Let’s take a look at some of the biggest movers in free agency from a fantasy football perspective:

DONE DEALS
WR Mike Wallace (Dolphins): It didn’t take long for Wallace to find a new home and the Dolphins broke the bank to land the much-needed playmaker receiver. Wallace put up some eye-popping performances at time during Pittsburgh, but he’s still pretty much a one-dimensional receiver. He’ll also take a downgrade at quarterback going from Ben Roethlisberger to Ryan Tannehill.  Wallace will likely be overpriced in this summer’s fantasy drafts. He is a top 25 receiver, but mostly a low-end WR2/high-end WR3.

TE Martellus Bennett (Bears): Free agency started at 4PM Eastern and by 4:05 the news broke of Bennett reaching a deal with the Bears.  Bennett has always had the potential and finally started to show it last year, his only season with the Giants. Bennett reached career highs in 2012 as he finished with 626 yards and five touchdowns on 55 receptions. In Chicago, he could quickly become Jay Cutler’s No. 2 receiving target behind wide receiver Brandon Marshall. He remains a low TE1 candidate worthy of a mid-to-late round pick.

TE Jared Cook (Rams): With it looking more likely that the Rams will not retain neither Danny Amendola nor Brandon Gibson, the team moved quickly to find someone to work out the slot and stretch the field. Cook fits the bill. He has always had the potential to be great player, but was often underutilized by the Titans.  He will have plenty of chances to rack up targets from Sam Bradford in St. Louis. His fantasy value certainly goes up with the move, but owners should still view his as a high-end TE2 for now.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
RB Steven Jackson – The biggest prize in free agency, at least from a fantasy standpoint, is running back Steven Jackson. Many reports on Tuesday suggested that the Packers are the front runners to land the veteran’s services. The Falcons and Broncos also have been reported as teams with interest. Jackson’s value is on the rise if he lands in any one of these spots.

RB Reggie Bush – Bush visited Detroit late Tuesday night and the Lions have made no secret of their interest in landing the free agent running back. In fact, rumors suggest that the Lions are dangling the “full time” running back job to him.  Bush would be a great fit for the Lions, but I was initially envisioning a 1-2 punch of him and Mikel Leshoure. Now it appears that Leshoure and incumbent Joique Bell will both take a hit in their 2013 fantasy value if Bush signs.

RB Rashard Mendenhall – While Miami seemed liked a logical spot a couple of days ago, it appears that the Broncos and Cardinals are now the front-runners to land Mendenhall. Given the right opportunity the 25-year old could still have some gas left in the tank to be productive.

WR Wes Welker – Welker and his agent have broken off their talks with the Patriots as the two sides remain far apart on money. The next step is going to be to test the free agent waters. The problem is that is a lukewarm market for a player that many around the league feel is more a product of the system rather than a premier talent. His fantasy stock will go down if he winds up anywhere that is not New England.

WR Danny Amendola – One of the hot names out there, Amendola is being mentioned as a possible fit with the Ravens, Titans, Vikings and even the Patriots. He reportedly had narrowed the list to two teams late Tuesday. Amendola has fantasy upside, especially in PPR formats, but he needs to prove he can stay healthy before he can be fully trusted.

OTHER HEADLINES
Gonzalez Delaying Retirement – Tony Gonzalez has informed the Falcons that he will come back for one more season. After catching 93 balls for 930 yards and eight scores a year ago, there’s no question that the future Hall of Famer has plenty left in the tank. Consider him a top-tier fantasy starting option in 2013. His return also spells good things for Matt Ryan and his continued development.

Bills Cut Fitzpartick – It came as little surprise that Buffalo released Ryan Fitzpatrick before paying him $3 million owed. It leaves Tavaris Jackson atop the team’s depth chart for now. Expect to Buffalo to add to the position in both April’s draft and perhaps before free agency comes to an end.

Raiders Release DHB – Former first-round pick Derrius Heyward-Bey was cut by the Raiders as free agency kicked off.  He’s shown some flashes over the past two seasons, but the production didn’t match the $10 million cap hit Oakland was due to take or his $7.7 million salary.  DHB could be a late-round filler for wide receiver depth if he finds a new home that makes sense, but his value remains low.

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INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Over the past two seasons wide receiver Kenny Britt has missed 17 games due to injury, including 13 last year after suffering an ACL injury. While his durability has been a concern there’s never been a doubt around his talent. Britt has found his way into the end zone 15 times in 31 career games and has averaged over 70 yards per contest during his limited action the past two campaigns. Before going down early in Week 3 in 2011, Britt opened eyes with 14 catches for 271 yards and 3 TD’s during the first two weeks. When healthy, Britt has top 15 fantasy wideout potential.

SCHEDULE
The Titans square off with four playoff teams from 2011 in its first six games of 2012. The bye week doesn’t come to Week 11 which will keep owners from worrying too much about covering the bye week for their Titans’ players on draft night. Tennessee will play six of the 10 teams that allowed the fewest points to fantasy running backs in 2011, including the Texans (No. 2) twice. The tough schedule is even tougher come fantasy playoff time with Houston in Week 13, the Jets in Week 15 and at the Packers in Week 16.

STUD
Chris Johnson was one of the biggest disappointments in fantasy football for much of 2011. He followed up the NFL lockout by holding out, missing nearly the entire preseason. It resulted in him being out of shape and unprepared. While he did recover to post his fourth straight 1000-yard campaign, Johnson’s touchdown total dipped from 28 total scores the previous two seasons to just four scores a year ago. A strong finish to the year coupled with a strong commitment to the team’s offseason program leave room for optimism entering 2012.

DUD
After scoring five times during an eight-game stretch Damian Williams popped up on fantasy owners radar midway through the 2011 campaign and proved to be a dependable option at times at a WR3 or flex option in deeper leagues. Entering his third season would suggest that he still has some upside. However, with Britt returning from an injury and the team investing a first-round pick in another wideout it’s hard to imagine Williams carrying much fantasy value entering 2012 unless someone else goes down.

SLEEPER
One of favorite sleepers from a year ago, Jared Cook got off to a slow start before a monster finish in 2011. During Weeks 15 and 16, key weeks in most fantasy leagues, Cook rewarded those that exercised patience by grabbing 17 balls for 273 yards and a touchdown.  The talent is there, but for Cook to emerge as a fantasy option he needs to find more consistency. He’s not a bad option for those owners that opt to wait around until the late rounds to worry about a tight end, but he’s far from a proven commodity.

NEW ADDITION
The explosive Kendall Wright can stretch defenses with the best of them and that was something that the Titans’ passing attack was desperately missing when they spent a first-round pick on him in April’s draft. He figures to slide into the slot right out of the gate for the Titans. He’ll need to pick up on the offense quickly to make an immediate impact and will benefit greatly if Britt is completely healthy and Cook can keep defenses honest over the middle. He’s a nice late-round pick in yearly leagues and much more in dynasty formats.

POSITION BATTLE
Veteran Matt Hasselbeck enjoyed a decent first season in the Music City, but many close to the organization favor second-year slinger Jake Locker as the team’s quarterback. Expect Hasselbeck to start the season as the starter, yet it is only a matter of time before the Titans get an extended look at last year’s first-round selection. Locker has even more fantasy appeal when you consider his ability to run the football. Hasselbeck is a risky option even as a backup as he may not be starting by time you need him as a bye-week filler. Locker is worth stashing.

BENCH BUILDER
With so much attention being shined on Britt’s return to health and the arrival of Wright to the team, Nate Washington is likely to fall through the cracks in most fantasy drafts. While he’s not likely to match 2011’s career-high numbers (74 receptions for 1,023 yards and 7 TD’s), owners need to remember that he averaged 44 catches for 628 yards and six TD’s per years during his previous two seasons as a Titan. Even with his targets going down Washington will make for a solid backup WR on nearly any roster.

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The Tennessee Titans have turned the page on Vince Young officially this offseason by drafting Jake Locker in the first round of the draft and signing veteran Matt Hasselbeck in free agency this week. The signing of the former Seahawk will leave its fair share of fantasy ripples:

MATT HASSELBECK – At 35 he’s far from his prime, but Hasselbeck could still prove to be a nice fantasy backup in nearly any format. With a pass-catching playmaker like Chris Johnson in the backfield he could rack up a ton of fantasy points on 2-yard screen passes. He’s still not a top 15 option, but don’t be afraid to fire a late-round pick on Tennessee’s new starter.

CHRIS JOHNSON – Aside from the talks of a potential holdout, Johnson gets the biggest boost in the move. Towards the end of last season Johnson struggled to find the open running lanes that make him such a dangerous weapon as the Titans’ passing game was a non-factor. Hasselbeck will keep defenses more honest and allow CJ200K. Already a top three pick in any format, Johnson can once again be considered a potential No. 1 overall pick.

KENNY BRITT – Despite an off-the-field issues fantasy owners have to view Britt’s stock on the rise. Entering the highly-touted third year for a receiver, Britt should build on his 9 TD’s in 12 games from last season if he can stay on the field.

JARED COOK – Tight end is as deep as ever in fantasy football this season, but count on Cook as being one my deep sleepers. He came on late last season and gets a boot with a proven quarterback under center.

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I continue to breakdown the Rookie Class of 2009 from a fantasy prospective...

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Fantasy Rookie Podcast | First Take (QB/RB)

WIDE RECEIVER
Michael Crabtree (SF) - When he slipped past the Raiders I was thinking he caught a break from a fantasy standpoint. However, landing in San Francisco without a quarterback and in an offense that under Mike Singletary and Jimmy Raye is likely to be a run-heavy, ball-control team didn't help his cause. The top talent hands down, but he slides down my list a bit.

Jeremy Maclin (PHI) - My favorite mix of talent and opportunity of any receiver in the draft. Maclin has the ability to makes plays and will be a nice fit opposite of last year's rookie wideout DeSean Jackson in Philly. Donovan McNabb will be chomping at the bit to get Maclin in his line-up and owners will be too soon enough.

Darrius Heyward-Bey (OAK) - I still am tyring to figure out what in the world Al Davis was smoking on draft day, but that is another blog post altogether. Heyward-Bey has explosiveness and the ability to make plays. His success will depend greatly on JeMarcus Russell and the QB situation in Oakland. I am going to stay clear of any Raiders' wideouts for now.

Hakeem Nicks (NYG) - With Plaxico Burress officially done as a Giant, Nicks will be asked to step into the mix right off the bat. He has the potential to be a solid a WR3 or WR4 for fantasy owners long-term, but I just don't see it happening very quickly, making him better as a long-term option.

Percy Harvin (MIN) - The former Gator is a high-risk, high-reward type of player. The Vikings' quarterback situation is a mess, but I still expect Harvin to enjoy some success right out of the gate. He is going to turn in some huge games and some duds too as consistency will be what holds his fantasy value down.

Juaquin Iglesias (CHI) - With Jay Cutler now in Chicago the team needs to build a solid stable of receivers. Iglesias is a nice start and will have a chance to earn playing time right off the bat. If he can work his way into the Bears' starting lineup early on he has the potential to be the biggest sleeper pick of the bunch.

TIGHT END
Brandon Pettigrew (DET) - Easily the most talented of the tight ends in the draft. If there was any questions surrounding him it would be the fact he plays for the Lions and has history of character issues. Still, he should produce good enough to be a fantasy factor right off the bat.

Chase Coffman (CIN) - He is the Division I record holder for career receptions by a tight end and will be a natural fit in the Bengals' passing attack sans T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Coffman will quickly become a favorite target of Carson Palmer, particularly in the red zone.

Richard Quinn (DEN) - Quinn fits more of the "blocking tight end" bill and finds himself in a cluttered depth chart in Denver. He could surprise early in fantasy football if he ensures a bigger role. His value is higher in keeper leagues though as he likely will go undrafted in most year-to-year formats.

Jared Cook (TEN) - The "tweener" is a nice fit for the Titans' scheme and should get playing time immediately. Tight ends have generally favored well in the Titans over the past decade plus. If he can unseat the aging veteran Alge Crumpler, Cook could produced quick dividends.

IDP ROOKIE RANKINGS
1. DT B.J. Raji (GB)
2. LB Aaron Curry (SEA)
3. LB James Laurinaitis (STL)
4. DE Brian Orakpo (WAS)
5. LB Brian Cushing (HOU)
6. S Patrick Chung (NE)
7. LB Clay Matthews (GB)
8. LB Ray Muauluga (CIN)
9. DE Aaron Maybin (BUF)
10. S Louis Delmas (DET)
11. DE Everett Brown (CAR)
12. LB Clint Sintim (NYG)

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