Fantasy Profile - Duce Staley and others

Preseason 1999

The Duce is juiced

Staley looks to join fantasy starter ranks

By ROBERT NEELY, Associate editor

My favorite thing about Eagle RB Duce Staley is that he wears his name on his jersey — not only on the back, but on the front, too.

In college at South Carolina, he bore the number 22, a "double deuce," if you will. He wears the same number as an Eagle. Being a numerical savant, I like it when players show some creativity in picking out their ID tags. Thus, Staley earned my respect even before he actually takes the field.

But there is more reason to appreciate Staley, especially for fantasy football owners. The guy can play. He ran for 1,065 yards and caught 57 passes in his first season as a starter. He also scored six TD’s, an impressive feat considering the Eagles packed less scoring punch than a 3-day-old infant. He made those here at PFW who pegged him as the RB supersleeper of ’98 look downright prophetic.

I think Staley will improve on those numbers this time around, so much so that he should be considered as starting RB material in larger fantasy leagues. I have the Eagle back ranked as the 20^th-best fantasy runner entering training camps.

What do I like about Staley? While his skills aren’t outstanding, they are pretty good. But this is one tough hombre. He will give his all on every play, and he finishes his runs with a reckless abandon.

Remember, the Eagles passed on Ricky Williams, in part because they like Staley. While Staley isn’t in Williams’ class as a runner, the gap isn’t as big as you might think.

Also, Staley’s situation has improved. New head coach Andy Reid has brought in Doug Pederson, a quarterback who knows the West Coast system like the back of his hand. Plus, superstud rookie Donovan McNabb is waiting in the wings.

Couple that with an offensive line that has added stud-in-the-offing Tra Thomas and solid Doug Brzezinski in the past two seasons, and you have an offense that is ready to take a sizable step forward.

If you’re in a keeper league and Staley is unclaimed, lock him up as soon as possible. The Duce won’t be loose for long. For the rest of us, he is an intriguing candidate for a No. 2 RB role.

Bonus advice: If you’re looking for the RB supersleeper of ’99, take a gander at Cleveland rookie RB Madre Hill. The Arkansas product had a severe knee injury in college that scared NFL teams away until the seventh round of the draft. But Hill showed flashes of true brilliance in college, and he looked to be in good shape at the end of the ’98 campaign. He was also one of the stars of a recent Brown minicamp.

Terry Kirby and Sedrick Shaw, Cleveland’s first two RB options, don’t look to be long-term solutions. Hill may be. The rook is definitely worth a look in keeper leagues, and I wouldn’t be shocked if he contributed some this season.

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If you don't see a player in our Internet edition, chances are you'll find a report on him in the print edition of Pro Football Weekly's Fantasy Football Guide '99. It's available at bookstores and newsstands across the country, or you can call 1-800-FOOTBALL (1-800-366-8225) to order a copy.

Player index

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Dudley, Rickey
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Dyson, Kevin
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Emanuel, Bert
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Enis, Curtis
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Faulk, Marshall
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Flutie, Doug
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Graham, Jay
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Grbac, Elvis
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Green, Trent
The Ram offense appears to be vastly improved, but fantasy owners should approach with caution

Hakim, Az-Zahir
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Harbaugh, Jim
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Harrison, Marvin
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Hawkins, Courtney
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Henley, June
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Hicks, Skip
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Hicks, Skip
Assessing several fantasy aberrations

Hill, Greg
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Hill, Madre
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Hoard, Leroy
Hoard’s numbers aren’t entirely of his own making

Hoard, Leroy
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Holcombe, Robert
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Holmes, Priest
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Johnson, Keyshawn
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Kaufman, Napoleon
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Lee, Amp
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Manning, Peyton
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Martin, Curtis
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Mathis, Terance
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McCaffrey, Ed
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McNair, Steve
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Moon, Warren
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Moore, Rob
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Owens, Terrell
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Proehl, Ricky
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Rhett, Errict
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Sanders, Frank
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Smith, Antowain
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Smith, Emmitt
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Smith, Rod
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Stewart, Kordell
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