Fantasy Impact: Damian Harrell
By Paul Celmer
One of the biggest off-season moves in the AFL was the trade of Damian Harrell from the Colorado Crush to the Chicago Rush. Many would argue Damian "Highlight Reel" Harrell is one of the best three receivers in the league. So what will the impact of his coming to the Windy City be for the re-vamped Rush?
First, let’s look at Harrell’s numbers. Harrell is ranked second all-time in the AFL for touchdown receptions with 295, and fourth in receptions with 893. During his remarkable career he has had 13 five TD games. And he has been among the top three or four in TD receptions the last few years. In 2004 he had 38 TDs, in 2005 he had 41, in 2006 he had an amazing, league high 61, and last year he had 43. So yes, he is an impact player. Bigtime.
But the real question is will Harrell have another good year with 40 or so TDs, or will he have a spectacular year like 2006 and catch 50 or more?
Unfortunately, there are many unknowns when trying to analyze the impact of Harrell. First, he is moving to a new team, so there is always some question of how a new player will adjust to a new coach and a new environment. But to make matters more complicated, the Rush have also changed quarterbacks, giving up Matt D’Orazio, who led them to the championship in 2006, for the solid but aging veteran Sherdrick Bonner. Bonner is headed to the AFL Hall of Fame, but one wonders how much he has left in the tank. There were rumors that he was considering retiring or becoming a coach after last season. Add in the Rush’s acquisition of Dan Alexander, which provides another very potent weapon for the Rush, and it becomes even harder to determine what the Rush offense will eventually look like and who will produce the bulk of the fantasy points.
The other question mark with Harrell is his health. Last season he had a number of leg and hamstring injuries that seemed to never quite resolve. At 32, Harrell’s best years could very well be behind him.
So what does it all add up to? Harrell’s impact will be felt, no doubt about it. He will have a very good season and be a decent source of fantasy points, with 30 to 35 TD catches. He will elevate the play of the other members of the completely re-tooled offense, including QB Bonner and FB Alexander. And because of Harrell’s past achievements, he will also draw heavy defensive coverages. This means you can get good value by drafting Ryan Dennard and Rob Mager in the late rounds as your WR3 and WR4.
If Bonner stays healthy, Harrell will enable the Rush to get through the first round of the playoffs. However, there are just too many question marks to consider Harrell one of the top three receivers, despite the remarkable work he had done in his five very productive seasons with the Colorado Crush. Harrell will have a positive impact on the Rush offense, but it will not completely fill the Grand Canyon-sized void left by the departure of Bobby Sippio. Finally, the most predictable impact Harrell will have from a fantasy standpoint is to elevate the value of the previously mediocre Chicago receivers, Dennard and Mager, who you should be able to grab in the late rounds of your draft as they fly beneath the radar of less well-read owners.
Paul Celmer, aka The Philosopher of Arena Football is a member of the Arena Football League Writers Association and a founding member of Arena Football Online. Contact Paul at pcelmer@arenafootballonline.com
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