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Jaguar RB
Fred Taylor |
Fantasy-football prognostication demands a delicate balance between
analyzing the past and forecasting the future. We’ve got the former covered with our
1998 Fantasy All-Pro and All-Bust teams, which, if nothing else, plant a few names in your
head as you begin to prepare for the ’99 fantasy campaign. Best of luck.
Quarterback
Steve Young, 49ers — The beauty of Young’s season
wasn’t simply the fact that he outscored every player other than Bronco RB Terrell
Davis. It was the fact that Young wasn’t ranked in the top five among quarterbacks on
most draft boards, including Pro Football Weekly’s final version (Sept. 6),
which had him 10th. In other words, a lot of folks picked up the second-best player in
fantasy ball somewhere other than the first round.
Running Backs
Terrell Davis, Broncos — If he were still around, Howard
Cosell would call Davis "the in-comp-ar-able one. "Actually, Davis compares
favorably with vintage Emmitt Smith, who posted back-to-back seasons of 20-plus touchdowns
in the mid-’90’s. Like Smith in his heyday, Davis is money inside the 10-yard
line.
Jamal Anderson, Falcons/Fred Taylor, Jaguars (tie) — Taylor
caught Anderson on the final Monday night of the season with one last two-TD burst.
Incredibly, Taylor, who missed one game and barely played in two others, tied for the NFL
lead with 17 TD’s. Anderson was rock-solid from beginning to end. He led the league
with 12 100-yard rushing games.
Wide Receivers
Randy Moss, Vikings — More often than not, the preseason is
a less-than-accurate gauge of what a player will do during the regular season. In
Moss’ case, it was dead-on. No one could stop him during the exhibition slate, and no
one could stop once the real games started. After a four-game slump, Moss closed the
season with 11 TD’s in his final seven games.
Antonio Freeman, Packers — Freeman was as steady as Moss
was spectacular, living up to his No. 1 preseason ranking on the WR board in every way.
Tight End
Shannon Sharpe, Broncos — Sharpe delivers yardage
consistently, but his TD totals vary radically from year to year. Starting in 1993, the
sequence is as follows: 9, 4, 4, 10, 3, 10.
Placekicker
Gary Anderson, Vikings — Anderson didn’t miss a kick
all season and set a record for placekickers with 163 points. Who could ask for anything
more?
Quarterback
Kordell Stewart, Steelers — Stewart finished with 51 total
fantasy points, fewer than the likes of Steve Beuerlein, Kerry Collins and Neil
O’Donnell. All this from our No. 2-ranked quarterback. Ugh.
Running Backs
Dorsey Levens, Packers — A lesson to all those whose
contracts are up after this season: Holdouts seldom, if ever, pay off. Levens held out,
got hurt, missed nine games and delivered one measly 100-yard performance (regular season)
upon returning.
Jerome Bettis, Steelers — Bettis was bothered much of the
season by a minor knee injury, but his down year was hardly his fault. The faltering
passing game didn’t keep opposing defenses honest, and OL and FB injuries robbed
Bettis of his support team.
Wide Receivers
Michael Irvin, Cowboys — One touchdown? One?
Irvin should be ashamed to call himself "the Play Maker."
Isaac Bruce, Rams — You know that beer commercial where the
football coach chastises his players for constantly being hurt? "You’re always
in here, nursing your injuries," the coach says. Rumor has it that Bruce
pulled a hamstring on the way to the audition.
Tight End
Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs — Gonzalez finally scored his first
TD in Week 16, and he added another in Week 17. Too little, too late.
Placekicker
Mike Hollis, Jaguars — His point total (108) doesn’t
look terrible on the surface, but you expect more from the top-ranked kicker on the board. |
