At first glance, you wouldn’t see too many similarities between Moss, a speedy, burner type of wide receiver and Jackson, the tall, lanky leaper.  However, when you look a little more closely, you will see they share a couple of situations that have affected their numbers: Both play in run-heavy offenses and  both have a superstar tight end robbing them of opportunities... 
 

Moss, a player who has suffered numerous nagging injuries over the years, played all 16 games for just the third time in his career last season.  While his receptions per game average held steady (he recorded less than four receptions in a game only twice), his yardage numbers were very “feast or famine”.  Still, if you played him in any of the three games last year where he recorded at least 140 yards, chances are you were pretty happy with him.  Jackson may not have been as prolific as Moss was in terms of catches (he caught 59 balls compared to Moss’ 79), but his 18.6 Yards Per Catch average was among the tops in the league.  He also notched three 100+ yard games and seven touchdowns, quite an accomplishment when you take into account that, coming into last season, Jackson was perhaps the fourth best option for quarterback Phillip Rivers to throw to behind LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates and Chris Chambers.
 

This year, Jackson will join Moss in the ranks of those considered to be the WR1 for their teams.  Other than that fact, though, some of the circumstances that have suppressed their numbers will still be in place.
 

So, who’s the smarter bet to overcome those odds, now and for the future?

REDRAFT CONSIDERATIONS:

Moss is utilized as a long range weapon by Washington as evidenced by the fact that only eight of the 24 touchdowns he has scored as a Redskin have been thrown from inside the opponent’s 20 yard line.  Therefore, while he is valuable in leagues that reward big plays, the fact that he is not often a Red Zone option means that his touchdown totals will probably never break double digits again as they did in 2003 when he was with the New York Jets.  Another worrying situation for his owners is the fact that, at least as of now, Jason Campbell is still the starting quarterback.  Campbell’s Yard Per Attempt average is 6.4, which places him among the worst of all starting quarterbacks, so Moss really won’t be able to take advantage of his speed as often as he could with a stronger arm throwing him the ball.  Despite these issue, though, Moss is still productive enough to be considered a WR2 in fantasy.  You’ll need to think about taking him by no later than the fifth round.
 

Jackson has steadily improved since he came into the league three years ago and is on the cusp of becoming an excellent fantasy receiver.  However, he may have to wait for both LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates to experience a decline in their individual productions to ultimately take that step.  Gates has been the Chargers’ leading receiver every season since Philip Rivers took over the offense and Tomlinson finished last season with only seven fewer receptions than Jackson did (despite being hampered by injuries).  Jackson also produced just six games last year where he recorded more than five catches and was unproductive in several others, so he’ll definitely need to improve his consistency before he is spoken of as a true fantasy WR1.  However, the Chargers certainly recognize his potential, so he should be drafted as a WR2.  He also won't last beyond the fifth round.

KEEPER/DYNASTY CONSIDERATIONS:

Moss will turn 30 in June and, while that’s certainly not ancient, it’s difficult to imagine him improving upon his current season highs in the future.  Washington has never been able to find a sufficient complement to play the other receiving position and, until they do, he will continue to see double teams.  Also, as long as Clinton Portis is around, the Redskins will constantly pound the ball with him and Moss will find his chances limited.  His fortunes could improve if the team is able to procure a quarterback who can take advantage of his downfield ability.  However, Father Time and his inability to stay consistently healthy both indicate that Moss is just not a very good long term option.
 

On the other hand, Jackson’s future is exceptionally bright in most areas.  His talent has really started to emerge and, at only 26 years of age, he is still short of reaching his prime.  He has the size and the ability to, one day, be a dominating force in this league.  What may be of concern to Dynasty owners, however, is Jackson’s propensity for getting into trouble off the field (he has already racked up two Driving Under the Influence charges in his short career).  If he doesn’t change his ways, he may end up wasting his potential as so many others have.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Unless you play in a ridiculously shallow league, it’s difficult to collect three true WR1 candidates.  Most likely, that third slot will be filled by a guy who has the occasional big game, but for the most part, you won’t know what you’re getting from him week to week.  Right now, because of their circumstances, both Moss and Jackson fall into that category.
 

Over the long term, though, there’s no doubt that Jackson is the guy you want to have.  Put it this way: Even if everything else was equal, Moss will eventually lose his best asset (his speed) while Jackson will always be 6'5 with the ability to come down with red zone touchdowns and jump balls.  It’s always better to get an ascending star rather than one that is sure to fall sooner rather than later.

REDRAFT EDGE:  PUSH

KEEPER/DYNASTY EDGE: Jackson
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