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WR Chad Jackson, New England Patriots

HT: 6-1, WT: 206, Born: 3-6-1985, College: Florida, Drafted: Round 2

2008 Projections

Best Case

Chad Jackson has been plagued with injuries his first two years in the league and would obviously benefit from staying healthy. With Donte Stallworth out of the picture, Jackson is in a prime situation to win a starting job and become a huge cog in the Patriots offense. He has only caught 13 passes to date but scored on three of them. With New England having so many other weapons, Jackson would provide even more match-up problems for opposing defensive coordinators. He still has 4.3-speed and was both a deep threat and possession receiver in college, leading many to believe he was the top WR available in the 2006 draft class. If everything comes together for Jackson, he could post numbers that matched or exceeded what Donte Stallworth produced last year.

Worst Case

This could be a make or break season for Jackson. He could easily tank and end up being granted his outright release if he does not start producing on the field. With so little game action and even limited time on the practice field, no one really knows what to expect from Jackson, and New England will force him to prove himself to earn additional playing time. For now, he's a disappointment on the verge of being labeled a bust. Look at 2006 or 2007 for worst-case scenarios for Jackson.

Outlook

Watch Jackson's progress as the season approaches to see if he's primed to pass Gaffney on the depth chart. New England plays three- and four-receiver sets quite frequently, and we all saw what the Patriots could do through the air last season. Fantasy-wise, Jackson is a great low risk, high upside pick. If he wins the WR2 job he could easily put up fantasy WR3 numbers. If not, he's easily expendable.

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2008 Schedule