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WR Deion Branch, Seattle Seahawks

HT: 5-9, WT: 193, Born: 7-18-1979, College: Louisville, Drafted: Round 2

2009 Projections

Average draft position

Current as of June 29th. [Full ADP list]

Overall: K Curtis (138), Deion Branch (140), J Charles (142)
Position: M Clayton (136-WR45), K Curtis (138-WR46), Deion Branch (140 - WR47), J Gage (144-WR48), H Nicks (147-WR49)
Click here for a comparison of these players.

Best Case

If Branch comes into training camp healthy, he has the inside track to start alongside T.J. Houshmandzadeh. If his knee is 100%, Branch has the skills to excel in Jim Mora's version of the west coast offense. He has the quickness to get open on horizontal routes, and the run-after-the-catch ability to turn short passes into nice gains. QB Matt Hasselbeck likes to distribute the ball to multiple receivers, and Branch should get a decent number of looks in the Seahawks' base three-receiver set. Branch missed 8 games last year, and when he did play he was less than 100%, and he still finished as the #27 fantasy WR on a points-per-game basis. If he and Hasselbeck can both stay healthy this season, Branch has an outside chance to finish as a top 24 fantasy WR -- a valuable WR2 in twelve-team leagues.

Worst Case

Branch suffered a knee injury in 2007 that limited him throughout the 2008 season, and he had another surgery this offseason to clean out the knee. He has missed 15 games over the last two seasons, and there are no guarantees that Branch will be anywhere close to 100% when the 2009 season starts. T.J. Houshmandzadeh has one starting spot locked up, and behind him Branch will compete for playing time with Nate Burleson and rookie Deon Butler. Branch will turn 30 before the season starts, and has been a disappointment since Seattle gave the Patriots a first-round pick for him three years ago. He has never had a top twenty season, and it's rare for a 30-year-old WR to break into the top 20 for the first time. Branch's worst-case scenario is that the Seahawks will want to get some of their young WRs more playing time, and will deem him expendable.

Outlook

If Deion Branch is fully recovered from the knee injury that set him back in each of the last two years, he could play a prominent role in the Seahawks offense and be a strong fantasy WR3, if not better. But he carries a lot of risk since he faces serious competition for playing time from Nate Burleson and Deon Butler. Once 40+ receivers have gone off the board, Branch becomes an attractive pick based on his upside potential.

Relevant Articles

Why he is overvalued

Aaron Rudnicki - Deion Branch has a long injury history that makes him a risky selection at this point in the draft. He's missed at least five games in each of the past two seasons and three of the past five, and he's also never finished a year with more than five TDs. With an emerging John Carlson at TE and the addition of a new No. 1 WR in T.J. Houshmandzadeh, there figures to be fewer targets available for Branch this year even when he is healthy.

2009 Schedule

2008 Game Summaries

Week 3 - Branch was limited in practice during the week as he recovers from knee surgery. He was not active for the game but Seattle hopes to get him back week five after their scheduled bye.

Week 5 - Making his first start since going down with a knee injury last season, Branch came out looking good bringing in Matt Hasselbeck's first pass of the game for 17 yards. He was targeted deep once where Hasselbeck put it right on his hands in the endzone, but Branch couldn't come down with it. He left in the second quarter though with what has been reported as a heel injury. To that point he had caught three of his six targets for 31 yards. He did not return to the game.

Week 11 - Branch was Seattle's most prominent offensive weapon with only four catches for 54 yards. His longest catch was 33 yards over the middle.

Week 12 - Branch was blanketed throughout the game by corners Shawn Spring and Carlos Rogers. His lone catch was a pretty slant route where he was lead perfectly. The pass was likely Hasselbeck's best throw of the game.

Week 13 - Though QB Matt Hasselbeck was able to orchestrate a successful passing attack in the first half, and though Branch ended the day first on the team with 11 targets and second with five receptions, he still didn't have much of an impact as most of his catches were on short to intermediate routes that did not give him the chance to make big plays.

Week 14 - Branch was targeted seven times, and he did some damage with those looks, as he finished with 88 yards on four receptions that included touchdown receptions of 14 and four yards. Branch also had a 63 yard reception on a short catch and run that he took across field and made people miss for a big play.

Week 15 - Like the rest of the receivers, there was not much to see in the first half. Post-halftime, Branch brought his numbers up to respectability, and made a long reception to set up the winning field goal.

Week 16 - Branch had a quiet afternoon, averaging just 3.0 yards per reception and catching half of his targets.

Week 17 - Branch was Seattle's most prolific offensive weapon catching two touchdown passes (30 and five yards.) He finished the game with six catches for 90 yards. His longest catch went for 30 yards. He was in sync with Wallace most of the game.