NFC West 2015 Off-season Changes

The Seahawks were very quiet for much of the opening night of the draft since they did not have a pick until the end of the second round. Where did their 1st round pick go, you ask? Well, they traded it with their center, Max Unger, for a little known player named Jimmy Graham (more on him later). Much of their draft was spent on defensive players as they have lost a bit the past few years via free agency. The three defensive linemen that they nabbed all look solid, particularly 2nd round pick, Frank Clark from Michigan. The most notable draftee, in my opinion, was WR Tyler Lockett from Kansas State. He is a playmaker and will find a home returning kicks and working the slot right away for Seattle.

Non-draft moves of note include adding DB Will Blackmon from Jacksonville. Funny thing, Seattle cut him 2 years ago when he wasn’t good enough to make the team out of training camp. With Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman roaming the secondary, lessor DBs tend to look a little better. After talk of retirement, RB Marshawn Lynch is back to inflict lots of pain on opposing defenses, when given the ball. Fans are hoping that QB Russell Wilson’s contract differences don’t carry over to this season especially since he has a brand new toy in Jimmy Graham. I did like the way TE Luke Willson played down the stretch last year, but Jimmy Graham immediately makes a massive difference on this team. He is now THE big play threat that the Seahawks have been lacking.

Fantasy starters: QB Russell Wilson, RB Marshawn Lynch, WR Jordy Nelson, TE Jimmy Graham, Seattle D
Fantasy bench: WR Doug Baldwin
Fantasy Sleeper: WR Tyler Lockett

After damn near starting a different QB every game last year due to injuries, the Cardinals focused on protecting their QB and helping out their run game by drafting OT D.J. Humphries from Florida with their first pick after they picked up G Mike Lupati in free agency. After that, they addressed the defensive line by adding defensive linemen with three of their next four picks, DE Markus Golden from Missouri being the top choice with their 2nd pick.

They are rolling the dice that their current crop of RBs stays healthy or hope that their 3rd round pick, RB David Johnson from Northern Iowa, is ready for the pro game. For a smallish guy myself, ya gotta like a player like J.J. Nelson getting drafted. Granted, he has 4.3 speed, but he is listed at 5’10” 160lbs! It will be entertaining to see opposing defenses try to locate him when he is on the loose. I certainly hope that the Cardinals can stay healthy this year. My favorite receiver, Larry Fitzgerald, isn’t getting any younger. Also, it would be nice to see WR Michael Floyd deliver on his potential. He was supposed to take a step forward towards All-Pro last year but the injuries at QB put a lid on his season.

Fantasy starters: RB Andre Ellington, WR Larry Fitzgerald, WR Michael Floyd, Arizona D
Fantasy bench: WR John Brown
Fantasy Sleeper: RB David Johnson

Truthfully, I was shocked when the Rams took RB Todd Gurley with their first pick in the draft. I though Tre’ Mason was fabulous last year and I don’t think Zac Stacy was a one-year wonder. I felt that improving their offensive line and getting one of the many excellent receivers available via the draft should have been a focus. Granted, Gurley is a beast once back to form but how long will it be before you can ride him? With their defense, they are ready to take a step forward and make the playoffs this year. I am not sure how you do that with the receivers they have on their roster. Speaking of their defense, they upgraded even further by adding DT Nick Fairly from Detroit.

Now, they did grab three O-linemen with their next four choices following Gurley so they did bolster that unit. However, I still think Devante Parker would have been the best 1st round pick for them. They did add local WR Bud Sasser in the 6th round to a middling group of receivers that includes Kenny Britt, Chris Givens, Stedman Bailey, Tavon Austin and Brian Quick. No Go-to guy in the mix. Throwing to them is no longer QB Sam Bradford, though he threw zero game-time passes to them last season and played for less than half of 2013. Assuming the starting QB position for 2015 is a somewhat less brittle Nick Foles. It will be interesting to see what he can do outside of Chip Kelly’s offense with a group of WR3s.

Fantasy starters: RB Tre’ Mason (until Todd Gurley is The Man, then him), Rams D
Fantasy bench: QB Nick Foles, WR: Kenny Britt, Chris Givens, Stedman Bailey, Tavon Austin and Brian Quick (watch pre-season and see if Foles gels with anyone in particular)
Fantasy Sleeper: TE Jared Cook

The Niners blew up last year, fired their head coach and turned over a lot of players in hopes of rebuilding a winning attitude. That turnover includes the retirement of LBs Patrick Willis and Chris Borland. With the defense needing more work than the offense, the Niners used their first three picks of that side of the ball. They grabbed DE Arik Armstead from Oregon, S Jaquiski Tartt from Samford and LB Eli Harold from Virginia. All have promise but have not fully delivered on it yet so it will take some time for them to come around to the NFL game. For the offense, they used the following three picks on TE Blake Bell from Oklahoma to transition into Vernon Davis’ successor, WR DeAndre Smelter from Georgia Tech (WRs don’t grow their game quickly at Georgia Tech due to their style of offense but he has talent) and RB Mike Davis from South Carolina to provide depth after the loss of RB Frank Gore.

The Niners are hoping that free agent acquisition, DT Darnell Dockett, can turn back the clock to his Arizona glory days after missing all of the 2014 season with a torn ACL. On the offensive side of the ball, they overpaid for WR Torrey Smith to become their new #1 WR. Maybe he will put together a consistent year on the left coast since it escaped him in Baltimore. They are also hoping RB Reggie Bush has something left after making little difference in Detroit last season while dealing with ankle issues. This offense has all the makings of being a complete wreck this season.

Fantasy starters: QB Colin Kaepernick, RB Carlos Hyde, WR Anquan Boldin, WR Torrey Smith
Fantasy bench: RB Reggie Bush, TE Vernon Davis
Fantasy Sleeper: TE Blake Bell