Speed Not a Problem For Donte’ Stallworth

There is one reason that I have never given up on Donte’ Stallworth and his ability to help fantasy football owners and that reason is speed. Blazing speed can change football games and take a receiver on your fantasy team from one catch for twelve yards to two catches for 72 yards and a touchdown.

When a receiver with speed is healthy, capable, motivated and a starter on an NFL team, they can be a productive player for any fantasy squad.

Stallworth has been given another chance in the NFL as the Baltimore Ravens have signed him to a one year contract. That contract was given in part because Stalloworth still has his blazing speed at his disposal.

That skill is something that fellow receivers Derrick Mason (assuming he comes back) and Mark Clayton seem to lack and that is why having this veteran receiver in camp makes sense.

Can Stallworth Help Fantasy Owners?

While Stallworth should help this team in certain games, I can’t see him as a fantasy option, unless one of the two receivers mentioned above aren’t on the field. Not only will Stallworth need to obtain a starting job at some point, but he also needs to stay healthy in his own right.

Health has been the true achilles heal in Stallworth’s once promising NFL and fantasy football career. Stallworth’s rookie season in 2002, the young upstart receiver scored eight touchdowns in only 42 receptions. Not only did Stallworth score touchdowns, but he had the knack of making big plays.

At that point in time, he looked much like a player of DeSean Jackson’s caliber, and it seemed as if he was primed to be a top ten fantasy receiver in future seasons.

Since then, Stallworth has started more than eleven games in a season just one time (2005) and he still missed three starts. Hamstring injuries have been a major culprit and one can only hope those issues are behind him now.

Beyond speed, I also hold out hope that at his now older age of 29 (will be 30 in November) maybe this speedsters body is ready to handle the speed he can produce.

Take Joey Galloway, for example, he had issues with hamstrings in his early years but in his thirty’s those problems seemed to go away. Even though Galloway was older, he still had terrific speed and was able to be a playmaker for a few years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

If Stallworth can age as gracefully as a player like Galloway then he could still be a solid fantasy option if given a starting opportunity.

2010 Fantasy Football Draft Projection

Right now, I wouldn’t even give Stallworth the time of day when you get you your draft. Maybe you should put him at the very end of your draft cheat sheet just to remember he is still in the NFL, but this guy is just too much of a gamble to even hold onto until he becomes a starter.

If Stallworth should receive an opportunity to start this year, he would make for a very attractive waiver wire option. With so much drama in Stallworth personal life over the past year, I’m sure he will be focused and motivated to get his playing career on track.

Joe Flacco is entering his third year as a starter and around this time in a quarterback career, he begins to take bigger strides in understanding how to read defense, thus becoming a more productive player.

No doubt, Stallworth is still a major wild card to be productive this season (or ever again) for fantasy owners but because of his ability he is always worth keeping an eye on.

NFL fantasy football player rankings writer Sean E. Douglas: fantasy-info.com