Dynasty Shopping Mall - Week 10

Posted 11/7 by Jeff Tefertiller, Exclusive to Footballguys.com

Just like any other shopping mall, this will have different products at different levels of quality and price. We will shop around at different stores like Bloomingdales, Macy's, Sears, even the Dollar Store and look for products to buy. The focus will be on value. Many times the expensive products are worth the price. Some times they are not. We will examine opportunities to buy at a reasonable price compared to value. The products we are purchasing are fantasy players for our dynasty team.

A few weeks ago, fantasy owners were advised to pick up Cleo Lemon and Quinn Gray off of the waiver wire. I hope some of the readers of this weekly article were able to nab Lemon or Gray as a bye week fill in. Also, Kellen Clemens got his chance to start as was predicted. As was stated in the previous article, each year there are several starting quarterbacks that are either injured or lose their job due to ineffectiveness. With the rash of injuries to passers in the last few weeks, other backups have become good options for fantasy owners to stash on their bench. As stated in the earlier article, I would still look to stash A.J. Feeley and/or Kevin Kolb. Donovan McNabb has not played particularly well and is always a huge injury risk. Some of the quarterbacks below will be on the waiver wire while some should be targets of trade. When we examine how much turnover there has been so far this season, and we are just at the halfway mark, it is obvious that much will change in the last half of the season.

Aaron Rodgers

The third-year pro from Cal only has 31 career passing attempts. So, much of his value comes from potential and upside with the hope that he is named the starting passer when Brett Favre eventually retires. The former first round pick has played well in his preseason appearances. With Brett Favre attempting almost 40 passes a game, the upside of Rodgers is pretty high. Most passers given that many attempts will produce strong fantasy numbers.

Outlook: The Green Bay Packers have accumulated a good group of receivers for Favre, and his successor. Donald Driver is 33 years old and could have a couple of productive years left. Greg Jennings is in his second year and the Packers drafted promising rookie James Jones. Of the top four running backs in Green Bay, three are rookies. The uncertainty of the running game lends itself to even more passing attempts for the Packer quarterback. This offense has a lot of youth at the skill positions. Rodgers could be successful with these weapons. Brett Favre just turned 38 years old and cannot have too many seasons left. He has played well this season, but it could be his last hoorah.
Store: The Gap
Price: 2008 2nd round pick and a prospect
Recommendation: Rodgers is an underrated passer. He has been written off by many fantasy owners due to the offensive system he had in college and having no opportunity so far in his young career. The former Cal Bear is a good buy low candidate. He is still only 23 years old and could have a bright future in the NFL.

John Beck

The rookie from BYU looked good in preseason. He is the current backup to Cleo Lemon who took over for the injured Trent Green. Lemon has produced decent fantasy numbers, but does not look like an NFL starting quarterback. With the Dolphins playing so poorly as a team, with the worst record in the NFL, the team will turn to the rookie soon. The change might come this week. The Miami coaching staff will want to see what it has in the older rookie. With Beck's age, the Dolphins will want to know before the offseason if they need to address the position either through free agency or via the NFL Draft for the 2008 season. The Dolphins had Lemon and Beck split time running the first team offense during the bye week. This is a good sign for Beck. His time should come soon to start.

Outlook: The 2007 Miami Dolphins are a team in transition and void of playmakers. They traded their best receiver, Chris Chambers, to the San Diego Chargers. Star running back, Ronnie Brown, hurt his knee, leaving a few backups in charge of the running game. Jesse Chatman, Patrick Cobbs, Lorenzo Booker, and Samkon Gado are not going to be a threat to opposing defenses. This is an offense with few weapons. With the Chambers trade, the Dolphins are trying to work Ted Ginn into the lineup more as a receiver. But, Marty Booker, Ted Ginn and Derek Hagan will be of little help to the rookie passer when he takes over for Lemon.
Store: T.J. Maxx
Price: 2nd round pick in the 2008 rookie draft
Recommendation: Let someone else overpay. Beck is a rookie in his late 20s. Even when he does start for the Dolphins, he will have few weapons at his disposal.

JaMarcus Russell

The rookie from LSU was slow to learn the Raider offense of Lane Kiffin because of his holdout. Josh McCown and Daunte Culpepper have not played well. This situation is shaping up for Russell to take over in just a couple of weeks. All reports on Russell have been positive lately. He has a huge arm and has the potential to be a top fantasy quarterback. Russell has already passed Andrew Walter as the third string passer for the Raiders, not that this is a huge accomplishment for the former high draft pick. With McCown instituted as the starter, all indications are that the Raiders have given up on Daunte Culpepper for the rest of this season. He only signed a one-year deal and this change puts Russell one step closer to starting.

Outlook: The Raider offense was much improved with the coaching change earlier in the year. Lane Kiffin has helped transform the Raiders into a decent offense from the inert Art Shell-led offense. Lamont Jordan has been effective. Receivers Ronald Curry and Jerry Porter are better than average. Hard to imagine what Kiffin could do if he had the services of Randy Moss. The Raiders' offensive skill position players are young. This offense is built for the future. Since Culpepper signed a one-year contract, he should be playing elsewhere in 2008. This situation is set up for the rookie Russell to flourish in 2008. When the Raiders are eliminated from the playoff race, look for the huge rookie to get his chance. The Raiders will want to know what they have in their former first round pick.
Store: Macy's
Price: 2008 1st round rookie pick or a 2nd round pick and a good prospect
Recommendation: Russell came into the NFL with high expectations. Those expectations should still be present. Buy if you can get Russell cheap from an impatient owner. I would not recommend giving a first round pick for the rookie, but I would buy otherwise. JaMarcus Russell could be a fantasy superstar in the near future.

Byron Leftwich

The former Jaguar signed with the Atlanta Falcons after being released. He played briefly before suffering a high ankle sprain. Leftwich has been an effective fantasy passer in the past, even on an inept Jaguar offense. The Jaguars did not give Leftwich many weapons in the passing game. But, the former Marshall star has had trouble staying healthy in his short career. The Falcons have said Leftwich will start when he is back healthy.

Outlook: Byron Leftwich could very well be the starting quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons in 2008. Much will depend on how he comes back from the ankle injury. If he plays well, there is talk of the Falcons passing on Petrino protégé Brohm in the 2008 draft. The Falcons have much better weapons than Leftwich had in Jacksonville. Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, Laurent Robinson, Joe Horn, and Alge Crumpler offer the Falcon quarterback some good options that will be around for several years.
Store: Stein Mart
Price: 2008 2nd round rookie pick or 3rd round pick and a prospect
Recommendation: Buy if you can buy cheaply and have the roster space. Leftwich will start again in the NFL. He is plenty good enough. In addition, he has been a good fantasy quarterback, when healthy, for his owners.

Sage Rosenfels

The former Iowa State star has bounced around the NFL as a backup passer. When he has played, Sage has put up good fantasy numbers. At present, the former fourth round pick is playing behind Matt Schaub. He played against the Titans in week seven and put up great fantasy numbers. Through week seven, Rosenfels had five touchdown passes in only 33 pass completions. The former Cyclone came into the last three games in relief of the injured Schaub. The journeyman passer got his first start of the season this past week against the Raiders. He might get another start after the bye week.

Outlook: Rosenfels is listed behind first-time starter, Matt Schaub, and has played in three games already this season. He might be a career backup or maybe the 29 year old is a fantasy star in the making. In deeper leagues, Sage could be a good player to stash.
Store: Dollar Store
Price: Waiver Wire in most leagues
Recommendation: Buy if you have the roster space. Matt Schaub has not proven he can stay healthy. Sage Rosenfels is startable for fantasy football in most every game he starts for the Texans.

Brady Quinn

The former Notre Dame star thought he would get his chance by now. But, Derek Anderson is playing great. The Browns starting quarterback job is Quinn's and it is a matter of time. But, with the way Anderson is playing, the Golden Domer might be a buy low quarterback from an impatient owner. The better Anderson plays, the cheaper Quinn becomes.

Outlook: The Browns offensive talent is young and the team is built for the future for the most part. Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow are good young players on the rise. Romeo and Savage drafted Quinn for a reason and he will get his chance to start later in the year after the Browns are eliminated from the playoff chase.
Store: Macy's
Price: 2008 1st round draft pick or 2008 2nd round pick and a good prospect
Recommendation: Let someone else overpay for the rookie if he costs a first round rookie pick. He might be a great fantasy passer, but the chances are less than even money. For the same price, better options are available.

The season, the quarterback position has seen lots of turnover. When deciding whether to invest in a backup quarterback, it is best to target players who have displayed proficiency in the offense, even if it was in limited duty. Also, with the risk of each of these players, preference should be given to the passers who can be had the cheapest and would step into the best situation. Buffalo quarterback, J.P. Losman would have been considered for this article had starter Trent Edwards not been injured. There is no value in acquiring Losman at this time.