The NFL season is finally ready to start on Thursday night with the Denver Broncos and the Baltimore Ravens and with all teams in the league looking to have great seasons, some players will have an incentive to do so due to contract years, including Jimmy Graham, Hakeem Nicks, Darren McFadden, James Jones, Golden Tate and Jermichael Finley.
Often times players have their best seasons in contract years and both fantasy and reality owners will be looking for solid performances from all those above, including Hakeem Nicks for the New York Giants. The team re-signed Victor Cruz to a big contract in the offseason and now Nicks is next in line, but coming off of an injury plagued year, the team may wait and see if he can stay healthy. Eli Manning and the Giants need Nicks to be on the field, as they missed the playoffs last season without him.
Cruz and Reuben Randle are very good options to have, but not if Nicks isn't on the field, as Cruz will be double teamed plenty. Cruz will get plenty of looks after signing his extension, but nicks could be the one having the huge year, as he knows he has a contract coming up and he could bust out big if he plays in 14-15 games. Some other players that are entering contract years that could be prime players includes Jimmy Graham and Darren McFadden.
Graham has been one of the best tight ends in football not named Rob Gronkowski and since he now has a six-year, $54 million contract, Graham knows a pay day could be in the future after he has 184 receptions and 20 touchdowns over the past two seasons with a tight end leading 2,292 yards and he could be in for a big year with Drew Brees in 2013.
In 2011 he had 99 receptions, 1,310 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns and while his numbers dipped to 85 receptions, 982 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 2012, he still should be very productive this season. Eric Decker is heading into a contract year and he has been very good for the Broncos, but after signing Wes Welker, they likely could afford to let him go next season after he made 85 receptions, 1,064 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns last year, but the team likely will want to hang onto him. The team also will have to balance out signing Demaryius Thomas, a similar situation the Giants have with Cruz and Nicks.
Darren McFadden and Golden Tate both are interesting players this season, especially McFadden, as he has been injury prone and will need to prove he can be healthy and productive before getting signed. McFadden has played in over 13 games just once and rushed for over 1,000 yards once, but this season he could be in for some prime production if he can stay healthy.
