The trade winds are blowing in the National Football League, and some of the top wide receivers in fantasy football are at the forefront of the rumors.
The biggest name that could be changing teams next season is Anquan Boldin.
Beware of Boldin trade
Some of you might think that Anquan Boldin would flourish with another team. Don't believe that. He's already the No. 5 fantasy receiver. How much further could he rise? **More ...**
The veteran out of Florida State appears to be on the trade block, at least for the right price, as Cardinals general manager Rod Graves and coach Ken Whisenhunt told the team's official website that they will listen to offers for Boldin. The Cardinals are seeking a deal much like the one the Lions received from the Cowboys for Roy E. Williams last season (a first-, third and a sixth-round draft pick).
If you're a fantasy enthusiast, however, you want Boldin to remain right where he's been -- in Arizona. A trade would not only hurt his value, but it would also make Kurt Warner less attractive. What's more, it would be mush easier for defenses to turn their attention to Larry Fitzgerald.
Imagine if the Cardinals dealt Boldin and Fitzgerald landed on the cover of Madden 2010? That would be enough for me to move Andre Johnson and Calvin Johnson ahead of him at the wide receiver position.
(OK, so I'm a little superstitious, but that Madden curse is a killer!).
Another wideout who's name is being thrown around in trade talks is Chad Ochocinco. The former fantasy superstar is coming off his worst season since 2001, totaling 53 catches, 540 yards and four touchdowns, but that was without Carson Palmer. With the veteran signal-caller back under center, Ochocinco's fantasy value is on the rise.
Still, there's a chance that the Bengals could trade him for the right price.
If a deal does come to fruition, Palmer would be left to throw the football to Laveranues Coles, Chris Henry, Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see how that would hurt his value. However, Ochocinco's questionable attitude could make it hard to deal him -- especially if the Bengals want a first rounder in return.
The third wide receiver on the trade block, and maybe the one most likely to be changing uniforms, is Braylon Edwards.
Like Ochocinco, Edwards was an enormous disappointment in fantasy circles last season. After putting up close to 1,300 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2007, Edwards was infected with a serious case of the "dropsies" in 2008 and finished with 55 receptions, 873 yards and three touchdowns. Considering he was selected in the second or third round in most fantasy drafts, Edwards wasn't exactly a popular player with owners who landed him.
Despite his failures, though, Edwards has still received what appears to be serious interest from the Giants. In fact, several rumors have a trade between the Browns and Big Blue happening sometime around the draft (April 25-26). One report has the Giants sending their first-round pick (29th overall), a lower-round pick and Domenik Hixon to the Browns in exchange for Edwards.
A change of scenery -- not to mention an upgrade at the quarterback position from Brady Quinn/Derek Anderson to Eli Manning -- would do wonders for Edwards' numbers. He would immediately become the top option in the pass attack, replacing Plaxico Burress, and have more touchdown opportunities (and draft value) than he would in Cleveland.
Such a deal would leave the Browns with a core of receivers that includes Hixon, David Patten, Joshua Cribbs and Syndric Steptoe (ouch!). It could also turn the team's attention to Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree with the No. 5 overall selection in the draft.
Whatever the scenarios, the events of the next few weeks are certain to have an enormous impact on fantasy football.
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