Vick recently said that he was getting close to signing with a team. On Thursday, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick fanned the flames by saying this about Vick:

“Michael is an outstanding player, hasn’t played in a couple of years. But right now, our focus is on our team and our players and trying to get the New England Patriots ready and so that’s really where my attention’s been. But he’s a tremendous athlete. Where exactly he is right now, I don’t know.”

Signing with the Patriots would make a lot of sense for Vick for multiple reasons. First of all, it’s a well respected team with a lot of veteran leaders. Vick could see how Randy Moss jumpstarted his career by going to the Patriots. It would also keep the pressure of producing right away off of him.

However, with Tom Brady in place, Vick would have to abandon the idea of starting at quarterback if he signs with the Patriots. New England, if they sign Vick, would likely use him as a wide receiver, running back and gimmick quarterback.

In terms of fantasy football, Vick wouldn’t be of too much value in the 2009 fantasy season — especially if he signs with the Patriots. He’ll be suspended for the first five games and even when he returns, he’d probably only get about touches per game.

Michael Vick to the Patriots? (Image: Zuma Press)

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The contract Collins signed is for two years and has approximately $8.5 million in guaranteed money. Although he doesn’t have a high ceiling as a fantasy football quarterback, this move definitely has some fantasy impact.

First of all, Young’s stock drops even further. If Collins would have signed elsewhere, Young would have had a chance to possibly start for the Titans. Now with Collins back in the fold, Young will likely be the backup once again.

As for Collins’ fantasy value, at its highest he may be a decent backup fantasy quarterback. The Titans love to run the ball so much that Collins doesn’t get many opportunities through the air. On top of that, Collins is aging and his wide receiving corps is rather weak.

Chris Johnson and LenDale White both see their fantasy stock rise a little bit with this move. With Collins at quarterback, those two running backs should be able to produce like they did last season. Even though Collins isn’t a prolific passer, he’s good at keeping defenses honest.

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After being suspended, Henry was waived by the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals are the only team Henry has ever played for in his NFL career. And while the Bengals waived him, Henry has indicated that he’d be open to rejoining Cincinnati’s team once he is reinstated.

Other teams that make sense for Henry other than the Bengals are the Dallas Cowboys and the Denver Broncos. The Cowboys are looking for a second wide receiver next to Terrell Owens and Henry could be a good fit. The Broncos are lacking depth in their wide receiving corps and Henry is arguably the most talented free agent on the market.

No matter where he ends up, Henry is an intriguing fantasy football option. When active, he’s a very good fantasy player. However, the risks associated with him make him a late round flyer at best.

Where will Chris Henry end up?

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Jones is young enough and skilled enough that he should eventually land another job. While he won’t be a starter at first, if he can stay healthy there is no limit to what he can accomplish. It wasn’t too long ago that Jones was considered one of the best up-and-coming running backs in the NFL.

Here’s a Kevin Jones workout video that shows his mobility is still top notch:

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Last offseason, the Texans signed Green away from the Green Bay Packers and gave him the starting gig. Green was only able to play in six games and had only 260 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

In 2008, Green will get another shot. The 31-year-old back is a smart running with good speed and good quickness. The problem is that he’s injury prone and can’t be counted on week to week for production.

Right now, Green is completely healthy and has the starting job locked up. In the fantasy football world, Green is only a mid-round pick – even if he’s a starter. His injury concerns are just too much to be considered much more than a third or fourth string running back.

As far as backups, the Texans have a lot of options. Chris Brown, formerly of the Tennessee Titans, was added to the mix. Chris Taylor and rookie Steve Slaton are also possibilities.

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The latest news regarding Alexander is that the Denver Broncos no longer appear to be interested. Alexander might have been a good fit in Denver but the Broncos don’t have the salary cap room to sign him. Other rumors have linked Alexander to the Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions, however there doesn’t appear to be anything imminent.

The problem for Alexander is he looked especially inept last season on the Seattle Seahawks. He didn’t have any burst and he couldn’t break tackles. Alexander has never been a power back but he was even softer than usual in 2007. Couple that with his lack of speed and it’s not too surprising that teams breaking down his door.

Right now, it looks like Alexander will need to wait for an injury to land with an NFL team. If a starter goes down and a team wants an experience back who can come right in and play, that’s when Alexander will have some value.

In terms of fantasy football, Alexander is nothing more than a late round pick at the moment. However, that could change if he lands on a team and is named a starter.

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Tuiasosopo hasn’t had much of an impact on the football field in his professional career. He was drafted by the Raiders in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft but has only thrown 88 passes in his career for two touchdowns.

While there isn’t much of a fantasy impact with the Tuiasosopo signing at face value, it’s actually good news for Russell. The Raiders are now obviously banking on Russell to have a big year. Russell, who was the first overall pick of the 2007 NFL draft, will likely be the starter all season long as long as he stays healthy. Russell and Raiders rookie Darren McFadden are the future of the franchise.

Neither Walter nor Tuiasosopo should be able to push Russell for snaps. Even if Russell struggles, the Raiders will likely let him learn on the job. Even if Tuiasosopo is named as the team’s backup quarterback, he shouldn’t be drafted in any fantasy football draft.

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The fact that the Cowboys and Barber were able to agree on a contract is good news for both parties. Barber got the money and the recognition he wanted. The Cowboys locked up a major part of their offense.

In the last two season, Barber has been very good for Dallas. In 2006, he had 654 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. In 2007, Barber had 975 rushing yards and ten touchdowns.

In 2008, you can expect Barber’s rushing attempts to rise. Former starter Julius Jones signed with the Seattle Seahawks. The Cowboys replaced him with rookie Felix Jones, who the Cowboys acquired in the 2008 NFL Draft. Jones will likely be second in the depth charts and he’ll be used as a change of pace back.

In 2008 fantasy football drafts, Barber is now either a late first round pick or an early second round pick. He has a lot of touchdowns over the last two years and his role will be increased. Additionally, he’ll be in a high powered offense that should give him plenty of touchdown opportunities. There is a lot to like about Barber in 2008.

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While there’s a chance that he can once again put up stats like he did in 2006, he’ll have competition in the backfield. Besides Addai, the Colts are returning Kenton Keith, who had success last year playing a Rhodes’ type role. Additionally, the team drafted Mike Hart in the sixth road of the draft.

At 29-years-old, there is also reason to worry about Rhodes’ age slowing him down a little bit. There’s also a good chance that Addai will get a bigger bulk of the carries compared to 2006. All told, Rhodes will be a low round fantasy football draft pick. He’d best be selected as a handcuff to Addai at this point. And even then, you should first pick sure he beats out Hart and Keith for the backup job.

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After the Raiders drafted Darren McFadden in the 2008 NFL Draft, Oakland decided to waive Rhodes. Rhodes is now a free agent who is able to sign with any team of his choosing. At 29 years of age and relatively little wear and tear, Rhodes should generate some interest.

One destination that is possible and that would make a lot of sense is the Colts. The Colts were able to run well last season but Rhodes has experience in their system and could fit right back in. Considering the last game Rhodes played for the Colts he was playing a huge role in Indianapolis’ Super Bowl win, Indianapolis may want to recapture that magic.

However, even if he signs with the Colts, Rhodes would play a backup role. Joseph Addai is a running back who is quickly becoming one of the best in the league. Although with Addai’s injury history, Rhodes could see plenty of action in 2008 if he opts to sign with the Colts.

If Rhodes doesn’t end up with the Colts, other teams such as the Detroit Lions or the New York Jets could be interested. Both of those teams could use help at running back.

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