vancejohnson82
07-26-2007, 09:28 AM
The ESPN Fantasy Hall of Fame that is:
By Scott Engel
After the 1996 season, the Denver Broncos parted ways with veteran wide receiver Anthony Miller and looked for a new pass-catcher to step forward alongside Ed McCaffrey. No one expected much from Rod Smith as the 1997 season approached.
Smith had hooked on with the Broncos in 1994 as an undrafted free agent out of Missouri Southern, and he spent his rookie season on the practice squad. He saw a lot of action on special teams in 1995 and was inactive for the first six games of the 1996 season because of a collarbone injury. He did get to operate as the Broncos' third receiver when he returned to action in '96, but he finished the year with only 16 receptions for 237 yards. Smith totaled only 22 receptions in his first two NFL seasons and had missed significant time in only his second year. So, he wasn't on the radar of most fantasy players as they drafted in the summer of 1997.
The opportunity was there for Smith to become a more prominent player, though, and he wasted no time in gaining the confidence of the legendary John Elway. He opened the season with five receptions for 122 yards against Kansas City, including a 78-yarder. Smith instantly became a hot free-agent addition in many fantasy leagues and rewarded his new owners quickly. In Week 3, he tallied 126 receiving yards and two touchdowns, with the scores covering 72 and 38 yards. The following week, he once again found pay dirt twice. Smith then went on to total 130 receiving yards against the Patriots in Week 6 and 100 yards in Week 10 against Seattle, including a 59-yard touchdown reception. Smith, listed at 6-feet and 200 pounds, was a unique package of size, speed, and strength who showed he had learned a lot about the pro game in his first three years on the sidelines. He was ready to take on top defensive backs on a weekly basis.
Smith became a favorite of fantasy owners as he continued to play well during the stretch run of the regular season and delivered critical outings during fantasy playoff weeks. In Weeks 13 through 15, he scored four touchdowns, and in the final game of the season he posted his fourth two-touchdown game of the season.
When it was over, Smith had started all 16 regular-season games for Denver and finished with 70 catches for 1,180 yards. His 12 touchdowns tied for the AFC lead. His 16.9 yards-per-catch ranked third in the NFL. His six 100-yard games were the second-highest total in Broncos' history. The yardage and touchdown totals were the third-highest marks in Broncos' history at the time.
Smith has gone on to play nine more mostly impressive seasons since his unforgettable breakthrough campaign in 1997. Today, he is the only undrafted free agent to ever reach the 10,000-yard receiving mark, and as he enters the 2007 season, he holds the Broncos' franchise records for receptions (849), receiving yards (11,389) and touchdown receptions (68). He also has set Broncos standards with eight 1,000-yard receiving seasons and 31 100-yard receiving games to date; not bad for a guy who went undrafted at the beginning of his NFL career and in most fantasy leagues in 1997. Rod Smith is truly one of the great sleepers in fantasy football history.
By Scott Engel
After the 1996 season, the Denver Broncos parted ways with veteran wide receiver Anthony Miller and looked for a new pass-catcher to step forward alongside Ed McCaffrey. No one expected much from Rod Smith as the 1997 season approached.
Smith had hooked on with the Broncos in 1994 as an undrafted free agent out of Missouri Southern, and he spent his rookie season on the practice squad. He saw a lot of action on special teams in 1995 and was inactive for the first six games of the 1996 season because of a collarbone injury. He did get to operate as the Broncos' third receiver when he returned to action in '96, but he finished the year with only 16 receptions for 237 yards. Smith totaled only 22 receptions in his first two NFL seasons and had missed significant time in only his second year. So, he wasn't on the radar of most fantasy players as they drafted in the summer of 1997.
The opportunity was there for Smith to become a more prominent player, though, and he wasted no time in gaining the confidence of the legendary John Elway. He opened the season with five receptions for 122 yards against Kansas City, including a 78-yarder. Smith instantly became a hot free-agent addition in many fantasy leagues and rewarded his new owners quickly. In Week 3, he tallied 126 receiving yards and two touchdowns, with the scores covering 72 and 38 yards. The following week, he once again found pay dirt twice. Smith then went on to total 130 receiving yards against the Patriots in Week 6 and 100 yards in Week 10 against Seattle, including a 59-yard touchdown reception. Smith, listed at 6-feet and 200 pounds, was a unique package of size, speed, and strength who showed he had learned a lot about the pro game in his first three years on the sidelines. He was ready to take on top defensive backs on a weekly basis.
Smith became a favorite of fantasy owners as he continued to play well during the stretch run of the regular season and delivered critical outings during fantasy playoff weeks. In Weeks 13 through 15, he scored four touchdowns, and in the final game of the season he posted his fourth two-touchdown game of the season.
When it was over, Smith had started all 16 regular-season games for Denver and finished with 70 catches for 1,180 yards. His 12 touchdowns tied for the AFC lead. His 16.9 yards-per-catch ranked third in the NFL. His six 100-yard games were the second-highest total in Broncos' history. The yardage and touchdown totals were the third-highest marks in Broncos' history at the time.
Smith has gone on to play nine more mostly impressive seasons since his unforgettable breakthrough campaign in 1997. Today, he is the only undrafted free agent to ever reach the 10,000-yard receiving mark, and as he enters the 2007 season, he holds the Broncos' franchise records for receptions (849), receiving yards (11,389) and touchdown receptions (68). He also has set Broncos standards with eight 1,000-yard receiving seasons and 31 100-yard receiving games to date; not bad for a guy who went undrafted at the beginning of his NFL career and in most fantasy leagues in 1997. Rod Smith is truly one of the great sleepers in fantasy football history.