Which free agent did the most for his fantasy value by signing with a new team?
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- Michael Fabiano NFL.com Fantasy Editor
Amendola is the next quality slot option
This is a close call between Steven Jackson and Danny Amendola, but I'm going with the latter. Sure, Jackson will be drafted ahead of the talented slot receiver in most leagues, but Amendola will now be catching passes from Tom Brady. Let me say that again -- Danny Amendola will now be catching passes from Tom Brady. The slot receiver position seems to have always been fruitful in New England too, dating all the way back to when Troy Brown averaged 93 catches for the team from 2000-2002. Assuming he can avoid injuries, which has been a concern in recent seasons, Amendola should post 90-plus catches with Wes Welker no longer in the mix. What's more, he's gone from a borderline No. 2 or 3 fantasy wideout in St. Louis to a solid No. 2 with No. 1 potential for PPR-leaguers as a member of the Patriots.
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- Marcas Grant NFL.com Fantasy Editor
Amendola gets the nod over Bush
I'm pretty high on Reggie Bush's move to Detroit, but I have to ultimately give the nod to Danny Amendola. The Patriots offense has been consistently much more efficient than anything the Lions have shown ... New England scored an NFL-high 557 points in 2012. While they might not hit that height again, they should still be quite high-powered. More importantly, Tom Brady loves his slot receivers. I don't expect Amendola to post a 100-catch season, but his production should see a significant spike with a move to Foxborough.
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- Jason Smith NFL.com Fantasy Analyst
Three players will see a big boost
There are three players whose value increased a ton over where it was a week ago -- one bounce-backs, one breakout and one sleeper. Coming into last year Reggie Bush was a No. 2 RB. Now, he's got a new lease on fantasy life with his move to Detroit. He'll be a Marshall Faulk-lite with the Lions this season. Brandon Myers flashed a bit last season with Oakland, then came back to earth and was one of many tight ends you couldn't trust to play regularly. Now in New York he'll thrive, considering how much better the Giants offense is than the Raiders (like that's a stretch). Mike Goodson always had plenty of potential and has delivered in the little time his number was called, both in Carolina and Oakland. However fantasy-wise, you weren't drafting him. Right now, he's slated to split the workload with Bilal Powell, but with his ability to get to the outside, he's a very intriguing fantasy option who will have the chance to seize the starting job. I can see him being one of my big sleepers for 2013.
Steven Jackson is going to have a serious impact with the Falcons. He's reached the dreaded 30-year old mark, the drop-off point for most running backs and his best days as a rusher are clearly behind him. But he's landed in the perfect spot in Atlanta. He will get more attempts in the red zone, so look for his touchdowns to increase. Plus he's going to be a lot more valuable out of the backfield as a receiver, which is a stark improvement over Mike Turner. I've avoided Jackson in previous years, but I will target him as a RB2 this season.
As odd as it sounds, probably Rashard Mendenhall. His fantasy value was going to be close to nil with the Steelers, who seemed to lose confidence in him outside of all the injury concerns. In Arizona, Mendenhall will not be part of a committee -- provided he wins the job. Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians likes going with one back who is a part of all phases of the game. Secondly, he was Mendenhall's offensive coordinator when the latter came into the league. While Mendenhall still might have so-so value, if he beats out Ryan Williams he could be a huge bargain with his new club.
