The Oakland Raiders have no shortage of quarterbacks at their disposal, both signed and unsigned, but one in particular could be set to make his move to the top of the silver and black's depth chart.
Daunte Culpepper, a former fantasy stud who has seen his draft value sink like the Titanic in recent seasons, will start in the Raiders' next preseason game on Friday night against the St. Louis Rams. Head coach Lane Kiffin will use Culpepper with the first-team offense, followed by Josh McCown and Andrew Walter. Should Culpepper perform well, he could earn the top spot for the team's regular-season opener.
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Even if he does take that prominent role, however, fantasy owners still shouldn't consider Culpepper in drafts.
Culpepper, who holds two of the top fantasy seasons ever at the quarterback position, has seen a quick and decided fall from gridiron grace. Once an MVP candidate, Culpepper went from throwing for 4,717 yards with 41 total touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2004 to a combined 2,493 yards with 10 total touchdowns and 15 interceptions from 2005-2006. His decreased level of production seemed to coincide with the loss of Randy Moss, but a greater reason is the serious knee ailment he sustained in 2005.
Culpepper was never close to 100 percent in his short stint in Miami. He's closer to full health now, but a return to his former statistical success isn't in the cards in a Raiders offense with more questions than answers. The backfield won't have veteran Dominic Rhodes for the first four games, and incumbent starter LaMont Jordan is coming off a disappointing 2006 season.
The wide receivers are led by Jerry Porter and Ronald Curry. Both have fantasy value, but neither is as explosive as Moss. The rest of the receivers include Travis Taylor, Mike Williams, Doug Gabriel, Alvis Whitted and Johnnie Lee Higgins, none of whom will strike fear into the opposition's defensive secondaries.
Another factor to keep in mind is the team's offensive line. It allowed a league-high 72 sacks in 2006, which made it hard for any quarterback in silver and black to make much of an impact. The final point here is, of course, the presence of JaMarcus Russell. The rookie remains a holdout at this time, but sooner or later he'll sign. The former LSU standout is now the future of the Raider Nation's franchise, so Culpepper's shelf life with the team will be limited at best.
In the event he does open the regular season as a starter, Culpepper could be worth adding off the waiver wire for owners without a true No. 1 quarterback when he faces a weaker opponent (Week 1 vs. Detroit is a perfect example). But to expect him to return to his past success would be, well, a fantasy.
BOSTON RE-EMERGES IN TAMPA BAY
In his second NFL season, David Boston's name became popular in fantasy football. He had recorded career bests in receptions (71), yards (1,156) and touchdowns (7) and his stock for 2001 drafts had soared. He met and exceeded expectations, passing his previous bests with 98 receptions, 1,598 yards and eight touchdowns. His status as a No. 1 fantasy wideout was secure -- at least we thought.
A knee ailment cost Boston half of the 2002 season, and his move to sunny San Diego had his value in question. While he did catch 70 passes and score seven touchdowns in 2003, Boston was still a shell of the receiver he had become when he was a statistical monster for fantasy owners.
After two seasons and a mere five games (no starts) in Miami, Boston didn't play a single snap in 2006. However, he did sign an incentive-laded contract with the Buccaneers this past offseason and was hoping to make the team's 53-man roster.
Now it appears Boston will have a chance to start for head coach Jon Gruden.
Reports out of Tampa Bay indicate that Boston has passed Maurice Stovall and Michael Clayton for the right to start opposite Joey Galloway. He has started two consecutive preseason games and he appears set to start a third. Boston has looked terrific in camp while Stovall, a possible sleeper, has made like Houdini.
"He's a magician," Gruden told the St. Petersburg Times of Stovall. "He disappeared on me for about 10 days."
Gruden did also mention that Stovall, who fumbled inside the red zone in the team's preseason game against Jacksonville, had re-appeared in recent workouts. As a result, Boston is no lock to keep the second spot on the depth chart. Still, the fact that he's in the mix of this battle is an accomplishment in and of itself. What's more, this situation is one to watch for the rest of the exhibition season.
Stovall is a burner who has shown explosiveness in camp. In fact, he was one of the players Gruden praised the most for his impressive offseason work. With Ike Hilliard also looking good in camp, the Bucs could have some decent weapons for Jeff Garcia in the pass attack. While he still isn't more than a No. 2 fantasy quarterback, the development of Stovall and the re-emergence of Boston and Hilliard are real positives.
The player who hasn't experienced any positives out of this race is Clayton, who seems to have fallen completely off the fantasy radar. Once a 1,000-yard wideout, Clayton has fallen down the depth chart and no longer has any draft value. As for the rest, the winner of the Boston-Stovall battle could be worth a late-round flier in larger formats, while Hilliard remains little more than waiver-wire fodder across the board.
NEWS & NOTES
» Larry Johnson has ended his holdout and returned to Chiefs camp, but there's a good chance he won't be ready for a full workload in Week 1. He told reporters that he has never been a fast starter, and missing most of camp puts him behind in that respect. Fantasy owners shouldn't fret, however, as even 80 percent of Larry Johnson should be able to post good numbers against the Texans, who the Chiefs face in their regular-season opener. Overall, Johnson remains the third-best runner in all of fantasy football.
» Clinton Portis is still targeting Week 1 for his return from a problematic knee, but he still hasn't started doing cutting drills in training camp. While he has increased in workload, Portis is doing all of his running in a straight line. The Redskins will continue to be cautious with their stud runner, but fantasy owners shouldn't expect to see him in the preseason. The true definition of a risk-reward player, Portis is still worth a second- or third-round selection but should be handcuffed to Ladell Betts if at all possible.
» NFL Network analyst Adam Schefter reports that Randy Moss will miss New England's third preseason game due to an injured hamstring. However, there's a chance he will return to see some work in the team's preseason finale, which occurs Aug. 30 against the Giants. Moss, who hasn't practiced in more than three weeks, is still expected to be back for the Patriots' regular-season opener. However, fantasy owners should not overrate him -- even at 100 percent, Moss is still no more than a No. 2 fantasy wide receiver.
» Thomas Jones, who continues to deal with a calf strain, performed catching and throwing drills at Jets practice on Wednesday. He is still expected to miss the team's next preseason game (Saturday night vs. the Giants), but it appears that Jones is on pace to return for the regular-season opener against the Patriots. Barring setbacks, Jones is still worth a second- or third-round choice as a No. 2 fantasy back, but owners should be sure to handcuff him and take Leon Washington in the middle to late rounds.
» LenDale White, who has been dealing with ankle and knee issues, was able to return to practice on Wednesday. Barring setbacks, he should see a significant role in the Titans' preseason contest on Friday night in Buffalo. While Chris Brown has had the most success in camp -- he rushed for 67 yards last week against the Patriots -- White still seems to be the favorite to start if he can avoid injuries. While we wouldn't lean on White as a fantasy starter, he is still worth a middle-round choice as a No. 3 or 4 fantasy runner.
