Fantasy Football: Michael Vick's impact on the Eagles
I don’t know how you feel about Michael Vick, but I was excited to see what he did last week. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback had both his first passing and rushing touchdowns of the year. Regardless of the off-the-field mess that has tarnished his reputation, he still is the most exciting player (aside from the Tennessee Titans’ Chris Johnson) on the field. With an electric arm, elusive moves, supreme speed, the guy is athleticism. In case you need any further proof, check YouTube.
In that same notion, Vick’s success could mean a big hit to the rest of the Eagles, as far as fantasy values. Last week, Vick was used primarily in goal line situations, and both of his touchdowns went for five yards. Quite obviously this affects the running the game the most. However, coach Andy Reid is following the Mike Shanahan route, and has rendered the running backs worthless for Fantasy. If you had to pick, LeSean McCoy is the best back right now because of his production in the last several weeks. At the same time, both Leonard Weaver and Eldra Buckley had more yards on the ground as McCoy only put up a measly two yards last week.
None of the wide receivers are going to be hurt by Vick, and DeSean Jackson is even expected to return this week after suffering a concussion. Brent Celek, the Eagles’ tight end is in a different situation. If Vick’s going to be running at the goal line, which is probably his greatest strength at this point, it could be a hit to Celek’s numbers which have been surprisingly solid this year. Still, the biggest potential impact is going to be on Donovan McNabb owners. If Vick is going to be taking away any touchdowns in particular, it’s going to be from McNabb.
Ultimately, I think last week was a fluke for Vick and it was just a nice redemption game against his former team, the Atlanta Falcons. I don’t expect to see his touchdowns to continue, although his yardage might increase a little. Overall, Vick isn’t worth Fantasy consideration this year, but it might be interesting to keep tabs on him for next year.