Earnest Graham: Why his extension shouldn’t make fantasy owners happy
Earnest Graham burst onto the scene last year with an 11th place fantasy finish. Graham ended up leading the Bucs with 222 carries for 898 yards (4.0 YPR) while scoring 10 rushing TDs. As impressively, Graham caught 49 receptions for 324 yards.
On the heels of his breakthrough season, Graham lobbied for a new contract and was rewarded with a 3-year, $10.5mm extension.
Why wouldn’t a multi-year extension be good news for Graham’s prospective fantasy owners? Because it really isn’t the kind of contract that guarantees him much beyond 2008. Given the prodigious rise in the NFL salary cap, and the projected increases in 2009 and 2010 to come, Graham’s contract compares more to that of a highly valued backup than it does a franchise cornerstone.
That’s not to say Graham isn’t going to be the bellcow this season, but I would be wary of betting on him this year. Jon Gruden loves throwing the kitchen sink on the field, and will use any and all offensive weapons at his disposal. While some may scoff at the signing of elder statesman Warrick Dunn, it’s hard to imagine the Bucs signed him for ceremonial purposes. Let’s not forget that Graham is no spring chicken either, he’s 28 years old and just took that long to get significant playing time.
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