Monday, April 5, 2010

Skins game: Donovan to D.C.

I'm still trying to figure out what the Philadelphia Eagles were thinking shipping their franchise QB to the Washington Redskins. I'm not opposed to Philly dealing Donovan McNabb, per se - that kind of unsentimental shedding of aging veterans has been the Eagles' way for a while now. But I am surprised they're willing to open themselves up to possibly being embarrassed by a highly motivated McNabb twice a season for the next 2-3 years.

Regardless of the Eagles' rationale, the move will have reverberations in fantasy play. For starters, McNabb has to be downgraded a bit as he moves behind a leaky offensive line that hasn't been able to protect Redskins QB Jason Campbell for years, lost its best cog with Chris Samuels' retirement this offseason and will be implementing a new blocking scheme under new coach Mike Shanahan in 2010. McNabb also leaves behind a talented trio of emerging pass-catchers (DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Brent Celek) and the comfort of coach Andy Reid's West Coast system that nurtured McNabb into a fantasy stalwart. McNabb may be a serviceable fantasy QB, but there are too many question marks to count on him as your starter at this point.

On the Philly side, new starter Kevin Kolb is an intriguing fantasy prospect because of the weapons surrounding him and the trust his franchise apparently has in him. Kolb did have some nice numbers in two career starts in 2009 (718 yards, 4 TDs against the Saints and Chiefs), but for now I'm considering him a No. 2 fantasy QB with some upside.

And a final note: What's up with Washington and these aging RBs? Clinton Portis, plus Larry Johnson, PLUS Willie Parker? Good luck figuring out that logjam.



Photo by McClatchy Tribune

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