Focus: Chris Simms
A weekly expository look at players who have momentum

Each week, Daniel Gilford reviews a player who has performed well recently. Daniel analyzes the player’s past performances, evaluates his present value, and projects his future significance as a fantasy football player. For the first time this season, Daniel will also take a look at the player’s value in a keeper league. After skipping last week’s article, we’re right back on track here in week 11. With the injury to Brian Griese this year, many Bucs fans thought it meant they were out of the playoff hunt (living in the Tampy area, I’m privy to those thoughts despite not being a Bucs fan myself). But Chris Simms, who incidentally is the subject of this week’s Focus, has given the Buccaneers new hope. Let’s take a look at the sophomore quarterback and see just what he has to offer…

Past

Chris Simms began playing competitive football at Ramapo (New Jersey) High. For the first time in the history of the school, Simms played in every game in high school all four years, and was able to rack up 7,055 yards and 63 touchdowns with only 13 interceptions in 39 games as a high school student.

In addition, Simms finished strong in high school, gaining 2239 yards on 106 completions, adding 18 touchdowns. With this incredible performance, USA Today named Simms the National Offensive Player of the Year.

Simms attended Texas for his four years of college, and played as backup for the first two years, riding the Longhorn bench for most of the time. He played in 16 games those two years, but he couldn’t find a steady rhythm in his performance.

In his junior year, Chris finally got a chance to prove his skills. As a starter he completed 59 percent of his 362 passes for 2,603 yards and 22 touchdowns with 11 interceptions.

His senior year was even more successful. Simms completed 235 of his 396 passing attempts, gathering 3,207 yards while scoring 26 touchdowns and throwing 12 picks.

The Buccaneers had their eyes on this young gun from New Jersey, and they drafted him with the 33rd pick in the third round of the 2003 draft.

In his first year as a pro, Simms only played in five games as a backup. His NFL career got off to a rough start: Chris was able to complete 42 of 73 passes for 467 yards and one touchdown compared with three interceptions.

Performance

With the exception of last week’s games vs. Washington, Chris Simms’ play in 2005 has been average at best.

As the backup to Brian Griese, Simms waited on the bench until week 6, when Griese went down with an injury. Coming in to play for the injured quarterback, Simms completed six of ten passes for 69 yards.

With the announcement of Griese’s season-ending injury, Jon Gruden decided that it was time to place the franchise on Simms’ shoulders. Since 2004 Gruden had always said this young man would be the future of the Buccaneers, and now Simms was given the opportunity to prove he deserved the honor.

In his first start in 2005, (week 8 at San Francisco) Simms completed 21 of 34 passes, (a 61% completion percentage), throwing two interceptions and one touchdown. He also picked up 264 passing yards. But these mediocre numbers were overshadowed by a worse figure, his sacks. The 49ers sacked Simms five times for 32 yards lost, and Simms also lost one fumble.

In week 9 against the Panthers, Chris had similar struggles. Throwing 42 passes, he was able to complete 25 of them (a 59% completion percentage), and Simms again had two interceptions and one touchdown. But for the second game in a row, Simms was sacked way too much. On six sacks, he lost 33 yards, and again he lost a fumble.

Despite this slow start, Simms finally boosted his play last week against the Redskins. Finishing with a quarterback rating of 119.8, Simms threw for three touchdowns and had no turnovers against one of the better defenses in the league. He also completed 19 of 25 passes and brought home 279 yards. The best part of his play was his lack of sacks, as the potent Washington defense was unable to sack Simms even once.

Potential

As far as fantasy is concerned, Simms can be a very tempting player to grab. With his 3/0 touchdown to interception ratio last week, not to mention his 279 yards, Chris will make any owner that needs quarterback help look twice at him.

But with a lack of consistent play, I do not see Simms as a good option. You may be saying… “What!?! I just read an entire article about a player who has exceptional past statistics and recently had a great week, and now you’re telling me that he isn’t worth my time.” If you’re asking me that, my answer is: “You’re right.”

The entire purpose behind the focus article is to either recommend or not recommend a player who has preformed well in recent weeks. Simms fits the bill … and in this case I am not recommending him.

Notice this article. This is my first article written for the Café. In point number 4 my entire fantasy football philosophy unfolds before your very eyes. (Say that five times fast.) Consistency is what fantasy football is all about. Chris Simms is not a consistent player; in fact he’s far from any consistency.

If you are very desperate - if, for example, you have McNabb and with his injury you are now left without a quarterback for the final two or three week push for the playoffs - if you are absolutely desperate and no other option can be found on the waiver wire, Chris Simms might make a good addition.

In the “Start or Bench” box below, I have only suggested several games in which to start him if you are absolutely desperate.

Prediction: I think Chris Simms willl finish the year with 2,680 yards and 16 touchdowns with 14 interceptions.

(The underline indicates the best and worst Starts & Benches)

Keeper Value

As we near the end of the 2005 fantasy football season, many teams are already looking forward to next year’s campaign, and they are looking over the waiver wire to see if there are any good options out there that they might want to keep.

If you are in a keeper league and your team does not have a very good quarterback (or has an older player like Drew Bledsoe), then I think you should look no further than Chris Simms.

I don’t think that the Bucs will be able to make it to the playoffs this year, and with a long off-season Simms will have plenty of time to prepare for next year.

With Griese getting older, and Simms tagged as the future of the franchise, I believe the Bucs will stick with Chris as they begin next year’s season. I do think that he will be the starter for Tampa in 2006.

Over time consistency improves, and I believe that Chris Simms will be a much more consistent and all around better player next year.

With young blood, room to improve, and promising talent, Simms is a very good option in a keeper league. If you are hurting at quarterback and you don’t have any other player to keep, take a good look at Simms and consider him as a possibility to carry your franchise.

Daniel Gilford is a hardworking Communications major at St. Petersburg College. When he is neglecting his college work, you’ll find him posting under the name danleroi22 in the forums. Along with writing and learning to create graphics for Café members, Daniel also enjoys taking an active role in the Cafe’s Trivia Blitz, and currently tops the standings.

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