Breakout Players: NFC North
Monday, July 6th, 2009Our series on breakout players per division heads north, where the tradition is rich, though in some cases, that richness has been unfulfilling. But there’s always hope before a new season, and fantasy owners feel that same hope as they look for a player to come out of his shell and start producing at a rate higher than ever before. Here are a few candidates from the NFC North who may do just that.Chicago Bears - Devin Hester: Hester was third on the team in receptions last season for Chicago, hauling in 51 passes, but he led the squad with 665 receiving yards. In 2009, those numbers should see a major bump, for a plethora of reasons. The Bears have a new quarterback in Jay Cutler who possesses talent far surpassing anything the team has seen in years, they have precious few other options at wideout who have proven themselves, and Hester is now in his second year as a full-time receiver, so he should have taken a big step forward in learning the nuances of the position. For him to accumulate 70+ catches and 1,000 receiving yards isn’t out of the question; let’s just hope a jump in touchdown catches goes with it.
Detroit Lions - Kevin Smith: As a rookie running back last season, Smith had the usual ups and downs one might expect. But as you can see in the graph to the right, he excelled at the end of the year, running for at least 88 yards in his final three games while scoring a touchdown in each contest. Those successes, along with what should be natural improvement from his first season to his second, are reasons to expect Smith to reach new statistical heights. Though he’ll share some carries with the newly acquired Maurice Morris, Smith will still get more than enough touches to be productive.
Green Bay Packers - Brandon Jackson: It’s been a bit of a rough go for Jackson, a former second-round pick out of Nebraska. Green Bay needed a running back to step up in 2007, Jackson’s rookie year, and one did - Ryan Grant. After a superb campaign that year, Grant got a new contract and the large majority of the carries in 2008. But he blew nobody away, especially his fantasy owners. Grant’s three lost fumbles were just one fewer than his touchdown runs, and his average yards-per-carry of 3.9 on the season was below average. Meanwhile, Jackson, with just 45 carries, averaged 5.5 yards per tote, and showed prowess in the passing game as he caught 30 passes. Jackson is a necessary handcuff to Grant, and look for him to start stealing touches if Grant continues to plod along.
Minnesota Vikings - Sidney Rice: Rice did not have an especially fruitful sophomore season, hauling in just 15 passes for 141 yards. Yet among those 15 catches were four touchdowns, a rate that is highly promising. At six-foot-four, Rice is a big target in the end zone, and he’s shown proficiency in that area before, as he has eight touchdowns among his 46 career catches. He’s had a problem staying healthy, but if he can overcome that, big things could follow, regardless of who the quarterback may be.

