Fantasy Football Preview: Is Knowshon Moreno Peyton’s New Weapon?
By Bo Martin
Let me say this, it feels good to take a little break from draft analysis. That being said, I have the distinct privilege to provide you guys with insight on Fantasy Football throughout the upcoming season. Some of you enjoy Fantasy Football on different levels and for those who enjoy the dynasty format your league is likely starting to pick up.
My opening series will span over a couple of weeks until the draft and ultimately the releasing of my positional rankings. I’ll be looking at intriguing players whose future is uncertain and the risk/reward that they pose to owners trying to win big this season.
To begin the series we start with Knowshon Moreno of the Denver Bronco’s.
The Analysis:
Moreno was easy to like coming out of UGA, he offered a balanced skill set that was backed by productivity. Denver didn’t waste any time selecting the former Bulldog to raise the team’s running game back to prominence. Yet, Moreno has been disappointing as a rusher despite an encouraging rookie campaign.
In 2011, Moreno was viewed by many analysts as a sleeper pick and top 30 dynasty back. However, a huge injury pushed him away and allowed Willis McGahee to come in and take his spot. While, McGahee is older and likely on the down slope of his career there doesn’t seem to be much chatter or excitement about the return of Moreno.
Moreno also had a tough offseason after being arrested on D.U.I. charges and finding out that the run heavy Bronco’s had brought in pass happy Peyton Manning. However, at 24 Moreno is still in a position where he can bounce back and turn his career from first round bust to productive running back. Moreno is going to have to work hard but should be in a favorable position in the Bronco’s new offense. One of Moreno’s biggest strengths is his ability to be a good receiver out of the backfield and Peyton will utilize that effectively.
The Stats:
Career Rushing: 466 Attempts, 1905 yards, 12 Touchdowns, 4.1 ypc
Career Receiving: 76 receptions, 686 yards, 6 Touchdowns
The Projection:
My early projections for Knowshon Moreno are a little tough to figure. The offense will be different with Peyton and we don’t know exactly what the draft will bring or how Knowshon will look coming off injury.
Position Rank- 49th
2012 Season Projections:
Rushing- 450 Yards, 2 TD’s
Receiving- 25 receptions, 225 yards, 1 TD
The Verdict:
Moreno is in an unfortunate situation. It is likely that he will need a fresh start to resurrect his career. He’s worth monitoring through camp and through court. However, I foresee him going in late rounds in deep dynasty leagues and not coming off the board at all in standard ESPN/Yahoo leagues. He’s worth a look if you have the league depth to house running back prospects without hurting your team. However, I wouldn’t draft him above younger guys with higher upside. (i.e. Kendall Hunter, Mikel LeShore)
Overall Risk Score: 8/10