After seventeen years, over 40,000 passing yards and a Super Bowl appearance as a starter for the Giants, QB Kerry Collins has finally decided to call it quits and is officially retiring from the NFL. Collins overcame many obstacles, including alcoholism, to go on to play for teams like the Panthers, Saints, Giants, Raiders and finishing up his career in Tennessee.
You are probably thinking to yourself; Who Cares? Well, while Collins retiring isn't earth shattering to the fantasy football world, the ramifications of the loss will mean something to a few players who might be looking for a starting opportunity once free agency begins. Below are a few players who are affected by Collins leaving:
Jake Locker: The obvious player who benefits the most, as of now, is Locker. As a rookie, there was belief that the Titans would re-sign Collins as a cheap stopgap option until Locker was ready. He might have to be ready now. Locker still isn't an option in redraft leagues, but we could see him start sooner than we thought.
Matt Hasselbeck: Like Ray Tannock wrote in his NFL Free Agents piece, Hasselbeck's value has suddenly become a bit more intriguing. There was a better than average chance that the Seahawks would bring Hasselbeck back as the starter for 2011. But with Collins gone, Hasselbeck's opportunities as the starter elsewhere besides Seattle have opened up greatly.
Donovan McNabb: In a matter of hours, McNabb has managed to go from the back burner to a person of interest in Tennessee. Mike Shanahan has also just cracked a smile with the knowledge that McNabb's trade value went from the crapper to a possible late-round pick in next year's draft. Plus, getting McNabb out of the NFC in the off chance he actually does bounce back would be great.
While we're on the topic of quarterbacks, make sure to check out Ray's complete Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings for the 2011 season.
