Projections (9/02/03)

Passing Stats

Rush Stats

Receiving Stats

Fantasy

Change

Name

Pos

Att

Comp

%

Yds

TD

Int

Att

Yds

TD

Rec

Yds

TD

Pts

#fname# #lname#

#pos#

---#NumberFormat("#patt#", '__,_____')#

---#NumberFormat("#pcmp#", '__,_____')#

---#NumberFormat("#evaluate(100*pper)#", '_____._')#%

---#NumberFormat("#pyds#", '__,_____')#

---#NumberFormat("#ptds#", '__,_____')#

---#NumberFormat("#int#", '__,_____')#

---#NumberFormat("#ratt#", '__,_____')#

---#NumberFormat("#ryds#", '__,_____')#

---#NumberFormat("#rtds#", '__,_____')#

---#NumberFormat("#rec#", '__,_____')#

---#NumberFormat("#cyds#", '__,_____')#

---#NumberFormat("#ctds#", '__,_____')#

#NumberFormat("#pts#", '__,_____')#

Totals

#NumberFormat("#tot_patt#", '__,_____')#

#NumberFormat("#tot_pcmp#", '__,_____')#

#NumberFormat("#evaluate(100*tot_pcmp/tot_patt)#", '_____._')#%

#NumberFormat("#tot_pyds#", '__,_____')#

#NumberFormat("#tot_ptds#", '__,_____')#

#NumberFormat("#tot_int#", '__,_____')#

#NumberFormat("#tot_ratt#", '__,_____')#

#NumberFormat("#tot_ryds#", '__,_____')#

#NumberFormat("#tot_rtds#", '__,_____')#

#NumberFormat("#tot_rec#", '__,_____')#

#NumberFormat("#tot_cyds#", '__,_____')#

#NumberFormat("#tot_ctds#", '__,_____')#

#NumberFormat("#tot_pts#", '__,_____')#

Quarterbacks
Starter - Drew Bledsoe
Backups - Alex Van Pelt, Travis Brown

Starting Quarterback: Barring injury, Drew Bledsoe is the man in Buffalo and he should put up fantasy numbers similar to a season ago. He has a strong arm, a great receiving target in Eric Moulds and an intriguing 2nd year receiver named Josh Reed. Bledsoe always puts up respectable fantasy numbers that make him a fair starting quarterback in fantasy football or a great backup. He is no threat to run the ball, which hurts his fantasy value and puts him in the middle of the pack. Take away his 2001 season when he went down with a season-ending injury and Bledsoe hasn't passed for less than 3291 yards since his rookie campaign.

Backup Quarterback(s): The only way Alex Van Pelt will see the field is if Drew Bledsoe is plagued with injury concerns this season. He is a serviceable backup but his fantasy value is very minimal at this time. Travis Brown is a non-factor this year.

Running Backs
Starter - Travis Henry
Backups - Olandis Gary, Sammy Morris, Willis McGahee
Fullbacks - Phillip Crosby, Sam Gash

Starting Running Back: Travis Henry had a great season in 2002, racking up 1438 yards rushing on 325 attempts (4.4 yards per carry average) with 13 rushing touchdowns, and he added 43 receptions for 309 yards (a 7.2 average) and 1 receiving score. Heading into this season, the Bills drafted Willis McGahee in spite of his still-to-be-rehabilitated injury, providing plenty of motivation for Henry to prove himself again in 2003. He is reportedly in great shape, with 100% attendance to the team's offseason conditioning program. The coaching staff and Drew Bledsoe have been talking about the need for a more "balanced" attack this season, so Henry's carries are not likely to decrease this season - and he may be more involved in the passing game, as he has steadily improved on his receiving skills. As of 6/29/03, we project Henry to rush the ball 325 times for 1365 yards, scoring 10 rushing touchdowns and see him adding 65 receptions for 481 yards and 2 scores. That puts him in the top 10 among fantasy running backs (#8), making him a solid play in the middle of the first round in your fantasy draft.

Backup Running Back(s): Olandis Gary arrived in Buffalo via free agency, bringing with him a career 4.2 yards per carry average. In his best season with the Broncos (1999), Gary gained 1159 yards rushing as the featured back and scored 7 times rushing the ball, with 21 receptions for 159 yards in addition. Since then he's had trouble staying healthy, though. Sammy Morris is the third man on the depth chart.

Fullback(s): Phillip Crosby, the incumbent starter, has caught exactly 6 balls in his two year career, and has rushed zero times. Sam Gash, entering his second tour as a Bill, was a Pro-Bowler in his last stint in Buffalo (1998 and 1999), but has a career high of 33 receptions for 276 yards in one season, and has never scored more than 3 times in any year. He carried the ball 11 times in 2 seasons in his prior stint with the Bills. Neither looks like a fantasy option.

Update - 8/27: Travis Henry is the man in Buffalo this year, and has had some great runs in the pre-season (including a 62 yard romp vs. Tennessee). He had a slight scare with a twisted foot, but that injury was considered minor at worst. Sammy Morris is currently the #2 running back in Buffalo (there are rumors of Gary being shopped around, but the club denies them). Willis McGahee will miss at least the first six weeks of the season after being placed on the reserve non-football injury list Tuesday. The move was expected. Under NFL rules, McGahee could begin practicing between the end of week six and the end of week nine of the season. Don't expect him to be a factor this year. The Bills would then have a three-week window to determine whether to activate McGahee or sit him out for the rest of the season. Sam Gash is now listed as #1 at FB.

Wide Receivers
Starters - Eric Moulds, Josh Reed
Backups: Bobby Shaw, Charles Johnson, Sam Aiken

Starting Receiver(s): Eric Moulds is everything NFL teams want in a wide receiver: he has the speed to get deep, the strength to beat the jam and fight through double teams, the hands and overall athleticism to make the tough catch, and the ability to make big plays with the ball in his hands running after the catch. Moulds had a down year in 2001 with Rob Johnson and Alex Van Pelt throwing him the ball, but rebounded for a 100-catch season last year with Bledsoe at the helm. On the opposite side of the field, the Bills will ask Josh Reed to take over for the departed Peerless Price. Reed lacks Price's deep speed, but runs crisp routes and has excellent hands, and is as exceptionally strong runner after the catch.

Backup Receiver(s): Bobby Shaw, formerly with the Steelers and Jaguars, is a crafty veteran receiver with the quickness to work underneath a zone; he can also get deep on occasion. He will be pressed by veteran Charles Johnson, a possession receiver with good size and excellent toughness and concentration over the middle. Last year's fourth-round pick Sam Aiken, another possession receiver, will battle for a place on the roster.

Update - 8/27: Bobby Shaw has been impressive during the preseason. In the Bills' three-receiver sets, Moulds and Shaw will line up outside with Josh Reed in the slot. Reed is still expected to start across from Moulds in two-receiver sets, but that is apparently not set in stone as there is some recent speculation that Shaw could earn the right to start over Reed.

Tight Ends
Starter - Mark Campbell
Backup(s) - Dave Moore
Last season Jay Riemersma led Buffalo tight ends with 32 catches and 350 yards. You can probably expect the same production (or worse) from Mark Campbell this year. Campbell was brought in from Cleveland to start ahead of Dave Moore. Moore will grab a TD or two in two tight end red zone sets, but not much more. Drew Bledsoe had a great rapport with Ben Coates in the early 90's, so he will use the tight end more given the opportunity. Also, word out of Buffalo is that they will try to run a more conservative offense, which may lead to more tight end use. Campbell will be on someone's roster this season as a backup tight end.

Place Kicker
Rian Lindell: Seattle let Lindell go because he was marginal and didn't have the leg to consistently hit the long field goals. The Buffalo offense will attempt to be more conservative this season and they will lean on second year WR Josh Reed in the absence of Peerless Price. This doesn't bode well for a huge season out of a Buffalo kicker.

Offensive Line
C-Trey Teague; G-Ruben Brown; G-Marques Sullivan; T-Jonas Jennings; T-Mike Williams
Led by Williams at tackle, the Bills offensive line was very improved last season. Williams has the talent to be the best lineman in the NFL and he is still learning his craft. He is a ferocious run blocker and is getting better at protecting the quarterback. Brown is simply one of the best players at his position. He is big, imposing and great at opening holes. The rest of the line features Teague, Jennings and Sullivan and they are each solid players. The strength of this line is run blocking while the weakness is protecting Drew Bledsoe.