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Be The GM: Fitzgerald Vs. Willis

Authored by Andrew Perna - 12th August, 2009 - 2:00 pm

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Wednesday's matchup features one of the NFL's hottest players, Arizona receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

His opponent, San Francisco linebacker Patrick Willis, isn't as popular or marketable, but the 24-year-old is a cornerstone in his own right.

For the third straight day, at the heart of the battle is the age old debate -- offense or defense.

Why Fitzgerald Is A Franchise Player

Fitzgerald is a true game-changer, and he thrust himself onto the national stage with a record-setting playoff run in 2008. He has posted more than 1,400 yards and ten touchdowns in three of the last four seasons and has never contributed fewer than 780 yards and six scores in his five-year career.

He led the NFL in receptions (103) in 2005 and touchdowns (12) in 2008.

While it's true that the Cardinals feature an aerial-based attack, Fitzgerald is the kind of player that would flourish in any offense. He was a force even before Kurt Warner entrenched himself in Arizona, putting up strong numbers with Josh McCown throwing the ball in 2004 and part of 2005.

The only strong argument against Fitzgerald in this tournament is his position. Of the 32 players in the field, only three are wide receivers. No. 11 can't throw the ball, hold the opposing team in check and trot into the end zone all by himself. However, his mere presence makes the rest of the offense breathe easier.

Why Willis Is A Franchise Player

Willis only has two years of experience under his belt, but has already established himself as one of football's best defenders. He's yet to miss a game for the 49ers and already has 315 total tackles in his brief career.

If San Francisco had been a better team in recent years, Willis may very well be one of the league's brightest young stars. Unfortunately, they have gotten more attention for fights in practice and rookie holdouts already this summer.

He truly is a special player and is the kind of defensive anchor that the 49ers can build around. They haven't done that yet, but Mike Singletary, in theory, is the right kind of coach to get the best out of Willis.

Much like Fitzgerald, the linebacker is talented enough to produce effectively on any team and in any system. Singletary paid Willis the ultimate complement when he mentioned him in the same sentence as Ray Lewis. If he stays healthy, he has a very real chance to be dominant over the next decade.

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Andrew Perna is Deputy Editor of RealGM.com and co-host of RealGM's Radio Show. Please feel free to contact him with comments or questions via e-mail: Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com

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