Returnerguys - 2008 Preseason Special Edition
Posted 8/24 by Mike Herman, Exclusive to Footballguys.com
Here's a look at the special teams units around the league. First, we'll examine the historical teams rankings and highlight the dominate units from the last five years. Then, we'll identify the individual players that should handle the return duties for their respective clubs.
Historical Team Return Rankings
Top five finishes are highlighted in bright yellow and top ten finishes are highlighted in bright green.
- "KR" Rankings is based on the team's kick return yardage rank
- "PR" Rankings is based on the team's punt return yardage rank
- "Tot" Fantasy Ranking is based on scoring as follows:
- 6 points per TD
- 1 point per 20 punt return yards
- 1 point per 40 kickoff return yards
|
Tm
|
2007
|
2006
|
2005
|
2004
|
2003
|
||||||||||
|
KR
|
PR
|
Tot
|
KR
|
PR
|
Tot
|
KR
|
PR
|
Tot
|
KR
|
PR
|
Tot
|
KR
|
PR
|
Tot
|
|
|
Ari
|
7
|
9
|
10
|
24
|
7
|
14
|
11
|
5
|
8
|
16
|
26
|
25
|
32
|
1
|
12
|
|
Atl
|
25
|
4
|
16
|
20
|
11
|
18
|
22
|
21
|
27
|
5
|
23
|
11
|
1
|
8
|
5
|
|
Bal
|
11
|
15
|
5
|
14
|
32
|
30
|
6
|
25
|
23
|
1
|
27
|
5
|
11
|
30
|
26
|
|
Buf
|
5
|
18
|
7
|
4
|
12
|
7
|
20
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
13
|
1
|
27
|
22
|
29
|
|
Car
|
21
|
28
|
32
|
30
|
28
|
32
|
5
|
30
|
28
|
30
|
24
|
32
|
8
|
23
|
7
|
|
Chi
|
2
|
24
|
1
|
1
|
21
|
1
|
7
|
29
|
19
|
3
|
8
|
6
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
|
Cin
|
32
|
7
|
18
|
28
|
26
|
31
|
32
|
10
|
29
|
15
|
21
|
19
|
19
|
16
|
14
|
|
Cle
|
6
|
2
|
3
|
12
|
5
|
6
|
13
|
19
|
5
|
6
|
16
|
9
|
21
|
12
|
23
|
|
Dal
|
26
|
20
|
31
|
18
|
14
|
11
|
18
|
17
|
26
|
10
|
7
|
12
|
13
|
29
|
16
|
|
Den
|
27
|
22
|
26
|
19
|
29
|
29
|
19
|
32
|
31
|
9
|
30
|
26
|
9
|
27
|
8
|
|
Det
|
31
|
10
|
20
|
7
|
4
|
9
|
21
|
11
|
25
|
7
|
10
|
2
|
2
|
6
|
2
|
|
GB
|
3
|
21
|
8
|
6
|
20
|
16
|
12
|
23
|
10
|
22
|
15
|
20
|
23
|
10
|
25
|
|
Hou
|
18
|
1
|
2
|
26
|
8
|
21
|
24
|
1
|
1
|
17
|
19
|
17
|
25
|
4
|
18
|
|
Ind
|
20
|
27
|
25
|
32
|
22
|
23
|
28
|
31
|
32
|
29
|
12
|
15
|
29
|
10
|
27
|
|
Jac
|
13
|
31
|
24
|
13
|
30
|
20
|
9
|
27
|
15
|
8
|
31
|
29
|
15
|
26
|
24
|
|
KC
|
16
|
23
|
28
|
23
|
17
|
17
|
17
|
8
|
11
|
24
|
2
|
7
|
4
|
7
|
1
|
|
Mia
|
24
|
12
|
15
|
9
|
31
|
27
|
10
|
19
|
13
|
2
|
5
|
4
|
22
|
31
|
31
|
|
Min
|
22
|
17
|
19
|
10
|
13
|
8
|
14
|
14
|
6
|
20
|
20
|
13
|
26
|
19
|
28
|
|
NE
|
15
|
19
|
12
|
5
|
9
|
5
|
16
|
13
|
18
|
25
|
25
|
21
|
7
|
18
|
11
|
|
NO
|
29
|
16
|
27
|
11
|
19
|
13
|
15
|
18
|
22
|
11
|
1
|
3
|
16
|
9
|
17
|
|
NYG
|
14
|
11
|
13
|
21
|
16
|
25
|
3
|
16
|
2
|
21
|
6
|
8
|
31
|
13
|
30
|
|
NYJ
|
30
|
6
|
9
|
25
|
15
|
10
|
25
|
4
|
12
|
18
|
32
|
27
|
18
|
17
|
15
|
|
Oak
|
28
|
8
|
22
|
31
|
3
|
15
|
27
|
3
|
16
|
32
|
4
|
24
|
5
|
5
|
4
|
|
Phi
|
10
|
14
|
17
|
17
|
27
|
26
|
4
|
12
|
9
|
12
|
28
|
23
|
14
|
21
|
9
|
|
Pit
|
23
|
29
|
29
|
22
|
25
|
22
|
2
|
26
|
7
|
13
|
22
|
18
|
3
|
20
|
6
|
|
SD
|
19
|
25
|
14
|
8
|
23
|
19
|
23
|
7
|
21
|
23
|
17
|
14
|
12
|
2
|
10
|
|
SF
|
4
|
5
|
11
|
27
|
1
|
12
|
26
|
15
|
17
|
19
|
3
|
10
|
24
|
25
|
22
|
|
Sea
|
1
|
26
|
4
|
3
|
10
|
4
|
30
|
24
|
30
|
26
|
14
|
22
|
20
|
24
|
19
|
|
StL
|
9
|
3
|
6
|
29
|
18
|
28
|
31
|
9
|
20
|
31
|
9
|
30
|
17
|
14
|
20
|
|
TB
|
12
|
30
|
23
|
14
|
24
|
24
|
1
|
28
|
24
|
27
|
18
|
16
|
28
|
32
|
32
|
|
Ten
|
8
|
32
|
30
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
8
|
6
|
4
|
28
|
11
|
28
|
10
|
28
|
13
|
|
Was
|
17
|
13
|
21
|
16
|
6
|
3
|
29
|
22
|
14
|
14
|
29
|
31
|
30
|
15
|
21
|
Individual Returners
Part way through the third week of the preseason, these players appear as if they will be the primary returners on kickoffs and punts when the regular season arrives.
Arizona
- BOTH: WR Steve Breaston
Atlanta
- KICKOFFS: Rookie RB Thomas Brown and/or RB Jerious Norwood
- PUNTS: WR Adam Jennings
Baltimore
- KICKOFFS: WR Yamon Figurs, and possibly rookie RB Ray Rice
- PUNTS: WR Yamon Figurs
Buffalo
- KICKOFFS: CB Terrence McGee and rookie CB Leodis McKelvin
- PUNTS: WR Roscoe Parrish and rookie CB Leodis McKelvin
Carolina
- KICKOFFS: WR Ryne Robinson and rookie RB Jonathan Stewart
- PUNTS: WR Ryne Robinson
Chicago
- BOTH: WR Devin Hester
Cincinnati
- KICKOFFS: WR Glenn Holt
- PUNTS: CB Deltha O'Neal and/or WR Antonio Chatman
Cleveland
- BOTH: WR Joshua Cribbs
Dallas
- KICKOFFS: WR Miles Austin (when healthy), WR Isaiah Stanback, and/or rookie RB Felix Jones
- PUNTS: CB Adam Pacman Jones (if reinstated)
Denver
- KICKOFFS: RB Andre Hall and possibly rookie WR Eddie Royal
- PUNTS: rookie WR Eddie Royal
Detroit
- BOTH: WR Devale Ellis, WR Brandon Middleton, rookie WR Kenneth Moore, or RB Aveion Cason
Green Bay
- BOTH: 1a) CB Will Blackmon, 1b) CB Tramon Williams; plus a dash of rookie WR Jordy Nelson
Houston
- KICKOFFS: WR Andre Davis
- PUNTS: WR Jacoby Jones (assuming he can hang on to the ball)
Indianapolis
- BOTH: CB T.J. Rushing and/or possibly rookie WR Pierre Garcon
Jacksonville
- KICKOFFS: RB Maurice Jones-Drew
- PUNTS: WR Dennis Northcutt
-or-
- BOTH: rookie DB Brian Witherspoon (if he makes the final roster)
Kansas City
- BOTH: B.J. Sams or rookie RB Dantrell Savage
Miami
- BOTH: WR Ted Ginn Jr.
Minnesota
- KICKOFFS: RB Maurice Hicks
- PUNTS: WR Aundrae Allison
New England
- KICKOFFS: CB Ellis Hobbs and/or rookie WR/S Matthew Slater
- PUNTS: WR Wes Welker
New Orleans
- KICKOFFS: RB Pierre Thomas
- PUNTS: RB Reggie Bush, WR Lance Moore, WR Skyler Green, and/or rookie CB Tracy Porter
NY Giants
- KICKOFFS: WR Domenik Hixon
- PUNTS: R.W. McQuarters, WR Domenik Hixon, and/or RB Ahmad Bradshaw
NY Jets
- BOTH: RB Leon Washington
Oakland
- KICKOFFS: rookie DB Tyvon Branch
- PUNTS: WR Johnnie Lee Higgins
Philadelphia
- KICKOFFS: rookie safety Quintin Demps
- PUNTS: rookie WR DeSean Jackson
Pittsburgh
- KICKOFFS: RB Rashard Mendenhall
- PUNTS: RB Mewelde Moore with a possible dash of WR Santonio Holmes
-or-
- BOTH: WR Eddie Drummond, WR Willie Reid, or WR Jeremy Bloom (if one of them makes the final roster)
San Diego
- BOTH: RB Darren Sproles
San Francisco
- BOTH: CB Allen Rossum
Seattle
- KICKOFFS: CB Josh Wilson
- PUNTS: WR Nate Burleson or WR Ben Obomanu
-or-
- BOTH: Rookie RB Justin Forsett (if he makes the final roster)
St. Louis
- BOTH: WR Dante Hall
Tampa Bay
- BOTH: probably Rookie WR Dexter Jackson, although
- WR Michael Spurlock and rookie RB Clifton Smith still have a shot
Tennessee
- KICKOFFS: CB Chris Carr and rookie RB Chris Johnson
- PUNTS: CB Chris Carr and WR Chris Davis
Washington
- KICKOFFS: RB Rock Cartwright
- PUNTS: WR Antwaan Randle E
For new developments on the above scenarios, see the following Footballguys features:
Camp Updates, final installment coming later this week
The Shark Pool, "Punt and Kickoff Returners '08" thread