Dilfer out at least a month
The Seattle Seahawks have a new stadium and new uniforms. Yet it seems they still have the same old quarterback problems.
Starting QB Trent Dilfer will miss at least a month with a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee. He will be sidelined through the regular season opener September 8 at Oakland. Some published reports indicate he might miss up to eight weeks. While there was no tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament, there still may be some ACL issues involved, which could further affect exactly how long Dilfer is out.
Dilfer, when healthy, is nothing more than a Fantasy backup, because he tends to be a more conservative passer who doesn't stack up impressive numbers. But his loss certainly affects the top skill position players on the Seattle offense. With the erratic and inconsistent Matt Hasselbeck stepping back in as a starter, the Seahawks' attack is certain to sputter while Dilfer is out.
Hasselbeck tends to hold the ball too long and makes bad decisions under pressure, while Dilfer makes good, crisp reads and finds his receivers in stride, giving them the opportunities to make open-field plays and score TDs consistently. Hasselbeck forces the ball into bad coverages and gives the offense less opportunities to score. He should not be drafted in Fantasy leagues.
Hasselbeck did start 12 games for Seattle last year, and running back Shaun Alexander still posted great numbers despite the shaky quarterback play. Fantasy owners shouldn't expect a major dropoff in Alexander's overall numbers, but there might be some games in which Seattle falls behind early and abandons the running game. Alexander will have some off weeks when Seattle plays catch-up against the likes of the Rams and 49ers in the NFC West. Alexander will still be a top back, but the absence of Dilfer to keep defenses honest now drops his stock a bit, making Ahman Green the most attractive RB on Fantasy draft boards once Marshall Faulk is gone.
Darrell Jackson is one of the most underrated wideouts in Fantasy Football, yet it should be noted that he caught four of his eight TD catches in the final two games of the 2001 season, when Dilfer was starting. He will certainly see a lot less scoring opportunities with Hasselbeck at the controls. The possibility of second-year wide receiver Koren Robinson having a breakthrough year also lessens with Hasselbeck struggling to get him the ball. Rookie tight end Jerramy Stevens might also see a lack of TD opportunities, and you can bet that Hasselbeck won't feed him the ball with the same accuracy that Dilfer would. He won't be worth anything more than a late-round pick in his rookie year.
More knee woes for Davis
If Fantasy leaguers needed any more indication that Terrell Davis is no longer a reliable running back, they got it on Saturday when Denver's brittle star missed the preseason opener with a swollen left knee.
Davis had an MRI on the knee on Sunday, and results were expected to be available on Monday. Davis has battled knee injuries for the past three seasons, and has been an unreliable Fantasy player during that time. He had surgery on the knee in May. It appears certain that Davis' Fantasy owners will never be able to depend on him for consistent numbers. He simply can't avoid injuries anymore.
Smart Fantasy owners should now regard Davis as an afterthought. He should only be drafted when you have at least two other quality RBs on your roster. Davis should not be looked to as a Fantasy starter. Instead, consider his backups as middle-round picks.
Rookie Clinton Portis showed flashes of promise on Saturday, rushing for 57 yards on 13 carries. Portis displayed good balance and vision and read his blockers well. He also lost a fumble, and that could become a sticking point for his potential owners. Portis will have a short leash from Mike Shanahan if he has trouble holding onto the ball.
Olandis Gary has looked good in practices, but he rushed for only 17 yards on six carries on Saturday. If he improves his numbers in the upcoming preseason games, however, he might gain preference over Portis because of his experience. Mike Anderson, who rushed for 11 yards on one carry, has been moved to fullback and is not expected to be a factor in the running game.
Don't expect Davis to stay healthy. At some point, Denver will have to depend on another RB to be their featured back. Portis appears to be the odds-on favorite, but fumble problems might be an issue. Still, we recommend taking the rookie over Gary, who has had some of his own injury problems. Of all the Denver halfbacks, Portis appears to have the most upside.
