Moulds to Texans

With the Houston Texans acquiring Eric Moulds, reportedly for a fourth or fifth round draft choice, this gives the Texans an opportunity to field a very talented, versatile offense in the upcoming season. With the expectation being that the Texans will select Reggie Bush with the first overall pick in the draft, the Texans will have added the aforementioned Bush and Moulds. The fantasy impact on Moulds may not be significant as the players that could benefit the most from these moves are number one receiver Andre Johnson and quarterback David Carr.

The additions of Moulds, along with the assumed selection of Bush, would surround Carr and Johnson with enough talent to make a significant fantasy splash. Johnson, who flashed his potential in the 04-05 season with his 1,142 yards to go along with six touchdowns, could regain those numbers with Moulds, Bush, and returning running back Domanick Davis drawing the attention of opposing defenses. In David Carr's case, surrounding a quarterback with more talent is always a good thing, and he has an opportunity to significantly improve on his numbers from last year. 3000 yards passing and 20 plus touchdown passes are very attainable for Carr this year now that he has options. You can expect Moulds, who will be 33 years old when the season starts, to be the number two receiver, and end up with numbers similar to last year when he posted 814 yards and 4 touchdowns.

A New Contributor

I'd like to officially welcome Brandon Netiuk as a contributor to the site. Brandon is a senior at Eastern Illinois University and will be graduating this year with a journalism major. He currently practices his writing trade as the sports editor for the Daily Eastern News, the newspaper of the university.

Brandon brings a wealth of fantasy knowledge to the site. He has won many fantasy leagues in baseball, basketball and football, and as a sports trivia buff, there are few better. With more than 10 years of fantasy experience, Brandon has proven that he belongs with the elite fantasy players and writers.

You will be seeing frequent contributions from Brandon, along with joint collaborations with me on more in-depth issues. He'll be a welcome asset to the site, and I look forward to working with him to bring you the best in fantasy coverage.

NFL draft preview -- QB

Here are my rankings for the best NFL draft prospects at QB. These rankings will be based on the player's overall talent level and chance to have a good pro career. They will not take into consideration draft order or needs of current NFL teams. That will be assessed after the draft in the updated fantasy rankings.

1. Matt Leinart -- USC -- When the sun sets on the careers of Leinart and Vince Young, Matt will have the most jewelry. Leinart is one of the most complete college QB to enter the NFL in many years. He stands 6'4" and has excellent vision and coverage reading ability. His accuracy is unrivaled at the college level, and he'll immediately be one of the top-10 most precise passers in the NFL. Leinart would be the #1 pick in the draft 15 out of every 16 years... but this is the one that he won't.

2. Vince Young -- Texas -- Young might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he looked pretty intelligent carving up the USC defense in the Rose Bowl. He has a combination of size and speed never seen before at the QB position. While his mechanics still need work, he'll run past defenses and use his legs to create passing opportunities. It will be interesting to see how he's used in the NFL, as the only QB near his athleticism is Michael Vick, and he has struggled to find a passing niche. Young could fall as far as #10 to Arizona if the Titans and Raiders pass on him.

3. Jay Cutler -- Vanderbilt -- Cutler watched his stock soar at the NFL combine, when Vince Young and Matt Leinart didn't participate. He has a huge arm, and can thread a needle with middle routes. He has excellent mechanics and vision, and could end up being the best QB in this draft. Cutler wasn't well known until late in the season, but playing in the SEC won't hurt his draft stock. He'll run just enough to satisfy you, but not too much to make him an injury risk. Some mock drafts have him as high as #3 to the Titans.

4. Brodie Croyle -- Alabama -- The complete tear of his right ACL in 2003 concerns me, but he seemed to be healthy last year and only threw four INT on the season. He has tremendous arm strength, and his quick release helps him avoid sacks. His college career was interrupted several times by injury, and he could stand to add about 20 pounds of muscle to his 6'2" frame. If he gets with the right system, he could produce numbers and surprise a lot of people.

5. Omar Jacobs -- Bowling Green -- Like Croyle, Jacobs has been injured several times throughout his college years. He probably should have stayed in school for his senior season, but his ridiculous sophomore year (4,000 yards, 46TD, 4 INT) lends to the fact that he can produce right away. He's one of the best athletes in the draft, and his touch on short passes is rivaled by few. He won't be drafted very high, but look for a team with an established QB to draft him as a project.

6. Reggie McNeal -- Texas A&M -- McNeal has the total package, but on a lesser scale than Vince Young. He has average size (6'2") and good speed, and makes very few mistakes. A true leader, he shows good field vision and awareness. He's an excellent passer on the run, and he can see the whole field from any point on it. He might be a steal for a team looking for a starter in 2008.

Top Sleeper -- Barrick Nealy -- Texas State -- Nealy is a big QB with a strong arm from Division I-AA Texas State. He won't get a lot of publicity, but he has a chance to become an NFL starter. In addition to being able to throw the deep ball, Nealy had five 100+ yard games rushing. At 6'4" and 230 lbs, he should be a durable backup for an NFL team.