Impact Of The Chambers Trade And Ronnie Brown Injury

Impact on the Dolphins

Marty Booker

Booker is clearly the #1 WR in Miami. He will definitely get more targets with Chambers gone, but with the lack of other experienced weapons in MIA, Booker will be double teamed and I don’t see him being able to thrive and put up starter-type stats under these circumstances. He may be a serviceable BYE week replacement or a spot starter, but I don’t see him being anything more than a #4 WR option in fantasy football.

Derek Hagan & Ted Ginn

These guys will both benefit the most from the departure of Chambers, but Hagan, who was a 3rd round pick just last season, has seen more time in the passing game to date (with 10 catches for 128 yards and 1 TD). Ginn has 6 catches for 120 yards on the season. Hagan and Ginn will both get their chances this year and are guys to look at in dynasty leagues, but they will not help people this year in redraft leagues. This trade does help Ginn and Hagan develop quicker than they would have with Chambers around and this may help one become relevant at a quicker rate, but for this year, a #6 type of WR seems to be the ceiling for both of them.

David Martin

Martin’s value goes up as as he is now a veteran safety valve to either Lemon/Beck. He may not be and every week starter, but is a very good BYE week option.

Cleo Lemon & John Beck

The significance of the trade on the QBs is that it may be a signal that the Dolphins are looking at developing their younger players and seeing what they’ve got. Lemon’s time as the starter may not last long. Beck will get playing time and should get in there sooner rather than later. He will have his chance to prove that he is ready to be the starting QB for 2008 season. Beck is a very intriguing guy to stash away in large dynasty leagues if you have the roster space.

Ronnie Brown, Jesse Chatman, Patrick Cobbs & Lorenzo Booker

Ronnie Brown was the only bright spot for the Dolphins until he went down with his ACL injury week 7. Chatman now gets his chance to be a relevant fantasy player. Coach Cameron will not likely change much in the offense and Chatman will be given every opportunity to shine. Jesse Chatman should be the top waiver claim in just about every league this week. Patrick Cobbs may be in the mix at RB as well, but I see the Dolphins getting Lorenzo Booker into the game more and more as the season moves along. Cobbs may prove me wrong, but he should lose playing time as Chatman’s backup, as I see Booker grabbing the back-up role very soon. Booker was Miami’s 3rd round pick in the NFL draft and went as high as the 1st round in many dynasty drafts. The injury to Brown will give Booker an opening for some playing time. Chatman and Booker are both very good catching the ball out of the backfield and we have seen what RB’s can do in a Cameron run offense. Chatman should be owned in all leagues and is a legit #3 RB and may prove to be much more than that for the rest of the season.

Impact on the Chargers

Chris Chambers

He is reunited with HC Norv Turner who was his OC in Miami when Chambers broke out catching 64 passes for 963 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2003. Chambers should adapt quickly to the Chargers offense as it is very similar to the one being run in Miami under Cameron. He is in a better offense and surrounded by more talent, but that is the catch 22. He will have to compete with LT and Gates for touches. Even with more options around him competing for toches, his value has increased slightly by the trade and should be a decent #2 and excellent #3 option for fantasy teams within a few weeks.

Vincent Jackson

His value shouldn’t change in TD-heavy formats, as he will still get his red zone targets, but his receptions and yardage will take a hit. Jackson will likely get more looks, as Chambers gets worked into the offense, but as the season progresses Chambers will eat into his reception and yardage production.

Craig Davis & Malcom Floyd

Davis is a rookie and hasn’t performed at a high enough level yet for the Chargers to feel comfortable with him starting the rest of the season, but in time he should be a decent option. For those that have drafted him in deep dynasty leagues, you should keep him and stash him away for a while if possible. As for this year, neither Floyd or Davis will contribute enough to be worthy of being owned in redraft leagues.

Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson & Antonio Gates

Rivers should be upgraded with the addition of a new experienced weapon. LT will see the benefit of opposing defenses having to respect the passing game more. This should translate into some larger holes for LT and continued dominance by Tomlinson as the best RB in the game. Gates may lose a few targets to Chambers, but the addition of another legit pass catcher should offset that and his value should remain constant as the best TE in fantasy land.