News for Jimmy Graham - 2011 AFFL

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Sun Oct 11 201521:04Graham had three catches on five targets for 30 yards Sunday aga...
Graham had three catches on five targets for 30 yards Sunday against the Bengals.
The Seahawks' offensive line continues to struggle, which doesn't give Graham much time to get open on plays when he's running routes. He scored touchdowns in Weeks 1 and 3, but he's failed to reach even 35 passing yards in the other three games. He continues to have elite receiving skills, but quarterback Russell Wilson spreads the ball around enough that it makes it very tough to project when Graham could break out. Up next is a Week 6 home game against Carolina.
Tue Oct 6 201523:09Graham caught four passes off of five targets for 29 yards in Mo...
Graham caught four passes off of five targets for 29 yards in Monday's win over Detroit.
After almost resembling his bayou-self during last week's seven-catch performance against Chicago, Graham was kept quiet on Monday. Part of Graham's less-than-exciting start has to do with fewer passes to go around, after being part of an offense that ranked second in the league in pass attempts last season, he's on a squad that had thrown the 23rd most passes through four weeks. Even when Seattle does pass the ball, Graham is not the go-to target he was in New Orleans. Graham trails Doug Baldwin in targets and catches and Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse in yards. Graham is far and away the Seahawks' most established target, so he should remain in your lineup with the hope of more games like Week 3 and fewer like Week 4.
Sun Sep 27 201521:07Graham led Seahawks with seven receptions for 83 yards and touch...
Graham led the Seahawks with seven receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown Sunday in a win against the Bears as he was finally more involved in the offense.
The Seahawks had trouble getting the ball to Graham in the first two games, but Sunday they made him a focal point. He was targeted a team-high eight times. It's still a work in progress, and the soft Bears defense probably helped matters, but Graham should get 8-10 targets a week.
Sun Sep 27 201520:56Graham had seven receptions on eight targets for 83 yards and to...
Graham had seven receptions on eight targets for 83 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 26-0 win over the Bears.
It was a favorable matchup for Graham, and he responded with his best game of the season. After receiving eight targets in both the season opener and Sunday, it appears as though Week 2's two-look outing was the the anomaly. Russell Wilson is attempting more passes than ever before, so one would assume that Graham's role will grow. He and the Seahawks will face the Lions at home in Week 4.
Mon Sep 21 201501:09Graham caught one pass for 11 yards on two targets in Sunday's 2...
Graham caught one pass for 11 yards on two targets in Sunday's 27-17 loss to the Packers.
Eight of Russell Wilson's 30 pass attempts went to Doug Baldwin, who was the only Seattle player with more than 36 receiving yards. Graham drew a bunch of targets late in Seattle's Week 1 loss to the Rams, but his usage (or lack thereof) has been disappointing to owners so far. Although a Week 3 home game against the Bears appears quite favorable from a matchup perspective, the Seahawks may be able to get by with only a minor contribution from their passing attack.
Sun Sep 13 201521:23Graham caught six of eight targets for 51 yards and touchdown in...
Graham caught six of his eight targets for 51 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's game against the Rams.
Graham's usage will be lower in Seattle's run-first scheme than it was in his days with the Saints, but Sunday's matchup against a stout Rams front likely depressed it even further although he still put up a respectable line. He's already established himself as a red zone target for Russell Wilson, and should see plenty of looks between the 20s as well moving forward. Graham and the Seahawks will take on the Packers at Lambeau next week.
Sun Aug 30 201504:30Graham caught two passes (five targets) for 24 yards in Saturday...
Graham caught two passes (five targets) for 24 yards in Saturday's preseason game against the Chargers.
The Seattle offense mostly struggled, with both Russell Wilson and the offensive line turning in disappointing performances. It was still encouraging to see Graham targeted frequently, and he ran over a couple of defenders on one Gronkowski-like play down the sideline. He'll undoubtedly have Wilson's full attention, especially in the red zone, but no team attempted fewer passes than the Seahawks last season.
Sat Aug 15 201521:22Graham caught only target for nine-yard gain in Friday's preseas...
Graham caught his only target for a nine-yard gain in Friday's preseason opener against the Broncos.
Graham had the only official target on Russell Wilson's five dropbacks, as the other plays ended with a fumble, a scramble, a penalty and a sack. Graham and Doug Baldwin could feasibly account for the highest percentage of a team's targets by any duo in the league, but their slices will likely come from a very small pie, even if the Seahawks make a concerted effort to throw the ball more often. No team attempted fewer passes than Seattle's 454 last year.
Tue Mar 10 201516:00Jimmy Graham: Tradee To Seattle Confirmed
Graham (shoulder) will be traded to the Seahawks along with a fourth-round draft pick in exchange for center Max Unger and a first-round draft pick, FOX Sports' Jay Glazer reports.
Graham will have another interesting offseason, after last year's franchise-tag saga ended with a four-year, $40 million contract. Following a somewhat disappointing injury-plagued campaign, the 28-year-old tight end will join an offense that's far different from the one he's grown accustomed to in New Orleans. While it would seem that targets are much harder to come by in Seattle's run-heavy scheme, Graham will likely gobble up a large portion of the available looks. It'll be interesting to see how the Seahawks adjust, as the team has primarily utilized inline tight ends with strong run-blocking skills in recent seasons. Graham will never fit that bill, but it still shouldn't be too hard to keep both him and Marshawn Lynch happy and productive. The Saints now have a gaping hole in their passing game, but they at least managed to get a nice return in the shocking trade. Kenny Stills and Brandin Cooks should see more targets in Graham's absence, with 31-year-old Marques Colston now looking at slightly better odds to have a bounce-back season. Josh Hill could perhaps take over as the top tight end, but New Orleans may also opt to address the position via the draft and/or free agency.
Tue Mar 10 201515:47Jimmy Graham: Trade To Seattle In Works
The Saints and Seahawks are trying to finalize a trade that would send Graham (shoulder) and a fourth-round draft pick to Seattle in exchange for center Max Unger and a fourth-round pick, NFL.com's Ian Rapaport reports.
After signing a four-year, $40 million contract in July, Graham had a moderately disappointing season while limited by a shoulder injury. It's still unclear whether he will need offseason surgery, but an announcement should be coming within the next few weeks. If this trade does end up happening, Graham will transition from a pass-oriented offense to arguably the league's most run-heavy scheme, though Seattle would likely pass more often with a weapon of Graham's caliber to target. There also isn't a ton of competition for Russell Wilson's attention in Seattle, with Doug Baldwin the closest thing the team has to a go-to receiver.
Sat Jan 24 201521:38Jimmy Graham: Still Rehabbing Shoulder, Surgery has Been Discussed
Graham said that his shoulder feels great after three weeks of rest. He'll continue to rehab the shoulder for the next four weeks before officially determining whether or not to undergo surgery, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.
Graham didn't miss any games, but he was criticized near the end of the season for appearing to favor his injured shoulder while attempting to catch balls. The exact injury has never been revealed but it was reported to be a sprain. It appears rehab and rest may be enough to heal the injury, but until the Saints officially come to a decision on whether or not he's going to undergo surgery, some concern will remain.
Sun Dec 28 201419:33Graham had six catches on team-high nine targets for 54 yards du...
Graham had six catches on a team-high nine targets for 54 yards during Sunday's win over Tampa Bay.
Expectations were very high for Graham at the beginning of the season after he had 86 catches on 143 targets for 1,215 yards and 16 touchdowns last year, but he failed to live up to those lofty goals, especially after being severely limited in a number of games due to a shoulder injury. He had two games this season without a single catch, while failing to break the 100-yard mark after he went for 118 in Week 2. He did finish with double-digit touchdowns for the third time in the last four years, though he had only one in the last five games of the season. Graham continues to be an upper-tier fantasy tight end, and he could return to his previous totals next year if he can stay healthy.
Sun Dec 21 201420:22Graham had six catches on 10 targets for 53 yards and touchdown,...
Graham had six catches on 10 targets for 53 yards and a touchdown, but he lost a fumble at the goal line in the fourth quarter that would have brought the Saints to within six points during Sunday's 30-14 loss to the Falcons, which eliminated the Saints from playoff contention.
Replays appeared to show that Graham may have broken the plane before fumbling, but the call on the field was a fumble and there was no conclusive evidence that a touchdown was scored, so the ruling on the field stood. It would have been Graham's fourth game this season with two scores, but it ended up as only one touchdown on the day, his first since Week 12. Up next is a Week 17 matchup against the Bucs, who Graham had two catches on five targets for 36 yards against back in Week 5.
Tue Dec 16 201400:33Graham caught 5-of-7 targets for 87 yards in Monday's 31-15 win ...
Graham caught 5-of-7 targets for 87 yards in Monday's 31-15 win over the Bears.
Graham got a hand on both of the targets he couldn't haul in, with one of those coming in the end zone. Neither was an especially egregious drop, but he was pretty close to having his first big game since Week 12. Graham still managed his second-best yardage total of the season, and he draws a favorable Week 16 matchup with the Falcons. Back in Week 1, he caught 8-of-10 targets for 82 yards in a shootout loss to the Falcons.
Sun Dec 7 201422:50Graham caught three passes on 11 targets for 25 yards in Sunday'...
Graham caught three passes on 11 targets for 25 yards in Sunday's loss to the Panthers.
Unlike last week when he didn't see even a single target, Graham was targeted heavily in the Saints' lopsided loss, but his efficiency left much to be desired. The Saints' offense has been inexplicably up-and-down all year, and it's difficult to say why it's been such a struggle to get the ball Graham of late. For fantasy owners still lucky enough to still be playing for something next week, the silver lining is that Week 15 brings a favorable matchup against a Bears' defense that has really struggled in the second half of this season.
Mon Dec 1 201417:18Graham played 31 of Saints' 56 offensive snaps
Graham played 31 of the Saints' 56 offensive snaps, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
The Saints' offensive snap total was low to start, as the Steelers dominated the time of possession, but Graham's playing time was curiously curtailed, as he was out-snapped by backup tight end Ben Watson (41 snaps). The Saints' run-heavy attack - particularly in the fourth quarter - might have had something to do with Graham's low snap count, as the team attempted to salt away the clock with a double-digit fourth quarter lead. The zero-catch game likely couldn't have come at a worse time for many fantasy owners, but barring news regarding some unreported injury, fantasy owners lucky enough to still be playing next week likely won't have any choice but to roll with Graham given his immense upside in a Week 13 home game against a porous Carolina secondary.
Sun Nov 30 201421:24Graham failed to get single target during Sunday's 35-32 win ove...
Graham failed to get a single target during Sunday's 35-32 win over the Steelers.
Pittsburgh based its entire game plan on keeping the ball out of Graham's hands, and while they succeeded on that front, they failed everywhere else against the pass, as quarterback Drew Brees threw five touchdowns, all to different players. That certainly doesn't make fantasy owners feel any better after Graham put up a donut in a vitally important week in the fantasy schedule, though maybe opponents will realize that stopping Graham doesn't mean stopping the Saints. He'll look to bounce back in Week 14 against the Panthers, who have allowed the fifth-most receiving touchdowns this season.
Tue Nov 25 201402:13Graham caught 6-of-10 targets for 47 yards and two touchdowns in...
Graham caught 6-of-10 targets for 47 yards and two touchdowns in Monday's 34-27 loss to the Ravens.
Graham was largely contained for a second straight week, only this time he managed to score two touchdowns, bringing his season-long total to nine. He While opponents have done a nice job of limiting him to shorter gains this season, Graham is still on pace for 95 receptions and 13 touchdowns, which is about what was expected before the season. His pace for 974 receiving yards would leave him well short of last season's 1,215, as he has surprisingly recorded just 10.3 yards per catch.
Mon Nov 17 201409:28Graham caught three passes on three targets for 29 yards in Sund...
Graham caught three passes on three targets for 29 yards in Sunday's loss to the Bengals.
Graham took a huge shot from Bengals' safety George Iloka early in the game and was seen cradling his arm as he left the field. He returned to the field soon thereafter but he was mainly held in check, with the rest of the Saints' offense likewise struggling as the Bengals' offense did an outstanding job controlling the clock and limiting possessions. Despite the underwhelming output, Graham remains one of the elite tight end options in the game, and he should have a better go of it in a Monday night tilt against the Ravens in Week 12.
Sun Nov 9 201418:43Graham (shoulder) had 10 catches on 13 targets for 76 yards and ...
Graham (shoulder) had 10 catches on 13 targets for 76 yards and two touchdowns Sunday against the 49ers.
Graham almost had a third touchdown on a 47-yard Hail Mary at the end of regulation, but he was called for offensive pass interference thanks to a slight push on cornerback Perrish Cox. After being heavily limited a few weeks ago due to his shoulder injury, Graham seems fully over it, catching 22 passes on 26 targets for 218 yards and four touchdowns over the last three games. Up next is a Bengals defense ranked in the bottom-half of the league against the pass this season.
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