The Arena Guru's Fantasy Impact
By Scott Lange
April 20, 2007
Focus on Kenny Higgins (Nashville Kats)
Rookie Kenny Higgins started playing for the Nashville Kats in week 3 of the AFL season. The Kats were struggling offensively at that time and needed more production from the wide receiver position. The Kats had no idea what they were getting when they signed Higgins, but since week three, this guy has been on a tear.
In week three against the Utah Blaze, Higgins got the start and was all over the field. He caught 6 passes for a team-high 98 yards, and a team-high three TDs. But it did not end there. In week four Higgins again delivered three more TDs against a tough Colorado pass defense. He was held out of the end zone in week five, but produced an amazing 163 yards receiving on seven catches. The 163 yards has been a team-high through seven weeks so far. The big coming out party though came in week 6 against the Chicago Rush, the top defense in the AFL at the time. Higgins caught 9 passes for 140 yards and three TDs, all of them (guess what?) team-highs. With Cornelius Bonner slowing down a bit the past couple of weeks, there is no question Higgins can step up and be the team's leading receiver. Let's now take a look at the Fantasy Impact of Kenny Higgins for the rest of the season.
The first thing I see when I look at the Nashville Kats is how the offense has been rolling since QB Jeff Smoker took over in week 3. The offense is averaging 60 points per game and the Kats suddenly have a balanced attack, with Smoker passing the ball and RB Dan Alexander running the ball. With a balanced attack, it loosens up the coverage on the receivers. Receivers Bonner and Higgins have been the main targets for Jeff Smoker. However, it is Higgins that is starting to take over as the top receiver. If Cornelius Bonner can maintain his production, the Kats will have a deadly one-two combination. The only thing keeping Higgins from being an absolute stud is the team giving RB Dan Alexander some many rushing attempts. But nobody can blame the Kats, as Alexander is having a monster year. As long as the Kats can stay healthy and Jeff Smoker continues to sling the ball, you can expect to see consistent production from Higgins. At 6'1, 290 lbs., Higgins has a nice frame, and hands with glue on them. He should be able to continue his success within the AFL.
For the season, Higgins (through five games) has 608 yards receiving and 11 TDs. If he continues this pace, he'll end up with 1500 yards and a possible shot at 30 receiving TDs. Not bad for someone who did not start playing until week 3. The Kats schedule seems favorable as well, which can only help the stats from Higgins. Teams left on the Kats schedule include the Kansas City Brigade (this week) and a high-scoring Dallas team, with which they will have to keep pace. The main reason that Higgins could have a huge fantasy impact though is weeks 15 and 16, which is playoff time for most fantasy leagues. The Kats have a horrible Las Vegas defense in week 15 and a bad Kansas City secondary in week 16. Higgins is the type of player every roster needs and he should produce WR2 numbers for the rest of the season. If there is a way to get this guy on your team via trade, make a couple offers to the owner, as I feel Higgins is worth having not only now but especially down the stretch.
In wrapping up this week's edition of Fantasy Impact, I really feel Higgins could be a top 10 WR at the end of the year, if he can remain consistent. He also has an outside shot at winning the Rookie of the Year award if Kansas City's Charles Frederick struggles with his quad injury. Higgins has the ability to put up huge stats for the rest of the season. The only question is how much the Kats will keep him involved. With his recent play, I don't see the Kats going away from him anytime soon.
Scott Lange is a founding member of Arena Football Online and has been following Arena Football for 6 years. Contact Scott at slange@arenafootballonline.com
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