Look for Nate Burleson to be an excellent fantasy player this year. He put up great numbers towards the end of last year, and had a 1000 yard season with 9 TDs. Moss had 13 TDs, and if Burleson gets even half of those, lets say 6, he will end up with 15, which is a number only top 5 wide receivers put up. He is also entering the third year, which is the year wide receivers typically break out.
Everything is in place for Burleson to have a break-out season and move into the top 5 wide receivers. If Burleson is still around after the fourth round, which he should be, do not hesitate to snag him.Another interesting pick-up is Larry Johnson. He had 9 touchdowns in only 6 games last year, playing when Priest Holmes was injured or resting. Derrick Blaylock, Priest Holmes's other backup, had 8 touchdowns last year. Priest Holmes had 14 touchdowns in 8 games.
So Larry Johnson and Derrick Blaylock split ½ of the season between them, and combined for 17 TDs. All three combined for 31 TDs. If Priest Holmes gets injured again, which is a distinct possibility for a 32 year old running back, Larry Johnson will now get all the carries as Derrick Blaylock is now with the New York Jets.
You could end up getting 10+ TDs and 800+ yards for a 12th round choice. This is a no-brainer. Anywhere after the 10th round is a decent place to take him, but if he is available with the last 2 picks, which he might be because people typically take runners early, grab him. If you don't want him, you can trade him to the poor sap who has Priest Holmes if/when Holmes gets injured. If you have Holmes, grab him early, you will be glad you did.
.Vikas Paruchuri is a sports columnist who writes on the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB. He maintains a website at http://www.thehomefield.com with sports analysis and opinion columns.By: Vikas Paruchuri
