Derrick Ward a Buc

So you may have caught that Derrick Ward has found a home in Tampa Bay where he and the team agreed to terms on a four-year, $17 million contract with $6 million guaranteed.

So what does this mean? Well, Ernest Graham is going to see less carries this season and Caddy might completely get cut. Even if he isn't, he's about to become odd man out anyway and thios cements his lack of value even in redraft.

Caddy has had a long road back and some horrific luck - I wish him well but if you are a fantasy footballer, he's not worth keeping.

From a pure football standpoint, this should work out well. Ward can run in a zone-block scheme which is what Tampa will run. He has been productive in split carries and could carry more of the load. The oline for the Bucs is young but very good. If they can do the zone-block thing well, he's apt to see a ton of work. Graham will get carries but they never completely bought into his bid to become a full time bell cow.

Now the biggest question will be, who is throwing the ball? and depending upon who, how much 8 man in a box will Ward see?

How effective he is - especially if he wants to repeat that excellent YPC average - may depend upon how honest the QB can keep the defense.