Upside by Chase Stuart
Sure many of us got burned by the disappointing 2003 season of Plaxico Burress, but don't expect a repeat in 2004. For starters, Burress is in a contract year, which should give him all the motivation he needs for a big year and a big payday (additionally, this virtually guarantees that he won't hold out for very long, if at all). In 2002, Burress hauled in 1,325 yards, while the rest of the Steelers passing attack totaled 2,711. A year ago however, while the rest of Pittsburgh caught nearly the same (2,688 yards), the former Spartan managed just 860 yards. This tells me that there's still a lot of room for improvement in Burress' numbers, and he's certainly not being overtaken by anyone. Yes Hines Ward is the number one receiver, and he's clearly been the better WR the past two years than Burress, but that's not a knock on the former top ten pick. Having a superstar WR playing opposite you will alleviate the double coverage and secondary shifts that most athletes like Burress generally see. Having single coverage on a 6'5 talent like Burress could spell doom for opposing defenses.

Burress may not be likable, but don't let that cloud your judgment. The offensive line play was horrendous in Pittsburgh last year but all accounts point to improved play in 2004. While decimated by injury before the season even began, a healthy offensive line still ranks above average: it's essentially the same group that the passing game thrived with in 2002. Poor line play likely contributed to the decreased the number of long passes Burress could haul in, lowering his YPC (by 2.7) and his total receptions (by eighteen). Duce Staley should help provide balance to the offense, which ranked dead last in yards per carry a season ago. Burress is a safe pick for 2004-he's going to be no worse than a solid number 3 WR, which is how he played last year. Lastly, don't worry much about the loss of OC Mike Mularkey-Pittsburgh went in house and promoted former TE coach Ken Whisenhunt.

Downside by Aaron Rudnicki
Plaxico Burress is the ultimate tease. He does just enough to get you excited and believing that he's finally turned the corner, but then turns around and stinks up the joint. In 2002, the Steelers offense had a great season with Tommy Maddox finally living up to all the expectations people had for him when he was drafted. He almost single-handedly turned the Steelers from a run-dominated team to a pass happy attack, effortlessly spreading the ball all over the field. Burress averaged nearly 17 yards per catch that year and looked like the light had finally turned on and he was going to become the star everybody expected him to be.

But then 2003 happened. With the same QB, same offensive system, and generally the same skill players surrounding him, he went out and played terribly. His receptions dropped by 18, his yardage decreased by 465, and his TDs dropped nearly in half. He played in every game, but was only a worthwhile starter in about half of those games, including only 1 TD in his first 12 games. Despite projections for a top-10 or even top-5 finish, most owners were devastated when he ended up as the 28th ranked WR.

Now this year, with free agency looming in 2005, he has decided to skip all offseason practice sessions and will only show up when he is contractually obligated to attend. The Steelers have lost several key components of their offensive coaching staff and plan to move back to a more run-oriented offense that focuses on ball control. These are not good signs and it is likely Plaxico will fall further behind in the team's offensive plans. He's talented enough to be a quality fantasy WR but he doesn't quite have the motivation or the work ethic to ever reach his full potential, unlike Ward who gets the absolute most out of his abilities. In short, Plaxico is a waste of talent that will continue to disappoint his fantasy owners.