We're going division by division in this blog space this summer leading up to the preseason focusing on the fantasy stories to watch and which players could become more and less valuable before all-important drafts. We've covered the NFC East, NFC North and NFC South and here is the NFC West.
Big changes: For three of the four teams, some pretty significant stuff happened. The Rams moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles and with the first pick in the draft secured their quarterback. Yes, there is a team in L.A.! Chip Kelly is the new coach in San Francisco, the renowned offensive genius getting a second chance far, far away from Philadelphia. And for the first time in a while, the Seattle Seahawks enter the season with a new name atop the running back depth chart, with retired Marshawn Lynch traveling the world and three running backs arriving through the draft. The fourth team, ironically enough, doesn't look different at all, but perhaps didn't feel the need for change. Oh, the defending division champion Arizona Cardinals made moves to strengthen their lines, but all the players who contributed to throwing, running and catching the football are back. That's good news, since the Cardinals led the NFL in yards from scrimmage and were second to Carolina in points and point differential. Perhaps change isn't always necessary.
Big motivation: No shortage of names here, actually, but let's focus on the relatively disappointing Seahawks, who failed to the Super Bowl for the third consecutive season. Quarterback Russell Wilson was fantastic, but several weapons have something to prove. At running back, undrafted Thomas Rawls was excellent replacing Lynch, averaging 5.6 yards per carry, but the organization celebrated his emergence by bringing in lots of help, led by Notre Dame product C.J. Prosise. Rawls entered the league with considerably less fanfare and is no lock to be physically ready for the season after breaking an ankle late last year. Veteran Christine Michael is back in the mix, too. Pretty crowded.
At wide receiver, Doug Baldwin, after years of capable but statistically uninspiring play, busted out in the second half as the second coming of Jerry Rice, and with a new contract extension, he'll be expected to keep doing precisely that. Then there's tight end Jimmy Graham. Not exactly a great first impression in Seattle, but we know he’s talented when he’s healthy, and he’s not the worst gamble as your starting tight end. Overall, there could be a top-10 running back, wide receiver and tight end here to go with the top-three QB or ... could be none of the above.
Potential stock fluctuation: Since the Rams and 49ers don't appear to have many weapons fantasy owners will be craving -- sans their running backs, of course -- the eyes will be on Arizona, where numerous members of the offense elicit varying opinions. For example, who should be the first Cardinals wide receiver to go in drafts, and how soon?
Veteran Larry Fitzgerald has had a Hall of Fame career, and last year, he easily outscored John Brown and Michael Floyd, but for much of the second half he was average. Floyd had the big second half and is generally regarded as the top Cardinals wide receiver for drafts -- but outside the top 20. Running back David Johnson was terrific once his rookie campaign really got going. Top 10 running back for sure, but is he top three or does the presence of Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington worry some? As for quarterback Carson Palmer, coming off his career year at 35, there will be doubters. He's in my top 10, but again, there's room for disagreement.
Division report
Fantasy MVP: Rams star Todd Gurley should be great, but Johnson has so much around him, he wins the battle of first-rounders.
Fantasy LVP: Give Jared Goff a few years, folks. It's not coming together in 2016, not with the lack of accomplished weaponry at his disposal (Kenny Britt, Tavon Austin, Brian Quick). And good for coach Kelly in finding work closer to Oregon, but he sure didn't look like an offensive guru last year. I'm not targeting Carlos Hyde like others appear to be.
Relevant options to lose starting job: Certainly Seattle's Rawls isn't safe. Prosise might actually be better, by the way. I also can't possibly invest in the San Francisco passing game, whether it's Colin Kaepernick or Blaine Gabbert leading it.
Top fantasy rookie: I think as the summer goes on we'll all be preferring to draft Prosise in round 10 rather than Rawls in the second.
Intriguing rookie way off the radar: San Francisco needs help on offense but didn't seem to get any. Los Angeles, meanwhile, selected two tight ends in the draft to aid Goff, including Western Kentucky product Tyler Higbee. If he can get on and stay on the field, he can do damage. Temarrick Hemingway from South Carolina State could also become relevant.
Sophomore to watch: Three of the four presumed starting running backs were excellent as rookies -- Johnson, Gurley and Rawls -- so that's a good place to start.
They'll play 16 games: Half the presumed starting running backs make it, and I have to be skeptical on Rawls and Hyde. If you're a Goff fan, do you want him starting from day one? He does, however, join Palmer and Wilson as 16-game guys. Nobody wants to see Case Keenum play.
They'll not play 16 games: It's a good thing Seattle has depth. No on playing 16 games for Rawls and Graham, who tore his right knee in November. Perhaps we won't find out if he can be a proper fit for the offense. And I have a bit of a bad feeling about Fitzgerald, unfortunately.
Division champ: Seahawks and Cardinals each win 12. Rams and 49ers don't combine for 12.