Tony Romo took to the challenge of being Owens’ quarterback and fared well, at least as far as the stat book was concerned.
And as far as fantasy owners are concerned, filling the gigantic fantasy black hole left by Owens is going to be difficult. Stud tight end Jason Witten should pick up where he left off, but where will the production come from on the outside? Someone has to catch all of those passes that Owens caught in previous seasons, and there are more than a few candidates on the Cowboys’ roster.
The Rock—Jason Witten
If you need five yards, then he will get you six. Need eight? He will get you nine. Witten has become the No. 1 safety valve for quarterback Tony Romo over the last few years, even more so than Terrell Owens. If Romo was in a tight spot, then he was looking for No. 82. And as long as both guys remain healthy and on the field, then the synergy between the two should not change. Expect another run for Witten as fantasy football’s best tight end this season.
The Project—Roy Williams
Can he be a No. 1 wide receiver in a high-powered offense on a high-stakes team? Sure, he succeeded in near anonymity while in Detroit, but Big D is a different story. Not only is the stage much larger, but so, too, is the ego that just left the building for Buffalo—and the shoes in which that ego fit. TO had his problems in Dallas, but he wanted the ball when it mattered and put up some huge numbers. Williams will not have to match him touchdown-for-touchdown, but he does need to match Owens’ desire in crunch time.
The Kid—Miles Austin
The Jets were so enamored with Austin that they tried to lure the restricted free agent this offseason despite the hefty price it would have cost them. But the Cowboys did what they had to do to retain Austin’s services, whose stock has risen more than any other Cowboy this offseason. The departure of Owens really has opened the door for this home run threat. Savvy fantasy owners will be keeping a very close eye on Austin’s progress this summer. A huge preseason could elevate him past relatively unknown status.
The Sleeper—Martellus Bennett
In three consecutive weeks last season, Bennett hauled in three touchdown passes. He immediately showed up as a tiny blip on fantasy radars, but his stay in the collective fantasy memory was short lived due to low yardage. Now, in his second season, Bennett could be the recipient of a few more looks without the gravity of TO sucking in a majority of the targets. And those touchdowns last year only prove that Bennett is good near the goal line, making him a sneaky option when weapons like Jason Witten, Roy Williams and Marion Barber are garnering almost all of the attention of defenses.
The Forgotten One—Patrick Crayton
He had the opportunity to succeed as a fantasy wide receiver opposite the black hole that is TO, but never quite lived up to it. Sure, there were flashes of brilliance, but they came in between too many injuries and slumps. With Miles Austin climbing the charts, Roy Williams trying to become a true No. 1, and the emergence of Martellus Bennett as a viable option, Crayton appears in line to be the odd man out in the passing game.
posted by The Gryphon at 6:35 PM
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