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There is bad, there is awful and then there is the Philadelphia Eagles’ 2012 NFL season. A team predicted by most in the preseason to be successful; the Eagles battled poor play, a rash of injuries and a city calling for the public hanging of anyone responsible for the “Dream Team” collapse.
For confirmation just browse through Fantasy Football player projections for the 2012 Eagles players. LeSean McCoy was the number two running back on most lists just behind Houston Texans great Arian Foster. DeSean Jackson was ranked ahead of wide receivers like Randall Cobb, Pierre Garcon, Michael Crabtree and even Reggie Wayne. And quarterback Michael Vick was a top five player in some and no less than top seven in others.
The Fantasy Football world believed in the Eagles offense last season, but anyone that trusted the experts by investing in an Eagles player was burned for it.
As we usher in a new Fantasy Football season, the Eagles begin with a distinct newness. The plethora of injuries that plagued the team one season ago are healed, Andy Reid is a Kansas City Chief and college football offensive mastermind Chip Kelly now controls the Eagles’ reins. Things should be peaceful again; well, as peaceful as the restless Eagles fan base can be, right?
It appears the love has returned for many of the Eagles players by the Fantasy Football world. Here I thought “Shady” was someone I could draft at a value pick, but I am finding most everyone’s infatuation for the Eagles running back has been rekindled. And that seems to be the consensus of feelings towards Eagles players from top to bottom of the roster with one exception, Vick.
It almost seems like the entire Fantasy world has taken their hard feelings from last season and placed them firmly on the shoulders of the former number one overall NFL pick from Virginia Tech. Forgive the cliché, but Vick is in the proverbial fantasy football “dog house.” Oh yeah, I just went there.
But, personally I am dumbfounded by it. In retrospect of last season I see the only glimpses of positive fantasy production as Vick. Despite being wounded himself and being more generous with the rock than Bill Gates at a charity function he still had fantasy relevance scoring at or over 20 points in half the games he played (most being without his usual ensemble of weapons and protection). He made the best of a horrible situation week in and week out.
Now, Vick finds himself in an offensive utopia and most turn their backs on him? It makes no sense. Do this, close your eyes and envision Vick running a high-speed uptempo spread offense where he has the flexibility of roaming outside of the pocket and has all weapons of choice at his disposal. That’s not a vision or a prayer or even a wish; that is the reality of a Kelly run offense. The Vick-Kelly partnership is a match made in Fantasy Football heaven.
What’s even better news than that is you can draft Vick as a very late first quarterback or in most cases a high second quarterback this season. That is low investment with a high yield return. I have to admit, I’m not so sure that calling Vick a comeback player is that bold a statement; to me he never really left.
Jim Heath is a Fantasy Football writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @jim_heath, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
