While a great number of fantasy football leagues are seasonal, keeper leagues have become much more popular across the fantasy landscape in recent seasons.
These leagues are more in-depth and include a greater long-term commitment. Rather than base value on talent and statistical success alone, keeper leaguers also need to consider a player's age and in some cases, contracts and salaries.
In an effort to help keeper leaguers make their final roster decision before their re-drafts, we've taken a look at all the major offensive skill positions with a focus on five players whose value increased, five players whose value remained stagnant and five players whose value has fallen.
More keepers: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Tight ends
On the rise
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 New England Patriots |  Randy Moss | It's odd to think that Moss wasn't considered a top-notch keeper headed into last season (how could he have been after two dreadful seasons in Oakland?) But 98 receptions, 1,493 yards and an NFL record 23 touchdown catches later, and Moss is once again the king of the wideout mountain. His seasonal and long-term value is at its highest level since his time in Minnesota, and Moss is without question the most attractive keeper choice at his position. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Cleveland Browns |  Braylon Edwards | Edwards was a nice sleeper candidate last season, but no one knew he would break out and become one of the NFL's elite wideouts. He had career bests across the board with 80 catches, 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns, and his 200 fantasy points on NFL.com were good for third most at the position behind Randy Moss and Terrell Owens. Edwards, 25, is one of the league's brightest young receivers and a tremendous keeper. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Houston Texans |  Andre Johnson | Injuries were the downfall of Johnson last season, but it's hard to ignore the numbers he produced when he was on the field. He recorded 60 catches for 851 yards and eight touchdowns in nine starts -- that equates to 106 catches, 1,513 yards and 14 scores over a full 16-game schedule. Johnson hasn't been brittle at the pro level, so his knee issues shouldn't be a factor in keeper leagues. Look for him to post career bests in yardage and touchdowns in 2008. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Denver Broncos |  Brandon Marshall | While Javon Walker was the first Broncos wideout selected in 2007 drafts, it was Marshall that broke out with 102 receptions, 1,325 yards and a total of seven touchdowns. With Walker now in Oakland, Marshall is the unquestioned No. 1 wideout in Denver's offensive attack. Barring a setback in his recovery from offseason surgery on his forearm, he should be seen as a borderline No. 1 or 2 fantasy wideout. Marshall is also a solid keeper candidate across the board. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 New Orleans Saints |  Marques Colston | There was some concern in fantasy circles about Colston headed into last season, but he proved to be even better than he was as a rookie. The Hofstra product hauled in close to 100 passes for 1,202 yards and scored 11 touchdowns, and he's made his name as one of the top wideouts in fantasy land. The Saints have an explosive offensive attack under head coach Sean Payton, so look for Colston's success to continue into his third season. He's a surefire keeper. |
No change
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Dallas Cowboys |  Terrell Owens | Owens recorded his best numbers since 2001, as he finished with 1,355 yards and 15 touchdowns. While he is in his mid-30's, Owens is a tremendous physical specimen and still possesses all the tools to drive defensive backfields insane. He has a solid rapport with Tony Romo, so his statistical success should continue in Dallas. The future Hall-of-Fame wideout will be one of the first wideouts taken in all seasonal drafts, and he's an attractive keeper choice. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Cincinnati Bengals |  Chad Johnson | Johnson has had a roller coaster of an offseason, but it seems like he'll remain in Cincinnati after all the pomp and circumstance. While it's true that Ocho Cinco was extremely inconsistent last season (he beefed up his final numbers with a 131-yard, two-touchdown performance against Miami in Week 17 -- when most fantasy football leagues were over), he's still one of the NFL's elite wideouts and will remain a very popular keeper choice in most formats. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Arizona Cardinals |  Larry Fitzgerald | How's this for consistent production: Fitzgerald recorded 1,409 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2005. Injuries limited him in 2006, but he came back last season to produce an identical 1,409 yards and 10 touchdowns. He could see a slight drop in production with Matt Leinart at the helm of the offense, but his abilities make him one of the top wideouts in fantasy football. Based on his statistical success and age (24), Fitzgerald will be a popular keeper choice for owners. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Carolina Panthers |  Steve Smith | A final stat line with 87 receptions, 1,002 yards and seven touchdowns would be solid for a mortal wideout, but those numbers are thin for Smith. He was a stat-sheet monster before Jake Delhomme went down with an injured elbow, as he recorded 15 catches, 271 yards and four touchdowns in two full starts with Delhomme under center. His quarterback will be back in 2008, so expect Smith to rebound and post tremendous numbers. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 St. Louis Rams |  Torry Holt | Despite the fact that he was in an inconsistent offense, Holt still recorded 93 receptions, 1,189 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He will be 32 when the 2008 campaign starts, but Holt still has the talent to be a valuable fantasy wideout. With a healthier and more effective offensive line and Marc Bulger back under center and at 100 percent health, look for Holt to have his ninth 1,000-yard season with seven to nine touchdowns. He remains a viable keeper. |
Falling down
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Seattle Seahawks |  Deion Branch | Branch seemed destined to have the first 1,000-yard season of his pro career in 2007, but injuries limited him to 11 starts and cost him ton of value in fantasy football circles. A postseason ACL ailment could now keep Branch out for at least a portion of the first half of this season (reports indicate he could land on the PUP list), so both his short- and long-term value has fallen. He's worth no more than a late-round flier in seasonal drafts and has minimal keeper value. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Green Bay Packers |  Donald Driver | Driver saw a significant decrease in touchdown production last season. That had much to do with the emergence of Greg Jennings, who developed into an end-zone machine. With James Jones and Donald Lee also in the mix, the Packers will no doubt spread the football around in 2008. That will mean fewer opportunities for Driver, who also lost what was a tremendous rapport with the now retired Brett Favre. The Alcorn State product now has far less keeper value. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Buffalo Bills |  Lee Evans | Evans had a few solid stat lines last season, but overall his numbers regressed across the board. He finished with 27 fewer receptions, 443 fewer yards and three fewer touchdowns than he recorded in 2006, and he was targeted less when Trent Edwards was under center. While his numbers should improve in 2008, Evans is still part of a run-laden offense. His keeper value is now limited to larger formats and those fantasy leagues that award for catches. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Indianapolis Colts |  Marvin Harrison | Harrison was the most productive fantasy wideout in 2006, but an injured knee cost him all but five contests last season. If that weren't enough to hurt his long-term value, consider that Harrison will be 36 at the start of the 2008 season. He'll also have to deal with the presence of Anthony Gonzalez, who developed into a solid option down the stretch. As a result, it appears Harrison's best seasons as a fantasy keeper option are now in the rearview mirror. |
| Team | Player | Analysis |
 Detroit Lions |  Roy Williams | Williams has all the talent in the world, but he's been prone to injuries and has one 1,000-yard season on his current resume. He will also lose chances to Calvin Johnson and Shaun McDonald, and the offense will be far less pass intensive now that Mike Martz isn't at the helm. Detroit also has questions at the quarterback position, where veteran starter Jon Kitna was a virtual turnover machine. in 2007. Williams still has keeper value, but he's no longer a lock. |
