The Fantasy Football Chain Reaction series is rolling along.
Check out yesterday's post for a full explanation of the project.
So far, the following moves have been predicted by our panel of experts:
1 – DeAngelo Williams to Broncos – Mike Clay, ProFootballFocus.com
2 – Kevin Kolb to Seahawks – Scott Pashley, FFSpin.com
3 – Matt Hasselbeck to Titans – Jim Day, GoAheadScore.com
4 – Donovan McNabb to Vikings – Rick Perkins, FantasyFootballTrader.com
5 – Kyle Orton to Cardinals – John Paulsen, FantasyShrink.com
That brings us back to me…
Miami Dolphins sign Running Back Darren Sproles
By Mike Clay – Pro Football Focus Fantasy
The Dolphins backfield will have an entirely new look in 2011. Gone are Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, and Patrick Cobbs. In are rookie Daniel Thomas and, after today’s projected signing, former Chargers tailback Darren Sproles.
Miami got their feature back when they selected Thomas in the 2nd round of April’s rookie draft, but they were still left with very little depth and without a play-maker on passing downs. Enter Sproles, who has an extremely impressive 86% catch rate on 171 targets over the last 3 seasons. His 10.4 yards-per-reception and 8.2% TD rate over that span also rank well above the league average for tailbacks.
Miami also adds a weapon to their Special Teams unit. Sproles is a capable kick and punt returner. Kick Returner is a position of need for Miami after the team ranked 22nd in the league in yards-per-return in 2010.
The main item of concern with Sproles is that, at 5’6” 180 pounds, it’s unlikely that he can hold up as a feature back. Consider that his career-high in carries is 93. If Thomas were to go down with an injury, Miami would need to find someone to team up with Sproles. Reserve back Lex Hilliard is currently in position to take on that role, but Miami could still be in the market for a more complete and/or early-down back.
Sproles instantly fills multiple voids for Miami – #2 tailback, 3rd-down back, kick returner, and punt returner. His explosive speed, excellent hands, and blocking skills will keep the rookie Thomas fresh and off the field in key 3rd-down situations.
Fantasy Spin: As mentioned, Sproles isn’t built to carry the ball very often, so don’t expect to see any more than 4-5 carries/game. This is great news for Daniel Thomas, who should be a shoe-in for 15-20 carries every week (assuming Sproles is the team’s only addition at the position). Sproles will, however, be heavily involved in the passing game. You can bank on 50 receptions and close to 800 total yards, which puts him in the RB3/Flex discussion in PPR formats. Thomas, meanwhile, is a better RB3 option and is worth back-end RB2 consideration. Those of you in leagues that award points for kick return yardage and scores can bump Sproles up into the RB2 tier.
Next Up: Scott Pashley – FFSpin.com
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