The Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven't exactly been known for their prowess as a passing team during their 34-year NFL existence. In fact, a mere eight wide receivers have even had a 1,000 yards in a single season. I'd also say that about 95 percent of NFL fans couldn't even name the franchise's all-time leader in receiving yards.
(I'll leave you in "suspense" and hold the answer to a little later in this column).
Well, the more things change, the more they stay the same for the boys who used to wear those pumpkin-colored uniforms. Entering the 2010 fantasy season, the Buccaneers don't have a single wide receiver who's worth taking a chance on outside of the late rounds in seasonal leagues.
Not one.
Michael Clayton has been a non factor in fantasy land since his rookie season, and Reggie Brown couldn't make a consistent impact as a member of the pass-laden Philadelphia Eagles offense during his tenure with the team. Maurice Stovall and Sammie Stroughter don't figure to have much value, either.
But on a positive note, the team does have a pair of wideouts who should be on the late-round radar -- Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams.
Benn was the team's third overall pick (Round 2) in the 2010 NFL Draft. The former Illinois star is an exceptional runner after the catch, and his outstanding size makes him a big target over the middle of the field. While he's received mixed reviews to this point, coach Raheem Morris has been impressed with Benn in recent practices.
"Arrelious Benn is really starting to come into his own," Morris told the *St. Petersburg Times*. "You're starting to see some plays from him. He's making splash plays. What he's been able to do, constantly, every day he's getting better. It started on special teams. He started out there, going down as a flier. He's really was playing big, physical and strong. That just added confidence to his game and now the confidence is coming as far playing wideout. The extra time he's put in with (receivers coach Eric Yarber) has been fantastic for him."
While those are very positive words from Morris, fantasy owners need to take them with a grain of salt. That's because Benn is currently listed on the third-team offense, behind Stovall and Stroughter, on the Buccaneers depth chart. Maybe this is a motivational tactic from Morris, or maybe Benn needs some time to adapt to playing at the much faster NFL level. Whatever the case, he's not someone you should be taking until the late rounds in deeper leagues.
The wideout in pewter you should be looking at in all leagues, though, is Williams.
A fourth-round pick out of Syracuse, Williams has outstanding skills but slid in the Draft due to a series of off-field incidents that raised concerns about his character. However, he has been getting some very good press ever since joining the Buccaneers. He was a standout during the team's Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and has continued to shine in camp. That's led to his promotion into a starting role and the chance to become a prominent option in the pass attack for quarterback Josh Freeman.
In fact, Williams could push Kellen Winslow as the team's leader in receiving statistics this season.
The fact that a grand majority of rookies wideouts fail to post consistently good numbers will limit the draft appeal of Benn and Williams. In an offense that isn't going to lean heavily on the passing game, it's very unlikely that either of these wideouts will have a Clayton-like first season in the National Football League.
Someone other than Winslow has to be at the end of Freeman's passes, though, and these two rookies could wind up near the top of his list of favorite targets.
If I'm looking for a No. 5 fantasy wideout in the late rounds and had to pick between the two, I'd go with Williams. Who knows, in time he could eventually pass Mark Carrier (5,018 yards -- the answer to that "trivia" question) as the Buccaneers' franchise leader in receiving yards.
Notes
» Rams RB Steven Jackson isn't expected to play in the team's preseason opener against the Vikings, but he did tell the *St. Louis Post-Dispatch* that his back is "fully healed." The veteran hasn't exactly been durable in his career, and the fact that he's coming off surgery does make him a risk in fantasy drafts. However, all of the reports about him have been positive to this point. Consider Jackson in the late first round on draft day.
» Jets coach Rex Ryan has been very impressed with Shonn Greene in training camp and went so far as to call him "the bell cow" on the team's official website. While the presence of LaDainian Tomlinson limits his upside a bit, Greene is clearly Ryan's top back and could see 275-300 carries this season. In an offense that's going to run the football a ton, he should post impressive fantasy totals. Greene will be a top-20 pick across the board.
» Fantasy owners worried about the fact that Patriots WR Randy Moss is getting up there in age shouldn't be so concerned. The *Boston Herald* is reporting that the veteran looks "a bit lighter and even a touch quicker" in training camp. He even made some member of the Saints defensive backfield look slow during a practice earlier in the week. Moss, who is in a contract year, should continue to put up fine numbers. He's worth a second-round pick.
» Browns coach Eric Mangini hopes to have Montario Hardesty (knee) back on the practice field next week, according to the *Cleveland Plain Dealer*. The team hopes that Hardesty can emerge into an early-round back, but for now it's Jerome Harrison who tops the depth chart. Still, I see the rookie as the better fantasy option in drafts. He's worth a middle-round pick in seasonal leagues and an early-round look in dynasty formats.
» Raiders WR Darrius Heyward-Bey is getting a lot of positive press in training camp. In fact, NFL.com senior writer Vic Carucci thinks last season's rookie bust could have a breakout season in 2010. I don't know if I'm about to go that far, but Heyward-Bey should clearly be back on fantasy radars. If you're in a deeper league, he'll be worth a late-round look as a No. 5 fantasy wideout.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com. Have a burning question for Michael on anything fantasy football related? Leave it in our comments section or send it to **AskFabiano@nfl.com**!
