Brandon Lloyd trade can help Rams, fantasy owners -- but Broncos?

Brandon Lloyd wasn't having a great season for Denver; no one catching the ball for the Broncos is. (Eric Decker's four touchdowns is a pretty good stat for fantasy football owners, but it hasn't helped his real-life team much.)

Still, there are a number of reasons why Lloyd's  trade to the St. Louis Rams for a conditional 2012 draft pick on Monday doesn't appear to make a lot of sense -- at least for the Broncos. Lloyd led the league with 1,448 receiving yards last season and was second-best on the team in that category this season. The Broncos' well-documented struggles at quarterback this season may have had a lot to do with his slow start (19 catches for 283 yards and no touchdowns in four games).

Plus, the Broncos are switching from Kyle Orton to second-year Tim Tebow at quarterback this week, and a nine-year veteran and former Pro Bowl player like Lloyd seemingly would be a good person to have around -- especially since Tebow's top two targets are now Decker and Demaryius Thomas, with a combined three years playing experience between them.

It just seems like an odd move for a team making such a big change at quarterback and looking to salvage a 1-4 season. Of course, Lloyd is in the final year of his contract, so at least the Broncos got something for him while they could. And the deadline isn't here yet -- maybe the Broncos, who happen to have a former starting quarterback they no longer use, have a few more moves up their sleeve.

The move might be a good one for both the 0-5 Rams, who needed another downfield threat for their banged-up offense, and Lloyd, who will be reunited with former Broncos coach and current St. Louis offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

Plus, Lloyd is going to a team that passes more than any other in the NFL (although the guy throwing those passes, Sam Bradford, has a high left ankle sprain and may not play against Dallas on Sunday). So fantasy football owners with Lloyd on their teams stand to benefit as well.

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-- Chuck Schilken

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photo: Oakland Raiders defensive back Chris Johnson tackles Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Lloyd as he fumbles the ball. Credit: Ron Chenoy / US Presswire