By Ralph Mancini, NFL Draft Bible
There are two types of fantasy football enthusiasts, the ones who draft their players with the mindset that they will live and die with them and there are those who love living on the edge. If you’re one of those who enjoy walking on the wild side and treat the game as one continuous “buy and sell” venture in the effort of progressively reinforcing your team, you’re probably already scheming on the numerous trade possibilities that could seriously give you a leg-up on the competition.
Trading up or down in the draft order is only recommended if you know how your league drafts. Knowing the tendencies of others will help you determine whether the player you’re targeting will be available once you’ve made the exchange. But once draft day has come and gone, all bets are off. It’s now time to scour everyone’s personnel and start zeroing in on proven commodities that are sometimes taken for granted.
Take Tampa Bay’s Joey Galloway for instance. The grizzled 36-year-old put up another 1,000-yard season in 2006 despite catching passes from the inexperienced and underwhelming Bruce Gradkowski for most of the year. The noted speedster may be reaching the twilight of his career, but he still possesses the skills that have made him one of the better deep threats over the past 10 years. With new quarterback Jeff Garcia at the helm, Galloway will have many more opportunities to flash his big play ability and make defenses look silly.
Deion Branch is another undervalued wide out flying under the radar. With Darrell Jackson running routes in San Francisco, Branch now headlines Seattle’s wide receiver corps and things are looking very promising in the early going. The former Patriot has established good chemistry with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and has reportedly been uncoverable in practice. To his credit, Branch claims to have completely absorbed Seattle’s offensive scheme and is now just reacting rather than thinking his way through his routes.
The time to make a bid for these players is before the start of the regular season. Once they take off and start putting up numbers, their respective values will rise and your opportunity to trade for them fades. By the same token, the preseason is also a most propitious time to unload overhyped players whose considerable name value isn’t commensurate with their true fantasy potential. Sit too long on them and everyone will come to realize that these emperors are running around naked.
If Edgerrin James is on your roster, it may be a good idea to see if you can upgrade your team via the trade route. The Arizona Cardinals are once again one of the league’s offseason darlings and with a run oriented coaching staff on board, many seem to think that ole’ gold teeth is due to experience a renaissance and recapture some of his past glory.
Even if this year’s offensive line looks to be improved with newcomers Al Johnson and Levi Brown in the starting lineup, James showed no signs of being gamebreaker last year with his longest run going for a paltry 18 yards and so far this summer, he has looked rather sluggish. James recently mentioned that he’s gunning for Emmitt Smith’s all time record for rushing yards, but if last year’s 3.4 yards per carry average is any indication, the 29-year-old may need to play into his 40s to come within sniffing distance of his desired goal.
The prospects for second-year signal caller Vince Young are a bit more optimistic, but to expect him to perform like a top-ten quarterback may be too much to ask this early in his career. Unless you’re in a keeper league, it won’t hurt to see what Young can garner in a trade. For all his physical gifts, Young has yet to prove that he can beat defenses by standing in the pocket and throwing the ball. The departure of running back Travis Henry is sure to make life more hectic under center for the two-time Rose Bowl MVP. This isn’t to say that Young won’t be making any jaw-dropping plays this year, but it should serve as a warning to temper your expectations of him.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
The Art Of The Early Deal
By Ralph Mancini, NFL Draft Bible
There are two types of fantasy football enthusiasts, the ones who draft their players with the mindset that they will live and die with them and there are those who love living on the edge. If you’re one of those who enjoy walking on the wild side and treat the game as one continuous “buy and sell” venture in the effort of progressively reinforcing your team, you’re probably already scheming on the numerous trade possibilities that could seriously give you a leg-up on the competition.
Trading up or down in the draft order is only recommended if you know how your league drafts. Knowing the tendencies of others will help you determine whether the player you’re targeting will be available once you’ve made the exchange. But once draft day has come and gone, all bets are off. It’s now time to scour everyone’s personnel and start zeroing in on proven commodities that are sometimes taken for granted.
Take Tampa Bay’s Joey Galloway for instance. The grizzled 36-year-old put up another 1,000-yard season in 2006 despite catching passes from the inexperienced and underwhelming Bruce Gradkowski for most of the year. The noted speedster may be reaching the twilight of his career, but he still possesses the skills that have made him one of the better deep threats over the past 10 years. With new quarterback Jeff Garcia at the helm, Galloway will have many more opportunities to flash his big play ability and make defenses look silly.
Deion Branch is another undervalued wide out flying under the radar. With Darrell Jackson running routes in San Francisco, Branch now headlines Seattle’s wide receiver corps and things are looking very promising in the early going. The former Patriot has established good chemistry with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and has reportedly been uncoverable in practice. To his credit, Branch claims to have completely absorbed Seattle’s offensive scheme and is now just reacting rather than thinking his way through his routes.
The time to make a bid for these players is before the start of the regular season. Once they take off and start putting up numbers, their respective values will rise and your opportunity to trade for them fades. By the same token, the preseason is also a most propitious time to unload overhyped players whose considerable name value isn’t commensurate with their true fantasy potential. Sit too long on them and everyone will come to realize that these emperors are running around naked.
If Edgerrin James is on your roster, it may be a good idea to see if you can upgrade your team via the trade route. The Arizona Cardinals are once again one of the league’s offseason darlings and with a run oriented coaching staff on board, many seem to think that ole’ gold teeth is due to experience a renaissance and recapture some of his past glory.
Even if this year’s offensive line looks to be improved with newcomers Al Johnson and Levi Brown in the starting lineup, James showed no signs of being gamebreaker last year with his longest run going for a paltry 18 yards and so far this summer, he has looked rather sluggish. James recently mentioned that he’s gunning for Emmitt Smith’s all time record for rushing yards, but if last year’s 3.4 yards per carry average is any indication, the 29-year-old may need to play into his 40s to come within sniffing distance of his desired goal.
The prospects for second-year signal caller Vince Young are a bit more optimistic, but to expect him to perform like a top-ten quarterback may be too much to ask this early in his career. Unless you’re in a keeper league, it won’t hurt to see what Young can garner in a trade. For all his physical gifts, Young has yet to prove that he can beat defenses by standing in the pocket and throwing the ball. The departure of running back Travis Henry is sure to make life more hectic under center for the two-time Rose Bowl MVP. This isn’t to say that Young won’t be making any jaw-dropping plays this year, but it should serve as a warning to temper your expectations of him.
There are two types of fantasy football enthusiasts, the ones who draft their players with the mindset that they will live and die with them and there are those who love living on the edge. If you’re one of those who enjoy walking on the wild side and treat the game as one continuous “buy and sell” venture in the effort of progressively reinforcing your team, you’re probably already scheming on the numerous trade possibilities that could seriously give you a leg-up on the competition.
Trading up or down in the draft order is only recommended if you know how your league drafts. Knowing the tendencies of others will help you determine whether the player you’re targeting will be available once you’ve made the exchange. But once draft day has come and gone, all bets are off. It’s now time to scour everyone’s personnel and start zeroing in on proven commodities that are sometimes taken for granted.
Take Tampa Bay’s Joey Galloway for instance. The grizzled 36-year-old put up another 1,000-yard season in 2006 despite catching passes from the inexperienced and underwhelming Bruce Gradkowski for most of the year. The noted speedster may be reaching the twilight of his career, but he still possesses the skills that have made him one of the better deep threats over the past 10 years. With new quarterback Jeff Garcia at the helm, Galloway will have many more opportunities to flash his big play ability and make defenses look silly.
Deion Branch is another undervalued wide out flying under the radar. With Darrell Jackson running routes in San Francisco, Branch now headlines Seattle’s wide receiver corps and things are looking very promising in the early going. The former Patriot has established good chemistry with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and has reportedly been uncoverable in practice. To his credit, Branch claims to have completely absorbed Seattle’s offensive scheme and is now just reacting rather than thinking his way through his routes.
The time to make a bid for these players is before the start of the regular season. Once they take off and start putting up numbers, their respective values will rise and your opportunity to trade for them fades. By the same token, the preseason is also a most propitious time to unload overhyped players whose considerable name value isn’t commensurate with their true fantasy potential. Sit too long on them and everyone will come to realize that these emperors are running around naked.
If Edgerrin James is on your roster, it may be a good idea to see if you can upgrade your team via the trade route. The Arizona Cardinals are once again one of the league’s offseason darlings and with a run oriented coaching staff on board, many seem to think that ole’ gold teeth is due to experience a renaissance and recapture some of his past glory.
Even if this year’s offensive line looks to be improved with newcomers Al Johnson and Levi Brown in the starting lineup, James showed no signs of being gamebreaker last year with his longest run going for a paltry 18 yards and so far this summer, he has looked rather sluggish. James recently mentioned that he’s gunning for Emmitt Smith’s all time record for rushing yards, but if last year’s 3.4 yards per carry average is any indication, the 29-year-old may need to play into his 40s to come within sniffing distance of his desired goal.
The prospects for second-year signal caller Vince Young are a bit more optimistic, but to expect him to perform like a top-ten quarterback may be too much to ask this early in his career. Unless you’re in a keeper league, it won’t hurt to see what Young can garner in a trade. For all his physical gifts, Young has yet to prove that he can beat defenses by standing in the pocket and throwing the ball. The departure of running back Travis Henry is sure to make life more hectic under center for the two-time Rose Bowl MVP. This isn’t to say that Young won’t be making any jaw-dropping plays this year, but it should serve as a warning to temper your expectations of him.
On Location: Miami Dolphins Training Camp: Part II
By David Kaye, NFL Draft Bible
Offensive mastermind and first-year head coach Cam Cameron enters the 2007 season with four extremely talented and explosive running backs who are all qualified to be starters in the National Football League.
The current starter, Ronnie Brown, has been mediocre at best in his first two seasons, Jesse Chatman has not seen game action in two years, but has been effective in camp, rookie Lorenzo Booker brings a resume from Florida State and Patrick Cobbs rushed for 1,154 yards last season at North Texas.
The impression I received from Cam Cameron’s press conference Sunday is that he’s not completely sold on Brown’s ability and will look to feature more of the backups in prominent roles throughout the course of the season.
‘’Ronnie Brown is an ascending player who needs to keep on improving. That’s not what many people want to hear, but that’s the reality,’’ said Cameron. ‘’He’s a young back in terms of carrying the ball with experience. (We) need to give him a chance to develop. The evaluation of Ronnie Brown is far from over, far from over.’’
If Brown is supposed to play an integral part of the Dolphins offense and be their dependable running back who can be counted on in key situations, why would Cameron insist on continuing to give him a chance? Hasn’t the second overall pick in the 2005 draft had a chance to progress and mature over the past two seasons?
It comes a time when a player with that much ability and talent needs to elevate his game to the next level and be regarded as an elite back in the league. To score only nine rushing touchdowns in 28 games is inexcusable and it makes me think if he really is the answer for the Dolphins.
‘’You need at least two good backs in this system. We’re building some depth at that position and that’s exciting,’’ said Cameron. The practical solution in Miami will be to have Brown stay as the starting running back, but it’s very unlikely that he will distinguish himself as a star in this league.
Offensive mastermind and first-year head coach Cam Cameron enters the 2007 season with four extremely talented and explosive running backs who are all qualified to be starters in the National Football League.
The current starter, Ronnie Brown, has been mediocre at best in his first two seasons, Jesse Chatman has not seen game action in two years, but has been effective in camp, rookie Lorenzo Booker brings a resume from Florida State and Patrick Cobbs rushed for 1,154 yards last season at North Texas.
The impression I received from Cam Cameron’s press conference Sunday is that he’s not completely sold on Brown’s ability and will look to feature more of the backups in prominent roles throughout the course of the season.
‘’Ronnie Brown is an ascending player who needs to keep on improving. That’s not what many people want to hear, but that’s the reality,’’ said Cameron. ‘’He’s a young back in terms of carrying the ball with experience. (We) need to give him a chance to develop. The evaluation of Ronnie Brown is far from over, far from over.’’
If Brown is supposed to play an integral part of the Dolphins offense and be their dependable running back who can be counted on in key situations, why would Cameron insist on continuing to give him a chance? Hasn’t the second overall pick in the 2005 draft had a chance to progress and mature over the past two seasons?
It comes a time when a player with that much ability and talent needs to elevate his game to the next level and be regarded as an elite back in the league. To score only nine rushing touchdowns in 28 games is inexcusable and it makes me think if he really is the answer for the Dolphins.
‘’You need at least two good backs in this system. We’re building some depth at that position and that’s exciting,’’ said Cameron. The practical solution in Miami will be to have Brown stay as the starting running back, but it’s very unlikely that he will distinguish himself as a star in this league.
On Location: Miami Dolphins Training Camp: Part 1
David Kaye, NFL Draft Bible
Our NFL Insider, David Kaye, brings you the latest news from Dolphins camp as he delivers the inside scoop from his visit to Miami.
Most people probably don't know about him but it has become one of the “feel-good� stories of the preseason. Dolphins running back Jesse Chatman is on the comeback trail.
During the 2004 season Jesse Chatman seemed to be slowly carving his way to success as the backup to LaDainian Tomlinson in San Diego. In 15 games, he accumulated 392 rushing yards, three touchdowns, an unheard of 6.0 yards per carry and an increased sense of confidence that told him he could accomplish anything on the football field.
Before the 2005 season began, Chatman suffered a painful toe injury that would sideline him for the entire season. Instead of rehabbing and staying in top football shape, he permitted his weight to balloon to a whopping 270 pounds. At 5-foot-8 and a waist size unfit for an NFL running back, the Chargers released him on July 26, 2005.
After a brief stint with the Dolphins and Saints in 2005, Chatman was unemployed and took the 2006 season off in order to return to proper football shape. By the beginning of this year he had lost a remarkable 50 pounds and was ready to prove to general managers around the league that he could make a substantial impact on their team.
When the Miami Dolphins hired former San Diego offensive coordinator Cam Cameron as head coach in January, Chatman immediately called him for an opportunity. So far- he has looked extremely impressive during the team's first two preseason games, rushing for 107 yards on 14 carries.
''I think he's grown a lot. We know that's a constant battle for us all, but I think he's just grown a lot as a man,'' Cameron said when asked if he's seen any changes in Chatman's personality.
''He was a young guy from Eastern Washington thrown into the NFL and that's a huge leap for a lot of guys. It's a huge leap for everybody, truth enough. He's overcome a lot. I tip my hat to him. He knows he still has a long way to go, but he's just become a lot more mature guy.'' The waiting period for Chatman is quickly closing as he's established himself as the number two back for the Dolphins, ahead of Lorenzo Booker and Patrick Cobbs. Until I spoke to local reporters at Dolphins training camp last Sunday, I did not realize the limited amount of playing time Booker has been receiving. When asked about the current running back situation during Sunday's press conference the first-year head coach said,''Don't read anything in between the lines. I'll tell you this, our best running back will play. We want to be in a position if our starting running back goes down we don't miss a beat.'' With that said, it seems highly likely that journeyman Jesse Chatman will see a considerable amount of carries for the Miami Dolphins this season.
Our NFL Insider, David Kaye, brings you the latest news from Dolphins camp as he delivers the inside scoop from his visit to Miami.
Most people probably don't know about him but it has become one of the “feel-good� stories of the preseason. Dolphins running back Jesse Chatman is on the comeback trail.
During the 2004 season Jesse Chatman seemed to be slowly carving his way to success as the backup to LaDainian Tomlinson in San Diego. In 15 games, he accumulated 392 rushing yards, three touchdowns, an unheard of 6.0 yards per carry and an increased sense of confidence that told him he could accomplish anything on the football field.
Before the 2005 season began, Chatman suffered a painful toe injury that would sideline him for the entire season. Instead of rehabbing and staying in top football shape, he permitted his weight to balloon to a whopping 270 pounds. At 5-foot-8 and a waist size unfit for an NFL running back, the Chargers released him on July 26, 2005.
After a brief stint with the Dolphins and Saints in 2005, Chatman was unemployed and took the 2006 season off in order to return to proper football shape. By the beginning of this year he had lost a remarkable 50 pounds and was ready to prove to general managers around the league that he could make a substantial impact on their team.
When the Miami Dolphins hired former San Diego offensive coordinator Cam Cameron as head coach in January, Chatman immediately called him for an opportunity. So far- he has looked extremely impressive during the team's first two preseason games, rushing for 107 yards on 14 carries.
''I think he's grown a lot. We know that's a constant battle for us all, but I think he's just grown a lot as a man,'' Cameron said when asked if he's seen any changes in Chatman's personality.
''He was a young guy from Eastern Washington thrown into the NFL and that's a huge leap for a lot of guys. It's a huge leap for everybody, truth enough. He's overcome a lot. I tip my hat to him. He knows he still has a long way to go, but he's just become a lot more mature guy.'' The waiting period for Chatman is quickly closing as he's established himself as the number two back for the Dolphins, ahead of Lorenzo Booker and Patrick Cobbs. Until I spoke to local reporters at Dolphins training camp last Sunday, I did not realize the limited amount of playing time Booker has been receiving. When asked about the current running back situation during Sunday's press conference the first-year head coach said,''Don't read anything in between the lines. I'll tell you this, our best running back will play. We want to be in a position if our starting running back goes down we don't miss a beat.'' With that said, it seems highly likely that journeyman Jesse Chatman will see a considerable amount of carries for the Miami Dolphins this season.
NFL MUSINGS
By David Narushev, NFL Draft Bible
Expect Leon Washington and Thomas Jones to share more of the load than originally anticipated this season, especially since Jones pre-season injury will likely not have him at full speed by opening day. But even had Jones remained completely healthy, Washington would still have seen fair amount of touches per game. Eric Mangini isn’t the type of coach to overwork or underwork any of his players, instead he waits until the ideal game scenario arises and capitalizes accordingly with the right player in the right situation. Everything is tailored to maximize the strengths of the team, and nobody is asked to do more than they’re capable of. Seems obvious, but not every coach understands his team as well as a Mangini or Belichick (I’m looking at you Herm Edwards).
I’m not ready to go gaga over Vince Young yet. He had a nice rookie season (and was promptly overhyped to the moon), but his throwing mechanics still look like they need some fine tuning. He’s got this nasty habit of haphazardly whipping the ball out of his hand while releasing a pass, often getting a lot of air under it. This could lead to him becoming very interception-prone once the pocket starts to collapse or when throwing off balance, which he does far too often. Young’s arm strength and accuracy remain a question mark, and he certainly won’t be beating teams single-handedly with his legs, NFL defenses catch up to that and will develop schemes to contain him. I just don’t see him as a quarterback who can stand in the pocket and calmly pick a team apart; Young thrives on disorganized, sandlot football. I’m not saying he’ll be a bust or even that he’ll have a sophomore slump, but I see his career plateauing for a while as the league adapts to his game.
Anybody else miss the single bar facemask? I’m too young to remember the days when regular position players used to wear them, but they used to be a fixture on the helmets of the NFL’s scrawniest, goofiest looking kickers and punters until about 8-9 years ago. It was always funny watching them try to make a tackle during a long runback or muffed punt…or better yet, trying to advance the football on a botched field goal attempt. They’d either matador the ball carrier through, or give a halfhearted dive then get trampled by the thundering heard of players converging on them. It would make just about anyone long for their carefree days of intramural soccer in South Africa.
Tired of waiting around for the Arizona Cardinals to become the NFL’s hip new “surprise” team, it seems like all the experts have hitched their wagon to the San Francisco 49ers. Alex Smith doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence and an unreasonably abrasive (though dapper) head coach like Mike Nolan may alienate his team before they even get a taste of success. We may have to look elsewhere for Cinderella this year…Detroit perhaps? Kitna has shown he can be a good quarterback when not asked to do too much. They are deep at wide receiver and running back but still thin on the offensive and defensive lines. However, a quick examination of their schedule shows many of their opponents are even more flawed than they are. Don’t be shocked to see them pull out a nine win season as the Lions offense will just plain overwhelm some teams.
I have a hunch that we may not have seen the last of Bill Parcells on an NFL sideline. Sure he is 66 years old and probably overworked beyond belief, but as long as he can breathe, he can coach. And it’s absolutely unacceptable to him that Bill Belichick is walking around with more Super Bowl rings as a head coach. He has neither time nor patience to rebuild, but should there be a vacancy with a ready made team within the next four years, don’t be surprised to see Parcells jump at the opportunity for one more run at a title.
Though it may seem unrealistic at the moment, it’s my opinion that the Steelers will be Bill Cowher’s team again as soon as he’s ready to return from his mental health sabbatical. It could even occur by the 2009 season should Mike Tomlin fall flat on his face, which I don’t think will happen. It can’t be easy coaching in the Steel City, with the ghosts of Noll and Cowher constantly looking over your shoulder. Unreasonable expectations may doom Tomlin, as it almost doomed Cowher himself. A scenario may arise where if the Steelers brass doesn’t see Tomlin as the guy who can take them to the Super Bowl, and Cowher is entertaining offers from other teams, they might be tempted to go back to the sure thing instead of riding it out with Tomlin.
Be wary of both Jamal Lewis and Shaun Alexander. Alexander will be thirty at the start of the season, which is usually the end of the line for NFL backs. He’s lost a step, and was never that fast to begin with. Not a good sign, especially since he’s running behind an offensive line that is no longer among the NFL’s best. Lewis isn’t quite as old, but his poor yards per carry average the past two seasons may hint at there being too much tread gone from the tires. However, the Browns offensive line has improved on paper, and if they can finally get it together on the field then Lewis can probably squeeze out one more workhorse season.
Expect Leon Washington and Thomas Jones to share more of the load than originally anticipated this season, especially since Jones pre-season injury will likely not have him at full speed by opening day. But even had Jones remained completely healthy, Washington would still have seen fair amount of touches per game. Eric Mangini isn’t the type of coach to overwork or underwork any of his players, instead he waits until the ideal game scenario arises and capitalizes accordingly with the right player in the right situation. Everything is tailored to maximize the strengths of the team, and nobody is asked to do more than they’re capable of. Seems obvious, but not every coach understands his team as well as a Mangini or Belichick (I’m looking at you Herm Edwards).
I’m not ready to go gaga over Vince Young yet. He had a nice rookie season (and was promptly overhyped to the moon), but his throwing mechanics still look like they need some fine tuning. He’s got this nasty habit of haphazardly whipping the ball out of his hand while releasing a pass, often getting a lot of air under it. This could lead to him becoming very interception-prone once the pocket starts to collapse or when throwing off balance, which he does far too often. Young’s arm strength and accuracy remain a question mark, and he certainly won’t be beating teams single-handedly with his legs, NFL defenses catch up to that and will develop schemes to contain him. I just don’t see him as a quarterback who can stand in the pocket and calmly pick a team apart; Young thrives on disorganized, sandlot football. I’m not saying he’ll be a bust or even that he’ll have a sophomore slump, but I see his career plateauing for a while as the league adapts to his game.
Anybody else miss the single bar facemask? I’m too young to remember the days when regular position players used to wear them, but they used to be a fixture on the helmets of the NFL’s scrawniest, goofiest looking kickers and punters until about 8-9 years ago. It was always funny watching them try to make a tackle during a long runback or muffed punt…or better yet, trying to advance the football on a botched field goal attempt. They’d either matador the ball carrier through, or give a halfhearted dive then get trampled by the thundering heard of players converging on them. It would make just about anyone long for their carefree days of intramural soccer in South Africa.
Tired of waiting around for the Arizona Cardinals to become the NFL’s hip new “surprise” team, it seems like all the experts have hitched their wagon to the San Francisco 49ers. Alex Smith doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence and an unreasonably abrasive (though dapper) head coach like Mike Nolan may alienate his team before they even get a taste of success. We may have to look elsewhere for Cinderella this year…Detroit perhaps? Kitna has shown he can be a good quarterback when not asked to do too much. They are deep at wide receiver and running back but still thin on the offensive and defensive lines. However, a quick examination of their schedule shows many of their opponents are even more flawed than they are. Don’t be shocked to see them pull out a nine win season as the Lions offense will just plain overwhelm some teams.
I have a hunch that we may not have seen the last of Bill Parcells on an NFL sideline. Sure he is 66 years old and probably overworked beyond belief, but as long as he can breathe, he can coach. And it’s absolutely unacceptable to him that Bill Belichick is walking around with more Super Bowl rings as a head coach. He has neither time nor patience to rebuild, but should there be a vacancy with a ready made team within the next four years, don’t be surprised to see Parcells jump at the opportunity for one more run at a title.
Though it may seem unrealistic at the moment, it’s my opinion that the Steelers will be Bill Cowher’s team again as soon as he’s ready to return from his mental health sabbatical. It could even occur by the 2009 season should Mike Tomlin fall flat on his face, which I don’t think will happen. It can’t be easy coaching in the Steel City, with the ghosts of Noll and Cowher constantly looking over your shoulder. Unreasonable expectations may doom Tomlin, as it almost doomed Cowher himself. A scenario may arise where if the Steelers brass doesn’t see Tomlin as the guy who can take them to the Super Bowl, and Cowher is entertaining offers from other teams, they might be tempted to go back to the sure thing instead of riding it out with Tomlin.
Be wary of both Jamal Lewis and Shaun Alexander. Alexander will be thirty at the start of the season, which is usually the end of the line for NFL backs. He’s lost a step, and was never that fast to begin with. Not a good sign, especially since he’s running behind an offensive line that is no longer among the NFL’s best. Lewis isn’t quite as old, but his poor yards per carry average the past two seasons may hint at there being too much tread gone from the tires. However, the Browns offensive line has improved on paper, and if they can finally get it together on the field then Lewis can probably squeeze out one more workhorse season.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
THE DAILY DOSE
IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T HEARD
Michael Vick accepted a plea deal Monday in relation to the federal charges pertaining to the dogfighting operation he allegedly ran. "After consulting with his family over the weekend, Michael Vick has asked that I announce today that he has reached an agreement with federal prosecutors regarding charges pending against him," attorney Billy Martin said in a statement posted by ESPN.com. "Mr. Vick has agreed to enter a plea of guilty to those charges and to accept full responsibility for his actions and the mistakes he has made." The terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.
SHOCKLEY OUT FOR SEASON
D.J. Shockley will miss the entire 2007 season after an MRI revealed that he has a torn ACL in his left knee, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He had been competing with Chris Redman for the No. 2 spot on the quarterback depth chart.
BRUNELL TO ATL?
The Atlanta Falcons are believed to be talking to the Washington Redskins about a trade for QB Mark Brunell. Atlanta lost backup D.J. Shockley to season-ending knee injury last Friday. Atlanta's only quarterbacks behind new starter Joey Harrington are Chris Redman, whose last game was with Baltimore in 2003, and Casey Bramlet, who was cut by the Redskins on Aug. 6. Brunell, who turns 37 soon, played for new Falcons HC Bobby Petrino in Jacksonville from 1999-2001, so he's familar with the system.
GREEN GETS STARTING NOD
Head coach Cam Cameron announced on Monday that Trent Green has beaten out Cleo Lemon and will be the Dolphins starting quarterback. "We're at a point where we need to start putting this offense together and the number one thing our offense needs is leadership," Cameron told the Associated Press. "Trent brings that, but I do believe Cleo's time is coming and he's got a lot of room for growth."
JASON CAMPBELL INJURY UPDATE
Yesterday Washington Redskins QB Jason Campbell had an MRI on his injured knee. The MRI showed no serious damage. "Nine times out of 10 when you see that, it's usually something worse. It's usually something torn... It's a day-to-day thing. We'll just see where it's at by the weekend," said Campbell. Campbell's status for Saturday's preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens is still uncertain.
MANGINI SIMMERS QB CONTROVESRY
Eric Mangini gave Chad Pennington a vote of confidence on Sunday, despite the quarterback's struggles in Friday night's preseason game. "I'm very comfortable with [naming Pennington the starter back in February]," Mangini told the Newark Star-Ledger. "I think Chad's had an outstanding camp."
THOMAS JONES INJURY UPDATE
NFL insider Adam Schein is reporting that Jets RB Thomas Jones had an Achilles injury that led to his calf strain. "A source close to Thomas Jones tells me that the original injury he had was an Achilles strain, and as a result of favoring that injury, one week ago in practice, Jones suffered a calf strain," said Schein. "The same source did tell me he will be ready for the New England game in Week One. Achilles strains can linger. So it was an Achilles strain that morphed into a calf strain."
BRANDON JACKSON MOVES AHEAD IN GB
In what was supposed to be a two-man race between RB Brandon Jackson and RB Vernand Morency, but it has turned out to be no race at all. "Right now, Jackson's definitely way ahead because the other guy unfortunately hasn't competed at all," OC Joe Philbin said. "There's really no comparison at this stage." There's little reason to think he won't be No. 1 on the depth chart the rest of training camp. And you'd have to have a lot of faith in the Packers' medical staff to think that anyone but rookie Brandon Jackson will be the starting halfback come opening day.
LENDALE WHITE SAGA CONTINUES
RB LenDale White's injury from the preseason opening game turned out to include a swollen knee along with a sprained ankle, and he did not practice Sunday. "It happened right along with the ankle," he said. "The ankle was so sprained, I couldn't even feel it. Once I started running around on my knee and stuff and trying to get ready to go it just swelled up a little bit. The doctor said it's nothing to be too alarmed about. I should probably be back this week sometime."
STOKLEY LISTED AS STARTER
Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokley hasn't practiced for more than two weeks due to a sore left thigh, but he is listed as a starter in the team's most recent depth chart. Brandon Marshall, who was once unlisted because of injury, has moved up from the third team to the second team, the team's official web site reports. Javon Walker is locked in at one starting receiver spot.
GAFFNEY SUFFERS SETBACK
Jabar Gaffney came up hobbling after a second-quarter reception on Friday night and was not spotted at practice on Monday morning, according to the Boston Globe.
ROOKIE EARNS PRAISE
Rookie wide receiver Jacoby Jones, who returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown in the Texans' preseason win over the Cardinals, is pushing Kevin Walter for the starting spot opposite Andre Johnson. "Kevin is our [number] two, but I think No. 12 [Jones} is two and a half," Texans coach Gary Kubiak told the Houston Chronicle.
STRAHAN DECISION TO BY SATURDAY
Giants defensive end Michael Strahan is apparently getting close to making a decision on his retirement. Agent Tony Agnone tells the Newark Star-Ledger that his client is "getting down" to a conclusion. People close to the situation say that Strahan is expected to report to the Giants either late this week or early next week.
JOEY PORTER INJURY UPDATE
LB Joey Porter did some light running during practice in the indoor facility. At one point, Porter, who had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Aug. 7, took off at half speed, high-stepping from sideline to sideline. He's wearing a protective sleeve on his leg but is walking without a limp. HC Cam Cameron said Porter's recovery is on schedule. Porter expects to be ready for the season opener Sept. 9.
DARRELLE REVIS UPDATE
Darrelle Revis donned the pads and participated in practice on Sunday for the first time since ending his holdout late last week. "It was fun," Revis told the Newark Star-Ledger. "It was great coming out here and getting rid of the cobwebs and learning new stuff. The coaches are putting me in different spots. They're trying to challenge me."
JAGUARS UPDATE
Jacksonville Jaguars HC Jack Del Rio said the WR position is wide open for his team. "I think you can see by the way we're playing guys that we're attempting to give everybody a fair shake, a real thorough evaluation," he said. "Not only have we done that in practice throughout the OTAs [organized team activities], throughout the camp but also during the games. In time, we'll make the decisions we need to make and go forward, but that's a work in progress." Jacksonville rotated its receivers with the first-team offense in its last preseason game: Dennis Northcutt, Charles Sharon and Matt Jones on one series, Mike Walker and Reggie Williams on another.
RIVALS MAKE DEAL
The Broncos traded defensive tackle Gerard Warren to the Raiders on Monday, the AP reports. The club received an undisclosed 2008 pick in return.
RAIDERS UPDATE
The acquisition of DT Gerard Warren further clouds the picture at defensive tackle for the Oakland Raiders. Starter Warren Sapp, 34, wants to limit his playing time to about 45 snaps per game this season to stay fresh. Terdell Sands is the other starter, with Tommy Kelly having been moved to left DE. Anttaj Hawthorne is an established backup at tackle, Josh Shaw has been hurt, and the other only option has former DE Tyler Brayton, but he is in danger of getting cut. Warren has less than two weeks to make a case for staying on the roster, and then for playing time.
Michael Vick accepted a plea deal Monday in relation to the federal charges pertaining to the dogfighting operation he allegedly ran. "After consulting with his family over the weekend, Michael Vick has asked that I announce today that he has reached an agreement with federal prosecutors regarding charges pending against him," attorney Billy Martin said in a statement posted by ESPN.com. "Mr. Vick has agreed to enter a plea of guilty to those charges and to accept full responsibility for his actions and the mistakes he has made." The terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.
SHOCKLEY OUT FOR SEASON
D.J. Shockley will miss the entire 2007 season after an MRI revealed that he has a torn ACL in his left knee, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He had been competing with Chris Redman for the No. 2 spot on the quarterback depth chart.
BRUNELL TO ATL?
The Atlanta Falcons are believed to be talking to the Washington Redskins about a trade for QB Mark Brunell. Atlanta lost backup D.J. Shockley to season-ending knee injury last Friday. Atlanta's only quarterbacks behind new starter Joey Harrington are Chris Redman, whose last game was with Baltimore in 2003, and Casey Bramlet, who was cut by the Redskins on Aug. 6. Brunell, who turns 37 soon, played for new Falcons HC Bobby Petrino in Jacksonville from 1999-2001, so he's familar with the system.
GREEN GETS STARTING NOD
Head coach Cam Cameron announced on Monday that Trent Green has beaten out Cleo Lemon and will be the Dolphins starting quarterback. "We're at a point where we need to start putting this offense together and the number one thing our offense needs is leadership," Cameron told the Associated Press. "Trent brings that, but I do believe Cleo's time is coming and he's got a lot of room for growth."
JASON CAMPBELL INJURY UPDATE
Yesterday Washington Redskins QB Jason Campbell had an MRI on his injured knee. The MRI showed no serious damage. "Nine times out of 10 when you see that, it's usually something worse. It's usually something torn... It's a day-to-day thing. We'll just see where it's at by the weekend," said Campbell. Campbell's status for Saturday's preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens is still uncertain.
MANGINI SIMMERS QB CONTROVESRY
Eric Mangini gave Chad Pennington a vote of confidence on Sunday, despite the quarterback's struggles in Friday night's preseason game. "I'm very comfortable with [naming Pennington the starter back in February]," Mangini told the Newark Star-Ledger. "I think Chad's had an outstanding camp."
THOMAS JONES INJURY UPDATE
NFL insider Adam Schein is reporting that Jets RB Thomas Jones had an Achilles injury that led to his calf strain. "A source close to Thomas Jones tells me that the original injury he had was an Achilles strain, and as a result of favoring that injury, one week ago in practice, Jones suffered a calf strain," said Schein. "The same source did tell me he will be ready for the New England game in Week One. Achilles strains can linger. So it was an Achilles strain that morphed into a calf strain."
BRANDON JACKSON MOVES AHEAD IN GB
In what was supposed to be a two-man race between RB Brandon Jackson and RB Vernand Morency, but it has turned out to be no race at all. "Right now, Jackson's definitely way ahead because the other guy unfortunately hasn't competed at all," OC Joe Philbin said. "There's really no comparison at this stage." There's little reason to think he won't be No. 1 on the depth chart the rest of training camp. And you'd have to have a lot of faith in the Packers' medical staff to think that anyone but rookie Brandon Jackson will be the starting halfback come opening day.
LENDALE WHITE SAGA CONTINUES
RB LenDale White's injury from the preseason opening game turned out to include a swollen knee along with a sprained ankle, and he did not practice Sunday. "It happened right along with the ankle," he said. "The ankle was so sprained, I couldn't even feel it. Once I started running around on my knee and stuff and trying to get ready to go it just swelled up a little bit. The doctor said it's nothing to be too alarmed about. I should probably be back this week sometime."
STOKLEY LISTED AS STARTER
Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokley hasn't practiced for more than two weeks due to a sore left thigh, but he is listed as a starter in the team's most recent depth chart. Brandon Marshall, who was once unlisted because of injury, has moved up from the third team to the second team, the team's official web site reports. Javon Walker is locked in at one starting receiver spot.
GAFFNEY SUFFERS SETBACK
Jabar Gaffney came up hobbling after a second-quarter reception on Friday night and was not spotted at practice on Monday morning, according to the Boston Globe.
ROOKIE EARNS PRAISE
Rookie wide receiver Jacoby Jones, who returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown in the Texans' preseason win over the Cardinals, is pushing Kevin Walter for the starting spot opposite Andre Johnson. "Kevin is our [number] two, but I think No. 12 [Jones} is two and a half," Texans coach Gary Kubiak told the Houston Chronicle.
STRAHAN DECISION TO BY SATURDAY
Giants defensive end Michael Strahan is apparently getting close to making a decision on his retirement. Agent Tony Agnone tells the Newark Star-Ledger that his client is "getting down" to a conclusion. People close to the situation say that Strahan is expected to report to the Giants either late this week or early next week.
JOEY PORTER INJURY UPDATE
LB Joey Porter did some light running during practice in the indoor facility. At one point, Porter, who had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Aug. 7, took off at half speed, high-stepping from sideline to sideline. He's wearing a protective sleeve on his leg but is walking without a limp. HC Cam Cameron said Porter's recovery is on schedule. Porter expects to be ready for the season opener Sept. 9.
DARRELLE REVIS UPDATE
Darrelle Revis donned the pads and participated in practice on Sunday for the first time since ending his holdout late last week. "It was fun," Revis told the Newark Star-Ledger. "It was great coming out here and getting rid of the cobwebs and learning new stuff. The coaches are putting me in different spots. They're trying to challenge me."
JAGUARS UPDATE
Jacksonville Jaguars HC Jack Del Rio said the WR position is wide open for his team. "I think you can see by the way we're playing guys that we're attempting to give everybody a fair shake, a real thorough evaluation," he said. "Not only have we done that in practice throughout the OTAs [organized team activities], throughout the camp but also during the games. In time, we'll make the decisions we need to make and go forward, but that's a work in progress." Jacksonville rotated its receivers with the first-team offense in its last preseason game: Dennis Northcutt, Charles Sharon and Matt Jones on one series, Mike Walker and Reggie Williams on another.
RIVALS MAKE DEAL
The Broncos traded defensive tackle Gerard Warren to the Raiders on Monday, the AP reports. The club received an undisclosed 2008 pick in return.
RAIDERS UPDATE
The acquisition of DT Gerard Warren further clouds the picture at defensive tackle for the Oakland Raiders. Starter Warren Sapp, 34, wants to limit his playing time to about 45 snaps per game this season to stay fresh. Terdell Sands is the other starter, with Tommy Kelly having been moved to left DE. Anttaj Hawthorne is an established backup at tackle, Josh Shaw has been hurt, and the other only option has former DE Tyler Brayton, but he is in danger of getting cut. Warren has less than two weeks to make a case for staying on the roster, and then for playing time.
Monday, August 20, 2007
CRUCIAL FF DECISIONS
By Ralph Mancini, NFL Draft Bible
Decisions, decisions, decisions- is the name of the game in fantasy football drafts. Trying to determine which running back is most worthy of the dreaded third overall pick will undoubtedly be the source of many restless nights for several drafters this summer.
I’ve recently been burdened with the third pick in one of my money leagues, which holds its draft in two weeks.
With LaDanian Tomlinson and Steven Jackson off the board, there are a myriad of options to choose from.
Looking at your own rankings cheatsheet in this type of situation serves of little to no use. Overall rankings don’t tell you all you need to know about all of the possible pitfalls that lie ahead when picking player A or B.
After a couple of days of careful deliberation, I’ve narrowed down my choices to Larry Johnson, Frank Gore and Joseph Addai.
In addition to the fact that all three of them are under 30-years-old, each one of them authored dominating performances in 2006.
Who could forget Addai’s 171-yard, four TD masterpiece versus the Eagles?
I certainly can’t since I was the one who traded him for Thomas Jones only a week before and lost out on a win and 35 points…but I digress.
By the same token, all three come with major question marks, which in my eyes, put them all on equal footing.
In the case of Larry Johnson, I don’t see his recently resolved holdout being a negative for the 6’1, 228-pound bruiser.
If anything, two weeks of rest from the physical grind of training camp will probably do him some good in light of his 416 rushing attempts last season.
What really worries me about the former Nittany Lion is the team around him.
The coaching staff seems dead set on going with neophyte Brodie Croyle at quarterback, who thus far hasn’t looked all that sharp, throwing ill-advised interceptions in the preseason.
Add to that, the lack of a proven downfield threat at receiver, the retirement of future Hall of Fame guard Will Shields and the loss of left tackle Damion McIntosh to a knee injury and you can see what I’m driving at.
If things don’t get better in a hurry, Johnson won’t find too many cracks or crevices to squeeze through and with a treacherous early schedule including Chicago, the run-stuffing Minnesota Vikings, San Diego and Jacksonville, that’s a problem.
On the plus side, however, Johnson is one of the strongest backs in the league who has avoided major injury, despite absorbing constant punishment with his hard charging, full contact style of running.
Frank Gore isn’t as big as Johnson, but he makes up for that with his exceptional elusiveness.
His 5.4 yards-per-carry last year was tops among lead backs and with an already formidable offensive line only getting stronger with the presence of stud rookie Joe Staley, Gore could be looking at even more daylight in the coming months.
The 49ers should also see improvements from their skill position players, as heady quarterback Alex Smith has another year under his belt and Darrell Jackson gives them the proven receiver they’ve lacked since the departure of Terrell Owens.
So where’s the downside? It all boils down to injuries.
Along with tearing up ACL’s in both knees during his collegiate years, the 5’9, 215-pound dynamo has also endured multiple shoulder surgeries. Did I mention that he’s currently recovering from a broken hand?
Colts running back Joseph Addai is the youngest and least accomplished of the trio, but don’t use that against him when deciding where to rank the former LSU product.
Addai is a more than capable feature back even though he split time with Dominic Rhodes last season.
While only averaging 16 touches per game, Addai still ran for 1,081 yards with 325 additional yards receiving.
The departure of Rhodes to the Raiders means that the 24-year old will be the main man in the Colts backfield, which should translate into about at least 22 to 24 touches per contest. A 1,800-yard season in the high octane Indianapolis offense may be in the offing for the speedy Addai.
What we don’t know is exactly how much Addai will be used since coach Tony Dungy has always stated his preference for employing some sort of time share which may see Addai and backup DeDe Dorsey moving towards a 75/25 split.
Addai has also had his share of injury woes including knee troubles in college, which saw him undergo cartilage removal during his sophomore year.
Presented with all the aforementioned facts, I almost went with Larry Johnson due to his sturdy frame and relatively injury-free past.
Unfortunately for LJ, success in football is achieved collectively. One man alone does not turn the Rich Kotite Jets into the Bill Walsh 49ers.
Without a representative supporting cast around him, Johnson may see a dip in his production.
On the other side of the spectrum, Addai has an excellent group of athletes surrounding him- maybe too good.
The considerable amount of talent on the Colts may prevent the explosive runner from achieving the numbers expected from a number three overall pick.
That leaves me with Gore. The upside here is tremendous considering he put up over 2,000 combined yards, while missing parts of games and going through his personal fumbling travails during the early portion of 2006.
Coach Mike Nolan has already said that Gore will see an up-tick in carries this year, which leads me to proclaim him as my third pick- injuries and all.
Decisions, decisions, decisions- is the name of the game in fantasy football drafts. Trying to determine which running back is most worthy of the dreaded third overall pick will undoubtedly be the source of many restless nights for several drafters this summer.
I’ve recently been burdened with the third pick in one of my money leagues, which holds its draft in two weeks.
With LaDanian Tomlinson and Steven Jackson off the board, there are a myriad of options to choose from.
Looking at your own rankings cheatsheet in this type of situation serves of little to no use. Overall rankings don’t tell you all you need to know about all of the possible pitfalls that lie ahead when picking player A or B.
After a couple of days of careful deliberation, I’ve narrowed down my choices to Larry Johnson, Frank Gore and Joseph Addai.
In addition to the fact that all three of them are under 30-years-old, each one of them authored dominating performances in 2006.
Who could forget Addai’s 171-yard, four TD masterpiece versus the Eagles?
I certainly can’t since I was the one who traded him for Thomas Jones only a week before and lost out on a win and 35 points…but I digress.
By the same token, all three come with major question marks, which in my eyes, put them all on equal footing.
In the case of Larry Johnson, I don’t see his recently resolved holdout being a negative for the 6’1, 228-pound bruiser.
If anything, two weeks of rest from the physical grind of training camp will probably do him some good in light of his 416 rushing attempts last season.
What really worries me about the former Nittany Lion is the team around him.
The coaching staff seems dead set on going with neophyte Brodie Croyle at quarterback, who thus far hasn’t looked all that sharp, throwing ill-advised interceptions in the preseason.
Add to that, the lack of a proven downfield threat at receiver, the retirement of future Hall of Fame guard Will Shields and the loss of left tackle Damion McIntosh to a knee injury and you can see what I’m driving at.
If things don’t get better in a hurry, Johnson won’t find too many cracks or crevices to squeeze through and with a treacherous early schedule including Chicago, the run-stuffing Minnesota Vikings, San Diego and Jacksonville, that’s a problem.
On the plus side, however, Johnson is one of the strongest backs in the league who has avoided major injury, despite absorbing constant punishment with his hard charging, full contact style of running.
Frank Gore isn’t as big as Johnson, but he makes up for that with his exceptional elusiveness.
His 5.4 yards-per-carry last year was tops among lead backs and with an already formidable offensive line only getting stronger with the presence of stud rookie Joe Staley, Gore could be looking at even more daylight in the coming months.
The 49ers should also see improvements from their skill position players, as heady quarterback Alex Smith has another year under his belt and Darrell Jackson gives them the proven receiver they’ve lacked since the departure of Terrell Owens.
So where’s the downside? It all boils down to injuries.
Along with tearing up ACL’s in both knees during his collegiate years, the 5’9, 215-pound dynamo has also endured multiple shoulder surgeries. Did I mention that he’s currently recovering from a broken hand?
Colts running back Joseph Addai is the youngest and least accomplished of the trio, but don’t use that against him when deciding where to rank the former LSU product.
Addai is a more than capable feature back even though he split time with Dominic Rhodes last season.
While only averaging 16 touches per game, Addai still ran for 1,081 yards with 325 additional yards receiving.
The departure of Rhodes to the Raiders means that the 24-year old will be the main man in the Colts backfield, which should translate into about at least 22 to 24 touches per contest. A 1,800-yard season in the high octane Indianapolis offense may be in the offing for the speedy Addai.
What we don’t know is exactly how much Addai will be used since coach Tony Dungy has always stated his preference for employing some sort of time share which may see Addai and backup DeDe Dorsey moving towards a 75/25 split.
Addai has also had his share of injury woes including knee troubles in college, which saw him undergo cartilage removal during his sophomore year.
Presented with all the aforementioned facts, I almost went with Larry Johnson due to his sturdy frame and relatively injury-free past.
Unfortunately for LJ, success in football is achieved collectively. One man alone does not turn the Rich Kotite Jets into the Bill Walsh 49ers.
Without a representative supporting cast around him, Johnson may see a dip in his production.
On the other side of the spectrum, Addai has an excellent group of athletes surrounding him- maybe too good.
The considerable amount of talent on the Colts may prevent the explosive runner from achieving the numbers expected from a number three overall pick.
That leaves me with Gore. The upside here is tremendous considering he put up over 2,000 combined yards, while missing parts of games and going through his personal fumbling travails during the early portion of 2006.
Coach Mike Nolan has already said that Gore will see an up-tick in carries this year, which leads me to proclaim him as my third pick- injuries and all.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
SUNDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK
Preseason Edition: Vol. 3
Rick Serritella
Don’t count out Brady Quinn just yet for that starting quarterback job in Cleveland. The rookie stated his case Saturday night, completing 13-of-20 passes for 155 yards, while tossing two touchdowns. He may be behind in terms of reps, but Quinn proved why he is already the best quarterback on the team.
There seems to be disagreement in Kansas City between GM Carl Peterson and head coach Herm Edwards. Peterson believes Damon Huard gives the team the best chance to win as starting quarterback. Edwards and offensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham want to throw second-year man Brodie Croyle into the fire and let him rip. A situation like this occurs every season and the outcome can dictate the success of your season. If Croyle plays well the rest of preseason, it looks to be his job.
The Tim Couch experiment didn’t last very long in Jacksonville, three weeks to be exact. The Jaguars had brought the former number one overall pick (’99-Cleveland) into camp for a look, but obviously weren’t too impressed. Look for Couch to resurface next season with the startup All-American Football League.
Denver suffered a major blow in their 31-20 loss to Dallas on Saturday, as both Travis Henry and Mike Bell left the game due to injury. Henry suffered a sprain left knee and is expected to have an MRI Sunday. Bell re-aggravated a hip injury. Head coach Mike Shanahan sounded confident Henry would be ready for the start of the season in his post-game press conference, but in the meantime be sure to have Cecil Sapp on your fantasy radar.
One has to wonder what in the world head coach Cam Cameron is thinking down in Miami. The decision to let Ronnie Brown test out his kick return skills during the preseason is a move that could have turned fatal. Risking your starting running back on special teams is dangerous. The two words that first come to mind are Jason Sehorn. What’s even more mind-boggling is that Cameron is considering using Brown on kick returns during the season.
Flying under the radar in San Diego is wide receiver Vincent Jackson. Many fantasy owners are aware of his bust-out potential, but what they fail to realize is that Jackson could very well be a top-ten fantasy producing wide out- a definite mid-round steal for your fantasy draft this season.
James Jones has emerged as the Packers number three wide out and with Greg Jennings having trouble staying healthy, the third round pick out of San Jose Sate could make some noise this season. In deeper leagues, James could have some value as a reserve.
Another player we will continue to monitor is Marques Hagans of the Rams. The second-year quarterback turned wide out has looked impressive thus far in camp. He continues to lead the pack as the number three/slot receiver in St. Louis.
TEN GUYS WE LIKE…
• Jay Cutler – Should sneak into the top ten fantasy quarterbacks when the season is all said and done.
• Joey Harrington – Could put up some surprising numbers with talented offense around him.
• Daunte Culpepper – Worth a flier if he’s available with your final pick.
• Brandon Jacobs – Will step into fantasy stud status this season.
• Tatum Bell – Could explode in Mike Martz’s offense as long as he learns not to put the ball on the ground.
• Warrick Dunn – Downgraded due to injury by most fantasy owners, you can nab Dunn as a bargain during the middle of your draft. He’s still good for 1,000 yards.
• Tony Hunt – Great value in touchdown and dynasty leagues. Look for the rookie to see the majority of goal line touches for Philly.
• Ronald Curry – Will learn how to find the end zone this season.
• Wes Welker – Could see a lot of touchdowns in that slot role.
• Owen Daniels – Will improve upon the five touchdowns of a year ago in an offense that plans on using the tight end in an extensive role.
TEN GUYS WE DON'T LIKE…
• Donovan McNabb – The ultimate risk/reward player. A stud when healthy but knees just not what they used to be.
• Brodie Croyle – The kid has a laser, but his inexperience will cost him.
• Jason Campbell – The bruised left knee Campbell suffered in preseason didn’t help his draft status any.
• Clinton Portis – Look for carries to decrease significantly with the emergence of Ladell Betts as a bona-fide runner.
• Laurence Maroney – Seems to be too much question surrounding the rehabbed shoulder and that kind of uncertainty doesn’t warrant the high round price tag that Maroney commands.
• Chris Henry – The Titans first round pick has bust written all over him. Look for Chris Brown to be the man in Tennessee.
• Matt Jones – Streaky and injury-prone, two things you should avoid in fantasy football.
• Samie Parker – Was given every opportunity to seize the starting job while Dwayne Bowe held out and failed to capitalize.
• Greg Olsen – Will show flashes of brilliance but will be hard to get consistency on a weekly basis with the presence of Desmond Clark.
• L.J. Smith – Dealing with an array of injuries, better options available.
To check the complete Sunday Morning Quarterback archive be dure to visit The NFL Draft Bible website.
For additional information on the above topics or information on the All-American Football League, you can email Rick Serritella at ric@nfldraftbible.com
Rick Serritella
Don’t count out Brady Quinn just yet for that starting quarterback job in Cleveland. The rookie stated his case Saturday night, completing 13-of-20 passes for 155 yards, while tossing two touchdowns. He may be behind in terms of reps, but Quinn proved why he is already the best quarterback on the team.
There seems to be disagreement in Kansas City between GM Carl Peterson and head coach Herm Edwards. Peterson believes Damon Huard gives the team the best chance to win as starting quarterback. Edwards and offensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham want to throw second-year man Brodie Croyle into the fire and let him rip. A situation like this occurs every season and the outcome can dictate the success of your season. If Croyle plays well the rest of preseason, it looks to be his job.
The Tim Couch experiment didn’t last very long in Jacksonville, three weeks to be exact. The Jaguars had brought the former number one overall pick (’99-Cleveland) into camp for a look, but obviously weren’t too impressed. Look for Couch to resurface next season with the startup All-American Football League.
Denver suffered a major blow in their 31-20 loss to Dallas on Saturday, as both Travis Henry and Mike Bell left the game due to injury. Henry suffered a sprain left knee and is expected to have an MRI Sunday. Bell re-aggravated a hip injury. Head coach Mike Shanahan sounded confident Henry would be ready for the start of the season in his post-game press conference, but in the meantime be sure to have Cecil Sapp on your fantasy radar.
One has to wonder what in the world head coach Cam Cameron is thinking down in Miami. The decision to let Ronnie Brown test out his kick return skills during the preseason is a move that could have turned fatal. Risking your starting running back on special teams is dangerous. The two words that first come to mind are Jason Sehorn. What’s even more mind-boggling is that Cameron is considering using Brown on kick returns during the season.
Flying under the radar in San Diego is wide receiver Vincent Jackson. Many fantasy owners are aware of his bust-out potential, but what they fail to realize is that Jackson could very well be a top-ten fantasy producing wide out- a definite mid-round steal for your fantasy draft this season.
James Jones has emerged as the Packers number three wide out and with Greg Jennings having trouble staying healthy, the third round pick out of San Jose Sate could make some noise this season. In deeper leagues, James could have some value as a reserve.
Another player we will continue to monitor is Marques Hagans of the Rams. The second-year quarterback turned wide out has looked impressive thus far in camp. He continues to lead the pack as the number three/slot receiver in St. Louis.
TEN GUYS WE LIKE…
• Jay Cutler – Should sneak into the top ten fantasy quarterbacks when the season is all said and done.
• Joey Harrington – Could put up some surprising numbers with talented offense around him.
• Daunte Culpepper – Worth a flier if he’s available with your final pick.
• Brandon Jacobs – Will step into fantasy stud status this season.
• Tatum Bell – Could explode in Mike Martz’s offense as long as he learns not to put the ball on the ground.
• Warrick Dunn – Downgraded due to injury by most fantasy owners, you can nab Dunn as a bargain during the middle of your draft. He’s still good for 1,000 yards.
• Tony Hunt – Great value in touchdown and dynasty leagues. Look for the rookie to see the majority of goal line touches for Philly.
• Ronald Curry – Will learn how to find the end zone this season.
• Wes Welker – Could see a lot of touchdowns in that slot role.
• Owen Daniels – Will improve upon the five touchdowns of a year ago in an offense that plans on using the tight end in an extensive role.
TEN GUYS WE DON'T LIKE…
• Donovan McNabb – The ultimate risk/reward player. A stud when healthy but knees just not what they used to be.
• Brodie Croyle – The kid has a laser, but his inexperience will cost him.
• Jason Campbell – The bruised left knee Campbell suffered in preseason didn’t help his draft status any.
• Clinton Portis – Look for carries to decrease significantly with the emergence of Ladell Betts as a bona-fide runner.
• Laurence Maroney – Seems to be too much question surrounding the rehabbed shoulder and that kind of uncertainty doesn’t warrant the high round price tag that Maroney commands.
• Chris Henry – The Titans first round pick has bust written all over him. Look for Chris Brown to be the man in Tennessee.
• Matt Jones – Streaky and injury-prone, two things you should avoid in fantasy football.
• Samie Parker – Was given every opportunity to seize the starting job while Dwayne Bowe held out and failed to capitalize.
• Greg Olsen – Will show flashes of brilliance but will be hard to get consistency on a weekly basis with the presence of Desmond Clark.
• L.J. Smith – Dealing with an array of injuries, better options available.
To check the complete Sunday Morning Quarterback archive be dure to visit The NFL Draft Bible website.
For additional information on the above topics or information on the All-American Football League, you can email Rick Serritella at ric@nfldraftbible.com
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
THE PHIL ELETTO TOP 100
These rankings are for basic scoring formats. Tight end’s have been ranked as wide receivers, so figure a 5% bump in value if your league mandates a tight end.
1 LaDanian Tomlinson: Don’t expect last year, but if you have any doubt, I want to be in your league
2 Steven Jackson: Pure monster, the coaching staff knows it and the system exploits it
3 Shaun Alexander: Let them worry about last year and his 30 years of age, we were talking about him last year like we talk about Tomlinson this year
4 Larry Johnson: For my money, this is a much better soap-opera than the Vick case--at least it’s all football related
5 Travis Henry: Too many things have to go wrong for him to not earn this. They say Moss needed a change of scenery?
6 Frank Gore: Opposite of Alexander--how quickly we forget his injury plagued past. I just want less risk in this slot. The later he lasts, the better I like him.
7 Reggie Bush: Too many weapons to be higher, but too much talent to go lower. Yardage/points per game makes him 5 overall
8 Willis McGahee: I am absolutely drooling over his upside this year
9 Joseph Addai: Flip-flop with Henry if Tarik Glenn plays, which does not seem likely
10 Peyton Manning: Money in the bank, but I have a hard time taking him before the RB's in front of him (and a few behind, if on the clock)
11 Laurence Maroney: A younger, stronger Westbrook. How much of the good Westbrook vs the bad is the question
12 Steve Smith: Will get you points in every game he is in, which is any time he can walk
13 Brian Westbrook: Injury waiting to happen, but an all-category monster when on the field. Points per catch or yardage leagues bump him up 5 spots
14 Rudy Johnson: Quietly does his thing year after year to little or no fanfare
15 Willie Parker: Love him in yardage leagues. Barlow and Davenport may snag a few more short touchdowns than Parker owners can handle
16 Clinton Portis: Expect a repeat of last year, except for his alter-ego's
17 Chad Johnson: This is the year he puts it all together
18 Carson Palmer: Rather have him here than pay the price for Peyton
19 Edgerrin James: Last year’s expectations come to fruition this year
20 Tory Holt: All is happy as can be in Ram-land. He should mirror last year’s numbers
21 Terrell Owens: Do you feel lucky? Better upside than any receiver but Smith and Ocho Cinco but with more risk, so I wuss out on this one
22 Marvin Harrison: I need to see the slowdown year before worrying about making him my #1 WR.He is like that security blanket from childhood.
23 Reggie Wayne: More upside than Harrison, but I won’t bet against Marvin
24 Cedric Benson: All alone, but is that a good thing, and is the entire Bears offense jekyll or hyde? Last of the clear cut starters, so take note of the rise in volatility and question marks from here on out, but he could be this year’s Frank Gore
25 Larry Fitzgerald: Sick talent + being surrounded by very good talent at the skill positions = no brainer
26 Roy Williams: The decision between him and Fitzgerald is like the decision between a brunette with a perfect body vs. a blonde with…
27 Brandon Jacobs: LaMont Jordan with more upside
28 Drew Brees: Having Bush puts him ahead of Brady (get your mind out of the gutter!)
29 Marques Colston: I so badly want to put him higher, but can’t tell you to do so, to the chagrin of our own Dr. Bill Chackes
30 Javon Walker: This offense will break records (figuratively) or hearts. Although the former is an exaggeration, that is my bet
31 Carnell Williams: He is another guy that has the talent and could surprise if your looking for upside. With all the noise about the quarterback situation, he may slip
32 Maurice Jones-Drew: This guy can get it done, likely earning more than this slot
33 Ronnie Brown: Trent Green staying healthy improves Brown's standing considerably
34 Andre Johnson: Expect a repeat of last year. Ever use him in Madden? He is a monster!
35 Duece McAllister: The quietest 10 Touchdowns, 1,000 yards of '06
36 Tom Brady: It’s not hard to imagine a 5-10% increase last year’s numbers, but you will have to pay for it. I pass
37 Thomas Jones: Still don’t understand why he came so cheap. Helps you more in yardage leagues than touchdown leagues
38 Jamal Lewis: Few go to Cleveland looking for the Fountain of Youth, but he has a year or two left
39 Ahman Green: New team, new system, can put up numbers when healthy
40 Anquan Boldin: He never hurts you unless he is hurt himself
41 DeAngelo Williams: Has all the ability in the world, and it sure is fun to watch him exploit the room Smith opens up
42 Lamont Jordan: zzzzz. Do we hear sleeper? There is no "sleeper" per se anymore so look at him as unexpected/cheap sources of points.
43 Chester Taylor: Loved him until Adrian Peterson got drafted
44 Antonio Gates: As much fun as you can have owning a tight end
45 Randy Moss: I am pumped if I can get him here
46 Marshawn Lynch: $75 million invested in the offensive line, and not a ton of attention on him because of the expectation of "running back by committee." C'mon, are you scared of 100 year old Anthony Thomas?
47 Fred Taylor: Where once you couldn’t keep him ON the field, now we can’t get him off of it
48 Marion Barber: Was a Bill Parcells favorite, if he couldn't wrestle job from Jones then he won’t start now. It will take Wade Phillips half the season to figure out what Parcells ultimately did--Julius Jones cannot handle a starting gig
49 Marc Bulger: Bruises as easily as a peach, but can be as lethal as QBs 10-15 spots higher
50 Hines Ward: Been up and down last few years, but with a stabilized offense expect the "up"
51 Adrian Peterson: Are we all getting too excited given the $$ they paid Taylor and Peterson’s injury history? I smell a two-headed running back
52 Calvin Johnson: Rookies back to back. Selecting a rookie WR this early is unprecedented but warranted. Swing for the fences, look at the guys below, maybe one of the guys below slips to your next pick--you are set.
53 Donovan McNabb: 75% as of 8/1, that’s not a ringing endorsement, but it’s too early to go jumping off any bridges.
54 Kevin Jones: He's the type of guy that will bust out when everyone least expects it. You can get him here, zero downside other than that chronic foot, and Tatum Bell getting a fire under his…
55 TJ Houshmandzadeh: Best name since Tshimanga Biakabutuka and he’s a great receiver who will only benefit from Chris Henry's stupidity
56 Donald Driver: I want any WR that is Brett Favre's favorite target
57 Lee Evans: Would not be surprised if he finishes the season up to 20 spots higher, but I am not a J.P. Losman fan at all
58 Santana Moss: Not feeling the Redskins offense, but someone will put up #3 WR numbers and he has the best chance at them
59 Jon Kitna: Liked him last year, LOVE him this year
60 Plaxico Burress: So tired of this story--million dollar skills, ten cent head. As a number two, he could disappoint, as a #3 you will be thrilled.
61 Deion Branch: Got the number one gig and this offense should be a pleasant surprise
62 Brandon Jackson: Morency starting will only last a 1/4 of the season, and their O line is no prize
63 Laveranues Coles: Going to get a million balls thrown his way
64 Chris Chambers: Whenever his quarterback can get him the ball, he has exploded
65 Braylon Edwards: see Chris Chambers, only the quarterback situation is not nearly as optimistic
66 Vincent Jackson: Red zone monster
67 Reggie Brown: Ton of talent, it is a shame his value is tied to Donovan McNabb's health
68 Jay Cutler: Like Travis Henry, too many things need to go wrong for him to fail. No sure thing but they will not be looking insert Patrick Ramsey unless its an emergency
69 Joey Galloway: He keeps on going, but I don’t want to be left holding the pieces when his production dries up
70 Mark Clayton: Has to love the arrival of Willis McGahee, which will give him a fighting chance to run free
71 Tatum Bell: Martz loves him, but the evil genius is no friend to running backs
*At this point there is a considerable drop off in talent other than quarterbacks, Defenses/Individual defensive players/Kickers. If you don’t have a quarterback or have to play a TE, you have waited long enough. If you have any means of moving 2 picks for 1 to move up, do so.
72 Jerious Norwood: He will get his chance to start out of the gate, but any Falcon will have to come cheap for me
73 Todd Heap: Owners never complain or rejoice, but he is a tight end, what do you expect?
74 Ladell Betts: Clinton Portis always gives the backup a game or two of value
75 Matt Hasselbeck: Why is he falling so far?
76 Tony Gonzalez: Chiefs wide receivers scare nobody, so the passing game is his to rule
77 Darrell Jackson: Hardly the missing piece, but brings valuable experience and talent, just has to stay out of the trainer’s room
78 Matt Leinart: Let’s not go nuts, but this season he should be a pleasure to own
79 Vince Young: Betting on a sophomore slump
80 Muhsin Muhammad: He is getting the majority of the balls regardless, but a successful QB means high scoring offense. If not you have too many low scoring games
81 LenDale White: His value is the opposite of his scale readings, meaning weight up, fortunes down
82 Phillip Rivers: Poor man’s Drew Brees with more mobility
83 Kevin Curtis: Perfect fit with plenty of upside as Brown has had trouble staying healthy
84 DeShaun Foster: Starting and talented but "fragile" must be Italian
85 Devery Henderson: Departure of Joe Horn allows his skills to shine and be the forgotten man alongside Marques Colston, Reggie Bush and company
86 Donte Stallworth: A polished version of Devery Henderson, but the WR glut hurts more than Tom Brady helps. Always seems to be nicked up
87 Chris Brown: Another "good if on the field but…" and may lose job if LenDale White learns to lay off the White Castle
88 Jerricho Cotchery: Flew under the radar everywhere but New York, can he do it again?
89 Vernand Morency: Will get the numbers at the end of the season, but if you owned him you will wonder when those points came
90 D.J. Hackett: Another great value pick. Years ago they would label him a sleeper
91 Kellen Winslow, Jr.: Tight end rule. Always had the talent, I think he will start to show it this year
92 Greg Jennings: Great chemistry with Favre and little depth after him
93 Santonio Holmes: He has had time to marinate in the offense and Pittsburgh passing game will surprise
94 Bernard Berrian: Speed to burn but how many points will the Bears score? If you haven't guessed it, I’m down on the Bears offense across the board
95 Troy Williamson: At this point would you prefer to have some retread veteran or a guy with an extra helping of upside. I will take the upside hold the onions (and hopefully the dropsies)
96 Ben Roethlisberger: Got a really solid feeling on him this year, he should be cheap as well
97 Chris Cooley: Love his versatility and his prominence in the offense, but how good will it be?
98 Terry Glenn: HE doesn’t have all that much upside per se, but unpredictability of Owens OR coverage he draws--either way Owens helps him.
99 Brett Favre: Captain obvious comment of the board--If upright he will be slinging. Running game is no given and neither is the defense.
100 Leon Washington: A much younger version of Warrick Dunn which means lots of yards, some BIG plays, limited touchdowns
1 LaDanian Tomlinson: Don’t expect last year, but if you have any doubt, I want to be in your league
2 Steven Jackson: Pure monster, the coaching staff knows it and the system exploits it
3 Shaun Alexander: Let them worry about last year and his 30 years of age, we were talking about him last year like we talk about Tomlinson this year
4 Larry Johnson: For my money, this is a much better soap-opera than the Vick case--at least it’s all football related
5 Travis Henry: Too many things have to go wrong for him to not earn this. They say Moss needed a change of scenery?
6 Frank Gore: Opposite of Alexander--how quickly we forget his injury plagued past. I just want less risk in this slot. The later he lasts, the better I like him.
7 Reggie Bush: Too many weapons to be higher, but too much talent to go lower. Yardage/points per game makes him 5 overall
8 Willis McGahee: I am absolutely drooling over his upside this year
9 Joseph Addai: Flip-flop with Henry if Tarik Glenn plays, which does not seem likely
10 Peyton Manning: Money in the bank, but I have a hard time taking him before the RB's in front of him (and a few behind, if on the clock)
11 Laurence Maroney: A younger, stronger Westbrook. How much of the good Westbrook vs the bad is the question
12 Steve Smith: Will get you points in every game he is in, which is any time he can walk
13 Brian Westbrook: Injury waiting to happen, but an all-category monster when on the field. Points per catch or yardage leagues bump him up 5 spots
14 Rudy Johnson: Quietly does his thing year after year to little or no fanfare
15 Willie Parker: Love him in yardage leagues. Barlow and Davenport may snag a few more short touchdowns than Parker owners can handle
16 Clinton Portis: Expect a repeat of last year, except for his alter-ego's
17 Chad Johnson: This is the year he puts it all together
18 Carson Palmer: Rather have him here than pay the price for Peyton
19 Edgerrin James: Last year’s expectations come to fruition this year
20 Tory Holt: All is happy as can be in Ram-land. He should mirror last year’s numbers
21 Terrell Owens: Do you feel lucky? Better upside than any receiver but Smith and Ocho Cinco but with more risk, so I wuss out on this one
22 Marvin Harrison: I need to see the slowdown year before worrying about making him my #1 WR.He is like that security blanket from childhood.
23 Reggie Wayne: More upside than Harrison, but I won’t bet against Marvin
24 Cedric Benson: All alone, but is that a good thing, and is the entire Bears offense jekyll or hyde? Last of the clear cut starters, so take note of the rise in volatility and question marks from here on out, but he could be this year’s Frank Gore
25 Larry Fitzgerald: Sick talent + being surrounded by very good talent at the skill positions = no brainer
26 Roy Williams: The decision between him and Fitzgerald is like the decision between a brunette with a perfect body vs. a blonde with…
27 Brandon Jacobs: LaMont Jordan with more upside
28 Drew Brees: Having Bush puts him ahead of Brady (get your mind out of the gutter!)
29 Marques Colston: I so badly want to put him higher, but can’t tell you to do so, to the chagrin of our own Dr. Bill Chackes
30 Javon Walker: This offense will break records (figuratively) or hearts. Although the former is an exaggeration, that is my bet
31 Carnell Williams: He is another guy that has the talent and could surprise if your looking for upside. With all the noise about the quarterback situation, he may slip
32 Maurice Jones-Drew: This guy can get it done, likely earning more than this slot
33 Ronnie Brown: Trent Green staying healthy improves Brown's standing considerably
34 Andre Johnson: Expect a repeat of last year. Ever use him in Madden? He is a monster!
35 Duece McAllister: The quietest 10 Touchdowns, 1,000 yards of '06
36 Tom Brady: It’s not hard to imagine a 5-10% increase last year’s numbers, but you will have to pay for it. I pass
37 Thomas Jones: Still don’t understand why he came so cheap. Helps you more in yardage leagues than touchdown leagues
38 Jamal Lewis: Few go to Cleveland looking for the Fountain of Youth, but he has a year or two left
39 Ahman Green: New team, new system, can put up numbers when healthy
40 Anquan Boldin: He never hurts you unless he is hurt himself
41 DeAngelo Williams: Has all the ability in the world, and it sure is fun to watch him exploit the room Smith opens up
42 Lamont Jordan: zzzzz. Do we hear sleeper? There is no "sleeper" per se anymore so look at him as unexpected/cheap sources of points.
43 Chester Taylor: Loved him until Adrian Peterson got drafted
44 Antonio Gates: As much fun as you can have owning a tight end
45 Randy Moss: I am pumped if I can get him here
46 Marshawn Lynch: $75 million invested in the offensive line, and not a ton of attention on him because of the expectation of "running back by committee." C'mon, are you scared of 100 year old Anthony Thomas?
47 Fred Taylor: Where once you couldn’t keep him ON the field, now we can’t get him off of it
48 Marion Barber: Was a Bill Parcells favorite, if he couldn't wrestle job from Jones then he won’t start now. It will take Wade Phillips half the season to figure out what Parcells ultimately did--Julius Jones cannot handle a starting gig
49 Marc Bulger: Bruises as easily as a peach, but can be as lethal as QBs 10-15 spots higher
50 Hines Ward: Been up and down last few years, but with a stabilized offense expect the "up"
51 Adrian Peterson: Are we all getting too excited given the $$ they paid Taylor and Peterson’s injury history? I smell a two-headed running back
52 Calvin Johnson: Rookies back to back. Selecting a rookie WR this early is unprecedented but warranted. Swing for the fences, look at the guys below, maybe one of the guys below slips to your next pick--you are set.
53 Donovan McNabb: 75% as of 8/1, that’s not a ringing endorsement, but it’s too early to go jumping off any bridges.
54 Kevin Jones: He's the type of guy that will bust out when everyone least expects it. You can get him here, zero downside other than that chronic foot, and Tatum Bell getting a fire under his…
55 TJ Houshmandzadeh: Best name since Tshimanga Biakabutuka and he’s a great receiver who will only benefit from Chris Henry's stupidity
56 Donald Driver: I want any WR that is Brett Favre's favorite target
57 Lee Evans: Would not be surprised if he finishes the season up to 20 spots higher, but I am not a J.P. Losman fan at all
58 Santana Moss: Not feeling the Redskins offense, but someone will put up #3 WR numbers and he has the best chance at them
59 Jon Kitna: Liked him last year, LOVE him this year
60 Plaxico Burress: So tired of this story--million dollar skills, ten cent head. As a number two, he could disappoint, as a #3 you will be thrilled.
61 Deion Branch: Got the number one gig and this offense should be a pleasant surprise
62 Brandon Jackson: Morency starting will only last a 1/4 of the season, and their O line is no prize
63 Laveranues Coles: Going to get a million balls thrown his way
64 Chris Chambers: Whenever his quarterback can get him the ball, he has exploded
65 Braylon Edwards: see Chris Chambers, only the quarterback situation is not nearly as optimistic
66 Vincent Jackson: Red zone monster
67 Reggie Brown: Ton of talent, it is a shame his value is tied to Donovan McNabb's health
68 Jay Cutler: Like Travis Henry, too many things need to go wrong for him to fail. No sure thing but they will not be looking insert Patrick Ramsey unless its an emergency
69 Joey Galloway: He keeps on going, but I don’t want to be left holding the pieces when his production dries up
70 Mark Clayton: Has to love the arrival of Willis McGahee, which will give him a fighting chance to run free
71 Tatum Bell: Martz loves him, but the evil genius is no friend to running backs
*At this point there is a considerable drop off in talent other than quarterbacks, Defenses/Individual defensive players/Kickers. If you don’t have a quarterback or have to play a TE, you have waited long enough. If you have any means of moving 2 picks for 1 to move up, do so.
72 Jerious Norwood: He will get his chance to start out of the gate, but any Falcon will have to come cheap for me
73 Todd Heap: Owners never complain or rejoice, but he is a tight end, what do you expect?
74 Ladell Betts: Clinton Portis always gives the backup a game or two of value
75 Matt Hasselbeck: Why is he falling so far?
76 Tony Gonzalez: Chiefs wide receivers scare nobody, so the passing game is his to rule
77 Darrell Jackson: Hardly the missing piece, but brings valuable experience and talent, just has to stay out of the trainer’s room
78 Matt Leinart: Let’s not go nuts, but this season he should be a pleasure to own
79 Vince Young: Betting on a sophomore slump
80 Muhsin Muhammad: He is getting the majority of the balls regardless, but a successful QB means high scoring offense. If not you have too many low scoring games
81 LenDale White: His value is the opposite of his scale readings, meaning weight up, fortunes down
82 Phillip Rivers: Poor man’s Drew Brees with more mobility
83 Kevin Curtis: Perfect fit with plenty of upside as Brown has had trouble staying healthy
84 DeShaun Foster: Starting and talented but "fragile" must be Italian
85 Devery Henderson: Departure of Joe Horn allows his skills to shine and be the forgotten man alongside Marques Colston, Reggie Bush and company
86 Donte Stallworth: A polished version of Devery Henderson, but the WR glut hurts more than Tom Brady helps. Always seems to be nicked up
87 Chris Brown: Another "good if on the field but…" and may lose job if LenDale White learns to lay off the White Castle
88 Jerricho Cotchery: Flew under the radar everywhere but New York, can he do it again?
89 Vernand Morency: Will get the numbers at the end of the season, but if you owned him you will wonder when those points came
90 D.J. Hackett: Another great value pick. Years ago they would label him a sleeper
91 Kellen Winslow, Jr.: Tight end rule. Always had the talent, I think he will start to show it this year
92 Greg Jennings: Great chemistry with Favre and little depth after him
93 Santonio Holmes: He has had time to marinate in the offense and Pittsburgh passing game will surprise
94 Bernard Berrian: Speed to burn but how many points will the Bears score? If you haven't guessed it, I’m down on the Bears offense across the board
95 Troy Williamson: At this point would you prefer to have some retread veteran or a guy with an extra helping of upside. I will take the upside hold the onions (and hopefully the dropsies)
96 Ben Roethlisberger: Got a really solid feeling on him this year, he should be cheap as well
97 Chris Cooley: Love his versatility and his prominence in the offense, but how good will it be?
98 Terry Glenn: HE doesn’t have all that much upside per se, but unpredictability of Owens OR coverage he draws--either way Owens helps him.
99 Brett Favre: Captain obvious comment of the board--If upright he will be slinging. Running game is no given and neither is the defense.
100 Leon Washington: A much younger version of Warrick Dunn which means lots of yards, some BIG plays, limited touchdowns
Monday, August 13, 2007
QUARTERBACKS IN THE WINGS
By The Fantasy Trader, NFL Draft Bible
Have you ever tried to explain Fantasy Football to someone who has never played? Well, we draft real players and form a team that competes each week. Fantasy Football is like being a real owner. If this were true, then why does the fantasy quarterback get the shaft?
Just about the entire first round will be running backs. Part of the reason for this is that there is so much depth at the quarterback position. Tony Romo, Vince Young, Jeff Garcia, David Garrard and Jay Cutler started the season as backups, but got the full-time gig and made serious contributions. So much is made of the backup running back, but let’s see who might breakout in the backup quarterback role.
David Carr, Carolina Panthers-- Has there ever been a better example of losing your job and it being considered a good career move? Carr picked himself up off the ground 41 times last year. Despite the lack of protection he still managed to complete 68.3% of his passes and is only 28 years old. Now he’s in Carolina backing up Jake Delhomme, who struggled last year and will have a short leash to start 07. Carr has more mobility than Delhomme and arguably as good an arm. The one thing he never had was Delhomme’s surrounding talent.
Gus Frerotte, St. Louis Rams-- It seems that Frerotte always finds his way behind center. Marc Bulger played all sixteen games last year for the first time in his career and was limited to eight games in 2005. Frerotte made the most with his surrounding talent in Miami. If you have a disposable roster spot, Bulger owners might want to consider drafting Frerotte as an insurance policy. At the very least, he is worth a waiver pick as a viable fantasy option should Bulger go down.
Brady Quinn, Cleveland Browns-- After missing nearly two weeks of training camp, it appears Quinn has no shot at starting the season as the Browns quarterback. Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson will compete for the starting job. Last season, the two combined to throw just 15 TDs and 25 INTs. Quinn has learned under Charlie Weis and has the mobility and arm strength to make an immediate impact. The Browns are preaching patience, but so were the Titans and Cardinals last season. Chances are he starts before mid-season.
Damon Huard, Kansas City Chiefs-- He will probably be the week one starter for the Chiefs, but that doesn’t mean he will get drafted in your league. The fact that there is a quarterback debate between Huard and rookie Brody Croyle is mind-boggling. In ten games last season, Huard threw 11 TDs and just 1 INT. Assuming Larry Johnson returns, he also makes every passing game a little bit better. With a weak offensive line, veteran leadership is a must.
Kellen Clemens, New York Jets-- The Jets should just call this guy Pennington number two. His game is eerily similar, as he possesses the same frame and has shown acute accuracy. Clemens seems to also possess a stronger arm of the two. Pennington did play sixteen games last season, but only played in twenty-three during the three prior seasons. Clemens was explosive at Oregon where he threw 41 TDs over his last two seasons. The Jets have veteran wide receivers, which will help with his transition should the opportunity present itself.
The name has changed to protect the innocent. The Fantasy Trader will give you the inside access into league developments to help keep you ahead of your fantasy competition.
Email him at: fantasytrader@nfldraftbible.com
Have you ever tried to explain Fantasy Football to someone who has never played? Well, we draft real players and form a team that competes each week. Fantasy Football is like being a real owner. If this were true, then why does the fantasy quarterback get the shaft?
Just about the entire first round will be running backs. Part of the reason for this is that there is so much depth at the quarterback position. Tony Romo, Vince Young, Jeff Garcia, David Garrard and Jay Cutler started the season as backups, but got the full-time gig and made serious contributions. So much is made of the backup running back, but let’s see who might breakout in the backup quarterback role.
David Carr, Carolina Panthers-- Has there ever been a better example of losing your job and it being considered a good career move? Carr picked himself up off the ground 41 times last year. Despite the lack of protection he still managed to complete 68.3% of his passes and is only 28 years old. Now he’s in Carolina backing up Jake Delhomme, who struggled last year and will have a short leash to start 07. Carr has more mobility than Delhomme and arguably as good an arm. The one thing he never had was Delhomme’s surrounding talent.
Gus Frerotte, St. Louis Rams-- It seems that Frerotte always finds his way behind center. Marc Bulger played all sixteen games last year for the first time in his career and was limited to eight games in 2005. Frerotte made the most with his surrounding talent in Miami. If you have a disposable roster spot, Bulger owners might want to consider drafting Frerotte as an insurance policy. At the very least, he is worth a waiver pick as a viable fantasy option should Bulger go down.
Brady Quinn, Cleveland Browns-- After missing nearly two weeks of training camp, it appears Quinn has no shot at starting the season as the Browns quarterback. Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson will compete for the starting job. Last season, the two combined to throw just 15 TDs and 25 INTs. Quinn has learned under Charlie Weis and has the mobility and arm strength to make an immediate impact. The Browns are preaching patience, but so were the Titans and Cardinals last season. Chances are he starts before mid-season.
Damon Huard, Kansas City Chiefs-- He will probably be the week one starter for the Chiefs, but that doesn’t mean he will get drafted in your league. The fact that there is a quarterback debate between Huard and rookie Brody Croyle is mind-boggling. In ten games last season, Huard threw 11 TDs and just 1 INT. Assuming Larry Johnson returns, he also makes every passing game a little bit better. With a weak offensive line, veteran leadership is a must.
Kellen Clemens, New York Jets-- The Jets should just call this guy Pennington number two. His game is eerily similar, as he possesses the same frame and has shown acute accuracy. Clemens seems to also possess a stronger arm of the two. Pennington did play sixteen games last season, but only played in twenty-three during the three prior seasons. Clemens was explosive at Oregon where he threw 41 TDs over his last two seasons. The Jets have veteran wide receivers, which will help with his transition should the opportunity present itself.
The name has changed to protect the innocent. The Fantasy Trader will give you the inside access into league developments to help keep you ahead of your fantasy competition.
Email him at: fantasytrader@nfldraftbible.com
Friday, August 10, 2007
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: JEFF FRANCOEUR ON FF
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: JEFF FRANCOEUR ON FF
By Daniel Mogollon, NFL Draft Bible
With all the off the field trouble those involved in professional sports have gotten themselves into of late, teams should encourage fantasy sports as way to have some clean fun, something many athletes are already doing.
Before the Atlanta Braves took the field to take on the New York Mets on Tuesday, Jeff Francoeur gave the NFL Draft Bible a few minutes of his time in the visiting team’s dugout. He is almost as excited about the upcoming football season, as he is the Braves’ playoff push.
“I got all my books and I’m scouting now. I should be ready to go,” Francoeur said of his preparation for his league’s Fantasy Football Draft. “I had a disappointing year last year, I’m going to be honest with you. I got knocked out of the playoffs early, so I need to come back strong this year.”
Francoeur takes pride in his knowledge of football, especially considering he was a four-star recruit according to Rivals and was set to go to Clemson, before the hometown Atlanta Braves made him a first round draft choice. As a corner, he ran a 4.5 40-time and could have teamed with Justin Miller on the Tigers, who Francoeur says he follows intently.
“We have a fun league, so it should be a good time,” the athletic right fielder says of the Braves in-house fantasy league, which usually consists of 12 to 14 players.
In addition to keeping players out of trouble -- if you owned a team, wouldn’t you rather have your players yelling at their TV for LaDainian Tomlinson to score a touchdown than with a fist full of cash outside a pit-bull ring? -- it helps build team camaraderie.
“It’s a blast, we come in talking trash all the time, even during the off-season,” Francoeur said. “It’s a great way to keep in touch with guys through e-mail.”
* A special thanks goes out to LatinoSports.com, for allowing Dan to do this interview while on assignment covering the Mets.
By Daniel Mogollon, NFL Draft Bible
With all the off the field trouble those involved in professional sports have gotten themselves into of late, teams should encourage fantasy sports as way to have some clean fun, something many athletes are already doing.
Before the Atlanta Braves took the field to take on the New York Mets on Tuesday, Jeff Francoeur gave the NFL Draft Bible a few minutes of his time in the visiting team’s dugout. He is almost as excited about the upcoming football season, as he is the Braves’ playoff push.
“I got all my books and I’m scouting now. I should be ready to go,” Francoeur said of his preparation for his league’s Fantasy Football Draft. “I had a disappointing year last year, I’m going to be honest with you. I got knocked out of the playoffs early, so I need to come back strong this year.”
Francoeur takes pride in his knowledge of football, especially considering he was a four-star recruit according to Rivals and was set to go to Clemson, before the hometown Atlanta Braves made him a first round draft choice. As a corner, he ran a 4.5 40-time and could have teamed with Justin Miller on the Tigers, who Francoeur says he follows intently.
“We have a fun league, so it should be a good time,” the athletic right fielder says of the Braves in-house fantasy league, which usually consists of 12 to 14 players.
In addition to keeping players out of trouble -- if you owned a team, wouldn’t you rather have your players yelling at their TV for LaDainian Tomlinson to score a touchdown than with a fist full of cash outside a pit-bull ring? -- it helps build team camaraderie.
“It’s a blast, we come in talking trash all the time, even during the off-season,” Francoeur said. “It’s a great way to keep in touch with guys through e-mail.”
* A special thanks goes out to LatinoSports.com, for allowing Dan to do this interview while on assignment covering the Mets.
DENVER BRONCOS '07 PREVIEW
DENVER BRONCOS PRESEASON PREVIEW
By Harsh Lochan, NFL Draft Bible
The beginning of a season is the same for every franchise- a breath of fresh air, that eternal ray of hope and confidence in the season to come.
That very confidence and hope in Denver has been injected by young quarterback Jay Cutler. Fans can be heard whispering the name “Elway” to each other as Cutler steps into a downfield pass in the Mile High sky. Behind the apparent answers, however, lie critical questions.
The receivers he’s throwing to? “The walking wounded.” The running game? “Leave it to Shanny – He’ll find a way.” JC? “He’ll come into his own.” The biggest and most important question - how will Denver fare this season?
If there’s ever a season where timing is critical, this is the one. With a monstrous defense that led the team to a 5-1 start last year, giving up a total of 44 points, 7.3 per game and the lowest points allowed in the NFL at the time. Offensive woes were overcome by a “bend but not break” defense, where Champ Bailey was the quiet and unofficial defensive player of the year. With an offense that ranked 31st in the league at the time with 12.3 points per game, even the defense couldn’t prevent a 4-6 downhill finish.
This year, much of the same can be expected with a decimated receiving core with the exception of Javon Walker. The defensive addition of Dre Bly to the secondary will keep points off the board long enough for the offense to get going. With the rest of the crew coming off various injuries, expect Cutler and the offense to get off to a slow start.
Jay Cutler
A keeper league gem and a promising performer, its Cutler’s ship and the Broncos are on it. With Plummer out of the picture and assured backup, Patrick Ramsey taking them from the bench, there is no quarterback controversy or worry over job security. Look for the talented Cutler to move up the ranks of second-tier fantasy quarterbacks this season and expect him to surge as the season progresses. He’ll face his growing pains early and grow stronger along with the owners who draft him.
Travis Henry/Mike Bell
Tally up an automatic 1,000 yards, with the veteran Travis Henry exploiting the runway between the tackles. A word of caution for future Mike Bell owners – expect him to struggle fantasy-wise as his running style isn’t that different from Henry’s. Not being a change of pace back can hurt his stock. While his hard-nosed, grind-it-out style of play admirably makes him a fan favorite, Bell’s similar running will leave him with less carries as Henry will be more featured.
It goes without say to draft Bell if you have Henry. Handcuffing backups is a good way to protect your investment - especially if the backup is as talented as Mike Bell.
Javon Walker
A steal in a bust out year last season leaves Walker as the only healthy disclaimer to the injury report that is the Broncos’ wide outs. Walker is the only viable target and as he proved last year, will put up big numbers if defenses aren’t geared to shutting him down.
Brandon Marshall
Coming off a thigh injury, Marshall hasn’t been on the practice field and is a definite candidate for a rough start. However, keep an in-season eye on Marshall who could become a weapon inside the twenty and a difference maker for deeper league fantasy teams starving for a receiver.
Brandon Stokley
A late value pick at best, look for the oft-injured Stokley to be a fantasy disappointment. Avoid being a hopeful if you are expecting him to bust out given the circumstances. Coming off a ruptured right Achilles earlier than expected, and without the luxury of indoor turf that serves as Madden turbo, hit the pass button instead.
Rod Smith
Coach Shanahan has offered a liberal, if not hazy assessment of Smith’s timetable for return from hip injury and subsequent surgery. Being placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list doesn’t help matters. It comes to show you that injury and age will catch up even to the Hot Rod, as a spot for him should not be reserved unless you’re incredibly sentimental.
Daniel Graham/Tony Scheffler
Recovered from a broken foot and freshly activated, emerging Tony Scheffler was a bona fide sleeper until the acquisition of Daniel Graham. Considering Graham’s usage by New England as a Red Zone target, this leaves Scheffler in the role of a possession tight end. This translates to split numbers, as they would each cut into the others productivity. A good tandem, avoid too much fantasy expectation from either individually.
Email Harsh Lochan: harsh@nfldraftbible.com
By Harsh Lochan, NFL Draft Bible
The beginning of a season is the same for every franchise- a breath of fresh air, that eternal ray of hope and confidence in the season to come.
That very confidence and hope in Denver has been injected by young quarterback Jay Cutler. Fans can be heard whispering the name “Elway” to each other as Cutler steps into a downfield pass in the Mile High sky. Behind the apparent answers, however, lie critical questions.
The receivers he’s throwing to? “The walking wounded.” The running game? “Leave it to Shanny – He’ll find a way.” JC? “He’ll come into his own.” The biggest and most important question - how will Denver fare this season?
If there’s ever a season where timing is critical, this is the one. With a monstrous defense that led the team to a 5-1 start last year, giving up a total of 44 points, 7.3 per game and the lowest points allowed in the NFL at the time. Offensive woes were overcome by a “bend but not break” defense, where Champ Bailey was the quiet and unofficial defensive player of the year. With an offense that ranked 31st in the league at the time with 12.3 points per game, even the defense couldn’t prevent a 4-6 downhill finish.
This year, much of the same can be expected with a decimated receiving core with the exception of Javon Walker. The defensive addition of Dre Bly to the secondary will keep points off the board long enough for the offense to get going. With the rest of the crew coming off various injuries, expect Cutler and the offense to get off to a slow start.
Jay Cutler
A keeper league gem and a promising performer, its Cutler’s ship and the Broncos are on it. With Plummer out of the picture and assured backup, Patrick Ramsey taking them from the bench, there is no quarterback controversy or worry over job security. Look for the talented Cutler to move up the ranks of second-tier fantasy quarterbacks this season and expect him to surge as the season progresses. He’ll face his growing pains early and grow stronger along with the owners who draft him.
Travis Henry/Mike Bell
Tally up an automatic 1,000 yards, with the veteran Travis Henry exploiting the runway between the tackles. A word of caution for future Mike Bell owners – expect him to struggle fantasy-wise as his running style isn’t that different from Henry’s. Not being a change of pace back can hurt his stock. While his hard-nosed, grind-it-out style of play admirably makes him a fan favorite, Bell’s similar running will leave him with less carries as Henry will be more featured.
It goes without say to draft Bell if you have Henry. Handcuffing backups is a good way to protect your investment - especially if the backup is as talented as Mike Bell.
Javon Walker
A steal in a bust out year last season leaves Walker as the only healthy disclaimer to the injury report that is the Broncos’ wide outs. Walker is the only viable target and as he proved last year, will put up big numbers if defenses aren’t geared to shutting him down.
Brandon Marshall
Coming off a thigh injury, Marshall hasn’t been on the practice field and is a definite candidate for a rough start. However, keep an in-season eye on Marshall who could become a weapon inside the twenty and a difference maker for deeper league fantasy teams starving for a receiver.
Brandon Stokley
A late value pick at best, look for the oft-injured Stokley to be a fantasy disappointment. Avoid being a hopeful if you are expecting him to bust out given the circumstances. Coming off a ruptured right Achilles earlier than expected, and without the luxury of indoor turf that serves as Madden turbo, hit the pass button instead.
Rod Smith
Coach Shanahan has offered a liberal, if not hazy assessment of Smith’s timetable for return from hip injury and subsequent surgery. Being placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list doesn’t help matters. It comes to show you that injury and age will catch up even to the Hot Rod, as a spot for him should not be reserved unless you’re incredibly sentimental.
Daniel Graham/Tony Scheffler
Recovered from a broken foot and freshly activated, emerging Tony Scheffler was a bona fide sleeper until the acquisition of Daniel Graham. Considering Graham’s usage by New England as a Red Zone target, this leaves Scheffler in the role of a possession tight end. This translates to split numbers, as they would each cut into the others productivity. A good tandem, avoid too much fantasy expectation from either individually.
Email Harsh Lochan: harsh@nfldraftbible.com
FF IMPLICATIONS OF THE TWO-BACK SYSTEM
By David Kaye, NFL Draft Bible
Last season the Indianapolis Colts orchestrated the two running back
system en route to a Super Bowl victory. The year before that, the
Pittsburgh Steelers incorporated the inside outside combination of
Jerome Bettis and Willie Parker to hoist the Vince Lombardi trophy.
Due to the success of the Colts and Steelers, more and more teams will
begin to employ the running back by committee system. It will be interesting to note if this is a trend that has staying power and
what, if any, fantasy implications this might have as the season
approaches.
AFC
Buffalo Bills
In Buffalo, Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year Marshawn Lynch will split time with seven-year veteran Anthony Thomas in the backfield. The players have contrasting running styles--Lynch provides extraordinary speed and balance while Thomas is a power back. “I would still like if we had the option, to run the ball by committee,”said head coach Dick Jauron.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Running backs Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew combined to form a
two-headed monster in Jacksonville last season amassing 2,087 yards and 18 touchdowns between them. Jones-Drew proved to fantasy owners that he's a versatile back who can also catch passes and serve as a kick return specialist. He compiled 436 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and saw his kick return average escalate to 27.7, third best in the NFL. I expect the fantasy production of Jones-Drew to continue to increase in all facets of the game, as he will provide a little mojo to the Jaguars backfield.
Oakland Raiders
As the Raiders enter the 2007 season boasting the lowest scoring
offense in the league, backfield mates LaMont Jordan and Dominic
Rhodes will be counted on heavily throughout the season. Rhodes, signed in the off-season coming over from those Super Bowl Champion Colts, has been suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Even though his value is quickly diminishing, he would be a steal between rounds 10-15, as he will return week six against Miami. Without Rhodes, Jordan will see considerable playing time and he has the ability to be a productive starter. He'll probably go unnoticed in fantasy drafts, but he is on my radar as a sleeper pick.
NFC
Dallas Cowboys
Marion Barber III transformed into a touchdown machine last season as he found the end zone fourteen times on the ground and twice in the air. Barber was featured more as a third down and goal line back last season due to his strength and ability to move the chains. As a young player on the rise, he should be a hot commodity in fantasy drafts. Meanwhile, starter Julius Jones saw his production on the ground increase for the third consecutive season, but he found the end zone less often. Being that this is a contract year for him, there'll be added pressure to perform and I expect him to have a breakout season.
Detroit Lions
Reports out of Detroit indicate that running back Kevin Jones is steadily progressing from a left foot injury that ended his season last year. Although he's regaining strength and his ability to cut, he's still on the physically unable to perform list and is not close to 100%. With Jones's injury, Tatum Bell is receiving the majority of reps in camp and offensive guru Mike Martz is planning to use the former Bronco in a featured role. His value in drafts is quickly rising and if Jones can recover fully, he can translate into a solid sleeper pick.
Minnesota Vikings
Last season in Minnesota, Chester Taylor was the dominant back as he eclipsed the 1,200 yard mark and distinguished himself as the focal point in the Vikings offense. With the arrival of first-round pick Adrian Peterson, Taylor's role will be diminished as a running back by committee system will be implemented. Even though Peterson is the hot pick in drafts, Taylor could prove to have an excellent season.
New York Giants
With the retirement of Tiki Barber, Brandon Jacobs will be thrust into the spotlight in the Giants offense. Jacobs displayed his explosiveness last season as he ran over opposing defenders and barreled his way into the end zone nine times. Reuben Droughns, acquired in the off-season from Cleveland, experienced a disappointing 2006 campaign, but will be relied upon heavily in the run game. I expect offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride to employ a running back by committee system in order to utilize the abilities of both players.
Washington Redskins
Running back Clinton Portis is returning from two shoulder injuries, a
sprained ankle and a broken bone in his right hand that placed him on
injured reserve last season. In his absence, backup Ladell Betts went
on to have the best season of his career, rushing for 1,154 yards and
four touchdowns. In the final six games of 2006, Betts accumulated five
100-yard games and eclipsed the 150-yard mark twice. Despite his
consistency, Portis is the starter in Washington and is being drafted
between the second and fourth rounds. I would use caution when considering Portis, who's extremely injury prone and focus my attention on grabbing Betts later on.
Email David Kaye at: david@nfldraftbible.com
Last season the Indianapolis Colts orchestrated the two running back
system en route to a Super Bowl victory. The year before that, the
Pittsburgh Steelers incorporated the inside outside combination of
Jerome Bettis and Willie Parker to hoist the Vince Lombardi trophy.
Due to the success of the Colts and Steelers, more and more teams will
begin to employ the running back by committee system. It will be interesting to note if this is a trend that has staying power and
what, if any, fantasy implications this might have as the season
approaches.
AFC
Buffalo Bills
In Buffalo, Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year Marshawn Lynch will split time with seven-year veteran Anthony Thomas in the backfield. The players have contrasting running styles--Lynch provides extraordinary speed and balance while Thomas is a power back. “I would still like if we had the option, to run the ball by committee,”said head coach Dick Jauron.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Running backs Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew combined to form a
two-headed monster in Jacksonville last season amassing 2,087 yards and 18 touchdowns between them. Jones-Drew proved to fantasy owners that he's a versatile back who can also catch passes and serve as a kick return specialist. He compiled 436 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and saw his kick return average escalate to 27.7, third best in the NFL. I expect the fantasy production of Jones-Drew to continue to increase in all facets of the game, as he will provide a little mojo to the Jaguars backfield.
Oakland Raiders
As the Raiders enter the 2007 season boasting the lowest scoring
offense in the league, backfield mates LaMont Jordan and Dominic
Rhodes will be counted on heavily throughout the season. Rhodes, signed in the off-season coming over from those Super Bowl Champion Colts, has been suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Even though his value is quickly diminishing, he would be a steal between rounds 10-15, as he will return week six against Miami. Without Rhodes, Jordan will see considerable playing time and he has the ability to be a productive starter. He'll probably go unnoticed in fantasy drafts, but he is on my radar as a sleeper pick.
NFC
Dallas Cowboys
Marion Barber III transformed into a touchdown machine last season as he found the end zone fourteen times on the ground and twice in the air. Barber was featured more as a third down and goal line back last season due to his strength and ability to move the chains. As a young player on the rise, he should be a hot commodity in fantasy drafts. Meanwhile, starter Julius Jones saw his production on the ground increase for the third consecutive season, but he found the end zone less often. Being that this is a contract year for him, there'll be added pressure to perform and I expect him to have a breakout season.
Detroit Lions
Reports out of Detroit indicate that running back Kevin Jones is steadily progressing from a left foot injury that ended his season last year. Although he's regaining strength and his ability to cut, he's still on the physically unable to perform list and is not close to 100%. With Jones's injury, Tatum Bell is receiving the majority of reps in camp and offensive guru Mike Martz is planning to use the former Bronco in a featured role. His value in drafts is quickly rising and if Jones can recover fully, he can translate into a solid sleeper pick.
Minnesota Vikings
Last season in Minnesota, Chester Taylor was the dominant back as he eclipsed the 1,200 yard mark and distinguished himself as the focal point in the Vikings offense. With the arrival of first-round pick Adrian Peterson, Taylor's role will be diminished as a running back by committee system will be implemented. Even though Peterson is the hot pick in drafts, Taylor could prove to have an excellent season.
New York Giants
With the retirement of Tiki Barber, Brandon Jacobs will be thrust into the spotlight in the Giants offense. Jacobs displayed his explosiveness last season as he ran over opposing defenders and barreled his way into the end zone nine times. Reuben Droughns, acquired in the off-season from Cleveland, experienced a disappointing 2006 campaign, but will be relied upon heavily in the run game. I expect offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride to employ a running back by committee system in order to utilize the abilities of both players.
Washington Redskins
Running back Clinton Portis is returning from two shoulder injuries, a
sprained ankle and a broken bone in his right hand that placed him on
injured reserve last season. In his absence, backup Ladell Betts went
on to have the best season of his career, rushing for 1,154 yards and
four touchdowns. In the final six games of 2006, Betts accumulated five
100-yard games and eclipsed the 150-yard mark twice. Despite his
consistency, Portis is the starter in Washington and is being drafted
between the second and fourth rounds. I would use caution when considering Portis, who's extremely injury prone and focus my attention on grabbing Betts later on.
Email David Kaye at: david@nfldraftbible.com
Thursday, August 9, 2007
QUARTERBACKS IN THE WINGS
By The Fantasy Trader, NFL Draft Bible
Have you ever tried to explain Fantasy Football to someone who has never played? Well, we draft real players and form a team that competes each week. Fantasy Football is like being a real owner. If this were true, then why does the fantasy quarterback get the shaft?
Just about the entire first round will be running backs. Part of the reason for this is that there is so much depth at the quarterback position. Tony Romo, Vince Young, Jeff Garcia, David Garrard and Jay Cutler started the season as backups, but got the full-time gig and made serious contributions. So much is made of the backup running back, but let’s see who might breakout in the backup quarterback role.
David Carr, Carolina Panthers-- Has there ever been a better example of losing your job and it being considered a good career move? Carr picked himself up off the ground 41 times last year. Despite the lack of protection he still managed to complete 68.3% of his passes and is only 28 years old. Now he’s in Carolina backing up Jake Delhomme, who struggled last year and will have a short leash to start 07. Carr has more mobility than Delhomme and arguably as good an arm. The one thing he never had was Delhomme’s surrounding talent.
Gus Frerotte, Denver Broncos-- It seems that Frerotte always finds his way behind center. Marc Bulger played all sixteen games last year for the first time in his career and was limited to eight games in 2005. Frerotte made the most with his surrounding talent in Miami. If you have a disposable roster spot, Bulger owners might want to consider drafting Frerotte as an insurance policy. At the very least, he is worth a waiver pick as a viable fantasy option should Bulger go down.
Brady Quinn, Cleveland Browns-- After missing nearly two weeks of training camp, it appears Quinn has no shot at starting the season as the Browns quarterback. Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson will compete for the starting job. Last season, the two combined to throw just 15 TDs and 25 INTs. Quinn has learned under Charlie Weis and has the mobility and arm strength to make an immediate impact. The Browns are preaching patience, but so were the Titans and Cardinals last season. Chances are he starts before mid-season.
Damon Huard, Kansas City Chiefs-- He will probably be the week one starter for the Chiefs, but that doesn’t mean he will get drafted in your league. The fact that there is a quarterback debate between Huard and rookie Brody Croyle is mind-boggling. In ten games last season, Huard threw 11 TDs and just 1 INT. Assuming Larry Johnson returns, he also makes every passing game a little bit better. With a weak offensive line, veteran leadership is a must.
Kellen Clemens, New York Jets-- The Jets should just call this guy Pennington number two. His game is eerily similar, as he possesses the same frame and has shown acute accuracy. Clemens seems to also possess a stronger arm of the two. Pennington did play sixteen games last season, but only played in twenty-three during the three prior seasons. Clemens was explosive at Oregon where he threw 41 TDs over his last two seasons. The Jets have veteran wide receivers, which will help with his transition should the opportunity present itself.
The Fantasy Trader goes by alias as he is a fantasy football secret weapon. Keep it posted all season long on Fantasy Football Insiders as he provides the weekly Stock Report every Friday!
Email: fantasytrader@nfldraftbible.com
Have you ever tried to explain Fantasy Football to someone who has never played? Well, we draft real players and form a team that competes each week. Fantasy Football is like being a real owner. If this were true, then why does the fantasy quarterback get the shaft?
Just about the entire first round will be running backs. Part of the reason for this is that there is so much depth at the quarterback position. Tony Romo, Vince Young, Jeff Garcia, David Garrard and Jay Cutler started the season as backups, but got the full-time gig and made serious contributions. So much is made of the backup running back, but let’s see who might breakout in the backup quarterback role.
David Carr, Carolina Panthers-- Has there ever been a better example of losing your job and it being considered a good career move? Carr picked himself up off the ground 41 times last year. Despite the lack of protection he still managed to complete 68.3% of his passes and is only 28 years old. Now he’s in Carolina backing up Jake Delhomme, who struggled last year and will have a short leash to start 07. Carr has more mobility than Delhomme and arguably as good an arm. The one thing he never had was Delhomme’s surrounding talent.
Gus Frerotte, Denver Broncos-- It seems that Frerotte always finds his way behind center. Marc Bulger played all sixteen games last year for the first time in his career and was limited to eight games in 2005. Frerotte made the most with his surrounding talent in Miami. If you have a disposable roster spot, Bulger owners might want to consider drafting Frerotte as an insurance policy. At the very least, he is worth a waiver pick as a viable fantasy option should Bulger go down.
Brady Quinn, Cleveland Browns-- After missing nearly two weeks of training camp, it appears Quinn has no shot at starting the season as the Browns quarterback. Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson will compete for the starting job. Last season, the two combined to throw just 15 TDs and 25 INTs. Quinn has learned under Charlie Weis and has the mobility and arm strength to make an immediate impact. The Browns are preaching patience, but so were the Titans and Cardinals last season. Chances are he starts before mid-season.
Damon Huard, Kansas City Chiefs-- He will probably be the week one starter for the Chiefs, but that doesn’t mean he will get drafted in your league. The fact that there is a quarterback debate between Huard and rookie Brody Croyle is mind-boggling. In ten games last season, Huard threw 11 TDs and just 1 INT. Assuming Larry Johnson returns, he also makes every passing game a little bit better. With a weak offensive line, veteran leadership is a must.
Kellen Clemens, New York Jets-- The Jets should just call this guy Pennington number two. His game is eerily similar, as he possesses the same frame and has shown acute accuracy. Clemens seems to also possess a stronger arm of the two. Pennington did play sixteen games last season, but only played in twenty-three during the three prior seasons. Clemens was explosive at Oregon where he threw 41 TDs over his last two seasons. The Jets have veteran wide receivers, which will help with his transition should the opportunity present itself.
The Fantasy Trader goes by alias as he is a fantasy football secret weapon. Keep it posted all season long on Fantasy Football Insiders as he provides the weekly Stock Report every Friday!
Email: fantasytrader@nfldraftbible.com
BUST OUT PLAYERS FOR ‘07
By Brad Kurtzberg, NFL Draft Bible Sr. Writer
The difference between a good team and a great team is decided in the middle and late rounds of your draft, when people pick players who are not household names now, but will have breakout seasons and become fantasy starters. Here is a look at some players lower down in your fantasy depth chart who have the potential to make a big impact this year.
Here they are, the players who can really make a difference in your fantasy season.
QUARTERBACKS
Alex Smith, QB, San Francisco—The 49ers quarterback has shown steady improvement over his first two seasons and finished 2006 with 16 TDs. He has a strong arm, is gaining experience and has a strong running game led by Frank Gore. As he continues to progress, Smith should become a steady fantasy starter this season.
Jay Cutler, QB Denver—Cutler had an 88.5 QB rating with 9 TDs and only
5 INT as a rookie. The Broncos always have a good running game and Cutler will also benefit from having a great receiver like Javon Walker available to him. The Denver offense emphasizes the run first, so Cutler won’t be putting the ball up 40 times a game too often, but his football smarts and arm strength should make him a solid fantasy QB for years to come.
Matt Leinart, QB Arizona—Leinart has more weapons at his disposal than any other young QB on this list. WRs Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald may be the best duo in the league, while RB Edgerrin James adds leadership and experience. They key may be how well the Cards traditionally weak offensive line does at protecting him. Leinart’s shoulder injury appears to be healed and he has excellent leadership skills.
RUNNING BACKS
Brandon Jacobs, RB NY Giants—With Tiki Barber’s retirement, Jacobs will get the first crack at being the Giants’ feature back. Reuben Droughns will get some carries, but Jacobs will touch the ball the most if all goes according to plan. Jacobs had 9 TDs on just 96 carries last season, with 250 plus carries, the TDs should hit double digits easily.
Jerious Norwood, RB Atlanta—Norwood averaged over six yards per carry on 99 attempts in spot duty last year. He was expected to battle with veteran Warrick Dunn for the starting job but Dunn is injured and will be out at least until the season opener. Look for Norwood to shine this year when given the opportunity to start.
Cedric Benson, RB Chicago—The biggest question for Benson may be whether or not he can stay healthy. The Bears traded Thomas Jones so Benson should be #1 in Chi-Town. If he stays healthy, 1,000 yards and 10 TDs should not be a problem.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Santonio Holmes, WR Pittsburgh—Holmes started four games last year for Pittsburgh and finished with 49 catches and 2 TDs. He also averaged almost 17 yards per catch, which shows his speed. A healthy Ben Roethlisberger will help the Steelers’ receiving stats. Hines Ward will still be the number one guy, but expect 65 catches or so from Holmes and at least 8 TDs with more and more production as the season progresses.
Vincent Jackson, WR San Diego—Jackson is everybody’s choice to bust out at WR this year because of his size and physical ability. He will benefit from the maturity of QB Philip Rivers and the fact that defenses will be geared to stop the San Diego running game. Jackson has a lot of potential and should at least double his 27 catches from last year. Expect at least 7 TDs as well.
Braylon Edwards, WR Cleveland—Edwards has three major obstacles that have kept him from becoming an elite NFL receiver. The first has been his health, which, so far this year, appears to be good. Second, is his lack of maturity on and off the field, which hopefully has been improved. Lastly, has been the Browns lack of a NFL caliber QB to get him the ball. If Brady Quinn steps forward and answers the third issue, expect Edwards to be the team’s top receiver with at least 75 catches and 10 TDs. If Quinn is slow to develop and nobody else steps up at QB for the Browns, Edwards remains a strong fantasy backup at best.
Greg Jennings, WR Green Bay—Jennings got off to a hot start last season before an injury slowed him down midway through the year. He should start and while Donald Driver will remain Favre’s number one target, a healthy Jennings should catch in the neighborhood of 65 balls with at least 7 TDs.
TIGHT ENDS
Vernon Davis, TE, San Francisco—Davis broke a leg, which cost him six games and a lot of time that could have been spent learning the system during his rookie year. Davis has great size and the speed of a WR so he should create plenty of mismatches for both safeties and LBs trying to cover him. He also has a young and improving QB and a system that will help get him touches. This could be a huge year for Davis.
Marcedes Lewis, TE Jacksonville—Lewis was the Jaguars first round pick last season but he missed nearly half the season due to injuries. Last year’s starting TE Kyle Brady, has been released and the new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter is supposed to feature the TE more in his offense. The Jaguars are unsettled at WR, so Lewis should become more of a focal point of the offense this year.
Brad Kurtzberg is a Senior Writer for the NFL Draft Bible and author of "Shorthanded: The Untold Story of the Seals:Hockey's Most Colorful Team"
Email: brad@nfldraftbible.com
The difference between a good team and a great team is decided in the middle and late rounds of your draft, when people pick players who are not household names now, but will have breakout seasons and become fantasy starters. Here is a look at some players lower down in your fantasy depth chart who have the potential to make a big impact this year.
Here they are, the players who can really make a difference in your fantasy season.
QUARTERBACKS
Alex Smith, QB, San Francisco—The 49ers quarterback has shown steady improvement over his first two seasons and finished 2006 with 16 TDs. He has a strong arm, is gaining experience and has a strong running game led by Frank Gore. As he continues to progress, Smith should become a steady fantasy starter this season.
Jay Cutler, QB Denver—Cutler had an 88.5 QB rating with 9 TDs and only
5 INT as a rookie. The Broncos always have a good running game and Cutler will also benefit from having a great receiver like Javon Walker available to him. The Denver offense emphasizes the run first, so Cutler won’t be putting the ball up 40 times a game too often, but his football smarts and arm strength should make him a solid fantasy QB for years to come.
Matt Leinart, QB Arizona—Leinart has more weapons at his disposal than any other young QB on this list. WRs Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald may be the best duo in the league, while RB Edgerrin James adds leadership and experience. They key may be how well the Cards traditionally weak offensive line does at protecting him. Leinart’s shoulder injury appears to be healed and he has excellent leadership skills.
RUNNING BACKS
Brandon Jacobs, RB NY Giants—With Tiki Barber’s retirement, Jacobs will get the first crack at being the Giants’ feature back. Reuben Droughns will get some carries, but Jacobs will touch the ball the most if all goes according to plan. Jacobs had 9 TDs on just 96 carries last season, with 250 plus carries, the TDs should hit double digits easily.
Jerious Norwood, RB Atlanta—Norwood averaged over six yards per carry on 99 attempts in spot duty last year. He was expected to battle with veteran Warrick Dunn for the starting job but Dunn is injured and will be out at least until the season opener. Look for Norwood to shine this year when given the opportunity to start.
Cedric Benson, RB Chicago—The biggest question for Benson may be whether or not he can stay healthy. The Bears traded Thomas Jones so Benson should be #1 in Chi-Town. If he stays healthy, 1,000 yards and 10 TDs should not be a problem.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Santonio Holmes, WR Pittsburgh—Holmes started four games last year for Pittsburgh and finished with 49 catches and 2 TDs. He also averaged almost 17 yards per catch, which shows his speed. A healthy Ben Roethlisberger will help the Steelers’ receiving stats. Hines Ward will still be the number one guy, but expect 65 catches or so from Holmes and at least 8 TDs with more and more production as the season progresses.
Vincent Jackson, WR San Diego—Jackson is everybody’s choice to bust out at WR this year because of his size and physical ability. He will benefit from the maturity of QB Philip Rivers and the fact that defenses will be geared to stop the San Diego running game. Jackson has a lot of potential and should at least double his 27 catches from last year. Expect at least 7 TDs as well.
Braylon Edwards, WR Cleveland—Edwards has three major obstacles that have kept him from becoming an elite NFL receiver. The first has been his health, which, so far this year, appears to be good. Second, is his lack of maturity on and off the field, which hopefully has been improved. Lastly, has been the Browns lack of a NFL caliber QB to get him the ball. If Brady Quinn steps forward and answers the third issue, expect Edwards to be the team’s top receiver with at least 75 catches and 10 TDs. If Quinn is slow to develop and nobody else steps up at QB for the Browns, Edwards remains a strong fantasy backup at best.
Greg Jennings, WR Green Bay—Jennings got off to a hot start last season before an injury slowed him down midway through the year. He should start and while Donald Driver will remain Favre’s number one target, a healthy Jennings should catch in the neighborhood of 65 balls with at least 7 TDs.
TIGHT ENDS
Vernon Davis, TE, San Francisco—Davis broke a leg, which cost him six games and a lot of time that could have been spent learning the system during his rookie year. Davis has great size and the speed of a WR so he should create plenty of mismatches for both safeties and LBs trying to cover him. He also has a young and improving QB and a system that will help get him touches. This could be a huge year for Davis.
Marcedes Lewis, TE Jacksonville—Lewis was the Jaguars first round pick last season but he missed nearly half the season due to injuries. Last year’s starting TE Kyle Brady, has been released and the new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter is supposed to feature the TE more in his offense. The Jaguars are unsettled at WR, so Lewis should become more of a focal point of the offense this year.
Brad Kurtzberg is a Senior Writer for the NFL Draft Bible and author of "Shorthanded: The Untold Story of the Seals:Hockey's Most Colorful Team"
Email: brad@nfldraftbible.com
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
10 BURNING QUESTIONS FF OWNERS WANT TO KNOW
As mini-camp rolls on, the NFL Draft Bible takes a peek at 10 burning questions fantasy owners need to know while drafting their team:
Is there any question not to take LT first?
If you have the first pick, you’re taking LT. No ifs or buts. How great was LT last year? In ESPN leagues, LT ended the season with 410 fantasy points. Larry Johnson, who finished with the second most fantasy points, ended the season with 317 points.
Tomlinson just turned 28 this June, and is entering his prime. Fantasy owners should have little doubt about Tomlinson’s capabilities. LT has elevated his game to the likes of Walter Payton and Barry Sanders, and fantasy owners should cash in on his greatness.
Should I take a chance on Michael Vick?
It’s sad to see how much Vick has plummeted in a year. Last year, Vick was a top 15 fantasy player, and showed uncanny potential for being able to throw for 2,500 yards and rush for 1,000. This season, Vick will be lucky to strap on the pads and step on the field. With Vick’s legal issues occurring during the season, fantasy owners should stay clear of Vick at all costs. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has shown he will sit players who have problems with the law, and after further investigation, it looks like Vick will be on the bench for most of the season. Fantasy owner could take a chance on him on the later rounds, but they shouldn’t expect anything close to the numbers he put up last year.
Should I be worried about Vince Young and the Madden jinx?
For the record, I am not a superstitious or spiritual person. However, one can not notice the trend of players getting hurt after being on the cover of Madden. Eventually someone will beat the jinx, but for now, fantasy owners should stay away from Vince Young. He gave the Titans a late playoff push and went 8-5 as a starter, but Young threw more interceptions, 13, than touchdowns, 12, and had a QB rating of 66.7. That is no where close to being a top fantasy quarterback. I wouldn’t take Young before the likes of Tony Romo, Phillip Rivers, Jay Cutler, and Brett Favre. Instead, Fantasy owners might want to look at him as a backup, but he might be better suited as a third quarterback and a late draft pick.
When should I draft Calvin Johnson?
Calvin Johnson has absurd talent and freakish abilities. He’s like Chad Johnson and Terrell Owens in one body. But the transition from college to the pros is very difficult for wide receivers.
There is no question Calvin Johnson will eventually be an elite wide receiver, but for now, he’s still a rookie learning a new league. He will be a very good option as a mid round draft choice, and a solid third wide receiver for many teams. What benefits Johnson is that he has Roy Williams, another emerging star, on the other side of him. What hurts Johnson is that Mike Furrey is coming off his best season, and is going into mini-camp as the Lions second receiver.
What player, who moved during the off-season, will have the most productive season?
Two guys that jump out at me are Willis McGahee and Randy Moss. In McGahee’s case, the move to Baltimore makes McGahee a solid first rounder. He has disappointed fantasy owners –including myself-- for the last couple of seasons, but going to the Ravens gives fantasy owners hope. As many fans know, the Ravens are a run first offense, and McGahee will get at least 20 carries a game. McGahee was having trouble finding the end zone in Buffalo, but with Steve McNair and that consistent offensive line, McGahee should have his best season as a pro.
On the other side, Moss comes to New England after the Patriots revamped their wide receiver corp. Moss comes from the worst team in the NFL to, arguably, the best. He had no one throwing him the ball for the last two years, but now will have Tom Brady. Critics are still questioning if Moss can co-exist with the Patriots offensive game plan, but to me, Moss is thrilled to be out of the silver and black. Critics questioned his abilities and attitude out of college and he proved them wrong. Look for Moss to prove he is a top 10 wide receiver, and put up a ton of TDs and over 1,000 yards receiving.
Is it worth taking Manning with a top 10 pick?
Peyton has proven that he is a clear cut top 10 pick. Many people might say that running backs should only go in the first round, but Peyton is too good to pass up. He puts up 4,000 passing yards, 30 TDs, and a low interception rate. And, he is one heck of an actor. Well, I guess he doesn’t get fantasy points for acting, but Peyton is still a better fantasy option than many running backs.
What running back will have a Frank Gore type season?
Last year, Ronnie Brown was supposed to have the season Frank Gore had. So, it is very hard to predict who can put up monster numbers out of no where. Many experts did not see Frank Gore rushing for more than 1,600 yards, but if I had to choose, Travis Henry and Cedric Benson are due for bust out seasons.
Henry signed with the Broncos during the off-season and his type of running style should continue the Broncos streak of having a 1,000 yard rusher.
Benson has the running back job all to himself, and he will be determined to prove the Bears did not make a mistake in moving Thomas Jones. Jones was coming off a 1,200 yard season, but Benson could duplicate those numbers with the great Bears offensive line in front of him.
How will Reggie Bush do in his second year?
Reggie Bush did something running backs and rookies do not usually do; he got better as the season continued. Bush showed his unique skills, and in the second half of the season, Bush had 4.8 YPC, nearly 100 total yards per game, and 6 TDs. He may be the best receiving running back in the league already, and is running skills are sure to improve. Bush may not be a first round pick, or your first running back, but he will definitely be gone after the second round is over.
Should Larry Johnson’s hold out worry me?
Larry Johnson was last year’s popular 1st pick. This year, Johnson is sitting out, in hopes to receive a new contract. Johnson will eventually get on the field, and should not miss a step. Second year head coach Herm Edwards has shown he is not afraid to hand the ball off, as Johnson took 416 carries last year, tops in the league. Those carries will eventually catch up to Johnson, but for now, fantasy owners should expect similar numbers from the last two years.
What’s the better pick; Frank Gore or Shaun Alexander?
Two weeks ago, it was Frank Gore for sure. Gore is younger, has more step in his game, and is on a team that is on the rise. However, that all changed when Gore broke his hand and is expected to miss the 49ers first three pre-season games. The broken hand only adds on to the fumble worries. He led the league last year with nine 100 yard games, but questions will now linger every time he touches the ball.
Alexander is coming off his worst season since 2000, due to a broken foot --and maybe the Madden jinx. In reality, the broken foot was bound to happen as Alexander received over 1,000 carries from 2003-2005.
Because of the question marks around Gore and Alexander, Joseph Addai might be the better option. Addai split time with Dominick Rhodes last year, but still rushed for over 1,000 yards and scored 7 TDs. The Colts offense only helps Addai, and could elevate him into the top 5 ahead of Gore and Alexander.
Is there any question not to take LT first?
If you have the first pick, you’re taking LT. No ifs or buts. How great was LT last year? In ESPN leagues, LT ended the season with 410 fantasy points. Larry Johnson, who finished with the second most fantasy points, ended the season with 317 points.
Tomlinson just turned 28 this June, and is entering his prime. Fantasy owners should have little doubt about Tomlinson’s capabilities. LT has elevated his game to the likes of Walter Payton and Barry Sanders, and fantasy owners should cash in on his greatness.
Should I take a chance on Michael Vick?
It’s sad to see how much Vick has plummeted in a year. Last year, Vick was a top 15 fantasy player, and showed uncanny potential for being able to throw for 2,500 yards and rush for 1,000. This season, Vick will be lucky to strap on the pads and step on the field. With Vick’s legal issues occurring during the season, fantasy owners should stay clear of Vick at all costs. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has shown he will sit players who have problems with the law, and after further investigation, it looks like Vick will be on the bench for most of the season. Fantasy owner could take a chance on him on the later rounds, but they shouldn’t expect anything close to the numbers he put up last year.
Should I be worried about Vince Young and the Madden jinx?
For the record, I am not a superstitious or spiritual person. However, one can not notice the trend of players getting hurt after being on the cover of Madden. Eventually someone will beat the jinx, but for now, fantasy owners should stay away from Vince Young. He gave the Titans a late playoff push and went 8-5 as a starter, but Young threw more interceptions, 13, than touchdowns, 12, and had a QB rating of 66.7. That is no where close to being a top fantasy quarterback. I wouldn’t take Young before the likes of Tony Romo, Phillip Rivers, Jay Cutler, and Brett Favre. Instead, Fantasy owners might want to look at him as a backup, but he might be better suited as a third quarterback and a late draft pick.
When should I draft Calvin Johnson?
Calvin Johnson has absurd talent and freakish abilities. He’s like Chad Johnson and Terrell Owens in one body. But the transition from college to the pros is very difficult for wide receivers.
There is no question Calvin Johnson will eventually be an elite wide receiver, but for now, he’s still a rookie learning a new league. He will be a very good option as a mid round draft choice, and a solid third wide receiver for many teams. What benefits Johnson is that he has Roy Williams, another emerging star, on the other side of him. What hurts Johnson is that Mike Furrey is coming off his best season, and is going into mini-camp as the Lions second receiver.
What player, who moved during the off-season, will have the most productive season?
Two guys that jump out at me are Willis McGahee and Randy Moss. In McGahee’s case, the move to Baltimore makes McGahee a solid first rounder. He has disappointed fantasy owners –including myself-- for the last couple of seasons, but going to the Ravens gives fantasy owners hope. As many fans know, the Ravens are a run first offense, and McGahee will get at least 20 carries a game. McGahee was having trouble finding the end zone in Buffalo, but with Steve McNair and that consistent offensive line, McGahee should have his best season as a pro.
On the other side, Moss comes to New England after the Patriots revamped their wide receiver corp. Moss comes from the worst team in the NFL to, arguably, the best. He had no one throwing him the ball for the last two years, but now will have Tom Brady. Critics are still questioning if Moss can co-exist with the Patriots offensive game plan, but to me, Moss is thrilled to be out of the silver and black. Critics questioned his abilities and attitude out of college and he proved them wrong. Look for Moss to prove he is a top 10 wide receiver, and put up a ton of TDs and over 1,000 yards receiving.
Is it worth taking Manning with a top 10 pick?
Peyton has proven that he is a clear cut top 10 pick. Many people might say that running backs should only go in the first round, but Peyton is too good to pass up. He puts up 4,000 passing yards, 30 TDs, and a low interception rate. And, he is one heck of an actor. Well, I guess he doesn’t get fantasy points for acting, but Peyton is still a better fantasy option than many running backs.
What running back will have a Frank Gore type season?
Last year, Ronnie Brown was supposed to have the season Frank Gore had. So, it is very hard to predict who can put up monster numbers out of no where. Many experts did not see Frank Gore rushing for more than 1,600 yards, but if I had to choose, Travis Henry and Cedric Benson are due for bust out seasons.
Henry signed with the Broncos during the off-season and his type of running style should continue the Broncos streak of having a 1,000 yard rusher.
Benson has the running back job all to himself, and he will be determined to prove the Bears did not make a mistake in moving Thomas Jones. Jones was coming off a 1,200 yard season, but Benson could duplicate those numbers with the great Bears offensive line in front of him.
How will Reggie Bush do in his second year?
Reggie Bush did something running backs and rookies do not usually do; he got better as the season continued. Bush showed his unique skills, and in the second half of the season, Bush had 4.8 YPC, nearly 100 total yards per game, and 6 TDs. He may be the best receiving running back in the league already, and is running skills are sure to improve. Bush may not be a first round pick, or your first running back, but he will definitely be gone after the second round is over.
Should Larry Johnson’s hold out worry me?
Larry Johnson was last year’s popular 1st pick. This year, Johnson is sitting out, in hopes to receive a new contract. Johnson will eventually get on the field, and should not miss a step. Second year head coach Herm Edwards has shown he is not afraid to hand the ball off, as Johnson took 416 carries last year, tops in the league. Those carries will eventually catch up to Johnson, but for now, fantasy owners should expect similar numbers from the last two years.
What’s the better pick; Frank Gore or Shaun Alexander?
Two weeks ago, it was Frank Gore for sure. Gore is younger, has more step in his game, and is on a team that is on the rise. However, that all changed when Gore broke his hand and is expected to miss the 49ers first three pre-season games. The broken hand only adds on to the fumble worries. He led the league last year with nine 100 yard games, but questions will now linger every time he touches the ball.
Alexander is coming off his worst season since 2000, due to a broken foot --and maybe the Madden jinx. In reality, the broken foot was bound to happen as Alexander received over 1,000 carries from 2003-2005.
Because of the question marks around Gore and Alexander, Joseph Addai might be the better option. Addai split time with Dominick Rhodes last year, but still rushed for over 1,000 yards and scored 7 TDs. The Colts offense only helps Addai, and could elevate him into the top 5 ahead of Gore and Alexander.
Monday, August 6, 2007
MOCK DRAFT MUSINGS
By Ralph Mancini, Fantasy Football Insiders
Taking part in mock drafts won’t give you any fresh perspective into which runners are being selected in round one, but it can serve as a tool to help you experiment with different draft strategies.
Taking the best player available may be the way to go in real life NFL drafts, but in the world of fantasy it’s all about value determined by the lack or abundance of certain players at specific positions.
Supply and demand isn’t the only thing to factor in however. One must also recognize the odds a player has of being a true difference maker. The odds are greater for those who get the most touches which makes running backs and quarterbacks, in my view, much more valuable than players at other positions.
With that in mind, I went into my mock drafts with the sole purpose of selecting three runners and one quarterback with my first four picks. The true objective here was to see what caliber of receiver would be available to me in rounds five and six. Here were the results.
* Picking third in a 12 team league, my receivers were Plaxico Buress and Joey Galloway.
* Picking eighth in a 10 team draft, my receivers were Javon Walker and Marques Colston.
* Picking first in a 10 team draft, my receivers were Marques Colston and Joey Galloway.
* Picking sixth in a 12 team draft, my receivers were Donald Driver and Joey Galloway.
* Picking eleventh in a 12 team draft, my receivers were Calvin Johnson and Santana Moss.
If you believe that Chad Johnson, Torry Holt, Marvin Harrison and others being selected in rounds two through four are significantly better than the receivers listed above, then my strategy isn’t for you.
If fantasy guru Ralph Mancini says it, you better pay attention! Get in-depth, detailed analysis from Mancini all season long as he delivers the knockout blows to your competition.
Email: Ralph@nfldraftbible.com
Taking part in mock drafts won’t give you any fresh perspective into which runners are being selected in round one, but it can serve as a tool to help you experiment with different draft strategies.
Taking the best player available may be the way to go in real life NFL drafts, but in the world of fantasy it’s all about value determined by the lack or abundance of certain players at specific positions.
Supply and demand isn’t the only thing to factor in however. One must also recognize the odds a player has of being a true difference maker. The odds are greater for those who get the most touches which makes running backs and quarterbacks, in my view, much more valuable than players at other positions.
With that in mind, I went into my mock drafts with the sole purpose of selecting three runners and one quarterback with my first four picks. The true objective here was to see what caliber of receiver would be available to me in rounds five and six. Here were the results.
* Picking third in a 12 team league, my receivers were Plaxico Buress and Joey Galloway.
* Picking eighth in a 10 team draft, my receivers were Javon Walker and Marques Colston.
* Picking first in a 10 team draft, my receivers were Marques Colston and Joey Galloway.
* Picking sixth in a 12 team draft, my receivers were Donald Driver and Joey Galloway.
* Picking eleventh in a 12 team draft, my receivers were Calvin Johnson and Santana Moss.
If you believe that Chad Johnson, Torry Holt, Marvin Harrison and others being selected in rounds two through four are significantly better than the receivers listed above, then my strategy isn’t for you.
If fantasy guru Ralph Mancini says it, you better pay attention! Get in-depth, detailed analysis from Mancini all season long as he delivers the knockout blows to your competition.
Email: Ralph@nfldraftbible.com
RALPH MANCINI'S TOP 80 OVERALL FF RANKINGS
RAY MANCINI’S TOP 80 OVERALL FANTASY FOOTBALL PLAYERS FOR 2007
Ladanian Tomlinson
Steven Jackson
Larry Johnson
Frank Gore
Joseph Addai
Travis Henry
Brian Westbrook
Shaun Alexander
Rudi Johnson
Laurence Maroney
Peyton Manning
Willie Parker
Willis McGahee
Edgerrin James
Reggie Bush
Clinton Portis
Thomas Jones
Carson Palmer
Steve Smith
Brandon Jacobs
Ronnie Brown
Chad Johnson
Maurice Jones-Drew
Reggie Wayne
Torry Holt
Cedric Benson
Marvin Harrison
Roy Williams
Terrell Owens
Marshawn Lynch
Drew Brees
Cadillac Williams
Marion Barber III
Anquan Boldin
Marc Bulger
Marques Colston
Lee Evans
T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Duece McAllister
Randy Moss
Tom Brady
Ahman Green
Jamal Lewis
Donovan McNabb
Adrian Peterson (Min.)
Donald Driver
Larry Fitzgerald
Plaxico Burress
Javon Walker
Julius Jones
Lamont Jordan
Andre Johnson
Hines Ward
Tony Romo
Warrick Dunn
Antonio Gates
Terry Glenn
Laverneus Coles
Joey Galloway
Matt Hasselbeck
Jon Kitna
DeAngelo Williams
Darrell Jackson
Terry Glenn
Chester Taylor
Jerious Norwood
Todd Heap
Baltimore D
Reggie Brown
Philip Rivers
Brandon Jackson
Santana Moss
Jeremy Shockey
Calvin Johnson
DeShaun Foster
Jay Cutler
Tony Gonzalez
Chris Chambers
Braylon Edwards
Vernon Davis
Running Backs
Ladanian Tomlinson
Steven Jackson
Larry Johnson
Frank Gore
Joseph Addai
Travis Henry
Brian Westbrook
Shaun Alexander
Rudi Johnson
Laurence Maroney
Willie Parker
Willis McGahee
Edgerrin James
Reggie Bush
Clinton Portis
Thomas Jones
Brandon Jacobs
Ronnie Brown
Maurice Jones-Drew
Quarterbacks
Peyton Manning
Carson Palmer
Drew Brees
Marc Bulger
Tom Brady
Donovan McNabb
Tony Romo
Matt Hasselbeck
Jon Kitna
Philip Rivers
Jay Cutler
Eli Manning
Ben Roethlisberger
J.P. Losman
Matt Leinart
Brett Favre
Vince Young
Jake Delhomme
Wide Receivers
Steve Smith
Chad Johnson
Reggie Wayne
Torry Holt
Marvin Harrison
Roy Williams
Terrell Owens
Anquan Boldin
Marques Colston
Lee Evans
T.J. Hoshmandzadeh
Randy Moss
Donald Driver
Larry Fitzgerald
Plaxico Burress
Javon Walker
Andre Johnson
Hines Ward
Laverneus Coles
Joey Galloway
Tight Ends
Antonio Gates
Todd Heap
Jeremy Shockey
Tony Gonzalez
Vernon Davis
Ben Watson
Randy McMichael
Chris Cooley
Kellen Winslow Jr.
Jason Witten
Eric Johnson
L.J. Smith
Dallas Clark
Alge Crumpler
Tony Scheffler
Marcus Pollard
Heath Miller
Greg Olsen
Daniel Graham
Bo Scaife
Defenses
Baltimore
Chicago
New England
Denver
San Diego
Jacksonville
Philadelphia
Dallas
Carolina
Minnesota
Pittsburgh
Seattle
Tampa Bay
New Orleans
New York Jets
Green Bay
Buffalo
Arizona
Kansas City
St. Louis
Kickers
Adam Vinatieri
Jeff Wilkins
Nate Kaeding
Jason Elam
Neil Rackers
Robbie Gould
Shayne Graham
Josh Brown
Steven Gostkowski
Olindo Mare
Matt Stover
David Akers
Jason Hanson
John Kasay
Josh Scobee
Mike Nugent
Joe Nedney
Rian Lindell
Lawrence Tynes
Sebastian Janikowski
Ladanian Tomlinson
Steven Jackson
Larry Johnson
Frank Gore
Joseph Addai
Travis Henry
Brian Westbrook
Shaun Alexander
Rudi Johnson
Laurence Maroney
Peyton Manning
Willie Parker
Willis McGahee
Edgerrin James
Reggie Bush
Clinton Portis
Thomas Jones
Carson Palmer
Steve Smith
Brandon Jacobs
Ronnie Brown
Chad Johnson
Maurice Jones-Drew
Reggie Wayne
Torry Holt
Cedric Benson
Marvin Harrison
Roy Williams
Terrell Owens
Marshawn Lynch
Drew Brees
Cadillac Williams
Marion Barber III
Anquan Boldin
Marc Bulger
Marques Colston
Lee Evans
T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Duece McAllister
Randy Moss
Tom Brady
Ahman Green
Jamal Lewis
Donovan McNabb
Adrian Peterson (Min.)
Donald Driver
Larry Fitzgerald
Plaxico Burress
Javon Walker
Julius Jones
Lamont Jordan
Andre Johnson
Hines Ward
Tony Romo
Warrick Dunn
Antonio Gates
Terry Glenn
Laverneus Coles
Joey Galloway
Matt Hasselbeck
Jon Kitna
DeAngelo Williams
Darrell Jackson
Terry Glenn
Chester Taylor
Jerious Norwood
Todd Heap
Baltimore D
Reggie Brown
Philip Rivers
Brandon Jackson
Santana Moss
Jeremy Shockey
Calvin Johnson
DeShaun Foster
Jay Cutler
Tony Gonzalez
Chris Chambers
Braylon Edwards
Vernon Davis
Running Backs
Ladanian Tomlinson
Steven Jackson
Larry Johnson
Frank Gore
Joseph Addai
Travis Henry
Brian Westbrook
Shaun Alexander
Rudi Johnson
Laurence Maroney
Willie Parker
Willis McGahee
Edgerrin James
Reggie Bush
Clinton Portis
Thomas Jones
Brandon Jacobs
Ronnie Brown
Maurice Jones-Drew
Quarterbacks
Peyton Manning
Carson Palmer
Drew Brees
Marc Bulger
Tom Brady
Donovan McNabb
Tony Romo
Matt Hasselbeck
Jon Kitna
Philip Rivers
Jay Cutler
Eli Manning
Ben Roethlisberger
J.P. Losman
Matt Leinart
Brett Favre
Vince Young
Jake Delhomme
Wide Receivers
Steve Smith
Chad Johnson
Reggie Wayne
Torry Holt
Marvin Harrison
Roy Williams
Terrell Owens
Anquan Boldin
Marques Colston
Lee Evans
T.J. Hoshmandzadeh
Randy Moss
Donald Driver
Larry Fitzgerald
Plaxico Burress
Javon Walker
Andre Johnson
Hines Ward
Laverneus Coles
Joey Galloway
Tight Ends
Antonio Gates
Todd Heap
Jeremy Shockey
Tony Gonzalez
Vernon Davis
Ben Watson
Randy McMichael
Chris Cooley
Kellen Winslow Jr.
Jason Witten
Eric Johnson
L.J. Smith
Dallas Clark
Alge Crumpler
Tony Scheffler
Marcus Pollard
Heath Miller
Greg Olsen
Daniel Graham
Bo Scaife
Defenses
Baltimore
Chicago
New England
Denver
San Diego
Jacksonville
Philadelphia
Dallas
Carolina
Minnesota
Pittsburgh
Seattle
Tampa Bay
New Orleans
New York Jets
Green Bay
Buffalo
Arizona
Kansas City
St. Louis
Kickers
Adam Vinatieri
Jeff Wilkins
Nate Kaeding
Jason Elam
Neil Rackers
Robbie Gould
Shayne Graham
Josh Brown
Steven Gostkowski
Olindo Mare
Matt Stover
David Akers
Jason Hanson
John Kasay
Josh Scobee
Mike Nugent
Joe Nedney
Rian Lindell
Lawrence Tynes
Sebastian Janikowski
Saturday, August 4, 2007
NFL DRAFT BIBLE UPDATE
We are not sure whether we should aplogize for our server crashing yesterday or thank you for your support. Maybe its both.
Due to the significant increase in traffic since our re-launch, our server blew up. The NFL Draft Bible would like to thank the all of you for putting us on the map!
Please continue to send the feedback (positive & negative). You can contact me at:
ric@nfldraftbible.com
-Rick Serritella
NFLDB Founder
Due to the significant increase in traffic since our re-launch, our server blew up. The NFL Draft Bible would like to thank the all of you for putting us on the map!
Please continue to send the feedback (positive & negative). You can contact me at:
ric@nfldraftbible.com
-Rick Serritella
NFLDB Founder
THE GRAZIANIMAL'S TOP 200 FF RANKINGS FOR 2007
1. L.T.
2. Peyton Manning
3. Steven Jackson
4. Joe Addai
5. Frank Gore
6. Larry Johnson
7. Brian Westbrook
8. Shaun Alexander
9. Willie Parker
10. Travis Henry
11. Maurice Jones Drew
12. Rudi Johnson
13. Reggie Bush
14. Drew Brees
15. Marvin Harrison
16. Steve Smith
17. Laurence Maroney
18. Ronnie Brown
19. Cedric Benson
20. Willis McGahee
21. Torry Holt
22. T.O.
23. Reggie Wayne
24. Chad Johnson
25. Marshawn Lynch
26. Tom Jones
27. Clinton Portis
28. Donald Driver
29. Tom Brady
30. Carson Palmer
31. Deuce McAllister
32. Lee Evans
33. Roy Williams
34. Andre Johnson
35. Brandon Jacobs
36. Jamal Lewis
37. Ahman Green
38. Edgerrin James
39. Antonio Gates
40. Marques Colston
41. Javon Walker
42. Cadillac Williams
43. Randy Moss
44. Anquan Boldin
45. Larry Fitzgerald
46. Vince Young
47. Plaxico Burress
48. T.J. Houshmandzadeh
49. Marc Bulger
50. Santana Moss
51. Jon Kitna
52. Brett Farve
53. Philip Rivers
54. Marion Barber
55. Warrick Dunn
56. Chester Taylor
57. Adrian Peterson (Minny)
58. Julius Jones
59. Jerious Norwood
60. Fred Taylor
61. Tony Gonzalez
62. Kellan Winslow
63. Hines Ward
64. Ladell Betts
65. Brandon Jackson
66. Tatum Bell
67. Chris Henry
68. Donovan McNabb
69. Joey Galloway
70. Darrell Jackson
71. Todd Heap
72. Chris Cooley
73. Alge Crumpler
74. Jeremy Shockey
75. Matt Hasselbeck
76. Vernand Morency
77. Braylon Edwards
78. Terry Glenn
79. Jerricho Cotchery
80. Vincent Jackson
81. Laveranues Coles
82. LenDale White
83. Bernard Berrian
84. Devery Henderson
85. Dominic Rhodes
86. LaMont Jordan
87. Tony Romo
88. Calvin Johnson
89. DeAngelo Williams
90. Leon Washington
91. Dion Branch
92. Chris Chambers
93. Mark Clayton
94. Reuben Droughns
95. Donte' Stallworth
96. DeShuan Foster
97. Mike Bell
98. Ben Roethlisberger
99. Kevin Jones
100. Ron Dayne
101. Mike Turner
102. Jay Cutler
103. Eli Manning
104. Jake Delhomme
105. Matt Leinart
106. Eddie Kennison
107. Chargers D
108. Ravens D
109. Drew Bennett
110. Dwayne Jarrett
111. Isaac Bruce
112. Greg Jennings
113. Matt Jones
114. Ben Watson
115. L.J. Smith
116. Mike Pittman
117. Kevin Curtis
118. Chad Pennington
119. Santonio Holmes
120. D.J. Hackett
121. Mushin Muhammad
122. Joe Horn
123. Jason Witten
124. Bob Meachem
125. Brandon Jones
126. New England D
127. Giants D
128. Mike Furrey
129. Miami D
130. Steve McNair
131. J.P. Losman
132. Carolina D
133. Alex Smith (QB)
134. Jerry Porter
135. Eagles D
136. Green Bay D
137. Chicago D
138. Jets D
139. Vernon Davis
140. Devon Hester
141. Nate Kaeding
142. Adam Vinatieri
143. Shayne Graham
144. Robbie Gould
145. Denver D
146. Randy McMichael
147. Braylon Edwards
148. Derrick Mason
149. Wes Welker
150. Jason Campbell
151. Rod Smith
152. Wali Lundy
153. Joe Jurevicius
154. Heath Miller
155. Chris Baker
156. Cedric Houston
157. Antwaan Randle El
158. Correll Buckhalter
159. Brandon Marshall
160. Sidney Rice
161. Jason Elam
162. Jeff Wilkins
163. Neil Rackers
164. Olindo Mare
165. David Akers
166. Vikings D
167. Steelers D
168. Cards D
169. Anthony Thomas
170. Dwayne Bowe
171. Dallas Clark
172. Owen Daniels
173. Antonio Bryant
174. Ronald Curry
175. Kenny Irons
176. Mike Bush
177. Corey Dillon
178. Brandon Marshall
179. Lorenzo Booker
180. Adrian Peterson (Chi-Town)
181. Josh Scobee
182. John Kasey
183. Matt Stover
184. Lawrence Tynes
185. Mike Nugent
186. Martin Gramatica
187. Jeff Reed
188. Colts D
189. Rams D
190. Tony Scheffler
191. Marcus Pollard
192. Eric Johnson
193. Jerramy Stevens
194. Josh Brown
195. Peerless Price
196. Mewelde Moore
197. Trent Green
198. JaMarcus Russell
199. Marcel Shipp
200. Michael Vick
2. Peyton Manning
3. Steven Jackson
4. Joe Addai
5. Frank Gore
6. Larry Johnson
7. Brian Westbrook
8. Shaun Alexander
9. Willie Parker
10. Travis Henry
11. Maurice Jones Drew
12. Rudi Johnson
13. Reggie Bush
14. Drew Brees
15. Marvin Harrison
16. Steve Smith
17. Laurence Maroney
18. Ronnie Brown
19. Cedric Benson
20. Willis McGahee
21. Torry Holt
22. T.O.
23. Reggie Wayne
24. Chad Johnson
25. Marshawn Lynch
26. Tom Jones
27. Clinton Portis
28. Donald Driver
29. Tom Brady
30. Carson Palmer
31. Deuce McAllister
32. Lee Evans
33. Roy Williams
34. Andre Johnson
35. Brandon Jacobs
36. Jamal Lewis
37. Ahman Green
38. Edgerrin James
39. Antonio Gates
40. Marques Colston
41. Javon Walker
42. Cadillac Williams
43. Randy Moss
44. Anquan Boldin
45. Larry Fitzgerald
46. Vince Young
47. Plaxico Burress
48. T.J. Houshmandzadeh
49. Marc Bulger
50. Santana Moss
51. Jon Kitna
52. Brett Farve
53. Philip Rivers
54. Marion Barber
55. Warrick Dunn
56. Chester Taylor
57. Adrian Peterson (Minny)
58. Julius Jones
59. Jerious Norwood
60. Fred Taylor
61. Tony Gonzalez
62. Kellan Winslow
63. Hines Ward
64. Ladell Betts
65. Brandon Jackson
66. Tatum Bell
67. Chris Henry
68. Donovan McNabb
69. Joey Galloway
70. Darrell Jackson
71. Todd Heap
72. Chris Cooley
73. Alge Crumpler
74. Jeremy Shockey
75. Matt Hasselbeck
76. Vernand Morency
77. Braylon Edwards
78. Terry Glenn
79. Jerricho Cotchery
80. Vincent Jackson
81. Laveranues Coles
82. LenDale White
83. Bernard Berrian
84. Devery Henderson
85. Dominic Rhodes
86. LaMont Jordan
87. Tony Romo
88. Calvin Johnson
89. DeAngelo Williams
90. Leon Washington
91. Dion Branch
92. Chris Chambers
93. Mark Clayton
94. Reuben Droughns
95. Donte' Stallworth
96. DeShuan Foster
97. Mike Bell
98. Ben Roethlisberger
99. Kevin Jones
100. Ron Dayne
101. Mike Turner
102. Jay Cutler
103. Eli Manning
104. Jake Delhomme
105. Matt Leinart
106. Eddie Kennison
107. Chargers D
108. Ravens D
109. Drew Bennett
110. Dwayne Jarrett
111. Isaac Bruce
112. Greg Jennings
113. Matt Jones
114. Ben Watson
115. L.J. Smith
116. Mike Pittman
117. Kevin Curtis
118. Chad Pennington
119. Santonio Holmes
120. D.J. Hackett
121. Mushin Muhammad
122. Joe Horn
123. Jason Witten
124. Bob Meachem
125. Brandon Jones
126. New England D
127. Giants D
128. Mike Furrey
129. Miami D
130. Steve McNair
131. J.P. Losman
132. Carolina D
133. Alex Smith (QB)
134. Jerry Porter
135. Eagles D
136. Green Bay D
137. Chicago D
138. Jets D
139. Vernon Davis
140. Devon Hester
141. Nate Kaeding
142. Adam Vinatieri
143. Shayne Graham
144. Robbie Gould
145. Denver D
146. Randy McMichael
147. Braylon Edwards
148. Derrick Mason
149. Wes Welker
150. Jason Campbell
151. Rod Smith
152. Wali Lundy
153. Joe Jurevicius
154. Heath Miller
155. Chris Baker
156. Cedric Houston
157. Antwaan Randle El
158. Correll Buckhalter
159. Brandon Marshall
160. Sidney Rice
161. Jason Elam
162. Jeff Wilkins
163. Neil Rackers
164. Olindo Mare
165. David Akers
166. Vikings D
167. Steelers D
168. Cards D
169. Anthony Thomas
170. Dwayne Bowe
171. Dallas Clark
172. Owen Daniels
173. Antonio Bryant
174. Ronald Curry
175. Kenny Irons
176. Mike Bush
177. Corey Dillon
178. Brandon Marshall
179. Lorenzo Booker
180. Adrian Peterson (Chi-Town)
181. Josh Scobee
182. John Kasey
183. Matt Stover
184. Lawrence Tynes
185. Mike Nugent
186. Martin Gramatica
187. Jeff Reed
188. Colts D
189. Rams D
190. Tony Scheffler
191. Marcus Pollard
192. Eric Johnson
193. Jerramy Stevens
194. Josh Brown
195. Peerless Price
196. Mewelde Moore
197. Trent Green
198. JaMarcus Russell
199. Marcel Shipp
200. Michael Vick
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