Spotlight - QB Marc Bulger, St. Louis Rams

"Mad" Mike Martz -- In the 5 years Martz has been the Rams head coach, they have averaged 591 pass attempts; an astounding figure. Martz is among the most pass happy offensive minds in the game, and that's not going to change regardless of the supporting cast.
The offensive line -- Orlando Pace is signed and in camp, the team selected Alex Barron with its first round pick, Rex Tucker was added in free agency, and Claude Terrell and Richie Incognito provide intriguing depth.
The receiving corps -- On one side Torry "Big Play" Holt dominates. On the other Isaac "Future Hall of Famer" Bruce works his magic. And Kevin Curtis, Shaun McDonald and Dane Looker provide excellent depth.
Can anyone play defense? -- It will be a mild surprise if the Rams can muster a formidable defense this season. Without a solid defensive unit, the Rams will have no choice but to throw early and often.

Marc Bulger only played in 14 games last season, which somewhat understates the impressive nature of his 3,964 yards and 21 TD passes. On a per game basis, Bulger finished 4th among fantasy QBs last season and is arguably in a better situation this year. When you consider that Daunte Culpepper is without Randy Moss and Donovan McNabb is dealing with the drama that is T.O. and the loss of Todd Pinkston, neither are as certain bets as they were a season ago.

Positives

The Rams are consistently among the league leaders in passing attempts and yardage
Bulger showed steady improvement last year, cutting down on his turnovers while improving his accuracy and yards per attempt
Although not known as a scrambler, Bulger has 7 rushing TDs in the last two seasons

Negatives

Bulger has missed time in each of the last two seasons, and dealt with shoulder troubles
The offensive line appears improved on paper, but early reports suggest Alex Barron may need some seasoning
Martz' spread formations are effective, but they leave the QB vulnerable at times

Final Thoughts

According to Antsports ADP, Marc Bulger is being selected in the late 4th round of 12-team drafts. If you've managed to solidify your RB situation in the first three rounds, you could do far worse than draft Bulger who I believe will end the year with fantasy output that's comparable to Daunte Culpepper and Donovan McNabb potentially. Certainly Bulger's build and missed time are enough to give some pause to that prediction, but he currently ranks 4th in my projections and will likely stay that way barring any major turn of events during training camp.

Cecil Lammey's Thoughts

Marc Bulger, entering his 2nd year as the undisputed starter, is looking to reach elite QB status in 2005. All indications are that Bulger should continue to have tons of success in the Rams complex and pass happy offense. Bulger showed steady improvement last season from his 2003 performance. His interceptions in 2004 were down from 22 to 14. Marc seemed to play with more confidence and showed a good command of the offense. He has always thrown a good deep pass, and now his short game is looking better to. Part of that has to do with the rapport that he is building with his all pro receivers. Let’s look at some of the reasons why Bulger should be a fantastic player in 2005:

1. Torry Holt/Isaac Bruce- Holt has caught more passes over the last 3 years than anyone in the league. He is still young and entering the prime of his career. Bruce is a little long in the tooth (read: old), but still has plenty of good games left in him. Isaac still has great run after the catch ability and can take it to the house on virtually any play.

2. Improving WR Depth- Kevin Curtis is an emerging playmaker that had two 100 yard games in the playoffs. His moves and speed are elite and he has benefited from playing with two of the best in Holt & Bruce. Shaun McDonald is another receiver that when healthy can really turn it on. We have yet to see what McDonald can do on a consistent basis, but he has a good skill set and is a capable learner.

3. Bulger’s Building Confidence- No longer is this Warner’s team. And no longer does Marc have to look over his shoulder and fear that he can be pulled at any time. Bulger is the Ram’s guy, and they showed a commitment to him by extending his contract last year. Mike Martz is also trusting Bulger with the full complexities of the Rams high powered attack.

4. Steven Jackson- Jackson is a great receiver out of the backfield. He has soft hands and provides a reliable receiver if Bulger gets in trouble. He is a good runner that will help keep defenses on their toes. Don’t forget Marshall Faulk either. He is in the twilight of his career, but he is still a damn fine receiver and when he’s on the field it’s like having a coach in the huddle.

5. The Lack of “D” in the NFC West- There is not one defense in the NFC West that is considered a stellar unit (including the Rams). This division is like the WAC in the NCAA. While the defenses are improving, they still provide Bulger with 6 games against sub-par competition. The fact that the Rams are no Steel Curtain also helps improve Bulger’s already gaudy numbers.

Positives

Mike Martz loves to throw, even when running is best called for
Bulger gets to throw to 2 All Pro receivers
He is very consistent as evident by him only having 1 game under 200 yards passing in 2004 (full starts)
Can steal a goal line TD here and there. He has had 7 in the last 2 years

Negatives

Slender build, tends to get dinged up a lot.
Sometimes tries to force passes.
Not overly mobile and is a stationary target for pass rushers
Holds on to the ball too long sometimes

Final Thoughts

This off season Bulger has worked on his upper body strength to help alleviate the shoulder problems that plagued him last year. While he has not added any body weight, he is noticeably stronger and has shown great zip on his passes in recent Ram’s OTA’s. In 2004 Bulger had almost 4,000 yards passing and he only played in 14 games. He was 4th in passing yards/game and should make a push for #1 this year if he can stay healthy. The Rams have made the right moves in trying to shore up their offensive line. They went out and signed former Bear Rex Tucker and drafted the talented Alex Barron. Both should start immediately and improve a weak O-line. The Rams have compiled more passing yards than any other team the last 3 years and 2005 could be the biggest of them all. Bulger is a good play as your fantasy QB because of his consistency and the fact that he holds the keys to one of the NFL’s best offenses. If he can stay healthy for a full 16 it can only mean good things for the Rams.

Quotations from the Message Board Thread

To view the entire Player Spotlight thread (there's a ton of fantastic commentary in there), click here.

diesel7982:
This year, Bulger will be operating behind an improved offensive line, playing with possibly the best WR corps he has as a starter. In addition, the Rams defense should be absolutely pitiful, resulting in Bulger needing to throw, throw, throw.

bostonfred:
Bulger averaged over 300 yards and 1.6 TDs per start, which would put him on pace for 4800 yards, 26 TDs, and 16 INTs, with 100 yards and 4 TDs rushing.

SSOG:
You *HAVE* to love Bulger's value. According to Antsports, Culpepper is going 2.06, McNabb is going 3.07, and Bulger is going 4.08 in 10-team drafts. If you're drafting from the 1.03 spot, you could EASILY end up with Holmes/Alexander, Green/Jones, Walker/Horn, and Bulger. That's just silly.

Marc Bulger Projections

SOURCE PYD PTD INT RSHYD RSHTD

Jason Wood 4300 25 17 65 2

Cecil Lammey 4377 25 14 50 2

Message Board Consensus 4345 26 17 90 2

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