Trent Edwards was supposed to have a big season, with Terrell Owens joining Lee Evans in what was supposed to be a dynamic no-huddle offense.
And then the season started.
Now we're five weeks in to the 2009 season, and Owens and Evans both are stuck on 12 receptions and just one touchdown. Edwards has struggled, and this weekend's 6-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns showed that neither team has many players worth their roster spot on a fantasy football team.
The problem for fantasy owners of Owens and Evans is, with six or seven weeks left until most league playoffs begin, are either of these guys even worth owning?
There are a number considerations any fantasy owner will need to consider when looking forward on the rest of these receivers' season. One is their quarterback, the other is what they're up against.
The Bills have issues on offense. They fired their offensive coordinator just a week before the regular season began, and head coach Dick Jauron took over the play-calling duties. The no-huddle scheme they've tried to implement has not worked and their play selection has been, at best, questionable.
Edwards has not progressed as a quarterback this year, either. Owens has, shockingly, not thrown his teammates too far under the bus yet as the Buffalo offense continues to struggle, but that powderkeg is waiting for someone to drop a match. How long Jauron and Edwards can co-exist with Owens could be more fun to watch than Owens' and Evans' fantasy numbers the rest of this season.
The Bills receivers will be competing against a couple of factors the rest of this year: their opponents and the Buffalo weather.
The weather in Buffalo is somewhat legendary, as there have been plows on the field before and during games to make the surface playable. As we get into November and December, the wind will pick up and the temperature will continue to drop, making any passing game hard to establish. When the passing offense doesn't exist in September and October, it's hard to turn it on when it's 10-below.
The Bills also play some tough defenses the rest of this season. They've scored 20 point in their last three games combined - against the Saints, Dolphins and Browns - and have the Jets, Panthers and Texans before their bye week. After that, owners will need to consider the Bills' matchups during fantasy playoffs, which will include Miami, the Jets again, Kansas City, New England and Atlanta.
Looking at the schedule, considering the weather, and looking at the quarterback and coach in Buffalo, my advice is to avoid Owens and Evans. If you own them, you might have to gamble on matchups because of where you drafted them, but playing the waiver wire for someone like Braylon Edwards, Miles Austin or Johnny Knox might be appropriate.
