Jaguars Fantasy Preview

[The Lung]

From: http://fantasy.sportingnews.com/nfl/experts/george-winkler/20090820.html

Jaguars: Starting over

WHAT'S NEW

The Jaguars cleaned house after a 5-11 season when injuries along the offensive line and free-agent busts like wide receiver Jerry Porter helped lead to their demise.

Jacksonville has a new-look wide receiver corps after letting Matt Jones and Reggie Williams walk in free agency and trading Dennis Northcutt to Detroit. Plus, the Jaguars drafted tackles Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton with their first two picks this year.

While it was nice to see the Jags get rid of what many fantasy owners would consider dead weight at receiver, they didn't do much to replace them. Jacksonville brought in a reliable veteran in Torry Holt, but it's questionable whether his body will hold up in order for him to recapture the value he had during his heyday in St. Louis.

Jacksonville drafted wide receivers Mike Thomas and Jarrett Dillard in the fourth and fifth rounds. Plus, there's perennial sleeper, Mike Walker, who has breakout talent if he ever stays healthy. However, he was already nursing a left ankle injury in camp. You could say the weaponry surrounding quarterback David Garrard is less than ideal.

The Jaguars' upheaval wasn't limited to the offense. Jacksonville changed its general manager and defensive coordinator. Gene Smith and Mel Tucker hope to bring newfound energy to their respective roles. But the defense will need to replace tackling machine Mike Peterson at linebacker after refusing to re-sign him in the offseason.

Of course, not everything is a lost cause. The offense features one of the most dynamic fantasy running backs in Maurice Jones-Drew. Now that Fred Taylor is in New England, Jones-Drew figures to carry even more of the team's load against a favorable schedule that includes games against the soft run defenses in the NFC West.

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