Junkyard Jake's Fantasy Football Network

Fantasy Football Roundtable - Offensive Teams Getting Boost from NFL Draft

2010-05-05T11:13:00.000-07:00

Fantasy Football Roundtable
Hosted By FantasyFootballTrader.Com May 7, 2010

This week's question:'In the aftermath of the 2010 NFL Draft this past April, which team's fantasy offense is expected to show the biggest improvement ?'

Dave of RotoPicks.Com says:

A little over a week ago, people were snickering at the possibility of the Raiders drafting Bruce Campbell with their top pick, but now some are actually considering them a legitimate threat in the AFC West. That’s probably taking it a little too far, but it is clear that the Oakland Raiders pulled a complete 360 during this year’s draft. Maybe it would be more accurate to say “during the 2012 draft” considering that the most significant move they made was acquiring a legitimate starting QB in Jason Campbell for just a fourth rounder in 2012.

The addition of Campbell not only drastically improves an offense that ranked #31 in points scored last season, but also opens up a new fantasy landscape where it becomes feasible for us to consider Raiders’ players not named Zach Miller as decent fantasy options. As for the players actually drafted, the Raiders did pretty well there too. The back-to-back defensive selections of LB Rolando McClain and DT Lamarr Houston in rounds 1 and 2 should pay immediate dividends and by taking O-Tackles Jared Veldheer and Bruce Campbell in the third and fourth rounds, Oakland is left with some insurance against one of them not panning out (at least they learned something from drafting JaMarcus Russell). Consider it an added bonus if any of their later picks work out.

Derek of FantasyFootballManiaxs.Com says:

When people are looking for the offensive fixes in a draft they usually think the skill positions. The St. Louis Rams turned their offensive fortunes around by drafting Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford. The Dallas Cowboys will have an even more explosive offense with Oklahoma State WR Dez Bryant in the mix. The Bills offense just became more exciting with Clemson HB C.J. Spiller in the mix.

That is all fine and good, but any great offense needs an offensive line that is going to be able to open holes for the running back and protect the quarterback to give him time to throw. Offensive lineman may not get the loud cheers from the crowd, but ask any offensive coordinator how important a good offensive line is to his offense. An offense cannot function with poor offensive line play.

That leads me to the San Francisco 49ers. Not only did they use a first round pick on Rutgers T Anthony Davis, but they also added Idaho G Mike Iupati. That has the potential to be a 660 lb wall on the left side of the 49ers offensive line for the next decade.

There are a lot of 49ers players that are smiling about these acquisitions right now. First, RB Frank Gore has to be ecstatic. This has the makings of a 1,500-yard season with 12 to 15 touchdowns if that line can stay healthy and contribute immediately. Tight End Vernon Davis is smiling, because the more the offensive line can pick up a pass rush, the more often he can go out for a route. Wideout Michael Crabtree is going to have more time to find the opening in the secondary and create big plays down the field. If all those players are going to improve, that means that QB Alex Smith is not going to have to shoulder as much of the load.

This means that a San Francisco offense that was #27 in yards gained and #18 in points scored can begin to compete with some of the better offenses in the NFL. It means the defense can force more turnovers, because they can afford to gamble. They do not have to worry about the 49ers falling behind 14-0 early in the game and not having the ability to comeback.

Offensive line play is one of the key factors in an offense being able to put up points. I am not saying the 49ers will equal the Greatest Show on Turf, but I think this struggling offense’s fortunes were single-handedly turned for the better by drafting these two offensive linemen. They are an offense that could take a big step forward, even though they did not add one player in the first round of the draft that will score a fantasy point in 2010.

Jeff of DynastyKings.Com says:

I'm going to pick two teams here to discuss - Denver and Detroit.

Denver moved several key components out of Colorado prior to April's NFL Draft, shipping disgruntled WR Brandon Marshall off to Miami. The Broncos followed this move by trading TE Tony Scheffler to the Lions, creating an interesting lineup right up until NFL Draft Weekend. Denver chose to skip over Dez Bryant (which I'm practically certain that they will regret) to take Demaryius Thomas, followed by a crazy deal to get Tim Tebow later in the first round. Luckily they may have grabbed their best overall receiver on the roster with Eric Decker on Day 2, a player who could become the starter opposite of Thomas in the not-so-distant future.

Detroit comes next as they added Jahvid Best before the end of the draft's Round 1, moving up to get their feature back of the future - and probably the present as well. The trade for Scheffler (along with the free agent signing of Nate Burleson) transformed their set of skill players from complimentary to Calvin Johnson last season all the way up to significant threats to move the ball and make plays all over the field. Kevin Smith could come back, but right now that would be gravy to the meat and potatoes Matthew Stafford now has around him - Best, Johnson, Burleson, Scheffler and the probable return of Brandon Pettigrew. Assuming an offensive line can buy Stafford time, the Lions will have real firepower to post some points.

Honorable mention has to be given to the Cowboys for having arguably the best offensive talent fall into their laps at the bottom of Round 1. Dez Bryant could be a game changer and make Dallas a strong contender not just in 2010 but for many years to come.

Russ of FantasyFootballStarters.Com says:

There were several teams to choose from for this roundtable discussion, but the team I’ll pick is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay (correctly) identified that they lacked any type of playmakers at the WR position and on the offensive side of the ball, that’s the only position they drafted for.

Drafting Illinois WR Arrelious Benn in round 2 and Syracuse WR Mike Williams in round 4 was not just addressing need; it was also getting great value in my opinion as both players could be big time playmakers for a team that was bereft of any at the WR position going into the draft. There is a good chance both of these rookies could be starting week 1 since the competition consists of Michael Clayton, Reggie Brown, Sammie Stroughter, and Maurice Stovall. Benn and Williams are both bigger WR’s with good pass catching abilities and solid run after the catch skills and are clearly more talented than any of those four. This will give Josh Freeman better weapons to throw the ball to as he continues to develop as an NFL quarterback.

Freeman’s development is key to the success of the Bucs for fantasy football player projections, and entering only his second season, he will have his struggles so Benn and Williams may not pay immediate big dividends, but after losing Antonio Bryant in the off-season, the Bucs have reloaded, and reloaded with solid football talent at WR to help him out. Depending on what happens throughout the OTA’s and training camp, both Benn and Williams could be nice fantasy football sleepers as bench WR’s in 2010. In dynasty style fantasy football leagues, both are clearly players to target as one (or both) could emerge as top talents in a couple of seasons.

Ryan of LestersLegends.Com says:

I am a firm believer that you build your team in the trenches. Offensive lineman are about as sexy as that fifth piece of cheesecake, but they open holes for running backs, give receivers and tight ends time to get open, and allow quarterbacks to go through their progressions. In basic terms, if you offensive line has hole, you will struggle to move the ball.

Nobody made more of an effort to bolster their offensive line in the 2010 NFL Draft than the San Francisco 49ers. They spent not one, but two first round picks on their line with the selection of Anthony Davis at 11 and Mike Iupati at 17. They should be able to step in and contribute immediately. Along with Joe Staley, the Niners should be set for years to come.

Jake of JunkYardJake.Com says:

From a fantasy perspective, where rookie runningbacks receive the most attention, the Chargers with Ryan Matthews and the Texans with Ben Tate will most likely generate the most interest on fantasy draft day. However, in evaluating the overall quality of offensive picks, I think the teams that might have most improved the fortunes of their offensive units are the Patriots and the Panthers.

For New England, it would have been nice to see them target a runningback in the draft, but I think they did an excellent job in securing two of the most talented tight ends available in the draft this year. In the 2nd round, they selected Rob Gronkowski, who has great size at 6-6, and exceptional hands. Gronkowski doesn’t have the speed to constitute a consistent threat on deep plays, but he is a terrific blocker and should develop into a reliable short and intermediate target. The Patriots then selected Aaron Hernandez in the 4th round, who could turn out to be a steal. Hernandez gives Tom Brady another potential target with soft hands, and in contrast to Gronkowski, the former Florida Gator has top-notch speed for his position and should develop into a formidable downfield threat. In between Gronkowski and Hernandez, New England also addressed their shallow wide receiver position in the 3rd round with Taylor Price from Ohio. Price is a bit small at 6-0, and has been a bit inconsistent over his college career, but there is no denying his 4.36 speed, sharp cutting ability, and his solid route running.

The Panthers also seemed to have boosted the quality of their offensive unit, as they were able to fill their void at quarterback with Norte Dame's Jimmy Clausen in the 2nd round. Clausen may have frightened off some NFL teams with his below average Wonderlic score, but his clean mechanics, arm strength, accuracy as well as his good leadership skills and experience in a pro-style offense make him a premier prospect for a team in dire need of a franchise quarterback. Carolina also found another nice value at quarterback when they selected Tony Pike in the 6th round. Pike was expected by many to go as high as the 2nd round, and his good size and impressive accuracy make him an intriguing pick. The wide receiver position was also addressed by the Panthers, as they may have finally found a promising complement to Steve Smith when they selected LSU's Brandon LaFell in the 3rd round. At 6-3, 210 lbs, LaFell has prototypical size to go along with good hands and decent speed. Perhaps his best attribute is his physicality, as he knows what to do with the ball in his hands, and is an excellent blocker. The team also added depth at receiver with David Gettis in the 6th round. Gettis is considered a bit of a project in terms of route running, but his size/speed combination makes him an interesting player to watch.

Jim of FanaticFantasyFootball.Com says:

My gut just screams the San Francisco 49ers when I’m thinking of which offense is going to finally produce someserious fantasy points after some excellent drafting the last two years.

San Francisco landed some big names, and big bodies, in the 2010 draft. Quarterback AlexSmith will have some real protection along the offensive front. Opposing defenses will have their work cut out for them when trying to get around 6-5, 323 pound Anthony Davis, the #11 overall pick in the first round. Davis is considered one of the best tackles in this draft class. He played both right guard and left tackle during his two years as a starter for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. With the #17 overall pick in the first round the 49ers selected Mike Iupati, a 6-5, 331 pound offensive guard. Iupati is a hard-nosed guard known for his attitude, toughness, and athleticism. Both Davis and Iupati will be serious challengers for starting jobs this year.

The rushing attack received some support in the form of 6-0, 233 pound Anthony Dixon, a running back out of Mississippi State. Coach Singletary said he envisions Frank Gore getting 50%-60% (20-25) touches with Glen Coffee and Dixon splitting the remaining touches.

Second year wide receiver, Michael Crabtree, will headline the receiving corps. Josh Morgan, Ted Ginn Jr., and speedster rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams, will battle for two positions. Williams will most likely see action as the slot receiver. He can also be used to return punts and kick-offs.

I see the San Francisco 49ers winning the division in 2010 and will be the team to beat for years to come.

Enjoy this article? Check out FantasyTrader.Com's Offseason Roundtable Archives.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Candy - April 12th

2010-04-13T06:41:00.000-07:00

April 12, 2010 JunkyardJake.Com

Mike Leake, Cincinnati Reds, SP

Hey, wait a minute, did we just waste the last few weeks anticipating the future exploits of Aroldis ‘The Cuban Missile’ Chapman? Was this not the left-hander who could tame wild beasts, alter the weather and defeat third world illiteracy with the magnificence of his 100 mph fast ball? Then, abruptly, just after most of us all learned how to spell his first name, it was like Janet Reno sent her SWAT team to apprehend the 22 year old Cuban defector in the middle of the night, loaded him on a bus and sent him down to Triple-A Louisville. Not to fret, because the Reds have probably made much worse decisions than choosing former Arizona State wunderkind Mike Leake to fill their number five rotation spot. Leake is a two-time Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year, who really hit his stride in 2009, when he finished with a sparkling 1.71 ERA and 162 strikeouts in 142 innings. Although he doesn’t make headlines with his 90 MPH fastball, it’s his advanced control, plus changeup and the way he persuades hitters to constantly hit harmless groundballs which makes him an interesting prospect. Leake was especially stingy with walks over at Arizona State, granting just 1.68 free passes per 9 innings over his three-year amateur career. Certainly, if he can generate even half the success that he enjoyed at the collegiate level, he will make a worthwhile fantasy acquisition in the early weeks of the season.
Available in 50% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Ian Desmond , Washington Nationals, SS
The polls are in, and while Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, both Congressional Chaplains, the Obama family dog, Senator Blabby Blowhard from the great state of South Morontopia and even the guy who dry cleans John Roberts judicial black robe have all fallen into the teens on their approval ratings, the Washington Nationals have somehow escaped the wrath of the electorate, at least temporarily. So what’s the justification for this blind optimism? Well, it can’t be Washington’s pitching staff as their best pitcher, Stephen Strasburg, was sent down to double-A before the season where he will work on destroying the confidence of minor league hitters for the next couple months. One possible reason for the early season enthusiasm is the arrival of rookie shortstop Ian Desmond. Drafted at the age of eighteen back in 2004, Desmond has always shown a penchant for stealing bases, but really didn’t show much else for his first few years. In 2008, he started showing a bit of power hitting 12 HRs at the AA level, and then earned a promotion in 2009 to triple AAA, where he hit .354 over 55 games. He won the starting SS spot for the Nationals with a great spring, so it’s his job to lose and he makes a solid fantasy pickup in the early going.
Available in 55% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Austin Jackson , Detroit Tigers, OF
Heralded as one of the top prospects in the NY Yankees farm system for the past couple years, Austin Jackson was essentially exchanged for Curtis Granderson in a trade between the Yankees and Tigers this offseason. Actually, to be fair, the trade was more confusing than that, as it also involved sending Ian Kennedy and Edwin Jackson to the Arizona Diamondbacks, some pork belly futures contracts, and an attempted return of Staten Island to the Lenape Indians. (They respectfully declined, and who could blame them). Time will tell if this trade works out, but amazingly enough, this might be the most frugal roster move the Yankees have made since they traded for Roger Maris in 1959. (Granderson is scheduled to make only $5.5 million this year, or about 10 million less than the typical retail price the Yankees typically pay for shiny new players.) As for Austin Jackson, he doesn’t have Granderson’s 30 HR power, but he is a smooth defensive player who could very well hit .280 with 10-15 HRs and 20 plus stolen bases. He’s off to a good start this season and the Detroit Tigers seem committed to him for the immediate future so Jackson makes a good pickup to round out your fantasy outfield in mixed leagues.
Available in 47% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Allen Craig, St. Louis Cardinals, 1B/3B/OF
It’s hard to get too excited about the rookie whose primary job on the St. Louis Cardinals is possibly backing up Albert Pujols at firstbase. That’s kindof like expecting Carrot Top to fill in for Conan O’Brien, or winning the thankless and lonely job as the George Clooney stand-in who specializes in only scenes that call for the actor to get hit in the face with a barstool. So why is Allen Craig an interesting waiver prospect? Well, for one thing, he is probably funnier than Carrot Top, just by default. More importantly though, his minor league numbers suggest a player who might be ready to start launching the ball over the walls at Busch Stadium if given the chance anytime soon. Over the past three seasons as he progressed through the Cardinals minor league affiliates, Craig has demonstrated consistent power, blasting 24 HRs in 2007, 22 in 2008 and then 26 homeruns in 2009. All three seasons, his average exceeded .300, including his .322 BA at AAA Memphis last year. Although Craig is not known for his defensive skills, he does play 3rd base in addition to 1st base, and should also see time at the corner outfield spots.
Available in 98% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Other Players To Consider:
Dallas Braden,Oakland A's,SP
Available in 42% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Drew Stubbs,Cincinnati Reds,OF
Available in 44% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Gaby Sanchez,Florida Marlins,1B
Available in 77% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Carlos Gomez,Milwaukee Brewers,OF
Available in 62% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Jaime Garcia,St.Louis Cardinals,SP
Available in 69% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Fantasy Football Roundtable - Overvalued Fantasy QBs in 2010

2010-03-30T20:58:00.000-07:00

Fantasy Football Roundtable
Hosted By FantasyFootballTrader.Com March 30, 2010

This week's question: Among the expected top-10 fantasy QBs for 2010, which player do you feel might be overvalued on draftday?...'

Derek of FantasyFootballManiaxs.Com says:

The name I am going to throw out there that many people might not be talking about right now: New England Patriots QB Tom Brady.

Brady has finished in the top 10 among fantasy quarterbacks every year since 2002, excluding 2008, when he was lost to injury for the season in the opener. Last year he had an amazing season with 4,398 yards passing, 28 touchdowns, 13 interceptions and a QB rating of 96.2, which earned him the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. He ranked eighth in fantasy scoring by quarterbacks.

There are a variety of issues in New England.

We are used to seeing this team as an elite one, but by the end of last year, they looked done. WR Randy Moss was not right the second half of the season. Moss had just 25 receptions for 373 yards and six touchdowns in his final seven games, three of those touchdowns coming against the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars secondary. Compare that to the first nine games of the season, when he had 58 receptions for 891 yards receiving and seven touchdowns. In the playoff loss to Baltimore, Moss had just five receptions for 48 yards and no touchdowns.

He followed that up by saying that this year is probably his last one in New England. That is a pretty early point in the offseason to make that proclamation.

Moss is a player that has proven he does not give full effort when he does not feel appreciated or wanted. He is slowly looking like the player that left Oakland for a fourth-round pick instead of the one with 23 touchdown receptions in 2007. Even if his attitude was not in question, at 33 years old he is starting to leave the prime years of his career, which is terrible news for New England, especially if he is not going to play or work hard.

The Patriots really need Moss to step it up this year. WR Wes Welker tore his ACL in the final regular season game at Houston. It is uncertain if he will be ready for the season opener, and how close to 100 percent will he be even if he is able to play?

TE Ben Watson signed with the Cleveland Browns. That leaves WR Julian Edelman as the next leading receiver / tight end with 37 receptions for 359 yards and one touchdown.

If Moss is not going to play hard and Welker is not healthy, there is not a lot to be scared of on the current roster. The Patriots have many journeymen that they rotate into the lineup. The reason why that strategy is working is that teams have no answer for Moss and Welker, which gives the Patriots' runners and other receivers a lot of room to operate. Without these two players at their best, teams are going to find it a lot easier to stop the run and guard these other players.

Just how important is Moss to this offense?

In the games where Moss had at least 100 yards receiving or scored at least one touchdown, Brady threw for 304.4 yards per game and had 22 touchdown passes to just six interceptions. The Patriots were 8-2 in those games.

In the games where Moss failed to reach at least one of those totals, Brady averaged just 225.7 yards passing per game and had six touchdown passes to seven interceptions. The Patriots were 2-4 in those games.

If Moss is going to pull the same stunts that he pulled in Oakland and play at cruising speed in 2009, the Patriots do not have enough weapons for Brady to have a successful NFL or fantasy season.

We still have Brady ranked sixth in our seasonal rankings, as he has been too good for too long to bet against, but I would be lying if I did not say that I am nervous about how the 2009 season ended for New England. Whether he falls out of the top 15 remains to be seen. The 15th-ranked quarterback in fantasy last year was Jacksonville Jaguars QB David Garrard, who finished with 3,597 yards passing, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

It would seem difficult to believe Brady would have that type of season. However, if Moss does not play hard, it is going to be hard for Moss to repeat his No. 2 ranking, which will negatively affect Brady. How much he's negatively impacted is a big question Fantasy Owners will be asking themselves come draft time.

Brady and Moss are two players I would keep my eye on to decline in 2010. New England does not look like the sure bet they did for the better part of a decade, and their offensive weapons do not look as appealing in fantasy football as they did from 2007 to 2009.

Ryan of LestersLegends.Com says:

Ben Roethlisberger threw for 4328 yards with 26 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. It was his first time topping 4000 yards. It's not that I don't think he's capable of putting up big numbers, but I feel Pittsburgh will run more in 2010. Oh, and did I forget to mention that Big Ben could miss some time if Roger Goodell sees his latest accusation as conduct detrimental to the league.

Russ of FantasyFootballStarters.Com says:

Every year there are players at every position who finish in the top 10 of the final fantasy football rankings only to drop off of it the following season. Identifying which of those players are the most likely to do so is one of the jobs we, as fantasy football experts, try to do.

Using the high performance decimal point scoring system from my friends at Antsports.com, where each touchdown pass was worth 4 points and each interception -1, the top 10 fantasy football QB's from 2009 were (in order) Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Matt Schaub, Tom Brady, Phillip Rivers, Tony Romo, Brett Favre, Ben Roethlisberger, and Eli Manning.

Which one of these quarterbacks from this list is most likely to not finish top 10 in the 2010 fantasy football rankings when it's all said and done? To me, it's Ben Roethlisberger.

I liked Roethlisberger heading into last year, but looking ahead to 2010 I see a lot of potential for a letdown. Even if you take out his off-field issues going on right now, there was word after the 2009 season was over that the team wanted to scale back on its reliance throwing the football and get back to much more balanced attack. In 2009, the Steelers posted their highest pass ratio (56%) in the last 30 years, and probably their entire history. It led to Roethlisberger having great fantasy numbers, but it didn't translate into enough victories for Pittsburgh to make the NFL playoffs.

There's also the fact that Roethlisberger continues to get knocked around a lot. I don't think any quarterback been sacked more than Roethlisberger (189) in the last 4 seasons combined. He's managed to only miss 3 games in that span, but that's a lot of punishment, and sooner or later those injuries he plays thru will become more of a concern if the high sack totals continue.

Finally, there's the current sexual assault allegation. Regardless of how it plays out, it will hang over his, and the organization's, head. It could be a distraction even if it gets settled months before the season begins.

When I combine the situation Roethlisberger is facing with the probability of the team throwing the football less, and the potential for injury if the sack totals don't come down, I see Roethlisberger as being the most likely quarterback to really struggle to finish in the top 10 of the 2010 fantasy football rankings.

Dave of RotoPicks.Com says:

I’m taking Ben Roethlisberger as my top 10 QB that will struggle to repeat for a number of reasons.

The first, and most important, reason is that Pittsburgh is looking at a 2010 schedule that is not conducive to top tier fantasy QB production. The Steelers will play 9 games this year against defenses ranked in the top 10 in passing yards allowed from 2009, including games vs. Buffalo, Carolina, and the Jets who all ranked in the top 5. With the emergence of Mike Zimmer’s defense in Cincinnati, the AFC North is becoming a much stronger division. Now add in games vs. the AFC East (Jets, New England, Miami and Buffalo) and NFC South (Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans and Tampa Bay) and you’re looking at a rough road ahead (Pittsburgh also has games against Oakland and Tennessee). I can assure you that Ben will not be looking forward to seeing defensive standouts like Darrelle Revis, Nnamdi Asomugha, Jairus Byrd, etc. on the opposing sideline week after week.

Another important point is that Pittsburgh’s O-line has been just short of terrible over the last few seasons and I haven’t seen any indication that they are addressing this glairing need. Hopefully, they’ll go that way early in the draft, but if not, we can expect Roethlisberger to take a pounding again this season. Since 2006, no QB has been sacked more than Roethlisberger (50 sacks in 2009, 46 in 2008, 47 in 2007, and 46 in 2006). Those hits will start showing effects at some point and I’m thinking that the Steelers will revert back to a run-first approach in 2010 to help keep Ben off his back.

Finally, for those of you that don’t know me, I am an absolute stat-monger. The way I see it is that Ben’s 2009 totals were way too high for his average level of performance. Over his first 5 seasons, Ben averaged roughly 3,000 yards and 20 passing TDs on 380 passing attempts per season. Last year he put up over 4,300 yards and 26 passing TDs on over 500 attempts. In statistics there’s a term called regression toward the mean that basically says that within a sample of data, an extreme value will be followed up by one that is closer to the sample average. I’m expecting Ben’s 2010 stats to be closer to his career average of 3,200 yards and 21 TDs, which should land him somewhere in the high teens when the final QB totals are tallied at the end of 2010.

And of course, there is still a real possibility that Roethlisberger might face some penalty from the league for his off the field issues. If (and this is a big if) Ben is handed a suspension for “X” number of games, his fantasy production is guaranteed to suffer.

Jake of JunkYardJake.Com says:

Judging from the very early rankings, the top couple QBs who will likely be selected in the first few rounds of fantasy drafts this upcoming season are usual suspects Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, likely to be followed up by new fantasy darling Aaron Rodgers. Tom Brady is likely to be the #4 QB based on 2010 fantasy rankings, and he might be the player who will represent a marginal disappointment.

It's never wise to bet against such an accomplished player like Brady, and he will probably go on to have his customary solid season. However, there are a number of factors that may prevent him from matching his 2009 performance of 4,300 passing yards and 28 TDs. Two such factors that should be considered are his aging offensive line and inconsistent running game, and I think his receiving corps and schedule could also pose some problems.

In terms of receivers, notwithstanding any improvements that the Patriots will generate from the upcoming draft or additional free agent signings, the New England receiving corps going into 2010 looks inferior to the group they went into the 2009 season with. Of course, the biggest question mark is Wes Welker, who will be trying to make it back from ACL surgery performed in late January. A reasonable timetable for his return might be October or November, and while the Patriots did sign David Patten, it's hard to imagine replacing Welker's unique quick-cutting and impeccable route-running abilities. Then there is the venerable Randy Moss, who once again delivered a strong season with 1,264 receiving yards and 13 TDs in 2009. However, Moss is now 33 years old, and it's safe to say that the explosive speed and play-making ability he exhibited in his younger days is probably long gone, and this limits the vertical dimension of the Patriots passing attack. At tight-end, New England parted ways with Ben Watson and it's looking like recent signee Alge Crumpler might be his 2010 replacement. While Watson never fulfilled his expected potential, he did offer better speed in comparison to the 33 year-old Alge Crumpler, and it's difficult to see how this change will transpire as much of an improvement for the Patriots passing game.

The fairly challenging New England schedule could represent another obstacle for Tom Brady and Patriots passing game in 2010. In terms of division play, the AFC East is expected to be extremely competitive once again, with the Patriots having to contend with last season’s top two pass defenses, Buffalo and New York, in four total meetings. These two teams combined to hold opposing QBs to only 168 pass yards and .7 passing TDs per game in 2009. When you factor in two other games against the improving Miami Dolphins defense, plus home games against the 2009 top-10 pass defenses of Green Bay, Baltimore and Cincinnati, the chance of merely average stats by Tom Brady in about half his games looks possible.

While Tom Brady is simply too good to ignore if he happens to fall into the 3rd or 4th round of your draft in 2010, I think he should be considered as only another solid 2nd tier fantasy option in 2010, and it may be wise to resist the temptation to draft him anywhere near his 2009 average position of late 1st to early 2nd round.

Rick of FantasyFootballTrader.com says:

Most of you will think I'm off my rocker for pegging 2009's yardage leader (4,770 to be exact) as the top 10 fantasy QB least likely to repeat. Allow me to clarify that I don't actually believe Matt Schaub's inaugural landing inside fantasy's top 5 elite last year was a fluke. As an owner of Schaub in one of my Dynasty leagues, I can earnestly say I'd love nothing more than to be wrong on this one.

And there's a good chance I will be wrong. Hell, I'll go a step further and even say that I should be wrong. Schaub has arguably the most gifted WR in the league at his disposal, a returning TE in Owen Daniels who was pacing all others before succombing to a knee injury in week 8, an O-Line that allowed Schaub to only absorb a 5th ranked 25 sacks and an "OLE!" defense to ensure the Texans' offense often needs to score in bunches to hang with their opponent. What's not to like here?

Well...plenty actually. I don't think we can simply bury the fact that 2009 was the first year in Schaub's six year's in the league that he started more than 11 games. And...he played through a shoulder injury to do that! Yes, his sacks taken are encouraging and I do believe the Texans' O-line is on the upswing buuut.

Also, one gets the feeling that Schaub is more...how do I put this, at the mercy of Andre Johnson's health than Drew Brees is to Colston or Manning is to Wayne or Brady is to Moss. And the reason for that is apparent. Brees has gone weeks without Colston and not missed a beat. When Welker went down last year, some schmoe named Edelman stepped right in and it was status quo. Heck, in the playoffs last year, defenses took a chance by doubling Wayne and Clark and saying you're NOT beating us with these two! To that, Manning said "fine", and made Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie the #1 and #2 playoff leading WR's.

But with Schaub & Johnson it feels different doesn't it? Johnson had a league high 171 targets last year and even the Texans' SECOND most targeted player Kevin Walter had a measly 70 targets. Something tells me that if anything ever happened to A.J. it could be devastating to Schaub - unlike the league's other top passers.

Again, I am NOT forecasting any of the above to happen - just acknowledging that Schaub's perch among the top 6-7 QB's is much less stable than the other elite passers.

Enjoy this article? Check out FantasyTrader.Com's Offseason Roundtable Archives.

Fantasy Football Roundtable - Matthew Stafford vs. Mark Sanchez

2010-03-20T04:33:00.000-07:00

Fantasy Football Roundtable
Hosted By FantasyFootballTrader.Com March 20, 2010

This week's question: Call your shot...the better fantasy career between 2nd year quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez based on what we think we know?...'

Ryan of LestersLegends.Com says:

I'm going to go with the #1 pick Matthew Stafford for a number of reasons. First of all, he already has a premier wide receiver in Calvin Johnson. Megatron is a physical specimen that will only get better. He also has talented second-year tight end Brandon Pettigrew that will grow with him. Having two young, talented pieces in place is a great start.

Mark Sanchez started to get with tight end Dustin Keller in the playoffs, but his options are limited. Plus, the Jets don't need Sanchez to have a big game to win. The Lions, on the other hand, don't have a good defense. If they are going to win, it's going to be a shootout. The Jets are built on defense and their running game. It's unlikely that they are going to change it any time soon. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I also favor Stafford as a long-term fantasy quarterback because he plays in a dome. While Sanchez has to deal with the elements, Stafford is at ease in climate-controlled Ford Field. Nothing derails a fantasy championship like a late-season nor'easter.

Dave of RotoPicks.Com says:

I really enjoyed looking into this comparison, because on the surface these 2nd-year QBs are so similar. Both have quality weapons in the passing game with great WR tandems (Cotchery/Edwards and Johnson/Burleson) and emerging TEs (Keller and Pettigrew). Even their 2009 stats were comparable in almost all aspects. But the one thing that did stand out is that Stafford reached nearly the same fantasy production as Sanchez in 5 fewer games last season.

To me the question of who has the better fantasy career comes down to only one thing, opportunity. The fact is that the Jets bread and butter is a ball-control offense where a strong running game is complimented by a physical defense. In this system, Sanchez will likely get few opportunities to shine.

Stafford plays in an extremely tough division, facing the Bears, Packers and Vikings twice a year. In all likelihood, the Lions will be playing from behind a lot during the course of the year. This and the Lions question marks at RB (at least in 2010) should make for a consistent aerial attack.

Simply put, Stafford will have more opportunity to post bigger fantasy numbers over the course of his career. In my opinion, the stats that make the best case for this so far are passing attempts and completions. While both QBs regular season stats were almost identical in these categories, Sanchez had a season high of only 34 attempts per game and only turned in 20 or more completions once during his 15 regular season starts (both in week 8 vs. the Dolphins). Stafford, on the other hand, aired it out a season high 51 times (in week 10 vs. the Vikings) and had 20 or more completions in 6 of his 10 starts. Stafford’s per game averages in completions and passing attempts (20.1 completions, 37.7 attempts) put him well ahead of Sanchez (13.1 completions, 24.3 attempts) in my fantasy rankings. Watching Stafford throw for over 400 yards and 5 TDs in week 11 last season gives him a little boost too.

Derek of FantasyFootballManiaxs.Com says:

Stafford was the 26th-ranked fantasy quarterback, and Sanchez was the 25th-ranked fantasy quarterback. They were both poor fantasy starts for almost all of the 2009 season.

Sanchez plays on the more competitive team, but that does not translate into a lot of throws. When the Jets went on their winning streak at the end of the season, Sanchez had fewer than 20 attempts in four of his last five regular season starts and had 68 attempts in three playoff starts, or an average of about 23 pass attempts per game. The Jets had the first-ranked scoring defense, first-ranked yardage defense and led the NFL in both rushing attempts and rushing yards. They finished 32nd in passing attempts, which really hurt Sanchez’s fantasy value.

Stafford, on the other hand, had over 35 pass attempts in seven of his 10 games and over 40 attempts in four games. Because his defense was dead last in the NFL in both points allowed and yards allowed, rarely did he play with a lead. Despite playing in five fewer games, he had more touchdowns than Sanchez, but he also had the same number of interceptions trying to bring his team back from the dead.

Both players have some nice weapons. The best weapon is WR Calvin Johnson, who plays in Detroit. The long and athletic receiver gives Stafford a go-to guy that makes big plays in the passing game. The Lions also signed Seattle WR Nate Burleson to a free agent contract, and if rookie TE Brandon Pettigrew and RB Kevin Smith can return from injury, the Lions have a chance to surround Stafford with weapons.

Sanchez has an excellent running game, led by second-year RB Shonn Greene (Thomas Jones has been released), but he has the always drop-prone WR Braylon Edwards as his main target. TE Dustin Keller has shown promise in his first two years, and WR Jerricho Cotchery is a good possession receiver.

Johnson gives Stafford a significant advantage in the passing game. If the Jets can find some weapons in the draft, I would have more enthusiasm when it comes to Sanchez in 2010.

Finally, Sanchez is two years older than the 22-year-old Stafford, which gives him a slight advantage in maturity and development. That will probably only make a difference for another year or so. Stafford has the advantage in intangibles, and he has a rocket arm most quarterbacks can only dream about having.

My verdict is that you probably do not want either one of them. Most quarterbacks do not become fantasy viable until their third season, and neither quarterback is in an ideal situation. Stafford is stuck on a terrible team and needs a stronger supporting cast. Sanchez is stuck on a team that plays defense and runs the ball. We have Stafford ranked #20 in our seasonal rankings and #16 in our dynasty rankings - with Sanchez #25 in our seasonal rankings and #18 in our dynasty rankings. They are both second quarterbacks that need to be paired with a superior starter.

The above was an excerpt from Derek's full article at FFManiax.

Jeff of DynastyKings.Com says:

This one is a no-brainer.

Matthew Stafford is by far the better fantasy option. Long term he has the most potential to be a fantasy QB1 with all the weapons at his disposal - Calvin Johnson, Brandon Pettigrew, Kevin Smith and now Nate Burleson. All that team needs is protection for their passer and they have a nice young core to build a solid offense around for the long haul.

As for Sanchez, I do like him but Braylon Edwards is no Calvin Johnson. The Jets are built for "old school football", meaning that they will try and win 23-16 or 16-13 type games with a strong ground game and even better defense. That's Rex Ryan (and for the most part, Buddy Ryan) football - that's what they know how to do, and they do it well. Thomas Jones may be gone, but Shonn Greene is now the guy for 2010 and for years to come. Leon Washington is still a Jet (and they'll fight to keep him there despite the modest RFA tender) and New York is likely to continue to add solid RBs for depth. The offensive line is one of the best in the league and they love to run the ball 35-40 times a week.

So when you get right down to it, Detroit has far more going for it than the Jets for fantasy offense - better climate (dome vs. the outdoors of the Garden State), better receivers, an offense and coaching staff that lend themselves to throwing more and even a weaker defense for the Lions, which will only add to Stafford's numbers. Both in the near term and the long haul, I'd much rather have Stafford.

Russ of FantasyFootballStarters.Com says:

I liked both quarterbacks coming out of college. As I stated in my NFL rookie reports of each both are about the same size and have very similar skill sets. Their final stats for 2009 were almost identical:

Stafford: 201-377-20, 2,267 yards, 13 TD's, 108 rushing yards, 2 rushing TD's

Sanchez: 196-364-20, 2,444 yards, 12 TD's, 106 rushing yards, 3 rushing TD's

But where Sanchez accomplished his in 15 games, Stafford got his in only 10. The situations they're both in are totally different. Sanchez was asked to manage games in 2009 and not throw a bunch while Stafford, because the Lions were usually behind by a lot in games had to throw a lot more. Stafford also has one of the elite young WR's in the game with Calvin Johnson while Sanchez gets to throw to drop prone Braylon Edwards. Sure, personnel and coaching staffs will inevitably change in the future, but I think Stafford is in the better situation for the purposes of fantasy football rankings and projections. Stafford has more of a gunslinger attitude and his coaches are more apt to let him air it out with their suspect rushing attack and porous defense than the Jets are with Sanchez. They don't need Sanchez to since they have a strong rushing attack with Shonn Greene and a dominant defense.

Sanchez is likely to have more NFL success, especially in the next couple of years, but as we learned from Troy Aikman and Jeff George back in the 1990's, there's a big difference between being a successful NFL QB and a successful fantasy football quarterback. You don't need to be one to be the other. Providing the Lions offensive line gets better at protecting him so he doesn't get knocked around and become injury prone, Stafford is my choice over Sanchez for fantasy football in dynasty leagues.

Jim of FanaticFantasyFootball.Com says:

I could see Matthew Stafford having the better fantasy career except for one thing. He plays for the Lions. He was beat up in his first season, playing in only 10 games. Detroit must improve their offensive line for Stafford to be a more consistent fantasy football point producer. He had one more passing touchdown than Sanchez, but when looked at closer, five of Stafford’s touchdowns came in one game against the Cleveland Browns. Add to the five games he missed, two more games without a touchdown pass and he totaled 7 games without a TD pass. You only play 16, maybe 17, fantasy football weeks. Although Stafford has one of the best wide receivers in the NFL to throw to, Calvin Johnson, it doesn't help much if you're on the bench with injuries. Johnson's stats suffered greatly in 2009 (#24 among all wide receivers after being #3 in 2008). Will Detroit be able to run the ball in 2010 to help take some of the pressure off Stafford? If they don't, Matthew will have to run for his life again in 2010.

Mark Sanchez was more consistent, had a better running game to support him, and had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL protecting him. He should take a positive step forward this year after having a good year that saw him get some playoff experience. Not so fast my friend! Have we forgotten Matt Ryan, QB Atlanta Falcons? Matt was the #16 quarterback in 2008 with 290 fantasy points. In 2009 he took a step back, dropping to #19 with 254 fantasy points. Although that might not sound like a big drop it placed him in the company of both Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez.

So what is my take on the two quarterbacks? I think Stafford is the better quarterback but I think Sanchez is on a better team, giving him more of a chance to succeed as the better fantasy quarterback option. I still see both as no more than a #2 quarterback for the 2010 season.

Jake of JunkYardJake.Com says:

It’s probably not the majority opinion, but if given the choice between Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez in terms of future fantasy production, I would give a slight edge to Mark Sanchez. Clearly both quarterbacks demonstrated their abilities during the 2009 season and both quarterbacks no doubt have the requisite intelligence to blossom into fine players. I prefer Sanchez just marginally over Stafford because he seems to demonstrate a precocious ability to read defenses, anticipate the pass rush, and create positive plays when his primary options are covered. Overall, Sanchez just seems to be the more instinctive player.

As mentioned, choosing Sanchez over Matthew Stafford is probably the minority opinion. When rating the rookie QBs on pure physical skill alone, Matthew Stafford is arguably the superior option. Stafford has exceptional arm strength, a good release and impressive accuracy. Although we did not see him run much this past season, Stafford also has good speed for his size, and should evolve into a decent running threat if his offensive scheme allows him to. Sanchez has also shows good velocity on his throws, and is probably on par with Stafford in terms of accuracy, but Stafford gets the slight edge in this department.

In terms of the cerebral part of the game, Stafford has already shown potential, and if you go by Wonderlic score alone, he even has the edge here. Both Stafford and Sanchez scored well on this pre-draft test, but Stafford scored a 38 compared to Sanchez’s mark of 28.

Both Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez should end up having successful careers in the NFL, and although Stafford has the higher upside in terms of pure physical talent, it is commonly known that the ability to effortlessly hurl a ball 50 yards down the field is only one factor that portends success as an NFL quarterback. Mark Sanchez just seems to be the slightly more intuitive player, and I give him the slight edge based on this intangible.

Rick of FantasyFootballTrader.com says:

I'm with Pasquino above. The guy to have in this conversation is Matt Stafford and it's not very close at all. There's as large a gap between Matt (10th) and Mark (20th) in my Dynasty Rankings as you'll probably see from any source in the industry. As others alluded to above, Matt Stafford is simply in the superior system to breed stats for the foreseeable future.

Setting NFL quarterbacking skills aside, the systems these two find themselves in are polar opposites of each other. Merely pointing out the fact that Sanchez attempted the fewest passes in the league last year is a laughable understatement. The Jets 393 pass attempts were 48 fewer than even the second fewest Buffalo Bills (441). There's no other team that bottled up it's QB (and had greater success in doing so) than the Jets.

With a young, talented O-line paired with second year battering ram Shonn Green...and then you factor in one of league's top 3 best shutdown defenses? Hell, forget about arm strength, accuracy, leadership or any other positive QB traits at this point. Give me the guy that's going to complete a forward pass once in awhile.

Enjoy this article? Check out FantasyTrader.Com's Offseason Roundtable Archives.

Player Spotlights - Luke Hochevar and Chris Coghlan

2010-03-20T04:10:00.000-07:00

Luke Hochevar and Chris Coghlan March 20, 2010

Live Fantasy Baseball Mock Drafts, Fantasy Baseball Player Rankings, Player Trade Calculator, Fantasy Forums and more ! at FantasyBaseballXtreme.Com

SP Luke Hochevar,Royals, - Luke Hochevar’s professional career has indeed gotten off to a tumultuous start, not unlike the chaotic process that brought him into the big leagues in the first place. Originally drafted by the Dodgers in 2002, Hochevar declined this option to pitch for the University of Tennessee instead. He went on to have a very successful college career, culminating in 2005 with a 15-3 record, an ERA of 2.26, Whip of 1.13 and 154 strikeouts in 139 innings. He was then selected by the Dodgers once again in the 2005 amateur draft, but couldn’t reach an agreement. Finally, in 2006, the Royals made him the #1 selection and he began his professional career at the age of 22. Now 26, Hochevar has turned into somewhat of an enigma, with an accumulated 5.88 ERA, 1.47 WHIP over three major league seasons. Also surprising is how his K per rate has fallen from over 8 during his minor league seasons, to 5.8 at the major-league level. Hochevar has pretty good stuff, with a fastball that can reach the mid-90’s, a hard slider and a good curve. On the basis of upside potential, he’s worth a flier in the final rounds of fantasy drafts this year.

OF/2B Chris Coghlan, Marlins, - After getting the call in early May 2009 it took a little while for the 24 year-old Chris Coghlan to make an impression for the Marlins. He had a rough May, batting an anemic .212 in that month. By the All-Star break, he was hitting just .245, with 2 HRs and 4 SBs, and many fantasy teams had given up hope at that point. For those with patience, Coghlan went on to show significant improvement after the break, proceeding to hit .372, with 7 HRs and adding another 4 SBs in the second half of the 2009 season. He earned the NL rookie of the year award for his efforts, and now enters the 2010 season as the starting left-fielder for Florida. Coghlan’s minor league history suggests that we probably shouldn’t expect much improvement over his 2009 BA and HR numbers, but he does seem to have untapped 20 SB potential that failed to emerge last year. With his ADP still hovering around the 18th round area, Coghlan makes a solid player to add as your 4th or 5th fantasy outfielder in 2010.

Player Spotlights By Junkyard Jake JunkyardJake.Com

Fantasy Football Roundtable - Matt Leinart

2010-03-19T15:47:00.000-07:00

Fantasy Football Roundtable
Hosted By FantasyFootballTrader.Com March 16, 2010

This week's question: Given what we know (or think we know) about about Matt Leinart, what are your expectations for the Arizona Cardinals in 2010?...'

Ryan of LestersLegends.Com says:

I may be one of the only people that actually like the party boy. He has the talent and the pedigree. Maturity has been his main issue. He felt he was entitled to the job because he was a top draft pick. He didn't work hard.

Now with the future Hall of Famer out of the picture, Leinart has the opportunity to seize the gig. He has had several years to study under one of the best, not only in his ability, but in the way he prepared for games. I'll give Leinart the benefit of the doubt that he learned from that experience.

He has great weapons, with or without Anquan Boldin. The Cardinals should have an improved rushing attack with Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower. He won't be required to throw as often as Warner did.

Though he failed to throw a TD this year, he did complete a career high 66.2% of his passes. I won't say he looked totally comfortable when he spelled Kurt Warner against the Saints, but he managed to complete 7 of 10 passes for 61 yards.

I certainly wouldn't want him as a fantasy starter, but he's a nice low risk/high reward backup option. Before I draft him though, I want to see him take the OTAs and training camp seriously. If he shows me he's serious, I'll be serious about him. If not, I'll contact Jeff Gillooly as a Larry Fitzgerald owner.

Dave of RotoPicks.Com says:

I don’t think anyone can argue that the Cardinals hopes for 2010 took an enormous hit when Kurt Warner announced his retirement this off-season. From what I’ve seen of Matt Leinart, I’m sure he could become a middle of the road starting QB (maybe holding a fantasy value somewhere between Kyle Orton and Jason Campbell), but I doubt his ability to run a efficient passing offense. I’m expecting the Cardinals to bring in a few QBs this off-season and open up the competition to see who emerges.

Along with the QB position, there is uncertainty across the Cardinals roster. It’s very possible that Anquan Boldin will be wearing a different jersey next season, which will hurt whoever lands the starting QB job. The Cardinals have a couple of quality young WRs in Steve Breaston and Early Doucet, but I don’t think either of them can fill Boldin’s shoes on their own. Couple Arizona’s changes at QB and WR with the pending release of LB Karlos Dansby and S Antrel Rolle and we’ll be looking at a much different Cardinals squad in 2010.

As far as my overall expectations for the Cardinals go, I don’t think its all doom and gloom for the club. I think the Cardinals have enough pieces in place to have a good showing next season and finish the year as the second best team in the NFC West. But unless they make some huge off-season moves or re-sign a few of their key players I don’t think they’ll have a chance of beating out San Francisco for the division title.

Derek of FantasyFootballManiaxs.Com says:

Matt Leinart has a lot of weapons in Arizona. He has arguably the most talented receiver in the NFL in Larry Fitzgerald, who had 1,092 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns last season. I would be surprised if fellow star WR Anquan Boldin is back in 2010, but Leinart would still have Steve Breaston and Early Doucet, two talented receivers that could put up bigger numbers with more playing time. He also has running backs Chris Wells and Tim Hightower, who combined for 1,391 yards rushing, 571 yards receiving and 15 touchdowns.

He has enough running back talent to have success with play action passing and enough receivers that he can find open targets. The Cardinals have a very quarterback friendly situation and it is surprising that he lost his job in the first place; a more prepared quarterback would not have had the struggles Leinart has experienced. A big question with him has been his work ethic and it has shown since he arrived in 2006. If his work ethic does not improve in 2010, the Cardinals will not win the division with him at quarterback.

The Cardinals are in danger of losing the division to a San Francisco 49ers team that beat them twice in 2009 and trailed them only by two games in the final standings. The 49ers have a young improving team and they have the 13th and 17th picks in the draft, a luxury the Cardinals do not have. Warner threw 26 touchdown passes in 2009 and if Leinart has only between 15-20 that could be 40 to 60 less points, which is a big deal seeing they had a scoring differential of only 3.1 points per game last year.

They have also released S Antrel Rolle, who promptly signed with the Giants and lost LB Karlos Dansby in free agency to the Miami Dolphins. Those are a lot of losses for one year and I think the Cardinals will probably take a step back in 2010 as they recover from some of their player personnel losses; guys who played a big role in their rise to Super Bowl contender.

The above was an excerpt from Derek's full article at FFManiax.

Please note the above was an excerpt from Derek's full article at FFManiax.

Matt of RapidDraft.Com says:

Despite what many folks will say, there’s really not a whole lot that we know about the way Matt Leinart will perform in 2010.

Just think about it: The only season in which he got a real stretch to work as the starting quarterback was in 2006, when he was a rookie who held out through a large portion of his first training camp. Leinart started 11 games that season and finished with a respectable 56.7 percent completion rate and 11-12 touchdown-interception ratio. (Much better numbers than the Sanchize -- albeit with better receivers.)

Since then, Leinart has gotten little time to develop on the field and spent those reps not only with Kurt Warner staring directly over his shoulder, but often warming up with the bullpen and getting his boy God to whisper in the coaches’ ears. Now, by all accounts, Leinart hasn’t gotten more playing time because he hasn’t bowled his coaches over, but the fact remains that it’s been four years since we got a good look at him in NFL games.

On the other hand, here’s what we do know. The high-powered Arizona pass offense won’t be nearly as efficient this year. How can it be? The biggest thing going for Kurt Warner (besides his story and, of course, Jesus) is that he has been one of the most accurate passers in the league over at least the past decade. That will likely mean that even if Larry Fitzgerald (and whoever starts across from him) catches as many passes as we’re used to, he’ll have a hard time matching yardage and touchdown numbers.

For what it’s worth, in 14 games with Leinart as the starter or more-active passer, Fitzgerald has scored just five times. For his career, he has averaged about 10 touchdowns per 16 games played. Similarly, Anquan Boldin has caught just four touchdowns from Leinart in 15 games together, as opposed to a career average of about seven per 16 games.

We also know, however, that Leinart loves looking to his left (throwing) side and going to Fitzgerald. Fitz’s other numbers in Leinart games extrapolate to 93 catches and 1,230 yards over a 16-game season. Compare that with an average of 91 receptions and 1,229 yards for his career.

Now, Fitzgerald’s more recent stats look better than that after lower output early on, but that early portion of his career was also when the bulk of his exposure to Leinart came. Even if a full season with Leinart could mean seven or eight scores instead of 10 to 12, Fitzgerald should still catch 90 to 100 passes and get to or past 1,200 yards.

Boldin’s 16-game projection with Leinart, however, comes up 23 catches and 209 yards short of his career 16-game averages. That will be moot for him if he starts 2010 with another team but doesn’t bode particularly well for whoever would replace him.

The player who could be helped by the switch to Leinart, of course, is Chris Wells. Ken Whisenhunt has preached a desire to feature the run more, and it should be quite a bit easier to stick with the running game when the other option is relying heavily on the young lefty instead of Warner. Wells is due to begin this year as the starter and should easily surpass 250 carries if he can stay healthy.

Russ of FantasyFootballStarters.Com says:

For over 2 years, Leinart has been on the sidelines most of the time watching Kurt Warner execute the offensive system in Arizona. Everyone seems to forget that Leinart was actually the starter for 11 games as a rookie and has started 17 games over his 4 year career. He's still a young QB who hasn't been given enough starting time to develop into the player he can become. His stats haven't been great, but conversely they haven't been awful either. In his 17 career starts (and remember that for the first 5 games of 2007, Ken Whisenhunt used a dual QB attack with Leinart starting and Warner coming in for chunks of the game, often in red zone situations) Leinart's stat line reads 289-511 for 3,364 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions.

Like I said, not great, but certainly not horrible either. And there's room for improvement as he acquires more playing experience.

Now, the Cardinals will tweak their offense to be more balanced in their attack. They have a power RB in Chris Wells. They have a solid complimentary RB in Tim Hightower. Even though they have traded WR Anquan Boldin, they still have Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston, and emerging Early Doucet. The weapons are in place for a game managing Leinart to succeed. Ken Whisenhunt had a strong rushing attack when he was the offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh a few years ago, and while it's never translated into a featured rushing attack in Arizona, he also never really had a RB like Wells to rely on. I think you'll see the Cardinals become a lot more balanced offensively if Leinart takes over.

This situation kind of reminds some of the Packers situation 2 years ago with Aaron Rodgers taking over for Brett Favre. Little was known about how Rodgers would respond to having to take over for a legend in Green Bay. There were a lot of expectations and there was little history of Rodgers playing to gauge whether he'd step up and become a great NFL QB. There was so much concern in the organization that the Packers actually drafted TWO QB's that year (Brian Brohm in the second round and Matt Flynn in the seventh). Rodgers was under immense scrutiny and many predicted he would fail. His arm wasn't strong enough; his passes sailed; he wasn't a commanding presence in the huddle; etc. All of these things were said about Rodgers.

And all of them have been said, are being said, or will be said again about Leinart.

I was not one of those who predicted doom for Rodgers. And I'm not predicting doom for Leinart. Did I see how great Rodgers would turn out to be? No. But I certainly gave him a chance for it. Same chance I'm giving Leinart. I think Leinart can be one of the prime QB 2010 fantasy football sleepers.

Jim of FanaticFantasyFootball.Com says:

I looked back a few years to see what kind of stats some other quarterbacks put up in their first year after being the backup for extended time. David Garrard QB Jacksonville Jaguars, spent five years as the backup before his first full season in 2007. Garrard ranked #16 among fantasy QBs scoring 252 points. He completed 208 of 325 attempts, threw 18 touchdowns and was only intercepted 3 times.

The next player I looked at was Matt Schaub QB Houston Texans. After being a backup for three years and injured the better part of the next two years; Matt finally got his chance to start and play a full season in 2009. He didn’t disappoint his owners, as he finished as the #4 QB in 2009 with 372 completions, 544 attempts, 4467 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

Matt Cassel, Kansas City Chiefs, had much more success while running the New England Patriot offense but his stats with the Chiefs were respectable considering the team around him. He was 272/494 for 2924 yards with 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, compared to the year before (Patriots) where he posted 328/518 for 3693 yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in what was actually his first full year after being a backup for three years.

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers, sat for three years behind Brett Favre in Green Bay. During his first year at the helm of Green Bay’s potent offense he posted super stats and followed that in 2009 with an even better year. We had rated Rodgers as the #1 QB in our 2009 Quarterback rankings.

Team wise, I think Texans Matt Schaub QB / Andre Johnson WR duo and Matt Leinart QB / Larry Fitzgerald WR duo are very similar situations. Anquan Boldin WR has been traded to the Baltimore Ravens, so I see Leinart’s numbers reading something like 260 completions, 433 attempts, 2860 yards, 16 touchdowns / 11 interceptions. He will have some games where he performs like a #1 quarterback but I see him more as a fantasy football backup in 2010. If he progresses this year and you can stash him on your team for spot duty then you might have a diamond in the rough for 2011.

The above was an excerpt from Jim's full article at FanaticFantasyFootball.

Jake of JunkYardJake.Com says:

Originally selected by Cardinals as a #10 overall pick, Matt Leinart was largely regarded as the top QB prospect in a 2006 draft class that included Vince young and Jay Cutler. He went on to start to twelve games that season, and despite the typical rookie learning curve for NFL quarterbacks, he actually had flashes of very solid performance. Overall, Leinart finished 2006 with over 2,500 passing yards, 12 INTs, and 11 TDs, highlighted by a 405 passing yard day versus Minnesota. When you consider that the top two rookie QBs drafted in 2009, Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez, both threw 20 INTs as first-year staters, Leinart's rookie numbers look fairly good in comparison.

Indeed one of the attributes that scouts cited about Leinart when he came out of USC in 2006 was his experience in a pro-style offense. His ability to interpret defenses, read coverage and anticipate receiver routes were already quite advanced for a rookie QB. When you factor in his great size, impressive accuracy, strong leadership skills and efficient mechanics, it's easy to see why he was so highly touted back in 2006.

Fast forwarding to 2010, it is fairly likely that the Cardinals will attempt to deploy their running attack on a higher proportion of plays now that Kurt Warner is gone. Not to mention, standout receiver Anquan Boldin has been mentioned as trade bait, and the Cardinals seem willing to part with him for a 3rd round pick. Nonetheless, even in the event that Boldin leaves, Leinart will still have the dynamic Larry Fitzgerald along with solid #2 receiver Steve Breaston and dependable 3rd down back Tim Hightower. Clearly, he'll have all the help he needs to succeed in his first campaign as undisputed starter, and now with the luxuary of lowered expectations, and additional wisdom, Leinart could turn out to be a surprise fantasy contributor in 2010.

Enjoy this article? Check out FantasyTrader.Com's Offseason Roundtable Archives.

Player Spotlights - James Shields and Garrett Jones

2010-03-16T05:04:00.001-07:00

James Shields and Garrett Jones March 16, 2010

Live Fantasy Baseball Mock Drafts, Fantasy Baseball Player Rankings, Player Trade Calculator, Fantasy Forums and more ! at FantasyBaseballXtreme.Com

SP James Shields,Rays, - A very consistent fantasy option during the 2007 and 2008 seasons, Tampa Bay's James Shields fell victim to an uncharacteristically substandard second half in 2009, ending the year with a disappointing 4.14 ERA, and only 11 wins. While he started the 2009 season looking like the reliable pitcher we had become accustomed to, with 6 wins a 3.42 ERA and a Whip of 1.26 through the All-Star break, his 2nd half ERA 5.16 was an unpleasant surprise for fantasy owners. As a consequence, his fantasy value has taken a significant hit in 2010, with his ADP dropping from the 7th round in 2009 to about the 11th round in most recent 2010 drafts. Shields is never going to overwhelm hitters with his 90 MPH fastball, but it's his skill in combining this pitch with his excellent 80 MPH change-up and impressive control that makes him effective. Slated to be the Rays opening day starter, Shields seems undervalued and is a likely rebound candidate to target in fantasy drafts this year.

OF/1B Garrett Jones, Pirates, - Before his breakout season last year, 28 year old Garrett Jones seemed destined to languish as a career minor leaguer. Originally drafted by the Braves in 1999, Jones was shipped off to the Twins organization a few years later, and didn't begin to show his power potential until 2004 when he hit 30 HRs for Minnesota's AA affiliate that year. Still, up until last year, Jones had compiled just a .258 average during his time in the minors, and doubts remained about his ability to consistently handle major league pitching. After a trade to the Pirates in 2009, Jones received his first opportunity of significant playing time when the team traded Nyjer Morgan to the Nationals. He responded with 10 HRs and a .310 BA during the month of July, and finished the season with 21 HRs and a .293 average in 314 at-bats. It remains to be seen if Jones can follow through in 2010, and his .208 BA against left-handers last year is a concern, but he should represent a decent source of mixed-league power at a 15th round price.

Player Spotlights By Junkyard Jake JunkyardJake.Com

Player Spotlights - David Aardsma and Kendry Morales

2010-03-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

David Aardsma and Kendry Morales March 7, 2010

Live Fantasy Baseball Mock Drafts, Fantasy Baseball Player Rankings, Player Trade Calculator, Fantasy Forums and more ! at FantasyBaseballXtreme.Com

RP David Aardsma,Mariners, Drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2003, David Aardsma progressed rapidly to the AAA, where he was being groomed as the clubs future closer. In 2004, he saved 11 games for AAA Fresno, but struggled with his control. That same year, he made it to the Giants, but continued to have trouble pitching strikes in his limited debut. From 2005-2008, Aardsma bounced between the minor and major league teams of 4 different organizations with erratic results. After seizing the closer assignment for Seattle in 2009, the 27 year old pitcher was finally able to produce a noteworthy season, with 28 saves, an ERA of 2.52 and a WHIP of 1.164. Aardsma has decent stuff, and his pitch selection/velocity is almost identical to Boston's Jonathan Papelbon. Both pitchers mix in a splitfinger fastball and slider while primarily relying on a 94-95 MPH fastball. Aardsma's 4.3 walks per nine innings wasn't awful in 2009, but the biggest potential liability associated with him remains the possible reemergence of control problems.

1B Kendry Morales, Angels, - It's safe to say the Angels look like geniuses after replacing the uber-expensive Mark Teixeira with farmhand Kendry Morales last year. That transition could not have worked out better, as Morales finished up his first season as the Angels new first-baseman with 34 HRs, 109 RBIs and an impressive .306 BA. Before 2009, Morales had exhibited 30 HR power in the minors, but it had never translated to expected performance when he was called up major league auditions during those years. Morales obviously quieted all doubts concerning his abilities last season, and looked especially good after the All-Star break, when he hit .330 with 19 HRs compared to .284 with 15 HRs in the first half. While there are always doubts and risk inherent with young players who generate sparkling fantasy numbers seemingly out of nowhere, when you consider his second half performance along with his minor league resume, Morales looks to be a legitimate rising star.

Player Spotlights By Junkyard Jake JunkyardJake.Com

Player Spotlights - Brett Anderson and Scott Sizemore

2010-02-28T20:54:00.000-08:00

Brett Anderson and Scott Sizemore February 28, 2010

Live Fantasy Baseball Mock Drafts, Fantasy Baseball Player Rankings, Player Trade Calculator, Fantasy Forums and more ! at FantasyBaseballXtreme.Com

SP Brett Anderson,A's, - While fellow left-hander David Price received more publicity in 2009, it was Oakland's rookie Brett Anderson who ended up looking like the more accomplished rookie pitcher. Originally drafted in the 2nd round by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Anderson was traded to the A's in 2008, and had only 6 starts at the AA level before joining Oakland’s rotation in 2009. The 21-year old didn't disappoint, compiling 11 victories with 150 K's in 30 starts. Most encouraging was the rookie's ability to improve in the 2nd half of the season, lowering his ERA from 4.64 to 3.48, and his WHIP from 1.37 to 1.19 in the 2nd half. Anderson consistently throws strikes and his fastball is usually seen in the 92-93 MPH range. He also mixes in an effective 80 MPH slider about 30% of the time, and rounds out his arsenal with an excellent curve and solid changeup. Anderson generally pitches to contact, but still generated 7.7 K/9 while walking just 2.3 batters per 9 innings in 2009.

2B Scott Sizemore, Tigers, - Scott Sizemore was relatively quiet during his first three years in the minors, compiling a .289 average and only 11 HRs in 248 games over the 2006-2008 timeframe. In 2009, after reaching the Tigers AA affiliate at the age of 24, Sizemore turned his game up a notch, hitting .307 with 9 HRs in only 59 games. After his promotion to the AAA level, Sizemore continued his offensive surge hitting another 8 HRs while maintaining a .308 average through 71 games at Toledo. Along with his good average, and recent HR power, Sizemore also offers some speed on the base paths, notching 58 steals in 378 career minor league games. With Placido Polanco being shipped out of Detroit this past offseason, and only the light-hitting Ramon Santiago seemingly in his way, Scott Sizemore has an opportunity to capture significant playing time for the Tigers at 2nd base in 2010. You should be able to snag Sizemore past the 25th round in your fantasy draft as a solid sleeper pick.

Player Spotlights By Junkyard Jake JunkyardJake.Com

Fantasy Football Roundtable - 2010 Dallas Cowboys Backfield

2010-02-28T20:40:00.000-08:00

Fantasy Football Roundtable
Hosted By FantasyFootballTrader.Com February 28, 2010

This week's question: Unscrambling the Dallas Cowboys backfield. Which Cowboys RB will present the most value at fantasy drafts this Fall?
...'

Ryan of LestersLegends.Com says:

This is a little bit of a trick question. I'm expecting Felix Jones to be drafted higher than Marion Barber III, who will be selected higher than Tashard Choice. Clearly I am expecting Felix Jones to be the most productive of the Cowboys' RBs. That isn't the question though.

The question is which one will present the most value. I actually think that honor belongs to Tashard Choice. Marion Barber will likely be the short yardage back. Choice will likely be the one to spell Jones when he needs a breather. I also think if Felix Jones were to get hurt, Choice would be the one to replace him as lead back.

Barber still has some name value, and the potential to score double-digit TDs, so I expect him to be the second Cowboy off the board. Since his role seems to most in question, I think he's the worst value of the three.

Felix Jones will be the first one off the board, but given the committee he's in, I don't see him standing out from the crowd of similar picks.

Choice, however, will be a late flier that could end up producing like an RB2. While I would rather have Felix Jones on my roster, I think Tashard Choice presents the best fantasy value of the three Cowboy RBs.

Dave of RotoPicks.Com says:

I’m confident that Marion Barber will not only be the best draft value in the Dallas backfield, but I think he’ll also be the most productive RB for the Cowboys at the end of the 2010 season.

Felix Jones’ stock has skyrocketed as a result of his post-season play and fantasy owners will pay a premium for him in 2010 drafts. Looking at the Cowboys postseason totals, Jones was clearly the better back, turning in over 200 yards rushing and 1 rushing TD on 30 carries and over 50 yards receiving on only 4 receptions. These numbers are pretty substantial compared to Barber’s 11 rushing attempts and zero receptions for a measly 18 total yards. Unfortunately, what you can’t see from these numbers is the context in which these figures were produced.

During their playoff run, Dallas faced the Eagles in the Wild Card round and the Vikings in the Divisional Series. These defenses were ranked 9th and 2nd, respectively, in rushing yards allowed during the regular season and made a living beating up on RBs that ran primarily between the tackles. In these situations, a shiftier Jones might have been the better play, but once the regular season rolls around I’m sure he will see a transition back to the change of pace role and situational return duty. Let’s not forget that Barber was the one who led all Cowboys RBs in rushing attempts, rushing yards, rushing TDs, receptions, and receiving yards during the 2009 regular season.

Sure Jones might get a few more touches in 2010, but I’m not willing to pay a premium for the second best back in a committee system.

Derek of FantasyFootballManiaxs.Com says:

While the Cowboys’ quarterback situation is very stable, the Cowboys have three running backs that contributed at various points of the season. Marion Barber saw the most action with 214 carries for 932 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns, while adding 26 receptions for 221 yards. Felix Jones had 116 carries for 685 yards rushing and three touchdowns and also compiled 19 receptions for 119 yards. Finally, Tashard Choice added 64 carries for 349 yards and three touchdowns, along with 15 receptions for 132 yards.

That leaves fantasy owners in a bind this year. All three running backs showed potential last year. When healthy and on the field, each is worthy of being in a Fantasy Owner’s starting lineup. Which of the three has the best chance to put up the numbers that Owners look for in a Fantasy Football starting running back?

I think it is clear that Choice is not going to be the No. 1 option. He failed to earn more than five carries after Week Six in any game.

The bigger question is who should owners be drafting first, Barber or Jones?

Gerry Fraley and Todd Archer of the Dallas Morning News, as well as Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com Dallas, have reported this offseason that Jones will be the starter in the Dallas backfield and that injury concerns will lead to fewer carries for Barber. Furthermore, Jerry Jones has said that he would like to see Choice used more in the short passing game in 2010.

While Jerry Jones told the Dallas Morning News in January that money would not be a factor in Barber returning for the 2010 season, it does not take a fantasy football scientist to see that Barber’s carries are going to be even more limited in 2010. He is going to be the short yardage and change of pace back, with Jones receiving the bulk of the carries on first and second down and Choice being the wildcat and third down back, unless he is traded this offseason. Choice being out of the mix would help Barber’s value.

We currently have Felix Jones as the 16th-ranked fantasy running back. If he can stay healthy, we think it is reasonable to expect 1,100 yards to 1,200 yards and seven to nine touchdowns to go along with 30 to 40 receptions and 300 to 400 receiving yards, which could vault him into the vicinity of the top 10. He has good third round pick value; unfortunately, the fact that he plays for the Cowboys is going to make it hard to select him past the third round, and I can foresee drafts where he will be a second round pick. You hate to pick a player that high with an injury history that plays in a crowded backfield.

I think Barber is probably going to return to his 2006 numbers, when he had 135 carries for 694 yards. That year he had 16 touchdowns. I don’t expect those numbers to be as high in 2009; I think seven to nine touchdowns is more realistic. Barber is an excellent handcuff for Jones in case he is injured.

Please note the above was an excerpt from Derek's full article at FFManiax.

Jeff of DynastyKings.Com says:

The dreaded three-headed committee reappears in yet another franchise. The Dallas Cowboys were all set with Marion Barber III last season as their workhorse and they had planned on using Felix Jones as their complimentary back. Both guys have great skill sets but it is pretty clear as to which one is better on short yardage and between the tackles (Barber). Jones is a fierce player once he gets to the second level, making him a perfect candidate for plays designed to go wide or even on some screen passes. Both have significant downside – Barber is showing some signs of slowing down and Jones is not built to take a feature back workload.

Right now, Felix Jones is a very sexy pick. In four Winter Survivor Leagues that have been going since the end of January, Jones is going in the RB21-24 range, projecting him to be a fourth or fifth round selection in 2010 redrafts. Barber isn’t much lower, going in the RB27-33 range, which means this is viewed both as a RBBC and a toss-up. For me, Barber could be recouping from an undisclosed injury and Jones has not proven himself to be capable of holding up for a full season. Both backs represent decent value and it depends on Jones’ upside versus Barber’s return to previous performance levels.

The big wildcard? Tashard Choice. Personally I think he’s the best “value” pick in terms of what he will cost you as opposed to what his performance level could be in 2010. If Barber is hurt, I still believe that Jones will not be the workhorse for Dallas. Choice, not Jones, fits the style of Barber and is the closest thing to a drop-in replacement in that offense. Choice has also run the Cowboys’ version of the Wildcat and is a solid pass protection back (often used on third downs and passing plays out of the shotgun formation). While other fantasy owners will be rolling dice on Jones or Barber and hoping that they hit with their selection – I prefer a different value Choice. Choice will be dirt cheap in 2010 as the third man on the depth chart but his upside is huge, and neither back ahead of him has proven to be very durable.

Matt of RapidDraft.Com says:

This is a wide open question with answers that can vary depending on interpretation, but I’ll try to answer as straightforwardly as possible:

Marion Barber will lead the group in touchdowns and drive you crazy with the injury reports. Felix Jones will improve significantly on his first two seasons, produce the most yardage and probably miss a couple of games. Tashard Choice will continue to make fantasy owners wish he played for a different team, unless one of the other two suffers a significant injury.

Barber has been at his most consistently productive when spelled by another back. His breakout 16-touchdown 2006 came with just 135 carries (and 158 total touches) to Julius Jones’ 267. Barber’s next most productive year came in 2007, with just a 55 percent share of the carries that went to him and Jones.

In 2008, a Thanksgiving Day toe injury made it tough to know how Barber would have held up down the stretch, but there’s no denying that he wore down late in 2009. After averaging 4.6 yards a carry through the first 10 contests (missing one), he went for just 3.5 per rush in the final five games – including pedestrian outings against lackluster run defenses such as San Diego and New Orleans. That precipitated a mere 11 carries and 18 yards in the playoffs.

Meanwhile, a new Jones was finally getting a larger share of the load and looking good while doing it. The 5.9 yards per carry is no illusion, as even when Jones picks up 5 or 6 yards, he looks like he’s a step or two from breaking a long one. He’ll probably top out in the 12-15 carry a game range to keep from burning out, but Jones’ 30 rushes in the two playoff games were twice as many as either of his backfield mates.

Should he average just 12 attempts per game, Jones would need just 5.2 yards a rush to reach 1,000 for the season. He doesn’t look like he’ll become a prime receiving option soon, but Jones should be able to reach six or seven touchdowns along the way. I’d take him ahead of Barber at this point.

Finally, there’s Choice, who could well be the most consistent producer of the group if he got the chance. You could make an argument for him as the top value, considering Choice will go much later than the other two (seven rounds later, in Round 13, according to very early Fantasy Football Calculator numbers). He’ll be a very risky fantasy play, however, unless injury befalls Jones or Barber.

Russ of FantasyFootballStarters.Com says:

Few backfields in the NFL pose the type of problem for fantasy football owners in 2010 than the one in Dallas. All of us could spend a lot of time dissecting this situation as it really isn't nearly as cut and dried as some want to think. There's Felix Jones, Marion Barber, and Tashard Choice. All the current signs point to the Cowboys getting Jones more involved in the offense in 2010. There's no doubting that his speed and playmaking abilities make him the most dynamic threat in their backfield, but questions still surround how well he'll fare if called on to regularly carry the ball 15+ times per game. While everyone is down on Barber at the present time because of his struggles in the post-season and the way Jones ran in their 2 playoff games, it needs to be remembered that Barber suffered a knee injury before the playoffs and in the last 3 games of the regular season Barber rushed 48 times for 216 yards and 3 touchdowns compared to Jones's 39 rushes for 207 yards and 1 touchdown. Jones had the better yards per carry average (5.3), but Barber's (4.5) wasn't bad either. Both RB's have had their struggled the last 2 seasons with injuries and it looks like a committee between them is forthcoming in 2010 again. I would expect that Jones would be the primary getting 13-15 carries per game with Barber the secondary getting 10-15, but it's still too early to tell. Choice is the interesting odd man out, as he has demonstrated excellent rushing skills when called upon and there is speculation that he could supplant Barber as the secondary RB to Jones in 2010. But I tend to think that is more of a motivational tactic to get Barber fired up than anything else. Not saying Choice can't do it, but I just think it unlikely.

Bottom line is that any of them could end up being the top fantasy Cowboys RB in 2010 making each of them risky propositions in fantasy football drafts. In our own expert's fantasy football mock draft Jones went 53rd overall as the 21st RB taken while Barber went 80th overall as the 34th RB off the board. Choice went in the 16th and final round. Barber went a little later than where I expect he'll go come around August but currently he's getting the least favorable press of the group. We'll see if that continues once we get into OTA's and training camp.

My 2010 fantasy football projection here is that barring an injury, I expect Jones will have around 224 carries for 1,030 yards with about 36 receptions for another 234 yards and a combined 6-8 touchdowns. Barber will have around 208 carries for 853 yards with about 32 receptions for 208 yards and scored 7-9 touchdowns. Jones has the higher ceiling for big statistical numbers, but it's probable that both RB's are going to cut into each other enough to the point where neither is a reliable every week play. Sounds like a lot of today's NFL backfields.

Jim of FanaticFantasyFootball.Com says:

Felix Jones saw his numbers go up but after his 2008 year that would be expected. Jones only had four games during the 09 season in which he received double digit carries and all four games came in the last eight weeks of the season giving rise to the hope he might put his injuries behind him and produce like a #1 or #2 back...For the rest of Jim's breakdown of the 'Boys backfield, please see his article posted at Fantasy Fantasy Football.

Personally this is a running back situation I prefer not to get involved in if at all possible. If I draft any of them it’s for running back depth and I don’t jump on any of them too early.

Marion Barber has received the most work over the last two years. His numbers have remained pretty constant since 2007, averaging 213 carries for around 900 yards and 8 touchdowns rushing per year. The part of Barbers game that has been affected the most is his targets and receptions. In 2007 he had 44 receptions for 282 yards and 2 TDs. He followed that up with 52 receptions, 417 yards and 2 TDs in 2008. During the 2009 season he was only targeted 32 times. Of those targets he caught 25 for 207 yards and zero TDs. Did the presence of Felix Jones and/or Tashard Choice cut into Barbers numbers out of the backfield?

I don’t think so. Choice saw his numbers drop in all phases of his game except one. His rushing opportunities dropped from 92 to 64 (-28), rush yards down from 472 to 349 (-123), receptions 21 to 15 (-6), receiving yards 185 down to 132 (-53), and zero receiving TDs in both 08 and 09.

Jake of JunkYardJake.Com says:

The Cowboys certainly have one of the more enviable running back situations in the NFL. Not many teams can boast three talented options at the position, and it's fairly clear that Marion Barber, Felix Jones or Tashard Choice can all be productive in a starting role. Barring a coaching change, or a trade, Dallas's RB rotation might very well stay consistent with the trend we have observed over the past two years. In this scenario, Marion Barber would assume early down carries, with Felix Jones providing an added speed dimension on 3rd downs. Tashard Choice's role would once again expand in the absence of either Barber or Jones due to injury.

In the event of a trade, the situation of course changes completely. There has been speculation that one of the three running backs could be traded this offseason. The most likely candidate is said to be Marion Barber. This makes sense from the perspective that he has the most mileage on him and commands the highest salary among Dallas's current RB trio. Choice, only one year younger than Barber, has also been mentioned in possible trades. Felix Jones, the youngest of the three players and turning 24 this season, probably has the best chance of staying in Dallas.

If Barber changes his address due to a trade, this will probably elevate Tashard Choice to 1st and 2nd down action. Choice is quite similar to Barber in terms of inside running ability and power. Choice is slightly smaller, but also has a nominal speed advantage over Barber. Moreover, despite the fact that Choice wasn't known as much of a receiver when he was drafted in the 4th round of the 2008 draft, he has proven himself to be competent in this regard. In 2009, Choice caught 15 passes for 132 yards and his 8.8 yards per catch was almost identical to the yards per catch produced by Barber, who had 26 catches for 221 yards (8.5 yards per catch).

Rick of FantasyFootballTrader.com says:

As usual, once we get down to me, you're already well versed in all of the numbers. I again tip the hat to the saavy crowd of analysts assembled above, as Tashard Choice (the forgotten man) was a popular selection. Remember - "value" was the key word in this discussion and Choice simply doesn't have to do much at all to offer awesome value among the late reaches of your 16 round draft.

But I'm going to take a chance and bet on the fact that Felix Jones has arrived for good. F.F.T. readers all know Felix has been a pet project of mine since entering the NFL. I've always been one of the few who said he'd have a better pro career than Arkansas running mate Darren McFadden and I'm sticking by it. Every time I watch a healthy Felix run he seems to outshine Barber and Choice (both of whom, I agree, have their place in this offense).

But Felix is a "breath holder". Whenever he touches the ball the opposing fan base forgets to breath until he goes down. Those guys always get featured sooner or later, height, weight and any other measurable be damned.

You want Felix at almost any point in the mid-third round. He and Shonn Greene are this year's Ray Rice.

Enjoy this article? Check out FantasyTrader.Com's Offseason Roundtable Archives.

Player Spotlights - Stephen Strasburg and Gordon Beckham

2010-02-23T15:09:00.000-08:00

Stephen Strasburg and Gordon Beckham February 23, 2010

Live Fantasy Baseball Mock Drafts, Fantasy Baseball Player Rankings, Player Trade Calculator, Fantasy Forums and more ! at FantasyBaseballXtreme.Com

SP Stephen Strasburg,Nationals, - One of the most anticipated pitching prospects to come along in recent memory, Stephen Strasburg certainly appears to have the talent to match the accolades that have been showered on him since the Washington Nationals made him the #1 pick in the 2009 amateur draft. Anyway you chose to look at his pitching performance at San Diego State, the numbers are gaudy. Last season, he went 13-1 with an ERA of 1.32, striking out 195 batters in 109 innings. His career WHIP in college ball is just under .80, and he once struck-out 23 batters in a single game. His fastball has been clocked as high as an obscene 103 MPH, and he consistently throws in the high-90's with superb control and good location. Strasburg complements his heater with a hybrid curve/slider breaking pitch that typically freezes hitters, and his recent development of a change-up makes his arsenal even more imposing. For fantasy purposes, Strasburg is well worth a pick in his current 20th round ADP.

2B/SS/3B Gordon Beckham, White Sox, - A standout college middle infielder at the University of Georgia, Gordan Beckham was selected by White Sox in with the 8th pick in the 2008 amateur entry draft. This was also the year that scouts really began taking notice of Beckham, when he ultimately ended up leading the SEC in hits, slugging percentage and homeruns (28). The stocky SS also finished 2nd in the league with a .411 average that year, while displaying some skills on the basepaths with 17 swipes . During his brief stay in the minors, Beckham didn't show much power or speed, but made enough contact to generate a .322 BA in 59 games. Called up in June last year, Beckham started off slow, but ended up batting .270 with strong power/speed numbers that translate into 22 HRs/11 SBs over 162 games. Beckham's 8th round ADP in early baseball drafts seems a bit high, but if he qualifies at 2B/SS this could be a fair price to pay for a middle infielder with 20 HR potential.

Player Spotlights By Junkyard Jake JunkyardJake.Com

Fantasy Football Roundtable - Jermichael Finley

2010-02-23T14:57:00.000-08:00

Fantasy Football Roundtable
Hosted By FantasyFootballTrader.Com February 23, 2010

This week's question:'TE Jermichael Finley notched 70+ yards in four of the last five and scored four of his five touchdowns over that span as well. Fact or fiction for 2010?...'

Ryan of LestersLegends.Com says:

Absolute fact. The only thing that will hold him back is injury. He's a huge target (6'5", 247) with great speed and athleticism. His body is very fluid as he's able to make adjustments to the ball. He also possesses soft hands.

He'll be just 23 next year and he's already formed a great rapport with Aaron Rodgers, who's easily one of the top tier fantasy QBs. The ageless wonder Donald Driver has to slow down at some point, which should open up even more opportunities for Finley.

He was a beast down the stretch and Arizona could not check him in the playoff shootout. I currently have him as my 5th ranked fantasy TE, and I think he actually may move up the more I process his explosiveness.

Dave of RotoPicks.Com says:

Fact. After seeing how productive Jermichael Finley was in only his second season in the league, I have no reservations about pegging him as a top 10 TE come 2010. It wouldn’t even surprise me if he finished the 2010 season as a top 5 fantasy TE in both PPR and non-PPR formats.

At first glance Finley appears to have turned in a respectable 2009 season, earning him a place at the tail end of the top 10 TE rankings for 2010 drafts. After all, his rankings among tight ends were right around the top 10 in receptions (12th with 55 receptions), yards receiving (10th with 676 yards), and receiving touchdowns (T-12th with 5 touchdowns).

While setting up your 2010 cheat sheets, don’t make the mistake of looking at Finley’s overall stats from 2009. You also need to consider the fact that he missed almost 4 complete games last year. (And no, I’m not making an error and including the Packers week 3 routing of the Rams where he went without a reception.)

I’m not a huge fan of extrapolating statistics, but if you did extend Finley’s production out over a full 16 game season he would have put up top 5 tight end numbers and finished the season with about 70 receptions for 900 yards and 7 touchdowns. In my opinion, he should be the 6th or 7th TE taken in 2010 drafts and consider him a steal if you land him at any point after that.

Russ of FantasyFootballStarters.Com says:

Fact. From week 11 through the end of the regular season, only Greg Jennings had more passes thrown his way than Finley (56-50). And no one had more receptions in that span than Finley's 40. A knee injury sidelined him for three games but once he came back week 11, he was as good as any tight end in the game. Not including his six catches for 159 yards in the Packers playoff loss to Arizona, his 416 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns the last seven regular season games of 2009 would prorate out to 91 catches for 951 yards and seven touchdowns.

Finley will be the Packers starter over Donald Lee in 2010 and while the Packers boast one of the best WR corps in the NFL, Finley will still get a lot of targets and solid numbers. His size and speed make him a mismatch for LB's and safeties and there's an excellent chance Finley will be one of the top 5 fantasy tight ends in 2010. Once the more popular names like Dallas Clark, Antonio Gates, and Jason Witten are off the board by the end of the 5th round in this year’s draft, Finley in rounds 7-10 will prove to be a steal.

Jim of FFWhiz.Com says:

The cat is out of the bag on Jermichael Finley. The scary thing is he is only 22 and has nowhere to go but up. As he continues to learn how to read defenses and how to work into open zones his numbers should only continue to grow, especially considering he is partnered with one of the best young signal callers in the game; Aaron Rodgers. As the season progressed it was obvious that he developed a very good chemistry with Rodgers and should only continue to improve.

Finley is a very solid route runner with exceptional hands as he showed in the NFC Wild Card game against Arizona. In that game he was consistently double-teamed and still managed six receptions for 159 yards.

If there is one place that Finley will need to improve on, it’s his blocking. Until he can be counted on as a blocker he will only see the field on passing downs, but if he can improve in this area it will only open up more possibilities for him going forward and allow him to become one of the best in the game.

As I said in the beginning, the cat is definitely out of the bag and already I have seen that he is usually among the top 5 tight ends taken off the board in early mock drafts and may even rise with a solid off season. If you want him on your fantasy team do not sleep on him come draft time because Finley is a sleeper no longer.

Matt of RapidDraft.Com says:

Jermichael Finley is most certainly for real, and not just because I’m a big fan of attaching random letters to repurpose common first names.

Let’s start with the obvious: At 6-foot-5 and 247 pounds, his combination of size, downfield speed and athleticism makes Finley the kind of matchup nightmare that everyone but Mike Martz dreams about lining up at tight end. At just 22 years old (and after having left college a year early), Finley is still growing as a player and learning.

Of course, that’s not to discount what he already accomplished last year. Things got off to a relatively slow start before he missed three games with a left knee sprain. Upon his return, however, Finley immediately stepped in as a central figure in the Green Bay passing game. From Week 11 on, he was the second-most targeted Packer receiver – trailing Greg Jennings by just two – and caught eight more passes than anyone else on the team. The fact that Finley only led the team in targets in a game three times all season further shows the consistency with which he got looks from Aaron Rodgers.

Over that same seven-week stretch, six tight ends around the league were targeted more than Finley, but only Jason Witten (45) and Tony Gonzalez (39) collected more catches than his 38. That’s an average of a little more than five receptions a game, a rate that would produce about 87 over a full season. Only Witten and Dallas Clark topped that total at tight end in 2009. (And no one approached my aptitude for alliteration.)

In the Packers’ playoff loss, Jerm (we’re tight) turned all six of his catches into first downs and took three for more than 20 yards. That’s just one game but an important one that at least offers a glimpse at his value to his quarterback and big-play potential.

The one thing that might limit him in non-PPR formats is Green Bay’s ability to spread the ball around in the passing game. Five different Packers fell in the range of four to six touchdown catches last season. Whereas Donald Driver is nearing the end (and watched his opportunities decrease as Finley emerged), James Jones and Jordy Nelson are young guys heading in the opposite direction. Still, Finley came up with five scores last year – including four in the final five games – and Donald Lee found the end zone five times as the primary tight end in 2008. It shouldn’t take much for Finley to settle into the seven-touchdown area (with clear upside beyond that) over a full season, and we can’t ask much more than that from a fantasy tight end.

Finally, the Packers can and will throw. In Rodgers’ two seasons, they’ve tied for ninth and 10th in the league in pass attempts. That better-than-average rate was actually down from the first and sixth rankings of coach Mike McCarthy’s first two seasons.

Roll it all together, and Jermichael Finley should be pushing for top five at tight end for 2010.

Jim of FanaticFantasyFootball.Com says:

As is the case with most rookies, Jermichael Finley’s 2008 season was uneventful by NFL and fantasy football standards. During the 2008 season he was active on special teams, targeted with nine passes, caught 4 balls for 45 yards, and had no touchdowns.

During 2009, in only thirteen games, Finley had 51 receptions for 642 yards (12.3 yds. per catch) and 4 touchdowns. He missed three weeks 8-10 due to injuries. During the last six weeks Jermichael was targeted 45 times for 7.5 per game, while soon to be 30 year old, Donald Lee was looked to only 15 times. Spencer Havner got some playing time during Finley’s three week absence. Havner was targeted 10 times, caught 7 for 23 yards, and scored 4 touchdowns. Those stats will go to Finley this year.

Finley finished 2009 among the top 10 tight ends in fantasy football and #12 in the NFL. We expect another top 10 finish in 2010. Aaron Rodgers is confident in Finley’s ability to get open and hang onto the ball. He has good hands and is a threat to break a long run for a touchdown. The potential is there for Finley to be targeted 90-100 times with 70-75 receptions, but the Packers spread the ball as well as any team - 80-90 targets and 65-70 receptions are more realistic.

Donald Driver turned 35 years old February 2 and his production has dipped a little each year since 2006. We look for Driver and Finley to have almost equal numbers in 2010. Driver’s stats will dip a little more as Finley receives more targets from Aaron Rodgers. The Packers play only six games against playoff teams from 2009 in 2010. Two of those games are against their division rival Minnesota Vikings #20 ranked pass defense. Green Bay will play eight games against teams ranking among the top 16 in pass defense, and 8 games versus teams ranking among the 16 worst pass defenses, including division rival Detroit Lions twice.

Our line on Finley for 2010 looks like this: 95 targets, 69 receptions, 840 yards, and 7-9 touchdowns. That would place him in a group with #4 Vernon Davis, #5 Brent Celek, #6 Tony Gonzalez, and #7 Kellen Winslow.

Derek of FantasyFootballManiaxs.Com says:

A new star may have been born in 2009 at the tight end position. Green Bay Packers TE Jermichael Finley had quite a finish to the season; in his final seven games, he had 38 receptions for 416 yards and four touchdowns. He then took it up another gear and dominated the wild card round against the Arizona Cardinals, notching six receptions for 159 yards and no touchdowns. Those 159 yards were the second most by a tight end in NFL playoff history, trailing only San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame TE Kellen Winslow, who posted 166 yards in a 1981 Divisional Round victory over the Miami Dolphins. With company like that many fantasy owners are salivating at the possibilities for 2010.

Teams have to respect Grant’s ability to run the ball and they have to respect Jennings ability to stretch the field and Driver’s ability to be a clutch possession receiver. The Packers also have depth in the slot positions with fourth-year receiver James Jones and third -year receiver Jordy Nelson. There are only 11 defenders on the field and there are just not enough of them to devote more than one defender to Finley. At 6-4 and 240 lbs, Finley is big and physical, but can also stretch the field with his speed. It is tough to cover him with a linebacker because of his speed, but it is difficult to cover him with a safety, because of his size. Factor in the talent around him and it is a nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators.

The disadvantage is that it is easy for the Packers to forget to give him the ball. Against a Detroit Lions team that ranked 30th against the tight end, he logged only three catches for 25 yards and no touchdowns in a Thanksgiving Day clash. Rodgers threw for 348 yards and three touchdowns and the Packers put up 34 points. They do not always need Finley to move the ball. That is a stark contrast to guys like Dallas Cowboys Jason Witten, San Francisco 49ers Vernon Davis or San Diego Chargers Antonio Gates.

The other concern with Finley is injuries. He did not play much in 2008 due to a poor attitude and poor conditioning. He really turned that around in 2009 and showed a lot more maturity and toughness. He went from being the team’s No. 2 tight end at the beginning of the season to a player that started 10 games. I do not worry about his attitude regressing, but the problem is that he missed three games with a knee injury that he suffered early in the Cleveland game and missed four starts overall. As fantasy owners, we all know about the perpetually injured paper superstars.

I think Finley is going to notch between 750 to 850 yards and six to eight touchdowns in 2010, which is comparable to what Tony Gonzalez did in 2009. He is going to make owners happy, but it also means that Finley should be going in the sixth to eighth round. It makes a lot of sense to take him later and use your early picks to stockpile running backs and receivers. Inexperienced owners will take bigger name tight ends in that spot, giving owners who did their homework a bargain.

Jake of JunkYardJake.Com says:

Jermichael Finley was indeed a significant breakout player in 2009, and I am inclined to believe his emergence is not a mirage. He put the exclamation point on his already commendable 2009 season by setting a Packers playoff record with 6 catches for 159 yards in Green Bay’s playoff loss to Minnesota in the Wild Card round.

The 6-5 240 tight end left Texas after only two years, but many scouts projected that he could have very well been a 1st rounder with one more college season of experience. Finley entered Texas as a wide receiver out of High School in 2005. At the time, he weighed only about 215, and Finley's high school coach compared him to recent Texas 1st round pick Roy Williams in terms of size and speed. Early on, Finley showed his versatility, and athleticism by lining up wide, or inside as a TE, or even as an H-Back.

Although he has always shown a good commitment to weight-training and conditioning, probably the one area where Finley didn't spend enough time is in the area of film preparation and the general mental aspect of the game. It is said that he dedicated himself to becoming a more intelligent player this year, and this could help explain his breakout performance.

Entering his 3rd year, and still just 23 years old, it's hard not to like the potential upside of Jermichael Finley. Arguably, with his natural athletic ability, great hands and rare speed for the position, the only person who can limit the potential of Finley, is Finley himself. He will probably cost you a 7th-8th round pick in 2010 fantasy drafts, but he's worth the price in my opinion.

Jeff of DynastyKings.Com says:

Finley looks to have the talent level that could make him the next Antonio Gates - and that's not much of an exaggeration. As Finley wrapped up his second season in the NFL, the former Texas Longhorn had 59 targets since Week 10, topped only by Greg Jennings for the team lead. QB Aaron Rodgers just loves Finley's ability to offer a big target with soft hands and great leaping ability, especially on third downs and goal line chances.

The downside risks to Finley do exist - Green Bay put up a gaudy amount of points (461, 3rd in NFL) and Aaron Rodgers was one of only seven quarterbacks that attempted over 540 passes last season, so if Green Bay adds a bit more of balance it could mean a little less action for the receivers and tight ends. Finley also shares the workload for the Packers. Donald Lee is the better blocking tight end and he does see the field nearly as much as Finley. Over the same period (Weeks 11-17 and the Wild Card game), Lee lined up on offense 336 times while Finley had just 20 more snaps. Until Finley gets on the field 80% or more of the time, his upside will have some limitations. Another issue with grabbing him next year is that Finley snared 77.5% of his targets, tied for tops in the league with Heath Miller in that category. Odds are that a similar or better rate is not likely next year.

Overall in 2010, Finley gives good upside but I cannot see him in the Top 5 TEs for next season so long as Dallas Clark, Jason Witten, Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez all remain healthy - not to mention guys like Brent Celek, Vernon Davis and Kellen Winslow. The tight end position is a deep one for next year, so I would not overpay for a third year tight end who has yet to prove that he can produce big numbers over a 16-game period. Let someone else draft him too early.

Admittedly, I get to cheat a bit here, having already profiled Finley in our Daily Trader Team Takes. My thoughts on Finley most closely mirror that of the FF Whiz’ above. The biggest problem I’m having is, let’s be honest, he’s no sleeper. Hell, ten out of ten experts in this article alone see Finley coming from a mile away. If you enter your draft with thoughts of wryly snagging this cat in the ninth round, you’re exiting your draft with John Carlson. (Not sayin’ that’s a bad thing – but it is what it is).

My assessment of Finley remains the same as last week where I said, "Every year there seems to be a few players per position whose upside is so glaringly obvious that their average draft position puts them in risky territory. At TE, Finley will be one of those names this year. Mark my words, he'll be a chic TE sleeper by all of the mags this summer. If you want him you're gonna have to take him as the 4th-5th TE off of the board." That said, you won't see me betting against him making good on that draft position.

Enjoy this article? Check out FantasyTrader.Com's Offseason Roundtable Archives.

Player Spotlights - Wade Davis and Jason Heyward

2010-02-15T21:31:00.000-08:00

Wade Davis and Jason Heyward February 15, 2010

Live Fantasy Baseball Mock Drafts, Fantasy Baseball Player Rankings, Player Trade Calculator, Fantasy Forums and more ! at FantasyBaseballXtreme.Com

SP Wade Davis,Rays, Wade Davis isn’t the type of pitcher who overwhelms you with his stuff, but he was an effective pitcher at the minor league level, and he continued to impress when he got the call for a major league audition in September last year. In fact when you compare his minor league numbers compiled over 6 seasons (3.28 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 3.3 BB/9, 8.7 K/9) to his composite stats over his six major league starts in late 2009 (3.72 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 3.2 BB/9, 8.9 K/9), they are remarkably similar. Especially encouraging was Davis’s ability to sustain his minor league trend of avoiding the longball. In 36 innings with the Rays he gave up only two HRs, and 14% of the flyballs hit off the 24 year-old righty turned into harmless infield outs. Davis primarily throws a 92 MPH fastball, but perhaps his best pitch is his 75 MPH, big-breaking curveball. The rookie makes an excellent fantasy pitcher to add in the late rounds of your mixed league draft.

OF Jason Heyward, Braves, - Jason Heyward entered the Braves farm system at the precocious age of 17, advancing rapidly to a limited AAA level audition at the age of 19 in 2009. Considered by many scouts to represent the best pure hitting prospect in the 2010 prospective big-league class, Heyward will be given a fair chance by the Braves to win the right-field job out of Spring Training. Judging from his minor league career, the left-side hitting Heyward has demonstrated an uncanny ability to hit almost equally well against both left and left-handed pitching. Through last year, Heyward had a .318 minor league average, while showing the type of power and speed that projects him as a possible 20HR/20SB player once he reaches the majors. More reasons for optimism concerning Heyward 1) his strong work ethic, and 2) the fact that he is an exceptional fielder with a strong arm. In early drafts, the aspiring right-fielder is going in the 24th round, but that will no doubt change if he gets the call on Opening Day.

Player Spotlights By Junkyard Jake JunkyardJake.Com

Fantasy Football Roundtable - Jamaal Charles

2010-02-15T20:58:00.000-08:00

Fantasy Football Roundtable
Hosted By FantasyFootballTrader.Com February 15, 2010

This week's question:' If one were to prorate Jamaal Charles' final eight games of 2009 to a full season, he'd handily outscore Adrian Peterson and betters all RB's not named Chris Johnson in P.P.R. formats. What are your expectations for Charles in 2010?'

Russ of FantasyFootballStarters.Com says:

Every year we see a couple of guys who become the unlikely heroes to a fantasy owner's season. One of the biggest surprises was Kansas City RB Jamaal Charles. While Charles has great speed and playmaking ability, his lack of size (5'11", 199 lbs) has me pessimistic he'd hold up as a feature RB for an entire season.

He had 20 carries or more in each of the last 4 games of 2009, but in the first eight games, he never had more than six carries in any week. His legs were fresh the second half of the season. And it needs to be remembered that he only got his chance because of the combination of the Larry Johnson debacle and a slew of injuries at the RB position for the Chiefs. Charles was in the doghouse the first half of the season with a fumbling problem and he'll need to prove he can hold onto the ball or he could fall out of favor again.

I also think it's likely the Chiefs will look to add a bigger RB thru free agency or the draft to compliment Charles, or maybe even compete with him for the starting job. While I like Charles, he is most likely going to need someone else to take some of the burden off of him to hold up for a full 16 games. He'd best be served as the "lightning" in a "thunder and lightning" type of RB rotation in 2010. I expect he'll average around 15 carries per game and for the season have between 1,100-1,200 yards and score 8-10 touchdowns.

Ryan of LestersLegends.Com says:

I began calling him Chris Johnson-lite at the end of the year because of his ability to rip off a long run or two seemingly every game. He posted a phenomenal 5.9 yards per carry, and had 1,131 total yards with eight touchdowns in the last eight weeks. That's 141.4 yards and a score per game for half a year.

His beastly numbers impressed me enough to have him as my 11th rated RB heading into next year. While I can't dismiss his numbers, I do get that Steve Slaton-type vibe from Charles. I just don't know if there's an encore.

Kansas City has just about nothing going for them on offense outside of Charles. My guess is he'll face a lot more eight and nine man fronts. Teams will dare the Chiefs to beat them with the run. I don't know that he can stand up to that sort of defensive pressure.Jamaal Charles is the type of player that I will most likely not own in 2010. I can't imagine a league with an owner that doesn't hold him in higher regard than I, and I'm okay with that.

Jim of FanaticFantasyFootball.Com says:

The 2009 fantasy football season kicked off with Jamaal Charles still in the free-agent pool in many leagues. He didn't do much the first eight games to make anyone want him on their roster (rush 23 for 116 yd. / 5.0 avg. / 0 touchdowns). To that point, the Chiefs held him to single digit carries. He got a few receptions out of the back field but it wasn't enough to get anyone's attention. Things changed dramatically beginning in week 10.

Larry Johnson had been booted out of town and Jamaal Charles laid claim to the running back position. In his last seven weeks, he received no less than 14 carries per game (total of 142 in 7 games). He rumbled for 745 yards and five rushing touchdowns. He added to those totals, 32 receptions (4.57 avg./gm) out of 55 targets (7.85 avg./gm), 155 receiving yards (22.1 avg./gm), and 1 receiving score. If he had played 16 games at that pace, he would have racked up some very impressive totals through 16 fantasy football weeks. See below:

RESULTS FOR 16 GAMES:
Rush: 19.4 per game, total = 310.4
Rush Yards: 101.3 per game, total = 1620.8
Rush TDs: .71 per game,total = 11.36
Receiving Targets: 4.6 per game, total = 73.6
Receptions: 3.14 per game, total = 50.24
Receiving Yards: 22.14 per game, total = 354.24
Receiving TDs: .14 TDs rec. per game, total = 2.24
All Purpose: touches (rush / rec.) 360.28, 1975.04 total yards, 13.6 touchdowns

Fanatic Fantasy Football uses a scoring system that awards points per reception and awards bonus points, (1, 1.5, 2), for length of touchdown. So this is how we project Jamaal Charles for the 2010 season as we fully expect him to be “The Man” in KC.

Since Jamaal was used sparingly in the first nine games of the 09 season, he was pretty fresh going up against some tired defenses in the last seven weeks. We don't think he'll post the kind of numbers we projected for 2009 had he played all sixteen weeks. We do expect him to have a good year in 2010 though and wouldn't mind having him on our own roster.

We look for Jamaal to carry the ball around 300 times and add 50 receptions giving him about 350 touches for the year. If he stays healthy, we expect him to post about eight 100+ yard games and eight games between 50 and 80 yards giving him around 1,300 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns in 16 weeks. He should be able to catch another 50 balls and score a couple of touchdowns through the air, bringing his total scores to 13 for the year.

We expect Charles to put up around 300-330 fantasy points. That would place him among the top 6 running backs with the likes of Steven Jackson (STL) and Frank Gore (SFO). We'll have to wait and see how the new Offensive Coordinator, Charlie Weis, plays his cards this year.

Note: This is a synopsis of Jim's full profile of Jamaal Charles here.

Jake of JunkYardJake.Com says:

From a talent perspective, it's hard to argue that Jamaal Charles will not be a significant fantasy factor in 2010. He is an instinctive runner with 4.4 speed. He shows great acceleration, terrific agility and has clearly demonstrated an ability to make an impact as a receiver. Charles of course proceeded to tear it up down the stretch last year, averaging six yards per carry, 138 rush yards per game, and scoring seven times in the period of week 10-17.

Judging from very early projections, Charles fantasy value has skyrocketed as a consequence of his late year numbers. In fact, you may need to spend an 1st-2nd round pick to snag him in fantasy drafts next year. Charles may very well justify this draft position, but the price seems too steep for a number of reasons.

1) Charles is a relatively small back, weighing just around 200 pounds. Although he was able to handle an average of 20 carries over the last eight games of the season, you have to wonder if he is capable of handling a feature back role over 16 games.

2) While Charles has unquestionable big-play ability, remember that almost half of his rushing production was accumulated in just three games last year. In weeks 14 and 15 he tallied a total 297 yards against the questionable Buffalo and Cleveland run defenses. In week 17 abused the Broncos for 259 yards, constituting 23% of his total 2009 rushing output.

All in all, the future looks bright for Jamaal Charles, but he is still a relatively unproven commodity, and could wear down over the course of an entire season if asked to handle 20 plus carries per game. At this point, it's entirely possible that he will end up sharing the backfield with an unspecified player and it's probably best to let another fantasy owner take a chance on him in the early rounds.

Derek of FantasyFootballManiaxs.Com says:

One of the biggest dilemmas for Fantasy Football Owners is trying to decide whether a breakout player was just a flash in the pan or a rising star that gave us a glimpse of great things to come. It happens every year, a player finishes the season with a good five or six-game stretch and is suddenly elevated to first round status.

A RB owners are going to struggle with in 2010 is Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles. The second year back had 1,120 yards rushing, 297 yards receiving and eight touchdowns. Even more impressive is that he finished the season with four consecutive 100-yard games, 658 yards rushing and four rushing touchdowns. If he can pick up where he left off, he will be worthy of being a top five pick.

There are many positives for Charles. He did not start slow due to ineffective play; he started slow because RB Larry Johnson was stealing the majority of the carries as the starter. In his first seven games, he only had 29 carries, as opposed to 161 carries in his next nine games after Johnson was suspended and later released. Charles will be the starter from day one in 2010, which should help increase his production. He is also going to be working with a new offensive coordinator in Charlie Weis, who has proven to be one of the best play callers in the NFL.

Also encouraging, he had some good games against good rushing defenses last year. The Cincinnati Bengals allowed the seventh fewest points to running backs, but Charles still had 24 carries for 102 yards. San Diego was 17th against running backs and Denver was 18th against running backs. He combined for 408 yards rushing and four touchdowns, including 259 yards and two touchdowns in the season finale against Denver. Those are teams he will play twice next year and with Oakland ranking dead last in points allowed to running backs, he is going to have six games in the division that he could post solid numbers.

Factor in games against Buffalo, St. Louis, Seattle and Cleveland (all teams 25th or worse in points allowed to running backs) and the schedule looks ripe for a second big season. If he were playing in the AFC North against Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cincinnati, the outlook would be much different. In the AFC West, the schedule sets up for him to be a star.

I have Charles ranked No. 12 among all running backs and have an open enough mind to bump him up if the Chiefs make some noise in the offseason. He is a very good mid second round pick and would be a steal in the third round. You just want to make sure he is not your No. 1 running back, in case he has a 2009-Slaton type season.

While it is good to have optimism, you also want to be cautious; busts in the first round can come back to kill you. Charles is good enough to pencil in as a guy that you will start in 2010, just not good enough to pencil in as someone that can carry your squad.

Note: This is a synopsis of FF Maniax full profile of Jamaal Charles here.

Rick of FantasyFootballTrader.Com says:

It has absolutely nothing to do with Jamaal Charles but man, I'm loving this article format! Great analysis by my cohorts above. They did such a masterful job outlining his stats from 2009 that I'll just skip to meat and potatoes of it.

I'm smelling the same bloated fantasy value that FF Starters, Lesters Legends and Junkyard Jake touched on above. Though I was nothing short of stunned when I checked Charles' (albeit extremely early) average draft position on over 1,000 mock drafts completed since 1-23-10 over at FF Calculator that he's coming off the board 33rd overall (3.09 in a 12 team format). At that price, Jamaal Charles represents exceptional value.

Unfortunately, my guess is that the early mockers are slower to react than our analysts above and his ADP will climb by leaps and bounds over the offseason. Like Russ Bliss above, I'm looking at Charles tickling 4-digit yardage and double digit touchdowns as a best case scenario. And those numbers won't land him on my squad in many leagues. If you want him, I think you'll need to spend a mid second rounder at least when August rolls around.

Enjoy this article? Check out the offseason Roundtable Archives.

Player Spotlights - Adam Lind and Leo Nunez

2010-02-11T15:17:00.000-08:00

Adam Lind and Leo Nunez February 11, 2010

Live Fantasy Baseball Mock Drafts, Fantasy Baseball Player Rankings, Player Trade Calculator, Fantasy Forums and more ! at FantasyBaseballXtreme.Com

OF Adam Lind,Blue Jays, The path to notoriety as a reputable power hitter certainly wasn't smooth for Adam Lind, but after three previous tries at the major-league level the young slugger finally settled in and produced an impressive stat line in 2009, finishing with 35 HRs, 114 RBI with a batting average of .305. Lind had always been a standout hitter in the minors, showing good patience at the plate, and ultimately finishing with a very respectable .318 BA, and 55 HRs in 419 minor league games. However, what was most surprising about Lind's terrific season last year, is that he had never shown 35 HR power before. For example, his minor league stats translated into about 22 HRs per season, while his pre-2009 major league numbers suggested 18 HRs over 162 games. If you are going to draft Lind this year, it will likely cost you a 4th round pick, but it may be realistic to expect a slight drop in HR's to the 25-30 level.

RP Leo Nunez, Marlins, - Leo Nunez pretty much inherited the Marlin's closer position out of default in 2009, but the results were generally good across the board - 26 saves, an ERA of 4.06, a WHIP of 1.25 and a .230 BAA. This of course is not to say that Nunez can now be considered a reliable closer, as he did have 7 blown saves last year. However, with the ability to throw in the mid-90's with decent control, he is off to a good start. The Marlins unloaded their 2009 opening day closer Matt Lindstrom in the offseason, and although they did recently sign Derrick Turnbow, Nunez enters 2010 as the clear favorite to close games for Florida. The really good news for fantasy purposes is that Nunez seems like one of the better values in drafts this year. He is currently being taken in about the 19th round, right after closers like Matt Capps and Kerry Wood.

Player Spotlights By Junkyard Jake JunkyardJake.Com

Player Spotlights - Mat Latos and Jeff Francoeur

2010-02-08T12:52:00.000-08:00

Mat Latos and Jeff Francoeur February 8, 2010

Live Fantasy Baseball Mock Drafts, Fantasy Baseball Player Rankings, Player Trade Calculator, Fantasy Forums and more ! at FantasyBaseballXtreme.Com

SP Mat Latos,Padres, Following his call up by the Padres in July 2009, Mat Latos proceeded to notch 4 victories over his first 5 starts, including a one-hitter against the Reds in late July. Over these impressive 5 games Latos had an ERA of 2.43, a WHIP of .95, and was striking out about 7 batters per nine innings. Unfortunately, the 22 right-hander wasn’t able to keep up pace in 2009, ending the season with a 4-5 record and an ERA 4.62, but don’t let this discourage you from taking a chance on this promising young pitcher in this year’s draft. Latos throws with good control, featuring a fastball in the 95 MPH range, and excellent complimentary pitches with good movement. During his time in the minors, Latos showed steady progress, culminating last year, where he finished with a 1.37 ERA, and a WHIP of only .747. Latos is currently going in about the 25th round in fantasy drafts.

OF Jeff Francoeur, NY Mets, - After his last couple disappointing seasons with Atlanta, it’s easy to forget Jeff Francoeur’s auspicious rookie season back in 2005, when he hit 14 HRs in only 70 games. He followed up his 2005 rookie debut with a 29 HR campaign in 2006, and although his homeruns dropped to 15 in 2007, he still delivered over 100 RBIs for the Braves that year. In 2008, Francoeur reached the low point of his young career, batting just .239 with 11 HRs in 155 games. Right before the Braves gave up on the once promising power hitter in 2009 and traded him to the Mets, he was lumbering through another mediocre season, with just 5 HRs and a .250 average through 82 games. While he is clearly no sure thing entering 2010, it is encouraging that Francoeur hit .311 with 10 HRs in 75 games with the Mets last year, and seems like a great value in the late rounds of fantasy drafts.

Player Spotlights By Junkyard Jake JunkyardJake.Com

RotoProfessor's Fantasy Football Roundtable

2009-11-19T13:05:00.000-08:00

Fantasy Football Roundtable
Hosted By RotoProfessor.Com November 19, 2009

Here is the week 11 edition of RotoProfessor.Com's 'Fourth & 1 Debate' fantasy football roundtable featuring some of the best football writers on the net. Each week the participating sites will take turns posing a question.

This week's question:'Thinking back to the players that you targeted in drafts at the beginning of the season, which 1 or 2 players have been the biggest disappointments? What kind of additional information do you think you could use to avoid selecting this type of underachieving player in 2010 ?'

Paul Greco of FantasyPros911.Com says:

There are definitely more than two players, but since I'm sticking with the format, the two players that have killed a few of my fantasy teams are Houston Texans running back Steve Slaton and San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson. Both players I selected in the first round, and both have under performed greatly.

Slaton was highly regarded as this Points-Per-Reception (PPR) machine prior to the season. Although his receiving numbers have been decent, at this point in the season, he doesn't start for my team. In nine games this season, Slaton has reached double-digit fantasy points only four times. What a waste of a first round pick.

The jury is still out on Tomlinson. Without a 100-yard game this season, Tomlinson is showing his running back age, 30. What's more frustrating though is the fact that he is not catching the ball out of the backfield. With only nine receptions on the season for 40 yards and no touchdowns, Tomlinson really is no better than a flex position, yes, even with the two touchdowns last week.

Ryan Lester of LestersLegends.com says:

A couple of players that I targeted in fantasy drafts this year were Calvin Johnson and Carolina's Steve Smith. Both Wide Receivers were coming off of big years and came with high expectations.

However, a closer look at both of their situations would have revealed some red flags. Calvin Johnson had little talent around him on offense to take away some of the pressure that he faces from week to week. He also had to rely on an unproven Rookie QB in Matthew Stafford or washed up Daunte Culpepper. When you consider that he was being drafted ahead of Reggie Wayne, Marques Colston, Wes Welker, and Vincent Jackson it just makes you cringe.

There were warning signs for Steve Smith as well, that many chose to ignore. First of all he plays for a run-first offense. Plus, Carolina did not provide him a legitimate complimentary receiver. They don't have a solid #2 WR, slot receiver, or even a pass-catching Tight End. It's Smith and that's it. Finally, the way Jake Delhomme imploded in the playoffs, especially when the Panther didn't solidify their QB depth, should have been the last straw.

Next year, when I am investing an early pick on a Wide Receiver I am going to make sure he has a stable QB.

Kurt of Top-Fantasy-Football.com says:

T.J. Houshmandzadeh was a huge bust this year averaging 5 catches per game, scoring in only two games and cracking 100 yards only twice; Houshmandzadeh has left my barrel dry. Lesson learned here? Lets take a gander at players that have moved to new teams and failed versus players that have moved to new teams and succeeded, from a fantasy football stand point.

Big Names that failed on new team:

Jay Cutler - sporadic and unreliable this year
Terrell Owens - umm not worth a roster spot, period
T.J. Houshmandzadeh - Matt isn't Carson
Matt Cassel - No Welker or Moss means no soup for you

Big Names that have succeeded on new team:

Cedric Benson - WOW nuff said
Tony Gonzalez - Not Kansas numbers but still Top 10 TE

The common denominator here is obvious, players don't improve teams, teams improve players. Bottom line don't draft a stud high when he moves to a struggling offense; odds are it won't pan out for you. Teams make the player, keep this in mind in next years draft.

Smitty of FantasyFootballXtreme.Com says:

Brian Westbrook is my number one regret looking back at August of 2009. That said, I did label LeSean McCoy as the number one must-have handcuff entering August drafts, but the real plan of attack would have been to use a second-round pick on a player other than Westbrook, while still drafting McCoy in the later rounds. In some cases we did draft like this, as we didn't always take Westbrook in all leagues, but we almost certainly landed McCoy in later rounds when the price is right. Still, we backed Westbrook in August and he failed us.

Avoiding underachievers is a tough gig, as you're always going to have disappointments year in and year out... but one thing fantasy owners can do to avoid such disappointments is to avoid athletes that are prone to injury. Avoiding 30+ year old runners is also advised. Yes, on rare occasion you're going to miss out on the successful 30+ rushers, like Thomas Jones and Curtis Martin, but more often than not, you're going to save your fantasy season. Play it safe with your first- and second-round picks, it's well worth it when it is all said and done.

Bryce McRae of KFFL.Com says:

The biggest disappointment this year must be the San Diego Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson. The other disappointment: the Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson.

Outside of medical reports, psychological tests, game plans, etc., I'm not sure there is a ton of information we'd use for 2010 that we didn't already have. With each of our projections, we take into account the news, surrounding offense, player's talent, past production, etc.

One thing I've learned to weigh even more for next year: Putting stock into the offense and coaching staff on the player's team. For Johnson, the Lions were starting a rookie QB, yes, but we figured if Johnson can put up great numbers with a multitude of poor quarterbacks in 2008, he could do the same with a strong-armed rook in 2009. This wasn't the case as Stafford has struggled with his accuracy and getting on the same page as Megatron.

I avoided him largely in drafts, mainly because of strategy, but he was ranked higher than he should have been. You can't plan for injuries, but the offensive line in San Diego hasn't been right all year even before Nick Hardwick was injured. Taking that into account, plus the way Philip Rivers showed command of the offense last year, meant LT shouldn't have been ranked as high as he was. Also, we weren't able to factor in that Norv Turner would be so quick to abandon the run. Picking the right fantasy players is a combination of finding all the news and information you can and analyzing that (along with a little luck). The latter is the biggest area to improve; anyone can find the information.

Jacob of FantasyFootballFools.Com says:

The biggest two disappointments in my book are Matt Forte and Calvin Johnson. Both were drafted in among the top-three at their position, and both have been miserable for most of the season.

In Forte's case, there was good reason to believe his role in the offense might be threatened. Chicago traded for Jay Cutler, bringing an arm to Chicago and taking away Kyle Orton's compulsive checkdown passes. But that alone was not enough to scare off fantasy owners.

The decline of the Chicago defense, an unexpected factor this season, has also hurt Forte's value. When the Bears get behind, they have put the game in Cutler's hands and reduced Forte's chances. Forte's turned it around in recent weeks, but the damage has, for the most part, already been done to the owners who drafted him and their fantasy hopes.

Calvin Johnson was regarded as "quarterback-proof" coming into this season. No matter who was throwing the ball, he would get his yards and probably a score. He still ranked as one of the elite wide receivers in fantasy despite news that a rookie quarterback, Matthew Stafford would start for the Lions. With no legitimate threat on the other side of the field, defenses tried to take Megatron out of games, and a few times early in the season, they were successful. Even if you're quarterback-proof, you can't be "team-proof," and the Lions were doing him no favors.

A knee injury prevented Johnson from seeing the field for several weeks. Now that he's back to full health, he is contributing, but with only one touchdown and one 100+ yard game this season, it's safe to say owners were hoping to get more out of him by this point in the season.

What info could prevent us from making these same drafting mistakes in the future? We must pay close attention to change in the offseason, and give special attention to teams with new quarterbacks. The quarterback runs the offense, and changes at that position can often mean big swings in fantasy. In their first year with a new team, quarterbacks must spend time learning the playbook and finding their rhythm with the receivers and running back. There are many variables in play there, and it creates risks in fantasy.

In Chicago's case, Cutler brought that "gunslinger" mentality and a powerful arm to Chicago, which has allowed the passing game to be more of a focus on offense. He didn't avoid using Forte, but Cutler had to understand how and when he could use Forte, which led to Forte's slow start.

A rookie quarterback always has a big learning curve in coming to the NFL, and Matthew Stafford was no different. Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco's exceptional rookie seasons may have warmed fantasy football players up to the idea of starting rookies, but the Lions were not nearly as complete a team as the Falcons and Ravens were last season. Stafford's rookie struggles have held Calvin Johnson back, and an unexpected knee injury did the rest.

It's unfortunate that new quarterbacks impact a team so much. Avoiding them as a rule can prevent you from finding some real value in your fantasy football draft (see: Vikings receivers like Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin), but taking a risk on teams with new signal callers can also cost you big, as we saw this year with Forte and Megatron.

The secret is to do your homework on them.

Hatty of HattyWaiverWireguru.Com says:

I targeted Anthony Gonzalez in as many leagues as I could, because I was certain he was going to be a stud opposite Reggie Wayne. The truth is that he would have been a beast and everyone would have been jealous of my pick, but got hurt. What's the moral of the story and what can I do different? NOTHING, players get hurt, the best fantasy football owners are the ones that plan for injuries. I drafted Derrick Mason, Sidney Rice, Miles Austin, and Torry Holt in the later rounds of the draft and I would say I ended up pretty good. You have to plan for injuries and do your research on later round fliers that have huge upside. Many people were down on Mason and I grabbed him late; I also got Rice and Austin in the last rounds, they have paid off in a major way.

Moral of the story is be prepared for injuries, no matter how well you draft you have to expect one of your better picks will be out for most of the season.

Jake of Junkyardjake.Com says:

Oh boy, have I been burned by more than my share of players this year. In one category, there are the players that went late in drafts, but turned out not to be worth the gamble. For example receivers like Chris Chambers and Kevin Curtis. These guys could be picked up late in drafts, but lingering injury problems, and advanced age have rendered them essentially useless. In the runningback department, Willis McGahee and Laurence Maroney looked like decent bounceback candidates, but the value of both these guys has been diminished by better players on their respective teams.

More to the point, I think two players who I was really fond of, and who went high enough in fantasy drafts to cause collective damage to many fantasy teams are Eddie Royal and LenDale White. The good news, is that both these guys offer possible lessons for to help refine your draft strategy next year.

Eddie Royal

In the case of Eddie Royal, his outstanding 91 catch 980 yard 5 TD rookie season dictated that you would need to spend at least a 5th or 6th round draft pick on him. Fair enough, seemed reasonable for the precocious and potentially explosive offensive weapon that Royal represents. Wrong ! I'm not sure there has been a bigger fantasy disaster than Royal in 2009. While he has clearly demonstrated his physical skills during his short career, other factors needed to be considered.

QB Changes Of course, it was fairly obvious that Kyle Orton was a downgrade from Jay Cutler, and this has no doubt affected Royal this year.

Coaching Changes I believe the other less obvious lesson that might be inferred from the Royal situation, is the need to assess the possible impact that coaching changes can have on a player. While Mike Shanahan deployed Royal as a featured receiver in his run-heavy West Coast offense, new Broncos coach Josh McDaniels has used his receivers in a way that attempts to exploit the defensive team he is playing. Seemingly, this has often meant that Eddie Royal has been sent on deep routes, or treated as interchangable with less talented receivers like Jabar Gaffney.

LenDale White

LenDale White has been another player whose performance has not come anywhere near his preseason draft value. It was probably more difficult to see this disaster coming, as White entered 2009 with two productive seasons under his belt. In 2007 White had 1,110 yards and 7 TDs, and then after Chris Johnson joined the team in 2008, he produced 773 yards and 15 TDs. Moreover, he was reportedly in the best shape of his young career, and the team and coaching situation for the Titans had remained largely intact from 2008. So what went wrong?

Consider RB Platoons and Team Defense Well, in this case, it seems that underestimating the superior skills of Chris Johnson was a mistake, and a more subtle change for the Titans seemed to be the deterioration of their defense. Perhaps a lesson here, is that if you wish to invest a draft pick in a runningback who is largely designated as a short yardage and goal line specialist, it is important to assess the quality of both the offensive and defensive squad. For a team with a weak offense and defense, like the Titans this year, there will be less goalline chances, and more extensive use of a back like Chris Johnson, who is far more effective on passing downs.

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers - 11/17

2009-11-18T06:56:00.000-08:00

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers
Our thoughts on some possible undervalued and overvalued players...

Updated November 17, 2009 JunkyardJake.Com

Calvin Johnson ,WR

- Even a talented crime-fighter like Calvin 'Mega-Tron' Johnson needs a little help from his super friends now and again. Not to make excuses for his discouraging fantasy performance this season, but the Detroit Lions have no offensive line to speak of, no legitimate #2 receiving threat, and Matthew Stafford is no Aquaman. In fact, noone expected Stafford to have a Dan Marino rookie campaign, but he has played more like a crabby and injury-prone Wonder Woman so far. That said, when healthy, few receivers possess the physical ability to dominate mortal cornerbacks like Calvin Johnson. Stafford can remain his inconsistent self for now, because all he really needs to do is throw in the general vicinity of Johnson and positive results are bound to happen.

Ricky Williams ,RB

- At 32 years old, and with a seemingly much more compelling player ahead of him on the depth chart, Ricky Williams really had no business representing a viable fantasy option this year. The results have obviously suggested otherwise however, as Williams is averaging 72 yards per game, with 8 total TDs so far. It gets even better, because with Ronnie Brown very likely out this week, the veteran is inline for more extensive action against the questionable Carolina run defense. Maybe those couple years he spent at Cannabis University served him well, but whatever the reason, even if Brown returns this season, Williams should continue to serve as at least a solid flex/#3 option.

Anquan Boldin ,WR

- Owning Anquan Boldin in fantasy leagues this year has been somewhat analogous to owning the Sears FlapDoodle-5000 lawn tractor. For anyone unfamiliar with this particular model of lawn tractor, it is a fictitious machine made up specifically for this comparison that never starts when you need it, and sets you back about $500 a year in repairs. Don't despair though, because Boldin demonstrated last week with his 8 catch, 105 yard performance that he could be past his nagging knee problems. What makes Boldin even more intriguing, is the Cardinals schedule down the stretch this year. From now through week 16, Arizona faces St. Louis twice, Tennessee, Detroit, San Francisco with a marginally tough home game against Minnesota just to keep it somewhat fair.

LeSean McCoy/Leonard Weaver ,RB

- With everyone insisting on clobbering Brian Westbrook in the noggin lately, the veteran runningback is now in peril of missing multiple games after suffering his second concussion in the last month. The Eagles still have some strange aversion to running the ball this year, and rookie LeSean McCoy needs to refine his skills as a pass-blocker, but he's proven to be a decent #2 fantasy RB when given the chance. As a receiver, the Eagles don't lose much with McCoy filling in for Westbrook, and he is probably just as effective at the goalline. If you are really reaching for runningback help, Leonard Weaver is a decent guy to consider too, as he is expected to share time with McCoy while Westbrook is out.

Justin Forsett ,RB

- There is nothing positive about an injury to any player, but if we have to grasp for any good news related to the injury to Julius Jones, it might be that the Seahawks have possibly upgraded their running game by default. Forsett is a bit lacking in the size department, but at 5-8, 195, he is comparable in stature to Ray Rice. Moreover, his instinctive running, vision and acceleration have drawn comparisons to Maurice Jones-Drew. Forsett has a tough matchup versus Minnesota this week, but has the Rams in week 12 and is worth picking up for immediate RB help.

Dwayne Bowe ,WR

- If Dwayne Bowe was taking performance enhancing drugs this season, we hope he saved the receipt because it hasn't seemed to help him or the Kansas City offense whatsoever. In any event, Bowe has earned himself a four-game suspension, which knocks him out until week 15. Obviously Bowe is not going to be much help to you the next month while he is in the studio working on his new hip-hop single with Dr. Androgenic. As such, if your team is on the fringe of making the fantasy playoffs, it could make sense to deal Bowe away to the 8-2 team in your league for immediate receiver alternatives.

Tony Romo ,QB

- It's always been a challenge to forecast which Tony Romo will show up each week, but at least he's narrowed it down this season. It seems that the 2009 Romo will either be the guy who throws 3 picks, and needs to be escorted from the stadium under heavy security to avoid being pelted with bottles, or the QB who makes Miles Austin look like Michael Irvin. Of course, this is just a completely unfair exaggeration, because Romo is obviously a pretty good fantasy QB. However, here are a couple of things to consider as we head into the final weeks of the season. First off, the Dallas Cowboys schedule against the pass is fairly unfriendly down the stretch. Here is their schedule from weeks 11 thru 16 - Washington, Oakland, @NY Giants, San Diego, @New Orleans, @Washington. Secondly, ever since becoming a starter in 2006, Romo has yet to have a good December. Over his career, he has a 19 INT to 14 TD ratio, and a QB rating of 72 in the final month of the season.

Laurence Maroney ,RB

- It's probably worth hanging onto Laurence Maroney through the end of the season, just remember to set your expectations sufficiently low enough to avoid the bagholders remorse that will likely occur. Maroney hasn't been terrible, but that's about as complimentary as you can get with this guy. If nothing else, he's been consistent with his typical pattern of an occasional great game, and then right back into the witness protection program he goes. Maroney's numbers could take an additional hit if Sammy Morris makes it back this week, and also consider that the Patriots are facing some pretty good defenses over the next three weeks, with the Jets at home up next, and then away games versus New Orleans and Miami.

Ryan Fitzpatrick/Trent Edwards ,QB

- It looks like Bills coach Dick Jauron was just fired today, but was he really going to start Ryan Fitzpatrick again? It would surely make sense to bench Trent Edwards if the Bills had anything that could be confused with a potentially better option, but what in the world has Ryan Fitzpatrick done to suggest he is that better option ? In the battle of the former Ivy league QBs who are probably better suited as government lobbyists or aerospace engineers, Harvard's Ryan Fitzpatrick has a 49 QB rating and has completed 49 percent of his passes this season, while Stanford's Trent Edwards has a 78 QB rating and has completed 61% of his passes. Applying simply mathematics to this situation, it's easy to conclude that Trent Edwards is partly awful with a chance of occasional offense, while Ryan Fitzpatrick does little more than keep the punter busy. Either way, this is a situation to keep away from.

Larry Johnson ,RB

- It's nice to see Larry Johnson escape from the Kansas City Chiefs so he can possibly finish out his career with a playoff contending team that engages in something resembling marginally effective offensive football. Of course the problem still remains that Johnson is missing a few steps from the front porch on his old house, and is in jeopardy of getting shutdown by the building inspector. For now, Johnson looks to be around #4 on the Bengals depth chart behind Benson, Bernard Scott and Brian Leonard, so he is probably not worth picking up unless he is your Twitter buddy.

Special Waiver Wire Alert on NY Jets TE Dustin Keller

2009-11-06T04:32:00.000-08:00

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers - 11/4

2009-11-04T11:52:00.000-08:00

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers
Our thoughts on some possible undervalued and overvalued players...

Updated November 4, 2009 JunkyardJake.Com

Malcolm Floyd ,WR

- Well apparently the Chargers had enough of watching Chris Chambers get in the way of their other receivers who have a chance of catching the ball. They summarily granted the 31 year old receiver his release on Monday, leaving career backup Malcolm Floyd to vie for the residual passes that don't go in Vincent Jackson's or Antonio Gate's direction. At 6-5 and 225 lbs, Floyd is a huge target, and has decent speed to boot, so it wouldn't be surprising if he does well as a starter. Keep in mind however that the Charger's passing offense is still largely controlled by a Phillips/Jackson/Gates oligarchy, so Floyd's value will likely be limited to a speculative play going forward.

Dustin Keller ,TE

- Dustin Keller finally broke out of his slumber against Miami to deliver the respectable fantasy output he is capable of. Unfortunately, many fantasy managers probably either dropped him or watched Keller help their bench players outscore their selected week 8 lineup. It's difficult to say if Keller will be trustworthy going forward, but note that he led the team in targets with 13 in week 8. Also consider that Keller was the preferred target over Jerricho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards in the redzone, where he was targetred three times this past week.

Jamaal Charles/Kolby Smith ,RB

- The Kansas City Chiefs offense no doubt spent the bye figuring out different ways that they could represent an abject embarrassment to professional sports. Of course, we won't see the details of this plan in action until Sunday, but what we do know for certain is that the scoreboard operator will not be deprived of his typical naptime and Larry Johnson will be suspended for at least one game. Jamaal Charles should be the primary beneficiary of the Johnson suspension, but don't count out Kolby Smith, who returns from injured reserve this week. Whatever the ultimate RB mix this week, the Chiefs get a decent matchup versus the Jacksonville Jaguars, so either guy is worth flex consideration.

Zach Miller ,TE

- Zach miller is kind of like the conscientious GM assembly line worker helping to churn out Chevy Aveo's for a bankrupt and languishing organization. Of course, the sad thing about this analogy, is that comparing the Oakland Raider offense to a Chevy Aveo may actually be too generous. For now, Miller remains the only member of the Raider offense who is arguably worth consideration as a fantasy starter, and you can't help to wonder what Miller could actually accomplish on a functional offensive team with a competent quarterback.

Mike Thomas ,WR

- Mike Thomas is an interesting rookie receiver who has quietly been assuming a more significant role over the past two games for the Jaguars, where he has accumulated over 50 yards in each game. Against the Titans this past week, he actually had more pass targets (7) than Mike Sims-Walker (3). He is almost certainly still available on your waiver wire, because at a dimutive 5-8 (5-9 with his fancy shoes), he is a little bit difficult to locate. If you need depth at receiver though, he's not a bad guy to consider, especially in leagues that award points for return yardage.

Josh Freeman/Antonio Bryant ,QB/WR

- To any saavy fantasy player, this will not occur to be a revolutionary thought, but it needs to said anyway - It seems very unlikely that a midseason transtion to rookie QB Josh Freeman is going to help reverse the fortunes of the team's dreadful passing offense. Freeman does have a rocket arm, but will need to improve his accuracy to make an impression in the pros. Moreover, he is considered quite raw, even compared to the typical rookie QB. Really, the only way that the Buccaneers could have sent a clearer signal that they were conceding the remainder of the 2009 season, is if they replaced the pennant on the Raymond James Stadium pirate ship with a white flag exhibiting a new team symbol of Droopy Dog holding a bottle of Prozac.

Steve Slaton ,RB

- Given that Steve Slaton was abruptly pulled after serving up his 3rd turnover in three weeks, it's probably safe to conclude that Houston head coach Gary Kubiak has a low tolerance for chronically fumbling runningbacks. At least Slaton got his day over early, because his fumble and immediate benching occurred on his very first carry of the game. Maybe we should have seen this coming, as Kubiak still makes his youngest son do 75 pushups and a couple laps if he drops a cookie on the kitchen floor.

Donnie Avery ,WR

- Donnie 'Peanut Brittle' Avery had his big chance to do something significant against the Lions in week 8, and as we should have expected, he blew it. At least the fragile 2nd year receiver seemed to emerge from the Rams latest passing offensive debacle without hurting himself again. Unfortuately, fantasy teams who chose to start Avery had no such luck, as they absorbed the usual damage that results from starting any receiver associated with the Rams.

Mohamed Massaquoi ,WR

- How long is Browns head coach Eric Mangini going to stick with his awful decision to start Derek Anderson ? Maybe he is waiting for Titans owner Bud Adams to give him a call and tell him to switch back to Brady Quinn ? That seemed to work, at least temporarily, in the Vince Young situation. Please Bud Adams do Cleveland Browns fans a favor and give Mangini some much needed QB advice so Derek Anderson can pack up his 36.2 QB rating and head back into hibernation.

Julius Jones ,RB

- Julius Jones started off the season on a very optimistic note, with 119 yards and a TD in week one. However, considering Jone's undistinguished performance over the past couple years, we should have suspected that this one week explosion was just a cruel hoax. Sure enough, as the 2009 season has progressed, Julius Jones is drifting deeper into the Seattle fog. He's now reached the point where he is now almost exactly on pace to match his unmemorable 2008 season, when he finished with 698 yards, and a paltry 2 TDs. Seattle plays Detroit this week, so if by some miracle Jones has a significant game it would be a great opportunity to dump him in a trade of some kind.

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers - 10/28

2009-10-28T13:23:00.001-07:00

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers
Our thoughts on some possible undervalued and overvalued players...

Updated October 28, 2009 JunkyardJake.Com

Chris Wells ,RB

- Nothing against Tim Hightower, but watching him over the past two years it really seems that he excels in two distinct areas- 1) running face first into a pile of defenders for two yards and 2) catching 5 yard dump-off passes. This past week, rookie Chris Wells was finally given a chance to show what he is capable of, and he finished the day with 14 carries for 67 yards and a TD. Considering that Wells accomplished this against the Giants defense, it should be considered a fairly encouraging career development for the rookie. While Tim Hightower still has the better hands to contribute on passing downs, Wells should gradually become the primary rushing option for the Cardinals.

Nate Washington/Kenny Britt ,WR

- As long as the Titan defense is going to give away points like Oprah gives away 40 inch TVs, Tennessee will need throw the ball more often than they want (Or should be allowed to). Nate Washington remains the closest thing the team has to a skillful and experienced receiver, while Kenny Britt should continue to whittle away at Justin Gage’s playing time. As far as the unstable QB situation, it shouldn’t matter much if Kerry Collins gets benched, because Vince Young really couldn’t do much worse.

Shonn Greene ,RB

- After Leon Washington’s unfortunate injury, which is very likely season-ending, rookie Shonn Greene now finds himself the number two RB option for the NY Jets. Not blessed with impressive speed, and with only one notable statistical season in college, Greene appears to be somewhat of a classic overachiever. On the positive side, Greene has great size and shows a real knack for breaking tackles and running over people. While his huge outing this past week was clearly facilitated by the blundering Oakland Raider run defense, if Greene continues to overachieve in the magnitude of anything close to 144 yards and 2 TDs, we’ll take that all day long.

LeSean McCoy ,RB

- It was a relief to see that Brian Westbrook was not seriously injured this past Monday night. Evidently, the bell on his trolley was clanged pretty hard, and now it appears that he may need to sit this week after a fairly nasty concussion. As terrific a player as Brian Westbrook has been over the past eight seasons, he has never been able to play a complete season, and with his ongoing knee/ankle issues, this year has been especially tenuous. LeSean McCoy has not looked great the past three weeks, averaging about 2.5 YPC, but he filled in competently when Westbrook missed time in week three and has enough upside to make him worth stashing on your roster for the 2nd half.

Fred Davis ,TE

- Davis was a highly-regarded TE prospect in the 2008 draft, but he played the part of a dumbfounded rookie a bit too well last season and gave himself little chance to see the field. Of course, having Chris Cooley ahead of him on the depth chart didn’t help either, but with Washington’s starting TE out for at least one month, Davis now gets his chance. He’s got great hands, deceptive speed and he’s not bad after the catch so Davis should be able to step in for Cooley as a decent fantasy contributor. Not to mention, if there is anything that the Redskin offense seems to do well, it’s the prosaic and usually innocuous 9 yard pass to the tight end.

Larry Johnson ,RB

- The Chiefs will use this week's bye to conduct a thorough and ultimately pointless investigation into Larry Johnson's Twitter ramblings, because if there is anything the NFL can't tolerate it's slandering the press with words that could be possibly construed as politically incorrect. Let's just hope Johnson didn't call anyone a 'big doodie-head', because the league will be forced to levy a hefty and proportional punishment that fits that brand of transgression. Notwithstanding the outcome of Johnson's Twitter controversy, the more relevant reason to stray away from Johnson from a fantasy perspective is his 51 yards per game, 0 TDs and 2.7 yards per carry.

Trent Edwards ,QB

- Trent Edwards is arguably a better QB than Ryan Fitzpatrick, but the sad reality is that the margin of difference is not worth calculating, and for now, Fitzpatrick has somehow used his negligible skills to pull off two victories for the Bills. While Edwards is still shaking off the effects of his recent concussion, Fitzpatrick will get yet another start this week against Houston, then the Bills have a bye, then who knows what Buffalo will decide to do. In sum, there is probably little reason to hold onto Edwards if you can use the roster spot more constructively.

Derek Anderson ,QB

- Forget about water boarding, the CIA should use game film of Derek Anderson throwing a football as part of their cruel and unusual interrogation methods when trying to get information from international terrorism suspects. Rumor has it that rookie receiver Brian Robiskie was ready to confess to the assassination of King Henry III just to get out of viewing game film this past week. While Brady Quinn wasn't doing anything special as the Browns starter, at least he cracked 150 yards in his two full starts. Anderson is averaging 121 yards per game with a passer rating of 40.6, and should be purged from fantasy rosters before he does any more damage.

Lendale White ,RB

- Unlike last year, the Tennessee haven't had a great deal of luck getting near the goalline very frequently, and this has rendered Lendale White essentially useless for fantasy purposes so far. Without the chance of easy TD plunges and with rookie Javon Ringer looking pretty good, it could be that Lendale White's only hope of using his girth in some beneficial way will be as a Salvation Army Santa this upcoming holiday season.

Ted Ginn Jr. ,WR

- Between his untimely pass dropping, and his chronic inconsistency, Ted Ginn Jr. appears to be close to playing himself out of a starting job in Miami. Moreover, since Dolphins GM Bill Parcels is not known as the patient, naturing type, it wasn't surprising to hear the rumor that Ginn was discussed as a possible trade candidate before the recent deadline. Going forward, Ginn might be good for an occasional long TD with Chad Henne at QB, but with only 5 TDs over 35 career games you might be better off waiting for the Loch Ness Monster to stop by and help remove those tree stumps in your yard you've been hoping to get around to.

Happy Halloween !

2009-10-27T07:20:00.001-07:00

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers - 10/21

2009-10-21T15:57:00.000-07:00

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers
Our thoughts on some possible undervalued and overvalued players...

Updated October 21, 2009 JunkyardJake.Com

Kyle Orton ,QB

- Well, let's face it, it's probably going to be impossible to figure out just who will strike Kyle Orton's fancy as he is orchestrating those tedius but effective Denver Bronco offensive drives. This week Tony Scheffler emerged from Josh McDaniels secret offensive playbook lair to cause most of the passing offense mayhem with 6 catches, 101 yards a TD. Forget about predicting when that will happen again, but for now QB Kyle Orton seems like a safe guy to throw in your lineup with the expectation he is going to connect with someone for constructive results.

James Jones/Jermichael Finley ,WR/TE

- There aren't many teams where you might consider the secondary TE and the #3 receiver, but the Packers don't represent the typical mundane passing offense when things are clicking. QB Aaron Rodgers has gradually found his groove over the past three weeks, and over the past two games against Minnesota and Detroit he has launched 37 passes. For all intents and purposes TE Jermichael Finley has surpassed Donald Lee as Green Bay's top option at TE, and James Jones gets the chance to fill in for injured Jordy Nelson over the next couple weeks. Both these guys are certainly worth a shot in deep leagues as the Packers face Cleveland, Minnesota, Tampa Bay over the next three games.

Michael Crabtree ,WR

- Yes Crabtree is the whining prima donna who was insulted by his team’s original multi -million dollar contract. Afterall, he hasn’t proven anything yet so it certainly made sense for him to holdout until he got his additional pile of money plus assorted superfluous incentive perks. Now just out of principle, if Crabtree wasn’t going to immediately start for the receiver-deprived San Francisco 49ers, he should be left on the waiver wire. However, since the rookie has apparently made an immediate good impression, and the 49ers are desperate enough to believe it will translate into game performance, he is a decent fantasy prospect to take a chance on.

Jonathan Stewart ,RB

- With the Tampa Bay defense was giving WR Steve Smith secret service coverage like he was the visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, the Panther running game seemed to benefit from the lack of attention. While Deangelo Williams was his typical rambunctious self, it was a pleasant surprise to see Jonathan Stewart get on track. Maybe Stewart is finally shaking his nagging achilles injury as suggested by his best fantasy performance since last December. He finshed with 17 carries for 110 yards and a TD on the day.

Mike Bell ,RB

- Pierre Thomas was the more effective runner, but Mike Bell returned from a 2 week absence to share equal carries and convert a redzone opportunity. Reggie Bush is still meandering around in a role that seemingly becomes more insignificant each week, but Bell seems like a safer bet to misappropriate some of Thomas's carries and vulture some of the ample TD opportunities that the Saints offense usually creates.

Cedric Benson ,RB

- Every player is entitled to a bad game, but 44 yards on 16 carries against the Houston Texans cupcake run defense raises a little bit of a warning flag, especially for a runningback with a notorious history of disappointments like Cedric Benson. It's probably nothing to worry about for now, as Benson has clearly excelled in his workhorse role so far this season. However with his market price at a bubble valuation and upcoming games against Chicago, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh, it could make sense to test the trade market if you can pull off an upgrade.

Willis McGahee ,RB

- With Ray Rice running like Astro Boy, the Japanese anime dual jet-pack protagonist robot, and the Ravens passing game working overtime to compensate for the team's suddenly mediocre defense, there are obviously a few factors conspiring against Willis McGahee. He is certainly worth hanging onto for fantasy purposes, because he is still likely to see goalline chances, but his early season success now appears to have been disingenuous.

Randy Moss ,WR

- Yes, the Patriots offense was filthy explosive this past week, but unfortunately they will not have the luxury of facing a befuddled and snow-blinded Titans secondary every week. Not to say that Randy Moss doesn't have anymore multiple TD surprises in store for this season, but after the Patriots week 8 bye, their schedule turns a bit tougher with Miami, Indianapolis and the NY Jets on deck. Certainly if receiver is a strong position on your fantasy team, it wouldn't be crazy to leverage Moss's huge game in a trade to fill a weak spot on your roster.

Chris Chambers ,WR

- Ok, check please, if there was any doubt that Chris Chambers is past the point of fantasy consideration, yet another 30 yard performance this past week should be the clincher. It certainly is not like Phillip Rivers has boycotted the bumbling receiver from the passing game either. Chambers has gotten an average of 6 targets per game so far, but only 27% of these throws have resulted in some kind of nominally positive result.

Jake Delhomme/Muhsin Muhammad ,QB/WR

- You have to wonder if Jake Delhomme would even know what to do if he had a second viable receiver at his disposal. The whole 'try to throw it to Steve Smith no matter how many defenders are draped all over him' routine is surely growing stale, and Muhsin Muhammad is about as threatening as a Toyota Prius with 'Hello Kitty' mudflaps.

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers - 10/14

2009-10-13T20:36:00.000-07:00

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers
Our thoughts on some possible undervalued and overvalued players...

Updated October 14, 2009 JunkyardJake.Com

Jeremy Maclin ,WR

- While Kevin Curtis once again led the Eagles in chronic knee problems, rookie Jeremy Maclin stepped in to lead the team in all the other categories that count, like pass targets, catches, receiving yards, long distance TDs, photo ops, kissed babies and shoe deals. Barring some miraculous event that allows 31 year old Curtis to regain his ability to fly around the field like he did during his 1,110 yard season in 2007, it's hard to imagine how the Eagles are going to keep Maclin out of the starting lineup.

Knowshon Moreno/Eddie Royal ,RB/WR

- Well, after a convincing 5-0 start, it may be time to begrudgingly give fantasy killjoy headcoach Josh McDaniels his due credit. As the Broncos secured their improbable 5th straight win this week, some encouraging signs of clarity on the fantasy front also emerged. For one thing, rookie RB Knowshon Moreno stepped up to competently handle the lead role against a tough New England defense, ending the day with 88 yards on 21 carries. Also encouraging was the fact that Eddie Royal was given a week off from his job as a downfield decoy and caught 10 of his team-leading 15 pass targets.

Chad Henne/Greg Camarillo ,QB/WR

- There was a strong chance that after Marc Anthony's inspired national anthem appearance, it was going to be all downhill for the Dolphins against the Jets this past Monday night. The Dolphins offense would have none of that pessimism however, and responded with about seven different versions of the wildcat to flaunt their run dominance - one version which I swear resulted in coach Tony Sparano gaining about 12 yards on an end around. Also noteworthy was the fairly amazing performance by rifle-armed Chad Henne, in only his 2nd pro start. Needless to say, it's so far so good for Henne and the Dolphins receivers, and there is no doubt that Miami hasn't seen a fastball like Henne's since AJ Burnett was pitching for the Marlins.

Hakeem Nicks ,WR

- The Giants passing game is working so well right now that even a proven chump like David Carr was able to step in and complete 64% of his passes. If Carr's historical statistics were worth looking up, I'd check the numbers, but I'm guessing that 64% might be double his career completion rate. In any event, now that Eli Mannings plantar fascia drama is temporarily postponed, and Mario Manningham is discovering a newfound talent for dropping passes, it might make sense to look at rookie Hakeem Nicks as a possible fantasy bench addition. Nicks has scored two weeks in a row, and led the Giants in targets this past week with six, including 2 redzone targets.

Anthony Gonzalez/Austin Collie ,WR

- It's yet to be seen if Anthony Gonzalez will actually return after the Colts week 6 bye to play the Rams in week 7, but the way that Peyton Manning is making a mockery of modern pass defense so far this season, he is worth picking up and stashing away if he is available in your league. Under the scenario that he can return, Pierre Garcon is likely the odd guy out, as Gonzalez moves outside, and emerging rookie Austin Collie takes over in the slot.

Justin Fargas ,RB

- If there is anything consistent about the Raiders this year, it is that someone is willing to step up each game to become one of the colossal fantasy disappointments of the week. Although the entire team was uniformly incompetent against the Giants this past week, the dubious distinction of colossal fantasy disappointment probably goes to Justin Fargas, who managed just 18 yards on 11 carries and doesn't deserve to be on anyone's fantasy roster.

David Garrard/Torry Holt ,QB/WR

- After the 41-0 trouncing by Seattle this weekend, it is easy to see why the city of Jacksonville is rooting for the discovery of water on the moon, as they would gladly allow their hometeam to relocate there in the near future. In fact, maybe that's why Michael Sims-Walker missed the game this week, he was trying out his new lunar running shoes. Torry Holt, did have a decent game with 7 catches for 95 yards, but the fact that Jacksonville passing offense couldn't even generate a garbage-time TD in a 41-0 blowout is an omnious sign.

Laurence Maroney ,RB

- Well, for one thing, Laurence Maroney's performance is becoming easier to forecast. With Fred Taylor, Laurence Maroney does essentially nothing, without Fred Taylor Laurence Maroney does pretty much the same. How does Maroney respond to matchups ? Difficult matchup equals zilch, easy matchup equals zilch plus zippo. How about while wearing throwback uniform, on the road, versus an NFC East opponent ? That's right, under that scenario, Maroney is about good for diddly-squat with a side of scrambled goose eggs.

Jerome Harrison/Jamal Lewis ,RB

- Evidently, the Browns/Bills game was rained out around the 4th inning this weekend, with Cleveland coming away with a soggy 6-3 victory. Of course, in what seems to be an emerging pattern for the Browns offense, the main contributor was probably the guy you would least expect. In fact, Jamal Lewis wasn't really even expected to play, but he plodded his way to 117 yards on 31 carries nonetheless. Going forward, it seems that Browns coach Eric Mangini is perfectly comfortable going with a marginally effective Jamal Lewis mixed in with a smattering of Jerome Harrison, but this seems to be a backfield situation to avoid for fantasy purposes.

Patrick Crayton ,WR

- Not to take anything away from Miles Austin, but unless he is the long lost progeny of bionic man Steve Austin, his insane 250 yard 2 TD performance this past week seems to have accidental abberation written all over it. That said, Austin is at least a slight upgrade over Crayton, and it appears that the Cowboys are going to give their new breakout receiver a chance to prove his legitimacy. Until further noice, Crayton's fantasy value takes a significant hit as Austin likely sees more playing time across from Roy Williams.

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers - 10/8

2009-10-08T11:04:00.000-07:00

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers
Our thoughts on some possible undervalued and overvalued players...

Updated October 8, 2009 JunkyardJake.Com

Kenny Britt ,WR

- While the Tennessee Titans seem to have lost their direction, their ability to stop anyone on defense, probably some season ticker holders, and certainly whatever community goodwill they had accrued from their 13-3 season in 2008, all is not completely lost for the team this year. One reason for cautious optimism has been the play of rookie receiver Kenny Britt. Although he is supposed to be backing up Justin Gage, Britt was actually targeted 11 times compared to Gage’s 5 targets this past week, and his 271 yards thus far puts him on pace for a 1,100 yard season. There are many other worse choices you could make as your #3 receiver, so Britt is certainly worth picking up.

Leon Washington/Dustin Keller ,RB/TE

- Washington and Keller sputtered along to barely mentionable performances along with the rest of the Jets this past week against New Orleans, helping to create a possibly interesting ‘bad news/good news’ situation. The ‘bad news’, is that by failing to do anything offensively this past week, the Jets have helped to encourage the Saints delusional belief that they know how to play defense. The ‘good news’ is that the Jets schedule over the next month turns ridiculously easy (Oakland, Buffalo, two games vs. Miami) so Washington and Keller should make amends for their respective slow starts in the near term.

Marques Colston/Devery Henderson ,WR

- In what constitutes a full-blown fantasy football crisis, New Orleans QB Drew Brees has thrown for exactly zero TDs over the past two games. To help understand how unlikely this is, Brees usually throws for 300 yards and 2 TDs during his bye week. Ok, not really, but you get the point. Coincidently, while the Saints are on bye this week, it could make sense to work out a trade for Colston or Henderson, as the Saints have some great matchups over weeks 7 thru 11, with games against the Dolphins, Falcons, Panthers, Rams and Buccaneers. Colston is of course the more consistent option, but Henderson is worth consideration given his big-play potential.

Marshawn Lynch ,RB

- It wasn’t exactly a triumphant return for Marshawn Lynch this past week, as he rushed for a grand total of four yards on eight carries. While he clearly seems to be suffering from suspension hangover, note that he was at least active on passing downs with 5 catches for 43 yards. Fred Jackson will surely maintain a significant role in the Bills running game going forward, but the Jackson/Lynch coalition will probably transpire into around a 50-50 carry timeshare. Moreover, Lynch’s career average of 4 YPC suggests that he probably won’t have too many more games where he gains half-a-yard per carry.

Mohamed Massaquoi ,WR

Ok, so Massaquoi was targeted 13 times this past week, ending the day with 8 catches and 148 yards. Those kind of numbers deserve attention, but it's truly surprising that Brian Robiskie isn't the guy being talked about at this point. In fact, Brain Robiskie please report to the front desk so we can slap some sense into you. So is Massaquoi for real ? Well, he's got good size and stength, decent speed, and a strong work ethic. More importantly for immediate fantasy purposes, he's got Derek Anderson's attention and with the departure of Braylon Edwards, the tentative #1 receiver spot on the Browns.

JaMarcus Russell ,QB

- You probably could just throw a dart at the Raiders offensive depth chart and fill in the blank here, but JaMarcus Russell has really been so bad that he has possibly distinguished as the most inept player on a completely dysfunctional offensive unit. It was especially amusing that right after Russell completed 36% of his passes for 128 yards, Raiders coach Tom ‘Hitman’ Cable went on to say 'I thought (Russell) played his best football all year in terms of where he is going with it and his presence and all of those things…'…Really Hitman?..Cable also mentioned that he thought Gilbert Gottfried has a lovely singing voice, and how impressed he was that Darrius Heyward-Bey dropped less than 5 passes this week.

Kerry Collins/LenDale White ,QB/RB

- If you are an NFL quarterback, you know things are going bad for you when there is talk that you may soon be replaced by Vince Young. For the Titans to go back to Vince Young at this point is probably like Regis ditching Kelly Ripa for Kathy Lee Griffin again. However, with the Titans at 0-4, and possibly reaching for the panic button, the transition from Collins to Young can’t be ruled out. As far as Lendale White goes, he was definitely a lot more fun when he was a jolly 30 pounds heavier. This new svelte Lendale White with his 5 carries for 20 yards a game is kindof a bummer. Fantasy football fans everywhere might consider a campaign to start baking him some of those rum & chocolate chip bundt cakes he allegedly gave up this offseason.

Kyle Boller/Marc Bulger/Donnie Avery ,QB/WR

Kyle Boller threw his hat into the ring to stake his claim to the enviable position of Rams starting QB this week. Unfortunately, like many of Boller’s passes, the hat missed the ring, and hit an unsuspecting fan in the face. Basically, the lessons here are – 1) don’t sit in the first five rows when Kyle Boller is planning to throw footballs or hats. 2) There really does not seem to be anyone worth starting from the Rams offense who isn’t named ‘Steven Jackson’.

Braylon Edwards ,WR

- So is Mohamed Massaquoi really that good or is Braylon Edwards just too occupied with planning his next career as a capricious street fighter vigilante? It’s hard to say, but between his new personal indiscretions, his lack of focus and having footballs bounce off his helmet 3 or 4 times a game, Edwards' 1,289 yard 16 TD season in 2006 seems like a very distant memory. The trade this week to the Jets lends hope, but it is probably safer to use other options in case Edwards finds new ways to get himself into trouble in his new zipcode.

Deion Branch/Nate Burleson ,WR

- Welcome back Deion Branch! Will this be an extended return, or will you go on to miss half the season like you usually do? One positive for Branch this week, is that he did catch 100% of the 6 targets thrown in his direction. However, as long as Branch can manage to stay on the field, there probably isn’t enough mediocre passing offense to go around in Seattle to make him and Burleson dependable enough to use for fantasy purposes.

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers - 9/30

2009-09-30T14:15:00.000-07:00

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers
Our thoughts on some possible undervalued and overvalued players...

Updated September 30, 2009 JunkyardJake.Com

Glen Coffee/Vernon Davis ,RB/TE

It took a couple day's to figure out what type of foot/ankle and/or strain/sprain it was that sent Frank Gore to the lockerroom on the first offensive snap of the game this past Sunday, but what we do know for almost certain, is that we probably won't be seeing Mr. Gore until after San Franciso's week 6 bye. This makes Glen Coffee a great pickup this week, especially against the clumsy Rams defense.

Vernon Davis, who just had a career game of 7 catches for 96 yards and 2 TDs, is another interesting prospect who should see more chances with Frank Gore out. Provided that you are not holding a grudge because you had Davis on your team in any of the past 3 years, he is definitely worth picking up as well.

Mike Wallace ,WR

Sorry 60 Minutes Mike Wallace, you are pretty cool, but Pittsburgh's rookie receiver is my new favorite Mike Wallace. Wallace can flat-out fly down the field, and unlike Limas Sweed, he also seems to hang onto the ball after Ben Roethlisberger hits him in the hands. There is a good chance that the rookie will assume the deep threat role that Nate Washington filled for the Steelers last year, so he should be worth stashing on your roster.

Jerome Harrison ,RB

- It was against the tough Ravens defense, but he came through with 16 carries for 52 yards, also converting 7 pass targets into 5 catches for 33 yards. Not a tremendous statistical day, but it's safe to say Harrison strengthened his claim to the Browns #2 RB spot because James Davis did virtually nothing with his chances. Of course the Browns #2 job is a rather lucrative position these days, since Jamal Lewis is likely to remain as reliable as your pothead friend when you ask him to pick you up at the airport.

Johnny Knox ,WR

- As far as the Earl Bennett/Johnny Knox sweepstakes goes, the apparent edge goes to Earl Bennett this week, as he finished with 4 catches for 80 yards. However, the box score was a little deceiving in terms of the Bennett/Knox rotation. While Knox had 1 catch for 7, he was targeted 3 times, and twice in the redzone. Bennett was targeted only 4 times in total, with no redzone targets. Knox still seems to be the guy with the best upside given his exceptional speed and ability to gain consistent separation.

Jamaal Charles ,RB

- Anyone else getting the nagging suspicion that Larry Johnson is about to get cancelled like a Jeff Foxworthy TV show ? Johnson certainly seems to be running more like Larry the Cable Guy these days, with 136 total rush yards, and a YPC of only 2.5. Meanwhile, 2nd year runningback Jamaal Charles seemed to provide a spark when he was given the chance this week, gaining 6 yards per carry in limited duty (6 carries for 36 yards). Charles was also fairly active in the passing game, with 4 targets.

Fred Taylor/Laurence Maroney ,RB

- Laurence Maroney was once again hiding in his injury bunker against the Falcons this week, allowing Fred Taylor to party like it was 1999. Taylor ended his productive day with 21 carries for 105 yards and 1 TD, a statline that will no doubt have him showing up in week four fantasy lineups. That's fine if it works, but with the New England runningback rotation still looking like a covert operation, and this weeks matchup versus Baltimore, it's probably best to steer clear of the Patriots running game altogether.

Bryant Johnson ,WR

- On the surface, it looks like the Lions found themselves a viable #2 receiver this week in Bryant Johnson, afterall, he finished the day with 4 catches for 73 yards and a touchdown. However, before anyone goes starting Bryant over Santonio Holmes or Steve Smith this week, also consider that Bryant was targeted 13 times, meaning he only caught 30% of the balls thrown to him.

There seems to be maybe two conclusions here - 1) On the plays where Calvin Johnson isn't triple covered, Matthew Stafford will gradually become more comfortable throwing it in his direction more often and 2) If you put one of those big 35 LB Rubbermaid trash receptacles in the corner of the endzone with a careless free safety covering, chances are any NFL QB will be able to hit it for a 21 yard touchdown.

Eddie Royal ,WR

- OK Josh McDaniels, we get it, you are a super-genius who can win football games with marginal talent receivers like Jabar Gaffney that you worked with in New England, while leaving Eddie Royal on the sidelines playing checkers with the offensive coordinator. Terrific, we are really impressed, just don't come whining to us when your defense lets you down and actually need to score some points.

Jamal Lewis ,RB

-So, was Jamal Lewis really injured in week three, or has he come to the realization that the Browns are just so hapless that he decided to call in sick on Sunday because he figured playing golf with Michael Jordan was a much more constructive use of his time?... ..(nasally voice)...yeah coach this is Jamal...(cough..cough).., I'm really sick today, I'll try to make it in next week... That's ok Jamal, you get well, it was a little more interesting watching Jerome Harrison anyway.

Robert Meachem ,WR

- Maybe someday we will all have that miraculous Robert Meachem story to tell our grandkids. You know the one, it kindof goes like...'Yeah, I picked Robert Meachem in the 14th round of my fantasy draft, and he went on to have a 1,100 yard 12 TD season just like I knew he could'. Alas, we may need to wait yet another year for Meachem to do anything noteworthy, he is just too inconsistent to depend on for fantasy purposes right now.

RotoProfessor's Fantasy Football Roundtable

2009-09-25T18:25:00.000-07:00

Fantasy Football Roundtable
Hosted By RotoProfessor.Com September 25, 2009

Here is the week 2 edition of RotoProfessor.Com's 'Fourth & 1 Debate' fantasy football roundtable featuring some of the best football writers on the net. Each week the participating sites will take turns posing a question.

This week's question:'Every year a handful of receivers emerge from obscurity to become fantasy relevant. This year a few relatively overlooked receivers, such as Earl Bennett, Mario Manningham and Andre Caldwell showed signs that they could be factors in 2009. Who are your 2 or 3 favorite surprise receivers for this season ?'

Eric Stashin of RotoProfessor.Com says:

The St. Louis Rams’ Laurent Robinson certainly has to be among the top two or three 'surprise receivers' who have emerged in the early going this season. The third year receiver had just 42 receptions over his first two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, yet already has 11 catches. He’s been the prime target for Marc Bulger in the early going and given the state of their receiving corps should continue to be so all year long.

Another breakout receiver is rookie Johnny Knox, who showed last week that he is not just the burner that people expected him to be. He was targeted by Jay Cutler nine times this past week and if that trend can continue, he could emerge as this seasons’ version of Eddie Royal, aka a rookie breakout thanks to Cutler.

Jacob of FantasyFootballFools.Com says:

Laurent Robinson, WR, St. Louis Rams: It might too early to be sure, but Robinson looks like the Rams' No. 1 receiver this year. Undrafted in most leagues, Robinson was traded by the Falcons to the Rams for peanuts -- literally, just peanuts, the honey-roasted kind. Most fantasy footballers didn't even notice he was out of Atlanta with all the Harry Douglas hype this preseason. But in St. Louis, Robinson, the constant sleeper, has finally gotten his shot. He's a better red zone threat than Donnie Avery with his height and leaping ability. As long as the Rams stay well-behind every team they play this season, Robinson should see plenty of garbage time targets and yards this season. I like him better in PPR leagues because they don't require that Robinson actually score -- hard to promise that for the Rams this year.

Devery Henderson, WR, New Orleans Saints: Not possible. It can't be true that Henderson has finally come to the land of consistency. In two games, he's got 174 yards and a touchdown. After being boom or bust from week to week, Henderson has finally cemented himself as a part of the Saints offense, and as long he keeps it up, he could be in line for a big year since Brees can do whatever he wants with a football this season. He makes the Gatorade on the sidelines turn to wine -- or so I am told. I think it's safe for the Saints to cut their punter if they want the roster room.

Percy Harvin, WR, Minnesota Vikings: It's hard to call Harvin a "surprise" with all the praise he got early on this year, but Favre's favoritism towards the rookie WR/RB -- Harvin was made to be a fantasy flex -- was unexpected. Harvin has scored twice already this season, and he could be in line for many more since Favre's looking to him in short-yardage scoring situations early and often. He's no guaranteed fantasy starter, but I like Harvin's chances this year since he's also used in the Vikings' Wildcat formation and trick play sets.

Surprisingly productive receivers so far this season: Santonio Holmes (PIT) and Steve Smith (NYG)

Paul Greco of FantasyPros911.Com says:

The question kind of answers itself. Every year there are those WRs that do seem to step up and Fantasy Owners need to be paying attention to get those that emerge from he scrap heap.

Johnny Knox, Chicago Bears : Everyone was eyeballing Earl Bennett, when all of a sudden here comes Johnny Knox. The fifth round pick out of Abilene Christian has played his way into the starting lineup and has become a favorite of new QB Jay Cutler. With 152 yards and a touchdown, I think anyone saw this coming. The question is, can Knox continue? With a cool name like Johnny Knox, why not.

Mike Sims-Walker, Jacksonville Jaguars : The former third round pick finally has an opportunity to show off his game. Although Sims-Walker did absolutely nothing in week one, he showed Fantasy Owners last week that he's a guy that can be counted on as a No. 3 WR for Fantasy Owners. I'll be more impressed with Sims-Walker if he can do it two weeks in a row. But, lets be honest, who else will compete with him at the No. 2 WR spot in Jacksonville?

Eddie Royal, Denver Broncos : Now he's not an overlooked WR, but sure is a surprise; on the wrong side. Before training camp he was bragging about how he wants to catch 120 balls this year. Hey Eddie, how about you catch more than three in a game first. Right now, to me, he's one of the biggest busts at the position. Hopefully Fantasy Owners didn't take him to early and they can stash him away for another week or two before hopefully he shows us all why we thought he'd be worth a No. 2 spot on our rosters.

Smitty of FantasyFootballXtreme.Com says:

My favorite surprise sleepers at the wide receiver position are currently Julian Edelman, Chaz Schilens and of course Mario Manningham.

Now, Manningham is probably not someone you can currently buy-low, as he was the hottest waiver wire grab exiting that insane Week 2 performance (10-150-1). Will he continue to succeed and play like the Giants' new number one wide receiver moving forward? I think so. Since Week 1, Manningham has climbed the most on our 2009 Fantasy Football Rankings.... he has climbed an FFX record 117 spots in just under two weeks. I wouldn't expect consistency, as he still has some learning to do, but Manningham is in a unique situation and could be forced to mature rather quickly.

In years past, NFL receivers took 2-3 years to develop, but studs like Anquan Boldin and Marques Colston have proven that youngsters at the position can excel if forced into an active role early on in their career. Eddie Royal is yet another example of a young receiver forced to grow up fast, and he was actually a rookie last season. Manningham is in that kind of situation in just his second season... and he could really flourish. Congrats if you own him in dynasty leagues and don't sell-high.... hang onto him and play with the house's money!

As for Edelman and Schilens, watch out for these two players. Edelman was another player people likely scooped up exiting Week 2, but Schilens is probably a free agent in most leagues right now. He is a talented receiver, and while he is currently banged up with a foot injury, he could play in Week 4 or 5. He has the talent to be that No. 1WR in OAK right away.

Ryan Lester of LestersLegends.com says:

Every year there are Wide Receivers that get off to quick starts. The key is sniffing out if they are contenders or pretenders. The obvious choices early on are the Giants duo of Mario Manningham and Steve Smith and St. Louis' Laurent Robinson. I would endorse those three, especially the Giants duo first and foremost, but I decided to dig a little deeper.

A name that comes to mind is Seattle's Nate Burleson. He started the season with a bang with 7 catches for 74 yards and a TD in a win over St. Louis. He followed that up with 4 catches for 46 yards in a loss to San Francisco. Aside from the production, the encouraging aspect was the number of targets. He led the Seahawks in targets both games, with 11 and 10 respectively.

The key for his continued success is his health. Though Matt Hasselbeck is questionable with a fractured rib, Seneca Wallace is a capable replacement. With T.J. Houshmandzadeh and John Carlson receiving most of the defensive focus, Burleson makes a solid fill-in player during the bye weeks.

Bryce McRae of KFFL.Com says:

Jacksonville Jaguars wideout Mike Sims-Walker announced his presence with six receptions for 106 yards and a score in Week 2. The third-year wideout has talent, this much we know, but he has had trouble staying healthy during his short career. He's already one of the top wideouts in Jacksonville. OK, that might not be saying much, but someone has to catch passes when the Jags take to the air. Wide receiver Torry Holt might garner a few more looks, but the team has called Sims-Walker's number often when he's healthy.

The St. Louis Rams' Laurent Robinson had a chip on his shoulder after an offseason trade. Given his early play, the chip must be the size of Texas. Another third-year wideout, Robinson has 11 receptions for 141 yards and one score this year. As fellow starting wideout Donnie Avery gets caught up, his speed should help open up the field, keeping things open for Robinson, the better possession catcher.

Finally, I feel the New York Giants' Steve Smith (as much as Mario Manningham) is a surprising receiver to keep an eye on. Smith has 16 receptions, 214 receiving yards and one touchdown. The third-year receiver has been one of quarterback Eli Manning's favorite targets in the past. Also, defenses could back off the line of scrimmage to try and shut down the passing attack if it continues to perform at a respectable level. However, New York has a potent rushing attack that will have to keep defenses honest. Pick your poison. Don't let Manningham's big game overshadow Smith, though.

Lee of FootballJabber.Com says:

Of course Johnny Knox has got a lot of press this week. I was able to draft him in a deep Dynasty league that I was really hurting at the WR position. I would love to see him keep it going but I'm not very found of the inconsistency that is Jay Cutler.

Being a Saints fan I'm always looking for Devery Henderson to pick it up. In one league where 1/2 a point is rewarded per reception Henderson is at #11 going into week three. Sure, inconsistency is big here because of the way that the Saints spread the ball around...and drops. Henderson should make excellent bye week filler if you are not deep at WR.

Laurent Robinson snuck in and took the #2 WR spot for the Rams and is looking like he may be a consistent point grabber that someone got cheap.

Jake of Junkyardjake.Com says:

Robert Meachem - Meachem has been derailed by injuries and sloppy route-running during his first two years in the league, but still remains a great prospect, with size, power, agility and speed. He has shown glimpes of his potential over the past two seasons, and seems like the ideal #2 receiver for the Saints if he can grasp the mental aspect of his position this year.

Louis Murphy - Murphy was mostly overlooked as the 2nd receiver picked by Raiders in this years draft, but there is reason to believe that he could adapt to the pro game quicker than the Oakland's more heralded 1st round selection, Darrius Heyward-Bey. He's currently listed as Chaz Schilens' backup, and JaMarcus Russell's inconsistent play will seemingly limit the upside of any Raiders receiver, but Louis Murphy has an intriguing size/speed combination and appears to be a better route runner than Heyward-Bey at this point in time.

Andre Caldwell - The Bengals 3rd round pick in 2008, he was used very sparingly last year, not seeing the field until week 12. He opened up the 2009 season with 6 catches for 54 yards, with 8 targets to lead the team in week 1. His value this year will mostly depend on the effectiveness of newly signed Laveranues Coles, but if given the chance, Caldwell can definitely make an impact this year with his great hands, size and homerun speed.

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers -9/22

2009-09-22T14:48:00.000-07:00

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers
Our thoughts on some possible undervalued and overvalued players...

Updated September 22, 2009 JunkyardJake.Com

Pierre Thomas ,RB

-A fantasy outcast just one short week ago, Pierre Thomas will likely find himself thrust back into significant playing time as a result of Mike Bell's untimely knee injury. It's easy to have a short memory concerning Thomas, since he was sucked into the injury nebulous over the first couple weeks, but remember, he was the guy who effectively replaced Reggie Bush down the stretch last season, with 909 total yards and 9 TDs, mostly accumulated after week 11. Thomas has had a few weeks to recover from his own knee injury, and was ready to go in week 2, so he makes a decent guy to pickup for RB help if someone hastily dropped him in your league.

Donald Brown ,RB

-There is no doubt that the Miami defense had something to do with it, but Joseph Addai gave his 2009 fantasy owners some unpleasant flashbacks from 2008 when he stumbled along to a 6 carry/32 yard performance this Monday night. Meanwhile, Donald Brown gave a glimpse of his potential with a 6.5 YPC, a 24 yard catch and 1 TD in his role as Addai's #2. Even if Addai remains the starter, Brown should absolutely not be left on your waiver wire, and Addai owners may want to mobilize some trade offers.

Torry Holt/Mike Sims-Walker ,WR

-If you can't help yawning at the thought of picking up Torry Holt, you are not alone, there is really nothing exciting about a 33 year-old receiver in a dysfunctional passing offense. However, Holt is still a savvy player and he represents the #1 option for Jacksonville, evidenced by the fact that David Garrard looked his way 11 times this past week. Mike Sims-Walker is a more interesting, albeit risky prospect, with good size, great hands, decent speed, and solid instincts. Sims-Walker gets his chance as Jacksonvilles #2 wideout now that Troy Williamson is out for the season.

Laurent Robinson ,WR

-It must be a lonely job as the only guy trying to help the Rams move the ball down the field in their passing game, but Laurent Robinson is that guy so far. At 6-2 Robinson has good size, shows decent burst, and seems to have improved his route-running compared to his first couple seasons in the league. We'll see if he can keep it up, but so far he is the Rams #1 receiver with 21 targets, including 4 redzone opportunities.

Justin Forsett ,RB

-Justin Forsett is quietly becoming a factor in the Seattle offense - this week he finished with 35 rushing yards on 5 carries along with 6 catches for 57 yards. Although Edgerrin James is technically the primary backup to Julius Jones, it may turn out that Forsett retains the most value. Unfortunately, you can't teach size, and Forsett's 5-8, 190 lb stature will almost certainly preclude him from being a lead back in the NFL, but he is definitely worth picking up as a contingency plan for Julius Jones, or even a possible flex option.

Donnie Avery ,WR

-It's way too early to give up on Avery, but there were doubts about the 2nd year receiver being able to handle a #1 receiver role given his smallish stature, and those doubts may be materializing a bit. In fact, word is that teammates voted him 'Most likely Player to be Adversely Affected by a Strong Gust of Wind', and at 185 lbs, he is very susceptible to getting mugged at the line by larger cornerbacks. He probably has nearly no trade value, but Avery is absolutely not startable right now.

Earl Bennett ,WR

-In just one week, Earl Bennett went from potential centerpiece of the Bears passing game with 16 targets, to the receiver who was sent to the bench and then convincingly outplayed by a rookie. Truth is, rookie Johnny Knox has no business making a consistent impact this year, but he does have better speed and big-play ability compared to Earl Bennett. Nonetheless, both players should probably be bansihed from starting lineups until Jay Cutler figures out who he wants to throw to.

Ray Rice ,RB

-One of the darlings of this years preseason hype machine, Ray Rice is so far turning out to be the complementary player in the Ravens running game that is consistent with his diminutive physique and unique passing down skills. So far, Rices' alleged backup Willis McGahee has received 25 carries to Rice's 28, thier yardage is almost identical, and McGahee has the clear TD advantage, 4 to zero. It certainly would not be unreasonable to contemplate trading Rice if you can upgrade another position on your fantasy team.

Brandon Marshall ,WR

-Aside from trying to prove he was more eccentric than Michael Crabtree, Marshall didn't accomplish much over the offseason, and his underachievement has so far carried over into the regular season. The new Broncos passing offense clearly does not rely on a featured pair of wideouts, so there is a fairly good chance that Marshall won't be a 1,200 yard guy this year. He does however represent decent trade bait if another owner in your league is seeking another flaky, overrated receiver to pair up with Terrell Owens on their roster.

Joey Galloway ,WR

-Given that the Jets bottled up Randy Moss pretty well, and Wes Welker was apparently abducted by aliens 2 minutes before gametime, Joey Galloway was Tom Brady's most popular target this past week, with 13 looks. Unfortunately, that seemed to be more than the 38 year-old receiver could handle at this point in his career, as he ended the day with only 5 catches for 53 yards. When Welker returns, Galloway can go back to planning his retirement fishing trips.

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers -9/17

2009-09-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers
Our thoughts on some possible undervalued and overvalued players...

Updated September 17, 2009 JunkyardJake.Com

Carnell Williams/Derrick Ward ,RB

-It's nice to see Carnell Williams emerge from seclusion to show that he can still gain positive yardage, everyone definitely had doubts after his two consecutive 200 yard seasons. Williams and Derrick Ward received almost equal carries this week, and although Williams outgained Ward 97 to 62 in yards, Derrick Ward seemed to be the preferred guy in the redzone (4 attempts).

Chris Wells ,RB

-The 49ers focused on stopping Fitzgerald and Boldin, so Tim Hightower received a silly amount of looks in the passing game this week with 14 targets and 12 catches. Unfortunately, Hightower once again couldn't do much with his carries, gaining only 15 yards on 8 attempts. Chris Wells made his league debut with 7 carries and 29 yards, giving him a 4.14 YPC and potentially demonstrating why he could represent a more effective rushing option over Tim Hightower.

Steve Smith/Mario Manningham ,WR

-Eli Manning has to be the most unexciting multi-millionaire quarterback in the league, but he still knows how to find his open receivers, and Plaxico Burress as we know won't be one of them this year. Steve Smith should emerge as Mannings favorite possession receiver, and was targeted 8 times this week, while Manningham offers more upside by virtue of his speed and elusiveness. Super Mario was on the receiving end of the Giants longest pass play, a 30 yarder, and also caught Mannings lone TD toss.

Willis McGahee ,RB

-Going into week 1, McGahee had been relegated to an underappreciated afterthought given that Ray Rice had overtaken him on the depth chart. Rice did fine with 19 carries for 108 yards against the Chiefs, but McGahee turned out to be the better fantasy option, with 87 total yards, 5 redzone carries and 2 TDs.

Devery Henderson/Robert Meachem ,WR

-They probably should have stopped the New Orleans/Detroit game after the 2nd quarter, as Drew Brees was putting on a precision passing clinic and clearly was not going to be stopped. Brees ended up throwing only 34 times, but typically averaged about 40 attempts last year. With all the balls that will probably be flying around this season for the Saints, it's not inconceivable that Henderson and Meachem turn out to be worth using every week.

Earl Bennett ,WR

-Maybe it was because Greg Olsen was being smothered, or maybe it's some form of nepotism, but Jay Cutler's former college teammate Earl Bennett was targeted a surprising 16 times this week. He ended up with only 7 catches for 66 yards, but if the target trend continues, Bennett can't help being fantasy-relevant this year.

Pierre Garcon/Austin Collie ,WR

-Last seen crumbling to the ground with noone within 10 feet of him, Anthony Gonzalez was apparently assaulted by a phanthom defender this week. The Colts may attempt to sign a veteran wideout, but they are probably better off going with the combination of Garcon and Collie. Although just a rookie, Collie might be the better route-runner, while Garcon should be effective on deep routes.

Shaun Hill/Isaac Bruce ,QB/WR

-Arizona wouldn't allow it, but the 49ers really wanted to run this week, and who could blame them, because their passing game looks like a badly cheorographed production of 'We Suck-The Musical'. Vernon Davis did receive an encouraging 8 targets this week, so there is a glimmer of hope, but Isaac Bruce is clearly not a receiver who can be featured any longer.

Earnest Graham ,RB

-What happened to that potentially-potent three runningback alliance between Carnell Williams, Derrick Ward and Earnest Graham? Graham was the distinct outcast this week against Dallas, receiving only 1 carry. This week bears watching, but Graham could be the odd man out if the Carnell Williams resurgence is for real.

Pierre Thomas/Reggie Bush ,RB

-Mike Bell was used early and often this week, compiling 144 yards on 28 carries. Although it was against the cooperative Detriot lions run defense, if he keeps that kind of performance up, Pierre Thomas might have an additional backfield partner to contend with, and Reggie Bush might only see the field in obvious passing situations.

Laveranues Coles ,WR

-It may not be time to hit the panic button just yet on Coles, but just 5 targets resulting in 1 measley catch for 11 insignificant yards is disappointing to say the least. Also consider that Andre Caldwell was targeted 8 times, and Chad Ochocinco is at least temporarily laying off his crazy pills.

Marc Bulger ,QB

-If Bulger can only throw for 191 yards against the philanthropic Seattle Seahawks secondary it really won't matter how easy his schedule is. Unless your other options are Bryon Leftwich and/or Jake Delhomme, it's hard to see a situation where you would want to use Bulger right now until he starts playing with just a smidge of inspiration.

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers 8/15

2009-08-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

Fantasy Football Sleepers/Creepers
Our thoughts on some possible undervalued and overvalued players...

Updated August 15, 2009 JunkyardJake.Com

Julius Jones ,RB

Right before the Seattle’s bye week last year, Julius Jones had put together two consecutive solid games, rushing for 127 yards and 1 TD vs SF, and then 140 yards and a TD vs. the Rams. Unfortunately, if you didn’t spend the next two weeks frantically attempting to sell high on the enigmatic Mr. Jones, you absorbed a crash and burn situation that rivaled the relentless downward spiral of Citibank’s common stock.

Jones closed out the year with 698 yards and 2 TDs, accumulating only 386 yards from October thru December, but he was especially useless in December, recording just 6 carries for 24 yards as Maurice Morris assumed the starting job. .

So why bother with this hapless Seattle slacker ? Well, for one thing, pesky Maurice Morris is now in Detroit, and the #2 Seattle RB is the plodding and generally unimpressive TJ Duckett. Secondly, the new offensive coordinator Greg Knapp has a flair for generating an effective rushing attack, as demonstrated by his work with the Falcons, 49ers and Raiders in previous years. Jones is currently being selected in the 8th-9th rounds of fantasy drafts, but could be a pleasant surprise this year.

Nate Washington ,WR

It seems like forever since the Titans have actually had a wide receiver who represented any kind of legitimate deep threat. In fact, you may need to go all the way back to 1998, when they signed Yancey Thigpen and then derailed his career by attempting to integrate him into their tediously boring offense.

In 2009, the Titans passing offense will most likely remain monotonously unexciting, but at least they will have Nate Washington to stretch the field when they are feeling slightly froggy. Washington can be found as late as the 15th round in fantasy drafts this year, and should be a good bet to surpass the dawdling Justin Gage as the Titans leading wideout.

Willis McGahee ,RB

If you selected McGahee in a 2008 fantasy draft, it was clearly a wasted 1st-2nd round pick that may have helped sabotage your season. As a consequence, it’s perfectly okay to harbor ill-feelings toward the veteran RB. In fact, if you find it therapeutic, feel free to make up you own disdainful nicknames for McGahee.

However, after you run around referring to McGahee as Willis McWashout and Fritter McLollygagger, or even SillyPutty McSuckinstein, and the resentment is cathartically removed from your system, it could be time to give the Ravens RB a second look.

Currently, Ray Rice is the popular choice to assume the primary ballcarrier duties in Baltimore, but this notion could have some flaws. For one thing, Rice is a fine RB, but lacks the size to be a workhorse, and despite his smaller frame, he is not especially fast or elusive. Meanwhile, McGahee has looked solid in camp so far and is comparatively better-suited for frequent carries, when healthy.

While Ray Rice is going in the 7th round, McGahee can be acquired at a more reasonable 10th round spot, and could turn out to be a great value.

Robert Meachem ,WR

Robert Meachem is a gifted young receiver who enters his 3rd season, and is now officially running out of excuses. After his selection in the 1st round of the 2007 draft, his rookie season was marred by injury. In his second year, he was relatively healthy, but the Saints were somehow unimpressed with how he used his athleticism to gracefully run to the wrong places on the field.

Entering his 3rd year, the Saints are encouraged by his progress so far, and it appears that Meachem could be on the verge of grasping the concept of proper route running. The former 1st round selection is arguably the Saints receiver with the biggest upside from a talent perspective, and could be a steal in the 15th round of your fantasy draft.

Laurence Maroney ,RB

Bill Belichick takes great pride in making the Patriots backfield one of the most ambiguous situations in professional sports, and his RB rotation is truly one of the great achievements in 20th century bureaucracy, because it somehow works.

While it’s probably best to steer clear of the entire mess, it’s just difficult to dismiss the notion that Sammy Morris, Fred Taylor and/or Kevin Faulk appear to be significantly inferior options to a healthy and motivated Laurence Maroney.

That said, some of you would rather chaperone an unruly group of elementary school children at the premiere of ‘Lawrence of Arabia – The Musical’ than draft Laurence Maroney this year. This is perfectly understandable, but it really seems that Maroney is worth a speculative pick in his current 12th round draft position.

Bryant Johnson ,WR

The fantasy football world has seemingly been waiting forever for Bryant Johnson to accomplish something notable, but it could be time to just resign ourselves to the fact that it’s not going to happen.

On the bright side, as opposed to last year when he was an alleged starter in the erratic 49er offense, he does look a little better this season as the likely #2 receiver playing opposite Calvin Johnson.

Even so, his upside is probably capped at around 50 catches for 600-700 yards and maybe 5 TDs, and that’s if the potentially more talented rookie Derrick Williams doesn’t decide to start assimilating to his new pro career to usurp the underwhelming Johnson.

Cedric Benson ,RB

Despite his modest resurgence last season, it may be best to temper expectations for Cedric Benson. He did finish the year strong with 282 yards against the Browns and the Chiefs, but those run defenses probably should have been classified as charitable organizations under US tax code in 2008.

On the upside, the Bengals seem to have enough confidence in Benson, that they felt they had the luxury of cutting Kenny Watson, but Benson could very well lose time to rookie project Bernard Scott and/or free agent signee Brian Leonard. Scott is a smallish, but instinctive, quick and elusive option for the Bengals who is showing promise so far, and despite Leonard’s fullback job description, he offers the same speed and power as Cedric Benson.

Lastly, and this may amount to nothing significant, but it’s hard to ignore Benson’s offseason rationale for possibly signing with the Texans. To paraphrase, Benson essentially said ‘I have no problem with signing with a club as a backup runningback in the right situation’ Really Cedric? That’s the way to articulate your competitive disposition and vocational commitment. Isn’t this kind of like hearing your postman say ‘It’s my professional pledge to you, that more often than not, I’ll be able to deliver most of your mail’, or hearing your building contractor say ‘Yeah, we are not too bad with foundation, framing and plumbing stuff, but you might get an electrical fire when you turn on the lights’.

Joe Flacco/Derrick Mason/Mark Clayton ,QB/WR

It’s really tempting to draft Joe Flacco this year. However, while the Ravens 2nd year QB is clearly one of the most talented young passers in the league, it’s getting more difficult to identify who exactly he will be throwing to this year.

Derrick Mason returning is a plus, but we have probably seen the best out of this particular 35 year-old receiver, and waffling around on his retirement decision does not inspire a great deal of confidence.

At the #2 receiver spot, the only thing consistent about Mark Clayton is that 1) he will probably be injured the week you need him and/or 2) the week he fools you into putting him into your lineup, he’ll get you 2 catches for 19 yards.

To round out the Ravens motley brigade of questionable receivers, there is Demetrius Williams, whose hype always seems to exceed his relevance, followed by Kelley Washington, Justin Harper and then some guy named ‘Ernie Wheelwright’. Ernie Wheelwright is likely on the roster only because the M&T Bank Stadium announcer gets a chuckle when he gets to say his name twice a season.

L.J. Smith/Todd Heap ,TE

While we are picking on the Ravens, what better way to ensure the continued irrelevance of a couple aging tight-ends, then by putting them on the same team together? Now, whatever limited productivity we may have expected from Todd Heap and/or LJ Smith this year, divide by two. A perfect scenario of subtraction by addition, it’s almost too awesome!

Over the past 2 years, LJ Smith and Todd Heap have exhibited roughly the same career trajectory, a 45 degree downslope. Smith seemed to peak in 2005 at 61 catches and 682 yards. Heap also had his best season three years ago, with 75 catches, 855 yards and 7 TDs. Over the past two years, both these guys have settled into the vapid 35 catch, 300 range associated with backup fantasy tightends.

Another potential reason to steer clear of these guys is that given their recent injury histories, they could possibly account for more collective downtime than the pork rind vending machine at the Baghdad International Airport.

Reggie Bush ,RB

A once heralded 1st round draft pick, whose speed and agility was supposed to leave defenders helplessly grasping at a trail of rocket fumes, Reggie Bush enters his 4th season as just an above-average runningback option in PPR leagues with an injury risk cloud still hovering over him.

Assuming that he is actually recovered from the microfracture surgery on his left knee performed this past December, Bush should remain a useful #3 or #4 RB option, but there have been some minor setbacks this preseason, where he has been held out for ‘precautionary’ reasons.

Reggie Bush is currently being selected in the 4th round, but Pierre Thomas, the 2007 undrafted free agent who outplayed him last season, figures to assume a larger role in 2009. As such, Bush seems like a risky proposition to spend a 4th round pick on, especially if his name increasingly becomes synonymous with ‘soreness and swelling’.

NFL 2009 -Top 20 Offensive Free Agents

2009-07-28T05:51:00.000-07:00

NFL 2009 - Top 20 Offensive Free Agents
Ranking the 2009 free agent signings in terms of expected fantasy football significance...

July 28th, 2009 JunkyardJake.Com

2008 Team 2009 Team

#1) Jay Cutler ,QB

Frail-armed Kyle Orton wasn’t bad last year, but Cutler gives the Bears a legitimate passing offense to go along with their emerging running game. The players that stand to benefit most from the Cutler addition are probably Devin Hester and TE Greg Olsen. Also keep an eye on Cutler’s former Vanderbelt teammate Earl Bennett, who could surface from obscurity to play an important possession receiver role.
Fantasy Significance=

#2) Derrick Ward ,RB

Derrick Ward gives the Buccaneers a versatile RB option whose speed and receiving ability should complement the power running of Earnest Graham very effectively. Graham will likely remain the first-choice at the goalline, but to the extent that Tampa throws to their runningbacks as often as they did last season, Ward is clearly the more dynamic receiver of the two.
Fantasy Significance=

#3) Kellen Winslow ,TE

On talent alone, Winslow ranks among the top TE’s in the league. On the downside though, he joins a Buccaneers team with an unsettled QB situation, and a new coaching regime. Nonetheless, he should emerge from the clutter to at least become the teams 2nd most relevant receiver behind Antonio Bryant.
Fantasy Significance=

#4) Tony Gonzalez ,TE

Now at 33 years of age, you have to imagine that Tony Gonzalez will be slowing down at some point, but it certainly didn’t happen last season. The 12 year veteran and 10 time Pro Bowler had a very productive season with 96 catches, 1,058 yards and 10 TDs, his highest TD total since 2003. Matt Ryan is Dan Fouts compared to the QB mess that Gonzalez had to deal with in KC, and defenses should now have a tougher time accounting for Roddy White with Gonzalez on board.
Fantasy Significance=

#5) TJ Houshmandzadeh ,WR

With all the misfortune that the Seahawks have had with their wide receivers the past few years, it’s not surprising that the team ended up paying a premium for TJ Houshmandzadeh, a receiver known for his ability to stay on the field for more than 4 games in a row. The offense figures to be a little more conservative under Jim Mora, and that should suit a relatively slow and methodical possession receiver like Houshmandzadeh just fine.
Fantasy Significance=

#6) Terrell Owens ,WR

The T.O. show opens shop in Buffalo this season, where the veteran receiver will surely add a much needed new dimension to the Bills offense. However, while Owens did manage over 1,000 yards and 10 TDs in 2008, note that he turns 36 this season, and there is no guarantee he will command the same attention in the Buffalo system. A safe estimation calls for a drop-off this year to maybe 800 yards and 7 TDs, with Lee Evans getting a boost by the presence of a genuinely capable receiver playing on the opposite side.
Fantasy Significance=

#7) Laveranues Coles ,WR

The Bengals welcome Carson Palmer back from his abbreviated 2008 season with what should be an improved receiving corps. Assuming that Chad Ochocinco (53 catches in 2008) can return to catching at least as many passes as his ostentatious moniker, he joins forces with newly signed Laveranues Coles,Chris Henry, and 2nd year Andre Caldwell to give Palmer more than enough potential weapons at his disposal. What could make the addition of Coles especially intriguing is that, unlike his predecessor TJ Houshmandzadeh, Coles offers the ability to stretch the field.
Fantasy Significance=

#8) Kyle Orton ,QB

Kyle Orton was a somewhat unlikely success story in 2008 with the Bears, but if nothing else has proven himself to be a smart and capable, albeit weak-armed signal caller. Of course, if he shows signs of faltering, he may need to fend off Chris Simms, so he should not be considered a sure thing. However, under the assumption that he adapts quickly to Josh McDaniels system, Orton should remain a serviceable low-end fantasy starter. Recall that that new coach McDaniels was the offensive coordinator for the 2007 Patriots when New England scored an NFL record 75 TDs.
Fantasy Significance=

#9) Matt Cassel ,QB

It’s doubtful that Cassel will achieve anywhere near the same success as experienced with the Patriots last season, Dwayne Bowe is quite good, but he is no Randy Moss, and much of Cassel’s success last year was likely a function of New England’s offensive system. Nonetheless, Cassel has an above-average arm, exhibits a good grasp of game management, and should represent some much-needed stability at the QB position for the Chiefs.
Fantasy Significance=

#10) Torry Holt ,WR

The Jaguars have completely revamped their receiving group heading into 2009, and by default, 35 year old Torry Holt may be the highest potential prospect of the bunch. Not to say that Mike Walker, and rookies Jarett Dillard and Mike Thomas do not merit fantasy consideration, but none of these guys are elite prospects, and they combine for less than about 15% of the experience that Holt brings to the team this year.
Fantasy Significance=

#11) Fred Taylor ,RB

While Fred Taylor should be wrapping up his illustrious career at 33 years of age, the Patriots would have none of that, signing him to a $5MM 2-year deal to further complicate their already muddled RB rotation. Taylor is not especially effective at the goalline, and the Patriots will probably still use Kevin Faulk in 3rd down situations, so he was probably signed as contingency plan for the enigmatic Laurence Maroney. As such, it seems that Taylors value this year might be considered inversely proportional to Maroney’s motivation and effectiveness.
Fantasy Significance=

#12) Nate Washington ,WR

While he is probably not suited for a #1 receiver role because of his smallish build, Washington is an interesting addition for the receiver-barren Titans, and arguably becomes the best deep threat they have had for a number of years. Rookie Kenny Britt could very well factor into the receiver equation as early as this season, but he seems to be only a slightly faster version of Justin Gage. Washington will likely add a new speed dimension to the Titans passing game, and could very well exceed his average numbers as the #3 WR with the Steelers over the past few seasons.
Fantasy Significance=

#13) Joey Galloway ,WR

Had 38-year old Galloway signed with any other team besides the Patriots, he probably would not even be worth mentioning. However, even the geriatric Galloway might be able to carve out a niche role in the potent New England offense, especially since defenses are so typically distracted with Randy Moss and Wes Welker.
Fantasy Significance=

#14) Bryant Johnson ,WR

Bryant Johnson has been pretty much been a perennial disappointment, but gets another shot in a situation that should represent an improvement over his brief San Francisco sojourn. Providing that he holds onto the #2 job, the opportunity of playing opposite Calvin Johnson gives Detriot’s new $9 million free agent receiver at least a chance to challenge his modest career highs of 700 yards and 4 TDs.
Fantasy Significance=

#15) Brian Leonard ,RB

Cedric Benson just seems like the leagues most tenuous RB starter this season. He looked pretty good in spurts last year, but ultimately ended with an uninspiring 3.5 yards per carry, and just 2 TDs in 12 weeks of action. Brian Leonard is an interesting acquisition for the Bengals, because he is approximately as fast as Benson, is a much more adept receiver, and is likely a better goalline back.
Fantasy Significance=

#16) Correll Buckhalter ,RB

You have to believe that 1st round pick Knowshon Moreno will wind up being the most significant fantasy RB in Denver, but as of now, it’s anyones guess how the possible rotation between Moreno, Peyton Hillis, Buckhalter and fellow free agent signee LaMont Jordan will materialize. Buckhalter has had his share of injury problems, but has always played well when called upon over his 5 year tenure with the Eagles. He actually could end up sharing time with Moreno this year, so Buckhalter and his career 4.5 YPC should not be immediately dismissed.
Fantasy Significance=

#17) Bobby Engram ,WR

There has never been anything exciting about Bobby Engram’s game, he’s small and not particularly fast, and he’s averaged only 2.5 TDs per season over his 14 year career. What Engram does do well is consistently catch 10 yard passes, so even at 36 years old, he should manage to help a very shallow Kansas City receiver group playing from the slot this year.
Fantasy Significance=

#18) Sage Rosenfels ,QB

If Brett Farve ends up jilting the Vikings and pursuing his long-overdue retirement once again, at least Minnesota will have another mercurial gunslinger in Sage Rosenfels to fall back on. Of course, Rosenfels does not have the arm strength or general talent of Farve, but he can fling the ball around, albeit sometimes recklessly and with unfortunate results. Even so, despite his career 30 TD to 29 INT ratio, Rosenfels also has a 62% career completion percentage, and looks like a comparatively better option over Tavaris Jackson.
Fantasy Significance=

#19) Ronald Curry ,WR

The Rams would prefer that Keenan Burton seize the #2 receiver spot, but his progress was held back by persistent knee problems last year. So far in the preseason his luck hasn’t been much better, as Burton has been slowed by a minor hamstring problem. Former Falcon Laurent Robinson could also become a factor, but he’s also had his share of injuries and inconsistency. The unreliability of these guys could create an opportunity for Ronald Curry, who has also been an adequate complementary receiver when healthy.
Fantasy Significance=

#20) Jeff Garcia ,QB

The Raiders are desperately hoping that they signed Jeff Garcia to patrol the sidelines with his clipboard and cheer JarMarcus Russell on to at least 6 or 7 wins this year. However, in the event that Russell’s late season improvement in 2008 was just another mirage, it wouldn’t be too much of a surprise to see Jeff Garcia start a few games for his 6th different team in the past 7 years. Moreover, he would probably do a fairly adequate job of it, as suggested by his 93 QB rating over the past 3 seasons.
Fantasy Significance=

Other Significant Free Agent Signings:

#21) LaMont Jordan ,RB

#22) Byron Leftwich ,QB

#23) Laurent Robinson ,WR

#24) Dominic Rhodes ,RB

#25) Maurice Morris ,RB

#26) Alex Smith ,TE

#27) Jabar Gaffney ,WR

#28) L.J. Smith ,TE

#29) Shaun McDonald ,WR

#30) Robert Royal ,TE

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Candy - June 14th

2009-06-13T20:39:00.000-07:00

June 14th, 2009 JunkyardJake.Com

Sean Rodriguez, LA Angels, 2B
- Oh my, well it's now clear that Angels manager Mike Scioscia was hardly bluffing when he threatened to 'shake things up' after Thursday's 11-1 thumping by the Tampa Bay Rays. The complete details of Scioscia's shake-up plan have not been disclosed as of yet, but John Lackey's post-game ritual of kicking it 'Old School' with his turntable and DJ Scratch Mixer is probably out, as are the dugout drinking games, one would imagine.

Assuming the role of most immediate scapegoat in the shakeup plan was 2nd baseman Howie Kendrick, who was summarily demoted to AAA. The good news is that while Kendrick is attempting to expel his .231 batting average demons down in the junior circuit, we should get a look at prospect Sean Rodriquez. Rodriguez, who was called up to replace Kendrick this weekend, was tearing up the Pacific Coast League with 21 HRs in 57 games in 2009. In fact, he has shown very consistent power at the AAA level the past two seasons, as he finished his 2008 campaign with 21 HRs in 66 games.
Available in 87% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Mike MacDougal, Washington Nationals, RP
- Given the debacle known as the Washington Nationals bullpen, Mike MacDougal almost can't help to represent an improvement as the newest closer of last resort. In fact, after enduring two stints of Joel Hanrahan late inning shenanigans, mixed in with a couple games of Joe Abysmal, the Nationals will probably grant MacDougal a fair margin of error, maybe even a couple misdemeanors, before considering another change.

It certainly doesn't hurt that MacDougal throws some pretty nasty stuff, featuring a fastball that can reach 95-97 MPH. He also offers a good amount of closer experience, with a total 48 saves on his resume serving as the Kansas City Royals closer during the 2003 and 2005 seasons.
Available in 83% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Scott Podsednik, Chicago White Sox, OF
- Wow, this guy hasn't been fantasy-relevant since back when tribal tattoos were moderately fashionable and Don Imus had a broadcasting career. After an inconspicuous past 2 years of playing sporadically and batting around .250, Podsednik resigned with the White Sox in April this year, right after they had just released him.

His subsequent revival has been fairly impressive - after a solid May where he hit .307 with 3 stolen bases, Podsednik has regularly been batting leadoff in June, and hitting .310 with 5 stolen bases for the month so far.
Available in 82% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Sean West, Florida Marlins, SP
- A first round pick in 2005, 6 foot-8 lefty Sean West has been occasionally compared to pitching legend Randy Johnson. Of course West has a really long way to go before he will be even considered worthy to clean the gutters on Johnson's 300 Win Commemorative Museum. However, like Johnson, Sean West can consistently deliver a mid-90's power fastball, and also throws some nasty breaking stuff.

Unfortunately, also like Randy Johnson, who struggled with mechanics early in his career, West has been susceptible to his share of erratic outings and control lapses. Nonetheless, the Marlins rookie is someone to watch, and may have offered a glimpse of his fantasy potential when he beat Johnson and Giants with an 8 inning 2 hit effort last week.
Available in 77% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Vin Mazzaro, Oakland A's, SP
- With Vin Mazzaro recently joining an Oakland rotation that currently includes Dallas Braden, Trevor Cahill, Brett Anderson, and Josh Outman, the average age of the A's starting pitcher staff is now just slightly higher than that of the Milwaukee chapter of the Jonas Brothers unofficial fan club.

While Mazzaro probably does not have the upside of higher potential prospects Cahill and Outman, he has improved his command over the past year or so, getting his walks per 9 innings down to around 2.5 from over 4 in 2007. He mostly relies on a sinking fastball typically in the 90-93 MPH range, and complements this pitch with a decent changeup, and a developing slider. Mazzaro almost certainly will not maintain his current 1.37 ERA and 0.97 Whip, but could turn out to be another pleasant surprise from the Oakland pitcher farm.
Available in 65% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Other Players To Consider:

Chris Coghlan,Florida Marlins,3B,OF
Available in 89% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Aaron Cook,Colorado Rockies,SP
Available in 62% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Juan Rivera,LA Angels,OF
Available in 78% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Colby Rasmus,St. Louis Cardinals,OF
Available in 64% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Antonio Bastardo,Philadelphia Phillies,SP
Available in 62% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Candy - June 1st

2009-06-01T14:32:00.000-07:00

June 1st, 2009 JunkyardJake.Com

Tommy Hanson, Atlanta Braves, SP
- Well, just because there hasn't been nearly enough speculation concerning Tommy Hanson over the first two months of the season, why not add some more. Remember, Hanson was that guy who already throws a major-league curveball, a mid-90's fastball, a change-up and slider. The other cool thing about Hanson is that, in contrast to, for example, current #4 Atlanta starter Kenshin Kawakami, he throws all his pitches for strikes most of the time. At last count, Hanson was still dominating down at Triple AAA Gwinnett, with a 1.49 ERA, 0.862 Whip and averaging 12.2 K's per 9 innings. So what in the world are the Braves waiting for?

'After jumping into the cockpit to make an emergency landing of a domestic airliner and then volunteering 2 hours at the childrens hospital, Tommy Hanson went on to pitch a 2 hit shutout with 12 strikeouts this afternoon for the Gwinnett Braves. In related news, the Atlanta brass are still not impressed, and called-up Jo-Jo Reyes to get pounded again by the Phillies this weekend.'

One theory that could help explain the reluctance to bring up Hanson, is that the Braves are trying to prevent the young pitcher from achieving 'Super 2' status. Besides being a 4-letter word to major league front offices everywhere, 'Super 2' is shorthand meaning that a player is awarded the right to take their club to arbitration four times instead of three. Going by the strange and fairly inexplicable MLB arbitration rules, the bottom line on 'Super 2' status, is that the magic cutoff seems to be two years plus 130 days service time to qualify. As applied to Hanson, this means that the longer the Braves can keep the training wheels on past June 1st, the better, because it could save them a truckload of money in a future arbitration case. For example, Ryan Howard was awarded $10 million in arbitration as a 'Super 2' after the 2007 season.

Of course, the other obstacle for the possible future ace of the Atlanta staff, is the fact that the Braves rotation is still about as crowded as Atlanta Motor Speedway on free raccoon trap/truck antler fan appreciation night. The current rotation is occupied by Lowe, Jurrjens, Vazquez, Kawakami, and recent call-up Medlan. Moreover, they might have the spry Tom Glavine, who has been mixing it up down in the minors for the first time since 1987, waiting in the wings.

In any event, if you are still holding Tommy Hanson on your fantasy squad, at this point it makes no sense doing something hasty, like dropping him for Vicente Padilla or Barry Zito. Maybe the Braves will come to their senses sometime this month.
Available in 25% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Nolan Reimold, Baltimore Orioles, OF
- It looks like the Orioles farm system has been on a real roll lately. There is of course that Matt Wieters guy, who can evidently hit a billiard ball 475 ft with a foam bat and defeat dragons with the power of his plate discipline, but Reimold is another talented rookie who has been relatively overlooked .

A 2005 2nd round draft pick, Nolan Reimold's development was delayed a bit with some injury obstacles in 2006, and especially 2007, when he only managed to play 59 games. In the following 2008 season at double-A, a relatively healthy Reimold went on to hit .284 with 25 HRs. Before he was summoned this season Reimold was terrorizing AAA with a .394 average and 9 HRs over 31 games.

Needless to say, most International League pitchers hope things work out for Nolan Reimold at the big league level, and so far they have, as he has contributed 5 HRs over his first 16 games with the Orioles.
Available in 62% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Joe Blanton, Philadelphia Philles, SP
- Although he is slightly more attractive than Susan Boyle, Joe Blanton does have that menacing 'Renegade State Trooper'/ 'Crazy Pit-Boss' look that you absolutely want in a potentially intimidating starting pitcher. Unfortunately, with a 7.11 ERA through May 21st, the only intimation that Blanton was able to accomplish, was to scare fantasy owners out of putting him in their lineups.

Well, the possible good news is that Blanton claims that he and pitching coach Rich Dubee discovered a mechanical flaw that had been plaguing him when he was pitching from the stretch. Ok, sounds good, because whatever adjustment he made in his last start seemed to work just fine, as Blanton rediscovered his intimidating presence with a 7 inning, 11 strikeout blanking of the Marlins. It would be nice to get K's like that more often out of Blanton, but that most likely will not happen. Nonetheless, he has the ability to be a solid #3 or #4 fantasy starter if you are looking to pickup a pitcher.
Available in 46% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Fernando Martinez, NY Mets, OF
- Fernando Martinez got the call to the grown-ups league this week as Ryan Church makes another trip to the D.L.. Martinez is arguably the best prospect in the Mets system, but it should be mentioned that it became much easier to achieve the 'best Mets prospect' label after all the other noteworthy prospects were traded away for Johan Santana.

That said, Martinez is clearly a high-potential young outfielder who would likely rank high in any organization. To support this contention, one only needs to observe the terms that many scouts use to describe Martinez in their surreptitious scout-babble vernacular - terms like 'tools', 'good pitch recognition', 'great bat speed' and 'untapped raw power'. While Martinez's accumulated professional stats are not yet consistent with his general scouting report accolades, he is still only 20 years old, and was showing good power at triple-A Buffalo before his call-up, with 8 HRs in only 42 games.
Available in 79% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Other Players To Consider:

J.A. Happ,Philadelphia Philles,SP
Available in 46% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Clint Barmes,Colorado Rockies,2B
Available in 61% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Phil Hughes,NY Yankees,SP
Available in 43% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Andy LaRoche,Pittsburgh Pirates,3B
Available in 64% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Jerry Hairston,Cincinnati Reds,OF
Available in 46% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Candy - May 17th

2009-05-17T12:02:00.000-07:00

May 17, 2009 JunkyardJake.Com

Juan Pierre, LA Dodgers, OF

Since Manny Ramirez was awarded a 50 game sabbatical, and relocated to the 'Banned Substances Suspension Fun Camp' late last week, Juan Pierre has once again asserted himself as a very relevant fantasy factor. Going back to his start on May 7th, Pierre has batted .447, with 6 extra base hits and 6 stolen bases. Fantasy managers have certainly been taking notice over the past week or so, but chances are still about 50-50 that the consummate base-swiper is still available in your league. Remember, even as a 119 game part-timer last season, Pierre still managed to steal 40 bases.

Speaking of Manny Ramirez and the 'Banned Substances Suspension Fun Camp', Manny has sent his best regards and says the camp has been a great opportunity to reunite with Canseco, Bonds, Clemens, Palmeiro and the whole HGH gang. Word is, everyone is staying out of trouble, having a fabulous time, and engaging in constructive activities like playing catch with small appliances, and reenacting scenes from the 'Scorpion King' movies. See you some time in July Manny !
Available in 44% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Brett Cecil, Toronto Blue Jays, SP
Mostly out of necessity, and partly because they are silly Canadians, the Toronto Blue Jays have been shuffling their starting rotation around pretty often through the first six weeks of the season. At this point, unless he gets caught in a pitbull fighting scandal, we know Roy Halladay is going to be pitching every five days or so, and after that it's most recently been hit or miss with Scott Richmond, Robert Ray and Brian Tallet. Standing out in the midst of Blue Jays rotation ambiguity has been Brett Cecil over his first three 2009 starts, compiling 2 wins, a 1.80 ERA, a WHIP of 1.05, while notching 15 K's over 20 innings. The young lefty already has a major-league slider, which is especially rough on left-handed hitters, and he throws a decent fastball that reaches 92 MPH. If Cecil could develop a serviceable change-up to consistently keep right-handers off balance he would register especially high on the awesometer. For now, he has obviously been quite competent, and with a currently secure spot in the Jays rotation, should be a pretty good waiver addition.
Available in 68% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Nick Johnson, Washington Nationals, 1B
Over his ten year career, when Nick Johnson hasn't been busy being fat and/or injured, he's been a fairly productive player. He always has shown decent power during his abbreviated seasons, with his best output coming in his relatively injury-free campaign of 2006 when he hit 23 homeruns in 500 ABs. Probably the most impressive aspect of Johnson's game is his patience at the plate - he actually walked 110 times in 2006, and his career OBP is .397. Besides his decent power, and terrific OBP, Nick Johnson is also known to steal a few bases. Johnson actually has 25 career steals, with a season high of 10. At his current weight of 245 pounds Johnson might be able to snag a few more for you this season, because he can only be stopped with a tranquilizer dart.
Available in 55% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Trevor Cahill, Oakland A's, SP
Trevor Cahill is a talented young pitcher who primarily throws an effective assortment of 4-seam and 2-seam fastballs. He does not exactly light up the radar gun, topping out at around 92-93 MPH, but he skillfully changes speeds, locates his pitches well, and has terrific sinking action on his 2-seamer. When things are going right for Cahill, he is hoaxing batters into futile swings at balls in the dirt, or inducing them into harmless groundouts. Although sinker ballers are not usually known for their strikeout ability, Cahill was actually striking out 10 batters per 9 innings during his short minor league career. His other numbers down on the farm were not too shabby either, with 22 wins in 42 starts, a 2.68 ERA, and an impressively trifling WHIP of 1.089. The former 2nd round pick has had only two bad outings in the majors so far (4/24 and 5/17) , but he has been otherwise exceptional, going at least 5 innings and yielding 2 earned runs or less in his six other 2009 starts.
Available in 61% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Other Players To Consider:

Michael Cuddyer,Minnesota Twins,OF
Available in 66% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Koji Uehara,Baltimore Orioles,SP
Available in 45% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Ben Zobrist,Tampa Bay Rays,SS
Available in 75% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Emmanuel Burriss,San Francisco Giants,SS
Available in 77% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Joel Hanrahan,Washington Nationals,RP
Available in 75% of all CBSSportsline leagues.