by Jeremy Fischer 

For those of you who have become fans of Help Wanted since I began writing it several weeks ago, I thank you, and you know that it was never intended to be a positions battle column.  So to that end, this week we look back to update on some positions that have seen significant changes.  Hint:  Favre makes (yet another) appearance.

1. QB1 position—New York Jets

Candidates:  Brett Favre

The Shakedown:  When last we looked, only two weeks ago, Mr. Living Legend had returned to Packers camp.  He was going to force the hand, someway, somehow of the Packers organization.  Not to mention causing Aaron Rodgers to continue living the hell he’d been going through in the offseason.  Well, Favre forced the Packers hand alright.  They shipped him off to the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets.  The Big Apple is happy to have him.  The Packers and Aaron Rodgers, especially, are happy to see him go.  And the NFL is happy to see jersey sales skyrocket in New York City.  Win, win as they say.

Mr. Living Legend can still get it done, make no mistake about it.  The offense will fit around him, rather than the other way around.  His two wide receivers (Coles and Cotchery) aren’t exactly slouches.  His tight end, Chris Baker, is solid, and so is his third down back, Leon Washington.  So his check-downs should be just fine.  He’ll still be a Top 10 quarterback this season.

 Prediction:  Favre

’08 Fantasy Implication:  9 out of 10.

2. QB1—Miami Dolphins

Candidates:  Chad Pennington

The Shakedown:  There is a saying that goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”.  So it is with the Dolphins.  The Jets tossed out the weak-armed Pennington shortly after acquiring Favre.   The Dolphins weren’t happy with any of their quarterback choices.  John Beck and Josh McCown are everyone’s trash.  Chad Henne is a rookie that isn’t ready to be thrown into the fire yet.  And it just so happens that the fish are run now by Bill Parcells, who drafted Pennington when he was in New York.  Needless to say, Pennington signed a two-year deal to start in South Beach.

This is the best situation Pennington could have hoped for.  He has stability back in his life quickly.  He’s reunited with Parcells, and he’s on a young team that desperately needs his veteran leadership.  That being said, he still can’t get the ball downfield, which means his best receiver, Tedd Ginn, Jr., will be underutilized.  His most veteran receiver, Ernest Wilford, just got passed on the depth chart by third-year receiver, Derek Hagan.  Lastly, he has one running back that can’t stay healthy and another that can’t keep from getting stoned.  Although he’ll have a guaranteed starting position, Pennington won’t be a Top 20 quarterback this year.

Prediction:  Pennington

’08 Fantasy Implication:  4 out of 10   

3. QB1—Green Bay Packers

Candidates:  Aaron Rodgers

The Shakedown:  Finishing off the trifecta, we have Rodgers.  As mentioned before, he’s been in a living hell this offseason ever since Favre announced he wanted out of retirement, and the Packers said the welcome mat won’t be out.  At one point, there were reports that a 12-year old Packers fan asked for his autograph after practice, only to unleash a “I hate you, you suck, I want Favre back” blast before Rodgers could get to him.  Wow.  Good times.  Anyhow, waking up on the morning after Favre left for good must’ve felt like Rodgers was coming out of an episode of the Twilight Zone, yet he survived.

Rodgers got a standing ovation when he entered the Packers first preseason game against the Bengals two weeks ago.  He responded by going 9-of-15 for 117 yards and a touchdown.  Then this weekend against the Niners he went 9-of-16 for only 58 yards, no touchdowns and was sacked four times.  Most disturbingly, he was outplayed by J.T. O’Sullivan.  Yikes!  It’s just a sign of the inconsistency you’ll see out of Rodgers as his first full season as captain of the ship.  He still has Top 15 quarterback potential.

Prediction:  Rodgers

’08 Fantasy Implication:   6 out of 10.

4. WR2—Cincinnati Bengals      

Candidates:   Chad Johnson

The Shakedown:  Last time we discussed this, Ocho Loco was holding out, threatening to play in the Arena League or retire, and generally going out of his mind.  We thought there was a genuine chance he wouldn’t return to the Bengals this season, unless the Bengals offered to renegotiate his contract (the real root of the evil, don’t be fooled); something the Bengals organization staunchly refused to do.  Well, Ocho Loco changed his position and showed up in camp on time.  Fortunately for us, he didn’t leave his crazy bag at home.  So far he has refused, until recently, to speak with the Cincinnati local media, saying he felt unloved.  He’s done the most ridiculous halftime interview since Joe Namath went all horny on Suzie Kolber.  He has filed to have his name legally changed to Ocho Cinco, and said that he could beat Michael Phelps (yeah, that Michael Phelps) in a swim race.  Gotta love the crazy.

Johnson supposedly has rededicated himself to being a sharp route runner.  He still has Houshmandzadeh on the other side of him, a stout quarterback in Carson Palmer, and a new threat, pass-catching tight end, Ben Utecht (the de-facto number three receiver in our mind).  If he and Palmer get back on the same page, the way they were in 2006, then Ocho Loco’s recent prediction that 2008 will be his “best season ever” might not be so loco.

Prediction:  Johnson

’08 Fantasy Implication:  7 out of 10.  He’s going to have a bounce back season, and might go completely off the deep end in the process.  We can’t wait.

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