"Fumble Watch"

Rookie Head Coach Lane Kiffin made the announcement yesterday, "Duante Culpepper will start tomorrow night." The question is... does Culpepper have ANY fantasy impact at all?

I liken Duante to two figures in the cinema. The first is the phrase "He munsoned it." For those of who have watched the movie King Pin featuring Woody Harrelson and Dan Akroyd, you know exactly what I am talking about! When an individual, at a key moment, makes an absolute dunderheaded mistake, it's called a "Munson". The second is the T-Rex in the kid's movie "Meet the Robinsons". The scene I refer to is when the dinosaur has the kid pinned in a corner to attack him but cannot reach him. When asked by the evil villain why he hasn't captured him yet, he replies "I have small arms and a big head", his head so enormous and arms so short that he cannot stoop low enough to grab him.

Whenever someone drops something or goes to throw something, like a pen to another office personnel and it flies behind them OR a bowler starts his motion and the ball flies behind them,
in my circle, we say "He CULPEPPERED."

Let's face it, the guy is a behemoth, with the hands of a ten-year-old. He has fumbled more snaps and lost more balls while his arm is in motion than my two-year-old (although, my two year has far greater accuracy when he does throw forward).

The question is...."DOES CULPEPPER HAVE ANY FANTASY IMPACT". To answer the question, you have to decide what type of impact you expect. I guy who threw for 300+ yards consistently and had two to three TDs a game, including rushing ability, goes from hero to zero in one injury plagued season. How can that be? The answer is simple, supporting cast. With the loss of Randy Moss and no real ground game to speak of, the Vikings went from playoff contenders to TOP 5 draft pick in one season. There are worse quarterbacks starting in the league this year (predecessor T. Jackson, C. Frye, etc...) so why would you draft Duante at all? (After all, I have been in 6 fantasy drafts this season without his name being called ONCE!)

Aside from the nay-sayers, I believe that Culpepper has a chance to be the comeback player of the year. In Miami, he simply came back to early because Nick Saban had to do what he needed to do to save face, bottom-line. Playing on a knee that was 80% at best did nothing for him in Miami or his "fantasy" street-cred. His ability and history have shown it...how the mighty have fallen. From a top 3 QB two years ago to undrafted... it simply makes no sense. Can Culpepper be the "Garcia" of 2007?

Let's look at Oakland. There are two underachieving WRs (Jerry Porter, Ronald Curry), two back-up running backs (LaMont Jordan, Dominic Rhodes), an offensive line that ranks among the leagues worst, as well as a new coach who is, by all accounts, focused on the offense (which is why "Crazy Al Davis" brought him to Oakland in the first place). Does this talent/offense give Culpepper a shot at redemption...HARDLY.

With Russell in the wings (who I believe will wear a headset on the sidelines for most, if not all of the season), he has to hear the ticking of the clock. It is Russell's team, Duante is just babysitting. If he wants to stay in the league as a starter, he has to do something.

I think that he will have a productive year, regardless. My expectations is that he will in fact throw over 2500 yards, with 20-22 TDs, with equal amounts of interceptions and more than his fair share of fumbles (or "Culpeppers"). But, I say to you this... To draft him with your last pick may not be a bad choice, especially if you waited that long for a back-up (better than any Cleveland QB, T. Jackson, Matt Schaub (NOT the second coming of anyone), and a safer bet to keep his starting job (unlike Delhomme, Grossman, Campbell).

Do I suggest drafting him...No, not really, but he will be tops on my "waiver wire watch" (pardon the alliteration). Does he have fantasy impact? You tell me... do you think that the running back tandem can do what they need to do? Do you believe that Porter and Curry, who are both fast but have "too many drops", will step up and be the player we all hype them up to be? Can the offensive line become cohesive enough to gel and protect a mobile quarterback? Can he minimize the "Culpeppers" he so often accomplishes at key downs throughout the year?

Sleeper or Bust, he is worth considering in larger leagues (more than 12) as a back-up. He has the potential to make you look like a genius, or the ability to make you look like you "Culpeppered" on draft day. Either way, it is interesting to watch, like a car wreck... you can't help but watch with baited breath.

Check out tomorrow night's game for the "Fumble Watch" when Stephen Jackson and the Saint Louis Rams travel to Oakland to meet the Raiders in Week 3 of the preseason.

Statistocrat