Kick Returners

[FF Newbie]

I'm in a league that awards 1 point for every 50 return yards on kick returns or punt returns, plus 6 points for any return TD. That's not really enough to make strictly a return guy valuable as a WR, but guys like Hall and Lewis who handle all return duties and see a little action at WR can have some value and players like Santanna Moss, Burleson, Steve Smith, Mason, and Randle El can get a little boost in value. A marginal WR like Battle who also returns kickoffs might even be worth starting as a #4 in a 12-team league that starts 4 WR.

So far I've come up with the following list of players whose values might be impacted by their special teams play:

Rhodes – K
Toefield – K
Dante Hall – P,K
Bethel Johnson – K
S. Moss – P
Randle El – P
Davenport – K
Burleson – P
K. Campbell – K
Michael Lewis – P,K
Arnaz Battle – K
Engram – P
S. McDonald – P
Galloway – P
S. Smith
D. Mason

What kind of return action will Smith and Mason see this year? Do you see any of these returns guys being full-time #1 or #2 WR on their teams, hence giving them good fantasy value between the combined receiving and return yardage? Will the backup RB on this list continue to handle return duties even if they assume a starting role on offense? Are there any notable players I've left out or have any of these guys been passed on the depth chart? I know there aren't a lot of return yardage leagues out there, but if anyone plays in one or is familiar with the league's return specialists, please give me a hand here. Thanks.

The Newb

[Plindsey88]

Mason will not be a return man in Baltimore with BJ Sams there.... Sams was one of the premier return men in the league last year.... Mason is getting up there in years, and is too valuable to the Ravens to risk hurting him on special teams.... He may be the #2 guy back on kick-offs, but expect 90% of all return duties to fall to Sams....

[Plindsey88]

One guy to take a look at might be Dominic Rhodes.... Word on the street is that he is going to see a little more playing time this year in Indy, and he's also a pretty decent return man.... He might make for a suitable #4 or #5 RB, with good upside because of the ever-present threat of an injury to Edgerrin James.....

[Pete123444]

No official change has been made yet but Randle El will probably not be returning at all this year.

I'm hearing Sproles will be returning in SD.

[gravyfries]

what about roscoe parrish? he is a pretty electric returner. not really sure how he will pan out as a receiver. i think that the fact that berlin was throwing him the ball last year may have hurt his projected upside...

[awwchrist]

I have yet to see it translated into camp..but i'm pretty sure Engram is FINALLY off PR duty with Pathon in the fold.

Regardless of how fat he is.

[lmcjaho]

See this thread for more on BJ Sams - huge percentage of the Baltimore return yards last year...

http://www.fantasyfootballcafe.com/foru ... p?t=140566