Michael

Jenkins

Many rookies, who go to school where classes get out late, are just now arriving at their NFL teams. Jenkins starts at a disadvantage, but has a great chance to win a starting job from Dez White and Brian Finneran before the end of the season.

After a quiet start, the big target from Ohio St. is playing well in Falcons camp. He’ll need to beat out Dez White for a starting job. If it happens, Jenkins should be a prime red zone target for Michael Vick.

Coach Jim Mora said, ''You can be pessimistic and say, ‘We’re in trouble. No one has jumped out.’' He said he still doesn’t know what to expect from Jenkins. If he doesn’t, we certainly don’t.

We are wary of training camp puff pieces, but it is good to read that Jenkins has earned Michael Vick’s confidence. With no bench behind them, both Jenkins and Roddy White have a chance to make major leaps this season and be quality values as fantasy reserves.

Jenkins scored on a 34-yard pass from QB Michael Vick in the second quarter, racing down the sideline to pay dirt, and also caught a 32-yarder. He was targeted six times in all, which gives some hope that the Falcons may involve receivers in the passing game a little more this season.

Jenkins is no threat to break a big play, but he can catch the ball. He was targeted 11 times versus five for Percy Harvin and four for Bernard Berrian, oddly taking on a bigger role than Adrian Peterson while playing with a second-half lead. We’re betting the receptions and yards will stand as season highs.

Jenkins also lost a fumble. He tied for the team-lead in targets with six, but Jenkins doesn’t run routes downfield. Jenkins is now averaging just 8.8 yards per catch on the season. He’s off the fantasy radar, even if Bernard Berrian remains inactive going forward.

A scattershot McNabb averaged just 171 yards per game at just 6.6 yards per attempt in a 1-5 start. With any chance at the playoffs dashed, the only sensible move was to play the first-round pick. Though Ponder was shaky in preseason action, he showed positive signs in relief of McNabb Sunday night. There’s enough talent on this offense to give Ponder a shot at QB2 value in a best-case scenario. His eight rushes for 61 yards in one half of the preseason finale suggest Ponder will add value on the ground. McNabb was bad enough that the move can be viewed as good news for the entire offense.

It took Jenkins eight years, but he finally notches his first 100-yard performance. He out-jumped Charles Woodson for a 24-yard touchdown and would have added a second score but his elbow touched down at the 1-foot line on a 71-yard reception to open the game. While Jenkins was Christian Ponder’s favorite target this week, he’s not going to be a viable WR3 option going forward.

Simpson is considerably more talented than Michael Jenkins at this point in their careers, while the Vikings didn’t draft a receiver before the fourth round. Simpson is maddeningly inconsistent, but coming off a 50/725/4 campaign, he’ll be worth a flier as a WR4/5 even though he’ll be playing catch-up after his ban.