DeSean Jackson Signs with Redskins: Fantasy Football Impact
By Seth Klein
After being released by the Eagles on Friday, DeSean Jackson signed a three-year deal with the Washington Redskins (Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports)
It’s official. Former Philadelphia Eagles’ wide receiver DeSean Jackson is now a Washington Redskin.
The deal, which is for three years, was announced late Tuesday night, ending what was a very tumultuous five days for Jackson and all the parties involved.
After trying to trade Jackson for weeks, the Eagles decided to release the talented receiver this past Friday amid concerns over his possible involvement with gangs in the Los Angeles area.
Jackson has never been charged with any crimes, nor has there been any evidence of gang affiliation, but the Eagles’ loss is only the Redskins’ gain.
While fans in D.C. are likely overjoyed, fantasy football owners have to be a little skeptical.
Jackson is coming off his best season as a pro, recording career-highs in receptions (82) and yards (1,332), and tying his career-high with 9 TD.
Teaming up with fellow receiver Pierre Garcon does not bode well for Jackson — and it doesn’t help Garcon’s value much either.
Garcon’s 182 targets were second in the NFL last season, trailing only Andre Johnson of the Houston Texans. Jackson was also heavily utilized, receiving 132 targets in an Eagles’ offense that included LeSean McCoy and Riley Cooper.
There’s no conceivable way to imagine that either player will reach those gaudy totals while lining up on the same side of the ball together next season.
New Redskins’ head coach Jay Gruden is definitely a pass-first kind of guy, but the team also recently signed former Arizona Cardinals’ wideout Andre Roberts, and have veteran Santana Moss in tow, as well.
Jackson and Garcon probably both get their WR1 tags removed, but are still at the top of the WR2 conversation.
Jordan Reed, the 23-year-old tight end who broke out for the Skins last season, will also lose some significant fantasy value. There was a lot of hope that the former Florida Gator could become a top 10 tight end in 2014, but he’ll now be fighting for targets in Washington’s revamped offense.
Quarterback Robert Griffin III may be the only winner in this deal, at least fantasy wise.
Griffin is coming off a poor season, one in which he clearly rushed back from ACL surgery to play in.
In 2012, he threw for 3,200 yards and 20 TD with just 5 INT, which garnered him the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, but last year he failed to replicate that success, throwing 12 picks with just 16 scores.
Gruden has a knack for making quarterbacks look good. As the Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator, he helped Andy Dalton — yes, that Andy Dalton — finish fifth in fantasy points among all QBs last season.
RGIII should be able to bounce back and will be a sneaky QB2 with QB1 upside in fantasy football drafts.