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Spotlight - WR Bobby Engram, Seattle Seahawks

Posted on 8/8, exclusive to Footballguys.com

Jason Wood's Thoughts

If you didn't see Bobby Engram's 2007 coming, don't feel bad. No one could have. Sure, Engram had been a reliable and important member of the Bears and Seahawks for a long time. But at 34 years old, having never had a 1,000 yard season in 11 prior seasons, there was absolutely no historical precedent for what Engram produced.

• 94 receptions [4th most NFL history by a receiver 34 years or older]
• 1,147 yards [16th most NFL history by a receiver his age or older]
• 6 TDs [25th most NFL history by a receiver his age or older]

As if that weren't surprising enough, it was also markedly better than Bobby Engram's prior career highs:

• This was the first 1,000 yard season of his career, the oldest player ever to claim the feat
• He hadn't had more than 67 receptions since 1999
• He hadn't had more than 778 yards since 1999
• His 6 TDs tied a career high
• This marked the first time in his career he finished as a top-20 fantasy receiver

So fresh off the most improbable 1,000-yard season in league history, how did Bobby Engram celebrate? By complaining about the status of his contract and maintaining he is underpaid. Oh, fun times to be an NFL GM, no? A guy goes from reliable complementary option to primary target for one season late in his career and then he feels wronged by the contract he agreed to just a few years before.

The good news is Engram wasn't stupid enough to hold out of training camp. He showed up and is practicing, albeit not without expressing his desire for a new deal. Whether he deserves a new deal or not is up to the powers that be in Seattle, but what is important for fantasy owners is what to expect of him in 2008.

Don't expect another 1,000-yard season. Is it possible? Sure, but we have 12 years of NFL history to work from here. Consider last year his "near perfect" output and expect some regression to the mean.

Matt Hasselbeck is a proven, Pro Bowl caliber QB and has built a rapport with Engram. But by the same token, Hasselbeck understands the key to succeeding this year is spreading the ball around. Neither Bobby Engram nor Nate Burleson are really well suited to the WR1 role. The team will use them and some combination of Ben Obomanu and Courtney Taylor, and will play plenty of 3- and 4-WR sets. HC Mike Holmgren also plans on using the TE position with regularity, even if that means playing rookie John Carlson a lot more than most expect. Deion Branch is really the 'hawks best WR, but he's sidelined for at least half the season. If he does come back in the 2nd half though, it will directly impact the value of Burleson and Engram at just the wrong time for fantasy owners.

Positives

• Engram is a reliable, possession receiver that fully grasps the nuances of Mike Holmgren's West Coast offense
• He's coming off a career best season and seems likely to be one of the team's most targeted receivers again
• Matt Hasselbeck is a Pro Bowl quarterback who understands the value Engram brings to the offense, particularly as a first down creator

Negatives

• Everything about last season screams anomaly, don't pay for his career year
• Engram is a perfect slot receiver, so it's not impossible to see him move into the slot if one of the younger WRs emerges midway through the season
• Engram has one top-20 fantasy season in his 12 year career

Final Thoughts

In PPR leagues, Engram is a legitimate option but moreso as a backup WR4 than someone you would look to start week in, week out. Don't confuse Engram's situation with that of Joey Galloway or Terrell Owens. While they're also aging, they have maintained their long established levels of play, whereas Engram delivered a season that is unlike anything else he's done in the last decade. You should never completely discount drafting an NFL starter in a pass happy offense, but at an ADP of 84 (WR32), I don't see a ton of value either.

Quotations from the Message Board Thread

Ministry of Pain:
Engram is flying off the boards as a top30 WR...talk about an over reaction to 1 season. The guy has always been a nice 3rd down move the sticks type WR, but now he has been asked to shoulder the load. From the standpoint that DJ Hackett is gone and Deion Branch is likely to start the season on the PUP list, you have to look at Engram as a viable option in Seattle but I also think you don't want to reach for this guy. He's old, slow, and small.

5-ish Finkle:
He's also got great hands, is his quarterback's "girlfriend" when they need first downs, and is looking like he's going to be the starting Z receiver in Holmgren's offense.

I'm seeing his ADP as WR33/34, not top 30. In a PPR league 64/800/6 would've made him WR36 a year ago. If that's what he'd project too it seems like he's going about where he should. Maybe that changes and he starts going earlier now that his "holdout" is over. We'll see.

Regardless of current ADPs, given that he's likely going to be starting(at least for a while) I don't see any compelling reason he can't get 75-ish catches in that offense:

77 catches, 925 yards, 5 TDs.

I certainly wouldn't be reaching for him in the top 30, but if you're landing him as WR34 I think he actually has a little upside as long as he's running with the first team. I'm not convinced that Branch will be back anytime soon and Engram is probably unlikely to be asked to play SE that much. The Z in that offense gets flooded with targets.

Iwannabeacowboybaby!:
Bobby Engram's ADP is WR 32. He finished 15th last year but before that has struggled to stay healthy and finished well below that ADP. Seattle doesn't have the WR's they've had in years past, making Engram one of Seattle's top targets if not the top, so he has to be respected. Personally, I don't feel like there's a lot of upside drafting Engram and won't be aggressive in trying to acquire him. He had a career year last year, and we have a lot of years to look at. It's very unlikely that he repeats at that level whether it be an injury (he's missed a lot of time over different seasons for different reasons) or a better player at Wr emerges and he isn't targeted as much. I just don't like going after older players AFTER their career year trying to chase something that's already happened. It's possible that everything works out perfectly for him and he has the kind of season he did this year but to me it's not likely.

Bobby Engram Projections