Scott Verplank

Verplank played only nine events last season due to a hip injury, so he should qualify for a medical extension this year. Verplank's best days are behind him, but if he's healthy, he should have no problem crushing his number from last season. Verplank's price is a drop in the bucket in salary cap leagues, so you might as well grab him. In draft leagues, he'll likely go undrafted.

Father time apparently caught up with Scott Verplank. He put up a good fight, but at age 47, he's beginning to show some cracks. Last year they came in the form of a wrist injury and Verplank missed much of the first few months of the season. He also was forced to withdraw from his final event of the season, and things don't look promising heading into this season. Often, players who have injuries late in the year will play a late-season event to test themselves, but Verplank wasn't even able to do that. Verplank has been a heck of a player the last decade, but the slow decline has already started, and there's little reason to think he can summon one last run. Verplank's name still registers with many who follow the game, so someone likely will reach for him this season.

Nearing age 47, Verplank's better days might be behind him. Now, he could pull an incredible season out of his hat as he approaches age 50 - it's been done before - but it doesn't seem likely. But even though improvement is not likely, a major decline seems unlikely as well. Verplank is simply too consistent to fall off dramatically. He ranks among the most accurate drivers off the tee, and that shouldn't change for the foreseeable future. He's also an above-average putter.

Verplank has been all over the map the last five seasons, which makes projecting his upcoming season difficult. The good news is that although Verplank's final numbers have not been consistent the last five seasons, he has still been productive in fantasy terms. Verplank's upside seems to be shrinking, as he earned just over $2 million last year. Verplank is not the type who is going to fall off rapidly, though his regression will likely be gradual. There is not a lot of value in this pick, but Verplank is guaranteed to produce at a decent level, which cannot be said for every player near this spot on the money list.

Verplank did not play his best golf last season, but he did finish strong, which makes him an interesting pick for 2009. Verplank has spent most of the last 10 years earning over $2 million each year. He should find his way back to that level in 2009.

Scott Verplank was trudging along last season until he flipped a switch at the Byron Nelson Classic. After winning that event he went onto earn six more top-10s in the following nine events. Verplank is getting up there in age, which means his ceiling might be limited though. Prior to last season his earning range was around $2.5 million. Look for a number closer to that this season.

Verplank remains one of the most consistent players on tour, but it seems as though he's losing some of his bite. By that I mean he's seriously contending less and less. After consecutive runner-up finishes to start the 2006 season, Verlpank only challenged once more the rest of the year. It looks like Verplank might be slowly fading away.

Verplank has a consistent year in 2005. He did not win, but he finished with two runner-ups and five top-10s. Usually I am all over a player who is coming off a year like this, but Verplank might be on the downside of his career, and the slide might start this year. This prediction is a little dangerous because it is a Ryder Cup year, and we all now how much Verplank wants to get back onto the team, but he might not have the game this year. He finished in the top-10 in putting and driving accuracy last year, feats he'll have to match to earn more than $2.5 million again this year.

Verplank certainly was a bargain for those who had him last year, but his year could have been so much better. Verplank had many good final rounds to eat up eight Top 10s, but his year may have swung on a final round 74 at the HP Classic, a tourney that he had well in hand going into Sunday. Verplank is solid in three phases; accuracy, GIR, and putting, only lacking the distance department. We like the fact that this guy has a well-rounded game, and look for some improvement this year over last season's $2,306,714.