I don’t believe that the average fantasy football owner knows just how good Pierre Garcon was in 2012. Much of that can be attributed to the nagging toe injury that 
plagued him for a good portion of the season. However, when he was on the field you were looking at a sure-fire number one receiver.
In Week 1, despite succumbing to injury after just one quarter, he pulled in all four of his targets for 109 yards and a touchdown. His fantasy owners could find solace in the fact he made the most of those fifteen minutes of football, but they had little time to celebrate their potential stud receiver.
Ultimately, the toe rendered him useless as a fantasy option for the following ten weeks. He was stuck on the sidelines for Weeks 2 and 3 before attempting to play in Weeks 4 and 5, in which he was only able to muster 4 catches for 44 yards. He then returned to the sidelines, where he was a spectator for another four games. After the Redskins’ bye week, he was able to shake off some rust in limited playing time versus the Eagles in Week 11. By that time he was already traded, dropped and cursed by countless of his fantasy owners.
The fantasy owners that were able to maintain faith and those who were savvy enough to snag him off the waiver wire were rewarded. Garcon’s long awaited welcome back party finally took place in Week 12; he totaled 86 yards and a touchdown on 4 receptions, while also adding a 7-yard run. Over the final five weeks, he went on to average 9.2 targets, 5.8 receptions, and 77.8 yards, which if extrapolated over a full season would translate to 93 receptions and 1,245 yards. Those numbers would have ranked 8th and 12th respectively among wide receivers.
That may be a small sample size, but by looking at his career statistics you’ll notice his career trajectory has been pointed upward ever since he broke into the NFL:
|
Year |
Age |
Team |
Games Played |
Targets |
Receptions |
Yards |
TDs |
|
2008 |
22 |
Colts |
14 |
4 |
4 |
23 |
0 |
|
2009 |
23 |
Colts |
14 |
91 |
47 |
765 |
4 |
|
2010 |
24 |
Colts |
14 |
119 |
67 |
784 |
6 |
|
2011 |
25 |
Colts |
16 |
134 |
70 |
947 |
6 |
|
2012 |
26 |
Redskins |
10 |
67 |
44 |
633 |
4 |
His targets, receptions and yards all increased in each of his first four seasons. The biggest testament to his skill may have been posting career high totals in 2011 while working with a quarterback carousel consisting of Kerry Collins, Curtis Painter and Dan Orlovsky. His production in the playoffs also alludes to his penchant for stepping up in big games.
In his four playoff games he has averaged 9.0 targets, 6.0 receptions, and 82.6 yards while reaching the end zone three times. Those averages are eerily consistent with his averages over the final five weeks in 2012, which provides further reason for Garcon being able to meet those numbers.
Surgery on his toe is still being considered, which leads me to believe he continued to fight through the injury even after returning to the starting lineup. A healthy Garcon could very easily post numbers close to those extrapolations over the course of a full 2013 season, which would plant him squarely in WR1 territory.
And not only will Garcon be a valuable asset for your fantasy team, the following table illustrates just how beneficial he is to the Redskins’ overall success:
|
Regular Season |
Passing Offense |
Total Offense |
Points-Per-Game |
Record |
| With Garcon Active |
229.0 YPG |
394.6 YPG |
29.1 PPG |
9-1 |
| With Garcon Inactive |
188.3 YPG |
364.5 YPG |
24.2 PPG |
1-5 |
His presence seemingly helped out across the board, but the most staggering statistic is the difference in the win-loss column. I’m sure Mike Shanahan has taken note of that and will do his best to keep him healthy and involved.
If you’re worried about Robert Griffin III’s health, you can breathe a deep sigh of relief. After connecting with Garcon on a critical touchdown near the end of regulation versus the Ravens, Kirk Cousin’s targeted Garcon a season high, 12 times, during his start versus the Browns. So keep Pierre Garcon’s name in mind when your drafts roll around because no matter who is under center, expect him to play a pivotal role.
Kyle Wachtel writes for ForensicFantasy.com and can be followed on Twitter at @KyleWachtel
      
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[...] I don’t believe that the average fantasy football owner knows just how good Pierre Garcon was in 2012. Much of that can be attributed to the nagging toe injury that plagued him for a good portion of the season. However, when he was on the field you were looking at a sure-fire number one receiver. In Week 1, despite succumbing to injury after just one… Read Full Article on FantasyTaz.com. [...]
I hate when you guys blow the lid off one of my secrets. I drafted him in my Dyno’s everywhere last year. Sure, I took a beating early but love him going forward.
Garcon was a big help to my teams last year and less frustrating to own than many injured players because I knew when not to start him. Hope he continues to get no respect, because Garcon is currently undervalued by many “experts.” We’ll have the last laugh, I think!
Various forms of football can be identified in history, often as popular peasant games. Contemporary codes of football can be traced back to the codification of these games at English public schools in the eighteenth and nineteenth century..^
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