Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
In case your recent residency finds you below a rock that leaves you void of the plethora of 21st century communication feeds, you know the Denver Broncos‘ passing game was fantasy football explosion on Thursday night … for everyone but wide receiver Eric Decker, that is.
Wes Welker grabbed two scores, Demaryuis Thomas also had two scores and tight end Julius Thomas had – you guessed it – two scores.
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Decker had, uh, two catches.
To say it was a disappointing effort would be a gross understatement. Even back up wide receiver Andre Caldwell scored six in the Broncos’ pounding of the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.
Decker’s effort had to have fantasy GMs vulturing the waiver wire Friday with their minds full of mass panic and undeniable fear. It’s simply too early for a high draft pick to lay such a horrific egg, especially in a nationally-spotlighted game.
If you’re a Decker fantasy owner, ponder this before you call in a DEFCON 1 on your receiving staff: Despite intolerable stats in the Friday morning box scores, Decker was targeted seven times by Peyton Manning Thursday night, including an easy touchdown pass that Decker simply whiffed.
Wrap your fantasy brains around that stat line while remembering the former Minnesota Golden Gophers player swapped his proverbial man card for a summer fling of reality television and matrimony to then-fiancé and now wife, country music singer Jessie James. He simply needs a shot or two of testosterone and the onset of a football season. The later happened on Thursday night.
A couple things that you need to keep in mind: Manning tossed Decker 13 touchdowns a season ago. Decker has caught 21 touchdowns for the Broncos in two seasons. The offseason bliss is now over and Decker simply needed a dose of football reality — that happened Thursday night.
Don’t panic, and if you’re in a league where a Decker owner is thinking about jumping out a very tall building window – buy the guy cheap. Manning will spread the wealth. Hang in there, be patient and as they say – good things will come to those who wait. It’s simply far too early to jump ship on the Decker express.
Jim Heath is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @jim_heath, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
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