For as much of a headache this kid is off the field, he sure is a nice dose of Advil for fantasy owners on it. It took him a little while to get used to both his new QB Kyle Orton and new head coach Josh McDaniels’ offensive system, but once it clicked, Marshall was the receiving barbarian fantasy footballers had come to know and love over the past couple of years. Marshall caught 100+ passes for the third straight year, and like the year before, he did it in just 15 games (13 starts). Even though his yardage went down a touch, he improved on his aptitude for touchdowns enough to offset the slide. After all the nerves he set off before the season started, he sure as hell ended up being worth the risk taken for those who had the stones enough to call his name out on draft day.
As long as “Baby TO” keeps his ass out of the doghouse, halfway house, or Big House, it doesn’t matter who’s throwing him the ball, the sky’s the limit for this kid. He should be able to hit 100+ receptions again as soon as Chad Henne and Tony Sparano understand his talent, and now that he has a nose for the endzone, Top-5 fantasy WR numbers are well within his reach. Is it still going to be a gamble to grab him as your #1 wide receiver? Absolutely, and it likely will be for the duration of his career. But sometimes the chances you take are same moves that put you over the top in your league.
~ The Dolphins and their Wildcat offense might not be the best system for him to play in
~ How long will it take him to learn the new system? If it’s as long as it took him in 2009 with the Broncos, he’ll start off slow once again
~ New issues, whether they be off-the-field or on-the-field, will surely come into play at some point
Not many people know about the powers of the other Brandon on the Broncos: Stokley. Unbeknownst to America (because nobody really watches the NFL Network), Stokley saved the world from a catastrophic catastrophe after Brandon Marshall scored a touchdown late in a game. Check this out.
In April of 2010, Marshall finally signed the deal he always wanted to the tune of five-years, $47.3 million. The contract included $12.5 million guaranteed, a $5.5 million signing bonus, and $6 million of Brandon’s 2012 salary… unless he incurs a league suspension of any kind during the first three years of the deal. Smart move by the Dolphins, nice sign by the eccentric wide receiver. Here are the details:
2010 – $4 million
2011 - $6.5 million (+ $3 million roster bonus due on 4/2/11)
Marshall has had hip surgery each of the past two offseasons on each side of his body. Both procedures were said to be minor, and since he looks just fine in camp, we tend to believe it