With the NFL season just days away, it's time for fantasy owners to start making those last minute changes to their rosters. It's always interesting to see what fantasy nation is thinking, so we've compiled the top fantasy movers heading to Week 1. It's the five guys heading in the most positive direction and the five guys headed the other way with an idea of what it could mean for your fantasy prospects. The precent change in ownership is listed in parenthesis.
Isaac Redman, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers (6.7 percent): With Le'Veon Bell on the shelf and Jonathan Dwyer hunting for a new gig, it's understandable that Redman is becoming a little more coveted. Keep in mind that in four seasons, Redman has never rushed for more than 479 yards and is still in a crowded rotation that includes LaRod Stephens-Howling and Felix Jones.
Terrelle Pryor, QB, Oakland Raiders (3.2 percent): There are plenty of signs pointing toward Pryor as the Raiders starter of choice in 2013. Certainly a starting NFL QB has more fantasy value than a backup, but fantasy owners should set the bar quite low when it comes to an inexperienced signal-caller running an offense short on playmakers. Seeing as how TP is owned in just 13.5 percent of NFL.com leagues, it appears you already know that. Bravo!
Chris Givens, WR, St. Louis Rams (2.9 percent): The "Tavon Austin is being overvalued" train has started picking up steam in the past couple of weeks, prompting fantasy enthusiasts to consider who else in The Lou could haul in a few passes. Givens was forgetten in all the preseason talk about Austin's dynamism, but among returning Rams WRs, Givens saw that most targets in 2012. With St. Louis expecting to spread the ball around, the second-year wideout could surprise.
Alshon Jeffery, WR, Chicago Bears (2.9 percent): Jeffery already has sleeper value simply by the hiring of new head coach and offensive mad scientist Marc Trestman. But when news broke that not everything was hunky-dory with Brandon Marshall's hip, Jeffery became a slightly more attractive option. His value might only be that of a No. 4 fantasy wideout, but there is deep sleeper potential.
Ronnie Hillman, RB, Denver Broncos (2.7 percent): Hillman could be a confounding prospect. Sure, it's good that he's slated to be Denver's starter but Montee Ball is still lurking just behind him on the depth chart. Then there's still Knowshon Moreno hanging around. Right now, there are too many RB options to feel comfortable picking just one. Oh yeah, and that Manning guy likes to throw the ball around a bit.
Denarius Moore, WR, Oakland Raiders (-3.0 percent): So many things about this are confusing. Moore is still owned in 76.9 percent of leagues? Why the three percent change? The Raiders offense looks like just as much of a quagmire now as it did at the start of the preseason. It could be as simple as buyer's (drafter's) remorse. If Oakland's pass attack is as spotty as most fear, that remorse could grow -- quickly.
Mikel Leshoure, RB, Detroit Lions (-3.1 percent): Such is the fate of the player who lost the battle to be Reggie Bush's back up in the Motor City. It's somewhat surprising for a young player who was the team's leading rusher in 2012. Yet more proof of how important the ability to catch the ball will be in the Lions offense. Leshoure lost out to Joique Bell, who was the better pass-catcher last season.
Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers (-3.5 percent):Isaac Redman's strong uptick is directly related to Dwyer's release and subsequent fall off. Dwyer's preseason wasn't exactly the stuff of legend, but it's likely that his bigger price tag is what has landed him in unemployment. If that's the case, it's likely another team will take a chance on him. Until then, his fantasy value is nil.
Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers (-5.8 percent): Landing on the PUP list to begin the season means Stewart will land on fewer fantasy football rosters. While that's bad news for the Oregon product, it's good news for DeAngelo Williams who now has one less impediment to getting touches in the Panthers run-heavy offense.
Andre Brown, RB, New York Giants (-6.4 percent): A broken leg in the final preseason game was bad luck for a player expected to be pretty productive in fantasy circles. However, a majority of fantasy owners seem willing to stash a player that could return after six weeks. Either that or they just didn't get the memo. We'll stick with the former hypothesis.
