Faceoff - WR Isaac Bruce, St. Louis Rams

Posted 7/6, exclusive to Footballguys.com

Upside - by Colin Dowling

Isaac Bruce is not a young man. It seems he has been catching balls for the Rams for decades and now that Tory Holt is the clear-cut, no questions asked, go to receiver in the St. Louis offense (and has been for some time), you really have to ask yourself how much value Isaac Bruce still has in fantasy football. Don't you?

The answer is simple: Isaac Bruce isn't as old as you think and he represents outstanding value this season. Bruce is currently available in most drafts as the 44th receiver off the board, right around the time Joe Horn (new team), Drew Bennett (new team), and Kevin Curtis (new team) are coming off the board. Bruce is available in the middle portion of the 11th round in twelve team leagues. Of all the fourth wide receivers from which you are likely to select this season, I can virtually assure you that none of them have as rich a history as Isaac Bruce.

Bruce is coming off of yet another 1,000 yard season and while his touchdown total of three leaves something to be desired, there isn't likely to be another receiver available in the same general area with as good of a chance to catch 70 balls as Isaac Bruce. The offense remains generally intact and should actually improve based on a second year for head coach Scott Linehan to work with his players. The Rams offense may not be the Greatest Show on Turf as it was a few years ago, but it's not far off. The team was 3rd, 4th, and 5th in passing attempts each season over the last three and 3rd, 2nd, and 3rd in completions. The Rams air the ball out often.

While it can be argued that Drew Bennett was brought in to essentially cut in to Isaac Bruce's production, I disagree. Bennett is much better suited as a 2nd and sometimes 3rd option. Just as importantly, in the unlikely event that Bruce is relegated to 3rd receiver status, the Rams offense utilizes three wide receivers enough that the statistical reduction in his production should be minimal. Last season, St. Louis receivers caught 180 balls. I expect that number to increase slightly to around 200 receptions among the receivers. In the worst case scenario, Tory Holt could catch his 90 passes, and Bennett and Bruce could divvy up what is remaining, both catching over 50 balls and scoring a few touchdowns. More likely, I think Bruce will continue to produce as the second option that he has been for such a long time.

While I wouldn't advocate pinning your championship dreams on Isaac Bruce as a starting receiver, you could do much, much worse then selecting him and his stability so late in your draft.

Downside - by Cecil Lammey

Isaac Bruce is one of the finest players to ever put on a pair of shoulder pads. His level of commitment in the offseason and work ethic make him one of the hardest working receivers in the National Football League. For over a decade he has been one of the top receivers in the entire league, and a favorite target for his QB, whether it was Tony Banks, Kurt Warner, or Marc Bulger. But football is a young man's sport, and Bruce is entering the twilight of his career.

After 13 seasons in the NFL it seems as though Isaac Bruce may never slow down. Receivers can play longer than most other positions, but that doesn't mean that they can play forever. As aforementioned, Bruce has a great workout program because he's been bothered by bad hamstrings throughout his career. Even though he had over 1,000 yards receiving last year, it was just two years ago that he only had 525 yards. Some think that Bruce has a couple of good seasons left in him, and he does, if he can only stay healthy.

The Rams have been preparing for the decline of Bruce for a while now. Even though they let solid receivers like Kevin Curtis and Mike Furrey go, the Rams know that one day Bruce will not be the same. This offseason they brought in a receiver that could be a big part of their passing game, especially in the red zone. Drew Bennett has great size, and is a different kind of receiver from any of the other Rams wideouts. His size will make him a great target in the red zone, cutting the chances of Bruce having any more TDs than his average (4) from the last few seasons. The Rams also brought in Dante Hall, although his impact on the passing game should be minimal. Marc Bulger will be looking to Steven Jackson, Tory Holt, Drew Bennett -- and then Isaac Bruce. Being fourth in reads will not lead to many opportunities for the wily veteran. So even if healthy for a full 16 games, Bruce's numbers may decline due to a lack of targets.