Fantasy Nation - Fantasy Football Thread

The Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins are 16 days away from training camp and that means the regular season starts 6 weeks later. It's time to start planning for your fantasy league/s' draft and that means taking stock of the free agent moves, the impact of this year's draft and of course who your personal favorites may be. In this thread I and my FN cohort Boomer will be covering the players and strategies you may want to consider going into your draft. Also, now that the shutdown from hell is just about over and a three month string of 7-12's is almost in the rear view mirror we will be getting back to our FN podcast. You guys may not have missed us but we have really missed doing the show! We would love for the BRI faithful to get involved here because we appreciate the perspective the sports savvy BRI faithful offer. Of course Boomer and I are partial to the Texans and Cowboys but in fantasy to be successful you have to be (uniform) color blind. Football is oh-so-close and it's really time to be thinking how you're going to dominate your league!

 

 

A little something to file away. NE Pats RB Shane Vereen was seen playing WR in a lot of formations during mini camp recently. With the loss of Welker, the uncertainty of Gronk, the inablilty of Amendola to stay healthy. Vereen may be a "sleeper" to keep a close eye on!

 

Fantasy Draft note: This year the RB stable is pretty thin with a lot of players suspect because of their injury history (see Darren McFadden). Most fantasy experts are urging players to go after RB's early to get an impact player. RB is still the backbone of fantasy teams regardless of the fact that the NFL has evolved into a passing league. Don't worry if you don't get a WR in the first two rounds because there are A LOT of them to go around. Even WR's taken in the middle rounds are liable to be WR1's and most certainly WR2's.

 

FD note II - Will Tom Brady be Tom Brady in fantasy this year. Many people are thinking maybe not. It's a very intriguing question that deserves some thought and we can debate it but I think Brady will still be a top 5 fantasy QB. Until I see different I won't be against him. The caveat is Welker. He's the guy Brady looked for for the past 5 or 6 years when he needed a play. Can Danny Amendola fill his shoes? Can he stay healthy? The answers to these questions could be the difference between fantasy boom or fantasy bust. I have faith in the "Patriot Way" that they will fill any voids that currently exist.

Here's my top ten list of running backs going into the 2013 season.

 

1. Adrian Peterson - This time last year many people, me included, had doubts about AP coming off major knee surgery but he showed us all not to lose faith.

 

2. Jamaal Charles - Quietly, Charles came back from his knee injury in 2011 to post 1509 yards rushing and he ended 2012 the 4th leading rusher in the NFL. I expect a little less rushing yards but a lot of receiving yards in Andy Reid's system. Watch out for JC and KC!

 

3. Alfred Morris - This scares me a little because Mike Shanahan changes RB's about as ofter as he changes underwear. Morris turned in a stellar rookie season and he came out of 2012 healthy which bodes well for him in 2013.

 

4. Marshawn Lynch - If he isn't suspended for being an idiots Lynch will continue to thrive in Pete Carroll's system. If he stays healthy look for another big year from Lynch.

 

5. LeSean McCoy - McCoy missed a lot of 2012 injured but he still posted 900+ yards rushing and was still in the top twenty rushers. Back and healthy if Chip Kelly's hurry up offense is going to fly it will start with McCoy.

 

6. Doug Martin - Tampa struck gold when they drafted Martin out of Boise State last year. He was so good he took the starting job away from LeGarratte Blount by Week 3 and made him expendable this past off season. Blount is now a Patriot and Martin a primary threat in the NFL.

 

7. Arian Foster - Is the heart issues Foster dealt with last year going to hold him back or slow him down. Me and a host of other Texans fans hope not. This will be two years in a row for the O-line who struggle some in 2012 but the Texans still rode Foster into the playoffs. My money is on Arian.

 

8. Stevan Ridley - The Patriots need a workhorse. Last year Ridley was asked to step up and he did a good job for the New England. They may not be deep at WR or TE any more but the Pats still have a stable of RB's which include the aforementioned LeGarratte Blount, Shane Vereen and Danny Woodhead but Ridley is the man NE will be leaning on most.

 

9. Chris Johnson - I would like to write him off but he just keeps coming back. After slow starts to the past two seasons he bounced back and rushed for over 1200 yards. I don't have much faith in Mike Munchak or his system but Johnson is too talented and fast to be kept down for a whole season.

 

10. Steven Jackson - I know S-Jax is long in the tooth for an NFL RB but he has to be revitalized to be playing for a team (Atlanta) that has a real shot at going to the Super Bowl. He'll be running behind a good O-line and playing against defenses that can't stack 8 in the box to stop the run because of the respect they have to give the Falcon's passing game. I see a big year for S-Jax and he certainly deserves it.

I wonder if the weddings this past week of Washington's RGIII and Philadelphia's Matt Barkley with affect their standing in Fantasy Football? Now, I can see that how I wrote the prvious sentense makes it look like RGIII and Barkley married each other but that isn't the case. Griffin married Rebecca Liddicoat in her home town of Denver, Co. Barkley married long time girlfriend, Brittany Langdon. From a fantasy standpoint this won't impact either very much but they will certainly be a lot less active on road trips!

The Cowboys and Dolphins begin training camp next Saturday and the rest of the NFL begins a week after that so it's time to start considering your fantasy football player draft. Yes, I know I said it before but I'm just so happy football is cranking up I tend to repeat myself sometimes. Lets take a quick look at some player news.

 

49ers Colin Kaepernick has to be a bit of a nimrod, doesn't he? First, the controversy over his wearing a Miami Dolphins hat out in the world was a little, or a lot, embarrassing to Niners fans and now he has just done a nude photo shoot. Okay, it was for ESPN the Magazine's "Body Issue" and nothing really was shown. Both Kaepernick and TE Vernon Davis were among pro players who posed for the article. So maybe I should lighten up on the "nimrod" business. And, for a skinny guy, Kaepernick is ripped! He looks like he has a twelve pack in the abs. The real test is whether he can progress from a year in which he led San Fran to the Super Bowl. I vote yes.

 

Second year RB Ronnie Hillman of the Denver Broncos doesn't like to share. In an article in NFL.com he said, "I want to be the guy back in there (starting)." The Broncos have a vet in Knowshawn Moreno and they drafted Montee Ball out of Wisconsin in this year's draft not to mention Willis McGahee who will be coming off an injury that ended his season early last year. It appears that Ball has the inside edge but Hillman isn't going to just hand the starter's job over to him. Interesting to watch how this unfolds since a Bronco RB behind Peyton Manning does get his share of the work load.

 

Arizona Cardinals DE Calais Campbell is raving about his offense. Huh? Yep, he says the addition of Carson Palmer make them a viable contender in the NFC West. "This is the first time in years we have an offense that matches our defense.". With the addition of Reshard Mendenhall and drafting Stanford's Stepfan Taylor to go along with 2nd year RB Ryan Williams the Cards have weapons in the backfield. At WR Larry Fitzgerald is bound to be ecstatic about the addition of Palmer. Along with Fitz is 3rd year receiver from Notre Dame Michael Floyd. Generally, it takes a WR around 3 years to become really an NFL caliber receiver and this is Floyd's 3rd. If he makes the jump Dez Bryant did last season the Cards will have a nice set of receivers to depend on. Not to mention the rookies who are coming in like Ryan Swope from Texas A&M and Jaron Brown from Clemson. So, Calais Campbell may be right except for the fact Arizona has to play in maybe the toughest division in football. We'll see.

 

It's been a while since Kellin Winslow Jr has made any sort of impact on an NFL field. He has battled knee injuries over the span of his career. But, when on the field and healthy he has been a playmaker. So, as the Jets primary TE can he fulfill his goal of 100 catches? Probably not but he has logged 72 in a season and I'm sure Mark Sanchez or Geno Smith will take it with a smile. The biggest obstacle is Winslow's health. Can he stay on the field or will the Jets have to rely on Jeremy Kerley like they did last season? That a question the Jets and fantasy owners need to answer.

The New England Patriots have had a Cowboys type of off season in that they have had to deal with so many dumpster fires and the losses and potential losses are huge as both their all-world tight ends are going through major upheavals. Gronkoski's problems are more traditional in terms of the NFL. His issues are about his back and his perpetually broken arm. The Patriots can work through that even if Gronk never plays again, that's life in the NFL. The Aaron Hernandez thing is unique and awful at the same time. But how are the Pats going to field an offense? I want to offer a all-but-forgotten player who may come up big time in 2013, Julian Edelman. Bill Belichick has been working Edelman into the offense more and more the past couple of years and with Wes Welker now in Denver this is his time. He's got to work for it though because Danny Amendola has proved to be an effective receiver when he's healthy. The problem with Amendola is he hasn't been able to stay healthy. Edelman could be a mid to late round steal in fantasy drafts.

 

Players aren't the only ones to suffer the consequences of the NFL's substance abuse policy. The Denver Broncos have two executives looking at penalties after they were arrested for DUI's on separate incidents this summer. Personnel Chief Matt Russell was arrested in early July after a traffic accident with a police car--ouch! The other Personnel Chief Tom Heckert got his DUI in early June. In 2011 Detroit Lions team president Tom Lewand was arrested for DUI and the NFL gave him a 30 day suspension later lowered to 21 days and a $100 K fine. In Roger Goodell's mind executives have got to held to a high standard or else it's not a good example for the players.

 

The Washington Redskins are reported as being astonished with the progress of RGIII's rehab from major knee surgery. They are saying his long speed is back and he's cutting again when he runs. The medical staff is saying that whatever test they give Griffin he "completely smashes it". It's pretty clear RGIII is really going to make good on his vow to be under center in week 1. That's great news for fantasy owners with drafts coming up right around the corner.

 

 

The Broncos made sure Peyton Manning's blind side is protected by giving left tackle Ryan Clady a five year $57.5 mm contract with $33 mm guaranteed. Clady is ranked the 4th best left tackle in football for 2012 by ProFootballFocus.com. Clady only allowed one sack all season last year.

 

How stupid do you have to be to do something like wear a "Free Hernandez" cap in public? That's what the Pouncey twins did over the weekend. Maurkice (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Mike (Miami Dolphins) wore the hats to a night club Saturday night. The Pouncey's were team mates of Hernandez at Florida but considering the nature of the crime this looks to me like poor decision making and pretty insensitive to the family of Odin Lloyd. Speaking of Hernandez, patrons of the Pro Football Hall of Fame complained that there was a photo of Hernandez in the hall and officials have removed it as a result. That is appropriate behavior.

 

Aaron Hernandez isn't the only player accused of a serious crime this summer. Former Cleveland Browns rookie linebacker Ausar Walcott is accused of attempted murder after he got into a fight outside a gentleman's club in Passaic, NJ. Walcott claims he was forced to defend himself after being accosted. Witnesses support Walcott's story according to his lawyer who claims the charges he faces are "unfounded". Either way, after he was arrested Walcott was released by the Browns and nobody has been knocking on the former Virginia star's door. Walcott was an undrafted free agent signed by Cleveland after the draft. Now it may be hard for him to even get a try out in the NFL.

 

 

Last Week I gave you my top ten running backs going into 2013. Today I will give my top WR's.

 

1. Calvin Johnson - Is there any doubting Mega-Tron?

2. Dez Bryant - Dez showed his potential last year and now he's healthy again watch out!

3. A.J. Green - It funny how everyone always disses his quarterback but Green puts up numbers.

4. Roddy White - Got to rank White here because until he doesn't product anymore he's still the man in Atlanta.

5. Demaryius Thomas - Peyton Manning's playmaker. He will share touches with Decker, Welker and the rest of Denvers arsenal but he's still the big play guy and Peyton knows this.

6. Percy Harvin - With a better QB and more weapons around him Harvin is set up for a big year.

7. Mike Wallace - This is a bit of sleeper pick but Ryan Tannehill will be better this year and the emergence of Lamar Miller will keep defenses honest. Joe Philbin showed what he can do with scrubs last year and Wallace is a race horse.

8. Reggie Wayne - Wayne came up big for Indy last year and I'm sure he's glad he didn't follow Peyton to Denver. Andrew Luck is all that and look for Wayne to be the go-to guy again.

9. Julio Jones - Atlanta's one-two WR punch is pretty formidable and with Steven Jackson Atlanta will be hard to beat.

10. Andre Johnson - Houston's perennial all world receiver is coming off an off season healthy. Not rehabbing some major injury and this should bode well for the Texans. If DeAndre Hopkins is as good as advertised it should take some heat off Johnson.

 

As top tens go this one is pretty good but depth at WR in fantasy is off the charts this year and I could easily go top twenty and still leave off somebody good. Guys like Eric Decker, Wes Welker, Brandon Marshall, Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson make for very interesting fantasy WR draft choices. Speaking of Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson, I can't decide if Cobb will overshadow Nelson. That's a hard choice since both are primarily slot receivers. One of them will have to step up and replace Greg Jennings. Jennings is interesting as he moves to the Vikings. What about Larry Fitzgerald with new QB Carson Palmer? See? The WR's are plentiful and I'll discuss draft strategy later but keep this fact in mind.

The running back position just got a little less crowded in Detroit. After suffering multiple concussions in his short career Jahvid Best was released by the Lions today. It's really too bad because Best showed a world of promise but his issues with concussions ended his stay in Detroit. Best was the 30th pick in the 2010 draft by Detroit and he was very good his rookie season. In 2011 Best missed eleven games due to concussions and he missed all of 2012 with post concussion issues. Best won't acknowledge this is the end of his career but now it won't continue in Detroit.

 

Kicker, Connor Barth, who signed with Tampa Bay in 2009 will miss the whole of the 2013 season after he tore his Achilles tendon in a charity basketball game. The Bucs have signed former NY Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes to take over for Barth.

 

 

The Packers lost Greg Jennings to free agency and Donald Driver to retirement but it's not like Aaron Rodgers doesn't have anyone to throw to. The coin to flip in fantasy is over who you like better, Randall Cobb or Jordy Nelson, to be the go-to guy for Mr Rodgers. People forget that Green Bay added a pretty good RB in this draft, Eddie Lacy from Alabama. Lacey is big and he's a bruiser at 230 lbs but he can run as well. If he picks up on pass protection he will be, maybe, the biggest addition to the Packers offense in a while. Let's not forget UCLA's Jonathan Franklin as well. This one-two punch for the Packers may be the engine that takes Green Bay back to the top of the NFL pile. Pay attention to these two guys in preseason because they may be the sleeper picks of your draft.

 

The Patriots drafted Alfonzo Dennard to be a lock down corner for their defense. All they have gotten is a corner who keeps getting locked up. Before the draft Dennard was arrested for assaulting a police officer resulting in a 30 day jail sentence. Now he is facing DUI charges and a July 31st court hearing. With all their legal troubles the Patriots could easily justify cutting Dennard for his offenses but the Boston Globe is reporting they won't. Reaction to the hearing later this month by the Pats is not the only thing Dennard has to worry about. Dennard most assuredly has violated the NFL substance abuse policy and code of conduct policy to boot. Dennard could conceivably be suspended by the league to begin his career in the NFL.

 

Don't look now but the Miami Dolphins open training camp this weekend and the No 3 overall pick Dion Jordan is in jeopardy of missing the start of camp. His contract seems to be pretty much set except for an new issue that arose with the new collective bargaining agreement last year. That issue is "offset language" which allows a team to recoup some of it's money in case the player is cut. Jordon is promising not to miss any training camp but this does seem to be a point of contention. I guess we'll see tomorrow. Jordan is projected as a DE in Miami's defense with comparisons to DeMarcus Ware in terms of his potential.

 

I generally try to give info relating to a player or team in their team colors but I had to decide which I would use. I chose the Ravens purple because I'm talking about former fullback of the Ravens Vonte Leach. Houston fans should remember Leach because he led the way for Arian Foster's breakout season a couple of years ago. The Ravens cut Leach this past off season following their Super Bowl win over the 49ers but have indicated that they would welcome Leach back into the fold but the unspoken afterthought is at a lower salary. The Dolphins were projected as the likely landing place for Leach but Miami is not going to sign him before training camp. Could Leach end up back in Houston? Doubtful. Could he end up in Dallas where they currently have no fullback on the roster and at least three roster spots open on their 90 man roster? Hmmm, maybe. Any road he chooses or any road that chooses him will likely be determined after training camps begin.

Today I'm going to give you my top 10 fantasy quarterbacks. It's going to look a little different and I'm hoping spark some debate. It's 2013 and my list will look a lot different that in the past for the reasons I'll document.

 

1. Drew Brees - The return of Sean Payton will be the difference in the offense this year in the same way the Saints looked lost in 2012. Don't tell me a coach doesn't make a difference.

2. Peyton Manning - I almost put Manning at #1--almost. The Saints throw the ball, yes they run some but the bread and butter of the Saints attack is on the arm of Brees. That's not to say Manning doesn't chunk the rock but he also has a more reliable ground game than the Saints and Manning is not shy about giving up some passing yards to run the ball.

3. Matthew Stafford - The Lions almost got Calvin Johnson 2000 yards receiving in 2012. It was a chicken**** bit of play calling in the Lions final game or he would have surpassed the 2K mark. He did break Jerry Rice's single season records for receptions and yards and he will be Stafford's bell cow. The addition of Reggie Bush should help out too.

4. Aaron Rodgers - The Packers head man has dropped a little bit but his running game may afford Rodgers the luxury of handing the ball off more than he has in recent years. Rodgers will also need Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson to step up their games but never fear with Rodgers here. The Pack can and will throw the ball.

5. Cam Newton - The Panthers signal caller was fourth in fantasy points in 2012. He may not be leading his team to the playoffs in the stacked NFC South but he'll score fantasy team owners some major points.

6. Matt Ryan - Atlanta feels like they blew an opportunity to go to the Super Bowl last season but this team is strong and deep and Matt Ryan has some awesome targets to throw to.

7. Tony Romo - I know, I know the "he's homer" will be the nicest thing to say about this pick but Romo was just 80 yards shy of 5000 yards in 2012. With the emergence of Dez Bryant in 2012 and hoping Miles Austin stays healthy along with the addition of Terrance Williams not to mention a tight end corps geared to catch passes led by all-world Jason Witten I won't bet against Romo being one of the best in the league.

8. Tom Brady - The only reason Brady has dropped so far is because his favorite target is now in Denver and both of his stud tight ends are injured or gone. Brady will still pass the ball it's just that who he's throwing to is really, really iffy.

9. Russell Wilson - The Seahawks appear to have found a real keeper in Wilson. This is a run first offense led by Mr Skittles Marshawn Lynch but as 2012 got deeper and deeper into the season Wilson got exponentially better.

10. RGIII - The caveat here is one big question. Can he stay healthy? The Redskins are crossing their fingers that the answer is yes and fantasy owners have to understand they better have a quality backup if they pick him. (Does this mean Kirk Cousins has some fantasy value?)

10A. Colin Kaepernick - This was tie in so many ways and it even came down to health and weapons. Even though Kaepernick has the advantage in both categories I just can't deny the potential RGIII has to elevate those around him. Kaepernick has shown himself to be, or at least appear to be, a smart assed, self centered so and so. That said the guy has shown he can play. Fantasy owners had better have been paying attention.

NFL news is coming on hot and heavy now with training camp so close and with Dallas and Miami already in camp. So, lets check out some player news.

 

RGIII has been cleared to participate in training camp. So, he won't be on the PUP list and he looks like a lock to be on the field in Week 1.

 

Denver's defense took a huge hit when a story leaked that Vonn Miller violated the NFL substance abuse policy and will be suspended for 4 games to begin the season.

 

Geno Davis signed his contract with the Jets today for an estimated $5mm. Over the weekend he said he has a "great chance" to win the starting job for the Jets. Signing his contract is the beginning of his NFL road so now he has to show what he has on the field. In other Jets news the team hosted workouts for WRs Austin Collie and Laurant Robinson. Both receivers have shown they can play in the NFL except one thing--both have very serious concussion issues. Even if one or both are signed don't expect much from them.

 

The Browns Josh Gordon is being suspended for 4 games for violating the substance abuse policy of the NFL. He had strep throat earlier in the summer and was taking a codine cough medicine which is a banned substance. It sound pretty unfair to me. When asked if he has a substance abuse problem Gordon replied that the codine was not for recreational use. Gordon had been disciplined twice in college for marijuana use but he claims he has his priorities in order and that he doesn't have a substance abuse problem. Gordon could be a fantasy steal and potential pro bowl player for the Browns.

All but one team has begun training camp now. And there is certainly a lot of player news to talk about so.............

 

> Seattle's Percy Harvin has what was described as a season ending hip injury. Harvin suffered a partially torn labrum and Seahawks team doctor is saying they want Harvin to try and rehab the hip rather than undergo surgery. Harvin is seeking a second opinion.

 

> The Ravens Jacoby Jones failed his conditioning test to open training camp. I guess "Dancing With The Stars" was enough to keep in shape. He did pass the test Friday. Also, Bryant McKinney came into camp overweight and is not able to practice until he gets into better shape. Not good omens for the Ravens.

 

> Every media type was wondering how Patriots coach Bill Belichick would address the Aaron Hernandez situation. Bill did it as you might expect any coach having this to deal with. That press conference was much ado about nothing.

> Likewise, the media was wondering how Ryan Braun's friend Aaron Rodgers would respond in his first presser since Braun was suspended the remainder of the 2013 season for PED usage. The main deal with Braun was he lied and swore he never took PEDs and then accepted his suspension without and appeal. Rodgers supported his friend on twitter defending him and in his presser Rodgers said he was disappointed about being lied to. Again, no more than you'd expect.

 

> Texas A&M WR Ryan Swope retired Thursday without ever taking an NFL practice snap. Swope suffered a setback as a result of a concussion he received in college and he chose his health over the NFL. It's too back for Swope and too bad for the Arizona Cardinals who could have used Swope's speed and hands. Fortunately, Swope was a 6th round pick when many thought he would go higher so Arizona did their home work on him and took a chance. They were smart not to invest a higher draft pick on him.

 

> The Jets lost CB Aaron Berry for the season with a torn ACL. It's an unfortunate setback for a guy trying to right his ship after being cut by Detroit last year because he was arrested twice in a month period for a DUI and for brandishing a gun in his home town. The Jets hope to keep him busy with rehab to help stay out of trouble. Also, Santonio Holmes isn't likely to be available for Week 1 because he is still hobbled by his knee injury suffered last season. Friday Holmes said he is not even sure he can play this season. Lousy news for the Jets who are decidedly lacking in offensive weapons.

 

 

Scratch Jeremy Maclin off you fantasy draft sheet. He is done in 2013 after tearing his ACL in practice yesterday.

 

The Ravens were dealt a severe blow to their offense yesterday when TE Dennis Pitta broke his hip in practice. He underwent successful surgery today to remove bone fragments but he is definitely done for the season. Now we'll see how "elite" Joe Flacco is without two of his best receivers, Anquan Bolden who left via free agency and now Pitta.

 

Arizona were finally able to sign their first round draft pick Jonathan Cooper to a four year fully guaranteed control worth $14.55 control that does include the infamous "offset language" which was probably the hold up in the contract negotiations.

 

As for the Ravens again word is in that they have signed Visanthe Shiancoe to a one year deal. He was signed after Dennis Pitta broke his hip. It is believed that Shiancoe will back up Ed Dickson.

 

The Broncos are in a bit of a pickle because they believe their starting center Dan Koppin has a torn ACL. Koppin became the starter after previous starter, JD Walton, experienced complications in his rehab from a dislocated ankle and was lost for the season. The Broncos next man up is guard Manny Ramirez. It is expected Denver is heavy in the market for a true center.

 

Here's an article from NFL.com's Michael Fabiano on his ten players to stay away from in fantasy. I'm not sure I agree with his take. Post something here if agree or disagree.

http://www.nfl.com/fantasyfootball/story/0ap1000000169160/article/nfl-fantasy-football-10-players-to-avoid

It appears that Seattle will lose a major weapon for the season because Percy Harvin is having hip surgery after getting a second opinion on the injury he suffered last week. This is a big blow to the Seahawks as they are serious contenders for the NFC race. They are still good but Harvin will be missed. Now, in fantasy WR's Golden Tate and Sidney Rice's values suddenly rise. Speaking of Sidney Rice he is on his way to Europe to undergo a non-surgical procedure called Regenokine. It is a treatment involving blood manipulation that is only available in Europe. Head coach Pete Carroll is on board with Rice's leaving saying he expects Rice back with fresh legs and with his knee in even better condition.

 

Atlanta Falcon's WR Julio Jones is getting rave reviews so far in training camp. While Jones says Roddy White is the Falcon's No 1 receiver but to most observers Jones is by far the best player in Falcons camp so far. Jones is entering his 3rd season and it's about this time that WRs start to blossom and going off that it's fair to project Jones will supplant White as the No 1 guy within the next year or two. Either way it's great for the Falcons. In 2012 White and Jones lead all NFL WR tandoms in combined yards gained with Jones only about 100 yards less than White with both being among the NFL leaders in receiving yards. It may be time to go Jones over White in your fantasy draft.

 

It's going to be hard to choose a fantasy running back from the Denver Broncos because they are so deep at the position. So far in training camp Denver has used Knowshaun Moreno, Ronnie Hillman and rookie Monte Ball in first team offense. Projections right now have Ball being the featured back running two out of every three series with Hillman getting third series and Knowshaun as the 3rd down back. Keep an eye on preseason. Speaking of deep, is there another team with so many offensive weapons? We see the depth at RB but look at their WR's: Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Wes Welker, Andre Caldwell topping the list. At TE they have Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreesen topping that position. Does Peyton Manning have enough balls to keep all these guys happy? Who knows but it's an embarrasment of riches I'll bet most teams are jealous of. For fantasy owners deciding who, or if, you draft one or more of these Broncos can be a hassle to decide on.

 

Cincinnati's top draft pick continues to exceed expectations in training camp. Tyler Eifort from Notre Dame is routinely turning heads every day in practice. He may not supplant Jermaine Gresham as the starting TE this year but he will see some playing time. It may be that Eifort could be a real sleeper pick in fantasy drafts.

 

It's being reported that Danny Amendola is the most reliable receiver in Patriots camp so far the best receiver on Tuesday was undrafted free agent Kenbrell Thompkins from Cincinnati. He has been outplaying the Patriots 2nd round pick from Marshall Aaron Dobson. As expected, Bill Belichick, and the Patriots staff were going to find Tom Brady some weapons to work with.

 

Rueben Randall has really made strides at WR for the Giants. Randall has benefitted from the absence of Hakeem Nicks who is being eased back into practice as rehabs from injuries he suffered last season. Randall is a big, strong target who is getting better in is second year in the NFL out of LSU. Keep Randall in mind if Nicks struggles to stay healthy.

 

Jonathan Stewart's timetable for his return from surgery on both his ankles is still up in the air. CBS Sports is reporting that it could be any day or sometime in September. Wow. This means that Stewart could be a nice value as a late round pick.

 

Colts running back Ahmad Bradshaw admitted yesterday that he is still a couple of weeks away from being able to practice as he rehabs from off season foot surgery. The past two seasons Bradshaw has been slowed down a lot by his foot issues. Hopefully, this will make Bradshaw a good value mid to early late round pick.

 

 

Earlier this week I told you that the Broncos had lost their second center in the in 2013 when Dan Koppin tore his ACL. Well, despite a lean offensive center market Denver has reunited Peyton Manning will one of his guards at Indianapolis from 2004 to 2009 Ryan Lilja. The Broncos coaxed Lilja out of retirement to join the Broncos and he will be an additional option at center for them. Lilja spent 3 seasons with the Chiefs before announcing his retirement this past December 31st.

 

The Jets suffered a setback today when RB Chris Ivory went down with a bad hamstring. He simply is complaining that his hammy isn't ready for the NFL just yet. It's a shame because Ivory has talent and this is first real chance to be the featured back in an offense since he's been in the NFL. Maybe Ivory is little scared of finally getting his chance? Probably not but either way it would be a shame if he can't at least give it shot.

 

WR Riley Cooper is on a video on Deadspin with him at a Kenny Chesney concert making racially insensitive remarks following a run in with an African American security guard. Riley has repeatedly apologized to everyone and anyone saying he is ashamed and that he wasn't raised to be like that. Cooper admits he was drinking at the concert but makes no excuses for his words. He has yet to face his team mates and apologize in person. The Eagles have levied a fine Cooper described as "substancial" and it remains to be seen what, or if, the NFL (Roger Goodell) will do. The Eagles don't need any more controversy after losing Jeramy Maclin for the season while trying in stall the new Chip Kelly offense. The City of Brotherly Love could use a little love right about now.

 

The NFL and the NFLPA has made sweeping changes to the Pro Bowl in an attempt to make it more fan friendly and more relevant. Here's the article about the changes from NFL.com.

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000224059/article/nfl-nflpa-announce-significant-changes-to-pro-bowl

 

NFL.com's Mike Mayock called the Rams Tavon Austin maybe the most explosive player he's ever seen. Ever. He reports that Austin is so quick going from a static start to full speed makes him impossible to cover in short spaces. Austin and new tight end Jared Cook are the most targeted receivers so far in Rams camp. We will see Austin and company this weekend when the Rams, and the rest of the NFL, begin their preseason. It remains to be seen who will replace Steven Jackson. It won't hurt for Austin and Cook to step up to take some heat off Sam Bradford.

 

The Packers have lost their left tackle Brian Bulaga for the season with a torn ACL. This is a big loss for any team because LT is generally the best lineman on the squad and when you're talking about protecting Aaron Rodgers' blind side you want a quality guy in the trenches. This isn't a disaster but it will cause some shuffling on the Packers O-line. Also, Vince Young fans can be happy because the Packers signed VY to a 1 year deal.

 

Earlier this year Dez Bryant called Tyrann Mathieu the best player in the 2013 draft. So far in Cardinals camp the "Honey Badger" has more than impressed. He is showing that the game is already slowing down for him. Everyone from the coaching staff, the players and team scouts are raving about Mathieu who has excelled at cornerback, safety and nickleback. Some are saying he is the steal of this draft class. High praise indeed for an undersized player who didn't play his last year at LSU.

 

It looks like the Jets have a new No 1 RB. Reports are that Bilal Powell has passed Chris Ivory on the depth chart. It's expected that Ivory is the front runner to be the No 1 guy in Week 1 but right now he's been out nursing a hamstring injury but once he is back healthy he will likely be the bell cow for Rex Ryan's Jets.

 

New Orleans will have the same pecking order at running back they have had the past couple of years. Pierre Thomas is the No 1 RB with Mark Ingram backing him up and Darren Sproles is the third man on the depth chart. What is a fact is that both Thomas and Ingram have issues staying healthy and Sproles will make PPR league owners happy by being that flex guy who is going to be among the team leaders in receptions. This is what makes Saints RB's NOT among your first picks in fantasy drafts.

 

The Chargers are listing Malcolm Floyd as the starter pairing with Danario Alexander in the WR spot. Vincent Brown has been playing very well in Chargers camp so far and the 3rd year player from San Diego State is coming into his own as an NFL receiver. Can we call Brown a fantasy sleeper? May be. We'll have keep an eye on him during preseason as this post-Norv Turner era begins.

 

With Riley Cooper excused from team activities for councelling the Eagles have turned to rookie Russell Sheppard to run with the first team opposite DeSean Jackson. For the forseeable future the Eagles will be counting on the rookie to fill gaps left by Cooper and Jeramy Maclin.

 

The Patriots have a new BFF at TE with the injury woes of Gronk and with Aaron Hernandez no longer on the team. That guy is former Charger Daniel Fells. However undrafted rookie Zach Sudfeld is coming on strong to take his place. He has lapped veteran Jake Ballard who has been struggling and appears to be in real danger of losing his roster spot. Sudfeld appears to be a player to watch closely in preseason because Bill Belichick and company may have unearthed another gem.

There were several games played last night. The Atlanta-Cincinnati game was on ESPN and the NFL Network had an NFL Red Zone appoach to covering the other games in progress until they showed the late game between San Diego and Seattle.

 

From NFL.com here's an article titled "What we learned from Thursday's games". I want to point out that in his debut with the 49ers Colt McCoy got some playing time. He did suffer what was classified by Jim Harbaugh as a stinger and he played some plays after suffering it. On our fantasy radar it should be noted that Chris Givens has reappeared on the screen. Most attention is being given to Tavon Austin but Givens is a fast and game breaking type of receiver and he has one thing Austin doesn't--experience. Another guy who may have some flex value is the Browns Dion Lewis. He is making noise as is WR Greg Little. Remember, Norv Turner is the OC in Cleveland now and that offense will get better. A lot better. So don't forget Brandon Weeden as a sleeper QB pick.

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000228065/article/what-we-learned-from-thursdays-preseason-action

Here's a link to NFL.com's "Things We Learned" article from Friday night's games.

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000228754/article/what-we-learned-friday-quarterback-battles-round-1

 

From snippets I saw of Friday's games there are some real fantasy football news worthy items of note.

1. Arizona looks like they will have an offense to go along with their defense. Larry Fitzgerald looks like he's a viable draft pick again. I'll be keeping an eye on Michael Floyd as well. Rookie RB Stepfan Taylor is a solid back who is pretty good in the passing game. PPR leagues may want to look at Taylor as a flex option.

2. Alex Smith's performance was a really good one and Andy Reid even got Jamaal Charles a TD at the end of a long drive.

3. Keep and eye on WR Kenny Stills of the Saints. This kid is big and fast and he will get some touches. Unfortunately, Drew Brees throws the ball to everybody so fantasy wise he probably would be a hit or miss player in that regard.

4. Oakland's Brice Butler rates a little notice the next couple of weeks. He did a nice job against the Cowboys Friday night.

5. Didn't you know Bill Belichick had cards he wasn't showing? With all the negative crap the Pats have had to deal with on Friday they unveiled a whole new cast in the same old offense. Fantasy players to note are named in the link above but you just had to know with Tom Brady the Patriots would be okay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ravens had been killed by injuries so far in training camp but over the weekend they shored up their receiving corp by signing TE Dallas Clark and WR Brandon Stokley to one year deals. Both players could actually make an impact for Baltimore this season.

 

The Jets got Geno Smith back in practice Sunday but he was moving around with a noticeable limp. The Jets got some good news on the running back front when Chris Ivory returned to practice. He has been nursing a hamstring since the beginning of training camp. Bilal Powell has been taking first team reps but it was pretty well understood he was marking time until Ivory returned to practice.

 

Just a heads up for fantasy owners. T Y Hilton is almost unstoppable. In short work over the weekend he showed the ability to be a very special player. The emergence of Hilton will help his fantasy valve as well as Reggie Wayne's. It seems TE Colby Fleener has found his mojo and the chemistry between him and Andrew Luck seems to be rekindled.

 

The Packers have RB DuJuan Harris back in practice after missing the last 3 weeks with a minor knee injury. Randall Cobb was back in practice for the first time since injuring his biceps in pratice last week. The Packers are probably glad to have them back especially after being shut out by Arizona Saturday night.

 

The Saints lost WR Joe Morgan for the season after he tore his ACL. This is a big loss for Saints but it opens some doors for others. The Saints are already eyeing Kenny Stills who had a nice game against Kansas City over the weekend. But, leaving no stone unturned New Orleans has signed WR's Steve Breaston and former Cowboy Patrick Crayton. It seems both players aren't expected to do much but it gives the Saints some warm bodies for practice.

 

Jamaal Charles left today's practice with a foot injury. Kansas City and fantasy team owners can breathe easier after x-rays on Charles foot were negative. Also, KC 1st pick in this year's draft OL Eric Fisher returned to practice after injuring his thumb in the preseason game vs New Orleans. X-rays on his thumb were negative and it seems KC can blow a big sigh of relief.

The big news today was the knee injury to Patriots QB Tom Brady. Yep, THAT Tom Brady. His knee was rolled up on by his own man after a Tampa Bay player pushed him down. The Patriots are in a mutual practice session like they did with Philadelphia last week. It's not thought to be a serious problem and Brady will not miss significant time.

 

The Rams LB Jo-Lonn Dunbar is suspended the first four games of the season for violating the NFL PED use policy. It is, in fact, not because he took PED's it was the fact Dunbar took something that caused the failed drug test. Dunbar has apologized to his teammates and the Rams organization. He will accept his suspension and get back on the field to try and make this up to his team.

 

Boomer's go-to fantasy kicker is now looking for work. Dan Carpenter was released today by the Miami Dolphins. He's being replaced by the Dolphins 5th round draft choice, Caleb Sturgis. It may be good timing in the grand scheme of things with Carpenter's wife due to give birth soon to their first child. Carpenter is such a good kicker he shouldn't be out of work long.

 

What is with these Texas A&M guys? Not only is Denver's Vonn Miller facing suspension for substance abuse now he has been arrested on outstanding warrents for unpaid traffic violations. He was released on $1000 bond. Who knows what repercussions are bound to follow after this.

The end of Thursday night's games didn't offer a lot for fantasy team owners but there were a couple of things I have said before that seem to be borne out as the preseason progresses.

 

One: Brandon Weeden is a sleeper that is losing some of his "sleeper" classification. He was sharp as a tack in last night's game. A couple of other Browns worth considering is TE Jordan Cameron and RB Dion Lewis. Trent Richardson goes without saying but Lewis is turning heads with his performances in practice and in the preseason games. Keep WR's Josh Gordon and Greg Little on your radar as well. Why do all these Browns get all the press? Two words; Norv Turner. The guy is a great offensive coordinator and he looks like he's got a stable of playmakers to work with. If the Browns can play some D Cleveland ain't gonna be nobody's bitch.

 

Two: Detroit is going to saddle up Reggie Bush and ride him until he pukes. He may have more value in PPR leagues because as he did last night Bush racked up more yards off pass receptions than carries. But, he did show some shake and a couple of the runs he made were almost all on his own. Joique Bell actually ran the ball better than Bush so you will probably see a lot of both with Bush definitely in for all 3rd downs. Mikel Leshoure only got one carry in the game and he may be an odd man out if he doesn't pick it up.

Three: Matt Ryan had a good night but it wasn't for lack of throwing to WR Julio Jones. Julio is the man. He may defer to Roddy White but Julio was spectacular in his three catches for 55 yards and a TD. Rookie Darius Johnson from SMU had the most receptions with 6 for 50 yards and at 5'10" and 175 lbs he looks like a born slot man. We can't forget about Drew Davis the 2nd year WR from Oregon who has size (6'1" 205 lbs) and speed. It seems like the Falcons have a LOT of weapons to throw to. Steven Jackson and Jacquizz Rodgers are a nice one-two punch in the running game. Can you say No 1 RB and handcuff here? Yes.

 

Four: It's hard to gauge the Ravens offense right now but as I've always said Joe Flacco is way overrated. So, I guess I'm going to say the Ravens offense will be pretty lame if Torrey Smith gets hurt. In fact, the Falcons No 1's outplayed the Ravens No 1's on both sides of the ball. The only real highlight was a 77 yard catch and run by Smith that more Smith than it was Flacco. With Smith's speed and ability to run after the catch he should be on fantasy radars. As an example as to how lame the Ravens O was Ray Rice had only 10 yards on 8 carries and 7 yards on two receptions.

 

Five: Whoever is going to end up the starting QB in Philly he is going to have to be in shape. In the new Chip Kelly Oregon-eque offense both Nick Foles who started and Michael Vick who followed were getting plays off in 20 to 30 seconds on average. Whereas most NFL teams snap the ball at around 40 seconds with some later than that. You better put on your track shoes against these Eagles. BTW LeSean McCoy was pretty darn good as was rookie RB Matthew Tucker from TCU.

 

Six: Cam Newton put up numbers but looked ugly doing it. He's going to be a good fantasy QB but the Panthers may struggle. DeAngelo Williams was averaging a hair over 3 YPC. David Gettis had the best night for the Panthers receivers but he didn't set the world on fire either. If you need a TE in fantasy Greg Olsen may be a very nice pickup indeed. Keep an eye on Ted Ginn Jr who came to Carolina from San Francisco. Gettis appears to be challenging Steve Smith for the No 1 WR in Panther-land.

 

Seven: I saw a graphic last night in the Bears-Chargers game that said Brandon Marshall caught 41% of all passes thrown by the Bears last season. That's the highest percentage since 1960! Pundits are saying Marshall could be a higher fantasy WR than Megatron. Marshall was targeted a lot last night so I don't have any doubt that Marshall will be right up there in the top WR's in 2013. Matt Forte looked really good last night as well.

 

Eight: San Diego is going to struggle again this year unless they are playing so vanilla that they will jump up and surprise folks when the season begins.Phillip Rivers didn't look good last night but some rookies and 1st year players showed some life. RB Ryan Mathews did well but as a fantasy owner it's hard to put much faith in his abililty to stay healthy. Mathews has some competition behind him in 1st year players Edwin Baker from Michigan State and a familiar name to UT fans, Fozzy Whittaker with Whittaker scoring the only rushing TD for San Diego in the game. Ladarius Green the 2nd year player from Louisiana-Lafayette seems to be coming into his own was the leading receiver for the Chargers last night.

Here are some great comments from Mathew Berry about the first few NFL preseason games.

 

List Five: 10 things I've noticed in the preseason games I've seen so far

1. Forget the LeGarrette Blount thing, but New England not only wants to run, but they can run at will. Stevan Ridley is going to have a top-10 fantasy running back type season; he's a lock for double-digit touchdowns. And the play in the first game where Shane Vereen went out wide and got matched up on a linebacker? Expect to see that more often. He's going to be a really nice PPR RB2 in a 12-team league or a solid flex in a standard league.

 

2. Thanks to the rushing yards (28 yards in the first game on three rushes), if EJ Manuel becomes the starter in Buffalo, he has top-15 fantasy quarterback upside.

 

3. Improving the offensive line in the offseason was a priority for the Titans. It's very early, but so far I'd say they accomplished that. I like Chris Johnson a lot in the middle of the second round this year and don't be surprised if Shonn Greene winds up with eight touchdowns or so.

 

4. In his second game, Matt Forte had eight carries for 74 yards, which is fantastic, but it's preseason and it was against the Chargers. What was most impressive to me was that the Bears got to San Diego's 11-yard line and they gave the ball to Forte three straight times, including twice inside the 5-yard line. The second of those runs from the 5, he punched in for a score. If Forte is going to get goal-to-go rushes in Marc Trestman's offense, you're looking at a top-10 back.

 

5. I know, I know, I probably shouldn't be allowed to put Michael Vick's name in print anymore, but he has looked very good. My belief is that he wins the starting job and obviously, health is always the concern. But 13-of-15 for 199 and a score? Even if it was the preseason and despite not starting the second game ... he's going 16th among quarterbacks in the 12th round. Name another 12th-rounder who has top-five upside.

 

6. Either way, LeSean McCoy is going to have a monster year. Chip Kelly wants to run, run, run and even in preseason against the Panthers, averaging 5.9 yards per carry is nice.

 

7. Now do you believe the Jordan Cameron hype? The Cleveland Plain-Dealer has discussed how often Cameron is getting looks in practice, you saw the result of that with his two-touchdown game against the Lions and it's not an accident. Antonio Gates is the most obvious example, but Norv Turner and Rob Chudzinski love to use the tight end. In fact, per ESPN Stats & Information, in Chudzinski's nine seasons as an NFL coach, his team's starting tight end has ranked in the top eight among tight ends in targets in six of them, with at least 100 targets in five of them.

 

8. Cleveland also wants to get Josh Gordon involved and he's going to have a really nice year. I love the stat I used in Love / Hate: Over the past five years, only the Colts attempted more passes 15 yards or more downfield than Norv Turner's San Diego Chargers. Norv's calling the plays in Cleveland now and the suspension has lowered Gordon's draft-day stock.

 

9. One last Browns nugget: The Browns defense is a lot better than you think. Could sneak into the top 10 as a fantasy defense, yet another reason there's no need to draft one until the final two rounds.

 

10. So much for the concerns of Jay Cutler spreading it around. In Game 2, he attempted five passes. All five of them to Brandon Marshall.

 

 

Boomer!!

LOL yes I am Alive. Thanks for noticing Big T ;D