Brandon Lloyd Trade – Fantasy Winners/Losers
Alex Dunlap, Rosterwatch.com 

The Denver Broncos traded star WR Brandon Lloyd to the St. Louis Rams Monday. Here we analyze the winners and losers of this transition based on expected fantasy production moving forward.

Broncos Winners:

WR Demayrius Thomas – Thomas has not played a snap this season, but is slated to return in Week 7. He has the body of a number 1 NFL WR and seemed poised last season to begin breaking out with big games more frequently. He also has the “second team connection” with Tim Tebow and familiarity breeds fantasy production in these situations, at least during the intial time of transition. See Colts WR Pierre Garcon’s production as QB Curtis Painter was becoming acclimated to being a starter for an example from this season. Sources close to the Broncos organization feel that the team’s confidence in Thomas moving forward was a prime impetus for their desire to ship Lloyd.

WR Eric Decker – Although he will be drawing more attention from opposing secondaries with Lloyd gone, he is going to be the #1 WR threat for the foreseeable future, unless Demayrius Thomas bursts onto the scene as the Broncos hope. He and Tebow did not have the chemistry that Tebow and Lloyd seemed to share, and this move forces that connection to begin to develop in a more expedient manner.

TE Julius Thomas- Rookie Julius Thomas was all the talk of Broncos preseason camp, and is an athletic receiving TE. He suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 2, but will return in Week 7 after the bye. A steady receiving TE is the best friend of an inexperienced QB, and we see his arrow pointing upwards given this move.

Broncos Losers:

QB Tim Tebow – Tebow has lost his best WR, and the player with whom he seemed to have the best chemistry. As far as fantasy production goes, though- This is not too big a hit. Fantasy owners who picked up Tebow did so for his ability to generate production on the ground, and his distinct suitability to vulture goal-line carries.

Rams Winners:

QB Sam Bradford – Sam Bradford gets an impressive new toy right as the Rams schedule begins to soften up after facing a murderer’s row of an early season schedule. The transition should be minimal in that offense as Brandon Lloyd was the league’s leading WR in yards from scrimmage last season under head coach Josh McDaniels, who is now the Rams offensive coordinator. This is not a Randy Moss mid-season deal. Lloyd understands and flourishes in McDaniels’ offense, and Bradford is a better pure QB than Kyle Orton.

Rams Losers:

WR Mike Sims Walker- Dude’s out of a job, literally. Lloyd’s arrival led the Rams to waiving Sims-Walker today. Biggest Loser. Not in a fat-camp-good way, either.

WR Danario Alexander- The guy seemed to be headed towards taking over the #1WR spot in St. Louis, but toss those hopes out the window now.